Giant panda Beibei is seen beside its birthday cake during a celebration at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C., the United States, Aug. 22, 2017.

The Smithsonian National Zoos beloved live Giant Panda Cam was turned off last Wednesday amid the ongoing partial government shutdown in the United States.

Smithsonians National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute managed to stay open for the first 11 days of the shutdown, which began on December 22, 2018, but was forced to close its doors on Tuesday, Jan. 1, after its prior-year funds ran out because Congress and the White House are unable to reach a funding agreement.

The much-loved Giant Panda Cam went black the following day on Wednesday.

The Zoos official statement read: The Smithsonian's National Zoo is closed due to a federal government shutdown. The Zoos live animal cams require federal resources, primarily staff, to run and broadcast. They are deemed non-essential and will not stream live until the federal government reopens.

Its less popular streams have also been shut down, but the Giant Panda Cam has long been a favorite. For example, when giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to twin panda cubs in 2015, close to a million panda fans tuned in to watch the stream.

The unfortunate situation is that until a deal is reached to end the shutdown, panda fans will be unable to enjoy the 24/7 live broadcast of resident giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Bei Bei chomping on bamboo, playing in trees, and tumbling in the grass.

This may seem like a trivial matter. But for some, the loss has been unbearable, and they are calling for an end to the shutdown so that they can get on with life and enjoy watching the pandas.

Some people have even called it a step too far and are outraged at the US government for being unable to do its job and reach a deal.

The US government shutdown is an internal affair, so it is not really a concern for the Chinese people. But the shutdown of the panda cam has attracted a lot of attention in China and beyond.

The situation has also created some laughter.

On the English-language website of Peoples Daily Online, one reader joked that China might need to place a guard around the pandas for safe keeping and possibly live stream it to the world.

Another reader wondered if the giant pandas will be detained for "spying" and, if so, be put in a CIA black site because they may feel threatened by the intelligence of the pandas.

Some even went further and joked that the US government might use the opportunity to comb through panda waste for alleged "technology theft."

Of course, such comments are just a joke.

However, for many everyday Americans who are currently unable to even obtain a marriage license, the ongoing government shutdown is no laughing matter.

As the alarming situation shows, the reality is that the US government shutdown is having a real effect on the lives of everyday Americans, who are stuck in the middle of a political game being played between Congress and the White House.

The shutdown also highlights the disturbing level of political dysfunction in the United States, the result of a system that can be so divided and paralyzed that it is nearly impossible for the government to actually do things.

The loss of the Zoos panda cam, while relatively minor in terms of overall impact of the shutdown, is just another sign that US democracy has become what American scholar Francis Fukuyama and others have labeled as a vetocracy  meaning the US government has become dangerously ineffective.

Zhang Weiwei, a Chinese professor at Fudan University who has debated Fukuyama on such issues, has argued that the separation of powers in the United States has its weaknesses, as many vested interest groups fight against each other to block reform initiatives that are necessary for the country. As Professor Zhang has pointed out, it is getting harder to build a social consensus within the Western democratic countries. And as a result, the Western system of democracy has become more and more problematic.
Huang Ping, Chinese consul general in New York, speaks as he meets with representatives from the Chinese community in Philadelphia, the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, Jan. 6, 2019. The Chinese community in the United States should continue to play their unique role as "positive energy" in cementing China-U.S. ties, Huang said here Sunday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

PHILADELPHIA, the United States, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese community in the United States should continue to play their unique role as "positive energy" in cementing China-U.S. ties, a diplomat said here Sunday.

Overseas Chinese in America have been participants in and contributors to the establishment of China-U.S. ties, Huang Ping, Chinese consul general in New York, said in a meeting with representatives from the Chinese community in Philadelphia, the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

It is important that the Chinese community continues to help bridge bilateral ties, he added.

The diplomat said the exchanges between China and the United States are time-honored.

Many Chinese, who came to the United States early, have helped a lot in its national construction amid hardships and became an indispensable part of the pluralistic society, Huang noted. He added that interactions between the two sides have deepened over the past decades.

Huang said some 10,000 people make trips between the two countries every day.

"We are very proud of the achievement our motherland has made over the past 40 years and we will continue our role in strengthening bilateral exchanges," said Sam Hung Sang Leung, president of the Shenzhen Commerce Association of Eastern America.

After the two-hour meeting, Huang visited six local Chinese associations, during which he thanked the local Chinese community for their continuous support for the consulate-general. He promised that the consulate-general will do its best to serve the interests of the overseas Chinese.

The 10 states for which the Chinese consulate-general in New York provides consular services include Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island.
The family of the late Joseph Miigai Jakperuk, a senior staff of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) who was murdered by unknown assailants, say they suspect foul play in his death.

Jakperuk was on his way to his hometown when the most unfortunate happened. Now, his family says they believe his death was as a result of a contract killing.

MyNewsGh.com reports that in an interview with some members of Jakperuk's family, it was put across that the circumstances surrounding the death of the deputy Distribution Manager of Accra East Region leaves much to be desired.

An initial explanation of armed robbery is not sitting well with the family. They are therefore not ruling out the possibility of contract killing of their relation.

READ ALSO: Gifty Osei finally opens up on the cold treatment she faced in her former marriage (Video)

The deceased is an employee of the GWCL. Photo credit: Supplied

Source: UGC

They are calling on the police to ensure that justice prevails in the death of Jinjer

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Jakperuk was shot dead by unknown assailants at Gbangu in the East Mamprusi District of the Northern Region.

The deputy Distribution Manager was traveling to his hometown in the Bunkpurugu District when he was stopped by the hoodlums in the night.

According to the report, the unknown men assailants, after barricading the road with pieces of wood, pulled Jakperuk out of his cross country vehicle and shot him to death.

READ ALSO: Tracy was my first crush; I waited for her to break up with her boyfriend to grab her  Sarkodie

Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr. Mohammed Yusif Tanko confirmed the incident a while ago failed to give further details.

Ghana News Today: Sad Story of How Woman Lost Baby at Gov't Hospital In Kumasi | #Yencomgh

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen
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A recent report from CoreLogic showed that rental markets were restrained but held reasonably firm in 2018 compared to dwelling values that slid further and growth rates that were reduced.

Across the combined capital cities, weekly rents were unchanged over the year. Rents in Sydney and Darwin, meanwhile, were down by 3% and 5.8%, respectively. Hobart and Canberra posted more encouraging results up 5.8% and 5.3%, respectively, during the period.

The study also found that yields are trending upwards as values fall. While rental markets remain mild, rental conditions have outperformed dwelling values across most areas. This has allowed an increase in rental yields.

The gross rental yield rose from 3.4% in 2017 to 3.7% in 2018 across the combined capital cities, while the combined regional markets gross yields improved from 4.9% to 5%.

Hobart and Darwin were the only capital cities whose gross rental yields dropped over the year. Hobart dwelling values (+8.7%) increased faster than rents (+5.8%). As a result, the gross yield declined even more over the year. Darwin similarly reported a drop in rental yields due to rental rates (-5.8%) falling more than dwelling values (-1.5%).

Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, on the other hand, showed the largest yield improvements. Although rents were down 3% in Sydney, dwelling values were down by a much larger 8.9%. This paved the way for yields to increase by two basis points.

The yield improvement in Melbourne was more substantial due to rents rising by 2.4% over the year, while dwelling values were down 7%. This resulted in a four-basis-point increase in gross rental yields.

Rents in Perth have been consistently tracking upwards coming from their low base through the year, up 2% over the year, while dwelling values were down 4.7%. The net result has been a two-basis-point rise in Perth rental yields.

Overall, CoreLogics report showed that while yields are improving, gross rental yields remain well below long-term average levels, especially in Sydney and Melbourne.

Considering rental conditions remained relatively soft, a recovery in gross rental yields is likely to be a long and gradual process, said Tim Lawless, CoreLogic head of research.

Lawless also said that there might be a shift in the behaviour of investors, in line with the possible negative gearing changes.

With amendments to negative gearing policies likely should we see a change of government, investors may shift focus towards markets offering stronger rental conditions and where there is potential for higher rental yields which should help to insulate against any changes to taxation policy, he said.
AT A MONDAY meeting of the Bessemer city council, mayor Adam Zak, center, confers with mayor pro tempore Allen Archie, right. Council member Linda Nelson is at left.

By P.J. GLISSON

[email protected]

Bessemer - The Bessemer city council voted Monday for a three-lane option on U.S. 2, with modifications for greater width on each end of town to ease movement of industrial vehicles on Massie and Tamarack Avenues.

Massie Avenue allows traffic to and from the city's industrial park, and Tamarack Avenue lies next to Steiger's Home Center.

Michigan Department of Transportation officials have been awaiting the lane decision so they can proceed with formal plans for the reconfiguration.

The unanimous vote came after mayor Adam Zak explained that city attorney Ray O'Dea had recommended the three-lane choice on the grounds of protecting the city from potential liability.

"I have tried everything I can think of," said Zak in relation to trying to please the greatest number of city residents. "I have a heavy heart for the four-lane supporters."

Zak added, however, "Mr. O'Dea's legal advice holds a lot of weight."

Dated Dec. 26, 2018, O'Dea's letter states that a 2008 state study showed three lanes would allow safer traffic flow for Bessemer. Moreover, he said if three lanes were installed now, it would facilitate an extra 18 inches of shoulder width on each side of the highway, thereby also contributing to pedestrian safety.

O'Dea warned that if the city voted for four lanes which then resulted in problems due to the necessity to reduce sidewalk width as part of that plan, there could be "potential responsibility for (related) accidents."

Finally, O'Dea said the three-lane configuration would be more cost effective to maintain.

"I don't like it, but I don't think we have much choice," said mayor pro tempore Allen Archie, who had pushed for citizens who preferred the four-lane option.

Council member Linda Nelson said she liked the idea of maintaining four lanes but added, "I trust Ray O'Dea."

"In time, it'll be okay," assured councilman Rob Coleman. "Three-lane is not the end of the world."

Councilman Terry Kryshak said he also supported the three-lane choice. He said if the council voted against O'Dea's advice and then resulted with legal woes, "We would be remiss in doing our fiduciary duty to the community."

Kryshak added, "I think MDOT did a fabulous job in working with us," and he and other council members also commended community members for their input.

During public comments, Jan Massie, who lives on U.S. 2, said to the council, "I'd like to thank you, too, for this excruciating process wherein not everyone could be made happy."

Resolution No. 2017-20 reads that the City of Bessemer supports and formally requests that MDOT convert U.S. 2 "to a 3-lane cross section within the curbed urban limits from west of Hillcrest Avenue easterly to Old U.S. 2 with one lane coming into Bessemer on both ends and two lanes leaving."

After the meeting, city manager Charly Loper confirmed that each of the three lanes will be 12 feet wide, or one foot wider than the current four 11-foot lanes.

The conversion of the lanes is expected to occur in conjunction with water and sewer work planned to begin in 2021.

No to marijuana

In other news, after a public hearing with no comments, the Bessemer city council voted to pass Ordinance No. 370, which will prohibit recreational marijuana establishments within the city.

The ordinance includes additional prohibition of the public sale and consumption of marijuana products, although that already is against state law.

The action follows last November's mid-term election vote that legalized recreational marijuana use in Michigan.
Jirovec said that this sort of agricultural opportunity has more affordable start-up costs than other options out there, I have green houses and the aquaponic system and it costs to build those. But it was far more realistic to get into this than doing corn or soybeans. I do have insurance on the buildings and could get a different type of crop insurance that is more for diversified. But I do not do crop insurance because part of our business strategy is that we are growing so many kinds of products, there are so many other products that make up for losses that we may have in one are or another.

Grow with the Flow does a lot of cut flowers for weddings and events as well as individual orders. They also conduct tours and are hoping to grow a broader franchise system in the future, We do offer tours and have a lot of student groups and people who are interested in doing it as a hobby and some want to know how to become a franchise. Ideally, in the next five to 10 years, we will grow our business to other farms and more urban operations.

We have products in local grocery stores in the area, like Hy-Vee, and also work with floral shops and restaurants as well as a large amount of farmers markets, he said, adding, Its just like any other farm, you have to show up every day. The good thing is, even when I am not there, my aquaponics system is still running.
 The Developing Youth Talent Initiative (DYTI)  The governor is proposing to expand DYTI, which was first launched four years ago to help expose middle school students to careers in manufacturing and IT. Since 2015, DYTI has reached over 7,000 students across 23 school districts, exposing them to manufacturing and IT careers. Around $1 million in grants have been awarded to date with approximately two grants per year. The governor is proposing to expand the DYTI grants to Nebraska public schools from $250,000 to $1.5 million annually, allowing for up to 12 grants per year. The expansion aims to reach new students in every region of the state each year.

We know there is a shortage of skilled labor, Adams said Monday. This scholarship proposal does more than recognize the shortage, it is an action step intended to address the problem. Developing a skilled workforce is the priority of Nebraskas community colleges.

Im pleased that the governor recognizes there is a workforce crisis in Nebraska, said University of Nebraska President Dr. Hank Bounds. Affordable, outstanding higher education for students and families is a critical part of the solution. Governor Ricketts proposal is a step in the right direction.
Kris is a phenomenal instructional leader. Under her guidance, our student achievement scores are at an all-time high, York Public Schools Superintendent Mike Lucas said in a NeAESP news release.

Friesen has also led YES through the development of a system of academic interventions, along with a tiered system to meet students social-emotional needs. York Elementary School kindergarten teacher Audrey Samuelson told NeAESP: Kris understands the importance of, and development of, positive relationships with students, staff, and families of York Elementary School. A few of her initiatives to demonstrate this are: Duke Pride Awards; All Stars; Friday spirit rallies to promote our York Duke family; cross grade level matchups to encourage students during testing times of our school year; and One School-One Book.

Additionally, Friesen has exercised her leadership outside the walls of YES. Since she signed on as YES Principal, she has served as President and Past-President of NeAESP Region 1. Over the course of her career, Friesen has been member of National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA) and NeAESP.

She is also a member of Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), HOPE Squad and Alpha Delta Kappa.
YORK  This past week, York County Attorney Christopher Johnson asked the county commissioners to set guidelines regarding private practice that can be done by the person holding his office.

The board discussed this when setting the salaries last year, Johnson explained. The one thing the board discussed was allowing the county attorney to do some private practice on the side and I requested that it be limited (as well as formally outlined). Im requesting that the county attorney be authorized to do so under a set of conditions and Im open to suggestions and modifications. This will ensure that no county funds are expended and it is only on my own time. That would be on weekends and holidays, with a maximum of five clients at one time, to protect their privileges and ensure that it is limited (for the sake of the county).
6. Mayor Stahr did not sign a plat that was approved by the planning commission and council; his not signing the plat contributed to a new business not coming to York.

7. LB840 was not on the ballot due to Mayor Stahr.

8. During budget cuts, the council was not told who would be fired. Mayor Stahr told the council there would not be any discussion. Furthermore, they were fired BEFORE the budget was passed.

9. Department heads were told they could not express their opinions at council meetings unless asked.

10. The first meeting I had with Mayor Stahr, I mentioned I was disappointed in the new city council members in that not one person had attended a meeting before being sworn in. Stahr did attend every meeting at least beginning in the summer months if not before. Stahr admitted that he had told Wagner, Hoffman and Saathoff not to attend because they wouldnt learn anything anyway.

Power, control, unethical. That is a dangerous combination. I gave Mayor Stahr a chance. I could list many more reasons why I petitioned to recall Mayor Stahr.

I dont think employees should live in fear.

I believe the city council should be given all the information needed to make decisions.
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan rebuked Washington's national security adviser on Tuesday for demanding that his country not attack Kurdish fighters in Syria, accusing him of complicating President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw U.S. troops.

Erdogan said John Bolton, who held talks with Turkish officials in Ankara on Tuesday but left without meeting the president, "made a serious mistake" in setting conditions for Turkey's military role after the U.S. pullout.
Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman has warned against the meddling of a foreign country in the April 9 elections, saying the move could influence the elections' outcome, the Israeli media reported on Tuesday.

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Speaking at a Friends of Tel Aviv University conference on Monday, Argaman said that a foreign country intends to launch cyber attacks in order to influence Israel's general elections.

Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

"I dont know in favor of whom or against whom the foreign country will interfere. At this point, I cannot say which political interest plays a role here, however, a foreign country will attempt to meddle in the April elections and I know what I'm talking about," the Shin Bet director said.

In response, the Shin Bet domestic security service said in a statement that "should the need arise, Israel and its community intelligence have the tools and the ability to detect, monitor, and thwart attempts of foreign countries to influence the April elections."

Meanwhile, State Comptroller Yosef Shapira announced earlier Tuesday that his office is already planning to conduct a comprehensive examination of the issue of cybersecurity in relation to the upcoming elections.

According to Shapira, the primaries and election campaign for the 21st Knesset poses a new, important challenge, since part of the election campaign is run on websites and social media.

"(Examining this issue) is a difficult challenge, however, we must adjust ourselves to the times we live in order to stay relevant," Shapira said.

"The public trust that the elections' outcome reflects the voters' will is a cornerstone of Israeli democracy. Foreign meddling, which would harm the credibility of the election system and results, might cause profound damage to the public trust in democracy," he said. Therefore, I've instructed my staff to plan for to inspect social media and of the cyberspace, as well as review the readiness of the authorities to protect the computerized systemswhich are necessarily to hold a proper election process from cyber attacks.
The Israel Defense Forces filmed the detention of As'am Barghouti , who is thought to have shot dead Sgt. Yosef Cohen and Staff Sgt. Yovel Mor Yosef last month at the Giv'at Asaf outpost.

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The Israel Defense Forces released on Tuesday footage of the arrest of As'am Barghouti, who is suspected of shooting dead two IDF soldiers and wounding another at the Giv'at Asaf outpost in the West Bank last month. He is also suspected of involvement in the terror attack outside of the Ofra settlement that led to the death of a baby whose mother was wounded in the attack while she was heavily pregnant with him.

Footage of IDF arresting As'am Barghouti (:  ")

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As'am Barghouti was arrested in a joint operation conducted by the Shin Bet domestic security services, Israel Police and IDF forces, following a month long manhunt for the suspect. Barghoutis brother, Saleh, was killed during an IDF operation two days prior to the Giva'at Asaf shooting, after it emerged that he had also been involved in the attack near Ofra Junction that left seven people wounded, including the 21-year-old pregnant woman who was seriously hurt.

footage of suspected West Bank killers arrest

The footage showed the security forces' activity in the Binyamin Regional Division. Over the past few weeks, the forces deployed in the division detained dozens of Palestinians as part of their weeks-long manhunt to capture the terrorist.

Security forces during As'am Barghouti's arrest

Last month's attack claimed the lives of Sergeant Yosef Cohen and Staff Sergeant Yovel Mor Yosef, who had been gunned down by Barghouti, who exited his vehicle and opened fire on soldiers and civilians standing at a bus stop at the Asaf Junction near the outpost.

Earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the security forces on successful operation to detain the suspect. Israel will bring to justice all those who harm our citizens," he said.

Barghouti was arrested at the house of one of his accomplices in a West Bank village, and was making preparations to carry out similar attacks, according to the security forces that apprehended him, citing the fact that a Kalashnikov rifle, massive amounts of ammunition and night vision equipment were located at the scene of the arrest. Due to the swift nature of the arrest, the suspect did not resist or attempt to use the weapons at his disposal.

The arrest, carried out by the Shin Bet and Border Police's counter terrorism Yamam unit, is the culmination of the intelligence activity that began immediately after the attack, said the Shin Bet in a statement.

As'am Barghouti

The fact that the suspect was captured alive will assist the intelligence services in locating those involved in at least two attacks involving the Barghouti brothers.

The commander of the Yamam police special forces unit involved in the arrest said: "We never doubted we would get Barghouti and put him behind bars. The Yamam's cooperation with the various security forces, including the Shin Bet, led to a series of operational successes. No despicable terrorist can escape the long arm of the Yamam."

The head of the Beit El Regional Council in the West Bank, Shai Alon, expressed his gratitude to the security forces.

"I thank all those who worked around the clock to capture the Giva'at Asaf terrorist. All those who seek to harm us should know it is impossible to hide from the police, the Shin Bet and the IDF. Nevertheless, we reiterate our warnings of potential additional terror attacks in our area, requesting the political and security officials to do everything in their power to protect Beit El 's residents," Alon said.
The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday apprehended a Palestinian, who crossed the security fence in the Eshkol Regional Council area.

The Palestinian was transferred for questioning.
Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot met with officials from the Gaza region communities as part of a departure tour in the area and said that he hopes the ceasefire with Hamas lasts until the end of 2019. He also said that Israel prevented the smuggling of 15-20 thousand rockets and that Hamas was ecstatic by the effect it has on political events in Israel.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that the United States was "redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran".

He said the U.S. decision to withdraw troops from Syria did not jeopardise efforts to counter threats in the region, which he characterised as coming from Islamic State and Iran.
Dozens of students are demonstrating against the administration at the Mt. Scopus campus of Hebrew University Tuesday. They are claiming that the administration did not back up lecturer Dr. Carola Hilfrich who was filmed rebuking a student in IDF uniform. Nearby, members of the campus Likud club waved Israeli flags.
A canopy of the F-15 Falcon fighter jet that detached at 30,000 feet during a training flight last Wednesday, was found by a group of Palestinians in the town of es-Samu, south of Hebron. The canopy had been transferred to the Israel Air Force for further investigation in order to establish the reason behind the technical malfunction.

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The two IAF pilots had to carry out an emergency landing following the incident but didnt lose the control of the plane despite being exposed to severe cold, strong winds and deafening noise.

The IAF are now examining possible reasons behind the malfunction, which could have originated from the canopys pyrotechnical or locking mechanisms.

A canopy of the F-15 Falcon fighter jet

"The detachment of the canopy came as a surprise, as we had no prior warnings  the crew showed composure while operating in an extremely noisy environment. Despite that, the landing was done smoothly, said a senior IAF officer.

The pilots, a captain and a lieutenant, took off from the Tel Nof Air Base on Wednesday night and were heading south.

During the flight, the canopy detached and they reported the incident to the control tower at the Nevatim Air Base. The base was put on alert and prepared for an emergency landing.

They crew was instructed to slow the plane and descend as much as possible, while at the same time land as soon as possible. The landing was conducted amid immensely strong winds that made communication extremely difficult.

F-15 Falcon (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

A senior IAF official said that in such conditions, a decision to eject would have been legitimate as well, but the two pilots realized they could land the plane without risking their own lives.

"During a routine training flight, an F-15 Falcon fighter jet had to land after its canopy detached. The plane's crew was in full control throughout the incident, acted with level-headedness, professionalism and great skill in handling the rare malfunction, and landed the plane safely at the Nevatim Air Base," said the IDF Spokesman's Office in a statement.

IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin ordered to stop all training flights for F-15 Falcon fighter jets until an investigation into the incident is completed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement of support for the Shin Bet domestic security service on Tuesday, in apparent answer to complaints against the agency by the families of five minors detained during an extended investigation into Jewish terrorism.

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"Several hours ago, we caught the murderer from Givat Assaf and Ofra," Netanyahu said, referring to the successful conclusion of a massive manhunt in the West Bank. "For this operation, I praise Yamam (Israel Police special forces), the IDF and first and foremost the Shin Bet, which is the best counter-terrorism organization of its kind in the world. We owe it a great deal, it performs professionally and morally. There is no room to attack it."

Benjamin Netanyahu praises the Shin Bet in a special statement, January 8, 2019 (Photo: GPO)

The five Israeli teenagers Jewish minors are suspected of hurling stones at the car of Palestinian woman Aisha al-Rawb last October, leading to her death. They are all under the age of 18 and have not been formally charged. The lawyers of the minors, as well as some prominent public figures, criticized the Shin Bets interrogation methods, which they believe are unethical. The accusation of abuse have also been labeled at the security agency.

President Reuven Rivlin also warned Tuesday about the dangers of attacking the Shin Bet, and urged critics to "refrain from irresponsibly attacking those whose job it is to defend Israels security from domestic and foreign threats.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of 29 new judges in Jerusalem, Rivlin emphasized that he was not suggesting the security agency is above criticism, which, he believes is a central function of any democratic country.

"There is no democracy without criticism," said the president, "The criticism, even of our key agencies  is the best disinfectant and a fundamental requirement. The Shin Bet, however, is responsible for the safety of our citizens  and they operate under the inspiring and professional leadership of Nadav Argaman, and his predecessors.

I therefore want to express my support for those who serve in all security forces, and particularly the men and women of the Shin Bet. They save lives day and night, and because of their service, we and our children can sleep peacefully," Rivlin said.

President Reuven Rivlin congratulates Israel's new judges, January 8, 2019 (Photo: GPO)

One of the prominent figures who expressed their support for the detained Israeli teenagers is Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. On Monday, Shaked met with some family members of the detained minors, and demanded that Netanyahu act swiftly in order to ensure the Jewish terror suspects were released as soon as possible. She also urged the security agency to look for "the actual criminals."

The parents of the three main suspects publicly condemned both the justice system and the Shin Bet during their meeting with Shaked, calling on Netanyahu to intervene in the investigation.

"Apparently, boys with side curls have no rights in Israel. The interrogators spat at him and shouted that he was a murderer. Do you expect a 16-year-old to behave normally after this ordeal? Instead of looking for the killer they chase after our children. We are being persecuted because we look different. We call upon Netanyahu to release the boys today. They should go look for the real criminals," the father of one suspect said.

"They just kidnapped him from our home. They didn't even let me say goodbye. He wasnt wearing any socks and left without his tefillin. ...The Shin Bet called us and asked for permission to give him medicine because he is ill. They can't say they dont use torture in interrogations because I don't believe it. Who knows what he will end up confessing to?" one of the mothers said.

In response to the families' accusations, the Shin Bet issued a statement saying that the detainees' religious and medical needs were fully met.

"The suspects... did not raise any complaints with the Israel Prison Service (IPS) medical team or with the courts during their remand hearings and appeals. During their detention, the suspects' religious needs were accommodated, including prayer items and clothing, and they were permitted to perform religious rituals on Shabbat."

Jewish terror suspects burn Israeli flag (:  )

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Meretz leader MK Tamar Zandberg slammed Shaked's meeting, accusing her recently launched party, the New Right, of having "different standards for Jews and Arabs."

"The justice minister continues to fertilize the poisonous beds of the settlers. Instead of soul searching, she is busy campaigning, making electoral calculations and running into the arms of families accused of terrorism, " Zandberg said.

"If an MK had done the same with Palestinian parents, he would have already found himself in the cellars of the Shin Bet," she added.

Ayelet Shaked

Shaked also spoke at Tuesday's swearing-in ceremony, attacking the Israeli judicial system and harshly criticizing the Supreme Court, which she claims doesnt tolerate conservative opinions.

"In the world of Israeli judicial system, there is no room for 'another opinion  one of my goals at the start of my term was to clear the way for a conservative, alternative opinion, Shaked said. During my time, weve elected 330 judges  and because of that the judicial system in Israel today is more diverse and balanced.
US President Donald Trump's shifting timetable for pulling US troops out of Syria has left allies and other players in the region confused and jockeying for influence over a withdrawal strategy that appeared to be a work in progress.

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One day after White House national security adviser John Bolton announced the US pullout would not be as immediate as Trump had initially declared, US allies on Monday sought clarification from American diplomats. The Kurds who have fought alongside US forces against the Islamic State group and fear an assault by Turkey if the US withdraws, were still asking publicly for an explanation from Washington.

US President Donald Trump

Bolton said the US would first seek assurances from Turkey that it would not harm the Kurds  for the first time adding a "condition" to the withdrawal. He arrived Monday in Turkey to seek those guarantees from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but there was little reason for optimism. In a New York Times op-ed published ahead of the Tuesday meeting, Erdogan referred to the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, as a terrorist group, Turkey's longtime position, and rejected any role for Kurdish fighters in restoring peace to the war-torn region.

The piece set up a contentious day of diplomacy for Bolton and underscored the destabilizing impact of Trump's shoot-from-the-hip approach to foreign policy. Trump's spur-of-the-moment withdrawal came with no details, leaving allies scrambling for answers and aides crafting a strategy that can satisfy all the players, including Trump.

Trump discussed Syria during a phone call on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who had panned Trump's decision to withdraw US troops and warned it could have dangerous consequences. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said they discussed the commitment of their two countries "to the destruction of ISIS as well as plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of US troops from Syria."

Bolton said Sunday, "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States." Trump has made clear that he would not allow Turkey to kill Kurds, Bolton added. "That's what the president said, the ones that fought with us."

American National Security Advisor John Bolton

Erdogan proposed in his op-ed to stand up a "stabilization force featuring fighters from all parts of Syrian society" to safeguard northeast Syria once American troops leave, though he said an "intensive vetting process" will exclude fighters with "links to terrorist organizations," which in his government's view includes the YPG.

Bolton did not respond to the op-ed ahead of Tuesday's meetings, but such an offer would appear unlikely to be acceptable to the US Bolton had said the protection of US allies in Syria, including the YPG, was among "the objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal" of US forces.

Speaking to The Associated Press from northern Syria on Monday, a Syrian Kurdish official said the Kurds have not been informed of any change in the US position and were in the dark about Bolton's latest comments.

"We have not been formally or directly notified, all what we heard were media statements," Badran Ciya Kurd said.

Kurdish officials have held conversations with Moscow and Syrian President Bashar Assad's government about protection, but Bolton called on them to "stand fast now."

Bolton's pronouncements were the first public confirmation from the administration that the pace of the drawdown had changed since Trump's announcement in mid-December that US troops are "coming back now." Trump faced widespread criticism from allies about his decision, including that he was abandoning the Kurds in the face of Turkish threats. Officials said at the time that although many details of the withdrawal had not yet been finalized, they expected American forces to be out by mid-January.

At the time, Trump had also said that Turkey would step up the fight against the remnants of the Islamic State in Syria, but Bolton said Sunday US troops will eliminate what remains of IS as another "condition" to northeastern Syria.

Kurdish fighters in Aleppo, 2016

Trump on Monday struck back to the perception that his intentions in Syria had changed. "No different from my original statements, we will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!....." he said in a tweet.

While Sanders said last month the administration had "started returning United States troops home," the Pentagon said Monday no US troops have withdrawn from Syria yet, but added that there is an "approved framework" for withdrawal.

Bolton maintained there is no fixed timetable for completing the drawdown, but insisted it was not an indefinite commitment to the region. Still, some 200 US troops will remain in the vicinity of al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region, he said.

In meetings with Turkish officials Tuesday, Bolton said he will seek "to find out what their objectives and capabilities are and that remains uncertain."

He will be joined by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, who will remain in Turkey for additional meetings with Turkish military officials, as well as Jim Jeffrey, the special representative for Syrian engagement and the newly named American special envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition. Jeffrey will travel from Turkey into Syria to reassure the Kurdish fighters that they are not being abandoned, Bolton said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo left Washington on Monday for an eight-nation trip of the Middle East. Both he and Bolton are seeking input and support for the specifics of the withdrawal plan, according to one official, who said US partners were eager for details.
U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed plans for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria during a telephone call on Monday, the White House said.

"The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria, including the commitment of the United States and France to the destruction of ISIS as well as plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria," the White House said in a statement, referring to the militant group Islamic State by an acronym.

"They reiterated that any further use of chemical weapons in Syria must not be tolerated," the statement added.
Israeli security forces arrested Tuesday a Palestinian man suspected of shooting dead two IDF soldiers and wounded another at the Giv'at Asaf outpost in the West Bank last month. He is also suspected of involvement in the shooting outside of the Ofra settlement that led to the death of an infant whose mother was wounded in the attack.

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As'am Barghouti was arrested in an operation conducted by the Shin Bet domestic security services, Israel Police and IDF forces following a month long manhunt for the suspect. Barghoutis brother, Saleh, was killed during an IDF operation two days prior to the Giva'at Asaf shooting, after it emerged that he had also been involved in the attack near Ofra Junction that left seven people wounded, including a 21-year-old pregnant woman was seriously hurt.

Israeli forces arrest As'am Barghouti

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Last month's attack claimed the lives of Sergeant Yosef Cohen and Staff Sergeant Yovel Mor Yosef, who had been gunned down by Barghouti, who exited his vehicle and opened fire on soldiers and civilians standing at a bus stop at the Asaf Junction near the outpost.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the security forces on successful operation to detain the suspect. Israel will bring to justice all those who harm our citizens," he said.

As'am Barghouti

Barghouti, was arrested at the house of one of his accomplices in a West Bank village, and was making preparations to carry out similar attacks, according to the security forces that apprehended him, evidenced by the fact that a Kalashnikov rifle, massive amounts of ammunition and night vision equipment were located at the scene of the arrest. Due to the swift nature of the arrest, the suspect did not resist or attempt to use the weapons at his disposal.

The arrest, carried out by the Shin Bet and Border Police's counter terrorism Yamam unit, is the culmination of the intelligence activity that began immediately after the attack, said the Shin Bet in a statement.

The fact that the suspect was captured alive will assist the intelligence services in locating those involved in at least two attacks involving the Barghouti brothers.

Ilanit Mor Yosef, the mother of one of the soldiers killed in the attack, said she had mixed feelings following the news of her son killers arrest.

"Unfortunately, this news is not comforting in a country like ours, because in a few years he could be released from prison," the mother said. "He was already jailed once, but was released, so what's the point? Whos going to promise me that he will remain in jail, and that hes going to suffer there? The conditions in Israeli jails are so good that he was prepared to be captured alive."
US Senate Republicans' first bill of the new Congress, which will be put to a vote on Tuesday, includes a measures supporting Israel and sanctions on Syria. But the addition of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's "Combating BDS Act," which seeks to counter the global Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement, drives a wedge between centrist and liberal Democrats over attitudes toward Israel.

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The bipartisan package backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had initially drawn widespread support ahead of Tuesday's vote.

BDS march in Paris, June 2018

For now, the package will almost certainly stall. The bill comes amid the partial government shutdown, and Democrats say they will block it until government is reopened.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will oppose proceeding to the legislation, according to a senior aide who was unauthorized to speak publicly about the vote and spoke on condition of anonymity. Other Democratic senators who also support the bills will likely follow suit.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., tweeted that the Senate "should not take up any bills unrelated to reopening the government" until the shutdown is resolved.

Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to the US Congress

But Republicans see an opening to focus on newly elected House Democrats, including the country's first Palestinian American woman in Congress, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who has spoken about the rights of Americans to support the BDS issue.

"This is the US where boycotting is a right and part of our historical fight for freedom and equality," Tlaib said on Twitter. "Maybe a refresher on our US Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away."

Israel sees a growing threat from the BDS movement, which has led to increased boycotts of the Jewish state in support of the Palestinians. A Woodstock-style concert was canceled and some companies stopped offering services in the West Bank settlements. That has led to a "boycott of the boycotts" as Israel pushes back against those aligned with BDS.

In support of Israel, Rubio's bills would affirm the legal authority of state and local governments to restrict contracts and take other actions against those "engaged in BDS conduct." Several states are facing lawsuits after taking action against workers supporting BDS boycotts of Israel.

Opponents say Rubio's measure infringes on free speech. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., tweeted, "It's absurd that the first bill during the shutdown is legislation which punishes Americans who exercise their constitutional right to engage in political activity. Democrats must block consideration of any bills that don't reopen the government. Let's get our priorities right."

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio

But Rubio's office says the bill allows the governments "to counter economic warfare against Israel."

Rubio, a Florida senator, said Monday in a series of tweets, including one pointed at Sanders and Tlaib: "The shutdown is not the reason Senate Democrats don't want to move to Middle East Security Bill.... A significant number of Senate Democrats now support BDS and Democratic leaders want to avoid a floor vote that reveals that."

Both sides are squaring off ahead of Tuesday's votes. A coalition of civil liberties and liberal Jewish groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and J Street, is working to defeat the legislation, while the influential pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) supports it.

"Any contention that the bill infringes upon First Amendment rights is simply wrong," said AIPAC's Marshall Wittman by email. "It ensures Israel has the means necessary to defend itself-by itself-against growing threats and helps protect the right of states to counter boycotts against Israel."

J Street's President Jeremy Ben-Ami said in a statement: "While millions of Americans suffer from the effects of the ongoing government shutdown, it's outrageous that Senate Republican leaders are prioritizing legislation that tramples on the First Amendment and advances the interests of the Israeli settlement movement. Not a single Democrat should vote to enable this farce."

Republicans hold a slim majority in the Senate and would need Democratic votes to advance the measure over the 60-vote threshold.
A delegation of Chinese businessmen and academic researchers in the fields of technology and agriculture is set to arrive in Israel next week to meet with Israeli cannabis researchers, hi-tech firms and pharmaceutical companies.

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When it comes to medical marijuana-related research, Israel is considered a pioneer, with both the government and the academia actively participating in the industry for decades. Raphael Mechoulam, a professor of medicinal chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, was the first person to identify tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the main psychoactive constituent in marijuana.

Medical cannabis (file photo)

The countrys relatively advanced regulatory framework when it comes to medical trials dealing with cannabinoids facilitates, is fast growing: over 70 startups developing cannabis-related technology and products currently operate in Israel, most of them established in recent years. Just last week, Tel Aviv-based cannabis inhaler company Syqe Medical Ltd. raised $50 million in a funding round.

A recent reform, soon to be approved by the government, would authorize the first Israeli export of medical marijuana.

The Chinese delegation's aim is to seek scientific collaborations, Ascher Shmulewitz, chairman of Israeli cannabis company Therapix Biosciences Ltd., said Sunday. Shmulewitz will be accompanying the delegation during its visit.

In October, Therapix entered into an acquisition agreement with Canadian company FSD Pharma Inc., but the acquisition hit a snag in December and its future is currently uncertain.

According to a report by New Frontier Data, a Washington-based market research and analytics firm specializing in the cannabis industry, China controls over a third of the global hemp marketthough the US may soon join the competition, after US President Donald Trump signed a farm bill legalizing industrial hemp growth in the states. Hemp has a variety of uses today, from textile and construction materials to biofuel, health food and healthcare-related products.
A new position paper issued by the Israel Medical Association bars doctors from performing conversion therapy to "cure" homosexuality or referring patients to such treatment. The paper comes not long after a Ynet expose on the use of conversion therapy in Israel.

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"There is a special danger in referring children and teenagers to treatment meant to change one's sexual orientation," the Israel Medical Association wrote of the phenomenon, which is mostly common among Israel's religious sector.

Teens at an LGBT protest

A complaint filed to the IMA's Ethics Committee against doctors who refer patients to conversion therapy could result in sanctions ranging from a reprimand to revoking membership in the organization.

"A comprehensive review of studies and position papers from other organizations showed an agreement that there is no place for any treatment based on the assumption that homosexuality is a disease or a disorder that requires treatment. The treatments to change one's sexual orientation have been found to be ineffective and could cause mental damage, such as anxiety, depression and suicidal tendencies," the position paper said.

Signatories to the position paper include the Israel Psychiatric Association, the Israeli Adolescent Medicine Society, the Israel Pediatric Association, the Society to Promote Health in the LGBT Community, the Israel Association of Family Physicians and the Israel Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Association.

Conversion therapy could also lead to social isolation and withdrawal, stated the paper, as well as to difficulties in achieving intimacy, difficulties in performing sexual intercourse, anger and distancing from parents and family, and many other possible outcomes.

The problems with conversion therapy go beyond the method itself. Therapists assigned to treat people are often professionally and legally unqualified to perform such treatments. "Besides the damage that these so-called treatments can cause, patients might also suffer the consequences of therapists with no qualifications. Furthermore, this exposes teens and children to abuse," said the paper.

According to the Israel Medical Association, people who suffer from mental conflicts should be treated by qualified psychotherapists only.

Nadav Schwartz, 36, is an activist in Jerusalem's LGBT community and has experienced this kind of false therapy. "I approached an organization called the Soul's Advice. They assigned me with a therapist who wasn't at all qualified, and told me that my father 'made me gay' and that after the therapy I will no longer be attracted to men."

Schwartz isn't alone, and helps others who have been through the same so-called treatment. "I know some men who were ordered to secretly stalk women and take their picture, or masturbate over pictures of women. Some suffered physical punishment, like being beaten, because they were attracted to men."

Chairman of the Israel Psychiatric Association, Dr. Zvi Fishel, said that conversion therapy has no real ability to influence one's sexual orientation. "I hope doctors will come to understand that if the refer a patient to this kind of therapy, they are breaking the association's ethical code."

Dr. Ruthi Gofen is co-founder of Gan Meir LGBT Center in Tel Aviv and one of the people who initiated the position paper. "We felt that the medical associations in Israel had to make their stance clear. These important guidelines can save lives," she said.
The Jewish National Fund (JNF) of Canada made headlines in Canadian media outlets Friday following allegations by local tax authorities claiming the Jewish charity funded IDF projects with donations collected in Canada.

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Although Canadian law doesn't prohibit citizens from donating money to the IDF through Israels Ministry of Defense, it does ban tax-exempt charities from assisting foreign armies and prohibits donors from claiming tax deductions for such donations.

JNF Canada delegation in Israel, 2018 (Photo: KKL-JNF website)

According to reports in the Canadian media, JNF used its donation to fund Gadna (an Israeli military program that prepares youth for military service) and Education Corps programs at the IDF military base in Kibbutz Sde Boker, the former Negev home of Israel's first prime minister David Ben-Gurion.

The JNF rejected these claims, CBS News reported, and said the organization had funded IDF projects in the past. The charity said it had stopped funding in 2016, after it became clear that it was against the law.

Megan McKenzie, a professional mediator and conflict consultant, told CBS news she was "dumbfounded" when she discovered the JNF, a charity known for its tree-planting projects, was funding projects for the Israeli army. "I have a PhD and I'm sort of a natural researcher and so I did some online research the more I did, the more appalled I was," she said.

McKenzie soon discovered that the charity also funded IDF projects beyond the Green Line. Ismail Zayid, a Canadian resident who grew up in Beit Nuba, a Palestinian village in the West Bank, told CBS that over the past 40 years, he had filed numerous complaints against the JNF, but Canadian tax authorities refuse to reveal any information.

"They would say they are conducting an investigation of the complaint. Then I would write again and say, 'What are the findings of your investigation?' And they would say, 'The findings are confidential," Zayid told CBS.

Among the information presented to Canadian tax authorities were documents detailing a JNF donation campaign for the construction of a "meeting point" for IDF soldiers and family members in an Israeli army base.

JNF also raised money for the construction of a security road in Kadesh Barne'a (also known as Nitzanei Sinai), a moshav near the Egyptian border, to help security forces move around the area, patrol the border zones, and enhance military activity.

High school students at Gadna class (file photo)

The Canadian JNF branch said these donations helped improve the lives of Israeli citizens, and that the army's involvement in these projects was indirect.

"In keeping with our mission of improving the quality of lives of Israelis, we have in the past funded projects of a charitable nature that indirectly involved the IDF. These projects were built on land owned by the IDF primarily for the benefit of children and youth. When it came to our attention several years ago that supporting these types of projects may not be in keeping with CRA (local tax authorities) policies, we stopped funding them," JNF Canada's CEO Lance Davis said in an email to CBC News.

Davis added that the last IDF project funded by the charity was in 2016, and "it was directed to the Hatzerim Airforce Base for a playground for the children living on the base."














On a cold November day in 1988, I accompanied then-finance minister and acting prime minister Shimon Peres on a small Polish Air Force flight to Auschwitz. Snow drifts covered the barracks and paths of the notorious death camp.

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We stood beside the memorial plaque near the crematoria, where Polish soldiers cleared the snow so that we could read the engraved text: At this spot, four million victims were murdered by genocidal Hitlerites. Not a word about the Jews. We were wearing warm wool coats and yet I felt a strong shiver run through me. It was a crude and outrageous historical falsehood, an unforgivable distortion of truth.





At the Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp complex, the Nazis and their collaborators murdered 1.1 million people, 960,000 of them Jews and 70,000 Poles. In 1967, the Polish Communist government decided to erase the memory of the Jews from the death camp and held an official ceremony to unveil a phony monument.

They held long speeches without mentioning the word Jews, and grossly inflated the number of victims by three million, mostly Poles, so that the Jews would be but a minority.

The nationalist communism of the years 1966-1986 gave the Polish people the perception that they, and only they, were the true victims of Nazism. The six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust were replaced in official propaganda with six million Poles.

The idea of "heroic martyrdom" during the German occupation of Poland was meant, and to a great extent succeeded, in erasing the awareness among ordinary Poles of the murder of the Jewish people. Auschwitz was declared a national memorial to Polish anti-Fascists.

The decline of communism brought about the end of this historical lie. The scandalous memorial plaques were removed from Auschwitz and the location became an international memorial site to the Holocaust of the Jewish people.

In the three decades since the fall of communism, there has not been another country in all of Europe that has done more to memorialize, sincerely research and instill in the collective national consciousness the Holocaust of the Jews that occurred on their soil. The Polish government and intellectuals courageously fought the prejudices and lies that had become obvious truths.

This endeavor came to an end with the rise of the national-conservative Law and Justice Party in Poland. The law against the defamation of Poland passed by both houses of parliament last year aroused international condemnation before it was amended.

Historians can once again write about the collaboration between Poles and the Nazis in extraditing and murdering Jews during the war. But the hasty and stupid legislation was only the tip of the iceberg. The language of historical politics used by many organizations associated with the Law and Justice Party is often literally taken word for word from the annals of the anti-Semitic campaigns of the 1960s.

One of the most appalling episodes was the effort by the Communist security services to prove the existence of a Jewish-Zionist-West German plot to replace the proud Polish people with the

Jews as the primary victims of the Nazi occupation.

Now, the national-communism has been replaced with national-conservatism. Leading Polish historians are accused of, as in 1967, of minimizing the victimhood of Poles and highlighting that of the Jews.

Directors of museums and research centers are being replaced with people who see eye to eye with the government. Recently a call has been made in the Polish Parliament to return Auschwitz to Poland, minimize the Jewish presence and re-emphasize the suffering of the Polish nation.

I wouldnt be surprised if they reinstate that cursed plaque at the entrance to the camp.
The Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (YIPO), a project of the Jerusalem Music Center, is considered Israels national youth orchestra. Twice a year, in the summer and the winter, the YIPOcomprising 123 young musicians between the ages of 11 and 18, hailing from all over the countryperforms concerts in Israels three largest cities. Last month, the YIPO performed in Tel Avivs most prestigious venue, the seat of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, to a packed house.

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The concert opened with the work Festival Prelude (Hebrew, Omrim Yeshna Aretz) by Israeli composer Noam Sheriff, played by the entire complement of the YIPO, which filled the stage. The five-movement suitefirst performed in 1957 by the Israel Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein at the opening of Tel Avivs Mann Auditoriumcontained familiar strains inspired by Israeli folk melodies and was clearly an audience favorite.

Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (Photo: PR)

It was impossible to divorce the all-important audio component of the performance from one unforgettable visual aspect: the energetic wielding of the baton by conductor Zvi Carmeli. In more than one instance, the enthusiastic Carmeli left both his feet while exhorting his charges.





Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (Photo: PR)

The concerts second work was the Holberg Suite by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, performed admirably by the string section of the YIPO only.

Young Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (Photo: PR)

After the intermission, the concert concluded with Symphony No. 4 by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, performed by the core of the YIPO, all of the young musicians aged 14-18. It was easy to see why this work was chosen to feature the talents of the young performers: the symphony highlights all the sections of the orchestra, with prominent representation by the brass and woodwind sections, and a full complement of the percussion section, from the gentle tinkle of the triangle to the mighty clash of the cymbals.

It was particularly interesting to note the presence of young women playing brass instruments, especially the trumpet and trombone -- a rare sight in adult orchestras, where at most women play the French horn. Altogether, meanwhile, the concert as a whole underscored why these musicians represent the future of classical music in Israel, as the YIPO serve as the premier training ground for the next generation of performers in symphony orchestras at home and and abroad.

A baroque evening

The Israel Camerata Orchestra Jerusalem, arguably Israels leading chamber orchestra, is celebrating its 35th concert season this year. The Camerata was founded in 1983 by Avner Biron, who has been its music director and permanent conductor ever since.

The Camerata performs more than 100 concerts a year, in Israel and abroad. At home, it performs not only in the major cities, but also holds series of concerts in Ness Ziona, Kfar Shmaryahu and Savyon.

The Cameratas 2018-19 concert season consists of three series: The Human Voice Series, featuring choral works ranging from the classical masters to the contemporary; La Tempeste dei Soloisti, presenting world-renowned instrumental soloists; and Reflections, a new series that strives to reflect popular music and Hebrew songs in classical music.

Israel Camerata of Jerusalem (Photo: Yoav Etiel)

The second concert in this seasons Human Voice Series, Shining Stars, took place in the Tel Aviv Museum of Art last month. The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is not only the Tel Aviv home of the Camerata, it is the co-producer of the La Tempeste dei Soloisti series.

Shining Stars, a program of baroque music, was produced by visiting American artist Kenneth Weiss. Weiss not only conducted but also played harpsichord and obbligato organ.

The second guest artist of the evening was French soprano Marianne Croux, who was the vocal soloist for two of the five works in the program. The concert opened with a concerto grosso by Archangelo Corelli, followed by the motet In caelo stellae clarae fulgescant by Nicola Porpora, sung flawlessly by Croux.

The first half of the program concluded with the double concerto for oboe and violin by Johann Sebastian Bach. The accomplished Israeli soloists were violinist Natasha Sher and oboist Muki Zohar, in a piece that is performed all too infrequently.

Following the intermission, Croux took the stage again to sing three works by Georg Frideric Handel: the liturgical piece Salve Regina, and excerpts from two of Handels operas: Giulio Cesare in Egitto and Tamerlano.

The concert concluded with a familiar work that is always a crowd pleaser: Johann Sebastian Bachs Brandenburg Concerto No. 1.
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Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's armed forces declared "absolute loyalty" to President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday, just two days before the socialist leader is sworn in for a second term of office.

The armed forces issued a statement, read out to the press by defense minister General Vladimir Padrino, in which it declared "unrestricted support and absolute loyalty" to Maduro as president and "commander in chief for the period 2019-25."

Maduro will be sworn into office on Thursday by the Supreme Court despite the country's laws stating this is the job of parliament.

The opposition-controlled National Assembly has been rendered impotent ever since Maduro created a rival Constituent Assembly filled with regime loyalists last year to replace it.

Although parliament still meets, all its decisions are subsequently annulled by the Supreme Court, made up of Maduro allies.

Parliament has accused Maduro of being a "usurper" and announced plans to formulate a "political transition," but without the support of either the military, courts or other political institutions, lacks the means to do so.
Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela hit out at the latest United States sanctions, announced on Tuesday against seven individuals and 20 entities, branding them "illegitimate and illegal."

The US imposed sanctions on a number of Venezuelans, including the owner of news network Globovision, for allegedly plundering billions of dollars from the country through black-market currency exchanges.

"The only body that can impose international sanctions is the (United Nations) Security Council," said Venezuela's Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez in a press conference.

"We're talking about arbitrary measures because they aren't covered by any international law."

She added: "They're unilateral because they're imposed abusively by a government, and illegitimately because they have no legality."

The US Treasury department claims the black-market exchange scheme generated more than $2.4 billion in proceeds that went to government-approved exchange houses and officials, who stashed their ill-gotten gains in US and European bank accounts and investments.

"Our actions against this corrupt currency exchange network expose yet another deplorable practice that Venezuela regime insiders have used to benefit themselves at the expense of the Venezuelan people," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The news comes just two days before President Nicolas Maduro, himself already subject to US sanctions, is sworn in for a second six-year term.

He won a snap election in May boycotted by the opposition and branded fraudulent by the US, European Union and Organization of American States.

Globovision owner Raul Gorrin Belisario Gorrin, who lives in Miami, has already been charged in the US with paying bribes abroad and money laundering.

He is accused of bribing officials -- including Alejandro Andrade, a former official in the government of late Venezuela leader Hugo Chavez -- to secure the right to conduct foreign exchange transactions at rates favorable to the Venezuelan government.

Story continues

The US has sanctioned a number of individuals in Venezuela as it cranks up the pressure on the Maduro regime it blames for the country's economic meltdown.

Poverty is widespread in Venezuela where people face shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine, as well as failing public services.

According to the UN, 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015 to escape economic hardship.

Maduro claims the sanctions cost the country $20 billion in 2018. The opposition says the government's control of foreign exchange, which has been in place since 2003, has generated $300 billion in illicit gains.
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council will meet Wednesday to hear the UN envoy for Yemen report on a ceasefire deal and his latest efforts to end the nearly four-year war, diplomats said.

UN envoy Martin Griffiths was in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Yemen's leaders aimed at shoring up the truce in the lifeline port of Hodeida that was agreed during talks in Sweden last month.

Those talks followed meetings in the rebel-held capital of Sanaa over the weekend to discuss the next steps for a redeployment of Huthi rebel fighters and coalition-backed forces from Hodeida.

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.

The Red Sea port is the key point of entry for humanitarian aid and supplies to Yemen, where millions are on the brink of famine as the war has grinded on.

The United Nations has said that the truce has largely held in the city since the agreement came into force on December 18.

Last month, the Security Council adopted a resolution backing the deal agreed in Sweden that provides for the deployment of observers to oversee the truce.

Griffiths is hoping to bring the sides together again for a new round of peace talks, possibly in Kuwait, later this month.

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia 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.

UN aid chief Mark Lowcock will also brief the council on Wednesday on the humanitarian situation.
Hasankeyf (Turkey) (AFP) - From the ancient citadel overlooking the valley, Ridvan Ayhan looks at the Tigris with a furrowed brow. The river that supported his family's town for generations will soon destroy it.

"My grandchildren will not see where I grew up, where I lived. They will ask me, 'Grandpa, where do you come from? Where did you live?' What will I do? Show them the lake?" asks Ayhan, readjusting the scarf over his face.

The small town of Hasankeyf, in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast, inhabited for 12,000 years, is doomed to disappear in the coming months.

An artificial lake, part of the Ilisu hydroelectric dam project, will swallow it up.

The dam, which will be Turkey's second largest, has been built further downstream the Tigris.

Ilisu is a central element of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), a land development plan to boost the economy of the long-neglected region, through hydroelectric energy and irrigation.

Confronted with the imminent flooding of their town and a hundred villages, the 3,000 habitants of Hasankeyf are divided.

While some are angry at the sacrifice being imposed on them, others are impatient for the economic benefits promised by Ankara.

- Moving the mosque -

Ayhan, who is retired, is steadfast in his opposition.

He dedicates all his time and energy to fighting against the dam as part of the "Keep Hasankeyf Alive" collective, which brings together campaigning groups and locally elected representatives.

Assyrians, Romans, Seljuks... the empires that washed over this region have left an exceptional heritage, not least the thousands of caves that were inhabited as recently as the 1970s and are a major tourist draw.

"There is such history here," says Ayhan.

"Every time you dig, you come across something from a different civilisation. Destroying Hasankeyf is to commit a major crime."

But the Turkish government dismisses the criticism, arguing that everything has been done to save the monuments.

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In one lengthy operation last August, the 1,600-tonne Artuklu Hamam bath house was loaded onto a wheeled platform and moved down a specially constructed road to its new home.

Workers also recently moved the remnants of a 14th-century Ayyubid mosque, transporting it three kilometres (1.8 miles) to a site that will become a "cultural park".

Such relocation operations have transformed Hasankeyf into a construction site.

Busloads of tourists have been replaced by swarms of dump trucks and a crane that sits at the town's entrance.

In what is left of the old bazaar, the butcher, Zeki, sits among the morose-looking traders.

"There are no more tourists," he laments. "Who would like to come to see this? Every step you take you're liable to fall into a hole in the ground," he says.

- 'Diving into Hasankeyf!' -

Not everyone is unhappy.

Former shepherd Ahmet Akdeniz prefers to look to the future.

He presides over the Hasankeyf cultural association dedicated to promoting what the town has to offer and he cannot wait "to finally start (his) new life".

During the inauguration of the Ilisu construction site in 2006, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then prime minister, promised the dam would bring "the greatest benefit" to local people.

Part of this promise involves building a "new Hasankeyf" on the other side of the river, with spacious flats and an ultra-modern hospital.

But the construction work drags on. Currently it is a succession of small buildings separated by muddy roads, most of them unpaved.

Akdeniz, originally scheduled to move in December, now thinks it will be summer at the earliest.

"Look how we live today," he says, pointing to the cracked walls of his 45-square-metre (484-square-foot) house.

Heated by just a wood stove, he lives there with six family members. "All we want is to live with dignity," he says.

Akdeniz is also convinced that the dam will boost tourism, thanks to the renovation of the citadel and some caves escaping the rising waters.

"There will be boats, a cable car. We will have hotels," he says. "Some of our young people are already starting to learn to dive. Diving into Hasankeyf, can you imagine?"

- Life in suspense -

Engineers are still awaiting the green light from Erdogan to close a third floodgate and complete the retention of the water, a process launched last summer.

After that, a three-month countdown will begin for Hasankeyf before it disappears beneath the Tigris.

Contacted by AFP, the DSI organisation responsible for Turkey's dams declined to give a planned date for completion. Turkish media report that it will be finished this year.

But the project has already had a considerable impact on residents, says Suleyman Agalday, owner of a small, makeshift cafe.

Delays and financial issues have plagued the dam's construction -- a project first conceived in the 1960s -- "causing a lot of uncertainty in our life", he says.

In 1981, Hasankeyf was classified as a special conservation zone with a ban on construction that kept investors away.

That lack of investment meant fewer jobs and many residents chose to move away for work or larger homes.

A few weeks ago, Agalday went to the neighbouring province of Sanliurfa to see Halfeti village, submerged for 20 years because of a dam on the Euphrates.

"There I saw what my future would look like and it hurt me," he says.

"I sat down in a corner and cried."
Ankara (AFP) - Twenty eight suspects were due to go on trial Tuesday over the assassination of the Russian ambassador two years ago, including a US-based Muslim preacher blamed by Ankara for a failed coup the same year.

Andrei Karlov, 62, was shot dead by an off-duty Turkish policeman at a photo exhibition in Ankara on December 19, 2016, in a shock attack that was captured on camera by photographers attending the event.

The 22-year-old gunman, Mevlut Mert Altintas, shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) and "Don't forget Aleppo", vowing that those responsible for events in Syria would be held accountable.

Altintas was killed shortly after by members of the Turkish special forces.

The Ankara prosecutor has charged 16 of the suspects with "premeditated murder with the intention of causing terror", according to the indictment. The other 12 were charged with "being a member of a terror organisation".

Thirteen are currently in pre-trial detention, while it is prosecuting others in absentia.

Those not in Turkey include Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Islamic preacher seen as an arch foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and who Ankara blames for the July 2016 coup attempt.

Gulen has denied links to both the failed coup and the murder.

Turkish officials have alleged that Gulen's movement organised the murder of Karlov, a married father-of-one, to sow "chaos".

Turkey refers to the organisation as the "Fetullah Terrorist Organisation" (FETO) but followers say it is peaceful, promoting secular education.

Another of the suspects named is Serif Ali Tekalan, who headed a university linked to Gulen in Istanbul and now heads the Texas-based North American University (NAU).

- 'Attack' on Turkey-Russia ties -

The prosecutor is seeking a variety of penalties for the suspects, including aggravated life sentences, which have replaced the death penalty in Turkey and carry harsher conditions than normal life imprisonment convictions.

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The indictment says the Gulen movement plotted the murder of Karlov, who had been appointed as ambassador in 2013, to "break off bilateral relations" between Turkey and Russia and bring them to the brink of "hot war".

The Kremlin had previously warned against rushing to any assumptions.

Although Moscow does not repeat the Gulen claims, Selim Koru, a Black Sea Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank noted in a report late last year that Russia sent investigators and "if they had different findings, they didn't say".

Turkey and Russia had a dramatic falling out in November 2015 after a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Russian warplane along the Syrian border.

But by the summer of 2016 relations had improved, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan keen to show they are working together to find a solution to the Syrian conflict despite being on opposing sides of the war.

Tens of thousands of people have been arrested over alleged links to Gulen since 2016 in a crackdown criticised by human rights groups and Ankara's Western allies.
By Steve Holland and Orhan Coskun ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan rebuked Washington's national security adviser on Tuesday for demanding that his country not attack Kurdish fighters in Syria, accusing him of complicating President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw U.S. troops. Erdogan said John Bolton, who held talks with Turkish officials in Ankara on Tuesday but left without meeting the president, "made a serious mistake" in setting conditions for Turkey's military role after the U.S. pullout. The rebuke highlights the difficulties in implementing Trump's goal of bringing home some 2,000 U.S. troops stationed in Syria. Trump's plan, clouded by mixed messages from the president and his administration, hinges on Turkish cooperation to secure a huge swathe of northeast Syria as the United States departs. Bolton made the case to Turkish officials for the need for guarantees that U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in the campaign against Islamic State would not be harmed after a U.S. withdrawal, a senior U.S. official said. But there were no signs of any agreement between the two North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners, whose relations have been strained over Syria and other issues. Trump's abrupt announcement last month sparked concern among officials in Washington and some Western allies, and was a major factor in Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' decision to resign. It also alarmed the YPG, Washington's main partner against Islamic State in Syria. But the plan was lauded by Ankara. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency in its largely Kurdish southeast. Washington's support for the militia has infuriated Turkey. Before arriving in Turkey, Bolton said Turkey must coordinate military action with the United States and no U.S. withdrawal would take place until Ankara guaranteed the Kurdish fighters would be safe. But Erdogan, who has long argued that the YPG is no different from the Islamic State militants, said the condition was unacceptable. "If they are terrorists, we will do what is necessary no matter where they come from," he told members of his AK Party in parliament. "Bolton has made a serious mistake and whoever thinks like this has also made a mistake. It is not possible for us to make compromises on this point." The Turkish president accused members of Trump's administration of trying to muddy a clear understanding between the two countries over the withdrawal. "Different voices have started emerging from different segments of the administration," Erdogan said. FOCUS ON YPG A senior Turkish official said Bolton had asked to see Erdogan but his earlier remarks may have been a factor in the meeting not going ahead. Erdogan later told reporters there was no need for him to meet Bolton. U.S. officials denied that Bolton felt snubbed. "The U.S. Embassy in Turkey requested a series of meetings, but due to scheduling conflicts, one with President Erdogan was never confirmed," said Garrett Marquis, Bolton's spokesman. Instead, Bolton met his Turkish counterpart Ibrahim Kalin as well as the deputy defense and foreign ministers, while on a quick tour to the region to manage fallout from Trump's abrupt decision on Syria. Bolton also told the Turkish officials the U.S. withdrawal would be done in a deliberate and orderly fashion and that at this point the United States had no plans to abandon its Syria base at al-Tanf near the Iraqi border, the senior U.S. official said. On a visit to Jordan on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the withdrawal would not jeopardize Washington's efforts to counter regional threats from Islamic State and Iran. ECONOMIC FRICTION The friction with the United States has had economic consequences for Turkey. A diplomatic rift last year - now partly repaired - was one of the factors that sent Turkey's lira into a tailspin over the summer. The currency slipped again on Tuesday, weakening some 2 percent against the dollar. Ahead of Tuesday's talks, Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper said Ankara would ask U.S. officials either to hand over its military bases in Syria to Ankara or to destroy them. It cited unspecified sources as saying Turkey would not accept the handover of what it said were 22 U.S. military bases to the YPG. A senior Turkish security official told Reuters last week Washington needed to allow Turkey to use its bases in Syria. Kalin said Turkey wanted the bases emptied and handed over to "local elements." Following the meeting, Kalin said there was no slowdown in the U.S. withdrawal from Syria and that Turkey was focused on what happens to U.S. bases in Syria and the weapons Washington has given the YPG. Bolton was joined by U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and U.S. special Syria envoy James Jeffrey for the talks with Kalin, who is Erdogan's spokesman and deputy head of Turkey's security and foreign policies board. (Additional reporting by Tulay Karadeniz, Gulsen Solaker and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara; Daren Butler in Istanbul; Writing by Dominic Evans, David Dolan and Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Mary Milliken and Richard Chang)
WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump announced on Monday he would make a prime-time address and visit the U.S.-Mexico border this week as the partial federal government shutdown entered its 17th day after a funding impasse over his demand for money to build a border wall.

The moves indicate the Republican president has no intention of backing off his pledge to build a wall that he believes will stem illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Democrats in Congress say a wall would be expensive, inefficient and immoral.

However, pressure to reach a deal is likely to grow as the effects of the shutdown are felt, including possible cuts in food stamp programs and delayed tax refunds.

Vice President Mike Pence said White House lawyers were evaluating the possibility that Trump could declare a national emergency in order to secure alternate funding for the wall but that Trump had not made a decision on using that tactic. It was unclear what basis Trump could use to declare a national emergency.

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Trump planned to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced on Twitter without providing details. The visit likely will highlight security concerns pushed by the administration as justification for the wall.

A short while after Sanders' tweet, Trump said in his own Twitter post that he will address the nation on Tuesday at 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT Wednesday) to discuss what he called a humanitarian and national security crisis on the southern U.S. border.

Large chunks of the federal government shut down on Dec. 22 over Trump's demand that a bill to keep the federal government operational include more than $5 billion to pay for a wall along the border with Mexico. About 800,000 government workers have been either furloughed or working without pay since Dec. 22. Trump said on Friday he could declare a national emergency in order to build the wall, which would circumvent Congress' authority over funding for the federal government.

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The White House did not say whether he planned to make such a declaration, which would almost certainly face a legal challenge, on Tuesday night.

Trump directed the White House budget office to take steps to mitigate the effects of the shutdown, including ensuring tax refunds are delivered, Pence told reporters.

Pence said Trump also invited Democrats back to the White House to respond to its latest proposal to resolve the standoff over legislation to fund the government.

Pence, who participated in weekend discussions on the shutdown, said Democratic staff said there would be no negotiations until the government is reopened.

Trump said in December he would be "proud" to shut the government down over the wall and last week told lawmakers it could last months.

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Trump skipped a planned trip to Florida to stay in Washington during the Christmas and New Year's holidays after large chunks of the federal government were shuttered on Dec. 22. He exhorted Democrats in Congress to "come back from vacation" and approve funding for his wall.

Democrats returned to Washington in the new year, taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives, and passed legislation to reopen all closed government agencies but did not include wall funding. This week, they will pass a series of bills to reopen federal agencies after weekend talks between the Trump administration and Democratic negotiators failed to end a stalemate.

On Sunday, Trump pledged not to bend in his demand money for the wall but said the barrier could be made of steel instead of concrete as a potential compromise with Democrats who refuse to fund it.

Trump has argued the wall is necessary for national security and has tried to link terrorism to illegal immigration, without providing evidence, as justification for the plan. Democrats say there has been no evidence of suspected terrorists coming through the southern border and that Trump has no grounds to declare a national emergency over the issue.

Democrats say other border security measures are more efficient and cost-effective than a wall, which they say is contrary to American values.

Trump visited the southern border last March.

Trump has previously given three prime-time televised addresses and two during the day, according to data compiled by CBS News.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Doina Chiacu, Roberta Rampton; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Bill Trott)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed reducing the U.S. trade deficit with India and increasing their cooperation in Afghanistan in a telephone call on Monday, the White House said. "The leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan," the White House said in a statement. The United States has slapped tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from India, part of Trump's drive to reduce the U.S. trade deficit and boost American manufacturing jobs. India has threatened to retaliate but said it would not take action until the end of this month. In Afghanistan, Trump is planning to withdraw more than 5,000 of the 14,000 U.S. troops there, a U.S. official said last month. With a reduced military presence in Afghanistan, the United States would almost certainly have to curtail its missions, which include training and advising Afghan forces and waging an air campaign against the Taliban and other militant groups. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Chris Reese and Peter Cooney)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed plans for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria during a telephone call on Monday, the White House said. "The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria, including the commitment of the United States and France to the destruction of ISIS as well as plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria," the White House said in a statement, referring to the militant group Islamic State by an acronym. "They reiterated that any further use of chemical weapons in Syria must not be tolerated," the statement added. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Paris (AFP) - Up to 25,000 people marched through Paris on Saturday urging greater action on climate change, despite fears that their protest would be scuppered by "yellow vest" demonstrations.

Police estimated the number of green activists heading onto the streets at 17,000 while organisers counted 25,000 urging world governments to better protect the environment.

The numbers were similar to previous climate marches in Paris, despite sporadic violence in the city on Saturday among thousands of "yellow vest" demonstrators who want more help for France's poor.

Organisers had to change the route of the climate march, marching instead from Place de la Nation to Place de la Republique, due to the yellow vest demonstrations, but refused a request by Interior Minister Christophe Castaner to postpone it.

"It was unthinkable to cancel this march. It's important to talk about problems related to the end of the world as well as the end of the month," Elodie Nace, a spokeswoman for green NGO Alternatiba, told the crowds.

Thousands also marched in other French cities, including an estimated 10,000 in Marseille, 3,500 in Montpellier and 3,000 in Lille.

The "yellow vest" movement has been spurred by anger in small-town and rural France at rising car fuel taxes which were aimed at helping the country transition to a greener economy, but which protesters say hurts the poor.

But green activists at the climate marches urged people to find solutions for both environmental problems and the financial struggles of France's poorest.

"Yellow vests, green vests -- same anger," they chanted.

Some "yellow vest" activists, clad in their emblematic high-visibility road jackets, joined the Paris march after breaking off from their own demonstration.

Marches had been organised in more than 120 towns across France to mark the COP24 climate talks in Poland.
Berlin (AFP) - German police said Tuesday they have arrested a 20-year-old suspect in the case of private data stolen from hundreds of politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, and published online.

"The prosecutor's office in Frankfurt, the Central Office for Fighting Internet and Computer Crime and the Federal Police Office (BKA) searched the apartment of a 20-year-old suspect on January 6 and took him into custody," the BKA said in a statement.

It announced a press conference at midday to give further details on the probe into the remarkable breach of cybersecurity, which has piled political pressure on the government.

The information, which comprised home addresses, mobile phone numbers, letters, invoices and copies of identity documents, was first released via Twitter in December but its spread gathered pace last week.

Among the estimated 1,000 people affected were members of the Bundestag lower house of parliament and the European Parliament as well as regional and local assemblies.

Deputies from all parties represented in the Bundestag were targeted with the exception of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), the largest opposition group in parliament.

Although the leak was sweeping, there is no evidence that sensitive information reached the public, investigators and the interior ministry have said.

The case has nevertheless been deeply embarrassing for the political class, and increased pressure on the unpopular interior minister, Horst Seehofer.

Beyond politicians, the leak also exposed the private data of celebrities and journalists, including chats and voicemail messages from spouses and children of those targeted.

The information derived both from social media and private "cloud" data.

The Twitter account @_0rbit published the links every day last month, along the lines of an advent calendar with each link to new information hidden behind a "door".

The account, which calls itself G0d and has now been suspended by Twitter, was opened in mid-2017 and purportedly has more than 18,000 followers.

It described its activities as "security researching", "artist" and "satire and irony" and said it was based in Hamburg.
Khartoum (AFP) - Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Tuesday blamed conspirators for violence during deadly anti-government protests, as an impoverished town held a "martyrs' rally" to honour those killed.

Bashir, speaking at a military base near the town of Atbara where the first protest erupted last month, also slammed some political groups who have called for regime change in Sudan.

"Those who conspired against us and planted traitors amongst us are those who carried out arson attacks and caused damage," the official SUNA news agency quoted Bashir telling soldiers.

The veteran leader, who has been in power since 1989, did not elaborate on who the alleged conspirators were.

Protests have rocked Sudan since December 19, when unrest broke out over a government decision to raise the price of bread.

In the initial protests that erupted in towns and villages last month before spreading to the capital Khartoum, several buildings of Bashir's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) were torched.

Authorities say at least 19 people including two security personnel have been killed during the demonstrations, but rights group Amnesty International has put the death toll at 37.

Bashir slammed some political groups that have called for him to go.

"Some people are saying that the army is taking power," Bashir said.

"I have no problem with that, because the army always guards the security of our homeland," he said without offering further details.

Analysts say the ongoing protests are the biggest threat to Bashir's three decades of rule since he swept to power in a coup backed by Islamists.

- 'Martyrs' Rally' -

As he spoke to soldiers, hundreds of protesters held what organisers said was a "martyrs' rally" in the eastern agricultural town of Al-Gadaref.

The rally was to honour the six people from the town who died in the protests sparked by bread prices tripling from one Sudanese pound to three (from about two to six US cents).

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The main market was shut as demonstrators gathered in the downtown area, chanting slogans such as "Peace, justice, freedom" and "Revolution is the choice of the people".

Riot police fired tear gas as the protesters prepared to march to the provincial council building, witnesses said.

But some demonstrators managed to reach the building compound and one of them read out a petition calling for Bashir to resign, a witness told AFP by telephone on condition of anonymity.

The protest was organised by the Sudanese Professionals' Association, a group of teachers, doctors and engineers that has spearheaded the ongoing anti-government demonstrations across the country.

More than 800 protesters have been arrested across Sudan since the unrest began, officials say.

The authorities insist the situation has now stabilised despite protests rumbling on.

"The overall situation is calm across Sudan and life has returned to normal after recent incidents," police spokesman Hashim Ali Abdelrahim told SUNA after police chiefs met Tuesday.

- 'Appalled' -

Opposition leaders, activists and journalists have been detained as part of a crackdown to prevent the spread of protests.

Bashir told police last month to use "less force" in their response to demonstrators.

Britain, Norway, the United States and Canada reiterated their concern over the situation in Sudan in a joint statement issued Tuesday.

"We are appalled by reports of deaths and serious injury to those exercising their legitimate right to protest, as well as reports of the use of live ammunition against protesters," the statement said.

"We urge the government of Sudan to ensure that a fully transparent and independent investigation into the deaths of protesters takes place as soon as possible, and that those responsible are held to account."

It also called on Khartoum to release all those detainees held without charge, warning that the government's action in the issue "will have an impact" on engagements with the governments of the four countries.

Sudan has been facing a mounting economic crisis in the past year, led by an acute shortage of foreign currency.

Food and fuel shortages have been regularly reported across several cities, including the capital Khartoum, while the cost of food and medicine has more than doubled.
Colombo (AFP) - Sri Lankan journalists Tuesday paid tribute to anti-establishment editor Lasantha Wickrematunge 10 years after his murder by a suspected government death squad that came to symbolise a deadly decade-long crackdown on the country's media.

Just days before he was due to give evidence against the brother of the country's then strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse, two assailants on motorcycles blocked the car of the 50-year-old editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper before smashing the windows and stabbing him in the head.

The assassination is one of many unresolved killings of journalists carried out during Rajapakse's decade in power, which also saw a 37-year conflict with Tamil separatists brought to a brutal conclusion.

Friends, family and colleagues of Wickrematunge placed flowers and candles on his grave at the Colombo General Cemetery.

White cards with Wickrematunge's name and those of 18 other journalists were also put among the golden trumpet flowers and white frangipani blooms.

A message from Lal Wickrematunge -- the dead journalist's brother who lives in Australia -- was read out, saying the family was also grieving for other journalists killed by unidentified assassins.

It said many journalists from the minority Tamil community were killed "during the darkest period in our nation's history" -- the four-decade civil war, ended by government forces when they crushed the rebel Tamil Tigers in 2009.

The murdered Wickrematunge was a critic of that military campaign, which allegedly massacred 40,000 ethnic Tamils.

"Reconciliation and closure will not be possible without prosecution," his brother said.

Before his death Wickrematunge had revealed corruption in a multi-million dollar purchase of second-hand MiG planes from Ukraine implicating then defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse -- Mahinda Rajapakse's brother who was president at the time.

The editor was killed days before he was due to give evidence.

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After Rajapakse lost a 2015 election, a breakthrough in the Wickrematunge case saw investigators tell a Sri Lankan court that army spies were responsible for his killing.

A former army commander accused Gotabhaya of running a secret unit used to target journalists and dissidents during his brother's presidency, during which rights activists say dozens of journalists and media workers were killed.

Gotabhaya has denied any link to the killings. He remains under investigation for corruption related to the MiG deal.
BEIJING (AP)  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was expected to meet Tuesday with China's president at the start of a visit to Beijing believed to be an effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a possible second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kim's trip, announced earlier by both sides, comes after U.S. and North Korean officials are thought to have met in Vietnam to discuss the site of a second summit.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang gave no details about Kim's schedule or China's role as an intermediary between the U.S. and North Korea. But he said Beijing remains supportive of efforts to end tensions over U.S. demands for a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

"We always believe that, as key parties to the Korean Peninsula issue, it's important for the two sides to maintain contact and we always support their dialogue to achieve positive outcomes," Lu told reporters at a daily briefing.

He said further information about Kim's activities, the outcome of his meetings and a possible visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to North Korea would be "released in due course."

A long motorcade thought to be carrying Kim, including motorcycle outriders reserved for state leaders, left a Beijing train station shortly after the arrival of an armored train consisting of 20 to 25 cars  most of whose windows were blacked-out  along tracks lined by police and paramilitary troops.

The North's Korean Central News Agency said Kim departed Monday afternoon with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and other top officials. It said Kim is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Tuesday also happens to be Kim's birthday.

Kim is expected to stay at the highly secure Diaoyutai State Guest House in the capital's west, with meetings held at the Great Hall of the People, the hulking seat of the legislature that sits next to Tiananmen Square.

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The trip marked a break with past practice in that it was announced in advance of Kim's arrival, a possible sign of growing confidence on the part of North Korea and China, the North's most important trading partner and a key buffer against pressure from Washington.

After years of cool relations following Kim's assumption of power 2011, ties have improved remarkably over the past year as Xi seeks to maintain his influence in the region.

Kim's trip comes as the U.S. and North Korea look to settle the North's decades-long pursuit of a nuclear arsenal.

The U.S. and North Korea seemed close to war at points during 2017 as the North staged a series of increasingly powerful weapons tests that brought it closer to its nuclear goal of one day being able to target anywhere on the U.S. mainland.

Possibly fearing the economic effect of crushing outside sanctions imposed over his weapons tests, Kim abruptly turned to diplomacy with Seoul and Washington last year. He also visited China three times, notably without a reciprocal visit from Xi in a break with diplomatic convention.

But even after what was seen as a blockbuster summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore last June  the first ever between the leaders of the war enemies  there's been little real progress in nuclear disarmament.

Washington is pressing North Korea to offer up a detailed accounting of its nuclear arsenal, while the North says it has already done enough and it's time for the U.S. to ease the harsh international sanctions that hold back the North Korean economy.

South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said Tuesday that Seoul hopes Kim's trip to China will act as a "stepping stone" for a second Trump-Kim summit.

Trump has offered assurances that another summit will allow him and Kim to make a grand deal to settle the nuclear standoff and change a relationship marked by decades of animosity and mistrust.

However, outside analysts are highly skeptical that North Korea will easily abandon a nuclear arsenal constructed in the face of deep poverty and likely seen by Kim as his only guarantee of regime survival.

Instead, Kim may be seeking to gauge China's attitude toward sanctions ahead of the talks, including what North Korea would have to concede in order to win Beijing's support at the U.N.

China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, has agreed to several rounds of punishing economic sanctions against the North. However, Xi has called on the sides to "meet each other halfway," and China's foreign minister in September urged some form of sanctions relief in response to any positive outcomes from the first Kim-Trump summit.

North Korea has held off on additional nuclear weapons and missile tests for more than a year, possibly in response to China's displeasure, while carrying out its new diplomatic offensive.

"The two leaders will further communicate over the issue of sanctions to further refine their previously general and vague attitudes," said Cheng Xiaohe, professor at Renmin University's School of International Studies in Beijing.

"It is impossible to see the cancellation of all sanctions, but what kind of sanctions can be canceled and what are China and North Korea's views on that will be discussed," Cheng said.

Trump has pushed heavily for Chinese support in convincing North Korea to give up its weapons programs, suggesting that could win Beijing better terms in a trade deal with Washington.

Kim's arrival in Beijing coincides with U.S.-China trade talks in Beijing that seek to end the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies ahead of a March deadline.

Asked whether China was linking the two issues in an interview Monday with CNBC, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues."

"Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that," Pompeo said. "China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Korea's nuclear capability. I expect they will continue to do so."

Lu echoed those sentiments in his response to a similar question, saying trade talks and the North Korean issues are "not the same thing."

"Our positions on the trade talks are very consistent and clear and we don't need any other techniques to help the U.S. to get our message."

___

Associated Press writers Foster Klug and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's new government on Monday approved a Jewish nationalist march in Jerusalem, a step that risks inflaming tensions with Palestinians hours after veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu handed over power to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. In the flag-waving procession, planned for Tuesday, far-right groups will march in and around East Jerusalem's walled Old City, where tensions have remained high since 11 days of fighting between Israel and Gaza militants in May. Palestinian factions have called for a "day of rage" against the Jerusalem march, with memories of clashes with Israeli police still fresh from last month in the contested city's Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and in a neighbourhood where Palestinians face eviction in a court dispute with Jewish settlers.
AMMAN (Reuters) - The U.S. decision to withdraw troops from Syria will not jeopardize Washington's efforts to counter threats in the region, which come from Iran and Islamic State, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday. Pompeo was in Jordan, making his first visit to the Middle East since President Donald Trump's abrupt announcement that he will pull the 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, which caused alarm among U.S. allies in the region and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. The U.S. troops in Syria have been fighting against Islamic State and also served as a counterweight to the Syrian government, which is backed by Iran and Russia. Many of Trump's domestic and international critics have said that withdrawing the troops abruptly could expose Washington's Kurdish allies to repression from Turkey, and also allow Iran to solidify its influence in Syria. But Pompeo said Washington was not stepping down from its efforts to challenge Iran. American policy makers were "redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran," he said. "There is enormous agreement on the risk that Iran poses to Jordan and other countries in the region," Pompeo added. Jordan, which has expressed worries in the past about Iranian influence, particularly near the Jordanian border in southern Syria, said Tehran should refrain from meddling in the affairs of its neighbors Syria and Iraq. "We all have problems with Iran's expansionist policies in the region," Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said. (Reporting By Suleiman al-Khalidi; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Amman (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Middle East allies Tuesday to confront "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists as he visited a region shaken by Washington's surprise decision to withdraw from Syria.

The top US diplomat, in Jordan on the first leg of his longest trip since taking the post last year, said that the US troop pullout would not undermine the battle against the Islamic State group.

"The most significant threats to the region are Daesh and the Islamic revolution," Pompeo said at a news conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, referring to IS and Iran.

Sustaining a regional coalition to counter Iran, the main enemy of US allies Saudi Arabia and Israel, is a major focus of Pompeo's tour of eight Arab capitals in as many days.

"The counter Iran revolution is a coalition as effective today as it was yesterday and I'm very hopeful that it will continue to be effective and even more effective tomorrow," he said.

"You'll see in the coming days and weeks we are redoubling all our diplomatic and commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran".

Last year, Trump pulled out of an international accord negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama on ending Iran's nuclear programme and has instead reimposed biting sanctions.

Pompeo has repeatedly called Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror," pointing to its targeting of domestic rivals in Europe and support of militant movements such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif swiftly hit back at the latest US broadsides, tweeting that the "pure obsession with Iran is more and more like the behaviour of persistently failing psychotic stalkers."

- IS counterattack -

Pompeo's trip comes weeks after Trump announced that the United States would quickly pull its 2,000 soldiers out of Syria, declaring that IS -- also known as ISIS -- had been defeated.

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His advisers have since been walking back his timeline, and Pompeo reassured Washington's allies in the region that the "battle continues".

"The president's decision to withdraw our folks from Syria in no way impacts our capacity to deliver on that," said the secretary of state, who later also met Jordan's King Abdullah II.

In a stark reminder of the lingering jihadist threat, IS fighters defending their last bastion killed 23 members of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported.

IS was unable to hold on to the positions it attacked in the assault which began late Sunday and also left nine jihadists dead, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Pompeo's tour will also take him to Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, Kuwait City, and possibly Baghdad.

He will deliver an address on Middle East policy in Egypt, whose army chief turned president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has been a key partner of Trump.

- Tensions with Turkey -

The Trump administration has cited Iran as a reason for maintaining a strong alliance with Saudi Arabia, despite the murder and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October.

One of the rare US partners to support Washington's withdrawal from Syria has been Turkey, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke to Trump before the US leader's December 19 decision.

Pompeo, in an interview before his departure, said that Erdogan had "made a commitment" to Trump not to attack Washington's Kurdish allies who have fought IS in Syria.

That prompted a denial Tuesday from Erdogan's spokesman who said that "nobody should expect Turkey to provide assurances to a terror organisation".

White House national security adviser John Bolton held talks Tuesday in Ankara as tensions grew over his earlier comments that the US retreat was conditional on the safety of US-backed Kurdish fighters, considered terrorists by Turkey.

Erdogan branded his remarks "unacceptable" and a "grave mistake".

Turkey also urged the United States to take back all the weapons provided to Syrian Kurdish forces in the fight against IS, a presidential spokesman said.

"It is not possible to accept or swallow the message given by Bolton from Israel," Erdogan told his party's lawmakers in parliament.

Israel, which Bolton visited before Turkey, has privately worried that Trump's withdrawal from Syria would empower Iran, which along with Russia offers military backing to President Bashar al-Assad in the country's devastating civil war.
LIMA, Peru (AP)  Peru's attorney general said he will present his resignation on Tuesday amid calls for him to step down for allegedly hindering a sweeping corruption probe involving Brazilian mega-builder Odebrecht.

Pedro Chavarry said Monday on his Twitter account that he will offer his resignation to prosecutors the following day to "protect the autonomy of the Public Ministry" after President Martin Vizcarra urged lawmakers to declare an emergency in the office, which could have paved the way for his removal.

Lima's bar association suspended Chavarry on Sunday. Vizcarra has repeatedly called for his resignation since he assumed the post of attorney general in July.

Last Wednesday, Chavarry reversed his dismissal of the lead investigators in the corruption probe into top officials, retreating in the face of a growing public outcry and street protests.

Their removal had threatened to derail the investigation into whether several former presidents and other high-ranking officials accepted money from Odebrecht.

Oderbrecht has admitted in U.S. court filings to winning public works contracts by paying $800 million in bribes to officials across Latin America, including $29 million in Peru.

Among those being investigated in the Odebrecht case are former President Alan Garcia and former presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori.

Prosecutors also have publicly accused Chavarry of having ties with criminal organizations made up of magistrates and businessmen who bartered power for favors or money, something he has denied.
Sydney (AFP) - Papua New Guinea's police force has scrapped plans to pay officers bonuses for each new arrest, with the nation's top law enforcement official on Tuesday calling the scheme "counter-productive".

Police Commissioner Gari Baki said the proposal to pay officers in crime-ridden Port Moresby allowances of up to US$150 per arrest was "well meaning" but would not go ahead.

"This is totally wrong and counter-productive so I will not allow it to be implemented," Baki said in a statement.

"Policemen are among the highest paid public servants in the country," he added. "They are a privileged lot."

In November, hundreds of police officers stormed parliament -- smashing windows, trashing furniture and demanding unpaid allowances for policing the Asia-Pacific summit of world leaders.

The cash-for-arrests plan had earlier been announced by the commander of the National Capital District Perou N'Dranou, as he tried to quell unease in the ranks and rampant criminality.

Violent gangs, widespread theft and rape have made Port Moresby one of the most dangerous cities in the world, with few residents willing to venture out after dark unless necessary.

But the bonus proposal had led analysts to express concerns about human rights abuses and unnecessary arrests.

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary is frequently accused of abuse, misconduct and complicity with criminal gangs.

"Police officers in the (National Capital District) already receive a financial incentive to do their jobs -- it's called a salary," said Pacific region expert and researcher Tess Newton Cain.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP)  A Pakistani court has completed the trial of a Czech woman arrested last year on charges of attempting to smuggle heroin from Pakistan to Abu Dhabi.

During Tuesday's brief court hearing, 21-year-old Tereza Hluskova pleaded innocent. A judge will announce a verdict before the end of January and she faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Since her arrest in 2018, Hluskova has told investigators that she came to Pakistan to work as a model but that someone put narcotics into her luggage. She was arrested as she tried to board a flight for Abu Dhabi.

The woman claims she is a model and Czech diplomats have provided her legal assistance.

Pakistani authorities often make arrests of both Pakistanis and foreigners for transporting narcotics.
By Se Young Lee and Christian Shepherd BEIJING (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed an expected U.S.-North Korea summit in talks in Beijing on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency said, days after Kim warned he may take an alternative path if the United States does not ease sanctions. Kim's visit to China, confirmed by North Korean and Chinese state media, comes amid plans for a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. South Korea's Yonhap, without identifying its sources, said the two leaders held talks for an hour in which they discussed the second U.S.-North Korea summit and strengthening bilateral ties. The meeting was followed by a dinner hosted by Xi and his wife, Yonhap said. Kim held three summits last year with Xi, his most important ally, before and after summits with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Kim and Trump pledged to work towards denuclearization at their landmark June summit in Singapore, but the agreement was short on specifics. Negotiations have made little headway since. "Kim is eager to remind the Trump administration that he does have diplomatic and economic options besides what Washington and Seoul can offer," Harry J. Kazianis, Director of Defence Studies at the U.S.-based Centre for the National Interest, said in an e-mailed statement. "In fact, during his New Year's Day speech, Kim's 'new way' that he referred to may well have been a veiled threat to move closer to Beijing. That should make America quite concerned." Kim left for China on a private train on Monday afternoon accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and senior North Korean officials, including Kim Yong Chol, a key negotiator in talks with the United States, and foreign minister Ri Yong Ho, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency said. China's official Xinhua news agency confirmed that Kim was visiting from Monday to Thursday at Xi's invitation. The visit coincides with what South Korean officials say is Kim's 35th birthday on Tuesday. Kim's visit to North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic ally follows reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang aimed at resolving the standoff over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Kim said in his New Year speech he was ready to meet Trump any time to achieve their common goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But he warned that he may seek an alternative path if U.S. sanctions and pressure against the country continued. 'GOOD PARTNER' In an interview with CNBC on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised China's support for resolving the North Korean crisis and said he did not think the U.S. trade dispute with China would affect this. Kim's visit comes as a U.S. delegation opened a second day of talks with Chinese counterparts in Beijing aimed at ending the trade war between the world's two largest economies. "The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues," Pompeo said. "Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that. China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Korea's nuclear capability; I expect they will continue to do so." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, asked during a daily briefing whether there was a connection between Kim's visit and the possibility of another meeting between Kim and Trump, said China believed contact between the United States and North Korea was important. "China has always supported both sides to continue to hold talks and to reach a positive outcome," Lu said. Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said Kim's trip would have no direct influence on the progress of trade talks. While no details were released about an agenda in China, Kim has been seeking relief from sanctions, a peace declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War and more investment. Ties between China and North Korea, which had frayed as Pyongyang stepped up its missile and nuclear tests up to late 2017, warmed over the past year as Kim engaged with China, South Korea and the United States. (Reporting by Se Young Lee, Christian Shepherd, and Michael Martina in BEIJING, Andrew Galbraith in SHANGHAI, and Joyce Lee, Josh Smith and Hyunjoo Jin in SEOUL; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel and Nick Macfie)
Lagos (AFP) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged setbacks in the fight against Boko Haram as the jihadists launched fresh attacks in the restive northeast.

The 76-year-old head of state was elected in 2015 on a promise to end the Islamist insurgency, which has killed more than 27,000 people since 2009 and left 1.8 million homeless.

But as Buhari seeks a second term in elections next month, a wave of attacks, including against military bases, has undermined his repeated claim that the group is virtually defeated.

Soldiers have also complained that Boko Haram fighters are better armed and that morale is low, particularly because of a lack of rotation and support.

In a recorded interview broadcast late on Monday on Arise TV, Buhari conceded that troops had come under pressure from the Islamists' guerrilla warfare.

Buhari, a former army general who became military ruler after ousting the elected government in a coup in 1983, said the "question of morale is correct".

Efforts were being made to address the issue, he said.

Relentless hit-and-run raids, as well as suicide bomb attacks, were hard to deal with by conventional means, he argued.

"There is really what I would call battle fatigue," he said, adding that retraining would help combat the jihadists' tactics.

On Monday evening, fighters loyal to factional leader Abubakar Shekau attacked Sajeri village on the outskirts of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, killing three people.

At the same time, militants aligned to the Islamic State group-backed Boko Haram faction attacked a military facility in Auno, some 23 kilometres (15 miles) from the city.

The increase in attacks has seen the appointment of five different commanders of the military operation against Boko Haram in the last two years.

But Buhari has refused to sack his military top brass, unlike his predecessor Goodluck Jonathan, who removed senior officers as the jihadists began taking over territory.

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"I accept responsibility for that," Buhari said in the interview, adding that he was "measuring the options very critically".

But he said that such appointments were not to be taken lightly.

"My understanding of security is that when you have a case of emergency you have to be careful with the head of (the armed) services," he said.

- Heavy fighting -

Many of the attacks on military installations have been blamed on or claimed by the self-styled Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), headed by Abu Mus'ab Al-Barnawi.

The group broke away from Shekau in mid-2016 in opposition to his indiscriminate targeting of civilians in the conflict. It has instead vowed only to hit "hard" targets.

Security analysts have interpreted the surge in ISWAP attacks as a sign of renewed strength and organisation, with possible support from the jihadist networks in the wider Sahel region.

In late December, a naval base and another for troops from a regional force fighting the jihadists were overrun in the Baga area, on the shores of Lake Chad.

Referring to Monday's clashes, Babakura Kolo, a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force militia, said soldiers and the CJTF in Auno were attacked by Al-Barnawi fighters.

"There was heavy fighting and the gunmen were repelled with the help of a fighter jet," he told AFP.

"The insurgents had two days ago warned residents of (nearby) Jakana to vacate their homes by Wednesday because they were going to launch a major attack."

Meanwhile, a community leader from Baga said 10,712 people had registered at camps for internally displaced people in the garrison town of Monguno and Maiduguri.

All had fled their homes as the military prepares a fight-back.

"More people are trooping in because they are scared to live under Boko Haram. At the moment they don't hurt civilians. They are only after soldiers and the CJTF," he added.

In December, the National Emergency Management Agency said it registered 2,040 IDPs who fled Kukawa, Kuros-Kauwa and Bunduram communities in northern Borno following attacks.
Valletta (AFP) - Malta is pushing other European countries to take in around 250 migrants currently in its care before it will allow dozens of people stuck on two rescue boats to disembark, a government source said Tuesday.

Some 49 migrants, rescued while attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing from North Africa to Europe, have been stranded off the coast of Malta on the Sea-Watch and another boat since December 22, with no country allowing them to dock.

The diplomatic deadlock among EU member states has not been resolved, despite an appeal by Pope Francis on Sunday for EU leaders to show solidarity.

But on Tuesday Malta appeared to raise the stakes still further.

A senior Malta government source said the island did not want a "short-term" solution for those stranded at sea but "a more comprehensive and holistic solution".

Resources on the island of 450,000 are being "stretched" by the migrants already in detention centres, the source said, requesting anonymity.

"Malta is looking at a solution that would see all rescued migrants redistributed among a number of countries that are willing to share the burden," the source said.

The Sea-Watch and the Sea-Eye are carrying a total of 49 migrants, including a baby and several children.

"It's day 18 for us being held hostage at sea by European governments," Sea-Watch tweeted on Tuesday.

"The situation is tense but at least everyone's eating again," the German NGO said the day after some of the 32 migrants aboard refused food.

A European diplomat said France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and Portugal had said they were ready to take in some of the migrants.

Romania, which currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, agreed to take in five migrants.

But both Italy and Malta have repeatedly refused port access to the rescue vessels, and they have stuck to that position despite the pope's intervention.

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- Plea for solidarity -

Volunteers on Tuesday brought drinking water, couscous, fruit and vegetables to the boats.

European Commission spokeswoman Margaritis Schinas said "intensive contacts" were under way between EU nations over the crisis.

"Member states need now to show concrete solidarity," Schinas said. "People on board need to be disembarked safely and without further delay."

The European diplomat said that EU countries had offered to receive more than the 49 people on the two boats, but not the nearly 300 migrants as demanded by Malta.

In the eastern Mediterranean, Cypriot authorities said they had picked up 31 Syrian migrants who had been dropped off by smugglers on a remote part of the island after arriving by boat.

The migrants, who are seeking asylum, were processed by police and transferred to a reception centre in the capital Nicosia.

The Syrians -- 27 men, three children and one woman -- told police that they had each paid $2,500-$3,000 (2,200-2,600 euros) in cash to be brought to Cyprus.

And a 24-year-old migrant from Cameroon died early Tuesday at a migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos.

The cause of death was not yet known but aid groups and the UN refugee agency have for months highlighted unhealthy conditions at island's Moria camp.

Seven French aid groups including Doctors without Borders and Medecins du Monde released a joint appeal to the government there Tuesday.

"We are asking France to immediately get these survivors to shelter in a safe port," they said.

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BEIRUT (AP)  The Latest on the war in Syria (all times local):

6:35 p.m.

The main U.S.-backed group in Syria says it has handed over IS fighters and civilians from Kazakhstan to their country.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said in a statement Monday that those handed over to authorities in their country are five fighters, 11 women and 30 children.

The SDF said they were repatriated on Saturday adding that it came after discussions with security authorities in Kazakhstan.

The SDF, that is a main force fighting extremists in Syria, has apprehended more than 700 non-Syrian IS fighters in addition to their families over the past years.

The group is now trying to remove extremists from the last area the control in eastern Syria near the border with Iraq.

___

5:30 p.m.

The main U.S.-backed Syrian faction fighting the Islamic State group says members of the extremist group have attacked one of its positions, killing a civilian and wounding several other fighters in the northern city of Raqqa.

The Syrian Democratic Forces said in a statement that during Monday's attack, an IS fighter blew himself up near an SDF checkpoint.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the suicide attacker first opened fire at an SDF force outside a local department before going inside and blowing himself up killing five, including four civilians, and wounding eight.

SDF fighters captured Raqqa, once the de facto capital of the extremists, in October 2017.

Since then IS sleeper cells have carried out attacks in the city.

___

11:15 a.m.

A Kurdish news agency and a Syrian war monitoring group say a missile attack by the Islamic State group in eastern Syria has killed at least one Kurdish fighter and wounded two British soldiers embedded with them.

The Rudaw news agency says the two British soldiers are in a stable condition.

British special forces are known to be on the ground in northern Syria although the British government does not provide details about their presence.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a report Sunday that the IS attack occurred the previous day in the village of Shaafa in eastern Deir el-Zour province amid fierce clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, backed by the U.S.-led coalition, and IS militants.
Curt Mills

Domestic Politics, United States

Richard Goldberg joins the National Security Council.

John Bolton Taps Iran Regime Change Advocate

John Bolton, national security advisor, is tapping Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) for a key post.

FDD President Mark Dubowitz confirmed the hire on Twitter late Monday: Couldnt think of anyone better than my @FDD colleague @rich_goldberg to join NSC to maximize the maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The White House has not yet publicly commented.

The story was first reported in Jewish Insider. Goldberg has locked his previously-public Twitter page, following the course taken by other NSC hires, such as Fred Fleitz (who has since departed) and Anthony Ruggiero, formerly of FDD, who swiftly locked their Twitter pages upon ascension to the White House.

Goldberg previously worked for Illinois politicians Mark Kirk and Bruce Rauner. He will join Boltons staff as the director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction.

Bolton has made clear in recent days that his offices focus on Iranian proliferation remains undiminished, alleging nothing but bad faith from Tehran. "We have little doubt that Irans leadership is still strategically committed to achieving deliverable nuclear weapons, he said Sunday.

His new hire takes a view of Iran similar to many of Washingtons most committed Iran hawks. He views the regime in Tehran as akin to the Soviet Uniona hub of a global, anti-American counterculture and internally collapsible if Reagan-style pressure is applied, as he advocates.

Regime change has become a loaded political term, Goldberg has said in congressional testimony, rejecting comparisons of Iran hawks to those who pushed the U.S. into war in Iraq, even though the two groups have heavy overlaps. We need to look at more of a Cold War-era policy. What was the Reagan administrations victory policy, rollback policy toward the Soviets? We definitely wanted behavioral change.

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The Trump administration has insisted U.S. policy is for Iran to change its behavior, and that it is not formally seeking a change in the government itself. Thats contradicted, however, by administration allies such as the presidents attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, who told me last year that the U.S. policy is essentially regime change. If you listen to John Bolton, Giuliani told me. I mean, John Bolton makes it very clearI guess theres a miracle that could happenbut its very unlikely that these murderers are going to change. So, that probably means regime change.

Whatever you make of the Goldberg acquisition, Bolton is on a roll.

On travel in the Middle East, Bolton, a master bureaucratic knife-fighter, has apparently stymied President Donald Trumps earlier orders for a swift withdrawal from Syria and q partial drawdown in Afghanistan; those orders had thrilled skeptics of the need for American primacy. The president is slowing down the exodus from Syria, political ally Sen. Lindsey Graham has said.

The turn of events comes as close allies, such as Israel, seek to extract additional concessions: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly lobbying for official U.S. recognition of Jerusalem's claim to the Golan Heights, if the United States were to leave Syria soon.

The Syria drawdown was originally agreed to by Trump in a December phone call with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which Bolton listened in on. Boltons upcoming meeting with Turkish officials this week is expected to be tense.

For FDD, which has functioned as the administrations go-to think-tank on Iran, its another coup. The Goldberg move to the White House comes as at a time when the organization had been publicly doubting the administrations course for the first time.

Dubowitz and others at FDD had been publicly lamenting the presidents recent turn. FDD would not comment for this article.

Dubowitz and FDDs Reuel Marc Gerecht wrote in The Atlantic in December that should Trump pull out of Syria, Tehran might quietly prefer him to his predecessor Barack Obama. Although [Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei didnt say so, its a good guess that if given the choice between dealing with American sanctions or America staying in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, hed take the former, the duo wrote. Trumps withdrawal has severely weakened his own Iran policy, signaling boredom, fickleness, fatigue, and fear.

The nadir for FDD was doubtless Trumps statement at the White House in December that Iran can do what they want in Syria, shocking much of the foreign policy establishment.

But the revolving door between the West Wing and FDD testifies to the enduring power of cadres.

Curt Mills is the foreign-affairs reporter at the National Interest, where he covers the State Department, National Security Council and the Trump Presidency.

Image: Reuters.

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Abu Shukheidim (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli forces arrested overnight a Palestinian accused of shooting dead two soldiers in the occupied West Bank last month and involvement in another attack that caused a baby's death, authorities said Tuesday.

Assam Barghouti is accused of shooting the soldiers at a bus stop near the Givat Assaf settlement in the Ramallah area on December 13, police said.

At least two other people -- including another soldier -- were wounded, the army said at the time.

Israel's domestic security service, the Shin Bet, also accused him of involvement along with his brother in another shooting attack nearby, close to the Ofra settlement, that caused the death of a baby and wounded seven.

In the December 9 shooting, a pregnant woman was seriously wounded and her baby was born prematurely by emergency caesarean and later died.

Barghouti's brother, Salah, 29, was killed during an arrest raid on December 12.

The armed wing of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008, had claimed Salah Barghouti as one of its "fighters."

In a statement following Assam Barghouti's arrest, Hamas praised him and the Palestinian "resistance" without claiming him as a member.

It said Israel will not "weaken or stop the resistance."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Twitter saluted the arrest of a "vile terrorist".

The attacks boosted tensions and led to Israeli raids in parts of the West Bank, including in Ramallah, where Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has his base, triggering Palestinian protests and clashes with Israeli security forces.

Jewish settlers and their right-wing supporters had held angry demonstrations over the December attacks.

Assaf Barghouti was arrested at the home of an alleged accomplice in the West Bank village of Abu Shukheidim near Ramallah and was allegedly preparing more attacks, the Shin Bet said.

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An AK-47 rifle, night-vision equipment and ammunition were seized during his arrest, according to the Shin Bet.

Villagers said Israeli forces began arriving at 2:30 am (0030 GMT) and surrounded the five-storey building. The apartment is located on the third floor.

Barghouti was arrested around an hour later, residents said. No gunfire was heard.

On Monday evening, Israeli soldiers also carried out a series of raids in Ramallah, closing off a number of buildings and seizing surveillance cameras, an AFP journalist said.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa said at least nine Palestinians were arrested during the raids. Low-level clashes broke out in multiple locations.

It was not clear if the Ramallah raids were related to Barghouti's arrest.

Some 400,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank in tense proximity to around 2.6 million Palestinians.

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DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said the European Union is willing to give Britain reassurances about the Irish backstop before British lawmakers vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal next week, the Irish Times reported on Monday. May pulled a parliamentary vote on her deal last month after admitting it would be rejected by lawmakers, many unhappy with the backstop - an insurance policy to avoid a hard border between the British province and EU-member Ireland. "We don't want to trap the UK into anything  we want to get on to the talks about the future relationship right away," Varadkar said on a trip to Mali, the Irish Times reported. "I think it's those kind of assurances we are happy to give." (Reporting by Conor Humphries, writing by Michael Holden; editing by Kate Holton)
Guatemala City (AFP) - Guatemala brushed aside protests from the United Nations and pressed ahead Tuesday with shutting down a UN anti-corruption mission in the Central American country after it began investigating President Jimmy Morales.

The move, communicated on Monday to the world body in New York by Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel, has racked up tensions in the country, where civil organizations have threatened anti-government protests.

Jovel gave UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 24 hours' notice on Monday that Morales was terminating the mandate of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).

The UN chief said he "strongly" rejected the decision, insisting the government abide by an international agreement in place since 2007.

Staff of the mission had begun implementing a contingency plan to leave the country, a Commission spokesman said.

"We've launched a contingency plan and international personnel have been asked to leave the country until further notice," said spokesman Matias Ponce.

Images on social media showed vehicles entering the Commission's headquarters in the capital and leaving with materials and office furniture, while a crowd waved Guatemalan flags and set off firecrackers in celebration.

Army spokesman Oscar Perez said security guards at the headquarters would be asked to hand over their firearms from Wednesday.

Business leaders and right-wing groups backed Morales's decision in a statement, slamming the UN mission for "a serious lack of due process" and insisting the move was constitutional.

However, outraged humanitarian, indigenous and university organizations called on the government to reverse the decision.

US Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Ohio, also came out in support of the decision and slammed "violations" by the CICIG.

"A nation's sovereignty is the core of its freedom," Lee said in a tweet. "Guatemala has every right to speak up and defend violations of sovereignty and abuses committed by the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala."

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The Guatemala Immortal group urged the population to support Morales's decision, saying the CICIG had been "taking over the justice system."

Rigoberta Menchu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992, said Morales's unilateral decision was "one more sign of progressive institutional breakdown," as well as of the rule of law.

Menchu praised the work of the UN mission, saying it had "contributed significantly to the fight against corruption and impunity and strengthened the system of justice and democracy in Guatemala."

-Accumulating tension-

Guatemalan officials sought to bar a Colombian investigator for the mission from entering the country over the weekend, and had a lengthy confrontation with the mission leader, Colombian prosecutor Ivan Velasquez, who Morales has repeatedly tried to expel from the country.

The commission has typically gone after high-level officials and corporate executives, including Morales's son and brother, who were charged with tax evasion and money laundering in 2016.

The situation worsened in August 2017, when the CICIG began investigating Morales himself for corruption, involving his party's campaign finances when he won the presidency in 2015.

At a news conference in New York late Monday, Jovel accused the commission of "interference" and said Guatemala was defending its sovereignty by scrapping the investigative body.

However, Guatemala's ombudsman Jordan Rodas said the decision violated international treaties and lodged an appeal with the country's Constitutional Court, which had originally endorsed the mission.

Rodas said Morales's actions were an attack on democracy and the fight against corruption.

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International's Americas director, said the move was "the latest blow to the fight against impunity and clearly shows its worrying lack of willingness to work toward an independent justice system that guarantees the rights of all people in Guatemala."
Gavin Newsom giving his first speech as Californias 40th governor, Jan. 7, 2019. (Photo: Paul Kitagaki Jr./Zuma Wire)

Californias new governor has a message for his fellow Democrats, not only in the Golden State but across the country:

Dont like whats happening in Donald Trumps Washington, D.C.? Then watch what Im about to do.

Under a huge tent shielding thousands of guests from looming rainclouds, Gavin Newsom mounted the stage in Sacramento Monday to take his oath of office and deliver an inaugural address.

It was an afternoon rich in symbolism: a passing of the generational torch from four-term Gov. Jerry Brown, a curmudgeonly, childless octogenarian, to a 51-year-old former wine entrepreneur and San Francisco mayor with four young kids. It was also a reversal of Browns blunt, even bleak, mantra of austerity  eight years ago he celebrated his own inauguration by eating a hot dog  to a flashier form of leadership. Newsom hosted a concert with Common and Pitbull instead.

But amid all the grandstanding and rhetoric, the moment marked a more practical shift as well. Always a lone wolf, Brown never really aspired to stand for something larger than his own idiosyncrasies. Newsom, in contrast, premised his entire campaign on the idea that California, home to the worlds fifth-largest economy, more people than any other state and a powerless GOP, should be the model alternative to Trumps Washington, a place where progressive solutions to Americas most pressing problems, from income inequality to education to health care, can be successfully implemented on an unmatched scale.

It was a theme Newsom made sure to emphasize in Mondays speech.

California has always helped write Americas future, and we know the decisions we make would be important at any time, he said. But what we do today is even more consequential because of whats happening in our country. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe  they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment.

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In the weeks and months ahead, this ambitious notion of California as a prototype for the rest of the nation will embody both the promise and the potential pitfalls of Newsoms nascent governorship.

The promise part is simple. While newly empowered House Democrats still have to contend with President Trump and a Republican Senate, Newsom will enjoy legislative supermajorities, an estimated $14.8 billion budget surplus and a projected $14.5 billion rainy-day reserve fund.

From left, former Gov. Gray Davis, former first lady Anne Gust Brown, former Gov. Jerry Brown, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Paul Pelosi listen to Gavin Newsoms inauguration speech at the California state Capitol. (Photo: Paul Kitagaki Jr./Zuma Wire)

These advantages could, in turn, help him keep his long list of campaign promises, which together represent one of the largest government expansions California has ever seriously contemplated: a statewide single-payer health care system; universal preschool; 3.5 million new housing units by 2025; an energy grid run solely on renewables; and a state bank dedicated to financing infrastructure projects, small businesses and a burgeoning marijuana industry.

If passed, Newsoms agenda would provide many rank-and-file Democrats with exactly what theyve been craving: a real-world example of progressive governance that can transcend the stalemate on Capitol Hill as well as the tired internal debates between Bernie bros and Hillarybots, populism and identity politics.

But thats a big if.

The danger for Newsom (and for the Democrats rooting for him) is that the last time California was a national symbol of anything, it was as a failure of progressive governance. Before Brown took office, in the teeth of the Great Recession, California was $27 billion in debt, with the worst credit rating of any state in the nation, and unemployment hovered above 12 percent.

Its debatable how much blame Sacramento deserved; with its disproportionate reliance on tax revenues from uber-wealthy coastal types, recessions always hit California especially hard. But that didnt stop national conservatives, and eventually the media at large, from lampooning the state as the next Greece  a liberal fantasyland that had spent its way to the brink of collapse. And it wont stop the next recession from having a similarly outsize effect on Californias fortunes.

The more money you have, the better you feel, explains Brown, who devoted much of the last few years to vetoing costly Democratic legislation and stockpiling reserves for the recession he frequently predicts is coming. The better you feel, the more you spend. But at that very moment, you should have stopped.

Already, in the earliest days of their new term, California legislators have proposed $40 billion in new spending, and Newsom himself has floated a plan to extend the states paid family leave program from six weeks to six months for all California residents  the most generous policy in the nation. What Newsom has not floated, at least not yet, is a sustainable way to pay for such an extension.

Meanwhile, in his inaugural address, the new governor did not seem particularly inclined to lower his sights. He pledged to launch a Marshall Plan for affordable housing; to provide sanctuary to all who seek it; to ensure fair pay for working people; and to offer guaranteed health care for all Californians. Within hours, Newsom was on Facebook, directing state officials to set up the nations largest single-purchaser system for prescription drugs and revealing that his budget, to be unveiled in full later this week, would reinstate Obamacares individual mandate and increase subsidies for families making as much as $150,000. He also said he would ask the legislature to allow all undocumented immigrants under 26 to participate in the states Medicaid plan.

Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as his 2-year-old son, Dutch, looks on. (Photo: Paul Kitagaki Jr./Zuma Wire)

At other times, Newsom has acknowledged the need for fiscal restraint, citing the previous administration as a model. He has tempered his calls for a single-payer system, for instance, pivoting to the phrase guaranteed health care instead. I havent budged in terms of being someone who believes in fiscal discipline, he told Yahoo News last summer.

But when the idea of that sort of discipline came up in Mondays speech, he immediately undercut it by insisting he would be bold at the same time. We will prepare for uncertain times ahead, Newsom said. We will be prudent stewards of taxpayer dollars, pay down debt and meet our future obligations. And we will build and safeguard the largest fiscal reserve of any state in American history.

But let me be clear, Newsom continued, we will be bold. We will aim high and we will work like hell to get there.

How deftly Newsom navigates the dangerous space between those sentences will define his governorship  and shape the future of his party. Bold is the latest liberal buzzword; every Democrat, both in Washington and on the 2020 campaign trail, is saying it. But few besides Newsom actually have the opportunity to govern boldly. The question is how bold he can afford to be. If a Democrat like Newsom cant deliver in a place like California, at a moment like this, then it will be hard for Democrats as a whole to argue that they can deliver nationwide.

The pressure, in other words, is on. Newsoms success or failure will set the parameters of what is possible for his party  and resonate far beyond Californias borders.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Libreville (AFP) - "Who's in charge?" asked Gaston, a resident of Libreville, a day after Gabon's armed forces quelled an attempted coup.

Calm has returned to the Gabonese capital after several hours of upheaval, yet Gaston's question is on many lips.

The brief attempt on power has prompted many to ponder the flux gripping a country where political change has been negligible for more than half a century.

Gabon has been without effective government since October, when President Ali Bongo suffered a stroke while visiting Saudi Arabia.

Bongo, 59, is the son of Omar Bongo, who became head of state in 1967 and died in June 2009, leaving a legacy of corruption allegations.

In the kingdom of "kongossa" -- gossip in local slang -- tongues have wagged over the lack of detailed information about Bongo's health.

The head of state has been flown to Morocco where he recorded a New Year's Eve address marked by slurred words and a squint that critics said raised even more alarming questions about his health.

In his lengthening absence, a small group of soldiers stormed the state broadcasting headquarters in the capital on Monday and went on the air urging the Gabonese people to "rise up."

The coup attempt turned out to be short lived. Security forces attacked the building and arrested the leader, killed two and freed radio technicians and journalists who had been held hostage.

The army was deployed in the capital and armoured vehicles patrolled the streets, but on Tuesday most shops and restaurants were open and the seafront avenue, where the broadcasting centre is located, reopened to traffic.

The internet, which had been cut, was restored, although the round-the-clock state-run news channel Gabon 24 was off the air.

- 'Automatic pilot' -

In a country based on an executive president, Bongo's absence has been felt in many ways, from institutional fog to press speculation of tensions between Bongo's cabinet director, Brice Laccruche Alihanga, and the head of the intelligence services, Frederic Bongo.

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Gabon is without a new prime minister -- there were legislative elections last October, but it is the job of the head of state to name someone to the post.

The opposition has sought to have the Constitutional Court officially declare a power vacuum in Bongo's absence, but court president Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo instead announced a new clause in the basic law to clarify the situation, without a parliamentary vote.

"Gabon on (very dangerous) automatic pilot," an opposition newspaper headlined early in November, prompting a ban on publication.

Frustration, anxiety or anger are not hard to find in the streets of Libreville, although few wish to speak on the record, fearing retribution.

"What happened (yesterday) was a good thing, it should have worked. We have to get out of this situation," said Stephane, a 27-year-old tripe seller.

He said he had been among people who went out in response to the rebels' appeal for an uprising.

"We weren't criminals or looters. We answered the call. We are 120-percent fed up!" he said.

The authorities remain consistent in their communications. The situation after the attempted coup is "normal," Bongo is "doing fine" and "will soon come back."

"It's as if absolutely nothing has happened," snorted an angry citizen.

"They did the same thing to us in 2016," the individual said, referring to the government's posture after a bitterly contested presidential election was followed by clashes.

"Can you understand how frustrating it is to live in a country where there is such a blackout?"
Singapore (AFP) - Singapore immigration authorities said Tuesday they had foiled a bid to smuggle four kittens into the city-state stuffed down a man's trousers after hearing meows coming from the suspect's crotch.

In a statement, they hailed their "fur-midable" officers for stopping the "impawsible" attempt to transport the animals in a car through a border checkpoint with neighbouring Malaysia.

"Our officers were checking the travellers in the car, they heard a meowing and saw the bulge in the man's pants," an immigration authority spokeswoman told AFP.

The officers asked the 45-year-old Singaporean whether he had anything to declare, before discovering the live kittens secreted in his trousers.

The spokeswoman said that hiding items, such as contraband cigarettes, under clothing is a common method of smuggling.

"But to stuff four live kittens into one's trousers -- this is the first time we've seen it," she added.

The kittens survived the ordeal -- the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, which is now investigating the case, said they had been put in quarantine and were active and well.

It is not clear why the man was trying to bring the kittens into Singapore on January 2, although it could have been to sell on as pets.

If found guilty, the alleged smuggler faces up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of Sg$10,000 ($7,300).

Singapore imposes strict requirements for those wishing to bring cats into the country legally, which include obtaining an import licence and health certificate.

Immigration authorities warn that animals smuggled into Singapore may be carrying diseases, such as rabies.
The Hague (AFP) - The EU hit Iran's intelligence services with sanctions Tuesday after accusing Tehran of being behind plots to assassinate regime opponents on Dutch, Danish and French soil.

The move by the 28-nation bloc was announced as the Dutch government said it believed Iran was behind the murders of two dissidents in 2015 and 2017.

"Very encouraging that (the) EU has just agreed on new targeted sanctions against Iran in response to hostile activities and plots being planned and perpetrated in Europe, including Denmark," Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.

The "EU stands united -- such actions are unacceptable and must have consequences," he tweeted.

Sanctions include the freezing of funds and other financial assets of the Iranian intelligence ministry and individuals, officials said.

But Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif pointed the finger at European nations he said were harbouring terrorists.

"Accusing Iran does not release Europe from its responsibility for hosting terrorists," he said in a tweet.

- More sanctions not ruled out -

Denmark led efforts for sanctions after allegations that Tehran tried to kill three Iranian dissidents on Danish soil.

A manhunt related to the alleged plot against three Iranians suspected of belonging to the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz (ASMLA) led to the shutdown of bridges to Sweden, as well as ferries, on September 28.

France last year imposed sanctions on two suspected Iranian agents and others from Iran's intelligence and security ministry.

The French security services concluded that the head of operations at the Iranian intelligence ministry had ordered a plot to bomb a rally of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) opposition group in a suburb of Paris in June last year -- which Tehran strongly denied.

"When the sanctions were announced, the Netherlands, together with the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark and Belgium, met Iranian authorities," Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said.

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The meeting conveyed "serious concerns regarding Iran's probable involvement in these hostile acts on EU territory," Blok said in a letter to parliament in The Hague, also signed by Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren.

"Iran is expected to cooperate fully in removing the present concerns and, where necessary, aiding in criminal investigations," the letter said.

"If such cooperation is not forthcoming, further sanctions cannot be ruled out," it added.

- Nuclear deal -

The EU has previously trodden cautiously on Iran as it sought to save a beleaguered nuclear deal with Tehran after the US withdrew last year and imposed new sanctions.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has made pressure on Iran a top priority, hailed the EU move as "a clear message that terrorism will not be tolerated."

"The US strongly supports the new sanctions and stands with our European allies as we counter this common threat," Pompeo tweeted.

But Dutch ministers said that at a meeting with Iranian officials "it was emphasised that the measures were not linked" to the Iran nuclear deal.

"Nevertheless, Iran will be held to account for all matters that affect EU and international security interests" including the 2015 and 2017 assassinations in the Netherlands, the letter said.

Tehran blames the ASMLA for an attack on a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz on September 22, when militants sprayed the crowd with gunfire and killed 24 people.

The MEK, which has a history of attacks inside the Islamic republic, was considered a terrorist group until 2009 by European authorities and until 2012 by the United States, where members of President Donald Trump's administration have had close ties with the movement.

The MEK-linked National Council of Resistance of Iran called the EU sanctions "a positive, necessary but insufficient step" and called for the bloc to expel all of Tehran's "agents" on European soil.

"Three decades of experience show that the mullahs only understand the language of firmness," it said in a statement.

Last June, the Netherlands expelled two Iranian embassy workers in connection with the murders.

Tehran at the time protested the expulsion as an "unfriendly and destructive move" and threatened to retaliate.
Ottawa (AFP) - Canada's trade deficit with the world widened to Can$2.1 billion (US$1.6 billion) in November, as exports fell for a fourth consecutive month, according to government data released Tuesday.

"As was the case in October, energy products contributed the most to the decline" in exports, Statistics Canada said in a statement.

The deficit came in slightly higher than the Can$1.9 billion economists had forecast, following a Can$851 million shortfall the previous month.

Total exports, according to the government statistical agency, fell 2.9 percent to Can$48.3 billion.

Crude oil exports led the decrease, down 17.7 percent in large part due to lower prices. The drop was partially offset by higher exports of coal to South Korea, China and Vietnam.

A 26.4 percent plunge in exports of lubricants and other petroleum refinery products also contributed to the decline, mostly on lower exports of motor gasoline blending stock to the northeastern United States.

Exports of pulp and paper fell too.

Total imports, meanwhile, fell 0.5 percent to Can$50.4 billion, led by motor vehicles and parts.

November marked the ninth decrease in 12 months of passenger cars and light trucks imports, coinciding with lower Canadian demand.

Following a record high in September, imports of other metal ores and concentrates fell 19.6 percent and were down for a second consecutive month, mainly on lower imports of gold for refining from the United States.

Aircraft imports, however, bounced back after recently hitting a five-year low when US aircraft production had temporarily slowed.

Canada's trade surplus with its largest trading partner the United States, meanwhile, narrowed from Can$3.5 billion in October to Can$2.2 billion in November.

As for trade with the rest of the world, a sharp increase in exports to Britain (gold) was almost entirely offset by lower exports to Hong Kong (gold), the Netherlands (iron ore and heavy fuel oil) and China (gold).

And lower imports from Russia (crude oil), Switzerland (copper) and Mexico (passenger cars and light trucks) were partially offset by higher imports from China (computers) and Japan (gold and passenger cars).
Dhaka (AFP) - Dozens of Rohingya Muslims have crossed the border into Bangladesh from India in recent days, officials said Tuesday, as New Delhi faces censure for deporting the persecuted minority to Myanmar.

Last week India handed a Rohingya family of five to Myanmar authorities, despite the army there being accused of genocide against the stateless group.

The forced return -- the second in recent months -- was criticised by the United Nations and rights groups who accused India of disregarding international law and sending the Rohingya to danger.

India, which is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, arrested 230 Rohingya in 2018 -- the most in years as Hindu hardliners called for the displaced Muslims to be deported en masse.

Bangladesh border officials and police said dozens of Rohingya had been detained crossing from India in the past week. They were sent to refugee camps in the country's south, where a million of the displaced Muslims live in hardship.

The round-ups in India, and fear of deportation to Myanmar, had fuelled the recent exodus, Bangladesh officials said.

"They told us they panicked after India started detaining Rohingya refugees and deporting them to Myanmar," said Shahjahan Kabir, a police chief in the eastern Bangladeshi border town of Brahmanpara.

He told AFP that 17 Rohingya were detained last Thursday after crossing into Bangladesh, followed by 31 at a different border point. Most had been living in India for up to six years, Kabir added.

In Cox's Bazar, a border district where some 720,000 Rohingya have sought refuge from a Myanmar army crackdown in August 2017, local officials said at least 57 had arrived in recent days.

"They have come from places like Hyderabad and Jammu and Kashmir," said Rezaul Karim, government administrator of the giant Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox's Bazar. Hyderabad is a major city in southern India and Jammu and Kashmir the only Muslim-majority territory under Indian control.

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For decades the Rohingya have faced persecution and pogroms in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, which refuses to recognise them as citizens and falsely labels them "Bengali" illegal immigrants.

They were concentrated in Rakhine state, the epicentre of a brutal Myanmar army offensive in August 2017 that UN investigators described as genocidal in intent.

Amnesty International, among other rights groups, has blasted India for forcibly repatriating the Rohingya to Myanmar when persecution in Rakhine is ongoing.

Dozens of Rohingya were also deported from Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh at the weekend, reported the London-based Middle East Eye website.

Indian officials say around 40,000 Rohingya are living in India. The United Nations refugee agency says around 18,000 Rohingya are registered with the UNHCR.
Gibraltar (AFP) - A former British marine on Tuesday launched his attempt to become the first physically disabled person to row solo and unsupported across the Atlantic from mainland Europe to South America.

Onlookers applauded as Lee Spencer, 49, set off on his tiny boat from Gibraltar's marina to the neighbouring town in southern Spain of La Linea de la Concepcion, where it was loaded onto a trailer and driven overland to Portugal.

He had originally hoped to leave from Gibraltar, his base for preparing for the voyage, but strong tides and adverse weather in the Strait of Gibraltar have forced him to switch his departure point to Portimao, in southern Portugal. He plans to officially embark on his voyage from there on Wednesday morning.

"I'm nervous, apprehensive, excited. All of the above, really in buckets. This is a symbolic start of my journey to South America from Gibraltar," Spencer told reporters before heading off to La Linea.

The very first record set for a physically disabled solo ocean rower was in 2004, when Stuart Boreham left from Spain's Canary Islands and reached Barbados 109 days, 12 hours and nine minutes later.

But Spencer is aiming to make landfall in Cayenne in French Guyana in less than 70 days and is carrying only 90 days' worth of food for the 3,500-mile (5,600-kilometre) journey on his specially-designed ocean rowing boat called Hope.

If he succeeds, he will also smash the able-bodied record for a solo Atlantic crossing between mainland Europe and South America.

Spencer served 24 years as a Royal Marine commando and completed three operational tours of Afghanistan, returning to Britain unscathed only to lose his right leg below the knee in 2014 after being hit by flying debris while helping a motorway crash victim.

He hopes his journey will challenge perceptions of disability as well as raise money for the Royal Marines Charity and the Endeavour Fund, which support the recovery of wounded, injured and sick British military personnel.

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"If a disabled man can go out and smash an able bodied record in something as physical as rowing then that is a massive statement. That is what it is all about," Spencer said.

It will actually be his second time rowing across the Atlantic, having crossed it in 2016 as a part of a four-man team of injured soldiers who had just three legs between them.

- 'Quite difficult' -

Spencer solo will row along the African coastline before heading out past the Cape Verde islands and into the Atlantic bound for Venezuela aided by currents and trade winds.

His self-righting boat is fitted with a solar-powered chart plotter and VHF radio to enable communication with passing ships, but once he leaves Portugal Spencer will be on his own.

He will spend most of his time on deck, rowing in two-hour intervals and using breaks in between to carry out maintenance, eat, sleep, make drinking water and update his blog.

"There's going to be times where I'm going to have to row through the night, Ive got no choice, and thats going to be quite difficult, he said of his routine.

The first able-bodied person to row across the Atlantic solo from mainland Europe to South America was Stein Hoff, who made the voyage from Portugal to Guyana in 2002 and holds the current record at 96 days, 12 hours and 45 minutes.
Beirut (AFP) - Die-hard jihadists defending their last bastions in eastern Syria used the cover of bad weather to launch a vain but deadly counterattack against Kurdish-led fighters.

The Islamic State group was unable to hold on to the positions they attacked but the assault killed 23 members of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and also left nine jihadists dead.

IS fighters took advantage of poor visibility to unleash suicide attackers on SDF forces along the front line in the Euphrates valley late on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday.

"Twenty-three SDF fighters were killed and nine IS jihadists were also killed in fighting that lasted all night and into Monday morning," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The jihadists often launch attacks under the cover of bad weather that cancels out their opponents' advantage of US-led coalition air power.

The SDF launched what is meant to be the final offensive on the jihadist organisation four months ago with air and ground support from coalition forces.

The Kurdish-Arab alliance has deployed some 17,000 fighters for an operation aimed at flushing out IS from the last rump of its now-defunct "caliphate".

IS fighters "launched deadly counterattacks in three different directions against the Syrian Democratic Forces, including in the villages of Sousa and Al-Shaafa," Abdel Rahman said.

- IS defence lines shattered -

He said they used at least two suicide bombers in their attacks, which inflicted the latest in a string of heavy losses on the SDF.

According to the Observatory, 1,087 IS jihadists were killed since the start of the operation on September 10, while 602 members of the SDF also died.

"On Monday morning, the SDF launched an offensive and retook all the positions they lost," the Observatory said.

"Due to its depleted manpower, IS was unable to hold on to the positions it attacked," it said.

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Abdel Rahman said the jihadists' defences in the area have collapsed and the end of the battle is near.

The IS jihadists who remain however include seasoned fighters who have little to lose and are prepared to die in a last stand.

The meanders of the Euphrates in the east of Deir Ezzor province near the border with Iraq are considered the heartland of IS and are perilous terrain for the SDF.

"Their defence lines have been shattered. The jihadists are mostly using snipers, snap attacks, tunnels and landmines" to slow the SDF's inexorable advance, Abdel Rahman said.

In mid-December, the SDF took Hajin, the last town of note in the IS-controlled pocket, signalling the imminent fall of the jihadists' last bastion.

- Dregs of the caliphate -

An announcement by US President Donald Trump last month that he was ordering a complete troop pullout from Syria rattled the Kurds.

It left them exposed to the threat of a cross-border operation by their archfoe Turkey and protesting that they had been poorly rewarded for doing much of the costly ground fighting in the battle against IS.

They have pressed on with their operation in eastern Syria regardless and Washington has since stressed any withdrawal would be gradual.

IS lost the village of Al-Shaafa on Saturday and is battling to hold on to Sousa and Baghouz.

The fall of the two small villages would cap a years-long multinational effort to smash the sprawling proto-state IS declared over swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014.

IS would then no longer control any populated areas in Iraq or Syria and would have completely reverted to being a clandestine group carrying out hit-and-run attacks from its desert hideouts.
By Giulia Paravicini and Stanis Bujakera KINSHASA (Reuters) - A Congolese presidential candidate's representatives have met with outgoing President Joseph Kabila's camp to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, they said on Tuesday. Kabila's camp denied any such meetings had occurred since the Dec. 30 election, for which provisional results are expected this week, but supporters of another candidate, who led opinion polls ahead of the vote, said they feared the government was maneuvering to squeeze him out of contention. Members of opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi's campaign said they spoke with representatives of Kabila's hand-picked candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, in meetings aimed at promoting national reconciliation. Kabila and Tshisekedi "have an interest in meeting to prepare for the peaceful and civilized transfer of power," Jean-Marc Kabund told a news conference at which he said Tshisekedi was the "presumptive winner". Tshisekedi's spokesman, Vidiye Tshimanga, later said Kabila and Tshisekedi had not met personally since the election but that their representatives had convened several times. Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi, a spokesman for Shadary and one of Kabila's senior advisers, denied there had been contacts with Tshisekedi or his representatives. Supporters of Martin Fayulu, the opposition candidate who had a healthy pre-election poll lead, have voiced suspicions Kabila may be looking to negotiate a power-sharing agreement with Tshisekedi if his preferred candidate, Shadary, loses. Fayulu and six other presidential candidates issued a statement on Tuesday saying: "the electoral results cannot be negotiated and under no circumstances will we or the Congolese people accept such results". In a tweet, Fayulu's Lamuka coalition also criticized Tshisekedi for saying in an interview with a Belgian newspaper this week that Kabila deserves praise for agreeing to step down. Kabila is due to leave office this month but his refusal to go when his mandate expired in 2016 sparked protests in which security forces killed dozens of people. "Falsifying the history of Congo by attributing to Mr. Kabila a false role in the advent of the (democratic) transfer of power would be an insult to the memory of all our martyrs who died for democracy," it said. URGENT MEETING The election is meant to bring about Congo's first democratic transition in 59 years of independence, but a disputed result could trigger the kind of violence that erupted after 2006 and 2011 elections and destabilize Congo's eastern borderlands with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, where dozen of militia groups are active. The streets of the eastern city of Goma were deserted on Tuesday evening after a rumor spread that the results were about to be announced. The election board has not given a date for the release of results, which have already been delayed past Sunday's deadline. Zambian President Edgar Lungu's office said he was traveling to South Africa on Tuesday for an "urgent consultative meeting" with President Cyril Ramaphosa about the election. Domestic observer mission SYMOCEL said on Tuesday it witnessed 52 major irregularities, including people tampering with results, in the 101 vote counting centers it monitored. There are 179 counting centers tallying the vote across Congo. Its findings, and those of a Catholic Church observation mission that noted significant irregularities, are likely to fuel complaints about the outcome once it is announced, although regional observers said the vote went "relatively well". In its own news conference on Tuesday, the ruling coalition accused Fayulu's campaign and Catholic bishops of trying to stoke post-election violence. Last week, the bishops said they knew the winner of the election, a declaration widely seen as a warning to authorities against rigging the vote. (Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Yangon (AFP) - China should rein in the methamphetamine-producing militias under its influence in eastern Myanmar and stem the flow of precursor chemicals fuelling the multi-billion-dollar drug trade, a report Tuesday said.

Myanmar's Shan state is now thought to be one of the largest producers -- if not the largest producer -- of meth in the world, feeding a growing market that stretches as far as Japan and Australia.

The country's restive eastern borderlands have hosted a flourishing narcotics trade for decades as the key producer in the lawless Golden Triangle, which also comprises areas of China, Laos and Thailand.

The southeast Asian nation also remains the second biggest source country for opium and heroin after Afghanistan.

But many drugs networks have in recent years switched to synthetic methamphetamine pills -- known regionally as "yaba", Thai for "crazy medicine" -- and crystal meth or "ice", a much more potent and addictive version that is smoked or injected.

Various militias provide a safe haven for the booming industry, while precursor chemicals flow over the border from China, conflict specialist NGO International Crisis Group (ICG) said in a report.

Drug production and profits are now so vast that they "dwarf" the formal sector in Shan State and are at the "centre of its political economy", the report added.

The NGO urged China to "crack down" on the illegal trade of precursors across its southwestern border, where it said traffickers have been given free reign.

China should also "use its influence over the Wa and Mongla armed groups controlling enclaves on the Chinese border to end their involvement in the drug trade", the report said, referring to two of Myanmar's most powerful warlord-run ethnic groups, widely seen as the region's key narcotics producers.

Several billion dollars are estimated to be made each year in Myanmar for crystal meth, the ICG said, with Japan and Australia offering the highest street prices in the world.

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A tonne has a wholesale value in Australia of at least $180 million and street prices several times higher.

Crystal meth is worth more than heroin gram-for-gram, the report said.

The narcotic is also exported to China, South Korea and New Zealand -- often in branded tea packets -- as the trade becomes "increasingly professionalised" and "dominated by transnational criminal syndicates operating at huge scale".

China's success in clamping down on its own illegal meth labs has pushed the drug networks over the border, with Australian biker gangs providing regional smuggling networks, the report said.

Meanwhile, regional prices for yaba have collapsed to the lowest prices in decades as producers dump huge quantities of Southeast Asia's favourite high on the market.
By Dominique Patton

BEIJING (Reuters) - China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Tuesday, the first in about 18 months in a move that could boost its overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States to open its markets to more farm goods.

The United States is the world's biggest producer of GM crops, while China is the top importer of GM soybeans and canola.

U.S. farmers and global seed companies have long complained about Beijing's slow and unpredictable process for approving GM crops for import, stoking trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

The approvals, announced on the agriculture ministry's website, were granted while a U.S. trade delegation is meeting with its counterparts in the Chinese capital this week.

"It's a goodwill gesture toward the resolution of the trade issue," said a China representative of a U.S. agricultural industry association.

"It's been in the system for a long time but they chose today to release this good news," he added, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The approved products included DowDuPont Inc's <DWDP.N> DP4114 Qrome corn and DAS-44406-6 soybean, known as Enlist E3, as well as the SYHT0H2 soybean developed by Bayer CropScience and Syngenta <SYENF.PK> but now held by German chemical company BASF.

The other two newly approved products - BASF's RF3 canola and Bayer-owned <BAYGn.DE> Monsanto's glyphosate-tolerant MON 88302 canola - had been waiting six years for permission.

The approvals came as farmers in North America were deciding which seeds to plant this spring. China before the trade war bought some 60 percent of U.S. soybeans and U.S. farmers do not widely plant varieties it has not approved.

The newly approved canola will allow farmers in Canada to boost production, according to Jim Everson, president of industry group the Canola Council.

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"The industry expects growers will produce $400 million more canola every year using the same amount of land - a step-change for canola productivity," Everson said in a statement.

Five other products known to be seeking approvals were not given the green light, including two GM alfalfa products developed by Monsanto and two DowDuPont soybean traits.

Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture unit of DowDuPont, said, "We are happy to see the regulatory approval of our seed traits progressing in China."

Bayer said in a statement it welcomed the news but noted "many of these products were stuck in Chinas regulatory process for many years and others were not granted approvals, underscoring the need for continued improvement in Chinas regulatory processes."

Chinese officials met their U.S. counterparts in Beijing on Monday for the first face-to-face talks since U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in December to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled global markets.

China had not approved any GM crops for import since July 2017, when it cleared two products following high-level talks with Washington. It also approved two products in June 2017.

China's scientific advisory board on GM crops met in June but did not give the go-ahead for imports of any products.

"China's approval of the new GMO products is paving the way for China to import large volumes of U.S. soybeans in the future. It is a positive signal," said Li Qiang, chief analyst with Shanghai JC Intelligence Co Ltd.

The truce in the Sino-U.S. trade war prompted a resumption of U.S. soybean purchases. Buying had slumped after China imposed a 25 percent import duty on U.S. shipments of oilseed on July 6 in response to U.S. tariffs.

ONLY A FRACTION

China does not allow the planting of genetically modified food crops, but imports of GM crops such as soybeans and corn for animal feed are fine.

The country, the world's biggest soybean consumer, has so far purchased only about 5 million tonnes of the 2018 U.S. soy harvest, a fraction of its typical purchases.

The United States has demanded that China change its GM crop import application process to make it more transparent, timely and based on scientific methods.

The latest approvals should not be taken as a sign that China is conceding to those demands, said a China-based industry source, who also asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

"It's another piece of evidence that China's approval process is not entirely scientific but political," said the source, who also believed the approvals were timed for the trade visit.

The ministry also announced on Tuesday the extension of import approvals for 26 other GM crops by a further three years.

(Reporting by Dominique Patton; additional reporting by Hallie Gu in Beijing, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, and Mark Weinraub and Michael Hirtzer in Chicago; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Joseph Radford and James Dalgleish)
On Monday, Gavin Newsom took the stage in Sacramento to give his first speech as governor of California. But while it was a major moment for the former lieutenant governor to lay out his vision for Americas most populous state  including the ways in which he plans to resist the Trump Administration  his inaugural address may be remembered for the actions of a much younger man.

As Newsom was acknowledging the importance of housing in the California dream, his two-year-old son, Dutch, armed with a blanket and a pacifier, toddled across the stage to his father. Now more than ever, we Californians know how much a house matters and children matter, Newsom said as he lifted Dutch into his arms and the crowd broke into laughter.

Newsom kissed his son, who nuzzled into his shoulder, and the new governor, 51, held him through the next few minutes of his speech, which covered the importance of supporting families and early childhood education, issues he campaigned on. In our home, every child should be loved, fed and safe. My wife Jennifer and I have four children, and theres nothing more important  I hope you can tell  than giving them a good and happy life, he said.

He went on to say that all children, regardless of economic or immigration status, deserve a good life in California and should not be ripped away from their parents at the border. Its hard to imagine a more ideal optic for the new Democratic governor, who also promised to be a foil to Trumps D.C., than embracing his youngest child as he criticized the family separations that have taken place under the Trump Administration. The line got enthusiastic applause. This is exactly how it was scripted, Newsom joked, as he put his son down and watched him amble around the stage.

The 40th governor of California was sworn in immediately before his remarks, alongside his family. And though he started by speaking about the importance of what he called the California dream  the idea that hard work and ingenuity will bring enormous payoffs, without prejudice  he quickly transitioned into taking shots at Trump.

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Now more than ever, its up to us to defend that dream, Newsom said, as he named House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a fellow Democrat from California, as a champion in that fight. In Washington, theres an administration  that is clearly hostile to California values, he went on, vowing to lead the state in a progressive, principled direction and offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House.

Newsom is taking office without a major antagonist in the state. Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown, a fellow Democrat and legend among California politicians, is popular. And Newsom trounced his Republican opponent in the election (hardly a surprise in a state where conservatives hold zero statewide offices). So resisting the Trump Administration has been a natural rallying point, one that Newsom also included in his victory speech as he attacked the politics of chaos and the politics of cruelty and said that California would be a state of refuge.

Newsom also spoke about unity in his own state. He promised to represent the conservatives who often feel ignored by the government and spent much of his speech addressing economic disparities in California, which has outsized poverty as well as outsized wealth in places like Silicon Valley and Beverly Hills. He vowed to build a house on top of the foundation that Jerry Brown built over the past eight years, as the outgoing governor became synonymous with fiscal responsibility and combatting climate change.

We will not have one house for the rich and one for the poor, Newsom said, as he began crafting his own image as governor. We will build one house for one California.

Like his predecessor, Newsom also did not shy away from positioning California as a leader among all states, even though conservatives like to use the liberal crusading of the Golden State as a foil in their own speeches.

California has always helped write Americas future, Newsom said. We know the decisions we make would be important at any time, but what we do today is even more consequential because of what is happening in our country. Peoples lives, freedoms, security hang in the balance, he said.

The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us, Newsom went on. And we will seize the moment.
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazil poured more security forces into the northeastern state of Ceara Tuesday to put down gang violence that has struck buildings, roads and police stations, media reported.

The deployments -- the first test of new President Jair Bolsonaro's tough-on-crime policies -- will grow to around 500 strong, the news reports said.

Three hundred and thirty troops had already moved into the city of Fortaleza, Ceara's state capital, over the weekend but the attacks have continued, especially in other towns.

Scores of attacks have been reported across the state over the past week.

Security videos have captured criminals torching buses, service stations, banks and shops. Explosions damaged a pillar holding up a flyover road, and punched a hole in a bridge near Fortaleza.

More than 160 people have been arrested according to state governor Camilo Santana, the G1 news website reported.

The state's security chief, Andre Costa, said gangs were responding to a crackdown on prisons by a new penitentiary director, who has ordered the confiscation of cellphones from inmates. The gangs also objected to prison transfers.

G1 reported that 100 extra soldiers had arrived on Tuesday and another 100 were on their way.

The government news agency Agencia Brasil said intelligence officers sent from other states were among the first reinforcements.

- Violent Brazil -

The troops are from an elite federal security force that falls under the Justice Department and which combines paramilitary tactics and weapons with police powers.

The force can be called up at the request of state governors to back up overwhelmed state police.

Brazil is one of the most violent countries on the planet. In 2017, it recorded nearly 64,000 murders, and muggings and other street crime are common.

Gangs seeking to control poor urban areas and the drug trade are heavily armed and frequently engage in fierce firefights with police.

Bolsonaro, a 63-year-old former paratrooper and veteran lawmaker, took office on New Year's Day on promises to curb crime.

His proposals include allowing "good" citizens to arm themselves to challenge criminals, and to give greater immunity to police and soldiers using lethal force.

He has an ally in the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Wilson Witzel, who has proposed allowing police snipers to kill any armed suspect, even if they are not threatening anyone, and for Brazil to open its own Guantanamo-style extrajudicial prison for criminals deemed to be "terrorists."
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's National Security Adviser Augusto Heleno said on Tuesday that right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro had not offered to host a U.S. military base or American soldiers on Brazilian soil. Bolsonaro said during a TV interview last week that he was open to the possibility of hosting a U.S. base to counter Russian influence in Venezuela, while his Foreign Minister, Ernesto Araujo, said last week that Bolsonaro was planning to discuss a U.S. military presence with U.S. President Donald Trump during an expected visit in March. "He told me he never said that. It was a comment he made when talking about the Russian base (in Venezuela) and then suddenly this came out that it was an American base," Heleno told reporters after a cabinet meeting. The seemingly contradictory messages and apparent backsliding over the possible U.S. base highlight the fragility of Bolsonaro's cabinet, which is comprised of statist former generals, right-wing nationalists, Chicago-trained economists and Christian conservatives, all of whom with different priorities. The plan to offer to host a base appears to have been dropped due to opposition from the armed forces, who see a foreign presence as a transgression of national sovereignty. A senior army officer told Reuters on Saturday that the Brazilian military was against the idea. The Folha de S.Paulo newspaper on Tuesday reported that Bolsonaro had backtracked on the idea, and that Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo had informed military commanders of the president's decision. The story cited unnamed generals who received the message. Even the defense minister said he sees no reason to allow the United States to set up a military base in the country. "This needs to be carefully evaluated. I don't see what the reason is for such a base," Azevedo, a retired army general picked by Bolsonaro, told the financial newspaper Valor Economico. Bolsonaro, who took office on Jan. 1, said in a television interview he might be willing to allow a U.S. base in Brazil as a way to counter Russian presence in Venezuela, one of the most significant U.S. foes in Latin America. Bolsonaro, an admirer of Trump, has quickly moved to align Brazil more closely with the U.S. government, which was represented by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his swearing in last week. 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. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia and Ana Mano in Sao Paulo; Writing by Anthony Boadle; editing by Bill Berkrot)
Australia said Tuesday it would "carefully consider" the asylum claim of an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled alleged abuse from her family and is now in the care of the UN in Bangkok, after she fended off deportation in a gripping, live-tweeted ordeal.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived at the Thai capital's main airport on a flight from Kuwait over the weekend after running away from her family, who she says subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

Qunun said she planned to seek asylum in Australia, fearing she would be killed if repatriated by Thai immigration officials who stopped her at the airport.

Saudi Arabia's human rights record has been under heavy scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

The ultra-conservative kingdom has some of the world's toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.

On Sunday, Thai authorities said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia, but they abruptly changed course as her plight pinballed across social media.

Qunun posted dozens of tweets and live videos in English and Arabic, some describing how she had barricaded herself in a hotel room. Her account quickly racked up tens of thousands of followers, feeding an international media frenzy.

On Monday she was allowed to leave the airport in the care of the UN's refugee agency.

The Australian government on Tuesday teased the possibility of granting the young woman refugee status, saying it was "pleased" the UN was assessing her claim.

"Any application by Ms Al-Qunun for a humanitarian visa will be carefully considered once the UNHCR process has concluded," a Department of Home Affairs official told AFP.

In Geneva, UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters the process looking into Qunun's asylum claim had started and could take several days.

As for providing security in light of Khashoggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he said "that's the Thai government's job and I hope that's being looked into".

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- 'Family affair' -

Thailand is not a signatory to a UN convention on refugees, and asylum seekers are typically deported or wait years to be resettled in third countries.

The UNHCR insists anyone with an asylum claim should not be sent back to the country.

In a short press release distributed to media outside its embassy in Bangkok Tuesday, the Saudi government said it had not demanded her deportation.

The case was a "family affair", but under the "care and attention" of the embassy, it added.

In an earlier and separate explanation released on Twitter, the embassy also denied sending officials to Suvarnabhumi airport to meet Qunun as she arrived or impounding her passport -- as she alleged.

It also said the embassy had made contact with her father, a senior regional government official in the kingdom, "to inform him on her situation".

Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told reporters that Qunun's father and brother had arrived in Thailand on Tuesday.

Surachate said he would talk to the UN refugee agency about a potential meeting between the family members.

"Rahaf is not a political asylum case," he insisted. "It is not political at all."

The Saudi government "agrees that there should be a priority on Rahaf's safety", he added.

The immigration police released photos of Surachate and his team sitting down with Saudi embassy charge d'affaires Abdulilah al-Shouaibi.

Video footage posted on Twitter by a Saudi human rights activists apparently shows the Saudi official complaining that Thai authorities should have confiscated Qunun's smartphone.

"When she arrived, she opened a new (Twitter) account and her followers grew to 45,000 in one day," he said in Arabic.

"It would have been better if they had confiscated her mobile instead of her passport."

AFP was unable to contact Saudi authorities for comment on the footage.

Human Rights Watch's Phil Robertson, in contact with Qunun since she started live-tweeting her ordeal, said her father and brother were "the two male relatives (Qunun) most fears" and could "physically harm her in an effort to compel her to return".

"She's an adult woman who has escaped Saudi Arabia's repressive and discriminatory 'guardianship' laws and these men must recognise the rules have changed," he said.

It was "solely her decision" whether or not to meet them, he added.

Qunun has said she believes she will be imprisoned or killed if sent back, and that her family is so strict they once locked her in a room for six months for cutting her hair.
Bangkok (AFP) - The asylum claim of a Saudi woman who resisted deportation from Thailand will take several days to assess, the UN said Tuesday, as the 18-year-old's family, who she accuses of abusing her, was due to arrive in Bangkok.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived at Bangkok's main airport on a flight from Kuwait after running away from her family, who she alleges subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

Qunun said she planned to seek asylum in Australia, fearing she would be killed if sent back by Thai immigration officials who stopped her at the airport on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia's human rights record has been under heavy scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

Initially, Thai authorities said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia.

But as her plight pinballed across social media -- including tweets about how she had barricaded herself in a hotel room -- they abruptly changed course and allowed her to leave the airport Monday in the care of the UN's refugee agency.

The UNHCR said it was "very grateful" officials did not send Qunun back against her will.

"It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps," the UNHCR representative in Thailand, Giuseppe de Vicentiis, said in a statement.

Thailand is not a signatory to a UN convention on refugees, and asylum seekers are typically deported or wait years to be resettled in third countries.

The UNHCR insists anyone with an asylum claim should not be sent back to the country they fled under the principle of non-refoulement.

In a short press release distributed to media outside their embassy in Bangkok Tuesday, the Saudi government said it had not demanded her deportation, adding the case is a "family affair", but under the "care and attention" of the embassy.

In an earlier and separate explanation released on Twitter, the embassy also denied sending officials to Suvarnabhumi airport to meet Qunun as she arrived via Kuwait or impounding her passport -- as she alleged.

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It also said the embassy had made contact with her father, a senior regional government official in the kingdom, "to inform him on her situation".

- Father, brother to arrive -

Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told reporters that Qunun's father and brother were due in Thailand later on Tuesday.

He said he would talk to the UN refugee agency about the potential of a meeting between the family members.

"Rahaf is not a political asylum case," he insisted. "It is not political at all."

Ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia has some of the world's toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.

Qunun has said she believes she will be imprisoned or killed if sent back, and that her family is so strict it once locked her in a room for six months for cutting her hair.

Under the hashtag #SaveRahaf, the young woman's desperate pleas became a social media sensation, and she was able to post live updates and videos from the Bangkok airport in both Arabic and English, racking up more than 80,000 followers.
By Huw Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - Assets worth nearly 800 billion pounds ($1 trillion) are being moved from Britain to new financial hubs in the European Union ahead of Brexit, consultancy EY said on Monday.

Britain, which is due to leave the bloc in March, has yet to approve a deal to avoid an abrupt severing of ties with the EU. Although the British parliament is due to vote on a proposed settlement next week, it is unclear if it will be approved.

"The closer we get to 29 March without a deal, the more assets will be transferred and headcount hired locally or relocated," Omar Ali, UK financial services leader at EY, said.

EY has been tracking the Brexit plans of 222 financial firms since Britain voted in June 2016 to leave the EU. In its latest update to the end of November 2018, it said that 80 firms are considering or have confirmed relocating assets and staff.

The latest estimate from EY says that 800 billion pounds in assets would move, a fraction of Britain's 8 trillion pound banking sector.

Frankfurt Main Finance, which promotes the German financial center, has said it expects 750 to 800 billion euros of assets to transfer there alone, largely during this quarter.

Around 2,000 new European roles have been created by financial services companies in response to Brexit, with Dublin, Luxembourg, Frankfurt and Paris the most popular locations, EY said.

Forecasts of hundreds of thousands of UK financial jobs moving to the EU have not materialized, and the Bank of England expects about 4,000 jobs to have moved by March 29.

"Whilst roles will no doubt move from the UK, many firms are only moving those employees deemed essential and are hiring locally given the expense of relocation," Ali said.

Moves so far would be only the "tip of the iceberg" if there is a no-deal Brexit, EY said.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Alexander Smith)
TOKYO (AP)  While President Donald Trump waits in the wings, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for his fourth summit with China's Xi Jinping  yet another nod to the leader Kim most needs to court as he tries to undermine support for international sanctions while giving up little, if any, ground on denuclearization.

Kim's four-day visit comes after he expressed frustration in his annual New Year's address over the lack of progress in negotiations with Washington since his unprecedented summit with Trump in Singapore seven months ago. If things don't improve  meaning that if sanctions relief and security guarantees aren't in the offing  Kim warned that Pyongyang might have to find "a new way" forward.

The meeting with Xi could have a big impact on Trump's efforts to get Kim to abandon his hard-won nuclear arsenal. He has said he expects to meet Kim again soon. But his own relationship with Xi is deteriorating amid an escalating tariff battle and his attentions are scattered over a wide array of domestic issues, including a big shift of power in Congress.

A look at what Kim might be looking to get out of this trip:

___

THE POWER CALCULUS

Kim's arrival in Beijing, on his birthday no less, underscores just how important China is, and always has been, in the North Korean leader's eyes.

That's a well-known fact. But it's often been lost in the glare of post-Singapore showboating.

Until news of Kim's departure for Beijing broke late Monday, attention outside of North Korea had been focused almost exclusively on when, or whether, he would be making his first and much-anticipated trip to Seoul. Then there was talk, fueled in large part by Trump himself, that another U.S.-North Korea summit was near and that officials were negotiating where it would take place. Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, was reportedly on the short list.

Kim's first foray outside of North Korea as leader was for a summit with Xi last March. The two met again in May and June, just ahead of and just after Kim's June 12 summit with Trump in Singapore.

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Going back even further, Kim reportedly traveled with his father, Kim Jong Il, to China in 2010. He assumed power after the death of his father the following year.

___

WHAT HE WANTS

Kim wants to get out from under sanctions, and Xi holds the key.

China is far and away the North's biggest and most important trade partner, supplying the country with everything from fuel to shrimp chips. Flights by the North's national airline to China and the cross-border railway are among the North's only regularly used links to the outside world and are absolutely crucial to its economic survival.

Kim knows how vulnerable this makes him.

But the growing trade frictions between Washington and Beijing also provide Kim with an opening. China has never been as supportive of sanctions as Washington. So it makes sense for Kim to try to persuade Xi to break with Trump's policy of maintaining "maximum pressure" on the North until it denuclearizes.

Ever since the Singapore summit, Pyongyang has hinted at a familiar fallback plan if talks with the U.S. fail. The North has claimed that while it has done all it could reasonably be expected to do, Washington has remained hostile and unbending. If Kim's diplomatic outreach breaks down, Pyongyang will claim Washington is to blame and its sanctions are unjust.

Laying the groundwork for that argument  and getting Xi's advice  prior to a Trump summit could be one of the main objectives for his current visit.

___

THE BALANCING ACT

Kim's statement about how he might have to choose a "new way" to guarantee the North's sovereignty and secure a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula caught the eye of many foreign analysts.

Ruediger Frank, a professor of East Asian economy and society at the University of Vienna, suggested in a commentary for the respected 38 North website that it was the most important passage in the entire speech, reflecting an "almost exuberant" confidence in the growing and reliable support of China.

"I thus interpret Kim's threat of 'finding a new way' not as a hint at more nuclear tests," he wrote, "but rather as a message to Donald Trump: You are not our only option for security and economic development. If you refuse to be cooperative, we will ignore you and turn to China. Oh, and we will take South Korea along."

North Korea has throughout its history been a master at playing the big powers off each other.

But Kim and his predecessors have also always been wary of allowing China to get too much influence over their affairs.

Because it is a more real possibility, the only nightmare scenario that frightens the North's ruling regime more than the image invoked by Trump after the Singapore summit of American capitalist entrepreneurs descending on their country to rebuild its economy is the thought of a similar invasion by Chinese businessmen and investors.

Confident or not, in dealing with Xi or Trump, Kim is still walking a fine line.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE  Eric Talmadge has been the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief since 2013. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @EricTalmadge

An AP News Analysis
Durban (South Africa) (AFP) - South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa and his graft-tainted predecessor Jacob Zuma put on a united front Tuesday at the ANC's anniversary celebrations ahead of key national elections in May.

Ramaphosa and Zuma sat next to each other at events marking the 107th birthday of the ruling party held in the former president's stronghold province of KwaZulu-Natal.

"I'm delighted that today we are also here working with our former president... showing a real face of unity," Ramaphosa told party activists.

The governing African National Congress heads to the polls in May in elections that it is forecast to win.

But the party of Nelson Mandela has been weakened by corruption scandals, factional in-fighting and the country's poor economic performance.

Ramaphosa took power last year after Zuma was forced to resign by ANC lawmakers when he lost control of the party's internal power struggle.

Under Zuma, the ANC suffered in popularity winning less than 54 percent of the vote in local elections in 2016 -- its worst electoral performance since coming to power in 1994. It also lost control of key cities including Pretoria and Johannesburg.

An IPSOS survey published last week predicted that the ANC would secure around 61 percent of the vote in the general election.

Ramaphosa said Zuma still had a role to play in the party, adding he "has always worked and is working hard for the ANC".

Zuma faces 16 charges of fraud, corruption, and racketeering related to a 1990s arms deal struck when he was deputy president.

A judicial investigation is also probing alleged nepotism and corruption during his years as president.

Zuma retains influence in the ANC, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal province.

Party supporters chanted "Zuma! Zuma!" after Ramaphosa finished his hour-long speech.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Authorities in South Africa say a train collision in the capital has killed three people and injured more than 200.

Netcare911, an emergency responders' group, says many injuries are "minor to moderate" but that one person in critical condition was airlifted to a hospital after the accident Tuesday in Pretoria.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the collision.
Photo credit: Krisana Antharith / EyeEm - Getty Images

From Men's Health

A guy walks down the street, feeling totally normal-when he suddenly clutches his chest and collapses.

Thats how heart attacks in men are usually portrayed in movies, but it doesnt always work that way in real life.

Although heart attacks can occur without any warning, that scenario is way less common than you think. Common heart attacks generally come with warning signs.

Most patients do have symptoms prior to their heart attacks, says James Park, M.D., FACC, director of the Heart and Vascular Program at Texas Health Dallas. Its just that sometimes, men will ignore the symptoms or chalk it up to some other malady. (Here's what a heart attack really feels like, according to six real guys who had one).

Think about it: If you felt overwhelming chest discomfort chances are youll get it checked out. But its easy to blow off more subtle symptoms of a heart problem.

While you probably think you're pretty healthy, cardiovascular problems are way more common than you'd think. According to new statistics from the American Heart Association, roughly 50 percent of Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. As the organization warns in a new report, cardiovascular diseases are responsible for the most deaths worldwide.

In the U.S., the number of heart disease-related deaths increased to 840,678 in 2016 from 836,546 in 2015. This jump is attributed to updated guidelines for high blood pressure which lowered the reading to 130/80 mm Hg, from the previous reading of 140/90 mm Hg. High blood pressure is a big risk factor of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.

This is why it's vital to take unusual signs seriously you can catch a heart attack before it happens.

Here are seven unexpected cues to watch for, plus what you should do if you have them.



Sign of potential heart attack: Youre physically exhausted

Photo credit: Getty Images

If your day-to-day routines or workouts suddenly seem unusually hard-or youre too worn out to do your normal tasks altogether, its time to visit the doctor, says Robert Segal, M.D., FAAC, founder of Manhattan Cardiology.

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Feeling extra tired can signal weakness of the left ventricle of your heart, the main muscle responsible for pumping blood from the heart to the rest of the body, says Segal. If it stops working, the heart isnt able to pump properly, which can result in a heart attack.

And if the left ventricle isnt pumping as strongly as should be, your heart might not be able to circulate enough blood throughout your body, or to fill up properly with fresh blood in between heartbeats. To compensate, the body diverts blood away from muscles and sends it to more vital organs like the heart and brain, according to the American Heart Association. This will leave you exhausted-even after a full nights sleep, since your tissues arent getting enough fresh, oxygenated blood.

Sign of potential heart attack: Your erection falters



Photo credit: Getty Images

Erections occur when more blood flows into your penis, making it firm and hard. But if those blood vessels are damaged, blood flows less freely, meaning youre less likely to get an erection, or maintain an erection, when aroused. Thats a main cause of erectile dysfunction.

As Segal explains, if your blood vessels down there are damaged, theres a good chance the ones near your heart could be damaged as well.

A major cause of this blood vessel damage is plaque buildup. When that occurs in the vessels to your heart, you could be at risk of a heart attack, he says.

Having a one-time performance problem isnt likely a big deal-it could just mean youre tired or stressed. But if the issue persists after a few sessions in the sack, it could be a sign of something more serious.

Sign of potential heart attack: Your leg or hip cramps up when you walk

Photo credit: Getty Images

A cramping or burning sensation in your calves that slowly moves up to your thighs and hips could be bad news. Its a common sign of peripheral artery disease-a narrowing of the arteries that limits blood flow to your limbs, stomach, and head.

That discomfort is caused when not enough blood flows through your legs. Most patients will admit to not being able to walk normal distances without symptoms, or having to stop to rest before they can walk again without symptoms, says Park.

This discomfort could mean your heart is at-risk for potential problems, too. PAD is similar to coronary artery disease, where plaque builds up around the hearts major blood vessels. So the plaque buildup that contributes to the narrowing of your arteries in your limbs may also be occurring in arteries by your heart, too, according to the Mayo Clinic.

And that buildup can significantly up your risk for a heart attack, says Park.

Sign of potential heart attack: You have a serious snoring problem

Photo credit: Getty Images

Snoring like a buzz saw, waking up gasping for air, or feeling tired despite going to bed at a reasonable time could all be signs that you have sleep apnea, a sleep disorder marked by pauses in breathing. And if left untreated, it could increase your chance for a heart attack.

Those pauses in breathing can seriously stress your body, raising your blood pressure, causing your heart to beat irregularly, and upping the risk for heart disease, says Segal. And all of those things can make a heart attack more likely.

Sign of potential heart attack: You feel sick to your stomach

Photo credit: Getty Images

Sometimes nausea, indigestion, or a burping feeling that wont go away is just a sign of a stomach bug. But it can also signal a problem with your heart.

The nervous system sometimes confuses signals coming from various parts of the body, says Park. The nerves in your gastrointestinal tract are closely intertwined with the nerves from the heart. As a result, a problem that could be brewing in your heart can sometimes translate as stomach discomfort, he explains.

Theres a way to tell a stomach bug from something more serious, though. Usually nausea caused by an impending heart attack will get worse with physical exertion and ease up when you rest.



Sign of potential heart attack: You feel strangely anxious

Photo credit: Getty Images

Studies show that women with anxiety are more likely to have reduced blood flow to the heart compared to those without anxiety. And though the same hasnt been shown for men, its still important for guys to consider the relationship between anxiety and heart attack risk, warns Segal.

Thats because many symptoms of anxiety-like chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations -are also signs of a heart attack, especially if youre not in the middle of dealing with a stressful situation that might normally cause these kinds of symptoms.

This can potentially mask heart problems in many patients and lead to significant delays in diagnosis and treatment, explains Segal. In other words, youre probably not going call 911 if you think your racing heart is just a mood thing.

Anxiety can put extra strain on your heart too. Thats because feeling tense causes your blood vessels to constrict and speeds up your heart rate, which could both trigger a heart attack, says Segal.

Signs of heart trouble: Youre bloated

Photo credit: seksan Mongkhonkhamsao - Getty Images

Bloating is common-particularly after eating a super salty meal-but it can also be caused by congestive heart failure. This is because the heart is too weak to properly pump blood through the body, which causes fluids to build up throughout the body.

Generally, youll notice swelling in the legs feet, ankles, legs or stomach, according to the American Heart Association. You may even gain weight unexpectedly or notice that your shoes are too tight. If youre suddenly bloated (and it wont go away), it may be time to visit the doctor.

What to do if you experience heart attack symptoms

Photo credit: Getty Images

Unlike the classic crushing chest pain, these symptoms dont guarantee that your heart is in immediate danger. But they could indicate that trouble could be brewing down the road, so make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as you can.

If youre fortunate enough to have symptoms, listen to your body and get them checked out, Park says.

If your doctor suspects that a heart attack could be looming, he might recommend an EKG, a test measures the hearts electrical activity and shows if your heart is damaged. He might also call for a coronary angiogram, which detects blockages in your arteries.

And if you experience any classic symptoms that signal youre having a heart attack right now, call 911 ASAP. These include chest pressure or tightness, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, breaking out into a cold sweat, or discomfort in the arms, neck, or jaw.

Of course, the best way to prevent a heart attack is to improve overall health by lowering high blood pressure, maintaining a normal body weight, and abstaining from smoking.

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Pence calls border 'bona fide emergency,' dodges questions about Trump falsehoods originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said that President Trump will use his first prime-time Oval Office address to detail what he described as "a real humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border."

But when pressed by ABC News on the multiple falsehoods recently spread by the president about the immigration debate in recent days, the vice president argued that it shouldn't undermine the administration's credibility in the eyes of the American public.

(MORE: Trump to visit border, make prime-time speech in PR blitz for border wall)

"Look, the American people aren't as concerned about the political debate as they are about what's really happening at the border," Pence told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl in an interview for "Good Morning America."

(MORE: White House orders IRS to pay income tax refunds despite government shutdown)

Eighteen days into the partial government shutdown, Trump and other administration officials have made several false claims as they have sought to pressure Democrats to agree for billions in funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Friday, Trump falsely claimed that he has been contacted by "some" of the four living former presidents who told him they wished they'd built a border wall. Spokespersons for all four have since denied such communication ever occurred.

The White House has also claimed that in 2018 "nearly 4,000" suspected terrorists tried to cross into the U.S. through the southern border. But that claim has since been debunked citing figures straight from the administration. The Department of Homeland Security has since sought to clarify that DHS has instead "encountered more than 3,000 Special Interest Aliens" trying to enter via the southern border, which it described as "individuals with suspicious travel patterns who may pose a national security threat."

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"The passion you hear from President Trump is determination to take this case to the American people as he will tonight in his national broadcast from the Oval Office -- comes from the president's deep desire to protect the American people," Pence said when pressed on the falsehoods.

Pence did not say whether the president would declare a "national emergency" over border security, which he has said he has the authority to do if no agreement is reached with Democrats.

Trump has told congressional leaders that the government shutdown could go on for months -- even a year or longer -- if Congress doesn't approve funding for a border wall.

"The American people deserve to know that the situation on our southern border has become as 'The Washington Post' said a 'bona fide emergency,'" Pence said.

The Washington Post article Pence is referring to called the influx of migrant families -- and the difficulty Customs and Border Protection had dealing with the situation - "a bona fide emergency."

"Sixty-thousand people a month and for the first time on record, the vast majority of those are families, unaccompanied children and it simply is overwhelming the ability of our border patrol and customs agents to be able to address it," Pence said. "We need new resources. We need to build a wall. We need the Congress to come to the table and work with this president to address this crisis once and for all."

(MORE: Federal workers are suing the US government over the shutdown)

Pence argued Democrats' refusal to compromise shows they are ignoring the border situation, but in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," Sen. Kamala Harris disputed that claim.

"It's just simply not true," Sen. Harris, D-Calif., said. "There was a bipartisan effort out of the United States Senate and the United States Congress to pass funding of the government and the president is holding it up because of his vanity project, which is this wall at taxpayers' expense and at the expense of hundreds of thousands of workers who are working every day without being paid. So it's just simply not true. It's an emergency of his own creation."

Harris said if Trump declares a national emergency, Democrats would likely mount an immediate legal challenge.

"I think that there's no question that we will litigate and there will be litigation," Harris said. "Those other branches of government and the courts and the press will put checks on this outrageous conduct of this administration. If he declares an emergency, I think that we will see again the checks and balances kick in particular through the courts."
Trump to visit border, make prime-time speech in PR blitz for border wall originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

President Donald Trump will travel to the southern border on Thursday amid stalled negotiations between the White House and Democrats over funding for the border wall during a partial government shutdown.

And as part of a new PR blitz to make his case for a proposed border wall, he announced via Twitter that he will make a prime-time speech to the nation from the Oval Office Tuesday night.

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The latest moves to take his argument to the public come as the president earlier on Monday repeated that he was considering declaring a "national emergency" over border security -- something he said over the weekend might come in the "next few days."

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced the trip to the border in a tweet on Monday.

"@realDonaldTrump will travel to the Southern border on Thursday to meet with those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis. More details will be announced soon," she tweeted.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump listens during a signing ceremony for criminal justice reform legislation in the Oval Office of the White House, Dec. 21, 2018, in Washington D.C. (Evan Vucci/AP)

After a weekend of negotiations to end the partial government shutdown made little to no headway, talks between the White House and Democrats appear to have reached a standstill just four days until the funding lapse starts taking its first toll on government paychecks.

PHOTO: Vice President Mike Pence speaks during an event at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House in Washington, Nov. 29, 2018. (AFP/Getty Images, FILE)

Monday afternoon, Vice President Mike Pence, who had been leading the administration in the talks, gave an off-camera briefing to White House reporters. He was accompanied by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and the White House senior adviser Jared Kushner.

He said the president has invited congressional leaders back to the White House for more talks.

Pence repeatedly called the situation at the border a humanitarian and national security crisis, framing it with the same terms Trump tweeted will be the focus of his Tuesday speech. But Pence said the president has not made a decision on declaring a national emergency to bypass Congress.

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As far as breaking the stalemate, Pence said, Democrats are refusing to negotiate until the government reopens. The president is not going to reopen the federal government with a promise that negotiations are going to begin after that.

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are vowing to block legislation that is unrelated to re-opening the government until the Senate's top Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell, agrees to call House-passed appropriations measures to the Senate floor for a vote.

Last week, House Democrats took their first major legislative votes of the new Congress, approving two measures to end the then 13-day partial government shutdown -- despite a presidential veto threat.

(MORE: President Donald Trump says he 'can relate' to federal workers going without pay)

A vote on a package of six appropriations bills late Thursday night passed 241-190, while lawmakers also approved a narrow measure to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security until Feb. 8 by a tally of 239-192.

According to a senior Democratic aide, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has notified the Democratic caucus that he will vote against proceeding to a measure authorizing security assistance to Israel, the first piece of legislation the Senate will consider this session, because Senate Republicans should instead bring to the floor the House-passed bills to reopen the government.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, first raised the idea of blocking legislation in a tweet over the weekend.

"Senate Democrats should block consideration of any bills unrelated to opening the government until Sen. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans allow a vote on the bipartisan bills the House passed to open the government. Mitch, dont delay. Lets vote!" Van Hollen tweeted over the weekend.

Meanwhile, McConnell appears to have taken a back seat on negotiations. Over the last several weeks, he has reiterated multiple times that the Senate will not vote on any budget agreement that doesn't come with Trump's explicit approval.

"The package presented by the House's new Democratic leaders yesterday can only be seen as a time-wasting act of political posturing," McConnell announced on the Senate floor Friday morning.

He went on: "It does not carry the support of the president ... the president would actually veto it. And it cannot earn the support of 60 of my colleagues over here in the Senate. My friends across the aisle understand the ground rules perfectly well."

(MORE: Trump considering declaring national emergency in an effort to secure wall funding: Sources )

PHOTO: Smithsonian National Zoo is closed to the public on Jan. 02, 2019, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Taking to Twitter Monday morning, President Trump again claimed he "no doubt" would have the power to declare a national emergency to order the military to construct his border wall if a deal isn't reached with Congress.

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Trump's tweet cited comments by Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" Sunday, when asked about the president's Friday comments confirming he was considering an emergency declaration.

While Smith acknowledged the president generally has broad powers in the event of a national emergency declaration, he also said Trump's order would likely face immediate legal scrutiny.

"In this case, I think the president would be wide open to a court challenge saying, where is the emergency?" Smith said. "You have to establish that in order to do this."

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee blasted Trump for playing politics.

The idea that President Trump is considering declaring a phony national emergency as a pretext to take billions of dollars away from our troops and defense priorities in order to pay for his wall should alarm all Americans," Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in a statement Friday.

Defense spending is for national defense, not the Trump campaigns political wish list," Reed said. "I will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to block any attempt to take money that has been dedicated for our troops and redirect it to construction of a wasteful, ineffective wall."

During a question and answer session with reporters Sunday, Trump seemed to suggest that the ongoing shutdown negotiations rather than the border crisis were the driving factor in whether he'd decide to move forward with the order.

"I may declare a national emergency dependent on whats going to happen over the next few days," Trump said.

At least one Republican seemed to suggest that if Trump were to declare a national emergency to get the funds to build a border wall, it could inject more uncertainty into the already complicated process of hashing out a spending deal because the administration could end up in a lengthy court battle.

"I'm confident that he could declare a national emergency, but what that means in terms of adding new elements to this, in terms of court hearings and litigation that may carry this on for weeks and months and years, to me injecting a new element into this just makes it more complicated," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told CNN on Monday.

As of Monday afternoon, the White House didn't have any immediate comment on when negotiations would continue.

Democrats over the weekend had requested the White House provide a detailed outline regarding the president's $5.6 billion border funding request, and the White House responded with a letter requesting an additional $4 billion for detention beds as well as millions in humanitarian aid and other immigration policies. A Democratic aide familiar with the negotiations said that "no progress" was inevitably made towards reaching a compromise.

"We've made movement on our part in providing the information that the Democrats need," White House director for strategic communications Mercedes Schlapp said in an interview with Fox News. "The ball is in their court."

ABC News' Jonathan Karl contributed to this report.
The legal saga of Paul Manafort took yet another twist on Tuesday.

Lawyers for Trumps disgraced former campaign chairman, who was convicted of tax and bank fraud last year, submitted a filing in Washington, D.C., federal court responding to Special Counsel Robert Muellers assertion that Manafort had lied to Muellers office and so violated his plea agreement. Manaforts lawyers pushed back on that claim by saying that he had extensively cooperated with Mueller, meeting with the government lawyers and investigators a dozen times and twice testifying before a grand jury.

But Manaforts team screwed up.

They tried to redact four different passages in their filing, but failed to do so properly, leaving the redacted text in plain sight. For instance, Manaforts lawyers responded to Muellers allegation that Manafort lied to the government about his interactions with a man named Konstantin Kilimnik, who was Manaforts right-hand man during his time as a powerful political consultant in Ukraine. Whats more noteworthy is that Kilimnik has alleged connections to Russian intelligence.

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What the redacted text says is that Manafort allegedly misled Mueller about meeting with Kilimnik during the 2016 presidential campaign and discussing a Ukraine peace plan with Kilimnik on more than one occasion. Another improperly redacted section revealed that Mueller has alleged that Manafort lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign. The remaining redactions detail rebuttals from Manaforts lawyers to two other alleged instances of misleading statements made by Manafort, including one about Manafort allegedly contacting President Trump in May 2018.

After journalists revealed the improper redactions, Manaforts lawyers refiled the document with the redactions fixed.

Meanwhile, Natalya Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who, along with others, met with Donald Trump, Jr., in Trump Tower prior to the 2016 election, has been charged with obstruction of justice by federal prosecutors. The charges stem from a money laundering case involving a Cyprus investment firm owned by a wealthy Russian businessman, one of Veselnitskayas clients. Prosecutors allege that Veselnitskaya secretly worked with the Russian government to draft an intentionally misleading statement clearing the company of any wrongdoing.

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The case, which the Justice Department launched in 2013, is unrelated to Trump or the 2016 election, but the new indictment highlights Veselnitskayas close ties with the Kremlin, increasing the likelihood that she was working working hand-in-glove with the Russian government when she met with Trump, Jr., in 2016. The meeting was brokered by music publicist Ron Goldstone, who promised Trump, Jr,. in an email that Veselnitskaya, referred to as a Russian government attorney, possessed damaging information about Hillary Clinton. Before the emails between Goldstone and Trump Jr. were released, Veselnitskaya claimed that she was attending the meeting in a private capacity.

In other words, it hasnt been a good day for the NO COLLUSION! contingent.
A boy from Piscataway, New Jersey, was reported dead on New Years Day after he had what appeared to be an allergic reaction, authorities confirm to PEOPLE.

As of Monday afternoon, New York Citys Chief Medical Examiner had yet to determine 11-year-old Cameron Jean-Pierres cause and manner of death, a rep from the office tells PEOPLE.

The boy  who was allergic to fish and had asthma  attended his grandmothers holiday celebration with his father, Steven Jean-Pierre, in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn on Tuesday, a local ABC affiliate, Eyewitness News 7, reports.

Cameron Jean-Pierre

They stopped by and left, but went back again because they had forgotten something, the boys mother, Jody Pottingr, told the outlet. By the time the pair entered for the second time, the grandmother had started cooking a Caribbean dish called salt fish.

An NYPD spokesperson tells PEOPLE that the boy showed signs of an allergic reaction. He lost consciousness, and his father tried to administer CPR and treat him with a nebulizer, Eyewitness News 7 reports. About 15 minutes later his family called 911.

RELATED: 15-Year-Old Left Blind from a Mysterious Illness After a Cruise: Theres No Answers

When emergency medical technicians showed up at the scene, Cameron, who was a sixth grader at Theodore Schor Middle School, was unconscious and they rushed him to Brookdale Hospital. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, the NYPD spokesperson says.

Reps from the New York City Fire Department, which manages Emergency Medical Services, did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment regarding the childs symptoms when they arrived.

Pottingr explained to Eyewitness News 7 that her son always had a nebulizer with him. His father added that Camerons allergic reaction initially did not appear abnormal  and that he only realized something was wrong when the device failed to improve the childs breathing.

Im just devastated by the situation right now, it just happened so sudden, he told the TV station. I gave him the nebulizer, the machine that he usually takes if something like this happens, so it was a normal situation. But for some reason, he said it wasnt giving him enough air at the time.

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Jean-Pierre continued: My sons last words were Daddy I love you, daddy I love you  He gave me two kisses  on my face. He said, I feel like Im dying. I said, Dont say that. What are you talking about? Dont say that. 

At this point in the investigation, authorities do not suspect any criminality, the NYPD spokesperson says.

RELATED: Common Respiratory Virus Lands 14-Month-Old in ICU: I Freaked Out, Says Toddlers Mom

The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology advises people with fish allergies to avoid areas where fish is being cooked because proteins may be released into the air.

We would fully expect the coroners report will end up identifying this as a death from asthma induced by an airborne allergen, Dr. Robert A. Wood, a professor of pediatrics and the director of pediatric allergy and immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told the New York Times.

The paper added that the official autopsy results might not be ready for weeks.

On Thursday, the Jean-Pierre family set up a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs. It raised $9,000 in just four days  well past the $5,000 goal.
The US Supreme Court said it would not take on a lawsuit filed by the heirs of Hungarian art collector Mor Lipot Herzog against Hungary with the aim of recovering artefacts confiscated in 1944 and now kept in Hungarian museums.

The courts decision means that an earlier appeals court ruling declaring that Hungary cannot be sued in the United States remains binding.

The Herzog heirs filed their lawsuit against Hungary in 2010, laying a claim to 40 pieces of art worth over 100 million dollars.

They also demand that the Hungarian government compile a list of all other items in state-run museums that were stolen from the famous private collection during the second world war.

In 2011, an American court accepted an appeal by Hungary asking the US to review whether the lawsuit could be pursued there.

The Hungarian state argued that the American courts did not have jurisdiction to rule in connection with the ownership rights to the artefacts of the Herzog collection that are in Hungary, arguing that the question had been settled in an agreement the two countries signed in 1973.

The Herzog collection was seized after Hungarys Nazi occupation in 1944.



MTI Photo: Soos Lajos
Identity Evropa activists in Cheyenne, Wyoming deployed banners throughout the city calling for an end to open borders and the current invasion taking place on American soil.



The activists were met with cheers and support from onlooking pedestrians.



(Cheyenne, WY) pic.twitter.com/lG2l52IfDu
Wang Fuman at school (People's Daily Online/Xu Qian)

Thanks to donations and government aid, snowflake boy, who went viral in early 2018, has now moved into a new house and his school has been equipped with heating and new teaching facilities.

Social aid was rushed to Ludian County in southwest Chinas Yunnan province after a photo of Wang Fuman, who arrived at school with a head full of icicles on a frosty morning, went viral in January last year. One year on, the Zhuanshanbao primary school is very different.

The school now has a laboratory, art room and computer room, where students have access to digital textbooks. In addition to the updated teaching facilities, the student dorms provide thick quilts and frostbite preventive drugs.

Snowflake boy enjoyed many first-time experiences over the course of 2018. He took an airplane for the first time, visited Beijing and even appeared on TV. Back at school, he still ranks top of the class and gets along well with his classmates.

Zhuanshanbao is a still a place of deep poverty in Ludian. However, a total of 17,857 people from 4,559 households in the area have been lifted out of poverty since the beginning of 2018, and poverty has declined by almost 5 percent compared with the end of 2017.

Wang and his family moved to a new house linked by a cement road, only a 10 minute walk to school. However, little Fuman still lives in the student dorms throughout the working week.

The livelihood of local people has dramatically improved, said Tang Yadong, mayor of Xinjie Town, where financial aid towards poverty alleviation over the last two years has far exceeded the previous total since the town was founded. Its hoped that snowflake boys and their snowflake uncles can lead a better life in the future.
Clarksburg, WV (26301)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Sun and clouds mixed. High 74F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

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A few clouds. Low 49F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Jake Jarvis can be reached by phone at 304-935-0144, on Twitter at @NewsroomJake or by email at jjarvis@statejournal.com.
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The US Senate last week confirmed the Trump administrations selection of Arthur B. Culvahouse, a highly-connected member of the political-intelligence establishment, with a long track record of involvement in the acute political crises of successive governments, as ambassador to Australia.

The Senates unanimous confirmation of Culvahouse on January 2 is another warning of Washingtons determination to ensure there is not the slightest deviation by the Australian ruling class from its commitment to a front line role in the US-led economic and military conflict with China, Australias largest export market.

Culvahouse has for four decades advised US administrations on the most sensitive intelligence and war-related questions, from Richard Nixons Watergate crisis to the Iran-Contra affair under Ronald Reagan and the upgrading of nuclear weaponry under Vice President Dick Cheney.

He will take charge of the US embassy under conditions of intensifying political instability in Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrisons faction-riddled Liberal-National Coalition government is the seventh since 2007 and faces likely defeat at an election due before May. Washington clearly favoured last Augusts removal of Morrisons predecessor Malcolm Turnbull, who was loyal to the US alliance but had sought to mend relations with Beijing.

Unlike Admiral Harry Harris, whom the White House initially nominated for the sensitive Australian post last February, before shifting him to the key front line location of South Korea, Culvahouse is not a military commander. But no less than Harris, he is an outspoken proponent of an aggressive stance toward Beijing.

Moreover, Culvahouse is much more of a political insider and backroom operator than Harris, and acutely aware of the mounting discontent globally over social inequality and the drive to war. In Australia, as elsewhere, this disaffection has been compounded by the catastrophic US-led wars in the Middle East and the exposures provided by Julian Assange and Edward Snowden of US and allied war atrocities, political plots and mass surveillance.

Culvahouses appointment was one of dozens pushed through on the last day of the outgoing Senate, in a deal struck with Democratic Party leaders. Nevertheless, the selection of such a top-level political fixer has a particular importance in the context of the rising geo-strategic tensions generated by Donald Trumps unvarnished America First drive to reassert the post-World War II dominance of the US.

During his confirmation hearings last month, Culvahouse pledged blunt support for the witchhunting campaign by the media and political elite over alleged Chinese meddling in Australia. He accused Beijing of seeking to undermine the US-Australia alliance.

Just let me say I view the strategic and security relationship between the US and Australia to be strategically critical and I will, if confirmed, make an assessment of efforts by third countries, third parties, to undermine that relationship, Culvahouse told the hearing.

If there are such efforts, including China, I will not refrain from forthrightly reporting up the chain to the (State) Department and to speak publicly if and as required.

Culvahouse is such a senior and trusted figure in the Trump administration and the entire US political establishment that he vetted Vice President Mike Pence for the Trump campaign in 2016, and led the selection process of Sarah Palin as the running mate for 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

Between 1973 and 1974, as a congressional aide to US Senator Howard Baker, Culvahouse participated in the efforts to protect Richard Nixon from the Watergate affair, which was precipitated by the cover-up of US lies and crimes in the Vietnam War. From 1987 to 1989, as White House counsel, he advised Reagan during the probe into the Iran-Contra scandal, which involved secretly selling arms to Iran to fund the Contras fighting to overthrow the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.

From 1990 to 1992, Culvahouse was a member of a committee appointed by then Defense Secretary Cheney to upgrade the US Nuclear Command and Control System. In 2006, George W. Bush appointed Culvahouse to the presidents Intelligence Oversight Board, which presided over a vast expansion of surveillance.

Throughout these decades, Culvahouse has enjoyed trusted relations with leading political and corporate figures. As part of his nomination, the 70-year-old reported earning $US1.7 million in the past two years alone for legal work advising Trump administration officials and large corporations, including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Jay Clayton and billionaire financier Stephen A. Feinberg.

Culvahouse, whose clientele also featured Exxon, Ford, Goldman Sachs & Co and AT&T, provocatively told the Senate hearings that his legal work made him aware of Chinas aggressive tactics. China is Australias largest trading partner and that gives it out-sized influence and out-sized opportunities to a nation that is already, let us say, aggressive, Culvahouse said.

Pointedly, the nominee praised the Australian governments decision to ban Huawei, one of the worlds largest telcos, from supplying 5G technology to the country. The Australians have recognised some of the aggressive efforts to influence them, he said. They have done some house cleaning of past domestic legislation, creating a counterpart of our Foreign Agents Registration Act.

This reference was to the extensive foreign interference laws jointly pushed through parliament last year by the Coalition government and the Labor Party opposition. Culvahouses comments are another indication of the pressure applied by Washington for the passage of the laws, which seek to criminalise political activity allegedly favouring China or undermining preparations for war with Beijing.

In answers to questions from senators, Culvahouse backed the expansion of the so-called Quadrilateral alliance between the US, Japan, India and Australia, directed against China. Certainly the challenges, the threats and the geopolitical competitionif you willfrom China in the region is such that I think the quad initiative is one that definitely should be pursued, he said.

Culvahouses confirmation was hailed throughout the media and political establishment in Australia, where the US has been without an ambassador since President Barack Obamas appointment, John Berry, left in September 2016. Both Foreign Minister Marise Payne and acting Labor Party leader Tanya Plibersek immediately praised the appointment and reconfirmed their fidelity to the US alliance.

A January 4 editorial in Rupert Murdochs Australian said Culvahouses direct channels to the Trump White House and his reputation as a reliable keeper of secrets for Republican administrations were particularly important.

The significance of Culvahouses appointment should not be underestimated. As a high-level backroom operative, he bears some resemblance to Marshall Green, a veteran of the CIA-instigated military coups in South Korea and Indonesia who arrived in Australia in 1973. Green played a central role in the 1975 Canberra Coup, in which the Labor government of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was dismissed after it began to lose control over the industrial and social movement in the working class.

Another political insider, Jeff Bleich, a long-time friend of Obama, was ambassador from 2009 to 2013 as the White House implemented the US pivot or rebalance to the Indo-Pacific to combat China. In mid-2010, Labor and union power-brokers who were protected sources of the US embassy ousted Kevin Rudd as prime minister in favour of Julia Gillard. Rudd had suggested that the Obama administration should make some accommodation to Chinas rise. Gillard quickly committed to the pivot.

For all the propaganda about Chinese interference, US representatives have a long record of anti-democratic intervention in Australia. Culvahouses appointment is an ominous warning that US imperialism will stop at nothing to ensure Australian governments remain fully committed to the American partnership and US war drive against China, and to suppressing any opposition to war and social inequality.

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US demands swift passage of Australian foreign interference bills

[8 June 2018]
Just three days before more than 33,000 Los Angeles educators are set to walk out in the latest battle by US teachers against the assault on public education, the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union has announced that it is dropping six major demands for which teachers have been fighting, including a halt to the expansion of charter schools and an end to unlimited standardized testing and other corporate-backed schemes to privatize the public schools.

UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl made the announcement during a Monday afternoon press conference after meeting with officials from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). He also said the union would be willing to delay the calling of a strike if a court ruled in favor of the district, which filed a lawsuit falsely claiming that the district did not have sufficient notice of a strike. After going to court Tuesday, the UTLA will resume negotiations Wednesday in an effort to avert a strike, Caputo-Pearl said.

Seeking to justify the unions capitulation, the UTLA president said the union did not want to be tied up in an expensive court battle over what issues could be legally negotiated within the confines of state labor law. We have withdrawn six proposals because we dont want to fall prey to legal maneuvers by (District Superintendent) Austin Beutner, who has hired a bunch of high-priced lawyers to tell us we cant bargain these. So weve withdrawn them.

Stating that we are limited on what we can legally bargain, Caputo-Pearl said the union had dropped issues like unregulated growth of charters, like the $600 million which is drained out of public district schools, like basic transparency. We just had the head of Celerity Charter thrown in jail for giving himself a half-a-million-dollar salary, and equity. We know that many charter schools dont serve special education students to the same degree.

All those issues, he admitted, are essential to address for the future of public education in Los Angeles, but we will have to deal with them outside of bargaining.

The UTLA president said he hoped the Democratic Party-run Public Employee Relations Board would allow the union to extend bargaining to these issues. He added, We are very happy that (newly elected state School Superintendent) Tony Thurmond said it is time to have a pause on charter growth and (Governor) Gavin Newsom has made similar statements.

Teachers must not allow themselves to be bound by what corporate-controlled courts and politicians like Newsom consider legal bargaining issues. The working class never won any basic right, including the right to public education, through legal maneuvers. Workers social gains were won only through mass struggle, often in violation of reactionary laws. It should be noted that all of the strikes waged by teachers last yearin West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona and other stateswere in violation of antistrike laws.

A warning to LA teachers must be made: the dropping of the most critical demands relating to the drive to destroy public education is a signal that the UTLA is preparing to betray them. This surrender takes place in the face of the arrogant and provocative actions of LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner, who has the backing of the Democratic Party establishment that controls every level of government in Los Angeles and California.

Beutner refused to budge an inch in Mondays negotiations and instead took the unions capitulation as a green light to double down. He is demanding that the district be allowed to increase class sizes to as high as 39 in elementary schools and 46 at the secondary level, and even higher if other criteria are met. Beutner also steadfastly opposed teacher demands to hire new librarians, nurses and other personnel to address overcrowded classrooms and the chronic shortage of support staff. Instead, the district proposed that only one new staff member be added to each school, and rather than the additions come through the hiring of new personnel, they could include existing teachers and staff reshuffled from other schools.

In terms of wages, the district is still insisting that its proposal for a paltry wage increase of 3 percent in each of the next two years be contingent on cuts to health care benefits for new teachers.

Backed by powerful corporate interests, including billionaire Eli Broad, who are pushing for school privatization across the US, Beutner, a multimillionaire former investment banker, appears hell-bent on provoking a strike. Having taken the measure of the UTLA and the national teachers unions, he is counting on their capitulation to deal a decisive blow to Los Angeles teachers. Such a defeat, in the nations second largest school district, would set a precedent to accelerate the drive to privatize public schools around the country.

District officials have prepared for a strike for months. While initial reports said the district was hiring 400 substitutes as strikebreakers, the local NBC news outlet reported that the district has contracts with agencies including Charter Substitute Teacher Network and Maxim Healthcare Service for more than 4,400 substitutes. New software is also being employed to coordinate the strikebreaking effort, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

On Monday, teachers were told to send home to parents a letter written by Beutner outlining the school districts positions. Teachers had previously been warned to have no discussions with parents about the ongoing dispute. Beutner also sent a letter warning parents of disciplinary measures their children would face if they missed school.

In the face of these provocations, the UTLA has made it clear that it will not appeal to teachers in the existing 244 charter schools, including 1,000 educators in the union, to join the strike. Support staff such as school bus drivers, cafeteria aides and others are being instructed to continue working by the unions, including the Service Employees International Union.

If teachers are going to begin to roll back the bipartisan assault on public education, they will have to mount an enormous fight and extend the strike to other districts, including Oakland. Teachers should reject all attempts by the unions to divert their struggle into futile maneuvers with the Democrats.

This underscores the urgency of organizing rank-and-file committees in every school and community to take the conduct of the struggle out of the hands of the UTLA, the National Education Association (NEA), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the other unions. The powerful strikes by teachers in West Virginia and other states in 2018 were initiated not by the unions, but by rank-and-file teachers in opposition to the unions. Tragically, however, educators did not have independent organizations prepared to extend the strike, and the NEA and AFT were able to reassert control and impose sellouts.

The national conspiracy against public education is now centered on Los Angeles. At the same time, there is enormous public support for a fight back to defend the right to high quality education. To take this forward, Los Angeles teachers must reach out to educators across the state, the US and internationally, and mobilize the broadest sections of the working class in a counteroffensive against both big-business parties and the corporate and financial oligarchs they defend.
With the partial shutdown of the federal government in its third week, and 800,000 workers facing the prospect of a payless payday Friday, President Trump has stepped up his campaign to spread fear and whip up bigotry against immigrants and refugees.

The White House has requested time from the national television networks for a speech Tuesday night in which Trump is expected to make his case for the building of a wall along the US-Mexico border by portraying refugee families fleeing violence and poverty in Central America as terrorists and criminals. The three cable news networks, CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, and the four main broadcast networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, have all agreed to air the speech.

Trump administration spokesmen, effectively previewing the speech, fanned out on the Sunday network interview programs to press for the border wall, each parroting the flat-out lie that 4,000 terrorists were apprehended attempting to enter the country from Mexico last year.

The bogus character of this claim has been widely exposed. Even Fox News rebutted it, as interviewer Chris Wallace pointed out to White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders that 4,000 was the figure for everyone on government watch lists apprehended attempting to enter the country, most of them at airports, not the US-Mexico border.

NBC News reported that the actual number of such terrorist detentions at the US-Mexico border in the first half of 2018 was six people, not the thousands invoked by the White House as justification for a border wall.

On Sunday, the White House sent a formal request to the House of Representatives and the US Senate, seeking $5.6 billion for construction of the border wall as well as $800 million to house, feed and provide medical care for refugee families already in custody or expected to be imprisoned in the first nine months of 2019.

Trump administration representatives portrayed the $800 million as a concession to the new Democratic-controlled House, which has voted repeatedly to reopen the federal departments that are wholly or partially shut down, although each bill passed by the House has been blocked from consideration in the Republican-controlled Senate by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The implied threat in the negotiations is that if Trump does not get the $5.6 billion he is demanding for the wall, he will declare a state of national emergency, circumvent Congress and order the military to build the wall using funds already appropriated to the Pentagon. This would represent an unprecedented step in the direction of a presidential dictatorship.

The Democrats, for their part, are not opposing Trumps fascistic vendetta against immigrants or the adoption of increasingly authoritarian forms of rule. They say next to nothing about Trumps mass imprisonment of immigrant families and children, his deployment of troops to the border, the administrations Gestapo-like workplace raids or its attack on the right to asylum. A year ago, they offered to support $25 billion to build the border wall in return for limited protection from deportation for so-called dreamersundocumented immigrants brought into the US as children. Now they quibble over calling expanded border installations a wall or fencing.

While Trump appeals to his fascistic base to establish authoritarian forms of rule, the Democrats support the buildup of the powers of the military and intelligence agencies and an intensification of internet censorship.

As Yale Law Professor Bruce Ackerman pointed out in an analysis published in the New York Times over the weekend, a declaration of a state of national emergency would fall under the provisions of the 1976 National Emergencies Act, passed in the wake of the Watergate crisis to limit politically motivated assertions of presidential power.

Under this law, any such declaration could be voted on immediately by the House of Representatives, now under Democratic control. If the House voted to overturn it, the Senate would be required to vote with 15 days. The declaration would also be subject to review in the courts. In other words, far from settling the issue, the state of emergency declaration would escalate the political conflict within the US ruling elite to an unprecedented degree.

Tuesday is a crucial day in the shutdown, not just because of Trumps scheduled speech or the return of Congress from a weekend recess, but because if no action is taken to restore funding, it will be too late to avoid a payless payday on January 11. Some 800,000 workers will receive nothing, about half of them on furlough, half compelled to work without pay.

Those designated as essential include most federal employees of agencies of police repression such as the FBI, the Bureau of Prisons, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But it also includes 52,000 mostly low-paid workers at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), who conduct passenger and baggage screenings for air travel. Included as well are air traffic controllers and many other highly skilled workers.

A movement is developing among TSA workers, whose salaries average only $30,000 a year, to refuse to work without pay. Increasing numbers of TSA workers are calling in sick, an action that is entirely spontaneous and opposed by the union that supposedly represents them, the American Federation of Government Employees.

Press reports suggest that some of the largest airports have been hit, with 150 TSA screeners calling in sick at JFK Airport in New York City and an increase in sick calls at Dallas-Ft. Worth of 75 to 100 percent since Christmas.

Conditions are deteriorating in the national parks, where 16,000 out of 19,000 staff are furloughed, including most rangers and search-and-rescue crews. The Trump administration has chosen to keep the parks open anyway in an effort to minimize the shutdowns effect on the public. In the course of this public relations exercise, at least seven people have died. Accidental deaths have been reported at Glen Canyon, Yosemite and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. The other four deaths were suicides.

If the shutdown extends into February, with further payless paydays in view on January 25 and February 8, there is certain to be growing support among federal workers for rejecting work without pay. The main federal employee unions have already filed lawsuits pointing out the obvious fact that compulsory labor without pay is a form slavery and in violation of the US Constitution. But the unions oppose any action by federal workers to actually defend their rights.

A shutdown into February would also directly threaten the survival of millions of families on food stamps, since the program is run by the Department of Agriculture, one of the departments affected by the shutdown, and that depends on annual appropriations from Congress. From the standpoint of the political sadists in the White House, however, plunging millions of working-class families into hunger is a welcome development, since they have long sought to destroy the program.

The largest union of commercial pilots, the Air Line Pilots Association, sent a letter to Trump urging him to bring an immediate end to the shutdown, warning that it was threatening the safety, security, and efficiency of our national airspace system. Besides TSA screeners and air traffic controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration also employs maintenance personnel and operates a school to train air traffic controllers, which has been closed, cutting off the flow of new personnel into the control towers, under conditions where thousands of controllers are reaching retirement age.

Reporters for the World Socialist Web Site spoke with workers in the Washington DC area about the impact of the shutdown, outside a station on the Washington Metro transit system.

The situation is awful. The government shouldnt be leveraging the pay of federal workers in order to build the border wall, said Kathy, a municipal worker in the Washington suburbs.

Sharron, a metro transit worker, also expressed disgust. There are so many things wrong with holding up peoples pay over the wall, she said. Even if the government does end up with a wall, whats it going to change? Nothing.

Everyone in this country is an immigrant, Sharron added, rejecting the claim that immigrants are responsible for stealing American jobs.

The situation is really frustrating, said Lynn, a federal employee who is being forced to work without pay. Youre not going to solve any problems by holding federal workers hostage. I have colleagues that can barely pay bills right now. Theyre living check-to-check.

Ive been a federal worker for 35 years; my husband is retired from the Navy. At this point, neither of us wants our son to serve. The way things are, it is not encouraging to young adults to want to serve in any capacity for the government, whether that means as a teacher, a social worker or in the military.

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Mobilize the working class against the US government shutdown

[7 January 2019]
Opposition is growing among Sri Lankan plantation workers to attempts by the major companies and the trade unions to impose a wage agreement aimed at scuttling the campaign for a doubling of their daily pay.

Vadivel Suresh, the general secretary of the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union, told a press conference yesterday that the unions would hold backroom talks on January 16 with the Employers Federation of Ceylon (EFC), which is representing the plantation companies. The government will also participate, along with officials from the labour and plantation ministries.

Suresh, who is part of the government, as the state minister of plantation industries, indicated that the discussion would lead to a new collective agreement covering plantation workers. Two other union groups, the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and the Joint Plantation Trade Union Centre (JPTUC), are also taking part in the meeting.

The plantation unions have already signalled their willingness to jettison the demand for a wage rise from 500 rupees to 1,000 rupees a day. Over the past three months, they have sought to suppress a series of strikes and protests by plantation workers that have been supported by youth, estate teachers, small traders and other sections of the working class.

In December, the CWC ended an indefinite nine-day strike of 100,000 plantation workers after claiming that President Maithripala Sirisena had promised to resolve the wage dispute.

Roshan Rajadurai, the EFCs Plantation Services Group chairman, recently reiterated that the workers demand cannot be met amid the dip in global tea prices. The EFC has proposed a wage increase of just 20 percent, with small attendance and incentive allowances. Many workers, however, cannot reach the targets set for these allowances.

The EFC also is seeking to scrap the wage system and replace it with a so-called revenue share scheme. This would effectively transform workers into sharecroppers, each responsible for a plot of land. They would receive only a portion of the income from the tea bushes allocated to them, after company costs and profits had been deducted.

The companies have made clear that any deal must meet their demands for a stepped-up offensive against plantation workers rights and conditions. EFC director general Kanishka Weerasinghe told the Sunday Observer that the federation was confident that all parties will be able to reach a solution to the issue soon.

The article added: There is a silver lining for the long drawn-out battle, as workers have softened their stance and have agreed to reach an agreement on the basic wage and have shown interest in reaching an agreement considering offers by companies.

The Observers reference to workers softening their stance was disingenuous. In reality, the unions are seeking to impose a sell-out in the face of widespread opposition.

The real sentiments of workers found expression at a meeting yesterday of the Abbotsleigh estate action committee. Its president, P. Suntharalingam, declared: Our committee will oppose any agreement that goes against our demands.

Suntharalingam said the committee would appeal to all plantation workers for a unified struggle against any union-brokered sellout and to continue the fight for a 100 percent wage increase.

The Abbotsleigh estate action committee was formed last month with the support of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP). The SEP had called on plantation workers to establish organisations independent of the unions, which function as a police force of the government and the major companies. The SEP explained that to go forward, such committees must turn to a political struggle aimed at establishing a workers and peasants government based on socialist policies.

S. Krishnamurthy, a worker at the action committee meeting, said: It was only by reading the World Socialist Web Site that we learnt that the plantation unions secretly are working with the companies to sign an agreement for a revenue-sharing system. The union does not inform us of anything. They are betraying our wage struggle.

Krishnamurthy added that when such a scheme was introduced at his estate, workers faced a lot of problems. He explained: Our whole family was compelled to work. There was no relief, even on Sundays. We had to do everything, including cleaning, pruning and plucking. Fertilizers and pesticides were supplied by management and the cost was deducted from our income, so our earnings declined. All the workers decided to return to the previous system.

Ramaiah Ravi, from the Montifiore division, said: I am a member of the Up-country Peoples Front but the union does not tell us anything. I will telephone V. Radhakrishnan, who is its leader, and ask him what is really happening. We will have to take action if they implement an agreement betraying workers demands.

WSWS reporters also visited Panmure estate, near the town of Hatton. Workers there lack the most basic facilities. The road to the estate is completely dilapidated. Private bus services are the only available mode of transportation. Workers explained that they need a 100 percent wage increase just to meet their basic needs.

Velayudam, a 72-year-old retired worker, said: We get a pipe-borne water supply only every other day for drinking. Our other water necessities are supplied from a nearby lake. There are no proper sanitary facilities.

I have three children, all of whom are married. My wife, Muniamma, is 70-years-old. Because our children find it difficult to feed us, she has started working at the estate again. Because she is a casual employee, she is only paid 30 rupees per kilo of tea leaves and does not receive any other wage.

In the past, Panmure estate workers could get medicine from the nearby Abbotsleigh estate and they were given a free tea packet each month. Both allowances have been abolished.

To obtain medicine, Panmure workers now have to travel several kilometres to Dickoya hospital. However, a three-wheeler taxi, costing several hundred rupees for the journey, is unaffordable for them.

Anusha, a young woman at the estate, said she had been hoping to study advanced level bio-technology. She was instead compelled to study arts subjects as her parents could not afford to send her to school in Hatton. Her mother is a nurse at a private hospital and her grandmother a retired plantation worker.

Anushas mother said her monthly salary is around 15,000 rupees. Her husband drives a three-wheeler taxi. We have three children and our income is not sufficient to live and pay for their education, she said. To buy any medicine, we must pay about 600 rupees. We live with huge economic difficulties. My retired mother now goes to work at the estate on a contract basis to earn some income.

S. Balasubramaniyam, a CWC branch secretary at the St. Leys division of Ann Field estate in Dickoya, has been victimised along with several other workers for organising protests during last months strike.

Balasubramaniyam was accused by the plantations management of obstructing estate work and faces the prospect of the police laying criminal charges against him. CWC leaders have abandoned the workers, thereby facilitating the attacks against them.

Balasubramaniyam and several of his colleagues read the WSWS article Sri Lankan plantation union discussing sellout deal with companies last week. He said: We oppose such a deal. We went on strike to increase our wage but we didnt get anything because all the unions abandoned our struggle. Now we have been victimised to intimidate workers. As you say, trade unions dont fight for our rights. He expressed support for the formation of action committees.
US National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have embarked on what could be described as a walk back tour of the Middle East. Its purpose is to assure US regional allies that Washington is not about to implement the decision announced by President Donald Trump last month to carry out a speedy and total withdrawal of US troops from Syria.

When Trump made his surprise announcement on December 19, administration officials indicated that the president had ordered a complete withdrawal within 30 days. He posted a video on Twitter declaring: Our boys, our young women, our men, theyre all coming back and theyre coming back now. We won.

The announcement unleashed a political firestorm in Washington, leading to the resignation of both US Defense Secretary James Mattis and the American envoy to the so-called anti-ISIS coalition, Brett McGurk.

Leading Democrats as well as the editorial boards of the New York Times and the Washington Post reacted as if the sky had fallen. The thought that the illegal US troop deployment in Syria would be abruptly ended was treated as a veritable act of treason, while Gen. Mad Dog Mattis quitting the administration was mourned as a tragedy for the nation. The general line was that the US had lost an irreplaceable statesman, his responsibility for war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan and his boasting that its a hell of a lot of fun to shoot Muslims notwithstanding.

The promise to bring an end to the US wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan was an integral part of Trumps America First 2016 election campaign platform, which he was able to use to considerable effect against his rival, Hillary Clinton, who was identified with endless US wars and plans for a major escalation of the US intervention in Syria.

There was nothing pacifistic about Trumps agenda. On the contrary, his aim was to end military campaigns he saw as pointless and wasteful in order to redirect the US war machine toward the naked pursuit of US imperialisms economic interests, principally through the preparation for war against its chief global rival, China.

The timing of Trumps announcement last month was doubtless driven by his administrations intensifying political crisis as it confronts multiple investigations, which are themselves driven by bitter differences within the ruling establishment over foreign policy. The charges of Russian meddling and collusion have their source in the Democratic Partys alignment with sections of the ruling class and military-intelligence apparatus that oppose any tactical shift away from a direct confrontation with Russia, including on the Syrian battlefield.

Trump knows that the bring the troops home slogan resonates within the American population, which is sick and tired of a quarter century of wars in the Middle East that have produced nothing but millions of dead, the destruction of entire societies and the squandering of trillions of dollars.

But under mounting pressure from the Pentagon, the intelligence agencies and predominant layers within the US ruling class, represented by top congressional Democrats and Republicans alike, Trump has been compelled to steadily dilute his call for an end to the US Syrian intervention.

With the military high command insisting there is no way within 30 days to withdraw US troopsofficially numbered at 2,000, but in all likelihood closer to twice that numbermuch less the mountains of arms and munitions poured into Syria, it was put out that the deadline would be four months.

Trump then disassociated himself from that timeframe as well, insisting, I never said were doing it that quickly.

On Monday, Trump tweeted, We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!

This about-face comes as no surprise. The World Socialist Web Site warned on December 22: Anyone who believes that Trumps decisions regarding Syria and Afghanistan signal a new era of peace in the Middle East or anywhere else on the planet is in for rude shocks.

First of all, the depth of US imperialisms commitment to its control of the Middle East and Eurasiaa policy which it has pursued relentlessly for decadesis far too great to be reversed by presidential fiat.

Senator Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, tweeted, as weve seen with the Presidents haphazard approach to Syria, our national defense is too important to be subjected to the Presidents erratic whims.

Moreover, Trumpreacting to the multiple pressures acting upon himshifts policies and tactics from day to day. What he declares today can be repudiated tomorrow.

Bolton, the right-wing war-monger, was dispatched to Israel and Turkey to spell out Washingtons commitment to do all that is prudent and necessary in Syria. He is being followed by Pompeo, who is to deliver a similar message to the collection of monarchical dictatorships and reactionary regimes that make up Washingtons anti-Iranian axis in the Arab world.

The national security adviser spelled out during his trip to Israel that there is no deadline for US troops to withdraw from Syria, and that the illegal intervention remains open-ended. The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement, he said.

These policy decisions appear to include not only the slaughter of the last remnants of ISIS, but also the protection of the Kurdish YPG militia, which has served as the Pentagons main proxy ground force, but is seen by Turkeys right-wing government as an existential threat. Also included in these decisions are the rolling back of Iranian influence in Syria and the wider region and the completion of the regime-change operation launched in 2011 to topple the Damascus government of Bashar al-Assad.

During his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government has proclaimed the right to wage unlimited air strikes against targets in Syria, Bolton held out the prospect that, even if the US were to pull its troops out of northeastern Syriawith many of them being redeployed across the border to the al-Asad airbase in Iraqa permanent presence could still be maintained at the US base at al-Tanf, which sits astride a strategic route linking Tehran to Damascus.

Even more ominously, Bolton issued a warning against the Assad government launching a chemical weapons attack anywhere in Syria during or after a US troop withdrawal. The Trump administration has twicein April 2017 and April 2018used fabricated chemical weapons incidents as the pretext for launching missile strikes on Syria.

Bolton threatened that, should Washington claim that a new chemical weapons attack had taken place, a lot of options would be on the table  if they dont heed the lessons of those two strikes, the next one will be more telling.

The significance of Boltons threat was spelled out in a Washington Post column by Hugh Hewitt, a right-wing radio talk show host and former Reagan administration official who backs Trump and has even more vocally supported his national security adviser.

We know that Bob Woodward reported that when Trump ordered a second strike against Assad, then-Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis withheld some of those options, including targeting Assad, which the president had ordered. Were not going to do any of that, Mattis is reported by Woodward to have said.

The message seems clear to both Iran and Syria: The United States is reconfiguring; it isnt leaving. In fact, it may be getting even more lethal.

Thus, Trumps demagogic promise to bring the troops home has only set the stage for a new escalation of violence in the Middle East and beyond.

Underlying this entire reactionary episode is the absence of a mass anti-war movement in the United States. This in turn is bound up with the role played by a coterie of pseudo-left organizations, fraudulently claiming to be left and socialist, that have not only failed to oppose the US intervention in Syria, but have justified it in the name of human rights and by portraying the CIA-backed, Al Qaeda-linked militias unleashed upon the country as a democratic revolution.

Representative of these tendencies is the International Socialist Organization (ISO), which maintained a discreet two-week silence on the bitter debate in Washington on Trumps troop withdrawal call, apparently waiting to see which way the wind would blow in State Department circles. Finally, it posted a January 3 article titled None of them care about Syrian lives, once again invoking all of the human rights pretexts for US intervention, while bemoaning Washingtons failure to provide sufficient support to the CIAs democratic uprising and denouncing those who oppose imperialist intervention as defending Assads terrorism.

The operations of such organizations, working in tandem with the Democratic Party, have served to disorient and demobilize the mass opposition to war that exists within the working class.

The growth of the class struggle in the US and internationally creates the conditions for reversing this situation through the development of a mass political movement of the working class, in opposition to imperialist war and its ultimate cause, the capitalist system.
Residents of Opal Tower in Sydney continue to live in hotels and other accommodation after being evacuated following the discovery of large broken concrete panels in the building. Some 51 of the 392 apartments were declared unsafe on Christmas Eve, and the entire complex emptied on December 27. A 10-day evacuation was extended by a week to this Friday when an initial engineering report on the cause of the structural fault is due to be released.

On the Opal Tower Sydney Residents Facebook group, renters have reported that some landlords are insisting that they continue to pay rent and refusing to allow leases to be broken. Under the Residential Tenancy Act 2010, tenants are only allowed to terminate a lease if the property is deemed uninhabitable.

In some cases, landlords have agreed. One resident commented: With the advise [sic] of fair trading, I broke my lease with immediate effect and without penalty. The person stated that they had been told they would still get access to the food and accommodation allowances provided by the builder to evacuated residents.

The World Socialist Web Site spoke to other residents on Saturday.

Harbik, 21, from India, said: My apartment was one of the 51 evacuated on Christmas Eve. When I returned there was a huge crack in the ceiling, so I am very scared to go back and stay there. There will always be an element of fear for me. I will be moving out and looking for a new apartment. My friends and house mates are back in India, so all the responsibility is on me. I have two or three days to get all my belongings out. I moved in four months ago and the rent is $1,000 per week for a three-bedroom apartment. Fortunately I will be getting back my bond [normally four weeks rent].

The developers are just playing a blame game. We still dont know what the problem was or if there are any other problems. They are not giving us any guarantees. That is why all the residents of the building are moving out. There are many people who are not getting back their bond and are not allowed to leave. If half of the structure has been damaged, how they can ask the other residents to stay there? I seriously dont know what they are thinking.

Amartya moved to Sydney three months ago to study, and rents in Opal Towers. She told WSWS reporters: Weve been moved to a hotel nearby, but our college is starting on Monday so we came back to get some stuff. We would like to move out, but we have a contract that goes on till June and our real estate agent wont let us out of it because they say our floor has not been affected and the building is going to be deemed safe.

When asked how the real estate agents know the building will be deemed safe, she said: We were told we could move in on January 6, then they pushed it to January 11, but they don't even know whats wrong with the building. We paid around $4,000 for the bond and if we leave, we would lose that, among other things, and there would be a hefty cancellation fee. There are five of us in a three-bedroom apartment and a lot of our friends in this building are facing the same situation.

When asked her views on how such a situation could have happened, Amartya said: It just means the government isnt as strict as they are supposed to be, or someone is corrupt and they got this building passed. It opens up a lot of questions about the other buildings that are being built, and about government regulation.

Aishwerye, 20-years-old, lived on the 14th floor of Opal Tower in a two-bedroom apartment, paying $600 per week rent. She is an international student from India and has been in Australia for only four months.

I came back from a Christmas lunch on December 24 and I came to the building and could not enter. That night, the 24th, I had to find alternative accommodation. Im a student and I had to stay with a friend. I didnt have anything on me because I could not get into the building. I literally had to borrow my friends clothes and things like that, and that was on Christmas Eve.

The next day, they allowed us back into the building. When we reached our apartment, we realised the door has been jammed because the walls have moved and literally compressed it altogether. We had to call in two locksmiths, not one. All on our own. It was Christmas Day. We got no help from the building, and no help from the builders. I have not been reimbursed for the $400 it cost just to open the apartment.

We know that there is a problem, but we dont know what exactly has caused it. All we get to know is through the media.

For my apartment, the landlord has agreed to return our bond money, after they are allowed access to make a final inspection to make sure I havent done any damage to it.

Im from Mumbai, which has an apartment culture. I live in a 30-storey apartment there. In a country like Australia, for this to happen, is very shocking.

Arya, 20, lived on the 26th floor of Opal Tower in a two-bedroom apartment, paying $630 per week in rent.

He said: I think that housing is a social right. It should be safe at least. This [Opal Tower] is a very huge building. If it fell down, it would not only cause damage to the people in the building but to the people all around.

The apartment is not cheap at all. And we thought Australia was a paradise. Im willing to do whatever it takes to get this thing right. Were international students and we just came four months back. This was our first house. Theres no direction and we dont actually know what to do. If there are people that are gathering together and saying this is the way forward and this is the way to fight, then I am willing to fight.

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[7 January 2019]

Australia: Structural faults in 36-storey building cause mass evacuation

[3 January 2019]
Tens of millions of workers and young people will participate in this Tuesdays and Wednesdays 48-hour, all-India strike against the socially destructive, pro-investor economic policies of the BJP-led governmentthat is, against savage austerity, privatization, the promotion of precarious contract jobs, the shredding of environmental and workplace safety standards, lavish tax cuts for big business and the rich, and onerous tax rises for workers and the rural poor.

The World Socialist Web Site welcomes workers readiness to make financial sacrifices and risk reprisals and even firing, to fight the BJP government.

Anil and Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani and other billionaire oligarchs propelled Narendra Modi and his Hindu supremacist BJP to power in order to intensify the class war assault on the working class and more aggressively pursue the Indian bourgeoisies great power ambitions. And they have done just that. The four-and-a-half-year old BJP government has stoked communal reaction, strengthened the repressive apparatus of the state (including arrogating the right to spy on all electronic communications and data), greatly expanded Indias military-strategic alliance with US imperialism, and accelerated the ruling-class drive to make India the premier cheap-labor haven for global capitalism.

But workers must beware.

The Jan. 89 protest strike is politically led by trade unions and political parties that are an integral part of the Indian establishment, and that have played a pivotal role in implementing, and suppressing opposition to, the Indian capitalist elites now more than a quarter-century old pro market agenda.

This is true not only of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), which is an adjunct of the big business Congress Party, and of the Labour Progressive Front (LPF), the trade union wing of the DMK, a key Congress ally and one of the Tamil bourgeoisies two main parties. It is equally true of the twin Stalinist parliamentary parties, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM, and the Communist Party of India (CPI), and of their respective trade union affiliates, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).

When the Stalinists and the various central trade union bodies promote the Jan. 89 action as a general strike, they are engaged in a cynical political deception.

The general strike will be forever associated with the revolutionary strivings of the Russian working class at the beginning of the last centurystrivings which, through the development of the socialist workers movement, led to the emergence of the working class as an independent political force, and culminated, under the leadership of the Bolshevik Party of Lenin and Trotsky, in the conquest of workers power.

But far from fighting for the independent political mobilization of the working class, the Stalinists and the union apparatuses are seeking to smother it.

Their aim is to use the 2-day protest strike to contain the increasingly militant opposition of the working class and rural poor and divert it behind the drive of a section of the Indian ruling elite to bring to power an alternate right-wing government after the April-May general election.

For the Stalinists, the strike is entirely subordinate to the 2019 elections, or what the CPM calls the big battle ahead, and their efforts to muster votes to elect an alternate secular government. That is to place in power in New Delhi a big business government, minus the BJP.

Such a government would be akin to the succession of secular governments, most of them Congress Party-led, that the CPM and its Left Front helped prop up in parliament between 1989 and 2008, and which invariably implemented the bourgeoisies social incendiary, neo-liberal agenda, while forging closer ties with Washington.

Only today, a decade after the 2008 financial crisis, world capitalism is wracked by systemic crisis. Consequently, the next government will have to enforce the agenda of Indian and global capital even more ruthlessly. Whatever its composition, whether formed by the BJP or a Stalinist-supported secular coalition based either on the Congress or a third front of regional and caste-based parties, the next government will be tasked with dramatically intensifying the exploitation of Indias workers and toilers, so as to attract foreign investment and capture overseas markets.

The Congress is already reaping the dividends of the Stalinists efforts to promote it, the traditional governing party of the bourgeoisie, as a key ally of working people in the fight against the BJP. INTUC president and former Congress legislator G. Sanjeeva Reddy is shamelessly using the general strike to project Congress President Rahul Gandhi as a friend of the working class and future head of a progressive government.

Why the CPM and the trade unions refuse to defend the framed-up Maruti Suzuki workers

The real attitude of the Stalinists and all the unions to the class struggle is epitomized by their refusal to make any mention, let alone demand the immediate unconditional release, of the 13 Maruti Suzuki auto workers who have been jailed for life on frame-up murder charges. The only crime these workers committed was to have challenged the sweatshop conditions that prevail in Indias new globally connected manufacturing industries. Yet the Stalinists are treating them like the pariahs of 19th century South India, even as employers routinely threaten workers with doing a Maruti Suzuki to stifle opposition.

The Stalinists shun the Maruti Suzuki workers because they fear their militant example, and even more importantly, because they recognize that a campaign linking the defence of the Maruti Suzuki workers to the struggle against poverty wages and precarious employment would blow up their alliance with the Congress Party and their unions cozy, corporatist relations with big business.

The working class urgently needs to draw a critical balance sheet of the role of the Stalinist parties and trade unions and adopt an entirely new strategya strategy based on the independent political mobilization of the working class against all factions of the bourgeoisie and on that basis the rallying of the rural masses and all the oppressed in the fight for a workers and peasants government and the socialist reorganization of society.

As they have for the past three decades, the Stalinists point to the crimes of the BJP and its Hindu right allies not to indict Indian capitalism and alert the working class to the ruling class embrace of reaction and the malignancy of Indian democracy; but rather as a phony justification for their systematic subordination of the working class to the Congress and a host of right-wing regional and caste-based parties.

As the 2019 elections approach, the Stalinists are clamouring that working people must save democracy and save the constitution by supporting the establishment of a big business, non-BJP government.

There is no question that the BJP is a vile enemy of working people. But the claim that Indian workers can defeat reaction and defend democratic rights by clutching to the coattails of the parties of the bourgeoisie and by placing their trust in the putrefying democratic institutions of the Indian stateinstitutions that routinely violently repress workers struggles and have connived in the perpetration and cover-up of one communal atrocity after anotheris a monstrous lie.

Indeed, if the Hindu right has been able to grow into such a menace, it is due to the criminal policies pursued by the Stalinists. Their systematic suppression of the class struggle; their implementation of what they themselves concede are pro-investor policies in those states, like West Bengal, where they have held office; and their subordination of the working class to the Congress and other bourgeois parties in the name of opposing the Hindu rightfertilized the ground on which reaction could grow.

Because the working class has been prevented from advancing its own socialist solution to the social crisis, the BJP has been able to demagogically exploit popular anger over the ruinous impact of the neo-liberal policies pursued by the various Stalinist-backed secular governments.

The capitalist crisis and the collapse of bourgeois democracy

The Modi government is the Indian expression of a global phenomenon. World capitalism, mired in its most severe crisis since the 1930s, is vomiting up reaction. Led by the US, the imperialist powers are rapidly rearming. Everywhere the ruling elite is hurtling to the right, stoking national-ethnic and communal divisions, and turning to authoritarian forms of rule.

Not just the fascist-minded Trump, but the extreme-right Lega in Italy, the AfD neo-Nazi official opposition in the German parliament, and Brazils ultra-right, pro-military president, Jair Bolsonaro, are all repudiating bourgeois democratic norms. So too are the ostensible votaries of liberalism.

In the US, the Democratic Party is leading a campaign to censor the internet so as to prevent the spread of oppositional, especially anti-war and socialist, views. And the Democrats are conspiring with the military-intelligence agencies to remove Trump through the methods of a palace coup, because they want Washington to pursue a more belligerent policy against Russia. French President Emanuel Macron normalized emergency anti-terrorism powers, then used them to push through massive attacks on workers social rights.

The only viable strategy to defend democratic rights and defeat reaction is one based on the international class struggle and the political mobilization of the working class against the decrepit capitalist social order.

In 2018, the working class began to break through the obstacles to struggle that had been erected by the CPM and INTUCs international counterparts, the pro-capitalist trade unions and social-democratic parties, and pseudo-left parties like Greeces Syriza. The Yellow Vest movement in France exemplifies this global upsurge against capitalist austerity and social inequality, and the fact that the opposition of the working class is developing outside and increasingly in open opposition to the establishment left parties and unions.

To assert their class interests, workers in India need new organizations of struggle, completely independent of the Stalinist parties and union apparatuses and subject to their own control. Indian workers should follow the example of plantation workers on the Abbotsleigh tea estate in Sri Lanka who in response to the unions enforcement of employer attacks have established a rank-and-file action committee to prosecute the struggle for their basic rights.

Above all, the working class needs a revolutionary party to spearhead the struggle for workers power and coordinate its struggles on a global scale. That party is the Fourth International and its national sections, including in South Asia, the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka).

Founded by Leon Trotsky in 1938, the Fourth International has defended and developed the program of international socialism against imperialism and all its agencies, above all the Soviet Stalinist bureaucracythe political mentors of the CPM and CPIwhich betrayed the 1917 Russian Revolution under the nationalist banner of socialism in one country and ultimately restored capitalism in the former USSR. Led since 1953 by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), it embodies all the strategic lessons of the struggles of the international working class, including its victories and defeats in the last century and the first two decades of the 21st.

Workers and youth: oppose social inequality, capitalist reaction and war. Take up the fight for international socialism. Build the Indian section of the ICFI.

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[23 October 2018]
At least 22 immigrants have died in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since Donald Trump took office in January of 2017, according to a review of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents by NBC News.

The deaths come as the Trump administration has escalated the assault on immigrants in the United States, increasing the number of people held in its sprawling network of some 200 jails and detention camps to 42,000 per day in 2018.

Under Trump the population of the immigrant prison network has risen 30 percent over the average under Obama and twice that under George W. Bush, filling many jails to capacity. The rapidly rising number of immigrants held in federal custody has contributed to the recent rise in deaths. Despite this, the administration has requested that the capacity be expanded to 51,000 as it continues its anti-immigrant rampage in 2019.

Reports of unsanitary conditions, spoiled food, abusive guards and lack of medical staff are common. Detainees are treated like convicted criminals and are frequently placed in solitary confinement regardless of their age or health. A report published by Human Rights Watch last year found that dangerously substandard care in immigration detention contributed to the deaths of 15 people in ICE custody between December 2015 and April 2017.

You'll see someone who is clearly an asylum seeker who came into custody with a serious medical condition, whether a heart condition or otherwise, and you have to ask, Why is this person in jail? Heidi Altman, director of policy at the National Immigrant Justice Center, told NBC News. Theres no reason for it.

Ten deaths were recorded in 2017 and the 12 reported in 2018 matched the number of migrants who died in 2016, the last full year of the Obama administration. In total there have been 188 deaths in immigration detention centers since 2003 when DHS began to oversee the operation of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

This grim tally for the first two years of the Trump administration does not include the recent deaths of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin and 8-year-old Felipe Alonzo-Gomez, who both died after becoming ill in the custody of CBP last month. Nor does the total include Mariee Juarez, a one-year-old who died in early 2018 after being held in detention along with her mother. It also does not count those who have died or been killed shortly after their release or deportation.

The largest number of immigrants to die in US custody since 2017 were from Mexico (4), Cuba (4), Honduras (3) and Russia (2), with one each from Armenia, Eritrea, India, Vietnam, Iran, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama and Jamaica.

The Southern US state of Georgia had the highest number of deaths with four, followed by Florida, California and Texas which each recorded three deaths. Deaths were also reported in Louisiana, New York, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Washington.

A review of the circumstances leading to the death of each person in ICE custody reveals that most died as the result of criminal neglect or abuse.

Roxsana Hernandez Rodriguez, a 33-year-old transgender woman from Honduras seeking asylum in the US, died in New Mexico in August 2018 after being arrested at the border in San Diego and shuffled around detention centers. Hernandez, who was HIV positive, became severely ill in ICE custody and did not receive any treatment for several days before being transferred to the hospital where she died. An independent autopsy found that she had been subjected to physical assault while in detention.

Sergio Alonso Lopez, a 55-year-old man from Mexico, died in February 2017 of internal bleeding after medical staff failed to give him several doses of the methadone he had been taking to treat his addiction.

At least five men died by suicide in US detention facilities in the last two years and a sixth was the victim of an apparent suicide after being transferred to Egyptian custody.

Osmar Epifanio Gonzalez-Gadba, a 32-year-old asylum seeker from Nicaragua, died of suicide by hanging in March 2017 after being placed in solitary confinement at the Adelanto Detention Center in California. A review of his death found that despite becoming withdrawn and reporting hallucinations, Gonzalez-Gadba did not receive appropriate medical attention. A surprise visit by the inspector general to Adelanto in 2018 found nooses hanging in multiple cells.

Jeancarlo Jimenez-Joseph died of a suicide in May 2017 while in solitary confinement at a detention center in Georgia. A fellow detainee told investigators that he had heard Jimenez-Joseph tell guards that he was suffering from psychosis.

Zeresenay Ermias Testfatsion, a 34-year-old asylum seeker from the east African country of Eritrea, was found dead of an apparent suicide in the shower area of Cairo International Airport in Egypt. He had been transferred by ICE into the custody of the brutal Sisi dictatorship, notorious for its torture and murder of prisoners, for repatriation to Eritrea. Testfatsion had told immigration officials that he feared returning to his home country where citizens are conscripted into indefinite military service.
Hundreds of temporary Foxconn workers rallied last month in the streets of Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan province in central China, over the non-payment of wages by recruitment agencies. The protest began on December 12 and continued the following day before police violently suppressed it.

According to the South China Morning Post, the workers held placards declaring: Illegal agents with Foxconn cheated migrant workers, give me back my money. A video showed workers chanting: We want our reward money. Several protesters reported on line that police had beaten or detained them.

The Taiwanese-owned Foxconn, the worlds largest contract electronic manufacturer, produces for major global corporations such as Apple, Amazon, Intel and Microsoft, employing some 1.3 million workers in huge plants.

The Zhengzhou plant exclusively manufactures iPhones, accounting for half of total production. Its workforce swells to 350,000 at peak times when a new model is launched. It can churn out 500,000 phones a day, or 350 a minute. Workers are crammed into dormitorieseight to a roomin 10- or 12-storey buildings. The complex is known to residents as iPhone City.

Foxconn receives considerable backing from the Zhengzhou government, which not only financially helped build the plant and operate it, but is also involved in recruitment drives to provide workers, particularly during the peak periods. A Business Insider article last May reported that the local government enforced quotas for villages and towns to supply workers to Foxconn.

In response to last months protest, spokespersons for Apple and Foxconn declared that the matter would be looked into. The comments are entirely cynical. Both Apple and its contract manufacturer are undoubtedly well aware of the unscrupulous practices used by labour recruiters to supply young workers for the huge plant. Offering bonuses is a common ploy.

A worker told the South China Morning Post she had been recruited by the Huajie agency, a casual labour supplier, in September to work in the Foxconn factory as a cellphone quality inspector. She worked from 8am to 8pm with a two-hour lunch break for a monthly wage of just 2,100 yuan ($US307).

Workers recruited by the Huajie agency had been promised a bonus of $US870 if they worked for 55 days. The worker told the newspaper that she had been working at Foxconn for more than 100 days but had received no bonus.

Professor Pun Ngai, from the University of Hong Kong, told the South China Morning Post: Especially in recent years, when the economic environment hasnt been that great, many companies including Foxconn, want to save costs so they use agencies to recruit workers. [But] some agencies have many local partners, and in my research, those partners are illegal and are not suitably qualified to arrange proper contracts for workers.

Chinese labour laws limit the use of temporary workers to secondary, not primary, jobs, and their numbers to 15 percent of the total workforce. But, Pun declared, many companies fail to meet these standards. Temporary workers are cheap, usually do not receive benefits such as social welfare, and are more flexible. When the company doesnt need them, they can give them some money and send them off.

There are a number of signs that Apple and Foxconn are preparing a major restructuring of iPhone manufacturing operations. Last month a Chinese court banned some Apple iPhone models for breaching the patents of Qualcomm, a US telecommunication and electronic company. China, Hong Kong and Taiwan collectively form the third largest market for iPhones.

In November, Bloomberg reported that Foxconn planned to slash its costs by $US2.9 billion and eliminate 10 percent of its non-technical staff. This led to large-scale layoffs in Foxconn plants and further strikes and protests.

Reuters reported on December 27 that Foxconn was considering shifting production of its high-end iPhone models to the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Another report indicated that Foxconn might establish an iPhone plant in Vietnam.

Foxconn is infamous for its oppressive labour conditions, particularly after a series of suicides in 2010 by workers at its huge Longhua plant in Shenzhen received global publicity. Foxconn moved some production to other areas, including in Zhengzhou, one of Chinas most impoverished regions, where wages were even lower.

Conditions in the Zhengzhou plant are onerous. The Business Insider report in May included interviews with workers who explained that shifts were at least 10 hours long and, in many cases, involved monotonous, repetitive tasks, such as fitting a single screw in the back of the phone, or polishing the screen.

One worker, Chen, described the assembly line: You do the same thing every day. It never ends. After a while you get annoyed at the thing that you are doing. You dont even notice it at first. Eventually, I felt annoyed to the core of my heart. Like I had no purpose. Unlike many others, Chen had no family to support and so could choose to leave.

Poverty-level basic wages compelled workers to work large amounts of overtime to make ends meet. Chinese law limits overtime to 36 hours a month, but the article indicated that in peak times Foxconn workers worked as much as 60 hours of overtime a week. That was equivalent to 14-hour days, 7 days a week.

The Financial Times reported in 2017 that Foxconn exploited student labour at its Zhengzhou factory. A longtime employee said Foxconn recruited many student workers, some just 16 years old, every year during busy periods in August and December. The students, who had to obtain work experience to graduate, were compelled to work overtime.

In January last year, a suicide was reported at the Zhengzhou factory of a worker employed through a recruiting agency. Nothing had changed since the 2010 exposure of Foxconns Shenzhen plant. The conditions remain oppressive and workers are often subject to public humiliation and physical punishment.

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Junior Defence Minister Tobias Elwood says 50,000 soldiers had to be readied for deployment on Britains streets in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

With Britains scheduled exit from the European Union (EU) less than 90 days away, his comments, quoted from an anonymous source in Saturdays Times newspaper, confirm that the ruling elite is preparing for the potential eruption of a civil war.

The Times reported, Ministers at a no-deal Brexit planning meeting on Thursday [January 3] were told that 30,000 regular troops and 20,000 reserves must be ready to help manage the consequences. Elwood was reported as warning that the troops had to be in place in case of civil unrest, to assist at Britains airports and to ensure fuel and medical supplies.

The mobilisation proposed is extraordinary. Fifty thousand soldiers are close to half the current size of the British Army, which currently stands at 81,500 regulars and just over 27,000 reservists. It is more than the force sent by the British government to invade Iraq in 2003 as part of the US-led invasion.

Elwood was clear that this force should be directed above all against the working class. The source reported that he suggested that fellow ministers should remember what happened in the fuel blockade in 2000 [when troops were used to protect fuel deliveries] and plan for that kind of thing on a mass scale. ...

Only last month, the government announced that 3,500 troops would be on standby to support any government department on any contingencies they may need, according to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. The 3,500 would be in addition to 5,000 troops continually on standbynominally to be deployed in the event of a terrorist attackand would be composed of both regular and reserve forces. Now, it is reported that 10 times that number may be deployed.

Elwoods remarks must be taken as a stark warning. A no-deal Brexit is a nightmare scenario for the dominant sections of the British bourgeoisie and would bring about an immediate economic and social catastrophe, threatening trade accounting for 40 percent of the UK total.

However, though the tempo of the coming crisis may alter if a deal is struck with the EU, or Brexit is abandoned, the turn to military repression and authoritarian forms of rule is rooted in class relations dominated by rising social inequality for millions while a tiny minority rake in vast fortunes. Although no mass protests have emerged in Britain comparable to the Yellow Vest movement in France, Britains rulers look across the Channel in fear and see their own future.

Elwood is no maverick voice to be dismissed. A former captain in the Royal Green Jackets army regiment, he supported Remain and is considered a loyal supporter of Prime Minister Theresa May. His remarks are consistent with other preparations already made public.

Last September, it was reported that the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) had developed plans in the aftermath of the 2011 youth riots that erupted across towns and cities in England for up to 7,000 police personnel to be mobilised at short notice. The police were said to be working on various scenarios that could emerge after Britain leaves the EU on March 29, including widespread chaos as a consequence of supply disruptions.

All major ports for trade to Europe, particularly Dover, but also Hull, Felixstowe, Portsmouth and New Haven, were designated as problem areas, with long queues of lorries potentially building up. This could lead to unprecedented and overwhelming disruption to the road network. Shortages of medicines and other essentials could feed civil disorder, while food shortages and prices rises could lead to widespread protest which could then escalate into disorder.

The NPCC intended to set up a unit to assess threat levels and considered cancelling all police leave in the weeks before and after Brexit. One source told the Guardian that any mass national police mobilisation could last for weeks. This week, the British government intends to use 150 heavy goods lorries in a test of an HGV holding facility in an abandoned airfield near Ramsgate in Kent. The lorries will then be released into rush hour and mid-morning traffic to determine how much additional traffic chaos ensues.

Of far graver import is the announcement of preparations for a massive police mobilisation onto the streets of Northern Ireland. As many as 1,000 police officers in Scotland and England are being trained as reinforcements available to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in the event of a no-deal Brexit and the return of a hard border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state.

The reinforcements were requested by the PSNI under mutual aid arrangements between police forces. They will be placed on standby on top of more than 300 additional police officers, new vehicles and equipment requested by the PSNI last year, primarily for operations along the border, post-Brexit. These are expected to be recruited by 2020.

Sales of three disused police stations, heavily fortified during Northern Irelands Troubles, have been halted. Warrenpoint, Castlederg and Aughnacloy PSNI stations are all located in border areas, although there are currently no plans to re-open them. In December, the British government handed the PSNI an extra 16 million to meet whatever contingencies emerge due to Brexit.

The additional forces, if called for, would be required to patrol the 250 border crossing points between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Although the British and Irish governments and the EU are all committed to avoiding any hard border, what might happen in the event of a no-deal Brexit is unknown.

Any attempt to create border posts, checkpoints or technical infrastructure away from the border will infuriate the hundreds of thousands of people who cross the near-invisible border every week.

It would serve to enflame the endemic sectarian tensions on which political life in Northern Ireland is still based. It recently emerged that, over the last three and half years, around 2,000 families reported themselves homeless to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on account of threats and pressure from the sectarian paramilitary outfits that dominate many working-class areas.

A measure of the scale of PSNI border and riot control operation envisaged can be seen in the fact the only previous occasion on which the PSNI has called for mutual aid policing support was during the 2013 G8 summit of world leaders in County Fermanagh.

On that occasion, 8,000 police from Northern Ireland were aided by 3,600 drafted in from Britain, specially trained in water cannon use and riot control. The G8 venue was surrounded by 8 kilometres of steel fencing and roadblocks, while 300 additional police cells were made available in Maghaberry and Magilligan prisons.

It testifies to the ditching of basic democratic norms that has occurred over the last two decades that such a massive troop mobilisation onto the streets of Britain is being discussed behind closed doors, with the population kept in the dark other than through leaks to the Murdoch press. No one in the corporate media opposes putting troops onto Britains streets in numbers unprecedented since World War II or plans for the armed repression of legitimate protests and industrial action.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn maintains total silence, just as has since November when the head of the Armed Forces, General Sir Nick Carter, confirmed the existence of sensible Brexit contingency plansWhether its a terrorist attack or whether its a tanker-drivers dispute, industrial action or whatever else it might be.
At Nashville International Airport, hundreds of TSA officers and air-traffic controllers are impacted by the shutdown. However, travelers are noticing how things are running fairly smooth.
(Meredith/KTVK) -- Phoenix police are investigating possible sex abuse at a nursing facility after a female patient recently became pregnant and gave birth.

Sources tell Arizona's Family that the alleged victim has been a patient at the Hacienda HealthCare facility, which is near 16th Street and South Mountain Avenue, for at least a decade after a near-drowning incident left her in a vegetative state. That woman gave birth to a baby boy on Dec. 29.

CEO of nursing home resigns after vegetative patient gave birth The CEO of Hacienda Healthcare has resigned just days after Arizona's Family broke the news that a vegetative patient had given birth.

None of the staff were aware that she was pregnant until she was pretty much giving birth, a source familiar with the situation said.

[WATCH: 'Source' speaks about disturbing allegations at Phoenix nursing facility]

How were they alerted to the fact that she was going into labor? asked reporter Briana Whitney.

From what Ive been told she was moaning. And they didnt know what was wrong with her, the source said.

Arizona's Family also learned that the baby is alive.

There was a nurse that was there, and from what Ive heard shes the one that delivered the baby, the woman said.

What do we know about the baby? asked Whitney.

From what I know the baby is alive, and the baby is healthy, she said.

The source says the patient required around the clock care and many would have access to her room.

She had no way to defend herself in this sort of situation? asked Whitney.

No. None whatsoever. Not even able to communicate the fact that she was pregnant, she said.

The source said the facility has changed protocol this week.

I was told that as of now, if a male staff needs to enter a female room, they need to bring in a female employee with them, she said.

And as far as youre aware that is a new policy? asked Whitney.

Yes, she said.

Investigators from multiple agencies are saying next to nothing about the case, but we know that at some point last spring or summer, someone sexually assaulted a woman who was in a persistent vegetative state, and she became pregnant.

Hacienda HealthCare spokeswoman Nancy Salmon released the following statement after Arizona's Family asked about the case.

"Hacienda Healthcare has been in business in the valley for over 50 years, and has an outstanding reputation providing high quality specialized care for our patients. As a Healthcare provider, we cannot comment on any patient due to Federal and State privacy laws. Additionally, we cannot comment on any ongoing investigations. We can say that our patients and clients health and safety is our #1 priority and that we always cooperate, when asked by any agency, in an open and transparent way."

The Arizona Department of Health Services also released a statement.

"We are aware of this situation and are actively working with local law enforcement in their criminal investigation. Upon learning of the allegation, Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) immediately initiated an onsite complaint investigation to ensure the health and safety of the patients and ensure the facility is in compliance with all state laws and regulations. During this time, the agency has required heightened safety measures be implemented at the facility including increased staff presence during patient interactions, increased monitoring of the patient care areas, and increased security measures with respect to visitors at the facility."

The Arizona Department of Economic Security released this statement.

"The Department has been made aware of these allegations and we continue to work fully with the Phoenix Police Department in their ongoing investigation. Upon hearing of these allegations, we immediately dispatched a team to conduct health and safety checks on all members residing at this health care facility, which has been completed. We will continue to work to ensure the safety of all our members."

Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said "the matter is currently under investigation."

Founded as Hacienda de Los Angeles in 1967, Hacienda HealthCare describes itself on its website as "the leading provider of specialized medical care and social services for Arizonas infants, children and young adults who are medically fragile or chronically ill, including those with developmental disabilities."

The organization says it offers dozens of programs and services through several nonprofit entities under its umbrella.

According to its website, Hacienda HealthCare serves more than 2,500 people throughout Arizona each year.

Stay with Arizona's Family as we continue to follow this story. Download the AZFamily app for push alerts on this story.
NASHVILLE (WSMV) - The 111th Tennessee General Assembly is now being sworn in at the state Capitol.

This year marks the largest turnover in the Legislature since the 89th General Assembly. Over 30 new lawmakers will be joining the Legislature, and 27 of those are in the House alone.

Rep. Glen Casada was elected as House speaker, and Jack Johnson is the new majority leader in the Senate.

On the Senate side, Randy McNally won re-election as Speaker of the Senate and Lieutenant Governor.

In a couple of weeks, Gov. Bill Haslam will leave office and Gov.-elect Bill Lee will take over.

So what do all of these changes mean? Well, the Legislature is certainly losing a ton of experience, but many are hopeful fresh blood will mean positive changes.

As for what the issues will be, we think our nation's opioid crisis will be a big focus. Lee has hinted at criminal justice reform.

News4 spoke to one lawmaker who has already introduced a bill to legalize online sports gambling.

Click here to read more about your leaders in the Tennessee General Assembly.
Sun Country Airlines poster - 1/8/19 Sun Country Airlines announced three new routes from Nashville International Airport on Tuesday, Jan. 8. (WSMV)

Sun Country Airlines announced the addition of three new seasonal nonstop routes from Nashville International Airport beginning in April.

Sun Country will offer nonstop service to Los Angeles, Portland, OR, and Providence, RI, with fares as low as $69 one-way. These routes will bring Sun Countrys total nonstop offerings from Nashville to nine, which also includes Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers and Miami, FL, New Orleans and Minneapolis.

Were excited to continue expanding our offerings for both Nashville residents and those looking to visit Music City, said Sun Country Chief Commercial Officer Ted Botimer in a news release. Our focus on low fares and great customer service has been a great fit in this market, and we look forward to our continued partnership with the Nashville International Airport.

Todays announcement of three additional routes from Sun Country Airlines is great news for Nashville and our entire region, said Nashville International Airport President and CEO Doug Kreulen in a news release. Our passengers can now fly nonstop to Portland, Oregon, a destination that has been a top domestic target for many months. Providence, Rhode Island, is also a new destination for BNA, and additional LAX service creates competition in the market with more flight options, which often leads to lower rates. We appreciate Sun Countrys commitment to BNA and look forward to its continual growth in Nashville.

The new seasonal routes from Nashville include:
A meerkat, also known as a curicate, is a member of the mongoose family that primarily inhabits the arid regions of southern Africa. It is the only surviving member of the genus Suricata. A group of meerkats is called either a "gang" or "mob" and often consists of approximately 20 meerkats, and is led by an adult male and female, referred to as the alpha pair. However, some gangs or mobs are larger and can contain up to 50 members. Meerkats are known for their social behavior and upright posture. Three three species of meerkat have been identified: South African meerkat, Desert meerkat, and Angolan meerkat. The name "meerkat" can be traced to the Afrikaans and Dutch languages, and relates to the words "monkey" and "lake cat."

Description of a Meerkat

Meerkats are generally small animals that weigh between 1.1 and 5.5 pounds. With long limbs and a slender body, meerkats measure 10 to 20 inches in length. They also have a tail that is approximately 9.8 inches long, which is slender and tapers to a reddish or black colored pointed tip. The tail is used primarily for balancing while standing upright, as well as signaling. Meerkats have a brown nose, eyes that are surrounded by black patches, and ears that are small, black, and crescent-shaped. The eyes are located in the front of the face, which gives binocular vision. A meerkat has claws at the end of each finger that are used for digging, burrowing, and sometimes for climbing trees. The body is covered in a gray, brown, or tan coat, with short parallel stripes across the back that extend from the base of the tail to the shoulder. The patterns of these stripes are unique to each meerkat. The underside is sparsely covered with hair and reveals black skin underneath.

Habitat and Conservation Status

Meerkats are adapted to living in desert conditions. The black patches around the eyes reduces the amount of sunlight that enters the eyes, which helps them look out for predators. They live in dry open land, savannas, and scrublands, and prefer areas with plenty of sandy soil where they can dig their burrows. These burrows consist of complex channels that lead to sleeping chambers. Their range extends from South Africa to Angola, and includes all parts of the Kalahari Desert, most parts of the Namib Desert, southwest Angola, and South Africa. Predators of meerkats include eagles, jackals, vultures, and occasionally snakes. Classified by the International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as a species of "Least Concern," meerkats have been hunted and gassed out of their burrows because they are potential carriers of rabies. However, despite this hunting, the meerkat population has not been significantly reduced.

Diet

Meerkats are mainly insectivores, but also feed on other animals such as small mammals, spiders, scorpions, snakes, and lizards. They also eat plants and fungi, and are immune to certain venoms, including the strong venom of the Kalahari Desert scorpion. Meerkats forage as a gang with one "sentry" that is always on the look out for predators as others search for food. The sentry duty typically lasts one hour. Young meerkats do not forage until they are one month old.
Also known as the Himalaya, the Himalayas is a mountain range that is situated on the Asian continent. The mountain range includes at least fifty mountains with an elevation of more than 23,000 feet including the famous Mount Everest which is the worlds highest peak. The Himalayas also have a number of rivers such as the Ganges and the Indus.

Location

The Himalayan range acts as the separator between Tibetan Plateau and the subcontinent of India. The Himalayas is spread out over five countries namely Nepal, China, Pakistan, Bhutan, and India. Presently, at least 52 million people in all the five countries live in the area designated as the Himalayas.

Size and Age

With an age of about 70 million years and massive height, the Himalayas are actually the youngest and the tallest mountain ranges in the world. The mountain ranges were formed after a collision between the Eurasian and the Indian tectonic plates. Interestingly, a number of studies have established that the range has an annual movement of about 20 mm. For this reason, the area is prone to landslides, tremors, and other natural disasters.

Name

The name of the mountain stems from a Sanskrit word that roughly translates to an abode made of snow. The first part of the word hima corresponds to a word meaning snow while the other part means a dwelling or an abode. Other languages have variations of the name that also translate to the same thing in English. The naming is not a surprise considering that the top of Mount Everest is constantly covered with snow.

Religion

The range is home to plenty of cultures and religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Jainism, Christianity, and Hinduism. Accordingly, there are many famous religious sites for the religions. An example of such a site is Paro Taktsang in Bhutan where people claim is the founding site of Buddhism. Interestingly, Hinduism believes that the mountain range is an all-powerful deity. This belief is mentioned in several Hindu religious texts like the Rig-Veda and the Skanda Purana.

Flora and Fauna

Naturally, the extensive range is home to a vast array of rare and exotic animals. These animals include mountain goats, Tibetan sheep, wild goats, and the endangered snow leopards. The animals vary depending on factors like climate and height. For example, the snow leopard lives in places with a high elevation. An example of a unique tree species is the Juniperus tibetica which grows at heights of around 16,080 feet in the southeastern side of Tibet.

Climbers

The record for the most climbs of the Mount Everest peak is currently at 21 and is held by two Sherpas known as Phurba Tashi and Apa Sherpa. In the case of Phurba, he managed to climb the mountain three times in a single year (2007). In the case of Apa, between 1990 and 2011, he made the climb almost every year. The first person to climb Mount Everest was a man known as Edmund Percival Hillary together with Tenzing Norgay.
The region known as the Maghreb is an area in northwest Africa. The word Maghreb literally means west in the Arabic language. This name makes sense since it lies to the west of the Arabian Peninsula, which is the original homeland of the Arabs.

Today, the Maghreb encompasses the countries of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and the disputed region of Western Sahara. Some also add Mauritania to the region. Interestingly, the name for Morocco in Arabic is also Maghreb, thus, it should not be confused with the Maghreb region.

Geography

Map of the Maghreb and Sahel regions.

The Maghreb consists of two defining regions, the Sahara Desert in the south and the Atlas Mountains in the north. The Sahara Desert covers the overwhelming majority of territory belonging to Mauritania, Western Sahara, Algeria, and Libya. It also covers the southern half of Tunisia. The dunes that the Sahara is famous for are mostly found in Algeria and Libya.

The Atlas Mountain Range, which stretches from Morocco all the way to Tunisia, has a number of plateaus that receive steady rainfall of more than 100 mm per year, in a region where steady rainfall is very difficult to come by. The mountains are very difficult to traverse because of the extremely high peaks that they feature. The tallest peak in the Atlas Mountains is called Jbel Toubkal and is located in southwestern Morocco. It measures 4,167 meters in height. In ancient times, the Atlas Mountains served as a kind of border between the coastal Maghreb and the Saharan Maghreb.

History

Ruins of the Volubilis Roman basilica in Morocco.

The earliest recorded history of the Maghreb goes back to when it was the domain of the Phoenicians, who migrated from their homeland in modern-day Lebanon to establish ports on the Maghreb coast. One of those ports was Carthage, which later emerged as a powerful empire that controlled the northern part of modern-day Tunisia, most of the Maghreb coast, the Canary Islands, a southern portion of modern-day Spain, the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Sardinia, and part of the Mediterranean island of Sicily. This empire, however, was only informal, as there was no central government for the entire expanse of Carthaginian territory.

The Carthaginian Empire lasted from 575 to 146 BCE. For many years, it was in a struggle for supremacy against another emerging superpower of the time, the Roman Republic, the precursor to the Roman Empire. The so-called Punic Wars, of which there were three, were the wars fought between the Romans and the Carthaginians. The long struggle between the two empires ended in the Third Punic War when the Romans occupied and destroyed Carthage itself.

The Roman conquest of Carthage was a turning point in history. For starters, it shifted the path of civilizational development from Africa to Europe. In addition, it turned Rome from a regional power into a global power. This forced the Romans to develop a complex system of administration because of the vast new territory that they had to control. The methods of administration that the Romans developed to govern its enlarged imperial realm came to shape the administrations of modern nation-states, including the United States.

Arab And Turkish Rule

The Arabs introduced camels to the Maghreb region.

The Roman Empire would rule the Maghreb for many centuries. But in the 7th century CE, another empire emerged that would go on to conquer the entire region and change it forever. This new empire was the Islamic Caliphate. In the mid-7th century CE, Arab invaders entered North Africa. By the end of the century, they had brought almost all of the coastal Maghreb under their control. During this time, traditional Indigenous leaders were replaced by Arab leaders.

The Arabs carried the new religion of Islam with them, which would eventually become the dominant religion in the Maghreb. Arab rule in the Maghreb would continue into the 16th century, when the Turks began conquering parts of the region. They eventually took over nearly the entire Maghreb, except for Morocco.

The Arab and Turkish invasions of the Maghreb introduced new wildlife to the region. One particular animal, the camel, would change the way trade was conducted in the region forever. Due to the camels ability to withstand the harsh conditions of the Sahara Desert, a trans-Saharan trade route was established, which increased intercontinental communication between Africa and Western Asia. It was the prosperous trading in the Maghreb that ultimately attracted European powers to the region. At first, the Europeans simply tried to establish trade relations using the coastal territories of the Maghreb as their entry points into the larger regional trade market. Later, however, the Europeans switched their intentions from trade to conquest.

European Colonization And Decolonization

French colonial architecture in Algiers, Algeria. Image credit: Oguz Dikbakan/Shutterstock

In the first quarter of the 19th century, European powers began taking over parts of the Maghreb. France eventually became the dominant colonial power in the region. The French began their conquests in the region by seizing control of what is now the coastal area of Algeria. By the early 20th century, they controlled most of the Maghreb and West Africa. Spain had seized territory in present-day Western Sahara and the northern coast of Morocco, while Italy conquered what is now Libya.

After World War II, a wave of nationalism swept Europes overseas colonies, including those within the Maghreb. Libya was the first country in the region to gain independence, followed by Tunisia and Morocco. Algeria gained independence in 1962, following an often bloody revolt against French rule. Spain withdrew from what is now Western Sahara in 1976, after which Morocco immediately claimed sovereignty over it, a claim that was rejected by people in the enclave leading to armed resistance. The conflict in Western Sahara remains unresolved to this day.

In 2011, a popular uprising took place in Tunisia, leading to the overthrow of the countrys long-time dictator and the establishment of a democratic government. That same year, in neighboring Libya, an armed rebellion took place, in which Western powers under the leadership of NATO intervened militarily to help bring an end to the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, who had led Libya since 1969. Fighting in Libya continues, however, between militias vying for control of the country.

Demographics

People walking in Algiers, Algeria. Image credit: Oguz Dikbakan/Shutterstock

The population of the Maghreb is about 100 million. An additional 4.5 million people can be added if Mauritania is included as part of the region. Algeria is the most populous country in the Maghreb, with about 43.8 million people living within its borders. Not too far behind is Morocco, with an estimated 36.9 million people. Tunisia has approximately 11.8 million inhabitants, while Libya has around 6.8 million. The disputed enclave of Western Sahara is the least populous of the Maghreb region, with less than 600,000 people living in it.

Most of the people living in the Maghreb are of Arab, Berber, or mixed Arab and Berber heritage. The Berbers, more properly called the Imazighen (Amazigh in singular form), are the original inhabitants of the Maghreb, having been in the region before the Arab invasions began in the 7th century CE. There are several subgroups of Berber peoples, who speak different Berber languages. Although stereotyped as nomads, most Berbers are actually farmers. For a long time, Europeans referred to northwest Africa as the Barbary Coast, denoting the presence of the Berbers in the region.

A Berber farmer in Morocco.

Both Arabic and Berber languages are spoken in the Maghreb, though it is the former that dominates. It should be noted, however, that the Arabic language is not uniform throughout the Maghreb region, nor is it uniform in other parts of the Arab world. The two most common varieties of Arabic spoken in the Maghreb are Hassaniya Arabic and Maghrebi Arabic, the latter of which has more than 70 million speakers, making it the most prevalent type of Arabic in the region. But Maghrebi Arabic can be further divided into national dialects spoken by Moroccans, Algerians, Tunisians, and Libyans. As a legacy of colonialism, French is still used, spoken, and understood in countries of the Maghreb that were once under French rule.
The Chinese economy is one of the world's most important economies. In 2017, according to the World Bank, the Chinese gross domestic product was the 2nd highest in the world standing at $2.24 trillion. On the other hand, in 2017 the Chinese per capita gross domestic product was approximately $8,827, which was the 72nd highest globally according to the International Monetary Fund. The Chinese economy is reliant on several of its natural resources such as fish, arable land, and minerals among others.

Water

Water is one of China's most critical natural resources since it is used for different purposes such as generating electricity and irrigating farms. Hydroelectricity is one of China's most important energy sources since it is the country's largest and most valuable renewable energy source. The Chinese government has facilitated the growth of the hydropower sector to ensure that China has sufficient energy to meet its energy requirements. China has the worlds largest hydroelectricity projects such as the Three Gorges Dam, the Xiluodu Dam, and the Ertan Dam. After its completion in 2012, the Three Gorges Dam became the worlds largest hydroelectric plant after dislodging the Itaipu Hydro Power Plant in Brazil and Paraguay. The power plant is generating 22,500 megawatts, while the Itaipu Dam is generating 14, 000 megawatts of electricity. The Chinese hydropower sector faces some significant challenges such as fluctuating water levels in the rivers and the low productivity of the country's hydropower plants.

Arable Land

In 2015, statistics from the World Bank indicated that roughly 12.7% of China's territory was considered arable land. The UN estimated that Chinese arable land only accounted for 7% of the world's entire arable land. Since 2006, the size of arable land in China has been decreasing, but due to several government initiatives, the size of arable land in China increased tremendously in 2015. Agriculture is a vital economic activity in China as it employs nearly 300 million individuals. Agriculture is also critical to the Chinese economy since it contributes huge sums of money to the nation's gross domestic product, and in 2016, estimates from the Chinese government indicated that the agriculture sector provided close to 8.7% of the country's gross domestic product. China produces more agricultural products than any other nation on earth. Due to China's massive size, Chinese farmers grow a wide variety of crops such as rice, tea, cotton, and wheat. Chinese agriculture faces numerous challenges such as crop diseases and natural calamities such as floods and droughts. The Chinese government is actively encouraging farmers to use modern farming methods to increase the country's agricultural output. Chinese farmers have readily taken up the use of machinery in their agricultural practices with some farmers using unmanned aerial vehicles.

Rice

Rice is an essential crop in China, and the nation produces more rice than any other country in the world. In China, the crucial rice-growing areas are located along the Yangtze River. Due to the complexities of rice cultivation, Chinese rice farmers are slower to mechanize their farms than other farmers. In some areas, Chinese rice farmers use buffalo-drawn plows to prepare their lands for cultivation. The most significant challenge facing rice growing in China is the poor transport system in some of the rice growing areas.

Livestock

The Chinese livestock industry is one of the country's best-developed industries. Chinese livestock farmers keep different types of animals such as buffaloes, pigs, cattle, and different types of poultry. The Chinese government has urged livestock farmers to invest in dairy production to meet the country's demand for dairy products. Chinese livestock farmers also keep a variety of unique animal species such as turtles to satisfy the local demand for exotic meat. Chinese turtle farmers sell roughly 300 million turtles each year.

Fish

Due to China's vast size, the nation has been blessed with a diverse range of fishing grounds ranging from oceans to rivers and lakes. The quantity of fish the Chinese people get from their wild fisheries is higher than the quantity of fish any other nation obtains from wild fisheries. The Chinese people have also been practicing aquaculture for a long period with historical evidence indicating that the practice dates back to the second millennium BC. China has a more vibrant aquaculture sector than any other nation in the world. In 2004, the Chinese government estimated that the country had exported roughly $6.6 billion worth of fish products.

Minerals

China has vast quantities of valuable minerals such as gold, aluminum, and lead among others. According to the Chinese government in 2013, the mining sector contributed roughly 4.3% of the country's gross domestic product. The Chinese labor department estimated that in 2014, the mining industry employed roughly 6 million people who constituted roughly 3.2% of the country's labor force. The Chinese government estimates that in 2014, the country exported roughly $2.34 trillion worth of minerals which was approximately 1.7% of the country's total exports. Companies owned by the Chinese government exploit most of the countrys minerals.

Coal

One of China's most important minerals is coal which is primarily used for the generation of electricity. China produces and uses up more coal than any other nation on earth. At the start of 2015, the Chinese government estimated that the nation had 114 tons of coal with anthracite coal accounting for more than half of China's coal reserves. The major challenge facing the Chinese coal sector is the fluctuation in global coal prices.

Gold

Chinese gold production was higher than the gold production in any other nation as estimates from the Chinese government indicated that in 2016, the nation produced roughly 46 tons of gold. Industry experts estimate that China's gold reserves are roughly 7% of the world's entire gold reserves. Most of the gold extraction in China take place in the country's eastern region in provinces such as Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian. China's gold reserves have attracted investment from foreign nations such as Canada and Australia. Apart from mining for gold within the country's border, the Chinese government has encouraged Chinese firms to mine for gold in other countries. As a result of the policy by 2015, Chinese corporations owned the mining rights to more than 120 African mines.

Oil and Natural Gas

China also has significant deposits of oil and natural gas most of which are located in the country's northeastern region. Most of the petroleum products that China produces are consumed locally with small quantities sold to other nations.
Belarus is an independent country situated in Eastern Europe. The nation is landlocked and occupies an area of 80,153 square miles. Belarus has a largely flat terrain with expansive areas of marshland. The countrys average elevation is 525 feet above sea level and has many streams and lakes. Forests occupy approximately 40% of land in Belarus. It experiences maritime and continental climates. Belarus is bordered by five European countries namely Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Russia. Some of the natural resources in Belarus are peat deposits, forests, oil, natural gas, brown coal, fertile land, limestone, Iron, clay, chalk, and sand.

Peat Deposits

Belarus has some peat deposits in its marshlands. Peat is a brown material made of partly decomposed vegetation and organic matter. It forms when decayed vegetation and other organic substances accumulate in their natural areas known as bogs, moors, and peatlands. The peat is harvested from the wetlands and dried to form bricks that can be used for heating. Peat is used as a substitute for firewood. In the early 20th century, before cooking gas gained popularity as a source of fuel in European countries, Peat was used in households for heating and cooking. The commodity is also used to power electric power plants. Peat reserves have significantly decreased in Belarus. Some of the peat deposits are in protected areas to preserve them from depletion.

Forests

Belarus has an abundance of forests, which form part of Belarus natural wealth. They are classified as state property. Forests in Belarus are comprised of diverse trees such as pines, oaks, birches, aspens, and other hardwood trees. Belarusian forests have led to the development of a huge forestry industry that is comprised of over five thousand enterprises. More than 146,000 Belarusian nationals work in the forestry industry. The forestry sector in Belarus provides timber for local and international markets. Since 2013, timber production in the country has steadily risen due to high demand from the construction industry, furniture manufacturing sector. Due to their importance to the country, the forests are protected and managed by Belarusian authorities.

Oil

Belarus has a significant amount of shale oil reserves within its borders. However, most of the oil reserves have remained unexploited. It is estimated that Belarus has between 5 and 11 billion tons of oil in reserves throughout the country. The main reasons the oil has not been exploited are the high cost of extraction, the high sulfur content in the oil, and existence of cheaper substitutes. In recent times, Belarus has developed interest in exploiting the oil deposits. The country has established partnerships with China and Estonia to help in the extraction of oil shale.

Natural Gas

Belarus has natural gas as part of its natural wealth. However, natural gas exists in small quantities. As of 2015, the nation produced 8.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Belarus has slightly more than 60 gas fields where the natural gas is extracted. Commercial extraction of natural gas and oil began in 1965 in Belarus. Belorusneft is one of the Belarusian companies that extract natural gas. The amount natural gas produced in Belarus is small, and as a result all the natural gas produced is consumed locally.

Brown Coal

Belarus has brown coal as part of its natural wealth, which is used as a source of fuel. The coal deposits in Belarus have not been fully exploited. The country has invited international companies to assist in exploring the naturally occurring commodity. However, environmental concerns often limit the use of coal as fuel.

Fertile Land

Belarus has plenty of fertile lands especially close to the river basins. The land is used to grow a variety of crops such as barley, wheat, potatoes, oats, sugar beets, and fodder. The fertile land supports the agricultural sector in Belarus. Most of the agricultural products produced in Belarus are sold in the local markets. Food processing is one big sector that provides employment to numerous Belarusians and contributes to the national income.

Limestone

Belarus has rich limestone deposits. State-owned companies mainly extract the limestone, which is mostly used as a raw material in cement production. Limestone is also used in making fertilizers. Belarus is listed as the worlds fourth largest producer of fertilizer. Additionally, limestone is regularly used in making lime, a product used in treating soil. Lastly, limestone is used in making paint, plastics, and medicine. The domestic market uses most of the limestone extracted in Belarus. The pits formed after limestone has been extracted provide a scenic landscape. Tourists often visit these limestone extraction sites for their unique terrain.

Iron And Steel

Belarus has major iron ores found within its borders. Iron and steel are important components in numerous sectors of the economy. The iron industry in Belarus mainly produces steel bars, iron pipes, metal cords, screws, wires, bolts, and nails. Close to 90% of the iron and steel in Belarus is produced by the Byelorussian Steel Works Company. The steel is used in diverse sectors such as construction and manufacturing.

Sand

Belarus has sand as part of its natural resources. The sand deposits are mainly found in the Eastern region of the country. The sand is mainly used in construction of homes, roads, and industrial plants. Some sand is also used to make glass and insulating material. Most of the sand reserves in Belarus are unexplored. In November 2018, the Belarusian government offered a sand site to foreign companies able to extract the sand.

The Significance Of Natural Resources In Belarus

Belarus has limited natural resources. The country owns and manages most of its natural resources. Belarus lacks the technological and infrastructural ability to explore some of its minerals and oil reserves. As a result, Belarus seeks foreign partners to assist in the exploration of its resources. The resources extracted in Belarus provide important raw materials for most industries in the country including the food industry, energy sector, construction industry, and the manufacturing sector. The natural resources of Belarus are key contributors to the countrys national income.
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.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  The community is invited to a focus group Tuesday night being held by the West Lafayette Parks Department. The city would like to share the universal bathroom concept with people. These private spaces are being built in the new recreation and aquatics center opening in 2020.

The meeting is being held in the old Happy Hollow elementary school off Salisbury Street at 4 p.m.

The parks department is hosting a focus group to show off this concept. They would also like to hear and know how they can make these spaces better. The bathrooms, changing rooms and showers will all be universal. You will be able to lock the door behind you in all of these spaces.

Parks Superintendent Kathy Lozano said this also eliminates the need for family changing areas.

"Because every changing room is a family changing room," Lozano said. "A young father with a 3-year-old could come in and take his young daughter in at any time and change her and not be afraid of going into the men's locker room with her."

Lozano said this is the way of the future and also cuts down on theft.

"This way the locker area is open, well seen by everyone in the facility at all times," Lozano said. "It will cut down on those opportunities for thieves."

Lozano said the West Lafayette rec center will be the first rec center in the state to have universal bathrooms. The groundbreaking for this new facility will happen in the spring.
All power has been restored in Lafayette as of Tuesday morning, according to the Duke website.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)- More than 3,000 customers are experiencing a power outage in Lafayette Monday night.

That's according to Duke Energy officials.

News 18 spoke with Government and Community Relations Manager for Duke Energy Dan Rhodes about the reported outage.

Rhodes said he does not know the cause of the outage yet, but assumes it could be weather-related.

According to Rhodes, there are four current events active as of 6:30 p.m. The majority of outages are located just north of the Ivy Tech Lafayette campus, east towards Dayton and Mulberry.

The first call reporting a power outage came in to Duke at 5:30 p.m. Monday night.

Rhodes told News 18 he does not have an estimate for restoration at this time. However, there are workers on site actively trying to fix the problem.

Click here to view the outage map.

This story will be updated.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York State Police say they began seizing plates from unauthorized limousines after an October crash in upstate New York that killed 20 people.

The Times Union of Albany reports police seized the plates of 59 vehicles after the Oct. 6 crash in Schoharie County, west of Albany.

The seizures effectively sidelined the vehicles and came at the request of the state transportation and motor vehicle officials. State officials refused to tell the newspaper which limo companies had their license plates pulled or why the actions weren't taken previously.

Prosecutors allege limousine company operator Nauman Hussain in October allowed an improperly licensed driver to operate an "unserviceable" vehicle. He has pleaded not guilty to criminally negligent homicide.

The accident also is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
ROME, N.Y.  Applications for the City of Romes Business Assistance Fund are now available.

The fund is part of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative that was awarded to the city by New York State in 2017.

A handful of Rome business owners met at Rome City Hall Monday to learn more about the application process and ask questions of city officials.

The funds can be used for building renovations, facade improvements, and signage, as well as handicap accessibility improvements.

However, City of Rome Marketing Coordinator, Makenzi Enos says businesses must be located in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative Zone that was predetermined by the state, to qualify.

The big part of this fund is that we want businesses to improve one another. So if a business makes an improvement it will get more people downtown. It will get more people to the Capitol Theater seeing shows, going to all the different businesses that are downtown. It will really help build each other up.

It should be noted that these are reimbursement funds.

The businesses must have the money for these projects ahead of time and the city will reimburse them if they qualify.

The deadline to apply for Business Assistance Funding is February 15 at 4:30 p.m. in Rome City Hall.

Click here for more information and to see if your business qualifies for assistance funding.
First BanCorp. operates as the bank holding company for FirstBank Puerto Rico that provides a range of financial products and services to retail, commercial, and institutional clients. The company operates in six segments: Commercial and Corporate Banking, Mortgage Banking, Consumer (Retail) Banking, Treasury and Investments, United States Operations, and Virgin Islands Operations. The Commercial and Corporate Banking segment offers commercial real estate and construction loans, floor plan financing, and cash and business management services. The Mortgage Banking segment engages in the origination, sale, and servicing of various residential mortgage loan products and related hedging activities; and acquisition and sale of mortgages in the secondary markets. The Consumer (Retail) Banking segment provides auto, boat, and personal loans; credit cards; lines of credit; deposit products comprising interest bearing and non-interest bearing checking and savings accounts, individual retirement accounts, and retail certificates of deposit (CDs); finance leasing and insurance services. The Treasury and Investments segment engages in the treasury and investment management activities, such as funding and liquidity management. The United States Operations segment offers savings, checking, and money market accounts, as well as retail CDs; and residential mortgages, home equity loans, lines of credit, and term loans, as well as Internet banking, cash management, remote data capture, and automated clearing house transaction services. The Virgin Islands Operations segment is involved in the consumer, commercial lending, and deposit-taking activities. As of December 31, 2020, the company operated 73 branches in Puerto Rico, 11 branches in the U.S. Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands, and 10 branches in the state of Florida. First BanCorp. was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Santurce, Puerto Rico.

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The EstAe Lauder Companies Inc. manufactures and markets skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. The company offers a range of skin care products, including moisturizers, serums, cleansers, toners, body care, exfoliators, acne care and oil correctors, facial masks, cleansing devices, and sun care products; and makeup products, such as lipsticks, lip glosses, mascaras, foundations, eyeshadows, nail polishes, and powders, as well as compacts, brushes, and other makeup tools. It also provides fragrance products in various forms comprising eau de parfum sprays and colognes, as well as lotions, powders, creams, candles, and soaps; and hair care products that include shampoos, conditioners, styling products, treatment, finishing sprays, and hair color products, as well as sells ancillary products and services. The company offers its products under EstAe Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, MAAAC, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin, Smashbox, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums FrAdAric Malle, GLAMGLOW, By Kilian, BECCA, Too Faced, RODIN olio lusso, FLIRT!, Kiton, and Tom Ford brands. It also holds license arrangements for Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan New York, DKNY, Michael Kors, Ermenegildo Zegna, Dr. Andrew Weil, TOM FORD BEAUTY, AERIN, and Tory Burch brands. The company sells its products through department stores, specialty-multi retailers, upscale perfumeries and pharmacies, and salons and spas; freestanding stores; its own and authorized retailer Websites; third-party online malls; stores in airports and on cruise ships; in-flight and duty-free shops; and self-select outlets. It has operations in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. The EstAe Lauder Companies Inc. has a joint development agreement with Atropos Therapeutics Inc. to discover senomodulators. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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Kunpeng 920 CPU lessens Chinas reliance on foreign suppliers

William Xu, board director and chief marketing officer of Huawei, shows the new CPU chipset to the audience. Photo: Chen Qingqing/GT

'Keep calm and carry on' could be the best phrase to describe China's Huawei Technologies for the moment, which has been caught in the crosshairs amid the US-China trade frictions.

While the US government is trying to block Chinese companies for geopolitical reasons, Huawei, along with other tech firms, stressed the importance of global collaboration, which is also an irreversible industry trend.

Huawei Technologies unveiled its latest core chipset central processing unit (CPU) on Monday in a boost for a domestic chip-making industry often interpreted and portrayed as overly dependent on foreign suppliers.

The Kunpeng 920 processor, based on the Arm architecture, has the industry's highest performance to meet diverse processing demands, Xu Wenwei or William Xu, board director and chief marketing officer of the company, told a launch event at Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province.

The main rival to the core chipset would appear to be the X86, made by US giant Intel Corp.

Huawei's cooperation with British chip design firm Arm - owned by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp - challenges Intel's dominance in server CPUs. The industry standard for decades, Intel controls nearly 97 percent of the world CPU market, according to a report by IDC in December 2018, global providers of market intelligence.

The timing of the release of the latest core chipset is meaningful, analysts said on Monday.

The US government has increasingly been flagging Chinese companies as security threats and explicitly targeting the Made in China 2025 State-led industrial policy that seeks to upgrade the country's high-tech manufacturing.

Alongside these long-term geopolitical pressures, the arrest on December 1 in Canada of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, has apparently not tempered Huawei's ambitions to catch up on its US tech rivals.

Over-reliance

Four other tech firms that have also unveiled chips using a 7-nanometer (nm) process - Apple, Qualcomm, Advanced Micro Devices and Xilinx - are all US companies.

"Huawei made breakthroughs in using a 7 nm chip, which demonstrated its research and development capabilities," Li Dan, an analyst at Beijing-based CCID Consulting, said.

Kunpeng 920 represents a step forward toward self-sufficiency in the Chinese chip-making industry and would reduce dependence on foreign suppliers such as Intel and Nvidia, Li noted.

The ZTE crisis has been widely seen as Sputnik moment for China's chip-making industry in 2018, and academics had deep reflection on the matter.

After the US government barred US companies from exporting core components to ZTE Corp saying the Chinese company had violated US export control regulations, the ban led to the near-collapse of the Shenzhen-based company: about 30-40 percent of its components were imported from the US.

An American extradition request to Canada led to the detention of Huawei's Meng for reportedly violating Iran sanctions, prompting concerns about the Chinese company.

"To some extent, it [Huawei] unveiled this core chipset to ease the concerns of some of its customers," said Liu Kun, a veteran industry analyst.

"The Chinese company is trying to tell the outside world that there is no need to be afraid of a possible US crackdown, and it is capable of ensuring the supply of its servers and equipment," he told the Global Times on Monday.

The logo for Huawei's headquarters 5G Park greets visitors to the park in Shenzhen. Photo: Chen Qingqing/GT

Collaboration future

Although Huawei chose Arm architecture to develop its CPU chipset, the Chinese company stressed its strategy would remain to seek out multiple suppliers while valuing its long-term partnership with Intel.

"Going forward, we expect, and we believe that the Arm ecosystem will continue to contribute to innovation," Allen Wu, executive chairman and CEO of Arm China, said at the event on Monday.

While Arm lags behind its major rival Intel, a tie-up with Huawei will also help the UK firm catch up by implementing its chipsets in more scenarios, analysts noted.

"Many domestic data centers in China are now considering purchasing Huawei's servers and products, which will also help the UK-based firm to continuously improve its performance," Liu said.

Facing concerns over whether US-China tensions might fragment the global tech industry, Huawei's leadership also stressed the importance of global collaboration as an irreversible industrial trend. Xu said the industry has already reached a consensus on an open and shared community to help advance technological breakthroughs.

"In the high technology sector, global collaboration is always a must," Xu told the audience.
The following companies are subsidiares of POSCO: 2015 POSCO New technology II Fund, BLUE O&M Co. Ltd., Brazil Sao Paulo Steel Processing Center, Busan E&E Co. Ltd., DAESAN (CAMBODIA) Co. Ltd., DAEWOO INTERNATIONAL GUANGZHOU CORP., Daewoo Amara Company Limited, Daewoo Global Development. Pte. Ltd, Daewoo International, Daewoo Power and Infra (PTY) Limited, Daewoo Precious Resources Co. Ltd., Future Creation Fund Postech Early Stage account, GOLDEN LACE POSCO INTERNATIONAL CO. LTD., GRAIN TERMINAL HOLDING PTE. LTD., Growth Ladder POSCO K-Growth Global Fund, HONG KONG POSCO E&C (CHINA) INVESTMENT Co. Ltd., HOTEL LAONZENA, HUME COAL PTY LTD, Hunchun Posco Hyundai Logistics, JB CLARK HILLS(*1), Korea Fuel Cell, LA-SRDC, Mapo Hibroad Parking Co. Ltd., MegaAsset Co. Ltd., Myanmar POSCO C&C Company Limited., Myanmar POSCO Engineering & Construction Company Limited., Myanmar POSCO Steel Co. Ltd, Mykolaiv Milling Works PJSC., PGSF L.P., PNR, POS-CD PTY LTD, POS-GC PTY LTD, POS-LT Pty Ltd, POS-Minerals Corporation, POS-NP PTY LTD, POS-ORE PTY LTD, POSCAN Elkview, POSCO (Thailand) Company Limited, POSCO A&C, POSCO AFRICA (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED, POSCO AMERICA ALABAMA PROCESSING CENTER CO. LTD., POSCO AMERICA COMERCIALIZADORA S DE RL DE CV, POSCO ASSAN TST STEEL INDUSTRY, POSCO AUSTRALIA GP PTY LIMITED, POSCO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, POSCO America Corporation, POSCO Argentina S.A.U., POSCO Asia Co. Ltd., POSCO CHEMICAL CO. LTD., POSCO COATED STEEL (THAILAND) CO. LTD., POSCO Canada Ltd., POSCO Center Beijing, POSCO ChengDu Processing Center, POSCO China Dalian Plate Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO Coated & Color Steel Co. Ltd., POSCO DAEWOO E&P CANADA CORPORATION, POSCO DAEWOO WAIGAOQIAO SHANGHAI CO. LTD, POSCO E&C (THAILAND) CO. Ltd., POSCO E&C CHINA Co. Ltd., POSCO E&C HOLDINGS CO. Ltd., POSCO E&C Mongolia, POSCO E&C SMART S DE RL DE CV, POSCO E&C Vietnam Co. Ltd., POSCO ENERGY CO. LTD., POSCO ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION DO BRAZIL LTDA., POSCO ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION. CO. LTD., POSCO ENGINEERING (THAILAND) CO. LTD., POSCO ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION AUSTRALIA (POSCO E&C AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, POSCO ES MATERIALS CO. LTD., POSCO Engineering and Construction India Private Limited, POSCO Europe Steel Distribution Center, POSCO Family Strategy Fund, POSCO GEM 1th Fund, POSCO Gulf SFC LLC, POSCO Humans, POSCO ICT, POSCO ICT BRASIL, POSCO ICT VIETNAM, POSCO ICT-China Co. Ltd, POSCO INDIA PROCESSING CENTER PRIVATE LIMITED, POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CHINA) CO. LTD, POSCO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA CORP., POSCO INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY. LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL Corporation, POSCO INTERNATIONAL Deutschland GMBH, POSCO INTERNATIONAL INDIA PVT. LTD, POSCO INTERNATIONAL ITALIA S.R.L., POSCO INTERNATIONAL JAPAN CORP., POSCO INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIA SDN BHD, POSCO INTERNATIONAL MEXICO S.A DE C.V., POSCO INTERNATIONAL MYANMAR CORPORATION LIMITED, POSCO INTERNATIONAL POWER (PNGLAE) LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL POWER(PNGPOM) LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL SHANGHAI CO. LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE LLC., POSCO INTERNATIONAL UKRAINE LLC., POSCO INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED, POSCO India Steel Distribution Center Private Ltd., POSCO JAPAN Co. Ltd., POSCO Japan PC CO. LTD, POSCO M-TECH, POSCO MAURITIUS LIMITED, POSCO MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., POSCO MPPC S.A. de C.V., POSCO Maharashtra Steel Private Limited, POSCO NCR Coal Ltd., POSCO O&M CO. Ltd. (formerly POSMATE), POSCO Philippine Manila Processing Center Inc., POSCO Processing&Service, POSCO RU Limited Liability Company, POSCO Research & Technology, POSCO Research Institute, POSCO SINGAPORE LNG TRADING PTE. LTD., POSCO SS VINA JOINT STOCK COMPANY (Formerly POSCO SS VISA CO. Ltd.), POSCO SUZHOU PROCESSING CENTER CO. LTD., POSCO TMC INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, POSCO TNPC Otomotiv Celik San. Ve Tic. A.S, POSCO Thainox Public Company Limited, POSCO VST CO. LTD., POSCO Venture Capital Co. Ltd., POSCO Vietnam Processing Center. Co. Ltd, POSCO WA PTY LTD, POSCO WOMANS FUND, POSCO(Chongqing) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Dalian) IT Center Development Co. Ltd., POSCO(Guangdong) Automotive Steel Co. Ltd., POSCO(Guangdong) Coated Steel Co. Ltd., POSCO(Liaoning) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Suzhou) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Wuhu) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Yantai Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO-CFPC Co. Ltd., POSCO-CTPC Co. Ltd., POSCO-China Holding Corp., POSCO-China Qingdao Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO-India Private Limited, POSCO-India Pune Processing Center. Pvt. Ltd., POSCO-Indonesia Jakarta Processing Center, POSCO-Italy Processing Center, POSCO-MKPC SDN BHD, POSCO-Malaysia SDN. BHD., POSCO-Mexico Villagran Wire-rod Processing Center, POSCO-Poland Wroclaw Processing Center Sp. z o. o., POSCO-South Asia Company Limited, POSCO-TISCO (JILIN) PROCESSING CENTER Co. Ltd., POSCO-Terminal Co. Ltd., POSCO-VIETNAM Co. Ltd., POSMATE-CHINA CO. LTD, PSC Energy Global Co. Ltd., PT KRAKATAU BLUE WATER, PT. Bio Inti Agrindo, PT. KRAKATAU POSCO, PT. KRAKATAU POSCO ENERGY, PT. POSCO E&C INDONESIA, PT.Krakatau Posco Chemtech Calcination, PT.Krakatau Posco Social Enterprise, PT.MRI, PT.POSCO ICT INDONESIA, PT.POSCO INDONESIA INTI, Pohang Scrap Recycling Distribution Center Co. Ltd., Pos-Sea Pte Ltd, Posco Group University, Posco e&c Songdo International Building, Qingdao Pohang Stainless Steel Co. Ltd., SANPU TRADING Co. Ltd., SPH Co LTD., SUZHOU POSCO-CORE TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD., Songdo Development PMC (Project Management Company) LLC., Suncheon Eco Trans Co. LTD, TANCHEON E&E (formerly POSCO E&E), Ventanas Philippines Construction Inc, Yuzhnaya Stevedoring Company Limited LLC., ZHEJIANG POSCO-HUAYOU ESM CO. LTD, Zhangjiagang BLZ Pohang International Trading, Zhangjiagang Pohang Refractories Co. Ltd., Zhangjiagang Pohang Stainless Steel Co. Ltd., Zhangjigang Pohang Port Co. Ltd., and eNtoB Corporation.
Embraer S.A. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells aircrafts and systems in Brazil, North America, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, Brazil, Europe, and internationally. It operates through Defense and Security; Executive Jets; Service & Support; and Other segments. The Defense and Security segment engages in the research, development, production, modification, and support for military defense and security aircraft, as well as offers a range of products and integrated solutions that include radars, special space systems (satellites), and information and communications systems, such as command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. The Executive Jets segment develops, produces, and sells executive jets. It also leases Legacy 600 and Legacy 650 executive jets in the super midsize and large categories; Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 executive jets in the midlight and midsize categories; Phenom family executive jets in the entry jet and light jet categories; Lineage 1000, an ultra-large executive jet; and Praetor 500 and Praetor 600, disruptive executive jets in the midsize and super midsize categories. The Service & Support segment offers after-service solutions, support, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for commercial, executive, and defense aircraft; provides aircraft components and engines; and supplies steel and composite aviation structures to various aircraft manufacturers. The Other segment is involved in the supply of fuel systems, structural parts, and mechanical and hydraulic systems; and production of agricultural crop-spraying aircraft. The company was formerly known as Embraer-Empresa Brasileira de AeronAutica S.A. and changed its name to Embraer S.A. in November 2010. Embraer S.A. was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in SAo Paulo, Brazil.

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National Australia Bank Limited provides financial services to individuals and businesses in Australia, New Zealand, and internationally. It operates through Business and Private Banking, Personal Banking, Corporate and Institutional Banking, and New Zealand Banking segments. It operates through Business and Private Banking; Personal Banking; Corporate and Institutional Banking; New Zealand Banking; Corporate Functions and Other; and MLC Wealth segments. The company accepts transaction accounts, savings accounts, deposit accounts, and term deposits; and specialized accounts, such as foreign currency, business interest, statutory trust, community free saver, farm management, and project bank accounts, as well as farm management deposits. National Australia Bank Limited also provides home loans; personal loans; business loans; vehicle and equipment finance; and trade and invoice finance, as well as business overdrafts and bank guarantees. In addition, the company offers insurance products consisting of car, home and content, landlord, travel, caravan and trailer, life, and business insurance products; and pension, superannuation, self-managed super funds, cash management, and financial planning and advisory services. Further, it provides investment products; credit, debit, and business cards; payments and merchant services; travel services; online and internet banking services; small business services; international and foreign exchange solutions; and industry specific banking services. National Australia Bank Limited was founded in 1834 and is based in Docklands, Australia.

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HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells lighting and electronic components and systems for automotive industry worldwide. It operates through three segments: Automotive, Aftermarket, and Special Applications. The Automotive segment offers headlamps, rear combination lamps, car body and interior lighting products, and radomes; and body electronics, energy management, lighting electronics, and steering solutions, as well as driver assistance systems and components, including sensors and engine compartment actuators. The Aftermarket segment produces and sells automotive parts and accessories primarily in the areas of lighting, electrics, and electronics; and provides workshop solutions in the areas of diagnostics and calibration, as well as various services for wholesalers and workshops. The Special Applications segment develops, manufactures, and markets lighting technology and electronic products for special vehicles comprising construction and agricultural machinery, buses, and motor homes, as well as for the marine sector. The company has strategic collaboration with AEye, Inc. to develop LiDAR sensor systems. The company was formerly known as HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co. and changed its name to HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA in October 2017. HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Lippstadt, Germany. As of June 26, 2020, HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA operates as a subsidiary of Hella Stiftung GmbH.

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PCS Edventures!.com, Inc. develops, markets, and distributes technology-based educational products and services to the pre-kindergarten through university classroom, the K-12 afterschool, the private learning center, and the home school markets in the United States and internationally. Its products include PCS Edventures! Labs, a learning center that offers teaching in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); and PCS BrickLab, a system of building blocks combined with PCS curriculum resources that address technology, math, construction engineering, communication, and science principles. The company also provides PCS Digital Media Labs, which contains lesson plans, a hard cover mobile case, digital cameras, camcorders or voice recorders, accessories, and a teacher guide; and PCS Academy of Engineering Lab, a STEM based program that is designed for use in tech-ed programs and for various environments through 10 student modules, such as hardware, software, lab furniture, and curriculum. In addition, it offers PCS Edventures Robotics system, a platform that provides various robotics lab implementations to its RiQ robot kits for home users, as well as engages students in various areas, including computer programming, physics, math, and other topics; PCS Discover STEM Lab, a modular program that provides activities for afterschool facilitators in the areas of STEM; summer camp packages, which offer summer camp solutions for schools and afterschool programs; and Riot, a racing drone product. The company was formerly known as PCS Education Systems, Inc. and changed its name to PCS Edventures!.com, Inc. in March 2000. PCS Edventures!.com, Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is based in Boise, Idaho.

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First Horizon Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank that provides various financial services. The company operates through four segments: Regional Banking, Fixed Income, Corporate, and Non-Strategic. It offers general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments. The company also underwrites bank-eligible securities and other fixed-income securities eligible for underwriting by financial subsidiaries; sells loans and derivatives; and offers advisory services. In addition, it offers various services, such as mortgage banking; title insurance and loan-closing; brokerage; correspondent banking; nationwide check clearing and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency; equipment finance; and investment and financial advisory services. Further, the company sells mutual fund and retail insurance products; and credit cards. It operates approximately 490 banking offices in 12 states under the First Horizon Bank brand; and 29 offices in 18 states under the FHN Financial brand in the United States. The company was formerly known as First Horizon National Corporation and changed its name to First Horizon Corporation in November 2020. First Horizon Corporation was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.

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Wall Street analysts have given Detour Gold 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 Detour Gold wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Veritiv Corporation operates as a business-to-business provider of value-added packaging products and services, as well as facility solutions, print, and publishing products and services in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and internationally. The Packaging segment provides custom and standard packaging solutions. The Facility Solutions segment sources and sells cleaning, break-room, and other supplies, such as towels, tissues, commercial cleaning chemicals, personal protective equipment and safety supplies, wipers, can liners, soaps and sanitizers, dispensers, sanitary maintenance supplies and equipment, hazard supplies, and shampoos and amenities. The Print segment sells and distributes commercial printing, writing, copying, digital, and specialty products; and graphics consumables and equipment. It also provides customized paper conversion services of commercial printing paper for distribution to document centers and form printers. The Publishing segment sells and distributes coated and uncoated commercial printing papers to publishers, retailers, converters, printers, and specialty businesses for use in magazines, catalogs, books, directories, gaming, couponing, retail inserts, and direct mail. This segment also provides print management, procurement, and supply chain management solutions. The company also offers logistics solutions. Veritiv Corporation offers its products under the Endurance, nordic+, Comet, Starbrite Opaque Select, TUFflex, Reliable, and Spring Grove brands, as well as other brands to customers in manufacturing, food processing and service, fulfillment and internet retail, property management, higher education, healthcare, entertainment and hospitality, commercial printing and publishing sectors. As of December 31, 2020 the Company operated approximately 125 distribution centers. Veritiv Corporation was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Celanese Corporation, a technology and specialty materials company, manufactures and sells high performance engineered polymers in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Engineered Materials, Acetate Tow, and Acetyl Chain segments. The Engineered Materials segment develops, produces, and supplies specialty polymers for automotive and medical applications, as well as for use in industrial products and consumer electronics. It also offers acesulfame potassium, a sweetener for use in various beverages, confections, and dairy products; and food protection ingredients, such as potassium sorbate and sorbic acid for use in foods, beverages, and personal care products. The Acetate Tow segment provides acetate tows and flakes for use in filter products applications. The Acetyl Chain segment produces and supplies acetyl products, including acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomers, acetic anhydride, and acetate esters that are used as starting materials for colorants, paints, adhesives, coatings, and pharmaceuticals; and organic solvents and intermediates for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical products. It also offers vinyl acetate-based emulsions for use in paints and coatings, adhesives, construction, glass fiber, textiles, and paper applications; and ethylene vinyl acetate resins and compounds, as well as low-density polyethylene for use in flexible packaging films, lamination film products, hot melt adhesives, automotive parts, and carpeting applications. In addition, it manufactures ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Celanese Corporation was founded in 1918 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

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Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

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Avalara, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides cloud-based solutions for transaction tax compliance worldwide. The company offers a suite of compliance solutions that enable businesses to address the complexity of transaction tax compliance; process transactions in real time; produce detailed records of transaction tax determinations; and reduce errors, audit exposure, and total transaction tax compliance costs. The company's solutions include AvaTax, a solution for determining sales tax in the United States; Avalara Returns for tax return preparation, filing, and remittance; and Avalara Compliance Document Management solution, which creates, validates, stores, and manages sales tax exemption and reseller certificates. It also provides professional services, including nexus studies and analysis, voluntary compliance initiatives, tax registrations, and specialized tax research; MatrixMaster, a product taxability database for retail operations; Avalara CloudConnect, a hardware device for processing and storing transactions on-site for regularly scheduled uploads to AvaTax; Avalara Licensing, an online platform for business licenses and sales tax registrations; VAT Expert, a Web-based solution that checks the validity of customer and supplier value-added tax (VAT) numbers and provides VAT determinations in the form of invoices; and Brazilian tax compliance solutions that address the Brazilian transaction tax regimes through electronic compliance report validation, electronic invoice authentication and preparation, tax determination, and returns preparation; and Avalara Item Classification, a solution that addresses the process of assigning proper country-specific Harmonized System codes to products. The company was formerly known as Advantage Solutions, Inc. and changed its name to Avalara, Inc. in December 2005. Avalara, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

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3 hours ago

| June 15th | 2021 7:40 AM

Does Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) Have What It Takes To Be A Winner In 2021?

Though Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) stock was cut in half during the dark days of February and March of last year, Wall Street quickly realized that convenient fast food would probably be towards the bottom of the list of things to be cut by hard-hit consumers who were tightening the proverbial belts. So back the stock roared and since this time last
Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and creditor and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its field sales force, advice centers, and online, as well as through independent insurance advisors and affinity relationships. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset, cash management, transaction banking, and treasury services to institutional clients; correspondent banking and trade finance services for financial institutions; and short-term funding and liquidity management services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, governments, and central banks. Royal Bank of Canada has a strategic partnership with Royal College Of Physicians & Surgeons Of Canada to support the needs of Canada's medical specialists. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Deckers Outdoor Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, markets, and distributes footwear, apparel, and accessories for casual lifestyle use and high performance activities. It offers premium footwear, apparel, and accessories under the UGG brand name; sport sandals, shoes, and boots under the Teva brand name; and relaxed casual shoes and sandals under the Sanuk brand name. The company also provides footwear and apparel for ultra-runners and athletes under the Hoka brand name; and fashion casual footwear using sheepskin and other plush materials under the Koolaburra brand. It sells its products through department stores, domestic independent action sports and outdoor specialty footwear retailers, and larger national retail chains, as well as online retailers. The company also sells its products directly to consumers through its retail stores and e-commerce Websites, as well as distributes its products through distributors and retailers in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, Latin America, and internationally. As of March 31, 2020, it had 145 retail stores, including 76 concept stores and 69 outlet stores worldwide. The company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Goleta, California.

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Altice USA, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides broadband communications and video services in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. It offers broadband, video, telephony, and mobile services to approximately 5 million residential and business customers. The company's video services include delivery of broadcast stations and cable networks; over the top services; video-on-demand, high-definition channels, digital video recorder, and pay-per-view services; and platforms for video programming through mobile applications. It also provides VoIP telephone services; and mobile services, such as data, talk, and text. In addition, the company offers Ethernet, data transport, IP-based virtual private networks, Internet access, and telephony services; hosted telephony services, managed Wi-Fi, managed desktop and server backup, and managed collaboration services comprising audio and web conferencing; fiber-to-the-tower services to wireless carriers; data services, consisting of wide area networking and dedicated data access, as well as wireless mesh networks; and enterprise class telephone services that include traditional multi-line phone service. Further, it provides business e-mail, hosted private branch exchange, Web space storage, and network security monitoring; and international calling and toll free numbers. Additionally, the company offers audience-based and IP-authenticated cross-screen advertising solutions; and television and digital advertising services, as well as operates news channels under the News 12 Networks, Cheddar, and i24NEWS names. It also provides network construction and maintenance services and commercial and residential installations, disconnections, and maintenance services. The company provides communications and video services under Optimum and Suddenlink brand names. The company was incorporated in 2015 and is headquartered in Long Island City, New York. Altice USA, Inc. is a subsidiary of Next Alt. S.a.r.l.

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AmerisourceBergen Corporation sources and distributes pharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally. Its Pharmaceutical Distribution segment distributes brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, outsourced compounded sterile preparations, and related services to various healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and other alternate site pharmacies, and other customers. It also provides pharmacy management, staffing, and other consulting services; supply management software to retail and institutional healthcare providers; and packaging solutions to various institutional and retail healthcare providers. In addition, this segment distributes plasma and other blood products, injectable pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other specialty products; provides other services primarily to physicians who specialize in various disease states, primarily oncology, as well as to other healthcare providers, including hospitals and dialysis clinics; and offers data analytics, outcomes research, and additional services for biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company's Other segment provides integrated manufacturer services, such as clinical trial support, product post-approval, and commercialization support; offers specialty transportation and logistics services for the biopharmaceutical industry; and sells pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, micro feed ingredients, and various other products to customers in both the companion animal and production animal markets, as well as provides demand-creating sales force services to manufacturers. AmerisourceBergen Corporation was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania.

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Quilters from all over south central Wisconsin will gather in Wisconsin Dells this February to take part in the Quilts of Valor National Sew Day.

The national event takes place annually, with quilters gathering to create unique works of art that are awarded to veterans throughout the year. This year the event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 2, at the Kilbourn Public Library, 620 Elm St., Wisconsin Dells.

During the six-year life of the event in the Dells area, the regional branch of the Quilts of Valor organization has awarded at least one quilt to an area veteran on National Sew Day, with two quilts set to be awarded this year. The organization also awards quilts throughout the rest of the year as applications are received.

These quilts are not a gift and cannot be bought, only awarded, said event co-organizer Barbara Sigmund. These are service members who have been touched by war and we could not find anyone more deserving.

Blue Star mother Catherine Roberts founded the organization in 2005 while her son was serving in Iraq. Roberts started with a few friends, but the organization grew quickly. Since 2005 more than 200,000 quilts have been awarded to veterans throughout the nation, with Wisconsin veterans receiving 596 Quilts of Valor in 2018.

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A 50-year-old Pardeeville woman has been charged with her seventh operating while intoxicated offense.

The charge against Kelly K. Rucks, 50, of Pardeeville, carries a maximum fine of $25,000 and a sentence of up to 12 years in prison. She had been charged with six prior drunken driving offenses since 1989.

According to the criminal complaint, a Columbia County sheriffs deputy responded to a residence at 2:16 p.m. Jan. 2 in the 100 block of Washington Street in Pardeeville after a woman called to report that a 20-year-old man had crashed her car into her birdbath.

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Authorities approached the home, and a woman answered the door and identified herself as Rucks. According to the complaint, the woman had bloodshot and glassy eyes and a strong odor of intoxicants, leading them to believe she was intoxicated. Authorities said a preliminary breathalyzer test showed Rucks had a blood to alcohol ratio of 0.259, more than three times the legal limit to drive in Wisconsin. Due to the number of her previous drunken driving convictions, Rucks legal limit is .02.
FFA Creed Speaking Speak Off: Columbus FFA had five freshmen interested in participating in the FFA Creed contest this year. This contest involves memorizing all five paragraphs of the FFA creed and then recite it and answer questions demonstrating the members ability to understand the meaning of the creed. The chapter can only enter two Creed speakers at the District contest so a speak-off was held Jan. 4. The Creed speakers were able to recite the Creed to demonstrate their level of memorization and speaking ability at this point. Last years Creed speakers helped evaluate the speakers.

Parliamentary Procedure Team: Columbus FFA has a team of seven FFA members to form a parliamentary procedure team. The members began practicing this week. The parliamentary procedure contest is one of the most esteemed Leadership Development Events (LDE) in the FFA. The team consists of six members, they are challenged to demonstrate five motions, and five additional motions within a ten minute frame of time. After they complete the demonstration, they have to answer questions about parliamentary procedure rules. This years team members include Abbygail Hayes (Chair), Amanda Dunbar (Secretary), Corrina Larson, Garret Baerwolf, Kyle Kilian, Jordan Prosser and Emma Paulson. The team will be busy practicing over the next two weeks to prepare for the district contest.
These cases need to be expedited for the safety of the public as well as the financial stability of the city and for taxpayers.

While an expedited adjudication process is preferred by all, when cases must be reviewed externally, the jurisdiction of origin cedes control over the investigative process and workload priority level, said Racine Police Chief Art Howell. While not optimal, when cases are transferred to other jurisdictions for impartial review, external agencies must balance their existing caseload with the added workload that comes with accepting external cases.

Howell was right to transfer the Stulo case to the Racine County Sheriffs Office and, equally so, Racine County District Attorney Tricia Hanson was right to have the case transferred to Kenosha County District Attorneys Office. But that doesnt change how the case should be handled.

Kenosha County officials should treat this case as they would want Racine County to treat one involving one of their officers. It should be expedited.

In the meantime, the state government should take action to prevent such extended leaves of absence.

State Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, has proposed legislation that would prevent long paid suspensions. There is no length limit on paid suspensions in Wisconsin.
Winona County Sheriff's Office

Monday

1:07 p.m.  Employees at Bobcat of the Coulee Region in Dresbach reported the theft of a 2015 Bobcat track loader, valued at $37,878, from the business's lot. It is estimated that the theft occurred within the last four months.
An 18-year-old Lewiston woman was injured Friday when she attempted to avoid a vehicle on Hwy. 14 in Utica.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Taylynn Rebecca Kirtley was heading east in a 2005 Honda Accord on Hwy. 14 when a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer driven by Carter Joseph Haag, 19, of Lewiston, attempted to make a left-hand turn out of a driveway.

Kirtley swerved in an attempted to avoid Haags vehicle, but her vehicle struck the Blazer, according to the report.

Kirtley was taken to Winona Health with non-life threatening injuries. Haag was uninjured.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts and alcohol wasnt a factor, according to the report. Winona County Sheriffs Office, Lewiston Ambulance and Lewiston Fire assisted on the call.

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At least a dozen Winonans woke Sunday to find their homes covered in pink and green spray paint.

The vandal responsible for tagging the homes, 22-year-old Cleveland Allen Brown of Winona, was taken was taken into custody shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday.

The would-be artists escapades were brought to an end after a Winona man living on the 850 block of East Mark Street reported Brown spray painting his neighbors home.

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Brown was caught by police responding to the area spotted him.

According to the report, Brown had green paint on his hands and two cans of spray paint matching the colors of those used to vandalize the homes.

Brown was arrested on an unrelated warrant. Additional charges are pending damage estimates from the 12 residences.

Tobias Mann covers crime and government in Winona County. He can be reached at 507-453-3522 or at tobias.mann@winonadailynews.com

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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall Tuesday night in a sombre televised address that was heavy with dark immigration rhetoric but offered little in the way of concessions or new ideas to break the standoff that has left large swaths of the government shuttered for 18 days.

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In this Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, photo visitors to Great Smoky Mountain National Park drive through the park but facilities like the Sugarlands and Cades Cove visitor centers in Townsend, Tenn. Nonprofits, businesses and state governments nationwide are putting up money and volunteer hours in a battle to keep national parks safe and clean for visitors as the partial U.S. government shutdown lingers. (Robert Berlin/The Daily Times via AP)

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall Tuesday night in a sombre televised address that was heavy with dark immigration rhetoric but offered little in the way of concessions or new ideas to break the standoff that has left large swaths of the government shuttered for 18 days.

Speaking to the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued the wall was needed to resolve a security and humanitarian "crisis," blaming illegal immigration for what he said was a scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and asking: "How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?"

Democrats in response accused Trump appealing to "fear, not facts" and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

Using the formal trappings of the White House, Trump hoped to gain the upper hand in the standoff over his demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He plans a visit to the border Thursday as he continues to pitch what was a signature promise of his 2016 presidential campaign.

He addressed the nation as the shutdown stretched through its third week, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers going without pay and some congressional Republicans growing increasingly jittery about the spreading impact of the impasse. Trump will visit the Capitol on Wednesday to meet with Senate Republicans, and has invited Democratic and Republican congressional leaders to return to the White House to meet with him later that day.

Floodlights from the U.S, illuminate multiple border walls Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, seen from Tijuana, Mexico. With no breakthrough in sight, President Donald Trump will argue his case to the nation Tuesday night that a "crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico border requires the long and invulnerable wall he's demanding before ending the partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

He claimed the standoff could be resolved in "45 minutes" if Democrats would just negotiate, but previous meetings have led to no agreement.

For now, Trump sees this as winning politics. TV networks had been reticent about providing him airtime to make what some feared would be a purely political speech. And that concern was heightened by the decision Tuesday by Trump's re-election campaign to send out fundraising emails and text messages to supporters trying to raise money off the speech. Their goal: A half-million dollars in a single day.

"I just addressed the nation on Border Security. Now need you to stand with me," read one message sent out after his remarks.

Floodlights from the U.S, illuminate the border wall, topped with razor wire, as a people pass Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, at the beach in Tijuana, Mexico. With no breakthrough in sight, President Donald Trump will argue his case to the nation Tuesday night that a "crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico border requires the long and invulnerable wall he's demanding before ending the partial government shutdown. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

In their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers.

Negotiations on wall funding could proceed in the meantime, they said.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., speaks during a demonstration against the partial government shutdown in view of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

In his dire address, Trump ticked off a string of statistics and claims to make his case that there is a crisis at the border, but a number of his statements were misleading, such as saying the new trade deal with Mexico would pay for the wall, or suggesting through gruesome examples that immigrants are more likely to commit crime.

Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall. But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.

Trump used emotional language, referring to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, saying: "I've met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. I've held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible."

White House senior adviser Kellyanne Conway talks with reporters outside the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

The president often highlights such incidents, though studies over several years have found immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.

Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without getting congressional approval for the billions he's requested. But he did not mention that Tuesday night.

The partial government shutdown reached its 18th day, making the closure the second-longest in history. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going without pay, and government disruptions are hitting home with everyday Americans.

Federal Aviation Administration employee Michael Jessie, who is currently working without pay as an aviation safety inspector for New York international field office overseeing foreign air carriers, holds a sign while attending a news conference at Newark Liberty International Airport, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, in Newark, N.J. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Bob Menendez called a news conference at the airport to address the partial government shutdown, which is keeping some airport employees working without pay. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Trump was nearly halfway through his 9-minute address before he ever mentioned the border wall, describing it as a request from law enforcement rather than his own longstanding political pledge. He also suggested that his proposal to build the wall from steel, rather than concrete, was a concession to Democrats, although they don't see it that way.

Trump sought to put the blame on Democrats for the standoff, saying they "will not fund border security." In fact, House Democrats passed legislation the day they took control of the House that offered $1.3 billion for border security. And Senate Democrats have approved similar funding year after year.

Seeking to keep up pressure on Trump and the Republicans, Pelosi said the House would begin passing individual bills this week to reopen some federal agencies, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds. The administration says it will act on its own to ensure the refunds.

Ahead of the speech, the White House sought to shore up GOP support on Capitol Hill, where a growing number of Republicans have been expressing unease with the extended shutdown. But GOP lawmakers were still raising concerns Tuesday, talking about disruptions in payments to farmers and troubles for home buyers trying to get government-backed mortgage loans. Vice-President Mike Pence met privately with House Republicans, urging them to "stand strong" and insisting the White House wants to negotiate, according to people familiar with the conversation.

He also told the group that Trump won't retreat. "That pickup ain't got reverse in it," he said.

AP writers Colleen Long, Alan Fram and Deb Riechmann contributed.
The small group of Canadian senators and MPs visiting China this week provides an avenue for continuing the Sino-Canadian conversation about the Huawei executive being held in Vancouver and the two Canadians who have been imprisoned in China. The Canadian parliamentarians should make the most of it.

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The small group of Canadian senators and MPs visiting China this week provides an avenue for continuing the Sino-Canadian conversation about the Huawei executive being held in Vancouver and the two Canadians who have been imprisoned in China. The Canadian parliamentarians should make the most of it.

They should explain as clearly as possible to the Chinese authorities they meet about Canadas extradition treaty with the United States and the extradition request we received from the U.S. They should point out that Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of the smartphone-maker Huawei, appeared in court with her lawyer, was granted bail and is now living in one of the Vancouver homes she owns. She was detained because the U.S. authorities accuse her of fraud against her companys bankers and wish to put her on trial. Canada is studying the matter in its careful and public way.

Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press Files Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould

The Canadian parliamentarians should press the case for release of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, now an adviser to the International Crisis Group, and Michael Spavor, a Canadian entrepreneur who specializes in lining up westerners visits to North Korea. The two Michaels were grabbed by Chinese security police for reasons that have never been disclosed, apparently as retaliation for the Dec. 1 detention of Meng. Canadas ambassador has been allowed to see each of them once. They are behind bars somewhere in China, have no lawyers to speak for them and are apparently subject to the aggressive interrogation that China often inflicts on its prisoners.

Canada has scrupulously followed its own laws in the Meng case. There is no point in denying, however, that the case may have political dimensions. The United States is engaged in a vast and complex negotiation with China over trade barriers, currency manipulation and related issues. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly said he might release Ms. Meng as part of a trade settlement. After the Vancouver court has examined the extradition demand, Canadas Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould will decide how to respond, and political considerations could affect her decision.

These political dimensions, however, do not immediately release Canada from its obligations under the extradition treaty. They raise a question about the purpose underlying the U.S. extradition request. That question can be examined by the Vancouver court in the context of the content of the extradition demand and all its circumstances. It can be further examined by the justice minister when she reaches her conclusion.

The Meng extradition case will be resolved one way or another, as will the cases of the two Michaels, and then Canada and China will have to resume their efforts to expand their trade, their cultural ties and their exchanges of university students and tourists. The visit of the parliamentary delegation shows that Canada and China have relations at many levels. Ms. Meng and the two Michaels are the big Canada-China problem of this moment, but they are not the entire substance of Canada-China relations.

China should eventually recognize that Canada is blameless in all this. It should also recognize that people like Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor are vital links between China and the West. It should be encouraging and supporting such people and their work, not clapping them in prison and treating them as hostages for an eventual prison exchange.
Two men accused of manslaughter in a high-profile case should have known the robbery they planned in response to an unresolved drug debt would have had harmful consequences, Crown prosecutors told a jury Monday.

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Two men accused of manslaughter in a high-profile case should have known the robbery they planned in response to an unresolved drug debt would have had harmful consequences, Crown prosecutors told a jury Monday.

The jury heard details for the first time about the death of 29-year-old Jeanenne Fontaine, whom prosecutors allege was caught in the middle of a confrontation over her boyfriend's methamphetamine dealing. She died March 14, 2017, after an alleged shooting and arson at her Winnipeg residence.

FACEBOOK PHOTO Jeanenne Fontaine.

"After Jeanenne Fontaine was shot, chaos ensued in the tiny Aberdeen (Avenue) home," Crown attorney Geoffrey Bayly said in his opening statement to jurors.

Christopher Matthew Brass and Jason Michael Meilleur have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

The death of Fontaine's 15-year-old cousin, Tina Fontaine, was at the centre of calls for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women after Tina's body was found in the Red River in August 2014. A man accused of killing Tina was acquitted in her death last year.

On Monday, at the beginning of a scheduled three-week trial, Crown prosecutors outlined the evidence they expect will implicate both men in the death of Jeanenne Fontaine.

Bayly told the jury the prosecution expects to prove both Brass and Meilleur knew or ought to have known their attempt to commit robbery at the home would cause bodily harm.

He told the jury 457 Aberdeen Ave. was a drug traphouse being run by Fontaine's boyfriend (who is expected to testify later in the trial). Meilleur's girlfriend had allegedly purchased bad methamphetamine, and the two accused showed up there on the morning of March 14 to settle the debt.

They were looking for Fontaine's boyfriend, Bayly said, but he wasn't there. Instead, Fontaine got caught in the confrontation and was shot in the back of the head. The home was later set ablaze, the prosecution alleges.

Bayly said the Crown expects to prove its case through testimony from Fontaine's brother, Vince, who was present the morning she died, as well as evidence from police, firefighters, medical personnel and testimonies from the women who were dating the two men accused. The prosecution will also play a video statement Meilleur gave to police shortly after his arrest May 11, 2017.

His statement will prove he was present at the home and he went there to collect a debt on behalf of his girlfriend, Bayly said.

"You will quickly come to realize as you are watching and listening to Mr. Meilleur's police statement, the story being told by him was very much a moving target, constantly changing and evolving as he told it over and over again," Bayly said.

Jurors heard Monday from Winnipeg firefighter Kevin Luptak, who was one of the first responders arriving on scene to find the home on fire around 9:40 a.m., March 14, 2017.

He helped carry Fontaine from the residence, noting she was unresponsive and had burns on her stomach and forearm. He saw no blood, and didn't take any vital signs. His focus, he said, was getting her as quickly as possible from the burning home to the waiting ambulance.

Winnipeg Police Service identification officer Const. Susan Roy-Haegeman presented photos of the crime scene, and fire investigator Sandra Peterson explained the damage and told the jury four separate fires were deliberately set within the home using cloth, paper, and pieces of wood as kindling.

Bayly told jurors a man named Malcolm Mitchell was also present at the time of Fontaine's death, but he asked them not to concern themselves with him. The law prohibits news coverage of any details the jury doesn't hear during a trial.

In his opening statement, Bayly asked jurors to consider each piece of evidence carefully.

"We've all seen Hollywood's interpretation of how courtroom evidence is supposed to be presented," Bayly said, noting television dramas take liberties that won't happen in this case.

"The difference between real trials and TV trials is that real trials are not completed in under an hour. Some witnesses may be quite willing to recount what they heard, what they saw, but some may be more reluctant, especially when they have to talk about things they're not proud of or if they're frightened."

The trial continues before Court of Queen's Bench Justice Gerald Chartier.

Defence lawyers Theodore Mariash and Trang Ly are representing Meilleur, and defence lawyers Taralee Walker and Mitch Mraovic are representing Brass.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay
OTTAWA  Even though it's part of Manitoba's public school curriculum in Grade 6, some Manitoba high school students know little, if anything, about the Holocaust.

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OTTAWA  Even though it's part of Manitoba's public school curriculum in Grade 6, some Manitoba high school students know little, if anything, about the Holocaust.

And a Winnipeg Holocaust educator who spent some time with Grade 10 students at College Louis-Riel in St. Boniface, says she finds it "shocking" that teachers at the school are not required to cover the genocide that occurred before and during the Second World War.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Belle Jarniewski, executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, says she finds it "shocking" that Grade 10 teachers at College Louis-Riel in St. Boniface are not required to cover the genocide.

"We need the government behind us," said Belle Jarniewski, executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada.

"Education is the key, and were not doing a good enough job."

Manitoba teachers are instructed to introduce the Holocaust to sixth-grade students  the youngest in Canada  but groups supporting local teachers say the directive isn't followed in many instances.

Jarniewski visited the Grade 10 class at College Louis-Riel in November with a Holocaust survivor, who asked students what theyd already learned about the genocide, in which six million European Jews were rounded up and sent to their deaths in Nazi concentration camps.

'Education is the key, and were not doing a good enough job'  Belle Jarniewski, executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada

The students had read parts of Anne Franks diary, but didnt seem to know about major events during the Holocaust, and nothing about the MS St. Louis, a ship carrying 900 Jewish asylum seekers from Germany who were turned away by Canada and other countries in 1939.

"They were shocked to find out that in Canada, there had been boycotts against Jewish businesses in Quebec," Jarniewski said. "That there had been restrictions on purchasing property for Jews in certain areas  and not just Jews, but people of colour.

"This was all new to them. And that's not good."

Since at least 2006, Manitobas social-studies curriculum has mandated that Grade 6 students must learn the definitions of the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and Canadas internment of minorities during the Second World War.

Manitobas school curriculum also cites the Holocaust and domestic anti-Jewish policies as optional teaching examples for Grade 9 and 11 courses touching on social exclusion and the impact of the Second World War. Theres also an optional Grade 12 course that goes into detail about the genocide.

Holocaust education varies widely by province OTTAWA  Across Canada, theres a patchwork of how provinces and territories teach students about the Holocaust. That according to research by the Azrieli Foundation, which helps teachers prepare students before meeting Holocaust survivors. click to read more OTTAWA  Across Canada, theres a patchwork of how provinces and territories teach students about the Holocaust. That according to research by the Azrieli Foundation, which helps teachers prepare students before meeting Holocaust survivors. Overall exposure to Holocaust education is inconsistent, wrote Toronto-based associate Stephanie Corazza. There is great variety in grade levels and approaches to teaching the Holocaust, and often the subject is not given very much attention, or only insofar as it relates to Canada and the war. Corazza provided the Free Press with a summary she compiled last year of how all 13 jurisdictions teach the topic, which the newspaper cross-referenced with the original curriculum documents. In Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, students are required to learn about how Canada reacted to the Holocaust in Grade 8. In the territories, the topic only comes up in Grade 11. In Manitoba, Grade 6 students are required to be able to define the Holocaust and antisemitism, though local advocates say thats often not followed. In other provinces, the Holocaust is invoked as an example to illustrate historical injustices, often listed alongside the Holodomor, other genocides or about groups of people the Canadian government interned. Corazza added that educators often go beyond whatever their province requires or suggests that students learn about the Holocaust: Many teachers find a way to include this subject even if it is not included in their curriculum.  Dylan Robertson Close

Its not clear why the students Jarniewski met hadnt learned about the Holocaust four years earlier.

The school falls under the direction of Division scolaire franco-manitobaine, which acknowledged that its high-school teachers don't always include the Holocaust in their teaching.

"The social sciences curricula give some flexibility on what specific historical events are taught, but (they) generally teach principles of social justice," vice-director Rene Dequier told the Free Press in an email, adding what matters most is that students can recognize how terrible social injustices are created, and what role they can play in avoiding them.

"Unfortunately, in the world and in Canada, there are many examples of socially unjust events."

Jarniewski called that logic "shocking," because the Holocaust is "the prototype for genocide" that led to the existence of the word "genocide," as well as international efforts to protect human rights.

The Winnipeg School Division, the citys largest, says it prescribes the Holocaust as part of a human-rights unit in all Grade 9 English classes.

Both Pembina Trails and River East Transcona School Divisions say they stick with the Grade 6 requirement. The Free Press did not hear back from the other Winnipeg  Louis-Riel, Seven Oaks and St. James-Assiniboia  Monday.

A spokeswoman for Manitoba Education and Training wrote that the department has collaborated with Jewish groups to host workshops for teachers, including one launched last fall at the Asper Jewish Community Campus.

"Human rights and social justice are key themes in social studies curricula throughout Canada," wrote the spokeswoman, who did not give her name.

'The social sciences curricula give some flexibility on what specific historical events are taught, but (they) generally teach principles of social justice'  Division scolaire franco-manitobaine vice-director Rene Dequier

Across Canada, theres a patchwork of how provinces teach the Holocaust  if at all and at what age  according to research by the Azrieli Foundation, which helps teachers prepare students before meeting survivors.

Jarniewski said that will only improve when teachers colleges, school boards, the provinces and Ottawa make it a priority.

She said governments "dont need to reinvent the wheel," but that teachers are often denied a half-day leave to attend workshops that prepare them to deal with difficult subjects, such as the Holocaust.

"There is a hunger out there for quality resources  which are there," she said. "Particularly today, in the atmosphere of anti-immigrant sentiment, rising anti-Semitism and rising racism."

Manitobas Grade 6 curriculum also mandates that students learn about "the life and accomplishments of William Lyon Mackenzie King," which Jarniewski found "very problematic, given he oversaw the decision to turn back the MS St. Louis. The curriculum does later suggest an exercise "including historical evidence of his failures and accomplishments as prime minister."

Jarniewski is involved with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which tracks how the genocide is taught across more than 50 countries. The Canadian government joined the group in 2009, and she said it has since become clear that other developed countries have national requirements that they take time to enforce.

It's just one gap in how Winnipeggers learn their history, she said.

During her presentation to the Grade 10 students last year, many had no clue about racial discrimination in accessing services, which was documented until the 1980s in Winnipeg.

"We have to reconcile with our own history," she said.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
OTTAWA  CN trains travelling across Manitoba are being operated by overtired railway staff who are unable to take their mandated rest breaks, with some even falling asleep while on shift.

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OTTAWA  CN trains travelling across Manitoba are being operated by overtired railway staff who are unable to take their mandated rest breaks, with some even falling asleep while on shift.

Fatigue is one of a handful of rail-safety issues the Free Press uncovered after obtaining complaints filed by rail workers with the Transportation Safety Board  complaints the watchdog deemed serious enough to flag for CN Rail.

The issue largely surrounds scheduling breaks for rail workers crossing the country on multi-day trips, on lines increasingly used to transport crude oil.

In a December 2016 letter, the TSB raised a whistleblower's report of rail staff arriving at the CN bunkhouse in Rivers who "encountered situations where all of the rooms at the rest facility are occupied," and were sent 40 kilometres away to hotels in Brandon. The complainant claimed that CN supervisors were counting as much as 90 minutes of travel back and forth between the hotel and the railway as part of the staffs allotted sleep time.

The issue re-emerged 12 months later, when the TSB received two complaints that staff arriving at Rivers "are being instructed to book off-duty and commence their rest period, even when the bunkhouse is full and no rooms are available."

The allegations involved crews based out of Winnipeg and Melville, Sask., some of whom ended up sleeping on couches and kitchen floors, according to sources familiar with the decades-old Rivers bunkhouse.

The facility sits near one of Canada's busiest rail lines, housing dozens of rooms with individual beds.

"While waiting for rooms, these employees remain in the common areas of the facility," the TSB relayed. "In one situation, the wait time (before a room became available) was four hours."

The TSB has documented rest issues for Manitoba rail staff for years, which have persisted until at least this past summer. In July, the TSB relayed an incident involving Winnipeg CN crews travelling to Minnesota. The employees claimed they werent being given the 10 hours of rest required under American laws upon reaching a rest facility in International Falls, Minn., on the border with Fort Frances, Ont.

In one alleged incident along that line, staff worked 15 hours, and were granted a total of eight hours break at the facility before heading back to work.

That chunk of time includes leaving the train, preparing for rest, sleeping and then preparing for the workday. Sleep researchers have long suggested humans need time to ease into sleep, and should get seven or eight hours of shuteye.

STEVE BOYKO PHOTO CN Rivers bunkhouse is a facility in which staff can sleep.

The TSB, an independent body that probes systemic risks and alerts the regulator, Transport Canada, has identified fatigue in 93 of its investigations since 1992, a third of which involve trains.

The watchdog has listed rail-worker fatigue as one of Canada's top safety risks for two years, and last fall it expanded its watchlist to include fatigue issues among air and marine workers.

TSB chair Kathy Fox said the problem is not just the amount of sleep workers get, but also companies providing guesthouses with too much noise and light to get a decent rest. Meanwhile, federal rules say companies have to schedule shifts that account for "accumulated sleep debt" and accommodate circadian rhythms.

"This has to be approached from a more modern, holistic, scientific perspective," Fox told reporters last October.

"There's a lot that needs to be done for how these are scheduled, and how long the shifts are, and how much rest you need in between to really recover."  Transportation Safety Board senior member Faye Ackermans

In fact, an internal May 2018 memo obtained by CBC News had Transport Canada officials warning federal rail-worker rules that were last updated in 2002 "are not effective in preventing fatigue due to work schedules, and do not adequately mitigate the risks of fatigue."

The note cited "a patchwork of approaches, most of which are outside (Transport Canada's) control."

TSB senior member Faye Ackermans said one of those is the constantly changing work schedules for rail employees.

"They don't know when exactly they'll be called into work, so they might wake up in the morning fully rested, but they might wait six or seven hours for the call to work. And by the time they get to work, they might be pretty tired because they've been up for so long," she said.

"There's a lot that needs to be done for how these are scheduled, and how long the shifts are, and how much rest you need in between to really recover."

Such fears emerged in a TSB warning from November 2017. A tipster reported to the agency that that CN "operating employees" in Winnipeg were too afraid to report being unfit for work, even if they hadnt had enough sleep.

In one case earlier that year at Symington Yard, a whistleblower claimed that "CN officials discovered the employee asleep and woke up the employee. The employee was allowed to complete the shift and there were no further sleep events for the employee during that shift." The TSB told the Free Press this involved an employee at the yard in the cabin of a train, who was likely keeping watch as a colleague outside the train moved it using a remote-control belt pack.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A whistleblower claimed CN had investigated 36 employees in Winnipeg who said they were unfit to work and even disciplined 19 of them.

The tipster also claimed that CN had investigated 36 employees in Winnipeg who said they were unfit to work  that can mean anything from being too tired to work to having a medical issue  and even disciplined 19 of them.

NDP MP Daniel Blaikie said he regularly hears concerns about worker fatigue from labour groups affiliated with all three major railways operating in the city, not just in his Transcona riding.

"Anyone who's been stuck in traffic in Winnipeg by a train knows that there's a lot of oil cars moving through Winnipeg, on both train lines," said Blaikie, whos particularly concerned about the railways and railyards "sandwiched right in the middle of the city."

The amount of oil being transported on rail is increasing, with Canadian exports of crude to the American Midwest doubling this fall, raising concerns about Canada's safety oversight. Just last Thursday, two trains collided near Portage la Prairie, with one leaking diesel and the other carrying hazardous goods. The incident remains under investigation, and it's unknown whether fatigue played a factor.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau maintains that safety is his top priority, and his department cites progress on rail safety, like phasing out riskier train cars.

In late December, Garneau ordered rail companies to update their rules around rest periods, shift duration and advance notice for scheduling. Those rules are due in May, and Ottawa will take a month to review them.

A year prior, Garneau issued a notice that his government would start consultations on updated regulations, which prescribe standards on companies instead of crafting them together. His department commissioned research on fatigue science, but it won't be completed until at least February.

Last October, the TSB called for "a profound change in attitudes and behaviours" to prevent fatigue. Garneau told the Free Press last month that such regulations will take time to craft.

"We are working in an expeditious manner, but when you have to do something as important and as big as this, you have to do the necessary consultation  not only with the railways, but also with the unions, with the academic world, so that we make the best decisions."

CN referred queries to the Railway Association of Canada, which wrote that its industry is committed to safety, with the group hosting "medical advisory group" that looks into the causes of fatigue issues and how to mitigate risks.

"RAC believes that fatigue is a matter requiring empirical evidence and a scientific approach to identifying and delivering effective solutions to address fatigue in the workplace," wrote spokesman Michael Gullo.

Fox said the clock is ticking:

"Promising action is not the same as delivering it, especially when the plain truth is that inaction can cost lives."

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca

This is the final instalment in a three-part series examining safety issues along Winnipegs rail lines, amid a historic rise in the volume of oil being shipped on trains.
LONDON - Britain's Parliament narrowly approved financial roadblocks that are designed to make it more difficult for the country to leave the European Union without a Brexit deal, giving a defeat to Prime Minister Theresa May's government Tuesday.

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Part of a mural by street artist Banksy showing a star being chiselled from the European flag is seen in Dover, south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Britain is testing how its motorway and ferry system would handle a no-deal Brexit by sending a stream of trucks from a regional airport to the port of Dover Ai even as some legislators try to pressure the government to rule out the scenario. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

LONDON - Britain's Parliament narrowly approved financial roadblocks that are designed to make it more difficult for the country to leave the European Union without a Brexit deal, giving a defeat to Prime Minister Theresa May's government Tuesday.

Lawmakers voted 303-296 to back a Finance Bill amendment that would prohibit government spending on "no-deal" Brexit preparations that Parliament didn't authorize.

The vote in the House of Commons illustrated the substantial opposition to the real possibility of Britain withdrawing from the EU on March 29 without a divorce agreement in place on the terms of its relationship with the remaining members.

Business leaders and some economists have predicted disruption in the lives of U.K. residents and financial damage if that happens. Without a trade deal in place, Britain could see tariffs slapped on its exports to the EU and possible food and medicine shortages.

But Britain has been headed in that direction because May has so far been unable to persuade a majority in Parliament to back the divorce deal her government negotiated with the EU.

Concerns about the risks of a "no-deal" scenario has prompted talk of postponing Brexit day and even calling another referendum on Britain's EU membership.

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition Labour Party, said the spending restriction lawmakers passed was "an important step to prevent a no-deal Brexit."

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt arrives for a cabinet meeting in Downing street in London, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Earlier Tuesday, a government minister ruled out Britain seeking an extension to its March 29 date for leaving the EU. The date was based on the two-year breakup period that started when May gave official notice Britain was pulling out.

Brexit minister Martin Callanan told reporters in Brussels that May's government was not going to seek an extension to the countdown despite calls from some British politicians for a brake on the chaotic and uncertain Brexit process.

"We are leaving the EU on the 29th of March this year, because that's what Article 50 says, that's what Parliament voted for, and that's now what domestic British legislation says as well," Callanan said, referring to the EU regulation governing Brexit.

Britain can request an extension to the Brexit procedure, but the agreement of the other 27 EU countries would be needed, and the bloc's leaders said last month that they would need good reasons to prolong it. European leaders have said a second Brexit referendum could be one good reason to do so.

May continued to seek further concessions from the EU on Tuesday ahead of lawmakers voting on the unpopular withdrawal deal next week. The prime minister has pushed for fresh guarantees to ease its passage.

France insisted Tuesday that the EU can only offer political reassurances  not legally binding changes to the agreement  to help May persuade reluctant lawmakers to endorse the deal.

"We really need to have a ratification of the withdrawal agreement. This is the best solution for both parties," French European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau told reporters.

The withdrawal agreement, which is required before more wide-ranging discussions on future relations can commence, foresees relatively close economic ties with Europe. That is particularly true in the immediate aftermath of Brexit to avoid the imposition of a hard border between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K.

As well as frustrating lawmakers who want a complete break from the EU, the plan's critics said the arrangement could result in the U.K. being "trapped" in the bloc's customs arrangement if a superseding agreement on future trade ties is not reached.

Some lawmakers have said they will vote against the deal because they prefer another referendum on Britain's EU membership.

The prolonged period of uncertainty has intensified political divisions over Brexit and led to some verbal confrontations in London.

Some 55 British legislators have expressed safety concerns in a letter to London's police chief after a lawmaker was verbally abused while discussing Brexit outside Parliament.

The letter was sent to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick following verbal assaults on Conservative Party legislator Anna Soubry.

The letter said Britain had "months of peaceful and calm protests" expressing a wide variety of views on Brexit but that the debate recently attracted "an ugly element of individuals with strong far-right and extreme-right connections."

Soubry was repeatedly called a Nazi by protesters while she was being interviewed by BBC outside Parliament, where politicians routinely do live broadcast interviews.

Police said Tuesday they are beefing up their presence in the area as they try to balance the legitimate rights of protesters and the safety of legislators and journalists working there.

The issue of personal safety is seen as vital in view of the assassination of Labour Party lawmaker Jo Cox during the Brexit referendum held in June, 2016.

Cook reported from Brussels.
Madeleine Miller started working part-time at a Kanata, Ont., Tim Hortons as soon as she turned 15.

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In this Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014 file photo, fast food restaurant signs line Peach Street in Erie, Pa. During a slow day at fast-food restaurants it's typical for managers to cut employees' scheduled shifts short, sending some workers home after several hours. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News via AP

Madeleine Miller started working part-time at a Kanata, Ont., Tim Hortons as soon as she turned 15.

She found her work schedule erratic. She'd often be scheduled for a three-hour shift on the weekends, but would then be asked to stay much longer on busy days. Sometimes, her boss would then renege and cut back those extended hours.

She saw people, including a recent immigrant trying to save for higher education, sent home early several times because of slow sales.

"I never knew how much money I was going to be making and I could never plan anything around my schedule," said the now 16-year old who quit her job after eight months to focus more on school. She plans to look for another job once this semester ends, but will apply at independent retailers where she's heard owners treat employees better.

The practice of regularly sending workers home early falls within the law, but further complicates life for precarious workers in low-wage jobs and may be ultimately detrimental for businesses in an industry with high employee turnover.

Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Tim Hortons, did not respond to questions about the practice and the difficulties it can create for employees, but instead emailed a short statement.

"Most Tim Hortons restaurants are operated by franchisees who are empowered to use their best judgement in managing their employees and to comply with all provincial employment regulations," wrote spokeswoman Jane Almeida.

The coffee-and-doughnut brand is not the only restaurant chain that sends staff home during a quiet shift.

The Canadian Press heard from a former manager-in-training for McDonald's Canada who said each location tracks hourly sales and staff costs on a spreadsheet in-store and a formula determines if they're over- or under-staffed at any given hour.

The former employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to continued ties to McDonald's, said it was common to send employees home if the formula resulted in a plus one, two or more. The source said they'd been sent home numerous times while working for the burger chain.

"Restaurants try to balance employee preferences and the requirements of the business, while at the same time complying with the law," wrote McDonald's Canada spokeswoman Kristen Hunter in a statement, adding that's the same for locations operated by franchisees or the corporation.

She also did not respond to questions posed about the company's practices.

Cutting scheduled shifts is legal and allows businesses to make staffing changes according to business needs, said Marc Rodrigue, a senior associate at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP.

"Practically speaking, if a fast-food establishment has no customers coming in, it's not making money, frankly," he said. "Maybe you don't need to have 10 people on. Maybe five people is good enough."

Policy-makers have tried to strike a balance and offer some protection to businesses in those circumstances, while allowing a level of certainty for employees, he said, adding it's unlikely businesses over-schedule on purpose.

At least in Ontario, the three-hour mark is typically the time employees would get sent home, he said. Provincial legislation states that is the minimum amount of time an employee who regularly works more than three hours a day must be paid for if their shift is cancelled.

But just because a company meets the minimum work hours doesn't mean it hasn't breached a worker's employment agreement, said Sunira Chaudhri, a partner with Levitt LLP in Toronto.

If an employee's contract states, for example, that they will work a 40-hour week, but management consistently cuts their shifts to half that, "that's a material change and oh, I have one heck of a law case on my hands," she said.

It may be that employers have worked the ability to change employee shifts with little notice into their contracts, she said.

"I think it sets people up for precarious employment," she said, referencing a term that lacks an agreed upon definition but tends to mean work that is insecure, and without the benefits and protections afforded to full-time, permanent staff.

Andrew Langille, a Toronto-based labour lawyer and activist, agrees "there's a range of problems when it comes to shorting people on shifts."

In addition to grappling with an unsteady income, employees could have trouble co-ordinating their work hours with a second job or childcare, he said. Securing safe transportation could be a difficult for shifts that end late at night or early in the morning.

Consistently shorting employees' on promised hours can hurt businesses too, said Langille, leading to higher labour costs thanks to increased turnover.

"If it happens too frequently, your employees are going to go find another job."

Follow @AleksSagan on Twitter.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina will join a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's plans to conduct offshore drilling tests, becoming the latest coastal state to take legal action against the proposal.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina will join a federal lawsuit opposing the Trump administration's plans to conduct offshore drilling tests, becoming the latest coastal state to take legal action against the proposal.

On Monday, Attorney General Alan Wilson told The Associated Press that he has petitioned to join a lawsuit already filed by 16 South Carolina cities and towns opposing the issuance of permits for the use of seismic air guns, a move that's also received the support of the state's governor, Henry McMaster.

Environmental groups are challenging the permits for the testing that comes as a precursor to drilling itself, claiming the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act in issuing the permits.

"Once again the federal government seeks to intrude upon the sovereignty of the state of South Carolina," Wilson said. "We are bringing suit to protect the State's economy and the rule of law."

Last month, New Jersey joined other East Coast states including Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina and Virginia in their own lawsuit against sound testing.

Wilson and Gov. McMaster, both Republicans, have been working on the state's response to the administration's announcement of a five-year plan to open 90 per cent of the nation's offshore reserves to private development. Drilling has stirred emotions and vocal opposition along South Carolina's coast, with many expressing concern the proposal could cause irreparable harm to the coastal areas that are the heart of South Carolina's $20 billion tourism industry.

There are some supporters of drilling, which some say could mean an economic boon for an area increasingly reliant on tourism.

The drilling issue has been a somewhat difficult one for McMaster, an ally of President Donald Trump. Last year, McMaster was among state executives to request a drilling waiver, seeking the same sort of promise already given to Florida Gov. Rick Scott, another Trump ally.

"We cannot afford to take a chance with the beauty, the majesty and the economic value and vitality of our wonderful coastline in South Carolina," McMaster said last year. "It is just too important. This is a matter of serious importance to us in South Carolina."

Since then, officials from the Department of the Interior have said outgoing Secretary Ryan Zinke's promise to Florida wasn't a formal action and will instead be part of the department's analysis as it completes its plans. McMaster has met several times with Zinke and other administration officials about the issue.

On Monday, McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes told the AP the governor remains in contact with the Trump administration on this issue but is fully behind Wilson's decision to move forward on legal action.

"The governor supports the attorney general's decision to use any and all mechanisms at his disposal to ensure that we never see seismic testing or drilling off South Carolina's coast," Symmes said.

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP .
NORFOLK, Va. - What are said to be the largest cranes to operate at a U.S. commercial port arrived Monday in Virginia, marking the latest effort to accommodate the increasingly mammoth container ships that underpin international trade.

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Spectators crowd a pier as they watch a Chinese ship carrying giant cranes approach the entrance to Hampton Roads in Hampton, Va., Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The four new ship- to-shore cranes are part of the $320 million expansion of Virginia International Gateway. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

NORFOLK, Va. - What are said to be the largest cranes to operate at a U.S. commercial port arrived Monday in Virginia, marking the latest effort to accommodate the increasingly mammoth container ships that underpin international trade.

Standing 170 feet (52 metres) tall, the Chinese-made gantry cranes towered over the ship that carried them through the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Officials from the Virginia Port Authority said they will be the nation's largest.

"Having these cranes sail into our harbour says, very clearly, to the ocean carriers and the industry that we are prepared for the next evolution and the one to come after that," said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority.

Shipping companies are using fewer but larger container ships to save on costs. And the recent expansion of the Panama Canal has increased ship traffic between Asia and the U.S. East Coast.

An "arms race" is underway as ports try to make room for the larger ships, said Robert McNab, an economics professor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

Projects include dredging deeper channels in Georgia and South Carolina. Part of a bridge was elevated to allow bigger ships to reach New York City-area ports.

The new cranes in Virginia should be up and running in about two months in Portsmouth, a city near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.

The cranes are part of an ongoing expansion-and-dredging project at the Port of Virginia, which also has terminals in the nearby city of Norfolk.

Cargo includes electronics, furniture and automobile parts comes in from all over the world and goes to cities such as Louisville, Kentucky, and Chicago. Ships leave the port carrying anything from logs from Appalachia to soybeans from Virginia.

The cranes' delivery to Virginia had come under threat over the summer as trade tensions escalated between the U.S. and China. President Donald Trump's administration had at one point proposed slapping tariffs on Chinese-made gantry cranes.

The port had approved spending $40 million for the cranes. A 25 per cent tariff could have meant a $10 million cost increase that wasn't budgeted.

Reinhart, the port's CEO, shared his concerns with the Office of the United States Trade Representative. The cranes were eventually removed from a list of Chinese goods that were being considered for tariffs.

But that doesn't mean trade worries are over.

McNab, the economics professor, said there already are concerns that economic growth is slowing in the European Union and China.

A continued increase in trade tensions could lead to a global slowdown, he said. Demand for U.S. exports could fall. Prices on foreign imports could rise.

"It could take a bite out of traffic at the Port of Virginia and the other ports in the United States," he said.
BEIJING - Talks between the U.S. and China on ending their tariff war were ending their second day Tuesday without word on whether they've made any progress, as an official newspaper warned not to push Beijing too hard.

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U.S. Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass, left, who is part of U.S. trade delegation leaves from a hotel for a second day of meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Facing a March deadline, talks aimed at ending a trade war between China and the U.S. are underway, with the world's two biggest economies expressing optimism over the potential for progress but neither indicating its stance has changed. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

BEIJING - Talks between the U.S. and China on ending their tariff war were ending their second day Tuesday without word on whether they've made any progress, as an official newspaper warned not to push Beijing too hard.

China is strong and has its own needs, said the Global Times, published by the ruling Communist Party. Washington "cannot push China too far" and must avoid a situation that "spins out of control."

Negotiators began the talks Monday on the trade war launched by President Donald Trump in July with tariff hikes on Chinese goods in response to complaints that Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology.

Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on Dec. 1 to postpone more tariff hikes on each other's goods for 90 days while they negotiate. But neither side appears to have budged, and economists say three months is too little time to resolve issues that have disrupted U.S.-Chinese relations for years.

Washington is pressing Beijing for changes including rolling back plans for government-led creation of Chinese global champions in robotics and other fields. Europe, Japan and other trading partners echo Washington's complaints that those violate Beijing's market-opening obligations.

Chinese officials have suggested Beijing might alter its industrial plans but they have rejected pressure to abandon their blueprint for greater prosperity and global influence. They have tried to defuse pressure for more sweeping change by offering concessions including purchasing more American soybeans, natural gas and other exports.

"China would need to significantly recalibrate its industrial policies to fully meet the U.S. trade team's demands," Nick Marro of the Economist Intelligence Unit said in a report. "The limited policy movement that we've seen so far suggests that a game-changing deal remains unlikely."

Also Tuesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Beijing in a possible effort to co-ordinate with the North's only major ally ahead of a possible meeting with Trump. U.S. and North Korean officials are believed to have met in Vietnam to discuss a location.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman rejected suggestions that Kim's visit was intended as a bargaining chip during the trade talks.

China's position on trade is "transparent and the U.S. side is well aware of it," said Lu Kang. "China does not need to use any other tactics."

As the talks began Monday at the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Beijing complained about a U.S. warship in what it said were Chinese waters, but it was unclear whether that would disrupt the proceedings. Both sides have provided scant information about their discussions.

The talks went 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.

The American delegation is led by a deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish, and includes agriculture, energy, commerce, treasury and State Department officials.

Trump imposed tariff increases of up to 25 per cent on $250 billion of Chinese imports. China 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.

The Global Times commentary said China's growing economy means it can "carry out a more intense boycott" of trade with the United States if needed.

Beijing's growing commercial and political ties with its neighbours will make it harder for Washington to find Asian countries willing to help it try to "contain China," the newspaper said.

Still, cooling economic growth in both countries is increasing pressure to reach a settlement.

Chinese growth fell to a post-global crisis low of 6.5 per cent in the quarter ending in September. Auto sales tumbled 16 per cent 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 per cent in the third quarter and unemployment is at a five-decade low. But surveys show consumer confidence is weakening because of concern growth will slow this year.

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.
TOKYO - The former chairman of Japan's Nissan Motor Co., Carlos Ghosn, denied any wrongdoing and proclaimed his loyalty to the company at a court hearing in Tokyo on Tuesday.

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Tokyo Detention Center is seen as journalists wait for a vehicle presumably carrying former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn leaves the center in Tokyo on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Ghosn is getting his day in court to demand the reason for his prolonged detention by Tokyo authorities. The hearing Tuesday would be his first public appearance since his arrest on Nov. 19. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

TOKYO - The former chairman of Japan's Nissan Motor Co., Carlos Ghosn, denied any wrongdoing and proclaimed his loyalty to the company at a court hearing in Tokyo on Tuesday.

It was Ghosn's first public appearance since he was arrested on Nov. 19 and charged with false financial reporting.

Motonari Otsuru, left, chief lawyer of the legal team for former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, arrives at Tokyo District Court for a court hearing on a case of Ghosn in Tokyo Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Ghosn asserted his innocence in the court Tuesday, making his first public appearance since his Nov. 19, 2018 arrest, in handcuffs but speaking firmly and calmly. (Shinji Kita/Kyodo News via AP)

"Your honour, I am innocent of the accusations against me," Ghosn told the judge, speaking firmly and calmly as he read from a statement. "I am wrongfully accused."

Prosecutors have charged Ghosn, who led a dramatic turnaround at the Japanese automaker over the past two decades, with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his income by about 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years through 2015.

They also say he is suspected of having Nissan temporarily take on his investment losses from the financial crisis.

Wearing plastic slippers and a dark suit without a tie, Ghosn rebutted the allegations against him point-by-point and said he had the option to leave Nissan but had decided to stay on.

A police car patrols near Tokyo Detention Center where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is detained in Tokyo Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Ghosn is getting his day in court to demand the reason for his prolonged detention - his first public appearance since his Nov. 19, 2018 arrest. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

"A captain doesn't jump ship during a storm," said Ghosn, who was visibly thinner than before his arrest.

The veteran auto executive, a familiar face at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and other elite gatherings, was handcuffed and led into the courtroom with a rope around his waist as the hearing began. Officers removed his handcuffs and seated him on a bench.

Presiding judge Yuichi Tada then read out the charges and said Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, was considered a flight risk  he was arrested on his arrival in Tokyo by private jet  and might try to hide evidence.

In Japan, suspects are routinely held without bail, often due to fears about evidence tampering.

During Tuesday's hearing, Go Kondo, one of Ghosn's lawyers, argued he was not a flight risk.

"He's widely known so it's difficult for him to escape. There is no risk that the suspect will destroy evidence," he said.

Facing the courtroom, Ghosn spoke proudly of the automaker's  and his own  achievements, such as reviving iconic models like the GT-R and the Z, expanding operations in China, Russia, Brazil and India and pioneering electric cars and autonomous driving.

Judge Yuichi Tada, top center, and spectators sit in a courtroom ahead of a court hearing on a case of former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn at the Tokyo District Court in Tokyo Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Ghosn is getting his day in court to demand the reason for his prolonged detention - his first public appearance since his November arrest. Prosecutors in Tokyo charged Ghosn with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his income. Ghosn will get his first chance to directly tell his side of the story at the courtroom hearing. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Photo via AP)

"I have a genuine love and appreciation for Nissan," he said.

Ghosn has been held in Spartan conditions at a Tokyo detention facility since he was taken into custody. However, Ghosn's defence lawyer Motonari Ohtsuru told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club late Tuesday that Ghosn was transferred to a bigger room with a bed at his request.

In keeping with Japanese regulations, he has been allowed visits only from his lawyers and consular officials.

Ghosn said he had "acted honourably, legally and with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate executives inside the company with the sole purpose of supporting and strengthening Nissan," according to a statement released to some media including The Associated Press before the hearing and confirmed by his legal team.

It said he had not failed to disclose any of his income from Nissan.

Ghosn also defended payments questioned by prosecutors and by Nissan that were made to Khaled Juffali, a Saudi businessman. He said the money was paid to Juffali for real work that he did to sort out problems with a local distributor.

Before the hearing, the Khaled Juffali Company issued a statement saying the $14.7 million in payments over four years from Nissan "were for legitimate business purposes."

Other Nissan executives approved the payment, Ohtsuru said.

Ghosn said his personal investment losses stemmed from being paid in Japanese yen and that he had only asked Nissan to temporarily provide collateral for foreign exchange contracts. The company suffered no losses, he said.

Sent to Japan by Nissan's alliance partner Renault SA of France in 1999, Ghosn led a spectacular turnaround at the Yokohama-based automaker over two decades, during which he mostly served as chief executive.

Renault owns 43 per cent of Nissan, while Nissan owns 15 per cent of Renault. The alliance, which in recent years has added smaller Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp., has risen to be one of the most successful in the industry, rivaling Volkswagen AG of Germany and Japan's Toyota Motor Corp.

Ghosn remains the head of Renault and is still on Nissan's board of directors.

His courtroom appearance drew worldwide attention, with throngs of cameras set up outside the Tokyo Detention Center to capture his departure. No cameras or audio recordings are allowed in Japanese court sessions.

Authorities also arrested a fellow Nissan executive and aide to Ghosn, Greg Kelly, charging him with collaborating with Ghosn to underreport his income. Kelly, an American, was released on bail on Dec. 25. He also has maintained his innocence.

Tokyo prosecutors have repeatedly extended Ghosn's detention by adding new allegations. The latest is suspicion of breach of trust stemming from the claim he had Nissan temporarily shoulder his personal investment losses.

Formal charges on those allegations have not been filed and no trial dates have been set for Ghosn or Kelly.

Ghosn's detention now runs through Friday.

Ohtsuru said that preparations for a trial on charges of breach of trust could take months. He said he would continue to appeal Ghosn's detention.

Ghosn's protege and successor, Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa, has denounced Ghosn, claiming he used company assets and money for personal gain and falsified financial reports.

Nissan spokesman Nicholas Maxfield said an investigation by the company that found "substantial and convincing evidence of misconduct" prompted prosecutors to act.

Under Japanese law, falsifying financial reporting carries the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a 10 million yen ($89,000) fine, or both. But some experts have questioned the allegations against Kelly and Ghosn since Nissan itself, not individual executives, should be responsible for filing such financial reports.

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en
Manitoba homeowners in high-risk flood zones can obtain flood coverage for the first time, thanks to a new insurance plan unveiled by the Co-operators this week.

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Manitoba homeowners in high-risk flood zones can obtain flood coverage for the first time, thanks to a new insurance plan unveiled by the Co-operators this week.

The program, called Comprehensive Water, allows coverage for every type of risk from every type of flood: overland flooding from lakes or rivers, sewer backups and flooding from extreme precipitation events.

Up until 2015, Canada was the only G7 nation that didnt have flood insurance. Private flood coverage started being offered in Canada that year and reached Manitoba in 2016.

But none of the coverages included high-risk areas where people need it most, such as some areas along rivers and lakes, said Tara Laidman, flood-initiative director with the Co-operators.

"Part of (the new program) goes back to our co-operative principles," Laidman said. "It doesnt feel right not to offer a product to everyone. We offer the program to people who truly, truly need it."

Many Manitobans may wonder why they should get flood insurance when governments have given financial bailouts to flood victims in the past.

But governments are trying to get out of flood compensation and have told private insurers it wants them to take it over.

"Governments across Canada are starting to talk to insurance companies and the Insurance Bureau of Canada, and are saying, as more insurance companies step into the market, were going to be stepping away from this," Laidman said.

"If you think about it, when a wildfire happens, people rely on their insurance company, they dont rely on the government for that," she said.

Neither does government provide enough compensation for people to get back on their feet the way insurance policy can, she said.

The Co-operators started flood protection in Alberta in 2015, which was hard-hit by flooding that year, and moved into Ontario in 2016 because it is the most populated province. Manitoba is the last province to receive the Co-operators flood protection along with Quebec, because of the complexity of its flooding. "We needed to make sure we got (its flood modelling) right," Laidman said.

Even if you dont live near a lake or river, you can still be flooded by an extreme precipitation event. "In my opinion, its coverage everyone in Manitoba needs," Laidman said. "Especially recently, weve had a lot of really heavy rains, and as soon as we have that heavy rain, the ground cant absorb it quickly enough and we see pooling and it gets into homes."

About 50 per cent of Manitobans live in areas with risk of overland flooding ranging from high to low, the Co-operators say. Others are still at risk from flooding from things such as extreme rain events. Floods have replaced fire as the costliest damage to homes.

People can get an online assessment of their homes flood risk by plugging their address into the companys website at water.cooperators.ca. The assessment will be based on individual geocodes (street-level GPS co-ordinates). It will assess both overland flooding and sewer-backup risk.

A more detailed assessment can be obtained from a Co-operators adviser. Co-operators insurance is not sold through regular insurance brokers.

Laidman said protections such as the Red River Floodway greatly reduces the exposure to flooding and therefore makes insurance "relatively affordable." The average cost of the programs flood coverage is about $30 per month, but there are many variables. People in high-risk areas would pay more.

"We dont want to subsidize clients who are living close to a river (with premiums from clients at lower risk)," Laidman said.

"(Flood insurance) is getting more prevalent," said Cheryl Gemmell, office manager with Rempel Insurance in the town of Morris. However, while more people are obtaining flood coverage since it was introduced in 2016, some people are being rejected because their risk is too high, she said.

The Co-operators program coverage is for dwellings only and wouldnt apply to pastures, such as those around Lake Manitoba that were flooded in 2011 when water was diverted from the Assiniboine River via the Portage Diversion into Lake Manitoba. Neither does the program cover recreational properties such as cottages, but that is being studied this year, Laidman said.

bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca
WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - Imperial Metals Corp. says it is suspending operations at its Mount Polley mine in south-central British Columbia due to declining copper prices.

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Contents from a tailings pond is pictured going down the Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C. Tuesday, August, 5, 2014. The pond which stores toxic waste from the Mount Polley Mine had its dam break on Monday spilling its contents into the Hazeltine Creek causing a wide water-use ban in the area. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C. - Imperial Metals Corp. says it is suspending operations at its Mount Polley mine in south-central British Columbia due to declining copper prices.

The gold and copper mine was the site of a 2014 tailings dam collapse that was one of the largest environmental disasters in the province's history.

Imperial Metals said in a news release Monday that the suspension plan includes milling of low grade stockpiles which is expected to extend operations to the end of May 2019.

There will be no impact to the mine's ongoing environmental monitoring and remediation program, it said.

"Full operations will resume once the economics of mining at Mount Polley improve," it said.

The company did not immediately respond to a request for more details, including how many jobs would be affected by the suspension of operations at the mine northeast of Williams Lake, B.C.

The union representing Mount Polley workers, United Steelworkers Local 1-2017, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Imperial Metals said in August that unionized workers at Mount Polley had voted in favour of a new three-year contract, after initiating strike action in May following a lockout by the company.

Bryan Cox, president of the Mining Association of B.C., said the mine is a significant employer in the Cariboo region and it also creates indirect jobs including supplier positions across the province.

"There's really a provincewide impact when there's impact to our operations in B.C.," he said. "This is big news for the province."

There has been volatility in the copper market for some time and the price is near its lowest point in about 18 months, Cox said.

B.C. is the No. 1 copper producer in Canada, but it's a global industry and tax structures need to be as competitive as possible to protect local jobs, he said.

But he added there is huge opportunity for the commodity in the long-term, as more parts of the world transition to a lower-carbon economy.

It takes up to four times more copper to build an electric car than a conventional car, for example, and it's also used in wind turbines and solar panels, he said.

"As we make this transition, we're going to need more copper," he said.

The tailings dam collapse sent 24 million cubic metres of mine waste and sludge into nearby waterways and the mine did not resume full operations for nearly two years.

B.C.'s Conservation Officer Service launched an investigation of the disaster but a three-year deadline for provincial charges in the case passed in 2017.

Engineers and Geoscientists B.C. announced in September that three engineers involved in the design, construction and monitoring of the tailings storage facility that collapsed will face disciplinary hearings this year.

 By Laura Kane in Vancouver

Companies in this story: (TSX:III)
Dan Taylor, 37, has been sentenced to a total of seven months in jail for brazenly walking out of numerous Winnipeg Liquor Marts with bottles of alcohol he didn't pay for.
After the surprise success of their 1969 movie Easy Rider, stars Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda each released a self-directed movie in 1971, neither of which matched Easy Riders game-changing impact.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 7/1/2019 (889 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After the surprise success of their 1969 movie Easy Rider, stars Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda each released a self-directed movie in 1971, neither of which matched Easy Riders game-changing impact.

Hopper, who directed Easy Rider, made The Last Movie, an artsy bit of self-indulgence in which he plays a stunt wrangler who quits the business after a stuntman is killed on the set of a western being shot in Peru.

His character, Kansas, subsequently becomes embroiled in different kind of movie project in which native Peruvians turn the filmmaking process into a kind of stylized ritual of violence and spectacle.

Fonda directed and starred in a real western, The Hired Hand, in which he stars with the late, great Warren Oates.

The two play old friends who run afoul of a corrupt town boss (Severn Darden) before Fondas character decides to return to the wife (Verna Bloom) he left years earlier.

But instead of resuming their relationship, he is put in the titular role of a hired hand, before a climactic reckoning with Dardens character.

Both films employed the top cinematographers of the day, both Hungarian-Americans: The Last Movie was shot by Laszlo Kovacs and The Hired Hand was shot by Vilmos Zsigmond. Both are visually stunning.

Its understandable how it was that Cinematheque programmed Hoppers movie (it plays every Tuesday at 7 p.m. for the rest of January).

While its a tough slog to watch, it represents the experimental spirit of the late-1960s/early 70s epoch of filmmaking. Indeed, it was greenlit by Universal Studios with the specific intention of giving young filmmakers a shot at expressing themselves unfettered by studio chiefs and beancounters.

Dennis Hopper in The Last Movie

Watching the film today, a couple of things are clear. Hopper was frequently high during the making of the film and by all accounts, he was pretty messed up for the editing process as well. Hopper doesnt skimp on shooting footage of himself emoting and silently suffering endlessly.

Yet it has some value for cineastes in its depiction of how Hollywood movies were shot in that time. Sam Fuller essentially plays himself as a crusty Hollywood director who rules his set with an iron fist.

Some of the film sees Hopper interact with both the relics of old Hollywood and new up-and-comers, including Michelle Phillips (to whom Hopper was married for eight days!), Kris Kristofferson, who sings Me and Bobby McGee, and future members of David Lynchs repertory troupe, Dean Stockwell and Russ Tamblyn.

Peter Fonda in The Hired Hand

For my money, Fondas The Hired Hand is the far superior film, and as luck would have it, it just got a new Blu-ray release from

Arrow Video. As a director, Fonda offered up a touch of rebellion in the movies laconic pacing. But he more or less stuck to the solid script by Scottish screenwriter Alan Sharp (Night Moves, Ulzanas Raid).

If The Last Movie boasted soundtrack contributions from Kristofferson, the dulcimer-heavy music of The Hired Hand by Bruce Langhorne is hypnotic, evocative and  as much as you may love Me and Bobby McGee  actually appropriate to the story.

randall.king@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @FreepKing
CAIRO, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has approved a request by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) to establish an academy for training Egyptian workers, state media reported Monday.

The New Urban Communities Authorities (NUCA), an agency under the Housing Ministry, allocated 20.16 hectares in Egypt's new administrative capital to establish a training academy for Egyptian workers to learn the most advanced methods in the construction sector.

According to the NUCA, the academy seeks "to provide professional workers to meet the urgent demands and needs in the projects run at the new capital."

The academy will be run by the CSCEC for seven years, after which the building and equipment of the academy will be transferred to the NUCA.

The CSCEC has been carrying out the construction of the central business district in Egypt's new capital, some 50 km east of the capital Cairo.

The construction work, which started in 2018, will be finished in 3.5 years, the CSCEC's chief executive officer told Xinhua.


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Dad invents app that locks your kids' phones until they reply to your texts
Gov. Malloy releases letter to residents on eve of last day in office
NEW HAVEN  With its executive director leaving after a decade-long run for a high-level state position, Tweed New Haven-Regional Airport is about to enter another chapter with a yet-to-be-named new leader on board.

State Sen. Tim Larson, executive director for the airport authority, is resigning both as a state senator and as head of the airports operations. He is also the former mayor of East Hartford.

Gov.-elect Ned Lamont has nominated Larson to head the Office of Higher Education, which administers state financial aid programs, oversees the licensure and accreditation of the states independent colleges and universities, and regulates more than 150 post-secondary career schools.

Tweed officials say the states gain will be Tweeds loss.

Tim was very good at his job, said John Picard, a former mayor of West Haven, and the chairman of the Tweed Airport Authority. He is not going to be easy to replace.

But Larson sees the new position to head up an obscure office with a budget of $32 million and a staff of 25 employees as an opportunity.

This is an exciting opportunity which allows me to leverage my experience and relationships as an elected official and my current role as executive director of Tweed New Haven Airport Authority to help further develop job paths and opportunities for students enrolled in our independent colleges and universities and postsecondary career schools, Larson said.

Picard said Larson promised him some flexibility in his resignation date when they spoke on Monday.

So hopefully well have some time. We may have to pick an interim person  well see, Picard said.

Being in charge of Tweed operations has always been a politically sticky position as the issue of weighing the pros of expanding the airport to the business community versus the cons of a neighborhood that doesnt want to see the expansion has been debated for decades.

The issue has been talked about in East Haven, New Haven and up at the state capitol.

Speaking of the state capitol, Picard is hopeful the change of administrations may help give the Tweed expansion plans the kickstart it needs.

Picard said he has had discussions with Lamont and Lt. Gov.-elect Susan Bysiewicz and both understood the importance of a Tweed expansion to the business community.

Lamont told Picard, Picard said that expanding Tweed would be one of his main priorities.

Last year, the New Haven Board of Alders approved a resolution supporting the lengthening of the main runway, but the decision was still left in the hands of the General Assembly who said there was not time to take up the bill before the close of the last session.

A recent report to the airport authority by a hired consultant said commercial service would increase if the airport were able to get permission to pave existing runway safety areas to expand its 5,600-foot main runway to 6,000 feet.

One of the carriers interested  if the airport was larger  is Allegiant Air.

Our analysis shows that the New Haven market would be a great addition to the Allegiant Air network, Dustin Call, of Allegiant, wrote in a letter to New Haven Mayor Toni Harp. We feel that the lack of affordable leisure fares in this region create the opportunity for us to potentially serve multiple cities.

Allegiants plan would be to serve three destinations, with two flights per week to each, using 159-seat Airbus 319 aircraft and 177  or 186-seat Airbus 320 aircraft.

American Eagle recently began once a week flights out of Tweed to and from a second destination, Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 22. The carrier said it hopes to eventually increase the frequency.

Tweed has been hampered for a decade by a settlement between New Haven and East Haven officials concerning the airports operation.

As part of the settlement, East Haven withdrew its objections to the installation of federally mandated, unpaved runway safety areas at either end of the runway and the General Assembly subsequently passed legislation limiting the runway to its current 5,600 feet.

The settlement also placed limits on future numbers of flights to and from Tweed, among other things.
Bill Burt and George Bremer discuss the NFL schedule and Tom Brady's return to New England; Elton Hayes and Kevin Brockway reflect on Coach K's retirement; and Clay Horning breaks down the worst defensive play in baseball in recent memory.
Reporter

I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years.
The city of Wilmington and its mayors' "failure to care" and "indifference" led to the deaths of three Wilmington firefighters and serious injuries to another three in a row home arson in Canby Park in 2016, according to the latest round of court documents filed in a civil lawsuit in the case, obtained by WDEL.

In addition, the Plaintiffs' Consolidated Answering Brief in Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss, filed January 7, 2019 in federal court in Wilmington, asserted that the City of Wilmington is responsible for the "misconduct" of its agents, acting at the highest policy-making levels, and that defendants' documents, including Motions to Dismiss, include "multiple legal errors that misstate settled law."

All defendants, including former mayors Dennis P. Williams, James Baker, ex-fire chief Anthony Goode, former fire chief-turned-Emergency Management Director Willie Patrick, Jr., and the city of Wilmington, filed Motions to Dismiss firefighters' and their families' claims on October 15, 2018, citing a "failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted."

The early morning fire on September 26, 2016, killed Lt. Christopher Leach and senior firefighters Jerry Fickes and Ardythe "Ardy" Hope. Firefighter Brad Speakman was injured so badly, he retired; Senior Firefighter Terrance Tate also retired while Lt. John Cawthray, remains on the force.

Attorney Tom Neuberger, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs, dismissed notions that the complaint is without merit and alleged a lack of water on the heart of the fire in the rear basement of the home led to a mayday call that would claim firefighters' lives. He further asserts that the controversial rolling bypass policy, wherein a fire engine is taken out of service, to save costs, prevented hundreds of gallons of water from arriving on the scene within minutes of the fire.

"Seconds make a difference," said Neuberger in an exclusive interview with WDEL, ahead of the complaint's initial filing on August 16, 2018. "And there's an old firefighter saying: 'Put water on a fire and the problems go away'...all would've been prevented if the city had a policy of allowing water to get to the scene of the fire first. Why in the world are you sending a ladder truck?"

Those claims are reiterated in the Plaintiffs' Response to the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss.

"In the space of eight months in 2016, two children and three firefighters died, after years of dire warnings--all as a result of the rolling bypass and under-staffing policies in the [Wilmington Fire Department] and the delay these policies caused in the arrival off firefighters and water to any fire scene," court documents said.

The plaintiffs' response also noted that under the management of now-deceased Chief James Ford, politicians were not permitted to "meddle" with the safety of the Wilmington Fire Department's operations.

"The chief took seriously his duties and responsibilities to protect the citizens and firefighters of the city," court records said. "Morale was high, and the WFD operated within the budgeting parameters set for it by City Council. Most importantly, the WFD was open and honest in its representations to City Council."

Neuberger asserted that way of thinking changed under Mayor Baker when rolling bypass was initiated; however, Chief Ford refused to comply with Baker's order calling it "illegal" and "unnecessarily dangerous" to public safety.

"Its implementation would result in the needless, uncalled for, avoidable and preventable deaths of firefighters and civilians, and he would quit and retire as chief rather than implement it," court records said.

Ford's alleged strong statements delayed implementation of conditional company closures, until his retirement in 2007, when Patrick took over at them of WFD. Despite strong warnings from union officials, the policy was implemented in a way that included Mayor Baker misleading the public and city council, according to Neuberger.

"Defendants and their appointees repeatedly and falsely explained there would be no increased risk or danger to firefighters or citizens caused by the rolling bypass policy," the response stated. "For example, defendant Patrick publicly stated there would be 'no change or compromise' when it comes to '[r]esponse times and safety.'"

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Both Patrick and Chief Goode admitted later to the media in 2014 that "'rolling bypass had increased response times and that those facts had been hidden from the public and city council,'" according to court filings.

Despite long-term use of rolling bypass, which aimed to save money, Neuberger's court filings assert overtime costs "increased significantly."

The response also cites the failures of the policy in Philadelphia, which has since rescinded its use.

Those independently named in in this lawsuit have previously declined comment or not returned comment in connection with this lawsuit. But upon the lawsuit's filing, the city of Wilmington pledged to "aggressively" defend the lawsuit and called it an "inappropriate" response to the fire.

"There are no reasons at all for the city to feel guilt or shame. A grand jury has charged [Beatriz Fana Ruiz] with arson and multiple counts of murder in connection with this fire, and that person is awaiting trial," said Purzycki on August 16, 2018. "Yet, despite the pending criminal prosecution, plaintiffs attorneys have filed a civil complaint seeking money damages from the city affecting all the citizens of Wilmington, but leaving unnamed the individual accused of intentionally setting the fire.

Fana Ruiz is slated to go to trial in March of 2019.

Mayor Purzycki disagreed that rolling bypass played a role in the firefighters' deaths.

"The city sharply disagrees. An individual has been charged criminally with intentionally setting this fire. Again, facts matter, and the facts will demonstrate the disturbing nature of this lawsuit.

Neuberger's response also noted an independent report by the Centers for Disease Control's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which concluded, in part, the untimely application of water led to the firefighters' deaths.

Federal report released on Wilmington firefighter deaths The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released a long awaite

"For over eight years, the defendants refused to stop rolling bypass and were indifferent to the endless warnings they received of the deadly consequences of their reckless and misguided policies," court records stated. "Legally '[w]hen such extended opportunities to do better are teamed with protracted failure even to care, indifference is truly shocking' to the judicial conscience...and is a violation of due substantive process."

"These extended opportunities to do better, protracted failure even to care, and deliberate indifference to protecting lives is illegal and truly shocking," court records said.

Check out the full Plaintiffs' Consolidated Answering Brief in Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss:
NANCHANG, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Eastern China's Jiangxi Province has issued a policy to compensate farmers who lost crops or other harvests to foraging migratory birds.

Jiangxi's forestry bureau said Monday that the new policy covers areas around the Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake and a seasonal destination for half a million bird that arrive for winter every year.

An official with the bureau told Xinhua that farmers are not allowed to hurt or drive away birds that trespass into their fields or fish ponds for food, but can instead claim recompense from the government.

The compensation is set at 1,200 yuan (175 U.S. dollars) per hectare and is subject to floating.

Late last year, local authorities said drought had lowered water levels in the Poyang Lake, which may pose difficulties for migratory birds to get food from the water body and nearby wetlands.

Hundreds of thousands of birds arrive in the Poyang Lake every year for the winter before flying to warmer regions like Australia.
Washington: Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has granted full clemency to Cyntoia Brown, an alleged sex trafficking victim serving a life sentence for the 2004 murder of a man who picked her up and took her to his home.

After serving 15 years in prison, Brown will be released on August 7 and will remain on parole for 10 years, Haslam announced on Monday, calling it a "tragic and complex case."

Brown, whose case drew national attention and support from celebrities like Rihanna and Kim Kardashian, was 16 years old when she committed the crime.
Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is in China for a fourth summit meeting with President Xi Jinping, North Korean and Chinese state media reported on Tuesday.

State-run Korea Central Television said Kim and his wife, Ri Sol Ju, were visiting China until Thursday, at Xi's invitation.

Kim Jong-un delivers a televised new year speech in North Korea. Credit:AP

The summit with Xi comes as Kim and US President Donald Trump are negotiating over the location for a second summit meeting, and on Kim's 35th birthday on Tuesday.
Beijing: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's arrival in Beijing on Tuesday was a study in how far the 35-year-old's comfort with the global spotlight has grown since his first journey abroad as leader less than a year ago.

In a break with tight-lipped Chinese diplomatic protocol, Kim's four-day visit to China was announced before his train had even pulled into Beijing station. Previously, any visit by a security-paranoid North Korean leader would be announced by China only after he had returned to the "hermit kingdom".

This time, Kim's schedule and the names of a heavyweight North Korean delegation, including North Korea's top nuclear negotiator, Kim Yong-chol, Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and Defence Minister No Kwang-chol, were publicised by North Korean and Chinese media.

Kim arrived on his birthday, and a week after giving a New Year's Day speech calling for multilateral talks between the signatories to the Korean War truce in order to push forward a peace treaty to formally end the war.
On a rainy, windswept Saturday afternoon some of the worst Australia has to offer descended on St Kilda beach in Melbourne for a gathering of far-right extremists, many of whom proudly displayed symbols of Nazism and performed "Heil Hitler" salutes.

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Despite the claims of the rallys organisers, only a few hundred people showed up, illustrating how easily the appeal of their cause was dented by a little bit of bad weather.

Counter-protesters, however, were there in force, proudly proclaiming that right-wing extremism and neo-Nazism has no place in modern Australia.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but Saturdays events made me proud of my fellow Australians. When extremists and neo-Nazi wannabes took to the streets, the people of Melbourne reacted not with violence and confrontation, but with a firm resolve that we would defend the values of inclusivity and equality that define the Australian experience.
An 18-year-old man has handed himself into police after a public appeal by a woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted on a bus in Melbourne's west.

Stef, a 20-year-old woman, boarded a route 903 bus from the Sunshine Railway Station just after 6pm on December 27 following a day of shopping, with the alleged attacker also boarding at the same stop.

Police allege a man who was seated behind Stef sexually assaulted her as she stood up to disembark at McIntrye Road near Munroe Avenue in Sunshine North.

There were two other people on the bus at the time, plus the driver, but they were all seated in front of the alleged perpetrator and victim.
The NSW government is investigating the cause and extent of "shocking" algal bloom events in the state's far west that may have killed a million or more fish.

The Department of Primary Industries has sent staff to examine the Menindee Weir Pool region, south-east of Broken Hill, where banks are lined with dead bony bream, Murray cod and other species.

It's the largest of four recent fish kills in NSW after one in the same region at Christmas and two others on the Namoi and Lachlan rivers amid on-going drought and record heat.

"Unfortunately, this won't be the last," Niall Blair, NSW's fisheries minister, said. "There's just nothing coming into the system."
In his Golden Globes acceptance speech for best actor in a comedy or musical for Vice, Christian Bale made sure to thank his co-stars, crew and family, before name-dropping a more unlikely inspiration for his portrayal of former Vice President Dick Cheney.

"Thank you to Satan for giving me inspiration on how to play this role," he said.

Christian Bale arriving at the Golden Globes. Credit:Invision

The 44-year-old actor also thanked Vice writer and director Adam McKay with a self-deprecating bit about his casting in the role.

"(McKay had) to find somebody who can be absolutely charisma-free and reviled by everybody," Bale joked. "And he went, 'Ah, it's got to be Bale innit.' "
Mr Campbell was awarded Australian emerging franchisor of the year in 2016 at the Franchise Council of Australia awards. Jump! founder Ian Campbell was awarded Australian emerging franchisor of the year in 2016. Credit:AHC Photography However, many franchisees of Jump! say they have paid franchise fees to Jump! but still don't have a swim school. Delays Ms Sharpe taught swimming for more than 20 years but said the last few years have been focused on trying to open a Jump! swim school.

"Here I still am with two years of 'is this opening or isn't it opening?'," she said. Ms Sharpe says Jump! claimed the building was delayed and said there was trouble with the certification until she engaged a lawyer. "My lawyer said 'Pay the money back or build the swim school'," she said. "[Jump!] said they could return the options only if they have another buyer. They've got our money and it looks like they are not going to build it unless I take them to court. It's not what I signed up for I can tell you that." Bamboozled

Another franchisee, who did not want to be identified, said he also has not received the swim school he paid Jump! for. The franchisee signed up after seeing an advertisement on Facebook. "I looked at the contract and on paper it looked really good," he said. "Once you get involved the way the contract was drawn up was all in their favour and you had to pay all the money up front." However the franchisee says there were structural issues with the premises selected for the swim school and so a different premises was selected but the development application was rejected for the premises. "They bamboozle you with everything but once they have all the money there is no way out," he said. "There are no time frames on the contracts. You are sort of locked in."

In the end the franchisee managed to get out of his contract with Jump! but he said "it was many tens of thousands of dollars down the tube". Jump! is embroiled in several legal disputes. Credit:Newsday Legal disputes Jump! is embroiled in several legal proceedings with franchisees. Franchisee Shaun Trumbull has brought proceedings in the District Court of NSW against Swim Loops (trading as Jump!)

Mr Trumbull claims he paid more than $154,000 in fees to Jump! to establish two swim schools on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Mr Trumbull claims Jump! engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct and repudiated its contract with him by requiring payments when the swimming schools were not in existence. The case is still on foot and Mr Trumbull declined to comment. In April, Victorian Supreme Court Justice John Digby found in favour of franchisees Todd and Jenelle Delahunt in proceedings brought against Swim Loops (trading as Jump!).

The court heard the Delahunts paid $138,000 to Jump! upon opening the swimming school which they financed through a loan secured over their family home. However Jump! took possession of the Delahunt's swim school in Reservoir over a dispute over $30,753. Justice Digby granted an injunction compelling Jump! to relinquish possession and operation of the swimming school. 'High level of regulation' A spokesperson for Jump! would not comment on how many legal disputes Jump! is contesting.
Regional Editor

Brett Rowland has worked as a reporter in newsrooms in Illinois and Wisconsin. He most recently served as news editor of the Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake, Illinois. He previously held the same position at the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb.
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Brian Gregory Robling of Washington, 23, passed away Monday, June 7, 2021. Brian was born July 11, 1997, in Washington, to Amber (Robling) Whiteman and Michael Bernard. He graduated from Washington High School in 2016. Brian is survived by his parents; his son, Zyler Mehrer of Washington; da
Since then, the U.S. government has experimented with ways to keep deportees out of the hands of criminal groups along the border. Beginning in 2013, for example, it operated twice-weekly flights that took deportees directly to Mexico City, bypassing more dangerous cities like Reynosa. But that program was paused in May, and human rights advocates say the United States is ignoring the reality along the border, especially by deporting people to Reynosa after dark.
Ghosns detention runs through Jan. 11. Otsuru said that ordinarily, prosecutors would indict a suspect but that he does not know what might happen in this case. As for the possibility of bail, he said that it generally is not approved until the first trial and that it could take at least six months because of the difficult nature of this case.
President Trump once described my generals as key members of his administration, but none of the senior officers remain. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was fired as Trumps national security adviser less than a month into the administration. He was replaced by then-active-duty Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who was ousted in March and replaced by former diplomat John Bolton.
According to a congressional aide, there is about $10 billion left in unobligated funds for military construction in the current fiscal years defense budget, in addition to some $13 billion that has rolled over from previous years. The money, however, has been appropriated for specific projects. This aide, and another one, spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the issue.
Veselnitskaya, who has deep experience in Russian political and legal matters, had been brought on by Prevezon to fight the lawsuit, though she also lobbied more broadly against the political outgrowths of the allegations against the company. When she met with Trump Jr. and others, she talked about her opposition to the Magnitsky Act.
In a combat environment, when youre not concerned with details it can lead to loss of life, said Goepner, who commanded a unit in Afghanistan in 2010. Any time youre moving to an end state  and this case, the end state is lets reduce our forces  and you are not coherent in how you do that, you introduce an incredible amount of risk, and that goes to the lives of Americans and some Afghans that we fought alongside.
The European Union was never formally notified of any downgrade and inquired about it after the funeral. OSullivan attended at least one subsequent event where again he seemed to be treated as a national ambassador, leading to some confusion, an E.U. official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss cocktail reception sensitivities. But when E.U. officials searched for the protocol list on Google  often the best way to obtain information in the Trump era  there it was: the European Union, all the way at the bottom, as of Oct. 30.
During the discussions, Bolton stressed U.S. opposition to any Turkish mistreatment of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which have fought alongside the United States against the Islamic State. But Kalin did not budge from Turkeys insistence that the bulk of those fighters, who are members of the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, are allied with Kurdish separatists in Turkey. He said that no offensive action would be taken in Syria while U.S. forces remained but that Turkey was fully within its rights to attack the Kurdish terrorists.
For years, Scott sought to chart his own path with Hispanic voters. But soon, he will be at the epicenter of an explosive national fight over border security that could reshape their views of him. According to Scotts own polling, about half of the Latino voters in Floridas Senate election have an unfavorable view of Trump.
Obama echoed Bush, though he flipped around the order, when he stated: Even as we are a nation of immigrants, were also a nation of laws. Both presidents emphasized that their positions did not amount to amnesty for lawbreakers. And they described most immigrants as being willing to work hard and assimilate, and made clear that it was not feasible or productive to deport everyone in the country illegally.
Trump made a number of other claims that are demonstrably false. He said the border wall will be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico. But that deal, a reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement, has yet to be ratified by Congress  and even if it were, it would not save the United States any money because smaller trade deficits do not necessarily translate into greater revenue for the federal government. There is also no provision earmarking money for a wall.
We must have a national standard: no background check, no sale, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said in a statement. In this past election, gun violence prevention was on the ballot and gun violence prevention won. Were now at a tipping point  on the cusp of breaking the grip of the NRA and special interests who are in the way of reasonable reforms. Beginning with background checks, we must seize this historic opportunity to move forward on common sense gun safety measures that will end the American epidemic of gun violence.
Because the company failed to satisfy its burden of showing that Country As law would prohibit complying with the subpoena, we agree with the district court that enforcing the subpoena is neither unreasonable nor oppressive, according to the order from Judges David Tatel and Thomas Griffith. The third judge on the panel, Stephen Williams, wrote a separate opinion agreeing with the order.
With Warren and Sanders likely to both be part of the field, a big debate about ideas is inevitable. Progressive movements and activists are rising in power and are demanding fundamental change. Whats important now is to hold the media accountable for reporting on the substance of the ideas fairly, not simply on the glitz and gossip of the campaigns. When CNN anchor Ana Cabrera devotes the entirety of her coverage of Warren in Iowa to a citizens single question about Warrens DNA test, Cabrera is doing a disservice to her viewers and to our democracy. A serious debate about what we should do to get out of the mess we are in is about to break out. Lets work to get the media to give it the coverage it deserves.
Add to the mix the deep hostility of most of the Manhattan-Beltway elite media. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) has said he doesnt share the presidents view that the mainstream media are the enemy of the people, but Graham does think they are allies of the Democratic Party. A large slice of the press seems to be, in the view of many Trump supporters, intent on toppling this president. Most journalists are old-school, straight-arrow reporters of events and statements, but some are deep into the fight against Trump even while denying it. Not a few absolutely loathe him. So when Trump leaves himself vulnerable to interpretations of his spontaneous statements, that slice of the press that hates him will pounce, along with opinion journalists and Democratic politicians. The old-school scribblers then report the facts of the controversy. The cycle is on.
As mentioned in the Jan. 2 editorial Saving the miracle drugs, new regulations and consumer demand led to a decrease in sales of medically important antibiotics to the meat industry. Thats good news, but we need to keep pushing for progress because our ability to treat life-threatening infections is at stake. Five years ago, my wife came down with staph, a type of bacteria that can cause severe skin infections. The doctor promptly prescribed a rigorous course of antibiotics. Her story had a happy ending, but each year, thousands of Americans arent so lucky. Although sales of medically important antibiotics for use in food-producing animals dropped 33 percent between 2016 and 2017, we still vastly overuse these medicines to produce meat. Producers continue to dose healthy animals with antibiotics on a large scale to compensate for unsanitary, crowded and stressful living conditions. Consumers will continue to pressure food companies to reduce antibiotic use in their meat supply chains, but we need leadership from federal regulators, as well. The Food and Drug Administration should limit the use of medically important antibiotics to treat sick animals or to control a verified disease outbreak. Life before antibiotics was much more dangerous. We cant go back.
Its not going to be just Apple, White House Council of Economic Advisers chairman Kevin Hassett said the following day. I think that there are a heck of a lot of U.S. companies that have a lot of sales in China that are basically going to be watching their earnings be downgraded next year until we get a deal with China.
Donald Trump, though he was the oldest person (70) to be elected president, doesnt seem to have a problem with age, not so much because of his full head of dyed hair, but because he is strangely ageless. He is at once a vigorous old guy, a 28-year-old Internet troll and an 11-year-old boy off his Ritalin. Biden, though he can seem reassuringly mature at times, can also seem a little dated, like a character out of the 1950s. A year and a half after the Access Hollywood recording was released, during which Trump was caught using what he later described as locker room talk, Biden, the former vice president, said he didnt want to debate Trump, but that he wanted to take him behind the gym and beat the hell out of him. Biden was assailed in some quarters for toxic masculinity, but really, he seemed at times a character out of an Archie and Jughead comic book.
There would be howls of protest from the relatively prosperous minority that still takes advantage of itemized tax deductions. Cries to protect the deduction for charitable donations would be especially loud, though a compromise proposal  limit the deduction to cash donations only, as opposed to, say, gifts of used clothing or shares of stock  could defuse some of that. The CBO says this would still raise $145.7 billion over 10 years.
In October, a United Nations-backed panel of nearly 100 scientists offered a detailed accounting of what it would take to limit planetary warming to just 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit)  with the world already experiencing a 1 degree Celsius increase. They found not only that going beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius would have devastating impacts, but also that the world has only about a decade to make the unprecedented changes necessary to hold warming at this level.
The evening of Dec. 28, according to Montgomery County police, McGuigan and his mother, Jaclyn McGuigan, 49, pulled into the parking lot outside the St. Raphael Catholic Church and School. At some point, both got out of the car and the son attacked his mother, who was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Todays unanimous approval is a significant step forward for this transformational project and the final state approval needed in Virginia, Dominion spokesman Karl Neddenien said in an email. We know we have to continue building trust in the community. It will begin with the investments were making in a new community center and rescue squad, but it will not end there. We have a profound respect for this community and its history, and we will continue working together to build a better future.
The legislative session begins as Northam, a former lieutenant governor and state senator, enters his second year in the Executive Mansion. He won the office in November 2017 amid a blue wave fueled by suburban antipathy toward President Trump. The same wave nearly wiped out the GOPs 2-to-1 majority in the House. Fifteen new Democrats and some GOP defectors enabled Northam to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in his first year, an enormous win that had eluded predecessor Terry McAuliffe (D) for four years.
Control of Virginias House of Delegates hangs in the balance with the redistricting. All 100 seats in the House and all 40 seats in the state Senate are on the ballot this fall. Republicans hold a tight majority in each chamber, but Democrats have made huge gains in Virginia in recent years and hope to build on their momentum.
There is a perception on the part of some observers that the administration is kind of bipolar on environmental issues, Rubin said. It has done some good work . . . but this in some sense only strengthens the perception that its treatment of the [Atlantic Coast Pipeline] in general and the compressor station in particular is really out of alignment with its overall environmental stance.
Athena Hernandez, another MWAA spokeswoman, said the officer realized it was Spacey after he asked for a drivers license. The incident came to the attention of airport authorities when the officer reported it to his supervisors, officials said. The officer also noticed that when he pulled Spacey over there were other vehicles behind him that appeared to be camera crews following and filming him, officials said.
Using a system inspired by the waiter who carries glasses on a tray without spilling a drop, he devised a method in which a concrete tray was placed under the buildings foundations, the church was lifted with hydraulic jacks, and winches and electric trolleys were used to roll it along a set of rails. Like a train slowly making its way down the tracks, the church was moved more than 800 feet, given a new home in 1982 behind what is now the headquarters of the Romanian Intelligence Service.
One employee described not being able to pay for her grandchildrens clarinet and piano lessons. Another said the sneakers his son needs have moved down on the priority list. Some have savings, they said, but many of the workers they represent are living paycheck to paycheck.
The governor also proposed charging repeat violent offenders with federal crimes and said he will introduce legislation to increase minimum sentences to 10 years for repeat offenders who use a gun to commit violence. Other legislation would allow publication of detailed, judge-by-judge information on sentences handed down for violent crimes across the state.
In emails first reported by The Post, Manafort, who was deeply in debt at the time he agreed to work for Trumps campaign for no pay, wrote to Kilimnik during the campaign and said he hoped to use his position to get whole. He also asked Kilimnik to offer private briefings about the campaign to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian businessman who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and to whom Manafort owed money.
Nadler added that he was concerned that Trump would mislead the public about the need for a border wall Tuesday. He said the administration has suggested that thousands of terrorists have been caught attempting to cross the southern border, but he and others have said there is no evidence of that.
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That left couples scrambling to come up with backup plans for making their marriages official in the eyes of the government, such as holding a second wedding in Maryland or Virginia. The Marriage Bureau registers officiants and issues marriage licenses, which the officiants are supposed to sign and return to the court after the nuptials.
Google is looking for the next top doodler. The theme for 2019 is When I grow up, I hope . . . . Drawings must be original. They will be judged on artistry, creativity and how they relate to the theme.
Kirk Nilson, senior vice president of home delivery operations for OptumRx, a pharmacy-care services company that manages more than 1.3 billion prescriptions annually, describes how the system ensures accuracy. Medications are sorted and scanned using high-resolution and high-speed scanners. All information is verified by pharmacists and undergoes up to 16 fulfillment quality checks. For instance, he says, if a prescription calls for 90 pills of a specific drug, the system knows what the total weight should be. A mismatch diverts the prescription to an employee for a recount and visual inspection to ensure the drug matches a picture of the medications shape, markings and color.
The UK is working on plans to build two new military bases in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, said Britain's Secretary of State for Defense Gavin Williamson in an interview. Gavin Williamson claimed that where we have economic interests, where we should have military presence.

Overseas military bases have served as the bridgehead for the UK to safeguard its overseas interests, control strategic arteries, consolidate leadership position, and prevent other major powers from seeking sea power since modern times.

Some analysts pointed out that the UKs plan of establishing two new overseas military bases and the previous British military revitalization plan mean that the UK is trying to strengthen its international presence after Brexit. Some also said that the move by the UK may further complicate the strategic situation in relevant regions.

The UKs security environment has undergone major changes since it officially launched the Brexit process. In particular, the US President Donald Trump has contempt for NATO, demanding that NATO member states apportion more defense spending. This has intensified the UKs anxiety about NATOs future and increased the urgency to improve its defense capabilities.

British Ministry of Defense issued a report in December 2018, which argues that the world has returned to an era of fierce competition after 30 years of relative stability. In order to deter and defeat potential rivals, the UK should be able to deploy a 50,000-strong task force including an aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, which can carry F-35 stealth fighter jets, an army division with three brigades, one battle group consisting of fighter jets, transport aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft, and on especial operations force. At the same time, the UK must maintain at least one ballistic missile submarine at sea.

In fact, the deployment and adjustment of overseas military bases can be seen as a barometer reflecting Britains global military dominance and political influence. The past 300 years have witnessed a transformation of Britains strength from strong to weak. At present, its overseas military bases can only be found in Brunei, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus, and some trust territories located at oceans.

However, the UK has always considered itself as the suzerain of the developing countries of the Commonwealth. Its ambition to maintain its status as a major power has enabled the UK to keep seeking maintenance its overseas military bases.

As early as in 2003, the British national defense white paper pointed out that its Royal Navy would pay more attention to the rapid delivery of military personnel and equipment than at any time in history.

In December 2014, the UK signed a military cooperation agreement with Bahrain. Accordingly, the UK has strengthened its military presence and established a permanent military base in Bahrain. This is the first time that the UK redeployed a military base in Bahrain since the withdrawal of British troops from the east of the Suez Canal in 1971.

The re-establishment of a military base in Bahrain can neither reinvigorate Britains one-time national prestige nor reverse its downward momentum. However, it reflects the geopolitical ambition of Britain in the new era.

Seen from the operational level, given that the British territory is small and narrow and its domestic climate, topography and natural conditions are not diverse, it is not suitable for British armed forces to carry out combat training under various natural conditions. Overseas bases make up for this disadvantage. Hence, the new overseas military bases are of great significance to the British armed forces that intend to reinvigorate its strategic influence.

However, Williamsons claim to build overseas military bases was criticized by the British Conservative Party and the opposition party, saying that Williamson showed his ambition and ignorance. They also asked him where his budget would comefrom.

Some media questioned the feasibility of the plan.They argued that although the UK is ambitious and hopes to restore its past glory as a global power, it remains to be seen whether the UK has the capability to build more overseas bases while struggling with austerity budget for many years to maintain a strong military deterrence.
Using existing funds, we were able to keep FSA offices open as long as possible, but unfortunately had to close them when funding ran out, Perdue said in a statement. We will therefore extend the application deadline for a period of time equal to the number of business days FSA offices were closed, once the government shutdown ends.
Joel Nafuma Refugee Center appeals for sleeping bags for homeless.

Rome's Joel Nafuma Refugee Center (JNRC) is seeking donations of sleeping bags and blankets to help homeless asylum seekers facing the current freezing conditions in the capital.

The JNRC has set up a Needslist page through which people can donate sleeping bags as well as other winter essentials such as blankets, heavy jackets, woollens, thick winter socks and shoes.

The centre, which is based in the crypt of St Paul's Within the Walls church, is distributing the donated items to all who need them at the moment, and will continue to do so until mid-March.

The JNRC is also accepting cash donations. For full details see website.
Medics express concerns to Rome mayor over "serious public health problem."

Rome's associaton of doctors and dentists has expressed public health concerns in relation to the capital's rubbish crisis which has escalated since the fire that devastated the crucial Salario waste treatment plant on 11 December.

In a letter addressed to Rome's mayor Virginia Raggi as well as Italy's health minister Giulia Grillo and environment minister Sergio Costa, the medical association wrote that the current condition of waste in Rome, "especially in front of hospitals, schools, shopping centers, public parks and residential areas, risks creating a serious public health problem."

Each of the recipients of the letter, sent on 7 January, must work together to seek a "definitive solution to the problem", according to the Ordine dei Medici Chirurghi e degli Odontoiatri (OMCeO Roma).

The letter comes after the Lazio branch of the national association of school principals warned that schools would not reopen after Christmas unless rubbish was removed from the city's streets. Italy's education minister Marco Bussetti intervened in support of the principals, and the city promptly removed the garbage piled up outside schools which reopened as normal on 7 January.

Rome's mayor is reportedly preparing a report for the public prosecutor's office in relation to the collection of rubbish in the capital, the suspicious fire at the Salario plant and the fact that more than 350 city bins were destroyed by fire in 2018 - 50 of which were set alight on New Year's Eve alone.

The worsening rubbish crisis has coincided with the Christmas season, a time when Rome's waste removal service is traditionally under strain.
Decatur, IL (62521)

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Sunny to partly cloudy. High around 85F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

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Mainly clear. Low 59F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.
Paso, Cameron Park Zoos nearly 18-year-old mountain lion, died last week after battling pneumonia, zoo officials announced Monday.

Paso was born in 2001 and was rescued by the California Fish and Game Service before she was transferred to Cameron Park Zoo with her sister, Robles, in 2003, the zoo stated in a press release.

The sisters were unable to be released back into the wild, making Paso and Robles the first large mammals in the expansion of the Brazos River Country exhibit that opened in 2005.

Although the cause of death is pending a necropsy, zoo officials said Paso died of pneumonia.

Robles has been undergoing care for renal, or kidney failure, but Pasos death was surprising, said Terri Cox, the zoos curator for programs and exhibits.

Paso and Robles were named from where they were found as cubs in Paso Robles, California, Cox said. Their mother was considered a nuisance in Paso Robles and she was shot, leaving her cubs alone. They were taken in by the California Fish and Game Service before they came to us.

The average lifespan for mountain lions is eight to 10 years old in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity, Cox said.

The zoo has several animals that are considered elderly, so staff is focused on providing comfort and health as they age.

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Building a wall, on the other hand, has been Trumps personal piece of performance art and he has invoked fantasies to promote it (like, for example, compelling Mexico to foot the bill). He has also become so emotionally attached to the effort that hes put himself at a strategic disadvantage. The president is now so consumed with appearing to win, that he may not win at all.

Left reeling and desperate, he said on Friday and again on Sunday that he may declare a national emergency on the southern border so he can simply appropriate the taxpayer funds he wants. Such a move may not even be legal, would prompt Democrats to file a lawsuit to stop him regardless and is likely to further alienate some Republicans worn down by his antics.
Rosen writes on his PressThink blog that one of the problems with election coverage as it stands is no one has any idea what it means to succeed at it: Predicting the winner? Is that success? Even if journalists could do that (and they cant) it would not be much of a public service, would it? A very weird thing about horse race or game coverage is it doesnt answer to any identifiable need of the voter. Should I vote for the candidate with the best strategy for capturing my vote?

The citizens agenda, which Rosen says was once tried to good effect by the Charlotte Observer partnering with the Poynter Institute, asks different questions: What do you want the candidates to be discussing as they compete for votes?

From the best answers to that everything else flows.

Rosen knows this all sounds dorky and not much fun. (And granted, people may ultimately cast their votes partly because theyd rather have a beer with one candidate over another, which is no doubt part of the reason Warren downed that beer on social media.)

For journalists, it amounts to, he writes, civics class, as against drinks with the county chairman at the Des Moines Marriott.
After being deported from his longtime Texas home, Joe, a Mexican national, lay sick in his tent among dozens of other deportees in Tijuana, Mexico when he heard commotion outside of his tent.

He said he hadnt come out of his tent in days and he looked real sick, said Kevin Vranich, who was one of nearly 30 members of Antioch Community Church who traveled to Tijuana this winter.

There was just a lot of hopelessness, but he said hearing us talking to others drew him out of his tent for the first time, he said.

Joe was greeted by members of the large Waco-based evangelical churchs Day and Night International Discipleship School as they worked to spread a message of Gods love among dozens of deportees and would-be migrants from Mexico and Central America.

The border city has become a focal point in news stories recently as debate rages over immigration policy and border security. But the Antioch team, partnering with a sister church in Tijuana, looked beyond political controversy to serve human needs.
A Hewitt man turned himself into authorities late Sunday on charges that he distributed marijuana and prescription cough medicine with codeine from his Hewitt home in 2018.

Carlos Henry Bravo III, 21, surrendered after Hewitt police received information he was allegedly distributing illegal drugs out of a home in the 300 block of Travis Lane.

Police in April executed a search warrant at the home, where they discovered marijuana, money in bags, and the cough medicine promethazine with codeine, an arrest warrant affidavit states.

Inside a refrigerator in a garage, officers found a 14-ounce bottle of promethazine hidden behind a case of beer, the affidavit states.

In an interview with police, Bravo said the promethazine belonged to him.

Police continued their investigation and executed a search warrant on Bravos phone, the affidavit states.

Police also found messages with other subjects indicating the sale of marijuana and promethazine.

Other pieces of evidence were collected throughout the house, including drug paraphernalia, baggies, and other suspected drugs, the affidavit states.
Resident Ann Schiltz said everyone needs to learn to apologize, accept responsibility and allow the city to move forward.

We live in the U.S. of A. and whats important here is freedom and the right to make choices, Schiltz said. We are the ones that live in this town. Listen to us. Listen to us.

Resident Elli Mevis said there has been no transparency in the matter.

Summaries are inherently biased because you are picking what you say and what you leave out, she said. You dont believe me, turn on MSNBC and then switch to Fox News and then see if they are saying the same thing about the same news item.

Hewitt resident Betty Orton said her heart aches for the council members.

I feel like were in Washington almost with what were going through, said Orton, who was a candidate in the November council election. I think of all of us here have made mistakes. Weve all said things we wish wed have never said.

Also during the meeting, U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Bryan, swore in the newest council member.
The woman testified that she was cooking dinner for her young daughter when Tatum came barging into the home brandishing a large knife with a 12-inch blade. He jabbed the knife in her direction and took away her car keys and cell phone and told them not to move, she said.

I felt a lot of fear, the woman said in Spanish, testifying with the assistance of an interpreter. I hugged my daughter and put aside my fear and tried to calm myself for the sake of my daughter. I tried to talk him down and tried to distract him, thinking of my daughter the whole time. I was trying to figure out how we were going to get out of this situation.

The woman asked if Tatum was hungry and offered him food. She offered him the TV, telling him to take it and anything else and imploring him not to hurt her and her daughter.

She said Tatum was looking for someone named Jennifer. She told him she didnt know that person. Tatum ransacked the house then went outside to look in a shed and workshop to see what he could take, the woman said.
I got a call this summer from the defense lawyers for Mr. Anderson wanting to come meet with me and talk about his parents paying my client money to drop the criminal proceedings. Thats interfering. I said no. I am not going to meet with them and discuss by implication paying her money in exchange for her trying to drop the charges. This has been about staying out of the criminal proceedings.

Fort Worth attorney Tim Moore, who represented Anderson in the criminal case with Mark Daniel, said Tuesday that Dunnam is blowing the situation out of proportion. He said no such offer would have been made without the involvement and cooperation of the district attorneys office.

I recall one very brief phone conversation with Mr. Dunnam, Moore said. I recall asking him about possible restitution, if any. Nothing substantive was discussed and there were most certainly no offers made. There were no further conversations.

Dunnam declined to elaborate on the conversation after the hearing. Moore also declined additional comment.
A two-vehicle crash Monday claimed the life of a Jackson County man.

William Lee Gifford, 30, of Section was killed when the 2014 Yamaha motorcycle he was operating collided with a 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe, said Trooper Curtis Summerville, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency spokesperson.

Gifford was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Chevrolet was transported to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries.

At the time of the incident, Gifford was being pursued by local law enforcement officers, Summerville said.

The crash occurred at 8:45 p.m. on Alabama 35 at the 39 mile marker three miles south of Section.

Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.
One person is dead after a head-on crash on Highway 431 in Guntersville Monday afternoon.

Guntersville Police Department, Guntersville Fire Department and Marshall Medical Services ambulances all responded to the three-vehicle wreck in the southbound lanes of the Paul Stockton Causeway. One vehicle was heading the wrong way after crossing into oncoming traffic, police say.

Jan Slaton, 69, of Albertville was pronounced dead at the scene. Three children were in the vehicle, and one child was listed to be in critical condition at the Childern's Hospital in Birmingham. The other two were treated and released by Huntsville Hospital.

Another vehicle was driven by Jennifer Rossuck of Albertville. She is in critical condition at Huntsville Hospital. The third vehicle was driven by Deborah Cole of Albertville. She was not injured in the wreck.

Guntersville Police are investigating the cause of the wreck.
An inmate at the Lawrence County Jail has been charged with assault after biting one corrections officer and hitting another.

Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Mitchell said investigators are working a case involving Lawrence County Jail inmate Earl Bates from Hillsboro.

In a press release from the sheriff's office, Mitchell said the first altercation happened about 8:30 p.m. Monday when a corrections officer attempted to remove items from Bates' cell that he was using to aid in flooding his cell. Mitchell said Bates bit the officer on the forearm.

Mitchell said Bates hit another officer about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday while the jailer was picking up the inmate's lunch tray.

Mitchell said the officers involved were checked out medically but not hospitalized.

Mitchell earlier said two jailers are on staff at all times, and typically there are four of them. He said the jail holds around 115 inmates but recently they've had up to 180 inmates.

He said this is because the Alabama Legislature passed a bill last year that has inmates spend more time in county jails instead of prisons to keep down on prison overcrowding. He said this has now caused more inmates to stay longer periods of time in county jails.

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In a partnership with local veterans organizations, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers will be hosting a blood drive on Saturday, January 19. It will last from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and be held at the Vietnam Veterans of America office at West Elm Street in Athens.

According to LifeSouth, a single donation can save three lives. All blood types are needed, but type O is particularly in-demand.

Donors that are ages 16 or 17 will need parental permission, and all donors must weigh a minimum of 110 pounds. A photo ID will be required.

Donors will get a free recognition item and hot dogs will be available. For more information about blood donation, click HERE.
A Limestone County grocery store clerk is behind bars and accused of chasing kids with a pocket knife.

Police charged the clerk, Sushil Khatiwada, after he got in a scuffle over the cost of pizza.

It all went down at B&K Grocery on Brownsferry Road in Athens.

WAAY 31 spoke with folks who know the clerk and learned that they think theres more to the story.

I talked to the boss and I asked him, Where is he? I miss him and he said, Have you not heard and he told me the story.

That was how Sushil Khatiwadas roommate found out that his friend had been arrested.

According to deputies, several teenagers came into the store, where Khatiwada works as a clerk, for some pizza. They asked him for a discount because they didnt think the pizza was fresh. When Khatiwada refused to change the price, the teens said something to upset him, and thats when, deputies say, he chased them outside with a pocket knife.

It's something his roommate still cant believe.

Hes one of the best guys Ive ever met," the roommate said.

And hes not the only one who thinks so. WAAY 31 also spoke with a man who lives a couple doors down from the store and visits Khatiwada several times a week.

Im like a daddy to him," the customer said. "Ill go into the store or meet him out here in the yard, and hell come up and shake my hand and hug my neck.

The customer and Khatiwadas roommate told WAAY 31 they couldnt imagine him doing something like that unless he was concerned about his safety.

They were threatening his life," his roommate said. "Im sure Id want to protect myself, too.

The roommate says Khatiwada has faced many obstacles while working at B&K Grocery.

Out here, in the country, people drunk and doing whatever, they get violent," he said.

In fact, he says Khatiwada was held at gunpoint during an armed robbery just last month.

Hes been very jumpy since.

He and the customer say they admire Khatiwada for continuing to work at the grocery store after being in such a dangerous situation, and they understand why he would have a knife on him.

Theyve got to protect themselves just like anybody else does," the customer said.

Waay 31 reached out to the stores owner for a comment, but were still waiting to hear back.
Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, and John Cleese attend the opening night of Monty Pythons Spamalot on Broadway in 2005. Photo: Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic

Monty Python celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The legendary troupe (theyve been called the Beatles of comedy because theyre so groundbreaking and British  except for Terry Gilliam) counts 1969 as its year of birth, because thats when the first project bearing the Python brand reached audiences: the surreal and simultaneously silly and literate sketch show Monty Pythons Flying Circus.

Lots of books have been written about Python  John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam  and the definitive, most comprehensive might be David Morgans Monty Python Speaks! First published in 1999 to tie in with the groups 30th anniversary, Morgan expanded and updated it for the big 5-0. The Python story kept going after the late 90s, what with reunions, deaths, and Spamalot, the Monty Python and the Holy Grailderived Broadway show. Here are nuggets about late-period Python found in the new material from Monty Python Speaks! The Complete Oral History, Revised and Updated Edition, which hits stores this week.

1. Their ideas for a reunion show sound sexist and terrible (but by design).

In March 1998, HBO assembled the surviving Pythons for an appearance at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. It was the first time they had all been in one place together in years, not since they lovingly roasted fallen cohort Graham Chapman at his 1989 funeral. At the Comedy Arts Festival, they even brought Chapman along, in the form of a pile of what were supposedly his ashes that they sucked up with a hand vacuum.

Everyone had so much fun that they talked about a real reunion show or tour, and HBO offered to sponsor something in Las Vegas. Terry Gilliam envisioned a tacky, old-fashioned Sin City revue, with the Pythons rehashing their old sketches while flanked with showgirls. Gilliam expanded on the concept with Michael Palin, inventing something called the Pythonettes. You get six young beautiful girls who would do all the sketches, Gilliam explained, and he and the rest of the guys would just sit on the side of the stage and offer commentary. Yes, these are the girls, theyre doing great. Well done, girls!

2. Eric Idle gave Mel Brooks the idea to do a Producers musical.

By the early 90s, Eric Idle thought Broadway musicals werent funny anymore. Gone were the broad, comic musicals in favor of Andrew Lloyd Webber melodramas. (Or, as he puts it, shows about people with plates on their faces, ostensibly referring to The Phantom of the Opera.) Idle wanted to make Broadway fun again, so he approached a master comic filmmaker, Mel Brooks, about adapting one of his movies for the stage. Idle wanted to make a musical out of The Producers, but Brooks turned it down because he didnt think it was a good idea. However, he obviously changed his mind at some point, because he did his own stage version of The Producers, which won so many Tony Awards and made so much money that it made Broadway a very habitable place for silly musicals, and musicals based on movies. And that is what gave Eric Idle the idea for Spamalot, the stage adaption of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

David Morgans updated Monty Python oral-history book. Photo: Dey Street Books

3. Eric Idle made it difficult for the rest of Monty Python to refuse Spamalot.

Idle worked on Spamalot for two years without input from any of the other Pythons. He collaborated with a composer, hired some musicians, made demos of the songs, and sent a CD to Palin, Cleese, and the rest  which is how they found out about the project. While they liked the music, they still had reservations about how it would play out onstage. But Idle was so far along in the process by then that they really couldnt deny him permission. I suppose I was in that kind of protective, foggy, paranoid way where we felt, Whats going to happen here? Whos going to be in it? Palin recalled. Are other people going to be saying our lines? Is this a good thing? So there were doubts, definitely doubts. Ultimately, it was strength of those initial songs that sold the rest of the troupe, more than the idea itself.

4. They reunited for the money (which they needed because of a lawsuit).

Mark Forstater, a producer on Monty Python and the Holy Grail back in the 70s, sued the troupe in 2012, arguing that he was owed a chunk of the substantial royalties and merchandising revenues generated by Spamalot. The Pythons countered with a claim that hed actually been overpaid for years because of a Holy Grailera accounting error. In what John Cleese calls a very silly decision, a U.K. High Court judge ultimately sided with Forstater, which cost the comedians 800,000, or roughly $1.2 million. And thus began Monty Python looking into the guaranteed cash windfall of playing a series of shows at Londons O2 Arena.

5. Some members have struggled with what it means to be a Python.

The Pythons have developed into seasoned legends and comedy elder statesmen, which has proved difficult for some of them to come to terms with. Gilliam wonders if he should let the work speak for itself and stay in the past, or if its okay to just keep flogging it forever. Its kind of our pension fund, and our childrens and childrens childrens futures, so youre sort of torn between Make more money for the kids and all that, or do we just keep Python what it always was and protect that little thing, that little gem, however flawed it might be?

While he says that Terry Jones is the most nostalgic and celebratory of the old days, Gilliam thinks the groups many solo projects are a function of trying to escape Monty Python. I prefer my solo work, because it is mine, Idle says. I like my play, my books, my songs, the Rutles, so much stuff. Python was just a part of my life; it isnt my fault people wont let it go!
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Defense Lawyer Givemore Muvhiringi representing seven Chinese nationals facing trial for possessing rhino horns, says Zimbabwe violated their constitutional rights by postponing the trial to January 9th. Muvhiringi says his clients have claimed innocence.
Zimbabwean doctors resolved Monday to continue with a crippling strike following talks with government on ending the 38-day industrial action.

In a statement, the 500 doctors said the government has failed to meet their grievances following a collective bargain agreement between state officials and health workers Saturday that gave the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) a mandate to engage its members so they can return to work within 48 hours.

The ZHDA carried widespread consultations of its members as per agreement. The ZHDA members nationwide however felt that the agreement did not take cognizance of their immediate incapacitation in a raging economy as no current offer was made on the remuneration of doctors to improve their welfare.

Additionally, there were no timelines and evaluable targets for the provision of drugs and protective equipment to government hospitals. The ZHDA had for the past three months indicated to its employer the paramount need to address these matters.

The doctors added that they have no money for transport and fuel.

The ZHDA members have therefore remained incapacitated and will not be able to resume normal duty till these matters have been addressed by their employer. It is important to note that the few available ZHDA members who showed up for duty in various hospitals have done so as a sign of good faith and remain in solidarity to those at home. It is our hope that the situation will be resolved with the urgency it deserves.

Officials in the ministries of health and finance and the Health Service Board were not available for comment.

The doctors are demanding payment in United States dollars, constant medical and drug supplies, revival of a state-sanctioned vehicle loan scheme and several other issues. The government has already indicated that it does not have foreign currency to pay doctors salaries.

In a related development, Zimbabwean teachers affiliated to the Zimbabwe Teachers Union and Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe say they wont report for duty on Tuesday, the first day of the 2019 school year, due to the devaluation of their salaries following the near-collapse of the bond notes.

At the same time, teachers affiliated to the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe have resolved that its members would perform school duties twice a week as a result of degraded salaries, which are now almost $60 per month. They are paid in Real Gross Time Settlement and bond notes.

In a statement, PTUZ said the organization held a crucial meeting to discuss the way forward on Tuesday with staff associations representing civil servants in Harare in which the government was represented by the ministries of primary and secondary education and finance and officials from the Public Service Commission and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

We presented our demands to the government, which include the payment of our salaries in USD, adjustment of our salaries to reflect the new economic realities. We have also not minced our words on the mutilated bonus that we demand should be paid in full. Instead of addressing our concerns, the government offered nothing except a new meeting in the near future in order to discuss the adjustment. The governments tired story that it cannot pay in USD, and that it is implementing austerity for posterity does nothing to assuage our most urgent concerns of incapacitation. We have subsidized the government for too long, and this is the time to say thus far and no more.

PTUZ noted that civil servants unions held a meeting to map the way forward.

Together with other unions, straight after the meeting with government, we resolved to submit the statutory 14-day notice to go on collective job action. The notice will be submitted tomorrow, the 8th of January 2019. Meantime, our members will check in at work tomorrow, but from then they will be working for only two days a week.

In the event that the government does not award a realistic and time-conscious salary raise on expiry of the 14-days from tomorrow, all the 16 government workers associations/unions resolved to declare a full-blown strike.

Zimbabwe is facing an economic crisis following disputed elections held last July and won by President Emmerson Mnangagwas Zanu PF party.
HARARE - Hospitals in Zimbabwe are turning away patients as a strike by doctors enters its sixth week. There is no end in sight to the strike, as President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government says it cannot meet the doctors demands.

The Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Zimbabwes largest treatment center, is largely empty as a doctors strike that began December 1 drags on.

Sixty-nine-year-old Kasirina Zibveka had a lung Sixty-nine-year-old Kasirina Zibveka had a lung infection. Sixty-nine-year-old Kasirina Zibveka had a lung infection.

Sixty-nine-year-old Kasirina Zibveka had a lung infection in September, according to her medical records. After numerous tests were done, it was confirmed that her right lung had gone bad and needed to be removed.



But by then, doctors were on strike. She was discharged December 13 and was told to return Monday for the ailing lung to be removed. But with the strike unresolved, that did not happen.



Her daughter, Margret Chikoti, says the family has paid for her treatment, but only nurses are attending to her mother.



We have no idea what is really happening to her since December 13," she said. "All we see is her discharging some blood stained stinking fluids [through a hole pierced by nurses under her right breast]. What is happening inside her body? Is it getting worse? We just give her painkillers and use ointment to clean her wound. We hope that their negotiations [doctors and government] bear fruit and they return to work.

The Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Zimbabwe's The Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Zimbabwes largest treatment center, (January 7, 2019 ) is largely empty as a doctors strike that began December 1 drags on. The Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Zimbabwes largest treatment center, (January 7, 2019 ) is largely empty as a doctors strike that began December 1 drags on.

Doctors held a meeting Monday and resolved to remain on strike until their demands are met. The doctors want the government to equip hospitals with modern technology, sufficient medicine and protective clothing for doctors.



They also want to be paid in U.S. dollars instead of Zimbabwes depreciating currency, known as bondnotes.



Marambire Sinaravo Jongwe, vice president of Zimba Marambire Sinaravo Jongwe, vice president of Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, on January 7, 2019. Marambire Sinaravo Jongwe, vice president of Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, on January 7, 2019.

We will not accept the money that they are refusing. We want the money that buys," Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association Vice President Marambire Sinaravo Jongwe said this to his members. "We are very understanding people, we are very lenient to our government. They are just trying to ignore us, they are very insincere to doctors. But yet we are saving the public, the general of Zimbabwe. For our patients we care, the government does not care.



The doctors also say they do not want to prescribe drugs that are not in stock, a practice that forces patients to seek out black market drugs.

Shingai Douglas Gwatidzo, the Medicines Control Au Shingai Douglas Gwatidzo, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe spokesman warns citizens against seeking out black market medical drugs. Shingai Douglas Gwatidzo, the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe spokesman warns citizens against seeking out black market medical drugs.

The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe has warned about such drugs being fake, expired and unsafe to use.



The government, meanwhile, said last week it is not in a position to pay doctors or any civil servants in U.S. dollars.

Officials say they have imported medicines and are now stocking hospitals. But with doctors still on strike, that news might not be enough to help patients like Kasirina Zibveka.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is making his case Tuesday to the American public that the country is facing a "humanitarian and national security crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico border and needs a wall to thwart illegal immigration, a dispute with lawmakers that has resulted in a partial 18-day government shutdown.

Trump is delivering a prime-time, nationally televised White House address, before traveling to the border on Thursday.



"He'll be laying out the facts to the American people of what is a genuine humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border," Vice President Mike Pence told CBS in an interview ahead of Trump's speech.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who oppose Trump's demand for more than $5 billion in funding for the wall, are planning their response to the president immediately after his address.

Trump's Emergency Threat Explained As the partial government shutdown stretches into the third week, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would consider declaring a state of emergency in order to achieve his goal of building a wall along the southern border with Mexico. We take a look at what such a declaration means. Can Trump use emergency powers to build the wall? The short answer is, yes, he can. As president, Trump has the authority to declare a national emergency. However, he may not have the sweeping powers usually associated As the partial government shutdown stretches into the third week, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would consider declaring a state of emergency in order to achieve his goal of building a wall along the southern border with Mexico. We take a look at what such a declaration means. Can Trump use emergency powers to build the wall? The short answer is, yes, he can. As president, Trump has the authority to declare a national emergency. However, he may not have the sweeping powers usually associated

Pence reiterated that Trump is considering bypassing Congress to build the wall without approval from lawmakers by declaring a national emergency and using funds allocated for military construction projects, but did not say that Trump would make such a declaration in his speech. The standoff has shuttered about a quarter of government operations since Dec. 22.

Pence blamed Democrats for the shutdown, already the second longest in U.S. history, although Trump has said he would take responsibility for it.

Trump Sets Immigration Speech, Trip to US-Mexico Border U.S. President Donald Trump says he is addressing the nation Tuesday about the "humanitarian and national security crisis" on the country's U.S.-Mexican border before traveling there Thursday for a firsthand look at efforts to thwart illegal immigration.Trump announced the prime-time nationally televised address Monday shortly after news secretary Sarah Sanders said the U.S. leader would "meet with those on the frontlines" of controlling access across the 3,200-kilometer border with Mexico. U.S. President Donald Trump says he is addressing the nation Tuesday about the "humanitarian and national security crisis" on the country's U.S.-Mexican border before traveling there Thursday for a firsthand look at efforts to thwart illegal immigration.Trump announced the prime-time nationally televised address Monday shortly after news secretary Sarah Sanders said the U.S. leader would "meet with those on the frontlines" of controlling access across the 3,200-kilometer border with Mexico.

Democrats have called on Trump to reopen the shuttered agencies whose work is unrelated to his wall proposal, while continuing to negotiate on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which controls border operations.

The White House has refused, however, and the shutdown continues with no end in sight.

"We could resolve this in a matter of hours if the Democrats would come to the table and start negotiating in good faith," Pence said.

Democrats and several immigration advocates say the administration's representation of the issue is inaccurate, and accuse it of manufacturing a crisis for the political purpose of building the border wall, which Trump campaigned for as a presidential candidate in 2016.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a statement late Monday calling for television networks to give Democrats a chance to respond to Trump's speech, saying that his history suggests the address "will be full of malice and misinformation."

They also said the president needs to accept that his wall plan does not have sufficient support in Congress.

"Democrats and an increasing number of Republicans in Congress have repeatedly urged the President and Leader McConnell to end the Trump Shutdown and re-open the government while Congress debates the President's expensive and ineffective wall," Pelosi and Schumer said.

Within the past two weeks, Democratic leadership visited the White House twice to negotiate a deal with the president, and failed. They said that weekend negotiations on border security also failed to show progress.

Migrants run as tear gas is thrown by U.S. Border Migrants run as tear gas is thrown by U.S. Border Protection officers to the Mexican side of the border fence after they climbed the fence to get to San Diego, California, from Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 1, 2019. Migrants run as tear gas is thrown by U.S. Border Protection officers to the Mexican side of the border fence after they climbed the fence to get to San Diego, California, from Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 1, 2019.

National emergency?

The White House is looking into the legality of declaring a national emergency at the border to begin wall construction without congressional approval. In his briefing, Pence said Trump continues to weigh the idea but has yet to make a decision.

There is no end in sight for the shutdown that has halted a quarter of U.S. government operations since Dec. 22 and forced some 800,000 federal employees to be furloughed or work without pay.

Asked at what point workers' pain outweighs the president's desire for a border barrier, Pence said the administration understands the burden faced by government workers but hopes "we don't find out."

Responding to Democrats' request, the Office of Management and Budget sent a revised estimate for the proposals for wall funding to the U.S. Senate's Appropriations Committee.

Along with $5.6 billion for the wall, the administration has called for another $800 million for "urgent humanitarian needs" to take care of migrants at the border.

Tax professional and tax preparation firm owner A Tax professional and tax preparation firm owner Alicia Utley reaches for hard copies of tax forms at the start of the tax season rush in her offices in Boulder, Colorado, Jan. 14, 2017. Tax professional and tax preparation firm owner Alicia Utley reaches for hard copies of tax forms at the start of the tax season rush in her offices in Boulder, Colorado, Jan. 14, 2017.

Tax refunds will be paid

Russell Vought, OMB's acting director, said tax refunds for Americans will be processed and will not be considered "non-accepted activities" during the shutdown.

"We are making this as painless as possible, consistent with the law," he said.

Democrats plan to start passing legislation aimed at funding individual agencies that have been shuttered, in particular the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service.

Pelosi called it "an action necessary to make sure working families received their tax refunds on schedule."

Trump has said he opposes a piecemeal approach that does not resolve his demand for a wall.

Border wall prototypes stand in San Diego near the Border wall prototypes stand in San Diego near the Mexico-U.S. border, seen from Tijuana, Dec. 22, 2018. Border wall prototypes stand in San Diego near the Mexico-U.S. border, seen from Tijuana, Dec. 22, 2018.

Concrete or steel?

Opposition Democrats have refused Trump's demand for wall funding, but offered $1.3 billion in new spending for border security.

Semantics may provide negotiating room over the impasse, as Democrats appear more amenable to approving money for "fencing" rather than a "wall" and Trump is now saying he would agree to a steel barrier instead of a concrete wall. On Dec. 21 he tweeted a photograph of a "steel slat barrier" he called "totally effective while at the same time beautiful!"

"If in fact a compromise emerges, it will be over a change in some of the rhetoric," said Steven Billet, legislative affairs program director at the George Washington University. He added that once "we start talking about border security as an alternative, we may be able to find a way to provide some funding that is satisfactory to the president and House Democrats."

Speaking to reporters Friday, Trump said, "I think we are probably talking about steel, because I really feel the other side feels better about it, and I can understand what they are saying."
Maps do more than show us how to get to where we want to go.

They also can chart a journey into America's past, offering insight into the everyday lives of ordinary people, while highlighting their hopes, dreams and fears dating all the way back to the birth of the nation.

There is practically no area of American history where maps dont sort of enrich our understanding and also give us a new angle of vision, says historian Susan Schulten, author of A History of America in 100 Maps. Maps record past scenarios, past situations, past relationships of power, but they also influenced people at the time in terms of future decision making.

Schulten, a University of Denver professor who studies American cartography, was enchanted by a series of maps made by American schoolgirls in the early 1800s. The detailed maps appealed to her not only due to the fact they are beautifully rendered, but also because of what they tell us about a period of American education we know little about.

From 1790 to the 1830s, thousands of schoolgirls, From 1790 to the 1830s, thousands of schoolgirls, including Catharine Cook in 1818, displayed their knowledge of geography, art, and penmanship in painstakingly produced maps. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps"/Courtesy of Osher Map Library) From 1790 to the 1830s, thousands of schoolgirls, including Catharine Cook in 1818, displayed their knowledge of geography, art, and penmanship in painstakingly produced maps. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps"/Courtesy of Osher Map Library)

New schools educating young women for the first time outside the home prepared a curriculum that involved teaching them not just geography but map drawing," she says. "What they were teaching them was very specific techniques of art and penmanship and understanding geography by creating their own maps.

The maps these schoolgirls left behind give us a firsthand glimpse into the daily experience of education in the early republic.

Those early maps also helped establish a national identity and nurture nascent patriotism in the earliest days of the republic.

Theres such an emphasis after the Revolution on using education to help create a civic identity and it becomes readily apparent," Schulten says. "Prior to the American Revolution, your chief loyalty was to your colony and then to the crown in terms of political organization. The Revolution creates a nation and Americans have to be taught to be loyal and to identify with their fellow Americans."

This map, circa 1721, is a guide to the trade war This map, circa 1721, is a guide to the trade war among Native Americans and European settlers in the early 18th Century. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps"/Courtesy of The British Library) This map, circa 1721, is a guide to the trade war among Native Americans and European settlers in the early 18th Century. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps"/Courtesy of The British Library)

Maps drawn by Native Americans offer insight into indigenous people's perspective of power relationships at a time when Southeast tribes were competing for supremacy in the deerskin trade with the British colonies.

A 1721 map, most likely drawn by a Cherokee leader, includes a number of circles, and their sizes correspond with the perceived power of the individual tribes.

Its a representation of space from a non-European perspective," says Schulten. "It isnt a representation of absolute space, but instead renders geography in terms of power relationships and thats really fascinating to think about.

The map also underscores the fact that Native Americans were distinctly different groups of people with competing interests, even though the Europeans viewed them as one monolithic group.

Maps also can recall other dark moments in American history.

This 1885 "Official Map of Chinatown" in San Franc This 1885 "Official Map of Chinatown" in San Francisco, highlights gambling houses (pink), opium dens (yellow), Chinese prostitution (green) and Chinese places of worship (red). (From "A History of America in 100 Maps") This 1885 "Official Map of Chinatown" in San Francisco, highlights gambling houses (pink), opium dens (yellow), Chinese prostitution (green) and Chinese places of worship (red). (From "A History of America in 100 Maps")

An 1885 report on San Francisco's Chinatown highlights the racism endured by Chinese laborers who'd once helped build the transcontinental railroad. After the railroad was complete, many Chinese immigrants settled in San Francisco.

A report commissioned by city supervisors described the Chinese "race" as "the rankest outgrowth of human degradation that can be found upon this continent." A related map of Chinatown points out Chinese-run opium dens, gambling establishments and takes care to distinguish between Chinese and white houses of prostitution.

Theres a long history of maps as tools of propaganda and persuasion," Schulten says. "Those thriving businesses and communities, as they grew, were understood by whites in San Francisco to be increasingly threatening...The beauty of the maps belies the intent, which is to highlight the argument that the Chinese must go.

This 1932 map is a guide to nightclubs in Harlem, This 1932 map is a guide to nightclubs in Harlem, an historically black New York neighborhood with a rich musical culture that became famous for jazz. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps") This 1932 map is a guide to nightclubs in Harlem, an historically black New York neighborhood with a rich musical culture that became famous for jazz. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps")

From political maneuvering and gerrymandering, to advertising, to red and blue states, maps tell a variety of American stories. They can also be used to push reform, helping to set the country on a new course.

"Maps are used to convey the importance of temperance in the anti-alcohol movement or the opposition to slavery or the need to extend the vote to women," Schulten says. "All of these reform movements throughout modern America used maps as a way to amplify their message."

This map charting and promoting the progress of wo This map charting and promoting the progress of women's sufferage is from around 1914. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps") This map charting and promoting the progress of women's sufferage is from around 1914. (From "A History of America in 100 Maps")

Some of the maps in her book have never been published, according to Schulten, while others are well known. But what they all offer, if examined carefully, is a unique snapshot of America's past.
CAIRO - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Jordan on the first stop of a Middle East visit due to include stops in Cairo and the Gulf. Arab and Egyptian media report he is expected make an important foreign policy speech Thursday in Cairo.

Pompeo arrived Tuesday in the Middle East at a time when U.S. allies are questioning the Trump Administration's policies regarding key issues of regional concern like the conflict in Syria, joint efforts to confront what many perceive as Iranian expansionism, and diplomacy to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict.



In a news conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Pompeo insisted the United States has not changed its longstanding policies, despite President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria.



"The counter-Iran coalition is just as effective today, as it was yesterday, and I am very hopeful it will continue to be effective and even more effective, tomorrow," Pompeo said. "This is not just about a particular tactic that we take among the coalition. This is about a combined understanding that the most significant threat to the region is Da'esh and the (Iranian Islamic Revolution) and their revolutionary efforts in the region."

Iran, Islamic State on Agenda as Pompeo Visits Middle East U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is focusing on Iran and Islamic State as he makes a week-long visit to the Middle East.Pompeo said ahead of his first stop Tuesday in Jordan that he wants to "send a clear message" that the United States is committed to the region, defeating Islamic State and countering what he called "Iran's destabilizing activities."In his talks with Jordanian leaders, Pompeo was expected to discuss the situation in Syria, where the Trump administration is planning to withdraw 2 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is focusing on Iran and Islamic State as he makes a week-long visit to the Middle East.Pompeo said ahead of his first stop Tuesday in Jordan that he wants to "send a clear message" that the United States is committed to the region, defeating Islamic State and countering what he called "Iran's destabilizing activities."In his talks with Jordanian leaders, Pompeo was expected to discuss the situation in Syria, where the Trump administration is planning to withdraw 2

Pompeo vowed the United States is planning to "redouble (its) diplomatic and commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran."



Foreign Minister Safadi insisted Jordan and other U.S. allies in the region agree Iran needs to abide by international norms of behavior.



"We all have problems with Iran's expansionist policies in the region. We all want to make sure that whatever threat there is is mitigated," said Safadi.



Egyptian political sociologist Said Sadek tells VOA he believes Pompeo is planning to sound out Jordan and Egypt about sending peacekeeping troops to northern Syria, after the United States pulls out.



"The agenda (of Sec. Pompeo) in Egypt and Jordan has to do with fighting terrorism and also the situation in Syria, and if Egypt and Jordan can contribute forces, with (international) guarantees, American and maybe also Russian, that there will be no attack against those troops," said Sadek.



Sadek says Cairo is not likely to send troops to Syria, absent iron-clad international guarantees they would not be attacked, especially given Egypt's chronically tense relations with Turkey, which borders northern Syria.



University of Paris Political Science Professor Khattar Abou Diab points out Egypt's longstanding policy is not to send troops to foreign lands, and Cairo has involved only its naval forces in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

Pompeo to Seek Khashoggi Case Update on Middle East trip: Statement U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will seek an update to Saudi Arabia's investigation into the October killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi when he visits Riyadh during a trip to the Middle East next week, the State Department said on Friday.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. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will seek an update to Saudi Arabia's investigation into the October killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi when he visits Riyadh during a trip to the Middle East next week, the State Department said on Friday.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. 

Abu Diab says U.S. Arab allies are trying to clarify U.S. intentions.



He says Egyptian officials wonder if the Trump Administration's much-touted "Deal of the Century" in the Arab-Israeli conflict will soon see the light of day. Other U.S. allies, he thinks, are trying to better understand what Washington is expecting regarding Iran, following the imposition of new U.S. sanctions last November.



He adds some U.S. allies worry Russia is strengthening its position in the region, "while the United States is continuing the policy it began under the Obama Administration to slowly pull out."



Secretary Pompeo will also visit Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Kuwait during his trip.
WASHINGTON/CARACAS - The United States imposed sanctions that target a Venezuelan currency exchange network scheme that siphoned off billions of dollars to corrupt insiders of the Venezuelan government, the U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday.

The seven individuals involved include a former treasurer of Venezuela, Claudia Diaz, and television mogul Raul Gorrin, who bribed the Venezuelan Treasury in order to conduct illegal foreign exchange operations, according to the U.S. Treasury.

"Venezuelan regime insiders have plundered billions of dollars from Venezuela while the Venezuelan people suffer.

Treasury is targeting this currency exchange network which was another illicit scheme that the Venezuelan regime had long used to steal from its people," Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The U.S. Treasury said the individuals used favorable foreign exchange transactions through brokerage firms controlled by Gorrin and were among the very few deals that were approved by Venezuela's treasury. The individuals concealed their profits in U.S. and European bank accounts and investments, it said.

Reuters was unable to obtain comment from Diaz or Gorrin.

Diaz is under house arrest in Spain and Gorrin could not be immediately located.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez described the measures as illegal and abusive during a news conference in Caracas.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez speaks FILE - Delcy Rodriguez speaks during a news conference on the sidelines of the OAS 47th General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico, June 20, 2017. FILE - Delcy Rodriguez speaks during a news conference on the sidelines of the OAS 47th General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico, June 20, 2017.

"They are not sanctions, because only the (U.N.) Security Council can impose international sanctions. We're talking about arbitrary measures because they are not backed by any international law," said Rodriguez.

Tuesday's measures were Washington's latest move against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, which is widely criticized for crippling the economy and undermining democracy.

The United States imposed sanctions on Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, in September as President Donald Trump urged members of the United Nations to support a "restoration of democracy" in the once-booming country, a member of OPEC.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, left, and hi FILE - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, left, and his wife Cilia Flores greet supporters upon their arrival to a meeting with Colombian citizens that reside in Venezuela, in Caracas, Sept. 25, 2018. FILE - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, left, and his wife Cilia Flores greet supporters upon their arrival to a meeting with Colombian citizens that reside in Venezuela, in Caracas, Sept. 25, 2018.

The new sanctions apply to people involved in the corrupt system within Venezuela's treasury since 2008, the U.S. Treasury said.

The Treasury statement cited 23 groups in the scheme, including Globovision Tele in Caracas and Miami, Magus Holdings in Miami, Tindaya Properties in New York, and Planet 2 Reaching Inc and Posh 8 Dynamic Inc, both of Delaware.

Venezuela's treasurer before Diaz, Alejandro Andrade, was sentenced by a U.S. District Court in Florida in November to 10 years in prison for accepting more than $1 billion in bribes as part of the scheme.

He was helped by Gorrin, owner of television station Globovision, who has been charged with paying bribes to Andrade and others as well as helping to launder the payments, according to U.S. court documents unsealed in November.

The cases are part of a broad effort by U.S. prosecutors to crack down on the use of the American financial system to launder proceeds from corruption in the crisis-stricken country that is suffering from hyperinflation.

Maduro has said little about criminal proceedings against former Venezuelan officials, but says the United States is seeking to undermine his government through financial sanctions.

He is due to be inaugurated for his second term on Thursday.
WASHINGTON - Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who attended the infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting with members of then-candidate Donald Trumps campaign, has been charged with obstruction of justice in a case that is unrelated to the special counsel probe but underlines her ties to the Kremlin.

According to a grand jury indictment unsealed on Tuesday, Veselnitskaya secretly worked with a senior Russian prosecutor in 2015 to draft a false declaration that she later used to defend a Russian company in a money laundering and forfeiture case brought by federal prosecutors in New York.

Veselnitskaya, who is believed to be in Russia, faces up to 10 years in prison.

The 43-year-old Russian lawyer entered the spotlight in 2017 amid reports she met in secret with Donald Trump Jr., Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort at Trump Tower in June 2016.

FILE - A combination photo shows Donald Trump Jr. FILE - A combination photo shows Donald Trump Jr. from July 11, 2017, Jared Kushner from June 6, 2017, and Paul Manafort from August 17, 2016. All three were participants in the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. FILE - A combination photo shows Donald Trump Jr. from July 11, 2017, Jared Kushner from June 6, 2017, and Paul Manafort from August 17, 2016. All three were participants in the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya.

The president's eldest son initially maintained that the subject of the meeting was adoption of Russian children. But he later released emails showing he agreed to the meeting after being told by an intermediary that Veselnitskaya represented the Russian government and had damaging information about Trump's rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The meeting has become a focal point of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow during the 2016 election.

During the meeting, Veselnitskaya also brought up Russian hopes for a repeal of the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer and auditor who was allegedly beaten to death in a Russian prison in 2009 after exposing a massive tax fraud scheme involving corrupt Russian officials.

In 2013, the Justice Department sued Russian firm Prevezon Holdings to recover several million dollars worth of property, mainly New York real estate, arguing that the property had been used to launder some of the proceeds from the $230 million tax scheme.

In 2014, the U.S. government requested Russian assistance with the case. Instead of responding to the request, the Russian government sent U.S. prosecutors a copy of a report that exonerated Prevezon and Russian officials of any wrongdoing.

Veselnitskaya, while representing Prevezon Holdings in the case, secretly worked with a senior Russian prosecutor to prepare the report, according to the indictment. In 2015, she moved to quash the U.S. lawsuit, submitting the findings of the report without disclosing her role in drafting it.

Fabricating evidence  submitting false and deceptive declarations to a federal judge  in an attempt to affect the outcome of pending litigation not only undermines the integrity of the judicial process, but it threatens the ability of our courts and our Government to ensure that justice is done, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement.

The special counsel's office declined to comment on the latest indictment.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office in New York told VOA that the case grew out of our own investigation and was not a referral by the special counsels office.

Trump has defended the meeting while distancing himself from it. Last year, he tweeted the meeting was "totally legal and done all the time in politics."

Veselnitskaya, who has previously denied any links to the Kremlin, told CNN on Tuesday that she will "defend her professional honor."

The Prevezon case was settled in 2017 with the company agreeing to pay about $6 million, a little less than half the amount prosecutors had sought.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said there is "a very good chance" that the United States and China will reach a trade agreement.

Ross told CNBC he is hopeful such a deal would address all the key issues.

Working-level trade talks between the United States and China began Monday in Beijing with negotiators for the world's two biggest economies trying to resolve tariff disputes that have roiled world markets in recent weeks.

In a sign the meeting was off to a good start, Chinas economic czar, Vice Premier Liu He, dropped by the talks on Monday to encourage the negotiators.

In this June 3, 2018, photo, U.S. Commerce Secreta FILE - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, left, shakes hands with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He as they pose for photographers after their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, June 3, 2018. FILE - U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, left, shakes hands with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He as they pose for photographers after their meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, June 3, 2018.

While Chinese officials expressed optimism at the start of the two-day talks, Beijing at the same time complained about the sighting of the U.S.S. McCampbell, a warship, in what it said were Chinese waters near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China had made "stern complaints" with the United States about the sighting of the destroyer, but the trade talks went ahead as scheduled.

There was no immediate U.S. response to the Chinese complaint.

Few details have emerged from the trade talks, which are scheduled to run through Tuesday.

U.S. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricult U.S. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, center, who is part of U.S. trade delegation leaves from a hotel for a second day of meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing, China, Jan. 8, 2019. U.S. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, center, who is part of U.S. trade delegation leaves from a hotel for a second day of meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing, China, Jan. 8, 2019.

?The trade talks are the result of an agreement last month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop the tit-for-tat tariff conflict between the two countries for 90 days starting on New Year's Day.

Trump said last week, "I think we'll have a deal with China."

Lu said the two countries have agreed to hold "positive and constructive" discussions.

"From the beginning we have believed that China U.S. trade friction is not a positive situation for either country or the world economy," Lu said. "China has the good faith, on the basis of mutual respect and equality, to resolve the bilateral trade frictions."

FILE - A member of the U.S. trade delegation to Ch A member of the U.S. trade delegation to China, carries a folder as he leaves a hotel in Beijing, Jan. 7, 2019. A member of the U.S. trade delegation to China, carries a folder as he leaves a hotel in Beijing, Jan. 7, 2019.

?The talks are occurring as Chinese growth  6.5 percent in the July-to-September period  fell to its lowest point in a decade. There are concerns that U.S. growth, 3.4 percent in the third quarter, is also slowing even as the country's unemployment rate remains nearly at a five-decade low.

Even so, Lu said, "China's development has ample tenacity and huge potential. We have firm confidence in the strong long-term fundamentals of the Chinese economy."

The United States has long complained about access to the vast Chinese market and Beijing's demands U.S. companies reveal their technology advances.
WASHINGTON - After three years of decline, U.S. carbon emissions shot up last year, based on early estimates from an independent research group. The Rhodium Group routinely monitors carbon emissions and their preliminary estimates suggest U.S. output was up 3.4 percent in 2018.

This is the largest annual increase since 2010, when the nation was bouncing back from a financial crisis known as Great Recession.

The research also suggests that despite the Trump administration's efforts to revive the coal industry, it continues to decline in the face of cheap and plentiful natural gas.

Bad news for coal

According to the Rhodium report, coal-fired plants generating 11.2 gigawatts of power had closed by October of last year, with more scheduled for closure over the following months. While the numbers are still preliminary, if they pan out, that would make 2018 the biggest coal plant closure year on record.

Far and away, natural gas is now the energy of choice in the U.S. with an increase of 166 million kilowatts per hour through October.

FILE - The coal-fired Plant Scherer, one of the na FILE - The coal-fired Scherer Plant, one of the top carbon emitters in the U.S., is seen in Juliette, Georgia, June, 3, 2017. FILE - The coal-fired Scherer Plant, one of the top carbon emitters in the U.S., is seen in Juliette, Georgia, June, 3, 2017.

U.S. power consumption - and carbon emissions - increased in 2018. But the transportation sector of the economy contributed the most to the nation's record emissions. The good news is that gasoline demand is down modestly, as the hybrid and electric car industry have begun to make a small dent in the demand for gasoline. But increases in the demand for diesel and jet fuel still made transportation the biggest source of carbon emissions throughout the U.S.

Another big source of emissions that often doesn't get noticed, according to the report, is in the building sector of the economy. Emissions from buildings and homes was way up, due in part to an exceptionally cold winter in parts of the U.S. last year.

The Paris question

2018 is an anomaly because each year, since 2015, U.S. carbon emissions had been decreasing, if modestly, as the nation worked to reach its commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement. U.S emissions declined by 2.7 percent in 2015, 1.7 percent in 2016, and 0.8 percent in 2017. But even with those reductions, the U.S. was already off track to meet reductions agreed to by the Obama administration.

The U.S. joined almost 200 other countries to sign the agreement in 2015. Under the deal, the U.S. committed to cutting its carbon emissions by at least 26 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

But the Trump administration announced its intention to pull the U.S. out of the deal this year, and will formally exit the global compact in 2020.
The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Monday confirmed the arrest of five Islamic State foreign fighters and the handover of five more to their governments in efforts to rid eastern Syria of the jihadists.

In an interview with VOA, SDF spokesperson Mustafa Bali confirmed the five IS fighters, two Americans, two Pakistanis, and one Irish, were arrested on Dec. 30 during a special operation in eastern Deir el-Zour province.

Deir el-Zour Deir el-Zour Deir el-Zour

He said the operation saved dozens of displaced civilians from being targeted.

"Our special anti-terror forces obtained information that IS thugs were planning an attack against civilians who are fleeing the war zone," Bali told VOA. "We conducted that operation based on the information and arrested five of them who are in our prisons now."

In a statement, the SDF identified the American men as Warren Christopher Clark, 34, nicknamed Abu Mohammad al-Ameriki, and Zaid Abed al-Hamid, 35, nicknamed Abu Zaid al-Ameriki. It said the other two men, Fadel al-Rahman Cad, 48, nicknamed Abu Enam al-Muhajir, and Abed al-Azem Rajhoud, 19, nicknamed Abu Omea al-Pakistani, travelled from Pakistan. The fifth man, Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev, 45, is originally from Dublin,Ireland.

Spokesperson Bali said an investigation is under way to obtain more details about the men and their activities in eastern Syria, adding that more jihadists could be arrested as the U.S.-backed forces make further advances in the days to come.

The SDF said the arrests are part of their Jazeera Storm operation, supported by the U.S.-led global coalition against IS, to remove the terror group from its last bastions in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border.

"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," the SDF said in its statement Saturday, using another acronym for IS.

FILE - Families of Islamic State militants are see Families and relatives of Islamic State militants are seen after they surrendered themselves to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in al-Ayadiya, northwest of Tal Afar, Iraq, Aug. 30, 2017. Families and relatives of Islamic State militants are seen after they surrendered themselves to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in al-Ayadiya, northwest of Tal Afar, Iraq, Aug. 30, 2017.

IS families

Meanwhile, the SDF said Monday it also handed over five IS fighters, along with 11 wives and 30 children of IS fighters, from Kazakhstan to Kazakh authorities following months of preparation for their transfer.

The SDF did not disclose the identities of the IS fighters and their family members but said the move was part of a formal protocol with Kazakhstani government, meditated by the U.S.

"The reason that made the handing over of those people got late was technical reasons. The agreement was applied on 5 Jan 2019, where they were formally handed over to their country with American mediation," the SDF said in the statement.

Syrian Kurdish officials last September told VOA they were holding in their prisons 514 IS foreign fighters, along with 534 wives and 1175 children of IS foreign members, from 44 countries. The officials said they were overwhelmed by the burden and asked the relevant countries to retake their nationals.
UNITED NATIONS - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked the Security Council to approve the deployment of up to 75 observers to Yemen's port city of Hodeida for six months to monitor a cease-fire and redeployment of forces by the warring parties.

After a week of U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Sweden last month, the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed Yemen government foes reached the deal on Hodeida, the entry point for most of Yemen's commercial goods and aid supplies, and a lifeline for millions of Yemenis on the verge of starvation.

The 15-member U.N. Security Council will need to take action on Guterres' request by about Jan. 20, when a 30-day authorization for an advance monitoring team led by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert expires.

Hodeida

It was not immediately clear how many monitors were currently on the ground with Cammaert. The United Nations has said the monitors are not uniformed or armed.

The Security Council had asked Guterres to recommend  by the end of last month  a larger monitoring team. Diplomats said Britain was working on a draft resolution to approve Guterres' proposal, but had not yet circulated it to council members.

In his Dec. 31 proposal to the council, seen by Reuters, Guterres described the proposed 75-strong team as "a nimble presence" to monitor compliance of the deal and establish and assess facts and conditions on the ground.

"Appropriate resources and assets will also be required to ensure the safety and security of U.N. personnel, including armored vehicles, communications infrastructure, aircraft and appropriate medical support," Guterres wrote.

"Such resources will be a pre-requisite for the effective launch and sustainment of the proposed mission," he said.

A Security Council resolution unanimously adopted last month to approve the advance monitoring team was only agreed after days of wrangling that unusually pitted the United States against ally Britain.

FILE - Pro-Houthi protesters demonstrate to demand FILE - Pro-Houthi protesters demonstrate to demand the opening of humanitarian corridors in Hodeida, Yemen, Dec. 31, 2018. FILE - Pro-Houthi protesters demonstrate to demand the opening of humanitarian corridors in Hodeida, Yemen, Dec. 31, 2018.

Guterres said the larger monitoring mission would contribute to sustaining a "fragile political process" re-launched by U.N. Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths. Griffiths is aiming to convene another round of talks between the warring parties this month.

Griffiths and U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock are due to brief the Security Council on the situation in Yemen on Wednesday.

Guterres also called on Yemen's neighboring states to assist the monitors by "ensuring the free, unhindered and expeditious movement to and from Yemen" of all personnel, equipment and supplies through their territory and the stationing of "support personnel, vehicles and aircraft on their territory."

He said similar commitments were needed to scale up humanitarian operations in the country.

A military coalition led by neighboring Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in 2015 to back government forces. The U.N. and Western countries have criticized the coalition for killing a high number of civilians, including children.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday White House National Security Adviser John Bolton was making "a very serious mistake" in demanding that Ankara guarantee the safety of Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria before the United States pulls its troops out of the country.

Criticizing the remarks Bolton made earlier in the week, Erdogan was quoted as saying there would be "no concessions" in Ankara's push against what the Turkish leader describes as terror groups in Syria. Turkey denied promising the U.S. that Ankara will ensure the safety of the militia, known as the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG.

Erdogan made his comments after Bolton visited Ankara for consultations with government officials. Erdogan did not meet with him. Bolton instead met with other officials, including Erdogans special adviser and spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, as well as the countrys defense minister, Hulusi Akar.

Kalin told reporters, "Nobody should expect Turkey to provide assurances to a terror organization."

White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, 2nd right, and senior adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, left, head their delegations during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Jan. 8, 2019. White House National Security Adviser John Bolton, 2nd right, and senior adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, left, head their delegations during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Jan. 8, 2019.

A senior U.S. official told the Reuters news agency Bolton did not consider himself snubbed by Erdogan, as plans for a meeting between the two had not been confirmed. According to Reuters, Bolton was told that Turkey would not take offensive action in Syria while U.S. forces were there.

Washington backs the YPG in the war against Islamic State. Turkey has linked the YPG to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, a Kurdish group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey. Turkey, along with the United States and the European Union, consider the PKK a terrorist organization.

Bolton was rebuffed after trying to negotiate for roughly two hours the safety of the Kurdish allies in northeastern Syria. Bolton's spokesman, Garrett Marquis, said talks between U.S. and Turkish military officials would continue Tuesday. Turkey and the U.S. are NATO allies.

U.S. President Donald Trump last month announced the withdrawal of the 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria as part of the fight against IS. Pentagon spokesman Sean Robertson said Monday that "an approved framework for the withdrawal" is in place and that is not subject to an "arbitrary timeline."

FILE - A U.S-backed Syrian Manbij Military Council FILE - A U.S.-backed Kurdish fighter passes a U.S. position in Manbij, northern Syria, April 4, 2018. FILE - A U.S.-backed Kurdish fighter passes a U.S. position in Manbij, northern Syria, April 4, 2018.

Erdogan also said his military has been planning a new offensive against terror groups in Syria and those plans are "to a large extent" complete.

In an opinion piece published on The New York Times' website Monday, Erdogan praised Trump for making "the right call to withdraw from Syria." A top Syrian Kurdish official told The Associated Press his forces are ready to confront Turkish forces if they enter northeastern Syria.

A U.S. withdrawal could allow Turkish troops to move against the Kurdish fighters.

But Erdogan also warned that Turkey would continue to work to defeat all terror groups, mentioning the YPG in that categorization.
As the partial government shutdown stretches into the third week, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would consider declaring a state of emergency in order to achieve his goal of building a wall along the southern border with Mexico.

We take a look at what such a declaration means.

Can Trump use emergency powers to build the wall?

The short answer is, yes, he can.

As president, Trump has the authority to declare a national emergency. However, he may not have the sweeping powers usually associated with the declaration of an emergency. In 1976, Congress passed the National Emergencies Act that was meant to create a congressional check on presidential emergencies. Under that law, Trump must notify Congress and the public about the specific emergency powers he is invoking. It also requires Congress to meet every six months and vote to keep the emergency in place.

Is it really an emergency?

Trump has declared the influx of migrants arriving at the southern border as a humanitarian and national emergency. "We have criminals coming in," Trump said Sunday. "We have human traffickers coming in. We have drugs pouring in. We have things happening that you don't want to even know about." The administration has also talked of terrorists crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. But critics have argued that there is no evidence that migrants massed at the border are anything the administration claims.

Where would the money come from?

Funding the wall might prove to be tricky. One way to get the money would be the use of the military emergency law that allows the secretary of Defense to authorize construction projects without authorization from Congress.

What can Congress do?

Congress can overturn the declaration of emergency with the approval of both chambers. But that might prove difficult with Republicans holding the majority in the Senate.

The declaration could also face a myriad court challenges.
WASHINGTON - Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are renewing their attempt to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job, sending a signal to President Donald Trump as he keeps up his criticism of Mueller's Russia investigation.

The legislation, sponsored by incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and three other members, is expected to be introduced this week. The same bill was approved by the panel in April but later blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said it was unnecessary and who allowed the legislation to expire at the end of the year.

Graham is a friend and ally of the president's but has frequently warned him not to mess with Mueller's job.

I think this will serve the country well,'' Graham said in a joint statement ahead of the bill's introduction.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), left, speaks to the me Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), left, speaks to the media about national security as North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, right, listens, in Greensboro, N.C., Sept. 26, 2014. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), left, speaks to the media about national security as North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, right, listens, in Greensboro, N.C., Sept. 26, 2014.

Both Graham and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, the bill's other Republican sponsor, have said they don't think Trump will move to have Mueller fired.

I still believe that is true,'' Tillis said in the statement. However, I also believe this bipartisan legislation is good government policy with enduring value across the current and future administrations.''

The legislation would allow any fired special counsel to seek a judicial review within 10 days of removal and puts into law existing Justice Department regulations that a special counsel can only be fired for good cause. It would also order that staff remain and documents be preserved while the matter is pending.

U.S Senators Bob Corker, center, and Chris Coons, U.S Senators Bob Corker, center, and Chris Coons, right, speak with a South Sudanese refugee during a group discussion at the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda, April 14, 2017. U.S Senators Bob Corker, center, and Chris Coons, right, speak with a South Sudanese refugee during a group discussion at the Bidi Bidi refugee settlement in northern Uganda, April 14, 2017.

Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Cory Booker of New Jersey are also sponsors of the bill.

This is a time when Republicans and Democrats need to stand up and protect the rule of law in this country,'' Coons said in the statement.

Trump regularly criticizes Mueller's Russia investigation on Twitter, calling it a witch hunt'' and a hoax.'' In December, he suggested he would do a counter report to challenge Mueller's probe into contact Trump's Republican presidential campaign had with Russia. On Dec. 3, he tweeted that Mueller and his staff only want lies.''

Sen. Jeff Flake speaks with reporters before he an Sen. Jeff Flake speaks with reporters before he and Sen. Chris Coons try to bring up the legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller, at the Capitol in Washington, Nov. 14, 2018. Sen. Jeff Flake speaks with reporters before he and Sen. Chris Coons try to bring up the legislation to protect special counsel Robert Mueller, at the Capitol in Washington, Nov. 14, 2018.

Graham, Tillis, Coons and Booker originally introduced bills in the summer of 2017 after Trump started to criticize the special counsel. They agreed on a compromise version in early 2018, and the panel approved it with the support of four Republicans on the panel. One of those Republicans, former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, tried to force McConnell to pass the bill in December by saying he would vote against all judicial nominees at the end of the year. But McConnell refused to consider the legislation.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., introduced a companion bill in the House last week, his first major action as chairman.
BANGKOK - The father and brother of a Saudi teenager who was detained in Bangkok after fleeing a family she claims will kill her are, according to police, due to arrive in Thailand imminently, where she is not being deported home as initially feared.

Rahaf Mohammed Mutlaq Al-Qunun will instead have a chance to make her asylum case to the United Nations refugee agency.

Qunun first gained international attention when she barricaded herself in a hotel at Suvarnabhumi airport after reportedly arriving in Thailand enroute to seek asylum in Australia.

Saudi Woman Fleeing Family Under UN Care in Thailand Thai authorities says a young Saudi woman who was stopped in Thailand as she tried to flee to Australia to seek asylum has left the Bangkok airport and is under the care of the U.N. refugee agency."She is under the care of the UNHCR now but we also sent Thai security to help take care (of her)," the head of Thailand's Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Thai authorities says a young Saudi woman who was stopped in Thailand as she tried to flee to Australia to seek asylum has left the Bangkok airport and is under the care of the U.N. refugee agency."She is under the care of the UNHCR now but we also sent Thai security to help take care (of her)," the head of Thailand's Immigration Police Maj. Gen.

But she has said Saudi officials tried to trick her and surrounded the hotel room she had barricaded herself in, planning to force her back home, where she believes her family would try to kill her.



"Please I need u all. I'm shouting out for help of humanity," she tweeted.



"I'm not leaving my room until I see UNHCR. I want asylum," she added in a video uploaded to twitter.



She has also said she had a valid visa to enter Australia - where there is mounting pressure on the government to grant her asylum.



The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Thailand office said its staff were granted access late on Monday to speak with Al-Qunun, who had refused to board a flight back to Kuwait - where she feared she would be apprehended by Saudi authorities.



"We are very grateful that the Thai authorities did not send back Ms. Al-qunun against her will and are extending protection for her," UNHCR Thailand country representative Giuseppe de Vicentiis was quoted as saying in a statement released on Tuesday morning.



"It could take several days to process the case and determine the next steps," he said in the statement.

Thai Immigration Police chief Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn said in a statement that Al-Qunun's father and brother were due to arrive in Thailand today but that it was her right to decide whether to talk to them or not.

We will not send anyone to die. We will not do that. We will adhere to human rights under the rule of law, he told Associated Press.

He said both countries were treating the issue as a private family matter and looking for a solution together, adding the UNHCR's processes would take five days.

Saudi Woman Who Fled to Thailand Fears Death if Sent Home A young Saudi woman who fled to Thailand is pleading not to be forced back to Saudi Arabia. "I just want to survive," 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun said in a social media video where she can be seen pacing inside a Bangkok airport hotel room. "My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair. A young Saudi woman who fled to Thailand is pleading not to be forced back to Saudi Arabia. "I just want to survive," 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun said in a social media video where she can be seen pacing inside a Bangkok airport hotel room. "My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair.

Activists say Saudi Arabia is one of the most repressive countries to women in the world and forbids females from obtaining a passport, traveling abroad or marrying without a male guardian's permission.



In 2017, another Saudi Arabian woman, Dina Ali Lasloom, who also tried to claim asylum in Australia via Kuwait, was apprehended in the Manila airport and sent back after begging for help through a stranger's twitter account because she believed her family would kill her.



She has not been heard from since.



A number of female activists who fought for the right to drive have been arrested and disappeared and the country has been condemned across the world over the gruesome murder late last year of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its consulate in Turkey.

Pompeo to Seek Khashoggi Case Update on Middle East trip: Statement U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will seek an update to Saudi Arabia's investigation into the October killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi when he visits Riyadh during a trip to the Middle East next week, the State Department said on Friday.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. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will seek an update to Saudi Arabia's investigation into the October killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi when he visits Riyadh during a trip to the Middle East next week, the State Department said on Friday.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. 

The Saudi Arabian embassy in Bangkok has denied it impounded her passport or has the authority to detain her in Thailand, but claimed she was legally required to be deported.



"She does not have a return reservation or a tourist program, which requires deportation by the Thai authorities," it said.



Al-Qunun's supporters believe her visa to Australia may have been cancelled as she reportedly found she was unable to log into her Australian government immigration profile.



"We haven't heard from the Australian government yet about this, but if confirmed that would be quite shameful of the Australian government to cancel her visa knowing the threats that await her in Saudi Arabia," said Amnesty International's Middle East campaigns director Samah Hamid.

Urge Thailand to not deport @rahaf84427714 , where she faces risks to her safety. @Refugees have sought access to Rahaf. Thai authorities must let UNHCR see her immediately and offer her international protection #SaveRahaf https://t.co/KkwNh46hNp  Samah Hadid  (@samahhadid) January 7, 2019

"Her time in Thailand is uncertain and while it's positive that she has access to UNHCR and her case is being reviewed, we know that the Thai authorities have kept other individuals and those who've sought asylum in reprimand, in detention, waiting for long periods of time to be granted asylum," she said.



The Australian Government says it is monitoring the case closely."The claims made by Ms Al-Qunun that she may be harmed if returned to Saudi Arabia are deeply concerning. The Australian Embassy in Thailand has made representations to both the Thai Government and the Bangkok office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to seek assurances that Ms Al-Qunun can access the UNHCR's refugee status determination process in Thailand," said a statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.



She has also reportedly appealed for asylum from several European countries and Canada.

Rangsiya Ratanachai contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES - Veteran actor Sam Elliott imprinted his hands and feet in cement on Hollywood Boulevard on Monday, as "A Star is Born" co-stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper shook off Golden Globes disappointment to join in honoring the 74-year-old's long career.

Known for his lanky physique, thick mustache and languid drawl, Elliott reflected on his life's work and the joy of acting, telling reporters: "The people you work with, the community... and feeling like you're doing something that makes a difference to somebody" made it all worthwhile.

Actor Sam Elliott displays his hands after placing Actor Sam Elliott displays his hands after placing them in the block of cement during his Hand and Footprints ceremony in Hollywood, California, Jan. 7, 2019. Actor Sam Elliott displays his hands after placing them in the block of cement during his Hand and Footprints ceremony in Hollywood, California, Jan. 7, 2019.

"A Star is Born" may have struck out at the Golden Globes the night before, picking up just one trophy for best song, but Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were all smiles as they came to show their support for Elliott, who plays Cooper's elder brother in the film.

Dressed in a striking sky-blue trench coat, Gaga, 32, shared an Instagram story as she received a kiss on her forehead from Elliott.

"So excited to be here for Sam Elliott's hand & footprint ceremony," she wrote, adding a series of heart emojis.

The trio later shared a heart-warming embrace, as Cooper hailed the "iconic mark" Elliott had on films.

Lady Gaga, left, and Bradley Cooper, co-star's in Lady Gaga, left, and Bradley Cooper, co-star's in "A Star Is Born," attend a hand and footprint ceremony honoring actor Sam Elliott at the TCL Chinese Theatre, Jan. 7, 2019, in Los Angeles. Lady Gaga, left, and Bradley Cooper, co-star's in "A Star Is Born," attend a hand and footprint ceremony honoring actor Sam Elliott at the TCL Chinese Theatre, Jan. 7, 2019, in Los Angeles.

Elliott got his start with minor roles in late 60s Westerns such as "The Way West" (1967) and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," but it wasn't until the 1980s that his career took off in a big way in the "Mask" and "Road House."

He received the first of his two Golden Globe nomination for TV film "Conagher," where he played the titular role and starred alongside his wife Katharine Ross.

Elliott also has two primetime Emmy nominations, with other notable works, including "Gettysburg" and "The Big Lebowski," and is a regular on current Netflix series "The Ranch."

While he wasn't nominated at the Golden Globes, industry magazine Variety reported the actor seems poised to land his first Oscar nomination for what it called his "tender performance" in "A Star is Born."
A U.S. Navy Veteran has been in Iranian prison since July on unspecified charges, according the New York Times.

According to his family, Michael R. White, 46, from Imperial Beach, California, was due to return from Iran where he was visiting his girlfriend on July 27, but never boarded his plane, the Times reported.

White's mother, Joanne White, told the Times that she had filed a missing-person report and had been in touch with the U.S. State Department and Department of Homeland Security. Only in recent weeks did State Department officials inform her that he was in an Iranian prison, White said.

A State Department spokesperson said that they are "aware" of the New York Times report.

"We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad. Due to privacy considerations, we have no additional information to provide at this time," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Washington has repeatedly called on Tehran to release American detainees, including Iranian-Americans Siamak Namazi and his father Baquer Namazi, Chinese-American Xiyue Wang, and Lebanese U.S. permanent resident Nizar Zakka.

Last month, the families of seven political prisoners being held in Iran wrote an open letter to world leaders, rights organizations and media outlets asking for urgent action in the prisoners' release.
LIMA, PERU - Peru Attorney General Pedro Chavarry resigned on Tuesday after a public outcry over his handling of the high-profile corruption investigation involving Brazilian builder Odebrecht.

His departure from the public prosecutors office marks a fresh victory for President Martin Vizcarra and supporters of his measures to uproot entrenched corruption in one of Latin America's fastest-growing economies.

Peru's President Martin Vizcarra speaks during a Peru's President Martin Vizcarra speaks during a press conference at the government palace in Lima, Peru, Oct. 29, 2018. Peru's President Martin Vizcarra speaks during a press conference at the government palace in Lima, Peru, Oct. 29, 2018.

Chavarry prompted widespread scorn and days of street protests after he announced on New Year's Eve that he was removing two lead prosecutors from the Odebrecht inquiry, which has targeted former presidents and presidential candidates.

Vizcarra responded by sending Congress legislation to suspend Chavarry and overhaul the prosecutor's office.

Resignation protects prosecutor?

Chavarry denied he was trying to meddle in the investigation and said he was stepping down to protect the independence of the prosecutor's office, which he portrayed in his resignation letter as under attack by Vizcarra's government.

Vizcarra had repeatedly called for Chavarry to step down since he was appointed by a panel of prosecutors in July despite his ties to an alleged criminal group of judges, lawmakers and businessmen. Chavarry was later named by a prosecutor in his office as a suspect in the probe. He denies wrongdoing.

A former vice president, Vizcarra has made fighting corruption a focus of his government since taking office last year to replace Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who stepped down in one of several graft scandals to grip Peru in recent years.

Vizcarra, however, lacked the authority to dismiss Chavarry. Under Peru's constitution, only Congress, where Chavarry enjoyed support with the opposition majority, can oust the attorney general.

Avalos is acting attorney general

Supreme Prosecutor Zoraida Avalos, one of several prominent prosecutors to call for Chavarry to resign in the past week, was named as acting attorney general on Tuesday.

The prosecutors whom Chavarry had dismissed last week  Rafael Vela and Jose Domingo Perez  were reinstated amid the outcry.

The two are seen as pivotal figures in the Odebrecht investigation and recently drew up a plea deal that commits the company to providing evidence on about $30 million in bribes it acknowledges it paid to local politicians.

'Car Wash' probe

Odebrecht is at the center of the "Car Wash" investigation in Brazil, which has rippled across Latin America and which U.S. prosecutors have said is the biggest political graft scheme ever uncovered.

In late 2016, Odebrecht acknowledged it had paid millions of dollars in bribes to officials in a dozen countries to secure public works contracts dating back over a decade. The company has committed to paying billions of dollars in fines.
A group representing Indian scientists say they will screen speakers at their yearly meeting more carefully after several made outlandish claims during their lectures.

"We have decided that all the people, even the top scientists who want to interact with anybody at the Science Congress, would be asked to submit their abstracts, not to deviate ... and we will place one of our members there as a moderator," Indian Science Congress general secretary Premendu Mathur said Monday.

One speaker at the just-completed congress doubted the findings and achievements of Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking.

Another insisted the people of ancient India had airplanes and missile technology, carried out stem-cell research, and created test tube babies.

Scientists in several Indian cities held silent demonstrations and carried signs to protest the speeches and the damage that such claims can do.

"This is very harmful for the growth of scientific temper because these ideas are being propagated through the Science Congress which gives it reproducibility," retired professor Dhruba Mukhopadhyay said.
India's cabinet on Monday backed proposals to reserve 10 percent of government jobs for Indians outside the higher income brackets, a plan the main opposition party suggested was an attempt by the government to lure back voters as an election nears.

The initiative is expected to mainly benefit the upper echelons of India's centuries-old Hindu caste system, which has traditionally been a core voter base for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Modi must call a national election by May and was dealt a setback in December when the BJP lost power to the opposition Congress party in three states, its biggest defeat since he took office in 2014.

FILE - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi address FILE - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a political gathering of his Bharatiya Janata Party, in Himachal Pradesh, in Dharmsala, India, Dec. 27, 2018. FILE - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a political gathering of his Bharatiya Janata Party, in Himachal Pradesh, in Dharmsala, India, Dec. 27, 2018.

Two BJP sources said the quota plan would benefit people from other religions not covered by existing affirmative action  the reason why lower caste Hindus and India's indigenous tribes were excluded from it.

According to the government bill, the recipients must also be classed as "economically weak," which the sources said was defined as anyone with annual income below 800,000 rupees ($11,500) and owning fewer than five acres of land.

In 2017, the average income in India was $1,939.60, according to the World Bank.

The states the BJP lost included Rajasthan, one of four  the others being Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana  in which upper caste land-owning farming communities have held large protests in recent years demanding quotas for government jobs.

More broadly, Modi has been criticized for failing to deliver jobs for young people and better conditions for farmers.

"The ... Modi government has suddenly woken up to the woes of [the] economically poor, facing imminent defeat in the 2019 elections," Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said of the quota plan.

"Creating reservations in jobs may just prove to be one more 'Jumla' [gimmick] for the purpose of election promises."

Ashwini Kumar Choubey, junior health minister and a BJP member, welcomed the proposal, calling it "historic."

Caste system

Hindus, who account for about four-fifths of India's 1.3 billion people, were traditionally grouped into thousands of castes, whose membership is determined by birth.

The lower castes have faced various forms of discrimination including segregation and social boycotts.

There have been attempts to reduce caste-related inequality, and the country has had many lower caste leaders, including current president Ram Nath Kovind.

But introducing quotas for lower castes has always been a contentious issue and has led to violent protests, though India's income levels and expenditure patterns remain largely linked to caste.

The government is expected to submit the quota bill to the lower house of parliament on Tuesday. Modi's BJP has a majority there, but not in the upper house.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is focusing on Iran and Islamic State as he makes a week-long visit to the Middle East.

Pompeo said ahead of his first stop Tuesday in Jordan that he wants to "send a clear message" that the United States is committed to the region, defeating Islamic State and countering what he called "Iran's destabilizing activities."

In his talks with Jordanian leaders, Pompeo was expected to discuss the situation in Syria, where the Trump administration is planning to withdraw 2,000 U.S. forces, as well as Jordan's economic links with neighboring Iraq.

Other stops on the top U.S. diplomat's trip include Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.

Pompeo is due to give a speech in Cairo that the State Department says will focus on "U.S. commitment to peace, prosperity, stability and security in the Middle East."

Ten years ago, it was President Barack Obama making a major address in Cairo, where he sought "a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world."

Since taking office at the end of Obama's term, President Donald Trump has taken different foreign policy paths than those of his predecessor, including abandoning the nuclear agreement the United States and five other nations struck with Iran to limit the Iranian nuclear program.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks in the Grand Ha U.S. President Barack Obama speaks in the Grand Hall of Cairo University in Cairo June 4, 2009. U.S. President Barack Obama speaks in the Grand Hall of Cairo University in Cairo June 4, 2009.

?The other parties of the agreement say it is the best way to make sure Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons, something Iran has said it was not trying to do. The United Nation's nuclear watchdog has certified in multiple reports that Iran is living up to its part of the deal.

Trump criticized the deal as giving Iran too much while demanding too little and says it leaves Iran with a path to nuclear weapons.

"We're actually going to set a policy that's actually going to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons," Pompeo told reporters traveling with him. "That's probably the most important thing that we're expecting to achieve."

Pompeo said he will be discussing with leaders at his various stops the ways in which the governments can "apply pressure" to get Iran to change its behavior.

His stops in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will also include a focus on the war in Yemen, where Saudi and UAE forces are helping Yemen's government fight Houthi rebels.

The United States has provided support to the Saudi-led coalition, including refueling for warplanes conducting airstrikes.

Last month, the U.S. Senate sent a strong signal of displeasure with Saudi Arabia by passing resolutions calling for an end to U.S. support for the Saudi military campaign and blaming Saudi Arabia for the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi was killed when he visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey in October. Initially Saudi Arabia said he safely left the site on his own, but later admitted he was killed there in what Saudi officials called a rogue operation.

Saudi Arabia has charged 11 people in connection with the killing.

The State Department said Pompeo would be seeking an update on the status of the Saudi investigation.
MEXICO CITY - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday that his crackdown against fuel theft was yielding positive results, even as the intervention sparked severe fuel shortages in parts of the country and long lines of angry motorists.

In a bid to eliminate years of mounting theft, state oil firm Pemex has changed its distribution, triggering shortfalls in at least six states, including Guanajuato, a major car-making hub in central Mexico.

Guanajuato's state government said that less than one third of the state's gas stations were open on Monday.

Lopez Obrador told a news conference the government had not established a date for when operations would return to normal, but stressed that supply was not in danger.

"We are changing the whole distribution system, that's the reason for the shortage. We have enough gasoline," he said.

Mexican television showed long lines of drivers waiting to fill up in central states as well as Jalisco in the west and Tamaulipas in the north.

Years of fuel theft by criminal groups and others by tapping pipelines and stealing tanker trucks has led to losses totaling billions of dollars for public coffers.

Lopez Obrador's government has ordered the armed forces to intervene in Pemex's facilities, including one refinery.

"The supply will normalize, and at the same time we are going to guarantee that fuel is not stolen," said Lopez Obrador, who took office in December. "We have seen a reduction in theft like never before ... but we still have work to do."

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pre FILE - Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador presents the new economic program for the northern border zone, in Tijuana, Baja California State, Mexico, Jan. 6, 2019. FILE - Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador presents the new economic program for the northern border zone, in Tijuana, Baja California State, Mexico, Jan. 6, 2019.

Guanajuato's governor Diego Sinhue told local radio that of the state's 415 gas stations, only 115 were open. In Leon, Guanajuato's biggest city with a population of more than 1.5 million, only 7 of 196 stations were open on Sunday, he said.

"Fuel is becoming a serious problem," said Sinhue, a member of the opposition center-right National Action Party (PAN). "People are really angry about this shortage."

Sinhue said the army had informed him it had taken control of the state's Salamanca refinery on Monday morning. There, members of the armed forces were monitoring tankers going in and out of the facility, as well as the pressure of pipelines.

Energy Minister Rocio Nahle offered an apology on Mexican radio for the shortages. Asked when the problem would be fixed, she said it was in the process of being "normalized."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in Beijing this week, his fourth visit in a less than a year. The trip comes as Chinese and U.S. officials held a second day of trade talks and as Kim prepares for a second possible meeting with President Donald Trump.



Analysts say the visit is likely to be an opportunity for the two countries to discuss North Koreas plans for another meeting with Trump. When the two met for the first time last March, they agreed to communicate more with each other about domestic and international affairs.



Chinas Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un held three summits last year before and after meetings with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.



During his visit this week, which ends on Thursday, Kim will be looking for assurances that if talks with the United States fail, it will still have support from China, says Shi Yinhong, a political science professor at Beijings Renmin University.

ie 5i ie iii eeii iie FILE - People watch a screen showing images of, from left, South Korea's president Moon Jae-in, U.S. president Donald Trump, China's president Xi Jinping, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un at a railway station in Seoul, May 11, 2018. FILE - People watch a screen showing images of, from left, South Korea's president Moon Jae-in, U.S. president Donald Trump, China's president Xi Jinping, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un at a railway station in Seoul, May 11, 2018.

Just like his previous visits to China, he will want China to give him more economic help and continue to appeal to the U.N. Security Council to reduce sanctions against North Korea, Shi said.



At a regular briefing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had this to say when asked whether there was a connection between the visit and a possible second Trump Kim summit.



China has always supported North Korea and the U.S. to hold talks and to reach a positive outcome, Lu said.



Lu said China believes contact between the U.S. and North Korea is important. When asked whether North Korean officials would meet with U.S. officials during their visit, he said the delegations were at different levels.

A vehicle that is part of a motorcade believed to A vehicle that is part of a motorcade believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un makes its way through central Beijing, China, Jan. 8, 2019. A vehicle that is part of a motorcade believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un makes its way through central Beijing, China, Jan. 8, 2019.

In a New Years Day address Kim warned that it might take an alternative path if U.S. sanctions and pressure did not ease. But how much support Beijing is willing to give and how much influence it has over Pyongyang is still a matter of debate both outside and in China.



An optimistic report in the communist party backed nationalist tabloid the Global Times said 2019 may be a seminal year for North Korea, quoting one analyst who argued that this year could be like Chinas move in 1979 to move away from isolation toward economic reform and opening up.



Analysts believe that North Korea is already moving in that direction taking small steps toward opening up its economy, but they also add that any changes that do come will come at a very slow pace.



The article said Kim arrived in Beijing seeking a breakthrough in denuclearization talks and ways to improve ties with the United States. The timing of the visit  as U.S. and Chinese officials work to hash out a trade deal - has some wondering whether Beijing is trying its hand at playing the so-called North Korea card, to use the issue as leverage.

People watch a TV broadcast on North Korean leader People watch a TV broadcast on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to China, in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 8, 2019. People watch a TV broadcast on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's visit to China, in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 8, 2019.

Hu Xijin, the editor in chief at the Global Times said on Twitter Tuesday that the timing of Kims China visit is clearly linked to the planned second summit between him and President Trump.



As to whether this is used as a bargaining chip by China in trade talks, I believe more Americans would think so than Chinese do, the tweet went on to say. Twitter is blocked in China.



Renmin Universitys Shi said there is no connection between the visit and the trade talks and that these two were unlikely to influence each other.



But Kim Jong Uns visit to Beijing could indirectly show President Trump that although China has maybe less economic cards, China still has some strategic and diplomatic cards, Shi said.
Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro introduced himself to Iowa Democrats on Monday night as a champion for universal health care and affordable housing as he indicated he was close to launching a run for the presidency.



Castro spoke with party activists at a crowded house party in North Liberty after forming an exploratory committee last month. Castro said that he would announce his presidential campaign on Saturday in San Antonio and that he looked forward to meeting with Iowa voters before the first-in-the-nation caucuses next year.



Castro said that he would lay out his vision for making the United States "the smartest, the healthiest, the fairest and the most prosperous nation in the world." He said that his plans will include expanding Medicare to allow access for all and addressing what he called a housing affordability crisis in which rising rents are squeezing the poor and middle class.

Castro, who served as the nation's housing secretary during President Barack Obama's second term, also promised that he will not accept money from political action committees tied to corporations and unions.

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jul Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro speaks during a house party at the Ed and Jane Cranston home, Jan. 7, 2019, in North Liberty, Iowa. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro speaks during a house party at the Ed and Jane Cranston home, Jan. 7, 2019, in North Liberty, Iowa.

"What you're going to hear from me is that I'm not taking that PAC money, that I support universal health care, and that I've shown in my time in public service an ability to stand with the people instead of the special interests, and I've taken action to do that," said Castro, 44.



Castro shook hands, spoke and fielded questions for an hour as guests sipped wine from plastic cups. He received a warm welcome from the activists, who said they were eager for someone who could defeat President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. North Liberty is a fast-growing bedroom community that's located near Iowa City in Johnson County, which has long been the state's liberal stronghold.



Castro's visit was the latest activity in Iowa as the field of candidates seeking the Democratic Party's nomination begins to take shape. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts visited the state over the weekend after forming her own exploratory committee, and several more candidates are expected to join the race soon.



Castro acknowledged that some Democrats will view his and other candidates' decisions to not accept PAC money as tantamount to "bringing a knife to a gun fight." But he said that the Democratic nominee will have no problem raising money from individuals who want change and that the decision sends an important message.



"I think it says something, that if a candidate doesn't take that money, they're going to work for you," he said. "If I'm elected, that's what I'm going to do."
THE HAGUE - The Netherlands accused Iran Tuesday of involvement in the murder of two dissidents on Dutch soil, adding that the EU was hitting Tehran with sanctions partly as a result of the killings.



The Dutch secret service "has strong indications that Iran was involved in the assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin in Almere 2015 and in The Hague in 2017," Foreign Minister Stef Blok said in a letter to parliament.



"These individuals were opponents of the Iranian regime," he said in the letter, also signed by Dutch Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren.



"The Netherlands considers it probable that Iran had a hand in the preparation or commissioning of assassinations and attacks on EU territory," the ministers said.



They added that the EU had on Tuesday "partly at the recommendation of the Netherlands" agreed to impose fresh sanctions on Iran.



Dutch police have previously named the two victims as Ali Motamed, 56, who was killed in the central city of Almere in 2015, and Ahmad Molla Nissi, 52, murdered in The Hague in 2017.



Last June, the Netherlands expelled two workers from the Iranian embassy in connection with the murders.



Tehran at the time protested the expulsion of the two diplomats as an "unfriendly and destructive move" and threatened to retaliate.



Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen had earlier confirmed that the European Union has agreed on new sanctions targeting the Iranian Intelligence and Security Ministry and two Iranian nationals.



Denmark had led efforts for sanctions after allegations that Tehran tried to kill three Iranian dissidents on Danish soil.



France had meanwhile hit two suspected Iranian agents with asset freezes over a plot to bomb a rally near Paris.


NEW DELHI - Indias lower house of parliament has passed a controversial bill that proposes an easier path to citizenship to groups such as Hindus, Sikhs and Christians, but excludes Muslims who have come into the country from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.



Opposition parties slammed the proposed law as divisive, saying citizenship cannot be granted on the basis of religion and the bill violates the constitution, as India is a secular country.

Meanwhile, protests against the proposed legislation engulfed Indias northeast, where resentment against illegal immigration from neighboring Bangladesh runs high.



Home Minister Rajnath Singh told parliament the bill is not discriminatory and is meant for minorities that fled to India because they faced religious persecution in neighboring Muslim countries. They have no place to go except India, he said.

Thousands Protest Citizenship Bill in India's Assam Thousands in northeastern India protested Monday against a proposal to grant citizenship to religious minorities in the region, except Muslims, with critics attacking the bill as prejudiced and a sop to Hindus before elections. Protesters burned copies of the legislation in angry marches across Assam state, where millions have settled in recent decades after fleeing neighboring Muslim-majority nations. The controversial bill would grant citizenship to select groups  including Hindus, Christians and Thousands in northeastern India protested Monday against a proposal to grant citizenship to religious minorities in the region, except Muslims, with critics attacking the bill as prejudiced and a sop to Hindus before elections. Protesters burned copies of the legislation in angry marches across Assam state, where millions have settled in recent decades after fleeing neighboring Muslim-majority nations. The controversial bill would grant citizenship to select groups  including Hindus, Christians and

But opposition lawmakers say any changes to citizenship laws should be religion and country neutral. Demanding it should be a secular bill, a member of parliament from the opposition Trinamool Congress, Saugata Roy said, Why mention only six religions? Do not mention only three countries.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill proposes to give citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who came to India before Dec. 31, 2014.

The fiercest opposition to the bill is in the countrys northeast, where local political parties say they want the expulsion of all entrants into the region irrespective of religion. The region witnessed a near-total shutdown on Tuesday as protesters blocked highways, clashed with police and attacked two BJP offices as the bill was being debated in parliament.



Monday, a regional party in Assam, the Asom Gana Parishad, quit Modis ruling National Democratic Alliance to protest the bill.

Student activists burn effigies of India's Prime M Student activists burn effigies of India's prime minister and chief minister of Assam in Guwahati, India, on Jan, 8, 2019, after India's lower house passed legislation that will grant citizenship to members of certain religious minorities but not Muslims. Student activists burn effigies of India's prime minister and chief minister of Assam in Guwahati, India, on Jan, 8, 2019, after India's lower house passed legislation that will grant citizenship to members of certain religious minorities but not Muslims.

In Assam, where there has been massive resentment over losing jobs and land to outsiders, there are fears the proposed law could encourage migration of Hindus from neighboring Bangladesh. We want all illegal migrants to be detected and deported, irrespective of their religion," said Samujjal Bhattacharya, a protest organizer. He said citizenship rights to migrants from Bangladesh, with which Assam state shares a long open border, would threaten indigenous communities.



Minister Rajnath Singh tried to allay those concerns, saying the beneficiaries of the bill can reside in any state of the country. The burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said his government is determined to relax rules for Hindus and other non-Muslim minorities.



Critics have called the proposed law a ploy by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to appease Indias majority Hindu community before national elections this year.

The bill easily passed in the lower house of parliament where the ruling BJP has a majority, but it is likely to face fierce opposition in the upper house of parliament where the ruling party is a minority.
QUITO - A group of more than 1,400 iguanas have been reintroduced to an Ecuadoran island in the Galapagos archipelago around two centuries after they disappeared from there, authorities said on Monday.

The Galapagos land iguanas from North Seymour Island were freed onto Santiago Island as part of an ecological restoration program, the National Galapagos Park authority said in a statement.

The last recorded sighting of iguanas in Santiago Island had been made by British naturalist Charles Darwin in 1835.

Galapagos marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) Galapagos marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) sunbathe at the Tortuga Bay beach on the Santa Cruz Island in Galapagos, Ecuador, Jan. 20, 2018. Galapagos marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) sunbathe at the Tortuga Bay beach on the Santa Cruz Island in Galapagos, Ecuador, Jan. 20, 2018.

"Almost two centuries later, this ecosystem will once again count on this species through the restoration initiative," said the park authority.

Its director, Jorge Carrion, said the iguanas became extinct due to the introduction of predators such as the feral pig, which was eradicated in 2001.

The program is also aimed at protecting the population of iguanas on North Seymour, said to number around 5,000, where food is limited.

"The land iguana is a herbivore that helps ecosystems by dispersing seeds and maintaining open spaces devoid of vegetation," said Danny Rueda, the park authority's ecosystems director.

A Galapagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus A Galapagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) sunbathe next to tourists at the Tortuga Bay beach on the Santa Cruz Island in Galapagos, Ecuador, Jan. 20, 2018. A Galapagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) sunbathe next to tourists at the Tortuga Bay beach on the Santa Cruz Island in Galapagos, Ecuador, Jan. 20, 2018.

The Galapagos archipelago, some 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) from the Ecuador coast, contains unique wildlife and vegetation, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

But it has one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world.
SAO PAULO - The head of Brazil's environmental protection agency Ibama resigned on Monday after far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, in his latest attack on the agency, criticized the amount of money it spends to rent vehicles.

An Ibama spokeswoman said Suely Araujo, who had led the agency since 2016, resigned after Bolsonaro suggested on Twitter there were irregularities in the agency's budget, which included 28.7 million reais ($7.73 million) for rental vehicles of pick-up trucks used to patrol rough terrains.

The Environment Ministry, which oversees Ibama, said in an emailed statement that it had been planning to replace Araujo and that a new head of Ibama would be named within days.

Bolsonaro, who has strong backing from the country's powerful agriculture sector, has routinely attacked Ibama, which is tasked with policing the Amazon rainforest to stop deforestation, often caused by loggers, ranchers and farms, along with illegal mining.

Brazils Bolsonaro Grabs Control Over Indigenous Lands New Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro issued an executive order Wednesday making the Agriculture Ministry responsible for decisions concerning lands claimed by indigenous peoples, in a victory for agribusiness that will likely enrage environmentalists.The temporary decree, which will expire unless it is ratified within 120 days by Congress, strips power over land claim decisions from indigenous affairs agency FUNAI.It says the Agriculture Ministry will now be responsible for identification, New Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro issued an executive order Wednesday making the Agriculture Ministry responsible for decisions concerning lands claimed by indigenous peoples, in a victory for agribusiness that will likely enrage environmentalists.The temporary decree, which will expire unless it is ratified within 120 days by Congress, strips power over land claim decisions from indigenous affairs agency FUNAI.It says the Agriculture Ministry will now be responsible for identification,

Concerns about the Amazon have mounted since Bolsonaro's election victory in October. The rainforest is considered by many scientists to be the best natural protection against global warming, as it soaks up climate changing gases.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro holds a ceremony FILE - Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro holds a ceremony to present his cabinet members at the presidential palace in Brasilia, Jan. 2, 2019. FILE - Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro holds a ceremony to present his cabinet members at the presidential palace in Brasilia, Jan. 2, 2019.

Bolsonaro has toyed with yanking Brazil out of the Paris climate accord, and his strong backing of the agricultural sector has heightened concerns the destruction of the Amazon will increase, even after it hit a decade-high in the past year.

In his presidential campaign, Bolsonaro vowed to slash Ibama's ability to hand out fines for environmental infractions, which the agency says is one of its best deterrents against the illegal destruction of the Amazon and other sensitive biomes.

Scientists Warn New Brazil President May Smother Rainforest Scientists warn that Brazil's president-elect could push the Amazon rainforest past its tipping point  with severe consequences for global climate and rainfall. Jair Bolsonaro, who takes office Jan. 1, claims a mandate to convert land for cattle pastures and soybean farms, calling Brazil's rainforest protections an economic obstacle. Brazilians on Oct. Scientists warn that Brazil's president-elect could push the Amazon rainforest past its tipping point  with severe consequences for global climate and rainfall. Jair Bolsonaro, who takes office Jan. 1, claims a mandate to convert land for cattle pastures and soybean farms, calling Brazil's rainforest protections an economic obstacle. Brazilians on Oct.

On Sunday, Brazil's new Environment Minister Ricardo Salles pointed out that Ibama was spending "nearly 30 million reais just for the renting of vehicles."

Bolsonaro retweeted that and commented that "we've had a system created mainly to financially violate Brazilians without the slightest care."

Araujo released a written statement on Sunday saying Bolsonaro and Salles had made "baseless accusations." She said the cost was for the rental of 393 four-wheel drive trucks used by Ibama's armed agents across Brazil, and that the contract's amount also included all fuel costs and maintenance.

A high-ranking Ibama official told Reuters on Monday that the pressure from Bolsonaro and Salles was simply an attempt "to get rid of our ability to halt policing for those committing environmental crimes."

"It's an absurd factoid created to weaken Ibama," the person said on condition of anonymity. "This contract was approved by government regulators, and it is 10 percent less than the previous contract and for more vehicles."

The official said the contract remained valid, but that Ibama is concerned there will be attempts to cancel it, possibly leading to the crippling of the agency's ability to patrol the Amazon and other regions.

($1 = 3.7128 reais)
KIOSSI, CAMEROON - Gabon has closed border crossings with Cameroon since Monday's attempted coup against President Ali Bongo, halting trade and leaving Gabonese unable to return home. Goods and passengers destined for Gabon are stranded in Cameroons border town of Kiossi.

Trucks loaded with plantain, cocoyam, groundnuts, and other vegetables sit idle along with several hundred commuters in the town of Kiossi, on Cameroons southern border with Gabon.

Gabonese businessman Luc Eyene says Gabons border troops stopped him from crossing over from Cameroon. The government ordered the closure to protect civilians, Eyene says they told him, after Mondays attempted coup against ailing President Ali Bongo.

He says even though Gabon is in a political crisis that could turn violent if Bongo does not recover, it is unpardonable for anyone to seal the border. It is known by everyone that Gabon depends on Cameroon for food, says Eyene. The poor are already suffering after just 24 hours of the border being closed, he says.

Traders like Eyene fear their perishable goods will not last until the border reopens.

Cameroonian businesswoman Caroline Ndifor supplies farm produce to Gabon. She says she was forced to make arrangements to take her goods to Equatorial Guinea instead.

Border check point between Cameroon and Equatorial Border check point between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea at Kiossi, June 5, 2018 Border check point between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea at Kiossi, June 5, 2018

"We are just suffering because of the control that they are blocking Gabonese. There are four control (check points), even more than four, so they are blocking Gabonese. Business is not moving here."

Handerson Quetong Konge is the highest ranking Cameroonian official along the border with Gabon. He says they have been discussing re-opening the border with Gabonese authorities in the town of Bitam, just across the border.

"We are in full discussions with my colleagues in Bitam to see how we can facilitate transit in these border towns," said Konge.

Silvanus Mba, a member of Gabons main opposition group, The Coalition for the New Republic, was traveling in Cameroon when the border was closed. He says his group does not have links with the rebels but added that many Gabonese, including himself, would have celebrated if the coup had succeeded.

He says Gabon belongs to all the people of Gabon, not an individual whose family has ruled for over 51 years and is not showing signs of leaving power even when his health is failing him. Ali Bongo should know that there are very competent citizens of Gabon who can lead the country out of misery, says Mba.

FILE - Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba address Gabon's President Ali Bongo has been in Morocco since October, 2018, receiving treatment for a stroke. Gabon's President Ali Bongo has been in Morocco since October, 2018, receiving treatment for a stroke.

The rebel troops appeared on state television early Monday, announcing the coup was intended to restore democracy.

But by Monday night the government of Gabon said it had regained control and arrested seven rebel soldiers. Government forces killed two other soldiers involved in the coup attempt.

Authorities also cut the internet and imposed a curfew on Gabons capital, Libreville. Tanks and armored vehicles were patrolling the city and airports were shut down.

Gabon Coup In this image from TV, a soldier who identified himself as Lt. Obiang Ondo Kelly, commander of the Republican Guard, reads a statement on state television broadcast from Libreville, saying the military has seized control of the government, Jan. 7, 2019. In this image from TV, a soldier who identified himself as Lt. Obiang Ondo Kelly, commander of the Republican Guard, reads a statement on state television broadcast from Libreville, saying the military has seized control of the government, Jan. 7, 2019.

President Bongo has been in Morocco since October receiving treatment for a stroke. He acknowledged having health problems in a New Years Day message.

Bongo succeeded his father Omar Bongo as president in 2009 and narrowly won re-election in a 2016 poll marred by violence and accusations of fraud.

His family has been accused of profiting off the country's natural resources while Gabons two million citizens struggle to meet their everyday needs.
U.S. forces in Syria have a plan in place for their much talked about withdrawal, but it will likely not see all of them leave the fight against the Islamic State terror group anytime soon.

The 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria as part of the fight against the Islamic State terror group have "an approved framework for the withdrawal," Pentagon spokesman, Commander Sean Robertson, said Monday, adding commanders are "now engaged in executing that withdrawal."

"That framework is conditions-based and will not subject troop withdrawal to an arbitrary timeline," Robertson said.

Robertson said the Pentagon would not discuss any specifics, citing security concerns, but that a number of factors, including the weather, would impact how quickly troops return home.

He also said the Pentagon would provide "a periodic update on progress regarding percentages of equipment removed from Syria."

Word of an approved withdrawal framework came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump took to Twitter, criticizing media coverage of his decision last month to immediately begin pulling U.S. forces from Syria  a decision which led to the resignation of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis days later.

"Our boys, our young women, our men, they're all coming back and they're coming back now," Trump said in a video posted on his Twitter feed Dec. 19.

After historic victories against ISIS, its time to bring our great young people home! pic.twitter.com/xoNjFzQFTp  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 19, 2018

At the time, administration officials predicted the withdrawal would take about 30 days. But since then, senior U.S. diplomatic and military officials have slowly pushed back the timeline.

This past Friday, a senior State Department official said there was "no timeline" for the withdrawal.

US Eyeing 'Conditions-Based' Approach to Syrian Exit More than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic State terror group in Syria and announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces, military planners are insisting the pullout be based on conditions on the ground and not an arbitrary timeline. "Any plan we implement is going to be conditions-based," a U.S. More than two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic State terror group in Syria and announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces, military planners are insisting the pullout be based on conditions on the ground and not an arbitrary timeline. "Any plan we implement is going to be conditions-based," a U.S.

By Sunday, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, on a trip to Israel and Turkey, told reporters any pullout would be based solely on conditions on the ground.

But Trump on Monday denied there was any change in the U.S. approach to Syria and IS.

"No different from my original statements," he tweeted. "We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!"

He later posted a more broad defense of his decision to withdraw troops.

"Endless Wars, especially those which are fought out of judgement mistakes that were made many years ago, & those where we are getting little financial or military help from the rich countries that so greatly benefit from what we are doing, will eventually come to a glorious end!"

Military officials said Monday that while the initial stages of the U.S. pullout from Syria are under way, U.S. and coalition forces would continue to support its partners and allies in the fight against IS.

YPG

Since Trump's initial announcement, U.S. and coalition planes have continued to bomb IS positions in the group's last remaining strongholds in Syria's Middle Euphrates River Valley.

FILE - U.S. forces are seen at the Kurdish People' FILE - U.S. forces are seen at the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) headquarters after it was hit by Turkish airstrikes in Mount Karachok near Malikiya, Syria, April 25, 2017. FILE - U.S. forces are seen at the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) headquarters after it was hit by Turkish airstrikes in Mount Karachok near Malikiya, Syria, April 25, 2017.

Officials said the steady bombing campaign has helped reduce the terror group's communication and propaganda capabilities by almost half.

It also has allowed the largely Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to make significant gains on the ground, liberating the towns of Hajin, Abu Hassam and Kashmah from IS control.

But a key concern has been what happens to the Kurdish fighters once the U.S. leaves.

U.S. withdrawal could allow Turkish troops to move against Kurdish fighters in Syria who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara.

Turkey considers the Kurdish fighters, known as the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units or YPG, to be linked to the PKK, a Kurdish group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

"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," Bolton said Sunday, "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."

Erdogan response

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Bolton made a "serious mistake" and that Turkey cannot accept any conditions related to the Kurdish fighters.

In an opinion piece published on The New York Times website Monday, Erdogan however praised Trump for making "the right call to withdraw from Syria."

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks duri FILE - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks during a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Dec. 20, 2018. FILE - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks during a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Dec. 20, 2018.

"The United States withdrawal, however, must be planned carefully and performed in cooperation with the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people," he wrote, adding Turkey "is the only country with the power and commitment to perform that task."

But Erdogan also warned that Turkey would continue to work to defeat all terror groups, including the YPG.

"Turkey will continue to do what it must to ensure its own safety and the well-being of the international community," Erdogan wrote.

"Under Turkey's watch, the Syrian territories that are under the control of the YPG or the so-called Islamic State will be governed by popularly elected councils," he added. "Individuals with no links to terrorist groups will be eligible to represent their communities in local governments."
JOHANNESBURG - Manuel Chang spent less than an hour in a Johannesburg courtroom on Tuesday, appearing confident and relaxed in jeans and a blue blazer as South African lawyers discussed the fate of Mozambique's former finance minister. Chang was arrested last month in a U.S. investigation into Mozambique's massive debt scandal.

But no one thinks this trial, which spans four continents  Africa, North America, Europe and Asia  and encompasses a growing list of suspected accomplices, will be quick or easy.

FILE - Mozambique's former finance minister Manuel Mozambique's former finance minister Manuel Chang appears in court during an extradition hearing in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jan. 8, 2019. Mozambique's former finance minister Manuel Chang appears in court during an extradition hearing in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jan. 8, 2019.

Chang is one of several dozen people now implicated on both sides of the Atlantic in the case that led the coastal nation to suffer a debt crisis so severe it has deprived citizens of essential services like road and hospital maintenance.

Elpideo Mutemba was one of several Mozambican activists who came to watch Chang's court appearance Tuesday.

Mutemba told VOA he was glad Chang was arrested in South Africa and will, if the extradition order is heeded, be tried in the U.S., even if it slows down the process.

But he shrugged at the news that Mozambican officials had, just a day earlier, indicted 18 people in connection to the case. Mozambique, he argued, has known about this scandal since 2016, when $2 billion in secret loans were discovered, and these are the very first signs of movement from Mozambican authorities.

"We don't trust our justice system, as we have many pending cases where .... they didn't come up with any solution, justice was never done," he said. "So, we do believe in maybe outside [intervention], and not only because it will be outside, but those who are really still implicated in the matter, they can fall with him."

US indictment

A U.S. grand jury indictment issued last week accuses seven people, including Chang, of creating fake maritime projects "as fronts to raise money to enrich themselves and intentionally divert portions of the loan proceeds to pay at least $200 million in bribes and kickbacks to themselves, Mozambican government officials and others."

In court on Tuesday, the prosecutors said they suspected Chang himself netted some $12 million dollars in bribes.

The case, like many financial crimes cases, is rife with details and technicalities. One such technicality is the basis the grand jury used in its indictment: that one of the financial institutions allegedly involved was required to report its doings to U.S. authorities.

Chang was arrested last month in South Africa on what officials said was a U.S. extradition warrant, although his lawyers argued Tuesday that proper procedures were not followed.

Chang's lawyer, Willie Vermeulen, argued that based on a technicality, his client should be released on bail.

"The only basis for a provisional arrest is Article 13 of the treaty," he argued. "That is all, thank you, I ask you accordingly to release Mr. Chang."

Mutemba, the activist, said he is happy to follow this complicated tale to the end, wherever that leads. He suspects many more names will come out in the course of the investigation, including Mozambique's former president, Armando Guebuza and the current president, Filipe Nyusi, who was defense minister at the time of the loans, taken between 2013 and 2014.

"You can't tell me that he didn't know that there was an agreement, a loan, of a huge amount of that nature, all of them," he said.

When asked to clarify which president  the former or the current  he meant, he clarified.

"I'm saying about President Guebuza, even though Nyusi was there in that regime, and even now, Nyusi's there, but he never said anything," he said. "We want to hear from him as a president."
The European Union on Tuesday froze the assets of an Iranian intelligence unit and two of its staff, as the Netherlands accused Iran of two killings on its soil and joined France and Denmark in alleging Tehran plotted other attacks in Europe.

The move, although in part symbolic since one of the men is in prison in Belgium, marks the first time the EU has enacted sanctions on Iran since lifting a host of curbs on it three years ago following its 2015 nuclear pact with world powers.

The decision, which includes designating the unit and the two Iranians as terrorists, follows last year's disclosure by Denmark and France that they suspected an Iranian government intelligence service of pursuing assassination plots on their soil. Copenhagen sought an EU-wide response.

"EU just agreed to enact sanctions against an Iranian Intelligence Service for its assassination plots on European soil. Strong signal from the EU that we will not accept such behavior in Europe," Denmark's Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said on Twitter.

France, which has already hit the two men and the ministry unit with sanctions, has said there was no doubt the Iranian intelligence ministry was behind a failed attack near Paris.

On Tuesday, the Dutch government publicly accused Iran of the plots, as well as two killings in 2015 and 2017, sending a letter to parliament to warn of further economic sanctions if Tehran did not cooperate with European investigations.

The letter signed by the Dutch foreign and interior ministers said Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium met Iranian officials to convey "their serious concerns regarding Iran's probable involvement in these hostile acts on EU territory."

"Iran was informed that involvement in such matters is entirely unacceptable and must be stopped immediately ... further sanctions cannot be ruled out," the letter said.

Iran has denied any involvement in the alleged plots, saying the accusations were intended to damage EU-Iran relations.

"Accusing Iran won't absolve Europe of responsibility for harboring terrorists," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tuesday in a tweet.

"Europeans, incl(uding) Denmark, Holland and France, harbor MEK," he added, referring to an exiled Iranian opposition group Mujaheedin-e Khalq.

Paris accused Iran of a plot to carry out a bomb attack at a rally near Paris organized by the MEK. Denmark says it foiled an Iranian intelligence plan to assassinate an Iranian Arab opposition figure on its soil.

On Tuesday, the Netherlands said it had "strong indications" that Iran was behind the assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin, in 2015 and in 2017. The latter was dissident Iranian Arab activist Ahmad Mola Nissi who was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in front of his home in The Hague.

Iran denies any involvement in the killings.

Sanctions sensitive

The decision to impose the curbs was taken without debate at an unrelated meeting of Europe ministers in Brussels and the asset freeze comes into effect Wednesday, EU officials said.

The Danish Foreign Ministry named the two employees as the deputy minister and director general of intelligence, Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, and a Vienna-based diplomat, Assadollah Asadi.

Their names are to appear in the EU's Official Journal on Wednesday.

Sanctions on the intelligence ministry, which is under the control of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are unlikely to change what the European Union says are Iran's destabilizing activities in Europe and the Middle East.

The deputy minister and director general of intelligence is in Iran, while the Iranian diplomat was charged and is being held by Belgian authorities. Neither appear to have assets in France, which first imposed the asset freeze late last year.

But imposing economic sanctions on Iran, once the EU's top oil supplier, remains highly sensitive for the bloc.

The EU has been straining to uphold the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers that U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of in May. It has been less willing to consider sanctions, instead seeking talks with Tehran.

Iran has warned it could ditch the nuclear deal if EU powers do not protect its trade and financial benefits.
ROME - Humanitarian organizations say migrants are being held hostage at sea because European countries are unable to agree how those rescued at sea should be relocated. The latest crisis involves migrants rescued by two German vessels.

Forty-nine migrants rescued by two German humanitarian vessels, the Sea Watch and Sea Eye, continue to be stationed off the coast of the southern Mediterranean island of Malta, waiting to know what their fate will be.



The Sea Watch rescued 32 migrants from a smugglers' boat on December 22. Seventeen others were saved by the Sea Eye on December 29. On board there is one baby and a number of children. Both vessels have asked Malta and Italy to allow them to disembark, but both countries have refused, saying the European Union must intervene.

Depopulation Fears Prompt Some to Question EUs Freedom of Movement Political pressure is growing on the European Union from some member states to rethink freedom of movement rules and to start introducing restrictions to stem what they see as disruptive migration.The latest challenge doesnt lie with the refugee crisis and the irritation with non-EU migrants easily moving across the continent and cherry-picking which European state to try to settle in, but the concern that migration between EU countries is further depopulating economically depressed regions and towns Political pressure is growing on the European Union from some member states to rethink freedom of movement rules and to start introducing restrictions to stem what they see as disruptive migration.The latest challenge doesnt lie with the refugee crisis and the irritation with non-EU migrants easily moving across the continent and cherry-picking which European state to try to settle in, but the concern that migration between EU countries is further depopulating economically depressed regions and towns

Non-governmental organization officials are concerned about the psychological state of those on board, with some migrants refusing to eat. Some have been vomiting to due to weather conditions. Supplies on board are also limited and water is being rationed.



Philippe Hahn, who heads operations for Sea Watch, says the rescued have one thing in common: they are doing everything they can to flee the hell of Libya and they risk anything to do so.



Pope Francis has called for countries to show solidarity with migrants, but Malta says it already allowed 200 migrants to disembark last week and cannot do anymore at the moment.



Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini says Italy has done enough and it will not allow a single migrant to come off boats on its coastline this year.

Italian Coalition Chiefs Spar Over Stranded Migrants 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 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

League party member Massimiliano Romeo summed up the Italian government's position.

The League's position is clear: stop the boats to stop the dead, and therefore stop the trafficking of human beings, he said, adding Italy has done its share and other EU nations need to do their part.



Speaking Tuesday in Berlin, Sea Watch's Alina Krobok called the current situation a "European failure", as negotiations continue the effort to break the diplomatic deadlock among EU member states over how to relocate migrants.



She says a lasting policy decision is needed by European countries about where these people should be taken and how to distribute them, even before they are on shore. She adds it is unacceptable people are stranded at sea because European states are still busy playing with numbers.

Italian Mayors, Governors Challenge Government Asylum Law The ranks of prominent citizens opposed to a new Italian law cracking down on asylum-seekers swelled on Monday, with more governors announcing court challenges to the populist government's measure. The law, approved first in the form of a government decree and later by Parliament late last year, tightens criteria for migrants receiving humanitarian protection, granting that status only to victims of labor exploitation, human trafficking, domestic violence, natural calamities and a few other limited The ranks of prominent citizens opposed to a new Italian law cracking down on asylum-seekers swelled on Monday, with more governors announcing court challenges to the populist government's measure. The law, approved first in the form of a government decree and later by Parliament late last year, tightens criteria for migrants receiving humanitarian protection, granting that status only to victims of labor exploitation, human trafficking, domestic violence, natural calamities and a few other limited

More than 20 Italian based humanitarian organizations have appealed for the immediate disembarkation of migrants and have requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to clarify what Italy is doing to break the deadlock.
Sudan's government is stepping up violent efforts to quell widespread protests in the country, according to a demonstrator interviewed on a VOA program.

Khartoum protester Nour El Din told VOA's South Sudan in Focus on Monday that police "are hunting us, and they are using their guns, even inside houses." He asked that his full name not be used in this story.

El Din, a mining engineer who attended protests in the Sudanese capital over the weekend, said the protests were organized by the Sudanese Professional Association (SDA), an umbrella group of independent professional unions in Sudan.

He said the protests took place in Bory and at Khartoum University, where teachers and university administrators joined the demonstrations. "The government used extreme violence," as well as tear gas on protesters, according to El Din.

El Din said people in the neighborhood of Bory opened their doors to protesters running away from police. "We run from them into all the houses," El Din said.

Police entered homes in Bory with guns drawn, according to El Din. He said while he did not see guns fired, he heard gunshots.

Protests began Dec. 19 after the government raised bread prices. More than 800 protesters were arrested at hundreds of anti-government demonstrations across the country over the past month, according to Sudan Interior Minister Ahmed Bilal. Protesters also have been demanding that President Omar al-Bashir step down after 29 years in office.

Authorities said at least 19 people have been killed in protests, but rights group Amnesty International said the death toll may be nearly double that.
A Congressional delegation of Democrats touring a Border Patrol facility in New Mexico on Monday warned President Donald Trump against circumventing Congress and diverting already appropriated money towards building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

"He can expect a strong and swift challenge from all of us and other members of Congress, and from the American people," said U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro, when asked about Trump's planned address to the nation and his visit to the border on Thursday.

Castro, a Democrat from San Antonio, is leading a Congressional delegation visiting the Border Patrol facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico to investigate the death of 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo, the second child to die in December after being apprehended crossing the border illegally.

Democrats, who now control the U.S. House of Representatives, have rejected the Republican president's demand for $5.7 billion to help build a wall. Without a deal on that sticking point, talks to fund the government  now in the 17th day of a shutdown  have stalled.

Trump has vowed not to back off his 2016 campaign promise to build a wall that he believes will stem illegal immigration and drug trafficking. He promised during the campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall. Mexico has refused to do so.

The prototypes for U.S. President Donald Trump's b The prototypes for U.S. President Donald Trump's border wall are seen behind the border fence between Mexico and the United States, in Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 7, 2019. The prototypes for U.S. President Donald Trump's border wall are seen behind the border fence between Mexico and the United States, in Tijuana, Mexico, Jan. 7, 2019.

Democrats in Congress say a wall would be expensive, inefficient and immoral.

In New Mexico, Border Patrol agents walked the Congressional delegation through the holding areas of the Alamogordo station, which Representative Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York, said were "miraculously" empty.

Castro said the Border Patrol did not provide a report about Gomez's death nor did they tour the hospital where he was treated for a cold and then released with a prescription for antibiotics and ibuprofen. The boy died shortly after his release.

"We know that CBP is woefully under equipped in terms of its standards of medical care, but we also need to find out whether the doctors in the hospital - how responsible they were in terms of that case," Castro said.

The Border Patrol itself has said their facilities are not properly equipped to hold families, Castro said. "I think all of us who look at what they have here believe that that is true."

U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar, a Democrat from El Paso, said the area where Gomez and his father turned themselves over to Border Patrol is on American soil and already fenced.

Migrants traveling with children walk up a hill t FILE - Migrants traveling with children walk up a hill to a waiting U.S. Border Patrol agent just inside San Ysidro, Calif., after climbing over the border wall from Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Dec. 3, 2018. FILE - Migrants traveling with children walk up a hill to a waiting U.S. Border Patrol agent just inside San Ysidro, Calif., after climbing over the border wall from Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Dec. 3, 2018.

"The wall only pushes people out to more dangerous, treacherous crossings, creating even more death," she said.

Illegal crossings at the southern border have dropped dramatically since the late 1970s, but in recent years more Central American families and unaccompanied children are migrating to the United States. Many are released after turning themselves into border agents and requesting asylum, a legal process that can take years to resolve in U.S. immigration courts.
A Congolese presidential candidate's representatives have met with outgoing President Joseph Kabila's camp to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, they said on Tuesday.

Kabila's camp denied any such meetings had occurred since the December 30 election, for which provisional results are expected this week, but supporters of another candidate, who led opinion polls ahead of the vote, said they feared the government was maneuvering to squeeze him out of contention.

Members of opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi's campaign said they spoke with representatives of Kabila's hand-picked candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, in meetings aimed at promoting national reconciliation.

Kabila and Tshisekedi "have an interest in meeting to prepare for the peaceful and civilized transfer of power," Jean-Marc Kabund told a news conference at which he said Tshisekedi was the "presumptive winner."

Tshisekedi's spokesman, Vidiye Tshimanga, later said Kabila and Tshisekedi had not met personally since the election but that their representatives had convened several times.

Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi, a spokesman for Shadary and one of Kabila's senior advisers, denied there had been contacts with Tshisekedi or his representatives.

Supporters of Martin Fayulu, the opposition candidate who had a healthy pre-election poll lead, have voiced suspicions Kabila may be looking to negotiate a power-sharing agreement with Tshisekedi if his preferred candidate, Shadary, loses.

Fayulu and six other presidential candidates issued a statement on Tuesday saying: "the electoral results cannot be negotiated and under no circumstances will we or the Congolese people accept such results."

In a tweet, Fayulu's Lamuka coalition also criticized Tshisekedi for saying in an interview with a Belgian newspaper this week that Kabila deserves praise for agreeing to step down. Kabila is due to leave office this month but his refusal to go when his mandate expired in 2016 sparked protests in which security forces killed dozens of people.

"Falsifying the history of Congo by attributing to Mr. Kabila a false role in the advent of the [democratic] transfer of power would be an insult to the memory of all our martyrs who died for democracy," it said. Urgent meeting

The election is meant to bring about Congo's first democratic transition in 59 years of independence, but a disputed result could trigger the kind of violence that erupted after 2006 and 2011 elections and destabilize Congo's eastern borderlands with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, where dozen of militia groups are active.

The streets of the eastern city of Goma were deserted on Tuesday evening after a rumor spread that the results were about to be announced. The election board has not given a date for the release of results, which have already been delayed past Sunday's deadline.

Zambian President Edgar Lungu's office said he was traveling to South Africa on Tuesday for an "urgent consultative meeting" with President Cyril Ramaphosa about the election.

Domestic observer mission SYMOCEL said on Tuesday it witnessed 52 major irregularities, including people tampering with results, in the 101 vote counting centers it monitored. There are 179 counting centers tallying the vote across Congo.

Its findings, and those of a Catholic Church observation mission that noted significant irregularities, are likely to fuel complaints about the outcome once it is announced, although regional observers said the vote went "relatively well."

In its own news conference on Tuesday, the ruling coalition accused Fayulu's campaign and Catholic bishops of trying to stoke post-election violence.

Last week, the bishops said they knew the winner of the election, a declaration widely seen as a warning to authorities against rigging the vote.
LONDON - A leading geneticist who ran the conference where a Chinese scientist said he had made the world's first "gene-edited" babies condemned him on Monday for potentially jeopardizing lives and having no biology training.

Robin Lovell-Badge, organizer of the November 2018 event where China's He Jiankui made his controversial presentation, described him as a rich man with a "huge ego" who "wanted to do something he thinks will change the world."

He Jiankui, associate professor at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, sparked an international scientific and ethical row when he said he had used a technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born in November.

He could not be immediately reached to respond to Lovell-Badge's comments. Chinese authorities are investigating him and have meanwhile halted this kind of research.

FILE - Scientist He Jiankui shows "The Human Genom FILE - Scientist He Jiankui shows "The Human Genome", a book he edited, at his company Direct Genomics in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, Aug. 4, 2016. FILE - Scientist He Jiankui shows "The Human Genome", a book he edited, at his company Direct Genomics in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, Aug. 4, 2016.

In videos posted online and at the conference, He said he believed his gene editing would help protect the girls from infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Lovell-Badge, a professor and gene expert at Britain's Francis Crick Institute who led the organizing committee for the November Human Genome Editing Summit at Hong Kong University, said it was impossible to know what He had actually done.

"If it's true (that he edited the genomes in the way he says) then it is certainly possible that he has put the children's lives at risk," he told journalists in London. "No-one knows what these mutations will do."

Lovell-Badge said he originally invited He to the conference after hearing in scientific circles that he was "up to something." Lovell-Badge hoped that asking He to interact with specialists would encourage him to "control his urges."

"Pretty much everyone he talked to had said to him: 'Don't do it,'" he said. "But clearly it was all too late."

Lovell-Badge said he learned of He's claims on the eve of the conference, and had an emergency meeting with him.

"He thought that he was doing good, and that what he was doing was the next big thing," Lovell-Badge said. But he had "no basic training in biology" and the experiments he said he had carried out "ignored all the norms of how you conduct any clinical trial or clinical experiment."

"He should certainly be stopped from doing anything like this again," he said.

Lovell-Badge said he had not heard from He since early December, but understood he was in Shenzhen in a guarded apartment during the probe.

Chinese authorities and institutions, as well as hundreds of international scientists, have condemned He and said any application of gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes was against the law and medical ethics of China.
Twenty Chinese children were injured after a hammer wielding maintenance worker attacked them inside their primary school in Beijing Tuesday.

Officials in the citys Xicheng district say the 49-year old male suspect, surnamed Jai, was apprehended at the scene. In a statement, officials say Jai performed maintenance work at the school and that his contract was set to expire. The statement said the assailant attacked the students out of anger that his contract had not been renewed.

Officials say the wounded students were taken to a hospital for treatment. Three of the children suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities say Tuesdays attack was the latest in a series of frightening incidents at schools across China in recent years. Nine middle-school students in northern China were killed last April by a knife-wielding man who claimed he had been bullied when he attended the school.

At least 12 schoolchildren were stabbed and wounded in an attack on their school in southern China in January 2017.
Anthony Zinni, a retired U.S. general who sought to resolve a dispute between Qatar and some of its neighbors and to forge an Arab security alliance to contain Iranian power, has resigned, CBS News reported Tuesday.

CBS News quoted Zinni as saying he stepped down from his Trump administration assignment after realizing he could not resolve the dispute "because of the unwillingness of the regional leaders to agree to a viable mediation effort that we offered to conduct or assist in implementing."

The diplomatic dispute pits Qatar against four Arab nations  Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt  which cut diplomatic and transport ties with Doha in 2017, accusing it of backing terrorism. Qatar denies supporting terrorism and there has been no sign of a resolution to the spat.

Zinni was also the lead negotiator for the creation of the proposed Middle East Strategic Alliance, which would bind Sunni Muslim governments in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan in a U.S.-led security, political and economic pact to counter Shi'ite Iran.

Asked about the report of Zinni's resignation, the State Department thanked Zinni for his service and confirmed it would take the lead on Middle East Strategic Alliance, though it said he would remain available to consult if need be.

"General Zinni's mission was to help introduce the concept of the Middle East Strategic Alliance and start a conversation with leaders in the region. That is happening and well under way thanks to his efforts," said State Department spokesman Robert Palladino. "The administration, through the interagency process led by the Department of State, will carry the mission forward."

Zinni is the latest official to leave the administration, joining Jim Mattis, the former defense secretary; John Kelly, the former White House chief of staff; and Brett McGurk, the former envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State.
Criminal gangs on a rampage in northeast Brazil are posing an early security test for new far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, highlighting the challenge he faces in quelling drug-related violence and halting a record wave of murders in the country.

The state of Ceara has been rocked by five nights of attacks including a bomb that exploded under a highway, torched buses and assaults against banks and police barracks.

Security officials believe the attacks were triggered by the new state government's plan to undercut the power of gangs by sending prisoners to whatever jails have space to take them in, ending a longstanding practice of separating them according to gang affiliation.

The attacks, which on Friday prompted Brazil's new Justice Minister Sergio Moro to dispatch 330 federal security agents to Ceara, followed the Jan. 1 inauguration of Bolsonaro, who has made no secret of his admiration for the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil from 1964-1985.

Vehicles burn in the street after attacks in the c Vehicles burn in the street after attacks in the city of Fortaleza, northeastern Brazil, Jan. 3, 2019. Vehicles burn in the street after attacks in the city of Fortaleza, northeastern Brazil, Jan. 3, 2019.

The former army captain  who ran on a law-and-order platform  won support from Brazilians tired of the warring drug gangs that have come to terrorize large swaths of the country.

His task now is to make good on promises to design a coherent federal security strategy and end the wave of violence that saddled Latin America's largest nation with a record 63,880 murders in 2017. The murder tally last year is still unknown.

In Ceara's state capital Fortaleza, residents returned to the streets on Monday, making their way to work warily.

"The situation is tense," said taxi driver Weverton Barbosa. "We're scared, because we don't know what's coming, and it could get worse."

Ceara's public security and defense ministry said on Monday 148 people had been arrested for their alleged role in the attacks. In a statement on Sunday, it said at least three suspected gang members had been killed in gun battles with police.

Speaking last Friday, Bolsonaro, 63, praised Moro for quickly sending federal forces into Ceara to try and ease the situation.

Brazil

Nonetheless, despite promising a tough stance on gangs, which profit from drug trafficking and often carry out mass attacks to spread fear and in response to police crackdowns in prisons or on the streets, he has provided few specific details on how he will bring them to heel.

At a press conference after his election, Bolsonaro urged prosecutors to follow the money to hobble prison gangs, such as Sao Paulo's powerful First Capital Command and Rio de Janeiro's Red Command.

"Let's fight organized crime and work to stop inmates from continuing to control their foot-soldiers from within prisons," Bolsonaro tweeted on in October, shortly after his first-round election victory.

On Friday, Bolsonaro asked lawmakers to quickly pass a bill to provide police and soldiers freedom from prosecution when on active duty, warning that sky-high violence would only slow if laws were passed to give security officials a free hand as they combat gang violence.

Former Judge Sergio Moro participates in an anti-c FILE - Former Judge Sergio Moro participates in an anti-corruption conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Nov. 23, 2018. FILE - Former Judge Sergio Moro participates in an anti-corruption conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Nov. 23, 2018.

Last week, after being sworn in as justice minister, Moro said he would present an anti-crime bill within weeks, pledging to isolate the jailed leaders of drug gangs, which he called a threat to democracy.

Brazil's constitution mandates that public security is managed by state governments, and Bolsonaro may be limited in what he can achieve to restore calm from the federal level.

Ignacio Cano, a security expert at the Rio de Janeiro State University, said that given the high levels of violence in the northeast of the country, and the inability of state governments to cope with it, federal interventions such as the one in Ceara may become more prevalent under Bolsonaro.

"I think this mechanism is something they will end up using a lot more than they expect," he said.

He added that gang crime posed a new challenge for Moro, who made his name as a crusading anti-graft judge, jailing scores of Brazil's corrupt political and business elite as part of the country's notorious "Car Wash" probe.

"Moro's experience is in investigating white-collar crime, and now he will have to face a new, more violent type of criminal," he said.
ISTANBUL - U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton ended a visit to Turkey in acrimony Tuesday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refusing to meet him. Erdogan dismissed Bolton's calls for the protection of the YPG Syrian Kurdish militia as a precondition to a U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria.

"Bolton has made a serious mistake and whoever thinks like this has also made a mistake. It is not possible for us to make compromises on this point," Erdogan said in an address in the Turkish parliament.

The YPG is a crucial ally in Washington's war against Islamic State, but Ankara considers it a terrorist group linked to an insurgency inside Turkey.

Turkey Criticizes US Demands for Syrian Kurds' Safety Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday White House National Security Adviser John Bolton was making "a very serious mistake" in demanding that Ankara guarantee the safety of Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria before the United States pulls its troops out of the country.Criticizing the remarks Bolton made earlier in the week, Erdogan was quoted as saying there would be "no concessions" in Ankara's push against what the Turkish leader describes as terror groups in Syria. Turkey denied Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday White House National Security Adviser John Bolton was making "a very serious mistake" in demanding that Ankara guarantee the safety of Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria before the United States pulls its troops out of the country.Criticizing the remarks Bolton made earlier in the week, Erdogan was quoted as saying there would be "no concessions" in Ankara's push against what the Turkish leader describes as terror groups in Syria. Turkey denied

Erdogan also warned that preparations were complete for a military operation against the YPG.

"We will very soon mobilize to eliminate the terrorist organization in Syria," he said. "If there are other terrorists who would attempt to intervene in our intervention then it is our duty to eliminate them as well."

Turkish forces have been massing for weeks along the Syrian border. Observers said the threat of a Turkish operation against the YPG in northeastern Syria, where around 2,000 U.S. soldiers are deployed, was the reason for U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria.

Once Trump announced his intention, Erdogan said Turkey would delay any operation until all U.S. forces left.

Turkey's anger over preconditions announced by Bolton before a U.S. withdrawal, including security guarantees for the Kurdish militia, may have brought forward the timing of a strike against the YPG.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the media in Ankara, Turkey, Jan. 8, 2019. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the media in Ankara, Turkey, Jan. 8, 2019.

Erdogan sought to downplay his refusal to meet with Bolton, telling reporters it was not a deliberate snub. He maintained that Bolton's meeting with both the presidential spokesman and the defense minister was sufficient.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, in speaking to reporters, tried to put a positive spin on his meeting with Bolton.

"A process of dialogue with U.S. military and officials would carry on," he said. "Syria should be cleansed from all terrorist organizations, no stepping back from the fight against Islamic State."

Dduring a two-hour meeting with Bolton, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and U.S. Syria envoy James Jeffrey, Kalin pressed for a commitment to recover all weapons handed to the YPG by American troops in its war against IS.

"They [Bolton, Kalin] had a productive discussion of the president's decision to withdraw at a proper pace from Northeast Syria," said a statement read by National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis. "The U.S. looks forward to the ongoing military-to-military consultations."

Containing the fallout

A line of US military vehicles drive through a che FILE - A line of US military vehicles drive through a checkpoint of the Internal Security Forces in Manbij as they head to their base on the outskirts of the northern Syrian city on Dec. 30, 2018. FILE - A line of US military vehicles drive through a checkpoint of the Internal Security Forces in Manbij as they head to their base on the outskirts of the northern Syrian city on Dec. 30, 2018.

Despite apparent efforts by both sides to contain the diplomatic fallout, analysts suggest the U.S. position in the region has weakened since the withdrawal from Syria was announced.

"From a diplomatic point of view, it's a very difficult if not impossible position," said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen. "To negotiate by starting to say 'yes, we are leaving and then putting some strings attached on your withdrawal' or try to impose some conditions to your counterparts, be they your adversaries or your allies."

Despite the heightened rhetoric and the threat of imminent military action, analysts suggest Ankara will try to avoid a full-blown crisis with Washington.

"Turkey cannot do anything against America," said international relations professor Huseyin Bagci. "We had a crisis in recent months and Turkey got her lesson from this conflict."

Economic cost

Last year, the Turkish currency collapsed after Trump imposed sanctions over the detention in Turkey of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has since been released. Although the sanctions lasted only a few weeks, Turkey's economy is now facing a recession. The lira fell sharply Tuesday on fears of renewed U.S.-Turkish tensions.

Turkish media are also reporting divisions within Turkey's military over the launching of a military operation into Syria in winter and before the full withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Selcen predicts Erdogan will now look to Trump to resolve the current tensions.

"We have to wait to see what Mr. Erdogan has to say with Mr. Trump," he said, "because he [Erdogan] himself managed to persuade Mr. Trump that the United States will be leaving Syria."

Trump's Security Adviser Arrives in Turkey for Key Talks President Donald Trump's national security adviser is in Ankara for high-level talks amid renewed bilateral tensions over Washington's backing of a Syrian Kurdish militia, and growing doubts about Trump's commitment to rapidly withdraw U.S. forces from Syria.Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin appeared to set the tone for John Bolton's visit, describing as "irrational" U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser is in Ankara for high-level talks amid renewed bilateral tensions over Washington's backing of a Syrian Kurdish militia, and growing doubts about Trump's commitment to rapidly withdraw U.S. forces from Syria.Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin appeared to set the tone for John Bolton's visit, describing as "irrational" U.S.

Bolton under fire

Turkish media are already blaming Bolton for the latest tensions, accusing him of going "rogue." Washington is also facing criticism in Turkey for sending conflicting messages on its Syria policy.

Analysts, however, suggest Turkey is banking on shared regional interests and the personal chemistry of Trump and Erdogan to prevent a new crisis.

"There will be a lot of crisis and trouble, but both sides will try to solve this according to their national interest without violating the interests of the other," said Bagci. "And I see there is the political readiness and political will to do this between President Trump and President Erdogan."
High up in the Bolivian cloud forest, a woman tends to her bees, smoker in hand, working from hive to hive under a canopy of leaves to delicately gather panels of honeycomb. It's a bucolic scene that experts say won't last, for the bees are dying.

The culprit  as in so many other cases across the world  is pesticide. The difference in Bolivia is that pesticide use, along with the coca plantations it is being used to protect, is on the rise.

Environmentalists and beekeepers like Rene Villca say the bee population is being decimated by massive and intensive use of chemical pesticides to protect the region's biggest cash crop.

Here in the idyllic Nor Yungas region north of the cloud-high capital La Paz, the pesticides are taking a toll on Villca's hives.

"Of the 20 hives I have, 10 are producing normally and 10 are not."

Nancy Carlo Estrada works with her bees outside of Nancy Carlo Estrada works with her bees outside of Coroico, Bolivia, Dec. 20, 2018. Nancy Carlo Estrada works with her bees outside of Coroico, Bolivia, Dec. 20, 2018.

On another part of the mountain where Nancy Carlo Estrada tends to her bees, a canopy of protective netting around her head, Exalto Mamami wades through a waist-high coca plantation, pumping out liquid pesticide from a canister on his back, face covered with a long cloth against harmful blowback from the spray.

He is all too aware of the pesticide's toxicity, but has other priorities.

"We use pesticides because the pests eat through the coca leaves and this affects our income. The plants can dry out and that way we as coca farmers lose out economically," said Mamani.

The sale of coca leaves  the base component of cocaine  is legal in this part of Bolivia. They are sold openly for traditional use in the local towns. It is chewed, used for making teas, and in religious and cultural ceremonies.

According to the latest survey by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, Bolivia has 24,500 hectares under coca cultivation, an increase of 7.0 percent in a year. The government is collaborating with the UNODC in alternate development programs but despite this, between 35 and 48 percent is destined for cocaine production.

Coca cultivation expanding

On the steep slopes of the region's valleys, the lush forest is pockmarked with small plots of coca arranged in terraces.

"The area of coca cultivation has expanded and the native forest has been reduced to alarming levels," said Miguel Limachi, an entomologist at La Paz's San Andres University.

Limachi says the expansion of coca cultivation has helped to destroy other plants that provide a natural defense against the coca-leaf pests, particularly the Tussock Moth.

In other parts of the Andes, the pale moth has been used as a biological weapon against coca cultivation.

"A monoculture is more at risk from pests or fungi because there is no longer native vegetation  there are no natural controllers," Limachi explained. "And then more pesticides are used in higher concentrations."

A coca farmer sprays his coca crop outside of Coro A coca farmer sprays his coca crop outside of Coroico, Bolivia, Dec. 20, 2018. A coca farmer sprays his coca crop outside of Coroico, Bolivia, Dec. 20, 2018.

Harmful organophosphates in the pesticides mean the bees  "a social insect and extremely organized," according to Limachi  become disorganized, and less able to feed and care for larvae.

In recent years across the globe, bees have been mysteriously dying off from "colony collapse disorder" blamed party on pesticides, but also on mites, viruses and fungi.

The danger of increased pesticide use in the Bolivian highlands is that they "remain in the soil, on the surface of the plants and obviously contaminate all the organisms present  both the growers themselves, their children and their families, and the wildlife," Limachi told AFP.

Pesticides are also used to protect other crops in the country such as coffee plantations and some tropical fruits.

'Growers have no choice'

For Exalto Mamani, there is no other option but to use pesticides.

"Many of the coca growers are aware that we are affecting the environment with these chemicals, but we have no other alternative because the coca supports us and gives us the economy to support our family," he said.

He says climate change has meant coca leaf pests are on the increase.

Limachi agrees that climate change has played a role in reducing bee populations.

"Very dry years and other years that have too much rain change the availability of flowers from which the bees use to feed the hives," he said.

Other human factors also play a role, he said.

"Electromagnetic pollution, the emission of cellular waves, microwaves, radios, television...all that can affect their communication and the operation of the hive because they interrupt processes such as food collection, care of the larvae or cleanliness of the colony," said Limachi.

On the lush steep slopes around Coroico, beekeeper Villca has no doubt about the immediate threat to his bees.

"We hope that the coca producers realize the value of this golden insect," he said.
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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in Beijing this week, his fourth visit in a less than a year. The trip comes as Chinese and U.S. officials held a second day of trade talks and as Kim prepares for a second possible meeting with President Donald Trump.



Analysts say the visit is likely to be an opportunity for the two countries to discuss North Koreas plans for another meeting with Trump. When the two met for the first time last March, they agreed to communicate more with each other about domestic and international affairs.



Chinas Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un held three summits last year before and after meetings with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.



During his visit this week, which ends on Thursday, Kim will be looking for assurances that if talks with the United States fail, it will still have support from China, says Shi Yinhong, a political science professor at Beijings Renmin University.

Just like his previous visits to China, he will want China to give him more economic help and continue to appeal to the U.N. Security Council to reduce sanctions against North Korea, Shi said.



At a regular briefing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had this to say when asked whether there was a connection between the visit and a possible second Trump Kim summit.



China has always supported North Korea and the U.S. to hold talks and to reach a positive outcome, Lu said.



Lu said China believes contact between the U.S. and North Korea is important. When asked whether North Korean officials would meet with U.S. officials during their visit, he said the delegations were at different levels.

In a New Years Day address Kim warned that it might take an alternative path if U.S. sanctions and pressure did not ease. But how much support Beijing is willing to give and how much influence it has over Pyongyang is still a matter of debate both outside and in China.



An optimistic report in the communist party backed nationalist tabloid the Global Times said 2019 may be a seminal year for North Korea, quoting one analyst who argued that this year could be like Chinas move in 1979 to move away from isolation toward economic reform and opening up in 1979.



Analysts believe that North Korea is already moving in that direction taking small steps toward opening up its economy, but they also add that any changes that do come will come at a very slow pace.



The article said Kim arrived in Beijing seeking a breakthrough in denuclearization talks and ways to improve ties with the United States. The timing of the visit  as U.S. and Chinese officials work to hash out a trade deal - has some wondering whether Beijing is trying its hand at playing the so-called North Korea card, to use the issue as leverage.

Hu Xijin, the editor in chief at the Global Times said on Twitter Tuesday that the timing of Kims China visit is clearly linked to the planned second summit between him and President Trump.



As to whether this is used as a bargaining chip by China in trade talks, I believe more Americans would think so than Chinese do, the tweet went on to say. Twitter is blocked in China.



Renmin Universitys Shi said there is no connection between the visit and the trade talks and that these two were unlikely to influence each other.



But Kim Jong Uns visit to Beijing could indirectly show President Trump that although China has maybe less economic cards, China still has some strategic and diplomatic cards, Shi said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has marked the 40th anniversary of the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge regime by praising his governments Win-Win policy and attacking members of the former opposition party.

The Win-Win policy is credited with ending Cambodias long-running civil war in 1998 by allowing members of rebel factions, including the remnants of the Khmer Rouge, to integrate into the Cambodian military.

Speaking to thousands of supporters and officials on Monday at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen, himself a former Khmer Rouge commander, said his policy had ended completely the chronic civil war and brought full peace to the country.

Cambodia, which used to be full of killing fields and dominated by the dictatorship regime and horrific genocidal regime, now becomes a land of freedom with full respect for pluralistic democracy through the regular organization of free and fair elections, he said.

Cambodia held a national election in July last year. Before the poll, the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party oversaw the banning of the countrys main opposition party, jailed its leader on questionable treason charges, and imposed restrictions on civil society and independent media outlets.

Kem Sokha, the president of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, remains under house arrest.

Hun Sen told the crowd on Monday that Cambodia did not need a strong opposition party as evidenced by the overwhelming victory for the CPP in July.

Despite the CPPs success in the vote, the second-largest share of the votes were spoiled ballots.

But Hun Sen said the results reflect clearly that Cambodians are the masters of their national fate and had rejected the activities of extreme opposition politicians.

Rights workers and activists also question the prime ministers account of his rule.

Theng Savoeun, director of local NGO Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC), which has been the target of harassment from the authorities in recent months, said impunity still reigned in Cambodia.

He pointed to a violent crackdown on striking garment workers and the CNRP in 2014 that led to several deaths, as well as continued pressure on civil society groups.

We have to push for a single standard for the judicial system. We cant have double standards exist today, he said.

Social injustice persists because there are two standards of legal enforcement in Cambodia: if you have powerful supporters behind you, you can freely organize an event. But for us unionists, association groups and victims groups that want to organize an event, we are treated badly by the authorities.
Authorities in Chinas southern Guangdong province are expected to soon revoke the license of a prominent rights lawyer, apparently for defending his client. Authorities held a public hearing Saturday to decide if such an administrative punishment would be imposed on lawyer Liu Zhengqing, according to other rights lawyers.



A final decision is expected a week from the hearing.



The ruling against Liu for allegedly endangering state security and malicious defamation while defending his clients will be the first of its kind.



The department of justice in Guangdong didnt specify which comments in Lius earlier defense statements were at issue when he defended an ethnic Uighur minority in late 2016 and a Falun Gong practitioner in 2017.



Media reports, however, said what riled authorities the most was an earlier defense, in which he said: the Chinese Communist Party was having a dictators doomsday panic, so much so that its lackeys were enforcing a political suppression through judicial means.



Once disbarred, Liu will be the 26th rights lawyers in China who has suffered such administrative suppression in the past year or so, rights groups say.



Fight against state apparatus



Liu did not show up at Saturdays hearing to defend himself. He told VOA that he was unwilling to play along with what he called a show trial the provincial justice department has put on to disbar him.



[Such an administrative punishment on me] is neither legal nor reasonable. But what can I say? Will they listen to me? Its just another black-box operation of theirs. I have no way of [defending for myself] or telling what will come my way next, Liu said.



Liu added that an individual cant win the fight against the state apparatus. He thus wont waste time and energy to appeal his case if he is disbarred.



Liu has been a well-known rights lawyer, who specializes in criminal defense. He has taken up many politically sensitive cases including the cases of other rights lawyers and activists such as Xie Yang, Qing Yongmin and Huang Qi.



In Lius absence, Sui Muqing, another rights lawyer who had been previously disbarred, appeared at Saturdays hearing to plead for Lius case.



Sui and 24 other rights lawyers have previously issued an open letter in support of Liu.



Public hearing?



Sui said that the so-called public hearing was secret in its nature as many of Lius supporters werent allowed in while the justice department didnt provide necessary materials for him to defend for Liu.



Sui argued that Liu had done nothing illegal but to make statements of non-guilty defense for his clients and state security charges are vaguely defined and arbitrarily applied offenses.



Sui said any punishment on Liu will set a bad precedent that will negatively impact lawyers autonomy to defend their clients.



The consequences will be terrible once such a bad example is set. That means that, in future human rights cases, no lawyers will dare to plead innocence for clients. That way, we will be faced with a failing system of legal defense, Sui said.



Sui added that, in his experience, a final decision to disbar Liu may be reached later this week.



The justice department on Monday refused to comment.



And Sui agreed that Lius punishment may signal a warning for his role in representing dissident Huang Qi. Huang was scheduled to stand for a pre-trial hearing in early December, which got canceled for reasons unknown. And Huangs mother appeared to have disappeared after having disclosed the hearing notice to media two days before the hearing.



Over the years, lawyer Liu has taken on so many [influential] human rights cases. If the case of Huang Qi is a factor, Id say that Huangs case is the final straw that has broken the camels back, he said.



Political persecution



Albert Ho, chairman of China Human Rights Concern Group in Hong Kong, noted that Lius punishment is yet another example of Chinas ongoing political persecution to intimidate rights defenders and dissidents, following its crackdown on rights lawyers in 2015.



I think the overall target is to silence the whole legal community particularly with regard to those who are outspoken, who wish to uphold legal justice and pursuing the legal objectives independent of the direction of the government, Ho said.



Rights groups have strongly condemned Chinas arbitrary administrative punishments on large numbers of rights lawyers.



Ho said that his organization demands China immediately withdraw all illegal administrative penalties against Liu and his peers in the past.



In accordance with its constitution and the Lawyers Law, China should ensure its lawyers are able to perform their professional duties without intimidation or hindrance, nor shall they suffer prosecution or penalties for any speech or action while practicing law, the group said in a press statement.




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Vietnam Airlines is one of the region's leading airlines thanks to its modern fleet

For the first time, Vietnam Airlines and its member airlines (including Jetstar Pacific and VASCO) have exceeded the VND100 trillion ($4.35 billion) mark in total consolidated revenue, generating approximately VND102 trillion ($4.43 billion).

Pre-tax profit reached VND2.8 trillion ($121.7 million), exceeding the planned figure by 15 per cent. Vietnam Airlines pocketed VND73.5 trillion ($3.2 billion) pre-tax revenue and more than VND2 trillion ($87 million) pre-tax profit. Its contribution to the state budget is roughly VND6.6 trillion ($287 million). The financial fortune is attributed to the operating profit margin of 4.38 per cent and debt to equity ratio below 3, lower than at the beginning of 2018.

In addition to the positive financial results, Vietnam Airlines has carried over 22 million passengers on 142,000 flights and 350,000 tonnes of cargo in 2018. Vietnam Airlines is among the world's leading airlines in on-time performance, scoring OTP at 90 per cent averagely.

The airline made significant progress in modernising its fleet and investing in technology with two wide-body Airbus A350 and three narrow-body A321Neo crafts. As a 4-star airline recognised by Skytrax for three consecutive years, Vietnam Airlines takes great pride in providing the best flying experience using one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the region.

Reflecting on the year, Duong Tri Thanh, president and CEO of Vietnam Airlines, said: Vietnam Airlines strong earning performance capped another year of extraordinary achievement, including surpassing the VND2 trillion ($87 million) mark in profit. We made significant progress on several key initiatives in 2018, including improved human resources management as well as enhanced product portfolio and on-time-performance index. 2018s success offers an unparalleled opportunity for Vietnam Airlines to unlock further growth and bolster service quality.

In 2019, Vietnam Airlines will continue to complete the remaining procedures related to privatisation: increasing charter capital and transferring to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange; completing its 2021-2025 fleet development plan with vision to 2030, incorporating new digital industrial technology known as Industry 4.0, and synchronising its IT system and leveraging digital business.
President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed by phone last month to prevent a power vacuum in Syria after US forces withdraw AFP/Olivier Douliery

As both sides prepared for the talks in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was "the only country with the power and commitment" to stabilise Syria after the US pullout, in an opinion column published in the New York Times Tuesday.

"President Trump made the right call to withdraw from Syria," he added, outlining Turkey's "comprehensive strategy" to eliminate the causes of radicalisation in the war-torn country.

US National Security Advisor John Bolton is due to discuss with Turkish officials how the planned withdrawal would take place, President Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said last week.

He will be joined during his visit by General Joseph Dunford, the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the anti-Islamic State (IS) group envoy James Jeffrey.

When Trump first announced the pullout of 2,000 ground troops on Dec 19, Ankara was a lonely voice among NATO allies welcoming the decision.

Erdogan has previously promised Trump that Turkey could finish off the remnants of IS in Syria.

"A military victory against the terrorist group is a mere first step," he said in the New York Times, warning against premature declarations of victory.

There were tensions ahead of the talks after Bolton on Sunday cited conditions such as safety guarantees for Kurds before the US withdrawal.

Ankara immediately hit back at his "irrational" claim that Turkey would target Kurds.

ROCKY RELATIONS

After Bolton landed in Ankara on Monday, Trump said the fight against IS was not over and that the withdrawal would be done in a "prudent" manner.

"We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!" Trump tweeted.

Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, said Ankara would need support from Washington to completely eradicate IS, "to the point where the US military would essentially still be inside Syria".

The US had been working closely with the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance.

But US-Turkey relations have been especially rocky over American military support to the YPG.

Ankara says the YPG is a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.

The PKK is proscribed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.

AIRSPACE ISSUE

Last month Erdogan threatened to launch a cross-border operation against the YPG, east of the Euphrates River, which he said later would be delayed after Trump's order.

But Turkey has sent military convoys to its border with Syria - including personnel, tanks and artillery - and inside the war-ravaged country.

Turkish military analyst Metin Gurcan said Ankara was currently being held back on the operation by the issue of airspace, which will be on the agenda during Bolton's visit.

Turkey learnt from previous operations in northern Syria not to enter the country without proper airspace dominance and without air support, Gurcan said.

He added it was not clear whether the US would withdraw from the airspace, but even if Washington did so, Ankara would need the support of Moscow for any operation.

Turkish military forces supporting Syrian rebels launched incursions into northern Syria against IS in August 2016 and against the YPG in January 2018.

But Syria experts and anonymous US officials in American media have raised concerns over whether Turkey has the ability, or even desire, to fight IS in Syria.

"Turkey has only one interest, which is to defeat the YPG. So that is what it is going to do," said Joost Hiltermann, Middle East programme director at the International Crisis Group think tank.

"FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES" REMAIN

According to Gurcan, the FBI's investigation into the movement of US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen will also be on the agenda.

One of the main sources of tensions between Ankara and Washington is the US failure to extradite Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania since 1999.

Turkey says Gulen ordered the 2016 failed overthrow of Erdogan but the preacher strongly denies the claim.

Last week, a US delegation, including FBI officials, came to Ankara where they asked questions to suspects accused of links to Gulen in a visit hailed by Turkish officials.

But Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara office director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said there were still "fundamental issues to be resolved" - including Washington's opposition to Turkey's planned purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defence system as well as the continued detention of local US mission employees in Turkey.
Senegalese President Macky Sall (L) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dakar, Senegal, on Jan. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

DAKAR, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The dynamic and practical relations between Senegal and China are a fine example for other countries, and Senegal hopes to further cooperation with China in various fields, President Macky Sall said on Sunday.

He made the remarks during talks with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Sall extended congratulations upon the successful soft landing of China's Chang'e-4 lunar probe on the far side of the moon, saying that his country is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in such fields as science, technology and innovation.

The successful Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018 shows China's strategic vision to develop China-Africa ties, the president said.

In the hearts of the African people, they know who is a true friend to them, Sall said, adding that Africa and China share a relationship featuring mutual respect, mutual benefit, win-win cooperation and common development.

Sall said Senegal is willing to push forward the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China and will support China's rightful stance on international affairs.

For his part, Wang said Chinese President Xi Jinping's successful and historic visit to the West African country in 2018 has injected strong impetus into the two countries' relations.

The solid political trust between China and Senegal consolidates the foundation for the two countries' high-quality cooperation in various areas, Wang said.

China is willing to be an enduring and reliable partner for Senegal, the Chinese foreign minister said. He called for closer coordination between China and Senegal, the co-chairs of the FOCAC, to jointly implement the results of the summit and build a closer community with a shared future for China and Africa.
Japanese retailers are on the offensive

Sumitomos FujiMart  a breath of fresh air

Vietnamese people are mad for supermarkets. Supermarkets are popping up everywhere, fed by the changing buying habits of Vietnamese consumers. Instead of buying everything one by one at traditional markets or grocery stores, lots of consumers take to the supermarket where they can find their needs at a single place.

Q&Me Vietnam Market Research surveyed about 400 people aged 18-39 over the country, showing that about 37 per cent of people visit the supermarket once or twice a week, while about 28 per cent only go once or twice a month. Consumers often pick quality over price and other considerations.

Understanding consumer habits in Vietnam, with 100 years of experience in the field of investment and trade and 50 years of experience in retail, Sumitomo followed the footsteps of its countrymen, all the way to the Vietnamese retail market.

According to Keisuke Hitotsumatsu, general director of FujiMart Vietnam, FujiMart is rich in seasonal commodities and impresses the customers with its selection of goods, display, storage, and service.

No matter how life changes, most consumers still enjoy shopping when they can see, touch, or even taste and immerse in the bustling atmosphere of shopping places said Keisuke Hitotsumatsu.

Sumitomo assumes that with nearly 95 million people, the Vietnamese consumer market will increase rapidly.

The traditional retail market in Vietnam is still largely made up by small independent stores, but modern retail markets such as supermarkets and convenience stores are capturing a growing piece of the pie in big cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Danang.

BRG Group, holding the Hapro chain, is not the partner Sumitomo wants to co-operate with.

In June 2017, through ACA Investments, Japans leading fund management company, Sumitomo completed the purchase of a 20 per cent stake in Bibo Mart JSC. Hiroyuki Ono, director of ACA Investments, together with the owner of Bibo Mart, plans to raise this chain to 500 stores, earning at least $300 million in 2019 and increasing enterprise value to $500 million.

In addition, ACA Investments has invested in four firms in Vietnam, namely Viet Thanh Technology Corporation (March 2014), Cat Dong Trading and Service JSC (March 2015), BBM Investment JSC (August 2016), and Son Kim Land Corporation (January 2017).

Recently, Sumitomo spent $41.1 million on buying 22 per cent stake of Simple Mart Retail Co. (Taiwan). This investment will help Simple Mart increase from more than 600 stores to 1,200 stores by 2023.

Previously, Sumitomo also shook hands with Thailands top consumer goods manufacturer Saha Group of Boonsithi Chokwatana to establish a teleshopping firm under the name Shop Global.

After this deal, Saha Group and Sumitomo entered the Vietnamese real estate market together by the $4 billion smart city project in Dong Anh, Hanoi, in league with BRG.

Saha Group and Sumitomo want to increase their competitive position in Asia, capitalising its connection to the rest of the world through the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) that will take effect in January 2019.

Japanese style

Many Japanese brands are present in the Vietnamese retail market, such as AEON, Takashimaya, 7-Eleven, and now Sumitomo with FujiMart.

AEON was the first to enter. Recently, this retailer had to abandon the Fivimart supermarket chain to Vietnamese retailer Vingroup and also broke up with Trung Nguyen with whom they jointly bought the franchising rights to Ministop. However, in the commercial centre segment, AEON Mall has turned a profit only after three years of operation, while many competitors are suffering big losses.

Along with the expansion of the shopping centre system, AEON Vietnams business results have also improved year by year.

In 2016, AEON Vietnams revenue surged by VND3.88 trillion ($168.8 million), tripling over 2014.

In 2017, AEON Vietnam continued on this momentum, with revenue increasing to VND5.13 trillion ($223.3 million) up 32 per cent, pre-tax profit hit VND234 billion ($10.17 million).

Besides the four AEON Malls in operation, the Japanese corporation will open two more in Haiphong and Hadong (Hanoi). According to its plan, AEON will open 20 hypermarkets in Vietnam by 2025.

Meanwhile, Japanese retailer Takashimaya decided to conquer the Vietnamese market by setting up its first shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City with the capital of over $25 million.

However, the malls prices are considered too expensive by consumers. The firm is planning to increase sales by expanding daily family services and expects to turn a profit by 2022.

Shigeru Kimoto, Takashimayas chairman, affirmed that retail is still a potential business line and the corporation will still expand in Southeast Asia in spite of challenges.

Latecomer 7-Eleven set foot into the Vietnamese market nearly two years ago and still mainly operates in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on districts 1, 3, and Binh Thanh. In particular, 7-Eleven does not expand through the franchise form, but will open and operate stores by itself.

7-Eleven aims to open 100 stores in three years and 1,000 stores in the next 10 years. Vu Thanh Tu, director of Seven System Vietnam (7-Eleven franchises partner), acknowledged that it is difficult to find satisfactory locations. 7-Eleven wants to find a place that is large and crowded enough.

Thereby, the Vietnamese retail scene has four large-scale Japanese contenders, with each one operating with their own strategy, but sharing one trait: they are all very quick to catch up with shifting consumer habits.

Most Vietnamese consumers do not like to eat frozen food and always flock to supermarkets and commercial centres for discounts.

Price is an important factor for Southeast Asian consumers, who like the feeling of hunting down discounted products. Supermarkets here distribute flyers and coupons every day and people even have the habit of shopping in many different locations to take advantage of these discounts, said an expert from Nielsen Vietnam.

In addition, traditional markets and retail stores in Vietnam have a terrific market coverage and their products are no different from those offered by commercial centres, supermarket chains, and large utility stores.
Thanh Thanh Cong Sugar is preparing to larger market access under the EVFTA and ATIGA

The $60 million transaction

In December 2018, the Board of Management at leading sugar maker Thanh Thanh Cong-Bien Hoa JSC (code SBT on HSX) officially announced plans to sell preferred convertible stock equal to nearly 8 per cent of its stakes after a successful issuance through a private placement to foreign strategic investors.

Accordingly, SBT envisages selling to foreign strategic investors more than 44.4 million convertible preferred stocks.

The minimum price was proposed at VND30,000 ($1.3) and the highest was VND45,000 ($1.95), meaning that the company would raise at least $60 million through this stock issuance.

The preferred dividend duration will last for 6.5 years, with a fixed dividend ratio of 5.5 per cent per annum in the first 1.5 years, after which SBT and the investor will negotiate a new dividend rate.

SBTs representative said that the corporations management board is looking forward to long-term cooperation with the strategic investors who are willing to provide support in strategy, management experience, capital, as well as business operations.

This is the first time a Vietnamese sugar company makes a strategic capital raising deal of international significance, which makes this hand-shake a milestone not only for SBT but also for the domestic sugar industry.

SBT has not yet published the investors information, but Ho Chi Minh City Securities Corporation (HSC) thinks that this strategic investor is likely a European investment fund.

Opportunity from EVFTA and ATIGA

This $60 million SBT will use to repay part of the loans it has borrowed to conduct activities, such as buying the material growing area and sugar plant of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Sugar Limited in Atttapeu (Laos) and expanding the production of organic sugar at this plant.

Previously, the European Commission passed two EU-Vietnam trade and investment agreements, opening the way for the signing of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) in early 2019.

After signing the EVFTA, the two sides will do away with most tariffs lines in seven years to facilitate commercial activities. The EU will apply a priority import mechanism on Vietnamese produce, including rice and sugar cane.

SBT also expects to increase its revenue after the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) comes into force in 2020, completely eliminating tariff quotas on sugar.

SBT has foreseen the high potential of the Attapeu material area in Laos and acquired it from Hoang Anh Gia Lai Sugar Limited to complete its value chain to bring the SBT brand outside Vietnamese borders.

SBTs very first organic sugar products produced in Attapeu are ready to be exported to the EU, catching the recovery cycle of the sugar industry.

SBT has signed with the UKs ED&F Man Sugar Company on selling organic sugar produced at TTC Attapeu and other sugar products in the 2018-2019 season to Europe.

Exporting products to the EU will help SBT diversify its consumer markets, avoiding dependence on its existing markets consisting of the domestic market and 14 export markets, like America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Samsung's mobile phone factory in China (Source: Gettly)

Discussing the place of Samsungs new facility, thanhnien.vn cited an expert, who wishes to be unnamed, as saying that Samsung may select India instead of Vietnam to build its next facility due to the countrys huge interest in its high-end Galaxy smartphones and plentiful labour resources. In addition, in July this year, Samsung launched its largest mobile phone factory to date, with the annual output of 120 million devices.

However, according to Nguyen Mai, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Investment Enterprises (VAFIE), Vietnam also has many advantages over India. The local research and development (R&D) centre is one of Samsungs biggest research centres in the world. More than one month ago, at its technology exhibition in Malaysia, a smartphone researched and developed by local researchers received widescale applause. Thus, compared to India, Vietnam may be a better destination for Samsung.

Samsung losing space in China

Narrowing market share as well as rising manufacturing and labour costs are the main reason behind Samsungs decision to shut its mobile phone facility with the annual manufacturing capacity of 36 million devices.

According to South China Morning Post, five years ago the Korean brand was viewed as a technology and design leader among young Chinese people, but over the past two years no Samsung model has made it among Chinas top 10 selling phones.

However, Samsung was No.1 in China with 20 per cent of the market in 2013, but dropped to less than 1 per cent this year as it faced intense competition from Chinese rivals like Huawei, Xiaomi, and even small Chinese brands like OnePlus, particularly when it came to pricing.

Accordingly, in 2015, the revenue of Samsung in China was only half of its previous average annual sales of $13.3 billion due to the fierce competition with Chinese smartphone brand Huawei.

Furthermore, labour costs are on the rises, pushing the firm to look for alternatives to save on operation costs. According to the latest data released by market research portal Statista, the annual wage in China is 74,318 yuan ($10,692), equalling an average of $891 per month, which is nearly five times as much as Vietnamese workers average monthly wage of VND4.23 million ($184) (according to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour).
Disbursed FDI and foreign M&A spending increased since 2017

According to the statistics published by the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, as of December 20, foreign investors invested $35.46 billion, equalling 98.8 per cent of the figure from last year. Meanwhile, the total disbursed capital reached $19.1 billion, up 9.1 per cent on-year.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments were $25.57 billion for the whole year. Of the amount, newly-registered projects accounted for $17.98 billion, while investors added $7.59 billion to existing projects, equalling 84.5 and 90.3 per cent of last years performance.

Besides, foreign investors spent $4.79 billion on acquiring 6,496 M&A deals in Vietnamese companies, shooting up 59.8 per cent on-year.

Manufacturing and processing continued to be the most appealing sector by attracting $16.58 billion from January to December, accounting for 46.7 per cent of the total investment inflow. This was followed by real estate trading with $6.6 billion (18.6 per cent) and retail and wholesale with $3.67 billion (10.3 per cent).

Japan remained the leading foreign investor by pouring $8.59 billion into Vietnam during the period, making up nearly 24.2 per cent of the total FDI registered in the country. South Korea ranked second with $7.2 billion (20.3 per cent), while Singapore came next with $5 billion (14.2 per cent).

According to the FIA, foreign investors were present in 59 cities and provinces. Of them, the capital city lured the largest share, with $7.5 billion, accounting for 21.2 per cent. The southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City and the southern province of Haiphong were the runners-up with $5.9 billion (16.7 per cent) and $3.1 billion (8.7 per cent).

Regarding Vietnams overseas investment, this year, Vietnamese businesses invested $432.1 million into 184 projects aboard, statistics from FIA revealed.

As much as $376.1 million was pumped into 149 new overseas projects, while the rest was earmarked for 35 existing ones.

As per the data, finance and banking garnered the most interest from Vietnamese investors, accounting for 24.4 per cent of their total investments, or $105.7 million.

Wholesale and retail came next with $82.9 million ($19.1 per cent), followed by agro-forestry-fisheries with $52.3 million (12.1 per cent).

Vietnamese businesses invested in 32 countries and territories. Among them, Laos lured the lions share of Vietnamese investments, with 30 per cent or $81.5 million. Other countries included Australia, Slovakia, Cuba, Cambodia, and Myanmar.
The central province of Quang Tri is going to build a seaport at a cost of VND14 trillion (US$614 million) at local My Thuy Beach in an attempt to boost development of the provinces key economic zone.

According to the local Peoples Committee, a decision issued by the Prime Minister late last week gave the province permission to go ahead with construction of the proposed My Thuy Sea Port in Hai Lang District.

The total investment draws on different funding sources. A newly formed joint venture entity, the My Thuy International Port Joint Venture Company, will be in charge of managing construction.

The PMs decision stated the ports main function will be to service the South East Quang Tri Economic Zone, local industrial parks and the cargo flow on the East West Economic Corridor, which links Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar.

The port will be 685ha wide and able to accommodate 10,000-tonne vessels. It will have 10 wharves, which will be built one by one from this year until 2036. The first four wharves will be operational by 2025.

The South East Quang Tri Economic Zone is the only economic zone in the province. It was formed in 2015, taking 23,792ha land from 17 communes in the districts of Hai Lang, Trieu Phong and Gio Linh. So far, almost 90 per cent of its area has been left unused.

Quang Tri is the last of the 12 provinces of the countrys central region  spreading from Thanh Hoa to Khanh Hoa  to get a deep sea port. The region is home to Chan May Port, Dung Quat Port, Da Nang Port and Quy Nhon Port.

This central province was hit hardest by American bombs during the war. The locality is listed as one of the least-developed provinces in the country more than 40 years after the war ended.
According to the National Financial Supervisory Commission (NFSC), the average capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of the credit institution system in 2018 has reached 11.1 per cent thanks to the 12.2 per cent surge in owners equity capital and a 10.8 per cent rise in total risk weighted assets. Regulatory Tier 1 capital to risk weighted assets has thus been calculated at 8.8 per cent for 2018, a higher ratio than 2017s 7.8 per cent.

Another unofficial research, however, showed that the application of Basel II capital safety standards at the 10 pilot banks (including Vietcombank, VIB, VPBank, and OCB) has resulted in these banks having their CAR significantly lower compared to those promising figures released by the NFSC. Specifically, the CAR of four state-owned banks has dropped below 8 per cent with Basel II, down from the almost 9 per cent they had scored prior to applying the standards.

According to the bank industry report 2019 of Vietcombank Securities (VCBS), following Circular No.41/2016/TT-NHNN, the time of application of Basel II for domestic credit institutions will start from January 1, 2020. Thus, in 2019, banks will need to improve their technology systems to calculate safety indicators as well as prepare capital to be ready for Basel II.

Among the Basel II indicators, the minimum capital adequacy ratio (CAR) is one of the core requirements. In order to meet and improve CAR in the long run, it is imperative that many credit institutions implement measures to increase Tier 1 capital required.

Le Duc Tho, chairman of Vietnam JSC Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank), said that their top priority mission is to quickly enhance financial capacity, as well as build and implement the roadmap to increase charter capital after receiving approval from the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV). VietinBank would drastically implement the restructuring of charter capital, equity capital, and strictly control the growth of total assets as well as total risk weighted assets.

VietinBank will adjust and take specific measures to improve the efficiency of capital investment and equity capital usage. This is a synchronous solution to boost the bank's financial capacity from now until 2020, Tho added.

Banks' CAR figures are significantly lower when Basel II requirements are taken into account

Le Xuan Nghia, an economic expert, noted that at present, the biggest problem of the banking system is not dealing with bad debts, but increasing capital to meet Basel II requirements before the 10-bank-pilot phase is completed in 2020.

According to Nghia, it is necessary to raise capital for the banking sector by about $3-4 billion each year. However, in the last few years, only half of this amount was reached, and mainly distributed to healthy banks. If there is an appropriate policy, allowing banks with the ability to increase capital to lift their credit growth limit, this will be an incentive to attract foreign investors, as investing in banks with high credit growth is more beneficial.

The credit growth quota for each bank would limit their income and investment into the banking sector. Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam JSC (BIDV), and VietinBank are having difficulties in raising capital. Therefore, the government needs to provide a detailed capital raising roadmap for these banks, because these are the pillars of the economy and industrial policy in general, said Nghia.
The Vietnams financial and banking market welcomes Korean giants

Recently, VietinBank Insurance Joint Stock Corporation (VBI) held the signing ceremony of a share purchase contract with Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Company Limited (HMFI). Accordingly, HMFI will purchase 25 per cent of VBI's charter capital, the number of additionally issued shares is more than 16.6 million to raise it charter capital to over VND666.6 billion ($28.98 million). At the event, VietinBank, which owns most of VBI, also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with HMFI.

VBIs representative said that with this deal, the company will take advantage of HMFIs relations to expand their reach among Korean and Vietnamese customers and partners.

HMFI is the second largest South Korean insurance firm in terms of market share.

Another deal expected is between BIDV and KEB Hana Bank, which currently holds $255 billion in assets and is the No.1 commercial bank in Korea. KEB Hana Bank has 134 foreign branches in 24 countries, mainly in Europe, the Middle East, the US, and especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

In October 2018, BIDV has consulted shareholders about selling 17.65 per cent of the shares (equivalent to 15 per cent after raising capital) to KEB Hana Bank. The number of shares expected to be issued is more than 603 million to increase its charter capital. After a successful issuance, BIDV's charter capital will increase to VND40.22 trillion ($1.75 billion).

The Vietnamese financial and banking market is still attractive to Korean financial giants. These two giants chose M&A to enter the market, while others compete directly with indigenous financial institutions through buying out financial companies or establishing new entities.

On December 18, Lotte Finance Vietnam officially joined the consumer lending market with consumer mortgage loans as its first product. Lotte spent over VND1.7 trillion ($73.91 million) purchasing Techcom Finance in March 2018.

With the support from the parent corporation, Lotte Finance Vietnam plans to develop instalment loans and credit cards in the near future, and is expected to launch its credit cards in the first half of 2019.

Up to now, the banking system in Vietnam has two fully-owned Korean institutions, Shinhan Bank and Woori Bank. Both are trying to expand their networks. In September, Woori Bank was approved to increase its charter capital to VND4.6 trillion ($200 million). In addition, the State Bank of Vietnam also allowed Woori Bank to open five more branches and one transaction office.

Not to be outdone, Shinhan Bank purchased the retail network of ANZ at the end of 2017. Shinhan Bank also opened four more branches in Vietnam, raising the total number of transaction points to 30 nationwide.

Another South Korean financial corporation that has a branch in Vietnam is Kookmin. At a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue in early September this year, the bank's leader said that the corporation was promoting to complete procedures to open a branch in Hanoi and would invest more than $110 million. Previously, in 2017, Kookmin also spent more than $30 million to acquire Maritime Bank securities.

The influence of South Korean investors is on the rise in Vietnam not only in the banking and financial sector, but also in technology, retail, and even culture, sports, and tourism.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, among the 74 countries and territories licensing investment projects in Vietnam in the first 11 months of 2018, Korea with $3.41 billion ranked second after Japan ($6.05 billion), accounting for 21.6 per cent of the total newly registered capital. Trailing far behind is Singapore with $1.1 billion, accounting for 7 per cent, and China with $892.9 million (5.7 per cent).
Quality issues bubble up among bubble tea franchises

According to a survey of VIR, the bubble tea franchise market in Vietnam is quite lively with nearly 40 brands and hundreds of stores across the country. The expenditure for purchasing franchising rights and opening a bubble tea shop is between VND800 million ($34.78 million) and billions of dong. However, there are more attractive offers.

Notably, Pozaatea launched a bubble tea franchise programme of only VND160 million ($6.95 million). Besides, Bumba announced an initial franchising expenditure of VND80 million ($3.47 million), while giving VND10 million ($434.78) in cash for the first partners who sign franchising contracts and complete the payment in three days.

However, a representative of a famous bubble tea brand in Hanoi (where the expense of buying the franchising rights and opening a shop is nearly VND4 billion  $173,913) told VIR that there are significant price differences between franchising rights, as the cost rises with the franchise quality as well as comes with strict quality control.

For example, after buying the copyright for the north market, we can sell it on to partners who want to expand our brand in the north, we will strictly manage the ingredients, the service quality, and offer solutions to shops that report low revenue. However, I saw that the owners of numerous other bubble tea franchises neglect the management of their partners, and as a result, their partners can use ingredients of unclear origin (while they are legally obliged to use the sources set by the franchise owners), thus there is no homogeneity in the quality of drinks and services offered at these shops. There are even fake brands, she said.

In reality, in 2017, a Royaltea store in Thai Phien Street, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi was suddenly closed, renamed, and then moved to another location. This was the first unit of Royaltea in Hanoi and drew a great crowd from the capitals youth.

The owner of this store told local media that Royaltea in Vietnam did not register a copyright. Even in several other foreign markets, Royaltea is not allowed to register a copyright. I realised this after a long time of doing business, so I chose another brand to develop at another location. After this case, a large number of Royaltea stores have opened in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other big cities, with only some of them confirming to be officially franchised.

According to the discussion between the representative of Royaltea Hong Kong and Kenh14.vn, Royaltea comes from Guangdong, China and is operated by Hoang Tra Company. In fact, the stores that are officially franchised will receive the technique of preparation and ingredients from Hoang Tra, and will definitely set themselves apart through the sheer quality of their products.

Meanwhile, another bubble tea brand, Ding Tea, has been complained of a great deal recently. Numerous customers said that the quality of Ding Tea drinks have been deteriorating, and the staff at some stores are positively rude.

I was disappointed by the cup of bitter tea, which might have been made a long time before and should have been thrown away instead of selling it to customers. I do not think I will drink Ding Tea ever again, said customer Giang My.
A man removes snow from his car after heavy snowfall in the small village of Filzmoos, Austria. (Christof STACHE/AFP)

Two German skiers lost their lives in avalanches in the western region of Vorarlberg on Sunday, and a Slovenian died in the region of Salzburg, rescue services said.

The bodies of two missing snowshoe hikers were discovered Monday as snow caused chaos in parts of the country, blocking roads and shuttering schools.

Two other hikers are still missing in the country's northeast.

Up to 1.5 metres of snow has fallen in central and north Austria since the middle of last week, with up to three metres accumulating in the mountains around Salzburg, Austria's meteorological service said.

Some 2,000 people, including tourists, were left stranded in villages in the Soelktal valley in the southeast.

Army helicopters used in avalanche control were grounded due to the bad weather.

In the Hochkar mountain range in Lower Austria, ski resorts were closed until further notice, with inhabitants and tourists requested to vacate the area.

More snow is expected this week, with up to 80 centimetres forecast from Tuesday.
Automechanika 2018 was a resounding success

Automechanika is one of the most successful global trade fairs for the automotive parts and accessories industry. Since its launch in 2017, the exhibition became an important event in Vietnam, drawing great interest from big brands over the world.

Organised for the third time in Vietnam, the content of Automechanika 2019 is more extensive and diversified than ever, including highlights like D1VNs drift performance, as well as numerous workshops on the management of transport services, repairing, and maintaining vehicles.

The scale of the exhibition has expanded to 10,200sq.m with the participation of 380 companies and organisations. Automechanika 2019 is expected to be visited by 9,000 customers during the three days.

Experts and big corporations said that Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City is a good chance to develop their business in this fast-growing automobile market. Automechanika 2019 is sponsored by Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association (VATA), Vietnam Association of Mechanical Industry (VAMI), Vietnam Society of Automotive Engineers (VSAE), Vietnam Rubber Association (VRA), and 11 other organisations.

Omexey Rubber Industrial Corporation's exhibition at Automechanika 2018

Vietnam is one of the most dynamic automotive industries in Southeast Asia. The Vietnamese economy has maintained its high growth momentum, GDP is forecasted to increase by 6.6 per cent in 2019. Moreover, the recent preferential policies of the government, which create more opportunities for international companies to enter, import, and manufacture cars in Vietnam, has significantly contributed to the development of the automobile sector.

This has created numerous opportunities for regional integration for domestic automobile manufacturers. For example, reports of Vietnams commercial vehicle distributors show that growth speed of this sector is stable. Vietnam has lured in foreign firms, including Gaz, a Russian commercial vehicle manufacturer, with its the sharp development. Gaz will localise its production through a joint venture with a domestic company.

Therefore, the organiser of Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City estimates that over 60 per cent of exhibitors will present commercial vehicles in the Truck Competence category.

AFI Blake from Malaysia specialising in manufacturing brake pads for passenger and commercial vehicles is one of the businesses taking part in Automechanika 2019. The general director of this company, Chong Tze Liang, said: Demand for commercial vehicles and advanced logistics activities is increasing in Vietnam, just like demand for transnational tourism. Automechanika Ho Chi Minh City trust manufacturers like AFI Blake for the quality of our products, which matches all international standards of safety and reliability.

Meanwhile, Lars Verswyvel, general director of IST Vietnam, strategic partner of Automechanika 2019, said: The exhibition is a good opportunity for us to network and study the market demand in order to increase sales in Vietnam and introduce a special product for the commercial vehicle segment. The 'Truck Competence' programme not only contributes to presenting our vehicles, but also to promote business and exchange activities at the fair.

Automechanika 2018 saw a great number of international exhibitors

Other activities at this year's exhibition aim to complement the Truck Competence programme, brightening the commercial vehicle segment in Vietnam. Particularly, the Fleet Management Conference will provide useful information to managers, fleet operators, transportation businesses, and automobile manufacturers. Additionally, the management of Big Data in the commercial vehicle industry for cost saving and good performance will be discussed at the conference.

Automechanika 2019 is organised by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media (MFNE) Limited in collaboration with Chan Chao International Enterprise Group, and Yorkers Exhibition Service Co., Ltd. This is one of the 17 Automechanika fairs held over the world, across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Portrait of Joan McDermott in 2016.

Joan McDermott attended Walther Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago to become a registered nurse when she was only 17 years old. She then worked in a suburban hospital in surgery for 2 years before joining the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during the Vietnam War. In late 1967, Joan was sent to Saigon arriving a month before the TET Offensive. While serving at an Army hospital, enemy snipers attacked the area and forced Joan to sleep under a table in the hospital for 3 nights to avoid the gunfire. Sadly, a casualty of this attack included one of her childhood neighbors from growing up in Wisconsin. It was a difficult beginning to her service in the Army to say the least.Despite this harrowing experience, Joan said one of the best parts of the military was, the comradery, no question about it. You never experienced anything like that especially in a war zone. It makes you feel like youre closer to your comrades and family. When people close to you end up as casualties to the battlefield it really hits hard.Joan remembers one of the better memories of her service being  the opportunity in Saigon to get to know the Vietnamese people. A few of us would go and pack up our jeep and do what we called MedCAPs. We would go to orphanages and give the kids there shots or patch up their injuries. We would also go to hospitals to help people and when local surgeons couldnt perform procedures we would bring the patients back to our hospital and do the procedures there. Having Vietnamese friends gave me a unique perspective. Living on the other side of the world in Southeast Asia gave her the opportunity to see the world through other peoples eyes. When youre looking at the world from the perspective of other people and other countries, the U.S. looks quite different. It broadened my perspective on inter-dependency of all citizens of the earth."In recent years, Joan has played an important role in the Lake Havasu veterans community. She credits this participation to a convention in Phoenix that inspired her to get involved. As a female veteran, I didnt really think of myself as a vet, I was a mom, a nurse and married to an army officer. It wasnt until I came to Lake Havasu and went to a convention of women in the military in Phoenix. I was asked why I wasnt a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and I responded because I didnt realize I qualified. That brought it full circle that I was a veteran and I wanted to help serve other veterans.After this revelation Joan joined the VFW and became the Commander of post 9401 where she is currently serving in her second year. After she finishes her service at the VFW she hopes to return to nursing part-time. The VFW works with numerous other veterans organizations as well as the Veterans Treatment Court, a program that helps veterans get the proper assistance with substance abuse or combat mental health issues to help keep them from becoming involved in the criminal justice system. There is a Veterans Court in Lake Havasu that is now expanding into Bullhead city representing rural veterans. Joan works very closely with vets in the area and is very proud of it. I enjoy every moment of it, its really wonderful to continue to be able to give back to my country.(via #MilitaryMonday


The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement located in downtown Las Vegas, this year launched Organized Crime Today, a technology-driven exhibition dedicated to present-day topics.

Featuring artifacts as well as fully interactive, 17-foot-long touch screen wall, the exhibition enables Museum guests to take a deep dive into the Global Networks of organized crime operating around the world in the 21st century. This elaborate exhibition launched in February of 2018, along with three other brand-new permanent exhibitions the award-winning, American Alliance of Museums-accredited institution debuted this year.

While most of the Museum covers the intriguing history of organized crime and its battle with law enforcement through decades, Organized Crime Today addresses contemporary iterations of this illegal activity. The Global Networks touchscreen wall elaborates on contemporary crime racketsillegal enterprises that span the globe and profit off everything from drug and human trafficking to product counterfeiting, money laundering and cybercrime. The exhibit addresses the most prominent organized crime groups active in the world today and explores the complexities of organized crime with up-to-the-minute developments pulled from the days headlines.

For example, a recent addition to the Global Networks interactive wall spotlights the wildlife smuggling trade in Cambodia, where customs officials recently confiscated 3.5 tons of African elephant ivorythe largest cache of the smuggled contraband ever found in the country. Smugglers have been using Cambodia as a transit hub to feed the demand for ivory in Chinawhich banned ivory sales in 2018and Vietnam, where it is used in carved artwork, chopsticks and jewelry.

In addition, the screen offers the ability for experts around the world to videoconference into the Museum remotely and offer their analysis and insights into organized crime around the world. These programs are included in the price of general admission and offer Museum visitors the opportunity not only to hear from these experts, but also the chance to ask questions.

Museum visitors encounter other technology-enabled, interactive experiences as well. A Use of Force Training experience uses airsoft versions of police-style handguns and responsive video scenarios to demonstrate the training law enforcement officers receive regarding the use of deadly force. Meanwhile, in the Museums Crime Lab, visitors can learn about cause of death investigation with the assistance of life-sized, digitally generated subjects viewed on an interactive, touch-screen autopsy table.
Nearly 43 million tourists visit Las Vegas each year. Gambling is still at the top of the list of reasons for people to visit Sin City. However, the number of cannabis dispensaries in and around the Las Vegas area burgeoning, with Las Vegas granting 61 additional dispensary licenses before the first of the year.

With well over 60 dispensaries in the Las Vegas area, its obvious cannabis tourism is poised to explode in the region in 2019.

Other reasons people venture to the Clark County area include the Hoover Dam, Neon Museum, as well as the numerous festivals and conventions.

Whatever the reason for travelling to Las Vegas, its well advised to follow these [number] tips throughout your stay in the City of Lights.

1. Walk Only in Places Designated for Pedestrians

Las Vegas may have only 650,000 residents, but with tens of millions of tourists traveling through the Clark County annually, it can be quite a hectic place.

Las Vegas is inherently a party town, which means lots of inebriated partiers are out and about at all times of the day and night.

Unfortunately, many of them choose to drive while under the influence of alcohol, resulting in 309 DUI fatalities in Nevada in 2017.

According to the Law Office of Matthew L. Sharp, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that a pedestrian is killed every 1.6 hours in the United States.

Additionally, approximately 15 percent of traffic fatalities are pedestrian deaths.

2. Find Out Which Neighborhoods to Avoid

Before you venture out and start touring the Las Vegas, learn which neighborhoods and areas to avoid. The best way to find this out is from the police.

Although city officials have been cracking down on crime, Las Vegas is home to numerous active gangs.

For the most part, gang members dont bother people in known tourist spots, but anyone who accidentally finds themselves in their territory is at risk.

Las Vegas gangs name themselves after the neighborhoods or streets they claim to control.

Since these places are where they commit their crimes, look up the neighborhoods you intend to visit before you go.

3. Avoid Buying Things From Street Vendors

Dont purchase anything from Las Vegas street vendors. Not all vendors are crooks; however, there are plenty of scammers active in and around the city looking to take advantage of unwitting travelers.

You should be especially aware of people selling beverages, VIP passes, and event tickets on the street.

Dont drink too much alcohol while youre out and about, nor leave your drinks unattended for even a second.

Criminals like to drug people by slipping substances in their victims drink so that its easier to rob them.

4. Know How to Travel Around Las Vegas Safely

Las Vegas is home to an enormous amount of sophisticated hotel complexes, making it relatively safe to get from place to place.

If you okay using shuttle vans or buses, monorails, and hired cars like Uber, the chances of running into trouble are nearly null.

But if youre someone who likes to control your schedule and thus rent a car to get around then follow these tips:
The Vatican releases the logo for Pope Francis' Apostolic Journey to Morocco, whose theme is hope.

By Robin Gomes

Servant of Hope is the theme of the Pope's visit to Morocco on March 30-31.

The Holy Father is making the Apostolic Visit in response to the invitation of King Mohammed VI and the Bishops of the country. The trip to the Muslim-majority nation includes the cities of Rabat and Casablanca, and will be the Popes 26th outside Italy.

Logo design

The official logo of the Popes visit was chosen from about 50 entries in a competition. An explanatory note accompanying the logo's release says that a cross and a crescent in the logo are symbols of Christianity and Islam which highlight the interreligious relations between Christians and Muslims.

In fact, during the 2-day trip, Pope Francis will meet the leader of Moroccan Muslims, 800 years after the meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Al-Malik al-Kamil of Egypt.

The logo has the colours of the two countries: green and red for Morocco, yellow and white (background) for the Vatican.

Under Pope Francis' name is the motto of the visit: "Servant of Hope" because the Pope is known as the Servant of the Servants of God. The motto is also the title of the pastoral letter that the Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (known by its French acronym CERNA) gave to Pope Francis during its last ad limina  visit to Rome in 2015.

"Morocco" is written in Arabic to honour the country that is hosting the Pope.

Interreligious dialogue

Prior to the Morocco visit, the Pope is scheduled to make a trip to the United Arab Emirates on February 3-5.

Addressing the Diplomatic Corps on Monday in the Vatican, Pope Francis said that his visit to the 2 predominantly Muslim countries, represent two important opportunities to advance interreligious dialogue and mutual understanding between the followers of both religions, in this year that marks the eight-hundredth anniversary of the historic meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil.
Valdosta, GA (31601)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 94F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
US and Estonian soldiers in the north of Finland are being trained to carry out military operations in winter conditions, local media reported.

HELSINKI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2019) US and Estonian soldiers in the north of Finland are being trained to carry out military operations in winter conditions, local media reported.

According to the Yle broadcaster, the exercises are taking place in Sodankyla municipality of Finland. The military training has started on Monday and will last until January 20.

The US military have been participating in the exercises in Sodankyla since 2014, while Estonian soldiers are given such training for the first time. This year the drills are attended by more than a dozen US servicemen and four Estonian soldiers.

The employees of the Finnish Defense Forces and border security, as well as Finnish reservists, are trained along with foreign troops.
The United Nations Security Council has warned Somalia that 2019 will be "a critical year" for the east African nation as it reconstitutes itself after decades of conflict

UNITED NATIONS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2019 ) :The United Nations Security Council has warned Somalia that 2019 will be "a critical year" for the east African nation as it reconstitutes itself after decades of conflict.

The warning came in the wake of the Somali Government's decision last week to expel the head of the UN's assistance mission, UNSOM, Nicholas Haysom.

In a statement following on from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, deeply regretting the government's declaration that Haysom was persona non grata, the 15 Council members expressed their regret, and thanked the veteran South African lawyer and senior UN official "and underlined their full support" for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and its mandate provided last year under Security Council Resolution 2408.

Haysom was accused by the Somali Federal Government of interfering in its internal affairs, by questioning the detention of an opposition candidate for state-wide office, who had been a leader in the extremist Al-Shabaab group, before defecting. The government said he had not undergone sufficient rehabilitation or proved his commitment to democratic politics. In protests against the jailing of the candidate in South West state days before the vote, at least 15 died and many were detained, according to news reports.

"The members of the Security Council underscored the strong and continued commitment of the international community to support peace, stability and development in Somalia, and reiterated in this regard their expectation of full cooperation between Somalia and the United Nations," the statement said.

Guterres said on Friday that in the interests of putting the Somali people, and the work of UNSOM first, he would be appointing a new Special Representative and head of mission, "in due course". He offered Haysom his "full confidence" in his long and successful track record on service to the UN.

Strained relations between central and regional governments, and the legislature, together with the complex web of inter-communal politics, have caused tensions across the country, as further elections on Somalia's road to full democratic government beckon next year.

"The members of the Security Council underlined that 2019 would be a critical year for Somalia, and called on its leaders to work together to advance political and security reforms. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia," said the statement.

The members also "paid tribute to the contribution of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), UNSOM, the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), and all Somali and international actors working to bring peace and stability."
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The United Nations condemns in the strongest terms the killing of an aid worker representing a non-governmental organization in Syria, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th January, 2019) The United Nations condemns in the strongest terms the killing of an aid worker representing a non-governmental organization in Syria UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Monday.

"We strongly condemn the abduction and killing of a humanitarian aid worker in Syria," Dujarric said.

"Parties to the conflict have an obligation not only to protect their lives, but also to ensure that aid workers can work unhindered."

Last week, a humanitarian worker was abducted and killed in Idlib, northwest Syria, according to a statement made by Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis Mark Cutts.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the government forces fighting against numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Russia along with Turkey and Iran are guarantors of the ceasefire regime in Syria.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2019) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Iceland's Foreign Affairs Minister Gudlaugur Thor Thordarson during a meeting agreed that the their two countries should enhance cooperation as Reykjavik takes over the Arctic Council, the State Department said in a press release.

"Iceland will shortly assume the chairmanship of the Arctic Council and will work closely with the United States and other member states in furthering cooperation in the region," the release said on Thursday.

The United States and Iceland, the release added, will also enhance cooperation within NATO. In addition, the "changing strategic environment" in the North Atlantic and the Arctic reinforces the importance of the US-Icelandic longstanding security relationship, according to the release.

The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum for Arctic States to cooperate on issues like protecting indigenous communities, sustainable development and environmental protection. According to the 1996 Ottawa Declaration the members of the Arctic Council include Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Finland held the chairmanship since 2017 and Iceland will head the council from 2019 to 2021.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The honorary consul of the Kingdom of Belgium in the western region of Ukraine, Yaroslav Hartsula, was beaten up in Lviv, media reported Tuesday, citing local police.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2019) The honorary consul of the Kingdom of Belgium in the western region of Ukraine , Yaroslav Hartsula, was beaten up in Lviv, media reported Tuesday, citing local police

The incident occurred late on January 7, the Ukrainian Vesti newspaper reported.

According to the newspaper, Hartsula filed a compliant to a police department in the Lviv Region. According to him, an unknown man in an aggressive manner made a remark about the way he parked the car. During the communication, the unknown person injured him by hitting the head several times.

The police identified the suspect in the attack and he pleaded guilty. Currently, he was released on bail.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas hopes for improvement of relations with Russia, the Estonian government's press service said in a statement on Tuesday.

TALLINN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2019) Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas hopes for improvement of relations with Russia , the Estonian government 's press service said in a statement on Tuesday.

"At today's meeting with Russian Ambassador Alexander Petrov, the prime minister expressed hope for the improvement of bilateral relations. Ratas thanked the Ambassador for the New Year's wishes from Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, noting that he also sent a greeting card to his Russian counterpart," the Facebook statement reads.

In addition, Ratas expressed his concern about the fate of Ukrainian sailors and ships detained during the Kerch Strait incident, adding that he expected their release.

On November 25, Ukraine's Berdyansk and Nikopol gunboats and the Yany Kapu tugboat illegally crossed the Russian maritime border as they sailed toward the Kerch Strait, the entrance to the Sea of Azov. Russia seized the Ukrainian vessels and detained 24 crew members after they failed to respond to a demand to stop. After the incident, a criminal case on illegal border crossing was opened in Russia.
A delegation of Bahrain-based Pakistani investors called on Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office, here on Monday.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jan, 2019 ) :A delegation of Bahrain-based Pakistani investors called on Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar at his office, here on Monday.

During the meeting, detailed discussion was held about the investment opportunities in different sectors including information technology, livestock and dairy development, waste-to-energy generation and gold and jewellery projects.

The delegation showed keen interest in investing in the country, especially in the Punjab province.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that conducive atmosphere was provided to investors in Pakistan and especially in the province of Punjab. An environment of facilitation has been created for investors and the incumbent government has encouraged a business-friendly environment in the country. The Bahrain-based investors should, therefore, benefit from the available opportunities, he said.

The government will provide every possible facility to the investors. The investors should present a comprehensive business plan for investment in different sectors and the Punjab government will take necessary steps without any delay.

No bureaucratic snafu will ever hamper their investment plans and an investment conference will also be held, soon, to promote and encourage the investment, he assured.

The delegation, on the occasion, said that they were ready for investment and every possible cooperation would be extended in this regard. They divulged that a shelter-home is being established in Okara district to provide roof to the homeless people sleeping in the open. This project is being completed on self-help basis. They expressed the desire to set up the 'Panahgah' type public welfare project in Taunsa Sharif and other areas as well. The Bahrain-based investors had full confidence over the incumbent government and they would invest in different sectors as well. They also extended invitation to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to visit Bahrain.

The delegation was led by member Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Chairman Bahrain Gold Association Sheikh Sajid.

President Bahrain-Pakistan Friendship Society Rana Abdul Rashid, Rao Faisal, Chaudhry Asif, Ejaz Chaudhry Akram Chaudhry, Dr Kamran Ashraf and others were included in the delegation.

Vice Chairman DG Khan District Council Sardar Javed Iqbal Qaisrani, Secretary P&D, Secretary Industries, PrincipalSecretary to CM and others were also present in the meeting.
NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute

The first color image of Ultima Thule, taken at a distance of 85,000 miles on Jan. 1, 2019, highlights its reddish surface. At left is an enhanced color image taken by the Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC), produced by combining the near infrared, red and blue channels. The center image taken by the Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) has a higher spatial resolution than MVIC by approximately a factor of five. At right, the color has been overlaid onto the LORRI image to show the color uniformity of the lobes. Note the reduced red coloring at the neck of the object.
Baldwin County District 4 Commissioner Emily C. Davis has the distinct honor of cutting the blue ribbon Friday afternoon to commemorate the Community Development Block Grant sewer project in the Richard Drive neighborhood, off Vinson Highway. One mile of sewer pipe, benefitting 30 different residences in the area, was replaced at a cost of $635,000, according to County Manager Carlos Tobar. The CDBG awarded the local grant for $500,000. Three other commissioners, vice-chairman Johnny Westmoreland, Henry Craig and Sammy Hall, also participated in the event, along with special guests and representatives of the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce.
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.
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The move puts the individuals and intelligence unit on the EU terrorist list  freezing their financial assets.

The European Union has announced fresh sanctions on a unit of the Iranian intelligence agency and two individuals over alleged assassination plots.

The EU accuses them of attempting, or carrying out, attacks within several European countries, the BBC said.

Read alsoUkrainian sailor facing death penalty in Iran reportedly swapped for Iranian spy

The move puts the individuals and intelligence unit on the EU terrorist list  freezing their financial assets.

Tehran denies the claims and says the accusations are intended to damage relations between Iran and the EU.

Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said on Tuesday that his country's secret service had "strong indications" that Iran was involved in the assassination of Dutch nationals in Almere in 2015 and in The Hague in 2017.

In a statement, he said the two murdered men were of Iranian origin and had been opponents of the Iranian regime.

The Netherlands previously expelled two Iranian embassy workers in connection with the deaths.

In October, France publicly accused Iranian intelligence of being behind a plan to bomb a rally of opposition groups in Paris.

A meeting of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) was held in Paris in June, and was attended by senior former U.S. politicians.

France, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg and Germany were all involved in helping to foil the alleged plot - as arrests were made across European borders.
Members of all major German parties except the Russia-supported nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) were targeted in the leaks.

German law enforcers said Tuesday they have detained a man who was allegedly behind a hacking attack on personal data of hundreds of the country's politicians and celebrities.

A 20-year-old man from Hesse state was arrested in his apartment on Sunday, officials say, according to The New York Times citing a report by The Associated Press.

The police gave no further details, while German news agency dpa, citing unidentified security sources, reported that the suspect had confessed.

As UNIAN reported earlier, private data and correspondence of hundreds of German politicians had been released online.

Members of all major German parties except the Russia-supported nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) were targeted in the leaks.

Germanys counterintelligence service, the BfV, has previously accused hackers working for the Russian government of being behind a series of cyberattacks on the German parliament and other state institutions.

Last year it emerged that three prominent AfD politicians flew to Moscow in a private jet paid for by the Russian government in 2017. Two of the politicians concerned have since left the party.
However, the threat of Islamic terrorism has not been completely eliminated.

The United States and its allies have "taken down 99 percent of the [Islamic State] caliphate," according to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who spoke with journalists Monday.

The secretary of state added that this "should be the first sentence in every story" in media coverage on the issue, reads a transcript of Pompeo's remarks released on the State Department website.

"This has been an enormously successful campaign, and weve had lots of good partners doing that," Pompeo said. "The United States had an important role, but lots of folks have helped us achieve that."

Read alsoReuters: No breakthrough in U.S. shutdown talks, Pelosi plans new legislation

He added that the threat from radical Islamic terrorism "is going to be with us for a while, and were determined to stay at it and continue to make sure that the resurgence of large land-based caliphates like ISIS dont happen on our watch."

"I am confident we will continue to ensure that the kind of rise that ISIS had under the Obama administration doesnt occur again," Pompeo said.
The rifle in question is none other than PGW's flagship heavy-caliber rifle, the LRT-3 Sniper Weapon System.

Ukraine's Ground Forces will soon be getting a massive shipment of sniper rifles from Canada.

PGW Defence Technologies, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, has been contracted to supply Ukrainian snipers with anti-materiel rifles in deal valued at over USD $770,000, according to Military Times.

The rifle in question is none other than PGW's flagship heavy-caliber rifle, the LRT-3 Sniper Weapon System.

Produced in Canada since 2005, this gun is chambered for the popular .50 BMG round, easily capable of disabling light vehicles and punching through armor with deadly effect.

It boasts a max effective range of around 1800 meters (1.1 miles), comparable to the American Barrett M107 rifle which is also on its way to the Ukrainian army as part of a separate deal.

Read alsoUkraine manufactures prototype of APC hull from steel supplied by NATO ally

While PGW has mostly flown under the radar over the past decade, it is no stranger to the arms game.

In the wake of extreme tensions and armed conflict with Russia, the Ukrainian government has made overtures towards NATO, signaling their intent to eventually become a member nation.

Buying over $770,000 worth of .50 caliber sniper rifles is yet another step in that direction, which will likely see the Ukrainian military adopt a number of small arms (and ammunition) in common standardized usage with NATO forces, including the 5.56x45 and 7.62x51 mm NATO rounds.

Read alsoUK, Canada start working as joint NATO Contact Point Embassy in Ukraine

In fact, the arsenals of the former Soviet satellite republic, which are still hugely populated with old-school Warsaw Pact guns like the AKM, the AK-74 and the Makarov PM, have gradually seen an influx of weapons chambered for NATO standard calibers, such as the bullpup Tavor assault rifle, and the Zbroyar Z-10 designated marksman rifle, a locally-produced AR-10 derivative which shoots 7.62 NATO.
Ukraine reports 1 WIA.

Over the past day, Russian proxy forces in Donbas violated the ceasefire five times, while no cases were recorded of them using weapons prohibited by the Minsk accords, the Joint Forces Operation HQ reported Tuesday morning.

A Ukrainian soldier was wounded, the report reads.

"The strongholds of the Ukrainian troops near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska, Vilnyi, Luhanske, Berezove, and Pavlopil were fired upon from grenade launchers of various types, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms," the JFO HQ says.

Read alsoRussian proxies in Donbas continue hampering activities of OSCE monitors

In response to enemy provocations, units of the Joint Forces returned fire, the report says.

According to intelligence data, on January 7, four militants were killed and two were injured.

"From day-start, the enemy did not open fire. At the same time, despite the deterioration of weather conditions, the Ukrainian military continue to reliably monitor enemy moves on the contact line, while respecting the conditions of a complete ceasefire," says the report.
Novichkov will see his family in a few days.

Ukrainian sailor Andriy Novichkov, who was facing the death penalty in Iran in a murder case, has reportedly been swapped for an Iranian spy.

"Ukrainian sailor Novichkov has just been released. Now Andriy is at the Ukrainian Embassy in Iran," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook on January 8.

Poroshenko said he had informed Novichkov's grandmother about her grandson's release. "It was pleasant to comfort Andriy's grandmother, Olena Mykolaivna, who was waiting for her grandson's release, with this news. I personally thanked her for her faith," the president said.

Read alsoUkraine's Justice Ministry hopes ECHR to recognize Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia as POWs

In his words, she will be able to hug her grandson in a few days. "This is perhaps the happiest Christmas in the life of this young man and his family," the president added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, ordinary seaman Mohammad Bahranpoor, who was a citizen of Iran, jumped overboard the ship Arezoo (the flag of Iran, the home port is Qeshm) on January 17, 2017. Senior assistant captain Novichkov was an eyewitness of the incident. He immediately organized a rescue operation. The seaman's body was not found. After arriving in Iran, Novichkov was taken to court on charges of murder.

In May 2018, Odesa Regional Council asked Poroshenko and Ukraine's parliament to assist in the release of Novichkov, who is a resident of Odesa.

Novichkov was reportedly swapped for an Iranian citizen, Ali Jaduel, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison in Ukraine for spying for the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to the news outlet Strana.ua.

On December 30, 2018, Poroshenko pardoned Jaduel.

In 2005, the Iranian entered Kharkiv Aviation Institute, majoring in biomedical engineering, and after graduation he continued as a PhD student.

Ukrainian investigators said that in the summer of 2016, Jaduel persuaded a friend from the scientific center of Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology to sell secret military radio intelligence technologies for five thousand hryvnias. The Iranian denied the accusations. Nevertheless, he was convicted.
We pray in our native Ukrainian language, Epifaniy said.

Leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epifaniy has called on all Orthodox Christians of Ukraine to unite around the Kyiv throne of a single local OCU.

"We have our own independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, we pray in our native and understandable Ukrainian language. This is a useful thing on our way to the salvation," he said at the Christmas liturgy in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv on January 7, which was the first service after providing a tomos of autocephaly of the OCU.

"On this magnificent Christmas Day, I wish that the Lord continue to help, assist, and do good to all of us. We'll continue to pray that the Lord give us unity, and that all Orthodox Christians of Ukraine unite around the throne of Kyiv into a single local autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine," he said, as reported by an UNIAN correspondent.

Read alsoHistory is made: Bartholomew signs tomos of autocephaly for Orthodox Church of Ukraine

As was earlier reported, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in his residence in Istanbul on January 5, 2019, signed the tomos, 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 was exhibited at St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv.
Macedonia may join the Alliance in the spring of 2020.

Ukraine has every chance of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after Macedonia joins the Alliance.

"As you know, the Alliance is considering, besides Macedonia, three more countries, among them are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Ukraine  as these countries are ready and preparing themselves for membership of the Alliance," head of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO Vadym Prystaiko said on TV channel 112 Ukraine.

Read alsoUkraine not ready to join EU shortly  Klimkin

Talks have begun on accession of the 30th member to NATO  Macedonia and Ukraine is hardly able to get ahead of Macedonia in the process of joining NATO, Prystaiko said. "Ukraine will not have time to become the 30th [member], but if we work, we can easily become the 31st or 32nd member of NATO," he said.

Prystaiko also outlined main tasks for Ukraine this year on the path of joining NATO. "I think the most important task not only for Ukraine, but for all its diplomatic missions abroad, including this mission, is to protect our state amid the ongoing war, and all our plans depend on this. As for the defense of our state  we must do everything necessary so that our army could repel the aggressor, so that our society could win the hybrid war," he said.

As UNIAN reported, NATO expects that Macedonia can become a member of the Alliance in the spring of 2020 if it implements an agreement with Greece to rename the country. NATO expects that all the procedures provided for in the agreement between Macedonia and Greece can be completed in the middle of January 2019.

In March 2018, NATO officially recognized aspirations of Ukraine to obtain full membership in the Alliance and Ukraine was granted applicant country status.
Lishchyna expects that the case will be considered quickly enough.

Deputy Minister of Justice and Ukraine's Commissioner for ECHR Affairs, Ivan Lishchyna, hopes that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will recognize the Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia near the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea's neutral waters on November 25 as prisoners of war (POW).

"The first thing that will be important to establish is the fact that our sailors are prisoners of war. And within the discourse in terms of prisoners of war, the relevant rules should apply to them. Among other things, this refers to their return to Ukraine in accordance with the rights established by the Third Geneva Convention," he told 112 Ukraine TV Channel on January 8, answering the question of how the ECHR could influence the case of the Ukrainian sailors.

When asked when the ECHR can start considering the lawsuit lodged by Ukraine, Lishchyna said it was difficult to say in advance.

"Given the fact that Ukraine had a short timeframe for filing an application, I hope that the case will be considered quickly enough," he said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian government had lodged a lawsuit against Russia with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over the violation of rights of Ukrainian sailors captured by Russia near the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea on November 25.

UNIAN memo. As UNIAN reported earlier, on the morning of November 25, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

The Ukraine Navy Command noted that the Russian side had been informed of the plans to re-deploy the vessels in advance in accordance with international standards to ensure the safety of navigation. The Russian coast guard ship "Don" rammed the Ukrainian tugboat, damaging the Ukrainian vessel.

As the Ukrainian boats were heading back in the Odesa direction after being rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them.

All 24 crew members on board were captured and later remanded in custody for two months, being charged with "illegal border crossing" (the sailors are facing up to six years in prison). Three crewmen were wounded in the attack.
It was a Russia-staged provocation that was supposed to lead to the deterioration of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations.

The Mazovian Department of the National Prosecutors Office of Poland brought the case file to court against three Polish citizens, who on Feb. 4, 2018, carried out an arson attack on Uzhgorod (Ukraine) headquarters of Zakarpattia Society of Hungarian Culture.

The Polish news agency TVP.info has reported three Polish citizens are charged with terrorism. The investigation concluding that the perpetrators received 1,000 zlotys ($267) from an unnamed German journalist who most likely acted on instructions from Russias intelligence services, according to Kyiv Post.

Read alsoRussia's covert campaign underway to inflame East Europe - media

It was a provocation that was supposed to lead to the deterioration of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations. It was in the hands of Russia, which is interested in destabilizing its western neighbor, where there is already a hybrid war in Donbas, said a Polish security operative who investigated the case.

UNIAN memo. Relations between Ukraine and Hungary deteriorated after the Verkhovna Rada adopted a new law on education in 2017. Hungary has been blocking Ukraine-NATO Commission meetings, alleging that the language provision of the law on education, which stipulates that the national language is the language of the educational process in educational institutions violate the rights of Hungarians living in Ukraine.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister demanded that Ukraine amend the law on education and postpone its implementation until 2023, otherwise Budapest will block important meetings for Ukraine at the level of the European Union and NATO.
In 2019, Ukraine will continue to move along the path of reforms that bring the country closer to Europe.

"Year 2018 was extremely rich in reforms and showed a strong resolution of Ukraine to move forward. The termination of the Treaty on Friendship with Russia, the withdrawal from the CIS, enshrining the course for joining the EU and NATO in the Constitution of Ukraine, the approval of greetings Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the Heroes! as the official greetings in the Armed Forces, the adoption of the law on the reintegration of Donbas, the adoption of the law on the national security of Ukraine. All these steps are a part of our state strategy that brings us closer to Europe," President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko posted on Facebook.

The President added that Ukraine would not rest on its laurels and would continue carrying out the reforms even more bravely to become a strong and successful European country.
Allergy sufferers may use antihistamines to reduce symptoms, but new research reveals that better long-term memory might be possible with pro-histamine treatment. Long-term memory is used to remember anything before 48 hours ago.

During recent studies by researchers in Japan, histamine improved peoples long-term memory test scores depending on the strength of the original memory and could temporarily extend mice memories by as much as 25 days longer than normal. Clarifying the role of histamine in memory may help alleviate symptoms of memory disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Professor Yuji Ikegaya and lecturer Hiroshi Nomura, Ph.D., of the University of Tokyo led a research team that included collaborators at Hokkaido University and Kyoto University in Japan.

A total of 38 men and women in their mid-20s completed memory tests on three different days. Participants looked at pictures of familiar objects, like eyeglasses or a wristwatch, and then several days later were shown some of the same images, as well as some similar and some new photos, and were asked if they had seen the image before.

In real life, we cannot know what we forgot. This is why we do human memory tests with pictures on a computer screen, said Ikegaya.

Seven or nine days later, participants were given either a placebo (a sugar pill, or fake medicine) or a large dose of a medication that increases the amount of histamine in the brain. The unusually large dose ensured the medication crossed the blood-brain barrier, the bodys natural defense that makes it difficult for medication to reach the brain. The same medication is normally prescribed at lower doses to treat dizziness.

After taking the drug, participants with poor memories recognized more images correctly, while images that had been difficult to recall became easier for all participants to recognize. However, taking the drug lowered scores of participants with good memories, and images that had been easier to recall became slightly more difficult for all participants to recollect.

To any students thinking about using this drug as a study aid, I must warn them to first always protect their health, and second to realize that we have not tested whether this drug helps anyone learn or memorize new things, said Ikegaya.

Increased histamine helped research participants remember an image they knew once but couldnt remember during a long-term memory word-association test, said Ikegaya.

Researchers suspect that the phenomenon of stochastic resonance, adding white noise to a transmission to boost signal strength, may cause the dual effect of histamine improving long-term memory sometimes but hindering it at other times.

Ikegaya suggests memory is a combination of a gradient system and a yes:no or 1:0 digital system. Information might be stored in the brain as a gradient, but nerves do not fire until they are above a particular threshold. Below this threshold is no or 0, and we cannot remember. Above this threshold is yes or 1, and we can remember.

You still have the memory, but you cant access it unless it is above a particular threshold, said Ikegaya.

Researchers suspect that the drug raises the histamine gradient to the point that the neurons involved in the latent memory reach the threshold level required to fire a signal and make us remember. However, for memories already over the threshold naturally, extra histamine adds too much noise and excessive nerve signaling hinders recall.

Histamine had no effect on participants scores on tests unrelated to long-term memory.

Researchers gave mice two plastic toys, one the mice were given before and another that was new. Mice prefer to explore a new toy, but after three days, mice forget and treat all toys as new. After receiving a medication that increases histamine in the brain, mice could recognize toys theyd seen as long as 28 days ago.

The long-term memory boost was temporary, though. On day 29, all toys were new again to the mice. Researchers saw similar results with two different drugs that increase histamine: thioperamide and betahistine.

Experiments to examine the activity of individual neurons in mouse brains revealed that the drugs increased histamine specifically in a brain region known to be involved in visual perception and memory, called the perirhinal cortex. Moreover, histamine reactivated the same neurons that were active in making the memory.

Improved long-term memory is not always beneficial, such as for sad or fearful memories, or in disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Remembering and forgetting are not simple opposites. Instead, researchers suspect that different brain regions and processes are involved in remembering and forgetting.

If we have typical memory, then there is a balance between the brain systems for remembering and for forgetting. Too much forgetting or too much remembering is likely an upset of that balance, said Ikegaya.

Researchers are currently planning future studies to test how histamine levels might affect memory test results in older adults. Other studies will also examine how histamine might be involved in prospective memory, the dont forget type of memories for the future, such as things we might write on reminder sticky notes to our future selves.

This research published in the journal Biological Psychology is peer-reviewed and included experimental studies in mice and small-scale randomized control trials in people.

The neurotransmitter histamine affects the immune response, memory and acid levels in the stomach. Specialized receptors in different areas of the body regulate the different functions of histamine.

Professor Ikegaya has written multiple popular nonfiction science books in Japanese, including  Shinkashisugita Nou (The Over-Evolved Brain, ISBN: 978-4062575386) and  Kaiba: Nou wa Tsukarenai (Hippocampus: The Untiring Brain, ISBN: 978-4255001548).Researchers at the University of Tokyo led by Professor Yuji Ikegaya studied the effect of histamine on long-term memory. After taking a drug to boost levels of histamine in the brain, adults in their mid-20s had improved long-term memory test scores and mice temporarily had memories that lasted 25 days longer than normal. Image credit: Yuji Ikegaya and Hiroshi Nomura CC-BY
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (ChinaMil) -- Naval and air force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command conducted whole-process monitoring of a US warship that trespassed into Chinese territorial waters off the Xisha Islands without permission, and warned it to leave, a spokesperson of the command said on Monday.

The USS McCampbell, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer of the US Navy, trespassed on Monday into Chinese territorial waters off the Xisha Islands without permission of the Chinese government. The PLA Southern Theater Command soon sent naval ships and aircraft to identify and warn off the U.S. warship.

Senior colonel Li Huamin said in a statement that China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters, the provocation of the US warship infringed China's sovereignty, is a grave violation of Chinese law and relevant international law and also a grave threat to regional peace and stability.

"We urge the US side immediately cease such provocative actions. The PLA Southern Theater Command will remain on high alert, closely monitor relevant maritime and air situations and resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty and security," he said.
A 36 year-old man dies of COVID-19 after calling relatives in the wee hours of the morning saying his oxygen was out and there was no one around. His widow, also COVID positive is calling on you to get vaccinated.
Should you be put on a list based on what you believe? That hardly seems like the American way. But a state agency is working on a plan to do just that.

The Oklahoma Ethics Commission has a simple and important job: oversee the ethics of government officials and employees. To do that, the commission regulates both campaign finances and the lobbyists who are paid to interact with state officials.

Now the commission, with its unelected members, wants to expand its own power by redefining lobbyist to mean just about everybody. Have you ever shared your opinion on Facebook or in a conversation, telling people what you think about something going on in the state Legislature? If so, you might be considered a lobbyist if the commission adopts its proposed regulation.

The proposal is vague, which allows the commission to claim that they would never go after you just for sharing your opinion. Trust us, they say, we would never try to stifle free speech. But vague expansions of government power to police speech should make us all nervous.
Gabon government thwarts coup attempt

LIBREVILLE, Gabon  Gabons government thwarted an attempted military coup on Monday, retaining control of the oil-rich West African nation after two plotters were killed and other army officers were arrested, the government said.

Authorities regained control of state broadcasting offices and a major thoroughfare in the capital, Libreville, which were the only areas taken over by the officers, government spokesman Guy-Betrand Mapangou told Radio France International.

He said five army officers who took over state radio were arrested. Two other coup plotters were killed when security forces took over and freed some hostages, according to a presidential statement reported by RFI.

Spacey pleads not guilty to groping young man

NANTUCKET, Mass.  Kevin Spacey pleaded not guilty Monday to groping an 18-year-old busboy in 2016 in the first criminal case brought against the disgraced actor following a string of sexual misconduct allegations that crippled his career.
Update (10:30 a.m. Tuesday): The man killed Monday evening by two deputy U.S. marshals was Jeremy Edmonds, 42, Tulsa Police Sgt. Brandon Watkins said.

Two deputy U.S. marshals shot a man, killing him, while trying to arrest him in Tulsa on a felony warrant Monday afternoon, authorities said.

Deputy U.S. marshals, Tulsa County sheriffs deputies and Tulsa police officers were on Louisville Avenue, between Harvard and Yale avenues, just north of Interstate 244 when the shooting occurred about 2:30 p.m., police spokesman Shane Tuell said.

Police officers were providing security around a perimeter while sheriffs deputies and deputy U.S. marshals were serving the felony warrant for assault and battery/strangulation when the shooting occurred, authorities said.

Clayton Johnson, U.S. marshal for the Northern District of Oklahoma, said two deputy marshals shot the suspect for whom the warrant was being served by the Northern Oklahoma Violent Crimes Task Force.
The incident happened more than a month ago, Harrison said, but was posted to the Oklahoma Game Wardens Facebook page on Sunday night, much to the delight of commenters who broke into strings of pun-filled banter about deer parts and shared the post more than 1,300 times by noon Monday.

It was funny, in a sad way, and it was probably a dating-app first. As one Facebook commenter noted, only in Oklahoma.

Ive spoken with several wardens across the nation, and this seems to be the first of its kind, Harrison said.

You cant just ignore a broken law that falls right in your lap but was kind of a bummer, he said. She said it was her first deer ever, too.

The woman and an accomplice face $2,400 in fines for the kill on charges of improper possession of an illegally taken animal and taking game out-of-season. Wanton waste of the meat and spotlighting charges were not added. The woman pleaded out immediately, he said.

Social media has proved to be a windfall for game wardens in recent years, taking the backroom bragging that used to take place at country cafes and bars out to the internet.
Kellough said there is no meaningful disclosure to defendants entering pleas of the actual total fines and costs they will face, similar to hidden fees in a cable or phone bill. A defendant might plead guilty to a $500 fine for driving under the influence and not realize that means being stuck with an additional $2,000 in costs.

Kellough said judges are allowed by law to jail individuals for failure to pay, but in most instances they dont make those legal determinations. He said any nonpayment is often rubber stamped by judges as if equal to willfully not paying, making it a priority to address the manner and method of collections.

This group is intended to find either legislative solutions or to help modify judicial behavior in such a way that makes it more fair and equitable for criminal defendants, Kellough said.

Hinds offered a solution, in part, to some of the woes faced by poor criminal defendants.

Collections are considered a criminal matter. He wants to find a legislative avenue to give defendants the option to make them civil cases instead.

A defendant could agree at the outset to pay off the fees and costs at once or in installments. Or, to avoid the potential for jail time in the event of nonpayment, could opt to have them enforced in a civil judgment.
With a focus on widening the tent and sustaining activism, two Tulsa women have emerged as planners of a local Womens March.

The march will begin at 11 a.m. Jan. 19 at the Guthrie Green, 111 E. Reconciliation Way.

Previously, Tulsa was not going to participate after last years organizers could not lead the event due to family issues and other responsibilities.

After hearing Tulsa needed march leadership, Crystal Ifekoya, founder and director of the Women Helping Other Women nonprofit, and Lee Ann Crosby, founder of the Just A Push Foundation, met to start planning.

On Sunday, the two  along with several other girls and women  released a video and announcements on social media announcing the march. On Facebook, information can be found on Tulsa Womens March Continues.

Calling themselves facilitators, the two nonprofit leaders said they want to keep the momentum going for all the issues women face. They have known each other through their nonprofit work.
The fugitive became violent and attempted to assault the officers with a knife, according to the release. Shots were fired striking the fugitive, which stopped the knife attack.

The agency said that in accordance with its policy it will not release the names of the deputies involved in the shooting, though the Office of Professional Responsibility is expected to conduct an investigation along with the agencys Shooting Review Board to determine whether their actions were justified.

Edmonds is accused of choking a woman at the Louisville Avenue address on Oct. 10 after she refused to have sex with him, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Edmonds reportedly had a medical condition that left him in pain and bedridden. But he managed to get out of bed that day for the first time, informed the woman what he wanted and then became irate when she declined, the affidavit states.

Edmonds grabbed her by the throat and threw her on the bed, investigators wrote in the affidavit.

Edmonds hit the womans head against the floor multiple times as she tried to escape, and she told police that she saw stars, according to the affidavit.

The woman had bruises on her neck, arms and wrists and lacerations on her jaw. Medical personnel noted that she had a drooping mouth and slurred speech consistent with being strangled, according to the affidavit.
Sonic executive John Budd will serve in the chief operating officer position created by Gov.-elect Kevin Stitt, a spokeswoman for the new governor confirmed Monday.

Budd will also serve as Secretary of Agency Accountability, a new Cabinet-level position being created by Stitt.

In my conversation with governors from across the nation, I heard many credit their success to the hiring of a chief operating officer, Stitt said in a news release.

This new COO role will be key to fulfilling my campaign commitment of delivering efficient, customer-centered government throughout our 120 agencies.

Stitt said Budd will be tasked with taking a holistic look at ways to more efficiently and effectively implement services and meet todays modern demands on state government.

Budds appointment, first reported by The Oklahoman, is in keeping with Stitts promise to populate his administration with people who have little to no experience in state government.
Nairobians have started complaining of a weird and completely out of the blue tampon shortage.

According to complaints by different women, it has been quite the pickle to source a shop with regular supply of the cotton plugs.

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READ ALSO: Shaffie Weru caught on video squeezing voluptuous socialite Vera Sidika

READ ALSO: Authorities seize energy drink which causes 6-hour hard-on after a man complained

Radio girl Adelle Onyango even took to Instagram to ask for help so as to locate a place that still distributes them.

Apparently, the shortage can be dated back to October, 2018, but no one can really point out why they suddenly went off the market.

READ ALSO: Naughty socialite Huddah Monroe hints she is about to get married

The select shops that still happen to sell the products have now resorted to plastering high prices.

"Is there a tampon shortage in Nairobi? I am not asking about the mini ones," vocal tweep Scheaffer Okore penned.

Apparently, some ladies have been forced to purchase the products from foreign countries in a desperate attempt to deal with their monthly periods.

The million dollar question remains to be, why did they suddenly get pulled off the shelf?

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.

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Source: Tuko Kenya
- Murkomen confessed he admires how ODM party weathers political storms and puts its house in order

- Murkomen lamented over failure by Jubilee to facilitate an environment that enables members to ventilate

- There has been disquiet in Jubilee party top leadership over William Ruto's presidential ambition

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has called on Jubilee leadership to borrow leaf from ODM party on how well political parties should manage their internal affairs.

Speaking to Citizen TV on Tuesday, January 8, the Majority Senate leader praised the Raila Odinga-led party for its ability to weather political storms and quickly restore the much needed peace.

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READ ALSO: Where are projects William Ruto was launching in Mt Kenya region? MP Ngunjiri Wambugu

Kipchumba Murkomen/Facebook.

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: David Murathe now links DP Ruto to mega corruption scandals in Jubilee

Murkomen publicly confessed he admires maturity exhibited by the Orange party top organ when Raila agreed to work with his erstwhile enemy President Uhuru Kenyatta in March 2019.

"I admire the management of ODM and I admire the leadership of ODM despite the whole challenges they have.

"Even during the handshake moment, the former prime minister called his party members to explain the handshake and every time you will hear they have said this or that. They are our competitors, we (Jubilee) should emulate certain things from them because they have survived over 10 years and improve," he said.

In contrast, the senator lamented over failure by Jubilee to facilitate an environment that enables members to exchange ideas.

READ ALSO: Jubilee's vice chair Murathe warns Ruto cannot be trusted with presidency

Raila ODM donned in full ODM party colours in past event. Murkomen has parised the party's management. Photo: Raila Odinga/Facebook.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Jubilee vice-chairman asks Ruto to retire with Uhuru, forget about 2022 succession

His remarks come hot on the heels of surprise resignation of Jubilee vice chairperson David Murathe after two weeks of intense political bickering over Ruto's presidential candidature.

Though observers argue that Murathe may have been pushed out for causing unnecessary heat, he said the environment had become so untenable that he could no longer share table with Ruto.

Murathe sits at the National Executive Council with Ruto, a man he swore to take to court in order to block from contesting for presidency.

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.

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Source: Tuko
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.
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.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has apologised for the vaccine fiasco last week, but said it was just one bad day.

After more than a year of managing and attempting to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus in Trinidad and Tobago, Rowley admitted that the Government made a blunder by allowing walk-in vaccinations at health centres across the country.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

United Nations, January 8

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has announced that he is stepping down as the head of the premier anti-poverty institution putting the likely choice of its future leadership in the hands of US President Donald Trump, a sceptic of international development.

Trump's role is expected reinvigorate challenges to Washington's monopoly on appointing the Bank's head.

Announcing his decision on Monday, Kim said in a tweet: "It's been the greatest privilege I could have ever imagined to lead the dedicated staff of this great institution to bring us closer to a world that is finally free of poverty." Kim, 59, who is dropping out 19 months into his second term on February 1, would be joining a private company and focus on infrastructure investments in developing countries, the Bank said.

The Bank's CEO Kristalina Georgieva will become the interim president till a successor to Kim is appointed.

As the largest share-holder, the US by tradition appoints the head of the Bank, while Europeans determine the chief of the International Monetary Fund.

Kim was nominated for the job by former President Barack Obama in 2012.

Before Trump's election, Kim was hastily re-appointed in September 2016 to a second term that began in July 2017 with an eye on pre-empting a possible Trump nominee getting the job.

Now, however, Trump will get an opportunity to nominate the Bank's head.

Trump's role will resurrect and strengthen challenges to the post-World War II model of the leadership of the 189-member bank that has always been determined by the US .

Already the US nominee was challenged for the first time in 2012 by two contenders.

Colombian economist Jose Antonio Ocampo Gaviria eventually withdrew from the race, while Nigeria's then-Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala lost when the Bank's directors rubber-stamped Kim's appointment.

Now there will be robust demands for reconsidering the US leadership of the Bank and stronger non-American contenders for the job.

Kim, a South Korea-born US citizen, was an unusual leader for the Bank: He was a medical doctor by training, a specialist in public health and an academic with a Harvard doctorate in anthropology who had led the Ivy League Dartmouth College.

But his background in health was a plus for the Bank's mission of fighting poverty and promoting development.

Under his leadership, the Bank adopted in tandem with the UN the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and focusing on the bottom 40 per cent of the population in the developing world.

The Bank's International Development Association, which funds programmes in the least developed countries, achieved two record replenishments during his tenure, the last one in 2016 for $75 billion.

Last April, the Bank also increased its capital by $13 billion with the unexpected support of the Trump administration.

Kim also pushed the Bank's cooperation with the private sector for financing development in the developing world, particularly in the areas of climate change and infrastructure.

China, though a part of the World Bank, has thrown a challenge to it by setting up its own development banking institutions.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), founded in 2016 is one of those institutions and several countries including India, Germany, Britain and South Korea have joined it. IANS
gspannu7@gmail.com

London, January 8

The roof of the home of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the UK will be dismantled by military teams following the deadly nerve agent attack on him and his daughter, a media report said on Tuesday.

British detectives believe Skripal and his daughter Yulia first came into contact with Novichok, a military-grade poison, when it was sprayed on the door handle of their property, allegedly by Russian agents in March.

The clean-up at Christie Miller Road, Salisbury, has been taking place ever since they collapsed on March 5, the BBC reported.

Wiltshire Council has warned neighbours of about four months of disruptions.

Contractors will cover the house and garage with a sealed frame, according to a letter written by the councils director of public of health, Tracy Daszkiewicz.

A military team will then dismantle and remove the roofs.

Everything will be wrapped and sealed before being removed from the site.

When that work is completed, contractors will move on site to build a replacement roof for the house and adjoining garage.

She said the risk to public health remains low, adding: The priority is to make sure that the two remaining sites affected by the 2018 incidents are thoroughly cleaned and returned to normal use as soon as possible.

Skripal, 66, and his 33-year-old daughter survived the attack which Prime Minister Theresa May said had almost certainly been approved by the Russian state.

Wiltshire Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey is also thought to have come into contact with the poison when he searched their home.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell ill in nearby Amesbury months after the incident and died in hospital in July after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals and then discarded.

Her partner, Charlie Rowley, 45, was also exposed to the same nerve agent but was treated and discharged.

Two Russian nationals have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Skripal with Novichok.

The two suspects  known by their aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov  were caught on CCTV in Salisbury the day before the attack.

Russia has denied any role in the nerve agent attack in the UK, an incident that has soured Londons ties with Moscow and other western nations.  PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Beijing, January 8

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in China on Tuesday on an unannounced visit, in an apparent effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a possible second summit with US President Donald Trump over denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Kim is visiting China from January 7 to 10 on the invitation of President Xi Jinping, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.

He is expected to celebrate his 36th birthday here on Tuesday.

According to reports, he was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and senior officials, including Kim Yong-chol, his right-hand man in diplomatic negotiations with the United States and South Korea.

Kims visit came only days after he warned of taking an alternative path if the United States did not ease sanctions and pressure on his isolated country.

The visit also comes amid reports that negotiations are under way for a second summit between Kim and Trump. The two met in June in Singapore for the first summit.

Kim visited China last year to meet Xi before and after his first meeting with Trump.

Speculation had grown on Monday that Kim was possibly making his way to China after South Koreas Yonhap news reported that a North Korean train had been seen crossing the border.

Both countries media confirmed the visit on Tuesday morning when Kims distinctive green and yellow train arrived at a station in Beijing.

His visit to Beijing, which is stated to be closest ally of Pyongyang, comes at a time when China itself is locked in a trade war with the US over Trumps demand to cut the USD 375 billion trade deficit.

Trump while seeking Xis support in forcing Kim to relent and give up the nuclear and missile programme has also blamed the Chinese leader last year for tardy progress after his first summit with Kim at Singapore in June.

Since the Singapore summit, there is growing scepticism in the US over Kim delivering on his promise to do away with the nuclear programme despite Washingtons assurance over North Koreas security.

Also, China and Russia--both the permanent members of the UN Security Council--have been putting pressure on the US to lift UN sanctions against North Korea.

But the US has been insisting on their continuance. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that sanctions should be enforced vigorously and without fail.

Observers say the outcome of the Xi-Kim meeting would be watched for its likely impact on the planned second summit meet between Kim and Trump.

In his tweet in August last year Trump had said North Korea was under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese government.

Significantly, Kims visit is taking place when Chinese and US officials are holding talks to end the trade war.

The US and China have been locked in an escalating trade spat since early 2018, raising import tariffs on each others goods.

Last year, Trump imposed tariff hikes of up to 25 per cent on USD 250 billions of Chinese goods. The move prompted China to increase tariffs on USD 110 billions of US goods.

Trump and Xi had agreed to halt any further tariff increases for 90 days beginning January 1. PTI
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Islamabad, January 8

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused India of not responding to his peace overtures and said that any war between two nuclear-armed nations would be suicidal for them.

In an interview with Turkish news agency TRT World, according to his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan again expressed his desire for talks with India.

He said that even a Cold War was not in the interests of the two countries.

"Two nuclear armed countries should not even think of a war; not even a Cold War because it could worsen any time. The only way is bilateral talks. Two nuclear armed countries at war is like a suicide," the party quoted him as saying.

He said India did not respond to his peace overtures. India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

India was offered to take one step towards and we shall take two. But India rejected Pakistan's offer for talks several times, Khan said.

Khan also said that India would never be able to suppress the rights of the Kashmiri people.

The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place between them. PTI
gspannu7@gmail.com

Chandigarh, January 8

The Punjab Government on Tuesday sought Canadas cooperation for the development of animal husbandry sector in the state.

Punjab Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Tuesday met the Consulate General of Canada Mia Yen and Canada Trade Commissioner Gurbans Sobti, an official release said.

Besides exchange of animals of high breeds, the state government is keen to adopt state-of-the-art technologies in the animal husbandry sector, the minister said.

He said the state government is also interested in partnering Canada to get technical know-how of waste management sector and set up meat processing units in Punjab.

It is the need of the hour that we adopt new technology in respect of dairy farming and animal husbandry, he said.

Sidhu said a permanent mechanism needs to be put in place to ensure that the youth, especially students, receive skill development education in this vital sector.

The minister expressed hope that the Consulate General of Canada would provide opportunity to students hailing from Punjab to get advanced education concerning animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development in renowned universities of the North American country.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday constituted a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear from January 10 the politically sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, which has been hanging fire for months despite completion of procedural formalities, including translation of documents and filing of affidavits, counter-affidavits and rejoinders.

Besides CJI Gogoi, the Bench includes Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachudwho are in line of succession to become CJIs.

During a brief hearing lasting barely 30 seconds, a Bench CJI Gogoi and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul had on Friday said further order on hearing 14 cross-appeals against the September 30, 2010, verdict of the Allahabad High Courts order dividing the disputed land equally between Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhada and Sunni Wakf Board will be passed by an appropriate bench on January 10.

On Tuesday, a notice on the top courts website said the Constitution Bench will take up the matter on Thursday at 10.30 am.

Earlier, a Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra (since retired), Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer was hearing the matter but after Justice Misras retirement on October 2, the Bench had not been reconstituted.

Amid demands by Hindu organiaations for an ordinance to pave the way for construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week suggested that any such decision could happen only after the completion of the judicial process.

"Let the judicial process take its own course. Don't weigh it in political terms. Let the judicial process be over. After the judicial process is over, whatever be our responsibility as government, we are ready to make all efforts," Modi had had said in an interview to ANI.

The top court had on September 27 by a 2:1 verdict refused to refer to a larger bench its 1994 verdict which ruled a "mosque is not an essential part of the practice of Islam". It had directed the cross appeals in the Ayodhya title suit to be listed before a three-judge Bench on October 29.

If the Constitution Bench takes up Ayodhya matter from January 10 onwards, the hearing would most probably coincide with the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign. But it remains unclear if the Ayodhya land dispute verdict will be delivered before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Hindus believe that Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya thousands of years ago. During Mughal emperor Babars rule, a mosque was constructed at the place in 1528 after destroying the temples existing there.

More than 70 years after the Faizabad Civil Court rejected its claim over Babri Masjid as a Shia Wakf, the Shia Central Waqf Board of UP had last year moved the Supreme Court to assert its claim over the disputed site. Interestingly, the Special Leave Petitionwhich challenged a 1946 decision of the Faizabad Civil Courtsaid the Babri Masjid was built by demolishing a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The RSS, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and BJP have been running a campaign for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. On December 6, 1992, kar sevaks of right-wing Hindu organisations demolished the disputed structure. Many BJP leaders, including LK Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi, are facing a criminal case in connection with the demolition.

But the civil dispute over 2.7 acres is a separate one that has been on since 1961 when the Sunni Wakf Board took the matter to court.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation last evening and exchanged New Year greetings.

This is the first conversation between the two leaders since they met for a trilateral forum along with Japan along the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina in November.

The conversation comes just days after Trump in a press conference mocked Modi about Indian aid and assistance to Afghanistan referring to the parliament building that India built as a library.

They expressed satisfaction at the progress in India-US strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 dialogue mechanism and the first-ever trilateral summit of India, the US and Japan, said the Ministry of External Affairs.

Discussions included bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy and coordination on regional and global issues, said MEA.

According to the White House statement, PM Modi dialled Trump.

The leaders agreed to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the US trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan, added the US government statement.

Earlier Russian President Vladimir Putin and PM Modi also spoke over the phone on Monday.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

Lok Sabha passed the controversial citizenship amendment Bill amid protests and walkouts by opposition parties on the last day of its session on Tuesday.

Piloting the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Opposition that the Bill was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries.

"They have no place to go to, except India," he said, adding several leaders including first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were in favour of giving shelter to persecuted minorities in the neighouring countries.

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to provide Indian citizenship to people from listed categories of religious groups from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and covers Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians. It does not cover Muslims.

After Singh called the Bill urgent, opposition Congress and TMC demanded reference of the same to a select committee saying the Bill was weak and divisive.

While Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge led the walkout calling the Bill inadequate, TMC walked out after its MP Saugata Roy had spoken at length demanding the bill be made secular.

Our demand is to include Muslims also. How can you leave out Muslims or, for that matter, any religious community suffering discrimination in the name of religion in other countries? This is against Article 14 of the Constitution. We also demand that immigrants from Nepal and Sri Lanka also be allowed Indian citizenship. Why limit the bill only to immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh?

The Bill says immigrants from the listed religious communities would be granted Indian citizenship after they have completed six years of residency in India as against the previous 12.

Singh allayed fears around the provisions saying the Bill was meant for the entire country and not just Assam.

The AGP on Monday quit the NDA alliance in Assam over the bill, saying it violated the Assam Accord which provided for deportation of all illegal immigrants who entered the state after 1971.

The Assam border is a national border and we are committed to implementing the National Register of Citizens in Assam, Singh said even as the TMC warned against the potential of the law to foment violence across India as is happening in Assam. With PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

Lok Sabha passed a Bill for providing 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and non-minority educational institutions for economically weaker sections among unreserved categories on Tuesday.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Fourth Amendment) Bill was passed with 323 votes ayes and 3 nos of the 326 MPs voting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi were present at the time of the vote.

AIMIM Leader Asadudin Owaisi opposed the Bill and AIADMK member M Thambidurai walked out

Most opposition parties supported the Bill, although with reservations. Chief opposition Congress backed the Bill, but questioned the timing of the decision, given that it comes four months before the country is scheduled to hold general elections.

Describing the reservation Bill as political gimmick, opposition parties led by the Congress said the Bill may not stand judicial scrutiny.

Citing PV Narasimha Rao's government effort to bring in 10 per cent reservation on the basis of economic criteria, Congress leader KV Thomas said it was struck down by the Supreme Court.

This legislation has been made in haste and has so many lacunas, he said, adding, it should be sent to Joint Parliamentary Committee for examination.

"It was only yesterday that Union Cabinet approved the Constitution Amendment for 10 per cent quota for poor under general category on economic basis and was introduced in Parliament today. It raises question on the sincerity of the government," he said.

It seems to be political 'jumla' to win election as Newspapers have written today, he added.

Participating in the debate, M Thambidurai (AIADMK) said reservation is not on economic backwardness but on social backwardness.

He pointed out that government has many schemes for uplift of economically poor sections of the society and did that mean that these schemes have failed.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC) said that the Bill was not about jobs but about misleading the youth.

The Bill, he said, was about promising and not delivering and was a fake dream that will never become a reality.

TMC, he said, was unequivocal in its support to the Bill.

Anandra Adsul (Shiv Sena) also rendered his support to the Bill and said it was better late than never.

Stating that the Bill was moved as a "special agenda", B Mahtab (BJD) said that the House was bereft of moving any amendment to the Bill.

Jitendra Choudhury (CPM) said that the government wants to provide 10 per cent reservation to general category but where are the jobs.

To make this Bill more comprehensive, the Bill should be referred to the Joint Parliament Committee or Standing Committee, he added.

Questioning the urgency of Bill, Supriya Sule (NCP) said if the government had been sincere, this bill would not have come on the last day of the last session.

She also said that one of the Cabinet Minister's expressed apprehension that the law may not get approval from the Supreme Court.

She was referring to a remark made by Ramvilas Paswan, who said the government should ensure that it should not get into a legal tangle.

Dushyant Chautala (INLD) also said the legislation would be struck down by the Supreme Court.

While supporting the Bill, Dharmendra Yadav (SP) said that upper caste also knows the intent of the government as it is just an election gimmick.

Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) said the way the Bill has been brought in is nothing less than deceit for the upper caste.

Nishkant Dubey (BJP) said the Modi government has taken various steps to promote inclusive development of society.

'Wholehearted support'

The central government on Tuesday asked Congress to support a Bill on 10 per cent quota for upper caste poor wholeheartedly, and not grudgingly.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley questioned the sincerity of the previous Congress-led UPA Government in doing the same.

You promised this reservation in your Lok Sabha election manifesto of 2014. The question of sincerity (sic). Will a government promise be limited to manifesto or will it translate into a law to deliver real benefits. If you are supporting this Bill, please support it whole heartedly and not grudgingly.

Jaitley told the Lok Sabha that the current Bill would stand judicial scrutiny because the government was doing it through a constitutional amendment.

Past attempts by the Centre and states in this respect failed because these were made by way of notifications of assembly laws. While these attempts sought to draw from Article 15 and 16 which provides for reservations on the basis of social and educational backwardness, the attempts failed because the said articles did not provide for reservations on the basis of economic weakness. Our government is amending the constitution to ensure we have the power to make a law to introduce reservations on the basis of economic weakness which the constitution does not presently permit, Jaitley said.

He allayed opposition concerns that the ten per cent reservation would breach the ceiling of 50 pc quota which the SC has provided.

The Supreme Court has clarified in its orders that the ceiling was only in respect of reservations made on the basis of social and economic backwardness, the minister said, after the Congress lead speaker and ex-minister KV Thomas called the governments move hasty an election jumlaand asked for the Bill to be referred to a joint Parliamentary committee.

The government also said an amendment to the Constitution in respect of Articles that cover fundamental rights need not be referred to state governments.

Under the Constitution, amendments in relation to fundamental rights do not need 50 per cent approval of states for a bill like the Congress speaker just said, Jaitley said.

Rajya Sabha, whose session has been extended by a day to accommodate a discussion on the Bill, will take up discussion on Wednesday.

With the passage of the Bill, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan adjourned Lok Sabha sine die after 17 sittings that started on December 11. Sixteen bills were passedincluding a law that banned Triple Talaqwere passed in the 46 hours that the session lasted.

Shah thanks PM

BJP national president Amit Shah thanked prime minister Narendra Modi for the Bill, calling it a strong step towards positive change in the lives of a big section of the our country too.

I congratulate Shri Narendra Modi and his entire cabinet for this just decision pending since independence. The commitment of Modi government towards the economic independence of every section of the country is not only commendable but its a lesson to those parties who do politics of appeasement, Shah said in his statement.

That the 124th amendment in constitution introduced by Modi Govt will give enough relief to the lakhs youth whose annual income is less than Rs.8 lakh and who did not get any reservation since independence. The reservation of 50 per cent for SC, ST and OBCs remains unaffected due to this decision. With agencies
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

Taliban is a threat to regional stakeholders and New Delhi could use Tehrans influence to engage it if it wishes, an official said on Tuesday.

The official was reacting to reports of the first official meeting Iran held with Taliban in Abu Dhabi last week. Iran had maintained contact with Taliban, which controls some territory adjacent to its border with Afghanistan. This is the first time the two sides have come on the table for official talks.

We have some influence on Taliban that we are ready to use. If India wants to use its channel like Pakistan, we are ready. Some are trying to super-impose regional powers, said the official who denied reports that Chabahar port project was discussed during the talks.

Indian principled position so far has been to engage in any dialogue with Taliban only if the democratically-elected Afghanistan government is represented in the room. For the first time ever, Indian representatives shared room at the Moscow format of talks in November last year with a delegation from Political Office of Taliban in Doha, with Afghan High Peace Council members and other countries in attendance. However, New Delhi claimed that the representation was at non-official level with no change in its principled position on talks with Taliban.

The official privy to Iranian government discussions also underlined that with troop drawdown imminent in Afghanistan, it is important to ensure Taliban is not exploited by the US to create instability in the region or by UAE and Qatar to create havoc in the neighbourhood.

We need Taliban as a participant but not as dominating participant. A Taliban-dominated Afghanistan is a security threat to Indian and Iran but is an existential threat to Pakistan. This is exactly what we have been telling Pakistan and they do not disagree, the source said.

The official hoped that US, which has given India a temporary waiver from sanctions, realises importance of Chabahar port project for development and economy of Afghanistan and can be fully utilised once connected to the Iranian railway system. He added that Chabhar needs more players and countries, including Japan and China.
harinder@tribunemail.com

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7

Defending EVMs, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said the machines just couldnt be tampered with.

Citing the recent Assembly elections in five states, the last Delhi poll and the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Arora said all gave up varied results despite EVMs being used everywhere. The CEC was speaking at the inauguration of the new PGIMER academic session here today.

There were elections in May 2014 and you had X result. Then there were the Delhi Assembly poll where you had Y result. Recently, there were elections in five states and we had different results. There were bypolls too and you had different outcome. Can it be possible that when there is an X result the EVM is faulty and when there is a Y result the EVM is kind of malfunctioning? he asked the gathering.

Arora said there was difference between malfunctioning and tampering. A machine can malfunction. You purchase a new car and even it can malfunction within a week or so... EVMs are being taken care of by a qualified team. These cannot be tampered with, the CEC added.

Umesh Sinha, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, said nine countries, including Namibia and Bhutan, had evinced interest in Indian EVMs and the countrys expertise in the field.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 8

In a significant judgment that has implications for the entire officer cadre of the Indian Army, the Armed Forces Tribunal has directed the Ministry of Defence to allocate a proportionate number of additional vacancies in the Armys higher echelons to officers from the combat support arms.

Consequently, these arms would have more officers in the rank of Brigadier and Major General, and possibly Lieutenant General.

According to legal experts, it could also mean a rejig in the number of vacancies allotted to other arms.

The respondents are directed to allot a proportionate number of additional vacancies in the ranks of Brigadier and Major General out of the 22 Brigadier and 75 Major General vacancies allotted by the government in tune with the AV Singh Committee recommendations, or in addition to these vacancies, to Engineers, Signals and Air Defence corps keeping in view the allocation of 141 vacancies in the rank of Colonel to these arms vide a judgment of the Supreme Court on February 15, 2016, the Tribunals Bench comprising Justice Virender Singh and Lt Gen Philip Campose ruled while disposing a bunch of petitions today.

The respondents are directed to allot additional vacancies in higher ranks to the said combat support arms prior to the conduct of No 2 (for Brigadier) and No 1 (for Major General) Selection Boards henceforth, starting with 2018 , in respect of the batches which have been/are scheduled to be considered annually in future, the Bench further said.

Though the issue in question also has implications for vacancies in the rank of Lieutenant General, it was not challenged in the instant petitions and thus the Bench did deliberate upon it.

Various elements of the Army are categorised as combat arms that include Infantry, Armoured Corps and Artillery which directly engage the enemy, combat support arms like the Engineers, Signals and Army Air Defence that support frontline battlefield operations and the services like Army Ordnance Corps, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Medical Corps and Judge Advocate General that are responsible of rear echelon logistic and administrative matters.

Consequent to the implementation of the AV Singh Committee on cadre restructure, the Central Government had in 2009, released additional vacancies in the rank of Colonel, Brigadier, Major General and Lieutenant General.

Bulk of these vacancies was bagged by Infantry and Artillery. Some officers from the combat support arms had challenged this order on grounds of discrimination, contending that additional vacancies of Colonel should be allotted to all arms proportionately and correspondingly applied to higher ranks.

In February 2016, the Supreme Court directed that 141 additional posts of Colonel be allocated to combat support arms. While new posts for Colonels were created, the same was not done for higher ranks.

Pointing out that once 141 vacancies for Colonel were allocated by the combat support arms by the apex court, it would have been logical for the respondents to consider a proportionate number of senior ranks for these arms, the Tribunal observed that it conveys a lack of application of mind on part of the respondents towards dealing with such an important issue affecting the morale and motivation of a significant proportion of officers.
gspannu7@gmail.com

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

BJP MP Rakesh Sinha on Tuesday hit out at the Opposition for questioning the Centres motive to provide quota to economically-weaker sections of the society in the general category.

Introducing economic criteria for reservation is the most salubrious condition and manifestation of social justice in true sense of the term. This is the best sample of socialism. Quota based on economic factor had been a longstanding and recurring demand of all political parties in the past, he said.

There is a bulk in the general category which are in category of below the breadline existence whose progress is the responsibility of government in any democratic, social welfare state, Sinha, who is an RSS ideologue and considered to be a right-wing intellectual, said while interacting with media persons outside Parliament.

With regard to Opposition questioning the timing of governments move to amend Constitution to facilitate quota for the economically-weaker sections, Sinha quipped: They appear to have crammed up this line to apply against any progressive move of the government, he said.

He referred to the Opposition also questioning the timing regarding making instant triple talak an offence.

The government has peoples mandate for five years. He wondered whether it has to consult Congress and 10, Janpath (residence of Sonia Gandhi) for auspicious dates to take any initiative. It should be left to its wisdom to decide things relating to its jurisdiction, he said.
editorial@tribune.com

Suhail A Shah

Bijbehara, January 7

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday publicly apologised for the toffee remark she had made while heading the coalition government and also clarified that she did not visit the kin of militants on her own but had been invited by the families themselves.

Mehbooba was addressing party workers at her father Mufti Muhammad Sayeeds grave in Bijbehara town of Anantnag district.

During her address, the former CM implied that the 2016 unrest following Burhan Wanis killing was orchestrated and young boys were pushed by people with vested interests towards Army camps and police stations, where these kids faced pellets and bullets.

Were they not the same kids who used to participate in my rallies? Was I not supposed to feel the pain? Am I not a mother? Mothers even slap and curse their kids when they take the wrong path. And that is what I had done back then, Mehbooba said, referring to her toffee comment in 2016.

Back then in a presser with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Mehbooba was asked about civilian killings and she had responded by saying, Had these (slain) kids gone to buy milk or toffees from the Army camp,

Today, the statement is being held against me. But tell me, was I not supposed to feel the pain of losing young boys? she asked and then apologised for the remark.

She said if any one felt hurt by her remarks made by, a mother in rage, I apologise for it today.

The former CM has also faced sharp criticism recently from political parties and from Hizb commander Riyaz Naikoo for visiting families of some militants in south Kashmir. In an audiotape, released on Sunday, Naikoo could be heard urging militant families to not allow Mehbooba to enter their homes.

Mehbooba in her address on Monday, cleared the air on the recent development. A family came to me and narrated how their daughter was detained in Jammu for four days, just because her brother was a militant. Two more former CMs (Farooq and Omar) live close to where I live but the family came to me. What was I supposed to do? she asked.

She said though she had offered to call the DGP, the family wanted her to visit them to send out a message across the Kashmir valley.

In a subtle reference to Naikoos statement, Mehbooba said she would not visit any militant families if any of my children or brothers is hurt by my visits. However, she said, her doors would always remain open for any Kashmiri who is in dire straits.

Later in her interaction with mediapersons, Mehbooba reiterated that PM Narendra Modi had wasted the mandate given by people. Modi used to say he will follow in the footsteps of Vajpayee (Atal Bihari) vis-a-vis the Kashmir issue. But, unfortunately, he wasted the huge mandate across the country in general and Kashmir in particular.

Mehbooba, facing an uphill task of keeping the PDP together as many of her senior party members havejoined other parties, called such people power hungry. These are the same people who went to Nagpur and offered unconditional support when my father left this world. These are power hungry people and anything better cannot be expected from them, she said.

Raising her pitch during the speech, she invited youth to join her party. The wind has come and taken the dust along. The party is stronger than ever. I urge youth to come forward and join us.
editorial@tribune.com

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 7

Peoples Democratic Party patron and Member of Parliament Muzaffar Hussain Baig on Monday admitted that the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led coalition regime was toppled under a conspiracy in 2008 and the PDP had made a suicidal mistake by ending its relations with the Congress.

He was of view that the PDP would have won at least 50 seats during the 2014 Assembly elections if the party had not made such a mistake in 2008.

In its political journey of less than 20 years, the PDP has faced many ups and downs. The decision to come out of the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Congress-PDP government in 2008 was a suicidal mistake for us. The Azad-led government fell because of our mistake. He was removed under a conspiracy.It caused a huge political loss to the PDP, Baig said while addressing party workers after paying tributes to the PDP founder and former Chief Minister late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his third death anniversary here.

Had our relations with the Congress not soured in 2008, there would have been no NC-Congress government in 2009 and in 2014 too, we would have had our own government by winning 50 seats. One mistake is enough to change history, the PDP MP said.

Without naming former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, Baig took a dig at him, saying, We thought the BJP will give us funds for development but unfortunately the person who I employed as an assistant was made the Finance Minister and given responsibility to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We also made a mistake by bringing Tassaduq Mufti into politics. The MLC seat must be given to a party leader from Jammu who deserves it.

Earlier, Baig, while reacting to queries over senior leaders quitting the PDP, admitted that his party was passing through a difficult phase. We made some mistakes that resulted in anger among workers and leaders and they started leaving us. But there are leaders who quit the party even after enjoying power and remaining in ministries for two or three terms. This is political opportunism, Baig said.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7

Haryana is all set to develop and expand all its five airports in the state in a bid to encash on the spillover from Delhi given the boom in the aviation sector.

Sources said the Civil Aviation Department had planned expansion of the Pinjore, Karnal, Hisar, Narnaul and Bhiwani airports to meet the growing need for parking and maintenance of aircraft, providing an operation base and logistics support.

The government is especially eyeing non-scheduled air operations (NSOPs) by permit-holders, who are paying through their nose for the same facilities at the Delhi airport, which is beginning to show signs of stress.

To begin with, all five airstrips of the state-owned airports are being expanded to 5,000 feet against the present 3,000 to 3,500 feet and are being equipped with night-landing facilities. Not wanting to miss the opportunity given by the shrinking parking space at the Delhi airport, the Haryana airports will have hangers as well.

The sources said the state government was already being approached for parking spaces in Bhiwani and Narnaul by permit-holders, who were being gradually driven out of Delhi and were being charged heavily for the services. Haryana, having the advantage of being contiguous to Delhi that has one of the biggest airports in the country, wants to make the most of the chance on offer.

Ashok Sangwan, adviser, Civil Aviation, Haryana, said the expansion plan had been the consequence of a growing demand from the operators who were struggling for space in Delhi. There is a boom in the civil aviation sector and space in Delhi is limited. The state government has decided to exploit the available infrastructure to facilitate operators, said Sangwan.

Expansion work at various airports is at different stages. While the length of the Bhiwani airstrip is being stretched from 3,500 to 4,000 feet, a new hanger is being made at Narnaul. Three hangers are near completion in Hisar.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Government has also scheduled a meeting with stakeholder of NSOPs in Delhi on January 9 for consultation for flights from Hisar to other selected airports with the offer of viability gap funding.
sanjiv@tribunemail.com

FOR over a year, Parliament has been unable to comply with the Supreme Courts directions to pass a law that outlaws instant talaq or triple talaq. With a day to go for Parliament to step into recess, the government seems unusually determined to get the law passed despite many of the fence-sitters now joining the doubters in questioning the Bills penal provisions. During the Lok Sabha debate, AIADMK and BJD wanted the Bill to be referred to a joint committee. And now JD (U), too, has said it will vote against the Bill because the issue requires wider consultation. The Bill seems to be taking the same trajectory as the Sabarimala issue.

In both cases, it is settled that personal law cannot be privileged over fundamental laws. But the State  the Centre in case of talaq-e-biddat and Kerala in the Sabarimala controversy  has consciously eschewed interlocution and mediation as if the purpose is not only to correct social wrongs, but also in the process put down a custom or an unequal tradition. The Centre has accommodated some of the reservations by making the offence compoundable (amicable settlement) and conditionally cognisable  only if the woman or her blood relations file a police complaint.

Aside from the fact that a marital wrong should not lead to prosecution and imprisonment, especially in view of the preponderance of women-first legislations, the logic does not add up. If the law declares instant triple talaq invalid, then the marriage is not dissolved. In that case, it is contradictory to punish a man for something that did not take place. The government says the need for an ordinance and then the haste in pushing through the Bill is because the practice has not stopped since the Supreme Court judgment in September 2017. That is too short a span of time to arrive at a conclusion, while the reasoning itself underlines the requirement for wide consultations with community leaders to ensure that a genuine stab at social reform does not fall prey to political one-upmanship.
monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Islamabad, January 8

American-Sikh communities have urged the Pakistan government to make sure that the Kartarpur Sahib Complex (KSC) is maintained in its original state.

The American Sikh Council (ASC) in a statement on Monday said: "Any structural changes and/or additions to accommodate upcoming huge visitors either coming from India, Pakistan or the Sikh diaspora living across globe by lodging to restrooms and more must be done at a distance, away from the main KSC so that the Kartarpur Sahib original farms, natural areas spread around 100 acres of land that belonged to Guru Sahibji, and the forest areas around the River Ravi can retain as much of its originality as possible.

"This needs to be preserved in its original landscape for posterity." The appeal was made in the background of recent development where both Pakistani and Indian governments agreed to open up the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikhs to visit the place where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent 18.5 years of his life as a farmer, husband, father while spreading the word of love, humanism, universal sisterhood and brotherhood.

Gurdas Singh, ASC president, and Gurinder Pal Singh, Sikh in America (SIA) president, told Dawn news via phone that the Pakistani government might change the original archeological and cultural structure and lawns of the complex.

Gurinder Pal Singh said they feared that in the name of development sometimes original and historical architecture were not being taken care of by contractors.

"Such efforts must be and should be kept at bay without compromising original structure spread across 100 acres," he told Dawn.

He said Sikhs everywhere yearned to visit Kartarpur and see the fields that their "Guru" tilled with his own hands, the place where he lived, the trees he sat under and feel and touch their forehead on the same dusty soil that their Guru walked on! Both ASC and SIA Presidents thanked the Pakistani government for opening the Kartarpur Corridor and taking "proactive step towards peace and amity of two people (Indian Punjab and Pakistani Punjab) who have so much in common, from language to food, from Punjabi poetry to clothes and so much more".

Kartarpur Sahib can be called the first Gurdwara which was established in 1521.

IANS
Manoj Joshi

Manoj Joshi

Strategic affairs expert

WE need to take a balanced view of Chinese President Xi Jinpings order to the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to continue strengthening its combat capabilities and be always ready for battle. This is the kind of message that leaders all over the world are expected to give to their militaries, so it should not be taken to mean that the PLA is about to embark on a new wave of aggressive behaviour.

In his speech, Xi did emphasise that China faced unprecedented risks and challenges and so Chinas armed forces needed deeper preparation for war and combat to ensure an effective and efficient response in times of emergency.

Though probably aimed elsewhere, there is a message there for the Indian military, which confronts China across a 4,000-km disputed border and is learning to cope with the PLA Navy movements across the Indian Ocean. Since the Doklam episode in 2017, the land border has been more active than ever; in the past year, there have been reports of the PLA upgrading its posture across its length.

Xis remarks came two days after he raised the temperature on Taiwan by calling for peaceful reunification, while asserting that his government made no promise to renounce the use of force in relation to the issue. The Taiwan contingency remains the premier focus of the PLAs deployments, followed by the South China Sea. On both accounts, it must contend with the fact that its premier adversary is the US, by far the much stronger power in the western Pacific.

Overall, the message seems to be that the PLA needs to double down on reform and restructuring that began in 2013. This is more so when Beijing is confronting an unprecedented political challenge from the US, which has now categorically designated China as a strategic challenger. Technology has emerged as a major area of this rivalry and the US is convinced that China has been systematically working to acquire western technology through acquisitions, forced transfers and thefts to gain strategic advantage.

The threat of an all-out war between, say, the US and China, or India and China is remote. But what is real is the jockeying for advantage in which both sides worry that emerging technologies could provide the other with some as yet unknown battle-winning edge. However, as of now, the PLA is still in the midst of its restructuring and reform process that has led to considerable disruption through its reduction of numbers, as well as reorganisation into theatre commands.

For obvious reasons, the PLA is emphasising the reform of military education and training to accompany the acquisition of new equipment. The PLAs joint operations research and experimentation has revealed weakness in its military training institutes, joint proficiency of its officer cadre, joint training, doctrine and tactics and logistics, and command structures, all of which are being addressed in the current reform.

The key thrust of the reform process has been jointness. Over the years, the PLA has been moving from coordinated joint operations to integrated joint operations. It took a major step under the 2013 reforms, with the creation of theatre commands and the establishment of joint headquarters to create optimal joint operational capability.

The foundation of integrated joint operations lies in developing an effective system of systems capability. This, in essence, is the fusing of various components-weapons, equipment, units beyond their individual capacity to provide synergy. At the heart of this lies the development of integrated command, control, communications, computer intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) structure which will not just link the systems and forces, but also enhance their joint operational capacity.

The PLAs Strategic Support Force (PLASSF), set up on December 31, 2015, has sought to integrate capabilities in space, cyberspace and the electro-magnetic spectrum into the PLAs combat arms. Its goal is to meet the PLAs military strategic guidelines of being ready to fight and win informationised wars.

The SSF has been involved since 2016 in the PLAs key annual Stride exercises. But, say observers, it is still some way from developing its fifth generation of operational regulations (the previous set was issued in 1999) that will guide its operations in space and the cyber domains.

The shift of the PLA from being a continental force to one capable of integrated joint operations within Chinas borders and without could easily span a generation. Clearly, at present their capabilities remain far behind those of advanced countries like the US and Japan. In that sense, Xis injunctions and those of the PLA Daily are by way of being exhortations to do better. Under Xi, the deadlines have been advanced. In the 19th Party Congress, Xi announced that modernisation of the PLA would be complete by 2035. Earlier, the third stage of the plan was for it to be completed by 2049. However as Xi himself noted, the PLA is not likely to become a world- class military till the mid-century. The US will remain the dominant global military power for the foreseeable future and can look after itself.

The big questions are for India, which has failed to push through any significant reform and reorganisation in its defence system. The political leadership seems to be uninterested in it. Meanwhile, its component force (Army, Navy, Air Force) leaders periodically boast about capabilities they dont have and so, we are simply not ready for the new generation of warfare.

Distinguished Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 7

Less than six months after Deshraj Singh was held guilty in a bribery case by the Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court, the 2008-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer today moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a stay on his conviction.

The application for the stay was placed before the Bench of Justice Daya Chaudhary. Taking up the matter, Justice Chaudhary adjourned the hearing on the plea, without issuing a notice to the premier investigating agency. Deshraj was awarded three years in the case.

His appeal in the matter was heard and admitted by Justice Chaudhary in August last year. Justice Chaudhary had asserted that the fine slapped by the court below had already been deposited by the appellant with the trial court.

It was added that the sentence imposed upon him, too, had also been suspended by the trial court vide an order dated August 10, 2018, up to October 10, 2018. The same shall remain suspended during the pendency of this appeal on his furnishing fresh bail/surety bonds to the satisfaction of the trial court, Justice Chaudhary had added.

The CBI had registered an FIR against the petitioner, Deshraj Singh, Superintendent of Police (City) on a written complaint filed by Anokh Singh, SHO of the Sector 26 police station.

The complainant had alleged that a departmental inquiry was ordered against him by the Senior Superintendent of Police on the basis of a report by the petitioner in connection with a case for dereliction of duty, insubordination and not informing senior officers about crime. It was also alleged by the complainant that he was not at fault.

It was alleged that the petitioner called the complainant on his mobile and asked him to come to his residence. As the complainant reached the petitioners house, he discussed the functioning of the complainants police station and demanded money for not harassing him and for helping him in the inquiry by deposing in his favour.

IPS officer was awarded 3 yrs in bribe case

The application for the stay was placed before the Bench of Justice Daya Chaudhary. Taking up the matter, Justice Chaudhary adjourned the hearing on the plea, without issuing a notice to the premier investigating agency. IPS officer Deshraj was awarded three years in the case.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Mohali, January 7

The much-awaited direct flight between Chandigarh and Sikh pilgrimage Sachkhand Hazoor Sahib in Nanded will start tomorrow.

For the maiden flight of Air India, which will take off at 9.10 am tomorrow from the Chandigarh international airport, all tickets in the 162-seater aircraft have been sold.

Confirming the development, MR Jindal, Air India airport manager, said, We are getting an encouraging response for the flight. Most of the tickets for Wednesdays flight have also been sold.

Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra, Member of Parliament from Anandpur Sahib, who is also going to Hazoor Sahib on the flight with senior Akali leaders, including Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema and Jathedar Tota Singh, said with the start of the flight, a long-pending demand of Punjab people had been met. We are thankful to Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu for this, said Chandumajra.

The flight will operate twice a week, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The flight will take off at 9.10 am from Chandigarh and reach its destination at 11.30 am. From Nanded, it will depart at 12.05 pm and arrive here at 2.20 pm.

Tomorrow, a religious ceremony, including kirtan and ardas, will be held at the airport before the take-off.

Flight schedule
rchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, January 8

The government has allowed an Iranian bank to open a branch in Mumbai, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday after a meeting with Irans Foreign Minister Md Javad Zarif here.

Irans Bank Pasargad will open its branch within the next three months.

Gadkari said, The Government of India has already given permission to Iran to open a bank branch in Mumbai. They are going to open a branch in Mumbai in three months. That will be used for transactions.

Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari termed his meeting with Iranian Minister on Chabahar Port fruitful.

We had detailed discussions...Our meeting was very fruitful and we have resolved a lot of issues, Gadkari said.

India has placed USD 85 million machinery order for Chabahar, which is a port on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, and is Irans southernmost city.

We have had a good discussion with the minister (Md Javad Zarif). The first ship from Brazil has already been received at Chabahar...The financial arrangement is ready. There were some problems, but we have resolved the issues, Gadkari said.

Proposals on barter system between the two nations can also be considered, Gadkari said.

He said the Iranian minister had given many proposals.

They need steel, particularly real steel and locomotive engines, and they are ready to supply urea, he said.

India could provide steel rails to Iran and the Persian Gulf nation could provide urea to India, he added. PTI
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Isaac Avilucea is The Trentonians main municipal scribe. A two-time prior restraint winner and testicular cancer survivor, he relishes his reputation as the "Mean Girls" reporter that followed his 18-day stay at the now-defunct North Adams Transcript.
Brand New Shoes Are Washing Up on Beaches Around the Atlantic
George's species fell victim to cannibal snails introduced to combat African snails, one of Earth's worst invasive species

George the snail has died. George was the last known member of his species, the Oahu Treesnail (Achatinella apexfulva).

George was born in a University of Hawaii laboratory, the only survivor of attempts to propagate the species in captivity. Although Treesnails are hermaphrodites, having both male and female sexual organs, people refer to George as a "he" to align with his name, which commemorates the Pinta Island Galapagos tortoise, Lonesome George, also the last of its species.

He lived at a facility of the Hawaiian Department of Land & Natural Resources (DLNR), where he was a popular educator for a generation of children learning about the threats to land snails and the snail extinction prevention program operated by DLNR.

He made it 14 years, to new year's day 2019, before "shuffling off his mortal coil". In George's case, the term popularized by Shakespeare seems particularly appropriate, thanks to the yellow and chestnut whorls spiraling up the shell of the Oahu Treesnail. When the snails proliferated in the lower elevations of the Koolau Mountains on Oahu, natives used the beautiful shells for lei decoration.

George's tragic snail tale is but one in an epic saga of environmental devastation visited upon snails on the Hawaiian Islands, where it is estimated that 90% of species diversity has been lost. Biologists blame habitat destruction, especially by pigs, goats, and deer (all of which are introduced species on the islands) and snail cannibalism. Specifically, the native tree snails have fallen prey to the "cannibal snail" aka the rosy wolfsnail (Euglandina rosea).

Ironically, the rosy wolfsnail was brought into Hawaii on purpose in 1955, in hopes that they would eat the troublesome African land snail, Achatina fulica, itself an invasive species, now listed as the second worst invasive alien species by the Global Invasive Species Database.

Now, hopes to save what is left of the native land snails of Hawaii rests on another new notion: the use of CRISPR gene editing tools could be used to combat the invasive cannibal snails. If the program can succeed to eliminate the threat, there is a chance that the Oahu Treesnail could once again decorate the flora and leis of the Hawaiian islands. A piece of George's foot has been saved in the San Diego frozen zoo, as a potential source for cells to clone the species once that technology matures.

Until then, RIP George. RIP Achatinella apexfulva.
World Tourism Day 2019 will be celebrated on September 27 under the theme/slogan of HISTORY AND TOURISM! A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP ! announced today a communique form the President Office of European Council on Tourism and Trade and European Tourism Academy.



(TRAVPR.COM) BELGIUM - January 8th, 2019 - Cambodia and Djibouti have won the honor to be global examples in the tourism and cultural world for 2019, according to a string of key decisions for tourism and culture future in 2019 taken by the global tourism institutions.

The main issues debated where the selection of the 2019 host cities for World Tourism Day, and the announcement of official theme of the next year tourism celebration for European Tourism Academy and European Council on Tourism and Trade.

This theme will be instrumental also in the selection of new candidates for hosting world tourism awards ceremonies in 2019.

Phnom Penh, the capital of Kingdom of Cambodia and Djibouti city, the capital of The Republic of Djibouti were selected as the official model cities for World Tourism Day celebrations and official hosts of global tourism events.

Both Djibouti and Phnom Penh where in previous years selected as World`s Capital of Culture and Tourism and globally recognized as centers of heritage, tourism and culture.

The city of Phnom Penh has also obtained WORLD`S BEST TOURIST DESTINATION status in 2016 and hosted the World Tourism Awards ceremonies the same year establishing himself as a powerful tourism and cultural center of Indochina.

On the venue of the same event the WORLD TOURISM DAY 2019 theme was decided to be History and Tourism: A symbiotic relation!

The theme is destined not only to enliven tourism during 2019, but also to emphasize that tourism is inextricably linked with historical legacy.

History is the main attraction that is creating tourism demand and visitors expectation is linked with the existence of historical and cultural heritage.

Tourism must also be organized in such a manner to not impede conservation efforts, to support raising awareness on historical monuments and to help to acquire the financial support necessary for historical preservation activities.

Tourism and history are inseparable, are growing from the same tree: the sapling of culture and civilization.

History is the root of tourism development and tourism must feed and nurture historical preservation as leaves are feeding the tree said Professor Dr. Anton Caragea-global tourism president.

The next year celebration for World Tourism Day will take place in 27 September 2019, placing under the spotlight the culture and civilization as an integral part of tourism growth and role in the sustainable development goals agenda.

The European Council on Tourism and Trade was established as the voice of global tourism and culture for European nations and has gradually evolved since 2005 in the main driver of world tourism development.

It is focused on member countries politics and statal agenda in terms of tourism and trade and produces strategies, research and studies on tourism and cultural development implemented worldwide.

Its membership includes state actors, private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

###
Woman recovering after struck by car outside KC restaurant KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police are searching for the driver who injured a woman outside TikiTaco early Sunday morning. According to a police report, the car struck the woman Sunday just after 3 a.m. The victim, Kaitlynn Conner, suffered spinal injuries and faces months of physical therapy.

Scary video emerged this morning revealing. . . Here's an even better story about the recovery of this very nice lady who helps to serve the absolute best churros in all of Kansas City:
Carjacking suspect shot by police facing charges KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A carjacking suspect who was shot by Kansas City police after trying to grab an officer's gun on Sunday morning is facing charges. James Bullock, 32, of Kansas City, was charged with attempted first-degree robbery, attempted stealing and resisting arrest, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office said Monday.

Follow-up deets on the case reveal he had attacked three peoplebefore he was shot.Read more:
Kansas City Homicides In 2018 There were more than 200 homicides in the Kansas City metro area in 2018. That's a big number, but it also constitutes a 10% drop from the previous year's count. What the numbers tell us and what they miss when it comes to homicide, plus insights into what we ought to pay more attention to when we talk about violent crime in our communities.

Here's local government propaganda spouted by "activists" paid by City Hall and working to promote mostly pointless anti-violence efforts.Police stats from last year also reflect more property and car crime and along with a spike in shooting report from just about every social media outlet in town.Here's the official word that is mostly unchallenged by "journalists" who think they're safe in the suburbs. Read more:
KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - Kansas City police responded to a shooting where one was shot in the leg. Monday night at 6:05, Kansas City police responded to 114th street and Montgall Avenue on a non-life-threatening shooting. Police say that the victim was shot in the leg. Copyright 2019 KCTV (Meredith Corp.)
TKC READERS STAND UP: MAKE YOUR PREDICTIONS ON WINNERS AND LOSERS OF THE SHUT DOWN?!?!?

Check In The Mail???

Despite 70,000 Furloughed IRS Workers, White House Vows Refunds Will Be Issued subscribe to NPR Politics Podcast podcast One of the agencies affected by the partial government shutdown - now in its third week - is the Internal Revenue Service. While many taxpayers may not feel this is a great loss, they'll still have to pay their taxes - and it's created a good deal of uncertainty for everyone planning to file their tax returns in the coming months.

Kansas Solidarity

Kansas Rep. Watkins not accepting salary during shutdown TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins is not accepting his congressional salary until the federal government fully reopens. Watkins spokesman Jim Joice said Monday that the freshman Republican congressman began refusing his salary when he was sworn into office last week. Watkins and most members of Congress are paid $174,000 a year.

High Stakes Game

The effects of the shutdown are only going to get exponentially worse as the fight drags on The government shutdown is now in day 17 and shows no sign of ending. The shutdown is already having an effect on government agencies, including closures and delays. But as the shutdown drags on, the effects will only get worse.

Historic Talk Announced

Hard Times For Po'Folk

Millions could lose food assistance if shutdown drags on Millions of low-income Americans could have a harder time affording food if the partial government shutdown continues into February.

Rock Chalk Talking Points

As Government Shutdown Continues, Kansas Republicans Blame Democrats On what threatens to become the longest government shutdown in history, Kansas Republican representatives tend to agree - Democrats are to blame. It's the third week of the shutdown, which came after Democrats and Republicans in the Senate failed to reach an agreement on a spending bill that would allocate $5 billion for a border wall.

The Waiting Game

Government shutdown becomes the third-longest ever. Here's where things stand Alex Edelman | AFP | Getty Images President Donald Trump said he was prepared to continue the partial government shutdown for " months or even years" - and as the closure drags into its third week, he's getting closer to making good on that threat.

Little to no progress today on a shut down that's increasingly worrying Kansas City workers.More to the point and because we've got a better post on the topic coming up soon . . .In the meantime, we're sharing local and national news links on the topic:Developing . . .
An inmate at Lansing Correctional Facility reportedly escaped Monday and is still on the run. Dept. of Corrections officials told KCTV5 they were searching for 36-year-old Cal Henry Green III. They say he has a long criminal record, including convictions for theft, burglary, forgery, and aggravated battery.
Update 1/19/2019 7:00pm PT: We learned more at Intel's official unveiling of the new Optane Memory H10 SSDs. We've updated the article below.

Intel's speedy Optane storage products just received a face-lift. The new Optane Memory H10 model boosts overall storage capacity by pairing the speedy 3D XPoint memory with a dollop of QLC flash. That means there will soon be Optane-powered SSDs that reach up to 1TB of capacity.

As you can see in the image above, the M.2 SSD features both a QLC flash and an Optane memory package on a single PCB. The new drives use the fast Optane storage to accelerate frequently-accessed data held on the more spacious QLC flash, meaning these M.2 drives will come in one slim package with higher capacities than the previous-gen M.2 Intel SSD 800p.

The 800p SSDs only come in capacities of 58GB and 118GB and are significantly more expensive than typical flash-based SSDs. Intel's new H10 drives will still command a premium due to the pricey Optane memory, but the less-expensive QLC flash means you get much more storage capacity for your dollar.

Optane SSD 800p Optane Memory H10 (QLC - Optane) Capacity 58 / 118 GB 1TB - 32GB / 512GB - 32GB / 256GB - 16GB

The new Optane Memory H10 drives include two models with either 1TB or 512GB of QLC flash paired with 32GB of Optane memory. Intel also has a low-capacity model that combines 256GB of QLC storage with 16GB of Optane memory.

Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3

The H10 is essentially an 32GB Optane memory caching drive and an Intel 660p QLC SSD crammed onto a single board. As such, the drive has a custom Intel controller for the Optane memory and a separate SMI controller for the QLC flash.

Each controller has its own PCIe 3.0 x2 pathway into the M.2 socket, and Intel's RST (Rapid Storage Technology) combines the two drives together. As a result, the drive is limited to the speed of a single PCIe 3.0 x2 connection. That will limit performance for large transfers, but you retain the speed and latency of Optane during random workloads.

The Optane memory is transparent to the operating system, so the drives only expose the QLC flash portion of the SSD to the user. As such, a drive with 1TB of QLC flash and 32GB of Optane memory appears as a 1TB drive.

Most enthusiasts use the smaller Optane SSD 800p drives to hold their operating system while storing bulk data, like games, pictures, and videos, on a secondary drive. That tactic isn't as effective in the notebook space, largely because most lightweight devices don't come with connections for a secondary drive.

The new drives will certainly open up new opportunities for notebook users, and for Intel. The new drives will debut in Q2 in OEM systems from Dell, Lenovo, HP, Acer, Asus, and others. Intel is leading with drives for several OEM laptops, which will come to market in Q2 2019, but hasn't committed to bringing retail models to shelves. The H10 requires a motherboard that supports PCIe bifurcation, which means motherboard vendors would have to commit to releasing new BIOS revisions that support the feature.

Intel hasn't released performance specifications. QLC SSDs tend to be pretty snappy, but regular Optane drives are faster. Overall performance of the combined drives will not be as impressive as a "pure" Optane SSD, but intelligent caching should make the drive faster than flash-based SSDs.

Intel hasn't released specifics, but the Optane Memory H10 SSDs have a higher endurance rating than a standard QLC SSD and are backed by a five-year warranty.
Update 1/13/2019: Added pricing information. We have in-depth coverage of pricing here.

Original article:

Intel held its CES 2019 keynote here in Las Vegas and announced that it would soon release new 9th-Generation processors that span from the Core i3 to the Core i9 families. Curiously, the company didn't announce the models or specifications during its keynote.

The company's post-keynote press release lists the new Core i5-9400, and shortly thereafter, we found the new Intel Core i9-9900KF, Core i7-9700KF, Core i5-9600KF, Core i5-9400F, and Core i3-9350KF listed on the company's official site.

These processors surfaced in listings at Norwegian and Finnish retailers in late December, tipping us off that Intel had a new line of 9th-Gen Core products coming to market. Several of these new models lack the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU, as denoted by an "F" suffix on the product name. The Core i5-9400 stands as the only new locked model. These chips come packing the same 14nm process and Coffee Lake microarchitecture as their other 9th-Generation counterparts.

Cores / Threads Base / Boost Freq. (GHz) Integrated Graphics Memory Support Cache TDP RCP Core i9-9900K 8 / 16 3.6 / 5.0 UHD 630 DDR4-2666 16MB 95W $488 Core i9-9900KF 8 / 16 3.6 / 5.0 No DDR4-2666 16MB 95W $488 Core i7-9700K 8 / 8 3.6 / 4.9 UHD 630 DDR4-2666 12MB 95W $374 Core i7-9700KF 8 / 8 3.6 / 4.9 No DDR4-2666 12MB 95W $374 Core i5-9600K 6 / 6 3.7 / 4.6 UHD 630 DDR4-2666 9MB 95W $262 Core i5-9600KF 6 / 6 3.7 / 4.6 No DDR4-2666 9MB 95W $262 Core i5-9400 6 / 6 2.9 / 4.1 UHD 630 DDR4-2666 9MB 65W $182 Core i5-9400F 6 / 6 2.9 / 4.1 No DDR4-2666 9MB 65W $182 Core i3-9350KF 4 / 4 4.0 / 4.6 No DDR4-2400 8MB 91W $173 Core i3-8100F 4 / 4 3.6 / - No DDR4-2400 6MB 65W $117

The incredibly complex chip manufacturing process isn't perfect, so many processors come off the production line with defects. Intel can simply disable cores on a chip, instead selling it as a lower-end model, if a defect lands in a core. It stands to reason, then, that selling chips without integrated graphics would allow Intel to sell chips with defects in the graphics units. That would certainly help as Intel grapples with an ongoing shortage of 14nm manufacturing capacity. It is unlikely that these new chips come with a die that lacks integrated graphics, largely due to the expense of designing and fabricating an entirely new die. We've reached out to Intel for more information.

Deactivating the GPU has other benefits, too. The disabled unit could also serve as 'dark silicon,' which is unused silicon that absorbs heat from surrounding chip structures, thus improving thermal performance. That could open up more headroom for longer boost duration or higher overclocking capability. Or, more likely, it will allow enthusiasts to buy a new chip without integrated graphics at a lower price point than the full-featured models.

Aside from the $182 Core i5-9400F, Intel's newest listings do not include pricing, so we'll have to wait until the products come to retail to learn if there is a price reduction associated with the removal of the integrated graphics units. Aside from the deactivated (or removed) graphics units, the Core i9-990KF, i9-9700KF, and i5-9600KF all feature the same core counts, threads, base and boost frequencies, TDPs, and cache allocations of the existing "non-F" models.

Intel also brought its new Core i5-9400 to bear. This new processor features six cores and threads and operates at a 2.9 GHz base frequency that jumps up to 4.1 GHz on a single core. Unlike the "F" models, this processor comes with the integrated UHD Graphics 630 engine. It also features a 65W TDP, meaning this processor serves as the replacement for the popular Core i5-8400, but it comes with an extra 100 MHz of base and boost clock overhead. This model, as identified by the lack of a "K" suffix, isn't overclockable. The Core i5-9400F is identical but lacks integrated graphics.

The Core i3-9350K comes with four cores and threads. This processor operates at a 4.0 GHz base clock rate and boosts to 4.6 GHz on a single core. Aside from the lack of integrated graphics, this chip differs from the others with its lower DDR4-2400 support, but relatively high 91W TDP. This chip obviously fills the role of the previous-gen Core i3-8350K, but it appears that Intel has no plans to launch an equivalent with integrated graphics.

The Core i3-8100F slots in at the bottom of the stack with four cores and threads, a static 3.6 GHz frequency, and 6MB of L3 cache.

Intel lists the processors as available in the first quarter of 2019 but hasn't provided a firm release date.
Chinese smartphone and accessory maker Xiaomi is close to unveiling new wireless earbuds that look nearly identical to Apple's AirPods.

(Image credit: Xiaomi)

Dubbed AirDots Pro, the new earbuds come with designs nearly identical to the AirPods, including a Bluetooth-friendly carrying case that doubles as a charger to keep the AirDots charged. The AirDots themselves have a white finish and connect wirelessly to your phone. According to MacRumors, which earlier reported on the AirDots Pro, they come with four hours of battery life out of the box, and the case adds another 10 hours of charge.

Xiaomi is expected to host a press event on Jan. 11. The company will likely unveil the AirDots Pro there and provide details on availability.

Xiaomi has long been criticized for making devices that look somewhat similar to those offered by Apple and others. Xiaomi has claimed that its designs are actually better than those offered by Apple. The company has never said that it takes cues from Apple's designs specifically, and instead designs products on its own with no concern for other companies.

MORE: Xiaomi Trolls Apple With $30 AirDots

Indeed, some boosters could argue that the Xiaomi earbuds deliver some improvements over what you could get from Apple's AirPods. For instance, they come with silicone tips that should improve sound isolation. And with active noise canceling built-in, you should enjoy a solid audio experience all around.

Arguably the most important AirDots Pro feature, however, is its price. At 399 yuan ($60), they'll be significantly cheaper than the $159 AirPods, despite offering the same features and similar design.

The AirDots Pro come just a couple of months after Xiaomi unveiled the AirDots. Those earbuds are smaller than the AirDots Pro and AirPods ,and don't come with a stem at the bottom. They're also cheaper at about 199 yuan ($30).
LAS VEGASHere at CES, Samsung's biggest announcements revolved around its massive modular TV and integration with iTunes, but the company also rolled out some new smart home appliances, all with Bixby, its voice assistant embedded inside.



Smarter Laundry

(Image credit: Caitlin McGarry/Tom's Guide)

Samsung's smart front-load washer and dryer (both equipped with Bixby) can recommend the best wash and drying cycles for your load, taking into account its size, colors, and amount of dirt. You can use Bixby to start and stop the cycles, and can also schedule for a preferred time. You'll get notifications when the cycles are done, and you can set the dryer to automatically start when the washer finishes. Plus, Bixby can monitor the devices' energy usage to help you track your environmental impact. However, LG's lineup of smart washers and dryers that work with the more popular (and capable) Alexa and Google Assistant might hold a greater appeal to consumers.



Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

MORE: Great Gadgets for Home Cooks

Family Board

(Image credit: Caitlin McGarry/Tom's Guide)

Samsung also announced the "family board," an update for its Family Hub Refrigerator. It's a communal screen upon which everyone in your family can place photos, stickers, and virtual post-it notes. You can even doodle right on the screen, if you happen to be bored and near your fridge. There's also a screensaver that can display more photos, or information such as the day's weather. It's just like your mom's magnet-laden refrigerator but, you know, digital.



Bixby is also built into the Family Hub refrigerator, as well as Samsung's smart TVs. At CES, the company stressed that its voice assistant would make using smart appliances even easier, as its AI could be used to automate more tasks. However, given the lead that Alexa and Google Assistant have both in terms of smarts and devices, it's hard to see Bixby catching up in the near future.
If you're in the market for a streaming service that doesn't come from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon or any other major company, there might be a new player coming soon.

(Image credit: Screenshot by Tom's Guide)

Plex, which has earned its accolades by delivering some of the more popular media management services in the industry, is now looking to get into premium content streaming, TechCrunch reported after interviewing Plex executives, including CEO Keith Valory. Those executives say Plex is currently in talks with content providers to see how it could provide free, ad-supported movies to the platform.

Plex offers a central repository for storing all of your multimedia content in one place. Best of all, the content is readily accessible on a slew of platforms, thanks to Plex bringing its app to just about every major device in the wild.

Moving into premium content would be a new phase for Plex, but not necessarily unprecedented. The company has already signed a deal with streaming audio company Tidal to sell bundled subscriptions to both Tidal and Plex's own Plex Pass subscription. The idea is to provide another option for streaming content through the service. And for Tidal, it's a way to capitalize on Plex's growing user base.

MORE: Plex Live TV Works, But It Could Be Better

Indeed, the sales pitch to content providers in the movie and television industries might be similar. It would be difficult for Plex to get access to the top Hollywood films using an ad-based system, but it could get access to plenty of solid content. For Hollywood, it's another place to make a few bucks on content that might not otherwise generate much revenue.

But aside from ad-based content, Plex is also talking with rights providers about the possibility of offering their content and subscriptions through Plex, similar to what it's done with Tidal. The company envisions a way for Plex users to access streaming services from a host of providers and create their own bundles of content. Plex would be the platform through which people subscribe and stream the content, according to TechCrunch's sources.

Looking ahead, it's unclear exactly when Plex might be able to start offering those video services. However, the company hopes to get at least some options in front of users in 2019.
Las Vegas - Panasonic has finally shown off its latest flagship TV, revealing the Panasonic GZ2000 OLED, a set that comes with a number of worlds firsts.





The big thing here is Panasonics dedication to HDR. Not only does the TV have HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR (a world's first on a television), it also comes with HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) Photo support.

HLG Photo was recently announced for the Panasonic Lumix G1 full-frame mirrorless range, so this tech is something that may well bring in the photography crowd.

The Panasonic GZ2000 OLED also has voice assistant support and comes packing Panasonics most powerful TV chip, the HCX PRO Intelligent processor.

Audio-wise, theres another worlds-first, in the form of its upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers. To do this, it uses multiple speaker units to produce an immersive spherical soundstage with Dolby Atmos content.

Given Atmos is all about the space above your head, this is a decent move by Panasonic and hopefully puts to bed the TV speakers are always rubbish talk.

The speakers have also been tuned by Technics JENO Engine technology, making use of the companys turntable brand.

MORE: LG Rollable TV First Hands-on: This is Beyond Amazing

Panasonic also revealed that the Panasonic GZ2000 has the Hollywood seal of approval, with Tron Legacy director (and helmer of the upcoming Top Gun sequel) Joseph Kosinski announcing that he currently using the OLED in his fancy production setup.



Its also enlisted the help of Stefan Sonnenfeld whos done the color grading for the likes of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Wonder Woman and Man of Steel. Currently, Panasonic OLED screens are also being used in his daily workflow.

Panasonic is calling this its most complete TV ever with Yasushi Murayama, head of Panasonics European TV business, noting: Thanks to our customized Professional Edition OLED panel and our most powerful processor ever, together with the uncompromising sound combination of Tuned by Technics and Dolby Atmos, the GZ2000 is the most complete television we have ever made.

Panasonic also unveiled two new 4K Blu-ray players at its press conference. The Panasonic DP-UB150 and the DP-UB450 are Dolby Vision compatible, while the more expensive DP-UB450 also has HDR10+ functionality.
LAS VEGAS  Theres nothing quite like taking a big bite of a juicy, medium-rare burger. And as Im savoring every bite of my favorite restaurants flavor bomb of a burger (Emily in Brooklyn, in case youre curious), Im never thinking: Im contributing to the destruction of the environment? As a former vegetarian, I know the effects that our societal reliance on beef has had on our health and our land. But I cant go back to sad soy patties.

Could you tell the difference?

Border Grill's Impossible Burger is artfully messy, like all good burgers are.

The Cost of Cutting Back

Impossible Burger 2.0 isnt exactly cheap. Burgers made with the new recipe will be available in well-known restaurants nationwide by March, including Danny Bowiens Mission Chinese Food in New York City, Michael Symons Ohio-based B Spot burger restaurants and Chris Cosentinos Cockscomb in San Francisco.

At Hopdoddy in Scottsdale, Ariz., the Impossible Burger (using the original recipe) goes for $12.25. A classic burger made of Angus beef with the same basic toppings costs just $7.25. Eating responsibly has a high price tag.



But youll soon be able to buy Impossible Burger by the pound in grocery stores, so you wont need to dine at high-end restaurants to try it. It doesnt shrink when cooked, so you get more bang for your buck than buying traditional ground beef. And as Impossible Foods scales its production of Impossible Burger, the price will come down, Lipman said. For now, Impossible Foods is focused on convincing carnivores that faux meat can taste just as good without any of the guilt.

For a meat-eater to like a veggie burger, youre going to have to use some technology, Lipman said.

Mission accomplished.




LAS VEGASGoogle Assistant's translation feature just got a huge upgrade. The voice assistant is now capable of understanding spoken words and speaking the translation in one of 27 languages. I had a chance to try out this feature, and was suitably impressed with its accuracy.

Google's interpretation feature is currently rolling out to all Google Home devices, and will soon make its way to third-party smart speakers with Google Assistant. It's not yet available for smartphones, but the company said that was next on the list. If you're using a smart display, such as the Google Home Hub, the words you speak will appear onscreen, along with their translation.

MORE: Best Google Home Commands - Things That Google Assistant Can Do

I spoke in Italian with a concierge who was speaking English, as well as a Google representative who was speaking German. The translation isn't quite simultaneous; after I spoke a phrase, there was a pause of a little less than a second before Google would speak the translated sentence. The other person then had to wait for a chime before they could speak their response. It made the conversation feel a little jagged, but it worked well enough.

Other languages that Google recognizes include Spanish and Mandarin. However, Google Assistant has some rough edges. For example, if you don't speak with the proper inflection, it will have trouble translating  as a colleague discovered when he tried saying "donde esta el bano." Also, when I said, "My name is Michael Prospero" in Italian, the Assistant translated my first name as Michelle.

Those issues aside, the voice interpretation for Google Assistant is a powerful feature, and something that will make it useful when traveling overseas  especially when it comes to smartphones. It's also a huge advantage over Amazon Alexa, and could help swing more people over to Google's Assistant.



Update: Here are the languages that Google can translate: Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.



Credit: Mike Prospero/Tom's Guide
Google may be expanding the powers of its digital assistant for home devices and automotive accessories, but it hasn't forgotten about the smartphone. New features unveiled at CES in Las Vegas this week will let you access Google Assistant from your phone's lock screen, check into flights with your voice and more easily send text messages.

(Image credit: Google)

There's a common thread to the new phone-focused features coming to the Google Assistant, and it's consistent with other improvements Google's making to its digital helper. Google says it's looking to save users time by letting them do things more efficiently.

Use Assistant from the lock screen

That certainly seems to be the motivation behind the change likely to impact the most users  the ability to access the assistant without having to first unlock your phone. That extends functionality from Google's Pixel phones to the larger Android ecosystem, a Google rep told me, with any Android device capable of running Assistant being able to take advantage of the new feature.

MORE: The 39 Best Things Google Assistant Can Do

You'll need to go into your phone's settings to turn on the ability to use the Assistant from your lock screen. (And you may decide to get that capability disabled for security reasons.) Once you do, you'll be able to set alarms, schedule reminders, check your calendar and other tasks you previously had to unlock your phone to access.

Checking into flights, booking rooms

Another time-saver coming to Google Assistant will be the ability to check into an upcoming flight with the virtual assistant's help. Google says the service rolls out to phones in the next few days, with United Airlines offering the feature first for domestic flights. Google expects other airlines to add support for the feature, too.

Saying "Google, check into my flight" will do the trick, presumably if you've got the flight stored on your calendar. You won't need to recite a confirmation number, and Google will even prompt you through the process of checking your bags.

In a related move, Google Assistant will also be able to book hotel rooms for you. Initial partners for that service include Choice Hotels, AccorHotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Priceline, Mirai and Travelclick.

New features for messaging

Google's also making changes to how Google Assistant handles messaging. In a change that will be welcomed by grammar sticklers, the assistant now auto-punctuates text messages you dictate  a feature that will be available to both iOS and Android users.

If you're an Android user, you'll see the biggest changes to messaging via the assistant, which can now read and reply to all messaging notifications you get. On Android, Assistant will work with SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, Hangouts, Viber, Telegram, Android Messages and others, though Google cautions that functionality will vary by service.

That ability to read out and reply to texts will come in handy now that you can access Google Assistant from the Google Maps app, hopefully reducing the risk of distracted driving. Since Google Maps already calculates your estimated time of arrival when you're driving, the Assistant now lets you text that arrival time to others, at least if you're using an Android device.

Google Keep gets Assistant support

Google is also adding assistant support for Google Keep, Any.do, Bring and Todoist so that you can manage notes and lists using the virtual assistant.

Working with the Assistant

Most of the features Google continues to add to its digital assistant are made possible by the search giant's ongoing work with machine learning, as it looks for ways to improve the assistant's understanding of natural language. In a demo here at CES today, Behshad Behzadi, the Distinguished Assistant for Google Assistant, explained that one of the challenges Google tries to tackle is acknowledging that there are different ways to ask for the same and information, and that the assistant needs to understand all of them. Asking "What's the weather like today?" should produce the same response as "Do I need a raincoat?" for example.

When you make a request, the Google Assistant must not only understand the language you're using and your speech, but it also has to recognize the intent of what you're asking and the context. And for the most part, it's up to the task. In his demo, Behzadi asked the assistant how tall Khloe Kardashian was and how tall her boyfriend was too. The assistant was able to recognize the compound question, look up the height of the aforementioned Kardashian and also figure out she's currently dating Tristan Thompson.

For more Google Assistant-related tips, tricks, and how-tos, check out our complete guide to Google Assistant.
[January 08, 2019] Razer HyperSense to Champion Next-Level Tactile Gaming Immersion by Powering an Ecosystem of Haptic Devices

( CES (News - Alert) 2019) - Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, announced Razer HyperSense, an ecosystem of interconnected haptic-powered gaming devices designed to deliver a cohesive and high-fidelity haptics experience for superior gaming immersion. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006109/en/ Razer HyperSense Ecosystem (Graphic: Business Wire) Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan said: "We are finally able to feel what we see and hear all around using the gaming arena, sensing the hiss of enemy fire or feeling the full bass of a monster's growl. Much like Razer Chroma where we have demonstrated the power of a connected lighting system across gaming devices, Razer HyperSense syncs gaming devices equipped with high-fidelity haptic motors to enhance immersion in gaming." How Razer HyperSense Works: Razer HyperSense takes advantage of each device's position in a traditional PC gaming setup to provide powerful 360-degree tactile feedback and immersion that allows gamers to feel explosions on their right, enemies approaching from behind or an incoming attack from the front. It features advanced haptic technologies developed by Lofelt, SUBPAC and others. Out of the box, Razer HyperSense intelligently triggers devices to provide high-fidelity feedback based on positional audio or specific sound cues like the impact of a hammer, firing of a rocket launcher or the blowing of a gust of wind from the left to the right. This combination of both environmental audio cues and more immediate sounds around an in-game character will provide complete 360-degree immersion. Like Razer Chroma, Razer HyperSense is capable of a more distinct and powerful immersive experience via game developer integrations which tie specific game events, audio queues and game mechanics to high-definition haptics capable of reproducing a wider variety of vibrations than conventional haptic devices for natural and lifelike feedback. Razer is currently working with game developers for deeper integration with the technology. Interested parties can contact: hypersensedeveloper@razer.com "Razer HyperSense has tons of potential to increase immersion in gaming," said Tim Willits, Studio Director at id Software. "I recently tried the Razer Nari Ulimate, and the added layer of tactile feedback to positional sound made me feel even more engaged and aware of my surroundings. I can't wait to try an entire ecosystem of haptic enabled devices working together to bring to life the world and action of video games."



A preview of Razer HyperSense can be experienced at CES 2019, delivered also with positional audio powered by THX Spatial Audio. The setup will include the Razer Nari Ultimate, the first wireless gaming headset from Razer to feature Razer HyperSense as well as a mouse and wrist wrest with haptics by Lofelt and a chair with haptics by SUBPAC. For more information on Razer HyperSense at CES 2019 please visit:

www.razer.com/Razer-hypersense-ces

For more information about the Razer Nari Ultimate and Razer HyperSense, please visit:

www.razer.com/gaming-audio/razer-nari-ultimate

www.razer.com/nari-ultimate-hypersense Video: http://rzr.to/FeelEveryBattle ABOUT RAZER Razer is the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers. The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world's largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services. Razer's award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals, Blade gaming laptops and the acclaimed Razer Phone (News - Alert) . Razer's software platform, with over 50 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher). In services, Razer Gold is one of the world's largest virtual credit services for gamers. Razer Pay is the e-wallet designed for youth and millennials, and Razer Game Store is the only games download store that offers rewards for gamers. Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer has 15 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337). ABOUT LOFELT Lofelt is pioneering natural haptics for immersive user experiences in consumer devices. The company develops intelligent software and wideband haptic actuators that raise the standard for high-definition haptic feedback. Its latest product, Lofelt Wave, uses advanced digital signal processing to transform audio into high-resolution haptic signals in real time, delivering realistic tactile sensations in headphones, smartphones, laptops, gaming controllers and AR/VR/XR headsets. Founded in 2014 in Berlin, Germany, Lofelt launched the Basslet haptic wearable for immersive music listening in 2016. The company has raised $6.7M in funding to this date, including investment from Horizons Ventures (investors in N26, Skype (News - Alert) , Slack, Improbable, Teralytics and Zoom). Learn more at lofelt.com. ABOUT SUBPAC Since 2013, SUBPAC has been the global leader in high-fidelity tactile audio technology for music, gaming, automotive and media; transforming traditional audio content into multi-sensory physical experiences. Beyond haptics, SUBPAC's proprietary customizable hardware and software platform enables creators to unlock the power of bass frequencies and optimize their content for a deeper audience connection. With offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal and London, SUBPAC is powered by a team of key investors including Timbaland, Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony, Playground Global and Faurecia. Visit www.subpac.com for more information. Razer - For Gamers. By Gamers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006109/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Leidos to Provide Research Support Services for the Naval Health Research Center

RESTON, Va., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science and technology leader, was awarded a contract by the Naval Medical Logistics Command to provide research support services at its Naval Health Research Center (NHRC). The single award, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a one-year base period of performance, four one-year options, and a potential value of approximately $57.7 million if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in San Diego. NHRC optimizes the operational health and readiness of military members by conducting innovative research. Leidos will develop and execute data analysis and related population health research on the effects of deployments and career experiences on the overall physical and mental health of service members and their families. Research will focus on the long-term effects of military service such as: identifying specific risk factors for retention and readiness; reproductive health effects; the physical and mental health effects of current and former service members and their families; post-traumatic stress disorder, biological markers related to traumatic brain injury; and other deployment health-related concerns. Leidos experts will apply their expertise epidemiology, psychology, medicine, and data science to provide scientific and research support for survey and database studies across the full research cycle. "Research programs like this allow Leidos to form important and lasting partnerships with our customers so that we can work together to analyze and address complex problems," said Leidos Health Group President, Jon Scholl. "This important award will allow Leidos to provide the technical expertise to help ensure the mission readiness and wellbeing of our military members and their families." NHRC has been designated the Department of Defense Deployment Health Research Center since 1999. About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500 information technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $10.17 billion for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2017. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com. Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 29, 2017, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.







Contact: Melissa Koskovich Erin Tindell

(571) 526-6850 (571) 526-6996

Koskovichm@Leidos.com tindelle@leidos.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leidos-to-provide-research-support-services-for-the-naval-health-research-center-300774627.html SOURCE Leidos

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[January 08, 2019] CIVITAS INVESTOR ALERT by the Former Attorney General of Louisiana: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates Adequacy of Price and Process in Proposed Sale of Civitas Solutions, Inc. - CIVI

Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Civitas Solutions, Inc. ("Civitas") (NYSE: CIVI) to funds advised by Centerbridge Partners, L.P. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Civitas will receive only $17.75 in cash for each share of Civitas that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company. If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-civi/ to learn more.



To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006046/en/

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[January 08, 2019] SPARTON INVESTOR ALERT by the Former Attorney General of Louisiana: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates Adequacy of Price and Process in Proposed Sale of Sparton Corporation - SPA

Former Attorney General of Louisiana Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq. and the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") are investigating the proposed sale of Sparton Corporation ("Sparton") (NYSE: SPA) to an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. Under the terms of the proposed transaction, shareholders of Sparton will receive only $18.50 in cash for each share of Sparton that they own. KSF is seeking to determine whether this consideration and the process that led to it are adequate, or whether the consideration undervalues the Company. If you believe that this transaction undervalues the Company and/or if you would like to discuss your legal rights regarding the proposed sale, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-ail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis S. Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) toll free at any time at 855-768-1857, or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-spa/ to learn more.



To learn more about KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General, visit www.ksfcounsel.com. Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200

New Orleans, LA 70163

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006041/en/

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[January 08, 2019] LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE ALERT: Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In Aphria Inc. To Contact The Firm

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, reminds investors in Aphria Inc. ("Aphria" or the "Company") (NYSE:APHA) of the February 4, 2019 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. If you invested in Aphria stock or options between July 17, 2018 and December 4, 2018 and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here: www.faruqilaw.com/APHA. There is no cost or obligation to you. You can also contact us by calling Richard Gonnello toll free at 877-247-4292 or at 212-983-9330 or by sending an e-mail to rgonnello@faruqilaw.com. The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all those who purchased Aphria securities between July 17, 2018 and December 4, 2018 (the "Class Period"). The case, Jakobsen v. Aphria, Inc. et al., No. 18-cv-1137 was filed on December 5, 2018.



The lawsuit focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by failing to disclose to investors: (1) that the Latin American assets acquired by the Company lacked adequate licenses to operate and were overvalued; and (2) that the acquisition of the Latin American assets would enrich the Company's CEO and other insiders at the expense of shareholders. Specifically, on December 3, 2018, Quintessential Capital Management and Hindenburg Research published a report alleging, among other things, that the Company's recent acquisitions in Latin America were part of a series of transactions designed to enrich Company insiders and that these acquisitions lacked established operations and/or licenses to operate in the cannabis industry.

Following the publication of this report, Aphria's share price fell from $6.05 per share on December 3, 2018 to a closing price of $4.51 on December 4, 2018-a $1.54 or a 25.44% drop. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Aphria's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006039/en/

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[January 08, 2019]

San Diego welcomes tech entrepreneurs to its 2019 Smart & Safe Cities Initiative

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Energized by San Diego's emergence as a startup tech hub, a coalition of public and private entities has joined forces to create a startup accelerator competition that's expected to attract dozens of entrepreneurial entrants hailing from Southern and Northern California and beyond.

Presented by the City of San Diego as part of its Smart & Safe Cities Initiative, this virtual accelerator program from one of the global Blockchain technology leaders, ConsenSys, has been dubbed SmartCityEDU. Launched in early December, the program continues through late March, culminating with the first International Smart & Sae Cities Conference, March 21-22, 2019 at the University of San Diego.







Designed as an open invitation to startups, early-phase companies and aspiring entrepreneurs, SmartCityEDU is designed to be a showcase for the latest cybersecurity solutions, Internet of Things, and Smart City products and services based on Blockchain technology.

Initially launched in late 2016, San Diego's Smart & Safe Cities Initiative is a broad public-private collaboration of more than 1,000 technologists and entrepreneurs. The initiative's prime objectives are to improve the region's energy independence, empower consumers to use electric vehicles, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage economic growth.

In addition to the City of San Diego, the event's lead presenters are CyberTECH, a San Diego-based coalition of startup and early-stage tech companies and entrepreneurs; and ConsenSys. Additional support comes from SDG&E, Cooley LLP, UC San Diego, Cal State San Marcos, San Diego Workforce Partnership, and Getaround.

CyberTECH contact:

Darin Andersen, CEO/Founder

CyberTECH

619-341-4086  darin@cyberhivesandiego.org

Media contact:

John Freeman

Point PR Communications

619-274-2779  john@pointpr1.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/san-diego-welcomes-tech-entrepreneurs-to-its-2019-smart--safe-cities-initiative-300775088.html

SOURCE CyberTECH
[January 08, 2019] Chicory and MilkPEP Partner to Release Shoppable Digital Milk Aisle

We love to celebrate how much easier online grocery shopping has made our lives. But the art of standing in the aisle and choosing our favorite brand, or discovering a new one because of a fun label (the fun part of grocery shopping) has been lost with all of tech's latest automations. Enter: The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP)-a national board funded by the nation's milk companies to promote the consumption of fluid milk-and Chicory-the New York City-based grocery tech company. In partnership with Campbell Ewald and Arc Worldwide, Chicory and MilkPEP announced today that they have joined forces to stimulate ecommerce growth of dairy milk using a first-to-market digital milk aisle experience. How it works: 1. First, MilkPEP is utilizing Chicory's Premium in-recipe ads to promote milk to recipe viewers in their network of over 1,000 influencer food sites. Any time a consumer views a recipe containing "milk," an ad saying "shop now!" will appear. Shoppable ads will either promote online shopping at Meijer or AmazonFresh and will roll out to additional retailers following the test. 2. With a click, the user will land on an interstitial digital milk aisle page. The page will list all of the real milk products and brands available in the user's area, at the featured retailer. 3. Once the user selects their preferred product, the item will be automatically added into the user's digital cart. To make this partnership possible, Chicory worked with Campbell Ewald, the lead strategic agency and Arc Worldwide the shopper agencyat milk's defense. MilkPEP's mission is to transform how people think about dairy milk in an age of energy drinks and plant-based alternatives



"The opportunities for digital aisle tech are huge," said Chicory CEO Yuni Sameshima. "We have had a lot of interest from trade boards, here at Chicory, but we needed to find a way to offer equal visibility to all of the brands that were members of those boards--so with MilkPEP, there are many, many members of their board, all who deserve equal ecommerce support. The digital aisle gives the consumer a good look at all of their options and allows boards like MilkPEP to equitably represent all of their partners." The innovative ecommerce initiative is the latest by the NYC-based startup, following the success with their shoppable recipe platform (used by brands like Campbell's, General Mills, and Avocados from Mexico) and shoppable in-recipe ads for various CPG brands. MilkPEP is the first client to take advantage of the digital aisle tech.

About Chicory Chicory is a technology company based in New York City that uses artificial intelligence to create digital grocery experiences. In 2014, Chicory launched its core product, the "Get Ingredients" button, which allows consumers to get to online recipe ingredients delivered from various grocers and retailers. Within two years, Chicory added over 1,000 recipe partners and became the largest shoppable recipe network in the country. They launched an advertising platform in 2016, leveraging their network to help food brands reach consumers who are in-market for grocery and CPG products. Today, Chicory reaches approximately 80 million unique monthly users and has partnered with companies like Peapod, Time, Inc., and General Mills International to lay the groundwork for the future of grocery. To learn more, please visit https://chicory.co/. About MilkPEP The Milk Processor (News - Alert) Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation's milk companies and dedicated to educating consumers and increasing the consumption of fluid milk. MilkPEP activities are led by a 20-member board and monitored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. About Campbell Ewald Campbell Ewald is a U.S.-based full service, fully integrated advertising and marketing communications agency. The agency provides both traditional and specialized capabilities including advertising; insights and strategic planning; creative development; integrated content strategy and creation; CRM; media planning and buying; in-house production; and analytics. With offices in Detroit, Los Angeles and New York, Campbell Ewald has been recognized as one of Metropolitan Detroit's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For and one of the top 10 agencies in North America by the Warc 100. Campbell Ewald's work on behalf of clients has been honored by, among others, the Cannes International Advertising Festival, the Effies, the One Show, the AAF Mosaic Awards, the ECHO Awards and ADWEEK. About Arc Worldwide: Arc Worldwide is a shopper activation agency that creates meaningful and irresistible solutions to drive conversion by eliminating shopper resistance. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005982/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Guardian Portfolio Company, Hyper Pet Continues Rapid Growth, Merger with R2P Pet is Official

Guardian Capital Partners, a private investment firm located in suburban Philadelphia, continues to support the growth of portfolio company Hyper Pet LLC and strategic investments. For over 35 years, Hyper Pet LLC has been an award-winning pet product design powerhouse, best known for innovating pet toys and interactive accessories that strengthen bonds and excite both pets and their owners alike. Its broad and deep range of dog toy experience, high quality product offerings, and strong reputation for innovation and customer service has made Hyper Pet one of the fastest growing pet product brands in the industry today. Since Tim Blurton was named CEO of Hyper Pet in September 2016, the company has acquired several leading pet product brands including Aussie Naturals, Outback Jack and Wild Eats. Last summer, the company celebrated the grand opening of its brand new, 100,000-square-foot warehousing campus and corporate headquarters expansion in Wichita, Kansas. And, just a few weeks ago, Hyper Pet announced a pending merger with OurPet's Company, a leading proprietary pet supply company. Continuing this positive momentum, on January 3, 2019 Hyper Pet announced a new merger has been finalized with R2P Pet. R2P Pet is committed to making durable, high quality, and affordable products for dogs and cats. With leadig brands such as Ultra Paws, Mad Cat, Mega Mutt, The Zany Bunch, Mega Chewz, ChewShoes, Stuft, and more, R2P Pet offers a broad assortment of toys, beds, apparel, leashes, collars, and accessories that enhance the lifestyles of pets and their families. R2P Pet products are distributed in over 30 countries worldwide with corporate offices in the US, Canada, and Hong Kong and the company as a whole is known for its extremely strong development, design, and sourcing capabilities. The leadership of both companies will remain with the combined entity in this merger, providing an even stronger focus on growth opportunities and accelerating innovation with the goal of providing the very best service to pet owners and retail partners.



"Once again, we have another very exciting acquisition that will lead to tremendous new opportunities and growth here at Hyper Pet," Blurton said. "We were very impressed by R2P Pet's brands and quality product lines, as well as its focus on design and innovation. Now with R2P Pet's team coming together with Hyper Pet, we have created a highly capable, agile, and robust business ready to bring significant impacts and positive changes within the pet industry." Nick Yerton, CEO of R2P Pet who will head up New Product Development and the sales side of the combined business as President and Chief Revenue Officer added, "We have always admired Hyper Pet. It is an innovative company that has a well-earned reputation for great products and excellent customer service. In looking to grow, our primary goal was to find a company with complementary strengths and a talented team. This merger with Hyper Pet allows us to achieve that goal."

The combination of these companies will allow for significantly enhanced product development, operations, sales, and customer service. With an industry leading team, the combined company now will be an even better supplier to its retail partners and deliver a superior experience to the pet parent. Peter Haabestad, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Guardian Capital Partners, the private equity sponsor leading the ownership group of Hyper Pet added, "We have admired these businesses for some time and are now delighted to bring these innovative companies and leading brands under the Hyper Pet umbrella." The law firm DLA Piper advised Hyper Pet and Guardian. CIBC and their Pittsburgh-based team provided senior financing and Centerfield Capital Partners provided additional financing and minority equity. For more information about the transaction, contact Peter Haabestad at (610) - 263-0103 or phaabestad@guardiancp.com. About Guardian Capital Partners (www.Guardiancp.com) Guardian Capital Partners is a private equity firm based in suburban Philadelphia that invests in lower middle market consumer products, niche manufacturing and specialty service companies. Guardian partners with management teams to provide equity capital to fuel the growth of family-owned businesses. The private equity experience and complementary skill sets of the Guardian team provide a unique combination of operating and finance capabilities resulting in certainty of execution and meaningful long-term value creation for its portfolio companies. Guardian Capital Partners is a Pennsylvania based investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Market conditions can vary over time and past fund performance does not guarantee future fund results. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005970/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Federal Court Rules Broward Sheriff Jail Captain Must Face Justice in the Case Filed by Zachary Cruz, Case Moves Forward to Trial









WHAT: The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida has ruled that Zachary Cruz's lawsuit against the Broward County Sheriff's Office can move forward, substantiating Cruz's claims of 14th amendment violations and false imprisonment. According to the lawsuit, Cruz, the younger brother of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz, was targeted, harassed, and tortured by Broward authorities. Following an arrest for skateboarding on school property and posting the required $25 bail, Cruz's bond was unreasonably reset to an excessive $500,000. Cruz was illegally held after posting his $25 bond without just cause. Broward County officials then engaged in a campaign of intimidation and torture once he was in the Broward main jail facility, including the use of a restraint vest 24-hours per day and sleep deprivation tactics such as guards repeatedly waking him at all hours and the use of 24-hour intense lighting. Federal Courts have now agreed that Cruz's lawsuit plausibly alleges that Broward County Officials', notably Captain Sherea Green's, decision to detain Plaintiff following his posting of bond amounted to more than mere negligence. The court has also stated that the decision by Captain Green and her subordinates to continue Cruz's detention following his posting of bond, as alleged by Cruz and implicitly conceded by Captain Green, was intentional, and therefore rose above the "mere negligence" required to maintain a claim for deliberate indifference to Plaintiff's right to be released. The original lawsuit was funded in May of 2018 by Nexus Services Inc., a leading provider of services and resources to help detained persons; and filed by Nexus Derechos Humanos Attorneys, Inc., a pro bono civil-rights law firm committed to holding public officials accountable. WHEN: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 WHO: Zachary Cruz, Plaintiff Mike Donovan, President and CEO, Nexus Services Inc. WHERE: Broward County Justice Center 555 SE 1st Ave Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Nexus Derechos Humanos Attorneys, Inc. is a pro bono civil-rights law firm committed to holding public officials accountable for placing money or politics above the lives of human beings, protecting due-process rights to be free from government coercion and demanding justice and enforcement of hard-won civil rights. http://www.ndhlawyers.com/ Nexus Services, Inc. is a leading provider of immigrant bail securitization and electronic monitoring. The organization funds Nexus Derechos Humanos Attorneys, Inc. as a part of its corporate giving to increase access to justice for disadvantaged people across the United States. http://www.nexushelps.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005950/en/

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[January 08, 2019] PanaCast 3 - World's First Intelligent Panoramic Video Collaboration Device with Three 13 Megapixel Cameras - Debuts at CES 2019

Altia Systems, creators of PanaCast 2, the world's first 180 Panoramic-4K Plug-and-Play video camera system, today announced the introduction of PanaCast 3, the world's first intelligent panoramic video system with ~40 Megapixels capacity for today's generation of distributed teams. PanaCast 3 integrates three 13-megapixel cameras, stereo microphones and advanced software to deliver 100% video coverage, 100% audio capture and 100% data sensing. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005935/en/ PanaCast 3 (Photo: Business Wire) The portable, easy-to-use system made its formal debut at Pepcom's Digital Experience event and will be demonstrated at CES 2019 at Booth MP25677 in South Hall 2 of the Las Vegas Convention Center. PanaCast 3 easily mounts on top of any digital display or on a wall with available mounting hardware. The USB-C connection allows connection to any compatible device or display for instant setup and mobile meeting capability. PanaCast 3 is compatible with all of today's leading collaboration software providers, including Microsoft Teams, Skype, Zoom, Cisco (News - Alert) WebEx, Slack, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, join.me and more. "From huddle rooms to Fortune 500 board rooms and auditoriums, PanaCast 3 provides the ultimate video collaboration experience to help teams communicate better, build trust and accelerate business," said Aurangzeb Khan, President and CEO of Altia Systems. "In addition to enhanced video and audio performance, the PanaCast 3 system provides accurate AI data, which is critical for companies to improve participants' experience autonomously, automate workflows, and generate data lakes of valid information." Launching at an unprecedented industry price point of $895, PanaCast 3 uses three 13-megapixel cameras working as one via the PanaCast Vision Processor (News - Alert) to capture the entire room on video, a digital signal processor and two omnidirectional microphones with 40% better separation for enhanced audio and an advanced multi-sensor AI array that has built-in capabilities to detect people. PanaCast 3 delivers crystal clear video over a 180-degree field of view at Panoramic-4K resolution (3840x1080), without the distortion of ultra-wide angle or fisheye lens cameras. PanaCast 3 lets users include all team members in their conversations and utilize every seat in their rooms or collaboration spaces, with lossless zoom up to 6x and real-time video stitching just 18 inches from the camera. Representing an outstanding value, PanaCast 3 is the company's first model to come standard wih Intelligent Zoom, which autonomously adjusts the field of view to include everyone in the conversation, and the PanaCast API, which enables developers and partners to query the system for real-time information, such as people count data. PanaCast Vivid, which maximizes video performance from rooms with widely varying light conditions, will also be delivered at no additional cost for PanaCast 3 customers in an upcoming release. Intelligent Zoom, PanaCast Vivid and PanaCast API are part of PanaCast's Intelligent Vision 2.0 suite of edge AI software products for the PanaCast line of camera systems.



According to Altia Systems Director of Engineering, Yashket Gupta, "PanaCast 3's leading-edge cameras and microphones, fourth-generation stitching technology and Intelligent Vision software work as one to ensure optimal performance. Now any room, no matter the size or number of participants, can be used to video conference with wall-to-wall coverage in Panoramic-4K video." In addition to the real-time video enhancing features of Intelligent Vision, PanaCast 3's built-in people detection technologies enable system-wide data analytics by capturing accurate usage and occupancy information that can be used to automate workflows. "As AV and IT become more and more integrated, the need for accurate data and metrics increases," Khan added. "Our customers value the fact that - in addition to top-tier video and audio - we uniquely provide wall-to-wall data coverage, making PanaCast the ideal device for modern video communications."

To deliver the most accurate data, Altia Systems partnered with Intel to develop Advanced People Detection and Counting technology, and provides data free of cost via the PanaCast API, or with built-in capabilities in the latest version of the PanaCast Vision app. The AI software utilizes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to count the number of people on camera, up to 40 feet away, and provide searchable data which organizations can use to inform decisions on calendar management, room utilization and resource management, or to automate facility assets such as TV monitors, lights, videoconferencing equipment and more. The CNN inference engine is highly optimized for Intel Core processor-based PCs and the Panoramic-4K video of PanaCast cameras. The technology is available through the PanaCast API built for the Windows operating system and can be used for large areas like classrooms, auditoriums and general gatherings. "The PanaCast 3 system proves that, in the world of video conferencing, every inch and every pixel counts," Gupta said. "By developing the latest camera technologies and a super-optimized multi-camera array, we have improved every aspect of video capture and performance, cutting the minimum stitching distance in half, doubling the zoom capability and increasing the native capture resolution by 300 percent. It extends the unique value proposition of PanaCast, while retaining simple Plug-and-Play operation to eliminate costly set up and training." More than 1,600 companies have already chosen PanaCast as their video collaboration technology solution, including Uber, which last year deployed more than 850 PanaCast cameras in huddle rooms and conference rooms to connect employees in hundreds of offices around the world. See https://www.panacast.com/customer-stories/ for more information. PanaCast 2, now widely deployed with Fortune 2000 companies and global corporations, continues forward and will receive ongoing enhancements in future updates, for example, with the fourth-generation stitching technology which will be integrated in an upcoming firmware release. Concurrent with this launch, PanaCast 2 price is being reduced to $795. To set up a meeting at CES in the South Hall meeting room, email marketing@altiasystems.com. For a hi-res image, click here. About Altia Systems Altia Systems is a venture-backed company based in Cupertino, CA (News - Alert) ., and is the creator of the PanaCast systems and Intelligent Vision software products. Funded by Intel Capital and other leading investors, Altia Systems' PanaCast solutions deliver real-time 180 Panoramic-4K, Panoramic-5K and 4K 3D video streams from integrated, synchronized and optimized multi-camera arrays. PanaCast systems and Intelligent Vision (artificial intelligence) software products are used by more than 1,600 companies worldwide, including 200+ universities, for video collaboration, education, AR/VR, live broadcasting and machine learning for autonomous systems. PanaCast system devices are designed and assembled in the U.S. and have received prestigious awards such as CES Innovation Awards Honoree, Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation, GOOD DESIGN award, Gartner (News - Alert) Cool Vendor in Unified Communications, and more. For more information and the latest updates, visit www.panacast.com and follow @PanaCast1 via Twitter (News - Alert) . View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005935/en/

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[January 08, 2019] MaxLinear G.hn Technology Powers Comtrend Home-Networking Devices Selected by Chunghwa Telecom to Deliver Advanced FTTx Services Across Taiwan

CES (News - Alert) - MaxLinear Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for the connected home, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications, and Comtrend (News - Alert) , a leading designer and manufacturer of broadband communication equipment, have announced that Chunghwa Telecom has selected their G.hn home-networking solutions to deliver gigabit-class service to their FTTx subscribers in Taiwan. Chunghwa Telecom (News - Alert) selected Comtrend's GCA-6000, a G.hn Ethernet over Coax Adapter and PG-9173, a G.hn Ethernet over Powerline Adapter. Both adapter solutions are powered by MaxLinear's 88LX3142 and 88LX2718 G.hn ICs. By leveraging existing coaxial cables and powerlines, Chunghwa Telecom ensures that FTTx subscribers can enjoy their gigabit service at home, avoiding the performance problems associated with a congested wireless spectrum and the expensive truck rolls required to install Ethernet cables. "Our GCA-6000 G.hn Ethernet over Coax Adapter and PG-9173 G.hn Ethernet over Powerline Adapter are optimized to meet the needs of broadband service providers that need guaranteed gigabit performance in their customers' homes," said Leon Lin, Vice President of Business Development for Comtrend. "By using MaxLinear's G.hn platform, we ensure we meet our customer requirements today, while having the flexibility to adapt to new requirements (such as cloud-based AR, VR or 8K video) in the future." "For years Comtrend and MaxLinear engineers have worked together to build extremely successful G.hn solutions for the carrier market," said Will Torgerson, Vice President & General Manager of the MaxLinear Broadband Group. "We are confident that Chunghwa Telecom's deployment of the Comtrend GCA-6000 and PG-9173 will continue this trend." About Comtrend Comtrend, with more than 25 years of experience, has become one of the leading global providers of advanced networking solutions. Comtrend designs, manufactures, and markets a wide range of networking equipment and software. Service providers, VARs, businesses and consumers look to Comtrend for broadband gateways, as well as the latest Wi-Fi, Power-line, Coax and surveillance technologies. Comtrend remains committed to industry standards like G.hn for home networking, as well as interoperability and market-leading performance. People in businesses and homes around the world trust Comtrend to make their technology easier and more dependable. For more information, inclding Comtrend's full lineup of networking solutions, please visit https://www.comtrend.com.



About Chunghwa Telecom Chunghwa Telecom (TAIEX 2412, NYSE: CHT) is Taiwan's largest integrated telecommunications services company that provides fixed-line, mobile, broadband, and internet services. The Company also provides information and communication technology services to corporate customers and is expanding its cloud computing services and IoT smart platform solutions. In recent years, Chunghwa has been actively involved in corporate social responsibility and has won domestic and international awards and recognition. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.cht.com.tw.

About MaxLinear, Inc. MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE:MXL) is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits for the connected home, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. For more information, please visit www.maxlinear.com. MxL and the MaxLinear logo are trademarks of MaxLinear, Inc. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners. Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance, anticipated product performance and functionality, or trends and growth opportunities affecting MaxLinear, in particular statements relating to MaxLinear's announcement of the selection of its G.hn technology for deployment in Taiwan by Chunghwa Telecom. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot predict whether or to what extent such new technology will affect our future revenues or financial performance. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may contain words such as "will be," "will," "expected," "anticipate," "continue," or similar expressions and include the assumptions that underlie such statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: intense competition in our industry and product markets; risks relating to the development, testing, and commercial introduction of new products and product functionalities; the ability of our customers to cancel or reduce orders; uncertainties concerning how end user markets for our products will develop; our lack of long-term supply contracts and dependence on limited sources of supply; potential decreases in average selling prices for our products; and the potential for intellectual property litigation, which is prevalent in our industry. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in MaxLinear's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including risks and uncertainties identified in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. MaxLinear is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005906/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Exari Named A CLM Leader In Latest Research By Top Analyst Firm

BOSTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Exari, the leading provider of enterprise-class contract management software, today announced that it has been recognized as a Leader in The Forrester Wave: Contract Lifecycle Management For All Contracts, Q1 2019. According to the report, written by Andrew Bartels, "Exari focuses on contract data to differentiate" and received the highest possible score of 5.0 in 17 of the 30 evaluation criteria, including Contract Importing and Tagging, Contract Repository, Contract Approval, Contract Process Management, and Integration. In particular, Exari's vendor profile states "[Exari] has become a leader in AI-enabled importing and disaggregating contracts into constituent parts, using a contract data model that allows deeper analytics of a company's overall contract portfolio." In the Wave report, Forrester explains that "The CLM market is growing because more contract managers and legal and finance professionals use CLM to address the challenges of creating, managing, and getting the best business results from their contracts." Sadly, most contract management solutions fail to deliver on all the aspects needed to support a global organization. Only companies like Exari can provide solutions to help them organize their legal documents and gain insight into their portfolios to reduce risk and increase revenue. "This is, in our opinion, validation of Exari's long held strategy of providing unparalleled contract visibility by turning documents into data," said Bill Hewitt, CEO at Exari. "Today, we delive a complete CLM solution powered by the world's most powerful AI-driven data extraction engine. By pairing that technology with our proprietary Universal Contract Model, only Exari can deliver a complete, cost-effective solution for any contract, anywhere, anytime."



The Exari platform is uniquely suited to providing business value at every stage of a contact's lifecycle, from contract drafting to operationalizing contract data to driving efficiencies. Its unparalleled technological depth provides users with the ability to: Efficiently create compliant contracts with patented authoring technology, complete with approval workflows, version controls, and audit tracking;

Organize all contracts within one centralized, searchable repository;

Bulk import legacy contracts and metadata into repository with AI-powered data extraction;

Maintain fingertip access to prevailing terms via intelligent contract hierarchy structuring;

Ensure contractual compliance with comprehensive and easily customizable automated alerts and reminders;

Gain valuable portfolio-wide insights with 25+ standard reports and ad hoc report creation capabilities to analyze contract data. To better understand how Exari can help you automate your contracting and operationalize your portfolio, download your complimentary copy of The Forrester Wave today!

Source

The Forrester Wave: Contract Lifecycle Management For All Contracts, Q1 2019, Forrester Research, Inc., January 8, 2019 About Exari

Exari allows enterprises to create, store, analyze, and automate every contract with one, easy-to-use platform. Trusted by more than 250 global companies across a diverse range of industries including financial services, insurance, healthcare, and energy, Exari can support virtually any enterprise contract management need, anywhere, anytime, truly providing 100% Contract Certainty. To learn more about Exari, visit us at www.Exari.com. Media Contact

Dahna Ori

dahna.ori@exari.com

617-938-3777 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/exari-named-a-clm-leader-in-latest-research-by-top-analyst-firm-300774944.html SOURCE Exari

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[January 08, 2019] LandStar Inc Data443 Announces Launch of CCPA Compliance Solution Ahead of US Data Privacy Revolution

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LandStar, Inc. ( OTCPK: LDSR ) (LandStar or the Company), the parent company of Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc . (Data443), a leading data security and privacy company, announced the launch of the newest product in their data security and privacy compliance suite, Data443 Privacy Manager. The solution integrates a growing library of privacy laws with step by step compliance tools allowing customers of all sizes a comprehensive solution for their data security and compliance framework.

Jason Remillard, CEO of LandStar and founder of Data443, commented, Were really excited about the launch of Data443 Privacy Manager, especially at such a pivotal time in the evolution of US and worldwide data privacy laws. From its gap analysis reports and data processing activities to Subject Access Requests and breach notification handling, our cloud-based solution enables organizations to evidence, track, manage and audit all CCPA-related business activities. The California Consumer Privacy Act will go into effect January 1, 2020, giving consumers the right to know what data is being collected about them, to refuse to allow companies to sell their data, the right to access, download or transfer their personal information, and the right to compel companies to delete personal data collected. Also, under the CCPA, if data subjects request a record of the sale or disclosure of their personal data, companies must provide information covering the last 12 months, according to data education and research organization, TDWI . To comply with the 12-month look-back for consumer requests as of the law's effective date, businesses will need to begin mapping data and keeping records of personal information on January 1, 2019. The spending for the California Privacy Act (and expected US-Wide implementation) is expected to reach multiples of the $8B already spent by EU companies readying for the GDPR. Data443 is positioning to take advantage of this with an all-encompassing Privacy Management & Governance capability. As it stands now, statutory damages created by CCPA will likely result in an increase in security-breach related litigation in the state. According to Forbes , consumers will be able to sue companies for up to $750 per individual data-breach violation, and the California attorney general can sue companies for up to $7,500 for each intentional violation of the law. Data443 Privacy Manager and its integration with Data443s ClassiDocs supports each requirement of CCPA  adding to Data443s industry-leading data security and governance solutions. About LandStar, Inc.

LandStar, Inc. ( OTCPK: LDSR ), through its wholly owned subsidiary DATA443 Risk Mitigation, Inc., enables secure data  across local devices, network, cloud, and databases  at rest and in flight. ClassiDocs , the companys award-winning data classification and governance technology, supports CCPA, LGPD and GDPR compliance. The market leading ARALOC  platform is a highly secure, cloud-based platform for the management, protection and distribution of digital content to the desktop and mobile devices, which protects an organizations confidential content and intellectual property assets from leakage  malicious or accidental  without impacting collaboration between all stakeholders. The WordPress GDPR Framework enables organizations of all sizes to comply with the GDPR and other privacy frameworks. ClassiDocs for Blockchain provides an active implementation for the Ripple XRP that protects blockchain transactions from inadvertent disclosure and data leaks. For more information, please visit http://www.data443.com .



Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as may, will, could, should, expect, plan, project, intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict, potential, pursuant, target, continue, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding LandStars plans, objectives, future opportunities for LandStars services, future financial performance and operating results and any other statements regarding LandStars future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, financial conditions, assumptions or future events or performance that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond LandStars control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the operations of LandStar; results of litigation, settlements and investigations; actions by third parties, including governmental agencies; volatility in customer spending; global economic conditions; ability to hire and retain personnel; loss of, or reduction in business with, key customers; difficulty with growth and in integrating acquisitions; product liability; cybersecurity risk; and, anti-takeover measures in our charter documents. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained, from time-to-time, in LandStars filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and postings on the OTC Markets news and information website. LandStar undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement.

Data443, ClassiDocs, and ARALOC are registered trademarks of Data443 Risk Mitigation, Inc. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement.

All other trademarks cited herein are the property of their respective owners. For Further Information

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/data443Risk

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Signup for our Investor Newsletter: https://www.data443.com/investor-relations/ Investor Relations Contact:

Matthew Abenante

Porter, LeVay & Rose, Inc.

data443@plrinvest.com

212.564.4700 ///***ClassiDocs Classification: PUBLIC ***///

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DAKAR, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China-Africa friendship is unbreakable and the one-China principle has been consolidated and strengthened in Africa, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters at the end of his four-nation Africa trip.

Wang's trip to Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Senegal on Jan. 2-6 continued a 29-year tradition of making Africa the first international visit of the year by the Chinese foreign minister.

In the face of some deliberate attempts to discredit China-Africa cooperation, African governments and people have stood up to dispel the rumors and firmly adhered to a friendly policy towards China, which manifested the unbreakable friendship between the two sides, Wang said.

He added that the leaders of the four African countries appreciated China's cooperation with Africa and thanked China for its support for the development of African countries and the improvement of people's livelihood.

Speaking about rising unilateralism, Wang said African countries have great expectations for China's role in defending multilateralism. The four countries are willing to strengthen coordination with China, jointly defend their rules of multilateralism and promote the democratization of international relations, he added.

A large number of China's key projects in Africa have brought tangible benefits to local people. With the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with African Union's "2063 Agenda," as well as the development strategies of all countries, the Belt and Road Initiative is expected to launch cooperation with a higher quality and higher level on the African continent, Wang said.

Among the four countries that Wang visited, Burkina Faso and Gambia resumed diplomatic ties with China in 2018 and 2016, respectively.

The leaders of the two countries said the resumption of diplomatic ties with China is an independent choice and a correct decision that has been supported by the people and is in line with their national interests, Wang said.

The two countries will continue to unswervingly pursue the one-China principle, and adherence to the principle has become a political consensus that all parties have followed on the African continent, Wang added.
[January 08, 2019] ODEM Sponsors Blockchain Centre Vilnius

ZUG, Switzerland and VILNIUS, Lithuania, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ODEM, creator of the On-Demand Education Marketplace, is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Blockchain Centre Vilnius in support of innovative approaches to blockchain education. ODEM and Blockchain Centre Vilnius jointly recognize the importance of education in advancing the use of blockchain-based solutions in the areas of trade, finance, public administration, and higher learning. ODEM is delighted to assist the Centre, which is acting in partnership with Blockchain Centres in Melbourne and Shanghai to spur the growth of early stage blockchain projects by training specialists in the technology. "We applaud the Blockchain Centre's guiding role in incubating worthy blockchain startups and linking like-minded entrepreneurs across Europe and around the world," says ODEM CEO Richard Maaghul. "We also recognize the vision and foresight of Blockchain Vilnius Founder Antonas Guoga." Blockchain Centre Vilnius, established in January 2018, welcomes blockchain entrepreneurs, developers, investors, and regulators to share ideas, know-how, and best practices. The Centre is designed to be a hub for technical, legal, and financial advisory services, with a particular focus on helping blockchain startups ahieve their business goals.



"We're convinced that our new partner, ODEM, will play an essential part in finding innovative methods for educating creative blockchain specialists," said Egle Nemiekstyte, CEO of the Blockchain Centre Vilnius. "Our partnership will assist those who are eager to learn and those who are looking for such talents." ODEM is developing the ODEM Platform on the Ethereum Blockchain to make higher education more accessible, affordable, transferable, and verifiable. The Platform is designed to empower students to customize their education through interaction with educators. Its official rollout is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.

ODEM is also deploying blockchain technology for the creation and storage of academic certificates. Last month, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary partnered with ODEM to become the first post-secondary institution in Canada to issue blockchain-based certificates to a graduating class. For more information, please click here . ODEM Contact:

Katherine Banks,

Sr Director, Marketing

kat@odem.io

press@odem.io

Tel: +1 (657) 254-7526 Bahnhofstrasse 10

6300 Zug, Switzerland

Join The ODEM.IO Conversation on Telegram .

https://www.linkedin.com/company/odem-io/

https://www.facebook.com/odemio/

https://twitter.com/ODEM_IO Blockchain Centre Vilnius Contact:

Ruslanas Irzikevicius

Media and Communications Consultant

ruslanas@bcgateway.eu

Tel: +37061431215 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/odem-sponsors-blockchain-centre-vilnius-300774927.html SOURCE ODEM.IO

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[January 08, 2019] OneDigital Health and Benefits Acquires Cherry Creek Benefits

OneDigital Health and Benefits, the nation's largest company focused exclusively on employee benefits and HR, has acquired Cherry Creek Benefits located in Englewood, Colorado. Managing Principals Scott and Randy Niederbrach and Principals Jim Vandersluis, Barry Teeters, and Andy Neff along with their team will continue serving the firm's clients throughout the Colorado Rocky Mountain region. Cherry Creek Benefits works with clients across a range of industries, designing benefits packages that most effectively match business and employees' needs. By joining OneDigital, the firm's clients will have access to enhanced offerings including innovative enrollment technology, HR support tools, health and wellbeing experts and national compliance resources. "From the outset, we have felt right at home since partnering with OneDigital Health and Benefits. Their overall culture, client-focused commitment, availability of resources, and plan for strategic growth is in lockstep with our vision of where we want to take Cherry Creek Benefits," says Scott Niederbrach, managing principal of OneDigital Denver. "Having this powerful national partnership to support our dedication to serving local clients here in Colorado and this region in a forward-thinking way, including cutting-edge enrollment technology, modern health and well-being services, national compliance services, strategic growth initiatives, and thoughtful leadership is invaluable." "Expanding the OneDigital footprint in Colorado, with a flagship location in the Denver market, is an essential part of our overall growth strategy in the mid-west," says Executive Vice President of Sales and Operations Bill Carew. "The Cherry Creek team is a strong cultural fit and upholds the same commitment to providing high value to both clients and prospects. Through this alignment, we are able to continue OneDigital's growth in Colorado, and have gained a powerful operational team in the process."



About OneDigital Health and Benefits OneDigital Health and Benefits, the nation's largest company focused exclusively on employee benefits and HR, combines people and technology to power business growth. Serving companies of all sizes, OneDigital offers employers a sophisticated combination of strategic benefit advisory services, analytics, compliance support, human resources management tools and comprehensive insurance offerings. Headquartered in Atlanta, OneDigital has over 1,400 employees throughout the country, serves 38,000 clients and manages nearly $4.5 billion in premiums. OneDigital has been named to the Inc. 5000 List of America's fastest-growing companies every year since 2007. Currently listed as 13th in EBA's Top 50 Brokers in the Large Employer Group, OneDigital's experience offers a fresh thinking and strategic perspective that improves all aspects of plan design and performance. For more information, please visit www.onedigital.com.

About Cherry Creek Benefits Founded in 1984, Cherry Creek Benefits is an experienced and trusted benefits consulting firm located in Englewood, Colorado. They offer comprehensive employee benefits services for the Colorado Rocky Mountain region and their team of highly trained and knowledgeable professionals is dedicated to helping companies craft client- and employee-centered insurance, retirement and wellness programs. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005834/en/

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[January 08, 2019] SK-II Debuts on Global Stage of Innovation at CES 2019 with the Future X Smart Store

SK-II unveils a new era of skincare and beauty retail experiences LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its global innovation journey to transform beauty retail experiences, global prestige skincare brand, SK-II debuts the Future X Smart Store at CES 2019. A global learning lab for new ways of exploring retail through advanced technologies, the Future X Smart Store by SK-II first launched in Tokyo in May 2018, followed by Shanghai and Singapore. Since its inception, the Future X Smart Store by SK-II has been gaining traction as a beauty store of the future amongst influencers, media and consumers alike. At the Future X Smart Store, SK-II introduces the concept of a seamless "phygital" retail environment where visitors can explore immersive, personalized mixed media experiences that merge the physical and digital to learn about their skin in a way never possible before. Harnessing Emerging Technologies Powered by the latest technologies that include state-of-the-art facial recognition, computer vision, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) technology augmented by SK-II's proprietary Skin Science and Diagnostics innovation, the Future X Smart Store by SK-II offers a unique skincare experience for each visitor. The journey begins with the "The Art of You", a large-scale digital wall that reads visitor's facial expressions as well as head, eye and mouth movements. Each expression correlates to a different color scheme, while eye blinks trigger energy lines to pass across the screen, generating custom art piece, a unique backdrop for insta-perfect shots. Visitors can also look forward to a unique skin analysis experience with a reinvention of SK-II's iconic Magic Ring skin analysis. Unlike typical skin scans which require direct facial contact, visitors can get their skin analyzed comfortably and remotely while sitting in individual booths. An interactive skincare wall unlocks their skin analysis results with a mere read of their face. Visitors can also enjoy a personalized product browsing experience via a responsive digital interface at the Smart Beauty Bar and learn how they can achieve crystal clear skin. If visitors wish to purchase products, they can head to a unique projection mapping table that tracks their hand motions and allows them to add products real time into their digital shopping cart with a simple hand wave. The Smart Packaging That Connects You In addition to the immersive skincare shopping experience, the Future X Smart Store also offers the new Facial Treatment Essence Smart Bottle. SK-II's signature product, SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, has over 90% PITERA, the miracle ingredient discovered over 38 years ago that has been helping users all over the world achieve crystal clear skin. For the first time ever, the brand's best-seller receives a new packaging feature that harnesses the Internet of Things (IoT) through a companion app that enhances users' SK-II skincar regimen in the comfort of their own homes. Visitors can witness this innovation on display at the store.



The Future of Beauty Retail The Future X Smart Store by SK-II signifies the brand's first foray into retail innovation and the start of a global transformation to connect with a new generation of consumers who are yearning for more meaningful experiences with the brands they know and trust.

Through creating engaging "phygital" skincare experiences, SK-II hopes to take the intimidation and pressure out of shopping for skincare in the offline retail space and give control back to the consumer by giving her options to browse, shop and learn about her skin at her own pace and on her own terms. Real- time insights and feedback collected will not only inform the future of brick and mortar retail, but also help to reimagine the power of data and technology to augment a consumer's journey with a brand for a truly meaningful omnichannel shopping experience. "The Future X Smart Store by SK-II, now debuting on a global stage of innovation in CES 2019, represents our commitment to make the holistic skincare experience engaging and pressure-free for consumers. This begins from the moment they step into the store until they are back home using the products to experience the power of Pitera," shares Sandeep Seth, Vice President, Global SK-II. "Emerging technologies such as A.I and facial recognition allow us to challenge existing retail norms and share our brand experience in the way that is the most meaningful to our consumer. She can experience our products and learn about her skin at her own pace without being watched, judged or pressured. Our journey with the Future X Smart Store is not about replacing humans with tech, but supplementing to create a better and more meaningful shopping experience for our consumers. CES 2019 is the perfect space for SK-II to share our new experience-driven, "phygital" approach to skincare retail with the Future X Smart Store." Showcasing cutting-edge technologies and innovation, SK-II joins several other brands within the P&G portfolio exhibiting at CES this year. As the premiere space to preview what's next in consumer technology, CES is the ideal place to reveal how P&G brands use deep consumer insights and breakthrough science to transform everyday life. About SK-II For more than 38 years, SK-II has touched the lives of millions of women around the world by helping them to "Change Destiny" in skin and life. The fascinating story behind SK-II began at a sake brewery in Japan, where scientists noticed the elderly workers had wrinkled faces, but extraordinarily soft and youthful-looking hands. These hands were in constant contact with the sake fermentation process. It took years of research for scientists to isolate the miracle ingredient Pitera, a naturally-derived liquid from the yeast fermentation process. Since then, SK-II with Pitera has become a special secret shared by celebrities such as Chloe Moretz, Tangwei, Ni Ni and Haruka Ayase for crystal clear skin. For the latest news and in-depth information, please visit http://www.sk-ii.com . For hi-res images, please visit: https://we.tl/t-qMkyNHBN3l View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sk-ii-debuts-on-global-stage-of-innovation-at-ces-2019-with-the-future-x-smart-store-300774889.html SOURCE SK-II

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[January 08, 2019] Brilliant Announces Apple HomeKit Integration

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- THE INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (CES) -- Brilliant, maker of the award-winning Brilliant Home Control, the world's first smart home controller that you swap out a light switch for, today announced their much-anticipated integration with Apple HomeKit, allowing users to find and control any light connected to the Brilliant Control by voice using Siri or with the Apple Home app on any Apple device. Leveraging Apple's software authentication for HomeKit, existing Brilliant customers will be able to get HomeKit support via an automatic, over-the-air firmware update to be issued Spring 2019 at no additional cost. "Brilliant unifies control of smart home devices in a way that is seamless, simple and accessible throughout the home," said Aaron Emigh, CEO and co-founder of Brilliant. "This new integration with HomeKit will soon give Brilliant owners who have invested in the Apple ecosystem even more functionality and convenience." The Apple Home app allows users to set scenes, which enable multiple accessories to work in combination, all with a single command. So users can control lights connected to Brilliant Controls, along with other functions such as locking the doors and lowering the thermostat. Brilliant currently works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Sonos, Nest, Ecobee, Honeywell, Ring, Philip Hue, August smart locks, Wemo smart plugs, with more added on a monthly basis. Brilliant also supports hubs such as Samsung SmartThings for connecting Z-Wave or Zigbee products, and can connect directly to bridge products from Philips Hue and others. Starting at $299, Brilliant comes in six colors to blend into any decor seamlessly and is available for purchase at www.brilliant.tech.



Connect With Us Online Download our free companion apps in the App Store and Google Play

and Google Play Watch our video "All Together Now"

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter About Brilliant

Brilliant creates technology that unifies the home experience through simple and thoughtful interaction. Co-Founded by serial entrepreneur Aaron Emigh, Brilliant is comprised of experienced entrepreneurs and engineers from companies such as Apple, Philips, Sonos, Cisco, Jawbone, PayPal, Palm, and shopkick. Brilliant is based in San Mateo, California, and is funded by August Capital, Miramar Ventures, The Box Group, and other prominent investors.

For more information, visit www.brilliant.tech. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brilliant-announces-apple-homekit-integration-300774616.html SOURCE Brilliant

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[January 08, 2019]

Membrana.io - a Trust Management of Digital Assets Platform Announces Start of Token Sale

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Membrana provides investors and traders with a transparent, decentralized and secure system, which controls the process of concluding and executing a contract up to the point of revenue gained by both parties.

Membrana's Solution Rests on Four Pillars:

1. Safe Transfer of Funds in Trust Management

For the purpose of transfer of an investor's exchange account to a trader in trust management, an API key provided by the exchange is used. The API key is not transferred to the trader but stored on Membrana's platform in a secure database. The trader trades on an exchange via the Membrana single trading terminal. Consequently, the trader does not have access to the investor's assets. All investors' funds remain on an exchange account and are not transferred to the trader. Membrana also maintains the restrictions set at the contracting stage: stop loss, the time period for trading by the API key, etc.

2. The Contract between Investors and Traders

To conclude the transaction between investors and traders an Ethereum Smart Contract is used. Traders' consideration is reserved in a Smart Contract, in advance, and it is automatically paid upon reaching the target profit set in a percent of the amount transferred in trust management, or upon expiration of the Smart Contract term.

3. Confirmation of Past Trader's Profitability using Blockchain

All contracts concluded by traders via the Membrana blockchain platform will be saved to the database. This information is further used to calculate traders' success using indicators, such as ROI, rating, etc. These indicators will be provided to investors, giving them a greater ability to select suitable traders.

The Membrana blockchain platform uses blockchain to validate traders' details. To do this, the hash sum of traders' tansactions for the day is saved in the blockchain Ethereum Smart Contract. The block, where the hash sum is saved, is dated and cannot be counterfeited; therefore, the validity of all data on traders' transactions of exchange is confirmed by the hash sum in the blockchain  in the block dated with the respective date of the transaction. Thus, it is impossible to save only profitable transactions in the database and the hash sum externally as far as at the moment of saving, because it is not known which transactions are profitable.







4. Distribution of Investor's Assets Among Several Independent Traders

The Membrana blockchain platform allows the investor to transfer, to the trader, only part of his funds in the exchange account, as is stated in the contract terms. The remaining funds remain under the investor's full control and can be used for independent trading, transfer of these funds to another trader, or withdrawal from an exchange account.

Trade in cryptocurrencies is actually carried out from one exchange account by different traders or by the investor himself. In spite of this, the Membrana blockchain platform provides isolated and independent trading within the amounts transferred to trust management for each trader and the investor himself.

At the time of the conclusion of the contract, the investor determines the amount transferred from trust management in the accounting currency to be used.

Membrana's Token Sale Details

Membrana's Pre-Sale started at 6 PM (GMT 0) on the 10th of December. To take part and take advantage of the bonuses up to 70%, visit the website. On the first day of the presale, early contributors can expect up to 70% gradually decreasing to 25% in weeks 7 and 8. There is a total supply of 1,000,000,000 MBN, but 137,5000,000 MBN has been made available in the presale.

Visit Membrana's Official Site  https://membrana.io

Check out the Whitepaper: https://membrana.io/static/pdf/membrana_whitepaper_eng.pdf

Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZvglEWUXnggQ-lxkw9rFlA

Media Contact Details

Contact Name: Kirill Romanov

Contact Email: kirill@membrana.io

Membrana.io is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest.

Related Links

Membrana.io

Bitcoin PR Buzz

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SOURCE Membrana.io
[January 08, 2019] Job Startup Combines Intelligent Technology and Experienced Recruiters to Align Jobseekers with the Right Company

Heidi Golledge, renowned entrepreneur, leader in recruiting and job boards, Co-Founder and former CEO of CyberCoders and Co-Founder, Chief Happiness Officer at CareerBliss, has launched Jobot. The company's integrated hiring platform leverages intelligent technology and experienced recruiting pros to maximize candidate placements. Jobot uses a recruitment model that makes for faster, more affordable hiring by providing tiered levels of assistance. Utilizing advanced algorithms, the platform scours the web to identify ready-to-run talent and those likely to soon be on the market, then connects them with companies with or without the aid of real-life recruiters. "When it comes to recruiting, employers need quality, efficiency and affordability-traits that have been traditionally lacking in the industry. Using intelligent technology and AI opens the door to both. When you add some of the most experienced recruiters in the industry into the mix, you get a powerful team that goes to work for you fast," says Golledge. Heidi was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for her work at her prior recruiting firm, which she co-founded and, as CEO, created massive revenue growth and eventually sold for $100+ million. She has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, and Business Insider for her expertise in launching successful companies and creating positive work cultures that excite and fuel employee success. "What drives me is creating aculture and technology that makes coming to work a pleasure. Creating workplaces where individuals thrive is not only good for people, it is good for business. We are creating a fantastic environment within Jobot and building a rapidly growing team, as well as bringing this expertise to hiring managers to help build work cultures that equate to happier and more productive team members for their own company," says Golledge.



Her other successful venture, CareerBliss, a knowledge platform and online career community for job seekers, employers and recruiters alike, provides information to discover and enhance happiness in the workplace. The community connects talent with the happiest jobs in the nation based on key factors like work relationships, work environment, compensation, company reputation, daily tasks, job resources and company culture-to name a few. The company currently features 8 million open jobs. Jobot's growth has been quick since opening its doors in Q4, 2018. The company is based in El Segundo, California and is already opening a second office in Orange (News - Alert) County.

Vice President of Recruiting Drew J. Fibus says, "The Jobot revolution in recruiting is heregreat people, great culture and intelligent technology is what sets our company apart. Treating our recruiters, candidates and clients like family was something I had always dreamed of and I can finally see that come to life with Jobot." It is not just culture that has helped propel growth at Jobot, "Our revolutionary career platform is an answer to the historic pace at which technology, careers, and interactions are changing," says CTO Nadeem Chaudhry. "Today work takes a variety of forms, from gig economies to constant career development, Jobot is a platform that meets the needs of this dynamic landscape. We also expect an ever-present connection to and instant updates from the things that matter to us. Combining experienced humans with intelligent technology, Jobot is here to make finding a job, growing in a job, or supplementing a job, easy and adaptive," continues Chaudhry. For more about Jobot visit www.Jobot.com. About Jobot The Jobot platform blends intelligent technology and experienced recruiting pros to give employers the upper hand in finding the best candidates-even before they're on the market. The tiered business model puts the power of choice back into employer's hands and makes recruiting top talent and building a positive work culture possible for every company. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005692/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Improving Acquires Georgia-Based Innovative Architects

DALLAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Improving, a technology consulting company, has acquired Innovative Architects, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with satellite offices in Washington D.C. and Florida. The transaction is expected to increase Improving's annualized revenue by more than 30% in 2019, making Improving's collective revenue close to $100 million. This transaction successfully continues Improving's "Enterprise Strategy," an innovative business model that focuses on merging technology service companies that share a commitment to building trust, delivering excellence, and cultivating culture. This model combines localized incentives and ownership behavior with geographically leveraged service offerings. Innovative Architects' leadership team will continue operating and growing the business, while contributing to Improving's sustained success across North America. Innovative Architects joins Improving as its seventh enterprise location and will expand its geographic reach to the Southeastern United States. "The mutual benefits of joining forces with businesses that share similar company values is that it allows us to advance our ambition of building a company that has a lasting impact in the technology community," states Curtis Hite, CEO of Improving. "Our goal is to further the uccess of IT organizations across the region by combining the proven performance of local teams with an increased focus on establishing stakeholder trust. Innovative Architects' strong culture and expertise in Microsoft technologies and cloud computing will strategically accelerate our ability to accomplish these goals."



Innovative Architects' service offerings focus on delivering customized cloud computing business technology as well as enterprise integration and data driven IT solutions. The merger will significantly strengthen the breadth and depth of the technical consulting services and training offerings that can now be utilized across all of Improving's markets. Innovative Architects is a Microsoft Gold-Certified Partner that provides premier, process-based business solutions. "We are thrilled to be a part of Improving's growth strategy," states Scott McMichael, President of Innovative Architects. "Improving shares our values of trusted advisor-ship and a commitment to client success. We have remarkable synergies as a culture-rich organization that rewards innovation and involvement. We are looking forward to anchoring the Southeast in the national footprint of Improving to better serve our clients from both a business and technology perspective."





About Improving Improving is a technology consulting, custom software solutions, and training firm focused in Agile, Microsoft (.NET) and Java technologies. In July 2018, Improving announced their partnership with private equity firm Trinity Hunt Partners. The company has an International presence with offices in Dallas, Texas; Bryan/College Station, Texas; Houston, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Atlanta, Georgia and Calgary, Canada. To learn more about Improving, visit http://improving.com/ Media Contact:

Kristin Johnson

Improving

Director of Marketing

Kristin.johnson@improving.com

214.613.4448 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/improving-acquires-georgia-based-innovative-architects-300774090.html SOURCE Improving

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Dave Cantin Group Delivers Stellar 2018 First-Year Results

Dave Cantin Group (DCG) finished calendar year 2018 by delivering on its vision to become the fastest-growing and largest automotive mergers and acquisitions firm in the United States.

DCG completed 2018 with 39 acquisition listings valued at more than $1.5 billion. The listings cover more than 18 automotive brands, including luxury marques Audi, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover and Infiniti.

"Our experienced management team has worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to make DCG the top M&A firm serving auto dealers in the country," said Dave Cantin, DCG's founder and CEO. "Their efforts have positioned DCG as the industry's go to mergers and acquisitions firm."

Cantin said that DCG's 2019 goals include offering more than 50 acquisition listings with a valuation of more than $2 billion. The company is expanding its team in 2019, seeking to add additional M&A experts in all five regional offices and its headquarters in New Yok, to handle the volume of activity and interest in working with DCG.







DCG will exhibit at the upcoming NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) Show January 25-27, 2019 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The firm's space will be #7553W, located in the center's West Hall on Level 2.

Cantin's company currently offers a broad range of professional services, including the management of:

Simple buy/sell acquisitions

Multi-dealership acquisitions

Private equity transactions

Employee buy-ins

Minority investor programs

Succession planning

About the Dave Cantin Group

The Dave Cantin Group (DCG) is a full-service M&A firm that manages the sale and purchase of automotive dealerships throughout the United States. DCG maintains extensive relationships with manufacturers, automotive attorneys, accountants and lenders, as well investor groups, private equity firms, investment funds and family-controlled or private wealth-management advisory firms.

The group's successful partnership approach to the buy-and-sell process is coupled with a firm commitment to community service and charitable giving. Dave Cantin personally has helped raise more than $150 million in the fight against pediatric cancer, and DCG is committed to donating a percentage of its revenue to the cause.

Additional information about the Dave Cantin Group is available at www.davecantingroup.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005796/en/
[January 08, 2019] Plumbing Manufacturers International Welcomes 116th Congress

Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) extends its welcome and congratulations to the members of the 116th Congress. In a letter to newly elected Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole noted, "Plumbing manufacturers look forward to working with you and the members of the 116th Congress as you craft policy solutions that will help our nation's economy and manufacturers thrive." Similar letters were sent to Senate leaders Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the entire Congress. The letters from PMI highlight the need for continued bipartisan action to ensure the international competitiveness of plumbing manufacturers. PMI remains very concerned over the harmful consequences of the Section 301 tariffs on $250 billion worth of imports from China, particularly on plumbing manufacturers, their employees, consumers, and the home building and home improvement sectors. PMI urges the Congress and Trump Administration to reexamine the impact o the tariffs, which serve as a tax increase on the American consumer and put jobs at risk.



PMI urges federal lawmakers to bolster investment in the nation's aging infrastructure, including drinking water and wastewater systems, and invest in the next generation of skilled technical workers. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers' current Infrastructure Report Card, America's infrastructure scores a D+. The United States must fill nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs over the next decade, and many of those jobs may go unfilled unless federal workforce training and educational programs receive adequate funding. The U.S. plumbing manufacturing industry, along with their wholesale and retail partners, provides more than 193,000 good paying jobs and over $10 billion dollars in wages nationwide, contributing to the economic health of each state in the union. Overall, the plumbing fixture and fittings industry contributes $85.5 billion dollars to the American economy - about four-tenths of 1% of America's gross domestic product, according to economic data compiled by PMI.

On May 7 and 8, PMI's Washington, D.C., Executive Forum and Fly In will provide PMI members the opportunity to meet face-to-face with lawmakers, congressional staff and federal regulators while receiving updates on current issues relating to the plumbing manufacturing industry. About Plumbing Manufacturers International Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) is the voluntary, not-for-profit international industry association of manufacturers of plumbing products, serving as the Voice of the Plumbing Industry. Member companies produce 90 percent of the United States' plumbing products. As part of its mission, PMI advocates for plumbing product performance and innovation contributing to water efficiency and savings, sustainability, public health and safety, and consumer satisfaction. PMI's members are industry leaders in producing safe, reliable and innovative water-efficient plumbing technologies. PMI members manufacture water-efficient toilets, urinals, faucets, showerheads and other products at more than 70 locations across the country and market them online and in home improvement stores, hardware stores and showrooms in all 50 states. For more information on PMI, contact the organization at 1750 Tysons Blvd., Ste. 1500, McLean, Va., 22102; tel.: 847-481-5500; fax: 847-481-5501. www.safeplumbing.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005787/en/

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[January 08, 2019] AEye Announces Industry-Leading Family of Perception Sensors for ADAS Solutions

AEye, a world leader in artificial perception systems and the developer of iDAR, today announced the AE200 Series of sensors, a game changing solid-state sensor family for Level 3 ADAS applications. AEye previously announced its latest Mobility/Robotaxi solution, the AE110, in December, 2018. Built on the world's most extensive solid-state LiDAR patent portfolio, the AE200 Series features the industry's only software-definable intelligent agile LiDAR, industry-leading ADAS performance, and is SWaP optimized for modular ADAS deployments capable of supporting all popular vehicle packaging locations. The company simultaneously announced today that it has entered into strategic partnerships with Hella and LG Electronics. The AE200 Series will be one of the iDAR-based artificial perception systems that both Hella and LG Electronics (News - Alert) will be using to deliver ADAS solutions to global OEMs at scale. The AE200 Series includes AEye's industry-leading anti-spoofing and interference mitigation and is under ASIL-B functional safety certification, ensuring it meets the automotive industry's stringent safety standards. Delivering ADAS L3 long range performance of up to 200M at 10% reflectivity at 0.1 resolution and the short range performance configuration of 50M range at 10% reflectivity, the AE200 Series will be modular in design and capable of up to 120x 45 Field of View. "The AE200 is about redefining performance expectations for modular ADAS perception sensors," said Aravind Ratnam, Vice President of Produc Management at AEye. "For level 3, current low cost LiDAR options don't deliver value for their low price. This product family specifically for the ADAS market delivers the perception data that is needed for safe and reliable L3 operation, at a price point that OEMs will find extremely attractive. We achieve this by using the concept of agile parallax, a derivative feature of our iDAR architecture. This agility allows us to retain the same world record flexibility, revisit rate and resolution of the AE110, by trading off range and achievable simultaneous ROIs."



Key features of the AE200 include: Software-definable LiDAR

Designed to meet ISO 26262 functional safety requirements, eye safe in all modes

Four layers of interference mitigation and anti-spoofing technology

Software Development Kit

Software and fundamental perception capabilities to support specific ADAS solutions such as Cross Traffic Alerts, Emergency Braking, Front and Rear Collision Warning, and Blind Spot Monitoring, etc.

Automotive SWaP optimized with documented field and environmental testing

Modular for supporting all critical ADAS packaging locations including headlamp, windscreen, side mirror, front grill, A-pillar, and C-pillar.

Optional High resolution RGB or IR camera fused and bore sighted with AEye's agile LiDAR. The AE200 will be available to automotive OEMs and Tier 1s in the Summer, 2019. For more information about AEye, the AE110, and the company's innovative approach to artificial perception, please visit CES (News - Alert) Booth #2100 at the Westgate Convention Center in Las Vegas, January 8th - 11th, 2019, For a private car demo, please contact ces@aeye.ai. Vist AEye's website at www.aeye.ai for more information.

About AEye AEye is an artificial perception pioneer and creator of iDAR, a perception system that acts as the eyes and visual cortex of autonomous vehicles. Since its demonstration of its solid-state LiDAR scanner in 2013, AEye has pioneered breakthroughs in intelligent sensing. The company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and backed by world-renowned investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Taiwania Capital, Intel (News - Alert) Capital, & Airbus Ventures. For more information, please visit www.aeye.ai. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005727/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Chubb Announces Key Cyber Security Trends to Watch in 2019

First annual cyber security predictions pinpoint areas of high cyber risk in the New Year and beyond WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J., Jan. 8, 2019 /CNW/ -- As business decision-makers look to the year ahead, it is critical to address existing and new cyber security concerns. To help with that process, Chubb has launched its first annual cyber security predictions, which focus on the top risks in 2019 and beyond. "The cyber risk landscape is constantly evolving  it's vital to stay on top of potential risks as they emerge," said Michael Tanenbaum, Head of Chubb Cyber North America. "We expect shifts in the regulatory landscape, changes to the fundamental models of cyber crime, and additional risks brought on by the explosive growth in Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It is critical to stay abreast of these things in 2019." "Throughout the years, we have seen everything from Y2K to today's mega-breaches and the evolution of cyber crime," said Bill Stewart, Division President of Chubb's Global Cyber Risk practice. "We continue to stay ahead of the latest cyber risks to help our clients protect against and respond to an ever-increasing cyber threat." Chubb, an innovator in the cyber insurance space, has more than 20 years of experience writing cyber insurance policies. Based on that experience, the Chubb Cyber practice has issued the following three cyber security predictions for 2019 and beyond: Cybersecurity regulation and enforcement will increase and focus more on actions taken by businesses pre-incident, in addition to post-incident protocol. Until now, regulatory efforts have largely focused on steps businesses must take after a cyber incident, including fixing vulnerabilities, notifying law enforcement, and notifying customers. Chubb anticipates this will change as lawmakers also focus regulatory attention on companies' data collection and data usage practices, as well as on the actions that organizations should take to better prevent a cyber incident from occurring in the first place. This phenomenon has already begun to take hold in the United States with laws such as the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Cybersecurity Regulation and the California Consumer Privacy Act, which have put new obligations on organizations to not only protect the information they collect, but also to ensure that they are allowed to collect such information, that they are using that information legally, and that they remain responsible for that information when they share it with a third party. Additionally, this trend has been seen globally, which impacts many more businesses now than eer before. The internet and virtual connection has provided great opportunity to many organizations, but it could also be subjecting them to the laws of the jurisdictions in which their new customers reside. Thus, organizations not only need to ensure that they are in compliance with the laws of the state in which they physically operate, but also determine if they are subject to the laws of the locations where they virtually operate. In the coming years, organizations of all sizes can expect to see increased data regulation in the United States and abroad, which will focus on data privacy, data use, as well as data security.



Crime does pay, and business is booming: the business model of cyber crime will tilt heavily toward direct monetization attacks. During the past 20 years, the dark market has become saturated with private records and personally identifiable information (PII). In 2019, rather than seeking additional PII, cyber criminals will prioritize attacks that result in direct monetization as they operationalize PII that they've already obtained. In order to pursue these types of attacks, criminals will continue to employ ransomware.

Already a threat on the rise, ransomware will continue to grow and will remain a top cyber threat for the next five years, and will become even more destructive and costly. Social engineering financial fraud also will ramp up, and cryptojacking  the unauthorized use of someone's computer to mine cryptocurrency  will be employed heavily by cyber criminals. Cyber criminals will target individuals just as much as businesses as billions of Internet of Things (IoT) devices come online. As billions of additional IoT devices come online during the next year, cyber criminals will have even more avenues to target individuals. As device use overlaps between enterprise and individual, we will see more targeted ransomware and phishing attacks. Video and audio capabilities on devices  from smartphones to refrigerators, smart assistant devices, and nanny-cams will help cyber criminals gather personal information and images. Bad actors can gain access to businesses through personal devices  particularly when businesses allow individuals to connect with their personal devices through an enterprise server. As an increasing number of IoT devices come online, businesses will need to monitor vigilantly to intercept and short-circuit cyber risks. As always, business leaders should look to defend their companies from cyber attacks rather than react to cyber attacks. As cyber threats evolve, cyber insurance will play a key role in the awareness, preparedness, and resiliency of governments, corporations, and individuals. To learn more, visit www.chubb.com/cyber. Here you will find a host of cyber-related resources, including access to The Chubb Cyber IndexSM, which provides real-time access to proprietary Chubb claims data and insight into current cyber threats and how you can protect your company against them. About Chubb:

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company, and the largest commercial insurer in the United States. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: chubb.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chubb-announces-key-cyber-security-trends-to-watch-in-2019-300774820.html SOURCE Chubb

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[January 08, 2019] H2O.ai Announces Industry Leading Lineup for H2O World San Francisco 2019

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- H2O.ai , the open source leader in AI, today announced the speaker lineup for H2O World San Francisco , a two-day interactive event featuring deep-dive technical and hands on training, advancements in machine learning and sessions focused on real-world business use cases. With speakers from Alteryx, AI4ALL, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Stanley Black and Decker, Wells Fargo and more, the conference will bring together the brightest minds in AI from across multiple industries to discuss the trends in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science, important real-world use cases, and the biggest challenges currently facing the industry. Join H2O.ai in San Francisco on February 4th and 5th, to connect with the community and learn how to harness the full value of AI, ML, Explainable AI, deep learning and data science from industry-recognized speakers and hands-on training sessions. Register here to secure your spot. On day one of the conference, sessions will focus on hands-on technical training for H2O.ai's groundbreaking data science platforms including H2O-3 and Sparkling Water and H2O Driverless AI , that empowers data scientists of all levels to work on projects faster and more efficiently through automation and state-of-the-art computing power. These training sessions will provide new and existing users of H2O.ai products the information needed to make the most of their data science tools. Day two of H2O World San Francisco will feature presentations from H2O.ai and several industry leaders exploring the potential of AI to solve real-world problems. Sessions will uncover insights into the various challenges organizations encounter in leveraging AI's potential, while training sessions will teach all types of attendees how to harness the full value of AI, ML, deep learning and data science industries from both business and technical perspectives. The lineup includes: Sri Ambati , CEO and Founder at H2O.ai: Ambati started H2O.ai with a clear mission in mind  make exceptional AI available to everyone. Known for his knack for envisioning killer apps in fast evolving spaces and assembling stellar teams towards productizing that vision, Ambati has built H2O.ai into one of the foremost leaders in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Through open source H2O and automatic machine learning platform Driverless AI, he drives high quality product development within the organization and uses that to fuel his passion for changing the world in a meaningful way through AI.

Ambati started H2O.ai with a clear mission in mind  make exceptional AI available to everyone. Known for his knack for envisioning killer apps in fast evolving spaces and assembling stellar teams towards productizing that vision, Ambati has built H2O.ai into one of the foremost leaders in machine learning and artificial intelligence. Through open source H2O and automatic machine learning platform Driverless AI, he drives high quality product development within the organization and uses that to fuel his passion for changing the world in a meaningful way through AI. Tess Gilman Posner , CEO at AI4ALL: Posner, along with her team, works to make AI more diverse and inclusive at her nonprofit AI4ALL by hosting camps and trainings on AI for children of all ages that are specifically geared toward underserved populations who lack the access to data science education that other communities might have. Prior to founding AI4ALL, she launched a national initiative with the White House with a goal of increasing diversity in tech economy. Posner has been featured at top publications including Business Insider, Fast Company and TechCrunch and is funded by top national foundations and influencers like Melinda Gates , Jensen Huang, JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Autodesk and more.

Posner, along with her team, works to make AI more diverse and inclusive at her nonprofit AI4ALL by hosting camps and trainings on AI for children of all ages that are specifically geared toward underserved populations who lack the access to data science education that other communities might have. Prior to founding AI4ALL, she launched a national initiative with the White House with a goal of increasing diversity in tech economy. Posner has been featured at top publications including Business Insider, Fast Company and TechCrunch and is funded by top national foundations and influencers like , Jensen Huang, JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Autodesk and more. Tanya Berger-Wolf , Co-founder and Director at Wildbook: Berger-Wolf is the co-founder and director at Wildbook, a tech project for conservation non-profit Wild Me that combs through massive collections of images to detect various species of animals and individuals within that species. Berger has also won several awards for her research and mentoring, including the US National Science Foundation Career Award, Association for Women in Science Chicago Innovator Awards and UIC Mento of the Year Award.

Berger-Wolf is the co-founder and director at Wildbook, a tech project for conservation non-profit Wild Me that combs through massive collections of images to detect various species of animals and individuals within that species. Berger has also won several awards for her research and mentoring, including the US National Science Foundation Career Award, Association for Women in Science Chicago Innovator Awards and UIC Mento of the Year Award. Dean Stoecker , CEO at Alteryx: Stoecker, along with his team, is responsible for the overall vision and execution of the company's strategic goals. Stoecker's leadership and motivational skills, along with his ability to create, communicate and realize a vision, are a driving force behind Alteryx's growth over the last decade.

Stoecker, along with his team, is responsible for the overall vision and execution of the company's strategic goals. Stoecker's leadership and motivational skills, along with his ability to create, communicate and realize a vision, are a driving force behind Alteryx's growth over the last decade. Naren Gupta , Co-Founder and Managing Director at Nexus Venture Partners: Gupta co-founded Integrated Systems Inc (ISI), a leading embedded software company, where he served as the President/CEO for 15 years. Under his leadership, ISI went public and was acquired by Intel. He has served on the boards of many public and privately held companies, and is currently the Chairman of the Board of Red Hat, Inc. Gupta serves on the Board of Trustees of the California Institute of Technology and the Advisory Board of Asia Society Northern California. He has also received distinguished alumni awards from Caltech and IIT and was elected a Fellow of the IEEE. Gupta is an active advisor to entrepreneurs worldwide.

Gupta co-founded Integrated Systems Inc (ISI), a leading embedded software company, where he served as the President/CEO for 15 years. Under his leadership, ISI went public and was acquired by Intel. He has served on the boards of many public and privately held companies, and is currently the Chairman of the Board of Red Hat, Inc. Gupta serves on the Board of Trustees of the and the Advisory Board of Asia Society Northern California. He has also received distinguished alumni awards from Caltech and IIT and was elected a Fellow of the IEEE. Gupta is an active advisor to entrepreneurs worldwide. Paul Zikopoulos , Vice President  Big Data Cognitive at IBM: Named one of the "50 Big Data Twitter Influencers" by SAP, Zikopoulos has served as a big data consultant for "60 Minutes" and multiple universities, and has been named an expert on big data by publications such as Big Data Republic, Technopedia and Analytics Week. Zikopoulos leads IBM's World-Wide Competitive Database and Big Data teams. He is also an award winning writer who has published more than 19 books and over 350 articles on data including Big Data Beyond the Hype, DB2 for Dummies and Understanding Big Data .

Named one of the "50 Big Data Twitter Influencers" by SAP, Zikopoulos has served as a big data consultant for "60 Minutes" and multiple universities, and has been named an expert on big data by publications such as Big Data Republic, Technopedia and Analytics Week. Zikopoulos leads IBM's World-Wide Competitive Database and Big Data teams. He is also an award winning writer who has published more than 19 books and over 350 articles on data including and . Navrina Singh, Principal Product Lead at Microsoft: Singh and her team are regularly building conversational AI products for Business Application Group. Prior to Microsoft, Singh spent 12 years at Qualcomm and in her last role she was the head of Qualcomm ImpactQT that focused on building emerging technologies and delivering strategic partnerships in AI, IoT and Mobile.

Singh and her team are regularly building conversational AI products for Business Application Group. Prior to Microsoft, Singh spent 12 years at Qualcomm and in her last role she was the head of Qualcomm ImpactQT that focused on building emerging technologies and delivering strategic partnerships in AI, IoT and Mobile. Melanie Rubino , Senior Data Scientist at Wells Fargo: Rubino currently works on building and deploying machine learning models for card fraud operations as part of Artificial Intelligence Enterprise Solutions. She has a PhD in Operations Research from Stanford University and has since immersed herself as a builder of optimization, statistical and machine learning models solving a variety of financial problems. Along with training and deploying models, Rubino builds teams, collaboration and educational material to grow machine learning in small and large companies.

Rubino currently works on building and deploying machine learning models for card fraud operations as part of Artificial Intelligence Enterprise Solutions. She has a PhD in Operations Research from and has since immersed herself as a builder of optimization, statistical and machine learning models solving a variety of financial problems. Along with training and deploying models, Rubino builds teams, collaboration and educational material to grow machine learning in small and large companies. Deepak Agarwal , Vice President of Engineering at LinkedIn: Agarwal is responsible for all AI efforts across LinkedIn. He is well known for his work on recommender systems and has published a book on this topic. Agarwal has also extensively published in top-tier computer science conferences and has co-authored several patents. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and has served on the Executive Committee of Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD). Along with KDD, Agarwal also serves on program committees of various conferences in the field of AI and computer science, and is an associate editor of two flagship statistics journals.

Agarwal is responsible for all AI efforts across LinkedIn. He is well known for his work on recommender systems and has published a book on this topic. Agarwal has also extensively published in top-tier computer science conferences and has co-authored several patents. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and has served on the Executive Committee of Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD). Along with KDD, Agarwal also serves on program committees of various conferences in the field of AI and computer science, and is an associate editor of two flagship statistics journals. Bharath Sudharsan , Director of Data Science and Innovation at ArmadaHealth: Sudharsan leads a team of data analysts at ArmadaHealth who develop and implement AI tools that are at the heart of objective and data-driven specialty care referral process synonymous with ArmadaHealth. Sudharsan has also held positions at Fractal Analytics and Quanttus, Inc. and WellDoc, Inc., and is the founder of Geetha, LLC, a provider of best in class healthcare analytics consultation including implementation of NLP and AI.

Sudharsan leads a team of data analysts at ArmadaHealth who develop and implement AI tools that are at the heart of objective and data-driven specialty care referral process synonymous with ArmadaHealth. Sudharsan has also held positions at Fractal Analytics and Quanttus, Inc. and WellDoc, Inc., and is the founder of Geetha, LLC, a provider of best in class healthcare analytics consultation including implementation of NLP and AI. Dr. Robert Coop , Senior Manager, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Stanley Black & Decker: Dr. Coop leads the company's AI and ML team and works with the industrial manufacturing business units to optimize operations by predicting machine failures and optimizing scheduling. He holds a doctorate in Computer Engineering from University of Tennessee , with a focus in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. Prior to Stanley Black & Decker, Coop worked at State Farm Mutual Insurance Companies, where he focused on predictive modeling and played a prominent role in forming the data science teams.



New York and London conferences in 2018: Women and Inclusion in Tech Panel: True innovation relies on engaging with people with a variety of perspectives. This panel will focus on views, opinions and insights on this important topic from women in the data science ecosystem.

True innovation relies on engaging with people with a variety of perspectives. This panel will focus on views, opinions and insights on this important topic from women in the data science ecosystem. How to Become an Expert Data Scientist: Following its success at H2O World London last year, one of the most anticipated sessions at H2O World San Francisco features expert data scientists and Kaggle Grandmasters. Listen and learn from the top experts in AI. Attendees will have a chance to hear about their AI journeys, learn tips and tricks for how to become an expert, and learn their thoughts on what's to come in data science. H2O World San Francisco 2019

When: Monday, February 4 - Tuesday, February 5 , 2019

, 2019 Where: San Francisco Hilton  Union Square 333 O'Farrell Street San Francisco, CA 94102

San Francisco Hilton  Union Square 333 O'Farrell Street 94102 Cost: $999 for general admission, $149 for students,

$999 for general admission, for students, Until January 18 ONLY  Winter Special ( $499 /ticket)

Check out the schedule: h2oworld.h2o.ai

If you are a member of the press and would like to attend: Contact press@h2o.ai to receive a code for a complimentary pass.

Contact to receive a code for a complimentary pass. Can't make it? Follow the day-of livestream: https://www.h2o.ai Connect with H2O.ai Visit us to learn more: www.h2o.ai

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/H2Oai

Connect with us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/2820918/

Download Driverless AI for a free 21-day trial: www.h2o.ai/try-driverless-ai/ About H2O.ai H2O.ai is an open source leader in AI with a mission to democratize AI for everyone. H2O.ai is transforming the use of AI with software with its category-creating visionary open source machine learning platform, H2O. More than 14,000 companies use open-source H2O in mission-critical use cases for Finance, Insurance, Healthcare, Retail, Telco, and Marketing. H2O Driverless AI uses AI to do AI in order to provide an easier, faster and effective means of implementing data science. H2O.ai partners with leading technology companies such as NVIDIA, IBM, AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform and is proud of its growing customer base which includes Capital One, Progressive Insurance, Comcast, Walgreens and PayPal. For more information and to learn more about how H2O.ai is driving an AI Transformation for businesses with intelligence, visit www.h2o.ai . H2O.ai Media Contact:

Erika Kamholz

press@h2o.ai

949-282-8560 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/h2oai-announces-industry-leading-lineup-for-h2o-world-san-francisco-2019-300774522.html SOURCE H2O.ai

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[January 08, 2019] Optimizely Expands Senior Leadership With Executive Appointments in Sales and Marketing

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Optimizely , the world's leader in digital experience optimization, today announced two senior leadership appointments. Eric Anderson will join the company as chief revenue officer and Jo Ann Sanders will become Optimizely's new vice president of product marketing. Anderson will lead Optimizely's sales team as the company continues to capitalize on its exceptional market opportunity and value proposition. Sanders will take a leading role in defining and executing product marketing strategy, including focus on Optimizely's Full Stack product. "We are in a consumer age where every interaction is a critical opportunity to win or lose your customers. Experiences across the board  from your website, to your product, to your support offerings  are now crucial to the success of your business," said Jay Larson, CEO of Optimizely. "Eric and Jo Ann have a deep understanding of the digita optimization space, and bring a wealth of experience driving growth in enterprise software companies. As our customers strive to keep up with the increasing expectations of their customers, Eric and Jo Ann will help us deliver our best-of-breed experimentation platform more quickly, to a broader number of use cases, and with even greater business impact. I'm thrilled to have both Eric and Jo Ann on the Optimizely team."



Anderson brings more than two decades of experience leading and mentoring high-performing sales teams across both SaaS and enterprise companies. Previously, he served as chief revenue officer at Spredfast, a global social media marketing software company, where he built and led high-performance sales programs that increased revenues and improved profits. Anderson also served in executive roles at companies like Return Path, Nuance Communications and Virtuoz, where he oversaw strategic planning, direct and channel sales, financial analysis, customer acquisition and retention strategies. Sanders brings more than two decades of experience leading developer-focused marketing organizations in rapidly growing their technology businesses. Most recently, she served as vice president of marketing at Xamarin, which was acquired by Microsoft in 2016, where she built the marketing team from the ground up and drove millions of developer downloads. Sanders also worked for industry leaders such as Adobe Systems and Appcelerator developing and directing product marketing and product management functions aimed at enterprise businesses.

About Optimizely

Optimizely is the world's leader in digital experience optimization, allowing businesses to dramatically drive up the value of their digital products, commerce and campaigns through its best in class experimentation software platform. By replacing digital guesswork with evidence-based results, Optimizely enables product and marketing professionals to accelerate innovation, lower the risk of new features, and drive up the return on investment from digital by up to 10X. Optimizely's impressive customer list includes eBay, FOX, IBM, The New York Times and many more global enterprises. To learn more, visit optimizely.com. Media Contact

Victoria Butler, Bateman Group for Optimizely

optimizely@bateman-group.com

415-423-3748 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/optimizely-expands-senior-leadership-with-executive-appointments-in-sales-and-marketing-300774600.html SOURCE Optimizely

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[January 08, 2019] PPS Joins Plug and Play - Bridging Silicon Valley and South Africa

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Professional Provident Society (PPS), a South African-based financial services company, announced today its partnership with Plug and Play, the world's largest global innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley. This partnership increases Plug and Play's exposure in South Africa, a region with a wealth of untapped opportunities. "At PPS, we know there is so much more we can do for our members to remain relevant in a digitally-driven world," said Billy Lynch, Executive  Strategic Development for PPS. "Embedding ourselves into the Insurtech vertical within Plug and Play will help us explore new opportunities to enhance member experience, drive experimentation and speed up the delivery of cutting-edge solutions for our members." This partnership will position PPS at the forefront of insurance industry innovation where focus will be directed in the areas of Insurance, Health, IoT (Internet of Things), Media & Mobile, and Fintech & Security, with leaders from different streams participating. The program is slated to begin in January 2019. "Plug and Play has seen an influx of promising startups coming out of the South African region. These companies bring a unique perspective to the global insurance market that we don't see here in Silicon Valley," says Ali Safavi, Global Head of Plug and Play Insurtech. "We're excited to grow this partnership with PPS to collaborate on new innovation efforts from South Africa." Plug and Play Insurtech is an innovation patform bringing together corporations, startups, and investors to work on improving the insurance industry. Since inception in May 2016, they have provided a vast innovation platform for over 75 corporate partners and have made over 40 investments in Insurtech startups. Plug and Play Insurtech has recently expanded internationally to Beijing, Munich, New York, Singapore, and Tokyo.



About PPS PPS boasts in excess of 200,000 members who enjoy access to a comprehensive suite of financial and healthcare products that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of graduate professionals.

PPS is the largest South African company of its kind that still embraces an ethos of mutuality, which means that it exists solely for the benefit of its members. Thus, PPS members with qualifying products share in the profits of PPS Insurance via annual allocations to the unique PPS Profit-Share Account and those who have qualifying PPS Provider products can also share in the profits of PPS Investments. PPS membership provides access to the following tried, tested and trusted products and services: PPS Insurance, PPS Short-Term Insurance, PPS Financial Planning, PPS Investments and Profmed Medical Scheme. Visit www.pps.co.za for more information. PPS is an authorised financial services provider. About Plug and Play Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 20 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 10,000 startups and 220 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in our community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, LendingClub, and PayPal. www.plugandplaytechcenter.com . View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pps-joins-plug-and-play---bridging-silicon-valley-and-south-africa-300774599.html SOURCE Plug and Play

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[January 08, 2019] Harris Williams Advises RoadOne IntermodaLogistics, LLC on its Recapitalization and Growth Investment with Nonantum Capital

Harris Williams, a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide for more than 25 years, announces that it advised RoadOne IntermodaLogistics, LLC (RoadOne), a portfolio company of Tritium Partners (Tritium), on its recapitalization and growth investment with Nonantum Capital (Nonantum). RoadOne is a leading full-service intermodal transportation and related logistics company. The transaction was led by Jason Bass, Frank Mountcastle, Jershon Jones, James O'Malley and Nick Petrick of Harris Williams' Transportation & Logistics (T&L) Group. "We are thrilled to have worked with RoadOne on this highly successful and important transaction which marks a major milestone for the company," said Jason Bass, a managing director at Harris Williams. "Founders Ken Kellaway and David McLaughlin, along with Executive Chairman Ron Sorrow, have created a premier platform in the intermodal sector. In partnership with Tritium over the last few years, they have successfully created a market leader that will continue to set the standard for intermodal drayage transportation and logistics services in North America."



As part of the recapitalization and growth investment, the current management team will continue to lead RoadOne. Kellaway will remain as president and chief executive officer, and McLaughlin will continue to serve as chief operating officer and chief financial officer. Both Kellaway and McLaughlin will continue to be investors in the new organization. "David and I, along with the rest of the RoadOne team, are excited to partner with the Nonantum team in our next phase of growth," said Kellaway. "We will work with our new partners to continue our expansion efforts and to invest further in our industry-leading technology, as well as expand our geographical footprint and service offering through continued acquisitions, agent expansion and strong organic growth focus. As a leading provider in the intermodal transportation space, we are continually focused on our mission for RoadOne to serve as the premier platform for our customers, owner / operator providers and team members."

RoadOne is a premier full-service intermodal transportation and related logistics company in North America. Offering industry-leading port and rail container drayage, terminal operations, dedicated truckload services, and transloading, warehousing and distribution solutions nationwide, RoadOne provides transportation solutions across the United States and Canada. Under the leadership of Kellaway, McLaughlin and Sorrow and with strong support from Tritium, RoadOne has grown to become one of the leading national intermodal drayage providers with over 60 locations, 1,700 trucks and multiple service brands and solutions, including First Coast Logistics, Jarvis Trans and United Global Logistics, all acquired as part of a strategic effort to expand RoadOne's services and geographic presence. Founded in 2013, Tritium is a private equity firm focused on companies with exceptional growth potential. For over 16 years, the founders of Tritium have deployed over $800 million of equity capital while partnering with talented founders and executives to build market-leading companies. Tritium's approach emphasizes creating long-term value through strategic growth initiatives and acquisitions, with a focus on internet and information services, supply chain and logistics, and financial and business services. Founded in 2018 by a group of experienced private equity and management executives as a spin-out from Charlesbank Capital Partners, Nonantum is a Boston-based middle market private equity firm. Nonantum focuses on investing in family- and founder-owned businesses, corporate carve-outs and complex situations where personal partnership is critical and opportunities exist for significant equity value creation. Harris Williams (www.harriswilliams.com), a subsidiary of the PNC (News - Alert) Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC), is a preeminent middle market investment bank focused on the advisory needs of clients worldwide. The firm has deep industry knowledge, global transaction expertise and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Harris Williams provides sell-side and acquisition advisory, restructuring advisory, board advisory, private placements and capital markets advisory services. Harris Williams' T&L Group serves companies in a broad range of attractive niches, including third-party logistics (3PL), truck, rail, marine and air transportation, automotive and heavy duty vehicle, and transportation equipment. For more information on the firm's T&L Group and other recent transactions, visit the T&L Group's section of the Harris Williams website. Harris Williams LLC is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is a private limited company incorporated under English law with its registered office at 5th Floor, 6 St. Andrew Street, London EC4A 3AE, UK, registered with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales (registration number 07078852). Harris Williams & Co. Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH is registered in the commercial register of the local court of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, under HRB 107540. The registered address is Bockenheimer Landstrasse 33-35, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany (email address: hwgermany@harriswilliams.com). Geschaftsfuhrer/Directors: Jeffery H. Perkins, Paul Poggi. (VAT No. awaited). Harris Williams is a trade name under which Harris Williams LLC, Harris Williams & Co. Ltd and Harris Williams & Co. Corporate Finance Advisors GmbH conduct business. For media inquiries, please contact Katie Langemeier, associate brand manager, at +1 (804) 648-0072. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005758/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Software AG Appoints New Chief Technology Officer and Chief Marketing Officer

Software AG (Frankfurt, MDAX: SOW) today announced that Dr. Wolfram Jost, who engineered Software AG's digital transformation technology as the company's Chief Technology Officer, will leave Software AG to pursue new opportunities. Dr. Andreas Bereczky, Chairman of Software AG's Supervisory Board said: "Wolfram joined Software AG's Management Board in 2009, with the IDS Scheer acquisition and has made a valuable contribution to Software AG in the decade since. He was instrumental in driving the company's positioning in the digital transformation market and his platform vision helped us to differentiate and to gain market visibility, particularly with industry analysts and customers. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors and thank him on behalf of the entire Supervisory Board." Dr. Stefan Sigg, Member of the Software AG Management Board, will take on an expanded role of Chief Product Officer, encompassing all aspects of Software AG's products, including product management, product development and support. Software AG also announced that Bernd Gross will assume the position of Chief Technology Officer reporting to the CEO as of January 8th, 2019. Bernd has deep expertise in business innovation based on integration, analytics and IoT technologies across major industries. He joined Software AG as CEO and co-founder of the IoT platform Cumulocity through an acquisition in 2017. Since then, Bernd has been responsible for spearheading Software AG's successful entry into the IoT market and development of the company's transition to cloud. CEO Sanjay Brahmawar said: "Bernd has successfully established Cumulocity and hence Software AG as a recognized leader in the IoT & Device Integration platform market globally. His business orientation, deep technology understanding, as well as anticipation of future market requirements puts Bernd in the perfect position to lead as our new CTO." Of his appointment, Bernd said: "To me, IoT is more than just big data or device management. We create an entire virtual world based on connected cyber physical systems. This 'holistic connectedness' needs integration, analytics and database technologies and new methodologies to operationalize the outcome. I feel very hnored to lead Software AG's activities in these areas to a thought-leadership position among our customers and in the market."



Software AG also announced that Paz Macdonald will join the company as Chief Marketing Officer as of January 14, 2019. With over 20 years' experience in technology marketing, she was most recently VP of Marketing for EMEA and APAC at hyper-growth hybrid cloud database vendor MongoDB. CEO Sanjay Brahmawar said: "Paz joins us at an exciting time as we expand our strong position as a pioneer of digital transformation. I am confident that her experience and passion will further strengthen all aspects of Software AG's global marketing strategy and activities - making us a top destination for customers, partners and employees."

Paz joined MongoDB as one of the first European hires and spearheaded innovative marketing strategies to grow market awareness, developer adoption and commercial success. Instrumental in the expansion of MongoDB internationally, she contributed to the growth of the company from start-up to successful IPO. Prior to MongoDB, Paz held marketing management positions at IBM, Cisco, Samsung, HP Software and Cognos (News - Alert) . Of her appointment Paz said: "I am delighted to be joining the Software AG team to help expand and strengthen its leadership in the digital transformation space. A key part of my role will be listening to our customers, prospects and partners so we can deliver superior customer experiences at every interaction. It's never been a more exciting time to be involved in artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and integration." Paz will be based in Software AG's UK headquarters in Bracknell, reporting directly to CEO Sanjay Brahmawar. Paz holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Economics from Loughborough University and a Professional Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. About Software AG Software AG (Frankfurt MDAX: SOW) helps companies with their digital transformation. With Software AG's Digital Business Platform, companies can better interact with their customers and bring them on new 'digital' journeys, promote unique value propositions, and create new business opportunities. In the Internet of Things (IoT) market, Software AG enables enterprises to integrate, connect and manage IoT components as well as analyze data and predict future events based on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Digital Business Platform is built on decades of uncompromising software development, IT experience and technological leadership. Software AG has more than 4,500 employees, is active in 70 countries and had revenues of 879 million in 2017. To learn more, visit www.softwareag.com. Software AG | Uhlandstrasse 12 | 64297 Darmstadt | Germany Detailed press information about Software AG including a picture and multimedia database are available under: www.softwareag.com/press Follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) : Software AG Germany | Software AG Global View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005725/en/

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[January 08, 2019] From Ethiopian Refugee Camp to Harvard and Beyond: Mawi Asgedom to Keynote at LearnLaunch Across Boundaries Conference

LearnLaunch and co-host MIT (News - Alert) Office of Open Learning are proud to announce that Mawi Asgedom, author of Of Beetles and Angels and CEO of Mawi Learning, will join Across Boundaries as a keynote speaker on the subject of "Social Emotional Learning in the Age of Artificial Intelligence." Join Asgedom, five keynotes, over 150 speakers in 50 breakout sessions, student showcases, startups, and more in Boston on January 31 and February 1, 2019 for the 7th annual LearnLaunch Across Boundaries Conference, New England's premier edtech event. "Across Boundaries participants tell us they love the authentic conversation of people with varied backgrounds, the scale, and the connections they make. Digital transformation is happening in all sectors and the LearnLaunch community is driving it in education," said Eileen Rudden, Co-Founder and Board Chair a LearnLaunch. "The theme of Across Boundaries this year is 'Education and Economic Mobility.' Mawi Asgedom exemplifies the power and the possibility of education to transform lives and create value for the economy."



Mawi Asgedom arrived in the U.S. as a refugee from Ethiopia and experienced firsthand the transformative power of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as it helped propel him to a scholarship to Harvard University and becoming an edtech entrepreneur. Mawi Learning provides scalable SEL solutions to help all students achieve a trajectory of success. He will speak alongside a distinguished group of keynotes: Ryan Craig, Managing Director at University Ventures: Education Meets Employment

Melina Uncapher, Assistant Professor, UCSF: How Can Learning Engineering Be Applied In Schools?

Dr. Pamela Moran, Executive Director of the Virginia School Consortium for Learning, and Ira Socol, Senior Provocateur and Learning Environment Specialist, Socol Moran Partners: How to Roadmap Your Journey to Innovation, Creating a Culture of Innovation and Contagious Creativity

Debbie Cavalier, SVP of Online Learning at the Berklee School of Music/CEO of Berklee Online: How to Build a Higher Ed Online Powerhouse Over 1,300 edtech stakeholders - including educators, entrepreneurs, industry representatives, students, and investors - will explore the cutting-edge innovations that are transforming learning and the business of the education sector. With sessions on topics ranging from megatrends in higher education to AR/VR applications for learning, Across Boundaries brings the world of education innovation to Boston.

The LearnLaunch Accelerator is hosting its eighth Demo Day at Across Boundaries. The event marks the official end to the Accelerator program and features 9 emerging edtech companies spanning early ed, k-12, higher ed, and workforce education. Accelerator companies were selected from around the world and include founders from Israel, France, Mozambique and the US. Companies include: Orbit, an AR/VR STEM learning platform founded by two female entrepreneurs from Pakistan

Curio Learning, a content curation system created by the Kentucky teacher of the year

Beagle Learning, a platform providing critical thinking support in online learning discussion groups at universities like Arizona State. Their presentations will discuss their market, product, traction, and where they're headed in the next 6-12 months. Register today at http://bit.ly/AcrossBoundaries or learn more about Across Boundaries at http://learnlaunch.org/2019conference/. About LearnLaunch

LearnLaunch catalyzes a community that drives innovation to transform learning and increase achievement. Our education innovation ecosystem mobilizes educators, entrepreneurs, learners, investors, and industry affiliates. A nonprofit, LearnLaunch offers learning opportunities, support services, the MAPLE Consortium, a school pilot network and the LearnLaunch Campus edtech co-working space. We believe in expanding access to learning that is engaging, personalized, and effective. Edtech is a critical component of achieving this vision at scale. https://learnlaunch.org

@LearnLaunch #LearnLaunch2019 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005716/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Voicify to be a silver sponsor at the 2019 Alexa Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee

BOSTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Voicify (www.voicify.com), a voice experience platform provider, announced that they will be attending as a Silver Sponsor of The 2019 Alexa Conference, Jan. 15-17, 2019 in Chattanooga, TN. Jason Fields, Chief Strategy Officer of Voicify said, "We are honored to be a part of this year's Alexa Conference. The event brings together a vast group of great minds, all who share a similar passion for the future of voice technology. We're looking forward to gaining the value of interacting with some of the other market-leading companies, as well as discussing our voice experience platform and industry expertise with attendees." The 2019 Alexa Conference, presented by VoiceFirst.FM, is the largest Alexa-centric event and one of the top voice technology events in the world. Over 600 attendees from more than 12 countries are expected to attend the conference, where the best-in-class products, services, ecosystems, and tools for Alexa developers will be showcased. The event is geared toward executives, marketers, developers, and strategists who work with Amazon. Voicify's Chief Technology Officer, Nick Laidlaw, will be co-presenting at the conference with Amy Starnes, Director of Digital Engagement at Best Frinds Animal Society. The two will present a case study on Best Friend's experience creating a voice application using Voicify's Voice Experience Platform.



About Voicify and the Company's Voice Experience Management Platform

Voicify is the market leader in voice experience management software that combines voice optimized content management, cross-platform deployment, and voice-specific customer insights. The Voicify Voice Experience Platform enables marketers to connect with their customers by creating highly engaging and personalized voice experiences that are automatically deployed to a broad array of voice platforms such as voice assistants (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana), chatbots and other services. The platform enables non-technical users to deploy feature-rich voice applications quickly and efficiently while offering the flexibility of unlimited customization.

Once brands have built and deployed a voice application on the Voicify Platform, brand authors can administer voice content within the Voicify Voice Content Management System. The Voice Content Management System offers an intuitive interface that allows non-technical personnel to create, modify, and remove content for a voice application. This allows brands to create and maintain voice experiences that are more dynamic and engaging. To learn more about Voicify or to schedule a demo of the Company's Voice Experience Platform please visit www.voicify.com. Voicify's Alexa Conference Press Kit can be found at http://alexaconference.vporoom.com/Voicify. Related Links

http://www.voicify.com

https://bestfriends.org/

https://www.voicefirst.fm/alexa-world-fair View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/voicify-to-be-a-silver-sponsor-at-the-2019-alexa-conference-in-chattanooga-tennessee-300773027.html SOURCE Voicify

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Cherwell Appoints Andre Cuenin as Chief Revenue Officer

Cherwell Software, LLC, ("Cherwell") a global leader in service management announced that technology leader Andre Cuenin (News - Alert) has been appointed as the Chief Revenue Officer. He will report to Sam Gilliland, Cherwell's chief executive officer, and be based in the company's offices in Colorado Springs and Denver, Colorado.

Cuenin will lead Cherwell's global sales organization driving Cherwell's growth in the service management software sector, where it was recently named a leader by industry experts building on its success in IT Service Management.







"Andre has over 20 years experience with leading technology companies building and guiding world-class sales organizations," said Mr. Gilliland. "He brings a deep understanding of SaaS (News - Alert) and automation software and how enterprise customers can integrate technology to improve and grow their businesses. Andre will work closely with the Cherwell executive leadership team as we position ourselves for long-term growth."

Cuenin joins Cherwell from Integrated Research (News - Alert) (IR), a global, publicly traded software company, where during his tenure he managed business operations in the Americas and Europe and oversaw strategic alliances globally. Prior to joining IR, he was vice president of field operations at Stratavia, where he was responsible for sales and professional services marketing worldwide. Cuenin spent 15 years with CA Technologies (News - Alert) (previously known as Computer Associates) in several senior management positions including vice president of worldwide sales operations.

Cuenin is a graduate of University Brugg-Windisch with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, and received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.

About Cherwell Software (News - Alert)

Cherwell (@Cherwell) empowers organizations to transform their business through the rapid adoption and easy management of digital services. Cherwell's adaptable platform has enabled thousands of organizations to modernize their business operations with customizable service management, automation, and reporting across the enterprise. For more information, visit: http://www.cherwell.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005393/en/
[January 08, 2019] Sprint Announces Greenville, S.C. as World's First Smart City with Curiosity IoT Powered by 5G

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The city of Greenville, South Carolina will work with Sprint (NYSE: S) to build out smart city infrastructure and ecosystem, set to leverage the power of 5G and the ground-breaking Sprint Curiosity IoT. The announcement, made at CES 2019, entails the installation of innovative Massive MIMO technology, dedicated IoT network technology and more across the city. "Greenville government officials and staff are placing their trust in Sprint to power what will be one of the most forward-thinking smart city ecosystems on the planet, leveraging the power of Sprint mobile 5G and Curiosity IoT networks to bring smart city use cases to life," said Ivo Rook, senior vice president, IoT & product development at Sprint. "We are proud to be supporting the fourth fastest growing city in the country to develop the infrastructure of the future." Concepts will be a reality with 5G network and "micropositioning" technology enabling connected vehicles, autonomous drones and any other smart machines to operate, navigate and react in real time, in a dedicated area of the city. Leading companies including Smart Greenville, W8less and LG, among others, are working together to bring exciting ideas to life. Together, new technology in the city will attract digital start-ups and research and development in autonomous, AI and robotics. "Cities used to invest in roads, rails and airports; the infrastructure of the future to attract investment is digital," said Knox White, Mayor of Greenville, S.C. "Sprint's Curiosity IoT with mobile 5G is readying cities to attract the business of the future." Curiosity IoT with 5G: Driving the Connected Devce Revolution





Sprint 5G and Curiosity are creating the new standard in IoT which features device data intelligence, over-the-air device management and chip-to-cloud security. When coupled with Sprint's blazing-fast, high-capacity mobile 5Gservice, Curiosity IoT's dedicated, distributed and virtualized IoT core network will be capable of supporting artificial intelligence, robotics, edge computing, autonomous vehicles and other IoT systems requiring extreme low-latency and high-bandwidth. For more information on Sprint Curiosity IoT or to schedule briefings with Sprint executives, contact Sprint@GoDRIVEN360.com.

About Sprint:

Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served 54.5 million connections as of Sept. 30, 2018 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Today, Sprint's legacy of innovation and service continues with an increased investment to dramatically improve coverage, reliability, and speed across its nationwide network and commitment to launching the first 5G mobile network in the U.S. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sprint-announces-greenville-sc-as-worlds-first-smart-city-with-curiosity-iot-powered-by-5g-300774706.html SOURCE Sprint

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NTT DATA Named a Leader in Blockchain Services by Everest and NelsonHall

NTT DATA today announced the company has been named a leader in two recent analyst firm reports: 2019 Blockchain Services PEAK Matrix Assessment by Everest Group and NelsonHall's Blockchain in Business Process Transformation NEAT Evaluation. In July 2018 NTT (News - Alert) DATA was also named a Leader in Avasant's Blockchain Services RadarViewTM 2018 report highlighting the top IT services providers that leverage blockchain to support client initiatives.

"As a trusted global innovator, we strive to continuously be at the forefront of new technologies and lead the way in innovation for our clients," said Tsuyoshi Kitani, executive vice president and director, CTO, CISO, technology and innovation general headquarters, NTT DATA. "Blockchain is a channel of the future and we are on a mission to uncover new applications for blockchain to better meet the needs of clients across industries. These recognitions are powerful testaments to our team's commitment to thinking differently and we are proud to be named a leader for this emerging technology."

NTT DATA is workig in Italy with ABI Lab (the Banking Research and Innovation Center founded and promoted by the Italian Banking Association) to explore the applicability of distributed ledger technology (DLT) for the reconciliation of transactions between banks. The solution aims to solve issues like identifying mismatched transactions between two banks, lack of a standardized process and communication protocol, and limited visibility of transactions between parties.







The DLT platform, Corda, which is made available by Consortium R3, provides a single, immutable record of each transaction, optimizing and simplifying the management of discrepancies. The ABI Lab project will simplify the resolution of suspended movements between banks to improve the efficiency, transparency and speed of this process.

NTT DATA delivers pioneering advisory and strategy services as well as practical design, delivery and integration solutions for clients seeking to explore blockchain technology. As an early adopter, the NTT DATA team helps clients integrate blockchain with other technologies. Additionally, the company develops unique blockchain solutions that are customized to fit the client's specific needs with a deep understanding of multiple industries and technology platforms.

As a founding member of Hyperledger and ALASTRIA, two leading international blockchain alliances, NTT DATA is committed to helping clients on their blockchain journey and has made investments in developing Centers of Excellence in 19 countries for open research and development efforts. Read more about NTT DATA's involvement in the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance here.

More information about NTT DATA Services' blockchain service offerings can be accessed here.

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA is a leading IT services provider and global innovation partner headquartered in Tokyo, with business operations in over 50 countries. Our emphasis is on long-term commitment, combining global reach with local intimacy to provide premier professional services varying from consulting and systems development to outsourcing. For more information, visit www.nttdata.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005694/en/
[January 08, 2019] Edgemont Capital Partners Announces Record 2018 Results; Launches Rebrand

Leading independent healthcare investment banking firm Edgemont Capital Partners will rebrand as "Edgemont Partners", it was announced today. As part of the rebranding, Edgemont is launching a new website, www.edgemont.com. "The name 'Edgemont Partners' represents our sole focus on M&A and financing advisory services exclusively for healthcare companies, and our rock-solid commitment to delivering exceptional results for our clients. We are excited to introduce our new brand and website that highlight our proven track record built over the past 18 years," said David Blume, Co-founder and Managing Director. "With 25 experienced investment banking professionals, we have grown to become one of the largest - and one of the few remaining independent - middle market healthcare investment banks in the US." Edgemont produced its best year to date in 2018, with record growth in transaction volume, financial performance and headcount. The Firm closed 12 transactions and generated 40% higher revenue over its prior best year. Headcount grew by more than 25% - as a result, Edgemont has more than doubled in size over the past two years. The Firm's expansion included both internal promotions nd lateral recruiting of talented healthcare bankers. Significant personnel additions during the year included:



Hired Kojo Appenteng to lead the Firm's Healthcare IT (HCIT) group. Appenteng joined from Credit Suisse where he served in the same role. He was previously a HCIT banker at Harris Williams and Morgan Stanley.

Promoted Vitality (News - Alert) Marchenko to Vice President. Marchenko joined Edgemont in 2015 from D.A. Davidson.

Promoted Patrick Bradley to Vice President. Bradley joined the firm in 2016 from Houlihan Lokey.

Hired Andrew Karlin as Vice President from the healthcare group at Mizuho Securities. He was previously a banker at Lincoln International.

Hired Gustave Macheras as Associate. He was previously an Associate in the healthcare group at Credit Suisse.

Promoted David Murphy and Dan Smallegan to Associate from Analyst.

Hired six Analysts. Supported by strong corporate M&A activity, private equity investment and powerful industry forces of change across many healthcare segments, Edgemont enters the New Year with a record backlog and projects the Firm's overall transaction activity to continue at record levels in 2019. Edgemont plans to add more managing directors and other seasoned professionals as it continues to expand. About Edgemont Partners

Edgemont Partners is a premier investment bank that provides merger and acquisition advisory and growth capital raising services exclusively to healthcare companies. We focus solely on providing expert strategic advice and transaction execution, bringing a steadfast commitment to our clients, driven always by what's in their best interest. This dedication enables us to deliver independent conflict-free advice, to serve as trusted advisors to healthcare entrepreneurs, management teams and investors, and to execute with exceptional results. For more information on Edgemont and how we can best serve you, contact Ben Hughes (News - Alert) at (646) 632-3967 or visit our website at www.edgemont.com. Investment banking services are provided by Edgemont Capital Partners, LP, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005666/en/

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[January 08, 2019] TBWA\Worldwide Launches OneSandbox

NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TBWA\Worldwide today announced the launch of OneSandbox, a curated search platform built to showcase diverse makers and vendors in the creative space, and connect them with brands and agencies looking to develop a more inclusive supply chain. The TBWA collective of U.S. ad agencies and creative companies have invested over $165 million with more than 200 women and multicultural-owned and operated creative businesses (MWBEs) in the past five years on behalf of its clients. Through OneSandbox, TBWA looks to connect these thriving creators with more agencies and brand partners in an effort to close the opportunity gap for minority suppliers across the advertising and marketing industry. The platform seeks to make progress in helping diverse entrepreneurs achieve economic equity. Of the 30 million businesses in America, 52% are owned, operated and controlled by a woman or person of color. Yet they get only 6% of domestic business revenues.1 "Today, almost 50% of the country is multicultural, and to say 'I don't know' or 'I can't help' is not acceptable," said Doug Melville, Chief Diversity Officer for TBWA North America. "We created OneSandbox to better inform and better equip our industry peers to do their part to shift the D&I conversation, and make real strides to overcome the disparities for diverse makers and creators. We hope that by making this information easily and readily available, we can eliminate some of the barriers and make some real change." To date, no centralized, unified resource has existed to help producers and creatives locate and explore noteworthy diverse and women-owned creative vendors to bid on projects. OneSandbox works to simplify this process by identifying, evaluating and listing qualified MWBEs. This includes businesses that are either classified or certified by one of several major diversity councils: Women (WBENC), Multicultural (NMSDC), Hispanic (USHCC), LGBT (NGLCC) and Veteran (NaVOBA). "What's so powerful about OneSandbox is that brands and agencies will finally have one centralized resource to explore, experience and hire fresh voices and fresh visions that can create work that truly reflects a more diverse and inclusive American audience," said Rob Schwartz, CEO of TBWA\Chiat\Day New York. Beyond creative vendors, One Sandbox includes information on more than 40 Diversity & Inclusion themed conferences, 20 D&I award shows, and a real-time aggregated newsfeedhighlighting must-read stories from around the web on Diversity & Inclusion, with over 5,000 articles at launch. All of these features are available for public consumption at no cost.



Access to vendor listings is available via subscription to member agencies. Current OneSandbox member agencies include TBWA\Chiat\Day, The Integer Group, GMR Marketing, Eventive, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, The Collective, TBWA\WorldHealth, Nissan United, 180LA, Designory and Engage. The system is also in beta testing across other agencies within the Omnicom People Engagement Network (OPEN), with plans to extend full membership offers across additional Omnicom agencies, followed by the industry at large in the coming year. Omnicom SVP and Chief Diversity Officer Tiffany R. Warren commented: "As more and more agencies and clients are looking to increase their spend with women and diverse creative vendors, I'm excited that so many diversity champions within Omnicom could be part of OneSandbox upon launch. It's important we continue to champion disruptive thinking in this spaceand we are excited to have this resource available for our agencies."

"As a creative who has worked on Madison Avenue and brought that experience and entrepreneurship to start my own shop, Bravely, working alongside TBWA to create OneSandbox was an incredible project," said Shane Santiago, President and Chief Experience Officer at Bravely. "There is no shortage of incredibly talented and diverse partners out there who rely on partnerships with agencies to grow, yet at the same time, agencies can create really amazing work by partnering as well. So being able to create a community that thrives on that partnership was incredibly meaningful for me personally, having been on both sides of that relationship." About TBWA\Worldwide

TBWA is The Disruption Company: the cultural engine for 21st century business. Named Adweek's 2018 Global Agency of the Year, we create disruptive ideas that locate and involve brands in culture, giving them a larger share of the future. Our collective has 11,300 creative minds across 275 offices in 95 countries and also includes brands such as AUDITOIRE, Digital Arts Network (DAN), eg+ worldwide, GMR, The Integer Group, TBWA\Media Arts Lab, TBWA\WorldHealth and TRO. Global clients include adidas, Apple, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton Hotels, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, and Singapore Airlines. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, and like us on Facebook. About Omnicom Group Inc.

Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. 1 Source: American Express 2017 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, combined with data from MBDA U.S. Business Fact Sheet View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tbwaworldwide-launches-onesandbox-300774770.html SOURCE TBWA\Worldwide

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[January 08, 2019] FierceHealthcare Names Elemeno Health as a 2019 "Fierce 15" Company

Elemeno Health, the developer of a proprietary cloud-based solution for front-line healthcare teams, today announced that it has been named one of the 2019 Fierce 15 companies by FierceHealthcare, designating it as one of the most promising healthcare companies in the industry. Developed in collaboration with UCSF Medical Center, the Elemeno solution provides "just-in-time" training, which enables front-line medical professionals to quickly access interactive guidelines, smart checklists and concise how-to videos from any device, 24/7. "Taking policy to practice is the greatest challenge in healthcare today," said Nancy Shibata, senior vice president of operations and Chief Nursing Officer at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. "Our partnership with Elemeno Health has resulted in an efficient way to push out new 'just-in-time' information, which helps us suport complex information exchange in a rapidly changing environment."



The Elemeno solution simplifies complicated best practices into bite-sized learning and includes both social and "gamification" elements designed to engage and motivate team members. As a result, hospital staff can strategically implement priority best practices and drive front-line adoption at scale to help improve quality, safety and outcomes for patients. "We recognize that nurses, doctors, and staff are already working incredibly hard; practices are growing so fast that mastery can feel impossible," said Arup Roy-Burman, CEO and co-founder of Elemeno Health, and associate professor of pediatrics at UCSF. "We empower front-line caregivers through the mobile-friendly delivery of knowledge that is both accessible and actionable so the front-lines can work smarter, not harder."

"This year's Fierce15 winners show companies both large and small are finding new and innovative ways to tackle healthcare's most pressing challenges," said Tina Reed, FierceHealthcare's executive health and hospitals editor. About FierceHealthcare FierceHealthcare is the healthcare industry's daily monitor, an email newsletter and web resource providing the latest news, articles, and resources related to healthcare organizations and providers, Medicare/Medicaid/CMS, policies & regulations, healthcare reform and more. More than 120,000 top healthcare professionals rely on FierceHealthcare every day. About Elemeno Founded in 2016 in Oakland, California, Elemeno Health is a digital health startup backed by Launchpad Digital Health and Y Combinator. The Elemeno solution was developed in collaboration with UCSF and is in use by teams in multiple large medical centers and ambulatory health systems throughout the U.S. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005304/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Razer Chroma Works with Amazon to Enable Alexa Capabilities in Millions of Compatible Gaming Devices

( CES (News - Alert) 2019) - Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced it is bringing Amazon Alexa to compatible Razer devices via Razer Synapse 3, an Internet-of-Things platform with millions of users and growing. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005306/en/ Razer Chroma Connected Devices program (Graphic: Business Wire) Razer also announced that the Razer Chroma Connected Devices Program announced last June at Computex 2018 is now officially live with 15 new partners. This means over 300 devices now work with Razer Chroma-enabled games and applications. The ability to voice-control gaming hardware via Alexa will be unlocked via Razer Synapse 3, Razer's unified hardware configuration tool. Users can speak through their Razer headsets and mics to control compatible devices. For example, Razer Chroma features in-game lighting synced with Razer mice, keyboards, headsets and other hardware that can be verbally controlled through Alexa. Alexa integrated with Synapse 3 likewise enables Razer users to control ambient Philips (News - Alert) Hue lighting, access tens of thousands of skills and more - hands-free via mic-enabled Razer products. A unified Razer Chroma lighting experience can be achieved across third-party hardware devices, as well, including PC cases, motherboards and cooling fans, using the Razer Choma Connect module.



"This is an amazing look forward for Razer into a future for gamers where the full potential of gaming gear is seamless and intuitively controlled through voice activation, synchronization and connected cloud services," says Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. "Razer Chroma is an incredibly powerful gaming feature, and we're motivated to work closely with Amazon to build this integration with Alexa, enabling users to change lighting effects, profiles, start games, change settings and more." Pete Thompson, VP of the Alexa Voice Service said the following: "We're thrilled to work with Razer and provide customers a first-of-its kind integration that showcases how Alexa can enhance the gaming experience. With Alexa, users can control compatible Razer peripherals while taking full advantage of other Alexa capabilities, including the ability to manage smart devices, access tens of thousands of skills and more."

Within Q2 of 2019, Razer Synapse users in Canada and the U.S. who connect their compatible Razer devices to Amazon Alexa will notice a new module allowing them to transmit commands directly to Alexa or through Razer headsets, standalone microphones and laptop mics to change lighting or game settings. Activation in other countries is anticipated by year end. Examples "Alexa, ask Chroma to change my lighting profile to FPS mode." "Alexa, sync all of my devices to my team color." "Alexa, ask Chroma to start Overwatch" "Alexa, ask Razer Synapse to decrease my DPI to 200." "Alexa, ask Razer to change Audio settings to Movie mode." Razer and Amazon will be jointly working with game developers to enable Alexa in-game functionalities together with the Chroma SDK to make gaming even more immersive. Razer welcomes Chroma Connected devices from manufacturers AMD, AOC, ASRock, Biostar, Colorful, Cougar, Ducky Channel, EK Waterblocks, Lian Li, MSI (News - Alert) , Team Group, Thermaltake, ViewSonic, Wooting, and Zotac. ABOUT RAZER Razer is the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers. The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world's largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services. Razer's award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals, Blade gaming laptops and the acclaimed Razer Phone (News - Alert) . Razer's software platform, with over 50 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher). Razer services include Razer Gold - one of the world's largest virtual credit services for gamers - which allows gamers to purchase virtual goods and items from over 2,500 different games. Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer has 15 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005306/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Razer Expands the "Designed by Razer Case" Program with Lian Li and Introduces the Razer Tomahawk PC Gaming Chassis

CES (News - Alert) 2019 - Razer, the leading lifestyle brand for gamers, announced today the latest entry to the Designed by Razer Case program - the Lian Li O11 Dynamic. Additionally, it introduced two mid-tower PC gaming chassis developed in-house - the Razer Tomahawk and Razer Tomahawk Elite. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005308/en/ Lian Li O11 Dynamic Designed by Razer case (Photo: Business Wire) DESIGNED BY RAZER CASE PROGRAM First announced in 2014, the Designed by Razer Case program is an initiative that provides for third-party production and sale of Razer-designed and branded PC cases including the critically acclaimed NZXT H440, NZXT S340 and Antec Cube. The new Lian Li O11 Dynamic Designed by Razer case will be the first of its kind to feature Chroma lighting that is fully controllable through Razer Synapse 3. The mid-tower ATX chassis retains all its signature features and includes the iconic Razer triple-headed snake logo on the front glass, which illuminates via reflections from light strips on the side. The Designed by Razer licensing program is open to selected case manufacturers, and it is subject to a rigorous vetting process by the award-winning Razer design and engineering team prior to approval. Interested case manufacturers can reach out to caseprogram@razer.com for further dtails.



RAZER TOMAHAWK The Razer Tomahawk is Razer's first PC gaming chassis that has been developed in-house in the form of a traditional mid-tower form factor. The chassis features a square, minimalist design, with a small-footprint that supports ATX motherboards without sacrificing features that a PC chassis of this size would normally do. The Razer Tomahawk is also powered by Razer Chroma lighting for 16.8 million color capabilities and, with qualified components from Razer's Chroma Connected devices program, users can maximize their lighting displays in and around their desktop chassis.

RAZER TOMAHAWK ELITE The flagship Razer Tomahawk Elite is an advanced PC gaming chassis that is engineered to accommodate high-end components, with tempered glass panels lining the sides and top of the case, and a matte black aluminum front panel. The side panels feature vertical wing opening doors that allow the user quick and easy access to the internals. The unique reverse mount placement of the ATX motherboard allows for optimal placement of the GPU to disperse hot air outside the case via the hydraulic-powered top panel that automatically lifts itself for additional ventilation during intense gaming sessions. Designed with liquid cooling in mind, the Razer Tomahawk Elite is optimized to work with bespoke liquid cooler solutions like EK Water Blocks that matches the chassis aesthetics and overall design. Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan says, "Razer has finally made a PC chassis that gamers and PC enthusiasts have been asking for. The years of experience we've acquired from developing high end laptops and peripherals have allowed us to engineer a PC chassis that meets the needs and demands of our users." AVAILABILITY & PRICING The Lian Li O11 Dynamic Designed by Razer has an MSRP of $169.99 and will be available via major retailers worldwide starting Q1 2019. The Razer Tomahawk line of gaming chassis will be available between Q2 and Q3 of 2019 with pricing to be made available shortly. ABOUT RAZER Razer is the world's leading lifestyle brand for gamers. The triple-headed snake trademark of Razer is one of the most recognized logos in the global gaming and esports communities. With a fan base that spans every continent, the company has designed and built the world's largest gamer-focused ecosystem of hardware, software and services. Razer's award-winning hardware includes high-performance gaming peripherals, Blade gaming laptops and the acclaimed Razer Phone (News - Alert) . Razer's software platform, with over 50 million users, includes Razer Synapse (an Internet of Things platform), Razer Chroma (a proprietary RGB lighting technology system), and Razer Cortex (a game optimizer and launcher). In services, Razer Gold is one of the world's largest virtual credit services for gamers. Razer Pay is the e-wallet designed for youth and millennials, and Razer Game Store is the only games download store that offers rewards for gamers. Founded in 2005 and dual-headquartered in San Francisco and Singapore, Razer has 15 offices worldwide and is recognized as the leading brand for gamers in the USA, Europe and China. Razer is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (Stock Code: 1337). Razer - For Gamers. By Gamers. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005308/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Cradlepoint is First to Deliver New Gigabit-Class LTE Edge Router Solutions Leveraging its Elastic Wideband Technology

Cradlepoint, the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless network edge solutions, today announced a new portfolio of Gigabit-Class LTE (News - Alert) edge router solutions based on its Elastic Wideband technology-an element of the company's Elastic Edge vision for connecting people, places and things over LTE and 5G networks. Through its NetCloud service, Cradlepoint is the first to deliver wireless edge routers that let enterprise and public safety organizations take advantage of today's Gigabit-Class LTE cellular networks while providing them with a 'Pathway to 5G'. Elastic Wideband technology now also enables support for Private LTE. Elastic Wideband leverages the foundational 5G technologies of 4x4 multiple-input and multiple outputs (MIMO), 256 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) and multi-carrier aggregation ( CA (News - Alert) ) to deliver Gigabit-Class LTE today on cellular networks that support LTE Advanced Pro, and spans to full 5G in the future. Elastic Wideband technologies combine Cradlepoint proprietary software with the industry's most advanced LTE modem modules and future 5G modems to deliver wireless wide-area network (WAN) connectivity with unrivaled speed, reliability and flexibility. "While many industry players are pondering early 5G use cases, and a few even trialing them, carriers are moving forward with their committed 5G rollout plans. These plans include upgrading current LTE networks with 5G-related technology so carriers can start delivering faster speeds and lower latency while gaining improved operating efficiency," states Mike Sapien, vice president and chief analyst at Ovum (News - Alert) . "However, customers will need new edge router solutions to unlock these advanced LTE capabilities and provide a graceful evolution to full-fledged 5G services when and where available. Cradlepoint is the first vendor to deliver Gigabit-Class edge routers that can take advantage of LTE Advanced Pro networks while offering a pathway to 5G. Ovum's research confirms that businesses are moving towards a wireless WAN future and using more LTE today for primary and failover connections-gigabit LTE and 5G will only hasten this journey." Powered by Software, Delivered as a Service Elastic Wideband, part of Cradlepoint's Elastic Edge technology, powers the Cradlepoint NetCloud service and turns 4G LTE and 5G cellular services ito mission-critical wireless WANs for enterprise and public safety applications. While most of today's cellular modem modules are designed for consumer products and run standard vendor drivers, Cradlepoint has developed a proprietary Software-Defined Modem (SDM) that transforms consumer-grade modems into business-class LTE and 5G solutions.



Following are a few of the unique software functions that the Elastic Wideband technology includes: Software-Defined Modem: Proprietary driver, dynamic configuration of carrier profiles per radio

Connection Management: Zero-touch installs, controller-less traffic steering between LTE links

Carrier Selection Management: Automatic detection/selection between multiple carriers per radio

Modem Health Management: Continuous link "health" testing, signal-to-tower optimization

Data Plan Management: Data consumption monitoring, usage-based policies to avoid overages

Virtual Remote Modem: Ethernet-remote LTE and 5G modems function the same as embedded. "On the heels of SD-WAN, wireless is the next major wave of WAN transformation fueled by advanced LTE and 5G services," states George Mulhern, chairman and chief executive officer at Cradlepoint. "We are working closely with our carrier partners around the world to help usher in the wireless WAN era with our first-to-market Gigabit-Class wireless edge routers-enabling customers to take advantage of Gigabit-Class networks today while putting them on the Pathway to 5G."

Ready for the Arrival of Private LTE Since Cradlepoint's Elastic Wideband technology within Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers support both licensed and unlicensed spectrums, such as CBRS, they can also be deployed as User Equipment in Private LTE environments. Solution Availability Cradlepoint's new Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers are available today in the following packages. NetCloud Solution Packages for Branch: AER2200-1200M Series of all-in-one, Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers include a second modem option and SD-WAN, security, Wi-Fi and IoT functionality.

CBA850-1200M LTE Adapter is a remotable LTE modem that provides fast and reliable LTE connectivity for primary and failover uses and works with any traditional or SD-WAN routers. NetCloud Solution Packages for Mobile: IBR900-1200M and IBR1700-1200M Series of ruggedized, Gigabit-Class LTE edge routers for in-vehicle and portable deployments with a second modem option and mobile SD-WAN, Wi-Fi, GPS, and engine telemetry relay functionality. Based on the Cradlepoint NetCloud service, each Gigabit-Class LTE solution includes NetCloud Manager-a cloud-based orchestration and management system that enables zero-touch deployments and simplified management. They also comply with leading public safety broadband networks around the world. AT&T (News - Alert) and FirstNet are currently the first supported cellular networks until March 2019, after which customers can simply download and deploy new modem firmware to gain support for other carriers. About Cradlepoint Cradlepoint is the global leader in cloud-delivered wireless edge solutions for branch, mobile, and IoT networks. The Cradlepoint NetCloud service, based on the Elastic Edge vision, delivers agile, pervasive, and software-driven wireless WANs built on LTE and 5G services to connect people, places and things everywhere with resiliency, security, and control. More than 25,000 enterprise and government organizations around the world, including 75 percent of the world's top retailers, 50 percent of the Fortune 100, and first responder agencies in 10 of the largest U.S. cities, rely on Cradlepoint to keep critical branches, points of commerce, field forces, vehicles, and IoT devices always connected and protected. Major service providers use Cradlepoint wireless solutions as the foundation for innovative managed network services. Founded in 2006, Cradlepoint is a privately held company headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with a development center in Silicon Valley and international offices in the UK and Australia. Learn more at cradlepoint.com or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @cradlepoint. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005296/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Technology Innovation Hub Station Houston Restructures as a Non-Profit to Accelerate Growth, Industry Impact

HOUSTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Station Houston , a growing acceleration hub for technology startups, corporate innovation, and entrepreneurship, announced today its conversion to a non-profit entity to provide its current and future members with more resources, services and access to mentors, investors, and talent. Launched in 2016, Station Houston's core mission is to support Houston's transformation into a thriving, connected high-tech ecosystem. Since its founding, it has grown to over 200 startups, 400 members, and 130 mentors, with dozens of strategic partnerships that represent the key industries driving Houston's economy. Additionally, its member companies have raised over $170 million in early-stage capital. "Station Houston was founded to support startups and accelerate their hyper growth. For the past three years, we've provided resources, mentorship, and programming that has enabled our members to be financially successful, find talent, and grow as fast as possible," said Gabriella Rowe, CEO of Station Houston. "But obtaining nonprofit status early this year is a big deal for us. We're following in the footsteps of other successful innovation hubs like 1871 in Chicago or Mass Challenge in Boston, and we now have access to a far greater pool of resources to support our mission to support the Houston startup community." Unlike many innovation hubs or accelerators, Station Houston does not take equity from member companies or require long-term contracts to access membership benefits. After careful review, all Station Houston's stakeholders agreed that non-profit status will allow the organization to remain accountable to its true mission while providing best-in-class services to entrepreneurs and the greater innovation ecosystem. "From a business standpoint, Houston has a strong history in IT management software, along with a large number of target customers," said Joe Alapat, Co-founder of Liongard. "Station Houston has been invaluable in acceleratng and navigating Liongard's path to growth."



Dianna Liu, Founder of ARIX Technologies, and a Station member, said, "As a small, early-stage startup focused on the oil and gas industry, we could not have envisioned a better location than Houston. We moved our company here and nothing could have prepared us for how welcoming and helpful the Houston business community has been, especially Station Houston. Station has been so selfless and relentless in growing the Houston entrepreneurial ecosystem and helping Texas startups succeed, whether through connecting us to mentors or customers or other entrepreneurs. ARIX is so proud to call Houston home." To celebrate its nonprofit status, updated space, new services, and member successes, Station is hosting a Station Houston 3.0 Anniversary & Launch Party on January 30, 2019. Guests who attend the free event will:

Experience the Houston VR Lab, the result of HoustonVR and Station Houston coming together to supercharge the enterprise XR ecosystem;

Hear exciting updates on Station's role in the Midtown Innovation District;

Tour the the updated space, including the new Venture and Mentor Studios;

Meet new startup members like Social Chains, Healthmates, and Spacewalk, and learn about new membership offerings and features;

Meet 20+ additional Station Houston startups who will be providing demos of their products including drone and robotic technologies; and

Hear from Station Houston's team about their startup members' progress and exciting milestones. To learn more about the event or register for free, click here . "Cities across American are vying for entrepreneurial capital and talent  Houston should be No. 1 in the consideration set with regard to industrial technology, energy and global organizations based on our existing industry, infrastructure, and higher education institutions," said Rowe. Shaun Six, the North American Lead at Redeye, another Station member, said, "Station Houston has fostered many productive conversations, introduced us to talented individuals, and enabled us to have a center for operating in the area. We help companies who have critical infrastructure and need new innovative ways to manage their assets. This is the place to be for partnering with those organizations and finding talent to deliver on that promise." About Station Houston Station Houston's vision is to transform Houston into a world-leading hub for technology innovation and entrepreneurship. This vision unfolds as a vibrant community where people live, work and play, with Station serving as the connective tissue fostering our culture of innovation. Station launched in March 2016 and now serves over 200 startups, 400 members, 130 mentors, and dozens of high-impact strategic partnerships with corporations and service providers that represent the key industries serving the Houston economy. Media Contact

stationhouston@finnpartners.com

312-329-3900 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/technology-innovation-hub-station-houston-restructures-as-a-non-profit-to-accelerate-growth-industry-impact-300774702.html SOURCE Station Houston

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[January 08, 2019] DreamHost Signs in Support of Principles in Sir Tim Berners-Lee's 'Contract for the Web'

DreamHost (News - Alert) , a global leader in web hosting and Managed WordPress services, is pleased to announce its commitment to the principles outlined in a "Contract for the Web" created by the inventor of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee. The full text of the contract, designed to hold governments, companies, and citizens of the world to keeping the internet accessible and safe to all while minimizing misinformation and human indignity, is slated to be complete in May 2019. By that time fully half of the world's population is expected to have access to the internet. Berners-Lee and his World Wide Web Foundation are currently asking governments, companies, and individuals to commit to the contracts' outlined principles. "When we first learned of the 'Contract for the Web,' signing on in support of its principles was imperative," said Brett Dunst (News - Alert) , DreamHost's vice president of corporate communications. "These principles represent views and practices that have been ingrained in DreamHost's culture ince our earliest days. DreamHost has always been passionate about an Open Web that values safety, privacy, and accessibility - that's what this contract is fighting for."



Joining entities like Google, Facebook (News - Alert) , and Cloudflare, DreamHost is one of the first in the Managed WordPress world to sign on in support of the "Contract for the Web's" principles. In the future, Berners-Lee and his World Wide Web Foundation are hopeful that the contract's principles could eventually be adopted by the United Nations or the G7. The contract is sponsored and promoted as a part of the Foundation's "For the Web" campaign. "Supporting a free and open web just makes sense. Something as powerful as the web requires constant protection, and this contract represents a strong step in that direction. Providing affordable access, respect for personal information, and embracing empowering technologies...these are not unreasonable or difficult things to offer. These principles ensure that the web will continue to work for humanity, not against it," said Dunst. "The internet is our present and our future, and DreamHost will always do its part in ensuring it's open and safe for all users."

The principles can be found on https://contractfortheweb.org/ where internet users are being encouraged to sign on behalf of themselves and their businesses. About DreamHost DreamHost is a premier Managed WordPress hosting provider, giving over 400,000 businesses, developers and content creators worldwide the tools they need to own their digital presence. Powered by a strong team of industry experts with nearly two decades of advanced web experience, DreamHost is a leader in Managed WordPress hosting. Supporting the open source community with dedicated resources and top-tier talent, DreamHost believes in the power of the Open Web and the people that make it happen. Founded in 1997, DreamHost has offices in Los Angeles and Orange (News - Alert) County, California and in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at DreamHost.com.  2019 DreamHost, LLC. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005220/en/

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[January 08, 2019] UiPath Appoints Marie Myers as Chief Financial Officer

UiPath, the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) market leader, today announced the appointment of Marie Myers as its chief financial officer (CFO). As CFO, Myers will report directly to UiPath's CEO and co-founder Daniel Dines and will provide the financial leadership to support the company's global mission to accelerate the adoption of automation across public and private sectors and businesses of all sizes. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005206/en/ Marie Myers, UiPath CFO (Photo: Business Wire) Myers joins UiPath from HP where she served as the global controller and executive officer. Leading a team of 2,200, she was responsible for the financial statements in all of the countries where HP operates and HP's financial operations globally. She has spent the majority of her career at HP and Compaq, holding several leadership positions including vice president finance operations, printing and PC division and chief audit executive. Myers spearheaded the "Finance of the Future" initiative at HP, guiding the organization to adopt emerging, disruptive technologies - such as RPA and artificial intelligence - to modernize financial operations and become a pioneer more broadly in the digitization of finance. Myers' work recently earned the recognition of the Hackett Group's 2018 Digital Awards for Smart Automation. Myers has also been widely recognized for her financial leadership expertise ad contributions as a female executive. She was honored as one of Houston Business Journal's 2018 Women Who Mean Business, was named a 2017 HP Working Mother of the Year by Working Mother magazine and was included on the 2016 "Top 20 Most Powerful Business Women in Texas" list. She has also been recognized by Women in Computing, named to the Top 40 Under 40 in Finance and selected by the University of Queensland, Australia, as an Alumna of the Year.



Myers is a passionate advocate for diversity and education. She founded and is president emeritus of Anti-Gray Market Alliance Board, and serves on the boards of the University of St. Thomas Advisory in Houston, the Girlstart Council for Houston, and the University of Queensland in America, Inc. "It's an incredible opportunity to join UiPath during this phase of growth and development and to help the company meet the skyrocketing demand of RPA. I can tell you firsthand how this technology can deliver real value within an enterprise and that is what really excites me," said Myers. "I am looking forward to being part of the team to usher in the 'Automation First' era, giving organizations across the globe the technology and support required to help them transform their operations."

UiPath's previous CFO Mihai Faur will become corporate controller and chief accounting officer, reporting to Myers. "Mihai has built an incredible global finance operation to enable UiPath's amazing growth and I am excited to work closely with him to take UiPath to the next level," commented Myers. "We welcome Marie at a very important growth stage of the company. We're excited to have someone of her caliber and experience to lead our financial operations as we prepare for the next phase," said Dines. "Her expertise in global financial leadership and in implementing automation technologies makes her the ideal CFO for UiPath, and we are thrilled to see what she'll be able to accomplish as a member of our team." About UiPath

UiPath is leading the "Automation First" era - championing one robot for every person, delivering free and open training and collaboration and enabling robots to learn new skills through AI and machine learning. Led by a commitment to bring digital-era skills to more than a million people through the UiPath Academic Alliance, the company's enterprise Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform has already automated millions of repetitive, mind-numbing tasks for business and government organizations all over the world, improving productivity, customer experience and employee job satisfaction. Recently named by Comparably as the 6th happiest place to work and the 11th best company culture among large businesses, UiPath has become one of the fastest growing enterprise software companies in history. The company is backed by over $400 million in funding from Accel, CapitalG, Credo Ventures, Earlybird's Digital East Fund, IVP, Kleiner Perkins, Madrona, Meritech, Seedcamp and Sequoia. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005206/en/

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[January 08, 2019]

Eight Miles from the Winter White House is one of America's Murder Capitals - and it isn't Miami

WORCESTER, Mass., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NeighborhoodScout, a web-based platform from Location, Inc. that delivers custom crime risk and real estate market reports, trends and forecasts, and analytics on school quality for any address, today released its annual list of the Top 30 Murder Capitals of America for 2019.

The research list, which covers every city in America with 25,000 or more people, reveals those with the highest number of murders per 1,000 residents. Murder is the willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. Data used for this research are the number of murders reported by all local law enforcement to have occurred in each city, and the population of each city, divided by 1,000. This calculation provides a murder rate per 1,000 residents, offering an accurate, normalized comparison of cities of different sizes.

NeighborhoodScout uses the most recent crime data the FBI classifies as 'final, non-preliminary.' Based on the 2017-year total data which was released in final, non-preliminary form in September 2018, this report reveals interesting facts and patterns about crime and murder in America. Among the findings:



The murder capital of America isn't Chicago . But it is in Illinois . With more than one murder per 1,000 residents, this year's murder capital has a murder rate 22 times the national average, and nearly 5 times Chicago's murder rate. You may never have heard of it, until now.

The murder capital of Florida isn't Miami , but a city of 35,000 that is a scant 8 miles from the famous Mar-a-Lago Club.

Alaska , the nation's largest and least densely populated state, now has a city with one of the highest murder rates anywhere in America.

The vacation destination with the highest murder rate in America is located on the New Jersey shore.

"The cities with the highest murder rates reveal the connection between economic hardship and violence, particularly murder," said Dr. Andrew Schiller, CEO and founder of Location, Inc. and NeighborhoodScout. "Murder rates are highest in communities where economies were once larger and more robust but have since seen contracted, causing stress and hardship that often leads to violence and murder. This can be for a subset of a city's residents, like in Baltimore or Kansas City, or for nearly an entire city, such as Gary or East St. Louis. Limited economic opportunity plays a role in such communities and highlights the divide between the safe bedroom communities within large metro areas near major urban centers like Boston, Chicago, and New York, and the high-crime cities that often had significant industrial economies that have lost jobs and livelihoods."

Visit NeighborhoodScout.com to read the FAQ on how NeighborhoodScout ranks the cities with the highest murder rates in America, or contact us for more information.

About Location, Inc.

Location, Inc. is a leader in geographic data sciences, providing street-and address-level location intelligence and predictive analytics for businesses across the U.S. and Canada via web-based reports and streaming data. Since 2000, the company has amassed highly accurate and comprehensive catalogue of spatial data products, with complete, national coverage and sub-ZIP Code granularity. A pioneer in building micro-spatial data products, Location, Inc. specializes in real estate market insights and projections, and crime and hazard risk products for the real estate, insurance and finance sectors. More than 75 million people and businesses have leveraged the company's data products to make informed location decisions, fuel major investments, mitigate risk, protect assets, and uncover opportunity. For more information, visit www.locationinc.com.

Media Contact:

Kate DeVagno

Marketing Department

Location, Inc.

Tel: (508) 753-8029

Email: 207157@email4pr.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eight-miles-from-the-winter-white-house-is-one-of-americas-murder-capitals--and-it-isnt-miami-300774153.html

SOURCE Location, Inc.
[January 08, 2019] FTE's CrossLayer Exceeds 2018 Guidance With 31 Buildings

NAPLES, Fla., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTE Networks, Inc. (NYSE American: FTNW) (FTE or the Company), a leading provider of innovative, technology-oriented solutions for smart platforms, network infrastructure and intelligent buildings, and a Deloitte 2018 Technology Fast 500 Winner (#95), today announced that its CrossLayer , Inc. subsidiary enters 2019 with significant momentum after exceeding expectations in 2018. In 2018, CrossLayer has 31 buildings, where services can be offered through its advanced data network. Last year, CrossLayer also put in place a solid pipeline of opportunities and expects to grow revenue exponentially in 2019. The CrossLayer patent-pending, edge compute platform, which delivers new digital technology services to tenants, is being deployed in iconic commercial real estate properties including New Yorks Industry City, and in multi-tenant buildings in New York, Chicago, Phoenix, Naples and Toronto. In first half of 2018, CrossLayer also announced that it would be partnering with one of the largest global commercial real estate firms as one of its key technology service providers. Thanks in part to this technology partnership, CrossLayer expects to bring advanced network solutions to hundreds of commercial buildings across the United States. 2018 has been an exceptional year for the Company and, in particular, CrossLayer, commented Michael Palleschi, President and Chief Executive Officer of FTE Networks. FTE launched CrossLayer just over a year ago, deploying a disruptive technology that addresses the markets demand for faster, better and less expensive Internet and cloud services. Exceeding our 2018 guidance with 31 buildings and having built a solid pipeline of opportunities is a strong indicator of the scalability of CrossLayers technology. Each new building that is lit delivers another new source of recurring revenue for the Company, added Mr. Palleschi. FTEs businesses strengthen our strategic vision of creating and maintaining the entire in-building ecosystem, from design of the physical space to implementation of data systems and intelligent networks. I am excited at the Companys outlook for 2019 and look forward to continuing market adoption and expansion in 2019.



About FTE Networks, Inc.

FTE Networks, Inc. (FTNW) is a leading provider of innovation technology. We enable adaptive and efficient smart network connectivity platforms, infrastructure and buildings. FTE provides end-to-end design, build, and support solutions for state-of-the-art networks, data centers, residential and commercial properties. We create transformative smart platforms and buildings. FTEs services are predicated on smart design and consistent standards that reduce deployment costs and accelerate delivery of leading edge projects and services. The Company works with Fortune 100/500 companies, including some of the worlds leading Telecommunications and IT Services Providers as well as REITs and Media Providers. Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: expects expectations, opportunities, momentum, indicator vision, outlook, and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release may include, without limitation, statements and forecasts regarding our ability to perform as anticipated, including the successful integration of our technology and services, the successful implementation of our strategy and our ability to realize the benefits of this strategy, and other matters that involve known or unknown performance or achievements to differ materially from results expressed or implied by this release. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and market trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risk and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. These risk factors and others are included from time to time in documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, our Form 10-Ks, Form 10-Qs and Form 8-Ks. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, where as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Investor Contact:

Ted Haberfield

MZ Group

Phone: (949) 259-4988

Email: thaberfield@mzgroup.us Corporate Contact:

Kirstin Gooldy

FTE Networks, Inc.

999 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Suite 601

Naples, FL 23108

(877) 850-4308

ir@ftenet.com

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[January 08, 2019] VIQ Solutions, positioned for continued growth and transformation in 2019, ends year with significant wins in the US and EMEA markets

TORONTO, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VIQ Solutions Inc. (VIQ or the Company) (TSX Venture Exchange: VQS), a global provider of secure, AI-driven, digital voice and video capture technology and services for law enforcement, legal, insurance, courts, and transcription service provider markets, reported a strong finish to the year, signing significant contracts globally.

Significant new contracts: (All amounts in United States dollars, unless otherwise noted) The Milimani Commercial and Tax Courts in Nairobi, Kenya and Courts in Lesthoso, South Africa. VIQ to supply, install and maintain audio/visual recording equipment in various courts with expected expansion in the coming year. The Austin Police Department awarded Net Transcripts, a VIQ Solutions company, a contract extension for transcription services and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission executed a five-year contract extension with Spark & Cannon, a VIQ Solutions company, for transcription services. Through our direct sales team and partnerships with trusted resellers, VIQ continues to deliver solid results," said Sebastien Pare, President and CEO of VIQ. "As our markets modernize their capture and transcription platforms, our new AI-driven solutions mean we can provide a true end-to-end solution to unlock the true value of data, realizing significant efficiency through greater process automation. This was a landmark year of transformation for VIQ. Our expansion through new sales, contract extensions and strategic mergers and acquisitions enabled us to deliver and exceed on revenue and value generation commitments. Im extremely proud of what we achieved in 2018 having entered the year with a recurring revenue run-rate of approximately $10M USD, and I am even more excited about the prospects for 2019 as we enter the year with $23M USD in recurring annual revenue with the opportunity to improve VIQs growth profile and operating margins through a combination of sales growth, expense efficiencies, expanded customer service, cross-selling opportunities, accelerated technology sales and additional strategic acquisitions. Key highlights in 2018 include: Transition from traditional software licence to SaaS-based revenue model continues with significant gains projected in the next 12 months as the transition continues in 2019.

Appointed Chief Operating Officer to the executive team to build an operational infrastructure and implement the mergers and acquisition strategy.

Began deployment of market-specific AI services from proceeds of capital raise in late 2017.

Implemented mergers and acquisition strategy with three USA based companies, generating a combined EBITDA in excess of $3.0M to leverage our global transcription expertise and deploy our AI services to improve margins and deliver advanced customer value.

Several letters of intentare in place for 2019 to expand the mergers and acquisition strategy and to extend VIQ's footprint in an estimated $6-billion market for voice to text transcription according to MarketsandMarkets.com.

Completed patent for: Evidence based digital training portfolio in October. Additional patent applications are in advanced registration stages.

Expanded customer base for AI addressable digital content to realize efficiencies and margin gains with planned deployments in 2019.

For the period Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2018, YTD VQS trading volume was up 20.5% to 40.6M over 2017 and the calculated Volume Weighted Average Price over that same period was CAD$0.20.



VIQ also intends to amend the terms of 5,511,139 outstanding warrants that are set to expire on May 15, 2019 and 2,675,581 outstanding warrants that are set to expire on May 22, 2019. Specifically, VIQ will make an application to the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) to: (i) reduce the exercise price of the outstanding warrants to $0.162 per common share of VIQ; (ii) extend the expiry date of the warrants by 1 (one) year; and (iii) add an acceleration provision which will be effective up until the new expiry date, which will allow VIQ to reduce the expiry date of the warrants to 30 days if, during any ten consecutive trading days during the unexpired term, the closing price of the common shares on the TSXV exceeds $0.2025.

The warrants were originally issued in November 2017 as part of units that were issued pursuant to a concurrent brokered and non-brokered private placement completed by VIQ. The warrant extension and amendment are subject to the approval of the TSXV.

On December 31, 2018, VIQ granted 1,700,000 stock options to certain directors and officers of the Company. The options were granted in accordance with the Companys stock option plan and have an exercise price of $0.142 per share, with a five-year term, vesting one third on the grant date, one third on the first anniversary of the grant date and one third on the second anniversary of the grant date. For further information: Malcolm Macallum, Chief Innovation Officer, VIQ Solutions, (905) 948-8266, email: mmacallum@viqsolutions.com For more information about VIQ, please visit viqsolutions.com . About VIQ Solutions Inc. VIQ Solutions is a global expert in video capture software and audio recording with voice-to-text capabilities. VIQ provides a cyber-secure AI technology and service platform to law enforcement, immigration, medical, legal, insurance, courts, and transcription service providers, enabling them to unlock the value of their enterprise digital media and streamline their document-creation workflow, using artificial intelligence tools for measurable business gains. Forward-looking Statements Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements or information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements or information typically contain statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking statements or information in this news release include, but are not limited to, managements targets for the Companys growth in 2019, as well as the size, scope, and timing of the implementation of projects currently in the transition or letter of intent phase. Forward-looking statements or information is based on several factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such statements and information, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although VIQ believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because VIQ can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified in this news release, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the consummation of the Companys mergers and acquisitions strategy through its existing letters of intent, and that the change to the Companys revenue model will provide additional value for shareholders. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions that have been used. Forward-looking statements or information are based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve several risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by VIQ and described in the forward-looking statements or information. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements or information. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all possible risks and uncertainties. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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[January 08, 2019] CoreLogic Loan Performance Insights Find Delinquency Rates in October Dropped to the Lowest Level in at Least 18 Years

CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX), a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today released its monthly Loan Performance Insights Report. The report shows that, nationally, 4.1 percent of mortgages were in some stage of delinquency (30 days or more past due, including those in foreclosure) in October 2018, representing a 1 percentage point decline in the overall delinquency rate compared with October 2017, when it was 5.1 percent. This was the lowest for the month of October in at least 18 years. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005146/en/ CoreLogic National Overview of Mortgage Loan Performance, featuring October 2018 Data. (Graphic: Business Wire) As of October 2018, the foreclosure inventory rate - which measures the share of mortgages in some stage of the foreclosure process - was 0.5 percent, down 0.1 percentage point since October 2017. The October 2018 foreclosure inventory rate tied with the April, May, June, July, August and September rates this year as the lowest for any month since September 2006 and also marked the lowest rate for an October since 2005. In both instances, the foreclosure inventory rate was 0.5 percent. Measuring early-stage delinquency rates is important for analyzing the health of the mortgage market. To monitor mortgage performance comprehensively, CoreLogic examines all stages of delinquency, as well as transition rates, which indicate the percentage of mortgages moving from one stage of delinquency to the next. The rate for early-stage delinquencies - defined as 30 to 59 days past due - was 1.9 percent in October 2018, down from 2.3 percent in October 2017. The share of mortgages that were 60 to 89 days past due in October 2018 was 0.7 percent, down from 0.9 percent in October 2017. The serious delinquency rate - defined as 90 days or more past due, including loans in foreclosure - was 1.5 percent in October 2018, down from 1.9 percent in October 2017. This serious delinquency rate was the lowest for an October since 2006 when it was 1.5 percent. It ties August and September 2018 as the lowestfor any month since March 2007 when it was also 1.5 percent.



Since early-stage delinquencies can be volatile, CoreLogic also analyzes transition rates. The share of mortgages that transitioned from current to 30 days past due was 0.8 percent in October 2018, down from 1.1 percent in October 2017. By comparison, in January 2007, just before the start of the financial crisis, the current-to-30-day transition rate was 1.2 percent, while it peaked in November 2008 at 2 percent. "While the strong economy has helped families stay current and push overall delinquency rates lower, areas that were hit hard by natural disasters have seen a rise in loan defaults," said Dr. Frank Nothaft, chief economist for CoreLogic. "The 30-day delinquency rate in the Panama City, Florida metro area tripled between September and October 2018 as a result of Hurricane Michael. Two months after Hurricane Florence made landfall in the Carolinas, 60-day delinquency rates doubled in the Jacksonville, Wilmington, New Bern and Myrtle Beach metro areas. And buffeted by Kilauea's eruption in the Hawaiian Islands, serious delinquency rates jumped on the Big Island by 9 percent between June and October 2018, while falling by 4 percent in the rest of Hawaii."

Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Florence (2017 and 2018, respectively) continue to impact some metropolitan areas, with mortgages transitioning from current to 30 days past due. This October, 18 metropolitan areas posted an annual increase in overall delinquency rate, seven of which were either in North or South Carolina. In the coming months, CoreLogic will continue to monitor these and other metros struck by natural disaster for potential increase in delinquencies. "Despite some regional spikes related to hurricane and fire impacted areas, overall delinquency rates are near or at historic lows," said Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic. For ongoing housing trends and data, visit the CoreLogic Insights Blog: www.corelogic.com/insights. Methodology The data in this report represents foreclosure and delinquency activity reported through October 2018. The data in this report accounts for only first liens against a property and does not include secondary liens. The delinquency, transition and foreclosure rates are measured only against homes that have an outstanding mortgage. Homes without mortgage liens are not typically subject to foreclosure and are, therefore, excluded from the analysis. Approximately one-third of homes nationally are owned outright and do not have a mortgage. CoreLogic has approximately 85 percent coverage of U.S. foreclosure data. Source (News - Alert) : CoreLogic The data provided is for use only by the primary recipient or the primary recipient's publication or broadcast. This data may not be re-sold, republished or licensed to any other source, including publications and sources owned by the primary recipient's parent company without prior written permission from CoreLogic. Any CoreLogic data used for publication or broadcast, in whole or in part, must be sourced as coming from CoreLogic, a data and analytics company. For use with broadcast or web content, the citation must directly accompany first reference of the data. If the data is illustrated with maps, charts, graphs or other visual elements, the CoreLogic logo must be included on screen or website. For questions, analysis or interpretation of the data, contact Alyson Austin at newsmedia@corelogic.com or Allyse Sanchez at corelogic@ink-co.com. Data provided may not be modified without the prior written permission of CoreLogic. Do not use the data in any unlawful manner. This data is compiled from public records, contributory databases and proprietary analytics, and its accuracy is dependent upon these sources. About CoreLogic CoreLogic (NYSE: CLGX) is a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider. The company's combined data from public, contributory and proprietary sources includes over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years, providing detailed coverage of property, mortgages and other encumbrances, consumer credit, tenancy, location, hazard risk and related performance information. The markets CoreLogic serves include real estate and mortgage finance, insurance, capital markets, and the public sector. CoreLogic delivers value to clients through unique data, analytics, workflow technology, advisory and managed services. Clients rely on CoreLogic to help identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., CoreLogic operates in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com. CORELOGIC and the CoreLogic logo are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005146/en/

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[January 08, 2019] MetLife Board Names Michel A. Khalaf to Succeed Steven A. Kandarian as President & CEO

The board of directors of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET) today announced that Michel A. Khalaf, president, U.S. Business and EMEA, will become MetLife's president and chief executive officer on May 1, 2019. Khalaf also has been appointed to the MetLife board effective May 1. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005570/en/ Michel A. Khalaf (Photo: Business Wire) Steven A. Kandarian, who is retiring, will continue to serve as chairman, president and CEO through April 30, 2019. Glenn Hubbard, currently MetLife's independent lead director, will become MetLife's non-executive chairman upon Kandarian's retirement. Hubbard joined the MetLife board in 2007 and became lead director in June 2017. Since 2004, Hubbard has been the Dean and Russell L. Carson Professor of Economics and Finance at Columbia University's Graduate School of Business, and from 2001 to 2003, he was chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers. "In Michel, we are fortunate to have a leader who has excelled across a wide range of markets, businesses and cultures," Hubbard said. "His vision to make MetLife one of the most dynamic, entrepreneurial and financially successful insurance companies in the world will serve all of the company's stakeholders well." "Steve Kandarian has been a strong and effective leader for MetLife," Hubbard added. "He made bold decisions to challenge MetLife's SIFI designation and spin off the company's U.S. retail business. His courage, conviction and strategic focus were essential to position the company for profitable growth. We look forward to continuing to work with Steve through the transition." "Michel has brought deep knowledge of our industry, an entrepreneurial spirit, and strong leadership skills to each of the roles he has held during his successful career in the life insurance industry," Kandarian said. "The financial services landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and Michel is the right executive to continue to lead MetLife's transformation into a company that is continually inovating to meet customer expectations and create significant shareholder value."



Michel Khalaf said, "I am deeply honored by the confidence that the board has placed in me and excited to lead this great company. MetLife has a tremendous opportunity to increase the value it creates for all of its stakeholders. By accelerating revenue growth, further optimizing our portfolio, and strengthening expense discipline, we will become a more financially successful company. This will help us meet our obligations to customers, create more opportunities for employees, and deliver stronger returns to shareholders." Khalaf has been MetLife's president of EMEA since 2011 and in July 2017 added responsibility for the company's U.S. Business. In his expanded role, he has overseen the Group Benefits, Retirement & Income Solutions, and Property & Casualty businesses in the United States; Global Employee Benefits (GEB), MetLife's only horizontal business providing employee benefits solutions to local and multinational employers in 39 markets; and individual and group insurance businesses sold through agents, brokers, banks and direct channels in more than 25 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Prior to taking on the leadership of EMEA, Khalaf was executive vice president and CEO of MetLife's Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region. He joined MetLife through its acquisition of American Life Insurance Company (Alico) from American International Group (AIG) in 2010. In his 21 years at Alico, Khalaf held a number of leadership roles in various markets around the world including the Caribbean, France and Italy. In 1996, he was named the first general manager of Alico's operation in Egypt. In 2001, he assumed the position of regional senior vice president in charge of Alico's Life, Pension and Mutual Fund operation in Poland, Romania and the Baltics, as well as president and CEO of Amplico Life, Alico's life insurance subsidiary in Poland. Later, he served as deputy president and chief operating officer of Philamlife, AIG's operating company in the Philippines. Khalaf is a graduate of Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and a Master of Business Administration in finance. He is a fellow of the Life Management Institute. Kandarian became president and CEO on May 1, 2011, and chairman of the board of directors on January 1, 2012. He joined MetLife in April 2005 as executive vice president and chief investment officer (CIO). From 2007 to 2011, he also led MetLife's enterprise-wide strategy, which identified key focus areas for the company. As CIO, Kandarian oversaw the company's more than $450 billion (as of Dec. 31, 2010) general account portfolio. He enhanced the company's focus on effective risk management and diversified MetLife's investment portfolio, including through the $5.4 billion sale of Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesant Town in 2006. His efforts helped MetLife emerge from the 2008 financial crisis with the strength to execute the company's $16.4 billion purchase of Alico in 2010. About MetLife MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (MetLife), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 countries and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain or refer to forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements give expectations or forecasts of the future using terms such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," and other terms tied to future periods. Results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and expectations. They involve risks and uncertainties, including the "Risk Factors" MetLife, Inc. describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company has no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005570/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Rising Adoption of Variable Frequency Drives Pushes Active Harmonic Filters Ahead of Passive Filters

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 8, 2019 /CNW/ -- Technological advancements have altered the dynamics in the harmonic filters market, with active filters overtaking the passive filter segment. The surge in the uptake of variable frequency drives (VFDs) in North America and Latin America has translated to higher demand for active filters, as they are required to rectify the harmonics produced by the non-linear loads of VFDs. The 5.9 percent annual growth forecast for the VFD market is expected to ripple into the harmonic filter market from 2018 to 2024. Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Harmonic Filters Market, Forecast to 2024, analyzes the drivers, restraints, market structure, and opportunities in the harmonic filters market. The study covers active and passive filters in the application segments of commercial and industrial sectors. For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/32i "In addition to the greater demand for better quality power from the industrial and commercial sectors, infrastructural reforms along with mergers and acquisitions are creating opportunities for participants in emerging economies," said Shubhuti Kiran Ghimire Research Analyst Energy & Environment. "Asia-Pacific will be a particularly significant market due to its proximity to the Middle East, which has a thriving oil & gas industry." Market majors in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Rest-of-the-World will e looking to make the most of the rising entry of local participants in these markets by forging alliances with them. However, importance of better power quality and procurement of related power equipment fosters the demand for harmonic filters in North America.



"Companies are building localized strategies to improve their products and focus on key services for enhanced customer satisfaction in the lucrative emerging markets," noted Ghimire. "Besides, collaborations with local companies will help vendors develop products that are based on the regulatory standards of specific regions." Apart from region-focused business strategies, growth opportunities include:

Targeting the renewable energy sector due to the rising relevance of solar and wind energy generation.

sector due to the rising relevance of solar and wind energy generation. The total global harmonic filters market was estimated at $784.2 million in 2017 , this market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2 percent from 2017 to 2024.

, this market is expected to grow at a CAGR of from 2017 to 2024. Developing products aimed at the oil & gas industry, as the equipment used in drilling activities can cause harmonic distortions in the system.

Rising demand for high-quality power in the telecommunications, datacenter, and hospital sectors.

Complying with regulations and the implementation of standard policies. Global Harmonic Filters Market, Forecast to 2024 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Energy Storage Growth Partnership Service program. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Global Harmonic Filters Market, Forecast to 2024

K291-27 Contact:

Jaylon Brinkley

T: +1 210 247 2481

E: jaylon.brinkley@frost.com http://ww2.frost.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rising-adoption-of-variable-frequency-drives-pushes-active-harmonic-filters-ahead-of-passive-filters-300774397.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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[January 08, 2019] Cambridge Epigenetix announces programme for routine screening and detection of colorectal cancer and other common tumours

Cambridge Epigenetix Ltd, a pioneer in the development and application of epigenetic technologies, today announces its discovery and development programme for a test to detect colorectal and other cancers. This follows completion of a c. $30 million funding round, as well as the acquisition of exclusive patent rights for its epigenetic sequencing platform. Epigenetic changes act as a control layer for the genome and can alter gene expression, but not the genetic code itself. These alterations may involve the presence of small chemical groups on the building blocks, or nucleotide bases, which make up DNA. DNA from cancer cells has a distinct epigenetic signature, and this is the basis for the use of epigenetic tests in cancer testing. "The global burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) is expected to increase by 60% to more than 2.2 million new cases and 1.1 million deaths by 2030,"1 stated Dr David Johnson MD, MACG, FASGE, MACP, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, who serves as a member of the company's clinical advisory board. "Detection of CRC remains a challenge, and the availability of a non-invasive, easy-to-administer and affordable screening test as our first initiative could transform the diagnosis, detection and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions and CRC." Dr Johnson has previously been President of the American College of Gastroenterology and has played a pivotal role in shaping the dialogue around colon cancer screening and early detection. He was instrumental in putting through the historic first legislation to mandate colon cancer screening using colonoscopy as the preferred standard in the state of Virginia, USA. In support of its mission, the company has been granted broad and exclusive patent rights (US Patent number 10,041,938) for the use of epigenetic modification 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) as a diagnostic biomarker for cancer. Cambridge Epigenetix is using proprietary technology for analysing 5hmC in circulating free DNA (cfDNA) to develop a test for detection of CRC. The company is currently conducting a large discovery study with over 2,000 patient samples, including healthy volunteers, and individuals with adenomas and all stages of CRC. This study follows encouraging preliminary results from profiling 5hmC in over 200 CRC and healthy volunteer cfDNA samples.2 Several independent studies have indicated that measuring 5hmC in plasma circulating cfDNA is effective for non-invasive cancer detection. 3,4 Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, co-founder of Cambridge Epigenetix, FRS, FMedSci, Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, said: "Cambridge Epigenetix's 5hmC platform analyses some of the earliest markers of cancer development in patients' blood samples to detect disease. Ultimately, our aim is to develop a diagnostic test that can detect multiple cancers from one standard blood draw."



The latest round of secured funding will advance the company's proprietary technology platform, which enables the sensitive and specific detection of epigenetic biomarkers for cancer in blood and other liquid biopsy samples. Ahren Innovation Capital (UK) led the funding round with current US-based supporters GV, New Sciences Ventures and Sequoia Capital (News - Alert) . Additionally, new investors - including DNA Capital (Brazil) - also participated, bringing the total amount raised by the company since founding to $56.5 million. Alice Newcombe-Ellis, Founder & Managing Partner, Ahren Innovation Capital, said: "Cancer detection through liquid biopsy has the possibility of transforming human health. Our investment will help Cambridge Epigenetix build on its strong intellectual property foundation, based on the research conducted by Sir Shankar Balasubramanian and Professor Anjana Rao."

Cambridge Epigenetix also announces the appointment of Dr Suman (News - Alert) Shirodkar, MBBS, PhD as the CEO of the company. Dr Shirodkar has extensive leadership experience in the industry and will lead the next phase of development of the diagnostic test. Prior to joining Cambridge Epigenetix, Dr Shirodkar led product teams in oncology, HIV, and cardiovascular medicine at Pfizer and Novartis. "It is a very exciting time to be leading Cambridge Epigenetix" commented Dr Suman Shirodkar. "Our ability to detect 5hmC in circulating, cell-free DNA, and the discovery and development of a liquid biopsy signature for tumours, could revolutionise cancer care and decrease cancer mortality through widespread screening, early detection and timely intervention. I am excited to lead the talented team at Cambridge Epigenetix for the development and launch of the first of many tests to detect cancer". For notes to editors and references please click here View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005542/en/

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[January 08, 2019] M/C Partners Closes Acquisitions of Carbon60 Networks and Gossamer Threads

M/C Partners today announced the acquisitions of Toronto, ON (News - Alert) -based Carbon60 Networks, Inc. and Vancouver, BC-based Gossamer Threads Inc. (GT.net). The merger of these two managed cloud services companies will create a leading platform in the Canadian market. The combined company will operate under the name Carbon60 Networks. In addition to providing liquidity for selling shareholders, M/C Partners is investing capital to support organic growth and strategic acquisitions. "These businesses are natural complements to one another and create a combined entity with enhanced scale, technical expertise and geographic reach," said Gillis Cashman, Managing Partner at M/C Partners. "We are excited to partner with these two exceptional teams to build a market leading cloud services provider. We anticipate growing the Carbon60 platform with future acquisitions that will add capabilities and help the company expand into new markets." Carbon60 was founded in 1999 and Gossamer Threads was founded in 1996. Each company has developed into a well-regarded managed cloud services provider in its respective market with strong technical capability and a commitment to the highest standards of customer service. The combined company is experiencing success in the burgeoning managed third party cloud space using AWS and Azure and expects to accelerate this category along with its private cloud offerings. In addition, both companies have expertise in application hosting, with a focus on Content Management Systems (CMS) hosting. The combined Carbon60 business will be the dominant CMS hosting provider in Canada. Current Carbon60 CEO John Witte will lead the company. John, who is also an investor and Board Member, was previously an executive at a prior M/C portfolio company, Fusepoint, before it was sold to Savvis in 2010. Alex Krohn, founder and CEO of Gossamer Threads, will continue to have a key role at the company as CTO, in addition to being an investor and Board Member. "M/C has a long history investing in managed hostin and IT services businesses and their knowledge of our industry will be a tremendous asset to the company," said John Witte. "They are the perfect partner for us at this stage of our growth as we strive to lead the managed cloud market in Canada and I am thrilled to be working with them for a second time."



Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP and Norton Rose Fulbright LLP served as legal advisers for M/C Partners. Blaney McMurtry LLP served as the legal adviser for Carbon60 Networks and Ian Muirhead served as the legal adviser for Gossamer Threads. About Carbon60 Networks

Carbon60 Networks specializes in delivering end-to-end managed hosting solutions for public and private sector organizations with business-critical workloads. Carbon60 provides secure and high-performance hosting services using its Canadian cloud platform in Toronto and Kelowna and the leading hyperscale clouds for hybrid IT solutions. The company also has a niche in application hosting for enterprise-grade WordPress and Drupal CMS. Carbon60 guides customers on their cloud journey and can engage with clients at any stage of their transition. Carbon60 provides a white-glove customer experience with a deep level of technical support services combined with a nimble approach making them the trusted choice for companies that need a partner to deliver solutions with exceptional reliability, performance and security. For more information, please visit www.carbon60.com. About Gossamer Threads Gossamer Threads provides performance hosting options (dedicated, clustered, private cloud) and application hosting solutions that come standard with high value managed services like optimization testing, monitoring, security, back-up and restoration. The company also offers add-on managed services, including access to a Content Delivery Network, Application and DB Optimization, Disaster Recovery, and assistance with PCI (News - Alert) /DSS and HIPAA Compliance. Based in Vancouver BC, Canada, Gossamer Threads maintains four geographically separated data centers in Vancouver, Toronto, New York and London to ensure high data availability and security. For more information, please visit www.gt.net. About M/C Partners Based in Boston, M/C Partners is a private equity firm focused exclusively on the communications, information technology services and media sectors. The firm has invested over $2.2 billion of capital into nearly 100 companies, generally investing in companies with enterprise values of $25 million to $250 million. Related current and prior investments include Cavalier Telephone (News - Alert) , Ensono, Everstream, Fusepoint, Denovo, ICG Communications, Involta, Lightower, NuVox, Thrive Networks and Zayo Group. The firm has strong institutional backing from the nation's leading pension funds and endowments as well as a long track record of success. For more information, visit www.mcpartners.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005243/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Automotive Power Electronics Market Reach US$22.65 Bn by 2025; Introduction of Advanced Technology to Expand Automotive Power Electronics Market, Says TMR

ALBANY, New York, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The global automotive power electronics market is likely to grow at a significant rate as new players are investing a large amount in this market. Companies like creme-de-la-creme are investing intensely to develop new products with the help of advanced technology. Leading companies are investing in different strategies such as merger and acquisition, innovation, and partnership that will help them in getting a stronghold in the market. For instance, companies such as Renesasa Electronics Corp., Infineon Technologies AG, ON Semiconductor Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., and Texas Instruments Inc., are developing technologically advanced electric vehicles for transportation. Some of the other companies in this market are NXP Semiconductors N.V., Maxim Products Inc., Qualcomm Ins., Vishay Intertechnology Inc., and Robert Bosch GmbH. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg )

As key players are using different strategies there are chances for the market to rise at a steady rate in the near future. The valuation of this market is likely to reach US$22.65 bn by the end of the forecast period in 2025. The market is projected to rise at steady CAGR of 19.0% between 2017 and 2025. These figures are presented in a recent report published by Transparency Market Research. Get PDF Brochure for Research Insights at: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=34853 Based on vehicle type, the market is bifurcated into the commercial vehicle and passenger cars. Among these two, the passenger car is likely to lead the market and attain high revenue over the projected tenure. This rise is attributed to the growing initiative taken by the government to encourage the use of advanced electronics to reduce environmental pollution. In terms of geography, Asia Pacific is expected to lead the market due to rapid growth in the automotive industry. Rising Demand for Advanced Vehicles to Led Market Growth Use of advanced technology in the automotive sector has propelled its growth. Manufacturers in the automotive industry are installing advanced driver assistance systems and are abiding the rule for safety and security introduced by the government. This has led the growth of automotive power electronics. The use of automotive power electronics aids in controlling a high magnitude of voltage and it can convert different electric power in an efficient manner. Request a Sample of Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=34853 With the growing demand for advanced solutions in electric vehicles, the demand for automotive power electronics also increasesas it is employed in high power converting devices. Moreover, rising demand for eco-friendly vehicles has also led the demand in this market.



High Cost of Vehicles to Hamper Demand for Automotive Power Electronics Even though the demand in the automotive power electronics market is high, few obstacles might limit the growth of the market. One of the major restraint is high-cost vehicles. This factor might contain the market from growing especially in the developing countries. Although the newer generation is in favor of advanced electronic vehicles, financial constraint refrain them from buying it. However, increasing government initiatives to encourage the use of advanced technology and the introduction of strict norms might provide a fillip in this market.

Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=34853 The information presented in this review is based on a TMR report, titled "Automotive Power Electronics Market (Electric Vehicle - Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV); Vehicle Type - Passenger Cars (PC) and Commercial Vehicles (CV); Application - Powertrain and Chassis, Body Electronics, Safety & Security Systems, and Infotainment & Telematics) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2025." Browse Research Release at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/automotive-power-electronics-market.htm The Global Automotive Power Electronics Market has been segmented as presented below: Global Automotive Power Electronics Market, By Electric Vehicle Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)

Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) Global Automotive Power Electronics Market, By Vehicle Type Passenger Cars (PC)

Commercial Vehicles (CV) Global Automotive Power Electronics Market, By Application Powertrain and Chassis

Body Electronics

Safety & Security Systems

Infotainment & Telematics

Others Global Automotive Power Electronics Market: Geography North America U.S. Canada

Europe U.K. Italy Spain France Germany Rest Of Europe

Asia Pacific China India ASEAN Rest Of Asia Pacific Japan

Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of South America

Middle East & Africa (MEA) GCC South Africa Rest of MEA

Browse More Automotive & Transport Market Research Reports Popular Research Reports by TMR: Air Powered Vehicle Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/air-powered-vehicle-market.html

- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/air-powered-vehicle-market.html Airbag Electronics Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/airbag-electronics-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/airbag-electronics-market.html Automotive Electronic Power Steering Market - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-electronic-power-steering-market.html About Us Transparency Market Research is a next-generation market intelligence provider, offering fact-based solutions to business leaders, consultants, and strategy professionals. Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories. TMR believes that unison of solutions for clients-specific problems with right methodology of research is the key to help enterprises reach right decision. Contact

Mr. Rohit Bhisey

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com

Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Research Blog: https://transparencyjournal.com/ SOURCE Transparency Market Research

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[January 08, 2019] OPPO Unveils Find X 5G Prototype

DUBAI, UAE, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- - Company emphasizes its commitment to working with partners in the Middle East and beyond to build a new 5G industry ecosystem - Engineers from six OPPO R&D institutes worldwide connected for a high-bandwidth, low-latency multiparty video call enabled by 5G OPPO has recently unveiled its Find X 5G Prototype for the first time, saying it would work together with industry partners worldwide to develop a new 5G ecosystem. The news comes shortly after OPPO successfully completed the world's first multiparty video call on a smartphone via 5G network. Engineers from six OPPO R&D institutes worldwide participated in the video call using WeChat, with an inaugural message of "Hello OPPO, Hello 5G". (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/804539/5G_video_call_OPPO.jpg )

Today Gulf nations are leading the 5G charge in the Middle East, with a flurry of recent network tests and 5G trial services being shown in Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the last year. "5G is a trend OPPO must embrace. In addition to striving to become the first manufacturer to launch 5G smartphones, OPPO's exploration of application opportunities in the 5G+ era will ultimately determine the value of 5G," Tony Chen, Founder, President and CEO of OPPO stressed at the recent 2018 OPPO Technology Exhibition. "OPPO will fully integrate 5G with applications and user insights, and continuously innovate to provide users with revolutionary, necessary, covenient and seamless experiences."



The OPPO Find X flagship smartphone, launched in select Middle East markets last year, leads the all-screen trend in the smartphone industry. The OPPO Find X 5G prototype, with its engineering sample Snapdragon 855 and X50 5G modem, offers outstanding 5G performance. OPPO, Qualcomm and Keysight Technologies Inc., a world-leading electronic measurement company, have also demonstrated 5G data connectivity and applications including browsing, online video replay and video call using the Find X 5G prototype. Brian Shen, OPPO Global Vice President and President of China Business, said: "We are confident OPPO will be one of the first companies to launch commercial 5G smartphones in 2019."

Looking forward to the longer term, OPPO has introduced the concept of "5G+", with a belief that the 5G+ era will be an era where everything is connected and 'experience is king'. "The smartphone will be at the core of a wide range of smart devices, which will all be connected through the 5G network. To address the areas of 'smart health' and 'smart home', OPPO has already begun work on several smart devices, exploring the intersection of 5G and cutting-edge technologies, and is collaboratively building a 5G+ innovation ecosystem with the entire industry," said Shen. Levin Liu, Head of OPPO Research Institute, added that "OPPO will drive the advancement of 5G together with AI, Big data and Cloud Computing (5G + ABC), making smartphones and smart devices true 'intelligent personal assistants'. We believe that rich 5G application scenarios and killer 5G applications will emerge in the future, bringing disruptive experiences to users." In building a 5G ecosystem, OPPO will continue deepening its collaboration with Qualcomm, network infrastructure manufacturers telecom service providers and other supply chain partners. OPPO is in talks with telecom service providers in China, Europe, Australia and other overseas markets, with plans to launch commercial 5G products this year. About OPPO OPPO is a leading global smartphone brand, dedicated to providing products infused with art and innovative technology. Based on the brand elements of young, trend-setting and beauty, OPPO brings consumers delighted experience of digital life. For the last 10 years, OPPO has been focusing on manufacturing camera phones, while innovating mobile photography technology breakthroughs. OPPO started the era of Selfie beautification, and was the first brand to launch smartphones with 5MP and 16MP front cameras. OPPO was also the first brand to introduce the motorized rotating camera, the Ultra HD feature and the 5x Dual Camera Zoom technology. OPPO's Selfie Expert F series launched in 2016 drove a Selfie trend in the smartphone industry. In 2017, OPPO was ranked as the number 4 smartphone brand globally, according to IDC. And today, OPPO's business has covered 31 countries and regions, and has 6 research centers worldwide, providing excellent smartphone photography experience to more and more young people around the world.

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[January 08, 2019] Lovell Minnick Partners Acquires ATTOM Data Solutions, Leading Provider of Real Estate Data and Analytics

PHILADELPHIA and LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Lovell Minnick Partners, a private equity firm specializing in financial and related business services companies, today announced it has completed the acquisition of ATTOM Data Solutions ("ATTOM" or "the Company"), a leading provider of national real estate data and analytics. Lovell Minnick acquired ATTOM from Renovo Capital and Rosewood Private Investments. Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed. Headquartered in Irvine, California, ATTOM manages a comprehensive data platform that draws upon a wide range of sources to provide property tax, deed, mortgage, foreclosure, environmental risk, natural hazard and neighborhood data for more than 155 million U.S. residential and commercial properties covering 99 percent of the nation's population. ATTOM licenses its data to companies in the real estate, mortgage, insurance, marketing and adjacent industries. "ATTOM's data provides mission-critical insights to enterprise clients who seek to make well-informed business decisions with the benefit of historic, rich and near real-time data," said Jason Barg, Partner, Lovell Minnick Partners. "We're excited to partner with CEO Rob Barber and his team who have an excellent reputation for leadership and innovation in the real estate data and information services market." "ATTOM remains focused on expanding our seamless end-to-end data platform to deliver greater value for our customers as we continue to grow our market share in our core markets and build out our footprint in new end-markets across the U.S.," said Barber. "We look forward to the next chapter of our growth, supported by the experience and resources of Lovell Minnick Partners, as we further strengthen our position as the premier one-stop shop for high-quality real estate data." Lovell Minnick Partners has strong experience investing in technology-enabled service providers in the financial services sector, such as Engage People Inc., an innovative, market-leading solutions provider for the global loyalty and incentive industry, and more recently, SRS Acquiom, a market-leading provider of technology-enabled solutions to facilitate private market M&A transactions. Lovell Minnick Partners also has deep industry knowledge and relationships in the property sector developed through proprietary research and through prior investments in the space such as J.S. Held, a specialty advisory firm that provides property loss consulting among other services, and enterSquare Investment Management, a global investment manager focused on actively managed real estate and infrastructure strategies.



"ATTOM's management team has generated strong organic growth and successfully pursued accretive strategic opportunities such as their acquisition of neighborhood data provider Onboard Informatics in early 2018," said John Cochran, Partner, Lovell Minnick Partners. "We believe the Company's innovative technology platform, focus on superior data quality and customer service, and its recurring license revenue model position ATTOM extremely well for continued success in the space. We are eager to support management in executing their strategic plan to build the leading technology platform in the real estate data industry." ATTOM's extensive property database is also used to power consumer-facing websites such as RealtyTrac.com, Homefacts.com and HomeDisclosure.com.

Morgan Lewis served as LMP's legal counsel. GCA Advisors acted as financial advisor to ATTOM, while Venable LLP served as ATTOM's legal counsel. Monroe Capital provided debt financing for the transaction. About Lovell Minnick Partners LLC

Lovell Minnick Partners LLC is a private equity firm with expertise in investing in the financial and related business services sectors. With offices in Philadelphia, Los Angeles and New York, Lovell Minnick provides developing companies with equity capital to support private company recapitalizations, leveraged buyouts and pursue growth initiatives. Since its inception in 1999, Lovell Minnick Partners has raised $2.7 billion in committed capital and has completed investments in over 45 companies. Targeted investment areas include asset management, wealth management, investment product distribution, specialty finance, insurance brokerage and services, financial and insurance technology and business services. For more information, please visit www.lmpartners.com. About ATTOM Data Solutions

ATTOM Data Solutions provides premium property data to power products that improve transparency, innovation, efficiency and disruption in a data-driven economy. ATTOM multi-sources property tax, deed, mortgage, foreclosure, environmental risk, natural hazard, and neighborhood data for more than 155 million U.S. residential and commercial properties covering 99 percent of the nation's population. A rigorous data management process involving more than 20 steps validates, standardizes and enhances the data collected by ATTOM, assigning each property record with a persistent, unique ID  the ATTOM ID. The 9TB ATTOM Data Warehouse fuels innovation in many industries including mortgage, real estate, insurance, marketing, government and more through flexible data delivery solutions that include bulk file licenses, APIs, market trends, marketing lists, match & append and more. Media Contact: For Lovell Minnick Partners LLC

Kelly Holman

Stanton

(646) 502-3509

kholman@stantonprm.com For ATTOM Data Solutions

Christine Stricker

(949) 748-8428

christine.stricker@attomdata.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lovell-minnick-partners-acquires-attom-data-solutions-leading-provider-of-real-estate-data-and-analytics-300774431.html SOURCE ATTOM Data Solutions

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[January 08, 2019] MJIC Enters Into Financial Advisory Agreement With Haywood Securities Inc.

MJIC, Inc. ("MJIC" or the "Company"), California's leading provider of integrated distribution and retail solutions for the cannabis industry, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an Engagement Agreement (the "Engagement Agreement") with Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood") outlining the general terms and conditions of a financial advisory arrangement anticipated to culminate in a public listing for the Company in early 2019. The Engagement Agreement announced today aligns the Company with one of the top financial institutions in the North American legal cannabis industry. "We are excited to embark upon this important phase in MJIC's growth trajectory with such a strong partner," said Sturges Karban, Board Member and CEO of MJIC. "As MJIC continues to build out a fully-compliant cannabis infrastructure across California, Haywood will be an instrumental partner in accessing the public capital markets and procuring the strategic resources that we will need to replicate our disruptive distribution and retail model throughout the rest of North America." Haywood, a leading Canadian independent investment bank, will act as the Company's exclusive financial advisor, assisting in raising capital and identifying acquisition opportunities, including preparation for the public listing that is presently anticipated for early 2019. About MJIC MJC, based in Commerce, California, is the first fully-licensed and integrated infrastructural and services platform for compliant cannabis. The Company services the needs of lawful operators across the supply chain, from the cultivator to the consumer, and from long-haul statewide commerce to the local last mile. MJIC augments this business-to-business value proposition with a growing portfolio of owned and operated retail operations located in major metropolitan markets throughout California and beyond, including brick-and-mortar dispensaries and local on-demand delivery services, as well as e-commerce and subscription offerings. To learn more, please visit: www.mjic.com.



Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements regarding our business that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Although we believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements are not guarantees of future results, performance, levels of activity or achievements, and actual results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. We caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of an unanticipated event. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all factors that may affect our business and prospects. Further, management cannot assess the impact of each factor on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005328/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Artprice: The 'Toulouse Caravaggio' Will Be Sold To the Highest Bidder, Probably a Long Way From France

PARIS, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 'Toulouse Caravaggio' will not be kept in France (along with the five canvases by the brilliant Baroque artist that it already has). (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/644091/Artprice_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/805522/Artprice.jpg ) A month and a half after expiry of the official pre-emption period, the French State has officially declined to make an offer. Art appraiser, Eric Turquin, entrusted with the sale of the canvas, is now free to take the work beyond France's frontiers as he sees fit. He told Artprice and its president and founder thierry Ehrmann that after a global road show, the painting would probably be offered for sale at the end of spring 2019 in Toulouse where it all began. Auctioneer Marc Labarbe, originally contacted by the owners of the painting, may well be involved in this historic sale. The value of such a work is of course difficult to estimate because there is nothing similar on the market. In 2016 a value of 120 million was announced, but that was before Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi fetched $450 million (incl. fees), illustrating the massive demand that exists for old masterpieces. The acquisition of this painting - which could well be the sister of a Caravaggio masterpiece conserved at Rome's Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica - will undoubtedly appeal to the world's biggest collectors, but also to the world's most prestigious museums. In recent years the Art Market has become an efficient and mature market, structured by the virtuous economy of the Museum Industry. In this context, Eric Turquin's brilliant strategy corresponds to that of the financial markets: the value of the work will be determined by the market rather than by a qualified expert. A public sale reveals the value of a work in the eyes of the public, but also in the eyes of the Art Market's key movers and shakers who advise the big collectors. Mr. Turquin's sales strategy may well be similar to the one used for the sale of Raden Saleh's The Wild Bull Hunting (Banteng) (1855). The work was presented in Indonesia but was sold in the town of Vannes in Brittany by the auctioneer Ruellan on 28 January 2018. Far from the Art Market's major capitals, The Wild Bull Hunting was finally purchased by an Indonesian collector for over $11.1 million (8,922,240), the highest price ever hammered for an artwork in Brittany). The owners and Mr. Turqin's Appraisal activity have left the French State plenty of time to acquire the 'Toulouse Caravaggio'. The Louvre's experts were invited to discover the work very soon after its lucky discovery in an attic in Toulouse in 2014.



The Caravaggio's unique story, that Artprice has followed since the begining, has only just begun... Try our services (free demo):

https://www.artprice.com/artist/23640/baishi-qi Subscribe to our services: https://www.artprice.com/subscription Copyright 2019 thierry Ehrmann - http://www.artprice.com About Artprice: Artprice is listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Founded by thierry Ehrmann (see Who's who certified Biography ) (c) https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2018/10/bio-2019-whos-who-thierry-ehrmann.pdf ). Dicover Artprice in video: https://www.artprice.com/video Artprice is the global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results covering more than 700,000 artists. Artprice Images gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians. Artprice permanently enriches its databanks with information from 6,300 auctioneers and it publishes a constant flow of art market trends for the world's principal news agencies and approximately 7,200 international press publications. For its 4,500,000 members, Artprice gives access to the world's leading Standardised Marketplace for buying and selling art. Artprice is preparing its blockchain for the Art Market. It is BPI-labelled (scientific national French label) Artprice's Global Art Market Annual Report for 2017 published last March 2018: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2017 Artprice is associated with Artron Group the Chinese leader in the Art Market, its solid institutional partner. About the Artron Group: "Artron Art Group (Artron), a comprehensive cultural industrial group founded in 1993 by Wan jie, is committed to inheriting, enhancing and spreading art value. Based on abundant art data, Artron provides art industry and art fans with professional service and experience of quality products by integrated application of IT, advanced digital science and innovative crafts and materials. Having produced more than 60,000 books and auction catalogues, Artron is the world's largest art book printer with a total print volume of 300 million a year. It has more than 3 million professional members in the arts sector and an average of 15 million daily visits, making it the world's leading art website." Artron's Web: http://www.Artron.net Artprice's Contemporary Art Market Annual Report for 2017 - free access at: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2017 Artprice's press releases: http://serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseen.htm https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom Artmarket News: https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom & https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom 3.4 million subscribers http://artmarketinsight.wordpress.com/ Discover the Alchemy and the universe of Artprice http://web.artprice.com/video, which headquarters are the famous Museum of Contemporary Art, the Abode of Chaos: http://goo.gl/zJssd https://vimeo.com/124643720 The Contemporary Art Museum The Abode of Chaos https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 3.4 million subscribers Contact: Thierry Ehrmann, ir@artprice.com

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[January 08, 2019] Jolywood Launches Groundbreaking High Efficiency PV Modules to Drive Distributed Power Generation

TAIZHOU, China, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co. Ltd. (Jolywood), the world's leading supplier of N-type high efficiency bifacial solar cells and modules, unveiled two groundbreaking PV modules on Dec 14th. The new products, the JW-HT&HD Series Ultra High Efficiency Paving Module and JW-HF Series Ultra Light Flexible High Efficiency Module, shine on the industry with several highlights. The high efficiency bifacial paving module boasts a front power of 430W, efficiency of 20.5%, integrated power of 530W with efficiency of 25.4%, as well as a rear power gain of 30%. The flexible high efficiency module weighs a mere 3.75kg per sqm. The two high efficiency modules are designed for distributed PV power generation systems. Supported by innovation, the two new additions will drive the development of the distributed power generation, said President of Jolywood Lin Jianwei at the product launching ceremony. Zhou Yuan, secretary-general of China Business Alliance, together with the management team of Jolywood attended the ceremony. The N-type monocrystalline high efficiency bifacial paving module developed by Jolywood uses flat ribbons to link up each cell, which is an innovative solution to avoid cells being covered by ribbons and narrows the distance between cells. The result, according to Dr.Liu Zhifeng, co-COO of olywood (Taizhou) Solar Technology Co. Ltd, is an increase in conversion efficiency and a reduction in the levelized cost of energy (LCOE).



"Compared to modules with the same cells, the N-type monocrystalline high efficiency bifacial paving module enjoys a power gain of 15W to 20W, increasing the conversion efficiency by 1.5%. In addition, the combination of the paving technology and the N-type TOPcon technology leads to a range of advantages for bifacial modules. Compared to monofacial modules, bifacial modules can generate an additional 10% to 30%. There is no potential induced degradation (PID) and zero light induced degradation (LID); the weak light response is better," said Liu.

Due to the advanced composite encapsulation materials, as well as cutting-edge technologies, the JW-HF Series Ultra Light Flexible High Efficiency Module has flexibility that is a perfect match for curved modules. It also weighs 70% less than products of its kind. Light and flexible, it can be used in a variety of situations, such as a rooftop with low load-bearing capacity or the exterior of a building. Additionally, it is convenient to install. "During the past year," said Lin, "Jolywood has put a lot of effort into R&D and innovation for distributed power generation systems and there are some accomplishments especially in installation. The light and flexible modules will allow quick and easy installation that saves materials and reduces the cost of labor. Regarding this, Jolywood is applying for a patent for the innovative installation system, which makes distributed power generation widely accessible. Integrating advanced technologies and equipment, and based on high efficiency modules, Jolywood aims to provide quality and cost-effective products and solutions to the industry." About Jolywood Jolywood (SZ: 300393) is the world leader in the development, production and marketing of PV backsheet, high-efficiency mono-crystalline n-type bifacial solar cells and bifacial modules. Founded in 2008, Jolywood (Suzhou) Sunwatt Co. Ltd. (Jolywood Suzhou) is the largest manufacturer of PV backsheet worldwide, with an annual production capacity of over 100 million square meters. Jolywood (Taizhou) Solar Technology Co. Ltd. (Jolywood Taizhou), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jolywood Suzhou, was founded in 2016, topping the global solar industry with 2.4GW in manufacturing capacity of N-type bifacial solar cells since 2017. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jolywood-launches-groundbreaking-high-efficiency-pv-modules-to-drive-distributed-power-generation-300774582.html SOURCE Jolywood (Taizhou) Solar Technology Co. Ltd.

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[January 08, 2019] Hyperion launches Map3 (DMap) DevNet on 6th January

SINGAPORE, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Post release of MapRush on 27th December, 2018, Hyperion has kept its momentum and on 6th January 2019, launched the Map3 DevNet with nodes covering Europe, Asia, America and Australia. Map3 is a secure, and high speed decentralized map network aiming to provide high quality services to business institutions and end consumers. Participants can host a Map3 node similar to the hosting of nodes for Bitcoin and Ethereum, but with a much lower barrier of entry. A standard home computer will suffice to join and run services for the Map3 network. At the same time, Hyperion is preparing for the launch of the official Dashboard to provide our users and token holders a detailed view into the status of the project. About maps: Maps are huge business. Today approximately 1/3 of top domains are integrated with maps,

serving 1 trillion location requests daily. Google maps latest pricing scheme charges enterprise users US$2 to US$7 per thousand maps shows. Maps have developed from a flat picture of locations to include geographic, meteorological data, even transportation planning, commercial and other useful information needed to reach spatial consensus, which enables us to connect with the world much more easily. Digital map s have proved their efficiency to enable consumer applications e.g. location based social networks, maps, etc. However, prior to Hyperion, location data could only be distributed through centralized organizations with the cost of user privacy. As reported by Techcrunch, location privacy is a dire issue these days. The Cambridge Analytica scandal is another showcase of how large players have been compromising user data. In addition to the privacy issue, digital map lacks pervasiveness as it is prohibitively expensive to update frequently.



Map3 - DMap Service Network Map3 embodies the idea of Web 3.0, a decentralized map that conforms to the intrinsic values of Web3. Map3 changes the landscape and re-distributes wealth and opportunity to the open-participating community by enabling secure and privacy preserved peer to peer servicing.

MapRush (Dmapper) encourages users to upload location data and provide data correction within the network. This solution will eventually revolutionize the mapping era, and respond to the issue of location data derivatives. Map3 will introduce more features in the future such as custom p2p protocol, byzantine tolerance and token payment channels according to user feedback. With the improvement of network nodes, Map3 will be able to provide more personal services to users. Titan, the decentralised map for everyone Hyperion will officially launch a beta version of Titan in February 2019. Users can download Titan and see location information based on the Map3 network. Titan supports custom map styles - users can be a map designer to redefine the look of spaces. In the future, Titan will serve more location-based functions such as advertisements, searches and positioning. Hyperion - the future of Spatial Consensus Maps With technological baseline set in place, Hyperion team will then work on the important mechanism design to correctly incentivize players in the current location ecosystem to join our network. Hyperion strives for organically integrated innovations in three critical dimensions, coined as the Hyperion Trinity of map technology, economy and society structures, to eventually achieve a sustainable and self-governed map economy of the world. With this, Hyperion will finally achieve the real 'free map service'. Hyperion, the spatial consensus map from the future, has been revealed. Telegram: https://t.me/HyperionOfficalHYN

Website: www.hyn.space

Media Contact: Biz@hyn.space View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyperion-launches-map3-dmap-devnet-on-6th-january-300774576.html SOURCE Hyperion Foundation

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[January 08, 2019] Tulane University Study Finds Kickboard School Culture System Reduces Suspensions

Suspensions are associated with a variety of negative student outcomes, and more than 3 million students face out-of-school suspensions each year. As K-12 educators search for ways to improve student behavior and reduce discipline incidents, a study from Tulane University's Education Research Alliance for New Orleans provides rigorous new evidence that a data-driven approach can have a measurable impact on student outcomes. The study, which analyzed 70 schools over a six-year period, found that the Kickboard school culture system reduced the number of suspensions per student by 26 to 72 percent, and it reduced the number of suspension days by at least 52 percent. To help K-12 educators put this research into practice, these findings and an evidence-based process to achieve similar reductions are outlined in a new white paper, "Evidence-Based Toolkit for Purposeful Suspension Reduction." In the paper, school climate experts Kent Peterson and Tom Hierck outline several steps to reduce suspensions and discipline referrals using the Kickboard school culture system, which includes a highly configurable, web-based platform and collaborative, research-based professional development services.



According to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), for an intervention to be supported by strong or moderate evidence, there must be at least one well-designed, well-implemented experimental or quasi-experimental study. "Tulane University's Education Research Alliance study is a well-implemented quasi-experimental study, as described by ESSA. This places Kickboard as the only recently studied high level two, evidence-based behavior platform solution for districts and schools," said Peterson. "In their efforts to reduce suspensions, one of the most common errors schools make is focusing on Tier II or Tier III supports without first addressing schoolwide systems for fostering positive behavior and a positive school culture," said Hierck. "With an action plan aligned to a strategic goal and diligent progress monitoring systems, schools can reduce discipline incidents and suspensions, and keep students in class actively learning."

Peterson is an author and emeritus professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Hierck is an educator and author of several books. For a free copy of the white paper, visit https://www.kickboardforschools.com/solutions/suspension-reduction. For information about Kickboard, visit https://www.kickboardforschools.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005177/en/

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[January 08, 2019] CITE 2019 introduced at "China Night" in Las Vegas

Jointly hosted by the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco and the Organizing Committee of China Information Technology Expo (CITE), "China Night" unveiled on January 7, 2019 in Las Vegas, and introduced CITE 2019, the largest comprehensive electronic information show in Asia, to be held from April 9-11, 2019 at the Convention and Exhibition Center in Shenzhen, China. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005436/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) At the China Night, Wang Donghua, the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco expressed:" I hope that the guests will exchange ideas and discuss the future development of the electronic information industry and explore new opportunities for cooperation". He pointed out that China is at the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up and is the world's second largest economic entity. In the future, electronic information needs to be developed, not only for innovation aspects, but also the cooperation between the mutual countries and enterprises needed. The United Sttes is not a trading competitor, but a partner, and welcomes more American companies to enter the Chinese market.



According to Chen Wenhai, the Secretary-General of the Organization Committee of CITE and the General Manager of China Electronic Appliance Co., Ltd: "technological innovation needs to cooperate on a global scale. The development of high-tech industries needs to face the global market. We hope that through CITE, we will build a bridge between global technological innovation and cooperation and promote the further healthy development of the technology industry". Multiple guests made speeches at "China Night". Mr. Wang Xiaochuan, who is currently CEO of Sogou, gave a speech on "Technological Progress and the Evolution of Civilization". He has led the development of several pioneering products, including Sogou Input Method and Sogou Search. The products have reach more than 500 million users which reshape China's internet industry.

Mr. Hu Gening, the Executive President of IFLYTECK, gave a speech on "AI industry development and AI ecological construction". The COO of Suning Technology, Dr. Jack Jing shared his insight on Smart Retail. The SVP of Semtech, Mr. Chris Chang also discussed on "China and Global IoT market and technology". "China Night" introduced CITE 2019, which features in Smart Home, Intelligent Terminal, New Display, IC, AI, Automotive Electronics, 5G, Internet of Things, and Intelligent Manufacturing. It is designed to display the latest development achievements of the new generation of the information technology industry, promoted the breakthrough of the core technologies of the industry, and led the supply-side reform of the information technology industry. 2018 China Information Technology Expo (CITE) Date and time: April 9-11 2019 Address: Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center, Shenzhen, China Twitter (News - Alert) : https://twitter.com/citexpochina Facebook (News - Alert) : https://www.facebook.com/citexpochina/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005436/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Wavex Technology Announces the Launch of Uniti, a User-Centric Business IT Service

LONDON, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Wavex Technology, an award-winning London based Managed IT Services provider have partnered with industry leaders in their respective areas; Microsoft, Qualys, Citrix and ServiceNow to provide businesses with a simple yet comprehensive IT proposition called Uniti. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/803495/Wavex_Uniti.jpg )

It is designed to unify a range of services into a single proposition which includes Azure hyper-scale cloud platform and Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service solutions, Citrix to deliver an access anywhere- Windows-10 desktop, and Qualys to provide proactive vulnerability detection across all devices and applications. All this is seamlessly integrated into ServiceNow where Clients also receive their own instance from which they can review all aspects of their IT estate from IT performance dashboards, commercials, licenses, warranties, security alerts and processes. Here is what Gavin Russell, the CEO of Wavex Technology has to say about the launch: "I am incredibly excited to be first to market with such an exciting proposition that addresses many of the IT challenges businesses face today - in particular the complexity of IT, the concern over security, the need to access modern productivity tools and confusion around commercials. We firmly believe that IT only delivers real value when it supports a client's business strategy. Our new Uniti platform is designed to do just that."



The Uniti solution provide the following core capabilities: Virtual Workspace - a familiar Microsoft Office and Windows 10 desktop environment securely accessible from anywhere on any device

- a familiar Microsoft Office and Windows 10 desktop environment securely accessible from anywhere on any device Line-of-business applications - can be hosted or virtualised

- can be hosted or virtualised Cost - a simple per-user/ per-month price

- a simple per-user/ per-month price Disaster Recovery & Backup - ability to recover entire site to a separate datacentre in 1 hour and backups kept in two geographically distinct locations

- ability to recover entire site to a separate datacentre in 1 hour and backups kept in two geographically distinct locations Security - data encrypted at rest and in transit, multi-factor authentication and proactive vulnerability detection.

- data encrypted at rest and in transit, multi-factor authentication and proactive vulnerability detection. Strategy - regularly updated IT strategy to ensure IT adapts to a client's changing business priorities.

- regularly updated IT strategy to ensure IT adapts to a client's changing business priorities. Reporting & Dashboards - complete transparency into IT operations processes, commercials, warranties, licenses and support processes. Furthermore, migration to Uniti is easy and seamless, with almost zero risk of unplanned outages and clients can perform extensive user-acceptance-testing (UAT) before they choose to go live.

About Wavex Wavex, founded in 1998, is a leading company providing IT support in London, focused at delivering high-quality, flexible IT solutions to businesses in London. Wavex is known for their innovation and is the company behind APEX an industry-leading IT service management platform. Contact: Phone: +44-20-7030-3210

Email: tellmemore@wavex.co.uk SOURCE Wavex Technology Limited

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[January 08, 2019] Hunton Andrews Kurth Adds Tax and ERISA Lawyer David Klass as Partner in London

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP continues the expansion of its structured finance and specialty finance and tax and ERISA practices with the addition of David Klass as a partner in the firm's London office. Klass brings more than 15 years of experience advising on a wide range of tax issues and transactions, particularly those with an international element. Klass has extensive experience advising clients on the tax aspects of cross-border mergers and acquisitions, structured finance transactions (advising both asset originators and arrangers), as well as the UK and international tax aspects of corporate group reorganizations. Most recently, he advised a major international pharmaceuticals producer in a European trade receivables securitization, and also advised several European multinationals on the UK tax aspects of their UK energy projects. He also advised French state railway SNCF on the merger of its interest in the Eurostar link between Paris, London and Brussels into a single joint venture company. "David brings significant experience with UK tax aspects of corporate and structured finance transactions and is particularly well known for his insights into tax developments in the UK related to Brexit," said Cecelia Philipps Horner, who co-heads the firm's Tax and ERISA team. "He will be a great addition to our firm's London office, which is located at the heart of one of the world's major financial and transactional centers."



The addition of Klass follows the firm's addition of Angus Duncan in 2018 to spearhead the expansion of its market-leading structured finance and specialty finance practices in London, and Klass expects to play a key role. "I am excited to join a practice known for its innovative approach to structuring corporate transactions, particularly cross-border transactions," Klass said. "It is an extraordinarily talented group of lawyers, and I look forward to continuing to grow the practice in the UK."

A graduate of Oxford University and the College of Law in London, Klass has authored numerous articles in prestigious tax publications such as Tax Notes International and the Tax Journal (the UK's leading publication for tax professionals) and is a regular contributor of content and comment to LexisNexis (News - Alert) and Practical Law Company. Prior to joining Hunton Andrews Kurth, Klass was a partner with the London office of international law firm Gide Loyrette Nouel headquartered in Paris. Hunton Andrews Kurth is a longstanding market leader in structured finance and securitization. For more than 30 years, it has represented clients in connection with mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities offerings and other structured financing matters. The practice is the vanguard of the development of securitization and structured finance techniques, having represented the issuer of the first REMIC program backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the first auto loan synthetic securitization transaction, the first RMBS structure involving the issuance of floating-rate securities, the first securitization of re-performing FHA and VA loans, the first master trust servicer advance securitization structure in 2002, and the groundbreaking first GSE/Agency credit risk transfer issuances in 2013. About Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Hunton Andrews Kurth is a global law firm of more than 1,000 lawyers handling transactional, litigation and regulatory matters for clients in myriad industries including energy, financial services, real estate, retail and consumer products and technology. Areas of practice focus include capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, P3, labor and employment, public finance and infrastructure, and privacy and cybersecurity. With offices across the United States and in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we're aligned with our clients' businesses and committed to delivering exceptional service. For more information, visit HuntonAK.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005256/en/

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[January 08, 2019] BlueTie Global Bags the Fastest Growing Indian Company Excellence Award

MUMBAI, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BlueTie Global, a Mumbai based professional networking platform received the 'Fastest Growing Indian Company Excellence Award' at the 11th edition of the International Achievers Conference held at Thailand. The award recognizes start-ups for their innovative and impactful work in different sectors. H.E. Mr. Virasakadi Futrakul, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand was the Chief Guest at the event. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/805485/BlueTie_Global_Excellence_Award.jpg )

"We are very elated and honored to have received the award for the Fastest growing Indian company excellence. At BlueTie, we have always strived to empower our users by providing them with a platform that brings effectivity in the way professionals network and empowers their professional growth. And such recognitions are an encouragement for the sincere efforts and honesty that we put in. It only drives us to toil harder and better the experience for our users," said Mr. Kalyan Garud, Founder and Executive Director, BlueTie Global Pvt. Ltd.



India . BlueTie Global believes that the professionals need to shift their focus from only building connections to actual networking. Thus, BlueTie provides a platform to its users where they can predefine their networking objectives, thereby enabling them to network with those professionals who complement their objectives at that moment.

BlueTie aims to constantly identify and cater to the needs of professionals in order to aid at better and effective networking, even beyond their immediate network. The BlueTie mobile application is available for download on the Google Play Store as well as the App Store. For more details, please visit - http://www.bluetieglobal.com About BlueTie Global Private Limited: BlueTie Global Private Limited is a Mumbai-based private company incorporated on 17 January, 2017. Founded by the brother duo, Kunal Garud, the Former CEO of Shrooms Creatives - an advertising agency and Kalyan Garud, the founder of La-Tigid, BlueTie aims to solve the ever pertaining challenges for professionals in today's 'connected' age. It enables professionals to meet and network with those who match their objectives at that moment. One can discover and access like-minded professionals in an approachable manner, making their networking experience all the more effective and efficient. BlueTie is available on both Android and IOS devices and can be downloaded on the Google Play Store as well as the App Store. Media Contact:

Susan Joseph

susan.joseph@bluetieglobal.com

+91-9900029191

PR Consultant

BlueTie Global Pvt. Ltd





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[January 08, 2019] yallacompare Raises USD $8 Million in New Funding Round

DUBAI, UAE, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- STC Ventures (Iris Capital), Wamda Capital, and Argo Ventures lead latest funding round yallacompare, the Middle East's leading comparison site for financial products, has raised USD $8 million from existing VC partners and one new significant investor in their latest funding round. Since launching the region's first insurance comparison platform in 2016, yallacompare has built a dominant position in digital insurance sales in the UAE, accounting for more than 75% of online insurance transactions. Having recently announced the partnership with Smart Dubai (a Dubai Government initiative) to bring insurance aggregation to the Dubai Now app, the company expects to issue more than $50m of policies in 2019. yallacompare currently employs over 120 people serving 9 markets - the new funds will be used to grow the workforce by up to 50% as the company seeks to bring insurance aggregation to additional regional markets. The lead investors in this round of funding include: STC Ventures, which is managed by Iris Capital; Wamda Capital; and FinTech-focused investor, Argo Ventures. Argo Ventures is the early- and growth- stage investment arm of tech-forward international insurance carrier, Argo Group (NYSE: ARGO). "We are delighted with this latest round of funding, which represents a ringing endorsement of our direct-to-consumer financial services model," remarked Jon Richards, CEO, yallacompare. "Of all the potential regional player candidates, Argo Ventures selected us as the clear leader in the market." Oleg Ilichev, Head of Argo Vetures, commented: "Our mission is to discover and empower entrepreneurs who are reinventing financial services. We believe that yallacompare's goal of educating and simplifying the purchase of financial products aligns nicely with our beliefs. yallacompare's management team has done an outstanding job of positioning the business as the leader in this space. We are excited to help the company expand across the region and offer new financial products to its customer base."



STC Ventures and Wamda Capital are long-term investors in yallacompare, and their participation in this new funding round further demonstrates their belief in the company's long-term vision. Angus Paterson, Partner at Iris Capital, said: "we are pleased to continue our support of yallacompare and to reinvest to help the company further develop its fast-growing insurance business and cement its position as the leading online insurance aggregation and finance comparison platform in the region."

Khaled Talhouni, a Managing Partner at Wamda Capital, stated: "This latest investment from Argo Ventures, validates our belief that yallacompare is transforming and disrupting the insurance market in our region. We are happy to continue investing in yallacompare and supporting the team, as they innovate and drive efficiency in the distribution of consumer products."

About yallacompare yallacompare is the Middle East's leading comparison site by employee count and share of online insurance sales. Using its platform, consumers can compare and buy insurance policies online, as well as apply for bank accounts, credit cards, loans, cars and more in nine markets across the MENA region. Additionally, yallacompare is committed to bringing more transparency to the region's finance industry, and actively works to educate users so that financial literacy can be improved across the Middle East. About Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd. (NYSE: ARGO) is an international underwriter of specialty insurance and reinsurance products in the property and casualty market. Argo Group offers a full line of products and services designed to meet the unique coverage and claims handling needs of businesses in two primary segments: U.S. Operations and International Operations. Argo Group's insurance subsidiaries are A.M. Best-rated 'A' (Excellent) (third highest rating out of 16 rating classifications) with a stable outlook, and Argo Group's U.S. insurance subsidiaries are Standard and Poor's-rated 'A-' (Strong) with a positive outlook. More information on Argo Group and its subsidiaries is available at www.argolimited.com.

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[January 08, 2019] Cambridge-Based GeoSpock Secures 10 Million Additional Funding

GeoSpock - the extreme-scale spatial big data integration company that provides analytics, builds insight, and enables predictions across space and time - today announced it has raised 10 million in additional funding, bringing the total raised to date to 19.25 million. Investment was led by existing backers Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC) jointly with Parkwalk Advisors and Japanese firms Global Brain and 31Ventures. Japanese data tech company KDDI (News - Alert) Supership joined as a strategic investor. Investment was also secured from existing investor, Jonathan Milner. The additional funding will support GeoSpock's rapid international expansion strategy to help develop key client accounts, particularly in the strategic markets of Singapore and Japan. The investment will also allow the spatial big data company to continue to invest in research and development, particularly in the areas of machine learning and data science. GeoSpock is fast establishing itself as the de facto processing engine at the heart of next-generation smart infrastructure - including smart cities and the Internet of Everything (IoE). The company powers future mobility applications, including the management of autonomous vehicle fleets, working with businesses across the automotive, telecoms, mobility, marine, media, and retail sectors. Victor Christou, CEO of Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC), commented: "We're delighted to lead GeoSpock's latest funding drive, enabling this exciting company to innovate and scale globally. The opportunity presented by geospatial data is huge and this funding will support GeoSpock in delivering geo-temporal data understanding and visualisation for the everything-connected world. We also welcome KDDI Supership to this investment, whose expertise, particularly in Asia, will help GeoSpock widen and deepen its global reach." Richard Baker, CEO at GeoSpock, commented: "This additional strategic support from our investors will help GeoSpock to meet the needs of its fast-growing portfolio of internationalclients, allowing the business to focus on developing and growing the global commercial and engineering teams. We look forward to a very exciting 2019 that already promises to see GeoSpock make significant progress within mobility, telco, and IoT, as well as smart city and port initiatives."



<ENDS> Note to editors: This additional funding forms part of GeoSpock's Series A+ funding round.

About GeoSpock GeoSpock provides analytics, builds insight, and enables predictions across space and time. Its proprietary spatial big data platform visualises extreme amounts of contextual data in milliseconds. Its architecture has the ability to analyse trillions of geospatial and temporal data points in sub-second response time with its high performance, cloud-based services - infin8, illumin8, and extrapol8. Conceived by Dr Steve Marsh while reading for his PhD in Computer Science at Cambridge University and founded as a business in 2013, GeoSpock is the future of big data management, providing extreme-scale, high volume-ingest, ease of use, and interactive results. Learn more at www.geospock.com or on Twitter (News - Alert) @GeoSpock About Cambridge Innovation Capital Cambridge Innovation Capital combines a unique relationship with the University of Cambridge with deep financial and industry links to support rapidly growing intellectual property rich companies in the Cambridge Cluster. The company is committed to building leading businesses from brilliant technologies, with the benefit of some of the most influential figures in the sector and a patient capital structure. For more information visit www.cicplc.co.uk or follow us on Twitter at @CambsInnovation About Parkwalk Parkwalk invests in high growth, knowledge intensive companies seeking to develop and commercialise technology and innovation originating from UK universities, research intensive institutions and technology clusters. Founded in 2009, Parkwalk is the largest EIS growth fund manager focused on university spin-outs, having raised over 180m to date and backed over 80 companies across its managed funds since inception. www.parkwalkadvisors.com or @ParkwalkAdvisor View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005102/en/

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[January 08, 2019] Dassault Systemes Completes IQMS Acquisition

Regulatory News: Dassault Systemes (Paris:DSY) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced the completion of the acquisition of IQMS, a leading manufacturing ERP software company, for $425 million. With the acquisition of the California-based IQMS, Dassault Systemes (News - Alert) extends the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to small and midsized manufacturing companies seeking to digitally transform their business operations. IQMS's software - on premise EnterpriseIQ and software as a service WebIQ - deliver an all-in-one solution to mid-market manufacturers for managing engineering, manufacturing and business ecosystems by digitally connecting order processing, scheduling, production and shipping processes in real time. IQMS's solutions are used by 1,000 customers based primarily in the U.S. whose 2,000 manufacturing facilities in 20 countries produce for the automotive, industrial equipment, medical device, consumer goods, and consumer packaged goods industries. Customers include Westfall Technik, KKSP Precision Machining, AMA Plastics, Donnelly Custom Manufacturing, FlowBelow Aero Inc., Global Interconnect, Inc., Jabil Packaging Solutions, Schnipke Precision Molding, Steinwall Inc., Scientific, Inc., Sturgis Molded Products, Tribar, and Ventura Manufacturing Inc. IQMS's 2017 revenue was around $56 million. In the context of the Industry Renaissance - the convergence of a diverse and powerful collection of digital technologies that is transforming every aspect of industrial business - the world's 250,000 small and midsized manufacturers must adopt and optimize new ways of producing and doing business through digital transformation in order to innovate and accelerate their growth in an increasingly competitive, global marketplace. "We must no longer think of industry as a set of means of production, but as a process of value creation. This applies not only to disruptive startups and established corporations, but also to the hundreds of thousands of mainstream manufacturers that produce parts integral to the development of new consumer experiences. In that context, we are creating '3DEXPERIENCE@WORKS': a new family of business applications based on the 3DEXPERIENCEplatform for the mainstream market. The IQMS Manufacturing ERP portfolio rebranded as DELMIA WORKS is part of this new business applications family to serve the mainstream manufacturers," said Bernard Charles, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dassault Systemes.



By integrating IQMS's solutions into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, Dassault Systemes will provide these manufacturers with an affordable system for operations that improves the collaboration, manufacturing efficiency and business agility needed to serve their customers successfully. The manufacturers - many of them SOLIDWORKS users - also gain the flexibility to rapidly scale-up as a business grows. In parallel, these manufacturers can engage in new business opportunities and create value by supplying their manufacturing know-how and services to a large community of designers and engineers in Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace - the world's largest virtual factory. "Given my experience with manufacturing, finance and industry investments, I'm very excited about the future for IQMS and our relationship. This merger represents a turning point in technology for IQMS; the opportunity is immense. Companies like KKSP and all of IQMS' manufacturing customers will reap tremendous benefit from the enterprise perspective of an international technology partner such as Dassault Systemes. Dassault Systemes is a leader in innovation and inspires confidence that we will have the best resources available for future growth," said Mark Murray, CFO, KKSP Precision Machining.

Dassault Systemes will help IQMS expand its customer base by leveraging the presence in the mid-market space achieved with Dassault Systemes' SOLIDWORKS applications, which are delivered and supported by the company's Professional Solutions global partner channel. Social media: Share this on Twitter (News - Alert) : .@Dassault3DS acquires IQMS, extending #3DEXPERIENCE to business operations of mid-market manufacturers #IndustryRenaissance Connect with Dassault Systemes on Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube For more information: Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com About Dassault Systemes Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systemes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 220,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA (News - Alert) , BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006054/en/

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[January 07, 2019] LG Electronics' Promise of AI for an Even Better Life Delivered at CES 2019 Keynote

LG CTO Envisions Life Enhanced by Next Generation of Consumer-Focused Artificial Intelligence Innovations TORONTO, Jan. 7, 2019 /CNW/ - LG Electronics (LG) president and CTO Dr. I.P. Park outlined the company's vision for the future in his CES 2019 keynote, titled AI for an Even Better Life, on January 7 at the MGM Park Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. At CES, the world's premier consumer electronics show, LG's CTO outlined how the three key pillars of artificial intelligence  Evolve, Connect and Open  could deliver a robust AI ecosystem with diverse solutions for the real world. A leading proponent of consumer-focused AI technology, LG has continued to take a leadership role in advocating the beneficial role of AI in consumers' lives. The keynote featured LG's AI technologies implemented in daily-life scenarios to give the audience of more than 3,000 industry figures, influencers and journalists a better understanding of how the company is working on transforming tomorrow. The LG CLOi GuideBot shared the spotlight with Dr. Park during the address, becoming the first ever robot to help deliver a CES keynote in the process. "Is technology making your life better?" Dr. Park began his keynote by asking the audience. "Over the past 100 years, household appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and vacuum cleaners have reduced time spent on housework by around 75 per cent, but the amount of cognitive labor involved has significantly increased," Dr. Park explained, "The answer lies in AI  but only if we can achieve true intelligence." Since its launch in 2017, the company's AI brand LG ThinQ has seen its portfolio grow rapidly to include air conditioners, washing machines, TVs, smartphones and robot vacuum cleaners. Dr. Park presented LG's latest innovations in these appliances which leveraged the power of AI: the world's most advanced AI chip for home appliances, a washing machine with reinforced learning, and "self-healing" machines that can detect and fix malfunctions automatically without interrupting operation.



truly intelligent way of living." Proclaiming LG's vision for the age of artificial intelligence, Dr. Park explained how the three key ideas  Evolve, Connect and Open  will empower AI technology to transform every aspect of daily life. LG ThinQ products will evolve over time by learning about the user, connect seamlessly with customers' lives and open up an eco-system of innovation made stronger by partnerships and cooperation, ultimately offering "a new and daring definition of better life." Dr. Park highlighted the importance of evolving intelligence in consumer electronics. For AI devices to go beyond simple voice recognition and automated task execution, they must be able to understand the purpose and intention behind each command. Such contextual understanding requires AI to evolve through accumulating interaction with the user.

LG is also extending its unparalleled consumer insight from home to the road with its innovative offerings for a new in-car experience. In the advent of an autonomous driving revolution, LG has set out to change and expand the very definition of vehicles from a means of transport to mobile space. LG's AI-enabled cabin solution will help users make the fullest use of their time saved from not driving, turning their vehicles into a conference room, movie theatre or even personal shopping boutique. "Building this new in-car experience requires a wide range of different solutions in both hardware and software which is why we need OPEN collaboration," said Dr. Park, illustrating LG's continued efforts to facilitate a culture of open innovation. He introduced LG's collaboration with the leading seat manufacturer Adient to develop smart seats for a more personalized in-car experience. Also announced was LG's new plan for its operating platform webOS which has been open sourced since March 2018. "From this year, we'll be adding to webOS open access to LG's proprietary AI platform for developers all around the world," said Dr. Park. Dr. Park then presented LG's ambition to unlock the potential of AI technology a much larger scale by connecting hitherto individual units into intelligent systems. LG's Robot Service Delivery Platform (RSDP) will systematically coordinate what multiple robots see, hear and learn to transform how we manage our work and our environment. AI-based smart grid will allow us to radically improve the efficiency of our energy ecosystem, from production and storage to consumption. Intelligent signage will turn the physical elements of space such as walls, signboards and even floors, into an active, intelligent part of environment. LG's keynote featured global experts including founder of the XPRIZE Foundation Dr. Peter Diamandis, renowned AI researcher Dr. Andrew Ng, managing director of automotive at Luxoft Alwin Bakkenes, senior vice president of engineering at Qualcomm Durga Malladi and director of the Contextual Robotics Institute at University of California San Diego Professor Henrik Christensen. "LG is a global powerhouse at the forefront of the AI revolution, which will impact nearly every major industry from technology to healthcare, agriculture, transportation, engineering and beyond," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. "We were thrilled to have LG talk about 'AI for an Even Better Life' as its first keynote in CES history." ? Visitors to the LG ThinQ Zone in booth #11100 of the Las Vegas Convention Center this week will be able to experience LG's collaborative technology and evolving AI firsthand. About LG Electronics Canada Inc.

The LG brand was established in 1995. The company is a global leader in electronics, information and communications products, with more than 117 operations around the world, and annual worldwide revenues of more than US $49 billion. LG Electronics Canada Inc. is comprised of five business units - Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, Home Entertainment, Business Solutions and Commercial Air Conditioning. The company has offices in Toronto and Vancouver. LG Electronics Canada Inc. is focused on delivering award-winning products known for blending style and technology. These innovative products include cell phones, flat screen TVs, laptop computers and home appliances. For more information please visit http://www.lg.com/ca_en. SOURCE LG Electronics, Inc.

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[January 07, 2019] SOS LAB, World's First Hybrid LiDAR Company to Introduce Its Improved 3D LiDAR Sensor at CES 2019

SOS LAB, the world's first and most prominent developer of hybrid LiDAR for self-driving cars, plans to introduce its new and improved 3D LiDAR sensor to the international market at CES (News - Alert) 2019, which runs from January 8 to 11 in Las Vegas. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006090/en/ SOS (News - Alert) LAB, the world's first and most prominent developer of hybrid LiDAR for self-driving cars, plans to introduce its new and improved 3D LiDAR sensor to the international market at CES 2019. In addition to their 3D hybrid LiDAR (SL-1) for autonomous vehicles, SOS LAB will display their 2D scanning LiDAR (GL-3) for auto-guided vehicles and drones, and their 2D solid-state LiDAR (TL-3), used in security systems to detect near-field (5-10m) obstacles. (Graphic: Business Wire) In addition to their 3D hybrid LiDAR (SL-1) for autonomous vehicles, SOS LAB will display their 2D scanning LiDAR (GL-3) for auto-guided vehicles and drones, and their 2D solid-state LiDAR (TL-3), used in security systems to detect near-field (5-10m) obstacles.



A private live demonstration of 3D hybrid LiDAR (SL-1) will be performed in the main hall of CES 2019, at booth 3002 of the Las Vegas Convention and World Trade Center (LVCC). A public live demonstration of 2D LiDAR (GL-3/ TL-3) will be also performed in the same location. SOS LAB secured $6 million in series A funding in Sept. 2018, and has grown rapidly since its founding in 2016, employing over 40 people and greatly expanding its two R&D centers in Korea and business development center in Silicon Valley.

SOS LAB continues to garner international acclaim, including their recent win at the K-Global Pitching Contest in Silicon Valley in November 2018, and second place in China's 2018 Innovation Future AI startup competition the same month. SOS LAB is now developing its highly anticipated, next-generation solid-state LiDAR, as well as preparing for mass-production of its hybrid LiDAR scanner in 2019. SOS LAB's current hybrid scanning method and upcoming solid-state designs are expected to set the industry standard for affordable, accurate scanning solutions for autonomous vehicles. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006090/en/

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[January 07, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Investors (GS)

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ("The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc." or the "Company") (NYSE: GS) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. According to data gathered by Bloomberg (News - Alert) in 2016, Goldman Sachs was involved in "$18.8 billion of Malaysian mergers and acquisitions over the past five years, making it the top foreign adviser with a 20.5[%] market share." The business Goldman Sachs' was invoved in Malaysia included raising funds for 1Malaysia Development Berhad ("1MDB"), a Malaysian state-owned investment fund set up in 2009 initially to establish financing for economic and infrastructure deals throughout Malaysia.



As of early 2015, 1MDB has been subject to international criminal and regulatory investigations for potential fraud and money laundering linked to missing payments of $11 billion owed to banks and bondholders. Investigational articles published by the Wall Street Journal throughout 2015 detailed how money was funded from 1MDB to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's 2013 election campaign, with further investigation tracing close to $700 million in deposits in personal bank accounts believe to be held by Najib Razak. Following this investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice implicated two formed Goldman Sachs managing directors along with high-level 1MDB officials and associates for misappropriation of an estimated $4.5 billion from 1MDB between 2009 and 2014. If you purchased Goldman Sachs stock, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9244, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006089/en/

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[January 07, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of Perrigo Company plc Investors (PRGO)

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of Perrigo Company plc ("Perrigo" or the "Company") (NYSE: PRGO) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. On December 21, 2018, Perrigo disclosed that it had received an audit finding letter from the Irih tax authorities stating "that IP sales transactions including the sale of Tysabri, were not part of the trade of Elan Pharma and therefore should have been treated as chargeable gains subject to an effective 33% tax rate, rather than the 12.5% tax rate applicable to trading income." While the Company had disclosed on November 8, 2018 to investors that it had received the audit finding letter, it did not disclose further material details from the aforementioned letter.



On this news, Perrigo's share price fell $15.33 per share, or more than 29%, to close at $37.03 per share on December 21, 2018, thereby injuring investors. If you purchased Perrigo stock, have information, or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert) 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9244, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006088/en/

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[January 07, 2019] INPI and CAS Collaborate to Improve Patent Application Examination Efficiency with new AI approach

RIO DE JANEIRO and COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) of Brazil and CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society that specializes in scientific information solutions, have initiated a collaboration to speed the processing of patent applications at INPI by improving the efficiency of the patent examination process. CAS will apply data from its human-curated content collection in a new artificial intelligence (AI) solution. The technology combines scoring similarity, workflow classification and knowledge-space exploration capabilities to uncover a reliable set of prior art, or previously published information relevant to the subject innovation, which expedites patent examiners' work. "CAS's technology can help INPI examiners quickly uncover relevant scientific information, a promising development for shortening the time of patent application processing," said Luiz Otavio Pimentel, President of INPI Brazil. Improving Patent Application Pendency "Addressing the timeliness of application processing at INPI is a top priority for the examination function," affirmed Liane Elizabeth Caldeira Lage, Director of Patents, Softwares and Topography of Integrated Circuits. "We think CAS's technology can help our examiners in application examination in chemistry and all other technical fields." As the new process is deployed, the INPI team will be able to significantly improve application pendency; however, this technology is likely to have broader implications. At a meeting in Brazil, Manuel Guzman, CAS President, commented that he believes the new technology can make a difference for patent pendency worldwide. "CAS's semantically structuredindexing data is the basis for the new solution," Guzman said. "Our proficiency in AI and data analytics has grown as we focused on embracing big data opportunities during the development SciFindern, which introduced AI-driven answer relevance for text and substance queries."



Curating Patent Data to Accelerate Innovation CAS Senior Manager of Business Analytics and Insight, Yingqi Wu, further explains the impact of the collaboration between CAS and INPI. "As soon as patent applications are published, 18 months after filing, CAS scientists initiate the process of curating data from the patent into our Enterprise Big Data Hub. This curation includes indexing the full text of the patent, as well as collecting all examples and key claimed entities, such as chemical substances and inventive concepts."

AI techniques, including graph database neighbors and other similarity and machine learning techniques are used to present examiners with a set of relevant publications to inform their evaluation of the application novelty and inventive step considerations. "The teams are actively working together on workflow and processes that can make a significant difference in application pendency," said Wu. "The successful collaboration with INPI is the first of a number of potential alliances through which CAS may provide new graph database and AI capabilities," Guzman explained. "Enhancing patent application examination efficiency is a critical opportunity to accelerate worldwide innovation against which we believe CAS is uniquely positioned to make a difference. CAS's structured, curated data is like no other collection or technology ever applied to achieve these goals." About CAS

CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society, partners with R&D organizations globally to provide actionable scientific insights that help them plan, innovate, protect their innovations, and predict how new markets and opportunities will evolve. Scientific researchers, patent professionals and business leaders around the world across commercial, academic and government sectors rely on our solutions and services to advise discovery and strategy. Leverage our unparalleled content, specialized technology, and unmatched human expertise to customize solutions that will give your organization an information advantage. With more than 110 years' experience, no one knows more about scientific information than CAS. CAS  Where Science and Strategy Converge About INPI

The National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) is the official government body responsible for Industrial Property rights in Brazil being a federal autarchy of the Ministry of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services. INPI's duties include: Trademarks registration, Patent grants, Technology Transfer and Franchising Contracts registration, Industrial Designs registration, Geographical Indications registration, Software registration and Topography of Integrated Circuits registration. Visit the INPI website at http://www.inpi.gov.br Tina Tomeo

CAS

P: 614-447-3600

cas-pr@cas.org Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/691740/CAS_Logo.jpg SOURCE CAS

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[January 07, 2019] Hyosung Corporation: New Year's Message 2019

Concerns are already being voiced about business environment for this year. Global business slowdown and trade war between the US and China make it difficult to see further than the end of nose. Corporate performance is on the slide with competition getting fiercer than ever. We are in a life-or-death situation where we must figure out how to survive. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107005053/en/ If a business cannot find customer needs and fulfill them, it cannot survive. Thus, what we do every day must begin with listening to the voice of customers. When we place customers at the center of our task before developin products and technology, we can deliver our business value to them properly. And we should go further and listen to the voice of a customer's customers and satisfy them. Only if we do so, we will be able to say with confidence that Hyosung is a business listening to the voice of customers sincerely. (Photo: Business Wire)



I have consistently said the solution lies in customers. Peter F. Drucker, father of modern management, said, "The purpose of business is to create and keep a customer. It is the customer who determines what a business is, what it produces and whether it will prosper."

If a business cannot find customer needs and fulfill them, it cannot survive. Thus, what we do every day must begin with listening to the voice of customers. When we place customers at the center of our task before developing products and technology, we can deliver our business value to them properly. And we should go further and listen to the voice of a customer's customers and satisfy them. Only if we do so, we will be able to say with confidence that Hyosung is a business listening to the voice of customers sincerely. Once again, a real Hyosung person listens to the voice of customers and tries hard to fulfill their needs. It is not until every Hyosung person keeps on working for customers and joins forces to lead changes that our business will always prosper with customers. A winner thinks before acting and completes a task, while a loser thinks in the middle of acting and gives up. Let's go the distance altogether come what may. Let's turn crisis into opportunity in an indomitable spirit of challenge, and make Hyosung grow with customers for more than 100 years. My hopes for New Year are that all of you are always healthy and happy with your families. Happy New Year. Cho Hyun-Joon

CEO & Chairman, Hyosung Corp. (KRX:004800) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107005053/en/

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[January 07, 2019] Continental's Vision for Seamless Mobility Combines Autonomous Shuttles and Delivery Robots

The technology company Continental steadily pushes the boundaries of autonomous vehicle technology, exploring new use cases and advancements every day. At CES (News - Alert) 2019, January 8-11 in Las Vegas, Continental will exhibit how a driverless vehicle could be used to stage and deploy delivery robots, taking packages all the way to the consumer - even when they're not able to physically receive them. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006074/en/ Driverless vehicles offer a smart solution to meet the challenges of urban mobility. (Photo: Business Wire) The seamless integration of a driverless vehicle - in this case, the Continental Urban Mobility Experience (CUbE) - and a delivery robot present a more effective and efficient distribution of goods. Driverless vehicles like the CUbE, Continental's autonomous electrified development platform, are generally considered as a solution for urban "first or last mile" mobility. This type of vehicle - often referred to as a robo-taxi or pod - will be a part of the seamless mobility value chain. The purpose of these vehicles will be extended to goods delivery to further utilize the available transport capacity and reduce idle times. Market estimations show that the need to transport goods will even outpace the strongly growing need for people transport in densely populated areas. With expertise in scalable technologies and solutions like sensors, environment perception and modelling, localization, positioning, situation analysis, decision making and mechatronic actuators, Continental has the solutions and know-how to address this need. "With the help of robot delivery, Continental's vision for seamless mobility can extend right to your doorstep. Our vision of cascaded robot delivery leverages a driverless vehicle to carry delivery robots, creating an efficient transport team," said Ralph Lauxmann, Head of Systems & Technology, Chassis & Safety division, Continental. "Both are electrified, both are autonomous and, in principle, both can be based on the same scalable technology portfolio. These synergies create an exciting potential for holistic delivery concepts using similar solutions for different platforms. Beyond this technology foundation, it's reasonable to expect a whole value chain to develop in this area." Urban delivery can use synergies from automated driving Goods and parcel delivery to residential areas is a growing and dynamic market, driven by e-commerce sales that are increasing every year. With the growth of this segment, delivery cost per hour is gaining importance. This positions last mile anddelivery services as a differentiator. Automated goods delivery is forecasted to provide an answer for up to 80 percent of all business-to-consumer deliveries, according to multiple research sources.



Continental views automated goods delivery as an integral part of future urban mobility as an addition to conventional goods delivery. Driverless vehicles like the CUbE can carry one or multiple delivery robots and deploy them to handle the last yards of the goods and parcel delivery logistics chain. "Industrializing the automation of goods delivery requires reliable, robust, high-performing and best-cost technology - a mix perfectly reflected in the automotive equivalent of automation. It is this very profile of expertise that has made Continental one of the industry-leading suppliers of advanced driver assistance systems and vehicle automation," Lauxmann said. With existing delivery robots serving as a development platform, Continental is ready to transfer and scale automotive technology to meet robot manufacturers' requirements. "The challenges to a delivery robot parallel what we already solve for in automated vehicles," said Jeremy McClain, Director of Systems & Technology, Continental North America. "Plus, delivery robots will require technology that is just as advanced and robust as our automotive solutions." With the ever-increasing popularity of online shopping and the growth of megacities, unique solutions for package delivery will be needed. Driverless vehicles combined with delivery robots could be the perfect answer.

Seamless mobility for Smart Cities Driverless vehicles will represent a very important element in the Smart Cities of the future. They are considered by many experts as a key element of future mobility concepts to solve the challenges of urbanization. A driverless vehicle can be in use almost 24/7. Innovative city planners see driverless vehicles as a valuable addition to public mass transport by eliminating the need for a privately owned car to get to the nearest point of access to other means of transport. "There will be peaks in demand for driverless vehicles during the day. To make use of driverless vehicles outside those peak 'rush' hours is where robot-delivery comes in," said McClain. "We see great potential in our automotive technology to support robotics companies in developing autonomous delivery robots as an additional use case for driverless vehicles." Since many deliveries are made during the day, when many people are working, at school or otherwise occupied, the robo-taxi's off-peak hours could be perfectly utilized for such delivery trips when combined with delivery robots such as this. At Continental's booth (North Hall, Booth 7519) during CES 2019 in Las Vegas, the company will demonstrate this use case, pairing an autonomous shuttle with a delivery robot in a residential setting. Continental at CES Visit Continental at CES Tuesday, January 8 through Friday, January 11 at North Hall Booth #7519. Continental will also showcase its latest automotive innovations and technologies in a private exhibit at the Renaissance Hotel. An invitation-only media event has been scheduled on January 8. Please reach out for additional information. Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transport. In 2017, Continental generated sales of 44 billion and currently employs more than 244,000 people in 61 countries and markets. The Chassis & Safety division develops and produces integrated active and passive driving safety technologies as well as products that support vehicle dynamics. The product portfolio ranges from electronic and hydraulic brake and chassis control systems to sensors, advanced driver assistance systems, airbag electronics and sensorics as well as electronic air suspension systems all the way to windscreen washer systems and headlight cleaning nozzles. The focus lies on a high level of system competence and the networking of individual components. Thus products and system functions are developed along the SensePlanAct chain of effects. They form the foundation for automated driving. Chassis & Safety employs more than 47,700 people worldwide and generated sales of approximately 9.8 billion in 2017. Links

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[January 07, 2019] ProcessMaker Named "Hot Vendor" by Leading Analyst Firm, Aragon Research

ProcessMaker, a leader in enterprise business process management and workflow solutions, was named to the list of "Hot Vendors" in the Hot Vendors in Workflow and Content Automation, 2018 report published by Aragon Research, Inc. ProcessMaker business process management software (BPMS) helps the world's best run organizations by automating repetitive, manual processes. By automating paper-based, repetitive and approval-based processes, ProcessMaker clients build a competitive advantage in the digital economy by simplifying their collaboration with customers, suppliers and internally. "ProcessMaker is honored to be included in the 2018 Workflow and Content Automation report by Aragon Research. Automating forms and document heavy processes using ProcessMaker has created fantastic results for our clients," said ProcessMaker CEO and Co-Founder Brian Reale. "It is a great privilege to be recognized for these successes through the 2018 Hot Vendor Award program. We are thrilled that our BPM solutions are strategically aligned with this Workflow and Content Automation imperative to digitally transform business processes and expediting time to value." According to the Aragon report, "Part of the challenge in going fully digital is to understand that all business processes will eventually need to be automated, and choosing which ones to automate first. Enterprises should look first at the processes that stand to have the geatest effect on business." Jim Lundy, CEO and Lead Analyst of Aragon Research, added, "Because documents and document processes can have the highest impact on speeding up time to outcomes - or in many cases time to revenue - they should be at the top of the list when it comes to automation. Providers like ProcessMaker, with its full set of WCA capabilities, are helping enterprises automate their critical document processes."



About ProcessMaker ProcessMaker develops enterprise business process management (BPM) and workflow software solutions that improve organizational efficiency. Business analyst build, run, report and optimize business processes all within an intuitive, user-friendly interface. Thousands of companies across the globe turn to ProcessMaker for a highly available, production-ready, multi-language compatible BPM solution that is available on premise and in the cloud. Headquartered in Raleigh-Durham, NC, ProcessMaker has offices in five countries. For more information, visit www.processmaker.com.

About Aragon Research Aragon Research delivers high-impact visual research, consulting and advisory services to provide enterprises the insight they need to make better technology and strategic decisions. Aragon Research services business and IT leaders and has a proven team of veteran analysts. For more information, visit https://www.aragonresearch.com. Disclaimer Aragon Research does not endorse vendors, or their products or services that are referenced in its research publications and does not advise users to select those vendors that are rated the highest. Aragon Research publications consist of the opinions of Aragon Research and Advisory Services organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Aragon Research provides its research publications and the information contained in them is "AS IS" without warranty of any kind. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006071/en/

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[January 07, 2019] Hyundai's 'Design Your Own World' CES 2019 Exhibition Showcases Latest Future Mobility Advancements

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor Company today presented its future mobility roadmap at CES 2019, highlighting its strategy to materialize freedom in mobility for customers. Hyundai's vision is based on three key areas: developments in ?Open Innovation?, the company's electric vehicle (EV) strategy, and its strategy to gain global leadership in connected mobility. The vision aims to provide a curated future lifestyle to customers in a society where all aspects of life are connected to mobility for a true Car-to-Life experience. 'Style Set Free', Hyundai's new personalized vehicle design concept, is based on future developments of autonomous driving and allows users to fully customize and upgrade their driving environment to suit their lifestyle. Hyundai will leverage data generated from smart vehicles to launch an open ecosystem that enables a host of ICT subsystems to create a structural flow of public data transmission between vehicles and the environment in which vehicles operate. This will facilitate the widespread adoption of connected cars, further cementing Hyundai's role as a leader in the future mobility field. The Hyundai CRADLE, a hub for corporate venturing and innovation business, takes on the responsibility for securing Hyundai's vision of a cleaner and more integrated answer to transportation. To expedite these ambitions, Hyundai has made investments in more than 30 promising companies such as WayRay and Perceptive Automata over the past year. As part of its ?Open Innovation? plan, Hyundai today unveiled the design concept and prototype of the Hyundai 'Elevate' Walking Car. This innovative concept will redefine the common perception of vehicular mobility with its ability to traverse previously inaccessible terrain using its four, highly dexterous moveable legs. Hyundai also presented its future roadmap for expanding its competitiveness in AI technology through the establishment of dedicated research centers and partnerships with companies worldwide. "With our technological advancements, Hyundai will be a dedicated automaker of a future mobility lifestyle that is customizable for each individual customer," said Albert Biermann, President and Head of Research & Development Division of Hyundai Motor Group. "The concept 'Design Your Own World' is Hyundai's answer to how we should empower customers to curate their desired vehicle environment." 'Style Set Free': Personalized EVs for everyone Hyundai believes that personalized vehicles are not a luxury but a necessity for customer lifestyles in the age of autonomous driving technology. The 'Style Set Free' concept begins from this belief, aiming to personalize the vehicle space for every customer. This concept allows customers the freedom to select initial software as well as hardware of their vehicles and equip upgrades according to specific needs. Under its updated EV strategy, Hyundai will introduce EVs built on a new and dedicated platform named 'E-GMP which will be able to satisfy the needs of its unique customers. The platform, currently under development, incorporates the world's first integrated drive axel technology, IDA (Integrated Drive Axel), to provide a quieter and more stable driving experience. "The dedicated electric vehicle models will offer customizable features, allowing drivers to alter the space and configuration of vehicles more efficiently than vehicles that are derived from traditional internal combustion architecture," sid Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor's Customer and Marketing Division. "With our state-of-the-art 'Style Set Free' design concept, Hyundai Motor tries to provide a whole new experience to consumers with different lifestyles and needs, going beyond just the autonomous driving technology itself."



Global leadership in connected cars The car is not an isolated, single purpose machine anymore, and Hyundai has taken into consideration the fact that there are variables that cannot be predicted. Hyundai believes that connected car technology should be deployed to every car so that each individual driver can enjoy a safe and convenient automobile lifestyle. Hyundai mapped out its details to provide customer-oriented solutions that can positively impact their lifestyles with connected car technology.

That's where the innovative connected car technology is manifested. By collecting zettabytes of data from around the world, Hyundai is able to enhance the driving experience for customers and ensure their safety by providing real-time alerts regarding road conditions and weather updates. Hyundai's connected car technology will allow external connectivity for customers of the future. The introduction of an open platform will allow the ideas of third parties to become involved, by leveraging publicly available vehicle data provided by Hyundai. "We aim to have 10 million active connectivity users globally and apply connected car technology to all vehicle segments in the global market by early 2022," said Jungsik Suh, Senior Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group's ICT Division. "Hyundai not only strives to become the number one provider of connected cars globally, but to also provide connected car services that surpass the current range of services through an open platform, paving the way to embody our concept of 'transcend connectivity.'" Expanding ?Open Innovation? efforts To provide its customers with even more convenience and safety features to fit their needs, Hyundai will strategically invest in AI projects to foster collaboration with third-parties as well as engage in the active encouragement and support of startups that share the company vision. Hyundai's core fundamental connected-car infrastructure can be transformed in a multitude of ways by brilliant innovators from various industries. Hyundai CRADLE is on the lookout for disruptive innovations with startups to achieve its vision of future mobility. Its partnership with WayRay for developing AR navigation systems is a prime example of this. At CES 2019, Hyundai CRADLE is presenting a totally new vehicle concept that combines the power of robotics and EV technology to take people where no vehicle has been before. The quadrupedal Hyundai 'Elevate' will redefine the boundaries and perceptions of vehicular mobility. Its four highly dexterous and movable legs can be utilized in ways beyond the imagination to allow Hyundai's inception of a new vehicle category  The Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV). As part of its ambition to utilize advanced AI technology to expand its global AI research network, Hyundai Motor Group has established an AI Research Lab (AIR Lab) in Korea, and an AI Research Center (AIR Center) in the U.S. as dedicated organizations for AI research and development. The two facilities will focus on AI-related research in computer vision and machine learning, which are essential elements for further development in autonomous driving and robotics technology. Moreover, Hyundai Motor Group aims to reinforce its AI technology competitiveness through partnerships with prospective academic institutions and startups worldwide. Hyundai recently signed a research and development MOU in cooperation with Seoul National University and start a full-scale operation in learning-based automatic detection and video question-answering technology from 2019. The company also seeks to expand its network of partnerships in diverse types of entities, such as Technion in Israel, DeepGlint in China, and many research institutes and labs in the U.S. and China, for the development of next-generation AI technologies that can be applied to areas in the automotive industry and beyond. 'Design Your Own World': Interactive booth at CES 2019 Hyundai's exhibition booth with a simple and clean, future-oriented design enables visitors to encounter Hyundai's vision of future mobility in a three-dimensional way. The booth consists of a large LED wall screen that allows one to indirectly experience diverse future lifestyle scenarios. The booth entices revelers with a future-oriented cocoon-shaped cockpit that provides imagery of in-car experiences that will be enabled by further development of vehicle electrification and autonomous driving. Those inside the cocoon will be able to select an array of futuristic in-car experiences such as, studying, exercising, working and shopping  that best fit their individual needs and lifestyles. The digital clips illustrated by the main projection will provide customized future mobility experiences in a sophisticated atmosphere. All of Hyundai's latest advancements are showcased at Hyundai's press conference on January 7, and can be experienced at booth #6329 Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall, from January 8 to 11, 2019. About Hyundai Motor Company

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond with its range of world-class vehicles and mobility services offered available in more than 200 countries. Employing more than 110,000 employees worldwide, Hyundai sold more than 4.5 million vehicles globally. Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with vehicles that are helping to build solutions for a more sustainable future, such as NEXO  the world's first dedicated hydrogen-powered SUV. More information about Hyundai Motor Company and its products can be found at:

http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://globalpr.hyundai.com Disclaimer: Hyundai Motor Company believes the information contained herein to be accurate at the time of release. However, the company may upload new or updated information if required and assumes that it is not liable for the accuracy of any information interpreted and used by the reader. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyundais-design-your-own-world-ces-2019-exhibition-showcases-latest-future-mobility-advancements-300773997.html SOURCE Hyundai Motor Company

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[January 07, 2019] Next-Gen Mobile Gaming: nubia to Announce Major Breakthroughs at CES 2019

After a groundbreaking year of innovation, nubia is kickstarting 2019 by launching several new, cutting-edge smartphones. The global mobile-technology company will unveil the hotly anticipated Red Magic Mars and nubia X at CES (News - Alert) in Las Vegas. Red Magic Mars Inspired by Mars, the god of war, nubia's powerful flagship gaming phone pairs powerful tech specs with exclusive features created specifically with gamers in mind. The Red Magic Mars is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and comes in three variants: 6+64, 8+128, 10+256 GB of RAM (News - Alert) and storage, respectively. In an industry-first, ICE multi-dimensional cooling system combines air cooling and liquid cooling. Cooling ports, several layers of graphene, and a custom-engineered convex-shaped back increase air convection both inside and outside the phone. Additionally, a premium, liquid-filled copper tube directs heat away from the CPU and GPU to boost performance. Taken together, the cooling system delivers a smoother, more comfortable gaming experience. In terms of gamer-centric features, the Mars includes an additional hardware switch to toggle "Red Magic Game Space," a gaming-focused software mode. This feature improves performance by minimizing background apps and enhances gameplay with a high-performance mode and 4D sound+vibration effects (that can be turned on or off in the settings). Touch-sensitive shoulder buttons provide additional hardware buttons without the need for a gamepad accessory. Users can configure and custom-map these buttons to suit their game of choice. The Mars also boasts a stunning FHD+ 6-inch display and a 3,800 mAh smart high-density battery for hours of uninterrupted gaming. Users can also customize lighting effects on the rear-facing LED RGB strip, which features 16.8 million colors - perfect for PC or console gamers with a preferred color scheme. Global release date: North America and Europe: Q1, 2019 The price starting from $399 USD Available at Red Magic global website: http://redmagic.gg Rest of world: TBD nubia X The unique, dual-screen nubia X has already seen massive successin China, where the first batch sold out in less than one minute.



The nubia X features a bezel less 6.26" display on the front of the device with no notch or camera cutout. This is made possible by an additional 5.1", full-quality display on the back of the device. With full-sized, full-featured touchscreens on both sides of the device, the nubia X elegantly solves common smartphone challenges and enhances the user experience in several key areas. The unique hardware and software mark the first smartphone of its kind. With a display on the back of the device, users can take photos or video chat using the high-quality rear camera (24MP+16MP) with the ease of a front-facing camera.

"The nubia X is the first serious attempt to make the dual-screen phone a touchstone of smartphone design," General Manager of nubia Smartphone Mr. Ni Fei explained. "By avoiding the notch, we've created a phone with a 6.26-inch LCD screen on the front and a 93.6% screen-to-body ratio." In addition, the touch functions on both screens can be used simultaneously. By using the rear screen to interact with the front screen, users can experience a full-viewing experience (without their fingers blocking their view). "This feature was designed with gamers in mind," Mr Ni added. Finally, nubia has included five layer, blue-light-blocking glass on the rear screen, creating an ideal e-reader. In dark environments or when reading long blocks of text, users can choose to use the rear screen for a more pleasant viewing experience. The dual-screen phone already has the internet talking, setting itself up as a potentially ground-breaking milestone for smartphone design. Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy tested the phone and praised it as "one of the most unique smartphones I've ever seen." Furthermore, Ben Sin, writing for Forbes, said: "the phone does look undeniably cool and cutting edge, and to nubia's credit, switching between the two displays is seamless." WHERE TO FIND US You can find nubia at LVCC #36006, South Hall 4 from January 8th - 11th. For more information, please visit https://www.nubia.com and http://redmagic.gg Download photos from the nubia media kit here. About nubia Founded in 2012, nubia aims to bring premium, innovative smartphones to adventurous users who want a new, unique mobile experience. Encouraging the world to "Be Yourself," nubia continues to inspire users to chase their dreams and pursue new passions. nubia is well known for its innovative smartphone features such as the Red Magic gaming smartphone with multi-dimensional heat dissipation system and the nubia X with its dual-screen display. As a multinational corporation located in China, North America, Europe, Russia, Southeast Asia and India, the company has successfully developed more than 10,000 patent applications, including 418 PCT patent applications. nubia in 2019 For nubia, 2019 will be full of innovations and new challenges. Next year, nubia's focus will be on consumer-centric products and unique, innovative technologies that improve the mobile experience. We will continue thinking outside the box to improve the way we connect to the world around us. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107006039/en/

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Washington

With no breakthrough in sight, President Donald Trump will argue his case to the nation Tuesday night that a "crisis" at the U.S.-Mexico border requires the wall he's demanding before ending the partial government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers face missed paychecks Friday as the shutdown drags through a third week.

Trump's Oval Office speech  his first as president  will be followed by his visit Thursday to the southern border to highlight his demand for a barrier. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted that he will use the visit to "meet with those on the front lines of the national security and humanitarian crisis."

The administration is also at least talking about the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow Trump to move forward on the wall without Congress approving the $5.6 billion he wants. Vice President Mike Pence said the White House counsel's office is looking at the idea. Such a move would certainly draw legal challenges, and Trump  who told lawmakers he would be willing to keep the government closed for months or even years  has said he would like to continue negotiations for now.

Trump's prime-time address will be carried live by ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, MSNBC and NBC.

As Trump's speech and border visit were announced, newly empowered House Democrats  and at least a few Republican senators  stepped up pressure on GOP lawmakers to reopen the government without giving in to the president's demands. The closure, which has lasted 17 days, is already the second-longest in history and would become the longest this weekend.

Leaning on Senate Republicans, some of whom are growing anxious about the impact of the shutdown, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House will begin passing individual bills this week that would reopen federal agencies, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds.

The White House moved to pre-empt the Democrats, telling reporters Monday that tax refunds would be paid despite the shutdown. That shutdown exemption would break from the practice of earlier administrations and could be challenged.

"There is an indefinite appropriation to pay tax refunds. As a result ... the refunds will go out as normal," said Russell Vought, acting director of the White House budget office.

There were other signs that the administration was working to control the damage from the shutdown, which has furloughed 380,000 federal workers and forced 420,000 others to work without pay. The National Park Service said it is dipping into entrance fees to pay for staffing at some highly visited parks to maintain restrooms, clean up trash and patrol the grounds.

Over the weekend, the federal agency tasked with guaranteeing U.S. airport security acknowledged an increase in the number of its employees missing work or calling in sick.

But Trump and the Transportation Security Administration pushed back on any suggestion that the call-outs at the agency represented a "sickout" that was having a significant effect on U.S. air travel. TSA said it screened more than 2.2 million passengers Sunday, a historically busy day due to holiday travel. Ninety percent waited less than 15 minutes, the agency said.

"We are grateful to the more than 51,000 agents across the country who remain focused on the mission and are respectful to the traveling public," said TSA spokesman Michael Bilello.

The talks over ending the shutdown have been at an impasse over Trump's demand for the wall. He has offered to build the barrier with steel rather than concrete, billing that as a concession to Democrats' objections. They "don't like concrete, so we'll give them steel," he said.

But Democrats have made clear that they object to the wall itself, not how it's constructed. They see it as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed-upon levels.

"Maybe he thinks he can bully us. But I'm from Brooklyn. You let a bully succeed, you'll be bullied again worse," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said at a breakfast with the Association for a Better New York.

At the White House, spokeswoman Mercedes Schlapp complained that Democratic leaders have yet to define what they mean when they say they are for enhancing border security.

"Democrats want to secure the border? Great. Come to the table," she said Monday. "We are willing to come to a deal to reopen the government."

Trump has tasked Pence during the shutdown fight to negotiate with Democrats, including during talks over the weekend with Democratic staffers. But the vice president is increasingly being called upon to prevent defections in the GOP ranks.

Asked whether cracks were forming between the White House and Republicans eager for the shutdown to end, Pence told reporters, "We've been in touch with those members and others."

He said that he and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen would be at the Capitol Tuesday and Wednesday to brief lawmakers.

Among the Republicans expressing concern was Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should take up funding bills from the Democratic-led House.

"Let's get those reopened while the negotiations continue," Collins said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

However, McConnell has said he won't take up funding bills without Trump's support.

Adding to concerns of lawmakers, federal workers who are still on the job apparently will miss this week's paychecks. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that if the shutdown continues into Tuesday, "then payroll will not go out as originally planned on Friday night."

Trump asserted that he could relate to the plight of the federal workers who aren't getting paid, though he acknowledged they will have to "make adjustments" to deal with the shutdown shortfall.

Not so easy, many of them say.

Derrick Padilla, a corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Colorado, has worked without pay for two weeks and said he's nearly depleted his savings.

"It's now becoming a game of, 'OK, who's going to get paid? How am I going to make this payment? What's the most important thing I have to pay for this month?'" he said.

"The bills don't go away," Padilla added. "We're expected to meet our financial obligations, and we're being put in a position to not be able to meet those obligations."
State Police are asking for the publics help in solving a 1988 double homicide in Washington County.

On Sept. 12, 1988, a trapper checking his traps off of Lily Pond Road in Hartford found the body of a man and called Washington County Sheriff's deputies. When deputies investigated, they found a second mans body.

An initial State Police investigation determined that the two men, Frederick Pauling, 57, and James Checkush, 37, had been dead for several days.

Checkush was a Long Island antiques dealer who lived in Manhattan and Pauling was a psychology professor at John Jay College in New York City.

Pauling owned a home on Dick Hill Road, near where the bodies were found. Police believe the two men were killed inside that home and dumped near Lily Pond Road.

Senior Investigator Roger Leclaire of the Washington County Sheriff's Department said at the time that Pauling had been doing research for a book, which was to be titled "The Criminal Mind."

Investigators learned that Pauling was interviewing criminals for the book, which was still in transcript form, Leclaire said. He said that information was not linked to the leads in the case.

One of the two was shot to death and the other was killed by blows to the head.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriffs Office at 518-746-2475.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  The Spa City will wire itself for the future.

Over the summer city officials signed a long-term contract with SiFi Networks to design, install and maintain a fiber optic network, making it the first municipality in the state and one of only a handful in the nation to embrace the technology to provide residents and businesses with lightning-fast internet.

The 30-year agreement, explained Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan will come at no cost to the city while also lowering the cost of being connected because multiple providers can hop on the network, giving consumers a choice.

"SiFi will interface with the providers," Madigan said. "The more providers they have, the more competition it opens up."

Madigan said the deal, which will send data 50 times faster than the average household now experiences, will also ensure that the city's most underserved neighborhoods will be connected.

"I understand how important it is for people to have access, to have Internet services regardless of economic disparity," Madigan said. "I started the Smart City Commission and this is one of the main projects to come out of it."

Madigan points to cities like Chattanooga, Tenn., which saw an economic boom after it was wired with fiber. That city, according to the Washington Post, used its electric utility lines rather than contracting with a company like SiFi or Google, which has wired several cities like Atlanta and San Francisco.

"Look at Chattanooga 20 years ago and where it is today," she said. "They are on the forefront of innovation. It was a huge boon for them."

But the agreement with SiFi, based in Morristown, N.J. doesn't come without concerns, said Michael Santorelli, the director of the Advanced Communication Law and Policy Institute at New York Law School. His biggest one is that SiFi has yet to complete a city-wide project anywhere.

"As part of my ongoing research, I tracked SiFi's efforts," said Santorelli who follows broadband projects throughout the nation. "I have identified a dozen cities that SiFi tried to work with over the last six years. To my knowledge there hasn't been a successful result of SiFi's effort on the scale of Saratoga. Saratoga would be the first."

Santorelli said there were cities that agreed to partner with SiFi, but then the deals fell apart because he said "they took a harder look at numbers."

Madigan said there is no financial risk because the only thing the city is paying for is a yet-to-be hired city engineer who will be the point person in the project. Half of that cost, $45,000, will be paid for by SiFi. However, if SiFi does not complete the fiber network by 2022  which will be embedded in the city's streets' right-of-way  then the city will have the option to buy the network at cost with a 10 percent markup or just allow SiFi to light up the part of the network it has completed.

"We only buy it if we want to," said Madigan of the choice that would be decided by the City Council. "We don't have to."

SiFi's President Scott Bradshaw, who is working with the city on the project, did not return a Times Union phone call on Monday. Neither did city officials in Salem, Mass. which also announced plans to work with SiFi. The Mayor's office at East Hartford, Conn., did respond to a Times Union query regarding plans to contract with SiFi, but only to say that it's too early to make any comment.

Last August, Saratoga Springs City Council voted unanimously to sign the SiFi contract. At the time, the Commissioner of Public Safety Peter Martin said that 30-year contract is a long time and noted that he had some concern that SiFi has the option to extend it for another 30.

Santorelli agreed, adding the duration also makes the SiFi contract with Saratoga Springs "unique," because "long-term technology agreements become outdated pretty quickly."

Madigan said that she doesn't know what will be happening in the future, but feels certain "they will be using a fiber infrastructure because nothing is faster than fiber."

Martin was also concerned that SiFi would have exclusive rights to the sewer lines, barring other internet, video or data deliveries from using the sewers during the duration of the contract. But Madigan assured, that for the most part, SiFi will not be using the sewers. They will only tap into the sewers if there is no other way to access a particular street using the ground right-of-way.

Commissioner of Public Works Anthony "Skip" Scirocco said in August at the City Council meeting that he discussed this with SiFi and does not see a problem with that clause.

Installing fiber throughout the city, beginning in summer of 2020, will not be that disruptive, Madigan said. Using a technique called micro trenching, a vehicle will cut a hole about 3/4 of an inch wide and 10 to 12 inches deep. Fibers will be dropped down inside. Then another vehicle, following, closes up the hole. The city will not dig up Broadway and most of the fiber will be dropped on streets connecting to Broadway, not Broadway itself.

Madigan said Internet is just the beginning of what fiber optics can do. She foresees the city using it to track water main breaks, coordinate traffic and streetlights, monitor manholes as well as alert residents to public safety issues and myriad other tasks to improve life in the city.

"The city is fully cognizant of what we are doing," Madigan said."I'm not seeing the risks. I would say people are generally and genuinely excited about the prospect of it."
ROCKVILLE CENTRE  If there was one stereotype that prosecutors wish would disappear, it's that of the stoned driver.

For some reason, they say, people have come to believe that driving while high on marijuana makes you a slower and therefore safer driver. But in Maureen McCormick's experience working at the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, that's just not true.

"Joseph Beer was driving high at 126 miles per hour on the Southern State Parkway when four young lives were lost," she said, referencing a young Queens man who crashed a car full of friends into a tree while speeding down the Long Island highway in 2012. "So that concept that you're going to drive more slowly when high on weed, it's not backed up by reality."

The impact that marijuana legalization, should it pass, is expected to have on so-called drugged driving in New York was the topic of a panel hosted Monday by state Sen. Todd Kaminsky. Held at Molloy College on Long Island, it provided law enforcement officials and staff from various district attorney offices a chance to speak out about what they believe will be an uptick in drugged driving crashes, injuries and fatalities if recreational marijuana is legalized.

Citing an increase in fatal crashes in legal marijuana states like Colorado, Washington and Oregon, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said he expects his officers to be saddled with much more work if marijuana is legalized.

"It's going to take a lot of work if we go down this road," he said. "As it is now, it costs $1 million to train our officers on anything. Now we're going to bring in this new wave of testing?"

He was referring to roadside impairment tests, as well as in-station evaluations by trained drug recognition experts (DREs), who complete academic and field trainings to reliably assess whether someone is impaired by drugs or alcohol. New York currently relies on 265 active DREs to respond to roadside calls for assistance, but law enforcement from both upstate and downstate said it's not enough.

Current and former representatives from Oregon and Colorado state governments noted that their states had to significantly increase funding for DRE training following marijuana legalization. Colorado spent $1.2 million to train nearly 600 new DREs in the three years after it legalized recreational marijuana, and still doesn't have enough, said Deena Ryerson, senior assistant attorney general for Oregon's Department of Justice, who spoke to the panel over a live stream.

"I talk to school kids about the dangers of marijuana," she said. "And the funny thing is, they always say, well isn't it legal now? It's like there's this air of legitimacy about it. They don't see it as a big deal."

The need for law enforcement to be able to detect drug use is especially imperative, she said, when you consider that toxicology alone is often not adequate for determining impairment.

This has to do with the science of how marijuana works, Ryerson said.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is highly lipophilic, meaning it crosses over from the blood to the fat stores of the body and brain quicker than other substances. This is why, 15 minutes after smoking marijuana, a person will have both a high concentration of THC in their blood and a high level of impairment, but one hour after smoking, a small concentration of THC but a strong high.

"By that point, THC has moved out of the blood and into the brain," Ryerson said. "So unless we can get warrants for brain tissue, we're never going to be able to correlate like we do with alcohol in the blood."

For this reason, she urged New York lawmakers not to set a specific THC blood concentration level for purposes of determining impairment. In Washington state, the level was set at five nanograms per milliliter, but 60 percent of all cases were deemed ineligible for prosecution as a result, she said.

That doesn't mean gathering blood evidence of impairment is not worthwhile, prosecutors said. Police should work to collect a range of evidence, including blood and saliva samples if they can, and the testimony of a drug recognition expert.

Saliva testing is an imperfect science when it comes to detecting marijuana, but is helpful for detecting recent use, Ryerson explained, especially if the marijuana was smoked.

"There are limitations to saliva testing for edibles, but the vast majority of marijuana users are smokers so I don't think it's going to make a big difference in how people use," she said.

A big roadblock for prosecutors in New York is that it remains voluntary for a person suspected of drugged driving to provide a blood or saliva sample. The only time it's compulsory  meaning a judge mandates it  is when serious injury or death is involved, said Mary Tanner Richter, an assistant district attorney in the Albany County District Attorney's Office.

"If we had presumptive probable cause for that blood sample, that would be a step in the right direction," she said.

McCormick, of the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, expressed concern about any sizable shift to saliva testing should recreational marijuana use become legal.

"Our lab is simply not capable of testing for saliva," she said. "If we do shift to saliva, it's going to take a lot of money and a lot of resources."
In Cohoes, multiple departments responded to a fire at 2 Pike Creek Drive.

The blaze started around 11 p.m. Monday and the house was extensively damaged.
New York

A New York City firefighter fell to his death late Sunday when he slipped through a narrow gap between lanes of a newly built bridge while trying to reach the victims of a car crash.

Steven Pollard, a 30-year-old firefighter who had followed his father and brother into the FDNY just a year and a half ago, fell 52 feet as he tried to climb between a pair of low concrete barriers separating travel on Brooklyn's Belt Parkway.

Working in the dark, wind and cold at around 10 p.m., he may not have been aware that the eastbound and westbound lanes of the bridge are separated by a few feet of empty space.

"It's a terrible loss for the department. To lose a member, just at the beginning of his career like this, is devastating to us," Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said at a news conference early Monday with Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Firefighters lined up outside Kings County Hospital early Monday and stood at attention as Pollard's body was taken away.

Pollard, a member of Brooklyn's Ladder Company 170, had still been on probation with the department. His father, Ray Pollard, is a retired member of Ladder Company 102 in Brooklyn. His brother Ray Pollard Jr. is an active member of Ladder Company 114.

"This is a family who has done so much for New York City and now they're going through this loss and this pain," de Blasio said. "It's a very, very tough situation."

The accident happened on the Mill Basin Bridge, which crosses over a channel at the edge of Jamaica Bay. The drivers of the two cars involved in the initial crash only suffered minor injuries, police said.
NEW YORK (AP)  Former New York state Senate leader Dean Skelos is due to report to prison Tuesday to begin serving his four-year and three-month prison term for a corruption conviction.

Skelos, a 70-year-old Republican, is expected to report to the federal prison at Otisville, New York, by mid-afternoon.
ALBANY  Before Democratic state legislators can deliver on their pledge to enhance abortion rights in New York later this month, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Monday that he wants to write the same protections into the state constitution.

The governor made the case that a law protecting access to legal abortions wouldn't go far enough at the end of his remarks from a rally at Barnard College in Manhattan that was attended by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Democratic lawmakers.

The Reproductive Health Act, which would codify many of the protections guaranteed by the Roe v. Wade decision and address abortion in public health law, is expected to receive a vote in the first 30 days of the new legislative session.

"You can pass a law today, and lightning can strike and you could have a different political context, and they can pass a new law which would repeal this law," Cuomo said. "So I want to take it a step further, and I want to pass this year a constitutional amendment that writes into the constitution a provision protecting a woman's right to control her own reproductive health."

New-minted state Sen. Jessica Ramos, D-Queens, said the amendment was a "great long-term goal."

"I am focused on passing the Reproductive Health Act immediately so New York's women get the protection they need," she said in a statement.

Proponents of the RHA say it's necessary because the precedent of Roe v. Wade could potentially be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, considering the makeup of its conservative majority.

Anti-abortion advocates, meanwhile, argue that the RHA enacts an overly broad exemption for third-trimester abortions and generally makes it easier to obtain abortion.

Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, D-Manhattan, said last week that she hopes to pass the RHA on Jan. 22, the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Any state constitutional amendment needs to be passed by two consecutively elected legislatures and then approved by voters statewide. That means that any amendment launched this year couldn't come up for a statewide referendum until November 2021 at the earliest.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87
COHOES - A leader of a neighborhood watch group in Cohoes is being recommended to fill the vacancy left by Ralph Signoraccis resignation as an Albany County legislator.

Tom McGrath, who is the group leader of the Van Schaick Island Neighborhood Watch Group, will be recommended to the county Legislature to fill Signoraccis seat, said Gil Ethier, a county legislator and chairman of the Cohoes Democratic Committee.

While county legislators can make their own recommendations, the choice typically is made by local political parties. The recommendations are then voted on by the full legislature.

Faced with a limited amount of time for the legislature to vote to fill the seat, Ethier said committee ward leaders determined selecting McGrath would be best.

In the interest of fairness and transparency, I believe that the best course of action right now is to recommend this well-qualified candidate to fill the remainder of Mr. Signoraccis term, Ethier said.

Legislative vacancies must be filled within 40 days, according to the county charter. Signoracci resigned Dec. 27, which would suggest an appointment must be made by Feb. 5 (if counting weekends). Its unclear whether the outlined time frame includes non-business days and holidays, or what would happen if the Legislature misses the deadline.

Signoracci, a Democrat, resigned as legislator of District 17 in late December to become director of municipal affairs for county Comptroller Michael Conners. He also resigned as Cohoes' director of operations.

The move comes at a time when he and Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse are being investigated by the FBI for the handling of Morse's campaign funds. Signoracci was Morse's treasurer.

McGrath, a lifelong Cohoes resident, currently resides in Van Shaick Island. He is an engineer and principal at L Sipperly & Associates in Latham. He also leads one of the two active neighborhood watch groups under the Cohoes Police Department.

Ethier said McGrath doesnt plan to run for the seat.

All county legislator seats are up for election this year. Elections in November will determine who represents each of the 39 districts in the Albany County Legislature for the next four years.

This will ensure that the people of the district will have a voice in Albany while at the same time providing a fair and open chance for those candidates who are interested in seeking election to the full term to come forward and make their case to the committee and the community, he said.

The Cohoes Republican Committee also is expected to recommend someone for appointment to the seat. Committee Chairman Christopher Davis said something would be forthcoming, but wouldn't comment further.
AMSTERDAM  One woman was killed when a trailer caught fire Monday night in the Pine Meadow Trailer Park on Route 67 in the town of Amsterdam, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's office.

The Hagaman Volunteer Fire Department was called to the park around 6:15 p.m. and found a trailer on Lot #2 engulfed in flames. Witnesses told firefighters someone was trapped inside.
STAMFORD  The owner of a photo booth business used for weddings and other parties has been accused of creating lewd videos of the occasions for himself.

Timothy Gemelli, 52, of Taconic Road, Greenwich, has been charged with three counts of voyeurism and was released after posting a $50,000 court appearance bond.

The charges stem from a complaint filed by a woman Gemelli knows, police said.

According to his four-page arrest affidavit, the Stamford woman went to the citys police department in November with videos she claimed Gemelli took without her consent and evidence he filmed other unsuspecting women.

The woman told police Gemelli used photo booths through his Greenwich business, The Photo Booth Lounge, to take upskirt videos of women at various parties in New York City and Westchester and Fairfield counties, the affidavit said.

The woman, whose relationship to Gemelli was redacted from the court documents, was seen showering and having sex in some of the videos without her consent, the affidavit said.

Timothys method of filming the shower videos was to hide behind the bathroom door and extend his arm with his iPhone in his hand to record video without being detected, the affidavit said.

In several computer folders named upskirting with event names and dates, police said there were videos recorded by a camera pointing up from the floor of Gemellis photo booth.

The camera was angled upward as people walked past the recording device to enter the booth, the affidavit said. The events occurred between December 2011 and March 2015, the affidavit said.

A message left Monday at Gemellis business was not immediately returned.

Gemellis case was transferred to the Part A docket at the Stamford courthouse where the most serous cases are adjudicated.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
Washington

Jim Yong Kim, the president of the World Bank, announced Monday he is resigning at the end of January.

Kim's unexpected departure three years before his term was set to expire is likely to set off a fierce battle between the Trump administration and other countries who have complained about the influence the United States exerts over the World Bank.

In a letter to bank staff, Kim said that he has long believed that the key to bridging the gap between the massive financing needs of developing countries and the amount of support available was to work with the private sector.

"I have therefore decided that it's time for me to take on new challenges and fully focus my efforts on leveraging private finance for the benefit of people around the world," Kim said in his note to staff.

Kim's departure will give President Donald Trump the opportunity to nominate his own choice to fill the World Bank post.

The 189-nation World Bank is the largest government source for development funding, providing low-cost loans for projects around the world.

Since the creation of the World Bank at the end of World War II, its leaders have all been Americans. Its sister lending agency, the International Monetary Fund, has always been headed by a European.

Other countries, including China and other Asian nations, have complained about this pattern. The IMF, which provides emergency loans to countries in economic crisis, is currently headed by former French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde.

Kim, the former head of Dartmouth College, was first tapped by former President Barack Obama to lead the World Bank in 2012. He was nominated by Obama for a second term in August 2016. That term would have ended on June 30, 2022.
Colonie

Small businesses aren't expanding or hiring. Hundreds of meteorologists have skipped a major conference this week where advances in weather forecasting are shared. And airline pilots are expressing concerns about the safety and security of the national airspace system.

The federal government shutdown, now in its third week, is rippling throughout the economy with no apparent movement toward a settlement.

Agents at the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Albany continue to report for work, even though they're not being paid. Customs and immigration officials are working at the Port of Albany, also without pay, while Transportation Security Administration employees continue to screen passengers and luggage at Albany International Airport.

So far, the Hudson River is free of ice, but U.S. Coast Guard crews are prepared to clear any ice that forms, also without pay.

Federal employees who were furloughed and not required to work are eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits, according to the state Labor Department. But those who are required to work  from TSA and FBI agents to meteorologists and food safety inspectors  aren't eligible. They are "considered employed and not available for other employment," according to the Labor Department.

If the government pays the claimants retroactively, they will have to repay the benefits they received.

The federal government employs 6,600 people in the Capital Region, according to the state Labor Department, about 1.4 percent of the workforce. Their absence is being felt.

"The small businesses we deal with require a (Small Business Administration) guarantee," said Bill Brigham, director of the Small Business Development Center at the University at Albany. The loans provide working capital, startup capital, turnaround capital and funds to expand and hire additional workers, he added.

But with the Small Business Administration shut down and its employees furloughed, loans aren't being processed.

"We work with about 1,000 small businesses a year," offering counseling at no cost, Brigham added. "We see businesses that needed money yesterday."

Some of the funding goes to technology startups and researchers. Those efforts also are put on hold.

"There really is a ripple effect, whether it's processing of loans, whether it's our transportation projects, whether its veterans services ... the shutdown does have a direct impact whether it's on businesses or residents," said Mark Eagan, president and CEO of the Capital Region Chamber.

At the Port of Albany, General Manager Rich Hendrick said customs and immigration officials continued to report to work, even though they're not being paid. Customs and Border Protection Port Director Drew Wescott referred calls to Department of Homeland Security spokesman Aaron Bowker. Bowker said that, because of the shutdown, he wasn't able to accept media calls, and that the DHS was focusing on border security.

At Albany International Airport, TSA employees continued to report to work, and lines were normal, airport spokesman Doug Myers said. Elsewhere, some TSA agents reportedly have called in sick as they seek jobs that will provide a paycheck.

FBI agents also were expected to report.

"FBI operations are directed towards national security and violations of federal law, and must be able to continue during a lapse in appropriations," said spokeswoman Sarah Ruane at the Albany FBI office. "As such, all FBI agents and support personnel in field offices are considered excepted from furlough."

The U.S. Environmental Protection has been hit particularly hard by the shutdown, with only about 6 percent of its pre-shutdown workforce of nearly 14,000 still in place, according to EPA figures.

One of the largest EPA projects in the state is the PCB cleanup of the Hudson River from Troy to Fort Edward, where EPA is currently producing a so-called report card on whether the cleanup concluded in 2017 met it objectives, something disputed by state officials and conservation groups. A local advisory committee that has been monitoring the cleanup is run by an outside, EPA-funded contractor, the Massachusetts-based Consensus Building Institute.

Since the institute is not now being paid, no new meetings of the Citizens Advisory Group can be scheduled, if needed, said Althea Mullarkey, an analyst with the environmental group Scenic Hudson and a group member. When the cleanup report card might be issued could not be immediately determined, as EPA public relations officials in the Capital Region and the New York City regional headquarters are not at work because of the shutdown.

Also in limbo is an agreement that EPA is working on regarding potential cleanup options at the Dewey Loeffel toxic waste landfill in Nassau, Rensselaer County. A local advocacy group that support a cleanup held a meeting last weekend on potential options, but due to the shutdown, no EPA officials were able to attend.

The American Meteorological Society's 99th annual meeting began Monday in Phoenix. While no one from the Albany office of the National Weather Service had planned to attend, several hundred NWS employees from across the country typically participate, where research papers are released and improvements in forecast models are revealed.

Because of the shutdown, those meteorologists have been told not to go.

"Our focus is basically on protection of life and property," said Ray O'Keefe, meteorologist in charge at the Albany NWS office. "As far as longer-term projects go, basically we're focused on our day-to-day job of forecasts and advisories."

"The AMS annual meeting is clearly impacted by the absence of NOAA, NASA, DOE, etc. It's very sad," said Chris Thorncroft, chair and professor in UAlbany's Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, who was en route to Phoenix. "This meeting is an opportunity for academia, private sector and government agencies to interact for the betterment of the country. We are missing a key partner this year."

Meanwhile, the president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International, Joseph DePete, called on President Trump "to take the necessary steps to immediately end the shutdown of government agencies that is affecting the safety, security and efficiency of our national airspace system."

He said all involved "are being asked to work unpaid. They are dutifully providing safety of life services while facing increasingly difficult financial pressures to provide for those dependent on their paycheck."

"The pressure these civil servants are facing at home," he said, "should not be ignored."
E.J. Dionne: The next two years are about democracy itself
Thomasville, GA (31792)

Today

Mostly sunny early then increasing clouds with some scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 92F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Widely scattered showers and thunderstorms this evening. Clouds lingering later. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.


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Barre, VT (05641)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Chance of a shower or two during the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies overnight. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
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Tifton, GA (31794)

Today

Mostly sunny. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 96F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. Low around 70F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
Surge Energy Inc. explores for, develops, and produces oil and gas in western Canada. The company holds interest in the Greater Sawn Lake assets located in Northern Alberta; Valhalla/Wembley property located in northwestern Alberta; Sparky assets located between Provost and Wainwright in eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan; and Shaunavon properties located to the southwest of Swift Current, Saskatchewan. It holds an average working interest of approximately 83% in approximately 109,941 net developed acres and approximately 92% in approximately 152,344 net undeveloped acres in Greater Sawn area; approximately 70% in approximately 16,032 net developed acres and approximately 74% in approximately 8,208 net undeveloped acres in Valhalla area; and approximately 76% in approximately 80,213 net developed acres and 96% in approximately 58,598 net undeveloped acres in Sparky area; and approximately 61% in approximately 88,178 net developed acres and approximately 39% in approximately 10,483 net undeveloped acres in Edmonton and other minor areas. As of December 31, 2020, it held interests in 316 net oil and 13 net gas wells in Greater Sawn area; 56 net oil and 4 net gas wells in Valhalla area; 466 net oil and 10 net gas wells in Sparky area; 176 net oil wells, as well as an average working interest of approximately 100% in approximately 23,409 net developed acres and 13,698 net undeveloped acres in the Shaunavon properties; and 28 net oil wells and 7 net gas wells in Edmonton and other minor areas. The company was formerly known as Zapata Energy Corporation and changed its name to Surge Energy Inc. in June 2010. Surge Energy Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

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Try to picture life-sized terracotta sculptures by your side as you eat, sleep and use the bathroom. A hotel in Xi'an offering this fully immersive experience has become popular among both Chinese and foreign guests.

The three themed suites, ranging from 80 to 100 square meters each, are located in downtown Xi'an, home to the terracotta army.

Discovered in 1974, the army is one of China's biggest tourist attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. It was built by Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-207 BC) who unified China for the first time in history.

The Airbnb-style hotels are owned by Guo Zhihua, a 53-year-old Xi'an local. A taxi driver in the 1990s, Guo spent most of his life driving tourists to see the warriors in the Emperor Qinshihuang Mausoleum Site Museum.

"Many of my colleagues parked their cars, smoked and chatted with each other. But I preferred to go to the pits with my passengers to tell them stories about the warriors, like a tour guide. Over the years, I have grown to like the warriors very much," he said.

Guo placed more than 200 warrior replicas in the three hotel rooms, which he named pit one, two and three. The sculptures are under the beds, the wash basins, in front of toilet seats and in the walls. Tiles and pillowcases are also painted with images of the stern-faced soldiers.

As the bed light shines through a specially-coated cover, the images of the warrior formations multiply so that the guests can feel like an emperor reviewing his troops, Guo said.

Guo's rooms, costing 100 to 200 dollars a night, has drawn thousands of visitors from 30 countries and regions since the hotel opened in 2008 when Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics. "I was banking on the growing interest in Chinese history," Guo said.

The hotels are fully booked until May. "One day, I received 400 reservations in two hours," he said.

Xi'an is a popular tourist site. During the three-day New Year holiday, the city received 2.453 million tourists, up 17.16 percent year on year. Tourists spent 983 million yuan (143 million U.S. dollars), up 24.24 percent.

Despite the hotel's rising popularity, some discount it as a cheesy replica and say it is horrifying to sleep in a tomb. One lodger complained in a viral video that he could not sleep the whole night with warriors staring him down.

Guo remains unfazed. "I'd like to offer more history-themed hotels with Han and Tang dynasty decorations so overseas tourists can truly experience Chinese history and then back home, tourists can carry on the Chinese culture," he said.
Douglas Dynamics, Inc. operates as a manufacturer and upfitter of commercial work truck attachments and equipment in North America. It operates through two segments, Work Truck Attachments and Work Truck Solutions. The Work Truck Attachments segment manufactures and sells snow and ice control attachments, including snowplows, and sand and salt spreaders for light trucks and heavy duty trucks, as well as various related parts and accessories. The Work Truck Solutions segment primarily manufactures municipal snow and ice control products; provides truck and vehicle upfits where it attaches component pieces of equipment, truck bodies, racking, and storage solutions to a vehicle chassis for use by end users for work related purposes; and manufactures storage solutions for trucks and vans, and cable pulling equipment for trucks. This segment also offers up-fit and storage solutions. It also provides customized turnkey solutions to governmental agencies, such as Departments of Transportation and municipalities. The company sells its products under the BLIZZARD, FISHER, HENDERSON, SNOWEX, WESTERN, TURFEX, SWEEPEX, HENDERSON, and DEJANA brands. It distributes its products primarily to professional snowplowers who are contracted to remove snow and ice from commercial and residential areas. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Country clothing brand Joules - best known for its floral wellies and outdoor wear - said today that a bumper online performance helped the tills ring out for Christmas.

The Market Harborough-based firm's total sales for the last seven weeks surged by nearly 12 per cent as its online arm revved up and accounted for nearly half its festive sales.

That included purchases made through Joules' own website, as well as concession partners.

A surge online boosted Joules' Christmas sales. The retailer reported an 11.7 per cent rise

The positive news, against a backdrop of tough trading in the UK retail industry, pleased investors and triggered a 6 per cent rise in the share price.

However, including today's rally, Joules' shares are down by around 26 per cent in the last six months amid weak sentiment around retail stocks.

Joules, founded in 1989, did not today give an update on the bottom line or disclose if heavy promotions in the run-up to Christmas dented its profit margins. It also did not break out how its portfolio of 123 stores traded during the period.

Analysts at Liberum praised Joules's 'resilience and customer appeal'

Joules boss Colin Porter said: 'I am pleased to update on a continued strong retail performance for Joules through the important festive trading period, which represents an improvement from the retail sales growth in the first half of the year.

'This good growth was achieved despite the ongoing backdrop of challenging sector trading conditions.'

The Christmas performance marks a step up from the 10 per cent rise in retail sales notched up by Joules' in the six months to November 25.

Analysts at Liberum praised Joules's 'resilience and customer appeal'.

They said that the strong online performance 'reflects the resonance of the brand and products online supported by management's successful digital strategy which has driven good uptakes to social media, digital marketing and targeted promotional activity'.

At its half-year results, Joules set out its contingency plans for a hard Brexit, including a EU distribution hub and advance ordering of stock.

It said it is bracing for an increase in administrative activities and is ramping up its currency hedging activities in anticipation of volatility in the pound.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 72F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 57F. Winds light and variable.
Raipur, Jan 8 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution urging the Centre to amendment Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution so that the state can expand its cabinet size from existing 15 per cent to 20 per cent.

The main opposition BJP opposed the resolution and staged a walkout from the Assembly.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel tabled the resolution in the House, saying that an appropriate initiative is required to be taken towards amendment of Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution to increase the strength of cabinet ministers from 15 per cent to 20 per cent in Chhattisgarh in view of its bigger geographical area and in the interest of its rapid development.

During discussion, opposition members opposed the resolution, terming it as unlawful and unnecessary.

"The area of Chhattisgarh is bigger than states like Tamil Nadu and Bihar. Each minister in the state cabinet had to handle more than one portfolio as there are several departments. Even chief minister had to keep several departments," he said.

Keeping in view the population and the geographical area a bigger number of ministers are required for the smooth functioning of the administration and rapid development. It is incorrect to say that the resolution has been brought for appeasement, he said.

Earlier, BJP MLA and former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ajay Chandrakar while countering the demand made through the resolution said the step has been taken just to appease Congress MLAs who were vying for ministerial berths.

After the discussion, BJP legislators staged a walkout from the assembly while opposing the resolution. However, the resolution was passed with voice vote.

The Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution provides that the strength of council of ministers headed by the CM cannot exceed 15 per cent of the total number of members of the legislative assembly of that state. As per the current provision, the strength of cabinet in Chhattisgarh cannot exceed 13 including the chief minister.

The Congress, which ended BJP's 15-year reign in the recent state election, has 68 members in the newly-elected 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly. The new state cabinet has 12 members including the CM. PTI TKP GVS
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) A man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly killing a 30-year-old tailor after he objected to a dog barking at him, a police official said.

The accused, Mehtab, was arrested from Kashmiri Gate in the afternoon, he said.

During interrogation, he told police that he was in an inebriated condition at the time of the incident.

On Sunday evening, Aafaq, who used to work as a tailor in a factory, was walking past Mehtab's house when the dog started barking at him. Fearing that the dog would bite him, the victim allegedly hurled a stone at the animal.

A brief argument then broke out between Aafaq and Mehtab, who had spotted the former hurling the stone, the official said, adding that as the matter got heated up, Mehtab, who was carrying a loaded gun, shot Aafaq.

Following the incident, Mehtab had fled from the city and had gone to Dehradun. He returned to Delhi on Tuesday afternoon and was eventually arrested, the official added. PTI NIT NIT SNE

SNE
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Tuesday met opposition party leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and held discussions on forging an anti-BJP platform ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu also met National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Naidu's latest visit to the national capital comes after Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party announced to join hands in Uttar Pradesh, leaving the Congress out.

According to sources, this was the second round of meetings between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and leaders of other opposition parties in the national capital.

"The Delhi chief minister met Andhra Pradesh CM at Andhra Bhawan. They discussed several political issues, including a grand alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls," the sources said.

After meeting Naidu, Pawar said, "We discussed about the invitation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to attend a rally in Kolkata on January 19. We decided to accept her invitation and participate in the rally."

"When we reach Kolkata, there will be every possibility of meeting other party leaders. We have not met them, neither we have discussed with them... But both of us are going to suggest them after the rally, let us sit together and discuss future course of action. And if there is agreement, then start agreeing with the programme that we have finalized after the rally," he said.

Naidu said he expects all opposition leaders to attended the rally in Kolkata where " the future course of action" will be decided.

"Mamtaji has invited. We are all going. I am expecting all leaders will come. There, we will decide the future course of action. On January 19, we will meet and discuss and if necessary, we will have a meeting in Delhi," he said.

The TDP chief said the coming together of opposition parties was a "democratic compulsion".

"To save the nation, all of us have to join. It's a democratic compulsion. At the same time on secular front, we are one. There may be some political compulsions in some states. But at the national level, how to come together ... thats what we are working on," Naidu said.

Asked if the Congress was invited to attend the Kolkata rally, he said, "It is not true that there is no invitation to attend the rally."

On the decision to provide 10 per cent quota to the economically weak poor, he questioned the haste shown by the BJP government.

"They should have bought the bill earlier and convinced everyone. Anyways, we are supporting the bill," he said. PTI LUX/SKC GVS
25 held for 'social boycott' of SC community members

Hyderabad, Jan 8 (PTI): Twenty-five people have been

arrested in connection with an alleged social boycott of

members of a Schedule Caste community for constructing a

Ambedkar Sangam building in a village in Nizamabad district of

Telangana, police said Tuesday.

The arrest was made on January 5 and the 25 were sent to

judicial custody, a police official told PTI.

There was a simmering dispute since some members of the

SC community, belonging to Marampally village, had dug and

erected pillars in an open land near a village tank for the

sangam building, the police said.

This was objected to by the members of the village

development committee, who allegedly threatened the SC people

of social boycott if they constructed anything in that spot,

they said.

But, the warnings were not heeded to, the police

said.

Thevillage development committee members allegedly

began social boycott of the SC people since December 24 last,

they said.

Talks were held and the committee members told the SC

people to deposit an amount of Rs 50,000 as advance, police

said.

The amount was given, yet the boycott continued and

certain members of the development committee threatened to

impose 'village boycott if they informed the police.

But, the SC people sought police action and a case

under relevant sections of IPC and SC/ST Prevention of

Atrocities Amendment Act 2015 was registered.

During investigation, police officials visited the

village.

The village development committee members and other

community elders were counselled in the presence of revenue

and police officials.

After visiting the village andinteracting with the

SC people and the alleged accused, it came to light that in

August last, some SC youth had begun construction of the

AmbedkarSangam building on government land without permission

from the gram panchayat (or from revenue or

irrigation department), police said.

The committee members askedthe SC to stop the

construction and demanded Rs 50,000 as deposit to discuss the

matter, police said.

Accordingly, the SC community members gave the

sum to a member of the committee as there was no legal

sanction for the construction, they said.

There have since been disputes between both the

parties, they said.

After counsellingby the revenue and police

officials, social boycott or any other forms of

non-cooperation with the SC community members was called off.

However, a police picket has also been posted in the

village for maintaining law and order, police said.

PTI SJR NVG

RBS RBS
Telangana CM seeks more quota for backward Muslims

Hyderabad, Jan 8 (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister K

Chandrasekhar Rao Tuesday told TRS MPs to take up the state

assembly resolution of providing 12 per cent reservation for

backward Muslims and 10 per cent for STs with the Centre.

This demand comes in the wake of the Central

government seeking to provide 10 per cent quota to

economically backward sections.

Rao told the MPs to seek amendment of the bill

proposed by Centre accordingly, an official press release

said.

The assembly had passed a resolution in 2017 to

provide 12 per cent reservation for backward Muslims and 10

per cent quota for STs and forwarded the resolution to the

Centre, but no action has been taken since then.

PTI SJR NVG

RBS RBS
Citizenship (Amendment) Bill introduced in Lok Sabha amid

protests

New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) The government Tuesday introduced

in Lok Sabha the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

2019, that seeks to to provide Indian citizenship

to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Speaking on the bill, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said

it will pave way for the religious minorities---the Hindus,

Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis--- from these

states to get Indian citizenship.

The bill was tabled after it was cleared by a joint

parliamentary committee.

Introduction of the bill was vehemently objected to by

the opposition.

The Congress said many states have opposed the bill and

it should be sent to a select committee.

With Speaker Sumitra Mahajan not heeding to the demand,

the Congress staged a walkout.

TMC's Saugata Roy dubbed the bill as "divisive" and

"insidious" and said it goes against the basic tenents of the

constitution.

The legislation has resulted in protests, primarily in

Assam and several parts of north-east India.

BJP's ally in the state, the Asom Gano Parishad has

withdrawn support from the state government over the issue,

whereas the Shiv Sena and the NDA too have opposed the

legislation.

Seeking to assuage concerns, the Home Minister said: "The

burden of illegal immigrants will not borne by Assam, it will

be shared by different states". PTI PR ACB

TVS TVS
\R Srinagar, Jan 8 (PTI) Journalist Suhail Bukhari, a former media adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir government, joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in presence of party president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday.

"PDP welcomes Suhail Bukhari, senior journalist and former media advisor to J&K government, who today formally joined our ranks," a PDP spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said youngsters like Bukhari would strengthen the "mission of peace, prosperity and change pioneered by the PDP".

Bukhari hails from Kreeri area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir. His entry into politics is seen as an attempt by the party to replace former minister Basharat Bukhari, who had quit the PDP and joined the National Conference recently. PTI MIJ

HMB
SC order in CBI case a big win against despots: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, Jan 8 (PTI) Former Karnataka chief minister

and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah Tuesday attacked Prime

Minister Narendra Modi for "autocratic midnight coup" in the

CBI and said the Supreme Court's order reinstating Alok Kumar

Verma as the agency's director was "a big win against

despots".

Hailing the apex court verdict, Siddaramaiah, coordinator

of theCongress-JDS coalition in the state, saidthe prime

minister's "autocratic midnight coup" in the Central Bureau

of Investigation has received "a major setback".

"@narendramodi govt's autocratic midnight coup &an

attempt to subvert investigating institutions has received a

major setback through SC judgement which reinstated #AlokVerma

back as #CBIChief. This is a big win against despots &will

push @BJP4India back for any renewed attempts," he tweeted.

Siddaramiah's comments triggered an angry reaction from

the BJP, which dubbed him 'Twitteramaiah' and questioned his

moral authority to criticise the prime minister, saying he

himself had 'subverted' the Lokayukta institution in

Karnataka.

"DearTwitterramaiah, either you are short of memory or

you have a split personality, On what moral grounds do you

tweet aboutinvestigation agency when you yourself subverted a

promptinstitution like the Lokayukta in Karnataka to make way

for acrippled ACB," the state BJP tweeted.

Former minister and BJP MLA Suresh Kumar also attacked

Siddaramaiah asking "Sri Siddaramaiah Ji, who created the ACB

(anti-corruption bureau) to subvert Lokayukta in Karnataka."

The Supreme Court reinstated CBI Director Alok Kumar

Verma, setting aside the Centre's decision to divest him of

his powers, but restrained him from taking any major policy

decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against

him is over. PTI GMS

VS VS
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) Lawyers appearing in Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case in Ayodhya expressed surprise Tuesday over the Supreme Court setting up five-judge constitution bench to hear the politically sensitive matter.

Advocates appearing for all parties in the matter said they had no indication that the issue would be referred to the constitution bench.

Two senior advocates said on the condition of anonymity that "everyone was expecting that a three-judge bench will be constituted".

"I don't think anybody had the inkling that a five-judge bench will be set up," said one of them.

Echoing same view, advocate Ezaz Maqbool, who represents the first petitioner M Siddiq and some Muslim bodies, said he came to know about the setting up of the five-judge bench when he was called by the apex court registry to place two more sets of paper books of the matter.

"We came to know in the evening when the apex court registry asked us to provide to more sets of papper books on the matter," he said.

Maqbool however said: "We always wanted a five-judge constitution bench because the Ismail Farooqui case was wrongly decided."

Further, he said the dispute needs to be decided by the five-judge as it has "huge national ramifiation".

A senior advocate, appearing for a Hindu organisation said: "Let us see what happens. I would not like to make any further comment."

A three-judge bench of the top court had on September 27 last year, by 2:1 majority, refused to refer to a five-judge constitution bench for reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 Ismail Farooqui judgement that a mosque was not integral to Islam. The matter had arisen during the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute.

The Constitution Bench is scheduled to hear the matter on January 10. PTI RKS SA
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) The feud between CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana witnessed high-voltage legal battle which resonated throughout courts -- the trial court, the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court -- over the last two-and-half months.

Not only did Verma and Asthana approach the apex court and the high court respectively, but some of the sleuths of the two factions also had to seek redressal in courts in the wake of legal and departmental action taken against them.

However, the worst casualty in the feud between the top two officials in the CBI was Dy S P Devender Kumar, who was arrested by the agency on October 22 in connection with bribery allegations involving Asthana. He succeeded in getting bail on October 31, after CBI did not oppose his bail plea.

Kumar was in the team of Asthana which was probing a case against meat exporter Moin Qureshi and Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana, a witness in the case who had alleged that the Dy SP was asking for bribe from him and had threatened to implicate him as an accused if the demand was not met.

Besides Kumar, another person arrested in the case was a middleman Manoj Prasad, who had to spent two months in jail before he got bail on December 18 after the agency failed to file a charge sheet within the mandatory 60 days against him.

Their co-accused in the FIR, Asthana, had to knock the doors of the Delhi High Court for quashing of the case against him and the verdict is reserved.

Kumar and Prasad also approached the HC, seeking quashing of the FIR against them and the verdict is reserved on their pleas as well.

While Verma went to the apex court against the October 23 orders of the CVC and the Centre divesting him of powers and sending him on leave, some of his junior officers, who were transferred overnight, had also joined him.

One of the senior officers, DIG M K Sinha, had levelled "wild" allegations for which he was reprimanded by the top court.

A K Bassi was the initial probe officer in the case against Asthana and had arrested Devinder Kumar. However, hours after M Nageshwar Rao took over as interim CBI chief after Verma's removal, Bassi was transferred to the Port Blair "in public interest".

He also approached the apex court against his transfer.

Sinha, an IPS officer who was part of the investigation team probing Asthana's role in an alleged corruption case, had moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of his transfer to Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Besides them, CBI's Additional SP S S Gurm moved the high court seeking to be impleaded as a party in the matter, alleging that Asthana was misleading the court by placing "selective" facts before it. Gurm was transferred from Delhi to Jabalpur.

Later, complainant Sathish Babu Sana too approached the high court seeking to be heard in the matter. PTI UK SKV SJK RKS SA
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) The Centre has warned its agitating employees of disciplinary action if they go on strike and don't join work, according to an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.

The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has decided to observe strike on January 8th and 9th to protest against the National Pension Scheme (NPS) and certain seventh central pay commission-related issues, it said in the order issued Tuesday.

Citing existing rules, the ministry said instructions prohibit government servants from participating in any form of strike, including mass casual leave, go slow, etc., or any action that abet any form of strike/protest.

"Any employee going on strike in any form would face the consequences which, besides deduction of wages, may also include appropriate disciplinary action," the order said.

All officers have been requested "not to sanction casual leave or any other kind of leave" to employees, if applied for, during the period of the proposed strike and ensure that the willing employees are allowed hindrance-free entry into the office premises, it said.

The ministry has also sought a report from all divisional heads, in case employees go on strike. They have been asked to forward the report indicating the number and details of employees, who are absent on the day of the strike, the order said.

The ministry has asked officers concerned of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which guards majority of important government buildings, to ensure strict vigil on all entry gates and if necessary, deploy extra security personnel for the purpose. PTI AKV IJT
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) The government's move to extend Rajya Sabha proceedings for a day met with protests from Opposition parties including the Congress which termed it as "unilateral" and raised slogans in Parliament complex.

During meetings with Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, some opposition leaders raised objections over the manner in which the extension was done without consulting the political parties.

The government on Monday asked the Rajya Sabha chairman to extend the winter session by a day till January 9 to enable government business, including passage of the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 that seeks to introduce provisions for reservation for economically weaker sections. Chairman Naidu approved the extension by a day.

Sources said members raised objections inside the House over the manner the government "unilaterally" took the decision without taking political parties into confidence.

Leaders of all parties in Rajya Sabha moved near Mahatma Gandhi's statue and raised slogans against the government.

"This is done unilaterally. They should have taken political parties into confidence and the chairman should have taken a sense of the house before taking the decision," said an opposition leader.

The sources said Naidu first discussed the issue with opposition leaders before the start of the House proceedings and then with the leader of the house Arun Jaitley.

Opposition leaders expressed reservation over the way the government sought extension of the session by a day at the last minute. They told the chairman that since the session was scheduled till January 8, they had to leave for respective states on account of prior commitments.

They also pointed out that there was "no conducive atmosphere" for transaction of any legislative business, in view of the stalemate in the upper house over various issues. The Rajya Sabha has not transacted any significant business ever since the winter session that started on December 11.

Some opposition leaders admitted that the RS chairman is empowered to decide on the schedule of the session and they had issues only with the government.

Opposing the move, TMC Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien said there was no formal announcement from the Chair about the extension.

"Constitutional crisis? In Rajya Sabha there has been NO announcement from The Chair that the House is being extended by a day. Even the RS website says that House not in session. And yet Vice Chairman announced House is adjourned till 11am Jan 9 #Parliament #Bizarre," he tweeted.

Some opposition leaders also said that extension of the session is to be discussed in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), while others asserted that the BAC is only meant for allocation of time for legislative proposals of the government and Chairman has all the powers to decide on extension.

Rule 12 of the Rajya Sabha clearly states that, "the Council shall sit on such days as the Chairman, having regard to the state of business of the Council, may from time to time direct."

It also states, "A sitting of the Council shall conclude at such hour as the Chairman may direct."

During discussions with opposition leaders, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel is learnt to have pointed out to the precedents in 2011 and 2013 when the Session of Rajya Sabha was extended similarly towards the fag end.

He also underlined that it was the prerogative of the government to decide on the schedule of the Session and as per the rules Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is empowered to decide on the request of the government on the extension of the Session.

Naidu assured the opposition leaders that he would consult the Leader of the House Jaitley in the matter, as Jaitley could not attend the morning meetings of the Chairman with the opposition leaders on account of a hospital visit.

Jaitley later recalled that the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) while deciding on the session schedule clearly stipulates that the dates so proposed are subject to the exigencies of completion of the government's legislative business.

Jaitley further said that its not fair for the opposition to dictate terms with regard to the schedule of the session on the ground of prior commitments. He expressed concern over important legislative business including three ordinance replacement bills which are time bound still to be taken up in the Upper House.

He also pointed out that there was broad consensus on the proposed 10 per cent reservation for the economically poor among the upper castes and there was no reason for the opposition to stall the passage of a Bill in this regard on "flimsy grounds".

The reservation bill needs to be taken up in Rajya Sabha after its passage in Lok Sabha and the opposition cannot obstruct this process, he told the opposition leaders, the sources said.

Incidently, the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday was adjourned six times as Chairman and Deputy Chairman made repeated efforts to have some business transacted during the proceedings. This is a record for the last four sessions of the Upper House since the election of Naidu as Chairman.

During the adjournments, Deputy Chairman Harivnash also held meetings with opposition leaders and the Leader of the House on enabling some important legislative business, the sources said. PTI SKC ZMN
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday held talks with her Australian counterpart Marise Payne on ways to further broaden the defence and security cooperation between the two countries.

The two ministers deliberated upon the prevailing situation in the Indo-Pacific and resolved to boost cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the region.

"EAM @SushmaSwaraj and Australian FM @MarisePayne took stock of defence and security partnership, discussed enhancing regional cooperation in Indo-Pacific, and collaboration in all aspects of the bilateral relationship," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Payne arrived here on Monday on a three-day visit.

A number of major powers including the US and Japan have been pushing for a greater role for India in the Indo-Pacific region.

In November 2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" Coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.

India, the US and several other countries have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China's rising military maneuvering in the region. PTI MPB

GVS
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) Former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, who is visiting India to attend the Raisina Dialogue here, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

The two leaders discussed developments in India-Canada relations, main global trends and cooperation among democracies, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said. PTI NAB IND

IND
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) In case India wants to use Iran's channels of communication with the Taliban, then Tehran will be open to such a proposition, Iranian diplomatic sources have said, at a time when there was renewed focus on peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

They said though Iran's influence over the Taliban was not comparable to that of Pakistan's, but still it would try to use the clout over the terror outfit for bringing peace and stability in the war-torn country.

Major powers like the US and Russia have been reaching out to the Taliban as part of efforts to push the stalled Afghan peace process.

The issue of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan is likely to figure during talks between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on Wednesday.

In a significant move, India had sent two former diplomats in "non official" capacity to a conference on Afghan peace process in Moscow in November which was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation.

The conference organised by Russia was attended by representatives of Afghanistan as well as from several other countries including the US, Pakistan and China.

The Iranian sources said Tehran was ready to use its influence over Taliban on behalf of the Afghan government. If India wants Tehran's channels of communication with the militant outfit, we are always open to do that, they said.

India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.

The Iranian sources said a Taliban-dominated Afghanistan will be security challenge to Iran, India, but it will be an existential threat to Pakistan.

Iran is learnt to have conveyed its view to Islamabad about how Taliban can be real threat to its existence.

The sources said Tehran believes that there is a need for a situation where Taliban is not exploited by US to create instability in the region, it is not exploited by UAE and Saudi Arabia to "create havoc".

Iran had contacts with Taliban as as they control some areas adjacent Iran's border, the sources said adding Iran had the first round dialogue with Taliban.

"We had a short dialogue with them in Moscow and then we had the first round of that talk in Tehran," said a source.

On the Chabahar port, the sources said anybody who is interested to join in the project including China, can come on board.

On the long-pending proposal of Iran-Pak-India gas pipeline project, the sources said Tehran was of the opinion that it continues to be economically feasible. PTI KND MPB ZMN
(Eds: Correcting dates, edits throughout)

New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) The feud in CBI's top echelon started in 2017 when Director Alok Verma recommended the induction of some officers but then additional director Rakesh Asthana objected, triggering an unprecedented crisis in India's premier investigating agency.

On Tuesday, as the Supreme Court reinstated Verma, setting aside the Centre's decision to send him on leave and divest him of his powers, officials recalled the tense months when the agency's top officers were at loggerheads.

In 2017, Verma, a former Delhi Police commissioner who had no experience in the CBI, recommended that some Delhi Police officers be inducted into the agency but Asthana, a 1984-batch Gujarat cadre officer who went on to become CBI special director in October of that year, raised objections.

The unravelling of the troubled relationship, which saw both Verma and Asthana trade allegations of corruptions against each other before they were sent on leave, started from there, the officials said.

The problems between the two became public with Asthana's elevation as a special director on October 23, 2017, exactly a year before he and Verma were divested of their powers and sent on leave.

During his tenure, Verma saw material which allegedly indicated Asthana's role in "at least half-a-dozen" corruption cases. He put forth his concerns in an unsigned note during his meeting with the Central Vigilance Commission, which was deciding the promotion of Asthana as special director, making him number two in the agency.

The cases included details of alleged payoffs to several officers, purportedly including Asthana, from Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech. The details were found in a diary recovered during searches at places linked to the firm, which is facing bank default cases, officials said. Its promoters remain absconding.

The CVC took note but unanimously cleared Asthana's promotion as special director brushing aside Verma's concerns. A petition against this was dismissed by the Supreme Court.

In July 2018, the CVC called Asthana to decide promotions of several officers as Verma was out of the country but the CBI director denied him permission, saying the special director cannot represent him in his absence.

The same month, Asthana approached the government alleging that a bribe of Rs 2 crore was paid to Verma to help an accused, Sathish Babu Sana.

Asthana was heading the Special Investigation Team probing the sensitive Vijay Mallya loan default case, Agusta Westland bribery scandal and the Moin Qureshi bribery case allegedly involving a former CBI Director Ranjit Sinha.

Sana was being probed in a bribery case involving Moin Qureshi.

In the first week of October 2018, Sana gave a statement before a magistrate levelling allegations of corruption against Asthana. In his statement, he alleged that two businessmen brothers based in Dubai had offered to help him in return of a bribe payment of Rs 5 crore.

He claimed the brothers had allegedly known Asthana who was heading the probe against him and also gave details of payment to the two brothers.

During surveillance, the CBI claimed to have unearthed WhatsApp exchanges, phone intercepts and details of meetings, which allegedly indicated the involvement of Asthana with the brothers and senior officers of other intelligence agencies.

While all this was happening, a delegation of former ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan met Verma seeking a probe in the Rafale aircraft deal.

Government sources expressed unhappiness over the meeting next day.

On October 15, 2018, the agency registered an FIR against Asthana. The next day, one of the alleged middleman brothers Manoj Prasad was arrested when he landed in India.

Five days later, on October 20, on the basis of information, the CBI carried out searches in its own headquarters at the office of Devendra Kumar, the investigating officer of the case involving Sana.

On October 22, Kumar was arrested on allegations of "fabricating" Sana's statement.

He approached the Delhi High Court on October 23 seeking to quash the FIR against him. On the same day, the CVC sent a report recommending that both the officers -- Verma and Asthana -- be divested of their powers.

Based on the recommendation, the government in a late night development divested both the officers of their powers and sent them on leave. PTI ABS SKL SKL SOM

SOM MIN

MIN
Lucknow, Jan 8 (PTI) Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav here on Tuesday, however both sides declined to share details of the discussions.

Chaudhury reached the SP headquarters and met Akhilesh, the two spoke for over an hour, a senior SP leader said.

"We discussed about present politics and future course of action and also about BJP's failures," Chaudhary later told PTI over the phone.

"General milna, political charcha karna ye to hota rahna chahiye (routine meetings and political discussions should go on)," he said.

When asked if there were any positive outcomes from the meeting, Chaudhary said, "Certainly things are positive. We (Jayant and Akhilesh) have known each other for a long time."

On reports suggesting that Akhilesh might be quizzed by the CBI in the mining scam, Chaudhary extended his support to Akhilesh and said, "Institutions are being abused (by the BJP government) and everyone is watching. I told Akhilesh, our party is with him."

On the number of seats his party would get in the proposed SP-BSP alliance, he said, "The media is curious about it. Everything will be clear."

He avoided questions on the possibility of inclusion of the Congress in the alliance for the Lok Sabha polls.

Though there was no official word so far from the Samajwadi Party and the BSP, the sources claimed the two Uttar Pradesh-based political outfits will contest 37 Lok Sabha seats each.

Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats, the highest for any state.

The sources said the remaining six seats would be left for the Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal and other smaller parties.

On reservation of 10 per cent to economically backward sections in general category, Chaudhary said, "The BJP did not follow any of its announcements or promises." PTI ABN SMI IND

IND
BJD takes farmers fight to Delhi, Opp agitate in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Jan 8 (PTI) As the ruling BJD held a

"Krushak Adhikar Samavesh" at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium in

New Delhi, the opposition Congress and BJP Tuesday separately

staged agitations in Odisha for the rights of the farmers.

The leading farmers body, the Naba Nirman Krushak

Sangathan (NNKS), also demonstrated near the Raj Bhavan here

highlighting plights of farmers and criticised Chief Minister

Naveen Patnaik for taking up the matter at the national

capital instead of doing its own beat in the state.

"The state government and Chief Minister Naveen

Patnaik are not sincere to deal with the farmers miseries in

Odisha. The ruling party is holding demonstration in the

national capital keeping any eye on the next elections for the

state assembly," NNKS convenor Akshya Kumar said.

The NNKS has been agitating for a long time demanding

proper price on agricultural products, pension for the elderly

farmers and social prestige for cultivators.

Hundreds of BJP activists organised a Secretariat

Ghero agitation here trying to thwart people's entry or exit

from the state's main administrative building.

The activists also burnt effigy of the chief minister

accusing the state government of not opening adequate 'Mandis'

for paddy procurement.

"There is no sufficient Mandis in districts for paddy

procurement. The farmers are committing suicide due to faulty

policy of the state government. The government has not been

giving bonus to farmers despite the CM's announcement," BJP

leader Pratap Sarangi said.

Meanwhile, members of Odisha Congress farmers' cell

led by its chairman Amiya Kumar Patnaik marched to Raj Bhawan

where they submitted a memorandum highlighting the peasants'

problems in the state.

"The Congress demands included waiver of farm loan,

bonus of Rs 750 per quintal of paddy and opening of adequate

mandis for paddy procurement," Amiya Kumar Patnaik said.

State Congress president Niranjan Patnaik in a series

of tweets said: "Naveen Patnaik and Co are going on a picnic

today to Delhi which costs Rs 52 lakh. They are doing this in

the name of farmers. Had this money been given to farmers in

debt, many precious lives of peasants could have been saved."

The Congress leader also accused Naveen Patnaik, also

the BJD president, of shedding crocodile tears over farmers'

issues.

Naveen Patnaik attended a sit-in of his party at the

Talkatora Stadium, demanding increase in minimum support price

for paddy and slamming the Modi government for not keeping its

promises, according to a report from New Delhi. PTI AAM

NN NN
(Eds: Updates with additional inputs, quotes)

Mumbai, Jan 8 (PTI) Over 32,000 employees of Mumbai's civic transport undertaking went on an indefinite strike Tuesday in support of various demands, including higher salaries.

The strike is expected to continue Wednesday as talks between the undertaking's management and striking workers failed, even as a Shiv Sena-affiliated union in the transport body said its members had withdrawn from the stir.

The state government quickly moved to invoke the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against the striking employees of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST), while its management asked them to end the stir and come to the negotiating table.

The employees are demanding higher pay, merging budget of the loss-making transport undertaking with that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), deliberations on new wage agreement, resuming appointments on compassionate grounds and a bonus equivalent to that of the civic body's employees.

The protest by BEST employees coincided with the two-day nationwide bank strike called by trade unions to protest the government's "anti-worker" policies and labour reforms.

The strike, declared illegal by the industrial court here, affected nearly 25 lakh daily commuters, who take BEST buses to reach their destinations.

Some commuters complained that autorickshaw drivers were trying to take advantage of the situation and charging five times more than the normal rates.

BEST General Manager Surendra Kumar Bagde said considering the hardships faced by lakhs of Mumbaikars, the MESMA has been invoked though no disciplinary action has been initiated against the striking staffers yet.

The act empowers authorities to take strong action, like detention, against the workers of services covered under the legislation, if they go on a strike.

"Honourable industrial court has declared this strike as illegal. Therefore, first they put an end to the strike and come and talk to us. We are here to have a dialogue considering them as our family members," Bagde told reporters.

He said the BEST administration wants a long term solution to the grievances of employees.

"Therefore, it wants to discuss a comprehensive proposal with them which also deals with the revival of our loss-making entity," Bagde said.

"We are ready to hear them, but they should also listen to us. After all, a revival plan has been chalked out which is essential for the betterment of this body," he said.

Bagde said the BEST administration has given an affidavit in the court stating that not a single employee will be retrenched.

"Then why they are on strike on imaginary ground?" he asked.

He said BEST was under tremendous financial pressure and its working capital deficit stood at nearly 180 crore.

Asked about the demand for BEST-BMC budget merger, Bagde said, "The BMC is open to discuss all issues, including the merger.

"But it (merger) require lots of procedures, conditions, restructuring and a roadmap etc. We need to follow these procedures," he said.

A meeting between Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and leaders of the workers' union that has called the strike failed to break the deadlock.

"The strike is illegal and the agitating staffers have been asked to resume work without delay, considering the hardships faced by the lakhs of passengers," a senior civic official told PTI.

The BEST has a fleet of over 3,200 buses, which criss-cross the metropolis and also operate services in the neighbouring Thane district and Navi Mumbai. It is the second-biggest mode of transport in Mumbai after local trains, which ferry over 80 lakh passengers every day.

BEST workers' union leader Shashank Rao said since their meeting with Mehta failed to yield any positive outcome, they went ahead with strike.

A BEST spokesperson said 10 buses were vandalised in different depots by unidentified persons during the night, but no untoward incident was reported since morning.

Meanwhile, the Central Railway and Western Railway operated additional suburban trains for the convenience of commuters.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) ran 55 buses to ferry the stranded passengers to their destinations.

Meanwhile, a large number of police personnel were deployed near BEST depots and stands to help commuters find alternative mode of transport and prevent autorickshaw and taxi drivers from fleecing commuters.

"As there was a possibility that autorickshaw and taxi drivers will not ply to short distances and overcharge passengers, we helped commuters get vehicles for safe ride," a senior police official said.

"We had kept our men near Central, Harbour and Western railway stations located adjacent to BEST depots," he said.

"As there was a rush at these places during peak hours, our staff helped people make queues and avoid any chaos," the official said.

Late Tuesday evening, Suhas Samant, BEST committee member and leader of the Sena's BEST Kamgar Sena said 11,000 of its members would go back to work on Wednesday to mitigate woes of Mumbaikars.

The Sena union's announcement, however, invited sharp criticism from Best Workers' Union chief Rao who said the former had shown its "true character".

"Now all BEST workers will show them (Sena union) the mirror in the coming days," an irate Rao said. PTI APM DC GK HMB RSY BNM SNE

SNE
Amman, Jan 8 (AFP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Middle East allies Tuesday to confront "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists as he visited a region shaken by Washington's surprise decision to withdraw from Syria.

The top US diplomat, in Jordan on the first leg of his longest trip since taking the post last year, said that the US troop pullout would not undermine the battle against the Islamic State group.

"The most significant threats to the region are Daesh and the Islamic revolution," Pompeo said at a news conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, referring to IS and Iran.

Sustaining a regional coalition to counter Iran, the main enemy of US allies Saudi Arabia and Israel, is a major focus of Pompeo's tour of eight Arab capitals in as many days.

"The counter Iran revolution is a coalition as effective today as it was yesterday and I'm very hopeful that it will continue to be effective and even more effective tomorrow," he said.

"You'll see in the coming days and weeks we are redoubling all our diplomatic and commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran".

Last year, Trump pulled out of an international accord negotiated under his predecessor Barack Obama on ending Iran's nuclear programme and has instead reimposed biting sanctions.

Pompeo has repeatedly called Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror," pointing to its targeting of domestic rivals in Europe and support of militant movements such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif swiftly hit back at the latest US broadsides, tweeting that the "pure obsession with Iran is more and more like the behaviour of persistently failing psychotic stalkers."

Pompeo's trip comes weeks after Trump announced that the United States would quickly pull its 2,000 soldiers out of Syria, declaring that IS -- also known as ISIS -- had been defeated.

His advisers have since been walking back his timeline, and Pompeo reassured Washington's allies in the region that the "battle continues".

"The president's decision to withdraw our folks from Syria in no way impacts our capacity to deliver on that," said the secretary of state, who later also met Jordan's King Abdullah II.

In a stark reminder of the lingering jihadist threat, IS fighters defending their last bastion killed 23 members of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported.

IS was unable to hold on to the positions it attacked in the assault which began late Sunday and also left nine jihadists dead, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Pompeo's tour will also take him to Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, Kuwait City, and possibly Baghdad.

He will deliver an address on Middle East policy in Egypt, whose army chief turned president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has been a key partner of Trump.

The Trump administration has cited Iran as a reason for maintaining a strong alliance with Saudi Arabia, despite the murder and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October.

One of the rare US partners to support Washington's withdrawal from Syria has been Turkey, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke to Trump before the US leader's December 19 decision.

Pompeo, in an interview before his departure, said that Erdogan had "made a commitment" to Trump not to attack Washington's Kurdish allies who have fought IS in Syria.

That prompted a denial Tuesday from Erdogan's spokesman who said that "nobody should expect Turkey to provide assurances to a terror organisation".

White House national security adviser John Bolton held talks Tuesday in Ankara as tensions grew over his earlier comments that the US retreat was conditional on the safety of US-backed Kurdish fighters, considered terrorists by Turkey.

Erdogan branded his remarks "unacceptable" and a "grave mistake".

Turkey also urged the United States to take back all the weapons provided to Syrian Kurdish forces in the fight against IS, a presidential spokesman said.

"It is not possible to accept or swallow the message given by Bolton from Israel," Erdogan told his party's lawmakers in parliament.

Israel, which Bolton visited before Turkey, has privately worried that Trump's withdrawal from Syria would empower Iran, which along with Russia offers military backing to President Bashar al-Assad in the country's devastating civil war. (AFP) SCY

SCY
Amman, Jan 8 (AFP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived Tuesday in Jordan on a Middle East tour to show commitment to the region after President Donald Trump's surprise decision to withdraw troops from war-torn Syria.

The top US diplomat, on his longest trip since taking the post last year, pledged that the Islamic State group (IS) would not be allowed to regroup following a string of battlefield defeats.

But in a stark reminder of the lingering threat, a war monitor reported that the jihadists had killed 23 US-backed fighters in a counterattack in eastern Syria aimed at defending their last bastion.

After setting off on the trip to eight Arab capitals, Pompeo told reporters he would show that "the United States is still committed to all the missions that we've signed up for with them over the past two years." The eight-day tour comes weeks after Trump announced that the United States would quickly pull its 2,000 soldiers out of Syria, declaring that IS -- also known as ISIS -- had been defeated.

His advisers have since been walking back his timeline, with national security adviser John Bolton saying Monday in Jerusalem that the United States would verify that the group is truly beaten before withdrawing.

Highlighting that IS emerged during the tenure of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Pompeo said the campaign to destroy the movement's self-styled "caliphate" in war-battered Syria has been "enormously successful." "And I am confident that we will continue to ensure that the kind of rise that ISIS had under the Obama administration doesn't occur again," he said on his plane.

Just hours later the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS suicide attackers had hit the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria, killing 23 of its fighters.

IS was unable to hold on to the positions it attacked but the assault which began late Sunday killed 23 SDF members and also left nine jihadists dead, the Britain-based monitor said.

Pompeo opened his trip in Jordan and will deliver an address on Middle East policy in Egypt, whose army chief turned president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has been a key partner of Trump.

He will also visit Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, Kuwait City, and possibly Baghdad.

A major focus of the tour will be sustaining a regional coalition to counter Iran, the main enemy of US allies Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"This is a coalition that understands that the largest threats -- terrorism and the Islamic Republic of Iran -- are things that we ought to work on jointly and we will be marshalling all of the resources, theirs and ours, to achieve them," Pompeo said.

Last year, Trump pulled out of an international accord negotiated under Obama on ending Iran's nuclear programme and has instead reimposed biting sanctions.

Pompeo has repeatedly called Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror," pointing to its targeting of domestic rivals in Europe and support of militant movements such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

The Trump administration has cited Iran as a reason for maintaining a strong alliance with Saudi Arabia, despite the murder and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October.

One of the rare US partners to support Washington's withdrawal from Syria has been Turkey, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke to Trump before the US leader's December 19 decision.

Pompeo, in an interview before his departure, said that Erdogan had "made a commitment" to Trump not to attack Washington's Kurdish allies who have fought IS in Syria.

Bolton, the White House national security adviser, held talks Tuesday in Ankara as tensions grew over his earlier comments that the US retreat was conditional on the safety of US-backed Kurdish fighters, considered terrorists by Turkey.

Erdogan branded his remarks "unacceptable" and a "grave mistake".

"It is not possible to accept or swallow the message given by Bolton from Israel," Erdogan told his party's lawmakers in parliament.

Israel, which Bolton visited before Turkey, has privately worried that Trump's withdrawal from Syria would empower Iran, which along with Russia offers military backing to President Bashar al-Assad in the country's devastating civil war. (AFP) CPS
Dubai, Jan 8 (PTI) A UAE-based Indian man has been jailed in Saudi Arabia for entering the kingdom without proper documents, a media report here said Tuesday.

Haris Poomadath, 28, a native of Kerala, went missing on December 8 from Abu Dhabi, Gulf News reported.

He was found at a hospital in Al Ahsa in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, nearly a month after his disappearance, according to his family members.

Haris was arrested and jailed by the Saudi authorities for entering the country without documents, his cousin Rashid Poomadath was quoted as saying by the report.

It is not clear how he managed to cross the UAE-Saudi border and reached Al Ahsa.

He was rushed to the hospital after he fell ill. An Indian nurse called up his home in India, Rashid said.

According to the report, Haris, who worked as a driver with a hotel in Abu Dhabi, was upset over the cancelation of his leave in December.

"The Saudi authorities allowed him to speak to his mother on phone. She was very happy to hear his voice after almost a month of uncertainty about her son's fate," his nephew Siraj said.

His family said they reported the matter to the UAE authorities and the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, with whom they had filed complaints about the missing incident.

"We have sought their assistance to get him released and send him back to India," Siraj said.

An official at the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi said the matter has been forwarded to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh for further action. PTI CPS AKJ CPS
Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Jan 8 (PTI) A court here Tuesday

ordered lodging of an FIR against Bollywood actors Anupam

Kher, Akshaye Khanna and 15 others associated with the

upcoming movie "The Accidental Prime Minister" based on the tenure of former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Sub Divisional Judge (East), Gaurab Kamal directed the

Kanti police station in the district to lodge the FIR based on a complaint of advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha, who had moved the court on January 2 last with the complaint that the movie

presented Singh and a number of other public figures in "bad light".

In his complaint, Ojha had named Kher, who plays the role of Singh, as well as Akshaye Khanna, who plays Singh's

media advisor Sanjaya Baru, on whose book the movie is said to be based upon.

Others named in the complaint include actors essaying the roles of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress president (then national general secretary) Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his deputy Lal Krishna Advani and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The movie's producer, director and other key persons

associated with the project were also named in the complaint.

The complainant had alleged that he felt hurt upon

watching the promos of the movie, scheduled for release on

January 11, wherein the public figures were portrayed in a manner that projected a poor image of the country.

The advocate had lodged his complaints under IPC sections 295, 153, 153A, 293, 504 and 120B which relate to promoting enmity between different groups, sale of obscene objects, insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and criminal conspiracy.

PTI CORR NAC SNS SRY
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has proposed changes in the Cinematograph Act to impose strict penalties to combat film piracy and sought comments from people on a draft bill.

In order to check film piracy, particularly release of pirated version of films on the internet which causes huge losses to the film industry and government exchequer, the I&B ministry intends to have an enabling provision in the Cinematograph Act, 1952, a statement said.

Penalties for contravention of provisions for certification of films for public exhibition are given under Section 7 of the Cinematograph Act, 1952.

The I&B ministry has proposed introduction of Cinematograph Act (Amendment) Bill for inclusion of a new sub-section (4) of section 7 of the Act.

In the draft Cinematograph Act(Amendment) Bill, the ministry proposes to make film piracy offences punishable with imprisonment of three years and fines of up to Rs 10 lakh or both.

Any person, who without the written authorisation of the copyright owner, uses any recording device to make or transmit a copy of visual recording or sound recording of a film, or attempts to make or transmit, or abet the making or transmission of such a copy, will be liable for such a punishment.

Such persons shall be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding three years and shall also be liable to fine not exceeding Rs 10 lakh or both, according to the proposed amendment.

Comments on the draft Cinematograph Act (Amendment) Bill have been sought by the ministry by January 14, 2019. PTI ASK ASK ANB

ANB
Sterlite says it will approach TN govt for reopening copper

plant

Chennai, Jan 8 (PTI) Vedanta group firm Sterlite

Industries Tuesday said it will approach the Tamil Nadu

government for necessary approvals for restarting its copper

unit in Tuticorin, hours after the Supreme Court paved the way

for its reopening by declining to stay a green tribunal order.

Sterlite said it was looking forward for the restart of

"one of the best Copper smelters of the world as we remain

committed towards world class environmental standards."

"We are approaching the state government for necessary

approvals for restarting the smelter as per the Supreme Court

directions," a statement from Sterlite said.

Earlier Tuesday, the apex court refused to stay the

December 15 order of the National Green tribunal setting aside

the state government's decision to close the copper plant

which was at the centre of massive protests over pollution

concerns.

A bench comprising Justices R F Nariman and Navin Sinha

also stayed the December 21, 2018 status quo order issued by

the Madurai bench of Madras High Court in respect of

re-opening the plant.

It said the directions of the NGT would continue to

subsist and will be subject to the ultimate outcome of the

appeal filed by the Tamil Nadu government and sought

Sterlite's response on the appeal.

Sterlite thanked the people of Tuticorin for their

'support', saying it will go a long way in promoting

socio-economic development in the region.

The state government has moved the top court against the

December 15, 2018 order of the NGT, saying the tribunal had

"erroneously" set aside various orders passed by the Tamil

Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) last year with regard to

the Sterlite plant.

It said the tribunal had consequentially directed the

TNPCB to pass fresh orders of renewal of consent and issue

authorisation to handle hazardous substances to the Vedanta

Limited.

The NGT had set aside the state government's May 28 last

order for permanent closure of the Sterlite copper plant,

saying it was "non sustainable" and "unjustified".

The state government issued the closure order after

violent protests against the copper plant in Tuticorin led to

death of 13 people in police firing on May 22 and 23 last

year. PTI SA VS

VS VS
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) Public grievances against various government departments has seen an eight-fold jump to reach an all-time high mark of 16 lakh, according to an official statement issued Tuesday.

Addressing a function, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said one of the major achievements of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is that the grievance cell under his ministry has become more active and vibrant.

The minister said the number of grievances received has reached about 16 lakh per year now as compared to about 2 lakh per year in 2014, recording an increase of about 8 times, the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

"This increase is due to the prompt and responsive grievance redressal mechanism," he said.

The minister said the government has worked on the principle of 'citizen participation' and 'maximum governance, minimum government'.

Singh was speaking after giving away awards to the select government departments for their efforts in timely resolution of public grievances during July-September 2018 quarter.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), that issues Aadhaar, has been awarded in the category of government departments receiving over 2,000 public grievances.

The Ministry of Textiles was honoured in the category of departments getting over 300 and up to 2,000 public complaints.

The Department of Investment and Public Asset management has been awarded in the category of organisations getting up to 300 grievances from people, the statement said. PTI AKV KJ
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) The strike by 10 central trade unions evoked a mixed response on Tuesday as five states, including Kerala, Odisha and Assam, witnessed complete bandh while sporadic incidents of violence were reported in West Bengal and Rajasthan.

Central trade unions, except RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, launched the two-day nationwide strike Tuesday to protest against proposed labour reforms and worker policies of the BJP-led government. The bandh partly affected the public life in most of the states and Union Territories.

Employees and workers in sectors such as steel, oil, mines, dock and port, transport, and insurance joined the strike, unions said.

Banking and postal services were affected across the country as a section of employees abstained from work, according to reports from various parts of the country.

In West Bengal, several protesters were arrested after sporadic incidents of vandalism were reported from parts of the state during the strike. Stones were pelted at a school bus in Champadali area of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district. A government bus was also ransacked by strike supporters at Champadali. Protestors also vandalised a bus at Jamuria in Paschim Bardhaman district.

As many as 22 policemen were injured in Rajasthan following clashes at the manufacturing plant of a Japanese company as workers, who were supporting the stir, tried to enter its premises, police said.

Union leaders claimed that 50 workers injured in the police action against protesters.

The General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Amarjeet Kaur, claimed that five states and a UT saw complete bandh on the first day of the strike.

"As many as five states of Assam, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, and the union territory of Puducherry witnessed complete bandh while other states like Karnataka, Delhi, Goa, West Bengal reported 100 per cent strike by workers today," Kaur told PTI.

Bandh means that all type of establishments like schools, colleges, hospitals, post offices, banks, industrial units remain closed while 100 per cent strike means that workers abstained from work, Kaul explained.

Kaur said that banking and postal services across the country were affected as workers in these sectors went on strike. In the power sector, engineers and electricity workers did not join duties.

Bank unions All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees' Federation of India (BEFI) have supported the strike.

However, operations at SBI and private sector banks remained unaffected as seven other bank unions are not taking part in the strike.

Mining activity was also affected badly as the segment reported 100 per strike along with tea plantations and beedi workers, AITUC said.

Trains were stopped in Kerala, while buses and autorickshaws were off the road, hitting normal life, according to reports from the state. Workers from various sectors have extended support to the two-day strike.

The strike also disrupted rail and road traffic in Odisha on Tuesday. Train services were hit as trade union activists staged rail roko at places like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Jaleswar, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Paradip.

Over a dozen trains were delayed due to blockade of railway tracks by strike supporters, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at many places, reports said.

More than 20 lakh employees and workers of public, private and unorganised sectors in Telangana participated in the strike, reports from the state suggested.

Meanwhile, more than 32,000 employees of Mumbai's civic transport undertaking went on an indefinite strike Tuesday over various demands, including higher salaries, prompting the state government to invoke the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against them.

Bus services in Karnataka were also affected as vehicles of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) stayed off the road. In many districts, a holiday was declared in schools and colleges, with examinations being postponed.

In Goa, thousands of workers walked in a march in the state capital in support of the strike. However, normal life remained unaffected in Panaji and other parts of the coastal state where local unions would observe a strike Wednesday.

A member of the National Federation of Atomic Energy Employees (NFAEE) said, "We are supporting the strike called by various trade unions to press for our long-pending demand related to pension."

Other trade unions affiliated to NFAEE such as Atomic Energy Workers' And Staff Union, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and NFC Industrial Workers Union are also observing the strike.

Bank unions said employees are opposing privatisation of banks and consolidation in the banking sector.

"Workload of various bank employees has increased as they are busy implementing the government's flagship programmes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Aadhaar linkages and Atal Pension Yojana, among others. As against this, there has not been any adequate wage revision," AIBEA said.

Central trade union CITU said, "The unprecedented expanse and active participation of the workers in the two-day strike is a clear indication of the extent of anger and resentment of the workers against the neo-liberal policies and the attacks on their working and living conditions perpetrated by the government's policies."

It claimed that road transport was seriously affected in most of the states, including Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab and Uttarakhand. PTI KKS HV PSK MR
Mumbai, Jan 8 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices ended higher for the third straight session Tuesday on widespread buying in banking stocks towards the fag end amid fresh inflows by foreign funds and positive global cues.

The BSE Sensex spurted 130.00 points to end at 35,980.93, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 30.35 points to 10,802.15.

Both indices traded in the negative zone through most part of the session as investors booked profits in recent gainers amid weakness in the rupee due to rise in global crude prices.

However, with the emergence of buying towards the close of the session, Sensex wiped off losses and hit a high of 36,037.35 before settling 0.36 per cent higher.

The index had rallied 336.45 points in the previous two straight sessions.

The 50-share NSE Nifty settled 0.28 per cent higher. Intra-day, it touched a low of 10,733.25 and a high of 10,818.45.

According to Hemang Jani, Head - Advisory, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, banking stocks remained in focus after the RBI governor Monday expressed satisfaction over the performance of the banking sector by saying bad loans have declined, particularly that of state-owned banks.

"Also the sharp moderation in bond yields should significantly boost the treasury performance of the banking sector," he pointed out.

Market traded on a range-bound with a positive bias in which PSU banks led the gains on account of improving non-performing asset (NPA) resolution along with capital infusion and depressed valuation, said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

Investors have some caution ahead of corporate earnings and a hope over ongoing US and China trade meeting, he added.

Earlier in the session, investors logged gains ahead of Q3 earnings of bluechip companies such as TCS and Infosys later this week amid fresh weakness in the rupee which again breached the Rs 70-mark against a dollar, traders said.

However, losses were capped on Central Statistics Office's positive advanced estimates of national income for 2018-19.

The domestic economy is expected to grow at 7.2 per cent in 2018-19 against 6.7 per cent in the previous fiscal mainly due to improvement in the performance of agriculture and manufacturing sectors, the CSO had said Monday.

In the Sensex kitty, Sun Pharma was the top gainer, surging 3.98 per cent; followed by private lender ICICI Bank 3.46 per cent ahead of earnings.

Shares of Tata Motors surged 2.34 per cent largely on reports of strong JLR UK sales.

Other gainers include SBI, Yes Bank, Axis Bank, Bajaj Auto and IndusInd Bank, rising up to 3.18 per cent.

While losers include Kotak Bank, NTPC, HDFC, HUL, Bajaj Finance and M&M, falling up to 1.41 per cent.

Shares of Gruh Finance and Bandhan Bank tumbled Tuesday, with the former plunging 16.39 per cent following announcement of merger plans.

Fresh spell of buying by foreign institutional investors (FIIs) also buoyed trading sentiments, traders said.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 736.18 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares to the tune of Rs 141.97 crore, while on Monday, provisional data showed.

Among Sectoral indices, bankex took the top position by climbing 1.31 per cent, followed by healthcare 0.98 per cent, PSU 0.65 per cent, metal 0.58 per cent, auto 0.39 per cent, Infrastructure 0.19 per cent, FMCG 0.13 per cent and teck 0.02 per cent.

While, capital goods, power, consumer durables, IT and oil & gas indices ended lower up to 0.35 per cent.

The broader markets depicted a mixed trend with the small-cap index rising 0.17 per cent while mid-cap index fell 0.16 per cent.

Globally, Asian shares rose as investors were optimistic about trade talks between Washington and Beijing amid dovish remarks from the US Federal Reserve.

In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei rose by 0.82 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.10 per cent.

Singapore's index rose 0.57 per cent while the Shanghai Composite index shed 0.26 per cent. Korea's KOSPI fell 0.58 per cent.

European markets were trading higher in late morning deals with Paris CAC rising by 0.35 per cent while Frankfurt's DAX up 0.27 per cent. London's FTSE too rose 0.28 per cent. PTI SUN SUN ANS

ANS
Cabinet gives land to GAIL to set up CNG station in Patna

Patna, Jan 8 (PTI) Bihar cabinet on Tuesday gave its

nod for transferring 1.5 acres of land to GAIL India for

setting up a CNG station at Phulwarisharif in Patna.

The land will be transferred to GAIL India on the

payment of Rs 46.40 crore, Cabinet Secretariat Department

Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar told reporters.

GAIL would be given 1.5 acres from the land belonging

to the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation's workshop

located at Phulwarisharif, he said.

The move would help curb the air pollution of the

state capital as CNG enabled vehicles would start plying on

city roads, Kumar said.

The capital city, whose air quality has worsened in

recent past, topped the Central Pollution Control Board's air

quality index on three consecutive day from January 1, 2019.

It also sanctioned Rs 8.20 crore for construction of

temporary tent city at Kangan Ghat here on the occasion of

Guruparv being organised between January 11-13 to celebrate

the 352nd birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, Kumar said.

Farmers would be given compensation for their crop

damage due to the construction of tent city on their land, he

said.

The cabinet also sanctioned Rs 725.97 crore as loan to

Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) and Vyapar

Mandal from Bihar Contingency Fund to ensure the Minimum

Support Price to the farmers so that they do not resort to

distress selling, the principal secretary said.

A total of 13 decisions were taken at today's cabinet

meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. PTI AR

NN NN
Not getting NOC for petroleum mining licence from WB govt:

ONGC

Kolkata, Jan 8 (PTI) Oil and gas downstream major ONGC

on Tuesday alleged that it was not getting the no objection

certificate for petroleum mining licence (PML) from the West

Bengal government which was long due.

The company plans to invest Rs 6,000 crore more for

four Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks including the Ranigung belt

in West Bengal, an official said.

"We are not getting the NOC for getting the PML within

the Ranigung coal belt from the West Bengal government", the

official told PTI on the sidelines of an event here.

A major portion of the coal belt falls under the

existing airport of Andal in Burdwan, the official added.

Along with IOC, ONGC was supposed to do the downstream

activity but the marketing rights lay with the former.

ONGC had been given CBM blocks at Ranigung, Jharia,

Bokaro and north Karanpura.

The bidding process conducted by Petroleum and Natural

Gas Regulatory Board will cover 10 districts of West Bengal

and bring substantial investment to the state along with

employment opportunities, an official of the board said. PTI

DC

JM JM
Banking services affected in MP due to strike by employees

Indore, Jan 8 (PTI) Banking operations were affected

in Madhya Pradesh Tuesday as a section of employees stayed

away from work in response to a nationwide strike called by

trade unions to protest against alleged anti-labour policies

of the Centre.

The operations were affected in about 5,000 branches

of different banks in the state, a union leader said.

The two-day (January 8-9) nation-wide strike call has

been given by 10 central trade unions.

Madhya Pradesh Bank Employees' Association chairman M

K Shukla told PTI that about 14,000 bank employees took part

in the strike on the first day across the state.

These included the employees of 20 public sector

lenders and four regional rural banks among others, he said.

The employees of State Bank of India (SBI), the

country's largest lender, did not participate in the stir, he

said.

According to Shukla, there are 7,426 branches of

different banks in the state.

Services like deposit, cash withdrawal and cheque

clearance, among others, were affected, he said.

On December 26, 2018, nine bank unions observed a one-

day strike to protest the proposed amalgamation of Vijaya Bank

and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda.

Prior to this, the All India Bank Officers'

Confederation (AIBOC) went on a strike on December 21.

The unions are opposing the merger of public sector

banks (PSBs) on ground employees will lose their jobs and

employment generation will be halted.

The unions are also against privatisation of PSBs.

PTI HWP ADU

RSY RSY
While Google results can sometimes be entertaining, they can also be quite controversial. Politicians have always been the butt of a lot of jokes on the Internet, and Google bombs are increasingly becoming one of the most popular ways of doing so.

Google-bombing is the act of causing a particular search result to be shown higher in the list of results of largely irrelevant and inappropriate queries for comedic or political purposes. Known as search engine bombs prior to when Google became the universal search engine, Google bombs gained mainstream popularity in 2007.

Listed below are 10 of the most prominent political Google bombs:

1. Idiot  Donald J. Trump

In July 2018, the leader of the free world President Donald Trump became a victim of the infamous Google bombs. A search for the query idiot showing pictures of Trump led the Judiciary Committee to launch an investigation into the workings of Google and even called in CEO Sundar Pichai for a hearing.

2. Top 10 criminals  Narendra Modi, along with images of terrorists

In June 2015, the query top 10 criminals showed among a list of most wanted terrorists, dictators, and other criminals, the name and picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Google was soon prompted to issue an apology citing incorrect information from a British daily.

ALSO READ: Pinarayi Vijayan is Google's answer to bad chief minister

3. Completely wrong  Mitt Romney

During the months leading up to the presidential election in 2012, Republican nominee Mitt Romney showed up as the top result for the search query completely wrong. This occurred in light of some political comments made by Romney in a blog post in October, in which he stated that 47 per cent of Americans were victims and were dependent on the government. The completely wrong string was linked with these comments due to Googles algorithms picking it up from various news reports.

4. Plagiator  Victor Ponta

In July 2012, the search query plagiator, which is the Romanian word for cheater, yielded results showing then-Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, whose PhD thesis was allegedly plagiarised. The row surrounding the thesis was widely reported in Romania at the time. The subsequent Google bomb resulted in it being a whole other news story itself.

5. Santorum  Rick Santorum

Sometime in 2003, Congressman Rick Santorum made a series of homophobic remarks. A columnist named Dan Savage soon launched a campaign to define the word santorum in relation to the Congressmans anti-homosexual nature. This led to a search for the word santorum being linked with anal sex.

ALSO READ: 5 Google bombs that will remain famous forever

6. Miserable failure  George W. Bush

During the 2004 presidential race, George W. Bush was infamously bombed on Google with the query miserable failure linking to his official White House web page. It was one of the bombs that stood the test of time as it was only removed in 2007. The Bush bomb is still considered legendary by netizens and political commentators alike.

7. Waffles  John Kerry

In 2004, a law student from Duquesne University, Ken Jacobson successfully bombed then senator John Kerry by linking him to the search query waffles. This is said to be in response of the Democrats Google-bombing of George W. Bush which took place the same year. The term waffling is used to describe a person who is incapable of sticking with one decision.

8. Buffone  Silvio Berlusconi

An April 2006 search for buffone, the Italian word for clown, linked to the website of then Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, a man whose term in office had been mired in controversy since taking oath in 1994.

9. Failure  Barack Obama

Soon after the former senator took office in 2009, amateur hackers had managed to redirect all of Obamas predecessor Bushs Google bomb links to his name. This meant search queries miserable failure and even just failure led to Obamas White House page.

10. Trou du cul du web  Nicolas Sarkozy

This literally translates to asshole of the web. The phrase was one of the search queries whose results yielded the then French president Nicolas Sarkozys website in 2009. In 2010, the same query showed the first result as Sarkozys Facebook page.
The two-day nationwide general strike called by 10 Central trade unions protesting against the Narendra Modi government's economic policies began at 12:00am on Tuesday. The trade unions involved in the strike claim up to 20 crore workers in various sectors would participate in the strike.

A train that was held up at Sealdah South station due to the two-day general strike | Salil Bera

In Kolkata, protesting workers blocked railway tracks at the Howrah Railway Station on Tuesday morning to demand higher minimum wages and social security benefits. Train services were also partially affected in Sealdah South Railway Station. The situation in Kolkata was reported to be normal with road transport services continuing; the TMC government had earlier announced it would not allow disruption of essential services. CPI(M) activists protesting during the strike were detained in Kolkata.

Blockades of rail lines were also reported from Guwahati in Assam and Jaleswar in Odisha.

In Kerala, trade union activists blocked trains at several railway stations. In the capital Thiruvananthapuram, daily trains such as the Jan Shatabdi Express and Raptisagar Express were unable to commence their services. Due to both privately-owned buses and buses of the state-run KSRTC staying off the roads, people were reported to be stranded at airports and railway stations across Kerala.

In Bhubaneswar, protesters blocked roads and burnt tyres as part of the two-day general strike.
Amidst high voltage drama, the Congress government elected Madhya Pradesh assembly speaker, with 121 votes in a 230-member assembly. Narmada Prasad Prajapati has been elected as speaker even as the BJP boycotted the proceedings, terming the election a murder of democracy. Chief Minister Kamal Nath countered the BJP argument, saying the saffron party did not have sufficient numbers, so they ran away.

This was the first floor test faced by Kamal Nath. Congress has 114 MLAs, and the BJP has 109. In the election, Congress secured 120 votes. Protem speaker Deepak Saxena did not vote.

In the morning, when the session started, the ruling Congress presented the name of Prajapati as their candidate. The BJP had listed Vijay Shah as their candidate.

However, before the opposition candidate could be discussed, protem speaker Deepak Saxena said the house will first discuss the proposal of the ruling party; after that, the proposal of opposition would be taken up.

This led the opposition to protest and stall the proceedings of house. Protem speaker had to adjourn the house twice for 10 minutes each. Later, when he wanted to give a ruling about the election process, the entire opposition stood up and started shouting slogans.

After a while, as the process for election began, BJP MLAs boycotted the house and walked to governor's residence, registering protest against the act of Congress in not allowing their candidate to contest the speaker's election.

Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who was in Bhopal to oversee the first floor test of Kamal Nath government, said that the BJP was creating unnecessary drama as they did not have the numbers.

He later told the media that the BJP had tried hard to buy Congress MLA Kedar Kushwaha. Digvijay Singh accused former BJP minister Narottam Mishra and Vishwas Sarang of kidnapping the Congress MLA and luring him with an offer of Rs 100 crore to switch sides.

Earlier in the day, the BJP elected former minister Gopal Bhargav as leader of opposition.
After successfully leading 'Operation All Out' against militants in Kashmir, general officer commanding 15 Corps Lt. Gen A.K. Bhatt will hand over command to Lt. Gen. KVS Dhillon.

Bhatt is credited for presiding over one of the most successful anti-militancy operations in a decade during which 248 militants were killed and five others surrendered. He had taken over the command of 15 Corps, also called Chinar Corps, in February 2018.

Army sources in 15 Corps told THE WEEK that Bhatt will be placed as a military secretary in army headquarters in Delhi. The new posting is seen as an acknowledgment of his excellent leadership in combating militancy in Kashmir, especially in the restive south Kashmir.

Under his command, the army also observed NICO (non-initiation of combat operations) against militants in the month of Ramzan in 2018. He also supervised the killing of 17 most wanted commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Muhammad, and Lashkar-e-Toiba, including those from Pakistan.

Sources told THE WEEK that Dhillon's name has been cleared by the authorities concerned for the posting. He has served in Kashmir before in different capacities. He has commanded 7 Sector RR (Rashtriya Rifles) which is the lead anti-militancy force of the army in Kashmir and northeast.

According to sources, Dhillon's appointment was made in view of his grasp of Kashmir situation and leadership qualities. His appointment comes ahead of the Lok Sabha and assembly polls and the proposed US withdrawal in Afghanistan.

Security agencies in Kashmir fear that the US withdrawal in Afghanistan could impact the situation in Kashmir. There is fear that militant groups could receive greater help from Pakistan and possibly the Taliban if the US pulls out of Afghanistan. Militant groups like Jaish could also rope in some of their contacts in Afghanistan for help in Kashmir. The army, however, is aware of the challenge as it has effectively thwarted repeated attempts by militants to intrude into Kashmir.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently told Rajya Sabha that the Centre was ready to hold assembly elections in the state after which the security forces, especially army, have increased vigil on the LoC.

The decision to handover 15 Corps' command to Dhillon comes two months after the state administrative council, led by Governor Satya Pal Malik, cleared Dilbag Singh as the full-time police chief of J&K.
Over 30,000 non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan are staying in India on long-term visa, Union minister Kiren Rijiju told Parliament on Tuesday.

Replying to a written question in the Lok Sabha, he said in the absence of any authentic survey, the accurate data of the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who came from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and settled in various parts of India including Assam by December 31, 2014 was not available.

"However, as per available information, more than 30,000 persons belonging to such minority communities in these countries are staying in India on long-term visa," the minister of state for home affairs added.

The Lok Sabha passed a bill on Tuesday, seeking to grant Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who had come to the country from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan by December 31, 2014.

The bill provides for Indian citizenship to such people after six years of stay in the country, instead of 12 years.
The CM dubs COVID-19 situation in the state 'scary', but rules out total lockdown

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Timothy Seth Bryant Pennington was born on January 30, 1988 in Corbin, Ky. He departed this life on June 3, 2021 to be with his Lord and Savior, whom he accepted as a young boy at his church, West Corbin Baptist. Seth was assured of his salvation and knew where he would spend his eternity. S
Sorry, global warming deniers. You wont be able to disseminate your nonsense on NBCs Meet the Press.

In an episode devoted to the issue of global warming that was broadcast on the last Sunday of 2018, host Chuck Todd announced, Were not going to give time to climate deniers. He correctly noted that The science is settled, even if political opinion is not.

In other words, Meet the Press wont encourage the fiction that there is any kind of legitimate debate regarding whether climate change is real and whats causing it. Were not going to debate climate change, the existence of it, Todd said. The Earth is getting hotter and human activity is a major cause. Period.

I couldnt possibly agree more. A responsible television network shouldnt give air time to those who deny that our planet is warming and the primary cause is human activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels. The verdict of science is in  in fact, its been in for quite some time. There is no legitimate opposition viewpoint. There is no controversy. Theres only the truth and those who refuse to accept it.

Todds announcement hasnt been greeted with universal approval. A web site called Now The End Begins carried an article with the banner headline Fake News NBCs Chuck Todd Says That He Will No Longer Give Airtime To Deniers Who Wont Support The Religion Of Climate Change. This article was followed by a declaration that Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last days before the Rapture of the Church. Evidently, the Rapture is no freebie because there was a link to a GoFundMe page.

Climate change isnt a religion, however. Its a scientific reality. NASAs web page devoted to climate change states, Multiple studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals show that 97 percent or more of actively publishing climate change scientists agree: Climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities. This NASA page notes that organizations such as the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, American Medical Association and American Meteorological Society all agree that climate change is real and caused by such activity as the use of fossil fuel.

In addition to the scientific community, any number of denominations believe that climate change exists and must be addressed. The Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Methodist Church have all issued statements regarding climate changes.

Some of you might be thinking that Chuck Todd violated the spirit, if not the letter, of the First Amendment. Isnt every American guaranteed freedom of speech  even those whose message is sheer nonsense and morally repugnant?

In her book Denying the Holocaust, Deborah Lipstadt addressed the issue of newspapers that choose not to run material submitted by Holocaust deniers. The First Amendment does not guarantee access to a private publication, she wrote. It is designed to serve as a shield to protect individuals and institutions from government interference. When one newspaper rejects a column, ad, or letter, there are always other publications.

Chuck Todd hasnt prevented climate change deniers from presenting their viewpoint to the public. Indeed, they can be found disseminating their nonsense all over the Internet. Todd merely prevented them from using a public forum he manages  and he was well within his rights to do so.

I occasionally hold book signings at my shop. However, I would no more host a signing by the author of a book that denies human activity-fueled global warming than I would a signing by the author of a volume that denies the Holocaust. While the First Amendment guarantees such persons the right to freedom of speech, it doesnt compel me to assist them in spreading their pernicious lies.

John J. Dunphys latest book, Unsung Heroes of the Dachau Trials, includes interviews with veterans of the U.S. Army 7708 War Crimes Group, who apprehended and prosecuted Nazi war criminals after World War II.
The departure of Jim Mattis as defense secretary has grave implications for the Korea Peninsula. If there was one voice of reason, calm and common sense when it came to North Korea and U.S. defense of the South, it was that of Mattis.

I encountered Mattis on his first trip to Seoul and then during a couple of others. He was strong in his belief in the need to be sure of having the troops and resources for defense of the South. At the same time, he went along with the shift in policy under President Moon Jae-in.

His response was, give peace a chance.

Talks between Moon and Kim Jong-un, between President Donald Trump and Kim, were fine but on one condition. Mattis wanted no compromise on denuclearization, on North Korea giving up its nukes or the long-range missiles capable of carrying them to distant targets, and, yes, the facilities for making them.

It would be hard to characterize Mattis as a hard-liner, a war hawk eager to bomb the Norths nuclear sites or, for that matter, a foe of Moons efforts at rapprochement and dialogue. If anything, he saw defense of the South as the way to keep the peace, and he did not oppose moves toward accommodation.

Nonetheless, Trump, who never served a day in the armed forces even though his wealthy father sent him to a military academy for high school, was obviously not at ease with the generals whom he claimed to admire.

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.

If nothing else, Trump may see no harm in signing off on just about any end-of-war statement or peace declaration that Kim thrusts on him on the vague understanding of denuclearization. No one seriously believes Kim is going to give up his nukes while demanding the United States also denuclearize. Never mind that the United States withdrew its nukes from South Korea in 1991. North Korea sees nukes on U.S. planes and ships based in Japan, Guam, even Hawaii, as more than matching its own arsenal.

Trump has already signaled his gullibility by tweeting on Christmas Day, Progress being made and looking forward to my next summit with Chairman Kim  the title chairman from Kims leadership of the ruling Workers Party.

The claim to progress rests on the first trip to North Korea by Trumps new North Korea point man, Stephen Biegun, who like any tourist peered across the line at Panmunjom, then talked to South Koreans and Americans in Seoul. Biegun, in four days in the South, let it be known it was fine for South Koreans to break ground for a North-South rail link while the United States eased constraints on do-good groups going to the North dispensing food and medicine.

No problem, but Trump chose to ignore a drumbeat of rhetoric from the North taking the South to task for acting too slowly and accusing the United States of doing nothing in the quest for reconciliation. Mattis as defense secretary would undoubtedly take a realistic view of the Norths desire to make serious concessions, which is nil.

Trump doesnt want to hear bad or negative news about his friend Kim Jong-un.

Without Mattis around, hell be less inclined than ever to consider advice or views contrary to his own happy talk.

Donald Kirk has been a columnist for Korea Times, South China Morning Post many other newspaper and magazines. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
BETHALTO  A Roxana man is facing charges after he pulled behind West Elementary School at 1:34 a.m. Christmas Day and turned off the cars headlights and tail lights in the midst of an alleged drug deal.

When a police officer noticed the car at the school, he pulled into the lot, but the suspect vehicle took off at a high rate of speed. A passenger in the vehicle later told police the driver made a wrong turn into the school parking lot. He said the two had earlier agreed to a drug and gun transaction.

The driver, Chad A. Dickerson, 28, of the 400 block of Central Avenue, is charged with three counts of possession of a weapon by a felon, and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance. His bail is set at $85,000. He was also given two tickets for disregarding a stop sign and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.

A police officers sworn statement said the officer saw the car driving through the parking lot and turn off the lights. He then saw the lights go back on, and the suspect vehicle left the parking lot. A passenger later told police the driver said he was not going back to jail.

As the officer was turning his squad car around, the suspect vehicle sped up on School Street. The car then turned south on Old Bethalto Road at a high rate of speed. The driver missed two stop signs, the statement said.

The passenger told police that the driver eventually pulled over on Jersey Street and tossed drugs at the passenger, who then tossed the drugs out of the car. The passenger said Dickerson threatened to kill the police officer, but they could find no evidence that Dickerson had a weapon on his person.

Officers searched the trunk of the car and found a tool box, which contained three handguns, one of which was stolen. Officers also found psilocybin (magic mushrooms), a plastic baggie containing Xanax, a baggie containing suspected methamphetamine, a set of digital scales and a mason jar containing suspected marijuana. Dickerson told police he knew nothing of the items in the trunk.

Dickerson has a prior conviction of unlawful possession of a weapon. The details of the case became public when police filed a suit to take possession of $313 in Dickersons possession. The law allows authorities to obtain assets believed connected to the drug trade.
GODFREY  The Journal of Applied Ecology recently published an article about grassland-bird nest survival by National Great Rivers Research and Education Centers (NGRREC) Conservation Program Manager Justin Shew.

The research was conducted as a part of Shews doctoral studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondales Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory. He earned his doctorate in December 2016.

Our research demonstrated that tractor-based management, such as light-strip discing, and establishing native-grass practices on private grasslands enrolled in the federal and widely popular Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), can improve nest survival of multiple grassland bird species and communities, Shew said. However, habitat managers and conservationists must realize that when viewed from a multi-scale perspective (i.e. assessing a range of habitat factors from nest-site characteristics to landscape context), nest survival is often best predicted by unmanageable finer-scale habitat factors.

Shew studied the nest survival of red-winged blackbirds and dickcissels, and two nesting communities (ground and above-ground nesters), relative to management and multi-scale habitat. This research is particularly important because many grassland bird populations in North America have been consistently declining over decades and properly guided management decisions may help alleviate these declines.

We recommend grasslands be managed to provide a variety of nesting opportunities for birds and that agency staff promote grassland management and native-grass practices on private lands, especially within beneficial landscapes, that also foster within-field colonization and persistence of focal species, Shew said.

As the NGRREC conservation program manager, Shew works closely with partners such as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which both administer and support crucial private lands conservation programs in the state of Illinois.

His research is extremely relevant to the partners with which he works, especially the NRCS. In one of his roles, he manages and coordinates NGRRECs Land Conservation Specialist program. The specialists are remotely stationed in several NRCS service center offices and assist NRCS and many private landowners directly with the Conservation Reserve Program. Therefore, his research will be directly communicated to NRCS partners and NGRRECs LCSs for improved habitat management guidance for the benefit of wildlife, such as grassland birds.

Dr. Shews published work is a very good example of how NGRREC uses science-based information to directly inform land and water conservation practices and policies, said NGRREC Senior Scientist Richard Warner. NGRRECs Land Conservation Specialist program is directly benefitting many private landholders in the Lewis and Clark district, assisting them in achieving their goals while optimizing outcomes for land, water, and wildlife conservation.

The public will be able to access the paper for free for two weeks through the Journal of Applied Ecologys website and Digital Object Identifier (DOI) at: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.13317. Statistical code and data can be found at: doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jt862g8. The public is welcome to contact Shew for more details regarding this research via e-mail at jshew@lc.edu.
VANCOUVERLawyers who won a landmark B.C. Supreme Court case ordering Canada to stop throwing federal inmates into solitary confinement for non-disciplinary reasons called on Ottawa to drop its appeal of the decision on Monday.

But as Ottawa continues its attempt to have the B.C. Court of Appeals overturn that January 2018 decision, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association said it remains confident the provinces highest court will side with the earlier ruling that administrative solitary confinement is unconstitutional, discriminatory against Indigenous people, and will order a change to the federal law.

Were continuing to fight it all the way, said BCCLA litigation counsel Jay Aubrey at a press conference after the appeals court granted Ottawa an extension to June. Were hopeful to get a great decision  But absolutely were hopeful the Attorney General will drop the appeal.

Human beings need meaningful human contact. (Solitary confinement) causes severe psychological distress, creates mental illness, and in some cases causes death.

But the federal government says current legislation before Parliament addresses the constitutional concerns raised by the courts in both B.C. and in Ontario, which separately ordered changes to solitary practices.

In court last November, Crown lawyer Mitchell Taylor acknowledged that even if Correction Services Canada had interpreted federal administrative segregation laws unconstitutionally, it does not follow that those laws themselves must be tossed out.

Read more:

Rights group decries federal governments appeal of landmark solitary confinement ruling

B.C. Supreme Court ruling on solitary confinement challenged by feds

Lives, not just liberty, are at stake in solitary confinement conflict, advocates say

One in four federal inmates have been put into solitary confinement at some point, some spending years in a cell the size of a bathroom. Court documents show there were 14,000 inmates in federal prisons in the 2016-2017 fiscal year, and the percentage of segregated Indigenous inmates increased by 31 per cent between 2005 and 2015, whereas segregated non-Indigenous inmates grew by only 2 per cent.

The appeal court may have extended the deadline, but it ordered the federal government to immediately address key rights violations.

While we are prepared to extend the suspension of the declaration of constitutional invalidity, the court ruled Monday, that cannot be a justification for the federal government to maintain unchanged the conditions of inmates kept in administrative segregation.

The BCCLA said it had hoped Mondays ruling would be the appeal courts final judgment in their quest to end whats known in corrections as administrative segregation.

Regardless of the outcome of the appeal, the federal government must still meet a Jan. 18 deadline set by the Supreme Court for a number of immediate fixes, including improvements in detainee health care, informing inmates of their right to access legal counsel while in solitary, and a half-hour more time outside every day.

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Another order, to allow Indigenous elders access to inmates, must be fulfilled by May, BCCLA lawyer Kate Oja explained.

The practice of solitary confinement violations inmates rights in federal prison, she said. We have every bit of faith the government will comply with the orders.

With files from Wanyee Li

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MORICE WEST FORESTRY SERVICE ROAD, B.C.A checkpoint camp was abandoned behind a massive fallen tree and a barrier of flame on Monday afternoon as dozens of RCMP officers finally pushed past the barricade set up to bar entry to the traditional territories of the Wetsuweten people.

Fourteen people would be arrested by the end of the day.

The checkpoint, for weeks a movable gate at the mouth of a bridge, had been fortified by the Gidimten clan of the Wetsuweten nation as the RCMP marshalled in nearby towns over the weekend.

Camp members faced both uniformed RCMP and camouflage-wearing Emergency Response Team tactical unit officers through the barbed wire.

What are your grandchildren going to think? yelled nation members as police advanced.

After a lengthy, increasingly heated back-and-forth between the demonstrators and police, officers began cutting the barbed wire and started up a chainsaw. Camp members began to scream in protest; two young men had chained themselves to the fence below the view of the officers, encasing their arms in a kind of pipe that meant opening the gate risked breaking both of their arms.

Read more:

Heres what you need to know about the Wetsuweten protests

Solidarity rallies with Wetsuweten First Nation planned for Calgary and Edmonton

RCMP gathers in nearby towns as First Nation braces for conflict

The checkpoints are the latest act of defiance in a Wetsuweten grassroots uprising against the First Nations elected band council leadership and its decision to ink a $13-million agreement to support a pipeline.

The project is being headed up by Coastal GasLink to bring natural gas through the area for delivery to the proposed LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, B.C. Coastal GasLink is a subsidiary of TransCanada PipeLines Ltd.

While the band council signed the deal on behalf of the Wetsuweten First Nation, all five of the clans that make up the nation are revolting against the decision. The clan chiefs, who inherit their positions but are still considered integral leaders of their communities, say that the First Nations band council only has jurisdiction over the reserve, not their entire traditional territories.

Each Wetsuweten clan is made up of a number of houses, also headed by hereditary chiefs. These house chiefs are also in full revolt and unanimously supported a decision to block Coastal GasLink from entering their territories, citing Article 10 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That article says Indigenous Peoples must not be forcibly removed from their territories.

Eventually, police climbed a ladder over the top of the gate, circumventing a secondary blockade formed by the bodies of the camp members themselves. Then they began to arrest people.

A number of women linked arms across the path, singing a song in defiance. They were eventually arrested as well.

But as police began to storm the bridge, camp members farther along dragged a barrier of pallets, hay bales, firewood and tree limbs into the road, doused them in gasoline and set the whole thing ablaze, sending flames a dozen feet into the air.

Other supporters had chained themselves under a bus parked on the bridge where police now stood. Another man had suspended himself in a hammock from a tree far out over the frozen river.

As the fire blazed, demonstrators used a chainsaw to fell an enormous tree even farther up the road. It crashed down into the snow, and as police worked to clear the people who halted their march forward, more camp members stacked firewood against the newly fallen tree.

Seeing this, the camp supporters who had not yet been detained sprinted back around the flaming barrier and over the fallen tree. They piled into trucks and sped off for a second camp set up by the Unistoten clan, farther down the Morice West logging road, about 44 kilometres outside the town of Houston.

One stayed behind, soaking the wood piled against the fallen tree in gasoline. But the man ran out of matches before he could light a second blaze.

As police marched up to the first flaming barrier and peered through the hazy air, the man jumped on a snowmobile and sped off into the forest, now deep in shadow as the sun began to fall behind the towering, snow-laden trees.

RCMP worked to secure the scene, examining the fallen tree and scattering the blackened ashes of the flaming barrier, which by now had burned through most of its fuel.

As night returned to the area and police began to debrief, one man still remained, inside the hammock suspended over the frozen river.

While the RCMP have said they would use a carefully measured and scalable approach, fears remain among some Indigenous organizations in the province that the enforcement could spark a more protracted standoff. Thats what happened in Northern B.C. in 1995, when hundreds of police and military members moved in on a Secwepemc Indigenous gathering in the Cariboo region, sparking a month-long occupation, police gunfire and explosives at Gustafson Lake.

That conflict took place under the previous 1990s NDP government. The current NDP government supports the LNG project that depends on the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which it says will create thousands of jobs and still meet B.C.s ambitious greenhouse-gas targets, despite skepticism from the Greens.

News of Mondays events travelled slowly, as communications in the area were down. RCMP in Houston blamed a problem with one of the satellites and denied deliberately cutting communications, as they could only reach their own officers via radio.

Earlier in the day, through a locked gate strewn with barbed wire, RCMP negotiated with members of the Wetsuweten nation in an effort to get the Indigenous group to remove the barriers blocking the only access point to their traditional territory.

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The first sign of police presence was a helicopter overhead, which cut through the silence of the snow-laden forest and sent camp members surging to the gate to greet the incoming police caravan.

Molly Wickham, a member of the Gidimten clan, spoke with officers through the barricade along with Chief Madeek, also of the Gidimten clan. Wickham would be arrested later in the day.

Wickham and Chief Madeek told the officers no meaningful conversation would take place without the presence of the hereditary chiefs, under whose jurisdiction the territories fall.

After some back-and-forth, RCMP said they would allow one hereditary chief from each of the five Wetsuweten clans to pass through an RCMP checkpoint at kilometre 12 of the forestry service road, so long as they could make it there by noon.

This gave the chiefs an hour to make it to the police checkpoint. If they couldnt meet the deadline, it would be down to business for police, one Gidimten camp member speculated.

Afterward, Wickham said even a token gesture to allow the presence of a few chiefs would exclude more than half the hereditary chiefs whose territories are at stake.

Police had not reached out to camp members before Mondays meeting at the barricade, Wickham said, nor had she or her allies seen the amended injunction that concerned their gate.

The injunction gave protesters 72 hours to remove obstructions. Police said that had not happened, preventing Coastal GasLink from being able to do any work in the area.

The construction of the Gidimten camp followed the original court injunction, granted Dec. 14 against the Unistoten camp checkpoint farther along the road. Coastal GasLink argued the Unistoten checkpoint, erected around 2012, effectively stalled construction on the pipeline project.

Camp members used the hour to refuel, warm up, send messages to loved ones and rest for whatever lay ahead.

The arrival of police was anticipated, since RCMP officers, numbering a dozen and possibly more, took up residence in hotels in Burns Lake, Smithers and Houston over the weekend. Camp allies reported Monday that RCMP officers left Houston before dawn to go to the checkpoints.

Before police arrived, camp members were anxious about the possibility of a conflict but were largely in good spirits  sharing hot drinks out of thermoses, eating soup cooked in a nearby tent and huddling around campfires to stay warm.

Overnight on Sunday, as temperatures dipped to -15 C, the glow and crackle of the fires penetrated the silence of the snow-covered forest.

When morning broke, a woman said a prayer, giving thanks for the day. Flags had been tied to branches mounted alongside the camp tents.

When I look at each of you, I see a thousand allies, she said to the small group gathered around. A thousand allies in every one of you.

Roughly 30 rallies are being organized across Canada, the United States and even Italy in support of the Wetsuweten nation members blocking the pipeline construction, according to various Facebook pages listing the events. This includes a rally outside the Calgary headquarters of TransCanada PipeLines Ltd. on Tuesday at noon.

In recent months, Calgary has seen mass rallies of oil-and-gas supporters frustrated with the lack of progress on major infrastructure projects, such as the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The city is also home to the headquarters of some of Canadas biggest oil-and-gas companies.

Michelle Robinson, a co-organizer with the Calgary rally in support of the Wetsuweten members, said this makes a rally in the city even more important.

Its incredibly important for us to be in solidarity because this isnt something all of us consent (to), Robinson said.

In Edmonton, a rally has been organized by Climate Justice Edmonton and Indigenous Climate Action at Beaver Hills House Park for Tuesday afternoon, according to a Facebook page for the event.

With files from David P. Ball, Brennan Doherty, Jeremy Nuttall and The Canadian Press

Correction  Jan. 7, 2019: This story has been edited from an earlier version that incorrectly stated that police set a fire to block a bridge. The fire was set by demonstrators.

Correction  Jan. 8, 2019: A map included with this story has been altered from a previous version that reversed the positions of the Unistoten and Gidimten camps.

Perrin Grauer is a Vancouver-based reporter covering community issues and Canadas drug policies. Follow him on Twitter: perringrauer.

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OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeaus office says U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to continue to seek the release of two Canadians believed to be arbitrarily detained in China.

According to his office, Trudeau spoke to Trump Monday about a handful of bilateral issues including steel and aluminum tariffs, the closure of GM plants in both countries, and Canadas arrest of a Huawei executive in response to a U.S. extradition request that enraged China.

The Dec. 1 arrest in Vancouver of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, wanted on fraud-related charges tied to Iran sanctions, was followed days later by Chinas arrest of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor on unspecified national security allegations.

A more-detailed-than-usual PMO readout of the Trudeau-Trump phone call suggests Trudeau made a case to Trump of the necessity of refraining from public comments that cast the Huawei case in a political framework.

It said the two leaders discussed an extradition request made of Canada by the United States.

They reaffirmed the importance of respecting judicial independence and the rule of law, said the PMO release.

Read more:

13 Canadians detained in China since arrest of Huawei executive in Vancouver, officials reveal

Hundreds of Canadians held by China raises the stakes for Trudeaus government

Man formerly detained in China recalls appalling experience

It went on to say Trudeau thanked Trump for the strong statements of support by the United States in response to the arbitrary detention of two Canadians in China.

To date, Trump has not personally made any statement calling for the release of the Canadians.

Only Trumps Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lent his voice to Canadas concerns last month.

A senior government official speaking on background said Trudeau initiated the call to Trump Monday afternoon, and was pleased to be able to count on the U.S. for their help.

Its helpful to have a commitment from the president to be on the same page when it comes to seeking the mens release, the official said. While public statements of support for the detained Canadians by Canadas allies are important, he said, a lot of work happens behind the scenes.

Governments in France, Australia, Britain and the European Union have backed Canadas concern the mens detention is in retaliation for the arrest of the Huawei executive.

In contrast, Trump told Reuters news agency he would intervene to block the extradition request of Meng if he thought it would help strike a better deal with China.

Now, Trudeaus office says the release of the two detained Canadians is a shared goal: The two leaders agreed to continue to seek their release.

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It is not clear if Trump did in fact agree to make the release of the Canadians a priority. Trump made no mention of it in two exchanges with reporters on Monday.

The Canada-U.S. call comes as talks to resolve the ongoing bitter trade dispute and tariff war between the U.S. and China got underway Monday in Beijing.

However, Trump told reporters Sunday he believed the Chinese want to make a deal with his administration because their economy is not doing well.

Trump said the U.S. tariffs he imposed on Chinese imports have absolutely hurt China very badly while the U.S. is taking in a lot of money through tariffs.

My relationship with President Xi is as good as any relationship that a president here has had with a president or leader in China. And I think good things are going to happen.

Conservative foreign affairs critic Erin OToole said in an interview the PMO release is a clear attempt to show that Canada was obliged under extradition law to act on the U.S. request, and to suggest the comments by Trump were damaging and unfortunate.

I think a call with the president on all these things is always good, said OToole. But the fact that he hasnt made that leader-to-leader call with the Chinese president (Xi Jinping) causes concern, because weve been asking for that since mid-December.

And he (Trudeau) is treating this as a consular case when it isnt a consular situation at all. This is a state-to-state dispute. Its clearly not going well and if he called President Trump on it, he should call President Xi as well.

In addition to speaking about the detained Canadians and the arrest of Meng, the PMO said Trudeau and Trump discussed the importance of trade and jobs, building upon the successful renegotiation of the new North American Free Trade Agreement. They reaffirmed their support for workers affected by the closure of General Motors plants in Canada and the United States, and discussed next steps in addressing steel and aluminum tariffs.

But there was no clear indication that the U.S. tariffs that were imposed in June on Canadian steel and aluminum tariffs  which Trump has slapped on global imports including Chinas  would be lifted anytime soon.

Meanwhile, a Canadian delegation of senators and MPs was in China Monday on a business and education trip. Conservative MP Michael Cooper told CBC the delegation made clear to their counterparts there can be no business as usual in Canada-China relations as long as the two Canadians remain detained.

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Who should have the power to enforce animal cruelty laws? In Ontario for the last 99 years, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has played this crucial role.

But now a Superior Court judge says the OSPCA has been acting unconstitutionally. In a ruling released last week, Justice Timothy Minnoma found that the law empowering the private charitable organization to exercise police powers in Ontario is fundamentally flawed.

In particular, the judge ruled that the province was wrong to grant policing powers to an agency that in his words was opaque, insular, unaccountable and potentially subject to external influences.

He gave the province a year to fix the law.

In theory, the constitutional dilemma could be easily rectified. The judge notes that other provinces have solved this problem by ensuring that animal protection officers are subject to the same kind of oversight as police.

In Alberta, for instance, animal cruelty inspectors are appointed by the provincial government. In Newfoundland and Labrador, regular police are used to enforce animal cruelty laws.

An arrangement could be worked out whereby the OSPCA kept its status as a private charity performing some police functions yet opened itself to public oversight.

The problem is that the OSPCA appears to want out of the business of investigating animal cruelty complaints altogether. It is just too expensive.

In October, Canadian Press reported that the OSPCA has decided it will no longer investigate allegation of cruelty to horses and farm livestock.

The news agency went on to say that the OSPCA eventually hopes to ditch all of its cruelty inspection obligations in order to concentrate on animal shelters and rescue, both of which draw in big donations from the public.

When an OSPCA officer saves a dog locked in a sweltering car on a hot July day, the public cheers. But when the society raids a farm in rural Ontario to deal with reports of livestock abuse, the reaction can be less positive.

Indeed, last weeks legal challenge was funded by the Ontario Landowners Association, a radical, rural, property-rights group that has long objected to what it calls the OPSCAs intrusiveness.

Ironically, the animal-rights group Animal Justice  which wants better enforcement of cruelty laws  intervened in the case to make many of the same arguments as the Landowners.

Animal Justice Executive Director Camille Labchuk says the court decision opens up the possibility of having a public agency with more clout take over the OSPCAs enforcement role.

A 2017 discussion paper by animal welfare groups Zoocheck and Animal Alliance of Canada suggests just how such a public agency might operate. Funded by a two per cent tax on non-medical pet supplies, it would cover all animals, including those currently exempted from cruelty laws (such as dogs used in research).

None of these critics is down on the OSPCA itself. A 2016 report by two academics found that its animal cruelty inspectors, who respond to roughly 18,000 complaints a year, are overworked and underfunded. More often than not, they are subject to abuse when trying to do their jobs.

Report co-author Kendra Coulter, a Brock University labour studies professor, says that some jurisdictions have successfully melded animal cruelty investigators into regular police forces. She cites the New York City animal crimes unit, which she says combines the expertise of trained animal investigators with the authority of real police.

Theoretically, Ontario could follow this model. But will it ask its already overburdened police forces to do more? And will police really respond to complaints of, say, a dog being left without water all day in its owners backyard.

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As it is, the Ontario government gives only $5.75 million annually to the OSPCA. The society says thats not enough to fund the societys cruelty investigation activities and that these must be cross-subsidized by private donors.

But will Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservative government spend more just to enforce animal welfare laws that many of its supporters think are already too intrusive?

Last weeks court decision has set the stage for changing the way cruelty laws are enforced in Ontario. Whether that change will be for the better remains an open question.
Tweets from 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun this week were harrowing enough to draw the attention of the world.

In photographs and videos, she was seen barricaded in a Bangkok hotel room  mattresses and furnishings pushed up against the door  to prevent Thai authorities from forcing her to return to Saudi Arabia, where she says she is certain family members would kill her.

Happily, after a flurry of diplomatic efforts by Human Rights Watch and foreign embassies  including Canadas  Alqunun is safe now, under the care of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Now she has made another plea on Twitter. I want Canada to give me asylum!

If Alqunun truly wants to come to this country the government should not put obstacles in her way. If she makes a request for asylum, it should honour it.

Alqunun has a special reason to flee Saudi Arabia; just by travelling to Thailand without her fathers permission she broke Saudi laws and laid herself open to retribution from her family.

Indeed, any woman from Saudi Arabia should be able to make a credible case for asylum in this country based on the human rights abuses they endure there.

It is, after all, a country where until last year women were not allowed to drive. Until this week they did not even have the right to be alerted that their husbands were divorcing them.

And they must still get permission from a male guardian to obtain a passport, marry, divorce  or even report a crime, making it impossible for women to report domestic abuse committed by their guardians.

Alqunun only managed to escape by waiting until she was on a family trip to Kuwait, which does not have guardianship laws. There she was able to board a flight to Bangkok.

Now shes seeking asylum in Australia, the United States, Britain or Canada. This country should welcome her.

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BRUSSELSThe Trump administration downgraded the diplomatic status of the European Unions delegation to the United States last year without making a formal announcement or informing the bloc about the change, a European official said on Tuesday.

After protest from Brussels and discussion between the European Union and the Trump administration, the reclassification of the delegation and the consequent demotion of the ambassador, David OSullivan, is understood to have been reversed, at least temporarily, the official said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has been critical of multilateral institutions, and his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, delivered a provocative speech in Brussels on Dec. 4 in which he questioned the value of multinational organizations and institutions like the United Nations and the European Union. Pompeo then asked whether the European Union was ensuring that the interests of countries and their citizens are placed before those of bureaucrats here in Brussels.

The next day, the EUs demotion from a member state to an international organization became clear at the funeral of former president George H.W. Bush, when OSullivans name was not called in the expected order, dictated by diplomatic protocols. The names of diplomats who had gathered in Washington to pay their respects were spoken, as is custom, from the longest-serving to the newest ambassador, an EU official told the German news agency Deutsche Welle. But he was called up as the last person.

Before the demotion, OSullivan, who has been ambassador to Washington since 2014, would have been ranked among the first 20 or 30 ambassadors of the more than 150 foreign representatives in Washington.

News of the change was first reported by Deutsche Welle.

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We understand there was a change in the way the diplomatic precedence list is implemented by the United States protocol, and we are currently discussing with relevant services in the administration possible implications for the EU delegation in Washington, said Maja Kocijancic, the EUs chief spokeswoman for foreign affairs. But ultimately this question should be directed to the U.S. administration.

The U.S. Embassy in Brussels said it would consult with Washington before responding.

Trump has made little secret of his antipathy toward the European Union, which he described in July as a foe of the United States when it comes to trade.

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REYNOSA, MEXICOThe deportees arrive after dark, usually 100 to 200 of them, deposited by U.S. immigration officials at a bridge that connects the United States to one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico.

Many of the deportees, all Mexican, have been living illegally in the United States for years, and they dont know Reynosas reputation. It is the least secure city in Mexico, according to a government survey. It is in a state, Tamaulipas, that is the only place along Mexicos northern border to carry the State Departments most severe travel warning, putting it in the same category as Afghanistan and North Korea.

From 2017 to 2018, the number of homicides more than doubled to 225 in the city of 600,000. At least another 2,500 people are missing. Criminal groups enrich themselves through kidnapping and extortion, with migrants among their most common targets.

Last year, a third of people deported from the United States to Mexico, about 60,000 as of October, were sent through Tamaulipas. About 16,500 of the deportees arrived in Reynosa. Mexican officials and human rights advocates argue that the U.S. practice of sending deportees to these areas is a flagrant human rights violation.

Mexicos new administration says it plans to formally ask the United States to stop deportations to Reynosa and other dangerous, poorly resourced border cities, and instead concentrate on safer ports of entry.

The ideal solution is not to have Reynosa as a point of return, said Tonatiuh Guillen, head of Mexicos national immigration authority.

Ricardo Calderon, Tamaulipas states top immigration official, greets the deportees almost every night, explaining how cautious they need to be while in Reynosa, near the southern tip of Texas, across the border from Hidalgo.

The fact is, theyre deporting people to one of the most dangerous places on the border, he said from his office near the international bridge. If people leave here to get something to eat, theyre going to be kidnapped.

Officials have catalogued a string of crimes against both deportees and other migrants. In 2017, the Tamaulipas government recorded dozens of cases of migrants being kidnapped or extorted by criminal groups. That year, the governor of the state created a program known as Project Safe Passage, providing a police escort to deportees as they navigate the city, a precaution not taken in any other state.

I tell them, Either you arrive with us, or you dont arrive at all,  said Mario Garcia, another state immigration official. The program also warns deportees that if they attempt to travel independently, they should expect to be kidnapped.

The threats are constant. In some cases, Calderon said, deportees have been taken away at gunpoint after withdrawing money to pay for bus tickets to their hometowns. In other cases, criminal groups stop southbound buses leaving Reynosa and force deportees out. The kidnappers then ask for several thousand dollars from the migrants family members to secure their release. In October, 22 kidnapped migrants, most of them Honduran, were rescued in a single police operation.

Theyre seen as easy targets, Calderon said, people with relatives in the U.S. who can pay a ransom.

In 2016, Mexicos federal government agreed to limit deportations from the United States to 12 border crossings, including Reynosa. It was an attempt to streamline the process, even though the inclusion of several dangerous locations in Mexico angered local officials and raised human rights concerns.

When asked about the deportations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to comment on concerns about the security of deportees but said the Mexican government had agreed to accept deportees in Reynosa.

Removals to Tamaulipas, like all removals to Mexico, are co-ordinated with and approved by the government of Mexico, said Brendan Raedy, an ICE spokesman.

Guillen said he would soon formally request the United States to limit deportations to fewer cities.

This would help us create a neutral space and a safer environment for the deportees, he said, suggesting that deportations in Tamaulipas could be concentrated in the safer  though still troubled  city of Nuevo Laredo.

Tamaulipas, in Mexicos northeastern corner, contains the closest border crossings to ICE detainees held on the East Coast of the United States. It is also not far from some of Americas largest immigrant detention facilities, which are in South Texas. The last time the portion of deportees sent here approached 30 per cent was 2014, and security in Reynosa has since deteriorated.

Why Tamaulipas? Why keep deporting people through a place where they are consistently kidnapped, recruited and extorted? The U.S. response is mostly that Mexicans have agreed to it, said Maureen Meyer, director for Mexico and migrant rights at the Washington Office on Latin America. On the Mexican side, its been hard for the government to admit that part of their border is so insecure that the U.S. shouldnt send anyone there.

On a recent Wednesday night, a relatively small group of deportees arrived in Reynosa  59 men and women  carrying the red nylon bags distributed by ICE.

Victor Quevedo, a state immigration officer, picked them up at the international bridge and led them to the state migration institute.

Many of the deportees in the group had lived the bulk of their lives in the United States. Pedro Giesbrecht and his wife, Anna Giesbrecht, worked on a farm in Ulysses, Kansas, for 27 years. Salvador Herrera was a roofer in Minneapolis for 23 years. Juan Fragaso worked on farms and in restaurants in Del Campo, Texas, for 21 years. Some of the deportees felt more comfortable speaking to one another in English.

Most were originally from Mexican cities hundreds or thousands of miles away. Several were from Tijuana, at the opposite end of the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. immigration agencies do not consider a deportees city of origin when sending him or her across the border.

At the Tamaulipas immigration office, the migrants gathered on plastic chairs, near a Christmas tree. They were each handed a sandwich. Calderon addressed them.

Because of insecurity, youre not going to be able to leave Reynosa tonight, he said. You need to be escorted by police wherever you go.

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A woman named Henriqueta started crying. She had lived in California for 31 years and had nowhere to go in Mexico.

I dont want to live alone, she said.

It was already close to 10 p.m., and there was a bus waiting outside to take the deportees to the Virgin of Guadalupe migrant shelter, a few minutes away. A police truck, with five masked officers, waited behind the bus with its lights on.

It had been another brutal week in Reynosa. The previous Saturday, a shootout at a local bar left four people dead and nine injured. That Wednesday, hours before the deportees arrived, another shootout on a main thoroughfare forced a nearby elementary school to keep its students for hours after their scheduled release.

Tamaulipas descended into chaos during the course of Mexicos drug war, and it was often migrants who found themselves in the crosshairs of organized criminals. In 2010, authorities found the decomposing bodies of 72 migrants from across Latin America on a ranch 145 kilometres south of Reynosa. The Mexican government accused members of the Zetas, a criminal group with ties to drug trafficking, of committing the massacre.

Since then, the U.S. government has experimented with ways to keep deportees out of the hands of criminal groups along the border. Beginning in 2013, for example, it operated twice-weekly flights that took deportees directly to Mexico City, bypassing more dangerous cities like Reynosa. But that program was paused in May, and human rights advocates say the United States is ignoring the reality along the border, especially by deporting people to Reynosa after dark.

Dumping people in dangerous cities which they dont know after dark and putting them at even higher risk for kidnapping and violence makes the already traumatic process of deportation needlessly more damaging, said Marcelo Fernandez, head of mission for Mexico and Central America at Doctors Without Borders. The practice of nighttime deportation by the United States puts peoples lives at risk and must end immediately.

The situation has become so bad that the citys Virgin of Guadalupe shelter wont allow the deportees to walk outside until they are ready to depart the city. Sometimes shootouts occur so close to the shelter that nuns find bullets next to the dining hall.

If they go out on the streets, they can be kidnapped, they can be forced to work as members of these groups, said Sister Catalina Carmona, the director of the shelter.

Last month, the group of 59 deportees awoke in the shelter on Thursday morning, and a silver bus took them to a kiosk where they could withdraw money their relatives had sent them. Four police officers waited outside.

Theyre telling us this place is dangerous, but I really dont know anything about it, said Herrera, the roofer from Minneapolis.

Some of the deportees grew antsy. Two young women told Garcia, the immigration official, that they wanted to leave the group and head out on their own.

Its not worth it, he told them.

That week, like every other week, the shelter had received calls from families looking for relatives, migrants who were missing in Tamaulipas.

But the two deportees, both young women, left anyway. Garcia muttered to himself, shaking his head.

They dont know what theyre doing.

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BANGKOKThailands immigration police chief met Tuesday with officials from the Saudi Embassy in Bangkok, as Saudi Arabia tried to distance itself from accusations that it attempted to block a young womans effort to flee from her family and seek asylum abroad.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun arrived in Bangkok from Kuwait late Saturday after slipping away from her family, whom she accused of abusing her. The 18-year-old was stopped by officials in Thailand who confiscated her passport.

Her urgent pleas for help over Twitter from an airport hotel room garnered tens of thousands of followers and the attention of the U.N.s refugee agency, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Public pressure prompted Thai officials to return her passport and let her temporarily stay in Thailand.

Alqunun alleged several times that Saudi officials were involved in seizing her passport. However, in repeated statements, including one issued Tuesday, the Saudi Embassy in Thailand said it is only monitoring her situation.

Its latest statement, which described Alqununs case as a family affair, said Saudi Arabia did not demand her deportation back home. The embassy  and Thai officials  earlier also said that Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities in Bangkok because she did not have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist, which appeared to have raised a red flag about the reasons for her trip.

Thailands immigration police chief, Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, told reporters Tuesday that Saudi diplomats told him they are satisfied with how her case had been handled.

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The position of two countries on this matter is the same  that the priority is to provide her safety. We are both concerned for Miss Rahafs safety and well-being, Surachate said.

He said Alqununs father and brother were due to arrive soon in Bangkok, but that it was her decision whether to meet with them. On Twitter, she has expressed fear of such a meeting. The father had previously been expected Monday night.

A spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees at its Geneva headquarters, Babar Baloch, said it could take several days for the agency to look into Alqununs claims. He said it was too early to tell if she will be granted asylum or refugee status.

Baloch noted the power of social media in making her plight a matter that officials could not ignore.

For us, all individual cases are alike. Its different the way we get access to those individuals ... (whats) different in this case is the wave of all of the voices of solidarity and support came together, joined up in terms of caring for this individual, he said. This should be the standard for any individual who claims that his or her life is in danger.

Saudi Arabias human rights record has come under intense scrutiny since the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in October. Khashoggi, who wrote critically of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in columns for The Washington Post, had been living in self-imposed exile before he was killed and dismembered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul by Saudi agents.

The kingdom offered various shifting accounts of the circumstances of his death before eventually settling on the explanation that he died in a botched operation to forcibly bring him back to Saudi Arabia.

Some female Saudi runaways fleeing abuse by their families have been caught trying to seek asylum abroad in recent years. Saudi activists say the kingdom, through its embassies abroad, has at times put pressure on border patrol agents in foreign countries to deport the women back to Saudi Arabia.

In 2017, Dina Ali Lasloom triggered a firestorm online when she was stopped en route to Australia, where she planned to seek asylum. She was forced to return to Saudi Arabia and was not publicly heard from again, according to activists tracking her whereabouts.

Australian national broadcaster ABC reported that the countrys Home Affairs Department announced late Tuesday that it would consider Alqununs application for asylum if she was found to be a genuine refugee, and called on Thai authorities and UNHCR to assess her claim as quickly as possible.

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Human Rights Watch earlier called on the Australian government to allow Alqununs entry into that country, amid worries about her visa status.

The organizations Australian director, Elaine Pearson, said she had seen electronic confirmation of her tourist visa, but that Alqunun could no longer access her visa page on Australias immigration website on Tuesday, sparking concern that the document had been cancelled. An Australian visa is usually processed electronically and not stamped in ones passport, but confirmed by a document that the visitor can print out.

Since Australia has expressed concern in the past about womens rights in Saudi Arabia, it should come forward and offer protection for this young woman, Pearson said.

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WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIF.Los Angeles County sheriffs detectives have opened an investigation into a second death in less than two years at the residence of Democratic Party donor Ed Buck, who has contributed to various California races and causes.

Deputies were called to a West Hollywood residence at 1:05 a.m. Monday on a report of a person not breathing, and county firefighters pronounced the man dead, a department statement said.

The man was not identified and the cause of death will be determined by the coroner.

On July 27, 2017 there was a death investigation of a male adult, Gemmel Moore, who was determined to have overdosed at the same location. Mr. Edward Buck was present during both incidents, the statement said.

The department said the new investigation will include a review of the 2017 incident.

Bucks attorney, Seymour Amster, told the Los Angeles Times after Mondays death that Buck was not arrested and was co-operating with investigators.

From what I know, it was an old friend who died of an accidental overdose, and unfortunately, we believe that the substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment, Amster said. The person came over intoxicated.

In 2017, Amster described Buck and Moore as friends and said his client had nothing to do with that death.

An autopsy report said Moore died of a methamphetamine overdose. He was found naked on a mattress in the living room with drug paraphernalia littered about.

The County District Attorneys Office declined to file charges against Buck. A charge evaluation worksheet obtained by the Times said that the admissible evidence is insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that suspect Buck furnished drugs to Gemmel Moore or that suspect Buck possessed drugs.

Buck is a past candidate for the West Hollywood City Council and is well known in LGBTQ political circles.

In response to the latest death, the Los Angeles LGBT Center called for a full investigation.

While much is still to be learned, it appears this tragedy is linked to substance use. LGBT people and other marginalized groups are at elevated risk for impacts that result from the current epidemic uses of opioids, methamphetamine, and other dangerous drugs, the centre said.
Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who in 2016 met with Trump campaign officials in Trump Tower, was charged on Tuesday in a separate case that showed her close ties to the Kremlin.

Veselnitskaya, a pivotal figure in the investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election, was charged by federal prosecutors in New York with seeking to thwart an earlier Justice Department investigation into money laundering that involved an influential Russian businessman and his investment firm.

The money-laundering case was not directly related to the Trump Tower meeting. But a federal indictment returned in Manhattan seemed to confirm that Veselnitskaya had deep ties to senior Russian government officials and rekindled questions about whether the Kremlin tried to use her as an intermediary to Donald Trumps campaign.

The charges stem from the Justice Departments 2013 civil investigation into the role that some of Veselnitskayas clients  Prevezon Holdings Ltd. and its owner, Denis P. Katsyv  played in a scheme to launder ill-gotten money through New York real estate purchases.

The Justice Department asked the Russian government to assist its investigation, but the Russians refused, responding with a letter that purported to exonerate Russian officials and Prevezon, the indictment said.

The indictment says Veselnitskaya secretly cooperated with a senior Russian prosecutor in drafting the intentionally misleading response, then filed it in federal court in Manhattan.

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In doing so, Veselnitskaya obstructed the civil proceeding, the indictment said. She is charged with one count of obstruction of justice.

Veselnitskaya, 43, is believed to be in Russia, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, which moved to unseal the indictment on Tuesday. The office gave no indication that it expected her to be sent to Manhattan to face charges. She declined a request for an interview.

The new indictment again raises questions about whom Veselnitskaya was representing when she met with Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort and others at Trump Tower in Manhattan.

That meeting is one focus of the special counsels investigation into Russias interference in the election. It was organized after an intermediary promised that Veselnitskaya would deliver documents that would incriminate Hillary Clinton.

Last April, Veselnitskaya acknowledged in an interview with NBC News that she was not merely a private lawyer, but a source of information for the Russian prosecutor general, Yuri Y. Chaika. Now in Manhattan, prosecutors say she collaborated clandestinely with that office to write an official letter that benefited Prevezon.

For years, Veselnitskaya has been regarded as a trusted insider and go-to lawyer for the Moscow regional government.

In the fraud case, filed in 2013, the prosecutors in the Southern District accused Prevezon and other defendants of using real estate purchases in New York to launder a small portion of the profits of an elaborate $230 million (U.S.) Russian tax fraud scheme. The lawsuit was settled last May on the eve of trial for about $6 million, with Prevezon admitting no fault.

The broader Russian scheme had been uncovered by Sergei L. Magnitsky, the Russian tax lawyer who was imprisoned after exposing the scheme and died in a Moscow jail.

Veselnitskaya has maintained that she was acting in a private capacity when she visited Trump Tower in June 2016, just after Trump clinched the Republican nomination.

Her claim has been undercut by revelations that the meeting was organized because campaign officials had been told she could deliver damaging information about Clinton from the Russian government.

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In addition, her memo on talking points for the meeting closely matched a memo Chaikas office had prepared for a U.S. congresswoman, incorporating some passages verbatim.

The indictment unsealed on Tuesday further undermines her story, detailing how a year before the Trump Tower get-together, the U.S. authorities say, she worked hand in glove with Russian officials to derail the money-laundering case.

Robert Mueller, the special counsel, has been investigating the Trump Tower meeting as part of the inquiry into whether the Trump campaign co-ordinated with Russias covert operation to sway the presidential race.

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AMMAN, JORDANThe Trump administration is doubling down on commercial and diplomatic efforts in the coming weeks to put real pressure on Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at the start of a Mideast tour Tuesday.

Pompeo is meeting with U.S. allies in the region, including stops in Jordan, Egypt and several Gulf nations, to co-ordinate an anti-Iran campaign.

The trip comes amid confusion over conflicting statements by President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials about a planned U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria. Trump made the surprise announcement about a withdrawal last month, saying some 2,000 troops fighting alongside Syrian Kurdish allies in northeastern Syria against Islamic State extremists would be pulled out soon. He did not give details, such as a timetable, leaving bewildered U.S. partners in the region jockeying for influence over terms of a withdrawal.

Pompeo contended Tuesday that the planned withdrawal from Syria would not complicate the administrations anti-Iran campaign. He said U.S. allies in the region, including Jordan, agree on what they view as the enormous risk Iran poses for the region.

The presidents decision to withdraw our folks from Syria in no way impacts our capacity to deliver on that, he said in a joint news conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. You will see in the coming days and weeks that we are doubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran to achieve what it is we set out for them back in May.

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Pompeos visit began as U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton was set to depart Turkey without meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  an apparent snub over disagreements about the Kurdish fighters in Syria.

U.S. officials had said the two were expected to have consultations on Tuesday about the fate of Kurds allied with the U.S. in Syria as part of discussions about Trumps troop drawdown.

National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis said U.S. officials were told Erdogan cited local election season and a speech to parliament for not meeting with Bolton.

The Trump administration in November restored U.S. sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Western powers. The sanctions cover Irans shipping, financial and energy sectors. They are the second batch the administration has reimposed since Trump withdrew from the accord in May.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on his official Twitter account on Tuesday that Pompeo and Bolton are obsessed with Iran and their behaviour is more and more like the behaviour of persistently failing psychotic stalkers. In effect, US is substituting a real foreign policy with Iran-obsession and -phobia.

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Later on Tuesday, Pompeo met with Jordans King Abdullah II at the royal palace in the capital of Amman.

During a brief photo opportunity, Pompeo was chatting with the monarch, mentioning a speech by President Trump, to be delivered from the Oval Office later Tuesday.

He is going to give a set of remarks, Pompeo said of the president. First time hes spoken from the Oval Office in two years. Its gonna be about the border, mostly, our southern border. I saw an early version of it. He will make a lot of news.

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WASHINGTONPaul Manafort shared 2016 presidential campaign polling data with Konstantin Kilimnik, an associate whom the FBI has said has ties to Russian intelligence, according to a court filing.

The information is in a filing that appears to inadvertently include information not intended to be made public and indicates a pathway by which the Russians could have had access to Trump campaign data.

The former Trump campaign chairman on Tuesday denied in a filing from his defence team that he broke his plea deal by lying repeatedly to prosecutors working for Special Counsel Robert Mueller about that and other issues.

In his rebuttal to the special counsels claims of dishonesty, Manafort exposed details of the dispute, much of which centres on his relationship with Kilimnik. The Russian citizen, who began working for Manaforts consulting firm starting in 2005, has been charged with helping his former boss to obstruct Muellers investigation of Russian interference into the 2016 election. He is believed to be in Moscow.

The special counsel alleged Manafort lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign, according to the unredacted filing. The source of that data, including whether it came from the Trump campaign, is unclear.

According to the court filing, the special counsel also accused Manafort of lying about discussing a Ukrainian peace plan with Kilimnik during the 2016 campaign.

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Manafort conceded that he discussed or may have discussed a Ukraine peace plan with Mr. Kilimnik on more than one occasion, his attorneys quote the special counsel as saying, and acknowledged that he and Mr. Kilimnik met while they were both in Madrid, without giving a date.

Manafort was in close contact with Kilimnik through the campaign, including meeting with him in the United States in May and again in August 2016.

Manaforts lawyers provided no additional details about the Ukrainian peace plan. In January 2017, Trump attorney Michael Cohen has said he was given a Russian-friendly peace plan for Ukraine during a meeting at a New York hotel with a Ukrainian lawmaker and Felix Sater, a longtime Trump business associate.

The proposal would have paved the way for the U.S. to lift sanctions on Russia, a top foreign policy goal of the Kremlin. Manafort told the Post in 2017 that he had no role in the episode and it is not clear if the peace plan was the same one he discussed with Kilimnik.

In emails first reported by the Washington Post, Manafort, who was deeply in debt at the time he agreed to work for Trumps campaign for no pay, wrote to Kilimnik during the campaign and said he hoped to use his campaign role to get whole. He also asked Kilimnik to offer private briefings about the campaign to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian businessman who is close to Putin and to whom Manafort owed money. A spokesperson for Deripaska has said he was never offered or received briefings about the Trump campaign.

Kilimnik did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Mueller also said Manafort lied about contacting administration officials after Trump took office. Manafort had told investigators he had no direct or indirect contact with White House officials since Trumps inauguration, but Manafort had been in touch with officials as recently as the spring, according to the special counsel.

Manafort told a colleague in February  four months after he was indicted  that he was in contact with a senior administration official through that time, prosecutors said. And in a text message, he authorized another person to speak with a White House official on May 26, they alleged.

In Tuesdays filing, Manaforts attorneys said that person was asking permission to use Mr. Manaforts name as an introduction in the event the third-party met the President, which does not constitute outreach by Mr. Manafort to the President.

They add that the other example of contact with administration officials is hearsay purportedly offered by an undisclosed third party and the defence has not been provided with the statement.

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In their submission to the court, Manaforts lawyers said his inconsistencies were honest mistakes.

He was engaged with work related to the presidential campaign, they wrote. Issues and communications related to Ukrainian political events simply were not at the forefront of Mr. Manaforts mind during the period at issue and it is not surprising at all that Mr. Manafort was unable to recall specific details prior to having his recollection refreshed.

Defense attorneys wrote that Manafort had trouble recollecting certain details in part because his solitary confinement at the Alexandria jail in Virginia have taken a toll on his physical and mental health.

For several months Mr. Manafort has suffered from severe gout, at times confining him to a wheelchair, the lawyers wrote. He also suffers from depression and anxiety and, due to the facilitys visitation regulations, has had very little contact with his family.

Prosecutors had accused Manafort of telling multiple discernible lies over the course of 12 interviews with investigators and two grand jury appearances since his guilty plea in September in Washington, D.C., to conspiring to defraud the United States and conspiring to obstruct justice through his undisclosed lobbying for a pro-Russian politician in Ukraine.

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson has ordered the special counsel to respond and set a Jan. 25 hearing date to air the competing perspectives.

In the Tuesday filing, Manaforts lawyers said the disagreement can be dealt with through the sentencing process, because prosecutors have said they have no plans to file fresh charges.

The longtime Republican consultant already faces a possible maximum, 10-year prison sentence in his D.C. case under federal guidelines for conspiring to cheat the Internal Revenue Service, violate foreign-lobbying laws and tamper with witnesses. That time could come in addition to his punishment for separate convictions in Virginia on tax and bank fraud charges.

Manafort faces a tentative March 5 sentencing date in his federal case in D.C. If he is found to have breached the deal, he would lose any sentencing credits for acceptance of responsibility, prosecutors said.

The longtime lobbyist is set for sentencing Feb. 8 in Virginia before U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis.

Under the agreement with prosecutors in his D.C. case, Manafort also was ordered to forfeit an estimated $15 million (U.S.) he hid from the IRS, but was permitted to keep some property held with relatives. In return for his co-operation, he hoped to have prosecutors recommend leniency, possibly slicing years off his prison term.

Prosecutors said Manafort also lied about the circumstances of a $125,000 wire transfer in 2017. Manaforts filing sheds little light on that transaction. His attorneys say only that they have not seen evidence from the special counsel indicating Manaforts version of events is untrue.

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TEHRAN, IRANAcademics with foreign ties living in Iran are on alert following the arrest of a demographer whose research led her to question the countrys decision to urge people to have more children.

Meimanat Hosseini-Chavoshi, who is a citizen of both Iran and Australia, was arrested in November while she tried to leave and is accused of being a spy, according to Kayhan, Irans conservative newspaper.

Her colleague, Mohammad Jalal Abbasi-Shavazi, a demographics professor at Tehran University and director of Irans National Institute of Population Research, was detained shortly after by Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard and interrogated about his work on population growth and fertility, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

Authorities allege that the two demographers falsified statistics about the fertility rate in Iran to mask the countrys population crisis, Iranian state media have reported. The government contends there is a coming population shortage and has been pushing to increase the fertility rate.

The arrest of a university researcher for simply engaging in academic inquiry is unusual even in a country with a long history of jailing activists and has renewed fear among other scholars and researchers who live and work in Iran.

Its a signal to people in the country to be careful, or you will end up in jail, said Siavash Ramesh, a political analyst in Iran. If a demographer who says the population is good enough, is jailed, then who is safe?

Shortly after the 1979 revolution, during the early years of the Islamic Republic, the government embarked on a systematic crackdown on people it viewed as enemies of the conservative theocracy. Sporadic crackdowns have followed over the decades.

The recent arrests of activists, lawyers, environmentalists, womens rights activists and now academics, a handful of whom hold dual citizenship, signal an escalating attack on civil society.

The arrest of the demographers reflects a shift in tactics by hard-liners against those they believe are foreign agents working against the policies of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans supreme leader.

Iranian security forces are beginning to close the space for both activism and analytical inquiry, said Suzanne Maloney, an Iran specialist at the Brookings Institution.

The latest wave of repression started on Dec. 28, 2017, when hundreds of Iranians were arrested and at least 20 killed after protesters took to the streets demanding the resignations of Irans top leaders.

A month later, in February 2018, authorities began arresting environmentalists.

Kavous Seyed Emami, a sociology professor with Canadian citizenship, was one of eight environmental activists arrested and accused of passing intelligence to foreigners. The government said he hanged himself in Tehrans Evin Prison, though his family has challenged that account.

A handful of academics, including Iranians who hold dual citizenship, have also been arrested in recent years and remain in prison.

Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University academic and American citizen who was conducting research on the Qajar dynasty in Iran, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2017 on spying charges. Iranian-Swedish scientist Ahmadreza Djalali was sentenced to death a few months later on espionage charges.

Hosseini-Chavoshi worked with the Australian National University as a researcher and co-authored Population Developments in Iran, a book detailing population trends in Iran and their effect on the countrys economy. She and other experts believe that Iran cant sustain a large population increase.

The allegations against her suggest how Iranians preference for smaller families has become a politically sensitive topic and stoked the fears of some religious conservatives about the future of the Islamic Republic.

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After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, officials encouraged people to have large families. The population doubled in almost a decade to 55 million, up from 27 million in 1968, according to data from the United Nations.

But after the Iran-Iraq War, officials reversed their policy. Contraceptives became widely available and religious leaders encouraged women to wait before getting pregnant. By the 1990s Iran had one of the most effective population control policies in the world.

Today, that policy has placed Iran in a precarious situation: As Irans working-class population continues to grow older, the countrys outdated and poorly designed public pension programs could become strained.

Consequently, Khamenei has been calling for people to have more babies and has said he wants the population to grow from 80 million to 150 million people.

Hard-liners rallying behind the supreme leader are accusing critics such as Hosseini-Chavoshi of being part of a Western conspiracy to keep Iran weak.

Nasrullah Pezhmanfar, a cleric and member of Irans cultural committee of parliament, said reducing the number of people in Iran is an act of war initiated by America and its allies. The enemy has been implementing a consistent plan to reduce the birth rate, he said on state-run TV.

Still, Iranians preference for having fewer children is likely to stay around.

Mehdi Akbari, 32, has been married for three years. He repairs cellphones at a shop in Valiasr Square.

Although hed like to have children, Akbari said he cant to afford to raise them in Irans fickle economy. He makes about $250 (U.S.) a month and said he is barely able to make ends meet.

My mom keeps saying that I must start a family, but I am not sure I can even afford a decent education or quality of life for my child, he said. No way, we cannot afford to start a family.

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ISTANBULPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey denounced the White House National Security Adviser John R. Bolton for comments he made ahead of his arrival in the Turkish capital and refused to meet him on Tuesday, making any agreement between the two NATO partners over a U.S. withdrawal from Syria increasingly difficult.

Erdogan said Bolton had made a grave mistake when he said that Turkey must agree to protect Syrias Kurds in the event of a U.S. withdrawal.

It is not possible for us to swallow the message Bolton gave from Israel, Erdogan said in a speech to political party members in Parliament. Turkey was only opposed to Kurdish militant groups and not ordinary Kurds, he insisted.

Bolton was in Ankara, the Turkish capital, on Tuesday for meetings with his national security counterpart Ibrahim Kalin but left after he was denied a meeting with Erdogan, the pro-government English-language newspaper Daily Sabah reported.

In a news briefing after Boltons departure, Kalin said that a meeting between Bolton and Erdogan had not been scheduled and had been deemed unnecessary after the national security advisers had met.

Erdogan had hailed President Donald Trumps decision to pull out of Syria as the right call.

Read More:

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Bolton heading to Turkey to discuss U.S. troop exit from Syria

Leaving Syria isnt a pullout  its an American surrender

In an Opinion piece in The New York Times, he made the case that Turkey, with the second-largest standing army in the NATO alliance, was the only country with the power and commitment to replace U.S. forces in northeastern Syria, to fight terrorism and ensure stability for the Syrian people.

In Jerusalem, in addition to demanding guarantees that Turkey would not attack Kurdish forces allied with the United States, Bolton told reporters that U.S. forces would remain in Syria until Daesh (also known as the Islamic State or ISIS) was defeated, seemingly contradicting his boss, Trump.

We dont think the Turks ought to undertake military action thats not fully co-ordinated with and agreed to by the United States, at a minimum so they dont endanger our troops, Bolton had said.

Yet even before Boltons comments angered Erdogan, discussions were bound to show how far apart the two sides are in their priorities in Syria, political analysts said.

The main reason that Ankara supports a withdrawal of U.S. forces, said Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, the Ankara director for the German Marshall Fund of the United States, is that it would end support for the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, which Turkey regards as a terrorist group, and would also put paid to the idea of Rojava, a Kurdish-run autonomous territory across northern Syria.

The YPG is widely seen as the Syrian franchise of the Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK, which has been fighting an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s and is recognized as a terrorist organization by that country, the United States and the European Union.

If it means an end to U.S. support for the Kurds in Syria, Unluhisarcikli said, Turkey is even prepared to accept an end to U.S. air space in eastern Syria and to lose NATO air and logistical support.

If the alternative is continued co-operation with the YPG, they would want them to leave, he said, describing Turkeys view of the U.S. presence in Syria.

Turkish officials would be likely to disabuse Washington of some of its expectations in the meetings, he added.

America will request Turkeys further co-operation against Daesh, he said, using the Arabic acronym for Daesh. I am not sure Turkey will deliver.

Turkish forces have been mustering for an operation into northeastern Syria, but the Turkish military is intent on dealing with the Kurdish militant threat and does not want to extend more than 15 to 20 kilometres, roughly 10 miles, into Syria, Unluhisarcikli said.

The United States would like Turkey to agree not to move against the YPG and its political branch, the PYD, in the event of a U.S. withdrawal.

That is a hopeless cause, Unluhisarcikli said. It is not a question of whether. Turkey will not tolerate the PKK on its borders. So it is only a matter of time.

Kurdish representatives in Syria complained that U.S. officials had left them out of talks so far and expressed concern at the conflicting messaging.

Were expecting to hear from the Americans soon, but so far they have not involved us in the talks, said Nasser Haj Mansour, a Kurdish politician and former adviser to the U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces. We are hoping that Turkey would avoid any military action within our borders, he said.

Newaf Khalil, head of the Europe-based Center for Kurdish Studies, warned that Turkish forces would not listen to U.S. requests not to target Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The U.S. is saying that the Turks wont kill the Kurds if they deploy, but definitely they will kill SDF fighters, their families, and many more, he said. Were talking about thousands. Theres a big contradiction in the U.S. statements, and this is not acceptable.

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Turkey supports rebels fighting the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad in Syria but opposes groups it considers to be terrorists, including Daesh and the YPG. It backs the 30,000-strong Free Syrian Army, renamed the National Liberation Front, which has fought against both Daesh and YPG forces in Afrin.

In his Opinion article, Erdogan called for a stabilization force featuring fighters from all parts of Syrian society as a first step to replace the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which are commanded by members of the YPG.

Turkish officials have said their immediate concern is what happens to the U.S. bases, and the materiel and weapons America has brought into Syria, in the event of a withdrawal.

There are many issues such as how it is going to happen, Kalin, the national security adviser and presidential spokesman, said in an interview last week with the NTV news channel. How they will withdraw, what will happen to the bases there, the recollection of the weapons given to PYD/YPG, the type of the relationship with them, the continuation of the struggle against Daesh, avoiding a security void there: We will handle those in those meetings.

One area where United States and Turkish officials could find some agreement is how to proceed with the Syrian town of Manbij, a strategic crossroads in northern Syria where U.S. forces have a base and where the local council is dominated by the Kurdish YPG.

Turkey has been threatening to advance on the city, demanding that the YPG leave and complaining that the United States is dragging its feet in bringing that about. Nevertheless U.S. forces have been conducting joint patrols with Turkish forces around Manbij and a joint working group has finally reached agreement on the criteria for vetting officials to run the local council.

Although slow, the Manbij road map offers a way for the United States to pull out and leave a workable system behind in a string of northern towns along the Turkish border.

The primary issue is naturally Manbij, the withdrawal of entire PYD/YPG forces from Manbij, Kalin said. Of course it is not only that. It is important for them to withdraw from other Arab cities they have invaded. We will go on negotiating those.

Turkey would not, however, fill the entire void that a U.S. departure would leave, Unluhisarcikli said.

Surprise changes in the top of the Turkish military indicate internal disagreement over the Syrian deployment, Metin Gurcan, a military analyst, wrote this week in a column for the news site Al-Monitor.

Two top generals  Gen. Metin Temel, commander of the Second Army, a rising star who commanded the operation in Afrin last spring and is known to be close to Erdogan; and Brig. Gen. Mustafa Barut, commander of the Fourth Commando Brigade  were abruptly removed by presidential decree on Dec. 31 and reassigned to desk jobs in the General Staff.

The demotions appear to be because of differences between them and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and the chief of staff, Yasar Guler, including over deployments into Syria.

Temel wants Ankara to have no part in co-operating with the United States in northeast Syria, Gurcan wrote. He thinks that because Kurdish forces there get substantial U.S. support and are well equipped and trained, it would be risky to launch a mid-winter operation there while relying on confusing and undependable messages from the United States.

Meanwhile Erdogan will be meeting President Vladimir Putin of Russia in coming days, the Turkish media reported.

The Russians as well are happy about the U.S. withdrawal plan, Kalin said. Moscow wants the Syrian government to take control of northeastern Syria while Turkey was still holding out for it to be handed to local councils, he said.

They have such an inclination, but they are not insistent on that, Kalin said of Russia. We believe that it would be more right to do it with elements of local people.

Erdogan told reporters after his speech in Parliament that an incursion into Syria might happen at any moment after the Bolton meetings, the news channel NTV reported. He also added that he might have a phone call with Trump.

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MANILA, PHILIPPINES For some inmates of the Manila City Jail, making the bed means mopping up sludgy puddles, unfolding a square of cardboard on the tile floor and lying down to sleep in a small, windowless bathroom, wedged in among six men and a toilet.

On one recent night at the jail, in Dorm 5, the air was thick and putrid with the sweat of 518 men crowded into a space meant for 170.

The inmates were cupped into each other, limbs draped over a neighbours waist or knee, feet tucked against someone elses head, too tightly packed to toss and turn in the sweltering heat.

Since President Rodrigo Dutertes violent anti-drug campaign began in 2016, Philippine jails have become increasingly more packed, propelling the overall prison system to the top of the World Prison Briefs list of the most overcrowded incarceration systems in the world.

In the Manila City Jail, sleep is the most precious commodity.

If an inmate has money, he can buy a spot in a kubol, a small, improvised cubicle shared by two or more men, separated from the crowds with plywood walls and a curtain.

Otherwise, its the floor, or perhaps a bathroom, or on a stairway fashioned from two-by-fours; if an inmate falls off one of those steps, he takes everyone below with him.

Few of these inmates have been convicted  most are pretrial detainees  but many will spend months or even years in the jail because the court system is so jammed.

The overcrowding has gone on for so long, and the detainees outnumber the guards by so many, that a tacit agreement between officials and jailhouse gangs has become the rule.

The gangs are technically illegal, but they help keep things from melting down into chaos and often help stretch scarce jail resources to keep inmates fed, officials and inmates said.

Some officials are blunt about how bad things have gotten.

When you are detained in Philippine jails, you are being tortured, said Leah Armamento, a member of the Philippine governments Commission on Human Rights.

She was referring to a 2015 finding by the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, which called for urgent action to address overcrowding.

The Philippine judicial system is riddled with inefficiencies, and there is a culture of bribery and structural incentives for judges and lawyers to move slowly, despite a constitutional right to a speedy trial, said Raymund Narag, an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University who studies Philippine jails.

One inmate, a boy who left home after his family disowned him for being gay, was arrested in April 2017 on accusations of shouting in public and carrying a concealed knife.

He was 15 at the time, he said, but the arresting officers put down a date of birth suggesting he was over 18, and he was taken to Manila City Jail.

Now 16, his case was resolved two months after his arrest, when the prosecutor requested his release after a dental exam proved he was a minor. But the jail has not received a final order for his release from the Social Welfare Department.

Lost amid a culture of institutional indifference, he has been in jail for a year and nine months  far surpassing the sentence he would have received had he actually been convicted, which would have been as little as a $4 fine or 15 days in jail.

The boy, whose name is being withheld because he is a minor, said that he wanted to be released, of course, but that he did not know how to make that happen.

Nobody is helping me, he said.

Narag, the professor, spent six years as a pretrial detainee in a Philippine jail himself, before finally being acquitted in 2002. He was a lawyer by training, and climbed the jail gang hierarchy to become a high-ranking mayor de mayores, or mayor of mayors.

The slow justice system and the elaborate social world of the jail are related, Narag explained.

You stay so long inside the jail you need to develop a coping mechanism to survive, he said.

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Accordingly, he said, compared with places like the United States, the Philippine jails have become much more communal, so the cell becomes a family inside.

The gangs are those families, and officials concede that an informal agreement to share governance keeps them from losing control of the jail.

On a recent shift at the Manila City Jail, there was one correctional officer for every 528 inmates. The Philippine government recommends a ratio of one for every seven inmates.

Theres an equilibrium of peace and order here, said Capt. Jayrex Bustinera, the spokesman and chief of records for the jail. Formally, we dont allow inmates to police other inmates. Informally, we do because of a lack of resources.

One inmate, Buboy Mendiola, 37, heads up the Sigue Sigue Sputnik gang, and also oversees an informal prison economy, where earnings are pooled to fund the needs of his group  one of the five main gangs that functionally govern the jail from within.

In a recent raid, jail administrators found that the Sputnik gangs treasury held 720,000 pesos, or about $13,700. Mendiola bought pigs and hundreds of chickens for the Sputniks Christmas feast last month.

And he keeps a fund for medical emergencies and basic needs for the dorm, like soap and toothpaste, he said.

Boredom lets the devil into your mind, Mendiola said. He said he worried that if the men werent occupied, they could start causing trouble.

There is fighting, which cannot be avoided living in such close quarters, but it can be somewhat policed, he said.

In the Sputniks, getting into a fist fight will be punished with five lashes, and if someone draws blood, that number jumps to 15 or 20.

Approach another inmates visitor without invitation and get 20 lashes. Wink at someone elses visitor, and its 25.

Its the kind of thing that starts rumbles, Mendiola said.

The beatings are conducted with a lacquered wooden bat, painted with SPUTNIK No. 1 on one side and CMDR. BUBOY MENDIOLA on the other.

After six years at Manila City Jail, Mendiolas lawyer recently told him that his time would be ending in a few months and that he would be acquitted of his crime. He is working with a secret council of his deputies to find the next commander.

Someone godly, Mendiola said, who cares about people, wants to do the right thing and is judicious in his discipline.
In her 91 years, Aleksandra Kozhevnikova survived Stalinist Russia, served the allied war effort as a teenager in the 1940s, suffered the death of a child, taught special needs children and eventually came to Canada 12 years ago, where she has lived an independent and healthy life.

At least she did until last April 23, when a van plowed into pedestrians on Yonge St., taking the elderly widow and grandmother down in one of the most devastating and deadly attacks Canada has ever witnessed.

When the rented van finally stopped, 10 people were dead and 16 others were seriously injured. Alek Minassian, 26, has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder.

The attack left Kozhevnikova in a wheelchair and requiring physical and psychological care that AIG Insurance  the insurer of Ryder Truck Rental Canada Ltd., the company that rented the van to Minassian  has largely declined to pay.

The insurer had an in-house investigator dig into Kozhevnikovas benefit claims and hired a law firm to question her about her injuries under oath, according to documents obtained by the Star.

I think they dont want to spend money on me, the Russian-speaking Kozhevnikova said through a translator in an interview at her spartan Yonge St. apartment. I think they believe that theyve helped me enough.

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AIG officials declined interview requests. In a written statement, spokesperson Matthew Gallagher said, AIG is deeply concerned for all the victims of this tragedy and we take our responsibilities very seriously. Working with an independent adjuster, we adhere to processes mandated by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario. This includes ensuring that injured individuals are receiving approved necessary care and that care companies are providing all services for which they are billing injured victims. We are restricted from publicly commenting further on individual cases.

Meanwhile, almost $40,000 in bills for care, assessments and psychological services have gone unpaid, Kozhevnikovas paralegal and her team of support workers told the Star.

This case is personal to me and it should be personal to every citizen of the city and the country, said Michael Taylor, a partner at the Toronto-based personal injury law firm Taylor, Baber and Mergui.

Shes a victim of something that transformed Toronto  the first attack in this country using a vehicle to murder innocent victims  and when she turned to the system in place to help her, it victimized her again, Taylor said.

Instead of giving this woman a helping hand, which insurance companies are supposed to do, they turned their back on her and put her in harms way.

The law firm has taken Kozhevnikovas case on a bare minimum contingency basis and waived legal fees, said partner Golan Mergui.

Insurance companies do routinely engage in these type of behaviours. What makes this particular case egregious is the fact that the attendant care benefits for our client were approved. Notwithstanding, AIG still managed to delay payment for almost a year, knowing that our client was a 91-year-old survivor of the Second World War who suffered catastrophic physical and psychological injuries as a result of one of the worst terrorist attacks in this country, Mergui said.

AIG owed a duty of utmost good faith to our client and failed miserably in that duty.

Of the $23,400 worth of invoices filed to AIG for personal-support care since May, the insurer has reimbursed $3,129, according to documents obtained by the Star. Of the $26,500 worth of medical assessments and psychological services billed to AIG by another service provider, $10,800 has been paid out. Of $7,700 billed for physiotherapy services, $3,700 has been paid.

The crux of the dispute lies in a disagreement between AIG and Kozhevnikovas advocates over how badly she was injured.

Born in a village near in the southwestern Russian city of Kazan, Kozhevnikova proudly lays out on her kitchen table the eight military medals she received from the Russian government, acknowledging her service to the war effort between 1942 and 1945 when she worked in a rifle-assembly factory.

On her dining room wall hang photos of her son and grandchildren, who she followed to Canada in 2006. In her small bedroom, a Russian Orthodox icon of Mary and Jesus sits beside two candles.

Her memory of April 23 begins clearly enough. It was a sunny day. She went out for one of her typical walks down Yonge St., stopping at the bank to pay a utility bill and then at a store to pick up eggs, which she placed in the red push cart she always brought along for groceries.

Then she headed back to her apartment, on Yonge south of Finch Ave.

Her next memory is waking up in St. Michaels Hospital and seeing her daughter-in-law, Olga, by her side. She had been unconscious for three days.

The Toronto Paramedic report says she was struck by a vehicle travelling 60 kilometres an hour, resulting in an obvious deformity to her right femur that left her unable to extend her leg.

What followed were weeks of rehabilitation and tests.

My right leg isnt mine anymore, she said. I had a complete blackout of my memory. My spine is painful. There was such pain in my entire body. I wanted to jump from the top of the building.

An orthopedic assessment in June, obtained by the Star, concluded her lack of mobility due to a fractured right hip met the catastrophic determination for severe physical impairment. And, the report said, she was likely to suffer mental and behavioural impairment and possibly cognitive impairments that would meet the test for two other catastrophic categories.

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The report, commissioned by Kozhevnikovas law firm and written by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tajedin Getahun, recommends physiotherapy, continued attendant care benefits for self-care and housekeeping and home maintenance, a psychological assessment for mental and behavioural impairments, and a neurological assessment for cognitive impairments.

The same month, a psychological assessment commissioned by Kozhevnikovas law firm concluded she registered severe levels of depression and anxiety. The report, written by clinical psychologist Dr. Silvia Tenenbaum, recommended 18 sessions of psychotherapy treatment.

A month later, an occupational therapy assessment ordered by AIG found that while Kozhevnikova was independent and was actively engaged in her life before being struck by the van, she now suffered severe cognitive impairment, impaired judgment and clinical reasoning related to her personal safety. The July 26 report concluded she required assistance with everything from grooming to mobility, and recommended a monthly benefit of $10,231.69 for attendant care.

But an Aug. 1 letter to Taylor from Faber Insurance Adjusters Ltd., acting on behalf of AIG, said the medical information and documentation on Kozhevnikovas injuries provided insufficient evidence of catastrophic impairment.

They disagreed with the findings of the assessors, said Taylor. Its ludicrous, but thats how this industry operates.

A followup psychological evaluation authored by Dr. Mohamed Khaled on behalf of the insurer and dated Aug. 29 reviewed the findings of the previous assessments, and confirmed the treatment plan proposed in them was reasonable and necessary.

AIG has now arranged for new assessments of Kozhevnikova this month, using its own medical assessors in order to determine future payments.

Gord Faber, who is managing Kozhevnikovas claim, visited one of her service providers in September with a member of AIGs special investigation unit to determine the extent of care she was receiving, according to an Oct. 2 email he sent to Taylor.

Faber declined to comment.

The support agencies helping Kozhevnikova have continued to provide basic care without full payment, based on assurances from Taylor that the invoices will eventually be paid  if not by the insurer, then by his law firm.

If we didnt do that, I dont think shed be alive today, said Taylor. Or maybe shed be alive but in long-term care. Everyone involved is carrying enormous financial risk.

Evgeniya Bakshy, a registered nurse and owner of Wellness Home Care and Services Inc. which has been caring for Kozhevnikova since May, says she is a vulnerable woman who cant advocate for herself.

She is a physically, psychologically frail client who doesnt speak English, a person who cant stand up for herself. This story is disgusting to me, Bakshy said. Her safety is being jeopardized. Shes going to break something, end up in hospital or a nursing home. It will be the government system that will be paying for her care there.

Viktoria Ginzburg owns 101 Physio, which has been providing physiotherapy and psychological services to Kozhevnikova.

Weve been having trouble with (AIG) from the beginning, Ginzburg said. Theyve been saying she doesnt need psychological services. Why Im really pushing on this one is because of the trauma inflicted. She was hit by a car maliciously and the insurance company is taking the position that she doesnt need anything. Its ridiculous.

Asked why she has continued to supply care without payment, Ginzburg said, What would you suggest I do? Shes not going to get the help she needs otherwise.

Kozhevnikova says she was more mobile when she initially came home and had a caregiver working with her steadily. I could walk a little. The caregiver held the chair behind me. It would help me.

Now, shes a shadow of her former self, she says. No more walks down Yonge St. No more going out of her small apartment at all without someone to push her wheelchair.

Doctors told me I have to walk more. I can make a couple of steps and then I have to stop, she said, a tear falling from one eye. Im by myself. I dont even go downstairs.

On Oct. 29, a Toronto law firm acting on behalf of AIG asked to conduct an examination under oath with Kozhevnikova to get information about the extent and type of injuries sustained and assess whether the attendant care was incurred.

Taylor rejected the request.

Examination under oath gives insurance companies an opportunity to grill claimants on every invoice and treatment, he said. Shes got no physical or emotional capability to go under oath. They have no moral right to put this elderly lady through this process. Theyre just creating delays in paying the benefits, which are causing hardship.
By noon Monday, Mahen Nagenbram was forced to turn away transitgoers looking for make change to board the subway at Lawrence West station.

Ive helped at least 15 people today, he said, while manning his Gateway convenience store inside the station. My toonies are all gone. Only two loonies left. Im going to need more change.

As of Sunday, Lawrence West and Yorkdale stations joined a growing list  10 stations to date  that no longer have fare collectors in booths accepting cash and debit purchases.

Instead, commuters without the right change were told by TTC staff monitoring the entrance to purchase a Presto card or go find the exact fare. Some riders at Lawrence West were let into the station to take their chances at Nagenbrams store, otherwise they were directed to the mall across the street.

Minutes after Nagenbram shared his growing annoyance, a student approached his store pleading for change for a $10 bill.

When I give you all my change, what about my business? Nagenbram said. If you buy something I can help you.

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Another commuter, Yeoungung Kim, was rushing to a doctors appointment when transit staff informed her of the change. She opted to buy a Presto card instead of trying her luck finding the right coins.

They dont understand that some people cannot afford to spend the $6 for a card, then load the money, she said. Some people dont even have money for a single token. The price for the card should be adjusted.

Around midday Monday, the majority of riders entering Lawrence West were using Presto cards; some made a brief stop to top-up depleted cards, before continuing on their way.

TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said the changes at Yorkdale and Lawrence West are part of a system-wide remodelling that started in 2017 with the opening of the Line 1 extension. It currently includes all stops from Lawrence West to York University.

Its part of a stations transformation program, Green said. He added the move is meant to increase interaction between staff and customers, as staff will still be present at the stations to provide information.

The current schedule will see all stations converted to the new model in early 2020. No more phases are planned for this year.

Its not without its growing pains. People are still a bit confused.

He said Presto is working on offering a single-fare ticket in the near future.

Thats already being tested, he said.

On Monday, Sandy and Brian Hudson were looking to purchase single tickets when they arrived at Yorkdale Station from Bradford, Ont., on their way to watch the Maple Leafs play the Nashville Predators at Scotiabank Arena.

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Right now its a learning curve, Sandy said after being turned away.

They headed back inside Yorkdale Mall, returning with exact fare and Tim Hortons cups.

We got our coffee and paid our way, Sandy said before boarding the train headed downtown.
Toronto police have arrested a 34-year-old man accused of committing the first homicide of 2019, a stabbing in Scarborough.

Ian Dyer, 36, was stabbed to death near Danforth and Midland Aves just after midnight Sunday, on the 12th floor of a Toronto Community Housing building.

He was found with obvious signs of trauma to the upper body, police said. Though first aid was administered, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Leigh Ming, 34, of Toronto was arrested Tuesday morning and charged with first-degree murder.
CALGARYWhen Rick Beaver, a well-respected member of the Calgary Cannabis Club, died of cancer in November, the clubs membership wanted to raise money for the clinic that had treated their friend so well.

At a memorial auction in early December, members raised $6,000 for the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Beavers name. The 65-year-old retired mechanic battled bouts of bladder and esophageal cancer in his later life and used weed to manage the pain, nausea, and appetite issues that went along with treatment.

But last Friday, the centre refused the donation because the money came from a cannabis-oriented group.

The club called the decision discrimination, plain and simple in a Facebook post on Friday, pointing out that some cancer patients use cannabis as part of their treatment, and insisting the donation was raised through legal means.

I just think its a little shameful of a cancer society to refuse any sort of funding, said Gordon Hayes, the clubs director of fundraising and events.

Despite the legalization of recreational cannabis last October, the Alberta Cancer Foundations policy on donations from cannabis-related organizations hasnt been updated in response. Phoebe Dey, vice-president of communications and marketing for the foundation  which raises funds for all of Albertas cancer centres  cited the Canada Revenue Agencys rules on fundraising by registered charities.

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According to the regulations, fundraising isnt acceptable if it is illegal or contrary to public policy. She said the foundation understands the need to change its rules now that recreational cannabis is legal, but it needs to do its due diligence first.

Were just playing catch-up more than anything, Dey said.

During his life, Beaver produced educational videos for the Calgary Cannabis Club and tried to approach seniors about the benefits of cannabis for both recreational and medicinal use. He told StarMetro several months before his death that he was hoping to start a series of information sessions for seniors at Calgary-area retirement homes.

Most of us, weve been hiding in plain sight for a very long time, Beaver told StarMetro.

According to Hayes, the club hasnt had problems making donations to other organizations, even before recreational cannabis was legalized. He said the club made a posthumous donation to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in 2017 on behalf of one of its members.

The SPCA had no problem taking our money, he said.

The cancer foundation is having discussions with its board, Alberta Health Services, and other care-related stakeholders in Alberta on how best to go forward, she said. However, its unclear exactly if or when the policy on accepting cannabis-related donations will change.

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In the meantime, the Calgary Cannabis Club is looking at options other than the Tom Baker Cancer Centre for Beavers donation.

We would have loved for the money to go to them, Hayes said. Its definitely possible to make an anonymous donation, but now we feel like we have a better understanding of their views on cannabis.

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A London, Ont., man who police say is a known Hells Angel biker faces several drug and weapons charges after police raids on two homes and a storage locker found cocaine, Percocet tablets, brass knuckles and Tasers.

Sean Burger, 47, of London, faces charges of possession of cocaine and Percocet for the purpose of trafficking, illegal possession of a firearm and possession of a prohibited device.

The raids were conducted on Saturday, the Ontario Provincial Police announced Tuesday.

The raids netted 154 grams of cocaine worth $15,400, 12 Percocet pills worth, two tasers and three Hells Angels vests, police said.

One of the vests showed patches with LOWELL and FOREVER, showing solidarity with the long-standing Hells Angels charter in Lowell, Mass.

This is an international organization, Det. Staff Sgt. Anthony Renton of the provincial Biker Enforcement Unit said in an interview when asked about the LOWELL patch. Its a symbol of their stature  that they are part of the bigger picture.

Also charged after the raids is Jessica Boloshetshenko, 33, of London, who faces charges of possession of Percocet and possession of unauthorized weapon.

Police said they are also seeking a 27-year-old London, Ont. women with relation to the investigation.

The Lowell, Mass., charter of the Hells Angels dates back to 1966 and is particularly significant in the history of the outlaw biker club, which was formed by American servicemen returning after the Second World War.

Three members of the Massachusetts charter were slain execution-style in 1974 in a Broward County, Fla., rock pit by members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, igniting tensions between the two clubs that continue into the present, police say.

Members of the Lowell charter have included John Dubey III, a former Lowell Firefighter of the Year, according to local media reports.
OTTAWA  Canadian diplomats visited detained entrepreneur Michael Spavor on Tuesday, their second meeting since he was arrested in China last month for allegedly endangering national security.

They are providing services to Spavor and his family and will seek further access to him, Global Affairs Canada said in a statement.

The department is also trying to arrange another meeting with Michael Kovrig, himself a diplomat on leave from Global Affairs, who was similarly arrested by the Chinese on national-security grounds in December and has met just once with Canadian representatives.

The Opposition Conservatives lamented the lack of regular consular access to the detained men and urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to personally call Chinese President Xi Jinping to express concern.

Kovrig served as a diplomat in China until 2016 and had been working for the International Crisis Group, a non-governmental agency. Spavor is director of the Paektu Cultural Exchange, an organization that facilitates sporting, cultural, tourism and business exchanges with North Korea.

Citing federal privacy law, Global Affairs said no further information about Spavors detention could be disclosed. In general, the department noted, consular visits from diplomats help assess the well-being of a Canadian citizen, clarify the nature of their detention and provide a communication link between the incarcerated person and their loved ones.

Read more:

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China says no doubt two detained Canadians broke law

A source familiar with the conditions of Kovrigs detention told The Canadian Press last month he was being questioned three times a day and kept in a room with the lights on continuously. The source was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The detentions of Spavor and Kovrig came shortly after Canadian authorities in Vancouver arrested Meng Wanzhou, a senior executive with Chinese firm Huawei Technologies, who is wanted by the U.S. on fraud charges.

Mengs arrest angered Beijing and many western analysts see Chinas detention of Spavor and Kovrig as retaliation.

Canada says it is merely following standard legal protocol in the Meng case, given its long-standing extradition treaty with the U.S.

Global Affairs said Tuesday it remains deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention of the two Canadians and reiterated a call for their immediate release.

Canada appreciates international support for the pair and for the rule of law from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the European Union, the United States and Australia, the department added.

The Prime Ministers Office also released a summary of a Monday call between Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that said they discussed the detentions and both reiterated the importance of respecting and adhering to justice and the rule of law.

Trudeaus refusal to call the Chinese president to de-escalate the situation has many Canadians worried, Conservative foreign affairs critic Erin OToole told a news conference Tuesday. They are questioning travel to China, and theyre concerned about the well-being of their family members working there now.

Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie, a former foreign-service officer, said she has been contacted by active and retired colleagues who want the Liberal government to take a stronger political stand on the detentions. This is not just a consular matter, this is a political matter and it requires a political response, she said.

A Canadian parliamentary delegation visiting China this week is pressing for release of the two men, raising the issue during a meeting in Shanghai with local Communist party officials.

They listened, they heard our position, Conservative MP Michael Cooper, a delegation member, said in an interview from Shanghai.

The Chinese voiced concerns about Mengs arrest and delegation members explained Canadas extradition process, Cooper said.

We spent some time to emphasize to officials that this is not a political issue, that this is not something that we as parliamentarians or, for that matter, the executive branch can resolve or intervene in, he said.

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Cooper also stressed the Canadian visit is not a go-along and get-along tour.

This was initially scheduled to be pretty well a routine parliamentary delegation. But in light of the detentions of two Canadians, its not business as usual and we havent been acting as though it is business as usual because its simply not, he said.

Its hypocritical to talk about bilateral ties, about how do we strengthen the relationship between Canada and China, so long as we have these two Canadians detained.

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CALGARYA dramatic confrontation between RCMP and members of the Wetsuweten nation over pipeline access in traditional territory in northern British Columbia has spurred solidarity rallies across the country.

From Ottawa to Yellowknife, Halifax to Vancouver, demonstrators braved winter weather to show their support for members of the Wetsuweten nation who have been manning a pair of checkpoints that block Coastal GasLink from building a pipeline to the future site of the LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, B.C.

Dozens of heavily armed RCMP officers enforced a court injunction to remove obstacles to the pipelines construction on Monday, tearing down barricades and making 14 arrests. While the elected band council signed a $13-million agreement to support the pipeline, some members  and the entire hereditary leadership of the Wetsuweten  opposed the project.

Calgary saw one of the tensest rallies of the nearly 60 planned around the world Tuesday, as supporters of the land defenders gathered outside TransCanadas downtown headquarters at the same time as a counterprotest by oil and gas supporters in favour of the liquified natural gas pipeline that sparked the standoff. The solidarity rally was held outside TransCanadas headquarters  of which Coastal GasLink is a subsidiary  at noon.

Outside TransCanadas headquarters in downtown Calgary, several dozen supporters of the Wetsuweten land defenders and counterprotesters waved signs and chanted slogans at one another.

Despite speaking into a megaphone, rally co-organizer Michelle Robinson was routinely drowned out by chants of Build that pipe! and Rule of law from the counterprotesters as she tried to address other supporters. In turn, they responded with chants of Solidarity, consent, and a handful of supporters beat hand drums and sang. Some supporters also took part in a smudging ceremony, burning sage and wafting the smoke over their bodies to cleanse themselves. Inside TransCanadas atrium, a crowd of curious employees looked on.

Read more:

Heres what you need to know about the Wetsuweten protests

RCMP force a retreat at Wetsuweten barricade

RCMP on the move to last and longest-standing Wetsuweten camp

Robinson said the solidarity rally wasnt intended to be in opposition to pipelines. In fact, she told reporters, some Indigenous people are supportive of them, but said past pro-pipeline protests havent made space for Indigenous people at all. She described the rally as an anti-violence event, noting the use of heavily armed officers to remove land defenders with the Wetsuweten.

They have an assumption that we are all anti-pipeline when some of us are pro-pipeline, but we are all anti-violence, she said.

The sentiment was echoed a few hours later in Edmonton, where more than 50 people, bundled tight against the bitter cold, covered a corner of Beaver Hills House Park in the citys downtown to pledge their solidarity with Wetsuweten nation.

The peaceful protest included speeches from members of the groups Indigenous Climate Action and Climate Justice Edmonton. With their breaths visible in the cold, the crowd chanted, The people united will never be defeated and Power to the people. They held banners that read, RCMP out of Wetsuweten territory, No access without consent and Reconciliation not military occupation.

Eriel Deranger, who belongs to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and is the executive director of Indigenous Climate Action, gave a speech at the rally as well. She said the turnout was great for a Tuesday evening in Edmonton.

(Its) a pro-oil city, a pro-oil province and we have people that are looking beyond this, she said.

This is not a conversation about oil and gas, this is not a conversation about a pipeline, this is a conversation about justice for people and about protecting the planet for future generations.

But the demonstrations still earned some flak from oil supporters in Alberta.

Calgarys counterprotest, organized by Canada Action and Rally 4 Resources, came together Tuesday morning after organizers heard about the solidarity rally planned for downtown. They said they wanted to counter the solidarity rallys message and show support for the LNG project going through Wetsuweten traditional territory. Lynn Nellis, a staff member with Canada Action, said LNG Canada has done a good job of consulting with First Nations groups in the Kitimat area.

All the First Nations along that road, all the elected First Nations chiefs, have agreements signed with TransCanada. I think the RCMP (and) the Canadian governments are always on the side of legality, she said. What we dont support are people going against the rule of law. We are not for obstructionism.

She also pointed out that the Wetsuweten First Nations elected chiefs support the project and signed a $13-million deal with TransCanada to have the LNG pipeline developed on their land.

The provincial government is in favour, the federal government is in favour, and were here to show support for Canadian resources and all that that does for Canadians across the country, Nellis said.

Stephen Buffalo, president of the Indian Resource Council, said he was sad for the families of those affected by the RCMPs raid on Monday, and hoped the situation would be resolved. But he joined the counterdemonstrators in Calgary, saying plenty of Indigenous communities have made peace with the oil and gas industry.

I just wanted to be here to support the elected officials that made the decision to support this LNG project through their community, he said.

Development projects such as the LNG pipeline also hold tremendous benefits for Indigenous communities, Buffalo said, although he pointed out that securing a communitys consent and having strict environmental regulations are still very important.

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Meanwhile in Ottawa, dozens of pipeline protesters delayed an appearance by the prime minister Tuesday afternoon, drumming and chanting in a government building where Justin Trudeau was set to speak.

Police kept the prime minister, Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna out of a Sussex Drive building in Ottawa where Trudeau was to address a forum bringing together federal officials and representatives from self-governing First Nations that have modern treaties with the Crown.

Trudeaus address was subsequently moved to another government building close to Parliament Hill later Tuesday.

In this government, you have a partner willing to figure out the path forward that is right for each of you, and eventually right for every Indigenous person in this country, Trudeau told the Indigenous leaders whod moved to the new venue with him. Its not going to be easy. Its not going to be done quickly.

But Trudeau said the leadership exemplified by those gathered at the forum gave him confidence in what can be accomplished in the coming years.

NDP reconciliation critic Romeo Saganash joined demonstrators on Parliament Hill before the group marched through downtown Ottawa streets with signs, including a large red one reading: RCMP Off Wetsuweten Land.

The justification that was used for this intervention is pretty lame, in my view, Saganash told reporters. We all know in 2019 that the Wetsuweten have title and rights to their territory.

He also said he is pretty disappointed by the silence of many politicians, including his own colleagues, both provincially and federally.

More than 200 demonstrators gathered at dusk in Halifax on Tuesday, spilling over the sidewalk outside the joint headquarters of the Halifax Regional Police and Nova Scotia RCMP.

Speakers introduced as Mikmaq warriors, land protectors and water protectors expressed solidarity with the Wetsuweten people, echoing sentiments that were heard at rallies across the country. Disappointment in the outcomes of Trudeaus reconciliation mandate was a common refrain.

The crowd chanted, From Unistoten to Mikmaki, defend that Native sovereignty, and Who do you serve, who do you protect? Get your boots off Native necks.

At least three Mikmaq people from Nova Scotia travelled to B.C. to stand in solidarity with the Wetsuweten, and two of them were among the 14 arrested Monday afternoon, according to Darlene Gilbert, a Mikmaq woman from Halifax who spoke at the rally in Halifax.

Theyre out there, still continuing the fight, Gilbert said in an interview.

A hat was passed around the rally on Tuesday for donations, which Gilbert said would go toward bail for the Mikmaq who had been arrested, and to send more people from Nova Scotia to B.C. to continue the defence.

Michelle Paul, another Mikmaq speaker at the Halifax rally, said its a regular occurrence for Indigenous people to join in resistance movements with other First Nations; some of those in attendance Tuesday had spent time in Standing Rock, N.D., to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline, she said.

Were all related  that solidarity from coast to coast to coast has to be made, especially when it comes to our lands, protection of our lands, she said in an interview.

When Paul had the microphone, she called out to the police who were monitoring the rally and implored them to behave differently than the RCMP officers who pushed past the Wetsuweten barricade on Monday.

Sir, she said, pointing to a uniformed officer who was directing traffic around the crowd, Should you ever be called upon by your superior to act in an unhuman way, you tell them no.

The roughly 60 rallies in support of the Wetsuweten members resisting the RCMP and Coastal GasLink on Tuesday were planned across Canada and the United States. A handful of supporters also protested in front of the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdoms building in London on Tuesday, according to a Facebook page for the event, and organizers in Italy planned an online tweetstorm solidarity rally.

Supporters are also due to rally outside the Canadian embassy in Stockholm on Wednesday.

With files from The Canadian Press

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I enjoy fine art  my grandfather was a landscape painter and his oil canvases hang on the walls of my house.

But I did not inherit his talent and have no expertise in the field, beyond knowing what I like and dont like.

As a result, I have never invested in art and dont pretend to know how to value a painting or a sculpture. Im aware that some people have struck it rich with works they found in a corner of the attic (I watch Antiques Roadshow on occasion). But Im not one of them.

In fact, I had never been to an art auction until recently. Id seen them portrayed in movies (North by Northwest, The First Wives Club, etc.) but never actually attended one.

That changed when I was invited to an auction of Canadian fine art at Waddingtons in Toronto. The scene was almost exactly as Id seen it on film  potential buyers equipped with numbered bidding paddles sipping on free coffee, a bank of desks where employees sat ready to accept phone bids from out-of-town buyers and a nattily-dressed auctioneer who stood behind a lectern on a raised dais where he could view the entire room and spot any bids.

The catalogue listed 138 items to be sold. I thought it was going to take all night. Nowhere near that! Thousands of dollars changed so quickly it was hard to keep up. Within three hours, 111 of the works had been sold for a total value of about $2.5 million.

Several paintings by Group of Seven artists went in minutes for what I thought to be bargain prices of under $20,000. Others by artists I was not familiar with were knocked down what seemed to be remarkably high levels.

For example, an oil by Peter Clapham Sheppard titled Elizabeth Street Toronto, which had been valued at between $40,000 and $60,000, went for an eye-popping $204,000 after some spirited bidding between two collectors in the room and a telephone buyer.

I had never heard of Sheppard, who did most of his work in the 1920s and 1930s, when he was overshadowed by the Group of Seven. He died in 1965, never having achieved wide recognition in his lifetime. It was only in recent years that collectors discovered him, and his reputation was enhanced by a book written by art historian Tom Smart titled Peter Clapham Sheppard: His Life and Work.

Another revelation was a painting by contemporary artist Ivan Kenneth Eyre titled Asessippi. Its a landscape painted from memory of a river valley on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border that was appraised at between $60,000 and $80,000. It sold for more than double the higher figure, at $192,000.

Both those paintings brought in more than the highest priced Group of Seven offering, an oil on panel work by Lawren Harris titled Watertower, Circa 1919. It went for $144,000, around the midpoint of its appraised value.

After reading this, you may want to take a closer look at whats hanging on your walls or go rummaging through the attic or basement to see if theres a small fortune hiding in your home. But what should you look for?

I spoke by phone with Stephen Ranger, Waddingtons vice-president fine arts. He said that most paintings dont have commercial value, but about five per cent might be worth some money.

If you find something you think might fall into that group, look for a signature and, even better, a date. Its usually found in the lower right-hand corner or on the back. In fact, the back may reveal a lot about the painting and its history, said Mr. Ranger. Besides a signature or date there may be gallery labels or other clues about previous owners and where it came from (its provenance).

Dont remove a painting from its frame. It may be grimy and dusty, but an original frame may enhance the value.

Take a picture and send it to Waddingtons or some other reputable auction house for an evaluation (usually free). If you have several pieces, a representative of the company may arrange a visit to evaluate the whole collection.

Sellers pay the auction house a commission of 20 per cent on works that sell for under $10,000. The rate drops to as low as three to four per cent on more expensive items. Buyers pay a 20 per cent commission.

And what if you want to start collecting art yourself, in hopes of some windfall profits in future years? Mr. Ranger says to do some extensive research, attend auctions to see which artists are in demand and to buy the best works you can afford.

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As for my grandfathers paintings, theyre going to stay where they are. Even if they were worth thousands (theyre not), I wouldnt part with them. They are all thats left of him, and that makes them priceless!

Gordon Pape is editor and publisher of the internet Wealth Builder and Income Investor newsletters. His website is www.BuildingWealth.ca

Follow Gordon Pape on Twitter at twitter.com/GPUpdates
First Quantum Minerals Ltd. is poised to fire up a giant copper project in Panama, thousands of miles from its beleaguered mines in Zambia. For bondholders, thats a welcome distance.

The Canadian copper company is ramping up production at the Cobre Panama plant this year, even as a mining tax hike forces it to shed jobs and cut production at its Zambian facilities. With Panama slated to become a more prominent place of operations, bondholders should benefit as Panamas stronger credit rating feeds into the debts prices, First Quantum President Clive Newall said in an interview.

Where First Quantum does significant business matters to bondholders who closely follow risks associated with lending to companies operating in that particular country. Panama has an investment-grade rating, while Zambia is ranked more deeply into junk.

Any subsequent boost to the bonds from a shift would be a reprieve for First Quantums lenders, whove seen their notes post significant losses in recent months. The firm, and producers like it, also faced pressures as the copper price tumbled, amid trade tensions and fears of slowing global growth.

Panama is investment grade and Zambia isnt, so there should definitely be an improvement in the bonds as the ramp up of Cobre Panama progresses, Newall said in the interview in December.

Country of Risk

First Quantums $1 billion (U.S.) of notes due March 2026 have posted about a 15 per cent loss on a total return basis since their February 2018 sale, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with a 2.5 per cent return handed to owners of broader Canadian corporate debt, the data show. The First Quantum bonds are now quoted at about 80 cents on the dollar.

It seems pretty clear to us that these bonds will be considered Panama country of risk in the near future, prompting a repricing, said Nicholas Leach, a fund manager at CIBC Asset Management in Toronto. This move could also significantly increase the market for these notes.

Panama is rated BBB by S&P Global Ratings, two steps above investment grade, while Zambia is rated six notches into junk territory. The Zambian government passed legislation in December that increases royalties for copper, in a move the industry said could lead to more than 21,000 job losses and operators cutting $500 million in capital spending over the next three years.

For First Quantum, the royalty hike was behind its plan outlined in December to cut at least 2,500 jobs in the first quarter at both its Sentinel mine and its Kansanshi facility, which is Africas largest copper mine. In March, the firm was also hit with a $7.9 billion tax bill from the Zambian government, an assessment it refutes.

Debt Goals

First Quantum raised its copper production guidance to 595,000 tons for 2018, it said in October. Most of the firms copper  and gold  production was expected to come from Africa in that year, its financial report shows.

In Panama, the Cobre project is expected to produce 150,000 tons of copper this year, 270,000 tons to 300,000 tons in 2020 and between 330,000 tons and 350,000 tons in 2021, its first full year of ramped-up production. There is potential to boost that further with additional mills, Newall said.

As Cobre Panama gets up and running, that location will become increasingly prominent and Zambia will become relatively small in comparison, in terms of cash generation, Newall said. Theres going to be a switch over the next two or three years as Cobre ramps up to full production and beyond.

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Cobre Panama contributed to a $251 million increase to First Quantums net debt to about $6.1 billion in the third quarter. Newall said debt reduction will be prioritized over any significant capital spending, new projects, or meaningful dividend.

Cobre Panama is a large open-pit copper project 120 kilometres west of Panama City and 20 kilometres from the Caribbean Sea coast. The concession comprises four zones totalling 13,600 hectares covered by dense rainforest.
Rochel Leah Goldblatt

Watertown Public Opinion

For many, it will be a moment of nostalgia; for others, the chance for a little mid-winter excitement, or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Whatever the reason, hundreds are expected to come out Saturday morning to witness the last moments of the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York before it is exploded into oblivion.

For Isar VanHunnaik and his two friends, who arrived in Tarrytown from Holland on Sunday, their first weekend in the U.S. will begin with a bang.

The new arrivals at the EF Academy in Tarrytown, an international boarding school, said they were excited to witness the controlled explosion of the bridge.

We have never seen anything like that before, said VanHunnaik, who plans to head to the Scenic Hudson Riverwalk park in Tarrytown with his pals Anna Haasnoot and Jolien Theijbers. I think it will be (a) lot of fun.

TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE:It will come down Saturday morning, Jan. 12, via explosives

TAPPAN ZEE DEMO: Riverfront restaurants host bridge farewell, specials

TRAFFIC: Mario Cuomo Bridge to close for explosion

Patty Kozlow plans to go to her boyfriends apartment on the village's Grove Street, which has sweeping views of the bridge and watch the event unfold with family.

I love to watch explosions in movies," said Kozlow. "This is a chance to watch something similar. I think the new bridge looks great even though it can be too brightly lit sometimes."

Miranda Luiz, who grew up in Tarrytown, said its an opportunity to witness a spectacle. Shell be watching the explosion from her familys home on Park Avenue.

Its the destruction of something grand and historical, so I plan to watch it. But at the same time, it upsets me that the debris will end up in (the) Hudson River, which is already so polluted," she said.

(A debris containment net will capture the steel, which will be recovered by marine salvage teams over the coming weeks and removed by barge, according to a fact sheet provided by Tappan Zee Constructors.)

On the Rockland side, there's only one choice for viewing the bridge blast as far as Bruce Tucker, mayor of Piermont, is concerned.

"Piermont will be the best place to watch it," said Tucker, who noted that he was happy to welcome visitors in what would be the village's off-season.

Keith Rifflard agrees and will be among the crowd to watch from the Piermont Pier as the bridge comes down. For Rifflard, it's more than just local history. It's personal history as well.

"My grandfather was one of the first to cross from Rockland to Westchester on the old span," he said.

Stephanie Nodelman said she will probably watch the demolition from Sparkill.

"It makes me sad that its the end of an era," she said on Facebook.

The New York State Thruway will be closed in both directions from 9 to 10 a.m. between Nyack and Tarrytown, but that doesn't mean residents can't camp out beforehand and see the sparks fly when the remaining eastern part of bridge comes down at last.

Here are some of the best spots to view the demolition and some tips from police and municipal officials. If you can't be there for the blast, lohud.com will be streaming it live on our website and the lohud Facebook page.

Rockland

Piermont : The Piermont Pier will be closed to vehicular traffic starting Friday night but will remain open to pedestrians. Drivers will be directed to Parking Lot D by police officers and officials with the Department for Public Works. There will be handicap parking by the Goswick Pavilion. There will also be viewing options from the North Walkway behind the condo development at the beginning of the pier that can be accessed from Flywheel Park . Village Mayor Bruce Tucker also said the demolition could be viewed from Tweed Boulevard .

: The will be closed to vehicular traffic starting Friday night but will remain open to pedestrians. Drivers will be directed to Parking Lot D by police officers and officials with the Department for Public Works. There will be handicap parking by the Goswick Pavilion. There will also be viewing options from the behind the condo development at the beginning of the pier that can be accessed from . Village Mayor Bruce Tucker also said the demolition could be viewed from . Grand View-on-Hudson: Although there are no public spaces along the river to view the demolition, there are unobstructed views along River Road where people can park and watch, village officials said.

Although there are no public spaces along the river to view the demolition, there are unobstructed views along where people can park and watch, village officials said. Nyack: People can view the demolition from Memorial Park, but it will be an obstructed view and there is limited parking.

Tarrytown: The beginning of the Riverwalk (near Van Wart Avenue) is an ideal place to view the demolition, which can be accessed from the Old Croton Aqueduct in the south, but parking is limited. There are a few public parks, including Pierson Park in Tarrytown and Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow that will be open. Kingsland Point Park is north of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and may have obstructed views.

The beginning of the is an ideal place to view the demolition, which can be accessed from the Old Croton Aqueduct in the south, but parking is limited. There are a few public parks, including in Tarrytown and in Sleepy Hollow that will be open. Kingsland Point Park is north of the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and may have obstructed views. Irvington: Scenic Hudson Park has a view of the bridge from about 2 miles away. There is limited parking available.

Arrive early. Officials recommend being at your viewing spot by 8:30 a.m. at the latest.

If you are viewing from Piermont or Irvington, consider bringing binoculars.

Many police departments will have additional officers on staff to control traffic and parking. There will also be a dedicated officer patrol on Route 9W to ensure there are no traffic snafus.

Parking may be limited in some places, and when lots are full, people will be turned away.

WestchesterTips and tidbitsWatch it live

If you can't there in person, lohud will be streaming the bridge demolition live on our website and the lohud Facebook page.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy and Frank Esposito contributed.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Tappan Zee Bridge demolition in New York: Where to watch this Saturday
Staff reports

Watertown Public Opinion

On Wednesday, Jan. 2 at approximately midnight, a 39-year-old male called 911 and stated that he took too many pills. A Watertown Police Department officer responded along with paramedics from Watertown Fire/Rescue. The male caller told the on-scene officer that he intentionally took a large number of over the counter pills to get high. Numerous indicators of impairment were observed that were consistent with the pills the male had taken. The male said he called 911 because he did not feel right and thought he took too many. The male was taken to the emergency room by ambulance. After he was medically evaluated and determined to be stable, he was cited for Ingesting a Substance to Become Intoxicated.

On Wednesday, Jan. 2 at approximately 10:21 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop in the 1000 block of 14th Avenue NE for a traffic violation. During the course of the stop, the 17-year-old female driver was found to be in possession of alcohol, THC oil, and vape products. The female was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Underage Possession of Alcohol. Charges were referred to the states attorney for Underage Possession of Alcohol and Ingesting a Substance to Become Intoxicated.

On Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 11:29 a.m., officers were in the 300 block of Kemp Avenue E conducting a search for a juvenile probation absconder. During a consent search of an apartment, officers located drug paraphernalia in plain view. The apartment renter, a 19-year-old female of Watertown, was cited for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and released on scene.

On Saturday, Jan. 5 at approximately 1:55 a.m., a WPD officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 100 block of N Broadway Street. During the course of the stop, the driver, a 25-year-old male, was found to be under the influence of alcohol and was arrested for DUI. During a search of the vehicle, marijuana, paraphernalia, and an open container of alcohol were located. The driver was arrested for DUI, Possession of Marijuana, and Open Alcohol Container in Motor Vehicle. Further charges are pending.

On Sunday, Jan. 6 at approximately 7:23 p.m., a WPD officer was on routine patrol in the area of Ninth Street NE and Arrow Avenue. The WPD officer initiated contact with three juvenile individuals in a parked vehicle. Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that a 16-year-old male and two 15-year-old males were using marijuana. Marijuana and paraphernalia was located inside the vehicle. The 16-year-old male and one 15-year-old male were arrested for Possession of Marijuana, Ingesting, and Possession of Paraphernalia. The second 15-year-old male was arrested for Possession of Marijuana and Ingesting. All of the males were taken into custody and later released to their parents.
Staff reports

Watertown Public Opinion

PIERRE  The South Dakota Retailers Association (SDRA) is offering the Jerry Wheeler Scholarship Program for post-secondary students studying for careers in retail-related fields, such as culinary arts, auto repair, business administration, pharmacy and many others.

Named for long-time SDRA Executive Director Jerry Wheeler, these scholarships seek to encourage students in South Dakota technical schools or colleges to pursue careers in the retail industry.

Applications are available at South Dakota university and technical school financial aid offices or online at sdra.org/EducationEvents/ScholarshipProgram. Hard copies may be ordered by calling SDRA at 1-800-658-5545 or emailing info@sdra.org.

In 2018, SDRA awarded nine scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. The applicant who receives the top score from SDRAs scholarship committee receives an additional $500 Tom Morrison Scholarship in memory of past SDRA president Tom Morrison.

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must plan to enroll in a retail-related course of study at a technical school, college or university in the fall of 2019 and must desire a career as an owner, manager or employee in a retail field. Students planning to attend vocational schools, colleges or universities outside of South Dakota are eligible if they graduated from a South Dakota high school.

The deadline for submitting applications is April 22, 2019.

The South Dakota Retailers Association is one of the nations oldest and largest retail trade organizations, representing almost 4,000 businesses across the state. Visit SDRA online at sdra.org or find SDRA on Facebook and Twitter.
Thousands stung in Australian blue bottle invasion

AUSTRALIA: Highly venomous blue bottles have stung more than three thousand people on Australias northeastern shores in just a few days, authorities said today (Jan 7), forcing the closure of several beaches.

tourismSafetymarinehealth

By AFP

Monday 7 January 2019, 04:41PM

Bluebottle stings are a frequent occurrence in Australia.Photo: AFP

The massive influx of Portuguese man o' wars (blue bottles), whose stings are notoriously painful, has been described as an "invasion" by local media in the state of Queensland.

Coastguard association Surf Life Saving said a whopping 3,595 people had suffered painful burns after encounters with the creatures, also known as bluebottles for their transparent bluish appearance.

At least four major beaches remained closed as the organisation warned that even more were on their way.

"A wall of bluebottles is approaching Rainbow beach. Lifesavers are closing the beach. Please stay out of the water," read one of several warnings from Surf Life Saving.

Bluebottle stings are a frequent occurrence and it is not uncommon to hear howls of pain from changing rooms along Australia's eastern beaches during the southern hemisphere's summer.

But the sheer number of people stung in the last few days has surprised authorities.

There are usually around 10,000 cases of bluebottle stings each year on the east coast of Australia, according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

The extraordinary number of stings in the last few days has occurred as strong onshore winds have come in from the north-east, bringing the creatures into contact with swimmers.

The doctors' group describes the symptoms of a sting as an "immediate sharp pain and acute inflammatory skin reaction".

"The intense skin pain can last from minutes to many hours... The sting can also cause systemic signs such as nausea, vomiting and general feeling of malaise."

Treatment includes rinsing the wound with water at 45 degrees Celsius or using icepacks.

It is less straightforward to treat stings from the fearsome Irukandji jellyfish, however.

Stings from these box jellyfish  which can be smaller than a finger nail  can cause acute muscular pain, violent vomiting, feelings of "impending doom", hair that stands on end, strokes, heart failure and death within minutes.

State-funded broadcaster ABC reported that the number of people taken to hospital with Irukandji stings in Queensland this season is already 20, double the normal yearly average.
Russian woman found dead in Karon hotel room

PHUKET: Police are hoping that doctors will be able to shed some light on what caused the death of a Russian woman who was found dead on her hotel bed in Phuket early this morning (Jan 8).

Russiandeathpolice

By The Phuket News

Tuesday 8 January 2019, 02:02PM

Police and rescue workers from the Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation arrived to find the woman lying across the bed as if she had been sitting on it with her legs over the side when she collapsed. Photo: Sayan Thammaphan

Maj Niwech Sankaew of the Karon Police said he was called to the hotel, on Luang Por Chuan Rd in Karon, at about 4am.

Maj Niwech and fellow officers arrived at the hotel along with a Phuket Ruamjai Rescue Foundation emergency response team led by foundation chief Sayan Thammaphan at about 4:30am, he reported.

Lying across the bed as if she had been sitting on it with her legs over the side when she collapsed was the woman wearing a short black T-shirt and underwear.

The woman was a Russian national, about 31 years of age, Maj Niwech told The Phuket News.

She travelled to Phuket with her daughter and brother, he noted, adding that the family were to leave Phuket today.

Maj Niwech declined to give any further details about the woman.

However, he added, I checked the hotel room, but there were no prescription medicines for any pre-existing medical condition. There were no scratches or wounds on her body and no sign of a struggle or any indication that the room had been burgled.

The womans body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town, Maj Niwech confirmed.

We have not been able to determine any obvious cause of death. We are now waiting for the results of a post-mortem examination, Maj Niwech said.
Wang's New Year's tour in continent sees progress in Belt, Road teamwork

The profound friendship between China and Africa remains unbreakable despite some countries' attempts to discredit China's cooperation with the continent, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in reference to his New Year's tour of Africa.

Wang wrapped up his trips on Sunday to four nations  Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Senegal. The visits further boosted China's economic, security and Belt and Road cooperation with African countries.

Speaking to reporters before concluding his trip in Dakar, Senegal, the last stop of his Africa tour, Wang said the governments and people of the African countries have not been distracted by "noises" about China-Africa cooperation.

The leaders of all four African nations expressed their great appreciation for China's cooperation with the continent, and said they look forward to deepening that cooperation, he added.

Wang used the visits to reaffirm the priority that China places on developing ties with Africa and to dismiss criticism alleging that Chinese aid had contributed to a massive increase in the debt of African countries.

During the visits, he also called on African countries to work with China to strengthen collaboration and coordination in international affairs and uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system to safeguard the common interests of China and Africa, as well as those of other developing countries.

Saying that the enthusiasm of African countries for the Belt and Road Initiative keeps rising, Wang added that the increasing alignment of the initiative with the African Union's Agenda 2063 and the development strategies of various countries will help promote Belt and Road cooperation with better quality and at a higher level.

Wang's Africa tour has been hailed as a continuation of the tradition since 1991 of Chinese foreign ministers choosing Africa for their first overseas trip of the year. It was also the first time that Wang had made an official visit to Gambia or Burkina Faso since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties with China in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Senegal is the current African co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Wang said the visits greatly impressed him regarding how African countries' adoption of the one-China principle had been consolidated, becoming a political consensus they uphold.

At a joint news conference with Senegalese Foreign Minister Sidiki Kaba in Dakar on Sunday, Wang called on the continent to work with China to implement the results of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the FOCAC, and step up building an even stronger community with a shared future.

President Xi Jinping had announced the eight major initiatives to enhance cooperation with African countries at the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit. The initiatives cover such fields as industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation and green development.

Both sides should work together to frustrate any attempt to hinder the development of China-Africa cooperation and jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of China, Africa and other developing countries, Wang said.

Wang's visits to Africa took place shortly after the United States unveiled its new Africa strategy last month. US National Security Adviser John Bolton said it was designed to counter the financial and political influence of China and Russia.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda said last month in Vienna, Austria, at the High-Level Europe-Africa Forum, "China's engagement in Africa is a good thing. China is very active in Rwanda, but not in an inappropriate way. We know our capacity and which Chinese proposals we should accept, so as not to be overloaded with debt. It depends on us Africans."

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the AU Commission, told Wang, who visited the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa on Friday, that the AU appreciates China's valuable support and assistance in developing infrastructure and enhancing independent peacekeeping capabilities on the continent. He said Africa-China relations are united and friendly, robust and mutually beneficial.
Royal aid for Pabuk relief

THAILAND: Revenue from the royally initiated winter fair running under the banner Un Ai Rak Khlai Khwam Nao will be allocated to support efforts to restore the damage dealt by Tropical Storm Pabuk in southern Thailand from Friday (4 Jan) to Sunday (6 Jan).

disastersweatherconstruction

By The Phuket News

Tuesday 8 January 2019, 10:28AM

Students and soldiers hit the beaches together on Monday in Narathiwat province to clean up debris from Tropical Storm Pabuk. (Photo: AFP)

"His Majesty the King has told the government to use the revenue for the rehabilitation missions," Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told storm and flood victims during his Monday visit to Pak Phanang, the hardest-hit district in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The King earlier gave villagers survival kits and provisions from khrua phraratchathan, a royally bestowed kitchen, over the weekend.

Pabuk made landfall in Pak Phanang on Friday afternoon, forcing several thousand villagers in Nakhon Si Thammarat and neighbouring provinces to evacuate and damaging public utilities, houses, hospitals, schools and fruit plantations.

A number of uprooted trees and fallen electricity poles became a common motif in many areas in the aftermath of the storm.

The King's latest form of assistance comes as the government assesses the damage and determines the proper budget to help affected people, repair buildings and generally bring the storm-torn region back to normal.

The Un Ai Rak Khlai Khwam Nao (roughly, Love and Warmth at Winter's End) festival was initiated by His Majesty the King and is now running for the second time.

The fair, open to the public until Jan 19, has reportedly attracted hordes of tourists who prefer shops and shows organised under a traditional Thai theme.

"The King wants us to do our duty to help the people," Gen Prayut said.

Un Ai Rak Khlai Khwam Nao fair at the Royal Plaza began on Dec 9 and ends on Saturday (Jan 12).

Read original story here.
Phuket Red Cross urges winners to collect their prizes

PHUKET: The Phuket Red Cross is urging people with winning tickets to collect their prizes from the lucky draws held at the annual Phuket Red Cross Fair held at Saphan Hin last week.



By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Tuesday 8 January 2019, 02:36PM

Pantipa Choosuk, 27, and her boyfriend Peeradon Kwansansit claimed their top-prize townhouse at 10am today (Jan 8). Photo: PRBC

The major prize draw was held on Sunday night (Jan 6), with winning ticket number 38476 for the top prize  a semi-detached townhouse at The Wish 3 housing estate in Pa Khlok  being drawn.

The winner, 27-year-old Pantipa Choosuk, presented herself  and her winning ticket  at the Phuket Regional Blood Centre (PRBC) at 10 am today (Jan 8).

The prize will be officially handed over to the winner at an event to be held at 10am Thursday next week (Jan 17).

I was so surprised. I never thought that I would have this chance, Ms Pantipa told The Phuket News.

My boyfriend, Peeradon Kwansansit, bought two tickets and gave this one to me, she said.

I think that I will be moving into the house soon after next Thursday, she added.

Meanwhile, a staffer at the PRBC this morning called on all other winners to come forward and claim their prizes.

So far no one else has presented themselves with their winning tickets to collect their prizes, even though we published the winning number s after the draw on Sunday, the staffer, who asked not to be named, said

Among the top prizes yet to be claimed is a Toyota Yaris ATIV 1.2 J, won by ticket number 30232.

Also waiting to be claimed are a pair of Honda Wave 110i motorcycles, won by tickets 67248 and 77616.

Three gold necklaces valued at about B20,000 each have yet to be claimed, won by ticket numbers 15911, 42033 and 78259

Further, 30 smaller gold necklaces valued at about B5,000 each remained to be claimed by the holders of the following ticket numbers: 92742, 99322, 61125, 38961, 91051, 37791, 33575, 17203, 98446, 430061, 77192, 47016, 88473, 74960, 73881, 79017, 83562, 16973, 24225, 72680, 67759, 62548, 33579, 28569, 55747, 30267, 79978, 30667, 64735 and 33105.

Also, 90 other prizes of traditional household appliances and items remain to be collected by any ticket ending with the digits with 968.

No prizes can be exchanged for cash, the staffer reminded winners.

People who have winning tickets now have until Feb 6 to claim their prizes. If after that date prizes have not been claimed they will be donated to the Phuket Red Cross, the staffer added.

Winners may contact the PRBC by calling 076-211766, the staffer noted.
Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket appoints new general manager

PHUKET: Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket has announced the appointment of Benjamin Perera as General Manager, effective as of December 2018.



By The Phuket News

Tuesday 8 January 2019, 02:55PM

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket General Manager Benjamin Perera.

The Malaysian-born professional graduated with a NTC-2 Certificate in Food and Beverage in Singapore. Prior to joining the Dusit family, Mr Perera gained experience while working for the Hyatt International hotel brand as Food & Beverage Director in various locations such as Indonesia, Singapore, Russia and Thailand.

Mr Peera has 30-plus years of experience in the hotel industry. Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket first welcomed Mr Perera in March 2014 as Executive Assistant Manager, in charge of Food & Beverage. With his hard work and proven talent within five months he had been promoted to Resident Manager.

In his role as Resident Manager, he has been working diligently and devoting himself to numerous successful events throughout the past three years.

His success in his hospitality career has rapidly developed under the Dusit International umbrella. Mr Perera once again was promoted to the Hotel Manager role at Dusit Princess Srinakarin Hotel in April 2017.

Now, hes back again to re-join Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket as General Manager.

In his new role, Mr Pereras responsibilities include overseeing and managing the 253 newly renovated rooms.

Also, he is responsible for the resorts six dining outlets, including the award-winning Italian restaurant La Trattoria, the Michelin-star recommended Royal Thai cuisine - Ruen Thai, the Casuarina Beach Restaurant, the all-day international dining venue Laguna Cafe, the chill Poolside Cafe and the best sundown getaway Horizon Lounge.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks with reporters after signing her first executive directive in Lansing, Wednesday, Jan. 2. Whitmer directed state employees to immediately report any imminent threat to public health, moving quickly to tackle issues that led the previous administration to be accused of causing Flint's water crisis and delaying action to clear it up.
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Mark Cavitt is a multimedia journalist at The Oakland Press and MediaNews Group in Michigan. His beat includes all Oakland County government offices, departments, boards, commissions and committees.
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Greta Van Fleet's Sam Kiszka, left, and Josh Kiszka perform at Detroit's Fox Theatre. The group will perform on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" on Jan. 19. (Photo by Ken Settle)
National Bank Holdings Corporation operates as the bank holding company for NBH Bank that provides various banking products and financial services to commercial, business, and consumer clients in the United States. It offers deposit products, including checking, savings, money market, and other deposit accounts, including fixed-rate and fixed maturity time deposits. The company also provides commercial and industrial loans and leases, such as working capital loans, equipment loans, lender finance loans, food and agriculture loans, government and non-profit loans, owner occupied commercial real estate loans, and other commercial loans and leases; non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans consisting of loans on commercial properties, such as office buildings, warehouse/distribution buildings, multi-family, hospitality, and retail buildings; small business administration loans to support manufacturers, distributors, and service providers; term loans, line of credits, and real estate secured loans; residential real estate loans; and consumer loans. In addition, it offers treasury management solutions comprising online and mobile banking, commercial credit card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, electronic bill payment, lock box, remote deposit capture, merchant processing, cash vault, controlled disbursements, and fraud prevention services, as well as other auxiliary services, including account reconciliation, collections, repurchase accounts, zero balance accounts, and sweep accounts. As of February 24, 2021, the company operated through a network of 89 banking centers located in Colorado, the greater Kansas City region, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas. It also operates 128 ATMs. The company was formerly known as NBH Holdings Corp. and changed its name to National Bank Holdings Corporation in March 2012. National Bank Holdings Corporation was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Xerox: A B S Digital Limited, Acorn Business Machines (Holmfirth) Limited, Alloy Acquisitions Corp. 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The following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A  Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. De C.V., Dal-Tile Peru SRL, Dal-Tile Puerto Rico Inc., Dal-Tile Services Inc., Dal-Tile Shared Services Inc., Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC, Dal-Tile of Canada ULC, Daltile, Daltile, Dekaply NV, Durkan, Dynea NV, Eliane Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Eliane S/A - Revestimentos Ceramicos, Emilceramica India Pvt Ltd., Emilceramica S.r.l, Emilgermany GmbH, Emilgroup Asia Ltd, Explorer S.r.l., F.I.L.S. Investments Unlimited Company, Feltex Carpets Ltd, Feltex Carpets Pty Ltd, Feltex New Zealand Ltd, Fibremakers Australia Pty Ltd, Flooring Foundation Ltd, Flooring Industries Limited S.a r.l., Flooring XL B.V., Floorscape Limited, Godfrey Hirst & Co Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Group, Godfrey Hirst NZ Ltd, Hytherm (Ireland) Limited, IVC BVBA, IVC Far-East Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited.
2 hours ago

| June 15th | 2021 7:40 AM

Does Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) Have What It Takes To Be A Winner In 2021?

Though Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) stock was cut in half during the dark days of February and March of last year, Wall Street quickly realized that convenient fast food would probably be towards the bottom of the list of things to be cut by hard-hit consumers who were tightening the proverbial belts. So back the stock roared and since this time last
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Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9 2019

Rise to the occasion: Vice President Jusuf Kalla (right) and Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution attend the 2019 Indonesian Economic Outlook event in Jakarta on Tuesday. Kalla said the trade war between the United States and China could be an opportunity for Indonesia. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)

The Indonesian government is encouraging stakeholders to look at the bright side of the trade war between the United States and China, saying the global uncertainty could be beneficial for Indonesia as businesses relocate production facilities to circumvent US import restrictions.

Speaking at a seminar on the economic outlook for 2019, Vice President Jusuf Kalla pointed to the positive side of the trade war that had not been highlighted as much as its negative impacts.

Challenges stemming from the trade war, he said, went hand in hand w...
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 16:25 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5f5951 1 City Katulampa-dam,flood,warning,jakarta,bogor Free

The Jakarta Disaster Mitigation Agency issued an early warning over the increasing water level at the Katulampa sluice gate in Bogor, West Java, on Monday evening.

"Residents living along the banks of the Ciliwung River in Jakarta should anticipate increased water flow from Bogor," agency head Jupan Royter said on Tuesday as quoted by tempo.co.

Jupan said the rain that hit Bogor and its surrounding areas on Monday evening had increased the Katulampa water level drastically by 100 centimeters.

The water level is likely to keep increasing if rain hits Bogor again on Tuesday, where water flow from the area may reach Jakarta in six to nine hours.

The agency warned of rising water levels in a number of areas, namely Srengseng Sawah, Pejaten Timur, Rawa Jati, Bale Kambang, Pengadegan, Cikoko, Cawang, Kebon Baru, Bukit Duri, Bidara Cina and Kampung Melayu.

The agency distributed information on the increased water flow to district heads and residents in the areas, as well as announced it through social media, Jupan said. (ars)
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Linkedin Ardhienus (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8 2019

According to data from the monthly bank report, credit growth in the banking industry in the third quarter of this year has reached double digits at 12.98 percent year-on-year. The achievement of credit performance in this period was better than in the same period last year, when it only grew at 7.93 percent.



However, the impressive credit performance of the banking industry was apparently not followed by the Islamic banks. Islamic banks credit (financing) only grew by 3.64 percent, the lowest compared to those of other bank groups such as state-owned banks that grew by 15.29 percent, national private banks by 10.20 percent, foreign bank branch offices by 22.13 percent, joint venture banks by 20 percent and regional banks by 8.18 percent.



Besides being low, Islamic bank financing also seems to be falling. The relatively low growth in Islamic bank financing raises a q...
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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Tue, January 8, 2019 17:08 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5f6998 1 National KPK,corruption,Corruption-court Free

Suspended Purbalingga regent Tasdi has admitted to accepting a Rp 100 million (US$7,078.35) kickback from businessman Librata Nababan in relation to the construction of the Purbalingga Islamic Center in Central Java during a court hearing.

Yes, I received Rp 100 million of the promised Rp 500 million, Tasdi said, answering a question posed by a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor at the Semarang Corruption Court on Monday.

Tasdi was allegedly caught red-handed by the KPK on June 4 last year. He was reportedly to receive a commitment fee of Rp 500 million from PT Sumber Bayak Kreasi (SBK), which was awarded the contract to build the Islamic center.

The project is a multi-year development project worth Rp 77 billion.

Speaking to reporters after his hearing, Tasdi reportedly said he had asked for the money from the contractor to cover Rp 470 million misappropriated from the village and community empowerment agency.

That [misappropriated funds] was the finding of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), said Tasdi, adding that he aimed to use the money to return the funds to the state.

Tasdi also admitted to accepting Rp 100 million in May from Ganjar Pranowo, who at that time was seeking reelection as Central Java governor.

The money was supposedly for his campaign. The money has been seized by the KPK, he said.

The KPK also arrested Hadi Iswanto, the head of the regency administrations procurement service unit. (swa)
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Linkedin Syafrizaldi (The Jakarta Post) Supiori, Papua  Tue, January 8 2019

Harvest time: A Sowek youngster, 13-year-old Kace Wambraw, gathers aibon fruits.

The people living in Sowek, Papua, loyally preserve the regions mangrove heritage.

Sowek, a remote region in the Aruri Islands of Papuas Supiori regency, is a mangrove zone that for generations has been supplying food to its people, who conserve the trees as part of their commitment to sustaining natural resources.

The sea was calm when 13-year-old Kace Wambraw sailed in Soweks waters.

Kace was heading for Kasoni, a secluded bay located around 90 minutes by boat from his home. He was singing along with three friends as the boat cruised past coral reefs before entering the bay.

A group of women were also sailing in the same direction, joking around throughout the journey. Mangrove trees provided shade throughout the bay area, although boaters have to take ca...
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 13:39 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5ec65f 1 National Namse-bangdzod,tanker,tanker-vessel,crude-palm-oil,Basarnas,missing Free

The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) is still trying to locate a tanker, which reportedly disappeared between Sampit, Central Kalimantan, and Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta.

The Namse Bangdzod, which carried crude palm oil, had departed from Sampit on Dec. 27. However, it lost contact with the Sampit Port Authority Office (KSOP) somewhere around Karawang. The tanker was manned by its captain and 11 crew members.

Sampit KSOPs head of sailing patrol and security, Baslan Damang, said it had broadcasted the tankers manifest via marine radio.

We hope that sailors or fishermen will spot the tanker and report back to us, he said on Tuesday.

According to him, the port authority office is cooperating with Basarnas to find the tanker. A search has been conducted from Muara Angke to Tanjung Priok.

Baslan refused to speculate on why the tanker went missing.

We are still waiting for updates on the tankers condition, so please refrain from speculating that it had been hijacked, he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (GAPKI) recorded that the local palm oil industry export performance had declined throughout November last year, when the price decreased to US$473.60 per metric ton. (dpk/swd)
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Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 18:21 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5fa1cf 1 City theft,motorcycle,street-vendors Free

While selling fried rice on the streets near housing complexes of South Tangerang, Banten, Arohmanul Bais, was allegedly looking out for the next motorbike to steal.

After reportedly making off with five motorbikes so far with the help of a friend named Dendy, the 26-year-olds alleged criminal scheme was uncovered by police on a recent Saturday night.

South Tangerang Police arrested Bais in Kedaung village, Pamulang subdistrict, South Tangerang, on Dec. 29 at around 11 p.m., in response to residents calling out the alleged criminal.

While pushing the fried rice cart, the suspect would look out for motorbikes left by their owners and [later come back to pick the lock and take the motorcycles], South Tangerang Police criminal investigation unit head Adj. Comr. Alexander Yurikho said in a written statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Alexander said the police had caught Bais after shooting him in the leg, while Dendy had managed to escape.

Bais reportedly admitted to stealing five motorbikes so far with the help of Dendy.

The police confiscated a fried rice cart and three motorbikes at the rented room of another person, identified only as AB, in Kedaung.

Bais would be charged under Article 363 of the Criminal Law on theft, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 09:54 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5e4c0d 1 National hate-speech,MUI,Chinese Free

A National Awakening Party (PKB) politician of Chinese descent has filed a police report against a senior Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) official for questioning his use of Mandarin to gain support from Chinese-Indonesian voters.

Heriandi Lim, a legislative candidate, filed the report on Sunday.

He claimed that a Jan. 2 tweet made by Tengku Zulkarnain, the deputy secretary-general of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), in which he questioned Heriandis nationality for using Mandarin on his campaign poster was a form of hate speech.

Zulkarnains tweet, which has since been deleted, received 1,896 likes, 1,210 retweets and 771 comments.

This is the campaign posters of legislative candidates. The question is, which country are these candidates from...? If these are truly campaign posters for an election in Indonesia, how do all of you feel about them...? Happy...? Or upset...? Zulkarnain wrote on his Twitter account @ustadtengkuzul.



The post was accompanied by a photo of campaign posters for Heriandi and four other candidates that bear Chinese characters.

Heriandi said he was reporting Zulkarnain for allegedly spreading hatred, in accordance to Article 28 (2) of Law No. 11/2008 on information and electronic transactions, which carries a maximum prison sentence of six years and requires a fine of Rp 1 billion (US$70,935).

The legislative candidate also accused Zulkarnain of violating Article 310 of the Criminal Code, which carries a nine-month jail term.

I came here to file a report against a blasphemous statement made by an Indonesian, Heriandi told reporters after submitting his report at the National Polices Criminal Investigation Division (Bareskrim) in Central Jakarta on Sunday.

I was warned beforehand not to come because the person Im reporting is said to have impunity and can say whatever he wants. But I ignored [the warnings].

Heriandi said he became aware of the situation upon receiving a notification from Facebook asking whether he wanted to tag himself in a photo. He was shocked to discover that the photo was part of several Facebook posts urging people not to vote for him in the upcoming April 17 legislative election.

He later found that someone on Twitter had slammed his election campaign for using Chinese characters, prompting him to report the person to Bareskrim.

The Chinese characters form my Chinese name; I dont know why thats such a problem for them, Heriandi said, adding that he had decided to use Chinese characters on his campaign posters to cater to his Chinese-Indonesian constituents.

He questioned the motives of Zulkarnains Twitter post, which doubted his Indonesian citizenship.

Its clear that Im a legislative candidate and an Indonesian citizen that has passed the National Election Commissions [KPU] screening test to run for a legislative seat, he said.

PKB secretary-general Daniel Johan stepped forward in defense of Heriandi.

I dont see a problem with [campaigning in Mandarin]; its a similar campaign strategy used by other legislative candidates who use local languages such as Javanese, Maduranese, Batak and Arabic, Daniel told The Jakarta Post. Its a cultural approach to winning the hearts of the constituents.

Surya Tjandra, a legislative candidate from the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), echoed Daniels sentiments.

Heriandi has perhaps used a more specific campaign approach, but theres nothing wrong with that, he said on Monday. His name is still Indonesian; his party is also still Indonesian. [] They [the posters] basically encourage people to vote and perhaps his constituents are impressed by that  it is their choice. (spl/swd)
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Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 11:01 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5e2a68 1 Business coal-production,target,2019 Free

The government has lowered its coal production target for this year to 480 million tons in an effort to stabilize the global coal price, an official has said.

Last years target was 485 million tons, 25 percent of which was allocated to the domestic market obligation (DMO).

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry mineral and coal director general Bambang Gatot Ariyono said the government considered various factors before deciding on the figure, including the movement of the US dollar.

The goal is to maintain a good coal price, he said, adding that there were possibilities that the government might revise the production target this year.

We will continue to oversee the situation. Usually, coal miners will revise their production target no later than July.

One of the reasons to revise the target was to increase state revenue, he added.

Ministry data from up to Dec. 27 shows that Indonesia reached 94.02 percent of its annual total target for 2018.

Bambang assured that a 25 percent DMO policy and a coal price cap of US$70 per ton would ensure stable electricity tariffs until the year-end. (bbn)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8 2019

Tambora resident Iis Anisah, 30, could only watch in despair as the house she rented burned to the ground on Thursday afternoon, leaving her with nothing but a house dress on her body.



Eight months into her pregnancy, Anisah had no choice but to walk from one evacuation shelter to another with her husband and five children, before settling at the Tambora District Office in West Jakarta on Sunday midday, along with 88 other fire victims.



Following the fire, which was reportedly caused by a short circuit and raged across three neighborhood units on Jl. Tambora III on Thursday, 74 families comprising 408 people now have no place they can call home.



While many of them have relatives to live with temporarily, 95 others, including Iis and her family of six, had to share a spot to live and sleep at the Tambora District Office as of Sunday.



Her family had previousl...
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Linkedin Riza Roidila Mufti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 14:43 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5f0689 1 Business Go-Food,delivery-service,Performance,2018 Free

People have been spoiled by an easy way of purchasing food since Go-Jek and Grab started offering their respective food delivery services, Go-Food and Grab-Food.

Maghfira, a 25-year-old Surabaya resident, for example, depends highly on online delivery services for her meals.

Online food delivery services like Go-Food is like a domestic worker for me, because I am reluctant to go out often, said Maghfira, who uses the service at least twice daily and three to four times a week to order food and drink.

Maghfira has learned from her purchase and order history on the Go-Jek application that she has placed 167 food and beverage orders in recent months,

I am also a picky person who dislikes going around looking for random restaurants and other places to dine on the streets. Meanwhile, Go-Food has a best seller feature on the app that really helps me find good food, she said.

The growing trend in purchasing food and beverages through online delivery services has accelerated growth in the business. Go-Jek says it delivered 529 million food and drink orders across the country through Go-Food in 2018.

Go-Jek chief commercial expansion Catherine Hindra Sutjahyo said that Go-Food experienced exponential growth in 2018.

The year 2018 was a great year of collaboration for us. Why? Because we achieved unexpected growth in Go-Food, thanks to Go-Food's triangle collaboration  customers, merchants and drivers [...], Catherine said on Monday at a press conference on Go-Food's annual report.

The company declined to disclose actual transaction figures, but revealed that its merchants had grown from around 125,000 merchants in January 2018 to 300,000 by December the same year. Go-Jek also said it recorded a 50 percent growth in app users, with the highest growth recorded during the special promotion period from Nov. 5 to Dec. 5.

This program took us to a higher level and strengthened our position as personalized food experts, as many people participate in the promotion and we also saw many new users during the promotional period, said Go-Jek marketing vice president Aristo Kristandyo.

Aristo also said Go-Food had boosted emerging small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage industry, as at least 80 percent of Go-Food's 300,000 merchants were SMEs, a growth of 50 percent since late 2017.

He said that the top three most purchased foods in 2018 were chicken, rice and noodles.

Go-Jek was also planning other promotional programs and campaigns to grow its food delivery business this year. It also planned to expand the Go-Food service to other countries, following its ride-hailing service's entry to Vietnam, but Aristo said the plan was still a secret. (bbn)
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Linkedin Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8 2019

The last week of 2018 and the first week of 2019 have shown that victim blaming in Indonesia is such a daily occurrence that most people dont see it as a problem because its common. The amount of victim blaming shows our society is sick.



Even progressive people  men and women  with the commitment to eradicate violence against women sometimes do not see it as victim blaming. We need a wake-up call to stop it and say it is wrong when we see it.



In the news is a soap opera star, identified only as VA, who is accused of prostitution. The police arrested her on Jan. 5 in Surabaya. The media reported that they took some other people to the police station along with VA: another TV star, four witnesses, two managers and one suspect allegedly involved in an electronic transaction for prostitution.



Soon, pictures of VA were splashed on news sites. Netizens went...
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Linkedin Suvir Varma and Usman Akhtar (The Jakarta Post) Singapore/Jakarta  Tue, January 8 2019

Venture capital and private equity investment in Southeast Asia has soared to record levels as scores of new investors pour into the region. In 2017, the number of recorded venture capital deals rose to 524, four times the level of 2012, and private equity deal value rose 75 percent to US$15 billion, breaking out of a decade-long phase of flat growth.



Suddenly, all signs are pointing up. Technology companies attracted the bulk of new capital, rising to 40 percent of deal count in 2017 from 20 percent in 2014. Southeast Asia-dedicated funds dry powder  committed but unspent capital  has more than doubled since 2012. The region also has produced its first set of unicorns  new companies that rapidly achieve market valuations of $1 billion or more. Since 2012, 10 unicorns, including Grab, Go-Jek and Traveloka, have created a combined market value of $34 billion, ranking...
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 10:37 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5e1c4a 1 City plastic,pollution,waste,ban,Bekasi,environment,plastic-bag,plastic-ban Free

Bekasi in West Java is set to implement a ban on single-use plastic bags in March, starting with modern retailers.

Ferdinan, head of the Bekasi Environment Agencys environmental management and capacity building division, said the advanced notice would allow retailers to prepare for the new policy.

He added that the agency would hold a focus group discussion on the ban, participated by retail shop owners, the general public and environmentally friendly plastic providers.

"We will convey the message that plastic waste is already a global problem as well as a national one," Ferdinan told Tempo on Monday.

The Bekasi administration is considering bioplastics made of vegetables and bags made out of cloth or other materials that are easily degradable to replace single-use plastic bags.

"We will announce the details of the policy to the public soon," he added.

According to a survey, household plastics are the biggest contributor to plastic waste, with an average person using up to 700 grams of plastic daily on a nationwide scale.

"It should start with consumers, meaning that when they leave their home, they should bring their own reusable bag," Ferdinan said.

The policy was based on Mayoral Law No. 61/2018 on reducing plastic usage.

Bekasi produces around 800 tons of plastic waste per day. (mai)
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Linkedin Dene-Hern Chen (Agence France-Presse) Bangkok, Thailand  Tue, January 8, 2019 19:30 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5fc88f 2 World #Australia,#SaudiArabia,woman,held,Thailand,asylum,Australia Free

Australia said Tuesday it will "carefully consider" the asylum claim of an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled alleged abuse from her family and is now in the care of the UN in Bangkok, after she fended off deportation in a gripping, live-tweeted ordeal.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived at the Thai capital's main airport on a flight from Kuwait over the weekend after running away from her family, who she says subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

Qunun said she planned to seek asylum in Australia, fearing she would be killed if repatriated by Thai immigration officials who stopped her at the airport.

Saudi Arabia's human rights record has been under heavy scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

The ultra-conservative kingdom has some of the world's toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.

On Sunday Thai authorities said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia, but they abruptly changed course as her plight pinballed across social media.

Qunun posted dozens of tweets and live videos in English and Arabic, some describing how she had barricaded herself in a hotel room. Her account quickly racked up tens of thousands of followers, feeding an international media frenzy.

On Monday she was allowed to leave the airport in the care of the UN's refugee agency.

The Australian government on Tuesday teased the possibility of granting the young woman refugee status, saying it was "pleased" the UN was assessing her claim.

"Any application by Ms Al-Qunun for a humanitarian visa will be carefully considered once the UNHCR process has concluded," a Department of Home Affairs official told AFP.

In Geneva, UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters the process looking into Qunun's "asylum claim has started" and could take several days.

As for providing security in light of Khashoggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he said "that's the Thai government's job and I hope that's being looked into".

- 'Family affair' -

Thailand is not a signatory to a UN convention on refugees, and asylum seekers are typically deported or wait years to be resettled in third countries.

The UNHCR insists anyone with an asylum claim should not be sent back to the country they fled under the principle of non-refoulement.

In a short press release distributed to media outside its embassy in Bangkok Tuesday, the Saudi government said it had not demanded her deportation, adding the case is a "family affair", but under the "care and attention" of the embassy.

In an earlier and separate explanation released on Twitter, the embassy also denied sending officials to Suvarnabhumi airport to meet Qunun as she arrived or impounding her passport -- as she alleged.

It also said the embassy had made contact with her father, a senior regional government official in the kingdom, "to inform him on her situation".

Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told reporters that Qunun's father and brother had arrived in Thailand on Tuesday.

He said he would talk to the UN refugee agency about a potential meeting between the family members.

"Rahaf is not a political asylum case," he insisted. "It is not political at all."

He added that the Saudi government "agrees that there should be a priority on Rahaf's safety".

The immigration police released photos of Surachate and his team sitting down with Saudi embassy charge d'affaires Abdalelah Mohammed Alsheaiby.

Her father and brother are "the two male relatives (Qunun) most fears" and could "physically harm her in an effort to compel her to return", said Human Rights Watch's Phil Robertson, who has been in contact with her since she started live-tweeting her ordeal.

"She's an adult woman who has escaped Saudi Arabia's repressive and discriminatory 'guardianship' laws and these men must recognise the rules have changed," he said, adding it is "solely her decision" whether or not to meet them.

Qunun has said she believes she will be imprisoned or killed if sent back, and that her family is so strict they once locked her in a room for six months for cutting her hair.

A Change.org petition to grant Qunun asylum in Britain has so far garnered more than 80,000 signatures.
The US Supreme Court upheld California's foie gras ban on Monday, ending a long legal battle between animal rights activists and defenders of the delicacy.

The highest US court rejected an appeal filed by foie gras producers against a law prohibiting the sale of products obtained from force-feeding geese or duck to enlarge their liver.

The law, passed in 2004 by California in the name of animal rights, carries a fine of $1,000.

It took effect in 2012, was suspended by the courts in 2015 -- but then upheld on appeal in 2017.

Producers of foie gras from Canada and New York, along with a California restaurateur, then appealed to the Supreme Court in defense of this delicacy they called "perhaps the most maligned (and misunderstood) food in the world."

Read also: Land of boeuf bourguignon faces wrath of veganistan activists

They argued that a state could not ban a federally authorized product.

They had support from France, which called California's law "an assault on French (gastronomic and cultural) tradition".

The high court threw out the appeal with no explanation.

As such, California's law remains in effect.

"This victory for animals follows tireless efforts from animal rights activists to oppose the archaic foie gras industry," the animal rights group PETA said.

"Now that California can enforce this ban, PETA urges diners to blow the whistle on any restaurant that's caught serving this illegal and hideously produced substance," PETA president Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement.
A 60-foot work that went on show during Damien Hirst's blockbuster exhibition in Venice in 2017 is headed to the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

The hotel revealed via social media that Hirst's work Demon with Bowl, which was the centerpiece of the artist's show Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable will be arriving there in the near future.

According to Artnet, the sculpture will appear this spring in a new pool within the hotel. Unlike the version of the work that appeared in Venice, which was cast in resin and destroyed after the exhibition closed, the edition that will tower above swimmers at the hotel is cast in bronze.

Read also: Giant Damien Hirst uterus sculptures catch eye at Qatar hospital

Palms Casino Resort is already home to a bar designed by Hirst called the Unknown, an art-centered venue that features many works by Hirst, including one consisting of a tiger shark floating in three steel tanks that is displayed prominently behind the bar.

Hirst's show Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable featured hundreds of objects said to have been lost in a legendary shipwreck and was perhaps the most talked-about exhibition of 2017.
A drawing on a stretched canvas measuring 380 by 100 centimeters illustrates a world full of conflict, both horizontally and vertically. Titled Bigger the War than the Peace, the work was created using ballpoint, showing very fine detail for each object.

Detail drawing is one of Aris Prabawas fortes. The Surakarta-born artist, also known as Aris Manyul, is exhibiting his works at the Jogja National Museum in Yogyakarta until Jan. 12. Titled Hadap Hidup (Facing Life), the exhibition features 86 works created between 1999 and 2018.

Almost all of Aris' works, including drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations, discuss the human suffering caused by corruption, militarism, shareholder oppression and exploitation of nature.

One of his works presented in the exhibition titled Work for Reformation. Finish it Quickly, which is also beautiful, features a large buffalo head. Created in 2001, the artwork insinuates legislators who frequently travel and political parties that are busy fighting among themselves, which leads them to forget the importance of political reform.

My inspiration came from social issues, Aris told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

Aris also explained that his latest works focused more on the suffering caused by development.

In an installation titled Nikmatnya Pembangunan #1 dan #2 (The Joys of Development #1 and #2), Aris created human figures with shark and ferret heads bathing in water pools made out of safety helmets used by construction workers.

These human figures with predator heads symbolize people who can 'eat' one another, said Aris.

Read also: Aris Prabawa to showcase 19 years of artworks in solo exhibit

Indonesian artist Kiswondo, who wrote the foreword for the exhibition, said Aris frequently featured animal heads in his latest works, which technically are simpler compared with his previous works. These animal heads are used as a symbol of Leviathan, a Biblical sea monster, illustrating the power of capital, military and nations that oppress people.

Meanwhile, heads of endangered animals, such as the Javan eagle, Javan tiger and ajak dog [wild dogs from Java and Sumatra], symbolize fighting, he said.

Although Aris is known as the pioneer of drawing in Yogyakarta, the artist produces more paintings these days. However, Kiswondo said Aris works still discuss humanity from every aspect.

Kiswondo also noted that Aris, who currently lives between Yogyakarta and Lismore in New South Wales, Australia, constantly produced works that contain social criticism on various issues in the two countries.

This sets Aris apart from other Lekra [now-defunct leftist artists association] artists who live in exile and only mourn their home countrys condition. Aris also criticizes the situation in the [foreign] country he lives in, said Kiswondo.

Widodo, a resident of Kulon Progo regency in Yogyakarta, was among the attendees of the opening exhibition.

[Aris] is a true artist. He does not only talk about human suffering, but also moves with the oppressed people," he praised Aris works.

Widodo is among those who actively rejecting the iron sand mining project in Kulon Progo. He shared that whenever Aris returned to Indonesia, the artist always visited the people of Kulon Progo, who are at risk of losing their homes as it would be turned into an iron sand mine. (jes/kes)
CBS News President David Rhodes is stepping down and Susan Zirinsky, a senior executive producer, will take over the president's role from March, the company said on Sunday.

Rhodes will remain in the media firm through March 1, after which he will assume the role of a senior adviser to its parent company CBS Corp CEO Joe Ianniello, and to the News Division, Rhodes wrote in the memo.

"The new year is a time for renewal, for new goals. The world we cover is changing, how we cover it is changing - and it's the right time for me to make a change too," Rhodes said in an internal memo seen by Reuters.

A veteran journalist, Zirinsky began her career in the Washington bureau two weeks after the Watergate break-in and produced a wide variety of award-winning documentaries and programs over the next four decades.

The exit of Rhodes, who spent eight years with CBS, comes after some senior departures at the company in the recent past.

Read also: CBS paid 'Bull' actress Eliza Dushku $9.5 mn to settle harassment claims

In September last year, CEO Leslie Moonves resigned amid a wave of allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

Last month, the company denied Moonves of a $120 million severance package following a board review of the findings of an investigation into Moonves' behavior and the CBS culture conducted by two law firms hired by CBS.

CBS suspended Charlie Rose, co-anchor of its morning show and "60 Minutes" in November 2017 after several women accused him of harassment and misconduct and fired him last September.

Jeff Fager, "60 Minutes" executive producer, was also fired in September after threatening a CBS News reporter investigating allegations of harassment of colleagues.

Moonves has denied any wrongdoing and has described his sexual encounters as consensual.

The departure of the CBS News president was first reported by the Los Angeles Times on Sunday.
As the warm, busy autumn becomes a distant memory and winter extends its grip over the Central Asian steppe, Uzbek grape farmer Abdumutal Yuldashev's harvest is bottled up, bound for Russia.

If once Yuldashev's 15 hectares of land mostly yielded grapes for the table, now he and his small cohort of workers find themselves on the front lines of an ambitious state-led winemaking drive in the majority-Muslim country.

This season his team harvested Bayan Shirei and Rkatsiteli grape varieties, native to the former Soviet countries of the Caucasus.

But in the future, more internationally-renowned types such as Chardonnay and Cabernet could be the order of the day, if strongman President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's plan to overhaul the sector bears fruit.

A decree published by the presidential office in February called for a 60-percent increase in the state wine company's wine exports by the end of 2021 from current levels.

By then too, it also wants the area under cultivation by the company to have doubled.

Mirziyoyev has pledged to unshackle Uzbekistan's economy, weaning it off its dependence on commodities like the water-thirsty cotton crop that covers the country in swathes, while attracting foreign investors.

The plan calls for the "organization of cultivation of especially valuable industrial varieties of grape seedlings", including those from France, Italy, Chile and the United States.

However, industry experts have voiced reservations about Uzbekistan's ability to become a maker of fine wines, while a wine festival organized in the capital, Tashkent, last month as part of the drive failed to pique public interest.

That has not stopped 38-year-old private farmer Yuldashev from already thinking big.

"I want to expand next season by renting some of these other fields," he said, gesturing across a vista of vineyards stretching towards the foothills of the Parkent mountains, 80 kilometers from Tashkent.

"It seems there is a lot of work ahead," he told AFP.

Read also: Climate change hits Germany, and winemakers couldnt be happier

- Far from Burgundy 

For now, local winemaking is still a far cry from the chateaux of Burgundy, and some exports are still limited to the early, unfinished stages in the winemaking process.

Uzbekistan produces around 20 million liters of wine a year, compared to France's more than four billion liters.

At a plant near Yuldashev's farm, a mostly female workforce dressed in white overalls watches over a conveyor belt turning out bottles of pressed grape juice, all of which will be sent to Russia for refinement.

Gayrat Ashurov, the plant's director, says 180 local farmers, including Yuldashev, bring their grapes to the factory.

But tax breaks and other incentives for wine producers set out in the presidential decree are designed to phase out exports of raw wine and strengthen grape-to-glass operations.

In addition to other former Soviet countries, Uzbekistan is eyeing markets in Europe and China.

- Vodka rather than wine -

Nearly three decades after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Uzbeks are still more likely to drink vodka than wine, while Islam's growing role in society is a threat to both.

Yet, promoting wine domestically is important for any country with export ambitions, according to industry experts.

"It is sometimes difficult to sell abroad if you can't show that the stuff is popular at home," said Kym Anderson, executive director of the Wine Economics Research Centre, at the University of Adelaide.

Climate will be another potential hurdle, he said, as Uzbekistan sees more extremes than traditional winegrowing countries, including the ex-Soviet bloc's most well-known producer, Georgia.

Last year, Yuldashev told AFP, he was forced to bury his vines as deep frosts gripped the region, a practice Anderson says raises labor costs while risking long-term damage to the plants.

In the summer meanwhile, "temperatures above mid-40s can damage grapes if not shaded appropriately by the leaf canopy," Anderson added.

Read also: In China's Himalayas, a wine 'flying above the clouds'

- Two hits to output -

While winemaking in Uzbekistan has a long history, it was only introduced on an industrial scale in the 19th century during the Russian imperial period.

The first winery was founded in 1868 by Russian merchant Dmitry Filatov.

But after wine -- mostly in its fortified form -- emerged as a relative staple of Uzbek production during the Soviet era, output took two massive hits.

Firstly came the anti-alcohol campaign of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s that attacked the production of spirits across the Soviet Union.

Then independence and the economic straitjacket that defined Uzbekistan under Mirziyoyev's long-presiding predecessor and mentor Islam Karimov further compounded the downturn.

Analysts are so far unsure whether the top-down production drive can establish Uzbekistan as a new force in a relatively crowded international wine market.

Tom Whittington, of London-based Cult Wines fine wine investment firm, questioned what niche the country would find.

"Uzbek wine, at least in the short term, will not compete with established fine wine from the old and new world," he said.
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Linkedin Ardhienus (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019

According to data from the monthly bank report, credit growth in the banking industry in the third quarter of this year has reached double digits at 12.98 percent year-on-year. The achievement of credit performance in this period was better than in the same period last year, when it only grew at 7.93 percent.



However, the impressive credit performance of the banking industry was apparently not followed by the Islamic banks. Islamic banks credit (financing) only grew by 3.64 percent, the lowest compared to those of other bank groups such as state-owned banks that grew by 15.29 percent, national private banks by 10.20 percent, foreign bank branch offices by 22.13 percent, joint venture banks by 20 percent and regional banks by 8.18 percent.



Besides being low, Islamic bank financing also seems to be falling. The relatively low growth in Islamic 

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Linkedin Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 09:12 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5dde66 1 Opinion #commentary,victim-blaming,Sexual-assault,sexual-abuse,sexual-violence,violence Free

The last week of 2018 and the first week of 2019 have shown that victim blaming in Indonesia is such a daily occurrence that most people dont see it as a problem because its common. The amount of victim blaming shows our society is sick.



Even progressive people  men and women  with the commitment to eradicate violence against women sometimes do not see it as victim blaming. We need a wake-up call to stop it and say it is wrong when we see it.



In the news is a soap opera star, identified only as VA, who is accused of prostitution. The police arrested her on Jan. 5 in Surabaya. The media reported that they took some other people to the police station along with VA: another TV star, four witnesses, two managers and one suspect allegedly involved in an electronic transaction for prostitution.



Soon, pictures of VA were splashed on news sites. Netizens went abuzz, commenting on social media about the alleged rates while denigrating VA. There was no picture of a man who did the transaction with VA.



The same happened with a TV star, identified only as NM, in 2015. Her pictures were everywhere and people commented on the high rates, some insinuating she was charging too much. No one questions the d**khead who was brainless enough to pay that amount of money for sex.



In NMs case, the police did not charge her with anything, but they certainly made sure NM faced social stigma and punishment. In VAs case, the police said they would open the possibility of making VA a suspect, but not the man, a businessman, because they could not find any regulation to charge him with. Even if the police decide to release VA, they already made sure she will get social punishment.



Earlier, an employee of the Workers Social Security Agencys (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan) supervisory board, identified only as RA, told the media she had been raped by her then-boss. She was the secretary or personal assistant to the boss when the alleged assaults happened.



Some people commented that RA chose a job as a secretary or personal assistant to a man, thus it was not surprising that her boss used her for sex.



Were they saying that if a woman applies for a job as a secretary at a respectable organization like the supervisory board of BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, she should be prepared to be assaulted? And if that happens she only has herself to blame?



Also last month, a lawyer representing a student of Gadjah Mada University told the media that his client, accused of sexually assaulting another student, did kiss and do other stuff to the victim, but he said it was consensual, adding that the woman came to his place and not the other way around. Did the lawyer mean that if a woman goes to a mans place, she should expect to be assaulted and if that happens she only has herself to blame?



On Dec. 6, the Jakarta Police arrested a man accused of killing a woman in an apartment in Central Jakarta. The police told the media, and the media picked up the polices information as it was: the man killed her because he was upset at the woman who refused his love and later spat on him.



A media outlet even tried to interview a parking attendant at the apartment, who confirmed that indeed the female victim was snappish. Another report said the suspect was a former security guard at the apartment who was fired last year. Clearly, even without this bit of information, the suspect is the problem, not the victim.



The police did not even frame the case as one of stalking despite clues about this. The man told the police he told the victim he loved her, she said no and called him disgusting on occasions when he bumped into her. The last time he bumped into her was when he was no longer a security guard there, he said he was friendly and smiled at her; that she spat on him and then he killed her.



She lived alone, no one protected her when this man harassed her several times and now when shes dead, people blame her because she was unfriendly to the man who kept bumping into her and being friendly to her.



In Indonesia, when a man forces his attention on a woman, people wont call it stalking, let alone a crime. People would call the guy persistent, in a positive way, and society believes the woman would finally relent to the victory of the persistent man. What a beautiful love story. Its not.



All these victim blaming comments and attitudes make me believe that our society is sick and needs urgent cure. If we regard such comments and perspective as common and acceptable, more women will become victims of violence, get the blame, while the male perpetrators will be embraced by society as a victim of a snappish woman, a woman who charges too much, a woman who dares to knock on the mans door and a woman who dares enough to earn a respectable living as a secretary.
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Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 08:44 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5dbc56 1 Editorial #Editorial,rubber,rubber-prices,export-oriented-industry,commodity-prices Free

The Indonesian Rubber Producers Association (Gapkindo) has urged the government to review its plan to open the crumb rubber industry to foreign investors because the industry is suffering from overcapacity due to an acute lack of raw materials.



The government apparently thought that increasing the number of crumb rubber factories would automatically increase competition for natural rubber latex and this would help raise the earnings of smallholders who own over 85 percent of the countrys rubber plantations.



But the association claims that even now the industry already has a total installed capacity of 5.6 million tons annually while the total supply of rubber materials from domestic plantations is only about 3.5 million tons, thereby forcing crumb rubber manufacturers to operate way below their capacity.



Yet more worrisome, according to the association, is that more than 60 percent of the total installed capacity is controlled by foreign companies, notably from China, and their local affiliates.



True, the price of rubber, like most other commodities such as palm oil, cacao and coal, has been very low over the past five years. It declined from a high of US$5 per kilogram in 2011 to a low of $1.20 as of now. But the price has mainly been driven by global supply and demand, especially for Indonesia, the worlds second-largest producer. It exports more than 80 percent of its output. Crumb rubber producers mostly use international prices as their reference for local rubber procurement.



What is making things worse for Indonesian rubber farmers is that the prices they get have mostly been half of what rubber growers in Thailand, the worlds largest producer, and Malaysia, the third-largest producer, have enjoyed. Therefore, the government, besides reconsidering the plan to liberalize the crumb rubber industry, needs to look into the structure of the relationship between smallholders and rubber processing companies as well as the root causes of why our farmers are being paid less than their counterparts in other major producing countries.



The lower prices have made the living conditions of rubber farmers much harder because their yield is only about half of what is produced in Thailand and Malaysia. Their rubber trees are also old and the quality of their latex is very low.



Yet, even more unfortunate for the rubber industry is that while the government has been implementing huge programs for replanting smallholder oil palm plantations with high-yield seeds, we have not heard of such a program for smallholder rubber estates.



Instead of wooing more foreign investors, it would perhaps be more productive for the government to stimulate investments in downstream rubber plants to produce building materials, parts or components of automobiles and electronic goods as well as adhesives and sealants. Thus far, the biggest industrial user of natural rubber has been tire manufacturers, which have to compete with synthetic rubber producers.
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Linkedin Qusthan Firdaus (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019 16:14 889 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e5f5120 3 Opinion industrial-revolution,Industry-4-0,ethics,workforce,artifical-intelligence,AI,machine-learning Free

Ethics has been developing its scope across centuries. Yet, its classical challenges remain the same viz., conflict of interests (CoI) and dilemma (D).

As tricksy as a little device is ethics in the realm of industry 4.0. It is so because the distinction between CoI and D is much more nebulous.

Under the banner of industry 4.0, things play more significant roles in the internet of things (IoT), automation, the cyber-physical system, and artificial intelligence (AI) all of which affecting humans in making ethical judgments.

Moreover, industrialists (the management and owners) are vulnerable to four ethical challenges. First, there is a gap of comprehension concerning the nature of industry 4.0 between well-developed countries and developing countries.

On the one hand, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy defines industry 4.0 as "the intelligent networking of machines and processes for industry with the help of information and communication technology."

Accordingly, the intelligent networking itself contains some preferences viz., convertible factory, flexible production, optimized logistics, customer-oriented solutions, the resource-efficient circular economy and the use of data.

Those preferences significantly redefine the way we deal with our own internal and external stakeholders such as employees and customer issues. On the other hand, the Indonesian Industries Ministry does not bother themselves with problems of definitions but jumping into four strategies.

First, encouraging students to master the IoT. Second, using digital technology to increase the productivity and competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises. Third, the adoption of augmented reality, the cloud system, the cybersecurity, autonomous robots and big data. Fourth, the innovation of technology through start-up companies by facilitating the business incubation.

I am afraid, however, those strategies are meaningless due to our heavy economic orientation on consumption. On the contrary, Germany initiated the notion of 'industry 4.0' in 2011 in order to support its manufacturing industry.

Leaving such epistemological gap as it is; implies a CoI between the inability of developing countries to catch up with the high technology in developed countries; and the former's desire to be voguish.

If this is the case, we should quash such gaudy desire, and striving to develop our own technology instead of purchasing from overseas.

Further, industry 4.0 thrives on the basis of knowledge economy. Rather than the means of production, this type of economy grows on the ground of accessibility, quality and quantity of information. This is the second ethical challenge.

Here, the Indonesian government should consider thoroughly how to manage and treat information in the best possible way of serving our national interests. In computing, information is transmitted, stored and processed data through a computer.

That is why some people believe that data is the new oil but it could turn out to be a new threat if authorities easily give up to vested interests such as in the case of abolishing the legal obligation to establish data centers and disaster recovery centers in Indonesia (article 17 verse 2 of the 2012 Government Rules No. 82 on the Implementation of Electronic System and Transaction).

Therefore, authorities, journalists, ethicists and legal experts should cooperate in resolving various CoI regarding the traffic of information and data in the cyberspace.

The third challenge is how to reduce the negative effects of automation to human labors. If there is a clash between the demographic bonus and automation, this would lead to massive unemployment and rampant social exclusion.

Unskilled labors would be the first affected segment but it does not mean high skilled labors would be entirely safe.

Insofar as AI utilizes the machine learning process, their intelligent capacity would level off with (if not surpass) skilled labors.

Fourth, once things, robots and AI are subject to ethics, they should be treated and assessed impartially. It would be more complicated once they are legally regulated.

Insofar as law enforcement in developing countries is in question, such regulations would be less effective.

Among those four challenges, only the third one appears as a D. Blurring D and CoI only perplexes the issue.

To easily distinguish CoI and D, we should envisage four quadrants within which D is located only in the down left (negative and negative) while in contrast CoI is situated in the upper left (positive and negative) and the down right (negative and positive).

By doing so, we can hope that policymakers overcome those challenges well.

***

The writer is a researcher at the Mastel (Indonesian Society for Telematics). The views are his own.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Suvir Varma and Usman Akhtar (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 8, 2019

Venture capital and private equity investment in Southeast Asia has soared to record levels as scores of new investors pour into the region. In 2017, the number of recorded venture capital deals rose to 524, four times the level of 2012, and private equity deal value rose 75 percent to US$15 billion, breaking out of a decade-long phase of flat growth.



Suddenly, all signs are pointing up. Technology companies attracted the bulk of new capital, rising to 40 percent of deal count in 2017 from 20 percent in 2014. Southeast Asia-dedicated funds dry powder  committed but unspent capital  has more than doubled since 2012. The region also has produced its first set of unicorns  new companies that rapidly achieve market valuations of $1 billion or more. Since 2012, 10 unicorns, including Grab, Go-Jek and Traveloka, have created a combined market value

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BELLEVILLE  If you left high school without earning a diploma and feel that now is the time to earn one, let Southwestern Illinois College help you get ready. The Adult Education and Literacy department will offer free high school equivalency preparation classes in St. Clair, Madison and Randolph counties in January.

Day Classes

Day high school equivalency preparation classes will meet at the following days, times and locations:

 Friday, Jan. 18 from 9 a.m. to 12:50 p.m., then Monday through Thursday thereafter, starting Jan. 21 to Feb. 28 from 9 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. at SWIC Belleville Campus, 2500 Carlyle Ave. and SWIC Sam Wolf Granite City Campus, 4950 Maryville Road

 Monday through Wednesday from Jan. 22 to Feb. 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. at East St. Louis Community College Center, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd. and Cahokia Library, 140 Cahokia Park Drive

 Monday through Wednesday from Jan. 22 to Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. at SWIC Red Bud Campus, 500 W. South Fourth St.

 Tuesday and Thursday from Jan. 22 to March 28 from 10 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. at New Bethel Church, 5803 Belmont Ave., East St. Louis

Evening Classes

 Evening high school equivalency preparation classes will meet Tuesday and Thursday from Jan. 22 to March 28 from 5:30-8:15 p.m. at SWIC Belleville Campus, 2500 Carlyle Ave.; Collinsville High School, 201 S. Morrison Ave.; East St. Louis Community College Center, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd.; and, SWIC Sam Wolf Granite City Campus, 4950 Maryville Road

 Monday and Wednesday from Jan. 21 to March 27 from 5:30-8:15 p.m. at Marissa High School, 300 School View Drive

Spanish Evening Classes

Spanish Evening high school equivalency preparation classes will meet Tuesday and Thursday from Jan. 28 to March 18 from 5:30-8:35 p.m. at SWIC Sam Wolf Granite City Campus, 4950 Maryville Road

A mandatory preregistration and orientation session is required.

Learn more about upcoming classes and schedule a preregistration appointment by calling 618-235-2700, ext. 5525, or toll free in Illinois at 866-942-SWIC (7942), ext. 5525.
EDWARDSVILLE  Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler announced a Board of Review Examination will be held later this month at the Administration Building.

The examination will determine eligible candidates for appointment to the Board of Review in Madison County. The Board of Review consists of three citizens appointed by the County Board, to review the property assessments made by the Supervisor of Assessments.
DOW  Two eagles that were rescued by Greene County Sheriffs Deputy Cliff Elliot the weekend before Veterans Day are in good health after being treated for rat poisoning by TreeHouse Wildlife Center in Dow.

Both birds are in good health after receiving treatment with activated charcoal, TreeHouse fundraising coordinator Kelly Vandersand said.

We have a 96-foot flight cage and theyve been flying around and they are eating, Vandersand said. Theyve been deemed rehabilitated.

The birds will be released at 1 p.m. Saturday at Roodhouse Community Park, close to the area where they were rescued.

It is important that both birds be released near their homes in case they already have mated and have mates in the area, Vandersand said.

We want them to go back to where they are from, Vandersand said. Adult eagles are often already mated and we dont want them to stay separated. We hope theyll be able to reunite with their mates.

Each birds release will be in honor of someone. One bird will be released by a longtime volunteer who is honoring the memory of a Missouri man, Malcolm Mathis, and his son, who were stabbed to death in February. The other will be released in memory of a friend who committed suicide.

We want anyone that has lost someone to suicide to come, Vandersand said. Native American folk lore believed that eagles flew the highest and could bring messages to the Creator. Their release is symbolic. They were treated and released and others can find peace from that.

The birds were found within a day and a couple of miles of each other between White Hall and Walkerville along Walkerville Blacktop.

Elliot described the birds at the time of their rescue as sick or injured and said neither was capable of flight; both were pretty subdued as he caught them. While one of the birds was a little more feisty at the time of its capture, Elliot said neither bird was in good condition and behaving normally.

When the birds arrived at TreeHouse, their beaks and claws where clenched and other symptoms led the staff to believe the birds had been poisoned, Vandersand said.

There are various ways they could have come into contact with the poison, Vandersand said. They could have eaten off a poisoned carcass, someone could have thrown out rat poison, they could have eaten a dead mouse that died from poisoning.

Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha.
John Badman | Hearst Illinois

Construction crews are beginning to set up staging for a pipeline construction project that will cover 65 miles across Scott, Greene and other counties.

The open-access natural gas pipeline, the construction of which is being overseen by Michels Corp. Construction, has staging areas on East Broadway Avenue and Storey Lane at Fosterburg Road in Alton.
EDWARDSVILLE  Almost one year ago, officers from the Madison County Public Corruption Task Force raided several Madison County governmental offices in broad daylight, taking computers and other files.

Later, the county employee responsible for compliance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act was called before a grand jury, and a subsequent lawsuit resulted in the Illinois Attorney Generals Office taking over the case after a judge ruled that Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons and his office had a conflict of interest.

The high-profile raids  a second raid followed less than a month later  generated speculation, but little has come of the seizures and resulting investigation. In the nearly year since, the investigation has been mostly silent except for occasional references to the investigation during partisan political fights in committee and County Board meetings.

Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler said recently that since the lawsuit over the summer, there has been no action or discussion.

Not that I have heard of, he said. I have not heard anything in months and months.

However, according to Annie Thompson, press secretary for the Illinois Attorney Generals Office, the case is ongoing as of last week. She declined additional comment on the case.

The initial search warrants were served at several county offices at about 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Officers left about 90 minutes later with computers and other items. The officers targeted the Madison County Board Office, specifically the office of Madison County Administrator Doug Hulme; the office of Public Relations and Communications Manager Cynthia Ellis; and the county IT Department.

The search was conducted by the Madison County Public Corruption Task Force, formed at the request of Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons. In a press release issued at the time, Gibbons said it was formed after evidence surfaced in late 2017 of possible illegal conduct by county officials.

In late January, the county FOIA officer was called before a grand jury and some records were subpoenaed, and later a search warrant was served on that office.

In September, Circuit Judge Jerry Crisel, of the Second Judicial Circuit in Mount Vernon, ordered that the investigation be handled by the Illinois Attorney Generals Office. Crisel ruled that Gibbons could not both prosecute the case and represent county officials as one of his statutory duties as states attorney. Gibbons would not have to defend any criminal charges brought against any officials. The officials would have to hire their own attorneys for criminal defense.

The order stems from a lawsuit filed by attorney Ed Moorman on behalf of County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler, County Administrator Doug Hulme and Information Technology Director Rob Dorman. The suit asked the court to clarify whether Gibbons should represent the three officials. Attorney Amy Sholar also filed a suit on behalf of former Administrative Director Steve Adler. The order applied to both cases.

Since then, there has been no public action on the investigation.

Prenzler said Monday there has been no real impact on county operations.

Its my understanding the equipment taken in the search has not been returned, but it is easily replaced, he said.

The only public comments on the subject have been by Madison County Auditor Rick Faccin, who has referred to the investigation several times during arguments in public meetings with other county officials  usually Prenzler or Hulme.

The most recent was during the December board meeting, when Faccin said that raises should not be given to county officials who might be under investigation.

My take on this is you err on the side of caution, Faccin said Monday. I dont know whats going to happen, theres been no official word except that its ongoing. Until this is concluded and we have an official statement made from the powers that be, we have to sit back and wait to see what happens.

Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447.
WOOD RIVER  January is Radon Awareness Month and the Madison County Health Department emphasizes the importance of getting youre home tested.

The department offers radon test kits for $6 each for residents to use to check the radon level in their homes. The $6 includes all testing fees and pre-paid postage to mail the kit for your results. Radon is a significant environmental cancer risk and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer among smokers.

Residents can come to the health department, located at 101 E. Edwardsville Road in Wood River, to purchase a radon test kit between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

With the presence of radon in this geographic area, we encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity and test for radon in their homes, said Erin Boester, the health departments health protection manager.

More than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are caused by radon exposure.

Since radon is a colorless, odorless and invisible gas that occurs naturally in the soil that seeps into the soil. When radon seeps into the home, the only way to detect it is to test for it.

Radon is the natural breakdown of uranium and radium in rock formations. Radon can seep through cracks in a homes foundation from the surrounding soil.

Sump pits, gaps in suspended floors, construction joists and exposed soil within crawl spaces are all areas where radon may find a way into your home. Groundwater and water from wells can also introduce radon into the home but the risk is much smaller. Once inside, radon can build up and create a hazard.

Testing for radon is easy, inexpensive and convenient  taking only three days. Tests should be performed on the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied. Do not test in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms or utility rooms.

Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), a measurement of radioactivity. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average indoor radon level in the U.S. is about 1.3 pCi/L.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) reports that the average indoor radon level is about 4.9pCi/L. The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend repairing homes with radon levels at or above 4pCi/L. The EPA also recommends fixing homes with radon levels between 2pCi/L and 4pCi/L.

When residents buy a kit, a health department staff member will help them with instructions, give them valuable information about radon, its measurement and mitigation. For more information, call (618) 296-6079. For more information about National Radon Action Month, visit https://www.cpa.gov/radon. For more information about radon, visit http://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/health/radon.php or IEMA at www.radon.illinois. Gov.
For the Intelligencer

SPRINGFIELD  Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) of Springfield, Illinois announced its Annual Business Meeting set for Saturday, Jan. 19 at Lakeside Christian Church, located at 226 Toronto Road (I-55, Exit 100 west) in Springfield.

Beginning at 1 p.m., this meeting is open to the general public, including veterans, guardian escorts, volunteers and supporters of LLHF. A complete recap of the 2018 flight season, which consisted of six flights, will be included along with operating costs and statistics of veterans served. There will also be announcements of upcoming plans and dates for the planned six 2019 flights, upcoming events, and salutes to LLHFs partners and donors.
JERSEYVILLE  A Cottage Hills woman is facing multiple felony charges after police said they were led on a car chase from Alton into Jersey County.

Jennifer D. Howard, 30, of Cottage Hills was charged Friday with two counts of forgery and two counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer.

Police said the incident started about 9:30 a.m. Thursday with a call from an employee at TheBANK of Edwardsville on Martin Luther King Boulevard about an attempted forgery at the drive-through. An Alton police sergeant arrived and approached the vehicle  a silver Chevrolet Equinox  on foot, but the driver, later identified as Howard, sped away.

Multiple Alton police officers chased the vehicle along Piasa Street and tried to use spike sticks to stop the vehicle, but it continued onto Great River Road and into Jersey County.

During the chase, which eventually involved officers from multiple departments, the vehicle reached speeds of more than 100 mph and officers saw items being thrown out the passenger window, police said.

The chase ended on Illinois Route 16 near Illinois Route 100 near Hardin. Both Howard and a male passenger were taken into custody. No felony charges had been filed against the passenger as of Friday.

After the chase, Alton police circled back to collect possible evidence on and near the road.

The forgery charges stem from Howards attempt to cash a $215 check, according to court documents.

The aggravated fleeing charges are the result of her fleeing after the sergeants orders to stop. One charge says Howard fled at more than 21 mph over the posted speed limit, while the second charge says she disobeyed more than two traffic control devices.

Bail was set at $30,000.

The Madison County States Attorneys Office also filed a fugitive-from-justice complaint against Howard, stemming from a St. Charles, Missouri, charge of failure to appear on charges of possession of a controlled substance.

Jersey County States Attorney Ben Goetten confirmed his office would not file any charges in the case.

Scott Cousins can be reached at 618-208-6447.
At age 78, Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale has chosen to retire. We wish him a long, healthy and prosperous retirement. From our perspective he has been an excellent Nebraska secretary of state.

As a Republican who was appointed by Republican Gov. Mike Johanns in 2000, he has carried out the duties of his office in a nonpartisan, non-controversial and effective manner. He has been low profile as well as kind and courteous in all aspects of his work. Throughout his 18 years of service he has been an advocate for democracy in Nebraska, working to increase voter participation as well as increase the civic knowledge of those who choose to vote and get involved in civic affairs.

The Nebraska secretary of states duties are many and include elections, business services, occupational licensing, state rules and regulations, records management, international relations and youth civics programs. The Nebraska secretary of state is considered to be in the inner circle of power in state governance.
 Rogers Borja-Guerra reported a 2006 Toyota Corolla was stolen from his driveway Saturday. He left the vehicle running with the keys in the ignition. The car was later recovered.

 Ramiro Coronado reported an attempted burglary Friday at 1216 E. Seventh St. At this point, nothing has been identified as stolen.

 A 29-year-old male reported a sexual assault that occurred late Friday or early Saturday.

 Randys Auto Sales, 1423 W. Second St., reported a white 2004 Suzuki Forenza was stolen from the lot between Dec. 13 and Saturday. The case is open.

 Jason Hornady reported that approximately 30 unopened bottles of hard liquor were taken from his entertaining outbuilding at 2711 Riverside Drive between 11:30 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.

 Sabre Abuhania, 26, was arrested early Monday at North Sycamore and East 20th Street. He was contacted because police say he matched the description of a male attempting to go through vehicles. When contacted, Abuhania took off running, refusing to follow commands. He was charged with obstructing a peace officer and possession of a controlled substance. His preliminary hearing is set for 11 a.m. Feb. 19.
ORD  The Catholic priest from Ord charged with sexual assault will make his first court appearance at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Valley County Court.

The Rev. John Kakkuzhiyil has been charged with committing sexual assault/forcible-first degree on Nov. 22 in Ord. That crime is a Class 2 felony. The alleged victim is an adult woman.

Kakkuzhiyil, 62, is being represented by Grand Island attorney Mark Porto. The prosecutor is Valley County Attorney Kayla Clark.

County Judge Kale Burdick set bond at $150,000, with 10 percent of that amount necessary for release.

He is being held in Valley County Jail.

Until recently, Kakkuzhiyil was pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ord and Sacred Heart in Burwell. Earlier in his career, he worked at St. Marys Catholic Church in Grand Island.

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The top leadership of the Communist Party of China reaffirmed the authority and unified, centralized leadership of the CPC Central Committee at a key Party meeting on Monday.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the daylong meeting.

During the meeting, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee heard reports from Party organizations of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate as well as a report from the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi delivered an important speech at the meeting.

The year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and a crucial year for securing the decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, said a statement issued after the meeting.

The nation is facing a complex and grave international situation as well as the arduous task of advancing reform, enhancing development and maintaining stability, the statement said.

Party organizations of the Standing Committee of the NPC, the State Council, the National Committee of the CPPCC, the SPC and SPP are urged to keep in line with the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core, seriously fulfill their duties in full and strict governance of the Party and earnestly honor their responsibilities, the statement said.

They are also urged to set an example in following Party regulations against undesirable work styles, tighten up political disciplines and improve internal management, the statement said.

Noting that the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee fully played its role in the past year, the meeting urged the secretariat to set an example in safeguarding the authority and central and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the statement said.
Phil Young of Stratford will be sworn-in to represent the towns 120th District on Wednesday. But if a planned committee later decides the contested election should be tossed out, the Democrats tenure in the state House of Representatives could be brief.

During the opening minutes of the General Assembly session Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz and House Majority Leader Matt Ritter will put forward a resolution forming a committee to review the contested November election, which Young won by 13 votes amid charges that 76 voters from a multi-district polling place were disenfranchised.

Young was certified the winner of the election over Republican Jim Feehan and the state Supreme Court ruled that the House of Representatives has to decide whether the results stand. The new Committee on Contested Elections will have until Feb. 4 to report on its review.

The committee will have subpoena power and staff through the Committee on Legislative Management to conduct its inquiry and write up recommendations, which could lead to a special election. The last time a similar committee was formed was back in 1985, and the Democratic winner, now longtime state Sen. Joan Hartley of Waterbury, was allowed to keep her House seat.

The last committee took 10 days of testimony, so its going to be fairly involved, Young said Tuesday afternoon. If they decide on a new election, they decide on a new election. But I am looking forward to my committees and the session going forward. Young was named vice chairman of the Public Health Committee.

House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said the issue remains open. In my mind, its not closed at all, she told reporters in the Capitol on Tuesday. It shouldnt be closed in anybodys mind in this state because (76) people in that race did not get to vote for one person or the other. Their ability to vote was denied them. You want to talk about voters being disenfranchised? We hear that phrase all over the place, but somehow because it happened in a suburb, nobody seems to care about it. Its a big deal. Since that race was only decided by a handful of votes in the first place, it matters.

Staff writer Emilie Munson contributed to this story
A couple of weeks back, I was part of a panel discussion at Creative Business Cup -- a network for innovative businesses -- in Copenhagen, addressing the topic of female entrepreneurship.

Related: How to Boost Your Confidence, Even When You're the Only Woman in the Room

Some rather prominent and successful female entrepreneurs were on the panel alongside of me, but the discussion quickly devolved into how, today, men in the Western nations are still more likely to start or run their own business than women are (a topic that David Nethero, managing director of Golden Seeds, described in Entrepreneur.com).

Now why, I wondered to myself, is that?

Women are only half as likely to start a business.

I needn't have asked myself that question because the statistics are clear: Men are still nearly twice as likely to be entrepreneurs as their female counterparts. According to the Huffington Post, only 36 percent of all businesses in the United States in 2016 were owned by women.

Now, being an outspoken, modern feminist, I believe that women themselves (and our lack of self-esteem) are the cause for this inequality. But, why is this a problem worthy of discussion?

When it comes to ROI, women outperform men.

Women's low numbers in terms of U.S. business ownership should be taken seriously because they reflect a "significant pool of untapped potential. When it comes to return on investment (ROI) ), women outperform men big time! Research (reported in Inc.) has also shown that women-led teams have a 35 percent higher return on investment than all-male ones.

According to Ingrid Vanderveldt, the woman behind the global company Empowering a Billion Women by 2020, this tendency toward higher ROI is what makes some investors interested in investing solely in startups founded by women.

Good to hear, right? So, why are fewer women still starting or leading businesses when were are obviously so good at it?

Related: Women, It's Time to Take Control

Women struggle with a lack of self-confidence.

One reason seems to be the lack of self-confidence so many women have. This issue is so prevalent that it stands in the way of our achievements. But isnt self-confidence just a sorry excuse for never taking a risk and reaching our full potential?

Because you can bet that men struggle, too. They are just better at hiding it.

The need for constant approval

You often hear women entrepreneurs and business owners express their need to be cheered on. Female entrepreneurs need constant confirmation and approval from friends, family, business colleagues and mentors that they are doing well and need to keep on going.

As Tiffany Rezende, founder and CEO of Atoms Integrator, explained to us on the panel: Most women really need a team of cheerleaders constantly cheering them on. Otherwise they give up and lose themselves in self-doubt and worries.

But I can tell you that the guys I know feel the same way. So, why are women letting their fear of failure rule their lives when men seem to be able to manage just fine?

Impostor syndrome

I first heard of this phenomenon listening to the podcast Entrepreneur On Fire with John Lee Dumas. And it changed my whole perspective of my own abilities and achievements. The term originated in 1978 in an article by two psychologists. It refers to high-achieving individuals who have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud.

Most entrepreneurs and highly successful business people have that feeling at times. And that's a problem because it can seriously damage your career and business, if you dont take take steps to avoid falling victim to that fear.

Believe in yourself.

I myself am founder and CEO of the visual agency Levende Streg, in Copenhagen. We create animation videos, strategy visualizations, comic books and concept art for global companies. I started the company in 2012. Today, I run the company with a female managing partner and about five freelancers. And yes, its risky and challenging to run a business. The responsibility sometimes feels overwhelming. I doubt myself every day. But its also a lot of fun.

However, I have a strategy: When Im really anxious about not performing well enough (for instance when Im drawing live, visualizing a business strategy), I think of Pippi Longstocking (a childrens character, created by Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, that I grew up with).

Lindgren has said that, "Pippi represents my own childish longing for a person who has power but does not abuse it." Red-haired, freckled, 9-year-old Pippi is also the strongest girl in the world, who likes to say thing like: I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that!

That's why I still enjoy Pippi; she has the attitude we women need when we start or run our own business.

For women, the family comes first, and that's okay.

I have two kids and a spouse. And for me, my family comes first. It always has. But Im pretty sure that most of my male friends would say the exact same thing. Children will always have a great impact on our private lives, as well as on our work life. Thats just the way it is. So, why do so many women still use their children as an excuse for not being high achievers?

Dare to take the risk.

I truly believe that men and women are equal -- both in their cognitive abilities and emotional depth, and in the richness of their inner emotional lives.

Related: 3 Myths About Confidence That Stop Women From Being Heard

Women (at least here in the West) have to stop making excuses for themselves and stop whining about all the fear and potential risks of entrepreneurship. Get out there and shape your own future, girl! That's what Pippi says. That's what I say.

Related:

Let's Give Women Entrepreneurs What They Really Need: a Cheerleader Team

Bobbi Brown Started a Beauty Empire With Just One (Revolutionary) Lipstick

Shannon Keith Is Fighting Sex Trafficking in India, One Beautiful Pajama Set at a Time



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
A Darien man has been indicted on Long Island for allegedly causing the death of a husband and wife in what authorities described as a "catastrophic" motor vehicle crash, then fleeing the scene.

Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini announced 12-count indictment against a Patrick Poillon, 24, of Darien on Monday, Jan. 7.

At approximately 10:11 p.m. on Dec. 22, Poillon was allegedly driving a 2006 Ford Explorer southbound on Huguenot Drive in Mastic Beach when he drove through a stop sign and struck a 2004 Subaru Legacy traveling east on Forest Road West. Poillon allegedly fled the scene of the crash on foot, leaving the Explorer and a passenger at the scene.

The two passengers in the Subaru, William Molnar, 50, and Jean Molnar, 41, both of Mastic Beach, were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. According to a Facebook memorial page, the Molnars left behind three children and two grandchildren.

Poillon is charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and tampering with physical evidence, all felonies in New York; second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree assault, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle in the third degree, all misdemeanors; and speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign, which are both traffic infractions.

"The defendant was allegedly driving more than twice the legal speed limit and blowing through stop signs in a residential neighborhood at the time of this horrific crash," District Attorney Sini said in a press release. "Because of his reckless actions, a husband and wife were killed just days before Christmas."

On Tuesday, Brendan Ahern, chief of Suffolk's Vehicular Crime Bureau, told The Darien Times Poillon was allegedly driving in a "grossly dangerous fashion."

"Two days before Christmas Eve, he was out with his friends driving through these very small residential roadways," Ahern said.

"He was blowing through every single stop sign," Ahern said.

Ahern said the couple was "killed instantly" in the "catastrophic crash."

A 22-year-old male passenger in the front seat of Poillon's Explorer was transported by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of injuries.

Ahern told The Darien Times that Poillon allegedly admitted his involvement in the crash to those at the residence he had come from and returned to.

Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives, Poillon was arrested at a relative's residence in Mastic Beach at approximately 3:37 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2018.

Poillon was allegedly driving at approximately 68 mph at the time of the crash, which occurred in a 30 mph zone. Poillon was also allegedly holding a "Natty Daddy," which is a 25-ounce can of Natural Light beer, while driving.

Vermont Charges

Poillon also has criminal charges pending in Brattleboro, Vt., from an incident that occurred in August 2016 in which Poillon and a co-defendant allegedly assaulted a man in a supermarket and stole alcohol from him. The charges also include a hate-motivated aggravated disorderly conduct charge for allegedly attacking an African-American woman during the incident and calling her a racial slur. Poillon pleaded not guilty to those charges.

In August 2016, The Brattleboro Reformer reported a man told Brattleboro Police he was purchasing two alcoholic beverages in a store on Elliot Street when a man fitting the description of Poillon began punching and kicking him.

A black woman who drove up to the scene "stopped her car because of the subjects blocking the roadway," police said. Poillon called her a racial slur after she exited her car and started picking up glass from the road using a handkerchief.

"I'll (expletive) fight you, I'll (expletive) kill you!" Poillon said, according to an affidavit, before assaulting the female victim, the Reformer reported.

The Reformer reported Poillon fled the scene, but was later arrested hiding in a bedroom closet at a private residence. The Reformer also reported that an officer from the Dover Police Department contacted Brattleboro police during their investigation of the incident, identifying Poillon as a person who had bitten him in a previous incident.

Arraignment

On Monday, Jan. 7, Poillon was arraigned on the indictment in front of Suffolk County Acting Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho. Bail was set at $1 million cash or $5 million bond and his license was suspended. He is due back in court on Feb. 4.

Sini told The Darien Times Tuesday Poillon is still in custody and due to the bond amount it is expected he will remain in custody. He said the bond amount requested takes into account Poillon's alleged previous criminal history.

If convicted of the top count, Poillon faces a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison.

Sini said the next steps will include the discovery process and "invariably some sort of conversation to dispose of the charges" via plea negotiations, which will also take previous charges into account.

The Mastic Beach case is being prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Jacob DeLauter and Maggie Bopp, of the Vehicular Crime Bureau.

It is unclear where Poillon lives or has lived in Darien, or when. Ahern said Poillon's relative has a home in Mastic Beach.

Despite possible plea discussions, Sini said, "We are prepared to try this case."

"However, we always do consider a just result prior to trial," he said.

Timothy Sini is the cousin of Planning & Zoning Commission chairman John Sini.


STAMFORD  The state Appellate Court has overturned the conviction of a man now serving a 12-year sentence for trying to burn down the Norwalk courthouse in 2013.

Despite DNA evidence presented to the jury during trial, the unanimous opinion reversed the 2016 burglary, attempted arson and tampering with evidence conviction of Stamford resident Joseph Stephenson for a lack of evidence, the justices 15-page opinion said.

In conclusion, the state presented no evidence at all from which the jury reasonably could have inferred that during the short period of time between the intruders breaking of the window and the arrival of state police on scene, the defendant entered the building through that window and went directly to the filing cabinet in another office and removed the files that were later discovered on the floor, justices Michael Sheldon, William Bright and Socrates Mihalakos wrote in their decision.

Stamford States Attorney Michelle Manning, who tried the case against Stephenson, referred comment to Stamford States Attorney Richard Colangelo.

It is very difficult to understand the courts decision, and it is very difficult for us as prosecutors when the Appellate Court sits as a seventh juror and changes a decision that the jury, chosen by the defendant and state, made, said Colangelo, who was a prosecutor in the Norwalk courthouse before the arson attempt.

We had six people listen to the evidence and unanimously find beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty of the crimes he was convicted of, and now the Appellate Court turns around and sits like a seventh juror and comes up with this decision to overturn the conviction.

Colangelo said the state will appeal the decision with the Connecticut Supreme Court.

I hope the justices there will look at the case and see things differently than the Appellate Court did, Colangelo said.

If the Supreme Court declines to review the case, Stephenson will be released from jail. Stephenson has been jailed since his arrest in 2014.

Stephenson was accused of breaking into the Norwalk courthouse about 11 p.m. March 3, 2013. The Belden Street courthouses security system notified the state police, which have jurisdiction of all Connecticut court properties.

A state trooper who responded 90 seconds after the alarm sounded saw a man peering at him through window blinds on the southeast side of the building, but could not identify the person because it was too dark, Stephensons arrest affidavit said.

Police said Stephenson fled through a back door and escaped before officers surrounded the building.

During the five-day trial held in the Stamford courthouse, Manning presented evidence showing state troopers found a canvas bag containing six 32-ounce canisters of Coleman kerosene inside the prosecutors office, the arrest affidavit said. The labels were cut off to remove the store price tags. The break-in cost the state $3,328 in repairs to the courthouse.

Surveillance footage showed the man fled in a 2002 or 2003 Land Rover Freelander. Investigators found there were 167 of the vehicles registered in the state, including one owned by Stephensons stepfather, testimony in the case showed.

Stephensons stepfather told investigators he bought the SUV for his wife, but his son often drove it, police said. Investigators also discovered Stephensons mother was in a rehabilitation center recovering from an accident on the night of the courthouse incident, the affidavit said.

The vehicle in the surveillance footage also had a broken upper brake light and aftermarket push bumpers and rear brake light brush guards just like the one Stephensons stepfather owned, the affidavit said.

A DNA researcher from the state forensic lab testified during trial that he matched Stephensons DNA to samples collected on each of the 32-ounce kerosene bottles, the canvas bag and a hammer found near the exit of the courthouse.

At his sentencing in January 2017, Stephenson proclaimed he was not guilty of the attempted arson.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
FAIRFIELD - A local deli worker was arrested after police said he harassed and sexually assaulted a teenaged co-worker.

Konstantinos Avramidis, 45, of Fort Point Street in Norwalk, was charged Monday with fourth-degree sexual assault, public indecency, second-degree breach of peace and two counts of second-degree harassment.

He was being held in lieu of $60,000 bond.

Police said they recently received a complaint from a local woman that her 16-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted and harassed by Avramidis in the Black Rock Turnpike deli where she had been working.

The girl related she had given another co-worker her cell phone number and believes that Avramidis may have overheard her phone number because she thereafter began getting texts from him, police said. The texts initially appeared harmless but after a short time Avramidis began sending her photographs of his genitals. She later turned the photos over to police.

The girl was working behind the deli counter on one occasion when Avramidis, who was also behind the counter called her name. When she looked over police said Avramidis lifted his apron exposing his genitals to her.

Police said the girl initially ignored Avramidis actions because she had just started working at the deli and didnt want to make any trouble however, they said this only encouraged Avramidis actions.

The girl had gone into the delis walk-in freezer and was bent over a box when police said Avramidis, who had followed her into the freezer, grabbed her between her legs. Police said when the girl jumped in surprise, Avramidis grabbed her wrist and shoved her hand on his genitals.

Police said the delis owner immediately fired Avramidis after being told of the girls allegations. They said a review of the delis surveillance cameras confirmed that both the girl and Avramidis were in the freezer when she said the assault occurred.

Police said when they later confronted Avramidis he admitted touching the girl and flashing his peeper, at her in the deli but he told officers that he thought she liked it.

CORRECTION: This article was corrected on Jan. 12, 2019, to change the arrested partys first name from Konstantin to Konstantinos.
Much has been said about millennials recently, most often focusing on how their habits have changed traditions and products.

Branding agency Moosylvania has been studying millennial consumers for five years. Each year, the company asks members of the cohort how they view themselves, how they connect with brands and what emotions their favorite brands evoked during a recent 30-day span.
US Top Court Declines to Take Up Fiat Chrysler Hacking Case

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Supreme Court on Jan.7 declined to hear Fiat Chryslers appeal in a class action lawsuit over allegations that its Jeeps and other trucks are vulnerable to hacking, one of the first legal cases involving automotive cyber security risks.

The courts action paves the way for an October trial in the litigation centering on the question of whether truck buyers can sue over hypothetical future injuries without having been actual victims of cyber security attacks on their vehicles. Fiat Chrysler has received widespread support from industry groups in the dispute.

Three car owners from Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri in 2015 sued the U.S. subsidiary of the Italian-controlled carmaker and Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co. that manufactures the Uconnect infotainment system installed in various Ram, Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler trucks.

According to the lawsuit, cyber criminals are able to gain access to the infotainment system, allowing them to take over safety-critical functions such as acceleration, braking, steering, and ignition.

The plaintiffs allege that both companies knew about the defects for years, saying cyber security researchers revealed the vulnerabilities as early as 2011. The issue received attention when a 2015 article by technology magazine Wired showed researchers hacking a Jeep Cherokee while it was driving.

The consumers have said that, had the defects been disclosed, they never would have purchased the vehicles in the first place or paid less for them. They also said the defects reduce their vehicles resale value.

Fiat Chrysler and Harman have denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit meritless and saying the plaintiffs lack the necessary legal standing to bring the case.

Fiat Chrysler in a statement said it looked forward to presenting its case at trial.

None of the more than 200,000 class members in this lawsuit have ever had their vehicles hacked, and the federal safety regulators at NHTSA (the U.S. National Highway Safety Administration) have determined that FCA US has fully corrected the issues raised by the plaintiffs, the company said.

The vulnerabilities were fixed in a 2015 recall, when Fiat Chrysler issued free software updates for the roughly 1.4 million affected trucks. The NHTSA determined the issue to have been fully addressed.

But U.S. District Judge Michael Reagan in East St. Louis, Illinois, who oversees the litigation, in 2017 denied the companies request to dismiss the lawsuits.

Reagan certified classes of consumers for claims of fraudulent concealment, unjust enrichment, and violation of various state and federal consumer protection laws. Reagan originally scheduled a jury trial for March, but due to scheduling conflicts on Jan. 7 moved the trial to October.

By Tina Bellon
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, key member of the U.S. trade delegation to China, leaves a hotel in Beijing on Jan. 7, 2019. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

US-China Trade Talks to Continue for Third Day

BEIJINGThe United States and China will continue trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day, a member of the U.S. delegation said Jan. 8, as the worlds two largest economies seek to resolve their trade dispute.

Steven Winberg, assistant secretary for fossil energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, told reporters at the U.S. delegations hotel that the discussions, which began Jan. 7, had gone well.

I confirm were continuing tomorrow [Jan. 9], yes, Winberg told reporters, declining to answer further questions.

The two sides had extended their trade talks late into a second day in Beijing on Jan. 8, a source with knowledge of the meetings said, but few other details have emerged.

The editor-in-chief of Chinas state-run Global Times tabloid Hu Xijin said on Twitter earlier that negotiations would continue Jan. 9.

China-U.S. trade talks havent concluded after two days of tough work. I heard they will continue tomorrow. This sends a signal: The two sides are in serious talks and working hard to solve the disagreements between them, Hu said.

Its unclear if the full U.S. delegations would join for the added talks or just select officials from certain agencies.

The meetings this week are the first face-to-face talks since U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed in December to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled global financial markets.

Trump, in a post on Twitter from Washington on Jan. 8, reiterated his recent statement that the talks with China were going well, but gave no other details.

On Jan. 7, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross predicted that Beijing and Washington could reach a trade deal that we can live with. He said immediate trade issues would be the easiest to tackle, while enforcement issues and structural reforms, such as intellectual property rights and market access, would be more challenging.

The U.S. team, led by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, includes undersecretaries from the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy and Treasury, and senior officials from those agencies and the White House.

Trump imposed import tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods last year and threatened more to pressure Beijing to change its practices on issues ranging from industrial subsidies to intellectual property and hacking. China has retaliated with tariffs of its own.

Earlier on Jan. 8, China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import, a move seen as a goodwill gesture by some in the U.S. agriculture industry that could boost Chinas overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States to open its markets to more farm goods.

The timely approval of GM crops had been an early Trump administration demand in trade talks dating back to 2017.

U.S. farmers and global seed companies have long complained about Beijings slow and unpredictable process for approving GM crops for import, stoking trade tensions between the two sides.

By Dominique Patton & Michael Martina
Two Chinese were punished in China after they had broken through the Internet censorship. The photo was took in Beijing on January 3, 2019 that a man was playing his smartphone.(NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP/Getty Images)

2 Chinese Netizens Punished for Circumventing Regimes Internet Censors

Two Chinese netizens who broke through the Great Firewall to access blocked international websites were recently punished by police authorities.

Zhu Yunfeng was fined 1,000 yuan ($146) for violating Chinas internet laws against making international connections, according to an announcement published Dec. 28 by Shaoguan City police in southern Chinas Guangdong Province on the provincial branch website. Zhus penalty sheet, which was posted online, shows that Zhu is 30 years old and a resident of Nanxiong City, which is governed by Shaoguan City authorities.

By comparison, an individual caught using illicit drugs faces a 500 yuan fine, according to Chinas criminal code.

Chinese internet censorship, known collectively as the Great Firewall, blocks access to a variety of politically sensitive sites, as well as popular Western social media platforms and media. Among the list of banned sites, totaling about 600,000, are Wikipedia, Twitter, Facebook, Google, YouTube, BBC, and Reuters.

From August to December 2018, Zhu used the Lantern Pro appa VPN (virtual private network) app that helps users bypass firewallson his smartphone to connect to the internet via a wireless router in his home. In the week before he was punished, he had surfed websites that are banned in China 487 times.

Separately, Huang Chengcheng, from southwestern Chinas city of Chongqing, was detained Jan. 4 at the local Rongchang District police station for eight hours. In a summons issued by Rongchang police, Huang, who is in his 30s, was accused of surfing the internet through illegal methods, without being more specific.

A friend of Huang named Ou Biaofeng posted on Sina Weibo, a Twitter-like social-media platform, that Huang had bypassed the Great Firewall and was detected by police. Theres no information about whether Huang was punished. The maximum fine for illegally accessing internet content is 15,000 yuan, according to the Chongqing police.

Meanwhile, Pan Xidian, a dissident from Ximen city in southern Chinas Fujian Province, posted that he was detained for 15 days in November 2018, charged with sending tens of Twitter posts by smartphone via a virtual private network (VPN) app from Dec. 12, 2017, to Sept. 8, 2018.

Liang Xiaojun, a Chinese human-rights lawyer, told Radio Free Asia on Jan. 4 that it was ridiculous to punish people for circumventing internet censorship, saying that would have a negative social impact.

It [the Chinese regime] bans people for breaking through internet censorship; its trying to control your mind. When it cant control your mind, it thinks that you are more risky, Liang said.

A student at the prestigious Peking University told The Epoch Times by phone Jan. 5 that free speech in China is worsening and ideological indoctrination is becoming stronger.

Wang Juntao, a democracy activist, told The Epoch Times that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allows its media mouthpiece, the Peoples Daily, to circumvent internet censorship with its official accounts on Western social media, but the Chinese people arent afforded this privilege.

Wang, who holds a doctoral degree in political science from Columbia University, said that relaxing internet controls could endanger the CCPs rule.

Actually, there is a new phrase spreading in China now: Tear Down the [Fire]Wall, he said. Just like how people had pushed down the Berlin Wall. The Chinese believe that if they can push down the Firewall, the CCP will be over.

Recently, in order to send out a New Years greeting via the companys official Twitter account, the Chinese telecom giant Huaweis social-media handler used an iPhone, leading Chinese citizens to ironically ask the CCP to punish Huawei.

According to Reuters, an internal memo showed that two employees found to be responsible have had their salaries reduced by 5,000 yuan (about $730). In addition, one of the pairreportedly Huaweis digital marketing directorwill have their income frozen for a year.
President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker walk to the Rose Garden of the White House to deliver a joint statement on trade in Washington, on July 25, 2018. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump Administration Downgrades EU Diplomats Status in US

President Donald Trumps administration has downgraded the diplomatic status of European Union diplomats in the United States, a change reportedly made without notifying Brussels.

The development means that Washington-based diplomats are now less likely to be invited to high-profile events, EU officials said Jan. 8. The diplomats also have a lower importance level as compared to those who served during former President Barack Obamas administration.

The political snub was highlighted at the Dec. 5 funeral of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush. At that time, Europes envoy was among the last diplomats to be called to pay respects.

The U.S. State Department didnt respond to a request for comment on the change in protocol, citing the partial government shutdownnow in its 18th dayand limited communications staff. The White House also didnt respond.

The status downgrade was confirmed by two other EU diplomats. One said it was unlikely for the EU to retaliate.

We understand that there was a recent change in the way the diplomatic precedence list is implemented by the United States protocol, a Commission spokeswoman told a briefing, declining to give more details.

We are currently discussing with the relevant services in the administration possible implications for the EU delegation in Washington.

In the past, Trump has criticized the EU for treating the United States unfairly.

Previously on Twitter, the president highlighted the cost provided by the United States for the military backing of NATO. U.S. investment in the EU is three times higher than in Asia, according to EU data. The United States and the EU also have the worlds biggest bilateral trade ties. Trump also has supported Britains departure from the bloc.

Europe has to pay their fair share for Military Protection. The European Union, for many years, has taken advantage of us on Trade, and then they dont live up to their Military commitment through NATO. Things must change fast! Trump wrote on Twitter in November.

EU officials can still meet their U.S. counterparts. The change in protocol comes after Trump withdrew from several international agreements backed by the EU and vowed to reform the liberal international order he says the bloc helps underpin.

Talks between Washington and Brussels were sidelined around the end of last year because of the U.S.MexicoCanada Agreement (USMCA).

Reuters contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada, on June 8, 2018. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Trudeau, Trump Discuss Chinas Detention of Canadians, Mengs Extradition Case

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call Monday that they would continue to seek the release of two Canadians detained in China.

The two leaders also discussed the extradition request for Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhouthough Meng wasnt specifically namedand reaffirmed the importance of respecting judicial independence and the rule of law.

The Chinese regime has pressured Canada to exempt Meng, who was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1, 2018, from the extradition request, but Canadian authorities have said they cannot do that due to treaty obligations with the United States.

Beijing was furious over Mengs arrest, and the subsequent detention of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor is widely seen by China analysts as retaliation for her arrest.

The United States came out strongly on the side of Canada in response to the detentions, and Trudeau thanked Trump for his support. A White House readout of the call described the detentions as unlawful.

The Prime Minister thanked the President for the strong statements of support by the United States in response to the arbitrary detention of two Canadians in China, the Prime Ministers Office said in a statement released after the call. The two leaders agreed to continue to seek their release.

Other countries that have spoken out in support of Canada include the U.K., France, Germany, the EU, and Australia.

Canadian consular officials in China visited Spavor today, Global Affairs said in a statement. Both men have had consular access at least once, and their families continue to receive consular services.

U.S. prosecutors allege Meng, who is currently out on bail in Vancouver, defrauded several U.S. banks by misrepresenting payments from Iran, which would violate U.S. sanctions. The United States has until the end of January to make its formal extradition request.

Both Trudeau and Trump agreed Mengs case should be handled by the courts.

The two leaders also talked about bilateral trade issues during the call. The PMO statement says they discussed next steps in addressing steel and aluminum tariffs, but no further details were provided.
Three Killed, Hundreds Injured in South Africa Train Collision

JOHANNESBURGAt least three people were killed and around 300 injured on Jan. 8 after two trains collided in the South African capital Pretoria, an emergency services official said.

The crash, which occurred at 9:30 a.m. local time, left 82 passengers with serious injuries after a packed train careered into a stationary train at Mountain View station.

We do not rule out the possibility of additional fatalities as we search under the wreckage, emergency official Charles Mabaso told Reuters.

An investigation into the cause of the collision was ongoing, Mabaso said.

This is the latest in a series of train accidents in South Africa, which has the continents largest railway network.

In October, 320 people were injured after a packed train traveling from Johannesburg to Pretoria crashed into the back of a stationary train.
The Intertwining of Science and Religion

Commentary

Its an unfortunate theme of our times: One can support science or one can believe in a religion, but one cant do both. This point of view demands that people pick a lane.

Its a point of view that appears to be gaining more and more traction in the United States, at least among the educated elite. But is it reasonable?

History is full of scientists who made great discoveries while they were devout believers in a divine creator. Isaac Newton, Nicolaus Copernicus, and Gregor Mendel are just a few of the groundbreaking scientists who believed that scientific exploration and discovery were integral parts of man performing his divine mission, not a way of denying that that mission existed.

In 1915, Albert Einstein proposed his theory of general relativity, which linked space, time, and gravity, and provided the equations to describe that complex relationship to a level of detail that was previously unimaginable. Twelve years later, Georges Lemaitre, a Jesuit-educated diocesan priest lecturing at the Catholic University of Leuven in his native Belgium, published a groundbreaking article in The Annals of the Scientific Society of Brussels. Lemaitre, whose graduate and post-graduate work included studies at Cambridge, Harvard, and MIT, was no lightweight.

What he proposed in that 1927 article was radical and breathtaking.

Beginning of Time

Conventional scientific wisdom at the time held that the universe was infinite, eternal, and more or less unchanging. It had always and would always exist, and it had no boundaries. This was what Einstein and most respected scientists believed. Then, along came this Belgian priesta priest for all love!who took Einsteins theory and equations and concluded that conventional wisdom was wrong.

Lemaitre theorized the universe wasnt infinite, nor eternal, and that it was constantly, and profoundly, changing. In fact, it was expanding and would continue to expand.

Lemaitre wasnt able to predict whether that expansion would eventually slow to a halt, to be followed by a subsequent contraction (most physicists today believe universal expansion will continue to accelerate and no contraction will occur), but he was certain that expansion had occurred and was occurring.

And thats where things got interesting.

If the universe was currently and always had been expanding, it was logical to conclude that, looking back through time, it had been progressively smaller the farther back one looked until you got a point where the entire universe consisted of one infinitely dense, infinitely small point that would give birth to all the matter and energy that exists.

The moment when that so-called singularity gave birth to the known universe is now called the Big Bang (a term introduced by astronomer Fred Hoyle in an effort to ridicule Lemaitres ideas). Author Mark Midbon, in an article published in Commonweal Magazine in 2000, eloquently referred to the event as a day without yesterday, a term that Lemaitre would surely have found fitting.

The logical conclusion of the Big Bang theory is that there was a moment when time started and space emerged. What happened and existed before thenif the word before is appropriate to use for a phenomenon (time) that didnt actually have any meaning until the Big Bang happenedis unknowable to us mere mortals.

There are unmistakable parallels between the Big Bang theory and the opening lines of the book of Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Few Christians today, including this one, believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, and particularly so in the case of the Old Testament. Most Christians today, including this one, believe that both the Old and the New Testaments contain divinely inspired messages passing through the pens of necessarily imperfect mortal messengers whose meaning becomes clearer as we mature as a sentient species.

Viewed in that light, the Genesis story of creation seems to align nicely with the Big Bang theory.

Skepticism and Proof

Einstein was initially dismissive of Lemaitres work. According to the priest, Einstein told him Vos calculs sont corrects, mais votre physique est abominable (Your calculations are correct, but your physics is atrocious) after the publication of the priests paper. The steady-state model of the universe represented the conventional, collective wisdom of the time, and Einsteinlike any good scientist of the daywas skeptical of alternate theories.

Note the use of the word skeptical rather than dismissive or the attachment of the label denier. Good scientists are always willing to give an alternative theory a listen and are always willing to change their mind given a sufficient amount of evidence. Contrary to what todays climate-change enthusiasts would have us believe, science is never settled.

Einstein understood that as well as anyone. When he proposed general relativity, he suggested three experiments that could be performed to validate or disqualify his theory. One of them, related to tiny perturbations in the orbit of Mercury, he was able to perform himself, using the instruments available to him at the time. The observed perturbations conformed to those that general relativity predicted, but that the less-precise Newtonian model couldnt.

The two other experiments he proposed couldnt be performed to the required degree of accuracy during Einsteins lifetime. However, clever scientists were able to do both using new technology that became available after Einstein passed away.

Did the validation of general relativity and special relativity mean that Newton was in error? Did the apocryphal apple bonk him on the noggin in vain? No. Thats not the way science works either. Einstein didnt displace Newtons workhe improved it.

Interestingly, Einstein wasnt the only one to have a problem with Lemaitres theory. At the time, Arthur Eddington, the director of the observatory at Cambridge University where Lemaitre had studied math and science, wrote that he found the very idea that space and time were created on what Midbon would call the day without a yesterday repugnant.

Time has been kinder to Lemaitre. Edwin Hubble would demonstrate that the priests basic premise was correct: The universe was expanding and, therefore, it must have originated from a singularity.

In 1998, papers published by scientists Adam Riess, Saul Perlmutter, and Brian Schmidt, who would win the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for their work, demonstrated that the rate of expansion is steadily increasing, meaning that the Big Bangand the creation of space and timewas a one-time event.

Things that happen once in an eternity seem to me to be beyond human understanding and are, therefore, and necessarily, evidence of a higher power. Collectively, Lemaitre, Hubble, Riess, Perlmutter, and Schmidt demonstrated that science and religion are intertwined. And we are far better as a people when we understand that basic fact.

Richard Trzupek is a chemist and environmental consultant, as well as an analyst at The Heartland Institute. He is also the author of Regulators Gone Wild: How the EPA Is Ruining American Industry.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Thai, Saudi Officials Meet Over Case of Young Saudi Woman

BANGKOKThailands immigration police chief met on Jan. 8, with officials from the Saudi Embassy in Bangkok, as Saudi Arabia tried to distance itself from accusations that it attempted to block a young womans effort to flee from her family and seek asylum abroad.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun arrived in Bangkok from Kuwait late Saturday after slipping away from her family, whom she accused of abusing her. The 18-year-old was stopped by officials in Thailand who confiscated her passport.

Her urgent pleas for help over Twitter from an airport hotel room garnered tens of thousands of followers and the attention of the U.N.s refugee agency, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Public pressure prompted Thai officials to return her passport and let her temporarily stay in Thailand.

Alqunun alleged several times that Saudi officials were involved in seizing her passport. However, in repeated statements, including one issued Tuesday, the Saudi Embassy in Thailand said it is only monitoring her situation.

Its latest statement, which described Alqununs case as a family affair, said Saudi Arabia did not demand her deportation back home. The embassyand Thai officialsearlier also said that Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities in Bangkok because she did not have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist, which appeared to have raised a red flag about the reasons for her trip.

Thailands immigration police chief, Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, told reporters Tuesday that Saudi diplomats told him they are satisfied with how her case had been handled.

The position of two countries on this matter is the samethat the priority is to provide her safety. We are both concerned for Miss Rahafs safety and well-being, Surachate said.

He said Alqununs father and brother were due to arrive soon in Bangkok, but that it was her decision whether to meet with them. On Twitter, she has expressed fear of such a meeting. The father had previously been expected Monday night.

A spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees at its Geneva headquarters, Babar Baloch, said it could take several days for the agency to look into Alqununs claims. He said it was too early to tell if she will be granted asylum or refugee status.

Baloch noted the power of social media in making her plight a matter that officials could not ignore.

For us, all individual cases are alike. Its different the way we get access to those individuals  (whats) different in this case is the wave of all of the voices of solidarity and support came together, joined up in terms of caring for this individual, he said. This should be the standard for any individual who claims that his or her life is in danger.

Saudi Arabias human rights record has come under intense scrutiny since the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in October. Khashoggi, who wrote critically of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in columns for The Washington Post, had been living in self-imposed exile before he was killed and dismembered inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul by Saudi agents.

The kingdom offered various shifting accounts of the circumstances of his death before eventually settling on the explanation that he died in a botched operation to forcibly bring him back to Saudi Arabia.

Some female Saudi runaways fleeing abuse by their families have been caught trying to seek asylum abroad in recent years. Saudi activists say the kingdom, through its embassies abroad, has at times put pressure on border patrol agents in foreign countries to deport the women back to Saudi Arabia.

In 2017, Dina Ali Lasloom triggered a firestorm online when she was stopped en route to Australia, where she planned to seek asylum. She was forced to return to Saudi Arabia and was not publicly heard from again, according to activists tracking her whereabouts.

Australian national broadcaster ABC reported that the countrys Home Affairs Department announced late Tuesday that it would consider Alqununs application for asylum if she was found to be a genuine refugee, and called on Thai authorities and UNHCR to assess her claim as quickly as possible.

Human Rights Watch earlier called on the Australian government to allow Alqununs entry into that country, amid worries about her visa status.

The organizations Australian director, Elaine Pearson, said she had seen electronic confirmation of her tourist visa, but that Alqunun could no longer access her visa page on Australias immigration website on Tuesday, sparking concern that the document had been canceled. An Australian visa is usually processed electronically and not stamped in ones passport, but confirmed by a document that the visitor can print out.

Since Australia has expressed concern in the past about womens rights in Saudi Arabia, it should come forward and offer protection for this young woman, Pearson said.

By Tassanee Vejpongsa and Trevor Marshallsea
See-Through OLED Displays and Screens Doubling as Speakers

This is a new display from LG Display.

It looks a bit like a standard OLED display, but with the press of a button it becomes transparent.

Transparent OLED displays have been shown before, but this one is the first one that you cant see through when its displaying video.

The technology can be used for commercial products, such as in stores or shopping windows.

But within a decade the technology could become a reality in peoples homes.

So right now it starts as a commercial product. But in ten years we also have plans on applying it to home products like TVs, says Sungeon Park, LG Display product specialist.

LG Display is a subsidiary company to the South Korean electronics giant LG.

The products they create are licensed to many companies, not just LG.

Transparent OLED displays have been on the market for quite some time. But one that you cant see though demonstrates that we can see this technology evolve to transparent displays in our homes, says Nicole Scott, editor of the Mobilegeeks technology news website.

Right now its full HD but in the future for it to become a real world product it will need to be much higher resolution. And so, maybe in ten years we will see something like that come to market.

LG Display is also showing an 88-inch 8K Crystal Sound television.

The Crystal sound screens act as a speaker by itself, eliminating the need to have speakers standing around in the living room.

This one comes with surround sound, meaning the sound tracks the movements on the screen.

When a car drives from right to left you hear the sound change with the car. Just like in a surround sound system, but here without the speakers.

Last year LG Display showed a rollable TV, and this year the technology has been made in to a product by LG and will be available to the market this year.

The 88-inch 8K Crystal Sound television and the transparent OLED displays could be the next product to hit the market.

Last year at CES we saw the rollable display. And this year at CES we saw that same rollable display become a real world product. So at LG displays we see what is potentially coming out to the market, says Scott.

CES 2019, the worlds largest tech conference, runs Jan. 8th11th. Media previews began Jan. 6th.

More than 180,00 visitors are expected to attend the huge annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The top trends this year are the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G and high-tech mobility.
Seattle Council Reveals Possible Effect of Amazon Expansion to New York

Council members from the West Coast visited New York to discuss the impact Amazon has had on Seattle, and what Amazons new headquarters in New York City might hold for residents.

The briefing took place at the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) on Jan. 7, where discussions revolved around the $1.5 billion in incentives and other assistance to Amazon, and the corporations impact on the workforce.

Incentives, Grants, and Assistance

RWDSU president Stuart Appelbaum commenced the briefing by expressing concerns about Amazons treatment of its workforce, and thanking people for attending the briefing. Good Jobs First executive director Greg Leroya resource center that focuses on corporate incentivestook to the stand.

New York invested about $2.8 billion into Amazon through incentives, grants, and other assistance according to Leroy. In real terms the investment is worth $112,00 per job, for the estimated 25,000 staff Amazon will hire in New York by the year 2028.

Leroy compared the amount of subsidies the company had gained, and the average yearly wage of its workers, which is $28,446 on a minimum wage of $14 according to Leroy. He implied the company did not provide employees just paying jobs in contrast to the benefits it received.

Amazon raised its minimum wage for all employees to $15 an hour working full-time, part-time, and on a contract basis, on Nov. 2018.

Leroy is calling for subsidy caps in order to prevent large corporations from taking advantage of taxpayers. He warned if the HQ2 project is measured by European Union standards, it would receive zero percent in subsidies.

Seattle-ization: Bringing In, Pushing Out

Seattle Council Member Teresa Mosqueda (D) focused on Seattle-ization, a wave of 1,000 people moving in per week and boom in tech jobs. Mosqueda agrees that tech companies are coming but low-wage workers are being pushed out.

In Seattle you see that the majority of the population that was living in Seattle, who were low-income working families, has been pushed out, she said. [They were] pushed to areas where they are still having to commute one and two hours into their jobs

Mosqueda believes the company must offer good paying jobs to 7 percent of Seattle that it employs, as it should in New York to prevent families from being pushed out. Amazon owns about 20 percent of office space in Seattle, spanning eight million square feet with future plans to expand by an additional five million square feet.

She also encouraged New York to not feel intimidated by corporations when they flex their muscles, threaten to run out of town, tries to say that they will cut jobs or construction.

Project Will Be Built in Two Sections

Amazons headquarters has been split in two: one will be settled in Arlington, Virginia, and the other in Long Island, New York. The Long Island headquarters will cover an estimated area of 4 million square feet.

The new headquarters is estimated to create 25,000 new jobs, and offer an average wage of $150,000 annually within 10 years according to the Long Island City Development Plan. By 2034, the project is estimated to create 40,000 new jobs, and the headquarters will expand from 6 million to 8 million square feet.

From NTD.com

A previous version of this article misstated the amount of money New York had invested into Amazon, according to Good Jobs First executive director Greg Leroy. The amount is $2.8 billion. The Epoch Times regrets the error.
San Francisco mayoral candidate Ellen Lee Zhou (4th from right) stands with supporters in front of the San Francisco election office, having just filed her application to run for mayor in San Francisco on Jan. 2, 2019. (Nathan Su/The Epoch Times)

San Francisco Mayoral Candidate Vows to End Mono-Party Control of City

SAN FRANCISCOOn the first working day after the New Year, Ellen Lee Zhou formally filed her application to join the approaching mayoral race. As a Republican candidate, she vowed to end the citys mono-party control of the government.

The current mayor is not a peoples mayor. We need a peoples mayor like me, said Zhou to the office clerk and the press around her as she filed her paperwork for the mayoral race in the election office.

We do not have a peoples government. We have a tyranny government, which means we are only ruled by one party, said Zhou, standing in front of the election office with a small crowd of supporters after she filed her election application paperwork.

Zhou said none of Republican, Green Party, Tea Party, or Independent candidates were elected in San Francisco.

In the 2018 midterm election, almost all moderate Democratic candidates lost their campaigns. Because of this, the citys political landscape has significantly shifted to the far left.

Zhou ran her 2018 campaign in the special mayoral election as an independent candidate. She said that was because she did not have enough time to prepare for the campaign.

San Francisco held the special mayoral election in June 2018 because the former Mayor Ed Lee died in office in December 2017. Current Mayor London Breed won the special election to serve the remaining term left by Lee to the end of 2019.

The winner of the mayoral election this November will be the new mayor starting in 2020.

Zhou said she is a Republican, and she would run her 2019 campaign as a Republican to stop the one-party control of the city government.

Zhou stated that if Breed is reelected, the city will continuously support more cannabis stores and likely new drug injection centers.

Breed, who won the 2018 special election for the city mayor, has been a vocal supporter of the city opening the first drug safe injection sites (SIS) in the United States.

The California Legislature passed AB 186 in 2018, which allowed San Francisco to legally open and to operate SIS. The sites met strong resistance from the citys Asian community and from law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed AB 186 in September 2018. However, the new governor, Gavin Newsom, who was elected last year, reportedly promised during his gubernatorial campaign to reconsider new bills similar to AB 186 if elected.

San Francisco currently has 50 commercial cannabis stores in operation. Zhou, as a longtime city social worker, said in her speech there are now more than 400 pending applications for new cannabis store permits.

Commercial marijuana was approved by California voters through Prop. 64 in 2016. However, the drug is still listed as a Schedule I controlled substance by the federal government based on the Controlled Substance Act of 1970.

Commercial marijuana has met strong resistance from the Asian communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Zhou, a 49-year-old mother with two college-aged children, is a Chinese immigrant who came to the United States during her high school years. She has been one of the most vocal leaders calling for a drug-free city.

Zhou is the 15th candidate who has signed up for the race so far. Breed applied in August. The deadline for candidates to file applications for the race is 5 p.m. on June 11, 2019.
Russian Lawyer Who Attended Trump Tower Meeting Charged in Unrelated Laundering Case

Federal prosecutors in New York charged Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya on Dec. 20, with obstruction of justice for her role in defending a money laundering case in the United States.

Although Veselnitskaya is best known for attending the 2016 Trump Tower meeting with senior members of the Trump campaign, the federal indictment (pdf) unsealed Jan. 8 is not directly related to the meeting or the special counsel investigation by Robert Mueller.

Instead, the grand jury charges Veselnitskaya with obstructing justice for cooperating with a senior Russian government official in drafting a response to U.S. prosecutors in a separate case.

In the case, prominent Russian businessman Denis P. Katsyv and his real estate firm, Prevezon Holdings, is accused of laundering proceeds from a large-scale tax fraud in Russia through purchasing a New York property.

Federal prosecutors in the Prevezon case filed a request with the Russian government to provide banking and other documents to bolster their case. In response, the office of Russias prosecutor general Yury Chaika sent a lengthy statement exonerating defendants.

[Veselnitskaya] had participated in drafting those supposed independent investigative findings in secret cooperation with Chaika, according to the indictment. She later concealed the fact from prosecutors and the judge in the New York case and obstructed the civil proceeding in the Prevezon case, prosecutors said.

Russian tax fraud at the core of the Prevezon money laundering case was allegedly first uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who was allegedly killed while detained by Russian authorities.

Russian prosecutors accuse Magnitsky of participating in the largest tax fraud in Russian history worth $200 million. According to Bill Browder, the owner of the companies used in the scheme, Magnitsky was killed to cover up fraud involving corrupt government officials.

Browder promoted the narrative of Magnitskys death in the United States. His campaign eventually led to the passage of the Magnitsky Act, which resulted in sanctions against Russian officials accused of human rights abuses.

While the United States has largely accepted Browders account of the events, there are several inconsistencies. A 2011 medical report from the Physicians for Human Rights found no evidence Magnitsky was beaten to death, contrary to Browders claim. Browder also described Magnitsky as his lawyer, even though Magnitsky did not hold a law license and was actually an accountant.

The Magnitsky Act is also linked to the Trump Tower meeting and Prevezon case. Veselnitskaya attended an appeal hearing in the Prevezon case on the same day she attended a meeting in Trump Tower. In the meeting attended by Donald Trump Jr. and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, Veselnitskaya brought up the Magnitsky Act instead of the dirt on Hillary Clinton she offered to secure the appointment.

Exiled Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky first disclosed emails cited in the indictment between Veselnitskaya and Chaika in April 2018. According to The New York Times, Khodorkovsky said the emails were deposited in his companys electronic dropbox.

Veselnitskaya hired research firm Fusion GPS through a law firm for the Prevezon case.

Fusion GPS is also the company that commissioned the creation of the Steele dossier, a document filled with debunked and unverified claims about Trump. The FBI used the dossier without verifying it in order to secure a warrant to spy on former Trump-campaign associate Carter Page. The Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee paid for the dossier.

Veselnitskaya met with Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson shortly before and after the Trump Tower meeting.
The group of statues called the Burghers of Calais, wearing yellow vests, on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. on Jan. 7, 2018. (anonymous)

Rodin Sculptures at Stanford Don Yellow Vests During Newsoms Inauguration

PALO ALTO, Calif.On the morning of Jan. 7, a mysterious protest took place on the campus of Stanford University, perhaps connected to the inauguration of Californias new governor, Gavin Newsom.

Six famous sculptures by Auguste Rodin in Stanford Universitys Memorial Court were adorned in yellow vests, at the same time that Newsom was making his inauguration speech in the state capitol. The statues are symbols of civic virtue.

Californians started seeing yellow vests in December, when activists of the New California state movement began wearing the vests in solidarity with French citizens against socialism and globalism.

The group of sculptures at Stanford, called The Burghers of Calais, were commissioned by the city of Calais in 1884 and were completed in 1889. The sculptures have been symbols of the university in its Memorial Court, where there originally stood a statue honoring the Stanford Family.

Newsom, in his inauguration speech, said that he would continue the sanctuary-state policies and environmental policies adopted by his predecessor, Gov. Jerry Brown. Californias sanctuary-state policies and its strict environmental policies have both been widely criticized.

The slaying of Newman, California, police Corporal Ronil Singh by an illegal immigrant the day after Christmas caused a strong reaction around the nation to the states sanctuary policy.

Yellow vest-wearing activists in the New California state movement issued a grievance Jan. 1 that described the states sanctuary policy as acts of insurrection against U.S. Constitution and urged President Donald Trump to take proper action to stop the policy.

Californias strict environmental policies have been widely criticized for preventing the state from building water reservoirs, and driving prices higher for vehicles and construction.

During Newsoms inauguration ceremony, yellow-vested protesters were seen outside the State Capitol building.

The Burghers of Calais sculptures memorialized the six citizens who saved the French city Calais during the Hundred Years War between France and England. In 1347, after 11 months of siege by Englands Edward III, starvation forced the French city to parley for surrender. Edward offered to spare the people of the city if six of its leaders walked out with the keys to the city, and wearing ropes around their necks ready to be hanged.

Rodins sculptures depict the six saviors with bare feet, and wearing ropes around their necks walking towards the English ruler. Rodin was celebrating the idea that heroic deeds may be performed by ordinary people.

So far no one on the Stanford campus has claimed credit for placing the yellow vests on the statues.

The New California movement is a statewide grassroots effort seeking to break most of Californias rural areas away from the current state, and to form a new state. So far, representatives of 47 of states 58 counties, as well as fractions of five other counties, have joined the movement.
US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass attends a press conference during the UN Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva, on Nov. 27, 2018. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Reports of Taliban Calling Off Peace Talks Are False, US Ambassador Says

A top U.S. official said that reports of the Afghan Taliban calling off peace talks with the United States in Qatar this week are false.

On Jan. 8, the Taliban said an agenda disagreement took place over the involvement of Afghan officials and of a possible ceasefire and prisoner exchange. The Taliban officials said previously that two days of peace talks had been scheduled to start Jan. 9.

However, the Taliban had refused to allow Afghan officials to join.

Reports of U.S.-Taliban talks Wednesday inaccurate, John R. Bass, U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, said via Twitter on Jan. 8.

Taliban should talk to fellow Afghans as much as they talk to media, he continued.

The 18-year war in Afghanistan has been the longest American war effort ever and has cost thousands of American lives. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on the alleged cancellation of talks.

A Taliban source told Reuters that U.S. officials had insisted that the Taliban should meet the Afghan authorities in Qatar and both sides were in disagreement over declaring a ceasefire in 2019.

The unidentified source claimed that both sides agreed to not meet in Qatar. Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said earlier that the two sides were still trying to work out the technical details of the talks and they were unclear on the agenda.

Recent reports suggested that President Donald Trump is planning to withdraw about 7,000 of the roughly 14,000 total U.S. troops from Afghanistan, but a White House official said there was no such order.

Meanwhile, a draft agreement drawn up by the U.S. think tank RAND Corporation outlined the clauses for a potential peace deal. It was circulated among Afghan officials and diplomats in Kabul.

But the U.S. Embassy in Kabul said that RAND is a private research institution that is independent of the U.S. government and does not represent U.S. policy.

Intra-Afghan talks are essential to settling this terrible conflict. Questions of future governance or other internal aspects of the conflict can only be addressed and solved by Afghans, the embassy said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A police officer gestures at the photographer as security staff stand guard outside the Canadian embassy in Beijing, China, December 20, 2018. (Reuters/Thomas Peter)

Released Canadian Talks About Terrible Detention Conditions in China

OTTAWACrammed into a cell with 13 other sleep-deprived inmates, strong-armed into singing the Chinese national anthem and forced by shouting guards to watch state televisiona Canadian man detained in China last fall is offering a glimpse of what he says life was like for him on the inside.

Jason Cigana, a 39-year-old originally from the Montreal area, had been living and working in Chinas southern city of Shenzhen for six years when he was arrested by Chinese police in October. He was locked up for three weeks and eventually deported.

Cigana wanted to share his experience with the Chinese legal system after two CanadiansMichael Kovrig and Michael Spavorwere arrested there in December.

Beijing has said both Kovrig and Spavor were arrested on national-security grounds. Their detentions appear to be in retaliation for Canadas arrest of Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States.

Although his case is different from Kovrigs and Spavors, Ciganas experience offers a rare look at how China handles people, including foreigners, while they are in custody.

Its something pretty rough, to be honestand I was small potatoes compared to these guys, Cigana said in an interview, referring to Kovrig and Spavor. These guys are going to have it a lot, lot worse.

A Canadian government source, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, confirmed Cigana was detained in China last fall.

Cigana said his arrest came a few days after he made what he describes as racially charged comments on an online chat group made up of mostly expatriates. He admits he also made a very insensitive remark about the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, in which Japanese troops killed many thousands of Chinese people.

He says he regrets both and he never thought his comments would reach an audience outside the 88-member group on the WeChat platform. He said screenshots of the conversation were shared widely on social media in Chinaand reached tens of millions of people.

The remarks were translated from English to Chinese, but he says his words were twisted to sound a hell of a lot worse.

As his comments spread, they stirred up a lot of public outrage, to the point his conversation made national news in China.

Cigana, whos married to a Chinese national with whom he has a four-year-old son, learned that making such statements also violated local laws.

Fearing a backlash, he holed up at home for days. Then, Chinese police came knocking at his door.

He was detained, interrogated for several hours and released, several times over four days.

Police eventually locked him up for three consecutive weeks.

Cigana described the conditions he faced inside the detention centre as terrible. Fourteen people packed into one cell and a shower that consisted of a cup and a bucket, he said.

He recalled the lights being left on for 24 hours a day, and cranked up at night. Barking dogs, slamming doors and shouts from guards made it almost impossible for detainees to ever get any shuteye, he said.

The rooms are monitored, so lets say if youre sleeping and you cover your eyes theyll start screaming through the intercom to not cover your eyes, Cigana said.

The guards also forced him to sing the anthem, vow loyalty to China and absorb propaganda on state TV, he said.

If you turn away from the television during this time you are yelled at and berated, he said. Its something straight out of Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Months after his detention and deportation, Ciganas case continues to haunt him.

A website in his name has appeared online and he said its designed to ruin his reputation. Purportedly created by his family to seek forgiveness on his behalf, its a mix of English and Chinese and talks about what a mess his life has become since saying horrible disrespectful and insentience (sic) comments about China, taking photos of perverted nature and saying many pro-Hitler and anti African American culture.

Cigana said his reputation has been further damaged by other postings on online chat rooms made in his name. Some of the postings are sex-related requests that he had nothing to do with.

None of it is true, Cigana said.

When police took him in for questioning, Cigana said his name had yet to appear in any Chinese news stories. But shortly after he left the police station the first day, he said, a photo of him taken during his interrogation as well as his passport information were already circulating on social media.

Cigana has consulted lawyers in an effort to get the website and the postings removed from the internet but hes been told the process will be difficult and expensive.

As he hunts for work that will help him sponsor his familys immigration to Canada, Cigana fears he will have difficulty finding any if potential employers Google his name. Hes considered changing it.

He says he messed up.

Not that theres an excusemy wife is Chinese, my son is Chinese, Cigana said. I dont hate Chinese people. I guess it was just a case of sometimes we go a little bit hard on the internet without realizing its not a game. You can be punished for it. Its something that essentially ruined my life.

Last week, a federal government official speaking on background said 200 Canadians are detained in China for a variety of alleged infractions.

Guy Saint-Jacques, Canadas ambassador to China between 2012 and 2016, said in an interview that crowded cells with poor sanitary conditions and 24-hour lights have been reported in other cases, including by Canadians Julia and Kevin Garratt. The two were Christian aid workers who ran a coffee shop in northeastern China, near the North Korean border.

China arrested the Garratts in 2014 and accused them of spying and stealing military secrets. It took two years before both were freed.

Saint-Jacques said Canadians facing more minor charges in China, such as visa issues, dont usually face tough conditions like those described by Cigana.

It sounds familiar, although maybe a bit harsher, said Saint-Jacques, comparing Ciganas recollection to other cases he was aware of.
David Zuber, 26, and Monique Romero, 23, were charged with child abuse resulting in the death of their girl, Anastazia Zuber (APD)

Parents Arrested After Missing Babys Body Found Buried in Backyard: Police

A couple in New Mexico was arrested on Jan. 4, after their missing 1-year-old daughter was allegedly discovered buried in a backyard, according to officials.

David Zuber, 26, and Monique Romero, 23, were charged with child abuse resulting in the death of their girl, Anastazia Zuber, reported the Albuquerque Journal.

Anastazia was reported missing two days prior to when she was found.

Detectives exhumed the girls body after Zuber told them where he had buried her.

 Albuquerque Journal  201914

Her body was also found weeks after police conducted a welfare check on Dec. 18, and were not aware of her death, reported the Journal.

Zuber, who is known as DJ, told his mother, Eva, in December that his daughter drowned in a bathtub, according to KRQE.

Police said Romero told detectives that the baby drowned after she was left alone in the tub with her other child at an Albuquerque apartment last month.

Its tough for detectives to go out to a location, dig a hole and find a dead baby in a bag, Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Simon Drobik told the newspaper.

Drobik added that they then have to build a case around it, describing the situation as just horrible.

According to a criminal complaint, as reported by KOB-TV, Romero said her daughter was unresponsive after leaving her in the tub. She, however, did not seek medical attention for the girl.

Instead, she told officials Zuber left the apartment with the girls body.

He returned and told her, It was taken care of, the complaint stated.

Zubers family asked Albuquerque police to check on the child on Dec. 18, prompting an officer to carry out a welfare check at their apartment. Bur Romero told the officer that the child was with her sister, the complaint said, according to the Journal.

At that point, the child was still missing. Its not clear why police didnt seek the publics help in locating their family sooner, the Journal noted.

Thats under internal affairs investigation, thats what were looking into, Drobik said.

He said Albuquerque police chief Michael Geier launched an internal investigation to see if officers followed the proper protocol in the case.

The couples two other children were found with the parents and are now in the care of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, Drobik said.

More Details

Drobik elaborated on the case to local station KOAT.

It was reported that she had drowned. Originally, that is what was reported from the family members to another family member. That is when we launched the investigation, Drobik told the news outlet.

He said Romero and Zuber also face charges including evidence tampering and conspiracy.

Were saying that we believe we have enough evidence to charge this mother and father with abuse of a child, resulting in death and it comes down to the two parents who perpetrated this crime, and now we have a long investigation to do, Drobik said.

The office of the medical examiner has not released the official cause of death yet for the toddler, KOAT reported.
Obamas Border Control Chief Joins Voices Supporting Border Wall

A former Border Patrol chief in the Obama administration who was removed by President Donald Trump joined the experts supporting a border wall.

Mark Morgan, a former FBI agent, served as Obamas Border Patrol chief for most of 2016 and was asked to leave the position by the Trump administration in 2017.

Speaking on Jan. 7 during an appearance on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight, Morgan said that border walls absolutely work.

If you look in the past, you dont have to go too far back in history, that bipartisan legislation that was passed, the Secure Fence Act in 2006 and 2012, bipartisan legislation passed where they built the wall or fence or physical barrier, whatever you want to call it, its a wall. It works, Morgan said.

Current Democratic leaders, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) were among those voting for the pieces of legislation Morgan mentioned.

Carlson noted that Morgan had been fired by Trump, which Morgan acknowledged before saying Trump was right about the wall.

The president is right, the president of [National] Border Control Council is right. The other day when they had the national press conference and they got up and they said, The wall works, theyre right, and its not based on a personal, political ideology. Thats based on historical data and facts that can be proven, Morgan said.

I cannot think of a legitimate argument why anyone would not support the wall as part of a multi-layered border security issue, he added. Why arent we listening to the experts and the people who do it every day? I dont understand that.

Trumps opponents have taken to calling the wall immoral and ineffective but have put forth few counter-measures nor cited data supporting their arguments.

Trump invited experts to talk to the media about why a wall works and is necessary on Jan. 3. As Morgan noted, National Border Patrol Council members were among those speaking.

Anywhere that you look where we have built walls, they have worked, Brandon Judd, a border agent for 21 years and president of the council, told reporters. They have been an absolute necessity for Border Patrol agents in securing the border.

Morgans comments came as President Trump was scheduled to give his first prime-time address to the nation on Tuesday night to address the crisis at the border.

Trump was also slated to visit the border on Thursday.

Vice President Mike Pence said early Tuesday during an appearance on ABC that Trump will make his case for the border wall in the speech.

Were going to continue to carry that case forward until the Democrats in Congress come to the table and start negotiating, not just to end the government shutdown but to address what is an undeniable crisis at our southern border, Pence said.

Trump is asking for $5.6 billion for the border wall. The funding was part of appropriations passed by the lame duck House in December 2018 but the Senate refused to consider the bill because no Democrats signaled support.

The House, with a new Democratic majority, passed appropriations in January that did not include wall funding but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he wouldnt bring it to the Senate floor because of a lack of Republican support. He also noted that Trump would veto the funding even if it passed since it included no money for the wall.

From NTD News
Nissans Ex-chair Ghosn Appears in Court, Asserts Innocence

TOKYOThe former chairman of Japans Nissan Motor Co., Carlos Ghosn, denied any wrongdoing and proclaimed his loyalty to the company at a court hearing in Tokyo on Jan. 8.

It was Ghosns first public appearance since he was arrested on Nov. 19 and charged with false financial reporting.

Your honor, I am innocent of the accusations against me, Ghosn told the judge, speaking firmly and calmly as he read from a statement. I am wrongfully accused.

Prosecutors have charged Ghosn, who led a dramatic turnaround at the Japanese automaker over the past two decades, with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his income by about $44 million (5 billion yen) over five years through 2015.

They also say he is suspected of having Nissan temporarily take on his investment losses from the financial crisis.

Wearing plastic slippers and a dark suit without a tie, Ghosn rebutted the allegations against him point-by-point and said he had the option to leave Nissan but had decided to stay on.

A captain doesnt jump ship during a storm, said Ghosn, who was visibly thinner than before his arrest.

The veteran auto executive, a familiar face at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and other elite gatherings, was handcuffed and led into the courtroom with a rope around his waist as the hearing began. Officers removed his handcuffs and seated him on a bench.

Presiding judge Yuichi Tada then read out the charges and said Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, was considered a flight riskhe was arrested on his arrival in Tokyo by private jetand might try to hide evidence.

In Japan, suspects are routinely held without bail, often due to fears about evidence tampering.

During Tuesdays hearing, Go Kondo, one of Ghosns lawyers, argued he was not a flight risk.

Hes widely known so its difficult for him to escape. There is no risk that the suspect will destroy evidence, he said.

Facing the courtroom, Ghosn spoke proudly of the automakersand his ownachievements, such as reviving iconic models like the GT-R and the Z, expanding operations in China, Russia, Brazil and India, and pioneering electric cars and autonomous driving.

I have a genuine love and appreciation for Nissan, he said.

Ghosn has been held in Spartan conditions at a Tokyo detention facility since he was taken into custody. However, Ghosns defense lawyer Motonari Ohtsuru told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents Club late Tuesday that Ghosn was transferred to a bigger room with a bed at his request.

In keeping with Japanese regulations, he has been allowed visits only from his lawyers and consular officials.

Ghosn said he had acted honorably, legally and with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate executives inside the company with the sole purpose of supporting and strengthening Nissan, according to a statement released to some media including The Associated Press before the hearing and confirmed by his legal team.

It said he had not failed to disclose any of his income from Nissan.

Ghosn also defended payments questioned by prosecutors and by Nissan that were made to Khaled Juffali, a Saudi businessman. He said the money was paid to Juffali for real work that he did to sort out problems with a local distributor.

Before the hearing, the Khaled Juffali Company issued a statement saying the $14.7 million in payments over four years from Nissan were for legitimate business purposes.

Ghosn said his personal investment losses stemmed from being paid in Japanese yen and that he had only asked Nissan to temporarily provide collateral for foreign exchange contracts. The company suffered no losses, he said.

Sent to Japan by Nissans alliance partner Renault SA of France in 1999, Ghosn led a spectacular turnaround at the Yokohama-based automaker over two decades, during which he mostly served as chief executive.

Renault owns 43 percent of Nissan, while Nissan owns 15 percent of Renault. The alliance, which in recent years has added smaller Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp., has risen to be one of the most successful in the industry, rivaling Volkswagen AG of Germany and Japans Toyota Motor Corp.

Ghosn remains the head of Renault and is still on Nissans board of directors.

His courtroom appearance drew worldwide attention, with throngs of cameras set up outside the Tokyo Detention Center to capture his departure. No cameras or audio recordings are allowed in Japanese court sessions.

Authorities also arrested a fellow Nissan executive and aide to Ghosn, Greg Kelly, charging him with collaborating with Ghosn to underreport his income. Kelly, an American, was released on bail on Dec. 25. He also has maintained his innocence.

Tokyo prosecutors have repeatedly extended Ghosns detention by adding new allegations. The latest is suspicion of breach of trust stemming from the claim he had Nissan temporarily shoulder his personal investment losses.

Formal charges on those allegations have not been filed and no trial dates have been set for Ghosn or Kelly.

Ohtsuru said that preparations for a trial on charges of breach of trust could take months. He said he would continue to appeal Ghosns detention.

Ghosns protege and successor, Nissan Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa, has denounced Ghosn, claiming he used company assets and money for personal gain and falsified financial reports.

Nissan spokesman Nicholas Maxfield said an investigation by the company that found substantial and convincing evidence of misconduct prompted prosecutors to act.

Under Japanese law, falsifying financial reporting carries the maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $89,000 (10 million yen) fine, or both. But some experts have questioned the allegations against Kelly and Ghosn since Nissan itself, not individual executives, should be responsible for filing such financial reports.

By Yuri Kageyama
New York Q&A: NY Gov. Cuomo Pardons Criminal Immigrants

On New Years Eve, during the middle of the government shutdown due to an impasse over funding for a border wall, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued 29 clemencies to criminal immigrants22 of them were full pardons.

Among Cuomos pardons were convictions for assault, attempted arson, trademark counterfeiting, and drug convictions. The pardons include being spared from deportation. Seven of them were commuted sentences. Of them, four had been convicted of murder, and three for armed robbery. The Epoch Times took to the streets of New York to ask for peoples thoughts about this.

Thomas DAlessio, 69, retired

I dont agree with it. If you break the law, then youve got to pay.

I agree with immigration, but I dont believe in people coming over here just to escape what theyre running away from. Theyve got to be model citizens, theyve got to want to come here to build, theyve got to have something in mind, a trade or a job, not just to be here on welfare. I dont like people coming here just to escape their problems.

Im a second-generation immigrant myselffrom Italy. We came here to build it, theyve come here to destroy it.

Matteo, 30, marketing director, from Italy

Francesco, 30, bank consultant

Matteo: I think if youre an immigrant, youre in another country, you have to be polite, you have to be respectful, you have to abide by the law like everybody else, like citizens of that country. If you get jailed for a crime that you commit, you have to spend your time there, you have to pay your debt to societythats it. It doesnt really matter if youre an immigrant or not. If the law says that you commit a crime and you have to be deported, then you should be deported.

(L-R) Darleen, Cheryl, and Bobby, from New Jersey

Cheryl: I dont think reducing sentences for murderers and armed robbers is goodI dont agree.

Darleen: It doesnt make us happy at all.

Cheryl: I cant see it personally. If it was our family member that was murdered, I dont think any of us would be too happy about it.

Darleen: If someone hurts someone, it doesnt sit too well with us at all. They have to pay the price. They have to pay the consequences. No pardoning, in my opinionyou have to pay the consequences for your actions.

Adrien Cassan, 21, student

Charles Cohen, 22, forester

Cassan: The pardons for small offenses are maybe OK, but for more serious offenses, Im not so sure.

Cohen: For Cuomo to do something like that he must have more information about them. Or was it just a press stunt?

Cassan: If you release people and then you dont have any framework for them to pick themselves back up, its not very constructive at all.

Its OK to pardon them, but then you still have to help them out after they come out of jail, regardless of their crime.

Cohen: For me, its a case-by-case basis. Im all about the support if you can give them a structure that they can bounce back on, some kind of program that they can get into, and know that there are alternatives in this country to be able to provide for their needs. I dont think theyre really bad people, theyre just lost people who are doing what they are forced to do. Im sympathetic, although Ive never been a victim.

Alex Mouyios, 30, librarian

If the person is going to kill other people, then it probably doesnt strengthen the immigrant community; but if they have family members out there, then theyre probably glad that they have their family member back.

Frank Schafer, 66, retired, from Germany

Im sure the government is aware of each case.

I agree it does strengthen the community, but if an immigrant comes to another country, then they should adhere to the laws of that country and behave.

Nancy Pursell, 57, marketing

I dont agree with it. In the case that theyre illegal, I dont think they should be given a card like that. If theyre legal, they need to be tried for their crimes.

I think you could strengthen the community better by educating them, teaching them English, finding them jobs. There are a lot of other ways to help than to let criminals go scot-free.

Anyone who reoffends should be subject to immediate deportation. If you were a citizen and that happened, Im sure youd go right back to prison, with probably a stronger sentence than you had the first time.

They could have shown signs of improvement in prison, but then, once out, its easy to go back to your old ways because thats what you knew. Its possible that Cuomos telling the truth, when he said they were all showing signs of improvement. But I dont think that means that they need to be set free.

Sabrina Ramirez, 21, student

Jordan Faunce, 19, student

Ramirez: When it comes to convictions like murder or harming innocent citizens, I feel like they should be punished in that way, because that is a drastic measure, but you should measure each conviction on a case-by-case basis.

I think there is some truth in the fact that it strengthens the immigrant communities. Im Mexican. My parents came here, they went through the whole process, but I still use their fear and what theyve instilled in me as a way of discerning political decisions.

I think it does strengthen the immigrant communities because it makes you feel you can trust people. I feel like a lot of immigrant communities dont trust politicians because they feel like theyre constantly being targeted. I guess it makes them feel like theyre being protected, and their lives matter, theyre equal and theyre not being separated because of their immigration status, in the way that theyve been brought up, and if those people do essentially become citizens themselves, theyre going to want to become a part of that.

Again, if youre given a chance and you ruin that, then you deserve to be punished.

Susan Liang, 18, student

Lisa Li, 18, student

Susan: For murder and robbery, I dont think a pardon would be that good, but for smaller crimes, that may be OK.

If you look at Elizabeth Smarts kidnapper, he was recently released and discovered to be living near an elementary school, which brought the community together. I think it does strengthen communities, but not in the way that he thinks it would do.

I think they should be treated equally like citizens here that do wrong.

Justin Robles, 18, student

Calista Conde, 18, student from NY

Robles: If its drug-related, then it depends on the seriousness of the sentence. For instance, if the sentence is a drug conviction involving marijuana, which is going to be legalized in this state soon anyway, then I think its OK. But if youre shortening the sentence for someone convicted for murder, then I dont feel thats the right thing to do.

Conde: I dont think it would strengthen the community, when you think about it. Giving someone a full pardon, youre giving them a clean slate, but when youre dealing with convicted murderers and youre bringing them into the community, its going to damage it because if theres a good immigrant community thats holding on trying to fight for rights and reputation. It gives the communities a bad name.

Robles: It can also show to other people that you can do this and get away with it. It can show them that its right to do thatbut its truly not.

Conde: People who arent immigrants that get convicted, it stays on their record, while immigrants are getting full pardons. Its a double standard.

Robles: I just feel like if you just give people a full pardon, then theyre not going to learn their lesson. The whole point of our jail system is that youre learning that its a mistake you should never have made. If you give them a full pardon like that, its going to happen again.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) addresses the Get Out the Vote Rally in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum at the University of Central Florida, CFE Arena in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 31, 2018. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Nasty Senate Fight Breaks Out Over Anti-Israel Boycotts

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) faces his first test of 2019 late Tuesday in a showdown with Democrats over voting to end the government shutdown or a package of proposals on the Middle East.

McConnell wants the Senate to vote on S.1, the Strengthening American Security in the Middle East Act, which includes a bipartisan provision protecting local and state governments that refuse to contract with firms or organizations supporting the Boycott, Divest From, Sanction (BDS) Movement against Israel.

Democrats led by Marylands senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin argued over the weekend that senators should vote first on a measure approved by House Democrats to reopen the government.

But McConnell insists there will be no vote on reopening the government without firm assurances that President Donald Trump will sign it. Trump wont sign the House bill because it doesnt fund construction of the wall on the border with Mexico.

The Senate Democrats shutdown strategy ran into an unexpected obstacle, however, on Sunday when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) put the anti-BDS provision in S.1, instead of the government shutdown, at the center of the debate.

Sanders (I-Vt.) blasted McConnell and Senate Republicans on S.1, tweeting that its absurd that the first bill during the shutdown is legislation which punishes Americans who exercise their constitutional right to engage in political activity. Democrats must block consideration of any bills that dont reopen the government. Lets get our priorities right.

Tlaib, one of two newly elected House Democrats who are vocal Muslims, and who supports BDS, responded, saying:

They forgot what country they represent. This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality. Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away.

Rubio, one of the prime sponsors of S.1, blasted back at Sanders and Tlaib Monday morning, accusing Tlaib of anti-Semitism:

This dual loyalty canard is a typical anti-Semitic line #BDS isnt about freedom & equality, its about destroying #Israel, in one tweet, followed within minutes by another arguing the BDS Movement has significant support among Senate Democrats:

The shutdown is not the reason Senate Democrats dont want to move to Middle East Security Bill. A huge argument broke out at Senate Dem meeting last week over BDS. A significant # of Senate Democrats now support #BDS & Dem leaders want to avoid a floor vote that reveals that.

Spokesmen for Sanders and Cardin did not respond to a request for comment, but a Senate Democratic aide who asked not to be identified said the BDS provision was irrelevant to the shutdown issue.

And a Van Hollen spokesman pointed to his tweet and that of Cardin in responding to Rubio. Youre missing the point. Its not about which bill were voting on. Its about the fact that McConnell has the power to bring up the bipartisan House-passed bills today and end this shutdown and we need to make that the first order of business, Van Hollen tweeted.

Ive worked closely with you on BDS, @MarcoRubio, and disagree with you here. The government #shutdown is a crisis, impacting millions of Americans and our economy. We cant simply proceed with business as usual. Reopening the govt must be our first priority. #EndTheTrumpShutdown, Cardin tweeted.

Cardin was one of the initial authors and among eight Democrats who last year co-sponsored the anti-BDS provision now in S.1.

None of the Democrats approached Tuesday by The Epoch Times would discuss Rubios claim about a contentious BDS debate in their caucus.

McConnell must have all 52 Republican votes and those of at least eight Democrats in order to invoke cloture and open debate on S.1. The vote is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 8.
A surveillance camera shows the abduction of 2-year-old James Bulger from the Bootle Strand shopping mall, on Feb. 12, 1993, at 3:42 p.m. near Liverpool, England. Bulger holds the hand of Jon Venables, one of two 10-year-old boys later convicted of his torture and murder. (BWP Media via Getty Images)

Murder Victim James Bulgers Mom Calls for Boycott of Movie About Her Childs Brutal Killing

The mother of British toddler James Bulger, whose gruesome killing at the hands of two older children decades ago shocked the nation, has expressed outrage at a new film about her sons murder.

Denise Fergus told The Mirror that she is calling for a boycott of the new short film, which is said to try and show the human side of Jon Venables and Robert Thompson, the two convicted killers who were found guilty of kidnapping, torturing, and murdering 2-year-old Jaimie when they were just 10 years old.

Fergus has also called for the film to be removed from the Oscar shortlist and accused its director Vincent Lambe of trying to big up his career in someones grief.

Ive not watched it, Fergus said on the British talk show Loose Women, it takes you right back to the day and thats what I dont want to do anymore.

Venables and Thompson kidnapped the little boy from a shopping mall in Bootle in 1993, led him to a remote area, and subjected him to torture. The toddlers battered body was discovered near train tracks.

The duo served eight years for murder before being released in 2001 with new identities and lifelong anonymity, sparking a public outcry.

Venables was sent back to prison in 2017 after he was suspected of having images on his computer relating to child abuse.

Lambe, the mastermind behind the film, titled Detainment, told The Sun that his intention with the project was to humanize the killers in order to explore what factors could cause human beings to commit horrific crimes.

A lot of people might feel its wrong to humanize those boys but I think if people cant accept the fact that they were human beings they will never be able to begin to understand, Lambe said, And the only way to prevent something like this happening again in the future is to understand the cause of it.

Cut Up and Offended

Fergus appeared on the British television show Loose Women with her husband Stuart and blasted Lambe for keeping the family out of the loop.

Jamess family should have been informed on the short film, which is now on the shortlist for the Oscars, Fergus said on the ITV talk show, They should have got in touch with the family and let us all know.

In my own personal opinion, Fergus said, I think hes just trying to big his career up and to do that under someone elses grief is so unbelievable and unbearable, especially for the family.

Lamb was interviewed on Good Morning Britain, a television show, and admitted that prior to embarking on the project, he did not notify Fergus nor Ralph Bulger, the father of the murdered toddler.

The 52-year-old Bulger was cited by the Daily Star as saying, Not once has the maker of this film contacted me or any of Jamess family about this film.

It has been 26 years since my son was taken and murdered and so I have seen many documentaries and news stories about him, he said, but I have never been so cut up and offended by something that shows so little compassion to James and his family. I accept this is a murder of such magnitude it will always be written about and featured in the news but to make a film so sympathetic to Jamess killers is devastating.

The former police chief who led the murder investigation, Albert Kirby, was cited by the paper as saying the film had been made without any consideration for the impact on the victims family. He added the film lacked any form of taste or decency.

Unbelievable and Unbearable

Jaimies mother told the interviewers, I have three men to look after, I just want to put my time an effort into them and the charity Im runningI dont want to keep going back there every time.  I dont think he had the right to do it anyway.

Im saying people to boycott it as it shouldnt have been made in the first place without James familys permission, she added.

Lambe was cited by the Daily Star as saying he has offered to meet in private with the family and apologize for any harm done. Fergus revealed the director also offered to donate money from the screenings to her charity.

I dont want the money, she insisted, we will raise the money for the charity ourselves.

She questioned whether his gesture was genuine, saying, Hes got a lot of bad publicityhe wouldnt have offered the money.

Jaimies father has also called for a boycott of the film, which he called heartless.
The section of Tonkin Highway in Perth, Australia, where a 4-year-old boy was seen on top of a car roof on Jan. 4, 2019. (Screenshot/Google Maps)

Mother Drives Down Highway at 50 mph Unaware of 4-Year-Old on Roof

A 4-year-old boy hitched a 50 mph ride on a car roof, giggling down the freeway dressed only in his diaper as other drivers honked and flashed, trying to get his mother to pull over.

The woman has now been charged with dangerous driving. The family says that her autistic son must have climbed out the window and into the roof basket before she set off through the suburbs of Perth, Australia, during what they called a freakish event.

The ride was caught on video by multiple home security cameras and by some road users.

I thought it might be a teddy bear or something like that, witness Kyle Jansen told Perth Now.

He pulled up alongside in his SUV traveling at around 42-50 mph, catching the moment on video.

As soon as she got right next to me, I noticed a little boy in nappies sitting in the roof rack on top of the car, Jansen said.

The father of a young child filmed riding on a cars roof rack in Perths suburbs says the four-year-old is autistic and can sometimes be to control. https://t.co/fu0H6sxa9X  PerthNow (@perthnow) January 7, 2019

There was another car flashing their lights and hooting. I dont know how far back they were doing that.

She has DEFENDED her actions and explained why her FOUR-YEAR-OLD son was riding on the roof of her car  Daily Mail Australia  201918

When the car rounded a big bend, Jansen said that child was really hanging on.

You could see his weight actually shifted. Im surprised he didnt come out. He was just giggling, he was having a ball.

He was smiling a lot and laughing, but he was really gripping on, he said.

People are Flashing Their Lights and Hooting

According to Jansen, people were trying to raise the mothers attention.

People are driving and flashing their lights and hootingyou should just pull over, Jansen said.

A Perth mother is being questioned by police after driving through the city's suburbs for 10 minutes with a child on the roof of her car. @geofparry7 #TheLatest #7News pic.twitter.com/ZW3XyUOWBe  7 News Perth (@7NewsPerth) January 6, 2019

The journey appears to have lasted around 10 minutes, according to reports, and at least 7 miles, before the woman finally pulled over at a gas station.

Police said that they received reports of a Holden Captiva on Tonkin Highway between Camillo and Harisdale in the suburbs of Perth on the afternoon of Jan. 4, reported Perth Now.

The highway has a speed limit of around 62 mph.

Police later said that the boys mother, 36, was being charged with dangerous driving.

Woman being questioned after child joyrides on car roof racks in Perth https://t.co/hBJM0VW1uT  #roadsafety pic.twitter.com/6bGmILgP8C  Child Seat Safety (@carseatladies) January 7, 2019

After days of speculation and many critical comments on social media, the boys mother attended a press conference on Jan. 8.

The woman, who only wants to be known as Erica, did not speak. Instead Gerry Georgatos, the national coordinator of the National Indigenous Critical Response Service, spoke on her behalf.

This was an extraordinary event, it was a freakish event, he said, according to the Sydney Herald.

They are just thankful and counting their blessings that a miracle actually occurred  that the child wasnt injured.

Mum Was Blind-Sided

The boy had been restrained in the car by his mother along with two of his siblings, according to Georgatos, but freed himself and climbed onto the roof before the car took off.

He obviously scurried out the window, climbed up  onto the roof rack.

At some point there was a blind spot, mum was blind-sided.

Georgatos rejected rumors that the boy had done something similar in the past.

One witness told Perth New he followed the car with the boy on top to Harrisdale at about 6 p.m.

I beeped the horn a few times and she [the driver] pulled over shortly afterwards near Bakers House, he said.

She looked truly shocked when I told her that her child was on the roof.

[She] said something about he uses his car seat to climb up there.

The boys father said that the boy is autistic, according to Perth Now, and is difficult to contain at times.
Mississippi Woman Killed in Her Home, Police Charge 14-Year-Old Daughter With Murder

Police in Mississippi arrested a 14-year-old girl and her 12-year-old sister in connection with the death of their mother.

Erica Hall, 32, was found unresponsive in her front yard in Pike County on Jan. 4. She was pronounced dead on Jan. 7 at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, according to WDAM-TV.

She died from what appeared to be stab wounds and one gunshot wound, which came from a handgun, said Pike County Coroner Jason Jones.

UPDATE: A 14-year-old and a 12-year-old have been charged in the death of their mother. >> https://bit.ly/2FfuaeQ  WDAM TV  201917

Amariyona Hall, 14, is being charged as an adult with her mothers murder and is being held in the Pike County Jail on $150,000 bond, said officials.

Her 12-year-old sister is being held in the Adams County Detention Center. Her name and charges were not released due to youth court proceedings, according to reports.

Pike County Sheriffs deputies found out the daughterstwo teenagers, juvenilesallegedly did it, Sheriff Kenny Cotton told the Enterprise-Journal.

Cotton added that mental health evaluations will be carried out for both girls.

Theyre charged with murder and were going to apply the law, Cotton told the publication.

He said they apparently attacked their mother after trying to run her over with the family car earlier in the week. The mother had reportedly punished the girls for that, which prompted the fatal attack, he said.

With something like that, she should have made charges and had them arrested then, Cotton said.

Elaborating further, the sheriff said its hard for him to comprehend why the girls carried out the alleged attack.

I cant imagine whats going on inside their minds to process that, he said. A mom is a mom no matter what.

Amariyona Hall is expected to return to court on Jan. 29.

The incident took place in a home on 1088 Lawson Road in Magnolia, Mississippi.

Crime Decreased in 2017

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 last year, while property crime decreased 3 percent during that time, the agency said in September 2018, releasing data from the previous year. 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 stated.
Jason Dalton, of Kalamazoo Township, Mich., is arraigned via video before Judge Christopher T. Haenicke, Monday, Feb. 22, 2016, in Kalamazoo, Mich. Dalton is charged with multiple counts of murder in a series of random shootings in western Michigan. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Michigan Uber Driver Jason Dalton Pleads Guilty in Shooting Spree That Killed 6 People

An Uber driver accused of shooting and killing six people and injuring two others pleaded guilty to all charges on Jan. 7 after he initially blamed the ride-sharing companys app for compelling him to kill.

Jason Dalton, 48, was charged with 16 counts, including six counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, during his shooting spree on Feb. 20, 2016, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

He told cops that a "devil figure" on Uber's app was controlling him.  New York Post  201917

Two months later, a judge ruled that Dalton was mentally competent to stand trial after psychiatrists said he understood the charges against him.

Prosecutors later said Daltons attorney, Eusebio Solis, told them the defendant intended to file a motion to use the insanity defense. But he later changed his plea to guilty.

It took me a little by surprise cause throughout our discussions he was intent on going to trial, said Solis, WOOD-TV reported. Though I think he was influenced these last few days by his family. He didnt want to put his family through it as well as the family of the victims.

After his guilty plea on Monday, Dalton faces a life sentence without parole, Kalamazoo Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Getting said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Well, I thought he was on the same page until this very morning, when in court the prosecution said, We make no offers, but he can plea,' added Solis. I said, Weve considered that several times and rejected it. And he wanted to have discussions in private with me.

Dalton submitted his guilty plea while jury selection was taking place in Kalamazoo County court, where he was standing trial this week, the news agency reported.

Dalton remained quiet in court and only spoke when he was asked questions.

Ive wanted to do this for quite a while, he told the court about his guilty plea.

Uber driver charged with killing 6 people and seriously wounding 2 more in a shooting spree around Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 2016, pleads guilty Monday to all counts.  NBC News  201917

In March 2016, Dalton filed a $10 million federal civil rights lawsuit against the ride-sharing company after telling investigators that Ubers app had the ability to take over his body and compel him to kill.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said he and his team were happy to reach a resolution in the case.

I dont know whether there will ever be a satisfactory answer as to why he did it  the why question is one that haunts us, Getting said, CNN reported.

Crime Decreased in 2017

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 last year, while property crime decreased 3 percent during that time, the agency said in September 2018, releasing data from the previous year.

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 stated.

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.

The figures were compiled from more than 13,000 law enforcement agencies around the United States that submitted their crime data to the FBI.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Michigan Family of Five Killed in Kentucky Crash Mourned by Community

Condolences poured in after a Michigan family of five, including a well-known doctor, were killed in a fiery crash caused by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 75 in Kentucky.

Issam Abbas, 42; his wife, Dr. Rima Abbas, 38; Ali Abbas, 14; Isabella Abbas, 13; and Giselle Abbas, 7; were identified by the Fayette County Coroner. They were returning to Michigan from a trip to Florida when the crash occurred, reported the Detroit Free Press.

The pickup truck driver, who was traveling the wrong way, was identified as Lee Bailey, 41, of Georgetown, Kentucky.

Bailey was also killed in the crash.

Officials suspect he was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but the coroner said toxicology results are still pending in the case.

Witness Kenneth DeGraaf said the pickup truck was coming toward him before to the crash.

I thought I was seeing something, honestly, DeGraaf was quoted by CBS News as saying. He was in the center lane. I was in the center lane. I had to merge out of the way at the last second to get to the right lane. I mean, he was flying. Absolutely flying.

Devastated by the tragic loss of the Abbas family. My thoughts and prayers are with their family and our community as we mourn. They gave so much to our community and were good friends of John and I.  Rep. Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) January 7, 2019

Rana Abbas Taylor, the director of communications for ACCESS and who is the sister of Dr. Rima Abbas, told the Detroit Free Press: We remain in shock and we are beyond devastated.

Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell wrote on Twitter: Devastated by the tragic loss of the Abbas family. My thoughts and prayers are with their family and our community as we mourn. They gave so much to our community and were good friends of John and I.

The City of Dearborn, Michigan, also asked people to keep them, their families, and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Also, the Consulate General of Lebanon wrote that it is offering its sincere condolences to the Abbas family and the entire Lebanese Community for the tragic loss of Attorney Issam and Dr. Rima Abbas and their three kids in a terrible car accident with a drunk driver on I-75 on their way back home from Kentucky. May their souls rest in heavenly peace

Habib Abbas of Dearborn, a cousin of the father, said when he heard the news, he thought it was a rumor.

I thought it was a rumor or something and then saw it again and called her sister. She and the family are even more in denial, Abbas said, CBS reported.

Consulate General of Lebanon extends sincere condolences to the Abbas family and the entire Lebanese Community for the  Consulate General of Lebanon  Detroit, MI  201916

You dont expect a whole family to get wiped out, he added. You think to yourself Whats the worst case scenario? and thats it.

David Wood, the Beaumont Health chief medical officer, called their deaths tragic. Dr. Abbas worked for the company.

(Dr. Abbas) was a caring mother and a dedicated family practice physician. Our hearts go out to all of her family, friends, and patients during this difficult time, he told the paper.

It was the second crash in under a week along Interstate 75 after a truck crashed into a van near Gainesville, Florida, killing seven people. Five children died in the wreck.
A meteorologist at a news station in Rochester, New York, was fired this week after viewers and the citys mayor called for his ouster. (Jeremy Kappel / Twitter)

Meteorologist Fired After Viewers and City Claim He Said Racial Slur on Air

A meteorologist at a news station in Rochester, New York, was fired this week after viewers and the citys mayor called for his ouster.

Viewers claimed that WHEC-TV meteorologist Jeremy Kappell used a racial slur when speaking about Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park.

In the broadcast, which was captured on video, Kappell appeared to say Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Park, although some people said he appeared to be tongue-tied.

Rochester's WHEC Channel 10 decided to slip a little racist reference to Dr King in close to his birthday. This aired 1/4/19 @ aproximately 5:30 pmListen as the newscaster decides that Martin Luther King should be referred to as Martin Luther Coon King and keeps it moving the other day. I have already asked for an explanation from WHEC about this:Thank you Cristy Barber Peck for identifying and sharing the video.  Alan Majors  201915

An executive at WHEC, also known as News10NBC apologized to viewers and confirmed his dismissal.

On behalf of News10NBC, I apologize for our broadcast of a racial slur in a reference to Martin Luther King, Jr. Park during our Friday evening broadcast (1/4/19), Richard A. Reingold, the manager, wrote on the stations website. Upon learning of the incident, News10NBC leadership immediately initiated an internal investigation and internal discussion, and by Sunday had made a staffing change.

The executive added, Our Friday broadcast does not represent the values of News10NBC, its hardworking staff, or the great people of Rochester. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of Americas greatest heroes  for whom I, and all of us at News10NBC, have the utmost respect. I am terribly sorry to all of our viewers. We are redoubling our efforts to ensure that this never happens again.

Kappell denied using the racial slur.

For the record, Ive never uttered those words in my life, he tweeted.

One user responded: As an African American, this clearly seems like he got tongue ties with the words. Give the man his job back.

Kappell said he thanked the woman for the supportive words  I appreciate it more than you know.

In my mind I know I mispronounced but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to so many people. As soon as I mispronounced it I put an emphasis on King and moved on. I had no ideas what some people could have interpreted that as and I know some people interpreted that the wrong way. Thats not a word I said and I promise you that. If you did feel it hurt you in any way I sincerely apologize, he said in WHECs statement, which was included at the bottom of the webpage.

He also posted a story by a radio personality, arguing that Kappell may have been tongue-tied, making it an honest and innocent mistake.

The article noted that its not the first time a TV personality made the slip.

In 2010, ESPN broadcaster Mike Greenberg used the phrase. He apologized, said it was a slip of the tongue, and went on with his career, the article says. In another instance, in 2005, a Las Vegas television weatherman made reference to Martin Luther Coon Day and, though he apologized in subsequent newscasts, was fired.

For the record, I've never uttered those words in my life. https://t.co/UgkLMmboXY  Jeremy Kappell (@JeremyKappell) January 7, 2019

But the City of Rochester thought otherwise and issued a statement about Kappells alleged usage of the slur.

It is wrong, hurtful and infuriating that WHEC Channel 10 broadcast a racial slur in reference to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during its Friday News broadcast, read press release from the city of Rochester. It is beyond unacceptable that this occurred. There must be real consequences for the news personality involved and also for the management team that failed to immediately apologize and address the slur.

It added: While referring to African Americans in racially derogatory, insensitive and vulgar language needs to be addressed immediately, there are other issues at play as well that feed into this cultural ignorance. Promotional videos and other productions from local media often do not reflect the diversity of our community.

The WHEC notice about his firing also included quotes from Rochester City Council members.

Rochester is a city located in western New York.
Lawmaker Frank Magnitz speaks during a session of the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) in Berlin on Sept. 26, 2018. (Fabian Sommer / dpa / AFP)

Masked Assailants Beat German Lawmaker Unconscious in Politically Motivated Attack

Warning: Social media posts related to this article may contain graphic images

Masked assailants beat a German lawmaker unconscious with a piece of timber in what police believe was a politically motivated attack that his party is calling an attempt at assassination.

Frank Magnitz, a regional leader of Germanys highly conservative AfD party, was beaten by three assailants in the northern city of Breman at 5:20 p.m. on Jan. 7, as he left a theater.

The attack follows an explosion targeting an AfD office last week and a spate of vandalism against the anti-immigration party, which represents 12 percent of Germans in the national parliament.

The partys official social media accounts posted a picture of Magnitzs bloody, swollen, and bruised face, with a deep gash in his forehead following the attack on Monday afternoon.

Police are investigating the incident, saying in a statement that they are working on the assumption that it was politically motivated.

The AfD called it an assassination attempt, blaming anti-fascist activists who they say have been stirred up and emboldened by media and politicians who label them Nazis.

Politicians from across the political spectrum condemned the attack and urged police to bring those behind it to justice.

Political debate must be conducted in such a way that it can not give rise to hatred or aggravation, still less violence, Wolfgang Schauble, the speaker of the German parliament said.

Saved by a Builder

Magnitz, 66, has little recollection of the event, according to the Telegraph, telling reporters: Im well known in Bremen. Ill definitely take more care in future.

According to AfD, Magnitzs life may have been saved by a builder, who courageously interrupted the attackers as they beat Magnitz, already unconscious, on the ground.

AfD, which became a serious political force in the 2017 general election, campaigned on an anti-immigration, anti-EU, and anti-Islamic platform and is often dubbed far-righta label that its leaders and members reject.

https://www.facebook.com/afd.hb/photos/a.169613486531811/1154122924747524

The party was originally founded with an anti-EU platform. The core of the party reject the racist and more extremist groups that later gathered at the fringes of the party and are now splintering off.

The party now has representatives in every German state parliament.

In a statement, AfD spokesperson Alexander Gauland said: The cowardly and life-threatening violence against Frank Magnitz is the result of the constant agitation by politicians and the media against us, which has now apparently been implemented by left-wing terrorists in Bremen.

These attacks are fueling a climate of fear and endangering our democracy.

The authorities also have a duty to ensure the integrity of life and limb of the well-known AfD leaders, so that they can exercise their democratic right to unhindered participation in political decision-making!

After an explosion targeted an AfD office last week, police in the eastern state of Saxony said that there has been a rise in attacks against the party, and that most incidents were acts of vandalism.

Police detained three suspects linked to the explosion that targeted an AfD office in the city of Doebeln that caused no casualties. The blast set the office on fire and damaged vehicles and nearby buildings, Saxonys LKA criminal investigation office said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Samantha Broberg (R), who fell off a Carnival Cruise ship in 2016, in a file photo. (Samantha Broberg/Facebook)

Judge: Carnival Cruise Not Responsible for Texas Mother Who Fell Overboard

A judge ruled that Carnival Cruise was not responsible for the death of a Texas mother who fell off of a ship in 2016 and was never found.

Samantha Broberg, 33, a mother of four, boarded the Carnival Liberty cruise ship on May 12, 2016, in Galveston, Texas.

She and two friends had planned the four-day vacation to the Caribbean.

But 13 hours later, Broberg fell into the water. The incident occurred at 2:04 a.m. on May 13; the crew didnt realize someone had gone overboard until 15 hours later, reported the Miami Herald.

Brobergs widower Karl sued the cruise line last year in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Miami.

He alleged that Carnival over-served her alcoholic drinksshe received at least seven double vodkas and sodas in addition to two beerseven after she was clearly intoxicated.

He also noted that Carnival appeared to violate a 2010 federal law (pdf) that requires ships to install technology that automatically detects when people go overboard to the extent that such technology is available. Most cruise companies have declined to install the technology, claiming that its faulty, cumbersome, and expensive. The judge had dismissed the second part of the lawsuit prior to the trial.

An attorney for Carnival called Broberg a functioning alcoholic.

Someone who goes totally off the wagon bears responsibility. Just because shed been drinking all day doesnt make you a danger to yourself, said attorney Curtis Mase.

Federal judge Federico Moreno called the case very sad but added: Carnival cannot be held responsible for what it did not know.

Karl Broberg did not respond to the ruling.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Carnival said, This decision acknowledges the facts of this case. Our thoughts remain with the Broberg family and out of respect, we will have no further comment.

Morenos ruling came just weeks after a federal jury in Miami found that Royal Caribbean Cruises was not responsible for the death of Nathaniel Skokan, who was served the equivalent of 30 drinks before falling overboard in 2016.

Todd and Lisa Skokan, parents of Skokan, along with his brothers sought $5 million in damages.

Skokan, 22, fell off the Independence of the Seas on the last day of a five-day cruise.

His parents said the cruise line served him an excessive amount of alcohol as part of its all-inclusive drink package and knew or should have known he was a danger to himself or others, reported the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

But Royal Caribbean argued that Skokan had depression and jumped overboard intentionally and that he was solely responsible for his death.

Witnesses testified during the trial that several passengers told Skokan he should jump overboard as a joke; he pretended to do so, but when he went to sit on the handrail his lost balance and went overboard. Security footage showed the moment he went overboard.

U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga in October 2018 ruled against Royal Caribbeans attempt to dismiss all the familys claims but the jury said in December that Royal Caribbean was not negligent.

Responding to the verdict, Skokan family attorney Michael Coyle told the Miami Herald: Although disappointed in the verdict, the Skokans pursued this action with the hope another family never has to experience such a tragedy.

From NTD News
IRS to Issue Tax Refunds Despite Partial Government Shutdown

The IRS will process tax returns beginning in late January and provide refunds as scheduled despite the partial government shutdown.

The IRS is one of the agencies that has not received renewed funding as President Donald Trump and lawmakers engage in a standoff over funding for the border wall.

The agency is able to issue refunds through a permanent, indefinite appropriation that gives it authority to pay them despite the lapse in funding.

Although in 2011 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed the IRS not to pay refunds during a lapse, OMB has reviewed the relevant law at Treasurys request and concluded that IRS may pay tax refunds during a lapse, the IRS said in a press release.

We are committed to ensuring that taxpayers receive their refunds notwithstanding the government shutdown. I appreciate the hard work of the employees and their commitment to the taxpayers during this period, said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig in a statement. IRS employees have been hard at work over the past year to implement the biggest tax law changes the nation has seen in more than 30 years.

The filing deadline is April 15 for most taxpayers but some people begin their returns in January, which will be prepared then submitted beginning on Jan. 28.

According to the agency, the average refund in 2018 was $2,899.

The White House confirmed that tax refunds will start going out soon.

Tax refunds will go out, acting White House budget director Russ Vought told reporters on Monday.

In a statement, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) responded: I look forward to seeing a more detailed description of how the agency will carry out these operations, particularly what will be expected of Treasury and IRS personnel.

Tax Cuts

The tax season will include an estimated $3.2 trillion in tax cuts for American families and businesses, per a bill that President Trump signed in late December 2017.

The bill reduced the individual tax rates while keeping the existing seven tax brackets, The Epoch Times reported at the time. The rates are set at 10 percent, 12 percent, 22 percent, 24 percent, 32 percent, 35 percent, and 37 percent.

The plan narrowed itemized deductions to simplify the tax code. However, it nearly doubled the standard deduction for individuals from $6,350 to $12,000 and for married couples filing jointly from $12,700 to $24,000.

According to Republican leaders, the provision will simplify tax filing and enable nine out of 10 people to fill their taxes on a form so simple it could fit on a postcard.

The bill expanded the child tax credit from $1,000 to $2,000 for both individuals and married couples filing jointly. The tax credit will be fully refundable up to $1,400, which means the credit can be used to increase or create a tax refund.

The child tax credit will now start to phase out for families with income over $400,000. Under the current law, it phases out at $110,000 in income for married couples.

Many individual income tax provisions, including the child tax credit, will expire by the end of 2025, and the old rules will take effect unless the provisions are extended.

The plan also narrowed the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) by capping it at $10,000. It allowed taxpayers the option to choose among sales, income, and property taxes. Those who benefit most from the SALT deductions are taxpayers in high-tax states like New York, New Jersey, and California.

In addition, the bill allowed the deduction of mortgage interest for newly purchased homes (first or second home) up to $750,000, which is below the current $1 million cap. It also repealed Obamacares individual mandate provision, which requires most Americans to have a basic level of health insurance coverage or else pay a tax penalty.

Epoch Times reporter Emel Akan contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Security personnel sit behind bulletproof glass at the headquarters of Germany's BSI national cyber defense body in Bonn, Germany, on Jan. 4, 2019. (Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo)

German Student Admits to Data Hack That Hit Merkel and Others

WIESBADEN, GermanyA student has confessed to one of Germanys biggest data breaches, ending the mystery of who hacked Angela Merkel and other public figures, but doing little to ease the embarrassment of cyber security authorities.

Police did not name the 20-year-old but said he lives with his parents and is not a computer expert. Despite that, he managed to access and leak personal data and documents from about 1,000 people, including Chancellor Merkel, other politicians, and journalists.

The man was arrested after police searched a property in the central state of Hesse on Jan. 6. Investigators recovered a computer and a data backup the suspect had removed two days before the search.

He has been released and is cooperating with investigators.

During the interrogation, the accused admitted to having acted alone in data spying and the unauthorized publication of data, the federal crime office BKA said in a statement.

The investigations have so far provided no indication of the participation of a third party.

Suspicion had fallen on Russian hackers, blamed for most previous German data breaches, although the Kremlin has denied involvement in such incidents.

There was also speculation that the hack may have involved German right-wing activists. Prosecutors declined to comment on any political sympathies the suspect may have but said no radical material had been found.

The accused said his motivation had been irritation over public statements made by the politicians, journalists, and public figures affected, senior prosecutor Georg Ungefuk said.

Ungefuk told reporters the suspect was repentant and seemed unaware of the full consequences of his actions, adding he had also helped authorities on other matters of interest regarding cyber crime.

The breach has prompted calls for tighter data security laws, but Sabine Vogt, who heads the federal police division for serious and organized crime, rejected stricter controls.

We dont want a surveillance state based on the fact that something like this can happen here, she told reporters.

By Patricia Uhlig
Warren Christopher Clark, 34, a former teacher in Texas, was caught in Syria working for ISIS. (Syrian Democratic Forces)

Former Texas Teacher One of Two Americans Caught Fighting for ISIS in Syria

A former teacher from Texas is one of two Americans detained in Syria after allegedly fighting for the ISIS terrorist group.

Warren Christopher Clark, also known as Abu Muhammed, is among five people Syrian Democratic Forces have captured. The other identified American is Zaid Abed al-Hamid, also known as Abu Zaid al-Ameriki.

Clark graduated from the University of Houston in 2007 and worked as a substitute teacher in the English for Second Language program at the Fort Bend Independent School District from 2009 to 2011, according to a copy of his resume obtained by researchers at George Washington University.

He is one of several dozen Americans to join ISIS according to Seamus Hughes, deputy director of the universitys program on extremism.

Clark was so open about his conversion to Islam that some friends thought he was an informant.

His resume was discovered in a house in Mosul after the city was liberated from the Islamic State in the summer of 2017.

Im looking to get a position teaching English to students in the Islamic State. I was born and raised in the United States and have always loved teaching, Clark said in his cover letter. 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. Please feel free to contact me at your convenience. Thank you for taking the time to consider me.

Officials from the University of Houston told KPRC the information in his resume matches Clarks experience while his neighbors said his family rarely talks about him.

Hughes said Clark appeared to fit into the group of Americans who traveled to Syria to join the self-declared Caliphate.

Many American travelers who left for Syria in the years directly after 2011 did so in reaction to atrocities committed by the Syrian regime. Some were interested in the violence and fighting that was portrayed in propaganda videos released by the Islamic State. Others were drawn to the siren song of the self-declared Caliphate, Hughes said in a blog post after Clarks apprehension was announced.

Clark appears to fall into the final category. By teaching English to young Iraqis, he seems to have wanted to participate in Islamic States wider Utopian state-building project. Clearly, he hoped that his experience teaching English in Turkey, along with his degree in political science from the University of Houston, would serve him well in this effort.

According to the researcher, Clark will be the 15th American known to have returned home after joining ISIS.

He is likely to face federal terrorism charges but could earn a reduced sentence, if he gives information to authorities. Hughes called him a possible treasure trove.

A Pentagon spokesman said officials are aware of reports Clark is in Syrian custody.

We are aware of open source reports of reportedly American citizens currently in custody who were believed to be fighting for ISIS, Commander Sean Robertson, a Pentagon spokesman, told KTRK. However, we are unable to confirm this information at this time. The incident is under investigation.

Fort Bend Independent School District graduates told the broadcaster they are concerned about his association with the district.

I went to a [district] school before I graduated. Thats honestly kind of scary to hear, said graduate Victor without providing a last name.

Theres got to be more than just a background check. Theres got to be an interview with your thoughts, your beliefs. Thats very disturbing, added Gentre who also did not provide a last name. I have children in Fort Bend schools. One at Colony Bend and one at First Colony Middle.

From NTD.com
Former New York Times Editor Admits Outlet Apologized to China for Critical Story

A former New York Times executive editor has admitted the publisher of the media outlet drafted an apology letter to the Chinese regime after publishing an investigative report about corruption within the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) ruling elite.

Jill Abramson, executive editor at the outlet from 2011 to 2014, wrote in her upcoming book Merchants of Truth that her blood pressure rose when she first came across a draft letter from publisher Arthur Sulzberger, according to Fast Company. She said the letter was written with input from the Chinese embassy, and sought to appease the regime in hopes the outlets business in the country could be salvaged.

According to Abramson, Chinese officials were enraged after being contacted for comment about the piece, delving into the vast wealth amassed by family members of the CCPs top leaders. The Chinese ambassador then sought a meeting with Sulzberger, in which he threatened there would be serious consequences if the story were published, Abramson said. No evidence was offered from the Chinese ambassador to dispute the claims.

Despite the alleged threat, Sulzberger proceeded to publish the story, which later won a Pulitzer Prize.

Within a few hours of publication, Chinese censors blocked both the outlets English and Chinese websites across Mainland China. NY Times China-bureau journalists were also denied new visas in the aftermath of the article. The websites remain blocked in China to this day.

Sulzberger caught a flight to China to try to convince Chinese officials to unblock the site but was unsuccessful. The outlet had only recently opened its Chinese-language site, which employed 30 Chinese journalists.

Abramson accuses the publisher of drafting a letter without her knowledge and with input from the Chinese embassy, all but apologizing for the story.

The former editor said she later confronted Sulzberger about the letter at a Starbucks cafe. During the meeting, Sulzberger seemed startled that I had [the letter] and he kept saying, I didnt do anything wrong. He tried to slip the letter into his folder but I snatched it back, Abramson said.

Sulzberger ultimately agreed to reword the letter with input from Abramson and then managing editor Dean Baquet, she said. Abramson was still opposed to the letter due to the way it apologized for the perception the story created.

In a statement to Fast Company the NY Times disputed Abramsons account, saying it was inaccurate. The statement did not provide further detail.

We published this story knowing in advance that our Chinese-language website, which had launched just months before, would be shut down, the statement said according to Fast Company. Weve vigorously protested the shutdown and continue to fund the website to send a clear signal that our journalists cannot be silenced in retaliation for their coverage.

CCP Influence on Foreign Media

Attempts to censor reporting critical of the Communist regime is one way the CCP seeks to influence overseas media landscapes, a campaign that has deepened and intensified in recent years, according to Freedom House.

The regimes media influence campaign is aimed at promoting a positive view of China, encouraging foreign investment in China, and marginalizing and suppressing dissenting voices, Freedom House senior research analyst Sarah Cook said in her 2017 testimony to the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

At a meeting held last August on propaganda work Chinese leader Xi Jinping said, To present good images, we should improve our international communication capability, tell Chinas stories well, disseminate Chinas voice, show an authentic and comprehensive China to the world, and raise the countrys soft power and the influence of Chinese culture.

The communist regime uses a range of tactics to both promote its propaganda overseas and censor news that is unfavorable to the regime, Cook said.

For example, in the lead to the 2018 U.S. midterm elections, a top newspaper in Iowa ran a four-page advertorial insert produced by Chinas state-run media China Daily. The insert included articles about the negative impact of the trade war on U.S. soybean farmers. Iowa is a top soybean producer in the United States. President Donald Trump at the time rebuked the regime for meddling with the election with propaganda ads  made to look like news.

Elsewhere, the regime recruits journalists from South East Asia and Africa to report positively on infrastructure projects under Chinas One Belt One Road initiative, a flagship foreign-policy project that has been increasingly scrutinized for burdening countries with crippling debt.

Cook said censorship efforts range from direct action by the CCP to prevent publication of undesirable news stories, and cyber attacks on news outlets, to more subtle forms of influence, such as using economic incentives and disincentives to induce self-censorship by media owners.

The way in which these tactics function is by hindering and harming  the long term financial sustainability of media outlets  that [are] critical of Beijing, Cook told The Mark Palmer Forum: Chinas Global Challenge to Democratic Freedom, hosted by the Hudson Institute and Freedom House in Washington D.C. last October.

[The tactics] comprise a systematic effort to signal to  media owners that their operations in China and access to Chinese citizens will be jeopardized if they assist, do business with, or refrain from censoring voices the CCP has designated as politically undesirable, Cook said.
Jazmine Barnes, 7, was riding in a car with her family on Dec. 30, 2018, on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, when a gunshot killed her. (Justice for My daughter Jazmine/GoFundMe)

Family of Man Wrongfully Accused in Jazmine Barness Murder Gets Death Threats

The family of the man wrongly accused by conspiracy theorist Shaun King of murdering a 7-year-old girl has been getting rape and death threats.

King posted the picture and name of Robert Cantrell on his Twitter account, which has more than 1 million followers, alleging that Cantrell may have carried out the shooting.

King also pushed a theory that the shooting was racially motivated. Jazmine Barnes, the girl who was shot in December 2018 on the outskirts of Houston, was black.

Two black men were arrested for the shooting; officials said one, 20-year-old Eric Black Jr., admitted to the crime.

King often attributes crimes to racial animus even if evidence for the accusations are lacking. In this case, he noted that Cantrell had been arrested recently for an unrelated charge and claimed that Cantrell could be the shooter.

King provided no evidence and has not apologized for the mistake. He has deleted the series of tweets he made about Cantrell.

Hailey Cantrell, Cantrells niece, said that people have been posting threatening comments on her Facebook page.

I hear, Someone is going to rape, torture, and murder the women and children in your family,' she said, relaying one comment to ABC 13.

Im not going to lie, I teared up, she added. I just want everyone to back off. The truth is out. It had nothing to do with us, nothing to do with my uncle at all.

ABC 13 said that King did respond to multiple requests for comment.

'BACK OFF': Family of man wrongfully accused in 7-year-old's murder says they're receiving threatshttps://t.co/RSOPyrHmMb  ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) January 8, 2019

Its not the first time King has gotten a major story wrong.

King claimed that a Texas state trooper assaulted a woman and threatened to shoot her black fiance in early 2018. This woman was kidnapped and raped by a Texas State Trooper, King wrote on Facebook, identifying the alleged perpetrator by name.

He said that he was relaying information from an attorney and friend of his.

The problem soon came to light: the woman, Sherita Dixon-Cole, was brazenly lying. Body camera footage released by the Texas Department of Safety showed that the woman was not assaulted, raped, or threatened by the officer.

King, who has been linked to Black Lives Matter, formerly wrote for the New York Daily News, and currently writes for The Intercept, wrote an article on Medium explaining that hed been duped but the article did not include an apology to the officer he wrongly identified or any vow to change how he handled information. Instead, he vowed to continue to do things the same as he always has.

I lead and live with my heart on my sleeve. I dont know any other way. As I type this, I am working directly with dozens of families across the country whove actually experienced police brutality and various miscarriages of justice, he wrote.

I will continue fighting for them like their lives, and all of our lives, depend on it. They deserve that. This woman cannot be allowed to ruin that for other victims.

The woman who made the false sexual assault claim was not charged.

Officials said she made her allegations to a jailer and her attorney and not to a sworn peace officer, meaning no false report was filed. In contrast to King, the womans attorney S. Lee Merritt apologized, saying: I am truly sorry for any trouble these claims have caused [the] officer and his family [and] I take full responsibility for amplifying those claims to the point of national concern.

From NTD News
Ex-Manager Speaks out After Arizona Woman in Vegetative State Gives Birth

A former manager at Arizona-based Hacienda Healthcare, where a Native American woman gave birth while in a 14-year-long vegetative state, said the firms CEO covered up prior abuse cases.

My heart stopped when I heard the news from my daughter. I was just horrified. I was going, No! Not Hacienda, said a woman who worked as a manager at the firm for about a decade, reported AZFamily on Jan. 8.

She said CEO Bill Timmons, who resigned on Monday, told them not to report on an incident back in 1998.

In one meeting, Timmons told the unnamed former manager that female nurses were standing around a male patient, who is nonverbal, talking inappropriately about his private area.

The poor guy was just laying (sic) there. He couldnt say anything. He couldnt communicate, he couldnt defend himself, she told AZFamiy.

She added, We were talking about reporting it to CPS (now known as Department of Child Safety) and Bill Timmons slammed his fist on the table and said, No! No one is going to report this.

After the incident, she was horrified about his reaction and said that by law, we are supposed to report things like that.

I was scared. Bill Timmons has a temper. And we knew not to mess with that temper because people got fired, she told the news outlet, adding that some people got fired.

I saw people disappear and never come back, she said.

The woman said not one person reported the incident out of fear, adding that it is likely other forms of abuse took place over the years.

Regarding the vegetative womans shock birth, I think he let things happen and didnt do anything about it. Didnt let people do their job which is, yeah, I kind of do, the manager said.

Timmons resignation was unanimously accepted by Haciendas board of directors, according to CBS News.

Former Hacienda manager speaks about patient abuse the CEO swept under the rughttps://t.co/3aGIvyiJEn pic.twitter.com/TsmRBwubi9  azfamily 3TV CBS 5 (@azfamily) January 8, 2019

In a statement to CBS, Hacienda Board Executive Vice President Gary Orman vowed that Hacienda will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation, an unprecedented case that has devastated everyone involved, from the victim and her family to Hacienda staff at every level of our organization.

Hacienda, he added, will continue to cooperate with Phoenix Police and the investigating agencies at all levels in every way possible.

It came after reports that the woman, who was left in the vegetative state after a near-drowning incident, was sexually assaulted more than once.

Arizona state Rep. Jeff Weninger said he is considering legislation to protect patients living at long-term healthcare facilities. You can hook these up through an Internet signal in nursing homes, Weninger said.

Other Incidents

The nursing home, meanwhile, had been cited for a privacy deficiency after a male patient told investigators in December 2017 that while he was being bathed by a staff member, other staff members would walk in on him while showering.

The resident said that it made him feel uncomfortable, according to records from the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services, People magazine reported. He stated that he does not know why staff come and go in the shower room when he does not have any clothes on. He stated it has happened on many occasions.

A female staff member said another female staff member entered the room and just wanted to talk with [the other staff member] who was giving the bath. It has now become a bad habit and is a dignity problem, according to the states report. The second staffer said she had seen many other staffers do the same thing.

DISTURBING DETAILS: None of the staff were aware that she was pregnant until she was pretty much giving birth.  azfamily 3TV CBS 5  201914

The staffer, along with the director of the facility, said those incidents occurred because they needed to access the trash cans or supplies stored in the shower room.

They also said staff members would cross through the shower area to get from one room to another, People magazine reported.

Both staffers have been counseled on privacy during showering residents, and the report added that all direct care staff would receive more training in light of the allegations. In January 2018, state investigators said the issues have been corrected, People reported.

The chief executive officer of Hacienda HealthCare resigned Monday, just days after CBS Phoenix affiliate KPHO-TV reported that a vegetative patient at a Hacienda nursing facility there had given birth.  CBS News  201918

The health care facility has at least 74 patient beds, according to federal records. It cares for people who have a variety of developmental conditions. Some of the patients have been there for decades, said state records.
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak exits the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Aug. 8, 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Ore Huiying/Getty Images)

Ex-Goldman Sachs Banker Denied Bail in Malaysia Pending Extradition to US

KUALA LUMPURA Malaysian court on Jan. 7 refused bail to former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng, pending his extradition to the United States where he faces charges related to suspected money laundering of funds siphoned off from state fund 1MDB.

Ng has been detained in Kuala Lumpur since Nov. 1, shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against him, another Goldman Sachs official Tim Leissner, and Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho over the alleged theft of billions of dollars from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Leissner, a former partner for Goldman Sachs in Asia, pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money and violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, while Low has denied wrongdoing and remains at large.

Malaysian prosecutors have filed separate criminal charges against the three, as well as an application to extradite Ng to the United States.

Goldman Sachs has consistently denied wrongdoing.

Defense lawyer Tan Hock Chuan last week requested that Ng be released on bail on medical grounds, pending the outcome of the extradition proceeding.

Judge Edwin Paramjothy Michael Muniandy, however, dismissed the request on Jan. 7 saying there was insufficient evidence that Ng was not fit enough to remain in custody.

The judge said the court also considered Ng a serious flight risk, given the gravity and high-profile nature of the cases against him in Malaysia and the United States.

With the likelihood that the respondent will abscond, Im of the considered view that the respondents presence (in court) cannot be secured by the setting of bail or the setting of any condition to the granting of bail, he said.

Tan said he would appeal the judges ruling and that a reply against Ngs extradition would be filed by Feb. 15.

According to prosecutors, Goldman Sachs generated about $600 million in fees for its work with 1MDB, which included three bond offerings in 2012 and 2013 that raised $6.5 billion.

Leissner, Ng, and others received large bonuses in connection with that revenue.

Goldman Sachs has denied wrongdoing saying certain members of the former Malaysian government and 1MDB lied to the bank about the proceeds of bond sales.

The Malaysian government has said it is seeking up to $7.5 billion in reparations from Goldman Sachs over its dealings with 1MDB.

The U.S. Justice Department has estimated that a total of $4.5 billion was misappropriated by high-level 1MDB fund officials and their associates between 2009 and 2014, including some of the funds that Goldman Sachs helped raise.

The 1MDB scandal erupted in 2015, and led to last years electoral defeat of Najib Razak, ending his near decade-long stint as prime minister.

The new government led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reopened investigations into 1MDB and charged Najib, who is now facing four trials involving a total of 39 criminal charges related to the funds losses.

He has plead not guilty to all charges.

In a separate court on Jan. 7, a judge fixed July 8 for the opening of one of those trials.

Najib, along with his former treasury chief Mohamad Irwan Serigar Abdullah, were each charged with six counts of criminal breach of trust in the case, which involves the alleged misappropriation of about $1.5 billion in government funds.

Prosecutors have prepared a list of 138 witnesses for the trial, which is scheduled to run until Aug. 22, government lawyer Jamil Aripin told the court.

By Rozanna Latiff
Canadian Michael Spavor, who is detained in China, in a file photo taking part in an interview from Yangi, China, on March 2, 2017. (AP Photo)

Detained Canadian Granted Consular Visit; Canadian MP in China Says Not Business as Usual

TORONTOCanadian MP Michael Cooper, who is in China as part of a legislative delegation, said its encouraging that one of the two Canadians detained in that country was granted a consular visit on Jan. 8.

He also said the delegation has told Chinese officials that its not business as usual while the Canadians remain detained.

Canadas foreign affairs department said Jan. 8 that Canadian consular officials met with Michael Spavor, who, along with Michael Kovrig, was detained and charged with endangering Chinas national security after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on an extradition request by the United States.

The Canadian government remains deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of these two Canadians since last month and continues to call for their immediate release, Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Amy Mills said in a statement.

Cooper, who is a Conservative, and other Canadian lawmakers were scheduled to travel to China as part of a routine parliamentary visit before Beijing detained the Canadians. Cooper said Global Affairs Canada cleared them to continue with the visit, and the delegation used the opportunity to call for the release of the Canadians.

In the course of meetings that we had with Chinese officials, we conveyed the position of the government of Canada, which was to call for the immediate release of Mr. Spavor and Mr. Kovrig, and to emphasize the fact that it is unacceptable that Mr. Spavor and Mr. Kovrig, up until the last few hours, were more or less unable to access consular services, were denied access to a lawyer, or are in conditions that are completely unacceptable, Cooper said in a phone interview from Shanghai.

As part of their agenda, the delegation met with officials from Shanghai Peoples Congress, where they spoke with the deputy director general. Cooper characterized the reaction in China as being the same as that of the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa: long on criticism in terms of the arrest of Ms. Meng, and very short on details with respect to the of the detention of Mr. Spavor and Mr. Kovrig. But he said it was important for the delegation to express Canadas concerns.

Cooper rejected what he called suggestions in media reports that the delegation went to China to go along and get along, or that the issue of the detained Canadians wasnt part of the official agenda.

There really is nothing on our official agenda, except the people whom we are meeting with  and what was discussed at the meetings we had with Chinese officials were the cases of Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor, he said.

Cooper, who visited China in 2017 as part of another delegation, said the tone of the visit this time was quite different. Its not a business-as-usual delegation.

He added that the case of other Canadians detained in China, such as Sun Qian, an adherent of Falun Dafa, and Huseyincan Celil, a Canadian of Uyghur Chinese ethnicity, are also serious cases affecting Canadas relations with China.

They all involve arbitrary detentions, they all speak to a lack of due process, and they remain ongoing. And of course  these cases do impact the relationship.

Allies Voice Support

In a phone conversation on Jan. 7, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed what the White House described as the unlawful detention of Spavor and Kovrig, and agreed to continue to seek their release, according to statements from their offices.

In its statement on Jan. 8, Global Affairs Canada thanked the allies who have added their voice in support of the detained Canadians.

Canada continues to express its appreciation to those who have spoken in support of these detained individuals and the rule of law, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the EU, the United States, and Australia, the statement said.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Dec. 14 that Chinas detention of the Canadians is unacceptable, and that the United States will work toward having them returned home.

Canadas Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland called for the immediate release of the two Canadians on Dec. 21.

Cooper said he wishes the Canadian government had spoken out sooner in demanding the release of the pair.

Frankly, its disappointing that while Secretary Pompeo took a very clear stand, the Trudeau government dithered. But that being said, I do believe that our Global Affairs Canada consular officials, embassy officials, are doing what they can do in difficult circumstances, he said.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping gives a speech for the 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening Up at The Great Hall Of The People in Beijing on Dec. 18, 2018. (Andrea Verdelli/Getty Images)

Chinas Reform and Opening Up Avoided Two Major Issues in the Past 40 Years

The Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) commemoration of the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up in December has caused a lot of negative reaction at home and abroad. Over the past 40 years, Chinas economy and society have undergone tremendous changes. While the CCP regards the countrys economic progress as its own, the Chinese people are worried about the future because they can see how that progress was really achieved.

The CCP has repeatedly boasted that China has made tremendous progress since the start of the reform and opening up in 1978, and listed detailed data on personal income, education and life expectancy. The high ranking CCP officials claimed that the days of famine and starvation were over.

However, the CCP avoids two questions: Who caused the people to starve? And how did the current progress come about?

Why did the Chinese People Starve Before the Reform?

After the CCP usurped Chinas political power in 1949, it has completely re-written and falsified its history through education, historical research, literature, and the arts. The most typical example is the creation of the so-called the old society.

In 1948, Chinas per capita GDP at that time ranked 40th in the world, according to historical estimates. It was one of the worst times in the old societyChina still suffered from the aftermath of the Japanese invasions (in previous years) and the country was embroiled in a civil war (fought between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Communist Party of China). In contrast, in 1978, before the CCPs reform for the new society, Chinas per capita GDP fell to the second lowest in the world, only two-thirds of Indias per capita GDP.

The cost of the CCPs rise to power is reflected in the GDP of 1978. If the Chinese people do not realize this, then they should look back before the reform to see clearly what caused the Chinese people to starve.

At the beginning of the CCPs rule, it launched several campaigns. Mao Zedong launched a mass killings of landlords from 1947 to 1976 in order to redistribute land to the peasant class and landless workers. It resulted in tens of millions of deaths (13,500,000 to 14,250,000). A series of campaignsthe three-anti campaign (1951) and five-anti campaign (1952)consolidated Maos power base by targeting political opponents and wealthy capitalists. Public-private partnerships eliminated Chinese landlords and capitalists. Agrarian reform or agricultural cooperation and peoples communes (1958-1983) completely deprived farmers of their land.

By 1958, the CCP launched Great Leap Forward, a campaign aimed at transforming the country from an agrarian economy to a socialist society through industrialization and collectivization. The country manufactured steel to support its military industry and to compete globally. However, industry and commerce of the Chinese society at that time was severely damaged by the eradication of the capitalist class, and agricultural production was minimal because farmers lost their lands. Soon it followed the unprecedented Great Chinese Famine.

Yang Jisheng, a former reporter of the CCPs mouthpiece, Xinhua News Agency, wrote a book called Tombstone: The Great Chinese Famine, 1958-1962, which is considered to be one of the most detailed and authoritative records of the Great Chinese Famine. Between 1958 and 1962, 36 million people starved to death in China. The CCP claimed that it was natural disaster between 1959 to 1960 that caused the famine, but the weather was good for crops during those years. Yang said the Great Famine was completely a man-made disaster.

Frank Dikotter, a Dutch historian and China expert, said in his book Maos Great Famine (2010) that at least 45 million people died from unnatural death from 1958 to 1962. Dikotter listed the Great Chinese Famine as one of the three major man-made disasters in the 20th centuryalong with the gulag, the Soviet forced-labor camp-system, and the Holocaust, a genocide during World War II in which Nazi Germany systematically murdered some six million European Jews.

At least 40 million Chinese starved under the CCPs rule during the great famine. Despite that tragic period, the CCP launched another decade-long catastrophethe Cultural Revolutionto eradicate Chinese traditional culture and ethics in 1966.

After the end of the Cultural Revolution, Chinas economy completely collapsed and the CCP was on the brink of extinction. So it was forced to reform.

The Reform of the CCPLess Economic Intervention

In December 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CCP proposed reform inside China and open up to the outside world, which was regarded as the beginning of the reform and opening up of the CCP.

The CCP convinced the Chinese people that the reform and opening up would be a successful strategy that could end their hardships. The psychology behind this logic is similar to a condition called Stockholm syndrome.

Stockholm syndrome is a complex psychological response wherein a captive begins to identify closely with his or her captors, as well as with their agenda and demands as a survival strategy during captivity. It originated from a bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden in 1973. Four hostages were taken during the robbery. Six days later, the robbers surrendered to the police and the hostages were released. In such a frightening situation, the hostages developed a strong dependence and identification with the captors and even defended them.

To put it simply, victims psychologically identify with the perpetrator under fear and despair. The Stockholm syndrome can be applied widely in todays Chinese societythe CCP is able to maintain its rule over its people because it has such a strong hold over them. The so-called great achievement of the reform and opening up is the Stockholm syndrome with Chinese characteristics.

The landmark event initiated by the reform was the household responsibility system or contract responsibility system commonly known as the big contractin which the Communist regime gave farmers a quota of goods to produce and compensated them for meeting the quota.

The first big contract was signed on Nov. 24, 1978 by 18 farming households in Xiaogang Village, Fengyang County, Anhui Province. These households had to sign the contract with local cadres to meet their quotas, and their lives depended on it. In 1979, the income of these 18 farmers increased by six times, compared with the previous year. In 1980, the CCP affirmed the practice of large-scale contracting. In 1982, the CCP began to promote large-scale contracting in rural areas.

The case of Xiaogang Village, which was regarded as a reform model by the CCP, shows a typical Stockholm syndrome.

The so-called household responsibility system is just a typical agricultural system, being adopted in all countries in ancient and modern times. The 18 peasants were just renting the land that was theoretically their own. Why did they have to sign a life and death contract, risking their lives and vowing not to break it? It indicates that as long as the CCP doesnt punish or torture the common people, they will regard a good outcome as the CCPs achievement and something to be grateful for.

The CCPs so-called economic reforms are essentially just easing the Partys intervention and control in some areas of the economy, or making less trouble for the people.

Looking back at the hardships and suffering that the CCP brought to the Chinese people before the reform, it is not difficult to imagine that many Chinese people suffer from the Stockholm syndrome under the fear and terror created by the CCP. The 40 years of changes in Chinas economy and society have been advertised by the CCP as its achievements of the reform and opening up. In fact, it is just the outbreak of the Chinese-style Stockholm syndrome.

The Role of the US in Chinas Reform and Opening Up

In the past 40 years, Chinas economy and its peoples lives have greatly improved due to foreign tradeeconomic and technological exchange and cooperationwith other countries, particularly the United States. (the so-called opening up).

According to the statistics of the United States Department of Commerce, the U.S. trade deficit with China in 2017 was $375.23 billion, accounting for almost half of the total trade deficit of the U.S. The U.S. has been Chinas largest export market for many years. Since 1985, Chinas total trade surplus with the U.S. has accumulated to more than $5 trillion. From the numerical point of view, Chinas foreign exchange reserves are basically all from the trade surplus with the United States.

Although Chinas trade surplus with the United States narrowed by nearly a quarter in the first 10 months of 2018 due to the U.S.-China trade war, the proportion of the U.S. surplus in Chinas overall trade surplus during that period rose to 102 percent from three-thirds in the same period last year. It reflected that Chinas trade surplus in goods now are all from the United States.

The United States plays a significant role in Chinas foreign trade and economic development, both in the past and present.

According to the U.S. Data and Statistics and the National Bureau of Statistics, Chinas trade surplus with the United States accounted for a proportion of Chinas GDP, from 0.9% in 1988 to 8.8% at the peak in 2005. The proportion of U.S. merchandise exports in GDP increased from 2.1% in 1988 to 10.6% in 2005.

Foreign investment and foreign trade, including the United States, have brought the rapid growth of Chinas technology, management, efficiency, supply chain and surrounding industrial chain, employment, and foreign exchange surplusall of which have played an indispensable role of Chinas economic growth.

Looking at Chinas reform and opening up for 40 years, the biggest role played by the CCP is actually loosening the Partys control over the economy. Now that the country faces economic problems, the CCP is going to strengthen the control of the Party. Observers inside and outside of China are worried and feel pessimistic about the countrys economic future.

He Jian contributed to this report.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
CEO of Nursing Home Where Vegetative Woman Was Allegedly Raped Resigns

The CEO of Hacienda HealthCare has resigned as an investigation into how a woman in a vegetative state for over a decade became pregnant continues.

The unnamed woman gave birth at a Hacienda facility in Phoenix in late December 2018, leaving staff members stunned. Several days later, police opened an investigation.

According to KPHO, which broke the story, the woman was raped multiple times.

Bill Timmons, Hacienda HealthCares longtime CEO, announced his resignation on Jan. 7.

Timmonss resignation was accepted unanimously by the Hacienda board of directors, according to a statement from the company.

Gary Orman, executive vice president of the healthcares board, said in the statement that Hacienda will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation, an unprecedented case that has devastated everyone involved, from the victim and her family to Hacienda staff at every level of our organization.

I want to assure our patients, their loved ones, our community partners, the agencies we do business with, Governor Ducey and the residents of Arizona, we will continue to cooperate with Phoenix Police and the investigating agencies at all levels in every way possible, said Orman.

And we will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees, he said.

The statement was sent to news organizations but not posted on Haciendas website. Theres no mention of the investigation or how a vegetative woman gave birth on the site.

On its website, Hacienda 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.

Timmons is still listed as the CEO on the site as of the morning of Jan. 8. His biography says that Bill is without a doubt the heart and soul of Hacienda and says he helped Hacienda expand from 63 clients to more than 2,550 in addition to expanding his workforce from 105 to 750.

#BREAKING: Hacienda HealthCare CEO Bill Timmons has resigned; effective immediately according to spokesperson. @azfamily pic.twitter.com/MkXwHpzRpz  Maria Hechanova (@MariaHechanova) January 8, 2019

A staff member earlier in January told KPHO that none of the staff members were aware that the woman was pregnant until she was giving birth.

There was a nurse that was there, and from what Ive heard shes the one that delivered the baby, the female source added, noting the baby was healthy.

Because of the possible sexual abuse, the facility has reportedly implemented a policy requiring any male staffers that enter a womans room to be accompanied by a female staffer.

According to The Merck Manual, a vegetative state is when a patients functions are working as normal except for cognitive function. The Brain Foundation stated, A vegetative state is when a person is awake but showing no signs of awareness.

A person in a vegetative state may open their eyes, wake up, and fall asleep at regular intervals and have basic reflexes, such as blinking when theyre startled by a loud noise, or withdrawing their hand when its squeezed hard. Theyre also able to regulate their heartbeat and breathing without assistance, the foundation added.

However, a person in a vegetative state doesnt show any meaningful responses, such as following an object with their eyes or responding to voices. They also show no signs of experiencing emotions nor of cognitive function.

For more details, you can visit this link to the story on our website. #azfamily Woman in vegetative state gives birth at Hacienda Healthcare in Phoenix

https://t.co/Ou5rwK6BmV

(Via azfamily 3TV CBS 5)  Briana Whitney (@BrianaWhitney) January 4, 2019

The facility was previously cited after multiple staff members walked into the shower room while a male patient was naked, according to government documents.

The citation stemmed from a male patient informing investigators that while he was being bathed by one staff member, other staffers would regularly walk into the area, reported People magazine.

The resident said that it happened on many occasions and that it made him feel uncomfortable.

One female staff member who bathed the man admitted that another female staffer came into the room. That staffer just wanted to talk with her, the employee explained.

The second staff member also admitted to walking into the room but blamed other employees, saying she had seen many other staffers do the same thing.

The staffer and the facilitys director of nursing said staffers usually went into the shower room to get supplies or to use it as a hallway.

A licensing certification specialist from the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services wrote to Brian Henrie, administrator of the facility, on Jan. 25, 2018, regarding a survey that was conducted at the facility on Dec. 13, 2017.

You have alleged that the deficiencies cited on that survey have been corrected. We are accepting your allegation of compliance and presume that you have achieved substantial compliance, wrote Belinda Hernandez (pdf).

The facility vowed that the issue was corrected and that staff members would undergo additional training.

From NTD News
Beijings Former Vice Mayor Under Investigation for Corruption

A former Beijing vice mayor is the first powerful Chinese official to be purged and placed under investigation in the new year.

Chen Gang, currently Party secretary of the China Association for Science and Technology, a state-affiliated trade organization for scientists and engineers, is under investigation for violating Party discipline and laws, the National Supervisory CommissionChinas newly created anti-corruption authorityannounced on its website on Jan. 6.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping initiated an anti-corruption campaign in 2012, which was aimed at ridding the Chinese Communist Party of misbehaving officials and political enemies. It appears to have lost little momentum leading into 2019.

Chen was once a high official in charge of urban planning in the countrys capital, tasked with mapping out a commercial business district and facilities for the 2008 Olympics.

He became vice mayor in 2006 and continued to serve in senior roles in the Beijing government. In 2012, he was appointed as an alternate member to the 18th National Congress Central Committee, a once-in-five-years political conclave for the Party elite.

But signs of trouble emerged in 2017, when he was transferred out of Beijing to become the deputy director of the South-North Water Transfer Project, an infrastructure mega-project to divert fresh water to the north. The post isnt considered as prestigious, given that Beijing is the seat of the Partys power.

Chinese authorities didnt elaborate on his alleged crimes.

But a Jan. 7 report in the Chinese business magazine Caixinwhich has since been deleted from the internetclaimed that Chen had business dealings with the exiled business tycoon Guo Wengui. Chen allegedly had used his power to grant government approval to Guo, a real estate developer, for property developments in Beijing, the Caixin article reported.

Guo is wanted in China on allegations of corruption as well. Since taking refuge in New York City, Guo has made explosive claims about senior Party leadership on social media.

Ma Jian, a former vice minister of Chinas spy agency who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment for corruption, was another ally of Guos. The court said that Ma used his position in power to help Guos companies prosper.

Ma, in a confession video, said he had approached Chen in 2008 to help Guo secure a project.

Since at least 2012, anonymous sources have either written online accounts or spoken to Hong Kong media about Chens alleged misdeeds, usually involving accepting bribes in return for approving development projects and contractors.

Xis anti-corruption campaign has ensnared thousands of tigers and fliesParty jargon for high- and low-ranking officials, respectivelywho are typically charged with graft and embezzlement. Many of them are members of the Jiang faction, a political opposition network that rose to power during the tenure of former Party leader Jiang Zemin.

Top tigers have been punished in 31 of Chinas 33 provinces.



Ling Yun contributed to this report.
Australian Companies Targeted By Chinese Hackers

Tens of thousands of Australian companies may have been compromised by the Chinese Regimes cyber hacking campaign, one of Australias top cyber security advisor has warned.

The announcement comes amidst reports the Chinese Regimes intelligence services hacked into the worlds biggest Managed Service Providers (MSPs) such as Hewlett Packard, IBM, and SAP (Systems Applications and Products).

Commercial secrets, client data, information related to human resources and account management are among the information likely to have been accessed.

Its the biggest and most audacious campaign Ive seen, said Alastair MacGibbon, head of the governments Australian Cyber Security Centre. This is massive in its scope and its scale. Its breathtaking.

Cyber attacks are known to have begun as early as 2006 and have been focused on several large-scale MSPs, which commercial firms trust to store, manage, and protect IT data and are also specialist companies that manage IT services and infrastructure for many medium to large sized organizations.

Mining Companies Targeted

Mining companies in Western Australia have also been victims of the Chinese regimes cyber hacking activities, and reportedly lost billions of dollars in revenue in the past decade.

Data related to production levels at both big and small mining companies, were used by the Chinese regimes state owned enterprises that buy Australian minerals, as leverage while negotiating contracts.

In 2012, MI5 director-general Jonathan Evans revealed an attack had cost Rio Tinto A$1.43 billion ($1.04 billion) in lost revenue, not just through intellectual property loss but also from commercial disadvantage in contractual negotiations, reported Bloomberg.

According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, the Chinese Communist Party gives high priority to the secure supply of raw materials. Hence there is still an ongoing interest in gathering commercial intelligence on Australian mining companies.

In another example of cyber hacking, Chinese hackers stole a metal detector design from Codan, an Australian metal detection and mining technology firm, and then sold cheap imitations into Africa back in 2015, reported IT News.

Codan chief executive Donald McGurk said the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had informed him that an employees laptop had been hacked into by the Chinese regime.

McGurk requested the Australian government to speak to Chinese authorities, but discovered his company was on its own. He was then forced to slash the price of the companys gold detectors from A$4000A$5000 ($2851$3563) to around A$2500 ($1781) to compete with the counterfeits.

International Condemnation

Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, and Japan have publicly condemned China, following the indictment of two Chinese nationals, Zhu Hua and Zhang Jianguo, for a malicious global hacking campaign widely known as Cloud Hopper.

Both Zhu and Zhang were part of the hacking group known as Advanced Persistent Threat 10, or APT10. The men had been involved in hacking operations with APT10 since 2006, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

APT10 is accused of targeting companies and government agencies in more than a dozen countries around the world, to steal their intellectual property and sensitive commercial data.

Together with our allies, we are holding elements of the Chinese government responsible for an extensive cyber campaign targeting intellectual property and sensitive commercial data in Europe, Asia and the US.  https://t.co/NsJ5z67mVQ pic.twitter.com/dE3k1uLyCi  Foreign Office  (@foreignoffice) December 20, 2018

This is outright cheating and theft, and it gives China an unfair advantage at the expense of law-abiding businesses and countries that follow the international rules in return for the privilege of participating in the global economic system, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne described cyber attacks from APT10 as significant and undermined global economic growth, national security, and international stability.

Australia joins with other international partners in expressing serious concern about a global campaign of cyber-enabled commercial intellectual property theft by APT10, acting on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security https://t.co/sRUzvIrsuX  Marise Payne (@MarisePayne) December 20, 2018

Australia calls on all countriesincluding Chinato uphold commitments to refrain from cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, and confidential business information with the intent of obtaining a competitive advantage, Payne said in a statement.

These commitments were agreed by G20 Leaders in 2015. Australia and China reaffirmed them bilaterally in 2017. The worldwide cyber security compromise serves as a reminder that all organisations must remain vigilant about security and that organisations such as MSPs must be responsible and accountable to those they serve.

Advice to Companies Affected

According to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), MSP customers should contact their responsible MSPs to ensure they are doing everything necessary to investigate whether they have been compromised and what effect it has had.

The ACSC has compiled questions (pdf) companies can ask their MSPs including whether they are:

implementing best practice cyber security guidance regularly assessing customer cyber security posture protecting access to customer systems protecting users from socially engineered emails backing up customer data prepared for and actively reporting cyber security incidents
Arkansas Elementary Teacher Suspended for Monkeys Comment on Facebook

An Arkansas elementary school teacher has been suspended on full pay over a social media post describing her pupils as monkeys at the zoo.

With the school having a majority of black students, the post stirred allegations of racism.

The 4th grade teacher has since deleted her Facebook account, but not before screenshots were shared with the school district in Little Rock, which promptly suspended her, pending investigation.

The monkeys to my zoo came back today, the teacher from the Watson Elementary School allegedly wrote on Jan. 1, the day that pupils returned from the break.

Im tired! Its difficult to train monkeys again, she added.

The Little Rock School District said in a statement on Jan. 4, The Little Rock School District takes these matters very seriously and as soon as we were made aware of the incident last night, the District immediately began taking appropriate action, per LRSD protocol.

The statement, reported by Fox, went on to say, The employee has been placed on paid administrative leave, pending the outcome of a thorough investigation. Because it is a personnel matter, we are unable to provide additional comments. 

Although used by many parents and adults as a playful reference to children, the word monkeys was used in the past as a term pejorative term for African Americans.

According to the Arkansas Department of Education, over 63 percent of the students in that school were African American last year. Only 1.5 percent were white, and over 34 percent were Hispanic.

Locals, like many of the social media comments, are divided as to whether the teacher may have been inadvertently using the word innocently, ignorantly, or being deliberately racist.

Thats What Monkeys Do

Kids are kids. Theyre not animals. Monkeys? My god, thats ridiculous, Southwest Little Rock resident Christopher Easley told KATV, adding, I didnt think that type of thing still went on today.

This is 2019. That kind of stuff I heard back in the 60s and 50s.

One local woman, who does not does not have children of her own at the school, started a four-day protest outside the school, demanding that the teacher lose her job.

I called Watson Elementary this morning as a concerned parent and stated how livid I am that this teacher was allowed to be hired. I also told her I feel like our students are at risk being taught by a racist teacher, she wrote on Facebook.

But like many social media commentators, Chanquella Brown, a parent at Watson Elementary doesnt think the teacher was being racist.

Brown told the KATV that its common for her to call her own children monkeys: Look at my little monkeys over there on the playground. Theyre climbing. Thats what monkeys do, they climb. They fool around, they laugh.

You never know. If you werent there to see what was going on in the classroom  you cant judge a book by its cover, said Brown.

As long as her children are are physically safe, Brown said it doesnt matter what names they are called.
Republican Senatorial candidate Roy Moore arrives on stage to speak about the race against his Democratic opponent Doug Jones in Montgomery, Alabama, on Dec. 12, 2017. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Alabama Attorney General Asks Feds to Probe 2017 Election

The Alabama attorney general on Jan. 7 called on federal authorities to investigate the states 2017 special election for the U.S. Senate.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall made the announcement after conducting an informal inquiry into reports of a false-flag operation designed to boost Democrat Doug Jones, who defeated Republican Roy Moore by a narrow margin in a hotly contested race.

The New York Times reported in December that a secret social-media operation funded by billionaire Democratic donor Reid Hoffman directed thousands of accounts designed to appear like Russian bots to follow Moore. A Facebook page then falsely portrayed Moores social-media efforts as being amplified by a network of Russian bots.

Then, on Jan. 7, The New York Times reported on a second false-flag campaign that targeted Moore, this time by falsely promoting a non-existent Republican campaign to ban alcohol in Alabama.

Marshall said hes concerned about the tactics used in the election. Jones became the first Democrat to win a U.S. Senate election in Alabama in 25 years after defeating Moore by a slim margin for the seat vacated by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Moore refused to concede the election and pursued an unsuccessful legal challenge claiming voter fraud.

The Attorney Generals Office has evaluated reports of possible deception in the Alabama U.S. Senate race and has determined the matter to be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Election Commission, Mike Lewis, a spokesman for the Republican attorney general, said.

Accordingly, the Attorney General has requested that FEC officials investigate the matter to determine if any federal laws were violated, Lewis said.

The two false-flag operations were funded with $100,000 each. Facebook posts from the fake alcohol-ban campaign were viewed 4.6 million times and received 97,000 engagements, such as likes, comments, or shares by users. Jones defeated Moore by 22,000 votes.

Hoffman, who funded the Russian-bot campaign, said in a statement that he had no knowledge that his money would be used for the false-flag operation and disavowed the tactics.

I would not have knowingly funded a project planning to use such tactics, and would have refused to invest in any organization that I knew might conduct such a project, Hoffman said.

Dmitri Mehlhorn, the founder of Investing in US, the group that hired the firm to conduct the Russian bot false flag, renounced the operations tactics.

Such tactics may win a battle but lose the war, by giving up on the American ideal that we seek, Mehlhorn said in a statement.

In December, on the heels of the report on the Russian bot false flag, Jones called on the Justice Department and Federal Election Commission to investigate the allegations.

What is obvious now is that we have focused so much on Russia that we havent focused on the fact that people in this country could take the same playbook and do the same thing, Jones told Politico.

It needs to not just be a congressional inquiry. People get called in front of Congress all the time. There needs to be a look to see if there were any laws that were broken, he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
An Air New Zealand Boeing Dreamliner 787 takes off from Auckland Airport in New Zealand, on Sept. 20, 2017. (Reuters/Nigel Marple/File Photo)

Airline Passengers Grounded for Two Hours After Man Dies on Board

A plane has been grounded with a dead body on board for two hours after a comedy of errors delayed paramedics from reaching the plane.

Air New Zealand flight ANZ80 made an emergency landing in Cairns on Jan. 7 after departing from Hong Kong enroute to Auckland, New Zealand.

Stuff journalist Gerard Hutching who was on board said the deceased, a Caucasian male over the age of 60, was diabetic and he forgot to bring his insulin on board.

A doctor also on board tried to keep the man alive but he died.

He was wearing an oxygen mask and at one stage they were using a defibrillator on him, Hutching said. He was hunched over [and] he didnt look very conscious. He didnt look in a good way.

After the death, the plane landed in Cairns and remained on the tarmac for two hours. Passengers stayed calm, Hutching said.

The passengers were very patient during the whole incident. I dont think any [of them] realized the gravity of the situation, he said.

According to the Cairns Post, the long delay stemmed from a comedy of errors that started with no ground crew at the airport being available to assist with removing the body. The flight landed in Australia at around 2:30 a.m.

An airport source said the pilot of the plane did not want passengers to see the deceased body so he chose not to use an airbridge. Instead, the crew called for a set of stairs but the stairs that arrived were too small.

A passenger died on a plane that was diverted to Cairns International Airport. And then the real dramas started for emergency service workers. https://t.co/3BvLLcb59a  Cairns Post (@TheCairnsPost) January 8, 2019

They found a small set of stairs, which they put up to the aircraft door, the source said. They were totally insufficient. The paramedics had to put their kit on top of those stairs and stand on that and they were still only chest-high to the door. They had to climb into that aircraft to attend to that matter.

After two hours, the plane finally departed for its final destination without the body on board.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson confirmed to news.com.au there was a medical emergency.

NZ80 (Hong KongAuckland) diverted to Cairns on Monday morning when a passenger became unwell shortly after departure, the spokesperson said in a statement. As youll appreciate, due to privacy reasons, were unable to share further details about the passenger. After leaving Cairns, the aircraft continued on to Auckland, arriving about two hours after its scheduled arrival time.

According to The Sun, a woman from New Zealand who claimed to be the sister of the deceased responded on Facebook to the slew of comments, some of which were negative.

Thank you to the people who have made compassionate comments. To the others  maybe if this happens to your family you will be a little less negative  his sister, she commented.

Another woman, who claimed to be a passenger on the flight in question, said on social media, We [were] on that flight. Staff was (sic) so professional. Two doctors were on board. Was sure a long trip home but nothing [compared] to what the poor guys family would have to deal with.

From NTD.com
A Gentleman Eats a Ladys Mistakes

Can you do me a teensy-tiny favor? my wife asked in that little girl voice she uses whenever shes about to ask me a gigantic, humongous favor.

Sure, I said, knowing that ultimately I had no choice.

Would you mind eating this blueberry-banana granola I bought by mistake?

Whats wrong with it?

I dont like it. Its terrible.

I looked through the clear plastic bag that contained the offending cereal and was inclined to believe her, even without tasting it. The blueberries looked like victims of starvation by a centralized economic ministry, and the bananas bore no resemblance to the yellow things you buy in the produce section of a grocery store. Instead, they were microscopic whitish-yellow bits, like malnourished miniature marshmallows suffering from jaundice.

What was your mistake? I asked.

I meant to buy the Chappaqua Crunch, she said, a bit abashed.

As much as Id like to take a hard line on her shopping errors, since my nose is so painfully and frequently rubbed into my grocery miscues, like Shakespeares Portia in The Merchant of Venice the quality of my mercy was not strained in this case.

Completely understandable, I said, putting my arm around her. Blueberry-banana was probably right next to Chappaqua Crunch on the shelf.

I guess, she said, stifling a sniffle and looking up into my eyes. Thanks.

No problem, I said, pursing my lips the way thoughtful husbands do in television commercials.

Thats why I married you, she said with a sheepish smile.

And so I was charged, once again, with a task that has been regularly assigned to me since I was a boy with a mother and two sisters: eating something a woman wouldnt.

It all began, as so many such stories do, with a box of chocolates. Long before Forest Gumps mother told him that life was like a box of chocolates because you never knew what youre going to get, the women in my early life had made the same discovery. From an apparently harmless box of candy you were as likely to bite into something with coconut filling or a runny cherry center as you were to find orange creme or nougat.

Hence I, as the youngest member of the family, was designated as human garbage disposal for confections that the women in the house found disgusting. Bleh, a female member of my immediate family would say, then You eat this as she handed the rejected item to me. I was thus used as cruelly as those dumb animals who are sent to their deaths walking across minefields so that superior beings who are members of the human race may survive the same trek.

In an innovation that ranks just slightly below Gutenbergs invention of the printing press in terms of the progress of civilization, the Whitman chocolate company introduced a chart of the chocolates in their Sampler to guide unsuspecting sweet lovers selections; you could tell exactly what you were getting by referring to the map of candies on the inside of the box lid. Only a fiend in human form would deliberately re-arrange the chocolates to confuse her adversaries but, as Rudyard Kipling once said, the female is deadlier than the male.

I thought all that was behind once I left home, but it wasnt. The initial broadcast of the gourmet cooking show The French Chef from Bostons public television station in 1963 launched a gourmet cooking craze that, nearly a half-century later, shows no signs of abating. Unfortunately, it is an immutable law of gastronomy that there is a disconnect between the way things look on TV and in cookbooks and the way they look when you try to make them at home. I attended Catholic grammar school, and my wife knows that I am constitutionally incapable of leaving food uneaten once it is served to me, having faced the threat of corporal punishment by Sister Mary Joseph Arimathea if I tried to return my cafeteria tray with the remnants of fish sticks on it.

And so was born our forced feeding routine that, if it isnt prohibited by international law, the Geneva Convention isnt worth the fancy Swiss paper its written on.

Taste this, my wife will say midway through a recipe that includes monkfish, fennel, and cardamom, or some other spice that we will use once and then forever forget. It smells terrible.

If it smells terrible, why would I want to eat it? Ill ask, the way a non-smoking prisoner facing a firing squad will accept a cigarette to delay the inevitable.

I dont want to try it, and I dont want our dinner guests to be the guinea pigs.

Ill bite my tongue and the bullet, as they say, and slurp the stuff down.

Well? shell ask.

It tastes fine, Ill say. But you know meIll eat anything.

Con Chapman is a Boston writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Boston Globe among other publications. His biography of Johnny Hodges, Duke Ellingtons alto saxophonist, is forthcoming from Oxford University Press.
3-Year-Old Finds Gun, Shoots Himself in South Carolina: Police

A 3-year-old in South Carolina found a gun in a car and shot himself, police said.

The Greenville County Sheriffs Office said that deputies responded to the Greenville Hospital System campus in Greer at 6:30 p.m. and found a 3-year-old gunshot victim, according to a press release.

The release said that the boy was listed in critical condition, reported The State. The sheriff said the boy apparently found the gun inside a car and accidentally discharg[ed] the firearm.

At this time, the incident appears to be accidental, however, the investigation is ongoing and further information will be released once readily available, said sheriffs office spokesman Lt. Ryan Flood, reported WSPA.

The incident happened outside a home on New Bruce Road. A picture showed a ranch house with police tape across the driveway and two vehicles parked outside the house, one an SUV, in addition to at least one police car.

Suspects Fired at Jazmine Barness Car by Mistake

Two suspects were arrested in the shooting death of 7-year-old Texan Jazmine Barnes, and officials said the men fired at the car by mistake.

According to a report from ABC13, citing court documents filed in the case, the suspects thought it was another vehicle when they opened fire last week leaving a Houston-area Walmart parking lot.

Eric Black Jr., 20, was charged with capital murder in the case, officials said. Another suspect, 24-year-old Larry Woodruffe, was also taken into custody.

An investigation tip corroborated evidence before officials took Black into custody in Harris County without incident, according to the news outlet. Officials said Black later admitted to the shooting.

On Jan. 6 at 5 a.m. local time, Black appeared in court. In the courtroom appearance, it was revealed that the suspects had fired into the wrong vehicle after watching news reports.

Black also was not driving a red pickup truck, as the Harris County Sheriffs Office previously thought. He was driving a rental vehicle at the time of the shooting.

The sheriffs office also tweeted several times it was originally searching for a white male in his 40s, but both Black and Woodruffe are black.

Black is now being held without bail.

Jazmine was traveling with her mother and other siblings at the time of the shooting. LaPorsha Washington, the mother, was injured in the attack.

Accidental firearm discharges killed 486 people in 2017, down more than 50 percent since 1997, according to mortality data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Meanwhile, gun sales increased by more than 80 percent between 1999 and 2017, according to The DataFace, a San Francisco data analysis company, which based its estimates on FBI background check data.

The mix of factors behind the drop in accidental shooting deaths includes safer hunting, a push for safe storage of guns, and private safety programs.

Epoch Times reporters Jack Phillips and Petr Svab contributed to this report.

From NTD News
14-Year-Old California Student Arrested After Alleged Mass Shooting Threat

Police have taken a 14-year-old male student into custody in Napa, California after a possible mass shooting threat was made against two different schools.

The Napa Police Department said the student told a classmate at River Middle School about his alleged plans to attack both the middle school and Vintage High School in the Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD). The student later made a specific threat against the classmate.

When the victim told the student they were going to report this to police and parents, the suspect student threatened to kill the victim, said the police department in a Jan. 7 press release.

Thanks to the brave steps taken by one Napa Valley student, Detectives in our Investigations Bureau believe a tragedy may have been averted. See the attached press release for more details and be reassured https://t.co/riHJsqbEja  Napa Police (@NapaPD) January 8, 2019

Police were notified on Dec. 31, during the schools winter break about the threats. The victim was able to provide evidence to authorities of both the threats against the schools and against the individual classmate, said police.

A spokesman for the Napa Police Department told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the victim showed text messages to investigators.

Investigators working with School Resource Officers then served search warrants at multiple residences connected with the student on Jan. 2, and further evidence of research and planning into a mass shooting was found.

We havent recovered a bunch of bombs and guns, Capt. Patrick Manzer told the Union-Tribune. He was doing his research and trying to plan it, but hadnt acquired stuff.

The student was then detained and has remained in custody for the threats against the classmate. The identities of the suspect and the classmate were not released since they are both minors.

We do not believe there is a current threat to any NVUSD students related to this incident, said police. We want to praise the victim for coming forward and talking to their parents and the police. We believe based on the information collected at this point, this was possibly a tragedy averted and are thankful for the information provided to us.

The school district responded to the incident in a statement on Jan. 8, saying the safety of students and staff was the highest priority. The statement also expressed gratitude to local law enforcement for their quick action and investigation.

The safety of the students and staff at Napa Valley Unified School District schools and facilities is the highest priority for NVUSD, Superintendent Dr. Rosanna Mucetti said today. Her comments come after Mondays news from https://t.co/wTAXoHTa14  Napa Valley Unified (@NVUSD) January 8, 2019

Just as importantly, we are deeply grateful to the student who reported concerns to an adult, who then contacted police. As a society, we need to be brave, and willing to say something when we see something. That young person may have literally saved lives by speaking up, said NVUSD Superintendent Dr. Rosanna Mucetti.

Mucetti said that if there had been an active threat to the community at any time during the investigation, the action taken by the school and local law enforcement would have been much different.

I want to assure you that we have been in constant contact with the Napa Police Department throughout the incident and had there been an active threat that required families to take action, both law enforcement and the District would have been proactive and clear about that, stated Mucetti. Because of the active investigation, which continued into Monday afternoon, we agreed with law enforcement that it was important not to jeopardize the investigation. We informed our River, Vintage and Harvest Middle School families at our very earliest prudent opportunity, given the law enforcement realities.

All Napa students returned to classes starting on Monday, according to the Union-Tribune.
President Donald Trump began the new year with characteristic bombast, blaming others for perceived failures, taking credit for non-achievements or those accomplished despite him, and dispensing misinformation like candy on Halloween. In his first Cabinet meeting, the president riffed for an hour and a half on his petty grievances rather than do the business of setting the agenda for the year with his appointees, several of whom are in an acting position because their predecessors resigned or were pushed out the door.

Seeing as the president seems unable to come up with a plan to actually govern in 2019, here are a couple of items on my wish list  a list that reasonable conservatives and some liberals might even be able to agree on.

Lets start with infrastructure. It seems like eons ago when the president stood in the lobby of Trump Tower to announce his $1 trillion infrastructure plan, but Trumps controversial comments on the deadly alt-right protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, the previous weekend eclipsed the Aug. 15, 2017, announcement. In 2018, Trump released an even bigger plan, $1.5 trillion, but to date, not much has been accomplished. With Democrats in control of the House, infrastructure will gain traction, but the trick will be doing something that makes sense, doesnt bust the budget and largely pays for itself.
Bryan police were investigating after four armed men broke into an occupied apartment late Monday, officials said.

Police said two people were in the apartment at the time, but the four men were looking for a resident that was not there.

Officials said the men took several items from the apartment, including electronics, before leaving.

No injuries were reported.

Police do not believe the public is at risk.
UPDATE: College Station police announced that Terry Ratliff was taken into custody without incident in Midland County on Tuesday evening. Authorities said Ratliff turned himself in. He was wanted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

______________________________________________

Authorities have identified the woman who was found dead in a College Station apartment Monday afternoon as 39-year-old Theia Flakes.

Officials said Flakes was found about 4:30 p.m. in The Rail Apartments on Dominik Drive.

Police have identified 54-year-old Terry Ratliff as a suspect in the case and are asking for the public's help in finding him.

Officials have not released a cause of death or said what links Ratliff to the woman.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 764-3600.
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.

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JEFFERSON - Howard F. Schrumpf, 92, of Jefferson, went home to meet his savior he loved and served so faithfully on June 12, 2021, at the Valley View Manor Nursing Home of Norwich. Howard was born in Pennsauken, New Jersey, on Jan. 13, 1929, the son of Foster and Myrtle (Walker) Schrumpf. Fo
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Explaining Unleaded 88 Gasoline

Turn About is Fair Play: Ethanol Industry Zings the Oil Industry

with Brilliant Branding Strategy

By Marc J. Rauch

Exec. Vice President/Co-Publisher

THE AUTO CHANNEL

FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND







A hundred years ago, as internal combustion engine vehicles (automobiles, airplanes, and boats) started requiring a better gasoline to eliminate engine knock in high compression engines, ethanol was the only practical additive. Of course, ethanol could have been used by itself to replace gasoline, but then the rich and powerful oil industry would hardly agree to that.

Top automobile people and scientists (i.e., Kettering, Midgely, Ford, Otto, Ricardo, Edison, Bell, Hale, Christensen, and Thompson) all believed that ethanol was the superior fuel..."the fuel of the future."

In the early 1920's, General Motors top engineers invented leaded gasoline by adding tetra-ethyl lead (TEL). When GM combined their patents with similar patents owned by Standard Oil and DuPont, you had three of the largest and most influential companies in the world wielding their financial and political power to assure the unrivaled success of leaded gasoline.

There was a problem with using TEL in gasoline: it's extremely dangerous. Inhaling and touching TEL to bare skin can, and did, kill people. Some victims didn't die, they just went insane. Workers at the plants manufacturing leaded gasoline referred to the TEL-gasoline concoction as "looney gas." There were many attempts to outlaw or limit the use of TEL, but the financial muscle of the TEL proponents was too much to overcome.

In order to disguise the dangerous nature of leaded gasoline - to hoodwink the public and less knowledgeable politicians - Standard Oil branded it "Ethyl." This was a near perfect answer because it combined a portion of the formal name of the ingredient, giving it some connection, and it also took advantage of the similarity to "ethanol," which some people understood to be the original and safe way to mitigate engine knock.

Over the years, the petroleum oil industry has relied on semantic word play and creative branding several times to dupe the public and enhance acceptance of their products. The story of "ethyl" is one example. Another less known example is the term "fossil fuels." The term was a creation of Standard Oil (perhaps old John D, himself), and introduced at an international scientific convention in the late 1800's. One of the reasons for the gathering of scientists was to establish common unanimity in words, terms, definitions, and processes. Standard Oil suggested "fossil fuels" as a way to add some romance and nobility to the issue. In fact, fossil fuels are not fossil fuels as they do not derive from ancient decayed organisms. Dinosaurs did not die to give use engine fuel. Coal and petroleum oil come from inert minerals. Tom Quinn, CEO and president of E-Fuel Corporation, points out that Saturn's moon Titan has hundreds of times more liquid hydrocarbons than all the known oil and natural gas reserves on Earth, yet there is absolutely no evidence that dinosaurs ever existed on Titan. The proper term for these fuels is "abiotic fuels."

In any event, "fossil fuels" was a very clever marketing gimmick.

Still another branding deception that's been used by the oil industry - one that I've written about on several occasions - is the industry's use of BTU (British Thermal Units) rating to portray gasoline as being superior to ethanol and other potential internal combustion engine fuels. BTU was created as a way to describe and rank a fuel's capability to heat water. The purpose of heating the water is to create steam for steam-powered engines (the last steam-powered cars sold in America were about 100 years ago). Today, our standard engines are Internal combustion engines, which are not powered by hot water or steam - if your internal combustion engine is producing steam, there's something very wrong.

It is a fact that petroleum diesel fuel and gasoline do have higher BTUs than ethanol. However, citing the BTU ranking is merely a coincidental deception. A gasoline-powered engine using gasoline usually produces greater mileage output than when ethanol is used simply because the characteristics of the engine are optimized to run on gasoline. The same engine optimized to run on ethanol will provide equal or better mileage, despite the lower "energy content" of ethanol. So while it's true that gasoline has more BTUs than ethanol, and that petroleum diesel fuel has more BTUs than bio-diesel, the energy content rating is irrelevant. (For more details about BTUs and engine fuels read The Irrelevance Of BTU Rating)

THE BRILLIANCE OF UNLEADED 88 GASOLINE

Recently, some ethanol organizations and friendly fuel retailers have begun using "Unleaded 88" as a way to brand E15 fuel. It's a brilliant move because it helps to diffuse the noxious and obnoxious anti-ethanol myths* invented and spread by the oil industry to denigrate ethanol. (Read the Growth Energy press release by CLICKING HERE.)

You could say that Growth Energy and other ethanol proponents have taken a page right out of the oil industry's playbook...except for one thing: Labeling E15 as Unleaded 88 Gasoline is an accurate, benign statement. "Unleaded 88" isn't used to hide the deadly nature of anything. Unleaded 88 Gasoline is as advertised: It does not contain tetra-ethyl lead, it is an 88 octane fuel. You can't drink Unleaded 88, you shouldn't engage in recreational inhalation of it, and you shouldn't wash your hands in it, but that's because of the gasoline and aromatic components, not the ethanol.

By comparison, if the oil industry was similarly truthful, leaded gasoline would have been branded "Poison," not "Ethyl." Gasoline with MTBE would have been branded "Reformulated Poison." Gasoline without ethanol (E0) that contains added benzene, toluene, and/or xylene to boost octane and reduce engine knock, should be branded "SUPER Poison."

By the way, there's something that I forgot to mention in the "Background" section above: Tetra-ethyl lead was extremely corrosive. To reduce TEL's corrosive characteristics, the industry added another chemical called ethylene bromide. Ethylene bromide is also deadly to humans. Therefore, to be accurate, leaded Ethyl gasoline could have been called "Double Poison," and advertised as "Now with twice the ingredients to sicken or kill humans!"

The issue of Unleaded 88 Gasoline has come-to-the-fore in the last week or so because of some articles feigning confusion over the labeling, as if the public will be left out on the perch in a precarious predicament. To me, there's no doubt that the false alarms are instigated by American Petroleum Institute or one of their derivative fake affiliates. One such article - in a Q&A format - was published by The Gazette news organization, written by Frank Schultz, a crime reporter. (Sure seems like a strange reporting assignment choice to me.)

Mr. Schultz received significant assistance from Nick Jarmusz, a spokesman for AAA. Although I generally respect AAA, at least in matters related to traffic statistics and travel prognostication, they have a long history of providing false or misleading information about ethanol. This article is a perfect example of the misinformation I'm talking about. It misstates everything, from ethanol subsidies (there is no ethanol subsidy) to the ridiculous claims that E15 can unduly harm an internal combustion engine. The article doesn't say how the engine can be damaged, it just makes the same old fallacious empty-headed Big Oil claim.

Ethanol is compatible with more engine parts and components than gasoline and the aromatics (benzene, toluene, and xylene) that are used in place of ethanol. Wear and tear is normal in an internal combustion engine; wear and tear is normal in any multi-part organism or mechanical device...and it is normal regardless of the 'fuel' used. Corrosion of parts is also a normal occurrence, but incidence of corrosion in an internal combustion engine and fuel system is more likely due to gasoline and aromatics than to ethanol. (If you doubt this then read "Why Do Small Engines Suffer From Ethanol Problems?" and check out all the chemical compatibility data bases and video demonstrations included in the article.)

Geoff Cooper, president and CEO of Renewable Fuels Association, wrote an excellent rebuttal to the Schultz/Jarmusz Gazette article. Geoff correctly sets forth the extensive EPA testing and approval of E15 in all gasoline-powered cars, trucks, vans manufactured since 2001.

But the testing and approval story is actually bigger than just the EPA's results because Ricardo Laboratories (probably the world's most respected private laboratory dealing with fuels) has stated that E15 is safe for all gasoline powered vehicles produced since the mid-1990's.

Furthermore, E15 and higher ethanol-gasoline blends have been safely and economically used in gasoline-powered vehicles and power equipment in Brazil and Europe for decades (See: "The Hypocrisy of Big Oil and API"). If a common brand-named lawn mower and passenger vehicle of any year can safely use E27 in Brazil (and they can), then they sure-as-shooting can use E15 and higher in North America, regardless of what the EPA says.

The information contained in the Gazette article also includes some out-of-context confusing gibberish related to detergents and octane levels in gasoline. Detergents are needed in gasoline because of gasoline's inefficient burning. This is the cause of the debris that results in all the crud/goo/gunk/crap that can build up in an engine. Ethanol does not cause this problem. Ethanol helps to clean up the mess, as well as prevent the build-up after an engine has been cleaned. Gasoline that contains ethanol needs less or even no detergents. The solvent characteristic of ethanol is another benefit of ethanol, which does happen to have a substantially higher octane level than regular ethanol-free gasoline. However, premium ethanol-free gasoline, which has a higher octane rating than regular ethanol-free gasoline (91 vs. 87 respectively) would also need a detergent additive to combat the debris build-up, so the reason to use an gasoline-ethanol blend goes beyond the issue of octane.

Mr. Jarmusz states that a higher octane fuel provides no performance benefit to an engine designed to operate on a lower octane fuel. This is essentially correct, but it's beside the point because using a higher octane fuel will also not have any detrimental effect on an engine designed to operate on a lower fuel. In my opinion, bringing up the subject is akin to Groucho Marx' on-screen complaint that a restaurant's "ice isn't cold enough" - in other words, it's done just for effect as a piling-on tactic.

Moreover, newer vehicle engines are requiring higher octane fuels to meet environmental goals, so Unleaded 88 can address this need in an economical way.

The discussion of octane levels does give me the opportunity to expose yet another way that the oil industry rips off consumers.

E10 should be a blend of roughly 90% gasoline (87 octane) and 10% ethanol (113 octane). If you were 'splash blending' the fuel yourself - that is to say, you pumped 9 parts E0 gasoline into your tank and then moved to another pump to dispense 1 part E100, you would have a blend that is 89 octane (which is equal to a more expensive mid-grade fuel). However, the oil industry intentionally dumbs down the gasoline in E10 by using less expensive 84 octane gasoline mixed with 113 octane ethanol. The problem with this is that a vehicle designed to run on 87 octane gasoline is optimized to run on the characteristics of 87 octane gasoline, not 84 octane gasoline. It's a given that the ethanol will have different ignition characteristics than 87 octane gasoline, which would be expected to produce fewer miles per gallon. But the 84 octane gasoline will likely also generate fewer miles per gallon than 87 octane. This can worsen the mileage difference between 87 octane E0 and E10, making it appear that E10 is that much more inferior to E0. In other words, E10 formulated with 87 octane instead of 84 octane could/should provide better MPG. Unfortunately, this would require straight-shooting from the oil industry.

By the way, the wholesale cost of E100 can be as low as half the rack (wholesale) price of 87 octane regular E0 gasoline, and sometimes even less. The rack price of 84 octane regular E0 gasoline can be 10 to 15 cents per gallon less than the 87 octane gasoline. This all means that the oil industry is nickel and diming us every step of the way, along side of their untrue attacks on ethanol.

RECAP

Unleaded 88 Gasoline (E15) can be safely and economically used in all internal combustion engines regardless of year of manufacture. This is proven by Brazil's decades long use of E15, E25, and now E27. They have the same engines and fuel systems as those available in the U.S. In addition, E15 to E30 was used throughout Great Britain from the 1920's to the 1970's. This is also true of other countries such as France and Germany.

I understand that there can be a manufacturer warranty issue with using E15 and higher ethanol level fuel in some engines. If you have a vehicle or power equipment that tells you not to use a particular blend level because it can void your warranty, and you're concerned about this, THEN DON'T USE THE FUEL, USE ONLY THE RECOMMENDED FUEL...and wait until the warranty is expired to experiment. For vehicles and power equipment that is no longer under warranty, use whatever blend you wish. Start low, increase blend levels slowly over numerous fill-ups. If you get to a point where you believe that the engine is not operating at peak performance, back off until you find the sweet spot (the best ethanol-gasoline blend level for your machine).

If you think I'm incorrect and that ethanol will be unduly harmful to a particular type of rubber, plastic, or metal component, send me the name of the material and let me investigate it (email me at marc@theautochannel.com). I'm as happy to provide correct, substantiated warning information as I am to tell you that ethanol is safe. If there is a common engine component that is more susceptible to ethanol corrosion than to gasoline or aromatic corrosion, it's no skin off my nose to publicly acknowledge it.

The petroleum oil industry is not the consumers' friend. They sell poison. They lie. They are responsible for untold millions of deaths and illnesses. They are the cause of wars and most international terrorism. There is no "American" oil industry. There is a self-interested industry that may have a headquarters office in America. Executives in the biggest oil companies have proven time and again that they will sell out our country and fellow citizens for their own gain. This is true of all oil companies and the countries that think they have a "domestic oil industry."

As an American, I would rather have my fuel money go to American farmers than to foreign dictators and terrorist regimes. If I was Australian, British, French, Mexican, New Zealand, etc., I would say the same thing about that respective country's farmers.







If you like to know more about ethanol fuel, LOTS MORE, read my 641-page book "THE ETHANOL PAPERS." It is available online for FREE by CLICKING HERE.

*Oil industry myths (lies & gross distortions) to combat Ethanol:

 Ethanol sucks water right out of the air

 Food vs fuel - prices and food availability

 Ethanol damages engines

 Creates greater emissions problems

 Has lower energy content BTU  lower MPG

 EROEI - Ethanol production is energy negative

 Requires too much water for production

 Chemical fertilizer creating environmental nightmare

 Ethanol gets unfair, wasteful government subsidies

For additional relevant information, read CARB, GM, SoCal Edison and Others Join Forces to Keep California in the Lead of the Great Electric Vehicle Scam.
Washington: The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected the latest challenge to California's ban on foie gras, a delicacy produced from the enlarged livers of ducks and geese that have been force-fed corn.

The court declined to hear an appeal by producers of foie gras, including the Association des Eleveurs de Canards et d'Oies du Quebec, a Canadian non-profit organisation that represents duck and goose farmers. In doing so, the high court left intact a 2017 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the law.

Foie gras is produced by force-feeding corn to ducks and geese to enlarge their livers.

Animal rights groups contend that the force-feeding process is painful, gruesome and inhumane.

California enacted the law in 2004 but it did not go into effect until 2012. The Supreme Court in 2014 rejected an earlier appeal brought by producers and restaurants.
Jason Dalton moments before pleading guilty to six counts of murder and several other charges at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse on Monday. Credit:AP

Over a period of hours, he gave Uber customers rides between the seemingly random shootings. The gunfire rattled western Michigan and raised questions about Uber's screening of its drivers at a time when the ride-hailing service was expanding into smaller cities.

The driver, Jason B. Dalton, terrorised the Kalamazoo area on February 20, 2016, when he drove wildly through the city and its suburbs, shooting people outside a car dealership, a Cracker Barrel restaurant and a townhouse complex.

New York: A Michigan Uber driver accused of killing six people and wounding two others in a 2016 shooting spree has pleaded guilty to murder just before his trial was set to begin.

"It helps with community healing, some closure," said mayor Bobby Hopewell of Kalamazoo. "It's a heinous incident."

Dalton, who was arrested the night of the shootings, initially pleaded not guilty and appeared to be headed to trial until his last-minute plea on Monday. Last year, Dalton won a case in the Michigan Court of Appeals that barred prosecutors from using incriminating statements made to police officers. Dalton had spoken to officers shortly after the shootings.

Jason Dalton enters the court room before pleading guilty. Credit:AP

Jury questioning in the case was to begin on Monday, with the trial expected to last two weeks. But, with families of the shooting victims gathered in the gallery on Monday morning, Dalton changed course. His lawyer, Eusebio Solis, withdrew plans to use an insanity defence, and Dalton, shackled around his waist and wearing a dress shirt with an unbuttoned collar, stood at the front of the courtroom and pleaded guilty to every charge, including six counts of murder.

Some people in the courtroom gallery wept as officials read the names of the victims, and Dalton answered "Yes" to questions about killing each of them.
Washington: Ready to make his case on prime-time TV, President Donald Trump is stressing humanitarian as well as security concerns at the US-Mexico border as he tries to convince America he must get funding for his long-promised border wall before ending a partial government shutdown that has hundreds of thousands of federal workers facing missed pay-cheques.

US President Donald Trump. Credit:AP

Trump is delivering his first Oval Office address on Tuesday night, and then visiting the southern border on Thursday, as he tries to put pressure on resistant Democrats. Trump's evening remarks will be followed by a televised rebuttal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who strongly oppose the wall and have repeatedly called on Trump to reopen the rest of government while border negotiations continue.

Trump and other administration officials have said the situation at the border has reached a crisis point, both on national security and humanitarian grounds. Two children have died in border custody, and an influx of families is straining health care and immigration services for asylum-seekers.

But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation. While the number of illegal border crossings is down from 1.6 million in 2000 to less than 400,000 last year, the number of families coming over the border has risen sharply. Some say Trump's hardline policies are slowing the process for those people, creating an overwhelming bottleneck at the border.
The make-up covered it up, but under the make-up, the guy sweats. Nahum Barnea, newspaper columnist Others carried the full performance, which was indeed dramatic if not quite in the way Netanyahu intended. The announcement, a chorus of political rivals and analysts quickly concluded, was the drama of a hunted animal sensing that the hunters were closing off his escape routes. "Bibi is a-f-r-a-i-d," Ehud Barak, the former prime minister who defeated Netanyahu in 1999 and is angling for another run, wrote on Twitter. Chemi Shalev, a columnist for the newspaper Haaretz, wrote that Netanyahu's belief "that his procedural demand to confront states' witnesses is worthy of a dramatic prime-time address to the nation is A: Disturbing B: A sign of his escalating hysteria." It was also an exploitation of his position to commandeer a prime-time audience for purely selfish political purposes, his detractors charged.

"Simply embarrassing to see," said Itzik Shmuli, a member of parliament from the Labor Party, who called the prime minister's speech "a curtain of smoke meant to get the public to forget one simple fact: He is drowning in severe accusations. He is neck deep." From Netanyahu's camp there was largely silence: Miri Regev, the culture minister, declared, "I believe in the prime minister's innocence," according to the newspaper Maariv, but hers was the loudest immediate expression of solidarity. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. Credit:AP For months as the investigations proceeded, Netanyahu reassured his supporters with a steady and constant refrain: "There will be nothing, because there is nothing." But his tactics belied his unperturbed pose: He attacked the press who reported the allegations, the police who investigated them, and finally the prosecutors who oversaw the cases. Even as he has tried to project calm, he has also displayed an erratic side as the legal pressure mounted: After insisting in November that for national security reasons, Israel should wait to hold elections until the fall, Netanyahu reversed himself a month later. He called elections for April 9, in what appeared to be an attempt to notch a wide re-election margin before the attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, could render his decision on an indictment.

Netanyahu, left, with Avichai Mandelblit back in December 2015. Credit:AP Netanyahu then began arguing that, since he was entitled to a hearing after Mandelblit announces his decision and before an indictment is issued, and since there might not be time for that process to play out before voters go to the polls, Mandelblit owed it to the people to delay announcing his decision until after the vote. Loading That one did not fly: Mandelblit instead let it be known that he was speeding up his timetable accordingly. Now, with Mandelblit reportedly weeks away from rendering his decision, Netanyahu appears to have calculated that there will be an indictment after all  that there is, at last, somethingand he has shifted tactics to try to pre-emptively discredit it by impugning the motives of those responsible.

Netanyahu's coalition chief, David Amsalem, recently suggested that the prime minister was being framed and that "millions of people won't accept this." The Ministry of Justice put out a terse statement defending the inquiry into Netanyahu after his speech, saying: "All parts of the investigation into the prime minister's cases were conducted professionally and thoroughly." Loading Nahum Barnea, a veteran columnist for Yediot Ahronot, said Netanyahu's goal was to alarm his core political base, which has repeatedly rallied to his side over the years when he has portrayed himself as a victim, into thinking that the prosecution was nothing more than an attempted coup. "It's like Trump," Barnea said, alluding to the American president's similar claims of a witch hunt against him. "He focuses on the base and what I call the tribe: not only Likud voters but the other right-wing parties. He's trying to put some fear into them, to get them to put their personal loyalty to him over their faith in the legal system."
Yangon: Myanmar government leader Aung San Suu Kyi has discussed insurgent attacks on police in a rare meeting with the military chief, and her administration called for the armed forces to "crush" the rebels, a government spokesman said.

Fighting between government forces and the rebel Arakan Army in the western state of Rakhine has displaced thousands of people since early December, according to the United Nations.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Credit: Photo: Reuters

The Arakan Army wants greater autonomy for Rakhine, where the mainly Buddhist Rakhine ethnic group makes up the majority of the population.
Sexual assault victims would have more power to "name and shame" their abusers under a legal shake-up designed to lift a veil of secrecy that has helped shield some of Victorias worst sex offenders.

New laws to be introduced by the Andrews government would allow survivors to apply to the courts to identify themselves  in turn allowing greater disclosure of their perpetrators  and would also restrict suppression orders that conceal the identities of certain sex criminals.

Abuse survivor Tracey May: "Allowing a victim to name their sex offender is giving back their right to have a voice." Credit:Justin McManus

At present, legal restrictions often apply to sexual assault victims being named, even if the victims themselves wish to share their stories of horrific abuse in the hope that more people come forward.

In some cases, particularly when strict suppression orders are invoked, notorious sex offenders have also been protected from being identified, leaving victims feeling voiceless and disempowered.
Taxpayers could be forced to pay extra fees to Transurban if there are delays in building the $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel toll road, official documents show.

But it's not known how much compensation the state has promised the company or what constitutes a delay.

Transurban has already told its investors that it would be paid extra by taxpayers if the government breaks a key promise in striking the West Gate Tunnel deal - that the CityLink tolling contract would be extended by an extra 10 years.

The Andrews government has not disclosed this compensation fee, but finance giant JP Morgan estimated that it would be at least $1.8 billion.
At this stage, it is unclear how many traffic signs were installed around the same time. "Clearly something has gone very wrong," Mr Chambers said. "The gantry would have been designed by an engineer, proof-engineered, independently reviewed and quality certified so we are going through all that documentation as part of the investigation." The faulty sign was secured by a combination of metal bolts and welding, he said. "Part of our investigation will be to inspect other signs that are fixed in a similar way," he said. Mr Chambers said he didn't know how much the metal sign weighed, but that it was about four by five metres in size.

The moment the sign fell was caught on dashcam footage. Credit:Channel Nine A crane was brought in to remove the sign from the road. Mr Chambers said the work to install the sign was done by contractor Transurban. Overnight, the area and surrounding traffic signs were inspected and initial investigations indicated there was no risk to drivers of other traffic signs falling onto cars, he said. "I would drive on that road," Mr Chambers said on Wednesday.

VicRoads deputy chief executive Robyn Seymour said authorities were unaware of any similar incidents occurring and a team of experts was investigating. While the road was upgraded by the Major Road Projects Authority and Transurban, it was handed back to VicRoads management about 12 months ago, she said. "Given it is a brand new road there is a lot of work that Transurban, MRPA and ourselves need to do to really understand what happened," she said. "Initial investigations would indicate that it is a local [safety] issue, but there is further work required which will occur tonight." VicRoads sets the safety and standards for all road infrastructure across the state, she said.

"It will be us ensuring that these safety measures are met," Ms Seymour told reporters. "In the building of the road, we inspected each section as it was built...as the signs were installed we inspected those." She said VicRoads engineers drove along the freeway twice a day to check for hazards and conducted in-depth checks every six months on all road infrastructure, including physical inspections of gantries and signs. Every two to four years detailed condition reviews of infrastructure were also done, she said. The woman driver was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with an arm injury about 5.30pm on Tuesday following the incident, which closed the inbound exit from the Tullamarine Freeway to Bulla Road and Bell Street in Pascoe Vale South.

Lucky to escape serious injury, she remains in a stable condition and is expected to be released from hospital on Wednesday. An image from dashcam footage that captured the sign falling. Credit:Channel Nine

Emergency services at the scene. Credit:ABC Part of the freeway was shut down for several hours after the incident, with motorists advised to exit early at English Street and re-enter the freeway at Bulla Road. Emergency services were at the scene for hours. Credit:ABC
Roberta Williams' sister has faced court charged with multiple offences in an alleged 11-month crime spree, where police believe she stole thousands of dollars worth of luggage from unsuspecting travellers at Melbourne Airport.

Michelle Kaye Mercieca, 51, faced the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with 19 counts of theft between October 2017 and September 2018, a haul in which she allegedly walked away with goods to a total value of at least $35,000.

Roberta Williams (L) and Michelle Kaye Mercieca in 2004. Credit:Jason South

Ms Mercieca was arrested in September by police who had CCTV footage of a woman grabbing luggage from a domestic baggage carousel at Tullamarine. Police recovered seven bags after an early morning raid at a property in September.

Police allege the Kings Park woman stole 18 suitcases, one of them a black guitar case with a guitar inside it worth $455.
A woman has been left fighting for life in hospital after being trapped in a Sunshine Coast car wreck.

The sedan smashed into a tree on Sugar Bag Road in Caloundra about 6.45pm on Tuesday.

The scene of the accident on Tuesday night. Credit:Nine News Queensland - Twitter

The passenger, a woman in her 40s, was trapped in the wreckage by her legs and had to be freed by fire crews with hydraulic cutting equipment.

She was airlifted to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in a critical condition with leg, facial, facial, chest, spinal and pelvic injuries.
The police wouldnt even come to the hospital to talk to me about my options. I dont think everyone should be expected to make a definitive decision in that amount of time. Doctors in the emergency department were also hesitant to document her injuries because they were not specialised in forensic examinations. I felt really pressured to decide because I really wanted a forensic medical examination done. If this did go to court I didnt want it to be his word against mine, the woman said. I was really frustrated and angry but mostly I felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness. I think victims should be able to play a greater role in what happens to them next.

A Brisbane Rape and Incest Survivors Support Centre spokeswoman said all victims needed to have the option as there were many reasons they might need time to consider reporting to police. "They may not want to enter into a lengthy legal process, the perpetrator may be a family member or someone they work with," she said. "That is a big decision that needs to be made very quickly for a victim. The reality is, after you have been sexually assaulted you may not actually be in the best emotional state to make a lot of big decisions. "They should still have the option to be able to access a forensic exam so that if they do choose to go through a legal process, there is the evidence there, which can be very powerful." A Queensland police spokesman said it was up to health authorities to offer the option of "just in case" rape kits.

Any evidence obtained is useful and will be included in an investigation and police will make every effort to use that evidence to support victims and secure positive outcomes in their case, he said. The service understands there are a wide variety of reasons a victim may not come forward initially, in some instances taking years to feel safe and supported enough to report an offence. Within the QPS state crime command there is a specialist sexual crimes unit which deals with adult sexual assaults and supports regional investigators in recent and historical investigations. A Queensland Health spokesman said just in case rape kits had been trialled in Townsville since 2016. We are monitoring this project, which runs until June 2019, as part of our ongoing efforts to determine how sexual assault examinations can be better conducted in public hospitals across Queensland, he said.

Policy in other states and territories Victoria Victorian Police say even if victims are unsure about proceeding with a report, they are encouraged to undergo a forensic medical examination in case they decide to proceed at a later time. Some Centres Against Sexual Assault - a service run by Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital - offer medical exams 24 hours a day without a police report. New South Wales

The Justice Department warns it is important to remember that accessing medical care and undergoing a forensic examination, does not mean that you have to report the assault to police or request further action. Australian Capital Territory

ACT Health states if a person is unsure if they want to report to police, potential forensic evidence can be collected and stored for up to three months whilst the person decides if they wish to engage in the criminal justice process. Tasmania In Tasmania, the forensic examiner will ask if you want the kit sent to police or it can be sent to the Forensic Science Services Tasmania (FSST) laboratory directly for secure storage or disposal. Western Australia Forensic specimens may be able to be collected and stored for a specified time period, to give the patient time to decide whether or not they wish to report to the police.
A Queensland mother who allegedly splurged on hotel rooms, transport and groceries as she defrauded her workplace of about $100,000 has been denied release from jail.

Nicole Ann Brooks, from Morayfield, north of Brisbane, faces 19 dishonesty charges including 12 counts of fraud from her time as an administration manager with scaffolding company Skydeck.

Brooks was allegedly caught out in an audit in 2017. Credit:Louise Kennerley

As one of three people to have access to the books, Brooks allegedly siphoned more than $70,000 of the company's money into her and others' accounts from April 2016.

She used company credit cards to make a series of personal purchases, including $5000 on upgrades to her car and $2600 on tolls, prosecutors told Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
A woman accused of leading a high-speed police chase at Helensburgh in a luxury car is making the most of her newfound infamy, fanning attention with a new social media moniker  Mercedes Mum.

Margarita Tomovska departed Wollongong Courthouse on Tuesday morning in Christian Louboutin stilettos, declining questions from the media despite having adopted a come at me persona on Instagram of late.

Margarita Tomovska has a love for luxury vehicles. Credit:Instagram

The 27-year-old allegedly sparked a police chase the night of November 13, after patrolling officers from gangs squad Strike Force Raptor spotted her high-performance car  a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, which trades new for about $260,000 - on the Princes Motorway.

Police will allege Tomovska pulled over to the roadside, only to then take off, continuing northbound at speeds of up to 200km/h before coming to a stop almost 10 kilometres away.
For millions of Australians, their home is more than a haven or the place for the family to live. It is the bedrock of their wealth. It is the investment that makes sense of their years of toil and sweat, their working sacrifices and teeth-gritting patience in patting down a mortgage.

That is why forecasts of falling housing prices cause a degree of anguish; they tend to be viewed through the prism of those-who-have something to lose, as opposed to those-who-have-not. Yet it was concern for the latter that guided regulators and banks (eventually) to impose restrictions on lending over the past few years  and that has led to the tightening in credit, which, in turn, is feeding into lower housing prices.

Housing policies will be a focus of the federal election. Credit:Rob Homer

This is pretty much what was forecast to happen when, two years ago, rapidly rising house prices had government and community leaders, economists and potential home buyers railing about the lack of affordability. Housing prices in Melbourne rocketed by 55 per cent in the six years to 2018, according to the Reserve Bank, while Sydney housing prices soared 75 per cent. Buyers had to scramble, and then scramble some more, just to get the deposit to secure a property, let alone the income to service the mortgage.

To take some heat out of the market, the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority in 2014 imposed a 10 per cent cap on the rate of growth for investor lending by banks and, in 2017, a cap on the percentage of interest-only housing loans that banks could hold in their portfolios. At the same time, banks tightened their parameters for risk assessments of individual borrowers while increasing rates on interest-only and housing investment loans.
A dispute has broken out between two popular Lonsdale Street venues, with a restaurant claiming excessive noise from the bar next door is disturbing its patrons and staff.

Tipsy Bull restaurant wants Hopscotch Bar to dramatically reduce noise at the nightspot, which it said had been recorded at almost double the level permitted in the area.

But the bar said it has taken reasonable steps to keep noise down, and has questioned the basis of its neighbour's allegations.

The Tipsy Bull, left, has launched a claim in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal against its neighboring bar, Hopscotch Credit:Dion Georgopoulos

On Wednesday, the two Braddon businesses are scheduled to appear in an ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal conference in an attempt to mediate their grievances, which date back almost three and a half years.
Severe environmental stresses that killed perhaps a million fish in the Darling River in recent days are likely to persist, making it possible for more bouts of large-scale fish kills in coming weeks, a senior fisheries expert said.

Officials from the Department of Primary Industries are beginning to analyse data from the massive death of fish along a 40-kilometre stretch of the Darling near Menindee in far-western NSW. Niall Blair, the state's Fisheries Minister, will visit the region on Wednesday to assess the toll.

Dead Murray cod pulled from the Menindee Weir Pool this week, amid the mass fish kill. Credit:Rob Gregory via Facebook

Iain Ellis, an ecologist and DPI fisheries manager, said conditions in the Menindee Weir Pool were "pretty ordinary". Without a major flushing of the river the potential remains for a repeat of widespread fish deaths.

"It's likely we'll see more of these fish kills along the Darling River this summer," Mr Ellis told the Herald after a visit to the region on Tuesday.
Grease is no longer the word when it comes to John Travolta's hair.

John Travolta's hair in December 2018. Credit:Invision

The actor, 64, posted a picture of himself with a sleekly shaved head on his Instagram account for a New Year's look.

"I hope everyone had a great New Year!" the ruggedly bearded Travolta wrote in the caption of the picture, where he hoists a martini next to his daughter, Ella.

Travolta has sported questionable hair looks in recent years, leading to tabloid suggestions of his use of wigs and hair pieces.
The Age has this week launched an interactive tool that ranks 1000 jobs from highest earning to lowest earning.

Readers can search for their own job to find out how their income compares to the annual median income for their profession.

The income interactive includes the figures on everyone from accountants (there are 62,552 of them in Australia and their median income is $69,789) to zoologist (there are 608, earning $62,380 on average).

Subscribers have the opportunity to ask our data journalist Craig Butt to answer any questions they may have about the data. You might want to know how common your job is, whether the number of people in your job is growing or shrinking, or how much you'll earn if you change careers.
US stocks rallied Tuesday as the possibility of progress in trade talks with China overwhelmed scepticism about the financial sector. The dollar rose, Treasuries slumped and crude surged toward $US50 a barrel on expectations the market will be tightened by OPEC's output cuts.

Wall Street gained for the third day in a row. Credit:AP

All major indexes were higher, led by the small-cap Russell 2000 index for a second day. The S&P 500 index gained 1 per cent on strength in transportation companies, carmakers and telephone stocks.

Financials were only major industry group in the benchmark that didn't rise. Boeing Co. helped lift large-caps with a strong fourth-quarter delivery report. PG&E Corp. was the biggest decliner, dropping 9 per cent amid reports that the California utility giant is considering bankruptcy.

"Talks with China are going very well!" Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning as the countries wrapped up the meetings.
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday voiced firm opposition to a U.S. warship trespassing into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands, and urged the U.S. side to immediately stop such kind of provocative actions.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told a daily news briefing that the USS McCampbell trespassed into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands earlier Monday without permission of the Chinese government, while China soon sent military vessel and aircraft to identify the U.S. warship, made a warning and demanded that it leave the area.

China has lodged solemn representation to the U.S. side in this regard, Lu said, noting that the action has violated Chinese and relevant international laws, infringing on China's sovereignty and damaging peace, security and order of the area.

"China firmly opposes and urges the U.S. side to stop such kind of provocative operations immediately," the spokesperson said, adding that China would continue taking necessary measures to defend its national sovereignty and security.

Responding to questions about the impact such provocative actions will have on the ongoing China-U.S. trade consultations, Lu said it would be beneficial to both countries as well as the world to properly solve various problems between China and the U.S., including the trade issues.

"Both sides should be responsible for creating a good atmosphere for it," he said.
New solar energy installations tripled in capacity in 2018 in Australia, with solid growth in rooftop solar eclipsed by a massive increase in utility-sized ventures.

According to data collected by Green Energy Trading, the nation added just over 3775 megawatts of photovoltaic capacity last year, up from 1270MW a year earlier.

Solar panel installations soared to annual records - again - in 2018.

"That's blown away" the previous records, Tristan Edis, director of Green Energy Markets, said. "It's going to have a significant impact on [wholesale] power prices in the middle of the day."

Total installations are forecast by the consultancy to rise another quarter this year to 4700MW.
London: The US case against the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies, who was arrested in Canada last month, centres on the company's suspected ties to two obscure companies. One is a telecom equipment seller that operated in Tehran; the other is that firm's owner, a holding company registered in Mauritius.

US authorities allege CFO Meng Wanzhou deceived international banks into clearing transactions with Iran by claiming the two companies were independent of Huawei, when in fact Huawei controlled them. Huawei has maintained the two are independent: equipment seller Skycom Tech and shell company Canicula Holdings.

But corporate filings and other documents found by Reuters in Iran and Syria show that Huawei, the world's largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment, is more closely linked to both firms than previously known.

The documents reveal that a high-level Huawei executive appears to have been appointed Skycom's Iran manager. They also show that at least three Chinese-named individuals had signing rights for both Huawei and Skycom bank accounts in Iran. A Middle Eastern lawyer also says Huawei conducted operations in Syria through Canicula.
Consumers should be able to see the full list of fees they are paying their superannuation fund at the top of their regular statements under a proposal from the corporate watchdog to help customers understand how much they are being charged to manage their money.

The idea is one of several contained in a draft consultation paper released on Tuesday by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission to tackle overly complicated disclosure and fee gouging.

ASIC said the complexity and volume of data now presented in super fund product disclosure documents and periodic statements was overwhelming to many consumers.

It proposes a simpler structure to make it easier to compare products and understand the fees and costs charged.
U.S. Marshals tracked a convicted child pornographer wanted by New Orleans-area authorities to Florida and arrested him on Monday afternoon.

Jason Matthew Zeller was captured in Altamonte Springs, Florida, after spending two years on the run from counts of pornography depicting children younger than 13, computer-aided solicitation of a minor, and unlawful use of a social networking website, said Milton Ramirez of the U.S. Marshals office in New Orleans.

Ramirez said his office worked with U.S. Marshals and the Seminole County Sheriff's Office in Florida, the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office and the FBI in New Orleans to collar Zeller, a registered sex offender who was considered a high-priority target. The New Orleans area's chapter of Crimestoppers also assisted in the search for Zeller, who was included in a list released last fall of people accused of failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements.

Zeller tried to hide behind a coffee shop in Altamonte Springs when authorities approached him but surrendered peacefully when he was found, Ramirez said.

Ramirez also said that Zeller may face federal charges under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which was passed in 2006 and designated the U.S. Marshals as the lead agency in efforts to capture fugitive sex offenders.

That law is named after a 6-year-old boy who was abducted from a Florida department store in 1981 and later found killed.

The FBI is also investigating potential charges against Zeller stemming from the time he spent in Florida, Ramirez said.
New Orleans police chief Michael Harrison is headed to Baltimore.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh announced Tuesday that she has hired Harrison to lead that city's police force after her first pick for the job backed out, according to a statement from her office.

The statement said Harrison has informed New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell he will retire. A date was not specified, with the Baltimore City Council still needing to approve Pugh's selection.

In a statement, Harrison said he was leaving despite Cantrell's "complete support."

To the citizens of New Orleans I would like to say, serving as your police chief for the past four years has been the highest honor and privilege of my 28-year career with the New Orleans Police Department. This city and its people will forever hold a special place in my heart," Harrison said.

Cantrell, in her own statement, said Baltimore's interest in Harrison is a testament to New Orleans police nearing compliance with a 2012 reform agreement with the federal government, called a consent decree, under his watch.

We stand ready to begin the next great era," Cantrell's statement said. "We wish (Harrison) all the best going forward.

Cantrell spokesman Beau Tidwell said the administration intends to select a successor before Harrison's departure.

The news comes just over a month after Harrison acknowledged he was in consideration for the post, despite not applying. Pugh initially picked the Fort Worth, Texas chief to lead her department, but he backed out amid concerns over his resume and a recent medical emergency involving his son.

Harrison said in December that he had asked Pugh not to consider him to lead the Baltimore department. Harrison also told The Advocate that Cantrell  who seemed tepid about retaining him when she took office in the middle of last year  had told him that he was "her chief" for the long-term.

"I was born and raised here  everything about me is here," Harrison said about the prospect of departing to lead another agency. "(But) Im honored (policing leaders) think that I have what it takes to lead another department."

But Baltimore officials approached Harrison again after her previous choice, Joel Fitzgerald, withdrew his name from consideration on Monday.

Harrison, a New Orleans native, rose through the departments ranks, joining the force at age 22 in 1991 and advancing to commander of the 7th District in 2012. That was the last position he held before former Mayor Mitch Landrieu named him in 2014 as interim successor, then successor, to NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas.

I am very proud of Mike and the work hes done here in the NOPD. Baltimore will be a very challenging position and I think he will do very well, Serpas said Tuesday.

Landrieu also had praise for the man he elevated to chief.

"Hes going to Baltimore, which is a city thats struggling from many of the same issues that New Orleans struggled with, so I think that his expertise is going to be very helpful to that city," he said.

Baltimore's top cop may be one of the toughest assignments in policing today. There were riots in Baltimore after Freddie Gray died from spinal cord injuries suffered in police custody in 2015. The city set a per-capita record in killings with 343 in 2017. Last year, several members of the Baltimore force's now-notorious Gun Trace Task Force were convicted of federal charges after prosecutors said they ran roughshod over suspects' constitutional rights as well as stole cash and drugs.

But Harrison has long demonstrated an ambition for tackling difficult assignments. His career arc has taken him from the halls of McDonogh 35 High School to speaking appearances at international policing conferences.

He speaks proudly of his upbringing on the citys streets, which he said gave him an important perspective on policing here in a 2016 interview.

"I understood neighborhood culture, the dynamics of the different schools," he said.

In 1991, Harrison started patrolling the streets of New Orleans as an officer in the 6th District, which covers Central City. Within three years he had transferred to the Major Case Narcotics Unit, where he worked undercover to arrest drug dealers, often collaborating with the DEA and FBI.

He spoke with pride of his role as the citys premiere undercover operator in a recent legal deposition.

In 1998 he was promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Eighth District, which covers the French Quarter and Central District.

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A year after that he moved to the Public Integrity Bureau, the departments internal affairs unit. For the next nine-and-a-half years his job was to arrest crooked cops and discipline those who had merely messed up.

In the days after Hurricane Katrina, Harrison put up 22 officers at his home in Algiers. For years afterward he kept a picture of them on his wall.

Unlike other officers, Harrison survived the storms messy aftermath without major blots on his record. He was promoted to lieutenant and eventually transferred to the 7th District, which covers New Orleans East and has a reputation of being one of the departments most challenging yet low-profile assignments.

When Landrieu plucked him from his job as commander there, it came as a surprise to many inside and outside the department.

Critics said Harrison was chosen for his perceived pliability. Harrison later said that he was also surprised by the pick.

One of his biggest challenges when he was appointed superintendent, and the part of his resume that Pugh's office said made him most appealing to Baltimore, was his handling of the consent decree.

In its first few years, progress toward fulfilling the consent decree was halting. In May 2015, U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan said she was disappointed and called on Harrison to pick up the pace.

That summer the department was also buffeted by the deaths of several officers in the line of duty and mass robberies at Uptown restaurants that seemed to exemplify the forces sluggish response times to 911 calls.

Since then, however, Morgan and federal monitors have consistently praised Harrison for his partnership. The department has received high marks for its use of body-worn cameras, its investigation of police shootings, its dropping rate of critical use-of-force incidents such as shootings, and its rising satisfaction rates in citizen surveys.

Harrison engineered a wide-scale redeployment of officers from desk jobs to the streets that seemed to cut down on response times, although the city still has much longer wait times than others in the region.

Pugh's office suggested New Orleans' reduced violent-crime statistics in 2018 also made the city's administration covet Harrison.

Last year marked the citys lowest annual murder tally (146) since 1971 as well as a 28-percent drop in non-lethal shootings from 2017.

Harrison has said his agency helped drive those statistics down in a couple of ways. One involved his tasking a team of tactical officers and detectives with building cases that removed repeat violent offenders from the streets over the past couple of years, a decision that has paid dividends, he said.

The other way was his agency's increased use of an expanding network of street-surveillance cameras, which has helped lead both to quick arrests and eventual convictions of high-priority suspects, he said.

Landrieu said Harrison was especially talented in handling emotional situations like the June 2015 killing of Officer Daryle Holloway, who was transporting a suspect to jail.

"He was very even. He had a beautiful touch. You cant panic, you can't overreact," Landrieu said. "You have to make sure that the public knows that you're going to protect them, and at the same time you have to minister in a very purposeful and thoughtful way, not only to the community but to the family."

Although Harrison predicted that the end is near for the consent decree in 2017, the department is not quite there yet. The next federal court hearing on the consent decree could provide the fullest accounting yet of the departments progress over the last decade.

Despite the agency's improved outlook, Harrison's successor at NOPD will inherit some battles.

Monitors of the consent decree have cited continuing issues with response times in some neighborhoods and with how some domestic abuse calls are handled. The department has yet to prove that it is in compliance with the consent decree's requirements for supervision of officers and street stops.

New Orleans remains one of the most violent cities in the country. Two crime categories that experienced double-digit increases last year were car burglaries and thefts. And the department is still dealing with a wrongful-death lawsuit filed over the killing of Arties Manning III, who was shot during a surveillance operation targeting another man in January 2017.

Internal candidates to succeed Harrison could include Paul Noel, John Thomas and Shaun Ferguson. Respectively, they currently head up the field operations bureau, the investigations bureau and the education and training division.

One local, external candidate could be Louisiana State Police Major Carl Saizan, the command inspector for the agency's special investigations division.
A group of New Orleans investors have reached a deal to acquire Belle Chasse-based Mississippi River Bank with plans to expand its operations into Metairie.

River Road Financial Corp. said it expects to complete its purchase of Mississippi River Bank by the second quarter, pending regulatory approval. Plans are to keep the branches in Belle Chasse and Port Sulphur operating under the Mississippi River Bank name and to retain all 22 employees.

A location at 3005 Veterans Memorial Blvd. has been secured to build a cafe-style bank branch at the site, which will open in the second half of 2019. Between 12 and 15 people will be hired to work in that branch, said Alton McRee, the veteran banking official who heads up River Road.

River Road is trying to raise $50 million by selling stock to certain accredited and institutional investors. Proceeds from the sale will be used to pay a cash merger consideration to Mississippi River shareholders and to provide additional working capital.

There has been a continual consolidation of community banks in Louisiana and nationwide, McRee said. Community banks are extremely important to local businesses as well as consumers and with the landscape changes that have occurred in the New Orleans metro area, theres a need for an expansion with the community banks.

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McRee has 42 years of experience in the banking industry, most recently serving as president and CEO of Fidelity Bank from 2010 to 2017. He will serve as CEO of River Road Financial and Mississippi River Bank. Mike Bush, another longtime bank executive, will continue to serve as president of Mississippi River Bank.

Plans are to change the makeup of the bank board. Paul Aucoin, executive director of the Port of South Louisiana in LaPlace, will serve as chairman; Paul Klein Jr., a Metairie businessman, vice chairman; Robert Goldstein, a commercial and investment banker, lead director, with McRee, Bush and Lisa Works, the bank's chief financial officer, also serving on the board.

River Road started working with Mississippi River Bank about three or four months ago on a sale deal.

Theyre very solid bank financially with a good customer base, McRee said. The earnings are very solid.

Mississippi River was established in October 1980 and had $118 million in assets, $104 million in deposits and $64 million in loans as of Sept. 30, the most recent figures available.
James Cullen lost his job as a chef of Upperline restaurant Sunday night, but after his last shift he was hardly done with the well-known Uptown New Orleans bistro.

By midnight he began a series of Twitter posts that grew through the wee hours into a tirade against Upperline. Many were specifically leveled at Upperline proprietor JoAnn Clevenger, although some of his critiques took aim at the New Orleans restaurant industry as a whole.

By mid-morning Monday he had posted over 90 tweets calling Upperline evil and easily the most toxic place Ive worked and variously disparaging his former boss as a psychopath, a monster and abusive.

In separate tweets, he accused Clevenger of assault, claiming she shoved him during his last night at the restaurant, and he claimed he had earlier found files on Upperlines computer regarding an incident of sexual assault at the restaurant.

Cullen did not respond to requests for comment about his messages.

Clevenger said Monday that she does not use or follow social media. After a reporter described Cullens messages, she said he would not address any of his allegations directly, but said she was concerned.

Im concerned for the staff, and Im concerned for my reputation in the community, Clevenger said.

She noted that service would continue as usual at Upperline, which is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Cullen started as chef at the 35-year-old restaurant in September.

Since arriving in New Orleans in 2012, he has held chef jobs at the nonprofit Cafe Reconcile, St. Lawrence, Treo, Press Street Station (the since-closed eatery from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts) and Southern Yacht Club, his last stop before joining the Upperline team.

Through the night, Cullen vented against the local restaurant industry more broadly, writing that New Orleans restaurant culture is a cesspool and New Orleans kitchens operate like a modern plantation system.

A slew of rapid-fire tweets is not unusual for Cullen, who routinely posts dozens of messages a day to Twitter, often observations about life as a chef.

In one tweet early Monday morning, Cullen wrote that I got fired for being on my phone. Why was I on my phone? Because I was bored! I wasnt allowed to make specials. Or do anything else. Because it was the JoAnn Clevenger show.

Another tweet, posted a short time later, read: So Upperline needs a curator not a chef. It is a museum. Not a restaurant.

Upperline, which Clevenger opened with her son Jason in 1983, holds a prominent place in the New Orleans dining scene.

It is known for Creole flavors, for the collection of art covering its rambling rooms and for Clevenger herself. She is constantly in circulation around the dining rooms, greeting regulars and chatting tableside with her customers.

The Upperline menu has evolved but has also kept a consistent culinary style through the decades and through a succession of head chefs. Dishes like duck etouffee and roast duck with ginger peach sauce are signatures, and the restaurant holds claim to originating shrimp remoulade with fried green tomatoes, a dish now found on many New Orleans menus.

Clevenger has garnered plenty of hospitality industry honors through the years. Shes been a perennial contender for the James Beard Foundations Outstanding Restaurateur, being named a finalist for the award for four consecutive years.

In 2015, the regional food culture group Southern Foodways Alliance honored Clevenger with its Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award, joining past recipients including Leah Chase, Ella Brennan and John Folse.

+16 Louisiana Products, tiny eatery, 'anchor' of Warehouse District, says goodbye after 34 years The lunch schedule  from Monday red beans to Friday catfish  has been as reliable as clockwork at Louisiana Products, a tiny Creole deli in 

Creole soul spot Chef Dz Cafe returns with new home in Treme Chef Dz Cafe has moved around a few times. But no matter the address the food let you know you could only be in New Orleans.
The Biden watch is on. And that means the Landrieu watch may or may not be far behind.

The new year is just a week old, but already its brought a flurry of activity among Democrats who might take the plunge and run against President Donald Trump in 2020. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, launched an exploratory committee and immediately departed for Iowa, where she drew big crowds. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, is reportedly interviewing potential campaign managers. U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, and Sherrod Brown, of Ohio, have indicated theyll decide soon. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, is busy trying to fend off negative stories of sexism within his 2016 campaign. And the list goes on, and on, and on.

Still, the biggest shoe that could drop, or not, would belong to Joe Biden.

The New York Times ran a story over the weekend quoting people close to the 76-year-old former vice president predicting that hell make a decision in the next two weeks, and saying that hes leaning toward getting in. One factor, they said, is that Biden questions whether the many other potential candidates can defeat the president.

Given his high profile and his popularity, whatever Biden decides will reverberate throughout the field, but few possible candidates have tied their own process as closely to Bidens as former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has. While others  people like Terry McAuliffe, Virginias former governor  would also draw from the same pool of support, Landrieu has come out and said that Biden is his preferred choice to take on Trump.

I would like somebody that knows exactly what theyre doing because theyve done that before, that can stabilize and just rebalance the country for three, four years, Landrieu told former Barack Obama political adviser David Axelrod in an interview aired on CNN last summer. When Axelrod said it sounded like Landrieu was talking about Biden, Landrieu said: I think I am. Among Bidens advantages, Landrieu argued, are his understanding of the working class and his preparation to take over tomorrow.

Biden has some potential negatives too, and his imminent decision has gotten some Democrats talking about them. Theres his age, at a time when the new generation is clamoring to move into the partys top tier. Hes a consummate insider, when an outsider might better capture the electorates angry mood. Hes got a long Senate record that would be picked apart, some aspects of which could alienate potential voters, including his handling of the Anita Hill hearings so many years ago. And hes a white male in a party in which diversity is very much a point of pride.

None of these variables is unique to Biden, and all are likely to be topics of heated discussion among the Democrats whether he runs or not. Speaking for himself, Landrieu has acknowledged as much. Hes just 58 and doesnt come out of Washingtons dysfunction, so he can escape the old-school insider tag despite his many years in public office. But Landrieu also bemoaned the possibility in a November interview with New York Times columnist Charles Blow that his pragmatic approach to politics might not fit the moment.

Stephanie Grace: Even as he talks up Biden, Mitch Landrieu starts to build his national image The last time a Louisiana politician eyed the big stage, there was no doubt as to what he wanted and how he planned to get it. Former Gov. Bob

Centrism has come to be known as a lukewarm version of not standing for anything so youll stand for everything, he said. I call myself, like, a radical centrist. Every organization Ive taken over has been in, like, meltdown, and I had to build it back up. So, it requires really hard, tough decisions. But, those things always require some level of compromise.

Landrieu, whose speech and subsequent book about his removal of the several Confederate monuments raised his national profile, also acknowledged the potential awkwardness of a white person talking about racial reconciliation while competing against African-American candidates such as Booker and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, yet another potential candidate.

The interview made it clear that Landrieus been grappling with his hypothetical place in a potential presidential filed for a while now. But then, that was 2018. In 2019, things are quickly getting real.

What that means for Landrieu should become much clearer in the coming weeks, once Biden makes his move  or doesnt.
During the 2017 New Orleans mayoral election, eventual winner LaToya Cantrell said that, if elected, shed conduct a national search for a police superintendent. So did her opponents. But none of them sounded like their hearts were in it.

Cantrell said at the time that Michael Harrison, the superintendent who served under outgoing Mayor Mitch Landrieu, would be welcome to apply, and never really pinpointed specific complaints about his tenure. The vibe was nothing like the election of Marc Morial, who knew much of his success would hinge on the eventual choice of reform-minded Richard Pennington - or like when Landrieu took over after things reverted following Ray Nagins administration, and a big federal civil rights consent decree loomed (Landrieu first hired a former top Pennington deputy, Ronal Serpas, but later landed on Harrison, a career officer promoted from within).

Grace Notes: New Orleans voters worry about crime, but not about their police chief There's been lots of discussion during the New Orleans mayoral campaign about crime, which regularly tops lists of issues that concern voters 

These were administration-defining hires, more akin to Cantrells choice of a new leader for the star-crossed Sewerage & Water Board, Ghassan Korban, than to her entirely telegraphed decision to keep Harrison around rather than disrupt things over at NOPD.

There was, and is, much to recommend Harrison, who was named the new head of Baltimores police force Tuesday. Hes a polite, calming presence, and he remained popular with voters despite constant concerns over crime. A poll taken for The New Orleans Advocate and WWL-TV during the mayoral election found he had a 60 percent approval rating, with just 21 percent disapproving. NOPD got strong ratings too, with 63 percent approving and 27 percent finding fault. Many consent decree-driven reforms have taking root on his watch. The department is hiring again after a damaging, budget-driven freeze early in Landrieus tenure, and the city closed out 2018 with a significant drop in the murder rate.

In turning to Harrison to lead a beleaguered force thats in the much earlier stages of a federal consent decree, Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh chose well.

Now, unexpectedly, itll be Cantrells turn to do the same.
In a legal dispute with ex-con Larry Bankston over whether Bankston should serve as a lawyer for the states contractor licensing board, Attorney General Jeff Landry, who opposes Bankstons role with the board, won a court victory this month.

Thats good news for the states taxpayers, who are better served without having a former felon in such an important position of public trust.

Landry, a Republican, had refused to extend the contract of Bankston, a Democrat, to be the legal counsel for the Louisiana State Licensing Board of Contractors. In 2016, the legal counsel for Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards accused Landry of being partisan for questioning why Bankston should work for the board. But one of the benefits of a two-party system is that leaders of both parties can keep an eye on each other. This is a case where such vigilance worked as it should.

Bankston, a former state senator from Baton Rouge, was found guilty in 1997 on two racketeering-related charges after federal prosecutors accused him of agreeing to accept bribes, presumably in exchange for greasing the wheels for video poker interests in the Legislature. He served 41 months in federal prison and was disbarred, but was later readmitted to the bar.

Bankston sued Landrys office over the attorney generals decision, and the Baton Rouge-based 1st Circuit Court of Appeal ruled Thursday that the dispute doesnt belong in court. Bankstons lawyer said she will appeal the decision to the Louisiana Supreme Court.

We hope Landry prevails. While we welcome the prospect of rehabilitation for criminals, working for a state board is a privilege that should require a high degree of public confidence in those who serve. There is surely no shortage of lawyers in Louisiana. The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors can get along fine without Larry Bankston.
Rows of open graves for the mine accident victims are seen in Soma, Turkey, Wednesday, May 14, 2014. A violent protest erupted Wednesday in the Turkish city of Soma, where at least 238 coal miners have died after a mine explosion. Many in the crowd expressed anger at Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government. Rocks were being thrown and some people were shouting that Erdogan was a "Murderer!" and a "Thief!"(AP Photo/Depo Photos)
A 38-year-old Honduran man living illegally in Zachary was sentenced to just under 15  years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a mino
The Louisiana governor's race is shaping up to be one of the state's most expensive elections to date  with campaigns reporting millions in the bank 10 months out from election day.

Gov. John Bel Edwards' re-election campaign raised $3.8 million in 2018, giving the governor more than $8.3 million cash-on-hand as he makes the case for a second term.

The campaign team for the only Democratic governor in the Deep South announced the fundraising haul in a news release Tuesday morning.

Gov. John Bel Edwards makes staff changes as campaign for re-election starts to gear up Gov. John Bel Edwards has named veteran communications specialist Christina Stephens to be his new deputy chief of staff, replacing Richard Ca

It is one of the greatest honors of my life to serve as Governor of Louisiana, and I am humbled by the support my family and I have received from the people of our great state. We have come so far over the last three years, and our state is headed in the right direction, Edwards said in the release. With your support and your prayers, I know we can continue this great work.

Two Republicans  U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone have announced plans to run against Edwards this fall. Others could enter the race.

A short time after Edwards' news release was distributed to media, Rispones communications director announced that the ISC Constructors co-founder would report $5.5 million cash on hand, about $5 million of which Rispone has put up himself. He raised half a million after establishing a campaign committee in October.

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Abraham spokesman Cole Avery said the campaign will announce fundraising numbers closer to the date that the report becomes available.

We're excited about the positive response our campaign has received in the few weeks since Ralph announced, and we expect to have the resources we need to compete and win, he said.

Campaign finance reports for 2018 are due Feb. 15, which will provide more insight into campaign spending and top tier donors.

The election is Oct. 12. A Nov. 16 runoff will take place between the top two vote-getters if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary.
While public school teachers are enthused about prospects for a pay raise, they are leery about details of the plan, including how it would be financed and the size of any increase, two education leaders said Monday.

Debbie Meaux, president of the Louisiana Association of Educators, said political jousting over Louisiana's revenue picture already has angered some of the LAE's roughly 20,000 members. "They are not happy about that, none of us are happy about that," Meaux said.

House Republican leaders have twice blocked efforts to recognize $43 million in new revenues, which could complicate Gov. John Bel Edwards' plan to unveil his executive budget with $1,000 pay raises for teachers.

Gov. Edwards targets boosting Louisiana teachers' regional average pay; downplays talk of walkouts Mixing education goals with re-election themes, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Saturday he is mapping plans to boost teacher pay to the regional a

Another part of the governor's push is $500 pay raises for support workers, including cafeteria workers, school bus drivers, paraprofessionals and teacher aides.

Meaux said budget spats could turn the pay raise into a onetime supplemental appropriation, and scuttle the governors' multi-year plan to get teacher pay back to the Southern regional average.

House Speaker Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, who opposed recognizing the money, said state officials should be cautious amid questions about the economy.

The 2019 legislative session begins on April 8.

Keith Courville, executive director of the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana, known as A+PEL, said teachers need more than a $1,000 salary increase. "I mean $1,000 is nice but it doesn't reflect what teachers deserve," said Courville, whose group is not a union and includes about 8,600 members.

"It takes more to be competitive with other states and to reward and recognize our amazing educators," he said.

The LAE, a longtime ally of Edwards and one of Louisiana's two teacher unions, has called for pay raises of at least $1,200 per year.

Larry Carter, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, which held its annual meeting on Nov. 17, said teachers are excited about the prospects for a pay boost and what it can mean for teaching, learning and the retention of educators.

Carter said LFT officials have held meetings with state lawmakers on how to make the salary hikes reality and how to sustain them.

The debate here will take place amid national unrest about teacher salaries, including strikes last year that produced pay raises in Oklahoma, Arizona and West Virginia.

The United Teachers of Los Angeles is set to launch its own teacher walk-out on Thursday.

'Fed up': Louisiana teacher questionnaire finds support for mass protests, walkout; see full survey About 60 percent of teachers surveyed said they favor a statewide walkout or strike to land a "significant" pay raise, leaders of the Louisian

Louisiana has about 50,000 public school teachers.

They are paid an average of $49,800 per year, which officials say is about $2,200 below the always-changing regional average.

Edwards, in comments Monday to the Press Club of Baton Rouge, reiterated that teacher pay raises will be his top priority when the 2019 regular session convenes in three months.

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The governor said he has met with state Superintendent of Education John White and members of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to ensure that the money gets where it is intended.

Public schools are financed through a complex funding system called the Minimum Foundation Program, or MFP. In the past the Legislature routinely approved funding hikes of 2.75 percent for schools, with half of that amount aimed at but not guaranteed to go for teacher salaries.

Edwards said he wants BESE's plan to include funding requests within certain sections of the MFP to ensure that the money is properly allocated to pay raises.

That includes $72.2 million for teachers to finance the $1,000 raises and $25 million to finance $500 pay hikes for support workers.

Another allocation will be proposed for school districts to use as they see fit.

"The Legislature has been dealing with the MFP long enough that I think there will be a comfort level in doing it this way," Edwards said.

Gary Jones, president of BESE, said Monday he thinks the governor's detailed approach will win approval from the 11-member panel.

"I do think his approach is the right one," said Jones, who lives near Alexandria.

BESE submits its funding request in March.

The Legislature can either approve or reject it but cannot change the proposal.

Senate Education Committee Chairman Dan "Blade" Morrish, R-Jennings, said he is optimistic election-year pay raises will be enacted. "I haven't found anyone who has said 'I do not support a pay raise,' not one person," Morrish said.

Edwards has said this year's increase would be the start of a multi-year effort to reach the regional average by 2022.

Said Meaux, "Nobody is thrilled about just $1,000, but they understand."

Will Louisiana teachers walk out sometime this year? It depends on this factor, leader says Whether public school teachers walk off the job in the current school year depends on actions by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Repu

"If it takes several years to get us to the Southern regional average or beyond then we understand that," she said. "However, our goal is to get to or above the Southern regional average and to stay in that position."

Louisiana reached the regional average in 2007 but then slipped below it amid recurring budget problems.

Meaux said she believes the governor's pledge that pay raises will win approval in 2019.

She said her group is not calling for any work stoppage.

However, Meaux said if the Legislature fails to enact a pay raise "I can't guarantee what will happen after that. I can't promise where it would go from there."
PONCHATOULA  The board that oversees Port Manchac agreed Tuesday to study whether it makes sense to lease the port property for a mixed-use development and swamp resort.

The Louisiana attorney general issued a recent opinion that the South Tangipahoa Port Commission has the authority to lease the property for such a development if it wants to do so.

But the commission decided to hold off until a a study can be done to determine whether such a lease is the "highest and best use" for the 40-acre property.

"We've just learned we can make it (the port) something else. The question is, 'Should we?'" asked Bill Joubert, a port commissioner and an economic development expert at Southeastern Louisiana University.

The six-member commission voted unanimously during its regular monthly meeting at Ponchatoula City Hall to move forward with putting out a request for proposals for such a study. Proposals are due in 45 days.

The port has struggled to attract industrial and traditional port tenants, and the commission has been considering an unconventional proposal to lease the port property to private developers.

The developers promise to transform the port from a gray, industrial worksite to a colorful, vibrant paradise with palm trees, ice cream stands and a boardwalk.

They have said the site would include about 100 single-family homes, a hotel and 400 to 500 cabins, condominiums and apartments. The Village at Manchac is proposed to be a $90 million development of the port property and an adjacent 100 acres the port has authority to market.

+7 Has Port Manchac's ship come in? Developers plan 'majestic property,' but some are wary Easy access to water, a cross-country railroad and an interstate highway didn't make Port Manchac the moneymaker Tangipahoa Parish wanted it to be.

But the proposal has drawn concerns from some Ponchatoula-area residents, who say it would destroy valuable wetlands, put people in harm's way during a hurricane and place additional pressure on local roads, fire departments and schools.

And the board's attorney had cautioned in July that the port might be overstepping its authority by allowing a drastic transformation of the port, which is to the south of Ponchatoula.

The commission sought advice from Attorney General Jeff Landry's office in July about its legal authority to sign an agreement with backers of the Village at Manchac.

Port attorney Andre Coudrain told the commissioners the attorney general opinion issued Friday gives them a "pretty blank slate" to do what they wish with the port, so long as it is in the public interest.

"In my view, it does give the commission broad authority to enter into a transaction on this property that is not a traditional port function, Coudrain said.

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The attorney general's opinion says a mixed-use development would be allowed, because the law creating the port allows for commercial, recreational and business purposes.

Coudrain said there would be some outstanding questions regarding reimbursements to the state, deed restrictions and existing leases, but those could be overcome if the port wishes.

Port Manchac board to seek AG's opinion on authority to proceed with snazzy resort project PONCHATOULA  A proposal to build a resort-style development at Port Manchac hit a stumbling block Tuesday afternoon when the ports governing

The "best and highest use study" was first proposed by Joubert. The board will need to vote at a public meeting to select from the proposals, which will likely vary in price, duration and scope.

The port is currently being used by a tenant that blends chemicals at the site. Until now, port officials have concentrated on upgrading the facility for more industrial uses.

Commissioners heard from supporters and opponents of the Village at Manchac project at Tuesday's meeting.

Terry Jones, a developer involved in the Village at Manchac project, said he was pleased with the attorney general's opinion. He asked the port commission to move forward with negotiating the MOU.

In June and July, the port commission considered entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Village at Manchac developers. The agreement would have granted the developers 18 months to conduct feasibility studies, while port officials would have been prevented from marketing the property. At the end of the contract, the developers would have the right to a a fair market lease.

Several opponents of the development, including representatives from the Save Manchac Coalition, asked the port commissioners to consider whether the Village at Manchac project was truly in the "public interest."

"We have to be concerned with Ponchatoula, and the swamp at Manchac is a natural barrier, and it protects us. If we cut into that, I think it will be damaging to this area, as well as Manchac," said Linda McLellan, a resident of Ponchatoula.

Jones said after the meeting that the developers could purchase the 100 undeveloped acres from their original owner without the port's approval, but he is not interested in purchasing that property if he cannot also use the industrial port. Jones said he is listening to the community concerns and wants to work with the local residents.

President of Save Manchac Coalition: Serious questions about this proposal The decisions of the South Tangipahoa Port Commission at its July 10 meeting reflect the serious questions that are being raised about the pro
Sprouts Farmers Market said its first Louisiana store will open in the spring in the Rouzan mixed-use development.

The store off Perkins Road is one of nine Sprouts locations set to open in the second quarter. Other stores will open in Los Angeles; Jacksonville, Florida; Herndon, Virginia; and Marlton, New Jersey.

Sprouts Farmers Market to open first Louisiana store in Rouzan grocery space Sprouts Farmers Market, which has nearly 300 locations across the U.S., has signed a lease to open its first Louisiana store in the Rouzan mix

Sprouts has more than 300 locations across the U.S., selling fresh, natural and organic products. The Rouzan store will be nearly 30,000 square feet and about 140 people will work there.

Arizona-based Sprouts plans to open nearly 30 stores this year.
Arnaudville chef Lionel Robin died Monday in a crash in Colusa, California, KATC-TV is reporting.

Robin, 71, and a California man, Jeffery Thomas Webber, 66, were found dead in the wreckage in a retention pond adjacent to flooded rice lands, according to the Colusa County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriffs dive team found the men in the wreckage, the sheriff said. Deputies found a badly injured dog, believed to be Robin's hunting dog, in the area.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Traffic Safety Board have been requested to investigate the crash.

Henderson Mayor Sherbin Collette said Robin, the former owner of Robins Restaurant, was on a hunting trip.

Collette said he was told the plane, carrying Robin and his friend, who was the pilot, hit a flock of birds and went down.

Colusa, in California's Central Valley area, is northwest of Sacramento.
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The colleagues of the Chinese scientist responsible for the birth of the world's first genetically edited babies fear that he could face the death penalty.

Birth Of Babies With Modified DNA

He Jianku revealed in November that he used the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to alter embryos for seven couples during fertility treatment. The work led to the birth of two twin girls whose DNA were engineered to protect them from contracting the AIDS-causing HIV.

Amid the controversy caused by his work, He went missing in Early December, suggesting the embattled scientist is facing big trouble. Now, a fellow geneticist revealed He's predicament could be worse than earlier thought.

Death Penalty

Robin Lovell-Badge, a geneticist from the Francis Crick Institute in London, said He could face the death penalty in China. Lovell-Badge organized the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing at the University of Hong Kong, where He admitted modifying human embryos.

Scientists close to the situation said that He could face corruption and bribery charges, both of which carry the death penalty in China. They also fear the rogue scientist may face charges of violating established research guidelines by implanting the engineered embryos in the mother instead of destroying them, according to guidelines. State guidelines in China carry the same legal weight as the established laws.

"He could be had up on all sorts of charges of corruption and being guilty of corruption in China these days is not something you want to be," Lovell-Badge said. "Quite a few people have lost their heads for corruption."

Protected By Armed Guards

Lovell-Badge said that He has been living with armed guards since early December, when he was reported missing.

It isn't clear, though, if the scientist is under house arrest or simply protected by the guards since he has received death threats following his revelation of involvement in the birth of CRISPR-modified human babies.

Ethicists and the scientific community accused He of experimenting on humans with a dangerous technology. They fear that the changes made on the DNA of the babies could be passed on to their next generations.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
SpaceX moves its Crew Dragon spacecraft to NASA's historic Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center ahead of its first unmanned orbital test flight.

On Thursday, Jan. 3, the private spaceflight company released photos of the spaceship on top of its rocket, the Falcon 9. A new walkway for astronauts in sleek black and white also made its debut weeks before launch.

Preparing to return human spaceflight capabilities to the United States, Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 went vertical at historic Launch Complex 39A in Florida. pic.twitter.com/igggZdCU9k  SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 5, 2019

NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A is where the last space shuttle launched eight years ago.

January Test Launch Moved

The Crew Dragon's first test flight is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 17, but it might be delayed because of the ongoing partial government shutdown in the United States. SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk seemed to confirm the delay on Twitter, stating that the test flight will take place in a month.

Neither SpaceX nor NASA has announced a schedule change as of this writing.

About SpaceX's Crew Dragon

The Crew Dragon is the crewed version of SpaceX's robotic Dragon cargo ships that have been carrying out resupply missions for NASA since 2012. The spaceship is designed to carry up to seven astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

The upcoming uncrewed orbital test flight, called Demo-1, is intended to test the spaceship's capabilities. If successful, the Crew Dragon will move on to a crewed test flight later this year, with NASA astronaut Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley onboard.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon was developed as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program which aims to end the space agency's dependence on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft to transport astronauts to the ISS.

Spaceflight giant Boeing was also contracted to ferry personnel to low-orbit. Its CST-100 Starliner is scheduled to make its first uncrewed test flight in March and then a crewed test flight in August.

Following the test flights, NASA will review performance data and resolve issues before giving either company the green light to continue to operational missions. If all goes well, the space agency anticipates the first crewed mission to take place by summer this year.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A man from Panora, Iowa, is filing a lawsuit after a cancer misdiagnosis made him decide to remove his prostate, thinking that it was going to save his life.

Rickie Lee Huitt, the victim, was forced to make a decision on what he thought was a life-and-death situation: if he will opt to remove his prostate or face cancer head-on. This was after he was diagnosed in 2017 of the life-threatening disease.

Deciding To Remove His Prostate

Huitt was made to believe he was only looking into about five precious years of his life if he will not push through with the surgery. Believing the operation can save him and probably lengthen his days on Earth, albeit it could mean "incontinence and erectile dysfunction," the patient underwent operation on April 3, 2017, to remove his prostate.

The specimen was sent to Mayo Clinic for more tests, where results showed there was nothing abnormal, in short, there was no cancer. Apparently, a big mix-up happened, no thanks to the pathologist at the Iowa Clinic who took full responsibility of the mishap.

Cancer Misdiagnosis Because Of A Glitch

According to court papers, pathologist Joy Trueblood said that it was a "scanner glitch" that had caused for the confusion for the two patients who had prostate biopsies that day. This was what prompted doctors to offer the two abovementioned options to Huitt.

"I'm responsible  it was a horrible situation," Trueblood said in the court documents.

In a statement, the clinic said they immediately apologized to the patients involved after learning of the mistake of one of their personnel. It also promised to make changes so unfortunate events like this will never happen again.

As much as Iowa Clinic was remorseful about the situation and the responsible pathologist accounted for her error that made a man removed his prostate, it is worth nothing that the other person who thought he was cancer-free is also going to be slapped with the truth. The facility said it already informed the other patient of his fate.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Astrophysicists find a new piece of evidence showing that dark matter moves heats up and then moves away during the process of star formation.

It is a long-held theory that the universe is largely made up of dark matter. Dark matter does not interact directly with light, which is why scientists can only study them with respect to their gravitational effect. This new finding published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society provides a deeper understanding of the behavior of dark matter.

Dark Matter Heating

Scientists from the University of Surrey in UK, Carnegie Mellon University, and ETH Zurich in Switzerland studied 16 dwarf galaxies in search for traces of dark matter. Dwarf galaxies are smaller and faint galaxies that orbit larger ones like the Milky Way.

During the formation of stars, gas and dust are pushed away from the core of the galaxy. With less mass, dark matter gains more energy and then move away from the center in a process called dark matter heating.

"We found a truly remarkable relationship between the amount of dark matter at the centers of these tiny dwarfs, and the amount of star formation they have experienced over their lives. The dark matter at the centers of the star-forming dwarfs appears to have been 'heated up' and pushed out," said Justin Read, the lead author of the study and professor of the Department of Physics at the University of Surrey.

Results of their study also coincided with an earlier notion that galaxies that have stopped forming stars long ago have higher dark matter densities and therefore, less dark matter heating.

"Our results suggest that, to leading order, dark matter is a cold, collisionless, fluid that can be kinematically 'heated up' and moved around," the authors wrote in their study.

Origin Of Dark Matter

In a related study, astronomer Alfred Tiley and his team from Durham University surveyed 1,500 star-forming galaxies in an effort to determine the origin of dark matter. The researchers calculated the galaxies' rotation rates by combining the light of faint galaxies in distance.

The researchers concluded that the amount of dark matter that existed in old galaxies is nearly the same as the dark matter present among fairly young galaxies.

Tiley's theory was contradicted by Reinhard Genzel, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany. Genzel said that the new study used only one approach that represented largely the low-mass galaxies that existed in the early ages of the universe.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Researchers who monitor the annual migration of the western monarch butterflies that migrate along the California coast have noticed that the population of these migratory insects has declined at an alarming rate.

Substantial Decline In The Number Of Migrating Monarch Butterflies

In 1981, the nonprofit environmental organization Xerces Society counted more than 1 million western monarchs wintering in California.

The group's most recent count over the Thanksgiving weekend, however, recorded less than 30,000, or an 86 percent drop from the number recorded in 2017, when the Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count (WMTC) recorded 193,000 monarch butterflies wintering California's Pacific Coast.

Xerces Society described the number, which has been reduced to less than the 0.5 percent of the historical size, as "disturbingly low" and potentially "catastrophic."

"In 2017, these sites accounted for 77% of the total monarch overwintering population, hosting approximately 148,000 monarchs. In 2018, the same sites have only 20,456 monarchs. This represents an 86% decline since last year," the Xerces Society said in a statement.

Cause Of Plummeting Population Of Monarch Butterflies

The organization is not certain what caused the number of the monarchs to substantially plummet in its most recent count.

Nonetheless, aside from the downward population trend fueled by use of pesticides, herbicides, and destruction of the monarchs' milkweed habitat, scientists suspect that the declining population observed in the latest count is linked to the butterflies arriving nearly a month late to their breeding areas last year. This left the aging monarchs more exposed to the elements.

The black and orange butterflies did not even make it to their breeding range in the Washington state, where they are typically abundant.

The organization also said that there is insufficient evidence of delayed migration. The butterflies are neither sighted in other parts of the country.

Monarch Butterflies At Risk Of Extinction

Researchers have been sounding the alarm that the species could be at risk of extinction. They believe that the monarch butterfly needs to be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act so everyone will participate in conservation efforts to protect these butterflies.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In brief: Politicians, including President Trump, are finding that blocking people on social media platforms isnt as easy as hitting a button. Almost three years after the original incident, a federal appeals court has ruled that a politician violated the constitution when she blocked one of her constituents on Facebook.

In a 3-0 decision, the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals found that the chair of the Loudoun County Board of SupervisorsPhyllis Randallviolated the First Amendment rights of Brian Davison when she blocked him for 12 hours from her official Chair Phyllis J. Randall Facebook page.

Following a town hall meeting in early 2016, Davison posted an accusation of corruption against Loudoun School Board members and their families on Randalls page, which prompted her to ban him. Randall unbanned Davison the next day, but she had deleted her post that contained the messages.

In 2017, Davison sued and won. US District Judge James Cacheris ruled that as Randall was acting as a public official, she violated the First Amendment by "suppressing critical commentary regarding elected officials."

She wants the public to believe shes transparent but then to ban critics, Davison said at the time.

Randall appealed to the 4th Circuit, arguing that her Facebook page was a private website. The court disagreed, ruling that her page "bear[s] the hallmarks of a public forum" that could be used to discuss county matters from ANY Loudon citizen on ANY issues.

Davison had been represented by lawyers at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia Universitythe same group that filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump on behalf of seven Twitter users he blocked. A federal judge also ruled that Trump's actions are a violation of peoples First Amendment rights, but the case is being appealed before the 2nd circuit.
Something to look forward to: Lenovo is bringing their A-game to CES this year, announcing a wide variety of new products, and refreshed versions of older products. We've seen new Yoga Books and ThinkPads already, but now we have an updated "Legion" gaming product line-up to look forward to.

In addition to announcing two new gaming laptops, Lenovo also revealed the Legion M500 RGB gaming mouse, the K500 mechanical keyboard, the H300 gaming headset, a pricier (but higher-end) H500 headset, and two new monitors: the Legion Y27gq and the Y44w.

Starting with the monitors, the Y27gq is the cheaper of the two options, but it's still decidedly high-end at $999, and it has the specs to match. It's home to a 27-inch 2560x1440p display with G-Sync technology and a blazing-fast 240Hz refresh rate, as well as a sturdy-looking stand.

The Y44w has a near-identical overall design (the stand and bezels look pretty similar), but its screen has been upgraded to an ultrawide, curved 43.4-inch behemoth with a 3840x1200p resolution. The trade-off comes in the refresh rate department, as Lenovo has seen fit to knock it down from 240Hz to 144Hz. The company also opted to use AMD's FreeSync technology instead of the Y27gq's G-Sync; perhaps in an attempt to cater to both crowds.

Moving on from the monitors, let's talk headsets. Lenovo's H300 and H500 are priced at $59 and $99, respectively, and feature "sturdy all-metal" designs, while allegedly remaining lightweight enough to wear for extended periods of time.

The H300 has "dynamic 50mm" audio drivers, whereas the H500 features 7.1 surround sound, and what appears to be an inline mini-amp. Both headsets house "retractable boom mics," a handy feature for those who don't need their microphone sticking out at all times.

The final two new Legion devices of note are the K500 keyboard ($99) and M500 mouse ($59), which -- despite their similar names -- do not come as a bundle. According to Lenovo, the K500 mechanical keyboard contains "red" switches (Cherry MX Reds, presumably), 104-key rollover, and a "modern, minimalist design." It's also got full RGB customization, several utility keys, and a comfy-looking wrist rest.

The M500 mouse has been designed with ergonomics and comfort in mind, as evidenced by its slight sideways tilt, which will likely serve to reduce stress on your wrist. It also has rubberized, textured grips on either side.

In terms of nitty-gritty details, the mouse has a 16,000 DPI sensor, Omron micro switches, and "50g 400 IPS tracking precision," which Lenovo claims will allow for improved aiming accuracy in games.

All of these products sound great so far, but Lenovo's designers will certainly have their work cut out for them. The gaming peripheral market is already pretty saturated, thanks to the work of companies like Logitech, Razer, and Corsair.

Fortunately, none of us will have to wait long to see whether or not Lenovo's products will be able to stand out from the pack. The company is planning to launch them in the coming months, between February and May of 2019.
A woman in Canada has died after being found stuck partially inside a clothing donation box.

Toronto police said they responded to a call Tuesday morning about a woman who was injured and unconscious with her upper body inside a League for Human Rights bin seeking clothing donations. A spokesperson told NBC News that she had to be cut free; paramedics performed CPR, but the woman died at the scene.

Additional details, including the womans name and age, have not been released.

Police did not say how the incident occurred, but said it appeared to be accidental and ruled the death as not suspicious.

Entrapment - A woman has been located partially inside a clothing donation box. Police on scene say she is vital signs absent. CPR in progress. Dovercourt Rd near Bloor St. pic.twitter.com/2O70IAop4X  Tony Smyth (@LateNightCam) January 8, 2019

The CBC reported last week that donation bins were temporarily closed in the Vancouver area when a 34-year-old man died Dec. 30 when he became trapped partially inside one. At least six other people have died in similar circumstances with the Canadian death traps" in recent years.

Toronto Mayor John Tory announced Tuesday that hes requesting a review of clothing donation bins, including the safety, location and benefits of their use.

I think if we look at these broad questions, focusing now first and foremost on safety, but then looking at the whole question of whether this system still works and whether these boxes are properly located, will give us a thorough examination of this, Tory said at a press conference, according to the CBC.
Americans love chicken. Each and every one of us consumes nearly 100 pounds of it annually, but when that bird meat is sliced into the svelte sticks known as tenders, we seem to collectively lose all rational thought. We might walk straight into McDonalds for them, without first pausing to put a brown paper bag over our head. Or we might - oh, I dont know - swipe a few cases of previously frozen tenders that had been thawing for a day on an open road after they were catapulted from a crashed tractor-trailer.

The latter scene took place over the weekend on Route 35, a lonesome stretch that cuts through Cherokee County on the eastern edge of Alabama, not far from the Georgia border. An 18-wheeler crashed and spilled a load of prepackaged chicken products on the side of the road. This two-lane ribbon of asphalt soon turned into a roadside buffet.

"There were some people trying to get the chicken," Josh Summerford, chief deputy for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, told The Washington Post. "They pulled off to the side. That was not a safe scenario."

Enough motorists, in fact, were taking advantage of the accidental drive-through that the Cherokee County Emergency Management Agency had to issue a warning.

"You're creating a traffic hazard!" the agency declared. "It's a crime to impede the flow of traffic."

And by the way, county officials added, those cases of chicken tenders have been on the ground for more than 24 hours. They're not safe to eat.

Curtis Summerville, spokesman for the division of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency that covers Cherokee County, told The Post that the driver had lost control of his vehicle when the truck spilled its load. Officials have not yet determined what caused the crash, Summerville said. The spokesman couldn't say how many drivers may have helped themselves to free chicken.

"Keep in mind," he said, "we investigated the crash. Anything that happened after the crash, I wouldn't have a number on that."

Cherokee County, named after Native Americans who were forcibly removed from their land in the 19th century, is a rural area in the Appalachians.

Officials say no one was injured in the single-vehicle crash, but its too soon to know whether anyone was sickened by the chicken tenders along the side of the road.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Icy roads are making driving difficult Monday night and early Tuesday in Central New York.

Numerous crashes have been reported since shortly after 10 p.m. Several vehicles also are stuck on slick streets.

There are too many calls to go through, an Onondaga County 911 dispatcher said. Its bad everywhere.

Here is a sample of the 911 calls:

* Manlius police shut down Sweet Road at Route 173, also known as East Seneca Turnpike, at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday because of the windy weather and icy road conditions.

* Police also were trying to close Broadfield Road at Sweet Road in Pompey at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday because vehicles were sliding on the icy road.

* Rock Cut Road in the town of DeWitt was among the first roads shut down after the roads became icy. The road closed shortly after a car crashed into a tree and the tree fell into the road at 10:38 p.m. Monday. DeWitt police responded. The road has since reopened, dispatchers said at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.

* Ball Road, off McDonald Road, in the town of Onondaga closed at 11 p.m. after a car crashed. The road later reopened, dispatchers. Onondaga County sheriffs deputies responded.

* Burnett Avenue, off West Manlius Street in the village of East Syracuse, closed at 10:52 p.m. after several vehicles slid off the road. DeWitt police reopened the road shortly after midnight.

* Route 92 at Temperance Hill in Pompey closed briefly at 11:10 p.m. after reports of multiple crashes in the area. That intersection has since reopened, a 911 dispatcher said shortly after midnight.

* One lane of the Thruway was closed in at least two sections Monday night as state police work to clear two crashes involving tractor-trailers in Cayuga County.

A pair of tractor-trailers slid off the Thruway a short distance from each other as they headed westbound between exit 40 (Weedsport/Auburn) and exit 41 (Waterloo/Clyde) in the town of Montezuma, Cayuga County 911 dispatchers said. One of the 18-wheelers crashed on Interstate 90 West at mile post 307; the other on I-90 West at mile post 312.

* The I-90 East entrance ramp at exit 41 in Waterloo also was blocked at 11:15 p.m. Monday due to an accident, the Thruway Authority reported.

* There were five reports of crashes on Interstate 81 in the Central Square / Hastings area, starting at 10:21 p.m., Oswego County 911 dispatchers said. Within a half-hour, dispatchers said they received two more reports of crashes further north on I-81, in Richland, dispatchers said. I-81 remains open and no injuries have been reported.

* In Onondaga County, two vehicles slid off I-81 as they roads became slick. One vehicle went off the road near the airport service road from I-81 North; the other was on the I-81 North ramp to I-690 East.

* Madison County 911 dispatchers said they have not yet had any crashes related to the icy roads, but they had transferred a call to Onondaga County 911 after a vehicle became stuck on Route 92 due to the icy roads near the county line. A short time later, they said Onondaga County 911 received another call just over the county line -- in Onondaga County -- for a report of a two-car, head-on crash with a third vehicle into a tree. No information was immediately available about that crash.

The National Weather Service predicted a brief shot of winter weather that would make driving difficult Monday into Tuesday.

The snow and ice are expected to last about 12 hours, so tonights commute could be a problem to the west, and the morning commutes could be slippery in the east. Temperatures rise Tuesday into the 40s, which should melt away any remaining ice and snow on untreated surfaces.
Former State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, are slated to report to federal prison Tuesday to begin serving their 4-year sentences for using Deans powerful perch in state government to shake down businesses for $300,000 in jobs and fees for Adam.

The Skeloses, who were both found guilty of eight counts of bribery, conspiracy and extortion at their July retrial, are probably headed to separate federal prisons in different states, according to court records.

U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood, who presided over the first Skelos trial in 2015 and the second trial in 2018, on Thursday recommended that Adam Skelos serve his 4-year stint at the Lewisburg Satellite Prison Camp in Pennsylvania, a minimum-security facility, following a request from his attorney.

But Adam Skelos said in an interview Sunday the Federal Bureau of Prisons had assigned him to serve his time in the low-security prison in Danbury, Connecticut. While he had initially requested Danbury because of its close proximity to Long Island, he wanted to go to Lewisburg because of a program there that could possibly reduce the time he serves. He said he was content with Danbury because it would be easier for him to visit with his fiancee and children.

"Im going to do whatever they tell me to do; Im going in with that mindset," said Adam Skelos, the father of four sons ranging in age from 7 years old to 1 month old.

Dean Skelos is likely to serve his 4-year and 3-month sentence at the Otisville Correctional Facility, a medium-security federal prison in upstate Orange County, according to court records.

Adam Skelos' attorney John J. Kenney said Friday that he had asked for the Lewisburg placement so Adam, who in the past has dealt with substance abuse issues, could take advantage of programming there, calling it "the right place to get treatment."

Kenney said no request was made for the father and son, who are estranged, to serve their time together.

"Certainly we did not make any such request," said Kenney of Manhattan. "Its just not an appropriate factor to make a request for."

Adam Skelos said he hasn't spoken to his father in many months. The estrangement began when his father was offered a plea agreement from the U.S. attorney's office between the first and second trials, the younger Skelos said. Dean Skelos turned down the offer and didn't tell Adam, he said. And the tension between father and son reached a "boiling point" when Adam, who was adopted by Dean and his first wife, connected with his birthparents and didn't tell Dean.

"I think about him all the time," Adam said. "I love him to death. That doesnt change. I know this is a horrible experience weve gone through, but I dont know why it affected us."

The Bureau of Prisons, which determines the placement of prisoners, said in a statement that the office "does not release information about an inmate's designated institution for service of sentence until the inmate has arrived at the applicable facility."

Dean Skelos didn't return a message seeking comment. Dean Skelos' attorney also did not respond.

Dean Skelos, 70, a Rockville Centre Republican who served in the State Legislature for 30 years, was once one of Long Island's most influential public officials. As Senate majority leader starting in 2011, he was one of the "three men in a room"  along with the governor and Assembly speaker  who ran New York until he was expelled from the Senate in 2015 upon his first conviction.

He was again convicted in July of extortion and conspiracy of using his power in Albany to help Adam, 36, of Rockville Centre, who was also convicted, get jobs and fees worth $300,000 from a developer, a Long Island medical malpractice insurer and a Nassau County stormwater contractor.

Skelos' conviction was one of several in recent years involving top government officials in Albany. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), who like Skelos was convicted at a retrial after his initial conviction was reversed, was sentenced initially to 12 years, and later saw that reduced to 7. Joe Percoco, a top aide to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, was sentenced to 6 years.

The 2018 corruption trial of former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and his wife, Linda, ended in a mistrial. The pair are set to be retried later this month.

Otisville has a total of 824 inmates, with just 116 at the camp where Dean Skelos will probably serve his sentence, according to the Bureau of Prisons website, which says that Otisville has psychologists available for psychotherapy and also offers services for drug and alcohol abuse and other emotional problems.

Danbury has a total of 1,049 inmates and houses men and women, according to the prison's website.

The Skeloses were found guilty on the same charges at trial in 2015, but the convictions were overturned on appeal due to a jury instructions error. Dean Skelos, who notably took the stand at the second trial, was sentenced to 5 years in prison and Adam to 6 years the first go-round.

But after the second conviction, the judge unexpectedly reduced their sentences, saying that while she wanted to send a message to Albany politicians, she thought Adam Skelos had made great strides toward dealing with his substance abuse problems.

The judge said she cut Dean Skelos' sentence because of his age and emotional struggles because of the convictions, but tacked on an additional three months because she said his testimony at his second trial contained "falsehoods, irrelevancies and mischaracterizations."

Dean Skelos didn't stick around the courthouse for his son's sentencing in October when he was also sentenced earlier that same day. In a pre-sentencing memo, Dean Skelos' attorney, Robert Gage, said there was a "rift" in the father-son relationship.

I hope we do reconcile, said Adam. I miss him.

-- By Nicole Fuller, Newsday
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Common Council Monday blocked city planners' efforts to protect a house near Syracuse University built by famed architect Ward Wellington Ward.

The protection would have guaranteed the character and certain features of the 108-year-old house at 1007 Madison St. be preserved as its owner seeks to replace it with a new apartment building. It also would have made a redevelopment project more costly and time consuming.

The propertys owner, Chris Geiger, plans to build a 29-unit apartment building on the site, which is at the corner of Walnut Avenue and Madison Street.

Geiger said he doesnt necessarily plan to tear the house down. It could be incorporated into the design of the new, larger building. He said he will try to keep to the character of the neighborhood and preserve some of the Tudor aspects of the building. He will not build anything taller than whats already on the site.

He said he understood the concerns of people seeking to preserve the neighborhood and doesnt plan to scrape away the old building.

The Syracuse Landmark Preservation Board requested protection for the house last year. Geiger was considering demolishing the building, so he met with the board to see if it was a property they would try to protect. The board deemed it worthy of protected status, since it met four of the five criteria for protection outlined by the state.

The Syracuse Planning Commission passed a resolution supporting that protection in December. The commission also decided the property met the criteria for protection, which include being of historical significance and having distinctive architectural value, among other things.

That resolution then went to the Common Council for approval.

Several property owners on Madison Street and the Preservation Association of Central New York wrote letters to the council in support of protecting the site.

Its destruction would continue a disturbing trend in the University neighborhood of the loss of historic buildings, which most recently included the circa 1872 S.W. Hall houses at 1029 and 1035 Madison Street, located only a few lots to the east, wrote PACNY President Grant Johnson.

In a vote Monday, however, the council denied the application for protection by a vote of 1-7.

Councilor-At-Large Steve Thompson was the lone vote in favor of the resolution. 3rd District Councilor Sue Boyle was absent. There was no public discussion or reason given for objection during the meeting -- an unusual move when a request like this is rejected.

In a study session last week, Syracuse Preservation Planner Kate Auwaerter told the council the property owner was working with the landmark preservation board on a compromise that would protect the character of the building and allow the owner to add on new apartments.

Auwaerter told councilors a compromise could be reached between the preservation group and the owner and that they were working together. The compromise included approval of the house as a protected site.

Weve done it before, we hope to be able to do it in this case as well," Auwaerter said. "He can build the apartment building and improve the Ward structure at the same time so we can maintain that historic property and that anchor will still be there.

5th District Councilor Joe Driscoll, whose district includes the property, said he visited the house and found it in bad condition. The interior, he said, had been chopped up into apartments, leaving little of the original design.

Its not in the best state right now, and we have a developer who wants to keep the facade but feels it would be too costly a project to take on if he has to meet all the historical criteria, Driscoll said to Auwaerter during a council study session last week.

Driscoll, who took office last year, admitted to being new to the process of designating a protected landmark.

Geiger, the property owner, said he had hoped to break ground on a new apartment building last summer. The citys attempt to protect the house delayed the project. He now plans to begin construction this summer.

Geiger also owns the adjacent building at 517 Walnut Ave. That building will come down and the new apartment building will span both sites.

The Ward house, which was built early in 1911, has been divided into seven apartments. Two of those are currently occupied, Geiger said. Geiger said much of the original interior had been removed by previous owners and few historic pieces remain. One of those, according to Auwaerter, is an original fireplace and mantle.

Ward Wellington Ward was a Chicago-born architect who spent most of his career designing and building homes in Syracuse.

Citywide, there are 26 Ward Wellington Ward houses listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. He also designed buildings in Syracuses suburbs, including the Mohegan Manor building in Baldwinsville.

The Madison Street house is commonly referred to as the Herbert Walker house, named for the prominent city attorney for whom it was originally built. It was one of several Ward designed in that area.

Ward also designed the building across the street from 1007 Madison St., the Sherbrooke Apartment building. It was listed as a local protected site in 1980 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

In other council business:

The council approved $3.5 million to replace the roof on the Morningside Reservoir near Manley Field House. The roof of the water tower collapsed under the weight of snow last winter. A portion of the money will be used to assess the roofs on other towers at Morningside.

The council also approved an agreement with the state that allows city snow plows to store and load salt at a state facility on the west side near the Inner Harbor. The salt barn will be used at no cost and will save trucks from having to drive across town to Canal Street to reload on road salt during storms.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A small business and local non-for-profit chipped in thousands of dollars to complete a campaign to replace a tree felled in the heart of Eastwood last week.

Mars Jewelry and Woodlawn Cemetery donated a combined $3,750 to the Eastwood Neighborhood Associations effort to plant a new tree in the park at the intersection of James Street and Grant Boulevard.

A driver struck the tree on New Years Eve, toppling it.

Neighbors banded together last week to replace the tree, which has stood in the small park for more than 30 years. A GoFundMe page attracted donations ranging from $10 to $500.

Monday, two large donations from Mars Jewelry and Woodlawn Cemetery put the group over its goal.

Mars Jewelry chipped in $1,250 and Woodlawn Cemetery gave $2,500. In all, nearly 60 donors contributed to the cause, raising $6,415 in less than a week.

Bill Marsallo Sr., who owns the jewelry shop at 2519 James St. with his son, Bill Marsallo Jr., said the tree is a staple of Eastwood. The business has been in Eastwood more than 40 years and was started by Marsallo Sr.'s father.

It was my sons idea, Marsallo Sr. said when reached at the store Tuesday. Its just the right thing to do.

Steven Sloane, superintendent of Woodlawn Cemetery on Grant Boulevard, said the Eastwood neighborhood has supported the cemetery for years. He wanted to support the neighborhood in return.

The cemetery was established in 1881 and serves about 500 Central New York families each year, Sloane said.

Eastwood Neighborhood Association President Jimmy Monto said theres now enough money to install a new 16-foot tree as well as some type of barrier to prevent cars from hitting it in the future. That barrier might be something like large flower planters, he said, but no decision has been made. The association is working with city officials to make a plan.

Monto said hes also talking with the city about beefing up the electrical capabilities at the park to better light the tree.
One subway stop from Manhattan, two New Jersey cities stand to score big from recreational marijuana. But they may get scooped on sales as mayors push state lawmakers for more public-safety money and justice for residents with criminal pot records.

Legalization, which New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wanted in 2018, has been mired in debates over taxation and how to erase existing marijuana-related convictions. Pressure to get a deal done has grown in recent weeks as the governors of New York and Pennsylvania called for legal pot, threatening New Jersey's bid to be the first New York City-area state to offer sales.

"We would be the economic engine for the state -- there's no question -- but right now it's not something I could support," said Steve Fulop, Jersey City's mayor and a former Wall Street trader.

While pot is already sold legally in five western U.S. states, the industry is eager for a market on the heavily populated East Coast. Massachusetts opened marijuana shops in November, and Vermont and Maine are hammering out taxation and regulation issues before legal sales begin. None of those states, though, has the New York area's residential density and vast year-round tourism.

In October, publicly traded MariMed Inc. of Norwood, Massachusetts, acquired New Jersey-based BSC Group, a fellow cannabis consultant, with an eye toward operating in BSC's home-state market, according to a MariMed press release. Two other public companies, Curaleaf and Acreage Holdings, have interests in South Jersey medical-marijuana dispensaries.

Murphy, a Democrat who took office last January, added qualifying health conditions for medical treatment and doubled the number of dispensary permits. On recreational use, though, he and the Democratic-controlled legislature disagree on taxation and other issues. Pot will be among the topics discussed this week during a planned meeting of the governor, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Steve Sweeney.

Left hanging are Hoboken and Jersey City, the once-gritty Hudson River outposts whose multimillion-dollar brownstones and luxury condominiums lure buyers from Manhattan. Set in New Jersey's most dense residential region and linked by mass transit to New York, they stand to gain more than most places from new pot-related jobs, store rents and tax revenue.

"New Jersey needs every dollar it can find -- there aren't that many brand-new sources of revenue," said Peter Barsoom, chief executive officer of Colorado-based 1906 Edibles, which makes pot-infused chocolate. A Jersey City native, he plans to grow medicinal pot at a property he owns near Liberty State Park in his hometown, then delve into recreational if it's approved.

New Jersey Policy Perspective, a Trenton-based group that analyzes government spending, calculated a $300 million annual revenue stream for the state if pot were taxed at 25 percent, as Murphy wants. Last year, as New Jersey was facing a $3 billion budget gap, a study by Roseland law firm Brach Eichler figured a $1 billion take just on initial licensing, franchising and other fees.

For the fiscal year that started July 1, Murphy was counting on $60 million in pot revenue. The governor and legislative leaders, though, disagreed on a tax rate, and some lawmakers didn't want to sanction a federally outlawed drug or sought broader rules on erasing convictions.

With some tweaks -- including a 12 percent tax, less than half what Murphy wanted, plus 2 percent for the towns -- the bill appeared to be heading to the Senate and Assembly on Dec. 17. Instead, it never reached the floor.

"The high tax rate is going to keep the black market thriving and very healthy, and we don't want that," said Sweeney. "I started at 10 percent and went to 12 percent to compromise. I'm not going above that."

The delay was a relief to Hoboken Mayor Ravinder Bhalla, who with Fulop and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has pushed for a 5 percent excise tax for municipalities. Bhalla doesn't want Hoboken to become a hard-partying pot destination after cracking down in recent years on holiday bar crawls organized by party promoters.

"Municipalities will bear the financial burden of the deregulation," Bhalla said. "We should be provided with adequate resources to bear that burden."

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, said in December he wanted to legalize pot sales in the first 90 days of 2019. Murphy says that's of no concern.

"What New York does has no bearing on what we're going to do in New Jersey," Murphy said at a Dec. 19 news conference in Newark. "Our job is to do it right."

Neither Jersey City nor Hoboken has projected marijuana revenues and they're just starting to consider zoning and other matters. And it's key, their mayors said, that people convicted of some marijuana crimes have chances to clear their records and work in the industry.

As early as 1995, the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics found that blacks made up a disproportionate number of drug arrests. In New Jersey, blacks were arrested for marijuana possession at a rate at least three times higher than whites, according to an analysis of 2000-2013 data by the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

One bill would require an expungement process, end prosecutions of low-level possession cases and allow for the release of those jailed for possessing 1 ounce (28 grams) of pot.

Barsoom, the Colorado pot entrepreneur, said he preferred New Jersey's slow approach to recreational use -- particularly the social-justice component -- rather than a rush to be first in the region. On medical marijuana, he said, the state was wise to limit dispensary licenses.

"In Colorado, we have more dispensaries than McDonald's and Starbucks," he said. "It actually means businesses can't deliver the best possible experience. They're couponing and cutting prices, and they can't invest in creating a much better education and experience for consumers."

Sweeney, the Senate president, said he didn't know when a legalization bill might get a vote. Even with Murphy's approval, sales would be delayed for about a year while regulations are finalized.

Meanwhile, Fulop said Jersey City officials were approached by 50 or 60 potential medical-marijuana distributors eager for a license endorsement, and he suspects that interest in recreational use will be far greater. Bhalla, the Hoboken mayor, said potential retailers are circling.

Dozens of entities have requested meetings with my office to pitch proposals, Bhalla said. These are, at this point, nothing more than conversations.
CAMILLUS, NY - Theres bad news about the Good News Cafe - it has closed.

The diner, 3508 W. Genesee St. (Fairmount Court plaza), closed just before New Years, according to owner Fay Robbins, who ran the business with her husband, Mike.

The couple, who opened the cafe 11 years ago, are liquidating the restaurants equipment, including a grill, dishes, a large cooler, pots, pans, cups and more. The items will be sold at the cafe from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. all week, Robbins said.

Some of the items for sale at the Good News Cafe, which has closed.

The couple closed the business because they are selling their home and moving to Pennsylvania to deal with a "personal family issue,'' Robbins said. Its overwhelming and just too difficult for us to continue.

In 2013, a customer at the cafe thanked Robbins and two customers in a video for saving his life at the cafe by performing the Heimlich Maneuver on him when he started to choke.

Robbins said shes heartbroken at having to close the cafe.

"Its not what we really wanted to do, but we have to,'' she said. We will miss all our customers.
Violins are featured in the Casual series concert that launches the new year for Symphoria Jan. 13 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and the piano stars in the Masterworks opener Jan. 26 at Crouse-Hinds auditorium.

In the first concert, "Four Seasons," Christian Capocaccia will conduct three works that celebrate the Baroque Period: J. S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 4," Melinda Wagner's "Little Moonhead," and Antonio Vivaldi's "Le Quattro Stagioni."

Opening with Bach, the orchestra and solo group of violin with two flutes will engage in intricate conversation that creates an ornate tapestry of sound in the style of concerto grosso. Composed in the early 18th century, the work is in three movements and lasts approximately 16 minutes. Soloists are Kelly Covert and Xue Su on flute with Symphoria Concert Master Peter Rovit on violin.

Having been featured on the Brandenburg, which calls upon violinists' most virtuosic performances in the first and third movements, Rovit will solo again on a contemporary work in the manner of Bach, Melinda Wagner's "Little Moonhead."

Canadian violinist Timothy Chooi, 25, will be featured in "Four Seasons," a set of violin concertos that first address the delights of spring, with its chirping birds, and then progress through the year to the crackling winds of winter.

In 2018 Chooi won first prize in both the Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition and the Schadt Violin Competition. He is a master's degree student at the Juilliard School, where he studies with Catherine Cho. Montreal's most renowned music critic, the late Claude Gingras, called Chooi, "the miracle violinist."

Capocaccia says people are so familiar with popular culture versions of Vivaldi's work that it is often mistakenly thought of as light music. But, he says, he will conduct it as deep, meaningful music in the baroque repertoire. In program notes, Peter J. Rabinowitz writes that Chooi views every performance as a way to reimagine a piece and that he is intent upon portraying images to the audience. "This will definitely not be Vivaldi on autopilot," Rabinowitz writes.

MASTERWORKS JAN. 26

Music Director Laurence Loh will conduct the first Masterworks series concert of 2019 in what is billed as "a rich feast of Austro-German music spanning nearly a century." The program opens at 7:30 p.m. with Schubert's lyrical "Rosamunde Overture" to be followed in the first half by a seldom-performed double piano concerto.

Returning to Syracuse for the first time since they opened Symphoria's 2015-2016 season, Christina and Michelle Naughton will be stage front to perform Max Bruch's 1915 "Concerto for Two Pianos."

The work had been conceived as a suite for organ and orchestra but was rewritten to accommodate the request of American sisters who found it too difficult and adapted it to fit their skills. Lost, but rediscovered decades later, the concerto gives equal performance roles to each pianist, opening with a lengthy introduction played by the soloists before the orchestra joins them. The opening theme is based on a funeral dirge Bruch heard while vacationing in Capri, and it is repeated with variations throughout the work.

The Naughtons were introduced to piano by their mother, and it wasn't until they were students at the Curtis Institute of Music that they began to play together. After graduating from Curtis, they studied together at The Juilliard School of Music, graduating in 2013. Designated Steinway Artists, they live in Manhattan, where their apartment holds two grand pianos.

Following intermission, Loh will lead Symphoria in Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor, completing a multi-year cycle in which the orchestra will have performed the composer's four symphonies. The premiere of the First was in 1876, but it had evolved over a period of 15 or more years from sketches and fragments that were sometimes destroyed, sometimes reworked until Brahms was, at length, willing to present it to the public.

Although critics have dubbed the symphony as "Beethoven's Tenth" because of its references to the earlier composer's Ninth Symphony, program notes quote Loh defining it as "quintessentially Brahms in its tension and grandeur."

THE DETAILS

Who: Symphoria

What: 1. Casual Series concert at 3 p.m. Jan. 13, St. Paul's Church, Syracuse

2. Masterworks Series concert at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 26, Crouse-Hinds Theater, Civic Center

Tickets: $20 to $80; free to those 18 and under

Purchase: Call 315-299-5598 or online at experiencesymphoria.org
Upstate New York meteorologist Jeremy Kappell has been fired from WHEC-TV (News 10 NBC) in Rochester after using a racial slur on live TV in reference to Martin Luther King Jr.

The Democrat & Chronicle reports the television station fired Kappell on Monday following three days of public outcry after he appeared to refer to a Rochester park as Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Park during a weather report on air Friday. Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren and City Council President Loretta Scott were among those who demanded Kappell be fired.

As a result of that broadcast, meteorologist Jeremy Kappell is no longer with News10NBC, WHEC vice president and general manager Richard A. Reingold said in a statement Monday. These words have no place on News10NBCs air, and the fact that we broadcast them disheartens and disgusts me.

Rochester's WHEC Channel 10 decided to slip a little racist reference to Dr King in close to his birthday. This aired 1/4/19 @ aproximately 5:30 pmListen as the newscaster decides that Martin Luther King should be referred to as Martin Luther Coon King and keeps it moving the other day. I have already asked for an explanation from WHEC about this: Posted by Alan Majors on Saturday, January 5, 2019

According to the D&C, Kappell has apologized for his remarks but defended it as a simple misunderstanding. In a Facebook video posted Monday, he said he spoke too fast and unintentionally jumbled MLKs name during the broadcast.

What happened on Friday, to me, its a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people, Kappell said.

That is not a word I said, I promise you that. If you did feel that it hurt you in any way in any way I sincerely apologize. I would never want to tarnish the reputation of a such a great man as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest civic leaders of all time.

According to LinkedIn, Kappell had been with WHEC since October 2017. The Purdue University alumnus previously worked at WDRB in Louisville, Kentucky; WZTV in Nashville, Tennessee; and WSNT in Topeka, Kansas.

Kappell appeared alongside his wife in the 4-minute video, thanking friends and family for their support. He said hed been a meteorologist for 20 years and was upset with the stations response.

Im so disappointed that my career could end this way and Im extremely disappointed by my television station, whom I expect a certain level of support from and I did not receive at all, he said.
Syracuse native and Syracuse University alumna Megyn Kelly has officially been replaced by the man she replaced in 2017 -- and three other TV personalities.

NBC News meteorologist Dylan Dreyer announced Monday that shes been named one of four replacements for the Today shows third hour, which was Megyn Kelly Today until Kelly was fired in October. The 9 a.m. time slot on NBC will now be hosted by SUNY Oswego alumnus Al Roker, who hosted the hour with Tamron Hall before Kelly took over, along with Dreyer, MSNBC anchor Craig Melvin and NBC News correspondent Sheinelle Jones.

While Kelly has been off the air, the show  currently dubbed "Today Third Hour"  has been kept afloat by other members of the NBC morning franchise including Hoda Kotb, Jenna Bush Hager, Roker and Melvin.

Hope you dont mind these faces, Dreyer tweeted with a group photo Monday. Youll be seeing a lot of them at 9am. Please join us!

I love these guys, Roker responded on Twitter.

The 9 a.m. hour of the Today show, currently known as Today Third Hour (or 3rd Hour Today), had been temporarily filled by a rotating lineup that included Roker, Melvin, Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager. Kotb became co-host of the Today show from 7-9 a.m., replacing Matt Lauer in the chair next to Savannah Guthrie, last year; Hager is rumored to be in the running to replace Kathie Lee Gifford in the Today shows 10 a.m. slot when KLG retires in April.

Kelly was named host of the 9 a.m. hour on Today in 2017 when she left Fox News, but struggled with the move to NBC. Her interviews with Jane Fonda and Russian President Vladimir Putin were widely criticized; her Sunday newsmagazine only aired a handful of episodes; she was left out of the networks 2018 Olympics coverage; and Megyn Kelly Today" struggled in ratings for most of its 13 months on air. According to USA Today, Kelly lost about 400,000 total viewers compared to Roker and Hall, or 13 percent of the slots overall audience; even worse, her viewership was down 25 percent among the shows target demographic of viewers aged 25-54.

Her defense of blackface on Halloween appeared to be the last straw, as NBC fired her in October and her own Upstate New York high school tried to distance itself from her comments. Shes expected to receive $30 million, the full remaining value of her $69 million three-year contract, when she finalizes her exit negotiations.

Kelly, 48, grew up in the Syracuse area and attended Tecumseh Elementary School in the Jamesville-DeWitt school district until her family moved to the Capital Region when she was 9 years old. She graduated from Bethlehem High School before attending Syracuse University and Albany Law School to pursue careers as a lawyer and television personality.

The married mother-of-three has not said what she plans to do next, but she said in her 2016 book Settle for More that shed always be open to a career change.

I love my job and the excitement and challenges it offers," Kelly wrote. "But my job does not define me. If this job ended tomorrow Id find another way to find that glorious feeling of accomplishment. No employer or career choice made me. I made me.
RICHLAND, N.Y. -- New York State Police are investigating a fatal crash in Oswego County, according Trooper Jack Keller, a state police spokesman.

The crash involving two vehicles was reported at 7:36 a.m., according to Oswego County 911.

State Route 13 between Route 2A in Richland and Towsley Road in Albion was closed at 8 a.m., according to the state Department of Transportation. The crash included a vehicle fire, the state DOT said.

No additional details were available at this time. Check back to Syracuse.com for more information.
A social media threat on Instagram shared by an Eagle Hill Middle School student in the Fayetteville-Manlius school district is not a credible threat, Manlius police said.

The Instragram post stated Dont come to school tmrw followed by a series of emojis, the district said.The image was copied and pasted from an Instagram account which didnt appear to be local and didnt mention a particular school district, officials said.

The post, shared by a student, was reported about 10:30 p.m. Thursday to police and the district was informed early the next morning, district officials said. The post was reported by Eagle Hill students who saw the Instagram post and notified their families.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Two people were taken to hospitals after a DeWitt man crashed his pickup truck multiple times Monday night in the city of Syracuse, police said.

Richard West, 48, was driving a green Chevrolet pickup truck erratically on West Street around 5 p.m. when he crashed into a white Toyota at the intersection of West Fayette Street, city police spokesman Lt. Dave Brown said.

Four minutes later, Syracuse Police Officer Meghan Lewis saw Wests pickup truck driving erratically at the intersection of West and West Onondaga streets, Brown said. The officer learned West had crashed his pickup truck into another vehicle at this intersection, Brown said.

Wests pickup truck had become lodged on a curb. As Officer Lewis tried to approach the pickup truck, the driver spun his tires and freed the truck, which backed into the stopped police vehicle then attempted to drive away," Brown said.

The pickup truck hit a tree and became stuck on the curb again before briefly catching fire, police said. Syracuse firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, and police arrested West.

An ambulance took the driver of the white Toyota to Upstate University Hospitals Community campus in Onondaga for evaluation. Another ambulance took the driver involved in the collision at West and West Onondaga streets to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for evaluation.

Neither West nor Officer Lewis were injured, Brown said.

A city street sign, a city-owned tree, the Syracuse police vehicle were damaged during the crashes, police said. There also was some structural damage to a building at 415 W. Onondaga St.

West was charged with reckless driving, three counts of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle, imprudent speed, and several other vehicle and traffic tickets. He was sent to the Onondaga County Justice Center and remained in jail Tuesday morning, records show.
Update: A last-minute deal has kept the company afloat, for now.

It appears Sears is finally finished.

The iconic retailer plans to liquidate its remaining assets after rejecting a $4.4 billion bailout bid from its own chairman to save the company. Sears, which also owns Kmart, plans to announce its liquidation plans this morning, according to CNBC.

Sears Chairman Eddie Lampert planned to buy the company out of bankruptcy through his hedge fund ESL Investments, but the firm's advisers deemed the offer insufficient.

A main sticking point has been whether Lamperts offer sufficiently covered the companys bankruptcy costs, according to Reuters.

Sears has been in business for 126 years.

Some pieces of the company, such as its home services business, could still survive after liquidation, CNBC said.

Sears filed for bankruptcy protection in October. Liquidation would result in the shutdown of hundreds of stores it is still operating and could put up to 68,000 people out of work, Reuters said.

Lampert bought Kmart out of bankruptcy in 2002 and combined it with Sears to create Sears Holdings. His aim was to revive the two struggling retailers, CNBC said.

Sears' last profitable years was 2010.

The company had about 700 stores when it filed for bankruptcy in October, but has since whittled that down to 400, according to CNBC.

Sears had been sliding toward bankruptcy for years before October. The company shut down over 1,000 stores in the last 10 years and in the last five years, it lost about $5.8 billion, according to The New York Times.

Lampert gradually spun off Sears' most valuable properties and brands and closed money-losing stores with an eye toward remaking the company for the digital age. The firm as never able to get a real foothold online.

Its e-commerce business has just a fraction of the sales of Amazon.

Lampert stepped down as CEO as part of the bankruptcy, but remained chairman.

The last two Sears locations in the Syracuse area closed last year. Stores at ShoppingTown Mall in DeWitt and Great Northern Mall in Clay both shut down in September.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Three Nottingham High School graduates plan to build a four-story building on Westcott Street that would add more retail space and smaller apartments to the neighborhood.

The project, called Westcott Remix, involves the building and parking lot now home to Dorians Pizza & Deli.

The plans call for tearing down Dorians and putting a larger building  one that would take up about 90 percent of the entire lot  in its place. Dorians owner plans to move back in, though with a different restaurant concept.

In the end, the developers say, the $7 million project would provide about 32 much-needed smaller apartments to the area. It would create 5 times the amount of commercial space now available on that stretch of Westcott.

And it would restore store fronts to that section of Westcott Street, bringing the retail space back out to meet the sidewalk as it was decades ago.

Its really a large missing tooth, said Damian Vallelonga, a graphic designer and one of the three developers in the project. We think it will have huge impacts on the vibrancy of the street.

A look back at Westcott Street, before a gas station was installed in the 500 block. Today it's home to Dorian's. Soon, it could be home to the Westcott Remix. Photo courtesy of the Onondaga Historical AssociationPhoto courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association

The other two partners are architects Zack Bloomer and Brendan Rose. The developers expect to present their project to the citys Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning Commission later this month.

Currently, Konstantinos Petkopoulos, the owner of Dorians, owns the lot at 534 Westcott St. If all goes as planned, Petkopoulos would sell the building and land to the Westcott Remix partners.

It would mean a huge change for Petkopoulos, who opened Dorians 28 years ago. But he said its one hes looking forward to, both for Dorians and for the neighborhood.

The look of the street is going to be great, he said. This is going to be another downtown.

During construction, Dorians would close. In the new building, Petkopoulos would open another version of Dorians, he said. Hes thinking of either a bar and grill that focuses on pizza or a family-style Greek restaurant. Hed serve beer and wine, and close earlier in the evenings than he does now. Lunch and dinner and close early, he said.

A look at the proposed spot for Westcott Remix, an apartment and retail building, on Westcott Street. Image provided by Damian VallelongaImage provided by Damian Vallelonga

The new building would include about 9,000 square feet of retail space. The developers plan to carve out two other commercial spaces, perhaps for a grocery and another restaurant.

Vallelonga, Bloomer and Rose grew up together in the neighborhood and graduated from Nottingham. They all moved away from Syracuse as young adults but gravitated back in recent years to the same side of the city. Rose more recently moved to Providence and splits his time between Syracuse and Rhode Island.

All of them, at one point or another, were renters in the area. They say they remember how hard it was to find an apartment that had just one or two bedrooms. Many of the existing rentals near Westcott and in the University area are three-bedroom flats, one-half of two-family houses.

They say Westcott Remixs one- and two-bedroom flats could fill that niche, even as hundreds of new apartments are being built closer to Syracuse University, about a mile away.

This isnt student housing, Vallelonga said of the Remix. Were not marketing to undergraduates.

Instead, they hope to attract graduate students and young professionals. They also hope seniors and people with disabilities will be interested in living in the building, which will be in the midst of a small business district.

Rose said the apartment leases would be lower than housing in downtown Syracuse, where developers have turned former office buildings into apartments, some of which cost nearly $2,000 a month or more. We dont want to price our neighbors out of the neighborhood, Rose said.

Once approved, the construction could take more than a year. If things go as planned, the building could be ready by 2021, Rose said.

The project would remove several off-street parking spaces from Westcott, an idea that has concerned some as the partners have talked about the project to local neighborhood groups.

Vallelonga said the project could attract renters who dont have cars. Weve spent most of our young adult lives without a car, he said.

Were not building a building for the year 2020, he added. Were in a transition for transportation. The automobile is not going to be the only option in the coming future.
Lockheed Martin Corp. says it plans to hire more than 200 people to fill openings this year at its plants in suburban Syracuse and west of Binghamton as its defense business continues to grow.

About 100 of the new jobs are at Lockheeds campus at Electronics Park in Salina, in Syracuses northern suburbs, a company spokeswoman said. The plant already employs about 1,600 people.

Lockheed Martin plans to host a recruitment event for the open positions from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Destiny USA in Syracuse.

Lockheed said it wants to hire entry-level and experienced professionals in systems engineering, product electrical engineering, software engineering, integration and testing and manufacturing.

The company declined to disclose the salary range for the open jobs. In the past, Lockheed officials said the engineering jobs paid from $60,000 to more than $100,000 per year for senior systems engineers.

Lockheed Martin employees will be at the recruitment event to answer questions about the open jobs and assist with uploading resumes to the web.

The Salina plant has a steady backlog of orders for its radar, sonar, sensor and electronic warfare components. The local plant won a $1.6 billion contract from the Army in 2017 for Q-53 radars that track incoming rocket, mortar and artillery fire. Its the single largest contract by dollar value in the history of the Central New York plant.

The Lockheed plant in Owego, west of Binghamton, makes the avionics, weapons systems and other components for the Navys submarine-hunting helicopters. The Owego plant is also helping to develop a fleet of new presidential helicopters.

Lockheed Martin, the worlds largest defense contractor, employs about 100,000 people. Its headquarters is in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Bethesda, Md.

Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
She also said she kept the abuse from her family to prevent them from getting into it with her husband.

She said she tried several times to leave, but that she had nowhere to go and that he would find her.

He told me if I ever did, he would kill me, that he would bury me somewhere where no one would find me.

She said she told her husband she wanted a divorce, but instead received a beating. He beat me real bad and told me that was just a taste of what Id get. He didnt want me, but he wouldnt let me leave.

Charles Hopkins, who described Rick Barlow as his best friend of more than 20 years, said that while Rick Barlow had a lot of good qualities, his demeanor toward his wife was not one of them.
Delegates and senators werent the only ones packing their bags and heading to Richmond Jan. 5-6 for the opening of this years legislative session.

Io Neo, daughter of Flux and Tamara Neo and Camellia Peery, daughter of John Peery and Elizabeth Zukowski made the trip as well. Neo, a student at Tazewell High School, and Peery an eighth grader at Tazewell Middle School will take part in the Page Leadership program in the senate and house respectively.

Students apply online for the positions which require letters of endorsement from the principal and guidance counselor, two professional letters of recommendation to their state senator and an essay of no more than 300 words on either leadership or something their locality does well.

Members of the senate select 26 pages for each session and additional appointments are made by the clerk of the senate. The speaker of the house makes the selections on that side of state government.
The Buchanan County Legal Clinic, a once a month free clinic offered by the Appalachian School of Law, will be held Saturday, January 12 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Booth Center second floor, located on the ASL campus.

ASL students will be volunteering their time to assist in case intake and follow-up under the guidance of the attorneys clinic participants see. No appointment is necessary.

In conjunction with the legal clinic, Appalachian College of Pharmacy students, who are members of ACPs American Society of Health System Pharmacists, will be on hand to provide free wellness screenings during the legal clinics hours of operation.

Questions surrounding commonplace legal questions will be the focus of the legal clinic. The clinic will not offer advice related to criminal matters. It will not offer ongoing legal representation, but will be focused on answers to legal questions that can be given the day of the clinic and placing individuals with attorneys who can further answer those questions.
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A wee kiwi chick was determined to see in the start of the New Year, and after five long days working to get out of its shell, made its way into the world at 9am on January 1.

The chick was born at the National Kiwi Hatchery, at Rainbow Springs in Rotorua.

The kiwi weighed 328.2 grams when it hatched and its sex wont be known for a while yet, as the feathers need to be sent away for testing.

Staff at the National Kiwi Hatchery have been working around the clock over the festive time as the kiwi hatching season reaches the halfway point.

Kiwi Husbandry Manager Emma Bean says the festive season doesnt slow anything down at the National Kiwi Hatchery.

Weve had over 80 chicks hatch from the first clutch of eggs, which have been arriving since October.

The second clutch has now started to arrive, and the hatching season will run through until April.

We often have birds hatching over the holidays, so it has been work as usual for the team. We were here on Christmas day and New Year s Day celebrating with the chicks, they even got a few extra bugs for their Christmas lunch.

Unlike the rest of us who might be trying to lose some weight after over indulging throughout the holidays, this little chick will now be trying to bulk up, so it can reach its stoat-proof weight of 1kg.

Emma says on average it takes 78 days of incubation before the egg hatches and the new kiwi chick joins the world.

The kiwi chick then lives at the Hatchery for four weeks before heading to a sanctuary or to an outside habitat here at Rainbow Springs to grow up to 1kg before being released back into the forest.

For more information about the National Kiwi Hatchery, or sponsoring a kiwi visit https://www.nationalkiwihatchery.org.nz
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Since 2018 American UAV operations in Somalia have concentrated on the 4,000 or so local al Shabaab Islamic terrorists because the few (about 200 men) ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) members in the country have dispersed and changed its tactics. From 2015 to 2017 the main target of American UAV operations in Somalia was ISIL In late 2018 this led to speculation that the United States would halt UAV operations in Somalia because the U.S. was pulling troops out of overseas battle zones where American troops were not essential. Somalia was not subject to this new policy because few American troops are stationed inside Somalia and those that are there are either part of an international military training effort for the new Somali army. The main purpose of the UAV operations in Somalia (including Puntland and Somaliland) is to deal with international Islamic terrorists like ISIL or al Qaeda (which al Shabaab technically belongs to). The UAV effort does not depend on any American troops in Somalia and is operated out of a joint (U.S.-French) special operations base in neighboring Djibouti (which is not a combat zone).

There were some UAV attacks against ISIL in 2017 but none in 2018. It is no secret that there are still some ISIL in Somalia but the few that remain are maintaining a low profile, especially in the Puntland highlands where most of them are. There ISIL is getting by as bandits, too busy with that to pose much of an international Islamic terrorist threat. Then there is the local politics angle. The ISIL operations in Puntland are run by a local fellow with ties to the powerful local Ali Salebaan clan. In return for clan patronage (protection), the local ISIL faction played by clan rules. Banditry is permitted but large scale attacks are not. Since 2015 ISIL has been trying to take advantage of local (Puntland and Galmudug) clan feuds to establish a presence in Puntland. This began in October 2015 when an al Shabaab faction declared that it was now the local branch of ISIL. The ISIL members up there were largely former al Shabaab men who wanted more violence or whatever. ISIL was more daring and dangerous than mainstream Islamic terror groups like al Qaeda (which al Shabaab associates with as well as seeks to destroy) but is also self-destructive as ISIL considers any other Islamic terror group a potential enemy (if the other group does not recognize ISIL as the leader).

The small ISIL factions in Somalia (the main one in Puntland and smaller ones in and around Mogadishu and another in the southeast) are still violent, but mainly in the form of assassinations against those who resist extortion demands and, increasingly, against al Shabaab leaders who are most effective in finding and killing ISIL members. As of 2019 al Shabaab is officially at war with ISIL and making progress because al Shabaab has far more members in Somalia than ISIL regards their war with ISIL as a more typical Somali blood feud that is made more urgent with each al Shabaab member killed by ISIL death squads. While the Somali ISIL groups have received some foreign ISIL members (refugees from the defeats in Iraq and Syria) the Somali ISIL are almost all local Somalis who concentrate most of their energies on fighting al Shabaab. ISIL has always attracted a lot of hard core al Shabaab members who saw al Shabaab as going soft and not violent enough to accomplish their goal of imposing a religious dictatorship on Somalia. ISIL offered a more violent alternative and those new recruits keep the local ISIL factions going and slowly growing.

There are still some al Shabaab factions that show up (in chatter or whatever that foreign intel agencies can detect) as still trying to support violence outside of Somalia. Often this is other African states like Kenya or Uganda. Since these two countries supply many of the AU (African Union) peacekeepers, the Americans go after any al Shabaab cells that appear to be planning violence in neighboring states.

ISIL has long favored assassinations against intelligence and counterterrorism officers and has carried out more and more of these in the last few years. Gradually more al Shabaab leaders have been added to the target list as well as economic targets (those who resist ISIL extortion demands). ISIL tries to carry out as many assassinations are possible in Mogadishu, where there are a lot of targets. But that city also has a lot of Somali police and soldiers along with many peacekeepers. More importantly, Mogadishu has reliable cell phone service which means hostile locals can easily become anonymous informants who reveal ISIL presence to the police who then often succeed in arresting of killing local ISIL operatives. ISIL has adapted to the hostile environment in Mogadishu and during 2018 ISIL carried out more assassinations in Mogadishu while becoming more successful in evading the local security forces. Because of the small number of ISIL operatives in Mogadishu a few arrests there could stall ISIL death squad activity for a while, but only until ISIL replacements could be brought in from Puntland or the southeastern faction. The success of these new ISIL tactics in Somalia was recognized by ISIL in 2018 as the Somali operations were increasingly praised in ISIL propaganda (mainly via the Internet) as an example of how to survive and thrive in a hostile environment. Worldwide ISIL thinks highly of these assassination operations. This can be seen when ISIL releases (as it increasingly does) statistics on its operations. Worldwide most of the ISIL operations are assassinations. In Somalia 85 percent of claimed ISIL operations are assassinations and that included many that were attributed to some other reason (personal feud or job related retaliation).

January 6, 2019: In the southeast (Lower Shabelle region), an American UAV used a missile to destroy an al Shabaab vehicle and kill six al Shabaab gunmen. This is the second American airstrike in Somalia for 2019. The first one was on the 2nd in the same area and left ten al Shabaab dead. In 2018 the U.S. carried out at 45 of these air attacks in Somalia compared to 35 for all of 2017, 15 for 2016, 11 in 2015 and three in 2014. These air attacks are often a side effect of intel agencies (like the CIA) collecting intelligence (aerial surveillance and electronic monitoring) on Islamic terrorist activity in the region. This information is used to track changes in al Shabaab forces and capabilities and identify targets the Somali special operations forces can go after. These attacks are meant to disrupt al Shabaab operations or eliminate (capture or kill) their key leaders. These raids get noticed but the Somali special operations troops also carry out some surveillance missions which are purposely kept out of the news because these operations are mainly about future attacks.

January 5, 2019: West of Mogadishu (near Baidoa), local al Shabaab forces tried to take a small army base but were repulsed (with the aid of reinforcements arriving quickly). At least 14 of the attackers died along with eight soldiers. Army bases and camps near Baidoa are constantly attacked by local al Shabaab who find their extortion and intimidations operations constrained by the continued army presence.

January 1, 2019: The government expelled the top UN official in Somalia because he had criticized the arrest of former al Shabaab leader Mukhtar Robow on December 13th. The UN protested the expulsion and said it would quickly send a replacement.

Al Shabaab fired some mortar shells at the main peacekeeper base near the Mogadishu airport. The shells caused no injuries or casualties.

December 22, 2018: In Mogadishu, two al Shabaab suicide car bombers (one outside the presidential compound and another near a prison) killed 26, including seven soldiers.

December 21, 2018: Al Shabaab announced it was officially at war with the much smaller ISIL force in Somalia. This was in response to a December 16th ISIL announcement that it was going to war with al Shabaab and also posted pictures of 14 dead al Shabaab men they had recently killed in Puntland (where most local ISIL men are). Actually, the two groups have been fighting each other since 2015 but now it is official.

December 19, 2018: In the southwest, the long delayed regional elections took place today and a candidate known to be cooperative with the national government was elected as president of the South West state. The favored candidate, former al Shabaab leader Mukhtar Robow, was prevented from running when the federal government arrested him on the 13th and persuaded neighboring Ethiopia to send in troops to temporarily occupy key towns in the Southwest to prevent violent opposition to keeping Robow out of the election. These elections were supposed have taken place on November 17th but were delayed three times as the government sought to block Robow from running and becoming the president of the South West state. The official cause of all the delays is that local voting facilities were not ready. The delays are really about the federal government objecting to Robow, who was trying to run for this high political office and push for more religious control of government functions. Robow is an Islamic scholar and avid supporter of the Sufi form of Islam (which has long been dominant among many Somalis). Al Shabaab and especially ISIL are generally hostile to Sufis because Sufis tend to shun Islamic terrorism and religious violence in general. Yet many current al Shabaab members are (or were Sufi.) Islamic terrorist groups tend to follow one of the more traditional and violent Sunni forms of Islam. The federal government believes Robow is ineligible because he had not complied with all the terms of his surrender and amnesty deal. Al Shabaab also wants to prevent Robow from getting elected because that would make al Shabaab appear less legitimate in the eyes of many Somalis.

These presidential elections in the new federal states have to be carried out by 2019 and Robow had a chance of winning. This ban is all about Robow refusing to renounce Islamic terrorism or support for an Islamic religious dictatorship has the best form of government. Robow never denounced al Shabaab but surrendered to the government in 2017 to avoid getting killed by rival al Shabaab factions. At the start of 2018 al Shabaab officially declared one of their former senior leaders, Mukhtar Robow, an apostate and called on all good Moslems to try and kill him. That was because of how Robow organized his departure from al Shabaab. In mid-2017 Robow effectively aligned himself and his al Shabaab faction with the government. These negotiations were kept somewhat quiet but by late June 2017, it became difficult to conceal. That was when several hundred additional troops passed through Hudur, the capital of the Bakool region in central Somalia. The soldiers were there in case fighting broke out between Robow and other al Shabaab factions that wanted to kill him for negotiating with the government. Robow has been feuding with other al Shabaab leaders since 2010 over strategy and since 2013 has essentially declared that his al Shabaab faction (from his Rahanweyn clan, which dominates the region) was going to defend clan territory and do little else for al Shabaab. That meant al Shabaab men could move through Bakool but government forces would be resisted.

Back in 2012, the U.S. had offered a $5 million reward for anyone who would make it possible to capture or kill Robow. But in mid- June 2017 that reward was quietly withdrawn and by August the U.S. made peace with Robow. This soon led to several al Shabaab leaders demanding that al Shabaab mass its depleted forces and punish Robow for this suspected betrayal. Many al Shabaab still blame Robow for the loss of Mogadishu in 2011. That mess began in 2010 when Robow (then al Shabaab deputy commander-in-chief) split with the group and withdrew his forces from Mogadishu. That also meant he was no longer the spokesman for the group or the deputy commander. The weakened and disorganized al Shabaab forces were then much less able to resist the pro-government clans/peacekeeper offensive to take control of the city.

Robow's complaint was that foreign terrorists were increasingly taking over al Shabaab, sometimes killing those who objected. At the time six al Qaeda foreigners were members of the ten man Sura Council (the al Shabaab supreme command) versus four Somalis. The defection of Robow meant al Shabaab lost about a quarter of its gunmen. That was when al Shabaab began recruiting more teenagers (who are easier to recruit, but aren't as effective in combat) to replace the older, more experienced men they were losing to combat injuries, desertion and defection. Al Shabaab also has to contend with the fact that most Somalis now hated the Islamic radicals and were increasing demonstrating that attitude by fleeing areas ruled by al Shabaab.

In mid-2017 the Somali government did not want Mukhtar Robow to get killed by al Shabaab because that would cause more fighting in central Somalia and enable al Shabaab to continue moving through an area that is the safest route for al Shabaab from northern to southern Somalia. Robow negotiated a peace deal with the government and al Shabaab suddenly has a much more difficult time moving from north to south and, in effect, al Shabaab forces in the south (mostly near the Kenyan border) and north (mostly in Puntland) were isolated from each other and easier to defeat. Robow took advantage of the situation and made the best deal (for himself and his clan) he could with the government.

December 17, 2018: Across the Gulf of Aden the Yemen civil war is winding down and a side effect of that has been a revival of people smuggling into Yemen from Somalia over the last two years. In 2017 about 100,000 illegal migrants came in and in 2018 that appears to have increased to 150,000. About 90 percent of these migrants are from Ethiopia while most of the remainder are from Somalia. Until the Yemen civil war broke out in 2015 people smuggling from Somalia (Somaliland) and Djibouti was a major criminal enterprise with over 10,000 foreigners arriving each month and then being moved north (mainly to Gulf oil states where cheap labor was in demand). The smuggling gangs had arrangements, especially with tribal leaders, throughout Yemen to allow the movement of the smuggled foreigners, for a fee. After 2015 the traffic began to go both ways with thousands of Yemeni refugees reaching Somaliland (often on smuggler boats that had carried African refugees to Yemen) each month. Meanwhile, the movement of Somalis (and other Africans) to Yemen continued with 100,000 arriving in 2015 and 115,000 in 2016. The civil war keeps most of these illegal migrants in UN supported refugee camps. Those with money can hire smugglers to take them across the Gulf of Aden to Sudan and from there to the Mediterranean coast and another boat to Europe. Since 2017 routes north to Saudi Arabia became usable and the people smugglers again had a way to get their customers to their destination.

December 16, 2018: South of Mogadishu, American UAVs carried out six attacks on al Shabaab targets near the coast over the last two days. These attacks left at least 62 al Shabaab men dead.

December 13, 2018: West of Mogadishu (Baidoa), former al Shabaab leader (and now local politician) Mukhtar Robow was invited to a meeting with government officials. Instead, Robow was arrested by Ethiopian peacekeepers and taken to a nearby Ethiopian base. As expected local Robow supporters clashed with soldiers in several towns, leaving at least eleven civilians and soldiers dead. Robow remained under arrest.

Some 37 kilometers off the coast an Indian warship belonging to the international anti-piracy patrol found and seized another fishing boat smuggling weapons to Somalia. This is the second such smuggler boat the Indian warship has seized since December 8th. Anti-piracy patrols have moved closer to the Somali coast because the remaining pirate gangs have shifted their focus to coastal waters where are smaller targets (local coastal cargo vessels and foreign fishing trawlers operating illegally). The money is not as good as the multi-million dollar fees paid to get back large container ships, freighters and tankers but the loot from these smaller ships keeps many pirates in business.

December 11, 2018: The government announced it has sold fishing licenses to Chinese firms that would allow 31 Chinese tuna fishing trawlers to operate off Somalia but no closer than 44 kilometers from the Somali coast. This would keep the Chinese trawlers out of coastal waters used by most Somali fishing boats.

December 6, 2018: In the southeast, six soldiers were killed by an al Shabaab roadside bomb.
Pakistan has decided to get out of the tank design/development/manufacturing business, at least for now as the army placed an order for a hundred Chinese made 52 ton VT4/MBT-3000 tanks. This is an updated version of the 330 46 ton VT1/MBT-2000/Al Khalid tanks Pakistan already has. The Al Khalid was a joint China-Pakistan project to create a Pakistani tank that would be built in Pakistan. But basically the Al Khalid was a variant of the Chinese VT1 (also known as the MBT2000). The VT1 was the export version of the Chinese Type 90 tank. Actually, the Type 90 (an improved T-72) was not accepted by the Chinese army that instead went with the 54 ton Type 99, a superior T-72 variant that entered service in 2001 and underwent a major upgrade (the 58 ton Type 99A) in 2011 and is still in production.

The VT1 entered service first in 2001 using Ukrainian engines and a few other imported items but was mainly Chinese. The Al Khalid had trouble finding an engine that could handle the desert conditions on the Indian border where Indian and Pakistani tank battles tend to be fought. Because of these delays Pakistan bought 300 Ukrainian T-80UD, which are upgrades of a Russian Cold War design that could handle hot, sandy environments. That was mainly because the Ukrainian built engine which Pakistan ultimately bought for its Al Khalid.

The rest of Pakistans 2000 tanks are based on much older (1950s) Russian models, with some upgrades. Pakistan also looked at the latest Ukraine had to offer but decided to go with China, which has access to more advanced tech than Ukraine and is willing to be competitive when it comes to price. This confidence in China was based on how the 2012 agreement worked out. For that deal, Pakistan and China also agreed to jointly market the Al Khalid tank but had limited success. That was because there were a lot of improved T-72s on the market, including the Chinese MBT-2000. Al Khalid was more expensive to develop as Pakistan began the project in 1991 and made a lot of mistakes. The Al Khalid ended up costing ten percent more than the MBT-2000 and Pakistan was unable to keep its costs under control so that when it came time to develop and a major upgrade for Al Khalid it was pointed out that China already had what Pakistan wanted in the VT4. In the end the Al Khalid demonstrated why Pakistan has never been a major player in the arms export business and this deal with China was more for show than anything else. Same thing with the JF-17 jet fighter joint development that resulted in an expensive variant of the American F-16.

What makes T-72 variants different is the quality of the components used. The T-72 was the most successful Russian post-World War II tank design and the basic model was pretty solid and reliable. The T-72 also proved to be a good platform for variants that added new (or more) armor, better electronics and improved engines that resulted in some impressive tank models. The most outstanding of these has been the Russian 46 ton T-72B3. As proof consider that most of the new tanks the Russian army has received since 2000 have been refurbished and much upgraded T-72B3s. Currently, the Russian Army has about 3,000 tanks in service and most (65 percent) are T-72B3s, which you hear little about. The new breakthrough design, the T-14, has fewer than a hundred in service and cuts in production (which began in 2015) were recently announced with only 10-20 a year being built. The T-14 is mostly about publicity. The T-90 has been produced in large quantities, but not for Russia. The T-90 was a 1980s project that was to incorporate T-80 features into many upgrades of the T-72. Originally it was designated the T-72BU but when Russia finally began production in 1993 it was renamed the T-90. That succeeded in making the tank an export success and most (84 percent) of those produced were for export. In fact, India and Algeria each have more T-90s in service than Russia. Worse Russia has quietly put over a third of its newly 550 built T-90s into reserve. While the T-90 were loudly proclaimed to be the next big thing built the Russian army preferred the refurbished T-72s in the form of the T-72B3. These proved to be more reliable, something that got little publicity. While all the upgrades (new engine, gun, fire control and protection) made it nearly as expensive as the T-90 it was preferred by the troops and the older officers quietly agreed that it was a better tank than the new T-90/T-72BUs.

China produced a similar tank in the Type 99, which is 25 percent heavier than the T-72B3 and even more expensive to build. Thats because the Type 99 has better armor protection and electronics. The Chinese can afford this while the Russians cannot, its as simple as that. Chinese manufacturing capabilities are, on average, superior to what the Russians had when the Cold War ended and for tank design and production that makes a big difference. India and Pakistan have not been able to match Russian or Chinese production standards or development capabilities which is largely due to corruption and government regulations that make it difficult to innovate and excel. Most of the best South Asia (India and Pakistan) design and production talent moves to the West. A glance at the design and development stars in the West, especially the United States, shows a lot of these South Asians playing leading roles. China managed to keep more of this talent at home and even attract some that had settled in the West to return. In the end high-tech, like everything else, is about the people creating it.
Wikipedia tells us that The Times Square Ball is a prominent part of a New Years Eve celebration commonly referred to as the ball drop, where the ball descends 43 metres in 60 seconds to signal the start of the new year. Its one of these silly things that is quite appealing in the spirit of the Christmas-New Year season, and most of us have a chuckle and consider ourselves slightly foolish for enjoying it.

But there was another and less amusing ball-drop on New Years Day, involving a tweet from US Strategic Forces Command or Stratcom, which declares it deters strategic attack and employs forces, as directed, to guarantee the security of our nation and our allies In the gobbledegook language of the military it, amongst other things deters catastrophic actions from adversaries and poses an immediate threat to any actor who questions US resolve by demonstrating our capabilities.

According to Stars and Stripes, the Stratcom tweet read Times Square tradition rings in the New Year by dropping the big ball if ever needed, we are ready to drop something much, much bigger. As greetings go, you couldnt get much more crass, confrontational and puerile than that.

The Washington Post noted that an embedded video showed footage of a B-2 stealth bomber. As the words STEALTH, READY and LETHAL flashed across the screen, the aircraft released bombs. They fall to the ground and crash with a fiery explosion. Just another video game, really.

The tweet was withdrawn with the apology that it was in poor taste & does not reflect our values but it is obvious that the original message is the one that Stratcom, the US Air Force and Washington as a whole want to send : their values include being ready to drop something much, much bigger on targets all round the world, and theyve been blitzing with depressing frequency for many years. A month before the big ball bomb tweet Reuters reported that At least 30 Afghan civilians were killed in US air strikes in the Afghan province of Helmand, officials and residents of the area said on Wednesday [November 28], the latest casualties from a surge in air operations aimed at driving the Taliban into talks.

Of course the Taliban will never be driven into talks by bombing. In 2018 they were blitzed at the highest rate in all the seventeen years that the US and its allies have been rocketing and bombing and generally blasting all over the country. Its impossible for us to realise what death and destruction has been caused by the 5,213 bombs that slammed explosively onto Afghanistan in the period January to September last year, but one outcome is made fairly clear by a Forbes' report that the UN announced that the number of civilian casualties in the first nine months of 2018 is higher than in any year since it started documenting them in 2009. And it is apparent that Washingtons war aim has not been assisted in any way by its bombing surge.

One of the most over-used cliches is history repeats itself  but its difficult to refrain from using it, when one compares the US defeat in Vietnam to the present situation in Afghanistan.

As recounted by The Diplomat two years ago, A new survey on the use of aerial bombing during the Vietnam War has seemingly confirmed what many suspected: the systematic bombing of South Vietnam detracted from, rather than furthered, US war aims and in fact contributed to the instability of the South Vietnamese government.

The parallels with 2019 Afghanistan are sadly unmistakable.

Exactly a year ago Donald Trump tweeted Taliban targeted innocent Afghans, brave police in Kabul today. Our thoughts and prayers go to the victims, and first responders. We will not allow the Taliban to win! Reuters reported him saying that We dont want to talk to the Taliban. Were going to finish what we have to finish, what nobody else has been able to finish, were going to be able to do it.

So 2018 became the Year of the Bombing, and the Taliban, those latter-day Viet Cong, undoubtedly suffered many casualties. Nobody knows how many were killed, and there is no means of estimating the effect that increased numbers of dead Taliban might have on the conduct of the war. What is of more significance, however, is the number of civilians killed, and the effects their deaths have had on Afghan citizens.

All the US-NATO countries involved in Afghanistan, and of course the Afghan government itself, are enormously pleased that the Afghan Air Force is now capable of conducting aerial attacks. Every media release concerned with such operations is redolent with pride that such progress in prowess is being made. The New York Times noted that the Afghan government increasingly relies on airpower in its fight against a resurgent Taliban and there is no doubt that many airstrikes are now being carried out by Afghan-piloted aircraft. They are, of course, US aircraft, and thereby lies a little problem.

One important thing to be taken into account is the fact that from the ground the people being blitzed have no idea of the nationality of the person who presses the button that releases the bombs and rockets that are intended to kill enemies of the despatcher but only too often kill civilians who have nothing to do with the conflict.

The problem is exemplified by the BBCs report about one shambles in 2018, when The helicopters arrived shortly after midday and sent a rocket hurtling into an area at the back of the crowd where children were sitting. As people began to flee, witnesses said, heavy machine gun fire followed them. It was the latest deadly example of how a ferocious new air campaign against the Taliban has caused a spike in civilian casualties from US and Afghan air operations. This Afghan Air Force attack on 2 April in north-eastern Kunduz province killed at least 36 people and injured 71, the UN says. Although witnesses said Taliban fighters and senior figures were in the crowd, 30 of those killed were children.

The United Nations estimates that in the first six months of 2018 airstrikes killed 149 civilians and injured 204, a 52 percent increase from the same period last year and  It is of particular concern that women and children made up more than half of all aerial-attack civilian casualties.

Of course it is horrifying that all these ordinary people were slaughtered in the most awful manner. And what is not known is the fate of those who were wounded, physically and mentally, in these terrifying attacks. There is no health care in Afghan villages, and children who are maimed stay maimed.

And the Taliban gain influence.

In two of the latest airstrike debacles on December 31 the Taliban attacked a military convoy American helicopter gunships arrived and fired rockets at the trucks. A house was also hit during the bombardment. Two civilian men and three women were killed, and 12 others were wounded, including nine women and five civilians were killed by an American airstrike during a joint military operation by Afghan and American special forces in Zurmat District.

If you are a young man who is a member or friend of a family that has been shattered by bombs and rockets in a terrifying attack from the air, are you going to support the government that ordered such slaughter? It doesnt matter to you that it was a mistake. What matters is that you lost people close to you. And it is very likely that you will join the Taliban, whom you consider to be the only people fighting against those who killed members of your family, clan or tribe. These airstrikes are the militants best recruiting advertisements.

Washingtons bombing is backfiring.
Morristown, VT (05661)

Today

Mostly cloudy this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 72F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 48F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Read with interest the article "Divorced: 1876. Remarried: 2020?" (Jan. 6). I don't see how St. Louis' problems can be fixed by rejoining the county and dragging those communities down.

I was born and raised in St. Louis. Lived in a number of areas in and out of the city. I left in March 1967 for the Marine Corps. There were buildings then, warehouses, residences, offices, etc. that were boarded up and unoccupied when I left.

After retirement in California, we returned to Missouri in 2005. Those same buildings were still boarded up and unoccupied. It is unbelievable that this city, decade and decade after decade, continues to elect the same do-nothing caliber of leadership. My friends and I use to wander around at night, playing and having a good time without a care in the world for our safety. Now, when I need to come to the city, I'm armed.

Channel 4's Doug Vaughn had a very interesting commentary last year about the condition of the riverfront compared to other cities. He was spot-on with his comments. Sure the Arch is beautiful, but go two blocks north or south and you're suddenly in a Third World country.
The Ferguson-Florissant school district may finally get a school board that equitably represents its community. The U.S. Supreme Court rightly declined to hear the districts challenge of a court-imposed revision to the way school board members are elected.

The districts at-large voting system, which favored the election of white candidates, now becomes a cumulative voting system more likely to yield greater diversity on the school board. Voters will be allowed to cast as many votes as there are seats on the ballot. The cumulative system means that if multiple seats are up for election, voters can cast multiple votes for a single candidate or distribute them across the ballot. Cumulative voting is credited with helping remedy the dilution of minority votes in other states.

This solution must not become an excuse for voters to stay home. They still must go to the polls and cast votes if they want to gain the increased representation that this system allows.
"She is now under the sovereignty of Thailand. No one and no embassy can force her to go anywhere. We will protect her as best as we can," Hakpal told a news conference Monday.

"We will talk to her and do whatever she requests. Since she escaped trouble to seek our help, we are the Land of Smiles, we will not send anyone to their death. We won't do that, we will adhere to the human rights principles under the rule of law."

After meeting with Thai immigration officials and UNHCR representatives, Qunun left the hotel with UNHCR staff through the back door to avoid the waiting media outside, Hakpal told CNN.

In a statement, UNHCR said it would "assess her need for international refugee protection and find an immediate solution for her situation."

CNN has not been able to reach Qunun's family for a response to the abuse allegations.

Qunun says she arrived at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday after a flight from Kuwait, where her family is. She told CNN she originally intended to fly on to Australia, but decided to enter Thailand instead.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif.  Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives have opened an investigation into a second death in less than two years at the residence of Democratic Party donor Ed Buck, who has contributed to various California races and causes.

Deputies were called to a West Hollywood residence at 1:05 a.m. Monday on a report of a person not breathing, and county firefighters pronounced the man dead, a department statement said.

The man was not identified and the cause of death will be determined by the coroner.

"On July 27, 2017 there was a death investigation of a male adult, Gemmel Moore, who was determined to have overdosed at the same location. Mr. Edward Buck was present during both incidents," the statement said.

The department said the new investigation will include a review of the 2017 incident.

Buck's attorney, Seymour Amster, told the Los Angeles Times after Monday's death that Buck was not arrested and was cooperating with investigators.

"From what I know, it was an old friend who died of an accidental overdose, and unfortunately, we believe that the substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment," Amster said. "The person came over intoxicated."
With the determination of a dog trying to get all the peanut butter from a chew toy, a surveillance camera caught a man licking a doorbell at times during a three-hour span.

Yes, you read that right. Licking.

A family in Salinas, California, received an alert from their surveillance system just before sunrise on Saturday notifying them about movement by the front door, according to KION.

Sylvia Dungan and her husband were out of town, but her children were inside, though the noise didn't wake them. They called police.

"I thought, boy, there's a lot of traffic," Sylvia Dungan told KION. "I go, 5 o'clock in the morning? My son doesn't get home til 6 o'clock, that's kind of odd. So I started reviewing the videos, then, I ... who the heck is that?"
The court said there was no evidence of any remaining disease following the surgery. The nodules themselves were discovered incidentally following tests after a fall she sustained in November. The key liberal justice returned to the court shortly after the fall that fractured three of her ribs last November.

Dr. Robert Miller, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said he did not think it was "alarming" Ginsburg was not back at work three weeks after surgery, but that he would be concerned "if her activity level does not improve over the next few weeks."

"It's an uncomfortable operation," Miller said. "She already had the rib fractures to deal with when she went into it."

Ginsburg has said that she will continue to serve on the Supreme Court as long as she is able to do the job. In 1999, Ginsburg underwent surgery for colorectal cancer, and 10 years later she was treated for early stages of pancreatic cancer.

"I said I will do this job as long as I can do it full steam," Ginsburg said last month during an interview following a New York City screening of "On the Basis of Sex," a feature film about her years as a young lawyer.
Holiday travel is already stressful enough without needing a SWAT team to get back home.

Janice Henson and her family returned to their house in metro Atlanta on Jan. 2 to a most unwelcome homecoming: a key that wouldn't open the door. What's worse, a man in a wheelchair who claimed to have a gun came to the door, said it was his house now and told them to leave, WSB-TV reported.

Henson called the police. That started a five-hour standoff during which Cobb County police said Nathaniel Jacob Nuckols, 26, threatened to shoot at them, and a SWAT team ramming down the front door and using a robot to find the intruder.

Police said they didn't find a weapon, and Henson surrendered peacefully, but Henson did find family photos moved, some emptied drawers and all their food gone.

"He also left us notes thanking us for the key and thanking us for letting him live here, and it was his house now," Henson told WSB.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to get involved in a legal dispute in which Missouri and 14 other states are seeking to strike down laws in California and Massachusetts that require larger living areas for some farm animals.

The attorney general's office in Missouri, which spearheaded one of the lawsuits, vowed Tuesday to continue fighting for local farmers and consumers and said it was considering the next step.

The Department of Justice had urged the Supreme Court not to accept original jurisdiction over the states' lawsuits. It said the dispute over interstate commerce was best suited for a district court.

The Supreme Court didn't cite a reason for rejecting the lawsuits in a brief order Monday, although it noted Justice Clarence Thomas would have granted the motions.

The high court on Monday also declined to hear an appeal of California's 2004 law banning a poultry product known as foie gras, a liver delicacy made by force-feeding ducks and geese. The issue has been simmering in courts since shortly after lawmakers passed the ban, which also prohibits liver produced out of state from entering California.
Youre telling us dont enjoy your life, but you cant help us, Mason said.

Jonathan Garoutte, administrator of the state agencys environmental public health division, said he appreciated residents concerns and while he doesnt know what its like to live in Spanish Village, he wanted to provide them with scientific data about the situation. Air monitoring around the site has shown a downward trend in foul odors and emissions, he said, while acknowledging the problem has not been eliminated.

We understand that going inside doesnt always fix it, Garoutte told the crowd of about 200.

The shuttered landfill has been smoldering underground since at least 2010, followed by reports of foul odors from the site. Residents concerns are compounded by the adjoining West Lake Landfill, where Cold War-era nuclear waste was dumped in the 1970s. A 2015 federal health report showed no risks to residents from the radioactive materials at the site.

Residents have long been concerned the underground fire would reach the radioactive materials. A 2016 report from the St. Louis County health department acknowledged that higher reported rates of stress levels in the community could be linked to the decades-long saga of the toxic waste site.
MADISON COUNTY  The Madison County Health Department is advising residents to test for radon, an odorless, colorless gas that can seep into homes and, at high levels of exposure, can cause lung cancer in some people.

January is National Radon Action Month according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Certain areas of the United States, including stretches of central and northern Illinois, experience average indoor radon screening levels high enough that the EPA would advise homeowners to undertake repairs to prevent further exposure.

Radon is the second-highest cause of lung cancer in the United States, behind smoking. Roughly 21,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer every year, according to the EPA, and approximately 2,900 of those deaths are among people who have never smoked.
Remember who you are when you arrive, and be that same person or better when you leave, Barnes advised. The air gets light in the Capitol when the person gets surrounded by lobbyists and others who want things from them.

Sen. Jacob Hummel, D-St. Louis, said that to be an effective member of the minority in a Republican-controlled Legislature, Democrats should build relationships with their colleagues.

Hummel, who was elected to the Missouri House in 2008 and who won a special election to the Senate in 2016, lost to Sen.-elect Karla May, D-St. Louis, in the August primary.

Aside from some issues that were egregious, I always tried to treat every other legislator  regardless of party  with respect, Hummel said. We all come from different walks of life, we all come from different places in the state, and we believe in different things. Theres nothing wrong with that.

Former House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, D-Kansas City, who resigned in July after serving eight years, echoed Hummel. She said that effective Democrats find ways to work with Republicans on issues that carry bipartisan appeal.
* British Prime Minister Theresa May ended speculation Sunday (January 6) 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.

* 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 January 6.

* Malaysia's central bank, Bank Negara, said Monday that its international reserves stood at US$101.4 billion as of December 31 last year.

* US President Donald Trump said on January 6 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).

* Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates' Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan agreed on January 6 to work jointly for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

* Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 47-member new cabinet line-up has been announced. The cabinet included 25 ministers including PM Hasina, 19 ministers of state and three deputy ministers.

* The Israeli military said on January 7 that it struck the northern Gaza Strip overnight in retaliation for the rocket fire toward southern Israel. No injuries were immediately reported from both sides.

* German authorities didn't know of a massive data leak that affected politicians until January, the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) said on Saturday, quoted by German news agency DPA.

* Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on January 6 on the White House to recognize "Israeli sovereignty" over the Golan Heights in a joint statements with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Jerusalem. The statements were part of Bolton's trip to Israel which started on January 5. Netanyahu said that he had raised the issue with the US President Donald Trump.

* Libya's UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on January 6 called on Russian companies to return to Libya. Serraj made his remarks during a meeting with the Russian ambassador to Libya Ivan Molotkov in the capital Tripoli.

* Turkish Presidential spokesman said on January 6 that it was irrational to claim "Turkey targets Kurds" in northern Syria, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Turkey's real targets were the militants of the Islamic State, the Kurdish Worker's Party (PKK) and its Syrian offshoots, the spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said.

* The number of tourists visiting Israel in 2018 rose by 14 percent from 2017 to reach a record of 4.1 million, said an annual report published by the Central Bureau of Statistics on January 6.

* At least 31 people were injured in a 5.9-magnitude earthquake that shook Gilangharb city in Kermanshah province in the west of Iran on January 6, Iran Emergency Organization was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Lorestan province as well as in Iraq.

* About 2,000 travelers were stranded overnight at a key airport through Sunday in Hokkaido, northern Japan, as heavy snow caused flight cancellations, local media reported.

* Heavy snowfall continued to hit large parts of Austria on January 6, causing road closures, traffic accidents and congestion, and a high risk of avalanches, local media reported.
Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., who would lead an impeachment of Trump if Democrats decided to go that route, told reporters while touring the border with Mexico Monday that Trump's speech would be worthless because it would be all lies.

Is compromise in this environment possible?

Blunt attempted to signal a way out of the impasse by arguing that Trump has evolved on his wall position.

The president has made a border wall part of his political campaign, part of the purpose of his presidency, and frankly the Democrats are not willing to give any ground on that, Blunt told Bradley.

They are more than willing to say they are for border security; they are not willing to say that they are going to agree with one of the principle things that he talked about when he got elected," Blunt said, "And I think since the election he has refined that discussion to a point that reasonable people should be able to get where the president is. ... He clearly is not insisting on $5.6 billion in one year. There are ways to solve this and we need to solve it and get the government open again.

But Trump himself has been all over the map in even defining what a wall is and how it fits into overall immigration reform.
JEFFERSON CITY  Officials have canceled a trip to Missouri by President Donald Trumps housing czar because of the ongoing partial shutdown of the federal government.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson had been scheduled to speak at the annual Governors Prayer Breakfast at a Jefferson City hotel on Thursday.

But, the 2016 presidential candidate is no longer coming to the sold out event because of the standoff that has left federal agencies unable to operate, officials at HUD and Gov. Mike Parsons administration confirmed Tuesday.

HUD is among the agencies grappling with the effects of the shutdown. For example, an estimated 1,150 Section 8 housing contracts for low-income renters have expired, which could delay repairs and potentially lead to the eviction of poor families who receive housing vouchers.

For now, the only other speaker listed on the schedule is Billy Russell, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Parsons hometown of Bolivar. Russell also preached at Parsons inauguration in June.

The interfaith breakfast, first held in the 1950s, is an annual observance welcoming participants from around Missouri. It typically occurs at the beginning of the Legislatures annual session.

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They were two separate wrongs performed by Suppes and the circuit court did not err in allowing the university to recover damages for each wrong, the court noted.

Suppes, a tenured professor who had worked at the Columbia campus since 2001, began his court fight in 2009. He was fired in 2017.

At the time, the dean of the College of Engineering issued a statement slamming the professor.

Dr. Suppes misconduct has impacted many of our students, staff and faculty over a very long period of time, said Elizabeth Loboa.

On Tuesday, UM System President Mun Choi said university officials remain steadfast in their support of research and discovery on every campus.

We have a very robust and supportive environment for research, and we continue to supply our researchers with resources to help move their discoveries from the laboratory into the marketplace where they can benefit Missourians and citizens across the country. We are committed to maintaining this success," Choi said. At the University of Missouri System, everyone is held to high standards of accountability. This decision against Suppes illustrates our commitment.
I believe there should be the same justice for everybody, said Dianne Williams, 65, a longtime resident of the Pevely area. I think the law should apply to everybody, no matter what your position is.

Ammie Plancarte, 33, a volunteer at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence in Festus called Safe Place, said the lack of charges against Moutray sends a terrible message that emboldens abusers and discourages people from reporting incidents of domestic violence, an already difficult process, she said.

Its a slap in the face to every woman in the county, Plancarte said.

Cheryl Summers of Ballwin was one of the organizers of the #chargethechief rally. She said she is a domestic abuse survivor and learned about the allegations against Moutray by reading a blog known Jefferson County Penknife.

Jefferson County deputies sent a probable cause statement to prosecutors and that tells me some officers on the scene felt there was sufficient evidence, she said. I dont think Ive heard a compelling explanation from the prosecutor. But there is an opportunity for the new prosecuting attorney to do right thing.
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS  A former EMT in the Metro East who moved to Oklahoma and became a police officer has been accused of sexually abusing children in three states.

Michael L. Lindsey, 35, of Harrah, Okla., was charged Monday with predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse in St. Clair County. Court documents allege he sexually assaulted a boy younger than 13 between January and August 2010.

Lindsey was a Fairview Heights resident at the time of the alleged assault, living in the 9300 block of Bunkum Road and working as an EMT, according to Fairview Heights police.

He moved away from the area sometime in 2010. Police have also identified two victims that they say Lindsey sexually abused in Tennessee and Oklahoma. All were pre-teen or teenage boys at the time of the alleged assaults.

Lindsey was arrested in Oklahoma last month and charged with 14 counts of child sexual abuse and one count of sexual battery in that state, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
ST. LOUIS  Prosecutors on Tuesday upgraded charges against a St. Louis woman accused of fatally stabbing the father of her children.

Erricka R. Brown, 29, was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the October stabbing death of Kevin Deandre Gordon. Police said Gordon, 32, died several days after being stabbed during a fight with Brown in a home in the 3700 block of Minnesota Avenue.

Brown was initially charged with domestic assault and armed criminal action in the case. Her bail was set at $500,000 cash.

Brown attacked Gordon during an argument about 9:45 a.m. Oct 10, stabbing him in the heart and lungs, police said.

Brown was arrested at the scene and was jailed with bail set at $100,000, cash-only.

She has been in and out of jail after pleading guilty to bank robbery in 2014, according to court records.

Joel Currier  314-340-8132 @joelcurrier on Twitter jcurrier@post-dispatch.com

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"Why can't he say he's sorry?" Brian Stewart not only left his son with a fatal illness, but that lingering question as well.

Stewart, 32, of Columbia, Ill., was sentenced Friday in St. Charles County Circuit Court to life in prison for injecting his son, now 7, with the AIDS virus in February 1992. And for the first time in the case, the boy's thoughts were brought into the courtroom to be read aloud by his mother Jennifer.

"I think he shouldn't ever be out of jail," the child said. "He shouldn 't have done this. Why did he do such a bad thing to me? I am very mad at him. Why can't he say he's sorry?"

Stewart, a former blood worker at what is now Barnes-Jewish Hospital, was found guilty Dec. 5 of injecting his son with HIV-tainted blood when the boy was 11 months old. The case drew worldwide attention when Stewart was arrested in April and tried early last month.

After listening to the boy's words, those of his sister and his mother, Circuit Judge Ellsworth Cundiff imposed the maximum sentence and an oral pounding.

Cundiff told Stewart life in prison was far too lenient.

"I can't imagine anything worse. You've reached new heights. You're in a class by yourself," Cundiff said.
Six Flags Over Mid-America opened its doors to the public for the first time on June 5, 1971. This is how the Post-Dispatch covered opening day.
ATLANTA  As President Donald Trump digs in on the shutdown and insists "we have to build the wall," three economists are trying to warn him that the benefits from a wall along the southern border do not outweigh the costs.

The economists found that for every 19 cents the government has spent building walls or fences on the border, the economy has declined and low-income U.S. workers have gained only a cent of extra income. Adding more walls, as Trump wants, appears unlikely to change the poor return on investment.

The U.S. border with Mexico is about 2,000 miles long, and a third of it (700 miles) has a wall or fence. Economists Treb Allen of Dartmouth College and Caue Dobbin and Melanie Morten of Stanford University modeled what would happen if Trump were able to cover two-thirds of the border (1,300 miles) with some sort of wall.

Their conclusion? It would hurt the U.S. economy because there would be fewer workers and lower output. It would also have a tiny impact on illegal immigration, and U.S. workers wouldn't be better off.

"Our research shows that building a wall was an ineffective way of reducing migration," Allen said after presenting the new research paper this weekend at the American Economic Association conference. "It was expensive to build, and it harmed U.S. workers."
Sun Country Airlines is adding two nonstop flights to its summer schedule from St. Louis Lambert International Airport  to Portland, Ore., and to Minneapolis  beginning June 7, and a sale is under way with some one-way tickets as low as $69.

The flights to Portland will be twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays, the airport said Tuesday. Flights to Minneapolis will be four times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The sale fares can be found at suncountry.com and must be purchased by Jan. 15. As always, read the fine print.

Sun Country, an Eagan, Minn.-based discount carrier, began flying out of St. Louis this fall, with seasonal service to two Florida airports  Fort Myers and Tampa. It operates out of gate C27 in Terminal One.

The airline said the new St. Louis flights are part of the largest addition of routes in the companys history, which includes 19 new routes and seven new airports, according to Lambert.

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NEW DELHI  India's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Bayer's Monsanto unit can claim patents on its genetically modified cotton seeds, a victory for the crop sciences company that is expected to encourage biotechnology firms to step up investment in the country.

The decision on appeal overturns an earlier ruling by the Delhi High Court that Monsanto could not claim patents on GM cotton seeds.

The outcome is positive for foreign agricultural companies such as Bayer, Dupont Pioneer and Syngenta which have been concerned they could lose patents on GM crops in India, and was also welcomed by one of India's main farmers' associations.

"This is a very good move as most international companies have stopped releasing new technology in the Indian market due to the uncertainty over patent rule," said Ajit Narde, a leader of the Shetkari Sanghatana, a farmers' body, which has been demanding access to new technologies.

Access to advanced technology was important to help Indian farmers compete with rivals overseas, Narde said.
The biggest increase in medical marketing over the past 20 years was in direct-to-consumer advertising, including the TV commercials that exhort viewers to ask your doctor about a particular drug. Spending on such ads jumped from $2.1 billion in 1997 to nearly $10 billion in 2016, according to the study.

A spokeswoman for the pharmaceutical industry group, PhRMA, said that its ads provide scientifically accurate information to patients. These ads increase awareness of the benefits and risks of new medicines and encourage appropriate use of medicines, said Holly Campbell, of PhRMA.

The makers of genetic tests  including those that allow people to learn their ancestry or disease risk also bombard the public with advertising. The number of ads for genetic testing grew from 14,100 in 1997 to 255,300 in 2016, at a cost that year of $82.6 million, according to the study. AncestryDNA spends more than any other company of its kind, devoting $38 million to marketing in 2016 alone.
Boeing Co. delivered a record 806 aircraft in 2018 to retain the title of the world's biggest planemaker for the seventh straight year, but missed its full-year target of 810 to 815 due to supplier woes that delayed shipments.

European rival Airbus SE, which will report its numbers later this week, met its own 800-jet target pending final audit, but is certain to lag behind Boeing due to engine delays, industry sources said earlier.

Shares of Boeing rose 3.2 percent to $339.

Investors and analysts closely watch the number of planes Boeing turns over to airlines and leasing firms for hints on the company's cashflow and revenue.

Boeing also looked set to beat Airbus for aircraft orders on a like-for-like basis in 2018 after booking 893 net orders, excluding cancellations in the year.

Meanwhile, Airbus ended November with 380 net orders, to which it has since added confirmed deals for another 220 aircraft.

According to industry sources, it won another 150 from Asian-backed leasing companies that are yet to be announced, with Boeing also getting a lift from Chinese demand.
The most important subject discussed at the General Affairs Council (GAC) meeting this Tuesday was the multi-annual financial framework, Minister Delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba, who chaired the meeting, told a media briefing. He pointed out that Romania will spare no effort to provide a basis for an agreement on this topic in autumn.

The most important issue we tackled today was the next multi-annual financial framework, which is a strategic file for our Presidency. We once again expressed the ambition to deliver. I believe that the European Council has set the deadline for this autumn, but this does not mean that we should be less ambitious. I consider we must do everything possible, Ciamba told a press conference in Brussels. "We want to prepare a basis for an agreement in autumn 2019," he said.

Ciamba also spoke about Romania's approach of the Presidency of the Council of the EU: I emphasized that we will work like a neutral broker to rise to expectations, we want to preserve unity and cohesion in the Union in a dynamic period that is marked by challenges - the Brexit, but at the same time by the bridge in between institutional cycles.

The Romanian official mentioned the Sibiu Summit due to take place during the Romanian Presidency, adding that disinformation was also a topic discussed at Tuesday's CAG meeting.

Disinformation has become one of the greatest challenges to our democracies. In order to be effective, we need joint efforts of the EU member states and of the civil society, Minister Delegate for European Affairs Ciamba pointed out, adding that action is particularly urgent ahead of the 2019 EP elections, in order to protect them against 'outside influences', but that a longer term strategy needs to be developed, in full respect of fundamental rights.

Read also: Central bank's Isarescu: BNR, not putting pressure on banks not to lower ROBOR

The legislative cycle ends with our term and this is why we must be very ambitious. We must be realistic, but it is very important to advance and close as many files as possible in the next few weeks. (...) We want to work with determination, optimism and realism at the same time, Ciamba concluded.

AGERPRES .
Romania has voiced its availability in principle, alongside other member states, to take over five migrants from those that have recently stranded on the coasts of Malta, the gesture being "a particular one, of solidarity," informs a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday.

"This offer will materialise later on, within the current legislative framework and the Dublin Regulation, which refers to the management of such situations that are of a profound humanitarian nature," the cited source shows.

The decision represents "a particular gesture of solidarity that Romania has decided to convey, including with the aim of offering, from the perspective of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, a positive signal to encourage the other Member States to follow similar conduct, given the extremely delicate humanitarian situation of the 49 migrants," MAE adds.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union have been permanently in touch with the European institutions with duties in the field and with the other EU Member States, the press release states.

Read also: CAB reasoning: Decisions to set up Bucharest municipal companies breach two-third vote requirement, therefore illegal

In fact, MAE further points out, in the context of EU migration talks, Romania has consistently supported the importance of joint action on the basis of the principles of solidarity and accountability and ensuring a fair balance between them. Romania continues to support this approach also from the perspective of the Presidency of the EU Council.

AGERPRES .
The total number of companies having suspended their activity went up 14.21 percent in the first 11 months of 2018 as against the similar period of 2017, reaching 16,663 from 14,590, according to the data centralised by the National Trade Register Office (ONRC).

The largest number of companies having suspended their activity were registered in Bucharest - 1,767, and in the Counties of Bihor - 957, Cluj - 745 and Constanta - 675.

In comparison to the first 11 months of 2017, drops in the number of companies that suspended their activity were only witnessed in the Counties of Brasov (minus 3.72 percent), Sibiu (minus 2.53 percent), and Giurgiu (minus 2.22 percent). The most significant increases in the number of suspensions were recorded in the Counties of Olt (plus 36.87 percent), Vrancea (plus 34.43 percent) and Calarasi (plus 30 percent).In November 2018, a number of 1,649 companies suspended their activity, most of them in Bihor County (139), Bucharest (121), Constanta (75) and Cluj (68).
Minister of Justice Tudorel Toader on Monday evening stated that he will notify the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) if President Klaus Iohannis rejects the request for the dismissal of Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar, maintaining that "such abuses must not continue."

"I too know that the President says he is pleased with the activity of the Prosecutor General. None of us knows, however, why exactly he is so pleased. I believe that he could give us an answer, but he surely won't. I believe that, in Lazar's case, the reasons for dismissal are obvious, stronger even than in the case of Kovesi. I invited the President to read again the decision of the Constitutional Court, supposing he did read it and understand it the first time. Of course, it's his option, if this is decided, we will notify the Constitutional Court again, for such abuses must not continue, not at the level of magistrates-prosecutors and not at the level of the highest dignitary of the Romanian state, namely the President. Most probably we are going to the Constitutional Court again, which we hope will give us the same answer. And even tell us: "But haven't you understood that we issued a decision recently about Kovesi that also applies here to its letter and exigencies?" (...) I believe this is the normal thing to do, for we cannot wait endlessly for the President to make a decision, to see if he has time to read, to see if he has the capacity to understand, for, after all, this rule of law is not at someone's hand or will," Toader said during a phone conversation with the Antena 3 private television broadcaster.

In the context of the registration to show prosecutors from DNA (National Anti-Corruption Directorate) Oradea, Tudorel Toader claims that there is need of radical measures in justice."In my opinion, what is important is that we know the truth. For I don't believe there could still be someone who doubts the fact that we need to take radical measures. Two years ago, maybe no one believed me. Unfortunately, all Romanians have seen these abuses in the meantime, for they came to the surface," Toader said.
Minister of Internal Affairs Carmen Dan said on Tuesday that President Iohannis' action against the Social Democratic Party (PSD, major at rule, ed.n.) affects police officers "who are and must remain outside of political games," referring to the unconstitutionality notification of the head of state on the Law for the amendment and completion of some pieces of legislations in the field of public order and safety.

Carmen Dan said that the effects of the constant blocking by President Klaus Iohannis of any demarche without legal grounds affect Romanians.

"Yesterday you added another refusal to the collection of such gestures with which you have accustomed us lately. But this time, your action against PSD affects the police, who are and must remain outside of political games. What kind of president of country is the one that dares to play with national security? How can one get to politicising the Police activity? The law on the police officer's authority has been in public debate for more than a year and a half, probably the most widely debated issue. Professional organizations, NGOs and the civil society have contributed to this law. Police officers' unions have also been very involved in the wording of this draft and I expect them to react to this blocking of the legislative demarche," Carmen Dan wrote on Facebook.

Carmen Dan said the final vote in Parliament "was eloquent" with 190 votes in favour of the 192 MPs present.

Minister Dan added that she would have wanted the president to also be concerned about the Romanian Police when police officers were "killed in cold blood while on mission."

Read also: Babes-Bolyai University, The Prince of Wales Foundation join forces for pilot entrepreneurship training project

President Klaus Iohannis sent on Monday to the Constitutional Court of Romania an unconstitutionality notification on the Law for the amendment and completion of some normative documents in the field of public order and safety.

AGERPRES .
The initiation of a challenge procedure in a contentious administrative court of the decree to extend General Nicolae Ciuca's mandate as Chief of General Staff is being prepared at the National Defence Ministry (MApN), official sources confirmed for AGERPRES.

According to the sources, the challenge will be most probably filed on Wednesday.

President Klaus Iohannis announced on 28 December 2018, after the meeting of the Supreme Council for National Defence (CSAT), that he signed a decree extending the mandate of General Nicolae Ciuca at the helm of the General Staff of Defence, pointing out that the proposal made by the Defence Minister, Gabriel Les, for filling in this position wasn't approved.On the same day, PM Viorica Dancila said that President Klaus Iohannis hasn't the prerogative of extending the mandate of the General Staff of Defence chief, maintaining that the decree announced by the head of state doesn't comply with the legality requirements and creates the premises for a judicial conflict of a constitutional nature.
Prosecutor General Augustin Lazar on Tuesday will participate in a meeting of the National Anti-corruption Directorate (DNA), at this institution's headquarters, after which Anca Jurma announced she no longer wants her mandate as interim chief at the DNA to be prolonged.

According to some DNA officials, the meeting is scheduled to be held at 11.00 am.

Minister of Justice Tudorel Toader on Monday announced that Anca Jurma will give up her nomination for interim chief prosecutor at the DNA, with a notification in this respect being sent during the meeting of the Section for Prosecutors of the Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM).The office of chief prosecutor at the DNA remained empty after Laura Codruta Kovesi was dismissed under a decree issued by President Klaus Iohannis on July 9, the latter being forced to do so because of a resolution of the Constitutional Court.Subsequently, the Minister of Justice proposed the nomination of Adina Florea for chief prosecutor at the DNA. President Klaus Iohannis rejected this proposal.
Former servicepeople of the Romanian Forces and youth who live in rural areas or intend to develop a rural business attended intensive entrepreneurship training under a pilot project developed by the Babes-Bolyai University (UBB) in Cluj-Napoca and The Prince of Wales Foundation.

"Training is also very useful for those who need to strengthen their management, marketing and/or strategy implementation skills, as it involves trainers with experience in adult education," the initiators of the program said in a release on Tuesday.

According to the representatives of the Cluj-Napoca University, this pilot project is not just the result of the collaboration between The Prince of Wales Foundation and the Babes-Bolyai University, but also an expression of the university's community involvement through the development of high quality continuous training programs.

"As a world-class oriented university, UBB has developed all three relevant main missions: knowledge generation (through research), knowledge dissemination (through education - teaching/learning) and knowledge use (through innovative transfer and outreach), which are recognized as such in the international rankings of universities, where UBB is on the top position in the country. By placing research at the center of the academic process, education at the UBB becomes a modern process, with interactive teaching and learning techniques and innovative, high quality services to the community," the release reads.

Read also: Euro trades at 4.6670 lei

Starting from this academic profile of the Babes-Bolyai University and seeking to continue the positive collaboration experience, The Prince of Wales Foundation offers another 50 scholarships for another two entrepreneurship training classes at UBB. The first class graduated in November last year. The project is coordinated by the UBB Center for Continuing Education, Distance Learning and Part-time learning; the next enrollment deadline is January 18, 2019.

AGERPRES .
The Statesville Police Department is searching for two suspects it says robbed a downtown Statesville business Monday afternoon.

A press release said surveillance footage from New York Styles on East Broad Street showed two unidentified black men, cloaked in hoodies, enter the store around 6:20 p.m.

Police said the suspects displayed a handgun and made off with cash, cell phones and jewelry. No injuries were reported.

The suspects were recorded on surveillance video.

Detectives are investigating the incident. The Statesville Police Department is asking anyone with information to call SPD at 704-878-3406 or leave an anonymous tip on the Iredell Crime Stoppers line at 704-662-1340.
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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.
LINCOLN  Gov. Pete Ricketts proposed new jobs and education initiatives Monday to develop and keep young talent in Nebraska and connect Nebraskans to high-paying jobs and educational opportunities as the need for skilled workers continues to grow. The announcement came Monday, Jan. 7, ahead of the legislative session set to start Wednesday, Jan. 9.

Connecting Nebraskans to great job opportunities and helping our people develop the skills they need to take great jobs is critical to growing our state, Ricketts said. These new initiatives will help more Nebraskans find the pathway to a great career. I look forward to working with the Legislature on these measures as a part of the budget recommendation I will be making next week.

If the state Legislature funds the new program, the Nebraska Talent Scholarships program would offer $4,000 in annual scholarships to college students at the University of Nebraska, state colleges and community colleges.
I will be here for sure through mid-April, he said. It will be up to the board whether or not I stay much past mid-April or not, depending on when they get my replacement hired and how soon that person can be hired, so the transition can be smooth.

While his contract ends on June 29, he will leave by May 24, if not sooner, to use unused vacation time. Following his departure, an interim will complete the rest of his contract period until the new superintendent takes over on June 1.

West is in his 11th year at ESU 13 and has learned that educational needs change and required ESU 13 to expand their services in early childhood programs and mental and behavioral health initiatives to provide the services the schools need. He also learned about surrounding himself with good people.

Ive learned in my position, you hire really good people, you give them the support that they need, and then you let them do their job, he said. Ive been blessed to have been able to hire some outstanding people and surround myself with some of the best people in the state.

West and his wife, Laura, will travel to Pennslyvania Wednesday to begin the house searching process. They have visited the area on vacation and loved the area, which is why when the opportunity presented itself to move, they decided to go for it.
If you talk to the same people who dont want taxes, they want a new pool or a new park, Shaver said. Everybody wants something but they dont want to pay for it. Either we stop spending money or we find a way to pay for improvements. Those are our two choices.

Mayor Ray Gonzales said he was concerned about the effect of an additional tax on restaurants when many of them have been closing in the past few years.

Shaver said there were similar concerns when Scottsbluff implemented an occupation tax on hotel lodging.

People were saying travelers would stay in other towns, but it didnt happen, he said. Gering has lower rates at their new hotel but people still stay here in Scottsbluff.

Johnson said that if a restaurant occupation tax were passed, it would need to be tied to specific projects, not just going into the general fund.

The council asked for more information, including the cost of hiring a new person, before they would continue discussing the proposal.

Another possible occupation tax on cell phone usage also came up for discussion at the councils Monday meeting.
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 beauty tech revolution is just getting started with CB Insights reporting that smart cosmetic devices are going to be one of the hottest beauty trends of 2019.

Starting this trend off with a bang this year is French beauty company LOreal. At this years CES in Las Vegas, the company is unveiling its brand new beauty wearable: a tiny sensor that measures skin pH levels, named My Skin Track pH.

My Skin Track has been developed in collaboration between LOreals skincare brand La Roche-Posay and a start-up named Epicore Biosystems. Its the first wearable that can test skin pH and has been in development for two years.

pH balance can tell you a lot about the condition of your skin, Guive Balooch, global VP of the LOreal Technology Incubator, tells the Standard. And while the link between pH and skin health has long been known by the scientific community, there has never been a simple and convenient way to capture personalised pH data outside of a clinical environment.

How My Skin Track pH works

In general, the pH of your skin should usually be around 4.5 and 5.5, in the slightly acidic range. When pH balance is compromised, either by environmental factors or underlying conditions, it can trigger inflammatory responses. This includes conditions such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, and dryness.

The idea is that the sensor can measure the pH of skin and will allow La Roche-Posay to learn more about different skin types for research and eventually offer customised product recommendations for skincare and balance pH.

It can also help you learn more about your skin. Previously, measuring skin pH has involved either copious amounts of sweat or rigid, cumbersome electronics that are typically used in clinical settings. These are the types of issues LOreal wanted to solve with the new device. Instead, the My Skin Track pH device is a discreet wearable that can analyse your skin in around 15 minutes.

The tiny wearable uses microfluidics to capture tiny amounts of sweat from skin pours / L'Oreal

The device uses an emerging technology called microfluidics. This captures tiny amounts of sweat from skin pores to measure indications such as glucose, sodium, fluoride and now pH.

Though LOreal is debuting the product at CES, you wont be able to buy it in stores just yet. Select dermatologists will have access to the tracker by the end of 2019, whilst LOreal works with Northwestern University in the US to conduct research on the device. Balooch says LOreal will use the research insights to determine a price and timing for the device to make its way into your hands.

The future of beauty wearables

You might remember that LOreal released another beauty wearable last year, My Skin Track UV which measures the UV exposure your skin has undertaken. Balooch says the pH device is an entirely separate device but like the UV tracking, the pH version utilises technology to provide personalised information about the health of your skin.

Both are tools that can be used to help better understand your skin and help craft customised regimes that keep your skin healthier, explains Balooch.

The wearable was designed to be small and discreet (L'Oreal) / L'Oreal

The two devices are part of LOreals mission to utilise tech to create better products, and personalisation is a major part of that. We believe that the future of beauty is closely tied to health and the future of LOreal is incorporating technology to give people user-friendly, personalised ways to take better care of their skin, says Balooch.
W ho doesnt love a Google Doodle? Since launching in 1998, there have been over 2,000 Google Doodles, transforming the iconic logo to mark specific days, anniversaries and events.

But did you know you could create your own Google Doodle?

For the past 10 years, Google has been running an annual Doodle for Google contest which encourages students to send in their ideas for a doodle on a specific theme.

Last years Doodle competition was all about What inspires me. The winner, second grader Sarah Gomez-Lane, sent in a delightful depiction of dinosaurs to highlight her dream of becoming a palaeontologist.

As part of the prize, Sarah had the opportunity to collaborate with the Doodle team at Google to transform her work into an animated experience.

In addition, she received $30,000 towards a college scholarship, no mean feat considering how expensive university education is in the US, as well as a $50,000 donation to her elementary school to spend on technology.

How to enter this years Google Doodle competition

You can now enter this years Doodle for Google competition but there is a catch: you have to be of school age and live in the US or a US territory.

The theme for this years Doodle for Google contents is When I grow up, I hope . Google is looking for entries that demonstrate what you hope for the future whether that's classrooms on Mars or a pill that cures everything.

There are a few celebrity judges for this years event including the host of The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon, Kermit the Frog and the 2018 US National Teacher of the Year winner Mandy Manning.

If you dont live in the US, unfortunately, you wont be able to win this years competition but doodling is your passion, its worth drafting some entries anyway. Google has a special team of talented illustrators, named Doodlers, which create the doodles that light up the Google homepage.
G oogle kicked off its CES 2019 experience by revealing that its AI assistant, the Google Assistant, is now in more than one billion devices worldwide and it doesnt plan on stopping there.

Updates galore are coming to the AI, so it can become your indispensable companion in your home, in your car and when youre travelling.

Heres what you need to know about the updates coming to the Google Assistant.

Google Assistant isnt just about Google

The big thing to know about the new Google Assistant updates is that the AI is moving beyond just Google products.

Today, Google is previewing Google Assistant Connect, a platform that manufacturers can use to bring the Google Assistant into their products.

Previously, Google has worked in conjunction with specific brands, such as Lenovo, to incorporate the Assistant.

Now, anyone making a product can include the AI and Google hopes this will lead to lots more smart devices on the market.

New Assistant products incoming

After working with Lenovo to create the Smart Display, essentially the first Google Home with a screen, the two companies have collaborated again on an intelligent alarm clock, named the Smart Clock.

It looks almost like a mini version of the Google Home Hub, with a four-inch touchscreen, featuring a clock as well as alarm suggestion based on your daily routines and the capacity to control your smart home devices.

Another major product announcement is that the Google Assistant is coming to Sonos for the first time. You can now listen to your favourite music, podcasts and radio stations using the Assistant on your Sonos One or Sonos Beam device.

Google Assistant is now available in Sonos devices

Dont leave home without Google Assistant

Google wants the Assistant to be with you wherever you travel. For starters, the Assistant will now help you navigate in Google Maps, share your ETA with friends and family, or play music and podcasts with your voice whilst youre driving.

Other new travel features include being able to check in to your flight using the Assistant. This is starting with US domestic flights by United Airlines, though were hoping this will expand to other airline and services.

Essentially, you will be able to say Hey Google, check in to my flight, and the Assistant will take care of the hard work for you.

Finally, Google is putting its Translator abilities to the test with a new Interpreter Mode in the Assistant. This will be rolling out to Google Home and Smart Display devices over the next few weeks.

The new Interpreter mode coming to the Google Assistant (Google ) / Google

Say, Hey Google, be my French interpreter, and the device will help you receive real-time spoken and written (on Smart Displays and Google Home Hubs) to help with the conversation.
J eremy Clarkson has said that if you have a scrotum you should forget landing a job in TV.

The Grand Tour host was asked why he thought so many stars are leaving the BBC while promoting the return of the Amazon Prime series, claiming publishing salaries isnt very helpful and that: Men just dont get jobs there at all.

Clarkson, who joins Richard Hammond and James May for another globe-trotting spin in supercars and unique one-offs later this month, said he thinks the balance has completely tipped, citing the interview process for the post of Question Time presenter as an example.

Poor old Nick Robinson going for an interview for Question Time  what a waste of petrol that was. No chance hes going to get that Anyone whos got a scrotum, forget it They arent giving jobs to men at the moment, he said.

Gearing up: The Amazon Prime trio on the new series of The Grand Tour / Ellis O'Brien/Amazon

When asked if he thought the pendulum has swung too far, Clarkson, who used to present Top Gear on BBC2, replied: There is an argument that its been all men for a long time, so whats wrong with it being all women for some time? I get that. Thats fine. Its just as men we have to accept weve had it.

In the first episode of the new series, the three men travel to Detroit to wrap their knuckles around the steering wheels of a trio of highly-tuned muscle cars: the Ford Mustang RTR Spec 3, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, and the Hennessey Exorcist Camaro. Future locations for the series include Colombia, Azerbaijan, and Mongolia, a drive across its emptiness was something Clarkson was particularly taken with.

In the driving seat: Jeremy Clarkson is no longer at the BBC / Ellis O'Brien/Amazon

He said: It was the same as going from London to Rome and seeing no evidence of mans existence. Thats a bloody long way. I found that eye-opening. You can see why Genghis Khan went travelling  it was to find people to talk to.

An addition to this new series are downloadable episodes for The Grand Tour game, which allows viewers to relive the latest episode by driving the latest cars across the very locations theyve just watched.
R ichard Hammond, who has been involved in a number of high-profile crashes, has said he has always been a cautious driver.

The television presenter, 49, said that, despite being a risk-taker, he was not gung-ho behind the wheel.

Hammond, 49, was left in a coma for two weeks with brain injuries after crashing a jet-powered car at Elvington airfield near York in 2006.

Speaking about driving, the Grand Tour star admitted that he has become more careful since starting a family.

He said: "I'm 50 next year. I have two beautiful teenage daughters and a beautiful wife and I want to be there for them.

"This is a job, remember. I do my job to be with my family. That's why I work, therefore I wouldn't jeopardise the reason that I do it.

I wouldn't risk not being there to see them. I think we all become a little more cautious perhaps."

In 2006 Hammond, 49, was left in a coma for two weeks and with brain injuries after crashing a jet-powered car at Elvington airfield near York.

He is set to return alongside Jeremy Clarkson and James May in the third series of The Grand Tour.

He added: "I've never been gung-ho. Honestly, never have been.

I'm naturally quite cautious. I'm a risk-taker and therefore I am cautious, if that makes sense?

I fly helicopters, I've ridden motorcycles for 33 years, so I am naturally cautious. I'll look at a risk and think if it is worth taking.

Are the odds reasonable and what can I mitigate against it going wrong? Then sometimes it does go wrong - either by your own mistake or beyond your own control.

"There are some circumstances, for a little bit after the brain injury crash where I rolled that car at 320mph, there was a while when I didn't like sitting at the edge of a runway or a straight drag race.
N ew BFFs Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper shrugged off their Golden Globes snub as they joined forces to support their co-star Sam Elliott.

The trio acted alongside each other in A Star is Born, which was widely snubbed at Sunday nights ceremony, picking up only one of a potential five awards.

But Cooper and Gaga appeared unfazed as they shared a hug with Elliott and cheered on the actor outside the TCL Chinese Theatre for his Hand And Footprint Ceremony.

Gaga shared several snaps from the event on Instagram, including one showing Elliott planting a kiss on her forehead.

Tender: Sam Elliott with Lady Gaga at his hand and footprint ceremony / Instagram/ Lady Gaga

So excited to be here for Sam Elliotts hand & footprint ceremony, she captioned he snap.

In another showing the actor placing his hand in the cement, she wrote: We love you Sam!!!

Sam Elliott sandwich: Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga give Sam Elliott a squeeze / Getty Images

Cooper gave a speech at the ceremony which also saw Ashton Kutcher step out to show his support.

It came hours after A Star is Born missed out on the Best Film gong at the Golden Globes to Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. Cooper and Gaga were also snubbed in the Best Actor and Actress categories as well as Director for Cooper.

Lady Gaga accepts award best original song award for 'Shallow'

But Gaga did pick up the Best Original Song award for her track Shallow  something she celebrated in bed with a bowl of cereal.

Gagas fiance Christian Carino shared a black and white snap of their low-key celebrations alongside the caption: What a rager.

Cooper was joined at the 76th annual bash by his girlfriend Irina Shayk. The couple looked far from miserable as they arrived hand-in-hand, while Shayk was later spotted affectionately fixing Coopers bowtie.

Their rare appearance comes weeks after they were reported to be on the rocks.
H ugh Jackman said he would love to work with his wife again on screen  but that she had ruled it out to keep their marriage stronger.

The Wolverine star was 26 and fresh out of drama school when he met Deborra-Lee Furness, then 39, on the set of Australian TV series Correlli in 1995. They married a year later.

Jackman, 50, said Furness, now 63, was one of the greatest actors he had ever worked with, but that she had always insisted it would not happen again.

He said: Id love to work with her again, but she made a rule in the beginning  and it was a wise one  that she and I wouldnt work at the same time. Shed done about 20, 25 movies when I met her and shed seen a number of marriages go whew-whew [whistles softly between teeth]. She said, Youre both working at the same time, its hard. So we dont do it. Simple as that.

Vow: Hugh Jackman says his wife made a rule that they should never work at the same time / Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

Jackman, who is 6ft 2in, also revealed that he was warned he was too tall to become a movie star when he arrived in Hollywood in 2000. He told Hello! magazine: Id walk into peoples offices and theyd go, Oh, man! and list all the big actors  and all of them were shorter than me.

Hugh Jackman concedes he is 'too thin-skinned for politics'

To make it worse, my first movie in America was X-Men, where I played Wolverine, who in the comics is short. I met Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman and he said, Theres a problem  Wolverine is only 5ft 5in.

I squatted down and said, Thats no problem at all. I spent my first five years in town doing a squat on the screen.

He added: When you get your first Hollywood job, you do what anyone asks. I got used to it after a while  anyway, its good for the legs.

In June the star is coming to London for a tour based on music from his film The Greatest Showman. He will play six nights at the O2.
Bale scooped the gong for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the ceremony for his role as Dick Cheney in biopic Vice.

Stunned by his win, the actor reeled off tributes to his wife, children and co-stars in his acceptance speech but left the room stunned when he gave a nod to Satan for giving him inspiration.

Revelling in the mention, the Church of Satan later tweeted: To us, Satan is a symbol of pride, liberty and individualism, and it serves as an external metaphorical projection of our highest personal potential.

As Mr. Bale's own talent and skill won him the award, this is fitting. Hail Christian! Hail Satan!

In his speech, Bale thanked Adam McKay for casting him in the hit film, joking that he had to be charisma free and reviled.

Loved up: Christian Bale and wife Sibi Blazic / Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The actor said: Thank you to that geezer over there Adam [McKay]. He said I have to find somebody that can be absolutely charisma-free and reviled by everybody so we wanted Christian Bale in it. Thank you.

And for all the competition I will be cornering the market on charisma-free a********. What do you think, Mitch McConnell next? That would be good, wouldn't it? Thank you to Satan for giving me inspiration for playing this role.

Other Brits to triumph at the awards include Bodyguard actor Richard Madden and A Very English Scandals Ben Whishaw.

Olivia Coleman also won Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her role in The Favourite.
B ryan Cranston has defended being cast as a quadriplegic in upcoming film The Upside, saying that it was only a business decision to hire him.

The Breaking Bad actor, famed for playing Walter White in the hit series, stars as a paralysed billionaire who hires a parolee  played by comedian Kevin Hart - to be his carer in his latest film.

Cranston, who is able-bodied, recently spoke out about his casting in the role as a debate continues to surround Hollywood about minority groups in the industry.

He branded the move a business decision but admitted the opportunities for disabled people need to be expanded.

The actor said: We live in the world of criticism, if we're willing to get up and try something, we have to also be willing to take criticism.

The Upside - Trailer

We're very aware of the need to expand the opportunities for people with disabilities. I think being cast in this role as a quadriplegic really came down to a business decision.

"As actors, we're asked to be other people, to play other people. If I, as a straight, older person, and I'm wealthy, I'm very fortunate, does that mean I can't play a person who is not wealthy, does that mean I can't play a homosexual?

"I don't know, where does the restriction apply, where is the line for that? I think it is worthy for debate to discuss those issues.

Star: Charlie Heaton will play the title role in The Elephant Man / Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

Last year, Charlie Heaton and the BBC came under fire after casting the Stranger Things actor as the lead in The Elephant Man.

The broadcaster was criticised by disabled stars for not having a disabled lead actor in the upcoming adaption about the life of Joseph Merrick.

Responding to the criticism, a BBC spokesperson said: The Elephant Man is an iconic drama that has had an important role to play in highlighting changing attitudes to disability and we are currently in the process of casting disabled actors in a variety of key roles.
P olice given powers to stop airport drone threat

Police are to be handed extra powers to combat the threat of drones after mass disruption at Gatwick Airport in the run-up to Christmas.

Gatwick was repeatedly forced to close over the festive period due to reported drone sightings, which affected about 1,000 flights.

The Government has now announced a package of measures which include plans to give police the power to land, seize and search drones.

Last week it emerged Heathrow and Gatwick are spending millions of pounds on anti-drone equipment that can help down the devices.

MPs raise safety concerns after verbal abuse

More than 50 MPs have written to the Met Police Commissioner urging for intervention amid growing verbal abuse outside Parliament.

A cross-party group of at least 55 MPs signed the letter to Cressida Dick criticising a "lack of co-ordination" in the response from the police.

The move comes after protesters were seen shouting Nazi taunts at Tory MP Anna Soubry yesterday during a Sky News broadcast.

Scotland Yard said officers are investigating whether any crimes have been committed in relation to the incident.

Kim Jong-un arrives in Beijing for surprise talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Beijing for an unannounced visit to China at the request of President Xi Jinping.

The North Korean leader pulled into the Chinese capitals North Station in a three-car train lined by police and paramilitary troops earlier today.

Security vehicles and officials had also been seen blocking roads around the train station in the China-North Korea border town of Dandong.

The four-day visit comes amid reports negotiations were under way for a possible second summit between Kim and Donald Trump.

Clarkson: I would run the BBC better

Jeremy Clarkson has accused the BBC of "being up itself" and said he would run the corporation better by not being so "politically correct".

The 58-year-old worked for the broadcaster until he left Top Gear in 2015.

In this week's Radio Times, he said: "If I ran the BBC, it would be betterId make programmes for everybody, not just seven people in Islington.

Spacey pleads not guilty in assault case

Kevin Spacey has pleaded not guilty to groping a young man at a bar in 2016.

The Oscar-winning actor had to push through a crowd of journalists and cameras as he arrived at Massachusetts district court yesterday.

Spacey did not speak during the hearing and his lawyers entered the not guilty plea on his behalf.

The 59-year-old actor faces charges of indecent assault and battery.

Brexit drama divides viewers

The hotly-anticipated Brexit drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch divided viewers when it hit television screens last night.

Brexit: The Uncivil War charts the frenzied months of campaigning in the run-up to the 2016 referendum.

While some praised the Channel 4 show for its scope, others were unimpressed, branding it depressing and likening it to a horror film.

On this day

1800: The first soup kitchens for the poor of London began operation.

1815: The British, led by General Sir Edward Pakenham, were defeated at New Orleans in the last battle Britain fought against the US.

1832: Bell's New Weekly Messenger published the first cartoon to appear in an English newspaper.

1889: Dr Herman Hollerith of New York patented an electrically operated computer to process data. The company he formed to market his invention evolved into the giant IBM.

1921: David Lloyd George became the first British prime minister to occupy Chequers, a country mansion in Buckinghamshire, presented to the nation as a gift by Lord Lee of Fareham.

1940: Sugar, bacon and butter were rationed in Britain.
A woman in Canada was pronounced dead after she was found trapped partially inside a clothing donation bin in Toronto.

Emergency crews attended the scene in the west end of Toronto on Tuesday at 1.30am.

Police told local media that the incident does not appear suspicious and the death is likely accidental, according to CBC.

According to reports, firefighters had to cut the metal supports on the drawer of the hatch to free the woman, who was in her 30s.

Paramedics attempted CPR on the woman however she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Neighbours said that the bin was new after the previous one was broken into.

It is the eighth death involving clothing donation bins since 2015.

CBC reported that the hatches prevent theft of donations however it also traps people who lean in too far.

Last year, a 34-year-old man was found lodged in a clothing donation box in West Vancouver.
N orth Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in Beijing for an unannounced visit to China at the request of President Xi Jinping.

The North Korean leader arrived in the Chinese capitals railway station in a three-car train lined by police and paramilitary troops on Tuesday.

Security vehicles and officials had earlier been seen blocking roads around the train station in the China-North Korea border town of Dandong.

North Korean Central News Agency said Kim departed on Monday afternoon with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and other top officials.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju inspect an honour guard before leaving Pyongyang for a visit to China / REUTERS

Images show the leader and his wife on a red carpet, inspecting an honour guard before boarding the train.

The four-day visit comes amid reports negotiations were under way for a possible second summit between Kim and Donald Trump.

A vehicle in the motorcade of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seen in Beijing / AFP/Getty Images

Kim met the US President last June for a historic meeting, the first for a sitting leader of the United States.

Upon his arrival in China, Kim will be likely be driven by motorcade to the Diaoyutai State Guest House in western Beijing.

A train similar to one seen during previous visits by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives at Beijing Railway Station / AP

While he is expected to take part in meetings which will be held at the Great Hall of the People.

South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said on Tuesday that Seoul hopes Kims trip to China will act as a stepping stone for a second Trump-Kim summit.

Kim's arrival in Beijing coincides with U.S.-China trade talks in Beijing that seek to end the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies ahead of a March deadline.

Asked whether China was linking to issues in an interview Monday with CNBC, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues."

"Their behaviour has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that," Pompeo said.
C elebrities and politicians have thanked a US Governor for granting a woman clemency after she was handed a life sentence for killing a man who solicited her for sex when she was a child.

Cyntoia Brown was granted clemency on Monday following years of national attention from criminal justice advocates, celebrities and politicians calling for mercy.

At 16-years-old, she was convicted of murdering Johnny Allen, a Nashville real estate agent.

Her lawyers contended that she was a victim of sex trafficking who not only feared for her life but also lacked the mental capacity to be culpable in the killing because she was impaired by her mothers alcohol use while she was in the womb.

A combination photo of Cyntoia Brown shown in these 2006 and 2013 photos / REUTERS

Many celebrities and politicians took to social media to praise Tennessee governor Bill Haslams decision to grant the now 30-year-old clemency.

Kim Kardashian West wrote: Thank you Governor Haslam.

While Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said: Thank you TN Gov. @BillHaslam for your decision to grant clemency to Cyntoia Brown.

We must reform our criminal justice system so that cases like Cyntoias dont happen. Until then, it is up to leaders across the country with the moral compass to make decisions like these.

While Viola Davis said: "YES!!! YES! This is when our justice system makes me proud. Made my day."

In a statement Governor Haslam said: Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16.

"Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life.

According to court documents, Ms Brown ran away from her adoptive family in Nashville in 2004 and began living in a hotel with a man known as Cut Throat, who forced her to become a prostitute.

Court documents say he verbally, physically and sexually assaulted her.

One night, Mr Allen picked up Ms Brown at a Sonic Drive-In and she agreed to engage in sexual activity for $150. Once at his place, Ms Brown eventually got into Mr Allen's bed. She told authorities she thought he was reaching for a gun, so she shot him with a handgun from her purse.

She took two of his guns and his money from his wallet before fleeing the scene.

Ms Brown expressed thanks in a statement released Monday by her legal team.

"I am thankful for all the support, prayers, and encouragement I have received. We truly serve a God of second chances and new beginnings. The Lord has held my hand this whole time and I would have never made it without him," Ms Brown said. "Let today be a testament to his saving grace."

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against life-without-parole sentences for juveniles. Yet, the state of Tennessee argued successfully in lower courts that Ms Brown's sentence was not in violation of federal law because she did have a possibility for parole: She was sentenced to serve at least 51 years of her life sentence.
C yntoia Brown has been granted clemency after serving 15 years in prison for killing a man at the age of 16 who allegedly solicited her for sex.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam made the announcement following widespread calls for Brown's release.

"Cyntioa Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16," Mr Haslam said.

"Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in the light of the extraordinary steps Ms Brown has taken to rebuild her life. Transformation should be accompanied by hope."

Ms Brown's case caught the attention of celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Rihanna after the release of a documentary which focused on Brown's life story and the criminal justice system in the United States.

Here's what you need to know about the Cyntoia Brown case:

What happened to Cyntoia Brown?

On August 8 2004, Cyntoia Brown was arrested in connection with the shooting of a 43-year-old man.

The day before her arrest, police responded to a 911 call and found the body of Johnny Allen, who they discovered had been shot in the back of the head.

Brown told investigators that she had killed Allen is self-defence after he paid her for sex and then brought her to his house, where he proceeded to show her his collection of guns.

She also said she had been living in hotels for a number of months with a man she referred to as Cut-Throat. She went on to detail their physically and emotionally abusive relationship, referencing how he repeatedly called her a whore and that nobody would want her but him. She claims he eventually forced her into prostitution.

Despite her age, she was tried in adult court. Prosecutors argued that Browns real motive was robbery, since she took Allens wallet after she murdered him.

Brown was charged with first-degree felony murder and aggravated robbery and sentenced to two concurrent life sentences.

Brown had an incredibly turbulent childhood; going into foster care at a young age and later becoming a teenage runaway, reportedly being the victim of multiple rapes and assaults.

Despite Browns mother admitting she drank heavily whilst she was pregnant, leaving her daughter with severe neurodevelopmental disorder, Browns attorneys chose to omit this from evidence.

What was the documentary Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story about?

Cyntoia Brown was sentenced to life imprisonment when she was 16 / AP

Browns story caught the interest of filmmaker Dan Birman, who had been following her case for some time.

In 2011, he released a documentary about her case and life story which aired on PBS.

The film took a closer look at her case and analysed the current state of the juvenile justice system in the US.

As a result of the films topic matter, the law in Tennessee was changed. Now, children under the age of 18 cannot be tried for prostitution. If she were arrested today, Brown would be treated as a child human trafficking victim.

Reflecting on the impact he wanted the film to have, Birman commented: I wanted an audience to understand not only what happened to Cyntoia Brown as a kid but also see what she was up against in a system.

If you see my documentary, you find out that Brown was at the tail end of three generations of violence against women.

Where is Cyntoia Brown now?

Cyntoia Brown will be released from prison on August 7 2019 after being granted clemency by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. / AP

Cyntoia Brown will be released on August 7 2019 and will be on parole for 10 years.

Scores of celebrities took to social media in support of Brown, including rapper Meek Mill who has routinely spoken out against the US prison system following his own arrest.

He posted on Instagram: "#cyntoiabrown granted clemency...shout out to the people that used their voice...it really matters!"

Kim Kardashian tweeted: "Thank you Governor Haslam" in response to the verdict.

As she prepares for her release in the summer, Brown is imminently receiving her Bachelor's degree and is also working with Tennessee's Juvenile Justice System to help counsel young people at risk.

"I learned that my life was - and is - not over," she said over the phone in a documentary clip titled 'Prison Reflections.'

"I can create opportunities where I can actually help people."

What is clemency?

Clemency is the act of giving mercy to a convicted individual by order of an executive member of government.
A man has been arrested after attacking pupils at a primary school in China, leaving 20 injured, officials have said.

Three children were seriously wounded following the incident at around 11.15am in Beijing (3.15am GMT), but their injuries were not thought to be life threatening.

All the children were rushed to hospital where they are receiving hospital treatment, the Xicheng district government said in a post on social media.

Authorities did not give further details of the attack, but posts on social media said the children suffered knife wounds to the head.

The suspect was arrested at the scene and an investigation has been launched.

The attack is said to have been carried out by a worker at the school, according to reports.

A former worker told the South China Morning Post the suspect was a disgruntled former temporary janitor at the school.
A t least 13 people have been killed as deadly storms battered Europe, trapping hundreds of people in Alpine regions.

Avalanches are largely to blame for the deaths, which have happened in Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Romania, and forecasters warn there could be more to come.

Heavy snowfall and strong winds have also caused hundreds of flights to be delayed or cancelled.

In Norway, attempts to find the bodies of four skiers were again put on hold due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall.

Snowstorm in Europe: January 2019 1 /42 Snowstorm in Europe: January 2019 Aftermath of an avalanche that hit the Hotel Saentis in Hundwil, Switzerland EPA ftermath of an avalanche that hit the Hotel Saentis in Hundwil, Switzerland EPA Aftermath of an avalanche that hit the Hotel Saentis in Hundwil, Switzerland EPA Trucks and cars make their way on the motorway A 8 between Salzburg and Munich after heavy snow falls near Irschenberg, south of Munich, Germany AP A man and a woman clearing snow on the roof of a building in Schaftlach near Waakirchen, Bavaria, Germany EPA A track vehicle of the German army provides food to a village near Berchtesgaden, southern Germany AP Firefighters remove snow from the roof of a building in Buchenhoehe, southern Germany AP snow blower clears a road in Schaftlach near Waakirchen, Bavaria, Germany EPA A snow plough clears the A9 highway in Garching, southern Germany, after heavy snowfall AFP/Getty Images Workers try to free a train of the Harzer Schmalspurbahn narrow gauge train that got stuck in the snow on the Brocken mountain in the Harz region near Schierke, central Germany AFP/Getty Images A street sign reading "danger of avalanches" stands on a snow covered street in Vordernberg, Austria AFP/Getty Images A man cleans a street from snow in Vordernberg, Austria AFP/Getty Images Workers try to free a train of the Harzer Schmalspurbahn narrow gauge train that got stuck in the snow on the Brocken mountain in the Harz region near Schierke, central Germany AFP/Getty Images A man cleans a path at a cemetery from snow in Vordernberg, Austria AFP/Getty Images A snow-covered commuter train stands still at the station of Berchtesgaden, southern Germany AFP/Getty Images A road sign reading 'B197 Arlbergpass CLOSED' is seen on a snow-covered road during a snowstorm near St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria EPA An employee of a freight train terminal works beside of a fright train after snow fall in Munich, southern Germany AFP/Getty Images A man uses a snow blower after heavy snowfalls near Irschenberg, southern Germany REUTERS A worker tries to free a train of the Harzer Schmalspurbahn narrow gauge train that got stuck in the snow on the Brocken mountain in the Harz region near Schierke, central Germany AFP/Getty Images a snow plough clearing the area in Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria AFP/Getty Images At least seven people have died in parts of Germany and Austria due to heavy snowfall EPA Two men try to remove snow from a roof of a house in Filzmoos, Austria, EPA A snow plough clearing the area in Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria AFP/Getty Images A car drives on a snow covered road near Reitham, Bavaria, Germany EPA A house is seen between snow-covered trees near Flachau, Austri Reuters A men shovel snow on a rooftop during heavy snowfall in Filzmoos, Austria Reuters A women shovels snow from the rooftop of her house in Austria Reuters A caterpillar shovels snow on an icy road after heavy snowfall near Sufferloh, southern Germany Reuters EPA A road worker frees a road sign for the mandatory usage of winter tyres (or snow chains) over the winter period from snow during heavy snowfall near Untertauern, Austria EPA Cars driving in snow on a highway in Irschenberg, southern Germany AFP/Getty Images Horses stand on a meadow covered with snow in Hohenleiten near Munich, Germany Reuters Snow covered railtracks are seen after heavy snowfall in Warngau, southern Germany Reuters A car drives through a snow covered road during heavy snowfall near Obertauern, Austria EPA A woman shovels snow in Siegsdorf, Bavaria, Germany EPA A railway station is covered in snow in Agatharied, Bavaria, Germany EPA A car is covered with snow in Agatharied, Bavaria, Germany EPA A wheel loader clears snow on a parking lot near Holzkirchen, Bavaria, Germany EPA Snow covers a building's windows at Santis-Schwaegalp mountain area after an avalanche, in Switzerland Reuters A snow-covered bus stands at Santis-Schwaegalp mountain area after an avalanche, in Switzerland Reuters The road to Hundwil, Schwaegalp is closed after an avalanche came down, in Nesslau-Krummenau, Switzerland EPA The peak of Mount Saentis (back C) is seen in the background as fire fighters stand in front of a barrier blocking the road to the Santis-Schwaegalp mountain area after an avalanche in Switzerland Reuters

A 29-year Swedish woman and three Finns, aged 29, 32 and 36, were presumed dead after a 300-metre wide avalanche hit a valley near the northern city of Tromsoe last week.

Romanian police found the frozen body of a 67-year-old man in a car park in the southern city of Slatina on Tuesday after temperatures plunged to -24C.

In the Netherlands, Amsterdam's busy Schiphol Airport warned of delays and cancellations Tuesday.

Dutch carrier KLM canceled 159 flights to and from European destinations, with flight cancellations also reported in Slovakia.

Two men try to remove snow from a roof of a house in Filzmoos, Austria / EPA

In Austria, hundreds of residents were stuck in their homes due to blocked roads and some regions experienced power outages after snow-laden trees fell on lines.

Schools in some Austrian regions remained closed for a second day and homeowners were advised to remove snow from their roofs after several buildings collapsed.

A 78-year-old man was severely injured when he fell off the roof of his home in Turrach while shovelling snow, according to Austrian public broadcaster ORF.

At least 13 have died during the deadly storms / AFP/Getty Images

On Monday night, 11 German hikers had to be rescued by mountaineers from a cabin near Salzburg, after having been snowed in without electricity and little food since Friday.

In Greece, schools in Athens and many surrounding areas remained closed after snowfall blanketed the capital and temperatures in some parts of the Mediterranean nation plunged well below freezing.
F orecasters have warned Brits could face a new Beast from the East this winter, after the same weather formation brought sub-zero temperatures and heavy snow last year.

The Met Office has said the same weather patterns that sparked last year's icy blast may return.

Sudden stratospheric warming had appeared around Christmas, when there was a sharp increase in the temperature over a couple of days, it said.

When this happens in the Arctic it can lead to a rush of cold air blowing eastwards across Europe a few weeks later, bringing much cooler temperatures to the continent.

UK Weather: Beast from the East freeze - In pictures 1 /64 UK Weather: Beast from the East freeze - In pictures Snow storm over London NPASLondon/Twitter The frozen canal at Little Venice, London Jeremy Selwyn A multi-car collision on the M66 NEAR Ramsbottom and Bury Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) Ice climbers at Kinder Downfall, High Peak in Derbyshire PA RFA Tidespring battles powerful weather conditions sparked by the Beast from the East EPA/Ministry of Defence Members of 1st Battalion Welsh Guards take part in a snow ball fight prior to the combined St David's Day celebration and pre-deployment service at Elizabeth Barracks, Pirbright, Surrey PA A police car on fire on the M62 near Huddersfield. PA Andrea Geile skies along Princes Street in Edinburgh PA Heavy snowfall hits St Paul's Cathedral Zuma / Splash News Storm clouds over Dublin Bay PA Paddington Station today Jeremy Selwyn The M876 to Glasgow is closed PA A man walks in the snowy conditions in Larbert PA Edinburgh Castle in the snow PA Members of the public make their way through snow the streets in Alexandria, Scotland Getty Images Jock the Shih Tzu plays in the snow Getty Images Waterloo Station tracks covered in snow Jeremy Selwyn A man clears snow in Alexandria, Scotland Getty Images Snow-covered members of the public walk through heavy snow in Westminster Getty Images A stranded car covered in snow in Whitley Bay in Tyne and Wear PA Police push a car on the on the M80 Haggs in Glasgow PA A blizzard hit Trafalgar Square School children from Wearhead Primary School, in County Durham, which stands more than 1,100 feet (335m) above sea level and which remained open despite blizzards thanks to teachers battling through the elements and a parent with a digger PA Snow continues to fall in Westminster Jeremy Selwyn A man clears snow from a car in Larbert PA Fabio Fodaro cycles during a blizzard at Helix Park in Falkirk PA The scene on the M80 Haggs in Glasgow PA Police push a car on the on the M80 Haggs in Glasgow PA Huge crowds outside Oxford Circus Tube station @_kathyharvey People walk in the snow on Horse Guards Parade Reuters Whiteout: Londoners brave the snow in Piccadilly Circus Tony Villalon Three-year-old Wilfred Martin, enjoys sledding in the snow in Richmond Park, Londo PA Victor the polar bear enjoys the snow at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster PA Giant waves crash over Seaham lighthouse near Durham as the "Beast from the East" brings heavy snow and freezing temperatures to much of the country PA Spectacular sunrise over Canary Wharf James Burns/London from the Rooftops Vehicles get stuck on a hill on the A30 near Land's End in Cornwall following heavy snow that made driving conditions difficult PA Battersea looking beautiful in the snow Hatty Collier People walk their dogs on Blyth Beach in Northumberland PA A swimmer braves the snowy conditions at King Edwards bay near Tynemouth PA Frozen foutains at Trafalgar Square Jeremy Selwyn Stationary traffic on the M20 near Ashford, Kent PA Pedestrians cross Whitehall as snow falls AP Pedestrians walk across millennium bridge in front of St Paul's as heavy snowfall hits London AFP/Getty Images A snow-covered Tube train early today Londoners woke to wintry scenes Jeremy Selwyn A lorry shed its load on the M20 overnight Kent Police RPU Snow falls on Wimbledon Common Alex Lentati A London bus travels through the snow in Oxford street EPA Snow surrounds the Angel of the North in Gateshead PA People walk past Buckingham Palac PA People walk along Bankside, London in the snow PA Snow at Horse guards in London Jeremy Selwyn Rare snow seen at Brighton Beach James Mayes Toby Stanton walks to school in Ashford, Kent, as heavy snowfall is affecting roads across the UK PA Highways England/Twitter Cars travel through Great Chart in Ashford, Kent PA A Eurostar train passes through Ashford, Kent PA Vehicles on the M20 between Junctions 8 and 9, as heavy snowfall is affecting roads across the UK PA A double decker bus carefully makes it way through the snowfall in London Jeremy Selwyn Cars drive through falling snow on the A41 in Hemel Hempstead Jeremy Selwyn Parents walk their children to school in Ashford, Kent PA Newcastle Quayside following heavy overnight snowfall PA Walkers in the snow near to Another Place by Anthony Gormley, on Crosby Beech near LiverpooL PA Fishing boats moored in Scarborough harbour PA Commuters battle the snoiw across London Bridge Jeremy Selwyn

The Met Office said this is what caused the Beast from the East early last year - an icy blast of freezing Siberian winds which brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow to much of the UK.

However meteorologists stressed that some parts of Britain will see above average temperatures for January over the weekend.

Met Office weather forecast January 8

Spokesman Grahame Madge said that while Britain being hit by a new Beast from the East could not be ruled out, the forecast so far suggests the country will see stable weather conditions.

"Last year there was a classic set-up with the Beast from the East, there was an event in the Arctic - sudden stratospheric warming - where the stratosphere warms rapidly," he said.

The 'Beast from the East' brought wintry weather and freezing temperatures to much of the country last year. / PA

"That triggers, generally, a change in the direction of winds across Europe at surface level. The upshot is that normally when this happens in the Arctic you get easterly winds and that's what happened last year.

"But although that warming has happened in the Arctic already just prior to Christmas, we are not seeing any change in an easterly pattern."

Mr Madge said Britain was looking at a stable week, with above average temperatures at the weekend.

But he added that it was not possible to rule out a cold snap, with parts of Europe facing "significant" chills and heavy snow.

"There have been some parts of Europe that have experienced quite significant cold, heavier-than-average snow in countries like Austria and in northern and central Europe.

"It is possible we could still see this turn to a more easterly flow but if anything it looks as though we are in stable weather conditions.

"We are looking at the next week or so, but we could see a change after that. But there is nothing in the next week or so that could indicate any change like the Beast from the East.

"We are not ruling out a return to cooler conditions, we would normally expect a cold spell or two during winter.

"It may happen, but there's no signal of it happening in the models."
T he home of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal is to be dismantled with the roof completely removed as decontamination work following the Novichok attack continues.

The 66-year-old and his daughter Yulia, 33, were poisoned by the substance after it was sprayed on the door handle of the property in Salisbury.

The huge clean-up operation, undertaken by military teams, will involve the roofs of the house and garage being removed and materials from the building wrapped and sealed being leaving the site.

Neighbours were warned the operation, starting this week, could take up to four months.

Investigators in protective gear / Getty Images

In a letter to residents in Christie Miller Road, Wiltshire councils director of public of health, Tracy Daszkiewicz, said contractors would spend the first month erecting scaffolding to cover the house and garage with a sealed frame.

A military team will then dismantle and remove the roofs on the two buildings over two weeks.

The letter said: This phase includes the removal of the house roof and garage roof at No 47 (Christie Miller Road).

Two alleged Russian 'spies' in Salisbury on the day of the novichok poisonings / PA Wire/PA Images

All materials will be wrapped and sealed on site before being removed safely from the premises.

Once the covered frame is in place, the deconstruction work is expected to take around two weeks.

When that work is completed, contractors will move on site to build a replacement roof for the house and adjoining garage.

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia both survived the nerve agent poisoning

She said the risk to public health remains low, adding: The priority is to make sure that the two remaining sites affected by the 2018 incidents are thoroughly cleaned and returned to normal use as soon as possible.

Detectives believe the pair first came into contact with the poison when it was sprayed on the door handle of the property.

The clean-up has been taking place ever since they collapsed on March 5, but work paused over Christmas.

The Skripals survived the attack which Prime Minister Theresa May said had almost certainly been approved by the Russian state.

Wiltshire Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey is also thought to have come into contact with the poison when he searched their home.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell ill in nearby Amesbury months after the incident and died in hospital in July after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals and then discarded.

Her partner, Charlie Rowley, 45, was also exposed to the same nerve agent but was treated and discharged.

Two Russian nationals, known by their aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Mr Skripal with Novichok.
A Metropolitan Police detective today told how a bedtime cuddle saved her daughters life.

Jane Johnson was putting Daisy, then aged three, down for the night when she felt a lump in her stomach. She had been ill with several infections that would not clear up, but doctors had told Mrs Johnson it was nothing to worry about.

However, after feeling the swelling she took her daughter to the GP surgery again the next morning.

They were sent to St Georges Hospital where tests revealed the lump was an enlarged spleen. Daisys white blood cell count was also 10 times the normal level and she was eventually diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Mrs Johnson, 47, of Streatham, said: I felt a hard swelling in Daisys stomach as I was giving her a cuddle before bed. She had had a number of infections that just wouldnt go away. But three doctors told me I should get used to a child her age being ill. But something just didnt feel right. Luckily I saw a GP I hadnt seen before and she got on the phone to the hospital. Daisy was started on chemotherapy almost straight away.

Daisy started chemotherapy and was admitted in October 2015 and given the all-clear last March / Cancer Research UK

She was admitted in October 2015 and given the all-clear last March, just before her sixth birthday. Mrs Johnson and husband Garry  also a police officer  are now raising money for Cancer Research UK. Daisy has received a Kids & Teens Star Award, presented by the charity in partnership with TK Maxx, for her courage. Daisy was diagnosed really late, said Mrs Johnson. When doctors saw she was recovering they told us she was lucky to be alive. Obviously that was really upsetting. But we are just so grateful. We just want to ... make sure other families experiencing this have the same support.

A spokeswoman for Cancer Research UK said: The Cancer Research UK Kids & Teens Star Awards recognise young cancer patients who have survived cancer or are currently being treated.
C ouncil bosses have been warned that a 20-mile southbound stretch of the M3 could be closed in the case of a no-deal Brexit to cope with backed-up lorries at Portsmouths ferry port.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable revealed the worst-case scenario on a visit to Portsmouth International Port to learn of preparations for the UKs departure from the EU.

Around 55 lorries pass through the Hampshire port each day, but this is set to at least double in the case of no deal being reached as it is set to relieve some of the burden faced by Dover.

Port director Mike Sellers said the distance from the freight gates to the motorway network was only 13 lorry lengths and the introduction of any delays to processing vehicles on to ferries could lead to lorries backing up on to the motorway.

He warned this could cause major traffic problems for the city, including the naval base and hospitals.

He said attempts to use nearby land as a lorry park and processing area had been thwarted because the MoD refused to release the land, while another site 20 minutes away had been located but did not have the required infrastructure in place.

Traffic jam: Lorries line up / EPA

Mr Sellers also said the customs infrastructure required for a no-deal would not be in place by the end of March.

He said: "Portsmouth is seen as one of the high-risk ports that could be impacted from the no-deal and we want to be Brexit-ready even in a no-deal.

"There is an awful lot of infrastructure that needs to be put in place, and the cost, and whether that will be in place by the end of March is another question, and who is going to pay for it."

Traffic on M3 in Hampshire / PA Wire/PA Images

Mr Sellers added: "If the M275 motorway is blocked with lorries, this is the main route into the city, it does impact on people getting in and out of the city, this is a naval port as well, you have the Royal Navy, people getting into work, the hospitals, it would very quickly impact on the whole of the Portsmouth city area."

Sir Vince said: "What I am very concerned about is that the Government simply hasn't thought through this no-deal Brexit that they talk about, it is a very amateurish Dad's Army approach.

"The problem here is that Portsmouth will have to take considerably more lorries, they have to get through quickly, there will be customs checks, there is nowhere at the moment to store the lorries, the Government is taking no interest in demands that there is additional lorry space, there are plans to close the M3 to use it for storage, extreme solutions of that kind."

Sir Vince Cable attends a briefing with Port Director Mike Sellers and Leader of Portsmouth City Council Gerald Vernon-Jackson / Getty Images

Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Liberal Democrat leader of Portsmouth City Council, warned a no deal would lead to gridlock in the city and said: "We are going to get queues on the motorway and then the whole of the city clogs up."

A Highways England spokesman said: "We currently have no plans to use any section of the M3 or other parts of the strategic road network to hold lorries should there be disruption at Portsmouth Port, and we would have significant concerns with any suggested plan that proposed it.

"We continue to support Hampshire Resilience Forum which leads on contingency planning across the county on how we can help with any extra traffic the Port are expecting."

The Department for Exiting the European Union has been approached for comment.
T ory MP Anna Soubry today accused police of turning a blind eye to abuse after she was blasted as being a "Nazi" by right-wing activists.

However Scotland Yard insisted officers have been briefed to act robustly and to "intervene where appropriate" if they see crimes being committed against MPs.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain the day after she was branded a "Nazi" and a "liar" while carrying out interviews on College Green, pro-EU MP Ms Soubry added that she expects authorities to act when abuse "crossed the line".

Ms Soubry was targeted on Monday during a live television broadcast with Sky News' Kay Burley. Protesters then followed her as she made her way back to Parliament.

Anna Soubry today passing the 'Leave means leave' protesters and Remainers in Westminster today / Jeremy Selwyn

Following the incident, Ms Burley revealed she needs security guards to escort her from work in Westminster to avoid being chased by protesters.

A police briefing note on how they are to deal with protesters at Parliament / Jeremy Selwyn

Ms Soubry's comments come amid reports of a heightened police presence outside Parliament today following outcry from MPs over safety outside Parliament after Monday's protests.

Several police vans were parked outside College Green, opposite Parliament this morning with pairs of police officers stationed at either end.

A heightened police presence was seen in Westminster on Tuesday / Jeremy Selwyn

A security guard said he had not seen police stationed on that side of the road before.

LBC political editor Theo Usherwood tweeted alongside a video: "Extra police have now turned up outside Parliament.

"It follows yesterdays request by MPs for Met Commissioner Cressida Dick to do more."

MP Anna Soubry stops live interview as pro-Brexit protesters call her a Nazi

Scotland Yard said in a statement: "An ongoing policing operation at the Parliamentary estate around Brexit continues and we have an appropriate policing plan in place."

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Taylor added: Officers in the area have been briefed to intervene appropriately where they hear or see breaches of the law.

Extra police on duty in Westminster today / Jeremy Selwyn

At least 55 MPs wrote to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick on Monday night to express their "serious concerns" about the "deteriorating public order and security situation" outside Parliament.

Targeted: Anna Soubry (BBC News ) / BBC News

On Tuesday, MPs continued to voice their support for Ms Soubry as they condemned the comments by protesters.

Labour MP Stephen Doughty, who coordinated the letter from MPs, told Victoria Derbyshire that he "absolutely" believes that another MP could be killed by a far-right extremist, like Labour MP Jo Cox.

TODO: define component type apester

Expressing concern over abuse outside Parliament, he said that "a lot of this, let's be frank, is targeted at women."

While MP Jess Phillips told the programme should would argue for protection for any of her constituents as she revealed "people threaten to kill me all the time".

She said: "Im a human being, I go on the school run  why shouldnt I be protected like other people?"

On Tuesday, Tory chairman Brandon Lewis tweeted: "No one, MP... journalist or anyone, should have to be subject to this behaviour."

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay also called the abuse "clearly wrong" and "inappropriate".

And Labour's Emily Thornberry wrote: "No matter what their views, no-one should be subjected to this appalling intimidation. @metpoliceuk must review policing around Westminster."

Meanwhile, Ms Burley has told how she has security to accompany her from work as she said demonstrations have become "increasingly vile and aggressive and intimidating".

It comes as shocking new footage circulating on social media has shown how pro-Brexit activists screamed abuse in Ms Soubry's face as she walked to the Commons.

A video recorded by Our Future Our Choice spokesman Femi Oluwole showed the confrontation, in which a group of men accused the MP of being a "fascist".

Speaking on Good Morning Britain today, Ms Soubry said there was a small group of people "roaming around Westminster intimidating people going about their lawful business".

The Broxtowe MP added that, while she anticipated a level of criticism and abuse as an MP, she expected authorities to act when it "crossed the line".

Political commentator Owen Jones was also targeted / Getty Images

She told GMB: "It crossed the line in December, it was journalists who were being attacked.

"(Sky News' political editor) Faisal Islam, who is male, was racially abused by these people, it's the same group, all on video, and the policy of the Metropolitan Police is to ignore it."

Ms Burley, who appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday, said: "Everybody has their democratic right to protest, but does that include abuse and attempting to stop people like Anna Soubry and Owen Jones and me carrying out their duties?

Kay Burley talks about being abused by protesters on College Green

"It has become increasingly vile and aggressive and intimidating, specifically targeting Anna as well."

She added: "I walk to Parliament from the Tube station a different way because I don't want to encounter them and I don't want to find myself in a position that Anna and Owen did yesterday where they are chased down the road and abused. And I have to have security once I've finished broadcasting at 5pm in order to get back to our Millbank studios because my company will not put me in a position where I am intimidated by these people."

Scotland Yard said on Tuesday that police continue to "assess if any crimes have been committed" after a complaint about a public order offence. No-one has been arrested.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor for Met Operations said: An ongoing policing operation at the Parliamentary estate around Brexit continues and we have an appropriate policing plan in place. Our role is to facilitate peaceful protest and balance the needs and rights of all those present, including protestors, MPs and members of the public.

We will deal robustly with incidents of harassment and abuse against anyone where that harassment or abuse constitutes a criminal offence.

Officers in the area have been briefed to intervene appropriately where they hear or see breaches of the law.

The attack on Ms Soubry was widely condemned on Monday, with Commons Speaker John Bercow saying he was "concerned" about a "pattern of protest" targeting female MPs and journalists.

Protesters could be heard chanting "Soubry is a Nazi" as she appeared on BBC News, prompting her to tell interviewer Simon McCoy: "I do object to being called a Nazi, actually.

"I just think this is astonishing, this is what has happened to our country. But let's try and move on and be positive about things."

Protesters also chanted slogans including "Liar, liar" throughout a live interview with Ms Soubry on Sky News.

Earlier on Monday, political commentator Owen Jones shared a video on Twitter which showed him being accosted by a group outside Parliament, including men wearing Union flags.

They could be heard calling him a "traitor" and a "horrible little man" and accusing the Labour activist of writing "fake news".
M ore than 50 MPs have written to the Met Police Commissioner urging for intervention amid growing verbal abuse they receive outside Parliament.

Mrs Soubry was drowned out by the taunts during live television interviews, while Sky News presenter Kay Burley was loudly branded a liar during broadcasts.

When Ms Soubry was interviewed by Ms Burley, journalist Dawn Foster, who was also present, said she heard protesters shouting that they hoped all three were sexually assaulted.

A cross-party group of at least 55 MPs signed the formal letter to Cressida Dick criticising a "lack of co-ordination" in the response from the police and appropriate authorities.

The MPs said: "We write to express our serious concerns about the deteriorating public order and security situation in and around the exterior of the parliamentary estate including College Green.

Soubry was targeted during a television broadcast / Sky News

"After months of peaceful and calm protests by groups representing a range of political views on Brexit, an ugly element of individuals with strong far right and extreme right connections - which your officers are well aware of - have increasingly engaged in intimidatory and potentially criminal acts targeting Members of Parliament, journalists, activists and members of the public."

The attack on Ms Soubry was widely condemned on Monday, with Commons Speaker John Bercow saying he was "concerned" about a "pattern of protest" targeting female MPs and journalists.

The letter to Ms Dick, co-ordinated by Labour MP Stephen Doughty, added: "The ability to peacefully protest and express views outside Parliament is a cherished part of our democracy - and we want to retain the right for those who have conducted themselves within the law and a peaceful way to continue to do so.

TODO: define component type apester

"It is however utterly unacceptable for Members of Parliament, journalists, activists and members of the public to be subject to abuse, intimidation and threatening behaviour and indeed potentially serious offences while they go about their work."

Cressida Dick pictured at Scotland Yard / Lucy Young

MPs said they had repeatedly raised concerns with police on the ground and at senior level as the "situation worsened"

Ms Soubry told BBC interviewer Simon McCoy: "I do object to being called a Nazi, actually.

"I just think this is astonishing, this is what has happened to our country. But let's try and move on and be positive about things."

Protesters also chanted slogans including "Liar, liar" throughout a live interview with Ms Soubry on Sky News.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "Officers are assessing if any crimes have been committed. There has been no arrest at this stage."

Ms Soubry, the pro-EU MP for Broxtowe, said the behaviour of protesters was "seriously worrying", adding: "I'm afraid the truth is that Brexit has unleashed these people. This is Britain now.

"This is not the country I know and love and these people do not represent our country and they need sorting out."

The protesters were also criticised by high-profile Brexit supporters, including presenter Piers Morgan and MP Douglas Carswell.

Earlier on Monday, political commentator Owen Jones shared a video on Twitter which showed him being accosted by a group outside Parliament, including men wearing Union flags.

They could be heard calling him a "traitor" and a "horrible little man" and accusing the Labour activist of writing "fake news".

Mr Doughty raised the issue in the Commons during a Brexit question session and called on Mr Bercow to intervene.

The Speaker said he was "keeping a close eye on events" as he voiced concerns over incidents involving "aggressive and threatening behaviour" towards MPs.

Theresa May's official spokesman said he had not discussed the incident involving Ms Soubry with the Prime Minister, but added: "The Prime Minister has been very clear that nobody involved in the political process should be subjected to abuse or harassment.

"They should be free to do their job without any form of intimidation and it is clearly unacceptable when that isn't the case."

TODO: define component type apester

Asked whether MPs should be offered greater protection while the "meaningful vote" on Brexit is debated over the next few days, the PM's spokesman said: "There are existing laws in relation to public order, harassment and making threats.
T op congressional Democrats have blasted Donald Trumps plan to defend his border wall plan in a prime-time TV address tonight as an attempt to spread malice and misinformation.

In a joint statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, the Democrat leader in the Senate, today demanded equal air time from broadcast networks because they say the Presidents claims will be misleading.

The pre-emptive strike came in the third week of a partial shutdown of the US government caused by the failure to pass its budget. Mr Trump has refused to support a deal that would free up cash to pay federal workers unless Democrats agree to fund his proposed wall along the border with Mexico. He plans to put his case to the nation tonight in his first Oval Office speech and follow it up with a visit to the border on Thursday.

In a tweet last night, the President said his TV address would be on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border.

On the attack: Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrat Chuck Schumer say the President plans to mislead Americans over his proposed wall on Mexico border / EPA

Democrats fear he is sidestepping negotiations on the shutdown and plans to lay the groundwork for a declaration of a national emergency, allowing him to claim funds for the wall without needing to win votes in Congress.

Now that the television networks have decided to air the Presidents address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime, Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer said.

The facts are clear: President Trump has the power to stop hurting the country by reopening the government and ending the Trump Shutdown.

Instead, he is still demanding that American taxpayers pay at least $5.7 billion (4.5 billion) for his wall, which cant pass either chamber of Congress and of course Mexico is not paying for. They called the border wall plan wasteful and ineffective.

Hundreds of thousands of government workers face losing wages in the government shutdown, which began on December 22. It is already the second-longest in history and would become the longest this weekend.
S enior Cabinet ministers today hijacked the weekly Cabinet meeting with warnings that they will not tolerate a no-deal Brexit.

Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd led the charge by saying history would take a dim view if Britain was allowed to crash out of the European Union.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid stepped in by warning that a disorderly Brexit would leave Britain unable to return bogus asylum seekers to France.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove chipped in with a joke that Conservative MPs opposing the withdrawal agreement were like mid-50s swingers waiting for Scarlett Johansson to turn up.

After Cabinet, Business Secretary Greg Clark told the Commons that a no-deal Brexit should not be contemplated.

Theresa May received warnings over no-deal Brexit from members of her cabinet / PA

The interventions came as Parliament moved to block any prospect of a no-deal Brexit, which experts say would harm jobs and security.

In a landmark development, a dozen Conservative MPs defied a three-line whip to support an amendment to the Finance Bill banning the Treasury from making tax changes in support of no-deal preparations.

The scale of the Tory revolt was the long-awaited proof that Parliament has the numbers to seize control of Brexit if necessary.

Sajid Javid warned a disorderly Brexit would leave Britain unable to return bogus asylum seekers to France / Stefan Rousseau/PA

The dramatic developments fuelled the idea of Brexit being delayed beyond the date of March 29 to allow MPs to discuss what so do if Mrs Mays unpopular withdrawal blueprint is voted down.

Ms Rudd told Cabinet: History will take a dim view of a Cabinet that presses ahead with no deal. We have to face the world in which we find it, not as we wish it to be and we have to deal with the facts as we find them.

Mr Javid said no-deal would mean Britain out of the Dublin agreement that enables countries to return asylum seekers whose claims are unfounded. Ms Rudd responded that Britain would be less safe in such circumstances.

TODO: define component type apester

Ms Rudd, the Work and Pensions Secretary, called for Parliament to be allowed to debate and vote on other options, saying: More than ever we need to find the centre, reach across the House and find a majority for what will be agreed.

Mr Goves joke about rebel Brexiteers was seen as significant backing for Ms Rudd who responded; On theme of everyday sexism, Pierce Brosnan as well.

Earlier Ireland opened the door to Brexit being postponed beyond March 29.

Irish deputy prime minister Simon Coveney said Dublin would not stand in the way if Britain asked for a delay to avoid a no-deal exit from the European Union.

Simon Coveney said Dublin would not "stand in the way" of a postponement to Brexit / PA

His intervention came after Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay failed three times in a radio interview to deny a report that UK officials have already held discussions with counterparts in Brussels on the possibility of extending the Article 50 process.

Theresa May has repeatedly denied that she would delay Brexit.

In a landmark development this morning, the Prime Minister was effectively stripped of her ability to wave the threat of a no-deal exit as part of her campaign to win backing for her withdrawal agreement.

It happened when a dozen Conservative MPs defied a three-line whip to support an amendment to the Finance Bill banning the Treasury from making tax-changes in support of no-deal preparations.

The scale of the revolt was the long-awaited proof that Parliament has the numbers to seize control of Brexit. It made the idea of a delay much more likely, that would, for example, give MPs time to study other options such as a Norway deal or a second referendum.

Challenged on Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Barclay said extending Article 50 would generate some very practical issues, such as what to do about European elections this summer. He said he had not had any talks with the EU in terms of an extension and stressed that the Governments policy remained that the UK will leave on March 29.

However, Digital Minister Margot James suggested yesterday that Brexit could be delayed in order to avoid a no-deal scenario.

Mr Barclay said: Its not a unilateral decision for the UK. That is not a decision the UK Government could take, it would require the consent of all 27 member states.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: As the PM said herself at the weekend, we will not be extending Article 50. Mr Coveney seemed unable to deny a report in the Daily Telegraph that UK officials were putting out feelers and testing the waters about a delay. He welcomed the idea, saying Ireland wanted to avoid a no-deal Brexit scenario in which everyone loses.

Addressing reporters in Dublin, he said: If it is the case that in some point in the future the British Government seeks an extension of Article 50 ... that is not something we would stand in the way of.

All focus now needs to be on the deal and providing clarifications on the detail of that deal.

He warned London that the time for wishful thinking is over if it wants to avoid crashing out of the EU.

Todays Tory rebellion, joined by nine ex-ministers, sent a powerful warning to Downing Street.

The 12 Tory rebels were headed by former Tory education secretary Nicky Morgan, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee, plus ex-ministers Sir Oliver Letwin, Nick Boles, Dominic Grieve, Sir Nicholas Soames, Guto Bebb, Phillip Lee, Ed Vaizey and Jonathan Djanogly. Mrs Mays former policy adviser George Freeman, Health Committee chairwoman Sarah Wollaston and backbencher Heidi Allen complete the group. Mrs Morgan told the Evening Standard the numbers were a game-changer.

Parliament has been denied a say on the way forward for too long, she said. Its now time for Parliament to assert itself and make clear that a no-deal outcome will be stopped by MPs right across the House of Commons.

Irish premier Leo Varadkar publicly confirmed that Mrs May would get assurances that the EU does not want to tie the UK into a controversial backstop permanently.

But his offer was promptly rejected by former Brexit Secretary David Davis for falling short of a legally binding commitment.

In another development, extra police were deployed outside Parliament after widespread anger at the abuse hurled at Remain-backing MP Anna Soubry . Several police vans parked outside College Green, pairs of police officers stationed at either end. Mr Varadkars intervention, reported in the Irish Times, raised hopes at No 10 that the Irish leader is willing to offer comfort to Tory MPs worried that the border backstop deal could require Britain to obey EU rules indefinitely and also see Northern Ireland remain aligned to some rules of the EU single market to avoid a hard border in Ireland if another solution is not found before the end of the transition period in December 2020.

We dont want to trap the UK into anything  we want to get on to the talks about the future relationship right away, Mr Varadkar said during a trip to Mali in Africa. I think its those kind of assurances we are happy to give.

His words suggested Ireland was ready to support an exchange of letters confirming that the EU does not intend to make the backstop permanent.

But they fall short of Mrs Mays request for an effective deadline of 2021 to put a new trade deal in place. Brexiteer Mr Davis instantly rejected it, urging Mr May to hold fast. He told Today: If we hold fast to our line, then they will actually come back and renegotiate.
T he postponed meaningful vote on Theresa Mays deal for leaving the European Union is due to go ahead tonight.

Last month, the Prime Minister dramatically called off the vote on her controversial deal as the Government faced a major defeat in the Commons.

It was later announced that the vote would be deferred to mid-January, in the hope it would allow Mrs May time to seek assurances from the EU to address MPs concerns over the deal.

But Mrs May is expected to lose the vote by at least 100.

And while the PM has spent recent days urging support from her party, it still appears unlikely that Mrs May will achieve enough backing from MPs to pass the deal.

Theresa May dramatically postponed the vote last month in the face of a major defeat in the Commons / PA

Here's what you need to know ahead of the vote.

When will the vote take place?

The "meaningful vote" on Theresa May's Brexit Withdrawal Agreement will take place in the House of Commons on January 15, Downing Street has said.

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay opened five days of debate on Wednesday, January 9, said Mrs May's official spokesman.

Mrs May herself will close the debate on Tuesday evening before MPs take part in the crucial vote.

MPs will vote in the Commons tonight from 7pm, though the time of the actual "meaningful vote" will be slightly later as MPs must first vote on amendments.

Four amendments have been tabled by Speaker John Bercow. Fifteen minutes is allowed for each amendment so the Meaningful Vote is expected between 8pm and 8.15pm. The result will come soon after voting.

TODO: define component type apester

Parliament was due to vote on the deal on December 11 after the Government agreed the Withdrawal Agreement and the political declaration on the future relationship with the EU on November 25.

It then passed a motion to schedule a five-day debate ahead of the vote, at the end of which Parliament was expected to be able to vote to approve or reject the deal.

However the vote was postponed, with the Government later confirming it would not take place until after Christmas.

Why was the vote delayed?

The Government delayed the vote after three days of debate.

Mrs May told the Commons this was because, if the Government proceeded with the vote, it would lose.

Countdown to Brexit: 80 days until Britain leaves the EU

"If we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow, the deal would be rejected by a significant margin, she said.

Mrs May added that she wanted to address MPs concerns about the deal, particularly around the Northern Ireland backstop.

The move prompted criticised from many MPs, including the opposition, who called for an emergency debate on the Governments handling of the meaningful vote debate.

What are MPs are voting on?

Parliament will vote on whether to approve the Governments Brexit deal, which was negotiated with the EU over months of back-and-forth negotiations.

This includes the withdrawal agreement and a declaration on future relations.

The withdrawal agreement is a legal text setting out provisions such as citizens' rights, the transition period and the so-called backstop arrangement concerning the Irish border.

MPs are set for a crunch vote on Mrs May's Brexit deal / PA

While the declaration on a framework for future relations is a non-legal document defining how the UK and EU will work together after Brexit on areas such as trade and security.

The Government has been saying since October 2016 that Parliament will have a vote on the Brexit deal it negotiates with the EU.

This was later made law under Section 13(1) of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, which requires the draft deal to be put to both the House of Commons and House of Lords.

Former attorney general Dominic Grieve campaigned for the law in 2017 after a lack of clarity over whether the vote on the deal would be meaningful  meaning it would allow MPs to reject the agreement.

How many votes does Theresa May need to pass her Brexit deal?

There are 650 MPs in the House of Commons.

Excluding non-voting members such as the Speaker and others who never take up their seats, around 320 votes are required for the deal to be approved.

The vote will be decided on a simple majority, with the actual number needed for victory dependent on abstentions and absences on the day.

What happens if the PM loses the vote?

As it stands, the Government remains unlikely to win any vote on the current deal.

Many Tory MPs continue to believe the deal does not represent the Brexit people in the UK voted for in 2016, and the opposition has been adamant that it opposes the deal.

If Mrs May loses the vote, there are a number of different outcomes that might follow.

The PM may go back to Brussels again to renegotiate ahead of a second attempt to pass the deal in the Commons, despite the EU claiming it will not budge any further on the deal.

Theresa May is 'working to get further EU assurances'

The EU may relent when faced with the prospect of no-deal and offer a concession on the backstop.

On Monday, Brussels said the agreed Brexit deal was "the best and the only deal possible" and the European Commission was focused on watching what happened in the vote.

But in the period between the first and second attempt to pass the deal, Labour may attempt to force a General Election via a vote of no confidence in the Government.

This would prove difficult as the vote would require Tory MPs to help topple their own Government.

If that attempt fails, Labour may also try and secure a vote for a second referendum.
P arliament today delivered a landmark blow to Theresa Mays threats of a no-deal Brexit as a dozen Conservative MPs joined a cross-party revolt.

Nine former ministers were among the group who defied Tory whips by backing a cross-party amendment to the flagship Finance Bill.

It sent a powerful warning to Downing Street that Parliament is ready and able to seize control rather than let Britain crash out of the European Union without an agreement, putting jobs and security at risk.

It came on a day that:

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the Government intends to leave the EU on March 29 as scheduled, but failed to fully deny reports that officials have discussed possibly postponing the date of departure. French Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau said: It has not been asked by the British authorities. But Ireland said it would not object to a delay.

Irish premier Leo Varadkar publicly confirmed that Mrs May would get assurances that the EU does not want to tie the UK into a controversial backstop permanently. But his offer was promptly rejected by former Brexit Secretary David Davis for falling short of a binding promise.

Extra police were deployed outside Parliament after widespread anger at the abuse hurled at Remain-backing Tory MP Anna Soubry. Several police vans were parked outside College Green, pairs of police officers stationed at either end.

The 12 Tory rebels backing the amendment are enough to overturn Mrs Mays working majority of 12, even if her Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party allies vote with her.

TODO: define component type apester

They were headed by former Tory education secretary Nicky Morgan, who chairs the Public Accounts Committee, plus ex-ministers Sir Oliver Letwin, Nick Boles, Dominic Grieve, Sir Nicholas Soames, Guto Bebb, Phillip Lee, Ed Vaizey and Jonathan Djanogly, plus Mrs Mays former policy adviser George Freeman, Health Committee chairwoman Sarah Wollaston and backbencher Heidi Allen. Mrs Morgan told the Evening Standard the vote was a game-changer. Parliament has been denied a say on the way forward for too long, she said. Its now time for Parliament to assert itself and make clear that a no-deal outcome will be stopped by MPs right across the House of Commons.

The actual amendment, if passed, would ban the Treasury from using tax-changing powers to enable a no-deal exit on March 29 unless this was first approved by a vote of MPs. If the amendment is selected for a vote, Mrs May would face a choice between risking defeat in the House, or accepting the amendment. No 10 sources have reportedly indicated they could live with the amendment.

Brexit Secretary: Stephen Barclay / REUTERS

Mr Barclay today insisted that the Government was still fully committed to leaving the EU on March 29, and hoped to win next Tuesdays Commons vote on Mrs Mays much criticised withdrawal agreement.

He said extending Article 50 would generate some very practical issues but on BBCs Today programme he refused to deny that officials had discussed the idea with EU counterparts. Digital Minister Margot James has publicly suggested that Brexit could be delayed. Mr Barclay said: Its not a unilateral decision for the UK ... It would also generate some very practical issues, for example EU parliamentary elections at the end of May.

Mr Varadkars intervention, reported in the Irish Times, raised hopes at No 10 that the Irish leader is willing to offer comfort to Tory MPs worried that the border backstop deal could require Britain to obey EU rules indefinitely.

DUP MPs also oppose the backstop, which would see Northern Ireland remain aligned to some rules of the EU single market if another solution is not found before the end of the transition period in December 2020

We dont want to trap the UK into anything  we want to get on to the talks about the future relationship right away, Mr Varadkar said during a trip to Mali in Africa.

I think its those kind of assurances we are happy to give.

His words suggested Ireland was ready to support an exchange of letters confirming that the EU does not intend to make the backstop permanent. But they fell short of Mrs Mays request for an effective deadline of 2021 to put a new trade deal in place.

Brexiteer Mr Davis instantly rejected it, urging Mr May to hold fast. He told Today: If we hold fast to our line, then they will actually come back and renegotiate.

German foreign minister Heiko Maas, speaking in Dublin, said: Avoiding a hard border is a fundamental concern. Tory MPs who attended the first of two peacemaking drinks receptions at No 10 last night reported a warm atmosphere but no sign of a breakthrough.

Brexiteer Theresa Villiers said the evening hasnt changed my view and that she would still not be supporting the agreement.

Irelands foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney has warned the British Government that time for wishful thinking is over if it wants to avoid crashing out of the EU. There is no alternative 585-page agreement waiting to be dusted off, he said.
L eading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed the public mood against Theresa May's EU divorce deal hardened over Christmas.

Mr Rees-Mogg, leader of the European Research Group, spoke ahead of Mrs Mays much-criticised Withdrawal Agreement returning to the Commons this week for debate, ahead of a planned vote next week.

Mrs May needs the support of Tory MPs to force her deal over the line, but Mr Rees-Mogg wrote in the Daily Telegraph: "Over Christmas, the view of the country, and especially Conservative members, seems to have hardened against the proposal.

"Certainly, the hope that members of the public would tell MPs to back Mrs May has proved forlorn."

Mr Rees-Mogg: 'Over Christmas, the view of the country, and especially Conservative members, seems to have hardened against the proposal' / Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images

The MP for North East Somerset also spoke of the parliamentary arithmetic which could prove a stumbling block for Mrs May. Some Leavers, some Remainers and the DUP have said they intend to vote against it.

He added it would "not be in order" for the government to continue to ask the same question until the deal is passed.

May: NHS Long Term Plan is made possible by strong public finances and Brexit

He wrote: "There is a quotation often attributed to Einstein - that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. We can only hope it does not apply to Her Majesty's Government."

TODO: define component type apester

A planned vote in December was shelved. On Monday, digital minister Margot James was slapped down by Downing Street after suggesting Article 50 might have to be extended in order to stop a no-deal Brexit if the Withdrawal Agreement is rejected by Parliament.

Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures 1 /23 Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Chequers in July PA The Cabinet thrashed out a Brexit blue print PA The away day meeting PA Boris Johnson leaves Carlton House Terrace in Westminster after he resigned as Foreign Secretary PA David Davis pictured after quitting the government, resigning his post as Brexit Secretary AFP/Getty Images New role: Jeremy Hunt was appointed as Foreign Secretary in July Getty Images Dominic Raab took over the role of Brexit Secretary in July AP/Matt Dunham Exotic spresm: Liberal Democrats Leader Sir Vince Cable following his speech at the party conference PA More than half a million protesters descended on London for the People's Vote March in October Sky News Demonstrators called for a People's Vote on Brexit during a march in Liverpool earlier this year Getty Images Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, presented the red Budget Box as he revealed the government's financial plans in October Getty Images It was the last Budget before Brexit AFP/Getty Images Mr McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn listen as Chancellor Philip Hammond delivers his Budget statement AFP/Getty Images New Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay after Dominic Raab quit the post in November Getty Images Esther McVey also resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary Sir Keir Starmer opened the debate on a motion to hold the Government in contempt of Parliament on December 4 AFP/Getty Images Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived a confidence vote on December 12 PA Theresa May in Downing Street after winning the confidence vote Jeremy Selwyn The Prime Minister confronts Jean-Claude Juncker at an EU summit in December 'You called me nebulous' Philip Sime/Twitter Jeremy Corbyn was accused of mouthing the words "stupid woman" during the last PMQs of the year Jeremy Corbyn responds in the Commons amid the row PA Jeremy Corbyn denied reports he muttered the words "stupid woman" AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Mr Rees-Mogg's fellow Conservative William Hague wrote in the same paper that those suggesting a no-deal Brexit was "not the end of the world" are guilty of "miscalculating the risks and their chances of success".

He wrote: "If we were going to leave with no deal, then the best chance of mitigating the many risks would be to do so with a clear plan of our own, backed by a parliamentary majority ready to take all the necessary measures - which include many new laws that would be urgently required covering customs and immigration checks, suspending many others and spending a lot of money on solving problems where they emerged."
B oris Johnson has told an anti-Brexit campaigner that the UK should have "no terrors about leaving the European Union without a deal.

When questioned on camera by Remainer Femi Oluwole about his position on leaving the EU, Mr Johnson said on Monday that we should have no terrors. No fears of no-deal.

Responding with a bemused look on his face, human rights advocate Mr Oluwole called after the former Foreign Secretary to say: No fears? The answer is not to be scared?

It comes after Mr Johnson said a no-deal Brexit was closest to what people voted for in the referendum.

He used his Daily Telegraph column to dismiss downright apocalyptic messages about Brexit on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms, arguing that people could sort fact for nonsense.

Mr Johnson said: "They didn't vote for anything like Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement.

They voted to come out. It is no deal or WTO terms that actually corresponds to their idea of coming out, and they view that option with a confidence that is now directly proportional to the growing strength of the Government's warnings against it."

Former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson / EPA

His column came as the EU said it had no plans for talks on renegotiating Theresa Mays Brexit deal after the Prime Minister said she was seeking further assurances from Brussels to get her deal passed.

With a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement expected to take place on January 15, a European Commission spokesman said there were no talks planned for this week.

Margaritis Schinas said that the agreed Brexit deal was "the best and the only deal possible" and the Commission was focused on watching what happened in the vote.

Without some activity from Brussels Mrs May is expected to lose the so-called meaningful vote, which was postponed in December when it became clear the Government would be defeated.

Mrs May on Monday said she was still working to get concessions that would appease rebellious MPs.

Prime Minister Theresa May will attempt to win over her Brexit critics ahead of a crunch vote / EPA

Speaking at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool at the launch of the NHS Long-Term Plan, she said work was still ongoing and claimed that there had been "some further movement" from the EU at the December European Council meeting.

She said: "In the coming days, what we will set out is not just about the EU but also about what we can do domestically.

"So we will be setting out measures which will be specific to Northern Ireland, we will be setting out proposals for a greater role for Parliament as we move into the next stage of the negotiation and we are continuing to work on further assurances on further undertakings from the European Union in relation to the concern that has been expressed by parliamentarians."

However, her speech came minutes after Mr Schinas had said that while Mrs May would speak to EC president Jean-Claude Juncker this week, "there is no negotiation because everything on the table has been established as approved, established, achieved".
A potty-mouthed parrot stuck on a roof, a dog trapped down a recliner chair and a bearded dragon entangled in a car engine are among animal rescues that cost London Fire Brigade 226,491 last year.

The brigade was called out to save 573 animals, spending an average of 18,874 a month. That was a near 10 per cent increase on 2017, when pet rescues cost the LFB 206,322 for 539 incidents.

Cats suffered a calamitous 2018 and were responsible for nearly half of animal rescue incidents, 283 in total. Birds were second with 124 call-outs and dogs third on 86.

The rescues took up 682 hours of firefighters time last year at an hourly cost of 333.

They spent nearly two hours freeing a dog with its leg stuck in a recliner chairs mechanism, according to call-outs uncovered by Freedom of Information requests.

Among the unusual incidents was the rooftop rescue of trilingual, foul-mouthed parrot Jessie who ungratefully told a firefighter to F*** off!

She had been stuck on a neighbours roof in Edmonton for three days, after escaping her home in August.

When both her owners and the RSPCA failed to lure her down, the fire brigade were called to the scene  only to be greeted by a torrent of colourful language from the bird which speaks English, Turkish and Greek. Eventually the firefighters were able to bring Jessie to safety. The two-hour rescue cost 666.

It took an hour each to free a bearded dragon caught up in a car engine, help a cat with its head trapped behind a sink, rescue a pet iguana stuck 30 feet up a tree, and save a seagull with its leg trapped in a lamp post.

Saving a horse and rider from a canal  a task requiring 72 bags of sand  took three hours, at a cost of 999.

The borough with the highest number of animal call-outs was Enfield, with 31.

Since 2009, the LFB has spent a total of 1.98 million and 6,859 hours  roughly 40 weeks  rescuing animals, including 2,866 cats.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Richard Mills said: We are spending a lot of time being called out to help animals that could often be assisted by the RSPCA.

We know that as a city of animal lovers, Londoners want to help straightaway if they see an animal in distress, and pet owners will know that their furry friends can quickly and easily get themselves into all sorts of trouble.

Firefighters love animals too, and we will always help if the RSPCA need us to, but I do just want to reiterate that its always best to contact the RSPCA in the first instance, and if they require our assistance, they will call us and we are happy to assist with our specialist equipment. We should only be called for real emergencies.
A leading anti-gangs adviser has been warned his life is in danger after drugs police wrongly raided his home.

Gwenton Sloley, 35, is furious detectives forced entry to his Lewisham property as they looked for a crack cocaine dealer who moved out five years before he lived there.

The manhunt saw four properties linked to Myles Prospere, 25, searched. As a result Mr Sloley was blacklisted, with officers spreading news of his homes raid to colleagues across the UK, NHS trusts and councils cancelled projects with his Crying Sons consultancy. Details were also shared with Prosperes lawyers under court rules.

Now Mr Sloley is seeking 3 million from the Met police for lifetime defamation of character and 140,000 lost earnings. The former gang member, who has been lauded by the Home Office, trains law enforcers, health workers and faith groups on how to identify and engage with gangs members.

He also helped set up the London Gang Exit programme. At the time of the search last October, Mr Sloley was in Manchester advising police. He told the Standard: The work I do for them could get me killed every day. Its unbelievable. Police contacted people all around the country saying: Hes not a suspect but his property was caught up in a police operation.

A detective constable attached to Lewishams major crime unit has written to Mr Sloleys local authority requesting a house move due to credible intelligence suggesting he is now at risk at his current address.

Prospere was found with Class A drugs and a knife when he was traced to Forest Hill on the same day as the raids. He was jailed at Woolwich crown court in December for five years and three months after admitting intent to supply and possession of a weapon.

After police acknowledged their error, Mr Sloley was offered compensation for damage caused to the property. Police in Lewisham told him officers had a duty to let his employers know about the October 8 raid due to the sensitive nature of his work.

Over the following weeks he received emails cancelling talks at schools, hospitals and police stations. Ellie Reeves, the MP for Lewisham West and Penge, is now supporting him as are local councillors.
A fashion designer lost his entire collection in a suspected arson attack weeks before he was due to showcase his work at Paris Fashion Week.

Samuel Kaiser, the founder of Gveny London, said he lost six years of work when a fire broke out at a self-storage depot in Croydon.

Police are investigating whether the blaze at Shurgard in Purley Way on New Years Eve might have been started deliberately.

Mr Kaiser, who was at home in Croydon when his wife saw news of the blaze, said he lost up to 200,000 worth of work and has now had to pull out of Paris Fashion Week in March. His clothes have sold for up to 12,000.

When my wife saw the news, she screamed, he said. I just thought, Im finished, because all my work is in there. I just felt like I cant just cut my losses, this is my work. I was so destroyed, I was in shock.

100 firefighters tackle large blaze at self-storage depot in south London

Mr Kaiser added: My entire collection that was in Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2019 a few months ago is gone, apart from two pieces which I used for a photoshoot with a magazine. I dont want to look at those two pieces because I feel like their brothers and sisters are gone.

He believes the items are covered by the depots insurance policy.

The fire spread to all 1,200 units, causing millions of pounds worth of damage. More than 120 firefighters tackled the blaze.

Firefighters battle the flames at the warehouse in Croydon / London Fire Brigade

Mr Kaiser, who graduated from the University of East London in 2016 with a BA in fashion and design, said the fire was a huge blow to his career.

This is just the beginnings of my company, which I set up last year, he said. Its a small company, its just me. I sew and sketch  everything. I dont have helpers. That is a lot of hours gone into that work.

My outfits specialise in sustainability and minimising waste. They are so unique and thats why I got a platform in Paris Fashion Week. I would make them again but they took me six years to make.

Firefighters at the scene in Croydon, south London, after the fire at a storage warehouse / PA

A spokeswoman for Shurgard said the Purley Way store was fully compliant with all national building regulations. She added: We know that this is a devastating event for all our customers. We are committed to updating them and providing support for as long as necessary.
O ne of the leading members of the yellow vest protest group outside Parliament has refused to back down and said Conservative MP Anna Soubry deserved to be heckled.

Westminster has this week been plagued by a group of protesters who shouted abuse at and taunted journalists and politicians, with Ms Soubry repeatedly called a Nazi.

Amid calls for a police intervention, prominent member of the group James Goddard stood by his assertions, writing on Facebook: Shes called a Nazi because shes acting like one."

He added: We must remember the Nazis were elected into power and then went against ordinary Germans! Pretty much echoing whats going on in this country!

If the political class werent trying to thwart Brexit, then I wouldnt have to approach these treacherous MPs. Has anyone noticed how they bang on about equal rights for women, yet when theyre approached they go into meltdown!

It later emerged that Mr Goddard's Facebook pages have been deleted for "violating [Facebook's] policies on hate speech".

James Goddard: "She's called a Nazi because she's acting like one." / Twitter

Footage filmed by the protesters on Monday shows Ms Soubry attempting to enter the Houses of Parliament while surrounded by a group of around 10 men shouting and jostling.

Politicians from across the House of Commons of voiced their support for Ms Soubry in the face of "abuse" and "intimidation", with many people calling for Scotland Yard to intervene.

MP Anna Soubry and Kay Burley faced abuse from protestors on Monday / Sky News

In a Facebook video posted on Monday night, Mr Goddard said he would "conduct himself in a better manner" but added that "these politicians deserve to be heckled".

He apologised to fellow pro-Brexit group Leave Means Leave in the video for calling them "pr****".

Mr Goddard has been following in the footsteps of campaigner Tommy Robinson, voicing his support for the EDL founder last year in a tweet saying: Theres nothing wrong with supporting Tommy. Hes got balls of steel along with many other patriots.

In recent months he has used social media to stage political stunts and appeal for donations.

He first hit the headlines in December after blocking traffic, including ambulances, on Westminster Bridge with a small group of protesters wearing high-vis jackets.

Shortly before Christmas, he was involved in a protest at an appeal hearing for drink driver Jaynesh Chudasama who killed three teenage boys in early 2018. Chudasama had his 13-year prison term for causing their deaths by dangerous driving

Police attended the court after families of the victims and their supporters in the public gallery began chanting loudly as Sir Brian Leveson attempted to announce the decision.

Other stunts include arriving unannounced at the offices of Facebook, the Labour Party and radio station LBC and demanding to speak to officials, only to brand reception staff "traitors" when he was turned away for not having an appointment.

His group of yellow-vested protesters have been a regular feature around Westminster since early December, echoing similar protests in Paris.

Scotland Yard said officers are now investigating whether any crimes have been committed after Ms Soubry and Kay Burley faced vile abuse during live television broadcasts.

Also on Monday, the political commentator Owen Jones shared a video on Twitter showing him being accosted by a group near Parliament, including men wearing Union Jacks.

Mr Goddard said on Tuesday afternoon that he had been "silenced" on Facebook after his profile appeared to disappear.

A link to his PayPal account, where supporters are encouraged to "support (his) work" also failed to load on Tuesday afternoon.

A Facebook spokesman said: "We have removed James Goddard's Facebook pages and groups for violating our policies on hate speech.
A n investigation has been launched at one of the countrys top childrens hospitals after a baby died as he was about to undergo a routine operation.

Three-month-old Aksharan Sivaruban went into cardiac arrest as he was being prepared for a non-emergency hernia repair at Evelina London childrens hospital.

Southwark coroner Andrew Harris was so concerned that he summoned hospital bosses to court yesterday, months ahead of an inquest, to decide whether to issue a prevention of future deaths report to prevent similar tragedies.

He said the provisional findings from a post mortem indicated that Aksharan had died from asphyxia on December 12 after a breathing tube became displaced.

An investigation has been launched at Evelina Children's Hospital / Alamy Stock Photo

Sixteen staff were involved in attempts to resuscitate Aksharan but they had to stop after 45 minutes.

Corrine Slingo, representing the Evelina, told the coroner: Everybody involved is absolutely devastated by these events.

The Duchess of Cambridge last month became patron of the Evelina, which is part of Guys and St Thomass NHS trust.

Aksharan Sivaruban died at Evelina London Children's Hospital

The anaesthetist involved, who has not been named, went off sick and has been stood down from duties, the court was told.

It is understood there had been two failed attempts to insert an endotracheal breathing tube prior to the operation.

Aksharan, the only child of Kanesh and Thevarathi Sivaruban, had been born with two small holes in his heart and was receiving treatment at Kingston hospital.

He was transferred to Evelina for the hernia repair.

His parents, who live in Sutton, south London, questioned whether he should be having a general anaesthetic given his heart condition but were told it was routine surgery and he would be able to come home the same day.

The Duchess of Cambridge last month became patron of the Evelina / REUTERS

In a statement to the Standard, Mr Sivaruban said: We saw the anaesthetic mask being placed on him and then about 30 minutes after we left the theatre, we were asked to return to the theatre and after further 15 minutes, we were told he had died. Our world collapsed at that moment.

The Evelinas medical director Dr Sara Hanna wrote to Aksharans parents two days later, offering condolences and promising to investigate.

The familys lawyer, Will Jones, of Fieldfisher, said: We are relieved that the trust said in court that it is fully committed to finding out what happened.

The family is considering bringing a civil claim against the hospital.

The coroner decided not to issue an immediate prevention of future deaths report after being assured that a comprehensive internal investigation had been launched by the Evelina and no equipment or environmental failures had been found.

However he may issue a report after the inquest, which is likely to be held in August, and will also consider whether there had been neglect as a result of a potential gross failure to provide appropriate medical care.

Experts are likely to be called to help determine whether congenital heart disease played a part in Aksharans death.

Guys and St Thomas trust said in a statement: Our thoughts are with the family of Aksharan Sivaruban after their tragic loss.

This was an unexpected death, which has shocked us all deeply.
A teenage boy has been stabbed to death by a gang of three men after the moped he was riding crashed with a car in north-east London, police believe.

Three males got out of the car and knifed the victim, aged 14, before returning to the vehicle and speeding off from the scene in Bickley Road, Waltham Forest, officers said.

Paramedics battled to save the boys life but he was pronounced dead shortly after 7pm following the horrific incident on Tuesday evening.

"It is believed that three males got out of the car and then stabbed the victim before returning to the vehicle and driving off," Scotland Yard said in statement.

A 14-year-old was stabbed to death in Bickley Road / London 999 Feed/@999London

Pictures taken in Bickley Road show a police cordon in place as forensic officers remain at the scene.

A crime scene is in place in Waltham Forest / London 999 Feed/@999London

A police spokesman said: A crime scene remains in place. The Homicide and Major Crime team has been informed.

There have been no arrests. Enquiries continue.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called the stabbing a "horrific incident" on Twitter.

He said: "I'm greatly saddened by the news of the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old in Waltham Forest and my thoughts are with his family and friends.

"If anyone has information about this horrific incident - please contact Metropolitan Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously."

Tuesday's stabbing comes less than 48 hours after a 27-year-old man was airlifted to hospital after being knifed during a fight at Stockwell bus garage on Monday afternoon.

It also follows a weekend of bloodshed in the capital, as Scotland Yard launched its fourth murder inquiry of the New Year after a woman in her mid-30s was found dead in east London.

In a separate incident on Sunday, an 18-year-old man was left critically injured after being stabbed at Blackhorse Road Tube station in Waltham Forest.
P olice are hunting a man who brandished a knife at a south London station on New Years Eve.

Shocking CCTV images of a man wearing a balaclava have been released by British Transport Police after a man brandished a knife at Stockwell Tube station at around 12.26pm.

No one is reported to have been injured or been directly threatened.

The police spokesman added: Officers were called, however the suspect left the area before they arrived.

Police are searching for this man / British Transport Police

Officers from BTP are now urging anyone with information about the incident or recognises the man in the CCTV images to come forward to help with their investigation.
A manhunt has been launched after a group of four hooded thugs attacked two men in a horrific homophobic assault on Londons Southbank on New Years Day.

The victims, aged 28 and 31, were walking near the National Theatre holding hands before they were assaulted by the men, and suffered facial injuries and bruising in the attack.

Detectives issued a clear CCTV image of three men they are trying to trace as they appealed for information following the assault on Tuesday last week shortly before 2.30pm.

The incident is being treated as a hate crime, Scotland Yard said.

The horrific attack unfolded close to the National Theatre / Getty Images

All four suspects are believed to be aged in their mid-20s and were wearing hooded tops. They fled the scene in the direction of the OXO Tower, officers said.

No arrests have been made.

In statement, the Metropolitan Police said: The victims, aged 28 and 31, who were holding hands, suffered facial injuries and bruising in the assault. They did not require hospital treatment.

The suspects are all described as white, aged in their mid-20s and wearing hooded tops. They left in the direction of the OXO Tower. Officers are issuing images of three of the four suspects in a bid to identify them.
L isbons historic hillside scenery and achingly cool nightlife have made it an increasingly powerful magnet for fashionable flyers in recent years, all while the city continues its ascent as one of Europes rising culinary stars.

From fine dining in a cabaret club to the birthplace of the pastel de nata, these are the coolest foodie hotspots you need to visit in the Portuguese capital.

The Decadente - For comfort food

If you thought your hostel days were over, The Decadente might just change your mind. Part of a hostel concept thats more Soho House than who stole my sleeping bag?, this restaurant is set up to feed the residents of airy dorms and chic suites set in a former palace, but is also open to passers-by.

Channelling a home from home, a pleasantly clattery dining room serves up comfort food with a side of sophistication. If the Mediterranean climate hasnt yet warmed your cockles, do so with Portugal In A Pot  a stew of rice, fish and shrimp in a punchy bisque  or a succulent serving of piri piri chicken (drizzle as much of its fiery sauce as you dare) with a side of chefs stupendously crispy fried potatoes.

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Rua de Sao Pedro de Alcantara 81, 1250-238 Lisbon, thedecadente.pt

Prado - For going au naturale

In short, Prado is producing some of the most exciting food in the city. Fresh from a stint in London under Lisbon-born Chiltern Firehouse chef Nuno Mendes, chef Antonio Galapito opened the restaurant in 2017. Gamely sharing the limelight with Portuguese produce, Galapito focuses on seasonal, native ingredients, accompanied by an all-natural wine list.

Freshen up with a carpaccio of ox heart tomato, watermelon and mint, before indulging in the pigs head on toast with pickled chard and pimiento sauce. Black scabbardfish  dont google it, its not pretty  comes beautifully cooked with a charred smokiness, topped with courgette and turnip. Finish up with a very pleasant sweet surprise  mushroom ice cream with pearl barley, dulce de leche and a caramel made with pork fat.

Travessa das Pedras Negras 2, 1100-404 Lisbon, pradorestaurante.com

Rio Maravilha - For partying

To find the very coolest spots in a city, you need to look beyond the Mayfairs and the Sohos, to the Hackney Wicks. LX Factory is a community of bars, restaurants and artists studios inside a former textile factory in the port district of Alcantara. Rio Maravilha is one of the liveliest venues youll find there, with DJ sets, live music, cocktails and fantastic food. Things are a little calmer in the restaurant, with chef Hugo Castro serving up Portuguese classics with Brazilian influences.

Fine flavours pepper casual affairs: a delicious bull tartare is served with root vegetable crisps and braised egg yolk (like the fanciest loaded nachos youve ever had) while a meaty swirl of octopus gets punchy dollops of romesco sauce and black garlic. Afterwards, head to the rooftop terrace to take in even better views of the Tagus river, alongside a multicoloured monumental statue and a cocktail or two.

Rua Rodrigues de Faria 103, 1300-501 Lisbon, riomaravilha.pt

Beco - For a showstopper

Grupo Jose Avillez

Lisbons growing reputation as a global culinary capital is largely thanks to Jose Avillez, the chef whose two-Michelin-starred restaurant Belcanto courts Portuguese superlatives aplenty. But why just have dinner when you can have dinner and a show? Beco, Avillez's latest opening, is that and more. Behind a secret door in his food market Bairro do Avillez (yes, he has his own food market), is an art deco cabaret club fit for Sally Bowles herself.

The food is as fun as the high-kicking, fan-fluttering show, with the tasting menu offering amuse bouches that arrive inside red rose heads, a shrimp ceviche nestled in a rockpool and a dessert that could be mistaken for a vanity set. The whole evening is about as sexy as supper gets.

Rua Nova da Trindade 18, 1200-303 Lisbon, becocabaretgourmet.pt

BA Wine Bar - For an education in Portuguese wine

An evening at BA Wine Bar is part supper, part boozy seminar on the many and varied delights of Portugals vineyards. This miniscule Bairro Alto bar is run by two endlessly hospitable owners who are both hugely knowledgeable and intensely passionate about native wines. Tell them what wine you like (even in the roughest of terms) and theyll take you on a tour of Portugals regions, grapes and producers that will delight both seasoned experts and curious novices alike.

The food repertoire is limited  if you dont like meat and cheese, youre in the wrong place  but offers an eye opening insight into Portuguese produce. Cured meats and intriguing cheeses are served alongside local chutneys (pumpkin and walnut is a must) and an array of quality olive oils. Simple pleasures dont get better.

Rua da Rosa 107, 1200-382 Lisbon

Palacio Chiado - For affordable luxury

Have you ever had dinner in a palace? There are no knighthoods necessary at Palacio Chiado. This fresco-filled 18th century palace in the Chiado district is now home to several restaurants. Neatly for the indecisive, you can eat food from all of them, regardless of which dining room you take a seat.

Dine on an array of codfish dishes and steak frites from Farrabodo, shrimp and clam taglioni nero from Italian kitchen Rosmarino, and tapas and lighter bites from Barr. The prices are less than regal, with all dishes priced under 15 euros. For extra drama, get a table in the Foyer under the watchful eye of a giant golden lion statue suspended from the ceiling, sporting a view down the staircase to a magnificent stained glass window.

Rua do Alecrim 70, 1200-018 Lisbon, palaciochiado.pt

Bica do Sapato  For seafood

Lisbon isnt technically by the sea  which makes its love for the non-native codfish initially baffling. Well save you the lecture on historical trade routes, because the Portuguese passion and prowess with the chip shop favourite speaks for itself. A waterside lunch at Bica do Sapato, an elegant restaurant on the banks of the Tagus, puts bacalhau front and centre. Cod is served in croquetas, as a tartare, and fried in the traditional au minhota style with potatoes and onions  crisp on the outside and silky on the inside. For seafood with more hustle and bustle, head to the celebrated Cervejeria Ramiro  an unassuming beer bar where the simple seafood offerings are among the best in the city.

Av. Infante Dom Henrique Armazem B, Cais da Pedra, Santa Apolonia, 1900-436 Lisbon, bicadosapato.com

Bistro de 100 Maneiras  For quirky cooking

Ljubomir Stanisic has been a driving force in the global gastronomy of Lisbon for over 10 years, and isnt slowing down now. Restaurant de 100 Maneiras is home to the Yugoslavian-born chefs tasting menu, which features his legendary Codfish Clothesline dish. Around the corner at Bistro de 100 Maneiras, things are a little more casual, but no less intensely illustrated. On the walls of the lively dining rooms youll find art installations made with pages of storybooks (and kitchen knives), and on the menu, dishes including the Suckling Pig Showdown, 100,000 Leagues Under The Sea and Welcome To The Jungle. Be sure not to miss the award-winning bar, serving up some of the best cocktails in the city.

Largo da Trindade 9, 1200-466 Lisbon, 100maneiras.com

A Taberna da Rua das Flores  For tradition with a twist

A Taberna da Rua das Flores may be small, but its name is mighty among those in the know. With just 20 covers and no reservations, getting there in the earliest hours of the evening is a must. Inside the rustic, compact quarters of a traditional-style taberna, chef Andre Magalhaes serves up a menu changing daily according to produce and whim.

Expect taberna-style food peppered with influences from Magalhaes travels, all at dastardly good value. The pork preto, little nuggets of Iberian pork peppered with delightfully singed fat and fresh lemon, is a real delight, while flavours of Peru and south Asia can be found in a dish of corvina marinated in orange, lime, lemon and a big whack of chilli.

Rua das Flores 103, 1200-213 Lisbon

Pasteis de Belem  For pasteis de nata

AFP/Getty Images

Lets face it, the sole reason youve travelled to Lisbon is to eat pasteis de nata. For pastel enthusiasts, making a trip to the birthplace of the Portuguese custard tart is an essential pilgrimage, and a prettier one than you might expect. The pastel de nata was first created hundreds of years ago by monks at the architecturally stunning Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbons Belem. Down the road, Pasteis de Belem opened in 1837 to become the first pastel factory in the world, and is still serving up oven-fresh pastry cups filled with light as you like custard to this day. If you are craving the crunch outside of Belem, Manteigaria also serve up superlative pasteis closer to the city centre.
A h, Valentines Day. A day that both singles and, ironically, couples lament for the ostentatious displays of affection.

Whether you are partnered up or not, there is no doubt that people around the office will be getting flowers and chocolates  so why not get away for a mid-week trip?

This year for Valentines Day grab your significant other/best friend/mother/favourite cousin or anyone you love and use it as an excuse to go on a mini-break.

While many couples flock to Paris to celebrate their love in the city of, well, love weve come up with a few alternatives to try below.

1. Try something new with a visit to old-timey Estonia

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Often overlooked, Estonia is bordered by Latvia, Russia, the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland  meaning it is steeped in history.

The capital Tallinn is known for its preserved Old Town and museums - and has a distinctly romantic vibe. If you have time to take a day trip from the capital, the country - which was once part of the Soviet Union - is dotted with castles, churches and hilltop fortresses. You will also find a number of lakes, forests and rocky beaches among the diverse terrain.

2. Take a trip to Finlands Lapland to see the Northern lights

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Lapland is Finlands northernmost region and is bordered by Sweden, Norway, Russia and the Baltic Sea. It is known for its vast, subarctic wilderness and is home to a number of ski resorts and natural phenomena like the midnight sun and the northern lights. Why not stay in a glass-topped igloo for the ideal setting to watch the aurora borealis.

3. Visit the windswept West coast of Ireland

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Our friendly neighbour across the Irish Sea is the perfect place to take your other half if youre looking for lush landscapes and romantic scenery. Particularly the west coast of Ireland where you will find the charming towns of Galway and Limerick  and the must-see Cliffs of Moher.

4. Stay in a retreat in the Scottish highlands

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Retreats are popping up all over the Scottish Highlands and Valentines Day is the perfect time visit to one of them. Whether they be a spa, wellness or luxury retreat , a bit of fresh Scottish air and scenery will do you a world of good.

5. Take a stroll through Ljubljanas Tivoli Park

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The expansive Tivoli Park is located in Slovenias capital city Ljubljana. One of Europes greenest and most peaceful cities, Ljubljana is often overlooked for the nearby Lake Bled, but the city offers many delights. From the park, to the castle and central market, this city is perfect for a romantic city break.

6. Visit Annecy, the French Venice

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Walking through Annecy is like taking a stroll through Venice, although much less crowded and with a gorgeous lake and towering Alps as the backdrop. Known for its Vielle Ville (old town), cobbled streets and winding canals, this is the perfect romantic alternative to Paris.

While there, treat you and your loved one to delicious raclette at Le Lilas Rose just off the main canal. Oh, and if you fancy going to Switzerland while youre there Geneva is just 45 minutes away on the bus.

7. Take a train down to Arundel

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If your wallet is still feeling a bit battered and bruised after the festive season, take a trip closer to home. Arundel is just an hour away from London by train. The gorgeous town sits on the edge of the Southdowns National Park and is home to the breath-taking Arundel Castle (note: this re-opens on April 2). The market town is filled with Tudor-style houses and delicious coffee shops.

8. Boat through the fjords in Norway

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The fjords of western Norway were granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2005  and for good reason. Nryfjord, the Sognefjord, the Lysefjord the Geirangerfjord are just some of the thousand fjords in Norway  and are all postcard-perfect. Take a boat through the fjords to see majestic waterfalls and stunning scenery.

9. Go hiking in Liguria, Italy

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Liguria is one of the most beautiful regions of Italy. Its home to the sprawling city of Genoa and the fishing villages along the Cinque Terre. While you can hike all over the region, the hills surrounding Santa Margherita Ligure are home to a tapestry of lush olive trees, hidden mills and views over the Ligurian Sea.

Make sure you walk down to Portofino for a touch of luxury and the Abbazia di San Fruttuoso for hidden treasures. Scuba diving enthusiasts can dive down to the Christ of the Abyss, located off San Fruttuoso.

10. Treat yourself to a luxury weekend in Guernsey

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Located in the English Chanel off the coast of Normandy, you can either fly or ferry to the bailiwick of Guernsey. From the heart of the countryside to cottages by the sea, Guernsey is perfect for a long relaxing weekend.

11. Eat some pierogi in Krakow

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Krakow isnt the first place that comes to mind when we think romance but this Polish City is steeped in history and culture with its medieval city centre and Jewish quarter. Take a walk around Planty Park which circles the Old Town and make sure you stop off at Przypiecek, a cafe specialising in pierogi (polish dumplings) that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Krakow is also the perfect base if you want to go on a romantic hiking trip to the Tatra Mountains  located on the border of Poland and Slovakia.

12. Walk up Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh

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Theres something a bit magical about Edinburgh. Whether its the Royal Mile or Edinburgh Castle perched on the hill, the city wraps you in romance. While there, take the easy hike up to Arthurs Seat  be careful though as it can be slippery after rainfall.

13. Spend the day walking through the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia

Laura Hampson

If magnificent scenery is your idea of romance, then spend the day walking through Croatias Plitvice Lakes. Base yourself in Zagreb for the weekend and take a day trip out to the lakes for some of the bluest water you will ever see. With spring around the corner, this is the perfect time of year to visit.

14. Visit the vineyards on the Isle of Scilly

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J anuary may seem like a 31-day long stretch of misery, but for one day of the month, there's a reason to celebrate.

This year, Burns Night falls on January 25, and for those of us who don't know (or don't know anyone who's Scottish), it's a night for eating, drinking and celebrating.

And there is no shortage of activities you can participate in to mark the evening and commemorate Robert Burns  with the citys restaurants and boozers offering a chance for everyone to soak up some Scottish culture.

Who was Robert Burns?

Burns was an 18th century Scottish poet and part of the Romantics literary movement. He is widely regarded as the countrys national poet. Burns works were written in both Scots and English, which meant more people could read and understand his writing.

Perhaps Burns most well-known work is Auld Lang Syne  which is now put to music and traditionally sung on New Years Eve.

How do people celebrate Burns Night?

Usually, people tend to sit down for a home-cooked haggis dinner washed down by a glass of whisky. Traditionally, guests will stand as the haggis is brought to the table before the Address to a Haggis is read out (a Robert Burns poem).

The haggis dinner tends to be accompanied by tatties and neeps (potatoes and swede).

The first ever Burns Night celebration was held on July 21, 1801, five years after Robert Burns death. Since then, the tradition has been upheld around the date of Burns birthday.

Where can I eat haggis in London this Burns Night?

To get your haggis fix this Burns Night  or any other night, if the feeling takes you  there are plenty of restaurants and bars in London you can visit. Weve even picked out a few of the best dishes for you:

Mini roast Dumfriesshire Blackface Haggis at Boisdale

Boisdale

This traditional Burns Night dish, complete with neeps and tatties, comes with a 25ml noggin of Robert Burns Arran malt whisky.

Order it at Boisdale (Canary Wharf, Belgravia, Bishopsgate, Mayfair)

Macbeth haggis toasties, Deeneys

Deeney's

If the traditional haggis dinner is a bit much for you, the selection of toasties at Deeneys has plenty of choice.

The standard Macbeth toasty combines a mouth-watering combination of hot haggis, oozing cheddar, caramelised onion, mustard and rocket into one sandwich, while the Lady Macbeth offers a vegetarian haggis option. The Hamish Macbeth adds a helping of smoked bacon to the mix.

You can find Deeney's at 330 and 360 Leyton High Road, Crouch end, and Broadway Market on Saturdays

Haggis arancini  Irvin Bar Grill (Crouch End)

Irvin Bar Grill

Another twist on the traditional Scottish delicacies  Irvin Bar Grill combines Italian influence to create its arancini balls stuffed with haggis and Arborio rice, which are oozing with mozzarella.
M iriam Gonzalez Durantez does have a Facebook account but she says she is much more of an Instagram person: Being able to say openly what you think there has been a blessing.

Luckily, Instagram is owned by Facebook, so it still falls under her husband Nick Cleggs new remit. The former deputy prime minister has taken a job at Facebook as head of global policy and communications and this month he, Gonzalez Durantez and their three sons are leaving Brexit-locked Britain and moving to Palo Alto.

Wearing a sunny yellow jumper, Gonzalez Durantez is taking a break from packing, hiding in the extension of their Putney home. The table is obscured by half-empty bottles of spirits and champagne that need drinking before they go. Shes in clearout mode, offering me their old TV because it wont work in California. Does Brexit make this a good time for the Spanish citizen  an international lawyer, aged 50  and her Europhile husband to be heading across the Atlantic? It is never a good time to leave London, she says with a charming smile. It is a wonderful place. Please dont destroy London.

She came to the UK reluctantly when her husband became MP for Sheffield Hallam in 2005. Its grown on her. She loves its diversity  and the Wallace Collection. But California is an adventure.

California is the more European of all the states. They are constantly looking to the future. The UK spent the past two years looking at the past and you can see that in politics constantly, whether its the Sixties or Seventies. That forward-looking is contagious. In life you need to move on sometimes.

Gonzalez Durantez cant vote here and acknowledges that means Brexit is not my decision but she does think we have made a catastrophic mistake. What has been heartbreaking is that the Gov-ernment has been truly incompetent. We are in this situation because the Prime Minister decided to waste two years and set out a series of red lines decided on her own without consulting Parliament.

Taking a sip of black coffee from a Gruffalo mug, she continues: She didnt have to put the country in this situation and now it is disheartening because one has the feeling that there is an intention to blackmail the country by not letting Parliament decide and to try to bring them to the edge of the cliff with that line, which at the end of the day is a procedural deadline. The first thing she should be doing, today rather than tomorrow, is to phone the Europeans and say we may need more time. Why she doesnt do that is beyond me.

The Cabinet and the Prime Minister have not been understanding it until very recently and it is their job to understand [Brexit]. Blackmailing the country by bringing it to the edge is unethical really. This can be recovered but it needs to be handled differently. Whenever she says this is the only deal on the table it is because she is the only one doing the negotiating.

Would she like a second referendum? It is possibly one of the only ways out of this mess. I do understand those who say perhaps the only options are hard Brexit, which would require her to lead the country with much more determination than she has done, or staying in. It seems to me insane that this needs to happen by X day in March. Its yet another example of a person putting herself above the country, but you have had a few of those.

Gonzalez Durantez and their three sons are leaving Brexit-locked Britain and moving to Palo Alto / BRUCE ADAMS/DAILY MAIL

Its particularly concerning for the younger generation. Gonzalez Durantez has three sons: Antonio, Alberto and Miguel, aged 15, 13 and eight. Their age group feels strongly about Brexit. Its one of the toughest things to see, the amount of young people who do not want this. It is difficult to run a country against the interests of its young people.

The family is close. In autumn 2016 Antonio was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells. Nine months later Clegg lost Sheffield Hallam, the seat hed represented for 13 years.

Antonio is in full remission now. He is very well. Whether it is a big illness or losing someone, your only option is to cope. You have other people around, you have to be there for them and thats how you do it. When it is too hard day by day you do it hour by hour or minute by minute. There are many more families who go through much worse than we do and we dont really have an option, you just have to deal with it.

This isnt goodbye to the UK, she assures me: Im not going to disappear. They are keeping their Putney house and Gonzalez Durantez will be travelling back and forth for her new job at boutique international law firm Cohen Gresser, once everybody is installed and weve made sure the schools are good. It annoys Nick that shes a good sleeper and can spend whole transatlantic plane journeys asleep.

Alongside that, shes expanding her organisation Inspiring Girls. It seeks to raise the aspirations of young women around the world by connecting them to female role models. She launched it two years ago, after having the idea on holiday and emailing 10 women she admired asking them to be involved. Now it operates in 10 countries.

Weve recorded interviews with women from all walks of life so that any girl with access to the internet, no matter where she is, can have access to this enormous amount of role models. She can get in touch with them too.

One of my obsessions is keeping talking about gender equality. Not just ticking the box and saying weve sorted it. Lets move to the next problem. It is not just for women and girls. I have a lot to do with men speaking up. Shes eloquent on the need to boost self-confidence and support women with better childcare and attitudes.

Is the PM a role model? She doesnt come up [with the people I speak to] but it might just be the types of girls we meet. In the UK they tend to say Beyonce is the role model. I think thats great because she is hard-working. The issue is when you ask, Do you sing? and they say no.

The second role model they tend to say is their mother or grandmother  and you feel like hugging them. Role models dont need to be top women in industry or politics but certainly for girls to see women in positions of power is important.

Gonzalez Durantez and her husband make crumble at Ivy Lane Primary School in 2015 / Getty Images

Gonzalez Durantez has always been close to politics. She was brought up during Spains transition to democracy and her father was mayor of Olmedo and then senator for Valladolid. One of my earliest memories is giving out pamphlets outside political rallies so I have lived with politicians and worked for them. I worked with Chris Patten on European trade. But it was always these people do it and I am just here in the background. That changed in 2016.

It was not only Brexit, it was Spain, the US. We either step in, or it might be that the things I consider essential, fun-damental freedoms which I took for granted, they might not be there for my children. Ive spent a lot of time over the past few years telling people and also myself that we all need to chip in. Not all of that is frontline politics. Its about speaking up. Would she like to be Prime Minister of Spain? Haha, if only.

Who are her role models? I have women who, when I am in a conundrum, I think, How would they do it?  for example Catherine Day [former secretary-general of the EU Commission]. The argument that certain values are innately female doesnt sit easily. It has become fashionable to say that we naturally have certain soft skills and those are not the ones needed in the workplace. I do not identify with that. All this about us being better negotiators. I work as a negotiator but I prefer people to do what I say. Everything depends on you as a person. The whole point of diversity discussions is not putting people in boxes. It drives people away.

Does she miss anything about life in Westminster? Oh yes, the excitement and being able to see British politics from the front row at an interesting and difficult time. The nice bit about politics is when you have a lot of money to give everybody. [But it was] a difficult situation economically and you have to bring it to a position of growth and strength. It was like a masterclass every day but in life you go in chapters, things move on. If you see my life, any prediction never happens so I have learned to live by the present.
Today marks the 80th birthday of a design legend, Carolina Herrera. Though Herrera stepped down as her brand's creative director last year, passing the reins to Wes Gordon, she's showing no signs of slowing down.

The Venezuelan-American visionary didnt originally want to become a designer - in fact, she was better famed for wearing glamourous clothes than crafting them in the earlier part of her life. But with her keen eye, a couple of fashionable fairy godmothers and an unwaveringly sophisticated brand aesthetic, she eventually blazed a trail of lifetime achievement awards, high profile fans and over 35 years at the top of the fashion industry.

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Her transition from socialite to sartorial mastermind is a fascinating one. So bust out your white blouses and black maxi skirts, and join us on a very stylish journey.

Carolina Herrera, the socialite

Carolina Herrera was born in Caracas, Venezuela on January 8, 1939. Carolina is actually her second name, as she was born Maria Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Nino - a name that probably wouldnt have fit on a label.

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As the daughter of the former Caracas governor Guillermo Pacanins Acevedo and his wife Maria Cristina Nino Passios, she was well positioned to become one of Venezuelas most notable socialites. In an interview with The Independent, she described her mother as a very romantic figure - something that undoubtedly impacted her own approach to fashion. In fact, E! reported that Herreras love of the couture started from a young age as she and her mother would often take trips to Paris to have their clothes made by Balenciaga and Lanvin.

Between 1957 and 1964, she was married to a landowner named Guillermo Behrens Tello and had two daughters with him before they eventually divorced. It wasnt until 1965 that she began to dip her toe into the business side of fashion when she started work in public relations. According to French Vogue, she started off working in [an] Emilio Pucci subsidiary company where she witnessed firsthand how the great stylish machine worked.

Carolina Herrera 1968 / Getty Images

A year later, at the age of 29 years old, she married her second husband: Reinaldo Herrera Guevara, the military governor of Torre Casa. It was at her 1968 nuptials that she had one of her first major forays into design as according to E!, she created her own wedding dress. She gave the traditional white a miss and instead opted for a yellow mini number with floral appliques to walk down the aisle in. She would go on to have two more daughters with him, who both wound up becoming instrumental parts of her empire: one ended up working the brand's eventual fragrance side and the other in the ready to wear department.

With her sophisticated style and grace, she quickly became a darling of the international celebrity scene becoming a muse for the likes of Andy Warhol, Robert Mapplethorpe and Ahmet Ertegun. She made many friends along the way, including one of her biggest mentors: former American Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, who had a profound impact on her career.

Herrera called the woman her mentor and said to Harpers Bazaar, When I met Diana - which was years and years ago because was a very good friend of my mother-in-law and my father-in-law and my husband, Reinaldo, I was impressed with her because she was an old lady with a very young mind. I had a great admiration for her.

She continued, She was a very good editor. Everything was about beauty and making women look beautiful and appealing.

Carolina Herrera attends the 1977 Met Gala / Tony Palmieri/Penske Media/REX/Shutterstock

In 1972, Carolina Herrera was officially announced as one of the biggest movers and shakers in fashion as she made the International Best Dressed List. Her star continued to rise as a few years later in 1980, she became a sartorial legend when she was inducted into International Best-Dressed Hall of Fame.

Carolina Herrera, the designer

The same year she won a spot in the Hall of Fame, Herrera was undergoing a big life change as she moved to New York in 1980. It was here that her creativity blossomed and she turned her mind to the business of fashion, hoping initially to become a textile designer. But when she told her friend Vreeland about her plan, the cut-throat editor wasnt impressed.

Herrera told New York Times, I wanted to design textiles. I came to see Diana, and I told her my story and asked whether she liked the idea or not. And she said, My God, thats very boring. Why dont you do something else, connected with fashion? Why dont you do a collection?

Carolina Herrera with a model during the Carolina Herrera Fall/Winter 1981 show / John Bright/Tony Palmieri/Penske Media/REX/Shutterstock

From there an empire was born as she took her mentors words to heart and crafted her debut 20 look collection. In 1981 she held her first fashion show at a private members club called the Metropolitan Club. It was a day of firsts as the elite establishment had never held a fashion show before and musicians played Cole Porter as models including Iman walked the runway.

A-Listers at the time came out in the droves to see her work, such as her friend Andy Warhol and Bianca Jagger. In no time at all, Carolina Herrera established itself as a fashion brand to be reckoned with - and one with a serious cult following.

Bianca Jagger with pop artist Andy Warhol at the Metropolitan Club during a Caroline Hererra fashion show in 1981 / Getty Images

After that, the brand carved a niche for itself as the epitome of glamour and elegance, without caving to seasonal trend pressures. Instead, her collections floated above the fast-moving world of fashion. As she told the New York Times, I dont believe in trends. If everyone follows trends, then we will all look the same, and what fun is that? Fashion should be an expression of yourself. Ive always stayed true to the style codes of the house and have kept my eyes open  beauty has a way of finding you that way.

Although Carolina Herrera quickly became a hit with Manhattans fashion-forward elite, she really cemented her status as a force of nature when she gained a very influential new client: former First Lady Jackie Onassis. She said via American Vogue that Onassis close friend introduced the pair and Herrera explained, [Besides Diana Vreeland,] the one who really helped me a lot was Jackie Onassis. She believed in me and I did a lot of clothes for her in her last 12 yearsAnd she believed in it and she loved it and we got involved doing things for her.

Jackie Onassis / The LIFE Picture Collection/Gett

One of the brands most iconic moments happened in 1986, when Herrera designed a wedding dress for Caroline Kennedy, "Americas princess." As former US President John F. Kennedys only daughter, all eyes were on her and on Herreras refreshing take on bridal couture: a silk organza gown with puffed sleeves and floral appliques that carried on into her veil. Herrera launched a bridal couture line the next year to deal with demand.

Renee Zellweger / Getty Images

After that, Herrera only grew and quickly became a household name, eventually snagging the coveted Womenswear Designer of the Year award by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Just four years later in 2008, the CFDA awarded her the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.

In that time the fashion house began to attract an esteemed clientele of celebrities and political figures, including Herreras close friend Renee Zellweger, who wore a truly show-stopping white Carolina Herrera creation when she won Best Supporting Actress for Cold Mountain in 2004.

Laura Bush / Corbis via Getty Images

Jackie Onassis wasnt the only First Lady she dressed, as both Nancy Reagan and Laura Bush were known to favour the brand.

On the other side of the aisle, Michelle Obama made fashion hearts stop back in 2014 when she welcomed then French President Francois Hollande to the White House, stepping out in a blue and black lace gown that marked her one of the most fashionable First Ladies ever. The brand also had a brief foray into cinema, as it designed Bella Swans wedding dress for the Twilight franchise which - all things admitted - was a beautiful dress.

Michelle Obama / AFP/Getty Images

In 2012, Carolina Herrera was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York - the place where her brand began.

She said of New York to NYT, I am Venezuelan, but I am an American designer because I started designing in New York over 35 years ago. Its always been important for me to have an in-house atelier and to support the city and the garment district that has supported the brand.

In 2018, Herrera took her last bow as creative director of the brand. With over 72 shows and 37 years of fashion under her belt, she showed her final Fall 2018 collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and emerged to a standing ovation.

She then handed over the figurative keys to the empire - which by then had grown to include accessories, menswear, bridal couture and perfumes - to Wes Gordon who has continued carrying her torch. Even though she may no longer be directly involved in the design process, she doesnt remain far from home as she now serves as Global Brand Ambassador for the atelier. Will she ever retire? We're just hope we're as driven as she is when we're 80.
If theres one thing Netflixs Princess Switch taught us over the Christmas period, its that being royalty isnt necessarily all it's cracked up to be.

For the British Royal Family - arguably the most high-profile Royal Family in the world - theres the pressure of centuries-long traditions and duty. No surprises, then, that a couple of its members have been keen to opt out.

New reports suggest Prince Harry was once one of them. At one point the Prince apparently wanted to scrap his title and live like common people do - until one member of the family stopped him. When Harry was on the verge of giving up his princely status, his close relationship with his grandmother (a.k.a. the Queen) changed his mind.

The British Royal Family / Getty Images

In a new documentary, Meghan Markle: American Princess, royal biographer Penny Juror explained, Harry was a reluctant Royal. I think there was a real danger at one time that Harry might turn his back on his Royal life and Royal responsibilities and go and live somewhere quietly.

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However, Gayle King of CBS This Morning revealed that he decided not to abandon his duties for the sake of the Queen." She added, She, like the rest of us, forgave him.

Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth share a close relationship - the pair have been photographed making one another giggle at events. They even goofed about for the Invictus Games, issuing a tongue-in-cheek 'mic drop' challenge to the Obamas.

According to protocol, the Queen also had to give her formal consent before Prince Harry could marry Meghan Markle last May, a moment when her affection for her grandson appeared to show.

In it, she referred to her Prince Harry as her most dearly beloved grandson." In her engagement interview with the BBC Meghan Markle talked about getting to know the Queen through Harry: It's incredible, I think, you know, to be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honour and respect for her as the monarch, but the love that he has for her as his grandmother.

The Queen with Prince Harry at the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles / REX/Shutterstock

Markle added that it's something that has impacted her own understanding of the monarch. All of those layers have been so important for me so that when I met her I had such a deep understanding, and of course incredible respect, for being able to have that time with her. And we've had a really - she's, she's an incredible woman.

Had Prince Harry given up his title, it would have had a pretty dramatic impact on the line of succession.

Harry is currently sixth in line to the throne, following his father Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle PDAs 1 /36 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle PDAs Prince Harry kisses Meghan Markle as they leave St George's Chapel after their wedding in Windsor, England on May 19, 2018. AFP/Getty Images The Duchess and Duke of Sussex at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada PA Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce their engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace Jeremy Selwyn Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce the birth of their newborn Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor during a photocall in St George's Hall, May 2018 Getty Images Meghan Markle and Prince Harry having a beach date at Bondi Beach, October 2018. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share a giggle and hold hands at the Joff Youth Centre in Sussex, May 2018. Getty Images The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry visit Redwoods Treewalk in New Zeland holding hands in October 2018. SplashNews.com Prince Harry cheekily (though it could just be the camera angle) ushers his wife onto their plane in New Zealand on October 28, 2018. SplashNews.com Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan Markle hold hands in their wedding carriage. AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get close visiting Edinburgh Castle in Scotland on February 13, 2018. Getty Images Meghan Markle and Prince Harry walk arm in arm while attending a charity fair in Nottingham, England on December 1, 2017. Getty Images Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at the Invictus Games in 2017, where they appeared publicly for the first time. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a cuddle under the umbrella while watching aboriginal dances in Australia on October 17, 2018. AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle go head to head at the UK Team Trials for the Invictus Games in Bath, England on April 6, 2018. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the official photocall after announcing their engagement in London, England on November 27, 2017. Getty Images Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend a Christmas Day church service in King's Lynn, England on December 25, 2017. Getty Images Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hold hands on a walkabout at Cardiff Castle on January 18 2018, in Cardiff, Wales. Getty Images Meghan Markle holds hands with her husband, Prince Harry at the Royal Ascot in Ascot, England on June 18, 2018. Getty Images Prince Harry gazing at Meghan Markle in Fiji, October 2018. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arm in arm after Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding in Windsor, England on October 12, 2018. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sneak a kiss at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club on July 26, 2018 in Windsor, England. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand arm in arm at the Coach Core Awards in Loughborough, England on September 24, 2018. Getty Images Prince Harry gazing adoringly at Meghan Markle during her cookbook launch on September 20, 2018. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hold hands while visiting the Nechells Wellbeing Centre in Birmingham, UK on March 7, 2018. SplashNews.com Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hold hands while participating in the unveiling of The Queen's Commonwealth Canopy at Tupou College on October 26, 2018 in New Zealand. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hold hands while arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on October 28, 2018. Getty Images Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hold hands while walking out of Te Papaiouru Marae after attending a formal luncheon on October 31, 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle secretly holding hands at the Cirque du Soleil Totem premiere at the Royal Albert Hall, January 16, 2019. Getty Images The royal couple have a small cuddle as they watch students play football during their visit to Lycee Qualifiant Grand Atlas, the local secondary school in Morocco Getty Images Meghan and Harry are arm in arm while visiting the Education For All boarding house for girls in Morocco Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walk hand in hand for a reception hosted by the British Ambassador to Morocco at the British Residence during the second day of their tour of Morocco Getty Images The Duke and Duchess of Sussex try some food as they visit a cooking demonstration, where children from under-privileged backgrounds learn traditional Moroccan recipes Getty Images Meghan and Harry walk arm in arm during a visit in Morocco Getty Images Harry fixes Meghan's hair while they meet with an artisan during a visit to the Kasbah of the Udayas near the Moroccan capital AFP/Getty Images The royal couple hold hands on their way to attend the Commonwealth Service on Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey Getty Images

If he had stepped down, his uncle Prince Andrew, Duke of York, would have assumed his place and bumped the rest of his relatives (including Princess Beatrice and Eugenie) up a rung.

Giving up a title isnt out of the ordinary for the Royal Family. There was, of course, the famous abdication of Edward VIII which ended up bumping the Queen up the line of succession. Also, Harrys grandfather Prince Philip gave up his royal titles - though for different reasons.

Prior to his marriage to Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip was in line for not one but two titles as the Prince of both Greece and Denmark. According to royal biographer Alan Titchmarsh, Philip gave up his titles when he became a naturalized British subject in 1947 in preparation for marriage to Queen Elizabeth.
U nless you make theatre your only pastime, youll never get to see every single play that London has to offer.

There are always a few you regret missing. Everyone was talking about them, but you didnt have time. Perhaps you meant to get tickets but never got around to it  it happens to us all.

But were all about second chances, so here are those shows you wish youd seen, back and in full force.

Jesus Christ Superstar

Johan Persson

Starting life as a concept album and growing into a famed rock opera, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rices Jesus Christ Superstar is back, running for just 60 performances in the summer. The Evening Standard Theatre Award-winning musical had two smash hit runs in 2016 and 2017 at the Regents Park Open Air Theatre, and this transfer sees Timothy Sheader welcomed back as director.

Until August 24, Barbican Theatre

Death of a Salesman

Brinkhoff/Mogenburg

The Young Vics five-star production of Death of a Salesman is deserving of a second life. It boasts an impressive starring cast with The Wires Wendell Pierce, Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke and Arinze Kene. Marianne Elliot and Miranda Cromwell co-direct the Arthur Miller play, reuniting after the success of their work together on Company. Death of a Salesman tells the story of an ageing salesman Willy Loman and his family, as they deal with his crippling fears and their own illusions about themselves. The Standards review called it fresh, compassionate and ultimately devastating.

October 24-January 4, Piccadilly Theatre

Fleabag

BBC/Two Brothers/Luke Varley

Phoebe Waller-Bridges global hit TV series began life as a one-woman stage play at the Soho Theatre. Now its back on stage with a very limited run in the West End: only four weeks. Waller-Bridge is performing it as the original stage show that began as an Edinburgh Fringe hit, but this will be the last time she will appear in the play. It follows a young woman who uses sex and sarcasm to disguise her pain.

Barber Shop Chronicles

( Tim Trumble) / Tim Trumble

Inua Ellamss acclaimed play jumps between six places over the course of one day: Peckham, Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lago and Accra. It takes place in six barbershops, where men for generations have gathered to discuss the world. The original production ran at the National Theatre two years ago and now transfers to Camdens Roundhouse where it will be performed in-the-round. The Standards review of the 2017 run gave the show four stars, urging readers to make an appointment.

Until August 24, Roundhouse, roundhouse.org.uk

Translations

Catherine Ashmore

Brian Friels 1980 play explores an Irish community disrupted by the arrival of British army officers tasked with translating place names into English. The Standards four star review said the play is a vision of the power of language. Ciaran Hinds reprises his role as Ian Ricksons production returns to the National Theatre after a sold-out run and a few places on the shortlist in the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

October 15-December 18, National Theatre, nationaltheatre.org.uk

Equus

Richard Davenport/The Other Richard

This revival of Peter Shaffers shocking play wowed audiences at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. A five star review from the Standard that called the production "intoxicating" and "dripping with physicality and theatricality". Ned Bennett returns this West End transfer about a teenage boy Alan who blinds six horses with a spike and the world-weary psychiatrist charged with uncovering the motive behind Alans violent act.

Until September 7, Trafalgar Studios

The Son

(Marc Brenner ) / Marc Brenner

Amanda Abbington  best known for Sherlock and Mr Selfridge  reprises her role in The Son, the third in a trilogy of plays by Florian Zeller. The play follows a family in the midst of breakdown and a teenage son struggling with mental illness. The Standard's review called it a "a bleak, characteristically clear-sighted look at the pain and turbulence of mental health disorders". Abbington is joined by John Light, Laurie Kynaston and Amaka Okafor in the lead cast.

September 2-November 2, Duke of Yorks Theatre

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 

Pamela Raith

Nearly 40 years after his first diary entry, Adrian Moles life is set to music. Sue Townsends bestselling series are adapted in the musical, following him through the onset of puberty and his belief that hes an undiscovered genius. Four boys will alternate the role of Adrian, including Aaron Gelkoff, who starred alongside Sharon D Clarke in Caroline, or Change.

Until October 12, Ambassadors Theatre

Six

( Idil Sukan) / Idil Sukan

The surprise hit musical about Henry VIIIs wives touring as a girl band seemed to come out of nowhere. Creators Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss brought the house down with Six at Edinburgh Fringe, moving to the West End only months later and meeting critical acclaim. They extended due to popular demand and its return to the Arts Theatre was announced before the initial run had finished. Not bad for their first musical. It sees Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anna, Katherine and Catherine become tired of being defined by their husband and set out to reclaim their own stories.
O ne of the most high-profile biopics of the year is released this week, with Stan & Ollie out in cinemas on Friday.

The film sees Steve Coogan team up with John C Reilly to tell the story of Laurel and Hardy, two of the most iconic screen stars of the 20th century.

Heres everything you need to know.

What is the new Stan & Ollie film about?

The new movie tells the story of the later years of legendary Hollywood double act Laurel and Hardy. The film focuses on the pair as they embark on a tour of British music halls, all the while trying to get a new film into production. The movie explores the pressures of working with a long-term creative partner, while the pairs appeal is beginning to fade with time.

The duo perform to dwindling numbers of fans on the tour and begin to consider embarking on separate projects after decades of working together. Despite strains on the relationship, the comedy drama is primarily focused on the profound bond the pair shared, even in the twilight of their career.

Who were Laurel and Hardy?

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy - In Pictures 1 /31 Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy - In Pictures Getty Images PUBLICITY PIC Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images AP Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images Getty Images

The hugely influential duo were two of the most popular comedians Hollywood has ever seen. Englishman Laurel and American Hardy first made a name for themselves in silent pictures in the late 20s, developing an unrivalled reputation as slapstick specialists and masters of farcical comedy. Together they appeared in 34 silent short films and 45 sound shorts, before making 27 feature films with sound. Among their most famous works are Sons of the Desert, Way Out West, A Chump at Oxford and The Flying Deuces.

They are considered to be two of the most influential comedians of all time, with the likes of John Cleese, Steve Martin and Peter Sellers all acknowledging their impact. Their affect on culture, though, went further than other comedians; surrealist painter Rene Magritte, playwright Samuel Beckett and authors Kurt Vonnegut and JD Salinger have all name-checked them as inspiration.

When did Laurel and Hardy die?

Hardy suffered a heart attack in 1954, which led to him changing his lifestyle and losing more than 10 stone in weight. He later had a series of strokes before slipping into a coma and dying of cerebral thrombosis on August 7 1957. Laurel was also ill at the time, and unable to attend the funeral. After retiring from screen roles following Hardys death, Laurel passed away in 1965 shortly after suffering a heart attack.

Who will play Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy?

In what could prove to be some of the most inspired casting of 2019, Steve Coogan stars as Stan Laurel and John C Reilly stars as Oliver Hardy. Shirley Henderson also appears as Hardys wife Lucille.

While Coogan bears a fairly strong resemblance to Hardy, Reilly reportedly sat in the make-up chair for four hours during shooting to achieve the right look for the film.

The pair are directed by Jon S Baird, who is best known for his work on the Irvine Welsh adaptation Filth, while Coogans Philomena collaborator Jeff Pope wrote the script.

Stan & Ollie trailer

Stan and Ollie trailer

The trailer for the movie was first revealed back in September, before the film was screened at the BFI Film Festival in October 2018.

As well as showing Coogan and Reillys striking similarities to Laurel and Hardy, the trailer showcases the films wonderfully realised post-war period setting

Old grudges come to light in the promo footage, with Laurel resentful of Hardys decision to star in a film without him. Hardys health is shown to be deteriorating, with the character seen collapsing in the clip.

Stan & Ollie release date in the UK
I t has been stolen and recovered twice, sold for 74 million and now, for the first time in a decade, Edvard Munchs The Scream is coming to London.

A rare monochrome print of the famous image, which has adorned book covers, inspired Halloween masks and even pub signs, will be the centrepiece of a new British Museum show. Edvard Munch: Love And Angst will focus on dozens of prints the Norwegian expressionist made of his works, including The Scream.

The original painting was created in 1893 inspired by the wild skies of the artists native Scandinavia. That version was stolen by two thieves who walked into the National Gallery in Oslo on the same day as the opening of the 1994 Winter Olympics and took it off the wall. A 1910 copy was stolen a decade later when masked gunmen entered the Munch Museum in the Norwegian capital.

Both copies were later recovered, while a pastel version of The Scream took just over 12 minutes to sell for 74 million at auction in New York in 2012. Only about 15 copies of the black and white lithograph survive after the matrix, which Munch used to transfer the ink on to the paper, was destroyed. It will join almost 50 prints from the Munch Museum as well as photographs and postcards that trace his travels throughout Europe.

Lead curator Giulia Bartrum said: In a sense it is difficult to do an exhibition about Munch without including it because it is what people expect. Hopefully it will draw people in but they will go away having learned much more about him as an artist.

She said UK audiences were much less familiar with his beautiful printmaking, adding: This exhibition will put Munch into context within the old master tradition and look at the remarkable impact of his prints alongside other leading printmakers of his period. We hope that the show will lift the veil on the deeply personal and emotional artworks of the man behind The Scream.

Among the works on show are an image of the Madonna complete with a foetus and swimming sperm, which caused controversy when it was first seen, and a self-portrait from 1895.

Exhibitions to look forward to in 2019 1 /17 Exhibitions to look forward to in 2019 Don McCullin February 5 - May 6, Tate Britain; tate.org.uk



Image: Protester, Cuban Missile Crisis, Whitehall, London 1962 Don McCullin Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams V&A, February 2 - July 14; vam.ac.uk Christian Dior Van Gogh and Britain March 27 - August 11, Tate Britain; tate.org.uk



Image: Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait, 1887 Paris, Musee d'Orsay  RMN Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition April 26 - September 17, Design Museum; designmuseum.org  Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc Only Human: Photographs by Martin Parr March 7 - May 27, National Portrait Gallery; npg.org.uk Martin Parr / Magnum Photos Rembrandts Light October 2 - February 2, Dulwich Picture Gallery; dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk



Image: Rembrandt van Rijn, Philemon and Baucis, 1658 National Gallery of Art, Washington. Dorothea Tanning February 27 - June 9, Tate Modern; tate.org.uk



Image: Dorothea Tanning, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, 1943 Tate  DACS, 2018 Gauguin Portraits October 7 - January 26, National Gallery; nationalgallery.org.uk National Gallery Writing: Making Your Mark April 26 - August 27, British Library; bl.uk British Library Lee Krasner: Living Colour May 30 - September 1, Barbican Centre; barbican.org.uk The Irving Penn Foundation Diane Arbus: In the Beginning February 13 - May 6, Hayward Gallery; southbankcentre.co.uk Lady on a bus, N.Y.C. 1957, Diane Arbus Antony Gormley September 21 - December 3, Royal Academy; royalacademy.org.uk Royal Academy Manga May 23 - August 26, British Museum; britishmuseum.org Konami Kanata / Kodansha Ltd Smoke and Mirrors: the Psychology of Magic April 11 - September 15, Wellcome Collection; wellcomecollection.org Courtesy of The British Library. Tracey Emin: A Fortnight of Tears February 6 - April 7, White Cube; whitecube.com White Cube Anthea Hamilton From March 8 - May 18 , Thomas Dane Gallery;



Image: The New Life, 2018, installation view at the Secession, Vienna Anthea Hamilton and Thomas Dane Gallery Posy Simmonds: A Retrospective May 24 - September 15, House of Illustration; houseofillustration.org.uk Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Ms Bartrum said the show would reveal Munch to be a man of his times who travelled between Norway and major artistic centres such as Paris and Berlin.

British Museum director Hartwig Fischer said the exhibition would be fascinating and challenging.

He said: We are honoured that the Munch Museum in Oslo will be sending us one of their biggest international loans of Munchs prints, which can be seen alongside a number of key Munch works in the British Museums collection. Together, this survey of Munchs pioneering art will allow visitors to see why he is considered one of the greatest artists of all time.
The new departure tax is applicable to those departing Japan by airplane or ship, while infants aged under two years old and those transiting within 24 hours are exempt.

The tax follows legislation passed in April last year and is aimed at creating new revenue streams that will be directed into facilitating improved travel services, as well as providing travelers with better access to information about traveling in Japan to enhance visitors' satisfaction and bolster tourism, especially to rural areas.

The departure tax will also be allocated to the building of facilities and infrastructure to cope with the increasing numbers of tourists expected to visit Japan in the run up to and after the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Tokyo in 2020, government officials have said.

Government officials in Tokyo have said the income from the new tax will amount to some JPY6 billion (US$55.26 million) between January and March 2019, and prior legislation had been passed to ensure all revenue generated is allocated for projects related to tourism.

Revenue in fiscal 2019, meanwhile, is expected to hit the JPY50 billion mark, the government has estimated, with the funds to be utilized for tourism-related projects and infrastructure, including facial recognition technology at gates in air and seaports.

Japan, while enjoying an economic uptick, is still mired in deflationary pressure and has been increasingly looking towards its tourism industry to boost its economy.

The number of tourists, particularly from Japan's closest neighbors, has risen significantly recently, owing in part to relaxed visa regulations and a comparatively weak yen bolstering the purchasing power of inbound visitors.

The Japan Tourism Agency said that inbound tourists for the first time since record keeping began topped 30 million visitors in 2018 and the government is aiming to see that figure rise to 40 million by 2020.

Visitor numbers from China have been consistently solid, as well as those from the Republic of Korea.

In addition, the government also aims at attracting more tourists from European countries.
B ill Viola experienced an extraordinary epiphany in 1957 when he was six years old. On a family holiday in upstate New York, he jumped off a raft into a trout lake, lost his inflatable support and sank to the bottom.

Where many of us would thrash and panic, Viola has claimed he remained calm: I was witnessing this extraordinarily beautiful world with light filtering down, he once said. It was like paradise. I didnt even know that I was drowning For a moment there was absolute bliss.

The Queens-born artist later likened it to being in another dimension. His uncle pulled him out of the water to safety, though Viola recalled his anger at being wrenched from his subaquatic rapture. Inevitably it affected him profoundly: Later I knew I had crossed the threshold to death, he said.

Fast-forward 43 years to 2000 and Violas video installation Nantes Triptych prompted a different kind of epiphany among visitors to Tate Moderns opening displays. By then, he had established a significant reputation in the art world, but this was the moment that he began a journey to becoming one of the most popular artists in the UK  I witnessed people in tears in front of the work.

Its impossible to avoid connecting Violas childhood experience with the works imagery. The triptychs central panel features a fully clothed figure underwater, floating limply in this black void, as he has described it. To the left is a woman giving birth; to the right, the artists mother on her deathbed. Though the central figure is not him, Viola has described the Nantes Triptych as a form of self-portrait in another world with the experience of life and death.

The Nantes Triptych can be seen again later this month at the Royal Academy, as part of Bill Viola/Michelangelo: Life, Death, Rebirth. The show brings together video installations from across Violas career with 14 drawings by the Renaissance master, apparently making no claims of equal greatness but drawing out themes that connect the works.

Its the latest in a series of exhibitions in which Violas works have been shown either in galleries normally associated with the Old Masters  such as his National Gallery exhibition The Passions, in 2003  or in direct contact with historic paintings, as in Violas show at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence in 2017.

Exhibitions to visit in January 2019 1 /4 Exhibitions to visit in January 2019 Pierre Bonnard: The Colour of Memory at the Tate Dining Room in the Country 1913, Pierre Bonnard (1867 1947), Minneapolis Institute of Art Minneapolis Institute of Art Grace Wales Bonner at Serpentine Galleries Market Place, Goa. March 2018. Photograph by Grace Wales Bonner Bill Viola / Michelangelo at the Royal Academy of Arts Bill Viola, Nantes Triptych, 1992, photo by Kira Perov Courtesy Bill Viola Studio Aleksandra Mir at Hayward Gallery Aleksandra Mir, The Pre-Presidential Library, 2007-2019, at Hayward Gallerys HENI Project Space

He hasnt always been comfortable in the company of the masters. Hes one of the pioneers of video art, picking up his first Portapak camera in the Seventies, when he studied visual art and electronic music at Syracuse University. The culture in which he began experimenting had its eyes fixed on the future rather than the past.

In 1997, at the time of a major retrospective at the Whitney Museum in New York, he recalled his attitude as a young artist: Anything to do with classical art, Old-Master painting, or making something that my mother would like was to be avoided as the source of the problem. Video was ideal because it was a radical new tool, the newest of the new, without any tradition.

Ironically, at a key moment in his early career, aged just 23, he spent 18 months in that crucible of the Renaissance, Florence, where Michelangelo had also had his formative artistic experiences. But Viola was in the Tuscan city as technical director of Art/Tapes/22, an early video art studio, not to study Michelangelo or Masaccio.

Viola later reflected on the impact the city had on his work. He spent much of his time making sound recordings of the great religious spaces there, and became conscious that much of the art he witnessed was what contemporary jargon calls site-specific: the public sculptures and altarpieces integrated into architectural settings are an early form of installation art, what Viola described as a physical, spatial, totally consuming experience.

In the earliest work in the Royal Academy show you see Viola creating his own immersive, spiritual experience. The Reflecting Pool (1977-79) is projected to the size of a large painting and again evokes Violas near-drowning. Seven minutes long, it features a man walking through a forest up to a pool. He leaps into the air as if about to jump fully clothed into it and is suspended above it in a foetal position for a few minutes while the water continues to ripple normally. Slowly, the figure fades away, and suddenly the pool turns black, reflecting a ghostly presence. As it regains its normal appearance, the figure emerges from the water, naked, eventually walking into the forest.

The Reflecting Pool was created in a period when Viola was often travelling, studying and recording different cultural and religious practices in the Solomon Islands, Java and Bali. He was invited in 1977 to show his video works at La Trobe University in Melbourne by Kira Perov and they married soon after. Ever since, Perov has been a collaborator as well as a life partner.

She has accompanied Viola on subsequent spiritual quests that have profoundly informed their work. Perhaps their most influential journey was to Japan in 1980, where they spent 18 months studying Zen Buddhism while Viola was artist-in-residence at Sonys Atsugi research laboratories.

Technology and spirituality have always been intertwined in Violas work. Increasingly, Perov has shaped the ideas that he develops into video. Hearing them talk together about their work, Viola tends to reflect philosophically and often obliquely on the meaning and content; Perov focuses on the works formal aspects.

Perov and Violas life together was central to a shift that has defined his mature style: their first son was born in 1988 and this prompted Viola to think about filming childbirth. When Violas mother was dying of cancer in 1991 he filmed her on her deathbed with the permission of the rest of the family. He then filmed a woman  not Perov  having a baby in a Californian natural childbirth clinic. He sought to bring these two intimate yet universal experiences together and Nantes Triptych was the result.

Exhibitions to look forward to in 2019 1 /17 Exhibitions to look forward to in 2019 Don McCullin February 5 - May 6, Tate Britain; tate.org.uk



Image: Protester, Cuban Missile Crisis, Whitehall, London 1962 Don McCullin Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams V&A, February 2 - July 14; vam.ac.uk Christian Dior Van Gogh and Britain March 27 - August 11, Tate Britain; tate.org.uk



Image: Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait, 1887 Paris, Musee d'Orsay  RMN Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition April 26 - September 17, Design Museum; designmuseum.org  Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc Only Human: Photographs by Martin Parr March 7 - May 27, National Portrait Gallery; npg.org.uk Martin Parr / Magnum Photos Rembrandts Light October 2 - February 2, Dulwich Picture Gallery; dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk



Image: Rembrandt van Rijn, Philemon and Baucis, 1658 National Gallery of Art, Washington. Dorothea Tanning February 27 - June 9, Tate Modern; tate.org.uk



Image: Dorothea Tanning, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, 1943 Tate  DACS, 2018 Gauguin Portraits October 7 - January 26, National Gallery; nationalgallery.org.uk National Gallery Writing: Making Your Mark April 26 - August 27, British Library; bl.uk British Library Lee Krasner: Living Colour May 30 - September 1, Barbican Centre; barbican.org.uk The Irving Penn Foundation Diane Arbus: In the Beginning February 13 - May 6, Hayward Gallery; southbankcentre.co.uk Lady on a bus, N.Y.C. 1957, Diane Arbus Antony Gormley September 21 - December 3, Royal Academy; royalacademy.org.uk Royal Academy Manga May 23 - August 26, British Museum; britishmuseum.org Konami Kanata / Kodansha Ltd Smoke and Mirrors: the Psychology of Magic April 11 - September 15, Wellcome Collection; wellcomecollection.org Courtesy of The British Library. Tracey Emin: A Fortnight of Tears February 6 - April 7, White Cube; whitecube.com White Cube Anthea Hamilton From March 8 - May 18 , Thomas Dane Gallery;



Image: The New Life, 2018, installation view at the Secession, Vienna Anthea Hamilton and Thomas Dane Gallery Posy Simmonds: A Retrospective May 24 - September 15, House of Illustration; houseofillustration.org.uk Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

While he had begun to look in earnest at the art of past years earlier (The Sleep of Reason, from 1988, in the Royal Academy show, is a direct response to Francisco Goyas famous print), the triptych was an even more explicit step into the language of the Old Masters. Made for a chapel at the Musee des Beaux Arts de Nantes in France, it took the form of an altarpiece.

Various technological developments have enhanced his capacity to make 21st-century equivalents of Renaissance masterpieces: high-speed 35mm film converted to HD video has allowed him to achieve his trademark slow-motion scenes, where a few seconds of film can be shown seamlessly over many minutes; the advent of flat screens meant he could dispense with projectors and present what look like slowly moving paintings.

But Viola is clear that the technology only provides the tools for his investigation of life and of being itself. He has moved closer to sacred art because he identifies its deep engagement with the profound questions of existence. Certainly, when his work appears in isolation its able to powerfully evoke the atmosphere and emotional impact of historic religious art. His two video altarpieces for St Pauls Cathedral  Martyrs and Mary, unveiled in 2014 and 2016  are extremely moving. Martyrs conjures the gruesome deaths of saints while also drawing on ancient references to the elements in various cultures. Viola is drawn to opposites and dualities, and just as water has been a preoccupation, so fire has played a spectacular role in his videos; in Fire Woman (2005) it is symbolic not just of destruction and suffering, but of catharsis and transformation, the rebirth in the exhibitions title.

Viola shows with these works that he can balance the specific Christian iconography of his forebears with more universal imagery and themes appropriate to diverse 21st-century audiences.

How his works will fare when placed alongside those 14 Michelangelos  some of the greatest drawings of all time  remains to be seen.

Bill Viola/Michelangelo is at the Royal Academy, W1 (020 7300 8090, royalacademy.org.uk), January 26-March 31
B y 2050 it is predicted there will be more pieces of plastic in the ocean than fish. Single-use plastic items are poured into our economy in their millions every year.

Some plastic items such as cotton buds and straws could even be eliminated altogether as the government consults on their future use.

And while we turn to plastic bottles, sandwich packets, shampoo bottles and other household items as the main culprits of our plastic problem, there is one industry we sometimes overlook  medicine.

Dr Simon Werrett, a science historian and professor at University College London, has dedicated his latest research to the use of plastic in the medical industry, and how it might be reduced in future.

Im interested in how people relate to materials and material objects, Dr Werrett tells the Standard.

He has just finished writing his second book, Thrifty Science, which looks at how people approached materials in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Having finished that book I wanted to see what had happened in other fields  like the history of medicine.

According to Dr Werrett, research suggests that 85 per cent of items in the medical industry are disposable.

Almost all of the stuff is used once and then thrown away, he says.

My message argument in the book is that we should try to reduce harmful plastics but we could learn a lesson from the past about how to approach materials.

During his research, Dr Werrett studied the notion of thrift in the 1600s compared to its meaning today.

Whereas a thrifty person today may be seen in a negative light, to be thrifty in the 17th century was to make as much use out of something as possible before it no longer had any use.

Dr Werrett argues the concept of 'thrift' could be considered in the medical industry (and in other areas) today by recognising that disposable products might be necessary in some cases, but sterilising and reusing equipment where possible.

Of course, when it comes to medical equipment, the primary concern of practitioners and patients is cleanliness and sanitation  how can we justify reusing medical equipment if it might not be the most sanitary option?

Dr Werrett agrees these concerns are valid: In terms of sanitation, it may well be that there are some instances where it makes no clinical sense to not use that plastic disposable product.

However, he adds there are some circumstances where thoroughly cleaning and reusing certain medical devices is not necessarily worse than using single-use products.

While studying the history of plastic use in medicine, Dr Werrett discovered that when single-use plastic was first introduced into the medical industry in the 1950s-1960s, concerns about sustainability were raised.

They already recognised there would be a problem but they thought eventually theyd come up with a solution. They havent yet.

Dr Werrett presented his findings at a talk at the Wellcome Trust in London last week, but he plans to continue research into this area for a third book.
T he way we design buildings could have an effect on air pollution levels, according to Dr Rosa Schiano-Phan, principal lecturer in architecture and environmental design at the University of Westminster.

While research is still in its early days, she says that the configuration of buildings can potentially retain or aid concentration of air pollutants, while others allow them to disperse more easily.

One such example is the Golden Lane Estate in the City of London, which contains a series of courtyards with buildings facing each other. This means that the centre of the estate is blocked off from the main road.

Dr Schiano-Phan says this could provide reduction in noise pollution, less wind and less air pollution by acting as a physical barrier to the main road.

Two visiting research students from the University of Bologna are now investigating images on NO2 concentrations on simulations of the estate and hope to publish their results in the New Year.

Dr Schiano-Phans research has also examined the role of vegetation in dispersing air pollutants, after an increasing number of buildings, most notably in Singapore, started incorporating plants into their designs.

While Rosa and her team found it can help clean air in windy and airy places, by enabling the pollution to pass through, it can trap pollutants when arranged in a canopy-like design.

Although most vegetation is effective at absorbing CO2, NO2 and PM2.5 particles that breach EU and WHO limits in the capital are much more difficult to filter out.

However, these harmful particles are not solely confined to cars. Particulate matter from tyres on bikes and the oils and dusts from the catering industry will still cause problems, according to Dr Schiano-Phan.

Thats why she believes it is important to design buildings which allow for adequate ventilation.

Even buildings on busy roads can benefit from zoning by mixing the modes of ventilation. While the side facing a busy polluted road can be tightly sealed and use mechanical ventilation to avoid letting in toxic air, a side that faces a quieter, greener space can use natural ventilation to save energy.
The fashion industry is undeniably veering towards a more cruelty free future.

In 2018, numerous sought after designers announced their decision to go fur free including Gucci, Versace, Burberry and Michael Kors. By September the tide against fur had turned so much that London Fashion Week became the first big fashion week to ditch animal fur all together.

And the encouragement for ethical fashion is only growing stronger, as 2019 will see the first ever Vegan Fashion Week (VFW for short) take place.

The 4-day event, starting on February 1, 2019, will be at the California Market Centre in Los Angeles, a fitting location considering the state became the first to ban animal-tested cosmetics last year.

The fashion week, the first of its kind, will show a curated selection of animal-free designer pieces on the runway, as well as a vegan lounge where guests will be able to buy ethical fashion, beauty and food from around the world.

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"This is designed to empower conscious brands and humans globally with an elevated platform for achievement, inspiration, and discovery" its manifesto explains.

The event also includes intellectual panels on two day, where fashion industry individuals will discuss animal rights, social justice, circularity, technology and intersectionality.

Produced and curated by creative director and animal rights advocate, Emmanuelle Rienda, VFW hopes to be "a tribute to the animals & an ode to the end of animal exploitation in all forms."
Genderless fashion has experienced a powerful evolution in recent years.

From co-ed shows to unisex collections, much progress has been made on the catwalks. No more so than at London Fashion Week Men's, which this season led the way in gender fluid fashion, thanks to a host of boundary breaking designers such as Charles Jeffrey and Art School.

During the latest LFWM autumn/winter 2019, a record number of designers paved the way for non-binary fashion. From perfect pouts to pencil skirts, here's how designers blurred the lines...

Spotlight on Skirts

Iceberg AW19 show / SplashNews.com

The most unexpected AW19 menswear trend: skirts, most notably kilts.

The Scottish style staple successfully managed to infiltrate the latest menswear collections, following a recent resurgence on the womenswear scene. Iceberg put a streetwear spin on the style, giving it a casual aesthetic with trainers and an oversized knitwear, Art School cut a more minimal figure with a sleek black design and Charles Jeffrey debuted a very on-trend blue, red and brown check.

Art School AW19 / AFP/Getty Images

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Killer kilts weren't the only skirt to be put in the spotlight. Unisex brand Art School featured a pencil skirt with a pink floral motif. The look was completed with a matching pink beard (model's own) and fluffy heels.

Art School AW19 / AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Charles Jeffrey, who created a collaboration with Topshop in 2018, took an edgier approach, creating a patent teal skirt and matching jacket, as well as a range of dresses.

Lipstick for the Lads

Chalayan AW19 / AFP/Getty Images

Makeup for men boomed in 2018. The beauty industry saw a rise in male beauty brand ambassadors, and Chanel launched its own makeup line for men.

The trend certainly translated onto the LFWM runway as Chalayan sent models down the catwalk with classic red, tangerine and berry stained lips, as well as futuristic pops of neon yellow to match the collection.

Charles Jeffrey AW19 / PA Wire/PA Images

Never one to shy away from strong sartorial statements, Charles Jeffrey also featured a strong red lip among several other creative beauty looks.

A Handle on Handbags

Handbags took centre stage at the Fashion East AW19 catwalk show / AFP/Getty Images

On men's catwalks we're used to seeing an array of unisex handbags, from backpacks to bumbags, styles of a more feminine nature took centre stage at the Fashion East show.

Upcoming designer Stefan Cooke merged gender identities as male models carried classic handbags in black and transparent styles down the runway.

A-COLD-WALL AW19 / PA Wire/PA Images

Elsewhere Charles Jeffrey, Private Policy and Staff Only also saw models carrying bags, whilst A-Cold-Wall featured various cross body designs.
T hanks to The European Convention on Human Rights, which rules that a fugitive has the same right to justice as law-abiding citizens, 31-year-old Jack Shepherd  who was convicted in absentia and sentenced to just six years in prison for the 2015 manslaughter of 24-year-old Charlotte Brown when he overturned an ill-maintained speedboat in the Thames and may have fled abroad while on bail  has been granted yet more legal aid.

So far his lawyers have received in the region of 100,000 of taxpayers money to defend him and to appeal against his sentence. And all this while he is still a fugitive from justice.

Obviously full of remorse over her death he waited two whole months until going ahead and marrying the fiancee on whom he had been cheating.

Shepherd is also wanted by the police for another serious incident in a Devon pub, the White Hart Hotel in Dartmoor, in March last year when he is accused of glassing a man. Worse, the CPS recently said the case was finalised in September, which means Shepherd may never even be prosecuted.

What a mockery of justice this is. It is an absurd situation that underlines yet again how natural justice has been turned upside down by the growing number of unprincipled, unscrupulous, money-grabbing lawyers who deliberately misuse The European Convention on Human Rights to defend the indefensible.

Robert Readman

EDITOR'S REPLY

Dear Robert

Jack Shepherd is a reckless killer who has heaped more pain on his victims grieving family by his cowardly flight from justice.

But I believe attacking his lawyers for doing their job is fundamentally misguided and wrong. Far from being unprincipled, unscrupulous, and money-grubbing the defence lawyers had been instructed on Shepherds defence and had a duty to represent his interests at trial, regardless of how reprehensible his behaviour was.

The appeal process is a vital check on the justice system, striving to ensure that only the guilty are convicted. It must also be noted that this is not a spurious challenge  the Court of Appeal has granted permission for a full hearing, showing there is at least an argument that the conviction is legally unsafe.

The legal aid system has many a critic but it does not bankroll the lavish lifestyles of fat-cat lawyers  far from it  and there has been no misuse of the ECHR that I can see. Legal aid is stretched thin as it is, but its existence underpins the principles that all defendants should have fair access to justice.

Tristan Kirk, Courts Correspondent

Dont be snobs over TfL Turdis

AS FAR as I am aware it is a legal requirement for an employer to provide toilet facilities for its employees [Exterminate! Eyesore nicknamed Turdis is removed after outcry, January 4]. If the snobs in Biggin Hill object to this perhaps the best solution would be for Transport for London to withdraw bus services from the area.

Colin Price

THE news about the TfL Turdis invasion is a sad commentary on the dereliction of duty of our local authorities. When a bus company decides to install its own toilets, citing the closures of public lavatories, it is nothing short of a national disgrace.

There used to be a code of practice for the provision of public lavatories in towns, based on population, but these standards now seem defunct or are being ignored by fat-cat local government executives.
P ossibly, a lot of Londoners did not spent a lot of time at Christmas considering Brexit and sheep. Yet a useful aspect of so many of us returning to our spawning grounds or visiting far-flung friends is to hear how things feel from places outside the range of the Palace of Westminster.

Certainly its a reminder that progression towards Brexit  or a last-minute divergence  is perceived and dissected from the capital, while so much of the road to it was dictated by feelings and fears far beyond.

Talking to two sets of farming folk, one lot in Kent, the others in the North-East, over the break, the same side-effect of Brexit  its impact on livestock farming  unites them. Unusually for anything about rural Britain, other than floods, cattle plagues or badgers, it is worrying the Government too. A no-deal Brexit, as the Environment Secretary Michael Gove acknowledged last week, would mean effective tariffs on beef and sheep meat above 40 per cent  in some cases well above that.

More broadly, businesses which rely on exporting farm produce, mainly through Calais, face the prospect of bottlenecks or inspection regimes that could damage or destroy businesses that rely on swift dispatch of perishable goods.

Boris Johnson recommends that these small but important aspects of trade between the UK and the Continent can be resolved with something vaguely termed common sense. Exporters on meagre margins cannot live on Mr Micawbers hopeful prospect that something will turn up because farmers (among others who rely on seasonal variations) have to plan ahead and have little room for error.

Anne McElvoy

My more prosperous farming friend was briskly de-risking his businesses  getting rid of his sheep. Brexit never is the full story, as much as placard-wavers would have us believe, and in this case lamb prices are under pressure from cheap imports, but that combined with a risk of no deal is enough to tip their decisions.

An irony here is that Green MP Caroline Lucas is both seeking a meat levy to lower consumption and is fervently anti-Brexit. A no-deal outcome is far more likely to deliver a more expensive Sunday roast than a tax.

My other farm friend, on a small-holding in the North-East, cannot bear to get rid of the sheep his family have farmed for decades and clearly believes that the distant South is not heeding the anguish of those facing disruption to their ways of life.

The real risks of leaving the EU on grumpy, unregulated terms are not the big ones we read about every day, but the ones we dont, far from madding Westminster. Gove has realised the dangers of this, partly because he enjoys immersion in the detail of his environment and farming brief, but mainly because, as a Brexiteer with ever-green ambitions, he sees the downside of a Government under pressure to juggle a large number of uncertain outcomes by March 29 and an Opposition craftily poised to capitalise on a chaotic exit from the EU, but with no plausible alternative.

True, a degree of scepticism of the more lurid claims in the Brexit argument on either side is advisable. There will be Parmesan in Borough Market after March; Marmite will still arrive in India. But that is not enough to satisfy the precautionary principle, that a government must protect our economy from unnecessary damage.

Lord Lilley, the former Cabinet minister and no-deal proponent, has co-authored a pamphlet arguing that most fears of trading on World Trade Organisation rules are misplaced  a re-run Millennium Bug scare. But the Y2K analogy has two main flaws.

"We have no solution to other gritty but necessary matters, such as how we will continue to export recyclable waste"

One is that if there is real uncertainty about port arrangements, lorry deliveries and the import of essential goods, it is the Governments job to take measures to avert risk or face the charge that it is reckless. The other point is that thorough planning for something going wrong often contributes to it not doing so.

So although I am not wholly convinced that turning Manston Airport into a lorry park for a day to model the impact of a squeeze on the Channel ports was a useful exercise, many of those mocking it would be the first to protest if the Government failed to game no-deal scenarios.

Really, my objection is that we are in a kind of Potemkin rehearsal for EU exit. The airwaves are clogged with just-in-time deliveries of ministers, talking up arrangements for medicines and Channel crossings. But No 10 has been reluctant to the point of obstinacy about making meaningful plans for the less dramatic but vital parts of economic and environmental life if it cant either whittle away resistance to the May deal or agree a delay to Article 50.

As it stands, we have no solution to other gritty but necessary matters, such as how we will continue to export our recyclable waste  90 per cent of which is carted off abroad, out of sight and mind. That smelly pile would also attract a hefty tariff.

Supporters of a bare-bones WTO solution might be right when they say that a lot of these examples can find negotiated settlements or quid pro quos. They are, however playing down the interim costs, which will be punitively high and will fail to reflect that EU member states, not Britain, will control how efficient or otherwise checks on the other idea of the Channel will be.

The May deal falls into a category slammed by the fictionalised Vote Leave leader Dominic Cummings (Benedict Cumberbatch) in Monday nights TV romp Brexit: the Uncivil War : Typical Establishment  if it didnt work last time, try it again. Save some ire though for the claim that no deal is no sweat. If it sounds too good to be true thats because it most likely is.
F orget Bohemian Rhapsodys Golden Globes triumph, Greggs vegan sausage roll, or the threatened shutdown of Parliament. The most surprising news of 2019 so far must be the revelation that a quarter of Christmas gifts bought online are due to be returned to shops.

To clarify: whats startling here isnt the sheer volume of unwanted presents that were given out on December 25. No, the astonishing thing is that, according to analysis from the Centre for Economics and Business Research, thousands have the time, energy and force of will to negotiate the logistical hell that is sending back online shopping  post-office trip, return labels, packaging and all.

I confess, Im utterly unable to face any of it; all items ordered on the internet, from clothes to crockery, are done so in the knowledge that Ill either have to like them or lump them. The alternative is too daunting. Until recently I assumed this was down to laziness, incompetence or both. But perhaps the answer is something else: not sloth or ineptitude but errand paralysis.

Errand what, you ask? Errand paralysis is the chronic inability to complete mundane, usually domestic, tasks. The term emerged this weekend in a Buzz- Feed article by the American writer Anne Helen Petersen, which swiftly went viral. Errand paralysis, the argument goes, is the millennial condition: so up to our eyeballs are we in 24/7 work culture that avoiding personal chores offers respite.

And though Im not convinced by the generational premise  are millennials really worse than, say, Gen X at tackling life admin, and are we really more victims of round-the-clock culture than anyone else today?  the symptoms ring true. That pile of unopened post, the failure to book annual leave until there are literally no free days left, the automatically-renewed but unwanted subscriptions, and, yes, those unreturned Amazon purchases: errand paralysis writ large.

Creative procrastination, of course, has a long and distinguished history. Victor Hugo was reputedly so troubled by it that he locked all his clothing away to prevent himself leaving the house. Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have designed Pennsylvanias Fallingwater residence in just two hours after months of putting it off. And I met a bestselling author who claimed that lying on the sofa and feeling guilty for not writing was part of her process.

Yet its precisely the mundane tasks that we avoid which need to be done. They are the things that oil the cogs of life: voter registration, energy payments, tax returns (last year some 746,000 were filed late; were every one fined the usual 100 for missing the deadline, thats almost 75 million).

"Victor Hugo reputedly locked all his clothing away to prevent himself from leaving the house"

Still, there is hope: having been thus pathologised, it seems all but certain that this modern affliction will become the subject of photogenic self-help guides and social media memes in much the same way as the self-care boom codified slobbing around, and Marie Kondo rebranded cleaning.

Perhaps, if were lucky, a Netflix series will follow suit. Failing that, we could just book a day off and get things done. As soon as weve logged those holiday requests, of course.

Olivias crowning is worth the long wait

Of the many excellent Olivia Colman moments at Sundays Golden Globes, my highlight was not when, in her Best Actress acceptance speech, she thanked ma bitches Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. Nor was it when she said filming The Favourite was a f***ing blast because I went on a private jet and I ate constantly.

Olivia Colman / Getty Images

No, it came afterwards. When a reporter observed that shed started acting later than most, Colman gently interrupted, I dont know what later means  how young do you have to be? In my twenties. I think thats perfectly reasonable. What was meant, I presume, was that at 44 Colman came not to acting but to Hollywood stardom late. And so much the better: long established as one of Britains brightest stars, she has spent the past two decades steadily building her career, honing her skills and accruing both professional and life experience.

In an industry where youth and overnight success are unhealthily fetishised, how thoroughly refreshing is that?

*Partners and family aside, theres no one with whom Londoners have a more intimate relationship than our neighbours. They hear us row, they know when we come home late, they see us slip, pyjama-clad, to the corner shop. So perhaps it was natural to find myself a little nervous at the arrival of a new couple upstairs. The question is: how to break the ice?

My boyfriend was adamant that a neighbourly door knock, perhaps with a bottle proffered, was in order.

I was less sure  no one wants an unplanned visitor. They have been there four days now and the matter is unresolved. Much longer and things will get seriously awkward. Readers, help: what is the etiquette here?
S urprise surprise. This morning a load of police officers have turned up on College Green , the space opposite the House of Commons where hateful abuse is being hurled increasingly at MPs and broadcasters turning up there to do interviews.

Until now it has been largely unpoliced, even though public order offences have been happening within sight of our legislature. The worst verbal assaults have been directed against female legislators and journalists.

Suddenly it has dawned on Scotland Yard that were  God forbid  an MP to be attacked physically then the Metropolitan Police high command would come in for the most serious censure.

With their jobs on the line, expect more officers to flood the area in the coming days.

This sudden change in policing would not have happened but for the courage of Anna Soubry, the Tory MP for Broxtowe and campaigner for a second referendum.

Yesterday, she called out live on air the ugly Brexit protesters who were calling her a Nazi  the footage of her being mobbed by far-Right thugs as she entered the Palace of Westminster rallied other MPs to her side.

MP Anna Soubry stops live interview as pro-Brexit protesters call her a Nazi

Whatever ones views on Brexit, everyone should admire the way Ms Soubry has stood up for her beliefs, defied the baying crowd and insisted on holding her Government to account.

Isnt that what those who campaigned for a restoration of parliamentary sovereignty want from our MPs?

Instead, some of the most prominent Brexit supporters have suggested that Ms Soubry is getting what she deserves because she has defied the will of the people. That is the cry of fascists against democrats down the ages.

Others, including prominent Government ministers, are today warning that one reason for not holding a new referendum is that it would encourage more such aggressive protests.

Of all the reasons advanced as to why there should not be a new poll, this has to be the worst. It amounts to giving in to the blackmail of the mob.

Of course, people are entitled to disagree with Ms Soubrys views, but those who attack her right to express them freely and without intimidation are the real enemies of the people.

Ms Soubry, by contrast, is a modern hero of our parliamentary democracy.

It is the polices job to protect her as she does her job.

TODO: define component type apester

Technology helps NHS

You can always find people to tell you that new technology is a bad thing. They are almost always wrong. Especially in medicine.

When Edward Jenner tried out the first vaccines more than 200 years ago, many claimed that the old ways of treating smallpox were far better.

When Rene Laennec invented the stethoscope in France in the 19th century, he will have faced doubters. But the truth is that innovation in medicine has made us healthier and longer-lived than ever. X-rays. Transplants. They work.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has just launched a 10-year plan for the NHS , backing a massive shift towards digital technology, including online consultations with GPs.

Its a good proposal but its hardly a surprise that some Luddites have come forward to claim that tech carries risks and not everyone can use it. But no one is proposing getting rid of doctors. In fact, there will be more money for GP care.

New elderly care crisis teams are promised. So-called social prescribing aims to help people stay well by taking country walks or dance classes.

All of this is about people. The point is that digital technology can help make their job easier. Why waste money on buildings, overnight stays and queues for appointments when routine consultations can happen quickly online?

Mr Hancock likes to point out that the NHS is still the biggest user of ancient and insecure fax machines left in Britain  and he wants to scrap them and use something better.

Hes right.

After all, industries from retail to travel have been transformed by technology such as smartphones, broadband links and big data.
A s a no-deal Brexit becomes increasingly likely, the nuts and bolts of the Citys financial infrastructure are slowly being dismantled. Recently, there has been an alarming increase in the number of companies unveiling plans to shift operations away from the UK. The London Stock Exchange has announced that its bond trading platform, MTS Cash, will move to Milan.

The long-term future of Londons clearing houses in relation to European transactions remains dangerously uncertain, despite a recent sticking-plaster announcement by the EU. This is reality starting to bite as Brexit, particularly without a deal, becomes an ever more tangible possibility.

These moves may not make major headline news, likely due to the relatively few job losses they involve, however they portent a disconcerting future. This so-called plumbing of the Citys financial system is at the heart of what attracts new, foreign investment. Why, though, should this bother business owners and employees from other industries and geographies? Well, partly because much of the Citys wealth doesnt remain in the Square Mile. According to the Corporation, it contributes approximately 50 billion to the wider British economy.

By starting to undo the structure that knits the sector together, we risk far wider economic consequences. Manufacturing has hogged the headlines when it comes to Brexits economic impact but if financial services take a tumble the ramifications for Britains prosperity would be major.

What happens on the trading floors of London has an impact on companies in Manchester. What happens in the hedge funds of the City affects local shops, restaurants and the thousands of people they employ, and the property market.

The risk isnt a rapid flight of businesses, investors and infrastructure from London. The scores of talented people working in the City wont move their entire lives overnight when Brexit hits. Additionally, theres an argument to be had that Brexit has already been priced in by much of the Square Mile. However, back-office could only be the start, and with increasingly fewer world-class services on the doorstep of bankers, traders and investors, Londons international attraction will diminish. This isnt primarily a March 2019 problem, its a March 2029 problem.

Parliamentarians need to keep this in mind. Brexit is being debated as a political issue, which it is in many respects, but its economic impact is what will really be felt. The country does well when the City does well, yet were already seeing early signs of its world-class infrastructure being dismantled. The Square Mile will live on but MPs should consider the longer-term impact on the City. The signs arent good.
T riumph Motorcycles, the iconic British motorcycles maker, failed to rev up last year after suffering a rare drop in sales.

The number sold for the year ending June 30 fell to 61,505 from 63,404, the first sales decline for eight years, accounts show.

The companys parent group, Bloor Investments, said sales have grown on average more than 3% each year over the past five years.

Classic brands like the Bonneville Scrambler 1200 start from 11,500 while adventure models like the Street Triple roadsters cost from 8100.

Total turnover from sales of the bikes, made famous by Hollywood icons like Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, increased to 502.7 million from 498.6 million but the divisions profits were hit by foreign exchange losses.

With over 85% of our global sales in non-sterling currencies and a significant amount of our purchases also in foreign currencies, FX has a major impact on our business, a spokesman said.

Selling in markets like the USA, manufacturing in Thailand and assembling in Brazil means we need to hold significant bike and component stock in those currencies.

Triumph, founded in 1902 and based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, is owned by John Bloor, the millionaire housebuilder.

Bloors holding company, Bloor Investments, did well overall and the multi-millionaire took a 6 million dividend, down from 7 million in 2017.
News has come thick and fast today from all sectors.

The head of the UKs first listed law firm was on the look out for more deals today after a sharp rise in first-half profits.

Gateley - which took the plunge on AIM in 2015 in a trail-blazing move for the legal sector - has made four bolt-on deals since then.

But chief executive Michael Ward said the firm continues to look for the right acquisitions after two in the past six months. Our pipeline is stronger than it was 12 months ago. We believe thats because of people being more aware in the market of what we stand for. We see more opportunities.

Gateley advises High Street lenders, has a big mergers and acquisitions arm and also acts for 19 of Britains top 20 housebuilders.

The company has been adding complementary professional services firms to its stable but its recent move for GCL Solicitiors - a housebuilding solicitor - chipped in 2.9 million in fees over the half, helping pre-tax profits up 19% to 5 million in the six months to October 31.

The shares have jumped 10.9p to 141.9p, up 8%.

Ward said Gateleys housing activities - such as planning and site acquisition - were less vulnerable to the ups and downs of the housing market.

Were not really dealing with the buying and selling of secondary properties, this is the new-build sector.
J apanese prosecutors must be squirming. For nearly two months, they have held Carlos Ghosn in a miserable jail cell without proper charges in an utter travesty of civilised justice.

They can do this because of a legal system which allows them to hold suspects for a seemingly unlimited time, as long as they tweak their line of enquiry every now and again. That is how they achieve their 99% conviction rate  most suspects confess just to get bail.

But Ghosn  their highest-profile target in years  isnt playing ball. Rather than meekly tell them what they want to hear, he protests his innocence.

Today, out of his prison for the first time since November, albeit manacled and led by a rope, he told a judge he had been wrongly accused and unfairly detained.

The latter is undeniable, the former should be tested in open court instead of being leaked to the media in one-sided character assassination.

Ghosn says the allegation that he hid part of his salary in the form of deferred pay into his retirement pot is totally wrong, as the plan was reviewed by external and internal lawyers at Nissan. Another alleged crime  that he got Nissan to bear the risk of a personal investment  merely related to a hedge taken because he preferred to be paid in dollars rather than yen.

Apologies if such details seem trivial  but from what we can see so far, Ghosns alleged infringements are trivial. Hes been forced into a surreal pinhead dance on issues that would barely excite the most wonkish of corporate governance obsessives. Civil transgressions, maybe. Crimes deserving incarceration  never.

Journalist Jake Adelstein, a Japan specialist, recently wrote about an interview hed done with former prosecutor Hiroshi Ishikawa. Ishikawa, who himself had been implicated in a case of false confessions, came up with a killer quote: I was taught that foreigners and gang members have no human rights, that winning is everything.

Businesses sending non-Japanese to work in the country should remember that: in the eyes of the law, they are as low as yakuza thugs.

Dont be so hard on Morrisons

Investors fled because sales growth in its stores  as opposed to its wholesaling to corner shops  was 0.6% against 1.3% in the previous quarter.

Growth may be down, but at least its still positive. House broker Shore Capital had predicted it would be an even lower 0.25%. Besides which, it stuck to its full-year profit guidance.

More worrying is what lies ahead; the potential impact of Brexit and the competitive threat of a combined Sainsburys-Asda.
H otel Metropole Monte Carlo, Monaco, opened the doors to its shiny new spa with Givenchy in 2017.

Spa Metropole by Givenchy is one of only three Givenchy spas in the world, the other two reside in Switzerland and Morocco.

Designed by architect Didier Gomez, the spa is seriously decadent, think marble floor and a fancy gold panelled reception. Prepare to be pampered.

Famous for:

Spa Metropole offers Givenchys ultra luxe Le Soin Noir products, which contain black algae sap concentrate, a powerful active ingredient which can survive extreme ocean environments and has anti-ageing and regenerative properties.

Spa Metropole by Givenchy

The spa features a "heat experience area" with a hammam, sauna, caldarium, ice fountain and sensory showers, a fully equipped gym, relaxation room, mani/pedi studio by Bastien Gonzalez and 10 treatment rooms, including a double suite and a single suite equipped with a bath and private hammam.

Each treatment room is decorated in muted tones and feature embossed walls in a nod to the lace of haute couture gowns. The beds have quilted covers and the crisp white pillowcases bear the Givenchy logo.

Sweat it out in the gym first, then get your circulation going with the heat experience.

The treatment:

I'm here for the indulgent Le Soin Noir facial treatment (90 minutes). Before I head into the treatment room I'm asked to choose a fragrance from the L'Atelier de Givenchy collection at the beauty boutique which makes my experience feel all the more luxurious! I go for rose. This is sprayed onto the massage table before my treatment. You'll also be offered the chance to have your makeup done by a beautician in the boutique afterwards (100 for 30 minutes).

L'Atelier de Givenchy fragrance collection

For the next 90 minutes my therapist cleanses, scrubs and massages my face neck and chest  no extraction here, hurrah! The Le Soin Noir formula acts on the skin cells to help repair and protect, stimulate collagen production and lock in hydration, I'm told. The creams and mask feel ultra nourishing.

My treatment, and as with all facials and massages at Spa Metropole, ends with a cryotherapy session. Using a cryo device, the therapist blasts areas of skin with freezing cold vapour, which is supposed to help reduce inflammation and boost collagen production. I'm warned this part might feel uncomfortable but, while it was extremely cold, I wouldn't say it was uncomfortable, it was just an unusual sensation. It felt invigorating and my skin feels tighter already.

If you have more time and really want to treat yourself, opt for the Le Soin Noir Renaissance Integrale signature treatment for the face and body (120 minutes). It incorporate Le Soin Noirs anti-ageing benefits from head to toe, with a one-hour facial and one-hour massage.

Following your treatment, sample the delicious assortment of freshly baked cakes and fresh fruit in the chic relaxation room before hitting Odyssey, the impressive hotel swimming pool, which was designed by Karl Lagerfeld and has an air of Miami about it (it's covered during the winter months). Lunch and bar snacks are served, alongside Champagne, if you're up for it.

Verdict:

This is decadent at its best. The gold and marble decor and Givenchy logos really up the glam stakes. Glitzy environment aside, the Le Soin Noir secret weapon ingredient seems to have worked its magic.

Youll leave feeling

Utterly pampered and with a dewy radiant glow.

Details:
Artillery salutes, a parade and the start of the 2019 legislative session will mark Inauguration Day on Wednesday, when Edward Miner Lamont Jr. of Greenwich becomes Connecticuts 89th governor.

The early afternoon swearing-in ceremony will be in the State Armory, named for the 85th governor, the late William A. ONeill.

Located next to the Legislative Office Building at 360 Broad Street, the Armory event will preceed a several-block -long parade around the Capitol to its north steps, facing Bushnell Park. Doors will open at the Armory around 11:30 in advance of the 12:30 event, which is free and open to the public.

Here is a breakdown of the days planned events:

State Senate Chamber, 10 a.m. - Susan Byiewicz takes the oath of lieutenant governor, followed by swearing-in of senators, selection of leaders and adoption of rules.

House Chamber, 10 a.m. - The House of Representatives convenes, swears-in members, elects leadership and adopts rules.

11:30 - Armory doors open, followed by the 12:30 inauguration ceremony and oath of office for Gov. Ned Lamont, Attorney General William Tong, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Comptroller Kevin Lembo and Treasurer Shawn Wooden.

Immediately after the ceremony, Lamont will be met outside of the Armory for a 19-gun salute. Then the parade begins, walking up Capitol Avenue, past the Capitol, then north on Trinity Street, then up into the Capitol parking lot to the North Steps. Then there will be a flyover by the Connecticut National Guard.

2:30 - Lamont delivers a State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly in the historic House Chamber.

7 p.m. - The $200-a-head Inaugural Ball begins in the Connecticut Convention Center downtown.

8 p.m. - Lamont and Bysiewicz arrive at the ball.
WASHINGTON - For a few of the 93 freshman lawmakers sworn in last week, one of their first official acts in Congress was indefinitely delaying their paycheck.

In keeping with previous government shutdowns, dozens of lawmakers are voluntarily refusing or donating their pay as long as any part of the federal bureaucracy remains shuttered - and new members are not being shy about joining in.

For many, it is a gesture of solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors who will be going without their own paychecks until the partial shutdown is resolved. For others, it is a matter of good government - why should they get paid if they are failing to keep the government's doors open?

According to press statements and social media postings reviewed by The Washington Post, at least 48 members in the House and Senate - split about equally between both parties - have announced they plan to refuse or donate their pay for the duration of the shutdown. Thirteen of those are House freshmen serving for the first time in Congress, which currently stands at 434 members in the House and 99 in the Senate, with two vacancies.

"While it is typically a day of celebration for my new colleagues and me, at least 800,000 federal employees and federal contractors are still in financial distress due to the current government shutdown," Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., who represents a D.C.-area district full of those employees, wrote in a letter to House Chief Administrative Officer Philip Kiko.

Another freshman, Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., said it was not "appropriate" for lawmakers to collect pay "while hard-working border security agents and other civil servants are furloughed." (Border agents are essential personnel who are continuing to work, but they will not be paid until the shutdown ends.)

A spokesman for Kiko declined to share a comprehensive list of members who have made that request. But so far, the number of lawmakers opting to refuse their paychecks appears to be behind the pace set in the last extended shutdown, the 16-day partial shuttering in October 2013.

A Post tally counted as many as 248 members who made public statements declining their pay - $174,000 annually, then and now, for members of the House and Senate - during that standoff.

There is one difference from previous shutdowns: Lawmakers funded the congressional budget in the fall, along with the military and a few other departments, so Capitol Hill staff have not been furloughed.

Representatives for the top House leaders - Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. - did not respond to requests for comment Monday on whether those lawmakers planned to accept their pay. Pelosi makes $223,500 annually as speaker, while the Senate leaders get $193,400 apiece.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, two congressional leadership aides said separately that the top leaders did not want to turn member pay into a political flash point.

A Roll Call analysis of member wealth in the last Congress pegged the median net worth of a lawmaker at $511,000 - about five times the net worth of the average American household. Lawmakers, in other words, are typically much better positioned to withstand an income disruption than their average constituent.

Some members, one aide said, have personal financial obligations such as maintaining family homes back in their districts, paying for child care and caring for elderly relatives, and leaders did not want to be seen as pressuring them into turning down their pay. Another aide said they simply trusted members to "do what they want to do" knowing their own political dynamics.

At least one senator said publicly that he sees no reason not to cash his checks: Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said in an interview last month with the Forum News Service - when he was a member of the House - that the no-pay pledges were "gimmicky" and that he was working hard for his money.

"The government isn't shut down, only about 25 percent of it," he said in remarks published in the Grand Forks Herald. "Some federal employees are getting paid time off."

His predecessor, former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D), said she would donate the final days of her Senate pay, and fellow Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said the same.

While lawmakers can request that their pay be withheld, it is not quite so simple as a matter of law. Congressional administrators interpret the 27th Amendment to the Constitution as prohibiting any changes to a member's compensation until the next Congress. Instead, they are holding lawmakers' pay in escrow, paying it out after the shutdown ends and leaving the members themselves to decide how to use the proceeds.

Many are simply donating their paychecks outright. Freshman Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., for instance, is donating her pay to the Alzheimer's Association.

In her letter to Kiko, she noted her past service as a Defense Department official who had to oversee furloughs during the 2013 shutdown. "I have seen up close the damage that a government shutdown has on the mission of our federal departments and the morale of our federal personnel."

Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., is splitting her pay between three food banks in her district, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he will donate his pay to a charity providing housing for homeless veterans. (Both are among the wealthiest members of Congress.)

Meanwhile, at least two bills and a proposed constitutional amendment that would mandate that members lose their paychecks during future shutdowns have already been filed.

Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., last week reintroduced his "Hold Congress Accountable Act," a measure he first introduced during the 2013 shutdown, while Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah), introduced the "No Work, No Pay Act." Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., would go further and write such a measure into the Constitution itself.

Schrader, in a statement announcing his bill, said of the current shutdown, "I wouldn't expect a student government to operate this way, let alone the government of the most powerful nation in the world."
STAMFORD - As Ned Lamont Wednesday takes the oath that will make him Connecticuts 89th governor, there will be protest on the streets of Hartford.

A Stamford group will line the route of Lamonts inaugural parade from the state armory, past the Capitol, to Trinity and Elm streets holding signs broadcasting their opposition to highway tolls.

Lamont must get the message, said Patrick Sasser, a protest organizer.

Lamont has to understand that he may have been elected, but the vast number of people are not in favor of tolls, said Sasser, who co-owns a small family trucking company. He told everybody hell just toll heavy trucks, but the study that came out after the election said passenger cars need to be tolled as well. I think most people dont know that. We want to bring attention to it.

In December a panel advising Lamont on transportation recommended tolls for trucks and cars, exceeding what the Democrat proposed before he was elected Nov. 6.

Lamont assembled the panel but he is not obligated to follow its recommendations, which is why Sasser wants the soon-to-be governor to know what citizens think.

This is just the beginning of the movement, Sasser said. We plan to have this fight continue.

State officials for years toyed with returning tolls to state highways to raise money to upgrade aging roads, bridges, tunnels and rails, and to ease traffic congestion. Proposals have been highly controversial.

After the administration of outgoing Gov. Dannel Malloy proposed a toll plan a year ago, Sasser and two other small-business owners from Stamford organized a protest in February. Two dozen dump trucks, pickup trucks, plumbers vans and other vehicles circled the Stamford Government Center, horns blaring, as about 75 people on the sidewalk chanted and waved signs.

We are trying to spark a grassroots movement and get city and town officials involved, because tolls will have a huge effect on local streets when people try to avoid them on the highways, Sasser said.

Tolls are not just a cost to the motorist, he said.

Most of the goods that come into Connecticut get here by truck. When they go through the tolls, the trucking companies wont eat that cost. They will pass it on to the stores, which will pass it on to consumers, Sasser said. So we will pay when we drive through the tolls, and well pay when we go shopping.

State transportation officials have estimated that tolling all vehicles on state highways could raise $1 billion a year. The study said toll gantries could be erected every 6.6 miles, on average, on Interstates 95, 84, 91, 395, 291 and 691. They also would be installed on the Merritt Parkway and state routes 2, 8 and 9.

They want to put toll gantries on the Merritt, a beautiful historic highway, Sasser said. Their theory is that if they dont toll the parkway, people will go there to avoid I-95.

State transportation officials say Connecticut is the only state in the area that does not have tolls. They were removed after a truck crashed into a booth in 1983 and killed seven people.

But, Sasser said, Connecticut already has one of the highest gasoline taxes in the nation, and for decades state officials used that revenue for purposes other than transportation. In November, Connecticut voters ratified an amendment to the state Constitution that safeguards money for transportation in a lockbox.

State officials should let revenue accumulate in the lockbox and lay off tolls, Sasser said.

We already pay a gas tax, property tax on vehicles, vehicle registration fees, and now tolls? When does the taxation stop? he said.

His group, Say No to CT Tolls, is on Facebook and soon will have a website, Sasser said. Those who wish to join Wednesdays protest should assemble at 10:30 a.m. across from the state armory on Broad Street in Hartford, he said.

acarella@stamforadvocate.com; 203-964-2296.
STAMFORD  Scofield Magnet Middle School is looking for students to sign up for LiveGirlTalk, a 10-week mentoring group that creates a brave space for girls.

The small group meets weekly with a professional mentor who facilitates interactive activities and discussion topics ranging from relationships to body image to social media.
STAMFORD  A nurses assistant for an 88-year-old woman with acute memory loss was charged with stealing $200 from her client.

Eyonna Young, 42, of Norwalk, turned herself in to police on Monday morning and was charged with second-degree larceny and second-degree forgery. He has been ordered held in lieu of $15,000 court appearance bond.

According to Youngs five-page arrest affidavit, a Darien friend of the elderly Stamford woman filed a complaint with police in January 2016 about suspicious activity in her friends bank account.

She showed police that five checks had been written to two nurses assistants that her friend had employed. But the Darien woman told police the handwriting on the checks did not belong to her friend, investigator Paul DeRiu wrote in the affidavit.

The woman also told police she assisted her friend with her financials and was not aware of the $1,182 worth of checks cashed by the aides between August and October 2016, the affidavit said.

DeRiu obtained records from the bank and showed Young deposited one of the checks for $200 into her bank account in Norwalk on Oct. 21, 2016, the affidavit said.

We are still investigating the case. These cases are awful when it comes to elderly clients putting their trust into professionals who care for them. Its really heartbreaking, DeRiu said. They really feel the pain in terms of having their trust violated. It makes them very susceptible. My advice to the companies hiring aides like this is to really vet the staff to keep this from happening.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
Contributed photo / Contributed photo

STAMFORD  To celebrate its inclusive and diverse global community, King School has installed flags to represent countries native to the schools students, parents, faculty and staff. King identified the countries via a community survey conducted in the fall. The flags were installed in the upper school lobby, as well as the middle and lower schools, during winter break.

Global education at King develops students knowledge of the worlds cultural diversity within the context of globalization and change. Our flag project embodies our schools multicultural reality and we were excited to welcome students and faculty back to campus this week with the flags installed, said Gilles Chosson, director of global education.
STAMFORD  IT firm Rizing LLC, which specializes in consulting for SAP-branded enterprise software, has announced it closed on the acquisition of a Singapore-based firm with similar specialties.

Financial terms of Rizings purchase of Synchrony Global were not disclosed.

The deal strengthens Stamford-based Rizings position in the market for SAP SuccessFactors cloud software for businesses, company officials said. Synchrony joins several other recently acquired SAP-focused firms in Rizings Human Capital Management business, which is also known as Rizing HCM.

We plan to continue to scale both organically and through acquisition for the next number of years, Rizing CEO Mike Maiolo said in a statement. Bringing Synchrony into the Rizing family, with its Asia-Pacific presence, is a natural next step in our growth strategy in the SAP space. The combined entity provides a complementary set of services and geographic coverage which will instantly provide value for our customers.

With the addition of Synchrony, Rizing HCM counts more than 900 customers. The company said it ranks as one of the worlds largest consulting firms for SAP SuccessFactors services.

Darcy Lalonde, Synchrony Globals chairman and CEO, will join Rizing HCM as its Asia-Pacific president.

With Synchrony joining Rizing HCM, we are excited to deliver Synchronys award-winning solutions on a global scale to organizations of all sizes, while providing clients worldwide our implementation capabilities, product and industry expertise and a full suite of Ongoing Platform Support and continuous improvement services, Lalonde said in a statement.

Rizing employs nearly 1,000 worldwide. It is headquartered at the First Stamford Place office complex, in Stamfords Waterside section. About a dozen, including Old Greenwich resident Maiolo, are based at the main offices.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin during an October meeting before a Soyuz launch. NASA said Jan. 4 it was postponing a reciprocal visit by Rogozin to the United States, one that had become controversial.

WASHINGTON  NASA said Jan. 4 it is delaying a planned visit to the United States by Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, a trip that had become increasingly controversial.

In response to a SpaceNews inquiry, NASA Press Secretary Megan Powers said Rogozin's visit to the United States, which had been scheduled for February, has been postponed indefinitely.

"NASA has informed the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, that the proposed visit of Roscosmos Director General, Dr. Dmitry Rogozin, currently planned for February 2019 will need to be postponed. A new date for the visit has not been identified," Powers said. She gave no explanation for the delay. [Presidential Visions for Space Exploration: From Ike to Trump]

The planned visit, first discussed in October when NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine visited Russia and met with Rogozin, had gained increasing scrutiny in recent days after Politico reported Jan. 1 criticism of the planned visit, which reportedly would include stops at the Johnson Space Center and Rice University in Houston. Rogozin, who previously was deputy prime minister of Russia, is one of several Russian officials sanctioned by the U.S. government for their role supporting the annexation of Crimea in 2014, barring their entry into the United States.

Among the critics cited in that report was Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. "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," he said.

Since that report other senators have spoken out about the planned visit. "America's message to the Kremlin should be unequivocal: actions have consequences," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), ranking member of the Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds NASA, in a Jan. 2 statement. "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."

Shaheen called on Bridenstine to withdraw the invitation, as did Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) a day later. "I strongly urge you to immediately withdraw this invitation given the Trump Administration's current sanctions on this individual," Menendez said in a Jan. 3 letter to Bridenstine released by his office. He added that if NASA went ahead with the visit, he would introduce a "resolution of disapproval," a provision of a law passed in 2017 called the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act that provides congressional oversight over changes to sanctions against Russia.

An agency source, speaking on background, said that NASA received approval for meetings with Rogozin from the Treasury Department, which oversees sanctions, in June. The substance of those meetings would be limited to civil space cooperation between the United States and Russia.

During his earlier tenure as deputy prime minister, Rogozin threatened to cut off access to the International Space Station by American astronauts, who then, as now, rely on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to get to and from the ISS. That included an infamous tweet that suggested NASA would need a trampoline to get to the station. Despite the threats, there were no interruptions in U.S. access to the station.

Bridenstine, in a September interview, said his relationship with Rogozin was good, although at the time the two had not yet met in person and had talked in just a single phone call. He dismissed Rogozin's earlier rhetoric as part of politics, noting that, as a member of Congress, he also had made "aggressive" comments about Russia.

"We've been able to make sure that space has been set apart from all of these sometimes terrestrial challenges that we have with our international partners, especially in this case, Russia," Bridenstine said then. "It's my intent to keep that relationship strong. It's his intent as well."

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
Using the first three months of publicly available data from NASA's TESS mission, scientists have confirmed a new planet known as HD 21749b, a "sub-Neptune" three times bigger and 23 times more massive than Earth. HD 21749b lies about 53 light-years from Earth and orbits a star about the the size of the sun.

NASA's newest planet-hunting probe has bagged another alien world, the eighth confirmed find for the young mission.

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered a planet orbiting the star HD 21749, which lies about 53 light-years from Earth in the faint constellation Reticulum, scientists announced today (Jan. 7).

The world, known as HD 21749b, is a weirdo, at least by the standards of our own solar system. It's a "sub-Neptune" about three times bigger than Earth, which means it's likely gaseous rather than rocky. But HD 21749b is made of denser stuff than the gaseous worlds we're used to, because it's 23 times more massive than Earth. [NASA's TESS Exoplanet-Hunting Mission in Pictures]

"We think this planet wouldn't be as gaseous as Neptune or Uranus, which are mostly hydrogen and really puffy," discovery team leader Diana Dragomir, a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, said in a statement. "The planet likely has a density of water, or a thick atmosphere."

HD 21749b completes one orbit of its host star, which is nearly as bright as our sun, every 36 Earth days. The exoplanet likely has an average surface temperature around 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius), discovery team members said.

The researchers also detected hints of another, smaller planet in the system, a planet that would have an orbital period of 7.8 days. If this world is confirmed, it will be the first roughly Earth-size planet found by TESS.

NASAs TESS mission, which will survey virtually the entire sky over its two-year prime mission, has already discovered three relatively small exoplanets around nearby stars. (Image credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, edited by MIT News)

TESS launched to Earth orbit in April 2018 on a mission to find alien worlds circling stars in our solar system's neighborhood. Like NASA's recently deceased Kepler space telescope, which is responsible for about 70 percent of all known exoplanet discoveries to date, TESS uses the "transit method." That is, it looks for tiny dips in starlight caused when planets cross their host stars' faces from the satellite's perspective.

TESS does this work by carving the sky up into overlapping sectors, studying each one for 27 days at a time. The satellite will cover virtually the entire sky by the end of its two-year prime mission. (During its main mission, by contrast, Kepler stared continuously at the same small patch of sky, monitoring the brightness of about 150,000 relatively distant stars simultaneously.)

This shifting focus makes it tough for TESS to find planets that lie far from their host stars and therefore take a long time to complete one orbit. Indeed, HD 21749b is very far-flung for TESS; two other smallish worlds found by the mission have orbital periods of 11 hours and 6.3 days, respectively.

"It's the coolest small planet that we know of around a star this bright," Dragomir said.

"We know a lot about atmospheres of hot planets, but because it's very hard to find small planets that orbit farther from their stars and are therefore cooler, we haven't been able to learn much about these smaller, cooler planets," she added. "But here, we were lucky and caught this one and can now study it in more detail." [The Strangest Alien Planets (Gallery)]

The team initially spotted an intriguing signal from the HD 21749 system in TESS's "sector 1" data. It was unclear whether this signal was caused by a planet or variations in the host star's activity, so Dragomir and her colleagues analyzed observations taken by another instrument, the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS), a spectrograph installed on a telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory in Chile.

A different group of astronomers had studied the HD 21749 system a decade ago using HARPS, which finds planets by noticing the tiny wobbles that their gravitational tugs induce in their host stars. Those researchers had also detected a signal, but they couldn't conclusively attribute it to a planet, Dragomir said.

In the HARPS data, she and her team found that the HD 21749 signal repeats every 36 days. They determined that they should be able to find the signal again, in TESS's "sector 3" data  which they succeeded in doing. (The TESS data analyzed by the team was gathered from July 25 through Oct. 14 of last year.)

Dragomir and her team also used observations made by the Planet Finder Spectrograph, which is installed on the Magellan II Telescope in Chile, to confirm the discovery and help nail down HD 21749b's mass and orbital parameters.

"There was quite some detective work involved, and the right people were there at the right time," Dragomir said. But we were lucky and we caught the signals, and they were really clear."

The researchers announced the find today at the 233rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle. They have also submitted their discovery paper to Astrophysical Journal Letters.

TESS is just getting started. The mission has already flagged several hundred planet candidates, and its confirmed finds will run into the thousands when all is said and done, NASA officials have said. And some of these worlds will be close enough to Earth for astronomers to study the planets using powerful instruments, such as NASA's $8.9 billion James Webb Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in 2021.

Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate) is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us @Spacedotcom or Facebook. Originally published on Space.com.
China's Yutu 2 rover after deployment on the surface of the moon's far side.

HELSINKI  China's Chang'e 4 lander and Yutu 2 rover have tested out payloads and systems on the far side of the moon, with the rover now taking a "noon nap" as a precaution against high temperatures.

The Chang'e 4 lander made its historic landing at 177.6 degrees east longitude and 45.5 degrees south within Von Karman Crater within the South Pole-Aitken basin at 9:26 p.m. EST Jan. 2 (0226 GMT on Jan. 3), following two weeks in lunar orbit.

The rover was deployed from the lander just under 12 hours later, at 9:22 a.m. EST (1422 GMT) Jan. 3. The rover also officially received the name Yutu 2 ("Jade Rabbit 2"), following on from China's first lunar rover for the 2013 Chang'e 3 mission. [China's Chang'e 4 Farside Moon Landing in Pictures]

Monitoring cameras on the lander imaged the rover wheels during deployment and the craft on the surface, with the images returned to Earth via the Queqiao relay satellite stationed in a halo orbit around the second Earth-moon Lagrange point.

After reaching a predetermined point, the Yutu 2 rover has entered a standby mode to protect itself from temperatures reaching toward 390 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius), the China Lunar Exploration Program under the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced.

The 310-lb. (140 kilograms_ rover, which has six drivable wheels with four, at the front and back, steerable to allow for pivoting, will resume activities Jan. 10 Beijing time.

Zhang Yuhua, deputy chief commander and designer of the mission, told Chinese state media that next up for the rover will be to travel to the front side of the lander and image the craft.

"After that, the rover will go to its planned area and start a series of scientific exploration projects in the Von Karman Crater as planned by scientists," Zhang said.

Shen Zhenrong, design director of the Yutu 2 rover, told China Central Television that the team adopted a new method to enclose Chang'e 4's cables because of the harsh lunar surface, citing rock edges that scratch cables and trigger short circuits.

The Chang'e 3 Yutu rover traveled just 374 feet (114 meters) before becoming immobilized during its second lunar daytime on Mare Imbrium on the near side of the moon in early 2014.

Jade Rabbit was the companion to the lunar goddess Chang'e from Chinese mythology, for which China's robotic lunar exploration is named.

Preparations for entering a dormant state for the lunar nighttime to take place Jan. 12, when temperatures may drop to around minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 180 degrees Celsius).

During this time, the lander  which has a small radioisotope thermoelectric generator  will be capable of limited functions.

Chang'e 4 payload tests

Since touching down, both spacecraft have been testing the science payloads and communications and optical systems.

On the lander, the three 16.5-foot (5 m) antennas of the low-frequency spectrometer for pioneering astronomy have been deployed, which will be visible in future Yutu 2 images of the front of the lander.

The lander's topography camera has also been tested and transmitted images back to Earth. The Yutu 2 rover's panchromatic camera and lunar penetrating radar, payloads aboard the first Yutu rover with the Chang'e 3 mission, have also been tested.

Robert F. Wimmer-Schweingruber of the University of Kiel, Germany, which developed the Lunar Lander Neutrons and Dosimetry (LND) experiment on the lander, told SpaceNews that the instrument had been turned on before descent from the lander and again tested after deployment of the rover.

"As we understand, LND is healthy and working nominally," Wimmer-Schweingruber said.

LND will seek to understand the radiation to which lunar soils and rocks are exposed in preparation for potential human exploration, as well as detect subsurface water.

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
Buzz Aldrin, on the left, practices scooping up a sample while Neil Armstrong, on the right, photographs the collection, during a practice session held before the Apollo 11 mission.

When Neil Armstrong was preparing to leave the moon nearly 50 years ago, he allegedly thought the box holding the team's rock samples looked a little empty. So he shoveled in some soil to top it off.

The consequences of that spontaneous decision continue today. All that soil, along with the rocks it joined, became humanity's first of six installments of lunar samples carried home by the Apollo program. Unlike your vacation souvenirs, the Apollo lunar samples are still being studied, even five decades after astronauts ferried them home. They're the only planetary samples that have been gathered by humans, which makes them a uniquely valuable collection of material.

"It's just easier with humans," Ryan Zeigler, Apollo sample curator and manager of NASA's Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office, told Space.com last month at the annual conference of the American Geophysical Union. "Humans are the most capable tool we have. It sounds like a cliche, but it'll take them a year to design a rover that can do one thing. A human can do the same thing just because they can." [Building Apollo: Photos from Moonshot History]

Apollo 15 astronaut James Irwin uses a scoop to dig in the lunar soil in front of Mount Hadley. (Image credit: David Scott/NASA)

Humans, unlike robots, can easily be equipped with a wider variety of tools, and they can make their own decisions, like shoveling 13 lbs. (6 kilograms) of extra soil into a sample bin. All told, the lunar-landing missions brought 842 lbs. (382 kg) of material back to Earth; for eight years it has been Zeigler's job to look after the samples NASA has held onto for scientific research.

"I think people in general think, 'We've had the Apollo samples for a long time, so why are we still studying them?'" Zeigler said. "There's real, new work that's being done on them that's not just repeating what was done decades ago."

An Apollo 12 sample magnified 2.5 times and seen under cross-polarized light. (Image credit: NASA)

That's the real benefit of bringing samples back to Earth, after all  rather than simply having the data produced by an orbiter or lander at a particular time, scientists can over time apply new technology to answer new questions.

Scientists can enlist plenty of other new technology as well, like an X-ray CT scanner NASA recently acquired. By identifying structures within samples, the instrument can guide where scientists cut rocks, preventing them from destroying the very structures they'd like to study. The idea itself isn't new, but the specific instrument is better tailored to the job than its predecessors.

"People have been doing it for rock studies for going on a decade or 15 years," Zeigler said. "They used to struggle using medical CT scanners to try to scan rocks, and that didn't work well."

Lunar sample laboratory staff study moon rocks at NASA's Pristine Sample Lab. (Image credit: NASA)

But it's not just new technology that is opening new opportunities for lunar sample science, Zeigler added. NASA's current focus on returning humans to the moon initiated by Space Policy Directive 1 in December 2017 has lent extra enthusiasm to collection analysis, he said.

And soon, scientists will have more samples to work with, since NASA has decided to open Apollo samples that haven't been touched since the end of the program. "We've been saving them for 50 years to make sure we had better instrumentation so that we could answer questions that we couldn't have addressed in 1972 when they were sealed," Zeigler said.

A sample collected by the Apollo 17 crew. (Image credit: NASA)

Those samples were vacuum sealed during their collection on the moon and again on Earth, but scientists aren't sure yet how well those seals have held up over the decades. If the seals have survived, these samples should still hold volatiles, including compounds like water, hydrogen and methane, which are deeply relevant to human exploration.

"There's stuff that they might get out of those samples that might actually help with future exploration of the moon," Zeigler said.

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her @meghanbartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
We saw an abundance of innovative technologies impact the industry in 2018, but what really caused the most disruption was video event management, which enables enterprise organisations to efficiently streamline all of the pieces that make up their security infrastructures. The gathering and analysis of data has never been more essential than in todays risk landscape, but as each sensor within a solution generates an overwhelming amount of information, security leaders must be able to identify what is most important at any given time. Event management ties every critical incident into one common interface, providing video verification for immediate and informed decision-making. This technology allowed organisations to achieve advanced levels of safety and protection this year, but it also can be applied to improving operational effectiveness, such as with building automation or compliance  making it a truly valuable and disruptive solution for security and business leaders in 2018 and beyond.
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
PHILIPSBURG:--- Delegations from the Parliaments of Curacao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten met today for a Tripartite discussion. The goal of todays meeting was to prepare for the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation as well as discuss topics of mutual interest.

Among the topics discussed were, Constitutional Court; Dispute settlement; Current relations within the Kingdom; situation in Venezuela; Collaboration Immigration service of Sint Maarten with the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and handling immigration in general via ferry; Collaboration in the field of Education more specifically the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate. The meeting was deemed to have been very successful.

After the meeting, members of the delegations along with Members of the Parliament of Sint Maarten who were present as observers posed for a group photograph.

The Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO), will commence tomorrow, January 8, 2018; at 10:00 am with the opening and welcome address by the Chairlady of Parliament and a short speech by each delegation leader.

The Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO) session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.com and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.
PHILIPSBURG:--- NAGICO Group and Swiss Re have renewed their Excess of Loss (XoL) reinsurance treaty with symbolic signing 1,500 miles from land on a boat in the Atlantic Ocean.

The treaty, which became effective on 1 January 2019, was signed by Cameron Parker, Head of P&C Structured Solutions for Continental Europe at Swiss Re, who is on an extreme endurance ocean row race as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

When Parker and his four-man rowing team arrive at land and complete their 40-day journey, NAGICOs Chairman Imran McSood Amjad will countersign the Treaty on NAGICOs behalf.

We are honored to partner with Swiss Re to provide comprehensive protection for our customers across the Caribbean, said NAGICO Group Chief Strategy and Development Officer Kyria Ali.

Our relationship with Swiss Re has continued to strengthen with each passing year and the level of respect, trust and confidence that both parties have in each other remain extremely high, Ali added.

NAGICOs reinsurance program is a combination of Quota Share and XoL that provides protection from catastrophic events, as well as smaller weather-related events and a range of other perils that would not trigger recovery from a traditional catastrophe reinsurance program.

The reinsurance program has been designed in line with NAGICOs risk appetite and its desire to protect its capital and policyholder surplus.

The company received substantial pay-outs from its program following the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

NAGICO sponsored Parkers ocean rowing boat, which will travel a total of 3,000 miles down the hurricane development track towards the Caribbean in an effort to raise $80,000 for Multiple Sclerosis.

Cameron commented on the trans-Atlantic crossing, To me, this row represents a journey at the very extreme edge of possible; an unfiltered, raw experience, which will mean epic personal growth and make me a better person.

At present, the Atlantic Discovery team has rowed approximately 1,500 nautical miles, putting them around halfway through their journey.
Toronto: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Donald Trump have agreed to continue to seek the release of two Canadians detained in China, Trudeau's office said on Monday.

China grabbed the Canadians in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive. Trudeau spoke to Trump in a phone call on Monday.

US President Donald Trump talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Credit:AP

"The Prime Minister thanked the President for the strong statements of support by the United States in response to the arbitrary detention of two Canadians in China. The two leaders agreed to continue to seek their release," Trudeau's office said in a summary of the call.

While Trump hasn't spoken publicly about the detained Canadians US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a State Department spokesman have called for their release.
The Australian government will "carefully consider" any asylum application made by the Saudi teen detained at Bangkok airport whose case has gained media attention around the world.

Saudi officials stopped 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun at Bangkok airport, preventing her from travelling to Australia where she planned to claim asylum.

The Australian government said it was 'pleased' Ms Qunun's claim would be processed by the UNHCR amid a report that Australia was preparing to offer her a humanitarian visa once her application was processed.

"The Australian government is pleased that Ms Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun is having her claim for protection assessed by the UNHCR," a spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said.
Berlin: A lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany party was attacked and seriously wounded by several men in the northwestern city of Bremen in what police said on Tuesday may have been a politically motivated assault.

Frank Magnitz, member of the AfD parliamentary group in Berlin, Germany. Credit:AP

The beating of Frank Magnitz, a lawmaker in the national parliament who leads the party's branch in Bremen, drew condemnation from across the political spectrum.

"There's zero tolerance for violence, whoever is affected and wherever the violence comes from," German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told The Associated Press.

"We need to do everything to find the culprits and hold them to account."
A group of cross-party NSW MPs is urging the Premier to commit to a drug summit after the March election, warning that urgent action is needed to stop people dying at music festivals.

In a letter sent to the Premier on Tuesday, Liberals' MP Shayne Mallard, Greens' MP Cate Faehrmann, Labor's Jo Haylen and independent MP Alex Greenwich warned the "current approach to illicit drugs" is failing.

Cross-party harm minimisation roundtable: Cate Faehrmann MLC (left); NSW Greens; Alex Greenwich MP, Independent; Member for Sydney; Jo Haylen MP, Labor; Member for Summer Hill; Shayne Mallard Liberal Party.

Their letter comes after four people have died of suspected drug overdoses at NSW music festivals since September, reigniting the debate over whether pill testing should be trialled.

Gladys Berejiklian has ruled out pill testing, arguing there is no evidence it saves lives, while the Opposition Leader Michael Daley has said it should not be discounted and has committed to a drug summit if Labor wins.
The Morrison government is close to achieving its goal of taking all refugee children off Nauru, with just two families in still limbo on the island - but hundreds of adults remain without a place to resettle.

Of the 222 minors who were on Nauru at its peak in 2014, only seven remain. Four have been accepted for resettlement in the United States, along with their families, leaving only three children from two families.

Three children from two families remain in limbo on Nauru. Four other families are waiting to go to the US. Credit:Jason Oxenham / AP

The families involved are understood to have extenuating circumstances which have so far precluded them coming to Australia.

It is believed a Sri Lankan family has not been allowed to come to Australia as the children's mother is not an asylum seeker. She flew to Nauru to join family members who had tried to come to Australia by boat, and they are now refusing to be separated.
High-flying Queensland senator Fraser Anning twice billed taxpayers more than $5500 for overnight trips to capital cities outside his home state, as well as taking a number of other publicly-funded excursions he has failed to explain.

The controversial senator, who attended a far-right rally in Melbourne on the public dime at the weekend, flew business class from Brisbane to Perth in August at a return cost of $4910.

Fraser Anning came to national attention when he used the term "final solution" in his first speech. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Senator Anning said he met with farmers who had been ripped off by the banks - as well as representatives of the National Farmers Federation - during his one-night stay.

In fact, Senator Anning did not meet with the NFF, but with the affiliated state organisation WA Farmers, at his own request.
Antisemitism is no more prevalent in Australia but neo-Nazi groups have become more sophisticated and emboldened to incite violence than they have been in years, according to the peak body representing Jewish people in Australia.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said the Nazi salute performed by some protesters at far right rallies in Melbourne on the weekend fell into a broader pattern observed by the Jewish community over the last 12 months.

This included the attempted infiltration of the NSW Nationals by alt-right groups the Lads Society and the Antipodean Resistance in May last year, and a recruitment drive for new members on university and high school students campuses.

The council's annual antisemitism report published in October showed a 59 per cent increase in incidents, most of which could be attributed to posters and stickers circulated by Antipodean Resistance, which espouses Nazi ideology and venerates Adolf Hitler.
A man has died and a young boy was airlifted to hospital on Tuesday afternoon after a crash in WAs South West.

The incident occurred just before 4pm on Trotter Road, Yarloop.

The child being rushed into Perth Children's Hospital. Credit:9 News Perth

A 52-year-old man driving a truck, which was fitted with a water tank, died after he lost control of the vehicle and it rolled.

A three-year-old in the truck at the time sustained a shoulder injury and was airlifted to Perth Children's Hospital as a precaution.
Two young girls who were the only witnesses to a fatal collision that killed a 10-year-old boy in Melbourne's east last year have been spared giving evidence in court.

Jack Power was crossing Springfield Road in Blackburn North with his six-year-old sister Steph and their 12-year-old friend when he was hit by a Toyota Hiace van in August last year.

The young boy died in hospital the next day.

Jack Power, 10, died after being struck by a vehicle at Blackburn North.

His little sister and their friend, who is now 13, told people after the incident that they had been crossing the road on a green pedestrian light.
A father has won a $1.4 million payout for spinal injuries he suffered when he fell while trying to free his daughter from a tunnel at a Melbourne play centre.

Abdul Qayom was visiting the Xanadu Playcentre in Hallam with his wife and two children in November 2014 when his five-year-old daughter began to cry out after she got stuck in one of the tunnels.

A photo of the Xanadu Playcentre taken in 2018, four years after the incident. Credit:Xanadu Playcentre

Mr Qayom went to the reception desk for help, but the staff member was busy. He noticed a sign that said "parents or guardians to accompany children at all times" and climbed the padded stairs to rescue his daughter.

After reaching the top of the stairs, Mr Qayom arrived at a padded walkway and stepped down about half a metre on to a platform, which suddenly collapsed underneath him.
The cost of alcohol at music festivals has been blamed for driving some attendees to drugs, as a festivalgoer admits she would rather spend $25 on an illegal pill than fork out many times more on booze.

As debate over the merits of pill testing at festivals continued on the back of two high-profile deaths, 21-year-old Anna* explained the financial motive behind her decisions.

The FOMO Festival crowd at Brisbane's Riverstage were warned about the dangers of taking drugs. Credit:Lydia Lynch

She told Brisbane Times after spending more than $150 for a ticket to FOMO Festival at the weekend, she would rather risk taking ecstasy than spend $10 a drink.

Nobody wants to be sober at a music festival and drinks are way too expensive. That leaves you with two options: try and smuggle in a bulky flask of vodka or a tiny pill, Anna said.
Victor Thomas Spink, a drug importer who engineered a $225 million hashish shipment while also the "Mr C" at the heart of the Jockey Tapes scandal, has died age 76.

His body was found in the early hours of Monday morning in a hotel near Sydneys Central Station, likely caused by a drug overdose. A police spokeswoman said police were investigating the death of a 76-year-old man in which there were no suspicious circumstances.

Victor Spink, who died on Monday, in his earlier criminal days.

Born in Sydney in 1942, Spink was first convicted of breaking and entering in 1960 and later with the nabbing of $54,000 from a mailbag in the 1970s. The same decade, the Woodward Royal Commission heard evidence that linked him to the heroin trade.

By the 1990s, officers from the Australian Federal Police were listening in on Spinks phone calls as part of Operation Caribou, investigating an enormous cannabis trade.
A 28-year-old man has been charged with 30 offences after allegedly leading police on a car chase in Sydney's west on Tuesday.

Police were called to a unit complex in Hebersham on Tuesday morning to speak to a man about domestic violence-related issues, but arrived to see the man driving away in an allegedly stolen Mazda CX-7.

The Mazda did not stop and police began pursuing the car through local streets.

At one point the Mazda turned right off Jersey Road into Popondetta Road and crashed with a Holden Commodore.
Another batch of female domestics from England

Another batch of 50 female domestics were on their way from London to Sydney by the Aberdeen liner Moravian, after docking first in Melbourne. They were being brought out at the expense of the New South Wales Government, and were of a similar type to the first lot which came out on the Miltiades. Captain Simpson remarked: "They are a desirable class of immigrants, who should be well suited for the avocations which they are intended to fill."

Record school attendance of everyday for five years

At the distribution of prizes at Hoxton Park Public School, the principal, Mr A.D. Southwell, reported that Doris May, who resided at least two and a half miles from the school, had not been absent on any school day during the past five years; while Mabel, Bessie and James Young, and Roy May had attended school every school day for the past four years. Doris May was rewarded with a handsome book as a special prize for her meritorious attendance.

Conspiracy at Sevastopol
A forensic expert whose evidence contributed to the unfair trial of a man over the assassination of a top policeman has appeared as a Crown witness against accused Family Court bomber, Leonard John Warwick.

Robert Collins Barnes was heavily criticised in an inquiry into the conviction of David Eastman, who spent 19 years in jail for the 1989 shooting murder of Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Colin Winchester.

Mr Eastman, a former public servant, was in November found not guilty of the murder following a five-month retrial - which did not include Mr Barnes' evidence - before the ACT Supreme Court.

David Eastman was in November found not guilty of the 1989 murder of top police officer Colin Winchester. Credit:AAP

Mr Winchester was shot twice in the head at close range while getting out of his car in his neighbour's driveway in the Canberra suburb of Deakin.
A 13-year-old has been charged after a nail salon worker was injured with a knife on Sydney's Northern Beaches.

Police allege the Narraweena teenager entered the salon at Warringah Mall in Brookvale about 3pm on Monday, before being involved in a fight with a 14-year-old girl.

The 42-year-old salon worker, who tried to intervene, sustained a knife injury to her arm.

She was treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to Royal North Shore Hospital. The 14-year-old was uninjured.
Canberras only crematorium is now under investigation by the Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate, following a case of missing ashes of a baby who died in 1978.

The directorate confirmed on Tuesday that, following revelations that the case was not isolated, and that other families had concerns about ashes missing from the privately run Norwood Park Crematorium, the scope of the investigation has widened to include the ACT Cemeteries Authority.

The case first came to the directorates attention when Member for Ginninderra Tara Cheyne raised it during an Annual Reports hearing in November.

Norwood Park crematorium Credit:Melissa Adams

The case involved one of her constituents, Eddy Mol, whose son Timothy died as an infant in 1978.
Tens of billions of dollars could be wiped from the value of Australia's big four banks because of Labor's plan to end cash refunds for excess franking credits with Citigroup analysts warning the policy is a "significant issue" for the financial sector.

In research which argues Labor's separate policy of restricting negative gearing to new properties will only have a "muted" impact, Citigroup researchers found its target valuations of the nation's major banks could fall by up to 13 per cent in the wake of the franking credit change.

Labor plans to overhaul the dividend imputation system, ending the process introduced by the Howard government under which shareholders without a tax liability can receive a cash refund on excess franking credits.

Opponents to Labor's dividend imputation policy change at a recent protest. Bank valuations could be sliced by up to 13 per cent. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

It believes ending the concession, which Labor says only affects a small number of shareholders, will raise almost $11 billion in revenue over the forward estimates and $55.7 billion over the next decade.
This is the year that mounting hammer blows to the Western alliance system and the edifice of global governance threaten to bring the old order tumbling down.

Eurasia says US President Donald Trump should take a large share of the blame for the state the world finds itself in. Credit:AP

"The geopolitical environment is the most dangerous it's been in decades," warns Eurasia Group, political risk-adviser to the world's elites, and a voice of globalist ideology.

Pax Americana is unravelling. The transatlantic concord underpinning the West since the Fifties is dying. Nato, the G7, the G20, the WTO and the EU are all in varying degrees of crisis. Vladimir Putin's Russia has an open goal. "Every single one of these is trending negatively. And most in a way that hasn't been in evidence since the Second World War," it said.

Anti-liberal strongmen are tugging away at the edges in Turkey, Brazil and Hungary. Some in the twilight zones of the democratic world are drifting  towards the Putin-Xi camp.
Australian shares closed higher for a second straight session on Tuesday, hitting their highest point in more than a month as trade talks between the US and China continued.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 39.2 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 5722.4, while the broader All Ordinaries rose 38.8 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 5783.3.

Australian shares opened Tuesday's trade lower on the back of some minor losses from the major banks, but rallied following a positive start to trading in Asian markets.

"We're having a little rally because the US and China are in trade talks," said Clime Investment Management senior analyst David Walker. "There's a consensus view both sides need and want a deal."
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This is the fun part, scouting triathlon courses. There are worse ways to spend your idle hours than peering down upon a prospective venue with Google's all-seeing satellite images. Google Earth is better than Maps because you can fly around, like a helicopter, looking down at a 45 angle, seeing topographical changes. Its the best! I find a course, find the prospective route, lay it out in MapMyRide, get the distance, save it, send it to my phone, send it around to those whose opinions I want.



The important thing is to pick a venue and a course that'll provide you a race that won't cost much to produce. That in turn will mean you can start small, and let your race have a chance to grow, and your abilities as an RD can grow with it.



I spent last weekend scouring Mexico for gravel bike triathlon courses. Mexico! My friend Jaime Cadaval is the great race production success in that country, and when Im done I email him: Have you seen this lake! Look at this place!

Throughout California I see venues all around me in which there are no races. Has the accessibility of the venue been tested? When I hear that someone has "already checked out [this or that] body of water," and you can't put a triathlon on there, I rarely take that as a firm "no." I'd want to know to whom the presentation was made, and how strong was the sales job. Heres a hint: The final reservoir before the water goes into the public supply is almost always off limits to human body contact; every reservoir upstream from that one is almost always available for swimming, regardless of what the water company that owns that water might tell you. Ive won that battle numerous times.



Just because you can put a race on in a certain location does not, however, mean you should. I have two questions in my mind, beyond whether its fun and scenic, which are paramount: Will the course be safe? Will the race be cheap to produce? Usually, the two go hand-in-hand. "Safe" means very few intersections, extremely sparsely traveled roads or, failing that, roads with wide shoulders. You want bike courses which are easy to marshal, meaning that you'll need few marshals, and if they're straightforward intersections  especially rolling right hand turns  you may be able to get away with using quasi-official traffic controllers (instead of expensive, time-and-a-half sheriffs or highway patrolmen).



Here is a short checklist for choosing the right venue and the right course:



1. It goes without saying, the water needs to be clean and safe. It would be reassuring to know there's a vibrant inlet and outlet, and it's not out of line to ask the appropriate person charged with the water quality whether the water's safe for swimming, and what sort of testing might they do to know that. The source also must be reliable, that is, water needs to be there each year when you're contemplating having your race.



2. There has got to be a good spot for a transition area, and a way to easily get from the water to the transition. Most often it's the boat ramp, and there's usually a parking lot close to the ramp.



3. There have got to be good, easily-managed roads and intersections. Best is if there's a loop made out of right-hand turns (Wildflower's 56-mile bike course is a good example). Out-and-back courses are often problematic, because they require double the road width for bike travel. The alternative to this is an entire road closure, which might be workable if the road is rural; and if no one, or almost no one, lives on it; and if there is an alternate route that can be used as a detour.



4. If you've got all of that, you're usually able to figure out some place to run.



5. Are there places for people to stay? Motels? Camping spots? Is there electricity on-site? And running water? Is the water potable, and does it taste good? Otherwise, you've got to truck water in for aid stations.



6. Is this course going to cause a lot of displacement among the locals? Are you making a church inaccessible for parishioners on a Sunday morning? Are you closing off commercial concerns from being able to do business?



7. What time of year will you be holding your event? Is the weather conducive? Will it be Africa-hot? Or, if it looks like a great spot in August, and you want to have your race in May, are there seasonal road closures that will still be in effect? If the swim venue looks great in May and you want to have your race in September, will the water level still be high? Are there times of the yearusually during high runoffwhen the water is less likely to be clean?



Be creative in your thinking. Don't necessarily assume that problems with the above checklist are deal breakers. I put on a race where I hemmed in the bait shop, making it impossible for it to do business on race day. To make matters worse, we were closing the boat ramp at 7AM. The bait shop owner complained to high heaven. A lot of RDs would've resorted to the power play, getting the city council to side with the us over the bait shop owner



Instead of that, I asked the bait shop owner how much bait he intended to sell that day. I might sell $300! You know what I did, right. Just the offer was enough. He refused the check, and the bait shop owner became a big ally of ours. He just wanted us to be sensitive to his concerns.



There are 3 things that are paramount to me: Is the course scenic and fun? Is it cheap to produce? Can I satisfy the locals? Those last two elements are critical to success, because, think about it. What are the most successful triathlons you know of? Ironman? Wildflower? What are the events you really like? Survival of Shawangunks? Savageman? American Triple T? Heres my question: How many of them started out big? You know, with 2,000 people? Wildflower had 87 its first year. Ironman? 16. The best races, the longest lasting, the icons, were produced out of love. If what fuels you is love, not money, then you need a cheap course.



Realize what I didnt list as paramount: Proximity to a major metro area. Look at the races above I listed. Which are within a 45-minute drive of most of their contestants? If you put on a great race, people will travel. Itll take a couple of years, maybe more, so, make sure your race is cheap to produce! Folks will travel to get to a good race.

The Series:



 How to Be a Race Director

 Picking a Course

 Pacify the Locals

 Getting That Special Event Permit

 Assembling Your Race Committee

 Your Race Budget

 Traffic Plan

 Getting Volunteers

 Getting Sponsors

 Attracting Media

 Filling Your Race

 Aid Stations
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It would be easy to be outraged by MTVs new mob-themed reality show, Made in Staten Island.

But dont we all have better things to do? The only thing more predictable than a mob show set on Staten Island are the protests that quickly follow.

Youve no doubt seen the trailers for this new show. A bunch of Staten Island kids looking and talking tough. Talking about how theyve been surrounded by the mob all their lives. One of them is shown walking out of prison.

What doesnt kill you makes you a boss, is one of the catch-phrases of the show.

A boss of what? The Staten Island Ferry?

Karen Gravano, onetime star of that other mob-themed, Island-based show that sparked protest, Mob Wives, is executive producer of Made in Staten Island. Big surprise, right? Gravanos daughter, Karina, is one of the stars. According to MTV promo material, Karina has a mafia bloodline, and relies on her grandfather, Sammy The Bull Gravano, for advice.

Well, you dont get more Staten Island mob than Sammy the Bull, who helped John Gotti rub out godfather and borough resident Paul Castellano before Gravano turned rat.

Karinas boyfriend, Paulie, is described as a true hustler. Kayla is the muscle of the crew. Dennie is the circles Godmutha.

It goes on and on. You get the idea.

But heres the kicker: According to MTV, Made in Staten Island looks to show how these kids want to defy the borough stereotype.

Yep, theres nothing more precedent-shattering for a show about Staten Island than cloaking yourself in the mantle of the mob. Such originality.

No wonder Islanders are irked. Because here we go again: Staten Island is all mobbed up. Were all a bunch of muscle-shirt-wearing doofs and guidettes out here. A petition has been started against the show.

Those of Italian heritage complain that shows like this paint all Italian-Americans as gangsters.

I cant disagree with any of it. The people I see on shows like this, be it Mob Wives or Jersey Shore or Made in Staten Island, are the kind of people I hid from in grammar school.

And, yeah, I would rather that Staten Island be known for its great parks or beautiful waterfront. Its terrific food.

But getting outraged only plays into the hands of shows like Made in Staten Island. It only generates more publicity. And as we all know, theres no such thing as bad publicity, particularly in this self-absorbed, social media-soaked world.

Even writing about Made in Staten Island is giving it too much underserved attention. With all the endless hours to fill on cable TV, the best that they can come with is a show about Staten Island mob wannabes? Talk about same old same old.

On the other hand, how many people on Staten Island can verbatim quote line after line from The Godfather or Goodfellas? How often do references to those and other mob hits (excuse the pun) come up in our own personal conversations or in popular culture as a whole?

Lets face it, a lot of us are guilty of glorying in the mob. We perpetuate these stereotypes too. We forget that these movies and shows are based on the lives of people who killed for a living. Or sold drugs. Or exploited people with gambling addictions.

If you dont like the idea of Made in Staten Island, then dont watch it. Its that simple. Lets save our breath for the really important things, like monitoring the continuing fallout from the Ariana Grande-Pete Davidson breakup.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) still cannot provide a timeline regarding delays to the construction of two new Staten Island Ferry vessels -- the Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis and the Sandy Ground -- being built in Panama City, Fla.

The Florida shipyard, operated by the Eastern Shipbuilding Group Inc., where two of the newest Staten Island Ferry vessels are under construction, was badly damaged by Hurricane Michael in mid-October.

At the time, the DOT said that aerial photos where the shipyard is based showed that neither of the ferries appeared damaged. The agency said on-site representatives confirmed that virtually every other structure in the shipyard was lost, either completely or partially.

While the first Ollis boat was previously scheduled to arrive in the New York Harbor at the end of 2019, the agency said on Oct. 17 that it is anticipating delays and will provide more specific details regarding the delays in the coming weeks.

The second new boat, the Sandy Ground, was originally scheduled to arrive in the New York Harbor in summer 2020.

Now, nearly three months removed from the incident, the DOT still cannot provide any specific details regarding the length of the delays or damage to the boats.

Work continues on the first two vessels. However, given the scope of the damage to the shipyard and local community, we do not yet have a revised schedule, said DOT spokeswoman Alana Morales.

The Ollis boat is named after the late Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis, a New Dorp native who died at age 24 while saving a Polish soldier in Afghanistan. The Sandy Ground is named for the historic community settled by freed slaves in Rossville.

The new storm-resilient ferryboats, which will replace the Kennedy, Andrew J. Barberi and the Samuel I. Newhouse boats, will be more capable of operating in a wide range of weather conditions and locations -- and can also be used in emergency evacuations.

The ships were modeled after the John F. Kennedy boat, popular for its outdoor promenades and extended foredecks.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The Meiers Corners kingpin of a dismantled billion-dollar international marijuana ring finds himself even deeper in the legal weeds as he awaits sentencing in federal court  and it stems from a shove at an engagement party.

A New Jersey man has sued Jonathan Braun, alleging Braun vicious(ly) attacked and pushed him off a deck outside another Meiers Corners home last summer.

Matias Fortgang was talking with Braun on July 29, 2018, when Braun violently and without warning shoved Fortgang off the deck, said a civil complaint.

Fortgang forcefully landed a story below the deck, the complaint said.

He suffered severe injuries, including multiple fractures requiring surgery, the complaint alleges.

The complaint does not say what the men were discussing or their relationship to each other or any other individuals attending the engagement party.

Fortgang contends Braun vicious(ly) attacked him without provocation.

The suit was recently filed in state Supreme Court, St. George, against Braun. He is the sole defendant.

According to the complaint, Braun lives in Meiers Corners, but not at the house where the alleged incident occurred.

Braun is in his mid-30s. Fortgangs age is not noted in suit papers.

The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages.

A law enforcement source said he is unaware of any criminal charges being filed against Braun, stemming from the episode.

Allen V. Koss, Fortgangs lawyer, declined comment on the case.

John C. Meringolo, Brauns lawyer in the criminal case, declined comment on the civil suit.

Braun was free on $8 million bond when the alleged attack occurred.

In May 2010, Braun was indicted in Brooklyn federal court on marijuana conspiracy, marijuana distribution and money laundering charges.

Federal prosecutors said he headed a billion-dollar international ring that smuggled the contraband from Canada into the U.S.

The organization operated between November 2007 and mid-2010, according to prosecutors court papers.

The drugs had a conservative retail value of more than $1.7 billion dollars, said prosecutors.

Braun was supplied by a consortium with ties to the three most powerful organized crime groups in Canada, including the Hells Angels, said prosecutors. Those groups control virtually all of Montreals drug trade, court filings said.

The contraband was concealed in vehicles entering New York from Canada through the Akwesasne Native American reservation in upstate Franklin County, said authorities.

Prosecutors said the weekly shipments of pot were delivered to "stash houses" on Staten Island and Queens. Street-level dealers then distributed the marijuana in the metropolitan area, including the Island, court documents stated.

In November 2011, Braun pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of marijuana or more and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds, said prosecutors.

He faces a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of life in prison when sentenced.

His sentencing, which has been postponed several times, is scheduled for Jan. 24.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A reputed Staten Island mobster who spent minutes outside the home of a federal witness he plotted to whack is going to spend more than a decade behind bars.

Joseph Datello, 67, -- an alleged soldier in the Lucchese crime family -- was hit with a 14-year prison sentence Friday, authorities said.

Datello pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to commit racketeering, including the attempted murder of the witness, narcotics trafficking, and collecting debts through the threat of violence, according to federal court records.

Prosecutors said the witness used to work in the organization, and helped the feds build a case against Datello and Steven L. Crea, the alleged Lucchese crime boss.

In October 2016, prosecutors said Datello went to the witnesss home in New Hampshire with plans of killing the informant. The plan had Creas blessing, authorities said.

I may be 70 . . . by the time I go up there and do it, but Im going to get him, Datello is quoted as saying in court papers.

The defense said Datello -- who was nicknamed Joey Glasses but is now blind -- spent a few minutes outside the home and never returned to New Hampshire or took any other action, according to court records.

When later asked about his intentions, Datello said, Im not doing nothing . . . it leads straight to him, straight to me, court papers claim.

Creas case is scheduled to go to trial in March.

Datello and Crea were among 19 defendants busted last year and charged with an array of crimes including murder, attempted murder, racketeering, gambling, witness tampering and narcotics trafficking, said officials.

Other borough residents named in a superseding indictment unsealed in federal court in White Plains included John (Big John) Castellucci; Tindaro (Tino) Corso and Dominic Truscello.

In addition, reputed consigliere Joseph DiNapoli was indicted.

Among the allegations, Datello and Crea attempted to murder a witness who previously provided information about mob activities to state and local law enforcement, said officials.

Crea and several others were accused of murdering or arranging the murder of Michael Meldish in the Bronx in November 2013, to maintain or increase their status in the gang, authorities said.

The alleged racketeering conspiracy spans the years 2000 through 2017.

According to the indictment, the Staten Island defendants and others extorted loan-collection money, property and employment opportunities by threatening victims with physical or economic harm.

Corso, Datello and others assaulted and abetted physical attacks on Lucchese members and associates to enforce rules and also intimidated victims of the racketeering enterprise with similar force, alleges the indictment.

In other criminal actions, Datello and others conspired to distribute cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana, the indictment alleges. Datello also allegedly colluded to import cocaine from South America.

Datello, Corso and Castellucci also allegedly trafficked in contraband cigarettes.

According to federal court proceedings, Castellucci and DiNapoli pleaded guilty. Corsos case is still pending.

Truscello died in July while his case was ongoing.

(Both the indictment and officials from the U.S. attorneys office spell the family name as Luchese. Many outlets spell the family name as Lucchese.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- NYPD members have been spotted searching a landfill in Pennsylvania as they try to locate a missing Staten Island man who is presumed to be the victim of a homicide, according to media reports.

The Republic Service Conestoga Landfill in Berks County is a focus of an ongoing homicide investigation linked to Staten Island. The probe centers on the disappearance of Michael Stewart, according to anonymous sources used by the Reading Eagle, NBC New York and other media outlets.

Over a dozen investigators from the NYPD, along with Pennsylvania State Police troopers, were seen at the landfill on Monday morning, the Reading Eagle said.

Michael Stewart, 40, a union carpenter and construction worker who is the father of two small children, was seen at ONeills Irish Pub at 1614 Forest Ave. at about 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20.

Surveillance footage places Stewart inside Back 2 Life barbershop near the intersection of Forest and Richmond avenues around 7 p.m. that same night. Angelo Nesimi, spotted with Stewart at the Back 2 Life barbershop, has been identified by police as a person of interest in Stewarts disappearance.

At about 7:30 p.m., Stewart is thought to have entered EZ Does It barbershop a few blocks away on Forest Avenue.

Nesimi, 33, was arraigned Wednesday in Criminal Court on charges that include assault, criminal possession of a weapon and harassment in connection with an unrelated alleged domestic violence incident that sparked a chaotic scene and drew a large police presence to a West Brighton apartment Saturday.

He has not been charged in connection with Stewarts disappearance at this time.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- More than a thousand Staten Islanders who work for the federal government have been forced to stay home or are working without pay during the government shutdown, now in its third week.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1,319 federal employees living on Staten Island as of 2017.

A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) worker who lives on the North Shore said he received his last paycheck the day after the shutdown on Dec. 22 and has been working 40-hour weeks since without pay.

I was lucky enough that I follow current events and I knew a shutdown would happen, so Ive been putting money aside for this, the employee said.

He agreed to speak with the Advance on the condition of anonymity because the TSA instructed employees not to speak with media.

Im good [with money] until about March, he said, adding that he would likely have to take money from the savings account he shares with his fiance to cover mortgage and bills after that.

Money is tight right now but were making it work, he said.

When he applied for and accepted the job as a TSA agent  which entails checking in and screening passengers, viewing luggage, and monitoring the terminal at JFK Airport - he hadnt thought about a government shutdown.

It didnt really cross my mind and it wasnt an issue until this year. The shutdown we had before only lasted a few days and didnt effect our pay, he said.

'IN THE MINORITY

He knows that not everybody was prepared like him.

Im definitely in the minority. We had a few officers join Uber and look for other jobs to make up for lack of pay during the shutdown, he said.

This week, TSA agents wont be receiving a check.

Were expected to receive backpay and theres no doubt in my mind that we wouldnt get [what were owed]. But right now, morale is definitely low, he said.

In addition to not receiving a paycheck, any employees who had approved scheduled time off prior to the shutdown were told that they had to report to work and their approvals would no longer be honored. Because of this, employees are calling out of work or missing their scheduled shifts, he said.

Were all essential employees and expected to show up to work. Theyre still offering overtime but we wont be paid for that either until the shutdown is over, he said.

POSSIBLE DELAY IN TAX REFUNDS

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is one of the may federal agencies impacted by the government shutdown.

According to the IRS, about 12 percent of its staff is currently reporting to work, without pay, to ensure the security and technology of the agency is not compromised. However, all offices are closed.

Americans are still expected to file their tax returns by the April 15 deadline, regardless if the government is up and running again.

It is unclear if refunds will be processed during that time.

On its website, the IRS has a contingency plan for lapsed appropriations, or a government shutdown, that states issuing refunds is deemed a non-essential activity and may not be attended to during the shutdown.

The Treasury Department is expected to make an announcement later this week regarding tax refund procedures.

BOROUGH PARKS ALSO IMPACTED

When employees are told not to report to work, places like Staten Islands federal parks are effected and go uncleaned.

Visitor centers and National Park Service-provided services -- like restrooms, trash collection, road maintenance, facilities, programs and tours  will not be provided during the shutdown, according to the National Park Service website.

Parks will remain open, according to the website.

On Staten Island, Fort Wadsworth, Great Kills Park, Miller Field, and Crookes Point are effected by the shutdown.

During a visit to Gateway National Recreation Center on Jan. 7, the Advance noticed nearly all of the parks garbage pails overflowing with trash. Several pails had bags of garbage stacked next to them.

A stack of green garbage bags were on the ground several feet away from the parks sign and main entrance on Hylan Boulevard.

A few people were observed running along the parks running trail and others were walking their dogs.

The Staten Island portion of Gateway National Recreation Center consists of Fort Wadsworth, Miller Field and Great Kills Park.

TRUMP TO ADDRESS NATION, PLANS BORDER VISIT

President Donald Trump is expected to address the nation on Tuesday night and has scheduled a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday to highlight his demands for a border wall.

The government shutdown began when Democrats refused to meet Trumps demands for $5 billion in the federal spending bill to begin construction of the border wall.

Throughout the shutdown, hes maintained the money is necessary to secure the border and is calling it a humanitarian and national security crisis.

Democrats have maintained that the wall is an immoral and ineffective way to secure the border and have suggested other types of border security that has already been funded.

-- Associated Press material was used in this report.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A gray Hyundai Tucson crashed into the storefront of the Mathnasium Tutoring Center Monday night, sending one person to the hospital.

The individual sustained minor injuries in the 7:10 p.m. crash, an FDNY spokesman said, and was transported to Staten Island University Hospitals Ocean Breeze campus.

One other individual on scene refused medical attention, according to the spokesman.

Both FDNY and NYPD units responded to the scene, shutting down one lane of Richmond Road as the vehicle was removed from the building.

On scene, the car, which sustained front-end damage, could be seen inside the tutoring center as FDNY officers worked to clear debris from around the vehicle.

Extensive damage was done to the tutoring center, which, according to an employee, was still in operation when the vehicle hit the building.

A Dunkin' Donuts employee said he heard a crash and glass shattering when the vehicle hit the building.

Further information regarding the cause of the accident is currently not available.
You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short.
Associated Press

TOKYO  While President Trump waits in the wings, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for his fourth summit with Chinas Xi Jinping  yet another nod to the leader Kim most needs to court as he tries to undermine support for international sanctions while giving up little, if any, ground on denuclearization.

Kims four-day visit comes after he expressed frustration in his annual New Years address over the lack of progress in negotiations with Washington since his unprecedented summit with Trump in Singapore seven months ago. If things dont improve  meaning that if sanctions relief and security guarantees arent in the offing  Kim warned that Pyongyang might have to find a new way forward.
Patrick Seeger / Associated Press

BERLIN  Deadly winter weather blasted Europe for yet another day Tuesday, trapping hundreds of people in Alpine regions, whipping up high winds that caused flight cancellations and increasing the risks of more deadly avalanches.

At least 13 people have been killed in weather-related accidents in Europe over the past week, most of them from avalanches.
BRUSSELS  The Trump administration downgraded the diplomatic status of the European Unions delegation to the United States last year without making a formal announcement or informing the bloc about the change, a European official said on Tuesday.

After protest from Brussels and discussion between the European Union and the Trump administration, the reclassification of the delegation and the consequent demotion of the ambassador, David OSullivan, is understood to have been reversed, at least temporarily, the official said.

President Trump has been critical of multilateral institutions, and his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, delivered a provocative speech in Brussels on Dec. 4 in which he questioned the value of multinational organizations and institutions like the United Nations and the European Union. Pompeo then asked whether the European Union was ensuring that the interests of countries and their citizens are placed before those of bureaucrats here in Brussels.

The next day, the EUs demotion from a member state to an international organization became clear at the funeral of former President George H.W. Bush, when OSullivans name was not called in the expected order, dictated by diplomatic protocols. The names of diplomats who had gathered in Washington to pay their respects were spoken, as is custom, from the longest-serving to the newest ambassador, an EU official told the German news agency Deutsche Welle. But he was called up as the last person.

Before the demotion, OSullivan, who has been ambassador to Washington since 2014, would have been ranked among the first 20 or 30 ambassadors of the more than 150 foreign representatives in Washington.

News of the change was first reported by Deutsche Welle.

We understand there was a change in the way the diplomatic precedence list is implemented by the United States protocol, and we are currently discussing with relevant services in the administration possible implications for the EU delegation in Washington, said Maja Kocijancic, the EUs chief spokeswoman for foreign affairs. But ultimately this question should be directed to the U.S. administration.

The U.S. Embassy in Brussels said it would consult with Washington before responding.

Trump has made little secret of his antipathy toward the European Union, which he described in July as a foe of the United States when it comes to trade.

Steven Erlanger is a New York Times writer.
BANGKOK  Thailands immigration police chief met Tuesday with officials from the Saudi Embassy in Bangkok, as Saudi Arabia tried to distance itself from accusations that it attempted to block a young womans effort to flee from her family and seek asylum abroad.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun arrived in Bangkok from Kuwait late Saturday after slipping away from her family, whom she accused of abusing her. The 18-year-old was stopped by officials in Thailand who confiscated her passport.

Her urgent pleas for help over Twitter from an airport hotel room garnered tens of thousands of followers and the attention of the U.N.s refugee agency, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Public pressure prompted Thai officials to return her passport and let her temporarily stay in Thailand.

Alqunun alleged several times that Saudi officials were involved in seizing her passport. However, in repeated statements, including one issued Tuesday, the Saudi Embassy in Thailand said it is only monitoring her situation.

Its latest statement, which described Alqununs case as a family affair, said Saudi Arabia did not demand her deportation back home. The embassy  and Thai officials  earlier also said that Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities in Bangkok because she did not have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist, which appeared to have raised a red flag about the reasons for her trip.

Thailands immigration police chief, Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, told reporters Tuesday that Saudi diplomats told him they are satisfied with how her case had been handled.

The position of two countries on this matter is the same  that the priority is to provide her safety. We are both concerned for Miss Rahafs safety and well-being, Surachate said.

He said Alqununs father and brother were due to arrive soon in Bangkok, but that it was her decision whether to meet with them. On Twitter, she has expressed fear of such a meeting.

A spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees at its Geneva headquarters, Babar Baloch, said it could take several days for the agency to look into Alqununs claims. He said it was too early to tell if she will be granted asylum or refugee status.

Human Rights Watch earlier called on the Australian government to allow Alqununs entry into that country, amid worries about her visa status.

Tassanee Vejpongsa and Trevor Marshallsea are Associated Press writers.
GAUHATI, India  Indias lower house of Parliament approved a bill Tuesday that would grant residency and citizenship rights to non-Muslims who entered India illegally, allegedly after fleeing persecution in several neighboring nations, despite protests against the legislation in the populous northeast that brought the region to a near standstill.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh of the ruling Bharitiya Janata Party denied that the Citizenship Amendment bill which he introduced was discriminatory. It would grant rights to Hindus, Jains, Parsi and several other non-Muslim religious groups who migrated illegally from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The bill would provide an exemption to these groups from an Indian law which prohibits naturalization for illegal immigrants.

The initiative is the latest in a BJP campaign led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of general elections set to take place early this year promoting India as a sanctuary for persecuted Hindus globally.

Protesters in Assam set up blockades with burning tires and vandalized two BJP offices, disrupting traffic and business from early in the morning to late afternoon.

Assam police spokesman Mukesh Agarwal said more than 700 demonstrators were arrested. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds.

Protest organizer Samujjal Bhattacharya, a leader of the All Assam Students Union, said the legislation would confer citizenship on the basis of religion, violating Indias secular constitution. He also said that providing residency and citizenship rights to migrants from Bangladesh, with which Assam state shares a long open border, would threaten indigenous communities.

Already, we have a whole lot of Muslim migrants from Bangladesh who entered Assam illegally over the years. Now, the government is trying to make a law seeking to confer citizenship to Hindus from Bangladesh. We want all illegal migrants to be detected and deported, irrespective of their religion, Bhattacharya said.

The bill is unlikely to pass the upper house of Parliament, which isnt controlled by the ruling party. However, if it isnt passed, the government could pass an ordinance that wouldnt require lawmakers approval.

Wasbir Hussain is an Associated Press writer.
BRUSSELS  The British government on Tuesday ruled out seeking an extension to the two-year period taking the country out of the European Union as Prime Minister Theresa May continued to seek further concessions from the EU ahead of a crucial parliamentary vote next week on her Brexit deal.

In a move that has massive trade, business and political implications, Britain will leave the EU on March 29 when the two-year period that governs the process by which a country can leave the bloc times out, the so-called Article 50 of the EUs governing treaty.

Without a withdrawal agreement, Britain faces the prospect of crashing out of the bloc on that date with no deal, a development that could see tariffs slapped on British exports to the EU, widespread disruption at ports and shortages of food and pharmaceuticals.

As things stand, May does not appear to have the numbers to win the support of enough lawmakers for the Brexit deal that she forged with the EU last November. And thats raised concerns of a no-deal Brexit and prompted talk of an extension to the two-year process or even another referendum on Britains membership of the EU.

Article 50 will not be extended. We are leaving the EU on the 29th of March this year, because thats what Article 50 says, thats what Parliament voted for, and thats now what domestic British legislation says as well, Britains minister of state for exiting the EU, Martin Callanan, told reporters in Brussels.

Britain can request an extension to the Brexit procedure, but all 27 other EU countries must agree, and the blocs leaders said last month that they would need good reasons to prolong it. Officials have said a second Brexit referendum could be one good reason to do so.

May is set to put the deal to lawmakers next week, and has been in talks with several EU leaders about fresh guarantees. She postponed a scheduled vote on the deal in December after it became clear she would lose.

France insisted Tuesday that the EU can only offer political reassurances to help May persuade reluctant lawmakers to accept the Brexit deal.

French European affairs minister Nathalie Loiseau urged reluctant British lawmakers to back the deal, which lays out things like Britains future financial obligations, the rights of citizens hit by Brexit and steps to keep goods flowing freely across the Irish border.

We really need to have a ratification of the withdrawal agreement. This is the best solution for both parties, Loiseau told reporters.

The withdrawal agreement, which is required before more wide-ranging discussions on future relations can commence, foresees relatively close economic ties with Europe, particularly in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, in order to avoid the imposition of a hard border between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.

Lorne Cook is an Associated Press writer.
Former California Governor Jerry Brown has always tried to portray himself as a down-to-earth sort of guy. In his retirement, he'll get even closer to the ground.

Brown, whose gubernatorial tenure ended Monday with the inauguration of Gavin Newsom, is headed to his 2,500 cattle ranch.

"Handing the reins over to @GavinNewsom. And Now off to the ranch for the next chapter," he wrote in a Monday tweet. Brown, 79, also shared a photo of himself  walking stick in-hand  with his corgi, Colusa, overlooking the green and yellow hills of Northern California.

READ ALSO: Gavin Newsom's adorable son steals the show at inauguration

The ranch in question is located near the town of Williams in Colusa County. Brown's family, who has owned the ranch for over a century, calls it Rancho Venada  Deer Ranch.

Brown and his wife, Anne Gust Brown, have been refurbishing the property for some time now. Initially, they slept in a tiny, ramshackle cabin and did their business in a single outhouse, according to a New York Times story that chronicled a 2015 visit.

On a more recent tour, Brown told the Los Angeles Times that the land "put me in touch with the way people lived before."

"In the evening, particularly when the moon comes up over the mountains, and the silver glow on the trees and the barns and the shapes of the mountains, it's a feeling that I'm in the right place at the right time," he said.

ALSO READ: Gov. Gavin Newsom promises a 'progressive, principled' California

The politician hinted at future ambitions in the interview. He's considering becoming a college lecturer or working to fund ballot initiatives, he said.

Brown was governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. He also served as the Mayor of Oakland for two terms and as Attorney General of California.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

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At the event, Minister Cuong spoke highly of the cooperation developments between Vietnam and the EU, particularly in terms of investment.

In the field of sustainable development, the EU is considered as Vietnams top development partner with the two main pillars of maritime economy and forest development.

The EU issued a yellow card warning for Vietnam in 2017 for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, along with nine recommendations to help the country to develop more sustainable fisheries.

Minister Cuong said that, after the EU made the nine recommendations, Vietnam was quick to complete its national institutions and laws, including the new Law on Fisheries, which has put the nine recommendations into a solid legal framework.

Vietnam has also paid attention to forestry development. Currently, the country has 14 million hectares of forests, with forest coverage reaching 41.65 percent  a high rate both regionally and globally.

The country is building up its forestry economy with the participation of some 4,500 relevant enterprises. Last year, the sector enjoyed an export turnover of over US$9 billion, he stated.

However, Minister Cuong noted that the sector is still facing several weaknesses, including low productivity, a small number of enterprises participating in the forestry chain, and the relatively small area of forests that have received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) management certificates.

The signing of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) between Vietnam and the EU offers a chance for the Southeast Asian nation to restructure the sector towards a transparent production chain, from materials to processing and trading, Minister Cuong stressed.

Heidi Hautala said that EU consumers are paying greater attention to the origin of products. Therefore, the responsibility and role of private enterprises are becoming more and more important.

The VPA/FLEGT with Vietnam is the second agreement that the EU has signed in Asia, following a pact with Indonesia, she stated, adding that this is an important step by the EU towards building a broader strategy to intensify biodiversity and sustainable development in Asia, as well as fighting illegal timber exploitation and trading.

She said that the agreement will encourage transparency and have pervasive effects on the production chain with the EU and nations around the world as the EU has signed similar agreements with 16 other countries.

The EU is working to soon ratify the agreement with Vietnam, she added.
SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Two women accused of bilking over $180,000 from members of San Francisco's Chinese community via blessing scams were arraigned Monday in San Francisco Superior Court.



Mudi Wu, 51, and Fuxi Dai, 51, have both been charged with elder financial abuse, grand theft, conspiracy and extortion. Officers arrested the pair on Christmas Eve at Los Angeles International Airport as they were allegedly trying to board a plane to Hong Kong.



On Monday, Wu and Dai both pleaded not guilty to the charges. They remain in custody on $250,000 bail each, prosecutors said.



"It's extremely troubling that elderly Chinese women are being targeted and exploited due to their cultural beliefs," District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement. "We will continue to spread the word, but it's incumbent upon us all to be good neighbors, and to make sure that the most vulnerable among us know about these scams."



Police initially said that Wu and Dai performed four blessing scams between Nov. 29 and Dec. 14, 2018. However, on Monday prosecutors revealed that a fifth blessing scam victim came forward last week.

According to Gascon's office, blessing scams can involve as many as four people who work together to target elderly non-English speaking women of Chinese descent by convincing the victims that a loved is in danger. The scammers then allegedly offer to perform a blessing ceremony, which involves the offering of cash and other valuables.



During the ceremony, the offering is placed in a bag, and when the so-called blessing occurs, the victim's money and valuables are secretly taken. The victim is then instructed to leave without looking inside the bag, effectively defrauding the person.



Prosecutors said that blessing scams in the city appeared to be declining, with only two reported in 2014, but now appear to be on the rise.



Anyone who may have been a victim of a blessing scam is encouraged to report it to police or the district attorney's fraud hotline at (415) 551-9595.



The hotline is equipped to take calls in Cantonese and Mandarin, as well as in Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese and English.




The Solano County coroner's office has identified a man who died after a collision near Cordelia on Saturday night as Juan Torrentes Cruz, 42, of West Sacramento.



Cruz was killed when his 2015 Ford Mustang collided with a 2015 Audi A6 around 10:55 p.m. on westbound Interstate Highway 80 near the connector from northbound Interstate Highway 680 in unincorporated Solano County, according to the California Highway Patrol.



Cruz died at the scene and the Audi driver complained of pain after the collision, CHP Officer David Harvey said Tuesday.





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NAPA (BCN)



Napa Valley Unified School District Superintendent Rosanna Mucetti on Tuesday addressed complaints by some parents about the district's delay in disclosing a male juvenile student's alleged threat to shoot students at two district schools.



A River Middle School student allegedly told a fellow schoolmate about his plan for the mass shootings at River Middle School and Vintage High School, Napa police said.



He also allegedly threatened to kill his fellow student who said he was going to report the plan to police and his parents, according to police.



Police learned about the shooting threat on Dec. 31 and arrested the 14-year-old suspect on Jan. 2 based on Internet searches about other school shootings they found in the teen suspect's two Napa residences, police Capt. Patrick Manzer said.



"There were text messages between the suspect student and other student. We didn't find any weapons," Manzer said.



"There was no date when it was supposed to happen. We found nothing to indicate it was imminent," he said.



Manzer, however, said the threat was beyond an ideological threat because of the amount of the teen's research on the Internet.



The teen remains in custody for allegedly making criminal threats, and the River Middle School student who informed police is being hailed by police and in Facebook comments as a hero who possibly averted a tragedy.



Some parents, however, questioned why the school district did not disclose the alleged mass shooting plan until Tuesday. District schools were closed for winter break between Dec. 17 and Monday.



In response to the parents, Mucetti issued a written statement Tuesday.



"I want to assure you that we have been in constant contact with the Napa Police Department throughout the incident and had there been an active threat that required families to take action, both law enforcement and the district would have been proactive and clear about that," Mucetti said.



"Because of the active investigation, which continued into Monday afternoon, we agreed with law enforcement that it was important not to jeopardize the investigation. We informed our River, Vintage and Harvest Middle School families at our earliest prudent opportunity, given law enforcement realities," Mucetti said.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A seven-day trial began Monday before a federal judge in San Francisco on a challenge to the U.S. Commerce Department's plan to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census.



U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg will decide the case without a jury.



He is presiding over two lawsuits, one filed by the state of California, later joined by Oakland, Fremont and four other cities and counties, and a second suit filed by San Jose and the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.



The cases are among several filed against Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in federal courts around the nation.



A lawsuit filed by more than 30 states, cities and counties led by the state of New York went to trial before a federal judge in New York City in November and is now awaiting a decision from that judge. San Francisco and Monterey County joined that lawsuit.



Another lawsuit filed by individual residents of Maryland, Arizona and California will go to trial before a U.S. judge in Baltimore on Jan. 22.



The census question would ask people whether they or members of their household are citizens.



The states and cities that sued claim the use of the question violates the U.S. Constitution's requirement of an "actual enumeration" of the population every 10 years because non-citizen immigrants will be deterred from participating in the census.



They say the reduced participation will unfairly result in decreased federal funding and congressional representation, which are based on the census information.



The Justice Department, defending Ross and the Commerce Department, contends the question is reasonable and answers will be subject to strict confidentiality requirements.



The first witness before Seeborg today was University of Chicago public policy professor Colm O'Muircheartaigh, an expert on survey methodology.



He cited a number of studies that he said show that non-citizens asked to answer a citizenship question feel that "this is a threatening activity" and may refuse to participate in the census.



One study showed that people responding to the census on behalf of a household may decide not to mention other household members who are non-citizens, he told the judge.



"This is very disturbing, because the census depends on getting a full response from the household," the professor said.









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The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for California's ban on foie gras to go into effect after a seven-year legal battle.



The high court declined without comment to review a ruling in which the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last year upheld a state law prohibiting the sale of foie gras from force-fed ducks and geese.



Kelsey Eberly, a lawyer with the Cotati-based Animal Legal Defense Fund, said she expects the 2012 law to go into effect within a day or two.



"The suffering ducks endure to produce foie gras is intolerable and rightfully outlawed," the fund's exective director Stephen Wells said in a statement. The group filed friend-of-the court briefs supporting the state's defense of the law.



The ban was challenged in a 2012 lawsuit by foie gras producers from the province of Quebec, Canada, and the Hudson Valley of New York and by a Southern California restaurant chain.



The groups said in a statement they plan to go back to a federal trial judge in Los Angeles to argue constitutional claims against the law.



But Eberly said she believes there is little left for a trial judge to consider in the wake of last year's appeals court ruling.



"From our perspective, the 9th Circuit decision ends the matter," she said.



In 2015, U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson of Los Angeles struck down the law on that ground that it conflicted with a U.S. law that prohibits states from imposing ingredient requirements that differ from federal requirements for poultry products.



But in its ruling last year, the 9th Circuit said the force feeding did not concern an ingredient, but rather the way the birds are treated while alive.



Foie gras, which means "fat liver" in French, is made from the livers of ducks or geese. In the last stages of feeding, birds are force-fed through a tube in order to enlarge their livers.



The ban on sales within California of foie gras from birds that have been force-fed anywhere in the world was one of two parts of a law passed by the Legislature in 2004. The measure went into effect in 2012.



The second part of the law prohibited force-feeding of birds within California. That part was not challenged in the lawsuit.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



During her last full day as San Francisco's District 6 Supervisor, Jane Kim on Monday unveiled new protected bicycle lanes recently added along Howard Street in the city's South of Market neighborhood.



Bicycle and pedestrian advocates have been calling on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to add protected bike lanes to Howard Street following a handful of fatalities and injuries in recent years.



Howard Street, along with several other streets primarily located in the city's central neighborhoods, have been identified by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition as being part of the city's High-Injury Network: 13 percent of city streets where a disproportionate 70 percent of the city's severe and fatal traffic-related injuries occur.



"This is just a great way to end my eight years with a another protected bike lane to our district," Kim said. "As many of you remember, the very first hearing I called as supervisor was a pedestrian safety hearing to figure out how we can study making San Francisco safer for all of our pedestrians and cyclists."



Kim, a SoMa resident, said she believes the city's Vision Zero plan, which aims to stop all traffic-related fatalities by the year 2024, is tangible but requires that the city be proactive.



"We know it is completely achievable to get to zero by focusing our dollars and engineering and enforcement and education on a minority of our corridors and Howard Street is one of them," she said.



During this morning's event, SFMTA Director Ed Reiskin thanked Kim for advocating for pedestrian and bicycle safety during her time on the board of supervisors.



"I would say that during those eight years, there's been no stronger champion for Vision Zero in the city than Supervisor Kim, so I want to thank her for her service and for holding our feet to the fire," he said.



"The South of Market is a neighborhood where people live and work and go to school. There are a lot of seniors with disabilities. The streets were really not designed to support a neighborhood like what South of Market is today," Reiskin said.



In addition to adding a bike lane protected by vehicle parking between Sixth and 11th streets, other near-term safety features added along Howard include wider crosswalks and increased crossing times for pedestrians at intersections with signals. Also, more loading zones for trucks delivering to Howard Street businesses have been provided.



On top of being in line with the city's Vision Zero plan, the street improvements are also part of the city's Folsom-Howard Streetscape Project. Early last year, protected bike lanes were added along Folsom Street between Falmouth and 11th streets.



In 2016, a driver fatally struck 26-year-old bicyclist Katherine Slattery on Howard Street near Ninth Street. The driver, Farrukh Mushtak, 32, was charged with felony vehicular manslaughter, felony hit and run and misdemeanor hit-and-run in connection with her death and has not faced trial yet.



Then on Sept. 14, 2018, bicyclist Russell Franklin, 56, died after a vehicle struck him near Howard Street and South Van Ness Avenue. The car's driver stopped at the scene and was not arrested.



Days later, on Sept. 18, 2018, 61-year-old pedestrian Modesto Fegurdo died after the vehicle of an alleged drunk driver struck him at Ninth and Howard street. The driver, Allan Quiton, 40, has been charged with manslaughter, driving while under the influence of alcohol causing injury, evading an officer and fleeing the scene.



Less than a week later, on Sept. 23, 2018, a 30-year-old woman riding a motorized scooter similar to a Vespa suffered life-threatening injuries during a collision with a vehicle also at Ninth and Howard streets. The driver in that collision stayed at the scene and was not arrested, police said.





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OAKLAND (BCN)



A 35-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to 35 years to life in state prison for forcing a 15-year-old girl into working as a prostitute for him in Oakland and San Jose.



Darius Swain was convicted on Nov. 5 of human trafficking of a minor with force, pimping of a minor, pandering of a minor, robbery, being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm and being an ex-felon in possession of ammunition.



Alameda County Superior Court Judge Rhonda Burgess, who sentenced Swain, said Swain exploited a 15-year-old girl who was a runaway from Fresno.



Prosecutors said that in April 2017, Swain was introduced to the girl through another juvenile girl he was actively exploiting.

They said Swain would drive the 15-year-old and two other girls who were 14 and 17 to known prostitution areas throughout the Bay Area, drop them off and watch them from his car to make sure they were soliciting men for sex.



Prosecutors said the girls were required to give Swain all of the money that they received from performing sex acts and described multiple cases in which he physically abused them.



They said on one occasion, Swain broke a girl's nose because she looked another man in the eyes, which was a violation of his rules for the girls who worked for him.



On April 21, 2017, Swain picked up the 15-year-old girl from International Boulevard in Oakland, which is a well-known prostitution area, and demanded that she hand over all of her money. However, the girl refused to give Swain her money because she wanted to buy a bus ticket to go home to Fresno, prosecutors said.



Swain responded by driving the girl to a desolate area in the Oakland hills, stripping her completely naked, beating her, forcibly taking her belongings and abandoning her on the street, prosecutors said.



On June 21, 2017, the 14-year-old girl who worked for Swain was detained by Alameda County sheriff's deputies during a human trafficking sting operation and investigators found identification cards that belonged to Swain, according to prosecutors.



Officers then followed the 14-year-old girl back to a Western Union office where they located and arrested Swain. When officers searched Swain's backpack, they found an unregistered 1911-style Kimber .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun with seven rounds loaded in its magazine, authorities said.



Burgess said that during Swain's trial, three underage girls other than the 15-year-old testified that they worked for Swain and that he used them to get other underage girls to work for him.



Burgess said Swain "had a pattern of charming and grooming girls to work as prostitutes" and used violence to do so.



The judge said two of the girls who worked for Swain gave birth to children he fathered.




The chief of Emergency Medical Services for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District was arrested Sunday on suspicion of illegal possession of controlled substances, fire officials said Tuesday.



EMS Chief Richard Stephenson was arrested by Martinez police Sunday morning and has been placed on administrative leave, according to the firs district.



"Preliminary investigation indicates this is an isolated incident that did not involve the public or affect our services provided to the public," Fire Chief Jeff Carman said in a news release.



Stephenson has been with the fire district for 19 years. No other information about the case was immediately released.





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ANTIOCH (BCN)



Fire crews have contained a 1-alarm fire at an Antioch body shop early Tuesday morning, according to fire officials.



The blaze was first reported around 1:58 a.m. at the business at 802 W. 10th St., according to Contra Costa Fire Protection District Fire Captain Tracie Dutter. A second alarm was eventually cancelled, Dutter said, and the blaze was extinguished at 2:33 a.m.



Fire crews remained at the scene to board up the building, but were expected to clear out around 5 a.m. Nobody was injured in the blaze.



A monetary amount for damage to the building wasn't provided.





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BERKELEY (BCN)



A driver was killed on the University of California at Berkeley campus on Sunday afternoon when a large eucalyptus tree uprooted by winds from the stormy weather fell on his car, authorities said.



The victim was identified by the Alameda County coroner's bureau on Monday as 32-year-old Alexander Grant of Novato.



The tree hit Grant's car as he was driving on Gayley Road just north of The Greek Theater on the eastern side of the campus at about 3:48 p.m. on Sunday, UC Berkeley police Sgt. Nicolas Hernandez said.



Berkeley firefighters who responded to the crash removed Grant from his vehicle and pronounced him dead at the scene, according to Hernandez.



UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said campus arborists recently completed an assessment of trees at 15 sites around campus and didn't deem the tree that fell on Sunday to be vulnerable and dangerous.



Mogulof said arborists will return to that site to see if other trees in that area need to be removed.



He said, "We want to see what we can learn."





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MARTINEZ (BCN)



A school food server from San Pablo entered a not guilty plea last week to three felonies, including possession of more than 600 child pornography images, Contra Costa County prosecutors said Monday.



Francisco Perez, 34, was arraigned Friday and is set to appear in court again on Jan. 24, according to the district attorney's office.



Authorities were first alerted to Perez in November after Google noticed he was storing files that contained possible images of child pornography. Google froze his drive and alerted the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Deputy District Attorney Bryan Tierney said.



Detectives with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office then started an investigation into Perez. They obtained search warrants for his home and computers and electronic devices and he was arrested in December.



Authorities found that Perez had given a false name, Mario Arguetta, and a false Social Security number to be employed by a contractor at the San Domenico School in San Anselmo.



There's no evidence that any children at the school were victimized by Perez, sheriff's officials said.





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SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



A federal appeals court in San Francisco on Tuesday upheld a U.S. law that makes it a crime for people who are illegally in the United States to possess a gun.



The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the case of a San Jose man, Victor Manuel Torres, who entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2005 at the age of 20.



Torres had previously come to San Jose with his mother as a child, but was sent back to Mexico by his family after he was expelled from school in San Jose because of gang activity.



In 2014, he was found to have a loaded revolver in his backpack after he was arrested in Los Gatos on suspicion of trying to sell a stolen bicycle. Torres was convicted in federal court in San Jose and sentenced to two years and three months in prison for being an illegal immigrant in possession of gun.



In his appeal, Torres claimed the federal law violated his constitutional Second Amendment right to possess firearms.



But the appeals court said that while it is unclear whether undocumented immigrants have Second Amendment rights, the law banning gun possession by that group is "a valid exercise of Congress's authority."



A three-judge panel unanimously said, "The government's interests in controlling crime and ensuring public safety are promoted by keeping firearms out of the hands of unlawful aliens."



The Second Amendment guarantees "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." In a landmark decision in 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court said that right applies to individuals.



Circuit Judge N.R. Smith wrote in Tuesday's ruling that decisions by other federal appeals courts in the nation have had varying reasoning as to "whether aliens unlawfully present in the United States are part of 'the people' to whom Second Amendment protections extend."



But even "assuming that unlawful aliens do hold some degree of Second Amendment rights, those rights are not unlimited," Smith wrote.





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The Vietnamese leader congratulated Laos on its important domestic and foreign achievements over the past three years of implementing the Resolution of its 10th National Party Congress and expressed his delight at the deepening Vietnam-Laos relations.

He spoke highly of the coordination between the Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Laos in directing ministries, sectors and localities to effectively implement the high-level agreements between the two Parties and States during the recent past.

The Vietnamese leader also highly valued the outcomes of the 41st session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee, describing them as a very important basis for the two countries to successfully implement the agreement on the cooperation plan between the two governments in 2019, as well as the Vietnam-Laos cooperation agreement for the 2016-2020 period.

He asked the two governments to join hands in directing their ministries, sectors, localities and firms to actively implement the agreements reached at the session, focusing on the exchange of information and experiences in Party building, socio-economic development, close collaboration in national defence-security and foreign affairs, and seek ways to untangle the knots so as to improve the effectiveness of the cooperation in economy, investment, trade, culture, education, and science and technology.

The leader availed himself of the occasion to extend his warm regards and New Year greetings to Lao Party General Secretary and President Bounnhang Vorachith and other high-ranking leaders of the Lao Party and State.

Sisoulith, for his part, expressed his belief that under the leadership of the CPV led by the General Secretary, the Vietnamese people will reap greater achievements in the renewal process and successfully realise the Resolution adopted by the 12th National Congress of the CPV.

Informing the host about the outcomes of the 41st session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, Sisoulith affirmed that the Lao government will continue working closely with the Vietnamese government to direct ministries, agencies and localities effectively realise agreements reached by leaders of the two Parties and countries as well as commitments at the 41st session.
NEW YORK  The Russian lawyer who attended the Trump Tower meeting that is a focus of the special counsels investigation into possible collusion was charged with obstructing an unrelated tax-fraud case, federal prosecutors in New York said Tuesday.

Natalya Veselnitskaya was indicted on one count of obstruction of justice after prosecutors said she teamed up with a senior Russian prosecutor and submitted deceptive declarations in a civil proceeding involving a Russian tax refund fraud scheme.

The indictment , which is unrelated to Russian election interference and brought by the Manhattan U.S. attorney, illustrates Veselnitskayas close ties to the Russian government, which she has denied. And it renews questions about the circumstances of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting, which also was attended by Donald Trump Jr. and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump Jr. has acknowledged that he met with Veselnitskaya because he had been told she could offer damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton from the Russian government. But Trump Jr. and Kushner said the meeting amounted to nothing and mostly involved Russias ban on American adoptions in response to U.S. sanctions.

Veselnitskaya has previously denied acting on behalf of Russian officials when she met with the Trump team, telling Congress she operates independently of any government bodies.

Special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the presidential campaign, has focused on the Trump Tower meeting and called some participants before a federal grand jury. He also has scrutinized Trumps role in drafting a misleading public statement about the meetings content.

The indictment unsealed Tuesday will curtail Veselnitskayas international travel and expose her to arrest if she comes to the U.S. But Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S. and she will likely never appear in a U.S. court if she remains there.

The criminal case relates to real estate firm Prevezon Holdings Ltd. and its role in an alleged $230 million tax-fraud scheme that federal officials say was perpetrated by a criminal organization that included in its ranks corrupt Russian officials.

In 2013, U.S. prosecutors brought a civil lawsuit against the company that sought to recover millions of dollars worth of New York real estate and other property on the grounds that it was tainted by money laundering. The fraud scheme involved using stolen corporate identities to obtain Russian tax refunds and funneling the illegal proceeds through a network of shell companies.

Veselnitskaya was retained to assist the defendants.

Larry Neumeister, Chad Day and Stephen Braun are Associated Press writers.
WASHINGTON  Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shared polling data during the 2016 presidential campaign with an associate accused of having ties to Russian intelligence and lied to federal investigators about it, according to a court filing Tuesday.

The allegation is the first time prosecutors have accused Trumps chief campaign aide of sharing information related to the election with his Russian contacts.

Although the filing does not say whether the polling information was public or what was done with it, it raises the possibility that Russia might have used inside information from the Trump campaign as part of its effort to interfere with the election on Trumps behalf.

The information was accidentally revealed in a defense lawyer filing that was meant to be redacted. The Associated Press was able to review the material because it wasnt properly blacked out.

In its filing, the defense was trying to rebut allegations that Manafort intentionally lied to special counsel Robert Muellers team after agreeing to plead guilty last September. Prosecutors say Manaforts lies breached their plea agreement.

Tuesdays filing revealed the first extensive details of what he lied about.

A spokesman for Manaforts defense team declined to comment, but lawyers later filed a corrected version of the document.

The filing says Mueller has accused Manafort of lying to investigators about sharing the data with Konstantin Kilimnik, a business associate who was indicted last year on charges that he tampered with potential witnesses.

Kilimnik has denied ties to Russian intelligence and is not in U.S. custody.

The filing also says Manafort has been accused of lying to investigators by saying that he did not discuss a Ukrainian peace plan with Kilimnik.

Manaforts lawyers denied in the filing that he had intentionally lied. They say he suffers from depression and anxiety, has been kept away from his family and, on days when he met with investigators, was awakened before dawn to have hours-long conversations with Muellers team.

Michael Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Chad Day are Associated Press writers.
WASHINGTON  Liberals around the country are talking about the idea of a Green New Deal, a sweeping set of policy goals to combat the effects of climate change 90 years after President Franklin Roosevelts expansion of federal agencies and regulations in response to the Great Depression.

A Green New Deal, prominently promoted by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she upset a Democratic Party leader, has gained widespread attention in recent months. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the first high-profile Democrat to announce a 2020 White House bid, signaled support for the idea. Ocasio-Cortez and other incoming Democrats lobbied Speaker Nancy Pelosi to create a special committee on climate change, though many demands by liberals regarding specifics of the committee, including barring membership from any lawmaker who accepts campaign contributions from fossil fuel producers, were not met.

The Green New Deal at present is a set of largely amorphous and aspirational goals set out in a document by Ocasio-Cortez and other liberal advocacy groups. The list includes goals like eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing, agricultural and other industries and meeting 100 percent of national power demand through renewable sources.

The House has 435 members, everyone has their own ideas about how to address issues, some of them vary, said South Florida Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch. But were only going to have progress if were focusing on the issue and doing something about it and thats what the new members have helped to galvanize.

Ocasio-Cortez recently referred to the Green New Deal as a wartime-level, just economic mobilization plan to get to 100 percent renewable energy ASAP, referring to a massive expansion of government agencies and an increase in taxes to make the nations energy system reliant on renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.

Florida Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who ousted Rep. Carlos Curbelo, one of the Republican Partys leaders on climate issues, plans to make climate change a big part of her work in the next two years.

To fight climate change, the federal government can do what South Florida does, call it by its name and recognize that climate change is in fact a threat, instead of removing references to it on its websites, Mucarsel-Powell said in a statement. The federal government should also follow South Floridas lead by encouraging reductions in its carbon footprint and provide financial incentives to people and homeowners that want to be renewable energy leaders themselves.

Many of the specifics within Ocasio-Cortezs plan have no chance of passing a Republican-controlled Senate and gaining President Trumps support, though her document states that one of the goals of the committee is to present legislative language by March 2020, in the midst of the presidential election. The idea would be to start passing bills if Democrats are able to control Congress and the White House.

Alex Daugherty is a McClatchy Washington Bureau writer.
ORLANDO, Fla.  The normally humdrum bureaucracy of registering to vote brought tears to the eyes of some Floridians on Tuesday when most felons regained their right to vote under a state constitutional amendment.

Ill be a human being again. Ill be an American citizen again, Robert Eckford said, choking up and weeping after filling out an application at the elections supervisors office in Orlando.

The ballot measure went into effect Tuesday, overturning a ban that netted Florida the highest number of disenfranchised felons in the nation. It potentially increases the pool of eligible voters by as many as 1.4 million people in a battleground state infamous for its narrow margins in key elections.

Im an ex-Marine, said Eckford, who served seven years for a drug conviction. I served this country. Ive done my time. Ive made some mistakes. But thank God the system works.

Nearly 65 percent of Florida voters last November approved Amendment 4, which was crafted so that it would take effect on Tuesday. It applies to all felons who have done their time and completed the terms of their probation and parole, with the exception of people convicted of murder or sex offenses.

It is still not clear how those registrations will be treated in the state capitol. Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday that he believes the Legislature still needs to pass an implementing bill spelling out the restoration process.

Theres going to need to be guidance for that. Its not delaying it. The people spoke on it. Its going to be implemented, but I think it needs to be implemented the way people intended, and I dont think that they wanted to see any sex offenders fall through the cracks, he told reporters.

Civil rights groups have maintained the measure is self-executing, but just to be sure, they warned that they are ready to go to court if there are any delays. Elections supervisors across the state posted notices at their offices and websites saying they would accept the registration forms starting Tuesday. They noted the new voters dont need to present proof that they completed their sentence; they can simply fill out the existing application, signing under oath that their voting rights have been restored.

Dan Smith, a University of Florida political scientist who studies elections, says it may take time for the effects of the change to become evident.

There is very little evidence that individuals who have the opportunity to have their rights restored are going to immediately take advantage of that opportunity, Smith said.

Joshua Replogle and Adriana Gomez Licon are Associated Press writers.
Making your January detox evenings at home more tolerable, Netflix is ringing in the new year with a lineup of 38 new original films and series, all set to hit the streaming service on various dates throughout January, according to Yahoo News.

Detox: 8 things that happen when you stop drinking alcohol

The roster of first-party series and flicks includes the third -- and final -- season of "A Series of Unfortunate Events," "Grace and Frankie," and the second half of the final season of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt."

While it has yet to be confirmed, the final season of Marvel's "The Punisher" will likely be released in January as well.

Secret Netflix codes: The key to unlocking movies galore

Beefing up the lineup even more, Netflix is adding a number of third-party titles to its catalog, including The Departed, The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, I Know What You Did Last Summer and all four Indiana Jones movies.

Scroll through the photos above to see the 38 new original films and series heading to Netflix this month. For a full list of all films scheduled to hit Netflix in January, click here.

Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter specializing in social media, the famous, and food. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
Vini Letteri, a managing director at KKR who invests in tech companies, had a slow 2018.

The venture capitalist, who manages a $714 million fund, tried to put some of that money into 12 tech startups last year  but failed when they demanded too rich a price. In some cases, he said, his offers to invest were outbid by as much as 40 percent. The only investment he led in 2018 was a $360 million deal in OutSystems, a software company in Atlanta.

So heres what Letteri is not-so-secretly hoping for in 2019: a downturn in the private startup market.

When the market turns, were prepared to be more aggressive, he said. He added that he had sketched out a downturn list of 150 targets  including financial tech, cybersecurity and consumer internet companies  in case they become cheaper.

Letteri is one of a growing number of venture capitalists rooting for a market dip to calm the overheated startup scene. For years, Silicon Valley tech startups have been awash in a stream of cash that has allowed them to expand quickly and sell or go public at high valuations. But 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 as 2018 ended, led by tech giants such as Facebook and Apple, amid fears of slowing economic growth and a trade war with China. And this month, 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 startup 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 startup valuations will fall 10 to 40 percent this year. He said his Bay Area 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.

Silicon Valley investors have long complained that startup valuations have gotten too expensive, given that the startup ecosystem has been on a bull run since at least 2015. That has minted an unprecedented number of unicorns, startups that are valued at more than $1 billion, including now-giant companies such as Uber and Airbnb.

But the rising valuations have only continued to climb in the past year. In 2018, the median valuation for companies in one category of mature startups more than doubled to $420 million, up from $183 million in 2017, according to Carta, a provider of valuation software and services. And in a 2017 National Bureau of Economic Research study of 135 unicorns, researchers concluded that the companies were overvalued by an average of 50 percent.

Theres too much heat around good, not necessarily great, companies that are older, said Mamoon Hamid, a partner at Menlo Park venture firm Kleiner Perkins. One good, not great company he recently met with had 13 investment offers, he said. The upshot: Kleiner did not invest.

Greg Sands, a managing partner at Palo Altos Costanoa Ventures, said his venture firm walked away from three investments in 2018 where the price was 30 percent higher than he was willing to pay, an increase from past years. He also screened out numerous companies that were asking for more money than seemed reasonable  yet some of those companies went on to raise triple that amount from other investors.

Whats happening right now isnt sustainable and it wont go on forever. It cant, he said. Costanoa raised a $75 million opportunity fund, which Sands said would give it the ability to do more deals when the market cools down.

Many other venture capital firms are also in a position to become more aggressive in case of a market downturn. Venture funds raised $30.2 billion in the first three quarters of last year, on track to surpass 2017s total of $35.3 billion, according to PitchBook, a data provider.

Startup founders also appear to be preparing for a potential shift in fortunes. In a survey conducted late last year by First Round Capital, a venture capital firm, just under half of 529 entrepreneurs said they expect fundraising to become more difficult in 2019. A third said they believe the tech bubble is close to popping, a 10-point increase over 2017.

Some startups are raising more money to weather the uncertainty, according to Kirsten Green, a managing partner at Forerunner Ventures. Others are creating backup plans to cut costs so their survival wont depend on new funding.

Not all venture capitalists want a downturn, especially if it will throw a wrench into the plans of some of the biggest unicorns  such as Uber, Lyft, Pinterest and Slack  to go public. Many investors are eager to cash out of those companies when they stage an initial public offering.

You always want a better market, said Micah Rosenbloom, a managing partner at Founder Collective, which was an early investor in Uber. In a crisis, everything gets hard. Youd rather have your companies in good times for everything from hiring to sales.

But Rosenbloom said he also sees opportunity in a downturn. His firms two most successful investments  Uber and the Trade Desk, a digital advertising company  were created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.

In previous downturns, the less serious entrepreneurs disappeared, leaving the most committed ones, said David Pakman, a partner at Palo Alto venture firm Venrock.

During those periods, some incredible companies were founded by highly determined entrepreneurs, he said. The cream rose to the top.

Erin Griffith is a New York Times writer.
Napa police say theyve arrested a middle school student and found evidence at two homes that the suspect was planning mass shootings at Napa schools.

The suspect, a River Middle School student, was arrested and has been in custody since Jan. 2 after police served search warrants at two homes and found evidence supporting the shooting plans, police said Monday night.

Police said they learned of the plans after a fellow student came forward to say the suspect was talking about plans to commit the school shootings.

The suspect threatened to kill the student who came forward when the student told the suspect that he or she was going to report the threats to parents and the police, police said. Police did not name either student nor disclose their genders.

Police said the suspect was looking at attacking River Middle School and Vintage High School.

We do not believe there is a current threat to any NVUSD (Napa Valley Unified School District) students related to this incident, police said Monday.

The investigation is ongoing and several students are being interviewed, police said.

We want to praise the victim for coming forward and talking to their parents and the police, police said. We believe based on the information collected at this point, this was possibly a tragedy averted and are thankful for the information provided to us.

Suzanne Espinosa Solis is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sespinosa@sfchronicle.com
The As have scheduled their 2019 FanFest for Jan. 26 at Jack London Square, a hop, skip and a Khris Davis homer away from their proposed Howard Terminal ballpark site.

Twenty players, including Gold Glove first baseman Matt Olson and pitchers Mike Fiers and Sean Manaea, will attend, as well as old-timers Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, Bip Roberts and Dave Stewart.
SACRAMENTO  Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a broad overhaul of health care on his first day in office Monday, promising to throw the states financial power into an effort to lower prescription drug costs, expand Obamacare so middle-class families can receive subsidies to buy insurance, and offer Medi-Cal coverage to undocumented immigrants up to age 26.

Newsom aides said the expansion of Affordable Care Act subsidies would be funded by a California version of the individual mandate, the former federal requirement that people either carry health insurance or pay a penalty on their taxes. Congressional Republicans and President Trump repealed the mandate in 2017, although the penalty does not disappear until the 2019 tax year. Newsom would reinstate it on the state level.

Newsom offered little detail about how much the proposals would cost or what other changes would be needed to pay for them. Aides said more details would be available when the governor unveils his first budget Thursday. But leaders in the Democratic-dominated Legislature say there is general support for the ideas.

These are things weve supported in the past, said Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, chair of the Budget Committee.

The ideas represent a step toward universal coverage for all California residents, Newsoms aides said. Three million Californians, half of them undocumented immigrants, do not have health insurance, and premiums for many people who do have coverage are soaring.

Politically, it is also an early sign that Newsom will pursue large-scale ideas that treat California, the worlds fifth-largest economy, as a nation-state when Washington is too gridlocked to pass legislation.

Newsom took that nation-state concept a step further Monday when he signed an executive order to create the position of a California surgeon general, who will examine the root causes of serious health conditions, such as adverse childhood experience.

But the big-ticket item was Newsoms executive order that could make California the biggest single purchaser of prescription drugs in the country through Medi-Cal, the states Medicaid program for low-income people.

Public and private purchasers of prescription drugs now negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies on their own, often in a fragmented way. Newsoms order directs state agencies to purchase prescription drugs together to have greater leverage in negotiating lower prices, something the new governor hopes will lead to a ripple effect of lower prices for other customers.

Together, Medi-Cal customers make up the largest purchaser of pharmaceutical services in California. Newsoms order will enable the Department of Health Care Services to negotiate on behalf of all 13 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries, as opposed to only 2 million now.

On Thursday, Newsom also propose to extend Medi-Cal eligibility to undocumented immigrant adults up to age 26 who otherwise meet the programs eligibility requirements. For the past two years, California has covered undocumented youths until they turn 19. Raising the age would extend benefits to as many as 138,000 undocumented immigrants, Newsom aides said.

Newsoms budget will also include a proposal to raise the income ceiling to become eligible for premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

Now, individuals making more than $48,000 a year or a family of four earning more than $98,000 don't qualify for financial assistance. Newsoms proposal would lift those ceilings for individuals to $72,840, and for a family of four to $150,600. If approved, that would make California the first state in the nation to offer subsidies to individuals and families with incomes of more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

Newsom aides said the tax penalty for not having coverage would be the same as it was under the federal mandate  in most cases, $695 per adult or a family maximum of $2,085.

Its about time, Assemblyman David Chiu, a San Francisco Democrat who has been a leader in Legislature on health care issues, said of Newsoms plans. The drug pricing crisis is something that should be dealt with nationally. But the failure of Washington to act means that we  California  have to act.

Chiu pointed to the new governor when asked how to fund the proposals.

Ill leave those questions to Newsom, Chiu said, laughing.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
When Gavin Newsom became governor, he promised in his inaugural address to represent all Californians, not just those who voted for me.

Thats a promise hell be hard-pressed to keep in a state where voters in urban coastal communities far outnumber those in the rural parts of the state.

Just take a glance at the county-by-county map of Novembers governors race. Theres a thick blue line down the coast where Newsom steamrolled Republican John Cox in the mega-plexes of the Bay Area, Los Angeles County and San Diego.

But its a different story in Californias much more conservative interior, where a few islands of blue dot a sea of Republican red.

In the battle for the states 58 counties, Newsom nipped Cox, 30 to 28. In politics, though, size matters. The new governors dominance in the population-heavy urban areas brought him nearly 62 percent of the vote, the biggest margin in a California governors race since Republican Earl Warren won 65 percent in 1950.

Those numbers mean nothing, Newsom said in his inaugural speech.

I will be a governor for the dock worker in Long Beach and the farm worker in Lost Hills, the small business owner in Corona and the teacher in Compton, Newsom promised.

Those are four people who may have very different interests. Money that goes to raise wages for inner-city teachers or revitalize California ports is cash that might not go to improve water storage in the Central Valley or aid suburban Southern California cities.

And with the bulk of Californias legislators coming from the big cities, rural communities can be forgiven for thinking the political deck is stacked against them.

We have a lot of education to do, Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong of Bakersfield told The Chronicle in 2017. We have to remind people that while a lot of state and federal regulations hurt us in the Central Valley, they will also have an impact throughout the state, whether its in gas prices or the cost of food.

But its a very different world in rural California.

Chronicle staff /

In 1990, for example, two-thirds of San Francisco voters supported a state initiative to ban the hunting of mountain lions. In rural Shasta County, where the big cats are seen as threats to pets and livestock, only 26 percent of the voters backed the measure.

The ban passed overwhelmingly.

Rural California is still fighting for the basics, and thats unacceptable, state Sen. Mike McGuire of Healdsburg, whose district stretches up the coast from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, said at the 2017 state Democratic convention. Those areas have a different way to live, and we havent always been able to make that clear.

Newsom was at that convention and told representatives of Californias rural areas that we cant be a coastal economy and an inland economy.

It will be different now that hes governor, Newsom said Monday.

I recognize that many in our rural communities believe that Sacramento doesnt care about them  doesnt really even see them, he said. Well, I see you. I care about you. And I will represent you with pride.

Rural Californians will be watching to see if Newsom does more than say the right things. If he doesnt, State of Jefferson flags could become a lot more popular in parts of California.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @jfwildermuth
The United States is now in the third week of a partial government shutdown that stems from a disagreement between the president and Congress over funding for a border wall. This comes at great cost to more than 800,000 federal workers furloughed or working without pay and at great inconvenience to all Americans.

But debate about the presidents border wall obscures two facts: first, by shutting down key government agencies the president is weakening our national security; and second, we simply dont need a border wall stretching from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico.

By keeping a quarter of the government shuttered, President Trump is forcing 55,000 Customs and Border Protection agents and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration screeners to work without pay. Forcing our first line of defense to give up paychecks is a poor way to improve our safety.

So why is the president forcing the issue? He claims that were experiencing a border crisis, but hes wrong. Unauthorized crossings have been at their lowest levels due to investments in border security over the past two decades. In 1994, Customs and Border Protection reported more than 1 million apprehensions. In 2017, that number was just over 300,000.

Its also a fact that nearly half of all undocumented immigrants come to the United States legally but then overstay their visas. A border wall would do nothing to curb visa overstays, a legitimate issue that should be addressed through biometric entry-and-exit systems.

The president is also ignoring domestic and international laws that protect asylum seekers. Immigrant families are fleeing horrific violence in Central America, but contrary to the presidents claims, many are turning themselves in at ports of entry to request asylum, not trying to cross the border illegally. Over the weekend, the administration shifted its stance and said it would support allowing asylum seekers to make claims in their home countries rather than coming to the U.S. border. If the administration follows through on this, it would be a positive development.

The president also claims that a wall is necessary to curb the flow of drugs into our country, another deceptive argument. Experience demonstrates that as walls go up, criminals go underground. More than 200 illicit cross-border tunnels have been discovered in the United States since 1990. I visited one in San Diego. Dozens of these included sophisticated elements such as rail tracks, lighting and ventilation.

While many of these tunnels are used to transport illegal narcotics into the United States, theyve also been used for human smuggling. In August 2017, agents discovered and detained 30 migrants in an underground, cross-border tunnel. The tunnel was more than 300 feet long, and ran under the fencing between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego. Tunnels have been uncovered that run as long as a half-mile.

Fighting border tunnels requires cooperation on both sides of the border, and the Trump administration has failed to persuade Mexico to do more on this front. For example, Mexico has yet to criminalize the construction of cross-border tunnels and doesnt permanently close them upon discovery.

By contrast, a bill I authored in 2007 criminalized the construction, financing or use of unauthorized tunnels into the United States, and another in 2012 provided law enforcement and prosecutors with tools to locate tunnels, identify criminals and punish those responsible. As a result of those laws, as of February 2017, 24 defendants had been charged in a dozen cases, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Border Patrol has also struggled mightily with recruitment and retention. To fill just one agent position, the agency reports that it must interview 133 candidates.

Efforts to hire agents to fill vacant positions have fallen short. The Department of Homeland Securitys Inspector General recently found that the consulting firm hired by Customs and Border Patrol was paid $13.6 million in the first 10 months of its $297 million, five-year contract, which resulted in only two additional agents being hired.

This is a stunningly ineffective and inefficient use of government resources.

Theres also an urgent need to ensure that immigration cases are processed in a timely manner and that immigrants in custody are treated humanely.

Immigration courts have a backlog of more than 1 million cases and immigrants often have to wait for years for their case to be heard.

Customs and Border Patrol facilities are also at a breaking point and simply not designed to house families seeking asylum. Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Kevin McAleenan explained at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last month that they were built for adult men, not mothers and children, and the recent deaths of two migrant children make crystal clear that care is inadequate.

Federal dollars would be better spent on improved medical care and conditions for families in custody and additional immigration judges.

Our country faces many challenges related to immigration, but a $20 billion border wall wont fix any of them. And keeping the Department of Homeland Security shuttered until a wall is funded will only make matters worse.

Congress should act immediately to reopen the government and then sit down and negotiate responsible solutions to these problems. Its why we were sent to Washington.

Dianne Feinstein is Californias senior senator in the U.S. Senate.
Gov. Gavin Newsom made just glancing references to fiscal restraint in his otherwise buoyant inaugural speech, as if to remind himself  and his fellow Democrats  that reality could ultimately temper his audacious designs for the state.

The contrast in tone and content of the inaugurals of Newsom and his predecessor could not have been more profound in the first transfer of gubernatorial power from Democrat to Democrat in 132 years. Where Brown preached austerity, Newsom extolled the possibilities of a more expansive state role in everything from health care to education to early childhood programs. It was heartening to hear him take on two tough but critical issues: making homelessness and affordable housing statewide priorities, and addressing instead of stigmatizing mental health.

To his credit, Newsom acknowledged that the fiscal bounty he inherits would not have been possible without Browns determined frugality that helped turn a $27 billion deficit into a budget surplus with $14 billion in the states rainy day fund.

On Monday, it was raining promises.

Newsom reminded the audience of the parable Brown told after his 2011 swearing in: of two men who built houses, one on a foundation of sand, the other of rock.

For eight years, California has built a foundation of rock, Newsom said. Our job now is not to rest on that foundation. It is to build our house upon it.

The new governors speech had quite a wish list for that house that had to thrill the Democratic legislators who had heard the word no more than they would have liked under Brown. Where Newsom said no, it was to their delight: to the Trump administration, to pharmaceutical companies, to the gun lobby, to payday lenders, to polluters who threaten our coastline.

It was a optimistic speech with an irresistibly charming moment when the governors 2-year-old son, Dutch, wandered on stage. The toddlers timing was impeccable; Newsom was riffing about childrens concerns. Barely missing a beat, Newsom picked up Dutch, and soldiered on with his speech.

This is exactly how it was scripted, the governor quipped.

Most often, its the unscripted events that undo the best laid plans of governors. Recessions. Droughts. Energy crises. Natural disasters.

For at least a day, the unscripted was to Newsoms advantage. He will need plenty more good fortune to accomplish his ambitious to-do list.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.
Mastercard has decided that image is everything. Its removing the word Mastercard from the pair of interlocking red and yellow circles where it has resided for more than 50 years  joining brands like Nike, Apple and Target that rely on an image and not a name in most marketing materials.

Teslas China ops

Tesla is breaking ground for a Shanghai factory and will start production of its Model 3 and a planned crossover by the end of the year, CEO Elon Musk said Monday. China has said it would end restrictions this year on foreign ownership of electric vehicle producers in an effort to spur industry development.

Mattels stock pops

Mattels stock went up almost 8 percent Monday after the toy company secured rights to produce dolls of K-pop sensation BTS, a South Korean boy band. BTS (RM and J-Hope, above), an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan or Beyond the Scene, last year became the first Korean pop group to reach No. 1 on the Billboard top 200.

Now Amazon is tops

Amazon has eclipsed Microsoft as the most valuable publicly traded company in the U.S. as a see-sawing stock market continues to reshuffle corporate Americas pecking order. The shift occurred Monday after Amazons shares rose 3 percent to lift its market value to $797 billion, while Microsoft wrapped up at $784 billion. It marks the first time Amazon has held the top spot and ends Microsofts brief return to the pinnacle after it surpassed Apple in late November.

Disneyland price hops

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

Disneyland Resort in Anaheim is raising prices ahead of the scheduled opening of a Star Wars-themed expansion, with the cheapest daily ticket costing more than $100. A one-day, one-park ticket is now $104 for low-demand days, such as May weekdays. Tickets for regular- and peak-demand days are more. More visitors are expected for this summers opening of Star Wars: Galaxys Edge. The least expensive one-day ticket to Disney World in Florida is $109.

Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. For more items and links, subscribe to the Tech Chronicle newsletter at www.sfchronicle.com/newsletters. Twitter: @techchronicle
Temperamental. Emotional. Overly passionate. Crazy.

Those are just some of the adjectives Supervisor Hillary Ronen has heard about herself since having the audacity to say shed like to be president of the Board of Supervisors. The nerve!

The vote for the next leader of the 11-member board takes place Tuesday afternoon, and Ronen doesnt appear to have the votes to win the job, which includes running meetings and committee assignments. So who will win? Nobody knows for sure, but its likely to be one of three men: Norman Yee, Rafael Mandelman or Shamann Walton.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

No, not because Ronen is inexperienced. Shes been in office two years and worked as chief of staff to her predecessor, David Campos, for six years before that. Mandelman has only been in office since June, and Walton doesnt even take office until Tuesday but still appears to have the leg up on Ronen.

No, not because Ronen doesnt fit the ideological mold of the majority of the new board. Novembers election saw a progressive majority take over, in a blow to more moderate Mayor London Breed. But as is often the case, the progressives cant seem to come up with a solid game plan  they could have hotels on every Monopoly property and still manage to lose.

(Interestingly, moderate majorities have had no trouble electing females, including outgoing President Malia Cohen and Breed before her. Also interestingly, the new membership means a much more male-dominated board of seven men versus the previous four.)

And no, the likely rejection of Ronen by her colleagues isnt because she doesnt work hard. Readers of this column know Im tired of the raft of City Hall politicians who merely talk incessantly about San Franciscos rampant problems rather than, you know, try to fix them.

Ronen has fought to locate Navigation Centers in the Mission District to house homeless people rather than saying other neighborhoods should shoulder the burden. Yee, on the other hand, has yet to come up with any potential sites in all of District Seven.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

Ronen championed the creative, compassionate shelter inside Buena Vista Horace Mann, a K-8 public school in the Mission, to house homeless students and their families. When the 16th Street BART Stations plaza was beyond disgusting, Ronen for months went out with latex gloves and a broom to clean it up every Wednesday morning.

She eventually shamed BART into posting more janitors there and power-washing the urine-soaked surface more often. She was also behind the creation of a new department to handle sexual assault complaints and helped win raises for underpaid home health care workers.

I certainly dont agree with her on everything  fighting to save a Mission District laundromat instead of allowing the development of desperately needed housing was the kind of silly move that helped lead to our citys housing shortage and homeless problem in the first place.

But overall, Ronen is clearly ambitious, smart, confident and determined. Oh, wait. Those are only good qualities in male political leaders.

The only reasoning Ive heard from my colleagues is Im temperamental, passionate, emotional, that I dont get along well with my colleagues and might have a hard time bringing both sides together, Ronen said, adding shes also been dinged for asking her supporters to lobby her colleagues on her behalf.

Sound familiar? Its the kind of wording used again and again when women dare to seek higher office.

Former Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was unlikable to many people, so instead our country elected perhaps its most unlikable resident  one with absolutely no political experience. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who recently entered the 2020 race for president, and House Speaker Once More (hurrah!) Nancy Pelosi have weathered the same criticism.

Ronen pointed to a Yale University 2010 study, that Id bet money would find the same results if conducted today. It presented made-up biographies of politicians given the name Ann or John and asked respondents to rate how power-seeking the person appeared. The higher a respondent scored Ann in the power-seeking category, the less likely the respondent was to actually vote for her. There was no such correlation for John.

Ronen readily admits to seeking power, saying, I want to be as effective as I can possibly be.

I am passionate, and I fight hard, she continued. If its a man fighting as hard as I do, hes called focused, directed. He fights hard to get results. When theyre called passionate, its positive, but when women are called passionate, its a synonym for emotional.

San Francisco writer Rebecca Solnit, a supporter of Ronens work, called it infuriating that female politicians must be likable  that usually means deferential and nonthreatening  while nobody ever talks about male politicians likability.

Here in our town thats supposedly so progressive and woke, we still have that. Excuse me, San Francisco, do you remember Chris Daly? Solnit said, referring to the former supervisor who notoriously vowed to use the f-word in every meeting and was known for his temper. We have a lot of strong-willed, fiery, outspoken people in San Francisco politics. Most of them have been men, and nobody says theyre too emotional.

Ronen has the support of all three new supervisors  Walton, Matt Haney and Gordon Mar  but none from her current colleagues, male or female. Mandelman said he likes Ronen, but doesnt think she can bring her colleagues together after waging a tough, public fight for board president that rubbed some supervisors the wrong way.

Its about personality conflicts that have been playing out for a long time, he said. This process has left a lot of hurt feelings.

Yee said the board needs a leader like himself who would be as calm as possible and find common ground.

Yee is a really nice guy, but calm is an understatement. If you think the board meetings are slow and mind-numbing now, just wait. Yee good-naturedly copped to his reputation for being placid and said Ronens fiery nature is sometimes warranted.

I dont think theres anything wrong with that. How boring would it be if everyone were like me? he said with a laugh. Once in a while I have to fire myself up to show any emotion.

Plenty of women havent given up on a Ronen win. Dozens of prominent progressive San Francisco women signed a letter to the Board of Supervisors asking them to install Ronen as president.

We are inspired by Hillary because she exemplifies strong, compassionate and effective leadership, it reads.

One of the authors of the letter, Sarah Souza, president of the Latino Democratic Club, said shell speak during public comment Tuesday on behalf of Ronen.

We need to stick together and get the work done, she said. At the end of the day, the women get the work done.

How about we vote for people  men or women  who work the hardest, have the most experience and back the best policies? In todays political atmosphere, that would be truly crazy.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Tuesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
For the first time in years, San Franciscos courts have a full complement of 52 judges, with a bench that is now almost half female.

Forty-six percent of San Franciscos judges are women  one of the highest percentages of female judges among the 15 largest counties in the state.

Only Contra Costa County, where 53 percent of judges are female, has a higher percentage of women on the bench among the states largest counties, according to a 2018 report by the Judicial Council of California.

On Monday, judges beginning their new terms in San Franciscos Superior Court  many of them veterans of the courts  held their first inauguration ceremony, starting a year that promises to be as complex as ever for the citys courts.

We are one of the more diverse courts, not only in California, but in the entire country, new Presiding Judge Garrett Wong said in an interview following the ceremony at Civic Center Courthouse. The credibility of these people is impeccable. I think we have strong representation of the makeup of our county. Thats very important for the public to see and have confidence in the bench.

Four of the incumbents sworn in  judges Jeffrey Ross, Cynthia Ming-mei Lee, Andrew Cheng, and Curtis Karnow  faced challenges last year by San Francisco public defenders, who were seeking to change the citys criminal justice system and ease penalties for poor and minority defendants. The challengers faced criticism that they were undermining the independence of the courts.

Wongs fellow Superior Court judges elected him to the two-year term as presiding judge that began this year. He is succeeding Judge Teri L. Jackson, who will return to a position as trial judge.

Wongs first major task was to pick judicial assignments, including assignments for former Gov. Jerry Browns most recent judicial appointments. They are judges Teresa Caffese and Eric Fleming, who were appointed in December 2017, judges Richard Darwin, Christine Van Aken, Rita Lin, Michael McNaughton and Alexandra Gordon, who were appointed in 2018, and Judge Vedica Puri, who was appointed Friday.

Our appointments have been absolutely spectacular they are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work, Wong said. These are people that can hit the ground running, and I am pleased to have this group.

Wong said he placed many of the newer judges in preliminary departments, where they will oversee hearings to determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to take a case to trial.

And although they are relatively new judges, Fleming and Caffese will be in supervising positions where they can mentor the newer members on the bench.

Fleming was a prosecutor at the San Francisco district attorneys office, and Caffese was a longtime criminal defense attorney.

They are new, but they are old hands at the Hall of Justice, Wong said of the two judges. Their technical prowess is beyond compare.

Wong also appointed two women  judges Anne-Christine Massullo and Mary Wiss  to handle complex litigation as part of what he calls the year of the women. Complex litigation often involves multiple parties and jurisdictions, with intricate legal issues and large amounts of money at stake.

The new structure of San Franciscos courts comes as recent higher-court rulings and new legislation promises to bring consequential impacts.

The state Supreme Court is currently reviewing an appellate ruling that has upended the states cash bail system. Former Gov. Brown this year signed SB10, which largely leaves pretrial release decisions up to local judges, and AB1810, which allows judges to order community mental health treatment in lieu of prosecution for some for some criminal defendants.

There are some things with respect to legislation or Supreme Court decisions that we have little control over, Wong said. Our job here is to follow the law and abide by it. Were just trying to get it right.

San Francisco will also elect a new district attorney in November.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
James Lowe hadnt drawn in more than 25 years when he picked up the pencil.

Hed been trying to quit drinking and doing drugs, and his mom had just died. He needed an outlet for his restless, destructive energy.

And so, A Tenderloin Tale was born.

Lowes first published graphic novel is a semi-autobiographical story about a man living in the grittiest of San Franciscos neighborhoods while struggling with drug addiction. His interests and life experiences, including his battles with substance abuse and living on the street, have since influenced seven more graphic novels, all of which he sells at a few independent bookstores in the city.

Born in Memphis, Lowe, 58, said he fell in love with San Francisco when his family moved here for a few years in 1965.

San Francisco has an aura; its incredibly enticing, he said. It gives you the feeling that all you have to do is be yourself.

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

After stints in Milwaukee, Chicago and Memphis, Lowe settled in San Francisco in the early 1990s and soon fell into a spiral of addiction. His cocktail of choice: cocaine and alcohol. During one bender, Lowe was living with a friend at the single-room occupancy Golden Eagle Hotel in the citys North Beach neighborhood, where he would down beers for breakfast.

Hed say, This is corn flakes. Hops is a form of corn. I said Yeah, yeah, I get it, Lowe recalled. I wanted to believe that, so I did. Its just like corn flakes.

He picked up odd jobs to make ends meet but mostly lived off government assistance. At one point, Lowe spent months living in a tent on the street, which he referred to as forced camping.

Lowe didnt get out from under the grip of addiction until after his mom died in 2010. Shortly before she moved into hospice care in Memphis, she was cleaning out her house when she came across one of Lowes old works, a graphic novel he created in 1985 called Baby Face Nelson. Lowes mom mailed him the story about the Depression-era gangster, along with a note of encouragement.

She said some of the most remarkable words of praise that Ive gotten when it came to my work, Lowe said. Shes like, This is a wonderful story. You can really make something happen with this.

Losing his mom made Lowe reflect on his drug use. He had no money left. He was constantly paranoid. And he questioned whether he even really enjoyed it anymore.

At some point you have to ask yourself, What the hell am I doing? he said. Thats what got me to come out of the rain, so to speak. Being rained on by drug abuse and addiction.

As a child, Lowe enjoyed drawing and artwork, but he abandoned the hobbies as a young adult because he didnt have much support for nurturing his gift. Encouraged by his moms dying words and with time to spare, Lowe picked up the hobby again and spent six months crafting A Tenderloin Tale, infusing tidbits of his own life experiences into the story.

Since then, he has written and drawn seven more graphic novels, on topics from government conspiracies to biographies of famous celebrities. The novels are on sale at Bound Together Books, City Lights and Dog Eared Books, all in San Francisco.

Serial Girl, his most recent work, published in 2018, concerns a girl who becomes a serial killer after shes assaulted as a child. The Lucifer Effect, another title, focuses on a secret government weapon that uses virtual reality to fight terrorism.

Lowe writes his novels in his one-bedroom apartment, where posters of Marilyn Monroe, Ray Charles and Uncle Sam adorn the walls. Dozens of DVDs and VHS tapes are stacked in front of his television. When he gets an idea, Lowe first writes out profiles for each character in the novel: where they were born, how old they are, what they do for a living, their habits, all kinds of things like that, he said. It makes me happy when I do it, cause I get to tap into my creative juices.

After spending hours on the profiles, Lowe takes a few months to complete a graphic novel, getting inspiration from movies and other topics of interest. Right now, hes working on a story about homelessness.

Lowe keeps the original copies of each of his published works in a black portfolio, which spills out pages filled with black-and-white panel drawings. He had no intention of formally publishing A Tenderloin Tale, but after getting positive feedback from his friends, he decided to print multiple copies and sell them.

Nine years later, his graphic novels remain a way for him to focus his creative energy, as well as keep up a connection with his mom.

Im not looking to get rich or famous from it, Lowe said. I know shes watching. I know she knows.

Ashley McBride is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ashleynmcb
A Novato man was killed Sunday afternoon when a tree, uprooted by howling winds from the stormy weather, fell on his car on the UC Berkeley campus, authorities said.

Shortly before 4 p.m., University of California police responded to reports that a eucalyptus tree had toppled over onto a car on Gayley Road on the eastern part of campus, police spokesman Dan Mogulof said.
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You've probably heard: Seattle is about to be hell.

Whatever traffic and cultural woes we had before about the way the city is headed will -- like the rest of us -- come to a standstill on Friday, when the viaduct is closed and we wait three weeks for the switch-over to the new state Route 99 tunnel.

Of course, even that is just the beginning: It's the beginning of the so-called "Period of Maximum Constraint," a multi-year timeline filled with construction projects one after another. On the other end of it Seattle transportation will allegedly be unrecognizable, but that period will be agonizing in the meantime.

RELATED: Is your commute Seattle Squeeze proof?

So ... just how did we get here? And what exactly will "here" be when it's done?

The answer to the latter can be found here:

The renderings show the "new waterfront," the city's planned 20-acre waterfront park to be built will include a more seamless connection to Pike Place Market and the downtown core now that the dividing line of the viaduct is removed.

RELATED: No 'pain,' no 'gain': Seattle mayor hails post-viaduct waterfront park as traffic nightmares loom

As for the rest, well it's a story that dates back longer than the viaduct itself.

Coming off of a couple of decades devoted to keeping Seattle changing -- completing the Denny Regrade, the Elliott Bay Seawall and the Aurora Bridge, to name a few -- the city was enjoying a post-war boom thanks to the airplanes Boeing was building in what's now Sodo. In 1954, the Battery Street Tunnel opened to provide a link from the Aurora Avenue "speedway" to the newly-constructed viaduct.

The viaduct was initially built to protect what the city viewed as the real reason for the waterfront: shipping. A petition was circulated which asserted that using the waterfront as a traffic bypass would cause "irreparable damage to the city's maritime commerce." By lifting the traffic above Alaskan Way, the city seemed to resolve the traffic issue.

RELATED: Ahead of the Seattle Squeeze: Looking back at Seattle's waterfront through the years:

And everyone was happy with that resolution until February 2001, when an earthquake hit. The city came out relatively unscathed, but the 6.8 magnitude quake has sunk sections of the viaduct several inches.

Engineers and crews who worked to stabilize the viaduct agreed that if the quake had lasted a few moments longer, there wouldn't be a viaduct left to rescue. And so the decision was made to replace the viaduct -- but not, at least immediately, how.

During the next decade, ideas were bandied about, and one of the most scrutinized public processes in Washington's history waged on; more than 90 options were ultimately studied, according to the state Department of Transportation. Tempers flared, political campaigns came and went. So did parts of the viaduct itself, which were updated while we all waited for the politicians to sort out the issues.

RELATED: A timeline of the Alaskan Way Viaduct's checkered history:

This time the focus on the waterfront had more to do with visuals than shipping, which had decamped to other spots in the city. And so eventually, it came down to two options: A new viaduct, or a new tunnel to replace it.

And in 2009 the decision was finally made: then-Gov. Christine Gregoire signed a bill approving funding for a viaduct replacement. The bill provided up to $2.8 billion in state funding for the new tunnel boring project to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct.

Had everything gone according to plan, Bertha, the tunnel boring machine, would've started in July 2013 and emerged on the other side about 14 months later. But as we all know, it was far from that simple.

Bertha would stop just over four months later, having only covered about 1,000 feet as of the day before.

The ensuing break would take nearly two years to resolve -- the machine encountered serious resistance, and redesigns would ultimately have to happen for the borer to move forward. During that time a fish truck would overturn on the viaduct, stopping traffic for more than nine hours, and the "deadline" for Bertha would come and go.

RELATED: A timeline of Bertha's triumphs, fits and failures:

And that wouldn't be the last time Bertha stopped. In January of 2016 Bertha stopped twice; once for a problem with a barge being used to haul dirt away, the second when a sinkhole was opening up behind the machine.

It wouldn't be until April 4, 2017 that Bertha would break through on the north end of what will soon be the state Route 99 tunnel. From there, construction continued on getting the inside of the tunnel ready to go, completing in March 2018.

And now we find ourselves here, staring down a period of maximum constraint, a whole lot of growing pain, and, hopefully, a better transportation system (that now features a tunnel with a toll).

RELATED: As the Alaskan Way Viaduct closes, so closes a chapter of Seattle history

Had things happened a little earlier, there might be fewer projects making Seattleites feels quite so squeezed: that Bertha's lag and the political squabbling led us to a time when the viaduct is being switched over around the additional constraints of ferry dock construction and the re-routing King County Metro buses from the downtown bus tunnel to Third Avenue in March while the Washington Convention Center is remodeled and expanded.

But soon, Seattle will have its waterfront. Exactly how soon is a bit unclear; Mayor Jenny Durkan offered no information at a press conference last Thursday on a construction timeline for the new park and how it would affect traffic during that time.

Durkan and waterfront boosters did announce the payment structure for the remodeled park, which bears a budget of $712 million. Of that, more than half -- approximately $442 million -- will come from state and city coffers, while about $249 million will be drawn from the city's commercial parking tax.

Durkan said she was "very confident" that the spending plan would pass the city council, where her administration submitted it on Thursday.

For now, Seattle will have to make do. One way or another.
Seattle sushi lovers will need to find a new conveyor belt joint after Blue C Sushi suddenly shuttered all of its locations.

The restaurant sold sushi off of a conveyor belt on plates with various colored rims. Each color represented the price of the sushi on the plate, ranging from $2.50 to $6 per plate. Items were also available to order.

Less than one week ago, the chain announced its January special to be a signature "Hamachili Nigiri." On Friday, an Instagram post encouraged customers to try any roll as a temaki handroll. Then, Monday, the chain shuttered, Eater Seattle reported.

An internal email obtained by Eater declared "unexpected financial and other circumstances" to be the reason for the closure. Most employees were terminated as of Sunday, Jan. 6, though some may be called in to help with cleaning up.

As of Tuesday morning, Blue C Sushi had not announced the closure on its website or social media, though the restaurant has been marked as closed on Yelp.

RELATED: Seattle's best sushi, according to Yelpers

Employees were told via email that their final paychecks would be issued this week, Eater reported, and will retrieve them at various Starbucks locations near Blue C locations. It's unclear how many employees have lost their jobs.

The chain had five locations in Washington -- downtown, University Village, Alderwood, Southcenter and Bellevue -- and two locations in California. The first location opened in Fremont about 15 years ago, according to Puget Sound Business Journal. That location closed in 2017, The Seattle Times reported.

Producer Natalie Guevara can be contacted at natalie.guevara@seattlepi.com.
Forty years ago, in exercising the legitimate right to national defence, the Vietnamese army and people along the Southwest border rose up and fought against the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime in order to defend national independence and protect the border, and also to help the Cambodian people topple the Khmer Rouge and enter a new era of peace, national harmony and development.

Such a great victory is due to the combination of many factors, first of which is the sound leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, followed by the resolute and accurate leadership of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of Defence. It is also a victory of the art of mobilising the national composite strength with the love for peace and justice of the worlds peoples, especially the patriotic Cambodian people and armed forces.

During the wars against the French and American aggressors, Vietnam and Cambodia fought together and shared the hardships in the struggle against the common enemy to gain independence and freedom for each country. But after assuming power in April 1975, the Khmer Rouge regime started an aggressive war against Vietnam and a brutal genocidal policy against the Cambodian people.

For less than four years, the Khmer Rouge massacred nearly three million Cambodians, throwing the Khmer people on the verge of extinction. For Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge distorted history, incited national hatred and sent troops to assail the Southwest border. They even invaded Tho Chu and several other islands in Vietnams southwestern waters. On December 23, 1978, they deployed many divisions to launch a general offensive onVietnams Southwest border, destroying villages, looting properties and brutally killing Vietnamese, even women, children and the elderly.

Facing the Khmer Rouges aggression and expanding war, Vietnam exercised a policy of restraint, peace and friendship. But the more restraint Vietnam exercised, the further the Khmer Rouge went, forcing the country to choose the path of rising up to exercise the right of legitimate defence. In response to the appeal for help of the Cambodian people and the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation, Vietnam not only defeated the invaders but also dispatched troops to help the Cambodian people overthrow the genocidal regime of Khmer Rouge on January 7, 1979, salvaging the Cambodian people from the genocidal regime, reclaiming their rights to life and entering an era of independence, freedom and national revival.

Vietnams actions arose from the need for legitimate defence, international responsibility and conscience of a people once suffering from much oppression and many invasions. During the arduous fight, numerous Vietnamese soldiers and officers sacrificed their lives or left parts of their bodies on the battlefields. Vietnams assistance to the Cambodian revolution was righteous and selfless.

President of the Cambodian National Assembly Heng Samrin once stated that the help of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers was the humane and right assistance. Such assistance should have been the main duty of the international community in salvaging a nation in a tragedy caused by systematic genocide of the Pol Pot regime. Cambodian PM Hun Sen also affirmed that without the help of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, the Cambodian people and army would not be able to liberate the country that fast. He emphasised that if Cambodia had sought to liberate itself, all Cambodians would have all died.

On January 8, 1979, the People's Revolutionary Council of Cambodia was established and requested that Vietnamese volunteer troops continue to cooperate with Cambodias armed forces to eradicate the remnants of the Khmer Rouge and strengthen the revolutionary government. Along with military action, Vietnam also sent many experts to support Cambodia to build local governments and revive its economy from the ruins left by the genocidal regime.

On June 29, 1989 when Vietnamese volunteer soldiers left Cambodia, a newspaper of the Cambodian People's Revolutionary Party ran an editorial stating that During the extremely tragic years under the Pol Pot genocidal regime, although there were many powerful and wealthy countries in the world, only our neighbour Vietnam came to our rescue.

During Cambodias period of national construction and development, building on the fine tradition, the Party, Government, Army and people of Vietnam continue to cooperate with the Party, Government, Army and people of Cambodia on many fields. Such assistance and the fighting solidarity between the two countries will be inscribed in history forever, becoming a bright symbol of faithful and selfless international solidarity between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Forty years have passed, the world and the region have witnessed tremendous changes, and the bilateral relationship has also seen new developments, but the nature and value of such a relationship between the two countries and peoples remains unchanged.

We believe that the time-honoured relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia will continue to be safeguarded and promoted in a new period through specific and effective cooperation programmes in various fields, making substantive contributions to the cause of national construction and defence in both countries.
The epithet famously used by rookie U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., to describe President Trump has been repeated by the only woman ever to serve as Prime Minister of Canada.

"He really IS a motherf**ker," tweeted ex-PM Kim Campbell, also a former Canadian Minister of Justice.

The tweet was deleted but not before it was retweeted 2,000 times. And Campbell is not backing down, writing later on Twitter: "If you don't get the reference to the comment by Congresswoman Taib (sic), can't help you."

RELATED: A first: U.S. House to hold hearings on 'Medicare-for-all'

Campbell is an unusual public figure to deliver such an insult. She is a former British Columbia legislator, a former Minister of Justice, a Conservative who served as prime minister from June to October of 1993. She was later Canada's consul-general in Los Angeles.

Campbell sits on a board that advises Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on appointments to Canada's Supreme Court.

She was immediately taken to task by the Toronto Sun, a newspaper that has defended salty-tongued Ontario politicians.

RELATED: 'Grace': A repeat appearance as Melinda Gates' Word of the Year

"It's unacceptable for any public figure to call any other public figure that phrase, let alone a former Prime Minister of Canada hurling insults at an American president," said a Sun editorial.

Tlaib made asterisk-filled headlines on the day she was sworn into Congress, telling a cheering reception sponsored by the liberal group MoveOn.org, "We're going to go in there. We're going to impeach the motherf**ker."

RELATED: Whitman County Republicans boot out far right, white nationalist Allsup

Trump, himself the feature of a famous potty-mouth tape, described the congresswoman's remark as "disgraceful."

Kim Campbell argued that her tweet was relatively mild compared to opinions of Trump voiced by another conservative, Mexico's former President Vincente Fox Quesada.

"I am MAGA compared to my pal," she said, using the Trump slogan Make American Great Again.
Residents in West Seattle, Tacoma and beyond discovered fliers citing a white nationalist hate group in their neighborhoods Sunday, prompting police to investigate who is responsible for the littering.

Seattle police said nearly 50 fliers, slipped inside plastic bags and weighed down with rocks, were left on planting strips near the Alaska Junction area of West Seattle and in other nearby neighborhoods.
DUBLIN, Ireland -- The Irish government is proposing rebates to a carbon tax it recently imposed to households that comply with what it considers "low-carbon lifestyles." The rebate, according to Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, might be in the form of a check, an increase in welfare benefits or a tax credit for people who live the way the government thinks they should.

Some believe that if implemented, the rebate could reduce tensions seen in many parts of Europe, but especially in France, where the "yellow vest" movement that began as a protest against President Emmanuel Macron's big tax increase on gasoline, since rescinded, made a gallon of petrol among the most expensive in Europe with the tax accounting for more than half the cost. I'm doubtful. People don't like their governments forcing them to accept a lesser lifestyle because of an ideology some believe has yet to be definitively proved, while the elites continue to live as they like.

So strong is the faith of the climate change cult that McDonalds, the world's largest purchaser of beef, is considering "meat alternatives" because of alleged environmental damage from traditional farming methods, according to a story in the Financial Times.
Addressing a physics problem that dates back to Galileo, three University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers this week propose a new approach to the theory of how thin sheets can be forced to conform to "geometrically incompatible" shapes -- think gift-wrapping a basketball -- that relies on weaving together two fundamental ideas of geometry and mechanics that were long thought to be irreconcilable.

Theoretical physicist Benny Davidovitch, polymer scientist Greg Grason and doctoral student Yiwei Sun, writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest and demonstrate via numerical simulations that naturally flat sheets forced to change their curvature can accommodate geometrically-required strain by developing microscopic wrinkles that bend the sheet instead of stretching it to the breaking point, a solution that costs less energy, as well.

This advance is important as biotechnologists increasingly attempt to control the level of strain encountered in thin films conforming to complex, curving and 3D shapes of the human body, for example, in flexible and wearable sensors for personalized health monitoring, they explain. Many of these devices rely on electrical properties of the film which is shown to be highly vulnerable to stretching, but which can tolerate some bending.

The new concept is one of "close enough," Davidovitch says -- noncomformities that come with bending are so small that in practical terms, they cost almost no energy. "By offering efficient strategies to manage the strain, predict it and control it, we offer a new quantitative tool that's useful for people predicting the forces required to emboss or wrap nanoscopic thin sheets and shells onto substrates of different shapes," they state.

He adds, "Our work shows that by allowing tiny wrinkles in the wrapper, the necessary amount of stretching drops dramatically. For an extremely thin wrapper such as available today in laboratories, the stretching can be eliminated almost entirely."

Grason points out, "Our theoretical framework provides a simple and adaptable tool for understanding how to control and manipulate, and ideally to optimize, the level of strain that a given geometry imposes on such a device, and thereby improve its performance."

Davidovitch says there are two types of scientist interested in this long-standing problem, one less motivated by practicality than by how the laws of Nature apply. These thinkers are familiar with "Galileo's beam," a mechanics/physics problem that imagined a beam sticking out of a stone wall that will bend or deform when weight is added to it, he notes. Predicting the forces and strain on it posed a long-standing puzzle.

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Galileo did not solve how much the beam will deform or how to predict that, he notes, but this problem related to strain was later explored and defined through new approaches to the geometry of continuous objects by German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss. Physicists and mathematicians "have focused a lot of intellectual activity over the centuries on it," Davidovitch says.

After Galileo, Davidovitch say, Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler developed the "elastica theory," which argues that confined objects buckle in order to avoid strain, that is, any change in length. Euler showed that a situation in which absolutely no stretching takes place can occur under special circumstances, but not in the general type of confinement defined by Gauss's geometrical constraints, he adds.

The UMass Amherst team's new tool shows -- when a constraint cannot be perfectly satisfied but almost satisfied -- how to find the physical state or shape that's the best fit. "It's a new branch of variational calculus," Davidovitch says. "All I need to do is minimize the curvature that nearly eliminates all stretching, and it lets me find the one with the smallest possible bending energy."

They propose a new principle, the Gauss-Euler elastica, that reconciles the two cornerstones of classical mechanics and geometry defined previously by the works of Euler and Gauss. They invoke a new regime of solutions of the complex morphologies of thin bodies, a problem of intense recent interest from biophysics and materials engineering to applied mathematics, Grason points out.

He recalls, "When we first started this line of research, we didn't imagine how it would turn out. We were not trying to solve this problem." But doctoral student Sun, running some computer simulations, came up with results that defied naive assumptions that confinement requires more energy to stretch than to bend the sheet. Formulas that he and Grason proposed were "impossible," Davidovitch says, "they appeared to be violating fundamental geometrical theorems."

They were stuck for two years, until they remembered Galileo's beam, what Davidovitch calls a "thought contradiction," that re-framed the question. It has been "very satisfying" to bring a new conceptual tool to the problem that wasn't available before, he says. Grason adds, "It's great to have an answer to why our initial simulations behaved so weirdly, of course. But eventually it leads us to understand the question better, and how it addresses a much broader class of problems in a new way. Yes, this has a good feeling."
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers estimate that installing floating solar photovoltaics on the more than 24,000 human-made U.S. reservoirs could generate about 10 percent of the nation's annual electricity production. Their findings, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, reveal for the first time the potential for floating PV to produce electricity in the United States.

While the United States was the first to demonstrate floating PV panels -- with the first installation occurring 10 years ago on pontoons on an irrigation pond in Napa Valley, California -- the idea has not received widespread national acceptance. The U.S. focus has primarily been on installing large-scale, ground-mounted solar panels, and only had seven floating PV sites as of December 2017. Floating PV sites are being deployed more overseas, however, with more than 100 sites as of the end of last year. Japan, for example, is home to 56 of the 70 largest floating PV installations.

Photo shows solar panels floating on a body of water.

"In the United States, it's been a niche application; where in other places, it's really been a necessity," said Jordan Macknick, the lead energy-water-land analyst for NREL and principal investigator of the project that produced the paper "Floating PV: Assessing the Technical Potential of Photovoltaic Systems on Man-Made Water Bodies in the Continental U.S." "We're expecting it to take off in the United States, especially in areas that are land-constrained and where there's a major conflict between solar encroaching on farmland."

Macknick and his NREL co-authors, Robert Spencer, Alexandra Aznar, Adam Warren, and Matthew Reese, estimate about 2.1 million hectares of land could be saved if solar panels were installed on bodies of water instead of on the ground. The use of floating PV comes with additional benefits, including reduced water evaporation and algae growth. Spencer, lead author of the paper, added that in some cases benefits could be greater than those documented in the paper, but that the team used "strict assumptions that would give us a very conservative estimate of the total potential generation and benefits." The NREL team also found that operating floating PV alongside hydroelectric facilities yields increased energy output and cost savings because of existing transmission infrastructure.

"Floating solar is a new industry enabled by the rapid drop in the price of solar PV modules," said Warren, director of NREL's Integrated Applications Center. "The cost of acquiring and developing land is becoming a larger part of the cost of a solar project. In some places, like islands, the price of land is quite high, and we are seeing a rapid adoption of floating solar."
Few years from now, students in schools all over the world will receive part of their education in virtual learning environments. Wearing VR-goggles the students will be able to enter 3-dimentional, simulated places and situations that they would normally not have access to because it would be too expensive, too dangerous or physically impossible. Teaching via VR-technology is spreading widely these years and international studies predict that this will revolutionize the way we learn.

Using VR, students can learn about the cells in the human body while "travelling" into the bloodstream, or "explore" the degree of plastic pollution in the oceans. They can also conduct complicated experiments using expensive lab-equipment and dangerous chemicals, just by putting on a pair of VR-goggles that immediately offers very realistic and lively experiences.

According to several of these reports, the cost of VR-technology will be reduced so much over the next 2-3 years that it will be included in everyday classroom teaching for around 15 million students across nations before 2025. This prognosis is backed by large investments in developing VR for teaching by tech-giants such as Apple, Google and Samsung.

But the rapid growth of VR-technology in teaching is a new and relatively un-tested field, and at the University of Copenhagen Associate Professor in Psychology Guido Makransky investigates how, why, and in what settings VR-learning provides an advantage over traditional methods and media, so societys investments in VR-technology can be used in the most beneficial way.

-Our studies show that VR-learning where students train certain skills via simulations can be more effective than regular classroom teaching or learning via computers, and that it motivates and engages students more and heighten their self-efficacy. However, we need more information on when and how teaching via VR-simulations is an advantage, so we can steer clear of thoughtless investments in technology just for the sake of investing in technology without any real benefits in terms of better learning, he says.

Guido Makransky is especially interested in the pedagogical factors of VR-learning. In previous studies he has tested hundreds of high school and university student's cognitive and emotional learning processes using electroencephalography (EEG) and by registering their sweat-responses (GSR), eye-tracking and facial expressions.

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A virtual rolemodel

Since 2014 Makransky has documented in various studies that VR-learning in certain situations is more engaging and can lead to better learning outcomes compared to traditional methods. Furthermore, his latest research shows that girls and boys learning differs greatly depending on the form and appearance of the virtual teacher, the so called pedagogical agent.

In a study with 66 7th and 8th -grade students (half boys, half girls) at a Danish science talent school, Makransky and colleagues found that the girls learned most in the VR-simulations, when the VR-teacher there was a young, female researcher named Marie, whereas the boys learned more, while being instructed by a flying robot in the form of a drone.

-We can see that students ability to identify with the pedagogical agent improves their level of learning. This gives us an exciting possibility to actually make education more appealing to the students. This is important as children's' interest in school decreases in middle school, and there is specifically a desire to increase female students' interest, in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. Therefore, the possibility to engage girls is very appealing. In our opinion VR-program designers should use this knowledge to incorporate different types of pedagogical agents in VR for different types of students, says Guido Markansky.

The boys in the study on the other hand learned best, when the pedagogical agent instructing them was a flying robot in the form of a drone.

-Our results show, that the boys concentration and focus on the task rises when their virtual teacher is a non-traditional teaching figure like a robot or a drone. We also see these types of pedagogical agents are more effective in terms of the boys learning outcomes, possibly because they portray some of the superhero-qualities, that appeal widely to boys, and because they resemble the agents, boys are used to interact with in computer games, says Guido Makransky

Other aspects of VR-teaching examined

The younger the students the more important it appears to be that they can relate to their VR-teacher. University students for instance have not been found to learn better when instructed by a figure that resembles themselves, whereas the ability to mirror oneself in the teaching figure has been identified as being very important for students in middle school classes.

But there are still many unanswered questions regarding VR-learning, adds Guido Makransky, who is currently heading a project funded by the Danish Innovation Fund where he and his fellow researchers at the University of Copenhagen Virtual Learning Lab examine a number of other aspects of when it is most beneficial for schools to implement VR-for teaching and how you design VR-learning experiences, that really add value to education and function well in a classroom setting.
A recently completed research project led by University of Wyoming researchers allowed novel socio-economic analysis aimed at finding out if ecological infrastructure investments are feasible in various scenarios to improve reliability of the Panama Canal.

Fred Ogden, a professor in UW's Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, was the principal investigator on the research. He is currently a visiting senior scientist and academic-in-residence at the Office of Water Prediction at the U.S. National Water Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

"Our study created a large team that included hydrologists, botanists, forest ecologists, soil scientists, geochemists, geophysicists, civil engineers, social scientists and economists -- all with the objective of improving our understanding of how people make land management decisions affecting tropical watersheds," Ogden says. "In particular, we focused on desirable outcomes of increased stream flow during extended dry periods and reduced erosion. This paper represents a summary of the results of our comprehensive study to inform and improve land management decisions providing hydrologic benefits in the tropics."

Ogden contributed to the paper, titled "Assessing Ecological Infrastructure Investments," that was published Jan. 7 (today) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The project leveraged existing research infrastructure provided by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's Agua Salud Project, which provided an experimental setting for testing hypotheses related to the effects of land cover and land use on hydrological response in the watershed that provides all of the river flow that powers the Panama Canal. Seaborne commerce between the United States and other countries represents the dominant use of the Panama Canal.

"Tropical watersheds around the globe are under stress because small watersheds normally provide large amounts of water for large populations and are at risk to drought or other climate stresses," Ogden says. "The Panama Canal Watershed is very important for U.S. commerce and is one of the few places in the tropics that has both a long-term hydrologic record, and an active system of land management-driven decision making that involves landowners and parties interested in maximizing hydrological benefits."

This new paper synthesizes the results of a large multiyear, multi-institution, multidisciplinary project. The level of synthesis achieved to make conclusions would have been impossible without the significant contributions from each person involved with the study, Ogden says.

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Other contributors to the paper were from the University of Alberta, Yale University, University of Saskatchewan, the U.S. Geological Survey's Water Mission Area in Boulder, Colo.; and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Jason Regina, a UW Ph.D. student from Kansas City, Mo., helped collect and analyze hydrological data.

Crunching the Numbers

The research project met its goals to advance hydrological understanding in the steep humid tropics; understand factors affecting landowner decisions relative to paid land management plans; and combine these findings into an integrated assessment of the potential of long-term payments for hydrological ecosystem services in the Panama Canal Watershed.

The economic analysis, based on years of intensive hydrological and behavior study, was headed by researchers from Yale, the University of Alberta, Canada, and the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

"I think our results support the location the Panama Canal Authority has been working, so it gives some solid hydrological-economic analyses to that decision," says Eli Fenichel, associate professor of bioeconomics and ecosystem management at Yale, and the paper's corresponding author. "It also provides a sense of how far the Panama Canal Authority can go with ecological infrastructure. We provide a few different options that depend on exactly what their goals are and probably some noneconomic challenges they may face. We do show that the Panama Canal Authority faces real challenges to get more water into the canal in the dry season."

According to the paper, the Panama Canal Authority could offer contracts to private farmers to change land use to increase dry-season water flow and reduce sedimentation. Physical and social constraints limit market supply and scalability. Service delays, from the time payments must be made to landowners to the time services are realized, occur because of lags in ecological change that hinder program feasibility.

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Feasible ecological investment depends on the value and demand for the services the ecological infrastructure provides; the ability to change an ecosystem to produce a greater level of service; and the ability, right and willingness for an entity to make changes to an ecosystem.

In many instances, the beneficiaries of ecosystem services lack the ability to implement changes to supply, necessitating a voluntary contracting system that enables payments from water user to water supplier.

These systems are called "payments for ecosystem services" or PES. This is a system of agreed-to monetary or in-kind payments made to land holders, who agree to manage their land in an agreed-upon way, such that the land provides benefits to the person making the payment for some kind of service provided by the landscape. This service could include reduced nutrient, sediment or contaminant runoff; more river flow during droughts or nonrainy periods; and habitat for wildlife.

Vic Adamowicz, one of the paper's co-authors and a professor in the Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology at the University of Alberta, says his role was to help design and implement the survey of landowners in the Panama Canal Watershed.

The study collected a variety of information on landowners, including demographics, land area and farming systems. However, he adds the most important element was the determination of landowners' willingness to accept payments in exchange for changing their land use and providing hydrological benefits.

This identified the cost for these people to provide hydrological services. The survey design provided cost information for different land-use changes for land that is currently pasture, but could be changed into a silvopastoral (wood pasture) regime or used to grow coffee or timber. The survey also included a number of ways to ensure the responses were valid and realistic.

"We feel this helps the Panama Canal Authority in assessing the costs of payments for ecosystem services programs and the benefits, in terms of transit revenue, of PES programs," Adamowicz says. "This is a challenging natural and social science issue that requires understanding of the natural and social systems, and how they interact. We also have described the importance of targeting spatially and landowner preferences for technical assistance and insurance."

Fenichel says that the team figured out what a centimeter of water in Gatun Lake was worth to the Panama Canal Authority. Gatun Lake is a large artificial lake located to the south of Colon, Panama. It forms a major part of the Panama Canal, carrying ships for 33 kilometers of their trip across the Isthmus of Panama.

In a market where supply equals demand -- known as a market clearing equilibrium -- a quantity-price pair is experienced. Fenichel used the analogy of a bakery making cookies at a certain price to explain this concept.

For example, if a bakery charges $5 per cookie, it might sell 10. However, if the bakery charges $4 per cookie, it might sell a dozen. Putting these price-quantity pairs together creates the demand curve. On the other hand, it might cost the bakery $3 to make the 10th cookie, but $4 to make the 12th cookie. This is the supply curve.

The bakery would certainly choose to make the 10th cookie because it would net $2 on that cookie, Fenichel says. The bakery likely would continue making up to the 12th cookie because it breaks even on that cookie and makes money on every cookie made before that.

"In our analysis, we find a constant amount that the Panama Canal Authority would be willing to pay for a centimeter of water in Gutan Lake but that every centimeter costs more in contracted land-use change," Fenichel explains. "We order the hectares that could be contracted to make a supply curve. The market clearing equilibrium is the quantity of land that the Panama Canal Authority would contract with at the price that is exactly equal to the willingness to pay for the additional water that adding a hectare provides."

"As a synthesis paper, it builds on our hydrology research results and uses them to place values on different land management decisions," Ogden says.

The National Science Foundation funded the study, which took place from 2013-17.
Why are some animals committed to their mates and others are not? According to a new study led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin that looked at 10 species of vertebrates, evolution used a kind of universal formula for turning non-monogamous species into monogamous species -- turning up the activity of some genes and turning down others in the brain.

"Our study spans 450 million years of evolution, which is how long ago all these species shared a common ancestor," said Rebecca Young, research associate in UT Austin's Department of Integrative Biology and first author of the study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The authors define monogamy in animals as forming a pair bond with one mate for at least one mating season, sharing at least some of the work of raising offspring and defending young together from predators and other hazards. Researchers still consider animals monogamous if they occasionally mate with another.

The researchers studied five pairs of closely related species -- four mammals, two birds, two frogs and two fish -- each with one monogamous and one non-monogamous member. These five pairs represent five times in the evolution of vertebrates that monogamy independently arose, such as when the non-monogamous meadow voles and their close relatives the monogamous prairie voles diverged into two separate species.

The researchers compared gene expression in male brains of all 10 species to determine what changes occurred in each of the evolutionary transitions linked to the closely related animals. Despite the complexity of monogamy as a behavior, they found that the same changes in gene expression occurred each time. The finding suggests a level of order in how complex social behaviors come about through the way that genes are expressed in the brain.

This study covers a broader span of evolutionary time than had been explored previously. Other studies have looked at genetic differences related to evolutionary transitions to new traits, but they typically focus on animals separated by, at most, tens of millions of years of evolution, as opposed to the hundreds of millions of years examined with this study.

"Most people wouldn't expect that across 450 million years, transitions to such complex behaviors would happen the same way every time," Young said.

The paper's other UT Austin authors are senior author professor Hans Hofmann and professor Steven Phelps. Researchers examined gene activity across the genomes of the 10 species, using RNA-sequencing technology and tissue samples from three individuals of each species. The scientists detected gene-activity patterns across species using bioinformatics software and the Texas Advanced Computing Center's Wrangler data-intensive supercomputer. Arranging genes from distantly related species -- such as a fish and a mammal -- into groups based on sequence similarities, the team was able to identify the common evolutionary formula that led to pair bonds and co-parenting in the five species that behave monogamously.
Turning the page

USC Press celebrates 75th anniversary, writes a new chapter

The University of South Carolina Press celebrates 75 years of publishing in 2019, which is a pretty big deal in itself, but theres more going on than a diamond anniversary. A new director, a new acquisitions editor and a more tightly focused editorial direction promise dynamic changes at one of the countrys foremost academic presses.

From left, director Richard Brown, acquisitions editor Ehren Foley and publicity manager MacKenzie Collier are the newest faces at USC Press, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.

Now if youre one of those people who likes to skip to the end of the novel to see how it turns out, heres a spoiler: The press plans to double down on its publishing efforts in books about the South and Southern history. In fact, the press previously published titles on those topics played a role in luring Richard Brown from Georgetown University Press to become director of USC Press a year ago.

I had been following USC Press for many years and always thought it had a really interesting list  lots of good regional books and absolutely gorgeous books with really high production values, says Brown, who spent 17 years at Georgetown. And Ive always been interested in the South and Southern history.

Browns first year has been punctuated by lots of listening and thinking. One of the things I wanted to do was sharpen the focus of what we publish. What is it we want to be known for? Whats our niche? he says. Southern history is something really fundamental to who we are as a press, and thats why we brought Ehren Foley on as acquisitions editor. He has a Ph.D. in Southern history, knows the players, knows the material, knows the literature.

But forget the parochial views of Southern history narrowly focused on the Civil War and Civil War heroes  theres a much broader scope to the South than that, Foley says.

Having grown up in Fredericksburg, Va., my first love was the Civil War, but thats not how I think about Southern history, he says. Were thinking about the South in terms of race relations, slavery studies in the antebellum period, Reconstruction and the meaning of citizenship  the attempt to create a biracial democracy, most especially in South Carolina.

Were really interested in how South Carolina has evolved. What are the hinge moments of its history? How has it changed and whats pushing us forward? Thats really where we want to make a mark.

The renewed emphasis on the South and Southern history will bring attention to unsung heroes and new voices, Brown says.

Every book is a story, and we want to tell great stories. There are lots of great stories about Southern history and Reconstruction and the civil rights movement, he says. I think its interesting to do books on people nobody knows who had a role in shaping history. Weve got a list of about 40 people who were fundamental in South Carolinas civil rights movement, stories that are under the radar and really need to be heard.

Brown has had several conversations with Bobby Donaldson, director of the universitys Center for Civil Rights History and Research and a member of the Press Committee, to learn more about little-known voices from the civil rights movement.

We know some of the history, but a lot we dont know, Brown says. Ive lived in eight different states, and Ive never lived in a state thats more self-conscious of its history than South Carolina. It seems like such an important thing for South Carolinians to understand their history and come to grips with it.

Theres some awfulness and some beauty, and we need to shine a light on it. Where were we 300 years ago, what happened in the Civil War and during the civil rights movement? Part of our goal at USC Press is to help South Carolina understand its own history better.

Like other academic presses, USC Press has a limited bandwidth, so choosing to publish more books about certain topics and aligning the press with the strengths of the university means curtailing other topics. That led to the decision to close out Story River Books, a fiction imprint begun with Pat Conroy as its overseeing editor. More than 20 books were contracted, including Bren McClains One Good Mama Bone, which won the 2017 Wille Morris Award for Southern Fiction. Conroys untimely death in 2016 weighed heavily in the decision to discontinue the series, Brown says.

It wasnt an easy thing to do. But we have a small staff, and we dont have money to throw around for big advances like a New York publishing firm, he adds. Not having Pat Conroy for marketing and promotion was just too tough to overcome. The press will also discontinue its Young Palmetto Books, a childrens book series, as well as a series on the Old Testament and New Testament. In addition, the press recently closed its warehouse on Devine Street and outsourced those functions to another large university press for financial and technological reasons.

Whats not going away are the popular regional books  coffee table books, cookbooks and ghost story books  that sell well in tourist outlets along the coast and help support the press more scholarly titles. USC Press has also added a shopping cart option to its website, allowing retail sales. In addition, it continues to add digital versions of its paper offerings  about 450 books on its backlist are available in e-book format.

And one more thing  the press 75thanniversary brings a new logo that will grace the spine of each of its new books. The new mark is a change, something the press has managed to navigate for the past three-quarters of a century.

Our books have to be reliable and enduring. Thats the value that university presses bring to the table  a credibility and an intellectual strength that we ensure, Brown says. Its high-quality content in an era when you sometimes dont know whats true and whats not.

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Listen and understand While Alia says losing her husband was the worst thing she could imagine happening, sitting in meetings with prosecutors who asked for her recommendations on a penalty for her husbands killer was a close second. It was especially difficult when the discussion centered on the possibility of the death penalty. It seemed in every meeting, it would wreck me for days at a time. It would drag me into a pit of darkness that I was trying to avoid, she says. I thought, How am I going to sit in the court room for years of my life facing my greatest pain for something I dont stand for? And how am I going to go home and love my son? How am I going to be the mother that he deserves? How am I going to teach him about empathy and compassion and forgiveness if I cant find that in my own heart? I was a wreck. She thought about what she could tell Sal when he was older. She imagined a discussion of justice and consequences. But none of that helped. And it wasnt until I was in another long car ride, going to a work event, that I had some time to myself, and I pictured how I would feel if I were the mother of the man who killed my husband. Immediately I pictured him like my own little boy. I pictured how I feel looking at Sal with so much hope and possibilities. And I realized I knew nothing about this mans story. I accepted that while I didnt know his story, I knew there were too many factors in our society that could contribute to the risk for engaging in crime and violent activity. It was then that it hit me, the opportunity for police and communities to come together to prevent this pain from happening to others. In the courtroom, when her husbands killer was sentenced to life in prison, she spoke about the need to look at situations proactively, as a way to prevent crime, rather than seek blame after the fact. After the sentencing, she continued to deliver the same message. She is talking, she says, about a way to change the future, to prevent a repeat of the painful experiences lived by too many on all sides. That holistic approach was soon reflected in the name of the organization she launched. Heroes in Blue was rechristened Serve and Connect, a nonprofit that partners police departments, organizations and communities to improve peoples lives. As CEO and founder, Alia has spent a lot of time going into marginalized communities and listening to people. I had been a community health researcher. I knew the statistics around disparities, she says. I thought I understood the story of discrimination in our country, but it was not until I really started diving into this issue and met people from all diverse perspectives, especially those who are seemingly most different from myself, that I began to understand the humanity in the numbers and the experience of discrimination for communities of color. It was then I really saw the faces behind the statistics. Early on, I sought so much to be understood. This work was more about seeking to understand and listen. Play video Audio recording of Kassy Alia on rebuilding trust: 0:37 A servants heart Ryan Alphin, 04 criminology and criminal justice, is the executive director of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association and the Police Chiefs Association. He knows how difficult it can be for law enforcement to gain the trust of some minority communities, such as the Hispanic or African-American communities. He first met Alia a few days after her husband was killed and was immediately struck by what he calls her servants heart. They can see us as an adversary. They see Kassy as a bridge, says Alphin, who serves as chairman of the board of directors of Serve and Connect. She respects law enforcement but has the heart and compassion to also see their true struggles. She has the legitimacy to do that. People understand this is a woman who wants to understand the issues that both sides face. Play video Audio recording of Kassy Alia on making an impact: 0:22 Alia believes the power of Serve and Connect is in listening to peoples stories told in community settings. That includes a story shared by a police officer who talked about responding to a call in a parking lot where two women with a small child were begging for money. After hearing about their plight, the officer was able to obtain supplies from Gregs Groceries, one of the organizations programs, which provides police with boxes of non-perishable foods to share with people in need. But Alia also recalls another story, this one told by an African-American man who described the fear he felt during his own first interaction with police when he was just a boy. The man, who now works with people with serious mental illnesses, described teaching his sons how to react in encounters with police officers. It was so raw and real, Alia says. He wasnt seeking judgment or blame, he was just being open. The stories can be inspiring or heartbreaking. What matters most is that they are heard by a wide audience, which is why, in April 2019, Serve and Connect will host its first Courageous Conversations panel, which Alia hopes will elevate the dialogue between police and the South Carolina communities they serve through honest, difficult conversations. The first discussion will be about race and police relations. When I give talks, I say my fight has been for police and community relationships, Alia explains. But I do think theres a bigger message here. If we can find the strength to be open and find empathy, when we have a willingess to walk in someones shoes and seek understanding of the world through their eyes, thats when we can find real solutions. She also is using her background as a researcher  she expects to finish work in May on her doctorate in the College of Arts and Sciences' clinical community psychology program  to learn more about the best ways to find those solutions. Working with her USC mentor and dissertation chair Abe Wandersman, distinguished professor emeritus of psychology, Alia has received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study a collaborative approach to policing and community in the Eau Claire neighborhood in Columbia. Theres a difference between programs that sound good and programs that make a difference, Wandersman says. Kassys trying to bring evidence-based approaches  things that have worked  into collaborative community policing. Shes looking at ways to bring the community and police together for the common good. Theres an opportunity to do this in a way that has credibility to both police and communities. And if it can be established (as successful), it can have a scope beyond South Carolinas border.




Hess Corporation, the energy company headquartered in New York City with major investments in the Bakken oilfield, has announced additional plans for the region. The Fortune 500 Corporation, which was founded in 1920 and today is worth tens of billions of dollars, has announced a sale of its Bakken water services business. However, the purchase wont take the business far from home or away from Hess altogether.

Hess has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hess Infrastructure Partners (HIP), which lays out a tentative agreement to sell their Bakken water investments for 225 million in cash. HIP is a midstream energy joint venture between Hess and Global Infrastructure Partners known as Hess Midstream, which operates primarily in the Bakken and Three Forks Shale plays in the Williston Basin. Hess Midstream, which will tentatively acquire Hess water assets, is a company formed to provide services to its sponsor company, Hess Corporation, and other third-party customers.

The transaction is expected to be complete at some point during the first quarter of 2019, assuming regulatory approvals are granted by governing agencies.

Regarding the MOU purchase agreement, John Gatling, the chief operating officer of Hess Infrastructure Partners, said that there would be lots of room for growing investment in infrastructure for the Bakken in coming years.

Gatling said, Hess has been actively building the water infrastructure necessary to meet its accelerated Bakken growth profile in tandem with HIPs oil and gas infrastructure build-out. The expected growth in produced water volumes over the next several years and underdeveloped basin infrastructure creates an attractive opportunity for continued investment to build additional infrastructure for Hess and third parties.

Currently there are over 150 miles of Hess water gathering pipelines that capture about 24,000 barrels of water per day. Along with saltwater disposal, Hess water operations in the region are massive.

Jonathan Stein, the Chief Financial Officer for Hess Infrastructure Partners (HIP), says that the acquisition of Hess Corporations water business in the Bakken will help the HIP portfolio.

Stein reported, Consistent with our commitment to deliver stable cash flows, the water services business is expected to be underpinned by a long-term contract.

He continued, This contract structure is expected to be complementary with the current contract structure of our existing assets, making the water services business a strong addition to the HIP portfolio.

In the meantime, Hess Corporations production in the Bakken shows signs of continued growth, despite its sale of the water business to its subsidiary, Hess Midstream. A December press release forecasted between 135,000 and 145,000 barrels of oil per day in 2019.

John Hess, the chief executive officer of Hess Corporation, said, Our capital and exploratory expenditure program is designed to deliver strong returns, production growth and significant future free cash flow. As we focus spending on our high return investment opportunities, we will continue to reduce our unit costs to drive margin expansion and improve profitability.

Hess plans to operate a six-rig program in 2019 within the Bakken, which is up from an average of 4.8 rigs in 2018. They anticipate a 42 percent increase in production from 2018 for a total of 180 anticipated newly drilled wells over the course of the next year.
The attackers knocked him unconscious with a piece of wood and kicked him in the head when he walked to a central car park after a new year reception in Bremens Kunsthalle art museum. A passerby intervened, causing the attackers to flee, according to the police. Two police officers have been stationed outside Magnitzs hospital room for his protection. Speaking from hospital on Tuesday, Mr Magnitz said he had little memory of what happened. He had a big gash on his forehead and severe bruising around his right eye. Mr Magnitz can expect to spend a long time in hospital.



Bundestag

SPD leader Andrea Nahles said that AfD was a political opponent in the country. It has anti-immigration platform. Alice Weidel, the partys leader in the German parliament, blamed the media and politicians from the traditional parties for stoking hatred towards the AfD on a daily basis. Police are looking for three people suspected of having carried out the attack and have appealed for witnesses. Last week an AfD office in the eastern town of Dobeln was damaged by an explosion.
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Herring, though, writes this: Significantly, the plaintiffs in Scott did not allege that the manner or level of funding prevented their schools from meeting the constitutionally-mandated standards of quality determined and prescribed by the General Assembly. Accordingly, the court did not address the question of any relationship between the adequacy of funding and the quality of education, whether related to school physical plant issues or other conditions.

Herrings choice of the word significantly may be, well, significant. Herring here, at least obliquely, says exactly what one legal expert has been saying. David Sciarra, executive director of the New Jersey-based Education Law Center and an adjunct law professor at the University of Virginia, has been arguing that the plaintiffs in the Scott case made the wrong argument. They argued that the money spent on rural schools and suburban ones was unequal and therefore unconstitutional, an argument the Virginia Supreme Court soundly rejected. However, they never argued that their funding prevented them from delivering the states constitutionally- mandated quality education. That, Sciarra has said, is the argument that a new round of plaintiffs ought to be making. Is Herring telegraphing here that he agrees with that argument?
Like most kids, my siblings and I relied on my mom for both financial and emotional support. Waiting tables, cleaning houses, and raising three kids werent easy for her, but she managed. She put food on the table, a roof over our heads, and loved us unconditionally. Despite her hard work, we lived paycheck to paycheck. She wasnt able to save money or provide much more than the basic necessities. Tax refunds, augmented by the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), helped us to bridge that gap.

In a time when the cost of child care, healthcare, and college tuition are rising, putting more money back into the pockets of middle and low-income working Virginians should happen. Gov. Northams proposal to make the Virginia Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) refundable does just that. The federal and state EITC helped to provide crucial income support to my mom and our family. She used her tax refund to repair her minivan, so that she could get to work. She used it to help pay to take us to the dentist and doctor. She used it to help pay for our babysitter when she was waiting tables and cleaning houses. It helped a single mom to work and raise her kids with dignity.
STANLEY, David Charles March 28, 1933 - January 4, 2019 David Charles Stanley, 85, of Dublin, Va., died on Friday, January 4, 2019. He was born in Evanston, Ill. on March 28, 1933, and grew up in Fort Payne, Ala. After graduating from Veterinary School at Auburn University, he came to Dublin in 1957 to work at Dublin Animal Hospital. He later purchased the practice and built additional veterinary clinics in Wytheville and West Radford. He retired from practicing Veterinary medicine after 47 years and began a second career as a potter which he enjoyed for an additional 20 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and a sister. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Alecia Apperson Stanley; five children, Tal, Tim, Amy, Meg, and Tom, and their spouses, 14 grandchildren, his sister-in-law, nine nieces and nephews, and many great nieces and nephews. He was an active member of Dublin United Methodist Church where he worshipped and served faithfully for 62 years. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, January 11, 2019 at the church and will gather for a Service of Worship Celebrating his life at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning, January 12, 2019. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dublin United Methodist Church Mission Fund, The Free Clinic of Pulaski County, or the Salvation Army. Arrangements by Stevens Funeral Home, Pulaski, Va.
LIGHT Steve William January 5, 2018 Steve William Light, 71, of Christiansburg, Va., passed away on Saturday, January 5, 2019. Steve was preceded in death by his father and mother, Dewey Light Sr. and Beatrice Light. Steve is survived by his wife, Colleen Light; daughter, Brooke Light; brothers, Dewey Light Jr. and Michael (Karen) Light; sisters, Rose (Jim) Stone, Judy Lafon, Connie Vanhoozier; and by his uncle, David (Hattie) Dove. "Uncle Steve" is survived by nine nieces and nephews; 11 great-nieces and nephews and was loved by all. He taught many to fish, and always had a fishing story. Steve was always willing to help anyone and never met a stranger. He will be missed by all. The Graveside Services with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery, Dublin, with Pastor Scott Obenchain officiating. The funeral procession will leave Horne Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Steve's honor to the Disabled American Veterans or Blue Ridge Church. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.hornefuneralservies.com.
Deon Jawan Peatross died Sunday following a family argument that ended with a hail of bullets, court documents show.

Devon Drecole Smith, 27, of Martinsville, was arrested Sunday in the shooting death of his brother-in-law, Deon Jawan Peatross, 23, of Eden, North Carolina.

Smith was charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in commission of a felony, court documents show.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Pittsylvania County General District Court, Smith was arguing with Peatross and his mother-in-law, Veronica Peatross, over an altercation between Smith and his wife, Shameka Smith.

The tension built over Facebook and text messages until Smith and his in-laws agreed to meet and settle the argument face to face, court documents state.

Pittsylvania County Sheriffs Office deputies arrested Smith without incident, said Captain of Investigations Corey Webb.
We are excited about him [Hiss] starting, Skelley said. He should be able to hit the ground running when he gets here.

Hiss, 45, has been the assistant manager for the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, for the past four years. He was one of 40 applicants for the position selected by Cincinnati, Ohio-based Novak Consulting Group, who was contracted in July to conduct an executive search for Boggess replacement.

It was only the second time the county has awarded a contract for executive search services.

We are extremely pleased with the hire we made for the people of Bedford County, District 1 Supervisor Bill Thomasson said Monday. We are looking forward to Robert Hiss starting but we have every confidence in Patrick Skelley and in the job he is doing for Bedford County.

Hiss on Monday said he is keeping in contact with several county department heads so he will be ready to jump right in to a number of county projects when he starts work.

Carl and Patrick have informed me on everything coming up in the next few months, Hiss said Monday. And before my start date I will keep reaching out to a couple of departments to make sure Im ready for my first day.
RICHMOND  State Sen. Bill Stanley filed a bill Tuesday that would put a referendum on ballots statewide asking voters about modernizing Virginias decaying schools.

Stanley, R-Franklin, wants the question to appear on the ballot in November, which is when all 140 seats of the General Assembly are up for election. The question is whether Virginians want the General Assembly to issue $3 billion in state general obligation bonds to go toward constructing, repairing or upgrading K-12 schools.

The bill is part of Stanleys push to upgrade the commonwealths crumbling schools. He assembled a bipartisan subcommittee to examine the problem and produce proposals about how to come up with the $3 billion to $4 billion to fix them.

Stanley was not available for comment Tuesday evening.

The referendum bill states, The results of the referendum shall be advisory only. The reason is that the Virginia Constitution requires bond referendums to state which projects would get the money.
A group of lawmakers will present a toll-funded highway improvement plan during the 2019 General Assembly session, which begins Wednesday. They are Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham; Sen. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson; Del. Steve Landes, R-Augusta; and Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt. The Democratic governor said he expects opposition and would be counting on interstate users to speak up.

People along 81, especially in Southwest Virginia, know how important a project this is and I think their input to their legislators ... is going to be very important and very strong, Northam said.

Northams written release didnt mention increasing sales or gas taxes in the I-81 corridor, but he said in an interview that that approach hasnt been ruled out.

Everything is on the table right now. I would say the consensus is to go more with tolls than taxes, the governor said.
In a lengthy discussion, multiple delegates voiced support for the extension of the grant, stressing they should strive for not just adequate but the best training the school can provide. The grant was conditioned on Liberty University matching the amount dollar-for-dollar.

Del. Kathy Byron, R-Bedford, called it one of the commissions signature projects and said members should honor their commitment by not taking back money they had awarded.

We as a commission dont want to set a precedent that were ever going to break our original commitment, she said.

Feinman discouraged lawmakers from having the mindset that a grantee has a claim to a balance.

Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, said he often hears from hospital administrators about the struggle to attract quality physicians to the region.

Dr. Peter Bell, dean of the medical school, said the timeline for the medical school to mature is 20 years. He said the $2.5 million will go toward supporting its residency programs, which are key to ensuring the students work in the region.

I can graduate lots of doctors, but if they dont go to tobacco counties, then this is all in vain, Bell said.
A new headquarters for the Virginia National Guard was dedicated Tuesday to the Roanoke veteran instrumental in bringing the National D-Day Memorial to Bedford.

Sgt. John Robert Bob Slaughter, who died in 2012, was the driving force behind the creation of the memorial in Bedford, which was dedicated by President George W. Bush in 2001.

The headquarters will be named after Slaughter, whose family attended the ceremony at the Defense Supply Center in Richmond, the National Guard announced.

Slaughter served during World War II as a sergeant and squad leader in Company D, 116th Infantry, 29th Division. His company landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day.

After the war, Slaughter returned to Roanoke, where he grew up, and worked for The Roanoke Times & World-News until 1987.

Slaughter was active in veterans organizations. On the 50th anniversary of D-Day, in 1994, he walked the beach with President Bill Clinton.

Officials with the National Guard center, which officially opened in May 2018, plan to display some of Slaughters personal items.

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His eyes lit up, and he reached out and took the bottle. Tentatively, he took a sip.

Wow! the guy exclaimed. This is the real stuff!

Knock yourself out, I shrugged.

Darn if he didnt drain every drop. And, suddenly, I was his best buddy. That seemed a little strange. He promised to buy me a drink at a bar across the street from the terminal in Fargo.

When we got there, I followed him off the bus and into the station, lagging about five steps behind. Waiting for him was a woman I guessed was his wife and a young girl, 8 or 9, probably his daughter. They seemed excited.

As the guy approached the woman, he said to her, Gimme $10, OK? I met a guy on the bus  I want to buy him a drink. And suddenly their faces blinked from joy to despair.

I didnt know what was wrong, but alarm bells went off in my head. So instead of joining his family in the station, I made a quick left and headed for the mens room. I stayed there for 15 minutes. By then, they were gone  and the bus was about to depart.

As it pulled out of Fargo, I described those odd events to Al. Thats when he told me something I didnt know.
Two West Virginia residents were charged Monday with attempting to deliver drugs to jail inmates working at the Radford animal control facility, city officials said Tuesday.

Jackie Lynn Collins, 36, and Yolanda Jo Endicott, 42, both of Beckley, West Virginia, were arrested after a traffic stop in the 1000 block of Radfords East Main Street, according to a city news release.

Police said the prisoners involved are from the New River Valley Regional Jail who were assigned as trustees at the city animal control site.

Collins and Endicott are charged with possessing heroin, possessing methamphetamine, distributing heroin within 1,000 feet of a school, and distributing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school. Both also were charged with two counts apiece of conspiring to deliver drugs to an inmate.

Other details of the arrests were not released immediately. The citys news release asked that anyone with information call Radford police Lt. P.J. Rutzinski at (540) 267-3207.

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Police say an argument broke out before a Rocky Mount woman shot a man in Franklin County on Monday.

Kimberly Ann Morgan-Lefever, 45, has been charged with malicious wounding in the shooting in the Wirtz area that injured a 47-year-old man, Capt. Phillip Young said Wednesday.

Morgan-Lefever called police after firing a single bullet, which hit the mans hand and grazed his head, according to Young. Police did not identify the man, who was treated for injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening.

Morgan-Lefever is being held in the Western Virginia Regional Jail without bond.

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FINCASTLE  An Eagle Rock man has received a one-year jail sentence for aggravated sexual battery of a victim under the age of 13.

Dennis James Perko, 56, was indicted in June and pleaded no contest to the charge Tuesday in Botetourt County Circuit Court.

As part of his sentence, he will carry four years in suspended time, is required to register with the state as a sex offender, and will be on supervised probation for three years after his release.

At Tuesdays hearing, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Lethia Hammond said the incident happened in July 2017 at a cookout.

The victim, 7 at the time, was an acquaintance of Perkos. Hammond said the assault involved inappropriate touching and exposure, and occurred while the two were alone together.

According to Hammond, Perko warned the victim afterward that they would both get in trouble if anyone found out. The child came forward in April, after a family discussion of the dangers of keeping secrets from parents, Hammond said.

Defense attorney David Damico called the prosecutions account a fair summary of the evidence.
Government secretary of state warns Playa del Carmen join single command or be forced to

Chetumal, Q.R.  The Secretary of Government of Quintana Roo, Francisco Lopez Mena, warned that if Solidaridads council, headed by Laura Esther Beristain Navarrete, continues to refuse to accept the implementation of the Single Police Command, the state will use the law to impose it.

Lopez Mena mentioned the possibility of obliging municipalities to accept the Single Command scheme to fight crime, noting that the project, which has been rejected by several city councils in the state, is being analyzed.

Francisco Lopez Mena, Secretary of Government of Quintana Roo

As long as there is no coordination of the Solidaridad City Council with the federal and state instances in terms of security, we will hardly be able to advance with security strategies.

Francisco Lopez Mena anticipated that in extreme case for those who continue with resistance, the law will be applied to force the Solidaridad City Council to join the Single Police Command.

He said that the reasons for not wanting to enter into the agreement are a particular issue of the mayor Laura Esther Beristain Navarrete, and only she can explain if it is a political or other issue.

Lopez Mena said the lack of results in security and outbreaks of violence, such as the shooting in Playa del Carmen that left seven dead, are a shared responsibility, adding that this crime also stems from the non-implementation of the Single Command.

He also said he was confident that the municipal president would resume dialogue and put aside her resistance, noting that only in an extreme case would the state government apply the legal measures necessary for the city council to hand over control of its police to the state.

Lopez Mena explained that the decision to go that route is up to the Secretary of Public Security of the state, Jesus Alberto Capella Ibarra, who he says, is fulfilling his commitment to reduce rates of insecurity throughout the state despite public perception.
Trump isnt worthy

of these generals service

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

As a Marine Corps sergeant major and Vietnam combat veteran who retired after 30 years with 100 percent disability, I have an observation and comment about President Trumps ongoing conflict and controversy with military generals and admirals.

Among his victims have been Marine Corps Gens. John Kelly, his former chief of staff, and James Mattis, his former defense secretary, Army Lt. Gens. H.R. McMaster and Stanley McChrystal, and Navy Adm. Bill McRaven.

In the past several months, Trump has defamed, derided, and dishonored these distinguished military leaders and heroes.

These are true patriots who have answered their countrys call and given their all. Trump claims that he is smarter than the generals and suggests he could have been a greater general than most. Interestingly enough, Trump received several deferments when he was eligible for the Vietnam War and other military service.

Recently, Trump used the word sucker, to describe our military efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and other battlefronts.
But not if Villasana can help it. As the founder of a nonprofit organization called Forever Homes for Foster Kids, he spends his days trying to locate the relatives of some of these children who find their way into foster care in the hopes that the kinfolk will take in these kids and get them out of the system.

What a great idea. Simple but effective. But there is a catch. Not just anyone can do this magic trick. Were talking about tracking down people in Third World countries with scant personal information to go on. Locating someone in the Mexican state of Oaxaca is not like finding someone in the midwestern state of Ohio.

Luckily, Villasana has a gift. Its a knack for finding people by putting information together, using just phones and people skills, following a paper trail, and analyzing data until the bread crumbs lead to an aunt, cousin, grandma, or parent. You gotta remember, when I started, I was doing all this pre-Google, he told me.

Born in Houston and raised as one of nine kids, the Mexican- American Villasana at first had no use for hyphens. I thought of myself as American growing up, he said. I wouldnt think of being Mexican until many years later.
Recently, a patient went to a local emergency room complaining of chest pain. In the end, she was relieved to know it was a diseased gallbladder and not a heart attack.

But then the bills came in.

She found out a doctor who treated her was not in her insurance companys network and was shocked at the bill  more than $1,000.

Surprise medical bills happen when patients are cared for by providers who are not in-network with their insurers plan. Even if the hospital you go to is in your network, all of the providers who care for you might not be. And even with a routine procedure, maybe you werent aware that an out-of-network provider  such as a pathologist examining a biopsy, or the anesthesiologist assisting a surgery, or the lab processing your test  was involved in your care.

Theres been an increase in public outrage over balance or surprise billing. As physicians, we agree and share in our patients concerns. And, were fighting to change the system.

Insurance and reimbursement is complicated; what matters to physicians at the end of the day is that every patient gets the care they need.
A weekend trip to Washington amid the federal government shutdown showed our nations capital to be surreal in some ways and surprisingly enlightening in others.

The Mall was emptier than we could have imagined, particularly considering the balmy weather. There were no crowds milling about the Smithsonian entrances, no shrieks of joy from the carousel by the Castle, barely even a jogger.

That said, the Lincoln Memorial was still open, and the words etched into the walls were a poignant reminder that the strength of our country is in the whole, not the pieces, no matter how disjointed those pieces seem at times.

We stood in a pleasant silence and read again the Gettysburg Address and couldnt help but be struck by the prescience of Lincolns closing words:  ... that government of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth.

In the 155 years since he spoke them, weve survived wars and issues of morality and civility large and small. The slugfest were ensconced in today is trying our patience, but were confident the country will survive it.

Elsewhere in Washington, we spent time in two places we hadnt before.
The report also found that Virginia was close to meeting the goals the state made in 2017 as part of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, a multistate effort to restore the bays health, and highlighted a bright spot related to Virginias oyster industry.

The health of the oyster industry in the Chesapeake Bay obtained a low rating from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, with harvests down nearly 45 percent in Maryland in 2016 and 2017.

In Virginia, however, oyster harvests remained steady at roughly 600,000 bushels. The report notes that reef reconstruction in the Lafayette River, completed in 2018, will contribute toward the future health of the industry. Harvest figures in the state are bolstered by a growing farmed-oyster industry in the state.

The Chesapeake Bay Foundations executive director for Virginia, Rebecca Tomazin, said she hopes that the reports release, just two days before the start of the General Assembly, will draw attention to conservation issues.

She said that for Virginia to meet its outstanding commitments toward the blueprint, the state needs to accelerate pollution reduction from agriculture, and urban and suburban runoff.
For future elections, the report recommended keeping precinct sizes as small as possible, certainly within legal limits.

Though precincts cant have more than 5,000 voters when theyre created, state law doesnt require localities to take action every time a precinct grows beyond the size limit. If more than 4,000 votes are cast in one precinct in a presidential election, local registrars must notify their respective governing body, which then has six months to start redrawing precinct lines to keep the number of active voters below 5,000.

The state has 2,441 voter precincts. Most of them, about 70 percent, have fewer than 3,000 voters.

The states election handbook says registrars should notify their governing bodies if precincts see a population spike, particularly if the population begins to approach statutory limits.

Several election officials said turnout can be hard to predict, particularly when using registration statistics that always include some people who have moved away. The downsides of splitting precincts as soon as they look a little large, they said, are voter confusion and extra costs.
Toll rates would be capped for smaller cars and trucks used by commuters who use the highway to travel locally. Drivers of smaller vehicles would also be able to buy an annual pass for a fixed fee. The state plan envisioned an annual fee of $30, but officials did not lay out an exact pricing plan Tuesday.

The plan is designed to shift the financial burden away from local residents and onto the truck traffic that puts the most strain on the road. State Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, said the system would also feature variable rates, allowing drivers to pay less during nighttime, low-traffic hours.

According to state figures, more than 2,000 crashes occur each year on I-81. About a quarter involve freight trucks.

Northam called the road a clear safety problem.

Whether youre going 10 miles or 100 miles, you dont know if youre going to encounter a wreck or congestion, Northam said.

Officials said specifics of the legislation will be determined during the General Assembly session that begins Wednesday, a process that will involve input from local governments and others who could be affected by the tolls.
The 36-year-old chef has long been a fixture in Richmond restaurants and at local dining events. He was the opening and executive chef at Nota Bene, the Shockoe Bottom restaurant the Richmond regions Elby Awards named Best New Restaurant in 2017. Prior to that, he was the executive chef at Juleps New Southern Cuisine and at Enoteca Sogno before that. But Richmond diners probably best know Doetzer as one of a handful of names listed on any all-star Richmond chef event lineup for nearly a decade. Hes done ChefsFeed Indie Week; Folk Feast; Beast Feast; Fire, Flour & Fork; Charleston Wine + Food Festival; Heritages guest chef series; and a dozen or so charity dinners across town.

The distinction for Doetzer, however, in doing these events was that he was doing them on his own time and not as a chef/owner who could also promote his own restaurant as part of the event. Doetzer participated for the love of cooking  the thrill of the culinary challenge in front of him. And his wife, Lyne, a front of the house restaurant manager most recently at The Stables and at Upper Shirley Vineyards before that, was on hand at nearly every event, plating his food and greeting customers.
Quid pro quo harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes and Les Moonves fueled the #MeToo movement, demonstrating that the action of demanding sexual favors in exchange for job opportunities was sadly more common than many thought.

In many cases, the alleged perpetrators claim that the interactions are consensual. If a person is in a position of power, with influence over employment opportunities, it is unlikely that the requests for sexual advances can be truly consensual.

For these reasons, individuals with power should not proposition anyone in the organization, or over whom the person has power, for relationships or sexual favors.

Further, managers should not engage in a consensual sexual or romantic relationship with a subordinate employee. Too often, managers will engage in such a relationship (many times in secret) and then when the relationship ends, the victim may claim that sexual misconduct occurred.

Employers should, at a minimum, train its management on the expectation that no harassment will occur in the workplace, and explain specifically the behavior that it will not tolerate.
MANSFIELD -- The Holden Agency is excited to announce that it has added Danielle James to its team of real estate agents.

James is a proud native of Ashland and Richland counties. Prior to joining The Holden Agency, Danielle worked in outside sales where she found her niche in the sales industry. She worked closely with corporate and family-owned businesses throughout the state of Ohio and enjoyed fulfilling the needs of her clients while building long-lasting relationships.

She prides herself in being a great listener and credits her small-town roots for instilling in her the values of hard work, commitment and teamwork. She is excited to join The Holden Agency and provide honest, fair, real estate services where clients are put first.

Im inspired by bringing happiness to others," James said. "Whether youre a buyer or seller, I will make it my goal to make your real estate experience a smooth and easy process.

Jerry Holden, owner of The Holden Agency said the compay is enthusiastic about James joining the team.

"Her experience with sales and high-level client care are definitely going to transfer well into the real estate world, he said.

In her spare time, James enjoys spending time with her husband and their three dogs. She has a passion for rescuing animals, fitness, staying active outdoors, and spending quality time with family and friends.

The Holden Agency, an independent, locally owned & operated real estate brokerage, serves clients throughout the entire state of Ohio. The nationally recognized agency cultivates an industry disrupting atmosphere by taking a team approach to real estate, where the needs of the clients are met and cared for by the entire Holden staff.

The Holden Agency leverages the latest technology to best represent their clients and delivers real estate transactions with integrity and honesty. The continued success of the agency is attributed to dedicated and knowledgeable agents, determined to be the leaders in real estate in North Central Ohio.

The entire team is at the forefront of the latest industry trends, with weekly training for everyone, to supply represented clients with the tools they need to be informed and comfortable. Many of The Holden Agency agents have always called North Central Ohio home, and are committed to help their clients find the place they can call home.
Sources close to the Uzbek government have told RFE/RL that a corruption trial has begun in Tashkent against the country's former prosecutor-general, Rashidjon Qodirov.

The sources told RFE/RL that the trial started on January 7 at Tashkent's Yunusobod District Court.

An official of the Supreme Court, who declined to be identified, confirmed to RFE/RL that the trial had begun but said the process was being conducted behind closed doors. He did not elaborate.

An official representative of the Prosecutor-General's Office told RFE/RL that there would be no immediate release of information about the court proceedings.

"The investigation of the case was classified and currently the case is under a court's control, the official said. "The court will decide in what way and how the information about the trial will be made public."

Qodirov was arrested in February 2018 and charged with extortion, bribery, and abuse of office.

His arrest came about three years after he was sacked amid a purge of officials connected to the investigation of Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of the late President Islam Karimov.

Karimova was detained in Uzbekistan in 2014. Uzbek authorities said in 2017 that she had been sentenced in 2015 to five years of restricted freedom after being convicted of extortion, embezzlement, and tax evasion.

Qodirov, who served as the country's top law enforcement official for 15 years, was the prosecutor-general in 2014 when Karimova was initially charged.

Uzbekistan became isolated and economically stagnant under Karimov, who tightly ruled the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Since Karimovs death in 2016, his successor Shavkat Mirziyoev has publicly criticized government agencies and has taken steps to sack or remove many officials in power during Karimovs rule.

At a meeting of ministers in August 2017, President Mirziyoev described officials at the Prosecutor-General's Office as "the biggest thieves in Uzbekistan.

Weeks before Qodirov's arrest, Mirziyoev removed the long-serving head of the country's powerful SNB security service, Rustam Inoyatov.
A U.S. naval warship has arrived at a Romanian port, a show of force by the United States in the Black Sea, which Russia is closely watching.



The USS Fort McHenry is the first U.S. ship to enter the Black Sea since a naval standoff between Russian and Ukrainian forces near the annexed Crimea Peninsula in November.



Romanian and U.S. officials say the dock-landing ship arrived at the port of Constanta on January 7 and will remain there until January 10.



It will then hold joint sea maneuvers with a Romanian frigate in territorial and international waters.



It wasn't immediately clear how many U.S. military personnel were involved.



A U.S. Navy spokesperson told the TASS news agency that the warship was in the Black Sea in accordance with the international Montreux Convention, which governs naval access to this body of water.



The trip comes about six weeks after Russia seized three Ukrainian Navy vessels and their crews near the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.



The November 25 confrontation occurred as Ukrainian ships were trying to cross under the Russian-built Kerch bridge to enter the Sea of Azov.

Mariupol, a major Ukrainian port, is situated on the north coast of the Sea of Azov.

With reporting by TASS and RIA-Novosti
A U.S. Navy veteran has been held in Iran on unspecified charges since July, when he was seized while visiting the Islamic republic, media reports said, citing his family and a former Iranian prisoner.



Michael White, 46, of California was arrested when he was visiting his Iranian girlfriend, his mother told The New York Times on January 7.

The U.S. State Department said it was "aware of reports" of the detention but did not provide further details, citing privacy considerations.



Whites imprisonment could further escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran, longtime foes.



Tensions have been high since U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed crippling economic sanctions against Tehran last year.



At least five Americans have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges. Another U.S. citizen has been missing in Iran for more than a decade.



White's mother, Joanne, said that her son had been set to return from Iran via the United Arab Emirates on July 27, but never boarded his flight.



Three weeks ago, State Department officials told her that White was being held at an Iranian prison.



She said her son had visited Iran five or six times to see an Iranian woman she described as his girlfriend.



Whites incarceration was also reported on January 7 by Iran Wire, an online news service run by Iranian expatriates.



Iran Wire's report was based on an interview with a former Iranian prisoner who was quoted as saying he had met White at Vakilabad Prison in the city of Mashhad in October.



The prisoner, identified as Irvar Farhadi, was briefly held at the same facility as White in Mashhad, Iran Wire reported.



Farhadi told Iran Wire that White had met an Iranian woman online and traveled to Iran several times to see her.



On his third visit, when White and his girlfriend were about to fly to Turkey, he was arrested at Hasheminejad Airport in Mashhad, Farhadi said.



White is among several Americans being held by Iran. Among them is Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University student who has been given a 10-year sentence for espionage. He was arrested in August 2016 while conducting research for his dissertation on Iran's Qajar dynasty.

Both Wang and the university deny the claims.



Baquer Namazi, a retired UNICEF official, and his son Siamak, an Iranian-American businessman, were sentenced in 2016 to 10 years in prison for spying and cooperating with the U.S. government.

The charges were denied by the family and dismissed by U.S. authorities.



Bob Levinson, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, vanished on Irans Kish Island in 2007 while on an intelligence mission. Tehran has said it has no information about his fate.



In January 2016, Iran released four Americans as part of a prisoners swap, including Jason Rezaian, The Washington Post's Tehran bureau chief, Saeed Abedini, a pastor from Idaho, and Amir Hekmati, a former Marine from Flint, Michigan.



In exchange, the United States released several Iranians held on sanctions violations.

With reporting by The New York Times, Iran Wire, and dpa
The trial has opened of 28 people accused of involvement in the 2016 killing of Russia's ambassador to Turkey, including U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen.



Turkish authorities have indicted 28 people of involvement in the killing of Andrei Karlov, who was shot by an off-duty police officer at the opening of a photography exhibition in the Turkish capital Ankara in December 2016.



It wasn't immediately clear how many of the alleged suspects would be appearing when the January 8 trial begins in Ankara.



Turkish and Russian news reports have said that eight people were in police custody, including four former police officers and the organizer of the exhibition where Karlov was killed.



The gunman was killed by police shortly after the diplomat's killing.



Officials have alleged that the gunman belonged to a network led by a U.S.-based Muslim cleric named Fethullah Gulen, and that Karlov's killing was aimed at derailing relations between Turkey and Russia.



Gulen's movement has been accused of masterminding a failed coup earlier in 2016.



Turkey has repeatedly sought Gulen's extradition from the United States, but Washington has resisted the pleas.

With reporting by AFP and Anadolu
KABUL -- Afghan Taliban representatives say they have called off two days of peace talks with U.S. officials in Qatar, just hours after they had announced the talks would take place without any delegates from Afghanistan's government.



A Taliban representative in Afghanistan had told Reuters early on January 8 that the talks would begin in Qatar's capital, Doha, on January 9.



That Taliban figure also had said the group was refusing to allow what he called "puppet" Afghan officials to take part in the Doha meetings.



But a Taliban representative in Doha told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan later on January 8 that the militant Islamic group had "postponed" the talks "until further consultations" could resolve an "agenda disagreement."



Another Taliban source told Reuters the disagreement focused on Washington's insistence that Afghan government officials must be involved in the talks.



He said there also was disagreement on a possible cease-fire deal and a proposed prisoner exchange.



"The U.S. officials insisted that the Taliban should meet the Afghan authorities in Qatar and both sides were in disagreement over declaring a cease-fire in 2019," he said. "Both sides have agreed to not meet in Qatar."



The Taliban has consistently rejected requests from regional powers to allow Afghan government officials to take part in peace talks, insisting that the United States is its main adversary in Afghanistan.



The talks in Doha this week would have been the fourth in a series between Taliban leaders and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.



The Taliban also called off a meeting with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia earlier this week because of Riyadh's insistence on bringing the Western-backed Afghan government to the negotiating table.



Former Afghan Interior Minister Omar Daudzai, a senior adviser to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, was traveling to Pakistan on January 8 for expected talks with Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi about the peace process.

With additional reporting by Reuters and BBC
U.S. prosecutors have charged a Russian lawyer who met with President Donald Trumps son and top campaign officials during the 2016 presidential election with obstruction of justice in a separate, but parallel, case that focused on Russian money laundering.



The indictment, unsealed on January 8 by a U.S. judge in Manhattan, targets Natalya Veselnitskaya, who has been at the center of scrutiny for her June 2016 meeting with Donald Trump Jr., Trump's then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and others.



The indictment, which was dated December 20, concerns a $230 million tax fraud case that has shadowed U.S.-Russian relations for more than decade.



The case concerned a Russian-controlled company known as Prevezon Holdings, which U.S. authorities accused of using proceeds of the tax fraud to buy real estate in Manhattan.



In May 2017, on the eve of the trial, U.S. officials and Prevezon's lawyers agreed to settle the case, with Prevezon paying nearly $6 million but admitting no wrongdoing.



According to the indictment, Veselnitskaya, who was co-counsel to Prevezon, allegedly lied to U.S. authorities about her cooperation with the Russian Prosecutor-Generals office in drafting a response to a U.S. request for help in the case.



Veselnitskaya, according to the filing, worked closely with the Russian prosecutors as they rebuffed the U.S. request, and sought to pin blame for the original tax fraud on a British-American investor named Bill Browder.



A Russian citizen, Veselnitskaya is believed to be in Russia, and is unlikely to be turned over to U.S. authorities for prosecution.



She could not be immediately located for comment.



In June 2016, at the time she was representing Prevezon, Veselnitskaya secured a meeting with Trump Jr. at the Trump Tower in Manhattan.



That meeting has been under scrutiny by U.S. congressional investigators, and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, after it emerged that Trump Jr. was promised damaging information on Trumps rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Also attending that meeting was Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner.



Trump Jr. has acknowledged that he agreed to the meeting after being promised information on Clinton.



Manafort, meanwhile, has been convicted by a federal jury in Virginia, and pleaded guilty to foreign agent charges in a separate case -- charges that arose from his work prior to joining Trump's campaign.



However, U.S. authorities have been investigating whether Manaforts prior work -- mainly for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians and business interests -- may have helped influence Trumps policy positions on Russia.



In a filing on January 8, Manafort's defense lawyers revealed that he shared Trump campaign polling data with a Russian-Ukrainian man whom U.S. intelligence suspect of being tied to Russian spy agencies.



Those accusations came to light in a document that was supposed to be partly blacked out but instead accidentally revealed the information.


BRUSSELS -- EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on January 8 met with Kosovo's recently appointed negotiators for Pristina's dialogue with Belgrade and urged them to revoke customs tariffs imposed on Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina last year.



After meeting with a team of negotiators appointed by the Kosovar parliament last month, Mogherini reiterated the urgency for Pristina to revoke the customs tariffs.

Mogherini also noted that reaching a comprehensive legally binding agreement on full normalization of relations in the context of the Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue requires a climate that contributes to good neighborly relations, whereby past agreements are respected and implemented, and actions and statements which are not compatible with the overall interest and strategic objectives of the region are avoided.

Kosovo imposed a 100 percent tax on Serbian and Bosnian products in response to what Pristina said was Belgrades lobbying to prevent Kosovo from joining Interpol at the police organizations annual conference in Dubai in November.



Shpend Ahmeti, the co-head of the Kosovar delegation, told journalists after the meeting with Mogherini that tariffs are the only instrument in Kosovos foreign policy available in order to pressure Serbia. They are a consequence of a long, aggressive campaign that culminated in the Interpol nonrecognition.



Relations between Pristina and Belgrade have been tense since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. More than 110 countries, including the United States, recognize Kosovo's independence, but Serbia does not.



Both Kosovo and Serbia have been told they must resolve their differences in order to make progress toward potential membership in the 28-member bloc.
BRUSSELS -- The European Union has approved fresh sanctions on Irans intelligence services and two Iranian nationals, after accusing Tehran of being behind plots to assassinate regime opponents on European soil, officials said on January 8.

Tehran denied the claim, saying the accusations were aimed at damaging relations between Iran and the EU.

An EU spokesman said that the identities of those hit with asset freezes and travel bans will be announced on January 9.

The EU accuses them of attempting -- or carrying out -- attacks against Iranian government opponents on Danish, Dutch, and French soil.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen welcomed the move as "very encouraging."

"Very encouraging that [the] EU has just agreed on new targeted sanctions against Iran in response to hostile activities and plots being planned and perpetrated in Europe, including Denmark," Rasmussen said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hit back at the sanctions on Twitter, decrying the fact that several European countries have provided shelter to a banned Iranian opposition group, Mujahedeen-e Khalq, (MEK).

The Dutch government said on January 8 that it had "strong indications" that Iran was involved in the killings of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin in 2015 and 2017. Both were opponents of the Iranian regime.

In October, Danish police accused Iranian authorities of planning to carry out attacks in Denmark on Iranian exiles belonging to a banned opposition group, the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz.

Also in October, France accused Iranian intelligence of being behind a plot to bomb a rally of Iranian opposition groups in Paris in June.

The alleged plots have strained relations between Tehran and the European Union, which has been working hard to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal, after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the accord aimed at preventing Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.

Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said on January 8 that the EU has managed to make a "clear difference" between the two issues.

"We stand by the [nuclear] agreement, but on the other hand we have to have a robust foreign policy when we send clear signals that [we] will not accept this kind of interference on European soil," Samuelsen said.

Samuelsen made the comments ahead of a meeting attended by EU ministers for European Affairs in Brussels, where the decision to impose sanctions was formalized.

The Netherlands, Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, and Belgium met the Iranian authorities on January 8 to convey their "serious concerns" about Iran's hostile activities on EU territory, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok and Interior Minister Kasja Ollogren wrote in a joint letter.

"Iran is expected to cooperate fully in removing the present concerns and, where necessary, aiding in criminal investigations," the letter said.

The letter also threatened further sanctions if Tehran does not cooperate.

With reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels; additional reporting by dpa, AFP, and the BBC
Talking with the press in Hanoi on January 7 about the upcoming approval of the VPA/FLEGT, Tuan said the agreement will help strengthen forest governance, deal with illegal logging, and promote trade in Vietnamese wood and wooden furniture.

Vietnam has so far shipped wooden furniture to 28 EU countries, mostly in outdoor decor. The EU is the fourth largest importer of Vietnamese wood products, accounting for 13-17% of total exports, he said.

According to him, transparency in the origin of imported wood and control of the supply chain have been among Vietnams key issues during the six years of VPA/FLEGT negotiations.

On the basis of agreements with the EU and partners on wood origin control, Vietnam has recently issued the Law on Forestry, launched the Vietnam Timber Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS) for the first time, and hiked up the punishments for violations.

Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala said all wood and wooden furniture exported from Vietnam to the EU need FLEGT licences.

The EU has been signing the agreement with 16 countries. The VPA/FLEGT is the second signed by the EU in Asia, following its deal with Indonesia, she said.

She added that the EU wants to eliminate illegal wood exploitation to meet the increasing demands of European consumers.

Vietnam should make every effort to ensure its accountability, she said, adding that the EU will pay special attention to the countrys preparations for the implementation of the agreement.

Tuan said Vietnam has approved a plan to realise the agreement, including building legal documents and strengthening the supervisory role of non-governmental organisations, professional organisations, and concerned parties during the process.

From January 7-9, Hautala is scheduled to pay working trips to the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai and Ho Chi Minh City to prepare for submitting the agreement to the EP for approval.

After six years of negotiations, the VPA/FLEGT was signed by both sides on October 19, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium.

The deal needs to be adopted by the EP before being submitted to the European Council for ratification.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the U.S. national-security adviser of making "a very serious mistake" by demanding that Turkey not harm Kurdish fighters in Syria as President Donald Trump plans to withdraw U.S. troops from the war-torn country.

"John Bolton has made a very serious mistake. We cannot make any concessions in this regard," Erdogan said on January 8, just before Bolton left Turkey with tensions between Washington and Ankara at new highs.

Bolton visited Ankara to seek assurances that Turkey won't attack U.S.-allied Kurdish militia in northeastern Syria that Ankara views as terrorists.

He held a two-hour meeting at the presidential complex in Ankara on the morning of January 8 with Ibrahim Kalin, a senior adviser to Erdogan.

A spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, Garrett Marquis, said in a statement the two sides had identified further issues for dialogue and that the United States looks forward to ongoing military-to-military consultations.

But in what was reported in Turkey as a "snub" over disagreements about Kurdish fighters in Syria, an expected meeting between Bolton and Erdogan did not take place on January 8.

Marquis said U.S. officials were told Erdogan would not meet with Bolton because of local election campaigns in Turkey and because of a speech that the Turkish president was due to give to parliament.

Erdogan later told reporters there was no need for him to meet Bolton.

Just hours after Bolton's visit to the presidential complex in Ankara, Erdogan said in his speech that Turkey's preparations for a new military offensive against terrorist groups in Syria are "to a large extent" complete.

He criticized Bolton over comments suggesting the United States would prevent attacks on Syrian Kurdish fighters.

Erdogan said that "those involved in a terror corridor" in Syria "will receive the necessary punishment."

There also was no immediate word on whether Bolton held an expected meeting with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan.

Bolton said before his visit he would seek assurances that Turkey won't attack Kurdish militia fighters in Syria who are allied with the United States in the fight against Islamic State extremists.

Bolton said that is a "condition" for Trump's planned withdrawal of American forces in northeastern Syria.

Bolton's visit to Ankara parallels a similar trip to the region by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and follows Trump's abrupt announcement that he was ordering 2,000 U.S. troops out of northeastern Syria.

Trump's announcement stunned U.S. allies and led to the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

U.S. officials and others fear that a U.S. pullout could destabilize Syria further and lead to the slaughter of Kurdish militias who have been fighting alongside U.S. forces.

Prior to visiting Turkey, Bolton traveled to Israel, which has also been concerned about a U.S. withdrawal.

In Jerusalem, Bolton walked back Trump's initial announcement, saying instead that the United States wanted to ensure that Islamic State "is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again."

But he also said Turkey must agree to protect the U.S. Kurdish allies.

In an opinion piece published by The New York Times on January 7, Erdogan warned that the U.S. withdrawal must be planned carefully and carried out with the right partners.

Erdogan said Turkey was the only country "with the power and commitment to perform that task." He also wrote that Turkey was committed to defeating Islamic State and "other terrorist groups" in Syria.

In comments broadcast on January 7 on CNBC, Pompeo said that Erdogan had promised to protect Kurdish fighters in Syria.

Pompeo this week is visiting eight Arab capitals to discuss Syria, as well as discuss U.S. efforts to contain regional power Iran.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units form the backbone of the opposition Syrian Democratic Forces.

But Turkish authorities say those Syrian Kurdish fighters are linked with the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey and has been considered a terrorist group by the United States since 1997.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and The New York Times
Turkish rescue teams say they have recovered the bodies of three Ukrainians who were killed when a cargo ship sank off Turkey's Black Sea coast.



Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, Andriy Sybiha, wrote on Twitter on January 8 that the bodies of two Ukrainian citizens would be identified in the presence of an envoy from the Ukrainian Consulate in Turkey.



Earlier on January 8, Sybiha said on Twitter that the body of another Ukrainian citizen who died in the incident had been recovered by the rescue teams.



On January 7, Sybiha said four Ukrainian sailors were killed when the Panama-flagged vessel sank with 11 Ukrainians on board off the coast of the Turkish province of Samsun.



Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak said on January 7 that the crew of the Volga Balt 214 vessel included 11 Ukrainians, as well as two citizens of Azerbaijan.

Kaymak said a total of six crewmen died and seven others had been rescued and taken to a hospital.



There was no immediate information available about the nationalities of the other two crew members who died.

With reporting by Hurriyet, AP, and Memurlar.net
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An Azerbaijani blogger was locked up after questioning President Ilham Aliyev's decision to make his wife vice president. Mehman Huseynov could now face years more in prison on charges of assaulting a prison officer.
Lieutenant General Aung Win Oo (2nd R), chief of the Myanmar Police Force, visits an injured border policeman in a hospital in Buthidaung township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Jan. 7, 2019.

The Arakan Army on Tuesday denied that it is allied with a Rohingya Muslim militant group and objected to a Myanmar government spokesmans warning to its supporters not to back the insurgent organization after it conducted deadly attacks on police outposts in northern Rakhine state last week.

Coordinated assaults by the AA on four police outposts in Buthidaung township on Jan. 4 left 13 policemen dead and injured nine others. The rebel army said it lost three of its soldiers in the violence.

At a news conference on Monday, Presidents Office spokesman Zaw Htay accused the AA of having ties to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Muslim militant group that in August 2017 launched deadly assaults on 30 police outposts and an army base in northern Rakhine state, triggering a brutal military crackdown during which thousands were killed and more than 725,000 Rohingya fled across the border to Bangladesh.

In a statement on its website and Facebook page, the AA said Zaw Htays statements were inappropriate, viewing them as an attempt by the government and the military to stir up misunderstanding between the Arakan military groups allies and ethnic Rakhine support base.

AA commander-in-chief Major General Tun Myat Naing also posted an online message that the AA does not have any connection to ARSA.

The AA, which is fighting the Myanmar military for greater autonomy in Rakhine state, represents the regions Buddhist Rahkine ethnic group, while ARSA is a militant group that purports to speak for Muslim Rohingyas.

Rakhine ethnics said that it is impossible not to support the AA when all groups in the multiethnic but divided state want equality and the right to self-determination through military and politics means.

They also noted that Rakhine has been the poorest state in Myanmar long before AA attacked the police outposts, thereby negating Zaw Htays statement that the regions development would suffer because of the Rakhine peoples backing of the AA.

Pe Than, a lower house lawmaker from the hard-line Buddhist Arakan National Party (ANP) who represents the Myebon township constituency, said that the Rakhine people did not believe Zaw Htays remark that the AA has links to ARSA.

No Rakhine would accept the AA having ties to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, and it would never happen, he said.

If the AA tried to have ties with ARSA, only the AA would face negative consequences, he said. We dont believe these rumors. We want both sides [the government and the AA] to move forward to achieve peace instead of blaming each other.

A better way

The AA is one of 11 ethnic armed groups that have not signed the governments nationwide cease-fire accord of October 2015, an agreement inked by 10 other rebel armies to end decades of civil war in the developing country.

Fighting intensified between the AA and Myanmar Army in December after Arakan troops ambushed a military column conducting area clearance operations near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border on Monday, according to an account by the national forces. But the AA attributed the hostilities to an intrusion by the Myanmar military into an AA-controlled area to conduct operations.

Myanmar forces declared a four-month unilateral cease-fire on Dec. 21 in five military regions in a bid to breathe life into the country's teetering peace process by enticing separatist ethnic armies to join talks with the central government. The cease-fire excludes Rakhine state, however.

Ann Thar Gyi, chairman of the local civil society organization Thingaha Kanlat Rakhita Aid Association, said his group will support any organization or individuals if they work for development in Rakhine state.

The government is talking about development in Rakhine only after having all this fighting in Rakhine, he said. Its like they are saying just what they want to say without thinking about peoples interests.

Hla Myint, spokesman for the Arakan League for Democracy (ALD), another political party active in Rakhine state, said Zaw Htays comments at the press conference would drive people away from the government.

I believe it would be better to find a better way to resolve the problem, he said. Local people in the rural areas have been afraid of both the military as well as of the AA all their lives.

Kyaukphyu resident Tun Kyi told RFAs Myanmar Service that he was disappointed with Zaw Htays words.

We have not only the AA as an armed group, but also all other ethnic minorities have their armed groups in the country, and they have been fighting with government army, he said.

No ethnic minority will listen to government telling them not to support their armed groups, he said. People in Kachin state support the KIA [Kachin Independence Army], and people in Rakhine will support the Rakhine armed group, the AA.

Visit by journalists

Meanwhile, a group of journalists on a government-sponsored trip to northern Rakhine on Monday talked to villagers and police officers about the deadly attacks by the AA.

Reporters from RFA, Voice of America, Democratic Voice of Burma, Mizzima and the Myanmar Times arrived in Maungdaw township, adjacent to Buthidaung, by military helicopter along with Lieutenant General Aung Win Oo, chief of the Myanmar Police Force, and Khin Maung Tin, deputy minister of the State Counselors Office.

A policeman from the Kahtee Hla police outpost, one of the four stations the AA attacked, told them that their barking dogs alerted police to the approaching insurgents.

They opened fire with heavy weapons, and we responded with heavy weapons, he said. We were engaged in defense for three hours because they had more troops and better weapons. We were very afraid because we never experienced anything like this before.

Police Sergeant Win Ko from the Kahtee Hla outpost said that some Rakhine villagers were seen with the AA troops during the attack.

We serve here to protect the Rakhine people, but they helped the AA attack us, he said, adding that villagers were definitely involved in assaults on the police outpost.

Police Brigadier General Myint Toe, commander of the Border Guard Police Force No. 1, told the reporters that police are now working with the military on ensuring stability in the restive region.

Reported by Wai Mar Tun and Min Thein Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Vehicles and motorbikes line up in Myanmar to pass through a border crossing to China in an undated photo.

Myanmars deputy commerce minister met Chinas ambassador to the country on Monday in Naypyidaw to discuss the reopening of the busy border crossing at Muse in northern Shan state for trucks carrying Myanmar produce and seafood, whose closure in December caused hardship for traders.

Deputy Commerce Minister Aung Htoo and a delegation from the Chinese embassy on Monday agreed to extend operating hours at the alternative Kyukok-Pansai border crossing and to add two additional lanes there to let trucks pass while the Kyin San Kyawt passage north of Muse township remains closed.

Minister of Commerce Than Myint, who also attended the meeting, said officially designating Kyin San Kyawt as a regular border gate would relieve traffic congestion between the countries during the watermelon and muskmelon season, Myanmar News Agency reported.

The Kyin San Kyawt crossing is used only to transport fruit and seafood export from Myanmar into China.

When Myanmar soldiers first shut down the crossing on Dec. 27 but gave no reason for the closure, more than 1,000 Myanmar trucks carrying mainly watermelon to China eventually became stranded, causing huge financial losses for farmers and fruit dealers, those involved in the business said.

But some dealers blamed the border closure on Chinese authorities responsible for inspecting the contents of the vehicles, citing a lack of manpower, though it later came to light that their use of advanced security measures such as fingerprinting and facial recognition had caused delays.

It was later disclosed that Myanmar shut down the Kyin San Kyawt checkpoint on its side of the border as a security measure after an armed group attacked a local peoples militia, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported.

As a result, trucks had to be redirected to the Kyukok-Pansai border crossing  an unofficial passage  where they were allowed to enter the Chinese border town of Wanding in Yunnan provinces Ruili city on Dec. 29, the report said.

During the meeting, Li Xiaoyan, minister counselor from the China embassy to Myanmar, discussed efforts to officially open the Kyin San Kyawt border crossing and plan to decrease traffic congestion by increasing cargo inspection times and assigning more inspectors, Myanmar News Agency reported.

The Chinese side also said it would work with Myanmar to increase the number of border passages between the two countries and to quickly reopen the Kyin San Kyawt crossing gate, the report said.

Naing Win, chairman of the Myanmar Watermelon and Muskmelon Producers and Exporters Association, told RFAs Myanmar Service that Myanmars Ministry of Commerce informed his organization that both sides agreed to increase hours at the Kyukok-Pansai border crossing and add two more lanes at the checkpoint.

RFA called the Yan Naing Htun, the ministrys permanent secretary, for comment, but was unable to reach him.

Fruit traders meanwhile say more than 1,000 trucks have spent hours lined up in the rain to pass through the Kyukok-Pansai crossing which has only two lanes for people and goods passing in both directions between 6 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Only 250 trucks can enter China through the crossing each day, they said.

Reported by Thiri Min Zin for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A vehicle in the motorcade of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is seen in Beijing on Jan. 8, 2019, after Kim arrived in the Chinese capital on an unannounced visit for talks with President Xi Jinping, as preparations ramp up for an expected second summit with US President Donald Trump.

Kim Jong Uns fourth visit to China is an indication that North Koreas leader is preparing for another summit with President Donald Trump, but this weeks visit is also meant to send the message that China and North Korea have strategic ties that Washington cannot ignore, analysts said on Tuesday.

According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kims sojourn in China is to last from Jan. 7-10 and will center on meetings with Chinas President Xi Jinping, likely to discuss strategy ahead of negotiations with the United States.

Kims first diplomatic foray of 2019, followed a hectic year of Korean peninsula diplomacy last year, with Kim also meeting South Korean President Moon Jae-in three times and holding a high-profile Singapore summit with Trump in June.

Key points expected to be discussed at a proposed second North Korea-U.S. summit are North Koreas denuclearization, addressed in Singapore in a vaguely worded pledge.

With progress on nuclear issues stalled, Kim has started to demand relief from sanctions implemented under U.N. Security Council resolutions in response to Pyongyangs repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests over the past decade.

Experts say that this visit also underscores that China has a major role to play in U.S. negotiations with North Korea and that Chinese involvement in North Korean issues could be used by Beijing as a bargaining chip in tense trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.

This is another example of Kim Jong Un taking advantage of the situation in Washington and going to China not only to get permission from Xi Jinping but to send an underlying message to Washington, to Trump being that hey, youre not the only game in town. I have this big China card. So I think there is a dual message there, said Joseph Yun, Senior Adviser to the Asia Program at the US Institute for Peace.

Essentially this is pretty much the repeat of last year, when he went to China to get the green light from Xi Jinping that it is okay to have another summit, with Trump, said Yun, a retired U.S. diplomat who was speaking on a panel in Washington on Northeast Asia strategy in 2019.

I do think that a second summit will be arranged quite soon, probably at the end of February or early March, he added.

Former U.S. ambassador to South Korea Kathleen Stephens told the same panel that the Kim-Xi meeting showed the importance of the U.S. working closely with other governments in dealing with North Korean issues.

We need to deepen the process of consultations with Seoul and also with others in the region, said Stephens, president and CEO of the Washington-based Korea Economic Institute of America.

Kim Jong Un going to China is a reminder, and probably a very explicit one, that China has both equity and influence in this, she said.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill told RFAs Korean Service that this weeks meetings in Beijing are part of the process of warming between North Korea and China.

China is not happy with the way the U.S. has pursued [the nuclear] issue. The U.S. has gone on the bilateral track and ignored other players in the region, especially China, said Hill.

Hill expressed concern that the Chinese may be pressing on Kim their view that the U.S. should remove its 28,000 troops from South Korea as part of any settlement and they may attempt to encourage him to stick to that point in negotiations with Trump.

Meanwhile, Bruce Bennett, a researcher for the RAND Corporation, said of the meeting, Kim has been clearly preparing for his second summit meeting with President Trump.

I think that Kim is worried that the President will tell him enough is enough. Its time for Kim to stop stalling on denuclearization, he said.

Kim wants Chinas support. Kim also wants China to relax economic sanctions against North Korea, because China is North Koreas major trading partner. Any action it takes to relax sanctions could make a major difference for North Korea, said Bennett.

Across the pond

Experts in South Korea seemed to agree with the assessments of their U.S. counterparts.

Professor Shin Sangjin of Kwangwoon University said, Kims visit to China indicates that another U.S.-North Korea summit will happen soon, especially since President Trump has been saying possible locations are being discussed.

Kim wants to maximize his leverage in negotiations with the U.S. Also I think that North Korea is aiming to deliver a clear message that China strongly remains its cooperative ally in the region, said Shin.

Cho Han-Bum of the Korea Institute for National Unification said that the visit is in line with themes discussed by Kim during his New Years address, in which he warned that Pyongyang may change its approach to nuclear talks if Washington persists with sanctions.

[He] indicated multilateral agreements should be pursued to build a permanent peace regime, clearly implying the role of China, Cho said.

North Korea is [through the visit] boasting its improved ties with China.

Additional Reporting by Sangmin Lee and Yong Jae Mok for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Yewon Ji.
Authorities in the Chinese capital have sentenced citizen journalist Ding Lingjie and two petitioners to jail for making a video 'mocking' President Xi Jinping during a holiday season crackdown on dissent.



Ding was tried alongside petitioners Li Xuehui and Wang Fengxian by the Shijingshan District People's Court in Beijing on Dec. 28, the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) network said in a statement on its website.



All three were handed 20-month jail terms after being found guilty of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," the group, which compiles and translates reports from rights activists inside China, said.



Wang's sentence was suspended for two years, and it was unclear if she had any role in the video. However, her elderly mother took part in the clip.



The case against the three hinged on a video clip shot by Li that the authorities said had "insulted a national leader" by mocking Xi.



Ding's lawyer Ren Quanniu said his client plans to appeal the jail term, although the vast majority of appeals to higher courts in China result in the upholding of the initial verdict and sentence.



"All three defendants pleaded not guilty ... and also expressed dissatisfaction, as part of their individual defenses, with the verdict and sentence," Ren said.



He said there had been a strong police presence outside the court buildings during the sentencing hearing.



"The Beijing authorities dispatched large numbers of police, because there were a lot of people they regard as so-called '[politically] sensitive individuals' being watched," Ren said. "There were a lot of police vehicles and officers outside the court buildings; they took this very seriously."



"Some of [the activists] were taken away from the area around the court building by the state security police," he said.



'Hostile foreign forces'

Ding, who is being held at the Shijingshan Detention Center in Beijing, had been working as an editor of the Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch website at the time of her disappearance in Shandong's Zibo city in .



Police refused to allow her lawyer to meet with her until after she had been formally arrested in , CHRD said.



Liu Feiyue, 48, who founded Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch, stood trial at Hubei's Suizhou Intermediate People's Court in on charges of "incitement to subvert state power."



Xi has repeatedly warned against "hostile foreign forces" attempting to overthrow the ruling Chinese Communist Party by infiltrating China with "Western" religious practices and ideas like democracy, constitutional government, and human rights.



Liu was among more than 300 lawyers, law firm staff, rights activists, and relatives who were detained, questioned, or placed under surveillance or other restrictions in a nationwide police operation targeting the legal profession and related activists launched in July 2015.



Shandong activist Wang Jiangfeng, who was himself jailed for two years for referring to the president as "Steamed Bun Xi," said the Communist Party is terrified of the speed with which video clips can go viral.



"They are really afraid of losing power, because a lot of people in China can see all too clearly, and they want democracy," Wang said. "The Chinese Communist Party fears it would lose its power and privilege if that happened."



"That's why they use these methods to suppress people."



Wang was sentenced by the Zhaoyuan People's Court after being found guilty of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble."



He was accused of referring to the head of the ruling Chinese Communist Party as "Steamed Bun Xi" in a group message to the social media platforms WeChat and QQ. His defense attorney Zhu Shengwu was later stripped of his license to practice.



"Steamed Bun Xi" has been a banned phrase on China's tightly controlled internet since the president ordered the buns during a visit to a Beijing restaurant in , prompting petitioners to gather outside toting a placard that read "President Xi, I'd like to eat steamed buns too" in a bid to get their grievances against the government heard.



The incident sparked an online meme in which Xi was referred to jokingly as Steamed Bun Xi, in a pun on the name of a legendary Song dynasty official who fought corruption. Censors later banned the meme, deleting social media posts that contained references to it.



Reported by Wong Lok-to for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Chris Yeung (C), chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalist Association, stands next to Foreign Correspondents' Club president Florence de Changy (3rd R) and legislator Claudia Mo (2nd R) as they speak to journalists before handing over petitions to the Hong Kong government calling for an explanation of its rejection of a visa for Financial Times journalist Victor Mallet, in Hong Kong, Oct. 8, 2018.

Chinese officials offered to install bugs and surveillance equipment in the homes of foreign journalists in Hong Kong in 2016, as part of a bail-out offer to the Malaysian government's 1MDB fund that is embroiled in a massive corruption scandal, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Citing minutes from "a series of previously undisclosed meetings," the paper said ruling Chinese Communist Party officials had offered to use Beijing's clout to get third countries to drop their investigations into allegations that officials close to then-Prime Minister Najib Razak had appropriated money from the fund.

The minutes show that the Chinese officials also offered to bug the homes and offices of WSJ reporters writing about the scandal from Hong Kong, in a bid to discover their sources, it said.

Najib has denied any wrongdoing in the 1MDB affair. Yet the former Malaysian PM signed off on U.S. $34 billion of rail, pipeline and other deals with Chinese state companies, to be funded by Chinese banks and built by Chinese workers as part of President Xi Jinping's One Belt, One Road infrastructure project.

The project is controversial, with U.S. officials and other overseas analysts warning that Beijing is using the project to advance its strategic and military goals, while getting other developing countries deeply in its debt and boosting its hold over their governments.

Bruce Lui, senior journalism lecturer at the University of Hong Kong, said the offer reflects Communist Party attitudes to journalism.

"It is totally normal for the mainland authorities ... to monitor journalists, to obstruct their work, and to hide [things] from them," Lui said. "If this report is accurate, it would be entirely in keeping with [those methods]."

"There are many areas in which 'one country' trumps 'two systems'," he said, referring to China's promises that Hong Kong would remain a separate jurisdiction under the "one country, two systems" formula after the 1997 handover to Beijing, however.

Democratic Party lawmaker James To, deputy chair of the security committee of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo), said the report was a matter of concern.

"The central government does have the ability to act in this way in Hong Kong, but under Hong Kong's system, it has no right to go looking for journalists' details, whether or not it's to advance their diplomatic interests," To said.

"This is a crime under laws governing the use of communications," he said.

RFA contacted the offices of chief executive Carrie Lam and the secretary for security John Lee on Tuesday, but neither had responded to requests for comment by the time of writing.

The lovely people at Wen Wei Po

The revelations come after Kevin Carrico, a lecturer at Macquarie University in Australia, reported being followed throughout a trip to Hong Kong by the pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po newspaper, which ran a front-page story about his visits to local political figures.

"The lovely people at Wen Wei Po stalked me for a week and wrote a cover story about me once I left HK," Carrico wrote after returning to Australia.

"Another overseas pro-independence scholar comes to Hong Kong to teach independence theory in the name of tourism!" the headline read.

Hong Kong was formerly regarded as a bastion of press freedom, with many international news organizations stationing regional editors and correspondents in the city.

But the rejection last October of a visa renewal application from Victor Mallet, the Financial Times' Hong Kong-based Asia editor, after he hosted a lunch event at the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) at which pro-independence politician Andy Chan was the speaker signaled a sea change for journalists there.

Mallet defended the FCC event in the face of open criticism and requests to cancel Chan's appearance. His visa renewal was later rejected without explanation, and he was given just seven days to leave the city, and later turned away when he tried to re-enter as a visitor.

Alvin Yeung, who heads Hong Kong's Civic party, called on the Hong Kong government to clarify the situation.

"We are talking about public security officials in mainland China, who think that they are free to enter ordinary offices and homes in Hong Kong to set up surveillance," Yeung said. "Does the Hong Kong government know nothing about this, or is it acquiescing in their actions?"

Yeung said agents of the Chinese state have already engaged in suspected cross-border law enforcement, citing the case of U.K. national Lee Po, who was removed from his place of work in Hong Kong in 2015 and later showed up in police detention across the internal border in mainland China.

"If this report is true, it indicates that [the Chinese authorities] couldn't care less about 'one country, two systems'," he said.

A U.S. State Department policy report on Hong Kong said last May that the ruling Chinese Communist Party says one thing and does another when it comes to Hong Kong, often acting in ways that are inconsistent with the city's promised freedom to govern its own affairs.

Repeated comments from Chinese officials asserting the supremacy of the Chinese constitution last year served to "dilute" the concept of a "high degree of autonomy" enshrined in the 1984 Sino-British handover treaty and the city's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, the report said.

Murky circumstances

Hong Kong's Causeway Bay Books store made world headlines in 2015 when five of its staff members went missing in the course of two or three months.

Swedish national Gui Minhai, who headed the Mighty Current publishing house that owned Causeway Bay Books, "disappeared" under murky circumstances from his holiday home in Pattaya, Thailand on October 2015, only to reappear in China "confessing" on video to a decade-old alleged drunk-driving offense.

He now faces further charges of spying after being snatched from a train as he traveled to Beijing in the company of Swedish diplomats.

In the months that followed, store manager and British national Lee Bo, 65, went missing from his workplace in Hong Kong, and the group's general manager Lui Bo (also spelled Lui Por) and colleagues Cheung Chi-ping and Lam Wing-kei were also all detained.

They later resurfaced in China, which accused them of selling "banned books" in Hong Kong to customers across the internal border in mainland China.

Reported by Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Gao Feng for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
UPDATED at 1:25 P.M. EST on 2019-01-09



At least two senior officials from Cambodias opposition who were barred from politics said they will seek a pardon to have their rights reinstated after King Norodom Sihamoni approved an amendment to the countrys law on political parties on Tuesday.



Kong Koam, the former president of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), and his son Kong Bora, a former senior official with the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), said they will ask for individual pardons on Wednesday to resume political activities, according to a condition Prime Minister Hun Sen has said must be met before they can take advantage of the new amendment to overturn their ban.



The reason I will request to be pardoned is because I cant stay an outlaw, Kong Bora told RFAs Khmer Service, adding that he had never violated any law. His father, whose SRP merged with the Human Rights Party (HRP) to form the CNRP ahead of Cambodias 2013 ballot, could not be reached for comment.



The two were among 118 officials slapped with a five-year suspension of political rights as part of a decision by the Supreme Court in November 2017 to dissolve the CNRP for its role in an alleged plot to topple the government.



Prime Minister Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) effectively ran uncontested in Cambodias July 29 general election and won all 125 seats in parliament, drawing condemnation from Western nations who called the ballot unfree and unfair amid the crackdown on the opposition and other rollbacks on democracy.



In late December, Hun Sens Constitutional Council unanimously approved an amendment to the draft law on political parties proposed by the one-party parliament, paving the way for the reinstatement of political rights to the 118 CNRP officials, in what was widely seen as a bid to ease international pressure on his government.



On Tuesday, the king signed off on the legislation, which does not provide for the reestablishment of the CNRP, and which Hun Sen has said will only allow the opposition officials to return to politics if they each make an individual request for a pardon.



Critics have called it a trap aimed at fracturing the CNRP.



Call to remain strong



Meanwhile, CNRP acting president Sam Rainsy, who is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a string of convictions issued by courts seen as beholden to Hun Sen, urged the 118 senior CNRP officials to reject the prime ministers demand that they request pardons, calling it a trick in a post to his Facebook page.



I call on the 118 CNRP officials to remain strong, not to fall into Hun Sen's trap, and not to unknowingly serve the current dictatorship, he wrote.



Please follow the example of [other CNRP members] who have been released from jail and vowed to continue our righteous fight for freedom and democracy.



Sam Rainsy said that the officials should wait until Hun Sen agrees to reinstate the CNRP, release the partys president Kem Sokhawho is under house arrest facing charges of treasonand call for a new election that includes all parties.



CPP spokesman Sok Ey San said Tuesday that with the amendment to the law on political parties approved, his party is waiting for former CNRP officials with open arms.



The door has been openedall we are waiting for is people to come, he said.



Hun Sen has regularly called on CNRP officials to defect since their party was dissolved and recently suggested that increasing the number of local level government positions in Cambodia would entice formerly elected opposition members to return to politics with the CPP.



Last week, parliament approved draft laws to increase the number of positions, but observers have said the current amount is sufficient, and that existing councilors should instead be made more effective through better training and increased budgets.



Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.



CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report incorrectly referred to Kong Koam as a former senior CNRP official.


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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
Marc Bradley, external and constituent affairs director

Age: 41

Education: St. Lawrence University

Experience: Campaign manager for Ned Lamont

Salary: $100,000

Lives: Norwalk

He will lead outreach to constituents across the state, including community leaders and local elected officials. He previously served as Lamonts campaign manager, and also worked as a senior adviser to Lamont during his 2006 run for U.S. Senate.

Robert W. Clark, chief legal adviser

Age: 47

Education: University of Connecticut and UConn School of Law

Experience: A former longtime assistant state attorney general and special counsel to outgoing Attorney General George Jepsen, Clark worked for the Hartford-based Day, Berry & Howard law firm.

Salary: $165,000

Lives: Durham

He will oversee legal operations for the office of the governor and will be a top adviser to the governor.

Rollin Cook, commissioner of the Department of Correction

Age: 51

Education: Columbia College (Missouri); University of Phoenix.

Experience: Most recently executive director of the Utah Department of Corrections. Began prison career as a corrections officer and advanced through the ranks.

Salary: $167,500

Lives: Wethersfield

Cook will head the Connecticut prison system and comes to the Lamont administration as a reformer with a national reputation, expected to continue reforms started under Malloy.

Ryan Drajewicz, chief of staff

Age: 39

Education: Barry University (Miami)

Experience: Special assistant to former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd; Senior management at Bridgewater Associates

Salary: $155,000

Lives: Fairfield

Drajewicz has spent his entire professional career working arm-in-arm with two of the most powerful men in America, becoming one of their most trusted confidants. Now he enters the same role for Lamont, but dont expect him to be a public face, though he will certainly play an influential role in the Lamont administration.

Vannessa Dorantes, commissioner of the Department of Children and Families

Age: 49

Education: Teikyo Post University, Waterbury; masters from the University of Connecticut

Experience: 27 years in the department, most recently as a regional administrator

Salary: $172,291

Lives: Bristol

DCFs first African-American commissioner, Dorantes has deep experience in social work between her job at the Department and as an adjunct professor of social work at Central Connecticut State University.

Katie Dykes, commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Age: 41

Education: Undergraduate degree at Yale and law degree from Yale Law School.

Experience: Served as DEEP deputy commissioner for energy; general counsel for the White House Council on Environmental Quality; and legal adviser to the general counsel for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Salary: $175,000

Lives: West Hartford

Dykes will run an agency charged with protecting the environment, fining polluters and enforcing the states energy policies, including awarding contracts for clean power.

Joseph Giulietti, commissioner of the Department of Transportation

Age: 66

Education: B.A. Southern Connecticut State University, MBA at the University of Connecticut in progress

Experience: former president of Metro North

Salary: $240,000

Lives: Coral Springs, Fla. When we spoke in late December, he was starting to house shop in Connecticut.

Giulietti, whose selection signifies Lamonts commitment to rail, is respected for improving Metro-Norths safety and reputation after a series of accidents in Bridgeport, New Haven and the Bronx in 2013 and 2014.

Colleen Flanagan Johnson, senior adviser to the governor

Age: 36

Education: B.A. University of Connecticut

Experience: Executive communications leader for Cignas chief marketing officer

Salary: $150,000

Lives: West Hartford

Johnson was Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's first communications director, and held the same post with U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut.

Maribel La Luz, communications director

Age: 43

Education: The New School, New York; also holds a masters degree in secondary education

Experience: Communications director for the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. Held the same job for the city of Hartford under former Mayor Pedro Segarra.

Salary: NA

Lives: Hartford

La Luz will be the primary spokesperson for Lamont and his office, and will direct a team that manages the flow of information about Lamonts policies and activities.

Melissa McCaw, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management

Age: 39

Education: Wesleyan University, B.A.; also holds a masters in public administration from UConn

Experience: Was chief financial officer and budget director for the city of Hartford for the last three years. Previously worked in budget roles at the University of Hartford and OPM, the office she will now head.

Salary: $198,000

Lives: Hartford

McCaw will be the states chief budget official, responsible for creating the governors budget and also for a variety of policies across the executive branch including finance, criminal justice and outreach to municipalities.

Paul Mounds, chief operating officer

Age: 33

Education: Trinity College

Experience: Former director of policy for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and most recently was vice president of policy and communications for the Connecticut Health Foundation. Also worked for U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn.

Salary: $120,000

Lives: Glastonbury

Mounds, in the new position of COO, will coordinate state agencies and the way they serve the public.

James Rovella, commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection

Age: 60

Education: Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, University of Hartford

Experience: Retired police chief for the City of Hartford

Salary: $183,340

Lives: Hartford

He retired earlier this year and took a job as head of the police force at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection before being tapped by Lamont for the commissioner post.

Chris Soto, legislative affairs director

Age: 37

Education: Bachelors in operations research from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and a masters in public affairs from Brown University

Experience: One-term Democratic state representative for New London

Salary: $100,000

Lives: New London

Soto, a well-regarded young legislator, will resign his position in the House before the legislature opens its 2019 session, creating a vacancy to be filled by a special election.
WEST HAVEN  The great West Haven ramen desert is a desert no longer: Iishin Ramen Bar, the citys first purveyor of tasty, steamy Japanese ramen noodle soup, has opened on Captain Thomas Boulevard near the beach.

The restaurant features many key ingredients they make from scratch in-house  including house-made dumplings and their own tofu and soy sauce. It is located in the high-visibility spot that once was Savin Rock Roasting Co.

So far, West Haveners are slurping it up.

Partners Johnny Chen, Penny Gao and Andy Xu  all young Chinese Americans with a strong appreciation for Japanese food and culture  opened the renovated restaurant at 291 Capt. Thomas Blvd. about four weeks ago, said Chen on Friday.

Why?

We love Japanese culture, said Chen, the restaurants head chef, who was born in the Fujian province of southern China. He grew up since age 11 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to West Haven about two years ago.

There are several ramen restaurants in neighboring communities, including Midnight Ramen (Anaya Sushi & Ramen), Mecha Noodle Bar, Kuro Shiro in New Haven, Noodle House in both Orange and the Amity section of New Haven, and Hokkaido Ramen in Orange.

And in West Haven, I dont see anything (Japanese) besides the sushi, he said, making references to Sushi X  located across the street in the Savin Rock Parkade shopping center  and Daiko Japanese Restaurant & Jerry-Sans Sushi Bar on Derby Avenue.

Sushi X is owned by members of Gaos family, Chen said.

Savin Rock Roasting Co. remains open in its new location just west of Iishin at 305 Captain Thomas Blvd.

Among the things that attracted the partners to the Captain Thomas Boulevard location was the fact that its by the beach, said Chen. He said they hope to have outdoor seating in the summer, just as Savin Rock Roasting Co. used to.

The partners are proud of what theyve done so far, but are still seeking opinions from diners to see if anything could be tweaked or improved.

Chen, who runs Iishins kitchen, and Gao, who runs the front of the house, both went to Tokyo and spent two years working in a ramen restaurant there to learn about the business and get ready to open Iishin, said Chen.

In Japan ... when people have ramen, they feel warm and happy, Chen said. Thats what I try to do here.

At Iishin, almost everything is homemade, said Gao.

Iishins menu is built around tasty appetizers and big, steamy black ceramic bowls of ramen noodle soup made with several different broths.

They include Signature Iishin Ramen made with straight noodles swimming in Tonkotsu pork bone broth simmered for more than 24 hours and topped with marinated chashu pork, wood ear mushrooms, seasoned bamboo shoots, scallions, nori dried seaweed and marinated boiled egg.

Iishin also served Tonkatsu Spicy, Tonkatsu Black made with a homemade black garlic oil and both spicy and less-spicy Miso Ramen, as well as Shoyu Ramen and Shio Ramen, both made with a chicken broth, and vegetarian Shoyu and Shio ramen. The latter four are served with wavy noodles.

Iishin also offers several rice bowls  including Unadon (barbecued eel.)

Its appetizers range from edamame (steamed green soybeans with sea salt) and homemade yaki gyoza pan fried pork and chives dumplings to Brussels sprouts tempura, Chicken Karaage (Japanese fried chicken), pan-fried Shishito peppers with yuzu salt and a spinach, avocado and seaweed green salad.

It also offers a full bar with some inventive cocktails, including a Soho Lychee Martini, an Espresso Martini, a Sake Cosmo and a Tequila Kiwi Smash

West Haveners  many of whom have been watching and waiting for Iishin to open since its sign went up more than six months ago  have responded warmly to it so far. Social media posts on sites such as the West Haven  The Way It Is Facebook page, have been trending almost universally positive.

My husband and I went to the new noodle house where Savin (Rock) Roasters used to be. The food was absolutely delicious, the staff friendly and the atmosphere was awesome, wrote one poster on West Haven  The Way It Is. We definitely will be back. A nice, different addition to West Haven.

A commenter on another post about Iishin said, This restaurant is awesome! Good enjoyable environment.

Thursday night, Iishin got an informal visit from no less of a ramen-slurper than Mayor Nancy Rossi.

I have to tell you, everything was wonderful  from the cleanliness and beauty to the service, said Rossi, who went to Iishin for dinner with her husband, Arthur.

The food was good and the service top notch, said Rossi, who expects to do a grand opening ribbon-cutting at Iishin at some point.

It was very, very nice, she said.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo

LITCHFIELD  State Rep. David T. Wilson ,R-Litchfield, is joining his fellow colleagues in the Connecticut General Assembly in preparing for the start of the 2019 Legislative Session which convenes Wednesday and serving his second term as a lawmaker.

I am looking forward to continuing to work on behalf of the people of the 66th district and the state of Connecticut, Wilson said in a statement. Im looking forward to a busy session and Im ready to get moving. I encourage anyone who has questions or concerns regarding state government, as well as ideas for bill proposals, to contact me.
TORRINGTON  The Torrington Fire Department is continuing its investigation into the cause of a Jan. 4 fire that left one person dead and another in critical condition at Bridgeport Hospital.

On Tuesday, the department released the names of the victims: Donna Needham, 68, who died from injuries sustained in the blaze; and her husband, John Needham, 65, who remains in critical condition at this time according to a statement.
TORRINGTON  The job of a state legislator is considered a part-time job. But newly elected state Rep. Maria Horn, D-64, plans to make it a full-time commitment.

I have a family that backs me up, she said in a recent interview.

Fresh off her first Democratic Caucus meeting, where she learned the committees to which she would be assigned, Horn said I want to be a work horse, not a show horse.

In November, Horn won the seat after a recount in the state House District 64 race showed she beat Republican incumbent Brian Ohler of Canaan by 61 votes. The nine towns that comprise the 64th district, Kent, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon and Torrington, had to now recount their votes.

A former federal prosecutor, Horn said she asked to be assigned to the Judiciary Committee, which she was.

Her other appointments are vice chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, and as a member of the Environment Committee. Horn was also selected as an assistant majority leader of the state Democratic Caucus.

Marias background in the law and finance will allow her to be an effective voice on Appropriations Committee and Judiciary, Paul Summer, Torrington Democratic Town Committee Chairman, said in an email Monday. Her commitment to environmental causes and preserving the natural beauty of the 64th District will also be an asset to the Environment Committee.

Horn plans to focus on issues such as: upholding the value of individuals, the resiliency of the environment and the nature of pollution and broadband internet connectivity.

We cant do everything with the budget cuts. But we clearly must uphold the values (of community) and take care of the most vulnerable, Horn said.

In a September candidates forum, she noted that she is involved with the McCall Center for Behavioral Health.

They teach kids how to deal with stress in different ways she said. The most cost effective way (against drug abuse) is prevention.

Her dedication to environmental protection, Horn said, comes in part from living near the Salmon Kill Valley, which she said contains large portions of undeveloped land.

However, the environment in not intangible, she noted. People come for the pristine area, its an economic asset.

Visitors go white water rafting, rent canoes and go to restaurants, Horn added.

She noted a meeting this month on about invasive species, which are also an environmental and economic concern in Litchfield County.

The lack of broadband internet service, in the Northwest corner also hurts the economy and is a safety issue, Horn said. Young families wont move here, because they cant do their work, without a reliable and fast internet service.

We barely have service where I live. In some towns its so bad there is almost nothing. We can make it more possible with municipal broadband with a price point that is affordable, she said. We can bring service to the door and let municipalities choose how to use it.

Horn was one of 30 new freshmen in the legislature, she said, and 24 are Democrats.

Her successful bid in her first run for office was so close, the winner wasnt announced until more than a week after the election. .
Last updated on: January 09, 2019 10:26 IST

The 25 odd witnesses that so far had given testimony had not come up with anything incriminating against Peter or the way Shivade characterised it -- "not even a whisper."

Vaihayasi Pande Daniel reports from the Sheena Bora murder trial.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Peter and Indrani Mukherjea's pal -- he called himself a "family friend" -- Pritul Sanghavi, 48, took the witness stand for the second time on Monday, January 7, in Courtroom 51 in the Sheena Bora murder trial.

A gentle-mannered, soft-spoken but articulate man, of nearly six foot height who towered out of the box, Sanghavi stood angled towards Indrani's trial lawyer Sudeep Ratnamberdutt Pasbola, listening attentively and gravely to the questions put to him during his cross-examination.

And Pasbola bombarded him, sometimes gruffly, in quick succession with upwards of 130 questions over two hours at the Mumbai city civil and sessions court, Kala Ghoda, constructing in the bargain a fairly clear portrait of who Sanghavi was and his personal footing with Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, who were once his bosses and he was once Indrani's landlord.

No matter who the witness is, when Pasbola is in his distinctive cross-examination mode it is all very clear how the interaction will proceed.

The witness will summarily be ushered back to his school/college examination days and Pasbola will be the professor and the unlucky witness the student.

The witness, who ought to be semi-quaking in his shoes, will be ticked off and brought into line by the no-nonsense Professor Pasbola, of gravelly voice and possessing easily-summoned irritation, who will pull up his pupil multiple times for not listening to the question properly. Or answering it inadequately. Or for having forgotten his 'study portion' when a meek I-don't-know is offered up.

Pasbola will repeat an answer he has received from a witness incredulously and the thunderous disbelief in his voice might hastily goad the witness into revising his answer.

The professor-student session with Sanghavi got off to an even start on Monday.

Sanghavi vigilantly and methodically replied to each of Pasbola's queries, taking care to ensure that his answers were as precise as possible.

He didn't ever lose his equanimity, which he seemed to have a lot of. Or his cool, batting down the questions in a measured way, like each of them were fast balls and he was Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease.

Certain aspects of the picture that emerged through Pasbola's efforts were critical.

Sanghavi, wearing a blue shirt, jeans and white trainers (and one ring less) on Monday, had not been interrogated by the Khar police station, north west Mumbai, that initially handled the case.

He had been brought onto the scene after the CBI took over the investigation and had been questioned in early 2016 on one occasion.

Why had the CBI felt it necessary to introduce him as a witness?

Sanghavi, who had worked at the Mukerjeas's INX Services and INX Executive Search for over eight years, runs a recruitment and management firm named Anekin Management Consultants Pvt Ltd. It has an insurance advisors recruitment division called Bima Business, which has an office at Koregaon Park, Pune, and at Vile Parle East, north west Mumbai.

Pasbola enquired about the landline numbers Bima's Vile Parle office owned and seemed satisfied with the answers he received.

And then Sameer Buddha's name came up.

Periodically, Buddha, a security officer by profession and the brother of Sohail Buddha, a former Mumbai police officer and former Star India employee (the company Peter helmed), has made an entry at odd, you-can-hear-the-penny-drop moments, ever since this trial began in February 2017, in the cross examinations of some of the 25 plus witnesses who have given their testimony till date.

Pasbola wanted to know if Sanghavi knew Buddha.

Sanghavi: "Yes, he was a colleague."

Pasbola: "Was he in any way connected with Anekin Management Consultants? Part-time (capacity)? A consultant?"

Sanghavi emphatically: "No. No."

Pasbola dredged around a bit further to uncover what Sanghavi knew about Buddha.

Did he know when Buddha had started work at INX or the nature of his work and his designation?

Had he been aware that Buddha's brother was Sohail?

Sanghavi's answers while not exactly disdainful hinted that somehow and for whatever reason he did not hold Buddha in any special regard.

Pasbola: "Were you friendly with Mr Buddha?"

Sanghavi: "As a colleague, yes."

After a pause, he qualified, "Friendly. Not very friendly."

His peculiar down-tilting eyes crinkled and a slow, shadowy smile emerged that CBI Special Judge Jayendra Chandrasen Jagdale also observed curiously.

Had Sanghvi known the Mukerjeas's driver Shyamvar Pinturam Rai, Accused No 3 and approver?

Had he had any interaction with Rai ever since he left INX?

Sanghavi said he had not.

Pasbola: "Between January 5, 2012 and May 8, 2012 there were seven calls made from your office's (Bima) landline to Shyamvar Rai's mobile..."

Sanghavi started to reply.

Pasbola sternly, scolding him, "I am not asking you a question yet. Listen very carefully. You had made such calls?"

Sanghavi in a definite tone: "No."

"In your office was there anyone who knew Shyamvar Rai?"

Sanghavi thought for less than a second and said, "Yes. Two people. Fazal Mogul. Nagma Kamran."

Later he revised that to say that four of the employees at his office were originally from INX and would have known Rai.

A few questions later, Pasbola solemnly queried: "Do you know that on April 24, 2012 (the day Sheena was murdered), at 1.47 pm and 1.53 pm two long calls were made of 365 seconds and 386 seconds to Shyamvar Rai from your office?"

Sanghavi equally sombrely: "No. I have not made them."

Pasbola loudly and angrily exploded: "Someone was making the calls!"

His accusation startled Sanghavi.

CBI Special Prosecutor Bharat B Badami interceded and turned to Pasbola: "Shanti."

Judge Jagdale echoed: "Shanti."

Badami to Sanghavi: "Look that side. Don't look at him."

Pasbola truly puzzled: "I can't raise my voice?!"

The judge specified: "Not to the witness. A witness is a guest of the court."

Badami again suggested to Sanghavi that he needn't look at Pasbola.

Pasbola demanded, bristling: "What is this? I can't talk to the witness?"

Judge Jagdale tendered further words of advice to calm Pasbola and concluded with: "He has taken an oath to tell the truth."

Badami, who deliberately attempts to shake up things with his humour, came back with a reply that stumped the judge, the witness and everyone else: "I don't know what oath and all."

At that moment, Indrani, swathed entirely in white, raised her hand and Pasbola was notified that his client wished to speak to him.

Pasbola: "Kai zala? (What happened??)" and Indrani scurried to the front to murmur something to him and her other lawyer Gunjan Mangla.

The advocate turned his line of questioning, maybe after Indrani's whispered suggestions, to Sanghavi's encounters with Sheena.

He dwelled for a long while -- over about 20 to 25 questions -- on the visit Sanghavi had apparently made to a Khar Danda building, north west Mumbai, in 2008 (which he described in his testimony on Thursday) at the behest of one or both of the Mukerjeas to help them "separate" Sheena (then 21) and Rahul Mukerjea, Peter's second son from his first marriage, with whom Sheena was in a relationship with. They were apparently living together in a flat at this Khar Danda address.

Sanghavi had said on Thursday that the Mukerjeas were able to break up the relationship and Peter had taken Rahul home that day and Indrani took Sheena.

When Pasbola narrowly grilled Sanghavi on the actual details of that incident, his facts were vague and he had little or no first-hand information -- be it the dates, the place, the building, the address.

It transpired that he had not actually even seen Sheena leave with Indrani or Rahul depart with Peter, as said in his testimony.

The cross-examination moved on to what Sanghavi knew about what could only be described as Sheena's various bordering-on-wild exploits. After moving to Mumbai from Guwahati or perhaps it was Delhi, Indrani's eldest child had moved in as a PG into a flat at Churchgate, south Mumbai, along with INX employee Radhika Radia and another woman named Vibhuti.

Sanghavi had visited the Churchgate flat a couple of times to meet Radhika. He agreed that the topic of Sheena's relationship with Rahul had figured as conversation between him and Radhika and/or Indrani and Peter.

Pasbola: "Would it be correct to say that Sheena was missing from the PG of Radhika for about three weeks?"

Sanghavi, with an apologetic smile: "I don't remember."

Pasbola: "Would it be correct to say that Sheena was seen in a nightclub with Rahul and they were snorting (Pasbola fumbled for the name of the drug) cocaine?"

Sanghavi tersely: "Yes."

At the back, Indrani, on her feet, added sharply: "Yes!"

The judge, while dictating this answer to the court stenographer, stumbled with the terminology and looked at the lawyer: "Snort?"

Pasbola explained in Marathi: "Nakatoon ghetat (stuff up the nose)." Discreet smiles erupted in the courtroom.

The lawyer further queried: "Would it be correct to say that Sheena was staying with Rahul and falsely telling them (Radhika and Vibhuti) that she was staying at Marlow preparing for examinations?"

Sanghavi said he did not remember

Pasbola: "Would it be correct to say that as a family friend you immediately brought this (the cocaine incident) to the notice of Indrani and Peter?"

Sanghavi confirmed forcefully that he had.

Pasbola: "And upon being informed Indrani was concerned with the welfare of Sheena?"

Sanghavi agreed.

A few questions later, Pasbola asked: "Sheena and Rahul were related by the marriage of Indrani and Peter. Therefore, it was not proper on their part to have any relationship?"

Sanghavi: "Yes."

Indrani, often acting as her own lawyer, was on her feet again in the accused box at the back and nodded her head vigorously and uttered a loud: "Yes."

Judge Jagdale to Sanghavi: "It is your opinion?" He later added: "They have no real sister-brother connection?"

Pasbola concurred: "Technically." Getting highfalutin, he announced: "No consanguinity."

Peter's lawyer Shrikant Shivade went into an explanation that each family had its own mores/"standards" and views of what they considered acceptable.

Judge Jagdale: "60, 70 years ago (maybe I can understand). But this has happened now" and he added that morals in India had modernised considerably.

Both Peter and Indrani listened to him carefully, although at the back probably very little of the judge's gentle observation would have been audible.

After another dozen to two dozen more questions, Pasbola wound up his cross-examination levelling a few accusations at Sanghavi. He charged that Indrani had never introduced Sheena to him as her sister (as said in the testimony on Thursday).

That Sanghavi has never been to Khar Danda that day in 2008 and that the whole incident had been fabricated entirely.

Sanghavi's face broke into a big smile. He looked unbelievingly at Pasbola and then at Badami.

Pasbola declared that Sheena was not living with Rahul at Khar Danda in 2008.

Sanghavi: "I disagree."

Finally, Pasbola stated dramatically: "I put it to you that Sameer Buddha was using your office landline to make calls."

He went on to add that Rai received calls from Buddha at the Bima Business office and "Mr Sanghavi you are falsely deposing that there were other employees who knew Shyamvar Rai."

Sanghavi, looking none too surprised, digested the last charges silently.

Shivade took over the cross-examination some five minutes later.

He had about five questions for Sanghavi.

Shivade: "Is it correct to say that Rahul was not earning or employed anywhere at that given time?"

Sanghavi agreed.

Shivade: "This was the main reason why Peter (was against Rahul's relationship with Sheena)?"

Sanghavi: "Yes, if there were any other reasons I don't know."

Shivade: "That was the main reason. Peter wanted Rahul to get settled in life first."

Sanghavi said that that was maybe one of the reasons and he didn't know of any other.

A question or two later, Pritul Sanghavi was done and the cross examination came to an end.

Sanghavi once again requested permission to meet the Mukerjeas at the back of the courtroom. He was given a few minutes with them. Sanghavi hugged both Indrani and Peter and they look delighted to see him and they spent about five minutes catching up.

He showed a few pictures on his phone to the couple too and then the CBI representative, the mutton-chop whiskered Durga Singh Bisht, escorted Sanghavi out.

Meanwhile, up front, Badami and Shivade and Mangla began bickering about not having received the name of the next witness, who would be produced on January 11.

Shivade: "The witness list is already known. If someone wanted to tamper with the witnesses they could have tampered long ago. This is not a TADA or MCOCA case where the names of witnesses are secret."

The judge told Badami that he had received an order from the chief justice of the Bombay high court that all CBI cases had to be speeded up.

Badami heard him and offered an ambiguous reply: "That is there."

Shivade remonstrated to the judge that the prosecution had 200 witnesses to produce and only one-eighth had so far appeared. "It will take 10 years!"

The judge looked appalled. And declared that was impossible.

Shivade said it would at least be two or three years.

Judge Jagdale asked the normally jaunty Badami to give them some estimation of how long the trial would take. Looking grim, Badami promised to come back with an assessment.

It was nearly 4 pm. Accused No 1, Indrani, headed back for jail and Accused No 2, Indrani's ex-husband and Vidhie Mukerjea's dad Sanjeev Khanna, sat outside with his police guards.

Most of the courtroom emptied as two-thirds of the lawyers and policemen, who were present, left.

Shivade then started up extended arguments for Peter's bail.

He first submitted a sheaf of documents, that included coloured Google maps and scores of Call Data Record lists, supporting his arguments to the judge, mentioning the matter was a "short question" -- that is, not requiring lengthy deliberation.

Judge Jagdale looked at him, smiling but stunned: "Not a short question?! What you submitted requires one week to read!"

For the next 45 to 50 minutes, Shivade eloquently argued the case for Peter's bail before the judge and to a largely empty room.

Shivade, speaking calmly but strongly, using powerful words and sturdy logic, was persuasive and one was witness to one of the more elegant arguments that this case has seen.

Peter stood alone in the accused enclosure at the back. His sister Shangon Das Gupta sat in the front row taking notes. Judge Jagdale, often stroked his chin in thought, with hands that sported two gold rings, as he listened to Shivade and sometimes took meticulous notes.

Shivade stressed three main points.

Firstly, that many circumstances had changed since Peter had last applied for bail which was November 2016. Mainly that the 25 odd witnesses that so far had given testimony, including Accused No 3, Shyamvar Rai, had not come up with anything further incriminating against Peter or the way Shivade characterised it -- "not even a whisper."

Whatever material that could be considered incriminating did not relate to any of the three stages of planning the crime -- pre-conspiracy, act of conspiracy (the homicide and disposal of body) and post-conspiracy.

It was instead connected to Peter's alleged non-reporting of his wife's crime to the police for which the penalty was nothing more than the time Peter had already served in jail since 2015.

"The best person to speak is Sheena herself," proclaimed Shivade.

He pulled out a bunch of e-mails and also referred to Sheena's brother Mekhail Bora's testimony and cross examination, where the clip of an interview between Mekhail and then Times Now anchor Arnab Goswami was introduced in court in which Mekhail says that Sheena had no problems with Peter.

Shivade asserted: "This is from the horse's mouth."

The judge spoke up saying that one cannot conclude what was evidence or not/no longer evidence until the entire trial was completed.

Shivade reiterated that it would take at least two or three more years.

"Each forensic witness will take 20, 30 days. (Whether Sheena is) dead or not, the crux depends on slender circumstances of DNA."

He then spent half an hour dealing with the main charge against Peter made by Rai during his testimony in 2017 that Indrani had called her husband in Bristol in Britain, from the planned body disposal site, at Gagode Khurd, Raigad district, the day before the crime and said she had found a "good place" at 12.26 pm on April 23, 2012.

Painstakingly and determinedly guiding the judge through his arguments, using maps and the call records (submitted by the prosecution Shivade stressed many times) the advocate showed that Rai had made two calls that morning.

The first call, made at 10.38 am, revealed he was at Podar Hospital, Worli. The second at 11.37 am was from Nerul, New Bombay.

After that, according to Rai's testimony, he had travelled from New Bombay to Lonavala, to Bhushi dam and back to Lonavala and then to Khopoli and reached Gagode Khurd in Pen by 12.26 pm -- 49 minutes later -- from where Indrani was said to have made that call to Peter.

Shivade pronounced: "Even if you drive at maximum speed it is humanely impossible!"

The lawyer, who has not yet completed his argument for Peter's bail and will continue or rather conclude them on January 11, closed his Monday statements wondering to the judge if it was fair to "detain a person" on this kind of evidence.

As Shivade made impassioned argument after argument for Peter Mukerjea's bail and a man's freedom, one's eyes were drawn first to his sister's face that bravely hid some fierce emotions.

And then to Peter's face.

The expression fixed on his was impassive. Almost observably detached.

But that didn't hide the pain.

The tiredness.

And a sense of exhaustion.

One was reminded of the line overheard in the corridors outside the court by a relative of one of the accused in this case.

It was a request made in a dignified tone: "Rehem do (Give some compassion)."
January 08, 2019 08:14 IST

According to the records, Asia Pacific had the highest killing tally with 32, followed by the Americas with 27 killings, and the Middle East and the Arab World recording 20 cases

The year 2018 has seen some amazing works of journalism; from how Facebook sold data to how journalists in Kashmir went about their work despite facing threats.

But it also was a time of savage attacks on journalists.

As many as 94 journalists and media staff were killed in work-related incidents around the world last year, according to the International Federation of Journalists.

The new death toll marks a slight increase, up from 82 killings recorded the previous year and represents a reversal of the downward trend from the last three years.

In its 29th list released on the last day of 2018, the IFJ  which represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries  said that last years roll call of loss of lives to violence included 84 journalists, cameramen, fixers and technicians who died in targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross-fire incidents. It added that 10 other media staff members who worked as drivers, protection officers and a sales assistant also lost their lives.

According to IFJs list for 2018, armed conflict and militant extremism accounted for most journalists killings in countries like Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, while there was a steep drop in violence against journalists in Iraq since armed groups lost ground in the country.

According to the records for 2018, the Asia Pacific had the highest killing tally with 32, followed by the Americas with 27 killings, and the Middle East and the Arab World recording 20 cases. Africa comes fourth with 11 killings before Europe with four.

For more data-based journalism, click HERE
Source:

Last updated on: January 08, 2019 16:18 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump held a telephonic conversation during which they discussed the contentious issue of the US' trade deficit with India and ways to enhance cooperation in areas of defence and counter-terrorism.

During the conversation on Monday evening, the two leaders exchanged new year greetings and expressed satisfaction at the continued growth of the India-US strategic partnership in 2018.

They also appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 dialogue mechanism and the first ever trilateral summit of India, US and Japan, a statement from the prime minister's office in New Delhi said.

The two nations held the first edition of the 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi in September.

The two leaders also took positive note of the growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy, besides the co-ordination on regional and global issues, it said.

"The leaders agreed to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the US trade deficit with India," the White House said in a readout of the call.

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the US' goods and services trade with India totalled an estimated USD 126.2 billion in 2017. Exports were USD 49.4 billion; imports were USD 76.7 billion. The US goods and services trade deficit with India was USD 27.3 billion in 2017.

They also agreed to expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan, according to the White House.

India has been actively involved in the reconstruction efforts in war-ravaged Afghanistan. It has committed about USD 3 billion in assistance to Afghanistan since US-led forces toppled the Taliban regime after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

This was the first phone call between the two leaders after the tri-lateral summit meeting they had with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Buenos Aires in November on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Argentina.
Source:

Last updated on: January 08, 2019 22:05 IST

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a contentious bill seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, amid protests in north eastern states and opposition parties terming the proposed law divisive and flawed.

IMAGE: Activists take out a torch light vigil in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in Guwahati. Photograph: PTI Photo

Immediately after Home Minister Rajnath Singh introduced the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said there are flaws in the bill that does not address the Assam Accord and requested the Speaker to send it to a select committee. His party walked out after the Speaker refused to accept the demand.

Other opposition party leaders, including Trinamool Congresss Saugata Roy dubbed the bill as divisive and insidious that goes against the basic tenets of the Constitution. This is the worst form of vote-bank politics, Roy added.

Defending the bill, which he said was not Assam-centric, Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the bill was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in three neighbouring countries as they have no place to go to, except India.

Rejecting the contention that the bill sought to discriminate people on the basis of religion, Singh said, Anyone eligible under the provisions under the law will be accorded citizenship.

Seeking to assuage the concerns in the Northeast, which saw an 11-hour bandh on Tuesday against the legislation, Singh said the proposed law will not be confined to Assam alone.

The burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden. Government of India is committed to give all help to the State Government and people of Assam, he said.

IMAGE: An activist being detained by police personnel during a strike called by All Assam Students Union and the North East Students Organisation in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, in Dibrugarh. Photograph: PTI Photo

The bill provides for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of

residence in India instead of 12 years, which is the norm currently, even if they do not possess any document.

There has been a strong opposition in Assam and other north eastern states against the bill, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modis address in Silichar last Friday when he said, The Citizenship Bill is an atonement of the wrong that was done during Indias Partition. I hope this bill is passed soon in Parliament. India will safeguard all who had been victims of the Partition, making it clear that the government will bring in the bill in Parliament.

Political parties, students groups and others have been protesting on the grounds that the bill seeks to grant nationality to non-Muslims who have come up to December 31, 2014, thereby, increasing the deadline from 1971 as per the Assam accord. Also as per the accord, all illegal immigrants, irrespective of religion, have to be deported and this bill violates that, Asom Gana Parishad said while quitting the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam on Monday.

During the nearly three-hour debate, the home minister said the Union Cabinet has also approved grant of ST status to six communities of Assam namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak.

However, an official release from the Home Ministry clarified that the government has waived the requirement of cabinet approval for the bill granting ST status to these six communities.

The governments decision is being seen as a balancing act by the Centre in a bid to assuage concerns in Assam.

Agitators clashed with the police, gheraoed Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowals house at his native place in Dibrugarh, blocked national highways and damaged vehicles in Assam during the bandh.

The All Assam Students Union activists tried to ransack a BJP office in Dibrugarh, prompting security forces to resort to lathicharge and fire rubber bullets.

Protests were held in other north eastern states as also in West Bengal.

WATCH: TMC MPs protest against Citizenship Amendment Bill

Asserting that several leaders including first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were in favour of giving shelter to persecuted minorities in neighbouring countries, the home minister said pacts were signed in the past with Pakistan and Bangladesh for protection of minorities but unfortunately it has not happened.

Apart from NDA allies, Shiv Sena and Janata Dal-United, the state governments in Mizoram and Meghalaya have also opposed the bill by adopting resolutions against it.

The home minister said the migrants - Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis - were earlier given protection against legal action in 2015 and 2016.

Long-term visa provision was made for them. The amendment will make these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for citizenship, he said, adding it will be given only after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the state government.

The legislation also seeks to provide relief to persecuted migrants who have come through western borders to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, he added.

It will apply to all states and union territories and the beneficiaries will be able to reside in any part of the country.

Originally introduced in 2016, the bill was sent to the JPC, which submitted its report on Monday and based on its recommendations a fresh bill was introduced on Tuesday.

The Bill was also opposed by P R Kunhalikutty of Indian Union Muslim League, Jayprakash Narayan Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeens Asaduddin Owaisi who all contended that it was against the Constitution.
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Last updated on: January 08, 2019 23:23 IST

The bill will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

IMAGE: A screen displays the results of voting on the bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to economically backward section in the general category. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a constitutional amendment bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs for economically weak people across castes and religions, with virtually all parties supporting it despite the Opposition calling the proposed law a pre-poll stunt of the Modi government.

The bill, which the government said was historic and in the countrys interest, will now be tabled on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha where proceedings have already been extended by a day.

After a debate that continued for over four-and-a-half hours, 323 Lok Sabha members voted in support of the bill and only three voted against it, underlining the cross-party support given political significance of the proposed legislation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as also Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present when the voting took place.

In a series of tweets, Modi later thanked MPs from all parties for supporting the bill and called it a landmark moment that would ensure every poor person, irrespective of caste and creed, to get a life of dignity and access to all possible opportunities.

Being a constitutional amendment bill, it will require presence of at least half of the members even in the upper house and support from two-third of them.

Replying to the debate, Social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlotsought to allay doubts raised by opposition members about the legislations fate if it is challenged in the Supreme Court, asserting he can say with confidence that the apex court will accept it.

IMAGE: Home Minister Rajnath Singh being congratulated by other MPs after Lok Sabha passes the bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to economically backward section in the general category. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo

The Modi governments policy and intention is good and that is why it has enabled the reservation for the poor in the general category, he said, seeking support of all parties for the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019.

Your doubts are unfounded. Put them to rest, he told the opposition members, many of whom dubbed the bill as jumla (rhetoric) and gimmick, questioning its legal standing and accusingthe government of bringing it in haste with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls, which are expected in a few months.

Gehlot said the bill was in line with Prime Minister Modis assertion at the time of assuming power in 2014 that his government would be devoted to the cause of the poor and work for sabka saath sabka vikas (with all, development for all).

This is an historic decision and in the interest of the country, he said.

The proposed quota would be over and above the 50 per cent reservation already available to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Castes.

The major castes to benefit from the proposed law are Brahmins, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Bhumihars, several trading castes, Kapus and Kammas among other upper castes.

The Bharatiya Janata Party believes that if opposition parties, whose support is a must for its passage in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers, vote against it, then they will risk losing support of an influential section of society.

Sources in opposition parties said they have held parleys over their strategy for the Upper House. The Congress and the BJP have both issued a whip asking all their members to be present on Wednesday.

They said members of opposition parties are upset over the extension of Rajya Sabha proceedings by a day and will raise their protests in the house. The opposition members did not allow the upper house to do any business today as the house was adjourned six times during the day.

Sources said the Congress is supporting the bill but some other opposition parties may create hurdle in its passage in Rajya Sabha.

Influential castes such as Marathas, Kapus, Jats and Patidars have hit the streets in the past few years, seeking reservation benefits. Their protests at times have turned violent.

IMAGE: Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot shows victory sign after Lok Sabha passes the bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to economically backward section. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo

Political watchers believe that sections of upper castes had drifted from the party of late following its aggressive push to win over backward classes and Dalits, and the bill will help the party to win them over.

The BJP had lost to the Congress in three states, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, where it was in power.

BJP chief Amit Shah described the bill as a gift to youths from poor families and said it is a lesson for political parties doing appeasement politics for years.

In Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley rejected suggestions that the measure may fall foul of a Supreme Court judgment putting a cap of 50 per cent and said the bar was for caste-based reservations, while the bill seeks quota for the economically weaker sections in the general category.

The Congress said it supported the bill, but doubted the governments intentions as it was merely a gimmick aimed at political gains in upcoming elections.

Various parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham, also called it the BJPs poll stunt, but welcomed the move.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist alleged the move is an attempt by the government to gain electoral benefit by combining caste passions with communal polarisation.

BSP chief Mayawati said the bill was an election stunt and political gimmick ahead of Lok Sabha polls, though her party welcomes the immature move by the government.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen member Asaduddin Owaisi opposed the bill saying it is a fraud on the Constitution as the Constitution does not recognise economic backwardness.

Congress leader K V Thomas said the legislation has been made in haste, was passed by cabinet on Monday itself, has so many lacunas, raises questions on sincerity of the government and should be sent to Joint Parliamentary Committee for examination.
January 08, 2019 18:53 IST

'Education in private and public schools should be in English and in one regional language; it will solve the entire reservation issue.'

IMAGE: The government's nod for 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections among the upper castes comes at a time when communities like the Patels, Gujjars and Jats have been demanding reservations in jobs. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

With the 2019 general election round the corner, the government on Monday, January 7, cleared a 10 per cent job and education quota for 'economically weaker' sections.

Many, including the Congress party, have called this move an election gimmick as the Supreme Court has already ruled that not more than 50 per cent of reservations can be provided in jobs or in education.

"We should shift this entire debate to imparting education in one language across India," Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd, a prominent thinker on caste issues, tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com.

What is your reaction to the 10 per cent reservations proposed for the economically poor within the upper castes in jobs and education?

It is a good decision, but the point is, how do they go about implementing it?

There are several issues, such as what will happen if someone goes to the Supreme Court against this decision.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had come in the way when the government increased the reservations above 50 per cent.

Don't you think the point of reservation is lost with every community getting some kind of reservation?

Reservations to scheduled castes/scheduled tribes and other backward classes is 50 per cent only.

The issue is for castes like the Jats, Patels and Gujjars who don't get any reservation in central universities and civil services.

Reservations were introduced in the Constitution for certain reasons.

As of now, 50 to 60 per cent jobs in central services in the open category are going to only four communities -- Brahmins, Banias, Kayasthas and Khatris who are educated in English.

Can you show me Jat, Maratha, Gujjar professors at Jawaharlal Nehru University or among civil service officers? This question has to be resolved.

Why are you blaming English education? What has English education got to do with reservations?

Education in English should not be restricted to private schools only. We should shift this entire debate to imparting education in one language across India.

Don't you know that rich Muslims educate their children in English?

English-educated Muslim intellectuals run three universities; where should the poor Muslims go? They have to study Urdu and study in madrasas. This duplicity has to go.

Are you saying that instead of reservations for the upper castes, the problem should be tackled by providing English education to all?

Yes, education should be provided in one language.

Education in private and public schools should be in English and in one regional language; it will solve the entire reservation issue.

We will not need reservation after 25 years if this is implemented.

Jawaharlal Nehru plotted this, and this has continued. You tell me why English education is in the private sector while government schools have regional languages?

But reservations for economically weaker sections in the upper castes is needed.

My stance is that Patels, Jats and Gujjars need reservations over and above 50 per cent as historically they are Shudras and from the agrarian community.

Now, Banias have got reservation, but how can Vaishyas become OBC?

They had access to Sanskrit education and now they have access to English education. All private schools are run by those belonging to the Vaishya community.

This government order on reservation is only meant for the economically backward communities from the upper castes.

Now it all depends on what kind of economic criteria they apply. For central government jobs for OBCs, there is an economic criterion.

Apart from caste-based reservations, there is no harm if there is 10 per cent economy-based reservation.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said that reservations in government jobs are of no use.

That is the reason 50 per cent reservations should be extended to the private sector.

The Modi government is silent on reservations in the private sector where jobs exist.

It is here that jobs are only given to those who can furnish personal recommendations. So that system will have to be worked out. The demand will come.

How is it possible to have reservations in the private sector?

How is the American industry, which is more competent, hiring African Americans?

Why is Chinese industry more competitive than Indian industry as it is run by the working class?

It is only Brahmins and Banias who get private sector jobs.

In 2006, the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government tried to introduce reservations in the private sector, but industrialists opposed it.

Do you mean this government order will not solve any issue until reservation is introduced in the private sector?

It will come. Companies are all irresponsible because they are not fulfilling any social responsibility even while they are spending Rs 500 crore on marriages.

How many jobs could have been given with this money?

Have you seen any American CEO doing this for a marriage? This is capitalism capped up with feudalism.

Do you mean this order on reservation will not solve any problem until reservation is extended to the private sector?

The problem will not be solved.

We have been reiterating that if there is uniform English education from kindergarten to Class 12 across the board, reservations will not be needed after a generation.

You take the example of Tripura. It has a population of 40 lakh (4 million) people. Now if 40 lakh people speak the local language, where could they apply for jobs? Who will employ them if they only speak their local language?

It is only the rich children of Tripura who study English and get jobs.

What then happens to regional languages?

Why should only poor people read regional languages?

Do you mean to say rich Maharashtrians must study in English while the poor must only study Marathi?

All four castes -- Brahmins, Banias, Kayasthas and Khatris -- send their children to English medium (schools).

Dr Manmohan Singh comes from a Khatri background. They are 100 per cent educated in English, so what kind of nationalism is this?

So this opportunity should be there for everybody in India.

Otherwise, abolish English and go the China way where there is only one language -- Mandarin.

If SCs/STs and OBCs learn English they will take away all the jobs. And this has been done absolutely by grabbing manoeuvring, mismanagement and duplicity.

Who did this?

This is a Brahmin problem.

Brahmins were teaching their children Sanskrit and we were not allowed to learn Sanskrit. That was God's language and their language.

Sanskrit ruled for 3,000 years, but was never taught to the masses, so it did not survive.

When the Persian language was introduced, Brahmins learnt that too and only rich Muslims learnt that.

Why did Persian not become a mass language even after 1,000 years in India? The answer is that it was not taught to the masses.

Urdu did come somewhere close to a mass language, but it did not get the same patronage

English was the first language taught to the masses, be it Shudras, OBCs or anyone.

Mahatma Phule was the first Shudra who studied in an English medium school and became an intellectual.

Dr Ambedkar too studied English and wrote the Constitution.
January 08, 2019 09:35 IST

'If these two parties come together, there could be amalgamation of OBC, Dalits and Muslim votes.'

IMAGE: Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati share a stage at Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's swearing in ceremony, May 23, 2018. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo

Aiming to capitalise on their bypoll victories, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati have forged an alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha poll in Uttar Pradesh.

Both the parties have left out the 'insignificant Congress' from the alliance.

The politically crucial state sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

In the 2014 parliamentary election, the BJP won 71 Lok Sabha seats, securing 42.63% of the votes, while its ally Apna Dal bagged 2 seats.

The Samajwadi Party won 5 seats with a vote share of 22.35%. The BSP did not win any seat even while securing 19.77% votes.

The Congress registered wins in two seats, Amethi and Rae Bareli, bagging 7.53% of the votes.

In the 2017 assembly election, which the SP fought in league with the Congress, the two parties together won just 54 seats.

"The experience of Akhilesh with the Congress was not good in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election," Dr A K Verma, director, Centre for the Study of Society and Politics, tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.

How do you look at the BSP-SP alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha election?

It is an important development in UP.

I think the BJP is also a little worried about them coming together.

The entire focus is that if these two parties come together, there could be an amalgamation of OBC, Dalits and Muslim votes.

If these three segments get together, there could be a potential challenge to the BJP in UP.

That is why at this moment this new development appears to be important for everybody.

Why was the Congress left out of this alliance? Doesn't the party bring any value to the SP-BSP alliance?

For two reasons.

The Congress has been doing very badly in both assembly and parliamentary elections.

The experience of Akhilesh with the Congress was not good too in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly election.

This could be one reason why Akhilesh was not interested.

Since December 5, 1989, the Congress has not been able to show (much of strength) in UP.

If the Congress had joined the SP-BSP alliance, they would have to let go more seats (for the Congress).

If they had given up more seats, then there could be a revolt within their own parties.

Later on, if the Congress does well on its own, the doors are always open for it.

The SP and the BSP are not contesting from Amethi and Rae Bareli (Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi's Lok Sabha constituencies) out of courtesy.

The Congress did well in the 2009 general election though, winning 21 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

The 2009 (general) election was very strange.

In the 2004 (Lok Sabha) election, the Congress had won 9 seats in UP.

In the 2009 election, the Congress lost 6 of those 9 seats won in 2004.

They retained only Kanpur, Amethi and Rae Bareli (out of these 9).

But in addition to that, the Congress won 18 new seats in 2009.

That was a very surprising result even for the Congress.

Unfortunately, the Congress could not capitalise on that win and wasted all the advantages they gained.

So, 2009 can be considered an exception as the Congress was not being careful in selecting local grass root candidates.

It was importing candidates in constituencies and that was becoming counter-productive.

In the 2017 assembly election the BJP benefited from development schemes like Ujjwala Yojana providing free cooking gas. Will it repeat the same now with more developmental projects?

Development is a very tricky word.

Development is not looked as a homogeneous and uniform construct.

Many people have their own concepts of development.

The lower middle class have their own concept of development, the middle class has its own and so does the higher class.

Development is different for everybody.

Whatever development you do, you pump in a lot of money.

No development is possible without money.

When it comes to pumping money in developmental projects, one segment which really benefits is the bureaucracy. There is rampant corruption.

It is very difficult to handle corruption since the days of Kautilya as it was acknowledged as a part of administration then.

This harms development and every political party needs to be worried about this.

In some places, politicians get into a liaison with the local bureaucracy and both indulge in corruption.

This is the greatest obstacle in development.

Will Modi's popularity overshadow the SP-BSP alliance?

The prime minister's image is a different issue as the focus should be whether this alliance on the ground stands or not.

At the moment for me, it is a very crucial question.

Will the bypoll results in Gorakhpur, Phulpur, Kairana and Muzaffarnagar, where all the parties came together to defeat the BJP have any effect on the 2019 election?

The SP and the BSP have kept in mind this model.

But by-elections are by-elections.

Results in these elections come against the incumbent government.

I would not be interested in making too much out of by-election results.

I would give you two pointers.

When the SP-BSP comes together, there are two basic things that happen.

One is the positive impact of the alliance and other is the negative impact.

The positive impact is the transferability of votes in respective constituencies.

This thing happened in (the) 1993 (UP assembly election) as they (SP-BSP) formed the government then.

This kind of alliance did not happen since 1995 after the Lucknow guest house incident.

Now this kind of alliance is taking place after a quarter of a century, as much water has flowed in the Gomti since then.

Mayawati is competent to transfer Dalit votes to whomever she wants to. But can Akhilesh do it?

Is he competent enough to do that?

Can he transfer his party votes to Mayawati?

That is a million dollar question.

The kind of hold Mayawati has over Dalit votes, Akhilesh does not have that kind of hold on his constituency.

We saw that it did not work in 2017 as Akhilesh could not transfer the votes (to the Congress party).

The transferability aspect did not work.

The negative impact of this alliance is that probably half the aspirants of Akhilesh would be dispirited as they would not get Lok Sabha tickets.

The same holds true for Mayawati's party men.

Where these men will go?

What happens to their political future?

Will they revolt?

Will they go to the BJP or the Congress?

These negative factors, the parties have not taken into consideration.

Will the law and order situation in UP have any effect on the BJP's prospects in the Lok Sabha election?

Law and order is always an issue with a big state like UP.

No government in UP can claim that everything is fine on the law and order front.

We have seen the Congress, Mayawati, the BJP and Akhilesh.

Mayawati, when she was in power, law and order was good.

It was said that since Dalits are marginalised people, she was very harsh in maintaining law and order.

But then, she had other negative things on her side.

What really matters though, be it Akhilesh or Mayawati, is they were not communicating with the people.

That was the problem.

They were (only) communicating with their constituency.

In a democracy you win on the support base of a particular segment of society.

When you become the chief minister, you are the chief minister of the entire state and not a part of society.

I understand Mayawati and Akhilesh made a fundamental error as they were always speaking to their constituency and not to the public.

That is the mistake they did.

Is the current UP chief minister repeating the same mistake?

That I cannot say.

But if he is, then you can understand what will happen to him.

People of UP are very secular and whoever speaks the language of exclusion, they do not like it.

The last time we spoke, you told me that the non-Yadav OBCs were incorporated in the BJP very well. Does it hold true even now?

I am yet to start my field work.

As far as my subjective understanding is concerned, these non-Yadav OBCs have been greatly accommodated in the BJP bandwagon as far as ticket allocation was considered the last time, be it the Apna Dal or others.

At the moment there is nothing indicating that they are disillusioned with the BJP.

But, of course, I have not started my fieLd work so I cannot say firmly right now.

In 2014, the BJP and its allies won 73 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Do you think they can repeat that kind of performance?

It can be either way.

As I told you, there is a positive aspect and negative aspect to this (SP-BSP) alliance.

When we start our field work, we will see how this alliance is working on the ground.

If you see these two regional parties, the SP and the BSP, are constantly shifting their social engineering model.

Mayawati turned to Brahmins, then she could not keep Brahmins.

Then she shifted to Muslims, and she failed in that too.

Now she is shifting back to the 1995 model of the Kanshi Ram and Mulayam Singh alliance.

It was said then Mile Mulayam-Kanshiram, hawa mein ud gaye Jai Shri Ram.

So this alliance with the SP is her third U-turn in social engineering.

In the same way, Akhilesh is fighting his uncle (Shivpal Yadav) and his constituency has split.

So we cannot say right now, as there is a positive and negative aspect to this alliance.
Last updated on: January 08, 2019 10:36 IST

Bangladeshis are unwilling to give up peace and growing incomes for the chaos witnessed during the BNP-led four-party alliance rule, says Anand Kumar.

IMAGE: Sheikh Hasina with President Abdul Hamid after she took the oath as Bangladesh's prime minister in Dhaka, January 7, 2019. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters

The Sheikh Hasina-led 14-party coalition emerged victorious in Bangladesh's 11th parliamentary election in December. This victory brought Sheikh Hasina to power for a third consecutive term.

This time, she won an overwhelming majority in parliament with the Opposition nearly wiped out. This result has been unprecedented in a country where the two major political parties, the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, alternated in power in the past.

This new pattern suggests that the Opposition in Bangladesh needs to put its houses in order and reinvent its politics if it wants to remain relevant as the old politics of extremism and chaos has been rejected by the people.

The Opposition, instead of taking lessons from the defeat, has denounced the December election as farcical and demanded from Bangladesh's election commission a fresh election under a neutral interim government created with the consultation of all political parties.

The Opposition had fought the election under the banner of the Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front), a conglomeration of 19 political parties.

Opposition leaders alleged that there was no level playing field and the Opposition was in a disadvantageous position.

However, a number of international observers have endorsed the election as free and fair, meeting international standards.

Begum Khaleda Zia, the Opposition's main campaigner, has been in prison on a corruption charge since February 2018. Her son Tariq Rahman is a fugitive from the law, living in London.

Unlike the Awami League, the BNP has never been a mass-based party. It has always been a party of retired army officers, bureaucrats and other Bangladeshi elite.

The BNP boycotted the last election in January 2014. Its decision gave the Awami League a walkover, a decision which BNP leaders later regretted.

As a result of being in power for last 10 years the Awami League has increased its mass base tremendously. On the other hand, the BNP fell into disarray as both its top leaders, Begum Zia and Tariq Rahman, faced problems from the law.

Though Begum Khaleda Zia is the BNP leader, Tariq Rahman, before fleeing to London, led organisational work within the party.

Despite Rahman's absence from the scene, on the eve of the January 2014 election, the BNP organised a number of street protests in which nearly 150 people were killed.

Another major force in the Opposition camp is the Jamaat-e-Islami. The Jamaat wielded real street power which came in handy for the BNP. A cadre-based party, the Jamaat became very powerful when it was part of the BNP-led ruling coalition. In fact, there was a major resurgence of extremism in Bangladesh during this period.

As Bangladesh gained notoriety for extremist violence, the BNP's response was to deny it. A number of BNP leaders were allegedly in cahoots with extremist organisations like the HUJI whose chief Mufti Hannan openly claimed that he had the protection of a top BNP leader.

The BNP's alliance with the extremists upset many Bangladeshis who have now rewarded the Awami League government for lifting the spectre of religious extremism from their country.

Under the war crime trials, a number of senior Jamaat leaders were executed and the party was banned.

Sheikh Hasina's crackdown against extremist and terrorist elements has been quite successful. This not only controlled religious extremism in the country, but also affected the electoral fortunes of the BNP-led alliance.

The most important achievement of the Sheikh Hasina regime has been the economic miracle that Bangladesh has seen. Bangladesh has been growing at over 7%. This has tripled incomes, exports have soared and the country is doing well on every human development indicator measure.

Hasina has promised to raise the minimum wages of garment industry workers. Bangladesh's garment industry is the country's most important industry and the second largest in the world after China. It earns 83% of export revenues.

It is hardly surprising then that Bangladeshis were unwilling to give up peace and growing incomes for the chaos they witnessed during the BNP-led four-party alliance rule.

This is a time for Bangladesh's Opposition alliance to introspect and give up the negative and extremist politics of the past which Bangladeshis have rejected.

The people have voted for Bangladesh remaining a secular, peaceful, nation moving towards becoming a middle income country in the near future.

Anand Kumar is Associate Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.
January 08, 2019 08:31 IST

The recent drone scare at London's Gatwick airport has exposed the lack of preparedness against drones, says Pranjal Sharma.

IMAGE: A still from the Hindi movie, 3 Idiots

The security scare created by the questions around hardware built by Huawei is spilling into other sectors as well.

Sensitive equipment and hardware used for new age technologies are far ahead of governments' capability to monitor and manage them.

Wi-Fi routers, photocopiers have long being suspected of being used for espionage.

While equipment for 5G network is being scrutinised, government and regulatory bodies should begin considering the impact of hundreds of thousands of drones that are in the country.

IMAGE: Passengers wait in the South Terminal building at Gatwick, after the airport reopened to flights following its forced closure because of drone activity, on December 21, 2018. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

The recent drone scare at Gatwick airport has exposed the lack of preparedness against drones not just in the UK but also in countries like India which have just legalised the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

According to industry estimates, there are over 500,000 illegal or smuggled drones in India.

The large scale influx of such flying devices is a security concern for intelligence agencies while being a physical hazard for citizens, especially in areas around airports and highly populated public spaces.

The Director General of Civil Aviation has just notified the rules for flying drones, but there is a lack of appreciation among other government agencies.

Smuggled UAVs fly without registration and, therefore, accountability.

Drone operators, flyers and companies that map the data that is generated even for genuine purposes may be unwittingly using illegal machines.

A key way to curb the use of illegal flying vehicles is improved controls at our borders.

Questions though will still be raised about legally imported drones that may be too sophisticated for Indian agencies.

Drones come in varying sizes and can have tremendous surveillance capabilities built into them.

The long term solution for India is to encourage the manufacturing of drones within the country.

"The government should encourage the use of indigenously made tracking systems for drones.

"This is at the core of monitoring and regulating the use of aerial flying machines in the country," says Sai Pattabiram, founder & managing director of Chennai-based Sree Sai Aerotech Innovations.

*IMAGE: A package being delivered using a drone. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Paul_Henri/pixabay.com

A drone consists of four sub-systems.

First is the frame.

The second is the power system that includes the motor, propellers, battery and speed manager.

The third is the control systems, the nerve centre of the drone, effectively the brain of the drone that navigates and manages the activity that it has been designed for.

The fourth is the payload itself which could be a camera or a package meant for delivery.

A few Indian companies have been bravely manufacturing drone systems despite the policy confusion.

They are now seeking improved fiscal incentives and also curbs on smuggled machines.

Drones and the 5G controversy underlines the risk of embedded systems in devices and hardware that may be used for surveillance.

The same applies to other hardware that India will need to build on 5G technologies.

Connected devices that have applications in industry, agriculture and social sectors will need to depend on secure servers and machines.

Such connected devices will lead to an explosion of sensitive information about India across government and private organisations.

India may not be able to make everything, but it should plan to develop an ecosystem that encourages domestic manufacturing of critical technology.

It will be also important for regulatory bodies to invest in their understanding of rapidly developing new technologies.

Since India has been able to achieve such self-reliance in space technology, hope for domestic hardware manufacturing is not out of place.

India should give this as much importance as enhancing the domestic defence industry.

Geo-political muscle is not just about war planes and submarines.

As China has shown, India must also invest in its technological muscle.
Source:

January 08, 2019 17:17 IST

Benchmark equity indices ended higher for the third straight session Tuesday on widespread buying in banking stocks towards the fag end amid fresh inflows by foreign funds and positive global cues.

The BSE Sensex spurted 130.00 points to end at 35,980.93, while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 30.35 points to 10,802.15.

Both indices traded in the negative zone through most part of the session as investors booked profits in recent gainers amid weakness in the rupee due to rise in global crude prices.

However, with the emergence of buying towards the close of the session, Sensex wiped off losses and hit a high of 36,037.35 before settling 0.36 per cent higher.

The index had rallied 336.45 points in the previous two straight sessions.

The 50-share NSE Nifty settled 0.28 per cent higher. Intra-day, it touched a low of 10,733.25 and a high of 10,818.45.

According to Hemang Jani, head - advisory, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, banking stocks remained in focus after the RBI governor Monday expressed satisfaction over the performance of the banking sector by saying bad loans have declined, particularly that of State-owned banks.

"Also the sharp moderation in bond yields should significantly boost the treasury performance of the banking sector," he pointed out.

The markets traded on a range bound with a positive bias in which PSU banks led the gains on account of improving non-performing asset (NPA) resolution along with capital infusion and depressed valuation, said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

Investors have some caution ahead of corporate earnings and a hope over ongoing US and China trade meeting, he added.

Earlier in the session, investors logged gains ahead of Q3 earnings of bluechip companies such as TCS and Infosys later this week amid fresh weakness in the rupee which again breached the Rs 70-mark against a dollar, traders said.

However, losses were capped on Central Statistics Office's positive advanced estimates of national income for 2018-19.

The domestic economy is expected to grow at 7.2 per cent in 2018-19 against 6.7 per cent in the previous fiscal mainly due to improvement in the performance of agriculture and manufacturing sectors, the CSO had said Monday.

In the Sensex kitty, Sun Pharma was the top gainer, surging 3.98 per cent; followed by private lender ICICI Bank 3.46 per cent ahead of earnings.

Shares of Tata Motors surged 2.34 per cent largely on reports of strong JLR UK sales.

Other gainers include SBI, Yes Bank, Axis Bank, Bajaj Auto and IndusInd Bank, rising up to 3.18 per cent.

While losers include Kotak Bank, NTPC, HDFC, HUL, Bajaj Finance and M&M, falling up to 1.41 per cent.

Shares of Gruh Finance and Bandhan Bank tumbled one Tuesday, with the former plunging 16.39 per cent following announcement of merger plans.

Fresh spell of buying by foreign institutional investors also buoyed trading sentiments, traders said.

Meanwhile, foreign portfolio investors bought shares worth a net Rs 736.18 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares to the tune of Rs 141.97 crore, while on Monday, provisional data showed.

Among sectoral indices, banks took the top position by climbing 1.31 per cent, followed by healthcare 0.98 per cent, PSU 0.65 per cent, metal 0.58 per cent, auto 0.39 per cent, Infrastructure 0.19 per cent, FMCG 0.13 per cent and teck 0.02 per cent.

While capital goods, power, consumer durables, IT and oil & gas indices ended lower up to 0.35 per cent.

The broader markets depicted a mixed trend with the small-cap index rising 0.17 per cent while mid-cap index fell 0.16 per cent.

Globally, Asian shares rose as investors were optimistic about trade talks between Washington and Beijing amid dovish remarks from the US Federal Reserve.

In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei rose by 0.82 per cent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.10 per cent.

Singapore's index rose 0.57 per cent while the Shanghai Composite index shed 0.26 per cent. Korea's KOSPI fell 0.58 per cent.

European markets were trading higher in late morning deals with Paris CAC rising by 0.35 per cent while Frankfurt's DAX up 0.27 per cent. London's FTSE too rose 0.28 per cent.

Photograph: PTI Photo
January 08, 2019 09:04 IST

Customers using mobile wallets, prepaid payments cards, and paper vouchers such as Sodexo have been absolved of liability for fraud if it is reported within three days.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

The Reserve Bank of India has absolved customers using prepaid instruments of liabilities arising out of a fraud if the incident is reported within three days.

This is same as the rules for bank frauds.

Prepaid payment instruments (PPI) comprise mobile wallets, prepaid payments cards, and paper vouchers such as Sodexo.

If it is a third-party breach, where the transgression is neither on the part of the PPI issuer nor the customer but elsewhere in the system, the customer will have no liability if they report it within three days.

For banks, the rules are already in place, but the latest notification expands the ambit of customer protection.

A payments expert said this was already a process; only the window of reporting the fraud had been increased.

If the fraud is reported within four to seven days, the liability will be the "transaction value or Rs 10,000 per transaction, whichever is lower".

Considering PPIs are loaded typically with less than Rs 10,000, this means a delay of three days will mean that the user will have to incur the full loss.

"It is a step in the right direction and means that wallets are being treated on a par with banks and cards.

"This would offer liability protection and would boost consumer confidence," said Bipin Preet Singh, chief executive officer, Mobikwik.

If the fraud or error is reported after seven days, the board-approved policy of the PPI will prevail.

The central bank's move aims to extend the limited liability of customers of payment entities not covered by the previous guidelines.

"As a measure of consumer protection, it has been decided to bring all customers to the same level with regard to electronic transactions made by them," said the central bank in December.

"In cases where the loss is due to negligence by a customer, such as where he/she has shared the payment credentials, the customer will bear the entire loss until he/she reports the unauthorised transaction to the PPI issuer.

"Any loss occurring after the reporting of the unauthorised transaction shall be borne by the PPI issuer," the RBI said.

"The highest volume of frauds in the payments space is due to negligence on the part of the customer, where she shares her credentials unknowingly and it is misused.

"There needs to be a strong push towards customer awareness," said the executive quoted above.

However, he added there had been a few sophisticated high-value frauds on a larger organised level that involved SIM skimming, etc.

To facilitate reporting, PPI issuers will have to provide customers with "24x7 access via website/SMS/email/a dedicated toll-free helpline," the guidelines said.

There should also be a direct link on the PPI issuers' website.

Once complaints are lodged, the customer should be provided with an "auto response" to acknowledge receipt of the complaint.

"The communication systems used by PPI issuers to send alerts and receive their responses thereto shall record time and date of delivery of the message and receipt of customer's response, if any."

This is to ascertain the liabilities of the customer.

The PPI issuer will have to immediately work on the complaint to curtail any further unauthorised use.

Depending upon the timing of the complaint lodged, the notional amount defrauded, or decided as a liability, should be reversed to the customer's prepaid account within 10 days of the complaint.

This has to be done "without waiting for settlement of insurance claim", even if such reversal breaches the maximum permissible limit applicable to that category of PPI.

The credit would be value-dated.

The complaint has to be resolved within 90 days.

If the PPI issuer is not able to resolve the complaint within the stipulated period, the customer will have to be compensated "irrespective of whether the negligence is on the part of the customer or otherwise", the RBI said.

Prepaid instrument volume grew by 17 per cent over the previous month and stood at 420.20 million for October last year.

The value of PPI instruments for October stood at Rs 22,128 crore, a growth rate of 25 per cent over September, according to the RBI's December bulletin.

In October, the RBI issued wallet interoperability guidelines, which are expected to greatly boost both wallet transactions and digital payments as a whole.
January 08, 2019 09:54 IST

'No matter how many government schemes there are for the poor, the system works more for the privileged, less for the little guy,' notes T N Ninan.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

If there has to be an Indian person of the year for 2018, it is the little guy.

The message of the recent state elections was about the farmer.

The second message was about the lack of jobs, most critically for the educated unemployable.

Those two facts have brought a sharper focus to the longer-term story of how inequality has grown over the years, with the benefits of economic growth going predominantly to the upper strata.

At enterprise level too, the issue is how small business has borne the impact of both the 2016 demonetisation and the goods and services tax.

The result now is states rushing to announce the write-off of loans to farmers, continuing GST modifications, and active debate on the introduction of a basic minimum income for all, however costly and even unviable it may be.

Even before that, the big government initiative of the year, Ayushman Bharat, was about the little guy -- since benefits are designed to go solely to the bottom 40%.

About time, one should say.

The story since 1991 has been mostly about the middle class whose size has grown from tiny proportions to more than 30% of all households (roughly, those with monthly income averaging Rs 33,000 or more for a five-member familymore in a town or city, less in a village).

This is the equivalent of the international norm to define the middle class, as those with daily income per head of more than $10 per day, calculated using purchasing power parity.

Those who today are above this level in India have a car or two-wheeler, a smart phone, cable/satellite TV and with luck perhaps even a personal computer.

That's the top 30%; what of the remaining 70%? Most of that category too has benefited as the shrinking numbers of the absolute poor testify. But it is hard to deny that the scales are tilted against them.

The focus during the 2014 election campaign was the neo-middle class, or the second 30% slab of the population. This was one notch above the two UPA governments's target group (through the employment guarantee scheme, the right to food, the right to education, etc).

Narendra Damodardas Modi in his initial avatar mocked the employment scheme as a symbol of Congress failure. Then he changed tack, even as he introduced a slew of programmes aimed at the little guy: Jan Dhan bank accounts, the Ujjwala scheme for subsidised cooking gas, and the Swachh Bharat's programme of toilets for everyone.

There is no more talk of the neo-middle class, which Arun Jaitley mentioned in his first Budget speech and then forgot about.

At one level, the problem today is that much of the neo-middle class and small business also feels done in.

The deeper problem is that, no matter how many government schemes there are for the poor, the system in its orientation works more for the privileged, less for the little guy.

Road space goes overwhelmingly to powered vehicles, not for cycle tracks or sidewalks for pedestrians.

Access is similarly skewed or limited when it comes to education, public transport, the courts, medical care and the law and order machinery -- all basic functions of the modern nation-State.

The scales are also tilted against governments of the poorest states, like Bihar and Odisha, whose ability to spend per resident is a fraction of what it is in the better off states.

So how is convergence to come about between rich and poor states?

It doesn't help that those who get to run representative governments come from the top 1 per cent of the top 1%: The average wealth of ministers in the new Rajasthan government is Rs 15 crore, in Chhattisgarh Rs 45 crore. Some super-wealthy individuals skew the averages, but all 44 ministers in the two governments are crorepatis.

Their rhetoric is about the little guy, but who do they really represent?

Should it surprise that the system automatically starts limiting the life chances of children in the lower strata when they have barely started to walk?
Entering a library usually offers the smell of old books, but on Nov. 5, the aroma of basil 
The era of new year, new me, is still in full swing in the second week of 2019, and many of us are trying to stay true to our resolutions fo
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Deena Nicole Cortese is a new mom.

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The 31-year-old "Jersey Shore" star took to Instagram Saturday after welcoming a baby boy, Christopher John, with husband Christopher Buckner.

Cortese introduced Christopher John, or CJ, in a slideshow of photos and videos. She couldn't help but gush about the newborn in the caption.

"Our Little Man has finally arrived," the star wrote. "Christopher John Buckner (CJ) born January 5th at 4:41 pm at a whopping 20.5 inches.. 6 Lb 8.5 ounces."

"Uhg mommy and daddy love you so much CJ .. youre our everything," she said. "i never thought i could love Chris anymore than i did until i saw him hold CJ."

Buckner also shared the news in a post on his own account.

"I always knew my wife was one of the strongest woman I know but these past 2 days proved it. I couldn't be a more proud husband, and now father to our perfect baby boy CJ," he wrote.

Cortese and Buckner married in October 2017 and announced Cortese's pregnancy in July.

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"Our little family is growing! We have a sweet little boy on the way!" Cortese wrote on Instagram at the time.

"We Are truly blessed and our hearts are filled with so much joy and happiness," she said.

"December can't come soon enough! Daddy and Mommy can't wait to meet you Christopher John."

Cortese came to fame on the MTV series "Jersey Shore" and returned in "Jersey Shore: Family Vacation" in 2018.

Her friend and co-star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is expecting a baby boy.
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There is an irony in the fact that Ron Johnson is the guy who will carry the mantle forward for the Republican Party in Wisconsin. Even he admits that.

"I kind of sprang out of the tea party movement and was sort of a grassroots guy," says Sen. Johnson about his entry into politics a decade ago. "First public speech I'd ever given was in October 2009. And people came up to me afterwards and said, 'Hey, I liked your speech. Why don't you run for office?' My reply was always pretty consistent. I said, 'Because I'm not crazy.' Then, they passed Obamacare, and I started thinking about it."

In short order, he entered the Senate race, picked up endorsements from the grassroots and establishment alike, and easily carried the nomination.

Six months later, he was part of a percolating populist conservative movement that swept the Democrats out of power in the formerly blue state. Johnson unseated Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, and Republican Scott Walker took the governorship from the Democrats, while Republicans took control of both the state Assembly and Senate, held the state attorney general's office, swung the state treasurer's office and took two congressional seats long held by Democrats.

Not long after, Janesville Rep. Paul Ryan would be named chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and then become the vice presidential nominee. Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus would become chairman of the national Republican Party.

Following the 2010 election, Wisconsin's GOP was the beating heart of the national GOP.

Now almost 10 years later, Walker lost his bid for a third term last November; Ryan, who rose to speaker of the House, is now leaving Congress; and Priebus has been chased out of Trump's White House.

That leaves one guy standing to steer the Midwest conservative movement back into power -- or at least be the face of it. That is Johnson.

He says of the 2018 midterms: "I went to bed on election night. ... Scott Walker was pulling ahead and just had the out counties, which we normally win. So, I was pretty confident he was going to win, kind of breathed a sigh of relief, never went to sleep. But I got a text. It was called ... for his opponent. One of my first thoughts was, other than the expletive, was 'I am last man standing.' And I have a unique responsibility, which I take seriously."

Johnson says he has Priebus giving him advice on how to reassess the way forward, but he is adamant that returning does not begin or end at the top.

He explained: "The postmortem is that I'm making calls all the time, and we have a pretty robust effort right now. But the feedback is pretty consistent. The campaigns were very top-down, and they weren't listening to people. Long-term volunteers that had worked their tail off for me kind of gave up and said, 'Yeah, it's not worth it.'"

His plan to re-energize the grassroots effort began with him personally calling the county chairmen in the state just before Christmas. "It is important to engage them early and often during this process," he says. "The input is so consistent from what we need to do. I keep referring to it as trickle-up elections. Rather than top-down, all senators talk about one person. I mean, we need to return to the Republican Party of Wisconsin and a party that supports all Republican candidates and helps recruit candidates but supports them in all levels, local, county."

Johnson says in leading the rebuilding, he is going to do what Wisconsin conservatives do well: work together. In short, this state has always been the robust epicenter of the modern populist conservative movement because the establishment, the tea party and talk radio have always avoided the GOP civil wars that have plagued the national scene. Johnson not only gets that; he is banking on that.

His critical test will be the state Supreme Court race in April 2020. "It will occur during the presidential primary, and if we got a nominee and they don't, it's really going to be difficult to win that, and that could flip the court," he says.

Seven months after that first test comes the presidential election. Johnson strikes you as the guy who doesn't want to be the accidental leader of a movement who loses the big game.

COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM

Salena Zito is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial page columnist. E-mail her at szito@tribweb.com
Socialism: Newly minted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she isn't modeling her brand of socialism on socialist basket cases like Venezuela, but on successes like Sweden, Norway and Finland. Apparently, she hasn't bothered to look at just what sorts of economic policies those "socialist" countries have been pursuing lately.
On November 23, three militants of the Balochistan Liberation Army attacked the PRC consulate in Karachi, the latest in a series of assaults by Baloch militants on PRC projects and personnel in Pakistan (Global Times, November 24). Baloch opposition to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a primary motivating factor for these attacks, with many Balochis alleging that CPEC, a flagship component of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), exploits Baloch resources while only benefiting the Chinese and non-Baloch Pakistanis (Express Tribune, December 17, 2015).

South Asian governments are becoming increasingly discontent with BRI projects. In August, Pakistans new government expressed interest in reviewing the CPEC contracts that they perceive to be over-priced, unnecessary, or excessively in the favor of PRC companies (Dawn, September 11). Similar sentiments have been expressed by the new Maldivian government, which is reviewing BRI contracts signed during the rule of former President Abdulla Yameen (Economic Times, November 26). Such actions raise questions as to whether South Asian states might scale down or even cancel BRI projects.

A Game-Changer for Pakistan

When PRC President Xi Jinping unveiled plans for BRI in 2013, it evoked great interest in many South Asian countries. As former Ambassador in the Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. John Gooneratne stated in an interview with the author, BRI holds out the prospect of helping to bridge the significant infrastructure financing gap, increase connectivity, link local markets to regional and global value chains, and thereby increase trade and investment in the participating countries [1]. Moreover, unlike Western governments and financial institutions, whose loans require developing countries to meet conditions for good governance, democracy and human rights, Beijing was willing to extend significant loans for infrastructure development without these conditions (The Island, August 11, 2017). Attracted by the potential benefits of BRI, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Nepal joined the ambitious PRC-led initiative.

During Xis visit to Islamabad in April 2015, the PRC and Pakistan signed agreements to establish CPEC. The deal was especially appealing to Pakistan, as its poor security situation made attracting foreign investment difficult. Beijing pledged funds to CPEC to the tune of $46 billionwhich was subsequently increased to $62 billionover a 15-year-period, dwarfing the $7.5 billion in aid the United States had extended over a five-year period to Pakistan in 2009 (Dawn, April 22, 2015).

CPEC envisioned linking the Gwadar port in Pakistans Balochistan province with Kashgar in Chinas Xinjiang Province through a network of highways, railways, oil and gas pipelines, and fiber optic cables, with special economic zones and energy projects to be established along the way. The projects were expected to create jobs and business opportunities for locals, attract foreign investment, enhance energy production and boost the Pakistani economy (Pakistan Observer, August 16, 2017). It was widely hailed in Pakistan as a game-changer (Daily Times, August 30, 2016).

Loans for Infrastructure in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives

Much like CPEC, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives also sought financial support for their respective infrastructure projects. In the case of Bangladesh, the PRC was willing to finance infrastructure projects that appealed to the priorities of the Bangladeshi government, thereby filling a void left by reluctant Western financiers. BNP Paribas and the Norwegian governments sovereign wealth fund, for instance, had refused to finance the Rampal coal-fired power plant at Khulna for environmental reasons (Daily Star, June 26, 2015). The World Bank cancelled a $1.2 billion credit for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, citing high-level corruption (World Bank, June 29, 2012). In contrast, according to Humayun Kabir, former Ambassador and Secretary in Bangladeshs Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinas focus on and assistance to infrastructure development in Bangladesh aligned well with the latters needs and priorities. This attracted Bangladesh to join BRI in order to benefit from its economic potential [2].

Similarly, post-war Sri Lanka required significant funding for infrastructure building. However, as Dr. Gooneratne explains, Sri Lankas usual Western donors were reluctant to extend support, given the Mahinda Rajapaksa governments reluctance to carry out an examination into how the war was fought, and possible human rights violations [3]. This was not the case with the PRC, which not only shielded the Rajapaksa regime from scrutiny at international human rights forums but also extended loans without conditions. Under BRI, the PRC provided loans and built a deep-sea port at Hambantota, an international airport at Mattala, and a 900-megawatt coal-fired power plant at Norocholai, the Colombo Port City project, among others.

As with Sri Lanka, former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen also turned to Beijing for financial support. Beijings support of Yameens authoritarian rule in the face of strong criticism from India and the West encouraged Yameen to embrace BRI. Prior to 2011, Sino-Maldivian relations were negligible; Beijing did not even have an embassy in Male. However, during Yameens presidency, Maldives joined BRI and entered into a Free Trade Agreement that was overwhelmingly in Beijings favor. Under BRI, the PRC extended loans and expertise to Maldives for several infrastructure projects, including the Sinamale Bridge linking Male to Hulhule Island, and a massive housing project on Hulhumale.

Counter-Balancing India

For landlocked Nepal, BRI was an opportunity to improve infrastructure and connectivity with world markets  and more importantly, reduce its dependence on India. Nepals need to become less dependent on India was underscored in 2015-16, when it was believed that India gave tacit consent to impose an economic blockade that paralyzed Nepal, causing enormous hardship to its people. This became one of the driving motivations for Nepal to reach out to the PRC and sign on to BRI in May 2017. Under BRI, the PRC is building energy and transport infrastructure; foremost among these is a railway line linking Kerung in the Tibet Autonomous Region with Kathmandu and the tourist towns of Pokhara and Lumbini in Nepal. This is expected to boost Nepals trade and tourism industries (The Wire, November 22).

The Outliers

Three South Asian countriesIndia, Bhutan and Afghanistanare not participants in BRI. Indias opposition to BRI stems primarily from the fact that CPEC runs through Gilgit-Baltistandisputed territory that is under Pakistans control, but to which India lays claim. India says that it cannot be involved in an initiative that violates Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity (Ministry of External Affairs, India, April 5). Additionally, India is concerned that BRI has dramatically expanded the PRCs presence in the region. It maintains that BRI has strategic motivations and that the PRC is driving South Asian countries into deep debt to increase its own leverage (Indian Express, May 15, 2017). India has had limited success in persuading its neighbors to avoid involvement in BRI; only Bhutan and Afghanistan have maintained their distance from the initiative.

Geopolitical rivalries have kept Bhutan and Afghanistan out of BRI. Under pressure from India, Bhutan does not have official diplomatic or economic relations with the PRC and has yet to get involved with BRI. However, the PRC is assiduously wooing Bhutan, and businessmen and youth in Bhutan are increasingly supportive of establishing official ties with Beijing and joining BRI. Connectivity with global markets that BRI promises makes it an attractive initiative for remote and landlocked Bhutan (China Brief, April 20, 2017).

Like Bhutan, land-locked Afghanistan could benefit from BRIs connectivity with distant markets. Indeed, Pakistan and the PRC are keen to include Afghanistan in CPEC, as this would contribute to the corridors profitability. However, Kabul has repeatedly declared that as long as Pakistan denies it overland access to India, it will not allow Pakistan similar access to Central Asian countries. Although Afghanistan has signed a memorandum of understanding on BRI with China, it has yet to become a full participant in the initiative (Outlook Afghanistan, August 16).

Increasing Caution about BRI Involvement

South Asian countries are becoming increasingly cautious about involvement in BRI and its implications for the region. Many governments are calling for renegotiation of BRI contracts. Sri Lankas experience with debt has become the primary cautionary example in this regard. By 2015, Sri Lanka reportedly owed $8 billion to the PRC. With the Hambantota Port failing to attract business and Colombo unable to repay its loans, Sri Lanka ended up handing over this port and 15,000 acres of land around it to the PRC on a 99-year lease. In addition to over-commitment of governments to BRI, a lack of transparency in the deals has deepened public skepticism of the benefits of involvement in BRI for South Asian countries. In the case of Sri Lanka, it was the secretive manner in which deals were negotiated that drew public ire. There were stories of underhand money dealings that dampened the enthusiasm of the public [4].

Even Pakistan, the PRCs closest ally and South Asias biggest proponent of BRI, is pushing back on the initiative. In 2017, when the PRC introduced more restrictive conditions for funding of the $14 billion Diamer-Bhasha dam, Pakistan pulled the project from CPECs ambit as it felt that the conditions were not doable and against Pakistans interests (Express Tribune, November 15, 2017). More recently, Pakistans new government announced that it is cutting down on loans from the PRC under CPEC and has reduced $2 billion in loans for rail projects (Dawn, October 2).

In contrast to other BRI participants, Bangladesh has been cautious from the start. Always a conservative borrower, Bangladeshs loans have remained within its capacity to pay back. It has drawn lessons from Sri Lankas experience and has been more conscious about the risks that could emerge from over-commitment to BRI projects [5]. Moreover, Dhaka is not overly dependent on the PRC for support as it has managed to attract investment from India, Japan and others. As demonstrated by the Payra port project, this has enabled Bangladesh to deal with the PRC from a position of relative strength. In 2016, Dhaka turned down Chinas offer to develop a deep-sea port at Sonadia in favor of Japans proposal for a deep-sea port just 25 km away at Matarbari, which was considered to be more beneficial to Bangladesh (China Brief, June 21, 2016).

Looking Ahead

Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Maldives may not be as overburdened by debt as they are today had they followed Bangladeshs example of cautious borrowing, selective involvement in projects, and rejection of economically or strategically unviable initiatives. Unfortunately, they accepted the PRCs vision as their own and embraced BRI without questioning whether it was in their own long-term interests.

The defeat of BRI-friendly South Asian leaders in elections has been widely described as setback for the PRC. Such interpretations gained momentum when their successors in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the Maldives promised to review contracts with the PRC.

However, subsequent events indicate that while concern over debt burdens is rising in the region, the future of BRI projects in South Asia has not dimmed. In Sri Lanka, contracts on Hambantota Port and Colombo Port City that were renegotiated and signed by the pro-West Ranil Wickremesinghe government ended up being more favorable to the PRC than the contracts originally signed by the pro-PRC Rajapaksa (The Citizen, November 25). In fact, the government went on to sign even more agreements for BRI projects. Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan said he would request that Beijing realign CPECs goals to his governments agenda, but PRC authorities reportedly brushed aside his proposals to re-negotiate CPEC deals (IPP Review, November 29).

Burdened by crippling debt, BRIs South Asian member-states are too weak to re-negotiate or cancel project terms; there are high costs for withdrawing from these projects. In addition, although the governments of India and some Western nations are highly critical of BRI, they lack the deep pockets that the PRC has to fund these projects. Moreover, the PRCs BRI partners in South Asia are aware that economic development could suffer without the infrastructure improvements promised by BRI.

However, while South Asian countries are less optimistic about BRI than they were a few years ago and continue to raise concerns over the debt burden and contract terms, this cannot be interpreted yet as a major setback for the PRCs ambitions. So far, we have seen little concrete change come from pushback on BRI initiatives. In South Asia, at least, the PRC seems on course to realize its global ambitions through BRI.

Dr. Sudha Ramachandran is an independent researcher and journalist based in Bangalore, India. She has written extensively on South Asian peace and conflict, political and security issues for The Diplomat, Asia Times and Geopolitics.

This article appeared originally at The Jamestown Foundation's China Brief.



Notes

[1] Authors Interview, Dr John Gooneratne, former Ambassador in the Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Colombo, November 29.

[2] Authors Interview, Humayun Kabir, former Ambassador and Secretary in Bangladeshs Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dhaka, December 1.

[3] Gooneratne, n.1.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Kabir, n.2.
Colby Connelly is an MA Candidate in Global Security Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He previously worked in Saudi Arabia for several years. He can be found on Twitter @ColbyAntonius. Divergent Options content does not contain information of an official nature nor does the content represent the official position of any government, any organization, or any group.

National Security Situation: Disunity among U.S. partners in the Persian Gulf threatens prospects for the establishment of the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA).

Date Originally Written: January 6, 2019.

Date Originally Published: January 8, 2019.

Author and / or Article Point of View: The author is a graduate student interested in U.S. security policy towards Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

Background: The Trump Administration has expressed the intention to create a Sunni Arab alliance aimed at countering Iranian influence in the Middle East through the establishment of MESA, often referred to as the Arab North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)[1]. Prospective MESA member states are Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt. Such an alliance would constitute a unified bloc of U.S.-backed nations and theoretically indicate to the Iranian government that a new, highly coordinated effort to counter Iranian influence in the region is taking shape.

Significance: Since the inception of the Carter Doctrine, which firmly delineates American national security interests in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. has developed extensive political, security, and economic ties with through the GCC. GCC members include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. While the Trump Administration envisions the GCC members making up the backbone of MESA, in recent years the bloc has been more divided than at any time in its history. The GCC is effectively split between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, who favor more assertive measures to counter Iranian influence in the Middle East, and Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, who advocate a softer approach to the Iranian question. How to approach Iranian influence is one issue among others that has contributed to the ongoing boycott of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt since 2017. The Trump Administration has encouraged a settlement to the dispute but has made little headway.

Option #1: The Trump Administration continues to advocate for the formation of MESA.

Risk: Forming MESA is a challenge as there is no agreement among potential members regarding the threat Iran poses nor how to best address it[2]. Historically, GCC states are quicker to close ranks in the face of a commonly perceived threat. The GCC was formed in response to the Iran-Iraq war, and the bloc was most united in its apprehension to what it perceived as U.S. disengagement from the Middle East during the Obama Administration. So long as the GCC states feel reassured that the U.S. will remain directly involved in the region, they may see no need for national security cohesion amongst themselves. The ongoing GCC crisis indicates that Arab Gulf states place little faith in regional institutions and prefer bilateralism, especially where security issues are concerned. The failure of the Peninsula Shield Force to ever develop into an effective regional defense body able to deter and respond to military aggression against any GCC member is perhaps the most prolific example of this bilateralism dynamic[3]. Further, a resolution to the ongoing boycott of Qatar by GCC members would almost certainly be a prerequisite to the establishment of MESA. Even if the Qatar crisis were to be resolved, defense cooperation would still be impeded by the wariness with which these states will view one another for years to come.

Gain: The formation of a unified bloc of U.S. partner states committed to balancing Iranian influence in the Middle East may serve to deter increased Iranian aggression in the region. This balancing is of particular relevance to the Strait of Hormuz and Bab El-Mandab Strait; both of which are chokepoints for global commercial shipping that can be threatened by Iran or armed groups that enjoy Irans support[4]. In backing MESA, the U.S. would also bolster the strength of the relationships it already maintains with prospective member states, four of which are major non-NATO Allies. As all prospective MESA members are major purchasers of U.S. military equipment, the alliance would consist of countries whose weapons systems have degrees of interoperability, and whose personnel all share a common language.

Option #2: The Trump Administration continues a bilateral approach towards security partners in the Middle East.

Risk: Should an imminent threat emerge from Iran or another actor, there is no guarantee that U.S. partners in the region would rush to one anothers defense. For example, Egypt may be averse to a military engagement with Iran over its activities in the Gulf. This may leave the U.S. alone in defense of its partner states. A bilateral strategy may also lack some of the insulation provided by multilateral defense agreements that could dissuade adversaries like Iran and Russia from exploiting division among U.S. partners. For instance, Russia has courted Qatar since its expression of interest in purchasing the Russian S-400 air defense system, which is not interoperable with other U.S.-made systems deployed throughout the Gulf region[5].

Gain: The U.S. can use a hub and spoke approach to tailor its policy to regional security based on the needs of its individual partners. By maintaining and expanding its defense relationships in the Gulf, including the U.S. military presence in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, the U.S. can ensure that both itself and its allies are equipped to handle threats as they emerge. Devoting increased resources and efforts to force development may deter Iranian aggression more so than simply establishing new regional institutions, which with few exceptions have often held a poor track record in the Middle East. An approach that favors bilateralism may sacrifice some degree of power projection, but would perhaps more importantly allow the U.S. to ensure that its partners are able to effectively expand their defense capabilities.

Other Comments: None.

Recommendation: None.

This article appeared originally at Divergent Options.

Endnotes:

[1] NATO for Arabs? A new Arab military alliance has dim prospects. (2018, October 6). Retrieved from The Economist: https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2018/10/06/a-new-arab-military-alliance-has-dim-prospects

[2] Kahan, J. H. (2016). Security Assurances for the Gulf States: A Bearable Burden? Middle East Policy, 23(3), 30-38.

[3] Bowden, J. (2017). Keeping It Together: A Historical Approach to Resolving Stresses and Strains Within the Peninsula Shield Force. Journal of International Affairs, 70(2), 134-149.

[4] Lee, J. (2018, 26 July). Bab el-Mandeb, an Emerging Chokepoint for Middle East Oil Flows. Retrieved from Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-26/bab-el-mandeb-an-emerging-chokepoint-for-middle-east-oil-flows

[5] Russia and Qatar discuss S400 missile deal. (2018, July 21). Retrieved from Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-qatar-arms/russia-and-qatar-discuss-s-400-missile-systems-deal-tass-idUSKBN1KB0F0
CANADA: The Canadian Transportation Agency has ruled that Canadian National and Canadian Pacific exceeded their maximum grain revenue entitlements for the crop year running from August 2017 to July 2018.
Dairy owners are buckling in for increased crime following the latest tax hike on cigarettes, according to a community action group.

Cigarettes now cost an extra 10 percent, which marks the third tobacco tax hike since 2010.

But Crime Prevention Group president Sunny Kaushal says pricier tobacco will further threaten the safety of shop owners around New Zealand.

The Crime Prevention Group was set up to represent thousands of shop owners throughout the country.

"[The tax hike] is making the shop owners so fearful for their own safety," Mr Kaushal told RadioLIVE.

Mr Kaushal says cigarettes have become one of the main reasons for aggravated robberies.

On Sunday, three women were filmed violently robbing a Taukau dairy. The dairy worker was punched multiple times as one of the women grabbed handfuls of cigarette cartons. The women fled the scene with cigarettes and other items.
If you missed this afternoon with Leah Panapa on RadioLIVE, you can listen back here to the best bits from Tuesday January 8th, 2019.
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Harlequin has signed a new agreement with Brain Power Studio that will allow the global media company to ramp up its output for the Harlequin Film Collection. To date, eight films have been produced based on Harlequin books under the existing partnership, and the new venture will enable Harlequin to raise its equity stake in the films, giving Brain Power Studio further access to the collection and allowing an increase the number of films it produces each year.

The collection includes original romantic movies adapted from the Harlequins vast trove of titles. Among the eight films already produced under the partnership include A Very Country Christmas, My Perfect Romance, A Very Country Wedding, and the upcoming After the Storm

We are excited to fortify this partnership that has been very prolific since 2017. Working [closely] with the creative team at Harlequin in choosing the books and shaping the adaptations has been a dream, executive producer and founder of Brain Power Studio, Beth Stevenson, said in a statement. We look forward to further exploring Harlequins wide and varied imprints and bringing the works of their very talented authors to life."

Brent Lewis, Harlequin executive v-p, was also pleased with the expanded arrangement. Harlequin is thrilled to be elevating our relationship with Brain Power Studio, bringing our authors stories to film and delighting our readers, he said.
It may be time to re-think how we use our wallets. A wallet is a highly personal item, so we want to involve the community to help us design their new favorite wallets for the future."

As photos, payments, and loyalty cards increasingly digitize, how will the ideal next-generation of wallets look and function? San Franciscos WaterField Designs, an innovative leader in custom laptop sleeves, bags, and device-specific cases, announces a new crowdsourced design project to create a set of cutting-edge wallets that address this question. Through surveys, community updates, and continuous feedback from customers, WaterField will design, fine-tune, and launch several contemporary wallets in March that suit the needs of both digital professionals and classic carriers.

We all have a favorite wallet, and we dont think the phone will replace it any time soon, said company owner Gary Waterfield. However, it may be time to re-think how we use our wallets today. A wallet is a highly personal item, so we want to involve the community to help us design their new favorite wallets for the future."

WaterFields Next Generation Wallets Project kicks off today with a survey designed to learn what people appreciate or would like to change about their current wallets, what they carry or wish to carry in their wallet, and any innovative ideas they envision for their next favorite wallet. WaterField will pour over the data collected and provide participants with follow up questions, updates, and prototypes, as the company continually solicits participant feedback. In March, WaterField will introduce several elegant and highly functional wallets tailored specifically to customer needs.

We were ready to design new wallets when we came across Mathew Kitchens Wall Street Journal article that ponders whether smartphones will ever fully replace wallets, said Waterfield. Many quoted in or commenting on Kitchens article suggest that the answer is, No. They see their wallets as extensions of their style and as historically meaningful. We agree and aim to build on the personal connection people have with their wallets by learning from our customers what form and style their ideal next wallet will have.

The WaterField team has always created new products inspired by customer suggestions. It formalized its unique community-sourced design process with the collaborative development a collection of Nintendo Switch cases. High customer and company satisfaction with the process inspired WaterField to engage customers again in the development of the Air Porter Carry-on for frequent travelers, the iPhone Camera Bag for iPhonographers, the Pro Executive Backpack for professionals, and a series of Gear Cases for organizing tech items. Working with customers throughout the design lifespan results in more innovative products that explicitly meet customers needs.

Next-generation Wallets Survey, Updates, Launch Date:

Current and future surveys, Gary Waterfields video introduction, and future updates are accessible from the WaterField Next Generation Wallets page. WaterField will reveal the new designs this March during the companys Wallet Month.

About WaterField Designs

WaterField Designs is an innovative San Francisco designer and manufacturer of bags and cases for tech-savvy consumers who want to transport their technology stylishly and responsibly. WaterField manufactures custom-fitted, high-quality cases and bags for a full-range of laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming devices, and other digital gear. All products are manufactured to exacting standards entirely in San Francisco. More information at "Our Story.

WaterField Designs, SFBags, Air Porter Carry-on, and Pro Executive Backpack are trademarks of WaterField Designs.

Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright 2019. All Rights Reserved.
Vendavo To succeed, you must continually consider a host of factors that far exceed the cost of goods and we are very pleased to be recognized as a leader in this important category.

Vendavo, a leading provider of commercial excellence solutions, today announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide B2B-Focused Price Optimization Applications 2018 Vendor Assessment (doc #US44517118, December 2018).

To meet the growing demands of todays digital B2B consumer and maximizing margin opportunities, organizations must determine and deliver optimal prices across every deal. Enterprises rely on intelligent pricing solutions for dynamic, real-time price optimization driven by local market conditions and competitive intelligence aligned with a customers willingness to pay.

Setting the right price, at the right time, for the right customer is increasingly critical for meeting the growing demands of todays customer, said Bruno Slosse, Vendavo President and CEO. But price optimization is never a one and done exercise. To succeed, you must continually consider a host of factors that far exceed the cost of goods and we are very pleased to be recognized as a leader in this important category.

According to the IDC MarketScape report, the use of price optimization applications will grow for these reasons: value is demonstrable and payback is short; competitors are going to use them against you; the amount of rich customer data is increasing; integration with upstream/downstream systems (e.g. CRM an ERP) is becoming re-standardized as easier and quicker, as more systems run SaaS and more vendors are creating prebuilt connectors to speed up the process and lower issues and the use of machine learning will create better models faster which leverages more data and generates prescriptive insights.

Recognized within the new IDC MarketScape report, the Vendavo Commercial Excellence Platform consists of a suite of pricing optimization, guidance and analysis tools, including Vendavo PricePoint, Profit Analyzer, Segmentation Manager and Intelligent CPQ.

The IDC MarketScape called out the following Vendavo strengths:



Comprehensive pricing platform: Vendavo is focused on creating an integrated, automated (ML/AI), and comprehensive pricing platform for B2B industries with products focused on key pricing use cases (optimization, management, sales guidance, CPQ, price/profit analytics).

Analytics and segmentation: Customers like Vendavo's pricing analytics and segmentation tools, which are foundational to price optimization. Segmentation is machine driven and then the pricing analyst can tweak the result, which is preferred by customers. They also liked how transparent the pricing models were displayed.

Negotiated and dynamic pricing: Vendavo supports both negotiated (price guidance via salesperson) and dynamic pricing (automatic price changes via ecommerce) for situations where products are sold over multiple channels.

To read a complimentary copy of the IDC MarketScape for Price Optimization Applications, download the report excerpt here.

Supporting Resources:



Read the whitepaper: 10 Tips for a More Successful Price Optimization Project

Watch the video: Intelligent Dynamic Pricing Delivered Vendavo PricePoint

About Vendavo

Vendavo powers the shift to digital business for the worlds most demanding B2B companies, unlocking value, growing margin and accelerating revenue. With the Vendavo Commercial Excellence platform, companies develop dynamic customer insights and optimal pricing strategies that maximize margin, boost sales effectiveness and improve customer experience. With an annual margin improvement totaling more than $2.5 billion across companies in chemicals, distribution, high-tech and manufacturing, Vendavo delivers cutting-edge analytics and deep industry expertise that help companies stay one step ahead. Vendavo is headquartered in Denver, CO and has offices around the globe. Learn more at Vendavo.com.

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendors position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
I believe uBiome has the potential to be a catalyst in providing individualized microbiome information to patients, providers, and researchers, to advance health and science. - Dr. Jason Yamaki, PharmD, PhD

uBiome, the leader in microbial genomics, announces the addition of Dr. Yamaki, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the School of Pharmacy at Chapman University, to its Scientific Advisory Board. Joining the board of leading scientists and doctors from around the world, Dr. Yamaki will bring to uBiome expertise in infectious disease, antibiotic resistance, and host-response. The appointment will help uBiome continue its advancement in human microbiome research.

Dr. Yamakis dedication to exploring patient outcomes and host response in various virulent and resistant infections is admirable and has produced exciting results, Dr. Jessica Richman, PhD, co-founder and CEO of uBiome, said. We look forward to utilizing his expertise with his addition to our board of scientific advisors.

Dr. Yamaki is an Assistant Professor in the School of Pharmacy at Chapman University. He completed his PharmD and PhD degrees at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, where he later was a Postdoctoral Research Associate and a lecturer in the Infectious Disease module. His current research interest is in infectious disease, particularly molecular and pharmacological approaches to addressing therapeutic challenges of treating multidrug-resistant and highly virulent bacteria. Dr. Yamaki is a member of several associations, including the American Society for Microbiology, the California Pharmacists Association, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the Society of Infectious Disease Pharmacists, and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. He has been awarded the American Society for Microbiology Infectious Disease Fellow Travel Grant (2010), USC School of Pharmacy Best Research Assistant and Teaching Award (2012), and the USC Clinical and Translational Science Institute pilot study award as the Co-Investigator (2013).

About joining uBiome's Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Yamaki said, I am thrilled to be able to contribute to the uBiome board, particularly at this time where the microbiome is increasingly becoming recognized for affecting or being affected by various diseases, infectious and non-infectious. I believe uBiome has the potential to be a catalyst in providing individualized microbiome information to patients, providers, and researchers, to advance health and science.

In addition to Dr. Yamaki, the uBiome Scientific Advisory Board also includes Dr. Joseph DeRisi (MacArthur Genius and UCSF professor), Dr. Atul Butte (head of the Institute for Computational Health Sciences at UCSF), Dr. Katherine Pollard (Director, Gladstone Institute for Data Science and Biotechnology), Dr. Joel Palefsky (UCSF School of Medicine professor), Dr. George Church (leading geneticist at Harvard University), Dr. Liz Lipski (Academic Director of Nutrition and Integrative Health Programs at Maryland University of Integrative Health), Dr. Elaine Hsiao, PhD (UCLA), and other leading scientists. The companys Medical Advisory Board includes Dr. Alan Green (Society for Participatory Medicine), Dr. Leo Treyzon (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center), Dr. Cynthia Geyer (Medical Director of Canyon Ranch, Lenox), Dr. Robynne Chutkan (Georgetown University Hospital), Michael Docktor (Boston Childrens Hospital), Dr. Tiffany Lester (Medical Director of Parsley Health in San Francisco), Dr. Joel Kahn (Founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity), as well as other accomplished clinicians.

About uBiome

Founded in 2012, uBiome is the leader in microbial genomics. The Companys mission is to advance the science of the microbiome and make it useful to people. uBiome combines its patented proprietary precision sequencing with machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop wellness products, clinical tests, and therapeutic targets. uBiome has filed for over 250 patents on its technology, which includes sample preparation, computational analysis, molecular techniques, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

uBiomes commercial products include SmartGut, the worlds first sequencing-based clinical microbiome test, which identifies microbes in the gut for patients with chronic gut conditions such as IBD, IBS, Crohns Disease, and ulcerative colitis; SmartJane, the first sequencing-based womens health screening test, which genotypes all 19 clinically relevant strains of HPV, identifies four common STDs, and surveys more than 20 vaginal microbes associated with bacterial vaginosis and other conditions; and Explorer, a health and wellness product to understand the role that food and lifestyle can play in wellness.

uBiomes platform has been used by hundreds of thousands of consumers, patients, and doctors and more than 200 research institutions around the world, including the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard University, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, San Francisco, Oxford University, and the University of Sydney.

Since its launch, the company has received widespread recognition including CNN 10: Startups to Watch, the IVY Technology Award, CNN Future 30, and was named one of Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies in Healthcare in 2016 and in Data Science in 2018, as well as a Technology Pioneer from the World Economic Forum in 2018. For more information, visit http://www.uBiome.com.
This is a perfect fit. AmeriSave brings years of delivering a truly exceptional, tech-forward experience to homeowners during originations as we do at TMS in servicing customers for the life of the loan.

TMS, a national fintech and mortgage company, announced it has sold its originations line of business to Atlanta-based AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation, a national fintech lender. The expected originations volume is $1.5 billion in 2019. As part of the terms of the agreement, AmeriSave will welcome TMS employees associated with the business, and assume its new Plano, Texas and Chandler, Arizona offices.

This is a perfect fit. AmeriSave brings years of delivering a truly exceptional, tech-forward experience to homeowners during originations as we do at TMS in servicing customers for the life of the loan, said CEO Darius Mirshahzadeh. We feel good knowing that they will take great care of our customers and our people while we double down on being the worlds best servicer.

The acquisition for TMS is a strategic move to focus on revolutionizing Servicing with its award-winning customer service platform SIME  Servicing Intelligence Made Easy, and take a vertical approach to its core businesses. TMS, an award-winning Subservicer and Top 15 Correspondent Investor.

For AmeriSave, the acquisition marks the companys efforts to scale its loan originations business.

We are excited to welcome the TMS originations team and business to AmeriSave, said President Mike Berte. While we had a strong 2018, this acquisition kickstarts 2019, allowing us to expand our market share, add talented mortgage professionals in two terrific markets, and help more people realize the dream of homeownership.

AmeriSave is known as a pioneer of digital origination. For the last ten years, the company has invested heavily in its propriety technology creating a highly automated loan originations system that removes the friction that customers typically experience while obtaining a mortgage. Many AmeriSave customers choose to self-serve all or most of their loan transactions with this intuitive software that drives speed and significantly lowers the cost to produce a loan. In turn, AmeriSave passes this savings along to thousands of customers each month. Recently, the company has embarked on significant expansion plans that include attracting top talent and considering other acquisitions.

For TMS, the shift away from originations provides TMS subservicing and correspondent clients more partner programs and technology that will advance its already state-of-the-art customer service offering, maximizing clients portfolio retention and amplifying customer lifetime value. Beyond SIME, TMS has patents pending for artificial intelligence, block chain and has new versions of its one-of-a-kind servicing app scheduled for 2019. The company also plans to expand its client partner programs with custom apps, websites, as well as marketing and compliance consultative services.

We are widely recognized as having the most advanced subservicing technology platform in the business, said Mirshahzadeh. Transitioning originations to a pro like AmeriSave makes perfect business sense. Now, we can champion our clients success and deliver what the industry so desperately needs  a world class customer servicing platform and stellar loan performance  that we at TMS are so uniquely positioned to deliver.

TMS will transition the originations business to AmeriSave in first quarter 2019.

About TMS

TMS (The Money Source Inc.) is a different kind of company that does business in a different kind of way. Founded in 1997, with a mission to Grow Happiness, TMS is a fast growing fintech company that provides products, technology, speed of service and a unique customer experience to borrowers, clients and team members in their pursuit of happiness. TMS is a national lender and servicer licensed or exempt from licensing in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit TheMoneySource.com. NMLS# 6289.

About AmeriSave

Founded in 2002, AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation is a leading fintech company best known for pioneering the first truly digital mortgage experience to borrowers. AmeriSave provides modern automation that drives speed and lowers cost to produce which enables AmeriSave to pass savings on to thousands of customers each month. With six locations across America, AmeriSave is a national licensed consumer direct lender in 49 states, TPO and Retail . FNMA, FHLMC, GNMA approved. For more information, visit amerisave.com . NMLS# 1168


AirShow Ive read a lot of books just one time to third and fourth graders but when I read AIRSHOW! they made me reread it three and four times! Children who havent been exposed to aviation or airplanes get excited and cannot get enough of AIRSHOW!

Airshow, published by Black Rose Writing, is Mark Hewitts debut entry into childrens literature, a big change from his normal fare of writing fast-paced thrillers. The book was the 1st Place Winner for its genre in the 2018 PenCraft Awards for Literary Excellence. "AIRSHOW! is a book for young children. The many illustrations and simple dialog should make it easy to capture the attention of children with even the shortest of attention spans. Its dialog is written with the goal that a 5-year-old should easily be able to understand it. At just 34 pages, it is an easy and fun book for mom or dad to read to their children.

Michael Janay, an in-school reading volunteer for Virginia school stated, Ive read a lot of books just one time to third and fourth graders but when I read AIRSHOW! they made me reread it three and four times! Children who havent been exposed to aviation or airplanes get excited and cannot get enough of AIRSHOW!

Nikki Mates intricate and colorful illustrations provide views of over 34 different military and civilian aircraft. Hewitt explains the differences between the various types of aircraft in terms that young children can easily comprehend. With all of the different types of aircraft shown, there is a new discovery with each turn of the page. Hewitt has his young protagonist meeting the pilots of several of the aircraft at the show.

Both Mark Hewitt and Nikki Mate are military pilots and flew some of Americas most sophisticated military aircraft. AIRSHOW! was published October 17, 2017, by Black Rose Writing of Castroville, TX. It is available directly from the Publisher, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and other books stores in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and the United States.

If you would like more information about AIRSHOW! or to schedule an interview with Mr. Hewitt, please contact the author at 410-855-1346 or via email at mark.hewitt15(at)gmail.com
R. Dean Davenport is an estate planning and estate probate lawyer in McKinney, Texas providing services to clients in the greater Dallas metro area. Mr. Davenport advises and represents Texas clients on issues related to asset protection, estate probate, guardianship, and estate planning matters. Past News Releases RSS

The Texas Bar College congratulates R. Dean Davenport on his seven years of membership in the College.

R. Dean Davenport is an estate planning and estate probate lawyer in McKinney providing services to clients in the greater Dallas metro area. Mr. Davenport advises and represents Texas clients on issues related to asset protection, estate probate, guardianship, and estate planning matters, helping to assure that estate assets are distributed according to their intentions after death, including the management and distribution of assets held in trust during their lifetime. Mr. Davenports estate planning practice focuses on helping to minimize the risk of unexpected estate probate litigation and estate liabilities through the preparation of wills, trusts, healthcare directives, financial and medical power of attorneys, living wills, and guardianship arrangements for cognitively incapacitated or disabled family members and minor children.

R. Dean Davenport holds graduate degrees from Baylor University (M.A., Ph.D.) and Texas Tech University School of Law (J.D.). He graduated from law school in 2009 and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas the following year. Mr. Davenport entered the private practice of law in 2012 and continues to teach undergraduate university courses in the areas of ethics and business law. He is also a member of the American Bar Association, the Collin County Bar Association, and the Texas Center for Legal Ethics.

R. Dean Davenport Attorney at Law

2150 S Central Expy Suite 200

McKinney, TX 75070

469-352-1876

The Texas Bar College, the only organization in the United States formed for this purpose, is an honorary society of lawyers, chartered by the Supreme Court of Texas in 1981, to recognize and encourage lawyers who maintain and enhance their professional skills and the quality of their service to the public by completing at least double the required hours of continuing legal education each year. The College also sponsors or otherwise assists in educational activities of significant merit and widespread relevance and applicability to the legal profession.
The goal of The MHInsider is to create an industry-positive and informative medium that strikes a balance between feature profiles, industry trends and the latest news. The magazine is a companion publication to the MHInsider blog for professionals.

MHVillage, the nations number one marketplace for manufactured housing, has announced two big changes to its industry trade publication for manufactured housing news, The MHInsider. Starting in 2019, the company will publish six print issues per year. The magazine was published quarterly during its first year, 2018, with added distribution for industry events.

The MHInsider also has hired a new managing editor, Matt Milkovich. Matt comes to the manufactured housing industry from the world of commercial fruit and vegetable farming, where he was the managing editor of two trade publications for many years.

MHInsiders previous managing editor, Patrick Revere, will continue working with the magazine as executive editor, while serving as director of content for all MHVillage publications.

MHVillage assists consumers in finding mobile homes for sale or rental. Each year, MHVillage.com registers approximately 25 million unique visitors. In 2017, the website boasted 148 million page views, providing a platform for more than $3 billion in home sales and rentals among its many services to consumers and professionals in the areas of home building, retail, community management, brokerage, investment and finance.

The goal of The MHInsider is to create an industry-positive and informative medium that strikes a balance between feature profiles, industry trends and the latest news. The magazine is a companion publication to the MHInsider blog for professionals, which is updated on a regular basis and provides the latest industry news and trends for manufactured housing professionals.

MHInsider magazine was created in part to fill an industry void. Prior to its launch in January 2018, the manufactured housing industry had been without a print trade publication since the last industry journal discontinued publication in December 2016.

Readers can sign up at MHInsider.com to receive the print magazine in the mail, as well as read an electronic version of the magazine and sign up for the newsletter to stay up-to-date with industry news via the professional blog.

For advertising opportunities with The MHInsider magazine and blog, call MHInsider Account Executive Matthew OBrian at (877) 406-0232. For editorial feedback and contributions, call Managing Editor Matt Milkovich at (616) 214-3181, or email mattm(at)mhvillage.com.

About MHVillage

Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, MHVillage Inc. is the nations premier online marketplace for buying and selling manufactured homes. Since its inception in 2004, MHVillage has grown to become the number one consumer website for the manufactured housing industry, with more than 25 million unique visitors annually. Nearly 80,000 homes are sold annually on MHVillage.com, with a combined transaction value exceeding $3 billion.

http://www.mhvillage.com
Representatives with Clearwater, Florida-based Sun Glo Plating Company, announced today that the company is now offering hardcoat anodizing services.

Dave Brackenhamer, director of business development and spokesman for Sun-Glo Plating Company, explained that Type III (Hardcoat Anodizing) is specifically designed to treat aluminum components that are subject to heavy-duty wear and tear.

With that, the material needs a thicker, denser and more resilient coat to protect from more damaging and corrosive environments, Brackenhamer said, before adding, Hardcoat anodizing can be considered the workhorse of the three types of the anodizing processes.

Some benefits of hardcoat anodizing services are that surfaces are repairable, it can be black dyed, the coating is harder than tool steel, it doesnt conduct electricity, it improves parts surface, and improves wear resistance.

Through this process, we can see in thicknesses in upwards of 0.003, said Backenhamer. Because of this, the coating helps to improve the wear resistance on materials, which makes for long lasting functionality, higher quality material, fewer replacement demands and can also be used to salvage components that would otherwise need to be completely replaced. In addition to wear resistant applications, Type III Hardcoat Anodizing offers the greatest electrical insulation.

As to why anyone should consider Sun-Glos hardcoat anodizing services, Brackenhamer pointed to the fact that the company has more than 32 years of experience providing expert advice for both small and industrial sized clients. In addition to that, its team brings decades of experience in delivering a quality product for our clients.

For more information, please visit http://www.sun-glo.com/services/ and http://sun-glo.com/about/

About Sun Glo Plating Company

Working in partnership with our customers, we continue to add services, increase capacity, refine procedures and improve quality. This commitment has allowed for unprecedented growth and to gain a reputation as one of the nations leading finishers. There is much more to plating than dipping and shipping. We have over 30 years experience providing expert advice for both small and industrial sized clients.

Media Contact:

Dave Brackenhamer

14493 62nd St N,

Clearwater, FL 33760, USA

Phone: 800-741-1456

Source: Sun Glo Plating Company
The MultiTech University IoT program provides students with the necessary tools and education to learn and apply new connectivity technologies. Our LoRa technology-based systems provides students with the flexibility and tools they need to easily implement very creative solutions. It is our pleasure to work with such an enthusiastic and collaborative community.

Multi-Tech Systems, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of M2M and IoT communication devices, today announced the MultiTech University IoT Program is continuing on its growth path and creating opportunities for students by providing the tools and education to apply new connectivity technologies.

As part of the program, MultiTech provides students with access to solutions within its award-winning product line, introducing an exceptional opportunity to apply their expertise and creativity, while simultaneously exploring the possibilities of LoRa.

Students that are utilizing our products are eager to explore different use cases. Our LoRa technology-based systems provide them with the flexibility and tools they need to easily implement very creative solutions, said MultiTech Senior Manager for Programs and Partnerships, Gregg Zastrow. It is our pleasure to work with such an enthusiastic and collaborative community and we look forward to further expanding the program and providing even more opportunities for students and universities.

A sampling of deployments currently in the works include:



University of Texas Yousef Baiji, a student at the University of Texas, is writing his thesis on leak detection in oil pipes, a major issue within the Oil and Gas Industry.

Im using MultiTechs mDot connected to a flow meter to measure the flow and volume and also am using bme280 for pipe temperature, the first phase was to gather data from a pipe using water as an experiment Im exploring the possibility to implement machine learning to get some results.

The MultiConnect mDot is a secure, CE/FCC/RCM/GITEKI certified, Arm MbedTM programmable, low-power RF module that provides long-range, low bit rate M2M data connectivity to sensors, industrial equipment and remote appliances. mDot is part of the MultiTech family of LoRaWAN communications devices which also includes the programmable MultiConnect Conduit gateway, and MultiConnect mCardTM gateway accessory cards.

Colorado State University  The AgTech startup CattleFit is working with Colorado State Universities Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering to develop a remote health monitor for the beef cattle industry. Using MultiTechs IoT technology the students at CSU can now rapidly develop and test prototypes that will ultimately improve operations for cattle ranchers. Using MultiTech's IoT technology CattleFit is developing a remote health monitor that improves the health and wellbeing for beef cattle while also increasing the efficiency and profitability for cattle ranchers.

The environments that we are working in are often remote and the conditions are demanding. MultiTech's long range, low powered IoT technology allows us to provide data driven solutions to cattle ranchers to improve the efficiency and profitability of their operations, says CattleFit founder David Poussard.

The MultiConnect Conduit IoT Starter Kit for LoRa Technology provides everything developers need get LoRa proof of concept up, running and connected to the cloud quickly  all in one box. The kit features the MultiConnect Conduit. The MultiConnect Conduit IP67 Base Station is a ruggedized IoT gateway solution, specifically designed for outdoor LoRa public or private network deployments. The highly scalable and certified MultiConnect Conduit IP67 gateway is capable of resisting the harshest environmental factors including moisture, dust, wind, rain, snow and extreme heat. The device supports LoRaWANTM applications in virtually any environment.

San Diego State University  Students within the IoT Lab at San Diego State University are building a LoRaWAN Smart Receptacle for Smart City metering and demand response applications. Two MultiTech MultiConnect Conduit gateways are currently in place to relay packets to an application server via MQTT.

"Current load shedding techniques employed by energy utilities do not distinguish among user appliances, such as refrigeration systems, and ultimately result in total power loss to selected distribution regions during rolling blackouts, said Christopher Paolini, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, San Diego State University. "The LoRa-based smart receptacle architecture being developed, utilizes MultiConnect Conduit gateways, and provides a pathway for energy companies to monitor individual appliance load.

About MultiTech

MultiTech designs, develops and manufactures communications equipment for the industrial internet of things  connecting physical assets to business processes to deliver enhanced value. Our commitment to quality and service excellence means you can count on MultiTech products and people to address your needs, while our history of innovation ensures you can stay ahead of the latest technology with a partner who will be there for the life of your solution. Visit http://www.multitech.com for more information. Visit us at CES in Booth, #2314, located in Tech East, Westgate.

MultiTech Press Contact:

Jennifer Costello - 781-715-4870, Email: jennifer.costello@multitech.com

Contact at CES  Sara Brown - 919-699-7093, Email: sara.brown@multitech.com
Greg brings nearly three decades of real estate technology and brokerage experience to the table, and I am looking forward to watching his impact on the business and those under his leadership," Kevin Ortner, CEO of Renters Warehouse

Renters Warehouse, America's leading real estate investment services company, is thrilled to announce that Greg Rand has formally joined the executive team as Chief Strategy Officer.

Rand is the former CEO of OwnAmerica, the second largest single-family rental investment marketplace in the country. In December, Renters Warehouse announced that it had acquired OwnAmerica and that Rand would be joining the Renters Warehouse executive team as Chief Strategy Officer. The transaction officially closed on January 2nd.

On behalf of the entire Renters Warehouse family, I am excited to welcome Greg to the team as our first-ever Chief Strategy Officer, shared Renters Warehouse CEO, Kevin Ortner. Greg brings nearly three decades of real estate technology and brokerage experience to the table, and I am looking forward to watching his impact on the business and those under his leadership.

As Chief Strategy Officer, Rand will oversee the strategy and deployment of the Renters Warehouse Investor Marketplace. He will also be leading the sales organization nationwide by building out a team of local real estate investment agents in all Renters Warehouse markets to assist investors with their buying and selling decisions.

I am incredibly excited to join the Renters Warehouse team in this new role and to work together to create a first-of-its-kind solution to help real estate investors envision, plan, execute and manage their long-term investment strategies, shared Rand. Together, we are going to help millions of people own America.

Rand launched OwnAmerica in 2010 as an institutional technology and brokerage services company helping institutional investors build national rental portfolios. Prior to OwnAmerica he was the managing partner at Rand Realty, one of the top 50 largest real estate brokerage companies in the country, host of a call-in real estate investment show, Rand on Real Estate on WABC Radio and the author of Crash Boom! a book on bootstrapping entrepreneurship during the Great Recession.

Renters Warehouse is the only property management company focused on single-family rentals to be rated by Morningstar Credit Ratings, a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. Since acquiring OwnAmerica in December 2018, renters can find quality homes to lease, and investors can plan, research, buy, track and sell their real estate investments all in one place with the Renters Warehouse investor marketplace. To learn more about Renters Warehouse, visit http://www.renterswarehouse.com.

About Renters Warehouse

Renters Warehouse is America's leading real estate investment services company. Backed by growth equity investor and majority stakeholder Northern Pacific Group, and under the leadership of President and CEO Kevin Ortner, Renters Warehouse now manages more than $3 billion in residential real estate, servicing over 14,000+ investors across 22,000+ residential homes over 42 markets and 25 states. NPG Managing Partner Scott Honour, who in 1999 was a founder of YapStone, a leading online rental property payment service provider, serves as Chairman.

Renters Warehouse expertly serves everyday single-property homeowners as well as real estate investors. In 2015, the company officially trademarked the term Rent Estate to redefine the entire SFR (Single Family Rental) industry as more traditional real estate gives way to this new lucrative asset. Through their dedicated Portfolio Services Division led by Chief Investment Officer Anthony Cazazian, the company also brings professional, scalable and efficient single property management solutions to investment portfolios with both centralized services and local market expertise and staff. Not only has Renters Warehouse received the prestigious honor of being included on the Inc. 500 | 5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies in America nine consecutive years in a row, it was also named one of the Best Places to Work in Minnesota (where they are headquartered) by the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016. The company was also honored as a best place to work in Arizona (a centralized corporate services center) by the Phoenix Business Journal in 2013, 2014 and 2017, and achieved a spot on the prestigious 2016 Top Companies to Work for in AZ list. Nationwide, Renters Warehouse has been honored as one of America's "Best Places to Work" in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 by Outside Magazine. Recognized as pioneers in real estate, business management and innovation, Renters Warehouse has been awarded 22 Business Stevie Awards both internationally and stateside.

In 2017, Renters Warehouse received an A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) after meeting the BBBs eight Standards of Trust and earning BBB Accreditation. In 2016, Morningstar Credit Ratings, LLC, a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) offering a wide array of services including operational risk assessments, assigned its MOR RV2 residential-vendor ranking to Renters Warehouse as a residential property manager, indicating that the company demonstrates proficiency in managing key areas of operational risk.

In 2017, Renters Warehouse published its first book - Rent Estate Revolution. Authored by CEO Kevin Ortner, the book shares the Renters Warehouse philosophy and business expertise around single-family rentals and the power of Rent Estate to drive long-term wealth creation, retirement security and financial freedom for the everyday person. Order your copy today: http://www.rentestaterevolution.com.
MPC has earned a strong reputation for gathering the industrys sharpest minds and delivering thought leadership.

Mobile Payments Conference organizers are seeking thought leaders to join the expert lineup at MPC19, the 13th conference on the future of emerging and alternative payments, Aug. 26-28 at the Swissotel Chicago. The call for speakers is open now through Feb. 8, 2019.

Experts from Google, PayPal, Grubhub, Lyft, Kount, Mastercard, First National Bank, Verizon and many other innovative companies have taken the stage at MPC over the years.

MPC has earned a strong reputation for gathering the industrys sharpest minds and delivering thought leadership, said Marla Ellerman, Executive Director of the Mobile Payments Conference. Were continuing that tradition in 2019 as we engage FinTech pioneers in in-depth conversations about whats next.

2019 will be a breakthrough year for global mobile commerce.

5G wireless networks finally will provide the platform businesses and consumers have been waiting for. Well be able to deliver or consume services weve only dreamed of in science fiction.

The mobile device -- in all its many forms -- will be central to commercial activity. Such commerce in motion mandates a frictionless experience. Thats our challenge as an industry and thats the focus of MPC19.

Hot topics on deck for MPC19 include:



5G Revolution

Contactless Cards

Voice-Enabled Commerce

Connected Cars

Non-card Payments

Cardless Cash

Digital Wallets

Cryptocurrency

Blockchain

Security

Internet of Things (IoT)

International Markets

Emerging Payments

B2B Applications

Loyalty Programs

High-Risk Markets

More!

Were issuing an open call for experts to tackle these subjects as well as ways to remove friction from the payments process, said Ellerman. Every creative submission will receive serious consideration so we can make MPC19 our best event yet!

Interested parties may apply online at https://mobilepaymentconference.com/callforspeakers by Feb. 8, 2019.

Year after year, payment industry innovators count on MPC to connect them with key decision-makers at financial institutions, venture capitalists, retailers as well as channel sales partners, analysts and press. Get your brand and message in front of executive-level buyers and dealmakers with a sponsorship or exhibit. For more information, visit https://mobilepaymentconference.com/exhibitor-sponsor-resources/

Early registration also is open. To secure special pricing, reserve your spot today at https://mobilepaymentconference.com/register-now/.

About the Mobile Payments Conference

In its ninth year, the Mobile Payments Conference is the premier annual conference and exhibition on the future of alternative payments worldwide. MPC is known for bringing together thought leaders, innovators and decision-makers from financial, technology, government, retail, marketing and mobile industries to discuss the evolution of the payments industry. Attendees benefit from access to the worlds foremost experts in emerging payments and commerce, blockchain and digital currencies, cybersecurity and consumer privacy, customer experience and loyalty, and customer engagement and marketing.

About MPC19

MPC19, the 13th Mobile Payments Conference, is set for Aug. 26-28 at the Swissotel Chicago. This years theme, Global Commerce in Motion: Enabling Frictionless Payments, will focus on the impact of the 5G revolution on mobile commerce and removing friction from the payments process for users and merchants. For more information or to register, visit http://www.mobilepaymentconference.com.
Winter is the best time to get a tummy tuck

Atlanta plastic surgery practice, Perimeter Plastic Surgery, encourages patients to consider seasonal advantages when planning a tummy tuck and other cosmetic procedures. There are distinct benefits that winter months offer during a patients postoperative healing period, including discreet recovery and reduced sun exposure.

Although tummy tucks are performed year-round, there are various reasons as to why having the procedure performed during the cold season is ideal, said Mark Deutsch, MD, FACS, a double board-certified plastic surgeon and the medical director of Perimeter Plastic Surgery. In the winter months, patients are able to use layers to cover compression garments more comfortably; they also have less risk of hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, which is the darkening or lightening of scars due to sun exposure.

Compression garments are mandatory for patients several weeks following a tummy tuck to control swelling and improve results. During colder months, garments can be hidden under bulkier winter clothing, and no wardrobe restrictions are necessary.

Heat from the sun can also slow the recovery process, resulting in a longer waiting period before full treatment benefits are revealed, said Dr. Deutsch. Winter provides a more controlled healing environment in which post-op swelling is more likely to be minimized. In addition, incision wounds from winter will heal by spring, and patients will have regained energy to participate in recreational activities.

To encourage patients to take advantage of these wintertime benefits, Perimeter Plastic Surgery is offering $500 off a tummy tuck procedure. To schedule a complimentary consultation, contact Perimeter Plastic Surgery at 404-255-0886. Consultation requests can also be made by filling out the online contact form at https://www.perimeterplasticsurgery.com/contact/.

About Perimeter Plastic Surgery:

Perimeter Plastic Surgery is one of the top plastic surgery practices with locations in Atlanta and Fayetteville, Georgia. Owner and founder of the practice, Mark Deutsch, MD, FACS, has over 20 years of plastic surgery experience, is double board-certified, and has been named a Top Doctor in Atlanta by Castle Connolly for three years in a row: 2016, 2017, and 2018. Perimeter Plastic Surgerys Atlanta office is located in Northside Hospitals Northside Doctors Center on Johnson Ferry Road. For more information about Dr. Deutsch and Perimeter Plastic Surgery, please visit https://perimeterplasticsurgery.com.
In Partnership with the Smiles for Everyone Foundation, Perfect Smile Dental will provide free dental services for low-income, underinsured individuals in Las Vegas, NV on February 2.

Dental services provided include same-day procedures such as exams and x-rays, fillings, cleanings and extractions. For more information, please visit the Smiles for Everyone Foundation website.

About P3 Dental Group

P3 Dental Group is a rapidly growing group dental practice affiliated with Smile Brands Inc. Founded by Dr. Matthew Welebir in 2003, P3 Dental has been delivering quality care to Las Vegas area residents. With five convenient general dentistry locations and two co-located specialty centers, P3 Dental Group provides state-of-the-art general and specialty care, including: preventative care, periodontal care, restorative care, cosmetic care, Invisalign, dental implants, oral surgery, and sedation dentistry. Their mission is to create long-term patient relationships by making dental visits convenient, affordable and stress-free. P3 relies on Smile Brands to provide world-class business support services so they can focus on delivering highly personalized patient care.

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About the Smiles For Everyone Foundation

The Smiles for Everyone Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of delivering smiles for everyone by providing free dental care for those in need, both at home in the U.S. and around the world. Since 2011, the Smiles for Everyone Foundation has delivered over 19,000 smiles and $14.5 million in donated dentistry. The foundation currently supports programs which provide free dental care to those in need in Cambodia, Ghana, Laos, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Thailand, and the United States. For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.smilesforeveryone.org.

Contacts:

Perfect Smile Dental

Matthew Welebir, DDS

Matthew.Welebir@smilebrands.com

Smiles for Everyone Foundation

Crystal Strait

crystal.strait@smilesforeveryone.org

714.824.5037


While there are several solutions available for driver drowsiness and inattention monitoring, PathPartners DMS provides a reliable, cost-effective, automotive grade solution that can be easily customized for client needs.

PathPartner Technology, a product R&D and engineering specialist, announced today that it will demonstrate its next-generation driver monitoring solution at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 from January 8-11 in Las Vegas. PathPartners new solution, the PathPartner DMS, utilizes the third-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platforms, and represents a significant step forward in the development of highly advanced in-vehicle solutions for passenger vehicles and fleets. The Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platforms are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Safety organizations worldwide are proposing driver monitoring solution as one of the highest priority safety features in next-generation vehicles. PathPartners DMS delivers accurate and real-time detection of driver-drowsiness and in-attention, thus enabling enhanced safety. The combination of PathPartners deep learning based advanced visual analysis technology stack running on the Snapdragon Automotive Cockpit Platforms is designed to deliver unmatched auxiliary features such as facial recognition, in-cabin occupancy monitoring, and in-cabin personalization that bring additional value to customers.

As vehicles become more technically advanced automakers are seeking reliable solutions for enhanced safety, said Ramkishor Korada, EVP  Business Development & Marketing at PathPartner. While there are several solutions available for driver drowsiness and inattention monitoring, PathPartners DMS provides a reliable, low cost, automotive grade, a single camera-based solution with multiple auxiliary features for personalization that can be easily customized for client needs.

PathPartner at CES:

PathPartner will be demonstrating its latest driver monitoring solution at the Qualcomm Technologies automotive booth, located at the Las Vegas Convention Center North Hall, booth #5609. To set up a meeting, write to marcom(at)pathpartnertech.com

About PathPartner Technology:

PathPartner is product R&D and engineering specialist. We help our clients develop, productize, and maintain advanced technology products. With our full stack engineering services, re-usable solution accelerators, and an unparalleled experience in transforming innovative ideas into full-fledged products, PathPartner provides its clients the advantage of top-of-the-line technologies, superior performance and faster time-to-market. With extensive expertise in embedded systems, computer vision, deep learning, multimedia and imaging technologies, PathPartner provides next-gen technology solutions to customers in automotive, internet of things, intelligent devices and digital media products domain.

PathPartners catalog of products and services continues to expand. To know more details and collaborate on next-gen products, please visit http://www.pathpartnertech.com or write to us at marcom(at)pathpartnertech.com

Qualcomm and Snapdragon, are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries.

Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Contact:

Sushmita Sharma

Director of Marketing

PathPartner Technology

sushmita(dot)s(at)pathpartnertech.com
Roberta (Bobbi) Kochevar I am very excited to welcome Bobbi and her expertise to Nexus. Her role is pertinent to the growth and strategic direction of Nexus as we aim to provide the best possible care to the children and families who need our services.

Nexus, a national nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, has selected Roberta (Bobbi) Kochevar as Chief Officer of Child and Family Services (COCFS). She will provide strategic guidance to Nexus sites and affiliates from the Plymouth, MN, corporate office.

Kochevar comes to Nexus with vast operational expertise and leadership experience in the healthcare industry. Her clinical experience includes her work as the Director of Clinical Services and Rehab at North Memorial where she grew the division by 30 percent while achieving remarkable productivity and efficiency. Prior to North Memorial, Kochevar spent 13 years as Lab Manager at Childrens Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

Kochevar holds a BS degree in Medical Technology from Winona State University and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Saint Marys University of Minnesota. She was the Board President of Saint Marys University Alumni Association and ASCLS of Minnesota. She is an active member of the Womens Health Leadership Trust, where she was named one of the top 35 emerging leaders in 2015 and currently serves as a mentor in the IMPACT mentoring program.

Dr. Michelle K. Murray, Nexus President and CEO, said, I am very excited to welcome Bobbi and her expertise to Nexus. Her role is pertinent to the growth and strategic direction of Nexus as we aim to provide the best possible care to the children and families who need our services. She is a great fit with our organizational values and will be an excellent addition to our leadership team.

Nexus is a national nonprofit organization that serves children, youth, and families across five states through education programs, community mental health services, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment programs. For more information, visit: http://www.nexus-yfs.org.


Pasteurized almonds The low temperature process preserves the raw characteristic of the nuts as the steam does not wet the product and no drying step is needed

Napasol North America LLC of Pasadena, CA, has successfully validated its Grower Direct Nut Company pasteurizer for Almonds. The Almond Board of Californias Technical Expert Review Panel (TERP) accepted the process for the Napasol pasteurization system in accordance with the USDA code of federal regulation requirements for Almonds Grown in California. This approval broadens Napasols market by completing the full range of tree nuts already validated with access to the North America almond industry.

The Grower Direct Nut Company of Hughson California, was notified November 26, 2018 of the successful validation of its Napasol Pasteurization unit for Almonds. The high capacity pasteurizer has been running walnuts and with this approval they can in addition offer pasteurization toll services to the Almond industry. The tree nut industry is increasing faced with the need for pasteurization in part due to the preventative controls requirement of the FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act). The Napasol process satisfies increasing demand for natural pasteurization alternatives to the more established PPO (Propylene Oxide) treatment widely used to satisfy the mandatory almond pasteurization rule.

Napasol pasteurizers have been consistently and reliably producing high quality Ready-to-Eat nuts that retain all their raw characteristics with a >5log pathogen reduction process. This can be achieved because the Napasol process uniquely allows pasteurizing at low temperatures by working in a partial vacuum with saturated steam. According to Dr. Cameon Ivarsson, CEO of Napasol North America, the low temperature process preserves the raw characteristic of the nuts as the steam does not wet the product and no drying step is needed.

Unlike other processes where product is transported on conveyors, belts, or by other mechanical means, the almonds in the Napasol process are immobile in a bin which moves through the processing line. This eliminates mechanical product damage thus reducing dust and breakage. The product in the bin is never in contact with the equipment allowing continuous use of the equipment without down time for cleaning. When needed the bins can be cleaned offline while the line is running.

Napasol North America of Pasadena, CA, provides pasteurization equipment for nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and other low moisture foods. Since its inception in 2006 Napasol has installed over 30 pasteurization plants on all 5 continents. The compact modular Pasteurization lines have a range of throughput from of 500 to 30'000 lbs/hr. While Napasol equipment is validated for the full range of nuts in locations around the world, this is the first plant in the US to get TERP approval for Almond Pasteurization. This major step will open the considerable and growing Almond pasteurization market to Napasol's technology.

The Grower Direct Nut Company is a full-service walnut processing facility that primarily focuses on shelled walnuts. The family business was founded in 2004. In addition, the Martella family serves many local growers with a commercial harvesting business and is one of the largest walnut hullers/dehydrators in California. Obtaining TERP approval and adding the Napasol pasteurization unit allows them to offer services for walnuts, almonds and potentially other nuts.
#Best4YouBest4Baby We want to emphasize the importance of pregnancy registries, which often lead to the discovery of even more ways to prevent birth defects.

A baby is born with a birth defect in the United States every 4  minutes. We can change that alarming statistic, said Christina Chambers, PhD, MPH, President of MotherToBaby, a free service of the non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS). MotherToBaby is joining with leading prenatal health experts from the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes, and the Teratology Society this month to increase awareness of 5 critical tips to reduce the chances of having a baby with a birth defect.

The National Birth Defects Prevention Month campaign theme, Best for You. Best for Baby. aims to raise awareness of preventable birth defects. Furthermore, we want to emphasize the importance of pregnancy registries, which often lead to the discovery of even more ways to prevent birth defects, explained Dr. Chambers, who also serves as professor of pediatrics at UC San Diego. MotherToBaby will join the Teratology Society and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in co-hosting a free two-part webinar series for healthcare providers on the importance of pregnancy exposure research, its challenges and the new Task Force on Research Specific to Pregnant and Lactating Women (PRGLAC) report. The webinar series will take place Thursday January 17th at 1pm-1:30 ET and Tuesday January 29th at 12pm-12:30p ET and will be free to join, but advanced registration is required at the following links:



Current and Future Trends in Research with Pregnant and Lactating Women (Part 1): http://bit.ly/PregResearch1

Using Registries and Crowdsourcing to Conduct Research with Pregnant and Lactating Women (Part 2): http://bit.ly/PregResearch2

MotherToBaby provides free evidence-based information to mothers, health care professionals, and the general public about medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding through its helpline (866) 626-6847, texting service (855) 999-3525, or via live chat and email on http://www.MotherToBaby.org. MotherToBaby also has a free app available for iOS and Android devices. MotherToBaby is recommended by many agencies, including the CDC.

MotherToBaby encourages the public to follow these steps to increase chances of a having a healthy baby:

1. Be sure to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.

-Folic acid is very important because it can help prevent some major birth defects of the babys brain and spine.

2. Book a visit with your healthcare provider before stopping or starting any medicine.

-There are often benefits to continuing treatment throughout pregnancy. Discussing a treatment plan before a pregnancy allows a woman and her health care provider to weigh the pros and cons of all options to keep mom and baby as healthy as possible.

3. Become up-to-date with all vaccines, including the flu shot.

-Having the right vaccinations, like the flu and Tdap vaccines, at the right time during pregnancy can help keep a woman and her baby healthy.

4. Before you get pregnant, try to reach a healthy weight.

-Obesity increases the risk for several serious birth defects and other pregnancy complications.

5. Boost your health by avoiding harmful substances during pregnancy, such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

-There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy and its exposure can cause major birth defects.

-Smoking during pregnancy can cause dangerous chemicals to damage the placenta and/or reach babys bloodstream.

-The opioid addiction epidemic has led to a sharp increase in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), premature birth and drug withdrawal in developing babies.

Birth defects are a common cause of death in the first year of a babys life, but change happens through awareness, added Jason L. Salemi, PhD, MPH, NBDPN President. Were thrilled MotherToBaby is doing its part to positively change the outcome for babies across North America.

How You Can Help

MotherToBaby encourages health advocates as well as the general public to be active participants in National Birth Defects Prevention Month. Follow and share #Best4YouBest4Baby messages on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. In addition, the complete 2019 NBDPN Birth Defects Prevention Month information packet, including this years primary tips for birth defects prevention, Best for You. Best for Baby. 5 Tips for Preventing Birth Defects, is available online at: https://www.nbdpn.org/bdpm.php. All materials can be printed, electronically conveyed, or added to websites for distribution as needed.

Additional Resources to Support Healthy Pregnancies

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The CDCs National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) strives to advance the health and well-being of our nations most vulnerable populations.

http://www.CDC.gov/ncbddd

American Academy of Pediatrics

Dedicated to the health of all children, providing age-specific health information.

http://www.healthychildren.org

The Teratology Society

An international and multidisciplinary group of scientists including researchers, clinicians, epidemiologists, and public health professionals from academia, government and industry who study birth defects, reproduction, and disorders of developmental origin.

http://www.Teratology.org

March of Dimes

An organization aiming to make sure babies get the strongest start possible as well as reducing the rate of prematurity.

http://www.marchofdimes.org

Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez(at)MotherToBaby.org. Interviews in Spanish are also available.
2019 MIAMI Chairman of the Board Jose Maria Serrano By promoting the Miami brand and Miami lifestyle at global conferences and collaborating with our worldwide partners every South Florida industry benefits,2019 MIAMI Chairman of the Board Jose Maria Serrano said.

The MIAMI Association of REALTORS (MIAMI) recently signed six international partnerships at the 2018 REALTORS Conference & Expo in Boston. MIAMI now has 204 international partners. These alliances create business opportunities for MIAMI members, enhance Miamis global position and strengthen the local economy. The bilateral agreements also provide resources, visibility and connections for MIAMIs international partners.

MIAMI signed international partnerships with: AMPI XALAPA (Mexico), FIABCI Mexico Young Members, ASAI  Asociacion Salvadorena de Asesores Inmobiliarios (El Salvador), FAI  Federacion de Asociaciones Inmobiliarias (FAI), Overseas Property Alliance (Hong Kong) and Georgian National Association of Real Estate (Georgia)

By promoting the Miami brand and Miami lifestyle at global conferences and collaborating with our worldwide partners every South Florida industry benefits,2019 MIAMI Chairman of the Board Jose Maria Serrano said. We are honored to partner with these important organizations for the mutual benefit of our members and markets.

The Power of Global Partners

MIAMI, the largest local Realtor association with 47,000 members, has been signing honorary reciprocal agreements with international real estate associations since 1996. MIAMI has bilateral agreements with real estate associations in more than 50 countries. The organizations are part of MIAMIs International Referral Network, which links South Florida properties with more than 1 million real estate professionals around the world.

MIAMIs International Referral Network provides MIAMI members with a powerful competitive advantage, which benefits buyers, sellers and the communities they serve. Consumers should seek real estate professionals who are members of the MIAMI Association of Realtors because they have international expertise, professional network and marketing resources to better serve them.

For a full list of MIAMI International Partners, visit MiamiRealtors.com/internationalpartners

About Our New Partners

AMPI Xalapa (Mexico): La Asociacion Mexicana de Profesionales Inmobiliarios Xalapa represents real estate professionals in Xalapa (the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz). More info: ampixalapa.org

FIABCI Mexico Young Members: This is the Mexico chapter of FIABCI Young Members, which is aimed for real estate professionals under the age of 35 years old. More info: https://fiabci.org/

Asociacion Salvadorena de Asesores Inmobiliarios (El Salvador): A new real estate association promoting El Salvador real estate.

Federacion de Asociaciones Inmobiliarias (Spain): Created in March 2013, FAI now has 20 real estate associations, 700 real estate agencies and 3,000 professionals. More info: fai.org.es

Overseas Property Alliance (Hong Kong): Overseas Property Alliance introduces overseas property projects to potential purchasers.

Georgian National Association of Real Estate (Georgia): Established in 2014, the Georgian Association of Realtors is promoting the real estate industry in Georgia through professional development. More info: http://www.gnare.ge

About the MIAMI Association of Realtors

The MIAMI Association of Realtors was chartered by the National Association of Realtors in 1920 and is celebrating 99 years of service to Realtors, the buying and selling public, and the communities in South Florida. Comprised of six organizations, the Residential Association, the Realtors Commercial Alliance, the Broward Council, the Jupiter Tequesta Hobe Sound (JTHS-MIAMI) Council, the Young Professionals Network (YPN) Council and the award-winning International Council, it represents 47,000 real estate professionals in all aspects of real estate sales, marketing, and brokerage. It is the largest local Realtor association in the U.S. and has official partnerships with 204 international organizations worldwide. MIAMIs official website is http://www.MiamiRealtors.com

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Maritime Insurance logo

Maritime Insurance International, an independent marine insurance agency, has hired two Marine Insurance industry gurus to expand their East Coast footprint. The independent marine agency brought on Adam Meyer as Director of Sales  Southeast and Rod Clingman as Director of Sales - Northeast, respectively, as of November 1st, 2018.

For the last 19 years Rod has worked strictly in the marine insurance industry. Starting his insurance career as an underwriter for a P&C company, then moving into sales and product / policy development. He has worked with some of the countrys leading marine agencies and marine insurers. Prior to joining Maritime Insurance, Rod was a program manager for Berkley Recreational Marine (W.R. Berkley Co.)

Adam Meyer graduated Wake Forest University School of Law in 1996, then started his marine insurance career in Cincinnati as a Marine Loss Control Specialist with St. Paul Fire & Marine. He then went on to Chicago to specialize in Mega Yacht and Commercial Marine underwriting as an Ocean Marine Underwriter for St. Paul / Travelers. After 5 years in marine loss control and underwriting, Adam moved back home to North Carolina, where his passion led him to the agency and sales side of marine insurance. Since 2000, Adam has built an impeccable reputation as a specialist marine producer, and led two successful marine divisions.

Both Directors will focus on boat, yacht and commercial boat insurance in their respective regions, further expanding the East Coast and National presence of Maritime Insurance. The experience and knowledge these two individuals add to our team, on both our products and industry, made this a natural fit for us all. We are excited to have them join our niche agency. said Maritime Insurance Vice President Garrison Rudisill

About Maritime Insurance International

Maritime Insurance specializes in Boat, Yacht, Marina, Boatyard, Boat Dealers, & Boat Builder insurance solutions. MII has amassed over 100 years of collective experience in the marine industry and has a group of professionals that are unmatched in this niche insurance industry. They pride themselves on providing clients responsive and personal service coupled with competitive markets throughout the relationship. The agency is licensed in 46 states with offices in four port cities.

Offices are located in Charleston, SC; Annapolis, MD; Mystic, CT; and Wrightsville Beach, NC. For more information call 843-606-5270 or visit http://www.maritimeinsuranceinternational.com.
FBR Top Franchise to Own

MaidPro is proud to announce that it has been named a Top Franchise for 2019 by Franchise Business Review (FBR). This elite list of 200 franchise brands is based solely on franchisee satisfaction.

MaidPro has been honored as a Top Franchise by FBR for over a decade. FBR is a national franchise market research firm that provides the only rankings of franchises based on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance.

More than 30,000 franchisees from hundreds of different brands were surveyed by FBR on how pleased they were with their franchise systems. They were asked questions about financial opportunity, training and support, leadership, operations and product development, core values, general satisfaction, franchisee community, business lifestyle, and overall enjoyment of running their franchise.

In addition to being named in FBRs a Top Franchise for 2019, MaidPro ranked #1 in 2018 on several FBR lists in the Cleaning & Maintenance category, including Top Low-Cost Franchise, Top Franchise for Women, Most Innovative Franchise Brands, and Top Franchise Opportunities.

ABOUT MAIDPRO

MaidPro is a Boston-based franchisor of house cleaning services with over 255 locations in 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1997, takes pride in its strong owner community, cutting-edge technology, and creative marketing. It has been honored with the Franchise Business Reviews Four-Star Rating and Franchise 50 awards every year from 2006 to 2019 for owner satisfaction. MaidPro was named one of the Top 50 Franchises for Minorities by USA Todays Franchising Today. MaidPro is also a proud member of the International Franchise Association, Canadian Franchise Association, and the New England Franchise Association. The company can be found online at http://www.maidprofranchise.com.


With the addition of Donny and Francisco we increase the experience and expertise available through the Council to help guide our World Ready network in finding the best ways for in-house counsel and outside counsel to work together.

Lex Mundi is pleased to welcome two new members to its Client Advisory Council:



Donny Ching, Legal Director, Royal Dutch Shell plc; and

Francisco Hernandez-Castillo, Corporate Vice President and General Counsel, Mexichem.

This distinguished group of senior in-house counsel from some of the worlds leading companies provides advice and guidance that enhance the ability of Lex Mundi member firms to serve their clients better and to meet the needs of in-house counsel.

These new members join an eminent group of existing Client Advisory Council members:



Martin Cooke, General Counsel and Group Company Secretary, The Edrington Group Limited;

Paul Kaleta, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, First Solar;

Dyann L. Kostello, Group Vice-President, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.;

Shuva Mandal, Group General Counsel, Tata Sons Limited;

Jeff Melucci, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Kimberly-Clark;

Nicola Verdicchio, Chief Legal Officer, Pirelli & C. S.p.A.;

Arne Wittig, Group General Counsel and Head of Legal, thyssenkrupp AG; and

Loretta Yuen, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Head of Group Legal & Regulatory Compliance, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited.

Carl Anduri, President of Lex Mundi, comments, "Our Client Advisory Council is an extremely valuable resource for Lex Mundi and its member firms. With the addition of Donny and Francisco we increase the experience and expertise available through the Council to help guide our World Ready network in finding the best ways for in-house counsel and outside counsel to work together."

Complete information on the members and activities of Lex Mundis Client Advisory Council can be found on the Lex Mundi web site at: https://www.lexmundi.com/lexmundi/Client_Advisory_Council.asp.

About Lex Mundi

Lex Mundi is the worlds leading network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries. Lex Mundi member firms offer clients preferred access to more than 21,000 lawyers worldwide  a global resource of unmatched breadth and depth. Each member firm is selected on the basis of its leadership in  and continued commitment to  its local market. The Lex Mundi principle is one independent firm for each jurisdiction. Firms must maintain their level of excellence to retain membership within Lex Mundi.

Through close collaboration, information-sharing, training and inter-firm initiatives, the Lex Mundi network is an assurance of connected, on-the ground expertise in every market in which a client needs to operate. Through its global service platform, Lex Mundi members are able to handle seamlessly their clients most challenging cross-border transactions and disputes.

Member law firms are located throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and North America. Through Lex Mundis nonprofit affiliate, the Lex Mundi Pro Bono Foundation, members also provide pro bono legal assistance to social entrepreneurs around the globe.

For more information, please visit http://www.lexmundi.com and http://www.lexmundiprobono.org.
STO Security Token Offering Education The use of blockchain and the addition of STOs in 2019 is here and will continue to grow as use cases for corporate to small business adoption increases. The need to understand these concepts is growing whether you are an investor or you simply are doing business of any kind.

Learn Basic Blockchain, an education hub to explore the basics of blockchain and cryptocurrency use, announces the addition of STO or Security Token Offering to the curriculum for its Freemium Members.

With the increased possibility of fraud on the ICO format in the US the Securities and Exchange Commission has stepped up pressure in the ICO market. Many investors have been scared away due to the number of fraudulent Initial Coin Offerings in 2017 and early 2018. Though the idea of regulation in the blockchain / cryptocurrency space has been somewhat controversial, the wild west in the space has contributed to lack of investor confidence.

ICO's were attracting get rich quick type of followers looking to raise large amounts of funding for projects that may or may not have viable products. STOs or Security Token Offerings will help eliminate those types of business models and it will combine the good advantages of an ICO and an IPO. The big difference is all the tokens are backed by something real. The process provides procedures to comply with a legal protocol, adding a level of authenticity and assurance that will assure customers with a business model that works.

The use of blockchain and the addition of STOs in 2019 is here and will continue to grow as use cases for corporate to small business adoption increases. The need to understand these concepts is growing whether you are an investor or you simply are doing business of any kind. Employees of companies will also need to understand these concepts as 2019 will bring more blockchain projects in the form of STOs.

Learn Basic Blockchain educational platform is intended for the nontechnical audience with basic to limited knowledge of blockchain and cryptocurrency. It teaches all the basic concepts, gets into use cases and shows professionals how they can apply blockchain concepts to real world situations.

Enrollment in Learn Basic Blockchain freemium course can be found at https://www.learnbasicblockchain.com/begin

Learn Basic Blockchain is a division of JWRX a Business Consulting and Marketing Content Firm that solves complex business problems by leveraging content and technology. JWRX develops educational platforms delivered in easily consumed format to help C-Level Executives, small businesses and solopreneurs move forward.
The National Science and Technology Award Conference is held in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping presented China's top science award to Liu Yongtan and Qian Qihu on Tuesday for their outstanding contributions to scientific and technological innovation.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, granted award medals and certificates to them at an annual ceremony held in Beijing to honor distinguished scientists, engineers, and research achievements.

Liu Yongtan is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and Qian Qihu is a CAE academician.

Xi shook hands with them and expressed congratulations.

Other leaders, including Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, and Han Zheng, were also present. Enditem

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Faircount Media Group has released latest edition of Coast Guard Outlook  dedicated to the pioneering Semper Paratus (Always Ready) spirit of the U.S. Coast Guard. I think the No. 1 priority for my tenure here will be service readiness. And there are many aspects of that. -- Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Karl L. Schultz

Faircount Media Group has released the latest edition of Coast Guard Outlook  dedicated to the pioneering Semper Paratus (Always Ready) spirit of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Now in its 16th year, Coast Guard Outlook is a state-of-the-service report delivered with high-quality imagery and editorial content, which communicates current Coast Guard programs, including multi-mission capabilities, maritime assets, the services role in safeguarding the nations economic and national security, and articles that look at the remarkable history of the service.

This edition features our first interviews with Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Karl L. Schultz as well as Vice Commandant Adm. Charles W. Ray. In addition to the coverage of Coast Guard leadership ideas and mission sets, we look at 75 years of Coast Guard helicopter flight, and 50 years of the U.S. Coast Guards RDT&E arm. Features on the long-awaited Offshore Patrol Cutter; status on the National Security Cutter and Fast-response Cutter programs and the Icebreaker/Polar Security Cutter discussion; law enforcement successes; updates on the aircraft and surface fleets; and much more round out this must-read magazine for Coast Guard personnel; federal, state, local agency, and maritime-based industry partners.

A print edition of Coast Guard Outlook is distributed to decision-makers throughout the service, the Department of Homeland Security, and defense and maritime industries, as well as policymakers on Capitol Hill, enabling them to make informed decisions that will profoundly affect the development of the Coast Guard.

A digital edition of the publication is made available to the general public as an informational and educational resource. To view the digital edition, sign up for the Coast Guard Outlook print edition and newsletter, please visit http://www.coastguardoutlook.com/digital-edition/.

For information on marketing opportunities or editorial contributions in Coast Guard Outlook, please contact:

Steve Chidel, Faircount Media Group

Phone: +1 (813) 675-3816

Email: steve.chidel(at)faircount(dot)com

Faircounts Outlook series is a set of professional publications, each edition covering a specific sector from military special operations, to the U.S. Coast Guard, to defense, to scientific research and development, to veterans affairs. Originated and published by Faircount, these publications are highly respected and regularly read by professionals within each of the specific sectors they speak to.

About Faircount

Faircount creates highly targeted print and digital publications for the worlds most iconic institutions and historic national events. The companys work within government and scientific sectors is second to none with a portfolio including an extensive range of commemorative publications developed in partnership with government departments and agencies. The company has published for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Royal Navy (U.K.), Royal Australian Navy, DARPA, and many others. More information is available at http://www.faircount.com.
kubik produces award-winning exhibits and events for Fortune 500 companies and global brands. kubik maltbie has been a preeminent leader of museum environments and specialty interiors since 1961. In dealing with our longstanding clientele and design partners, we have found there is value and considered reputation in both our kubik and Maltbie names that benefit the multi-regional aspects of our business

kubik, an experiential exhibit marketing agency, today announced a rebranding to reflect the companys evolution into a multi-vertical global business serving a diversity of clientele. Based across North America and Europe, the move allows the integrated service teams to act in unison for their clients, and reflects a natural evolution of the brand names kubik and Maltbie, from the acquisition that took place 12 years prior.

The museum and institution arm of the business has been operating as Maltbie, a kubik Company in the US and kubik in other international regions. The change in brand expression reflects a strong position the organization has built as design/build experts specialized in specialty interior and museum arenas. In dealing with our longstanding clientele and design partners, we have found there is value and considered reputation in both our kubik and Maltbie names that benefit the multi-regional aspects of our business, said Sam Kohn, CEO of kubik and kubik maltbie, as our organization grows, establishing a corporate brand architecture will help our clients identify the value aspects and solution driven approach of kubik regardless of the team they are working with, while maintaining team reputations and the loyalty of our regional client bases.

The rebranding includes a top-to-bottom redesign of the companys website, logo, graphics, communications, URL, and email address integrations. kubik maltbies new brand assets include a simplified wordmark joined with interlinking elliptical rings in the brand colors of, green for the museum division and, blue representing the kubik corporate identity. The bold modified fonts used in the logo reflect the personality of the kubik maltbie division as a purveyor of craftsmanship, a trusted and established consultancy, with a creative and innovative approach.

Operating under the brand name kubik, the international exhibit and event business will continue to service commercial trade show, exhibit, retail and event clientele. Both kubik and kubik maltbie are trademarks of kubik Inc.

About kubik

kubik is shaping brand stories into the most extraordinary experiences in the world while exceeding customer expectations with ingenuity, enthusiasm, loyalty, innovation and a drive to succeed. With global offices and capabilities worldwide, kubik produces award-winning exhibits and events for Fortune 500 companies and global brands for over 35 years. kubik maltbie, has been a preeminent leader of museum environments and specialty interiors since 1961. Both kubik and kubik maltbie serve international clients with integrated global teams and facilities. For more information visit thinkubik.com or kubikmaltbie.com.
Kavayah Solutions Logo We are proud of our team that goes great lengths to provide solutions to complex client problems and this recognition proves it - VIvek Casula, President Kavayah Solutions

Kavayah Solutions (http://www.kavayahsolutions.com) was recently recognized as one of the Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America by Entrepreneur magazines Entrepreneur360 List, a premier study delivering the most comprehensive analysis of private companies in America. Based on this study forged by Entrepreneur, Kavayah Solutions is recognized as a well-rounded company that has mastered a balance of impact, innovation, growth leadership and value.

We are honored to be acknowledged as one of the best entrepreneurial companies in America and we have our incredible team and clients to thank for this recognition, said Vivek Casula, CEO of Kavayah Solutions. We are proud of our team that goes great lengths to provide solutions to complex client problems and this recognition proves it.

Our annual evaluation of vetted data offers a 360-degree analysis of top privately-held companies across a multitude of industries, explains Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur Magazine. They are deemed successful not only by revenue numbers, but by how well-rounded they are. The companies that make the list have pushed boundaries with their innovative ideas, fostered strong company cultures, impacted their communities for the better, and increased their brand awareness.

Kavayah Solutions provides full-service advising in solution strategy, enterprise application management, including development, maintenance and project management services. The company has developed deft expertise in four critical areas that drive technology transformation: Cloud, Mobile, Social and Bigdata. To learn more, please visit: http://www.kavayahsolutions.com/enterprise-applications.html

Honorees were identified based on the results from a comprehensive study of independently owned companies, using a proprietary algorithm and other advanced analytics. The algorithm was built on a balanced scorecard designed to measure five metrics reflecting major pillars of entrepreneurshipinnovation, growth, leadership, impact and business valuation.

To learn more about Kavayah Solutions, visit http://www.kavayahsolutions.com

For additional details on the E360 List and the companies recognized, visit: entrepreneur.com/360

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About Kavayah Solutions

Kavayah Solutions provides full-service advising in solution strategy, enterprise application management, including development, maintenance and project management services. The company has developed deft expertise in four critical areas that drive technology transformation: Cloud, Mobile, Social and Bigdata. To learn more, please visit: http://www.kavayahsolutions.com/enterprise-applications.html

ABOUT ENTREPRENEUR MEDIA INC.

For 41 years, Entrepreneur Media Inc. has been serving the entrepreneurial community by providing comprehensive coverage of business and personal success through original content and events. Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur.com, GreenEntrepreneur.com and publishing imprint Entrepreneur Press provide solutions, information, inspiration and education read by millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners worldwide.

To learn more, visit entrepreneur.com.

Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Entrepreneur and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/entmagazine
Emily Ladd-Kravitz, a corporate shareholder in the Boston office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, was elected secretary of the TiE Boston board. Her term began on Oct. 12, 2018.

Ladd-Kravitz focuses her legal practice on complex corporate transactions and representation of private companies in all stages of their life cycles. She represents venture capital funds, private equity firms, other institutional investors, and companies in connection with a wide variety of corporate and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, private placements, minority investments, venture capital financings, and corporate governance matters. She also advises startup and growth-stage companies in all industries, including, technology, edtech, medical device, clean energy, sustainable solutions, and life sciences.

TiE Boston President Nilanjana Bhowmik said, We welcome Emily as Secretary of the TiE Boston board. Her expertise in the emerging companies sector on both the venture and company side will be a tremendous asset to the organization. Her involvement will help advance our mission of providing education, resources, and advocacy vehicles that enable startups to succeed.

TiE is the worlds largest not-for-profit network dedicated to helping startups grow. In 25 years, the TiE Network has reached 12,000 members across 18 countries and contributed to $250B in wealth creation. TiE Chapters around the world have become a vibrant platform for entrepreneurs, professionals, industry leaders, and investors to interact with one another & forge long-lasting relationships.

About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office

Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office is home to approximately 70 attorneys practicing in the areas of bankruptcy, corporate, emerging technology, energy, gaming, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, and real estate. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of legal experience and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources.

About Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2018 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com; Twitter: @GT_Law.
Tio Pepe Challenge

Gonzalez Byass, the leading Sherry producer from Jerez, Spain, has launched the 2019 Tio Pepe Challenge: the annual international cocktail competition that invites top bartenders from around the world to explore the diversity and potential of Sherry wines in creating delicious and imaginative cocktails.

This is the second year that the Tio Pepe Challenge has come to the U.S., and the quest to find Sherrys mixology champion has gained amazing momentum. This year, 16 countries will hold regional heats: from Asia to Europe and in the U.S., bartenders will be tested on their knowledge of Sherry. Tasting Panel Magazine, the sponsor of the U.S. competition, will select six finalists from the top U.S. cocktail recipe entries. The finalists will compete in New York City on April 9 for a chance to represent the U.S. at the 6th Annual Tio Pepe Challenge International Final this May in Jerez, Spain, becoming one of the top 14 bartenders from around the world.

To register and submit a cocktail for consideration, please visit: http://www.tastingpanelmag.com/thetiopepechallenge.

Prior to the competitions, bartenders are invited to participate in exclusive Sherry Masterclasses across the country which are designed to inform, educate and instruct on crucial aspects of Sherry, including the use of a venencia (the tool traditionally used to extract Sherry from the barrel), recognition of the diverse styles of Sherry wine and their ability to make delicious and innovative Sherry cocktails.

The Tio Pepe Challenge is open to all U.S. bartenders and is an amazing opportunity for bartenders to find out about the variety and scope that Sherry has to offer. Learning from experts, participants will get to showcase their creativity and talent when it comes to mixing cocktails with Sherry. Bartenders interested in entering a Sherry cocktail using Tio Pepe must do so by March 15. The six finalists will be announced March 25. For more information about the master classes and the competitions, please visit: http://www.tastingpanelmag.com/thetiopepechallenge.

@tiopepewine @gonzalezbyassusa #tiopepechallenge #tiopepechallengeUSA

About Gonzalez Byass USA

Gonzalez Byass USA is a Chicago based importer for a strategically selected portfolio of fine wine and spirit brands from around the world including Spain, Chile, Italy, Austria and the US.

Gonzalez Byass USA is the US subsidiary of Gonzalez Byass headquartered in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Gonzalez Byass is a family-owned, collection of wineries founded in 1835 which spans across Spains most important wine producing regions. From its foundation, the Gonzalez family have been dedicated to making fine Sherries and brandies in Jerez, Spain, creating such well-known brands as Tio Pepe Fino Sherry and Lepanto Brandy de Jerez.

Today the fifth generation of the family are the custodians of these exceptional brands having built the company into a family of wineries which produces wine in some of Spains most famous regions; Bodegas Beronia (Rioja and Rueda), Cavas Vilarnau (Barcelona), Finca Constancia (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla), Finca Moncloa (Vino de la Tierra de Cadiz), Vinas del Vero (Somontano) and Pazo de Lusco (Rias Baixas). In each of these regions the family strives to make the best possible quality wines respecting the local terroir and the environment. At the same time the company has also expanded its interests further in the premium spirits business and has created pioneering brands such as The London No.1 and Nomad Outland Whisky to compliment the Spanish brandies in the portfolio Soberano and Lepanto, as well as their Mexican brandies from Pedro Domecq: Presidente and Don Pedro.

Gonzalez Byass USA also represents a number of international wineries in the US market including from Austria Domane Wachau, from Italy Caldora, Cantine Cellaro, Vesevo, Vigneti Del Salento and Tenute Rossetti, and from the US Row Eleven. In addition Harveys Bristol Cream and Fundador Brandy de Jerez were recently added to the portfolio.

Learn more at http://www.gonzalezbyassusa.com.
GeIL to Showcase Latest Memory Products at PLPC Meeting Suite During CES 2019 GeIL Super Luce RGB series memory has become PC gamers and enthusiasts first choice. We will be launching several new high-end memory products in 2019, and we are glad our products will be showcased in PLPCs meeting suite at CES. - Jennifer Huang, vice president of sales and marketing at GeIL,

GeIL  Golden Emperor International Ltd.  one of the world's leading PC components and peripheral manufacturers today announced that their latest memory products will be showcased at the upcoming CES 2019, exclusively within the PLPC meeting suite.

GeIL products on display will include the Super Luce RGB SYNC, Super Luce RGB SYNC TUF Gaming Alliance, EVO Spear, EVO Potenza, EVO Forza, and Pristine memory kits.

According to Jennifer Huang, vice president of sales and marketing at GeIL, GeIL Super Luce RGB series memory have become PC gamers and enthusiasts first choice. We will be launching several new high-end memory products in 2019, and we are glad our products will be showcased in PLPCs meeting suite at CES.

We are partnered with PLPC to create a mutual relationship in which competitive pricing and reliable product delivery are the result, said Huang.

GeIL is the technology leader on DRAM products, said Rachel Luke, President, Private Label PC. Our customers are very impressed and pleased with the reliable quality and competitive price on GeIL products. We look forward to unveiling their latest products at CES 2019.

As a result of the partnership with PLPC, GeIL has continued to grow while offering a solid reputation and comprehensive products backed by the height of quality and performance. Some of these sought-after products include the innovative fully RGB illuminated DDR4 memory module for PC gamers.

GeIL will be on-site in the PLPC meeting suite at Palazzo Resort at CES 2019 from January 8, 2019 - January 10, 2019. Press and visitors are welcome by appointments, which can be facilitated by emailing marketing(at)plpc.com or Julie Spencer on behalf of GeIL at service(at)ideecreatives.com

About GeIL

GeIL  Golden Emperor International Ltd.  one of the world's leading PC components & peripheral manufacturers that concentrate in making the most innovative products, from memory modules to gaming peripherals, for PC enthusiasts worldwide.

Established in 1993, GeIL has soon become one of the most trusted memory professionals in the industry. In the year 2000, with the vast knowledge of tweaking and producing some of the worlds fastest DRAM modules, GeIL shook the PC enthusiast market and changed it for the better. The introduction of the first ever memory heat-spreader, the dual-channel packaged memory kit and lifetime warranty are all innovative concepts GeIL introduced in the PC DIY market. GeIL has been concentrating in perfecting the technologies of IC testing, memory burn-in and quality assurance for memory products across all segments of the market. GeIL memory is now trusted and distributed in over 50 countries worldwide.

Follow us:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geilmemory

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geilmemory

Twitter: https://twitter.com/geilmemory

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/geilmemory

About PLPC

PLPC is committed to provide industry-leading storage solution range from hard disk drives, solid state drives, optical drives, memory and to flash media. As more storage is needed nowadays, PLPC also offers surveillance hard disk and JBOD, a cost-effective network storage solution from HGST. With over 100,000 square feet facility, we are continually expanding our product portfolio to serve our customers needs.

PLPC has a long history of being a leading provider of client and enterprise storage products, said Rachel Luke, President, PLPC. We are very confident that our strength and complete product portfolio can help our customers grow steadily.

PLPC strives to provide competitive price, consistent inventory, tailored made credit support, cost effective logistics services, and unsurpassed customer service. We offer RMA return for credit and direct marketing program on selective products. We have experienced and knowledgeable sales team who speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and English to assist with your needs. We are here to create a value chain between our customers and manufactures to get our customers recognized by manufactures. Our goal is to maximize the value and profit for our vendors and customers. Today, PLPC has established an excellent reputation in the industry through constantly providing efficient logistic solutions, extensive product knowledge and exceptional services. More information is available at http://www.PLPC.com

About CES

CES is the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years  the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.
Herban Planet It is a very exciting time right now in the cannabis industry and as the market continues to expand we will be there covering every move, said HERBAN PLANET founder and chief executive officer Babak Motamedi.

Thanks to strong organic growth in 2018, HERBAN PLANET has become a guiding force for retailers, consumers and even just those eager to learn more about cannabis online. Now the company is poised to expand exponentially, with plans to add ten new web-based, content-driven companies to its portfolio in the coming year.

After partnering with Voice Media Group (VMG) in 2018, HERBAN PLANET realized the growth benefits of joining forces with likeminded companies. This planted the seed for what is now a unique opportunity for ready-to-boom cannabis brands.

It is a very exciting time right now in the cannabis industry and as the market continues to expand we will be there covering every move, said HERBAN PLANET founder and chief executive officer Babak Motamedi.

An October 2018 Gallup Poll revealed that support for cannabis in the U.S. is at an all-time high, with 66% of Americans in favor of legalization. Thirty-three states and Washington, D.C. have some form of medical marijuana laws on the books and ten states plus D.C. allow for the recreational use of cannabis for adults ages 21 and up. Now that Canada has also legalized recreational use, an unprecedented number of new consumers are expected to flood the market in 2019.

HERBAN PLANET entered what was already a crowded cannabis sector in 2016 but quickly ascended to become an authoritative source for shopping, education, and event planning in the industry. The companys cost-effective platform allows cannabis businesses to organically grow their reach and efficiently engage with customers.

Now powered by one of the nations most well-respected media organizations in VMG, HerbanPlanet.com has seen rapid growth in its dedicated userbase as well as its impressive database of dispensaries, medical professionals, and other industry contacts. That means companies who merge with HERBAN PLANET can expect to see significantly more exposure for their brands.

Motamedi said hes eager to hear from companies who want to become part of the HERBAN PLANET family. Finding intriguing companies wont be a problem, he added, but narrowing them down to just ten may be a challenge.

Brands featuring compelling digital content that are interested in acquisition are asked to provide a one-page executive summary of the business for consideration via email to info@herbanplanet.com
Individuals who would like to learn more about their rights when dealing with police and law enforcement in general can soon take advantage of a new-and-improved version of an already-popular blog by Eric Wetlaufer.

The blog website, which can be found at http://www.ericwetlaufer.com/, made its debut in the fall of 2018 and experienced a great deal of success during that time. In fact, the blog achieved numerous number-one rankings across all of the search engines. In light of how successful the blog has been, Wetlaufer said that version 2.0 of the microsite will implement even more free resources for its users.

Wetlaufer said he plans to announce the changes that will be made to the current version of the blog website during the first quarter of 2019. However, in the meantime, he wanted to take the time to thank all of his readers for a great 2018 and for making his site the number-one blog to go to for all of their law enforcement questions.

Wetlaufer emphasizes on his website how the law enforcement climate today is very hostile, so it is important for citizens to understand their legal rights when interacting with police. He is currently studying to become a criminal defense attorney or state prosecutor at the moment, although he is intrigued by the field of criminal justice as well. His passion for both law and criminal justice started back in high school, when he was a passionate debater and a regular fan of popular legal shows at the time, such as Law and Order, Night Court, Boston Legal, and The Practice.

Wetlaufers goal through his website is to help people to understand that the current criminal justice in the United States is flawed, with people being wrongly convicted of crimes or walking free when they should actually be behind bars, for example. He also aims to help people to know how to deal with police effectively so that they can continue to live as free and clear citizens in the years to come.
"Were proud to showcase our disruptive approach to real-time data ingestion  the infinite scalability of open source technology, available in a fully-managed solution for enterprises  in a truly global innovation forum alongside other leaders in their fields." - Nir Livneh, CEO, Equalum

Equalum (http://equalum.io), the leading real-time data ingestion platform, is excited to announce its recognition as a finalist in the Artificial Intelligence and Big Data contest sponsored by Microsoft and Calcalist last month in Tel Aviv.

The contest, held at Calcalists annual Mind the Data 2018 conference, recognizes market-leading contributions in the fields of AI and big data.

Equalum enables real-time analytics for firms across information-rich industries, from manufacturing to financial services, by harnessing the scalability of open source frameworks Apache Spark and Kafka within an enterprise-grade, end-to-end data ingestion solution.

Being recognized as a finalist is a tremendous distinction, says Nir Livneh, CEO of Equalum. Were proud to showcase our disruptive approach to real-time data ingestion  the infinite scalability of open source technology, available in a fully-managed solution for enterprises  in a truly global innovation forum alongside other leaders in their fields.

Mind the Data 2018 highlighted pathbreaking applications of AI across industries, from network security and customer service in the financial services sector to predictive maintenance in manufacturing and search optimization for visual art and music. Equalums technology enables enterprises to develop and scale such real-time analytics use cases, by seamlessly ingesting massive quantities of data from operational systems to centralized data stores or lakes.

The competition was judged by Microsoft Israel General Manager Shelly Landsman; Eyal Niv, a managing general partner at venture capital firm Pitango; Vertex General Partner Emanuel Timor; Sivan Shamri Dahan, co-founder and partner of Israeli late-stage venture firm Qumra Capital; Daniel Shinar, CEO of Tel Aviv-based venture investments firm ClalTech; Yodfat Harel Buchris, managing director at Blumberg Capital Israel; Moran Ben Gigi, head of data and analytics at KPMG Israel; and Eyal Barzilai, head of big data at Israel's Leumi Bank.

About Equalum

Equalum (http://equalum.io) is the first Data Beaming platform, capable of instantly teleporting operational data from any source to real-time analytics environments. Built for scalability and ease of use, Equalum harnesses the power of Spark in an enterprise-grade environment  helping organizations accelerate past traditional ETL or open-source implementations. Headquartered in Silicon Valley and Tel Aviv, Equalum is proud to work with some of the worlds top industrial, financial, and media enterprises.
Epic Hair Designs, Australias leading luxury salon chain, has switched to Zenoti, citing the softwares advanced analytics capabilities.

Founded in 2008 by Brendon Mann, the company offers luxury salon services ranging from cuts and colour to blowouts and keratin smoothing.

Epic Hair Designs now operates 14 locations in Brisbane. As the company has grown, their previous software solution no longer kept pace with their business needs.

Our previous software solution wasnt getting upgraded to align with the changing customer preferences and business needs. Zenoti provides a scalable, cloud-based software solution that is constantly upgraded and enhanced. This ensures Epic Hair Designs has continuous access to industry-leading innovations."

A key factor in Epic Hair Designs decision to move to Zenoti is the softwares comprehensive analytics capabilities. With Zenoti Analytics, Epic Hair Designs can surface insights that drive business results, and can easily access data by the center or across the organization in real time. Zenoti Analytics provides custom reports and dashboards and offers predictive analytics capabilities to forecast future business performance.

Zenoti will also improve the customer experience with the use of digital forms and 2-way SMS. Zenotis digital forms will allow Epic Hair Designs to go paperless and deliver a hassle-free guest experience with digital consultation forms and colour treatment forms.

Besides analytics and digital forms, Epic Hair Designs will also leverage Zenotis marketing capabilities for achieving higher marketing ROI.

Were thrilled to partner with Epic Hair Designs to provide the technology foundation they need to take their business to the next level, said Sudheer Koneru, CEO at Zenoti.

ABOUT EPIC HAIR DESIGNS

Epic Hair Designs is a luxury salon chain founded by Brendon Mann in 2008. The company offers services ranging from cuts and colour to blowouts and keratin smoothing across 14 locations in Brisbane.

To learn more about Epic Hair Designs, please visit https://epichairdesigns.com.au.

ABOUT ZENOTI

Zenoti provides an all-in-one, cloud-based software solution for the spa, salon and med spa industry. The Zenoti platform is engineered for reliability and scale, harnessing the power of enterprise-level technology for businesses of all sizes.

Zenoti powers thousands of spas and salons in over 50 countries. Zenoti allows users to seamlessly manage every aspect of the business in a comprehensive mobile solution: online appointment bookings, POS, CRM, employee management, inventory management, built-in marketing programs and more. Zenoti helps clients streamline their systems and reduce costs, while simultaneously improving customer retention and spending.

To learn more about Zenoti, visit https://www.zenoti.com/.
ENENSYS Acquires Expway To Fuel Expways Presence, Products and Services Growth We are excited to have reached this agreement with ENENSYS, which is an accelerator for Expway, said Thierry Sergent, Chairman and CEO of Expway. It will enable a faster geographical growth, particularly with a strengthening of our presence in the United States."

ENENSYS, a leading designer and manufacturer of digital TV transmission technologies over Mobile, Terrestrial and Satellite Networks, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Expway, the worlds leading provider of LTE Broadcast infrastructure software and solutions. The acquisition strengthens Expways ability to deploy its market leading LTE Broadcast technology, while both companies will join efforts to aggressively build and market the first 5G Broadcast solutions.

With the acquisition, Expway will receive a boost, in engineering and sales resources from ENENSYS, to accelerate innovation, market presence and customer service growth. For Expway customers, the acquisition means Expway will be able to better scale with additional resources and capabilities and increase driving value to its customers around the world. A larger organization will allow Expway and ENENSYS to provide a wider array of services and more depth to their offerings.

We are very familiar with the Expway team with whom we have already collaborated on many projects. The performance and quality of the Expway products is recognized worldwide, as evidenced by its highly international portfolio made up almost exclusively of large accounts, said Regis Le Roux, President and CEO of the ENENSYS Technologies Group. With Expway, we are taking an important step forward in our ambition to offer a complete coverage of broadcast optimization solutions, regardless of the underlining technology and network".

We are excited to have reached this agreement with ENENSYS, which is an accelerator for Expway, said Thierry Sergent, Chairman and CEO of Expway. It will enable a faster geographical growth, particularly with a strengthening of our presence in the United States, and a quicker adoption of Expways technology. Both companies know each other very well, and have similar cultures, which means we can be confident in the success of integration. Our customers will directly benefit from extended customer services and accelerated innovation.

The two companies combined technologies will also enhance ENENSYS Terrestrial, Satellite and Cable market offering with the inherent efficiency of broadcast technology, enabling operators to provide OTT services at greater scale.

Expways Multicast ABR and LTE Broadcast technologies will work hand in hand with ENENSYS local Ad Insertion solution allowing DTT, Satellite and Cable network operators to increase their revenues. The combined technologies will also be a perfect match for Mission Critical Communication solutions and connected or even autonomous cars (V2X).

About ENENSYS

Based in Rennes, France, ENENSYS Technologies is a global designer and manufacturer of innovative professional equipment for the Digital Video Delivery and Broadcast industry. For 15 years the Group has been delivering highly innovative solutions to broadcasting chain operators allowing them to optimize the distribution of their content. Having invested 40 million in R&D over the last ten years, the Group has a reputation for excellence and is a market leader in solutions for optimizing, securing and monetizing DTT video flows. Its solutions are already sold to over 400 customers worldwide via three recognized brands - ENENSYS Networks, TeamCast and TestTree.

ENENSYS Telecom Networks product line includes software for Mobile TV over LTE Broadcast. For more information, visit http://www.enensys.com.

About Expway

Expway is the LTE Broadcast content delivery expert, enabling network operators and device manufacturers to monetize the video-streaming explosion. Expway delivers content efficiently and cost effectively with consistent high quality-of-experience. Expway is the only vendor to offer a complete end-to-end, open solution providing both the multicast server and the device middleware. For more information, visit http://www.expway.com.
Allegro Development Corp., the global leader in commodity trading and risk management (CTRM) software coupled with advanced analytics, today announced that E1 Corporation, Koreas leading liquefied petroleum gas company, has selected Allegros cloud-ready CTRM software to optimize its portfolio through enhanced capabilities in trade capture, logistics and risk management, and exposure reporting.

E1 imports, exports, stores, sells, and services liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) regionally and internationally. The company has become Koreas number one environmentally friendly company, covering over 50 percent of Koreas LPG import demand and deploying a total LPG business that embraces the entire distribution channel  from oil and gas producing countries to end consumers.

Prior to selecting Allegros CTRM software, E1 realized the need to replace its manual, in-house portfolio management processes with an automated and flexible enterprise solution that offers greater controls, enhanced risk management, detailed reporting, and growth enablement. E1 also required a system with functionality that allows for fast deployment and seamlessly integrates with its IT new generation initiative to upgrade to new accounting and ERP platforms.

As we grow and lead Korea in the clean energy movement, the E1 team finds it imperative that our business processes and technology investments give us a competitive advantage and align with our growth strategy, said Kim Sang Hoon, Vice President, Overseas Marketing Division, E1. Allegros cloud-ready CTRM software provides the functionality, flexibility and scalability we need to quickly accomplish these goals through automation, full portfolio visibility, and complex risk management capabilities. We are excited to see the near-term ROI as the system allows us to strategically plan for larger LPG trade volumes, better manage complex trade risks, and provide timely and accurate position and risk reporting.

With demand continuing to grow in Asian countries, the regions energy companies continue to turn to Allegros agile and flexible cloud-ready CTRM software for fast deployment and automation capabilities.

I am thrilled to welcome E1 into the Allegro family, said Jonathan English, SVP, Global Sales, Allegro. On the heels of a Hanwha Total 10-week go live, the Allegro team is primed to continue our agile implementation methodology with E1; and we look forward to continuing our growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

About E1 Corporation

E1 Corporation imports, exports/trades, stores, sells, and services liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) primarily in South Korea. The company operates wharf facilities for carriers ranging from small pressurized ships to LPG ocean carriers; transports LPG from oil-producing countries by deep sea refrigerator ships; and stores and manages LPG at Yeosu and Incheon terminals equipped with sea and land loading/unloading facilities. It supplies LPG through various sales channels, including autogas stations, refueling stations, and retailers to residences and commercial establishments, as well as through direct pipelines petrochemical plants. E1 operates a network of 368 autogas stations. It also exports LPG to Thailand, China, Taiwan, Japan, Vietnam, and internationally. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Visit the companys website to learn more at http://www.e1.co.kr/Eng/.

About Allegro Development

Allegro is the global leader in commodity management software for companies that buy, sell, produce or consume commodities. For over 30 years, Allegro has delivered position visibility, risk management, comprehensive controls and regulatory compliance through a forward compatible, next-generation architecture that is built for your business. Allegros proven CTRM software innovation and flexibility, coupled with a strong global network of industry partners, makes its solutions the best on the market for full commodity portfolio management.

Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Allegro has offices in Houston, Dubai, Jakarta, Singapore, London, and Zurich. To learn more, visit Allegros website at http://www.allegrodev.com.
Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity end-to-end threat hunting solution, announced that its podcast Malicious Life has cracked the top 10 ranking of most popular iTunes technology podcasts. Ranking at #7, Malicious Life joins other popular iTunes podcasts including NPRs TED Radio Hour and WSJs Future of Everything.

Now in its third season, Malicious Life tells the unknown stories of the history of cybersecurity, with comments and reflections by real hackers, security experts, journalists, and politicians. Hosted by cybersecurity expert Ran Levi, the show shares fascinating, unknown tales of the wildest hacks told by the people who were there.

Season three currently includes 17 episodes ranging in topics from whether the Jerusalem virus triggered the birth of the entire antivirus industry in Israel, to an exploration of the the DAO hack that occurred over Ethereum. The latest episode (#38) features Dave Kennedy, a social engineering expert and author. Kennedy and Levi discuss the psychological principles behind social engineering as well as Kennedy's work on Mr. Robot.

To date, the podcast has earned 332 five-star iTunes reviews from listeners. Recent reviews include:

By far one of the best security oriented podcasts I have listened to.

There must be some brilliant people behind this podcast. Its well produced (unbiased), and the content is fascinating.

Ran is a master storyteller, and each episode is very entertaining.

The new iTunes ranking is wonderful news and Im happy to see our vision for Malicious Life taking shape, said Levi. Bringing deep narrative stories to the world of cybersecurity, notorious for its complexities and technical nature, was a great challenge, and the show has been a success from day one. Im grateful to our listeners who encouraged us along this wonderful journey and am excited to share whats ahead!

To tune into Malicious Life, please visit

iTunes

Google Play

Stitcher

TuneIn

About Cybereason

Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity end-to-end threat hunting solution, gives the advantage back to the defender through a completely new approach to cybersecurity. Cybereason offers endpoint detection and response (EDR), next-generation antivirus (NGAV), and active monitoring services, all powered by its proprietary data analytics platform. The Cybereason suite of products provides unmatched visibility, increases analyst efficiency and effectiveness, and reduces security risk. Cybereason is privately held, having raised $189 million from top-tier VCs, and is headquartered in Boston, with offices in London, Sydney, Tel Aviv and Tokyo.

Learn more: https://www.cybereason.com/

Follow us:Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Media Contact:

Bill Keeler

Director, Public Relations

Cybereason

bill.keeler(at)cybereason.com

(929) 259-3261
The Crosby Group LLC, the largest lifting, rigging, and material handling hardware company in the world, has completed the acquisition of Straightpoint UK (SP), a leading manufacturer of load cells and force measurement equipment. The value of the transaction is not disclosed.

The acquisition, effective 2 January 2019, includes the manufacturing facility and headquarters, co-located in Hampshire, UK that will become Crosbys center of excellence for load monitoring and measurement, in addition to key personnel based in the U.S.

David Ayling, formerly CEO at SP, will step into a new role overseeing sales, marketing, and product development functions for all load monitoring equipment. He will report to Robert Desel, Chief Commercial Officer at Crosby.

Ayling said: SP has built a very strong team focused on innovation and high service levels and we wanted to ensure we could maintain and capitalize on these important features of the company. Crosbys brand, its channel strength, global reach, and management team will enable us to build on our strengths and take the business to a new level. Becoming part of Crosby represents an opportunity to deliver our solutions to more customers and increase the pace of our innovation. It is an exciting new chapter for SP, its team members, and customers.

Desel said: Weve had a close relationship with SP for quite a whileits load shackles are based on the industry standard Crosby G2130 shackle, and we use SP products on our Safe Rigging trucks. SPs position as a leader and innovator in load measurement and monitoring, and the opportunity to integrate its technology into our already strong portfolio, made this a compelling addition to Crosby. Safe lifting is in Crosbys DNA and load monitoring is a critical part of that equation. Monitored lifts are inherently safer and we can now increase adoption of this best practice on a global scale.

He continued: The acquisition is focused on growth. SP already represented a force in the marketplace and as part of Crosby we can position its products and expertise closer to the point of use and increase the pace of innovation. Ayling confirmed that SP would maintain its commitment to non-rigging markets, such as the weighing sector.

Desel concluded: We are very excited to add the SP brand, best-in-class products, manufacturing capabilities, and team members to the Crosby organization.
The weekend features an auto show, air show, concert series and food festival Throughout the weekend, attendees will be able to take airplane and helicopter rides, as well as flying state-of-the-art flight simulators.

VAST Concerts & Events today announced that Cory Morrows Go Wheels Up! Texas weekend is scheduled to take place May 3-5, 2019 at the San Marcos Regional Airport.

Hosted by Texas music icon Cory Morrow, Go Wheels Up! Texas is a high-energy, family-friendly celebration of music, automobiles, airplanes, and of course  Texas cuisine! Created for spectators from all walks of life, the weekend features an auto show, air show, concert series and food festival designed to benefit charities, while also helping to grow the San Marcos Regional Airport into one of central Texas premier event destinations.

Weekend festivities begin Friday evening with a VIP & Sponsor kick-off, featuring Cory Morrow and a few of his closest friends. At the kickoff, attendees will have a chance to mingle with Cory and meet some of the extraordinary pilots performing throughout the weekend.

The car show, which begins on Saturday morning, represents a menagerie of automobiles from classic American muscle to exotic Italian street machines. Onlookers can gawk at more than 200 breathtaking examples of automotive engineering, while the competitors vie for best-in-show awards. A rally course and parade route will enable attendees to see and hear these works of art in motion.

A 2-3 hour airshow, taking place both Saturday and Sunday, will feature solo & team aerobatic performers, skydivers and a military jet demonstration team. Red Bull Air Race Champion, Kirby Chambliss and the Red Bull Air Force will perform both days, and additional performers include: Adam Baker, Mike Gallaway, Greg Shelton, Kent Peitsch, Randy Ball, David Martin, the Shetterly Squadron and many others.

Throughout the weekend, attendees will be able to take airplane and helicopter rides, as well as flying state-of-the-art flight simulators. The grounds near the car show will feature a large collection of aircraft, ranging from WWII warbirds to todays modern military might. The event also encourages corporate aviation, and a number of manufacturers, sales forces and operators have been invited to display the latest in private aviation technology and comfort.

Not to be overlooked is the culinary aspect of this event  Wheels Up! Texas features an enormous array of food trucks and vendors from across the region showcasing flavors that call central Texas home. Craft beer, Texas craft whiskey, wine and other spirits will be available for patrons at numerous bars and food courts located throughout the event grounds.

Saturday evening, the main stage heats up with performances by Morrow and other artists. Sunday morning kicks off with some of the areas most talented spiritual artists raising the roof at the Sunday Gospel Brunch. Both the air show and car show continue on Sunday, and all throughout the weekend there will be numerous activities for children & families.

Attendee information on tickets for the entire weekend or for portions of the event will be available in the weeks ahead. Additional details are available at: https://gowheelsup.live/, or by calling 833-2GOWHEELSUP (833-246-9433).

Go Wheels Up! is poised to become a central Texas tradition for years to come. Sponsorship packages are available for local companies interested in promoting their brands to the tens-of-thousands of weekend attendees. Companies interested in participating should contact Jake Clements.


The creation of this division will better support our commitment to the media space and our intention to rollout an enhanced product line that includes superior customer and vendor support.

Corporate Spending Innovations (CSI) announced today the establishment of a dedicated media division to support the growth and development of new payment solutions specific to media agencies and suppliers. Liane Sanson, previously Senior Vice President of Global Sales at CSI, will lead the operation as Divisional President, bringing over a decade of expertise in media to the product strategy.

Weve had a strong foothold in the media space for many years now, and we see the constant demand for innovation and improved payment solutions, said Liane Sanson, Divisional President of Media/Advertising Sales and Operations. The creation of this division will better support our commitment to the media space and our intention to rollout an enhanced product line that includes superior customer and vendor support.

CSI currently provides payment products to global holding companies, as well as large and mid-size media agencies with value added vendor enablement and customer support that consistently outpace the competition. CSI will continue to provide these benefits along with automation services across the stream of accounts payable products. The focus of the new division will be fully integrated product enhancements, elevated customer support and vendor relationships, and new products specifically catered to the advertising industry.

The media industry is, and always has been, a very important vertical for us, said David Disque, President of CSI. Our ability to stay ahead of payments innovation and to solidify our position as leaders in the media space, offering best-in-class technology and customer support, are principles our company was founded on. Were excited to fortify our leadership in the media space and to unveil new technologies that specifically address the needs of media agencies and suppliers.

The recent acquisition of CSI by Edenred SA, the world leader in transactional solutions for companies, employees and merchants, effectively positions CSI with the additional assets required to make this media division and its evolving product line successful.

About CSI

CSI provides enterprise-ready payment solutions to world-leading brands with their highly secure corporate payments platform that includes CSI Paysystems, CSI Travel, CSI Go, CSI Connect, CSI Invoice, and Global-Fleet fuel cards. CSI customers can automate 100% of B2B payables including virtual credit card, ghost card, proprietary network, ACH, check, or FX with cross-border payments settled in local currency. CSI is a certified Mastercard processor and has obtained Visa Ready for Business Solutions approval.


Civilian, a full-service marketing communications agency dedicated to building stronger communities, today announced it has earned the Certified B Corporation (B Corp) designation. To achieve the certification, Civilian had to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. In San Diego, Civilian is one of only four agencies and 13 companies who have received this recognition.

Ben & Jerrys, Patagonia, Kickstarter and Athleta are all examples of B Corps, which are for-profit companies that use business as a force for good. Certified by the not-for-profit B Lab, these companies are redefining success in business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy. B Corp certification is to business what Fair Trade is to coffee or USDA Organic is to milk: verified proof to consumers and clients of responsible business practices.

We are proud that a thorough review of our business operations met the rigorous requirements this certification demands, said Stacey Nelson Smith, Founder and CEO of Civilian. While we have always been socially and environmentally responsible, and committed to our employees and the community, becoming a B Corp gives us a way to specifically measure and strive to improve our performance in these areas.

Civilians related 2019 goals and initiatives include a new paid volunteer time off program; mentorship and pro-bono service for programs serving foster youth and college students; and a pledge to become carbon neutral by reducing and offsetting emissions from the agencys energy use, commuting and business travel.

As part of their certification terms, B Corps are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Civilian joins more than 2,600 Certified B Corps in over 150 industries and 60 countries with a single unifying goalto redefine success in business.

About Civilian

Civilian is a full-service marketing communications agency and Certified B Corporation dedicated to creating social change for the common good. We work with government agencies, not-for-profits and purpose-driven businesses to promote public health, transportation, conservation, disaster preparedness, education and workforce development. Our mantrafrom our headquarters in San Diego to our offices in Los Angeles and Sacramentois Where theres a we, theres a way. Learn more at http://www.civilian.agency.
Our doctors are empowered to stay focused on delivering service, detecting and managing high-risk diseases, and on reducing hospital sick days.

Cigna-HealthSprings Medicare Advantage (MA) customers in or near Atlantas Brookhaven, East Point, Morrow, South DeKalb and West End communities have a new option for their medical care with the addition of JenCare Senior Medical Centers to their network, effective immediately.

JenCare operates five centers in Atlanta that provide access to primary care physicians and specialist doctors, including walk-in appointments, expanded hours, frequent and unrushed office visits, on-site medications, labs, X-ray, ultrasound, acupuncture and even door-to-door transportation to those who need it. These convenient JenCare centers are now available to customers in Cigna-HealthSprings Preferred (HMO), Premier (HMO-POS) and TotalCare (HMO SNP) plans.

JenCare adheres to the ChenMed approach to high-touch care for Medicare-eligible seniors, that, according to the September American Journal of Managed Care, reduces hospital admissions by 50 percent; decreases health care costs by 28 percent; and improves patient use of preventive medications by up to 41 percent (see AJMC release and abstract). The peer-reviewed journal report shows that JenCare helps MA customers, including those with major and multiple chronic conditions, enjoy more healthy days than MA customers served by standard medical practices.

As a customer-centric organization, we continue to seek relationships with physician and hospital systems that improve customer access to high-quality care, said Dr. David Coxe, senior medical director with Cigna-HealthSpring in Georgia. JenCares approach to personalized care helps seniors receive the results-driven care they need, when they need it.

JenCare Atlanta primary care physicians (PCPs) share their cell phone numbers with their patients. They encourage calls and texts anytime, and they welcome walk-in appointments.

Thanks to the support of senior-focused carriers like Cigna-HealthSpring, our doctors are empowered to stay focused on delivering service, detecting and managing high-risk diseases, and on reducing hospital sick days, said Jonathan Flacker, M.D., chief medical officer, JenCare Georgia.

All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of St. Louis, Inc., HealthSpring Life & Health Insurance Company, Inc., HealthSpring of Florida, Inc., Bravo Health Mid-Atlantic, Inc., and Bravo Health Pennsylvania, Inc. Cigna-HealthSpring complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. Cigna-HealthSpring cumple con las layes federales de derechos civiles aplicables y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad o sexo. English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711). Spanish: ATENCION: Si habla espanol, tiene a su disposicion servicios gratuitos de asistencia linguistica. Llame al 1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711). Chinese: /  1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711). Other providers are available in our network. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. Cigna-HealthSpring is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna-HealthSpring depends on contract renewal.

About Cigna-HealthSpring

Cigna-HealthSpring is a health services company committed to helping Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries live healthier, more active lives through personalized, affordable and easy-to-use health care solutions. Cigna-HealthSpring offers a variety of options and services to support healthy aging and meet customers' individual health care needs through personal attention, wellness and preventive care.

About JenCare Senior Medical Centers

JenCare operates five primary care medical practices serving seniors in diverse Atlanta communities (Brookhaven, East Point, Morrow, South DeKalb, and West End). For seniors most in need of care, high-quality health care often is beyond reach. JenCare brings concierge-style medicine  and better health outcomes  to the neediest populations, as evidenced by a five-year report (see release; report) comparing ChenMed outcomes against quality measures reported by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The value-based care provider primarily serves seniors with low-to-moderate incomes, most of whom are managing multiple chronic conditions.

JenCares (ChenMeds) mission is to honor seniors with affordable VIP care that delivers better health. To do that, JenCare relies on innovative technology and a talented, resourceful, and compassionate team of providers. Founded by Dr. James Chen, a Taiwanese immigrant and cancer survivor, ChenMed operates more than 50 medical centers in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Well-known ChenMed brands also include Chen Senior Medical Center and Dedicated Senior Medical Center.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy, which provides news, opinion, data, and other insights to professionals at charities and foundations, today announced it is embarking on an ambitious effort to expand its coverage and reach so that it can better meet demands for information that empowers social-change leaders to advance their missions.

As part of this drive, the Chronicle is seeking funds from foundations, corporations, and philanthropists so it can provide more indispensable information to its audience and elevate the conversation about the nonprofit world among policy makers, mainstream media outlets, and the public.

Its first financial commitment to support this work comes from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundations effective-philanthropy program, which has awarded the Chronicle a $438,000, two-year grant for general operating support.

Were excited to pursue new ways to serve readers at a time when philanthropy is growing quickly and demand for news and information is more essential than ever to the nonprofits and donors Americans count on to improve our quality of life, said Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle.

Because the Chronicle covers foundations regularly, it has established strict ethics guidelines to ensure that its decision to accept support from grant makers does not influence its coverage.

It has posted its gift-acceptance policy online and pledged to disclose the names of donors and other supporters in any article or other product that involves them. In addition, the Chronicle has enlisted Philanthropy New York, a nonprofit that provides monitoring and administration for many foundation grants, to provide oversight of its use of the funds.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy is a vital independent news organization in the social sector. We are pleased to be able to offer flexible, multi-year grant support to sustain and enhance its work, said Lindsay Louie, a program officer at the Hewlett Foundation. Through its effective-philanthropy program, which focuses on advancing knowledge for better philanthropy, the foundation has provided funding to other independent news sources such as the Stanford Social Innovation Review and the Nonprofit Quarterly. We believe in the importance of high-quality, independent media for the social sector and are proud to support the Chronicle of Philanthropy as it evolves its business model, Louie adds.

Louie said that the decision to provide grant support was informed by independent research commissioned by the foundation and released in 2017 that showed strong audience awareness for the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

About Hewlett Foundation: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a nonpartisan, private charitable foundation that advances ideas and supports institutions to promote a better world. For more than 50 years, we have supported efforts to advance education for all, preserve the environment, improve lives and livelihoods in developing countries, promote the health and economic well-being of women, support vibrant performing arts, strengthen Bay Area communities and make the philanthropy sector more effective.

About the Chronicle of Philanthropy: From breaking news to key insights to real-world advice, the Chronicle of Philanthropy is dedicated to serving nonprofit and foundation professionals. It offers webinars, publications, special reports, and other information that help people in philanthropy make informed decisions. It is owned by the Chronicle of Higher Education Inc., a media company in Washington that focuses on providing information to people on college campuses and in the nonprofit world.
When To Change The Insurance Provider Drivers must change their insurance providers if they feel they are mistreated or pay more than they should, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com has released a new blog post that presents the main reasons why a person should consider changing their current car insurance company.

When signing a contract, a client expects professional services, to be respected and to have fair rates. When any of those requirements are not met, the client should look for better options.

Customer services must treat each case with care and utmost attention. Dealing with a rude or unresponsive customer support service is really upsetting. And it is a solid reason for switching carriers. If the claim is processed really slow, it is time to look for a better company. Make sure to read customer testimonials before making a change.

Inexplicable rate increases are a major concern for many drivers. Before dropping the current carrier, inquire about the price increase. A reliable company should be able to motivate their premiums. A driver with clean records, no claims and always paying the premiums on time usually gets better rates. Be aware that some companies use price optimization and charge their clients more with each renewal. They expect that some loyal customer will not check the market periodically.

For more car insurance info, money-saving tips and free online quotes, please visit http://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com 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.
Elavare and UCLA offer insights into technology "It is imperative for companies from around the world to target expansion into new markets," Dr. Mirei Takashima Claremon

January 2019 | During the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Elavare and the UCLA Anderson School of Management will be co-hosting a panel that seeks to unpack the challenges of cross-border market expansion and bringing ideas to market. Panelists consist of Anderson alumni and students, including experts from various industries, who will offer cross-cultural insights into the realm of technology.

Traditional retail paradigms and business models are exposed to rapid disruption due to a number of factors, including technological advancements, evolving consumer expectations, and the ascendance of a globally- dispersed middle class, says Dr. Mirei Takashima Claremon, a panel participant and Senior Advisor with the management consulting firm, Elavare.

Panelists expect to analyze what works--and what creates unnecessary risk--as it relates to cross-border strategy.

In addition, panelists will explore how companies can expand outside of their home markets despite emerging challenges facing businesses. Current uncertainty is fueling the need for partners with global business expertise, as companies scramble to protect their home territories and grow internationally within a changing trade environment.

As a result of heightened international trade tensions and secular changes in consumer behavior, it is imperative for companies from around the world to target expansion into new markets, according to Dr. Takashima Claremon.

The event is open to everyone in the Las Vegas area and a registration with CES is not required.

About Elavare

Elavare is a turnkey management consulting firm composed of seasoned professionals who possess extensive operational and managerial expertise in cross-border business between North American and Asian markets. Strategically based in Los Angeles, California, the firm specializes in providing services to businesses looking to expand internationally.

Contact Information

For additional information, visit elavare.com or contact executive@elavare.com. Inquiries may also be made to Elavare corporate office at 310.209.8260.

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meQuilibrium Hires Pam Boiros as Chief Marketing Officer Company Taps HR Technology Marketing Expert to Help Drive HCM Expansion

meQuilibrium, the leading human capital solution grounded in the science of resilience, announced that Pam Boiros has joined the senior management team in the newly-created position of chief marketing officer (CMO). Based in Boston, Boiros will lead meQuilibrium's marketing organization, including the company's overall marketing strategy, communications, demand generation, branding, and customer activation efforts.

"No one is better positioned than Pam to create and deliver on a marketing strategy to fuel our aggressive growth plans," said Jan Bruce, co-founder and CEO of meQuilibrium. "She knows the market, and understands the key HCM trends which will accelerate business opportunities to achieve our strategic growth initiatives. Our solution set delivers value across the HR continuum, from benefits to talent analytics to leadership development and Pam is a proven talent in marketing to these buyers."

With more than 18 years of experience in the human resource technology and corporate learning space, Boiros served as Global VP, Marketing for digital learning platform provider Skillsoft, where she led the marketing function for the company. Most recently, she served as a marketing consultant to over a dozen early stage providers of human resource technology and corporate learning solutions. Boiros started her career in publishing, managing sales and marketing for a U.S. division of Elsevier, the global information analytics business specializing in science and health.

"meQuilibrium is a company I've watched and admired for several years. I'm excited to join the company at this pivotal point in its evolution, with such great momentum going into 2019," said Boiros, meQuilibrium's new CMO. "The company is a well-respected brand in the resilience and wellbeing market, based on its rigorous science-based approach. It's now poised to address critical talent challenges for large enterprises, including employee experience and retention. I can't wait to dig in and help ensure that meQuilibrium's innovative solutions are top of mind for HR leaders in the benefits, wellbeing and talent functions of large organizations."

Boiros joins meQuilibrium following several significant milestones for the company. In August, the company announced $7 million in Series C funding led by HLM Venture Partners of Boston with participation from current investors Chrysalis Ventures and Safeguard Scientifics. The company recently announced the development of a next generation cognitive solution platform as part of its continued transformation across the human capital management category. The expanded platform will leverage the data and advanced people analytics capabilities of the current platform to incorporate talent optimization, soft skill and upskill development. This will allow for frictionless integration and data sharing across the HCM spectrum, including with vendors in customers' talent, benefits, engagement and LMS ecosystems.

About meQuilibrium

meQuilibrium is the engagement, performance and human capital solution that harnesses behavioral psychology, AI, predictive analytics and neuroscience to help innovative businesses build workforce potential. By unlocking the power of resilient people and teams, our customers more successfully navigate even the most turbulent of times. Powered by predictive meQ scores and data-driven insights, our solution uses clinically-validated assessment and robust benchmarking to measure resilience and create personalized training programs that build team and employee skills. With meQuilibrium, companies can equip each employees to discover and master skills they need to overcome any obstacle, increase agility, gain adaptive capacity, and transform the organization. Learn more at http://www.meQuilibrium.com.

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Media contact:

Linda Lewi at meQuilibrium

617-916-1262

Linda.Lewi(at)meQuilibrium.com
Anders Jacobson, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Bluewater 2019 can be the year the tides are turned on single-use plastics and the Bluewater global clean drinking water movement radically transforms the future

In April 2018, Bluewater kicked off a season of action toward clean water solutions free from single-use plastics and contaminants. Closing out the year, the water technology leader reports progress in advancing its global clean drinking water movement, providing alternatives to single-use plastic, raising awareness on the critical water issues of our time and forging partnerships through investments in a slew of companies in the drinking water arena.

While the worlds natural resources and water quality continued to worsen in 2018 in the face of unrelenting pollution of oceans, lakes, and rivers by contaminants ranging from industrial and agricultural chemicals to micro-plastics, Bluewaters efforts were geared to help stem the tide of water pollution and contamination.

Specific 2018 milestones:



Bluewater launched ingenious water purification public hydration stations able to generate pure drinking water onsite even from water considered unfit for human consumption

These hydration stations were deployed both to key water crisis areas across the world, notably in Flint, Michigan and Cape Town, South Africa- Bluewaters public hydration stations sustainably provided an estimated 27 million gallons of clean water, preventing the equivalent of over 800,000 standard-size plastic bottles from entering landfills and oceans

Bluewater distributed clean water in six continents, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America, in countries ranging from Australia, Brazil and China to Britain, The Netherlands, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States

Bluewater made strategic investments in four water companies also on a mission to provide consumers access to clean water while battling single-use plastic bottles: I-Drop Water in South Africa, TAPP in Spain and US-based Microlyze (now Spout) and FloWater.

The Bluewater clean drinking water movement forged impactful partnerships to further its global impact. Key partners include the United Nations, Volvo Ocean Race, Friends of the Chicago River, 11th Hour Racing, and Imagine H20. In partnership with Imagine H20, three water technology startup companies--Microlyze (Denver, CO), Drinkwell (Dhaka, Bangladesh) and SmartTerra (Bengaluru, India), received a sum of $1 million to spur green innovation and continue the clean drinking water movement.

At Bluewater our philosophy is pure drinking, cooking and bathing water for everyone, everywhere for home use, commercial enterprises and public dispensing and weve made strides in delivering on that promise over the past year, said Anders Jacobson, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Bluewater.

Water contamination and scarcity issues continue to plague the worlds ever-growing population and pose a threat to planetary and human health. As we look to 2019, our focus is to increase the momentum of this water movement and provide tangible clean water solutions that address failing water infrastructures in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world due to pollution and ageing pipes and plants, said Jacobson.

Marked by great achievement and powerful results, 2018 was just the beginning. Already for 2019, Bluewater has big plans that will proliferate the drinking water movement into Q1 2019 and beyond, including:



Global growth via strategic business investments and expanded partnerships

Unveiling Bluewaters second U.S. survey of consumer awareness and attitudes about contaminated drinking water

Publishing groundbreaking research on the devastating health impacts of water contamination and plastic ingestion for human beings

Our 2018 efforts are a testament of change that can happen when actors across society--corporations, businesses, consumers and governments--come together to create a healthier future, Jacobson continued. As threats to the worlds natural resources and human beings health continues from sources like plastic water bottles, it is imperative we all act courageously and swiftly.

Together, 2019 can be the year the tides are turned on single-use plastics and the Bluewater global clean drinking water movement radically transforms the future, added Jacobson. We at Bluewater hold great optimism for our collective future, and will be ambitious in the year ahead to spark global change, reducing single-use plastics and providing millions with clean drinking water.

About Bluewater:

Bluewater is a world leading water purification company with its global headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Bluewater innovates, manufactures and commercializes compact water purifiers for residential, business and public use that harness the companys patented reverse osmosis technology to remove virtually all pollutants from tap water, including lead, bacteria, pesticides, medical residues, chlorine, micro-plastics and lime-scale. Please visit us at http://www.bluewatergroup.com.
Bernhard Isler awarded with Honorary Professorship from Lin Peng Li, Dean of Zhijiang College There is no one more deserving of this honor than Bernhard Isler.

Bernhard Isler was recently named Honorary Professor at Zhijiang College, Zhejiang University of Technology in Shaoxing. Isler, who works for Siemens, is an ASHRAE member and past chair of the ASHRAE SSPC 135 BACnet Committee. He is a frequent contributor to BACnet publications and has participated in several of the BACnet Interest Group  China/Asias BACnet Golden Weeks by presenting in the educational forum and leading the technical training.

Lin Peng Li, dean of Zhijiang College, made the five year appointment on November 11, 2018 in Shaoxing, China.

Andy McMillan, president of BACnet International said, There is no one more deserving of this honor than Bernhard Isler. He has made several trips to China over the last few years to lead training classes and technical sessions. Along with his practical assistance, Bernhard has made substantial contributions to building effective relationships with BACnet industry leaders in China and connecting them to the global community.

About BACnet International

BACnet International is an industry association that facilitates the successful use of the BACnet protocol in building automation and control systems through interoperability testing, educational programs and promotional activities. BACnet International oversees operation of the BACnet Testing Laboratories (BTL) and maintains a global listing of tested products. The BACnet standard was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and has been made publicly available so that manufacturers can create interoperable systems of products. BACnet International complements the work of the ASHRAE standards committee and BACnet-related interest groups around the world. BACnet International members include building owners, consulting engineers and facility managers, as well as companies involved in the design, manufacture, installation, commission and maintenance of control equipment that uses BACnet for communication. For more information, please visit http://www.bacnetinternational.org.


BARE is honored to be selected as an "Elite Company" for the fifth consecutive year! Change is constant, and we pride ourselves on being able to adapt, grow and lead the way into the future.

Bare International is honored to be a five time recipient of Elite company status, as designated by MSPA Americas.

MSPA Americas (MSPA) is the trade association representing the customer experience industry, established to provide timely, actionable and impactful resources for shaping the future of business communities. The MSPA Elite program is an awards program designed to recognize the leading companies who are shouldering the advancement of the customer experience industry.

Mike Bare, President, Jason Bare, Global Vice President, and Guy Caron, Vice President of the Americas were in attendance to accept the award at the Annual CXE3 Event in Cleveland, Ohio.

We are always creating new, innovative ways to help our clients succeed, says Mike. Change is constant, and we pride ourselves on being able to adapt, grow and lead the way into the future.

Innovation, excellence, and passion are the pillars on which we base our business upon, adds Guy.

New services offerings were introduced throughout 2018, allowing BARE to provide insights for companies that better reflected the current climate of urgency and the importance of online reputation.

This past year, we focused on providing services that gathered the kind of data our client partners needed in order to make forward-thinking decisions, Guy continues. One of the most popular services was Online Reputation Monitoring which allows our client partners to view over 200 review platforms, live, in one dashboard.

The demand for other BARE International service offerings, including Voice of Customer Video Insights and Digital Customer Journey Mapping, has only increased with the need to reach customers on a more personalized level, and more quickly and frequently.

For over 30 years weve been committed to providing the best insights to our client partners, says Jason. We continue to do that by leading the development of the customer experience research industry, and were honored and able to do so as an active member of the MSPA.

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About BARE International

BARE International sets the industry standard as the largest independent provider of customer experience research, data, and analytics for companies worldwide. Founded in 1987, BARE International is a family-owned business with global capabilities. BARE is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Fairfax, Virginia with ten offices around the world. On any given day, BARE International is doing business for clients in more than 150 countries, completing more than 50,000 evaluations/audits each month. To learn more about BARE Internationals customer experience research services and their dedicated field force of evaluators, visit http://www.bareinternational.com
The scholarship has made getting a degree even more feasible. Ill be so excited when I can check that box!  2018 ACCESS Scholarship recipient Diana Pham

Gary Keisling ACCESS Scholarship Program applications for 2019 are now available to eligible Ashworth College and James Madison High School students. Scholarships will be awarded in three categories: degree programs, career programs, and high school.

Eligibility is based on a combination of factors including date of enrollment, academic performance, and an essay. Applications must be received via electronic submission by March 1, 2019. Recipients will be announced April 2, 2019, and prizes will be awarded April 16, 2019. Degree program awards will cover one semester of tuition. Career program awards will cover full tuition. The high school award will cover full tuition for one year (the equivalent of two semesters of study) and is renewable annually based on academic success.

A college degree is a major undertaking, said 2018 ACCESS Scholarship recipient and marketing degree student Diana Pham about her decision to return to school after more than a decade. It always bothered me that I couldnt check the box with college degree listed as my highest level of education. The scholarship has made getting a degree even more feasible. Ill be so excited when I can check that box!

ACCESS Scholarships have been awarded to 85 students since the program began in 2011, said Ashworth College President Rob Klapper. Were encouraged by the number of students who are seeking to begin or complete their educations with us, and its a pleasure to provide financial awards to deserving students each year.

The ACCESS Scholarship for degree programs is open to first-time, current, and transfer students seeking associate or bachelor's degrees. To be eligible, new student applicants must have a 3.0 GPA (or better) on their high school transcripts. Current and transfer student applicants must have a 3.0 GPA (or better) on their college transcripts. For an application, please visit ACCESS Scholarship Application 2019 - Ashworth College Degree Programs.

The ACCESS Scholarship for career programs is open to first-time students of Ashworth College diploma and certificate programs. There is no requirement for the applicant's incoming GPA, but scholarship recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA in their program in order to retain their awards. For an application, please visit ACCESS Scholarship Application 2019 - Ashworth College Career Programs.

The ACCESS Scholarship for High School is open to freshman applicants who completed the 8th grade with a 3.0 GPA (or better) and transfer applicants with a 3.0 GPA (or better) on their incoming transcripts. For an application, please visit ACCESS Scholarship Application 2019  James Madison High School.

For questions about the ACCESS Degree Scholarship Program, contact ACCESS-DegreeAssociates@ashworthcollege.edu or ACCESS-DegreeBachelors@ashworthcollege.edu. For questions about the ACCESS Career Scholarship Program, contact ACCESS-career@ashworthcollege.edu. For questions about the ACCESS High School Scholarship Program, contact ACCESS-HighSchool@ashworthcollege.edu. Questions may also be directed to the Office of the Registrar by calling 1-800-224-7234.

About the Gary Keisling ACCESS Scholarship Program

The Gary Keisling Ashworth College Continuing Education for Student Success Scholarship Program was established in 2011 to honor Gary Keisling, former president and CEO of the online college and its subsidiaries. The late Keisling devoted his career to developing affordable and accessible educational programs for those who may have limited access to accredited educational opportunities.

About Ashworth College

The Ashworth College family of online schools includes Ashworth College, Madison School of Healthcare, PCDI Canada, and James Madison High School. All three post-secondary schools are nationally-accredited online institutions that provide flexible and affordable education through more than 125 career-focused programs in the high-demand fields of healthcare, technology, business, creative services, education, legal studies, and trades while James Madison High School is a regionally-accredited secondary school that provides college prep and general education diploma programs to students of all ages. Since its founding 30 years ago, approximately 350,000 students have graduated from Ashworth College or its subsidiaries with diplomas, professional certificates, associate, bachelors and masters degrees. For more information, visit http://www.ashworthcollege.edu/why-ashworth/our-online-schools/.

Ashworth College, Madison School of Healthcare, and PCDI Canada are accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). James Madison High School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) and by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).


Our clients not only recognize the impact of corruption on financial outcomes, but also on the ethical standards that affect the business community and society as a whole.

Aravo Solutions, a leading provider of SaaS solutions for third-party risk and performance management, today announced the release of Aravo for ABAC Compliance, a pre-configured third-party bribery and corruption risk management application that accelerates the deployment of best practice anti-bribery anti-corruption (ABAC) compliance programs.

Corruption is one of the key barriers to economic, political, and social development in the world today. With an estimated $1.5 trillion paid in bribes each year, the World Economic Forum estimates that the cost of corruption to the global economy is more than 5% of global GDP or US$2.6 trillion. To combat corruption, regulators across the globe are enforcing strict ABAC regulations, including the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the UK Bribery Act, and Sapin II. Companies that do not comply with these regulations face significant financial sanctions and reputational damage. In FCPA sanctions alone, over US$11 billion in fines have been levied in the past 3 years.

Yet many organizations dont have an accurate view of their biggest ABAC risks because they come from outside threats. Around 90% of FCPA enforcement actions involve the actions of third-parties, such as vendors, suppliers, contractors, affiliates, service providers, and indirect sales associates.

Aravo for ABAC Compliance maps directly to guidance from the World Economic Forum, FCPA, UK Bribery Act, and ISO 37001 and helps firms identify, monitor, and manage the ABAC risk associated with their third-party ecosystem. Aravos deep domain experience of implementing successful ABAC solutions for some of the worlds largest and most respected brands, has ensured that best-practice approaches are embedded in the application.

Were seeing greater emphasis on enforcing business integrity from organizations in virtually all industries, says David Rusher, SVP of Product Strategy & Alliances at Aravo. Our clients not only recognize the impact of corruption on financial outcomes, but also on the ethical standards that affect the business community and society as a whole. Aravo for ABAC Compliance is designed to help organizations quickly deploy a built-for-purpose solution to drive corruption out of their business relationships with the benefit of leveraging a common third-party risk management platform that they can expand to additional risk domains as required.

With Aravo for ABAC Compliance, organizations can face internal and regulatory audits with confidence, increase visibility into inherent and residual risk, and enforce enterprise ABAC policies and procedures. Third-parties that pass an initial screening complete a proprietary ABAC assessment and workflow mapped to best practice guidance. Inherent and residual risk is continuously monitored and presented through role-based, pre-configured ABAC dashboards and reports.

The multi-faceted compliance challenge of anti-bribery and corruption is coming at organizations from all angles: US FCPA, UK Bribery Act, Sapin II, and more, observes Michael Rasmussen of GRC 20/20. To be compliant today requires a defensible record of due diligence and monitoring of third-party relationships. To do this in manual processes encumbered by documents, spreadsheets, and emails is ineffective, inefficient, and certainly not agile. It also lacks a robust audit trail and system of record to defend the organization. Organizations today need a strong system of record of ongoing/continuous anti-bribery and corruption activities that can be found in a third-party management platform.

To learn more about Aravo for ABAC Compliance or request a demo, go to http://www.aravo.com.

About Aravo

Aravo Solutions delivers market-leading cloud-based solutions for managing third party governance, risk and performance. We help companies protect their business value and reputation by managing the risks associated with third parties and suppliers, and to build business value by ensuring that their third party relationships are optimized.

Since 2000, leading global brands across a diverse range of industries have counted on Aravo for their end-to-end enterprise supplier and third party risk management. Aravo has also distilled this experience and best-in-class technology into rapid time-to-value applications that help companies manage a wide range of programs including: anti-bribery and anti-corruption, responsible sourcing, data privacy, information security, GDPR, financial services regulatory compliance and know your third party programs.

Providing unrivaled regulatory agility and ease-of-use, together with actionable executive reporting, Aravo supports a user base of 136,000 corporate users, managing more than 4.5 million third party users in 36 languages and 154 countries. Aravo is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices and partners across the US, Europe and Asia.

Aravo has been recognized with GRC 20/20s Value Award for Third Party Management for providing measurable value in GRC efficiency, effectiveness and agility, and with the GRC 20/20 Innovation Award for Aravo for GDPR. Aravo was named as a Category Leader with the highest Completeness of Offering of any provider in the Chartis RiskTech Quadrant for Third Party Risk Management Solutions 2017, and was named a Challenger in the 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for IT Vendor Risk Management.
Anaheim Medical Supplies Anaheim Medical Supplies specializing in Mobility scooters, power chairs and CPAP supplies with very competitive pricing. We recommend checking out the website to see what we have or stop by the store to see it in person.

Anaheim Medical Supplies is proud to invite shoppers to its newly designed Anaheim location for the company's celebration of the grand opening of its showroom and service location. The company specializes in personal health, mobility, medical, and respiratory equipment, accessories, and supplies. The showroom is located at 1742 S Euclid Street in Anaheim, CA, a short distance from major vacation venues, including the Downtown Disney District and Disney Theme Parks.

In recent years, the vacation industry has experienced a steady rise in the number of vacationers requiring mobility assistance. This trend is expected to continue due to the number of individuals reaching 65 years of age and continuing to live into their nineties.

The owners of Anaheim Medical Supplies recognize the importance of providing ready access to mobility devices for individuals who would not otherwise be able to travel on vacation. With hopes of exceeding the expectations of its customers, Anaheim Medical Supplies sources a varied assortment of medical and mobility equipment toward that goal. Their current inventory includes a full selection of adaptive solutions designed to deliver accessible solutions that meet the personal mobility, medical, and respiratory needs of its customers.

The store offers both online and in-house sales and rentals of its mobility equipment, including scooters, wheelchairs, rollators, powerchairs, lifts, oxygenators, respiratory machines, and hospital beds. Customer service representatives are available to assist customers in choosing products that offer features necessary in meeting their needs, enabling them to remain independent and better able to actively participate in life. In addition to mobility, medical, and respiratory equipment, the company provides a varied selection of accessories and replacement components.

Anaheim Medical Supplies offers delivery of all of its rental mobility devices to home addresses as well as to vacation hotels within the area, including those serving Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. While guests have the option to bring their own equipment, it is often easier to simply rent the devices they need while enjoying their vacations.

The company offers affordable rentals for mobility chairs and scooters and is currently providing special rates for vacationers in the Anaheim area. In fact, the showroom is only one half of a mile from Disneyland. If customers prefer, they can receive delivery of their mobility rental on the same day they place their order.

Anaheim Medical Supplies ships orders using standard USPS and UPS methods for the forty-eight contiguous states in the United States. Other shipping methods are available for locations outside of this delivery areas.

About Anaheim Medical Supplies

Anaheim Medical Supplies is a reputable supplier of mobility, respiratory, medical, and personal health equipment and accessories located in Anaheim, CA. The store has an expansive showroom deemed to be one of the area's best due to a varied inventory of products. Its mobility line includes power wheelchairs as well as scooters and lift chairs. The respiratory line includes CPAP and BiPAP devices, while the medical and personal health categories include a bit of everything you might expect to find. All of this company's products are sourced from leading manufacturers across the country.

Anaheim Medical Supplies

1742 S Euclid St

Anaheim, CA 92802

info(at)anaheimmedicalsupplies.com

714-699-2874

http://www.anaheimmedicalstore.com
The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) is seeking abstract proposals for both podium and poster presentations that address all levels of psychiatric-mental health nursing administration, education, practice, research, and more for the APNA 33rd Annual Conference. The APNA Annual Conference will deliver hundreds of evidence-based podium and poster presentations to the1600+ nurses and advanced practice nurses (RN and APRN). Nurses from varied backgrounds are encouraged to share their research, practice innovations, clinical expertise, and more by submitting an abstract online by March 4th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

This years conference theme is Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses: The Whole Health Connection, which brings attention to the nurse-patient relationship at the core of psychiatric-mental health nursing. APNA President Gail R. Stern, RN, MSN, PMHCNS-BC states, The psychiatric-mental health nursing skill set is integral to supporting the whole health of our patients and communities. I invite my nursing colleagues to use this open call for abstracts to share the impact that human connection has on mental health and whole health, an outcome we see every day as we practice.

All abstracts will undergo peer review by the APNA Scholarly Review Committee and notifications of acceptance status will be made by April 10th. Suggested topics for abstract submissions include but are not limited to:



Addictions / Substance Use

Health Care Administration

Advanced Practice Nursing

Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Complimentary & Alternative Therapy

Continuing Nursing Education

Cultural Issues in Health Care

Emergency/Disaster Preparedness

Emergency Departments

eTools / Electronic Health Records

Forensic

Graduate Nursing Education

Inpatient Care

Integrated Physical & Mental Health Care

International

Leadership

LGBT Issues

Mens Health

Military Mental Health / Issues Related to Returning Service Members

Older Adults

Outpatient Care

Pharmacology / Prescribing

Private Practice

Policy

Psychotherapy

Recovery

Nursing Research

RN-PMH Practice

Safety

Undergraduate Nursing Education

Violence Prevention

Womens Health

Many options are available to organizations interested in participating in the APNA 33rd Annual Conference, including industry-sponsored symposia, sponsorship and advertising opportunities, promotional product theaters, and exhibits in the Exhibit Hall. Visit http://www.apna.org/AnnualConference for more information.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is a national professional membership organization committed to the specialty practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. APNAs membership is inclusive of all psychiatric mental health registered nurses including associate degree, baccalaureate, advanced practice (comprised of clinical nurse specialists and psychiatric nurse practitioners), and nurse scientists and academicians (PhD). APNA serves as a resource for psychiatric mental health nurses to engage in networking, education, and the dissemination of research.

The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is accredited with distinction as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Our software saves lives, and the hospitals that embrace our technology improve mortality and mitigate patient risk.

Ambient Clinical Analytics announces today that its AWARE Sepsis DART software is now available to view as an iOS app on the App Store for both iPhone and iPad. AWARE Sepsis DART software is an FDA Class II cleared product for point of care use and was built by clinicians for clinicians. The solution uses customer-defined sepsis detection and support rules to indicate that sepsis may be present or developing.

The algorithms for Ambient Clinicals DART were created working in collaboration with Mayo Clinic clinicians. If a probable sepsis event occurs, Sepsis DART will programmatically send defined messages to specified caregivers. Sepsis DART iOS provides monitoring of treatment progress in the critical first 6 hours of care per CMS guidelines. Ambient Sepsis DART iOS is part of the Ambient AWARE family of products that collect data, present, manage, store, and deliver patient information that address important potential clinical problems such as sepsis.

The launch of Sepsis DART iOS allows providers to obtain instant and actionable insights from data relevant to a patients current situation without being tied down to a desktop device. Now physicians and nurses can use a mobile device to monitor treatment protocols and guide the care team through not only detection, but the care process itself. said Al Berning, Chief Executive Officer at Ambient. Our software saves lives, and the hospitals that embrace our technology improve mortality and mitigate patient risk. Were delighted to provide this innovative technology to drive standardized, low cost, and highly-reliable care in health systems.

As an industry leader in healthcare analytics, Ambient will feature the Ambient AWARE family of solutions, including Sepsis DART and DART iOS at our Booth 888-95 in the Personalized Health Experience at the HIMSS19 conference. The conference takes place on February 11th-15th, 2019 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. For more information, stop by our Booth 888-95 at HIMSS19 or visit our website https://ambientclinical.com/.

Sepsis DART and Sepsis DART iOS are pivotal technologies in Ambients AWARE portfolio of technologies. They are changing the way critical care providers practice through providing clinical decision support tools at the patients bedside. Using licensed Mayo Clinic technologies, including over 1,000 rules and algorithms, Ambients solutions give providers real-time access to vital process and point-of-care analytics.

Sepsis DART is not just another detection alert. It is a nonintrusive navigation tool that provides programmable, automated sepsis detection to match a hospitals specific needs, and monitors sepsis care bundle progress toward CMS defined sepsis care treatment protocol and improved sepsis outcomes. said Drew Flaada, Ambient Clinical Analytics CTO. The amount of patient data needed to detect potential sepsis, and to track what has and has not been done in a patients treatment, is incredible and places a substantial burden on the acting clinician to make quick and effective patient care decisions while making sense of mountains of information. This new extended iOS solution provides a mobile real-time dashboard that organizes information the way a clinician processes data in a real-life patient scenario to facilitate decision making.

About Ambient Clinical Analytics

Ambient Clinical Analytics is supporting leading healthcare systems and has done so since its founding in 2013. Ambient is an exceptionally secure, high-performance, FDA Class II approved Software as a Medical Device platform. Our solution is designed by clinicians to be easy-to-use by every caregiver in your organization, and it is configured to be up and running rapidly. We are trusted by a community of high-performing healthcare providers across the United States. Our solutions are powerful real-time point-of-care healthcare solutions designed to deliver data visualization, communication, and analytics based clinical decision support solutions.

Ambients platform stands alone in its ability to help customers gain the instant actionable insights necessary to improving vital clinical processes and the care they deliver to patients. With a strong and experienced team focused on innovation, Ambient provides a scalable and sustainable method to deliver high reliability healthcare to any health system. Additional information about Ambient Clinical Analytics and AWARE Sepsis DART indications for use can be found by visiting https://ambientclinical.com.

Mayo Clinic has a financial interest in the technology referenced in this news release. Revenue Mayo Clinic receives is used to support its not-for-profit mission in patient care, education and research.
Yuma drivers looking to save on new tires for their Toyota vehicles may do so with local dealership Alexander Toyota.

This time of year provides a perfect opportunity for drivers to get some much needed maintenance done on their new and used Toyota vehicles, including getting a fresh set of tires installed in order to handle the road with confidence. To give drivers a more affordable opportunity to do this, local dealership Alexander Toyota is currently promoting tire savings happening until January 31.

Under the parameters of this sale, all drivers who purchase a set of four tires at Alexander Toyota will instantly be eligible for savings of up to $100 off their final price. This sale is applicable to Toyota and Scion vehicles, and shoppers are encouraged to contact the dealerships service center for further details.

Prospective customers may also order tires online through the Alexander Toyota website. Top brands such as Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear and more are in high supply at the dealerships online tire store, and OEM-certified technicians will take care of installation, as well as helping drivers find the right tires for their Toyota or Scion vehicles.

Those who would like to take advantage of the tire sale at Alexander Toyota are encouraged to contact the dealerships service team, which may be reached online at myalexandertoyota.com, over the phone at 928-344-1170, or in person at the Alexander Toyota offices. Alexander Toyota is located at 889 East 32nd Street in Yuma, Arizona.


We make connected retail a reality with a platform that empowers retailers to transform their lighting into a true smart building hub - Greg Carter, Senior Vice President Connected Building Software with Acuity Brands Lighting

IoT Breakthrough, an independent organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global Internet-of-Things (IoT) market, today announced that Acuity Brands, Inc.s Atrius IoT Solutions has been selected as the winner of the IoT Connected Retail Application of the Year award in the global 2019 IoT Breakthrough Awards program.

The mission of the IoT Breakthrough Awards program is to recognize the innovators, leaders and visionaries from around the globe in a range of IoT categories, including , Connected Home and Home Automation, Industrial and Enterprise IoT, Smart City technology, Connected Car, and many more. This years program attracted more than 3,500 nominations from companies all over the world.

Retailers face a tough challenge in providing stellar shopper experiences in their brick-and-mortar stores in order to compete with or complete their online and omnichannel experiences, said James Johnson, managing director at IoT Breakthrough. IoT applications in retail are delivering solutions to address this challenge, and Acuity Brands is an industry leader and innovator in this new world of connected retail experiences. We congratulate the Acuity Brands team on their well-deserved 2019 IoT Breakthrough Award.

Acuity Brands smart lighting and Atrius IoT solutions amplify business performance for retail owners and the shopper experience for customers with indoor positioning, wayfinding, asset tracking, spatial analytics and space utilization services. Atrius is deploying full-scale IoT applications in more than 250 million square feet of indoor spaces.

We make connected retail a reality with a platform that empowers retailers to transform their lighting into a true smart building hub, said Greg Carter, Senior Vice President Connected Building Software with Acuity Brands Lighting. From indoor positioning services that enable asset tracking and management to space utilization, retailers have access to additional smart services and intelligence that radically improve the retail experience and provide a competitive edge for their businesses. We are proud to receive this industry recognition and look forward to further innovation and success for our customers and partners.

About IoT Breakthrough

IoT Breakthrough, part of the Tech Breakthrough Awards organization, is devoted to honoring excellence in Internet-of-Things technologies, services, companies and products. The IoT Breakthrough Awards program provides a forum for public recognition around the achievements of IoT companies and products in categories including Connected Home and Home Automation, Connected Car, Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Smart City, Consumer IoT and more. For more information visit IoTBreakthrough.com.

About Acuity Brands

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the worlds leading providers of lighting and building management solutions. With fiscal year 2018 net sales of $3.7 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs approximately 13,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Companys products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Aculux, American Electric Lighting, Antique Street Lamps, Atrius, DGLogik, Distech Controls, DTL, eldoLED, Gotham, Healthcare Lighting, Hydrel, Indy, IOTA, Juno, Lucid, Mark Architectural Lighting, nLight, Peerless, RELOC Wiring, ROAM, Sensor Switch, Sunoptics and Winona Lighting. Visit us at http://www.acuitybrands.com.
Canadian tech companies are now demonstrating leadership in technology innovations, said Ken Brizel, CEO of ACAMP.

ACAMP will be introducing the latest in autonomous security solutions at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019. Last year ACAMP released their new Autonomous Security ATV that it developed with the first application at the Edmonton International Airport. This unmanned vehicle was built to secure the perimeter of the airport by identifying any animal and human threats, detecting damage to the fence line and maneuvering around obstacles in its path. The ATV is available to be customized for security applications worldwide.

Canadian tech companies are now demonstrating leadership in technology innovations, said Ken Brizel, CEO of ACAMP. ACAMP is excited to showcase the Autonomous Security ATV and its capabilities to the world while being amongst the best technologies available during the CES 2019.

ACAMP is known as Alberta Canadas #1 industry-led product development center. A few of our 400 clients, Soltare Inc., Takemetuit Inc., AirMarket inc, Aerium Analytics and Pegasus Imagery, will be attending CES 2019 as well. Most of these companies are part of the 47-member Alberta based Advanced Systems for Transportation Consortium. Soltare Inc. will be demonstrating their iHear Technology, a system that alerts drivers and future autonomous vehicle systems to the presence of oncoming emergency vehicles. Takemetuit Inc. will be displaying their indoor positioning system, which supports navigation through warehouses, indoor parking areas, airports and shopping malls by showing users their exact location through a cell phone application. AirMarket, Aerium and Pegasus each support aerial drone systems with their own unique technologies.

ACAMP and a few of our clients will be exhibiting in the Tech East, Westgate Venue, at the Canadian Delegation Booth #1021. We invite you to come and visit us.

About ACAMP

Founded in 2007, ACAMP (Alberta Centre for Advanced MNT Products) is a unique industry-led product development center that advanced technology entrepreneurs rely on to transition their innovation from proof-of-concept to manufactured product. ACAMP provides access to multidisciplinary engineers, technology experts, specialized equipment, through industry-leading acumen. ACAMP expertise includes electronics and optics hardware, integrating embedded systems incorporating sensors, firmware, and control systems along with artificial intelligence programming. Offices in Edmonton and Calgary, ACAMP offers support to companies worldwide. For more information, please visit acamp.ca.

About Alberta based Advanced Systems for Transportation Consortium

ACAMP founded the AST Consortium in 2016 to tap into the advanced global transportation and connected vehicle systems markets, estimated to grow to $102 billion by 2030. The purpose of the AST Consortium is to enable research and innovation in smart infrastructure and transportation markets, and foster collaboration between businesses, government and large multi-national corporations.
"Our team is full of rockstars who bellieve that what we are doing and how we are doing it is the right thing and the right way." CEO Alex Berg

While Triple E Equipment has been growing steadily for years, 2018 was especially fruitful for us. With more and more construction, demolition, and landscaping companies now putting a focus on environmental initiatives, the types of products we make are in high demand.

The future is looking very bright for Triple E Equipment as we continue to prepare for when opportunities arise, said President and CEO Alex Berg. Our team is full of rockstars who believe that what we are doing and how we are doing it is the right thing and the right way.

One of the fastest-growing American companies: Every year, Inc. Magazine releases its Inc. 5000, which is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the US. Companies were ranked based on their percentage of revenue growth from 2014 to 2017. With $3.2 million in revenue in 2017  which was a growth of 535 percent over three years  Triple E Equipment came in at number 926 on the list.

A GrowFL 2018 Florida Companies to Watch finalist: Triple E was also one of the 50 finalists on GrowFLs Florida Companies to Watch list. Chosen from more than 500 nominees across the state, these businesses are expected to grow

significantly over the next several years.

These stand-out companies are all led by entrepreneurs, and have demonstrated their capacity and intent to grow, said Dr. Tom ONeal, executive director of GrowFL. They also all have critical intellectual property or a niche position that gives them a competitive edge in their markets.

Many new dealers and rental locations: Triple E Equipment is very happy to announce that national rental company Sunbelt Rentals now carries our equipment throughout the United States. In addition, we have expanded our offerings to several regional dealers and rental companies throughout the US, including:



Acme Equipment  North Dakota

Alta Equipment  Michigan, Indiana, Illinois

Altorfer CAT  Illinois, Iowa, Missouri

K&K Supply  Missouri

MacAllister CAT  Indiana & Michigan

O'Leary's Contractors Equipment  Illinois

Pro Equipment Rentals  Massachusetts

As Triple E Equipment continues to grow into new markets, more dealership opportunities will arise. The focus for 2019 will include major expansion throughout California as well as a push into the South and Southwest US.

Founded in 2013, Triple E Equipment Inc. provides battery-powered machinery for the construction, demolition, and landscaping industries. Our goal is to create safe and energy efficient equipment that benefits the companies using them as well as the environment. In addition to producing innovative equipment, Triple E is also dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and support.

For more information about Triple E Equipment, please call Alex Berg at 954-978-3440 or send an email to info(at)e3equipment.com. http://www.E3Equipment.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/eeeequipment/

LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/company/triple-e-equipment-inc/
EXPERT OBSERVER

Heres the dumbest question an investor can ask: is this a good time to buy real estate?

The question shows a fundamental and dangerous lack of understanding about property.

A much smarter question is: WHERE is it a good time to buy real estate? Because in a nation as large and as diverse as Australia, at any point in time its a good time to buy somewhere. The trick is finding those locations where its opportune to buy.

I find myself constantly explaining to consumers that there is no such creature as the Australian property market. People think there is because the media keeps telling them there is, aided and abetted by economists who see everything nationally.

The headlines keep proclaiming that Australian property prices are falling, because those who think nationally describe housing market growth or decline with a single figure to measure the entire nation.

Its a ludicrous proposition and one that misleads and misinforms consumers.

So here we are again at the start of a new year and its opportune once again to tell people that the essence of success in property investment is understanding that we dont have one market in Australia.

We have lots of markets and your objective is to avoid the ones which are in decline and locate the ones that are rising or will soon do so.

Fortunately, this is not difficult  so long as you can kick the newspaper reading habit and conduct proper research and acquire real knowledge.

If youre willing and able to do that, youll be miles ahead of the herd and one of the relatively few who will succeed in this business.

If youve been searching for predictions on likely outcomes in 2019  and youve been using mainstream media as your primary source  youll be massively confused and misinformed, because newspapers and other tabloid media like the ABC have featured only those who have forecast major and widespread price decline.

The vast majority of forecasters  the calm, sensible, rational ones like BIS, Domain, SQM Research, Propertyology and most of the major lenders  have predicted fairly optimistic outcomes in 2019 and 2020. But few of the major newspapers have published their forecasts.

A common theme among the credible forecasters is that Sydney and Melbourne will bottom out in the middle of 2019 and gradually return to moderate price growth, while the smaller capital cities will show growth this year ranging from moderate to strong.

Very few bother with the regions  which is a shame because the biggest price growth in 2018 was in regional areas and this is likely to be the case again in 2019.

One who does look at the regions as well as the capital cities and presents sensible forecasts based on research is Simon Pressley of Propertyology.

Like Louis Christopher of SQM Research, Pressley presents three scenarios in his forecasting, which relate to different outcomes with the lending environmental.

His scenario which assumes lenders returning to sensible credit policies in the first quarter of the year (which I think is likely) has Hobart again leading the capital cities on price growth, with rises of up to 10%.

He sees Perth making a solid recovery, with house prices up by between 4% and 7%. He also expects Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane to be good markets with price growth up to 5-6%.

He expects Melbourne to bottom out during with the year, with only moderate price decline, and Sydney falling a further 3-6%.

I note that Domain published broadly similar forecasts for 2019 recently and I think Pressley is pretty much on the mark, although I think Adelaide will do better than he predicts and that Hobart growth will be less, because I think that market is past its peak.

Propertyology believes regional centres in the resources states Western Australia and Queensland will be among the best-performing markets this year. Pressley suggests the Sunshine Coast and Cairns will lead in Queensland, with big improvement also in Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Toowoomba.

In WA he likes Albany, Busselton and Margaret River, with Pilbara towns strong also. As always, I urge caution with any market where the mining sector dominates the local economy.

In regional NSW he likes Wagga Wagga, Armidale, Tamworth, Bathurst, Parkes and Muswellbrook, while in regional Victoria he favours Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Warrnambool and Bairnsdale.

I cant disagree with much of that. Propertyology and Hotspotting use different methodologies but we often arrive at the same conclusions.

Terry Ryder is the founder of hotspotting.com.au
Queenslands 2019 housing market is expected to vary across the state, largely because of its diverse economy, according to Moody's Analytics latest report.

The report noted that the Brisbane area has seen its strongest growth since the lull in 2012, thanks mostly to improved activity in the services sector.

The outlook for Queensland's housing markets is for either flat or mildly positive returns over the next two years.

The authors noted, "although Brisbane home values rose steadily through 2017 and 2018, the apartment market has been more subdued."

"A runup in supply over the past few years has capped gains in the apartment market."

"However, supply has tightened since its peak; the latest data suggest apartment building approvals have fallen from their 2013 levels."

"Therefore, a reduced apartment glut will likely usher in a broad-based recovery in apartment values from 2019 onward," according to the report authors.

The contrast between home and apartment values is most apparent in Brisbane Inner City (comprising South Brisbane, Ascot and Grange).

Moodys Analytics forecasts home values to underperform throughout the forecast period, while apartment values are expected to accelerate.

This is a reversal of trend from the past few years; home values had risen more than 30% since mid-2012, while apartment values had risen only around 5%.

(Source: Moody's Analytics, CoreLogic)

Apartments in Greater Brisbane are forecast to grow 2.8 percent overall in 2019 with every region seeing growth, ranging from 2.7% to 7.6%, after falling -3.1 and -0.9 percent in prior years.

Moreton Bay, Logan and Ipswich are projected by Moody's Analytics to be the three largest growth areas for apartments with a forecast growth over 2019 and 2020 ranging from 13.5% in Ipswich to 18.6% in Moreton Bay - North over the next two year.

Brisbane North and South as well as the Inner City Brisbane region are expected to see medium to high growth with Inner City region expecting growth of 7.3%.

However Brisbane East and the Inner City region are expected to see a slowdown in 2020 with both areas still forecast to grow.

The second housing sector comprising more lifestyle areas, including Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Cairns, are expected to perform better over the forecast period, as income growth remains robust and the degree of supply increase is not as great as in areas of Brisbane.

Lifestyle areas are also buoyed by overseas tourist demand, which has remained strong on the back of the falling Australian dollar.

Moodys Analytics forecasts home values to underperform throughout the forecast period, while apartment values are expected to accelerate.

The third housing market region in Queensland comprises commodity-producing areas.

These include Central Queensland, Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday, and Darling Downs-Maranoa.

The report authors note, "values have declined significantly here over the past few years, partly as a result of the end of the mining boom."

"The recent uptick in commodity prices is unlikely to provide a tailwind, with housing values expected to correct further through 2019."

"A lack of job opportunities will subdue population growth, lowering equilibrium home values," the authors concluded.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Tuesday adjourned the House sine die at the conclusion of its winter session during which 16 bills were passed, including the triple talaq Bill and a constitutional amendment Bill to give 10 per cent reservation for economically backward among the upper castes in jobs and higher education.

Mahajan said the House had 17 sittings during the session which began on December 11 and had productive discussion of over 48 hours on important issues.

She said a total of 12 government bills were tabled in the session and 16 bills passed including Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, Consumer Protection Bill, National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities (Amendment) Bill, Muslim Women (Protection of Rights) Bill, Companies (Amendment Bill), The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and Personal Laws (Amendment Bill).

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed before the adjournment after a division with 323 members voting in its favour and three against.

Mahajan said the session witnessed a discussion on Rafale that lasted 8 hours 21 minutes and which concluded by the Defence Minister's response.

"Another discussion on natural calamities in various parts of the country could not be completed," she said.

A total of 1,870 papers were tabled by ministers during the session, she said.

Mahajan said while the House witnessed constructive discussion on important issues, 50 members who disrupted the proceedings were named and suspended for the rest of the sittings.

She said a lot of value to the discussion was added by some members including Nationalist Congress Party's Supriya Sule, Congress' Sushmita Dev, BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi, and Revolutionary Socialist Party's N.K. Premachandran.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday welcomed the Constitution Amendment Bill providing for 10 per cent reservation for economically backward upper catses and demanded that the government should move ahead for reservation in private sector.

Particiapting in a debate in the Lok Sabha, Paswan said the move was a big step towards government's resolve "sabka sath, sabka vikas" and would not be a cause for social confrontation.

"I am happy that government has brought this Bill that provides reservation for the economically backward upper castes. This Bill does not disturb the existing 50 per cent reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes," he said.

Urging the House to pass the Bill, he demanded the government should now move ahead to provide reservation in private sector and also bring transparency in Indian judicial services.

"Put this Bill into the ninth schedule so that no one goes for a judicial review. There is a shortage of government jobs but the present government can't be held responsible for it. So I would urge you to provide reservation in private sector. I would also request you to bring transparency in Indian judicial services so that all castes have representation there," he said.

Paswan, a Dalit leader and chief of LJP, hailed the Modi government for its pro-poor schemes and decisions and said that if this Bill is passed, Narendra Modi would again become Prime Minister in 2019.

AIADMK's Thambi Durai said that despite reservation for SCs and STs, equality has not prevailed in the society.

He said that quota cannot be based on economic status and the Bill will be struck down for sure in courts.

"For the economically weaker sections, this government has brought several pro-poor schemes and the reservation is needed only if government schemes have failed," he said.

TMC's Sudip Bandopadhyay raised doubts over government's intention to bring the bill when the general elections were only a few months away.

"Will it solve the problem of youths or just a gimmick? Or is it a move to win Lok Sabha elections?" he asked.

He said that if government was serious about reservation, it should have brought the Women Reservatill Bill.

Shiv Sena supported the Bill, but questioned its timing.

"The intention is good, but why did the government bring it ahead of the Lok Sabha polls," Anand Rao Adsul asked.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : Renowned yoga guru Bharat Thakur, who spent many years in the mountains studying yoga and "tantra", was a close observer of saintly life up there. His observations and the creative urge to paint merge in his exhibits here.

Thakur, who pioneered a new style of yoga called Artistic Yoga in 1999, is currently exhibiting three bodies of his works -- his self portraits, portraits of babas and sculptures.

"Prayag: The Inner Journey" is open at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) here.

Thakur says being a painter was a hat he always wore, even when he was a boy in the hills.

"I was drawn to it pretty much like how every painter gets drawn to painting. Except, I did not got to a traditional art school. In the mountains, I sketched sometimes on the snow," Thakur, who is married to Bollywood actor Bhumika Chawla, told IANS.

As noted by art patron Kiran Nadar, who inaugurated his solo show, the portraits (of the ascetics) from the Himalayas speak for themselves.

"The features that Bharat has made and the depth of pain that he has captured, shows how well he must have known that life. It must have made a true difference in his life, which turned him from being a yoga guru to an artist," she said.

Thakur himself said that he waited for the artist in him to do justice to his "pet" theme.

"I am an insider when I paint the 'babas' as I have spent many years in the mountains studying Yoga, Tantra, Ashita. Each of the babas has a different practice, and I am in a good position to paint them," he explained, referring to his inspiration from his spiritual lineage of "aghora" and tantra.

In his revelatory self portrait series 'Aham', where he paints himself as a subject, viewers can see the artist turns an intense and piercing gaze inward.

"With the paintings, he is delving deep into the mind and soul of man to cull into the dark recesses to reveal what is yet unknown," a note on the exhibition said.

Through the use of unique form, colours and textures, his series on spiritual gurus has him handle those subjects like a true insider. A vibrant, visual expression of the spiritual messages he seeks to convey through his yoga, Thakur's works can be viewed here till January 10.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : A five-Judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has been constituted to hear the title suit in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya case, which will begin hearing on January 10.

The others in the bench will be Justice S.A. Bobde, Justice N.V. Ramana, Justice U.U. Lalit and Justice D.Y. Chandrchud according to a notice issued by the Additional Registrar (Listing) on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court on Friday had said the bench that will hear a batch of cross petitions challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment on the Ayodhya title suit will decide the future course of the hearing.

Taking up the applications for early hearing, a bench of CJI Gogoi and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul had said further orders on the course of the hearing will be passed by the bench which will be constituted on January 10.

The Allahabad High Court had in 2010 trifurcated the disputed site, giving one portion each to Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and the original Muslim litigant.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 8 : The two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions was near total in Kerala on Tuesday and was by and large peaceful, with train services badly hit.

Barring the BJP-backed BMS trade union, all other unions are protesting in support of demands including a raise in minimum wages to Rs 18,000 amongst others.

At the stroke of midnight, employees attached to the Government Press took out a protest march here.

Demonstrators got into the act across the state by blocking rail traffic, following which several trains ran behind schedule.

Protesters blocked trains at practically all major stations in Kerala.

State-owned private buses and contract vehicles went off the roads but pilgrims to the Sabarimala shrine were allowed to proceed from all places.

But during the day, even Sabarimala services got affected especially from Kottayam bus station amid angry exchanges between the pilgrims and the staff of the state owned transport service.

Private vehicles, however, plied.

Banks, state and central government offices remained shut but shops and establishments including hotels opened in several parts of the state.

According to the striking bank employees, over 22,000 bank employees in the state took part in the strike, leaving banking activities in shambles.

Workers at Cochin Port and Cochin Export Processing Zone were stopped by the protesters.

Even though there was a general advisory given by the trade unions that they will not force closure of shops, there were heated arguments between the protesters and those who tried to open their shops at Malappuram and Kozhikode.

All university examinations slated for the day have been postponed and educational institutions were closed.

Senior CPI-M Rajya Sabha member and trade union leader Elamaram Kareem told the media that the two-day protest was total in Kerala.

"The labourers at all the estates in the state are on strike. This is a protest against the wrong policies of the Centre," said Kareem.

Attendance at the State Secretariat was very poor. But in the nearby Accountant General's office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, it stood at 80 per cent.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues also failed to turn up at their office in the Secretariat complex.

But with the strike set to enter a second day, more shops and establishments are likely to open on Wednesday.
Ankara, Jan 8 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday strongly rejected Washington's calls for his country to protect US-backed Kurdish militias in Syria and said statements made by US National Security Adviser John Bolton asking for the same were "unacceptable".

At the start of his visit to Israel and Turkey over the weekend, Bolton said that the American forces would remain in Syria until the last remnants of the Islamic State were defeated and Turkey provided guarantees that it would not strike Kurdish forces allied with the US.

The top US official was currently in Turkey and held meetings with his counterpart Ibrahim Kalin and others, Efe news reported.

Speaking to Justice and Development Party (AKP) party members in Ankara, Erdogan decried Bolton's statement as a "serious error".

"It is impossible for us to accept Bolton's message," he said in a live televised speech. "They are terrorists, for this reason, they cannot tell us 'don't touch those Kurds.' Whatever happens, if they are terrorists, we will do whatever it takes. This is what John Bolton got very wrong."

Erdogan added that the Americans did not know who the YPG and other Kurdish groups were. "If the US evaluates them as 'Kurdish brothers' then they are in a serious delusion," he said.

Turkey has drawn up plans to launch a military incursion into areas of northeastern Syria to clear the region of the militias such as the YPG, one of the main cogs in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) umbrella group, which united Kurdish and local Arab units and was backed by American forces in the fight against the Islamic State.

While the US Army -- which has deployed some 2,000 ground troops to the region, where they equip and train the SDF -- regards the YPG as a solid fighting partner in the regional battle against the extremists, Ankara views them as a terrorist group inextricably linked to the PKK, Kurdish separatists that fought a decades-long insurgency in eastern Turkey.

"The terrorist organizations of the PKK and the PYD (the political arm of the YPG) can never represent my Kurdish brothers," Erdogan said, adding that his Army was ready to launch an operation in northern Syria to clear the region of the militias.

Turkey wants to push the Kurdish forces to the east of the Euphrates River.

SDF forces retain control of the key city of Manbij, a predominantly-Arab settlement to the west of the major river.

Turkish-backed Syrian militias captured a tranche of northern Syria from the IS in its first major incursion into the territory in 2016. Then, in 2018, Turkey and its allies took Afrin province, located in far northwestern Syria, from Kurdish militias.

The YPG-led SDF have spearheaded the battle on the ground against the IS and were currently routing out insurgents from their last major settlement, Hajin, in the country's sparsely-populated east.
Agartala, Jan 8 : Six tribal youths, agitating against the NDA government's controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, were injured in police firing in Tripura on Tuesday, police said.

"Some tribal youths while demonstrating against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill turned violent at Madhab Bari in western Tripura. CRPF troopers after being unable to control the mob opened fire injuring six tribal youths, two of them seriously," said a police officer.

A jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force was also injured following an attack by agitators, who also burnt down at least 22 shops in the area.

The police said the CRPF and Tripura State Rifles jawans resorted to lathicharge and burst teargas shells to bring the situation under control before the firing.

Two tribal parties -- Indigenous People's Front of Tripura and Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura strongly opposing the Citizenship Bill -- are yet to confirm the identity of the injured youths.

Two critically injured tribal youths shifted to the government-run Gobinda Ballav Panth Medical College and Hospital here.

Senior police officer along with large contingent of security forces are camping in the areas, 20 km north of Agartala.

Para-Military Assam Rifles had held a flag march in the mixed populated areas.

Police climed that the situation was under control.

Ruling BJP's ally IPFT's Assistant General Secretary Mangal Debbarma told IANS that they have extended moral support to the NESO's shutdown in the northeastern region comprising seven states, excluding Sikkim.

"We did not organise any movement on Tuesday as part of the opposition to the Citizenship Bill," said Debbarma, also the IPFT's chief spokesman.

The IPFT is also a member of Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance NEDA (North East Democratic Alliance), convener of which is BJP-led Assam government's powerful minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Tripura's oldest tribal-based party INPT also strongly opposing the Citizenship Bill claimed that the proposed legislation can result in changing the demography of several northeastern states.

Amid strong opposition by various political parties, including Congress, Left and Trinamool Congress, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 that seeks to grant citizenship to migrants from six minority groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : In a partial relief to CBI Director Alok Verma, the Supreme Court on Tuesday restored him as the agency chief by setting aside the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Centre's decision to divest him of his powers to function as its head but with a caveat that he will not take any policy decision till a high-level committee goes into the issue afresh.

Disposing of a petition filed by Vema and an NGO, Common Cause, a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph said Verma would "cease and desist" from taking any policy decisions till the issue of denuding of his powers was decided by the High Power Committee (HPC) comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice.

"We deem it proper to direct that... Verma ... upon reinstatement will cease and desist from taking any major policy decisions till the decision of the Committee permitting actions and decisions becomes available within the time-frame indicated," the court said in its order and directed the HPC to meet within a week from Tuesday.

While restoring Verma, the top court junked the Centre's order asking Joint Director M. Nageswara Rao to look after the duties and functions of CBI Director.

Pronouncing the judgement authored by Chief Justice Gogoi, Justice Kaul said: "An in-depth consideration of the matter leaves us with no doubt that the clear legislative intent ... (was) ensuring complete insulation of the office of the Director, CBI, from all kinds of extraneous influences, as may be, as well as for upholding the integrity and independence of the institution of the CBI as a whole."

The court said this while addressing the question on the competence of the CVC and the Centre to divest the CBI Director of his powers, functions and duties and supervisory role without obtaining the prior consent of the HPC constituted under Section 4 A(1) of the DSPE Act.

The court said that understanding the word "transfer" in ordinary parlance of shifting from one post to another and reading the same in the case of CBI Director would be "self defeating and would clearly negate the legislative intent".

The judgement climaxes a six-month long battle between Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who both levelled corruption allegations against each other. In October, matters came to a head when Verma lodged an FIR against Asthana on a complaint by one Satish Sana Babu, the alleged middleman in the meat exporter Moin Qureshi case.

Earlier, Asthana had levelled certain allegations against Verma in a note to the Cabinet Secretary which was sent to CVC for inquiry.

On the midnight of October 23-24, Verma was divested of his powers by the government which appointed Nageswara Rao as acting chief of CBI that triggered a major controversy.

Opposition parties attacked the government, accusing it assaulting the independence and autonomy of CBI while the government defended the action as necessary because of the squabbling at the top and the need to protec the credibility of the organisation.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday refused to move out and staged a mock parliament after the Upper House was adjourned till Wednesday. Earlier, the House saw repeated adjournments amid opposition's noisy protests over "misuse" of CBI by the government.

The opposition MPs refused to leave the House after adjournment on the ground that breaking the tradition, the Chair did not announce a day's extension in the working days of the House, nor did it seek the members' consensus.

The winter session of Parliament was scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, but the government informally announced that Rajya Sabha would work for one more day.

In the morning, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu did announce the decision in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting at 10.30 a.m., but he did not make an announcement from the Chair in the House.

The Opposition members raised slogans against the government and conducted a mock Parliament session after the House had been dispersed and made speeches criticizing the government and calling for Opposition unity.

Around half-an-hour later, the members led by leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad walked out and staged a protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside Parliament House premises.

"Modishahi nahi chalegi, tanashahi nahi chalegi (dictatorship will not work)," the MPs shouted slogans.

Earlier in the day, the upper House saw repeated adjournments amid opposition's sloganeering and protests.

In the post-lunch sitting, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned as many as four times in one-and-a-half hour, before it was finally adjourned for the day.

As soon as the House met at 2 p.m., Opposition members cutting across party lines came near the Chair's podium and started shouting slogans.

"CBI ka durupyog band karo (Stop misusing CBI)," they shouted in chorus.

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda introduced the Medical Council Bill amid the din.

However, the members who stood up to speak on the Bill, could not do so amid the noise.

At 3.30 p.m., the House was adjourned for the day.

Earlier, in the morning, the upper House was adjourned till 2 p.m. minutes after it met. As soon as the papers had been tabled, the opposition members raised their voice against the "misuse" of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the government against its political rivals.

Sensing the Opposition mood, Chairman Naidu adjourned the House till 2 p.m. even before any MP could reach near the podium.

Outside Parliament, the MPs expressed dismay and said they had been taken by surprise by the government's unilateral announcement about the extension of working days.

"Our only source of information was a news agency. We came to know through it that the sitting of the House of which I am a member is being extended by one day," said an MP.

"If at all it has to be extended, it has to be announced first that the House is being extended. And then it has to be pronounced that it would meet tomorrow at this time. That has not been done. So who knows the House sitting was being extended? No one. This is unethical," DMK leader Tiruchi Siva, who is also on the panel of Deputy Chairpersons of the Rajya Sabha, told IANS.

Congress leader Raj Babbar termed the incident as "unprecedented" in the history of Rajya Sabha. He said there was "no discussion" about the extension either on Tuesday or on Wednesday from the government's side.

However, the opposition is not likely to boycott the proceedings on Wednesday, when the government is likely to bring the Bill seeking 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker people belonging to the "general" category.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : A five-Judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi has been constituted to hear the title suit in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya case, which will begin hearing on January 10.

The others in the bench will be Justice S.A. Bobde, Justice N.V. Ramana, Justice U.U. Lalit and Justice D.Y. Chandrchud according to a notice issued by the Additional Registrar (Listing) on Tuesday.

Last week the CJI had said that the long disputed case would be posted before an appropriate bench.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : India and Norway agreed to work together on ocean economy and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) following delegation-level talks headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg here on Tuesday.

"The Sustainable Development Goals match India's growth targets," Modi said in a joint address to the media with Solberg following the meeting.

"And it is a matter of happiness for us that both countries are cooperating with the Norway-India Partnership Initiative on the issue of mother and child health," he said, He said that Prime Minister Solberg has contributed significantly to global efforts to achieve the SDGs.

Modi also stressed on the importance of the ocean economy for India.

Stating that 15 per cent of India's population live in coastal areas, he said Norway has immense experience in harnessing the ocean economy.

India and Norway signed a new agreement on a bilateral maritime dialogue following the talks.

Modi also said that India and Norway have strong cooperation at international forums.

"We work with close cooperation and coordination on issues like UN Security Council reforms, multilateral export control regimes and fighting terrorism," he said.

On her part, Solberg said that the world will not be able to achieve the SDGs if India is not on board.

Referring to her personal interest in women's empowerment, she said that India has been working hard in this area.

Solberg said both India and Norway have agreed to increase cooperation in ocean economy.

"It will create more jobs and more medicine," she said.

Earlier in the day, Solberg was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also called on the visiting dignitary during the course of which the two leaders discussed expanding bilateral cooperation across all areas.

The Norwegian Prime Minister will also deliver the inaugural address at the Raisina Dialogue, a multilateral conference that addresses the major issues facing the global community.

Solberg arrived here on Monday on what is her first visit to India.
Islamabad, Jan 8 : Prime Minister Imran Khan has again accused New Delhi of opting out of a bilateral dialogue and claimed that anti-Pakistan sentiments were being aroused in India for the sake of campaigning for the forthcoming general election.

Khan made the comments in an interview to Turkish broadcaster TRT in which he said that two nuclear-armed neighbours opting ls the working of two great minds through an off-script conversation.

Each episode opens on a philosophical inquiry, from money to love, to life - questions that trouble everyone.

Talking about the troubles, what are the questions that make Zoya think? And how can the film industry and filmmakers like her can contribute in bringing about that change?

"As film makers or any artiste that put work out there, what you are doing on your level is that you are putting consciousness out into the world. So when you look around you and you see things that bother you and disturb you or you want to give it another perspective or you want to look at something from another angle, you have that opportunity and platform to do so.

"So, I think people who are aware and I don't mean you have to make socially relevant films and have a message in each film. Even if it's a completely entertaining film, your politics will come out... So I think you should just be aware of what you want the world to be like and somewhere put it through your films."

The daughter of veteran film writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar, Zoya has directed movies such as "Luck by Chance", "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara") and "Sheila Ki Jawani", a segment of "Bombay Talkies". She has co-written "Talaash" and went on to direct "Dil Dhadakne Do", a film based on a dysfunctional Punjabi family.

Her forthcoming project is "Gully Boy", starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. It explores the world of street rappers.

"I like the genre of music, I like the idea of coming-of-age on a sense and it's an underdog story. It's the story about a boy...so everything attracted me to it, every single thing. And it's a story about my city and Mumbai is a very special place.

"It's one place where I honestly believe that anything can happen. Like you can go this way and be up there and you can go that way and fall down. You can literally feel the heat around the corner and this place is magic. If you sit here and all of it put together, it's just very exciting, I just couldn't resist."

About her cast, she said the thought of pairing Alia and Ranveer is hardly unique.

"I am sure lot of people want to pair Alia and Ranveer. We wrote the part with Alia in mind and Ranveer in mind. So there was no question and we loved that they both said 'yes'.

There's something different about "Gully Boy" that Zoya pointed out "This one is different because it's maybe because your circumstances maybe completely different and your experience in life in terms of the way you navigate it and negotiate it maybe completely different. But if you can empathise with a character and if you can emotionally resonate with that character and understand their emotional journey, I think you are home. If you can recognize that in people, I think you can contribute to their story.

"You needn't have lived that life. I mean tomorrow if I want to make a film about a queen that lived in the 15th century, I can't be like I can't make it. I should be able to make it. I should take that story and find that humanity in that story because everyone is a human being and we only operate in that gamut of emotions. So if we can resonate with that, I think that's what it is."

(Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in)
Mumbai, Jan 8 : Ahead of the 14th death anniversary of late legendary actor Amrish Puri, veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar remembered him saying he was a combination of "a great actor and great human being."

In the forthcoming episode of Zee Bollywood's "Classic Legends Season 5", Akhtar will go down memory lane with Amrish Puri's achievements and remarkable contribution to Hindi cinema.

"Amrish Puri will be remembered as a great actor. But people like me, who have known him personally, will remember him as a great actor and a great human being.

"Amrish Puri was a mix of both. Noted filmmaker Steven Spielberg had once mentioned that he had seen many films in his lifetime, but he has never seen such a good villain," Akhtar said while paying tribute to the actor.

Whether as the homesick NRI in Aditya Chopra's "Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge", the benevolent feudal landlord in "Viraasat", Sunny Deol's terminally ill, idealistic father in "Ghaatak" or Amisha Patel's anti-India father in "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha", Amrish Puri created a gallery of characters in his decades long journey in Bollywood He was not only seen in Hindi films but also Kannada, Marathi, Hollywood, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil.

With over 400 films credited to his name, the "Mogambo" of Bollywood took his last breath on January 12, 2005. He was 72.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : Nobel Peace Prize winner and Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai is coming up with a new book, charting her experiences travelling the world and visiting refugee camps. Titled "We are Displaced", the book will hit the stands in India on Wednesday.

In a press communique, publishers Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Hachette India said that her travels through the refugee camps caused her to reconsider her own displacement -- first as an Internally Displaced Person when she was a young child in Pakistan, and then as an international activist who could travel anywhere in the world, except to the home she loved.

"In We are Displaced, which is part memoir, part communal storytelling, Malala not only explores her own story of adjusting to a new life while longing for home, but she also shares the personal stories of some of the incredible girls she has met on her various journeys - girls who have lost their community, relatives and often the only world they've ever known," the communique added.

The 244-page book along with eight pages of colour inserts is priced at Rs 399.
Hyderabad, Jan 8 : The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Tuesday urged the Centre to amend the proposed Bill to provide 10 per cent reservation for economically backward people in the general category to include Telangana's demand for quota for backward Muslims and Scheduled Tribes Telangana Chief Minister and TRS President K. Chandrashekhar Rao directed his party MPs to demand the amendments to the Bill when it is taken up in Parliament.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, recalled that the Telangana Assembly had passed a resolution for providing 12 per cent reservation for backward Muslims and 10 per cent reservation for STs and had sent the same to the Union Government.

"This resolution should be introduced in Parliament," said a statement from the Chief Minister's Office.

As the central government has decided to take up the issue of reservations, KCR asked the MPs to raise the issue of providing reservation to the backward Muslims and STs and demand amendment to the Bill to this effect.

The Telangana Assembly had passed a Bill in 2017 enhancing reservations for backward Muslims and STs in the government jobs and educational institutions.

Currently the reservation for backward Muslims in the State is at 4 per cent and for STs it is at 6 per cent.

As the enhancement of quota will take the overall quantum of reservation in the state to over 50 per cent, KCR urged the Centre to include the State legislation into 9th Schedule of the Constitution as was done in the case of Tamil Nadu.

The Centre has not yet acted on the State's request.
Mumbai, Jan 8 : Most of the central government offices, banks, port trusts and other state government departments wore a deserted look on Tuesday as employees launched a two-day nationwide trade strike, a top organiser said here.

The strike call by 10 central trade unions and industry-wide independent federations covers banks, insurance, post, BSNL, state transport, railways, port trust, defence and other PSUs, central-state government undertakings, municipal workers, aanganwadi staffers, hawkers and others comprising 25 crore people, said Trade Unions Joint Action Committee (TUJAC) (Maharashtra) Convenor Vishwas Utagi.

"In Mumbai, even the public bus service, BEST, has gone on an indefinite strike since midnight to protest against the 'anti-workers policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre'," Utagi told IANS.

"A massive rally will be taken out at Azad Maidan this afternoon which will be addressed by top TUJAC leaders. Similar rallies and protest marches are also being held all over Maharashtra during the two-day strike."

This is the biggest nationwide agitation this year ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, and has the support of all major opposition parties in states and the Centre, he added.

However, private vehicles were plying as usual though normal operations in many central business districts like Nariman Point, Fort, Worli, Bandra Kurla Complex, Andheri, Goregaon and other parts were severely hit.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on visiting Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg here on Tuesday during the course of which the two leaders discussed ways of expanding bilateral ties.

"Good exchange of views on expanding ties across all sectors," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

"Immense opportunity to cooperate in blue economy, shipping, fisheries and aquaculture and renewable energy," Kumar said.

Earlier, Solberg was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

She will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later on Tuesday following which a number of agreements are expected to be signed.

Solberg arrived here on Monday on a three-day visit.
United Nations, Jan 8 (IANS) World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has announced that he is stepping down as the head of the premier anti-poverty institution putting the likely choice of its future leadership in the hands of US President Donald Trump, a sceptic of international development.

Trump's role is expected reinvigorate challenges to Washington's monopoly on appointing the Bank's head.

Announcing his decision on Monday, Kim said in a tweet: "It's been the greatest privilege I could have ever imagined to lead the dedicated staff of this great institution to bring us closer to a world that is finally free of poverty."

Kim, 59, who is dropping out 19 months into his second term on February 1, would be joining a private company and focus on infrastructure investments in developing countries, the Bank said.

The Bank's CEO Kristalina Georgieva will become the interim president till a successor to Kim is appointed.

As the largest share-holder, the US by tradition appoints the head of the Bank, while Europeans determine the chief of the International Monetary Fund.

Kim was nominated for the job by former President Barack Obama in 2012.

Before Trump's election, Kim was hastily re-appointed in September 2016 to a second term that began in July 2017 with an eye on pre-empting a possible Trump nominee getting the job.

Now, however, Trump will get an opportunity to nominate the Bank's head.

Trump's role will resurrect and strengthen challenges to the post-World War II model of the leadership of the 189-member bank that has always been determined by the US .

Already the US nominee was challenged for the first time in 2012 by two contenders.

Colombian economist Jose Antonio Ocampo Gaviria eventually withdrew from the race, while Nigeria's then-Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala lost when the Bank's directors rubber-stamped Kim's appointment.

Now there will be robust demands for reconsidering the US leadership of the Bank and stronger non-American contenders for the job.

Kim, a South Korea-born US citizen, was an unusual leader for the Bank: He was a medical doctor by training, a specialist in public health and an academic with a Harvard doctorate in anthropology who had led the Ivy League Dartmouth College.

But his background in health was a plus for the Bank's mission of fighting poverty and promoting development.

Under his leadership, the Bank adopted in tandem with the UN the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and focusing on the bottom 40 per cent of the population in the developing world.

The Bank's International Development Association, which funds programmes in the least developed countries, achieved two record replenishments during his tenure, the last one in 2016 for $75 billion.

Last April, the Bank also increased its capital by $13 billion with the unexpected support of the Trump administration.

Kim also pushed the Bank's cooperation with the private sector for financing development in the developing world, particularly in the areas of climate change and infrastructure.

China, though a part of the World Bank, has thrown a challenge to it by setting up its own development banking institutions.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), founded in 2016 is one of those institutions and several countries including India, Germany, Britain and South Korea have joined it.

( can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)
Islamabad, Jan 8 : American-Sikh communities have urged the Pakistan government to make sure that the Kartarpur Sahib Complex (KSC) is maintained in its original state.

The American Sikh Council (ASC) in a statement on Monday said: "Any structural changes and/or additions to accommodate upcoming huge visitors either coming from India, Pakistan or the Sikh diaspora living across globe by lodging to restrooms and more must be done at a distance, away from the main KSC so that the Kartarpur Sahib original farms, natural areas spread around 100 acres of land that belonged to Guru Sahibji, and the forest areas around the River Ravi can retain as much of its originality as possible.

"This needs to be preserved in its original landscape for posterity."

The appeal was made in the background of recent development where both Pakistani and Indian governments agreed to open up the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikhs to visit the place where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent 18.5 years of his life as a farmer, husband, father while spreading the word of love, humanism, universal sisterhood and brotherhood.

Gurdas Singh, ASC president, and Gurinder Pal Singh, Sikh in America (SIA) president, told Dawn news via phone that the Pakistani government might change the original archeological and cultural structure and lawns of the complex.

Gurinder Pal Singh said they feared that in the name of development sometimes original and historical architecture were not being taken care of by contractors.

"Such efforts must be and should be kept at bay without compromising original structure spread across 100 acres," he told Dawn.

He said Sikhs everywhere yearned to visit Kartarpur and see the fields that their "Guru" tilled with his own hands, the place where he lived, the trees he sat under and feel and touch their forehead on the same dusty soil that their Guru walked on!

Both ASC and SIA Presidents thanked the Pakistani government for opening the Kartarpur Corridor and taking "proactive step towards peace and amity of two people (Indian Punjab and Pakistani Punjab) who have so much in common, from language to food, from Punjabi poetry to clothes and so much more".

Kartarpur Sahib can be called the first Gurdwara which was established in 1521.
Washington, Jan 8 : White House scouting teams have visited Bangkok, Hanoi and Hawaii in search for a location for a potential second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, a media report said on Tuesday.

The US has not decided on a top pick and the list of locations, which could expand, has not yet been presented to the North Koreans, an informed source told CNN on Monday.

Working level discussions will be required to pick a date and location but getting both parties to the table has proved to be a challenge, according to the source.

The State Department is yet to comment on when the next round of working level talks will happen but claimed that there were still open lines of communication.

"Discussions are ongoing," a State Department spokesperson told CNN.

"There will be many follow-up discussions until we reach our desired goal. Not all will be announced or read out."
Pyongyang/Seoul, Jan 8 : North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is currently on a visit to China for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, state media reported on Tuesday, raising speculation that his second summit with US President Donald Trump might be forthcoming.

Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, left for China on Monday afternoon for a four-day visit at the invitation of the Chinese President, Yonhap News Agency quoted Pyongyang's KCNA news as saying.

China's state run Xinhua news agency has also confirmed the visit of the North Korean leader.

Kim was accompanied by party, government and military officials, including Kim Yong-chol, a key nuclear negotiator with the US, and Ri Yong-ho and No Kwang-chol, the country's foreign and defence ministers, respectively, according to the KCNA.

The confirmation of Kim Jong-un's trip to China came after South Korean media reported earlier on Tuesday that a special train carrying a high-ranking North Korean official crossed into China on Monday night.

This is Kim Jong-un's fourth trip to the neighbouring ally and came as Washington and Pyongyang are in talks to set the venue for a meeting between his possible second summit with Trump.

Last year, he travelled to China and met with Xi three times before and after he held his first-ever summit with Trump in June in Singapore.

Xi is also expected to visit North Korea soon as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties this year.

Meanwhile, analysts have said that Kim Jong-un's latest trip might be intended to demonstrate to the world that their relations remain strong and also reflect the North's push to project its image as a normal state, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"It is rare that the North's leader travels overseas at the start of the year. (His trip to China) shows how important it is to advance relations between the North and China," Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said.
New Delhi, Jan 8 : There are more than 90,000 schools with only single teacher teaching in them at the primary and secondary level combined, as per the data available with the government, Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Satya Pal Singh said in Parliament on Monday.

"As per Unified District Information System of Education (UDISE), 2016-17 (Provisional), there are 92,275 single-teacher Government schools at both elementary level and secondary level," the Minister said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

The Minister said that the recruitment, service conditions and redeployment of teachers are primarily in the domain of respective state governments and union territories.

"The government, through the centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra Shiksha, provides assistance to state governments/UTs for additional teachers to maintain appropriate Pupil Teacher Ratio as per the requirements of the states/UTs."

"The Central government has been consistently pursuing the matter of expeditious recruitment and redeployment of teachers with the states and UTs at various fora. Advisories on this issue have also been issued to states and UTs from time to time," he added.
Kolkata, Jan 8 : Exports of jute products and its diversified items grew by 24 per cent in the last five years, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani said on Monday.

"Today, we celebrate the legacy of jute. Since 2014, we have seen a growth of 24 per cent in exports of jute products and diversified products," she said at the inaugural of the Ministry's outreach programme at the recently restored 185-year-old Heritage Currency Building.

Delegates from 14 nations and over 70 buyers are participating in the four-day event.

On the occasion, Textiles Secretary Raghvendra Singh said the Ministry has been trying to find ways and means to enhance income of weavers and also to connect them with garment manufacturers to increase their margins.

He said the Ministry is supporting weavers and crafts persons in 40 districts of India.

Irani said the Centre is committed to the welfare of jute farmers and workers.

"We have ensured that any packaging facility that the industry receives from the Central government is conditioned to the fact that payments to farmers and workers will be made and their welfare will be ensured," she said.

She had advocated for the jute industry to reduce dependence on government orders and go for enhanced diversification of jute products, which would in turn boost exports.

Incidentally, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had recently approved 100 per cent of the food grains and 20 per cent of the sugar to be mandatorily packed in jute bags thereby expanding the scope of Jute Packaging Material (JPM) Act, 1987, which was brought in to protect the interest of the jute sector from the plastic packaging segment.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : The Delhi High Court on Monday set aside a Central government notification restricting the manufacture, sale and distribution of an anti-inflammatory medicine manufactured by pharma company Wockhardt Ltd.

Ace Proxyvon, a medicine manufactured by Wockhardt Ltd was part of the 328 Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs whose manufacture, distribution and sale was banned by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in September last year.

Ace Proxyvon, which combines the dosage of aceclofenac, paracetamol and rabeprazole, is used to get relief from pain and inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

The high court observed that the Centre's decision to ban the drug had been taken without application of mind and order was passed without following certain procedures.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru, however, directed the sub-committee of Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) to re-examine the issue regarding medicine manufactured by Wockhardt in accordance with the directions issued by the Supreme Court in Pfizer Ltd case.

After examining the issue, the DTAB sub-committee will submit a report to the Central government. On the basis of the report, the Central government can take any further decision, the court said.

This was the first plea which was decided by the court. Glenmark, Obsurge Biotech, Alkem Laboratories, Coral Laboratories, Mankind Pharma, Lupin, Macleods, Laborate and Koye Pharmaceuticals are among the other pharma companies whose pleas challenging Centre's decision are pending before the court.

The Centre, in March 2016, had prohibited the manufacture for sale and distribution of 349 FDCs, but it was contested by the affected manufacturers in high courts and the Supreme Court.

Complying with the December 2017 Supreme Court judgment, the DTAB examined the matter and, in its report to the Centre, recommended prohibition of the FDCs on the ground that there was no therapeutic justification for their ingredients and that these FDCs could involve risks to humans.

Earlier, an expert committee appointed by the Centre too had made similar observations.

Considering the recommendations of the DTAB and the expert committee, the Health Ministry had, through a gazette notification, prohibited the 328 of the 349 FDCs.
New Delhi, Jan 7 : Kumbh Mela is set to begin in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) from January 15, officials said here on Monday. It hosted over 12 crore holy men, ascetics and pilgrims in 2013 in the same place.

The Mela, inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017, is the biggest "peaceful congregation of pilgrims on earth", as per UNESCO.

Celebrated for mythological reasons, the grand event is held in Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik, apart from Prayagraj.

For the 2019 edition, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has earmarked an amount of Rs 2,800 crore, State Minister for Sugarcane Development, Sugar Mills and Industrial Development Suresh Rana told reporters here.

The Mela will be organised in an area of 3,200 hectares, double the area of the last Kumbh, said Awanish Kumar Awasthi, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Tourism and Religious Affairs, Uttar Pradesh government.

He added that the Hindu holy city, located at the Triveni Sangam (merging of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers), was undergoing an extensive makeover to welcome crores of pilgrims from across the world.

Works of stable development or permanent infrastructural works "are being carried out at Kumbh Mela and Prayagraj with a total amount of Rs 4,300 crore", he added. This is much more than the Rs 1,214 crore spent on the 2013 Kumbh.

The project undertaken focussed on works of infrastructural facilities like roads, bridges, drinking water schemes, electricity and tourism related.

Over 1.22 lakh toilets have been constructed for this year's Kumbh, 20 thousand dustbins set up, and 42 drains emptying into the Ganga have been taped, officials said.

The city spaces has also been painted with colourful art works.

The grand festival with a history dating back to at least 1,500 years will begin on January 15 with the first holy bath, followed by several others till March 4. It will host over 5,000 camps from multiple akhadas and ashrams.

Representatives from 192 countries will visit the festival in February, officials said, adding that ambassadors of 71 countries had already witnessed the preparations for the event.

The officials also said that actor Amitabh Bachchan, who was born in Allahabad, has been roped in for four films, which are expected to be screened in the festival.

Rana added that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister was personally extending invitations to Governors, Chief Ministers, dignitaries and functionaries besides spiritual leaders of other Indian states.

Visitors to the Kumbh Mela can find stay and travel related information online on www.kumbh.gov.in, and can stay in tents mounted for the festival, which can be booked online.
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The LF Networking Fund (LFN), which facilitates collaboration and operational excellence across open networking projects, continues its membership growth and deepens its global presence with the addition of new Gold member Wipro Limited , a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. Wipro Limited joins LFN to support the development of next-generation Open Networking Automation Platform (ONAP) technologies and use cases for current and future networks.

Wipro Limited joins six other LFN Gold members, including Accenture, Aptira , Inocybe Technologies , Lumina Networks , Microsoft and Telstra . A full list of LFN members by category is available at https://www.lfnetworking.org/members/ .

K.R. Sanjiv, Chief Technology Officer, Wipro Limited, said, "Today, open source has become the preferred computing model for communications, artificial intelligence and analytics-driven technology solutions to facilitate innovation, cost efficiency and greater industry collaboration. Given Wipro's focus on and investments in 5G, analytics and the Wipro HOLMES artificial intelligence platform, we believe ONAP is the right platform for us to leverage, for network management, automation and orchestration. We are committed to bringing best-of-breed open source-based solutions to the market and are excited to be a part of ONAP and LF Networking."

Wipro is committed to collaborating with partners across the ecosystem to enable technologies that help organizations transform their digital networks. This collaboration will allow Wipro to leverage open source-based solutions, frameworks and accelerators to help enterprises develop open source strategies and enable their application modernization, cloud and digital transformation journeys.

LFN supports the momentum of open source networking, integrating governance of participating projects in order to enhance operational excellence, simplify member engagement, and increase collaboration.

"Wipro caps off a great first year for LFN and the propagation of open source networking technologies," said Arpit Joshipura, general manager of Networking and Orchestration, The Linux Foundation. "The company's global expertise will be a great asset as LFN enters its second year and continues to build a strong international community to accelerate continued deployment and global adoption of open source networking technologies by end users and commercial ecosystems."

About The Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world's top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and industry adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org .

The Linux Foundation has registered trademarks and uses trademarks. For a list of trademarks of The Linux Foundation, please see our trademark usage page: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/trademark-usage. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.

Media Contact

Kristen Evans

The Linux Foundation

[email protected]

SOURCE The Linux Foundation

Related Links

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"Investing in communities where we live and work is a hallmark of Webster's 83-year history," said President and CEO John R. Ciulla. "Alongside our values-driven, community-minded bankers, we strive to support at-risk populations by working with organizations to bring the greatest impact to build and strengthen our communities."

The new Webster Bank programs include:

Food Security Initiative: Feeding our Regional Food Banks

With a focus on food security, this new program provided grants to all Feeding America Regional Food Banks in the regions the bank serves. The grants included capital grants for job training initiatives and backpack programs to secure food for children who were without access to free lunch programs during summer break.

Financial Empowerment Program

Webster has always focused on the importance of financial literacy by supporting programs targeted to building capacity. In 2018, Webster augmented its investment in grants to nonprofits at the forefront of addressing financial literacy for low- to moderate-income residents. Working closely with its Community Reinvestment Act and Community Development officers, Webster provided grants to 13 nonprofit organizations in Connecticut , Massachusetts , Rhode Island and New York . Combining expertise with funding, Webster bankers will also share their professional skills and knowledge with these organizations to provide real-world experience.

Volunteer Recognition Grant Program

Webster bankers make a difference in our communities by engaging in volunteer activities that help improve the lives of individuals and families every day. To celebrate this commitment, the Community Affairs and Corporate CRA/Fair & Responsible Banking teams joined together to collect information about volunteer time through a new Volunteer Recognition Grant Program. With a focus on recognizing our Webster bankers, the new Volunteer Recognition Grant Program allows bankers to apply for micro-grants, ranging from $100 to $250 , to benefit qualified nonprofits where they volunteer.

In addition to the new programs, Webster also increased giving to long-time partners. Helping a broad set of organizations build a strong and self-reliant community is at the heart of Webster's commitment. Making meaningful and consistent donations year over year can be most

helpful for nonprofits as they plan their budgets and programs.

Grants were awarded to all Junior Achievement chapters where Webster serves, magnifying their

abilities to provide school-based curriculum to K-12. As a result of an increase in donor pledging,

Webster's commitment to its United Way Workplace Campaign included an increase in the

corporate match in support of donor generosity. Funding for new and existing nonprofit partners also was dispersed throughout the year.

"In 2018, we were excited to expand Webster's giving with these new programs that help to stabilize communities through food security and financial empowerment, while creating a program that allows employees to direct Webster's giving to organizations that are meaningful to them," said Kathryn Luria, senior vice president, Community Affairs and Director of Philanthropy at Webster. "Utilizing these funds to broaden our reach to where it will make a difference was at the cornerstone of these efforts."

About Webster

Webster Financial Corporation is the holding company for Webster Bank, National Association and its HSA Bank division. With $27.3 billion in assets, Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage, financial planning, trust, and investment services through 157 banking centers and 319 ATMs. Webster also provides mobile and online banking. Webster Bank owns the asset-based lending firm Webster Business Credit Corporation; the equipment finance firm Webster Capital Finance Corporation; and HSA Bank, a division of Webster Bank, which provides health savings account trustee and administrative services. Webster Bank is a member of the FDIC and an equal housing lender. For more information about Webster, including past press releases and the latest annual report, visit the Webster website at www.websterbank.com.

SOURCE Webster Bank
BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. (the "Company") announced today that it has added Todd Johnson to its Debt and Structured Finance team as Senior Vice President. Based out of New Orleans, Louisiana, Mr. Johnson will be responsible for sourcing and placing structured finance capital for commercial real estate asset classes across the country.

Senior Vice President and Chief Production Officer Bill Wein commented, "We are excited to welcome Todd to our Debt and Structured Finance team. Todd's extensive experience structuring joint venture and preferred equity investments will be an asset to our clients who look to Walker & Dunlop for a wide range of financing solutions. Todd's impressive track record and strong relationships in the industry make him a great fit for our team, and we look forward to his contributions in 2019 and beyond."

Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Mr. Johnson served as Director of Equity Products at Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital LLC where he assisted in the development of the firm's equity markets business. He previously was the founder and managing partner of Brush Island Capital, a boutique private equity real estate firm.

Walker & Dunlop's Debt and Structured Finance group has a national presence with experts in every commercial real estate property type and a global investor network. For more information on the Company's structured finance capabilities, visit our website.

About Walker & Dunlop

Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the largest commercial real estate finance companies in the United States. The company provides a comprehensive range of capital solutions for all commercial real estate asset classes, as well as investment sales brokerage services to owners of multifamily properties. Walker & Dunlop is included on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index and was ranked as one of FORTUNE Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies in 2014, 2017, and 2018. Walker & Dunlop's 700+ professionals in 29 offices across the nation have an unyielding commitment to client satisfaction.

SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.walkerdunlop.com


FIFE, Wash., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethan Wilson (NMLS # 156741), Michael Joy (NMLS # 156741), Michael Mesa (NMLS #1464064), Chelsea Stanton (NMLS #1454568) and Scott Jacobs (NMLS # 232479), of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation have teamed up to make powerhouse team VA The Fairway (www.vathefairway.com). This dynamic team is directed in collaboration by Ethan Wilson and Michael Joy, in cooperation with United States Army veteran Michael Mesa.

Joining the team under the leadership of Wilson, Joy and Mesa are exceptional loan officers, Stanton and Jacobs. Together they offer a vast range of home loan products for military service members, veterans and their families, in Washington, Colorado, California, Idaho, Oregon and Arizona.

The VA The Fairway Team will focus primarily on VA loans, while also providing a vast variety of home financing products, including purchase and refinance transactions which encompass FHA, Conventional loans, jumbo loans, first-time homebuyer programs, and many other niche loan products.

"I'm excited to serve our nation's heroes," said Mesa. "They served our country, and now we have the opportunity to serve them."

Wilson and Joy initially teamed up in 2014 and have since created the charismatic VA the Fairway Team. "It's important to us that we serve our military community with excellence and provide the best possible customer service at all times," said Wilson.

VA the Fairway is extremely excited to have the endorsement of Sean Parnell, a decorated combat veteran and philanthropist. Sean is the New York Times best-selling author of "Outlaw Platoon" and co-founder of the American Warrior initiative (AWI) supported by Fairway. "Sean is highly visible on our website and brings a tremendous amount of professionalism to everything he does," shared Joy. "He constantly inspires those around him, and drives our entire company forward."

About Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation:

Founded in 1996 by Steve Jacobson, and named by a childhood best friend, colleague and forever member of the Fairway family, Randy Cross, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is a mortgage lender headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin and Carrollton, Texas. The company has more than 500 locations and over 7,000 employees nationwide. At Fairway, customer service is a way of life. Not only are we dedicated to finding great loan products and rates for our customers, but we also offer some of the fastest turn times in the industry. Our goal is to act as a trusted advisor, providing highly personalized service and helping clients through every step of the loan process. It's all designed to exceed expectations, guarantee satisfaction and earn trust.

For more information, please visit our website at www.FairwayIndependentMC.com.

SOURCE Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

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MILFORD, Mass., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union voted overwhelmingly on Monday, Jan. 7, to ratify a new six-year agreement with National Grid, ending a nearly seven-month lockout imposed by the utility company last June.

The contract includes significant wage increases and preserves affordable benefits for about 1,200 members of USW Local 12012 and USW Local 12003. The agreement also includes additional health and safety provisions and other protections for the natural gas workers and residents.

"This agreement is a testament to the commitment these hard-working union members have to their community and to each other," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. "They demonstrated their strength and solidarity every day, and they should be proud of what they've achieved with this contract."

Union members, local and state officials, and residents from across the community stood behind the locked-out USW members throughout their seven-month ordeal.

"The bottom line is that when working people stand together and fight for each other, they win," said USW District 4 Director John Shinn. "This contract is a win for these workers and for the entire community."

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker recently signed a bill extending unemployment benefits for the locked-out workers.

"We want to thank all of our elected officials, including Governor Baker, Attorney General Healey, Secretary of State Galvin, Senators Warren and Markey and our whole Congressional delegation, Speaker DeLeo, Senate President Spilka, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, our local mayors and town officials, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, the Greater Boston Labor Council, and all of our union and community partners for their tremendous support," John Buonopane, president of United Steelworkers Local 12012, and Joe Kirylo, president of USW Local 12003, said in a joint statement.

"Our first priority is the safety of our communities and we look forward to returning to our crucial work of providing the safe natural gas service the Commonwealth of Massachusetts deserves," they said.

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors. For more information: www.usw.org

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Related Links

http://www.usw.org


STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army has signed a $714 million delivery order for General Dynamics Land Systems to upgrade an additional 174 M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks to the state-of-the-art M1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3 (SEPv3) configuration.

This brings the total of M1A2 SEPv3 tanks ordered by the Army in 2018 to 274 (more than three brigades of tanks).

The M1A2 SEPv3 configuration features technological advancements in communications, reliability, sustainment and fuel efficiency, plus upgraded armor. The delivery order is part of an Army Requirements Contract signed in December 2017 through which the Army can upgrade up to 435 M1A1 Abrams tanks to the M1A2 SEPv3 configuration.

"We're proud to help the Army provide world-class combat capability to Armored Brigade Combat Teams," says Don Kotchman, Vice President and General Manager of General Dynamics Land Systems U.S. Market. "This delivery order, along with our previous orders, means our production line will be rolling at a steady rate through 2021."

Work on this delivery order will be performed at Land Systems locations in Scranton, Pa., and Tallahassee, Fla., and at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio, the only operational tank plant in the country.

Land Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). General Dynamics Land Systems provides innovative design, engineering, technology, production and full life-cycle support for land combat vehicles around the globe. The company's extensive experience, customer-first focus and seasoned supply chain network provide unmatched capabilities to the U.S. military and its allies.

More information about General Dynamics Land Systems is available at www.gdls.com.

SOURCE General Dynamics Land Systems

Related Links

http://www.gdls.com


ST. LOUIS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TricorBraun, a global packaging leader, has acquired Pacific Bag, LLC, one of the largest independent U.S. distributors of flexible packaging. The company will combine Pacific Bag with its existing flexibles business, Taipak, to create TricorBraun Flex, a new business unit focused on flexible packaging.

"This is an important day for TricorBraun and a natural step in our evolution as we build the global packaging leader," said Court Carruthers, president and CEO, TricorBraun. "The acquisition of Pacific Bag further bolsters our presence in the flexibles space, building on our highly successful acquisition of Taipak. We are excited to welcome Pacific Bag to the TricorBraun family."

Pacific Bag represents TricorBraun's sixth acquisition in 18 months. Since the company acquired Salbro Bottle in June 2017, it added Continental Packaging Associates, Taipak, Package All, and the remaining shares of its joint venture in Mexico.

Established in 1986 and known for its leading positions in flexible coffee, pet and specialty food packaging, Pacific Bag serves more than 4,500 customers in 50+ countries from multiple locations. The company's executive team, including CEO Mark Howley, will remain with TricorBraun.

"Pacific Bag is excited to join forces with TricorBraun," said Howley. "Our business has grown over the years to help customers all over the world, and by joining TricorBraun we are confident the combined business will become a stronger supplier. Our product line will expand and our ability to meet the demands of the market will dramatically improve."

Strengthening TricorBraun's Flexibles Offering

Taipak and Pacific Bag will be combined to create TricorBraun Flex and will continue to operate out of existing locations in Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary, Toronto, and Philadelphia.

"By combining Pacific Bag and Taipak's flexibles expertise, paired with TricorBraun's capabilities and resources, we can provide exceptional products and services based on our customers' evolving packaging needs," said Carruthers.

TricorBraun acquired Taipak in 2017, representing the company's first move into flexible packaging in its 117-year history.

"Taipak was an important milestone for our business and in the 13 months since, the team has integrated seamlessly, delivering exceptional solutions for our customers, and continued their history of strong growth," said Carruthers.

"This past year with TricorBraun has been exceptional," said Joey Lin, Taipak's founder and general manager. "We've been able to continue to grow our business while upholding our 'get it done' approach. Our Taipak team is excited to work with Pacific Bag and provide our customers with flexible packaging services unmatched in the industry."

About Pacific Bag, LLC

Pacific Bag, LLC serves more than 4,500 customers in 50+ countries with a wide selection of custom and stock products ranging from side gusset bags, stand-up pouches, paper tin-tie bags, flat pouches, bulk packaging, java boxes, rollstock, accessories, tins, bag sealers, weigh and fill machines, degassing valves and more.

About TricorBraun

TricorBraun is a global packaging leader, providing innovative solutions across a wide array of customer end markets in plastic and glass containers, closures, dispensers, tubes and flexibles. TricorBraun operates from more than 40 locations throughout North America and around the world. Our award-winning Design & Engineering Center provides forward-thinking design, driven by consumer insight, market understanding and creative solutions. Other services include global sourcing, manufacturing oversight and global supply chain programs.

SOURCE TricorBraun

Related Links

http://www.tricorbraun.com


NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Company Revenues and Analysis of the Top 20 Leading Companies in this Market Space. Plus, Global Combined Forecast for All EOR Methods (Thermal, Chemical, CO2) by Spending ($m) and Production (mmbbls/yr)



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05689880



Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies are used to increase the amount of oil that can be extracted from an oil field after the primary and secondary production stages. The leading 20 players in the EOR market comprise a broad range of companies, including the six supermajors, large state-owned, or part state-owned, companies, and smaller private energy companies. Some of the leading players have diversified their EOR operations to include thermal, gas and chemical methods, often in numerous global locations, while others have focused their investments on one type of EOR technology or one specific region.

Strong global EOR growth over the coming decade will be driven by a combination of factors, including recently rising oil prices, ageing oil fields, rapidly escalating global energy demand, technological developments, a desire to increase energy independence, increasing EOR opportunities in heavy oil and oil sands recovery, and a desire to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This will ensure that there are significant growth opportunities for the leading EOR companies, along with companies currently outside the top 20 list.



The report will answer questions such as:

- Who are the leading companies in the EOR industry?

 What is their strategy?

 What is their existing processing capacity and where is it based?

 What are their core strengths and weaknesses?

 Do they have expansion plans, and if so where are they likely to go?

- What is driving and restraining the involvement of each leading company within the market?

- What are the projects these top companies are currently involved in?

- What is the total size of the EOR market in 2019? How much will it grow and why?

- What political, economic, environmental and technological factors affect the EOR market?



How will you benefit from this report?

- This report you will keep your knowledge base up to speed. Don't get left behind

- This report will allow you to reinforce strategic decision-making based upon definitive and reliable market data

- You will learn how to exploit new technological trends

- You will be able to realise your company's full potential within the market

- You will better understand the competitive landscape and identify potential new business opportunities and partnerships



Three reasons why you must order and read this report today:



1) The study reveals where and how leading companies are investing in EOR market. We show you the prospects for companies operating in:

 North America

 Middle East

 Asia

 Europe



2) The report provides a detailed individual profile for each of the 20 leading companies in Enhanced Oil Recovery market in 2017, providing data for Production capacity, Revenue and details of existing and upcoming EOR projects:

 Chevron

 Suncor

 BP Plc

 PDVSA

 ConocoPhillips

 China National Petroleum Corporation

 ExxonMobil

 Royal Dutch Shell

 Total SA

 Petroleo Brasileiro

 Husky Energy

 Imperial Oil

 Cenovus

 China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec)

 Occidental petroleum

 China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC)

 Kinder Morgan

 Halliburton

 Equinor (Statoil)

 Canadian Natural Resources



3) It also provides a PEST analysis of the key factors affecting the overall EOR market:

 Political

 Economic

 Social

 Technical



Competitive advantage

This independent, 192-page report guarantees you will remain better informed than your competitors. With 115 tables and figures examining the companies within the EOR market space, the report gives you an immediate, one-stop breakdown of the leading EOR companies plus analysis and future outlooks, keeping your knowledge one step ahead of your rivals.



Who should read this report?

- Anyone within the EOR value chain

- CEOs

- COOs

- CIOs

- Business development managers

- Marketing managers

- Technologists

- Suppliers

- Investors

- Banks

- Government agencies

- Contractors



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05689880



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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LEXINGTON, Ky., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Thynk Health has raised $2.2 million from a group of private investors including the Bluegrass Angels to optimize data-driven workflows, providing more powerful and effective lung cancer screening programs that improve patient care and outcomes.

The company was also awarded a $250,000 jobs grant from the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government. The additional capital allows Thynk Health to continue expansion of their cancer screening platform, automation of manual data workflow processes for numerous quality initiatives, and the addition of more end-user features to the software-as-a-service platform.

This investment afforded Thynk Health the opportunity to continue to build out their leadership team, with the addition of seasoned executives to lead the company through an era of expansion and further innovation. Those hires are:

Jeffrey Markowitz, Chief Executive Officer at Thynk Health

Markowitz brings extensive experience investing in and building early and mid-stage companies across industry sectors including manufacturing, technology, finance, real estate and more. His expertise is in providing hands-on operational leadership, building and leading teams, and overseeing financial reporting to rapidly growing organizations. As a serial entrepreneur, corporate executive and private investor, he successfully founded, grew and exited from numerous companies.

I'm excited to be working with such a professional team of people whose ultimate goal is focused on continual improvement in the level of patient care. At Thynk Health we achieve that by adding efficiencies to LDCT screening programs and patient follow up.

Jeff Timbrook, Chief Revenue Officer at Thynk Health

Timbrook served as CEO of Acuo Technologies, LLC from 2006 until it was acquired by Lexmark International in 2013. He has been active in the Healthcare IT industry for more than 25 years, with proven experience in building, leading and motivating teams in high-growth business environments.

This is a rare opportunity to work with a team of insightful clinicians and a great development team to bring solutions to the healthcare market that focus on saving patient lives. By increasing efficiencies for lung cancer screening programs, organizations are able to screen and treat more patients, helping to reduce mortality rates for one of the leading causes of death from cancer. With Thynk Health's advanced artificial intelligence technology, the use cases to save patient lives and increase efficiency is unparalleled.

Andrew Wyllie, Vice President of Engineering at Thynk Health

Wyllie brings almost 30 years of experience as a software/network engineer and innovator specializing in internet technologies, software architecture and database programming and design to lead the development team at Thynk Health.

I'm really excited to be a part of the young, dynamic software team here at Thynk Health. My philosophy towards software design is to build solid foundations and frameworks which can be used to construct products to meet the current and future business goals.

Sean O'Leary, Vice President of Operations at Thynk Health

O'Leary is an executive with more than 14 years of experience working directly with startups as an investor and in operations. He brings expertise in strategy, scaling, team building and culture, product development, data analysis, and management.

I am excited to join the team at Thynk Health and contribute my experience with companies transitioning from start-up to a stage of growth. This highly-skilled team is poised to do big and exciting things in healthcare technology.

About Thynk Health

The Thynk Health platform optimizes data-driven workflows and provides operational and clinical analytics for lung cancer screening programs and other quality initiatives.

SOURCE Thynk Health
TORONTO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (the "Company" or "TGOD") (TSX:TGOD) (US:TGODF) is pleased to announce it has appointed Dr. Caroline MacCallum and Jacques Dessureault to its Board of Directors.

Dr. Caroline MacCallum is one of the world's most prominent experts in cannabinoid-based medicine. She is an internist, complex pain and cannabinoid clinician, researcher and clinical instructor in the Department of Medicine, an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Program and an associate member of the Department of Palliative Care at the University of British Columbia. She is also the medical director at Greenleaf Medical Clinic, where she has assessed and developed cannabinoid treatment plans for more than 3,000 patients across Canada.

Her recent publication, Practical Consideration for Medical Cannabis Administration and Dosing, is the first of its kind on medical cannabis dosing. Dr. MacCallum has presented internationally on cannabis initiatives and is the expert for several medical cannabis courses. She is working with university research groups, hospitals, health benefit programs, and provincial and national committees to create cannabis guidelines for clinical trials, safe prescribing practices and patient registries. Dr. MacCallum has studied and remains focused on cannabis as a substitute for opioid use and polypharmacy reduction.

"Dr. MacCallum's vast experience in cannabinoid research will be invaluable to TGOD," commented Brian Athaide, CEO & Director of TGOD. "She has been recognized by her peers in the medical industry as an expert in medical cannabis with a focus on dosing, which will be critical as we prepare to launch a suite of multi-dose products under the recently announced Responsible Regulation of Edible Cannabis Products in Canada," continued Athaide.

Mr. Jacques Dessureault has had an extensive pharmaceutical career including significant experience in life sciences, over-the-counter, natural health, and technology industries. He held an international role with Novartis, as a Global Marketing Division Head based in Basel, Switzerland, and domestic senior executive roles as President and General Manager of Valeant Pharmaceutical Inc., Vice-President at Bristol Myer-Squibb and Business Unit Head and General Manager at Novartis Canada. During Mr. Dessureault's time at Valeant Pharmaceuticals, he led all Canadian commercial units including research and development and international manufacturing and technical operations. Additionally, he held responsibilities for government relations and business acquisitions, integrations & divestments.

His entrepreneurial endeavours extend beyond the pharmaceutical industry; Jacques is a strategic advisor with the Casting and Performance Group of Cirque du Soleil, a board member of Optina Diagnostics, part of the Management Committee of The Rosalind & Morris Goodman Family Pediatric Formulations Centre of the CHU Sainte-Justine and is involved in Academia with l'Ecole des Sciences de la Gestion of Universite du Quebec a Montreal.

"Mr. Dessureault's senior executive and entrepreneurial experience in growing businesses, improving efficiency, and leading research & development teams will be invaluable to TGOD," commented Brian Athaide, Director and CEO of TGOD. "As we advance the research and development arms of our Company, including our beverage science and research division, Jacques' experience will be critical to launching new novel and innovative product lines."

"We are incredibly fortunate to add Dr. MacCallum and Jacques Dessureault to our Board of Directors at such a pivotal time, as we approach production ramp-up and our first commercial sales," commented Jeff Scott, Chairman of the Board. "The TGOD Board now consists of independent directors with the exception of our CEO. Both new additions possess valuable skills and extensive experience that will greatly benefit TGOD moving forward."

Additionally, Mr. Ian Wilms has stepped down from the Board of Directors to accommodate Dr. MacCallum and Mr. Dessureault, effective immediately. Mr. Wilms played an instrumental role on TGOD's Board of Directors since the Company's formation. The Company wishes to thank Mr. Wilms for his tireless contributions to the team and is pleased he will continue in his corporate role of Government Affairs and Compliance.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.

About The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.

The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX:TGOD) is a publicly traded, premium global organic cannabis company, with operations focused on medical cannabis markets in Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as the Canadian adult-use market. The Company grows high quality, organic cannabis with sustainable, all-natural principles. TGOD's products are laboratory tested to ensure patients have access to a standardized, safe and consistent product. TGOD has a funded capacity of 170,000 kgs and is building 1,382,000 sq. ft. of cultivation facilities across Ontario, Quebec and Jamaica.

TGOD's Common Shares and warrants issued under the indenture dated November 1, 2017 trade on the TSX under the symbol "TGOD" and "TGOD.WT", respectively.

For more information on The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd., please visit www.tgod.ca.

www.tgod.ca

Forward-Looking Information Cautionary Statement

This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward looking statements in this release includes, but is not limited to, statements about the future legalization of cannabis-infused products in Canada, statements about future research, development and innovation by the Company, statements about future facility construction, statements about the offering of any particular products by the Company in any jurisdiction and statements regarding the future performance of the Company. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of Toronto Stock Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd.
Rose Hazelnut Latte is a delightful combination of hazelnut, rose and premium espresso and is available hot, iced or as an Ice Blended drink.

is a delightful combination of hazelnut, rose and premium espresso and is available hot, iced or as an drink. Houjicha Hazelnut Tea Latte combines a charcoal-roasted Japanese green tea with the sweet, nutty flavor of hazelnut for a tea latte with a toasty twist.

The company also announced the return of its classic Flat White, crafted with an extra shot of espresso and lightly aerated milk to create a bold, velvety drink.

Additionally, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf introduced new breakfast and snack items and retail coffee and tea products available for in-store purchase:

Egg White Frittata: Protein-packed egg whites combined with fresh spinach and cheese.

Protein-packed egg whites combined with fresh spinach and cheese. Mixed Berries & Granola Parfait: Plain Greek yogurt, mixed berries and delicious crunchy granola.

Plain Greek yogurt, mixed berries and delicious crunchy granola. Espresso Roast: A blend of five single origin coffees, each individually roasted and then carefully combined to create the final blend. Its dark roasted, velvety body, caramel aroma and earthy flavor works well as a drip coffee or espresso.

A blend of five single origin coffees, each individually roasted and then carefully combined to create the final blend. Its dark roasted, velvety body, caramel aroma and earthy flavor works well as a drip coffee or espresso. Hazelnut Houjicha: A full-bodied green tea with a creamy, nutty flavor and hints of sweet grass.

A full-bodied green tea with a creamy, nutty flavor and hints of sweet grass. Dong Ding : A full-bodied Oolong tea from Taiwan with a sweet, grassy aroma and a hint of floral.

"We are excited to introduce our guests to Japanese-inspired beverages that still possess the familiar flavor of hazelnut, like our new Houjicha Hazelnut Latte," said Nurit Raich, senior director of product innovation, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. "These exotic new flavors and tasteful bites preview our collection of globally-inspired, innovative new products for 2019."

In addition to the new beverage and food items, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will launch Social Hour, an exclusive special for The Coffee Bean Rewards app members. Rewards members will receive Social Hour invitations via the mobile app that include special offers on seasonal, espresso and Ice Blended drinks. The Coffee Bean Rewards app can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play.

For more information, please visit www.coffeebean.com.

About The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf brand is a leading global roaster and retailer of specialty coffees and teas and is widely credited for driving high quality and innovation to the coffee and tea industry. The company sources the finest ingredients and flavors from around the world and hand blends coffee and tea for the freshest flavors. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf started the frozen coffee drink craze with the invention of The Original Ice Blended drink and is also the first global coffee and tea retailer to offer cold brew tea. The company currently has more than 1,200 retail locations across the globe and can also be found in grocery aisles as well as specialty locations including airports and hotels. For more information, visit www.coffeebean.com.

SOURCE The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

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WILSONVILLE, Ore., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Avamere Family of Companies appointed Sarah Silva as Division President of Community-Based Care (CBC).

Silva has been with the company since 2009, where she started as Executive Director for Avamere at Bethany in Bethany, Oregon. Since then she served in memory care leadership development for Avamere's administrators and resident care coordinators, where she trained new employees, supported ongoing education, and created and implemented new memory care programming.

Division President, Community-Based Care

In April 2018, Silva was named Regional Director of Operations over the Avamere Family of Companies before advancing into her new role as Division President of Community-Based Care where she oversees operations of all Avamere Living CBCs.

Silva brings excellent leadership skills, professionalism, and dedication in her new role. She has a wealth of knowledge not only about the healthcare industry and community-based care, but the Avamere Family of Companies as well.

"2018 has been a dynamic year for community-based care," Silva said. "Our CBC division doubled in size, and I'm looking forward to our continued growth."

CBCs across the country face a unique challenge of workforce shortage. In fact, this is the industry's largest challenge, according to Silva. But she faces this obstacle with optimism.

"The Avamere Family of Companies has such an incredible culture," Silva said. "Workforce shortage is an issue industry-wide, but by taking great care of our people and being the best place to work, we can combat that shortage. I look forward to assisting in the growth of our leaders."

With 17 years of experience in community-based care, Sarah brings additional experience in hospice, home health, and home care. She currently serves as the Oregon State Leader for the National Center for Assisted Living as well as co-chair to the Oregon Health Care Association.

Avamere is proud to welcome Silva as the new Division President of Community-Based Care.

About the Avamere Family of Companies

Founded in 1995 and based in Wilsonville, Oregon, the Avamere Family of Companies provides assisted living, independent living, memory care, rehabilitation, home care, transitional care and more. Today Avamere operates nearly 61 communities with over 8,600 employees. Avamere is proud to be considered one of Oregon's most admired companies as they continue to serve their valued patients and residents. For more information, please visit avamere.com.

Avamere Family of Companies

25115 SW Parkway Ave, Suite B

Wilsonville, OR 97070

For press inquiries, please email [email protected].

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Sarah Silva

Division President, Community-Based Care

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Avamere Health Services

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SOURCE Avamere Health Services

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With Amazon Alexa functionality built in, Sony's top wireless noise-canceling headphones provide a hands-free, voice-controlled experience. Just tap the button and ask Alexa to play music, change tracks, control smart home devices, search information and more. Whether you are at home or on-the-go, Alexa is designed to make your life easier by letting you control your world effortlessly.

"Sony is always seeking to provide new listening experiences and to enhance the usability and integration of our products into users' daily lives," said Mike Fasulo, president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics North America. "Adding Alexa support to our noise-canceling wireless headphones makes it easy to find audio content so users spend less time searching for their music and more time enjoying it."

The Alexa functionality adds to an already long list of features for Sony's industry-leading, noise-canceling headphones, including premium Hi-Res Audio sound quality, long battery life with quick charging, and a lighter and more comfortable design.

"We are delighted to collaborate with Sony on listening experiences that combine high-quality sound with the simplicity of voice control," said Pete Thompson, vice president of the Alexa Voice Service. "With Alexa built-in, you can easily play music, hear the news, control smart home devices, access tens of thousands of skills, and more."

Amazon Alexa will also be available on the previous model, the WH-1000XM2, and Sony's WI-1000X wireless noise-canceling in-ear headphones.

Delivered via Sony's Headphones Connect app (version 4.1) and firmware update, Sony customers can access the update featuring the Alexa voice assistant in the first quarter of 2019.

To learn more about Sony's voice-activated consumer products, visit www.sony.com/regional/smart-home

Stay connected with Sony's announcements and activities at CES and many other events throughout the year by downloading the Sony Events app, available through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store by searching for "Sony Events." To follow the online conversation via Twitter, use #SONYCES, and visit www.sony.com/electronics/ces for lots more Sony CES information.

About Sony Electronics Inc.

Sony Electronics is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America and an affiliate of Sony Corporation (Japan), one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming, robotics, and financial services. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sony Electronics is a leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets. Operations include research and development, engineering, sales, marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony Electronics creates products that innovate and inspire generations, such as the award-winning Alpha Interchangeable Lens Cameras and revolutionary high-resolution audio products. Sony is also a leading manufacturer of end-to-end solutions from 4K professional broadcast and A/V equipment to industry leading 4K Ultra HD TVs. Visit www.sony.com/news for more information.

SOURCE Sony Electronics
"CareMore's dedication to a proactive and integrated approach to care fits perfectly with SCAN's commitment to offering our members high quality, comprehensive services," said Sherry Stanislaw, senior vice president and general manager at SCAN Health Plan. "The CareMore Care Centers are unique and a real benefit to area seniors. We're pleased to provide access to this model as an option for our members."

CareMore has built its model around surrounding patients with coordinated and integrated care to effectively manage their complex health and social needs. As part of the new collaboration, SCAN members will have access to three CareMore Care Centers in the Santa Clara area. Healthcare professionals at CareMore Care Centers include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, behavioral health, and other specialists who work collaboratively to address patients' medical, physical, and social health, as well as barriers to accessing needed care.

"We are pleased to announce this partnership with SCAN Health Plan to further our mission to improve access to high-quality, integrated care," said Sachin H. Jain, President, and CEO of CareMore Health. "We look forward to working with SCAN to provide its members with personalized care that addresses their needs, and improves health outcomes in Santa Clara County."

In Santa Clara County, SCAN offers the SCAN Classic (HMO) with a $54 monthly plan premium and $0 copays for primary care office visits and many preventive care services. Many of the most commonly used prescription drugs are available for $0 through SCAN's mail-order pharmacy. SCAN also offers benefits beyond Medicare, including Telehealth, routine chiropractic and podiatry services, vision care and free gym membership.

About CareMore Health

CareMore Health is a physician-founded, physician-led integrated care delivery system that harnesses the power of teamwork to treat the whole person. Through a focus on prevention and highly coordinated care, its clinical model and designed-for-purpose approach to managing chronic disease proactively addresses the medical, social and personal health needs of its patients, resulting in clinical outcomes above the national average and ultimately, healthier people and communities. Over the past nine years, CareMore has expanded from one state to ten. And today, the CareMore delivery system provides care for enrollees in Medicare Advantage and Medicaid health plans in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Nevada, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC. CareMore also is participating in a dual demonstration project in parts of Los Angeles County in conjunction with state and federal regulators to coordinate care for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. To learn more about CareMore, go to www.caremore.com and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @caremorehealth.

About SCAN Health Plan

SCAN Health Plan is one of the nation's largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plans, serving more than 195,000 members in California. Since its founding in 1977, SCAN has been a mission-driven organization dedicated to keeping seniors healthy and independent. Independence at Home, a SCAN community service, provides vitally needed services and support to seniors and their caregivers. SCAN also offers education programs, community funding, volunteer opportunities and other community services throughout our California service area. To learn more, visit scanhealthplan.com or facebook.com/scanhealthplan or follow us on Twitter @scanhealthplan.

SCAN Health Plan is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in SCAN Health Plan depends on contract renewal. Other providers are available in our network.

Y0057_SCAN_11267_2019_C IA 01072019

SOURCE SCAN Health Plan

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BERWYN, Pa., Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- RM LAW, P.C. announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of all persons or entities that purchased Perrigo Company plc ("Perrigo" or the "Company") (NYSE: PRGO) securities between November 8, 2018 and December 21, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period").

Perrigo shareholders may, no later than March 4, 2019, move the Court for appointment as a lead plaintiff of the Class. If you purchased shares of Perrigo and would like to learn more about these claims or if you wish to discuss these matters and have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights, contact Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or to sign up online, click here.

This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The Complaint alleges that on December 21, 2018, Perrigo issued a Form 8-K disclosing that it had received an audit finding letter from the Irish tax authorities on October 30, 2018 stating "that IP sales transactions including the sale of Tysabri, were not part of the trade of Elan Pharma and therefore should have been treated as chargeable gains subject to an effective 33% tax rate, rather than the 12.5% tax rate applicable to trading income." Although the Company had revealed to investors on November 8, 2018 that it had received the audit finding letter, it did not disclose material details. Following the news on December 21, 2018, Perrigo stock dropped roughly 25%.

If you are a member of the class, you may, no later than March 4, 2019, request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff of the class. A lead plaintiff is a representative party that acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed lead plaintiff, the Court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Under certain circumstances, one or more class members may together serve as "lead plaintiff." Your ability to share in any recovery is not, however, affected by the decision whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. You may retain RM LAW, P.C. or other counsel of your choice, to serve as your counsel in this action.

For more information regarding this, please contact RM LAW, P.C. (Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire) toll-free at (844) 291-9299 or by email at [email protected] or click here. For more information about class action cases in general or to learn more about RM LAW, P.C. please visit our website by clicking here.

RM LAW, P.C. is a national shareholder litigation firm. RM LAW, P.C. is devoted to protecting the interests of individual and institutional investors in shareholder actions in state and federal courts nationwide.

CONTACT: RM LAW, P.C.

Richard A. Maniskas, Esquire

1055 Westlakes Dr., Ste. 300

Berwyn, PA 19312

484-324-6800

844-291-9299

[email protected]

SOURCE RM LAW, P.C.

Related Links

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CHICAGO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based R.J. O'Brien & Associates (RJO), the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, today announced that its affiliate R.J. O'Brien Financial has officially launched its over-the-counter (OTC) Agricultural Structured Products Group. Designed for commercial agricultural firms of all sizes across the globe, the bilateral OTC initiative utilizes a first-of-its-kind proprietary software platform developed by the team's financial engineers to analyze client needs and then generate and quote a wide range of customized hedging strategies.

Leading the team is Melisa Culbertson, Executive Director and Senior Vice President, OTC Structured Products, formerly an independent floor and electronic grains trader with more than 25 years of experience as a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Before joining RJO, Culbertson was Head Trader, OTC Products for the Chicago division of a major brokerage firm for three years.

The team developed the OTC offering and infrastructure before introducing the product to select clients earlier this year in a soft launch. Because the initiative and trade management is entirely in-house, the group has been able to adapt quickly based on meaningful input from participating clients.

Housed in the RJO portal, the new web-based trading and back-office application, Cara, is a purpose-built tool designed to improve communication and transparency and solve downstream challenges for clients. It does this by assisting in the development of trading strategies, placing orders, tracking quotes in real time, and closely monitoring positions throughout their lifecycle.

RJO Chairman and CEO Gerald Corcoran said: "When we decided to enter this market, we knew we wanted to offer something different than others provide, that would produce real value for our clients. This includes the ability to generate far more quotes, much faster than competition is offering. We're very proud of this unique initiative Melisa and her team have built, giving our clients a truly customized approach and cutting-edge technology to meet their risk management needs."

Culbertson said: "Customized structured products can be an excellent complement to using futures for risk management, giving commercial hedgers more tools and choices to hone their strategies. When our clients and prospects learn about our approach and our extraordinary team, they're genuinely impressed, telling us they haven't seen anything like this in the market before. I am very grateful to be a part of RJO. Since joining the firm, I've seen firsthand how the company truly puts the client first and lives its values every day."

Market participants interested in more information on the offering can contact [email protected].

About R.J. O'Brien

Founded in 1914, R.J. O'Brien & Associates is the largest independent futures brokerage firm in the United States, serving institutional, commercial and individual clients globally, in addition to a network of 400 introducing brokers (IBs). Clearing more than 80,000 client accounts, RJO services the industry's most expansive global network of IBs, a vast array of middle market firms and many of the world's largest financial, industrial and agricultural institutions. The firm offers state-of-the-art electronic trading and 24-hour trade execution on every major futures exchange worldwide. RJO has received the FOW International Award for Non-Bank FCM of the Year for the past three years. Wealth and Finance International Magazine named the company's private client division, RJO Futures, "2018's Most Trusted Financial Brokerage Firm."

SOURCE R.J. O'Brien
SBA Loans are a highly sought-after way for a small business to acquire long-term, low-cost funding for up to $5MM. While an SBA Loan is a great option, one downside is the length of the entire approval and funding process. The amount of time it takes to finalize an SBA loan largely depends on the SBA Lender's timeline. On average, the traditional SBA process can take up to 90 days. However, with the SBAXpress program, Reliant Funding can provide funding in as little as two business days, up to $250,000 as a bridge to receipt of SBA funding. Now a business with an immediate need for cash doesn't have to wait months for an SBA loan to fund. Reliant Funding can get them the money they need with the client selected option to repay their Reliant provided funding once their SBA loan comes through.

Why SBAXpress?

Business owners who are interested in beginning the Small Business Administration application and loan process but have immediate working capital needs can find satisfaction with alternative financing. SBAXpress gives business owners what they need  fast access to working capital coupled with a preferred bank partner application for a Small Business Administration loan. Funding for SBAXpress is provided by Reliant Funding, one of America's leading alternative financing companies and Reliant Funding's bank partners. Since 2008, Reliant Funding has provided over $1.2 Billion to small businesses nationwide. Reliant provides the initial working capital and connects owners to an SBA Preferred Lender who will guide them through the SBA application process.

With the Reliant Funding SBAXpress process, business owners can get funding in as little as two days, instead of waiting months to complete the process through traditional banks and funding sources.

How an Application with SBAXpress Works in 3 Easy Steps

SBAXpress connects business owners with direct fast funding options to address immediate needs. SBAXpress connects business owners with an SBA Preferred Lender who will guide them through the application and loan process. Business owners quickly receive the funds to grow, build, expand in the form of SBAXpress.

"While a loan with the SBA is a beneficial and viable solution for many small business owners, Reliant recognizes the importance of access to fast working capital and assistance with this process," said Founder and CEO of Reliant Funding, Adam Stettner. "With our SBAXpress program, we aim to ease the strain of waiting for funds by offering a financial bridge to accelerate the delivery of needed capital."

About Reliant Funding

Headquartered in San Diego with offices in New York, Reliant Funding provides customized, short-term funding to small and mid-sized businesses nationwide. Recognized for six consecutive years by Inc. Magazine among the 5000 fastest growing privately held companies in America. For more information, please visit https://www.reliantfunding.com/.

Media Contact

Sara Prince

[email protected]

Reliant Funding does not provide or offer SBA loans and is not affiliated with the SBA. Qualifying applications will be directed towards partnered SBA lenders for guidance through the submission and approval process.

SOURCE Reliant Funding

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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Reich Brothers Holdings, LLC is pleased to announce the recapitalization of its affiliated finance company, now known as Reich Bros Structured Finance, LLC ("Reich Bros Finance"). For more information, please see www.reichbrosfinance.com.

Reich Bros Finance is an asset-based lender that helps borrowers unlock value in capital assets through financing solutions customized to meet the borrower's needs. Financing solutions include sale-leaseback, capital lease, term loan, secured loan and other structured transactions, and assets include machinery, equipment and industrial real estate. Reich Bros Finance provides capital to companies across a wide range of industries, including agriculture, construction, energy, food and beverage, healthcare, industrial, manufacturing, mining, pharmaceuticals, technology and transportation. The Company's team can quickly and creatively structure and close credit facilities from $500,000 to $20 million.

As part of the recapitalization, Reich Bros Finance has obtained increased credit facilities allowing for growth of the loan portfolio. An affiliate of Liquid Capital Corp. ("Liquid Capital") has provided a portion of the facilities and also taken an equity stake in the business. Liquid Capital is a Toronto-based commercial finance business which is in a joint venture partnership with Next Edge Capital Corp. ("Next Edge"), a Toronto-based asset management firm with a variety of private lending funds on its platform.

The principals of Reich Brothers LLC, Jonathan and Adam Reich will maintain their ownership stake in the business. Additionally, Jordan Allen, formerly a partner at Victory Park Capital, LLC, joins the company as a Principal. Prior to joining Reich Brothers Finance, Mr. Allen served as the Chief Operating Officer of Victory Park Capital, a leading middle-market private equity and private debt firm. Prior to Victory Park Capital, Mr. Allen served as co-head of North America, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Man Investments USA.

"Liquid Capital, Next Edge and I are excited to build on the success the company has had over the past four years," said Mr. Allen. "The Liquid Capital/Next Edge teams bring together their unique ability to raise and deploy capital along with extensive loan sourcing capabilities though the networks of other complimentary businesses. For example, Liquid Capital maintains approximately 60 Principal offices throughout the United States and Canada."

Media contact: Ron Schinik

[email protected]

(914) 719-6071

SOURCE Reich Bros Finance

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Combined $60 billion RBC iShares ETF suite will be the most comprehensive in Canada

Investors benefit from expanded access to iShares' funds and operating expertise and RBC's capabilities and solutions

TORONTO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - RBC Global Asset Management Inc. ("RBC GAM Inc.") and BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited ("BlackRock Canada") today announced a strategic alliance that will deliver the most comprehensive ETF offering in the Canadian marketplace.

This transformational alliance brings together two market leaders: the world's largest ETF manager, and Canada's largest asset manager.1

Sets new standard for Canada's ETF industry

The ETF families offered in Canada by BlackRock Canada and RBC GAM Inc. are being brought together under one new brand  RBC iShares. Combined, this $60 billion solution suite represents Canada's largest and most comprehensive ETF offering, including index, factor, quantitative and active strategies. The RBC iShares suite includes a total of 150 ETFs: 106 high-quality, liquid, cost-competitive index solutions managed by BlackRock Canada, and 44 index, smart beta and actively managed solutions managed by RBC GAM Inc.

"This alliance is a win for Canadian investors and reflects our unwavering focus on the interests of clients," said Damon Williams, CEO of RBC Global Asset Management. "Canadian investors deserve a level of choice, quality and cost competitiveness that is second to none  and that is what RBC iShares delivers. This exciting step forward in the ETF space complements our continued focus on expanding our industry-leading Canadian mutual fund business."

There is no change to the names or ticker symbols of RBC ETFs or BlackRock Canada's iShares ETFs as a result of the alliance.

Expanded access to Canada's most comprehensive range of ETFs

Canadian investors and advisors will be able to access RBC iShares ETFs through the channels they know and trust, including through full-service advisors, discount brokerages, and robo-advice platforms.

"Around the world, iShares is known for the breadth of its ETF offerings, technology operating expertise, and investor education, while RBC Global Asset Management is the leader in Canadian mutual funds and has built a leading franchise developing innovative solutions," said Martin Small, BlackRock's Head of US & Canada iShares. "Our aspiration is to champion a new standard for the Canadian ETF market by providing the best solutions and service and help grow the industry through innovative tools and technology for existing and new managers."

Pat Chiefalo, Head of iShares Canada, added, "This transformational ETF alliance is dedicated to delivering to Canadian investors the ETF products they trust, the world class investment talent they want, and the service they deserve."

Unified distribution model

RBC GAM Inc. and BlackRock Canada will offer a unified distribution support and service model for RBC iShares in support of investors and advisors, and will work together to jointly develop new and innovative strategies to further expand and refine the solution set. The two firms remain separate legal entities. They will continue to maintain separate fund management and portfolio advisory responsibilities for their specific core capabilities, drawing on both firms' complementary strengths and expertise.

Specialized services will also be provided to third-party discretionary portfolio managers, advisors and institutions, including capital markets support, portfolio construction resources, and dedicated ETF strategists.

Changes planned to enhance and streamline the RBC iShares ETF suite

Leveraging the opportunities offered by the strategic alliance, RBC GAM Inc. announced changes to a number of RBC index ETFs and index mutual funds. These changes are designed to serve the best interests of investors by capturing economies of scale and simplifying the RBC iShares ETF lineup. The changes to RBC ETFs offer greater efficiency and liquidity, as well as slightly lower management fees in some cases. The proposed changes are subject to regulatory and/or unitholder approval.

Under the alliance framework, RBC GAM Inc. and BlackRock Canada will work together to pursue further opportunities to enhance the RBC iShares suite over time.

For more information about the RBC iShares ETF suite, investors and advisors are invited to visit rbcishares.com.

Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange-traded funds (ETF). Please read the relevant prospectus or ETF Facts document before investing. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. ETF units are bought and sold at market price on a stock exchange and brokerage commissions will reduce returns. RBC iShares ETFs include iShares ETFs managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited and RBC ETFs managed by RBC Global Asset Management Inc., a member of the RBC GAM group of companies and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada.

About RBC Global Asset Management

RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) is the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) and includes institutional money managers BlueBay Asset Management and Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management. RBC GAM is a provider of global investment management services and solutions to institutional, high-net-worth and individual investors through separate accounts, pooled funds, mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds and specialty investment strategies. The RBC GAM group of companies manage approximately $425 billion in assets and have approximately 1,400 employees located across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.

About BlackRock

BlackRock helps investors build better financial futures. As a fiduciary to our clients, we provide the solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. As of September 30, 2018, the firm managed approximately US$6.44 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com.

About iShares

iShares unlocks opportunity across markets to meet the evolving needs of investors. With more than twenty years of experience, a global line-up of 800+ exchange traded funds (ETFs) and US$1.8 trillion in assets under management as of September 30, 2018, iShares continues to drive progress for the financial industry. iShares funds are powered by the expert portfolio and risk management of BlackRock, trusted to manage more money than any other investment firm.

______________________________

1 As of 9/30/18, RBC Global Asset Management Inc. is Canada's largest fund company by assets under management (Source: IFIC) and BlackRock, Inc., together with its worldwide affiliates, is the world's largest ETF manager by assets under management (Source: BlackRock, Inc.).

SOURCE RBC Global Asset Management Inc.

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SEATTLE and RENTON, Wash., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Providence Ventures, the Venture capital arm of Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH), the nation's third largest health system, announced today a second $150 million health care venture capital and growth equity fund.

Providence Ventures II will target early and growth-stage health care companies that specialize in health care information technology, technology-enabled services, medical devices, and health care services. The fund will also invest $5 to $15 million per Portfolio Company with flexibility to lead investment rounds or participate as a syndicate partner.

"In health care, it's easy to say you want to be innovative. But, innovation will fall to the backburner if you don't find the best opportunities and fund them," said Rod Hochman, president and CEO, M.D., Providence St. Joseph Health. "Through Providence Ventures, we have made a commitment to innovation by investing in and partnering with new companies that can help us find solutions to everyday challenges in health care. We're excited to build upon our existing partnerships, as well as establish new ones that can help us advance our vision of health for a better world."

"Providence Ventures' investment model is to find and invest in companies that create needle-moving opportunities that address top priorities for PSJH," said Aaron Martin, Providence Ventures' Managing General Partner, who also serves as Providence St. Joseph Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Innovation Officer. "We partner closely with teams at PSJH and our portfolio companies to iterate, test, and scale their solutions at PSJH and other partner health systems. As evidence of the success of this model, all fifteen of our portfolio companies have commercial agreements with us, including several which have expanded enterprise-wide since our initial investment."

Track record of success

To date, Providence Ventures has invested in fifteen portfolio companies and co-invested with over twenty-five leading health care venture capital firms since its creation in 2014. Providence Ventures manages an aggregate $300 million to fund innovative health care companies with solutions that make an impact on health outcomes, lowering costs and enhancing patient experience.

"Since making their initial investment in 2015, the Providence Ventures team has consistently delivered on their mission to enhance our company's value," said Graham Gardner, CEO of Kyruus, the leading patient access solution in the healthcare industry. "Providence Ventures and the PSJH clinical and operations teams partnered with us early on to help optimize our solution and deploy it across the system. After we were able to demonstrate a meaningful ROI to PSJH, Providence Ventures made valuable introductions to other health systems in their network looking for a better patient-provider matching solution - leading to several large contracts that helped drive our early growth."

Mike McSherry, the CEO and co-founder of Xealth, which was incubated at PSJH, said: "Without the partnership and deep engagement by the Providence Ventures' team and PSJH's executive and clinical leaders, the creation and early commercial expansion of Xealth would not have been possible. Providence Ventures' unique model of facilitating strong relationships between its portfolio companies and PSJH's key stakeholders to solve big problems enabled Xealth to develop its technology platform from the ground-up quickly with a detailed understanding of our health system customers' needs and requirements."

The Providence Ventures team keeps growing and plans to hire in 2019

The investment team is based in Seattle, Wash., with an additional office in Silicon Valley. Recently the team leadership has expanded to include David Kereiakes, Partner, and Rich Proscia, Senior Associate. Kereiakes is an experienced health care investor who most recently joined Providence Ventures from River Cities Capital Funds. Proscia joined the team from CVS, and prior to that Athenahealth, where he worked on venture investment initiatives.

The Providence Venture team includes:

The team will be expanding further with additional hires planned in early 2019. Interested companies, investors, and entrepreneurs can visit ProvidenceVentures.org for more information.

About Providence Ventures

Providence Ventures, founded in 2014, manages $300 million in venture capital funds on behalf of Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH), one of the largest integrated health systems in the US. Providence Ventures' mission is to achieve venture and growth equity class returns through direct investments in innovative healthcare companies that improve health outcomes, lower costs, and enhance the experience of our patients and caregivers. Providence Ventures offers investment capital, combined with health system expertise, to companies addressing existing and emerging pain points in healthcare. Providence Ventures partners with our portfolio companies to refine existing solutions, while expanding their adoption within and beyond our health system. To learn more, visit www.ProvidenceVentures.org

About Providence St. Joseph Health

Providence St. Joseph Health is a national, not-for-profit Catholic health system comprising a diverse family of organizations and driven by a belief that health is a human right. With 51 hospitals, 829 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing and many other health and educational services, the health system and its partners employ more than 119,000 caregivers serving communities across seven states  Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. With system offices based in Renton, Wash., and Irvine, Calif.

About Kyruus

Kyruus delivers industry-defining provider search and scheduling solutions that help health systems match patients with the right providers across their enterprise-wide access points. Serving 150,000 providers across leading health systems nationwide, the ProviderMatch suite of solutionsfor consumers, access centers, and referral networksenables a modern and consistent patient experience, while optimizing provider utilization. The company's award-winning provider data management platform powers each of the ProviderMatch solutions and transforms how health systems understand and manage their provider networks. To find out why a Better Match Means Better Care, visit www.kyruus.com.

About Xealth

Xealth enables healthcare teams to order digital content and services as easily as they do medications today. Patients can then access these digital health prescriptions from the provider's portal, so that they can actively manage their health. Based in Seattle, the company was founded by the team of serial entrepreneurs behind Swype, the innovative keyboard that shipped on over one billion phones, and Boost Mobile, now Sprint's prepaid mobile service generating over $5 billion in revenue. Using the Xealth platform, care teams and physicians can monitor patient engagement and analyze the effects of more engaged patients.

SOURCE Providence St. Joseph Health

Related Links

http://www.providenceventures.org/


BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

MDXG has zero debt and a highly flexible cost structure, which should allow it to easily generate enough liquidity to overcome recent challenges.

Our research indicates that a majority of MDXG's reported sales are legitimate and sustainable. Only a small portion of revenue appears to have been attributable to end-of-quarter channel stuffing, while we found zero evidence of widespread bribes and kickbacks.

According to doctors and former employees, MDXG's products are some of, if not the best, in an industry where competitors generate hundreds-of-$millions of revenue. Given this, the claim that MDXG's sales are largely fraudulent appears far-fetched.

Any future regulatory fines are unlikely to push MDXG into bankruptcy. DOJ and SEC fines have been considerably dialed-back under the current, more corporate-friendly administration. Furthermore, regardless of administration, the government almost never kills companies due to the resulting negative impact on shareholders.

Prescience Point Capital Management ("Prescience Point"), a private investment manager that specializes in deep investigations and analysis of public companies, today published an extensive research report supporting its long position on MiMedx Group Inc. (OTC: MDXG). Following a five-month in-depth investigation, which included speaking with large MiMedx customers, former employees, competitors and industry and legal experts, Prescience Point believes that MiMedx shares offer one of the most attractive investment opportunities we have ever identified. Based on conservative assumptions, we estimate that MiMedx shares are worth at least $8, roughly 4x the current share price. Over the long-term, we believe MDXG's price can eventually retake or even exceed its all-time high of $18.25.

Our research indicates that the chances of MiMedx filing for bankruptcy are remote. We project that the company should have ample liquidity to cover ongoing operating expenses, regulatory investigations and possible fines, as it currently has no debt on its books, had $33 million of cash as of 12/31/2017, and has a highly flexible cost structure that allows it to generate robust FCF even at significantly lower revenue levels.

We believe that the extreme negative market sentiment regarding the company, amplified by vocal critics, is unwarranted. We do not dispute that MiMedx is a troubled company, and its critics have been instrumental in bringing to light alleged wrongdoing at the company. However, we disagree as to the extent of that wrongdoing and, through our research, we believe that the majority of MiMedx's sales are legitimate and sustainable.

The legitimacy and sustainability of MiMedx's sales is evidenced by the strength of its allograft products which are some of, if not the best, in the industry. We note a report from the Buffalo News in October that quotes Dr. Kathryn Bass, a pediatric surgeon and head of the trauma department at Oishei Children's Hospital on the effectiveness of MiMedx's products.

"'We're getting great results'" with amnion tissue supplied by the MiMedx pharmaceutical company, Bass said, particularly with children who suffer burns to the face, chest and connective tissues."

We expect MiMedx to not only survive, but to once again thrive. When the current crisis clears, we believe the company will return to growth given its industry-leading products, attractive end markets, and promising pipeline of late-stage clinical trials for its Amniofix Injectable product.

"While current market conditions regarding MiMedx reflect some of the most extreme negative sentiment we have ever witnessed toward a public company, we believe the chances of bankruptcy are remote and that the company is taking corrective measures to determine the extent of prior wrongdoing, restate its financials, resolve any associated legal ramifications, and reset its corporate culture," said Eiad Asbahi, Founder and Portfolio Manager of Prescience Point.

Mr. Asbahi continued: "Right now, MiMedx stock trades as if it is headed for bankruptcy. We strongly disagree with that view and believe recent instances of negative news have created an attractive entry point on a risk/reward basis."

Click here to download Prescience Point's full report on MiMedx.

About Prescience Point Capital Management

Prescience Point Capital Management is a private investment manager that employs forensic investigative techniques to unearth significant mispricings in global markets. The firm specializes in extensive investigations of difficult-to-analyze public companies in order to uncover significant elements of the business that have been overlooked or ignored by others. Their publicly-available research focuses on exposing corporate wrongdoing and has been followed by resignations of auditors, CEOs and CFOs, earnings restatements, SEC investigations and stock delistings.

Prescience Point manages private funds on behalf of clients and principals and takes positions both long and short in support of their research. The firm invests across a broad set of equities that they believe have abnormally large disparities between what their underlying businesses are intrinsically worth and what their securities sell for.

The firm was founded by investor Eiad Asbahi in 2009 and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA. Prescience Point Capital Management is a registered investment advisor with the State of Louisiana and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, CRD number 152721.

Disclaimer

THIS RELEASE EXPRESSES SOLELY PRESCIENCE POINT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT'S OPINIONS. Use Prescience Point's research opinions at your own risk. This is not investment advice nor should it be construed as such. You should do your own research and due diligence before making any investment decisions with respect to the securities covered herein. Forward-looking statement and projections are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and involve many risks (known and unknown) that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. You should assume we have a long position in MiMedx stock and therefore stand to realize significant gains in the event that the price of such instrument increases. Please refer to our full disclaimer located on the last page of our research report (linked herein).

Prescience Investment Group, LLC is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, CRD number 152721.

SOURCE Prescience Point Capital Management

Related Links

https://www.presciencepoint.com


ALLENTOWN, Pa., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PPL Electric Utilities announced today that Lori Mueller will serve as vice president of Customer Services.

Mueller will oversee the company's efforts to strengthen customer experience. As a member of the senior leadership team, she will play a vital role in supporting PPL Electric Utilities' strategic priorities and commitment to deliver for its customers. Her start date is Monday, Jan. 14.

Lori Mueller

"We're pleased to welcome Lori to our team," said Greg Dudkin, president of PPL Electric Utilities. "Her ability to connect and collaborate at all levels, her contemporary thinking, and her commitment to her work and team will be an asset as PPL Electric Utilities continues to fulfill its promise of delivering exceptional service to its customers. In addition, Lori's strong background and experience in the technology space will support our digital customer engagement strategy as we transform to become the leading utility in the country."

Before joining PPL Electric Utilities, Mueller most recently served as vice president of Operations and Customer Experience for Affinegy, Inc. in Austin, Texas, where she oversaw customer operations, customer engagement and satisfaction, and product roadmaps to improve product success. Her team's work helped the company accelerate its innovation and efficiency, resulting in higher customer satisfaction.

Previously, Mueller worked as general manager of Customer Operations at Transunion Healthcare in Austin, Texas; senior director of Support Operations at Texas Department of Public Safety; and director of Operations and Shared Services at Texas Department of Public Safety.

Mueller earned a bachelor's degree cum laude in Management and Organizational Behavior from Ottawa University and a juris doctor degree from University of Kansas School of Law. She is also a certified information systems security professional (CISSP).

PPL Electric Utilities provides electric delivery service to more than 1.4 million homes and businesses in Pennsylvania and ranks among the best utility companies in the country for customer service and reliability. PPL Electric Utilities is a major employer in the communities it serves. It is a subsidiary of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL). For more information visit www.pplelectric.com.

Visit our media website at www.pplnewsroom.com for additional news and background about PPL Corporation.

Contact: Paul Flake, 610-774-5997

[email protected]

PPL Electric Utilities

SOURCE PPL Electric Utilities

Related Links

http://www.pplelectric.com


NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Lumina Gold Corp. (TSX-V: LUM;OTCQX: LMGDF), a precious and base metals exploration and development company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market.

Lumina Gold Corp. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "LMGDF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

"Trading on OTCQX will enable Lumina Gold Corp. to efficiently provide their U.S. investors with updated news and disclosure," said Jason Paltrowitz, Director of OTC Markets Group International Ltd. and EVP of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "We are pleased to welcome Lumina to our Best Market and look forward to supporting the company as it builds long-term shareholder value."

"Lumina Gold is excited to bring its large scale, development stage Cangrejos gold-copper project to US investors. Trading on OTCQX, will provide Lumina Gold with a platform to continue to expand our U.S. shareholder base and allow a broader group of investors to participate in the exploration success the company has been having in Ecuador," commented Marshall Koval, CEO and Director.

Lumina Gold Corp. was sponsored for OTCQX by Troutman Sanders, LLP, a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership.

About Lumina Gold Corp.

Lumina Gold Corp is a Vancouver, Canada based precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on its Cangrejos Gold-Copper project, located in El Oro Province, southwest Ecuador. The Company has an experienced management team with a successful track record of advancing and monetizing exploration projects.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


ODEM and Blockchain Centre Vilnius jointly recognize the importance of education in advancing the use of blockchain-based solutions in the areas of trade, finance, public administration, and higher learning. ODEM is delighted to assist the Centre, which is acting in partnership with Blockchain Centres in Melbourne and Shanghai to spur the growth of early stage blockchain projects by training specialists in the technology.

"We applaud the Blockchain Centre's guiding role in incubating worthy blockchain startups and linking like-minded entrepreneurs across Europe and around the world," says ODEM CEO Richard Maaghul. "We also recognize the vision and foresight of Blockchain Vilnius Founder Antonas Guoga."

Blockchain Centre Vilnius, established in January 2018, welcomes blockchain entrepreneurs, developers, investors, and regulators to share ideas, know-how, and best practices. The Centre is designed to be a hub for technical, legal, and financial advisory services, with a particular focus on helping blockchain startups achieve their business goals.

"We're convinced that our new partner, ODEM, will play an essential part in finding innovative methods for educating creative blockchain specialists," said Egle Nemiekstyte, CEO of the Blockchain Centre Vilnius. "Our partnership will assist those who are eager to learn and those who are looking for such talents."

ODEM is developing the ODEM Platform on the Ethereum Blockchain to make higher education more accessible, affordable, transferable, and verifiable. The Platform is designed to empower students to customize their education through interaction with educators. Its official rollout is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.

ODEM is also deploying blockchain technology for the creation and storage of academic certificates. Last month, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary partnered with ODEM to become the first post-secondary institution in Canada to issue blockchain-based certificates to a graduating class. For more information, please click here .

ODEM Contact:

Katherine Banks,

Sr Director, Marketing

[email protected]

[email protected]

Tel: +1 (657) 254-7526

Bahnhofstrasse 10

6300 Zug, Switzerland

Join The ODEM.IO Conversation on Telegram .

https://www.linkedin.com/company/odem-io/

https://www.facebook.com/odemio/

https://twitter.com/ODEM_IO

Blockchain Centre Vilnius Contact:

Ruslanas Irzikevicius

Media and Communications Consultant

[email protected]

Tel: +37061431215

SOURCE ODEM.IO

Related Links

https://odem.io/


VANCOUVER and TORONTO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - NexTech AR Solutions Corp. (the "Company" or "NexTech") (CSE: NTAR) (OTC: NEXCF) (FSE: N29) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire AR Ecommerce, LLC ("AR Ecommerce") in consideration for two million common shares of NexTech. AR Ecommerce is a leading eCommerce business which generated approximately $2,650,000 (USD) in revenue (unaudited) and $275,000 (USD) in EBITDA for 2018 (unaudited) for the period from January 1st 2018-December 31st 2018. AR Ecommerce has been in business since 2011 and has served hundreds of thousands of customers over the years. This acquisition brings in house a substantial eCommerce business which NexTech plans on using as a showcase for its augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology stack as well as a foundation for additional strategic acquisitions.

This acquisition will:

Build a strong financial base for our business with key eCommerce partners already in place like Amazon, PayPal, eBay, and established relationships with large well-known brands like Miele, Dyson, and Electrolux.

Accelerate the launch of existing and exciting new AR and AI technologies.

Advance and significantly enhance our knowledge of the AR customer journey through analyzing real time data from our xAPI analytics already installed on site.

Enable the fast integration of a broad range of AR and AI capabilities onto the site creating a one of a kind eCommerce AR/AI showcase for consumers and prospects.

"This strategic acquisition allows us to jump ahead of the pack in the AR eCommerce space and provides a solid foundation of assets for NexTech to leverage into additional eCommerce acquisitions, comments Evan Gappelberg CEO of NexTech. He continues, "If we can buy eCommerce companies and increase the velocity of sales with the integration of our AR and AI technology, then we see that as a very big win and an exciting business opportunity. With this acquisition we're not just offering AR as a technology to others but using it ourselves to create the most robust AR/AI technology stack available in the market today".

The company is seeing very positive early results from integration of its web enabled AR with just one product. These results include:

The first ARitized product on site generated 1 months worth of sales ($5,000) in just 1 week.

in just 1 week. Overall dwell time on page for the ARitized product increased 30% over a 4 week span.

Before AR the average visitor to that product page was worth around $20 .

. After the integration of the NexTech AR eCommerce solution the value per visitor jumped all the way to $43.06 .

Over the next few weeks NexTech will be launching 10 more AR products onto the site. Next month the company expects to advance its eCommerce capabilities as it integrates IBM Watson's Machine Learning into the site. Owning its own eCommerce site allows the company to test and integrate new technologies creating additional value for its eCommerce business, its AR platform and shareholders.

Reuben Tozman, COO of NexTech comments "What's incredibly exciting here is that we're not even close to optimizing the experience for the VCM business and it's already having a significant impact on sales and dwell times. It's our strong belief that nobody is better to provide solutions for the eComm industry than eComm business owners who know how to get results!"

Paul Duffy, President of NexTech comments "our AR, AI and predictive Analytics provide a unique force-multiplier for eCommerce optimization. With initial efforts validating the up-tick in conversions, we are excited to steer our scale from the coming adoption."

According to Statista, global eCommerce sales in 2019 will hit over $3.4 trillion dollars with 55.3% occurring on a desktop computer and 44.7% happening on a mobile device. NexTech's web enabled AR eCommerce solution works on every browser including Chrome, Firefox, Safari and others and on every device including desktops, laptops, iPads and all mobile phones. With a web enabled AR solution NexTech has eliminated the need to download an app which was the biggest friction point of AR adoption.

In consideration for the acquisition, NexTech has agreed to issue 1,000,000 common shares to Reuben Tozman and 1,000,000 common shares to Evan Gappelberg, both of whom are directors and officers of NexTech. As a result, the proposed acquisition of AR Ecommerce from Mr. Tozman and Mr. Gappelberg by NexTech constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61- 101"). NexTech is relying on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, on the basis that the fair market value of the transaction does not exceed 25% of NexTech's market capitalization.

About NexTech AR Solutions Corp.

NexTech is bringing augmented reality (AR) to the masses by creating an AR ecosystem featuring eCommerce solutions for websites, AR learning and education as well as AR live streaming for events. The company has filed a patent around its AR web-enabled eCommerce platform which has been integrated with Shopify, Wordpress and Magento. The AR can "go live" on any ecomm site with just a few lines of embed code creating a highly scalable platform. The global eCommerce industry is a $2.8 trillion-dollar marketplace and growing. NexTech has acquired its e-learning platform "edCetra" which has been used by Fortune 500 companies such as Imperial Oil, Bombardier and Staples, as well as the Library of Congress and others to educate and train employees. NexTech has added augmented reality training and education options into the platform and expects to launch in 2019. The company is also working on bringing forth its AR live streaming platform for shows and live events. All of the companies platforms run off of one CRM which allows for its AR ecosystem to rise up. NexTech launched its ARitize app in August 2018, which is capable of hosting many brands 3D objects and augmented reality experiences. NexTech also owns a large and diverse revenue generating App Portfolio that is deployed on the iTunes and Google play store which it intends to ARitize.

On behalf of the Board of NexTech AR Solutions Corp.

"Evan Gappelberg"

CEO and Director

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, "plans, "will, "will be", "expects" "looking forward" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding NexTech using the eCommerce business to showcase its AR and AI technology; the anticipated benefits of the acquisition to NexTech's business, the launch of 10 AR products onto NexTech's site; the advance of NexTech's eCommerce capabilities after integrating IBM Watson's Machine Learning; anticipated eCommerce sales for 2019;and the launch of added augmented reality training and education options into the Company's platform in 2019 are based on the Company's estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of NexTech to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including capital expenditures and other costs. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. NexTech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Nextech AR Solutions Corp.

Related Links

www.nextechar.com


In his 30-year communications career, Roberts has successfully built and managed teams in the Americas, Africa and Asia Pacific, supporting all aspects of the energy supply chain, from exploration and production to manufacturing, transportation, storage and delivery of products to the customer.

"I am delighted that Russ Roberts will take the lead as we move forward on the next stage of our journey," said James Thompson, CEO of Myriad Global Media. "His proven track record of global leadership and professionalism in the energy industry, and experience in training and media relations, make him the natural choice to drive the expansion of Myriad Global across the Americas over the next decade."

Roberts joins Myriad after 20 years with ExxonMobil Corporation, most recently as Americas Operations Manager, where his team provided public and government affairs support for all businesses from Alaska to Argentina. His team also secured community support and regulatory approval for a multi-billion-dollar plastics manufacturing plant being constructed in partnership with Saudi Arabia Basic Industries along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Prior to ExxonMobil, Roberts worked in Houston in the natural gas pipeline industry after 10 years as a print and radio journalist, and a TV anchor/reporter for NBC and CBS networks in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Roberts holds a journalism degree from Texas A&M University and is a member of several volunteer and professional organizations in Houston.

ABOUT MYRIAD GLOBAL

For nearly 30 years, Myriad Global Media has produced award-winning, cutting-edge digital communications for globally dispersed clients across digital, video, 2D/3D animation, graphic design, e-learning, mixed reality and more. Myriad delivers comprehensive, strategic solutions to help customers communicate, implement and manage internal and external programs that meet or exceed their organizations' goals. Myriad is at the forefront of new immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), developing innovative training solutions that help clients attract and retain employees and grow their businesses.

Myriad operates a global team collaborating together across our major offices in Houston, London and Abu Dhabi.

CONTACT: Shea Sullivan

(713) 377-9937

SOURCE Myriad Global Media

Related Links

www.myriadglobalmedia.com


Netcracker has been part of the top four CSP monetization suppliers since it acquired Convergys in 2012. While the acquisition was responsible for its induction into the CSP monetization market, its growth since then has been largely organic. Its customer-centric, single-supplier operations, orchestration, data analytics and monetization (ODAM) solution suite, Netcracker 12, offers an unparalleled range of valuable business and operations support capabilities far beyond mere end-to-end monetization. Every major ODAM function of Netcracker 12 works seamlessly with other functions without the integration challenges common in earlier CSP business and network operations.

"The success of the Netcracker 12 suite has enabled the company to steadily climb the rankings in Stratecast's report series, from the fifth spot in 2010, to the fourth in 2011-2012, third in 2015, tied for second in 2016, and finally, the sole second in 2017," said Brian Cotton, Partner, SVP. "Its future-proof solutions and services will ensure that it remains relevant even when the market evolves. CSPs will have to deal with several monetization issues as they embrace virtual networks, digital transformation, and 5G-based customer services. While an installed base of operations support system/business support system (OSS/BSS) solutions may present business management capabilities, they may prove inadequate to address new business management needs. Netcracker will thrive in such scenarios as its solution capabilities and delivery experiences are scalable."

Within the partner management sector in particular, Netcracker has established clear dominance and captured 10% more shares than its closest competitor. Geographic differentiation has given the company an important competitive advantage in its partner management product; following the acquisition of Netcracker by its parent company, NEC, the latter transferred all of its monetization assets in Japan to former. These include mediation and partner management solutions.

"The large customer base inherited from NEC, in a country like Japan where mCommerce is extremely strong, has enabled Netcracker to dominate the global partner management segment by differentiating its product and generating substantial revenues," noted Cotton. "It has also allowed the company to create leading-edge technologies and incorporate them in its partner management offering. The success of its solutions has prompted it to re-invest in R&D and ultimately, position itself for complete market domination."

Each year, Frost & Sullivan bestows the Growth Excellence Leadership award upon the company that demonstrates excellence in growth and customer value. It recognizes the superiority of the product/service as well as the overall customer, purchase, ownership, and service experience delivered, which has resulted in the recipient company seeing above-market growth and greater share of wallet. The award lauds the growth, diversification, and sustainability strategies of the company.

Frost & Sullivan also bestows the Market Leadership award upon the company that demonstrates excellence in growth and customer value. Attaining loyal customers who became brand advocates allows the company to grow and achieve a market leadership position. By committing to the customer at each stage of the buying cycle and continuing to nurture the relationship, this Award recognizes a company's increased market share over time.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Netcracker Technology

Netcracker Technology, a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, is a forward-looking software company, offering mission-critical solutions to service providers around the globe. Our comprehensive portfolio of software solutions and professional services enables large-scale digital transformations, unlocking the opportunities of the cloud, virtualization and the changing mobile ecosystem. With an unbroken service delivery track record of more than 20 years, our unique combination of technology, people and expertise helps companies transform their networks and enable better experiences for their customers.

For more information, visit www.netcracker.com.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion .

Contact:

Claudia Toscano

P: 210.477.8417

F: 210.348.1003

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

Related Links

http://www.frost.com


LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MORUS, a hardware innovation startup, is revealing a new clothes dryer, the Zero, with innovative drying technology, at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas ( CES 2019). This energy-saving dryer features both high-speed drying and fabric texture protection.

A working prototype of this innovative and appealing product will be on display at the company's booth, NO.21255, South Hall 1 in the Las Vegas Convention Center from January 8-11.

Over the years, appliance efficiency has been a key area of concern for manufacturers. Dryer brands get into an endless loop when they pursue both drying speed and appliance efficiency. For conventional thermal dryers, the two essential elements are the heat and airflow. The speed of water evaporation is limited by the atmospheric pressure, as water boils at 100oC, but this falls as atmospheric pressure decreases. MORUS' new Zero vacuum clothes dryer is able to harness the pressure inside the dryer to lower the boiling point of the water. Through this method, called vacuum dehydration, it can achieve low-temperature, low-energy-consumption and high-speed clothes drying. This is a proven technology widely used in the food drying industry, and while it may sound easy enough, one of the biggest challenges was designing a vacuum pump that is compact and maintenance-free, as industrial vacuum pumps are always huge.

So what are the advantages of this vacuum clothes dryer? First, the drying process is much faster because the Zero allows the water in the clothes to boil at a lower temperature, so the water will evaporate more easily. Second, vacuum drying can significantly reduce energy use. Clothes dryers are a critical part of the country's energy load, using up to 4% of residential consumption in the United States. The Zero is more energy-efficient because it does not need to heat the drum to a high temperature because the boiling point of water is lowered. Last but not least, the Zero drying clothes at a low temperature protects them. Overheated tumble drying reduces the strength of textiles, and it is a main cause of fabric wear damage.

About MORUS

MORUS is a hardware innovator that specializes in the development and production of smart home appliances. Backed by years of R&D and production experience in the drone and medical care fields, MORUS' core team is committed to making housework smarter by using advanced automation control tools from the robotics industry, as well as other related industries, to cut steps and reduce the time that it takes to complete everyday tasks, making life much more pleasant. For more information, visit: www.morustech.com

Contact:

Nelson Sun

[email protected]

+86-13612901837

SOURCE MORUS

Related Links

http://www.morustech.com


New to the over 12,000 part line are control arm and ball joint assemblies (RK643074 (front, left upper)) for the 2009-2018 Dodge Ram 1500; first-to-market ball joints (K500359 (front, upper)) for the 2015-2017 Ford F150; and control arms (RK642986 (rear, lower front)) for the 2012-2017 Toyota Camry; tie rod ends (EV801307 (inner)) for the 2015-2017 Hyundai Sonata and 2017 Kia Cadenza; and premium, greaseable universal joints (321) for the 2004-2007 Ford F150 and 2005 F150 SuperCrew; and the 2006-2007 Lincoln Mark LT and 2005-2006 Navigator. Collectively, these parts cover over eight million VIO.

2018 also saw significant expansion of the MOOG premium-quality complete knuckle assemblies product line, including coverage for the 2006-2012 Ford Fusion; 2006-2011 Mercury Milan; 2007-2012 Lincoln MKZ and 2006 Zephyr; and 2003-2008 Mazda6 (excluding the 2006-2007 Mazda Speed) (part numbers LK011 (front, left) and LK012 (front, right)). MOOG complete knuckle assemblies dramatically simplify bearing replacement and save time on many popular late-model passenger vehicle applications, and include all the premium components pre-assembled for a complete repair: MOOG knuckle and backing plate with corrosion-resistant E-coat; MOOG wheel hub; National bearing; axle nut; and lock ring. By relying on this comprehensive, bolt-on solution, service providers can save time and eliminate the need for special tools or a press, resulting in an easier installation.



"Every month, MOOG continues to expand its product line to offer technicians the best possible, innovative solutions to cover their customers' vehicle repair needs, demonstrated through the continued expansion of our problem-solving solutions," said Kevin Kolath, director, Product and Business Development, Steering and Suspension, Federal-Mogul Motorparts. "In 2019, the MOOG team will continue to expand the offering of premium products for a range of applications to provide shops with the best quality products available."

To learn more about these and all the other new MOOG products, please visit www.MOOGparts.com contact your MOOG supplier. Like MOOG on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MOOGparts, follow MOOG on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/MOOGparts, or connect with the brand on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/MOOGparts.

About Tenneco

Headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, Tenneco is one of the world's leading designers, manufacturers and marketers of Ride Performance and Clean Air products and technology solutions for diversified markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway equipment and the aftermarket, with 2017 revenues of $9.3 billion and approximately 32,000 employees worldwide.

On October 1, 2018, Tenneco completed the acquisition of Federal-Mogul, a leading global supplier to original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket with nearly 55,000 employees globally and 2017 revenues of $7.8 billion. Additionally, the company expects to separate its businesses to form two new, independent companies, an Aftermarket and Ride Performance company as well as a new Powertrain Technology company, in late 2019.

About the Future Aftermarket and Ride Performance Company

Following the separation, the aftermarket and ride performance company will be one of the largest global multi-line, multi-brand aftermarket companies, and one of the largest global OE ride performance and braking companies. The aftermarket and ride performance company's principal product brands will feature Monroe, Walker, Clevite Elastomers, MOOG, Fel-Pro, Wagner, Champion and others. The Aftermarket and Ride Performance company would have 2017 pro-forma revenues of $6.4 billion, with 57% of those revenues from aftermarket and 43% from original equipment customers.

About the Future Powertrain Technology Company

Following the separation, the powertrain technology company will be one of the world's largest pure-play powertrain companies serving OE markets worldwide with engineered solutions addressing fuel economy, power output, and criteria pollution requirements for gasoline, diesel and electrified powertrains. The powertrain technology company would have 2017 pro-forma revenues of $10.7 billion, serving light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway and industrial markets.

CONTACT:

Karen Shulhan (Federal-Mogul Motorparts)  248.354.4383

[email protected]

Drew Shippy (Pinnacle Media)  330.688.3500

[email protected]

SOURCE Federal-Mogul Motorparts

Related Links

http://www.federalmogul.com


CHICAGO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mesirow Financial acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Disc Graphics, Inc. ("DISC" or the "Company") on its sale to Oliver Printing & Packaging Company ("Oliver"), a portfolio company of Pfingsten Partners, L.L.C. ("Pfingsten").

DISC is a manufacturer of high quality folding carton packaging, micro-fluted corrugated boxes and pressure sensitive labels, serving the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, consumer products, and healthcare markets. Headquartered in Hauppauge, NY, DISC will continue delivering innovative packaging solutions from its current facility as part of the Oliver platform.

Donald Sinkin, chairman and chief executive officer of DISC, commented on the transaction, "Mesirow Financial was instrumental in securing a very positive outcome for DISC's customers, employees and stakeholders."

Rick Weil, managing director of Mesirow Financial's Investment Banking group, said, "It was a privilege to help facilitate the partnership of these highly regarded companies in the printing and packaging industry. We believe that this strategic combination will enable DISC to continue delivering exceptional service and quality, providing a strong foundation for continued success."

The transaction represents another successful assignment completed by Mesirow Financial's Investment Banking group. Mesirow Financial is one of the most active advisors in the paper, plastics, packaging and specialty printing sectors, having completed over 125 transactions in recent years.

About Disc Graphics, Inc.

DISC is a privately held company located in New York. FSC, SFI and PEFC Chain of Custody certified and an EPA Green Power Partner, the Company promotes sustainable packaging practices through its DISCover Green program and manufactures under strict compliance to ISO 9001:2008 and FDA GMP standards. DISC offers a range of advanced capabilities for prepress and design services, digital, flexo and offset printing, and finishing and converting for paperboard, plastic, and mini-flute corrugated packaging as well as pressure-sensitive and extended content labels. To learn more, please visit discgraphics.com.

About Oliver Printing & Packaging Company

Headquartered in Twinsburg, Ohio, Oliver Printing & Packaging Company is a leading provider of highly customized, quick turnaround packaging and marketing collateral solutions. Oliver has made significant investments in modern equipment, facilities and people since Pfingsten became majority shareholder in May 2016. The DISC transaction represents Oliver's second strategic acquisition and aligns with Pfingsten's strategy to create a leading provider of innovative, high quality packaging solutions. In August 2017, Oliver acquired Pohlig Bros. Packaging, based in Richmond, VA. To learn more, please visit oliverprinting.com and pohlig.com.

About Pfingsten Partners, L.L.C.

Pfingsten is an operationally focused private equity firm formed in 1989. From its headquarters in Chicago, IL and representative offices in ChangAn, China, New Delhi, India and Chennai, India, the firm builds better businesses through operational improvements, professional management practices, global capabilities and profitable business growth rather than financial engineering. Since completing its first investment in 1991, Pfingsten has raised five investment funds with total commitments of approximately $1.3 billion and has acquired 134 manufacturing, distribution and business services companies. To learn more, please visit pfingsten.com.

About Mesirow Financial

Mesirow Financial is an independent, employee-owned firm founded in 1937. As specialists in investment, risk management and advisory services, we are committed to helping our institutional, corporate and individual clients achieve their objectives. Our professionals are inspired by an entrepreneurial desire to develop tailored solutions that deliver measurable results. To learn more, please visit mesirowfinancial.com.

CONTACT:

Rebecca Bailen

Mesirow Financial

312.595.7119

[email protected]

Michael Herley/Peter Hill

Kekst

212.521.4897/4859

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Mesirow Financial

Related Links

http://www.mesirowfinancial.com


MIDLAND, Texas, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MCM Energy Partners, LLC announced the recent sale of its leasehold in Ward and Loving Counties, Texas for $42 million. Including the recent sale, the company said it sold more than 4,800 net acres of operated and non-op leasehold in the Midland and Delaware Basins during 2018 for more than $90 million.

Furthermore, MCM expects to close on the sale of Midland Basin leasehold for ~$20MM in Q1 2019. MCM currently owns approximately 1,320 net acres in the core areas of the Midland and Delaware Basins, as well as 12,000 contiguous acres in central Pecos County.

MCM is a privately held company located in Midland, Texas, focused on acquiring oil and gas assets in the Permian Basin. MCM was founded in 2009 by its CEO, Miles McPherren.

SOURCE MCM Energy Partners, LLC
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aegis Health Analytics, LLC is excited to welcome Luis Baco as the newest Member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Baco is a Senior Vice President at Capitol Hill Consulting Group and International Policy Solutions. Prior, Luis served as Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was the Congresswoman's chief policy advisor and oversaw the legislative efforts leading to Puerto Rico's recovery in the aftermath of the devastating hurricanes of 2017. He was responsible for shaping the overall strategic vision of the Congresswoman's healthcare, economic development, energy, and foreign affairs agenda.

Before his return to Congress in January 2017, he was a Capital Partner and Director of the Washington, D.C. office of the Puerto Rico-based McConnell Valdes Law Firm. Prior, Luis served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Luis G. Fortuno, where he spearheaded the creation of the Congressional Friends of Spain Caucus and was a Board Member of the House Chiefs' of Staff Association. From 1999 to 2005 he was Counsel in the Legislative and Government Relations Practice Group of the international Law Firm of McDermott, Will and Emery. Luis was Deputy Executive Director for the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, where he advised the Governor on legislative and federal policy matters and supervised the overall operation and the development of grassroots strategies for the nine regional offices of the Government of Puerto Rico in the continental U.S.

A native Puerto Rican, Luis began his career in Washington as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Congressman Carlos Romero-Barcelo. In that capacity, he was responsible for the development and implementation of legislative strategies in the areas of health care, economic development, higher education, general appropriations, international relations, veterans' affairs and Puerto Rico self-determination. From 1993 to 1994 he also served as a member of President Clinton's National Health Care Reform Task Force.

"Luis Baco is an experienced and accomplished leader with expertise in multiple areas of development and economic impact nationally and internationally including health, energy, commerce and government affairs. His ethics and impeccable character will be a great asset for Aegis," said Dr. Joxel Garcia, the U.S 14th Assistant Secretary for Health and Aegis board member.

"Luis Baco expands Aegis Health Analytics' advisory capabilities in strategic advisory, government relations, financing strategies and innovative use of technologies. Across sectors, Luis' insight and trusted relationships will be tremendously valuable to our clients in health care, economic development, energy, and foreign affairs," said Remy Szykier, Managing Director Aegis Health Analytics.

Mr. Baco holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico, a Juris Doctor from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law, and a Masters' of Law (LL.M.) in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University. He is admitted to the practice of law in Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

He is a 2006 Fellow of the U.S. - Spain Council's Young Leaders Program and, in 2009, was awarded with the Officer's Cross - Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic by King Juan Carlos I of Spain. and has served as member of the Executive Boards of the Puerto Rico Council / Boy Scouts of America, the National Puerto Rican Coalition, and the Center for Puerto Rico Equality and Advancement.

Aegis Health Analytics, LLC is a DC-based, global healthcare consulting firm, specializing in strategy, policy, financing strategies, and predictive data analytics for health plans, payors, life sciences, and providers.

Contact:

1-202-390-1295

www.aegishealthanalytics.com

[email protected]

SOURCE Aegis Health Analytics, LLC
NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hawke Media, an award-winning marketing consultancy based in Los Angeles, is expanding to the East Coast and arriving just in time for NRF 2019 - the world's largest retail conference and expo. In fact, it will be hosting its own networking event at Whitmans Hudson Yards after the second night of NRF.

The networking event, dubbed Brand Alchemy, is the first of a series of events put on by Hawke Media that culminates in its annual ecommerce "anti-conference" Hawkefest. The event series is focused on exploring the magical chemistry between talent, resources and marketing that combine to help accelerate brand growth. Occurring on both coasts, Brand Alchemy is an invite-only experience that will alternate between New York City and Los Angeles, host leaders from the best ecommerce brands and feature programming tailored specifically for growing brands.

This first event, taking place at Whitmans Hudson Yards on Monday, January 14 at 5:30pm, will feature Benjamin Witte who is CEO and founder of Recess, a lifestyle brand that boasts CBD-infused sparkling water. Attendees will enjoy an honest conversation with the young entrepreneur and learn all about how he created a disruptive, successful consumer lifestyle brand.

"After seeing exponential growth for the past five years, we decided it was time for Hawke Media to spread its wings and expand - what better place to start that expansion than New York City?" said Erik Huberman, CEO and founder of Hawke Media. "We're incredibly excited to make our mark on the New York scene and look forward to becoming a part of the East Coast ecommerce community."

Brand Alchemy NYC marks Hawke Media's official landing in New York City and is testament to the company's continued success and growth. For any media inquiries, please email Shayna Zeigen at [email protected] .

About Hawke Media

Established on the idea that every modern business needs a CMO-level expert to lead marketing efforts, Hawke Media specializes in custom, data-driven, performance-focused solutions to help launch, scale and invigorate business of all sizes, industries and revenue models. Founded in 2014 by Erik Huberman, Hawke Media is the nation's fastest growing marketing consultancy and headquartered in sunny Santa Monica. Acting as a full-service outsourced CMO, Hawke offers a wide array of digital marketing services on a month-to-month, a la carte basis.

For more information, please visit www.hawkemedia.com .

Contact:

Shayna Zeigen

(310) 451-7295

[email protected]

SOURCE Hawke Media

Related Links

https://www.hawkemedia.com


PRAGUE, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Krupa Global Investments ("KGI"), one of the largest institutional shareholders of Kraft Heinz, announced today the details of its National Shareholders Day Rally.

Location:

Outside the offices of the SEC Regional Office in New York

Brookfield Place

200 Vesey Street, Suite 400

New York, NY 10281-1022



Demonstrators will be staged on both sides of the building

Date:

Thursday January 10, 2019

Time:

9AM Eastern Time

The rally comes as part of a major campaign by Krupa Global Investments to advocate for a $80/share buyout of Kraft Heinz. Demonstrations have previously been organized in front of the offices of 3G Capital, the offices of Berkshire Hathaway and the offices of various board members and key institutional investors of Berkshire Hathaway and of Kraft Heinz.

"Krupa Global Investments will never yield in its quest to make Kraft Heinz investors whole from their 2015 IPO. We are organizing this National Shareholders Day rally among other demonstrations to bring all key stakeholders together including the SEC, Berkshire Hathaway, 3G Capital, Kraft Heinz and others to work out a solution that is in the best interests of ordinary shareholders of Kraft Heinz. We invite every stakeholder, including Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Jorge Lemann and others to come to the table and figure out how to make this situation right," said Pavol Krupa, Chairman of Krupa Global Investments.

About Krupa Global Investments:

Krupa Global Investments, previously known as Arca Capital, is a private investment group with a focus on energy, real estate, retail and service activities, as well as regulated activities focused on building and managing fund structures focusing on energy, real estate and financial services. It is named after its founder and chairman, Pavol Krupa. The firm takes an activist approach, with the goal of remedying and eliminating management actions that have a negative impact on companies, and with the goal of achieving significant positive change in strategy, financial structure or management. The firm has fought and won many successful battles and in so doing has streamlined companies and realized hundreds of millions in shareholder value. Krupa Global Investments currently has approximately $2 Billion in Assets Under Management.

Contact for media:

Barbora Hanakova, Spokesperson

+420 776 575 096

[email protected]

www.krupainvestments.com

SOURCE Krupa Global Investments

Related Links

http://www.krupainvestments.com


DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kemin Industries, a Des Moines, Iowa-based global nutritional ingredient company that uses science to touch more than 3.8 billion people every day with its products and services, announced the selection of its leadership team for its newest business unit, Kemin AquaScience, formerly known as AquaKulture.

In April 2018, Kemin officially announced it would be dedicating a global team to the aquaculture market in 2019 with a newly formed business unit. The now-launched Kemin AquaScience serves the growing aquaculture industry as it shifts from wild caught to farmed fish and shrimp, expanding its partnership with feed mill operators, farmers and fish meal producers to help raise the healthiest aqua species with better growth, uniformity and economic returns.

"Kemin AquaScience transfers our knowledge and expertise in animal nutrition and health to the aquaculture industry, while maintaining our strong customer experience," said Dr. Chris Nelson, President and CEO, Kemin Industries. "By having strong leadership around the world in the regions where we operate, we can better provide for the global market. We can offer our superior service and our years of experience in innovative solutions to help improve sustainable fishing and shrimp farming."

KP Philip, who has led Kemin AquaScience through its creation, will continue to serve as President. He has been with Kemin for more than 20 years, developing the Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health business unit in India. In 2001, he relocated to Singapore to lead the Animal Nutrition and Health business unit in Asia Pacific and China. Four years later KP became President of the global, newly demerged Kemin Food Technologies, based in Belgium. He returned to India in 2010 to manage the business unit he launched. In 2016, he moved back to Belgium to lead Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EMENA).

Leo Xie-Lei recently joined Kemin as Chief Commercial Officer for the business unit and Regional Director of its China market, based in Shanghai. For the past decade Xie-Lei has held business leadership positions in the nutrition and food industries, most recently as President, Asia Pacific for the enzymes, cultures and yeast extract business of Royal DSM NV. Prior to that he was Vice President of Greater China for DSM's Human Nutrition and Health Business.

Three other regional directors will be located in aquaculture markets across the globe to best serve customers:

Chinnadurai Sugumar will be the Regional Director for the South Asia market. He joined Kemin in 2007 as a product manager for Animal Nutrition and Health  India, before moving to the company's Singapore office in 2010, where he was later promoted to platform manager for Animal Nutrition and Health  Asia Pacific. Sugumar has 14 years of experience with feed formulation, as well as feed mill and farm operations in both the aquaculture and animal feed industries.

Nicola Tallarico will serve as Regional Director for the EMENA market. In 2010, he became a technical service manager for Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health  EMENA, following the acquisition of Eurhema, where he had worked for several years. Tallarico then moved into the role of product manager for Kemin's SAFE platform, the company's program designed to guarantee safety of feed by controlling microorganisms, mycotoxins and oxidation challenges.

Ning Widjaja will be the Regional Director for the Asia Pacific market. She served as the region's aqua business manager for Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health prior to the demerger of Kemin AquaScience. Widjaja has worked for more than a decade in the aquaculture industry, covering many aspects of the value chain across multiple countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, India and China.

Dr. M. Rajalekshmi, R&D Director, will handle global research and development for Kemin AquaScience. For the past 12 years, she has led Kemin research groups on diverse projects catering to animal nutrition and health. Dr. Rajalekshmi has numerous publications and patents associated with new products and processes in aquaculture and animal nutrition. She received her bachelor's degree from Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and holds a Ph.D. in post-harvest technology from the Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Mumbai, India.

To learn more about the solutions and services offered by Kemin AquaScience, please visit kemin.com/aquascience.

About Kemin Industries

Kemin Industries (www.kemin.com) is a global ingredient manufacturer with a focus on improving the quality of life for over 3.8 billion people each day with more than 500 specialty ingredients made for the human and animal health, pet food, nutraceutical, food technology, crop technologies and textile industries.

For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offers product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety and efficacy of food, feed and health-related products.

Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately-held, family-owned and operated company with more than 2,800 employees globally and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.

Media Contact:

Jessica Schultz, Marketing Manager, [email protected], 563.380.5315

SOURCE Kemin Industries

Related Links

http://kemin.com


"Ivan brings the kind of start-up mindset and diverse experience in global tech and automotive environments we need to build out a world-class in-house marketing team," Zhou said. "Karma continues to attract the kinds of top talent and leadership required to achieve our goals and execute on a solid product plan that spans the next decade."

Wang comes to Karma from Faraday Future where he served as Global Director of Social Media and Digital Marketing and was a member of its Global Marcom Strategy Committee, responsible for all of the company's Marketing & Communications projects globally. Prior to his role at Faraday, Wang lead Social Media and Digital Marketing at LeEco, a China-based streaming video and consumer technology company, where he managed content strategy for all external communications for its Asia-Pacific markets. Wang also held roles at Cheetah Mobile, the world's leading mobile utility and content app developer, and Xiaomi Tech, the largest wearable device manufacturer and fourth largest smartphone maker globally.

"I'm excited to join Karma and help lead the organization's in-house marketing team and its efforts to create the kind of compelling and engaging content and consumer-facing strategies required to build long-term brand value and support the company's well-funded business strategy," Wang said. "It's important we promote collaboration within the overall marketing communications team to create the right consumer narrative and ensure our story is aligned and coordinated across all external and internal channels."

Karma's "Value-Forward" business plan is centered on nurturing and growing a unique luxury electric vehicle niche. The brand is defined by exclusive design and craftsmanship, intuitive and integrated high technology, an owner experience with unrivaled treatment, and personalized customization that allows every Karma vehicle to be special. Zhou's strategy also encourages collaboration with the right business partners to help accelerate technology and product development

Wang earned a B.A. in Applied Linguistics and Language Studies from Chung-Yuan University in Taiwan. His new role, which reports directly to Zhou until a pending organizational structure is finalized, illustrates the brand's strong commitment to more proactive and robust marketing communications efforts in both the U.S. and China.

"You will see increasing evidence of that in 2019 through our active participation at and around CES, the New York International Auto Show, Auto Shanghai 2019, Monterey Car Week, and AutoMobility LA 2019," Zhou added.

Meet Karma Automotive and Karma Revero

Karma Automotive designs, engineers, assembles and markets luxury electric vehicles, all from its Southern California base of operations. Founded in 2014 and employing nearly 1,000 people worldwide, Karma Automotive is committed to elevating and growing the luxury mobility experience for its customers and draws on global relationships and technology partners to achieve this. Named Green Car Journal's 2018 Luxury Green Car of the Year, Karma Revero is a luxury electric vehicle powered by dual electric motors that embodies the company's goals of offering leading automotive design, technology, customization and an outstanding customer experience.

Learn more about Karma Automotive and Revero at www.karmaautomotive.com or visit the password-free Karma Newsroom at www.karmanewsroom.com for the latest press releases, videos and images.

SOURCE Karma Automotive

Related Links

http://www.karmaautomotive.com


MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Young people are living up to the "Generation Yum" label coined by author Eve Turow with their connection to the people, places and practices that raise our foodaccording to new research from Cargill.

"I'm thrilled that people are deepening their understanding of agriculture," said Hilary Maricle, co-owner of Maricle Family Farms in Nebraska, U.S., and mom of five. "By creating harmony between farmers and consumers, we can help people appreciate where their food comes fromand how innovative practices are creating healthier, more sustainable farms."

In its latest Feed4Thought survey, Cargill found that twice as many young respondents (18  34) in the U.S. and China reported knowing a livestock or seafood farmer compared to those over 55with similar trends in Mexico and France. And while 81 percent of 18-to-34-year-old Chinese participants said they have visited a livestock or seafood farm during their lifetime, only 50 percent of their older compatriots had. Young respondents in every country surveyed were more likely to have visited a farm than those over 55, despite the fact that, globally, there are fewer farmers to know or visit today than there were a generation ago.

Generation Y (born between the early 1980s and about 2000) is also acting on what they learn about farming practices. Almost three times as many Gen Y participants (52 percent) said they had changed their eating habits for sustainability reasons in the past year versus older U.S. respondents (19 percent). Mexico, France and China showed a similar age correlationwith 80 percent of young Chinese reporting changes. Having kids at home made participants in all four sample countries more likely to make values-based changes.

"We know people increasingly care about animal welfare, the healthfulness of foods and sustainability," said Marina Crocker, head of Cargill Animal Nutrition market insights. "By pairing Cargill's understanding of what our customers need with state-of-the-art analytics about what people want, we can anticipate and serve emerging consumer expectations in the solutions we provide our customers."

This could mean anything from using blockchain to link U.S. consumers with the family farmer who raised the Honeysuckle White turkey they purchased to implementing full traceability in Cargill's cocoa supply chains by 2030 as part of our Cocoa Promise. It could be running a sustainable beef pilot in Canada to connect customers with certified products or helping farmers improve cows' productivity, sustainability and well-being by using Cainthus facial recognition technology to monitor individual feeding, drinking and activity.

"The digital revolution has arrived in agriculture," says Scott Ainslie, vice president and group director for Cargill's animal nutrition premix business. "This will offer our customers a completely different way of making decisions and marketing their products. For example, they could use real-time data collected from on-farm sensors to inform nutritional programs, detect heat in dairy cows or determine the best harvest date for pigs and broilers. All this improves the health, well-being and productivity of their animals."

Over 80 percent of survey respondents said the way an animal is raised is important, and almost half of them were willing to pay more as a result. Chinese survey participants (59 percent) were the most open to paying a premium based on factors such as animal feed and housing; Americans (31 percent) the least. But "Generation Yum" respondents in the U.S., as well as their Chinese contemporaries, were more willing than their grandparents to pay for their preferred practices. Generational shifts aside, there was one thing participants of almost every age, gender, income bracket, household size and nationality agreed on: The top responsibility of a livestock or seafood farmer, according to respondents of this global research, was producing safe food for consumers.

About Cargill

Cargill's 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive.

We combine 153 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

About Cargill Animal Nutrition

Cargill's animal nutrition business has more than 20,000 employees at more than 275 facilities in 40 countries. Fueled by our innovation and research, we offer a range of products and services to feed manufacturers, animal producers, and feed retailers around the world, helping put food on the plates of nearly one billion people around the world every day. Cargill's animal nutrition business offers a range of compound feed, premixes, feed additives, supply chain and risk management solutions, software tools and animal nutrition expertise that is unmatched in the industry. For more information about Cargill Animal Nutrition, visit: http://www.cargill.com/feed.

About Cargill Animal Nutrition's Feed4Thought Survey

Feed4Thought is a regular consumer survey effort from Cargill Animal Nutrition that explores key perceptions and opinions about important topics in the animal protein supply chain. The online survey for Cargill Animal Nutrition was conducted by ORC International. The survey was conducted in November 2018 and polled a demographically representative sample of 4,008 adults, in the U.S., China, France and Mexico.



More fish please, say U.S. and British consumersand make it healthy

https://www.cargill.com/2018/more-fish-please-say-us-and-british-consumers

U.S. consumers confident their food is safe as grilling season kicks off

https://www.cargill.com/2018/us-consumers-confident-their-food-is-safe-as-grilling-season

What pigs eat matters to millennials

https://www.cargill.com/2017/what-pigs-eat-matters-to-millennials

SOURCE Cargill

Related Links

http://www.cargill.com


BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- John Travolta, the "Official Ambassador of Aviation" will host the 16th annual "Living Legends of Aviation Awards" on Jan. 18, 2019 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in California. The event honors those who have made significant contributions to aviation. Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos will be among the many accomplished people to receive awards this year.

Living Legend of Aviation Dr. Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus, will present Bezos with the "Jeff Bezos Freedom's Wings Award." It honors Mr. Bezos's advancing the principles of freedom in business and his personal endeavors. Mr. Bezos will be inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation.

Joining Mr. Bezos as 2019 inductees are:

Mr. Kenn Ricci , Founder and CEO of Directional Aviation Capital.

, Founder and CEO of Directional Aviation Capital. Mr. Brian Barents , retired executive chairman and CEO at Aerion.

, retired executive chairman and CEO at Aerion. Mr. Rick Fiddler , director of Amway Aviation.

, director of Amway Aviation. Col. Joe Kittinger , retired, United States Air Force.

, retired, United States Air Force. Mr. John Leahy , retired Airbus executive.

, retired Airbus executive. Kenny G, pilot and Grammy-Award-winning musician.

The Legends will honor the following individuals:

Mr. Jean Rosanvallon will receive the "Lifetime Aviation Industry Award ." President and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet, Mr. Rosanvallon was originally recruited by Dassault Aviation in 1975 to coordinate the company's Falcon Business Jet program.

will receive the ." President and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet, Mr. Rosanvallon was originally recruited by Dassault Aviation in 1975 to coordinate the company's Falcon Business Jet program. Legendary actor Harrison Ford will present his "Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award."

will present his Mr. Richard DeVos will be honored for creating and founding the West Michigan Aviation Academy. His charter school has helped over 50 students earn their private pilot's license. The curriculum focuses on excelling both in aviation and in life.

will be honored for creating and founding the West Michigan Aviation Academy. His charter school has helped over 50 students earn their private pilot's license. The curriculum focuses on excelling both in aviation and in life. Mr. Jim Payne will be honored for his Perlan 2 Glider Project, an aircraft that flies to 90,000 feet to explore the science of giant mountain waves that help create the ozone hole and change global climate models.

will be honored for his Perlan 2 Glider Project, an aircraft that flies to 90,000 feet to explore the science of giant mountain waves that help create the ozone hole and change global climate models. Mr. Bertrand Piccard will be honored for his record-breaking around the world flight in the Solar Impulse aircraft.

will be honored for his record-breaking around the world flight in the Solar Impulse aircraft. Mr. Jeff Bezos will receive the Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award.

Bezos will receive the Mr. Stefan Aust will receive the " Wings of Help Award."

will receive the " Mr. Brian Barents will receive the Aviation Industry Leader of the Year Award.

Mr. Travolta will honor Qantas with the "Safest, Longest Continuous Operating Airline Award." The award will be presented to Mr. Leigh Clifford, Qantas Chairman.

The Legends will pay tribute to two "Flown West Legends" during 2018.

Mr. Paul Allen , cofounder of Microsoft and renowned philanthropist. Allen had a serious interest in preserving and advancing American's aviation and space efforts.

, cofounder of Microsoft and renowned philanthropist. Allen had a serious interest in preserving and advancing American's aviation and space efforts. Bruce Whitman , former United States Air Force pilot who devoted much of his life to FlightSafety International, where his passion for aviation safety and dedication to flight training innovation received international acclaim.

Moderated by NBC Tom Costello, a "Fireside Chat with the "Legends" will round out the most spectacular Legends Awards event of the 16 years of historical and memorable aviation/aerospace celebrations.

The "Living Legends of Aviation Awards" are produced by the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a 501-c-3 non-profit organization. Kiddie Hawk's mission is to educate children and spark their interest in aviation/aerospace. Please visit LivingLegendsOfAviation.org for more information.

Official Release

SOURCE Kiddie Hawk Air Academy

Related Links

https://www.livinglegendsofaviation.org


OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Isola Bella Apartments has long been the largest provider of FAA Student housing in Oklahoma City. The government shutdown has created real hardship for many Federal employees, including FAA Student training at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. FAA Students come from across the United States and overseas to train at the facility. The abrupt shutdown of the government forces students to return home, and then travel back once the shutdown ends.

Isola Bella Apartments Spacious living area

To help turn this problem into a benefit for the students, Isola Bella has been providing complimentary housing in January for students during the shutdown. As part of its basic plan for serviced residents, Isola Bella provides not only a full apartment home, but also includes dining privileges with hot breakfast and dinner on weekdays and weekend brunches. Isola Bella continues to provide this service to the affected students residing at the property.

"This has been a huge relief. Being able to stay for free while we are not getting a paycheck is an amazing help. This changes the shutdown into a manageable situation that ends up providing us with more time to study because we can stay in place," says David Coria. Mr. Coria lives in El Paso, Texas and is currently studying to be an air traffic controller, at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City.

Isola Bella has always believed that doing good things for the community brings benefits to all concerned. This is one of the many ways that Isola Bella works with the community in unique ways to help better serve not only residents but the larger community.

"We think of the FAA Students that stay with us as family," states Kristy Koon, General Manager of Isola Bella. "By providing this service, we are trying to turn a negative into a positive. We know the added time for study with fellow students will increase their success rates. And, that is our number one goal for our FAA Students---their success."

Isola Bella has recently introduced new luxury apartment homes with 63 Luxxe at Isola Bella. Isola Bella is the only corporate housing in Oklahoma City that offers full hotel services to their residents. In addition to FAA Students, Isola Bella has provided lodging for nearly all of the top employers in the city, as well as the Veterans Administration and other government entities.

Isola Bella is located at 6303 NW 63rd Street in Oklahoma City between MacArthur and Rockwell. For more information, visit www.MyIsolaBella.com.

Media Contact:

Kristy Koon, General Manager

Isola Bella Apartments

6303 NW 63rd Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73132

405-721-2194

[email protected]

SOURCE Isola Bella

Related Links

http://www.MyIsolaBella.com


YANGON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The door for peace talks is always open to the armed groups, said spokesman of Myanmar's Presidential Office U Zaw Htay late on Monday in Nay Pyi Taw.

He said the pursuit of peace through the Peace Commission would not be blocked.

He reiterated the government welcomes political dialogue on nationalities' rights, equality and federal rights at the 21st Century Panglong Peace conference.

The armed group Arakan Army (AA) launched coordinated attacks on the four border police outposts in Nga Myin Baw, Kyaung Taung, Ka Htee Hla and Goke Pi villages in Buthidaung, Rakhine state on Friday morning, killing 13 police and wounding nine others.

Meanwhile, President U Win Myint chaired a coordination meeting on Myanmar's international relations, national security, Rakhine state and border security issues at the Presidential Palace on Monday following the incident.

The meeting was attended by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, two vice presidents and Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar armed forces, among others.

The presidential office has instructed to reinforce the security forces in the conflicted areas, U Zaw Htay said.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) condemned on Sunday the recent attacks by the AA on the four border police outposts as acts of terrorism, which caused negative impact on the peace and stability in the state and significantly affecting the national reconciliation and peace process.

[ Editor: WPY ]
TUCSON, Ariz., Jan 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- For decades, the U.S. has relied on the threat of nuclear retaliation to deter an attack on our homelandbut what if it comes at our southern border?

Leaving aside the moral question, deterrence is inapplicable to many current threats. Drug trafficking through a largely open 2,000-mile border is so lethal that it has been called a form of chemical warfare. First responders have been hospitalized because of contact with minuscule doses of fentanyl. And many of the 5,000 on-duty Border Patrol agents are diverted by having to care for children who are brought in illegally in overwhelming numbers.

Law enforcers warn that embedded in the mass of migrants are determined terrorists as well as gang members and other violent criminals. Once inside, these militants could coordinate attacks like the horrific 2004 school siege in Beslan, Russia.

Against such "asymmetric warfare," missiles and aircraft carriers are irrelevant. But while the press and Congress are preoccupied with political attacks on the Commander-in-Chief, what is the state of our military? In his State of the Nation speech in Moscow on Mar 1, 2018, Vladimir Putin boasted of new Russian systems, including nuclear-powered and hypersonic cruise missiles.

In a talk at the 2018 meeting of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness, Dr. Donald Miller stated: "Putin's speechpublicly ended U.S. military supremacy. The United States is no longer the world's technologically superior superpower. Russia is."

Gen. John Hyten, Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, told Congress: "We don't have any defense that could deny the employment of such [hypersonic] weapons against us." Are U.S. aircraft carrier groups only useful against small, defenseless nations?

How well do Russian-made air defenses protect Syrian targets against the U.S. Air Force? Perhaps it is wise not to test them. Are U.S. defenses better than on 9/11 in 2001, when they apparently failed to protect Manhattan and the Pentagon against hijacked civilian aircraft?

"The US. needs to set political squabbles aside and come together to protect our citizens and our freedom against enemies foreign and domestic," stated Physicians for Civil Defense president Jane Orient, M.D.

Physicians for Civil Defense distributes information to help to save lives in the event of war or other disaster.

Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected]

SOURCE Physicians for Civil Defense

Related Links

https://www.physiciansforcivildefense.org


VALLEY COTTAGE, New York, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Future Market Insights (FMI) has recently published a report titled 'Industrial Agitators Market - Global Industry Analysis 2013-2018 and Opportunity Assessment 2019-2027.' Industrial agitators are simple instruments used for the mixing of two types of liquids together. However, with time, industrial agitators are being used in more applications and for performing different functions such as keeping the homogeneous liquid bulk during storage, increasing the heat transfer and promoting the reaction between chemicals. Industrial agitators work on the basic principle where the rotation of the impeller is used for the blending of the liquids.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677274/Future_Market_Insights_Logo.jpg )



The global industrial agitators market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period. The industrial agitators market was valued at US$ 2293.4 Mn in 2018, and is projected to grow significantly to reach US$ 4487.6 Mn by 2027 due to the flexibility provided by industrial agitators to work in multiple industries and the increasing number of small and medium manufacturers across the world, which receive funding from venture capitalists as well as help from the governments of their countries of operation.

In this report, FMI has segmented the global industrial agitators market by type, by model, by end user and by region. By type, the industrial agitators market is sub-segmented into top entry industrial agitators, side-entry industrial agitators and bottom-entry industrial agitators. The top-entry industrial agitators sub-segment of the global industrial agitators market is projected to register a 69.0% market share at the end of 2018. In addition, in terms of volume, the top-entry industrial agitators sub-segment is also expected to register a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period.

A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3323

Based on model, the industrial agitators market is sub-segmented into large-tank agitators, drum agitators, portable agitators and tote agitators. Due to the increasing demand from the paints & coatings industry as well as the inks & pigments industry, the tote industrial agitators sub-segment is expected to register a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period. In the recent years, industrial agitators have been gaining traction in the developing countries as there is an increase in the number of chemical industries where the industrial agitators find applications. It has been observed that an increase in the number of laboratories and research institutions is also driving the industrial agitators market due to an increase in the number of industrial agitators at research laboratories of the food, pulp & paper and similar other industries in the recent times. Due to these factors, the tote industrial agitators sub-segment is projected to create potential growth opportunities for the manufacturers of industrial agitators.

Based on end user, the global industrial agitators market is segmented into chemical, pharmaceutical, food & beverages, paper & pulp, waste & wastewater treatment, and oil, gas & petrochemical. In terms of value, the chemicals sub-segment is projected to register a CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period, and, in terms of volume, the paper and pulp sub-segment is expected to register a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period. In addition, advancements in technology have resulted in an increase in the demand for application-specific customised industrial agitators, which is among the key factors expected to boost the market during the forecast period. Owing to these factors, the chemicals sub-segment of the global industrial agitators market is projected to register a 22.3% market share at the end of 2018.

Preview Analysis On Industrial Agitators Market: Global Industry Analysis (2013 - 2018) & Opportunity Assessment (2019 - 2027): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/industrial-agitators-market

In addition, the report covers the trends that drive all the segments and offers insights & analysis about the growth potential of the industrial agitators market in various regions, which include Europe (Germany, Italy, France, Spain, U.K. & the rest of Europe), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico & the rest of Latin America), APEJ (China, India, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore & the rest of APEJ), North America (U.S. & Canada), MEA (GCC Countries, Israel, South Africa & the rest of MEA) and Japan. The revenue contribution of APEJ is estimated to increase at a CAGR of 8.4% over the forecast period due to consistent innovations as well as an increase in the number of research activities at laboratories, which is fuelling the adoption of industrial agitators in this region.

According to FMI analysis, strategies such as product innovations, improvements in durability and others are estimated to boost the revenue, due to which the vendors of industrial agitators are likely to be able to reach new growth markets. Xylem Inc. is one of the prominent vendors in the industrial agitators market. The company offers industrial agitators for different end-users such as chemicals, pulp and papers etc. As per FMI analysis, Xylem Inc. plans to upgrade its existing products to enhance its customer base by providing an improved user experience. Some of the key players featured in the global industrial agitators market report include Xylem Inc., Silverson Machines Ltd., Dynamix Agitators Inc., EKATO HOLDING GmbH, Philadelphia Mixing Solutions, Ltd., Tacmina Corporation, SPX FLOW, Inc., Sulzer Ltd, Statiflo International Ltd., MIXEL Agitators, Mixer Direct Inc., Alfa Laval AB.

Request Report TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-3323

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COVINGTON, La., Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. (NYSE:HOS) (the "Company") announced today that it has commenced a private offer to exchange (the "Exchange Offer") up to $200 million aggregate principal amount (the "Tender Cap") of its outstanding 5.875% Senior Notes due 2020 (the "Notes") for new Second Lien Term Loans due 2025 (the "Term Loans") of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC (the "Co-Borrower"), upon the terms and conditions set forth in a confidential offer to exchange and consent solicitation statement dated January 7, 2019 and a related letter of transmittal (together, the "Offer to Exchange Statement").

In conjunction with the Exchange Offer, and upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Exchange Statement, the Company is soliciting consents ("Consents") from holders of the Notes ("Holders") to certain proposed amendments (the "Proposed Amendments") to the indenture governing the Notes, dated as of March 16, 2012 (the "Indenture"), which will become effective with respect to the Indenture if Consents by Holders representing not less than a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes are received to adopt the Proposed Amendments (the "Proposed Amendment Requisite Consents").

A summary of the Exchange Offer is outlined below:

Notes to be

Exchanged CUSIP Outstanding

Aggregate

Principal

Amount (1) Tender Cap Early Participation

Premium (3) Total Consideration

Range (2)(3)(4) 5.875% Senior

Notes due 2020 440543AL0 $366,942,000 $200,000,000 $20 in Term Loans $760 to $850 in Term Loans





(1) Aggregate principal amount outstanding as of January 7, 2019.



(2) The Total Consideration includes the Early Participation Premium, which consists of $20 in Term Loans per $1,000 principal amount of Notes in excess of the amount of $740 to $830 in Term Loans per $1,000 principal amount of Notes included in the Exchange Consideration (as defined below).



(3) The Total Consideration or Exchange Consideration, as applicable, will be paid for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes accepted for exchange. In addition, accrued and unpaid interest will be paid on the Notes exchanged in the Exchange Offer, up to, but not including, the Settlement Date.



(4) Each Term Loan dollar figure represents the principal amount of such Term Loan being exchanged for each $1,000 principal amount of the Notes.

The Company is offering to exchange Notes up to the Tender Cap, in accordance with the modified Dutch Auction procedures, described below and as more fully set forth in the Offer to Exchange Statement.

The Term Loans will be made pursuant to a second lien term loan agreement (the "Second Lien Term Loan Agreement") to be entered into by the Company, the Co-Borrower and the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, respectively, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent. The Term Loans will have a maturity date of the sixth anniversary of the Settlement Date (as defined in the Offer to Exchange Statement) and will bear interest at a fixed rate per annum of 9.50%. The Term Loans will be guaranteed by certain of the Company's present and future domestic subsidiaries and secured on a second lien basis, subject to certain permitted liens, by a second-priority interest in the collateral securing the Company's existing $300 million first-lien delayed-draw term loan facility, dated June 15, 2017, which was fully drawn as of December 31, 2018.

The Exchange Offer will expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on February 4, 2019, unless extended by the Company (the "Expiration Time"). For each $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 18, 2019 (as it may be extended, the "Early Tender Time") and accepted for exchange by the Company, Holders will be eligible to receive the "Total Consideration" set forth in the table above, which includes an early participation premium of $20 in principal amount of the Term Loans per $1,000 of Notes. For each $1,000 in principal amount of Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time and at or prior to the Expiration Time and accepted for exchange by the Company, Holders will be eligible to receive only the "Exchange Consideration" set forth in the footnotes to the table above.

Promptly following the Early Tender Time (the "Early Acceptance Date"), whether or not the Exchange Offer is fully subscribed, the Company will determine the Total Consideration for the Notes and intends to accept for exchange Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time, subject to the Tender Cap, proration and the other terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer.

If the Exchange Offer is not fully subscribed as of the Early Tender Time, the Company intends to accept for exchange promptly following the Expiration Time (the "Final Acceptance Date") any Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time and at or prior to the Expiration Time, subject to the Tender Cap, proration and the other terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer. The exchange of consideration for such Notes, if any, will be made on or promptly following the Final Acceptance Date (such date of exchange, the "Settlement Date") and will be equal to the Exchange Consideration. The "Exchange Consideration" for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer after the Early Tender Time and at or prior to the Expiration Time and accepted for exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be equal to the Total Consideration (which will be equal to the Clearing Price (as defined below)) less the Early Participation Premium.

All accrued and unpaid interest on Notes exchanged in the Exchange Offer from the last interest payment date to, but not including, the Settlement Date will be paid in cash. Interest on the Term Loans will accrue from the Settlement Date.

The Exchange Offer is conditioned on a minimum of a majority (or greater than $183,838,000) of the aggregate principal amount of Notes being validly tendered and accepted for exchange by the Company in the Exchange Offer (the "Minimum Tender Condition"). The consummation of the Exchange Offer is also subject to, and conditioned upon, the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions set out in the Offer to Exchange Statement, including the receipt of the Proposed Amendment Requisite Consents. The Company reserves the right to waive or modify any of the conditions of the Exchange Offer, including the Minimum Tender Condition and receipt of the Proposed Amendment Requisite Consents, in its absolute and sole discretion. The consummation of the Exchange Offer is also subject to the Company's right to amend the Exchange Offer prior to the Expiration Time. Tenders may not be withdrawn.

The Exchange Offer is being conducted as a modified "Dutch Auction." Holders who elect to participate must specify the principal amount of Term Loans they would be willing to accept in exchange for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes they choose to tender in the Exchange Offer. The principal amount of Term Loans that Holders specify for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes must be in increments of $5.00, and must be within a range of $760.00 (the "Minimum Bid Amount") to $850.00 (the "Maximum Bid Amount") per $1,000 principal amount of Notes. Holders who tender their Notes but do not specify a Bid Amount will be deemed to have specified a Bid Amount equal to the Minimum Bid Amount in respect of Notes tendered and to accept the Clearing Price (as described below) determined by the Company in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer. Tenders of Notes for which a price is specified below the Minimum Bid Amount or in excess of the Maximum Bid Amount will not be accepted and will not be used for the purpose of determining the Clearing Price. Tenders of Notes not submitted in whole increments of $5.00 will be rounded down to the nearest $5.00 increment.

Subject to the Tender Cap, proration and the other terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer, the Company anticipates accepting Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer in the order of the lowest to the highest Bid Amounts specified by tendering Holders (in increments of $5.00), and on the Early Acceptance Date will select the single lowest Bid Amount per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (the "Clearing Price") to enable the Company to exchange the principal amount of Notes equal to the Tender Cap (or, if Notes in a principal amount less than the Tender Cap are validly tendered, all Notes so tendered). The Bid Amount at which Notes were validly tendered on or prior to the Early Tender Time (which includes the Early Participation Premium) will be used for the purpose of determining the Clearing Price and proration, as described below, on the Early Acceptance Date.

The Company will exchange the same consideration (subject to adjustment, as described below) for all Notes validly tendered at or below the Clearing Price and accepted for exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer. Consideration exchanged for Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time but at or prior to the Expiration Time and accepted for exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be reduced by the Early Participation Premium. In addition, Holders whose Notes are validly tendered and accepted for exchange pursuant to the Exchange Offer will receive a cash payment representing the accrued and unpaid interest on such Notes from the last interest payment date for such Notes preceding the Settlement Date (October 1, 2018) to, but not including, the Settlement Date.

If at the Early Tender Time the aggregate principal amount of the Notes validly tendered at or below the Clearing Price exceeds the Tender Cap, then on the Early Acceptance Date, the Company anticipates accepting for exchange (subject to the terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer), first, Notes validly tendered at Bid Amounts (in increments of $5.00) below the Clearing Price and, thereafter, Notes validly tendered at the Clearing Price on a prorated basis according to the principal amount of such Notes such that the Company exchanges an aggregate principal amount of Notes up to the Tender Cap. All Notes not accepted on the Early Acceptance Date as a result of proration and all Notes tendered at Bid Amounts in excess of the Clearing Price will be rejected from the Exchange Offer and will be returned to tendering Holders.

Any Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Expiration Time may be accepted subject to proration in accordance with the terms of the Exchange Offer in the event that the aggregate principal amount of all Notes validly tendered as of the Expiration Time would exceed the Tender Cap. Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time will have priority over Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Time and at or prior to the Expiration Time.

In order for a Holder of the Notes (or its designee) to receive Term Loans, such Holder of the Notes must provide an executed signature page to the Second Lien Term Loan Agreement and meet certain administrative requirements (including completing an administrative questionnaire and IRS Form W-9 or the applicable Form W-8). Holders are encouraged to contact the information and exchange agent as early as possible (even before tendering Notes) using the email address on the back cover of the Offer to Exchange Statement to furnish such documentation to the information and exchange agent.

The complete terms and conditions of the Exchange Offer, as well as the terms of the Term Loans, are described in the Offer to Exchange Statement, copies of which may be obtained by Holders of the Notes by contacting Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the information and exchange agent in connection with the Exchange Offer, at (866) 470-3700 (toll-free) or (212) 430-3774 (banks and brokers) or by visiting the information and exchange agent's website at http://gbsc-usa.com/Hornbeck.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. ("Oppenheimer") is acting as lead financial advisor and sole dealer manager for the Exchange Offer and solicitation of Consents. Questions regarding the Offers may be directed to Oppenheimer whose address and telephone number are as follows:

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

85 Broad Street

New York, NY 10004

(212) 667-7900

None of the Company, its board of directors, its officers, the dealer manager, the information and exchange agent, the administrative agent with respect to the Term Loans or the trustee with respect to the Notes, or any of the Company's or their respective affiliates, makes any recommendation that Holders tender or refrain from tendering all or any portion of the principal amount of their Notes, and no one has been authorized by any of them to make such a recommendation. Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender their Notes and, if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender. This press release shall not constitute an offer to exchange, nor a solicitation of an offer to exchange any security. The Exchange Offer is being made only by the Offer to Exchange Statement, subject to the terms and conditions thereof.

Subject to certain restrictions on the Company designed to protect Holders that participate in the Exchange Offer from being treated less favorably than non-participating Holders or holders of the Company's 5.000% Notes due 2021 (the "2021 Notes") in any subsequent exchanges of Notes or 2021 Notes during the 90 days following the Effective Date, from time to time following the Exchange Offer, the Company or any of its affiliates may purchase additional Notes that remain outstanding in the open market, in privately negotiated transactions, through tender offers, exchange offers or otherwise, or may redeem or defease the Notes pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the Notes. Any future purchase may be on the same terms or on terms that are more or less favorable to Holders than the terms of the Exchange Offer. Any future purchases by the Company will depend on various factors existing at that time. There can be no assurance as to which, if any, of these alternatives (or combinations thereof) the Company will pursue in the future.

Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. is a leading provider of technologically advanced, new generation offshore service vessels primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and Latin America.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including, in particular, statements about the Company's plans and intentions with regard to the Exchange Offer. These statements are based on the Company's current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company can give no assurance that the expectations will prove to be correct.

Contacts: Todd Hornbeck, CEO

Jim Harp, CFO

Hornbeck Offshore Services

985-727-6802





Ken Dennard, Managing Partner

Dennard Lascar / 713-529-6600

SOURCE Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hornbeckoffshore.com


Hong Kong Airlines' 2018 OTP rating of 88.11% is the result of ongoing efforts to improve its operational efficiency and strive towards service excellence. The airline operates out of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), one of the busiest hubs in the world and is proud to call the Midfield Concourse its home, where over 90% of its flights arrive and depart. Last year, Hong Kong Airlines carried more than 7.64 million passengers to some 40 destinations around the world.

In addition to operating from an excellent facility at HKIA, Hong Kong Airlines has continued to ensure flight information is shared timely with relevant parties. The data not only helps to improve the management of the airport's parking bays, and also provides Hong Kong Airlines with accurate and efficient bay assignments. Hong Kong Airlines has a dedicated working group that monitors its OTP closely as well as look into factors and causes of delay to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

Hong Kong Airlines would like to thank its staff, customers and business partners who have and continue to support the company. The airline has been and continues to operate as normal. Over the Christmas and New Year holidays, Hong Kong Airlines operated more than 1,200 flights and carried over 240,000 passengers between 22 December 2018 and 1 January 2019.

In the coming Chinese New Year holidays, Hong Kong Airlines is expected to operate close to 1,080 flights and fly more than 224,000 passengers between 1 and 10 February 2019, representing a 4.2% increase in the number of passengers carried over the same period last year. The airline remains committed to offering its best service to customers heading home for reunion or spending quality time to travel as a family during this important Chinese New Year holiday.

As one of Hong Kong's home carriers, Hong Kong Airlines is here to stay and remain committed to offering our customers more travel options while sustaining our long-term growth.

About Hong Kong Airlines

Established in 2006, Hong Kong Airlines is a full-service airline firmly rooted in Hong Kong. The airline flies to nearly 40 destinations across Asia Pacific and North America, and currently maintains 85 interline and 20 codeshare agreements with multiple airline partners and ferry service providers. Hong Kong Airlines operates one of the youngest fleets in the world. It has been awarded the internationally acclaimed four-star rating from Skytrax since 2011. For more information, please visit www.hongkongairlines.com or our social media channels on Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

SOURCE Hong Kong Airlines Limited

Related Links

http://www.hongkongairlines.com


MT LAUREL, N.J., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Heisenberg II , a revolutionary technology platform automates and simplifies the challenging and arduous task of physician compensation administration. This technology was developed by Hallmark Healthcare Solutions, LLC a healthcare-focused technology company.

Dave Butcher, VP, Strategic Solutions at Heisenberg II states, "Answering ROI questions can pose a serious challenge. There are so many ways to peg ROI, especially when preferred performance indicators can differ by client based on geography, size, and organization type. Furthermore, ROIs are only as good as users successfully leveraging the system. Yet, physician compensation technology has undeniably profound benefits that are well- defined, and it's straight-forward to translate operational and process improvements into actual dollars".

The whitepaper "What is the real ROI of Physician Compensation Management Technology", is the latest addition to the forum for healthcare providers, hospitals & medical groups.

What is physician compensation software? This technology minimizes the manual processes of administering, measuring, and managing the performance of physician compensation plans. It automates the calculation and adjudication of physician compensation, provides real-time feedback to both administrators and physicians, and dramatically improves information transparency for all stakeholders.

In this paper, we assess the ways that organizations can "cost justify" such an investment in compensation management systems. We look at common challenges that medical groups experience and then detail the potential ROIs that they can reasonably expect from leveraging physician compensation technology.

Download a complimentary copy of the whitepaper: http://heisenbergii.com/downloads/real-roi-physician-compensation-management-technology-whitepaper.pdf

For more information visit www.heisenbergii.com .

About Hallmark

Hallmark Healthcare Solutions is a global healthcare solution and information technology firm with offices located in New Jersey, New York, Michigan, and India. Hallmark offers a unique approach inclusive of both strategy and technology to achieve the desired outcome. The technology component positions organizations to use real-time data for improved decision making with regard to leveraging human capital. Over the years, Hallmark has helped organizations optimize and save millions in labor expenses, improve their efficiency and achieve fiscal responsibility through best-in-class software and strategic workforce solutions. www.hallmarkhealthcareit.com

Media Contact - Alicia Boggs

Hallmark Healthcare Solutions, Inc.

[email protected]

(614) 284-1486

SOURCE Hallmark Healthcare Solutions, LLC

Related Links

http://www.hallmarkhealthcareit.com


Awards recognize best in class cultivators emphasizing premium quality cannabis

MEDFORD, OR, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Grown Rogue International Inc. (CSE:GRIN) ("Grown Rogue" or the "Company"), announced two significant cultivation milestones over the past 30 days. First, the company took home top honors from the Grow Classic held in Eugene, Oregon. The Company was one of 31 elite growers who entered the three-category invitation only competition, in which Grown Rogue took first place for Highest Percentage THC, first place for Highest Percentage Terpenes, and third place in the Growers Choice overall. A few days later, Green Leaf Lab, the nation's 1st accredited and licensed cannabis laboratory, confirmed that Grown Rogue's recent outdoor harvest included a strain that tested at a 35.13%, potentially breaking Oregon State records for outdoor cultivation.

"This is certainly one of the highest THC levels we have ever seen in our 8 years of testing," said Anthony DiFalco, Green Leaf Lab Sales & Marketing Director.

"Cultivation as a practice has been marginalized as a commodity, particularly in some markets where supply has risen and price for quality flower has decreased," explains CEO and Co-Founder of Grown Rogue Obie Strickler. "The reality is that cultivating cannabis at scale is a rather modern endeavor and our team treats the daily care of our plants as core to our company's focus on providing the best possible products for our customers."

At the Grow Classic, Grown Rogue's winning result was cultivated in its state-of-the-art indoor growing facility where it grows a select variety of its top-selling cannabis genetics. However, the Green Leaf record setting THC content came from the Company's Monkey Train strain, which was grown outdoor in Oregon's Rogue Valley, a region known for its premier microclimates which produces some of the best outdoor cannabis in the world. Indoor growing provides excellent environmental control, which typically mimics the naturally occurring climate in the Rogue Valley. However, combining full spectrum natural sun with optimal climate results in producing higher cannabinoid and terpene levels which was realized in the record setting potency and the 4.35% terpenes. Terpenes are the compounds which create the unique flavor and aroma of plants including cannabis.

In response to receiving the awards, Mr. Strickler added "We are incredibly proud of our cultivation team for the best-in-class flower that they consistently produce both in our indoor facility and our two outdoor farms. It is very gratifying to have this competition validate the quality that our team consistently achieves."

"For us it's not about breaking records, but rather pushing boundaries in all aspects of cultivation which includes exotic genetics and maximizing terpene levels to enhance flavors all focused on ensuring the right consumer experience," explained Chief Strategy Officer, Jacques Habra. "While cannabis will continue to evolve into various derivatives such as oils, edibles, and topicals, it is the quality of the cultivated flower that is the fundamental starting point that enables brands like Grown Rogue to stand out."

Grown Magazine's Grow Classic is an invitation-only competition hosted by Grow Magazine each November and bills itself as The Quintessential Cannabis Horticulture Competition. Over fifty growers (31 of which submitted final product) were provided with four clones from the same strain from the same mother plant and invited to grow the best plants possible. For the Growers Choice award, only the participating growers themselves are the judges with blind labeled products so there are no paid or potentially biased judges.

Several other testing labs in Oregon are processing the news of the 35.13% THC outdoor strain achievement and Grown Rogue will report if indeed this is a validated State Record.

About Grown Rogue

Grown Rogue International (CSE: GRIN) is a vertically-integrated, multi-state cannabis company curating innovative products to provide consumers with the right cannabis experience. Each of Grown Rogue's products and strains are categorized and marketed based on unique effects and designed for the full range of a consumers' active lifestyle from Relaxation to Energizing. The Company's "seed to experience" positioning conveys the vision of ensuring "the right experience, every time". Grown Rogue is scaling the vertically integrated model into multiple states by incorporating best in class manufacturing facilities and a proprietary distribution platform based on Microsoft technology. Grown Rogue's diverse cannabis product suite includes premium flower, patent-pending nitrogen sealed pre-rolls, oil and concentrates, and edibles featuring a partnership with a world-renowned chocolatier.

Subscribe to Grown Rogue investor news alerts.

This press release contains statements which constitute "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities. Forward looking information is often identified by the words "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: (i) statements regarding the future direction of the Company (ii) the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business and financial objectives, (iii) plans for expansion of the Company, and (iv) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Investors are cautioned that forwardlooking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of the Company's future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forwardlooking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking information are the following: the potential impact of the announcement of the going public transaction on relationships, including with regulatory bodies, employees, suppliers, customers and competitors; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and in particular in the ability of the Company to raise debt and equity capital in the amounts and at the costs that it expects; adverse changes in the public perception of cannabis; decreases in the prevailing prices for cannabis and cannabis products in the markets that the Company operates in; adverse changes in applicable laws; or adverse changes in the application or enforcement of current laws; and increasing costs of compliance with extensive government regulation, and other risks described in the Company's Listing Statement available on www.sedar.com.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forwardlooking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forwardlooking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) the Company's financing plans; (ii) trends affecting the Company's financial condition or results of operations; (iii) the Company's growth strategy and operating strategy; and (iv) the declaration and payment of dividends. The words "may," "would," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend" and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including the risk disclosed in the Company's Form 20-F and 6-K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Company is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale and distribution of cannabis in the recreational cannabis marketplace in the United States through its indirect operating subsidiaries. Local state laws where its subsidiaries operate permit such activities however, these activities are currently illegal under United States federal law. Additional information regarding this and other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are disclosed in the Company's Listing Statement filed on its issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

SOURCE Grown Rogue
PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- An ER and ICU nurse and physician assistant for 25 years, Barbara Coombs Lee has written a critically acclaimed, groundbreaking book about the taboo topic of how to live strong to the end.

Barbara Coombs Lee, President, Compassion & Choices

Titled Finish Strong: Putting Your Priorities First at Life's End , the book is based on her decades as a clinician, caring for dying patients who suffered needlessly, and decades more as an advocate, empowering people to avoid that fate. Its recommendations come with both the authority of knowledge and experience, and the compassion of one who knows firsthand how challenging the end-of-life journey can be. Finish Strong is available for purchase now on Amazon at: bit.ly/BuyFinishStrongBook.

"As baby boomers moved through significant life stages, we changed every one. Dying will be no different," writes Coombs Lee, a baby boomer herself, born in 1947. "This book  promotes a brave new model of medical decision-making. It supports candor, curiosity and individual agency. It offers alternatives to the conveyor-belt approach of automatic, futile and burdensome overtreatment ... Americans' blind faith in medical authority  is about to undergo a sea change. The purpose of this book is to help people navigate and implement that change."

The usual advice about advance directives and conversations is important but woefully inadequate. This book describes concrete action in the here and now to help live our best lives to the end.

"Finish Strong is the kind of book that comes along once in a generation, and Barbara Coombs Lee is nothing short of a historic figure. This book is a game-changing, paradigm-shifting work that will define an inflection point in the way our country thinks about and cares for people who are dying," writes David Muller, M.D., Dean for Medical Education, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. "This is a book that every one of us must read, and that we'll all refer to repeatedly over the course of our lifetimes."

Coombs Lee , an attorney who co-authored the nation's first law authorizing medical aid in dying, the 1994 Oregon Death with Dignity Act, has worked for over 50 years in healthcare as a clinician, policymaker and advocate, most recently as CEO and now president of Compassion & Choices. It is the nation's oldest and largest organization working to empower people to expand and improve their end-of-life care options.

Under her leadership, Compassion & Choices successfully led and supported legal and legislative campaigns to authorize medical aid in dying as an option for terminally ill adults in Washington, D.C., and seven states: California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Montana, Oregon, Vermont and Washington to end their suffering peacefully.

"The terminally ill people I work with  want options that can allow death to come peacefully," writes Coombs Lee. "But one out of every five U.S. adults will die in the ICUbecause intense technology remains the signature of a healthcare system that views death as a failure."

"Navigating the final stages of a progressive illness like ALS or Parkinson's, emphysema, cancer or heart disease is hard  this is likely in your future, either on behalf of a loved one or for yourself," concludes Coombs Lee. "... as someone who's floundered, made mistakes, and suffered in the course of trying to navigate this rocky terrain. I hope by sharing how I fell short of my own ideals in dealing with my parents, you may be spared similar heartache."

Finish Strong is for those of us who want an end-of-life experience to match the life we've enjoyed  defined by love, purpose and agency. We know we should prepare but are unsure how to think and talk about it, how to live true to our values and priorities as vigor wanes, and how to make our wishes stick, even if we can't lift a finger to make it so.

Notable chapters include "Overtreatment and Diminishing Returns," "Let Me Die Like a Doctor" and "Escaping Dementia." Here is YouTube video of Barbara talking about how to escape dementia: bit.ly/FinishStrongEscapingDementia

The empowering Finish Strong will guide you through:

Finding a partner-doctor well-suited to your values and beliefs who exhibits humanity, deference and frankness.

Staying off the "overtreatment conveyor belt."

Identifying what matters most as advancing illness takes its toll and defining your priorities.

Having meaningful conversations with doctors and family about expectations and wishes for life's last precious months.

Knowing when "slow medicine" is the best option to maintain quality of life.

Navigating home hospice, the ultimate healing experience.

Written with candor and clarity, this book's stories, facts and dialogue will help prepare for latter days that retain the purpose, grace and dignity you've always valued. It can help you Finish Strong.

The book is receiving rave reviews from numerous respected thought leaders, ranging from Jeanne Phillips, nationally syndicated "Dear Abby" advice columnist to spiritual icon Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, NPR radio show host Diane Rehm, author of On My Own and former NBC correspondent Betty Rollin, author of Last Wish and First, You Cry:

"A movement is afoot in end-of-life medical care, but doctors are not its leaders  this book is the field manual to turn wilderness exploration into a rewarding adventure."

 Haider Warraich, M.D.

Foreword Excerpt for Finish Strong

Author of Modern Death: How Medicine Changed the End of Life

"There is no more authoritative or informed individual than Barbara Coombs Lee to lead us in the battle for a peaceful and dignified end-of-life journey."

 Diane Rehm, former host and executive producer of NPR syndicated The Diane Rehm Show

Author of On My Own

"Finish Strong is the clarion call for the end-of-life choice movement just as Our Bodies, Ourselves was for the women's movement."

 Jeanne Phillips, nationally syndicated "Dear Abby" advice columnist

"As a society, we need to acknowledge that a positive dying experience should not be left to chance. Barbara shows that it is not something to fear; instead, it's something we should revere."

 Dan Diaz, husband of the late Brittany Maynard, advocate for end-of-life care options

"Finish Strong serves as a 'field manual' for exploration of autonomy and self-determination in healthcare during the closing years of life."

 Gov. Barbara Roberts, Oregon Governor 199195

Author of Death Without Denial, Grief Without Apology

"Adults have the right to decide their own course of treatment at the end of life. Barbara Coombs Lee's wise and compassionate book shows how best to do that."

 Betty Rollin, Author of Last Wish and First, You Cry

"Barbara Coombs Lee's new book Finish Strong will help people who want to pass the gift of life back into the hands of their God thankfully and with dignity. It is a blessing."

 Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu

Compassion & Choices is the oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to improve care and expand options for the end of life in the United States, with 450,000 supporters nationwide. For more information, visit: CompassionAndChoices.org .

National Media Contact : Sean Crowley, 202-495-8520-c, [email protected]

Latino Media Contact : Patricia A. Gonzalez-Portillo, 323-819-0310, [email protected]

SOURCE Compassion & Choices

Related Links

http://CompassionAndChoices.org


IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The West Mediterranean Exporters' Association (aka BAIB) will attend the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco on Jan. 14 as part of a tour to develop business ties with California, announced Trelodex. The food cluster's mission is to establish connections and create trade opportunities during the visit, which runs through Jan. 17.

The group consists of 25 individuals representing 14 companies from the food industry. The itinerary includes Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, with visits to production facilities, local authorities, and retail stores. The delegation comes from Antalya, a major tourism and agricultural center in southwest Turkey.

"We want to research California's business environment and learn about agricultural production, sales and distribution," said Hakk Bahar, BAIB's Chairman. "We hope this trip will generate exciting opportunities for business."

In San Francisco, the group will meet with the California Milk Advisory Board and representatives of several produce markets. On Jan. 15, it will head to Fresno for meetings with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Corporation and the Farm Bureau. The day will include an industry reception.

The tour culminates in LA with visits to wholesalers, produce markets and supermarkets.

The delegation's main products of interest are:

Apricots, cherries, grapes, pomegranates, figs

Mushrooms

Dried fruits

Fruit concentrates

Jams and canned fruits

Dairy products

Fish

BAIB is a semi-governmental organization that coordinates relations with other associations. BAIB helps exporters find new markets, while providing training and various types of support.

Antalya is one of Turkey's leading producers of tomato, citrus, and other vegetables and fruits. Turkey in turn, is one of the main fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers to Eastern Europe and the Middle East and is always seeking new markets. The country's complex logistics infrastructure and the availability of daily flights to cities around the world are key to its success as a major exporter of fresh produce.

"In the first 11 months of 2018, Turkey exported more than 2 Billion USD of fresh fruits," said Bahar. "Turkish exporters are agile business people who adapt easily to local market conditions and compliance requirements."

The program is coordinated by the Ministry of Trade of Turkey and organized by BAIB, using the services of Trelodex , a California company.

For information contact Gurkan Suzer, Founder and CEO at [email protected] or 949 445 3089.

SOURCE Trelodex

Related Links

http://www.trelodex.com


SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants announced today that risk management and insurance professional Blake Kirk has joined the firm's operations in Northern California as a Senior Vice President and Principal.

Kirk will be based in EPIC's San Francisco headquarters and work closely with EPIC Principal Joe Vineis on a number of key risk management, business development and client service initiatives. Kirk will report to Curt Perata, EPIC's Pacific North Region President.

Kirk joins EPIC from broker Beecher Carlson in San Francisco, where he spent more than 13 years, most recently as managing director working with large, complex risk management accounts in the retail, healthcare, financial services and hospitality industries.

Prior to joining Beecher Carlson, Kirk served as vice president with Aon Risk Services, where he worked exclusively in the Healthcare industry with a focus on HMO reinsurance and provider excess of loss coverage.

Kirk began his career working for a large Management Service Organization (MSO) in Northern California owned by Sutter Health. He has years of managed care contracting experience, both hospital and physician.

Kirk holds a Master's Degree in Healthcare Administration from the College of Notre Dame and a Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Political Science and Government from California State University, Chico.

"We are excited to further expand and enhance EPIC's operations in Northern California and across the country with Blake's addition," said Curt Perata. "He is well known for his expertise and professionalism, particularly in Healthcare circles; has a tremendous network; and is highly respected for building strong, positive relationships and providing exceptional service to his clients. He is another top flight addition to our EPIC team."

Blake Kirk can be reached at [email protected] or 415-356-3916.

About EPIC

EPIC is a unique and innovative retail property & casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm. EPIC has created a values-based, client-focused culture that attracts and retains top talent, fosters employee satisfaction and loyalty and sustains a high level of customer service excellence.

EPIC team members have consistently recognized their company as a "Best Place to Work" in multiple regions and as a "Best Place to Work in the Insurance Industry" nationally.

EPIC now has more than 1,400 team members operating from 50 offices across the U.S., providing Property & Casualty, Employee Benefits, Specialty Programs and Private Client solutions to more than 20,000 clients.

With run rate revenues of more than $400 million, EPIC ranks among the top 15 retail insurance brokers in the United States. Backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners, the company continues to expand organically and through strategic acquisitions across the country. For additional information, please visit www.epicbrokers.com.

*PHOTO Link: Send2Press.com/300dpi/19-0107s2p-blake-kirk-300dpi.jpg

This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com

SOURCE EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants

Related Links

https://www.epicbrokers.com


The National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that provide objective advice on matters of science, technology, and health. Election to the National Academy of Medicine (formerly known as the Institute of Medicine) is considered to be one of the highest achievements in medicine.

Since her election to NAM in 1986, Larson has participated in approximately 50 projects. She has served on 17 committees, councils, and boards, including the executive committee of the National Academy of Medicine Council, the Board on Health Sciences Policy, and the Report Review Committee, where she coordinated and reviewed numerous reports issued by the academy.

Larson also served as chair or a member of several consensus committees studying topics such as environmental health content in nursing practice, school health programs, Gulf War veterans' health, and protective equipment for healthcare workers to prevent viral respiratory infections.

"I am honored to be this year's recipient of the Walsh McDermott Medal, which honors both me and the entire nursing community," says Larson. "It has been deeply gratifying collaborating with the Academies on their reportstruly the heart of the Academies' work, where we, as scientists, policymakers, and healthcare providers, can make a difference."

One of the reports that Larson reviewed in 2002, on gun violence in schools, recommended tightening gun control laws. "Even if [such] changes are long in coming, as a fellow, I know that I am privileged to be among the changemakers," Larson says.

"We congratulate Elaine on this most prestigious and well-deserved honor, and thank her for all of her vital contributions to the profession," says Lorraine Frazier, PhD, who was recently named dean of Columbia University School of Nursing.

Columbia University Irving Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, preclinical, and clinical research; medical and health sciences education; and patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, public health professionals, dentists, and nurses at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Health, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Columbia University Irving Medical Center is home to the largest medical research enterprise in New York City and State and one of the largest faculty medical practices in the Northeast. For more information, visit cuimc.columbia.edu or columbiadoctors.org .

SOURCE Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Related Links

https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu


"The Singapore engine center is now fully enabled to overhaul several engine models simultaneously, including the PW1100G-JM geared turbofan engine. ESA has invested nearly US$85 million to upgrade and modernize the facility to perform GTF MRO, which includes training employees and acquiring new tooling, advanced capabilities and machinery," said Brendon McWilliam, senior director, Aftermarket Operations  Asia-Pacific, Pratt & Whitney. "ESA's new GTF and GP7200 engine capabilities join its established support of the existing PW4000 engine fleet. Modifications to the facility will improve productivity, reduce set up time and boost efficiency across operations. Current PW4000 engine customers will also benefit from these efficiencies."

The facility is uniquely modernized and re-purposed to handle multiple, simultaneous engine overhaul lines for Pratt & Whitney and Engine Alliance engine models  the PW4000 family, PW1100G-JM, and GP7200 engines, respectively. ESA also re-configured its engine test capability to accommodate the new GTF engine model. Engine Alliance LLC is a joint venture of Pratt & Whitney and General Electric.

In 2019, ESA will gradually introduce a new ground-based flow system, which will enable visual line of sight on the GTF engine overhaul line. In the new system, engine modules will move from one station to another, improving the visibility of operations through the line from disassembly to assembly and test, in contrast to the old engine repair work bay. Already proven in the automotive industry, the system improves productivity while maximizing the use of existing space. At full capacity, the flow lines can accommodate up to six GTF engines at a time.

"This is an exciting period of expansion and growth for us," said Ying-Kiong Yip, managing director, ESA. "In addition to broadening our capabilities on next generation aircraft engines, this expansion enables us to invest in our engineers and technicians by training them to handle advanced materials and automation."

The GTF MRO network spans three continents, comprised of engine centers operated by the industry's leading MRO companies, including Pratt & Whitney, MTU Aero Engines (MTU), Japanese Aero Engines Corporation (JAEC), Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and Delta TechOps.

The GTF MRO network is part of Pratt & Whitney's EngineWise service portfolio, which provides engine operators with a variety of aftermarket services to maximize engine performance and fleet availability. Visit www.EngineWise.com/contact for an interactive map of GTF MRO network providers.

About Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines, and auxiliary power units. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC. To learn more about the GTF engine, visit pwgtf.com. To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here.

Pratt & Whitney

+1 (860) 565-9600

[email protected]

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney

Related Links

http://www.pratt-whitney.com


As a leading audio front-end development kit with one-mic hands-free and two or three-mic far-field configurations qualified by Amazon, the solution features the ZL38063 audio processor which includes a 300 MHz DSP and dedicated hardware accelerators for voice processing. It also features Stereo Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC), which enables barge-in recognition to improve the consumer experience in extreme audio playback environments.

With the flexibility to work with a variety of microphone options and configurations, Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) and third-party developers can use the development kit to cost effectively achieve their design criteria across a range of applications and form-factor constraints. Available microphone configurations include:

One-mic configuration  Offers hands-free voice coverage for products where form-factor or cost constraints preclude the use of a multi-microphone array.

 Offers hands-free voice coverage for products where form-factor or cost constraints preclude the use of a multi-microphone array. Two and three-mic linear (180-degree) configurations  Designed for sound bars, smart plugs and switches, set-top-boxes or other applications typically positioned against a wall that benefit from 180-degree far-field coverage.

 Designed for sound bars, smart plugs and switches, set-top-boxes or other applications typically positioned against a wall that benefit from 180-degree far-field coverage. Three-mic triangular (360-degree) configuration  Also with far-field coverage qualified by Amazon, this configuration is well suited for applications that may require user interaction from any direction such as portable speakers, wide-angle IP cameras and voice-enabled Wi-Fi routers.

The development kit enables far-field speech recognition in the presence of interfering noise sources, including device playback and external noise sources. The field-programmable, field-upgradable solution features signal processing algorithms proven to improve both local trigger detection performance and cloud speech recognition accuracy, while the multi-microphone configurations include Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation to indicate where the primary voice sound source is located.

"Voice-enabled devices have become immensely popular and continue to gain traction in a variety of end-applications, from home automation controllers to set-top boxes," said Steve Caldwell, vice president of Microchip's Wireless Solutions Group. "The ZLK38AVS Development Kit provides the flexibility required to scale the audio front end across products lines while enabling exceptional performance in adverse audio environments."

Development Tools

The development kit includes a ZL38063 audio processor that connects directly to a Raspberry Pi 3B with plastics and mounting hardware to simulate a typical, recommended end-application mic-speaker arrangement. It supports all microphone options and includes an LED ring to report the detected sound location, as well as a high-quality speaker that is representative of a typical smart speaker application. Microchip has audio labs and tuning facilities located worldwide that support customers from design through Amazon certification.

Pricing and Availability

The ZLK38AVS Development Kit for Amazon AVS is available today for $299. For additional information, contact a Microchip sales representative or visit Microsemi's website.

Resources

High-res images available through Flickr or editorial contact (feel free to publish):

Development kit image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/32537747568/

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog, FPGA, connectivity and power management semiconductors. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal designs which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time to market. The company's solutions serve more than 130,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Note: The Microchip name and logo, and the Microchip logo, are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

SOURCE Microchip Technology Inc.

Related Links

https://www.microchip.com/


Ad Age's Best Places to Work is comprised of just 50 companies nationally, with Johnson & Sekin claiming the #21 spot for agencies with fewer than 200 employees. The agency is also 1 of just 14 companies recognized for having an employee pool that's at least 50% female or more. Johnson & Sekin is one of three Texas-based agencies to be recognized, and the only headquartered in Dallas.

Ad Age partnered with Latitude Research to identify companies that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees in the Advertising and Marketing industries. The overall scoring system factored in six key satisfaction areas: employee benefits, company culture, employee development, company environment and employee perks.

Johnson & Sekin was founded in 2009 by Dallas creative veterans Kent Johnson and Chris Sekin, and has been AAF Dallas' most awarded agency over the last five years. In 2018 alone, the agency's work has been recognized by the American Advertising Federation, American Marketing Association, Luerzer's Archive, Hermes Creative, Texas Monthly and the National Down Syndrome Society.

Current clients for the agency include American Heart Association, Baylor University, Caliber Collision, Chili's Grill & Bar, Dallas Zoo, Fuzzy's Taco Shop, Local Hive Honey, and the non-profit Meat Fight, among others.

For more information on Ad Age's Best Places to Work program, visit www.AdAge.com.

About Ad Age Best Places to Work 2019

Ad Age Best Places to Work 2019produced in partnership with market research firm Latitude Researchidentifies 50 workplaces that get the job done: 25 companies with 200 or fewer employees and 25 companies with more than 200 employees. Winners reflect the highest overall numerical scores based on an analysis of questionnaires submitted by employers and survey responses from employees. The scoring system factored in six key satisfaction areas, an aggregate of each company's ratings in those key areas and a collective workplace rating to arrive at an overall score. The six key areas: employee benefits, company culture, employee development, company environment, employee engagement and employee perks.

About Johnson & Sekin

Creative veterans Kent Johnson and Chris Sekin lead one of Dallas' most awarded and talked-about advertising agencies, with accounts including American Heart Association, Baylor University, Caliber Collision, Chili's Grill & Bar, Dallas Zoo, Fuzzy's Taco Shop, Local Hive Honey, and the non-profit Meat Fight, among others. For more, visit www.johnsonandsekin.com.

SOURCE Johnson & Sekin

Related Links

http://johnsonandsekin.com


SAN DIEGO, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB) today announced that Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Bradley H. Feldmann and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Anshooman Aga will present at the 21st Annual Needham Growth Conference in New York, New York on Tuesday, January 15 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Investors may visit the investor relations section of Cubic's website at www.cubic.com/investor-relations/events-presentations to listen to the audio webcast from the event. The audio webcast will be archived for up to 90 days.

About Cubic Corporation

Cubic is a technology-driven, market-leading provider of integrated solutions that increase situational understanding for transportation, defense C4ISR and training customers worldwide to decrease urban congestion and improve the militaries' effectiveness and operational readiness. Our teams innovate to make a positive difference in people's lives. We simplify their daily journeys. We promote mission success and safety for those who serve their nation. For more information about Cubic, please visit www.cubic.com or on Twitter @CubicCorp.

SOURCE Cubic Corporation

Related Links

http://www.cubic.com


Founded in 2007, HHA offers a comprehensive Software-as-a-Service ("SaaS") platform to its customers that improves patient outcomes, drives operational efficiency and increases compliance. This investment positions HHA to further execute its growth strategy of providing best-in-class enterprise management and workflow solutions to home care providers and payors.

Greg Strobel, HHA's President and Chief Executive Officer, will remain in his current role and continue to lead the Company. "In seeking a partner, we were attracted to Cressey & Company's long track record of success in the healthcare industry," said Strobel. "HHA is well positioned in a thriving industry, with a comprehensive and proven technology platform. With the support of Cressey & Company, we aim to expand our reach while providing the same best-in-class SaaS functionality HHA has become known for."

"We are excited to partner with HHA and its leadership team," said Cressey & Company Partner Dave Rogero. "They have built an exceptional company by developing strong customer relationships and providing solutions that enable better outcomes for patients. We intend to leverage these core fundamentals to accelerate the Company's growth and expansion."

In conjunction with Cressey & Company's investment, Andy Hurd, who is one of the Firm's Operating Partners, has been appointed Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors. Hurd is an experienced healthcare information technology executive who previously served as Chief Executive Officer of MedeAnalytics, Epocrates and Carefx.

"We look forward to our new partnership with HHA's talented team," said Hurd. "The Company's platform, which allows for direct connectivity between payors and providers, is a true differentiator. We plan to support HHA as it continues innovating and building upon its already strong suite of enterprise management and workflow solutions for the home care industry."

Lincoln International acted as financial advisor to HHA, while Wells Fargo Bank and Kirkland & Ellis LLP provided debt financing and legal counsel, respectively, to Cressey & Company.

About HHAeXchange

Founded in 2007, HHAeXchange offers a comprehensive homecare management software solution for the Medicaid Long Term Services and Supports population. HHA's customers include both regional and national home care payors and providers. The Company is headquartered in Long Island City, New York with additional offices in Florida, Ireland, and India. For more information, visit www.hhaexchange.com.

About Cressey & Company LP

Based in Chicago, IL and Nashville, TN, Cressey & Company LP is a private investment firm focused on building leading healthcare provider, service and information technology businesses. With a history spanning nearly 35 years, the Cressey & Company team is one of the most experienced and successful in the healthcare private equity field. For more information, visit www.cresseyco.com.

SOURCE Cressey & Company

Related Links

http://www.cresseyco.com


REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Course Hero, an online learning platform where members can access over 20 million course-specific study resources contributed by a community of students and educators, today announced that Dr. Katie Dawson , Assistant Professor of Theatre at the University of Texas, Austin, will participate in the Course Hero Signature Lecture Series on Friday, January 11.

"One of our core company values is to always be learning," said Course Hero's cofounder and CEO, Andrew Grauer. "Hearing firsthand from our Course Hero community members truly is an incredible experience for our team. Not only do we get to learn from the leaders in their respective fields but we also have the opportunity to meaningfully engage in discussions on how, together, we can support students through the Course Hero platform."

Esteemed educators from colleges and universities across the country are invited onto the Course Hero campus to perform their "signature lecture" for team members. Presenters range from university administrators to award-winning instructors and represent a range of disciplines.

Dawson's lecture will focus on research-based teaching techniques that improve learner-engagement and creative thinking across all disciplines.

Dr. Dawson serves as the irector of Drama for Schools, a professional learning program in drama-based pedagogy for K16 education. She is an internationally recognized consultant in creative learning and teaching artist practice. Additionally, Dr. Dawson has received the Creative Drama award and the Winifred Ward Scholar award from the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, along with multiple teaching and research awards from her university, where she is a Provost's Teaching Fellow.

"Course Hero's vision is for every student to graduate confident and prepared," continued Grauer. "We are excited to partner with educators to enable the best possible outcomes, for students and instructors alike."

In addition to providing a platform that allows educators from all over the world to share resources with each other, Course Hero actively partners with educators in a variety of ways, including on-site lectures at Course Hero headquarters, video course creation , and interviews that celebrate educators' best lessons in the Course Hero Faculty Club .

Course Hero's newest Educator Partners include Rebecca McGovney-Ingram , PhD, Adjunct Professor of Communications, Montgomery County Community College; Phillip Presswood , MA, Senior Lecturer of English, Texas A&M University, Galveston; Kevin Drace , PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology, Birmingham Southern College; and Mythri Jegathesan , PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Santa Clara University.

Educators who are interested in learning more about Course Hero's Partnership Program are invited to contact [email protected].

About Course Hero

Course Hero is an online learning platform where members can access over 20 million course-specific study resources contributed by a community of students and educators. The platform includes Practice Problems, study guides, videos, class notes, and step-by-step explanations to help with every college classfrom economics to literature, biology to history, accounting to psychology, and everything in between. Course Hero has been recognized as one of the 2018 Technology Fast 500 by Deloitte.

Connect with Course Hero at www.coursehero.com or on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , or Pinterest .

For more information, contact:

Grayling PR for Course Hero

[email protected]

SOURCE Course Hero

Related Links

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AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Drillinginfo, the leading energy SaaS and data analytics company, announces that U.S. upstream oil & gas M&A clocked in at $84 billion in 2018 for the highest total since oil prices fell from their peak in late 2014. Large billion dollar plus deals fueled the surge in the back half of the year with a record-setting $32 billion in 3Q18 and $21 billion in 4Q18. BP's transformational $10.5 billion buy of most of BHP's shale assets is the largest deal of the year and fourth largest since 2009. The deal underpins BP's strategy to roll-out BPX as an independent and leading US shale player. The year also ran a close tie with 2014 for the most public company consolidations with RSP Permian, Energen, Newfield, WildHorse and Penn Virginia leading the exit list in 2018.

As Drillinginfo predicted in July 2018 the pace of consolidation picked up late in 2018 with corporate-level deals accounting for over 70% of the $21 billion total deal value in 4Q18. That is the highest quarterly corporate deal total since 3Q14.

Top 10 Deals of 2018







Date Buyers Sellers Value

($MM) Type Play 07/26/18 BP BHP Billiton $10,500 Property Multiple 03/28/18 Concho Resources RSP Permian $9,500 Corporate Midland 08/14/18 Diamondback Energy Energen $9,200 Corporate Delaware 11/01/18 Encana Newfield $7,700 Corporate STACK/SCOOP 10/30/18 Chesapeake Energy WildHorse $3,977 Corporate Eagle Ford 03/20/18 TPG Pace Energy EnerVest $2,662 Property Eagle Ford 07/26/18 Encino Acquisition Chesapeake $1,900 Property Utica 09/04/18 Flywheel Energy Southwestern $1,865 Property Fayetteville 10/28/18 Denbury Resources Penn Virginia $1,716 Corporate Eagle Ford 11/07/18 Vantage Energy QEP $1,650 Property Bakken

"Investors continue to demand that companies deliver a clear line-of-sight to positive free cash flow," said Drillinginfo M&A Analyst Andrew Dittmar. "Scale is one piece of the puzzle on how to get there given efficiencies in developing larger acreage blocks, optimizing supply chain logistics to lower costs and G&A savings. Wall Street no longer supports growth for growth sakes and is ready to punish buyers who do deals without a clear profit strategy."

With the precipitous drop in oil prices that broke all support levels beginning in early November, the deal markets ground to a virtual stall. This came almost immediately on the heels of perhaps the most talked about week in the industry's recent history. In a span of just five days, public company consolidation went into a frenzy with Denbury buying Penn Virginia, then Chesapeake buying WildHorse and Encana purchasing Newfield.

The shift towards corporate-level M&A late in 2018 also cut into private equities' share of deal activity. After hitting a high-water mark in 4Q17 by taking the buyer role in 46% of deals, private equity's share of acquisitions fell to only 7% in 4Q18. Private equity wasn't overly active as a seller in 4Q18 either, accounting for only 4% of sold deals by value versus 23% in 4Q17.

Private and institutional capital is still highly active in the upstream business and playing an important role. PE-backed companies continue to explore emerging areas like the Louisiana Austin Chalk as well as the margins of more established resource plays. PE capital is also ready to move in when it feels public markets are undervaluing assets or companies as seen by the letter put out by Elliott Management addressing QEP's stock performance and including a firm offer to buy the company.

Another clear theme from 2018 was the institutionalization of the minerals market with deal activity in this sector growing 100% over 2017 with deal value reaching nearly $3 billion. Buyers cross all capital sectors from public royalty companies like Kimbell Royalty Partners to institutional players like Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan to public E&Ps like Continental Resources.

Looking forward into 2019, Drillinginfo expects the pace of oil and gas deal markets to remain impacted by oil price volatility which ultimately provides numerous special situation opportunities, particularly for oil equities that have been oversold. According to Brian Lidsky, Sr. Director Market Intelligence, "The straight-line $31 drop in WTI spot oil prices from $76 to $45 per barrel from the start of October to just before Christmas coincided with the risk-off appetite that was pervasive across the capital markets. US E&P equities responded largely in lock-step with the rapid decline. Looking ahead, the reality is that albeit global oil demand may slow some, growth remains unabated and for all intents and purposes has surpassed the 100 million barrel per day level. All eyes are on the impact of the start of OPEC+ round two cuts, Iran sanctions plus the trend of global oil demand."

Currently, Drillinginfo quantifies $39 billion of deals in play in the U.S., of which 50% is located in the Permian. There is certainly high-quality assets in the marketplace and buyers ready to acquire. The only barrier is bridging the bid/ask price. Historically, if the gap has widened, deals often come with contingent payments predicated on a price or asset performance benchmark.

Top Takeaways from 2018:

Total of $84.3 billion in 2018 with $20.9 billion in 4Q18 and 63% of total value in 2H18.

in 2018 with in 4Q18 and 63% of total value in 2H18. For 2018, Permian is again most active area for deals with $28.3 billion or 33% of total.

or 33% of total. Funding asset acquisitions via an overnight equity raise became virtually non-existent.

SPAC business model (raise public market cash then find an asset) continues to work.

The IPO market for E&Ps remains largely closed.

Royalty markets double and rapidly gain institutional attention.

Outlook for 2019:

Expect the launch of numerous non-core asset sales from public E&Ps with BP likely leading the charge.

Private equity likely to reemerge as a key buyer on asset deals with willingness to pay for PDP and take risk on upside.

Markets will reward scale and low-cost leaders which translates into richer equity currency for large players to make accretive buys of smaller players.

Remains to be seen if rapid drop in oil prices will affect the closing of 4Q18's corporate deals.

Leveraged E&Ps likely to find themselves under renewed pressure to take action to improve balance sheets.

Click Here for additional detail on 4Q 2018 Oil & Gas M&A activity.

About Drillinginfo

Drillinginfo delivers business-critical insights to the energy, power, and commodities markets. Its state-of-the-art SaaS platform offers sophisticated technology, powerful analytics, and industry-leading data. Drillinginfo's solutions deliver value across upstream, midstream and downstream markets, empowering exploration and production (E&P), oilfield services, midstream, utilities, trading and risk, and capital markets companies to be more collaborative, efficient, and competitive. Drillinginfo delivers actionable intelligence over mobile, web, and desktop to analyze and reduce risk, conduct competitive benchmarking, and uncover market insights. Drillinginfo serves over 5,000 companies globally from its Austin, Texas, headquarters and has more than 1,000 employees. For more information visit drillinginfo.com.

SOURCE Drillinginfo

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ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA has awarded a contract to ComTec Solutions, LLC. of Rochester, NY for the Epicor ERP 10 implementation at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.

ComTec will provide the Epicor software, training and implementation services, project management, as well as the integration to outside subsystems as required. The implementation includes the planning, design, validation, deployment, and post Go-Live support of the ERP system.

The work will be performed both at the Goddard facility as well as remotely from Rochester, NY.

About ComTec Solutions

Formed in 1995, Rochester-based ComTec Solutions provides ERP solutions and information technology services. ComTec offers Epicor ERP sales, integration, support services, and managed IT services. Its mission is to be a trusted partner in IT/Epicor ERP focusing on our customers' business objectives first. For more information, visit us at comtecsolutions.com .

Epicor and the Epicor logo are trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. The product and service offerings depicted are produced by ComTec Solutions and/or Epicor Software Corporation.

Media Contact:

Sarah Jane Pfeifer

Marketing Coordinator

ComTec Solutions

585.621.9303

SOURCE ComTec Solutions
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- College Consensus (https://www.collegeconsensus.com), a unique new college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, has published their ranking of the 25 Most Beautiful College Theaters at https://www.collegeconsensus.com/rankings/most-beautiful-college-theaters/.

American higher education has been central to the support, cultivation, and development of the arts for centuries, and nowhere is that more true than in the theater - not only in theater programs, but in the architectural wonders of lush, luxurious, and state-of-the-art theaters themselves. To highlight the institutions that make the theater experience memorable, College Consensus is featuring the 25 Most Beautiful College Theaters, a ranking of the theater and performance spaces that are inspirations in themselves, even apart from the groundbreaking work that goes on inside.

Schools have been ranked by their College Consensus score (which combines published academic rankings and real student reviews). The full top 25 (in alphabetical order) are:

Bard College - Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

Brown University - Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts

Bryn Mawr College - Marjorie Walter Goodhart Theater

Carnegie Mellon University - Philip Chosky Theater

Clemson University - Brooks Center for the Performing Arts

Cornell University - Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts

Emerson College - Cutler Majestic Theater

Emory University - Schwartz Center for Performing Arts

MIT - Kresge Auditorium

Michigan State University - Wharton Center for Performing Arts

Mississippi State University - Riley Center

New York University - Skirball Center for the Performing Arts

Northwestern University - Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts

Purdue University - Purdue Theater and Elliott Hall of Music

Rutgers University - Mason Gross Performing Arts Center

Syracuse University - Regent Theater Complex

University of Delaware - David and Louise Roselle Center for the Arts

University of Florida - Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

University of Massachusetts - Fine Arts Center

University of Michigan - Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre

University of Minnesota - Rarig Center

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Joan H. Gillings Center for Dramatic Art

University of Notre Dame - DeBartolo Performing Arts Center

University of Rochester - Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater

Yale University - Yale Repertory Theater

According to College Consensus writers, "For hundreds of years prior to cinema, the public gathered in velvet seats to watch stage performances," and in the 21st century, after generations of decline, "the auditorium or opera house that serves their university drama or theater department is also a community space." As Consensus writers explain, the beauty of the space is part and parcel with the beauty of the performances: "Prioritizing the wow factor of the art venue on campus goes far in encouraging people to show up." The value of a theater has many facets; "For older spaces, the painstaking work it takes to preserve the historical significance of a building cannot be overstated."

In ranking the Most Beautiful Colleges Theaters, admittedly the process is subjective. "College Consensus editors compiled these beautiful college theaters ranking by looking around at the top theater colleges, and the spaces they perform their craft. Some of the beauty in these theaters include the many options of performance art spaces the offer." They are ordered by their Consensus score, as an objective ranking of beauty would be both foolish, and unfair; the ranking favors the well-off and elite, as a performing arts space is an expense many smaller colleges cannot afford.

College Consensus is a new approach to college rankings. We combine the latest results from the most respected college ranking systems with thousands of real student review scores. Learn more about the College Consensus rankings methodology at https://www.collegeconsensus.com/about/.

Contact:

Carrie Sealey-Morris

Managing Editor, College Consensus

[email protected]

(512) 710-9901

http://www.collegeconsensus.com/

https://www.facebook.com/collegeconsensus/

TW: @CollegeConsens

IG: @CollegeConsensus

SOURCE College Consensus

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BELMONT, Mass., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cogniscient, a technology company focused on developing innovative assessment and planning tools for the financial services, health care, and estate planning industries is pleased today to announce the appointment of 35-year wealth management industry veteran Stephen Gresham as chairman of its advisory board. He is also an investor in Cogniscient.

Cogniscient, Inc

Mr. Gresham has been at the forefront of financial services transformation and innovation for decades. He was recognized by the Money Management Institute with its Pioneer Award for lifetime industry contributions, named Mutual Fund Marketer of the Year by Institutional Investor/Fund Action and received a Telly Award for innovation in financial services marketing. He has led successful efforts as an executive or consultant for several major financial services firms in the global marketplace, including Merrill Lynch Private Wealth International, Smith Barney Consulting Group, Citigroup Private Bank, The Charles Schwab Company, Merrill Lynch Canada, AGF Funds and AIM Distributors. Most recently he led the Private Client Group at Fidelity Investments with more than $1 trillion in client assets. He is the author of five books about wealth management and served eight years on the faculty of Brown University focused on the impact of an aging population.

"We are delighted and honored to be able to work with someone with Steve's immense experience and intellect," stated Chris Heye, Ph.D., CEO and Founder of Cogniscient. "Steve not only possesses a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of the wealth management industry but also brings a passion for helping families and financial advisors alike meet the inevitable challenges of aging and longevity. These traits closely align with our company mission of helping older adults and their families make the best possible financial and health-related decisions. Steve will not only help us further develop and market the Whealthcare Planning platform but also contribute to the design and development of other age-related assessment and planning tools."

About Cogniscient Inc.

Cogniscient is a technology company whose mission is to help older adults and their families make the best possible health care and financial decisions. We enable individuals as well as the legal, financial, and health care professionals they work with to prepare for the challenges of the longevity economy. We collaborate with nationally known thought leaders in psychiatry, law, health care, and finance to develop our products and services.

About Whealthcare Planning LLC

Whealthcare Planning LLC is a financial technology company jointly owned by Cogniscient and CMCC Ventures Media, LLC. The company's mission is to develop innovative, cloud-based applications that help to protect older adults and their families and enable them to make the best possible financial decisions.

The Whealthcare Planning platform was developed in close cooperation with thought leaders in wealth management, psychiatry, health care and geriatrics, including Carolyn McClanahan, Director of Life Planning Partners and co-founder of Whealthcare Planning LLC. Some of the tools and training materials, including checklists and conversation scripts, were developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital. The Whealthcare Risk Profile tool is based in part on a study that was conducted at the Massachusetts General Hospital entitled "Cognitive Function as a Proxy of Financial Decision Making in Older Primary Care Adults," which examined the relationship among aging, cognitive impairment, and financial decision-making.

For more information go to www.whealthcareplan.com or contact Chris Heye at 617 901 8198 or [email protected]

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Steve Gresham

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SOURCE Cogniscient, Inc

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LINCOLN, Neb., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dan Thayer understands the winds of change to be quite strong  particularly when it comes to the many internal and external pressures now being placed on the field of civil trial practice.

As the recently-elected president of the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys (NATA), Dan Thayer is committed not only to defending the position and practice of trial law in the face of such tumult but to positioning his organization - and its leadership  as the foremost advocate for jury system preservation.

Nears Month Four in NATA Leadership Role

"Our civil justice system is not exempt from the pressure of change being demanded in this era," says Thayer, a Grand Island attorney for more than 25 years. "Who will lead that effort? NATA's theme during my tenure will be 'If not us, then who?'"

Having officially assumed his new role last September, Thayer looks to take a proactive approach when it comes to protecting and maintaining the jury trial system  one that doesn't just aim to improve trial practice for Nebraska trial attorneys, but which also protects the Constitutional right of all Nebraskans to a fair jury trial.

"Trial lawyers are in the courtroom every day," says Thayer. "If we are not at the forefront to address new proposals, both good and bad, then basic rights of Americans, such as the Constitution's 7th Amendment right to a jury trial, will be forever lost."

NATA has long served as a resource of continuing legal education for trial attorneys throughout the state  as well as an advocate during the legislative process as it applies to the civil trial system in the state of Nebraska. NATA offers open membership to all lawyers and law students across the state.

As president, Dan Thayer shares in the Association's mission, which involves "the improvement of the trial practice, the preservation of the justice system, and the protection of the constitutional right of trial by jury."

Thayer has been a member of the NATA Board of Directors since 1997. He was responsible for making two presentations at recent NATA Seminars ("Representation of a Deceased Foreign Worker" in 2015, and "The Art of the Legal Comeback in 2016). Thayer has practiced law at Thayer & Thayer, PC, LLO, since 2004 and a member of the Grand Island legal community since 1990.

Thayer received his Juris Doctorate at the Nebraska College of Law in 1990.

About: Dan Thayer was confirmed as 2018-2019 NATA President at the annual Board of Directors meeting in September 2018.

SOURCE Dan Thayer
SMITHS FALLS, ON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) (the "Company" or "Canopy Growth") once again applauds the passage of the U.S. 2018 Farm Bill. Canopy Growth wishes to update the market on its hemp operations as it prepares for US market entry thanks to this transformative piece of federal legislation, one that enables expanded pathways to the American market for hemp-based products, including CBD products.

Canopy Growth began adding strategic hemp assets to its portfolio in 2016 focused on consumer-packaged goods. The market potential for hemp and future CBD products was soon realized and the Company began investing in field-scale operations in late 2017 in order to vertically integrate its hemp business to mirror its existing cannabis business.

"Canopy has been preparing for and investing in this opportunity for several years now, through strategic acquisitions, infrastructure expansion, and extensive internal research and development," said Bruce Linton, Chairman & Co-CEO, Canopy Growth. "With the door now open, we are moving fast to bring our considerable resources to establish the same market leadership position internationally that we have earned in the Canadian cannabis market. Canopy has a strong supply of CBD, a significant channel presence, the IP to drive the CBD industry forward to the benefit of consumers, and the balance sheet needed to act now."

HEMP OPERATIONS AND CBD

The Company's world-class hemp team worked throughout the year to develop proprietary and patent-pending technological solutions to optimize the speed and efficiency of harvest, post-harvest, and storage processes required to run field-scale hemp operations.

Based on a successful first season, Canopy Growth's hemp division has harvested over 190 million sq. ft. (4500 acres) of CBD-rich hemp genetics in Saskatchewan. Once extracted, the company expects a yield of approximately 7000 kilograms of hemp-derived CBD, repeatable annually.

Extracted product can be stored as inventory over the long term as regulatory paths to the Canadian market are defined. At this time, there is no path to the US market for CBD derived from Canadian-grown hemp. That said, with the expertise that Canopy Growth has developed through the entire product cycle, from breeding to extraction to formulation, the Company is well positioned to assist and enable American farmers to move their hemp to market and positions the company as an expert partner in the United States.

STRATEGIC IP PORTFOLIO & CASH POSITION

Canopy Growth acquired a portfolio of hemp-specific IP when it acquired Colorado-based ebbu Inc. in November 2018. With more than 40 cannabis-related patent applications filed representing over 1500 inventions, the ebbu science team has become a global leader in data-driven, lab-tested cannabinoid research.

In addition to significant IP and patents filed, Canopy Growth's cash position continues to set it apart. The Company is prepared to invest in the infrastructure required to bring multiple CBD products to market at scale. With a substantial cash position, it can do so without diluting its shareholders.

Canopy Growth has developed broad product offerings specific to CBD across multiple verticals and will be publicly unveiling brands and product assortment in the first half of calendar 2019.

Here's to Future (Hemp) Growth.



About Canopy Growth Corporation

Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis and hemp company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms. Canopy Growth offers the world's only medically approved vaporizers through the Company's subsidiary, Storz & Bickel GMbH & Co. KG. From product and process innovation to market execution, Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product, site and country at a time. The Company has operations in 13 countries across five continents. The Company is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis, and through its wholly owned subsidiary, Canopy Health Innovations ("Canopy Health"), has devoted millions of dollars toward cutting edge, commercializable research and IP development. Canopy Growth works with the Beckley Foundation and has launched Beckley Canopy Therapeutics to research and develop clinically validated cannabis-based medicines, with a strong focus on intellectual property protection. Canopy Growth acquired assets of leading hemp research company, ebbu, Inc. ("ebbu"). Intellectual Property ("IP") and R&D advancements achieved by ebbu's team apply directly to Canopy Growth's hemp and THC-rich cannabis genetic breeding program and its cannabis-infused beverage capabilities. Through partly owned subsidiary Canopy Rivers Corporation, the Company is providing resources and investment to new market entrants and building a portfolio of stable investments in the sector. From our historic public listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange to our continued international expansion, pride in advancing shareholder value through leadership is engrained in all we do at Canopy Growth. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names including cannabis icon Snoop Dogg, breeding legends DNA Genetics and Green House seeds, Battelle, the world's largest nonprofit research and development organization, and Fortune 500 alcohol leader Constellation Brands, to name but a few. Canopy Growth operates ten licensed cannabis production sites with over 4.3 million square feet of production capacity, including over 500,000 square feet of GMP certified production space. The Company operates Tweed retail stores in Newfoundland and Manitoba and has entered into supply agreements with every Canadian province and territory. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release. Examples of such statements include statements with respect to current and future hemp operations domestically and abroad. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including the Company's ability to satisfy provincial sales contracts or provinces purchasing all cannabis allocated to them, and such risks contained in the Company's annual information form dated June 27, 2018 and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities law.

SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial wastewater treatment provider Axine Water Technologies has signed a multi-year wastewater services agreement with a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer. Under the multi-year agreement, Axine will own, operate, service and maintain a wastewater treatment system at the customer's manufacturing facility in the Northeastern United States.

Based on Axine's electrochemical oxidation technology, the system will treat manufacturing process wastewater contaminated with organic solvents. The treated water will be safely discharged to the local municipal wastewater plant. The customer's goal of installing the Axine system is to eliminate solvents in wastewater, ensuring the facility meets all local, state and US EPA categorical discharge limits. The agreement follows several months of successful testing and piloting of Axine's solutions. The system will be operational in early 2019.

Axine's CEO, Jonathan Rhone commented, "Axine is establishing a new standard of care in the pharmaceutical industry for on-site treatment of toxic organic pollutants. This application will not only eliminate organic pollutants, it will do so at the lowest cost and the lowest risk while ensuring the highest degree of operational efficiency, safety and compliance. We're seeing tremendous demand for our solutions across the pharmaceutical industry as manufacturers seek to reduce the cost, risk and environmental impact of toxic organics in wastewater.

"Canadian clean technology companies are working hard to develop solutions for customers worldwide," said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada. "The Government of Canada is proud to help Axine Water Technologies develop new, sustainable solutions to business challenges faced by pharmaceutical companies and other industries. Organizations like Axine spur innovation, create high-quality jobs and make Canada a leader in technology development."

About Axine Water Technologies

Axine provides on-site wastewater systems that treat the toughest toxic organic pollutants produced by pharmaceutical, electronic, chemical and other industrial facilities. Based on a breakthrough electrochemical technology, Axine systems use advanced catalysts and electricity to oxidize pollutants to harmless trace by-product gases with zero waste generated. Axine's unique service model minimizes customer capital investment, eliminates off-site trucking and disposal, ensures compliance, improves environmental performance and streamlines operational efficiency.

For more information, please visit www.axinewater.com .

Media Contact:

Kristin Mills, Marketing Manager

Axine Water Technologies

Tel: 404-402-0267

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Axine Water Technologies

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LONDON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) ("the Company"), a globally recognised leader in direct selling of beauty and related products, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with TheFaceshop Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of LG Household & Health Care Ltd., one of Asia's largest consumer goods and beauty companies, under which TheFaceShop will acquire all of the shares of Avon's Beauty manufacturing operation in Guangzhou, China. Net proceeds to Avon will be $44 million.

The companies also agreed to enter into a manufacturing and supply agreement, under which the Guangzhou factory will manufacture products for Avon's fast-growing Chinese business and other markets, while maximizing the capacity of the plant for its own production. Avon's associates at the facility will remain with the operation.

These agreements are another step in Avon's strategic shift to opening up its business mindset with best in class partners to efficiently manufacture and deliver products, in service of the millions of beauty entrepreneurs and their customers around the world.

Jan Zijderveld, CEO of Avon, said, "This transaction is a significant step forward in our efforts to 'Open Up Avon' by operating more efficiently, with a leaner, more agile global infrastructure. This agreement provides us with greater operational and financial flexibility, while allowing us to benefit from the local knowledge, world-class products, R&D expertise and infrastructure of internationally-recognized partners such as LG H&H. By operating with a local structure that fits our purpose, we will be better positioned to capture the significant opportunity in China and the wider Asian market. We know LG H&H well and believe that they will continue to be a strong partner for Avon as we collectively seek to grow our business in the region."

Suk Cha, CEO of LG Household & Health Care, said, "We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Avon and add a state-of-the-art facility with powerful capabilities to deliver quality products for the fast-growth local market. Our past interactions with Avon provide us a sound understanding of its brand power and global reach, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Avon as we both explore ways to grow our product lines, bring desirable products to market faster, and each accelerate our growth across Asia."

The transaction is expected to close by February 2019 following customary local regulatory approvals.

About Avon Products, Inc.

Avon is the Company that for 130 years has proudly stood for beauty, innovation, optimism and, above all, for women. Avon products include well-recognised and beloved brands such as ANEW, Avon Color, Avon Care, Skin-So-Soft, and Advance Techniques sold through approximately 6 million active independent Avon Sales Representatives. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.

About LG Household & Health Care Ltd.

LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H) is the #1 consumer goods company in Korea, with leading positions in all major categories including cosmetics, personal care, home care and beverages. The company is listed on the Korea Stock Exchange with a market capitalization of USD 18 billion as of December 1, 2018 and full-year revenue is approximately USD 6 billion (based on Bloomberg Estimates). In recent years, LG H&H has accelerated expansion beyond Korea, with leading luxury cosmetics brands such as 'The history of Whoo', 'su:m' and 'belif', and is now within the top 10 global cosmetics companies in Asia.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the Company's strategy and future growth in Asia. Because forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties, actual future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the possibility of business disruption, competitive uncertainties, and general economic and business conditions in Avon's markets as well as the other risks detailed in Avon's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Avon undertakes no obligation to update any statements in this press release for changes that happen after the date of this release.

Contacts

Avon Products Inc.

INVESTORS:

Amy Greene

Vice President, Investor Relations, Avon Products, Inc.

(US) 914-935-2172

[email protected]

MEDIA:

Chris Wermann

Group Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Avon Products, Inc.

(UK) + 44(0) 7867185442

[email protected]

SOURCE Avon Products, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.avoncompany.com


ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. today announced the acquisition of Canadian insurance broker Jones Brown Inc. and its subsidiaries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1997, Jones Brown is a retail property/casualty insurance broker offering a full range of commercial and personal insurance services throughout Canada from offices in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and Vancouver, British Columbia. The Jones Brown team will continue to operate from their existing locations under the direction of Steve Bryant, President of Gallagher's Canadian retail property/casualty brokerage operations.

"Jones Brown is a highly regarded, well-run broker that brings us complementary expertise, new geographies and a similar company culture," said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., Chairman, President and CEO. "I am very happy to welcome our colleagues at Jones Brown to Gallagher."

"Jones Brown has an outstanding reputation, built around highest quality customer service, innovation and deep insurance expertise," said Steve Bryant. "This makes them an ideal new partner for Gallagher Canada, and brings tremendous value to our own business and clients across the country."

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG), a global insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm, is headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. The company has operations in 35 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Investors: Ray Iardella Media: Linda J. Collins VP  Investor Relations VP  Corporate Communications 630-285-3661/ [email protected] 630-285-4009/ [email protected]

SOURCE Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Related Links

http://www.ajg.com


LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CES 2019 -- Arilou Information Security Technologies, the world leader in automotive cyber security solutions, and Green Hills Software, the worldwide leader in embedded safety and security, announced a cooperation, integrating Arilou's Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS) with the Green Hills INTEGRITY real-time operating system (RTOS).

Automotive cyber security is a hot topic for automakers worldwide as, with the rise of connected cars, the threat is increasing. Cars have become networked computers with wheels  each function of the vehicle being controlled by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), with dozens of ECUs connected by an in-vehicle network. Without appropriate protection, this network can be vulnerable to malicious hacking as has been seen demonstrated by recent well-publicized attacks by researchers.

Arilou and Green Hills Software are joining forces to secure the communication between the vehicle CAN bus and an ECU by implementing a dedicated version of the Arilou IDPS solution on the INTEGRITY Platform. This enables any automotive manufacturer using the Green Hills RTOS to transparently install Arilou's UMTRI-tested IDPS adjacent to the safety applications also running on INTEGRITY, thereby detecting and preventing any CAN bus targeted malicious attacks.

"We are more than excited to provide our CAN bus security capabilities for Green Hills Software, who have an incredible background in the automotive industry," commented Ziv Levi, Founder and CEO of Arilou. "We see the huge challenge cyber security means for the automotive industry and we believe that the right approach is to form partnerships like this one, securing the car on each level."

"It's very exciting to be able to demonstrate that the CAN bus can be protected by the Arilou UMTRI-tested IDPS running in a secure partition on INTEGRITY," commented Chris Tubbs, Business Development Director EMEA, Green Hills Software. "This shows that CAN bus protection can be provided on any platform running INTEGRITY, whether it is in the cockpit, ADAS/AV or Gateway, without additional hardware."

A demonstration of this capability will be presented on the Green Hills Software booth (#3715) in the North Hall of Las Vegas Convention Center at CES 2019. Visitors can see how the safety-critical telltales on a safety-critical instrument cluster are protected against a CAN bus spoofing attack by the Arilou software hosted in a secure INTEGRITY partition.

Israel-based Arilou, part of NNG Group, is the leading provider of pioneering cyber security solutions to the automotive industry. Its software IDPS security solution has been independently tested by OEMs and institutions such as the University of Michigan Transport Research Institute (UMTRI) who gave the solution a perfect score with 100% detection and prevention with zero false positives. The company believes that with a holistic approach and multi-layered solutions, full protection of the vehicles will become a reality.

About Arilou Cyber Security

Arilou Technologies Ltd, part of NNG Group, is a pioneer in the field of automotive cyber security. Established in 2012 in Tel Aviv, Israel, Arilou researches and develops end-to-end, multi-layered security solutions dedicated to the automotive environment. Independently tested by leading research institutes, the US Department of Transportation and major OEMs, Arilou's groundbreaking technology, provides 100% accuracy in cyber-attack detection and prevention, with zero false positives and zero latency according to the tests done by UMTRI, placing Arilou's solutions at the vanguard of real-time prevention. In 2016 Arilou was acquired by NNG, a leading automotive software supplier, specializing in hybrid navigation and vehicle user experience. For more info, please visit http://ariloutech.com.

About Green Hills Software

Founded in 1982, Green Hills Software is the worldwide leader in embedded safety and security. In 2008, the Green Hills INTEGRITY-178 RTOS was the first and only operating system to be certified by NIAP (National Information Assurance Partnership comprised of NSA & NIST) to EAL 6+, High Robustness, the highest level of security ever achieved for any software product. Our open architecture, integrated development solutions address deeply embedded, safety/security and high-reliability applications for the military/avionics, medical, industrial, automotive, networking, consumer and other markets that demand industry-certified solutions. Green Hills Software is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, with European headquarters in the United Kingdom. Visit Green Hills Software at www.ghs.com.

Green Hills, the Green Hills logo and INTEGRITY are trademarks or registered trademarks of Green Hills Software, in the U.S. and/or internationally. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE Green Hills Software

Related Links

http://www.ghs.com


BALTIMORE, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Urological Association (AUA) announced today the formation of a political action committee. The committee, officially known as the AUA Political Action Committee (AUAPAC) aims to advance the association's advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill.

The new AUA PAC offers our nation's urologic community (including both clinical and academic practicing urologists, advanced practice providers, researchers, allied providers and others), a platform from which to speak out in support of political candidates and policies impacting their community.

"AUAPAC helps AUA participate in the political process to advance the specialty of urology and enhance the care of the patients we serve," said AUA President Robert C. Flanigan.

The AUA submitted its statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission on November 16, 2018. "Establishing an AUA-led PAC is the logical next step in solidifying the AUA's role in coordinating urology's advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C.," said Dr. Flanigan. "The AUA will continue to work with like-minded groups to align our messages to policymakers and amplify the voices of urologists and their patients in our nation's capital."

A PAC board, comprised of urologists and other leaders with an interest in the field of urology, will guide the nonpartisan political action committee. AUAPAC will follow specific principles and criteria in determining recipients of political contributions.

More information about AUAPAC is available at www.myAUAPAC.org.

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 22,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.





Contact: Wendy Waldsachs Isett, AUA

410-689-3789, [email protected]

SOURCE American Urological Association

Related Links

http://www.AUAnet.org


ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is honored to welcome the 2019 Principal Officers and Board of Directors. The 18-member board is comprised of forward-thinking medical, scientific, education and executive professionals, who will strategically lead and focus efforts to ensure the ADA continues to be synonymous with excellence.

"The newest members of ADA's National Board of Directors are respected and trusted leaders within their professions, and we are thankful they are willing to share their time and energy to help us bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic," said Tracey D. Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the ADA. "We are truly grateful to our outgoing Principal Officers, Karen Talmadge, Felicia Hill-Briggs, Jane Reusch and Michael Ching, for their exemplary leadership, and know that they will remain connected for life."

The Principal Officers of the Board of Directors who started their terms of service on January 1, 2019 are:

David Herrick , MBA, Chair

David Herrick is managing principal of EthicOne, a New York City -based brand consultancy that helps Fortune 1000 companies put ethics and values at the heart of their brands. Herrick has served on the National Board of the American Diabetes Association for three years, having served as chair of the Board Development Committee, chair of the Marketing & Communications Task Force, member of the Finance Committee and member of the Strategic Planning Task Force. He previously served as chair of the ADA's Greater New York City Community Leadership Board and has been heavily involved as an organizer and participant in the ADA's Tour de Cure events.

is managing principal of EthicOne, a -based brand consultancy that helps Fortune 1000 companies put ethics and values at the heart of their brands. Herrick has served on the National Board of the American Diabetes Association for three years, having served as chair of the Board Development Committee, chair of the Marketing & Communications Task Force, member of the Finance Committee and member of the Strategic Planning Task Force. He previously served as chair of the ADA's Greater New York City Community Leadership Board and has been heavily involved as an organizer and participant in the ADA's Tour de Cure events. Gretchen Youssef , MS, RD, CDE, President, Health Care & Education

Gretchen Youssef is program director of the MedStar Diabetes Institute, MedStar Health. Youssef has volunteered with the ADA since 1992, serving as vice president of the Montgomery, Maryland chapter in 1994, chair of the Education Recognition Committee from 2008 to 2009, a member of the Professional Practice Committee and a member of the national Board of Directors from 2010 to 2012.

is program director of the MedStar Diabetes Institute, MedStar Health. Youssef has volunteered with the ADA since 1992, serving as vice president of the chapter in 1994, chair of the Education Recognition Committee from 2008 to 2009, a member of the Professional Practice Committee and a member of the national Board of Directors from 2010 to 2012. Louis H. Philipson , MD, PhD, FACP, President, Medicine & Science

Louis H. Philipson is director of the Kovler Diabetes Center and was named as the James C. Tyree Professor of Diabetes Research and Care in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Chicago . From 1996 to 1999 and again from 2008 to 2012, Dr. Philipson served on the editorial board of Diabetes , one of the ADA's four scientific journals. He has volunteered with the ADA since 1997, served on the Community Leadership Board for Northern Illinois since 2008, as president of the Community Leadership Board since 2012, and previously as a member of the national Board of Directors from 2009 to 2012.

is director of the Kovler Diabetes Center and was named as the James C. Tyree Professor of Diabetes Research and Care in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at the . From 1996 to 1999 and again from 2008 to 2012, Dr. Philipson served on the editorial board of , one of the ADA's four scientific journals. He has volunteered with the ADA since 1997, served on the Community Leadership Board for since 2008, as president of the Community Leadership Board since 2012, and previously as a member of the national Board of Directors from 2009 to 2012. Brian Bertha , JD, MBA, Secretary/Treasurer

Brian Bertha is a senior adviser for the Health Information Technology Lab (HitLab) and serves as a consultant for several health care and technology companies. Prior to that, he worked in senior management positions at Baxter Healthcare and McKesson. He previously served on the ADA's Community Leadership Board for the San Francisco area, served nationally on the Finance Committee and the board of directors.

The Elect Officers for 2019 are:

Umesh Verma, Chair of the Board-Elect

Umesh Verma is chief executive officer of BLUE LANCE, Inc., a leading developer of cybersecurity governance, assurance, audit and compliance automation software. He is the founder of Cyber Houston and the Houston Cyber Summit. A national leader in emerging technologies, he serves on the Boards of The Center for Houston's Future, University of Houston College of Technology and the Greater Houston HealthConnect. Verma is passionate about helping improve the lives of people with diabetes and serves on the executive committee of the Houston Diabetes Resource Center. Verma has served the American Diabetes Association as chair of the Houston Community Leadership Board, chair of the Finance Committee, and as the 2017 secretary/treasurer for the national Board of Directors.

Umesh Verma is chief executive officer of BLUE LANCE, Inc., a leading developer of cybersecurity governance, assurance, audit and compliance automation software. He is the founder of Cyber Houston and the Houston Cyber Summit. A national leader in emerging technologies, he serves on the Boards of The for Future, College of Technology and the Greater Houston HealthConnect. Verma is passionate about helping improve the lives of people with diabetes and serves on the executive committee of the Houston Diabetes Resource Center. Verma has served the American Diabetes Association as chair of the Houston Community Leadership Board, chair of the Finance Committee, and as the 2017 secretary/treasurer for the national Board of Directors. Mary de Groot , PhD, President-Elect, Health Care & Education

Mary de Groot , Ph.D., is an associate professor of medicine and acting director of the Diabetes Translational Research Center at Indiana University . She received her Master of Education degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education in 1989 and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Rhode Island in 1999. Dr. de Groot is a clinical health psychologist whose research focuses on examining the mechanisms that link diabetes and depression as well as the development of accessible interventions to treat depression among adults and socioeconomically and culturally diverse populations with diabetes. Since 2017, Dr. de Groot is a member of the American Diabetes Association Board of Directors. In addition, Dr. de Groot has contributed more than 100 articles and presentations on the psychosocial aspects of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

, Ph.D., is an associate professor of medicine and acting director of the Diabetes Translational Research Center at . She received her Master of Education degree from the in 1989 and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the in 1999. Dr. de Groot is a clinical health psychologist whose research focuses on examining the mechanisms that link diabetes and depression as well as the development of accessible interventions to treat depression among adults and socioeconomically and culturally diverse populations with diabetes. Since 2017, Dr. de Groot is a member of the American Diabetes Association Board of Directors. In addition, Dr. de Groot has contributed more than 100 articles and presentations on the psychosocial aspects of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Robert H. Eckel , MD, President-Elect, Medicine & Science

Robert Eckel is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and currently the Charles A. Boettcher II Endowed Chair in Atherosclerosis, Professor of Medicine with appointments in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Division of Cardiology and professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Anschutz Medical Campus, and director of the Lipid Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital. He also was a member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. In addition, he served as president of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity and then president of the American Heart Association.

is a Distinguished Alumnus of the College of Medicine and currently the Charles A. Boettcher II Endowed Chair in Atherosclerosis, Professor of Medicine with appointments in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, Division of Cardiology and professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Anschutz Medical Campus, and director of the Lipid Clinic at the Hospital. He also was a member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. In addition, he served as president of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity and then president of the American Heart Association. Martha Parry Clark , MBA, Secretary/Treasurer-Elect

Martha Parry Clark is a retired chief executive officer with global executive experience that spans the asset management, health non-profit, banking and strategy consulting industries. For the American Diabetes Association, Clark most recently served as the interim CEO, as chair of the Finance Committee, and as chair of the Community Leadership Board for the San Francisco Bay Area . She also serves on the board of Project Redwood, a non-profit that provides grants and consulting services to early-stage social entrepreneurs focusing on extreme poverty.

New At-Large Board Members are:

Glen Tullman

Glen Tullman is executive chairman and founder of Livongo and is passionately committed to finding a cure for diabetes and other chronic conditions and keeping people healthy until we do. A visionary leader and entrepreneur, he previously ran two public companies that changed the way healthcare is delivered. Tullman is also a co-founder and partner in 7wireVentures, an early stage investment firm focused on healthcare. He is the author of On Our Terms: Empowering the New Health Consumer , which proposes new solutions to address the chronic-condition epidemic facing our country.

is executive chairman and founder of Livongo and is passionately committed to finding a cure for diabetes and other chronic conditions and keeping people healthy until we do. A visionary leader and entrepreneur, he previously ran two public companies that changed the way healthcare is delivered. Tullman is also a co-founder and partner in 7wireVentures, an early stage investment firm focused on healthcare. He is the author of , which proposes new solutions to address the chronic-condition epidemic facing our country. Robert M. Cuddihy , MD

Robert M. Cuddihy is the vice president, US Medical Affairs, at AMGEN. He has close to two decades of practice experience as a clinical diabetologist at the Mayo Clinic, Harvard & MGH, International Diabetes Center (IDC), and the University of Minnesota . He was actively engaged in diabetes research as an investigator on numerous diabetes-related clinic trials including the DCCT-EDIC and ACCORD trials. A frequent speaker on diabetes-related topics at numerous national and global medical congresses and educator of physicians throughout the world on the treatment of diabetes through the World Health Organization, he has dedicated his life to educating and advocating for individuals living with diabetes. Dr. Cuddihy has participated in many American Diabetes Association Expo's in Minneapolis and served as chair of the New York City ADA Diabetes Expo, as well as other programs outside the ADA, such as Taking Care of Your Diabetes (TCOYD).

is the vice president, US Medical Affairs, at AMGEN. He has close to two decades of practice experience as a clinical diabetologist at the Mayo Clinic, & MGH, International Diabetes Center (IDC), and the . He was actively engaged in diabetes research as an investigator on numerous diabetes-related clinic trials including the DCCT-EDIC and ACCORD trials. A frequent speaker on diabetes-related topics at numerous national and global medical congresses and educator of physicians throughout the world on the treatment of diabetes through the World Health Organization, he has dedicated his life to educating and advocating for individuals living with diabetes. Dr. Cuddihy has participated in many American Diabetes Association Expo's in and served as chair of the New York City ADA Diabetes Expo, as well as other programs outside the ADA, such as Taking Care of Your Diabetes (TCOYD). Julio Rosenstock , MD

Julio Rosenstock is director of the Dallas Diabetes Research Center at Medical City and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center located in Dallas . Rosenstock has been the author or co-author of more than 516 publications, including 278 peer-reviewed manuscripts and numerous abstracts. He has also contributed to 13 clinics and book chapters on several topics in the field of diabetes. Rosenstock is currently associate editor of Diabetes Care , an editorial board member of Practical Diabetology and Cardiovascular Diabetology and is an active reviewer for several journals. Rosenstock has chaired or been a featured speaker at multiple lectures and presentations both nationally and internationally.

is director of the Dallas Diabetes Research Center at Medical City and clinical professor of medicine at the located in . Rosenstock has been the author or co-author of more than 516 publications, including 278 peer-reviewed manuscripts and numerous abstracts. He has also contributed to 13 clinics and book chapters on several topics in the field of diabetes. Rosenstock is currently associate editor of , an editorial board member of Practical Diabetology and Cardiovascular Diabetology and is an active reviewer for several journals. Rosenstock has chaired or been a featured speaker at multiple lectures and presentations both nationally and internationally. Otis W. Kirksey , PharmD, R.Ph., CDE, BC-ADM

Otis W. Kirksey currently serves as the director of pharmacy services for Neighborhood Medical Center in Tallahassee, FL. He brings 25 years of experience in academia as a former Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Prior to his faculty appointment he was a clinical pharmacist in Research and Information Services at the University of Miami /Jackson Memorial Medical Center. He served more than 11 years on the board of Neighborhood Medical Center and is currently the director of the Prince Hall Shriners' National Diabetes Initiative. In this role, he has led the organization's effort to fulfill its 10-year, $1 million-dollar commitment to the American Diabetes Association, to support research and outreach efforts in underserved communities  particularly African American and Hispanic.

currently serves as the director of pharmacy services for Neighborhood Medical Center in He brings 25 years of experience in academia as a former Professor of Pharmacy Practice at College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Prior to his faculty appointment he was a clinical pharmacist in Research and Information Services at the /Jackson Memorial Medical Center. He served more than 11 years on the board of Neighborhood Medical Center and is currently the director of the Prince Hall Shriners' National Diabetes Initiative. In this role, he has led the organization's effort to fulfill its 10-year, commitment to the American Diabetes Association, to support research and outreach efforts in underserved communities  particularly African American and Hispanic. Jean O'Connor , JD, DrPH, FACHE

Jean O'Connor is a senior public health practitioner with RTI International, a nonprofit research institute. Her work focuses on non-communicable diseases and the systems and policies that influence these conditions. She also is on the faculty at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory , on the editorial board for Preventing Chronic Disease and a past-president of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

The Principal Officers of the Board whose terms of leadership service ended on December 31, 2018 are:

Karen Talmadge , PhD, Chair

Chair Felicia Hill-Briggs , PhD, ABPP , President, Health Care & Education

President, Health Care & Education Jane Reusch , MD, President, Medicine & Science

President, Medicine & Science Michael Ching , CPA, Secretary/Treasurer

About the American Diabetes Association

Approximately every 21 seconds, someone in the United States is diagnosed with diabetes. Nearly half of the American adult population has diabetes or prediabetes, and more than 30 million adults and children are living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization on a mission to prevent and cure diabetes, as well as improve the lives of all people affected by the disease. For nearly 80 years, the ADA has driven discovery by funding research to treat, manage and prevent all types of diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. Magnifying the urgency of this epidemic, the ADA works to safeguard policies and programs that protect people with the illness, those at risk of developing diabetes and the health care professionals who serve them by initiating programs, advocacy and education efforts that can lead to improved health outcomes and quality of life. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit us at diabetes.org. Information is available in English and Spanish. Join the conversation with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

Contact: Sabrena Pringle, 703-549-1500 ext. 1637

[email protected]

SOURCE American Diabetes Association

Related Links

http://www.diabetes.org


ROSSLYN, Va., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Advantia Health announced two additions to its executive team. Mary Langowski has joined the company's board of directors and Nathan Barbour has assumed the role of Advantia's Chief Growth Officer. Advantia Health is transforming healthcare by building an ecosystem of providers and resources that support women in their own health and that of their families. With more than 140 providers across Maryland, Virginia and soon Washington, D.C., Advantia Health currently provides convenient, coordinated and quality care to more than 250,000 patients in the greater Washington metropolitan area.

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Mary and Nathan to our team," said Sean Glass, Founder and CEO of Advantia Health. "With the rapid expansion of our practices and partnerships over the last four years, 2019 will be a year of tremendous growth. Both Mary and Nathan's deep expertise in healthcare will be invaluable as we continue to improve the quality of the services we provide and ensure our patients receive the care they need to achieve sound health."

Mary Langowski joins Advantia Health's board of directors, having previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer at CVS Health. At CVS, Langowski played an instrumental role in facilitating the organization's evolution to a health care company and led the foundational work for the Aetna acquisition. Prior to CVS Health, Langowski led the health care and global food divisions at DLA Piper, and has served in senior roles in both state and federal government. In addition to Advantia Health, she serves on the boards of BioMatrix Specialty Pharmacy and Solera Health.

"Given the many demands in their lives, healthcare should be navigable, convenient and tailored to a woman's unique needs. Advantia Health's innovative care model is simplifying and streamlining the healthcare experience for women. I'm also thrilled to join the team as they expand to provide unmatched value to payers and employers by reducing healthcare costs and increasing quality for women," said Langowski.

Barbour joins Advantia Health from Evolent Health, a publicly-traded provider of value-based care technology and services, where he served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. In his five years at Evolent, Barbour built and led the company's Corporate Development team focused on M&A, strategic partnerships, and innovative pricing and risk structures. Prior to Evolent, Barbour served as Vice President at the boutique investment banking firm Croft & Bender, where he managed all aspects of sell-side and buy-side M&A and capital raising advisory transactions for growth companies, with a primary focus on the healthcare sector. He also served as a Partner at Croft & Bender's affiliated private equity fund, C&B Capital.

"The current healthcare landscape presents a tremendous opportunity for aligning providers to improve the quality, convenience, and cost through innovative solutions around value-based care. I'm excited to join Sean and his entrepreneurial team at Advantia Health to change the way healthcare is delivered to women and their families," commented Barbour.

About Advantia Health

Advantia Health is a fast-growing innovative healthcare company focused on women's health and the role women play as "chief medical officer" of their families. Advantia's Woman's Health Hub model, which physically and clinically integrates primary care, behavioral health and other commonly utilized services into its OB/GYN practices, provides high quality coordinated services to meet women's needs conveniently and at lower cost. Technology and an innovative care model enable Advantia physicians and allied health professionals to thrive in a fast changing healthcare environment while retaining the culture and benefits of independent private practice. Learn more at www.advantiahealth.com.

Contact

Eric Hollister Williams

[email protected]

202-255-22055

SOURCE Advantia Health

Related Links

http://www.advantiahealth.com


TEMPE, Ariz., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The W. P. Carey Foundation and The ASU Foundation are pleased to announce key support toward a goal of $50 million in fundraising for the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. At least $15 million of the overall giving will be directed from the W. P. Carey Foundation to support career services and resources  greatly enhancing the number and quality of career services and resources for nearly 16,000 current students  and at least $10 million from the W. P. Carey Foundation's support will be dedicated to recruiting prominent professors and researchers as endowed academic chairs. The donation also launches a giving campaign spearheaded by the W. P. Carey Foundation and the ASU Foundation to raise an additional $25 million to bring $50 million total in new funding to the business school.

To date, the W. P. Carey Foundation has invested more than $75 million in the W. P. Carey School, reflecting the Foundation's long-standing commitment to increasing educational opportunities and the school's growth, advancement, and innovation. In 2003, the $50 million donation by the Foundation and its namesake, real estate investor and philanthropist Wm. Polk. Carey, was the second-largest private donation to a business school in the U.S.

Since taking its benefactor's name, the W. P. Carey School has become one of the world's best business schools, with 20 programs and disciplines ranked in the top 30 by U.S. News & World Report. Among full-time MBA programs, ASU leads Ohio State, Pennsylvania State and the University of Notre Dame. In 2018, Financial Times ranked the school's online, full-time and executive MBA programs among the top 30 worldwide, and the school overall No. 4 among public business schools in North and South America, ahead of the University of North Carolina, Cornell University, and the University of Maryland.

"It is so rewarding to continue our partnership with the W. P. Carey Foundation, whose unquestioned commitment to education has brought so much opportunity to so many," said Amy Hillman, Dean of the W. P. Carey School. "We have been able to reach heights that simply could not have been possible without belief in what we do and support along the way from the Foundation and our many other generous benefactors. This new investment reaffirms our stewardship of their previous gift and provides us what is required to innovate and enhance our standing in an evolving business and economic environment."

The school's ascension has occurred as it has doubled enrollment over the past 15 years. Among the W. P. Carey School's innovations are early adoption of online degrees, a leading master's degree in business analytics, and transdisciplinary bachelor's degrees that have expanded the number of options to more than 30 majors.

"This gift marks another critical turning point for the business school and reinforces the W. P. Carey Foundation's tremendous commitment to and impact on this university," said ASU President Michael Crow. "The Foundation's support over the years has resulted in ASU having one of the top-rated and most highly sought-after business schools in the country. I am grateful to the Foundation for their support of our university, faculty, and most importantly our students  who will be the primary benefactors of their generosity."

"We are extremely proud of the W. P. Carey School of Business and its achievements since our initial investment of $50 million in 2003. This new gift builds upon the Carey and Armstrong family legacies at ASU and helps propel ASU's continued success as a world class leader and innovator in business education. My great-great-grandfather, John S. Armstrong, is credited as the legislative founder of what became Arizona State University. My grandfather Frank and his brother Bill honored that legacy with the Foundation's initial gift. I am proud we can continue to honor all of their memories by providing additional support for the next generation of leaders to graduate from ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business. There is no better time to invest in the business school and we look forward to other individuals and Foundations partnering with ASU to build an even better future by attracting preeminent faculty while offering students the best possible career opportunities," stated William P. Carey II, Chairman of the W. P. Carey Foundation.

The donation serves as the largest gift to date for the business school as part of Campaign ASU 2020. With less than 18 months remaining in the campaign, this signature gift encourages other individuals and philanthropic organizations to support research prominence and a massive expansion of career services for students.

"We look at this investment as something that will benefit us not only in 2019 and 2020 but also serve as the launchpad for thousands of careers in the future," said Hillman. "Part of ASU's mission is to provide access to all qualified students, no matter their background or financial circumstance."

"We have 22,000 first-generation college students at ASU. This level of support will advance all of our students, but one thing that stands out  and something we believe will resonate with other donors during our fundraising campaign  is how world-class career services at a top business school will bring new possibilities to first-generation students," Hillman said, noting the positive impact better-prepared candidates can immediately bring to hiring companies. "This sort of generosity can help shift the competitive balance for employers that hire our graduates while rewriting the story of hundreds of hard-working families each year."

New initiatives funded by at least $15 million of the W. P. Carey Foundation's investment will deploy more staff support and expertise, as well as additional technology and online tools toward career services. Areas of focus include increasing job placement rates for graduates, elevating starting salaries, developing new relationships with industry-leading recruiting partners, and providing enhanced lifelong learning to alumni. The school will also significantly grow the numbers of mentees and mentors, recognizing the increasingly important role mentorship plays in education and career development.

The gift also allocates at least $10 million to the endowment of two new faculty appointments known as the Carey Chairs, enabling the school to build on its reputation for research excellence. According to recent analysis of research productivity among top management programs, ASU ranks among the top five U.S. business schools, ahead of Harvard, Columbia and Stanford as measured by their rate of publication in top management journals.

For more information / media contact:

Rebecca Ferriter, W. P. Carey School of Business

[email protected]

(310) 871-9041

About the W. P. Carey School of Business

The W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University is one of the top-ranked business schools in the United States. The school is internationally regarded for its research productivity and its distinguished faculty members, including a Nobel Prize winner. Students come from more than 100 countries and W. P. Carey is represented by alumni in more than 160 countries. Visit wpcarey.asu.edu.

About the W. P. Carey Foundation

The W. P. Carey Foundation is a private U.S. foundation, incorporated in 1990 by William Polk Carey, Founder of the largest diversified REIT, W. P. Carey Inc. (NYSE: WPC). Inspired by the Carey family's legacy of educational leadership and philanthropy, the W. P. Carey Foundation's primary mission is to support educational institutions with the larger goal of improving America's competitiveness in the world. The main focus of the Foundation is education programs furthering the study of business, economics, and law, as well as to departments of admissions and college and career guidance.

SOURCE W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University

Related Links

http://wpcarey.asu.edu


PHOENIX, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 4Front Holdings, LLC ("4Front"), a leading retail and brand development company in the U.S. cannabis sector, has tapped Glenn Backus to serve as President of Mission, the Company's network of branded retail operations. He will report directly to CEO Josh Rosen.

Mr. Backus is an accomplished retail executive who brings a unique combination of operations as well as product development experience to Mission. He served as Vice President of Buying at Trader Joe's, where he led buying teams across national and regional categories and worked with category leaders to create, develop and bring to market 600 new items a year. He also previously served as Trader Joe's Vice President of Store Operations for New York, New Jersey and Ohio.

After his time at Trader Joe's, Mr. Backus was appointed President of Sunflower Markets (a subsidiary of Supervalu) where he successfully grew the company's profitability by increasing sales, right-sizing underlying cost structures, optimizing product mix, driving innovation, building the brand, and increasing customer and employee engagement. Following Sunflower's acquisition by Albertson's, Mr. Backus served as Director of Marketing and Strategy at HEB, a Texas-based grocery chain, and then as SVP of Brand, Innovation and Retail Strategy at Topco, which at roughly $12 billion in sales is the country's largest retail food group purchasing organization.

Most recently, Mr. Backus served as principle for a boutique consulting company that provides innovative solutions to persistent problems in the areas of customer experience, product, merchandising and marketing. He's also founder of Revolution Brands, which creates and launches innovative new food and beverage brands.

Mr. Backus is a faculty member at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in Chicago, where he teaches MBA-level classes on innovation, business strategy, and leadership.

"Glenn brings a unique combination of experience and capabilities to both 4Front and Mission, particularly with his formative years supporting the rapid growth of Trader Joe's, a specialty retailer that operates in an environment that in many ways closely resembles the frequently vertically integrated cannabis retail ecosystem," said Mr. Rosen. "There are not many people in this industry with his mix of operations and product development experience, not to mention the entrepreneurial drive that led him to form his own product development company. We're looking forward to applying Glenn's entrepreneurial spirit, operational acumen, and natural leadership as we seek to grow Mission into one of the country's leading cannabis retailers."

Mission currently operates five legal cannabis retail operations in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. In 2019, it expects to open several more stores within existing and new markets.

About 4Front

4Front Holdings, LLC ("4Front") is a leading retail and brand development company in the U.S. cannabis sector. It has developed a national platform that consists of a multi-state footprint, including its Mission-branded retail operations , and a far-reaching network of partnership relationships. Led by a group of professionals with experience in finance, real estate, manufacturing, and multi-location retail and hospitality operations, 4Front has invested heavily in assembling a team with the management skills and hands-on operating expertise that can support the rapid operational growth opportunity being afforded by the increased legalization of cannabis across the United States, as well as internationally. For more information, visit the website.

CONTACT: Nick Opich, [email protected], 212.896.1206

SOURCE 4Front

Related Links

4frontventures.com


LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On a mission to liberate women from the inconvenience of cords, a new company, Lunata Hair, ( https://lunatahair.com/ ), is seeking to transform the haircare industry with its innovative wireless and portable styling products, including hair straighteners and curling wands.

On a mission to liberate women from the inconvenience of cords, a new company, Lunata Hair, (https://lunatahair.com/ ), is seeking to transform the haircare industry with its innovative wireless and portable styling products. The company has launched a cordless, rechargeable, convertible curling iron that can be conveniently turned into a curling wand that will be featured at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 8-11, 2019. (Booth #51530). Lunata Hair's haircare tool features a 32mm titanium barrel with a removable clip that slides on and off the wand, adapting it from traditional curling iron to clipless curling wand for different looks. Lunata Hair has launched an Indiegogo campaign, ( https://igg.me/at/lunata ), to spread word about its products among consumers and the investment community.

In a move to further bolster its position as an emerging leader in the beauty tech industry, the Toronto-based company has launched a cordless, rechargeable, convertible curling iron that can be conveniently turned into a curling wand that will be featured in its booth at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 8-11, 2019. (Sands, Hall G, Eureka Park, Booth #51530). The haircare tool features a 32mm titanium barrel with a removable clip that slides on and off the wand, adapting it from traditional curling iron to clipless curling wand for different looks.

The company's wand features two modes: cordless, battery-powered mode for portable use, as well as plugged in mode for professionals, or for when the battery runs low. The battery is also removable and rechargeable, and consumers can carry spares as well. Lunata Hair has recently partnered with select retailers to sell its industry-leading products online, including Amazon.com/ca and Nordstrom.com.

"Our mission is to free women from cords. Technology is at the forefront of everything we do, and every product we develop," said Lunata Hair CEO and Co-Founder Monica Abramov, who started the company in 2017 with the brand's Chief Marketing Officer Anastassia Boguslavskaya. "Our vision is to develop products that allow women to extend the life of their blowout, and enable them to increase the time between washes."

Boguslavskaya added that the creation of their company came out of their frustration of not being able to find quality cordless haircare products.

"As consumers, we would search for cordless hair tools and found that what was currently on the market left a lot to be desired. The tools were butane powered, and 'travel sized' which is great for space saving, but really does nothing for your hair, and doesn't get hot enough," Boguslavskaya said. "We travel a lot for work, and we kept facing the same issues. We finally decided to stop searching, and take matters into our own hands, and the Lunata Hair brand was born."

Benefits and features of the Lunata Hair cordless, rechargeable curling wand will include:

A clipless, full-sized wand for beautiful beachy waves on the go.

A removable clip to turn your wand into a traditional curling iron with a titanium barrel for even heat distribution and long-lasting style.

Two modes: corded mode for max heat and use, and battery-powered mode to use on the go.

Heats up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit in corded mode, and 400 degrees Fahrenheit in cordless mode.

A removable battery so you can carry a spare if needed.

Lunata Hair has launched an Indiegogo campaign, ( https://igg.me/at/lunata ), to spread word about its products among consumers and the investment community.

About Lunata Hair:

Lunata Hair is on a mission to free women from cords. Founded in 2017 by Monica Abramov and Anastassia Boguslavskaya, Lunata Hair specializes in wireless and portable styling products, including hair straighteners and curling wands. Follow Lunata @lunatahair on Instagram and facebook.com/lunatahair on Facebook.

Media Contact:

George Pappas

Conservaco/The Ignite Agency

949-339-2002

[email protected]

http://ignitecfp.com

SOURCE Lunata Hair

Related Links

https://lunatahair.com


VALHALLA, N.Y., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Wine Enthusiast, the leading wine lifestyle magazine, releases its 10 Best Wine Getaways for 2019. The much anticipated feature is available online and on newsstands in the February Issue now.

Chosen by Wine Enthusiast's global editors each year, the list includes not only tips on what to taste and where to go in terms of wine, but also an insider's guide on top restaurants, hotels and cultural activities to experience in each region.

Wine Enthusiast's 2019 Top 10 Wine Getaways include:

Seattle, Washington

Maipo Valley, Chile

Lake Garda, Italy

Tasmania, Australia

Beaujolais, France

Temecula Valley, CA

Thessaloniki, Greece

Lisboa, Portugal

Lavaux, Switzerland , and

, and Bangkok, Thailand

While locations like France's Beaujolais and Chile's Maipo Valley may be familiar destinations to wine lovers, the list offers plenty of surprises, like Tasmania, Australia and Bangkok, Thailand.

The discovery-driven aspect of the list is the result of thousands of miles in the air and on the ground with the magazine's intrepid editorial team. Their goal? To search out the most exciting and comprehensive wine travel experience for savvy travelers.

"Our annual 10 Best Wine Getaways list is culled from the extensive travel our team undertakes each yearalong with input from trusted wine and travel journalists around the globe," explains Executive Editor Susan Kostrzewa. "We seek locales that offer world-class wines and wine-related experiences as well as unforgettable restaurants, hotels and cultural activities suited for the intrepid wine lover. The list balances classic, famed regions with emerging, insider gems that have yet to be discovered."

About Wine Enthusiast:

Wine Enthusiast's approach to wine and spirits is accessible and unpretentious, and enjoyed by novices and experts alike. Published thirteen times per year, the magazine's audience is over one million strong. Wine Enthusiast Magazine is a division of New York Based Wine Enthusiast companies.

For media inquiries, image, footage and interview requests:

John Van Dekker

914-610-6074

[email protected]

SOURCE Wine Enthusiast
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Value Colleges ( www.valuecolleges.com ), an independent online guide to the best values in undergraduate and graduate education, is pleased to share their Top 35 Colleges That Support A Gap Year at https://www.valuecolleges.com/ranking/supportive-college-gap-year/

With rising tuitions, growing debt, and more competition for applicants, students graduating from high school and looking at their prospects have a lot to consider. Gap years have become a common way for students to improve their chances of admission and figure out their college and career paths before committing. That's why Value Colleges has ranked the Top 35 Colleges That Support A Gap Year - to lead prospective students to the colleges and universities that offer the most support and flexibility for gap year students.

Value Colleges uses three data points to determine ranking:

Graduation Rate (IPEDS data)

Cost (IPEDS)

Return on Investment (College Scorecard data)

Without further ado, the top 3 Gap Year Friendly Colleges are: (1) Princeton University, (2) Harvard University, and (3) Georgia Institute of Technology. Value Colleges congratulates the top 3, as well as all the top 35!

The full list, in alphabetical order, reads as follows:

American University - Washington, DC

Augsburg University - Minneapolis, MN

Beloit College - Beloit, WI

Berry College - Rome, GA

College of William and Mary - Williamsburg, VA

College of the Holy Cross - Worcester, MA

Colorado College - Colorado Springs, CO

Cornell College - Mount Vernon, IA

Duke University - Durham, NC

Emory University - Atlanta, GA

Florida State University - Tallahassee, FL

Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA

Harvard University - Cambridge, MA

Harvey Mudd College - Claremont, CA

James Madison University - Harrisonburg, VA

Lewis & Clark College - Portland, OR

Long Island University Global - Brooklyn, NY

MIT - Cambridge, MA

Macalester College - Saint Paul, MN

Middlebury College - Middlebury, VT

Naropa University - Boulder, CO

Portland State University - Portland, OR

Prescott College - Prescott, AZ

Princeton University - Princeton, NJ

Saint Edward's University - Austin, TX

Texas Christian University - Fort Worth, TX

Tufts University - Medford, MA

University of Denver - Denver, CO

University of Hartford - Hartford, CT

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC

University of Oregon - Eugene, OR

Warren Wilson University - Swannanoa, NC

Wesleyan University - Middletown, CT

Wheaton College - Wheaton, IL

Yale University - New Haven, CT

As VC editors explain, "What used to be considered a luxury  a whole year off to 'find yourself' or 'see the world'?  is becoming more and more common, especially as students begin to question whether college is really worth it for them." While privileged students once took a gap year for fun, today's gap year students are doing a lot more with their time: service, self-improvement, caring for family members, starting a business. "Taking a gap year during college doesn't mean prolonging your education," according to the editors. "Instead, when students participate in programs through colleges that allow deferment, they're further adding to their educational experience."

Knowing how important a gap year can be for young students, many colleges and universities have developed their own programs for service and travel, or written supportive policies for students who want to defer their admission. It makes sound sense: "Colleges lose when students aren't prepared and drop out; students lose when they choose a college or major that isn't the right fit. The gap year solves those problems," the VC editors explain. That's why the Value Colleges ranking of the Top 35 College That Support a Gap Year is valuable to prospective students and their families, as well as the colleges themselves.

Value Colleges has a mission to help future students - whether they are working professionals, new graduates, minority and first-generation students, or others - to find residential and online degree programs that will help them make their goals a reality. Value Colleges is independent and unbiased, ranking degree programs, providing guides for the complex financial and professional questions of college students, and offering honest facts about the potential and pitfalls of a college education.

Media Contact:

Rhonda Corey

Media Manager, Value Colleges

[email protected]

512.710.9901

SOURCE Value Colleges

Related Links

http://www.valuecolleges.com


GETTYSBURG, Pa., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tripwire Operations Group, a company founded and run by first responders, is a renowned tactical security and training academy offering essential resources and instruction for public safety and emergency personnel.

Tripwire Overview Educating the Brave.

With clients all over the country and around the world, Tripwire is at the forefront of the fast-paced and ever-changing security field, delivering critical awareness-level and operational-level courses to help law enforcement and first responders stay informed, prepared, and safe. The experience, knowledge, and dedication of the Tripwire teamcombined with the products, services and training they deliveroffers an overall education and skillset that is incomparable.

Located just outside the historic town of Gettysburg, Pa., Tripwire's headquarters complex offers multiple training areas including: shooting and explosive demolition ranges, laboratory for creating explosives, on-site housing, and classrooms. The cutting-edge courses, along with the products and services offered through a collaboration of professionals, is unequaled in the industry.

"We have become a one-stop shop for products and services for the military and law enforcement," said Ryan Morris, founder and CEO of Tripwire. "We work with everyone from Special Forces and other tier-one operators, to SWAT teams, police officers, and bomb squads."

Tripwire is no newcomer to the world of training and education. Since its inception, the company has given more than 23,000 emergency, military and first responder personnel the expertise and abilities they need to deal with any situation.

Training

Operating under the simple belief that the most highly trained professionals create a more secure America, the Tripwire team has created a blueprint for success through effective testing, evaluation, and practical training. The rigorous, realistic scenarios they provide, combined with essential hands-on work, is unparalleled in the industry, and is what has made Tripwire respected throughout the nation and across the globe.

"The courses aren't easy. They're intense and thorough," said Morris. "We put the guys through stresses that simulate real-world problems, and teach vital skills to help keep them safe."

That claim was proven by feedback received from a military unit, who credited the instruction they received at the Gettysburg facility with saving lives while deployed overseas. In addition to local and regional agencies, Tripwire has provided training for the Department of Defense, numerous special operations military unitsand federal law enforcement agencies, like the ATF, the FBI, and the Secret Service.

A small sample of the instruction offered by Tripwire includes:

Explosives Breaching Certification

Homemade Explosives Recognition and Detection

Forensic Science

K-9 Explosive Detection Training

Shooting

Tactical Medicine

All of the classes offered by Tripwire can be custom tailored to fit specialized needs, and can be taught at the Gettysburg facility or on other sites.

Explosives

Tripwire is one of the few ATF-licensed explosive manufacturers, importers, exporters and dealers in the country, able to fulfil orders for a wide range of explosive needsfrom detonators and detonating cords, to plastic bonded explosives, dynamite, TNT, and even explosive range materials and equipment.

Additionally, the firm established a special effects division that can provide full-scale pyrotechnic special effect explosions for full-length feature films, short films, music videos, commercials, air-shows, and much more.

Whether you're looking for something small or something spectacular, Tripwire pyrotechnic experts can provide the perfect high-quality display.

'Educate The Brave'

BRAVO-3, a subsidiary of Tripwire, will host the international BRAVO-3 Training Conference & Vendor Show March 4-6, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Fl. This all-inclusive, multi-discipline event provides unsurpassed training opportunities for professionals in all fields.

"This is an exceptional opportunity for attendees to have one-on-one interactions, and learn from some of the best in their fields," Morris said. "You will not find a more complete collaboration of professionals, whose goal it is to serve their tactical/first responder communities."

In addition to offering valuable training and education, this gathering of elite professionals provides a perfect setting for procedure sharing and professional networking. Attendees are rewarded with one-on-one interactions with some of the most respected operators, technicians, and instructors in the world, and are exposed to cutting-edge information, technology, and TTP's.

BRAVO-3 was founded by, and is comprised of, organizations and personnel that have decades of experience within their respective career fields, including SWAT, K9/MWD, BOMB SQUAD/EOD, FIRE, HAZMAT, TACMED and SOF.

The importance of highly-trained emergency personnel in the coming years is indisputable. The benefit they provide to a communityand the countryis invaluable.

For more information about Tripwire Operations Group, or attending the BRAVO-3 Conference, visit tripwireops.org, or call 717-648-2792.

Tripwire Operations Group in Gettysburg, Pa. offers critical and life-saving awareness-level and operational-level courses to help law enforcement and first responders from across the nation and around the world stay informed, prepared, and safe.

Contact: Ryan Morris 717-648-2792

Tripwire Operations Group

1685 Baltimore Pike

Gettysburg, Pa. 17325

[email protected]

SOURCE Tripwire Operations Group

Related Links

http://tripwireops.org


TORONTO, Jan 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Inside every organization sits a Trojan Horse, filled with employees waiting to unload their emotional baggage and managers who behave in ways that trigger employees into engaging in "scorched earth" warfare. Pre-Emptive Strike Consulting Inc. has released a new book to address this Trojan Horse in any organization.

'Pre-Emptive Strike Leadership' Book

Dr. Arlene Battishill and Michael Levitt's new book, "Pre-Emptive Strike Leadership: Neutralizing Behavioral Threats That Are Infiltrating Your Organization," identifies how and why employees are exacting revenge on their employers as a means of expressing their outrage at management insensitivity and disregard. Add Millennials into the mix and it's a powder keg waiting to go off.

Dr. Arlene Battishill and Michael Levitt are veteran management professionals who have spent decades in the trenches observing and correcting managerial misbehavior and ineptitude and minimizing risk by increasing manager capacity and sensitivity.

Both published authors, they have created a book filled with revelations and insight, based on a revolutionary approach to neutralizing risk posed by behavioral threats that are infiltrating organizations and offering a powerful solution. This book will help CEOs put the "human" back into human resources so managers and employees don't turn their employers into tomorrow's headline news.

Available today at https://amzn.to/2Vub6iG.

Media Contact:

Arlene Battishill, Ph.D.

Phone: 323-203-7411

Email: [email protected]

www.preemptivestrikeconsulting.com

Related Files

PESL One Sheet.jpg

PESL Logo.png

Related Links

Pre-Emptive Strike Leadership Book

Pre-Emptive Strike Consulting

SOURCE Pre-Emptive Strike Consulting Inc.

Related Links

http://www.preemptivestrikeconsulting.com


LONDON, Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Americas data center colocation market to witness investments of more than $11 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of over 3% during the forecast period. The research report offers market size analysis regarding colocation services during the forecast period.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5587792



The telecommunication service providers, colocation service providers, enterprises and government entities are making efforts to improve the network connectivity by investing in submarine cable in the Latin American market. The adoption of lithium-ion UPS systems, DRUPS, and fuel cells will lead to the transformation of infrastructure solutions in the market. Americas data center colocation market is driven by the datacenter development of Tier III and Tier IV standards in the US and Canadian region. The increasing investments in mega-datacenter projects are contributed heavily by colocation, internet, and cloud service providers, resulting in higher revenues in the American market. The market research report provides in-depth market analysis and segmental analysis of the Americas data center colocation market by investment, service type, and geography.

The report considers the present scenario of the Americas data center colocation market and its market dynamics for the period 2018?2023. It covers a detailed overview of various Americas data center colocation market growth enablers, restraints, and trends. The study includes both the demand and supply sides of the market. It also profiles and analyzes the leading companies and various other prominent companies operating in the Americas data center colocation market.



Data Center Colocation Market in Americas  Dynamics



The rising demand for cloud connectivity and hybrid infrastructure services is augmenting the growth of the data center colocation market in Americas. Various colocation providers have announced cloud connectivity services to major cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft, Google, Oracle, IBM, Equinix, Digital Realty, and CyrusOne to widen their consumer reach in the global market. The increasing focus on facilities developments from the federal government will lead to investment in colocation facilities or private cloud datacenters in the American market. The federal government and the state government is also planning to consolidate their data center infrastructure to reduce cost and improve efficiency in the market. The largest colocation service providers investing over than $500million in new construction and expansions in the data center colocation market in Americas. In 2017, more than 30 M&A activities were witnessed across Americas, valued at more than $18 billion, 15 million in square feet area, and 500+ MW of power. The increasing demand for superior services is contributing to the growing number of M&A activities in the American market.



Data Center Colocation Market in Americas  Segmentation



This Americas data center colocation market research report includes a detailed segmentation of the market by investment, service type, and geography. The investment segment in the American data center collocation market is classified into electrical infrastructure, mechanical infrastructure, and general construction. The general construction segment occupied the second largest market share in 2017, growing at a CAGR of over 3% during the forecast period. The increasing number of greenfield and brownfield developments is propelling the growth of this segment in the American market.

The American data center colocation market by service type is divided into retail and wholesale. Wholesale services are the fastest growing segment in the American market, at a CAGR of around 9% during the forecast period. The growing demand for high computing capacity from global enterprises in the US and Canada is driving the demand in this segment. High bandwidth, minimum power capacity, and capability to expand the space of datacenter as and when required are some of the benefits offered by wholesale colocation service providers in the American data center colocation market.



Market Segmentation by Investment

 Electrical Infrastructure

 UPS systems

 Generators

 Transfer Switch and Switchgear

 Rack PDU

 Other Electrical Infrastructure

 Mechanical Infrastructure

 Cooling Systems

 Rack

 Other Infrastructure

 General Construction

 Building Development

 Installation & Commissioning

 Building Design

 Physical Security

 DCIM



Market Segmentation by Service Type

 Retail

 Wholesale



Data Center Colocation Market in Americas  Geography



The Americas data center colocation market by geography is segmented into the US, Canada, and Latin America. The US contributed to more than 85% of the investments in 2017, growing at a CAGR of over 2% during the forecast period. The report offers market size analysis in terms of colocation services, power capacity (MW), and square feet area for all the segments for 2017-2023. Virginia, Texas, California, New York, North Carolina, and Illinois are the major market for colocation constructions in the US market. Latin America is the fastest growing region in the American market, at a CAGR of more than 10% by investment during the forecast period. The consolidated efforts to improve the broadband and network connectivity by telecommunication companies, enterprises, colocation providers, and government entities will propel the growth of the Latin American market.



Market Segmentation by Geography

 US

 Canada

 Latin America



Key Vendor Analysis

The Americas data center colocation market witnesses million-dollar investments by Digital Realty and Equinix is investing across the US and Canadian region. Equinix, Digital Realty, CyrusOne, Switch, and Vantage Data Centers are some of the providers investing in the US. Investments by Urbacon Data Centre Solutions in Canada and Latin America to boost their market share. The rising investments in new facilities and expanding existing ones will intensify the competition in the American market. Leading providers are estimated to add over 500,000 square feet of net rentable area and 60 MW of power capacity in the Americas data center colocation market YOY for the next few years. Various service providers are offering retail colocation and managed services to sustain the competition in the American market.



The major vendors in the Americas data center colocation market are:

 CoreSite Realty Corp.

 CyrusOne

 Cyxtera technologies

 Digital Realty

 Equinix

 Switch



Other prominent vendors in the Americas data center colocation market include 1547 Critical Systems Realty, 365 Data Centers, Ascenty, AT&T, Axtel, Bell Canada, CentriLogic, CenturyLink (Level 3), CloudHQ, Cogeco Peer 1, Colo-D, DataBank, Data Foundry, EdgeConnex, Entel, Expedient, Flexential (Peak 10 & ViaWest), Green House Data, Green House Data, I.C.E Datacenters, Infomart Data Centers, Internap, KIO Network,ODATA (Patria Investimentos), Quality Technology Services (QTS), RagingWire Data Centers (NTT), Rogers Communications, ROOT Data Center, Sabey Data Centers, Stream Data Center, T5 Data Center, TigoUne (UNE EPM), TierPoint, Telefonica, Urbacon Data Center Solutions, Vantage Data Center, vXchnge, and Zayo Group Holdings.



Key market insights include

1. The analysis of Americas data center colocation market provides market size and growth rate for the forecast period 2018-2023.

2. It offers comprehensive insights into current industry trends, trend forecast, and growth drivers about the Americas data center colocation market.

3. The report provides the latest analysis of market share, growth drivers, challenges, and investment opportunities.

4. It offers a complete overview of market segments and the regional outlook of Americas data center colocation market.

5. The report offers a detailed overview of the vendor landscape, competitive analysis, and key market strategies to gain competitive advantage.



Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5587792



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


ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) today announced that eTIPS, an online responsible alcohol server and seller training program, is approved by and meets the requirements of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). While not required by law, the TABC encourages sellers, servers, and managers to be trained so they are better able to identify and prevent sales of alcoholic beverages to minors and intoxicated persons.

Many employers in Texas require TABC certification as a condition of employment because of the liability and administrative benefits of hiring certified personnel. The TABC-approved eTIPS course is a self-paced, innovative approach to alcohol server and seller training. It allows participants to obtain practical and valuable training anywhere and at any time. eTIPS participants who register with a Texas address will receive the TABC-approved training. Through interactive lessons, scenarios and quizzes, eTIPS gives servers the knowledge and confidence they need to recognize potential alcohol-related problems and teaches them to effectively intervene to prevent alcohol-related tragedies. Additionally, eTIPS can help licensees reduce exposure to alcohol liability lawsuits, lower insurance rates, and improve customer satisfaction.

In Texas, the TABC will not take administrative action against a license/permit when an employee sells or serves an alcoholic beverage to a minor or intoxicated customer, so long as several conditions are met:

The person selling holds a current seller-server training certificate from a TABC approved school;

the person selling is not the owner or an officer of the company;

All employees engaged in the sale, service, or delivery of alcoholic beverages, as well as their immediate managers, are certified within 30 days of their hire date;

The employer has written policies for responsible alcohol service and ensures that each employee has read and understands these policies;

The employer does not directly or indirectly encourage the employee to violate the law; and

There are not three or more of these types of violations in a twelve month period.

This relief is commonly referred to as "safe harbor." If an illegal sale is made, the seller/server will probably be arrested, but the retailer's permit/license will have protection from administrative action by the TABC.

To learn more about how eTIPS can benefit your business, staff and community, visit www.gettips.com.

About Health Communications, Inc.

Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) was founded in 1982 by the Health Education Foundation and Dr. Morris Chafetz, founding director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. HCI is a nationally recognized expert in the field of alcohol server training. Over 5 million people worldwide have been certified in the TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) program. Proven effective by third-party studies, TIPS is a skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, underage drinking, and drunk driving. TIPS offers seven programs that address the unique environments where alcohol is served, sold, and consumed, including On Premise, Off Premise, Concessions, Gaming, University, Seniors, and Workplace.

Contact: Trevor Estelle

703-524-1200 ext. 357

[email protected]

SOURCE Health Communications, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.gettips.com


STOCKHOLM, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- At CES Las Vegas, myFC will showcase its answers to three major global questions:

How to double the range of an electric car, with zero tail pipe emissions, supporting Agenda 2030 targets: a demo of fuel cell-based LAMINA Range Extender (LAMINA REX).

How to eliminate of the fear of a depleted phone battery forever: myFC's integrated smartphone solution LAMINA MAX and its JAQ Hybrid fuel cell powerbank. Just add a power card.

How to provide safe hydrogen on-the-go: LAMINA REX, LAMINA MAX and JAQ Hybrid all deliver safe onboard hydrogen generation, using nothing but water, salt and harmless reaction components.

First out, the LAMINA REX, a fuel cell powered range extender for the automotive market: myFC believes that new technologies and a new fuel logic are required to meet the Agenda 2030 targets. myFC initiated the development of LAMINA REX toward the automotive industry in order to solve the limitations of today's battery technology and to support the electrification of the global car fleet, reducing CO2 emissions globally. Even high-end electric cars today can't promise a satisfying range on a single charge compared to high-end gasoline cars, and because of battery cost and weight, the price point remains much too high to ensure electrification of the global car fleet.

At CES, myFC will show a demo of a car component with integrated fuel cells and two convenient ways to charge the car batteries. This demonstration proves how the company's fuel cell technology can be integrated in small spaces to reduce battery weight and extend driving range with zero tail pipe emissions.

"I expect a lot of interest in our solution for electric cars, and we are located in the automotive section of CES because of the high relevance of our technology for the automotive industry. Car manufacturers keep announcing new battery electric vehicle models, but it's increasingly clear these models won't entirely do the job of electrifying the global car fleet. Car manufacturers are required to follow through on delivering long-range electric vehicles and bringing down the car prices, which are still much too high from a consumer perspective, not to mention the lack of sufficient number of fast-charging stations for drivers to travel long distances with comfort. myFC's solution, a fuel cell-based range extender, cleverly addresses these challenges promising lowered OEM cost, longer driving ranges, and integration flexibility  obviously still with zero tailpipe emissions," says Pouya H. Moud, Head of Development for LAMINA REX.

The JAQ Hybrid is the world's first and smallest portable fuel cell power bank. The power card, micro fuel cell and power management system of the JAQ Hybrid are all under continuous improvement, and at CES live demonstrations of the latest system will be made. The JAQ Hybrid is trimmed and updated with all the required certifications such as FCC, PSE, IEC and CCC.

The JAQ Hybrid system is easy to use and always ready, providing connectivity assurance for the most unpredictable of moments. Single-use power cards containing water, salt and safe reaction components provide green electricity, and charge JAQ Hybrid's integrated battery, providing convenient, green energy, always. The JAQ Hybrid system has enough capacity to power one smartphone charge, depending on the capacity of the phone battery. It has an output power 5 W and a capacity of 2,700 mAh plus the energy the power card gives. It is compatible with Android, Apple iOS, Windows smartphone, tablets and USB 5V devices and fully compliant with international air safety regulations.

"I'm looking forward to showing the robust solution in our updated platform at CES. We have addressed and solved many new requirements in the past months, and I'm feeling confident that we will have a great show at CES this year," says Ville Lejon Avrin, acting Sales Director at myFC.

Finally: myFC's most recent offering LAMINA MAX  a deep integration of fuel cells in smartphones  will be showcased to the media at Showstoppers on Tuesday January 8. This offering provides smartphone manufacturers with a sought-after competitive edge and consumers with power gap relief.

The integrated fuel cell, which is still under development, currently builds less than 0.8 mm in the smartphone. Its dedicated PowerCard weighs about 30 grams and provides a full working day mobile activity extension. This reference design will be available for private viewings at CES.

"LAMINA MAX promises to be a fantastic energy boost for the smartphone world. The smartphone integration team has had good progress over the past months, thanks to the modular and inexpensive fuel cell technology myFC has been developing for more than a decade. This could be a game-changer for the smartphone industry and for all of us who use smartphones," says Sebastian Weber, Chief Technology Integration Officer at myFC.

myFC at CES 2019:

Meet myFC at Showstoppers

Wynn Hotel, January 8, 18-22

Visit myFC at North Hall

Booth 6438, Las Vegas Convention Center

For further information, please contact:

myFC Press Office

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +46 (0) 738-09-33-83

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/myfc/r/swedish-myfc-releases-electric-cars-and-smartphones-from-wall-fettered-charging-at-ces-in-las-vegas,c2713355

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/9804/2713355/973363.pdf Download the press release as pdf http://news.cision.com/myfc/i/jaq-hybrid-205g,c2554241 JAQ Hybrid 205G

SOURCE myFC
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI) today released survey results highlighting the reasons Americans continue to purchase their personal prescriptions from licensed and legitimate online pharmacies in Canada, safely, at considerable cost savings, and often at the recommendation of a healthcare provider.

The majority of respondents  94 percent  cited cost as the main reason they order their medications from licensed, legitimate online pharmacies, which is an increase from last year's survey in which 79 percent of respondents cited cost as the main reason. In addition, 97 percent of survey respondents would recommend ordering prescription medications from an online pharmacy in Canada to their friends and family members.

Nearly half of respondents (48 percent) have been ordering their medications from Canada for more than four years.

"This survey shows the realities of personal prescription importation as a viable option for accessing medications safely and at considerable savings, which is essential for many Americans who struggle with skyrocketing drug prices," said Tracy Cooley, Executive Director of the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation.

This year's survey also showed an increase in the percentage of people who are hearing about online pharmacies from their healthcare provider or pharmacist  39 percent of survey respondents indicated that a healthcare provider or pharmacist told them about online pharmacies compared to 26 percent in last year's survey.

"The high cost of prescription drugs has created a health and economic crisis in this country. Personal prescription importation gives Americans a lifeline for affording safe medications and many healthcare providers and pharmacists support importation as a viable option for their patients," said Cooley.

CPPI conducted this online survey between September 3, 2018 and November 12, 2018. Based on the universe of followers of CPPI, this sample of 1,354 responses represents findings with a standard sampling error of plus or minus 5 percent.

Below are highlighted findings from our national survey:

Primary Reason is Cost: The majority of respondents (94 percent) - cite cost as the reason that they order their medications from an online pharmacy in Canada . Other reasons cited include consistency in pricing (9 percent); convenience (7 percent); consistency in availability (6 percent); and lack of availability in the U.S. (4 percent).

The majority of respondents (94 percent) - cite cost as the reason that they order their medications from an online pharmacy in . Other reasons cited include consistency in pricing (9 percent); convenience (7 percent); consistency in availability (6 percent); and lack of availability in the U.S. (4 percent). Spending through Ordering Online: Nearly half of respondents (48 percent) spend less than $99 per month ordering personal prescriptions from licensed online pharmacies in Canada . Thirty percent of respondents spend between $100 - $199 and 12 percent spend between $200 - $299 . Among people who reported spending more than $300 , the average amount they reported spending is $493 per month.

Nearly half of respondents (48 percent) spend less than per month ordering personal prescriptions from licensed online pharmacies in . Thirty percent of respondents spend between - and 12 percent spend between - . Among people who reported spending more than , the average amount they reported spending is per month. Savings through Ordering Online: We also asked survey respondents to compare what they would spend on their prescriptions in the U.S. to what they pay by purchasing them through a licensed online pharmacy in Canada . More than half of respondents (52 percent) report saving up to $199 each month by ordering through an online pharmacy. Among people who save more than $300 per month (38 percent of respondents), the average savings that they report is $910 .

We also asked survey respondents to compare what they would spend on their prescriptions in the U.S. to what they pay by purchasing them through a licensed online pharmacy in . More than half of respondents (52 percent) report saving up to each month by ordering through an online pharmacy. Among people who save more than per month (38 percent of respondents), the average savings that they report is . Insurance Coverage: Despite having Medicare or other insurance coverage, many Americans still purchase safe and affordable prescription drugs from Canada . More than half of respondents (67 percent) report having Medicare. Sixteen percent report that their employer provides insurance coverage, nine percent do not have insurance, and eight percent are self-insured.

Despite having Medicare or other insurance coverage, many Americans still purchase safe and affordable prescription drugs from . More than half of respondents (67 percent) report having Medicare. Sixteen percent report that their employer provides insurance coverage, nine percent do not have insurance, and eight percent are self-insured. Years of Ordering Online: More than half of respondents (52 percent) report ordering their prescription medications from an online pharmacy for less than three years. Thirty-one percent have been using online pharmacies for between four and seven years, and 17 percent of respondents have been ordering for more than eight years.

More than half of respondents (52 percent) report ordering their prescription medications from an online pharmacy for less than three years. Thirty-one percent have been using online pharmacies for between four and seven years, and 17 percent of respondents have been ordering for more than eight years. Recommendations to Family and Friends: Overwhelmingly, survey respondents (97 percent) would recommend ordering prescription medications from an online pharmacy in Canada to their family and friends. More than half of respondents (55 percent) know someone already who has ordered their medications from Canada .

Overwhelmingly, survey respondents (97 percent) would recommend ordering prescription medications from an online pharmacy in to their family and friends. More than half of respondents (55 percent) know someone already who has ordered their medications from . Initial Awareness of Ordering Online: Sixty-one percent of people surveyed heard about online pharmacies from friends or family members. Thirty-nine percent of respondents learned about online pharmacies from either a healthcare provider or pharmacist. [Note: This is up compared to last year's survey in which 26 percent of respondents cited learning about online pharmacies from a healthcare provider or pharmacist.]

Sixty-one percent of people surveyed heard about online pharmacies from friends or family members. Thirty-nine percent of respondents learned about online pharmacies from either a healthcare provider or pharmacist. [Note: This is up compared to last year's survey in which 26 percent of respondents cited learning about online pharmacies from a healthcare provider or pharmacist.] Choosing an Online Pharmacy: More than 40 percent of people surveyed looked for a verified, certified site when deciding which online pharmacy to use. Twenty-eight percent of people surveyed use an online pharmacy that was recommended by a friend or family member. Twenty-nine percent of people selected a site based on ease of use or best price.

More than 40 percent of people surveyed looked for a verified, certified site when deciding which online pharmacy to use. Twenty-eight percent of people surveyed use an online pharmacy that was recommended by a friend or family member. Twenty-nine percent of people selected a site based on ease of use or best price. Knowledge of Rogue Pharmacies: The majority of respondents (88 percent) can properly identify the attributes of a rogue website that sells counterfeit medications, which includes pharmacies that do not require a valid prescription, do not have a licensed pharmacist on staff, do not protect personal and medical information, and pharmacies that sell controlled substances.

Importing prescription medications from safe, verified pharmacies in Canada provides a lifeline to those in need of affordable life-saving and health maintenance medications.

For more information on personal prescription importation and how to find an online pharmacy that you can trust, please visit this link: https://personalimportation.org/

About the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation

https://personalimportation.org

The Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI) is a national nonprofit patient advocacy organization that fights for Americans' access to safe, affordable prescription medications from Canada for personal use. Tens of millions of Americans  especially the elderly and others on fixed incomes  struggle to pay the extremely high price of prescription medications in the U.S. We are here to be their voice.

Thousands of Americans use licensed Canadian pharmacies annually, to purchase their daily prescription medications at an affordable price. We believe that all Americans have a right to affordable medications. It is time to change the current U.S. policy on this issue to provide immediate access to life-saving medications, taken daily for chronic health conditions, at affordable prices.

SOURCE Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI)

Related Links

https://personalimportation.org


MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Plus Relocation is thrilled to announce they have raised more than $50,000 for Children International's HOPE Scholarship program, which will help youth caught in the cycle of poverty pursue higher education, build a career and break the cycle.

Plus Relocation's 50-to-go Challenge in support of Children International

The funds were raised during the "50-to-go Challenge"  a three-month fundraising campaign that put a bow on Plus' 50th anniversary in 2018. The challenge called on Plus' employees, clients, partners and industry friends to rally together for $25,000 in donations, with Plus promising a $25,000 match to get to $50,000 total if the goal was met.

"I'm so proud of the entire Plus community for coming together to meet this goal," Plus CEO Susan (Schneider) Benevides said. "It really shows what we're capable of when we work as one, and the money is going to do a whole lot of good for kids in need. I can't think of a better way to celebrate our 50 years."

In addition to matching the $25,000 in donations, Plus announced a special wrinkle as part of the 50-to-go Challenge  if the goal was met, Benevides pledged to personally participate in Polar Plunge 2019. The annual event raises money for Special Olympics programs across Minnesota through icy leaps into local lakes.

"I can't say that I'm super excited to jump into freezing cold water, but I've been preparing myself," Benevides said of her March plunge into Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis. "All of this is for a good cause, so I'm game. Plus, I'm a lifelong Minnesotan  a little cold never slowed me down."

The more than $50,000 raised through the 50-to-go Challenge will support 200 HOPE scholars. The HOPE Scholarship program provides youth in secondary school, vocational training and higher education with tuition, uniforms, books and transportation costs  expenses their families are unable to cover due to competing basic needs at home.

"Children International is so very grateful to have the support of Plus Relocation and its employees," said John Clause, Vice President of Philanthropy. "Our mission is to connect people around the world in the fight to end poverty, and generous community support allows us to fulfill that mission. Partnering with a caring company like Plus, we can continue to help children and around the world find a path out of poverty through education, empowerment, and ultimately, employment. On behalf of everyone at Children International, thank you. Your pledge to the world's vulnerable children is truly the gift of 'movement' in many ways for many children and families."

For more about the HOPE Scholarship program and the rest of Children International's vital work helping kids in need, visit www.children.org. For more on Polar Plunge 2019, visit www.plungemn.org.

About Plus Relocation

Plus Relocation designs and implements completely personalized mobility solutions with flawless execution for companies of all sizes, including some of the most-recognized brands on the planet. We've been in business since 1968, and our innovative, game-changing approach has propelled us to a full-service, global mobility powerhouse with offices located around the world. Our tri-regional model allows us to deliver seamless mobility services in more than 150 countries. To learn more, please visit www.plusrelocation.com.

About Children International

Children International is a leader in the movement to eradicate poverty. From toddler to young adulthood, we surround kids with a caring team, a safe place and a clear path out of poverty through programs focused on health, education, empowerment and employment. Our supporters are inspired as they see children radically change their lives and create a ripple effect that impacts their families and communities for generations to come. To learn more, visit www.children.org.

Contact: Stephanie Ottenbacher

[email protected]

+1-952-562-8970

SOURCE Plus Relocation

Related Links

http://www.plusrelocation.com


BETHLEHEM, Pa., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, the PEEPS brand is opening its factory doors to consumers while giving back through a partnership with the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV) with the launch of a nationwide sweepstakes. The PEEPS Helping Peeps Sweepstakes grand prize includes a trip for four to experience the ultimate behind the scenes tour at the PEEPS Factory, located in Bethlehem, PA. To enter, the PEEPS brand is encouraging fans to make a five dollar or more donation to UWGLV that will go towards supporting community schools.

(PRNewsfoto/Just Born Quality Confections) PEEPS Helping Peeps Logo

"Although we've had many requests and lots of fans show up at our doors over the years, the PEEPS factory has never been open to the public," said Matt Pye, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Just Born Quality Confections. "We couldn't think of a better reason to open our doors for the first time ever than by teaming up with our local United Way to help give back to the community that PEEPS calls home. The winner of our PEEPS Helping Peeps Sweepstakes will embark upon a once-in-a-lifetime tour of our factory and witness first-hand how our iconic PEEPS marshmallow is made, all while helping raise funds in support of important community enhancing programs."

United Way seeks to improve lives and community conditions by assessing the needs of the community, raising funds and investing in programs, measuring results, and mobilizing people to action. Just Born Quality Confections, the makers of PEEPS, is a third-generation family-owned business located within the Greater Lehigh Valley who values their roots by giving back to the community. Through the partnership with United Way, PEEPS will also help support education initiatives by raising funds for student programs, including programs to help raise children's reading scores.

"United Way just celebrated its 100th anniversary. It's a new century, and we've embraced a new way of helping our community," said David Lewis, President of UWGLV. "We are excited about this tremendous partnership with PEEPS, and are honored that such an iconic brand is helping us achieve our goals in our next century of giving back."

The PEEPS Helping Peeps Sweepstakes is open now through April 8. As part of the entry, fans are encouraged to donate five dollars to UWGLV by visiting unitedwayglv.org/peeps or by texting "peepsunited" to 40403. The grand prize winner will be notified on or about April 12 and will be announced at United Way's Day of Caring event on April 18.

To learn more about the PEEPS Helping Peeps Campaign, visit unitedwayglv.org/peeps

About Just Born Quality Confections:

Just Born Quality Confections is a third-generation family-owned company. Just Born is the maker of some of America's most beloved and iconic brands  PEEPS, MIKE AND IKE, HOT TAMALES and GOLDENBERG'S PEANUT CHEWS. In 1923, the founder, Sam Born, opened a small candy-making and retail store in Brooklyn, New York, where he marketed the freshness of his daily-made candy with a sign that declared, "Just Born." Together with Born's brothers-in-law, Irv and Jack Shaffer, the company thrived in spite of the economic depression of the 1930s and, in 1932, moved its operations to Bethlehem, PA, which is still home to their iconic candy brands. All Just Born candies are proudly made in the U.S.A. For more information, please visit www.justborn.com and see the breadth of candy and high-quality branded items at www.peepsandcompany.com. Follow us: facebook.com/JustBornInc, twitter.com/JustBornInc.

About United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley

The mission of United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley is to provide the leadership, convene the partnerships, and develop the resources and solutions that improve our community. We remain committed to these goals and sincerely appreciate the continued support of partners, program providers and donors throughout the Lehigh Valley. www.UnitedWayGLV.org

SOURCE Just Born Quality Confections

Related Links

http://www.justborn.com


- Engineers from six OPPO R&D institutes worldwide connected for a high-bandwidth, low-latency multiparty video call enabled by 5G

OPPO has recently unveiled its Find X 5G Prototype for the first time, saying it would work together with industry partners worldwide to develop a new 5G ecosystem. The news comes shortly after OPPO successfully completed the world's first multiparty video call on a smartphone via 5G network. Engineers from six OPPO R&D institutes worldwide participated in the video call using WeChat, with an inaugural message of "Hello OPPO, Hello 5G".

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/804539/5G_video_call_OPPO.jpg )



Today Gulf nations are leading the 5G charge in the Middle East, with a flurry of recent network tests and 5G trial services being shown in Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the last year.

"5G is a trend OPPO must embrace. In addition to striving to become the first manufacturer to launch 5G smartphones, OPPO's exploration of application opportunities in the 5G+ era will ultimately determine the value of 5G," Tony Chen, Founder, President and CEO of OPPO stressed at the recent 2018 OPPO Technology Exhibition. "OPPO will fully integrate 5G with applications and user insights, and continuously innovate to provide users with revolutionary, necessary, convenient and seamless experiences."

The OPPO Find X flagship smartphone, launched in select Middle East markets last year, leads the all-screen trend in the smartphone industry. The OPPO Find X 5G prototype, with its engineering sample Snapdragon 855 and X50 5G modem, offers outstanding 5G performance. OPPO, Qualcomm and Keysight Technologies Inc., a world-leading electronic measurement company, have also demonstrated 5G data connectivity and applications including browsing, online video replay and video call using the Find X 5G prototype.

Brian Shen, OPPO Global Vice President and President of China Business, said: "We are confident OPPO will be one of the first companies to launch commercial 5G smartphones in 2019."

Looking forward to the longer term, OPPO has introduced the concept of "5G+", with a belief that the 5G+ era will be an era where everything is connected and 'experience is king'. "The smartphone will be at the core of a wide range of smart devices, which will all be connected through the 5G network. To address the areas of 'smart health' and 'smart home', OPPO has already begun work on several smart devices, exploring the intersection of 5G and cutting-edge technologies, and is collaboratively building a 5G+ innovation ecosystem with the entire industry," said Shen.

Levin Liu, Head of OPPO Research Institute, added that "OPPO will drive the advancement of 5G together with AI, Big data and Cloud Computing (5G + ABC), making smartphones and smart devices true 'intelligent personal assistants'. We believe that rich 5G application scenarios and killer 5G applications will emerge in the future, bringing disruptive experiences to users."

In building a 5G ecosystem, OPPO will continue deepening its collaboration with Qualcomm, network infrastructure manufacturers telecom service providers and other supply chain partners. OPPO is in talks with telecom service providers in China, Europe, Australia and other overseas markets, with plans to launch commercial 5G products this year.

About OPPO

OPPO is a leading global smartphone brand, dedicated to providing products infused with art and innovative technology. Based on the brand elements of young, trend-setting and beauty, OPPO brings consumers delighted experience of digital life.

For the last 10 years, OPPO has been focusing on manufacturing camera phones, while innovating mobile photography technology breakthroughs. OPPO started the era of Selfie beautification, and was the first brand to launch smartphones with 5MP and 16MP front cameras. OPPO was also the first brand to introduce the motorized rotating camera, the Ultra HD feature and the 5x Dual Camera Zoom technology. OPPO's Selfie Expert F series launched in 2016 drove a Selfie trend in the smartphone industry.

In 2017, OPPO was ranked as the number 4 smartphone brand globally, according to IDC. And today, OPPO's business has covered 31 countries and regions, and has 6 research centers worldwide, providing excellent smartphone photography experience to more and more young people around the world.

SOURCE OPPO
AUSTIN, Texas and CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NBG Home ("NBG" or the "Company"), the largest provider of affordable home decor products, today announced that it has acquired Quoizel, a leading designer and marketer of decorative lighting. Following the transaction, Quoizel's headquarters and team will remain in Charleston, South Carolina, and Rick Seidman, President of Quoizel, will continue in his role. This acquisition is the second for NBG in less than two years under the ownership of private equity firm Sycamore Partners.

Scott Slater, CEO of NBG, said, "We are pleased to welcome Quoizel to the NBG family. Quoizel's brand is widely known for quality and innovation in fine decorative lighting. Its strong sales force and capable design team are well-regarded for their customer first attitude. We look forward to partnering with Rick Seidman and the Quoizel team as we increase our operating scale, product and brand diversity to further enhance our category management solutions to the benefit of our retail partners. Furthermore, we plan to capitalize on each company's market leadership, sales force and capabilities to driver higher revenue growth than either company could independently accomplish."

Mr. Seidman said, "We are excited about this next chapter in Quoizel's proud history, as it ensures our loyal customers continue to have access to our timeless products while enabling our talented team to continue doing what they do best. NBG was thoughtful in helping our ownership group achieve their objectives, and with NBG's support and scale, we can enhance our capabilities and expand distribution points across North America and Europe, providing an attractive future for our employees, customers and vendors."

Peter Morrow, Managing Director at Sycamore Partners, said, "This transaction, which follows NBG's purchase of Cheyenne Products a year ago, reflects Sycamore's confidence in NBG. The company is growing organically and through acquisitions as it further strengthens its deep connections to the world's leading omni-channel retailers through market-leading design, merchandising and sourcing capabilities. We look forward to continuing our support of NBG and its team as they execute on this growth strategy."

Baird served as financial advisor to Quoizel and Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to NBG Home.

About NBG Home

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, NBG Home is the largest provider of affordable home decor products, including lighting, accent furniture, soft goods, wall decor, frames and other categories marketed under brands such as Pinnacle, Jimco, Patton, Plantation Patterns and THRO. Through its leading research, innovation and product development capabilities, NBG Home offers trend-right products at affordable price points, and serves a wide variety of retail partners, including mass merchants, specialty stores, discount stores, home centers, warehouse clubs, and internet retailers.

About Quoizel

Founded in 1930 and based in Charleston, South Carolina, Quoizel is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of fine decorative lighting. Quoizel's promise is to bring timeless designs into customers' homes, while building lasting relationships along the way.

About Sycamore Partners

Sycamore Partners is a private equity firm based in New York. The firm specializes in consumer, distribution and retail-related investments and partners with management teams to improve the operating profitability and strategic value of their business. Sycamore has approximately $10 billion in assets under management. The firm's investment portfolio currently includes Belk, Coldwater Creek, CommerceHub, Hot Topic, MGF Sourcing, NBG Home, Pure Fishing, Staples, Inc., Staples United States Retail, Staples Canada, Talbots, The Limited and Torrid.

Contact:

Michael Freitag or Arielle Rothstein

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

(212) 355-4449

SOURCE NBG Home; Quoizel
DETROIT, Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A new generation of potential automotive thought leaders  grade school through college-level students  will have a chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at the future of the mobility industry at the 15th annual North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) Education Day on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019. Registration deadline is Friday, Jan. 18, 2019.

Sponsored by Ally, NAIAS Education Day gives students the opportunity to explore the latest automotive technologies and 750 vehicles on the show floor, as well as take part in hands-on activities offered at exhibits throughout the day. Pre- and post-lesson plans posted on the NAIAS Education Day website engage participating students long before and after their visit to the show.

"Last year, nearly 4,000 students from more than 70 schools participated in NAIAS Education Day," said 2019 NAIAS Chairman Bill Golling. "Education Day is more than simply a field trip for students; it's a valuable educational experience that motivates young people to start thinking about careers in the auto industry. It also offers students a better understanding of what goes into designing and building the mobility solutions of today and tomorrow."

Ally will round out the day of learning at the show by providing lessons in financial life skills to select NAIAS Education Day high school students. The company will offer sessions on credit and auto financing as part of its Ally Wallet Wise free financial education program. Wallet Wise teaches financial education basics in the areas of budget, credit, banking, investing and financing a vehicle through in-person sessions and online courses at AllyWalletWise.com.

Students and chaperones attending Education Day enjoy a discounted price of $13 per person, which includes a lunch coupon for pizza, chips and a soft drink. A total of 50 bus grants ($100) are available to registered schools (on first-come, first-served basis). NAIAS Education Day is the only time during the auto show when there will be a designated bus parking with shuttles to transport attendees to Cobo Center. Bus drivers are welcome to attend NAIAS Education Day (a ticket is required).

To register a school or to obtain more information, visit naias.com.

About the North American International Auto Show

In its 31st year as an international event, the NAIAS is the most influential annual automotive event in the world. NAIAS is where future mobility innovations meet the pavement. With the largest concentration of the world's top automotive and technology executives, designers, engineers and thought leaders, NAIAS serves as the global stage for companies to debut brand-defining vehicles and industry-shaping announcements. NAIAS is unmatched in the industry in presenting six unique shows in one, including: The Gallery, an ultra-luxury automotive event, AutoMobili-D, an inside look at future mobility platforms, Press Preview, Industry Preview, Charity Preview and then concluding with a nine-day Public Show.

For more information, visit naias.com.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for highlights and updates.

2019 NAIAS Dates:

The Gallery: Saturday, January 12

Press Preview: Monday  Tuesday, January 14-15

AutoMobili-D: Monday  Thursday, January 14-17

Industry Preview: Wednesday  Thursday, January 16-17

Charity Preview: Friday, January 18

Public Show: Saturday  Sunday, January 19-27

SOURCE North American International Auto Show

Related Links

https://naias.com


BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- New research shows that in Louisiana, 828,255 households  48 percent  could not afford basic needs such as housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology in 2016, according to the ALICE Report for Louisiana released today by the Louisiana Association of United Ways, in collaboration with Louisiana United Ways.

Louisiana's percentage of ALICE households puts it at the third highest percentage of all 50 states.

The ALICE Report is the most comprehensive depiction of financial need in the state to date, using data from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census. The report includes measures, based on present-day income levels and expenses that show how many Louisiana workers are struggling financially, and why. Nearly one in three (29 percent) of Louisiana households are ALICE and 19 percent live in poverty. Households living below the ALICE Threshold make up between 27 percent and 75 percent of the population in every parish in Louisiana. The average Household Survival Budget (calculation created for the ALICE report) for a Louisiana family of four increased to $53,988 - significantly higher than the federally recognized family poverty level of $24,300. (Single Household Survival Budget is $19,548 with the poverty level set at $11,880.)

The original ALICE Report Update for Louisiana was released in January 2016, with an additional update released in 2017. The new report advances that information by two years, updating data sources from 2014 to 2016. ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, places a spotlight on a large population of hardworking residents who work at low-paying jobs, have little or no savings, and are one emergency from falling into poverty.

The ALICE Report is the most comprehensive depiction of financial need in the state to date, using data from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census. The report includes measures, based on present-day income levels and expenses that show how many Louisiana workers are struggling financially, and why.

"There are so many Louisiana families walking their personal economic tight ropes with courage, grit and hope," said Sarah Berthelot, President/CEO of Louisiana Association of United Ways. "However, without the ability to get ahead, they are vulnerable  one set back, one illness, one natural disaster or even one car repair can take away any and all security ALICE has worked to sustain. Until the arrival of the ALICE Project in Louisiana, these hardworking Louisianans were an invisible group."

The 240-page updated ALICE Report for Louisiana reveals many points of data, including:

As per the update, 48 percent of households struggle to afford the basic necessities and live below the ALICE Threshold  Nearly one in three (29 percent) of Louisiana households are ALICE and 19 percent live in poverty. The 2016 data increases the number of ALICE household by 6 percent while the percentage of poverty remains flat at 19 percent. This percentage represents 105,178 more ALICE households struggling to make ends meet throughout the state.





households are ALICE and 19 percent live in poverty. while the percentage of poverty remains flat at 19 percent. This percentage represents 105,178 more ALICE households struggling to make ends meet throughout the state. Households living below the ALICE Threshold make up between 27 percent and 75 percent of the population in every parish in Louisiana . (These households earn above the poverty level but below the Household Survival Budget.)





. (These households earn above the poverty level but below the Household Survival Budget.) The average Household Survival Budget (calculation created for the ALICE report) for a Louisiana family of four increased to $53,988  significantly higher than the federally recognized family poverty level of $24,300 . (Single Household Survival Budget is $19,548 with the poverty level set at $11,880 .)





family of four increased to  significantly higher than the federally recognized family poverty level of . (Single Household Survival Budget is with the poverty level set at .) Childcare, representing a Louisiana family's greatest expense, averaged $996 per month for two children in licensed and accredited childcare  a $302 increase since our 2014 ALICE update, which reported an average cost of $694 for quality childcare for two children. As of this year, technology expenses (smart phones) are included in the ALICE survival budget. This expense was not included in previous ALICE budget calculations.





family's greatest expense, averaged per month for two children in licensed and accredited childcare  a increase since our 2014 ALICE update, which reported an average cost of for quality childcare for two children. As of this year, technology expenses (smart phones) are included in the ALICE survival budget. This expense was not included in previous ALICE budget calculations. The newest ALICE data provides information for various family types for all 64 parishes, including married couple, single adult/one child, two adults/two school-aged children, etc. For all Louisiana ALICE data, visit https://www.launitedway.org/ALICE

"This ALICE Report for Louisiana is made possible by generous corporate support from the Entergy Corporation," said Berthelot. "As our sponsor and as a National ALICE Advisory Council member, Entergy supports ALICE research in our state and around the nation. The Louisiana Association of United Ways is also grateful for the partnership of Louisiana United Ways and the countless governmental, nonprofit and business partners who work to find ways to help ALICE."

"Our team at Entergy is as concerned about keeping power flowing for customers who are struggling financially as we are for those who are without power because of a storm or other issue," said Patty Riddlebarger, Vice President Corporate Social Responsibility, Entergy Corporation. "What that means is a commitment to attack the root causes of poverty, which we took on as a corporate cause with the formation of the low-income customer service initiative."

Stephanie Hoopes, Ph.D., based in New Jersey, is the director of the ALICE Project. She says the 2016 data shows that ALICE households across Louisiana are being squeezed even tighter.

"Despite low unemployment, wages are not keeping pace with the rising cost of necessities, squeezing ALICE households across Louisiana," Hoopes said. "These families are particularly vulnerable to the state's cycle of natural disasters, which continually compromise their economic recovery."

The ALICE Report for Louisiana provides high-quality, research-based information to foster a better understanding of who is struggling in our communities. To produce the ALICE Report for Louisiana, a team of researchers for the ALICE Project collaborated with a Research Advisory Committee, composed of 24 representatives from around Louisiana, who advised and contributed to the report. This collaborative model, practiced in each state, ensures each ALICE Report presents unbiased data that is replicable, easily updated on a regular basis, and sensitive to local context. Working closely with United Ways, the ALICE Project seeks to equip communities with information to create innovative solutions.

About Louisiana Association of United Ways

The Louisiana Association of United Ways is an association of nine regional United Ways serving 53 parishes throughout Louisiana. Our mission is to integrate action and resources for the common good. We work across our communities to tackle challenges that affect individuals, families and whole communities  challenges that are ultimately bigger than any of us and impact our entire state. We are part of a global network of more than 1,800 United Ways, servicing communities in 41 countries.

Quotes from regional CEOs and Research Advisory Committee members are available on request. To arrange an interview, please email Jan Risher at [email protected].

State contact: Sarah Berthelot

Louisiana Association of United Ways

Media contact: Jan Risher 337-230-8214

[email protected]

SOURCE Louisiana Association of United Ways
NEW YORK, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Worldwide expert in ultraviolet (UV) protection La Roche-Posay closed out 2018 with yet another successful SOS  Save our Skin program. The program, now in its ninth year, is a strategic three-pronged approach to raise awareness about the dangers of the sun while educating the public on how to practice sun safe behaviors. In addition to continuing to develop its beloved Anthelios sunscreens (which have won of over 60 esteemed beauty industry awards,) La Roche-Posay participates in nationwide sun safety education programs and launches first-to-market wearable technologies designed to measure skin's exposure to external factors, including UV.

Informing the public about sun safe behaviors, providing first to market technology to play smart in the sun.

Taking the brand's advanced My UV Patch technology to the next level, La Roche-Posay introduced another first-to-market with the first ever battery-free wearable electronic to measure UV exposure. My Skin Track UV (now available on Apple.com and in select Apple stores nationwide) pairs with its companion app to track exposure to UV, pollution, pollen, and humidity. The sensor is activated by the sun and powered by the user's smartphone using near-field communication. The revolutionary design, created in collaboration with visionary designer Yves Behar, is discreet enough to attach to clothing or accessories such as sunglasses or a watch and is waterproof allowing it to seamlessly integrate into the daily life of users. Now, consumers can receive real time information to help keep their skin healthy.

Encouraging protection from the sun by providing innovative broad-spectrum sunscreens for those at high risk.

La Roche-Posay develops advanced sunscreen formulations with elegant textures to incite actual behavioral change. This year, the brand focused on those who regularly exercise outdoors exposed to the sun. A recent survey1 conducted by La Roche-Posay found that:

75% said that exercise was their preferred way to improve their health

Yet only 32% claimed to wear sunscreen always/very often when exercising outdoors

The top two excuses amongst subjects for not wearing sunscreen were related to sweat resistance and suitability for sensitive skin. In response, La Roche-Posay introduced Anthelios 60 Sport Activewear Lotion Sunscreen, a heavy-duty lotion developed specifically for sensitive skin and help absorb sweat during outdoor activities. This month, La Roche-Posay is unveiling another breakthrough formula  Anthelios Mineral Sunscreen-Gentle Lotion With Cell-Ox Shield  a 100% mineral UV filter sunscreen designed for sensitive skin types that is blendable with a soft finish on the skin.

Encouraging the public to visit a dermatologist yearly to get moles checked, and providing education and tools to self-check at home in between.

Year after year, La Roche-Posay partners with dermatologists through the Women's Dermatologic Society (WDS) to provide free skin cancer screenings, sun damage assessments, sun safety materials, and complimentary sunscreen samples to the public. The brand supported the WDS through its award-winning Play Safe in the Sun programs at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in St. Louis, MO and New York, New York, the Chicago Triathlon, and 33 Coast to Coast events throughout the nation. In total, this reached 12,098 people at 37 different events. La Roche-Posay also donated Anthelios products to the WDS Transforming Interconnecting Project Program for women in shelters, which teaches women proper skin care, sun protection, oral hygiene, self-care habits, nutrition, and social skills for women in shelters in six states. 10,150 people were also educated about sun safety and skin cancer checking through family events with the brand's partnership with the French Institute Alliance Francaise and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.

For additional information about La Roche-Posay, visit www.laroche-posay.us and follow La Roche-Posay USA on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @LaRochePosayUSA

About La Roche-Posay

Recommended by dermatologists worldwide, La Roche-Posay's mission is to offer a better life for sensitive skin. Created by a pharmacist in 1975, the brand is now present in over 60 countries. It offers a unique range of daily skincare developed for every skin type to complement their patients' treatments and promote good skincare practices adapted to each skin concern. The brand develops formulas with its exclusive Selenium-rich water, also used at its Thermal Center, the first Dermatology Center in Europe, due to its antioxidant and soothing properties. The products are developed using a strict formulation charter with a minimal number of ingredients and are formulated at optimal concentrations. Additionally, La Roche-Posay products undergo stringent clinical testing for efficacy and safety, even on sensitive skin. The key La Roche-Posay product ranges are: Lipikar (dry skin), Anthelios (photoprotection), Effaclar (acne) and Toleriane (sensitive skin).

About the WDS

The Women's Dermatologic Society, founded in 1973, is dedicated to helping dermatologists fulfill their greatest potential and assisting them in making a contribution to the specialty and society. To achieve this goal, the Society relies on the active participation of its members, who represent a diverse cross-section of professional subspecialties. The mission of the Women's Dermatologic Society is to support dermatologists by striving to: promote leadership and the development of relationships through mentoring and networking; demonstrate a commitment to service through community outreach and volunteerism; provide a forum for communications and research relevant to women's and family issues; advocate excellence in patient care and education, and promote the highest ethical standards. www.playsafeinthesun.org and www.womensderm.org

1 This poll is based on a group of 1,032 participants, drawn from a database of over 400,000 members who consider themselves to be highly engaged in beauty/health and match the US Census across ethnicity, household income and education.

SOURCE La Roche-Posay

Related Links

http://www.laroche-posay.us


WENDELL, N.C., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- KIOTI Tractor, a division of Daedong-USA, Inc., continues its commitment to the compact equipment industry in Canada with the opening of a new distribution center in Mississauga, outside of Toronto, Ont. The approximately 60,000 sq.-ft. of office and distribution space will reduce shipping and delivery times for KIOTI's Canadian dealers and increase support for end users.

The new distribution center represents KIOTI's confidence in the future of its brand in the Canadian market. This local presence will expand upon KIOTI's North American distribution network by strategically placing assembled inventory and parts supplies in a key market, ready for expedited delivery to dealers. Longer term, this facility will support the planned growth of KIOTI's dealer networkmaking product and parts availability and simplified logistics a reality for both current and future dealers across Canada.

"At KIOTI, we are committed to delivering outstanding service to our growing network of dealers," said Peter Dong-Kyun Kim, president and CEO of Daedong-USA, Inc. KIOTI Tractor Division. "This expansion illustrates that commitment, and will allow us to provide unmatched availability and delivery of products to our Canadian dealer partners and customers."

This Canadian expansion follows a $13 million, 162,000 sq.-ft. warehouse expansion and nearly 15,000 sq.-ft. office addition to KIOTI's North American headquarters in Wendell, N.C.

"After 30 years of consistent growth in North America, we are pleased with the progress we have made in 2018 on expanding both our North American headquarters and establishing our new Canadian operation," said Anna Kim, chief operating officer. "In Canada, specifically, KIOTI seeks to create a positive economic impact on the greater Toronto metro area, which will begin by employing several full-time individuals in the distribution center in the near future."

For more information about KIOTI and the expansion, visit www.KIOTI.com.

About KIOTI Tractor

Headquartered in Wendell, N.C., KIOTI Tractor is a market-driven company that has been supplying tractor models in the 22-110 horsepower range to the U.S. and Canadian markets for more than 30 years. Building on the company's core product line and history of innovation, KIOTI has recently introduced new tractor and utility vehicle models and expanded its implement and attachment offering to its dealer and customer network across North America. For more information on KIOTI or KIOTI products, please visit your authorized KIOTI Tractor dealer or visit KIOTI.com.

Media Contacts:

Stephen West

[email protected]

919-780-5756

Greyson Kane

[email protected]

919-532-3670

SOURCE KIOTI Tractor

Related Links

http://www.kioti.com


JERUSALEM, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- InZiv, a display inspection equipment start-up, today announces that it has successfully closed a Series A round, partnering with Maverick Ventures Israel to secure $2.5M in funding. This funding enables InZiv to further develop and expand its line of advanced inspection tools to better serve the flat panel display (FPD) industry.

Using proprietary and pioneering technology, InZiv designs and manufactures inspection equipment for identifying critical defects in pixels of advanced displays such as OLED, MicroLED, and QLED. These new screens feature increasingly smaller pixels and exciting new advantages, e.g. reduced power consumption, higher resolution, enhanced brightness, and flexible screens. However, these new technologies have also introduced a whole new set of high-value problems: nanoscale defects that contribute to low yields and high costs in the manufacturing of such displays. InZiv's nano-optical and metrological inspection equipment offers the ability to study a wide variety of defects not detectable with existing tools. The company's mission is to offer a portfolio of tools that will enable FPD manufacturers to meet emerging challenges in the field.

"New high-resolution screens, with vibrant colors and crisp text, have become both ubiquitous and essential in every aspect of our lives. The OLED market alone is roughly a $25 Billion industry today, and the era of wearable devices is just beginning," explains InZiv CEO David Lewis. "While these screens feature many exciting advantages, as pixel size continues to decrease, new challenges emerge.

"By partnering with Maverick Ventures Israel and securing this funding," Lewis continues, "InZiv is now positioned to address these critical pain points and to provide the technological edge that display manufacturers are seeking. We are excited to be at the forefront of developing breakthrough inspection equipment for the FPD industry, tools which will provide greater accessibility to next-generation display technologies for more consumers."

Yaron Carni, founder of Maverick Ventures Israel, added: "We are very excited to partner with the founders and scientists behind InZiv! Through its patented technology, the company has developed a solution for a pain point felt by many manufacturers and helps them focus on exactly what they are yearning for  producing flawless screens in the most efficient way possible making them more cost efficient for the end user down the chain."

For more information contact:

Noam Shapiro

[email protected]

+972-52-467-8417

About InZiv

InZiv is positioned to address the critical quality assurance needs facing today's flat panel display (FPD) manufacturers, by developing highly specialized inspection equipment using proprietary nanoscale optics and metrology. The company's portfolio extends to OLED, MicroLED and QLED technologies with the goal of providing state of the art tools for improving the manufacturing process, lowering production costs, and enabling greater access to the use of these displays by all consumers. Learn more at inziv.com.

About Maverick Ventures Israel

Maverick Ventures Israel, established in 2013, is a unique Israeli venture capital fund composed of only private investors. Maverick Ventures Israel is focused on early growth Israeli startups with initial traction and revenues. The fund invests across all sectors of technology, including software, SAAS, enterprise solutions and applications, internet, media, fintech, clean technology & energy, marketing technology and consumer electronics. Maverick Ventures Israel was founded by Yaron Carni, who previously founded the Tel Aviv Angel Group and sold the first Israeli company bought by Google. The fund's managing partner is Michel Abadi. Learn more at: maverick.vc.

SOURCE InZiv Ltd.

Related Links

https://inziv.com


BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- HCTec, a leading provider of healthcare workforce solutions, announced today a three-year electronic medical record (EMR) application managed services agreement with St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN) in Bethlehem, Pa.

SLUHN operates with Epic as its primary EMR platform. With a recent purchase of three healthcare facilities running a legacy EMR software package, the executive team was faced with either hiring a team of consultants to complete a transition to Epic at the new facilities or trying to utilize their internal IT team for the project.

SLUHN preferred to use their internal resources for the conversion, but the organization needed a partnership solution to accommodate daily EMR support needs. "The managed services model presented by HCTec was much more cost-effective for the health system and enables St. Luke's to bring their newly acquired facilities onto the Epic platform at their own pace," said HCTec Senior Vice President Mitch Buse.

The managed services agreement with HCTec provides support and maintenance services for Epic and related third-party applications from HCTec's Atlanta service center for the existing SLUHN network of hospitals, which enables their internal team to conduct the Epic software implementations and conversions. "We were particularly impressed with HCTec's ability to deliver a large team rapidly," said ACIO of St. Luke's University Health Network Christine Brutschea. "HCTec is providing in-depth reporting to manage the services and maintain our high standard service level agreements (SLAs). This attention to detail helps deliver a support experience that is seamless for our clinicians, team members and other end users," she added.

HCTec's Managed Services division provides industry-leading, SLA-based help desk and application support and maintenance services. Based in Atlanta and Nashville, HCTec's certified and highly-skilled staff deliver healthcare-specific support 24/7. "Our clients come to us because of our deep experience supporting Epic and other third-party software applications," said HCTec Founder William Bartholomew. "Our flexible approach lets us quickly adapt and respond to our customers' ever-changing needs."

About HCTec

HCTec is a leading provider of healthcare workforce solutions across the full range of clinical and business applications including ERP, technical services and revenue cycle initiatives to some of the largest healthcare networks in the U.S. HCTec provides the highly qualified on-demand human capital, strategy and innovative tools that hospitals need to thrive in an evolving landscape geared to support better patient outcomes. Based in Brentwood, Tennessee, HCTec is privately owned and operated by healthcare industry leaders and technology veterans.

About St. Luke's University Health Network

Founded in 1872, St. Luke's University Health Network (SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 14,000 employees providing services at 10 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient sites. With annual net revenue greater than $2 billion, the Network's service area includes 10 counties: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe and Schuylkill counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke's is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania. In partnership with Temple University, St. Luke's created the region's first and only regional medical school campus. It also operates the nation's longest continuously operating School of Nursing, established in 1884, and 28 fully accredited graduate medical educational programs with 226 residents and fellows. St. Luke's is the only health care system in central-eastern Pennsylvania to earn Medicare's five-star rating (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. In 2018, St. Luke's was named a Top Hospital in the Teaching Hospital category by the Leapfrog Group. It has repeatedly earned the 100 Top Major Teaching Hospital designation from IBM Watson Health (formerly Truven Health Analytics)  six times total and four years in a row including 2018. It has also been cited by IBM Watson Health as a 50 Top Cardiovascular Program. Utilizing the EPIC electronic medical record (EMR) system for both inpatient and outpatient services, the Network is a multi-year recipient of the Most Wired award recognizing the breadth of the SLUHN's information technology applications such as telehealth, online scheduling and online pricing information. St. Luke's is also recognized as one of the state's lowest cost providers.

Contact Robert Borella, Vice President of Marketing, for more information: hctec.com | [email protected] | 615.577.4030

SOURCE HCTec
TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Eyesight, a leading provider of edge-based computer vision solutions, announced today that it was teaming up with Samsung Electronics. The deal will integrate Eyesight's advanced AI computer-vision Driver Monitoring software into Samsung's software for its in-cabin camera solution, creating the most advanced fully-integrated Driver Monitoring System for installation by car manufacturers. The combined technology will be demonstrated for the first time at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

There are now more distractions for drivers than ever before. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, 88 percent of drivers believe distracted driving is on the rise . A study by Atlas Insurance suggested that two-thirds of accidents were caused by distracted driving.

Tools like blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping and automatic braking are improving safety, but they also give drivers a false sense of security , encouraging risky behaviors like texting while driving. Because of these concerns, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP), which awards safety stars to car models, will require new car models to have Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) by 2020.

Eyesight and Samsung's Driver Monitoring System monitors a driver's gaze direction, pupil dilation, eye openness, blink rate and head position using Eyesight's proprietary Computer Vision algorithms to detect levels of drowsiness and distraction. A car manufacturer can decide what to do next: it can sound an alarm to alert the driver, suggest a rest, or activate more self-driving features.

The new Driver Monitoring bundled hardware and software solution will offer advanced capabilities and quick time to market for the carmakers and Tier-1 manufacturers.

"Driver Monitoring Systems stop accidents and save lives," said Eyesight's CEO Gideon Shmuel. "We're proud to be working with Samsung, one of the biggest electronics companies in the world, leading the way in improving driver safety and helping to build the cars of the future."

Media Contact

Lazer Cohen

WestRay Communications

[email protected]

+1-347-753-8256

SOURCE Eyesight
Dionisio Gutierrez began the meeting approaching the turn that Latin America is taking towards rightist politics for the last few years. He underlined that " since the arrival of Mauricio Macri to power, in 2015, and the success of Lava Jato Operation in Brazil in 2016; populist projects of XXI Century socialism seem to crumble. " In such sense, for Naim, the main threat in Latin America is continuity: " We must fight against populist governments, but it is also important to avoid the persistence of a government beyond what the constitution establishes. "

Later, they discussed about the increasing growth of organized crime in Latin American politics. Gutierrez stated that such phenomenon "captured institutions and even complete States. Guatemala is an example of the infiltration of organized crime in the region." Likewise, Naim mentioned that "Mafia states are a trend that began a few years ago" and explained that "now it is clear how the government of a country is a criminal organization. What we have today are governments that instead of dismantle criminal networks, they control and possess them."

Next, they spoke about CICIG in Guatemala. Gutierrez indicated that it "had good results in 2015 when it uncovered the government of Otto Perez Molina, but after that, there has been a weakening process. It created many expectations that were not met. Even though the balance is positive, there is a division in society regarding the fight against corruption."

Finally, Naim added that "CICIG -at its moment- had relevant achievements for the country, and then became weak, distorted, lost virtue, and deserves to be rethought. A country cannot transfer its system of justice to international organizations." Gutierrez concluded the meeting mentioning that "in Guatemala, the problem is that the same government and some groups of society, are trying to sabotage any attempt to fight against corruption, which makes the view for the future quite pessimistic."

Gutierrez made the most out of the visit to interview Moises Naim in the Razon de Estado TV show.

SOURCE Fundacion Libertad y Desarrollo
LEEDS, England, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

4D pharma plc (AIM: DDDD), a pharmaceutical company leading the development of Live Biotherapeutics, today announces the appointment of Ed Baracchini, PhD, and Professor Axel Glasmacher, MD, as independent Non-Executive Directors with immediate effect.

Ed Baracchini, PhD, was previously the Chief Business Officer at Xencor Inc. where he led strategic alliances and licensing. During his time at Xencor he negotiated license agreements with Novartis ($2.6B: immune-oncology bispecific antibodies), Novo Nordisk ($600M: drug discovery collaboration), Amgen ($500M: option and development agreement autoimmune disease antibody) among numerous others. Prior to that he served as SVP Business Development for Metabasis Therapeutics.

Professor Dr. med. Axel Glasmacher was until recently Senior Vice President and Head of the Global Clinical Research and Development Hematology Oncology at Celgene, where he has worked in various global roles for more than ten years. His work at Celgene led to the approvals of Revlimid, Idhifa, and Vidaza (haematological cancers). He also worked on the PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab. Prior to Celgene, Professor Glasmacher worked within the fields of hematology-oncology at the University Hospital in Bonn.

Duncan Peyton, 4D's Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We welcome Axel and Ed to our Board with great pleasure. Their collective experience will strengthen our commercial and therapeutic focus, as 4D accelerates development of its extensive pipeline in cancer and other immunological diseases."

The following information is disclosed in accordance with Rule 17 and Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

Edgardo (Ed) Baracchini Jr., 59, has no interest in shares in 4D pharma plc and has the following current and previous company directorships and partnerships:

Current Company Directorships and Partnerships:

None

Company Directorships and Partnerships held in last 5 years:

INmune Bio, Inc.

Axel Gaston Glasmacher, 58, has no interest in shares in 4D pharma plc and has the following current and previous company directorships and partnerships:

Current Company Directorships and Partnerships:

AG Life Science Consulting GmbH & Co. KG - finalisation of formal incorporation pending

Glasmacher Verwaltungs-GmbH - finalisation of formal incorporation pending

Company Directorships and Partnerships held in last 5 years:

None

Save for the disclosures above, there are no further disclosures to be made in accordance with Rule 17 and Schedule 2 paragraph (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.

About 4D

Founded in February 2014, 4D is a world leader in the development of live biotherapeutics, a novel and emerging class of drugs, defined by the FDA as biological products that contain a live organism, such as bacteria, that is applicable to the prevention, treatment or cure of a disease. 4D has developed a proprietary platform that rationally identifies novel bacteria that have a precise and evolved therapeutic effect. All of 4D's live biotherapeutic products are orally delivered single strains of bacteria that are naturally found in the healthy human gut. 4D has a phase II study in Irritable Bowel Syndrome running and has a pipeline of 13 pre-clinical programmes, covering disease areas such as cancer, poorly controlled asthma, autoimmune and CNS disease. The Company plans to commence three additional clinical studies in 2019.

For more information, refer to https://www.4dpharmaplc.com

For further information please contact:

4D

Duncan Peyton, Chief Executive Officer

+44(0)113-895-0130

Fay Weston, Head of Investor Relations

+44(0)7990-381713

Zeus Capital Limited - Nomad and Joint Broker

Dan Bate / Jordan Warburton

+44(0)161-831-1512



Bryan Garnier & Co. Limited - Joint Broker

Dominic Wilson / Phil Walker

+44(0)20-7332-2500



SOURCE 4D Pharma PLC
PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuesday, January 8, 2019 will mark a Historic Day for those citizens of Florida who are ex-felons and can now register to vote in Florida with the passage of Amendment Four. With the passage of the First Step Act, Second Chance Voters are now going to be developing "The Next Step Act" to enhance the vision of the bi-partisan First Step Act. The Next Step Act will focus on working with national, state and local leaders in politics, law enforcement, corrections and community-based workforce development to implement real and effective change in the Criminal Justice System.

Florida's Second Chance Voters - President Stephen Nodine

Second Chance Voters is led by Stephen Nodine. Nodine, who can vote again thanks to Florida voters' recent approval of Amendment 4, has a renewed political purpose. Whatever opinion people might have about ex-cons, he said, he's looking to shake things up in positive ways. Stephen has been active in politics for most of his career serving Former Attorney General Sessions, Senator Richard Shelby and three Republican Presidents (Reagan, Bush and Bush). As a long-tenured City Councilman in Mobile, Alabama, Stephen was at the forefront of the battle to give rights to ex-offenders. He was instrumental in creating programs which offered job training, boot camp training and incentives to juvenile offenders. Nodine adds personal experience to his qualifications. He is an ex-felon, who served his time and probation. The former Commissioner has moved back to Florida. As a Republican, he believes that the opioid abuse epidemic, among other factors, has "flipped the demographic" of the prison population, putting in more people in conservative middle- and working-class norms who have fallen into addiction. He states that, "Voting is one of the most sacred and valuable rights you have as an American; a population of voters have a second chance to contribute to our communities through voting and getting re-involved in the political process," says Nodine.

Second Chance Voters is working to reduce the stigma of the ex-felon label, as that designation holds back many individuals from being productive citizens as they attempt to move forward with their lives after serving their debt to society. They will be implementing plans to not only register ex-felons across the country to exercise their right to vote, but also assist them in finding job opportunities and providing job skills training. These elements are important parts of helping them regain their ability to support themselves and their families.

Second Chance Voters believes that every citizen has the right to cast their important vote. The ability to vote is a fundamental right in this country and Second Chance Voters believes that taking that right away significantly harms the ex-offender and his/her family. The connection to the voting process and ongoing involvement with political decision-making provide a stronger sense of empowerment to these individuals who have been previously disenfranchised. For more information about Second Chance Voters, visit: www.SecondChanceVoters.org.

Media Contact: Karyn Turk, TLG MEDIA Phone: 251-654-6536 Email: [email protected] Facebook: FloridaSecondChanceVoters Twitter: SecondChanceVoters Instagram: SecondChanceVoters

SOURCE Florida's Second Chance Voters

Related Links

http://www.SecondChanceVoters.org


GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PHNIX, China's leading heat pump manufacturer, plans to continue its strong policy support to emerging markets, including South Africa, in 2019, Mr. Peter Wang, Deputy General Manager in charge of PHNIX global overseas business, said to local media on the occasion of the PHNIX global market strategic plan. In fact, in the past 2018 sales year, PHNIX's shipments of heat pump hot water products in emerging markets such as South Africa and Southeast Asia increased by more than 60%.

As one of PHNIX's key emerging markets, the South African market will still receive much more policy support from PHNIX in 2019. In the South African market, in addition to the introduction of a new series of commercial heat pumps hot water heaters with an energy efficiency ratio of 5.0, it will also provide large discount product price support for sellers, and level distributors can obtain up to 20% of the supply price discount, according to Mr. Troy Wang, director of commercial water heating division in PHNIX.

About PHNIX Commercial Heat Pump Hot Water Heater Series

A COP 5.0 Solution PHNIX HeatPlus and HeatPower Heat Pump Water Heaters with 5.0 high COP during operation have acquired the first class energy label, according to an authoritative third-party's figure, the energy efficiency of this series is over 20% higher than the similar products in the South African market.

A High Cost-effective Application The price of PHNIX HeatPlus and HeatPower heat pump series is 15~20% lower than that of similar products in the market, and in South Africa the level distributors can obtain up to 20% of the supply price.

Smart Colorful Touch Display PHNIX HeatPlus heat pump series' 5-inch wire-controlled LCD display has many powerful functions, such as a water temperature curve display, easy timing, one-key mute, mute timer and so on. It has several control modes and the operation is much easier. PHNIX smart colorful touch display will undoubtedly give users a better experience.

About PHNIX

PHNIX, a leading manufacturer of heat pumps in China. It is an international enterprise specializing in the R&D and production of heat pump products and energy-saving solutions. Nearly 50% of PHNIX products are exported to Europe, North America and other overseas markets. For more information about PHNIX and its products, please visit www.phnix-e.com.

Related Links

http://www.phnix-e.com



SOURCE PHNIX
Breitbart

January 8, 2019

President Donald Trump will speak directly to the nation on Tuesday evening as a government shutdown enters its third week, and Democrats on Capitol Hill continue to refuse to fund border security and a border wall that Trump promised the American people.

Trumps planned Oval Office address, which will be nationally televised on every major network and is expected to last approximately eight minutes, raises the stakes of this current political impasse to one of the biggest moments of Trumps presidency.

The government shut down in late 2018, before Christmas, when Senate Democrats refused to back a House-passed government funding bill that would have provided more than $5 billion in funding for the wall. The House had passed the measure as one of its last acts at the end of eight years of GOP control of the lower chamber of Congress, but the Senate could not pass it because Senate Democrats lined up to prevent it from reaching the necessary 60-vote threshold.

The impasse led to a funding lapse, causing a partial government shutdown that has seen hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed and several departments and agencies of the federal government partially closed except for essential services.

The shutdown lingered through the Christmas and New Years holidays into 2019. Then, on Jan. 3, at the beginning of this year, the Democrats took over the House of Representatives with the majority they won in Novembers midterm elections.

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This article was posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 1:44 am

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Voice Of Europe

January 8, 2019

A new anti-EU league is in the works. In a meeting in Warsaw on 9 January, Italys Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Polands ruling Law and Justice party chief Jaroslaw Kaczynski will meet to discuss special relations, which could be a major force in the next European Parliament.

In a radio interview with station RMF on Saturday, Jacek Czaputowicz, Polands foreign minister, said:

Its a meeting at the highest level. If [party]president Kaczynski meets another politician, its a sign of a certain special relationship, which is how we are treating it. He added, We have to discuss matters related to the European Parliament.

It remains unclear what the meeting will deliver but that Salvini and Kaczynski will exchange ideas  on how the European Union should function.

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This article was posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 1:56 am

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Daily Caller

January 8, 2019

A trove of reports show two Obama-era officials are partially responsible for a misinformation campaign designed to derail Republican Roy Moores senatorial campaign in Alabama.

Former President Barack Obama campaign organizer, Mikey Dickerson, was instrumental in a disinformation campaign targeting Moore, reports show. He was not alone. Evan Coren, who has worked for the National Archives unit since Obamas first term, also targeted the Republicans campaign.

Coren, for his part, is a progressive activist who handles classified documents for the Department of Energy. He has not responded to The Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment about the nature of the campaign, which was designed to fool conservatives into believing Moore intended to reimpose prohibition.

Coren and other operatives created a Dry Alabama Facebook page with a blunt message attached: Alcohol is evil and should be prohibited, The New York Times reported Monday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The page included images of car wrecks and ruined families, the report notes. Its contents were targeted at business conservatives who are inclined to oppose prohibition.

Two wealthy Virginia donors who wanted to defeat Moore funded the project, according to a person who worked on the project and who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Dry Alabama project was one of two $100,000 campaigns designed to help Moores Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, who barely won the 2017 special election.

Jones previously stated his campaign was unaware of the project and is also calling for an investigation into who is behind the antics. Political analysts believe allegations that Moore sexually assaulted underage women three decades earlier likely played a larger part in his loss. Corens false flag operation happened alongside a similar campaign by Dickerson, a former Obama official known for fixing the governments notoriously glitchy Obamacare website.

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RT

January 8, 2019

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said that the government will crack down on unauthorized protests and toughen punishment for rioting in the wake of anti-government Yellow Vest demonstrations which began in November.

The new measures will significantly toughen punishment for people who participate in riots, Philippe said, while adding that it was still necessary to preserve the freedom to demonstrate in France. Those who want to protest peacefully should not be punished, he said.

The announcement comes as part of new public order measures unveiled by the government after the Yellow Vest protests resulted in violence against police officers and government buildings.

#BREAKING France will clamp down on unauthorized protests after "yellow vest" clashes, the prime minister says pic.twitter.com/bik0SCZm9w  AFP news agency (@AFP) January 7, 2019

Philippes office said in a statement on Monday that the government would take a very firm stance against the continued unacceptable violence across the country.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t



Philippe also told channel TF1 that a major police force of 80,000 will be deployed in France next Saturday, including 5,000 in Paris. Over 1,000 people have already been charged in connection with the protests and rioting, he added.

Over 1,000 sentences have been given in total. Around 5,600 people have been detained since the beginning of the [Yellow Vest] movement, Philippe said.

We cannot accept that some people take advantage of these demonstrations to break, to burn, he stressed.

The newly announced measures to curb the nationwide protest movement received mixed reactions. While Mayor of Toulouse Jean-Luc Moudenc said he was satisfied with Philippes move, opposition politicians such as Jean-Luc Melenchon sarcastically claimed that the PM is totally disconnected from reality.

The king of the Shadocks is in Matignon, Melenchon said referring to the popular animated series where ignorant bird-like creatures live on their own planet, and the Matignon Palace, the official residence of the prime minister.

PM promises more arrests? We want more purchasing power! tweeted national secretary of the French Communist Party (PCF) Fabien Roussel. French politician Clementine Autain even wondered if the PM was hallucinating.

Although the countrys interior minister Christophe Castaner said hes fully behind the prime ministers proposal, the president of The Republicans Laurent Wauquiez seemed disappointed, and has called for a return to the state of emergency to immediately restore order in France.

Yellow Vest activists, by and large, were furious. People will keep this government the image of the bloody repression of a citizen movement, one social media user tweeted. I am ashamed of my France for this repression. Long live the yellow vests! said another.

This article was posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 2:03 am

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Zero Hedge

January 8, 2019

Speaking to CNBC on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought to reassure the public that Turkeys President Erdogan has made a personal commitment to President Trump that the Turks wont slaughter the Kurds as US forces draw down in Syria.

Asked about Erdogans trustworthiness not to turn on the US-backed Kurds in Syria, Pompeo made this dubious point: Erdogan made a commitment to President Trump that the Turks would continue to the counter ISIS campaign after our departure, and that the Turks would ensure that the folks that wed fought with  that assisted us in the counter ISIS campaign  would be protected, according to CNBC. Pompeo explained further that John Bolton is going to speak with Turkey during his visit there on how to put that promise into operation.

Cartoon via ShiaPac.org

If having to elicit simple assurances that Erdogan  who was years ago definitively established as among state sponsors of ISIS in order slaughter the Kurds and attempt regime change in Damascus  will obey the United States and refrain from slaughtering the Kurds isnt absurd enough, The New York Times also on Monday gave Erdogan lengthy editorial space to assure the world that Turkey Has a Plan to Restore Peace in Syria in what seems an attempt at well-timed propaganda.

Erdogan asserts, President Trump made the right call to withdraw from Syria, and while claiming Turkeys top priority is to fight Islamic State terrorists, ensuring they dont regroup, he offers as a first step the creation of yet another Turkish-backed rebel group to fill the so-called power vacuum left by a future US withdrawal. But first Erdogan attempts to assure, I would like to point out that we have no argument with the Syrian Kurds.

However, we should point out that in the lead up to and during last years Operation Olive Branch to take Afrin, Erdogan openly expressed his goal of radical demographic shift in northern Syria  or whats long been a policy of ethnic cleansing targeting the Kurds  something which has become a reality anywhere pro-Turkish rebel forces have captured Syrian Kurdish enclaves.

But Erdogan emphasizes the diversity of his planned for stabilization force:

The first step is to create a stabilization force featuring fighters from all parts of Syrian society. Only a diverse body can serve all Syrian citizens and bring law and order to various parts of the country.

This makes the next part of Erdogans proposed Syrian stabilization plan all the more laughable considering the source. He promotes Turkish-backed popularly elected councils, which  he promises further  can be led by Kurdish community representatives:

Ensuring adequate political representation for all communities is another priority. Under Turkeys watch, the Syrian territories that are under the control of the Y.P.G. or the so-called Islamic State will be governed by popularly elected councils. Individuals with no links to terrorist groups will be eligible to represent their communities in local governments. Local councils in predominantly Kurdish parts of northern Syria will largely consist of the Kurdish communitys representatives whilst ensuring that all other groups enjoy fair political representation. Turkish officials with relevant experience will advise them on municipal affairs, education, health care and emergency services.

Crucially, Erdogans op-ed makes no mention whatsoever of the Syrian government or of Assad.

But this is where the Syrian Kurds are actually headed: towards making a deal with Assad which would provide Syrian Army protection to Kurdish enclaves in the face of the invading Turks.

This truly local solution, fast taking shape, will occur without the United States or Turkey, and in affirmation of Syrian sovereignty.

So Erdogans latest NYT plan is but an another empty propaganda exercise meant to satisfy the dilemma Trump expressed directly last week: We want to protect Kurds, but I dont want to be in Syria forever. Its sand. And its death, the president said.

This article was posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 1:55 am

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London Telegraph

January 8, 2019

The Chinese scientist who created the worlds first genetically edited babies is living under armed guard and could face the death penalty, colleagues believe.

He Jiankui shocked the world in November when he announced he had altered embryos for seven couples during fertility treatment to protect them against contracting HIV, leading to the birth of two twin girls with engineered DNA.

Since then he has received death threats and the Chinese government has launched an investigation into his work. He has been confined to a state owned apartment in the city of Shenzhen since December.

Scientists in Britain who have been in touch believe he could face charges for corruption and bribery which in China

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This article was posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 1:40 am

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CNS News

January 8, 2019

CNN has stopped being a new network and is airing nothing but talk shows, Host Mark Levin and Media Research Center (MRC) President Brent Bozell agreed Sunday on Fox News Channels Life, Liberty & Levin program.

They dont report news. How many news programs do they have on CNN. Theyre all talk shows, Bozell said, when Levin asked him if the network is actually a news organization. CNN used to be a legitimate news network, Bozell said. But, today, virtually all of its content is devoted to attacking President Donald Trump, Bozell said, citing a recent example, in which 14 of CNN 15 headlines attacked Trump.

Levin agree, adding that You wouldnt know the difference between a talk show and what CNN claims is a news program.

Levin: Is CNN really a news network? Bozell: No. They once were. They once were. When Tom Johnson was running it, now Tom Johnson was a liberal Democrat who had run the Dallas morning news, the L.A. Herald or Times, one or the other, a liberal journalist. Tom Johnson was committed to news. Now, there could be problems and they did a lot of wrong things, but that was not the norm. It was the exception. CNN is to there to do nothing but anti-Trumpism. I was going on a Fox show on this a few months ago, just for grins, right before the show, I think it was Varneys show, I looked on my phone and I looked at CNN, at the app. They had 15 stories on their app. 13 stories attacked Trump over something he had said the day before. The 14th story attacked Trump on something else. The 15th story, there was a world war on or something. But 14 out of 15 stories were just attacks on Donald Trump  and variations of the same attack on Donald Trump. Its so over-the-top, its so obvious what theyre doing. No, its not news anymore. They dont report news. How many news programs do they have on CNN? Theyre all talk shows. Levin: And you wouldnt know the difference, anyway, between their news programs and their opinion programs.

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This article was posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 2:11 am

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John P. Thomas

Health Impact News

January 8, 2019

Public attention about 5G has been focused on the plans of telecom companies to install millions of small cell towers on electric utility poles, on public buildings and schools, on bus stop shelters, in public parks, and anywhere they want in national parks and on federally owned land.

In local urban communities there would be a cell tower approximately every 500 feet along every street.

As bad as these small cell towers might seem from the standpoint of constant exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation in close proximity to the source, perhaps an even more alarming prospect will be the beaming of millimeter length microwaves at the earth from thousands of new communication satellites.

The FCC gave approval to SpaceX on March 29, 2018, to launch 4,425 satellites into low orbit around the Earth. [1]

The total number of satellites that is expected to be put into low and high orbit by several companies will be 20,000 satellites. [1]

5G will use Phased Array Antennas to shoot Beams of Radiation at Cell Phones

These satellites will use the same type of phased array antennas as will be used by the ground-based 5G systems.

This means that they will send tightly focused beams of intense microwave radiation at each specific 5G device that is on the Earth and each device will send a beam of radiation back to the satellite. [2]

Previous generations of RF cellular communication used large antennas to send a blanket of radiation in all directions. The lower frequencies they used and the broad distribution of microwaves limited the numbers of cellular devices that could connect through an individual tall tower.

The much shorter length microwaves used for 5G will make it possible to use small phased array antennas to send and receive signals.

Phased array antennas consist of clusters of hundreds of tiny antennas that work together to shoot a ray of energy at a target just like a bullet. A cluster of these tiny antennas can be arranged in a 4 inch by 4 inch matrix.

The rays of microwaves they produce will be strong enough to pass through walls and human bodies. If they were not strong enough to do this, then everyone with a 5G smartphone would have to stand outside when using the devices. [2]

Each 5G product will also have multiple phased array antennas which will be used to create a powerful beam of radiation back to the 5G devices mounted on electrical utility poles or toward a specific satellite in space.

These beams of radiation will also need to be strong enough to pass through walls and human flesh such as a hand or head to reach the intended destination. [2]

This means that if you are in a crowded location, such as an airport or on a train, there will be hundreds if not thousands of invisible beams of radiation flying through the environment at the speed of light.

As people move in that environment, their bodies will be penetrated by numerous beams of radiation as they walk or as other people walk around them with their 5G smartphones. [2]

5G Phones will be much more Powerful than Previous Phones

The effective radiated power of the 5G phased array antennas in phones will be 10 times more powerful than 4G phones.

No one will be free from exposure.

In addition, 5G beams of microwave radiation will be received and transmitted from new computer equipment, household appliances, and automobiles.

Stationary equipment such as Wi-Fi hubs in homes and offices will be permitted to use microwave beams that are 15 times stronger (300 watts) than the signals from 5G phones or 150 times stronger than 4G phones. [2]

Why is 5G so Much More Dangerous than Previous Microwave Communication Systems?

Arthur Firstenberg, author, researcher, and advocate for limiting RF exposure from the environment, explains the analysis of 5G radiation that was published in Microwave News in 2002. He stated:

When an ordinary electromagnetic field enters the body, it causes charges to move and currents to flow. But when extremely short electromagnetic pulses enter the body [5G], something else happens: the moving charges themselves become little antennas that re-radiate the electromagnetic field and send it deeper into the body. These re-radiated waves are called Brillouin precursors. They become significant when either the power or the phase of the waves changes rapidly enough. 5G will probably satisfy both requirements. This means that the reassurance we are being giventhat these millimeter waves are too short to penetrate far into the bodyis not true. [2]

5G Satellites Will Fill the Skies

These are the companies with the biggest plans to deploy satellites:

SpaceX: 12,000 satellites

OneWeb: 4,560 satellites

Boeing: 2,956 satellites

Spire Global: 972 satellites

Arthur Firstenberg describes the plans of corporations who want to use 5G technology. He states:

Honeywell has already signed a memorandum of understanding to become OneWebs first large customerit plans to provide high-speed Wi-Fi on business, commercial, and military aircraft throughout the world. SpaceX would like to provide the equivalent of 5G to every person on the planet. [3]

Ground-based 5G Implementation

Ground-based 5G systems are already being implemented in dozens of major cities right now. Plans are being approved by hundreds of other cities, which will allow implementation in 2019 and beyond.

As I explained in my previous articles, cities do not have the right to say no to 5G. FCC regulations prevent cities from objecting on the basis of health concerns  they only can speak to issues of esthetics and the practical matter of the placement of equipment.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t



They are required to say yes, and they better do it quickly, or telecom companies will threaten them with legal action for obstructing their plans.

Satellite Based 5G Implementation

The first two 5G test satellites were launched by SpaceX in February of 2018. Hundreds of other satellites are expected to be launched in 2019. The full set of 20,000 satellites could be put in orbit during the next two years.

To put this into perspective, as of September 2017 there were 1,738 operating satellites into orbit around the Earth. This means the number of satellites will be 11 times greater than the current number. [4]

Environmental Catastrophe from Rockets used to Launch Satellites

Rocket fuel is very destructive to the Earths ozone layer which protects us from the harsh effects of radiation from the sun. In 2017, there were 90 rocket launch attempts worldwide. [5]

The rockets that use solid fuel produce massive ozone depletion. While rockets using liquid kerosene as fuel destroy less ozone, they release massive amounts of black carbon soot into the air, especially at high altitudes.

If the number of annual rocket launches increases by 10 or more times, which is likely under the plans these corporations have made, computer models suggest that the combination of ozone depletion and release of black soot could produce a 3 degree warming effect over the Antarctic and reduce the ozone in the worlds atmosphere by 4%. [3]

Even though it will be possible for a single rocket to put multiple satellites into orbit, we are still talking about a 10 or 20 fold increase in environmental damage over what is being produced today. [3]

The 5G satellites have a relatively short lifespan, perhaps only 5 years, which means there will be high numbers of rocket launches, not just in the next few years, but in every year for the foreseeable future. [3]

Mercury-based Rocket Fuel Could Spread Neurotoxins Over the Earth

As bad as liquid and solid rocket fuels will be for the environment, Apollo Fusion is developing a mercury-based propulsion system for launching rockets.

These ion propulsion rocket engines use powerful magnets to push away small charged particles at high speeds, which generates thrust. NASA experimented with mercury ion propulsion in the 1960s, but abandoned the research.

Mercury is an extremely strong neurotoxin, which is harmful to all forms of life, especially humans.

The risks of an environmental catastrophe are monumental, because if there was a malfunction and one of these engines exploded, highly toxic mercury would be spread through the atmosphere and over the Earth. [6]

All the talk from telecom companies about 5G being a panacea for environmental protection and energy conservation is quite ridiculous when we think about the environmental damage that will be created by any of the rocket engines they choose to use for launching their satellites.

Space Junk will Pollute the Earth

Each satellite will be the size of a small refrigerator and will weigh approximately 880 pounds. [4]

With a life expectancy of only 5-years [3], this means there will be a massive amount of space junk orbiting the Earth.

Eventually, all those satellites will fall down to Earth and will burn up as they enter the Earths atmosphere.

All the hazardous materials in the satellites will be released into the air and will float down to the ground as dust or in droplets of rain.

Telecom Companies are Creating a Worldwide Disaster in the Name of Technological Progress

5G is promoted as being the next great wonder in the plan to advance technology to create smart cities where everything and everyone is instantly connected in real time with no lags or lost signals.

Of course there will be a few costs.

Everyone will be irradiated with millimeter-size, non-ionizing radiation 24 hours a day with completely unknown health effects.

Studies designed to investigate harm from 5G will be completed many years after the 5G systems on the ground and in space are fully implemented.

At that point it is very unlikely that telecom companies would dismantle their systems even if it is shown that their technology is causing cancer and other diseases. They would just deny the risks.

They will tell us that the science was settled decades ago. They will tell us that evidence linking 5G to cancer and other diseases is just a conspiracy theory that only a few crackpots believe.

Millions of people will suffer from radiation exposure with symptoms such as headaches, weakness, brain fog, impaired ability to learn and reason, chest pain, and numerous other symptoms that will baffle most conventional physicians.

There is Nowhere to Hide from 5G Radiation

Today, it is possible to live in a location that has reduced levels of microwave exposure. This is accomplished by choosing a living space that is far away from cell phone towers.

However, in the near future, it wont matter where we live, because 5G will irradiate us wherever we happen to live or work.

Cities Cant Say No to 5G Implementation

FCC regulations have been structured in such a way that local municipalities cannot stop telecom companies from installing 5G. They are specifically prohibited from trying to delay or stop 5G implementation on the basis of health concerns. Their only recourse is to try to make the ground-based 5G system somewhat more esthetically pleasant.

Based on what has been happening around the country, telecom companies are sweeping aside local resistance and gaining approval for their 5G systems in rapid succession.

Can 5G Implementation be Stopped?

As far as I can tell, at this point, the only way that 5G will be stopped will be by congressional action. If enough people raise a stink with their elected officials, then perhaps 5G could be put on hold while studies are done to examine the true health risks.

Telecom investment in 5G has been massive. They are planning full implementation on the ground and in space in the next couple years. The time to object is now and not after hundreds of thousands of people become sick. [7]

If you would like to watch an in-depth presentation on the risks and hazards of 5G, then please view the following presentation.

Listen to Arthur Firstenberg discuss the history, science, and description of 5G, including 5G from satellites in space and its expected effects on all living things:

You also may wish to review some of my previous articles about the risks of 5G and other forms of radio frequency exposure.

About the Author

John P. Thomas is a health writer for Health Impact News. He holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Science in Public Health (M.S.P.H.) from the School of Public Health, Department of Health Administration, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

References

[1] Planetary Emergency, Arthur Firstenberg, Cellular Phone Task Force.

[2] 5G  from Blankets to Bullets, Arthur Firstenberg, Cellular Phone Task Force.

[3] WiFi in the Sky, Arthur Firstenberg, Cellular Phone Task Force.

[4] 5G from Space, Arthur Firstenberg, Cellular Phone Task Force.

[5] 2017 Space Launch Statistics,  Spaceflight101.

[6] Space Startup Apollo Fusion Wants To Use Mercury as a Fuel, Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, 11/20/2018.

[7] Arthur Firstenberg, Cellular Phone Task Force, Taos, New Mexico, 8/12/2018.

This article was posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 1:42 am

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Nato warns of military challenge posed by China Nato leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels have warned of the military

Black Meteors suffer another defeat to South Korea The Black Meteors have suffered another defeat to South Korea in the second
Kidnap suspect arrested at Abeka Lapaz The Police have rescued a kidnap victim (name withheld) and arrested suspects

CIMG admits 104 new members The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), has admitted 104 new

Black Meteors suffer another defeat to South Korea The Black Meteors have suffered another defeat to South Korea in the second
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Ghana Assoc. of Bankers to hold an emergency meeting The Ghana Association of Bankers is expected to hold an emergency meeting to
B-Heck Africa Sanitation Challenge launched B-HeCK Africa NGOs Alliance has launched their novel sanitation campaign

Black Meteors suffer another defeat to South Korea The Black Meteors have suffered another defeat to South Korea in the second
Nato warns of military challenge posed by China Nato leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels have warned of the military

B-Heck Africa Sanitation Challenge launched B-HeCK Africa NGOs Alliance has launched their novel sanitation campaign

CIMG admits 104 new members The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), has admitted 104 new
Plattsburgh, NY (12901)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. High 71F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 51F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
on 2018 successes, execute in 2019

Mayor and council need to wake up, adopt ordinances to lower the percentage of renters and get real homeowners again.

Joe Landis

via Facebook

Man stable after shooting

at New Years party in Ventnor

As far as pot goes, the Democrats in New Jersey are only looking for tax revenue. They do not care about the people.

Vincent G. Reale

Letter: Democrats push for pot

is destructive madness

Brigantine is an amazing place to live year round and we start the year off right with family and friends having fun and raising money for a terrific organization.

Paul G. Amalfitano

via Facebook

Photos of Brigantine Polar Bear Plunge

Mr. Butterhof was one of the good guys, always a smile and kind word with his great sense of humor.
She was responsible for handing out groceries three days a week to those in need as part of the churchs food pantry. She and several other women at the church also knitted or crocheted prayer shawls to be given to those in the hospital.

Megan Murphy said her mother also worked the front desk at Megans tattoo studio, Eternal Etchings Body Studio, in the Villas for the first 10 years it opened. Her mother had no tattoos herself, but would work at the church in the morning and then spend the rest of the day at the studio.

She helped a lot of people navigate the scariness in getting a tattoo. She just made them feel like they were family and took care of them, Megan said. She was such an amazing lady and I am going to miss her something awful.

Joseph Murphy, Melodys husband, was outside with neighbors when officials arrived at the scene, police said. He had sustained smoke inhalation and other minor injuries.

Megan Murphy said her father is still in the hospital, but should be released soon.

Joesph Murphy thought he had lost all his wifes prayer blankets in the fire, but during his stay in the hospital he was unexpectedly handed a prayer shawl she had made.

He was very moved by that, Megan Murphy said.
There is a special type of excitement and eclectic buzz surrounding the coming together of these phenomenal groups and diverse women from across the state of New Jersey, said Estina Baker, Senior Campaign Lead for Communications Workers of America-NJ and Senior Adviser to the marchs Leadership Team. There is so much history for women, the labor movement and civil rights movement right on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, particularly at the venue of the march. Our Union is so very honored and thrilled to be a part of this moment of history in our great state."
That way we can stop problems before they occur, Netherby said.

The new system also creates more accountability on both sides. Officers cant just say they are going to do something, then walk away. They have to follow through on it, because they will see that inmate day after day, Netherby said.

And inmates must follow all the rules to have the privilege of more freedom.

Those who break rules, even small ones such as not putting on the two-piece jumpsuit or making derogatory remarks to officers, will be sent to a detention unit where there is less physical freedom, said Magill.

Frequent or serious violations can get an inmates classification changed from minimal security to medium or maximum, with decreasing freedom at each step.

Thats the only way to keep control under direct supervision, Magill said.

The new jail can hold a total of 320 inmates, with two to a cell, and more when all the medical beds are used.

The old jail was built in 1976 to hold about 180 inmates, Nolan said. Inmates were often doubled up in rooms designed to hold one, and it was deemed overcrowded by the state Department of Corrections, which pressured the county to address the problem.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Two former and one current employee of the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office say they will file a lawsuit Thursday against Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner alleging sexist, discriminatory and other illegal practices.

Former Assistant Prosecutor Diane Ruberton, former Lt. Heather McManus and Assistant Prosecutor Donna Fetzer will hold a news conference with their lawyers to discuss the suit, according to a news release received Tuesday by The Press of Atlantic City.

Tyner has not responded to a request for comment.

The suit will allege Tyner violated state law by creating a culture that favored men over women, turning a blind eye to instances and reports of sexual harassment and gender discrimination and permitting retaliation against anyone who dared question this culture or other questionable conduct within the office, according to the release.

Atlantic prosecutor accused of mortgage fraud, hiding evidence in Kauffman case Two former and one current employee of the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office have accused 

In addition to Tyner, the lawsuit names two of his lieutenants, Atlantic County and the Prosecutors Office, according to the release.

County Executive Dennis Levinson confirmed he had heard rumblings about a possible suit but that he has great faith in Tyner.
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.
Both the Coast Guard and FAA are important to the economy of South Jersey. The Coast Guard has its only national training center in Cape May, and the FAAs William J. Hughes Technical Center operates at Atlantic City International Airport.

While I would prefer that we end this unnecessary shutdown across all departments and get our country up and running again, we cannot afford to play politics with the safety of our citizens and national security, said Van Drew. Funding the Coast Guard is the responsible thing to do, as it would give our leaders more time to negotiate and make our military whole again.

He said he has heard from many federal workers, Coast Guard personnel and contractors who are worried about paying their bills.

The Pay Our Coast Guard Act of 2019 would instruct the Department of Treasury to use any money not otherwise appropriated to pay salaries of Coast Guard members and Coast Guard Reserve members, civilian employees and contractors. It also would be used to pay the death gratuity and other funeral expenses, and for the basic allowance of housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard who die on active duty.

The bill calls for the payments to be made until a law is enacted for regular funding.
Regardless, the fact remains that corporations uproot from New Jersey in search of lower taxes and an affordable workforce, Hughes said. And workers follow suit.

Another factor is New Jersey has had slow job growth and the like. Outside of New York City and Boston, most of the Northeast and Midwest also have experienced slower job growth, Hughes said. So economic opportunity really lies in the South and the West  and corporations tend to be moving to those destinations.

For states with the largest inbound populations, Vermont ranked first. The rest are in the South and West. Hughes cited Mercedes-Benzs decision in 2015 to move its U.S. headquarters from Montvale, Bergen County, to Georgia.

And those companies drawing workers away from New Jersey has an effect on the states coffers.

In a 2018 report, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association said, after researching census and tax return data, that the state lost $24.9 billion in adjusted gross income between 2004 and 2016.

After residents left, the people (who) came in behind them, they did not make up the difference in that loss of money from the state of New Jersey, said Michele Siekerka, president of the NJBIA.
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Lagos State has funded its employees Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) with N166 billion in the last 11 years, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said.

Speaking on Tuesday at a retreat for Lagos State Trade Union Leaders at Michael Imoudu Institute in Ilorin, Mr Ambode said Lagos remained the only state that was apt in its monthly remittances into serving employees RSAs.

Spokesperson for Lagos State Pensions Commission, Basirat Lawal, said in a statement that Mr Ambode was represented at the retreat by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training, and Pensions, Akintola Benson.

The total contributions remitted to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) from April 2015 to October 2018 was N91 billion.

In the last 38 months, from August 2015 to October, 2018, the state has paid Accrued Pension Rights (APRs) totalling N40.93 million to 9,982 retirees.

The APRs of N74.58 billion has been paid to 17,391 retirees since the commencement of the payment of retirees entitlements in 2010 till date, he said.

The governor said the government would continue to protect the interests of its retired workers, adding that this was the rationale behind the payment of huge pension entitlements since the inception of CPS in the state.

He disclosed that his administration would soon launch a health insurance scheme for workers.

He said that plans were underway to extend the scheme to also cover retired civil servants.

This is because health means wealth; we want to ensure that our retirees live healthier and enjoy their retirement, he said.

(NAN)
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Suspected kidnappers have again struck in Ekiti State, abducting the Director of Administration of the Gbonyin Local Government, David Jejelowo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the director was abducted along with his driver, whose name was not disclosed.

Both victims were taken to an unknown destination.

The latest abduction came barely a week after an Accountant with Emure Local Government, Abayomi Ajayi, was killed and two other staff of the council abducted on the Ise Ekiti-Ikere Ekiti Road.

The police in the state confirmed the abduction, saying that the victims were abducted on Monday evening.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Caleb Ikechukwu, a deputy superintendent of police, however, said that the driver had been released.

It happened along Ado-Ijan Road and involved the Director of Administration of Gbonyin Local Government and his driver, but the driver has been released.

Our men are working round the clock to ensure that the man (director) is rescued.

The driver has been giving us useful information to facilitate the release, he said.

Mr Ikechukwu added that the command was mapping out strategies to tame kidnappers who, he said, appeared to have found a flourishing business in abducting prominent people for ransom, thereby creating apprehension in residents.

(NAN)
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Labour unions and civil society organisations in Lagos Tuesday marched to Governor Akinwunmi Ambodes office to seek his intervention towards the implementation of the proposed new minimum wage.

The march, part of a nationwide protest to drum up support for the implementation of the proposed minimum wage, started at the Maryland area of Lagos and ended at the Lagos State House of Assembly involved various labour unions and civil societies including the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Joint Action Front (JAF), and others.

While presenting the request letter to the representative of the governor, Adeyemi Oladejo, the Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Civic Engagement; Solomon Adelegan the National Vice president of the Nigerian Labour Congress expressed disappointment over the treatement meted out to organised labour by state governments and political leaders.

We are not happy that the governors of Nigeria are the ones standing between us and the payment of the new minimum wage, Mr Adelegan said.

A councillor in Lagos collects the same salary as a councillor in Osun, Kano and Akwa Ibom and same goes for the governors and other political office holders but when it comes to paying labour, they keep saying they dont have the ability to pay and there is no money but there is always money to pay themselves.

Ambode met us here and despite seeing that it is labour, he left us without attending to us to go and attend to politicians at a rally. We have leaders of various labour unions here and I hope they remember that we are the golden hens that lay the golden egg.

This is not the first time we will be treated this way and its not too good.

We have however come here to ask Mr Ambode to talk to his colleagues and ask them to support and implement the new minimum wage.

The angry protesters initially refused to be addressed by the governors representative, launching into chants of Ole ole ole (thief thief thief) when it was time for Mr Adeyemi to speak.

The governors aide said he was disappointed with the treatment he received from the protesters, noting that it was unfair to a government that pays its workers on the 22nd of every month.

There was no previous information that the NLC was coming, he said.

If you want to use someone to appeal to others and you are abusing the person I dont think its okay. We always allow them to come to the podium and address the house but today I dont know what is happening.

The letter they want to deliver, I will take it on behalf of the governor and I know he would ensure it gets to the appropriate quarters. I know the state labour can send their governor anywhere and to anyone but to treat a governor that pays every 22nd like this, I dont think its too good.
A member of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Maria Ude Nwachi on Monday protested what she described as her continuous exclusion from house activities.

She also accused the state government of depriving her of Christmas largesse and constituency project funds duly given to other members.

Give me what they gave my fellow assembly members. Give me my constituency projects funds because when you are denying me my entitlements, you are not only denying Maria, you are denying my constituency, the lawmaker representing Afikpo North East constituency told PREMIUM TIMES.

The female lawmaker says she was denied a Christmas largesse of the sum of N3.5 million and a 100 bags of rice which were given to all her colleagues to give constituents.

A female rights group, Advocacy for Political Equality in Nigeria, APEN had a week ago condemned the denial, threatening not to support the re-election bid of the Governor of the State, David Nweze Umahi.

The vice chairman of the group, Veronica Okwuegbu in a statement also condemned the denial of constituency project funds.

Ms Nwachi, who is contesting for a position in the house of representatives under the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) in the upcoming election in a brief phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES explained her ordeal.

I dont even know anything was being shared last December until I heard it from a colleague. I later got to find out from other members that N3.5 million and 100 bags of 25kg rice was shared and nobody told me because they always keep me in the dark.

When I tried to find out why I was not given, it was a very traumatic experience with those who I was communicating with but the bottom line is that I was not given. They have been denying me all sorts of money but I never actually believed they will do that to me in the Xmas period, she said.

She said the largesse was always given during the Yuletide.

I spoke to my colleagues and they said part of the reasons was that I disobey the Governor because he said I should go back to the house of assembly and repeat but I said no, I want to go to house of reps and I am the only woman going to National Assembly in Ebonyi. Even in the house, they no longer involve me in discussion whenever any good thing is happening, she explained.

She said she was only given one tranche of the constituency funds due to her while others had recieved three tranches.

She said she was only able to do her constituency projects through the funds raised from her private photography and image laundering business.

Calls seeking clarification from the special adviser to the Governor on State Assembly Liaison, Sunday Ugwuocha Monday did not yield much.

I dont discuss this kind of issue on phone. Come to my office if you are journalist, the official said immediately the issue was introduced.

Even when the reporter explained he is based in Abuja and not Ebonyi, he still held on to his position.

Speaker of the House, Francis Ogbonnaya Nwaifuru is yet to return calls or text messages to his phone as at press time.

Meanwhile, Mrs Nwachis Party (ANN) national chairman, Ifeanyichukwu Nweli spoke on the matter.

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First, I have engaged the state honorable member who is a member of my party and running for a seat in the National Assembly as well as the party chairman in the state. We agreed I was going to look into it first, weve called all those in charge of the Christmas package to find out why she was excluded because it is her right and entitlement and not a privilege.

The government official who is in charge of the package has assured me we are going to see next tomorrow which is on the 9th (January). So after seeing him depending on the response, we will now the next line of action to take. Definitely we are going to make a public statement on that.

Ms Nwachi  popularly known as Afikpo Chic is not new to controversies.

The lawmaker who kicked off her career in government as the personal photographer of the state governor, Mr Umahi has been suspended twice by the house.

In 2015, Ms Nwachi was elected on the platform of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA) but defected to PDP in 2017. She would later defect defect to ANN.

In 2016, she was suspended for two months for sponsoring a protest by Afikpo youth against the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, over poor service. She was later recalled.

Early last year, she was again handed a six-month suspension for posing as a public photographer.

Choke Oguji, the chairman of the committee that investigated allegations against her, while presenting the committees report said her actions diminished the house.

She was warned to desist from setting illegality and unethical acts which are not suitable for a parliamentarian.
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The Zamfara State government has suspended two district heads for reportedly backing the operations of bandits in the state.

The state has been ravaged by bloodletting in recent months due to attacks by armed bandits.

The district heads suspended are Bello Mai Wurno, of Kaya community and Dangaladima Birnin Magaji, of Birnin Magaji in Maradun local government and Birnin Magaji local government respectively.

Bello Gamji, the commissioner ministry for local government and chieftaincy affairs in the state who announced the sanctions in Gusau also instructed the affected officials should submit themselves to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for further investigations.

He said the affected heads were found romancing with the criminals by supplying them with fuel and food.

If you could recall, a few days ago, the state government banned the sale of fuel by the roadside, to curb the activities of the bandits.

We decided to stop the sale of the commodity, in particular, these rural areas so they (bandits) cannot operate, but to our dismay, these two district heads disobeyed the order of the government and allowed the sale to continue, the official explained.

He said other residents supporting the bandits have also been arrested by security operatives.

The commissioner also accused a section of the police for giving the government misleading information about the movement and activities of the criminals.

This police have been writing to us about the situation of the criminals and we later understood that they were taking sides with the hoodlums because of what they gain, he explained.
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The Kano State Government has ordered an investigation into the clash between rival local hunters in Ganduje town in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area on Sunday.

The incident led to the death of one person while two others were critically injured.

A statement issued on Tuesday in Kano by the Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Garba, said:

The government of Kano State strongly condemns the clash that occurred on Sunday between local hunters in Ganduje town of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of the state that led to the death of one person and left two others critically injured.

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has directed security agencies to thoroughly investigate the matter with a view to bringing to book perpetrators of the unfortunate incident, the commissioner said.

He dismissed insinuations linking the clash to Mr Gandujes visit to the town to attend a wedding ceremony.

While it is true that Governor Ganduje was in the town to attend a wedding fatiha, the clash between the rival hunters erupted after the governor left the town, Mr Mohammed said.

He gave an assurance that the state government would not fold its arms and allow those he called disgruntled elements to disrupt the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the state.

The commissioner also reaffirmed the commitment of the state government to protecting lives and properties in the state.

The commissioner admonished residents of the state to develop the spirit of tolerance, patience and obedience to constituted authority at all times.

(NAN)
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Gunmen on Monday failed in their attempt to abduct a former judge, who is the District Head of Malumfashi and Galadiman Katsina, Mamman Nasir.

Mr Nasir, ex-president of the Court of Appeal, is said to have escaped back home unhurt, but his aide, called Aminu, was taken away by the kidnappers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the incident occurred on Monday at about 9:30 p.m., between Gora and Yammama villages on Dayi-Malumfashi road in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The gunmen were said to have blocked the road searching vehicles, looking for who to kidnap.

NAN learnt that the district head had switched vehicle to escape the kidnappers, but his aide was not quick enough to escape and was taken away along with other travellers into nearby bushes.

A resident of Malumfashi who preferred anonymity confirmed the incident, and said sympathisers had trooped to the Galadimas palace to commiserate with him over the incident.

According to him, Mr Nasir later asked the sympathisers to allow him take a rest, as he was very shaken by the incident.

The state police public relations officer, Gambo Isa, could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone was switched off.
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Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State has pledged to support the N30,000 minimum wage demand by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

He said that his administration has always given priority to the welfare of workers in the state since 2015.

He said this during a meeting with officials and members of the state Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday in Minna, the state.

The NLC delegation was at the government house to register their protest against the delay in the transmission of the National Minimum Wage to the National Assembly.

Mr Bello expressed his administrations readiness to comply with the demand of NLC as soon it was implemented by the federal government.

According to him, there is need to look into workers welfare in order to improve their standard of living and service delivery.

I am 100 per cent in support of the need to look at whatever is happening on how to improve the life and standard of living of our people.

I have no problem with the implementation of the payment of N30,000 minimum wage to our workers, as I believe this matter will soon be put to rest.

The welfare of our workers is something we have to look into properly, he said.

Mr Bello said as part of efforts to improve workers welfare, government had released N30 billion for the payment of pension and death gratuity.

He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari was concerned about the welfare of civil servants in the country and had made provision for the N30,000 minimum wage in the 2019 budget.

Earlier, Idris Ndako, the NLC Chairman in Niger State, called for the urgent implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.

He described civil servants as partners in progress and machineries that drive the countrys economy.

Benson Upah, who represented NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, led the protest to the government house.

(NAN)
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The FCT Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the recent invasion of Daily Trust Newspapers by the military.

The Council chairman, Emmanuel Ogbeche, said this on Tuesday in Abuja when he visited the Daily Trust head office in Abuja with members of his executive council to show solidarity.

Mr Ogbeche said though the ethics of the journalism profession demands balance reportage, the invasion of the office was not justifiable by the military.

He said with the general elections fast approaching, if media organisations become targets of military invasion, it means non-state actors can leverage on the fear created, thereby making journalists easy preys.

It is a troubling development, but we encourage Daily Trust and the media in general not to be deterred in the face of these happenings, Mr Ogbeche said.

Responding, the News Editor of Daily Trust, Isiaka Wakili, said the military was still keeping the companys computers and lap tops they carted away.

Armed military and paramilitary personnel invaded the regional offices of the newspaper in Maiduguri and Lagos as well as the headquarters building in Abuja on Sunday.

They arrested some editors and reporters, and took away some work tools.

But the security agencies later vacated the occupied premises and released the detained journalists on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari.

(NAN)
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Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue said if he had the capacity, he would pay the state workers above N30,000 as minimum wage.

Mr Ortom stated this on Tuesday in Makurdi while addressing members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the union embarked on a peaceful protest to express their grievances over the delay in the implementation of the new national minimum wage of N30,000.

The governor, who sympathised with the workers, said the state cannot afford to pay the new wage.

He, however, stated that the present N18,000 minimum wage was no longer enough due to the economic situation.

If I have the capacity, I will not hesitate to implement the new minimum wage even above N30,000, he said.

He disclosed that governors had appealed to the federal government to review the revenue sharing formula to enable them pay the proposed national minimum wage.

I have prioritised payment of workers salaries and this is exactly what my administration is doing, he said.

Also speaking, the NLC state chairman, Godwin Anya, called on the governor to consider the workers plight and stand on their side by accepting to pay the proposed minimum wage.

The national president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, who was represented by Success Leke, national auditor of the union, advised Mr Ortom to prevail on his colleagues to implement the new minimum wage.

(NAN)
CANBERRA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Five car manufacturers would have level three and four autonomous vehicles available by 2020, rising to 14 by 2022, the Australian National Transport Commission (NTC) said Monday, warning lawmakers must prepare for an autonomous vehicle boom.

In a submission to the parliamentary infrastructure and transport committee, the NTC said that there could be between 740,000 and 1.7 million autonomous vehicles on Australian roads by 2020 and 9.5 million by 2030.

Michael McCormack, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister (PM), said that the government was working with industry groups to prepare for the rapid rollout.

"I want to ensure these new technologies are deployed in a manner which improves safety, productivity, accessibility and liveability for Australians in both urban and regional areas," he told News Corp Australia on Monday.

Level three autonomous vehicles are vehicles that can drive themselves but require a driver capable of taking control at all times while level four vehicles can perform all driving functions autonomously with the option of driver control.

Level five vehicles will be fully automated at all times.

The NTC's projections were disputed by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), which said that level four vehicles would not be available in Australia for 10 years.

"A small number of vehicles with level four or five systems may be introduced before 2030," it said in its submission.

"However, it is expected that these will be either niche products and/or (operated) in limited numbers as part of a d fleet."

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) took a similar position to the FCAI, warning against rushing through regulations for autonomous vehicles.

[ Editor: WPY ]
The National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday received the gubernatorial candidates of 11 political parties who defected to the APC in Adamawa State.

Mr Oshiomhole received the defectors at the flag off of Governor Muhammadu Bindows 2019 election campaign in Yola, the state capital.

The national chairman said that the collapsed of the other gubernatorial candidates to join APC was a great signed of progress for the party.

I have the real honour and privilege to welcome you into All Progressive Congress.

All of you have a quality to contest for the governorship, but you chose to drop your ambition to support the candidature of Governor Muhammadu Bindow.

On behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, we welcome you all and express our appreciation for the confidence you reposed on the leadership of APC, Mr Oshiomhole said.

He called on the electorates to collect their permanent voter cards and come out massively and vote APC during the forthcoming elections.

He listed the parties that dropped their ambition and joined APC to include KOWA, PPN, AMP, PPA, YPP, NCP, AMP, MEGA PARTY, ZLP, APGA and UNPP.

Umar Jada, APGA governorship candidate who spoke on behalf of the defectors, said they resolved to join APC because of the massive work done in the state and across the country.

He pledged that all the defectors and their supporters would work tirelessly to ensure victory for all APC candidates in the general elections.

Addressing the mammoth crowd, Minister of Transport and Director General of President Buhari Campaign Council, Rotimi Amaechi said that the federal government would this January, approve the construction of standard rail line from Port Harcourt to Makurdi via Yola to Maiduguri.

Mr Amaechi explained that PDP had failed Nigerians in the 16 years of ruling the country, hence, Nigerians should not waste their time on PDP.

The minister challenged PDP to come for an open debate and tell Nigerians what they achieved during their tenure.

In his remarks, Mr Bindow called on the people of the state especially those that were yet to collect their PVC to do so.

He thanked the national chairman of the party and other dignitaries for gracing the occasion.

Mr Bindow assured the defectors that they would work together to ensure massive victory for APC in the state.

NAN reports that top party officials from across the country attended the rally.

(NAN)

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The governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru, on Tuesday, said he has provided funds for the N30,000 new minimum wage demanded by organised labour, in the 2019 budget he presented before the state Assembly.

Mr Badaru stated this while addressing members of the labour union who protested over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage by the federal government. The protest was part of a nation-wide action called earlier by the union.

The protest was meant to demand that President Muhammadu Buhari submits a bill backing the new wage to the National Assembly for implementation.

Mr Badaru, represented by the states acting head of service, Husseini Kila said the state government is waiting for the resolution of the National Assembly on the new minimum wage.

He said after this, workers in Jigawa will start enjoying the full minimum wage package.

Earlier in his remarks, the NLC chairman in Jigawa, Usman Yau said the protest was meant to remind the government of its responsibilities to workers and approve the new minimum wage.

In Jigawa we have to commend the effort of governor Badaru who has already budgeted for the new minimum wage in the 2019 appropriation, he said.

We call on the governor to deliver our messages to President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfill his promise by sending the new minimum wage bill to the parliament for implementation, Mr Yau said.

On Tuesday after the protest, the Nigerian government said it will send the bill to the lawmakers on January 23.

The federal government has repeatedly dithered on the labours demand for a new wage figure, refusing to commit.

President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking reelection had instead assured he would review the recommendation and send a bill backing a new wage figure to the National Assembly.
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The Independent and National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said there are over 20,000 candidates jostling for positions in the 2019 general elections.

The chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Tuesday during a consultative meeting with the media at its headquarters.

He said the figure is the highest ever recorded in the countrys election history.

He said the commission is yet to calculate the number of those vying in the 68 area councils in the FCT. He promised that this will be ready within the next week.

Mr Yakubu also said there would be 1,800 senatorial candidates and 2,600 house of representatives candidates vying to represent the 109 senatorial districts and 360 federal constituencies respectively.

He added that 14,000 candidates will be vying for 991 state constituency seats.

He said the elections will take place in 120,000 locations.

Election will take place in 120,000 locations so please bear with us. In the next one week or so, we will have the statistics and it will be clearer for us when we can expect to make a declaration but its not going to be a long wait, he said.

The commission had earlier revealed that 84 million voters will be participating in the elections.

The presidential and national assembly elections are scheduled to hold on February 16 while the governorship and state houses of assembly polls will take place on March 2.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the military in Gabon to respect the constitution of the country and democracy.

Mr Buharis call followed the failed coup in the oil-rich African country.

The plotters seized control of the national radio station early on Monday morning.

They then broadcast a message saying that President Ali Bongo was no longer fit for office.

However, Gabon security forces killed two suspects in a failed coup attempt in the country and captured seven others on Monday, government spokesperson Guy-Bertrand Mapangou told reporters.

The military officers in Gabon should understand that the era of military coups and governments in Africa and indeed worldwide, is long gone. Democracy is supreme and the constitutional stipulations on the peaceful change of administration must be respected. That is the only way we can ensure peace and stability not only within the country but also in the region, said Mr Buhari.

The Nigerian president himself seized power in 1983 in a military coup that toppled a democratically-elected government.

Mr Buhari, then an army general, was also toppled two years after.

In his message on the Gabon attempted coup, Mr Buhari urged military officers with political ambitions should either resign or face their constitutional role.

Mr Buhari, who is the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) advised the people of Gabon to remain on the side of peace, security, stability and democracy in their country, the statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu added.
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The Maiduguri bureau chief of Daily Trust newspaper, Uthman Abubakar, who was detained by the Army on Sunday, has been released, the paper confirmed Tuesday.

Mr Abubakar was arrested alongside a reporter for the newspaper by armed soldiers who raided Daily Trusts offices in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna and Maiduguri.

The reporter, Ibrahim Sawab, had earlier been released, but the army kept Mr Abubakar in detention amid international condemnation.

The army defended its action, accusing the paper of jeopardising national security.

The newspaper had on Sunday reported on efforts by the military to retake Bags in Borno, seized earlier by the insurgent group, Book Haram.

The editor-in-chief of Daily Trust, Mannir Dan-Ali, on Tuesday announced the release of the editor.

He said Mr Abubakar was taken back to the Maiduguri office by an unnamed Army major who handed him over to a security staff at the papers office.

According to him, Mr Abubakar said he was treated courteously. He, however, said his mobile phones and laptop were still with the military.

They told him that they need time to finish the forensic checks they are carrying out on the equipment, Mr Dan-Ali said.

He said other computers confiscated by the Army from the papers Abuja head office have similarly not been returned.

Senior government officials have continued to say that the items will be released shortly,  he said.
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Tuesday reiterated the need to elevate more qualified justices to the Supreme Court to enhance the disposal of pending appeals.

Mr Onnoghen made the remark in Abuja at the swearing-in of Uwani Abba-Aji as justice of the Supreme Court.

I issued a statement to the effect that the Supreme Court diary is full with appeals set for hearing up to the year 2021.

Accordingly, I explained the import of the warning to mean that any matter that is assigned a date must be heard and determined one way or the other on that date.

For appeals that may be discovered to have defects, I advised counsels to take the necessary steps to amend such defects before the due hearing dates.

This means that everyone, including the Justices, more than anyone else, must come to the court fully prepared for the business of the day.

What that means is that there is a lot of work waiting to be done here, especially with pre-election and post-election matters that will arise from the 2019 general elections.

He noted that with the retirement of Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi in February 2018, the number of justices of the court had dropped to 16, inclusive of the CJN.

According to him, there will be at least one more retirement within the year, which will further put pressure on the Bench considering the workload.

Mr Onnoghen said the promotion of Justice Abba-Aji to the bench of the apex court was timely and positive.

He said that Mr Abba-Ajis elevation was due to his enviable work ethic and integrity, charging him to do more to leave his footprints on the sands of time in the court.

I congratulate you on your appointment and I welcome you to the Bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

After 14 years of outstanding service at the Court of Appeal, it is only befitting that you are elevated to offer your services to the nation at the highest court of the land, he said.

Mr Abba-Aji, until his elevation, was the presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division.

Justices and judges of the various courts, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, senior legal practitioners, officials of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as well as other wishers, attended the ceremony.

(NAN)
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At least two persons were killed while eight houses burnt on Monday when suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Sajeri, a community near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The late-night attack came few hours after an earlier one on Auno village, 25 kilometre from Maiduguri.

Both Auno and Sajeri are located along the now dangerous Kano-Maiduguri highway.

Residents of Sajeri said the insurgents invaded their community at about 10 p.m.

According to the residents, who slept overnight in the bushes, the attackers also looted their premises, setting some buildings on fire.

They were very hostile and they were many, that came with guns and cutlasses, said a resident, Mustapha Ali.

They shot and killed an Islamic cleric who did not offer them money. They also beheaded another man near his house.

One man got his eyes pulled out by the Boko Haram insurgents, he said.

The theatre commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Benson Akinroluyo, confirmed the Monday attacks during a meeting with journalists.

He also said he would be heading for Auno to assess the situation.

From here (conference), I will be heading for Auno where we had an attack last night, he said.
The Nigerian military authorities in Borno State on Tuesday said they do not know the whereabouts of the Daily Trust regional editor, Uthman Abubakar, whom they arrested alongside a reporter on Sunday.

Mr. Abubakar and Ibrahim Sawab were picked up by soldiers who raided their Maiduguri office on Sunday over a story published by the newspaper about the militarys counterinsurgency operation in northeast Nigeria.

While justifying the arrest of the two journalists as well as the sealing up of the newspapers offices in at least three cities across the country, the army said the story undermined national security.

The presidency, however, on Monday ordered the military to withdraw soldiers from the offices of the newspaper.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, told journalists in a phone interview that the presidency also ordered that the two journalists be released at once and their seized equipment returned to them.

However, only the reporter, Mr. Sawab, was released late Sunday night.

When members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Borno State on Tuesday visited the headquarters of the Operation Lafiya Dole to demand the release of Mr. Uthman, the military command denied knowledge of where he is being held.

Led by the vice chairman of NUJ in the state, Aji Modu, the journalists met the new Theatre Commander, Benson Akinroluyo, a major-general, who commended them for the show of support for their arrested colleagues.

The journalists asked to see the detained editor and pleaded for his release to them.

The Theatre Commander extolled the benefits of a good working relationship between the military and the media, saying they must work together for the progress of Nigeria.

I commend you guys for coming to check after your colleagues, which is a good sign of camaraderie that is known of Africans. This can happen to anyone. It is Daily Trust today, it could be any other person tomorrow, Mr Akinroluyo said.

I have had a good working relationship with the media even when I was at the 3 Div and it was the media that actually bailed us out during the search for late General Alkali. (The retired officer was ambushed last year on a trip to Bauchi from Abuja and murdered).

We are all stakeholders in this project called Nigeria; just as we are stakeholders in the issue of national security.

Thank God in this delegation we have other journalists who are from Daily Trust. This goes to show that the army and the military have no particular interest against any media organisation.

But we have had discussions on what constitutes national security and national interest. National interest and security have no single definition; we may see it from one perspective or the other. But the most important thing is that your work does not jeorpadise the interest of the nation.

The army general noted that Nigeria must exist before there could be a Nigerian Union of Journalists.

I would not want us to belabour what has happened, he said.

Im aware the president has made some pronouncements concerning the issue of Daily Trust; weve all heard comments that have been made front and back. But the bottom line is what is the way forward?

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We will make sure the person that you are talking about is still here, and we will look at it critically and give it  administration, then we will all forge and move forward. But we must all know what is national security and avoid what will jeopardise it.

We must understand that what thrives Boko Haram is fear and thats why they try to always spread fake rumor.

Asked if the journalists could at least see their detained colleague, the Theatre Commander simply said I wish I could help you on that; honestly, but I dont even know where he is being held.

Journalists detention condemnable

Saddened by the refusal to release Mr Abubakar, the NUJ Borno council issued a statement condemning the action of the military.

The statement signed by the councils secretary read:

The Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ Borno Council having exhausted all diplomatic avenues to secure the release of Daily Trust Newspaper Bureau Chief Uthman Abubakar strongly condemns his continued detention by the military.

NUJ is deeply saddened by the militarys arrest of two of its members and staff of Daily Trust newspaper, Uthman Abubakar and Ibrahim Sawab (released Monday 7/1/19) in Maiduguri on Sunday 6th January 2019 following a publication on a military operation.

The union maintained that the countrys armed forces are more equipped and experienced than the Bokoharam insurgents.

NUJ believes the report of Daily trust of Sunday 6/1/19 was misinterpreted by our gallant military which was only promoting a show of force and not the contrary, the statement continued.

We implore the concerned authority to see good in polishing justice with understanding and release the Bureau Chief Uthman Abubakar still in custody.

He is not well to undergo such detention and the Presidency through SSA to The President on Media, Garba Shehu, has ordered his release which has not been effected and strongly rejected by all of us.

The Pen Profession and Armed forces have enjoyed a long cordial relationship before and during the Boko haram insurgency which has lasted almost ten years now.

Let us all not give in to the antiques of the insurgents who will be happy with this negative trend and remain united to fully overcome the elements of terror.
The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) is considering fresh guidelines for revenue inflows and withdrawals from the excess crude oil revenue account (ECA).

Under the guidelines recommended by an ad-hoc committee constituted in July 2018 by the former Minister of Finance and then chairman of FAAC, Kemi Adeosun, minimum monthly statutory revenue to be shared from the Federation Account by the three tiers of government has been pegged at about N680 billion.

The committee was constituted to consider series of complaints by some Finance Commissioners, particularly those from the nine oil producing States of the federation, concerning the manner of transfers into and withdrawals from the Excess Crude Oil, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Royalty Accounts.

Its recommendations were contained in a report submitted to the FAAC last November on guidelines on transfers into and withdrawals from the accounts.

A copy of the report was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in Abuja on Monday.

In the report, the committee recommended that any month where the net distributable revenues available for sharing by the federal, states and local governments from the Federation Account falls below N680 billion, funds should be withdrawn from the ECA to augment the shortfall to at least N680 billion.

Similarly, the committee recommended that if, on the other hand, the net distributable revenue is between N680 billion and N730 billion, up to about N50 billion should be transferred into the ECA as saving.

Besides, if the net distributable revenue for the month is between N730 billion and N830 billion, the committee recommended that up to about N100 billion should be transferred to the ECA, or a minimum of N150 billion, if the figure is above N830 billion.

Also, the committee spelled out new criteria for monthly revenue transfers into and withdrawals from the ECA.

According to the committee, henceforth further transfers into the ECA should be made net of the 13 per cent derivation, which component should be paid to the oil producing states.

In addition, the committee said withdrawals from the ECA in respect of the 13 per cent derivation share to the oil producing states should be calculated and credited to their accounts accordingly, while future withdrawals from the ECA should be net of the 13 percent derivation share paid to the oil producing states.

The ECA is a special account created by the federal government to save oil revenues earned above approved crude oil benchmark price in the annual budget as a strategy to provide cushion for the annual budgets against negative impacts of revenue shortfalls as a result of crude oil price volatility.

The oil producing states had expressed dissatisfaction with the way their share of the 13 per cent derivation funds have always been handled by the FAAC.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the states had frowned at the practice where they were being forced to save significantly more from their statutory allocation every month than other states.

According to the states, a situation where revenue transfers to the excess revenue account were made without first paying their share of the 13 per cent derivation revenue due to oil producing states did not take cognizance of the equity and equality of states as enshrined in the constitution.

To help develop clear guidelines for such transfers into as well as withdrawals from the ECA, the five-member committee was constituted headed by the Delta State Commissioner for Finance, David Edevbie.

Other members included the Adamawa State Finance Commissioner and Chairman, Finance Commissioners Forum in FAAC, Mahmood Yunusa; director, Home Finance Department, Federal Ministry of Finance, Olubunmi Siyanbola; director, Federation Accounts, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Sabo Mohammed, and deputy director, Allocation, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The Committee, which had the Deputy Director, Home Finance Department, Federal Ministry of Finance, AO Bello, as secretary, was mandated to examine the issues raised by the affected States and recommend appropriate guidelines to address them.

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In addition, the Committee was also asked to review the current modalities adopted by FAAC in making transfers into the various accounts before recommending new guidelines to follow in future.

At the end of its assignment, the committee presented a report during the FAAC meeting last December identifying some deficiencies in the previous method of transfers and withdrawals of revenues from the ECA, which it said needed to be reviewed going forward.

The committee faulted the practice where transfers into the ECA considered excess revenue was determined monthly as individual item based on surpluses above each revenue items against monthly budgets of the revenue generating agencies.

In its report, the committee observed that the practice adopted when the revenue generating agencies were continually declaring surpluses and not considered periods of low revenues, revenue inflows from previous months, nor the excesses or deficits in collective revenues of the agencies.

To correct the observed deficiencies in the previous practice, the committee resolved that transfers into the ECA would henceforth be made based on the cumulative revenues reported by each revenue generating agency from the beginning of the budgetary year to the month of distribution, rather than monthly individual revenue items.

It was learnt that the committee report would be deliberated upon by the FAAC when it resumes, before final adoption.
The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and journalists, has condemned the invasion of Daily Trust by the Nigerian army.

The Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) also in a statement condemned the siege by the armed operatives on the premises of the prominent northern newspaper.

The two bodies equally demanded the immediate release of the regional editor of the newspaper.

The editor, Uthman Abubakar was arrested on Sunday alongside one of his reporters, Ibrahim Sawab.

Mr Sawab was eventually released Monday afternoon after a rattled presidency had ordered the armed soldiers to vacate the premises of the newspaper.

CEO and editor-in-chief of Daily Trust, Mannir Dan Ali earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that the military authorities promised to release Mr Sawab after a special team arrives Maiduguri and interrogate him.

He said the military said they will release him once he produces a surety and that the chairman of Borno State chapter of NUJ had agreed to serve as the surety.

The journalists were arrested over a story about an impending military operation published in the Sunday edition of the newspaper.

IPI, Outraged

In a letter sent to the Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, IPI described the arrest of journalists and siege of the newspapers offices in Maiduguri and Abuja as an attack on media freedom in the country.

The authorities have provided no evidence that the information published by the Daily Trust would endanger military lives or the security of military operations to an extent that would outweigh the freedom and responsibility of any independent newspaper to inform readers of significant developments of public interest, of which the Nigerian governments response to the activities of terrorist organisations is undoubtedly one, IPI Executive Director Barbara Trionfi said in the letter to Mr Mohammed.

Mr Trionfi said the armys actions are inappropriate, disproportionate and appear to constitute an attempt to silence independent media in the country.

We would like to mention here that the Nigerian security services appear to have adopted a habit of arresting and detaining journalists for their investigative reporting on perceived sensitive subjects.

In August last year, the security forces arrested Samuel Ogundipe, a journalist with the Premium Times, for his report about a letter sent by the inspector general of police to the vice president detailing actions of the former director of the State Security Service. The police demanded that Ogundipe reveal his sources.

During the IPI World Congress in June 2018, we raised the issue of the illegal detention of journalist Jonas Abiri, which the government initially denied. However, the government was later forced to produce Abiri before a court after two years spent behind bars. Eventually, Abiri was freed by the court.

Your excellency, we request you to address this breach of press freedom by the army and ensure that the army releases the regional editor of the Daily Trust and returns the computers taken from the newspapers offices.

We hope that you will keep the promise that President Muhammadu Buhari and you made at the IPI World Congress to uphold media freedom and create a conducive climate for independent media to thrive in Nigeria, the institute wrote.

NPAN Kicks

Meanwhile NPAN also flayed the federal government and the army over the invasion.

The NPAN condemns, in very strong terms, the siege on Daily Trust, the arrest and detention of its staff as well as seizure of its computers.

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Where an infraction is alleged, the best option is to follow due process and civility; not kneejerk, not intimidation and spread of fear in the civil society.

We have gone too far in search of law and order regime than to countenance such display of raw power and emotion over due process, it said in a statement.

The newspaper employers urged the federal government to abide by global best practices in resolving contentious issues with the press.

The weekend siege on the Daily Trust newspaper premises, was clearly unconstitutional, without due process and an act of self help, it said. Additionally, it showed a poor appreciation of the advancement in information dissemination in the global village where news is disseminated at the touch of a keyboard and not necessarily in a fixed address. This is 2019 and those who gave the vexatious order ought to know better.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for peaceful, inclusive and credible elections in Nigeria.

Mr Guterres made the call in a report to the Security Council on the activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

The UN chief also appealed for peace in other countries in the West African sub-region holding elections in 2019.

He noted there has been incremental improvement in the conduct of elections in the region.

However, the pre-and post-electoral periods have often been characterised by antagonistic contestations and disputes.

I call upon authorities and national stakeholders to work together to ensure a level playing field and to create an environment conducive to the holding of peaceful, inclusive and credible elections in 2019 in Benin, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Nigeria and Senegal.

Mr Guterres said: In Nigeria, tensions have been rising ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections of 16 February 2019, and of the gubernatorial and state assembly elections of 2 March 2019.

According to him, concerns were raised by the alleged instrumentalisation of security forces in recent gubernatorial elections.

The UN scribe said there were also concerns in the surge in alleged vote buying.

The challenges related to the ability of internally displaced persons to participate in the polls amid ongoing terrorism and violence between farmers and herders, is also a concern, he said.

The UN chief also noted what he termed a series of high-profile defections from one political party to the other in the country.

In his capacity as my High-level Representative for Nigeria, my Special Representative continued consultations with key national stakeholders to promote an environment conducive to peaceful general elections in 2019.

My Special Representative initiated and participated in a joint pre-electoral mission to Nigeria with ECOWAS and the African Union from 29 to 31 October.

During the mission, he consulted with the President, the Office of the Inspector-General, senior military officials, civil society organisations and other key actors and institutions, Mr Guterres said.

(NAN)
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its deputy national chairman (North), Gamawa Babayo, over allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity.

The National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Mr Babayo was suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC).

The committee held an extraordinary session on January 5, where it reviewed the petition against the deputy national chairman.

The NWC found merit in the petition on allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity as contained in Section 58 (1) e, f, g, h of the PDP Constitution.

Therefore, in exercise of section 29 (2) a, b and c, the NWC hereby invokes Section 59 (1) d of the constitution of the PDP on the Deputy National Chairman (North) and accordingly suspends him from the party immediately.

The PDP has faced a fresh round of defections in the last few days.

On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari received various members of the PDP Support Groups from the North-east, who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In Kano, a former governorship candidate, Bello Sani-Gwarzo, dumped the party and also joined the APC.

(NAN)
Dozens of protesters gathered at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) office in Abuja, on Tuesday to protest governments lethargy in approving a new minimum wage for workers in the country.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who led the protest alongside other union members from the Labour House, marched across parts of the capital city, ending at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) premises.

The protest follows an earlier meeting of union representatives presided over by the minister of labor and employment, Chris Ngige.

While addressing journalists and the union leaders, Mr Nigige said the meeting was to prevent the planned protest.

NLC had threatened to embark on a over the federal governments refusal to send the tripartite committee report on the minimum wage on N30, 000 to the National Assembly

Mr Wabba said the labor leaders agreed to meet with the government to ensure that the processes for the transmission of the bill on a new minimum wage would be completed.

We will go ahead with the mass protest nationwide, he however said.

Later on Tuesday after the protest, the Nigerian government said it will send the bill to the lawmakers on January 23.

The federal government has repeatedly dithered on the labours demand for a new wage figure, refusing to commit.

President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking reelection had instead assured he would review the recommendation and send a bill backing a new wage figure to the National Assembly.

Abuja Protest

At the protest, Mr Wabba said the union had been patient over the years but can no longer tolerate the governments action over the minimum wage.

The Nigerian minimum wage of N18,000 is no more tenable, we have been patient and considerate on the national interest, that is why we agreed on 30,000. The primary purpose of government is the provision of the welfare of its citizens, he said.

He urged state governors to stop hiding under the umbrella of the governors forum to refuse to pay the proposed new wage.

Let our political elite tell the workers their position and not hide under the governors forum and say they wont be able to pay.

What the constitution recognise is individual states. I heard an argument of one of the political gladiators who said the minimum wage should be left for the states to fix. It is an aberration because if it is left for the states alone who fixes for the private sector. I think that person does not understand governance, he said.

A senator at the protest, Shehu Sani said the N30,000 is modest for an oil producing country like Nigeria.

Mr Sani the new minimum wage, if approved would empower the workers and help address some of their social and economic problems.

He said it was sad that while the Nigerian elite are busy spending millions of funds on political campaign, they say there is no money to increase the minimum wage of Nigerians.

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The demand of the Nigerian workers is modest for an oil exporting country like Nigeria, he said. If we increase the minimum wage, we are empowering the citizens and solving the social and economic problems. If they resist then it is not right, let us not forget this government came on the determination at solving the suffering of Nigerians workers.

Meanwhile, the director, human resources management, Lazarus Gaza, who represented the FCT minister assured the unions that the letter they brought along would be delivered to the minister and the minister would act.
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday fixed February 11 and February 12 for the trial of a former Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Tuoyo Omatsuli, and others, charged with alleged N3.6 billion fraud.

Other co-defendants in the case are Don Parker Properties Ltd, Francis Momoh and Building Associates Ltd, as second, third and fourth accused, respectively.

They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 45-count charge, bordering on corruption, gratification, fraud and money laundering.

At their earlier arraignment, the accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bails in the sum of N100 million each with two sureties each in like sum.

The court had then adjourned for trial.

On Tuesday, the prosecutor, Ekene Iheanacho, informed the court that he was prepared to go on, as his witnesses were in court.

However, Norisson Quakers (SAN), appearing for the second, third and fourth accused, applied for a variation of the bail conditions as one of the sureties was yet to be verified.

Besides, the defence counsel informed the court that the third accused came to court with the aid of crutches as a result of his bad legs and sought an adjournment of the case to a further date.

The prosecutor, however, opposed the request for adjournment, saying that one of the sureties, who is a civil servant, was yet to be verified.

He also argued that the third accused only had a bad leg which did not hinder his ability to hear and listen to proceedings.

In the light of the submissions made before the court, Justice Salisu Saidu held that it was obvious that the condition of the leg of the accused was bad.

He said on that premise and based on the partial perfection of his bail, the court would grant an adjournment.

The court, consequently, adjourned the case until February 11 and 12 for trial, and urged that the accused did everything possible to perfect his bail before the next date.

According to the charge, the accused were alleged to have committed the offences between August 2014 and September 2015.

The first accused was said to have procured the third and fourth accused (Momoh and Building Associates) to utilise a total sum of N3.6 billion paid by Starline Consultancy Services Ltd into an account operated by fourth accused.

The prosecution said that they ought to have known that the said sums, formed part of the proceeds of their unlawful activities which includes corruption and gratification.

The offences contravenes the provisions of Sections 15(1), 15(2), 15(3) and 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011, as amended by Act No 1 of 2012.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian government will host the first Lassa Fever International Conference in Abuja to mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the disease.

Lassa fever, also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF), is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus. The virus was first isolated 50 years ago in Lassa, a town in Borno State in northeast Nigeria, for which it has been named.

The conference, organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and its partners, will hold January 16 and 17. It aims to increase global health focus on a disease found mostly in West Africa.

Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria recorded its highest death toll in 2018 with 146 dead as at December 2.

Between January 1 and December 2 that year, 23 states reported 3,229 suspected cases of which 581 were confirmed positive, 17 probable and 2631 negative (not a case).

According to a statement on Tuesday by the Chief Executive Officer of NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, the conference will bring researchers and practitioners from across the world together to appraise global efforts towards the control of Lassa fever.

At the Lassa Fever International Conference, a global audience will learn about efforts towards new strategies to prevent transmission of the virus from rodents to human, new approaches to mitigating hospital transmission of the disease as well as new insights into the social context of Lassa transmission.

Current efforts on new Lassa fever vaccines, therapeutics and clinical treatment approaches will also be key highlights at the conference, Mr Ihekweazu said

He said as awareness and disease surveillance systems improve across Africa countries, more cases are being detected.

This, he said, has created an increased sense of urgency for the global health community to do more through better prevention, disease detection, control, and case management efforts.

In 2018, the World Health Organisation launched its Research and Development blueprint highlighting the potential of Lassa Fever and a selected list of diseases to lead to public health emergencies.

This plan highlights the absence of efficacious drugs and/or vaccines and the urgent need for accelerated research and development.

In preparation for the conference, the agency called for scientific efforts into prevention, detection, and control efforts to be showcased at the conference.

This yielded over 500 abstracts from which 160 top quality papers were selected. In addition, travel scholarships were granted to 80 researchers from across Nigeria and West Africa.

Plenary speakers expected at the conference include the governor of Nassarawa, Tanko Al-makura; Chair National Lassa Fever Steering Committee Nigeria, Oyewale Tomori; and the Chief Medical Director of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Sylvanus Okogbenin.

Also marked for appearance are the Technical Team Lead, National Lassa Fever Working Group, Elsie Ilori, Team Leader of VHF at World Health Organisation (WHO), Pierre Formenty; the Head of Virology Bernard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine Germany, Stephan Gunther; and the Head of Virology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research University of Ghana, Accra, William Ampofo.

Others are the Director, UK Public Health Rapid Support Team, Daniel Bausch, Team Leader for Implementation Research Initiative for Vaccine Research, WHO, Ana Maria Restrepo; Director, Africa Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases Redeemers University, Christian Happi; and Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Richard J. Hatchett.
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The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Tuesday said it had secured 25 convictions of human traffickers in 2018.

Arinze Orakwue, the agencys Director of Public Enlightenment, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that 1,922 human trafficking cases were reported to the agency last year while 192 of them were fully investigated.

The director said the agency had redoubled its efforts to drastically reduce the rate of trafficking in persons across the country in 2019.

Mr Orakwue said part of NAPTIPs efforts to curtail the act was its plan to canvass for the inclusion of human trafficking-related issues in the nations school curriculum.

He said if the plan worked, it would help in no small measure in checking the act of human trafficking in the country.

The director said such a subject would also appeal to the conscience of the youths not to avail themselves to human trafficking and inculcate the zeal to live right in their minds.

Mr Orakwue urged religious leaders to also preach about the inherent dangers of trafficking in persons as a way of curbing the act.

He noted that the agency has nine offices across the country located in Enugu, Lagos, Kano, Benin, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Uyo, Osogbo, and Abuja.

The director advised parents to always know the full identity of the person(s) they gave out their children to as well as who they moved around with.

(NAN)
By Alessandro Jedlowski, Universite Libre de Bruxelles

Global streaming service Netflix set its eyes a few years ago on Nigerias film industry, better known as Nollywood. Distribution of Nigerian movies on Netflix started around 2015. At the time the American giant bought the rights of blockbusters such as Kunle Afolayans October 1st, Biyi Bandeles Fifty and several others, after they had already been distributed in Nigerian cinemas.

During the Toronto International Film Festival 2018, Netflix announced the acquisition of worldwide exclusive distribution rights for Nollywood star Genevieve Nnajis debut film as director, the comedy Lionheart. The film marked the first Netflix original film from Nigeria. Many saw this as the beginning of a new era in the relationship between one of the world largest streaming platforms and Africas most prolific film industry.

But, is this actually true? Is Netflix going to transform Nollywood? And how significant will its impact on the Nigerian film industry be?

Difficult questions

These are not easy questions to answer. Nollywoods economy and modes of production are unlike those of most other film industries. Over the past 20 years Nigerian films have circulated mostly on videotapes and Video Compact Discs (VCDs).

This distribution system made the industry widely popular across Africa and its diaspora. But it prevented Nollywood from consolidating its economy and raising the quality of film production. Piracy dramatically eroded distribution revenues and producers had trouble monetising the distribution of their films. Nollywood prioritised straight-to-video distribution because cinema theatres had almost disappeared in the country (as in most other parts of Africa) as a result of the catastrophic economic crisis that affected Nigeria in the 1980s.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by LIONHEART (@lionheartthemovie) on Sep 8, 2018 at 3:47pm PDT

New multiplexes have emerged since the beginning of the 2000s. However, today there are only about 150 widescreens for a population of almost two hundred million people. The cinemas that exist are often too expensive for most of the population that used to buy and watch Nollywood films when they were distributed on tapes.

Within this context, many in the industry thought that streaming could be the best solution to the industrys problems with distribution. However, a closer look to the history of what has been labelled the Nigerian Netflix (iROKO.tv, the leading streaming platform for Nigerian contents) shows that the reality is more complicated.

When the company decided to move its headquarters from Manhattan to Lagos it encountered countless difficulties. They were mainly connected to the costs of infrastructure development in Nigeria and to the hostility of local distributors who controlled Nollywoods economy since its creation.

Weak Internet

Internet connection in Nigeria is still too weak and expensive to guarantee easy access to streaming platforms. As a result, Nollywood content distributed by iROKO.tv and Netflix circulates mostly in the diaspora. Netflix is aware of this problem and is investing in infrastructures to secure a better connection for its Nigerian audiences.

But larger investments seem to be necessary to produce a significant impact on audiences behaviour. Accessing Nollywood films via piracy or local screening venues will continue to be, at least in my view, the key strategy adopted by the largest percentage of Nigerian viewers.

Netflix could have better chances in penetrating the countrys elite market, as richer people in Nigeria and across Africa have easier access to reliable power supply and internet.

This might be the reason why MultiChoice, the South African telecommunication giant controlling much of Nollywood distribution across Africa through its Africa Magic channels, has reacted nervously to Netflixs increased interest in African markets. MultiChoice wants Netflix to be more closely regulated.

These two arent the only telecommunication superpowers in the field. Frances Canal Plus and the Chinese StarTimes have also made a few investments in Nollywood over the past few years. The competition among all these actors will probably have a positive impact for viewers across Nigeria and the continent. It could bring lower subscription fees for streaming and TV content packages.

There are also likely to be new investments in content production and infrastructures. And theres larger continental and global exposure for Nollywood films in the offing.

Foreign investments

It remains to be seen how good these developments will be for Nollywood producers. Until now, foreign investments in Nollywood have mostly translated into more of the same content. Working conditions for crews and actors have remained the same  basically, low budgets and quick shooting schedules.

In fact, big investors seem to be mainly interested in Nollywoods already established popularity with African audiences. Making Nollywood more palatable for international audiences doesnt seem to feature.

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This means that in most cases they are not ready to invest bigger money in production budgets. Rather, they invest in better structuring distribution networks to extract as much profit as possible from the Nigerian industry.

And most African audiences are indeed happy with how Nollywood is, even if they tend to complain regularly about the low quality and the repetition of film contents and aesthetics. The fact that Nollywood as it is keeps on attracting audiences makes investors reluctant to change the scale of their production budgets.

There are a few bigger productions, with higher production standards, that have emerged over the past few years in Nollywood. But they have hardly been the result of investments made by foreign firms like Netflix, Canal Plus or MultiChoice.

Nigerian producers are those who are mostly concerned about raising the quality of Nollywood films. They want to give better content to their audiences and reach global screens. In most cases, the people investing money in these kinds of projects have been independent producers or groups of investors related to the new business of multiplexes in Nigeria.

In my view, the question is: will these people benefit from Netflix, so as to continue investing in higher quality content? Or will Netflix and other international companies end up taking over the industry to make it only a bit more of the same?

Alessandro Jedlowski, Collaborateur scientifique FNRS, Universite Libre de Bruxelles

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The conversation
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday rolled out the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) appropriated by the National Assembly in the 2018 budget.

The BHCPF is the one per cent of the federal government Consolidated Revenue and contributions from donor grants set aside to fund the basic health needs of Nigerians.

It is the fundamental funding provision under the National Health Act and was appropriated for the first time in the 2018 budget since the Act was signed in 2014.

The federal government earmarked N55 .1 billion for the CRF to the basket fund of the BHCPF, while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation contributed $2 million, out of which $ 1.5 million has been released.

The Global Financing Facility (GFF) has also committed $20 million to the fund, while the Department for International Development (DFID) is also putting 50 million pounds sterling over the next five years.

The rollout and implementation of the fund were much anticipated by Nigerians since the appropriation of the fund in the 2018 budget. The fund is expected to help revive the health sector, especially primary healthcare centres (PHCs) many of which have been abandoned across the country.

Apart from rolling out of the BHCPF, the Minister of Budget and National planning, Udoma Udo-Udoma, who represented Mr Buhari at the event, also launched the Second National Strategic Health Development Plan II (2018-2022) and disbursement of funds to high-performing states under the Save One Million Lives Programme for Results (SOML-PforR).

Mr Buhari said he was delighted to launch the key Universal Health Coverage (UHC) documents and flag off the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund programme.

He said it demonstrated his governments making the health of Nigerians its top priority.

He explained that the second National Strategic Health Development Plan (2018-2022), approved by the Federal Executive Council September 5 last year, is the health sectors plan for achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria.

Mr Buhari said this is aligned with the third generation Country Cooperation Strategy, which was also launched Tuesday.

I had in January 2017 flagged off the Primary Health Care Revitalisation Programme in Kuchingoro to kick-start the plan of having 10,000 functional primary health care facilities with at least one functional health facility in every political ward in the country, he said.

Our effort at revitalising the primary healthcare centres is to ensure that quality basic health care service is delivered to the majority of Nigerians irrespective of their locations in the country.

We shall focus more on the people living in the rural areas and the vulnerable population in our society such as women, children under five years of age and the elderly, in collaboration with national and international partners, he said.

Mr Buhari said one of the main objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of his administration is investing in the Nigerian people.

Our administration in recognition of this, provided N55 Billion, the 1% Consolidated Revenue Fund to cater for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in fulfillment of the National Health Act, 2014. International partners such as the World Bank, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and USAID are also contributing to the Fund. The Brand name for this Programme is HUWE meaning life.

Mr Buhari said the BHCPF provides the sustainable fiscal space for health care and will increase the human capital base of Nigerias economy. We must recognise that Universal Health Coverage is a destination and Nigeria is putting in place processes to achieve it, he said.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, said the BHCPF will operate under very strict accountability and transparency mechanisms.

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Mr Adewole said the federal government will ensure that there is no corruption in the use of the funds.

He said the first phase of the rollout of the BHCPF is what was being launched, as the characteristics of the health sector in Nigeria is huge out-of-pocket-spending.

The minister said to curtail this and improve health service delivery in the rural areas that are at disadvantage of good health care delivery, the government is rolling out the BHCPF in six states across the country and the Federal Capital Territory.

All other states will benefit from the Fund as they fulfill the laid down criteria for accessing the Fund.

To ensure sustainability and ownership of the BHCPF, he said the states are expected to co-fund the BHCPF, beginning with an initial N100 million as part-expression of interest to implement the BHCPF.

The states are also required to create state health insurance agencies and state primary health care development boards to serve as channels through which implementation would be monitored.

Currently, out-of-pocket payment for health constitutes over 70 percent of total health expenditure in Nigeria. Mr Adewole said to change this narrative in the country to achieving Universal Health Coverage, a functioning Primary Health Care System and a mandatory Universal Health Insurance Scheme are necessary.

Also speaking at the event, The Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Lanre Tejuosho, said the Senate is almost done with the review of the National Health Insurance Scheme Act.

This he said would improve healthcare services and financing in the country because the Act would make health insurance compulsory for all Nigerians, not optional as stipulated in the current Act.

The senator said he agreed with the consensus that Nigeria should spend more on health.

We agreed that BHCPF is the key to fund and achieve UHC in Nigeria and let me emphasise that as implementation is about to begin, it will not be business as usual.

We want the fund to be used for what it is stipulated. Let me say it publicly that though the quantum of resources for the BHCPF is small as compared to the problem on ground, we should use this opportunity to make a difference and not spend unwisely, he said.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will commit $75 million to immunisation intervention in Nigeria over the next five years, the philanthropic organisation has pledged.

The country director of the foundation, Paul Bassinga, made the pledge on Tuesday in Abuja at the launch of the second National Strategic Health Development Plan (2018-2022) and the roll out of the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Funds.

The event at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa also featured the disbursement of fund to high performing states under the Save One Million Lives Programme for Results (SOML-PforR).

Mr Bassinga said the foundation was impressed with the improvement of immunisation activities in the country and as such will be using the money it pledged to strengthen immunisation, with the expectation that the federal government will honour its commitment to the immunisation basket fund.

Commending Nigeria for its effort in improving immunisation services across the country, he said rigorous investment in the primary healthcare centres in rural area is very crucial to achieving effective immunisation coverage in the country.

This year marks a significant progress in Nigeria as immunisation rate increased. This is the first year were we have seen improvement even in the rural areas and almost all the states. This shows that when you provide vaccines at the facilities nearest to the people, people will surely go there to receive the services. This is what we are committed to in BMGF, to ensure that vaccines are available and that why we are committing the $75 million for the next five years, he said.

Mr Basinga said many rural healthcare facilities are not performing efficiently because of challenges ranging from lack of human resources, poor funding and lack of operational services such as laboratories and drugs.

This, he said, makes many people who are meant to use the facilities seek for health care elsewhere at much higher cost.

Mr Bassinga said for this to change, the government needs to provide more resources to funding the health sector, noting that the provision and roll out of the BHCPF is a good way to start.

He said the foundation is committed to the development of the health sector and is the reason it also committed $2 million to the basket fund for the BHCPF, out of which $ 1.5million has been remitted.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, at the event tasked Nigerian governors to be more committed to health care services and delivery in their states.

Speaking on the disbursement of fund to some state governors who performed well in the concluded SOML-PforR programme and on the roll out of the BHCPF, Mr Adewole said for the BHCPF to function and yield the desired results, the governors should put primary health care facilities in their states in order.

Mr Adewole said the only way the states can remain continuous beneficiaries of the programme is when they have functional PHCs, as money will not be disbursed through the state governments.

We are ensuring that the money goes from the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria directly to the facilities. Any of the contributors such as BMGF, Global Financing facility and other donor partners can also audit the account for accountability to make sure that the money is disbursed to the right channel and used for the right things, he said.

He said the federal government will not be building new PHCs as state governments are to build new ones and put the existing ones in shape.

We want governors to put PHCs in shape or build new ones. we will not build PHCs for you and we will not give you the plan on what to build nor will we send contractors from Abuja. We want to avoid a situation where people who have accidents will pay and we want to use this as a gateway to pay for their treatment, he added.

Also speaking at the event, the governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, who represented the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdul-Aziz Yari, said healthcare delivery is not only for the federal government.

Mr Fayemi said it is appropriate that the states would be asked to speak at the crucial even. States contribution and acceptance is crucial because health is on the concurrent list in our constitution.

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Mr Fayemi said the state governors are determined to join forces with the federal government to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

Reiterating the level of commitment in some states, Mr Fayemi said the governors forum had worked very closely with the federal government and development partners on issues of polio eradication, malaria prevention, health financing, maternal and child health issues and improving access to all via PHCs.

We are certainly not tired and we believe in the competition that as been engendered by this and that as been one of the contribution to success in polio eradication. We also know we can not invest in our people if we do not invest in the health of our people and we cannot build the human capital of any nation if we do not focus on the healthcare of the people.

Our commitment to you will not come in funding, our commitment is that we are determine to ensure that in our state no women should lose a live in the process of child bearing. it is a tall order and we know the indies are not good, but we want to be held accountable on that score.

Mr Fayemi added that the governors were determine children should stop being victims of opportunistic diseases whether in regards to bad water provision or in regards to inadequate facilities in health institutions. He said the governors are determined to work with the federal government to achieve the plans.
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U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on Tuesday said the decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria will not impact the capacity of the coalition fighting the Islamic State extremist group.

The presidents decision to withdraw our folks from Syria in no way impacts our capacity to deliver on that, Pompeo told a news conference in the Jordanian capital Amman.

President Donald Trumps in December said a withdrawal of the 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, a move the led to the resignation of the James Mattis as defence secretary.

This is about a combined understanding that the most significant threat to the region is Daesh, Mr Pompeo said, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.

He arrived in Jordan on Tuesday, on the first leg of an expansive eight-stop tour of the Middle East in an effort to assure U.S. partners of Washingtons commitment to the region.

On the withdrawal, I have to say the U.S. and Jordan have always been strong allies, always coordinated and we trust that we will continue to coordinate, Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, told the news conference.

And our security is something that has always been taken into account by our allies in Washington, Mr Safadi added.

This is a solid partnership, particularly when it comes to defence and security against Daesh, he said.

Pompeo will visit seven other countries  Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait  during the trip.

(dpa/NAN)
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Thousands of security forces were deployed to Manila, the Philippines capital, on Tuesday as devotees of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ converged in a public park ahead of an annual procession.

The Black Nazarene was displayed on a public grandstand in Rizal Park in Manila to allow devotees to touch and kiss the feet of the statue before the procession on Wednesday.

Over 10,000 people lined up at the park for the vigil called pahalik or kissing, according to early estimates by police.

Almost 2,500 police officers were also stationed at the park.

Police will be on full-alert status throughout the activities, deploying a total of 7,200 personnel to work with the military, medical teams and other emergency groups.

Rumours of threats have circulated. However, these either have no basis or are unreliable.

There is no confirmed threat as of the moment for the annual feast, Guillermo Eleazar, Head of the Manila Police Force said in a statement.

Mr Eleazar said that the police were taking all information seriously.

In 2018, over 2.5 million people were estimated to have taken part in the pahalik and the procession that traversed more than six kilometres and took the entire day.

The Black Nazarene, a wooden statue, crowned with thorns and bearing a cross, is believed to have been brought from Mexico to Manila in 1606 by Spanish missionaries.

The ship that carried it caught fire but the charred statue survived and was named the Black Nazarene, which is believed to be miraculous.

(dpa/NAN)
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20 primary school pupils were injured in an attack carried out by a man on Tuesday in Beijing, the local government said.

The attack occurred around 11:17 am (0317 GMT) at the Xuanshiyifuxiao primary school, the government of the Xicheng district in downtown Beijing said, on its Weibo account.

It said that all 20 injured pupils have been sent to the hospital. While three of them suffered serious wounds, but their life was not in danger.

Though the police caught the suspect, no other details were immediately available.

Attacks against school children happen fairly frequently in China and are generally blamed on mentally ill people who bear grudges against society, it said.

(dpa/NAN)
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Britain is not seeking to extend the two-year Brexit process in spite an impasse in parliament just weeks before the country is due to leave the EU, a senior minister said on Tuesday.

Brexit Secretary, Stephen Barclay, said that the government was not looking to extend Article 50 of the EU treaty, which allows a member state to leave the bloc after up two years of negotiations.

Barclay was asked about the possibility of an extension amid British media speculation that informal discussions are already under way.

Irish Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, said he believed that EU leaders would consider any British request to extend the Article 50 process beyond the scheduled leaving date of March 29.

Certainly from an Irish perspective if such an ask happens and is justified we wont be standing in the way of that, Mr Coveney said in Dublin after meeting German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas.

Several other EU capitals have indicated that they are not opposed in principle to delaying Britains departure but are unwilling to restart negotiations.

British Prime Minister, Theresa May has said she wants stronger assurances from the EU that a backstop arrangement to guarantee an open Irish border after Brexit cannot become permanent.

Most observers expect Ms May to lose a vote on her Brexit deal in the British parliament on January 15.

But the Financial Times said her aides are attempting to persuade EU leaders to give written assurances, possibly via an exchange of letters, before a second vote.

(dpa/NAN)
A student has confessed to one of Germanys biggest data breaches, police said on Tuesday, ending the mystery of who hacked Angela Merkel and other public figures, but doing little to ease the embarrassment of cyber security authorities.

Police did not name the 20-year-old but said he lives with his parents and is not a computer expert.

In spite that, he managed to access and leak personal data and documents from about 1,000 people, including Chancellor Merkel, other politicians and journalists.

The man was arrested after police searched a property in the central state of Hesse on Sunday evening.

Investigators recovered a computer that the suspect had removed two days before the search, and a data backup.

He has been released and is cooperating with investigators.

During the interrogation, the accused admitted to having acted alone in data spying and the unauthorised publication of data, the federal crime office BKA said in a statement.

The investigations have so far provided no indication of the participation of a third party.

Suspicion had fallen on Russian hackers, blamed for most previous German data breaches, although the Kremlin has denied involvement in such incidents.

There was also speculation that the hack may have involved German far-right activists.

Prosecutors declined to comment on any political sympathies the suspect may have but said no radical material had been found.

The accused said his motivation had been irritation over public statements made by the politicians, journalists and public figures affected, Senior Prosecutor, Georg Ungefuk, said.

Ungefuk said that the suspect was repentant and seemed unaware of the full consequences of his actions, adding he had also helped authorities on other matters of interest regarding cybercrime.

The breach has prompted calls for tighter data security laws, especially after the cyber defense agency, BSI, said it was contacted by a lawmaker in early December about suspicious activity on private email and social media.

Sabine Vogt, who heads the federal police division for serious and organised crime, rejected stricter controls, saying it was up to individuals to secure their data.

We dont want a surveillance state based on the fact that something like this can happen here, she said.

Brazil gangs challenge Bolsonaros security strategy

However, Konstantin von Notz, a Greens lawmaker, who was hacked, described the case as a final warning shot:

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As a digital society we must give highest political priority to basic legal protections, improved IT security and strengthening of digital infrastructure.

(Reuters/NAN)
Research Report Insights

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Research Report Insights42 joseph street,Portcarling P0B 1J0,Muskoka, OntarioT: +1-631-721-4201Manager6317214201

Water treatment is a process that purifies water, turns it into its natural state and makes water suitable for drinking or other applications. Due to the massive water pollution, nowadays it has become a basic requirement to human being for both residential and commercial usage. In a published report by Research Report Insights(RRI), it is estimated that the global market for water treatment is likely to witness a robust expansion and a steady CAGR of 7.5% throughout the forecast period, 2027.DynamicsOwing to the rising global challenge for drinking water and pure water scarcity, the need for water treatment processes are growing at a high pace. Henceforth, the demand and requirement for zero liquid discharge technology is expanding in the market robustly due to its limited discharge of water during purification. Additionally, the stakeholders in the global water treatment market is forced to increase and develop the resources for supplying fresh water due to the growing rate of customers water consumption and other requirements. As desalination method of water treatment can increase the quantity of fresh water, the global market for water treatment is growing in North America and MEA regions robustly. Besides, nanotechnology is also used for testing and releasing carbon compounds, metals and bimetallic nanoparticles in waste water, which is also driving the market through 2027. Further detailed information is given in the report with explanations.Global Market for Water Treatment to Expand At a Steady CAGR Of 7.5% through 2027: A RRI StudyRequest For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114883/Water-Treatment-Market Key SegmentationsThe global market for water treatment has four major segments on the basis of different applications, end-uses, systems and regions. Waste water treatment, zero liquid discharge, process water/ water treatment segment and desalination are the different segments of water treatment processes that comes into application type segment. It is estimated in the report that process water/ water treatment segment is likely to witness the highest market share and is expected to increase 390 BPS in the assessment period.Besides, the key end-uses of global market for water treatment analyze in the report include, commercial buildings, residential buildings, chemical & petrochemicals, industrial, thermoelectric power plants, mining & metals, oil & gas, municipality, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage and other industries. Among all the sub-segments, the industrial segment is estimated to be the largest revenue share segment in the market with an incremental dollar opportunity of approximate US$ 22 billion over the forecast period.Several systems, such as preliminary, membrane bio-reactor (mbr), sludge drying, reverse osmosis (ro),water treatment, disinfectants (uv, ozone), micro-filtration (mf), nano/ultra filtration (nf/uf), sludge thickening & dewatering, activated sludge, sludge treatment and other technologies, are included in the system type segment of global market for water treatment. The report has shared information about the estimated revenue share of nearly 40% from preliminary water treatment segment by 2016 and is also expected a consistency of sharing revenue in the approaching years.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114883/Water-Treatment-Market On the basis of regions, there are seven major regions, include Eastern Europe, Japan, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Latin America, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), North America and Western America, where the global water treatment market has a growing demand.Key Players of Global Water Treatment MarketIn the global water treatment market, various key participants are STEULER - KCH GmbH, VA TECH WABAG LIMITED, Eureka Forbes Ltd, TIP TOP Oberflachenschutz Elbe GmbH, 3M, Voltas Limited, SUEZ S.A, Veolia Environnement S.A, Superior Products International II, Ecolab Inc., Pentair Plc., Hitachi, Aquatech International LLC. And WBG WasserBauGesellschaft Kulmbach mbH, among others. More companies are Thermax Ltd, Akzo Nobel N.V., Toshiba Corporation, Aquarion AG, Xylem Inc., Evoqua Water Technologies LLC, Bionics Advanced Filtration Systems (P) Ltd., EnviroChemie GmbH, BWT Aktiengesellschaft, METITO Holdings Ltd., IVRCL and Ion Exchange (India) Ltd, among others.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114883/Water-Treatment-Market
Persistence Market Research (PMR)

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Tungsten, also known as Wolfram, is a greyish-white metal having lustrous appearance with a good corrosion resistance properties. Tungsten is widely used in its alloy form because pure tungsten is expensive and even difficult for machining. Its alloy consists of nickel, iron or copper added in tungsten. Tungsten is also available in powder form known as tungsten powder and tungsten carbide powder and its size ranges from 0.40 microns to 17.50 microns and is used in end mills, circuit board drills and nozzles. Fine tungsten carbide powders are used for inserts and cutting tools, whereas ultra-coarse and medium powders are used for wear and die parts, road construction bids. Global tungsten market is anticipated to grow by a decent single digit CAGR in coming future. The global tungsten market has its consumptions in the sector of steel alloys, mill products, cemented carbide, and chemicals. China is a dominant supplier of tungsten having the maximum market share in the global tungsten market in terms of consumption as well as supply.Growing end use industries such as automotive industries and increase in the demand of wear resistant materials is anticipated to boost the market of cemented carbide and ultimately will drive the global tungsten market. Tungsten has its application in electronic and electrical components such as electron emitters, lead-in wires and electrical contacts and these industries are forecasted to grow, leading to the increase in global tungsten market. The ability of tungsten to withstand arcing and resistant to corrosion makes it suitable to be used in voltage regulators, though demand of these application is minor but it still contributes in the global tungsten market.Request Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10013 The global tungsten market can get hampered due to the recent economic slowdown in China, as China has the largest market share in mining of tungsten. Tungsten use is forecasted to decline in the lighting application due to the introduction of fluorescent and LED bulbs that has replaced the incandescent bulbs.On the basis of forms available, global tungsten market can be segmented as follows:-RibbonsSheetsFoilsStripsWireRodTubeOn the basis of end use, global tungsten market can be segmented as follows:-Hard metalsChemicalsMill productsSteelsOthersThe global tungsten market can be divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. The Asia Pacific region is dominating the global tungsten market, China continues to be the leader in the supply and consumption of tungsten in the global tungsten market because of its vast tungsten reserves and support of the Chinese government to the tungsten product industries. India will represent a modest growth rate in global tungsten market due to its expanding manufacturing sectors. North America will contribute in the growing global tungsten market with the increasing construction spending in the region. Latin America will witness an above average growth in the global tungsten market by its rising durable goods sector. The expanding automobile industry in Europe makes it a valuable market in global tungsten market. The Middle East and Africa is at a nascent stage in tungsten market, but is having a bright future prospects in global tungsten market.Visit For TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/10013 Some of the manufacturers of tungsten and its alloys are, Buffalo Tungsten Inc., Mahavir Metal Corporation., Federal Carbide Company., H Cross Company., T&D Material Manufacturing., Global Tungsten & Powders Corp., Midwest Tungsten Service.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 11:49:42

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U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

Synoptophore is a specialized diagnosis and correction device utilized in the treatment of strabismus or squint in the eyes. Squint or strabismus usually develops because of the imbalance of the muscle which controls the movement of the eye. Resulting in the imbalance of the eye alignment and developed condition of eye turning out (diverge) or eye turning in (converge). Sometimes, it also develops in hypertropia and hypotropia conditions. A standard Synoptophore consists of two cylindrical shaped tubes consisting of mirrored angle bends. Lenses of optimum magnification is utilized in the eye piece of Synoptophore. Picture slides are placed in the slide carrier at tube end of the Synoptophore device. The stimulation of eyes is performed simultaneously and alternately by automatic flashing unit in Synoptophore, the provision for manual stimulation is also provided as standard. Synoptophore utilizes orthotic methods for correcting the imbalance of the eye, the primary advantage related to Synoptophore as it involves non-surgical management of imbalance of the eye.Synoptophore Market: Drivers and Restraints : Synoptophore are the primary choice in various eye imbalance disorders such as squint, due to their advantage over other invasive procedures. According to American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, it is estimated that strabismus affects nearly 4% of the U.S. population. Increasing prevalence of strabismus and squint in minors and adult population coupled with increasing incidence of stroke in adult population is expected to be the primary driving factors for Synoptophore market. Increasing awareness for noninvasive procedures and ease of treatment in noninvasive procedure is anticipated to propel the growth of the Synoptophore market. Rising healthcare standards in the developing countries and modern healthcare facilities in the developed countries is anticipated to drive the market for Synoptophore. Increasing shift of focus from surgical procedure to non-surgical procedures in ophthalmic care is anticipated to offer lucrative growth opportunities for the Synoptophore market. However, high maintenance cost of the instrument coupled with low awareness of noninvasive techniques in underdeveloped countries may restrain the growth rate of the Synoptophore market.Synoptophore Market: Segmentation : Based on technology type, the Synoptophore market is segmented into: Automatic Synoptophore, Manual Synoptophore, Based on End User, the Synoptophore market is segmented into: Hospitals, Clinics, Trauma Center, Emergency DepartmentSynoptophore Market: Overview : The Synoptophore market has observed a steady growth globally due to increasing demand for noninvasive procedures coupled with technological advancement in ophthalmic care. The market for Synoptophore is highly segregated with presence of local manufacturers in the market. The additional advantage of Synoptophore in various eye defects such as cyclophoria, abnormal objective angle and retina correspondence is expected to offer new growth opportunities for the Synoptophore market. Therapeutic uses of Synoptophore for eccentric fixation and suppression is expected to bring lucrative growth opportunities for the Synoptophore market. The key players in Synoptophore market are primarily focused on offering cost effective product and offering latest technological advancement. The growing prevalence of eye defects in pediatric population in anticipated to act as a primary driving factor for Synoptophore market.Synoptophore Market: Region-Wise Overview : The global Synoptophore market is segmented into the following regions  North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding China & Japan, China, Japan and the Middle East & Africa. North America is the dominant regional market for Synoptophore due to increasing number of eye defects in the region. In North America, the U.S. is the dominating market due to segregation of Synoptophore manufacturers in the region coupled with increasing investment in healthcare technologies. Europe is anticipated to be the second dominating regional market for Synoptophore due to increasing awareness about technological advancement in ophthalmic healthcare technologies with increasing number of local manufactures form the region. APAC is a fast-growing regional market for Synoptophore due to increasing demand for eye care instruments and rising prevalence of strabismus and ocular mortality coupled with rising number of pediatric in the countries like India and China. Growth in the Latin America and the Middle East and Africa is increasing slowly due to steadily increasing healthcare spending.Synoptophore Market: Key Participants : Examples of some of the key participants in the Synoptophore market are Haag-Streit UK Ltd., OCULUS Optikgerate GmbH and TAKAGI SEIKO CO.LTD , among others.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7531
Research Report Insights

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Research Report Insights42 joseph street,Portcarling P0B 1J0,Muskoka, OntarioT: +1-631-721-4201Manager6317214201

The global surface mount switch market features a largely fragmented competitive landscape, wherein the top five companies accounted for nearly 46% of the overall market in 2015, observes a recent report by Research Report Insights (RRI). These top companies, namely Omron Corporation, NKK Switches Co. Ltd, E-Switch Inc., Grayhill Inc., and C&K Components, have adopted the course of strategies such as expansion of production units, product innovation, and acquisitions and mergers to stay ahead of the competition.Owing to the rapid development of the global surface mount switch market, a number of new players have forayed into the market by acquiring niche product manufacturers. A number of existing players have also entered into strategic collaborations or have acquired smaller firms to make the most of the existing growth opportunities and remain competitive in the market. This has enhanced the capital base for companies, enabling them to invest higher amounts in research and development activities and strengthen their hold on the market.Request For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114890/Surface-Mount-Switch-Market Most of the key manufacturers of surface mount switches are located in Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe. This has limited the potential of the market from reaching regions such as Latin America and Africa. This could be a viable incremental growth opportunity for new entrants, especially in Latin America, wherein the flourishing telecommunication sector will lead to a vast rise in demand for a variety of electronics components in the next few years.Growth in Key End-use Sectors to Keep Demand across Asia Pacific StrongAccording to RRI, the global surface mount switch market was valued at US$3360.0 mn in 2017 and is expected to reach US$5860.0 mn in terms of revenue by 2024, exhibiting at a CAGR of 8.2% By 2024. In terms of product type, the segment of ultra-miniature surface mount toggle switch presently constitutes the bulk of markets overall revenue and is expected to exhibit strong growth over the forecast period as well. Geographically, due to strong growth in industries such as automotive, electronics, and telecommunication, the Asia Pacific market is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114890/Surface-Mount-Switch-Market Rising Demand for Electronics Goods to Help Market Retain Healthy GrowthThe vast rise in the global consumption of electronics goods such as smartphones, tablets, computers, and laptops has been one of the key drivers of the global surface mount switches and will continue to have a strong impact on the markets future growth prospects. The electronics goods industry consumes vast volumes of electronics hardware that utilize the extensive usage of surface mount technology.The use of surface mount switches instead of through-hole devices grants the hardware an improved level of mechanization and also significantly reduced the cost of manufacturing. The potential rise in adoption of surface mount switches across the electronics goods industry owing to these factors will have a significant positive impact on the overall development of the market in the next few years.Higher Costs and Relative Unsuitability for Mechanical Stresses to Hinder Market GrowthOn account of the small size, better performance, and cost effectiveness of surface mount switches, when the overall cost of the end-product is considered, have led to their increased usage across a number of application areas; analysts have estimated that surface mounted switches are replacing through-hole switches in about 90% of new-age electronic hardware.However, surface mount switches are comparatively costlier than through-hole switches. Also, surface mount switches face limited competency when subjected to special electrical, mechanical, and thermal conditions, making through-hole switches relevant to a wide range of applications and for a number of cost-sensitive end-product varieties. Moreover, electromechanical surface mount RF switches are known to have lower operating lifetimes than solid state switches.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114890/Surface-Mount-Switch-Market Key Takeaways;Ceaseless consumption of electronic goods stokes demandAdvantages of surface mount switch to enhance mechanization of hardware and reduced cost of manufacturing boosts adoption.The global surface mount switch market is segmented as follows;
Some of the global key participants operating in stem cell concentration system market are: EmCyte Corporation, Zimmer Biomet, Harvest Technologies, Argos Technologies, Inc., Perkin Elmer, Inc., Arthrex, Inc., Avita Medical, Teleflex, Inc., Terumo Corporation and others

Future Market Insights

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Extraordinary ability of stem cells to create new tissues by dividing and further developing makes them unique and hence they show significant therapeutic potential different disorders of all the organ by their unique ability to focus on healing. In present scenario, stem cells obtained from the umbilical blood or tissue can be used to treat over 80 diseases. Various diseases such as immune system disorders, autoimmune diseases can be treated by using stem cells and are in clinical trials for other diseases such as diabetes, alzheimer, cerebral palsy, stroke, etc. Stem cell concentration system is used for the purification, extraction of stem cells which improves homogeneity.Stem Cell Concentration System Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing usage of stem cell for the treatment of various diseases such expected to drive the growth ofr the stem cell concentration system market. Stem cell concentration system further helps to obtain viability and proliferative potential of stem cell expected to gaining more traction and drive the stem cell concentration system market. The rapidly evolving usage of stem cells further expected to drive the growth of stem cell concentration system market. The untapped potential and significant number of clinical trials for the use of stem cell further expected to fuel the stem cell concentration system market growth.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7707 Uniqueness of the stem cell in the healing of different diseases expected to enhance their usage driving the growth of stem cell concentration system market. Stem cell therapy generally takes around 15 min. for the procedure and bodys progenitor cell and plasma guides stem cell to affected area for natural healing which positively impacts the patient compliance driving the growth of the stem cell concentration system market. The prevalence of soft tissue injuries and joint pain is increasing and stem cell has shown promising results in treatment of these conditions fuelling the growth of stem cell concentration system market. Different types of stem cells used such as allogeneic, xenogeneic and autologous provides greater choice of option for the treatment further driving the growth of the stem cell concentration system market.Stem Cell Concentration System Market: SegmentationStem cell concentration system market is segmented based on the treatment type, end user, and regionBy the product type stem cell concentration system market is segmented as:SyringesBone Marrow Collection NeedlesAnticoagulant and Concentrating DevicesOthersBy end user stem cell concentration system market is segmented as:HospitalsSpecialized ClinicsResearch LaboratoriesIndustriesStem Cell Concentration System Market: OverviewThe rapidly increasing usage of the regenerative medicines for the various chronic diseases expected to contribute significantly to stem cell concentration system market growth. By product type stem cell concentration system market is expected to be dominated by anticoagulant and concentrating devices segment. Whereas, by end user stem cell concentration system market is expected to be dominated by hospitals due to greater patient footfall for the treatment of chronic diseases. The manufacturing companies in the stem cell concentration system market are focusing on developing innovative products for the greater effective concentration procedure. The manufacturers in the stem cell concentration system market are focusing on research & development and launching technologically advanced products in the stem cell concentration system market.Stem Cell Concentration System Market: Regional OutlookThe global stem cell concentration system market is expected to be dominated by the North America due to greater product penetration and availability skilled professionals to carry out procedure. Europe is expected to be second most lucrative stem cell concentration system market due to high treatment seeking rate by using stem cell. Whereas, rapidly improving healthcare in Asia-Pacific makes it fastest growing stem cell concentration system market. Latin America stem cell concentration system market is expected to experience steady growth due to increasing usage of regenerative medicines for the treatment. MEA remains the least lucrative stem cell concentration system market due low product penetration and lack of skilled professionals for the therapy.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7707 Stem Cell Concentration System Market: Key PlayersSome of the global key participants operating in stem cell concentration system market are: EmCyte Corporation, Zimmer Biomet, Harvest Technologies, Argos Technologies, Inc., Perkin Elmer, Inc., Arthrex, Inc., Avita Medical, Teleflex, Inc., Terumo Corporation and others
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 00:46:02

SpotSees SpotBot Earns KC Certification in South Korea

Elle Glatz

MCC for SpotSee

elle_glatz@mccom.com

SpotSee, the global leader in shock and vibration monitoring through low-cost connectivity and data, has earned the KC certification for its impact-monitoring device SpotBot Cellular, allowing it to be sold in South Korea.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107005

SpotBot Cellular (Graphic: Business Wire)

As a global company, it is important that SpotSee can serve customers around the globe. Any information communication and telecom equipment that is manufactured or imported for sale in South Korea must have KC certification. These products must have the KC logo and product certification number printed on the product. The certification ensures an electronic device is safe and meets all electromagnetic compatibility and radio frequency requirements.

The KC certification is a big step for SpotBot Cellular as SpotSee continues to expand our reach to other countries, said Angela Kerr, vice president, product portfolio, SpotSee. This certification will allow us to work with South Korean companies and provide them with a more transparent and efficient supply chain.

SpotBot Cellular is a stand-alone device that delivers global, real-time, tri-axial impact monitoring and tracking through cellular connectivity. The device tracks impact, temperature and location around the world and has an operating battery life of up to 75 days when reporting once an hour. It is mainly used when shipping items that are susceptible to damage during transport and provides comprehensive supply-chain transparency.

For more information on SpotSee and its products, visit www.spotsee.io.

About SpotSee

SpotSee is an internet of things end-to-end solution provider that enables customers to spot damage in their operations and see it in real time. SpotSee has developed a low-cost, connected ecosystem that includes its own mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE) that delivers data from devices anywhere in the world to customers fingertips. SpotSee devices monitor shock, vibration, temperature and other environmental conditions through its market-leading brands such as ShockWatch, ShockLog, SpotBot, OpsWatch and WarmMark. The company has a global network of over 300 sales and technical service partners in 62 countries. SpotSee is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with operations in Brazil, Netherlands, United Kingdom, China, Mexico and Graham, Texas. For more information, visit www.spotsee.io.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107005

@SpotSeeGlobal has earned the South Korean KC certification for its impact-monitoring device SpotBot Cellular.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 16:06:55

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Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com+1-631-721-4201+1-631-721-4201

Solenoid valve market is advancing constantly and anticipated that would observe huge expansion over the years to come. Consistent advancement in solenoid valve market prompts the improvement of novel technologies. Aspects which are driving the expansion of worldwide market are growing employment of solenoid valves into different industrial divisions, bring down the cost of a valve as well as lower power utilization. Besides, advancement of new solenoid valves, for example, as customized valves, micro-miniature valves, as well as pinch valves, boost the market. However, solenoid valve market development is influenced by a couple of basic issues related to solenoid valves. Uneven pressure, power failure, the wrong voltage might influence the operation of the solenoid valve in view of which solenoid valves might not open, inconsistent valve sounds while closing and the opening of valve in addition to coil issues in solenoid valves are a few of the basic issues related with solenoid valves. Thus rising concerns with respects to the plants safety governments of nations for instance the UK, Japan, South Africa and America are ensuring measures to boost the content of the subsisting power plants.For the link of solenoid valves, a variety of wire is utilized by which it has turned out to be hard to interface properly. To take care of this issue of linking united solenoid wiring is utilized into a single collective link on the valve complex. This strategy is considered to essentially diminish the expense, as well as its complex nature as the valve complex, could be taken out of the control cabinet to the point-of-utilization application situated close to the pneumatic procedure which is believed to delay reactions in functions.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124706/Solenoid-valve-Market Solenoid valves are usually utilized in fluid power pneumatic as well as a hydraulic system to regulate large industrial valves or fluid power engines. Solenoid valves are additionally utilized in automatic irrigation sprinkle system. Moreover, dishwashers and washing machine utilize solenoid valves to control the stream of water into the machine. The solenoid valves are applicable in different industries in the worldwide market, for example, pharmaceutical industry, chemical industry, automobile industry, food & beverages industry agriculture industry and others. Out of every one of these applications, the chemical industry is, for the most part, utilizing, globally.Among the prominent regions, the Western Europe and North America solenoid valve region market are considered to contribute majorly in the worldwide market for solenoid valve over the years to come.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124706/Solenoid-valve-Market A few of the prominent market players are worldwide solenoid valve market are Danfoss A/S, ASCO Valve, Inc., CKD Corporation, SMC Corporation of America, Christian Burkert GmbH & Co. KG, IMI plc Company, ODE s.r.l., GSR Ventiltechnik GmbH & Co. KG, KANEKO SANGYO Co., Ltd, TAKASAGO ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD., CEME S.p.A., Ningbo mailing pneumatic co., Ltd. and Parker Hannifin Corp. amid others. The foremost market players are centering more on the expansion of novel technologies that may possibly offer better performance and improved features. These market players are in addition centering more on offering industry-specific products with the purpose of accounting for more market. The worldwide market for solenoid valve is what's more foreseeing a trend of expansion of novel solenoid valves as well as these developments is considered to fuel the on the whole growth of the worldwide market for solenoid valve over the years to come.Market players such as ASCO Valve manufacture and develop electrically functioned solenoid valves or control devices. It has subdivisions in 42 nations. Another company Danfoss Industries caters products for industrial, commercial, as well as the residential customer. Parker Hannifin Corporation produces control and motion systems and technologies, comprising electromechanical controls and fluid power systems.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124706/Solenoid-valve-Market
Some of the global key participants operating in smart medication adherence sensors market are: nGageIT Digital Health Solutions, Schreiner MediPharm, PillDrill, Inc., HealthPrize Technologies, AdhereTech, Koninklijke Philips N.V., McKesson Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. and others

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PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 14:12:52

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Non-adherence of medication is widespread problem, where a patient fails to follow the medication schedule which results into the delayed or no cure of the disease which may lead to death in fatal cases. For the best possible outcome of the treatment, adherence to follow the medication schedule is required. Non-adherence significantly increases healthcare costs as a result of disease-related complications and hence to overcome this problem many companies are focusing on developing smart medication adherence sensors. Smart medication adherence sensors often comes with the system where patient specific medication schedule is followed through the technologically advanced means. Smart medication adherence sensors is useful in the patients such as who live in assisted living or old aged patients who often forgets about the medication schedule. Various companies are manufacturing the smart medication adherence sensors embedded drugs for the better monitoring of the dose. Smart medication adherence sensors not only track the dose but also helps to detect dose timing, physiologic response such as activity, heart rate, skin temperature and rest, etc.Smart Medication Adherence Sensors Market: Drivers and RestraintsAround 50% of prescribed medications remain unadministered, which affects the healthcare cost as well as therapeutic effect of the drug indicating the significant market potential of smart medication adherence sensors. Smart medication adherence sensors technology helps in monitoring about patient taking either oral medications or medical injections at home or any facility. The data is automatically uploaded, which can be review healthcare provider and can be tracked in real-time, this multidimensional approach driving smart medication adherence sensors market growth. The aging population of the world is expected to grow at 250% till 2050 as compared to 2013 and old age brings a lot of health complication, hence to have a healthy aged population smart medication adherence sensors can play a significant role.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7685 The smart medication adherence sensors market is currently growing at the fastest rate possible due to rapidly evolving technologies in the field and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases where frequent patient monitoring becomes inevitable. Various manufacturing companies are focusing on the patient specific approach rather than traditional the physician specific approach and patient specificity plays important role in the smart medication adherence sensors market by offering most desired product. Whereas, comparatively high price of smart medication adherence sensors and low penetration of smart medication adherence sensors in developing countries can hamper the growth of smart medication adherence sensors market.Smart Medication Adherence Sensors Market: SegmentationGlobal smart medication adherence sensors market can be segmented on the basis of product type, distribution channel and geographyBased on the product type smart medication adherence sensors market is segmented as:Hardware Centric Smart Medication Adherence SensorsSoftware Centric Smart Medication Adherence SensorsBased on the distribution channel smart medication adherence sensors market is segmented as:Hospital PharmaciesRetail PharmaciesOnline PharmaciesSmart Medication Adherence Sensors Market: OverviewGlobally increasing prevalence of chronic illness and aging population mostly living away from healthcare facility expected to drive the growth of smart medication adherence sensors market. By the product type software centric smart medication adherence sensors expected to dominate the market. By distribution channel retail pharmacies expected to dominate smart medication adherence sensors market. The manufacturers in the smart medication adherence sensors market are focusing on developing technologically more advanced products for better patient compliance. Various manufacturers are also focusing on developing cost effective smart medication adherence sensors. The manufacturers in the smart medication adherence sensors market are mainly focusing on developed and rapidly developing economies for their product footprint expansion.Smart Medication Adherence Sensors Market: Regional OutlookNorth America is the most lucrative smart medication adherence sensors market due to higher product penetration and greater patient adoption. Europe is expected to be second most lucrative smart medication adherence sensors market due to rapidly aging population and comparatively higher healthcare expenditure. Latin America smart medication adherence sensors market is expected to witness steady growth due to improving treatment seeking rate as well as increasing adoption of high end monitoring methods. Asia-Pacific is regarded as emerging smart medication adherence sensors market due emerging economies such as India and China coupled with manufacturing of cost effective products. MEA remains least lucrative smart medication adherence sensors market due to lowest adoption.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7685 Smart Medication Adherence Sensors Market: Key PlayersSome of the global key participants operating in smart medication adherence sensors market are: nGageIT Digital Health Solutions, Schreiner MediPharm, PillDrill, Inc., HealthPrize Technologies, AdhereTech, Koninklijke Philips N.V., McKesson Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. and others
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Roofing Chemicals Market " report to their offering

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 12:22:30

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO MANAGER3479183531

Roofing chemicals refer to a variegated range of chemicals which are used to enhance the performance of roof coatings. These chemicals imparts high reflectivity properties to rooftops thus enabling the maintenance of lower temperatures in the house. This in turn helps significantly in reducing the energy consumption required to keep the temperature low, and thus, helps in reducing carbon emissions. The advent of cool roof technology companies which includes roof designing, coating and chemicals, has led roofing chemicals to gain increasing awareness over last few years. Most companies in the roofing chemicals industry are relying on increased product innovations and are introducing products which not only offers high solar reflectance index, but also adds significantly to the life of roof, and caters high elasticity, reliable adhesion and dirt resistance. The global roofing chemicals market is anticipated to expand with a moderate CAGR over the forecast period of 2016-2026Global Roofing Chemicals Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe prime factor driving demand for roofing chemicals is the need for sustainable living standards, which incorporates reduction of carbon footprint of houses, as roofing chemicals helps primarily to reduce in-house temperatures, thus requiring less energy to cool the house, in turn reducing carbon emissions. Moreover, the need to increase longevity of the construction is further fuelling the demand for roofing chemicals, as they inherently helps in overheating and thus extends roof life. This coupled with a rapid increase in construction activity across all developing nations, particularly, in Asia are together translating into rising demand for roofing chemicals. Along with, increasing awareness about the benefits of roofing chemical is another integral factor imparting growth numbers to the global roofing chemicals market. Increase in the presence of bituminous roofing due to its more durability and usage in warehouses and factories is also driving more demand for asphalt bituminous roofing chemicals. Moreover, added features of asphalt roofing such as protection against fire, wind and hail is also adding more demand for asphalt based roofing chemicals.Get More Information @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/roofing-chemicals-market However, even now installing a rooftop featured with roofing coating and chemicals to protect from high temperature comes costly, and is the major restraint, restricting the growth in global roofing chemicals market.Global Roofing Chemicals Market: SegmentationOn the basis of Product type,AcrylicAsphaltElastomerEpoxy ResinStyreneOthersOn the basis of application area,MembraneBituminousElastomericMetalPlasticGlobal Roofing Chemicals Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global roofing Chemicals market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America is the leading market considering demand for roofing chemicals, amid stringent regulations regarding energy conversation in the US and Canada. Moreover, rising construction activities in Asia Pacific, particularly in China and India, is letting the APEJ region to expand the fastest in terms of demand for roofing chemicals. Due to high inclination of most European governments towards low energy consumption per capita, ha led demand for roofing chemicals in Western Europe to scale high.Global Roofing Chemicals Market: Key PlayersThe Dow Chemical CompanySika AGGAF Materials CorporationAkzo Nobel N.VExcel CoatingsBASF SESaint-Gobain S.A3M CompanyRequest Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2281
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 04:26:39

LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / January 7, 2019 / At one time in the not-so-distant past, terms like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) were flights of fancy, considered to be the substance of science fiction and little else.Welcome to the 21st Century, where companies like Pacific Future Technology ( www.pacificfuture.co) are not only turning these intricate concepts into reality but also finding practical, and highly marketable, applications. Pacific Future, a research and development corporation Headquartered in Hong Kong and R&D lab based in shenzhen. specializes in the integration of light field, image recognition, motion tracking and other algorithms.The company specializes in the development of AI and AR algorithms, providing developers with a comprehensive set of highly integrated AR hardware and software technology for research and system development. This AR system has been applied in many cultural tourism projects.In the travel industry, AR can help tourists experience various cultural and historic scenic worldwidely regardless of time and space. Pacific Future has achieved remarkable breakthrough in several cultural and tourism program with their own hardware device AMglass enpowered by their leading underlying algorithm.AMglassThe new product AMglass achieves high integration of software and hardware, breaking the old pattern of hardware equipment characterized by difficult development, poor user experience and opaque construction. Recently, they provided this technology for the world's first Augmented Reality museum. Located in Malacca, Malaysia (Lee's homeland), visitors are able to view (and experience) Malaysian history in 3D by wearing AR glasses developed by Pacific Future. By integrating the AI software technology with the head display equipment, the world's first Artificial Intelligence cultural scenic as well as digital asset is established, which combines history, navigation, guidance, shopping and experience altogether. Pacific Future Successfully transforms the underlying technology into commercial value via hardware carrier.Pacific Future Technology's AI Travel Project Demonstration in MalaccaWe are told that Pacific Future will take this world's first consumer-grade hardware - AMglass to the CES show. The exhibition booth is Tech East, LVCC, South Halls-1, 22045. Those who are interested are welcome to experience this new product on site .Not only that, Pacific Future's AI algorithm will provide developers and application development companies with a comprehensive and highly integrated image recognition and artificial intelligence algorithm development system.''The multitude and breadth of applications are endless,'' said Kien Lee, CEO of Pacific Future Technology. ''We are developing 3D algorithms and software systems that can dramatically enhance the user's experience or make it more effective. We're coming up with new opportunities virtually every day.'' Pacific Future Technology has completed the upgrade of human skeleton algorithm from 2D to 3D through its self-developed Ai3D human skeleton algorithm, thus realizing the improvement in four dimensions including human body trajectory, angle, speed and acceleration that can not be achieved by 2D human body gesture capture algorith. In this case, the gestures and motion of the human body can be recognized efficiently and accurately even in the circumstance of obstacles, obstructions and unclear light, which greatly reduces the cost of human motion capture. Soon, this technology will be applied in areas such as precision rehabilitation, 3D animation, and human-computer interaction.''At this point, we are just scratching the surface,'' Lee said. ''This technology is going change the world as we know it.'' For further information about Pacific Future Technology, including its new AR, AI and 3DAI applications, visit www.pacificfuture.co . Questions and comments can be directed to the company through its Contact page, www.pacificfuture.co/about/contacts Contact:huli@ pacificfuture.co SOURCE: Pacific Future Technology
Some of the major vendors operating in the global opioid withdrawal management market are Alkermes, Inc., Orexo AB, Ethypharm, Indivior PLC, Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.

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PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 14:00:58

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Opioid withdrawal management, is the treatment with drugs to manage and reduce the intensity of bio physiological withdrawal symptoms associated with dependence or addiction to opioids and to reduce the chances of relapse. Addiction is the compulsive and uncontrollable use of drugs for non-medical uses despite adverse consequences. Dependence is the adaption of body to the presence of a drug, resulting in withdrawal symptoms when drug use is discontinued. The physiological opioid withdrawal symptoms include Muscle aches, pain, spasms, Involuntary movements, Mild hypertension, and others. The psychological opioid withdrawal symptoms include agitation, anxiety, panic, restlessness, rapid heart rate, seizures, fear, paranoia and others. Thus opioid withdrawal management aids the patient to avoid relapsing and to quit opioid addiction and dependence with minimal discomfort.Opioid Withdrawal Management Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe explosive use of opioids for management of pain, opioid abuse resulting from illegal use coupled with the perverse incentives and misdirection by pharmaceutical pain management companies are the driving factors for the market. The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have declared that the U.S. is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. U.S. consumes about 80% of global opioids although it has less than 5 % of the worlds population. Concerns about Opioid overdose related deaths which accounted for 49,000 of the 72,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2017 alone has generated a lot of market enthusiasm. According to the center of disease control, around 66% of the more than 63,600 drug overdose deaths in 2016 involved an opioid and on average, 115 Americans die every day from an opioid overdoseRequest Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7672 This has resulted in a cry from the media resulting in growing stringency of regulations. According to the center of disease control, the sharpest increase among the 72,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017, were related to fentanyl and analogs at nearly 30,000. The development of withdrawal clinics and the growing success of opioid withdrawal treatment especially the development of non-opioid drugs for the treatment and mitigation of opioid withdrawal symptoms is driving a faster adoption. Work place policies such as zero tolerance policies for substance abuse, regular check-ups and screening is another driver of the market.The unfortunate reality of the prospering drug trade traversing international borders, the spread of heroin abuse has further stimulated the market. According to the national institute of drug abuse, almost 2.1 million people in the U.S. suffer from prescription opioid pain medicines related substance use disorder related in 2016 with only 17.5 percent receiving treatment.A large market enthusiasm has been generated by the approval of lofexidine, the first drug intended for reducing symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. However, the social stigma associated with opioid addiction, discriminating and strict workplace rules and the lower success rate of Opioid withdrawal management is hampering the market.Opioid Withdrawal Management Market: SegmentationTo gain a birds eye view of the global opioid withdrawal management market, the report is segmented on the basis of material of construction, application area, distribution channels and region.Based on the drugs, the global opioid withdrawal management market can be segmented as,Opioid AgonistsOpioid AntagonistsAntidepressantsAnxiolyticsAnticonvulsantOthersBased on the end users, the global opioid withdrawal management market can be segmented as,HospitalsClinicsHome SettingsOpioid Withdrawal Management Market: OverviewThe global market for opioid withdrawal management is expected to charge owing to growing stringency of regulations. For example, on 12 December 2006, the U.S. President signed the Bill H.R.6344, under which the physician holding rights to prescribe opioid would have to provide opioid dependence treatment to up to 100 patients (previously 30). Medicare, Medicaid, and other government organizations pay or supplemented payments for opioid withdrawal management treatment in almost 80% of the population. Private health insurance supplements the remaining 30% of the population. Togeather they account for large market equity for the players operating in the opioid withdrawal management market. The market trends include a definite shift in favor of developing regions of Asia Pacific, such as India and China.Opioid withdrawal management Market: Regional Wise OutlookThe global opioid withdrawal management market can be classified into the following region: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America, led by the U.S., is expected to account for the largest share in the global opioid withdrawal management market, owing to the large use of opioids, large healthcare expenditure, and large per capita income in the region.The Asia Pacific opioid withdrawal management market excluding Japan is projected to expand and dominate the scene in the near future, owing to the growing healthcare and detoxification clinics.China and India are anticipated to account for the major share of the Asia Pacific opioid withdrawal management market growth. Germany, France and the U.K., are projected to be the largest drivers of the Europe opioid withdrawal management market. The Middle East and Africa Opioid withdrawal management market is anticipated to be dominated by the gulf economies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7672 Opioid Withdrawal Management Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the major vendors operating in the global opioid withdrawal management market are Alkermes, Inc., Orexo AB, Ethypharm, Indivior PLC, Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Indivior PLC, BioDelivery Sciences International , Inc., Rhodes Pharmaceuticals L.P., Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Actavis Elizabeth LLC, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and others.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 15:02:43

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / In this post, Dr. Najib Babul, an entrepreneur, experienced pharmaceutical scientist, drug developer, inventor and consultant discusses Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and the opioid overdose crisis. OUD is a chronic relapsing illness characterized by repeated, compulsive opioid seeking or use despite harm. Opioid addiction generally refers to moderate to severe OUD, which the American Society of Addiction Medicine defines as "a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry." A diagnosis of OUD confers a high risk for adverse medical consequences, including poor physical and mental health, increased health care utilization, a higher incidence of HIV and Hepatitis C, opioid overdose deaths and a 14-fold higher all-cause mortality than the general population. OUD is also associated with many adverse non-medical consequences, including higher rates of criminal behavior and incarceration, impaired social functioning, reduced labor force participation and lost productivity. The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) estimated the economic cost of the opioid crisis at $504 billion in 2015. The CEA noted that previous economic cost estimates greatly undervalued the most important component of the loss - fatalities resulting from overdoses. The CEA estimate was derived from 2015 data, when opioid overdose mortality was 30% lower than the most recently available estimate (2017).More than 2.1 million Americans have an opioid use disorder (OUD), including 626,000 with heroin related OUD. Overall life expectancy in the U.S. began to decline in 2015 due to the opioid overdose crisis, the first such decrease since the 1960s. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the year 2017, 47,600 Americans died of opioid overdoses, a 12% increase over 2016. This means that on average, 130 Americans died each day from opioid overdoses in 2017, up from 116 daily opioid overdose fatalities in 2016. Synthetic opioids which include illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs were involved in almost 60% of opioid overdose deaths, an increase of about 45% from the previous year. Overdose deaths from prescription opioids and heroin remained stable during 2016-2017.According to Babul, stabilization of prescription opioid overdose deaths may be due to improved diversion control, a decline in opioid prescribing rates since 2012, and high-dose opioid prescribing rates since 2009, and the introduction of abuse deterrent (or tamper resistant) dosage forms. There is now compelling evidence that oral prescription opioid abuse by non-oral routes more than doubles the risk of death or life-threatening events. Furthermore, a changeover to abuse deterrent formulations can reduce the extent of tampering and diversion into the illicit market. For example, following the introduction of abuse deterrent OxyContin, the desirability of OxyContin among persons with OUD decreased dramatically. The rate of intentional abuse, diversion, oral and non-oral abuse variously declined by approximately 60 to 90%, and the street price decreased by about 40%.Similarly, the levelling of heroin overdose deaths may reflect its displacement by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogs clandestinely manufactured at labs in far-flung places including China, Mexico, Bulgaria, Greece, Slovakia, Belarus, the Ukraine and Russia, and trafficked through both traditional illicit drug distribution channels, and increasingly, over the internet. Starting in 2016, the number of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids surpassed heroin and prescription opioids. In some cases, manufacturers of illicit opioids and/or drug dealers are responding to periodic declines in the purity of heroin by using synthetic opioids as heroin adulterants to maintain stable retail pricing. In other cases, synthetic opioids entirely substitute for heroin. Some of the synthetic opioids are characterized by new features, including ease of availability on the web, low price and high purity. Many of the new synthetic opioids are derived or resurrected from patent filings or published scientific literature of pharmaceutical companies.Babul notes that fentanyl precursors are also being shipped from China to individuals and drug cartels for processing and distribution across the U.S. for manufacture of fentanyl-laced pills sold as counterfeit oxycodone or hydrocodone, underscoring the need for a robust harm reduction strategy. This can include: (i) not using alone so that others can call for help; (ii) education on the overdose potential of synthetic opioids and how to recognize an overdose; (iii) naloxone rescue use training for people who use drugs, their family and peers; (iv) use of small test doses to assess the potency; and (v) activating emergency medical services by calling 911. More recently, some organizations have expressed interest in the use of fentanyl test strips (FTS) to identify illicitly manufactured synthetic fentanyl in street purchased drugs. Studies suggest that use of FTS may have the potential to effect changes in drug use behavior and/or reduce opioid overdose fatalities, particularly if used as part of a broad harm reduction strategy.The increase in opioid overdose and deaths is not for lack of significant efforts on the part of operating divisions of the HHS, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). These efforts have included the NIH HEAL Initiative, a public-private partnership in conjunction with the FDA to address the opioid crisis via more effective and safe ways to prevent and treat OUD and overdose; increased availability of the opioid overdose reversal agent naloxone; expanded access to medication-assisted treatments; and linking individuals with OUD to treatment and harm-reduction services. Without significant Congressional appropriations for the opioid overdose crisis, and intervention by various HHS operating divisions and other stakeholders at the Federal, State and local level, the devastation from the opioid overdose crisis would be far greater.Unfortunately, things may get worse before they get better. Synthetic opioids are an increasingly major public health hazard which present unique interdiction challenges. The worldwide recreational drug market is being ooded at a rapid pace with a diversity of synthetic compounds. Recent interdiction data show that while illicitly manufactured fentanyl is the predominant synthetic opioid, increasingly, many fentanyl analogs and struct
Example of some market players participants in global Molecular Breast Imaging market identify across the value chain are Dilon Technologies Inc., CMR Naviscan Corporation, Digirad, GE Healthcare, among others.

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Breast cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancer in women across the world. In 2015, American Cancer Society estimated, 40,290 women are expected to die from breast cancer in the U.S. Mammography is the gold standard for breast cancer screening and focused mammography is used for better characterization. However, mammography could miss breast cancer in patients with breast implants, dense breasts and other similar situations. Additionally mammography has a high risk of false positive results making biopsy a confirmatory test. Sonography and MRI are secondary imaging modality.Molecular breast imaging demonstrated potential for identifying and characterizing breast cancers. 18F-fluoroestradiol is an estrogen analog that is used to indicate the estrogen status of a breast cancer using molecular breast imaging. Conventional molecular imaging devices cannot be used directly for molecular breast imaging since the spatial resolution is compromised in such systems. In order to use conventional systems for molecular breast imaging, the breast need to be isolated and the camera needs to be placed close to the breast. However, this method of molecular breast imaging still does not completely eliminate the resolution issue. Thus specialized molecular breast imaging devices are used for the detection of breast cancer. These molecular breast imaging devices may have a single head or dual head for better spatial resolution and accurate detection.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7701 Molecular Breast Imaging Market: Drivers and Restraints-Molecular Breast Imaging market witnessing the maximum growth in near future owing to increase in patient pool globally. The increased number of breast cancer diagnosis due to rising awareness among women globally is the major drivers for the growth of the Molecular Breast Imaging market. Better spatial resolution and more definitive results are some of the factors that support the growth of the Molecular Breast Imaging market. However, high cost of the molecular breast imaging devices may hinder the growth of the Molecular Breast Imaging market during the forecast period.Molecular Breast Imaging Market: SegmentationOn the basis of type of product, Molecular Breast Imaging market can be segmented as:Single Head Molecular Breast ImagingDual Head Molecular Breast ImagingOn the basis of the end user, the Molecular Breast Imaging market can be segmented as:Hospitals & ClinicsDiagnostic CentersSpecialty HospitalsMolecular Breast Imaging Market: OverviewGlobal Molecular Breast Imaging market is expected to gain significant growth rate over the forecast period. Molecular Breast Imaging is expected to gain high demand in forecast periods due to increasing in patient pool. The increasing patient pool worldwide is mainly due to rising cases of allergy related inflammation and sinus issues that is driving the growth of global Molecular Breast Imaging market. However the risk of infections is high and may overall hinder the growth of the Molecular Breast Imaging market.Molecular Breast Imaging Market: Region-wise OutlookIn terms of geography, Molecular Breast Imaging market has been divided into eight regions including North- America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia- Pacific excluding China & Japan (APECJ), China, Japan, Middle-East & Africa and Latin America. North America is the most dominating market for Molecular Breast Imaging market due to the rise in awareness, substantial reimbursement and technological advancement. Western European countries such as Germany, France, and the U.K. are top revenue contributing countries in Western Europe region. The Asia Pacific excluding China and Japan Molecular Breast Imaging market is expected to expand at a substantial growth rate over the forecast period due to increasing adoption due to increased awareness and low cost. China is the one of the important revenue contributing country in global Molecular Breast Imaging market due to the availability of cost-effective Molecular Breast Imaging devices and large patient pool in the region.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7701 Molecular Breast Imaging Market: Key Market ParticipantsExample of some market players participants in global Molecular Breast Imaging market identify across the value chain are Dilon Technologies Inc., CMR Naviscan Corporation, Digirad, GE Healthcare, among others.
Some of the market participants in the Global Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices market identified across the value chain include: TE Connectivity, BTL, Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic, Wytech Industries, Inc., Norwood Medical, Freudenberg Medical and Cynosure.

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Laser therapy is a therapeutic treatment that utilizes concentrated light for medical procedures. In contrast to most light sources, light from a laser is tuned to particular wavelengths. Minimally invasive medical devices have changed surgical procedures by eliminating or shortening hospital stays, speeding recovery times, decreasing the size of incisions and improving overall patient outcomes. There is a consistent increase in the number of minimally invasive procedures. Minimally invasive laser therapy devices are used for various different applications in oncology, dermatology, ENT etc. Minimally invasive laser therapy devices are highly preferred for neonatal patients and is also popular for cosmetic purposes as it least damages the skin. According to the annual plastic surgery procedural statistics, approximately 15.9 million minimally-invasive and surgical cosmetic procedures were performed in 2015 in the United States; giving a 2% increase over 2014.Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market: Drivers and Restraints-Growing popularity of cosmetic procedures; increase in number of laser procedures; growing shift towards minimally invasive surgeries are three major factors that are expected to boost market growth for minimally invasive laser therapy devices during the forecast period. Increased prevalence of skin related disorders like actinic keratosis, warts, acnes and growing awareness on advantages of minimally invasive laser therapy devices over invasive therapy devices are also expected to contribute to the growth of minimally invasive laser therapy devices market during the forecast period. Whereas, high prices associated to these procedures might hinder market growth. Less availability and less awareness on novel technologies related to minimally invasive laser therapy devices also could hamper the market growth for minimally invasive laser therapy devices market during the forecast period.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7700 Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market: SegmentationOn the basis of Product type, Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market can be segmented as:Low level Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy DevicesHigh Level Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy DevicesOn the basis of Modality, Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market can be segmented as:Portable Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy DevicesStand-alone Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy DevicesOn the basis of Applications, Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market can be segmented as:DermatologyENTOncologyCosmeticsDentalGastroenterology and EndoscopyCardiovascularOthersOn the basis of end users, Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market can be segmented as:HospitalsClinicsSkin Care Service CentersOphthalmic ClinicsDental ClinicsOthersOn the basis of geography, Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market can be segmented as:North- AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAsia-Pacific excluding China & JapanChinaJapanMiddle East and AfricaLatin AmericaMinimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market: OverviewThe technological shift of medical procedures and constant exponential development in technologies for medical procedures have profited the market. This has led to surgeries and procedures getting minimally invasive thus, requiring less healing time and imposing lower risk to practitioners and patients alike. Low level minimally invasive laser therapy devices are highly preferred due to less exposure of laser light to the body thus, having less side effects like swelling or redness. Minimally invasive laser therapy devices are highly being used for cosmetic purposes. Number of plastic surgeries performed globally have increased drastically, contributing to the market growth for minimally invasive laser therapy devices. Growing number of healthcare facilities like cosmetic clinics and ophthalmic clinics owing it to increased government support and funding are also extensively contributing to the market growth.Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookGeography wise, Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices market is divided into eight regions viz. North-America, Asia- Pacific excluding China & Japan, China, Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Middle-East & Africa. North Americas Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices market is expanding because of growing popularity of minimally laser therapy devices and it will remain dominant over the period of forecast due to growing need of treating patients using minimally invasive techniques. Rise in incidence of dermatology, eye and dental related ailments also contributes to the share in the region. Europes Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices market is also expected to grow at a significant rate due to increased healthcare expenditure and increased acceptance of these novel laser techniques. Asia-Pacifics Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices market is anticipated to grow at a decent rate due to low availability of minimally invasive laser therapy devices.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7700 Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices Market: Key Market ParticipantsSome of the market participants in the Global Minimally Invasive Laser Therapy Devices market identified across the value chain include: TE Connectivity, BTL, Boston Scientific Corporation, Medtronic, Wytech Industries, Inc., Norwood Medical, Freudenberg Medical and Cynosure.
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The worldwide luxury market comprises of nine sectors including personal luxury goods, personal cars, luxury hospitality, fine food, luxury cruises, fine wine and spirits, private jet, yachts and luxury furniture. Out of these sectors, luxury furniture has exhibited huge market attractiveness everywhere throughout the world. Luxury furniture raises the artistic value of hotels, restaurants, offices and homes notwithstanding different indoor and outdoor spaces. In the course of recent years, the noteworthy development in real estate industry encouraged the expansion of luxury furniture market. Development of individuals from rural to urban territories and tendency in the individual disposable income is fortifying the development of the worldwide luxury furniture market. Rising ecological awareness among individuals is considered to prompt individuals rising interest for eco-friendly luxury furniture everywhere throughout the world till 2025. Other than this, increasing infiltration of online retailing all over the world is anticipated to additionally boost the worldwide luxury furniture market. Transform in the way of life alongside increasing disposable income would give remarkable prospects in the worldwide luxury furniture market over the years to come.Higher media infiltration, organized retailing, increasing the effect of globalization and vigorous development in the real estate sector are a few of the main considerations foreseen to encourage the development of luxury furniture market. Aside from this, increasing trend of modular kitchen is moreover fortifying the requirement for luxury furniture market as well as is anticipated to prompt the market.Among every one of the regions, Europe was conceived to gain the most in the worldwide luxury furniture market during 2014. China is anticipated to be the quickly developing furniture market in the future that will drive the overall Asia market for luxury furniture. Latin America market is likewise foreseen to exhibit quick development throughout the following couple of years. The prerequisite of luxury furniture particularly in the hospitality segment in the African region as well as the Middle East region is anticipated to drive the market of this region in future.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124653/Luxury-Furniture-Market The prominent market players identified all over the value chain of worldwide luxury furniture market comprise Valderamobili, Muebles Pico, Laura Ashley Folding Plc, Scavolini, Henredon Furniture Industries Inc., Nella Vetrina, along with others. It has been discovered that furniture producers are implicated in relation to the diminution in carbon footprints as well as initiated contributing to eco-friendly furniture. The worldwide market for luxury furniture is extremely competitive with a huge number of market players (both big and small) leading the industry. In the approaching few years, several furniture makers are anticipated to come into in this market.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124653/Luxury-Furniture-Market The luxury furniture market is probably going to foresee a firm growth in the approaching years because of higher customer awareness. The market has been experiencing a noteworthy change as distribution channels are extending. Enhancing visibility of luxury furniture brands in shopping centers, malls as well as through online mediums has additionally profited the worldwide market. Besides, the enhancing disposable incomes and the growing need to coordinate a higher expectation for lifestyle conjointly impelled the requirement for luxury furniture products in the worldwide market. The requirement for luxury furniture is likewise slated to ascend as the economies limp back to commonality.The extension of the real estate market is likewise anticipated to positively affect the general market. The requirement for luxury furniture in the hospitality segment, for example, restaurants along with hotels is anticipated to boost the market. Furthermore, renovation and restoration of residential market are likewise going to win the market players in the worldwide market a range of new buyersReport Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124653/Luxury-Furniture-Market
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CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesT: +1-646-568-7751Tollfree: +1 800-961-0353Team Lead8999655266

Global LRVP market will witness promising growth in the first half of the forecast period (5.5% CAGR), which will incur a slight dip post-2020, (4.9% CAGR). However, the overall CAGR of the market estimated for 2016-2024 is estimated at 5.2%. Research Analyst, Industrial Automation Domain, Persistence Market ResearchAccording to Global Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2016-2024, the global liquid ring vacuum pumps market will reach US$ 2,871.3 Mn by the end of the forecast period.Regional analysis indicates that the US$ 535 Mn North American market will rule the roost with an estimated 6% CAGR over 2016-2024. Towards the close of 2024, this region is expected to attain revenues worth US$ 851.1 Mn. Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific are identified to be the next key markets for LRVP. North America, Europe, and APAC will collectively hold a whopping 75% share of the total market size in 2024.In developing economies within Asia Pacific, leading LRVP manufacturers are tackling the competitive pricing issue in order to deliver customer-centric products. Moreover, China and India host a swelling number of small manufacturers specifically serving pharma and chemical process industries. These factors will play a vital role in pushing the sales of liquid ring vacuum pumps in near future within Asian markets. Reaching a value beyond US$ 504 Mn, APAC market is likely to expand at a moderate CAGR of 5.3% over 2016-2024.Request to Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12991 LRVP market expanding at the backdrop of a slew of factorsIncreasing demand from oil & gas, and power industriesGrowing preference for high capacity-high cost liquid ring vacuum pumpsExtending applications in chemical and general process industriesConstant innovation by manufacturersStrict EPA regulationsPromising emergence of low water consuming pumpsBurgeoning M&A between key playersLucrative opportunities in Asia countriesSegment analysis: Consumption by oil & gas segment crossing US$ 931 Mn by 2024In terms of capacity, 500-1500 cfm segment will continue to lead with the maximum revenue sales, followed by < 500 cfm segment. However, < 500 cfm segment will possibly thrive fastest at a CAGR of 5.2%, followed by > 1500 cfm segment with an estimated 4.4% CAGR over 2016-2024.Considering material type, cast iron segment will continue dominance with over 60% value share, reaching a value of US$ 1,718.2 Mn in 2024. This segment will also demonstrate the fastest CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period. Stainless steel segment will also grow moderately at 5%, attaining a value worth US$ 876 Mn in 2024.Based on the end-use industry, oil and gas sector will retain dominance over others, with over US$ 931 Mn by the end of 2024 in terms of revenues. Chemical processing and general process industries will continue to maintain the second and third largest segments respectively. Among these, general process industries will display a higher CAGR of 5.8% over 2016-2024, bagging the revenues of over US$ 511 Mn. Paper and pulp, and power segments are expected to grow steadily throughout the assessment period.Request Report TOC @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/12991 Report analyzes the 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. Persistence Market Researchs report includes in-depth profiling of key companies.
Latin America Capnography Equipment Market

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Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comAssociate Consultant800-961-0353Vijay Kundekar13479183531

According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research Latin America Capnography Equipment Market: Brazil to Witness Highest Growth by 2021, the capnography equipment market for Latin America was valued at USD 9.7 million in 2014 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 17.5 % from 2014 to 2021, to reach USD 30.2 million by 2021.Request for Report Methodology @: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/5129 The capnography equipment market is growing rapidly in Latin America majorly due to the recommendations to use capnography in routine hospital settings by esteemed organizations and government bodies. The World Health Organization (WHO), in its 2009 report on safe surgery, recommended the use of capnography monitoring during endotracheal tube placement, hypoventilation, and esophageal intubation for better outcome. The Uruguayan Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommended capnography monitoring in routine-use during procedural sedation and anesthetics. These guidelines substantiate the importance of capnography equipment in hospital use. Moreover, high impact of the U.S. health care system on the health care market in Latin America is augmenting the capnography equipment market in this region.Based on types of capnograph, the sidestream capnograph segment dominated the capnography equipment market in 2014, with a share of around 52.9%. Easy-to-use and capability to monitor the patient in non-intubated condition are the major factors that contributed to the high demand for sidestream capnograph. Additionally, presence of large number of players including local companies offering sidestream capnograph in their portfolio has increased the awareness and demand for sidestream capnograph in Latin America. The microstream capnograph segment has been projected to witness high growth during the forecast period in Latin America as these are cost-effective and offer several advantages in all hospital settings.The device could also be used for monitoring both non-intubated patients and neonates. However, sidestream capnograph cannot be used to monitor neonatal patients and mainstream capnograph lack the capability to monitor non-intubated patients.Based on countries, Brazil held the largest share of around 31.4% of the capnography equipment market in Latin America in 2014. High demand for plastic surgery, rising medical tourism for various types of dental surgeries, cosmetic surgeries and cardiac procedure, and large proportion of GDP expenditure on health care in Brazil are the major factors propelling the capnography equipment market in the region. Brazil is anticipated to be the fastest growing market for capnography equipment in Latin America during the forecast period.Request For Report SampleKey players operating in the capnography equipment market in Latin America include Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Masimo Corporation, Medtronic, Inc., NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION, Nonin Medical, Inc., Philips Healthcare, Smiths Medical, and Welch Allyn, Inc. Market players are continuously engaged in developing new and advanced capnography equipment along with additional features to strengthen their position in the capnography equipment market.
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Intravenous medication is one of the crucial aspects of hospital and pharmacy, and preparation of these requires utter precision as the patients wellbeing is directly affected by the compounded preparations. Increasing intravenous preparations use in hospitals is increasing the demand for intravenous solution compounders. Intravenous solution compounders are choice of instrument in compounding of the intravenous solution or parenteral drug preparation. Intravenous solution compounders are the automated compounding and pumping devices which allows preparation of sterile solution according to the specific requirement in the pharmacy and hospitals. The intravenous solution compounders consists of the base solution reservoir, diluents set which offers increased feasibility in compounding the solution. Intravenous solution compounders performs the procedure in two step process or in one step process, where micro and macro solutions can be processed in one step or in two-steps, one step process eliminates the chance of possible contamination in intravenous solution compounders. The process of intravenous solution compounders is based on gravimetric principal or volumetric principal.Intravenous Solution Compounders Market: Drivers and Restraints : Intravenous Solution Compounders are mainly utilized to reduce the risk of contamination while preparing the sterile preparation. The rising awareness about the safety of patient and complexity in the compounding of the intravenous solution is anticipated to propel the market growth for intravenous solution compounders. The major challenges in compounding intravenous solution is complexity in verification of solution prepared and process followed is technically very intricate. The elimination of verification and easy technicality is anticipated to drive the market for intravenous solution compounders. The major sector arising in utilization of the intravenous solution compounders is total parenteral nutrition coupled with Increasing number of patient specific dose is anticipated to impel the market demand for intravenous solution compounders. The added advantages of intravenous solution compounders in reducing the risk of injectables medication errors specifically in cancer chemotherapy preparation is anticipated to fuel the market for intravenous solution compounders market. However, high coast associated with intravenous solution compounders and requirements of particular dispensing on daily basis is anticipate the restraint the growth of the intravenous solution compounders market.Intravenous Solution Compounders Market: Segmentation : Based on Modality type, the Intravenous Solution Compounders market is segmented into: Countertop, Standalone Based on End User, the Intravenous Solution Compounders market is segmented into: Hospitals, Specialty Clinics, Inpatient PharmaciesIntravenous Solution Compounders Market: Overview : The global Intravenous Solution Compounders market is witnessing a steady growth due to increasing awareness among the end user in maintaining high standards and precaution methods while preparing the intravenous solutions. The demand for demand for intravenous compounders is mainly arising from developed countries due to well-developed healthcare infrastructure and high healthcare standards. The manufacturers in the intravenous solution compounders is focused on continuous research and development to increase the effectives of the intravenous solution compounders device. The development of countertop devices with minimal technical difficulty is offering the edge for countertop intravenous solution compounders device in the market. The advantage of intravenous solution compounders in compounding robotics and enlarge intravenous preparation coupled with automation is anticipated to offer manufactures a niche market to target.Intravenous Solution Compounders Market: Region-Wise Overview : The global Intravenous Solution Compounders market is segmented into the following regions  North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding China & Japan, China, Japan and the Middle East & Africa. North America is the dominant regional market for Intravenous Solution Compounders due to rising awareness for the risk associated with manual compounding of the intravenous solutions in the region. In North America, the U.S. is the dominating market due to high healthcare standards and regulatory guiding for compounding of sterile preparations. Europe Intravenous Solution Compounders market is anticipated to grow substantially due to rising initiatives by the government to minimize the risk of contamination and errors in sterile compounding. APAC is a fast-growing regional market for Intravenous Solution Compounders due to increasing demand for standards compounding instruments and raising awareness for parenteral solutions safety in the countries like India and china. Growth in the Latin America and the Middle East and Africa is growing steadily due to demand for total parenteral nutrition.Intravenous Solution Compounders Market: Key Participants : Examples of some of the key participants in the Intravenous Solution Compounders market are ARxIUM, Baxa Corporation., ICU Medical Inc., B.Braun Medical Inc, Baxter Healthcare., Grifols., Hospira Inc and The Matrix Company Among others.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7532
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Intraosseous infusion is the process of injecting a drug directly into the bone marrow. The intraosseous infusion is used when intravenous access is not feasible. The intraosseous infusion allows the drug a direct entry into the vascular system. It is advantageous in trauma patients having a compromised intravenous access and need immediate delivery of drugs, for delivering anesthetic drugs. Intraosseous infusion kits are used to deliver the drug or fluids via the intraosseous route.Intraosseous Infusion Kits Market: Drivers and Restraints: The increasing cases of trauma, respiratory failure or shock, circulatory collapse, ability to deliver the drug or fluid in large quantity and flow rate are the prime drivers of the intraosseous infusion kitsmarket. According to the World Health Organization, injuries resulting from trauma such as traffic collisions, falls or burns, violence and others account for 9% of global mortality. About 26% of children aged less than four years in the United States experience a traumatic event. Unintentional and intentional injuries were the fifth and seventh accounted for 6.8 % and 3.4 % of all global deaths.The growing favor for intraosseous infusion is another driver of the market. For example, the American Heart Association recommends using the endotracheal tube for resuscitation drugs as only a last resort, while intraosseous infusion is becoming more common. Intraosseous infusion is also used on a vast scale in military emergency medical services.The advantages over the other routes of drug administration such as obese, hypovolemic, and poor cardiac output patients is another driver of the intraosseous infusion kitsmarket. The development of technology making intraosseous insertion easy in the dense bone cortex of adults, coupled with the rapid absorption of drugs and fluids by intraosseous infusion into the central circulation than the peripheral intravenous route is driving a faster adoption of intraosseous infusion kitsmarket.The restraints on the global intraosseous infusion kits market include the high cost, pain, and high rates of infection. Intraosseous infusion is contraindicated in cases of proximal fracture, vascular injury, osteogenesis and osteoarthritis. The complications such as failure to enter the bone marrow, osteomyelitis, physeal plate injury and others. However the need for local anaesthesia is the foremost constraint on the intraosseous infusion kits market.Intraosseous Infusion Kits Market: Segmentation: To gain a birds eye view of the global intraosseous infusion kits market, the report is segmented on the basis of material of construction, cementing technique, sex, end user and region.Based on the components, the global intraosseous infusion kits market can be segmented as, Injection Gun, Needles, OthersBased on the power source, the global intraosseous infusion kits market can be segmented as, Manual, Impact Driven, Drill PoweredBased on the patient, the global intraosseous infusion kits market can be segmented as, Pediatric, AdultBased on the end user, the global intraosseous infusion kits market can be segmented as, Hospitals, Clinics, Ambulatory Care CenterBased on the distribution channels, the global intraosseous infusion kits market can be segmented as, Online Stores, Retail, OthersIntraosseous Infusion Kits Market: Market Participants: Some of the major vendors operating in the global intraosseous infusion kits market are Pyng Medical, PerSys Medical, Teleflex Incorporated, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Tri-anim Health Services, Ambu A/S, Med-Dent, Chinook Medical Gear, Inc., Cook Medical, Argon Medical, Laerdal Medical, Persys Medical, and others.Intraosseous Infusion Kits Market: Overview: The global market for intraosseous infusion kits is a low volume market dominated by a few small and medium companies. The consolidated market is driving the price higher owing to lower competetion. The lower volume of intraosseous infusion procedures negates any economies of scale rsulting in high price of the intraosseous infusion kits.The market trends include a definite shift in favor of developing regions of Asia Pacific, such as India and China. The market displays a high value low volume nature negating cost as a value promotion as intraosseous infusion is mostly used as a critical lifesaving procedure.Intraosseous Infusion Kits Market: Regional Wise Outlook: The global intraosseous infusion kits market can be classified into the following region: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America, led by the U.S., is expected to account for the largest share in the global intraosseous infusion kits market, owing to the concentration of key market players, enhanced purchasing power of healthcare players owing to consolidation of the U.S. healthcare, large healthcare expenditure, excellent reimbursement and large per capita income in the region. The large number of intensive care units in the US and Europe is another driver of the market in these regions. The large homicide cases in the US is another driver of the intraosseous infusion kits market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7542 The Asia Pacificintraosseous infusion kits market excluding Japan is projected to expand at the most significant rate, owing to the growing healthcare expenditure and procedures. China and India are anticipated to account for the major share of the Asia Pacificintraosseous infusion kitsmarket growth. Germany, France and the U.K., are projected to be the largest drivers of the Europe intraosseous infusion kits market. TheEurope intraosseous infusion kits market is expected to benefit by the large and developed medical devices sector of Germany. The Middle East and Africa Intraosseous infusion kits market is anticipated to be dominated by the gulf economies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar.
Some of the major vendors operating in the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market are Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Merck & Co., Roche Holding AG

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Intra-abdominal infection are group of infections occurring within the abdominal cavity and vary from appendicitis, peritonitis, diverticulitis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, to pancreatitis characterized by high risk of complication resulting in high mortality despite treatment. According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Intra-abdominal infection generally extends beyond the organ of origin into the abdominal cavity and is associated with an abscess. Intra-abdominal infections are associated with symptoms such as epigastric pain radiating to the back, vomiting, posterior penetrating ulcer, nausea, decreased appetite and others.Intra-Abdominal Infection Treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe high prevalence of intra-abdominal infection coupled with the high mortality rates generate a large inelastic demand for the intra-abdominal infection treatment market. Appendicitis is the most common cause of Intra-abdominal infection resulting in more than 300,000 cases each year and over 1 million hospital days. In 2016 about 12.3 million cases of appendicitis were recorded in the U.S. resulting in more than 340,000 surgeries and about 54,870 deaths. Globally about 7.5% of people have appendicitis at some point in their life. Mortality rates associated with intra-abdominal infections vary from 3.5% with early infection to more than 60% with well-established infection with multiple organ failure. The high mortality rate of intra-abdominal infections is exemplified by peritonitis which have a mortality rate of about 10% when treated properly. Growing geriatric population is another driver of the intra-abdominal infection treatment market as risk of developing intra-abdominal infection and mortality increases with age. The mortality rate for intra-abdominal infection rises to about 40 % in the elderly.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7709 The increasing exposure to bacteria such as staphylococci, Pseudomonas, Candida and Enterococci owing to rising pollution, urbanization is another driver of the intra-abdominal infection treatment market. Rowing resistance to antimicrobials such as penicillin and related beta-lactam antibiotics is another driver of the intra-abdominal infection treatment market value as this necessitates use of expensive antibiotics such as piperacillin, imipenem, ticarcillin, or ciprofloxacin. Diverticulosis affects more than 10% to 25% of the elderly and is the second leading cause of infection-related mortality in the intensive care units. The growing menace of hospital and surgical acquired infections is a strong driver of the intra-abdominal infection treatment market. Almost 157,500 cases of surgical acquired infections were recorded in the United States per year resulting in approximately 8,205 deaths according to the center for disease control and prevention. Surgical acquired infections account for 11% of all deaths in intensive care units in the U.S. and account for a whopping $3.2 billion in attributable cost per year according to the center for disease control and prevention 2018 surgical acquired infections updates.However, the increasing fragmentation of the market owing to penetration of generics is exerting a pricing pressure on the intra-abdominal infection treatment market. The excessive production capacity of antimicrobials is another cause expected to hamper the intra-abdominal infection treatment market.Intra-Abdominal Infection Treatment Market: SegmentationTo gain a birds eye view of the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market, the report is segmented on the basis of drugs, pathogens, infection type, distribution channel, end users and region.Based on the drugs, the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market can be segmented as,AntibioticsAnti-bacterialsAntifungalsAnalgesicsOthersBased on the pathogens, the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market can be segmented as,Gram-positiveStaphylococcusEnterococcusStreptococcusOthersGram-negativeBacteroidesClostridiumProteusKlebsiellaPseudomonasEnterobactercoliOthersBased on the infection type, the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market can be segmented as,Community-acquiredHealthcare associatedBased on the distribution channel, the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market can be segmented as,Institutional PharmaciesRetail PharmaciesOnline PharmaciesBased on the end users, the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market can be segmented as,HospitalsClinicsHome SettingsIntra-Abdominal Infection Treatment Market: OverviewThe global market for intra-abdominal infection treatment is expected to expand owing to growing incidence and the owing to growing stringency of regulations. For example, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) established under the Affordable Care Act, penalize hospitals with higher-than-expected readmissions. Under the HRRP, hospitals can incur a penalty of up to 3% of their Medicare payments. The intra-abdominal infection treatment market trends include a definite shift in favor of developing regions of Asia Pacific, such as India and China.Intra-Abdominal Infection Treatment Market: Regional Wise OutlookThe global intra-abdominal infection treatment market can be classified into the following region: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America, led by the U.S., is expected to account for the largest share in the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market, owing to the large demand, large healthcare expenditure, and large per capita income in the region.The Asia Pacific intra-abdominal infection treatment market excluding Japan is projected to expand and dominate the scene in the near future, owing to the growing healthcare and healthcare expenditure. China and India are anticipated to account for the major share of the Asia Pacific intra-abdominal infection treatment market growth. Germany, France and the U.K., are projected to be the largest drivers of the Europe intra-abdominal infection treatment market. The Middle East and Africa intra-abdominal infection treatment market is anticipated to be dominated by the gulf economies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7709 Intra-Abdominal Infection Treatment Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the major vendors operating in the global intra-abdominal infection treatment market are Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Merck & Co., Roche Holding AG, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson., Sanofi SA., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company and others.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:26:06

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Future Market Insights 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: www.futuremarketinsights.commanager+1 03479183531

Yeast is a kind of fungus which is used to convert sugar into alcohol. Yeast is an important ingredient for bakery as well as beverage industry.Instant dry yeast is type of dry yeast which has a fine texture unlike activate dry yeast which has a big granular structure. Instant dry yeast was introduced in the market in late 1970s after active dry yeast was introduced. Instant dry yeast are processed similarly the way active dry yeast are processed but the instant yeast are milled much finer. In order to use active yeast it is first mixed with water, but that is not the case for instant dry yeast, it can be used without mixing it with water and can directly be mixed with dry ingredient. As the name suggests, instant dry yeast has a faster ac activity rate, compared to that of active dry yeast. Instant dry yeast and active dry yeast are interchangeable, but if active dry yeast is used in place of instant dry yeast then it is expected a deal of 10-15 mins for the rise time.Buy This Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/3117 Market Segmentation, Market Regional Outlook, Market Drivers, Key Players:Instant Dry Yeast marketis segment on the basis of application, end user industry, distribution channel and region. On the basis of application the instant dry yeast market is segmented into fermentation and clinical research. Among these segment fermentation is expected to grow to a great extent in the forecast period, as there is numerous amount of use of instant dry yeastin the food and beverage industry. The demand for instant dry yeast is also more as it offer shorter rising time than any other dry yeast. On the basis of end user industry the instant dry yeast market is distributed into food and bakery and brewery. On the basis of distribution channel the instant dry yeast market is segmented into supermarkets/hypermarkets, medical stores and online stores. Medical stores is anticipated to hold a relatively higher share in the instant dry yeast market, followed by conventional stores. On the basis of region the Instant Dry Yeast market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and MEA.Regional segment for the market of Instant Dry Yeast is divided into seven different regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and MEA. Among these segment Europe and North America is expected to be the leader of instant dry yeast market share globally, and is expected to be dominant in the forecaster period. In Europe region the countries like Germany and France are the key market for instant dry yeast. In terms of revenue Asia Pacific is the expected to be the third leading contributor in theinstant dry yeastmarket, followed by Latin America.The market of instant dry yeast is increasing due to the multiple use of instant dry yeast in the food & beverage and pharmaceutical industry. With the arrival of new market players in the global market is anticipated to boost the growth of instant dry yeastmarketglobally during the forecast period. Instant dry yeast are now used very much in the field of biotechnology in order to make biofuels from agricultural food waste. Instant dry yeast are also used to make various kinds of chemicals. The instant dry yeast market is driven mainly by the end user industries such as bakery and brewery. Yeast is a daily used item which is required at every home, which is used for fermentation process of various The cost of production of instant dry yeast is also very low as it mainly comes from molasses which is the end product of sugarcane, hence the cost of instant dry yeast is low, which will defiantly drive the market of instant dry yeast to a great extant in the forecast period.Some of the key players in instant dry yeast market areLesaffre, Hagold Hefe Gmbh, Asmussen Gmbh, ACH Foods, Fleischmanns Yeast, LALLEMAND Inc, AB Mauri Food Inc., And Pakmaya, Angel Yeast Co., Ltd among others.Request For Report Sample: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3117
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 09:37:14

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Inositol, also named cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol, is a simple polyol precursor in a second messenger system important in the brain. Inositol is found in fruits, beans, grains, and nuts and is also made by the body. Inositol is a naturally occurring nutrient found in various forms, the most common being myo-inositol.It also holds some promise as an anti-depressant and against some other conditions associated with anxiety such as panic disorders. Inositol is used to promote the growth of bacteria and yeast for use as food additives. This product is also used in the preparation of a variety of vitamin pills and nutritional amino acid infused products.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1290 Inositol Market: Drivers & RestraintsDemand for inositol has been on the rise, due to the rapid growth in the food & healthcare industry. The Inositol market is expected to grow drastically. The increase in the scope of clinical research is also driving the market.According to a survey carried out by Center for Disease Control & Prevention, 31% of men and 32% of women in this world have high cholesterol level. This has been a major factor for the rise in the demand for Inositol globally.Taking too much inositol might make bipolar disorder worse, which has proved to be its major constraint.Inositol Market: SegmentationThe inositol market is segmented on the basis of form and application. On the basis of form, the inositol market is further segmented into; powder & liquid. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, chemical industry, feed additive, and others.Inositol Market: Region Wise OutlookGeographically, the inositol market is segmented into seven regions which are; North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Japan. The global production of Inositol is mainly concentrated in the China and Japan. China is the worlds largest producer of inositol in terms of capacity, accounting for over approximately 50% of the global capacity.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1290 Inositol Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players across the value chain dominating this market are Zhucheng Haotian Pharm Co., Ltd. , Changzhou Zhonglian Inositol Co., Ltd., Shandong Runde Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Biological Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., Holland & Barrett, Phoenix Herb Company, Mr. Bills Pipe & Tobacco Company, Ronas chemicals ind.co.,ltd ., Charles Bowman & Company, T. J. Clark & Company. These companies are developing market strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, joint venture, new product development and expansion to increase their market share in global inositol market.
Some of the global key participants operating in inherited retinal diseases treatment market are: Spark Therapeutics, Novartis AG, and others

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Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are genetically heterogeneous disorders which is one of the cause of blindness. There are more than 100 types of inherited retinal diseases and severity varies significantly. Due to inherited nature of these disease there is no cure and hence path to the inherited retinal diseases treatment is not clear. Recently in 2018, gene therapy based inherited retinal diseases treatment was approved by FDA. There are more than 200 DNA which are responsible for this disease further making inherited retinal diseases treatment difficult. Most of children suffering from this disease turn blind within a year after they are born. Around 4 of every 10,000 children born in the UK are diagnosed with some form of inherited retinal disease and the prevalence further increases to 6 per 10,000 in population below aged 16 years. This represent significant amount population though the incidence of the disease seems low, further making inherited retinal diseases treatment important.Inherited Retinal Diseases Treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing prevalence of the inherited retinal diseases expected to drive the growth of inherited retinal diseases treatment market. Increasing awareness and treatment seeking rate expected to fuel the growth of inherited retinal diseases treatment market. Increasing understanding about the inherited retinal diseases treatment options and diagnosis of the disease further expected to enhance the growth of inherited retinal diseases treatment market. Increasing expenditure R& D by the product manufacturing companies in the inherited retinal diseases treatment market expected to increase revenue generation in near future. The manufacturing companies in the inherited retinal diseases treatment market further focusing on the gene mutation specific approach for the developing new products further expected to drive the growth of inherited retinal diseases treatment market. Various manufacturers are engaging in the collaborations, partnerships to carry out clinical trials to further develop inherited retinal diseases treatment options more efficiently.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7698 Inherited Retinal Diseases Treatment Market: SegmentationInherited retinal diseases treatment market is segmented based on the treatment type, distribution channel, and regionBy the treatment type Inherited retinal diseases treatment market is segmented as:Gene therapy treatmentSymptomatic treatmentBy distribution channel Inherited retinal diseases treatment market is segmented as:Hospital PharmaciesRetail PharmaciesInherited Retinal Diseases Treatment Market: OverviewGlobally increasing prevalence of the disease expected to contribute to inherited retinal diseases treatment market significantly. By the treatment type inherited retinal diseases treatment market is expected to be dominated by gene therapy treatment. Whereas, by distribution channel inherited retinal diseases treatment market is expected to be dominated by retail pharmacies. The manufacturers in inherited retinal diseases treatment market are highly focusing on the development of new formulation for the inherited retinal diseases treatment.Inherited Retinal Diseases Treatment Market: Regional OutlookThe global inherited retinal diseases treatment market is expected to be dominated by North America due higher treatment seeking rate and higher penetration of inherited retinal diseases treatment options. Europe is expected to be the second most lucrative inherited retinal diseases treatment market due to comparatively higher prevalence of inherited retinal diseases coupled with higher treatment seeking rate. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing inherited retinal diseases treatment market due to rapidly increasing awareness about the disease and increasing product penetration in the region. Presence of one of the fastest growing economies such as India and China further expected drive the growth of inherited retinal diseases treatment market in the APAC region. Latin America inherited retinal diseases treatment market is expected to witness steady growth due to increasing diagnosis of the condition in the region. Middle East and Africa is least lucrative inherited retinal diseases treatment market due to low treatment seeking rate, low product penetration, and low diagnosis rate. Overall, global inherited retinal diseases treatment market expected to witness significant growth due to increasing penetration of products and diagnosis.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7698 Inherited Retinal Diseases Treatment Market: Key PlayersSome of the global key participants operating in inherited retinal diseases treatment market are: Spark Therapeutics, Novartis AG, and others
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:07:36

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The food sector is considered to represent a noteworthy share as far as utilization in the worldwide industrial starch market. They are utilized in producing different products in the food sector, for example, confectionaries, bakery products, canned fruits and jams, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and commercial caramel. The food and beverages market was reported to lead the worldwide industrial starch market in 2015. The product is utilized in desserts, in the form of a thickening agent with the expansion of milk or chilly water. So also, gravy granules or cheese sauce granules might be thickened with boiling water without the product going knotty.The rising utilization of industrial starch in the form of adhesives in customer products and packaging sector is likely to enhance the expansion of the worldwide industrial starch market. The rising trend of biomaterials and biofuels, as well as the utilization of starch in this sector, is considered to fuel the market growth. A high requirement from a variety of end-use sectors comprising pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, drilling and oil, as well as paper is imagined to bode on form for market growth.On the other hand, the use of resin glue as a substitute for starch in textile and paper sector is anticipated to impede the development of the worldwide market for industrial starch.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124654/Industrial-Starch-Market Starch is anticipated to foresee considerable development over the years to come. Little factories located near farms for starch making from root crops has aided in decreasing overheads, logistics costs and transportation and enhancing effectiveness. India is one of the main manufacturers of textile raw material in the Asia Pacific region.APEJ is gaining traction in the market for industrial starch on the basis of consumption. This is because of the expansion of end-use sectors for instance food, paper and textile sector in the growing clustering of the region. North America as well is gaining traction in the industrial starch market, as a result of the fast expansion of the industrial packaging in the region. On the other hand, Latin America is considered to gain higher revenues over the years to come, owing to the rising requirement for processed food. Brazil is also considered as the foremost producer of corn as well as thus accounts for noteworthy in starch production. The rising industrial packaging sector and end-use sectors in Western Europe are probable to grow the industrial starch market share in the region.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124654/Industrial-Starch-Market Industrial starches are in general made from wheat and maize on account of low cost along with their easiness of processing and availability. Small-scale mill proprietors act a critical role by adding collaboration with big-scale producers as contract producers. Companies are centering on r&d to employ fresh processing technologies to increase production capabilities and properties. A few of the foremost players in the worldwide industrial starch market are Tate & Lyle, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Incorporated, Grain Processing Corporation, Universal Starch Chem Allied Ltd., Manildra Group, GreenTech Industries Ltd., EVEREST STARCH (IND) PVT.LTD ., Bangkok Starch Industrial Co., Ltd. and Karandikars Cashell Private Limited.In 2015, Cargill Inc. was amongst the top market players. The company caters products for beverages, personal care, confectionery, food, and snacks. In July 2015, Cargill presented an instantaneous modified starch named C PulpTex 12931. This item could stand firm inconsiderate processing conditions as well as could improve the texture of soups, condiments, and sauces. Moreover, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) extends starch products extensively employed to widen the shelf life of food products. During August 2015, the ADM opened merchandizing and distribution offices in Guatemala and El Salvador to increase its footprint in Central America.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124654/Industrial-Starch-Market
Floating Crane Market

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Floating cranes are large floating vessels that carry aboard a heavy duty crane for the purpose of lifting heavy goods in offshore applications. These floating cranes are a usual sight near seaports, oil rigs among others. Floating cranes are also known as crane vessels or crane ships in some part of the economy. Primary power generator of the ship for the purpose of forward movement is not usually used as the power source of the cranes and hence separate power generators are housed within the ship to operate such cranes. The market for floating cranes is anticipated to grow on steady albeit on a slower pace owing to its demand directly related to the performance of the end use industry it operates upon.Being a very capital intensive equipment, the performance of floating crane market lies on the hinges of the demand it generates from the end use industry. Sluggish behaviour in such industries can directly have an impact on the prospects of floating crane market. However, there are some factors that can directly influence a steady performance of the market within the forecast period. One of those drivers is a resurgence in the petroleum industry, wherein more and more oil rigs have been erected for crude oil extraction. Secondly, the floating cranes market have also found an application in the transportation and logistics industry, wherein it can be used as an auxiliary crane for container movement in order to improve efficiency and reduce loading/unloading times. With a renewed interest in generation of electric power through renewable sources, numerous wind mills have been installed in offshore locations, these installations have become possible in the current scenario, thanks to the advantages bought about the floating cranes. This factor can also result in demand for more floating cranes in the upcoming years.The restraints associated with the growth of the floating crane market is the immense requirement of capital, engineering among others for its construction as well as the requirement of trained personnel for its operation. The barriers to the market entry are very high and down fall within the end use industry can affect the growth of the market to a greater level.From the regional perspective the market growth for floating crane is anticipated to attain contrasting prospects with high growth likely to be witnessed in economies with a growing marine industry. The North American market is expected to bring brighter prospects to the overall growth owing to steady performance of the logistics and transportation industry. The same also holds true for the European market where a thriving heavy industry calls for a growing demand for floating cranes albeit the growth is anticipated to progress on a slower note. The market in the Asia Pacific region is also expected to grow in the upcoming years especially in the Chinese economy wherein floating cranes have found applications beyond the marine industry such as non-residential infrastructure construction along the coastal belt. The market for floating cranes in other Asia Pacific economy is anticipated for a slow growth owing negative trade-off for absolute requirement to the high amount of capital required for its operation. The growing petroleum industry of the Middle East & Africa region is anticipated to call for more floating cranes for the purpose of constructing temporary off shore oil rigs.Examples of some of the participants involved in the manufacture and building of the global Floating Crane are: Konecranes Plc, Techcrane International, LLC, Cargotec OYJ, Huisman Equipment B.V., Kenz Figee Group, Palfinger AG, Mitsui Group, Fincantieri  Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., IHI Transport Machinery Co.,Ltd Request Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/22201
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:03:12

Costa Rica to Serve as Regional Hub for Imcon as it Expands Across Latin AmericaATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Imcon International Inc., the developer of the Internet Backpack, a remote connectivity solution that allows users to communicate from almost every location on the planet, has partnered with The Democracy Lab Foundation, the non-profit foundation dedicated to helping citizens achieve civic engagement with their governments in Central America. Together, Imcon and Democracy Lab will work with the Government of Costa Rica and non-governmental organizations to bring internet connectivity to indigenous and other underserved, remote populations of the country. The announcement was made today by Rob Loud, CEO, Imcon International, Inc. and Dr. Alvaro Salas-Castro, Democracy Lab Foundation Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board.Mr. Loud recently led a delegation that met with high ranking Costa Rican government officials and NGO's, including members of the Costa Rican Congress. Imcon and The Democracy Lab are working with the Republic of Costa Rica's Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science, Technology and Telecommunications, and several NGOs based in Costa Rica, including Fundacion Omar Dengo, Fundacion Quiros Tanzi, Fundacion Mision Tiburon and La Esquina.Imcon will endeavor to work with these groups to deliver Internet Backpacks for up to 800 indigenous and rural schools in Costa Rica. This public-private partnership would also have the added benefit of providing connectivity to others working in remote areas of the country, such as park rangers.In Costa Rica, 2.2 million people out of a population of 4.9 million (45%) are not connected to the internet. Out of a total Latin American population of 686 million, more than 300 million people are not digitally connected. (Source: Internet Live Stats)."Imcon is committed to helping bridge the digital and information gaps by providing this essential last mile connection," said Mr. Loud. "This partnership in Costa Rica, which follows our recently announced collaboration in West Africa, brings us a step closer to achieving our ultimate goal of bringing all global citizens online and creating a level playing field with regards to information and technology. We chose San Jose as the Regional hub because it is the technology epicenter of Central America." "The services Imcon has agreed to provide will have immeasurable value for the development of the most remote and impoverished communities of our country," said Luis Dobles Junqueira, Chief of Staff for Costa Rica's Minister of Education. "It is with great anticipation and optimism that we look forward to seeing the results of this ambitious and highly innovative program." "This program aligns perfectly with our underlying vision that a healthy democracy requires citizens to have the knowledge and education needed to meaningfully participate in their own governance," said Dr. Salas-Castro. "Providing digital connectivity for these communities will be hugely impactful in achieving our broader mission. Working in partnership with Imcon, we are establishing a base that will enable us to expand out across Latin America and address the enormous need for connectivity in this region of the world." About The Democracy LabThe Democracy Lab (DL) is a citizen oriented think tank based in Costa Rica. The DL mission is to turn information into knowledge for citizens so they can meaningfully participate in their own governance. The board of directors and research fellows are committed to the scientific method and evidence based policies and above all go disseminate knowledge through various channels of communication and to a broad spectrum of citizens.About ImconImcon International, Inc., is an immediate connectivity solutions provider. Imcon is developing edgeware services and device solutions, such as the Internet Backpack, which conform to the Open Specifications Model for the Internet of Things v0.5. The Internet Backpack is a remote connectivity solution utilizing narrow-bandwidth utilities which allows users to be able to communicate from almost every location on the planet. The Internet Backpack also allows users to create internal wireless networks with large coverage areas utilizing various radio frequencies. Please visit http://imconintl.com for more information.CONTACTS:For Imcon International:Rob LoudImcon International, Inc.rob@ imconintl.com 470-210-0760Alan WinnikoffSayles & Winnikoff Communicationsalan@ sayleswinnikoff.com 212-725-5200 x111Alvaro A. Salas-Castro Ph.D.The Democracy Labasalas@ democracy-lab.org (506) 71897326SOURCE: Imcon International Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 16:01:09

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Loop and Tie, a leading corporate gifting platform, is extending their offering with a new solution on the Salesforce AppExchange. Loop and Tie can now help Salesforce users deepen client relationships through smart client gifting programs. After winning Dreampitch, Salesforce's startup pitch contest, at Dreamforce in 2017, Loop & Tie invested in its presence in the Salesforce Ecosystem and their technology stack.Sara Rodell, CEO and founder of Loop and TieBuilt on the Salesforce Platform, Loop and Tie is currently available on AppExchange.With more than 500 businesses using Loop and Tie, customers have seen a 20% reduction in corporate gifting costs. ''We send about 2,000 gifts a year, and with Loop and Tie we spend 10% of the time we used to spend on gifting; we're getting notes of thanks we've never received in other gift initiatives,'' says Emily Cannon, Corporate Marketing Director at Brasfield & Gorrie.''Before Loop and Tie, client gifts were given in a void. In an increasingly competitive sales environment, we recognized that providing gifting choice to clients was an opportunity to understand what clients want, as well as initiate a new, more meaningful conversation with them,'' says Sara Rodell, CEO and founder of Loop and Tie. ''Working with Salesforce to arm their users with new ways to strengthen client relationships is a powerful next step in scaling Loop and Tie.'' http://loopandtie.com Loop and Tie is also pleased to announce its latest funding from Salesforce Ventures, The Revolution Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, and Wise Ventures.''Our fans were the happiest they've ever been with their gifts. And because their renewals came in so quickly, our sales team could be more efficient with their time on at-risk accounts,'' says Kamryn Beard, Director of Client Relations & Retention for the Dallas Stars.Loop and Tie customers include brands such as the San Francisco 49ers, Google, Visa, Greystar, MGM Resorts, and more.To learn more about Loop and Tie, visit LoopandTie.com Salesforce, AppExchange, and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com , Inc.Loop & Tie is a gift choice platform that helps brands treat their customers to choices of unique gifts sourced from independent makers. The platform is used to celebrate customers or employees at key moments and foster meaningful conversations.Salesforce VenturesSalesforce is the fastest growing top five enterprise software company and the #1 CRM provider globally. Salesforce Venturesthe company's corporate investment groupinvests in the next generation of enterprise technology that extends the power of the Salesforce Customer Success Platform, helping companies connect with their customers in entirely new ways. Portfolio companies receive funding as well as access to the world's largest cloud ecosystem and the guidance of Salesforce's innovators and executives. With Salesforce Ventures, portfolio companies can also leverage Salesforce's expertise in corporate philanthropy by joining Pledge 1% to make giving back part of their business model. Salesforce Ventures has invested in more than 280 enterprise cloud startups in 18 different countries since 2009. For more information, please visit www.salesforce.com/ventures SOURCE: Loop and Tie
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:26:45

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Instant cereals is a new category of food which consists of dried flakes and powders. They are produced from a number of cereals which including legumes, buckwheat, semolina, barley, rye, oats and rice amongst others.Instant cereals are rich in fiber which improves digestive function of our body. Instant cereals are very easy to make, it dissolves very easily in cold as well as hot liquids and get thick immediately to gain consistency. Instant cereals are very tasty and are high in nutritive value. Instant cereals are also used as a thickening agent while making pastas. Instant cereals has good shelf life because of which the product dont get damaged easily. Instant cereals are a great alternative to the conventional breakfast. Rising demand for value-added instant cereal in various countries is prompting the food manufacturers to offer healthy breakfast alternative with additional nutrients.Market Segmentation, Market Regional Outlook, Market Drivers, Market Key Players:Instant Cereals marketis segment on the basis of type, distribution channel and region. On the basis of type the instant cereals market is segmented into legumes, buckwheat, semolina, barley, rye, oats and rice amongst others. Among these segment oats is expected to grow to a great extent in the forecast period, as there are many ready to eat oat meal available in variety of flavors. The demand for instant cereals is also more because if offers a great alternative to the conventional breakfast. On the basis of distribution channel the instant cereals market is segmented into supermarkets/hypermarkets, grocery stores and online stores. Grocery stores is expected to hold a relatively higher share in the instant cereals market, followed by hypermarket/supermarket. On the basis of region the instant cereals market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and MEA.Buy This Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/3116 Regional segment for the market of Instant Cereals is divided into seven different regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and MEA. Among these segment North America and Western Europe are expected to be the leader of instant cereals market share globally, and is expected to be dominant in the forecaster period. In Europe region the countries like France, Italy and Germany are the key market for instant cereals. In terms of revenue Asia Pacific is the also expected to be a leading contributor in theinstant cerealsmarket.Having a breakfast in ample amount of time is probably a thing of the past, especially in developing as well as the developed countries due to the speed of life which has accelerated to new levels. Working people are preferring a substitutes to the convenient breakfast that can be consumed very quickly. Increasing participation of women in the office along with the fast paced lifestyles are all fuelling the demand for instant cereals across the globe, especially in the developed regions of North America along with the fast growing regions of Asia Pacific.The rising demand for products that has high protein content and high protein fiber is increasing dramatically in countries such as U.K and US. In addition to that, the concept of nuclear families is making it very difficult for a working women to manage office and domestic responsibility, consequently there is very less time for making a conventional breakfast. All these factors together contributes heavily to the popularity of instant cereals that are easy to make and consume and is healthier if compared to the conventional breakfast.Some of the key players in instant cereals market are NutreMill, Quaker, Gold Kili, Nestle, Kellogs, General mills, Unisoy, Post and Marico among others.Request For Report Sample@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3116
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 10:26:24

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Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil extracted from the reddish pulp of the oil palms. Sustainable Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because it has the component of high beta carotene. Sustainable palm oil means the palm oil which is manufactured under the guidance and rule of the Roundtable on sustainable palm oil (RSPO). To produce certified sustainable palm oil, manufactures has to follow the environmental and social criteria set by RSPO. It can also be kept in the room temperature. Palm oil also contains very little cholesterol. It is also used in products where animal fats are not accepted for the religion issues. It has been noticed that the palm oil is used in several industries to make the ultimate product. Those industries are also growing. So the demand of the palm oil will be more. So the market will expand very fast in the stipulated period of time.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1374 Global Sustainable palm oil Market Dynamics:-The market of sustainable palm oil market is anticipated to be driven by the various used of the product in a different way. It has a great cooking properties, even it can be used in the high temperature. Its smooth and creamy texture and having no smell make it a perfect ingredient for many recipes like it is used in the bakery (specially for biscuits). It has a natural perspective effect which helps the longevity of the food byresisting the oxidation that spoils them. It is also the highest producing vegetable oil crop which makes it very efficient. It needs less land required by other oil crops to produce same quantity of oil. It makes this cheaper than the other oil in the market. Sustainable palm oil is also used in the cosmetic industry. Sustainable Palm oil ingredients are used in the skin care products, make up products. Due to have the rules and regulations of RSPO the producers are not able to destroy the environment and wild life. It keeps the social interest towards sustainable palm oil production and the conflict cannot be created between the communities and workers. Palm oil is available as an ingredients such as palm kernel oil, palm kernel stearin, palm kernel olein, partially hydrogenated palm oil, asorbyl palmitate, Palmate, Sodium Laureth Sulphate etc. Palm oil used as a frying fat for many food items, as a shortening in bakery products.Global Sustainable Palm oil Market Segmentation:Sustainable palm oil market can be segmented on the basis of application of the palm oil such as food, soap and detergents, pet food and cosmetics. Then food also can be sub segmented such as bakery, ice cream & other frozen desserts, confectionery products and margarine. Palm oil market also can be segmented on the basis of types of the palm oil availability in the market such as palm kernel oil, red palm oil, fractional palm oil, white palm oil.Global Sustainable palm oil Market: Regional Outlook:Geographically, the global palm oil industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Indonesia and Malaysia captured the highest market share in terms of the production of palm oil. Other production countries are Thailand, Columbia, Nigeria and Ecuador. China got the first position in terms of consumption of palm oil followed by EU, India, Indonesia and United States. Malaysia was the highest exporter of palm oil.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1374 Global sustainable palm oil Market Players:The major players identified across the value chain of global sustainable palm oil market include New Britain palm oil limited, Golden agri resources limited, IOI corporation Berhad, Wilmer international limited, Cargill, SIPEF group Belgium, Kulim berhad, Sime Darby plantation sendirian Berhad, Hap seng Plantation Holdings Berhad, Kuala lampur kepong Berhad.and United Plantation Berhad
Rosin Resin Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 09:28:19

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Rosin resin falls under the category of natural resources. Rosin is a bio compound extracted from the pine tree. Conventionally by source type there are three types of rosin extracted from the pine tree named gum rosin, wood rosin and tall oil rosin which then undergoes through different chemical processes to form rosin derivatives. Rosin extracted from the pine trees due to unsaturation possess and low stability. So in order to enhance their stability & properties it is treated from various chemical processes such as hydrogenation, dimerization, esterification, functionalization or any blend of these. With these chemical modification & formulation the rosin resin is then commercially available in different product types in the market place such as rosin esters, dimerized rosin resin, hydrogenated rosin resin and others. These product types which are derived through the reaction of rosin resin with chemicals such as esters, acid and alcohols is then processed further to formulate a product which is tailor made according to the application needs.Rosin resin based products are finding widespread adoption in numerous applications such as road marking, rubbers, paper sizing, coating & inks, adhesives and many more. Gum rosin is suitable for the formulation of adhesives, chewing gums, road marking products and printing inks. On the other hand tar oil resin finds its usage in adhesive formulation, water proofing application, varnishes and enamels. Rosin resin is finding growing adoption in printing inks formulation and now preferred over traditional materials due to its better sticky properties which helps in efficient printing. Also new developments are also taking place across the globe in order to increase the application universe for rosin resin. Rosin Resin is used for the formulation of nanoparticles and Nano capsules which is an integral part of pharmaceutical industry.Rosin Resin and its derivative products are getting traction and the demand for these product rose significantly in last few years owing to its usage in wide application base and enhanced properties on the traditional products. Adhesives, coatings, printing inks, laser printing are some applications showing tremendous adoption in numerous end user industries such as automotive and construction which further upturn the demand for rosin resin in the market. New product development such as the formulation of microcapsules and nano particles enables its adoption in pharmaceutical industry which further increases the rosin resin demand. Rosin resin is also used in the formulation of turpentine oil which finds its application in growing furniture fabrication. However the increasing base price of rosin resin is expected to hamper its market growth. Also increasing in number of substitutes of rosin resins will further dent its market growth.The Global Rosin Resin Market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). As of 2016. APEJ is figured out as a prominent region in terms of production and consumption of rosin resins. In APEJ, China is the emerging as a leading producer for rosin resin due to the availability of large number of pine trees. Latin America is also registering the significant growth in rosins resin consumption due its large scale use in the formulation of turpentine oil. North America is showing steady growth due to expansion in application industries.Examples of some of the market participants in the global Rosin Resin Market identified across the value chain include: Forestarchem Chemical Co., Ltd, Resin Chemicals Co., Ltd., Guilin Songquan Forest Chemical Co., Ltd, Indonesia Pinus, Foreverest Resources Ltd., DRT, Jiangsu Hualin Chemical Co., Ltd, Jinggu Forest Chemical Co., Ltd., Eastman Chemical Company, Lawter, Hindustan Resins & Terpenes, International Speciality Chemicals, Deqing Jiyuan Synthetic Resin.Request Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/21973
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 10:31:13

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The natural cotton extract included in the various cosmetic products does not contain any synthetic ingredients and are extracted from eco-friendly extraction methods that preserve its properties. Natural cotton extracts include various ingredients such as proteins, minerals and variety of essential oils that protect the skin against irritation and dehydration. Natural cotton extract is primarily used to nourish the skin and provides protection from oversensitive skin. The natural cotton extract is also used in various skincare products in order to protect sensitive skin and helps aids softness and suppleness.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1869 Natural Cotton Extract Market SegmentationGlobal natural cotton Extract Market is segmented on the basis of source, application and region. Based on the source from which natural cotton extract is extracted the natural cotton extract segmentation includes seed and flower. Of which, seed source sub-segment is expected to be the dominating segment over the forecast period followed by the flower natural cotton extract source owing to the high usage of cotton seed as a cotton extract source. On the basis of application natural cotton extract market is segmented into skincare and haircare sub segments. Of which skin care sub-segment is expected to be the leading segment in the coming five to six years due to the wide application of natural cotton extracts in the skincare products as it one of the active ingredient for the moisturizing function.Global natural cotton extract market is segmented on the basis of region into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Japan.Natural Cotton Extract Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global natural cotton extract market is anticipated to witness significant growth over the forecast period due to the wide application of natural cotton extract in the cosmetic products including haircare products and skincare products. Cosmetic products that include natural cotton extract are used for soothing and moisturizing the skin .Globally, among all regions, North America is expected to contribute highest market share, followed by Europe during the forecasted period. In North America, U.S. is the most dominating region that contributes the maximum revenue to the total natural cotton extract market. However other region including Asia Pacific is expected to show significant growth owing to rising health awareness among consumers related to the consumption of natural cotton extract.Natural Cotton Extract Market: DriversMajor factors that are expected to fuel market growth of the natural cotton extract market is various benefits associated with application of cosmetics containing natural cotton extract as it is the major ingredient for moisturizing and soothing skin. Major factor expected to restraint the market growth of the natural cotton extract is lack of awareness among consumers related to the benefits of use of cosmetics containing natural cotton extract.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1869 Natural Cotton Extract Market: Key PlayersMajor companies that operates in the natural cotton extract market are bioten, Centerchem Inc., ZIAJA Ltd. And others. Companies operating in natural cotton extract product market are primarily launching new varieties of natural Cotton extract based products in order to specific requirements of the consumers
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 09:40:27

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Polysorbate-80 (PS80), also known as tween 80 is a fatty acid esters of polyoxyethylene sorbitan. PS80 consist of a heterogeneous chemical structure distribution. PS80s are commonly used as non-ionic surfactants in the formulation of bio therapeutic products to prevent surface adsorption and stabilize protein against aggregation induced by stresses such as agitation and shear. It is widely used in food preparation, pharmaceuticals, and personal care and beauty products, such as cold creams, baby lotions, bath oils, and suntan lotions. Polysorbate80 is also used in ice cream preparation as it prevents the ice cream from melting rapidly. It is also used in formulating influenza vaccines.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1301 Polysorbate-80 Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe continuous rise in demand from the end use industry such as pharmaceuticals, food & beverages, personal care & cosmetics, plays a vital role in the growth of the global polysorbate market. Today the market is also experiencing a huge demands for the bio based products, which is also contributing to the growth of the global polysorbate market. Increasing awareness about the use of quality skin care products is a major driver for the industry.Polysorbate-80 is normally extracted from natural sources such as; turkey-red oil and coconut oil. Depletion of such natural resources might prove to be a major constraint for the market globally. Polysorbate-80 in some case has caused skin irritation and other minor skin disorders. These side effects could also act as a restraints in this market.Availability of cheap and synthetic substitutes, mainly in the form of borax & sodium borate could act as a potential threat for the market globally.Polysorbate-80 Market: SegmentationThe global polysorbate-80 market is broadly segmented on the basis of source, and application. On the basis of source, it is further be segmented into; plants source, animals source & synthetic source. Plant source is further bifurcated into palm, olive, bay tree, etc. Animal sources can be further segmented into cow fat, sheep fat, pig fat, etc.On the basis of application, the global polysorbate-80 market can be segmented into food & beverages, pharmaceuticals and personal care & cosmetics.Polysorbate-80 Market: Region Wise OutlookGeographically, the polysorbate-80 market is segmented into seven regions which are; North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Japan.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1301 Polysorbate-80 Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players across the value chain dominating this market are; Lotion crafter LLC, Croda International plc, Mohini Organics Pvt. Ltd., Huyze Bladelin, Solenis, Croda International, Camden-grey Essential Oils, Mohini Organics Pvt. Ltd., M S Mehta & Co, Shine-Sarod Nigeria Limited, Chimi Gostaran Saba ( C. G. S. ), Reachin Chemical Co., Ltd. Guangzhou Runhua Food Additive Co., Ltd, Wmc marketing, Gulf Care Factory, and Mukasa Distributors Ltd.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 10:13:13

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Currently, greek yogurt is one of the most popular dairy products across the globe. Since greek yogurt is prepared through the straining process in order to separate the yogurt from the excess watery whey, it is also known as strained yogurt. The straining process makes the yogurt much thicker and creamier as compared to the regular or traditional yogurt. Greek yogurt contributes significantly to the growth of the global yogurt market. This is mainly attributed to its benefits such as higher protein and lower carbohydrates value as compare to traditional yogurt. Presently, greek yogurt is the highest growing product category among others including regular yogurt and yogurt drinks and second holds largest market share in terms of revenue, after traditional yogurt in the overall yogurt market. Demand for greek yogurt market is expected to increase in the next five to six forecast years owing to increasing lunch of new product with variety of flavours such as blueberry, vanilla, honey, chocolate and others.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1308 Global Greek Yogurt Market Segmentation:On the basis of product type, the global greek yogurt market is segmented into regular greek yogurt and non-fat greek yogurt, which is made from skim milk. Owing to increase the consumption of fat free and healthy products, non-fat greek yogurt products are gaining increasing popularity among the consumers.On the basis of distribution channel, the global greek yogurt market is segmented into supermarket/ hypermarket, grocery stores, convenience stores, and online retailing. In terms of revenue contribution, supermarket / hypermarket is expected to hold the highest share among all the other segments. However, online retail for global greek yogurt market witnesses steady growth in the forecasted years. This is attributed to increasing visibility of greek yogurt especially through online retailing.Geographically, global greek yogurt market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, and Middle East and Africa (MEA). North America and Western Europe are the two most lucrative market for greek yogurt in the world. In North America around half of the yogurt sold is greek yogurt.Global Greek Yogurt Market Dynamics:Increase in health consciousness among consumer has led to shift in eating preference towards healthy and nutrition food products. Availability of high nutritional value, which includes high protein, probiotics, vitamin such as vitamin D, B12, minerals such as potassium, iodine and calcium in greek yogurt is key factor that has led to increased adoption of greek yogurt among consumers and thus, fuelling the global greek yogurt market growth.Increasing application of greek yogurt is another growth driver for greek yogurt market since it is used for various medium in different countries. For instance, in Mediterranean region greek yogurt is mainly used as savoury but in the US, Mexico and Canada it is used as sweet snack with added fruits and flavours. Greek yogurt is also used in making many sauces for instance beef and lamb sauces. Greek yogurt is also used as a substitute products, for instance it is used as a substitute product for sour cream, cream cheese and butter. Thus, increasing its application among food products.Among dairy products, greek yogurt is a good option for the consumers who have slight lactose intolerance, since in the production process much of the lactose is removed from the greek yogurt. This leads to drive the scope of greek yogurt among such consumers globally. However, high lactose intolerance is restrain for adoption of greek yogurt, thus restricting the market growth. There is a high opportunity to expand and increase the revenue for greek yogurt in the Asia Pacific excluding japan and Middle East countries.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1308 Global Greek Yogurt Market Key Players:Some of the key players operating in the global greek yogurt market are Chobani LLC, Stonyfield Farm, Inc, FAGE International S.A., GROUPE DANONE, and General Mills, Inc. Owing to have strong distribution and marketing strategies companies are able to meet the increasing demand for global greek yogurt.
Paraffins Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 09:30:28

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# 539 Words

CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead8009610353

Chlorinated Paraffins are straight chain hydrocarbons which have been chlorinated. These are classified according to their carbon chain length coupled with the percentage of chlorination. The carbon chain length generally ranges from C10 to C30 and chlorination is done from 35% to greater than 70% by weight, respectively. Chlorinated paraffins are obtained by chlorinating paraffin fractions received from petroleum distillation. These are primarily used as lubricants and coolants in metal forming and cutting industries. Chlorinated paraffin offers a wide range of advantages, such as low-temperature strength and flame retardancy as well high flexibility of materials. Chlorinated paraffins are mostly used as high pressure additives in metal working lubricants. Chlorinated paraffin also improve water and chemical resistance. Thus, they are very commonly used in marine paints, vessels, industrial flooring and swimming pools. The demand for long and medium chain chlorinated paraffins in many applications, such as additives and metal working fluids, is relatively high. However, in some regions, governments have restricted the use of short chain chlorinated paraffin, owing to which many manufacturing companies are likely to shift their bases from developed regions to the Asia Pacific region in the near future. This is mainly due to the absence of stringent government regulations related to chlorinated paraffins in this region.Rising PVC and metal working industry combined with the growth in the aerospace and industrial sector will support the growth of the global chlorinated paraffin market. Moreover, growing automotive sector is also anticipated to fuel the demand for chlorinated paraffin in near future. However, certain stringent regulations which are restricting the use of short-chain chlorinated paraffin in many regions, such as North America, Europe etc., are expected to hinder market growth in near future. Additionally, availability of alternative products is also expected to hamper the growth of the chlorinated paraffins market during the forecast period.In North America, chlorinated paraffins have received a bit of consideration from the U.S authorities in the past. However, EPA has placed short chain chlorinated paraffins in a short list of troublesome chemicals that the agency might regulate owing to the risks they pose to the wildlife and environment. Moreover, many governments in the Europe have already restricted the use of short chain chlorinated paraffin. A shift of manufacturing units from developed regions to Asia Pacific region is expected in near future. This is mainly due to the absence of stringent regulations related to chlorinated paraffins in this region. Therefore, the manufacturing of chlorinated paraffin is expected to grow in China and also in India. Additionally, Asia-Pacific and North America, collectively, are expected to hold majority shares in the total chlorinated paraffin market and the trend is anticipated to continue, specifically in developing economics, namely India and China. Moreover, the growth of the lubricating sector in Asia Pacific is the main reason responsible for the growth of the market in this region.Names of some of the market participants involved in the manufacturing of chlorinated paraffins are mentioned below: INOVYN, Caffaro Industrie S.p.A., Ajinomoto Fine-Techno, JSC Kaustik, Altair Chimica SpA, INEOS Chlor, Quimica del Cinca, S.A., Handy Chemical Corporation Ltd., LEUNA-Tenside GmbH, Dover Chemical Corporation, Aditya Birla Chemicals., Flow Tech Group of Industries, Makwell Group.Request Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/21961
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 04:01:01

Global Canopy adds new tools and guidance to the Soft Commodity Risk Platform (SCRIPT), produced in partnership with WWF, to help regional banks better manage sustainability risks for commodities such as palm oil, soy, cattle and seafood.

Progress on cattle and soy: A quarter of 24 Latin American banks assessed now have a specific policy to govern lending to companies in the cattle sector, and two have specific lending policies applicable to companies in the soy sector.

of 24 Latin American banks assessed now have a specific policy to govern lending to companies in the cattle sector, and have specific lending policies applicable to companies in the soy sector. SDG opportunity: The production of soft commodities such as palm oil, soy, cattle, and timber contribute up to 20% of carbon emissions linked to the loss of forests globally. Latin American banks are urged to adopt policies to ensure the sustainable production of soft commodities and capture the opportunity to align their portfolios with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The production of soft commodities such as palm oil, soy, cattle, and timber contribute up to 20% of carbon emissions linked to the loss of forests globally. Latin American banks are urged to adopt policies to ensure the sustainable production of soft commodities and capture the opportunity to align their portfolios with the Sustainable Development Goals. Policy sea change required: The policies of regional banks associated with soy and cattle companies are currently focused on meeting legal requirements, such as compliance with the Brazilian Forest Code. However only one bank encourages companies to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

Global Canopy: New Tools Provide Significant Opportunity for Latin American Banks to Underwrite Regional Food Security, Through Better Management of Soft Commodity Risks

Global Canopy

Mike Weber, ESG Communications

+44-(0)7932-577-755

mike@esgcomms.com

New research from Global Canopy, developed in partnership with WWF, has found that banks operating in Brazil and Paraguay stand to benefit from improving policies to manage the negative environmental and social impacts of soft commodities such as beef, soy, palm oil and timber production.

Soft commodity production is a major driver of tropical deforestation and contributes a significant portion of the 15-20% of carbon emissions linked to the loss of forests globally. If banks put in place safeguards to ensure the sustainable production of soft commodities they can capture the opportunity to align their portfolios with the Sustainable Development Goals and transition to a low carbon economy.

Research released today finds that 9 of 14 Brazilian banks (64%) explicitly state that their clients need to operate legally. However, there is room for improvement too, as only one bank encourages companies to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent, and none require companies to meet key labour standards.

Todays package of tools added to Global Canopys SCRIPT (the Soft Commodity Risk Platform), to help banks and investors analyse their exposure to risk in soft commodity supply chains include:

An updated Policy Benchmarking Tool to help banks assess the strength of their deforestation and seafood policies against 60 peers globally and regionally.

to help banks assess the strength of their deforestation and seafood policies against 60 peers globally and regionally. Materiality guidance to demonstrate the business risks facing companies operating unsustainably in seafood supply chains.

to demonstrate the business risks facing companies operating unsustainably in seafood supply chains. Corporate guidance and a briefing paper to set expectations for the boards of companies operating in seafood supply chains. The expectations are intended to foster more effective financial institution-to-company engagement around environmental and social impacts associated with aquaculture and fisheries.

Financial support for the project has come from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Tom Bregman, Senior Sustainable Finance Associate, Global Canopy said:

The banking sector in Latin America has a historic opportunity to underwrite regional food security and reap the multi-trillion dollar benefits across its lending and investment portfolios. But first there is a real need to put in place policies that properly assess the environmental and social risks of those they finance. Every year, over nine million hectares of tropical forests are cleared to make way for the production of soft commodities such as palm oil, soy, cattle, and timber. And more than 30% of the world's fisheries have been pushed beyond their biological limits.

Raj Kundra, Vice President, International Finance, World Wildlife Fund:

While there are encouraging signs that regional banks are starting to act in areas such as labour rights or palm oil, there is still a long way to go. The majority of banks assessed do not have adequate seafood and soft commodity policies to seize the opportunity of financing the food security of tomorrow. Thats why todays tool and guidance is so important. They help provide a platform to bridge the capacity gap, enabling banks to develop meaningful policies that help manage supply chain risks and opportunities.

For more information see www.script.finance

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107005

New tools on SCRIPT platform provide significant opportunity for local banks to underwrite regional food security through better management of soft commodity risks
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 15:03:48

SUDBURY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Frontier Lithium Inc. (TSX-V: FL) (the "Company") announces the closing of a non-brokered Flow Through private placement offering for a total of 2,622,619 units ("Units") of the Company priced at $0.42 per Unit, for total gross proceeds of $1,101,500. The Flow Through private placement was oversubscribed from the initial offering by $601,500, issuing an additional 1,432,143 common shares of the Company. Each Unit consists of one (1) Common Share of the Company and one-half () share purchase warrant (the "Warrant"). Each full Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one (1) additional common share of Frontier Lithium at an exercise price of $0.50 for a period of thirty (30) months from the date of issuance.In connection with the CDN $1,101,500 Offering, the Company issued finder's fees of CDN $61,578 and 146,614 finder warrants. Each finder option will be exercisable at a price of $0.48 into one common share for a period of thirty (30) months from the date of issuance.All of the shares issued pursuant to the Flow Through private placement are subject to a minimum 4-month hold period. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance exploration of Frontier's 100% owned PAK Lithium Project located in northwestern Ontario.About Frontier Lithium Inc.Frontier Lithium is a Canadian junior mining company and have the largest land position in the Electric Avenue, a newly emerging premium lithium-metal district hosted in the Canadian Shield of northwestern Ontario. Frontier is implementing a phased approach to development for becoming a producer of technical grade lithium concentrates required to produce premium glass/ceramics as well as supplying a by-product of chemical grade concentrates for the production of lithium hydroxide required for the burgeoning lithium battery industry.Frontier's goal is to become a low-cost, fully integrated lithium producer through development of the PAK lithium deposit in Ontario, Canada. Frontier maintains a tight share structure with management ownership exceeding 30% of the Company. The deposit boasts its lithium in a rare, high-purity, low-iron spodumene and is analogous to the Greenbushes' Deposit in SW Australia, which supplies approximately 40% of the world's lithium demands. Frontier has recently discovered a new LCT Pegmatite showing that called the Spark showing, which at surface has displayed a channel cut with similar grade and composition to PAK Lithium Deposit. The surface exposure is 3 times larger than the PAK pegmatite which widths greater than 100m and a strike length of more than 300m. The showing is the focus of project exploration as it appears that it is the easiest way to increase resource tonnage on the property. Currently the company is awaiting results of an additional 200m of channels.Ceramic/glass customers prefer to source technical-grade (low-iron) spodumene concentrate in excess of 7% lithium oxide (Li2O), if available, to avoid inferior lower grade petalite concentrates, or paying much higher prices for battery grade lithium compounds.The PAK lithium deposit remains open in all directions and Company Management is working towards developing a viable operation. The Company has completed a pre-feasibility study to assess the economic viability and technical feasibility of producing lithium concentrates.About the PAK Lithium ProjectThe PAK Lithium Project lies close to the boundary between two geological sub-provinces of the western Superior geologic province in northwestern Ontario and hosts a rare metals pegmatite deposit. The deposit is an LCT (lithium- cesium- tantalum) type pegmatite. These types of pegmatites have been the principal source of hard rock lithium, tantalum, rubidium and cesium ores mined in the world but there are comparatively few commercially-viable deposits.Frontier is actively exploring its 100% owned project which contains the Pakeagama Lake pegmatite. The PAK deposit has a current Measured and Indicated Resource of 7.5 million tonnes of 2.02% Li2O and an Inferred Lithium Resource of 1.8 million tonnes of 2.10% Li2O which has a technical/ceramic grade spodumene with low inherent iron (below 0.1% Fe2O3).The deposit now has a known 500m strike length with an estimated true width varying from 10m to 125m with a sub-vertical orientation. The resource remains open to depth and along strike to the northwest and southeast.Company Contact InformationBora UgurgelManager, Investor Relations2736 Belisle Drive Val Caron, ON. P3N 1B3 CANADAT. +001 705.897.7622F. +001 705.897.7618Additional information regarding Frontier Lithium is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile and on its website at www.frontierlithium.com , including various pictures of ongoing work at the project.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: Frontier Lithium Inc.
Persistence Market Research (PMR)

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 08:37:20

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Ferrochromium, also known as Ferrochrome, is an alloy of iron and chromium containing 50 to 70% of chromium. It is produced by electric arc melting of chromium ore and chromite. Ferrochromium is consumed extensively in the manufacturing of steel to achieve the qualities such as corrosion resistance, tensile strength, heat resistance and yield strength. The global ferrochromium market is anticipated to be in deficit to cater the increasing global steel market in near future. Ferrochromium is mostly produced in India, China, South Africa and Kazakhstan because of large chromite resources found in these countries. The global ferrochromium market is witnessing a modest single digit CAGR growth up till now and is expected to continue in future.Ferrochromium is having its maximum share of consumption in steel industry and due to the ever increasing construction and demand of steel the global ferrochromium market is forecasted to flourish. In order to get a continuous supply of raw material for ferrochrome, China has established its operations in the countries like Turkey, South Africa, Philippines and Zimbabwe which would boost the global ferrochromium market in future. Due to the favourable conditions like lower electricity price and lower labour cost in upcoming markets like China, the production cost reduces comparatively. This will boost the production of ferrochrome to suffice its increasing demand and will contribute in global ferrochromium market.The global ferrochromium market can get hampered because of the increase in the export tax and fixed export quotas imposed by South Africa on chrome ore, owing to the concern of losing ferrochromium market to China. South Africa is having a significant market share in global ferrochromium market but there are concerns of power supply and higher production cost which would lead to the closure of small competitors and is estimated to slowdown the global ferrochromium market.Request Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/10046 Based on the carbon percentage, the global ferrochromium market is segmented as -Extra low carbon ferrochromium powderLow carbon ferrochromium powderHigh carbon ferrochromium powderExtra high carbon ferrochromium powderBased in the available form, the global ferrochromium market is segmented as Ferrochromium slagFerrochromium powderBased on the application, the global ferrochromium market is segmented as Ball bearing steelsAcid resistant steelsCast ironsPowder metallurgyOthers (civil engineering, refractory materials)The global ferrochromium market can be divided into five regions, namely North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific is having the maximum market share in global ferrochromium market, China and India are the countries having an excellent steel market, so these countries are significant in the consumption of ferrochrome. China is expanding its capacity to import chrome ore for the production of ferrochrome from the countries like South Africa, Turkey, Zimbabwe. Middle East and Africa are also marking a significant growth in the global ferrochromium market, Especially South Africa is having plenty of chromite resources for the production of ferrochrome. Europe is an emerging market in the field of ferrochrome and is anticipated to have a considerable market in future due to the flourishing automobile sector in the region. North America and Latin America is at a nascent stage in the global ferrochromium market.Visit For TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/10046 Some of the key players in global ferrochromium market are, Nava Bharat Ventures Limited, VISA STEEL, Balasore Alloys Limited, Aarti Steels Ltd, SR Group, Vyankatesh Metals & Alloys Pvt. Ltd
Some of the major vendors operating in the global external pacemakers market are Medtronic, OSCOR Inc, OSYPKA AG, Boston Scientific Corporation, Fluke, Shree Pacetronix Ltd., Abbott, Avery Biomedical Devices, Inc., St. Jude Medical, and others.

Future Market Insights

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 14:15:10

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# 839 Words

Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

An external pacemaker is an artificial device intended to regulate the electrical conduction system of the heart by generating an electrical impulses delivered by electrodes placed on the patients chest. The regulation of the electrical conduction system of the heart results in maintaining an adequate heart rate in cases, where the heart's natural pacemaker is irregular, or there is a block in the heart's electrical conductive system due to cardiopathies. The primary indication of transcutaneous pacing is irregular beating of the heart (bradycardia). The external pacemakers are indicated for short-term demand pacing for therapeutic, prophylactic, or diagnostic purposes. External pacing should not be used for extended periods and serves as an emergency procedure until permanent implantable pacers are employed or the condition is mitigated using drug treatment.External Pacemakers Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growing demand generated due to increasing incidence of bradycardias owing to cardiopathies such as myocardial infarction, sinus node dysfunction and complete heart block are the prime clinical drivers of the external pacemakers market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7708 According to the center for disease control and prevention, about 610,000 U.S. citizens die of heart disease each year with more than half of the deaths due to heart disease are in men. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the major heart disease, resulting in over 370,000 deaths each year. The statistics also point to the fact that about 735,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. Speaking in economic terms , heart disease costs about $200 billion each year to the U.S. exchequer, which includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity. Thus a large external pacemakers market is well evident even to an untrained eye.The demographic drivers of the external pacemakers market include growing geriatric population, sedentary lifestyles, obesity, substance abuse, fatty food and others. The growing incidence of diseases such as diabetes, and hypertension indirectly aid the market growth as they result in greater risk of developing cardiopathies. According to the center for disease control and prevention, approximately 75 million Americans representing 32 % of the population suffer from hypertension.Technological advancements resulting in product development such as the development of demand external pacemaker, which activates only when it senses inadequate heart rhythms and thereby avoids competition with the hearts own natural pacemaker is driving a faster external pacemakers market adoption. Technological gains represent a significant market opportunity as they are expected to generate high impact on patient care. Technologies such as remote wireless remote monitoring systems, advanced data analysis and recording resulting in plethora of information on patient health and device status is expected to result in growing functionality and market adoption. miniaturization is another trend, which is expected to boost the external pacemakers market growth.However, the high cost of external pacemakers, competition from drug therapy, scarcity of trained manpower, the lower per capita income of the developing world is hampering the external pacemakers market.External Pacemakers Market: SegmentationTo gain a birds eye view of the global external pacemakers market, the report is segmented on the basis of pacing type, modality, distribution channels and region.Based on the pacing type, the global external pacemakers market can be segmented as,Esophageal pacingTranscutaneous pacingTransvenous pacingEpicardial pacingBased on the modality, the global external pacemakers market can be segmented as,Single chamberDual chamberBased on the end users, the global external pacemakers market can be segmented as,HospitalsClinicsExternal Pacemakers Market: OverviewThe global market for external pacemakers is expected to charge owing to lowering of stringency of regulations. The U.S. The FDA has issued a proposal to lower the risk classification for external pacemaker pulse generators from Class III to Class II. However validation of effectiveness remains a prime criteria for market approval.External pacemakers Market: Regional Wise OutlookThe global external pacemakers market can be classified into the following region: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America, led by the U.S., is expected to account for the largest share in the global external pacemakers market, owing to the large demand, large healthcare expenditure, and large per capita income in the region.The Asia Pacific external pacemakers market excluding Japan is projected to expand and dominate the scene in the near future, owing to the growing healthcare and large specialty hospitals.China and India are anticipated to account for the major share of the Asia Pacific external pacemakers market growth. Germany, France and the U.K., are projected to be the largest drivers of the Europe external pacemakers market. The Middle East and Africa External pacemakers market is anticipated to be dominated by the gulf economies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7708 External Pacemakers Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the major vendors operating in the global external pacemakers market are Medtronic, OSCOR Inc, OSYPKA AG, Boston Scientific Corporation, Fluke, Shree Pacetronix Ltd., Abbott, Avery Biomedical Devices, Inc., St. Jude Medical, and others.
Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 11:59:12

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# 598 Words

CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesT: +1-646-568-7751Tollfree: +1 800-961-0353Team Lead8999655266

The global dicamba market features the prominence of a handful of companies that hold majority market shares. Increasing production, focus on expanding presence in the global crop protection market, and launch of advanced dicamba formulations are the focus of top companies in the global dicamba market. In addition, enhancing the product portfolio and investments for new production facilities are some of the growth strategies that leading companies in the market have resorted to.Key names in the global dicamba market include BASF SE, E.l.du Pont de Nemours & Company, The Dow Chemical Company, Nufarm Limited, Gharda Chemicals Limited, Monsanto Company, Syngenta AG, and Albaugh LLC. The global dicamba market stood at a valuation of US$ 337.8 Mn in 2017. Expanding at a CAGR of 7.9% for the forecast period between 2017 and 2021, the market is predicted to be worth US$ 457.3 Mn by the end of 2021.Agriculture to Continue to Remain an Attractive Application Area for DicambaThe global dicamba market is segmented on the basis of application and geography. In terms of application, the dicamba market is segregated into agriculture, lawn & turf, and others. Of these, agriculture is the leading application segment mainly because of increasing adoption of herbicides such as dicamba to control the growth of weeds in agricultural farms. Damages caused by weeds account for heavy loss of agriculture production. In the years ahead too, the agriculture application segment is likely to maintain its dominance due to increasing adoption of dicamba to control the growth of weeds in agricultural land. In terms of growth rate, the lawn & turf segment is anticipated to be attractive over the forecast period.Request to Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4552 Growing Agricultural Exports from Latin America to Bode Well for the Global Dicamba MarketGeographically, the global dicamba market is classified into five key regions namely North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa. Europe has been the leading regional market for dicamba in the recent past. In 2015, the region held the leading share of 28.8% in the overall market. The Europe dicamba market is likely to be a significant regional market over the forecast period. The growth of this region is mainly because of steady demand for dicamba from EU5 countries that account for a major chunk of dicamba in the region. The region was closely followed by North America and Asia Pacific.North America is anticipated to register the leading growth rate in the upcoming years. The region is expected to emerge as the most lucrative market for dicamba in the near future. In North America, glyphosate is extensively used as an herbicide. However, emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds has necessitated farmers to adopt alternative herbicides such as dicamba. In addition, glyphosate has also been identified with carcinogenic characteristics by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. This is translating into growth for the North America dicamba market.Latin America is predicted to register the second highest growth rate in terms of value and volume over the forecast period. In the recent past, the region witnessed steady growth of the herbicide market. Growing exports of agricultural produce from countries such as Brazil and Argentina have made it imperative for farmers to use crop protection herbicides to keep weeds at bay. The Middle East and Africa on the other hand is predicted to display a relatively slower growth rate over the forecast period.Request Report TOC @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/4552 It can be summarized that the growing adoption of dicamba to control weeds growth that leads to loss of agricultural produce is predominantly driving the global dicamba market.
Some of the key players found across the value chain of DNA Chromatography Chips market are Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Promega Corporation, Takara Bio Inc., Merck KGaA, and others.

Future Market Insights

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 14:13:58

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# 694 Words

Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

DNA chromatography chips are used to monitor transcriptional regulation through transcription factor or histone modification i.e. epigenetics. DNA chromatography chips analyzed the DNAprotein interactions in living cells by treating the cells with formaldehyde. DNA chromatography chips require the understanding of DNA sequence and a target protein. The PCR primer of DNA chromatography chips responsible for the specific amplification and also the detection of the targeted DNA sequence. In target DNA sequence direct sequencing of the DNA captured by the immunoprecipitated protein. The ability to profile a promoter for different proteins is the key strength of DNA chromatography chips. On other hands, difficulty to adapt for high-throughput screening is the limitation of DNA chromatography chips. The DNA chromatography chips provide researcher an analysis of antibody against the protein of interest.DNA Chromatography Chips Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe primary factor driving the growth of DNA Chromatography Chips market is rising incidences of cancer and the rising number of research and development by the leading contract research manufacturer. Increasing demand for personalized medicine for the treatment of chronic disease is also expected to fuel the demand of DNA chromatography chips market over the forecast period. The upsurge in the funding by government for the research and development to develop the more efficient drugs for the treatment of chronic disease is expected to propel the growth of DNA chromatography chips market over the next decade. On other hands, few limitations associated with the DNA chromatography chips may responsible for the sluggish growth of DNA chromatography chips market. Also, lack of adoption of life science research in under developing economies is may hamper the growth of the DNA chromatography chips market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7691 DNA Chromatography Chips Market: SegmentationThe global DNA Chromatography Chips market is classified on the basis of product type, end user, and region.Based on array type DNA Chromatography Chips market is segmented into following:Chemical ArrayBiochemical ArrayBased on application DNA Chromatography Chips market is segmented into followingDrug Discovery & DevelopmentBasic ResearchToxicity ScreeningBiopharmaceutical ProductionDrug ScreeningOthersBased on end user DNA Chromatography Chips market is segmented into following:Biopharmaceutical CompaniesContract Research OrganizationsAcademic & Research InstitutesOthersDNA Chromatography Chips Market: Market OverviewThe global DNA chromatography chips market is expected to show significant growth over the forecast period due to the rise in funding for the development of novel drugs. The array type biochemical array is being more preferred by the researcher hence, biochemical array segment by array type for global DNA chromatography chips market is expected to dominate the market in term of value. By application drug discovery and development and biopharmaceutical segment collectively gain maximum market share for DNA chromatography chips market in term of value. Among all end user, biopharmaceutical companies are expected to be the most lucrative segment for DNA chromatography chips market while contract research organization is projected to grow at the faster rate for DNA chromatography chips market over the forecast period.DNA Chromatography Chips Market: Regional OverviewOn the basis of geography, DNA Chromatography Chips market is classified into eight key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, APECJ, China, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to dominate the global DNA Chromatography Chips market due to the rise in research and development for the development of novel drugs. After North America DNA Chromatography Chips market is then followed by Europe due to rising incidences of chronic disease in this region. APEC and China is the fastest growing region for global DNA Chromatography Chips market owing to rising number of contract research organization in this region. Latin America and Middle East and Africa is the least lucrative region for DNA Chromatography Chips market due to lack of funding by the government for the development of novel drugs in this region.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7691 DNA Chromatography Chips Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players found across the value chain of DNA Chromatography Chips market are Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Promega Corporation, Takara Bio Inc., Merck KGaA, and others.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 18:25:06

Digital forensic comprises integration of computer science with laws that are needed for the purpose of investigation of crime. It comprises complete recovery and then interpretation of data that is present in various digital devices to be presented in the courts of law and mostly involves various cyber-crimes. Investigation in digital forensics is carried out in three different stages which include display acquisition, investigation and analysis together with reporting of crime.Report For Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114870/Digital-Forensics-Market In accordance with the research report on the world market for Digital Forensics by Research Report Insights (RRI), it has been anticipated that strong growth would prevail in the said market. The world market for digital forensics market stood at a valuation of around US$ 2.87 bn in the year 2016 and is estimated to be worth around US$ 6.65 bn by the year 2025, thereby rising at a CAGR of 9.7% from 2017 and 2025.North America is forecasted to Continue with Regional Supremacy over the Period of ForecastThe world market for digital forensics has been regionally segmented into the geographies of South America, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Europe. The region of North America is quite likely to continue with market dominance in the international market for digital forensics. North America is expected to be trailed by Europe as it stood as a major regional segment of the said market. Asia Pacific accounts for a substantial revenue in the world market for digital forensics. The growing trend of internet of things technology and cloud based solutions in many of these regions is acting as the major growth driver in these geographies.Increased Growth of Cloud Services to Encourage Growth of the MarketOwing to the rampant growth of cloud devices and services with in-built facilities of Internet-of-Things, cyber criminals have undue advantage of dealing with leaking of customer information. Such characteristics might augment the risk of viruses and malwares thereby making computer systems prone to hacking.Another reason for the improvement of the said market is the possible tracing of hacking activities to their source. These activities are traced by forensic agencies by making use of the right forensic methods. Thus, such evidence-based investigation for the purpose of recovery of information has been a prime factor for the rise of the market for digital forensics. The rise in demand for digital solutions and forensics tools is also fueled owing to the fact that multiple channels are utilized for the purpose of hacking confidential information from various organizations and companies.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114870/Digital-Forensics-Market A few of the crucial companies in the digital forensics market comprise LogRhythm Inc., IBM Corporation, Paraben Corporation, AccessData Group LLC, FireEye Inc., Micro Systemation, Binary Intelligence LLC, Guidance Software Inc., CISCO, and AB, NUIX amongst many others.For the study the market has been segmented as follows:Global Digital Forensics Market SegmentationBy TypeComputer ForensicsNetwork ForensicsCloud ForensicsMobile Device ForensicsDatabase ForensicsOthersBy ApplicationHealth CareEducationBanking, financial services and insurance (BFSI)Defense and AerospaceLaw EnforcementTransportation and LogisticsInformation TechnologyOthersBy RegionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle East and AfricaLatin AmericaReport Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114870/Digital-Forensics-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 11:45:50

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U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

The most common dental disorder is the decaying of the tooth. Some tooth decays include damage of the dental hard tissue (dentin and enamel), loss of cavity and the calcium. The decayed tooth has no self-repair capacity which leads to dental restorative procedures. According to the American Dental Association, approximately 18.7% of the children in US experience evident tooth decay. Dental etching liquids are highly used for these dental restorative procedures. Enamel is the highest mineralized tissue of the body that has 98% of mineral content versus 70% for bone. Dental etching is the preparation of tooths natural enamel or dentin by using an acidic substance for application as an adhesive. The common type of dental etching liquid includes 35% phosphoric acid but others range from 30-50%. Dental etching liquid allows the enamels surface to be transformed into an irregular, rough and jagged structure at a microscopic level. Dental etching liquids are able to seep in all the gaps and corners of the tooths etched surface.Dental Etching Liquids Market: Drivers and Restraints- Increasing incidence of tooth decays and other dental restorative procedures are the major factors contributing to the market growth for dental etching liquids over the forecast period. Rise in the geriatric population, improved healthcare expenditure and lifestyle, growing awareness on dental health and improvement in dental care facilities might contribute to be the significant factors for driving growth of the market over the forecast period. However, dental procedures are expensive and government reimbursements are not economic enough. High pricing of the procedures might hinder the growth for the dental etching liquids market over the forecast period. Low economy countries still lack proper healthcare infrastructure and there is minimal awareness on dental health. Dental etching gels are preferred over dental etching liquids due to efficient handling. This might also hamper the growth for dental etching liquids market over the forecast period.Dental Etching Liquids Market: Segmentation : Tentatively, Dental Etching LiquidsMarket has been segmented on the basis of product type, end users and geography. On the basis of Product type, Dental Etching Liquids Market can be segmented as: Dental Etching Liquids with syringes, Dental Etching Liquids without syringes, On the basis of end users, Dental Etching Liquids Market can be segmented as: Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Hospitals, Dental Clinics, Others On the basis of geography, Dental Etching Liquids Market can be segmented as: North- America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China & Japan, China, Japan, Middle East and Africa, Latin AmericaDental Etching Liquids Market: Overview : Global Dental Etching Liquids market is expected to grow significantly owing it to the increase in incidence of dental related ailments requiring dental fillings and other dental restorative procedures. By the product segment for dental etching liquids, dental etching liquids with syringes are expected to grow at a decent rate owing it to better feasibility and easy injection of the liquid to the required area. Refills are also available for dental etching liquids with syringes. By the end user segment for dental etching liquids, dental facilities like dental hospitals and dental clinics are expected to experience a robust growth over the forecast period owing it to large number of dental facilities available with increase in number of dental specialized people performing dental restorative procedures.Dental Etching Liquids Market: Region-wise Outlook : Geography wise, Dental Etching Liquids market is divided into eight regions viz. North-America, Asia- Pacific excluding China & Japan, China, Japan, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Middle-East & Africa. North Americas Dental Etching Liquids market is expanding because of increase in cases of tooth decay and growing number of dental hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities. Healthcare expenditure is good in the region and this will contribute to the growth of dental etching market over the forecast period. Asia-Pacific market for dental etching liquids is also expected to grow at a moderate rate owing it to the increase awareness about dental health and improving lifestyle. Improving government funding and reimbursements for dental procedures will also contribute to the growth of dental etching liquids market during the forecast period.Dental Etching Liquids Market: Key Market Participants : Some of the market participants in the Global Dental Etching Liquids market identified across the value chain include:Reliance Orthodontic Products, DENTSPLY International, 3M, Kerr, Dentsply Sirona, Deodirect, DENPRO, Matrix Dental Services Pty Ltd, ZEST Anchors LLC., Dentonics, Inc., Dental Tribune International and Ivoclar Vivadent AG.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7527
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Data Discovery Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027" report to their offering.

Data Discovery Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 10:38:06

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U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

During the last decade, Technologies have evolved rapidly and huge volume of data about the customers is collected daily which can be transformed to useful information by using correct set of data discovery tools. The data discovery tools are a subsidiary of the business intelligence tools, which can provide the users with the possibility of building queries and finding the answers to these spontaneous queries. The data discovery tools need to handle the full range of use cases from data profiling to delivery of actionable insights efficiently and cost effectively. Data discovery tools are also used to gain predictive insights into the data rather than using just for explorative purposes.As the data discovery market evolves to maturity the vendors had to provide tools which are more agile and faster cycle iterations to provide insights. It is no longer sufficient for the data discovery Vendors to provide quality services and producing quality tools but they also need to adapt the new economic needs for the organizations and the customer needs. The also a need for the global data discovery market vendors to cater for the needs of small, niche business.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2743 Market drivers & challenges:The major market driver for the global data discovery market is big data. As the volume of data generated is huge traditional data discovery methods are obsolete. The large amount of data that exists in different formats must be processed efficiently for gaining valuable insights by using advanced data discovery software tools.The other driver which drives the market for global data discovery market was the need for Real-time analytics. The shift toward need for the real-time analytics has created a demand for data discovery software tools. These demand are met by data discovery tools that are faster, automated and adaptive.The increase in demand for organisations to use agile analytics and agile business intelligence (BI) in order to turn data into value is also a major driver for global data discovery market. Data scientists and BI teams need to perform data discovery processes often by adopting more agile and iterative methods in order to turn data into business value.The major challenge for the data discovery market was some of the data discovery tools are time-consuming to set up and were limited in applications. Some data discovery tools are also harder to use than expected.Global Data Discovery Market: SegmentationGlobal Data Discovery Market is segmented based on the platform, deployment type, vertical and region.On basis of platform global Data Discovery Market can be segmented to desktop, web and mobile.On basis of deployment global Data Discovery Market can be segmented to On-premise and cloudOn the basis of vertical global Data Discovery Market is segmented into BFSI, retail, telecom, healthcare, energy, education, automobile, public sector and others.On basis of region, global Data Discovery Market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).Market Overview:North America region is dominant in Data Discovery Market due to growing demand from large enterprises and big data companies in North America and followed by Western Europe during the period. Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at a faster rate during the forecast period.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2743 Key Market Players:Some of the Key players in Data Discovery Market include QlikTech International AB, TABLEAU SOFTWARE, Microsoft Corporation, Alteryx, Inc., MicroStrategy Inc., Logi Analytics, ClearStory Data, TIBCO Software Inc., SAS Institute Inc. and Pentaho Corporation.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 17:34:40

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Market published by Research Report Insights (RRI), forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $93450 Million by 2024, registering a CAGR of 6.2% during the period 2016 - 2024.The industrial machinery sector is expected to dominate the global CNC market during the assessment period. Europe is expected to be the leading contributor to the global revenue during the forecast period.Report For Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114912/Computer-Numerical-Controls-Market Evolution of Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning technology has led to development of applications that notify the status of a machine to operators/supervisors on their PCs or smartphones. Various government initiatives, for instance, Make in India by the Indian government and Made in China 2025 by the Chinese government, support the establishment of manufacturing units in their respective nations.Automation Boosts Markets GrowthRising concerns about reducing operational costs are being witnessed in several industrial sectors, consequently demanding large-scale automation. Such demands for automating various industrial processes is primarily driving the global computer numerical controls (CNC) market. This mainly because of reduction in overall manufacturing time and decreasing chances or human error to occur by using the CNC machines, consequently making them highly preferred.Rising environmental concerns regarding reduction of industrial carbon footprint has led towards computer numerical controllers being increasingly used in place of manually operating machines. Doing this has resulted into improved efficiency being achieved by businesses working in the industrial domain, thereby being beneficial to the global computer controls (CNC) market.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114912/Computer-Numerical-Controls-Market CNC machines are used in automotive, aerospace and defense, power and energy, construction equipment, industrial, and several other sectors. Increasing efforts to cut down on expenses incurred in employing operators for individual machinery are expected to augment the CNC machines market over the forecast period.Major Key PlayersSeveral market key players are adopting different strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations for technologies and new product development. For instance, in 2016, Fanuc Corporation collaborated with Cisco (a player in the digitization market), Rockwell Automation (a player in the industrial automation market), and Preferred Networks (a player in the artificial intelligence solutions market) for the development and deployment of the FIELD system.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114912/Computer-Numerical-Controls-Market
Examples of some of the key players operating in the chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market are Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amgen Inc., PROTALEX, INC. among others.

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

The chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment is the most important treatment for those patient which are suffering from bleeding problem, the blood clotting process get slow or did not occurs in patient due to which major health issue can affect the body. The process of blood clotting is controlled by platelets or thrombocytes, the deficiency of platelets or thrombocytes in blood affect the patient during surgery or any major or minor damage in which blood is come out of the body or any internal bleeding. The platelets which is responsible for clotting is made in bone marrow along with other blood cells. The patient which are suffering from chronic immune thrombocytopenia is also known as purpura as the bruises appeared on skin. The small small bleeding spot are known as petechiae which resemble like a rash. The chronic immune thrombocytopenia which occurs mostly in adults and last more than 6 months but in some cases children also affect with chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Women has more probability then men for getting affected with chronic immune thrombocytopenia. The treatment for chronic immune thrombocytopenia is based on the platelet count of individual patients and intensity of bleeding. The chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment is done by medication, splenectomy and other methods which are much more effective than any other process of treatment.Chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe Chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market is expected to have significant growth, as the patient which suffer from chronic immune thrombocytopenia have to face many major health issue. The chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment is necessary to protect the patient from blood loss during surgery or in any major or minor accident. Chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment provide healthy lifestyle to the patient which are suffering from chronic immune thrombocytopenia and allow them to have normal lifestyle. The lack of awareness for diagnosis of chronic immune thrombocytopenia and high cost of treatment for chronic immune thrombocytopenia is the current hindrances for the current market of chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7689 Chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment Market: SegmentationThe global chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market can be segmented on the basis of Treatment Type, End Users and Regions.Based on Treatment Type, the global hronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market is segmented into:Drug Based TreatmentFostamatinib DrugsRomiplostim DrugsSplenectomy TreatmentOther TreatmentPlatelet Transfusions TreatmentTreating Infections TreatmentBased on End Users, the global chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market is segmented into:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgery CentreEmergency CentreOthersChronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment Market: OverviewChronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market is a growing market, as the demand for the treatment is increasing due to major health issue in patient. Research and development is going on at industry level to come up with various chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment which can reduce patient problems. In recent year many drugs has been approved by various regulatory organization for providing better treatment in various geographical regions.Chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America show major market share for chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment, as the major industries players are present with in the region. The reimbursement scenario also boos the overall market of chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment. Western and Eastern Europe show increasing growth rate for chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment, as the adaptation for treatment rate is increasing within the region. Asia Pacific excluding Japan is expected to show sluggish growth due to low medical infrastructures in various countries and lack of proper distribution channel for product availability in the countries. Japan is expected to have moderate growth due to steady growth of medical infrastructures and well management healthcare professional to handle chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment. Middle East and Africa is expected to have slow growth due to lack of awareness among healthcare professional and under develop medical infrastructures in various countries.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7689 Chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment Market: Key PlayersExamples of some of the key players operating in the chronic immune thrombocytopenia treatment market are Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amgen Inc., PROTALEX, INC. among others.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:35:33

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Future Market Insights 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: www.futuremarketinsights.commanager+1 03479183531

Chromium is a metal which was first discovered in the late 1790s in France, until 1958 it was not considered as an essential trace element but was considered in the 1960s. Chromium polynicotinate is a supplement made up of chromium and niacin. It is believed that niacin helps in the absorption of chromium. Chromium polynicotinate doesnt contain much niacin as excess of niacin can cause side effects. Chromium polynicotinate is taken by people those who want to lose body weight, increasing muscle, and decreasing fat content of the body. Chromium polynicotinate is also used by athlete to improve their performance and to increase energy. Several research studies has shown that chromium polynicotinate is useful in treating depression. It is suggested that chromium polynicotinate should not be consumed by patient suffering from liver or kidney disorder as it may cause some sort of allergic reaction to them.Market Segmentation:Chromium polynicotinateis segmented on the basis of form, distribution channel and region. On the basis of form market is segmented into liquid and capsule. Among all these segment capsule is expected to grow enormously in the coming future. The demand for Chromium polynicotinateis more due to the health benefits it offers as well as ease of availability of product in the market. On the basis of distribution channel the market is segmented into supermarkets/hypermarkets, convenience stores, medical stores and online stores. Online stores is expected to hold a relatively high share in the chromium polynicotinatemarket, followed by medical stores.On the basis of region chromium polynicotinatemarket is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, MEA and Japan.Request Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3068 Market Regional Outlook:Regional segment for the market of chromium polynicotinateis divided into seven different regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, MEA and Japan. Among these segment Asia Pacific is expected to have the major market share globally, as it is the largest producer and consumer of chromium polynicotinate country like China is generating the major revenue. In Europe region the major revenue is generated by the countries like Germany and Spain. In terms of revenue Europe may be the second prominent contributor in thechromium polynicotinatemarket.Market Drivers:Research studies has shown that people suffering from diabetes were able to improve their blood sugar levels when they were given chromium polynicotinate. Chromium polynicotinate basically improved the fasting glucose levels of people suffering Type 2 diabetes. Chromium polynicotinateexhibits some special properties such as, acts as anti-depressant, helps in controlling cholesterol and fats and helps in the metabolism of glucose which is essential to produce energy for the body. Chromium polynicotinate also helps in reducing obesity and building of muscles. These versatile properties of chromium polynicotinate is attracting the pharmaceutical companies a lot, which expected to drive the chromium polynicotinate market to a greater extent.Moreover , the market is also driven by the increasing awareness and curiosity among the consumers about the health benefits associated with chromium polynicotinate. Although side effects from chromium polynicotinate supplement are very less, but some of them do exist. People those who consumed chromium polynicotinate experienced dizziness, people experience weird dreams after they start taking chromium polynicotinate, studies have shown that chromium polynicotinate may cause Iron mal-absorption in some people and people experienced headache after quitting the intake of chromium polynicotinate. Apart from these side effects chromium polynicotinate do not cause any health problems. These factors mentioned above may be the restrain of the growing market of chromium polynicotinate.Buy This Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/3068 Market Key Players:Some of the key players in chromium polynicotinatemarket areBiotech Pharmacal, Inc., Olympian Labs, Solgar, Nature's Way,NOW Foods, Vital Nutrients,Puritan's Pride, Solal, Superior Labs, Inc., Olympian labs and Nutrafx among others.
Some of the key players found across the value chain of Cardiac Valvulotome market are B. Braun Melsungen AG, Pelegrina Medical, LeMaitre Vascular, Inc., Andramed GmbH, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Teleflex Incorporated, and others.

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PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 14:19:00

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Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Cardiac valvulotome is a self-centered and self-sizing device which is used for the cutting the vein valve. The cardiac valvulotome is used for the treatment of vascular disorder and more specifically to disrupt the valve of the vein. The self-centering feature of cardiac valvulotome help to keep hoops in the center of the vein while cutting the vein valve. Also due to this self-centering feature of cardiac valvulotome, cutting blades are adjusted to the internal diameter of the vein before processing to cut the vein valve. Modified cardiac valvulotome includes hydrophilic coatings and co-extruded sheath which provides higher lubricity to cardiac valvulotome. The fundamental characteristic of cardiac valvulotome are equivalent to the predicate device which are also used during the treatment of vascular disorder. The used of cardiac valvulotome for the treatment of vascular disorder has decreased the wound necrosis which has led to faster patient recovery. There are various advantages of cardiac valvulotome over the predicate device, which include enhanced trackability of cardiac valvulotome; cardiac valvulotome does not require fluoroscopy; cardiac valvulotome allows easier insertion into the distal saphenous vein.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7688 Cardiac Valvulotome Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe primary factor driving the growth of cardiac valvulotome market in the rising prevalence of vascular disorder throughout the globe. Moreover increasing adoption of people in developing countries for the vascular surgery is also supposed to boost the revenue growth of cardiac valvulotome market over the forecast period. Additionally, the focus of leading manufacturer of cardiac valvulotome to collaborate with distributors of developing countries to upsurge their revenue growth from cardiac valvulotome. Also, the rising awareness campaign by the non-governmental organization about the treatment of vascular disorder is expected to fuel the growth of cardiac valvulotome market over the next decade. On other hand, lack of healthcare infrastructure and medical professional in under developing economies is expected to deter the growth of cardiac valvulotome market to some extent. The lack of reimbursement scenario for vascular surgery in majority of the developing countries may also hamper the growth of cardiac valvulotome market over the forecast period.Cardiac Valvulotome Market: SegmentationThe global cardiac valvulotome market is classified on the basis of product type, end user, and region.Based on product type cardiac valvulotome market is segmented into following:Expandable Cardiac ValvulotomeOver the Wire Cardiac ValvulotomeOtherBased on end user cardiac valvulotome market is segmented into following:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersCardiac Catheterization CentersCardiac Valvulotome Market: Market OverviewThe global cardiac valvulotome market is expected to show significant growth over the forecast period due to rising prevalence of vascular disorder. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. which accounts 1 in every 3 deaths as per the analysis by American Academy of Cardiology. It has been estimated by American Academy of Cardiology that about 92.1 million people are living with the cardiovascular disease in U.S. According to WHO, 17.9 million people die every year with cardiovascular disease which is estimated to be 31% of all deaths caused worldwide. By product type, expandable cardiac valvulotome is expected to dominate the global cardiac valvulotome market due to its additional features. Among all end user, hospitals segment is expected to gain the maximum share for cardiac valvulotome market though the majority of the cardiovascular surgery occur in the hospitals. Cardiac catheterization center segment is anticipated to grow at faster rate among all end user segment for global cardiac valvulotome market.Cardiac Valvulotome Market: Regional OverviewOn the basis of geography, cardiac valvulotome market is classified into seven key region viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China, China, Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to dominate the global cardiac valvulotome market due rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease in U.S. After North America cardiac valvulotome market is then followed by Europe due to high healthcare infrastructure in this region. APEC and China is the fastest growing region for global cardiac valvulotome market owing to rising geriatric population in this region. Latin America and Middle East and Africa is the least lucrative region for cardiac valvulotome market due to lack of medical professionals in this region.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7688 Cardiac Valvulotome Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players found across the value chain of Cardiac Valvulotome market are B. Braun Melsungen AG, Pelegrina Medical, LeMaitre Vascular, Inc., Andramed GmbH, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Teleflex Incorporated, and others.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 18:19:01

Steady growth of the global market for bulletproof security glass can be attributed to increased security concerns worldwide. Rising incidences of crime and terrorist attacks have increased deployment of modules that deliver safety and security. With this, growth of the global bulletproof security glass market is projected to generate revenues of worth US$ 2,000 million by the end of 2026, as forecasted by a new report available with Research Report Insights.Report For Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114875/Bulletproof-Security-Glass-Market Bulletproof security glass finds application in multiple end-user industries including financial services, commercial services, institutional construction, residential construction, aviation industry and automotive industry among others. Based on the application in end- user industry, the bulletproof glass is used in the banks, ATM booth, armored cash trucks, residential buildings, premium vehicles and display cases. Thickness, weight, transparency, and level of bullet resistance are few of the prime prerequisites considered in the manufacturing of the bulletproof security glass.With the help of advanced manufacturing and processing technologies, manufacturer of bulletproof glass as well as providers of building materials have introduced a variety of entities. For instance, bulletproof glass manufacturers deliver different bullet resistant barrier systems that include bullet resistant transaction windows and doors, bullet resistant frames, and ballistic counters among others. All these bullet resistant systems are highly deployed in new construction projects of financial services, schools, vehicles and other crime prone locations.The financial community remains dynamic due to consistent merger and acquisition activities and sometimes institution failures. However, integrations of one or more entities lead to prominent infrastructure changes in the financial institutions. As these institutes are prone to crimes and terrorist attacks, demand for bulletproof security glass has dramatically increased in this industry.According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the numbers of new residential construction have increased steadily in past decade in the United States. Owing to increased numbers of breaches and crimes, construction industry is adopting bulletproof security glass in the construction projects, particularly in different educational institutions as well as residential buildings. With the increasing numbers of construction projects, and intensified security concerns, bulletproof security glass are likely to witness steady demand in the construction industry.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114875/Bulletproof-Security-Glass-Market Across the globe, terrorist attacks continues to generate concerns of human safety. Highly vulnerable regions to terrorist attacks such as Israel, Iraq and Syria, have witnessed incremental demand for bulletproof security glass in automotive as well as construction industries. Apart from these industries, military and defense sectors have also increased installation of bulletproof security glass.Despite being a highly sought after material for security, bulletproof security glass may experience hindrance of adoption in automotive industry. Challenges to reduce the weight of bulletproof glass and increasing demand for light and fuel efficient vehicles do not support adoption of heavy bulletproof security glass. Further, stringent government regulations on the use of bulletproof security glass can obstruct utilization in specific world regions. For instance, the government of Philadelphia has passed a bill to regulate use of bulletproof security glass in different constructions.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114875/Bulletproof-Security-Glass-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 10:41:39

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The worldwide market for broadcast equipment is considered to be driven by different aspects, for example, the changeover from simple to advanced broadcasting, expanding concentration on generation automation, developing acknowledgment of HD globally and increasing figure of digital stations. In addition, the content prerequisite at numerous places, expanding utilization of broadcasting equipment in worship places, sports, corporate conferences, and news production is additionally fuelling the expansion of broadcasting equipment at some level.One of the main aspect adding to the market expansion is the expanding the requirement for HD programming and better approaches to disperse the content, for example, mobile TV and internet protocol television (IPTV) is rapidly deploying and developing. Besides, the market for broadcasting equipment has additionally been seeing the growing preference of the individuals in the direction of multi-screen services in addition to rising D2C offers by multi-channel networks and OTT services in emerged economies. Government regulations are enforced with respect to digitalization is likewise anticipated to fuel the market.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124761/Broadcasting-Equipment-Market Moreover, with the immense expansion in several tablets and smartphones, the development prospects of video services have expanded extensively recently. This is because of the way that recently, there is a growing habit amid the consumer for watching a movie, sports, and shows through their cell phones without trading off about the nature of the services.Although irregularity in content circulation, higher cost of broadcasting equipment, for example, audio-video mixers, cables and cameras, the vast capital cost is required while putting in the new broadcast facility along with the absence of standardized ways in content circulation are a few of the aspects that are limiting this market. Moreover, rivalry among the sellers in the worldwide market has expanded remarkably. This is because of the fall in cost and new entrants in the market that is further impeding the expansion.There is a global preference in the direction of the software-based solutions that are high on speed also could be IP connected so that updating might be probable with little hardware replacement. North America and Europe are considered to be the most lucrative market owing to the adoption of advanced technology as well as more of the organizations involvement in R&D programs to maintain peace with the competition. APAC in the approaching years holds new prospects owing to developing economies, growing awareness amid individuals regarding internet browsing as well as higher utilization of electronic items, for instance, tablets, smartphones, and television.Request For Report TOC: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124761/Broadcasting-Equipment-Market In April 2014, ARRIS declared it acquiring of Mississauga, Ontario-based SeaWell Networks one year after its noteworthy acquirement of Motorola Mobility's Home division. SeaWell's ABR (adaptive bit rate) streaming technologies in addition to the ability of its network & cloud business were integrated into ARRISs. This collective portfolio of ad insertion solutions, multiscreen and IP video enabled the advertising services and next-gen TV. These solutions helped to enhance IP video by reaching new levels of personalization and interactivity. They are moreover streamlining video distribution all over several devices, whilst minimizing the complexity and cost of manifold IP streaming programs for multiple device types.The prominent market players leading the overall market are ARRIS Enterprise Inc., Alcatel-Lucent SA, Cisco Systems Inc., Brightcove Inc., Harmonic Inc., Ericsson A.B., SeaChange International Inc., Microsoft Corp. along with ZTE Corp. A few other market players operating in the overall market are Anevia, Alticast Solutions, Azuki Systems Inc., Ateme, Elemental Technologies, Edgeware AB, Imagine Communications, Envivio Inc., Seawell Networks Inc., Minerva Networks, UTStarcom Inc., Thomson Video Networks and Verimatrix Inc. These market players are contributing to research and development activities integrate compression techniques and new technologies in their systems in addition to develop novel products to boost their market share in the worldwide broadcast equipment marketReport Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124761/Broadcasting-Equipment-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 18:59:55

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / 360 Blockchain Inc. ("360" or the "Company") (CSE: CODE - FWB: C5B - OTC PINK: BKLLF) is undertaking a non-brokered private placement of up to $1,000,000 by way of units at $0.03. Each unit consists of one common share of 360, plus one common share purchase warrant exercisable at $0.05 for a period of 2 years from closing. Proceeds will be used for general working capital and to fund future investments.About 360 Blockchain Inc.Our Mission: To empower blockchain technologies with capital and experience to create exponential value.Company Description: 360 Blockchain Inc. has an all-round view to accelerate the development and application of revolutionary blockchain technologies by investing capital and expertise. We are founded on the belief that blockchain technology, essentially a distributed ledger which is transparent and incorruptible, has the potential to transform the way business is conducted, delivering security, cost savings and efficiency gains not seen before in our internet connected world. 360 Blockchain will be focused upon identifying and empowering blockchain technologies applying to cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, eSports, data management, the internet of things, equity trading, privacy applications and beyond.For further information, please contact:George Tsafalas, CEO orVictor Ostlund, Investor RelationsTelephone: 1 (778) 806-5150E-mail: IR@360 blockchaininc.com Forward Looking StatementsCertain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: 360 Blockchain Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 09:35:48

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Black Pepper is a pungent hot-tasting powder spice prepared from dried and ground peppercorns, used to flavor food. It is also known as king of spices because it contains rich anti-oxidants and other nutrients. The high demand for pepper presents an attractive market opportunity for new vendors to enter the market. In the present market scenario, it is estimated that the new crop of black pepper accounts for nearly 30% to 35% of the market. The high demand is expected to increase the price of black pepper, thereby increasing the profit margin of the vendors in this market.Apart from this, black pepper powder is also used to make medicines. It often used to cure stomach upset, bronchitis, and cancer. It is sometimes applied directly to the skin for treating nerve pain(neuralgia) and a skin disease called scabies. Black peppers are also used typically as a counterirritant for pain.A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1274 Black Pepper Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe black pepper market is directly influenced by the growing processed food industry. The rise in consumption of bakery products, confectionery products, and ready-to-eat and ried food in the developed economies is driving the market for the spice. The recent trend of using natural flavor enhancer has also catalyzed the growth of the global market. In the year 2013-15, the global pepper consumption is estimated at around 400,000 tons and has been increasing steadily. Increasing demand from Far East countries, which have started using more pepper in cooking, has been quite significant in driving the global black pepper market. Growth in the cosmetics industry is also directly influencing the pepper market. Due to the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of black pepper, it is often included in skin care products.As stated earlier, that the market is experiencing a major year on year increase in demand for black pepper. But unfortunately, this demand is not backed by adequate supply, which has proved to be a major restraint in this market. This is majorly due to the intensive crop losses in various parts of the world, especially in India & Brazil. Sudden climatic changes and untimely rainfall has significantly led to the fall in the yield of black pepper.Black PepperMarket: SegmentationThe global black pepper market can be broadly segmented on the basis of; type, end use and application. On the basis of type, the market can be further segmented into  organic and inorganic. Based on end use, the market can be segmented into bakery and confectionery products, frozen products, soups, sauces & dressing, beverages, meat & poultry products, snacks and convenience food, and others. Based of application, the black pepper market can be segmented into food & beverages, health care and personal care & cosmetics.Black PepperMarket: Region Wise OutlookGeographically, the global black peppermarket is segmented into seven regions which are ; North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), and Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Japan.Vietnam, followed by Brazil, India & Indonesia are the leading producer of black pepper in the year 2014 globally.India saw a fall in its average production in the same year. The leverage of large scale production and productivity helps Vietnam growers to offer world's lowest price tags.In terms of export, Vietnam leads the market globally. U.S. market continues to be the largest importer of black pepper from Vietnam. While most markets like India, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Netherlands, Spain have seen an increase in their imports, except Germany. German market recorded a drop in imports from Vietnam. Thus, with a market share of approximately 50% per cent in the global market, Vietnam has been able dominate the market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1274 Black PepperMarket: Key PlayersSome of the major companies operating in global black peppermarket are Baria Pepper, British Pepper and Spice, Catch, Everest Spices, McCormick, MDH, Agri food Pacific, Akar Indo, Brazil Trade Business, DM AGRO, Gupta Trading, Pacific Production, PT AF, Silk Road Spices, The Spice House, Vietnam Spice Company, Visimex, and Webb James, Olam International Limited.
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PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 11:42:20

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Global demand for bismuth is expected to grow at a Y-o-Y growth rate of 4.9% by 2016 end. China is a major consumer, producer, and exporter of bismuth and is anticipated to maintain its dominance in the global market in the near future. The country is estimated to account for 27.0% share of overall bismuth sales by the end of 2016. The increasing use of bismuth oxide in growing manufacturing industries is anticipated to drive consumption in the region. The rapid growth of the automobile end-use industry is expected to drive further market growth.Increasing environmental regulations regarding lead usage in various end-use industries would drive demand for bismuth and bismuth derived compounds. Stringent regulations and initiatives by leading manufacturers in end-use industries to phase out lead production is expected to spur bismuth market growth. Major paints & coatings manufacturers such as BASF SE and PPG Inc. are actively offering bismuth-based products replacing their lead based portfolio, in order to provide environmentally-friendly product offerings.Request to Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4398 The bismuth market in APAC is anticipated to witness higher growth rates due to increasing manufacturing activities in China and India. Demand in Europe is also anticipated to be above average due to stringent lead restricting directives in the region, while demand in North America, Latin America, and MEA is expected to be moderate. Declining lead production due to regulations and declining consumption of lead-acid batteries is anticipated to be a major restricting factor for the global market. The increasing use of bismuth alternatives in pharmaceuticals and alloys is also a major obstacle to market growth.Hunan Jinwang Bismuth Industry Co. Ltd., Hunan Bismuth Co. Ltd., and Nui Phao Mining Company Limited are some of the top producers of bismuth, with a cumulative annual production capacity of 11,000 metric tons.PMR Long-term Outlook on Global Bismuth Market: The global bismuth market is expected to reach US$ 400.0 Mn expanding at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period (20162024). Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest market for bismuth, with a market share of 46% in overall sales by the end of 2024.Request Report TOC @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/4398
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 11:38:53

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Biometric driver identification system is being used to prevent unauthorized access to vehicles. Automobile industry is increasingly adopting biometric identification system to ensure security of the car. Manufacturers are offering various biometrics technology for authentication such as facial and fingerprint recognition, voice analysis, iris-based in-car biometrics, hand geometry, etc. biometric identification system are being developed with some advanced features such as behavior-based algorithms to ensure performance and safety. This Research Report Insights report discusses key prospects for growth of global biometric driver identification system market during the forecast period, 2017-2022, offering pragmatic insights to lead market players towards devising & implementing informed strategies.The scope of the report is to analyze the global biometric driver identification systems market for the period 2017-2022 and give readers an accurate, unbiased analysis. Biometric driver identification system manufacturers, suppliers, and stakeholders in the overall automotive market can benefit from the insights offered in this report. The comprehensive analysis offered in the report can also be of interest to leading automotive journals and trade magazines.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114652/Biometric-Driver-Identification-System-Market The report begins with a concise summary of the global biometric driver identification systems market. This executive summary sets the tone for the rest of the report, giving users the scope of the report. The executive summary includes important facts and statistics on the global biometric driver identification systems market. The global market for biometric driver identification system is projected to bring in US$ 25,559.5 million revenue by the end of 2022The next section is an overview of the global biometric driver identification systems market. This includes the introduction to the market and a standard definition of the product  biometric driver identification system. In this section, year-over-year growth and market value is offered to readers. Year-over-year growth gives readers a broader picture on growth patterns during the forecast period.Request Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114652/Biometric-Driver-Identification-System-Market The next section of the report offers a thorough description of the latest macroeconomic factors that have a bearing on the global biometric driver identification systems market. Considering the interconnectedness of the biometric driver identification system market to global automotive market and, in general, the global economy, readers will get valuable insights on how international developments impact this market.In a bid to keep readers up-to-date on the latest developments in the global biometric driver identification systems market, the report offers readers a roundup of the latest trends impacting the market. As the automotive sector is ever-evolving, staying abreast with latest trends and developments is paramount to formulating key business strategies. Information on supply chain, cost structure, pricing analysis, raw material sourcing, and list of distributors are offered to readers in this section.Considering the wide scope of the global biometric driver identification system market, the report by Research Report Insights provides in-depth and segment-wise analysis and forecast. The global biometric driver identification system market is segmented on the basis of vehicle type, application type, technology type, and region. This segmentation also offers detailed country-wise forecast on all the key parameters.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114652/Biometric-Driver-Identification-System-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 08:02:02

Two acquisitions in Netherlands merge to create new Big Amsterdam office

Big Group Acquires European Brand Strategy and Activation Agencies

Ed Riseman, General Manager, Big Group

Tel.: (+44) (0) 207 313 2245

Email: ed.riseman@biggroup.co.uk

Websites: www.biggroup.co.uk www.big-amsterdam.nl

Big Group announced today that it has acquired two Dutch marketing and brand strategy agencies, Brandworks and 230V, which have rebranded to form Big Amsterdam  an extension of the award-winning agency which has UK offices in London, Newbury and Bath.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107005

230V, founded by Bas Jongerling, Coen Zuijdervliet and Karen Monnich in 2015, provides strategic creative, brand activation and public relations services and Brandworks, founded in 2014 by Michel van den Houten, supports brands and organisations looking to accelerate or launch their businesses in the Benelux and wider European markets. Having been acquired by Big Group, both will rebrand as Big Amsterdam with Michel van den Houten appointed as Managing Director. The agency focus is on brand activation supported by digital and customer experience services. The acquisition was supported through the assistance of the Netherlands Investment Agency in London and corporate services provided by De Hooge Waerder in Amsterdam.

Nick Scott, CEO of Big Group, stated:

It has been a long-held ambition to scale our existing award-winning business outside the UK. Big Group has always worked internationally on behalf of our client brands and we see Amsterdam as the opportunity to create the hub that serves our clients across Europe. With Amsterdams well-deserved reputation for creative excellence and business culture, we felt it was the right location to extend our offering and we are very excited to have such a creative and forward-thinking team on board to work together in Europe and the UK.

Michel van den Houten, Managing Director of Big Amsterdam, said:

The acquisition by Big Group provides us with the data-driven technological backbone that completes our proposition for our customers. We think, create and execute ROI driven brand activation and marketing campaigns and our ethos perfectly matches the Big Group culture in the UK.

Karen Monnich, Co-Founder of 230V said:

We have been hugely impressed by the passion, expertise and energy the Big Group team has shown and being part of Big Group means we can provide a fully integrated solution for our clients on an international scale. Besides our mutual can-do mentality, we look forward to creating the best solutions for our client brands and their customers.

ABOUT BIG GROUP

Big Group is an award-winning creative marketing agency founded in 1991. The company is headquartered in London with offices in Newbury, Bath and Amsterdam with a team of over 150 people; it consistently features within the UKs top 50 digital agencies rankings based on turn-over/digital income and voted one of the UKs leading independent agencies in client-side polling conducted by Marketing Week, The Drum, New Media Age and Recommended Agency Register. The company provides services centred around brand experience, creative technology and performance marketing and counts Fortune 500 Brands in the Technology, Finance, Automotive and Retail sectors amongst its clients including Samsung, Mastercard, Hyundai, BT and The North Face.

End

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190107005
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 12:01:33

CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / BANYAN GOLD CORP. ("Banyan" or "The Company"), is pleased to announce the results from the 2018 soil sampling program conducted over the Aurex-McQuesten Property, Central Yukon have expanded the McQuesten Gold Zone, enlarged the Aurex Hill target and identified new gold targets on the property. The Aurex-McQuesten property (the "Property"), is located between Victoria Gold Corp.'s Eagle Gold mine which is currently under construction (and their prolific Potato Hills mineralized trend) and Alexco Resource Corp's highly mineralized Keno Hill Silver District."Soils samples have proven to be an incredibly useful tool in Banyan's on-going exploration of the Property, and in the District (as witnessed by Victoria Gold's ongoing Eagle and Potato Hills trend exploration successes) and this year's results have identified additional target zones for more advanced exploration in Banyan's 2019 exploration season and beyond" stated Tara Christie, CEO of Banyan Gold. "The results have also defined promising extensions to the McQuesten Gold Zone, which Banyan defined with drilling in 2018. This, combined with the exceptional location of this property, located less than 100 m from a Yukon Government Highway, Victoria Gold's all season road and the existing power lines make this a very unique property with significant potential." Over a 2 month period Banyan field crews collected a total of 3,698 soil samples from the Property. The combination of soil sampling analyses and recent portable x-ray flourecence ("XRF") analyses have identified numerous new and extensive Ca- and As-in-soil anomalies on the Property which are pathfinder elements for the gold mineralization. The Aurex-Hill area, 1.5 km south of the McQuesten Gold Zone, hosts the most significant As-in-soils anomaly, with a 10.2 square kilometer anomaly now defined. The McQuesten Gold Zone hosts a pronounced Ca-in-soil anomaly of approximately 5.3 square kilometers. For reference the McQuesten "Block 1"mineralization drilled by Banyan in 2018, is contained in an area of 0.2 square kilometers.The McQuesten Gold, Aurex Hill and the other newly defined zones are high-priority targets that will be the focus of follow-up sampling programs to vector drilling towards the source of the mineralization.The 2018 defined XRF Ca-in-soil anomalies are interpreted to highlight the calcareous stratigraphic unit and underscore potential to extend the preferentially mineralized calcareous unit that was the target of 2017/2018 Banyan drilling at the McQuesten Gold Zone (see Company News Releases dated September 19th, October 24th, November 19th, and December 10th, 2018). The 70th, 80th and 90th Ca-in-soil XRF percentiles are 0.9%, 1.1% and 1.4% Ca, respectively. The gold mineralization observed in the McQuesten Gold Zone is hosted within a stratabound calcareous package of meta-siliciclastics with multiple stacked pyrrhotitic retrograde skarn horizons. The Au-in-soil anomaly (as defined from chemical analyses) map shows that there is a direct spatial relationship with the XRF Ca-in-soil anomalies in the McQuesten Gold Zone, further highlighting the gold potential of the McQuesten Property.The 2018 defined XRF As-in-soil anomalies emphasize the size of the Aurex-Hill Zone in comparison to other areas within the Property. The 70th, 80th and 90th As-in-soil XRF percentiles are 45 ppm, 63 ppm, and 102 ppm, respectively. The large area covered by the As-in-soil anomalies is interpreted as reflective of the mineralized northwest and east-west oriented structures (and structural intersections) that represent mineralized sheeted quartz arsenopyrite veins that have been identified by historic drilling programs and by Banyan's inaugural drilling on the Aurex property in 2017 (see News Release dated October 4th 2017). The Au-in-soil (as defined from chemical analyses) anomalies highlight a direct relationship with the XRF As-in-soil anomalies in the Aurex-Hill Zone. Two distinct styles of gold mineralization have been identified by Aurex-Hill drilling to date:1) sheeted quartz arsenopyrite veins and associated brittle fault and vein breccias; and2) stratabound pyrrhotitic retrograde skarn altered horizons.These styles of gold mineralization are the same as those seen in the McQuesten Gold Zone. The recent confirmation of the McQuesten Gold Zone geologic model (see News Release dated December 10th 2018), the extensive As-in-soil and Au-in-soil anomalies and historic Aurex-Hill drilling has increased Managements' confidence that the Aurex Hill Zone has the potential to host near-surface gold mineralization and further work is warranted in these areas.As part of the on-going assessment of the Aurex-McQuesten Property, 375 of the 3,698 soils samples collected in 2018 (approximately 10% of the sample set) have been sent for full ICP chemical analyses to Bureau Veritas Labs Vancouver, B.C. laboratories. These samples were selected based on a threshold As XRF result and will be used to confirm analytical grades with XRF determinations. Additionally, 375 pulps from the 2018 McQuesten Gold Zone have been sent to Bureau Veritas Labs for cyanide leach tests towards a preliminary determination of gold recovery potential of the mineralized horizon. Conditional on test results, additional recovery and metallurgical work will be part of Banyan's 2019 exploration programs.A set of scale maps with the XRF and analytical soils geochemical results will be made available on the Company website.Soil XRF Analysis2018 soil samples were collected along 100 metre spaced east-west oriented lines at 25 metre survey station spacing. Soil samples were placed in Kraft bags and labeled with the UTM position of the survey station. Samples were allowed to dry in the Kraft bags in a well ventilated area. Once dry, the samples were transferred to plastic bags and placed in a test stand and analyzed by a portable XRF instrument (Olympus Delta Premium) by a 30:30:30 three-beam timed analysis. The samples were returned to the labelled Kraft bag and placed into secured storage for future work. Portable XRF instruments collect quality base metal and various pathfinder element data but provide limited precious metal results.Technical InformationThe technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Paul D. Gray, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.About Banyan GoldBanyan is a growth stage gold exploration company whose flagship property, the Hyland Gold Project, is approximately 70km NE of Watson Lake, Yukon, along the southeast end of the Tintina Gold Belt. The Hyland
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:20:20

Automotive clean cold technology is an emerging zero-emission technology which is especially design to provide power and refrigeration for automotive which used for transportation and logistics of variety of temperature sensitive goods. This technology uses a mature process of liquefaction, in which liquid nitrogen is used to provide power and refrigeration to an automotive. The technology offers advantages such as potential savings in fuel consumption, reduced emissions, and better cold chain temperature control and stability.Delivery truck using refrigeration system is operates through two diesel engines, primary engine provides optimum power to drive truck and secondary engine is used to provide cold space inside truck. According to the report published by 19th European Cold Chain Conference, secondary engine used for providing cold space is consume up to 20% of vehicle diesel, releases 6 times more mono nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 29 times more particulate matter than Euro VI engine, and also leaks up to 30% refrigerants. Refrigerants have high global warming potential and emission of refrigerants can impact adversely air quality. Hence there is a need of clean technology which not only provides efficient cooling function but also ensure low emission for an automotive. Clean cold technology is a novel approach to overcome fuel efficiency and pollution problems associated with an automobiles. This technology utilize vast amount of cold lost to environment during regasification of liquefied natural gas or nitrogen or liquid air. Cold lost to environment can be used to boost efficiency of engine at low temperature, to provide zero emission cooling and power for an automobile.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1736 Automotive Clean Cold Technology Market: Market DynamicsTransportation and logistics plays an important role in keeping the product handling and transportation among the safest in the world. Refrigeration is an essential need of transportation industry, to deliver intact temperature sensitive products such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and vegetables among other. Growing demand for energy efficient cooling technology for automobile and governments regulation over pollution control are two key drivers for adoption of clean cold technology in automobiles. Growing food and beverage and pharmaceuticals industry which highly rely on clean cold technologies, is expected to increase adoption of this technology across the globe. Additionally, rising government regulation over emission of air pollutants is expected to boost adoption of clean cold technology across the globe. However sustainability of the global clean cold technology market is majorly depends on further innovation and product development.Automotive Clean Cold Technology Market: Market SegmentationOn basis of fluid used, global market of automotive clean cold technology can be segmented as follow as: Nitrogen Liquefied Air Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)On basis of end-use industries, global market of automotive clean cold technology can be segmented as follow as: North America Latin America Western Europe Eastern Europe Asia Pacific Excluding Japan Japan Middle East and AfricaAutomotive Clean Cold Technology Market: Regional OutlookGrowing demand for sustainable cold chain of refrigerated warehousing and transport is expected to drive adoption of automotive clean cold technology across the world. North America and Europe are expected to be most attractive segments in global market of automotive clean cold technology market. According to a study published by the University of Birmingham, almost 20% of temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals products are delivered damage or degraded due to inefficient cold chains in India. This can offers an opportunity to clean cold technology developer to penetrate in to high potential market of India. China is the largest market in Asia-Pacific followed by India in 2020, and is expected to grow rapidly in the near future. This is primarily because of growing industries such as food and beverages and pharmaceuticals which are highly rely on efficient refrigerated transportation in China.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1736 Automotive Clean Cold Technology Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in global market of automotive clean cold technology are as follow as; The Dearman Engine Company Carrier Corporation Rinac India Limited United Technologies Corporation
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:20:08

Development of the smart braking systems in automotive brake system market resulted in decreasing number of accidents. Advancement of automotive brake system includes safety systems, which enables speed control as well as prevents vehicle from skidding. This in turn minimizes the risk of potential accidents, thereby driving the growth of automotive brake system market. Rapid increase in the production and sales of vehicles coupled with stringent regulations regarding stopping distances is anticipated to magnanimously contribute further towards growth of automotive brake system market. Growing demand for installation of passive and active safety in vehicles is expected to trend in automotive brake system market.Growing concern over road traffic crashes and increasing number of deaths have influenced the key players in automotive brake system market to integrate robust safety features in developing vehicles. Stringent safety regulations by regulatory bodies and governments will continue to drive the growth of automotive brake system market. NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), agency of U.S. DOT (Department of Transportation) has planned to mandate adoption of AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking), nearly from 2022.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-503 Latest technologies in automotive brake system market are creating challenges for automakers owing to their inability to incorporate the high-cost technologies in low-priced vehicles. This in turn is expected to adversely affect the revenue growth of automotive brake system market in the forthcoming years.The developing industry of automotive has largely emphasised on the development of the vehicles that are fast and safe. Brakes have become an important and crucial part of any vehicle so as to ensure the safety which becomes very essential when the demand of speed is increasing steadily. Being commonly used in different automobiles an automotive brake system comprises a brake device having different components (such as brake pads, brake shoes, brake drum, rotor, piston, calliper, master cylinder, and brake booster) which are used for decelerating a vehicle.The growth in automotiveindustry is anticipated to fuel the growth of global automotive brake system market along with the increasing concerns over safety and resulting government pressures that have upturned the OEMs towards the launching of higher technology content, thereby driving the demand for global automotive brake systems across the globe.Automotive Brake System Market: Drivers & RestraintsEver-increasing demand and succeeding vehicle production is considered as one of the biggest driver for the increasing demand of the automotive brakes and global automotive brake system market penetration. Also the increasing governmental mandates for improving the vehicle safety has strongly contributed to the demand of the global automotive brake system market. The major restraint in the global automotive brake system market implies to be the higher cost of the newer technology of Electronic Brake Systems (EBS) when compared to the commonly used Hydraulic Brakes.Automotive Brake System Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type, the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes.On the basis of applications the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Two Wheeler Motor Vehicles, Passenger Car Vehicles, and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV).On the basis of technology the global automotive brake system market is segmented as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control System (TCS), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that comes under the electronic braking systems (EBS).Automotive Brake System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global automotive brake system market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control on the global automotive brake system market. The key countries in the mentioned region are projected to be India, South Korea, and China as an outcome of the increasing demand for commercial vehicles and passenger cars. Japan also contributes to the global automotive brake system market remarkably. China is expected to be the largest opportunity in terms of revenue of the industry. Europe is expected to be the second largest market in global automotive brake system market followed by North America.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-503 Automotive Brake System: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global automotive brake system market are TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Akebono Brake Industry Co. Ltd., Brembo S.P.A., Halla Mando Corp., and others.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:19:51

In the automotive market, initially mechanical brakes were used which were gradually replaced by hydraulic brakes, where brake fluid was required. The first hydraulic system was developed in 1914 by Frederick Duesenberg, an American automotive pioneer. Today, most automotive brake fluid is either silicone based (DOT5) or glycol based (DOT3).Most drivers check their engine oil or tire pressure regularly, but very often drivers check the brake fluid in their vehicle. Automotive brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid used in hydraulic clutches & brake applications in motorcycles, automobiles and some bicycles. It plays a crucial role as it transfers force when a driver applies the brake. Additionally, automotive brake fluid helps prevent corrosion and serves as lubricant for all movable parts.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2856 Automotive brake fluids, across the world, are regulated products and need to meet certain specifications and recommendations set by industry agencies and associations such as the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Japanese Standards Association (JSA the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations (FMVSS), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and GB12981-2003 in China.Automotive Brake Fluid Market: DynamicsThe burgeoning demand for vehicles in countries like China and India is forecasted to drive growth for the automotive brake fluid market. Companies are establishing production sites in these regions so as to satiate the local demand. For instance, BASF opened an automotive brake fluid production plant in Pudong, Shanghai to support the demand of local customers; which in turn is driving demand for automotive brake fluid in China. However, the lack of awareness/understanding among end user is restraining growth of the global automotive brake fluid market.The main route to this market is via the aftermarket, which includes workshops, automotive service centers and retailers for supply to DIY (do it yourself) end users. The retail aftermarket includes general & automotive retailers and petrol forecourts. The remaining market for brake fluid is held by OEMs for the first fill in a vehicle. Therefore, tie ups with OEMs becomes an important driver across all regions since they provide an assured route to the market through the sale of new cars.Automotive Brake Fluid Market: SegmentationAutomotive brake fluid are of two types: petroleum and non-petroleum. Petroleum-based automotive brake fluids are rarely used in the automotive industry.The DOT (department of transportation) classifies automotive brake fluids by their chemical composition and boiling point. Therefore, the global automotive brake fluid market can be segment by type as: DOT 3 (glycol ether based), DOT 4 (glycol ether based/borate ester), DOT 5 (silicone based), DOT 5.1 (borate ester/glycol ether). DOT 5.1, DOT 4, DOT 3 are based on poly glycol compounds and DOT 5 is based on silicone. Gylcol fluids are used in 99% of the motor vehicles in various grades. Additionally, most cars run on DOT 3 which has lower water content since fluid causes corrosion in the brake system. Brake pistons, cylinders and lines undergo wear and tear as a result of braking over a period of time. The cost of replacing any component is significant and replacing brake fluid can help save a major portion of that cost. Automotive brake fluid varies from vehicle to vehicle, depending on various factors such as model, vehicle production year and type of brake system.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2856 Automotive Brake Fluid: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the global automotive brake fluid market identified across the value chain include: Beijing Haidian Huiyuan Synthetic Agents Bosch Copton Cnpc Castrol(Bp) Caltex Exxon Mobil Delian Group
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:19:36

Hidden inside the car, actuation parts are often considered as safety critical parts. Automotive actuators are used in the actuation of various systems such as power seats and brake systems of the vehicle. One of the important system is brake actuation system which is small mechanically operated device used to ensure that the front and rear brakes are applied at the same instance. In a front wheel drive car, approximately 60% weight is over the front wheels, in order to avoid skid developed from imbalance equalization system is achieved using brake actuation systems. Automotive brake actuation system does not only prevent wheel lock during braking but also control behavior of the car under serious driving conditions by supporting various system such as electronic brake force distribution (EBD) traction control system (TC), hydraulic brake assist (HBA) or cornering brake control (CBC). As the concern over safety is growing across the globe such systems are gaining increasing traction among the OEMs and users.Automotive Brake Actuation Systems Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe global automotive brake actuation system market is increasing rapidly due to various factors such as stringent government norms related to safety and consumer preferences shifting to new technology advancement and active safety features. Also, rising concern over fuel economy, stringent government laws towards controlling vehicular emission and growing vehicles in operations are some of the major drivers along with macroeconomic factors such as growing GDP are fuelling the growth of the global automotive brake actuation systems market. However high cost of implementation and slower adoption rate of newer technology can pose a major challenge towards the growth of the global automotive brake actuation systems market.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1143 Automotive Brake Actuation Systems Market: SegmentationGlobal Automotive Brake Actuation system market is segmented on the basis of geography, vehicle type and by components. Component segment of the global automotive brake actuation systems market includes following segment Brake booster Tandem master cylinder (TMCs) Brake fluid reservoirOn the other hand vehicle type segment is further segmented into following three categories; Passenger Vehicle Light Commercial Vehicle Heavy Commercial VehicleAutomotive Brake Actuation Systems Market: OverviewThe global automotive brake actuation system market is expected to grow with significant rate over the forecast period from 2015 to 2025. Developed economies such as U.S. and U.K. is anticipated to play major role in first half of forecast period 2015  2020 while during the second half of the forecast period emerging economies such as India, China and Brazil is forecast to surge the demand for automotive brake actuation systems market. Among the vehicle type segment, passenger vehicle segment dominated the global automotive brake actuation system market in 2014, and is projected to expand at highest CAGR over the forecast period.Automotive Brake Actuation Systems Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global automotive brake actuation systems market is geographically segmented into seven key regions which are, North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East & Africa. As of 2014, Asia Pacific dominated the global automotive brake actuation system market followed by North America and Europe. On the other hand BRIC countries are expected to grow at higher CAGR when compared to other countries in their respective regions.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-1143 Automotive Brake Actuation Systems Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in global automotive brake actuation systems market are Continental AG, ZF TRW, MICO, Inc., Delphi Automotive PLC, Magneti Marelli S.P.A, and Valeo S.A.
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 13:19:20

Automotive Black boxes a.k.a Event Data Recorder (EDR) are an essential tool for investigating the driver movements in case of collision/ accident. These smart units usually record the driver actions 5-10 seconds before the airbags are triggered. Black boxes in vehicles are normally out of sight as they are installed either beneath the seat or on the dashboard. These devices record not only events and movements of the driver but also the speed, braking, turning and whether the seat belt is put on or not plus the other driving parameters. The automotive black boxes are triggered by the sensors upon sudden braking or left/right turns made by the driver while driving.The automotive black boxes are essential tools used by the police and insurance companies to investigate accidents. This helps the investigating authorities to know the exact cause of the accident and the conclusion if the driver needs to be incriminated for the same. The black boxes are useful in case the driver is not in fault. They ensure faster insurance claims thus benefitting the car owners. There are two types of black boxes in the market. One is the standard version that is normally installed on dashboard or beneath the driver seat and the other one is known as video data event recorder which is usually installed on the wind shield. This type of black box records the actions of the driver in real time along with the other parameters plus GPS location and the direction in which the vehicle was moving.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6440 Automotive Black boxes Market: DynamicsAutomotive Black boxes mostly preferred by the fleet owners such as cab companies, ambulances, logistic trucks, commute buses and trains. The concept of black box in automobiles has been introduced because of rise in number of land accidents as compared to the ones in air. This has been a driving factor for the automotive black boxes market. In addition to this, the black boxes are being suggested by the insurance companies to support the claims. Plus, the stringent government regulations in may developed countries have made it compulsory for the manufacturers to install a black box in the automobiles they manufacture. This has certainly been a driver for the automotive black boxes market.The new trend seen in the automotive black boxes market is installing both the type of EDRs i.e. the standard version as well as the video mount EDR. This is so as to accumulate accurate data from the black boxes in case of accidents and claims. Although they are important tool for acquiring the vehicles data, they have been interrupting the privacies of drivers and the end users are not happy with this. Therefore, this can be recorded as the only hindrance for the automotive black boxes market although it doesnt assert much impact.Automotive Black boxes Market: SegmentationOn the basis of installation, the Global Automotive Black boxes Market can be segmented into: Under-the-seat Black Boxes Dashboard Black Boxes Windshield Mounted Black BoxesOn the basis of type, the Global Automotive Black boxes Market can be segmented into: Event Data Recorder Video Event Data Recorder (Dash Cam)On the basis of End Users, the Global Automotive Black boxes Market can be segmented into: Fleet Owners Commute Buses Logistic Trucks TrainsAutomotive Black boxes Market: Regional OutlookMost of the Automotive Black boxes market is majorly concentrated in the developed regions like Europe, U.S, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Although with more number of land accidents witnessed every year, the market is slow paced in the developing countries like China, ASEAN and Latin America. India and parts of MEA are anticipated to be slow adopters of the Automotive Black boxes market. This is due to lack of awareness and the privacy concerns of the users in these regions.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6440 Automotive Black boxes Market: Key PlayersExamples of some of the market participants identified across the value chain of the Automotive Black boxes Market are: Car Black Box [x]cube LABS. Auto BlackBox Pty Ltd BlackVue EGENs Inc. Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc.
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PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 18:12:08

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Alcohol and drug testing equipment are utilized to test inebriation levels stimulated by drug and alcohol consumption. Chromatography instruments, immunoassay analyzers, hair testing devices and oral testing devices, urine testing devices, and breathalyzers are extensively utilized for testing drug and alcohol content in individuals. The worldwide market for alcohol breathalyzer and drug testing equipment is anticipated to increase at a 6.9% CAGR in value terms all through the calculated period 2018-2026. The worldwide market estimated at around US$ 7,300 Million during 2017 that is likely to grow approximately US$ 13,393.3 Million towards the end of 2026.Market SegmentationIn terms of the equipment, the global market includes infrared (IR) based breathalyzer, semiconductor based breathalyzer, immunoassay analyzers, fuel cell based breathalyzer, oral fluid testing devices, chromatography instruments, hair testing devices and urine testing devices. The IR based breathalyzer is employed widely, owing to its high level of precision. This category is therefore likely to foresee robust growth over the assessment period. The fuel cell based breathalyzer is likely to continue as the biggest category over the calculated period, reflecting the maximum 7.3% CAGR.Request For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114887/Alcohol-Breathalyzer-and-Drug-Testing-Equipment-Market In terms of the application, the global market includes alcohol detection and drugs detection. The alcohol detection is estimated to record the maximum 6.5% CAGR over the projected period, accounting for a market valuation of close to US$ 10 Billion towards the end of 2026. While rising number of drunk driving instances are likely to fuel the requirement for alcohol detection equipment, it is anticipated that drugs detection category will be highly lucrative in the said period.In terms of the end-user, the global market includes hospitals, federal departments, private sectors and rehabilitation centres. The federal departments end-user category will be witnessing higher demand, trailed by private sectors. Although revenue generation from the earlier category is estimated to account for in excess of US$ 6 Billion, that from the second will probably succeed US$ 4 Billion towards 2026 end. Although, private sectors category is likely to increase at a faster 7.5% CAGR in the coming years.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114887/Alcohol-Breathalyzer-and-Drug-Testing-Equipment-Market In terms of the region, the global market includes Europe, North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. North America is estimated to lead with 52.3% of the overall market share in value terms, by 2018. APAC regional market is anticipated to remain the highest growing market, reflecting a 7.9% CAGR in value terms over the projected period.Key Market PlayersThe major companies functional in the global market areLifeloc Technologies Inc.Lion Laboratories LimitedAndatech Pty. Ltd.IntoximetersQuest Products, Inc.BACtrackC4 Development Ltd (Alcovisor)Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaAAlere (Abbott.)OthersReport Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114887/Alcohol-Breathalyzer-and-Drug-Testing-Equipment-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 10:32:06

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ADME-Tox is pharmacology phrase that represents distribution, absorption, metabolism & excretion with toxicity testing. These four measures are imperative for the dynamics of drugs coverage to the tissue level, hence testing ADME-Tox is essential for drug development. The ADME-Tox screening is method is an incorporated workstation for discovering the absorption, metabolism, distribution & excretion attributes of drug molecules. This system incorporates biochemical assay tester that assesses the physicochemical attributes of a drug molecule. This system, in addition, bolsters the permeability assays testing that channel the drug affinity in the direction of the metabolic enzyme.The growing center of drug maker to cut down the development price of a drug with the slightest toxicological issue is the one of the foremost factor bolstering the expansion of the market for ADME-Tox screening system. Alongside the ADME-Toxicological testing gains the potency of drug that enhances the competence of the drug to aim the desired tissue. Furthermore, rising need for the specialized drug because of the increasing occurrence of several chronic diseases will in addition surge the expansion of AME-Tox screening system market. High maintenance and installation cost of this system will impede the expansion of this market. In addition, an absence of skilled professional to control this system will as well be responsible for the slow expansion of this market.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124754/ADME-Tox-Screening-Systems-Market By product type, the worldwide market is segmented into software, assay system and instruments. In terms of the application, the worldwide market is segmented into tissue engineering, drug screening, biopharmaceutical production, discovery and development and other. In terms of the end user, the worldwide market is segmented into academic and research institute, contract research organization (CROs), biopharmaceutical companies and others.The market for ADME-Tox screening system will reflect exponential expansion because of increased biopharmaceutical production and drug development. This market is considered to increase with higher pace owing to the expansion of innovative proficiencies and an stepping up customer preference. This market has presented the huge expansion prospects to the foremost biopharmaceutical companies. In terms of the application, the drug development segment will expand the highest market share. The biopharmaceutical companies will lead the overall market by the end user for the duration of the forecast.Request For Report TOC: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124754/ADME-Tox-Screening-Systems-Market Region-wise, North America will lead the worldwide market because of the existence of a huge number of biopharmaceutical companies. Asia-Pacific and Europe will trail the North America market. In APAC region, India and China will be growing fast throughout the period of forecast due to the augmented focus of foremost biopharmaceutical makers to extend their subsidiaries in these nations.The foremost players discovered all over the value chain of the worldwide market are ACEA Biosciences Inc., Hudson Robotics Inc., Agilent Tsechnologies Inc., Albany Molecular Research Inc., ADMEcell Inc., BioreclamationIVT, LLC, Cerep SA, Beckman Counter Inc., and other.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124754/ADME-Tox-Screening-Systems-Market
PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-08 14:16:03

New Juno AI Delivers Smart Lighting, JBL Sound System and Amazon Alexa in Single Ceiling Fixture

Atlanta, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) announces today its Juno AI smart home downlight will be featured by Amazon in the Alexa Booth at CES 2019 , the worlds largest and most influential technology event, held January 8-11 in Las Vegas. Juno AI is an advanced, patent-pending LED downlight that integrates Alexa and a JBL speaker into a single lighting fixture to create a smart home ecosystem.

Juno AI can be easily installed in the ceiling during new construction or retrofitted into an existing recessed downlight housing, eliminating the clutter of additional counter, tabletop, wall or ceiling devices. In addition to delivering high quality LED lighting and sound, Juno AI integrates Alexa to provide users with hands-free control of smart home devices as well as the ability to ask questions, hear the weather and more.

This integration of technologies easily and affordably converts any house into a functional, seamless smart home, says Jeff Spencer, Acuity Brands Lighting Vice President and General Manager Residential. Being located in the ceiling creates a unique advantage enabling Juno AI to deliver not only intelligence through simple voice commands, but also exceptional lighting and sound.

As the smart home trend continues to grow, lighting is the one resource that not only exists in every room, but is already hardwired in the ceiling, creating an ideal environment for a centrally located command center that has continuous power, explained Spencer. Furthermore, the fixture does not need to be illuminated for the voice service to operate. Juno AI is a simple, elegant solution that streamlines the smart home ecosystem.

Discover Juno AI at the Amazon Alexa Booth in the Venetian Las Vegas Hotel Ballrooms C-D from January 8-11 or visit Juno AI . Juno AI is expected to be available for purchase in the spring of 2019.

About Acuity Brands

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the worlds leading providers of lighting and building management solutions. With fiscal year 2018 net sales of $3.7 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs approximately 13,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Companys products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Aculux, American Electric Lighting, Antique Street Lamps, Atrius, DGLogik, Distech Controls, DTL, eldoLED, Gotham, Healthcare Lighting, Hydrel, Indy, IOTA, Juno, Lucid, Mark Architectural Lighting, nLight, Peerless, RELOC Wiring, ROAM, Sensor Switch, Sunoptics and Winona Lighting. Visit us at www.acuitybrands.com .




You probably have heard about the tragic murder of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes in Houston. She was shot for no apparent reason when she was in a car with her family. The New York Times pumped the story hardunlike the similar killings of other black childrenbecause of a report that the murderer was white. The Times covered the story on January 1:

The authorities described the gunman as a white man in his 40s with a beard, wearing a red, hooded sweatshirt and driving a red pickup truck. The image of a white man suddenly firing on a black family raised questions about whether the shooting had been racially motivated.

And on January 2:

The police said Wednesday that they still had not identified the gunman. But the case has drawn the attention of national civil rights activists and fueled speculation that the shooting was racially motivated. The gunman is white, the police said, and Jazmine was black.

The Times ran a more fulsome story on January 5:

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.

***

In the crowd, a call-and-response chant demanded Justice for Jazmine. They embraced one another. A pastor led them in prayer. Ms. Washington told The Houston Chronicle that she believed the attack was racially motivated, and the case has drawn attention from civil rights activists across the country.

***

Lee Merritt, a Philadelphia-based lawyer representing Jazmines family, said on Saturday he believed the shooting had the markings of a hate crime, in part because of the randomness and unprovoked nature of the attack. United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, a Democrat whose district includes parts of Houston, said the racial dynamics of the case were apparent. Do not be afraid to call this what it seems to be: a hate crime, she told the crowd, demanding an investigation by the Justice Department.

***

No peace, no justice, the crowd chanted. Many parents said the shooting put them in fear of their own lives and those of their children.

The Times did quote one voice of sanity:

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez of Harris County, Tex., said at a news conference this week that it was too early for investigators to speculate about the gunmans motive because he had not yet been identified.

Good point! But it didnt deter the Times. Unfortunatelyfrom the standpoint of the Times and others who tried to make political hay out of the truly senseless killing of Jazmine Barnesthe police caught the murderer, and he is black. Just one day later, on January 6, the paper had to eat crow: A Twist in the Jazmine Barnes Case as a Suspect Is Charged With Capital Murder. It was the usual story. The murderer was a gang member who thought he was retaliating against a hostile gang and shot into the wrong car. How many times have we heard that?

The authorities identified the suspect, Eric Black Jr., 20, and said he admitted to taking part in the Dec. 30 shooting. Contrary to initial reports that the suspect was white, Mr. Black is black. It was a revelation that swiftly changed the narrative of a case that had drawn the attention of national civil rights activists amid speculation that the shooting was racially motivated.

Changed the narrative? Whose narrative?

The same day, the Times had a new spin in its Science section: Jazmine Barnes Case Shows How Trauma Can Affect Memory. Eyewitness testimony relating to a sudden, traumatic incident is unreliable? Who knew?

Lori Brown, a criminologist at Meredith College in Raleigh, N.C., said eyewitness testimony is the least reliable evidence you can have because people 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.

In other words: the narrative takes over.

I think we can assume that from now on, the murder of Jazmine Barnes will be relegated to the not-news limbo in which the killings of many other black children by black gang members have long resided. Dont expect the New York Times to be interested. For more on this theme, see Heather MacDonalds piece in City Journal.
Eric Dubelier represents Concord Management and Consulting in the election interference case brought by the Special Counsel against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities. The case is pending before Trump appointee Judge Dabney Friedrich. I wrote about the motion Dubelier brought protesting Muellers designation of 3.2 million documents related to the case as sensitive in my earlier posts in this series here (part 1) and here (part 2). In part 2 I observed: Eric Dubelier is having way too much fun for a lawyer representing a defendant in a criminal case. His courtroom appearances are full of hijinks and good humor.

Judge Friedrich is not amused. Ordering Dubelier to knock it off (more here), Judge Friedrich is putting an end to Dubeliers good times.

If I can find a transcript of the hearing I will have more to say. In the meantime, I observe that the linked accounts note Dubeliers pointed use of movie quotes and other references drawn from pop culture in his briefs. In Dubeliers spirit, I add only that this particular hearing puts me in mind of the scene in Dr. Strangelove when President Merkin Muffley admonishes the Russian ambassador and General Turgidson  Gentlemen, you cant fight in here. This is the war room!  with Judge Friedrich reprising the part of President Muffley.
Tucker Carlson rang in the new year with a 15-minute monologue in which he claimed that the leaders of both political parties dont care about American families. Liberals, libertarians, and social conservatives arent misguided in their beliefs about whats good for America and its families, they are indifferent or, in some cases, hostile. Only those who subscribe to Carlsons populist narrative, consisting of views he didnt used to hold, care about the future of America.

Carlsons rant contains more than a few exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims. Does virtually everyone is Washington truly agree that more policing in the Middle East is always better? I live just outside of Washington and dont know anyone who believes this.

Are entire populations really revolting against leaders who dont embrace the populist measures Carlson believes will improve their lives? Carlson cites France and Germany, among other nations. The Yellow Vest protests and Angela Merkels declining popularity are significant events, but they dont support Carlsons claim that entire populations are revolting.

These instances of hyperbole appear in the opening paragraphs of Carlsons monologue. Others follow. For example, he asserts that manufacturing. . .all but disappeared [in America] over the course of a generation. Thats a huge exaggeration at best.

However, it would be foolish to dismiss Carlsons argument on these grounds. Amidst the hyperbole and exaggeration are a fair number of insights and plausible, thought-provoking claims.

Carlson picks up substantive steam around the middle of his lecture when he discusses the relationship between culture and economics. His claim that in many ways, rural America now looks a lot like Detroit may be another exaggeration, but its the gateway to an important discussion about problems and pathologies that dont receive enough attention and analysis.

Carlson uses his discussion of these problems to support his thesis that over-reliance on market capitalism produces bad results for American families and therefore bad results for America. One need not ascribe bad faith to free-market conservatives to perceive the plausibility of Carlsons argument.

Read Carlsons monologue, or watch it below, and see what you think.

You might also check out this response by J.D. Vance, whose memoir Hillbilly Elegy highlighted the crisis in parts of rural America that Carlson picks up on.

Worthwhile criticism of Carlsons discussion can be found in this article by David French and this one by Ben Shapiro.

Yuval Levin agrees that contemporary populism is an alarm bell that should help us see the need for rebalancing between economic/market concerns and cultural ones. However, he adds:

It is too angry; it is frequently self-righteous and self-pitying; it lacks historical perspective; it assumes malevolence in its opponents where it should mostly see ineptitude; it leaves itself dangerously open to racial resentment and the lure of barking mad conspiracies; it lacks the gratitude for basic social order that defines the conservative disposition; it shows too little interest in accommodation and social peace; it is much clearer about what it hates than what it loves; and it has come to be identified with (and at times led by) a bullying, buffoonish narcissist [Note: Guess who] who assertively embodies all these downsides while only tangentially enabling any upsides and so threatens to discredit any rebalancing his ascendancy makes possible.

Some of this is overstated, I think, but its a useful alarm bell about contemporary populism, to which I would add that the phenomenon also studiously ducks individual responsibility for the grievances that fuel it.
Lower Pottsgrove

New principal to take reins at St. Aloysius
Rep. Marcy Toepel, R-147th Dist., joined her colleagues on Jan. 1 in taking the oath of office for the 2019-20 Legislative Session. She was joined by her husband Mark (pictured) for swearing-in day.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony of Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 7, 2019. U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Inc. on Monday broke ground on its Shanghai factory, becoming the first to benefit from a new policy allowing foreign carmakers to set up wholly-owned subsidiaries in China. The new plant, Tesla's first outside the United States, is located in Lingang Area, a high-end manufacturing park in the southeast harbor of Shanghai. It is designed with an annual capacity of 500,000 electric cars. Tesla signed the agreement with the Shanghai municipal government in July 2018 to build the factory. In October, the company was approved to use an 864,885-square-meter tract of land in Lingang for its Shanghai plant. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

SHANGHAI, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Inc. on Monday broke ground on its Shanghai factory, becoming the first to benefit from a new policy allowing foreign carmakers to set up wholly-owned subsidiaries in China.

The new plant, Tesla's first outside the United States, is located in Lingang Area, a high-end manufacturing park in the southeast harbor of Shanghai. It is designed with an annual capacity of 500,000 electric cars.

Tesla signed the agreement with the Shanghai municipal government in July 2018 to build the factory. In October, the company was approved to use an 864,885-square-meter tract of land in Lingang for its Shanghai plant.

COMPETITIVE EDGE

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Shanghai government officials attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday.

"This will be the most advanced Tesla gigafactory," Musk said. "With resources here, we are able to build this factory in record time, and we are hoping to have initial production of Tesla Model 3 toward the end of the year and volume production next year."

The Tesla factory, with an investment of over 50 billion yuan (7 billion U.S. dollars), is the largest foreign-invested manufacturing project in Shanghai's history.

Tesla brought its Model S, Model X and Model 3 to the China International Import Expo held in November 2018 in Shanghai, aiming to reinforce its presence in the world's largest market for electric cars.

Tesla delivered 245,240 cars in 2018 worldwide, including 145,846 Model 3.

China set a milestone record of selling 1 million new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2018. The country aims to double the sales to 2 million in 2020.

The production at the Shanghai plant will help Tesla significantly lower its cost and prices, giving it more edge in the market competition.

Model 3, for example, which starts at a price of 35,000 dollars in the U.S. market, is sold between 500,000 yuan and 560,000 yuan (around 72,980 and 81,738 dollars) in China. After Tesla starts production of the model in China, the price of the car is expected to start at 400,000 yuan.

Tesla has tapped into China's growing mainstream electric car market and established its charging network covering most cities in the country's developed regions, such as the Yangtze River Delta in east China and the Pearl River Delta in the south.

The company set up in October 2018 its first overseas R&D innovation center in Beijing, with focus on areas such as software and hardware development, localization, China and Asia-Pacific data analysis, intelligent connected vehicles and charging technology.

"In the past five years, Tesla has witnessed Chinese car consumers' growing awareness for environmental protection," said Robin Ren, Tesla's vice president of worldwide sales.

Shen Yuxiang, a Tesla user, drives the car shuttling between Shanghai and Hangzhou, capital city of neighboring Zhejiang Province, every weekend. Shen said he enjoys the 200 km ride as the car has no engine noise and boasts powerful acceleration.

CATFISH EFFECT

"Tesla's China production will have a 'catfish effect' in the country's auto industry, pushing domestic carmakers to speed up their technological upgrading," said Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association.

When Tesla's plant in Shanghai starts volume production in 2020, the China-made Tesla cars will play fair with Chinese automakers, as China is scheduled to eliminate various government subsidies on NEVs by that year, Cui said.

However, Chinese automakers are not afraid of being edged out by the new-comer.

Jin Guoqing, deputy director of the automotive dynamics research institute of Chang'an Automobile, said his company has accumulated years of experience in R&D and quality control. In the meantime, it has different price positioning targeting different customers from those of Tesla.

"We shall amplify our advantages to the most," Jin said.

From tariff cuts to removing access restrictions on foreign investment in various sectors, China has sped up in opening up.

China's new rules regarding the procedure to approve new Sino-foreign auto joint ventures will take effect on Jan. 10. The streamlined measures will further shift the longstanding practice of checking and ratifying for the administration of auto joint ventures to the management mode of filing for record or registration only.

China unveiled a shortened negative list for foreign investment, cutting the number of items down to 48 at the moment from 63 in June 2018, which has widened market access for foreign investment in primary, secondary as well as tertiary sectors.

The German carmaker BMW announced in October last year that it would increase its stake in the joint venture, BMW Brilliance Automotive, in northeastern city of Shenyang, from 50 percent to 75 percent, and extend the cooperation for another 22 years to 2040.

Mercedes-Benz Parts Manufacturing &Service Ltd. inaugurated its first factory outside Europe in October 2018 in Lingang Area, the same industrial park as Tesla Shanghai factory is located.

Shanghai resident Liu Jiang recalled that he spent 200 yuan on a bicycle when he got married in 1980. Years later, he bought his first car, a Volkswagen, and then a Nissan. Now, his child wants to buy a Tesla.

11

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[ Editor: zyq ]
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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
DES MOINES, Iowa  Iowa legislators must create rules to regulate hemp production in the state now that Congress has legalized the crop, though advocates are concerned that slow action or rigid restrictions will hurt producers abilities to cash in on the crop.

Hemp comes from the same plant as marijuana but doesnt contain THC, the compound that causes a high. Hemp is used in clothing, textiles, building materials, paper and food.

Congress approved hemp production in the 2018 farm bill, and many farmers are eager to start planting. The Iowa attorney general and state agriculture officials will meet this month to discuss state regulations for hemp, The Des Moines Register reported.

"We would obviously like to submit our own plans," said Christopher Disbro, the Iowa Hemp Associations board president, "and have the primary regulatory authority here in Iowa and not in D.C."

One issue lawmakers may consider is whether to allow hemp to be used to make cannabidiol, also known as CBD. Advocates say CBD can treat anxiety, epilepsy and depression.

While the U.S. government does allow hemp-derived, Iowas medical marijuana law doesnt allow CBD to be processed from industrial hemp. CBD can be produced and distributed only through the Iowa Department of Public Health licensing program, the state Department of Agriculture said.

The states existing rules could cause Iowa to miss out on a growing part of the industry, Disbro said.

"It restricts that entire chunk of the industrial hemp industry," he said.

Iowa lawmakers and farmers cant afford to wait another year before getting started on the industry, said Ethan Vorhes, a northeast Iowa cattle producer who wants to grow hemp as a feed supplement.

"There will be a windfall of investment coming into this industry, from every direction, and we need to make Iowa a magnet," Vorhes said.

Vorhes said he may move to another state that has more clear and supportive hemp laws if Iowa doesnt take action.
Air Force chief of Staff David Goldfein (right) speaks to the press gathered at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (center) and U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson in 2017. Graham will no longer be on the Senate Armed Services Committee. File/John A. Carlos II/Special to The Post and Courier
Political Reporter

Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work.
The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions, and to hold up a mirror to our community. Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe its important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication.
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.
The town of Summerville is considering a smoking ban for its public parks and downtown area special events. File/Brad Nettles/Staff
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Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach.
Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category.
A federal appeals courts has upheld the 20-year prison sentence for a former North Charleston police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black motorist as he ran from a traffic stop in April 2015.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals said in an opinion published Tuesday that it saw no error in the sentence a Charleston federal judge handed down to Michael Slager in the killing of Walter Scott. Slagers prison term is among the most significant for an American law enforcement officer involved in a fatal shooting.

The case garnered attention across the country and contributed to a national dialogue surrounding use of police force against black civilians.

Scotts brother, Anthony Scott, said Tuesday he was ecstatic over the appellate courts decision and was glad his family could close this chapter.

We got justice, but it was through the judicial system doing their job, Scott said. A lot of people dont get the opportunity. Hopefully, that will continue to happen for other families.

Columbia-based attorney Elizabeth Franklin-Best, an appellate attorney for Slager, 37, said her team was very disappointed in the courts determination. She expected to file a petition for a rehearing in the near future.

"We're going to continue to fight the conviction," she said.

Justin Bamberg, a state lawmaker and attorney for the Scott family, said Slager needs to completely accept the consequences of his actions.

"I dont think theres a need to try to put the Scott family through any more," Bamberg said. "He shot a man in the back, had his day in court and that day in court is over."

Slager pulled over Scott, 50, for a faulty brake light on April 4, 2015. A struggle broke out, and Slager said Scott grabbed his Taser.

Scott ran from Slager, and the officer gave chase before firing eight shots, five of which hit Scott from behind.

A bystander captured part of the incident on video, and Slager was charged with murder three days after the footage publicly surfaced.

Jurors in the state's murder case in 2016 couldnt decide if Slager was guilty, resulting in a mistrial.

In 2017, Slager reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation for using excessive force. With that, state prosecutors dropped the separate state murder charge.

+4 'This is all people crave: accountability.' Michael Slager gets 20 years for Walter Scott death. Two and a half years after millions saw a cellphone video of Michael Slager gunning down Walter Scott, the 20-year prison sentence he was hand

It was a federal judges responsibility to decide if Slagers underlying offense was second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter.

U.S. District Judge David Norton found that Slager committed murder while violating Scotts civil rights, rejecting the former lawmans contention that Scott had provoked the gunfire. The judge characterized Slagers testimony as self-serving, evolving, and internally inconsistent.

Norton gave more weight to the account of Feidin Santana, the bystander who filmed Scotts death, regarding him as a more credible witness than the former officer.

Norton determined Slager acted with malice, a component of murder, when firing at the unarmed and fleeing Scott.

Among other points, Franklin-Best argued that her clients underlying offense should have been the lesser crime of voluntary manslaughter, a killing in the heat of passion. She said Norton's findings didn't acknowledge "the ever-present danger that police officers face.

The appeals court on Tuesday agreed with the federal judges determination that Slager acted with malice.

Defendants alleged mutual combat with Scott did not provide Defendant with adequate provocation because Scott was running away when Defendant shot him, the judges wrote in their opinion.

Slager remains at a federal prison in Colorado. He is expected to be released in 2034.
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Paul Manafort gave the Russians polling, data, and internal documents. Donald Trump knew about this and still coordinated lies to Mueller with him.

Laura Rozen tweeted:

manafort was explicitly trading internal campaign info, policy considerations, to russia intel linked agent to try to pay off debt https://t.co/Ugj0haRjA4  Laura Rozen (@lrozen) January 8, 2019

Jesse Lee of CAP Action pointed out that Trump knew all of this:

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Trump knew this while he was corruptly coordinating answers with Manafort and defending him publicly. Absolutely jaw-dropping. https://t.co/wCkt7YlKJn  Jesse Lee (@JesseCharlesLee) January 8, 2019

The Guardian reported that Manafort is accused of sharing polling data with Russian intelligence agencies, Donald Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has been accused by special counsel Robert Mueller of sharing polling data on the 2016 election with a Russian man linked to Moscows intelligence agencies.

The Russians would find polling and other campaign data very useful in their efforts to elect Trump because it would give them direction in their efforts to target voters. In order to get Trump elected, the Russians needed to know who to target and be in step with the campaign. Paul Manafort was one of those sources of information.

Muellers investigation is going to reveal how many other sources and what type of direct cooperation the Russians were getting from the Trump campaign.

Trump knew what Manafort did and he coordinated lies to Mueller with his former campaign chairman, which is why Manaforts crimes have everything to do with Trump.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
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(Reuters)  A Russian lawyer who attended a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower under scrutiny in the U.S. special counsels Russia probe was charged with obstruction of justice in an unrelated money laundering case, the U.S. Attorneys office in Manhattan said.

According to an indictment unsealed on Tuesday, Nataliya Veselnitskaya was charged with obstructing justice by filing a misleading statement in the money laundering case, which was settled in 2017.

U.S. President Donald Trump has denied knowing about the 2016 meeting his oldest son Donald Trump Jr. and other campaign staff held at Trump Tower in June 2016 with a group of Russians.

Donald Trump Jr. has said he agreed to the meeting after being promised damaging information on Hillary Clinton, Trumps Democratic opponent in the 2016 election. Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and senior campaign aide Paul Manafort also took part in the June 9, 2016, meeting.

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Veselnitskaya represented Prevezon Holdings Ltd, a Russian-controlled company, which in 2017 agreed to pay nearly $6 million to settle a U.S. government lawsuit accusing it of laundering proceeds of a $230 million tax fraud.

(reporting by Nathan Layne in New York; Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Franklin Paul)
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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and other House Democrats are doing everything they can to re-open the United States government. They are taking important steps to increase the pressure on Donald Trump and other Republicans to end the shutdown impasse over border wall funding.

Pelosi and Democrats believe they have a winning hand in the high-stakes standoff that is affecting the lives of millions of Americans. House Democrats this week will put together several non-controversial funding bills that would re-open several federal agencies. Not included would be the Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for border security and Trumps proposed border wall with Mexico.

Pelosi plans to send the bills to the Senate one by one which will force Republicans to explain their lack of action on legislation that they unanimously passed just a few weeks ago.

Democratic Rep. Nita Lowey of New York, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, said Monday:

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I have said over and over again, we need to reopen the government and then have a serious discussion about border security.

Isolate the border wall issue, take a month to discuss it, but dont hold up all the essential services  like the Agriculture Department, Interior, parks, housing, transportation  all the other parts of the government.

The president is really causing great hardship to the average person in this country.



House Democrats will reconsider tomorrow four spending bills they passed last week, starting with a vote on a financial services proposal that would provide funding for the Treasury Department and IRS. In recent days it has been reported that millions of taxpayer refunds will be delayed because of Trumps shutdown, and Pelosi hopes that this is a bill that Republicans would consider passing.

Later this week, Democrats plan to pass three additional spending bills for the Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration; the Interior Department, which includes the National Park Service; and the Transportation and public housing departments.

Their strategy is clear: Democrats want to highlight the extreme negative effects of the partial shutdown  which has caused nearly 800,000 federal employees  as well as millions of federal contractors  to lose paychecks.

Trumps shutdown has also threatened important services to millions of Americans but Trump and Republicans are still demanding the $5.7 billion in border wall funding.

Were working this week on the ones that have a big impact on families, said a Democratic aide about the legislation Pelosi is preparing to send to the Senate.

A few days ago House Democrats passed a single omnibus bill that would fund those same agencies through September. But Senate Republicans have refused to consider the House legislation because Trump is opposed to it.

In a separate bill Democrats also passed a short-term extension of funding for the Homeland Security Department with no funding for a border wall. This bill is awaiting action by the Senate as a stand-alone bill.

Senate Democrats are helping their House colleagues, pledging to paralyze the Senate and stop consideration of any bill unrelated to government funding before the shutdown is ended.

And it looks that will be quite a while. According to Lowey:

From my perspective, what happened yesterday  there was no progress made.

She was referring to negotiations Sunday between Democratic appropriations staffers and top administration officials. Neither partys leaders has shown any willingness to budge on the question of wall funding at this point.

Trump plans will speak on national television tonight attempting to get the American public to swallow his lies about the border wall. It is not expected to do any good, however, as the majority of people dont want a border wall and know that the shutdown is Trumps fault.

Neither side is blinking as of yet, but as time goes on the odds of Pelosi winning the shutdown battle will increase.
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By Steve Stecklow, Babak Dehghanpisheh and James Pomfret

LONDON/HONG KONG (Reuters)  The U.S. case against the chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies, who was arrested in Canada last month, centers on the companys suspected ties to two obscure companies. One is a telecom equipment seller that operated in Tehran; the other is that firms owner, a holding company registered in Mauritius.

U.S. authorities allege CFO Meng Wanzhou deceived international banks into clearing transactions with Iran by claiming the two companies were independent of Huawei, when in fact Huawei controlled them. Huawei has maintained the two are independent: equipment seller Skycom Tech Co Ltd and shell company Canicula Holdings Ltd.

But corporate filings and other documents found by Reuters in Iran and Syria show that Huawei, the worlds largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment, is more closely linked to both firms than previously known.

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The documents reveal that a high-level Huawei executive appears to have been appointed Skycoms Iran manager. They also show that at least three Chinese-named individuals had signing rights for both Huawei and Skycom bank accounts in Iran. Reuters also discovered that a Middle Eastern lawyer said Huawei conducted operations in Syria through Canicula.

The previously unreported ties between Huawei and the two companies could bear on the U.S. case against Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, by further undermining Huaweis claims that Skycom was merely an arms-length business partner.

Huawei, U.S. authorities assert, retained control of Skycom, using it to sell telecom equipment to Iran and move money out via the international banking system. As a result of the deception, U.S. authorities say, banks unwittingly cleared hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions that potentially violated economic sanctions Washington had in place at the time against doing business with Iran.

Meng did not respond to a request for comment by Reuters, and Huawei declined to answer questions for this story. Caniculas offices could not be reached. A Justice Department spokesman in Washington declined to comment.

Meng was released on C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail on Dec. 11 and remains in Vancouver while Washington tries to extradite her. In the United States, Meng would face charges in connection with an alleged conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge. The exact charges have not been made public.

Huawei said last month it has been given little information about the U.S. allegations and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng. The company has described its relationship with Skycom as a normal business partnership. It has said it has fully complied with all laws and regulations and required Skycom to do the same.

Mengs arrest on a U.S. warrant has caused an uproar in China. It comes at a time of growing trade and military tensions between Washington and Beijing, and amid worries by U.S. intelligence that Huaweis telecommunications equipment could contain backdoors for Chinese espionage. The firm has repeatedly denied such claims. Nevertheless, Australia and New Zealand recently banned Huawei from building their next generation of mobile phone networks, and British authorities have also expressed concerns.

OFFER TO IRAN

Articles published by Reuters in 2012 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-huawei-hp/exclusive-huawei-partner-offered-embargoed-hp-gear-to-iran-idUSBRE8BT0BF20121230 and 2013 https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-huawei-skycom/exclusive-huawei-cfo-linked-to-firm-that-offered-hp-gear-to-iran-idUKBRE90U0CA20130131 about Huawei, Skycom and Meng figure prominently in the U.S. case against her. Reuters reported that Skycom had offered to sell at least 1.3 million euros worth of embargoed Hewlett-Packard computer equipment to Irans largest mobile-phone operator in 2010. At least 13 pages of the proposal were marked Huawei confidential and carried Huaweis logo. Huawei has said neither it nor Skycom ultimately provided the U.S. equipment.

Reuters also reported numerous financial and personnel links between Huawei and Skycom, including that Meng had served on Skycoms board of directors between February 2008 and April 2009.

Several banks questioned Huawei about the Reuters articles, according to court documents filed by Canadian authorities at the request of the U.S. for Mengs bail hearing in Vancouver last month.

According to the documents, U.S. investigators allege that in responding to the banks, which werent named, Meng and other Huawei employees repeatedly lied about the companys relationship with Skycom and failed to disclose that Skycom was entirely controlled by Huawei. U.S. authorities also allege that at a private meeting with a bank executive, in or about August 2013, Meng said Huawei had sold its shares in Skycom, but didnt disclose that the buyer was a company also controlled by Huawei.

The court documents allege that Huawei told the executives bank that the Chinese company had sold its shares in Skycom in 2009  the same year Meng stepped down from Skycoms board. Skycoms buyer wasnt identified in the documents.

But Skycom records filed in Hong Kong, where the company was registered, show that its shares were transferred in November 2007 to Canicula. Canicula, which was registered in Mauritius in 2006, continued to hold Skycom shares for about a decade, Skycom records show.

A Summary of Facts filed by U.S. authorities for Mengs Canadian bail hearing states: Documents and email records show that persons listed as Managing Directors for Skycom were Huawei employees. None of those individuals were named.

A company record filed by Skycom in Iran that was entered in the Iranian registry in December 2011 states that a Shi Yaohong had been elected as manager of Skycoms Iran branch for two years. Huawei employs an executive named Shi Yaohong.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Shi was named Huaweis President Middle East Region in June 2012. An Emirates News Agency press release identified him in November 2010 as President of Huawei Etisalat Key Account. Etisalat is a major Middle Eastern telecommunications group and a Huawei partner.

Shi, now president of Huaweis software business unit, hung up the phone when Reuters asked him about his relationship with Skycom.

Many corporate records filed by Skycom in Iran list signatories for its bank accounts in the country. Most of the names are Chinese; at least three of the individuals had signing rights for both Skycom and Huawei bank accounts. (One of the names is listed in the Iranian registry with two slightly different spellings but has the same passport number.) U.S. authorities allege in the court documents filed in Canada that Huawei employees were signatories on Skycom bank accounts between 2007 and 2013.

Records in Hong Kong show that Skycom was voluntarily liquidated in June 2017 and that Canicula was paid about $132,000 as part of the resolution. The liquidator, Chan Leung Lee, of BDO Ltd in Hong Kong, declined to comment.

The Financial Services Commission in Mauritius, where Canicula remains registered, declined to release any of its records to Reuters, saying they were confidential.

SYRIAN CONNECTION

Until two years ago, Canicula had an office in Syria, another country that has been subject to U.S. and European Union sanctions. In May 2014, a Middle Eastern business website called Aliqtisadi.com published a brief article about the dissolution of a Huawei company in Syria that specialized in automated teller machine (ATM) equipment. Osama Karawani, an attorney who was identified as the appointed liquidator, wrote a letter asking for a correction, stating that the article had caused serious damage to Huawei.

Karawani said the article suggested that Huawei itself had been dissolved, not just the ATM company. In his letter, which was linked to on the Aliqtisadi website, he said Huawei was still in business.

Huawei was never dissolved, he wrote; he added that it has been and is still operating in Syria through several companies which are Huawei Technologies Ltd and Canicula Holdings Ltd. Huawei Technologies is one of Huaweis main operating companies.

Karawani didnt respond to emailed questions from Reuters about Canicula.

U.S. investigators are aware of Caniculas connection to Syria, according to a person familiar with the probe. Canicula had an office in Damascus and operated in Syria on behalf of Huawei, another person said.

That person said Caniculas customers there included three major telecommunications companies. One is MTN Syria, controlled by South Africas MTN Group Ltd, which has mobile-phone operations in both Syria and Iran. MTN has a joint venture in Iran  MTN Irancell  that is also a Huawei customer. MTN advised Huawei on setting up the structure of Skycoms office in Iran, according to another source familiar with the matter.

Skycom was just a front for Huawei, the person said.

An official with MTN said no one at the company was available to comment.

In December 2017, a notice was placed in a Syrian newspaper by the General Director of the branch of the company Canicula Ltd. He was not named. It announced that Canicula had totally stopped operating in Syria two months before. No explanation was given.

(By Steve Stecklow in London, Babak Dehghanpisheh in Geneva and James Pomfret in Hong Kong. Additional reporting by Nadia El-Gowely in Cairo, and Shadia Nasralla and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London. Editing By Richard Woods)
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Democrats in the U.S. Senate are planning to stop the consideration of all non-shutdown legislation on the floor of the Senate until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans allow a vote on spending bills passed by the House last week.

The new tough tactic is intended to place increasing pressure on McConnell as the partial federal government shutdown is now in its third week. McConnell has said that he will not allow a vote on the House-passed appropriations bills because they would not be signed into law by the president.

Trump is demanding that Democrats agree to fund construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border but they refuse to do that, creating an impasse in Washington.

Washington insiders believe that if the Senate were to also pass the same bills previously passed by the House that Trump might be pressured into signing them, and end the shutdown.

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Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland represents a state with a very large number of federal employees affected by the shutdown. He has been speaking to other Senate Democrats to adopt the strategy that he has proposed. He tweeted over the weekend:

Senate Democrats should block consideration of any bills unrelated to opening the government until Sen. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans allow a vote on the bipartisan bills the House passed to open the government. Mitch, dont delay. Lets vote!

Senate Democrats should block consideration of any bills unrelated to opening the government until Sen. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans allow a vote on the bipartisan bills the House passed to open the government. Mitch, dont delay. Lets vote!  Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) January 5, 2019

Van Hollen will need at least 41 Senate Democrats on board to block legislation and to prevent Republicans from reaching the 60-vote number they need to bring bills to the floor.

The first test for Van Hollens strategy will come Tuesday, when the Senate is scheduled to vote on a motion to proceed to open debate on a Republican Middle East policy package. That legislation will include Syria sanctions and a measure that aims to block boycotts of Israel. The latter has been endorsed by some Democrats, but critics say it violates the First Amendment right to free speech.

A senior Senate Democratic aide said Monday that Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) would join the opposition to taking up the foreign policy legislation, known as S.1, before the Senate votes on the House-passed spending bills.

Senate Republicans should instead bring to the floor the House-passed bills to reopen the government, Schumers aide said on Monday.

Its not clear that Senate Democrats will stay united in blocking all legislation from coming to the Senate floor. A public lands bill that was held over from the last Congress is expected to get a vote next week, for example  and it has support from a number of Western Democratic senators.

For now, though, Van Hollens strategy is the only one that might actually work to try to force McConnells hand and get a Senate vote on the spending bills passed by the House.

As on Senate Democrat said, Brian Schatz of Hawaii:

Senate Republicans should not treat this legislative work period like its a time to catch up on miscellaneous items. People are suffering, lets vote to fix it.
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By Amanda Becker

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  The day before Deb Haaland was sworn in last week as a freshman lawmaker in the most diverse U.S. House of Representatives class in history, she said the weight of being one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress had not yet fully hit her.

Haaland, 58, had just conducted a brief staff meeting and was sitting in her new office on Capitol Hill as staffers got phones working and solved logistical problems like wrestling a printer through a narrow doorway.

The first-time elected official represents New Mexicos 1st Congressional District and is a member of the states Laguna Pueblo tribe. Congress has never heard a voice like mine, the Democrat said.

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As the first Native American woman in Congress, I know that there will be an expectation on me by tribes across the country to be somebody that can move their issues forward, Haaland said. Thats absolutely something I feel optimistic that I will be able to do.

She said there is an epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women, and Haaland would like Congress to hold additional oversight hearings on the issue and make sure tribal justice systems have the resources they need to conduct proper investigations.

Also at the top of her list is combating climate change, which threatens fragile tribal lands. If youre not scared to death right now about climate change, youre not reading the news, she said.

Haaland is one of a record-breaking 102 women who will serve in the 435-seat House during the 2019-2020 session.

There are many firsts among them. Haaland and Sharice Davids of Kansas, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, are the first Native American women. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan are the first Muslim women. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Jahana Hayes of Connecticut are the first black women to represent their states. All are Democrats.

When Haaland was born in 1960, Native Americans did not have the right to vote in New Mexico  despite being granted full U.S. citizenship by the federal government in 1924. They got it in 1962, making the Southwestern state the last in the nation to extend it.

On Thursday, Haaland welcomed her new constituents to an open house at her congressional office before being sworn in on the House floor. She wore traditional tribal garments to the ceremony, including a pomegranate blossom necklace of silver and turquoise, signifying protection and strength, made by a Laguna artist.

After raising her hand to take the oath of office with her peers, the consequence of the milestone sunk in.

Overcome with emotion, Haaland turned to embrace Davids, borrowing the edge of her new colleagues scarf to dab away her tears.

For photo essay, please click on: https://reut.rs/2FdvcIx

(Reporting by Amanda Becker; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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By Andy Sullivan

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  A U.S. judge said on Monday that a lawyer defending a target of Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe of Russian election meddling engaged in unprofessional, inappropriate and ineffective conduct, prompting the lawyer to say he might withdraw from the case.

Judge Dabney Friedrich told lawyer Eric Dubelier to stop what she called meritless personal attacks against Muellers team. Dubelier is defending Concord Management and Consulting LLC, a Russian firm accused of funding a propaganda operation to sway the 2016 presidential election in Donald Trumps favor.

Ill say it plain and simple: knock it off, Friedrich told Dubelier in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

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Dubelier said he needed to check with Concord to see if they still wanted him to work on the case, given that there appeared to be some bias on the part of the court against him.

In court filings, Dubelier has quoted movies such as Animal House and cartoon characters like Tweety Bird in criticizing Muellers long-running investigation as illegitimate and has sought to have the charges dismissed. Friedrich has twice refused to dismiss the charges against Concord.

Prosecutors contend that Concord is controlled by Evgeny Prigozhin, a businessman identified by Russian media as close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. U.S. officials have said Prigozhin has extensive ties to Russias military and political establishment.

Concord is one of three entities, along with 13 Russian individuals, indicted by Muellers office in an alleged criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper with the 2016 U.S. election, boost Trumps candidacy and disparage his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Russia has denied any involvement. Trump has said there was no collusion between the Kremlin and his campaign, while repeatedly criticizing the Mueller probe as a witch hunt.

(Reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Susan Thomas)
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Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu warned Donald Trump on Monday that the House of Representatives would likely sue him if he declares a fake national emergency to build his vanity wall on the southern border.

In an interview with MSNBCs Chris Matthews, Rep. Lieu said he believes the House would hit Trump with a lawsuit and force the president to make the case for his phony emergency to the Supreme Court.

If he wants to reopen government, and then declare a national emergency, and then we have the courts battle it out, thats something I can live, Lieu said, confident that the courts would strike down any attempt by Trump to declare a national emergency for political purposes.

You cant just make up a national emergency and do something you couldnt do normally, he added.

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Video:

.@tedlieu gives the president a warning if he declares a fake emergency to build his wall. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/xoxUtcP5wD  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) January 8, 2019

When Matthews asked what Democrats would do if Trump declared a fake national emergency, Lieu said:

I believe the House of Representatives would sue.  It is really Republican senators that are just as at fault as the president is in having this unnecessary shutdown thats harming a lot of Americans.  It could be (an impeachable offense). And the Supreme Court in 1953 struck down President Trumans national emergency where he tried to seize our steel mills, saying you cant just make up a national emergency and do something you couldnt do normally, and were going to see tomorrow, the president maybe trying to get a face-saving way out so he can throw this into the courts. If he wants to reopen government, thats great. And if he wants to reopen government, and then declare a national emergency, and then we have the courts battle it out, thats something I can live with because we shouldnt harming all these Americans as well as our national parks and people who are at risk of losing homes and not getting their tax refunds.  If his advisers told him this is illegal and he went ahead and did it, and then put our military personnel at risk of following an illegal order and committing federal crimes, thats a pretty significant obligation of a president to protect military folks as well.

Trumps national emergency is dead on arrival

Like Ted Lieu noted on Monday, a president doesnt have the power to declare a fake national emergency just to get around Congress. Thats not how government works.

Thats particularly true given the fact that Democrats now control the House of Representatives. Unlike the previous Republican Congress, they arent about to let Trump behave like a third-world dictator.

If Donald Trump makes a desperate last-ditch effort to declare a fake national emergency to build his wall, Congress and the courts will be there to sink him almost immediately.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook.
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The TV networks know that Trump is going to lie, but out of fear of White House retribution, they will be airing his immigration address from the Oval Office.

CNN reported:

The major television networks will provide wall-to-wall coverage of President Donald Trumps prime time address on border security on Tuesday.

NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox broadcast network all said on Monday that they had agreed to the White Houses request for air time.

CNN, Fox News and MSNBC will all carry the address live, as well.

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The big question is why?

Why are the networks going to flush millions of dollars in ad revenue and spending for primetime programming down the drain to give Trump a forum for lies? Especially, since Trump is an unpopular president, who is giving an address that isnt going to draw big ratings, the networks decision makes no sense from a business point of view.

The answer is that the networks are afraid of playing into Trumps hands and looking biased:

Yeah, the "networks are just doing this for ratings" critique doesn't really apply here, IMO. It's more than they're trying to figure out the least-worst option for their reputation as news brands (i.e. they want to seem nonpartisan). https://t.co/L1AfKkfaee  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) January 8, 2019

The years that Trump has spent demonizing and attacking the press have paid off. The media was afraid of looking biased, so they are going to give Trump a platform to lie live from coast to coast.

The least that the networks can do is follow Trumps speech with a fact check and a Democratic rebuttal. It would help the credibility of the networks of they fact-checked Trump in real time on the screen while he was talking.

The networks will be showing it, journalists like me have to cover it, but the good news for the American people is that they dont have to watch it.

My advice to every person who is outraged by this decision is that they vote with their remote, and ignore Trumps address.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.
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By Heather Somerville

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters)  New Trump administration policies aimed at curbing Chinas access to American innovation have all but halted Chinese investment in U.S. technology startups, as both investors and startup founders abandon deals amid scrutiny from Washington.

Chinese venture funding in U.S. startups crested to a record $3 billion last year, according to New York economic research firm Rhodium Group, spurred by a rush of investors and tech companies scrambling to complete deals before a new regulatory regime was approved in August.

Since then, Chinese venture funding in U.S. startups has slowed to a trickle, Reuters interviews with more than 35 industry players show.

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U.S. President Donald Trump signed new legislation expanding the governments ability to block foreign investment in U.S. companies, regardless of the investors country of origin. But Trump has been particularly vocal about stopping China from getting its hands on strategic U.S. technologies.

The new rules are still being finalized, but tech industry veterans said the fallout has been swift.

Deals involving Chinese companies and Chinese buyers and Chinese investors have virtually stopped, said attorney Nell ODonnell, who has represented U.S. tech comp transactions with foreign buyers.

Lawyers who spoke to Reuters say they are feverishly rewriting deal terms to help ensure investments get the stamp of approval from Washington. Chinese investors, including big family offices, have walked away from transactions and stopped taking meetings with U.S. startups. Some entrepreneurs, meanwhile, are eschewing Chinese money, fearful of lengthy government reviews that could sap their resources and momentum in an arena where speed to market is critical.

Volley Labs, Inc, a San Francisco-based company that uses artificial intelligence to build corporate training materials, is playing it safe. It declined offers from Chinese investors last year after accepting cash from Beijing-based TAL Education Group as part of a financing round in 2017.

We decided for optical reasons it just wouldnt make sense to expose ourselves further to investors coming from a country where there is now so much by way of trade tensions and IP tensions, said Carson Kahn, Volleys CEO.

A Silicon Valley venture capitalist told Reuters he is aware of at least ten deals, some involving companies in his own portfolio, that fell apart because they would need approval from the interagency group known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). He declined to be named for fear of bringing negative attention to his portfolio companies.

CFIUS is the government group tasked with reviewing foreign investment for potential national security and competitive risks. The new legislation expands its powers. Among them: the ability to probe transactions previously excluded from its purview, including attempts by foreigners to purchase minority stakes in U.S. startups.

China is in the crosshairs. The Asian giant has been an aggressive investor in technology deemed critical to its global competitiveness and military prowess. Chinese investors have bought stakes in ride-hailing firms Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] and Lyft, as well as companies with more sensitive technologies including data center networking firm Barefoot Networks, autonomous driving startup Zoox and speech recognition startup AISense.

(For a graphic of Chinese venture investment in U.S. tech, see: https://tmsnrt.rs/2SBHUVh)

A dearth of Chinese money is unlikely to spell doomsday for Silicon Valley. Investors worldwide poured more than $84 billion into U.S. startups for the first three quarters of last year, exceeding any prior full-year funding, according to data provider PitchBook Inc.

Still, Chinese funders are critical to helping U.S. companies gain access to the worlds second-largest economy. Volleys Kahn acknowledged that rejecting Chinese investment may make his startups overseas expansion more difficult.

Those of us who are operators and entrepreneurs feel the brunt of these tensions, Kahn said.

It is a radical shift for Silicon Valley. Money has historically flowed in from every corner of the globe, including from geopolitical rivals such as China and Russia, largely uninhibited by U.S. government scrutiny or regulation.

Reid Whitten, an attorney with Sheppard Mullin, said that of the six companies he recently advised to get CFIUS approval for their investment offers, only two have opted to file the paperwork. The others abandoned their deals or are still considering whether to proceed.

It is a generational change in the way we look at foreign investment in the United States, Whitten said.

CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES

The decline in Chinese investment comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington. Trump has blasted China for its enormous trade surplus and for what he claims are its underhanded strategies to obtain leading-edge American technology.

The nations have already levied billions in tariffs on each others goods. And Trump is considering an executive order to bar U.S. companies from using telecommunications equipment made by Chinas Huawei and ZTE, which the U.S. government has accused of spying.

CFIUS is emerging as another powerful cudgel. Led by the U.S. Treasury, it includes members from eight other government entities, including the departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security. The secretive committee does not disclose much about the deals it reviews. But its most recent annual report said Chinese investors made 74 CFIUS filings from 2013 to 2015, the most of any nation. The president has the authority to make the final decision, but a thumbs-down from CFIUS is usually enough to doom a deal.

Washington demonstrated its tougher stance even before the new law was passed, when Trump in March blocked a $117 billion hostile bid by Singapore-based Broadcom Ltd to acquire Qualcomm Inc <QCOM.O> of San Diego. CFIUS said the takeover would weaken the United States in the race to develop next-generation wireless technology.

A White House spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

In November, CFIUS rolled out a pilot program mandating that foreign investors notify the committee of any size investment in certain critical technologies. The scope of that term is still being defined, but a working list includes artificial intelligence, logistics technology, robotics and data analytics the bread and butter of Silicon Valley.

Research firm Rhodium predicted that up to three-quarters of Chinese venture investments would be subject to CFIUS review under the new rules.

Just the threat of that scrutiny has caused some Chinese investors to reconsider.

Peter Kuo, whose firm, Silicon Valley Global, connects Chinese investors with U.S. startups, said his business has slumped dramatically. In 2018, he said not a single Chinese investor took a stake in the companies he shopped to them.

CFIUS didnt kill our organization, but it hampered a lot of startups, and most of them are American startups, Kuo said.

SAFE SIDE OF THE FENCE

Some security experts applaud what they call long-overdue protections for U.S. startups.

What we are concerned about is a limited number of bad actors who are phenomenally clever about how they can access our intellectual property, said Bob Ackerman, founder of AllegisCyber, a venture capital firm based in San Francisco and Maryland that backs cyber security startups.

Rhodium calculates that, on average, 21 percent of Chinese venture investment in the United States from 2000 through 2017 came from state-owned funds, which are controlled at least in part by the Chinese government. In 2018, that figure surged to 41 percent.

But some tech industry players say Washington is casting too wide a net in its zeal to check Beijing.

A lot of innocent business people are getting caught up in the administrations spat with China, said Wei Guo, the China-born founding partner of Silicon Valley firm UpHonest Capital, whose funding comes mostly from foreign investors with ties to China.

Adding to Silicon Valleys anxiety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken a more active role in policing Chinese investment.

Two industry veterans, a startup adviser and a venture capitalist who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters they were recently cautioned by the FBI not to pursue deals with Chinese investors. The two people did not name the Chinese entities of interest to the FBI, but said the deals concerned U.S. companies building artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technologies.

Whether any of this deters China from reaching its goal of dominating advanced technologies remains to be seen. China can still invest in U.S. technology through layers of funds that obscure the money source. And Chinese investors are redirecting funds to promising companies in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

U.S. startups, meanwhile, are rewriting deal terms to avoid a CFIUS review. Strategies include adding provisions to prevent foreign investors from obtaining proprietary technical information, and denying them board rights, veto rights or additional equity in future rounds, attorneys told Reuters.

People are rightfully concerned about making sure they are on the safe side of the fence, said Jeff Farrah, general counsel of the National Venture Capital Association.

(Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Greg Mitchell and Marla Dickerson)
Forsythe's in the middle, somewhat elevated uses the battement like an attack. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev, Courtesy Pennsylvania Ballet

The Story of How Ballet Legs Got Higher, and Higher, and Higher
Staff reports

The Petoskey News-Review

Dentist joins Petoskey practice

PETOSKEY  Petoskey Dental Associates recently announce that James Clement, D.D.S., will be joining its team in January.

At Petoskey Dental Associates, Dr. Clement will join Dr. Reginald Whitcomb in providing general and cosmetic dentistry services for Petoskey, Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, Boyne City and the greater Northern Michigan area.

Clement, who grew up in St. Ignace, earned a bachelors degree in history from Lake Superior State University and a doctorate in dental surgery from the University of Detroit Mercy. Along with his new role at Petoskey Dental Associates, Clement is also currently working with his father, Dr. Scott Clement, at Clement Family Dentistry in St. Ignace. James Clement is a member of the American Dental Association and the Michigan Dental Association.

I am extremely excited to be joining the PDA family and looking forward to continuing the tradition of exceptional experience dental care that the patients of PDA have become accustomed to, he said.

Petoskey Dental Associates is located at 1301 U.S. 131 South, Petoskey. New patients looking to meet Clement or schedule an appointment can call (231) 347-2100 or visit www.petoskeydental.com to learn more.

Insurance agent receives recognition

For the third year in a row, Linda L. Moline, insurance agent with Encore Financial Group, was recognized as one of the top performing agents and brokers in the country by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

This nationwide recognition as a member of the HealthCare.gov Champions Circle is awarded for success during the 2019 Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment, which ran from Nov. 1-Dec. 15, 2018. Moline assisted individuals and families registering for health insurance through Healthcare.gov. To hear more about Marketplace Open Enrollment via HealthCare.gov, you can contact Encore Financial Group at (231) 627-1023 or by visiting www.encorefinancialgroup.net.

Encore Financial Group is a team of independent financial professionals dedicated to helping individuals, families, and businesses reach their goals. They do this via a holistic approach to reducing risk, offering protection services and growth opportunities for clients. Encore has offices in several Northern Michigan communities as well as in Florida, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. For more information, see encorefinancialgroup.net or call (877) 636-2673.
Jillian Fellows (231) 439-9389 jfellows@petoskeynews.com

The Petoskey News-Review

HARBOR SPRINGS  City manger Tom Richards provided an update on the ongoing floodplain reduction project for city council members on Monday.

The plan, a top priority for the city in 2019, is designed to address a new and expanded floodplain map from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that would impact more than 100 residential and commercial buildings in the city.

The project calls for construction work both above and below the bluff in order to mitigate the flood risk.

For the lower portion of the project, city officials have been working with the Michigan Department of Transportation to gain approval for the section of the plan that involves M-119. After several frustrating meetings, Richards said progress was recently made after Joe ONeill with Benchmark Engineering proposed the addition of an 8-foot-tall, 10-foot-wide culvert.

Much to our surprise, we got initial support from MDOT because it addressed many of the concerns that they had, Richards said.

The latest proposal also includes an open spillway, which would be paved on the bottom and have concrete sides. Previous designs called for a grass spillway.

Richards said the new spillway design would allow that water to run without any potential back pressure or erosion pressure to the street. Then Zoll Street would be lowered to carry that water straight down to the waterfront, actually to the Zoll Street beach.

Richards added that MDOT officials also indicated that they might be able to provide some financial support for the project, which has been budgeted for $1.2 million.

Based upon that, the concept design is being developed with more detail, Richards said. We hope to have a revised estimate for the cost of this portion of the project and bring that to council for discussion.

For the northern portion of the project, Richards said he anticipates the item will be discussed at next Mondays Harbor Springs school board meeting. The northern portion of the project is divided among three property owners  the city, Irish Boat Shop and the school district.

The city is obviously interested in doing a portion on city property, Richards said. Irish Boat Shop is in. If the district can cover the roughly $65,000 cost of the portion on their property, that would enable the rest of the project to begin and minimize any flood risk there.
Arielle S. Hines

(231) 439-9358

CHARLEVOIX  Charlevoix City Council members on Monday voted in favor of an ordinance that prohibits recreational marijuana establishments within the city limits, at least for now.

Under the ordinance, recreational marijuana-related business establishments are not allowed to operate in Charlevoix. In addition, the ordinance bans all forms of smoking in public spaces and within 25 feet of the entrance of a building. Charlevoix's ordinance does not otherwise affect individuals use of marijuana.

In November, Michigan voters approved a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. However, the voter-approved act also permits municipalities to opt out of having recreational marijuana-related operations in their communities. Charlevoix city attorney Scott Howard noted the voter-approved recreational marijuana law assumes municipalities allow such businesses unless officials explicitly opt out.

Charlevoix council members believe that it's prudent to "opt out" of allowing such establishments, at least until the state issues regulations on recreational marijuana-related businesses. City officials across the state have echoed similar sentiments.

"I think we have a reasonable plan, which is to wait and see how it's going to shake out with the law and how other communities are handling it," said Charlevoix Mayor Luther Kurtz.

Check back at petoskeynews.com or in Wednesdays print edition of the Petoskey News-Review for additional details.
Steve Foley

(231) 439-9397

Its well known norovirus, or often referred to as stomach flu, can peak in the winter.

Earlier this week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported recent increases in norovirus activity and urged Michigan residents to take precautions to stay healthy.

Joshua Meyerson, medical director at the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, said while theres an increase in norovirus activity statewide, significant increases or outbreaks havent occurred locally in Emmet or Charlevoix counties.

Certainly theres people in emergency rooms or if you check with them theyve had people come in with gastrointestinal symptoms, Meyerson said. I just havent seen any big increases that I know of or any big outbreaks reported in our area so far this year.

Although several virus types can cause vomiting and diarrhea, norovirus is the most common. The viruses are easily spread through food, by person-to-person contact or through contaminated surfaces.

Typically, we do see norovirus activity and those types of symptoms which do peak in the early winter, Meyerson said. Usually around the holidays, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, when lots of people are sharing lots of things.

Meyerson said state health officials reported 21 outbreaks of norovirus which were identified in December versus just five in November.

Thats why they sent the report out, Meyerson said. They are continuing to see that activity into the first week in January. Statewide theres been an increased number in gastrointestinal norovirus-like illness, but I dont know of any specific reports of it locally at this time.

Im sure theres people out there though, somebody has an upset stomach somewhere.

It should also be noted a norovirus infection is not related to influenza (flu), which is a respiratory viral illness that can cause fever, cough, chills, headache, muscle aches, runny nose and sore throat.

The flu is where youre in bed, aching for several days, Meyerson said. Viral gastroenteritis, or the stomach flu, is more of a 24- to 48-hour virus. The flu vaccine will protect you from the respiratory flu, but it wont do anything for the stomach flu.

Norovirus often causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping, but infected people may also have a low-grade fever, headache, weakness and muscle aches, the MDHHS notes. Symptoms can begin as early as 12 hours after exposure to the virus or as late as 72 hours.

The symptoms of norovirus usually last one to three days, and in most cases ill individuals fully recover without medical attention.

We have not had any local reports, but were certainly on the lookout for it, Meyerson said.

Usually if there are outbreaks we like to know about them and we appreciate schools if they report to us, or emergency rooms or doctors offices if theyre seeing large numbers.

In severe cases, norovirus infection may result in hospitalization because of dehydration, especially in the very young and elderly.

The MDHHS also noted the best way to limit the spread of viruses is frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds using soap and warm running water, being sure to completely clean all areas of hands and under fingernails. This is especially important after using the bathroom or before preparing or eating food.

Norovirus can remain on a variety of surfaces for extended periods of time. Doorknobs, faucets, sinks, toilets, bath rails, phones, counters, chairs, tables, handrails, light switches, keyboards and other high-touch surfaces should be disinfected more frequently during a virus outbreak.

For more information about norovirus, visit CDC.gov/norovirus.
Tina Brosius, sentenced to life in prison for abandoning a newborn in a public toilet in 1994, began her second chance at life on the outside Tuesday morning.

Brosius, 43, was released from the State Correctional Institution at Muncy at 8 a.m., as per the terms of a December commutation of her sentence by Gov. Tom Wolf. She has been moved to a community corrections center in the Harrisburg area where she will now spend one year in re-entry programming.

The state Department of Corrections, citing safety and security reasons and to ease Brosiuss transition to her new home, did not identify the center housing Brosius or release the new terms of her commitment there.

According to the departments website, however, these halfway houses, as they are commonly known, assist individuals in their transition back into society by allowing them to re-establish family connections, continue programming both in the center and in the community and to obtain employment.

Brosiuss crime jarred the midstates conscience and cast a bright light on how the issue of teen pregnancy can fracture a family.

According to the defense case laid out at her 1995 trial, Tina Brosius, pregnant with her third child, went to Lower Paxton Townships Brightbill Park on May 7, 1994, in a panic because she feared her parents would evict her from their house.

Brosius delivered her daughter in a portable toilet and left her to die. Brosius, as part of her defense, stated that she thought the baby was stillborn, asserting that she hadnt felt it move during the pregnancy and that the child didnt make a sound when it dropped into the toilets catch basin.

Jurors took about three hours to convict her of first-degree murder, a crime that in Pennsylvania carries an automatic term of life in prison without parole.

In the 23 years since, her advocates say, Brosius has attacked prison life with a passion, taking multiple courses, developing an expertise in upholstering furniture, and generally serving as a positive role model to others who have followed her to SCI Muncy.

State Board of Pardons members, and ultimately, Wolf, granted Brosius the rare commutation for several reasons:

Brosiuss own acceptance of responsibility for her actions.

Her familys closure of ranks behind Tina.

The support of the Dauphin County district attorney at the time, John Cherry.

At last years public hearing on commutation, Cherry, a Dauphin County judge now, laid out how negotiations over a plea to third-degree murder  which carried a maximum term of 20 to 40 years  collapsed when he and Stone were unable to agree to a specific recommendation for sentence.

At this point, Cherry said last year, Brosius has served well beyond what she would have served under an open plea to third-degree murder, and he added that he saw no useful purpose in her continued incarceration.
Its going to feel a lot like winter in Pennsylvania this week.

A shot of cold air is expected to sweep across the northeastern U.S. during the midweek. That cold air, according to AccuWeather, will enable temperatures to drop and snow to fall in some areas.

During Tuesday afternoon, showers, some with thunder and lightning, are forecast to become locally heavy and gusty across the Ohio Valley, according to the report. As the colder air catches up to the back side of the showers, rain may change to a period of accumulating snow over the higher elevations of the central Appalachians Tuesday night

The full brunt of the cold air will affect the Northeast on Wednesday and into Thursday. AccuWeather anticipates temperatures wont be too far off from normal ranges, but wind will make it feel even colder.

Colder air, accompanied by wind, will make temperatures feel much colder across Pennsylvania this week.

Snow is also possible for a large portion of the state, but central Pennsylvania is expected to avoid any fresh snowfall. Areas that could see some snow include most of western Pennsylvania, especially those in Erie.

Anyone planning to travel on stretches of I-90 from near Syracuse, New York, to Cleveland, Ohio, I-80 in western Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio, I-75 in northern Michigan and other area interstates and roads should be prepared for difficult travel," according to AccuWeather.

Heres a look at the forecast for Harrisburg:

Tuesday  Cloudy skies mixed with sunshine, a passing shower possible. High: 49

Tuesday night - A shower possible in the evening; otherwise, mostly cloudy skies. Low: 35

Wednesday - Cloudy skies, windy. High: 41

Wednesday night - Areas of low clouds, breezy. Low: 29

Thursday - Periods of clouds and sunshine. High: 35

Thursday night - Partly cloudy skies. Low: 23

Friday - Plenty of sunshine. High: 34

Friday night - Partly cloudy skies. Low: 17
CARLISLE -- PennDOT today offered its first major unveiling of a study on a $2.9-billion project to widen Interstate 81.

It calls for turning I-81 into a six-lane highway  three lanes in both directions -- for most of the 89-mile stretch between the Maryland line and Interstate 78.

As it stands now, the extra lanes would come from widening the highway into the grassy median that separates northbound and southbound. And this needs to be done, PennDOT said.

This will have to be done in small chunks, said Mike Keiser, the district executive for PennDOT District 8.

It may be years before the project even begins, Keiser said. But he told roughly 50 members of the Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce he wants to have this study ready to go now in case federal infrastructure dollars come through.

Interstate 81 is crucial to the region. Tens of thousands drive on it to get to work, shop or play.

Unless, of course, they cant move because theyre stuck in traffic. And that happens a lot.

That isnt good if youre running a business.

We cover the greater southcentral Pennsylvania area, so typically, on average, probably about 15 percent of the work day for many of our employees is spent driving, said Jon Kautz, owner of Energy Smart Home Improvement in Carlisle. So, when we have problems on Route 81, when we have traffic issues and what have you, it very directly affects our service to our customers.

Its hard to quantify just how much of an impact there is, but an extra half hour to 45 minutes per day stuck in I-81 traffic jams affects the bottom line and the cost to consumers.

And thats not just Kautz. Thats true for just about every business in the Carlisle area. And theyre hoping that will change.

He and other business leaders were eager to hear PennDOTs first major public unveiling of the study they hope will alleviate most of these traffic problems by widening I-81.

PennDOT first conducted the I-81 corridor widening study in 2005, and Keiser said they finished the updated version of that study in November.

The widening is needed to achieve acceptable levels of service for the 2030 projected traffic volumes, Keiser told the group.

Traffic is only going to increase in the coming years, mostly between the Carlisle areas Exits 44 and 52.

It wasnt that long ago that the Cumberland County Historical Society wrote a book that said All Roads Lead to Carlisle,' said Michelle Hornick Crowley, president and CEO of the Carlisle Chamber.

That was as true during the French and Indian War, and its true now, she said. Carlisle is a major transportation hub, the exchange connecting Interstate 81 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Carlisle is within one days truck drive from half of the U.S. population, Keiser pointed out.

Most would agree improvements are needed, but its going to be costly. Keiser said it can happen a lot faster if some federal transportation dollars come through.

And this updated plan is the first step.

A year ago, there was a lot of discussion about a big infrastructure bill out of federal government. Hopefully that comes back, and thats one of the reasons we want to make sure were in the position to take advantage of that if it happens, Keiser said. If the resources become available, we can react quickly.

Todays gathering at the Comfort Suites in downtown Carlisle was intended to get the business community to do what they can to help make sure those funds come in.

We really arent going to accomplish anything if we dont have any revenue coming in, Hornick Crowley said. Lets get the greater discussion started in our community.

And as some of his employees continue to spend a chunk of their day at a standstill on I-81, Kautz agrees that a change is needed.

We really need to be proactive, said Kautz, who is also a member of the chambers legislative committee. He wants to help the business owners who are facing the same problem he is.

Talking about it is the first step that we have to take, he said.
A winter storm is headed to the northern parts of Pennsylvania and PennDOT is taking precautions.

PennDOT issued speed restrictions for several interstates, including Interstate 81 where it meets Interstate 78 in Lebanon County, due to the storm expected to hit overnight.

The restrictions are in place from 11 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday, and bans double trailers, empty trailers, non-commercials vehicles pulling trailers, recreational vehicles and motorcycles on these interstates:

Interstate 80 east of the junction of Interstate 79 to the New Jersey border.

Interstate 81 north of the junction with Interstate 78 to the New York border.

Interstates 84, 180 and 380 in northeast and north-central Pennsylvania.

Interstate 476, the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike north of the Lehigh Valley exit.

Beginning around 7 p.m. Monday, a Winter Weather Advisory goes into effect for several northern Pennsylvania counties, but does reach into central Pa.

Dauphin, Juniata, Chuylkill, Lebanon, Cumberland, Franklin, Adams and Blair are among the counties that could see snow and ice.

The National Weather Service said mixed precipitation is expected, with ice accumulations of than a tenth of an inch and snow and sleep of and inch or less possible. Road conditions will be slippery, the NWS warns.

From 7 p.m. Monday to 4 a.m. Tuesday, Elk, Clearfield, Cambria, Blair, Somerset, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Cumberland and Adams counties can expect to see freezing rain, with the total ice accumulating of a light glaze, according to the NWS.

The ice is likely to result in slippery conditions on sidewalks, roads and bridges, according to the NWS.

Though the storm will pass through overnight, a high near 50 degrees in the Harrisburg region will ensure any accumulation melts. A chance of showers could return Tuesday night between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. Wednesday, according to the NWS.
Pennsylvanias year-old opioid disaster declaration and related efforts are cutting into the number of people who are dying from overdoses from heroin and other opioids, Dr. Rachel Levine said on Monday.

Levine, who is the state secretary of health, said those numbers have yet to show up in figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But she said shes convinced overdose rates are falling in some Pennsylvania counties. She attributed it to things including more overdose victims being saved as the result of increased access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone, and more overdose survivors and others getting treatment as a result of state-driven efforts.

Still, she said the fight against the opioid addiction and overdose crisis is far from over, and Pennsylvania has no plans to scale back on its effort.

Gov. [Tom] Wolf is absolutely committed to addressing the opioid crisis and it is one of the priorities of the administration and certainly one of the priorities for our second term, said said during an update Monday.

Pennsylvania about a year ago established an Opioid Command Center to coordinate work of 16 state agencies in position to impact the opioid crisis.

The center is located within the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Susquehanna Township, where more than a dozen state officials stood on a stage Monday to give a progress report.

They cited progress including treating about 12,000 people who came to 45 state-run treatment centers, saving about 20,000 lives as the result of naloxone administered by police and medical first responders, and greatly expanding the availability of warm handoffs into treatment to overdose survivors brought to emergencies rooms.

Still, much remains a work in progress, with officials acknowledging problems such as getting hospitals to provide warm handoffs in a few counties, and some remaining pill mills of doctors prescribing opioids that feed the crisis.

Officials said many people are getting connected to treatment after calling the states hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

In a news release, the Wolf administration cited these actions aimed at the opioid crisis:

 The Prescription Drug Monitoring Program has reduced the prescription of opioids by more than 20 percent and has virtually eliminated doctor shopping.

 The Opioid Data Dashboard and Data Dashboard 2.0 has provided public-facing data regarding prevention, rescue and treatment.

 Eight PacMAT centers are serving as part of a hub-and-spoke model to provide treatment to people where they live.

 The establishment of the OCC and its capacity to facilitate coordination across agencies has helped to tear down silos and provide solutions to this crisis and discuss areas of work that overlap among several agencies in a streamlined manner.

 The waiver of birth certificate fees for those with opioid use disorder has helped more than 1,100 people gain easier entry into recovery programs.

 A standing order signed by Dr. Rachel Levine in 2018 allowed EMS to leave behind more than 620 doses of naloxone.

More than 45 Centers of Excellence, administered by the Department of Human Services, are now providing evidence-based treatment to those on Medicaid suffering from a substance use disorder.

 The DART survey referral system was introduced to assist getting those who need treatment in navigating available resources.

 More than 1,500 prescribers in 2018 received education and with funding available to reach another 2,000 additional in 2019.

 More than 22,000 physicians have received training on how to prescribe opioids cautiously and judiciously.

811 drug take-back boxes helped properly dispose of 482,000 pounds of unwanted drugs in 2018.

 The Get Help Now Hotline received more than 15,000 calls this year, with 45 percent of callers connected directly to a treatment provider.

 The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) has expanded its Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program and began testing its MAT initiatives in 2018.

 A DOC body scanner pilot project proved successful in reducing overdoses and violent crime in a number of facilities and is currently being expanded to additional facilities.

 More than 100 licensed physicians or prescribers have been disciplined for wrongful practice over the past two years.

PA schools have received education and training on opioids with plans in place to make opioid education a standard component of school-based training.

 More than 25,000 doses of naloxone have been purchased and distributed through the county entities, leading to 4,501 reversals.

 Announced Medicaid waiver for prior authorization requirements for evidence-based opioid use disorder treatments, with commercial insurers quickly following suit.

 Assisted local partners in developing strategic plans and funding community-based intervention programs through grants such as Cumberland Countys opioid court.

 Law enforcement seized heroin, fentanyl among other illicit drugs to help keep them off the street.
The New York City Police Department was searching a Berks County landfill as part of a possible homicide investigation.

Dozens of NYPD units were spotted yesterday leaving the Conestoga Landfill in Caernarvon Township after the first day of what a police spokesman said was a possible homicide investigation, WFMZ is reporting.

The landfill owners, the Berks County District Attorneys Office and Pennsylvania State Police were all aware of the NYPD presence.

Pennsylvania State Police spokesman Trooper David Beohm told The Reading Eagle the state police were assisting with the investigation because its occurring in their jurisdiction, but he would not elaborate on the investigation, itself.

Police in New York are investigating a high-profile missing persons case in which 40-year-old Michael Stewart had last sent a text message to his mother Dec. 21, writing Please help me Mom, according to the New York Post.

NBC 4 in New York is reporting the NYPD confirmed the search in Berks County is connected to Stewarts disappearance.

According to the New York Post, Stewart was last seen on surveillance video Dec. 20 with his friend, Angelo Nesimi, inside a Port Richmond barbershop. The Post reports Nesmi was arrested Dec. 31 in connection with a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, who told police her boyfriend killed somebody  and he made me go with him to get rid of the body in New Jersey.

Investigators believe the body may have been dumped in New Jersey and taken to the Pennsylvania landfill by sanitation workers, NBC 4 reports.

No one has been charged in the suspected killing, though, and Stewart has not yet been found, according to reports.
A shot of cold air will bring frigid temperatures and some precipitation across Pennsylvania through the midweek.

Depending on how long that cold shot lasts, and the track of two storms, AccuWeather predicts that heavy snow could fall this weekend.

One storm is expected to drop southeast from central Canada and move across the Great Lakes and New England, according to the report. The other will move to the northeast from the Gulf of Mexico.

If the two storms remain weak, AccuWeather anticipates they will stay separate. Some parts of Pennsylvania could see some intermittent snow as a result.

If two separate storms stay weak into the weekend, parts of Pennsylvania could see some intermittent snow.

If the storms merge to become one large storm, AccuWeather predicts heavy snow could stretch from Pennsylvania to New England.

If the two storms merge, however, heavy snow and ice could fall from Pennsylvania into New England.

Either way, people with travel plans that take them through the southern and central Appalachians to the mid-Atlantic states this weekend should be prepared for slippery conditions and delays, AccuWeather reports. :There is at least a possibility that more substantial and correspondingly disruptive wintry travel spreads northeastward from portions of Tennessee and Kentucky to North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and New England."
On Jan. 15, history will be made in Pennsylvania with the swearing-in of Gov. Tom Wolf to his second and final four-year term of office.

Former Govs. Tom Ridge and Mark Schweiker are among those planning to attend and you can too. Tickets to witness the noontime outdoor inauguration are free but you cant attend without a ticket. You can get tickets by visiting the Wolf inauguration website.

There are two other events happening that day to celebrate the launch of Wolf Administration Part Two.

An open house is planned at the Governors Residence, 2035 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, where you can personally greet the governor and first lady Frances Wolf and the states incoming new lieutenant governor, John Fetterman and wife Gisele. The open house is free and no tickets are needed.

The day of festivities will conclude with an inaugural celebration featuring the Philadelphia-based R&B band The Roots, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center located off of I-81 at the Cameron Street exit. For those wanting to punch it into their GPS, the address is 2300 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg. This event, however, will cost you.

Tickets can be purchased through the inauguration website for the price of $100 each. Students and senior citizens can buy one for half that amount.

So those are the basics of what is happening and how you can be part of this celebration, but heres a few more details that you might want to keep in mind.

What you can bring: Cameras are welcome at all three events to record this historic day.

What you cant bring: Dress for the weather because umbrellas are not allowed. Theres a whole host of other things that are not permitted, including large bags, firearms, fireworks, air horns, signs or posters, portable chairs or food or beverages brought in from outside the events. Security officials will be on hand to screen guests. More information can be found on the Wolf Inauguration websites FAQ section.

What time to get there: The swearing-in ceremony starts at noon but guests need to be in their seats by 11:30 a.m. Gates open at 10 a.m. For the other events, its your call. The open house runs from 2 to 4 p.m. and the inaugural party will go from 7 to 11 p.m.

What to wear: As mentioned, the swearing-in ceremony will take place outside near the fountain along Commonwealth Avenue. Weather forecasts at this point are calling for partly sunny skies with temperatures to reach a high of 38 degrees. So you want to make dressing for cold weather more of a priority than making a fashion statement if you are planning to attend this event. There is no particular dress code for the open house. For the evening party, cocktail attire is requested.

Where to park: The one place you can park for free throughout the day is at the Farm Show complex. Shuttles will be available to bring you to the Capitol starting at 9 a.m. They will run continuously from the Farm Show to the Capitol and back. Then at 1:30 p.m., the shuttles will start adding the Governors Residence to its stops at the Capitol and Farm Show complex. The last loop for this run will leave the Capitol at 4:30 p.m. For the evening party, the Farm Show complex again will offer free parking on a first-come, first-served basis. But for this event, shuttles will be available to carry guests from the Hilton Harrisburg, 1 North Second Street, Harrisburg, to the Farm Show complex beginning at 7 p.m. and running continuously until 11:55 p.m.

Where else to park: If you prefer to park closer to the Capitol, it will cost you. Information about metered parking and parking garages can be accessed at the Parkharrisburg.com website.

A nicety but necessity: Portable toilets will be available for the swearing-in ceremony but there are indoor public restroom facilities available as well in the Capitol, at the Governors Residence and at the Farm Show complex.

Where to eat: One thing there is no shortage of in downtown Harrisburg are restaurants offering meals in all price ranges within walking distance from the Capitol. Just walk across the street, down a nearby street, or down to Second Street. Theres plenty from which to choose.

Whos entertaining: As mentioned, The Grammy Award-winning Roots will be the headliner for the inauguration celebration. If their name doesnt ring a bell, perhaps you might know them from their role as the official house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

If you cant attend: Check out PennLive throughout the day as a team of reporters and photographers will be covering all the events happening throughout the day and evening. PCN is planning a full day of coverage including live coverage of the inauguration, starting at 10 a.m.

WHTM announced it will begin coverage within abc27 News at Noon and then have continuous coverage starting at 12:30pm until the conclusion of the swearing-in ceremony. It will also be streamed in its entirety on abc27.com. Other local television stations also are planning coverage but details of what that will entail were not immediately available.

Whos footing the bill: These events are entirely privately funded by the Wolf Inaugural 2019 committee and its donors and held at no expense to Pennsylvania taxpayers, said Karissa Hand, a spokeswoman for the inaugural committee. Information about who those donors are will be made publicly available.

*This post has been updated to include WHTMs coverage plans for the inauguration.
On March 19, 2003, the United States and coalition forces, initiated a war with Iraq, which was under the control of President Saddam Hussein.

"At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger," said President George Bush.

According to biography.com , "Saddam Hussein was a secularist who rose through the Baath political party to assume a dictatorial presidency. Under his rule, segments of the populace enjoyed the benefits of oil wealth, while those in opposition faced torture and execution."

Hussein had been given a deadline to leave Iraq. Instead, he went into hiding.

On April 9, 2003, television audiences around the world watched as a statue of him in Firdos Square in Baghdad was brought to the ground by U.S. Marines.

Iraqi people then decapitated the statue and dragged it through the streets.

In December of 2003, Hussein was captured. He was found living underground in a hole about eight feet deep.

He was charged in July 2005 with the 1982 massacre of 148 people in Dujail, north of Baghdad, after a failed assassination attempt on his life. In August 2006 he was charged with the genocide of Iraqi Kurds in the late 1980s. On Nov. 5, 2006, Hussein was found guilty of the Dujail massacre and sentenced to death by hanging. He was executed on Dec. 30, 2006.
Calling Ellen DeGeneres Mama E, Temple University graduate Kalen Allen made his one-year anniversary appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Jan. 7, 2019.

Allen first came to the show on Jan. 2, 2018 after videos of him reacting to videos of online recipes went viral. DeGeneres tweeted at the time that Allen may just be the best thing on the internet right now.

The legendary daytime talk show host offered Allen a job when he came on the show -- making the OMKalen series (which airs on EllenTube).

Flash forward to present day.

I think we got so lucky in finding you and signing you, DeGeneres told Allen in his appearance on the Jan. 7 episode of her show. I think youve kind of just really surprised all of us. You just keep stepping up and impressing us more and more.

In addition to OMKalen, Allen has also landed a role in an upcoming film by Seth Rogen. The movie, which is still unnamed, is about pickles.

What Im just happy about is that these tuition dollars didnt go to waste, honey, ok? said Allen, who majored in theater, film and media arts at Temple. Because I spent too much time at rehearsals for that.

He also met former First Lady Michelle Obama.

I just get emotional thinking about it... Allen told DeGeneres. Because of you and because of this show I have had some of the most amazing opportunities - things that I would never imagine would happen.

The amazing opportunities are slated to continue in 2019, with DeGeneres informing Allen that hell be covering New York Fashion Week for her show. Allen will also be walking in a major fashion show.

Allen also took time on the Jan. 7 episode to talk with DeGeneres about his choice to come out as a gay man.

It was honestly the hardest thing Ive ever had to do in my life, he said. But I did it because growing up there just arent a lot of people that look like me that are out

I just hope I can inspire others to live their most authentic selves every single day, he continued. Thats all I want.

You can watch Allens appearance in the video below.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show airs weekdays at 3 p.m. on NBC. Learn more about the show and watch OMKalen at ellentube.com.

Want more stories about Philly? Click here for all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love.
A mother in western Pennsylvania with a checkered parenting past involving her deceased 6-year-old son is in trouble yet again.

As KDKA in Pittsburgh reports, the mom, 31-year-old Kayleigh Potter, of Pittsburgh, is accused of planning to buy marijuana while at least one teenager was with her.

Police tell KDKA Potter was caught speeding through Baldwin, Pa., around 4 a.m. on Dec. 22, 2018, with her 13-year-old girl in the car.

After an investigation, police say Potter was taking the child to buy marijuana at 4 a.m. and intending to use marijuana with the teen. As a result, Potter has been charged with endangering the welfare of children. Shes also facing charges for speeding, police told KDKA.

This is the second child endangerment charge for Potter. KDKA reports Potter was convicted of endangering the welfare of her children and sentenced to serve 10 years of probation just last year.

Those charges stemmed from an August 2017 tragedy in which Potters 10-year-old son found her loaded gun in her purse and accidentally shot and killed her 6-year-old son while the two were home alone.

As part of her probation, she is not allowed to own any firearms. And she was ordered to complete parenting classes and undergo a mental health evaluation, KDKA reported.

But in light of the latest alleged incident involving her daughter, it appears the parenting-class punishment may not have been enough.
TorGuard VPN is a solid VPN service that protects your web traffic and offers a host of add-ons to complete the package. Its impressive distribution of servers makes it well worth a look, but some will be turned off by the app's appearance and convoluted pricing scheme.

What Is a VPN?

A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a VPN server. Your web traffic travels through that tunnel, meaning that anyone snooping around on the same network as you won't see a thing. Even your ISP, which is looking to sell anonymized user data, will be blind. Using a VPN also hides your real IP address, and allows you to spoof your location by tunneling to a server far from where you actually are.

While VPNs are enormously useful tools, they do not protect against every ill. We recommend protecting your devices with antivirus software, using a password manager to create unique and complex passwords for each site and service you use, and enabling two-factor authentication wherever it is available.

Is TorGuard Connected to the Tor Project?

Despite its name, TorGuard is not related to the Tor Project, the digital labyrinth of proxies designed to help people stay anonymous online. Years ago, I was told the "Tor" name was to align the product with BitTorrent, although the connection isn't as pronounced as it once was. Now, TorGuard styles itself as more of a one-stop privacy shop offering an anonymous proxy (included with the VPN, naturally), PrivateMail secure email, and routers pre-configured to work with TorGuard.

Other VPNs have begun moving in this direction. NordVPN offers the NordLocker encrypted file storage system, and TunnelBear has the Remember password manager. Hotspot Shield is particularly notable as it includes subscriptions to other privacy and security services for free. ProtonVPN is perhaps the most apt comparison to TorGuard, as it also offers secure email with ProtonMail.

If you are looking for Tor and not BitTorrent, look to the Tor Browser. This specially modified version of Firefox makes getting online with Tor super simple. NordVPN, ProtonVPN, and VPNArea are notable for being the only VPN services I've reviewed that provide access to Tor via VPN.

How Much Does TorGuard Cost?

TorGuard is unusual among VPN companies in that it embraces a very flexible, but highly arcane, pricing model. There are three packages, with different plans in each: Anonymous VPN, Streaming Bundle, and Business VPN. The Anonymous VPN Package has three plans: Anonymous VPN, Anonymous VPN Pro, and Anonymous VPN + Free Router. All three grant access to all of TorGuard's servers and place no restrictions on speed or bandwidth. Other features like apps, browser extensions, VPN protocols, and access to Shadowsocks proxy, are also available across all three.

The differences among these plans are small. Anonymous VPN provides eight simultaneous connections, which is more than the average five from other companies. Some competitors have actually lifted this restriction entirely, but TorGuard's base tier will likely meet most household's needs. This plan costs $9.99 per month, $19.99 per quarter, $29.99 every six months, $59.99 annually, or $99.99 every two years.

This tier's price is comparable to that of competitors, which charge $10.21 per month, on average. The average annual subscription costs $71.87, making TorGuard a compelling value proposition at either level. That said, I strongly recommend using either a free subscription or short-term subscription at first, so you can test out the service and ensure it works with all the sites and services you need.

The Anonymous VPN Pro plan raises the number of simultaneous connections to 12, and throws in a dedicated IP address, access to a high-speed 10GB network, and additional ports for port forwarding. It starts at $12.99 per month and goes up to $119.00 per year.

The Anonymous VPN Pro + Free Router adds, as you might expect, a free router. TorGuard says it is offering free GL.iNET GL-MT300N-V2 mini routers preconfigured to work with TorGuard. This effectively spreads VPN protection to every device on your network, including ones that can't run VPNs on their own, but may bring its own headaches. It also offers 12 simultaneous connections, but it doesn't include any of the additional features from the Pro plan. This plan is only available as an annual subscription for $79.99 per year.

Alternatively, you can choose the Streaming Bundle, which says it includes two so-called "residential" IP addresses. These are IP addresses that (hopefully) aren't associated with a VPN and in theory will not blocked by streaming services and other sites. I did not test this bundle, and am skeptical that any company could actually guarantee access to video streaming over VPN, let alone its claim of "no buffering." Pricing on the Streaming Bundle starts at $21.98 per month, a significant increase over the standard plan. The inclusion of two IP addresses, however, does bring it in line with the competition.

Businesses may want to look at the Business VPN plans, which start at $69 per month for 10 users and top out at $169 per month for 20 users. Depending on the plan, these include VPN access, 3-10 dedicated IP addresses, and email accounts, as well as other goodies.

Some companies have opted to simply ignore limits on simultaneous connection. Avira Phantom VPN, Encrypt.me VPN, Ghostery Midnight, Surfshark VPN, and Windscribe VPN place no restrictions on the number of simultaneous connections. (Note that Encrypt.me is owned by J2 Global, which also owns PCMag's publisher Ziff Media.)

While TorGuard charges a below-average price, some competitors go even lower. A limited ProtonVPN account starts at $5 per month, and Mullvad only charges a flat fee of 5 per month ($5.90 at the time of this writing). A few VPN companies offer free subscription tiers. You can use Hotspot Shield or TunnelBear for free, as long as you stay under 500MB per day and per month, respectively. ProtonVPN has the best free tier I've yet seen, as it places no bandwidth restrictions on users.

What Add-Ons Does TorGuard Offer?

In addition to its core product, TorGuard offers numerous add-ons, each of which cost an additional $7.99 per month. This is a bit unusual, as most VPNs opt for a one-size-fits-all approach. The upside is that you can tailor your account to better meet your needs, although it may not always be clear what is included in your subscription. Add-ons include IP addresses in specific regions throughout the world, which are intended for streaming video. There's also DDOs protected IP addresses, which TorGuard suggests may be useful for gamers, and an add-on that grants access to a 10Gbit network. You can also purchase dedicated IP addresses in many different countries as add-ons, but note that the TorGuard website does not include the promise of video streaming in the description.

Previously, TorGuard let you select the exact number of simultaneous connections you wanted, from one to 250. I really liked this feature, since it let you right-size your plan for your home. Unfortunately, I can no longer find this option. I have reached out to TorGuard to see if this feature can still be accessed.

You should have no trouble finding a way to pay for your subscription to TorGuard, as the website boasts numerous payment options. These include the expected major credit cards and Amazon Pay, as well as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Paymentwall, and prepaid gift cards for various well-known brands. Using cryptocurrency or a gift card for which you paid cash has the advantages of being totally anonymous, equivalent to a cash transaction. Notably, Mullvad doesn't require you to enter any personal information, as TorGuard does, and even accepts cash or wire transfers directly to the company.

While TorGuard does provide basic VPN protection, it doesn't offer additional privacy tools. Other VPNs include split tunneling, which lets you designate which apps send their traffic through the VPN connection and which travel unencrypted. Another useful, albeit niche, tool is multihop VPN connections. This routes your traffic through more than one VPN server, making it harder to track and intercept.CyberGhost VPN, IVPN, Mullvad VPN, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, Surfshark VPN, and VPNArea all offer this feature.

VPN Protocols

There's more than one way to create an encrypted tunnel via VPN. My preferred method uses the OpenVPN protocol, which is known for being fast and reliable. It's also open-source, so you can rest assured that its code has been picked over for vulnerabilities.

TorGuard supports numerous VPN protocols including OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP, and IPSec. TorGuard also supports so-called "Stealth" VPN protocols, which use SSL VPN in order to prevent an entity from blocking the VPN traffic. These include OpenVPN Stealth, ShadowSocks, Stunnel, and AnyConnect (also known as OpenConnect).

TorGuard also supports WireGuard, the heir apparent to OpenVPN. This VPN technology is also open-source, but it is meant to be faster, simpler, and more secure. I have not tested WireGuard with TorGuard. As of October 2020, WireGuard is available for all of TorGuard's apps on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. The rapid expansion, bringing WireGuard to all of TorGuard's customers is quite commendable.

Servers and Server Locations

The more server locations a VPN provides, the more choice you have if you want to spoof your location. A robust geographic distribution also means that you're more likely to find a nearby server when traveling, and a nearby server means lower latency and better performance.

TorGuard currently offers VPN servers in 68 locations across approximately 50 countries. I appreciate that the company's online server list makes clear which are virtual and where certain protocols are supported. The company's servers are fairly well distributed across the Americas, Asia, and Europe. I am happy to see that TorGuard has servers in India and the Middle East, but disappointed the company no longer offers servers in Africaa continent frequently ignored by VPN companies. Notably, TorGuard does not have servers in China, Russia, Turkey, and Vietnam, countries that are known for their repressive internet policies.

TorGuard's server distribution is slightly better than the average VPN, but far from the best. ExpressVPN has an excellent distribution of servers across 94 countries, including many regions underserved by VPNs, and it does so with only minimal reliance on virtual servers.

What are virtual servers? These are software-defined servers, meaning that a single hardware server can run several virtual servers on it. These virtual servers can be configured to appear to be in different locations than where they are truly located. That's a problem if you're concerned about where your data is headed, and if you want to avoid specific geographic regions. I don't think virtual servers are necessarily bad, however. A company can use them to serve dangerous regions by having the physical machine in a more secure location. A company representative tells me that only TorGuard's Brazil, Greece, Mexico, and Taiwan servers are virtual. The servers for these regions are actually located in France and the US.

More servers doesn't necessarily equate to better service, but it's a testament to TorGuard's popularity that it has one of the larger collections available. Along with ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access, it's among the few to offer more than 3,000 servers. Cyberghost and NordVPN, notably, lead the pack with over 5,000 servers.

Your Privacy With TorGuard

You need to trust the VPN you use, because the company behind it could end up with enormous insight into your online activities. That's why when I review VPNs, I speak with the vendors and read the entire privacy policy. TorGuard's privacy policy used to be very short and to the point. The current incarnation is a bit longer and harder to parse, and troublingly contains little information about the actual VPN service. Its terms of service are equally vague. TorGuard must do better to be more transparent with customers about its policies.

While the company's privacy policy leaves quite a bit to be desired, a company representative told me that TorGuard does not store logs of customer usage or activity while the VPN is active. The network, the representative said, is configured such that storing individual user data or connection stats is "impossible." Better still, TorGuard says that it only earns revenue from subscription sales, rather than selling data.

That last point is something echoed by many VPN companies, which is why it's important to know where these companies are located and under what legal jurisdiction they operate. Some countries have more privacy-friendly laws than others, after all. The company behind TorGuard is VPNetworks LLC, under the Data Protection Services LLC holding company, which is located in the US and operates under US legal jurisdiction. Some people prefer companies based outside the US, as a foreign location may pose an obstacle to investigation by law enforcement.

Several VPNs have made efforts to secure their infrastructure against remote attacks as well as search and seizure. ExpressVPN has already made the move to all-RAM servers, and other companies such as NordVPN are following suit. One upside to TorGuard's own server security incident is that the company says its investments meant that no data was leaked and the issue swiftly dealt with. Still, TorGuard should make more of its security precautions clear on its site.

Some VPN companies have begun publishing comprehensive audits to assure customers that the company is operating in good faith and securing their data. TorGuard representatives tell me the company is "constantly being audited for security and privacy by a team of dedicated security researchers who participate in our bug bounty program," but did not indicate that any public audits were forthcoming. A public audit is not always an indicator of trustworthiness, but companies like TunnelBear have made releasing them part of a commitment to transparency. Furthermore, TorGuard does not appear to have released a transparency report. I have asked the company to clarify.

Hands On With TorGuard

In my testing, I installed TorGuard's software on an Intel NUC Kit NUC8i7BEH (Bean Canyon) desktop running the latest version of Windows 10. I had some slight issues installing the app. When I first fired it up, an error message appeared informing me it had to reinstall a necessary driver. I allowed it to go ahead. It appeared to not hinder installation or use, but it didn't inspire confidence.

Opening for the first time, I was not presented with a login screen as I expected. I thought that perhaps like ExpressVPN or Mullvad VPN, TorGuard was using some other means of authentication. I was wrong. In order to get to the login screen, you must first press the Connect button. After a few seconds, the login screen appears, a bit like an error message. This feels very backward. I felt like I had to solve a puzzle just to get online, and that's not a great feeling.

The TorGuard client app is not exactly a thrill to behold. The app is minimal, looking a bit more like a mobile app than something I'd expect on a desktop computer. The fact that it has looked the same for several years does not help. There are none of the cute bears featured in TunnelBear. It doesn't even have a map interface, which is a staple of many VPN apps. Even Private Internet Access has shed its clunky old app and launched a slick new experience. By not improving its client as the competition does, TorGuard has actually fallen further behind in this regard.

Instead of showing a map or recommending servers for particular activities, TorGuard just has a list of servers. That works, but it isn't friendly to new users. You can sort the list of servers in a number of ways, including by proximity and "usage." You can't view stats, such as load or latency, for these server locations, nor can you select specific servers.

The arcane options on the app's primary window aren't very user friendly, either. Most people don't need to mess with these, but networking pros will no doubt appreciate having a protocol switcher and port selector front and center. A link at the bottom of the app opens a window filled with even more byzantine options.

Previously, the company told me that it's more focused on cross-platform support than a fancy client. That's a commendable goal, but many other VPN services manage to have excellent (even fancy) clients across all platforms.

TorGuard offers a Kill Switch list that automatically quits any applications on the list, should the VPN connection be interrupted. It's a safety measure ensuring that none of your information is transmitted through an unencrypted connection. You can either type the name of an application to add to the list or select it from the comprehensive (if difficult-to-read) list of currently running programs. I would prefer it if TorGuard simply suspended internet communications to the entire machine, rather than individual apps, by default.

A rarely seen feature TorGuard does include is Scripts. This lets you run scripts either just before or after connecting or disconnecting. I didn't test this feature, but I am sure for someone it's a dealmaker. The app also includes proxy settings, DNS options, and your choice of VPN protocol.

If a VPN leaks your IP address or your DNS requests, it's not doing a very good job of protecting you. In my testing, I found that TorGuard successfully hid my IP address and ISP from the outside world. Using the aptly named DNS Leak Test tool, I confirmed that TorGuard also does not leak DNS information.

Does TorGuard Work With Netflix?

Many streaming services take a dim view of VPNs. That's because you can use a VPN to spoof your location and access content that's not intended for your particular geographic region.

While connected to a nearby New York VPN server, I was unable to view any content on Netflix. I did not have access to one of TorGuard's residential IP addresses, which are supposed to be better for streaming, so customers may have better luck with one of those. Of course, that might change at a moment's notice, which is true even for VPNs that worked with Netflix in my testing.

Beyond VPN

TorGuard offers a series of services devoted to anonymity and privacy online. In addition to its basic VPN service, TorGuard offers its aforementioned Anonymous Email and Proxy services.

If you are tempted to get the Anonymous Proxy service instead of the VPN service because it is cheaper, know that the proxy is designed to filter only BitTorrent traffic, while the VPN service protects everything you do online. If you are seeding torrents or grabbing a torrent, the proxy makes sure no one sees your actual IP address. Your web browsing and other online activity, however, is not included.

Many VPNs have started to diversify their offerings, presumably to entice customers with better value. TunnelBear has an ad-blocker and the Remembear password manager. NordVPN also has a password manager, and recently rolled out a file encryption service. Hotspot Shield offers a surprising number of third-party privacy tools with its Pango account.

Speed and Performance

Using a VPN is always going to have a negative impact on your internet speeds. To get a sense of how much, I run a series of tests using the Ookla speed test tool with the VPN on and off, and find a percent change between the two. Do read my feature on how I test VPNs for more of the gritty details.

(Note that Ookla is owned by PCMag's publisher, Ziff Media.)

In my testing, TorGuard performed well in the upload and download tests. It decreased download speed test results by 46.6 percent, and reduced upload speed test results by 46.5 percent. These were both well under the respective medians for those categories. TorGuard VPN did, however, increase latency by a significant amount92.6 percent. Note that these tests were performed using the OpenVPN protocol, and not the recently deployed WireGuard protocol.

You can see how TorGuard compares to the top nine performers from among the nearly 40 VPN products tested this year.

My testing shows that Hotspot Shield VPN leads in terms of speed, having the least impact on download test results and latency. Surfshark VPN, however, is hot on Hotspot's heels, and actually surpassed the leader in upload test results.

I caution readers against putting too much stock in speed test results. Your experience will surely be different from mine. Instead, I prefer to focus on price, value, and privacy when choosing a VPN.

TorGuard on Other Platforms

TorGuard offers apps for Android, iPhone, Linux, macOS, and Windows. As is always the case with VPNs, I highly recommend using the client app where possible, since it's far easier to set up, and it gives you access to all the features a VPN service offers. TorGuard also offers proxy plugins for Firefox and Safari. These will make your browser traffic appear to come from somewhere else, but won't use the encryption found with a VPN.

TorGuard also offers routers preconfigured to work with TorGuard supplied by PrivateRouter, which also offers preconfigured streaming devices such as the Amazon Fire Stick and the NVidia Shield TV 4K. Using a VPN from your router uses just one simultaneous connection to protect your entire network, and pushes protection out to smart devices that can't run VPNs on their own, such as a fridge or TV. While I am personally skeptical of the utility, it is the ideal solution for some people.

Feeling the Change of the Guard

TorGuard has a lot going for it: a reasonable entry-level price; a pretty good allotment of servers around the globe, and a collection of subscription add-ons to customize your security experience. What holds it back is its overall user experience. From its website to its client software, TorGuard VPN is a clunky and often confusing experience. Furthermore, we put an increasing importance on public audits, transparency, and clearly stated privacy policies, and TorGuard lags the best of the competition in all three areas.

We continue to recommend our Editors Choice Winners, all of whom offer a better user experience: NordVPN, Mullvad VPN, ProtonVPN, and TunnelBear VPN.
Theres an indie-rock tradition that burns bright in Australia. The U.S., Canada, Britain and other countries where guitar music has played a big role in popular music have their own conventions, but Australia is almost methodical in its culmination of alternative scenes. Home to iconic rock groups like Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and The Birthday Party, the continental country now finds itself in a new era of alternative music, one where its producing some of the best indie-rock music anywhere. Young bands are springing up all over the place, leaping from their respective scenes in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and beyond and shooting for nationwide (even worldwide) acclaim. After Courtney Barnett attracted global interest, we began to look to Australia for our next favorite rock artists. Breakout bands like Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and The Goon Sax are already following in her footsteps, also taking cues from veteran alt-rockers like Twerps. After a slew of great Australian releases in 2018, were again looking Down Under for the next great crop of Sydney rockers, Melbourne guitar-pop players and Brisbane sceners. Here are the 20 Australian bands you need to know in 2019, listed in alphabetical order:

This Sydney bands second full-length Rot came out in 2017, but didnt really start to register overseas until 2018. Rot was released in America by the idiosyncratic indie Whats Your Rupture, and it fits in well with the general aesthetic of that label, which also released records by Love is All, Parquet Courts, Iceage, and fellow Australians Royal Headache. Rot is a lo-fi blast of classic pop songwriting with a slightly raw edge, with hooks and solos crashing into each other like drunks dancing at the local indie rock dive bar. Garrett Martin

The second album from Melbourne trio Camp Cope isnt particularly interested in social niceties, despite its title (How To Socialise & Make Friends): From the LPs peppy opening bass notes, vocalist/guitarist Georgia Maq McDonald, bassist Kelly-Dawn Kelso Hellmrich and drummer Sarah Thomo Thompson use their shaggy, accessible indie-rock to address everything from music-industry sexism (The Opener) and sexual assault (The Face of God) to relationships of all stripes (UFO Lighter). Georgia Maqs voice is at the center of it all, the albums single most powerful instrument: Shes unfailing in her raw honesty, whether thumbing her nose at mansplainers or remembering her beloved late father, spinning vital and emotionally charged art out of whatever life throws at her. Scott Russell

With a band name that sounds like the title of a Spotify mood playlist, have Melbournes Cool Sounds figured out how to attract listeners in the streaming age? I would argue that, yes, Cool Sounds make immersive, chillaxed rock primed for playlists and coffee shops, but that doesnt mean its not good. In fact, their 2018 LP, Cactus Country, is very good, and while it was a sleeper stateside, it appeared on several best-of-2018 lists in Australia.

Cool Sounds arent exactly a collective, but their lineup, usually toggling between six and seven musicians, is still larger than that of your average Aussie indie-rock band. Ellen Johnson

Sydney-based Flowertrucks debut album, which was released in March 2018, is called Mostly Sunny, and theres not a more perfect description for their ample, radiant synth-rock. Their sound, much like Phantastic Fernitures or Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fevers, is distinctly Aussie, with an emphasis on hooks and rock-solid melodies. The band says their album is a valuable addition to any discerning motorists passenger-side seat or glove compartment, and it is, but its also primed for beach-side boomboxes. As you sludge through a lousy North American winter, this record will conjure images of our friends in the Southern Hemisphere soaking up the sun. Theres enough darkness in the worldwhy not treat yourself to something light and easy? Ellen Johnson

When on the hunt for hot new Australian bands, we figured Courtney Barnetts own label, Milk! Records, might be a good place to start the search. There we stumbled upon Melbournes Jade Imagine, who combine the best of slacker-rock with a distinctly Aussie surf-pop sound. The bands frontwoman, Jade McInally, has been on the Melbourne scene since the early 2000s, but it wasnt until 2016 that she sent a pile of demos to Dave Mudie, Barnetts drummer. From there, McInally formed Jade Imagine with several other vets of the Aussie indie realm: Liam Snowy Halliwell of The Ocean Party and Ciggie Witch, Tim Harvey of Real Feelings and James Harvey of Teeth and Tongue. Together, theyre Jade Imagine, and theyve yet to release a full-length LP, which means 2019 could be their big year, if were lucky. Ellen Johnson

Another Milk! Records signee, the mint rock trio Loose Tooth dropped their second LP, Keep Up in 2018. I must admit I was skeptical: How long can Melbourne really keep up the guitar-pop game? But Loose Tooth were a pleasant surprise. Their transcendent rock certainly takes cues from bands like The Cure and that classic Melbourne jangle, but its nevertheless some of the freshest sounds coming out of the Australian metropolis. Etta Curry, Luc Dawson and Nellie Jackson know a thing or two about hooks, and Keep On is especially infectious, like a pleasant nag. With Barnett on their side and plenty of catchy rock melodies in their heads, this Loose Tooth wont fall out anytime soon. Ellen Johnson

Moaning Lisa are the missing piece from Australias thriving indie scene. In an arena flooded with sunny guitar pop and wistful lo-fi rock (which is all greatdont get me wrong), Moaning Lisa serve a welcome slice of grunge. The bands four members, Ellen, Hayley, Charlie and Hayden, met at school and are now based in Canberra, Australias capital city. So far, theyve only released a handful of singles and an EP, 2018s Do You Know Enough?, but thats a good thing: If all signs point to yes, therell be an album on the way in 2019. In their song Carrie (I Want a Girl), they approach their queer identities with wit and smarts, and they salute their female music idols along the way, including Carrie Brownstein, Courtney Barnett and Kim Deal. If all goes right, Ellen, Hayley and Hayden will someday add their own names to that roster of badass lady rockers. Ellen Johnson

When Melbourne duo Oh Pep! released their debut album Stadium Cake in 2016, they were quickly tagged indie-folk, a catchall phrase for acoustic music tinged with pop production, or just lo-fi folk-rock thats not widely received. But indie-folk doesnt feel like the right classification anymore. In fact, no one piecemeal subgenre feels applicable to Oh Pep!s new record, I Wasnt Only Thinking About You (released in October via ATO), which is at once delicious pop music and bluegrass-adjacent folk. But, at the same time, it transcends both of those classifications. The opening ballad, 25, is a string-reliant melody reminiscent of a classic Hollywood movie score. Hurt Nobody is a a deep-cutting emotional rendering, while album standout Whats The Deal With David? is the sonic equivalent of running through a glossily shelved candy store. I Wasnt Only Thinking About You is everything wonderful about good, crunchy pop music and everything marvelous about mindfully arranged folk compositions. Ellen Johnson

Australia has been the center of the punk and indie rock world for the better part of a decade now. Orion has that same energy but with a goth fixation that unmistakably marks them as Cure devotees. Their 2017 LP on Melbournes Cool Death Records was a surprise treat that year, and a US tour last fall showed that their atmospheric, chorus-heavy pop songs might be even more powerful life. There was a band about a decade ago called Blank Dogs that drove all the record collectors crazy with their very lo-fi take on 80s 4AD; if Blank Dog had been less concerned with noise and willful obscurantism, they couldve been as good as Orion. Garrett Martin

Everything about Phantastic Ferniture sounds like its meant to be temporary, and its hard not to find that concerning. Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin is in the midst of releasing new songs and prepping for the release of her second full-length album Crushing, out in February, and the words Phantastic Ferniture appear only once on her Wikipedia entry as an associated act. The bands official description, meanwhile, pegs it as a side project for all three people involved: Phantastic Ferniture is the project of old friends Julia Jacklin, Elizabeth Hughes, and Ryan K. Brennan, who wanted to shake the shackles of their meticulously crafted solo work to experience a second, giddy adolescence. That rather makes the band sound like a calculated escape from the individual careers theyve been pouring their hearts and souls into for years, but not one with a lot of stakes or futureif their solo work is meant to be taken as meticulously crafted, Phantastic Fernitures songs are implied to be raw or spontaneous by comparison. But might we suggest thats a good thing? The self-titled debut from the group is chock full of compelling songs, from the rhythmically intoxicating Uncomfortable Teenager to the soaring Fuckin n Rollin, to the simplistic but devastatingly catchy Dark Corner Dance Floor. Jacklins silky voice is wonderfully applied to this particular brand of propulsive indie rock, while Hughes is the perfect complement in small flourishes that take each song to the next level. This may be a band that was assembled without concrete plans for the future, but were hoping the reaction Phantastic Ferniture has received thus far convinces them to re-invest in what could become rocks next great three-piece. Jim Vorel

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Barely out of their teens, Brisbanes Pious Faults released the furious album Old Thread on Feel It Records last year, ripping through nine songs of squealing punk and Birthday Party-influenced noise rock in under 20 minutes. A little too weird and arty to call hardcore, they still have the speed, anger and indifference to melody you expect from that genre. The two-part epic Worship the Surface is a rich centerpiece for the album and their live sets, a minor cataclysm of discordant guitars, hyperactive bass, and deathbed caterwauls that gives way to a dub-inflected sheet of feedback. Garrett Martin

First rule of band names: make sure your name doesnt contain the genre of music you play. The bands colossal, eccentric pop/rock sound is undeniably psychedelic and its kind of cheesy to have the genre explicitly in the title. After giving them a pass for a corny, playfully ridiculous name, you can let yourself wander in their magical, sweeping soundscapes. Singles like Social Candy and Marmalade March invoke equal amounts of high-spirited fun and virtuoso musicianship. Listening to their music requires listeners to abandon their inhibitions and embark on whatever gleaming psych-pop joyride they offer. Their sound is accessible and melodious enough to appeal to pop/rock fans while their musical proficiency and wacky euphoria will also gel with diehard psych fans. Lizzie Manno

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever wastes no time in getting to their strengthjangling, propulsive pop-rockon their debut full-length Hope Downs. There is no table-setting track here. No slow fade in or superfluous into. In fact, opener An Air Conditioned Man almost seems to pick up in medias res when you press play. This seems appropriate for R.B.C.F., an Australian quintet who hit the ground running a few years ago. They released their excellent first EP Talk Tight on the Sydney-based record label Ivy League, then moved to Sub Pop for 2017s The French Press EP. The former is a bit more relaxed and acoustic, while the latter cranks up the volume and pace. Together, theyre a thrilling introduction to a promising young band. Hope Downs fulfills that promise, first by tumbling out of the chute on An Air Conditioned Man and then by barrelling through nine more taut pop-rock gems in just over half an hour. Ben Salmon

Its no secret Australia is something of a dead zone when it comes to rap/hip-hop, which is why when someone like Sampa the Great comes along, she must be celebrated and protected. Shes already well-established in Oceaniashe even beat out Paul Kelly and Jen Cloher for the Australian Music prize in 2017but shes still relatively new to many of us stateside. Originally from Zambia, Sampa Tembo relocated to Australia as a young adult where she immersed herself in the Sydney scene. Whats most beautiful about Sampas music is her seamless mix of influences: world music, neo-soul, African beats and even trap all play a role, and the result is a marvelous mash-up heralding the African diaspora. Ellen Johnson

2019 is the going to be Sweater Curses moment. After a year of clever youngsters delivering some of the best indie-rock music, Im ready for more, and this Brisbane trio is ready to provide. Theyve yet to release their debut LPor even an EPbut their singles, especially the regretful Cant See You Anymore, were enough to grab our attention. If they opt to release full-length material in 2019, theyre bound to attract fans of artists like Forth Wanderers, Camp Cope and Snail Mail. But Sweater Curse arent copy-catstheir walls of sound, tongue-and-cheek phrasing and vocal teamwork are entirely their own. Ellen Johnson

Melbournes Terry has perfected a blase, disaffected take on indie pop that smartly avoids cynicism and sarcasm. Last years Im Terry, their third album in three years, is another strong collection of unassuming pop hitsoften flat and plodding in that Australian way but always richly melodic, and with a warm homemade aesthetic that reflects the modesty typically found down under. Terrys one of those bands that couldve existed at any point in the last 30 or 40 yearsthey wouldve fit right in on Flying Nunbut are also always unmistakably themselves. Garrett Martin

Im so scared to get out of here / But I really want to get out of here. Its a line from Strange Lighta late standout from the sophomore LP by The Goon Saxand Im not sure theres a lyric that better sums up the feelings of late adolescence. Those prime years when your conflicting instincts are all fucking with each other, and the endless possibilities preached at you from childhood become paralyzing instead of promising. Growing pains and dawning realizations abound, but its in this mess that we finally wind up meeting ourselves. Its an experience you might have all over again after listening to Were Not Talking, the latest effort from the Brisbane trio. The bands first album, filled with achingly familiar suburban references like Target and sweaty-palmed hand-holding, was released when Louis Forster, James Harrison and Riley Jones were just 17. This makes Talking, released two years later, an interesting crystallization of growing up. Taken out of context, a line like I never knew what love meant / And I still dont, would be grounds for a heartbreaking ballad, but here its just a passing observation, a scanning self-analysis on the way to being an adult. For The Goon Sax, growing up sounds pretty good. Madison Desler

With so many bands flitting in and out of Melbourne, it can be hard to keep track of whos worth listening to. Tiny Little Houses, a four-piece, self-described whatever rock band from Australias second-biggest city, cut through the noise. Aside from having a great title, their debut LP, Idiot Proverbs proves theres more than just happy-go-lucky rock coming out of their home city. At times, Idiot Proverbs is downright self-deprecating: On the first track, the band compare themselves to a literal Garbage Bin. But the album examines poor self-confidence with a sense of humor, leaving the listener feeling more entertained than depressed. Ellen Johnson

Were not sure why so many Aussies got bit by the bad-band-name-bug, but Tropical Fuck Storm were certainly not exempt from the plague. If you can pardon their unfortunate moniker, however, and focus on their music, you just might find yourself smitten with their manic psych-rock. They released a totally bonkers-in-all-the-right-ways record in 2018, the weird and wild A Laughing Death in Meatspace. Fans of the now-defunct The Drones might recognize Tropical Fuck Storms lead singer, Gareth Liddiard, who was a founding member of the former band back in 1997. Liddiard is still working with Drones mate Fiona Kitschin for TFS, but its a completely different animal. They recruited two Melbourne vets, Erica Dunn and Lauren Hammel, and now it seems like the four of them might be Australias version of Diarrhea Planet, a kind of mythical live act and purveyor of noisy pop-punk. TFS arent for everyone, but if theyre for you, were pretty sure it wont take you long to get on board. Ellen Johnson

Is this stretching the word rising too far? Purple Skies, Toxic River was pretty much the best album of 2013, and theres been nary a peep since from Canberras TV Colours, a one-man project from Bobby Kill. The band did release some new t-shirts in 2018, with a note promising more music soonthat Facebook post is almost a year old at this point. That first LP was criminally underheard in the States, though, even with a domestic release on Comedy Minus One, and so itd be negligent of us to leave them off a list like this. On Purple Skies TV Colours delivers pop-punk in the best possible meaning of the term, a modern day successor to the terminally catchy disquiet of bands like the Buzzcocks and the Mice, but recorded on what sounds like a four-track from the early 90s. Kill squeezes more warmth and color than you can imagine out of that lo-fi set-up, brightening up the programmed drums and classic riffs tightly coiled together on every song. Look, its true: Beverly is a song that should be on every best of the decade list, and blasting out of every bored, anxious, unsettled kids window every summer night for the rest of existence. And hey, its from Australia, so good job, island continent. Garrett Martin
Anyone following the Mueller investigation closely already knows the next name that will come out of my fingers, given the phrase Russian Military Intelligence in my title: Konstantin Kilimnik. For the uninitiated, Politico wrote a good profile of Paul Manaforts Man in Kiev back in 2016:

A Russian Army-trained linguist who has told a previous employer of a background with Russian intelligence, Kilimnik started working for Manafort in 2005 when Manafort was representing Ukrainian oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, a gig that morphed into a long-term contract with Viktor Yanukovych, the Kremlin-aligned hard-liner who became president of Ukraine.

Kilimnik eventually became Manaforts Manafort in Kiev, and he continued to lead Manaforts office there after Yanukovych fled the country for Russia in 2014, according to Ukrainian business records and interviews with several political operatives who have worked in Ukraines capital. Kilimnik and Manafort then teamed up to help promote Opposition Bloc, which rose from the ashes of Yanukovychs regime. The party is funded by oligarchs who previously backed Yanukovych, including at least one who the Ukrainian operatives say is close to both Kilimnik and Manafort.

Oleg Deripaska is the main oligarch that Manafort worked for in Kiev, and a 2006 U.S. diplomatic cable disclosed by Wikileaks said that Deripaska was among the 2-3 oligarchs [Vladimir] Putin turns to on a regular basis and a more-or-less permanent fixture on Putins trips abroad.

On April 11, 2016, two weeks after Donald Trump hired Paul Manafort to run his presidential campaign, Manafort had this exchange with Konstantin Kilimnik. Per The Atlantic (emphasis mine):

I assume you have shown our friends my media coverage, right? Manafort wrote.

Absolutely, Kilimnik responded a few hours later from Kiev. Every article.

How do we use to get whole, Manafort asks. Has OVD operation seen?

OVD stands for Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska, and how do we get whole almost surely references Deripaskas 2014 lawsuit filed in the Cayman Islands alleging that Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates defrauded him to the tune of $19 million.

This is the context that underlies todays whoopsie made by Paul Manaforts lawyers. They filed a new court briefing, and they redacted parts of it. One problem? If you copy and paste the entire document into a new document, the redacted portion magically appears. Heres some of what Manaforts lawyers tried to hide from the public in this filing (emphasis mine):

In fact, during a proffer meeting held with the Special Counsel on September 11, 2018, Mr. Manafort explained to the Government attorneys and investigators that he would have given the Ukrainian peace plan more thought, had the issue not been raised during the period he engaged with work related to the presidential campaign.

Issues and communications related to Ukrainian political events simply were not at the forefront of Mr. Manaforts mind during the period at issue and it is not surprising at all that Mr. Manafort was unable to recall specific details prior to having his recollection refreshed. The same is true with regard to the Governments allegation that Mr. Manafort lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign.

Manafort attorneys also accidentally reveal via failed redaction that Mueller says Manafort was in contact with "a third-party asking permission to use Mr. Manaforts name as an introduction in the event the third-party met the President."  Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) January 8, 2019

Robert Mueller said that Manafort repeatedly lied about his interactions with Kilimnik, and this redacted portion of the filing by Manaforts lawyers seems to confirm this, but attempts to explain it away by essentially saying of course the campaign chairman of the GOP presidential candidate couldnt recall specific details about Ukraine on the spot. The peace plan referenced is likely the Ukrainian peace plan delivered to Michael Flynn by Michael Cohen that is also being probed by Mueller. While that portion is illuminating, the last sentence is the reason why I am writing this right now.

One of the bigger unanswered questions in this whole Russia mess is the operational aspect of it. Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen are walking paper trails, and its easy to see how the Kremlin merged on to the highway of standard corruption in American politics in order to influence men who exist solely to peddle influence. What we dont know, and I suspect that it is because the news around Michael Flynn has been largely silent while he cooperates with the government, is how these constant connections between the Trump camp and Kremlin cutouts led to any tangible events. Here, Manaforts lawyers may have flat-out told us about one.

We know that Russian disinformation from outlets like the indicted Internet Research Agency (IRA) tried very hard to suppress the African American vote in 2016, and they spread to every corner of the internet to stump for Trump. In their indictment, Robert Mueller detailed the IRAs operation:

[The IRA] ad a strategic goal to sow discord in the U.S. political system, including the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Defendants posted derogatory information about a number of candidates, and by early to mid-2016, Defendants operations included supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump (Trump Campaign) and disparaging Hillary Clinton. Defendants made various expenditures to carry out those activities, including buying political advertisements on social media in the names of U.S. persons and entities.

Defendants also staged political rallies inside the United States, and while posing as U.S. grassroots entities and U.S. persons, and without revealing their Russian identities and ORGANIZATION affiliation, solicited and compensated real U.S. persons to promote or disparage candidates. Some Defendants, posing as U.S. persons and without revealing their Russian association, communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump Campaign and with other political activists to seek to coordinate political activities.

Thats a pretty specific plan, and one of the lingering questions is how did they strategize to sow discord?

I have an idea.

The same is true with regard to the Governments allegation that Mr. Manafort lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign.

Robert Mueller already knew about this. This line is Manaforts lawyers attempting to explain the lies Mueller says he caught their client in. This isnt a screw-up in the sense that Manaforts attorneys hurt their legal case by exposing this to the world, but in that it sure doesnt help the public perception of their client. Every day, what is possible in this case seems to expand, and today, we got confirmation from Paul Manaforts lawyers that Donald Trumps campaign chairman shared campaign polling data with a man who literally came up through Russian military intelligence. The next question is: why?

Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling.
On Monday, Pastes Jacob Weindling wrote about the city government of Birmingham, AL rescinding a civil rights award meant for activist Angela Davis because of protest from the local Jewish community and some of its allies. As everyone who follows local, national, or international politics knows, Davis lost her award because of pro-Israel interests that seem to rise up in coordinated opposition to anyone or any group that dares to utter a sympathetic word about Palestine, much less identify Israel as an apartheid state. Here in Durham, NC, where I live, a citizen recently filed a lawsuit attempting to undo a city council resolution ending police exchange programs with Israel using a loophole. It doesnt matter how minor the issueany perceived slight to Israel meets with opposition from groups who never seem to lack in outside financial support.

Now, the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate is attempting to do something much larger than mere block-to-block fightingthe very first bill of the new session, loaded with symbolic significance and sponsored by Marco Rubio (and supported by many Democrats), has nothing to do with improving the lives of ordinary Americans. In fact, its a foreign policy that contains as its chief measure a law that would give governments on the state and local level in America the legal authority to boycott any U.S. companies which themselves are participating in a boycott against Israel. The Intercept, which has done terrific reporting on this issue, notes that:

Punishment aimed at companies that choose to boycott Israel can also sweep up individual American citizens in its punitive net because individual contractors often work for state or local governments under the auspices of a sole proprietorship or some other business entity. That was the case with Texas elementary school speech pathologist Bahia Amawi, who lost her job working with autistic and speech-impaired children in Austin because she refused to promise not to boycott goods produced in Israel and/or illegal Israeli settlements.

These sorts of bills have been declared unconstitutional on First Amendment grounds by two different federal courts, but if a test case is ever appealed up to the Supreme Court, the outcome would be much less certain. And with the full power of AIPAC behind such measures, you can bet theyll push it as far as they can.

At the moment, the bill has the necessary 60 votes because of the seven Democratic co-sponsors and the support of minority leader Chuck Schumer. But at least one Democrat, Dianne Feinstein, is drawing a line in the sand.

The Israel anti-boycott legislation being brought before the Senate tomorrow would give states a free pass to restrict First Amendment protections for millions of Americans. Despite my strong support for Israel, I oppose this bill because it clearly violates the Constitution.  Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) January 7, 2019

Instead of wasting time on this unconstitutional bill, the Senate should instead focus on reopening the government by voting on the federal funding package the House passed last week.  Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) January 7, 2019

I fail to see why this legislation is a priority during the government shutdown. The Senate has a responsibility to uphold the Constitution and keep the government runningthis bill does neither. pic.twitter.com/Bb7YYGH14X  Sen Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) January 7, 2019

As Feinstein noted, she is an Israel supporter and a Jewish-American, which makes her statement all the more importantit implicitly hits at the cheap smear that any criticism of Israel is also anti-Semitic.

The bill will go before the Senate on Tuesday, and if it passes, it will proceed to the House where it may face a sterner test in front of the Democrat-controlled chamber.
100 years ago

Jan. 8, 1919: Returning veterans have been streaming into town since the end of the war. Over 60 percent of them have found employment. Some have gotten their old jobs back; others have found work through the federal employment bureau.

75 years ago

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Jan. 8, 1944: Former First Lady Lou Hoover, 63, died suddenly at the Hoover apartment in the Waldorf Towers in New York. Her husband, Herbert Hoover, was president from 1929 to 1933. At the White House Mrs. Hoover was noted for her active interest in the Girl Scouts.

50 years ago

Jan. 8, 1969: Authorities in San Diego have arrested Robert Arie, who is wanted for a Bloomington murder that occurred last July. The victim, Jerry Wheeler, died after the two allegedly got into a fight at the Five Star Truck Stop on Route 66. Arie vanished the next day.

25 years ago

Jan. 8, 1994: Harold McCurdy, 19, faces numerous charges arising from his allegedly applying for 65 credit cards. Police say he then called up a police supply company, claimed to be a cop, and ordered several items. He claimed to be with the San Quentin Police Department.

Compiled by Jack Keefe; jkeefe@coldwellhomes.com.
Robert M. Leekley of Bloomington died Tuesday (Jan. 1, 2019) at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington.

He was born Dec. 23, 1945.

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Bob was raised in Westport, Conn., and moved to the Midwest to attend Carlton College and then to Michigan State for a master's degree and Ph.D. His education was interrupted by service in the U.S. Army.

Bob came to Illinois Wesleyan University in 1974 and retired in 2018 after 44 years.

He loved teaching, especially the one-on-one interaction with students doing senior and honors research papers. He taught economics and statistics and authored a text, "Applied Statistics for Business and Economics." He also enjoyed bringing innovative technologies to the classroom.

Bob is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Lorna and Richard Kaluzny, Princeton, N.J., and his nieces, Gretchen Kaluzny, Chicago, and Amy Wieczkowski, San Antonio, Texas, and her daughters, Emma and Sara.
SPRINGFIELD  Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has concluded the legislative session by thanking lawmakers for persevering through an "epic struggle" over the budget with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The House finished its two-year term Tuesday. The 101st General Assembly is inaugurated Wednesday. Rauner is replaced Monday by Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker.

Democrat Madigan says he won't rehash the ideological stalemate his party had with Rauner that stalled a state budget for two years. But he credited Republican as well as Democratic members for bucking Rauner in July 2017 to adopt a tax hike and approve a budget.

He says lawmakers deserve credit for the work they do daily but that "from time to time the issue become more significant." He says that's what happened in the battle with Rauner and legislators rose above politics to do the right thing.

11:35 a.m.

The incoming Illinois governor would be able to offer his cabinet members 15 percent more in salary under a plan that the House has approved.

The House voted 68-37 Tuesday to increase annual pay for the director of prisons, the transportation secretary and the directors of other agencies governing human services, health care, the environment and more.

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Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker says Illinois salaries for agency directors and assistant directors aren't competitive. The legislation would increase the highest salaries to $172,500 from $150,000.

Critics complained that nonunion middle managers have dealt with salary freezes for 15 or more years. They say the state can't afford higher pay when there's a $130 billion hole in what the state owes to its pension systems.

The bill is SB3531 .

11 a.m.

The Illinois House has approved a measure that would allow the incoming governor to replace the members of the Illinois Tollway board.

The House voted 100-6 Tuesday to allow Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker to abolish the terms of the board that oversees 294 miles (473 kilometers) of tolled interstate highway in northeastern Illinois. News reports have detailed questionable spending and contracting in the past 18 months by the board.

Critics complained that replacing the board would delay the Tollway's construction work scheduled for this spring. Wheaton Republican Rep. Jeanne Ives called the legislation a political ploy because a majority of board members' terms will expire by May.

The legislation is sponsored by Chicago Democratic Rep. Christian Mitchell. Mitchell will be deputy governor under Pritzker after Pritzker is inaugurated Monday.

The bill is SB1298.

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NORMAL  Normal's Historic Preservation Commission said Tuesday the town shouldn't demolish three uptown buildings for its Trail East project, but that recommendation may have no effect.

Members voted 3-2 against demolition of 104, 106 and 108 E. Beaufort St., but that vote only serves to ask Normal City Council to consider starting a landmark designation process for the buildings. The council on Monday approved a new five-story building on the site, the east side of Uptown Circle.

"It's premature for me to say (if the council will act). ... I'll be circling back and see what they say," said Mayor Chris Koos after the commission met. "I'll say this: ... historic preservation's actions were not unexpected."

The council has 30 days to act on the recommendation. If it doesn't, demolition can proceed. Construction is expected to start in late March.

Commissioners split on whether the buildings, which were likely built in the late 1800s, have too much history to be demolished or should make way for economic development that could help keep uptown vital. Bush Construction of Iowa is working on a $30 million, 120,000 square-foot building there.

"The character of the downtown district has always been unique to the town of Normal, and as a commission member, I look to preserving that," said Bruce Warloe, the commission's vice chair. "We realize that whatever decision we make here... the council can override us, period."

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Commissioner Nancy Armstrong agreed, saying uptown's character "makes this town a unique property and not a generic one." Laurie Christensen also voted against demolition.

Commissioner Todd Bugg said he voted in favor of demolition "not because I want them to be demolished in general, but because I think that that's the price sometimes of growth in a community."

"The growth, development and the health of the uptown is a great thing" that attracts and retains families, said Chris Niebur, who also voted for demolition. "If (these buildings) had some unique feature that couldn't be replicated, I'd be more inclined to lean the other way."

Karyn Smith, a city council candidate in the April election, told the commission she'd like the town to use the buildings' facades in the Trail East project. Warloe said he thought that idea had merit.

Marc Tiritilli, a one-time mayoral candidate against Koos, said the public outcry about the buildings shows they should be preserved. He specifically requested the artists who contributed to the mural at 104 E. Beaufort be given more time to try to preserve it.

"I know the town has a record on preservation, but that suggests to me it can be done, not that we've done enough," said Tiritilli.

Koos noted these buildings have marked for redevelopment since the town bought two of them in 2006. The mural was added in 2011.

"The mural was a great way to spruce up a plain wall next to a bare parking lot," said Niebur, but he questioned its historical value. "You can paint murals. That's a feature that comes and goes."

Contact Derek Beigh at (309) 820-3234. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_beigh

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BLOOMINGTON  Interim City Manager Billy Tyus is leaving Decatur's municipal administration after 19 years to become assistant city manager in Bloomington under his former boss, Tim Gleason. His first day on the job in Bloomington is Feb. 7.

I look forward to once again working with and learning from City Manager Tim Gleason and am beyond excited about helping build upon the successful track record of the City of Bloomingtons team, getting to know the community, and learning first-hand what elected officials and residents want for the City, Tyus said in a news release from the city of Bloomington on Monday.

The Decatur native said he'd also miss his home town community. "Ive had an 18-year career here that I would never have imagined was possible while growing up as a kid on the citys south and west sides, and to ultimately have served as city manager, even in the interim, in the community where I was born and raised has been an honor.

Gleason said in the same release that Tyus was chosen after a nationwide search that included 30 applicants. "It speaks volumes to the knowledge, skills, and abilities of Mr. Tyus that he quickly rose to the top of our group of applicants  he was the clear choice of our entire interview team."

Gleason stepped down in July after three years as Decatur's city manager to take the same position in Bloomington. Tyus, the deputy city manager, was named to the interim position while the Decatur City Council searched for a replacement.

In October, Tyus announced he would not apply for the job on a permanent basis, citing family reasons. At the time, Tyus described it as the hardest decision he'd ever made.

Tyus, 46, is a veteran of city government who rose up through the ranks over nearly two decades. He was named to the newly-created position of deputy city manager in 2017, and previously served as assistant city manager of development services, assistant city manager for public information, assistant to the city manager and public information officer.

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In their overlapping time in Decaturs city government, Gleason and Tyus worked closely and at times noted the strong working relationship they shared.

In his last appearance before Decaturs city council in July, Gleason singled out Tyus for his work in the deputy position.

"Ive got high regard for him," Gleason said. "If he ended up being a No. 1 somewhere, I wouldnt mind being his No. 2."

Tyus will be filling a position thats been vacant since October, when Steve Rasmussen resigned from the assistant city manager position in Bloomington. Rasmussen, 69, was a finalist for the city manager post that went to Gleason, 53. Both men were among 30 applicants from 15 states who applied for the job.

Photos: Interim City Manager Billy Tyus through the years

Contact Tom Lisi at (217) 421-6949. Follow him on Twitter: @tommylisi

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BLOOMINGTON  The McLean County Coroner's Office is reporting an increase in homicides in 2018, but suicides and drug-related deaths decreased in the county last year.

"Many of these deaths are preventable, so we want people to know that help is out there," said McLean County Coroner Kathy Yoder, formerly Kathy Davis.

Yoder and Sheriff Jon Sandage said law enforcement, the coroner's office, the health department, the state's attorney's office and the mental health community are working together to reduce preventable deaths.

Yoder, Sandage and McLean County Health Department Administrator Camille Rodriguez met with The Pantagraph after Yoder released her 2018 Death Overview on Friday.

Overall, 1,340 deaths were reported to the coroner's office in 2018, compared with 1,246 in 2017. Yoder and Sandage attributed the increase to the county's aging population.

The coroner's office has closed 10 homicide cases for 2018, with eight of those gun-related, Yoder said. But a case still open will be deemed a homicide, bringing 2018 totals to 11 homicide victims, including nine killed by gunfire, she said. Two arrests were made Monday in the 11th case.

The average victim's age was 23.

"I'm in my 28th year (with the sheriff's department) and I can't remember that many (homicides)," Sandage said. Yoder said there were seven homicides in 2017 in McLean County, two in 2016 and none in 2015.

"I think a lot of the younger population does not value human life," Sandage said. "And there is a drug aspect to some of them (the murders) and there's a mental health aspect as well."

Sandage also said "the lack of positive male role model in the home has led to a lot of these issues."

Because of the increase in gun violence, "A lot of kids think they need to carry a gun to take care of themselves," added Sandage.

"Everyone's life is important," Yoder said. "We need to take care of one another in a positive way."

Meanwhile, the number of suicides decreased to 16 in 2018 from 19 in 2017, 25 in 2016 and 23 in 2015, Yoder said. The average age of people who died by suicide last year was 52.

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"That's encouraging," Rodriguez said. "But any suicide is one too many."

Yoder, Sandage and Rodriguez said they think that the decrease is a result of McLean County talking and doing more about mental health, including suicide prevention.

"I think our county, as a whole, is helping more with the mental health crisis," Yoder said. That includes countywide mental health conferences, mental health first aid classes and more programs in schools.

"Law enforcement is doing a better job identifying someone with mental health issues and letting them know where they can get help," Sandage said. "All our officers are trained in crisis intervention and mental health first aid."

The number of drug-related fatalities for 2018 stands at 28, with 25 being opioid-related.

"To me, that's 28 homicides because someone has given them something that caused their death," Sandage said.

Yoder said two cases are pending toxicology results so she anticipates the final number to be 30, with 27 being opioid-related.

"Any overdose death is one too many," Rodriguez said. "However small the reduction, it is a move in the right direction."

But Yoder and Sandage remain acutely concerned because many of the opioid deaths involve straight Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, or Fentanyl with heroin, also an illegal opioid.

The challenge for law enforcement professionals who carry Narcan (which reverses an opioid overdose) is that several doses of Narcan are needed to reserve a Fentanyl overdose, Sandage and Yoder said.

They want people battling substance abuse to know that help is available.

"We have the Safe Passage program but we can't make someone come in to get help," Sandage said. Safe Passage encourages addicts to turn themselves and their drugs into law enforcement. No criminal charges are filed; instead addicts are taken for treatment.

"We want peoples' lives to be saved," Yoder said.

"But people need to seek the help that is offered," noted Sandage.

Contact Paul Swiech at (309) 820-3275. Follow him on Twitter: @pg_swiech

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LINCOLN  The head of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Illinois will be the keynote speaker Jan. 21 at the Joyce Kinzie/Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at Lincoln College.

In addition to serving as chamber's chair, Frank Bass is chairman of Strategic Human Services, a not-for-profit organization that produces the North Lawndale Newspaper in Chicago and provides services such as job training for veterans and mentoring for at-risk youth.

Bass owns a political consulting/government affairs firm and has more than 20 years of campaign and public policy experience. His family has been active in Chicago businesses since the mid-1960s in such areas as real estate, grocery retail, dry cleaning and coin-operated laundry, funeral services and more.

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Tickets are $10 and proceeds go to the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, which assists a Logan County minority student attending Lincoln College. The scholarship was co-founded in 2009 by the Rev. Glenn Shelton and Lincoln businesswoman Joyce Kinzie, who died in 2010.

The buffet breakfast will be in the Davidson-Sheffer Gymnasium on the Lincoln College campus. Doors open at 7 a.m. with the program beginning at 7:30.

Reservations are recommended and can be made by contacting Jen McMillin at Lincoln College, 217-735-7210 or jmcmillin@lincolncollege.edu. Tickets also are available at the Lincoln Heritage Museum, 115 Nicholson Road, or from Shelton.

Tickets will be sold at the door if seating remains available.

Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota

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Terry A. Skaro, 71, of Elkhart went to be with his heavenly Father on Friday, June 11, 2021. He passed away at Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler, Texas. Terry was born in Denver, Colorado on December 17, 1949. His parents Ed and Mary Skaro. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Elkhart, T
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Mitchell Kukulka.

Sunday, Jan. 6

9:09 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a Lee Township area for a report of a vehicle stuck in the mud on private property. The 28-year-old complainant said he did not know who the occupants of the vehicle were. Deputies made contact with the driver, a 51-year-old Alma man, and his intoxicated passenger, a 57-year-old Mount Pleasant man. The two men were lost, had made a wrong turn and gotten stuck. Both men were transported to the ER due to minor injuries they sustained while attempting to get the vehicle unstuck. The 61-year-old property owner is working with a towing company for a private property impound. The 55-year-old owner of the vehicle was informed of the situation, and how to get her vehicle back.

8:16 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 800 Block of West Chapel Lane for a suspicious situation.

7:09 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a residence in Mount Haley Township for a domestic assault. Once on scene, the deputy made contact with a 25-year-old woman who said her 26-year-old husband had assaulted her, causing minor injuries. The husband was placed under arrest and transported to the Midland County Jail.

6:28 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 3100 Block of Swede Avenue for a suspicious situation.

5:31 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to an area in Larkin Township in reference to a loud explosive-like sound. The deputy made contact with a 27-year-old man at his residence who said he had been shooting Tannerite -- a type of explosive target -- which was the source of the sound. The deputy found no illegal activity and the man said he was done shooting for the day.

4:37 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 4600 Block of Quincy Drive for a suspicious situation.

4:10 p.m. -- A deputy made contact with a 77-year-old woman at her residence in Jasper Township. She said her pets were acting strange, and feels someone had been at her house. The woman found keys belonging to someone else, and a handwritten list of items that belong to her that she doesn't remember writing. She found this suspicious and wanted it to be documented. The woman's residence is well-secured and has video surveillance. No subjects were found on the video and it appeared no one had entered the residence.

1:44 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 6800 Block of Eastman Avenue for a private property vehicle crash.

1:04 p.m. -- A deputy responded to the shore of Sanford Lake in Jerome Township for a report of people fishing on thin ice. The deputy made contact with two men ages 42 and 67. The men were ice-fishing with their family, and both had valid fishing licenses. The men said they had fished the area for years and were certain the ice was safe. The deputy ensured they had cell phones available to call in case of an emergency.

12:54 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the intersection West Nelson Street and Erie Court for a suspicious situation.

11:29 a.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Lee Township residence to speak with a 25-year-old man regarding a civil complaint with his neighbor, who was playing loud music. The man said he did not know his neighbor's name, but he did scream from his doorway at them to try to get them to turn the music down, which hadn't worked. The deputy informed the man that this was a civil issue and he needs to take the complaint to the park manager.

10:36 a.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the intersection of Isabella and Sandow roads for a suspicious situation.

6:53 a.m. -- A 56-year-old man dialed 911 after an argument with his 28-year-old fiance, but hung up. He said they were all set after a callback. Deputies went to the scene and spoke with both subjects who said there were no further problems.

12:03 a.m. -- A 29-year-old Warren Township man was arrested on six outstanding warrants from various counties including Midland. He was taken to the Midland County Jail with the assistance of the Coleman and Beaverton police departments.

Saturday, Jan. 5

4:10 p.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to a Geneva Township residence in reference to a possible tampering with mail. A 70-year-old man noticed that an envelope had been ripped when he received his mail. The man was concerned since the piece off mail contained info regarding his credit card number and immediately contacted his credit card company to cancel his card. The credit card company verified that the card had not been used. It is not known if the rip was intentional or unintentional.

Friday, Jan. 4

11:24 p.m. -- Officers reported to Dublin Avenue near Plumtree Lane for an animal complaint.

11:09 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to East Wackerly Street near Jefferson Avenue for a suspicious situation.

9:44 p.m. -- A 59-year-old Ingersoll Township woman was upset and accusing her 30-year-old son and his children of taking her medications. After an extensive search the medications were located and she calmed down.

9:05 p.m. -- A deputy was sent to follow-up on information received by the Midland Police Department regarding a 16-year-old girl that had voluntarily flown to Michigan to meet up with her 24-year-old "Internet boyfriend." There was also the possibility the girl had sent nude pictures to her boyfriend, though he denied any pictures of the sort had been sent. The boyfriend's phone was seized and will be examined and a determination will be made if any criminal activity occurred.

8:40 p.m. -- A 48-year-old Saginaw man was arrested for Driving While License Suspended following a traffic stop in Mount Haley Township and was transported to the Midland County Jail.

7:16 p.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the intersection of Sturgeon Avenue and Airport Road for a vehicle crash that resulted in an injury.

4:56 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a Lincoln Township residence for a well-being check on a 52-year-old Lincoln Township woman. The caller was concerned that they had not heard from the woman. Deputies made contact with the woman and her 33-year-old daughter. EMS and Lincoln Township Fire Department were dispatched to the scene due to the 52-year-old taking an unknown quantity of prescription medication. The woman was petitioned into the ER for a mental health evaluation.

4:26 p.m. -- A woman called 911 because she observed a "20-something" white male wearing a leather jacket at the Coleman City Park. There was some type of interaction between them that ended with the man "flipping off" the woman.

As she was driving away, she thought she saw the man removed a pistol from his jacket pocket in her rear-view mirror. She continued to drive away and called 911. A Michigan State Police Trooper checked the area and spoke with several people who had not seen the man in question.

11:12 a.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 1200 Block of South Saginaw Road for a suspicious situation and general assist.

9:55 a.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 400 Block of Main Street for a death investigation.

9:30 a.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 1600 Block of Jay Street for a death investigation.

9:29 a.m. -- Officers were dispatched to the 3900 Block of Bay City Road for a ordinance violation.
A search for a driver who led authorities on a chase, crashed through a park fence and fled on foot early Tuesday in Washington County has turned up empty, deputies say.

Deputies heard splashing in the Bethany Lake area while searching for the driver and called a water rescue team to assist, the county sheriffs office said. The driver, a man who deputies suspect was impaired, wasnt found.

The county sheriffs office said deputies responded about 1:15 a.m. to reports of an erratic driver on westbound U.S. 26. One of two people who called 911 said they saw the car, a blue 2000 Chevrolet Blazer, hit a guardrail near the Oregon Zoo exit and continue on the highway.

Deputies spotted the car about 1:30 a.m. and engaged its driver in a short chase that ended when the driver crashed through a park fence and fled from a dead-end street near Bethany Lake.

Two police dog teams and the water rescue team were among the personnel who searched for the driver  a slim man who has darker skin, stands 5-foot-8 and was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt.

Deputies said they were trying to contact the Blazers owner early Tuesday. They ask anyone who has information to call (503) 629-0111.

 Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

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A Bend company that makes robotic sex toys says it won an award from the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas  then had its award taken away.

The company, Lora DiCarlo, said Tuesday that the shows organizers decided they were entitled to strip the award because the product was immoral, obscene, indecent, profane or not in keeping with the shows image.

There is an obvious double-standard when it comes to sexuality and sexual health, the chief executive, Lora Haddock, wrote on the Bend companys website. She said CES allowed sex products for men but not her companys vagina-focused robotic massager for blended orgasm.

Lora DiCarlo said it learned it won the award in early October, then had the award rescinded by the Consumer Technology Association, the CESs organizer, on Halloween.

Entries deemed by CTA in their sole discretion to be immoral, obscene, indecent, profane or not in keeping with CTAs image will be disqualified, the association wrote to the Bend company.

The association did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the issue. In letters to Lora DiCarlo, provided by the company, the association contradicted its original explanation for rescinding the award.

In a Nov. 8 letter, association general counsel Kara Maser said the real reason Lora DiCarlo lost the award was because its entry does not fit into any of our existing product categories."

CES kicked off Monday night and the sex toy issue is getting wide play in the technology press, which notes a long history of sexualized exhibits at the industrys biggest trade show.

Lora DiCarlo developed its technology at Oregon State Universitys robotics lab and received $1.1 million in funding through the Oregon Opportunity Zone Limited Partnership, a tax incentive enabled by the federal tax cuts approved last year.

Lora DiCarlo has nine employees, split between Bend and its research lab in Corvallis.

The product that won the award, then lost it, is the Ose. The company describes it as micro-robotic technology that mimics all of the sensations of a human mouth, tongue, and fingers, for an experience that feels just like a real partner.

After the tech association revised its explanation for rescinding the Oregon companys award, Oregon State University engineering Professor John Parmigiani wrote to the association to defend Lora DiCarlos robotics bona fides.

The Ose device undoubtedly falls within the classification of robotic devices. A common definition of a robot is 'a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer, Parmigiani wrote. The Ose device easily satisfies this definition.

-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699
A 78-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman were killed in separate crashes in Portland, police say.

Lowell W. Gibson was traveling in a crosswalk near Southwest Park Avenue and Salmon Street around 7:05 a.m. Friday when a driver of a Chevrolet Traverse hit him while driving in reverse, police said.

Rachelle D. Cox was on a sidewalk around 2:55 p.m. Saturday near Northeast Airport Way and Mason Street when a driver of a Subaru Legacy went off the road and hit her, according to police. Its not clear what caused the driver to veer onto the sidewalk.

The drivers in both crashes were still there when officers arrived. They havent been identified by police and no arrests have been announced. The Multnomah County District Attorneys Office will be reviewing both cases after police have finished their investigation.

The Portland Police Bureau asked anyone with more information about either crash to contact Officer Phillip Maynard at 503-823-2216 or phillip.maynard@portlandoregon.gov.

-- Everton Bailey Jr.

ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 |@EvertonBailey

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Some parents are concerned that Congress' inability to pass a budget will affect K-12 students. But federal funding for Title I programs, special education, school meals and other elementary and secondary education programs is unaffected because the funds have already been distributed to school districts.

Some Head Start programs could run out of money if the shutdown continues through Feb. 1. That would require Congress to allow the longest shutdown in history. The shutdown would reach its 42nd day if it extended to the first day of February. The previous record for a government shutdown occurred in December 1996 and January 1997, when the federal government closed for business for 21 days.

But no Head Start programs in Oregon will be affected even if the shutdown were to extend into February, said Marc Siegel, communication director for the Oregon Department of Education. Oregon Head Start programs are fully funded through the end of September, he said.

Oregon schools are funded mainly by state income taxes and by local property taxes. Statewide, federal funding only accounts for about 8 percent of Oregon school districts' budgets.
President Donald Trump will take to the airwaves Tuesday night to try to shore up support for his vision of a $5.7 billion wall on the southern border, even if the near-term cost extends the shutdown of the federal government.

It may prove a tough sell, even for some Republican members of Congress.

Rep. Greg Walden, Oregons sole Republican member of Congress, crossed the aisle last week and voted for a funding bill that would have ended the government shutdown.

He was one of seven Republicans to do so, raising the possibility that GOP support for the shutdown is wavering.

I think the more that you have people not getting paid, the more the stories coming out about the hardships this shutdown is creating -- not just for federal workers, but those who rely on federal agencies to get their work done. People are shaking their heads, Walden said. I think its a pretty unsustainable position, and I felt that early on.

Several dozen Republican lawmakers could back future Democratic bills to reopen the parts of the federal government that have been shuttered since Dec. 22.

Trump has threatened to keep the government shut down for months even years if need be to secure $5.7 billion in wall funding.

The Republican defections, in part, spurred the White House to schedule Trumps national address Tuesday evening. Hoping to sway skeptics in his party and the broader public, Trump will make an Oval Office address to discuss what he called the Humanitarian and National Security Crisis on our Southern Border," he announced on Twitter.

Trump will then travel to the border on Thursday.

The government shutdown is now in its 17th day. More than 800,000 federal workers are not getting paychecks. Many are working without pay.

Democrats are keeping the heat on. The House on Wednesday is scheduled to vote on a Democratic bill designed to fund the IRS and several other agencies.
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley has, for a third time, returned to the southern border -- this time to investigate the Christmas Eve death of an 8-year-old Guatemalan child being held by U.S. officials.

Merkley was accompanied by members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. They were scheduled to visit the remote Alamogordo Border Patrol Station where Felipe Alonzo-Gomez was staying prior to his death.

The boy and his father were apprehended by border patrol agents on Dec. 18 about 3 miles west of the Paso Del Norte port of entry in El Paso, Texas. They were moved to Alamogordo, 80 miles away, several days later.

According to federal records and media accounts, a federal agent noticed that the child was coughing and appeared to be ill about 9 a.m. Dec. 24. Officials diagnosed him with a cold and gave him Tylenol. But Alonzo-Gomez condition worsened during the course of the day and by evening was feverish and vomiting.

With no doctor or EMT on duty, federal agents transferred him to the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center. Alonzo-Gomez lost consciousness during the trip to the hospital and could not be revived. He was the second migrant child to die in federal custody in recent months.

The political battle over immigration is more intense than ever. President Donald Trump has insisted Congress fund a $5.7 billion border wall and has scheduled a prime-time address Tuesday to make his case with the public.

In one of many Tweets on the subject, Trump said a wall would reduce crime and save the country big money. "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," the President tweeted.

Congress has been unwilling to fund Trumps wall, and the resulting stalemate has led to a government shutdown now entering its 17th day.

The poor treatment of children seems to be part of an ongoing Trump war on migrant children, Merkley said Monday. An estimated 15,000 children were held in what Merkley called internment camps near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Merkley first traveled to the border last June where he was denied entry to a Texas facility housing migrant children whod been separated from their parents while trying to cross into the country. The resulting publicity helped ignite a national controversy over the Trump administrations family separation policies.
There are about 9,600 federal workers in Oregon who are working without pay or not at all as a result of the three-week federal shutdown.

Many of them will be eligible for unemployment benefits from the state, but the rules for who qualifies are a little complicated  as are the guidelines for what you have to pay back if Congress ultimately restores the missed income.

Employees not working because of the shutdown, and those who are working less than full time and not being paid, may apply for unemployment benefits from the state.

However, employees working full time during the shutdown are not eligible for jobless benefits  even if theyre not being paid. Thats an odd situation, admits David Gerstenfeld, director of Oregons unemployment insurance division.

I dont think the laws necessarily had this type of scenario in mind, he said.

The issue is that the legal definition for unemployment excludes people who are working full time, according to Gerstenfeld. Even if theyre not getting paid for their work.

And during the shutdown, the federal government requires some people with essential jobs to continue working, full time, even though there is no money appropriated to pay them.

So while they are required to work, without compensation, unemployment laws preclude them from collecting unemployment benefits. In past shutdowns Congress has subsequently authorized backpay, and most political observers expect that will happen again.

If it does, those workers who received jobless benefits  but later got backpay  are nominally obliged to return the overpayment from their jobless benefits.

But Gerstenfeld said they dont really have to.

The law doesnt allow the states unemployment division to demand the money, he said, or to send a collections agency after you if you dont pay it back. If you need unemployment benefits in the next five years, though, the division can withhold those benefits until it has recouped what it is owed from the shutdown.

It is an overpayment, Gerstenfeld said, but the only way that we are permitted to pursue recovery is through that benefit offset.

More information is available from the state online.

The state has about 28,000 federal employees altogether, according to the Oregon Department of Labor, two-thirds of whom work for funded agencies not directly affected by the shutdown. Those include the U.S. Postal Service, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor.

That leaves the 9,600 who have either been furloughed, have funding to continue working a little longer, or who are working but not being paid. Those include nearly 3,000 Forest Service workers and more than 1,300 with the Bureau of Land Management.

Of those 9,600, 34 percent are in Multnomah County, according to state data.

-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699
The Portland Womxns March once again will take a different path than the national Womens March in 2019.

The local organization, which is not affiliated to the national Womens March, will not hold a march on Jan. 19, when many other marches are scheduled, according to a press release posted on Facebook. Instead, the organization will schedule a march around International Womens Day, at a date as yet to be determined in March.

Portland drew 70,000 to 100,000 people to the streets of Portland on a rainy Sunday in January of 2017 to protest the election and policies of the then-newly inaugurated President Donald Trump. The turnout exceeded expectations but the event was dogged by controversy.

The original organizers of the event were replaced just weeks before the march when accusations of racism and transphobia led the NAACP to withdraw its support.

In the weeks after the march, organizers publicly fought over the fate of thousands of dollars in donations and t-shirt sales.

The Oregon Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into the missing Portland Womens March funds after the 2017 event. The Criminal Division of the Oregon Department of Justice has since referred the case to Multnomah County District Attorneys office and the investigation is still pending, Brent Weisberg, spokesperson for the Multnomah County District Attorneys office said on Tuesday.

In 2018, the Portland iteration of the Womens March became several different marches. The main Womens March was canceled, said the Facebook event for a new march called the Indigenous Womxn's March, "but the matriarch will continue taking the streets on our Indigenous lands wearing red."

Candi Brings Plenty, founder of the Two Spirit Nation, which hosted that march, told The Oregonian/OregonLive over Facebook that the new march would be a "response to the under represented womxn and allies who were offended by the white feminist narrative that took over the face of the march."

Accusations of racism have also plagued the national Womens March leadership, which organizers addressed in the press release posted to Facebook.

We share the concern of many Portlanders about problematic behaviors and statements from the National Womens March, the release said. We condemn language and actions of hate directed at the Jewish community as well as any actions that exclude, demean and/or harm any group or community that is subject to oppression.

This year organizers decided to move the Portland march so it wouldnt coincide with the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.

We encourage all who planned to participate in our original date to take community action with us on January 19th, read the press release, to join us as we gather in solidarity with the Reclaim MLK March on January 20th, and to rally and march together around International Womens Day.

Not everyone is happy about the change. Facebook commenters called the new date lame and very disappointing. But others applauded the new focus and wrote about plans to travel to marches in Salem and Seattle.
A 34-year-old Amazon driver who investigators say stole hundreds of packages destined for Oregon doorsteps was sentenced Monday to 1  years in prison.

Investigators suspected Heriberto Villarino-Zamora was stealing up to $25,000 worth of packages a month for months. Deputy District Attorney Kevin Demer estimated the losses to Amazon at between $100,000 and $200,000.

Demer said Villarino-Zamora was so prolific that Amazon noticed significant losses occurring in its Oregon deliveries, then a significant drop in package theft immediately after Villarino-Zamora was arrested.

Court papers say Villarino-Zamora victimized at least 300 Oregonians. And thats just from recovered packages -- mostly from a December 2017 sweep of his Gresham townhouse and two Mini Coopers that investigators say an accomplice was trying to pawn off.

Portland police Detective Travis Fields uncovered Villarino-Zamoras scheme after searching the buy-and-sell app OfferUp and noticing a suspicious number of new-in-the-box items for sale -- some pictured still in their Amazon delivery boxes. When Fields met with the man selling the packages, he admitted they were stolen and posted for sale by his co-worker, Villarino-Zamora.

Villarino-Zamora didnt actually deliver boxes to homes in Oregon. He was hired by a company that contracts with Amazon to ferry packages from distribution centers to the U.S. Postal Service, which was supposed to make the deliveries, court papers say.

Demer said Villarino-Zamora appears to have developed a keen eye for packages that contained items of great value -- electric saws, stereo equipment, TVs and other electronics. Police found more than 20 Instant Pots in his house.

Villarino-Zamora was using the cash he raked in for his own living expenses and to pay for the care of his seriously ill brother, Demer said.

Villarino-Zamora had no prior criminal history. He pleaded guilty in November to one count of first-degree aggravated theft in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

As part of Villarino-Zamoras sentence, he agreed to repay $50,000 to Amazon. Although investigators believe he stole much more, the prosecution and defense agreed any more restitution would be an unrealistic amount for Villarino-Zamora to pay back.

Villarino-Zamora declined to make any statements at his sentencing hearing. With tears in his eyes, he hugged his mother before a deputy arrived to take him away in handcuffs.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee
There seems to be no end in sight for the current partial government shutdown, the third since the beginning of the Trump administration.

For the vast majority of the federal governments public health efforts, though, its business as usual.

Thats because Congress has already passed five of its major appropriations bills, funding about three-fourths of the federal government, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But seven bills are outstanding  including those that fund the Interior, Agriculture and Justice departments  and that puts the squeeze on some important health-related initiatives.

The shutdown itself is not about health policies. Its the result of differences of opinion between the administration and congressional Democrats regarding Trumps so-called border wall. But its far-reaching, nonetheless. Heres where things stand:

Funding for big-ticket health programs is already in place, alleviating much of the shutdowns immediate potential impact.

Since HHS funding is set through September, the flagship government health care programs  think Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid  are insulated.

That means that Oregon Health Plan clients' services are funded through September.

Thats also true of public health surveillance, like tracking the flu virus, a responsibility of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Institutes of Health, which oversees major biomedical research, is also fine. Its a stark contrast to last Januarys shutdown, which sent home about half of HHS staff.

But some other public health operations are vulnerable because of complicated funding streams.

Although the Food and Drug Administration falls under the HHS umbrella, it receives significant funding for its food safety operations through the spending bill for the Department of Agriculture, which is entirely caught up in the shutdown.

Last year, that tallied an estimated $2.9 billion to support among other things these FDA oversight efforts, which involve everything from food recalls to routine facility inspections and cosmetics regulation. Not having those dollars now means, according to the FDA contingency plan, that about 40 percent of the agency  thousands of government workers  is furloughed.

The FDAs responsibilities for drug approval and oversight are funded by user fees and are generally not affected. Regulation of tobacco products is also continuing.

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden warned Tuesday that if the shutdown continues through Jan. 24, about $482 would automatically be cut from the Medicare budget.

Health services for Native Americans are also on hold.

Because Congress has yet to approve funding for the Indian Health Service, which is run by HHS but gets its money through the Department of the Interior, IHS feels the full weight of the shutdown. The only services that can continue are those that meet immediate needs of the patients, medical staff, and medical facilities, according to the shutdown contingency plan.

That includes IHS-run clinics, which provide direct health care to tribes around the country. These facilities are open, and many staffers are reporting to work because they are deemed excepted, said Jennifer Buschik, an agency spokeswoman. But they will not be paid until Congress and the administration reach a deal.

Other IHS programs are taking a more direct hit. For example, the agency has suspended grants that support tribal health programs, as well as preventive health clinics run by the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs.

Portlands Indian Health Services office serves about 150,000 people in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

Public health efforts by Homeland Security and the EPA face serious constraints.

The Department of Homeland Securitys Office of Health Affairs assesses threats posed by infectious diseases, pandemics and biological and chemical attacks. It is supposed to be scaling back, according to the departments shutdown contingency plan. This office is just one component of the 204-person Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, which is retaining about 65 employees during the funding gap.

Other DHS health workers are likely to work without pay  for instance, health inspectors at the border, said Peter Boogaard, who was an agency spokesman under the Obama administration. According to DHS plan, the vast majority of border patrol employees will continue working through the shutdown.

The Environmental Protection Agency has also run out of funding. According to its contingency plan, its keeping on more than 700 employees without pay, including those who work on Superfund sites or other activities where the threat to life or property is imminent. (More than 13,000 EPA workers have been furloughed.)

That limits the agencys capacity for activities including inspecting water that people drink and regulating pesticides.

But its not just regulation. The public health stakes are visceral  and sometimes, frankly, pretty gross.

Just look at the National Park Service, which has halted restroom maintenance and trash service for lack of funding. On Sunday, Yosemite National Park in California closed its campgrounds. On Wednesday, Joshua Tree National Park, also in California, did the same.

Why? Per a park service press release: The park is being forced to take this action for health and safety concerns as vault toilets reach capacity.

The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report

-- Kaiser Health News
The Bachelor Season 23 premiered Monday night on ABC, with a time-filling one hour special featuring host Chris Harrison trying to whip up enthusiasm, and then the two-hour opener. Amid the folderol about Bachelor Nation and numerous mentions of Bachelor Colton Underwood being a virgin, the opening episode also introduced the 30 women chosen to begin Season 23.

By the end of it, as always, some bachelorettes found themselves empty-handed, as Underwood gave out roses to other women. Of the 30 bachelorettes -- including Devin Gooden, a TV journalist based in Medford -- who got out of limos to greet Underwood at the Bachelor mansion, 23 would stay on for the second week, and seven went home.

Before viewers found out who made Coltons cut, we saw many, many scenes of women being annoyed by the fact that Catherine, a commercial real estate agent and DJ from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hogged Underwoods time. With so many women crowded around the mansion, not every one of them would have a chance to chat with Underwood, the complaints went, because Catherine kept butting in, and stealing him away from conversations with other bachelorettes.

The drama of it all! With so much going on, just getting camera time was a challenge. We did see Gooden, who works for KOBI-TV, the NBC affiliate in Medford, comment approvingly on Underwoods looks: Wow, she said. Just wow. Theres no others words but wow." To her credit, Gooden wasnt the bachelorette who got out of the limo wearing a sloth costume, and who took an eternity to walk up to Underwood.

Finally, it was time for the first rose ceremony. Underwood handed out roses to 23 women -- including Catherine, who the producers obviously want to keep around for a while just for the juicy conflict.

Colton is a great match for me, Gooden said. Im definitely not ready to go home. As talking head interviews were intercut with Underwood dispensing roses, Gooden also said: I feel like Colton could be someone that gives me what I deserve. Gooden added, I want to go all the way and see if Colton really is the person that I could fall in love with.

But there wasnt a happy fairy tale ending. Gooden didnt get a rose and was sent home. Like last seasons Oregon bachelorette, Bri Amaranthus, Gooden didnt get much time to make an impression on her bachelor.

Gooden did get in some of the last words, though. She said, with emotion, Its hard to get rejected," and tearfully looked over her shoulder as women that Underwood had chosen celebrated.

The Bachelor will continue, without Gooden, Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

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A wanted man was arrested early Tuesday after leading authorities on a chase, crashing his truck and hiding in a Southeast Portland basement, police say.

The Portland Police Bureau said tactical officers arrested Andrew J. Hernandez, 32, in the basement of a home in the 8100 block of Southeast Glenwood Street at 12:45 a.m. The agency said hes a suspect in multiple investigations and had a warrant for a previous burglary conviction.

Jail records show hes also suspected of strangulation and second-degree assault in a domestic violence case.

Hernandez initially fled from Clackamas County sheriffs deputies Monday night, leading them on a chase into Southeast Portland, according to Portland police.

Police said he crashed into an occupied car near Southeast 78th Avenue and Duke Street and got out of his 2013 Toyota Tacoma shortly thereafter. He then took off on foot, and authorities set up a perimeter, according to police.

A Woodmere Elementary School fence was damaged in the crash, but no one was hurt.

The Police Bureaus Special Emergency Reaction Team and Crisis Negotiation Team were called to search for Hernandez because he was reportedly armed with a gun and had made threats against officers, police said.

People who live in the area of the search  Southeast 80th Avenue to 82nd Avenue from Duke to Cooper streets  got a message instructing them to stay where they were and call 911 if they saw anyone suspicious.

Police said early information suggests Hernandez unlawfully entered the basement of the home where he was found hiding.

Special Emergency Reaction Team members arrested him without incident, police said.

Hernandez is being held in the Multnomah County Detention Center. Police didnt say in a news release early Tuesday whether Hernandez had a gun on him when he was arrested.

The Police Bureaus Domestic Violence Reduction Unit was responding to investigate early Tuesday. Sheriffs deputies are also investigating Hernandez.

Police urge anyone who has information about him to call 503-823-0090.

 Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

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The 36-year-old man shot and killed by a Portland police officer in a Southeast Portland home was identified Tuesday as Andre Catrel Gladen, a California native who had family in Portland, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and was legally blind, according to relatives.

Gladen lost an eye at least five years ago when he was shot in the head with a shotgun, said his twin brother, Fonte Gladen.

Andre Gladen had been living with his mother in Sacramento and receiving disability benefits but came to Portland in December, said a cousin, Diamond Randolph. He was staying with Randolph, she said.

Gladen suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had been in and out of hospitals in the past, his relatives said.

He was last seen about 7 a.m. Sunday leaving his cousins apartment in the area of Southeast 142nd Avenue.

He had been up, talking and everything was cool, Randolph said. She said she didnt know where he was headed when he left her apartment.

He said, Ill be back, and then I never heard from him again, Randolph said.

By 1 p.m. Sunday, Gladen was pounding on the front door of a strangers home in the 9600 block of Southeast Market Street. He was dressed but had no shoes on and said someone named Ernest had told him to go to the home for help, said the tenant, Desmond Pescaia.

Gladen told Pescaia that he had been released from a hospital and someone was after him, trying to kill him. It looked like Gladen had a hospital-type gown sticking out of his shirt or pants, Pescaia said. Pescaia offered Gladen some water and $10 to grab the MAX train and get some food, but Gladen wouldnt leave and fell asleep on the porch. Pescaia called police about 2 p.m. When an East Precinct officer arrived, Gladen ran inside the home and fell on the living room floor.

East Precinct Officer Consider Vosu followed and struggled to turn Gladen onto his stomach to try to handcuff him, but Gladen kicked the officer off and into a rear bedroom, Pescaia told The Oregonian/OregonLive in an interview. The officer, cornered in the bedroom, fired a Taser at Gladen after several warnings to get back, Pescaia said. Gladen fell down briefly but got back up.

Gladen then pulled a knife and went toward the officer and Vosu fired three shots from his handgun, Pescaia said. Gladen was taken by ambulance and declared dead at a local hospital, police said.

Gladens brother said his twin needed help.

Why would he fall asleep at someones front door? Fonte Gladen said. "This dude wasnt looking to hurt anybody. ... Instead of just getting help for the person, they just kill him.

Andre Gladen was born in Berkeley, California, on Feb. 11, 1982. He and his brother were raised by their mother, but came to Portland often because their father and many aunts, uncles and cousins lived in Portland.

Fonte Gladen wonders if his brother, when referring to Ernest, was talking about a cousin of the same name who has been dead for many years. Fonte Gladen said his twin brother was arranging to get in-home support care services in California. Hed been in the hospital a few times after experiencing hallucinations, including trying to break into a car that he thought was on fire and believing his brother and cousin were inside, Fonte Gladen said.

They put you in the hospital, deal with you for a few minutes and kick you out on the streets, said Fonte Gladen, who works as a security guard in Arizona. There needs to be some kind of reform. This is happening too frequently.

The night before Andre Gladen was killed, he had gone to a bar in Portland and told his cousin that a man tried to rough him up, Randolph said.

Gladen returned to her apartment about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, saying he almost didnt make it and that he might have stabbed the other man if someone hadnt intervened, Randolph said. She said he carried a knife for protection because of problems with his eyesight.

Andre Gladen had been shot years ago in California after he refused to leave a neighborhood being taken over by a drug dealer, his brother said. He lost one eye and had blurry vision in the other. He was declared legally blind after the shooting.

Andre C. Gladen

Andre Gladen smoked marijuana and drank alcohol and wasnt on medication, his cousin said. He left her home fully clothed, wearing white Nike sneakers on Sunday morning. Randolphs daughter called around and found that Andre Gladen may have been at Portland Adventist Hospital sometime on Sunday, Randolph said.

Andre Gladen hadnt finished high school. He was arrested by police in Portland for disorderly conduct and interfering with police in 2015 but the charges were dismissed. At that time, he listed Transition Projects, which provides housing for homeless people, as his address. He has prior convictions in California in 2007 for possession of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct.

Fonte Gladen said he last visited with his brother in September at their mothers home in Sacramento. He described his brother as goofy, funny, quiet.

"Im still waiting to hear why he was walking around outside with no shoes and a blanket,'' Fonte Gladen said.

I was in the womb with that guy. Thats my best friend. I feel empty, lost, confused.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian http://twitter.com/maxoregonian
More than 700 air traffic controllers and security officers continue to show up to work at airports across Oregon with no assurance of their next paycheck as the federal government shutdown hit the 18-day mark on Tuesday.

Some workers, however, are growing increasingly worried.

Transportation Security Administration staffers at Portland International Airport are circulating among colleagues information about how to file for unemployment. Union officials are directing the 380 TSA workers at the airport to local food pantries or grief counseling services as needed.

But if the federal government cant pass a funding bill this week, the questions and concerns will only compound.

The timing, union leaders said Tuesday, couldnt be worse, as some workers expect to miss their first paycheck as soon as Friday if politicians dont act.

People joke around about walking out, said Joe Lowry, political coordinator for the TSAs union in Portland, but we cant do that. The TSA employees are classified as essential personnel and are blocked from striking and must show up to work despite the shutdown.

The Port of Portland, which owns and operates the airport, said the facility continues to work smoothly. According to media reports, some other airports have seen delays as workers call in sick.

Greg Biel, president of the American Federation of Government Employees TSA branch in Portland, said nerves are tightening.

The fear is as this continues, Biel said at a news conference in Portland, they may have to go seek other employment. He said that is also the situation for 20 managers at PDX who arent part of the union and are at home on unpaid leave.

U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Kurt Schrader, both Democrats, met with airport workers before speaking to reporters Tuesday. They hoped to draw attention to the plight of hundreds of airport workers in Oregon, who are just a fraction of the 10,000 federal employees who work in forestry, agriculture and other sectors across Oregon, Schrader said.

The news conference comes as President Trump is scheduled to address the nation Tuesday night from the Oval Office for the first time. He is expected to argue that his more than $5 billion border wall is critical to the nations security.

Trump said before the Dec. 22 shutdown that he was happy to take the blame for the federal government over the wall debate. Since then, Trump has blamed Democrats for the shutdown and hinted he may consider declaring a national emergency and exerting special executive powers to pay for the wall.

Bonamici, who sits on a congressional labor committee, described the shutdown as unnecessary and said it is dangerous to put at risk federal employees who help planes take off and land safely and help passengers move through terminals across the country.

This whole shutdown is completely unacceptable, she said, but its in the name of safety at the southern border, losing sight of what our air traffic controllers and TSA do.

Schrader called on the Trump administration and Senate Republicans to approve the spending bills approved by the now Democratically controlled House of Representatives. The bills separate the wall from the debate and ensure federal agencies will be funded.

Theres no reason these budgets should be held hostage, he said. These poor men and women doing our work for us, making the skies safe, arent getting paid. The idea you just pay them later? That doesnt work guy.

If youre an average American you need your paycheck now; you cant wait a month or two or three and get paid and expect to get by.

TSA workers arent alone.

Eddie DeLisle, the Pacific Northwest regional vice president of the air traffic controllers union, said his workforce totals about 125 in Oregon. The majority, 80, help passenger planes and cargo shipments take off and land safely at PDX.

DeLisle said the job is inherently stressful, and now employees have the added burden of wondering if a paycheck will land in coming days.

Members keep asking when the shutdown will end and what happens if they arent paid.

Its unfortunate to have no answers to either question, he said.

DeLisle said his workers situations arent quite as grim TSA workers, whose representatives told stories of selling plasma to make ends meet. But DeLisle said theres massive uncertainty.

I dont know too many people who live better than paycheck to paycheck, he said.

Past government shutdowns havent gotten to this nerve-wracking point, DeLisle said. He said that it was just by sheer luck that the shutdown has happened to stretch between pay periods. He said this isnt about the border wall at this point.

People just want to end the government shutdown, he said.

Trang Kim and Rex Miekle, two TSA officers who have been with the agency in Portland since it began in 2002, watched the news conference from the side and said they havent experienced anything quite like this.

To come on the heels of the holidays, when workers bought gifts for family and friends, compounds the worry. TSA workers also lost out on an expected 1.9 percent pay increase last month, Kim said.

She keeps checking on workers to keep morale up.

Miekle showed up at the airport on his day off to show support for his colleagues.

If the ship sinks, he said, were all going down together.

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

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Hand Cable Reels Market 2018 Analysis Report on Hand Cable Reels-Global Advanced (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023.Historical Forecast Period2013 - 2016  Historical Year for Hand Cable Reels Market2017  Base Year for Hand Cable Reels Market2018-2023  Forecast Period for Hand Cable Reels MarketNumber pages Included in Report: 182In this report, Delivers Informative studies of the current situation (with the base year is 2018) and the growth prospects of global Hand Cable Reels Forecast market 2018-2023.Hand Cable Reels Market report majorly focuses on frequent critical elements such as market driving factors, potential investment opportunities, latest technical progressions, productive manufacturing method, that certainly renovation the Hand Cable Reels industry.Get Full Sample Report @The report lists out several main factors, starting from the basics to advanced Market intelligence which plays an essential part in managing. Focuses on the key global Hand Cable Reels Market players, to define, describe and analyze the value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis, and development plans in the next few years.The global Hand Cable Reels Market will reach xxx Million USD in 2018 and CAGR xx% 2018-2023. The report begins from overview of Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Hand Cable Reels by product, region and application, in addition, this report introduces market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.This report implements a balanced mix of main and subordinate research methodologies for its analysis. The market is segmented on the basis of key criteria. For this purpose, a section dedicated to company profiles has been included in the report.The Hand Cable Reels Market is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Hand Cable Reels industry with a focus on the different key market Regions. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Hand Cable Reels manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. The report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, Hand Cable Reels Market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Standard Hand Cable Reels Custom Hand Cable Reels OthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), Hand Cable Reels Market share and growth rate of Hand Cable Reels for each application, including Industrial Commercial ResidentialBrowse for More Details:Global Hand Cable Reels market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and Hand Cable Reels Market share for each manufacturer; the top players including United Equipment Accessories Reelcraft Coxreels Duro Manufacturing, And OtherThe scope of the Report:1. This report focuses on the Hand Cable Reels in Global Market Forecast 2023.2. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type.3. The Report gives a brief of the Terminology Definition, Industry Chain, Industry Dynamics & Regulations and Global Hand Cable Reels Market Overview.Hand Cable Reels Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America, Middle East and AfricaChapters to deeply display the global Hand Cable Reels market. Describe the Hand Cable Reels Market Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force. Analyze the top manufacturers of Hand Cable Reels Industry, with sales, revenue, and price Display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share of Hand Cable Reels Market TOC shows the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Hand Cable Reels Industry, for each region.Reason to purchase this Report:1. The Report gives the complete Market Overview for Hand Cable Reels Market Forecast 2018-2023.2. The report Provide the Overview of Upstream (Raw Materials / Components) & Manufacturing (Procurement Methods & Channels and Cost), Major Regional Production Overview and Trade Flow.3. Hand Cable Reels Market report gives the trending Industry analysis, Focused Applications, Product Segment Overview, Current Market Status.4. Total Overview of Product & Application Segment Production & Demand by Region. Market Forecast by Product, Application & Region.5. 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Wireless Sensor Market Research Report 2018-2025 | Top Key Players  Intel, Huawei, Dell, Texas Instruments, Cisco Systems, HPE, NXP Semiconductors, Stmicroelectronics, TE Connectivity, Advantech, ABB, Honeywell, BOSCH, Emerson Etc.

Wireless Sensor

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UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Wireless Sensor Market Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 105 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @ https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/33074Wireless Sensor Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Wireless Sensor Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018  2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Wireless Sensor Market analysis & forecast 2018- 2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis Global Wireless Sensor Market covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)For More Information On This Report, Please Visit @ https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/33074The Major players reported in the market include: Intel Huawei Dell Texas Instruments Cisco Systems HPE NXP Semiconductors Stmicroelectronics TE Connectivity Advantech ABB Honeywell Broadcom Bosch Eurotech Invensense Infineon Analog Emerson SensirionGlobal Wireless Sensor Market: Product Segment Analysis: Temperature Sensors Heart Rate Sensors Pressure Sensors IMUs (6-Axis, 9-Axis) Accelerometers (3-Axis) Blood Glucose Sensors Image Sensors Humidity Sensors Carbon Monoxide SensorsGlobal Wireless Sensor Market: Application Segment Analysis: Building Automation Wearable Devices Healthcare Industrial Automotive & Transportation Oil and Gas Retail Agriculture Aerospace & Defense BFSIThe Report covers in- depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Overview of Wireless Sensor Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types Chapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry Chapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Wireless Sensor Chapter 6 Wireless Sensor Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers Chapter 7 Wireless Sensor Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data Chapter 8 Upstream and Downstream Market Analysis of Wireless Sensor Chapter 9 Cost and Gross Margin Analysis of Wireless Sensor Chapter 10 Marketing Status Analysis of Wireless Sensor Chapter 11 Report Conclusion Chapter 12 Research Methodology and ReferenceTo Buy This Report and Get It Delivered In Your Inbox Within 24 Hours @ https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/wireless-sensor-marketWireless Sensor Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Global Wireless Sensor Market: Key Stakeholders: Wireless Sensor Manufacturers Wireless Sensor Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Wireless Sensor Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Wireless Sensor are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Wireless Sensor Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Wireless Sensor market analysis and forecast 2018- 2025.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.You can also ask for region wise market research report, as below: Wireless Sensor  Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013- 2025 Top 20 Countries Data Wireless Sensor  North America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Wireless Sensor  South America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Wireless Sensor  Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Wireless Sensor  EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Wireless Sensor  Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Wireless Sensor  China Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Wireless Sensor  India Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Wireless Sensor  United States Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well- defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States
Exhibits are displayed at the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 7, 2019. In celebrating of the most magnificent of all traditional holidays, the Palace Museum presents exhibition of "Celebrating the Spring Festival in the Forbidden City" starting Jan. 7, 2019. Hundreds of exhibits will be displayed at the museum. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

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Global Ditch Cleaners Market 2018-2025 Ongoing Trend | Growing at Remarkable CAGR with AP Machinebouw, COSMECO, DONDI, PEECON, Quivogne, ROLMEX, SOVEMA, Spearhead

Ditch Cleaners Market

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Ditch Cleaners research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report.For free sample on this report, fill the form@The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Ditch Cleaners global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018  2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.Do Enquiry Before Purchasing Here :The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.UpMarketResearch add an Latest report on Ditch Cleaners Market Analysis & Forecast 2018-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. This report focuses on the Ditch Cleaners market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type, segments and application. The report contains 115 pages which highly exhibits on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.This report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market-driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real-time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real-time scenario.Purchase a copy of this Ditch Cleaners Market research report @The following manufacturers are covered in this report: AP Machinebouw COSMECO DONDI PEECON Quivogne ROLMEX SOVEMA SpearheadDitch Cleaners Breakdown Data by Type Single-wheel Ditch Cleaner Double-wheel Ditch CleanerDitch Cleaners Breakdown Data by Application Vegetables Row Crops Tobacco FruitDitch Cleaners Breakdown Data by Region United States Europe China Japan Other RegionsThe Report covers in-depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Study Coverage Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Breakdown Data by Manufacturers Chapter 4 Breakdown Data by Type Chapter 5 Breakdown Data by Application Chapter 6 North America Chapter 7 Europe Chapter 8 Asia Pacific Chapter 9 Central & South America Chapter 10 Middle East and Africa Chapter 11 Company Profiles Chapter 12 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis Chapter 13 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis Chapter 14 Research Findings and Conclusion Chapter 15 AppendixRequest a Discount of this Report @Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Ditch Cleaners and its commercial landscape Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations To understand the future outlook and prospects for Ditch Cleaners market analysis and forecast 2018-2025.Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States
Ultra-HD TV Market Research Report 2018-2025 | Top Key Players  Sony, Samsung, Skyworth, Changhong, Hisense, LG, Vizio, TCL, Panasonic, Philips, Toshiba Etc.

Ultra-HD TV

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UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Ultra-HD TV Market Analysis and Forecast 2018-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 128 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @Ultra-HD TV Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Ultra-HD TV Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018  2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Ultra-HD TV Market analysis & forecast 2018- 2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis Global Ultra-HD TV Market covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)For More Information On This Report, Please Visit @The Major players reported in the market include: Sony Samsung Skyworth Changhong Hisense LG Vizio TCL Panasonic Sharp Philips Toshiba Upstar Seiki Polaroid Sansui Sceptre AUO BOE Technology HaierGlobal Ultra-HD TV Market: Product Segment Analysis: LCD TVs OLED TVsGlobal Ultra-HD TV Market: Application Segment Analysis: Household Use Commercial UseThe Report covers in- depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Overview of Ultra-HD TV Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types Chapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry Chapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Ultra-HD TV Chapter 6 Ultra-HD TV Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers Chapter 7 Ultra-HD TV Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data Chapter 8 Upstream and Downstream Market Analysis of Ultra-HD TV Chapter 9 Cost and Gross Margin Analysis of Ultra-HD TV Chapter 10 Marketing Status Analysis of Ultra-HD TV Chapter 11 Report Conclusion Chapter 12 Research Methodology and ReferenceTo Buy This Report and Get It Delivered In Your Inbox Within 24 Hours @ https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/ultra-hd-tv-marketUltra-HD TV Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Global Ultra-HD TV Market: Key Stakeholders: Ultra-HD TV Manufacturers Ultra-HD TV Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Ultra-HD TV Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Ultra-HD TV are as follows: History Year: 2013-2017 Base Year: 2017 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year 2018 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Ultra-HD TV Market Analysis and Forecast 2018- 2025 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Ultra-HD TV market analysis and forecast 2018- 2025.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.You can also ask for region wise market research report, as below: Ultra-HD TV  Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013- 2025 Top 20 Countries Data Ultra-HD TV  North America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Ultra-HD TV  South America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Ultra-HD TV  Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Ultra-HD TV  EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Ultra-HD TV  Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Ultra-HD TV  China Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Ultra-HD TV  India Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Ultra-HD TV  United States Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well- defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States
IVF Devices and Consumables Market is Expected to Showcase a Significant CAGR of 17.6% During 2018-2025

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In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a type of assisted reproductive technology in which the ovum is artificially fertilized in laboratory settings and then implanted into the uterus. IVF is one of the widely used treatments, which assists couples with infertility problems, single mothers, and the LGBT community to procreate.Increase in infertility rate, rise in awareness toward IVF, growth in demand for advanced IVF technologies, and surge in IVF success rate are the key factors that drive the growth of the IVF devices and consumables market globally. However, the market growth is restricted by the higher costs associated with IVF devices, ethical issues, and complications associated with IVF.According to a new report published by Allied Market Research market was valued at $1,882 million in 2017, and is expected to reach $6,891 million by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 17.6% from 2018 to 2025.Download Report Sample:Based on product, the accessory & disposable segment is the major revenue contributor, and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period, due to their cost-effectiveness. However, the instrument segment is anticipated to grow at the highest rate, due to technological advancements and surge in demand for advanced IVF devices.Based on technology, fresh embryo IVF is the major revenue contributor, and is estimated to show dominance during the forecast period, due to its advantages such as higher success rate, convenience, cost-effectiveness, and safety.Depending on end user, the global IVF devices and consumables market is dominated by the fertility clinic segment, and is estimated to continue this trend during the forecast period, due to low cost of treatment and increase in number of fertility clinics. However, the surgical center segment is expected to grow at a significant rate, due to increase in number of surgery centers in the developing region and rise in use of IVF among the surgery centers.Make a Purchase Enquiry of Report:Major Players: Cook Medical Inc. FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (Irvine Scientific Sales Company Inc.) Genea Biomedx Merck KGaA (EMD Serono Inc.) Ovascience Inc. Oxford Gene Technology Progyny Inc. The Cooper Companies Inc.(CooperSurgical Inc.) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Vitrolife AB.Key Benefits: The study provides an in-depth analysis of the global IVF devices and consumables industry along with the current trends and future estimations to elucidate the imminent investment pockets. It offers a quantitative analysis from 2017 to 2025, which is expected to enable the stakeholders to capitalize on the prevailing market opportunities. A comprehensive analysis of all the geographical regions is provided to determine the prevailing opportunities. The profiles and growth strategies of the key players are thoroughly analyzed to understand the competitive outlook of the global market.Browse Full Report with TOC:About Us:Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies clients insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm.Contact:Sona Padman5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free (USA/Canada):+1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb:
Structural Insulation Panels market Comprehensive Growth analysis - Kingspan, Romakowski GmbH & Co. KG, Lattonedil Spa Milano, and Isopan

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The Structural Insulation Panels market study published by Market Study Report, LLC, provides an in-depth analysis pertaining to potential drivers fueling this industry. The study also encompasses valuable insights about profitability prospects, market size, growth dynamics, and revenue estimation of the business vertical. The study further draws attention to the competitive backdrop of renowned market contenders including their product offerings and business strategies.Structural insulation panels industry size is driven by rapid technological advancements in the construction industry. These technologies consist of various precast, modular, and prefabricated building structures, specially designed for residential and commercial sectors. Additionally, a growing population and rising consumer concerns regarding energy-saving building materials will drive industry development. Developing economies including Brazil, India, China, and Mexico will significantly trigger product development due to a large consumer base along with a shifting trend for modern building installations.Increasing consumer awareness pertaining to rising electricity bills and the necessity for energy-efficient building techniques have stimulated the product demand across residential as well as commercial buildings. The necessity for effective energy conservation due to the rising energy demand along with growing concerns regarding resource scarcity will propel the SIP market. The implementation of several programs such as LEED, Energy Star building certification, and ICC?s Model Energy Codes is likely to influence industry dynamics over the forecast period.Request a sample of this premium report at:The global structural insulation panel minerals market is highly competitive owing to the presence of a few dominating companies including Kingspan, Romakowski GmbH & Co. KG, Lattonedil Spa Milano, and Isopan. Their prime initiatives to improve the market share include new product launches, geographical expansions, R&D investments, and mergers & acquisitions. This helps them explore the untapped market potential. Companies are also focusing on implementing forward and backward integrations across the value chain.The residential sector accounted for over 50% of the market share by 2024 and will continue to maintain its dominance over the forecast period. Infrastructural expansion is a major factor that will drive the use of SIPs in the residential market during the forecast timeframe. Socioeconomic development along with housing subsidies by governments will positively impact the market expansion. Household renovations have observed a strong demand in the past and are anticipated to witness significant gains over the forecast timespan. Affordable housing schemes along with the expansion of zero-energy homes supported by regional authorities are expected to provide a profitable opportunity for manufacturers.North America is projected to exceed USD 200 million by 2024. The constant development of the business in the regional economy, along with its openness to imports, has provided an impetus to the international trade scenario for these products. The region is expected to witness growing investments towards house refurbishment and repair. Additionally, the growing infrastructure development owing to high economic growth and expanding immigrant population in the region is expected to support business growth.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Glass wool is expected to witness significant growth owing to increasing demand for thermal and acoustic insulation. Strong applications scope for reducing the energy consumption of buildings, offering a conducive environment and reducing fuel utilization will positively support product penetration over the forecast timeline. It is widely used in attics, critical opening spaces, and wall cavities. Amplified growth of new housing developments and overall building construction expenditure will drive industry gains.OSB one side skin type is estimated to witness a growth of over 7% up to 2024. They are widely used and applied on the roofing, siding, and wall structures of residential buildings. It provides excellent insulation from heat, moisture, and humid conditions and offers outstanding benefits over its counterparts owing to its compatibility with fixed structures. These benefits have increased the adoption in building construction fueling the industry share.Wall panels dominated the overall industry and is expected to witness highest growth over the forecast period. Substantial reduction in the construction time of wall and labor cost are key factors supplementing product penetration. The factory-built SIPs eliminate the need to cut the material on job site which eliminates delays and enables quick interior finishing. Substantial reduction in the construction time of wall and labor cost are key factors supplementing product penetration.Complete report for 2018-2024 on Structural Insulation Panels market is now available atRelated reportAero structure Equipment Market by Type, Application, Element, & by Region Global Trends and Forecast to 2025About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC.4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:
Cancer Therapies Market 2019 by Top Key Players: Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bayer AG, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, GlaxoSmithKline PLC

Cancer Therapies Market

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The Cancer Therapies Market research report assembled by Market Study Report, LLC, provides a succinct analysis on the recent market trends. In addition, the report offers a thorough abstract on the statistics, market estimates and revenue forecasts, which further highlights its position in the industry, in tandem with the growth strategies adopted by leading industry players.This report studies the Cancer Therapies market status and outlook of Global and major regions, from angles of players, countries, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global market and splits the Cancer Therapies market by product type and applications/end industriesRequest a sample of this premium report atMarket Segment by Companies, this report coversJohnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bayer AG, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, GlaxoSmithKline PLC,Cancer therapy describes the treatment of cancer in a patient, often with surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Targeted therapies are also available for some cancer types. A cancer patient might receive many different types of therapy, including those aimed at relieving the symptoms of cancer, such as pain.North America dominates the global cancer therapy market, owing to high prevalence of cancer in the region because of a sedentary lifestyle, along with launch and growing adoption of novel cancer therapy in the region.Asia-Pacific is expected to grow tremendously during the forecast period, owing to factors, such as high prevalence of cancer, growing awareness regarding cure and treatment of cancer, and increasing collaboration between public and private sectors to provide novel cancer therapy in the region.The global Cancer Therapies market is valued at xx million USD in 2017 and is expected to reach xx million USD by the end of 2023, growing at a CAGR of xx% between 2017 and 2023.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Cancer Therapies.Europe also play important roles in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2017 and will be xx million USD in 2023, with a CAGR of xx%.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report atMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversImmunological and Vaccine ApproachesAntiproliferative ApproachesPhotodynamic TherapyGene Therapy ApproachesCell Cycle and Apoptosis ApproachesMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHospital UseClinic UseHouseholdOtherComplete report atAbout Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:
BYOD Security Market by Type, Solution, Software and Industry Analysis 2013 - 2020 With Key Players SAP, Symantec, VMware, Citrix Systems, Mobile Iron, Good Technology, Trend Micro, IBM, Alcatel Lucent and Cisco Systems.

BYOD Security Market

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BYOD Security Market Report, published by Allied Market Research, forecasts that the global market is expected to garner $24.6 billion by 2022, registering a CAGR of 36.3% during the period 2014-2020. Smartphones are widely used for business purposes among all other devices, and generated nearly 58% of revenue for the global market in 2013. Mobile application management (MAM) solutions would be witnessing tremendous growth opportunities in future due to the rising awareness about these security solutions across various regions. Large enterprises generated significant revenue for the global market in 2013, whereas small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) contributed around one-fourth of the total revenue. SMEs would eventually increase their revenue share in global market. North American countries generated considerable amount of revenue in 2013 due to early adoption of BYOD concept and implementation of BYOD security policies.Introduction of BYOD security software reduces the security risks associated with BYOD, due to which the adoption of BYOD policies by the companies in emerging markets is increasing. BYOD concept is gaining foothold due to its benefits for the enterprises such as lowering down infrastructure cost, increased productivity of the organizations and allowing employees to work according to their convenient time and place. The increasing importance of BYOD concept would ultimately support BYOD security market to rise in emerging markets by 2020.Download report sample at:The market growth is attributable to acquisitions and collaborations of the players in the market to excel their services to the customers. For instance, on 26 January, 2014, VMware acquired AirWatch, a leader in delivering secure and enterprise-mobile management solutions, for$1.175 billion. This acquisition has helped VMware to boost mobile security offerings to the customers. Similarly, in August 2014, SAP in collaboration with VMware has developed a mobile security software platform for mobile applications, which offers simplified user experience for all mobile applications. Prominent players profiled in the report are SAP, Symantec, VMware, Citrix Systems, Mobile Iron, Good Technology, Trend Micro, IBM, Alcatel Lucent and Cisco Systems.Introduction of BYOD security software reduces the security risks associated with BYOD, due to which the adoption of BYOD policies by the companies in emerging markets is increasing. BYOD concept is gaining foothold due to its benefits for the enterprises such as lowering down infrastructure cost, increased productivity of the organizations and allowing employees to work according to their convenient time and place. The increasing importance of BYOD concept would ultimately support BYOD security market to rise in emerging markets by 2020.For purchase enquiry at:Smartphone is a key device that is majorly being used by the employees for work purposes. The ease of accessibility of corporate or business data by smartphones is driving the smartphone usage. However, security risks are also high with the usage of smartphones as in case of loss or theft of such devices. Compact size and light weight of tablet phones is leading the employees to replace their laptops with tablet phones for business purposes. The usage of tablets would eventually increase, which would ultimately increase the revenue generated through the tablet security software in years ahead.Though mobile device management (MDM) solution is popular among all other solutions across the enterprises for the implementation of BYOD security policies, mobile application management (MAM), mobile content management (MCM) and mobile identity management (MIM) would also increase their penetration into the market in coming years. The increasing awareness about the BYOD security solutions and introduction of wide range of apps for business purposes (appification) would support MAM to gain its prominence in the market. In order to secure corporate as well as personal data on the device, mobile data security software is largely preferred by the enterprises, which is followed by mobile device security.Access full summary report at:The initial investment to implement BYOD security policies is high, due to which majorly large-scale enterprises have implemented BYOD security policies in their organizations. Therefore, the revenue from the sales of BYOD security software to large-scale enterprises is prominent as compared to small- and medium-enterprises. However, small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) have started adopting BYOD concept in their organizations, which would eventually create a need of BYOD security software among SMEs. Considering above factors, the revenue generated from the end users would eventually increase and contribute a significant amount of revenue for global market by 2020.About Us:Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions. AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free: +1-800-792-5285UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1?855?550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb:
Smart Energy Industry Key Vendors that Operating Market, Challenges, Technology Used, Investment Analysis & Opportunity in Globe by Forecast 2024

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The Global Smart Energy Market research report 2018 presents a scrupulous insight of Smart Energy industry. The report subsumes the growth rate of the market for the predicted span. Providing an incisive overview of the market, the study report corroborates the evaluation and the volume of the Smart Energy in the upcoming period.Access for Smart Energy Market Report sample PDF @The report exhibits numerous opportunities for expansion of the Smart Energy market in future. The market is analyzed in terms of volume and revenue of the industry. The report utilizes prolific methodology and techniques to appraise the progress of Smart Energy market. Report data also includes a business synopsis, revenue segmentation, and product offering of the leading market players.Product Type Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Major Company of Product Type etc.):Independent Type Smart EnergyDistributed Smart EnergyCompany Coverage (Sales Revenue, Price, Gross Margin, Main Products etc.):GE-AlstomItronSiemensABBS&TSamsung SDIA123BoschBYDLandis + GyrSensusAES Energy StorageLG ChemSaftAxion Power InternationalSolar Grid Storage LLCCheck the Complete Report @The global Smart Energy market will reach xxx Million USD in 2018 and CAGR xx% 2018-2023. The report begins from overview of Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Smart Energy by product, region and application, in addition, this report introduces market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.Application Coverage (Market Size & Forecast, Different Demand Market by Region, Main Consumer Profile etc.):Smart GridDigital OilfieldHome Energy Management Systems (HEMS)Smart SolarOthersRegion Coverage (Regional Production, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.):North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc.)Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia etc.)South America (Brazil, Argentina etc.)Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc.)Purchase Smart Energy Market Report at:Smart Energy Market report helps to decide corporate, product, marketing strategy. It reduces the risks involved in making decisions as well as strategies for companies and individuals interested in the Smart Energy Sales industry. Both established and new players in Smart Energy Sales industry can use report to understand the market.Some Points From TOC:Chapter One: Industry Overview1.1 Smart Energy Industry1.1.1 Overview1.1.2 Development of Smart Energy1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 Upstream1.2.2 Downstream1.3 Cost AnalysisChapter Two: Industry Environment2.1 Policy2.2 Economics2.3 Sociology2.4 TechnologyChapter Five: Market Competition5.1 Company Competition5.2 Regional Market by CompanyChapter Six: Market Demand6.1 Demand Situation6.1.1 Demand in Smart Grid6.1.2 Demand in Digital Oilfield6.1.3 Demand in Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS)6.1.4 Demand in Smart Solar6.1.5 Demand in Others6.2 Regional Demand Comparison6.3 Demand ForecastChapter Eight: Marketing & Price8.1 Price and Margin8.1.1 Price Trends8.1.2 Factors of Price Change8.1.3 Manufacturers Gross Margin Analysis8.2 Marketing ChannelList of TablesTable Upstream Segment of Smart EnergyTable Application Segment of Smart EnergyTable Global Smart Energy Market 2013-2024, by Application, in USD MillionTable Major Company List of Independent Type Smart EnergyTable Major Company List of Distributed Smart EnergyTable Global Smart Energy Market 2013-2018, by Type, in USD MillionTable Global Smart Energy Market 2013-2018, by Type, in VolumeTable Global Smart Energy Market Forecast 2019-2024, by Type, in USD MillionTable Global Smart Energy Market Forecast 2019-2024, by Type, in VolumeAbout us:an initiation in this new era of analysis @ thought. We are on a mission to replace the conventional research programs and give way to the latest methods and information for the organizations. We have created this hub of analytical research papers where you can get an access to the latest and the best research papers coming out from some reliable and budding research houses. After the advent of new analytics based on the data collection facilities of big data, the face of business research facilities has changed drastically.Contact Us:Matt WilsonManager - Global SalesAnalytical research cognizancePhone No. : +1 (646) 434-7969, +91 90967 44448Email.: enquiry@arcognizance.com
Sperm Bank Market | Global Market Overall Study Report 2019-2022 (Androcryos, Cryos, FairFaxCryobank, New England Cryogenic Center, California Cryobank, European Sperm Bank)

Sperm Bank Market

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A fresh report has been added to the wide database of Business Industry Reports. The research study is titled Sperm Bank Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 which provides important data about the production, consumption, revenue and company profiles for key industry participants.Global Sperm Bank Market Synopsis:According to Market Analyst, Global Sperm Bank Market is projected to grow at a healthy growth rate from 2019 to 2022.Get Free Sample Study Papers of Sperm Bank Market @Sperm Bank market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 6.25% from 341 million $ in 2014 to 409 million $ in 2017, Market analysts believe that in the next few years, Sperm Bank market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2022, The market size of the Sperm Bank will reach 548 million $.The Global Sperm Bank Market is expected to witness tremendous growth during the forecast period 2019-2022. Rise in the number of young sperm donors, legalization of and increase in same-sex marriages, various technological advancements in the field of assistive reproduction, and strong support on the part of governments toward donor offspring and sperm donors are also projected to Expansion the sperm bank market. Furthermore, The growing awareness regarding the benefits of sperm banking in various countries, like the U.S., Canada, and many others, is one of the key factors expected to propel demand in the coming few years.Global Sperm Bank Market has been segmented into donor type, type of vials, serviceand geography. Based on donor type, the market is segmented into ID Disclosure donor, anonymous donor, and known donor. Anonymous donors are the most common as it keeps the donor identity undisclosed, encouraging more donations. Based on Type of vials, the market is further segmented into intrauterine insemination (IUI), intracervical insemination (ICI), and in-vitro fertilization (IVF). ICI is one of the oldest forms on inseminations; however, with rising infertility complications among couples, IVF is gaining popularity.On the Basis of service, Market can be sub segmented into Semen analysis, Sperm storage, Genetic consultation. The semen analysis segment held a majority of the share.Complete report on Sperm Bank Market spread across 122 Pages and No. of Table of contents. Buy Research atGeographically, the global sperm bank market has been segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. Considering that North America has the highest number of sperm banks with the highest number of licensed labs, this regional market for sperm banks is one of the largest in the world.The Market is segmented and projected on the basis of major key players:1 Androcryos2 Cryos International3 FairFaxCryobank4 New England Cryogenic Center5 CaliforniaCryobank6 European Sperm Bank7 IndianSpermtech8 London Sperm Bank9 ReproTechAnd MoreMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium report atThe prime objective of this report is to help the user understand the market in terms of its definition, segmentation, market potential, influential trends, and the challenges that the market is facing. Deep researches and analysis were done during the preparation of the report. The readers will find this report very helpful in understanding the market in depth. The facts and data are represented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations. This enhances the visual representation and also helps in understanding the facts much better.Key Questions Answered in this Report:1 What are the major market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the global Sperm Bank market?2 What was the market value of the leading segments and sub-segments of the global Sperm Bank market in 2017?3 What are the influencing factors that may affect the market share of the key players?4 Who are the key players in Sperm Bank Market?5 How will the industry evolve during the forecast period 2019-2022?TABLE OF CONTENTS1 Sperm Bank Definition2 Global Sperm Bank Market Major Player Share and Market Overview3 Major Player Sperm Bank Business Introduction4 Global Sperm Bank Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Sperm Bank Market Segmentation (Type Level)6 Global Sperm Bank Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Sperm Bank Market Forecast 2018-20228 Sperm Bank Segmentation Type9 Sperm Bank Segmentation Industry10 Sperm Bank Cost Analysis11 ConclusionAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune  Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940
Managed Mobility Services Market 2019: By At&T, Fujitsu, Ibm, Wipro, Orange Sa, Deutsche Telekom Ag, Hewlett-Packard, Vodafone Group Managed Mobility Service (MMS) refers to the procurement, deployment, and management of mobile devices and apps, PC software, and services that connect out-of-office workers to the enterprise environment. The major driver for the managed mobility service market is the increasing adoption of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies across various industries. Organizations have been adopting BYOD policies, in a bid to enhance productivity, without compromising with the security and privacy at the workplace. Increasing dependency on IT services for enterprise operations, has compelled organizations to look for alternatives to outsource their non-core operations. As the dependency on mobile services for day-to-day operations is growing, corporates are introducing apps and programs for their employees.



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Key Developments in the Market

 January 2018 - Accenture and Faurecia, a French auto supplier, signed partnership agreement for five years, for innovating mobility services. The companies will develop products and services for connected autonomous vehicles.

 October 2017 - AT & T partnered exchange introduced mobility tools, which are easy-to-manage and simple, such that it will help solution providers to offer more value to their customers.

 September 2017 - HP Inc. introduced new security, management, software development capability, and mobility features for its A3 printer family.

 February 2017 - IBM acquired Agile 3 Solutions, a software company that created security analytics dashboard, enabling C-suite executives with limited technical knowledge, to understand security alerts.



Major Players:

AT&T INC., FUJITSU LTD, IBM CORPORATION, WIPRO LTD, ORANGE SA, TELEFu00d3NICA SA, DEUTSCHE TELEKOM AG, HEWLETT-PACKARD, VODAFONE GROUP PLC, ACCENTURE PLC, and TECH MAHINDRA, amongst others.



Increasing Adoption of BYOD Policies

The enterprises are constantly opting for solutions that channel a large number of computing devices and create advanced communication infrastructure. With data and applications breaking the boundaries of desktops by becoming available on multiple devices, the concept of integrated workplace has diminished. The policies, such as bring-your-own-device, are increasing the number of devices that needs to be consolidated with the enterprise networks. BYOD has a significant impact on enterprises, as they are realizing the advantages in terms of cost saving, productivity, and flexibility. A survey by Cisco reported that 69% of the IT decision makers favor BYOD as an optimistic addition to workplace policy, as it saves workers time. These practices also reduce capital expenditure and increase creative approach of businesses, toward improving workplace satisfaction, maintaining security and productivity along, and providing flexibility. Therefore, the increasing adoption of BYOD policies is leading to the growth of the Managed Mobility Service Market.



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Manufacturing Industry to Accelerate the Market Landscape

Manufacturers from all over the world face intense competition. Reliable application delivery maintains the information flow through complex supply chain, and keeps operations running smoothly and inventory moving from warehouse floor to delivery. With the advent of smart manufacturing, owing to the cost effectiveness, small size, and ease of use, mobile devices have become an essential part of the manufacturing process. With the increasing adoption of technological mobility, these devices are becoming one of the core requirements of manufacturing processes, such as production, assembly, and packaging. Mobility offers advantages, such as single-point data transfer, across the network. Smooth and real-time data and information flow significantly improve the response time to suppliers, vendors, and customers, while improving the performance. The extensive use of mobile devices for manufacturing has been able to lure investments in the segment from major players, like Honeywell, who launched Skynax, a mobility management solution that can process instructions and receive critical information regarding delivery, goods in transit, etc.



North America to Dominate the Market

North America accounted for the largest market share of the Managed Mobility Service Market. A significant number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in this region adopting MMS solutions and the early adoption of the latest technologies in countries like the United States and Canada, are driving the growth of the market. The adoption of managed mobility services is massive among SMEs, because the implementation of these services does not require an extension of IT resources, as Managed Service Providers (MSPs) handle these services. The increasing penetration of smart mobile devices among organizations and increasing adoption of BYOD policies for connectivity among the employees, to provide flexible services to the customers in the United States and Canada, are leading to the adoption of MMS solutions.



In addition, mandatory compliance with specific industry regulations, such as HIPAA for the healthcare sector, is further encouraging the adoption of MMS solutions across these end-user verticals. The managed mobility service market is growing and the adoption rate is expected to grow exponentially during the forecast period.



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Oncology Drug Pipeline Analysis Market To Register High Demand Rate Worldwide By 2026 Pfizer Inc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Johnson and Johnson Services Inc, AstraZeneca

Oncology Drug Pipeline Analysis

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The oncology field is witnessing rapid growth, owing to emergence of novel therapies with high efficacy, which in turn is boosting growth of the oncology drug pipeline market. For instance, in 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S FDA) approved 45 New Molecular Entity (NME) and new Biologic License Applications (BLA), of which 16 were novel cancer therapies. Therefore, developments of novel drugs is a major factor propelling growth of the global oncology drug pipeline analysis market.Download PDF Brochure of This Business Research Report :Furthermore, increasing initiatives for reducing cancer-related deaths is expected to boost growth of the market. For instance, in 2017, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution  'Cancer Prevention and Control through an Integrated Approach', which urges governments and World Health Organization (WHO) to accelerate action for minimizing premature mortality in cancer. Such initiatives are expected to propel growth of the oncology drug pipeline market in the forecast period.Oncology Drug Pipeline Analysis  DriversInnovative approaches in the cancer treatment is a major factor boosting growth of the oncology pipeline drugs market. For instance, the novel basket study includes patients with a certain genetic mutation in common, regardless of the site or origin of cancer in the body. Basket studies can be useful when a drug targets certain genetic mutation at a particular site and using that drug to treat same genetic mutation in cancer at another site. For instance, Larotrectinib, a drug of Loxo Oncology, Inc., is currently under review by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of tyrosine kinase mutation by using basket studies. This drug has been approved as Investigational New Drug in May 2018.Combinational therapies are the latest development driving the growth of oncology pipeline drugs market. For instance, Pfizer Inc. is undergoing efficacy and safety study for Avelumab in combination with chemotherapy, followed by maintenance therapy of Avelumab with PARP inhibitor talazoparib in patients with history of untreated advanced ovarian cancer. This study is under clinical phase III trials and is expected to complete in May 2026.Key PlayersKey players operating in the global oncology pipeline drugs market include, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., AstraZeneca, Pfizer Inc., AbbVie Inc., Celgene Corporation, Novartis AG, Merck & Co., Inc., Sanofi, Eli Lilly & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, and Amgen Inc.Request For Customization Of This Business Research Report :Oncology Drug Pipeline Analysis  TaxonomyBy Drug ClassImmunotherapyMonoclonal AntibodyAntibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC)OthersBy Cancer TypeBreast CancerOvarian CancerProstate CancerLung CancerColorectal CancerPancreatic CancerOthersBy Route of AdministrationOralParenteralOncology Drug Pipeline Analysis  Regional AnalysisOn the basis of region, the global oncology drug pipeline analysis market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America is expected to dominate in terms of growth in oncology drug pipeline market. According to the 2015 annual report of the American Cancer Society, although cancer-related death rate in the U.S. have reduced, cancer still remains the second most common cause of death in the country. Therefore, such high prevalence of cancer is expected to drive growth of the oncology drug pipeline market in North America.Asia Pacific is expected to witness significant growth in the global oncology drug pipeline analysis market. This is owing to increasing prevalence of various kind of cancers in the region, especially in emerging economies such as China and India.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com
Silicon Carbide Market Growth Forecast through 2019-2023 with Upcoming Trends and Business Opportunities for Key Players Like Entegris Inc, Norstel AB, Renesas Electronics Corporation, ROHM Co Ltd and etc

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Silicon Carbide Market Key Players:Silicon Carbide Market are: Grindwell Norton (India), ESK SIC GmbH, Dow Chemical Company (US), Carborundum Universal (India), Entegris Inc (US), Norstel AB (Sweden), Renesas Electronics Corporation (Japan), ROHM Co. Ltd. (Japan), Toshiba Corporation (Japan), Microsemi Corporation (US) and others.Get exclusive sample copy page @Silicon Carbide Market Segmentation:Silicon Carbide Market is majorly segmented on the basis of product, application, and by region. Market segmentation on the basis of products, includes black silicon carbide, green silicon carbide, and others (refractory, coated, metallurgical, metallurgical briquettes and micro grit). On the basis of application, the market is segmented into steel and energy, automotive, aerospace and aviation, military and defence, electronics and semiconductors, medical and healthcare, and others. Steel and energy is the prominent segment for which silicon carbide is largely used followed by electronics and semiconductors and automobile segment. While the medical and healthcare applications are anticipated to register the highest growth over next five years.Silicon Carbide Market Regional Analysis:Silicon Carbide Market is spanned across five key regions: Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East & Africa. As of 2016, Asia Pacific emerged as one of the most promising markets across the globe and has recorded largest market shares both in terms value and volume. By acquiring more than half of the global market, Asia Pacific is expected to continue its lead over the forecast period as well. Increasing sales of various driver segment such as steel and energy, electronics, and semiconductors and automotive are responsible for the growth this region. India and China are collectively driving the Asia Pacific market on account of growing steel and energy demands driven by industrial and infrastructural development. North America is another growth attractive market and is driven by the automotive demand.Silicon Carbide Market Table of Content:1 Executive Summary2 Scope of the Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations2.3 Markets Structure3 Market Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research3.3 Primary Research3.4 Forecast Model4 Market Landscape4.1 Five Forces Analysis4.1.1 Threat of New Entrants4.1.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers4.1.3 Threat of Substitutes4.1.4 Segment Rivalry4.2 Value Chain/Supply Chain of Global Silicon Carbide Market5 Industry Overview of Global Silicon Carbide Market5.1 Introduction5.2 Growth Drivers5.3 Impact Analysis5.4 Market ChallengesSilicon Carbide Market Table of Content to be Continue.,Complete List of Tables and Figures @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Stationary Lead Acid Battery Market Growth Prospects, Key Vendors, Future Scenario & Outlook to 2025| Top Key Players: Johnson Controls, GS Yuasa, Hitachi Chemical Energy Technology, Enersys, and Exide Technologies

Stationary Lead Acid Battery

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The global stationary lead acid battery industry report provides a thorough analysis of the current market trends placed together by understanding multiple parameters impacting the industry such as drivers, restraints and opportunities. The stationary lead acid battery market study presents a comprehensive analysis of flooded and sealed lead acid battery market types, applications as well as market competition and recent developments. The report also covers information on the global market lead acid batteries, automotive industry recent trends as well as an introduction of UPS power applications in industries for key geographical markets.Request sample copy of Stationary Lead Acid Battery Market Report at:The global stationary lead acid battery market size is anticipated to expand over a CAGR of 4.4% over the forecast period from 2018 to 2025. Increasing penetration of lead acid batteries in numerous power backup applications that range from automotive starting/lighting/ignition (SLI) and industrial batteries for motion power to large stationary batteries for standby-power. The stationary lead acid battery has recently entered the commercial space with numerous players entering the market to address the potentially growing demand.The global stationary lead acid battery market has paced up over the past few years as the various manufacturers are focusing on offering products that provide reliable and quality power supply. Additionally, the Chinese governments targets of adding 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, rising heavy investments, expansion and upgrade of transmission & distribution network are leading to robust electricity market growth. Also, planning and development of energy storage projects in Latin America and Middle East & Africa are expected to accelerate the product demand and provide valuable services to the grid.In 2017, telecom accounted for nearly half of the global stationary lead acid (SLA) battery market share. Rising telecom sector along with enhanced utilization of lead acid batteries as a prime backup power source to reduce power outages and data losses are some of the factors driving the stationary lead acid battery market size. The growth of the data center and telecommunication industries is expected to drive the demand for stationary lead acid battery market size over the forecast period.Read more details of Stationary Lead Acid Battery market report at:Asia Pacific is projected to lead the global stationary lead acid battery market and is expected to witness the fastest growth over the next few years owing to rising R&D investments by manufacturers as well as developing off-grid renewable energy industry. The increased foreign direct investment in Asia Pacific is expected to facilitate the development of infrastructure and capital equipment. Moreover, rising emergence for efficient power backup systems in electricity, oil & gas industries, security systems are likely to open new opportunities for sealed lead acid battery market growth over the years ahead. Also, varied governmental policies such as Renewable Energy Quota Management Approach and National Energy Development Strategy 2014-2020 will supplement demand over the forecast period between 2018 and 2023.The competitive landscape of the global stationary lead acid battery industry is highly fragmented owing to the presence of several local players. Typically, the majority of the players cater to their local market with little presence overseas. Companies such as GS Yuasa, Johnson Controls, and Enersys are in process of maintaining existing clients and venturing into new markets to increase revenue profits and maintain company growthKey segments of the global stationary lead acid battery marketConstruction Type Overview, 2011-2025 (Million kVAh) (USD Million) Flooded SealedApplication Overview, 2015-2025 (Million kVAh) (USD Million) Telecom UPS Utility Emergency Lighting Security Systems Cable Television/Broadcasting Oil & Gas Renewable Energy Railway Backup Systems OthersDistribution Channel Overview, 2015-2025 (Million kVAh) (USD Million) OEM AftermarketRegional Overview, 2015-2025 (MW) (USD Million) North America U.S. Europe Germany Asia Pacific China Japan India South America Middle East & AfricaEnquire more details of the report at:About Us:Adroit Market Research is an India-based business analytics and consulting company incorporated in 2018. Our target audience is a wide range of corporations, manufacturing companies, product/technology development institutions and industry associations that require understanding of a markets size, key trends, participants and future outlook of an industry. We intend to become our clients knowledge partner and provide them with valuable market insights to help create opportunities that increase their revenues. We follow a code Explore, Learn and Transform. At our core, we are curious people who love to identify and understand industry patterns, create an insightful study around our findings and churn out money-making roadmaps.Contact Information:Ryan JohnsonAccount Manager Global3131 McKinney Ave Ste 600, Dallas,TX75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: USA: +1 (214) 884-6068 / +91 9665341414
Peppermint Oil Market: Latest Trends, Demand and Analysis 2026

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Peppermint oil is derived from extraction of oils from flowers and stem of peppermint herb. The steam distillation process is used for extraction of oil. Peppermint oil is used medicines due to its therapeutic benefits. The healthcare uses of peppermint oil include digestive system simulation and for soothing headaches, muscle pain, cold, sinus etc. They are used extensively in oral care products because of cooling effect and its ability to kill bacteria responsible for bad breath. Peppermint oils are also for flavoring in food and beverage industry. And they are also used as safe natural food additive. Peppermint oil is an aromatherapy ingredient, which helps in stimulation and relaxation of body. It acts as skin toner in cosmetic products. In 2016, Basilica Botanica, a Los Angeles-based beauty products manufacturer launched a gift set of premium essential oils consisting of peppermint oil.Peppermint Oil Market: Drivers and Restraints, Segmentation, Region Wise Outlook and Key PlayersThe rise in demand for aromatherapy treatments is expected to drive the growth of global peppermint oil market. The increasing consumer awareness regarding the use of safe natural and organic products is expected to boost the growth of global peppermint oil market. Increasing disposable income and awareness of personal care has resulted in demand for oral care and confectionery products in rural areas, which is a major driver for the growth of global peppermint oil market. The recent outbreak of Zika virus and diseases such as dengue and malaria has increased the demand for natural mosquito repellents and the use of peppermint oil in these repellents is expected to increase the demand. The fragrance ingredients and essential oils market recorded high growth rate, which is expected to increase the demand for peppermint oil.Buy This Report@However, the rise in cost and decline in production of peppermint oil is expected to hamper the growth of global peppermint oil market during the forecast period.On the basis of application,the global peppermint oil market can be segmented as follows:- Oral Products: Mouthwash, Toothpaste, Oral Spray; Confectionary Products: Candies, Chewing Gum, Cough and Throat Lozenges; Pharmaceutical Products: Analgesic Balms, Rubbing Alcohol, Drugs, Medicated Oils; Tobacco Products: Cigarette, Chewing Tobacco; Fragrance Products: Soap, Shampoo, Bathing Oil, Aftershave LotionsThe global peppermint oil market can be divided into five regions, namely North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America and Europe holds major share in terms of market value in global peppermint oil market. North America has a significant share in the production of peppermint oil. The mature essential oil market in Europe is expected to boost peppermint oil market in the region. APAC is expected to register high CAGR over the forecast period. This is attributed to the rise in demand for natural and organic cosmetic and fragrance products in the region. The upsurge of investments in healthcare and pharmaceutical industry is anticipated to propel the growth of global peppermint oil market. Latin America is expected to project high growth rate during the forecast period, owing to the rapid growth of food and beverage industry in the region.Some of the key players in the global peppermint oil market are as follows: The Lebermuth Company, Inc., Essex Laboratories LLC, Vinayak Ingredients (INDIA) Pvt., Ltd., Elixarome Limited, AOS Products Private Limited, De Monchy Aromatics, Hindustan Mint & Agro Products Pvt. Ltd., Arora Aromatics Pvt. Ltd., Foodchem International Corporation, Bhagat Aromatics Limited, Shanti Chemicals, Aromatic And Allied Chemicals, Paras PerfumersRequest For Report Sample with Table of Contents:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +13479183531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Tumor Ablation Market Research and Forecast, 2018-2023

Significant rise in incidences of cancer enabling to boost the global tumor ablation market

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Global tumor ablation market size, trends, market strategy, research and analysis report by technology (radio frequency, microwave, cryoablation) by application (liver, lung, breast, prostate) forecast 2018-2023According to OMR analysis, the global tumor ablation market is estimated to grow significantly during the forecast period 2018-2023. The crucial factors lead to propel the growth of the market includes increasing demand for minimally invasive surgery, increasing incidences of cancer diseases, technological innovations in ablation devices and increasing healthcare spending.Furthermore, the global tumor ablation market is segmented on the basis of technology, application, end-user and regional outlook. The report provides detailed & insightful chapters which include market overview, key findings, strategic recommendations, market estimations, market determinants, key company analysis, market insights, company profiling, market segmentation, geographical analysis, analyst insights and predictive analysis of the market.Full report of global tumor ablation market is available atA significant rise in incidences of cancer is primarily driving the growth of the market. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in 2018, an estimated 1,735,350 new cancer incidences will be diagnosed in the US. As per their estimation, in the US, the most common cancer cases in 2018 include breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, melanoma of the skin. Other most common cancer diseases comprise pancreatic cancer, endometrial cancer, kidney and renal pelvis cancer and leukemia. Based on 2011-2015 cases, each year, the number of new cancer incidence is 439.2 per 100,000 men and women in the US. According to NCI, in 2016, there were approximately 15.5 million cancer survivors in the US, which is estimated to increase to 20.3 million by 2026.This represents significant awareness among cancer patients for the treatment of the condition. As a result, it enables to propel the growth of the market. Tumor ablation is referred to as a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of solid tumors. For liver cancer, ablation as a treatment enables to destroy liver tumors without removing them. One of the major ablation techniques used for the treatment of cancer comprises radiofrequency (RFA) ablation. It uses radiofrequency waves to kill cancer cells. Under the procedure, the doctor places a small, needle-like probe into the tumor. Later, through the tip of the probe, a high-frequency current is passed that enables to destroy cancer cells. It is a frequently used method for small tumors. Furthermore, it is a part of minimally invasive procedures that is highly preferred among hospitals and patients due to safety and effectiveness. This, in turn, is boosting the global tumor ablation market.The report covers:Comprehensive research methodology of global tumor ablation market.This report also includes a detailed and extensive market overview with key analyst insights.An exhaustive analysis of macro and micro factors influencing the market guided by key recommendations.Analysis of regional regulations and other government policies impacting the global tumor ablation market.Insights about market determinants which are stimulating the global tumor ablation market.Detailed and extensive market segments with regional distribution of forecasted revenues.Extensive profiles and recent developments of market players.For related reports please visit:For more update follow LinkedInAbout Orion Market ResearchOrion Market Research (OMR) a research company known for its crisp and concise reports. The company is equipped with an experienced team and young brigade of analysts. The company aims to provide business insights for decision making to the global clients and offers quality syndicated research reports, customized research reports, Company profiling, consulting and other research-based services. OMR provide global and regional market reports of various domains such as healthcare, energy, IT, chemicals, and automobiles. OMR provide a 360-degree view of the market with parametric analysis, key market insights, key findings, statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, extensive segmentation, key trends, strategic recommendations and detailed company profiles.Contact usOrion Market Research Pvt. Ltd.Anurag TiwariEmail: info@omrglobal.com, support@omrglobal.comIndia: +91-780-304-0404, +91-917-982-8694Global:+1-646-755-7667Indore-India-452010Web:
Overview and Scope of Timor Leste (East Timor) Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market 2019-2022

Timor Leste (East Timor) - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband 2023

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WiseGuyReports.com Timor Leste (East Timor) - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research DatabaseScope of the Report:Timor-Leste sees a boost to its lagging fixed line broadband marketFixed-line infrastructure remains limited in Timor Leste and significant fixed-line investment has been limited due to the strong expansion of mobile services in the country. As mobile services allowed reasonably rapid and effective coverage of key part of the country, the pressure to expand fixed services decreased.Timor-Leste has been pressing ahead with the regeneration of its economy and the rebuilding of infrastructure. The effort to roll out telecommunications infrastructure in particular has been a key part of this. Despite the considerable energy that has been going into this rebuilding, the prevailing social and political environment continues to present major challenges to those seeking to improve the country.In 2018 Telin Timor-Leste (Telkomcel) began deploying a submarine cable branching unit linking Timor-Leste with Indonesia.Fixed broadband penetration in Timor Leste remains extremely low mainly due to a limited number of fixed lines as well as the dominance of the mobile platform. However, the market has grown strongly over the past five years from a very small base. Timor Telecom was contracted for the supply, installation and configuration of a fibre-optic network. This will help to fuel stronger growth over the next few years. Over the next five years to 2023 the market is expected to grow very strongly but overall market penetration will remain extremely low compared to other nations.Request a Sample Report @During 2017 all three major mobile operators: Timor Telecom, Telkomcel and Telemor launched 4G LTE services and their rollouts continued during 2018.Slow to moderate growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023 in the mobile subscriber market. It will be constrained from higher growth due to strong local competition and a maturing market.Timor Leste has seen a very rapid increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years, driven by a rising level of mobile subscribers with smartphones. However, the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023.Key developments:All three major mobile operators: Timor Telecom, Telkomcel and Telemor continue to roll-out 4G LTE services.Timor Telecom signed a new agreement with SES for capacity on its NSS-12 geostationary earth orbit satellite.Timor Telecom selected SES for the launch of a Wi-Fi trial service in the Dili capital.Fixed broadband penetration in Timor Leste remains extremely low, but recently expanded.There has seen a very rapid increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years.For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Executive summary2. Key statistics3. Country overview4. Telecommunications market4.1 Market Overview and Analysis4.2 Regional Market Comparison4.3 Strategic Development Plan 2011  20305. Regulatory environment5.1 National telecommunications policy5.2 Autoridade Reguladora das Comunicacoes (ARCOM)5.3 Autoridade Nacional de Communicacoes (ANC)6. Fixed network operators6.1 Background6.2 Timor Telecom7. Telecommunications infrastructure7.1 National telecom network7.1.1 Satellite Broadband Network7.2 International infrastructureContinuous....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)
Food and Grocery Retailing Market: Peru Market Forecast to Grow at a CAGR of 7.0% by Tottus, Plaza vea, Metro, Wong, Mass, Tambo+, Listo!, Repshop, Vivanda, Viva

Food and Grocery Retailing in Peru

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"Food & grocery Retailing in Peru, Market Shares, Summary and Forecasts to 2022", provides data for historic and forecast retail sales, and also includes information on the business environment and country risk related to Peru retail environment. In addition, it analyzes the key consumer trends influencing Peru food & grocery industry.Food & grocery is the largest sector in the Peruvian retail industry with the highest share of 59.7% of total retail sales in 2017. This growth is attributed to rising disposable income and growing household expenditure.Get Sample Copy of this Report@Scope:- Peru retail market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 7.0% during 2017-2022- Rising wages and recovering economy set to boost growth during 2017-2022- Specialists is the largest retail channel but share is projected to decline in the future- Online sales are producing the fastest growth due to rising internet penetration- Tottus is the market leader, supported by an expanding store count in Peru- Expanding footprint and value price positioning aided Mass sales growth in 2017.Key Players: Tottus Plaza vea Metro Wong Mass Tambo+ Listo! Repshop Vivanda VivaWhat else does this report offer?- In-depth analysis of the latest trends in consumer shopping, covering the factors driving shopping, consumer insights, market dynamics- The report also details major retailers in food & grocery category group with their product proposition analysis and market positioning in 2017 along with recent key developments- Market insights based on consumer trends, changing economic and demographic factors, technology innovations, and other macroeconomic factors- Retail sales and the fastest-growing product categories in food & grocery sector- Qualitative and quantitative insights of changing retail dynamics in food and grocery sector.Make an Inquiry before Buying@Reasons to buy:- Gain a comprehensive knowledge on food and grocery sector in the Peru retail market and develop a competitive advantage from the start of your supply chain- Investigate current and forecast behavior trends in food and grocery category to identify the best opportunities to exploit- Analysis of key international and domestic players operating in the food and grocery market- Explore novel opportunities that will allow you to align your product offerings and strategies to meet demand by analyzing the vital economic and population trends, key consumer and technology trends influencing the food and grocery market- Analyze the recommended actions to align your marketing strategies with the crucial trends influencing consumer behavior- Analysis of key international and domestic players operating in Peru retail market - including store counts and revenues that give you a competitive edge and identify opportunities to improve your market share.Key Points from TOC:Key findingsThe state of the nationThe state of retailFood & groceryDefinitionsMethodologyAbout Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Info:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email id: sales@orbisresearch.com
Software Defined Everything (SDx) Market Research Report 2018 - 2026: Key Players - Dell, Inc., VMware Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Juniper Network, Cisco Systems, Inc., Verizon Communications, Inc.

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Latest Research Study on "Software Defined Everything (SDx) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2018 - 2026"Software defined everything (SDE) is a system which is controlled by advanced hardware and software components that are assembled in a physical and virtual space. Currently, organizations are adopting SDE technology in order to address the increasing need for agility, virtualization, and security. It also has the capability to reduce operational expenditure and provide flexible allocation of resources. The flexibility of this system enables developers to potentially configure their own stack of virtual components personalized to their individual requirements and conditions, which can undermine efficiency gains. Beyond enhanced productivity and cost savings, software-defined everything can create a base for building agility into the way businesses provide IT services.The term software-defined everything is inclusive of number of computing technologies. These incorporate software-defined storage, software-defined networking, and software-defined data centers. Software-defined networking is one of the most crucial building blocks of software-defined everything systems. SDN technology can manage networks at a higher dynamic scale with more agility and flexibility.Get the Sample Copy of This Report, Click Here @The global software defined everything market is witnessing substantial growth due to factors such as growing requirement for minimizing IT spending in line with changing business environments and increase in adoption of cloud services among enterprises. Apart from this, growing adoption of software defined technologies including SDS, SDI, SDN, and SDDC in information technology enabled services (ITES) and telecom industries is also expected to boost the growth of this market. Growing awareness about software defined everything technologies among organizations is also anticipated to fuel the growth of this market around the globe. However, higher cost associated with the implementation of this technology, and security and privacy concerns are the major factors which are expected to hinder the growth of the software defined everything market across the world. Furthermore, lack of availability of experts of SDE technology is also limiting the growth of this market.Upgrading IT infrastructure and migration from traditional data centers to cloud-based services are the major factors expected to create huge opportunities for the growth of the software defined everything market in the coming years.Request to Get Complete Report List Of Tables and Figures @The global software defined everything market can be bifurcated on the basis of type, application, and geography. By type, the market can be categorized into software defined storage (SDS), software defined networking (SDN), and software defined data center (SDDC). Among these types, software-defined networking is anticipated to create new opportunities for the growth of this market in the near future. Furthermore, based on application, the software defined everything market can be segmented into banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), information technology (IT) and telecommunication, manufacturing, retail, government, healthcare, transportation, and others (education, media and energy and utilities).By geography, the global software defined everything market can be categorized into North America, South America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. Software defined everything in North America is predicted to grow at a higher growth rate during the forecast period. Continuous developments in the field of technology and strong presence of established vendors in developed countries such as the U.S. and Canada in the region have led to the growth of the software defined everything market. However, the market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at a substantial growth rate during the forecast period. This is largely due to the growing adoption of SDx among enterprises, as it provides a lean business model to reduce costs by mechanizing process control and replacing outdated hardware with software.View Full Report @Major players operating in the global software defined everything market include Dell, Inc., VMware Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, Juniper Network, Cisco Systems, Inc., Verizon Communications, Inc., Intel Corporation, Alcatel-Lucent, and HCL Technologies Limited.MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources.The report provides the following information:Tailwinds and headwinds molding the markets trajectoryMarket segments based on products, technology, and applicationsProspects of each segmentOverall current and possible future size of the marketGrowth pace of the marketCompetitive landscape and key players strategiesRequest to Buy This Premium Report From Here @The main aim of the report is to:Enable key stakeholders in the market bet right on itUnderstand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting themAssess the overall growth scope in the near termStrategize effectively with respect to production and distributionMRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients.MarketResearchReports.biz is a seller of syndicated market studies, featuring an exhaustive collection of research reports from leading international publishers. Our repositoryis diverse, spanningvirtually every industrial sector and even more every category and sub-category within the industry. We also provide consulting services to enable our clients have adynamicbusiness perspective.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Migraine Therapeutics Market Offers a Competitive Advantage till Forecast Period 2023

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Migraine Therapeutics Market Report Coverage Highlights: This report covers drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and market trends. The report also covers the product portfolio analysis of the Migraine Therapeutics products and vendor benchmarking of the top players in this market. In addition, this report highlights the growth strategies adopted by the major market players to garner large shares in the Migraine Therapeutics market.The Global Migraine Therapeutics Market is expected to grow, at a CAGR of 8.4% over the forecast period, 2018-2023. Migraine is a complex neurological condition, characterized by frequent headaches that can last between four and 72 hours. The pain is often unilateral and pulsating in nature, which can often be worsened by physical activity. In most cases, migraine is associated with symptoms such as photophobia, phonophobia, osmophobia, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and sometimes sensory disturbances.A separate section with Migraine Therapeutics industry key players is included in the report, which provides a comprehensive analysis of price, cost, gross, revenue, product picture, specifications, company profile, and contact information. Development and Research plays a vital role towards the innovation in any given industry which require to execute. Additionally, performing research and development offers a competitive advantage over the competitors owing to regular introduction of products and prototypes to attract consumers. This is expected to have a positive impact on the Migraine Therapeutics market growth over the forecast period.Request a Sample of this report from:Increasing prevalence of migrainesMigraine is a neurological disorder which can show incapacitating neurological symptoms. Migraine has been considered as the 3rd most prevalent disorder and 6th most disabling illness worldwide (according to the migraine trust). Migraine affects 18% of women and 6% of men in US. Migraine is mostly common in ages of 25 to 55. More than 4 million adults experience chronic daily migraine and it is estimated that approximately 1 out of 4 U.S. households has at least 1 person with migraine.Due to the high unmet needs the major pharmaceutical companies have initiated several R&D programs to launch new molecules and are trying to increase the market access of the generic formulations across the globe. Moreover, the growing awareness of migraine therapeutics and improvement in accurate diagnosis of the condition are expected to favor the market expansion over the next few years.Lack of Proper Diagnosis and Undiagnosed CasesAbout 37 million people in US suffer from migraine, however, the numbers can be much higher owing to the number of undiagnosed silent migraines. A silent migraine is a type of migraine that does not have headache as one of its characteristic symptoms. Symptoms for a silent migraine revolve around the type of a migraine that it is, as in case of vestibular migraine particularly affects the vestibular system which controls balance. Which results in the primary symptoms to be may be dizziness, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting. In this case there is a lack of a headache. These patients who bypass proper diagnosis would otherwise have been potential users of migraine therapeutics. This will lead to the slowdown of the growth of this market along with other factors such as adverse effects of drugs, increased preference for alternative therapies and generic penetration.Asia-Pacific to Emerge as the Fastest Growing RegionAPAC is quickly emerging as the fastest-growing region in the migraine drugs market and is expected to grow at approximately a CAGR of about 6% during the forecast period. The primary reason for this regions growth is the increasing the number of migraine cases and growing public awareness about the disease. India and China are the major markets in this region as the prevalence of migraine is high in these countries. The growing focus on new product launches and the high penetration of drug manufacturers will aid in the growth of the market in APAC during the forecast period.Key Developments in the Market:March 2018 - A new type of medication for migraine headaches is currently being reviewed by the FDA, and if approved may provide safe, long-lasting relief for many by blocking the activation of a molecule involved in the pain process.Major Players: ALLERGAN, AMIRALL, ASTRAZENECA, GLAXOSMITHKLINE, MERCK, OPTINOSE, PFIZER, REDHILL BIOPHARMA, REVANCE THERAPEUTICS, AND TEVA, amongst others.Reasons to Purchase the ReportCurrent and future migraine therapeutics market outlook in the developed and emerging marketsAnalysis of various perspectives of the market with the help of Porters five forces analysisThe segment that is expected to dominate the marketRegions that are expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast periodIdentify the latest developments, market shares, and strategies employed by the major market players3 months analyst support, along with the Market Estimate sheet (in Excel)Browse Full Report at: -Customization of the ReportThis report can be customized to meet your requirements. Please connect with our representative, who will ensure you to get a report that suits your needs.Migraine Therapeutics Market Forecast 2018-2023The Migraine Therapeutics industry research report analyses the supply, sales, production, and market status comprehensively. Production market shares and sales market shares are analysed along with the study of capacity, production, sales, and revenue. Several other factors such as import, export, gross margin, price, cost, and consumption are also analysed under the section Analysis of Migraine Therapeutics production, supply, sales and market status.Lastly, this report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years, the Report also brief deals with the product life cycle, comparing it to the relevant products from across industries that had already been commercialized details the potential for various applications, discussing about recent product innovations and gives an overview on potential regional market shares.Detailed TOC of Global Migraine Therapeutics Market Forecasts (2018 - 2023)Introduction1.1 Definition of the Market1.2 Key Findings of the StudyResearch Scope and Methodology2.1 Study Deliverables2.2 Study Assumptions2.3 Research Methodology2.4 Research PhasesMarket Dynamics3.1 Drivers3.1.1 Increasing Demand for Migraine Therapeutics3.1.2 Evolving R&D Priorities3.1.3 Adoption of Migraine Therapeutics3.2 Restraints3.2.1 Migraine Therapeutics Industry3.2.2 Migraine Therapeutics Types and ApplicationIndustry Analysis4.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis4.1.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers4.1.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers4.1.3 Threats of New Entrants4.1.4 Threats of Substitute Products and Services4.1.5 Degree of CompetitionMarket Segmentation5.1 By Application5.2 By Geography5.2.1 North America5.2.1.1 US5.2.1.2 Canada5.2.1.3 Mexico5.2.1.4 Others5.2.2 Europe5.2.2.1 Spain5.2.2.2 UK5.2.2.3 France5.2.2.4 Germany5.2.2.5 Russia5.2.2.6 Italy5.2.2.7 Others5.2.3 Asia-Pacific5.2.3.1 China5.2.3.2 Japan5.2.3.3 India5.2.3.4 Australia5.2.3.5 Others5.2.4 South America5.2.4.1 Brazil5.2.4.2 Argentina5.2.4.3 Others5.2.5 Africa5.2.5.1 South Africa5.2.5.2 OthersCompetitor Analysis6.1 Market Shares of Leading Players6.2 Strategies Adopted by Leading PlayersCompany ProfilesFuture Outlook of the MarketAppendixPrice of Report (single User Licence): $4250Purchase the Migraine Therapeutics Market Report at:Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in the technology has provided todays businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of the market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies with a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Market Reports World is the credible source for gaining the market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs.Market Reports World3rd Floor, Silver Spring, Sahyadri farms,Opp Prabhavee Tech Park,Baner - Mhalunge Road, Baner, Pune 411045.
Sri Lanka Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Professional Survey with Industry Key Players  Mobitel, Dialog Axiata; Etisalat Sri Lanka | 2019-2023

Sri Lanka - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses 2023

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WiseGuyReports.com Sri Lanka - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Sri Lankas makes significant progress in its IoT ventures. In 2018 the governments Board of Investment of Sri Lanka formally approved a significant investment for network expansion and upgrade work on 4G mobile and fixed broadband services.Fixed broadband penetration in Sri Lanka remains very low mainly due to the dominance of the mobile platform and the limited and declining number of fixed lines is restricting more widespread development of fixed broadband. However, the market has grown strongly over the past five years from a very small base. Over the next five years to 2023 strong growth is expected to continue.Sri Lankas mobile market has experienced strong growth over the last six years. Slow growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023. The market will be constrained from higher growth due to very strong local competition and a highly saturated mobile market.The market is now moving from 4G towards 5G mobile services. Dialog Axiata has carried out a 5G network capability trial with technology partners Ericsson and Huawei in Colombo. The demonstration included a range of 5G solutions including Massive MIMO, cloud radio and IoT-based smart parking and real time 4K video streaming.Request a Sample Report @Dialog Axiata has claimed South Asias first launch of a NB-IoT-enabled network supporting IoT solutions such as Connected Home and Car Connect. Mobitel has completed a further round of proof-of-concept (PoC) tests of LTE-Advanced Pro (LTE-A Pro) technology in Colombo.Sri Lanka has seen a very strong increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past six years, driven by a rising level of 4G mobile subscribers. However, the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development with penetration well below most other developed Asian countries. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023.Key developments:Dialog Axiata has claimed South Asias first launch of a NB-IoT-enabled network.Mobitel has completed a further round of proof-of-concept (PoC) tests of LTE-Advanced Pro.The market is now moving from 4G towards 5G mobile services.Fixed broadband penetration in Sri Lanka remains very low mainly due to the dominance of the mobile platform.Sri Lanka has seen a very strong increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years.Companies mentioned in this report:SLT (Sri Lanka Telecom), Mobitel, Dialog Axiata; Etisalat Sri Lanka; Hutchison Lanka; Bharti Airtel Lanka; SLT, Lanka Bell, Suntel.For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Executive summary2. Key statistics3. Country overview3.1 Background4. Telecommunications market4.1 Market overview and analysis4.2 Regional Asian market comparison5. Regulatory environment5.1 Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC)5.2 National Policy on Telecommunications6. Fixed network operators6.1 Overview of operators6.2 SLT (Sri Lanka Telecom)6.3 Lanka Bell7. Telecommunications infrastructure7.1 Introduction7.2 Fixed-line statistics7.3 National Broadband NetworkContinuous....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)
Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market Size(Volume & Value), Share - Industry Trends and Forecast 2017-2027

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The Latest Research Report Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants.  MarketResearchReports.bizEndometrial cancer or uterine cancer is one of the most common gynecological cancers and 2.8% of women are diagnosed with the endometrial cancer at some point in their lives. According to National Cancer Institute statistics, in 2015 endometrial cancer contributed to 1.8% of all cancers and 3.6% of all new cancer cases were diagnosed as endometrial cancer. Early detection of endometrial cancer helps in the selection of proper treatment options. Endometrial cancers are typically diagnosed as type I and type II tumors and majority of the patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer represent early-stage cancers. According to Yale University School of Medicine, U.S., in 2014, type I tumors constitute 80% of all cases of endometrial cancers diagnosed in the U.S. Endometrial cancer can be treated by one or combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Most of the physicians recommend combination treatments as chemotherapy alone has traditionally been deem ineffective. Adjuvant radiation therapy is preferred in patients who have diagnosed with sage I or II endometrial cancer. Radiation therapy is also recommended in patients who have undergone the surgery, in order to avoid the relapse of endometrial cancer. Endometrial cancer is often detected in women above the age of 50 years and risk of endometrial cancer increases with the age. Also the risk of development of endometrial cancer is more in breast cancer patients who are being treated with tamoxifen or estrogen for long time. Plenty of chemotherapeutic agents are available and are recommended in the combination for the treatment of endometrial cancer. Some of the combination therapies include carboplatin & paclitaxel, Cisplatin & doxorubicin, Carboplatin & docetaxel and others.Get Sample Copy of this report @Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing incidence of uterine serous carcinoma  a highly aggressive variant of endometrial cancer  and relapse of endometrial cancers in patients treated with chemotherapy are the prime factors driving the growth of global endometrial cancer treatment market over the forecast period. In 2014, uterine serous carcinoma represented 10% of all caseload of endometrial cancers in the U.S. Some of the risk factors of endometrial cancer include obesity, presence of polycystic ovarian syndrome, long-term consumption of birth control pills, delayed pregnancy etc. Increasing incidence of obesity in the women aged above 50 can lead to the growth of endometrial cancer treatment market. However, divergent nature of cancer and increasing stringency in the regulatory requirements are the prime factors limiting the growth of global endometrial cancer treatment market. Besides this, side effects related to chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy also restricts the adoption of these agents for endometrial cancer treatment.Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: SegmentationThe global endometrial cancer treatment market has been segmented on the basis of treatment type, end user, and geography.Based on treatment type, the global endometrial cancer treatment market is divided into following:ChemotherapyCarboplatinPaclitaxelIxabepiloneOthersHormonal TherapyMegestrol (Megace)Medroxyprogesterone (PROVERA)Others (anastrozole, letrozole, etc.)Radiation TherapyWhole Pelvic External-beam Radiation TherapyVaginal BrachytherapySurgeryHysterectomyBilateral Salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries)Based on end user, the global endometrial cancer treatment market is segmented as below:Retail PharmacyHospital pharmacyClinicsEndometrial Cancer Treatment Market: OverviewGlobal market for endometrial cancer treatment is forecast to grow at moderate rate owing to less number of drugs approved for treatment of endometrial cancer. Despite of this, chemotherapy segment is expected to hold the highest share in the global endometrial cancer treatment market due to high adoption rate of chemotherapy over radiation and surgical treatment. Also chemotherapeutic agents such as carboplatin and paclitaxel are recommended as a first line of therapy in majority of the cases, which increases demand for these products. Recent FDA approval of IXEMPRA (ixabepilone) for use in the treatment of endometrial cancer treatment is expected to fuel the growth of global market over the forecast period.Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: Regional Wise OutlookGeographically, the global endometrial cancer treatment market is classified into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America will continue to hold largest share in the global endometrial cancer treatment market due to high incidence of uterine serous carcinoma. Europe is expected to hold the second largest share in the global market partly due to increasing product availability in the region. North America is expected to expand at the highest rate over the forecast period.Endometrial Cancer Treatment Market: Key PlayersSome of the players operating in the global endometrial cancer treatment market include R-Pharm-US LLC., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca Plc., Novartis AG and others. The global endometrial cancer treatment market is expected to grow in future due to increasing investment by multinational companies in cancer research.Request For TOC Report @The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedTechnologyValue ChainRegional analysis includesNorth America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, U.K, Spain, France, Nordic countries, BENELUX)Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland, Rest Of Eastern Europe)Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (China, India, Australia & New Zealand)JapanMiddle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, Rest Of MEA)Report Highlights:Detailed overview of parent marketChanging market dynamics in the industryIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and valueRecent industry trends and developmentsCompetitive landscapeStrategies of key players and products offeredPotential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective on market performanceMust-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market- Calamp Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental AG, Magna International Inc.

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A New fresh research report presented by KD Market Insights provides a detailed analysis of Smart Car Tracking Systems Market 2017: Market Size, Trends & Opportunity Outlook  Forecast to 2023 research report will include all the major trends and technologies that play an important role in market growth in the predicted span of 6 years. It also presents the overview of industry players, advantages, challenges the business is going through. The research provides a complete understanding of the global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market in terms of revenue.Report start from the market overview section which demonstrates the market drivers, restraints and opportunities that influence the current and future status of the market. It also includes key trends, implementation restraints, end-user product issues and many more. These factors are responsible for changing the market scenario. The deep analysis of each segment in the report is provided in order to provide a thorough understanding of the overall scenario in the Smart Car Tracking Systems Market. The report covers the competitors strategies that help them to capture the market.The global smart car tracking systems market is forecasted to thrive at an XX.X% CAGR to reach at a notable value by the end of 2023. Rising demand for innovative car solutions is one of the major factors which is providing immense growth opportunities for the smart car tracking systems market to grow. In the regional market, Asia Pacific smart car tracking systems market is expected to capture the largest market share in smart car tracking systems market over the upcoming years.Request for Sample @The global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market has been segmented By Type, By Vehicle Type, By Industry and geography. By Type - OBD Device, Standalone Tracker, Advance Tracker, Other. By Vehicle Type - Personal Vehicle, Commercial Vehicle. By Industry - Transportation & Logistics, Metals & Mining, Oil & Gas, Government, Other.The report highlights information that is required to understand the innovation and development in the Smart Car Tracking Systems Market, and the growing nature of each and every segment from time to time. It provides information related to the companys financial position, day to day expenses, recent innovative development in the product. Also, the report shows the impact of the new plans, policies, and strategies adopted by the company. The Porter's Five Forces is a tool for analyzing the five forces in the economy that are buyers bargaining power, suppliers bargaining power, the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, and degree of competition available in the market. It helps to determine the competitive intensity and the attractiveness of an industry in terms of profitability. The political, social, economic, demographical, technological factors have been considered while analyzing the market. It helps the company to determine the demand of the product from a particular region and the constraint that act as a hurdle in the growth of the company.The report shows the competition level faced in the market by the company and the recent development in the market launched by the rivals. It helps them to analyze the market clearly and help the company to maintain the framework in which they have to work in the growing competition. The main competitors of the industry are Calamp Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH, Continental AG, Magna International Inc., Delphi Automotive LLP, Verizon Wireless, Zonar Systems, Comm-Port Technologies, CarTrack Holdings Ltd., AT&T Intellectual Property, Other Major & Niche PlayersWhile analyzing the market every segment of the market is considered concisely from time to time to understand the geographical distribution of the product and the demand from that particular region and the insights responsible for all the factors. By geography the market is divided into North America, The U.S., Canada, Rest of North America, Europe, Germany, The U.K., France, Rest of Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), China, India, Japan, Australia, Rest of APAC, Middle East & Africa (MEA), GCC, South Africa, Rest of MEA, South America (Brazil &Rest of South America).The final section of the report highlights the data collected for the report. A perfect combination of the primary, as well as secondary research has been made to collect the facts and figures regarding the product and the market. Secondary research sources are annual reports of the company to understand the financial position of the company, third-party report, customers review towards the product, statistical databases, government publications, company's shareholder's reviews, regulatory database have been considered. Whereas the primary research includes telephonic interviews, e-mail conversations, face-to-face interviews. Primary research is a time-consuming process and they are not considered as reliable as a comparison to the second method. Hence, secondary research is a reliable one and helps to develop the analysis team expert and market understanding.Browse Full Report With TOC@Table of Contents:Research MethodologyMarket Definition and List of Abbreviations1. Executive Summary2. Growth Drivers & Issues in Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market3. Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market Trends4. Opportunities in Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market5. Recent Industry Activities, 20176. Porter's Five Forces Analysis7. Market Value Chain and Supply Chain Analysis8. Products Average Price Analysis, By Country9. Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202310. Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market Segmentation Analysis, By Type10.1. Introduction10.2. Market Attractiveness, By Type10.3. BPS Analysis, By Type10.4. OBD Device Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202310.5. Standalone Tracker Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202310.6. Advance Tracker Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202310.7. Others Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202311. Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market Segmentation Analysis, By Vehicle Type11.1. Introduction11.2. Market Attractiveness, By Vehicle Type11.3. BPS Analysis, By Vehicle Type11.4. Personal Vehicle Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202311.5. Commercial Vehicle Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202312. Global Smart Car Tracking Systems Market Segmentation Analysis, By Industry12.1. Introduction12.2. Market Attractiveness, By Industry12.3. BPS Analysis, By Industry12.4. Transportation & Logistics Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202312.5. Metals & Mining Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202312.6. Oil & Gas Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202312.7. Government Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-202312.8. Other Market Value (USD Million) Forecast & Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, 2017-2023Continue....Ask to Analyst@About KD Market InsightsKD Market Insights has come with the idea of helping business by intelligent decision making and thorough understanding of the industry. We offer a comprehensive database of syndicated research, customized reports as well as consulting services to help a business grow in their respective domain. At KD Market Insights, we offer our client a deep Market research reports accompanied by business consulting services that can help them to reach on top of the corporate world. Our customized reports are built by keeping all factors of the industry in mind.Contact Us150 State street, 3rd Floor,Albany, New YorkUnited states (12207)Telephone: +1-518-300-1215Email: - sales@kdmarketinsights.comWebsite: -
Laminar Growth to be Witnessed by Automotive Piston System Market by 2015 - 2025

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The increasing demand for automobile, especially in emerging economies, is expected to drive the global Automotive Piston Systems Market in the coming decade. As a piston is an essential part of an internal combustion engine, the demand for pistons is directly coupled with the automobile production. Owing to the continuous developments, the automobile sector is witnessing increased demand for lightweight pistons, which is expected to result in push for the global automotive piston system market.A piston is a key component of automobile internal combustion engine, which reciprocates within the cylinder, delivering energy to the crankshaft after each power stroke during an engine cycle.Request For Report Sample @Automotive Piston System Market: Drivers & ConstraintsThe global automotive piston system market is expected to grow on account of increasing sales of automobiles across various segments such as two wheelers, four wheeler, and other automobile segments. With increasing demand for automobiles, especially two wheeler segment in emerging economies such as India, demand for pistons is expected to increase further thereby positively impacting the global automotive piston system market.Furthermore, the two wheelers is increasingly moving towards double cylinder engines as opposed to conventional single cylinder engines, particularly in the high end bikes segment. A double engine cylinder requires two pistons as compared to a single cylinder, wherein only one piston is used, hence with increasing production of high end bikes, the global automotive piston system market is expected to grow as well. Demand for passenger car, light & heavy commercial vehicle is also expected to contribute towards the growth in global automotive piston system market in coming years.Additionally, due to burgeoning fuel costs across the globe, the automobile industry is in continuous phase of research & development in order to increase fuel efficiency. The global automotive piston system market is hence witnessing an increased demand for light weight pistons across the globe.One of the key constraints for the global automotive piston market can be attributed to the increasing penetration of electric vehicles, which do not use pistons. Yet another constraint in the global automotive piston system market is the downsizing of engines in order to reduce weight and fuel increase efficiency. Using technologies such as turbocharger, automobile manufacturers have been able to downsize engines by reducing number of cylinders, without compromising on power of the engine.Automotive Piston System Market: SegmentationThe automotive piston system market has been segmented on the basis of types of vehicle such as two wheelers, passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, and heavy commercial vehicles. On the basis of piston material, the market has been segment as aluminium & steel piston. Increasing demand for lightweight aluminium piston is expected to have a positive impact on the global automotive piston system market in coming years.In terms of geography, the global automotive piston system has been divided in to seven key regions including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. Within these regions, the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) and Japan can be attributed as the largest contributing regions towards the global automotive piston system market, in terms of volume. The North American region is follows the aforementioned regions in the global automotive piston system market.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Automotive Piston System Market: Key PlayersThe global automotive piston system witnesses key players such as Rheinmetall AG, Aisin-Seiki Co. Ltd., Mahle GmbH, Federal-Mogul Corporation, and Hitachi Ltd.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact UsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:
Dominant market participants in the fuel cell market includes Toshiba Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Hydrogenics Corporation, Kyocera, AFC Energy, Ballard Power Systems, Inc

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Fuel cells convert electrical energy sourced from chemical energy, through an electromechanical reaction with oxygen or other oxidizing agents. Primarily, a fuel cell functions as a battery, but is different in the way that in a fuel cell, fuel is supplied from an external source and fuel is converted to electricity without any involvement of a burning process. The demand for alternative energy sources is growing at a global level, which in turn propels the development of associated products. The first commercial application of fuel cells happened with NASAs space programs. Fuel cells were used for application in probes, satellites and space capsules. Generally, fuel cells utilize oxygen and hydrogen during the electrochemical reaction process and generate electricity, heat and water. These cells are used where continuous flow of electricity is required. The cells provide continuous flow of electricity as long as source fuel is supplied. As fuel cells are carbon-free due to their non-burning nature, environmental norms support the development of this market.At a global level, various fuel cell design modifications are available. This includes solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), proton exchange membrane (PEM), molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC) and a few others. Furthermore, the fuel cell market can be categorized on the basis of source type as hydrogen powered, methanol powered, biogas powered, natural gas powered and hydrocarbons powered. Fuel cell technology finds application in stationary power, portable power and transportation power, and specialty vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, auxiliary power units and material handling equipments. Fuel cell technology has become one of the dominant technologies in the power generation industry owing to its carbon-free, non-burning nature and safe energy source.Rising environmental concerns along with stringent regulations, especially in North America and Europe to reduce carbon emission, is likely to fuel the demand for fuel cell systems over the forecast period. Furthermore, various other factors such as consistently declining fuel cell cost due to technological advancement and uncertainty of the source of fuel cell are likely to spur growth of the fuel cell market.. Such factors limit the application of fuel cells to a narrower spectrum. Depletion of global oil and gas reserves coupled with the demand for clean energy are fuelling the global fuel cell market. Moreover, companies and governments worldwide promote the shift in focus towards renewable energy generation options.Request Sample Report@In the past few years, fuel cell market has witnessed different levels of developments, especially occurring in North American and European countries. FMI also analyzed MEA, Latin America and Asia Pacific as potential markets for the fuel cell technology. In addition, Asia Pacific has become hub for consumer electronics; where electronic goods are produced at relatively lesser cost. Fuel cell market is likely to take advantage of such factors and is expected to witness increment in the penetration in Asia Pacific.Institutional organizations such as Sandia National Laboratories and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHV) are constantly conducting extensive research in order to improve the efficiency of fuel cells. Key players (manufacturers) in the industry adopt strategies such alliances and partnerships to expand their product lines. Furthermore, strategic alliances are helping market players to penetrate into relatively newer application areas. Fuel cell manufacturers are also involved in enhancement of product offerings. For example, Ballard Power Systems, Inc. and Plug Power, Inc. signed an agreement to supply fuel cell stacks to Plug Power, Inc. for three years to be used in forklift trucks. Fuel cell manufacturers are also involved in the operational expansion through the setting up of new plants. Recently, Daimler AG and The Linde Group entered into strategic alliance to build hydrogen fuelling stations in Germany. Such initiatives are helpful to commercialize fuel cell application in the transportation sector. Furthermore, fuel cell-powered vehicles require hydrogen filling stations, and with such initiatives, it is possible to commercialize fuel cell-powered automobiles.Request to View TOC @Dominant market participants in the fuel cell market are Toshiba Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, Hydrogenics Corporation, Kyocera, AFC Energy, Ballard Power Systems, Inc., Ceres Power Holdings PLC, Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited and Doosan Corporation.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:
Mobility on Demand Market 2025: Future Growth and Market Insights of Leading Key Players Like Avis Budget Group, Hertz Corporation, Car2Go, Didi Chuxing, DriveNow GmbH & Co. KG, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car and more

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MarketStudyReport.com Adds New Mobility on Demand Market 2018  2024 research report providing information and data By Service, By Business Model, By Application, Industry Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Potential, Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast spreading across 400 Pages with table and figures in it.Mobility on Demand Market Research Report for the period of 2018-2024 that shows the growth of the market is rising at a 10% CAGR to 2024.Mobility on Demand Market is projected to surpass USD 200 billion by 2024. The development of travel & tourism industry is expected to be one of the major drivers of the industry. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, in 2016, the direct contribution of this sector to GDP was USD 2,306.0 billion, that is approximately 3.1% of the total GDP. Transport forms a vital component of the travel industry for the sustainable growth of the sector. Using mobile technologies, travelers are seeking more freedom of movement, demanding advanced mobility solutions such as car rental services and positively impacting the mobility on demand market. Furthermore, several tourism & hospitality companies are offering services such as car rental and ride-hailing. For instance, Active African Vacations Ltd. has partnered with Self Drive Uganda to provide car rental services to the tourists.Request a sample of this premium report at:The smart cities initiatives by the governments of various countries including the U.S., Spain, Ireland, India, Singapore, and Sweden are expected to speed up the mobility on demand market expansion. The governments are providing incentives to the people to share rides while commuting and converting the existing public fleet of vehicles to electric vehicles. For instance, under the smart city project, the Vienna Model Region is developing e-mobility on demand to integrate the transportation system with the e-car sharing model effectively.The legalization of ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Grab, by the government of Malaysia will drive the mobility on demand market growth in the region. The government of Malaysia has made amendments to the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (CVLB) Act and Land Public Transport Act to allow the ride-hailing operators to work as an intermediary. The intermediary business license will allow these operators to facilitate transactions and booking of these services.Growing concerns regarding the privacy and security of the customer data are expected to challenge the mobility on demand market growth. The penetration of smartphones and increasing internet usage is encouraging the users to use applications that open loopholes for cyber threats.The mobility on demand market in business applications is poised to grow at a significant pace as these services help the corporate organizations to reduce the dependency on private fleets. Also, these services allow the organizations to significantly reduce fleet-related costs and optimize the fleet management. Companies such as Omoove and Ubeeqo provide these services to the corporations that are tailored according to their specific requirements.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:The Germany mobility on demand market is expected to grow over the next six years due to the stringent regulations imposed on taxi drivers such as the obligation to operate taxi service and obligation to set rates. Increasing environmental consciousness and openness to innovations among the consumers are expected to drive industry growth. Several automobile companies in the country are entering the mobility on demand market to regain the declining positions due to the reduction in car ownership. For instance, BMW Group entered the industry by forming a subsidiary, DriveNow, which is a car sharing company.Table of Content:Chapter 1 Methodology & ScopeChapter 2 Executive SummaryChapter 3 Mobility on Demand Industry InsightsChapter 4 Mobility on Demand Market, By ServiceChapter 5 Mobility on Demand Market, By ApplicationChapter 6 Mobility on Demand Market, By RegionChapter 7 Company ProfilesMore Report At:Related Report:Car Sharing Market Size By Model (P2P, Station-Based, Free-Floating), By Business Model (Round Trip, One Way), By Application (Business, Private), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook, Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018  2024Car Sharing Market is projected to surpass USD 11 billion by 2024. Increasing initiatives by the government to increase the usage of these services are expected to be one of the major factors driving the car sharing market growth. In July 2017, the ministry of transport of China drafted a policy to provide incentives to the users of these services, such as preferential parking slots & rates. Increasing government support is encouraging the implementation of these services with the traditional transportation modes.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:
Intraoral Scanners Market Analysis Focusing on Top Key Players  3M Company, 3Shape A/S, Align Technology, Inc., Carestream Health Inc., Condor International, Densys3D Ltd. and more

Intraoral Scanners Market

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The Intraoral Scanners Market is estimated at $ 273 million in 2016 and is expected to reach $ 577 million by 2027, with a CAGR of 10.7% between 2027 and 2017. The CEREC system accounted for more than one-fifth of the global market share in 2016.Intraoral scanners are used in orthodontics to capture 3D images of oral teeth and soft tissues. An increase in the elderly population and an increase in the number of patients suffering from dental diseases are expected to lead to market growth. The benefits of intraoral injections, such as shorter treatment times, also promote market growth. However, the high cost of the device and the lack of skilled professionals are expected to hamper market growth.Download PDF Report Sample @The major companies profiled in the report include 3M Company 3Shape A/S Align Technology Inc. Carestream Health Inc. Condor International Densys3D Ltd. Dental Wings Inc. Dentsply Sirona Inc. Planmeca OY Guangdong Launca Medical Device Technology Co. Ltd.The CEREC system is expected to dominate the global market throughout the forecast period, owing to increase in demand for technically advanced intraoral scanning devices. The CS system is expected to register the highest CAGR of 11.5% during the forecast period.Make an Enquiry before Buy @Key Findings of the Intraoral Scanners Market: The 3M ESPE Lava COS system is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.0% during the forecast period. The hospital segment accounted for nearly half of the share of the global intraoral scanners market in 2016. The dental clinics segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 11.0% during the forecast period. France and Germany collectively contributed for more than one-third share of the European intraoral scanners market in 2016. Japan is the major shareholder, and accounted for more than one-third share of the Asia-Pacific intraoral scanners market in 2016.Asia-Pacific is projected to register the highest CAGR of 11.0% during the forecast period, owing to increase in incidence of dental disorders and rise in healthcare expenditure. In addition, introduction of technically advanced intraoral scanners in the market at low cost offer a lucrative opportunity for the market growth.Access Full Summery @About Us:Allied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free (USA/Canada):+1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1855550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.com
Intelligent coffee machine Market 2018 Analysis By Key Players  Delonghi, Bosch, Philips, Nespresso S.A. (Nestle ), Illy, Mr. Coffee, Krups, Behmor Inc.

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Intelligent coffee machine is the part of automatic coffee brewing machines. Intelligent coffee machines are enabled with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and can be operated by using an app on a smartphone. These smart coffee makers can be used from distant locations and offer the benefit of remotely controlling the device through smart connectivity.This report studies the global Intelligent coffee machine market status and forecast, categorizes the global Intelligent coffee machine market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in North America, Europe, Japan, China, and other regions (India, Southeast Asia).The major manufacturers covered in this reportDelonghiBoschPhilipsNespresso S.A. (Nestle )IllyMr. CoffeeKrupsBehmor Inc.Smarter Allications Ltd.FanstelGeographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaRequest a Sample Report @We can also provide the customized separate regional or country-level reports, for the following regions:North AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeRest of Asia-PacificEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaRest of EuropeCentral & South AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaSaudi ArabiaTurkeyRest of Middle East & AfricaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoWi-Fi-Enabled Intelligent coffee machineBluetooth-Enabled Intelligent coffee machineOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingHouseholdCommercialThe study objectives of this report are:To analyze and study the global Intelligent coffee machine capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025);Focuses on the key Intelligent coffee machine manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future.Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.Table of Contents - Key PointsGlobal Intelligent coffee machine Market Research Report 20181 Intelligent coffee machine Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Intelligent coffee machine1.2 Intelligent coffee machine Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Intelligent coffee machine Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Intelligent coffee machine Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Wi-Fi-Enabled Intelligent coffee machine1.2.3 Bluetooth-Enabled Intelligent coffee machine1.3 Global Intelligent coffee machine Segment by Application1.3.1 Intelligent coffee machine Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Household1.3.3 Commercial1.4 Global Intelligent coffee machine Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Intelligent coffee machine Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Intelligent coffee machine (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Intelligent coffee machine Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global Intelligent coffee machine Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Intelligent coffee machine Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Intelligent coffee machine Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Intelligent coffee machine Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Intelligent coffee machine Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Intelligent coffee machine Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Intelligent coffee machine Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Intelligent coffee machine Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Intelligent coffee machine Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Intelligent coffee machine Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Intelligent coffee machine Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Intelligent coffee machine Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.9 Southeast Asia Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.10 India Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)............7 Global Intelligent coffee machine Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Delonghi7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Delonghi Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Bosch7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Bosch Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Philips7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Philips Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Nespresso S.A. (Nestle )7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Nespresso S.A. (Nestle ) Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Illy7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Illy Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015-2018)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Mr. Coffee7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Mr. Coffee Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Krups7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Krups Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 Behmor Inc.7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 Behmor Inc. Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Smarter Allications Ltd.7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Smarter Allications Ltd. Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.10 Fanstel7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Intelligent coffee machine Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 Fanstel Intelligent coffee machine Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.10.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinuedMake an enquiry of this Report @ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Outplacement Services market estimated to observe significant growth by 2023 | key players includes Manpower group, Hays, Hudson, Prima Careers, Career Insight Group, Velvetjobs, Career arc Group and others

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Outplacement Services Market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of +4 % during the forecast period. The major factor boosting the growth of the market is increasing preference for customizable outplacement servicesThe document titled, global Outplacement services market provides the current scenario of the industry additionally the elements which are expected to impact the futuristic growth are also presented via our in-depth analysis. The overall market growth and revenue generated in the year 2018 is portrayed along with the evaluation of the state of the market by 2023. It also gives quantitative and qualitative analysis of every feature of the market and catches the emerging industry trends. Also the major players of the market are mentioned with details in this report.Get Sample Copy of this Report @Top Key Vendors in Market:Adecco, Randstad, Mercer, Manpowergroup, Hays, Hudson, Prima Careers, Career Insight Group, Velvetjobs, Careerarc Group Llc, Connor, Frederickson Partners, Careerpro Inc., Chiumento Limited and othersAnalysis tools which includes Porters five forces evaluation and SWOT assessment have additionally been utilized for studying the market statistics. The fundamental strategies adopted by the already established players for a better penetration in the global Outplacement services market also form a key section of this study. This market report offers a complete evaluation of the worldwide market. Furthermore, every section in this report includes professional insights that will assist to cope with the hassle regions experienced in supply chain problems. To make the report easy to understand, the examine features graphics, charts, and info graphics are also added.This study is been accomplished in all the major parts of regions of the world and information is been given considering a forecast period of 2019 to 2023 respectively. The questions like why the specific region leads on this particular market, which factors are driving this market, what are major opportunities and plenty of such are mentioned in detail.The records conclusion reveals the overall scope of the worldwide Outplacement services market in terms of feasibility of investments within the numerous segments of the market, together with a descriptive passage that outlines the feasibility of latest projects that might succeed within the market in the near futureFor more Information:Table of Content:Global Outplacement Services Market Research Report 2019-2023Chapter 1: Industry OverviewChapter 2: Outplacement Services International and China Market AnalysisChapter 3: Environment Analysis of Outplacement Services marketChapter 4: Global Analysis of Revenue by ClassificationsChapter 5: Analysis of Revenue by Regions and ApplicationsChapter 6: Analysis of Outplacement Services Revenue Market StatusChapter 7: Analysis of Global Outplacement Services Industry Key ManufacturersChapter 8: Sales Price and Gross Margin AnalysisChapter 9: Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Outplacement Services marketChapter 10: Development Trend of Outplacement Services Industry 2018-2023Chapter 11: Industry Chain Suppliers of Outplacement Services with Contact InformationChapter 12: New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Outplacement ServicesChapter 13: Conclusion of the Global Outplacement Services Market Research ReportAsk for discount@About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Where counting on a legitimate board company for your selections will become critical. Research N Reports specializes in enterprise evaluation, marketplace forecasts and as a result getting great reports overlaying all verticals, whether be it gaining angle on modern market situations or being in advance inside the cut throat Global opposition.Contact us:(Research N Reports)10916, Gold Point Dr, Houston, TX, Pin - 77064,Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),+1-8886316977,sales@researchnreports.com
Greenhouse Films Market 2019-2023 | Ginegar Plastic Products, Lumited, RPC Group, Agriplast, Agriplast Tech India, Essen Multipack, Beijing Kingpeng International Hi-Tech Corporation, Central Worldwide

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According to the report by Market Research Future (MRFR), the global greenhouse films market was valued at USD 3,956.2 million in 2017 and is expected to grow to a valuation of USD 6,408.2 million by 2023 at an 8.25% CAGR from 2018 to 2023 (forecast period).Greenhouse films are used to cover the plants being grown in a greenhouse in such a way as to maximize the amount of light entering within and to minimize the entry of other harmful environmental elements that could hamper the growth of the plants. The greenhouse market has capitalized on the agriculture industrys inability to meet the demands of the growing global population.Request for Sample Copy@Increasing government spending on agricultural schemes to maximize food production through innovative means is likely to result in a growing demand from the market. Technological advancement in greenhouse films is also likely to be a major driver for the global greenhouse films market. UV-protective and pressure-stabilized greenhouse films, which offer enhanced protection for the plants being grown in the greenhouse, are likely to be exceedingly popular in the coming years, leading to steady growth of the greenhouse films market.Segmental AnalysisThe report segments the global greenhouse films market by resin type into LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PVC, PC, EVA, and EBA. By material, LDPE and LLDPE are likely to be the major contributors to the global greenhouse films market over the forecast period. LDPE material can accumulate value at 8.43% CAGR over the forecast period.By thickness, the market is segmented into less than 200 microns, 200 microns, and greater than 200 microns. The less than 200 microns and 200 microns segments are likely to remain dominant in the global greenhouse films market.By application, market is segmented into vegetables, fruits, flowers and ornamentals, and others. Vegetables are likely to be the major contributor to the global greenhouse films market over the forecast period due to their growing demand across the world.Access Report Details @Regional Analysis:By region, the report segments the global greenhouse films market into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.Asia Pacific is expected to be the major regional market for greenhouse films over the forecast period due to the growing demand for greenhouse films in countries such as China, Thailand, and India. China is the worlds largest producer of vegetables and is likely to adopt greenhouse farming on an increasing scale in the coming years in order to satisfy the growing demand for vegetable crops from around the world. The increasing demand for ayurvedic plants and herbs in India is also likely to lead to growing demand from the greenhouse films industry in Asia Pacific over the forecast period. It can exhibit 8.74% CAGR over the forecast period.Competitive Analysis:Leading players in the global greenhouse films market include Ginegar Plastic Products Ltd. (Israel), Vis and Son Company Limited (Thailand), RPC Group plc (U.K.), Essen Multipack (India), Agriplast Tech India Pvt. Ltd. (India), Beijing Kingpeng International Hi-Tech Corporation (China), Central Worldwide Co. Ltd. (Thailand), Thai Charoen Thong Karntor Co. Ltd. (Thailand), Tuflex India, Lumite Inc. (U.S.), and Agriplast (Italy). UbiQD Inc. announced in November 2018 that it has launched a quantum dot-containing greenhouse film that tilts the solar spectrum towards the red wavelengths. This product has resulted in promising outcomes in trials, with the technology resulting in a boost of more than 10% in crop yield.Ask Query@About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com
Animal Parasiticide Market Key Players Zoetis, Inc, Bayer AG, Novartis AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck & Co., Inc.

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Increasing number of animal welfare programs and government initiatives are driving the market for the global animal parasiticide market. The animal parasiticide, also called, Veterinary parasiticide, are products that kill parasiticide infesting upon pets, livestock, and other animals. All these parasiticide has their own general features that determines their suitability for the control of parasites on animals. People being increasingly being aware about the zoonotic diseases and adoption of pet animals largely by the developed and developing nations have made a way for the global animal parasiticide market.The government has also contributed towards the animal welfare activities that has resulted in the hefty demand for parasiticides which has improved the health of livestock tremendously across the globe and also elevated the global animal parasiticide marketThe market is growing due to the increasing demand for animal health products and the animal owners look out for low cost generics.Request Sample Report @Animal Parasiticide Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe increasing importance of animal health care accompanied by governmental protocols is driving the global animal parasiticide market. The Increased number of animal livestock in the emerging markets, developments in the parasiticide products, upcoming new offerings by the leading players, execution of welfare acts in the developed and developing regions, worldwide increment in the number of adoptions of animals like dogs and cats are some of the growth drivers for the global animal parasiticide market.Along with the increasing awareness, the increasing rate of GDP in the regions like Asia-Pacific and Latin America and thereby increasing per capita spending on the animal health care products are also responsible for growth of the market.Apart from significant growth factors there exits some restraints to the market including high cost R&D activities, strict regulations for approval for animal parasiticides and restricting the use of parasiticide in some animals (specifically the food producers) in some regions. The increasing number of species of parasites in are also contributing to the restrains that are preventing the market from growing.Animal Parasiticide Market: SegmentationBy product the global animal parasiticide market is segmented as Endoparasiticides (Additives, Injectable, Drenches, Tablets/Pills, Others), Ectoparasiticides (Collars, and Endectocides. The global animal parasiticide market is also segmented by the animal type which are as Companion Animal (Cat, Dogs, Horses, and Others) and Food Producing Animals (Cattle, Poultry, Sheep and Others).Animal Parasiticide Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global animal parasiticide market is expected to register a favourable growth for the forecast period, 2015?2025. European market is the expected to hold the major share into the market. The increment in the number of pet animals and increased awareness among the people regarding the animal health. North America is expected to follow Europe however the developed markets like US and Canada are reaching saturation which tends to grow the market at a comparatively lower rate. The Asia-Pacific is projected to endure its control in terms of growth in global animal parasiticide market. The market is predominately affected by the increasing trend towards pet adoption. In terms of growth Latin American regions also represent a higher growth opportunity. APAC and Latin America is in the higher growth expectations due to the increasing GDP rate and per capita expenditure on the animal health.Animal Parasiticide Market: Key PlayersThe key market competitors in global animal parasiticide market are Zoetis, Inc, Bayer AG, Novartis AG, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck & Co., Inc., Ceva Sante Animlae, Boehringer Ingelheim, Virbac SA, and VetoquinolRequest to View TOC @Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:
Release Coatings Market is Projected to Grow at 5.9% CAGR over the Next Five Years

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Stratview Research has published a new research report on Release Coatings Market. This extensive report by Stratview Research analyses the growth of Release Coatings Market over the trend period of 2012 to 2017 and forecast period of 2018 to 2023 under the following segments - by Coating Type (Silicone,and Non-Silicone), by Formulation Type (Solvent-based, Water-based, Emulsions, and Others), by Application Type (Labels, Graphical, Film & Tapes, Hygiene and Others), by End-Use Industry Type (Transportation, Aerospace & Defense, Medical, Food & Bakery, Pulp & Paper, Packaging and Others), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World)Go through the detailed scope:OrGet a free sample of the report:Release Coatings Market: DriversThe release coatings market is projected to witness a healthy CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2022, driven by increasing penetration of silicone labels in the packaging industry, introduction of more stringent standards related to environment and safety, and an organic growth of the end-use industries, such as transportation, aerospace & defense, and food& bakery.Silicone is projected to remain the largest segmentThe release coatings market is segmented based on coating type as silicone and non-silicone. Silicone is projected to remain the largest segment in the release coatings market during the forecast period. It is also projected to grow at a faster rate during the forecast period. Silicone release coatings are relatively inexpensive and offer better resistance to chemical, abrasion, and moisture. It is gaining traction in many applications, such as barcode labels, diaper tabs, packaging tapes, and postage stamps.Solvent is the most commonly used formulation type in release coatingsThe release coatings market is further segmented based on formulation type as solvent-based, water-based, emulsions, and others. Solvent is the most commonly used formulation type in release coatings; however, there would be a continuous shift from solvent based to water based, driven by safety, health, and environmental regulations. The usage of different release coating formations varies from region to region. For instance, water-based release coatings dominate North America and Europe, whereas solvent-based dominates Asia-Pacific.Label is projected to remain the most dominantThe release coatings market is also segmented based on application type as labels, graphical, film & tapes, hygiene, and others. The label is projected to remain the most dominant application type in the global release coatings market during the forecast period, driven by increasing use of self-adhesive labels in the packaging applications. The label segment is also the fastest growing application type in the release coatings market, driven by an increasing preference in the fast-moving consumer goods and packaging industries.Packaging is expected to remain the largest end-use industryThe release coatings market is segmented based on end-use industry type as transportation, aerospace & defense, medical, food & bakery, packaging, pulp & paper, and others. Packaging is expected to remain the largest end-use industry for release coatings during the forecast period, whereas medical is expected to witness the fastest growth in the same period. High use of release coatings in healthcare products and increasing use of release coatings in the surgical and analytical instruments will drive the demand for it in the Medical industry.Asia-Pacific is expected to remain the largest release coatings marketAsia-Pacific is expected to remain the largest release coatings market during the forecast period. It alone occupied more than 50% of global release coatings market in 2015. The region is also expected to witness the highest growth over the next five years. China, Japan, Korea, India, and Taiwan are acting as the growth engines of the Asia-Pacific release coatings market. There would be a good shift from solvent-based to water-based release coatings in the Asia-Pacific region in the same period.Top Key PlayersDow Corning Corporation, Momentive Performance Materials, Evonik Industries AG, Mayzo Inc, OMNOVA Solutions Inc., Shin-Etsu Chemicals Co. Ltd., and Wacker Chemie AG are major players in the global release coatings market. High investment in R&D activities to develop new products meeting unmet market needs, wide geographical network and collaboration with customers are some of the key strategies adopted by major companies to gain a competitive edge over others.Why Stratview ResearchOur report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report: Release Coatings Market overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis Growth drivers and constraints, Porters five forces analysis, SWOT analysis Market trend (2011  2016) and forecast analysis (2017-2022) of each segment. Competitors market share, product portfolio and new launches. Growth opportunities in each segment. Emerging trends which will decide the future course of development. Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players Key success factors.Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Chemicals & Materials Industry:Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm offering a wide range of services including syndicated market reports, consulting, sourcing intelligence, and customer research.We have a strong experienced team of industry veterans and research analysts with a perfect blend of wisdom, knowledge and attitude. 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Baby Food and Formula 2019 Global Market Key Players  Abbott's, Danone, Kraft Heinz, MJN, Nestle  Analysis and Forecast to 2023

Baby Food and Formula Market

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WiseGuyRerports.com Presents Global Baby Food and Formula Market 2018 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023 New Document to its Studies DatabaseInfant milk powder, also known as mother milk powder, is a milk product that is formulated on the basis of ordinary milk powder to meet the infant's nutritional needs. Make it close to human milk ingredients, then add various vitamins and trace elements, suitable for feeding infants.In the infancy stage, breastmilk is certainly the best food for your baby, but as your baby grows up, it takes about six months to start. Light breast milk or infant formula can no longer meet your baby's nutritional needs. So during this time, in addition to the original breast milk or infant formula, in addition to the baby should be given some solid objects, which is what we call complementary food. Food supplements include rice flour, muddy lake foods, and other homemade foods.Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Baby Food and Formula in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Wellbeing concerns, higher disposable incomes, food safety and government support are key factors contributing to the growth of market. Parents are looking for foods that offer optimal nutrition for the healthy growth. They are also choosing packaged baby foods and formulas to supplement breastfeeding. The growing wellbeing concerns and higher disposable incomes have propelled parents to procure high-quality and expensive baby foods. Additionally, vendors have also come up with organic baby food products that are safer and nutritionally better when compared to conventional foods. Owing to their busy lifestyles and hectic schedules, consumers are opting for online shopping for baby food products, which is time consuming and cheap.The worldwide market for Baby Food and Formula is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly xx% over the next five years, will reach xx million US$ in 2023, from xx million US$ in 2017, according to a new GIR (Global Info Research) study.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversAbbott'sDanoneKraft HeinzMJNNestleRequest For Sample Report @Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (United States, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversPrepared FoodDried FoodMilk FormulaMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoSupermarkets and HypermarketsSpeciality StoresSmall Grocery StoresComplete Report Details @Table Of Contents:1 Market Overview1.1 Baby Food and Formula Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Prepared Food1.2.2 Dried Food1.2.3 Milk Formula1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Supermarkets and Hypermarkets1.3.2 Speciality Stores1.3.3 Small Grocery Stores1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 United States Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.4.4.5 Nigeria Market States and Outlook (2013-2023)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Abbott's2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 Baby Food and Formula Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Product A2.1.2.2 Product B2.1.3 Abbott's Baby Food and Formula Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.2 Danone2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 Baby Food and Formula Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Product A2.2.2.2 Product B2.2.3 Danone Baby Food and Formula Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.3 Kraft Heinz2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 Baby Food and Formula Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Product A2.3.2.2 Product B2.3.3 Kraft Heinz Baby Food and Formula Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.4 MJN2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 Baby Food and Formula Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Product A2.4.2.2 Product B2.4.3 MJN Baby Food and Formula Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)2.5 Nestle2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 Baby Food and Formula Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Product A2.5.2.2 Product B2.5.3 Nestle Baby Food and Formula Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2016-2017)Continued.CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Address:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Postpartum Hemorrhage Market 2027 Future Scope and Industry Trend Analysis profiling Cook Medical, BD, Teleflex Incorporated, Bactiguard AB, Revmedx, 3RD Stone Design, ZOEX, Vitality Medical

Postpartum Hemorrhage Market 2027 Future Scope and Industry Trend Analysis

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Europe is expected to witness tremendous growth owing to presence of population with history of severe PPH, anemia, anticoagulant medication, and adverse preeclampsia which has fastest growing for postpartum hemorrhage market. Higher hospital birth rates, greater awareness among patients and healthcare providers and favorable government policies fuel the lead of Europe postpartum hemorrhage market. Moreover, the demand for PPH treatment devices will be the highest in Asia Pacific due to greater population pool and swift evolution of healthcare infrastructure.The key drivers for the market growth of postpartum hemorrhage are rising pregnancy complications such as multiple pregnancies, inverted uterus and large size of the baby. The technological advancements such as capability of the devices to stabilize the condition of the patient until permanent treatment is provided are fueling the postpartum hemorrhage market growth. Moreover, various technological developments in the healthcare industry in Asia Pacific is expected to offer growth opportunities for the players operating in the market.Key Players influencing the market are Utah Medical Products, Inc., C. R. Bard, Inc., Cook Medical, Inc., BD, Teleflex Incorporated, Bactiguard AB, Revmedx, 3RD Stone Design, Inc., ZOEX and Vitality Medical among others.Get Sample Copy on this report atPostpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the most common form of obstetric hemorrhage and is the major reason for the maternal mortality. Postpartum hemorrhage, is known as the vaginal blood loss in above than 500ml following childbirth. If the blood loss occurs in the first 24 hours following delivery, this is termed primary postpartum hemorrhage. Secondary postpartum hemorrhage refers to excessive vaginal bleeding between 24 hours and six weeks following childbirth. Postpartum hemorrhage is the primary reason of pregnancy-related complications.The "Global Postpartum Hemorrhage Market Analysis to 2027" is a specialized and in-depth study of the medical device industry with a focus on the global market trend. The report aims to provide an overview of global Postpartum Hemorrhage market with detailed market segmentation by type and end user. The global postpartum hemorrhage market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the leading market players and offers key trends and opportunities in the market.The global postpartum hemorrhage market is segmented on the basis of type and end user. The type segment includes, non pneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG), uniject prefilled injection system and uterine balloon tamponade. The segment of uterine balloon tamponade is further classified into, Foley catheter, condom catheter, Bakri balloon tamponade, Rusch balloon, BT-Cath balloon. Based on end user, the postpartum hemorrhage market is segmented as, hospitals & clinics, nursing center and others.The postpartum hemorrhage market report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global postpartum hemorrhage market based on type and end user. It also provides market size and forecast till 2027 for overall postpartum hemorrhage market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America. The postpartum hemorrhage market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 13 counties globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.Have queries on this Analysis ask us atThe postpartum hemorrhage market report analyzes factors affecting market from both demand and supply side and further evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend. The report also provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions namely; North America, Europe, APAC, MEA and South & Central America after evaluating political, economic, social and technological factors effecting the market in these regions.Table of Contents1. INTRODUCTION1.1. SCOPE OF STUDY1.2. THE INSIGHT PARTNERS RESEARCH REPORT GUIDANCE2. KEY TAKEAWAYS3. POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE MARKET LANDSCAPE3.1. MARKET OVERVIEW3.2. MARKET SEGMENTATION3.2.1. Postpartum Hemorrhage Market - By Type3.2.2. Postpartum Hemorrhage Market - By End User3.2.3. Postpartum Hemorrhage Market - By Region3.2.3.1. By Country4. POSTPARTUM HEMORRHAGE MARKET - KEY INDUSTRY DYNAMICS4.1. KEY MARKET DRIVERS4.2. KEY MARKET RESTRAINTS4.3. KEY MARKET OPPORTUNITIES4.4. FUTURE TRENDS4.5. IMPACT ANALYSIS...Browse Complete Table of Contents atAbout Us - The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Healthcare IT, Biotechnology and Medical Device industries.Contact us -Contact Person : Sameer JoshiPhone : +1-646-491-9876Email Id : sam@theinsightpartners.com
Global IT Security Consulting Services Market 2019-2025: Technical Advancements and Innovative Business Expansions with Accenture, Deloitte, E&Y, EMC, HP, IBM

IT Security Consulting Services Market

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IT security consulting services are delivered from united team, consist of of a group of vibrant engineers, computer application experts, business management specialists, and professionals in Information security services, product expansion, and cloud-based solutions. Operative security management involves the business vision to adjust security programs with business purposes, and in adding the capability to select the invention, services, individuals, procedures and system to power it to work. IT security consulting provides the perfect combination of learning and experience to fill the holes in your internal abilities. IT security consultants can plan and develop appropriate security solutions. With the usage of suitable security tools, analytics and monitoring tools, IT security consultants can make sure information security in an association.The analysts forecast the IT Security Consulting Services Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of +11% over the forecast period 2019-2025The analysis of the manufacturing cost structure of the international market has been performed based on key aspects such as industry chain structure, manufacturing process, raw materials, and their suppliers. The report provides both, qualitative and quantitative research of the market, as well as encompasses worthy insights into the rational scenario and favored improvement methods adopted by key contenders. The reports conclusion reveals the overall scope of the Global IT Security Consulting Services Market in terms of feasibility of investments in the various segments of the market, along with a descriptive passage that outlines the feasibility of new projects that might succeed in the market in the near future.Top Key Players:Accenture, Deloitte, E&Y, EMC , HP, IBM, KPMG, PwC, Above Security, Accuvant, AON, AppSec Consulting , AsTech ConsultingRequest a Sample Copy of this Report @:The IT Security Consulting Services market is escalating rapidly, owing to rising digitization and continuous advancements in the field of cognitive science and computer science that are shaping the way for a new technology. Be that as it may, the cost acquired in making the products is more and the unmistakable degree of profitability is low, in this way representing a major restraining factor for the market's development. As the market is still in its advancement stage, small-scale merchants with innovative solutions have the chances of being procured by prevalent pioneers in the market.Consistent technological progressions and the enduring penetration of Internet in the remote corners of the world are moreover responsible for the astounding advancement of the Global IT Security Consulting Services Market. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and South America are the prime provincial markets all over the world. Among these, Asia Pacific has attained the leading spot in the global market and market is likewise one of the goals of the report which incorporates the investigation of the impact of the Porter's five forces, namely, threat of substitutes, intensity of competitive rivalry, risk of new contestants, bartering power of purchasers on the market.Ask for Upto 40% Discount:Table of Content:Global IT Security Consulting Services Market Research Report 2019-2025Chapter 1: Industry OverviewChapter 2: IT Security Consulting Services Market International and China Market AnalysisChapter 3: Environment Analysis of Market.Chapter 4: Analysis of Revenue by ClassificationsChapter 5: Analysis of Revenue by Regions and ApplicationsChapter 6: Analysis of IT Security Consulting Services Market Revenue Market Status.Chapter 7: Analysis of Industry Key ManufacturersChapter 8: Sales Price and Gross Margin Analysis of Market.Chapter 9: Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Market.Chapter 10: Development Trend of IT Security Consulting Services Market 2019-2025.Chapter 11: Industry Chain Suppliers of Market with Contact Information.Chapter 12: New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Market.Chapter 13: Conclusion of the IT Security Consulting Services Market Industry 2025 Market Research Report.To Get More Information, Enquiry @:About usThe Research Insights  A global leader in analytics, research and advisory that can assist you to renovate your business and modify your approach. With us, you will learn to take decisions intrepidly. We make sense of drawbacks, opportunities, circumstances, estimations and information using our experienced skills and verified methodologies. Our research reports will give you an exceptional experience of innovative solutions and outcomes. We have effectively steered businesses all over the world with our market research reports and are outstandingly positioned to lead IT Security Consulting Servicess. Thus, we craft greater value for clients by presenting advanced opportunities in the global market.Contact usRobinSales managerContact number: +91-996-067-0000sales@theresearchinsights.com
Opalesque Industry Update - The Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index was down 0.82%1 in December, outperforming the MSCI AC World Index (Local) which plummeted 7.61% in what turned out to be the worst month of 2018 for equities. The Federal Reserve continued to hike its funds rate in December and announced further tightening in 2019, triggering a sell-off in equity markets around the globe. Concerns over the US treasuries yield curve inversion eclipsed the optimism over the agreement made between Trump and Xi to postpone planned tariff increases, which opened a path for further negotiations. Over in Europe, the Italian government managed to strike a deal with the EU over its budgetary plans, resulting in the decline of the country's sovereign bond yields. In contrast to the US Federal Reserve's decision to raise rates, the ECB ended up holding their rates steady while confirming the end of their asset purchasing programmes. Preliminary data estimated that the Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index has lost 3.35% throughout the year of 2018, contrary to how hedge fund managers were able to generate 8.50% return on average in 2017. Roughly 38.6% of the underlying constituents in the Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index ended December in positive territory, and around 6.9% of the hedge fund managers were able to maintain double-digit returns throughout 2018. The asset-weighted Mizuho-Eurekahedge Index (USD) ended the month flat, declining 0.02%, in contrast to the 0.82% loss posted by the equal-weighted Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index. The Eurekahedge Small Hedge Fund Index which comprises fund managers overseeing no more than US$100 million in assets was down 1.06% during the month, while on the other hand, billion dollar hedge funds ended the month marginally down 0.06%. Key highlights for the month of December 2018: Hedge funds were down 0.82% in December, outperforming the MSCI AC World Index (Local) which declined 7.61% over the month. A vast majority of the hedge fund managers tracked by Eurekahedge outperformed the market index in December. On an asset-weighted basis, hedge funds lost 0.02% in December, bringing their year-to-date losses to 3.74%, as captured by the Mizuho Eurekahedge Hedge Fund Index (USD). North American fund managers lost 3.29% in December, as the underlying equity markets recorded their worst month of 2018. The S&P 500 index declined 9.18% in December. The Eurekahedge North America Long Short Equities Hedge Fund Index recorded a loss of 4.63% during the month. Over in Asia, concerns over slowing growth weighed on the region's equity markets. The Eurekahedge Asia ex Japan Hedge Fund Index was down 2.82% throughout the month, bringing its year-to-date loss to 10.66%. The Eurekahedge European Hedge Fund Index slumped 0.90% in December, with the underlying long/short equities mandate down 1.81% as the region's equity markets remained vulnerable to uncertainties surrounding Brexit negotiation and the end of ECB's asset purchasing programme. Performance across strategic mandates was a mixed bag in December, with macro hedge funds leading the pack by gaining 1.56% over the month. On the other end of the spectrum, event driven hedge funds were down 2.78%. The Eurekahedge CTA/Managed Futures Hedge Fund Index gained 0.93% during the month despite weakness in the energy sector following the decline in oil prices. On a year-to-date basis, the index was down 3.17% and the mandate has suffered US$15.9 billion of performance-based losses and US$22.2 billion of net investor redemptions. Fund managers utilising AI/machine learning strategies were up 2.17% in December, after ending their streak of losses which placed them on track to record their worst year since the inception of the Eurekahedge AI Hedge Fund Index. Over the entire 2018, the index was still down 2.97%.
Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York:

Activist fund Starboard Value has taken a new position in Dollar Tree. In a letter, the fund said that Dollar Tree could generate better value for shareholders if it raised prices and got rid of its Family Dollar brand of stores.

The Wall Street Journal first reported on Starboard's stake in Dollar Tree and plans Sunday.

Starboard Value argues that Dollar Tree is underperforming rivals like Dollar General and should adopt a multi-price point strategy. In its letter, Starboard points out that its advertised price of $1 for most items is actually higher factoring in sales tax, which gives the company room to start charging other amounts for items.

"Dollar Tree is focused on ensuring our brands are the premier shopping destination for value and convenience," the company said in a statement, adding that they would consider the issues raised by the activist.

Dollar Tree's stock is down 15 percent over the past year.

Starboard plans to announce a push for as many as seven new board members at the next Dollar Tree shareholder meeting.

Starboard Value is most well known for its investment in Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Tree and several other fast casua......................

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US deployed troops to Gabon almost a week ahead of coup attempt: Report

International

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Libreville, Jan 8: If US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out troops from Syria gave an impression that the world's policeman is in a retreating mood, it might not be too true yet. The US has deployed troops to Gabon in central Africa just days before a group of military personnel tried to take over power in a coup in the oil-rich country on Monday, January 7.

Gabon, which rejoined the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2016 after terminating its two-decade membership in 1995, produces 176,000 barrels of oil a day to be one of Africa's most significant oil producers but yet a third of its 2 million inhabitants live below the official poverty line.

US changes Syria withdrawal plan, seeks safety of allies Kurds first

The current president of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, is leading the country since 2009 when his father Omar Bango died after ruling for 42 years. Last October, Bongo went to Saudi Arabia to seek medical treatment after suffering a stroke. The 59-year-old is yet to return to Gabon and in a televised message on the New Year's Day, he addressed the citizens of his country saying he was recovering and would soon be back to his position.

However, gunshots were reported in the vicinity of Gabon's state-owned national broadcaster Radio Television Gabonaise (RTG) in Libreville early on Monday. Regular broadcasting was suspended a few hours later and a message was transmitted on the station by troops claiming to be members of a group calling itself as the Patriotic Movement of the Defense and Security Forces of Gabon.

The group's leader who identified himself as Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang said the armed forces were doubtful about President Bongo's ability to carry out his duties. He also announced the formation of a "Council of National Restoration" for "transition to democracy". However, it was announced on the government's behalf hours later that the coup had been neutralised and Obiang was arrested. Two of his assistants were also killed, it was said.

US: Video shows dragging & slapping of immigrant kids at Arizona shelter

The US deployed 80 soldiers to Gabon on January 2, less than a week before the coup took place. Trump wrote to the Congress in a letter that the troops with "appropriate combat equipment" would be stationed in the Gabonese capital. Their purpose would be to provide security to US "citizens, personnel and diplomatic facilities" in Kinshasa, capital of the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the president said. DRC recently went to a delayed presidential election and the pending announcement of the results might lead to widespread violence, feared security analysts, Intel News reported.

"On Monday, a spokesman for the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) told reporters that there was "no change in the status of our forces in Gabon" and that they would not be involved in the domestic political situation. The US troops were "not currently tasked with securing [US] diplomatic assets [in Gabon]", added the AFRICOM spokesman," the Intel News report added.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 12:41 [IST]
Too early to speculate on whether President Xi would attend BRICS summit in India

In Tibet Chinese military equips troops with mobile howitzers

International

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Beijing, Jan 8: After the recent induction of light weight battle tank in Tibet bordering India, the Chinese military has equipped its troops stationed at the Himalayan plateau with new vehicle-mounted howitzers to improve their combat capability, official media here reported on Tuesday.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) stationed in Tibet Autonomous Region has been equipped with mobile howitzers which aims to boost the troops' high-altitude combat capability to improve border security, state-run Global Times reported.

It quoted Chinese military analysts as saying that the new equipment would be the PLC-181 vehicle mounted howitzer. The announcement was made in an article released by the WeChat account of the PLA Ground Force on Saturday, the report said.

Ahead of possible second summit with Trump, Kim arrives in China

The equipment was used in an artillery brigade in Tibet during the 2017 China-India stand-off at Doklam, it said.

Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told Global Times that the howitzer has a 52-caliber cannon with a range of over 50 kms and shoots laser-guided and satellite-guided projectiles.

It will boost the high-altitude combat capability of the PLA in Tibet, Song said.

The induction of the mobile howitzers followed the move by the PLA to put into service the light weight battle tank, which was tested by its military during exercises in Tibet held at the peak of the Doklam standoff.

The Type 15 has an engine capable of 1,000 horsepower and is significantly lighter than the PLA's other main battle tanks in service, weighing about 32 to 35 tonnes. The tank meant for rugged and mountainous terrain of the Himalayan region.

The induction of the tank and the mobile howitzers highlighted the PLA's efforts to reinforce its troops with new equipment despite steady normalisation of military relations since last year.

In 2019's first order, Xi Jinping calls on Chinese military to be combat-ready

As part of the military training in 2019, an artillery brigade in the Tibet Military Command ordered soldiers to take part in a military skills competition at a training ground on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 3,700 meters above sea level, the report said.

Last week, President Xi Jinping, who also heads the military, ordered the armed forces to enhance their combat readiness to make sure they are always ready for battle, saying risks and challenges for China are on the rise.

China's border issue has not been completely resolved, and was challenged by pro-Tibet independence forces and terrorists, the report quoted analyst as saying.

Zhao Gancheng, director of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the daily that the military investment in Tibet has been rising, but is primarily meant for defence and not to provoke conflict with neighbouring countries.

He said the PLA troops stationed in Tibet need to improve their combat capabilities in plateau areas and strengthen their willpower in extreme weather as they are primarily responsible for the border defence against terrorists and foreign invaders, he said.

US, China to hold key trade talks on January 7-8

To cope with altitude sickness, the PLA built oxygen stations for the soldiers in Tibet in 2015, which were used for medical purposes, but are now also being used in regularly training.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 15:52 [IST]
Will the gamble of providing reservation to upper caste communities work for BJP in 2019?

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Jan 8: The cabinet decision to provide 10 per cent reservation to economically backward upper cast communities in the election year may help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to sail through 2019 Lok Sabha elections but the fear of decision being counter productive cannot be ruled out. But before it becomes a reality, it has to pass through many test.

Actually decision in this regards has been taken a few months ago and even Lok Janshakti Party leader and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that he not only favours but also supports reservation to poor people in the upper caste communities. Paswan's party has always included this in their manifesto. But with this actually the Modi government is trying to win over already angry upper caste people.

Centre plans for 10 percent reservation to upper castes ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Reports have been reaching the government that the BJP has lost Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh due to anger of upper castes but it was more pronounced in Madhya Pradesh. The report coming from Uttar Pradesh is socking to the BJP leaders. Upper cast community is not supporting the BJP in the state despite a Rajput and a saffron clad sadhu at the helm.

If the BJP is not getting good report from the Hindi heartland, what will happen to the party in the rest of the country. The BJP has been trying from very long that it will be able to placate upper caste community people. But it failed to do anything. The repercussion of this reservation to upper caste may harm the party the way it had harmed the party in the case of SC/ST Act.

Infographic: The 10 per cent upper caste quota explained

The BJP made amendments in the SC/ST Act going against the Supreme Court decisions but this has not gone down well with the upper caste and they felt there was no need to amend the law in Parliament. But the BJP did this with the hope that the entire Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe will rally behind the BJP. But the SC/ST have said that they secured their right by fighting on the streets.

Many other stakeholders came in between and the BJP was not even acknowledged by them but upper caste got infuriated by this decision and campaigned against the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. Now the Union cabinet has approved 10 per cent reservation which is likely to be taken to the court and second Other Backward classes and SC/ST will call it infringement in their rights.

Quota for poor among upper caste: Are you eligible? Check here

This might also go against the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections if the issue is not handled carefully. These are some desperate moves that the BJP is trying to make to win 2019 Lok Sabha elections but they don't seem to be giving desired results.

However, with its allies if the matter is taken to people in the right manner it may help the BJP but this is definitely cause another layer of division that is not good for the healthy society. Reservation for poor upper caste was being demanded by several organisations so they will claim it to be their achievement.
Dont you have confidence in the state you served for 30 years: SC to Param Bir Singh

SC notice to Bengal govt on BJPs Yatra plea

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 8: The Supreme Court has issued notices to the West Bengal government on a petition filed by the BJP challenging the decision not to allow it to hold yatras in the state.

The BJP it may be recalled had moved the vacation bench of the Supreme Court, challenging the order which had put on hold its proposed yatras to be conducted in West Bengal.

Bharat Bandh: No strike in West Bengal, declares Mamata Banerjee

The Calcutta High Court had reviewed its own decision, while putting the yatras on hold. A Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court had said that it would review the order of the single judge, who had permitted the BJP to undertake the yatras in West Bengal.

The matter came up for hearing before a larger bench headed by Chief Justice Kargupta last week, and the case was sent back to the single-judge bench with instructions that it consider 36 intelligence inputs provided by the state administration before taking a decision on the BJP's "rath yatra" in West Bengal.

The earlier order of the single judge stands quashed.

Following the order of the single judge, the West Bengal government had approached the Calcutta High Court. It had challenged the order of the single judge which permitted the BJP to hold Rath Yatra rallies across the state as part of its 2019 Lok Sabha campaign.

The State Advocate General Kishore Dutta moved a petition opposing the single bench order before a division bench of the chief justice on Friday morning.

Mamata denied starvation deaths in Bengal, but survey says state tribals have food scracity

The state government has roped in senior counsel and veteran Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi to plead the case on behalf of the West Bengal Police.

The single judge had said that any threat to public order must be real and not imaginary or likely possibility. "Without providing for reasonable restrictions, the authorities have passed an order for total exclusion," the judge had also said.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 11:56 [IST]
Resign and face fresh election, AGP tells Sonowal

India

pti-PTI

Guwahati, Jan 8: A day after pulling out of the BJP-led government in Assam over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the AGP Tuesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and dared the saffron party to face fresh polls.

The Sonowal government has no moral right to continue and if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has the courage, it should face fresh election, senior Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said here.

"The BJP-led government was formed in Assam on the basis of a pre-poll alliance with the AGP. As this alliance no longer exists now, we demand that the current Assam government be dissolved," Mahanta told reporters.

Contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha

Accusing the BJP of adopting an anti-Assam policy, Mahanta said, "Let the BJP form a new government alone. We will welcome that".

Withdrawal of the AGP, which has 14 MLAs in the 126-member assembly, would not have any immediate effect on the future of the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government that still has the backing of 74 MLAs.

The BJP has 61 members and the party has support from 12 MLAs of the Bodoland People's Front and the sole Independent member.

More ally trouble for BJP: AGP walks out of govt over Citizenship Bill

The opposition Congress and the All Indian United Democratic Front (AIUDF) have 25 and 13 members respectively.

"The BJP won many seats in the Assembly elections (in 2016) only due to the AGP. The AGP protested against the bill ever since it was proposed," the AGP founder said.

The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 was passed in Lok Sabha on Tuesday even as an Assam and North East region bandh was called against it.

The AGP on Monday withdrew its support to the ruling BJP-led coalition government after its "last-ditch attempt to convince" the Centre to withdraw the proposed legislation failed.

Mahanta, the leader of the Assam Agitation, a popular movement against illegal foreigners that lasted for six years between 1979 and 1985, said, "If the decision (to pull out) was taken earlier, people's anger and disappointment with the AGP would have been less."

PTI
As COVID-19 cases rise, winter-budget sessions of Parliament likely to be clubbed

Govt defends quota bill, Opposition cries vote bank politics

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 8: Countering allegations on the timing behind government's move to include economically weaker categories within the general category for reservation, Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley read out Congress' 2014 poll manifesto and alleged them of resorting to double standards.

The Congress has expressed support for the issue, but maintained the bill should be scrutinized by a joint parliamentary committee. Party leaders have also questioned its timing, calling it a "jumla", meaning political gimmick, ahead of elections.

Taking a dig at Congress, Arun Jaitley also asked the party to be little large-hearted to support the bill. "If you are supporting the bill, don't do it grudgingly, be a little large-hearted," Jaitley said on Congress's position that it stands in support of the demand for reservation to economically backward section.

"Efforts in the past were misdirected. Just as equals cannot be treated unequally, unequals cannot be treated equally," Jaitley added.

He also targetted the Left parties saying that "if communists oppose this bill which is in favour of the poor, it would be the first example of its kind in the world."

Here is who said what in Lok Sabha

Historic effort: Thawarchand Gehlot

Introducing the bill Social justice minister Thawar Chand said that "the government felt current measures were not enough, which is why the cabinet decided to approve 10 percent quota for economically weaker upper caste sections in Lok Sabha."

Congress changes stance

We support the quota bill. We are not against this, but the way it is being brought raises questions on your sincerity. My request is to send this to JPC first," KV Thomas, Congress said in the Lok Sabha.

"The bill says that whether aide or unaided, open category can claim reservation if EWS. But for SC, ST and OBC, the reservation is only for aided. Why deprive the SC, ST , OBC from unaided institutes?" KV Thomas said.

Bill is not about jobs, but is about misleading youths: TMC

This Bill is not about only jobs, but is about misleading youths with fake dreams. Making promises that won't be fulfilled ever, Sudip Bandyopadhyay of TMC in Lok Sabha.

Have govt schemes for the poor failed: AIADMK's M Thambidurai

"Have govt schemes for the poor failed? There are enough schemes. This reservation bill which you are bringing will be struck down by the Supreme Court," said M Thambidurai of AIADMK.

Better late than never: Anandrao Adsul, Shiv Sena

"I support the bill, as was the idea of Bal thackeray also. The only question I have is why did it take four and a half years? Opposition says it's because of upcoming elections.

However, it's sometimes better late than never," said Shiv Sena's Anandrao Adsul.

Reservation not on basis of caste is good: Ram Vilas Paswan

"Those who were rich after independence, not necessary that they are still well off. Reservation not on basis of caste is a good move," said Ram Vilas Paswan, consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister.
Dont you have confidence in the state you served for 30 years: SC to Param Bir Singh

Next CBI chief: Govt zeroes in on nine names

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 8: In the event of the Supreme Court passing a favourable order, CBI director, Alok Verma would get another 23 days in office. Verma who was sent on leave by the Centre following an ugly public spat with special director, CBI, Rakesh Asthana is due to retire on January 31 2019.

Verma had moved the Supreme Court challenging the midnight decision by the Centre to divest him of his powers. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi had reserved order in the matter on December 6.

CBI vs CBI: SC verdict on Alok Verma's plea challenging his leave today

During the pendency of the petition, the SC had said that the interim director, Nageshwar Rao will not take any policy decisions. The court had also said that the interim director would only keep the CBI running.

The next CBI chief:

The process to find the next CBI chief had already been set in motion. Sources in the government said that the routine exercise to find a new chief is undertaken every two years, when the term of the director is set to come to an end.

It is the Department of Personnel and Training that compiles a list of officers at the director general level eligible for selection as the next CBI boss every two years.

While finding a new CBI chief, the government would keep in mind the guidelines set by the Supreme Court in 2004. The court had said that officers from the four oldest serving batches of the IPS from 1982 to 1985 shall be in contention. The court also said that seniority, integrity and experience in investigations of anti-corruption shall be the criteria to be followed, while appointing a new chief.

Verma will retire on January 31 2019. If the SC orders that his powers be restored, then the same would be implemented. However a new chief will have to be appointed once his term ends.

Akhilesh Yadav cleared 13 mining leases on a single day, claims CBI

The list is prepared by the DoPT, following which the final call is taken by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.

The next CBI chief:

Rajesh Ranjan: Central Industrial Security Force chief

Central Industrial Security Force chief Javeed Ahmad: Director of National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science

Director of National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science Vivek Johri: Research and Analysis, Special Secretary

Research and Analysis, Special Secretary O P Galhotra , Rajasthan Police chief

, Rajasthan Police chief Arun Kumar , Railway Protection Force chief

, Railway Protection Force chief Rina Mitra: Special Secretary (internal security), Home Ministry.

Special Secretary (internal security), Home Ministry. Rajnikant Mishra: Border Security Force chief

Border Security Force chief Y V Modi: National Investigation chief

National Investigation chief S S Deswal, Chief of Indo-Tibetan Border Police chief

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 8:50 [IST]
BJD not to hold rallies, campaign meets for May 13 Pipili by- polls: Patnaik

Need time to decide on joining 'mahagathbandhan': Naveen Patnaik

India

pti-PTI

Bhubaneswar, Jan 8: The Biju Janta Dal (BJD) will decide on joining the "mahagathbandhan" of opposition parties later as it needs time to firm up its decision, party president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Tuesday.

Participating in the BJD's sit-in in New Delhi seeking an increase in the minimum support price for paddy, Patnaik alleged that the BJP ignored the demand despite promising it in its manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Asked about his party's stand on joining the "mahagathbandhan", Patnaik said, "We will take some time and think about it."

The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has stepped up efforts to increase footprint in Odisha where it won nine out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections. The BJD had won 10 seats and the Congress two.

Chandrababu Naidu meets Rahul in Delhi to push mission united Opposition

After its impressive win in panchayat elections in the state in 2017, the BJP has shifted focus on the state with an aim to upstage the BJD.

The success of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2017 panchayat elections in Odisha has led to predictions that the BJP will emerge as the largest party in the state in the 2019 elections.

Interestingly, nine MPs of the BJD had voted in favour of NDA nominee Harivansh Narayan Singh in the election to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman held in August last year.

PTI
Fake: PM Modi did not change attire four times in a day to meet four different leaders

Modi-Trump pledge to develop Indo-US ties further

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Jan 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald J Trump of the United States exchanged New Year greetings in a telephonic conversation last evening.

They expressed satisfaction at the progress in India-U.S. strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 Dialogue mechanism and the first-ever Trilateral Summit of India, the U.S. and Japan.

In phone call with Modi, Putin extends wishes for 2019 elections

The two leaders took positive note of growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy and coordination on regional and global issues. They agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening India-U.S. bilateral relations in 2019.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 8:43 [IST]
What is the Narada sting case and why has it come back to bite the TMC

Modi beating people with stick: Trinamool MPs puts up unique protest against Centre

India

oi-Shubham Ghosh

New Delhi, Jan 8: A number of MPs of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday, January 8, came up with a unique protest inside the Parliament complex against the Citizenship Bill brought by the BJP-led central government. A video which was posted by news agency ANI showed one of the MPs wearing a mask of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wielding a stick in his hand and 'intimidating' the other MPs who were playing victims and shouted for help. The idea was to project the prime minister as a leader who cared little for the people and caused them distress through the bill.

The protesting MPs also raised slogans against the Modi government and sought recalling of the bill.

All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 in the Parliament premises. pic.twitter.com/jlww8BjFfO  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

The government tabled the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after it was approved by the Union Cabinet on Monday to give citizenship to illegal migrants of six minority groups that are non-Muslim from countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The move led to a wide protest from the Opposition in the Northeast states as they alleged that it was being done to target one specific community.

The move has triggered a major controversy in Assam and other northeastern states with the opposition alleging that it has been done to target one particular community. On Monday, the Asom Gana Parishad pulled out of the BJP government in Assam to protest the Citizenship Bill.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 16:22 [IST]
Dont you have confidence in the state you served for 30 years: SC to Param Bir Singh

Meghalaya: Operations continue to rescue miners

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Shillong, Jan 8: It's been 22 days since 15 miners have been trapped inside an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya. The forces haven't given up and the Supreme Court on January 3 said that "prompt, immediate and effective" operation was required for rescuing the miners trapped inside an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya since December 13.

The operation continued in Meghalaya to rescue the miners who have been trapped in a mine at Ksan near Lytein River in East Jaintia Hills.

Fire service operated their pumps for 7 hours and 6.30 hours respectively from shaft No. 2 and 3. One pump was started at 10:00 am and another pump was started at 10.30 am respectively.

SC seeks action taken report on trapped Meghalaya miners

The water from both the shafts reduced by 4 feet but due to heavy seepage from other shafts, the water level increased and only 2 feet water has been reduced. A total 12,15,000 litres water has so far been pumped out from both the shafts.

The Indian Navy divers and the NDRF jointly assisted the Coal India in their works. The miners have been stuck in the mine since December 13 last year.

On Sunday, Congress, the Opposition in the state, alleged that the BJP-backed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government had allowed illegal coal mining within six months of coming to power.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 13:54 [IST]
Lok Sabha polls: After SP-BSP snub, Congress to go solo in UP?

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 8: Days after the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) gave contours of an electoral alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi asserted that his party, which was ready to go solo, would not just do well but also "surprise" everyone.

The Congress has the ability to surprise people with results in UP, Rahul Gandhi said in an interview to Gulf News. "There are very interesting things that the Congress party can do in Uttar Pradesh... the Congress idea is very powerful for Uttar Pradesh. So, we are very confident of our ability in Uttar Pradesh and we will surprise people," he said.

The Congress chief's comments comes days after reports that the SP-BSP alliance may only give two seats to the Congress-Amethi and Raebareli, the Lok Sabha constituencies of Rahul Gandhi and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi.

Keshav Prasad Maurya mocks SP-BSP alliance, says people want to see Modi as PM again

Reports have suggested that the SP-BSP were not in favour of taking the Congress on board after their assessment that the latter's votes were largely non-transferable and may shift to rival parties rather than towards an alliance partner.

The two parties would, at best, leave just the Rae Bareli and Amethi seats for the Congress. The two seats are constituencies of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, respectively.

Earlier, SP vice-president Kiranmoy Nanda had said his party, together with the BSP, is strong enough to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in 2019 and there is no need of an "insignificant" force like the Congress to make it happen.

Deal sealed: SP-BSP minus Congress to fight UP battle together

"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 had said.

The politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. In the last parliamentary elections in 2014, the BJP won 71 seats, Samajwadi Party got five while the BSP did not win any seat. The Congress registered wins on two seats.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 23:48 [IST]
J&K village becomes first in India to vaccinate adult population fully against COVID-19

False: Centre is not planning to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir

Some actions by Indian government inconsistent with democratic values: Top US official

J&K: Encounter in Pulwama; One terrorist killed

India

oi-Vikas SV

Srinagar, Jan 8: One terrorist was killed in gunbattle with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday.

The encounter began this morning in South Kashmir's militancy infested Pulwama.

The identity of the slain terrorist is yet to ascertained. Reports say that incriminating materials including arms and ammunition have been recovered.

According to Jammu and Kashmir police no collateral damage took place during the incident.

As Pakistan bolsters military might, an uneasy disquiet at the border

Investigation to ascertain slain terrorist's identity and affiliation is said to have been initiated.

On December 30 last year, an exchange of gunfire took place between suspected militants and the Sentry at Ratnuchak military station

On December 15, three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed and one soldier martyred in an encounter which broke out in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Further, eight civilians were killed, and 50 others, wounded in a subsequent clash in the area, out of which nine are said to be critically injured.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 16:49 [IST]
Putin says Russia's Sputnik V vaccine could be produced in India and China

Russia's Putin congratulates Biden on his victory, more than a month later

In phone call with Modi, Putin extends wishes for 2019 elections

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 8: Russian President, Vladimir Putin in a phone call with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi wished him success in connection with the parliamentary elections set to be held this year.

A statement from the Russian Embassy said that the conversation between the two leaders focused mainly on bilateral cooperation and current international issues. They congratulated each other on the New Year, the statement also said.

Will the gamble of providing reservation to upper caste communities work for BJP in 2019?

"Vladimir Putin wished Narendra Modi success in connection with the upcoming parliamentary elections in India," the statement added.

Modi and Putin appreciated milestones in the "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership" between the two countries in 2018. Recalling their successful discussions at an informal summit at Sochi in May and during Putin's visit to New Delhi in October for the annual summit, the two leaders "agreed to maintain the momentum in the bilateral relations", said a statement from the external affairs ministry.

10% quota for upper caste poor: 'Historic,' says BJP; 'election gimmick,' counters Congress

The Russian embassy statement further added that the leaders also confirmed their mutual willingness to increase cooperation in fighting international terrorism and solving other pressing world issues.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 5:58 [IST]
BPL families which lost earning member to COVID to get Rs one lakh relief in Karnataka

Karnataka: Centre turns down Bandipur elevated corridor plan

India

oi-Deepika S

Bengaluru, Jan 8: In a relief to the wildlife, the Centre has said that it will not take up the project of constructing elevated corridors in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

Mahesh Sharma, minister of state of environment, forest and climate change, answered an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha and said the state government has also opposed any construction or opening up of the road during night hours, which passes through Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

The government of Karnataka had opposed construction of the road or lifting of the nine-hour night traffic ban on NH-212, that passes through Bandipur Tiger Reserve. In fact, we have suggested strengthening of the alternative route passing through Thithimathi-Gonikoppa-Kutta," he said.

He was responding to MP Veerendra Kumar, a Rajya Sabha member, who asked about the ministry's stand on the corridor proposal and its status.

The proposal to build four elevated corridors, each 1-km long, on National Highway 766 by the National Highway Authority of India as part of the Bharatmala project had united activists under the banner of 'Save Bandipur'. They held multiple protests against the move.

It may be recalled that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India had said that it wanted to develop five stretches of 1 km each - of elevated roads - through the national park to ensure that there was 24x7 movement of vehicles along the national highway 212 (renamed as NH 766).

The activists also opposed the proposed reversal of night traffic ban (9 pm-6 am) on the 25 km stretch of National Highway 212 in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve corridor and petitioned Gadkari and Kumaraswamy.

The activists expressed concern that the project would be a source of disturbance to wildlife and clearance to it would set a wrong precedent leading to further destruction of flora and fauna.

The existing traffic ban has been in effect since 2009 when the Karnataka High Court banned traffic flow after dark while hearing a case pertaining to roadkills, where at least 215 animals were being run over between 2004 and 2007.
Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand cancel class 12 boards, others states to take a call soon

Guj man gets 18 months in jail for hurling slipper at HC judge

Gujarat unlock: Several restrictions eased with conditions, check the list here

Former BJP MLA Jayantilal Bhanushali shot dead onboard Sayaji Nagri Express in Gujarat

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Gandhinagar, Jan 8: Former BJP MLA Jayantilal Bhanushali was shot dead by unknown assailants onboard Sayji Nagri Express between Kataria-Surbari stations on Monday. Police is investigation underway.

According to reports, Bhanushali was travelling from Bhuj to Ahmedabad by the train when he was shot dead by unidentified assailants.

He was a former Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Abadasa constituency in Gujarat.

Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani said, "A thorough investigation will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those guilty."

Bharat Bandh: No strike in West Bengal, declares Mamata Banerjee

Bhanushali, who hails from Kutch district, resigned as the BJP vice-president on June 13, 2018, in the wake of the allegation of rape. Bhanushali had claimed that the charge was a conspiracy to malign his image.

The Gujarat High Court quashed the FIR filed against Bhanushali in which he had been accused of raping a 21-year-old woman from Surat multiple times. The court's decision to quash the FIR against him after the woman complainant submitted an affidavit in the court giving her consent to drop the rape case against Bhanushali and recorded her statement before the police.

He had represented Abdasa seat in Kutch district from 2007 to 2012 as the BJP MLA.
Contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Jan 8: The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, was on Tuesday passed by the Lok Sabha even as the Congress and the TMC vehemently opposed it.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will allow 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.

More ally trouble for BJP: AGP walks out of govt over Citizenship Bill

The bill was passed amid uproar in the Lok Sabha with Congress MPs walking out of the House and the Trinamool Congress warning that Northeast will burn because of the Bill.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who tabled the controversial bill in Lok Sabha today, said the Bill is not only for Assam or for migrants from a particular country.

A large section of people, organisations in the Northeast have opposed the bill saying it will nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for deportation of all illegal immigrants irrespective of religion. The Meghalaya and Mizoram governments have also strongly opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill and adopted resolutions against it.

After backing JPC probe into Rafale, Sena determined to oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill

In fact, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) snapped ties with the BJP on Monday over the Citizenship Bill. The AGP had earlier expressed reservations with the Bill saying it would make the Assam Accord meaningless.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 17:39 [IST]
Congress restructures its various departments just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Jan 8: Just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has taken a big decision of scrapping many positions in various department of the party due to which many workers of the party will have to relinquish their posts. This is being seen as an attempt to streamline the party organization. The party has also decided to fix number of posts clearly giving signal that they cannot be distributed indiscriminately. However, the main structure of the Congress will remain the same.

The party has also decided names of posts and now only president, vice president and coordinators' posts will remain and posts of general secretary and secretary has been scrapped in the departments. This arrangement will be maintained from national level to state to district and block level.

Congress-NCP deal done: Likely to contest equal number of seats in Maharashtra

The party has taken a call on this issue on January 7 and issued instruction in this regard. Looking at the number of posts, there will not be more than 31 posts in any department at the national level that would include one president, five vice president, six national coordinator, four regional coordinator and 15 members.

At the state level, the post will be 19 with one president, three vice president, five state coordinator and ten members. At district level, permission will be for having 11 posts that will include one president, two vice presidents, three district coordinators and five members. At the block level, maximum seven posts can be created with one president, one vice president, two block coordinator and three members.

Chiefs of the different departments have been asked that youths and women must be properly represented within this numbers and regional balance must also be made at any cost. It is also being advised that chief of various departments should take approval from general secretary in-charge, state president and district president rather than appointing themselves.

First phase of 2019 Lok Sabha polls likely to held in second week of April

Only foreign department will have some leverage to appoint general secretary and secretary because this is prevalent in foreign countries.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 18:33 [IST]
CBI vs CBI: Jaitley justifies govt action, says it was needed for 'impartial investigation'

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Jan 8: While the Supreme Court decision to reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI director is being dubbed as a setback to the BJP-led government, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the Centre's action in October last year were in 'accordance with recommendations of CVC'.

He said that Centre's decision to send Verma and his deputy, Rakesh Asthana, on leave on October 23, 2018, was taken to ensure 'fair and impartial investigation' into the bitter feud between the two. Verma and Asthana had levelled corruption charges against each other.

How Alok Verma won the CBI vs CBI war

"The Supreme Court apparently has strengthened the immunity given to CBI director in larger interest of fair and impartial investigation. Therefore in accordance with direction of the Supreme Court, orders will be complied with and the government will act in the same manner," Jaitley said.

"This action (to send both on leave) was taken perfectly bonafide as there were cross-allegations made by both the officers, and in accordance with recommendations of CVC. The government had felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the two officers must recuse themselves," he added.

Jaitley said the Union government does not favour a person, all it wants is the transparency of CBI.

The Supreme Court today reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI chief. The court held that the midnight decision in October last year to send Verma on leave following a spat with special director, Rakesh Asthana was wrong in law.

The court said that the matter ought to have been referred to the Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India before any decision was taken.

CBI: After authoring verdict can CJI be part of selection committee

The order comes as a major reprieve for Verma, who fought a long hard battle in the Supreme Court. The court held that the case was a pure question of law. It further said that Delhi Special Police Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act was amended to ensure complete insulation of the office of the CBI director from external pressures.

While ordering the reinstatement of Verma, the court held that he cannot take major policy decisions till the decision of the selection committee. The High Power Committee under the DSPE will act within a week to consider his case.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 13:20 [IST]
CBI vs CBI case: Timeline of feud in premier investigation agency

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

New Delhi, Jan 8: The Supreme Court has reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI chief. The verdict said that he be reinstated but also added that Verma cannot take any major policy decision till the decision of the selection committee.

On January 19, 2017, the government appointed Alok Verma (then Delhi Police Commissioner) as director of CBI. His name was cleared by a three-member selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and comprising Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar and Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge as members. Kharge is understood to have recorded his dissent note on Verma's name on the ground that the officer had never served in CBI.

SC reinstates Alok Verma as CBI boss

On September 20, 2018, The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) initiated a fact-finding probe against CBI Director Alok Verma based on a complaint filed by Rakesh Asthana. In his complaint, Asthana alleged that Verma has sought to impede his functioning, interfere in investigations and malign his reputation on the basis of unverified facts. Asthana also claimed that Verma had asked him to call off the planned raids against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad in Patna last year at the eleventh hour when raiding teams were already in place. According to the ET report, the Asthana's complaint against Verma was first made to the government, which then referred the matter to the CVC after detailed consultations.

September 21, 2018: CBI said Rakesh Asthana's complaint to the CVC against its chief Alok Verma is "malicious" and "frivolous". It termed complaint against CBI chief by Asthana as 'intimidation' of the officers probing the former's role in at least six cases.

September 24, 2018: Alok Verma, senior CBI official met Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary and submitted some documents in the matter.

October 4, 2018: Lawyer Prashant Bhushan and former Union minister Arun Shourie met CBI Director Alok Verma, demanding a probe into alleged corruption in the Rafale aircraft deal and offset contract.

Along with a "detailed" complaint under the Prevention of Corruption Act, Bhushan and Shourie submitted documents buttressing their argument for the need of probe.

October 9, 2018: Reports claimed that the government was 'unhappy' with CBI Director meeting Arun Shourie, Prashant Bhushan. In their meeting, Shourie, a vocal critic of the Modi government, and Bhushan, a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, had asked the CBI Director to take the government's permission to initiate a probe in accordance with the law, alleging that the offset contract for Rafale aircraft was actually a commission to an Anil Ambani-led Reliance group subsidiary.

October 16, 2018: The CBI arrested Manoj Prasad, believed to be a middleman, when he returned from Dubai on October 16.

October 21, 2018: Rakesh Asthana 'booked' in bribery case: CBI booked Asthana on the allegations of receiving bribe from an accused probed by him in a case linked to meat exporter Moin Qureshi - a charge levelled by the officer on CBI Director Alok Verma in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary.

October 22, 2018: CBI arrests deputy SP Devender Kumar in bribery case involving Asthana. AccordQureshithe CBI, Kumar had fabricated the statement of Sathish Sana, a witness in the Quershi case, showing he recorded the statement on Septemebr 26, 2018 in Delhi. However, investigation has revealed that Sana was was not in Delhi, he was in Hyderabad on that day and joined the investigation only on October 1, 2018.

How Alok Verma won the CBI vs CBI war

October 22: PM Modi summoned Alok Verma and Asthana. According to reports the two officials have been told to make amends as the image of the organisation has taken a beating in the public eye, a point opposition parties made in their criticism.

October 23: Rakesh Asthana moved Delhi HC on FIR against him in bribery case. CBI DSP Devender Kumar sent to 7-day police custody. CBI claimed in court that an 'extortion' racket was being run from the HQ in the garb of investigation.

October 23: Asthana gets interim protection from arrest till October 29.

October 24: CBI Director Alok Verma, Special Director Rakesh Asthana sent on leave. M Nageshwar Rao appointed interim CBI director with immediate effect.

October 24: CBI reshuffles team probing case against Asthana. Alok Verma moves Supreme Court against govt order.

October 24: Opposition slammed government for sending Alok Verma on leave. Rahul Gandhi said by sending Verma on "forced leave" for collecting documents on the Rafale "scam", Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given out a clear message that anyone coming close to unravelling the truth behind the defence deal will be "wiped out".

October 25: Four men belonging to the Intelligence Bureau were caught outside the official residence of CBI director Alok Verma, who has been divested of his powers and sent on leave, officials said. While Home Ministry officials said the four men were on "routine, covert" duties in the high security area outside Verma's 2 Janpath residence, sources said they were taken away by police and questioned.

October 25: NGO moves SC challenging Alok Verma's removal: A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Sanjay Krishan Kaul and K.M. Joseph said "we will see" as counsel Prashant Bhushan sought an urgent hearing as some broader issues have been raised in the PIL by NGO Common Cause.

October 26: After Alok Verma, Rakesh Asthana moves SC against forced leave. CJI-led Bench hear Alok Verma's plea against Centre's move. The apex court set a deadline of two weeks for CVC to complete the inquiry against CBI Director Alok Kumar Verma. The court directed that the inquiry be conducted under the supervision of a retired apex court judge and also barred IPS officer M Nageswara Rao, who has been given interim charge of looking after the duties of the CBI Director, from taking any policy decision or any major decision. It said a list of decisions taken by Rao from October 23 till today, including transfer of investigations and change of investigating officers, be placed before the court in a sealed cover by November 12 - the next date of hearing - after which it would pass appropriate orders.

October 29: HC slammed CBI, Centre for not filing reply on Asthana plea.

November 9: Alok Verma appeared before CVC, countered corruption charges.

November 12: After CVC submitted report, SC adjourned the court proceedings. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul took the report on record and fixed the next hearing on November 16.

November 16: SC heard CBI Director Alok Verma's plea challenging govt's order divesting him of his duties. SC ordered CVC to give CBI Director Alok Verma its report in sealed cover and asked Verma to respond by Monday.

December 7: Alok Verma, said that all the allegations levelled by his deputy Rakesh Asthana against him are false and "nothing but a figment of imagination". Opposing Asthana's plea seeking quashing of an FIR against him for corruption, Verma in his reply said the charges against the special director are serious and require a "thorough probe".

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 11:23 [IST]
Mayawati slams BJP, says Muslims being targeted in Uttar Pradesh, framed in false cases

BSP welcomes reservation for economically weaker sections of upper castes

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

New Delhi, Jan 8: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tuesday welcomed Union Cabinet decision to provide reservation for economically weaker sections of upper castes.

BSP chief Mayawati, said, the announcement of quota for the upper caste is a political stunt ahead of the Lok Sabha election (Lok Sabha chunaav se pehle liya gaya ye faisla humein sahi niyat se liya gaya faisla nahi lagta hai, chunavi stunt lagta hai, rajnitik chalaava lagta hai, acha hota agar BJP apna karyakaal khatam hone se thik pehle nahi balki aur pehle le leti)

Infographic: The 10 per cent upper caste quota explained

The government on Monday announced 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and higher education for economically weaker sections in the general category and said it would move a constitutional amendment bill to bring it into effect.

The Cabinet approved the move just months before the national election. The constitutional amendment bill is likely to be moved today and the government has decided to extend the Rajya Sabha session by one day.

Are you eligible for the 10 per cent quota

However, activists and intellectuals of the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities criticised the government for proposing quotas for the economically weaker sections.

"Reservation is not a poverty alleviation programme. It is a question of representation of people who have been denied that in institutions for millennia. This move is obnoxious and a political stunt," Hindustan Times quoted Vivek Kumar, a professor at JNU, as saying.
Bharat Bandh on 26th March 2021: What is Open, What is Closed

Bharat Bandh Day 2: Violent protests, rail blockades witnessed in many states

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Jan 9: Sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Kerala and rail blockades in certain states were witnessed Wednesday on the second day of Bharat Bandh, which also saw a partial disruption of banking and insurance services across the country.

Other sectors like mining, road transport, power supply too bore the brunt of strike call given by country's 10 major central trade unions, except RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, to protest against the government's alleged anti-labour policies and unilateral labour reforms. They had given a call for a two-day Bharat Bandh on January 8 and 9.

Here are the updates:
Why PUBG is not banned along with TikTok and other mobile applications?

Amidst Sabarimala row, Kerala HC bans flash hartals

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 8: In an important verdict, the Kerala High Court has ordered a ban on flash hartals. The court said that at least seven days advance notice needs to be given before observing a hartal.

The order comes in the wake of several groups ordering flash strikes amidst the Sabarimala entry row. The court while hearing a petition filed by the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and others maintained that the outfits giving hartal calls should be made accountable for any damages caused to the public.

Sabarimala violence: Case against 4 RSS workers for hurling bombs at Police

Further the court. Said that while everyone has the right to stage protests, it should not infringe on the basic rights of the public. The Kerala Government told the court that adequate security would be provided to shops and commercial establishments, vehicles during the two day trade union strike starting today.

The court sought a report from the government on the steps taken for the safety of the public during the two day nation wide strike on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 8, 2019, 6:06 [IST]
Lok Sabha clears 10% quota bill, to be tabled in Rajya Sabha today

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 8: Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill for providing 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections among unreserved categories by an overwhelming majority.

As many as 323 members voted in support of the bill, which seeks to amend Article 15 and 16 of the Constitution to enable reservation for the "economically weaker" sections in the general category, which had so far been kept out of the quota ambit. Three members voted against the bill.

Among the opposition parties, the Samajwadi Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Trinamool Congress, the Left and the Congress said they would support the bill.

Infographic: The 10 per cent upper caste quota explained

The bill, which, in a first, will extend reservation to upper castes, is likely to be presented in Rajya Sabha today. Rajya Sabha session has been extended till Wednesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present in the Lower House when the bill was passed.

The proposed reservation will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation enjoyed by the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes, and will take the total reservation to 60 per cent.

Among the major castes to benefit from the proposed law are Brahmins, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Bhumihars, several trading castes, Kapus and Kammas among other Upper Castes.

The ruling BJP hopes that the bill will help consolidate the general castes in its support as it begins campaign for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in April-May.
California officers killing

Its hard to understand The World-Heralds limited coverage of the senseless, tragic killing of decorated Police Officer Ron Singh in the line of duty in Newman, California, on Christmas night, while all major TV networks covered it as a major news story. If you blinked you would have missed this article. No mention that the officer came here as a legal immigrant from Fiji in search of his American dream of becoming a police officer and that, in addition to his attending the police academy, he took extra classes to improve his English and accent, and no mention that he left a widow and a 5-year-old son. Nor did they include the heart-warming family picture taken hours before his killing. The illegal immigrant accused of shooting this officer had gang member ties and should have been deported previously due to his DUI offenses but was not reported to ICE due to sanctuary city laws. He was arrested along with six of his friends who tried to help him escape to Mexico.
Over the past three years, the cash reserve for Nebraska state government has fallen significantly. At the start of 2016, that rainy day fund exceeded $700 million. Now, as lawmakers begin the 2019 session, the fund stands at only $300 million.

A new report from a legislative committee warns that the fund needs to be built back up in order to provide a cushion for the state when it faces a future recession and a fall in state revenues.

The Legislature and Gov. Pete Ricketts approved the withdrawals over the past three years to help balance the budget and to help fund some one-time expenditures. The funds decline to the current level is most disturbing, the Legislatures Planning Committee says in its new report, and should it be permitted to continue, a fiscal crisis will ensue.

The committee calls on the Legislature to build up the cash reserve over the next four years so that it could cover two months of general fund spending. Based on the current fiscal 2018-19 revenue forecast, an average monthly revenue would be $400 million, so two months would be $800 million. Such action, the committee says, is absolutely essential if the state is to meet its obligations.
I do see that as the role of a responsible journalist and writer, Genoways said. Nebraskas farmers and ranchers barely have money to make their payments, much less try to launch a PR campaign even on their own behalf. I see it as my responsibility to be out and providing a megaphone to the people who dont get heard otherwise.

Monday afternoon during the governors monthly radio show, a caller named Mary Ann from Lincoln criticized Ricketts decision, saying it smacks of censorship and sounds like Nebraskans shouldnt read opinions that arent opinions you agree with.

Ricketts responded that he doesnt want his name on a proclamation promoting the book but has not told anybody not to read it.

Later in the show, a caller named Teresa from Callaway offered her support for the governors decision not to sign the proclamation.

Im proud that you refused to sign that because our country is divided enough, she said. I thank you for standing up with our president.
Federal fish and wildlife officials point to habitat protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, the banning of the pesticide DDT and conservation efforts undertaken by the American public as the main reasons for the birds recovery.

Eagles were removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007 because of their growing numbers but still are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Nebraska has an estimated 209 active nests. Iowa has about 175.

From 1996 to 2011, Game and Parks count averaged about 990 bald eagles in Nebraska during the winter. But the organization hasnt done a winter count since 2013.

They became so plentiful it wasnt necessary to do the survey, Inselman said. Now we have plenty of eagles, and they are doing well and prosperous.

The majestic birds congregate around bodies of water and rivers all over the Midwest in the winter months. Because of this years mild weather, fish are plentiful along with the injured and sick waterfowl the eagles prey on.

Its a great thing because we have everything they need here, Inselman said.
A 44-foot tower near Blair that was inspired by a vision of an Oglala Lakota Sioux holy man will be renovated thanks to an anonymous donation of over $187,000.

The Tower of the Four Winds, a memorial to author John G. Neihardt and holy man Black Elk, rises over the Missouri River valley in the 80-acre Black Elk-Neihardt Park. Black Elk, who lived from 1863 to 1950, related his story and visions to Neihardt, the poet laureate of Nebraska, who died in 1973.

Time and weather have taken a toll on the towers mosaic tiles. They have been falling off the tower since its construction in 1987, according to the Blair Historic Preservation Alliance. Without the restoration project, the towers artwork would have continued to deteriorate until the mosaic no longer existed, said Dawn Nielsen, president of the alliance board.

A foundation whose leaders want it to remain anonymous contributed $187,450 to restore the tower. The donation will cover the complete cost of restoration by Omaha-based Jensen Conservation Services.

Pending approval of a contract by the Blair City Council, the project will begin in the spring and be completed within a few months.

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An arrest has been made in the July shooting death of 23-year-old Franco Gonzalez-Mendez and the wounding of another man.

Anthony Sanchez, 20, has been booked on suspicion of first-degree murder, first-degree felony assault and two weapons counts, Omaha police said Monday evening.

Sanchez was arrested by the Metro Area Task Force after being found in Crete, Nebraska.

Gonzalez-Mendez was fatally shot July 15, and his brother, Edgar Gonzalez-Mendez, was wounded outside Guaca Maya Mexican Restaurant a 5002 S. 33rd St., a South Omaha restaurant and nightclub.

Off-duty officers working at the club heard shots about 11:25 p.m. and found the brothers. Both were taken in critical condition to the Nebraska Medical Center, where Franco died.
A former Medicaid administrator for the State of Nebraska has pleaded guilty to taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Medicaid and his father.

Craig A. Barnett pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of Nebraska last week to two counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud. The charges stemmed from allegations that he spent money meant for his father and the nursing home where the elderly man lived.

Officials said that from 2010 to 2016, Barnett stole $294,396 from his father through Social Security checks, a pension plan, grant payments and an investment fund, plus an additional $84,000 from Medicaid.

Barnetts attorney, Sean Conway, declined to comment Tuesday.

Barnett had worked for 11 years as a Medicaid audit and financial support administrator in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Federal prosecutors said that in February 2010, Barnett was given power of attorney for his 85-year-old father, Dean Barnett, due to Dean Barnetts deteriorating physical and mental health.
Southwest Airlines, for example, believes the shutdown likely will delay its plans to begin service to Hawaii, Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said in a message to employees.

And while Delta Air Lines is hoping to begin flying a new airliner, the Airbus A220, by Jan. 31, it cant get approval without the FAAs now-furloughed safety inspectors. Delta doesnt expect any disruption to its schedule, the carrier said in an emailed statement.

Most training of air traffic controllers has been suspended, slowing the arrival of new people in a system that is already at a 30-year staffing low, said Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union.

The FAA stressed that the nations airspace is fully safe and operational.

Mortgages: Homebuyers and lenders are beginning to see the effects of the shutdown as an Internal Revenue Service income verification operation goes dark. That could mean delays for borrowers in getting approved for mortgages.

The service usually helps mortgage lenders confirm income information on loan applications within two to three days, but the IRS says it is barred from processing that paperwork without a spending deal.
Yet the NIPT's entry into the mainstream has raised some questions as busy health-care providers scramble to figure out how to offer it en masse to a public with varying understanding of genetic testing and little access to genetic counselors. "Sometimes, OB/GYNs don't have time to explain the nuances of the tests before they order them," says OB/GYN Neeta Vora, who works as the director of reproductive genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

That communication gap is further exacerbated by what Houston prenatal genetic counselor Blair Stevens calls the "elephant in the OB/GYN's office": Some patients agree to take the NIPT simply to learn the sex of their baby. They may not understand that the NIPT is not 100 percent accurate and should be confirmed by a diagnostic amniocentesis or CVS. And they also might not be prepared for  or even expecting  the possible genetic problems the test can reveal.

When Casey Delperdang was pregnant with her son, Simon, two years ago, she says the main appeal was the chance to learn she was carrying a boy. "I was 25 at the time and wasn't even thinking about genetic abnormalities because of my age. I sort of took the test for granted," says Delperdang, who works in health-care marketing in Houston.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam Grants Clemency To Cyntoia Brown Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When

Cyntoia Brown has finally been granted clemency and is set to be released from prison on August 7 after serving 15 years of her original life sentence.

After everyone from celebrities, lawmakers and activists have called for clemency for Cyntoia Brown, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has finally made a decision.

READ: Everything You Need To Know About The Story Of Cyntoia Brown, A Child Sex Slave Imprisoned For Killing Her Abuser

On Monday morning, Haslam announced his decision to grant clemency to Brown, the Nashville woman who was imprisoned at the age of 16 for killing a child predator who paid her for sex.

Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16, Haslam said in a statement according to the Tennessean. Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life.

Transformation should be accompanied by hope. So, I am commuting Ms. Browns sentence, subject to certain conditions, he added.

Brown is now eligible for release August 7 on time served and will stay on parole for 10 years. As the Tennessean notes, she will also be required to participate in regular counseling sessions and to perform at least 50 hours of community service, including working with at-risk youth, as well as get a job.

Upon hearing the announcement, Brown released the following statement via her legal team:

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Thank you, Governor Haslam, for your act of mercy in giving me a second chance. I will do everything I can to justify your faith in me. I want to thank those at the Tennessee Department of Corrections who saw something in me worth salvaging, especially Ms. Connie Seabrooks for allowing me to participate in the Lipscomb LIFE Program. It changed my life. I am also grateful to those at the Tennessee Department of Corrections who will work with me over the next several months to help me in the transition from prison to the free world. Thank you to Dr. Richard Goode and Dr. Kate Watkins and all of you at Lipscomb University for opening up a whole new world for me. I have one course left to finish my Bachelors degree, which I will complete in May 2019.I am thankful for all the support, prayers, and encouragement I have received. We truly serve a God of second chances and new beginnings. The Lord has held my hand this whole time and I would have never made it without Him. Let today be a testament to His Saving Grace. Thank you to my family for being a backbone these past 14 years. I am thankful to my lawyers and their staffs, and all the others who, for the last decade have freely given of their time and expertise to help me get to this day. I love all of you and will be forever grateful.With Gods help, I am committed to live the rest of my life helping others, especially young people. My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been. Thank you.

Last month, Haslam granted clemency to 11 people but Brown wasnt one of those included. Prior to that he offered a new statement on clemency for Brown, saying: The Cyntoia case has gotten a lot of publicity understandably, but again we want to make certain were treating everybody fairly in this.

Haslam made the decision before leaving office on January 19.
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Irelands nurses and midwives will go on strike for 24 hours on January 30, it was announced.



The union is legally required to give one weeks notice, but has given three to allow for safety planning. Should the dispute go unresolved, there will be further 24-hour strikes on 5th and 7th of February, and then the 12th, 13th and 14th.



The strike will see INMO members withdraw their labour for 24 hours, providing only lifesaving care and emergency response teams.



The dispute centres on safe staffing in the public health service. The HSE has not been able to recruit and retain enough nurses and midwives on current wages.



The number of staff nurses fell by 1,754 (6%) between 2008 and 2018, despite an ageing, growing population making the health service busier.



This would be only the second national strike in the INMOs hundred-year history.



INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said:



Going on strike is the last thing a nurse or midwife wants to do. But the crisis in recruitment and retention has made it impossible for us to do our jobs properly. We are not able give patients the care they deserve under these conditions.



The HSE simply cannot recruit enough nurses and midwives on these wages. Until that changes, the health service will continue to go understaffed and patient care will be compromised.



The ball is in the governments court. This strike can be averted. All it takes is for the government to acknowledge our concerns, engage with us directly, and work to resolve this issue, in a pro-active manner.



We were due to meet with the government in the national oversight body in December, but the meeting was cancelled. Like many patients in Irelands health service, we are still waiting for an appointment.



INMO President Martina Harkin-Kelly said:



We entered these professions because we care for our patients. Well be going on strike for the exact same reason. Irelands patients deserve better than this understaffed health service.



Nurses and midwives are now globally traded assets. The public health service no longer pays a competitive wage, so we can no longer get the necessary number of nurses and midwives.



We are calling on the public to support us. Nurses and midwives are always there for you when you need help. Now we need your help.
The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore has responded to claims it is cancelling day case and elective surgeries in order to curb their growing A&E overcrowding problem.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association claimed this week that this action was being taken at a number of hospitals, including Tullamore, in order to reduce their trolley numbers.

A spokesperson for the hospital has admitted that day case and elective surgeries "can occur in order to cope with such increases in acute presentations to the Emergency Department," but pointed out a number of other factors for such cancellations.

"The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore is the regional centre for Orthopaedics, ENT, Oncology, Haematology and Renal services for the Midlands and its environs. The number of day cases undertaken to the end of November 2018 was 30,469. This represents an increase of 1.6% on the same period last year," a spokesperson told the Offaly Express.

"While MRHT has experienced a slight drop in inpatient discharges over this period (-1.6%), attendances to our Emergency Department increased by 5.3 %. Cancellation of scheduled day case and elective procedures can occur in order to cope with such increases in acute presentations to the Emergency Department."

"There were also significant weather events in 2018 which resulted in the cancellation of non-urgent scheduled day case and elective procedures during the period."

"The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore always endeavours to avoid cancelling patient treatment and strive to reschedule cancelled patients as quickly as possible," they concluded.
Irish Rural Link are inviting farmers from Offaly and further afield to attend free computer classes in Tullamore Library this month.

Computer training for Farmers is starting on Thursday, January 17 from 5.30pm-7.30pm in Tullamore Library.

The overall aim of the programme is to get more farmers online and is run by Irish Rural Link.

The programme will cover topics such as Farmer Registration, Calf & Herd Register, Computer Literacy, Internet Search, Setting up Email & Online Shopping & Banking.

The training is provided by fully qualified Computer Tutors trained by the Department of Agriculture, Food & Marine. The IT Skills for Farmers training takes place over a five-week period with one two-hour class per week.

To book a place call Irish Rural Link on 090 648 2744.
Senegalese President Macky Sall (L) meets with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dakar, Senegal, on Jan. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)

DAKAR, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The dynamic and practical relations between Senegal and China are a fine example for other countries, and Senegal hopes to further cooperation with China in various fields, President Macky Sall said on Sunday.

He made the remarks during talks with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Sall extended congratulations upon the successful soft landing of China's Chang'e-4 lunar probe on the far side of the moon, saying that his country is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in such fields as science, technology and innovation.

The successful Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2018 shows China's strategic vision to develop China-Africa ties, the president said.

In the hearts of the African people, they know who is a true friend to them, Sall said, adding that Africa and China share a relationship featuring mutual respect, mutual benefit, win-win cooperation and common development.

Sall said Senegal is willing to push forward the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China and will support China's rightful stance on international affairs.

For his part, Wang said Chinese President Xi Jinping's successful and historic visit to the West African country in 2018 has injected strong impetus into the two countries' relations.

The solid political trust between China and Senegal consolidates the foundation for the two countries' high-quality cooperation in various areas, Wang said.

China is willing to be an enduring and reliable partner for Senegal, the Chinese foreign minister said. He called for r coordination between China and Senegal, the co-chairs of the FOCAC, to jointly implement the results of the summit and build a r community with a shared future for China and Africa.

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Farming is still Ireland's most dangerous profession according to new figures released by the Health and Safety Authority on Tuesday, January 8.

The figures show that 37 people were killed in work-related accidents in 2018, a decline of 23% on 2017 and the lowest figure since the establishment of the Authority in 1989.

The farming sector, which has consistently been the most dangerous sector in which to work, featured 15 work-related deaths last year compared to 25 in 2017, a decline of 40%. The fatal accident rate of 1.6 deaths per 100,000 workers is also now at an all-time low, according to the HSA.

One of these fatalities occurred in Offaly in 2018 when a man was killed by a bull while farming.

Dr. Sharon McGuinness, Chief Executive Officer of the Health and Safety Authority said, I very much welcome the decline in work-related fatalities in 2018. The fatality rate of 1.6 deaths per 100,000 workers is particularly significant given it was as high as 6.4 per 100,000 workers in the early 1990s."

"Due to the efforts of employers, employees and key stakeholders, there has been a huge improvement in health and safety standards since then. However, with 37 people losing their lives in work-related activity in 2018 there is clearly still more to be done."

Although farming has also seen a very strong improvement in 2018, 15 fatalities, which represents 41% of total fatalities, is still far too many for a sector that employs just 6% of the workforce. The next highest sector is construction with 5 deaths in 2018 (14% of the total) so both sectors will remain a key priority for us in 2019. I urge all stakeholders, particularly those in the farming and construction sectors, to focus their efforts to ensure 2019 sees a continuation of this very positive trend," Dr. McGuinness said.

The economy is thriving with thousands of new workers joining the workforce each month. There are challenges ahead such as Brexit and also the fact that many employers are facing a skills shortage in certain sectors. In this context it is important that worker health and safety stays on the priority list. Safe and healthy employees are the backbone of any successful enterprise."
President Trump's downfall begins tonight as he makes his case for The Wall that nobody wants, and if ever built will do little to prevent illegal immigration to the US.

I've been reading Jon Meacham's "The Soul of America," which includes lawyer Roy Cohn's description of the decline of his client Senator Joe McCarthy following the end of his communist witch-hunt hearings.

"By the time the hearings ended, McCarthy had been the center of the national and world spotlight for three and a half years. He had an urgent universal message, and people, whether they idolized or hated him, listened. Almost everything he said or did was chronicled," noted Cohn in his autobiography.

The lack of attention, according to the CohnMcCarthy's chief counsel during the hearingscontributed to his downfall.

"Human nature being what it is, any outstanding actor on the stage of public affairsand especially a holder of high officecannot remain indefinitely at the center of controversy. The pubic must eventually lose interest in him and his cause. And Joe McCarthy had nothing to offer but more of the same. The public sought new thrills. The surprise, the drama was gone," wrote Cohn.

Cohn admitted that McCarthy had many faults. "He was impatient, overly aggressive, overly dramatic. He acted on impulse. He tended to sensationalize the evidence he hadin order to draw attention to the rock-bottom seriousness of the situation. He would neglect to do important homework and consequently would, on occasion, make challengeable statements."

To Cohn, McCarthy was a salesman, "selling the story of America's peril. He knew that he could never hope to convince anybody by delivering a dry, general accounting office-type of presentation. In consequence, he stepped up circumstances a notch or two"

The Senate ultimately censured McCarthy, though he retained a 34 percent approval rating from his political base.

Trump's relentless pitch for the nonsensical Wall sounds a lot like McCarthy's crusade against non-existent communists in the US government.

Cohn, of course, served as Trump's lawyer when The Donald used his father's millions to expand from the family's Queens and Brooklyn base into the real estate Shangrai-La of Manhattan.


Laura McAleer

Defense Dept. veteran Laura McAleer has joined the University of Notre Dame as associate VP for federal and Washington relations.

The Notre Dame graduate has more than 20 years of DC experience in both the executive and congressional branches.

At the DOD, McAleer served as assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs and was spokesperson on funding priorities.

She also worked on Capitol Hill as foreign policy and national security adviser for four senators dealing with defense, intelligence and homeland security matters.

In her new job, McAleer succeeds the retiring John Strum, who became Notre Dame's first DC lobbyist in 2012.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump says there is a security crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border that can be addressed only by spending $5.7 billion on a wall.

Democrats have flatly refused to agree to the funding. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the wall an "immorality."

Photo gallery: See some of the latest images from the U.S.-Mexico border in a collection of photos at the bottom of this story

Trump will address the nation Tuesday to make the case for the wall, which he says would solve many of the issues at the border because it would deter people from trying to come to the United States.

But the debate raging in Washington largely overlooks the reality on the border  where issues are not easily solved by a barrier.

A look at some of those issues:

CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS MAKE FOR CHALLENGES

One of the biggest challenges isn't just stopping people from crossing the border, but figuring out what to do with those who have already crossed illegally.
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

Auckland may be set to record its first price decline in a decade, according to real estate company Barfoot & Thompson.

The uncertainty of the property market in 2018 stagnated Auckland prices throughout the year, with the city falling by nine places to the bottom of ASBs regional economic scoreboard in December. According to Barfoot managing director Peter Thompson, the market is currently marked by indecision as to where prices will be heading.

A range of factors contributed to market uncertainty at year end, Thompson said.

These included non-New Zealand residents being restricted from buying certain categories of property, the reported major decline of property prices in the major Australian cities, the potential for capital gains to be applied to investment properties in the future and concerns over world economic stability, in part caused by the trade friction between the United States and China.

In December the point was reached where it was vendors that were prepared to meet the market who were achieving a sale, while those holding out for their asking price were not.

Thompson says residential sales nonetheless performed better than in 2017, though the median price was down 0.8% year on year. This may reflect the start of a buyers market, as this is the first time the median price has declined year on year since the 2008 financial crisis, and renewed construction activity means more properties are up for grabs.

A stand out feature for me in 2018s sales data was the significant increase in the number of sales made in the under $500,000 price category, Thompson continued.

This increase can be linked directly to the higher number of apartments, terraced housing and town houses hitting the market, giving first time buyers and those on limited incomes far better access to property.

The average Auckland price in December was $950,312, up 1.3% on the previous month and 1.1% on December 2017.
In December, President Trump made an extraordinary declaration about U.S. involvement in Syria: We have won against ISIS. Now, its time for our troops to come back home. Ignoring advice from his generals and advisers, Trump said that the U.S. would leave Syria. Defense Department officials said that they were ordered to do it within 30 days. [explosion] Then came a flurry of criticism, even from inside his own party. I believe it is a catastrophic mistake. This is very disappointing. It needs to be reconsidered. Then, the resignations. First, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis quit. And Americas chief diplomat in the fight against ISIS, Brett McGurk, soon followed. Now, the timeline for a full withdrawal is unclear. I never said were doing it that quickly. He went on to say that the U.S. will leave at a proper pace while continuing to fight ISIS, a shift from  Theyre all coming back, and theyre coming back now. The nearly eight-year-long war in Syria has left hundreds of thousands of people dead. [explosion] So, how did we get here and what are U.S. forces doing in Syria? In 2011, uprisings rippled through the Middle East. Leaders fell in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. And after months of anti-government protests in Syria, the U.S. had a message for President Bashar al-Assad: This morning, President Obama called on Assad to step aside. He didnt and the conflict escalated. In 2012, Obama warned Assad against using Syrias stockpile of chemical weapons against his own people. Thats a red line for us, and that there would be enormous consequences if we start seeing the use of chemical weapons. A year later, Assads army launched a chemical attack on a Damascus suburb, killing 1,400 people. [screaming] In response, the U.S. debated airstrikes, but they were avoided when Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons. But a new threat was also emerging  ISIS. In 2014, the U.S. began supporting rebel groups to fight extremists, while also conducting airstrikes as part of an international coalition. These efforts expanded and the U.S. troop numbers grew from hundreds to the low thousands. In 2016, U.S.-supported fighters took control of the ISIS stronghold of Manbij  and in 2017 their de facto capital, Raqqa. There are now around 2,000 American forces in Syria who are largely fighting alongside the Kurdish groups. This has been a problem for Americas ally Turkey, which has a long-standing conflict with the Kurds. U.S. troops have had run-ins with Assads forces as well as groups backed by Russia and Iran. Since taking office, Trump has ordered two strikes on areas controlled by Assad in response to chemical weapons attacks. We are prepared to sustain this response, until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents. U.S. officials and allies dispute the claim that ISIS has been defeated. They warn that an American departure will weaken U.S. influence in the region and may embolden Russia, Iran and Turkey, who are also on the ground. The other worry? The move may inspire some ISIS fighters to return to Syria.
MADRID  Four decades after Spain transitioned from Francos dictatorship to democracy, the countrys far right has found its voice again in the nationalist, anti-immigrant Vox party.

The group made its mark in December in regional elections in Andalusia, in southern Spain, where it won parliamentary seats for the first time.

In the greater political sphere in Spain, Vox remains a small player. But some analysts say its appeal could spread, making it an important wild card in European Union parliamentary elections in May, when more traditional parties will be trying to hold off nationalist parties on the Continent.
LONDON  The idea was to show that the British government could deal with the chaotic cross-channel truck traffic expected in the event of a cliff-edge, no-deal Brexit. But only 89 of the 150 trucks expected showed up for the exercise, despite the offer of $700 to participate. And even those who took part ended up dismissing Operation Brock as window dressing and too little, too late.

As Parliament prepares for a momentous debate over Prime Minister Theresa Mays unpopular plan to leave the European Union, it is often hard to tell if her government wants to convince people of the utter calamity of a no-deal exit  the better to secure passage of the proposal  or to reassure them that everything is under control. It seems to be failing at both.

In the past week, it has awarded a $17.5 million contract to provide ferry service to a company with no ferries and conducted the widely mocked Operation Brock.

Far from allaying fears, Michael Gove, the environment minister, gave a speech to a farm group last week in which he warned of devastating 40 percent tariffs on British beef and lamb exports after a no-deal Brexit.
LONDON  The European Union penalized Iran on Tuesday over allegations that the countrys intelligence service orchestrated a series of assassination plots in Europe in recent years, including the killing of two Iranians in the Netherlands with ties to anti-government extremist groups.

In a letter outlining its justification for sanctions, the Dutch Foreign Ministry cited strong indications that Iran was involved in the assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin, one in 2015 in the city of Almere and another in 2017 in The Hague.

European intelligence officials have also linked the Iranian government to unsuccessful plots in Denmark and France.

In the Dutch governments opinion, hostile acts of this kind flagrantly violate the sovereignty of the Netherlands and are unacceptable, the letter said.
Putting to rest any suspicion that the sightings at Heathrow, about 15 miles west of central London, were false alarms, Commander Cundy said, Police officers were amongst those who saw the drone and a full criminal investigation has been launched.

The Metropolitan Police, which investigates cases believed to involve terrorism throughout Britain, played a secondary role behind the Sussex Police in investigating the Gatwick case, because officials never determined whether it might be terrorism. That prompted calls from some lawmakers for the Metropolitan force to take over the investigation, particularly after two suspects were arrested by the Sussex Police, but then cleared and exonerated.

Operating a drone within a kilometer of an airport is illegal, but aviation security experts have called for an exclusion radius of five kilometers, or about three miles.

The partial shutdown on Tuesday was all the more dispiriting because it came only days after Heathrow and Gatwick announced they had ordered military-grade anti-drone equipment to ward off incursions. Both airports have declined to say what the new technology is, or what anti-drone measures they already had in place.

A spokeswoman for Gatwick told British news outlets that its new system had been installed and that it matched the capability of the military, which deployed at the airport during the shutdown there. The airport said it had spent several million pounds to purchase the equipment.

It was not clear whether Heathrow had already installed its new defense system. The airport was said by a person briefed on its security to have some limited anti-drone technology in place before the Gatwick incursions.

A BBC producer, speaking on Tuesday from a plane that was waiting to take off from Heathrow, told the network that passengers on her flight had not been given a reason for the delay. At the moment, she said, weve been told were not going anywhere.
BERLIN  Three men attacked a lawmaker from the far-right party Alternative for Germany, the police said Tuesday, leaving the official with serious injuries to his head and upper body.

The lawmaker, Frank Magnitz, 66, the leader of the partys chapter in Bremen, was attacked on Monday and remained hospitalized on Tuesday, Thomas Jurgewitz, the deputy head of the Bremen chapter, said in a telephone interview. He added that Mr. Magnitz was expected to make a full recovery.

A photograph posted to Facebook by the AfD Bremen chapter showed Mr. Magnitz bloodied and bruised, with a deep gash on his forehead. The brutality of the attack and the rarity of such violence against a public official prompted widespread condemnation and calls for justice from across the countrys political spectrum.

The brutal attack on the member of the Bundestag Frank Magnitz in Bremen is to be condemned sharply, Steffen Seibert, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkels government, wrote on Twitter. Hopefully, the police will be able to catch the perpetrators quickly.
BRUSSELS  The Trump administration downgraded the diplomatic status of the European Unions delegation to the United States last year without making a formal announcement or informing the bloc about the change, a European official said on Tuesday.

After protest from Brussels and discussion between the European Union and the Trump administration, the reclassification of the delegation and the consequent demotion of the ambassador, David OSullivan, is understood to have been reversed, at least temporarily, the official said.

Mr. Trump has been critical of multilateral institutions, and his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, delivered a provocative speech in Brussels on Dec. 4 in which he questioned the value of multinational organizations and institutions like the United Nations and the European Union. Mr. Pompeo then asked whether the European Union was ensuring that the interests of countries and their citizens are placed before those of bureaucrats here in Brussels.

The next day, the European Unions demotion from a member state to an international organization became clear at the funeral of President George Bush, when Mr. OSullivans name was not called in the expected order, dictated by diplomatic protocols. The names of diplomats who had gathered in Washington to pay their respects were spoken, as is custom, from the longest-serving to the newest ambassador, a European Union official told the German news agency Deutsche Welle. But he was called up as the last person.
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina  After his 21-year-old son David was found dead in a creek last March, Davor Dragicevic, a waiter in a cafe, took matters into his own hands.

Dissatisfied with official explanations that David Dragicevic had been a drug addict and a thief, and had killed himself or been murdered by a criminal gang, Mr. Dragicevic started a one-man protest movement that has grown into the largest antigovernment demonstration in Bosnia in decades.

Now the elder Mr. Dragicevic, 49, has not been seen in public since Dec. 30, when he led thousands on a march around Banja Luka, the capital of the Serb autonomous region in eastern Bosnia, demanding the resignation of the interior minister, Dragan Lukac. He was last seen by local journalists as he was being pursued by plainclothes police officers.

The Bosnian Serb police have issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Dragicevic, charging him with incitement and threatening public safety. On Monday, Mr. Dragicevic posted a video message on Facebook.
Myanmar says its army will crush an insurgent group that attacked four police stations in a western border region last week, the latest escalation in a tangle of slow-burning civil wars between the government and armed ethnic insurgencies.

The attacks Friday in the western state of Rakhine came less than three weeks after the government declared a temporary suspension of military operations against other armed groups in parts of the countrys north and east. Analysts see a familiar pattern, in which halting progress toward peace in one part of Myanmar is undercut by flaring violence in another.

The attacks on the police stations, carried out by an armed group called the Arakan Army, are part of a monthlong insurgency that has displaced thousands of civilians in Rakhine State. The campaign has added another complicated level of complexity onto an already complicated situation, and revealed the depths of a Rakhine nationalism which has not been well understood since 2012, said David Scott Mathieson, an independent political analyst in Myanmar.

Mr. Mathieson was referring to a year when violence flared between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine, leaving more than 100,000 people homeless. Both groups have long been marginalized by Myanmars Bamar ethnic majority, and the Arakan Army was formed about a decade ago by Rakhine nationalists who oppose Bamar-centric rule.
HONG KONG  A man attacked and injured 20 children with a hammer on Tuesday at an elementary school in Beijing, the local authorities said.

Three children at the Beijing No. 1 Affiliated Elementary School of Xuanwu Normal School in the district of Xicheng were seriously injured in the late-morning attack, the district government said on the social media site Sina Weibo. But none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening, it said.

A 49-year-old maintenance worker at the school was taken into custody by the police, the government said. The statement identified the man by his surname, Jia, and said he was from the northeastern province of Heilongjiang. It said he was believed to have attacked the children because the school would not renew his contract.

The man attacked the students between classes with a hammer that he used for repairs, the statement said.
JOHANNESBURG  At least three people were killed and approximately 300 were injured on Tuesday after two trains collided in South Africas administrative capital, Pretoria, an emergency services official said.

The crash, at 9:30 a.m., left 82 passengers with serious injuries after a packed train careered into a stationary train at the Mountain View station.

We do not rule out the possibility of additional fatalities as we search under the wreckage, the emergency official, Charles Mabaso, told Reuters.

The authorities were investigating the cause of the collision, the latest in a series of train accidents in South Africa, which has the continents largest rail network.
President Trumps greatest hurdle in persuading Americans that there is a national security crisis on the southwest border may well be his own credibility.

Mr. Trump is using a rare currency  a prime-time address to the nation  to make the case for a border wall with Mexico, an issue that has forced a partial shutdown of the federal government.

His penchant for superlatives  the best, the worst, never, always, and now, crisis  and his record of falsehoods, misstatements and exaggerations on the topic will likely be challenged as never before .
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court refused on Tuesday to intercede in a mysterious fight over a sealed grand jury subpoena to a foreign corporation issued by a federal prosecutor who may or may not be Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel investigating the Trump-Russia affair.

The courts action means the corporation, which has not been identified, must provide information to the prosecutor or face financial penalties. The courts two-sentence order gave no reasons and provided no details.

Almost everything about the case has been cloaked in secrecy. But a three-page order issued on Dec. 18 and a more detailed opinion studded with blacked-out passages issued on Tuesday after the Supreme Court acted, both from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, provided a few hints.

Judges David S. Tatel and Thomas B. Griffith joined the appeals courts unsigned majority opinion, and Judge Stephen F. Williams agreed with the outcome but not all of the majoritys reasoning.
Why Mr. Manafort wanted them to see American polling data is unclear. He might have hoped that any proof that he was managing a winning candidate would help him collect money he claimed to be owed for his work on behalf of the Ukrainian parties.

About the same time, Mr. Manafort was also trying to curry favor with Oleg V. Deripaska, a Russian billionaire close to the Kremlin and an associate of Mr. Kilimnik. In July 2016, Mr. Manafort, then the Trump campaign chairman, told Mr. Kilimnik that he could offer Mr. Deripaska private briefings, according to emails reported by The Washington Post. Mr. Deripaska had claimed Mr. Manafort owed him millions from a failed business venture, and Mr. Manafort may have been trying to use his status in the campaign to hold him at bay.

The surprise disclosures about Mr. Manafort were the latest in two years of steady revelations about contacts between associates of Mr. Trumps and Russian officials or operatives. In another development on Tuesday, the Russian lawyer who met with senior campaign officials at Trump Tower in June 2016 was charged with obstruction of justice in an unrelated case. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan said that the lawyer, Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, had pretended to a federal judge that she was purely a private defense lawyer when in fact she was working with the Russian government to thwart the civil prosecution of a Russian company.

Of the various Russian intermediaries to the Trump campaign, Mr. Kilimnik appears to be one of the most important to Mr. Muellers inquiry. A Russian citizen and resident, he faces charges from Mr. Muellers team of tampering with witnesses who had information about Mr. Manafort, but Mr. Kilimnik is not expected to ever stand trial. He did not respond to a phone call and email seeking comment on Tuesday.

His relationship with Mr. Manafort dates back years. The two men worked together to promote a Russia-aligned politician, Viktor F. Yanukovych, who rose to Ukraines presidency, was ousted in a popular uprising and fled to Russia in 2014. The two men continued working together over the next three years as Mr. Manaforts financial troubles grew and investigators began to investigate a fraud scheme that eventually led to his conviction for 10 felonies.

In August 2016, apparently just before Mr. Manafort was fired from the Trump campaign, he and Mr. Kilimnik met to discuss a plan for Ukraine that seemed to further Russias interests. They also met several times afterward, including once in Madrid in early 2017. In an interview in February 2017 in Kiev, Ukraines capital, Mr. Kilimnik suggested the plan would have involved reviving the political fortunes of Mr. Yanukovych, the ousted Ukrainian leader.

For Russia, trying to influence the incoming Trump administrations policy on Ukraine was of paramount importance. The economic sanctions imposed after Russia annexed Crimea damaged the Russian economy, and various emissaries have tried to convince administration officials to broker a resolution to a long-running guerrilla war between Russia and Ukraine.
WASHINGTON  Emboldened House Democrats, seeking a politically charged debate on gun control, unveiled legislation on Tuesday to expand background checks to nearly all firearms purchases, a move timed to mark the eighth anniversary of the mass shooting in Arizona that nearly killed former Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

By introducing the measure less than one week after taking control of the House, Democrats are signaling that it is a top priority. A vote could come within the first 100 days of the new Congress. The measure, and a companion bill introduced Tuesday in the Senate, also reflects the changing politics around gun laws, an issue many Democrats once shied away from.

The bill, which will almost certainly pass the House but will face a steep climb in the Republican-controlled Senate, would require background checks on the purchases of nearly all firearms, including those sold at gun shows and over the internet. There would be limited exceptions, including for law enforcement officers and for guns transferred between close family members.

Polls have shown that a vast majority of Americans  by some estimates, 90 percent  support universal background checks for all gun purchases. Many Democrats, including Representative Lucy McBath, a freshman from Georgia whose son was shot and killed at a Florida gas station, were elected last year after promising to address gun safety.
Logistically, impeaching a president or other top government official involves two steps.

A majority of the House must first vote to approve articles of impeachment, which essentially serve as an indictment of the official and sets up a trial in the Senate. Then, two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict the official to remove him or her from office.

To date, only two presidents have been impeached  Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. Both were acquitted in the Senate. According to the Congressional Research Service, of the 15 federal judges, one senator and one cabinet member whom the House has voted to impeach since 1797, the Senate convicted eight federal judges.

For those hoping that Congress might impeach Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, there is even less precedent for impeaching members of the nations highest court than for the presidency. The House has only once voted to impeach a Supreme Court justice  Justice Samuel Chase in 1804  and he was also acquitted by the Senate.

Mr. Trump, for his part, has cast impeachment proceedings as a political liability for Democrats. In a Friday tweet, he also again wrongly claimed that he is the most popular Republican president in histo ry.
For the second time in two years, Los Angeles detectives have found a man dead inside the apartment of Ed Buck, a political activist who rose to national prominence in the late 1980s for his effort to recall the governor of Arizona, the authorities said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said it received a 911 call shortly after 1 a.m. on Monday from a person who claimed that a man inside a West Hollywood apartment had stopped breathing and could not be resuscitated. When emergency responders arrived at the residence, a second-floor unit on Laurel Avenue, they declared the man dead.

The authorities have not determined how the man died, nor have they publicly released his identity other than to say he was an adult black man. A group of protesters rallied outside Mr. Bucks apartment throughout the day Monday and demanded justice for the man and for another black man, Gemmel Moore, who was found naked and dead of a drug overdose on a mattress in Mr. Bucks living room in July 2017.

The sheriffs office said that homicide detectives were among those who responded to Mr. Bucks residence on Monday, and that it would review its investigation into the death of Mr. Moore, 26, and conduct new interviews. Mr. Buck, now 64, was not charged in Mr. Moores death.
Angela Davis, the activist and scholar, said this week that she was stunned after a civil rights group in her native Birmingham, Ala., reversed its decision to honor her with an award amid protests over her support for a boycott of Israel.

Professor Davis, once a global hero of the left who has since earned renown for her scholarship, had been selected for the human rights award months ago by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, but the groups board rescinded the honor on Friday.

In announcing the move, the institute did not offer an explanation, saying only that she unfortunately does not meet all of the criteria on which the award is based. But Professor Davis said in a statement on Facebook on Monday that she had learned it was because of her long-term support of justice for Palestine. The revocation of the award, she added, was not primarily an attack against me but rather against the very spirit of the indivisibility of justice.

In a statement expressing dismay at the controversy, Mayor Randall Woodfin of Birmingham said the decision had come amid protests from our local Jewish community and some of its allies.
Two months ago, while walking through the old market in Sharm el Sheikh by myself, I tried to just embrace it. I had no plan, no internet, and no direction whatsoever. I wandered into a textile shop and saw elaborate designs that reminded me of Lahore. I wandered into a hidden tea market and bought two bags of tea that smelled like mangoes for my sister. I wandered into a tiny local skin care shop, where I had a two-hour conversation with the salesman and bought the best rose face mask Ive ever used. It doesnt even have a name.

During a recent trip to South Africa, my friend Natasha Khan found herself off track while hiking a trail near Cape Town. She got separated from her group as she stopped to take photos of the various flora and fauna. Hurrying to find them, she went the wrong way and ended up on a main road, which just happened to be near an African penguin sanctuary.

There was a man sitting on the side of the road, she said, with the biggest, cheesiest smile plastered on his face.

His smile caught her eye, so she walked over. He was surrounded by small tin cups and plates, on which he had hand-painted penguins. They talked for awhile and she bought some cups for herself and her friends. Now she keeps them on her shelf to remind her of that moment. That little diversion turned out to be one of the best memories she has from the trip.

Its increasingly difficult to really be lost. Google Maps, Yelp and a seemingly endless number of other apps are always waiting in our pockets to help us find our way. But maybe that convenience has a cost. Sure, its nice to discover the best restaurant nearby and have your phone guide you there, but I have a feeling were losing something. What are we missing when we only see what we want to see?
To update a bathroom, you could swap out the cabinet pulls and switch the faucet. But if youre ready for a bigger change, almost nothing is more effective than new tile.

Replacing tiles that are damaged, stained, outdated or just not to your liking is an opportunity not just to refresh a bathroom, but to give it a whole new style. And with all of the materials, shapes and colors currently available, you have the chance to create something extraordinary.

But thats also the problem: With all those choices, how do you know youve made the best one?
A chorus of criticism inevitably greeted Mr. Trumps recent statement that Iranian forces can do what they want in Syria. Yet read as a statement of fact rather than the extension of a green light, he stumbled upon a self-evident truth: Notwithstanding Israels successful efforts to limit Irans importation of advanced weaponry into Syria, Tehrans position in the country is essentially secure.

Mr. Trump is correct that the better course is to extricate ourselves from Syria, but his fatal error has been in its implementation. Most egregiously, his snap decision during a telephone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey betrayed our Kurdish partners who led the fight against the Islamic State and risked being exposed to assault by Turkey and the Syrian regime.

A more responsible course would have been to use the prospect of an eventual American withdrawal to help avert a subsequent conflict between the Kurds and their adversaries. If, as he is now suggesting, the president withdraws the troops more gradually rather than right away, that opportunity might still exist.

It requires Mr. Trump to use that time wisely. He should start by abandoning the dangerous notion of Turkey seizing areas controlled by Kurdish forces and instead allow the Kurds  in the absence of long-term American protection  to negotiate an understanding with the Syrian regime. This might entail returning some aspects of the Syrian state to northeast Syria, Kurdish forces retaining their military capacity but lowering its profile and a degree of self-governance for the region.

In Afghanistan too, Mr. Trumps bottom line was correct. After more than 17 years of combat and a virtual stalemate, at best, for more than a decade, there is little rationale for continuing to expend American blood and treasure on a conflict trending badly, with unclear objectives.

But here too, the self-proclaimed great negotiator erred in folding Americas limited cards for nothing in return, rather than using his willingness to withdraw as an incentive for the Taliban  currently locked in negotiations with Mr. Trumps own diplomats  to make peace.

So much is objectionable about the Trump era that it is hard for critics to know which targets to strike. But principled opposition requires that progressive opponents of President Trump not distort their beliefs for quick rhetorical wins. Whatever administration eventually follows will have many messes to clean up and will need to distinguish those that truly matter.
Dr. ONeill said that he and his colleagues had worried about communities reaction to the program. But people who understand dengue and live in transmission areas are horrified and scared, he said. I live in Saigon, where transmission is through the roof. Were not seeing any community pushback.

The cost of the program in Townsville was $13 per person covered, but that was because its a sprawling city. In a place like Rio, where people live closer together, the cost is $4 per person. That might save Rio money over all. Its a onetime cost. And treating dengue and Zika are expensive; babies with Zika-related microcephaly may need lifelong care. Dr. ONeill said he hoped to get the cost down to $1 per person.

The programs strategy of replacing bad mosquitoes with good ones has some disadvantages as well. Unfortunately, it doesnt reduce the number of mosquitoes or their bites.

Also, theres a trade-off. The better Wolbachia does at blocking disease, the more it weakens the mosquito. Weaker mosquitoes are less able to spread into the population and maintain their hold. The World Mosquito Program is using the best Wolbachia strain possible, said Dr. Xi, who is not involved in the program. But the technology needs to be improved so we are able to develop a mosquito that can completely block the virus and still be able to spread into the population.

Dr. Xi, who is now a professor at Michigan State University, uses Wolbachia in a different way: to eliminate the mosquito population. He heads a research collaboration between M.S.U. and Sun Yat-sen University, in which the universities built a mosquito factory in Guangzhou, China. Dr. Xi also is leading a project with Autonomous University of Yucatan to start another factory, in Merida, Mexico.

The China factory can produce 60 million Wolbachia-infected male mosquitoes per week, he said. Unlike the replacement strategy, an elimination strategy releases only males. Sex-sorting is expensive and difficult. Essentially, mosquitoes are put through a giant sieve, which separates males from the larger females. But releasing only males makes it possible to clear an area of all mosquitoes: When the existing females, which are all uninfected, mate with an infected male, their eggs wont hatch. So the population is gradually reduced.

This strategy creates a double attack on dengue and Zika: The infected mosquitoes dont transmit disease, and their population dwindles to the point where they cant keep an epidemic going. It could also get a warmer welcome from local residents, as the only mosquitoes released are males, which dont bite.
To the Editor:

Re American Jews and Israeli Jews Break Up, by Jonathan Weisman (news analysis, Sunday Review, Jan. 6):

We would do well to consider the theology of the Zionist Martin Buber. In the relationship Buber calls I-thou, parties remain concerned with each others fears and hopes while maintaining the right to advance their self-defined interests.

Liberal American Jews (I am one) cannot expect the Israeli government to abandon political alliances it deems necessary for survival, negotiate a two-state solution and support equal rights for non-Orthodox Jews just because we want it. Nor can the Israeli government suppose that liberal American Jews will forsake our moral assumptions and defend Israeli policies those principles impel us to challenge.

American Jews and Israeli Jews need each other and must support each other. But we cannot govern for each other, and we remain fully within our rights to critique each other.

There are times we dont like those we love. Yet Buber reminds us that with patience and effort, the I-thou can be re-established, as it can be between American Jews and Israeli Jews. Governments change. External crises arise, overriding the luxury of internal disputes. Mr. Weismans Great Schism is far from inevitable.
Their entry was followed by violent protests, many carried out by young men with the backing of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which governs India. The Sabarimala row has now engulfed not only Kerala, but the rest of the country. Religious sentiment and political opportunism have kept the issue in the spotlight, where it is likely to remain as the country braces for a parliamentary election this year.

Indias reputation as a brutally patriarchal society isnt misbegotten, but it ignores how varied the status of women is here. In Kerala, because of early social justice movements and relatively enlightened governance, women have enjoyed freedoms not common elsewhere in the country. Over the 20th century, women in the state had freer access to health care and education than in many parts of India. Some communities had inheritance customs that gave women an unusual amount over control of property and private finances.

But Keralas Hindus could also be more rigid and hierarchical than their counterparts elsewhere. The 19th-century reformer Swami Vivekananda called the state a lunatic asylum for its humiliating range of caste discriminations.

Sabarimala devotees often pride themselves on having escaped these fetters. The shrine is nominally open to persons of all religions. It is not known to have practiced caste exclusion, and its priests have said they will admit transgender people without a menstrual cycle. While other Ayyappan temples in India admit women of all ages, the faithful say that the exclusion of notionally fertile women is essential to the practices of this one shrine. Some female supporters of the ban even began a campaign called #ReadyToWait  that is, for menopause.
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Natalia V. Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who in 2016 met with Trump campaign officials in Trump Tower, was charged on Tuesday in a separate case that showed her close ties to the Kremlin.

Ms. Veselnitskaya, a pivotal figure in the investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election, was charged by federal prosecutors in Manhattan with seeking to thwart an earlier investigation into money laundering that involved an influential Russian businessman and his investment firm.

The money-laundering case was not directly related to the Trump Tower meeting. But a federal indictment returned in Manhattan seemed to confirm that Ms. Veselnitskaya had deep ties to senior Russian government officials and rekindled questions about whether the Kremlin tried to use her as an intermediary to Donald J. Trumps campaign.

The charge stems from a 2013 civil investigation by the Manhattan prosecutors into the role that some of Ms. Veselnitskayas clients  Prevezon Holdings and its owner, Denis P. Katsyv  played in a scheme to launder ill-gotten money through New York real estate purchases.
Not that long ago, women werent even allowed to walk on the floor of these chambers, she said.

Ms. Stewart-Cousins then proceeded to list the many reforms she said will follow this year. A sampling: the codification of abortion rights under state law; expansion of voting rights; protection of child sex abuse victims; bail reform; a revamp of campaign finance laws.

There is nothing to stop us, and there is so much more that we have to accomplish, she said.

While that may be true on some bills  the ones above are expected to sail through  on others, fissures are already showing. And for the most part, the disagreements are within the Democratic Party: between urban legislators and those from outside cities, moderates and progressives.

In other words, the liveliness of the first day is sure to continue in the months ahead, but the fate of the optimism remains to be seen.

Here are five of the most pressing and vexing questions that loom in Albany:

How will we fund the subway system?

The subways need money. The subways have no money. On that much, lawmakers agree. But when it comes to how to get that money, things get complicated fast.
The top health official who created the San Francisco program, Mitchell H. Katz, is now the head of New York Citys hospital system and will oversee the citys effort, branded as NYC Care. Its a much bigger and more compassionate vision, said Mr. Katz, comparing New Yorks proposed program to the much smaller one in San Francisco.

The mayor was quick to say that the plan would not be a substitute for any universal health care at the state level or a national single-payer plan. But, aides said, it was something the city could do immediately and on its own, without approval from the State Legislature, which is weighing some form of universal health insurance for New York State.

Indeed, the mayors proposal is a mix of insurance and direct spending, and Mr. de Blasio said it would take about two years to get it fully running. The city already has a kind of public option for health insurance for low-income New Yorkers, through an insurance plan run by city hospitals known as MetroPlus.

The new proposal would improve that coverage, which already insures some 516,000 people, and aim to reach more of those who are eligible, such as the young and uninsured, and others who qualify but have not applied.

It would also provide additional direct city spending, at least $100 million per year when fully implemented, officials said, for the citys hospital system to support care for those without insurance. The city estimates the uninsured population to be about 600,000 people, including as many as 300,000 undocumented residents. A major component of that effort would be improving customer service, including the phone line, to help those with questions about their care.

Part of the goal of NYC Care, aides to the mayor said, was to direct people to medical care earlier  before they seek more expensive services in an emergency room  while providing them with better health care.

The effort is also aimed at getting some of the so-called young-and-invincible uninsured population into the health care system, either through the citys insurance plan or through its hospital system.
Katie Morillo used to be a rushing New York commuter. She knows all too well that people are trying to get where theyre going as quickly as possible  and are easily frustrated by anything that slows them down.

Now shes on the other side of the equation.

When Ms. Morillo was 20, a car accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. She now uses an electric wheelchair.

Theres always that one person that has that attitude and says something, Ms. Morillo, 34, said in a recent interview. It doesnt faze me. Were all trying to get somewhere. Youre taking it out on me? Its not working.
Corinths infrastructure runs so leanly as to be almost invisible: There are no public buses, and Alcorn County recently announced that it would stop funding the local railroad museum. Tax rates in Corinth have dropped slightly in recent years, while the percentage of revenue generated by criminal-justice-related debt has grown. According to the annual audit submitted by Corinth to the state, in fiscal year 2017, the year Jamie Tillman was arrested for public intoxication, general fund revenues for the city were just $10.8 million. Total revenue for the year was $20.3 million, half of which came from taxes; close to $7 million came from intergovernmental revenue, or grants and funds from the state and federal authorities. And approximately $623,000 came from what the city defines as fines and forfeitures.

The Corinth city clerk declined to answer questions about the breakdown of the budget or how the revenue from fines compares with those of neighboring towns, referring questions to the city attorney, Wendell Trapp, who did not respond to emails seeking comment. But a report completed in 2017 by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights offers some answers. Combing Census Bureau data and city audit documents, the commission noted that of nearly 4,600 American municipalities with populations above 5,000, the median received less than 1 percent of their revenue from fines and fees. But a sizable number of cities, like Doraville, Ga., or Saint Ann, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, have reported fines-and-fees revenue amounting to 10 percent or more of total municipal income.

Corinths revenue from fines in 2017 was 5.7 percent of its general fund revenues, putting it  if not quite at the Saint Ann level  at the high end when compared with the municipalities in the Commission on Civil Rightss report. When I sent Joanna Weiss, of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, a copy of the 2017 Corinth audit, she noted that this would be dismaying enough in itself. But you can also see, she added, that the biggest expenditure, by far, for the city of Corinth is public safety  including court and police services, or the very people extracting the fines.

In 2017, Micah West and Sara Wood of the S.P.L.C. drove to Corinth to open an investigation into the Municipal Court, with an eye toward later filing a lawsuit  the most effective way, they believed, to halt Judge John C. Rosss jailing of low-income defendants. During court sessions, they would often walk down the hall to the clerks office, where defendants were permitted to use a landline phone to make a final plea for the cash that would set them free. The space amounted to an earthly purgatory: Secure the money, and you were saved. Fail, and youd be sent to jail. All around us, people would be crying or yelling, getting more and more desperate, Wood recalled.

That October, she watched a 59-year-old man named Kenneth Lindsey enter the office, his lean arms hanging lank by his side, his face gaunt and pale. Lindsey had been in court for driving with an expired registration, but he hadnt been able to afford the fines: He was suffering from hepatitis C and liver cancer, and he had spent the very last of his savings on travel to Tupelo for a round of chemotherapy. Until his next state disability check arrived, he was broke. Can you help? Lindsey whispered into the phone.

A few seconds of silence passed. All right, then. Thanks anyway.

Finally, around 1:45 p.m., Lindsey managed to get through to his sister. She barely had $100 herself, but she promised to drive it over after her shift was through.
What to know: A common feeling with a weak pelvic floor is that theres something stuck in the vagina. Childbirth can exacerbate or cause a weak floor, since tissue that stretches is more vulnerable to age and injury. There is also a big genetic component, and smoking can weaken the floor.

A tense floor is more complex, in that women can have it from birth or develop it at an early age. A floor can also tighten or spasm after sexual trauma or an event that caused pain, including a yeast infection.

Pelvic organ prolapse

What is it? Its the sagging of ones cervix and vaginal wall toward the vaginal opening.

What to know: It occurs normally with age since pelvic tissue, stretchy by nature, is more vulnerable to gravity and aging. Fifty percent of women will develop some form of it over time, and most women dont get symptoms until it has progressed.

The most common symptom is the feeling that something is falling out. But its important to note that a pelvic floor spasm, which in many ways is an opposite condition, can cause the same sensation.

Incontinence

What is it? There are two main types: stress incontinence, when urine leaks when pressure is exerting on the bladder by coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting something. And theres overactive bladder, or having to urinate even though theres only a small amount of liquid in the bladder. Its possible to have both conditions at the same time.

What to know: A lot of women are not screened for incontinence, and ignoring it can lead to a lot of issues. If it gets severe, it can lead to social isolation. There are effective treatments, including medication, physical therapy or bladder retraining. It can also be controlled with an incontinence ring called a pessary. Injecting Botox into the bladder, a treatment for overactive bladder, is extremely effective by preventing muscles in the bladder from spasming from low volume of urine.
Headliner

Violet

Rhode Island, where Emily and Matthew Hyland met in college, has inspired their sixth and most elegant restaurant. For this latest venture, the two, who were instrumental in bringing square Detroit-style pizzas to Brooklyn, Manhattan and Nashville, are focusing on grilled pizzas in the style of Al Forno in Providence  neither round nor square but misshapen, as Mr. Hyland put it. Theyre topped with clams, hoisin sauce and duck prosciutto; grilled squash, Sichuan oil and chevre; and other combinations. There are also stuffies, the fist-size baked clams loved by Rhode Islanders, though Mr. Hyland said he would use more modest littlenecks instead of quahogs. The chef on hand is Alex Urena, whose restaurant Urena received two stars from Frank Bruni in The New York Times in 2006. Mr. Hyland will oversee the menu , which includes varying pasta dishes and plates . All come from an open kitchen in the back of the intimate space, which has a warmly lit arched ceiling and Art Deco touches. (Opens Thursday)

511 East Fifth Street (Avenue A), 646-850-5900, violeteastvillage.com.

Opening

La Central

In planning the menu for the restaurant in the Hotel Americano in Chelsea, the chef Franklin Becker started to look to Mexico. (The hotels owners are from Mexico City.) But then, he said, he spoke with members of his staff, who came from Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Colombia and the Dominican Republic, in addition to Mexico, and invited them to explain the dishes they like to cook. Those conversations informed the menu. Acapulco-style ceviche, Peruvian leche de tigre shrimp, Colombian potato empanadas and Salvadoran mushroom pupusas are some of the dishes. Tacos, fish or steak for two, and arbol-spiced chicken are also on the menu. Mr. Becker has come up with savory churros crullers stuffed with cheese and garlic-jalapeno butter. The room is mostly gray, with marble tables and black leather seating. (Thursday)

518 West 27th Street, 212- 216-0000, hotel-americano.com.

Gitano Jungle Room

Last summer in SoHo, palms and other greenery decorated Gitano NYC, a pop-up version of a restaurant in Tulum, Mexico. It stayed open until October, despite a couple of interruptions by the city health department. Now James Gardner, who runs Grupo Gitano, has relocated it to the nearby James Hotel. The semi-underground room that was David Burke Kitchen is thick with trees and plants. Gitanos esteemed consulting chef, Mads Refslund of Sweden, and the executive chef and partner Yvan Lemoine are overseeing the creative Mexican menu.

The James Hotel, 23 Grand Street (Avenue of the Americas), 212-201-9119, grupogitano.com/nyc.

Fiaschetteria Pistoia

A West Village branch of this Italian restaurant with roots in Pistoia, Italy, near Florence, has opened. For fans of its mostly Tuscan menu, its in the nick of time: A fire on Christmas morning caused the East Village location to be closed temporarily. The new restaurant seats only 20, and does not take reservations.

114 Christopher Street (Bedford Street), 646-609-2911 .
Mr. Chang is a close observer of the ways society assigns high status to the food of some cultures and devalues the cooking of others. One of his greatest hits is a riff about New Yorkers who complain about $17 bowls of ramen while paying $30 for spaghetti. If he has a routine about vertical rotisseries Ive never heard it, but surely he is alive to the associations they conjure, from Greek diners to taco trucks to the Halal Guys carts parked near Columbus Circle. If anybody grasps the cultural implications of bringing $6 street-meat sandwiches indoors where they can perfume the air breathed by consumers of Pink shirts and Floga furs, it is Mr. Chang.

Bang Bar might make more sense as a provocation than a business concern. It begins serving at 8:30 a.m. and closes when the food is gone, usually by 1 or 2 p.m. In the weeks after its opening, on Halloween, the lines were worthy of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Employees tried to appease the horde by handing out off-the-menu snacks, like rice porridge with fermented shiitakes, and asking whimsical survey questions. (Do you keep peanut butter in the fridge?)

After Mr. Chang opened a Momofuku Noodle Bar in the space next door, Bang Bars crowds grew somewhat more manageable, and when I showed up for breakfast at the end of December, there was no line at all. Maybe Deutsche Bank employees will keep Bang Bars early shift afloat, but right now its success seems to hinge on the lunch rush.

There are two rotisseries. After 11 a.m., one spit is buried deep inside a missile of dark chicken marinated with a yakitori-style glaze. The other is at the center of a red, dripping, gochujang-rubbed tower of pork. Ideally, whichever meat you choose will have built up a dark outer bark that can be lopped off with a few knife strokes and stacked on to a disc of griddled flatbread. The bread, thicker than a tortilla and less oily than a roti, will be rolled tight, like a cigarette, then bent in half, with both open ends at the top. This is called, in Bang Bar parlance, a U.
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WASHINGTON  Americas carbon dioxide emissions rose by 3.4 percent in 2018, the biggest increase in eight years, according to a preliminary estimate published Tuesday.

Strikingly, the sharp uptick in emissions occurred even as a near-record number of coal plants around the United States retired last year, illustrating how difficult it could be for the country to make further progress on climate change in the years to come, particularly as the Trump administration pushes to roll back federal regulations that limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The estimate, by the research firm Rhodium Group, pointed to a stark reversal. Fossil fuel emissions in the United States have fallen significantly since 2005 and declined each of the previous three years, in part because of a boom in cheap natural gas and renewable energy, which have been rapidly displacing dirtier coal-fired power.

Yet even a steep drop in coal use last year wasnt enough to offset rising emissions in other parts of the economy. Some of that increase was weather-related: A relatively cold winter led to a spike in the use of oil and gas for heating in areas like New England.
Stocks added to a streak of recent gains on Tuesday, as investors anticipated progress in trade-deal negotiations between the United States and China.

The S&P 500 rose nearly 1 percent and shares in Europe were modestly higher. Trading in Asia was mixed.

[Read more about the state of the trade talks in Beijing, and what a visit by Kim Jong-un to China might mean.]
At Lambda, students pay nothing upfront. But they are required to pay 17 percent of their salary to Lambda for two years if they get a job that pays more than $50,000. (Lambda says 83 percent of its students get a job with a median salary of $70,000 within six months of graduating.) If they dont get a job, or their salary is lower, they pay nothing. Payments are capped at $30,000, so a highly paid student isnt penalized for success, and if a student loses a job, the payments pause.

It is a model that so far has been aimed at vocational education but has the potential to end the crushing cycle of student debt and change the way schools think about students.

It aligns the incentives fully, said Mr. Lewis, the venture capitalist.

The school is incentivized to only enroll motivated students who wont drop out; it is incentivized to successfully teach them the skills they will need on the job; it is incentivized to find them a job; and it is incentivized to make sure they are a success once theyre on the job because the school relies on employers to keep hiring its graduates.

There are no schools that are incentivized to make their students successful anywhere, said Austen Allred, co-founder and chief executive of Lambda. The schools get paid up front, they get paid in cash, whether thats by the government or whether thats by an individual doesnt really matter. At the end of the day, the schools get paid no matter what.

I think in order to create better outcomes the school has to take the hit, he said.

Mr. Allred said he doesnt see Lambda as a replacement for a four-year education  yet.

What were built to do right now is close employment gaps, he said. So if you have a field where there is a shortage of employees the obvious place for us to start is by building programs to fill those holes.

Whether this model can  or should  be applied to the larger education system remains an open question. It clearly improves the financial incentives for the school and the student. But, if expanded more widely, it could press programs to ignore a traditional liberal arts education, where the earning power is reduced. If a student dreamed of a major in Russian literature, she may struggle to find a school that sees a knowledge of Tolstoy to be particularly marketable.
But China had imposed measures on soybeans and cars to retaliate against American tariffs last summer on $50 billion of Chinese goods. By dropping them, without requiring the United States to abandon theirs, China is signaling that for now it is willing to accept higher American tariffs on some of its goods, provided they are not applied more broadly.

Chinas other peace offerings are more ambiguous.

Chinese lawmakers last month released a draft of a proposed law that would stop local officials from forcing foreign companies to transfer their technology as a cost of doing business. The Trump administration says that Chinese industries like cars and aviation have benefited from American technology.

The law may not change things meaningfully, said Donald Clarke, a specialist in Chinese law at George Washington University. The draft is vaguely worded, he said, and doesnt acknowledge that the pressure American companies face to share their know-how often comes from behind-the-scenes maneuvering rather than strict government requirements.

As with many laws in China, it could also be moot if local governments decide not to enforce it or if penalties are not stiff enough.

These forced tech transfers that people complain about dont occur because some government department issues an order saying, Transfer this tech, Mr. Clarke said in an email.

Its done through the government department getting involved behind the scenes in the negotiations, or not granting discretionary permission to do something unless some tech is transferred. Its very hard to stop through a specific rule.

Still, Chinese analysts say the pledges are significant. Chinese laws and regulations are often succinct  only a page or two when American laws or regulations would require dozens or even hundreds of pages. The real work lies in carrying out the regulations, and Beijing is now prepared to impose the new rules diligently, Chinese analysts say.
Last month, Mr. Ghosn and Nissan itself were indicted on charges that they had withheld millions of dollars of his income from Nissans financial filings for years when he was both chairman and chief executive of the company.

Mr. Ghosn and his lawyers portrayed him on Tuesday as a dedicated executive committed to overseeing the alliance. His actions, they said, were disclosed to and approved by other company officials. In his statement to the court, Mr. Ghosn said he had never received any compensation from Nissan that was not disclosed.



Late last month, he was rearrested on the allegations that he had improperly transferred investment losses to Nissan, and his detention was extended.

Mr. Otsuru said at a news conference that Nissans own board minutes showed the company had agreed that Nissan would temporarily provide collateral for Mr. Ghosn when he incurred deep paper losses on foreign exchange investments after the financial crisis of 2008.

The board minutes have not been publicly released.

In a statement submitted to the court for the hearing on Tuesday, Mr. Ghosns defense lawyers described the board minutes as authorizing a Nissan secretarial section to enter into foreign exchange contracts for the benefit of non-Japanese corporate officers and directors at no cost to the company.

Mr. Ghosn, the statement said, had asked the board to pass a resolution with general language that did not specifically include his name so that he would not have to explain the situation where he had to pay for significant losses as the suspect, if possible, did not want to have all of the people attending the board meeting to know that he had incurred significant valuation losses.
President Trump takes his case to the public

The president will argue for a wall along the Mexican border in a speech beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern. It is expected to be about 10 minutes long and will be broadcast across the four major American TV networks.

After his speech, the networks will broadcast a response from the Democratic Party leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.

Well have a stream of the presidents speech on nytimes.com  and a team of reporters providing live fact-checking and analysis. Heres what to watch for and the larger issues the president faces.
New this week:

PORTRAITS WITHOUT FRAMES By Lev Ozerov. (New York Review Books, paper, $16.95.) Composed in free verse, these 50 portraits of Soviet writers, composers and artists trapped between art and politics span the famous  like Anna Akhmatova, Isaac Babel and Dmitry Shostakovich  to the lesser known. IRON CURTAIN JOURNALS By Allen Ginsberg, edited by Michael Schumacher. (University of Minnesota, $29.95.) The great Beat poet traveled to Communist countries in the first half of 1965, Cuba and Poland among them. These journals convey his impressions, both insightful and banal. FROM GUTENBERG TO GOOGLE By Tom Wheeler. (Brookings, $24.99.) Wheeler, the former chairman of the F.C.C., turns to network revolutions of the past, like the invention of the printing press and the telegraph, to better understand our present. WINTER WAR By Eric Rauchway. (Basic, $28.) Rauchway explores the now forgotten moment in 1932 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected, but before he was inaugurated, when his nascent plans for the New Deal faced a formidable critic in the man he beat, Herbert Hoover. PSYCHEDELIC PROPHETS Edited by Cynthia Carson Bisbee, Paul Bisbee, et al. (McGill-Queens University, $65.) Beginning in 1953, Aldous Huxley began a correspondence with Humphry Osmond, a British psychiatrist interested in the potential of psychedelic drugs to treat mental illness. The doors were open and a lengthy exchange of letters, collected here, followed.

& Noteworthy

In which we ask colleagues at The Times what theyre reading now.

At the beginning of the year, I had the brilliant idea to read some Russian novels. That idea seemed less brilliant once I moved to the politics team to cover the midterm elections. For months, I lugged Leo Tolstoys ANNA KARENINA through airports, stuffing it into my backpack as I traveled around the country. There it sat in the passenger seat of my rented Corolla in Valencia, Calif. There it was again, in a hotel room in Las Vegas. Alone at night in cities far from home, I would try to read a few pages  about family, about betrayal, about revenge  before falling asleep. More than once, I stopped in awe as I recognized in myself Tolstoys descriptions of love and anger, jealousy and delight. Whenever, at whatever moment, she might be asked what she was thinking about, Tolstoy wrote of Anna, she could answer without mistake: about the same thing, about her happiness and her unhappiness. As Anna famously threw herself under the wheels of a train, part of me felt relieved that I would no longer have to carry her around. A bigger part of me felt like I had lost my closest companion.

 Sydney Ember, politics reporter


Anyone whos taught literature in a college or university lately has probably had a conversation like this. The passion for social justice that many students feel  a beautiful passion for social justice  leads them to be keenly aware of the distasteful opinions held by many writers of earlier generations. When they discover the anti-Semitism of Wharton or Dostoyevsky, the racism of Walt Whitman or Joseph Conrad, the sexism of Ernest Hemingway or Richard Wright, the class snobbery of E. M. Forster or Virginia Woolf, not all of them express their repugnance as dramatically as the student I talked to, but many perform an equivalent exercise, dumping the offending books into a trash basket in their imaginations.

After we moved on from Edith Wharton, we had a pleasant conversation about the different kinds of time machines in fiction and popular culture, from the vaguely described contraption in H. G. Wellss The Time Machine to the tesseract in Madeleine LEngles A Wrinkle in Time and the TARDIS in Doctor Who.

It was only after the student left the train that I had the rather obvious thought that an old book is a kind of time machine too. And it struck me that the way hed responded to The House of Mirth betrayed a misunderstanding of what kind of time machine an old book is.

I think its a general misunderstanding, not just his. Its as if we imagine an old book to be a time machine that brings the writer to us. We buy a book and take it home, and the writer appears before us, asking to be admitted into our company. If we find that the writers views are ethnocentric or sexist or racist, we reject the application, and we bar his or her entry into the present.

As the student had put it, I dont want anyone like that in my house.

I think wed all be better readers if we realized that it isnt the writer whos the time traveler. Its the reader. When we pick up an old novel, were not bringing the novelist into our world and deciding whether he or she is enlightened enough to belong here; were journeying into the novelists world and taking a look around.
How do we spot the difference between those related but very different aims? Artists who ritually engage with cruelty see that engagement as a form of truthfulness  a way to be frank; a way to honor the reader, not to bludgeon her. Here is Flannery OConnor again, writing to a novelist friend about his work in progress: Isnt it arbitrary to call these images such as the cat-faced baby and the old woman that looked like a cedar fence post and the grandfather who went around with Jesus hidden in his head like a stinger  perverse? They are right, accurate, so why perverse? Or turn to Mary Gaitskill, whose influence can be felt on every page of Roupenians collection, and whose fiction is full of brutality but also deep sympathy for her characters: Im picturing a small core place in a persons heart that is hard to touch but that everyone wants touched, she has said about her work.

With Roupenian, there is just the giddiness of her imagination, of what she can get away with. In the first story, Bad Boy, a couple becomes fixated on having a friend overhear them having sex. After a while, they invite him to watch, and later, participate. They order him into various acts of humiliation that culminate in a gamy little climax that would be horrifying if it werent so sudden, so random and, finally, so meaningless. When the couple taunts him  Look at what youve done  I was shaken out of my numb disdain into a kind of anger. No, its what the author has done, and why? I wanted better for these characters  lives with real emotional stakes, actual personalities and not just kinks.

Ellie in Biter bites. Ted in The Good Guy needs to fantasize about stabbing women to sexually perform. Laura in The Matchbox Sign imagines that her body is crawling with parasites  and her boyfriend participates in the fantasy. These characters remain their pathologies; the curtain falls on them before we can ever ask: Now what?

Theres none of the simmer of Cat Person or its attention to language in the rest of these stories. Roupenian will work a metaphor until it screams. On a walk in the woods: The vaginal lips of a pink ladys slipper peep out from behind some bushes; a rubber shred of burst balloon, studded by a plump red navel knot, dangles from a tree branch, and the corpse of a crushed mushroom gleams sad and cold and pale.

I might stay indoors for the rest of my life.

But there might be another chance for this books raw material. The collection will be a series on HBO. You Know You Want This has a quarrys worth of raw suffering; maybe in the adaptation, we wont be just shocked, but shocked into something  into a kind of understanding or feeling. Thats what I know I want.
A spinoff of The Fosters debuts on Freeform. And a scripted drama series begins on the History channel.

Whats on TV

GOOD TROUBLE 8 p.m. on Freeform. By the time The Fosters wrapped up last summer, fans were already itching to keep the drama going with this spinoff series. After graduating, sisters Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Mariana (Cierra Ramirez) move into a shabby communal home in downtown Los Angeles where dinners bring the residents together and rats roam free. They take up new jobs  Callie works for a conservative judge (Roger Bart) and Mariana joins a male-dominated start-up  that leave them wanting more. True to coming-of-age fare, their new reality proves that adulting comes with plenty of battles. Good Trouble echoes the social consciousness of The Fosters, the creator Joanna Johnson told Variety, but it is on the lighter side and draws out the story through a more complex, nonlinear narrative.

LINDSAY LOHANS BEACH CLUB 8 p.m. on MTV. Lindsay Lohan has been out of the limelight in recent years. This new series highlights one of the projects that has kept her busy: opening Lohan Beach House, a sprawling beach club in Mykonos, Greece. In Vanderpump Rules format, the show follows a very serious Lohan as she manages the clubs eight employees at the sun-drenched tourist destination.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox.

Colbert Returns From Self-Imposed Shutdown

After a two-week hiatus, Stephen Colbert greeted his audience the best way he knew how: with a sidelong jab at President Trump. The president is threatening to continue the government shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, for months to come if he does not receive congressional approval for funding a border wall.
Eddie Martinez

Through Feb . 17 at the Bronx Museum; 718-681-6000, bronxmuseum.org.

Painting might be summed up as a process of accretion: You start with a blank canvas and end with a covered one  unless you are Eddie Martinez, for whom the act of adding and subtracting remains in play throughout the making. Mr. Martinezs assertive-but-sly approach is on view in White Outs at the Bronx Museum, a selection of recent, ostensibly white paintings.

Mounted in a long, white-walled space, the show suggests a simulated snowstorm: the artificial version of a natural whiteout. In some works, Mr. Martinez, who started out as a graffiti artist, silk-screens his own drawings onto canvas and paints over the colored forms or outlines them with white paint. The idea of blotted-out forms producing new ones, as in the abstract shapes created by graffiti painted over in public spaces, is suggested in Earth Colonic (all works 2018) and All That Something, while Sand Lines and White Blockhead Stack conjure other line forms, including the whiting out of text.

There are obvious allusions and debts here, to Willem de Kooning  a similarly gestural painter, but also a chronic over-painter and destroyer of his own work  as well as to Robert Ryman 's white-on-white paintings and Jean-Michel Basquiat and Joyce Pensatos graffiti-influenced Expressionism . (Mr. Martinez was also inspired by Robert Rauschenbergs Erased de Kooning from 1953, in which the young Rauschenberg acquired a drawing from the older de Kooning and, using a rubber eraser, reduced it to a near-monochrome.)

This fascination with appearing and disappearing forms is pushed into three dimensions in a series of small sculptures made from everyday objects or constructed with fragments of junk, then bronzed and painted. These sculptures echo Rauschenbergs and Jasper Johnss rough-but- exacting execution but add something kind of endearing. Mr. Martinez is like a graffiti-artist coming off the street to quarrel with his heroes, except hes more about homage than erasure. MARTHA SCHWENDENER
It was also an exploitation of his position to commandeer a prime-time audience for purely selfish political purposes, his detractors charged.

Simply embarrassing to see, said Itzik Shmuli, a member of Parliament from the Labor Party, who called the prime ministers speech a curtain of smoke meant to get the public to forget one simple fact: He is drowning in severe accusations. He is neck deep.

From Mr. Netanyahus camp there was largely silence: Miri Regev, the culture minister, declared, I believe in the prime ministers innocence, according to the newspaper Maariv, but hers was the loudest immediate expression of solidarity.

For months as the inquiries proceeded, Mr. Netanyahu reassured his supporters with a steady and constant refrain: There will be nothing, because there is nothing. But his tactics belied his unperturbed pose: He attacked the press who reported the allegations, the police who investigated them, and finally the prosecutors who oversaw the cases.

He has tried to project calm, but has also displayed an erratic side as the legal pressure mounted: After insisting in November that for national security reasons, Israel should wait to hold elections until the fall, Mr. Netanyahu reversed himself a month later. He called elections for April 9, in what appeared to be an attempt to notch a wide re-election margin before the attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, could render his decision on an indictment.

Mr. Netanyahu then began arguing that, since he was entitled to a hearing after Mr. Mandelblit announces his decision and before an indictment is issued, and since there might not be time for that process to play out before voters go to the polls, Mr. Mandelblit owed it to the people to delay announcing his decision until after the vote.

That one did not fly: Mr. Mandelblit instead let it be known that he was speeding up his timetable accordingly.
Iran has been holding an American Navy veteran in prison on unspecified charges since late July, when he was seized while visiting an Iranian girlfriend, his mother said Monday.

The imprisonment of the veteran, Michael R. White, 46, from Imperial Beach, Calif., could further complicate relations between the United States and Iran. Tension between the countries worsened substantially after President Trump renounced the nuclear accord with Iran last May and reimposed severe sanctions.

At least three other American citizens, two of them of Iranian descent, have been incarcerated in Iran for years. Another American has been missing in Iran for more than a decade.

Image Michael R. White, an American Navy veteran, in an undated photograph. Credit... via Joanne White

Mr. Whites mother, Joanne White, said in a telephone interview that he had been set to return from Iran via Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, on July 27, but never boarded his flight.
MELBOURNE, Australia  Swarms of bluebottle jellyfish stung thousands of beachgoers on Australias east coast over the weekend, forcing officials to close a number of beaches in what they described as a relentless influx of the creatures.

The bluebottle usually inhabit more remote ocean waters. But strong winds have helped the jellyfish sail ashore in recent weeks.

For beachgoers, it has been a painful introduction to Physalia utriculus. More than 3,500 stings were reported this past weekend alone, according to Surf Life Saving Queensland, the aquatic rescue authority.
[music] This is Zhang Zhejun. Today, hes making drugs. He isnt a chemist or a dealer. Hes making medicine for his mother. She has stage 3 lung cancer. Zhejun earns $300 a month, but the medicine needed to treat his sick mother costs $2,000. Looking for options, he turned online. Today, hes making WZ4002. It hasnt been approved by Chinese or American regulators, and it doesnt have a commercial name yet. But he can still order the raw ingredients for drugs like this online at a fraction of their official prices. The Communist Party of China says it provides close to universal health care coverage. Nearly 95 percent of people are insured here, including Zhejuns mother. So why is he making drugs on the floor of his apartment when his mother has insurance? Its a symptom of a health care system in crisis. To understand this crisis, we need to rewind a bit. Under Mao Zedong, the Communist state provided free health care for all. Decades later, China adopted a unique brand of capitalism that transformed the country from a poor farming nation into an economic superpower. Life expectancy soared. But the introduction of capitalism and the retreat of the state meant that health care was no longer free. Hospitals became profit-driven. And with limited accountability, they were widely accused of predatory behavior. A culture of mistrust and inequality now plagued the system. Heres what that looks like today for ordinary Chinese. Its 5 a.m., and about 100 people have gathered in a line in downtown Shanghai. This isnt the line to the movies or a holiday sale. Its the entrance to the Shanghai Cancer Center at Fudan University. Those who were willing to lose a nights sleep trying to get a spot in line now have one question in their mind: Will I be able to see a doctor today? The scalpers are out, and theyre selling spots in line. Chinas line scalpers symbolize a greater dysfunction. The chance of seeing a doctor here is directly related to how big your wallet is. Corruption is inherently part of the system. And in rural areas, its worse. But leaving your home in the countryside could have a profound impact on what type of care you can get in the city. Despite its rapid modernization, China still uses what is known as the Hukou system. Your Hukou is defined by your birthplace, and youre only entitled to social services within that region. Everything from the schools your kids can go to, to what your health insurance will cover is determined the moment you are born. So if you get cancer and live in an area without an oncologist, you could be in trouble. Some here compare it to a caste system. By 7 a.m., its one hour before opening time. The line has tripled in size, and then the news hits. Those are not good odds. But even worse, they arent unusual. There are nearly 7,000 people per general practitioner in China. To put this number in perspective, the World Health Organizations international standard is one doctor for every 1,500 to 2,000 people. General practitioners we talked to in China typically see 70 to 80 patients per day. Specialists said they see up to 200, each just for minutes at a time. The doctors we talked to in the U.S. said they see fewer than 30 patients a day. While rich Chinese will pay for individual care or leave the country altogether for it, the rest of the population, those dependent on health insurance, end up paying roughly 30 percent of their health care costs. Americans pay about 10. Numbers like these have added up to a culture of conflict. With more and more patients and underpaid doctors, violence has become commonplace in hospitals across China. And with the state insurance system not meeting the rising costs of treatments and drugs, medical disputes often play out in public on the hospital floor. Violence in hospitals has become so common in China, theres a word for it  yi nao. Roughly translated, its medical disturbance. Back at the Shanghai hospital, its opening time. Scalpers are making a last effort to sell off doctors appointments they secured in advance. Some that wouldnt wait, or couldnt afford the scalpers tickets, try to cut in line and are thrown out by security guards. Once in the hospital, patients will stand in another line. Its the second, and there are more to come. They scan the board of available specialists, selecting one based on their best self-diagnosis. If theyre lucky, the one they choose will have time to see them. For those who choose wrong, the cycle will begin again tomorrow. Others prefer to solve their problems at home.
MEXICO CITY  The Guatemalan government said Monday that it would expel a United Nations-backed anticorruption panel, giving its prosecutors a day to leave the country in the most decisive effort yet by President Jimmy Morales to remove the body that has been investigating him and other top politicians.

At a news conference in Guatemala City, Mr. Morales, accompanied by members of his cabinet and several people accused in panel investigations or their relatives, defended his expulsion order.

Cicig has put public security and governability at risk, he said, using the acronym for the panel. Cicig has repeatedly violated the human rights of Guatemalans and foreigners in Guatemala through selective and partial justice.

Earlier on Monday, Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel accused the panel of interfering in Guatemalas internal affairs, and said the government was withdrawing from an agreement with the United Nations that established the panel more than a decade ago.
Unlike most death row inmates, Scott Raymond Dozier wanted to die.

Convicted of the 2002 killing and dismemberment of a Las Vegas man, Mr. Dozier waited for years while his lawyers appealed his death sentence. But he found the wait more agonizing than the prospect of execution. Two years ago he abandoned their efforts and urged a judge to set a date.

The state of Nevada pressed to execute him, too, in a new lethal injection chamber. Still, the delays continued, the last six months ago. Mr. Dozier grew increasingly despondent, those who knew him said Monday.

On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Dozier, 48, threaded a bedsheet through an air vent in his cell at the state prison in Ely, Nev., and hanged himself, prison officials said, ending one of the most significant and bizarre death penalty cases in recent years, one that highlighted the contradictions and shifting politics of modern capital punishment in America.

The prospect of eking out his existence on death row for the rest of his life was unfathomable to him, said Edgar Barens, a filmmaker who had spent time with Mr. Dozier for a documentary that is still in progress about families affected by death penalty cases.
Still, the administration might argue that Congress has effectively preapproved a wall-like barrier under other laws, including one that authorizes the military to construct border fences blocking drug-smuggling corridors, and another, the Secure Fence Act of 2006, that empowers the Department of Homeland Security to build physical infrastructure enhancements along the border.

The government could skip the requirement to identify pre-existing authorization for a wall if it invoked a different emergency-powers law for the funds, but that route would raise other problems, Ms. Goitein said. Among them, the government would need to show that a wall meets the legal definition of military construction even though it is not clearly tied to a military facility or installation and that the southern border situation represents the kind of emergency that requires the use of the armed forces.

Does it matter if there is no true emergency?

Probably not.

If Mr. Trump declares that the situation along the southern border suddenly constitutes an emergency that justifies building a wall without explicit congressional sanction, he will run up against a reality: that the facts on the ground have not drastically shifted. The number of people crossing the border unlawfully is far down from its peak of nearly two decades ago. The recent caravans from Central America primarily consist of migrants who are not trying to sneak across the border but instead are presenting themselves to border officials and requesting asylum.

And while Mr. Trump and his aides keep claiming that terrorists are sneaking in across the border, including assertions that they are doing so by the thousands, as a matter of empirical reality, there has been no such instance in the modern era.

Still, as a matter of legal procedure, facts may be irrelevant. Before a court could decide that Mr. Trump had cynically declared an emergency under false pretenses, the court would first have to decide that the law permits judges to substitute their own thinking for the presidents in such a matter. The Justice Department would surely argue that courts should instead defer to the presidents determination.

If any court would actually let itself review whether this is a national emergency, he would be in big trouble, Ms. Goitein said. I think it would be an abuse of power to declare an emergency where none exists. The problem is that Congress has enabled that abuse of power by putting virtually no limits on the presidents ability to declare an emergency.

Why did Congress give presidents such broad power?

In part by accident. When passing many emergency-powers laws, Congress attached a procedure that would let lawmakers override any particular invocation of that authority. The National Emergencies Act, for example, permitted Congress to rescind an emergency if both the House and the Senate voted for a resolution rejecting the presidents determination that one existed.

But in 1983, the Supreme Court struck down such legislative vetoes. The justices ruled that for a congressional act to have legal effect, it must be presented to the president for signature or veto. Because it takes two-thirds of both chambers to override a veto, the ruling significantly eroded the check and balance against abuse that lawmakers had intended to be part of their delegation of standby emergency powers to presidents.
Ms. Liang, 60, is a fellow at the Brookings Institution. She previously spent three decades on the Feds staff, rising to lead a department created after the financial crisis to monitor financial stability.

Image Nellie Liang, who was nominated by President Trump to serve on the Federal Reserve Board, has withdrawn her name from consideration. Credit... Brookings Institution

At the Fed, she helped orchestrate stricter postcrisis oversight of the financial industry, including the creation of annual stress tests to determine whether the nations banks could withstand a severe economic downturn.

Mr. Trumps nomination of Ms. Liang was applauded by many current and former Fed officials, who regarded her expertise as a potentially valuable addition to the Feds board. The Fed has significantly increased its focus on maintaining financial stability in the aftermath of the financial crisis, when bad bets by big banks helped plunge the American economy into a recession.

But the banking industry has argued that the government overreacted to the crisis and imposed overly restrictive rules that are impeding lending and economic growth. Both the Trump administration and congressional Republicans have pledged to ease the burden of those regulations, despite hefty profits at the United States biggest banks. Financial firms had quietly rallied opposition to Ms. Liangs nomination, arguing that she was not supportive of efforts to recalibrate postcrisis rules.

Jerome H. Powell, the Feds chairman, supported Ms. Liangs nomination and encouraged Senate Republicans to confirm her. But the Senate Banking Committee did not schedule a confirmation hearing in the fall, and Ms. Liangs nomination expired when the 115th Congress ended this month.
White House officials said Mr. Bolton came into his job determined to streamline the National Security Council, which they said had become bloated during the Obama administration, with functions that often overlapped those of the agencies. They insist his approach was welcomed: During his first breakfast with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, one official said, Mr. Mattis asked Mr. Bolton to hold fewer meetings.

But there is a long distance between standard-issue jokes about too many meetings and eliminating them completely. Pentagon officials said Mr. Bolton did away with much of the process put in place by Mr. McMaster, a retired three-star Army general, who placed great emphasis on meetings, where everyone got a say.

Mr. Boltons preference, one official said, is to have one-on-one conversations with cabinet members or other senior officials directly, rather than in a group or on a conference call. He maintains more control of the process that way, this person said.

Patrick M. Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, has taken advantage of this channel, according to another Pentagon official. He has not hesitated to call Mr. Bolton directly, something that Mr. Mattis apparently did not do as much. He tended to relay questions through his recently departed chief of staff, Kevin Sweeney.

The National Security Council engaged in reverse engineering under Mr. McMaster as well. But officials said the trend had gotten worse under Mr. Bolton, in part because he did not trust the national-security bureaucracy and saw no reason to include it in policymaking.

Mr. Bolton is also handicapped by not having a deputy, who traditionally coordinates policy debates. He has yet to replace Mira Ricardel, an official who was forced out of the White House after she clashed with the first lady, Melania Trump.

Unlike in the past, when the National Security Council was the presidents clearing ground for security policy, one official said that the N.S.C. under Mr. Bolton was best described as another voice at a table crowded with advisers vying for influence with Mr. Trump.
Korea - Vietnam Food and Culture Festival 2019 to take place from January 18th to 20th





The cultural event is expected to draw more than 60 organizations and enterprises to introduce their special products, hoping to see some 10,000 people.





Visitors to enjoy delicious Vietnamese - Korean dishes as well as various activities such as art performances, K-Pop Dance contest and New-Year's culinary program.

Especially the festival will receive the attention of Korean business clubs in Vietnam, thus promoting brands and products - services to domestic consumers and the Korean community in the nation./.
The authorities charged a man on Monday in connection with nearly a dozen shootings in and around a Southern California state park that left a father dead as he camped with his two young daughters and terrorized two affluent communities for almost two years.

The suspect, Anthony Rauda, 42, was charged with murder in the June 2018 killing of Tristan Beaudette, 35, a scientist shot while he was inside a tent with his children at Malibu Creek State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains outside Los Angeles. His children were not hurt in the attack.

Mr. Rauda, a felon who was on parole at the time of the attacks, was also charged with 10 counts of attempted murder in the shootings beginning in November 2016 in and around the park, which abuts the upscale communities of Calabasas and Malibu.

He was arrested in October after sheriffs deputies saw him on a ridge dressed in black with a rifle sticking out of his backpack, according to The Associated Press. They were searching the area for an armed burglar who stole food from nearby homes and businesses.
Even when shes sitting still  which admittedly is a rare occurrence  Alison is a gale-force presence. Portrayed by the never disappointing Marin Ireland in Abby Rosebrocks Blue Ridge, the emotionally congested play that opened Monday night at the Linda Gross Theater, this disgraced high-school English teacher is one of those unsettling people who suck up all the oxygen in a room in one convulsive gulp.

You could call her a life force or, as one of her sometime friends does, a terrorist. Alison, after all, has wound up in a North Carolina Christian halfway house, the setting for this Atlantic Theater Company production, because she took an ax to the car of her married lover, who was also the principal of the school where she worked.

Cue Carrie Underwood, whose pop hit Before He Cheats describes a similar act of vengeance and is cited in the opening scene of Blue Ridge, directed by Taibi Magar. It is one of two songs Alison uses to define herself in her first mandatory group meeting.

The second is also by Ms. Underwood, Jesus, Take the Wheel, which is about giving yourself over to divine guidance, or as Alison sees it, letting go and chilling out when youre gonna look crazy and lose all your friends. This is not a message she seems to have taken to heart.
NASAs new planet-hunting machine, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, or TESS, is racking up scores of alien worlds.

Less than a quarter of the way through a two-year search for nearby Earthlike worlds, TESS has already discovered 203 possible planets, according to George R. Ricker, an astrophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the leader of the project. Three of those candidates already have been confirmed as real planets by ground-based telescopes.

On Monday afternoon, Dr. Ricker and his colleagues issued a progress report on humankinds latest search for friends or at least neighbors. The mission, they said at a meeting of the American Astronomical Association in Seattle, was well on track to its official goal of finding and measuring the masses of at least 50 planets that are no larger than four times the size of Earth.

The torrent of data has already begun, Dr. Ricker said.

All of these worlds would be located within 300 light years from here, our cosmic backyard, and close enough to be inspected by future telescopes, such as NASAs ever-upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, for signs of atmospheres, habitability and, perhaps, life. These worlds are the next frontier beyond our own solar system for answering the haunting question of whether life, in whatever form it might be recognized, has arisen elsewhere in the universe.
The whole tempest was so monumentally stupid that I was tempted to ignore it, particularly since its starting to blow over. But its worth trying to figure out what the uproar was really about, since it could be a sign of the kind of media coverage this brash new group of representatives, particularly female representatives, might be in for.

It certainly wasnt about the profanity itself. In 2004, Vice President Dick Cheney delighted conservatives by effectively telling Senator Patrick Leahy, on the Senate floor, to go copulate with himself. (Its sort of the best thing I ever did, Cheney later boasted to right-wing comedian Dennis Miller.) In October, Kanye West used the same term as Tlaib in the Oval Office, and few pretended to be scandalized.

Some commentators accused Tlaib of adopting a Trumpian mode of discourse, but this misunderstands why Trumps words are offensive. When Trump called athletes who knelt to protest police brutality sons of bitches, the problem was bigotry, not salty language. When he was caught boasting about sexually assaulting women, the issue wasnt that he used a slang term for female anatomy. Its Trumps foul actions and ideas, not his swearing, that make him a walking obscenity.

A few opiners insisted that the real affront lay in Tlaibs threat of impeachment. But its not a secret that a lot of Democrats want to see Trump removed from office; on Thursday, Representative Brad Sherman, Democrat of California, reintroduced an impeachment resolution in the new Congress.

So why the fainting fit over a bad word? I suspect it has something to do with the very phenomenon Tlaib was celebrating. The new Congress looks very different from any thats come before. Forty-two of the new members are women, while 24 are people of color. Two of them, Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, are Congresss first Muslim women. This new face of American political power makes a lot of people uncomfortable.
President Trump and his administration have always had a mixed-messaging problem. Whether it had to do with the future of NATO, relations with the European Union, a rapprochement with Russia or a trade war with China, Mr. Trump has made norm-shattering pronouncements while his top advisers worked behind the scenes to preserve the status quo.

Most recently, his insistence that Congress pony up $5.7 billion for a wall at the southern border and his threat to keep the federal government closed for months or even years if he doesnt get his way have undermined Vice President Mike Pences efforts to reach a compromise over the shutdown with Democratic lawmakers.

But the presidents mercurial approach to the conflict in Syria is in a category all its own. After Mr. Trump stunned the world last month by ordering the withdrawal of all 2,000 American troops in Syria within 30 days, the administration began backtracking almost immediately.

By the time John Bolton, the national security adviser, visited Israel over the weekend, the presidents order was effectively reversed. Mr. Bolton laid down conditions, including the complete defeat of the Islamic State and guarantees from Turkey that it wont attack Americas Kurdish allies. In other words, American troops are there to stay for months, or years, or indefinitely.
Jose Ramon Fernandez, a retired brigadier general who helped form Cubas army after the revolution of 1959 and commanded Cuban defenses at the Bay of Pigs, died on Sunday. He was 95.

His death was reported by Cuban state news media, which did not say where he died or specify the cause.

A founding member of the Communist Party of Cuba, General Fernandez served for a time as a vice president on Cubas Council of Ministers. He was re-elected to the partys ruling Central Committee in 2011, at the age of 87.

General Fernandez ran a cadet school that trained officers after revolutionary forces led by Fidel Castro overthrew the government of the dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959. He also played a leading role in one of the great battles of the Cold War, helping command Cubas nascent militia forces in their victory over invading exile forces at the Bay of Pigs in April 1961.
This is certainly a long-term fix, Mr. Byford said. If it were as some have suggested  if we were having a Band Aid offered to us  I for one would have rejected that.

Under the revised plan, starting in late April, repair work would happen on nights and weekends, when one of the tunnels two tubes would close. But closing one tube would still be significantly disruptive for New Yorkers who rely on the L train.

When you have only one tube in service, you may have three to four trains maximum an hour, Dr. Horodniceanu said. Youre going to have people who are going to wait on the platform for 20 minutes.

The old plan, which would have closed the entire tunnel for 15 months to repair damage from Hurricane Sandy, prompted outrage in Williamsburg and other neighborhoods in Brooklyn along the L line. Some people moved away and others began to plot intricate plans to reach Manhattan.

Elected officials held a news conference on Sunday to complain about how the new plan was foisted on them without many details. Brad Hoylman, a state senator who represents a slice of Manhattan along the L line, compared the process to marrying someone you had never met.

I kind of feel like we were planning a wedding for the last three years, said Mr. Hoylman, a Democrat. We get to the altar and not only does the groom run off, but you look at the guy next to you, and youve never seen him before."

At the same time, New Yorkers have asked why subway officials had not thought of the solution sooner. Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat in his third term, complained to reporters last week of a transportation industrial complex, made up of consultants and contractors, that benefit from the M.T.A. doing things the way they always have.
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When Edgar Galvan got divorced in El Paso, Tex., in 2003, he did what many others in a similar position might have done: look for a good time. To do so, Mr. Galvan rented a house across the Mexican border in El Pasos sister city, Ciudad Juarez.

But as he began frequenting the citys raucous night clubs, Mr. Galvan  then only 26  made poor choices about who he spent his time with. He became party friends, he said, with Antonio Marrufo, a bloodthirsty killer known as Jaguar, who would soon be tasked by the Sinaloa drug cartel with cleansing Juarez of its rivals. Within four years of meeting Jaguar, Mr. Galvan began working for him, receiving shipments of Mexican cocaine and marijuana at safe houses in El Paso and moving guns in the opposite direction.

On Monday, Mr. Galvan, now 41, spoke about his brief stint in the smuggling trade at the drug trial of the longtime cartel leader, Joaquin Guzman Loera, the kingpin known as El Chapo. So far, most of the witnesses at the federal trial in Brooklyn have been Mr. Guzmans lieutenants, suppliers or distributors  people who emerged from his organizations managerial class. A luckless figure with a quiet voice and an unassuming manner, Mr. Galvan was the first witness who could be described as a minor worker bee.

Image Antonio Marrufo, nicknamed Jaguar, was an assassin for the Sinaloa drug cartel. Credit... United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York

In an afternoon on the witness stand, Mr. Galvan told the jurors that he had never even met Mr. Guzman and had only heard his voice one time  when he was in the room as Mr. Marrufo talked to the crime lord on the phone. At best, Mr. Galvan was a guy who knew a guy who knew the guy in charge.
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With Hillary Clinton to his right, female elected officials seated before him and cheering women filling the audience, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday promised to protect womens reproductive rights by expanding the states abortion laws within the first 30 days of the new legislative session.

Mr. Cuomos vow was not exactly new. But the pageantry of the occasion seemed to reflect the circumstances that had prompted it: a Legislature newly controlled by Democrats raring to broaden reproductive rights, and a federal government increasingly looking to rein them in, all against the backdrop of a state with abortion laws that are not as liberal as many perceive them to be.

The Republican Senate said, You dont need a state law codifying Roe v. Wade. No administration would ever roll back Roe v. Wade, Mr. Cuomo said at the event at Barnard College, describing why previous efforts had languished for so long. So help me God, this was the conversation.

That Republican-led State Senate is no more, ousted in November in favor of an overwhelming Democratic majority and the chambers first-ever female leader. The federal administration, meanwhile, is indeed seeking to roll back Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion: President Trump has appointed two conservative judges to the Supreme Court, and womens rights activists are warning that the decision is in peril.
Hotels have already turned their lobbies into spaces where guests can socialize or work. Now, some properties are going one step further to cater to business travelers and professionals in general: Theyve set up WeWork-style co-working areas.

Traditional hotel business centers these arent. Yes, they offer practical amenities like office supplies, printers and, of course, coffee. But they also have a laid-back ambience and convivial feel of the shared working spaces popping up around the globe under the banner of the start-up WeWork.

The new hotel business centers seem to have struck a chord among business travelers who find that theyre probably getting less work done in busy hotel lobbies, said Lorraine Sileo, the senior vice president of research for the travel research company Phocuswright. Lobbies are distracting because there is so much going on, with people coming in and out and also socializing, she said. These new work spaces are meant for productivity.

Theyre also especially attractive to younger business travelers, said Jessica Collison, the research director for the Global Business Travel Association. Millennials tend be more nomadic than the older generation of travelers and spend more time outside of their room, she said. Hotels have picked up on this, and more of them are offering a co-working option.
The implications of this historical debate for public policy today makes a recent book on the events that brought the Gilded Age to an end and ushered in the Progressive Era all the more timely and urgent.

Jack Kellys The Edge of Anarchy: The Railroad Barons, the Gilded Age and the Greatest Labor Uprising in America opens in May 1893 with President Grover Cleveland surveying the half-million citizens who had filled the Chicago Worlds Fair, the most astounding metropolis ever built. The Columbian Exposition, as it was known, was a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Columbuss arrival in the New World as well as the productivity of American commerce. Four days after the fair opened, the bottom dropped out of the United States economy, which was further crippled that summer by an increasingly ferocious depression.

The resulting economic turmoil provided the backdrop for a series of mass labor actions that are the focus of the book. These began with an unlikely 40-year-old Ohio businessman named Jacob Coxeys leading a hundred unemployed workers to Washington on foot to petition for a vast infrastructure investment project to alleviate unemployment and remedy the sorry state of the nations roads.

The improbable prophet picked up many more along the way and motivated multiple independent Coxeyite groups from across the West to make their way East. Although few ultimately completed the journey, and Coxey was arrested and convicted under a law making it a crime to deliver a harangue or oration on Capitol property, the nation was held transfixed by the progress of the so-called Coxey Armies.

The core of The Edge of Anarchy is a thrilling description of the boycott of Pullman cars and equipment by Eugene Debss fledgling American Railway Union. The strike caused much of the countrys commerce to grind to a halt, federal troops were called out over the objections of state officials, and many lives were lost. Mr. Kelly closely scrutinizes the roles not only of the American Railway Union and management but of state, local and federal officials, the courts, industry, the press, activists, and labor. No one comes out unscathed.
LIBREVILLE, Gabon  In the airport duty-free store, the wine is upward of $400. The service at the fancy French restaurants in the chic Louis district is immaculate, and at the luxury hotel on the sea the call girls dress like fashion models.

The futuristic government palaces on Omar Bongo Triumphal Boulevard, with their flying-saucer and rocket-ship outcroppings, marbled interiors and expanses of plate glass, would make the pedestrian feel humble, if there were any. It is almost as if you could be in a prosperous city in Texas.

But you are in Gabon, and behind the late rulers palaces, which line the wide empty boulevard, are shacks and shanties stretching to the horizon, dirt roads and street vendors eking out a living selling cigarettes and imported vegetables. Most live on less than $2 a day in this little Central African country, rich in both oil and poor people. Evidence of the gulf between the haves (Mr. Bongos extended clan) and the have-nots (everybody else) is always just around the corner.
A car-hauling trailer caught fire on I-80/94 resulting in six cars being burned to a crisp.

At 1:04 a.m. Tuesday, firefighters responded to a car hauler that had caught fire in a westbound lane of I-80/94 just west of Broadway at the 9.8 mile marker in Gary, according to the Indiana State Police.

Six cars that were loaded on the trailer were charred in the fire however the driver was not injured. The fire was a result of a brake malfunction, police said.

The right lane was closed for about 30 minutes as the flames were being extinguished.

Firefighters from Gary and New Chicago assisted at the scene.

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CROWN POINT  A 19-year-old Crown Point resident has announced plans to run for City Council as a Democrat at-large in the upcoming municipal election.

Melvin Craig III, who was born in Merrillville and raised in Crown Point, said he is dedicated to improving the community. If elected, Craig promises to help local small businesses thrive, modernize the citys infrastructure and keep the downtown square a profitable location.

"We need to focus on strengthening our city's growing infastructure and that means expanding our EMS and police force to meet those demands," Craig said.

My vision is to make (Crown Point) a greener place, Craig added, noting that some of his ideas include adding green building ordinances to local government buildings to make the infrastructures more inclusive and updated.

Although the young candidate will not officially start campaigning until Jan. 19, Craig said he already has met with local businesses and leaders to discuss what is most important to them in the election and upcoming years.

Small businesses are integral to this community, Craig said.
Lake Station built a new water plant in 2015 at a cost of $11.8 million. City officials have said they plan to use money from the sale of the water system to repay debt.

Lake Station City Attorney Michael Deppe said he was still preparing the city's response, which is due later this month.

Deppe likened the city's water filtration plant to a piece of firefighting equipment: rarely used, but useful in an emergency.

"You have to have something in case," he said. "It doesn't mean you have to use it every day to be useful. At some point in time, you may use it."

Indiana American has said it plans to use Lake Station's filtration plant only in case of emergency or on peak demand days.

If the Appeals Court upholds the IURC's decision, Indiana American would supply the citys about 3,500 residential and commercial customers with water from Lake Michigan. City customers currently receive groundwater from the treatment plant.

The city's ongoing problem with brown water is unrelated to the filtration plant, Deppe said. A state contractor damaged a water line that runs across the Burns Waterway, which left the city unable to draw additional water from Indiana American to flush its lines.
"South county is a different culture. People moved there for hunting and enjoying the outdoors. To restrict the people there already to enjoy that culture is a travesty, in my opinion," one man said.

They complained that none of the council members imposing the restrictions live in the unincorporated county areas and there already are laws on the books to punish irresponsible gunfire.

One concluded, "All we have to do is vote these guys out, if they do this," one protester said, followed by cheers from the crowd.

The ordinance now goes to the Lake County Board of Commissioners who meet 10 a.m. Jan. 16 to either approve or veto it.

Jorgensen, who supported the restrictions, said it was needed to curb irresponsible shooting by encouraging gun owners to be on good terms with their neighbors.

"It's a neighbor issue in an increasingly populated area. We had complaints about people not being good neighbors. I want to leave this question in the hands of the people to reach a compromise and be good neighbors.

He added this measure is a compromise from an initial proposal to expand the exclusion zone to 1,000 feet without the hunting and neighborly exceptions he insisted on.
INDIANAPOLIS  New U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., has been appointed to five Senate committees, where he'll evaluate proposed changes to federal law based in part on how they benefit Northwest Indiana, the Hoosier State and the nation.

During the 2019-20 session, Braun is serving on the following Senate policy-making committees: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; the Budget; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Environment and Public Works; and Aging.

"I am ready to get to work for Hoosiers fixing the broken system in Washington, and these committees provide a great opportunity to apply my real world experience to delivering solutions for Hoosiers," Braun said.

In particular, the Jasper auto parts magnate said he's eager to engage with the Senate Budget Committee "to find solutions for our national debt and out-of-control spending that has been ignored for too long in Washington."

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., has been tapped by the chamber's GOP leadership to join the powerful Senate Finance Committee, which considers legislation concerning taxes, tariffs, debt, trade agreements and tax-funded health programs, including Medicare.
MICHIGAN CITY  Police are continuing to investigate why a woman shot her parents to death and then killed herself.

Michigan City police Sgt. Chris Yagelski said the bodies of Barbara Evans, 71, Walter Evans, 73, and their daughter Tammy Evans, 48, were found in their home Monday afternoon in the 6800 block of North Meer Road by a relative. The relative, who also lives at the home, called 911 after discovering the bodies.

Yagelski said while the bodies were found Monday, "they had been there for some time."

Police determined Walter and Barbara Evans had been shot inside their home and died. The shots were determined to have been fired by Tammy Evans. Tammy Evans eventually fatally shot herself, Yagelski said.

A handgun and handwritten note were located with Tammy Evans in a separate area of the home from where her parents' bodies were found.

Yagelski declined to say what was in the note, nor provide a motive for the murder-suicide.

The evidence collected included a handgun, spent bullet casings and the handwritten note, Yagelski said.

Family members said they had no explanation for the tragedy.
Police placed Givens in a squad car and went inside the home, where they found Edmond unresponsive in a reclining chair in the living room. Edmond had been shot in the head, police said.

Medics with the Gary Fire Department initially took Edmond to Methodist Hospitals Northlake Campus, but he later was transferred to University of Chicago Medical Center.

Police believed Givens was "extremely intoxicated and incoherent," because he had to be carried out of the residence and couldn't stand on his own as officers took him into custody, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Up to five witnesses spoke with police, including a woman who said she was sleeping on the couch when she was awakened by a gunshot. She told officers she saw Givens at the kitchen table with a gun in his hand, sitting across from Edmond, court records state.

The woman woke up other people sleeping in the house. Another witness told police he took the gun from Givens and handed it to another man, who removed the magazine.

One witness told police Givens arrived at the home about 11 p.m. Wednesday to speak with a man but could not because the man was already asleep, court records say.
HIGHLAND  Two Highland men have been arrested for theft in what could be a string of thefts from vehicles, according to police.

Adam Foye, 20, and Ruben Ortiz, 18, have both been charged with felony theft and misdemeanor unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle.

Highland police were called to the 2600 block of Parkway Drive about 9 p.m. Jan. 2 on the report of four men who had stolen a purse from a resident's vehicle, according to a press release from the department. The men were reportedly running on the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks west of the area.

Police found three of the four men on the tracks and questioned them at the police station.

Police also located the stolen purse and identification along the tracks, but most of the items from inside the purse, including jewelry, cell phone and wallet, were not recovered.

A short time later, another person went to the department to speak with detectives. After additional investigation, Foye and Ortiz were arrested.

Additional charges are pending regarding the current investigations of other thefts from vehicles in the area, according to police.

The other two adult males who had been detained were released without any charges.

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Attorney General Curtis Hill is still pursuing recovery of funds improperly received by a Gary councilwoman who held two city positions at the same time  in direct violation of Indiana law.

No citizen is above the law, even if that citizen happens to be a public office holder, Attorney General Hill said in a news release Monday. You can disagree with a law. You can lobby to change it. But you cannot ignore or disobey it. In this case, we are taking action to make sure the law is upheld and that financial restitution is made for monies that were misappropriated.

Councilwoman Mary Brown was an employee of Gary Sanitary District from 1995 through Jan. 1, 2016, when, because of the 2013 state law against double-dipping, she was deemed to have resigned her position. She continued receiving compensation for this position until June 26, 2018, when she provided her personal resignation to the district.

Brown was elected to the Gary City Council in 1999, took office in 2000, and has been re-elected five times.

While Brown was serving her fourth term on the City Council, the state passed a law holding that an individual is considered to have resigned as a government employee when the individual assumes an elected office of the unit that employs the individual.
Wintrust, which has branches in Dyer, Lansing, and the south suburbs, has acquired a branch of PyraMax Bank in Wisconsin for an undisclosed sum.

Wintrust's subsidiary Town Bank acquired a bank branch at 1605 W. Mitchell Street in Milwaukee.

This transaction provides a terrific opportunity to expand our presence in the city of Milwaukee," Town Bank President and CEO Jay Mack said. "We look forward to continuing to build upon the franchise that PyraMax Bank established and to providing its customers with an expanded array of products and services.

PryaMax Bank President and CEO Richard Hurd said that the transaction will let the Greenfield, Wisconsin-based bank focus on its primary markets, that Wintrust was a good buyer for that branch, and that it would work to ensure a smooth transition for customers.

The branch's employees will join Wintrust, a publicly traded bank with $30 billion in assets, and more than 160 branches across greater Chicagoland.

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1st Source Bank again led Indiana in U.S. Small Business Administration loans among community banks with less than $10 billion in assets.

The South Bend-based bank, which has a large footprint in Porter and LaPorte counties and is one of the largest banks in Northwest Indiana by market share, received the Indiana SBA's "Gold Level Award" for the sixth year in a row. The honor recognizes 1st Source Bank for delivering more SBA loans than any other bank of its size in Indiana.

Winning this award for a sixth year confirms that our strategic focus toward helping small business clients across Indiana grow and prosper has been well received, 1st Source President James Seitz said. Were proud to be able to serve our clients quickly through our preferred SBA lender designation, and we believe it is this level of service that has allowed us to continually receive this honor.

1st Source said the award and its preferred lender status with the Indiana District of the SBA "validates 1st Source Banks genuine commitment to helping Indiana small businesses realize their potential."

Established in 1863, 1st Source has more than 80 branches in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana, including in Valparaiso, Portage, Chesterton, Hebron, Kouts, Knox, La Crosse, Michigan City, Westville, and LaPorte. The bank has more than $6.2 billion in assets and is the largest locally controlled bank headquartered in northern Indiana.

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The Marriott hotel chain recently showered Merrillville-based White Lodging with several awards, including Developer of the Year, Opening of the Year and the Partnership Circle Award.

"Marriott has been a great partner and we wear the brand with pride and great respect on every project we're involved in, whether an owner, operator or developer," said Deno Yiankes, president and CEO for investments and development at White Lodging. "We're proud of this recognition as it truly demonstrates our associate's commitment to excellence on behalf of our guests and our properties."

White Lodging was honored as among the best-performing Marriott business partners at the Marriott CONNECT Conference in San Diego, attended by more than 1,000 Marriott International hotel owners, operators and developers from across the country.

The Merrillville-based hotel developer and operator, founded in 1985 by Bruce White, won Marriott's Developer of the Year award for two hotels  the 32-story dual-branded Aloft and Element Austin Downtown, and the dual-branded Fairfield Inn & Suites and TownePlace Suites in Louisville. White was also recognized for its pipeline of eight more Marriott-branded hotels slated to open within the next three years.
On a recent Wednesday, a 1998 Honda CRV arrived in the parking lot of Jonathan Brooks Beholder Restaurant at 1844 E. 10th St. Four people got out of the van and proceeded to carry an old repurposed NUVO newspaper dispenser to the bus stop in front of the restaurant.

On that sunny, chilly morning, they set the dispenser upright and make some last minute adjustments to the text on the box with yellow paint.

People in the neighborhood who need the food will be able to take non-perishable food items from this box. Those so inclined can leave items.

The founder of the Community Food Box Project, Sierra Nuckols, was one of the four who installed the food box. Michelle Johnson, whose collage artwork is depicted on the dispenser, was one of the four installers, along with Elysia Smith, owner of Irvington Books and Vinyl.

This particular installation was a milestonethe 50th in the Community Food Box Program. But it was also notable for another reason.

By placing this food box in front of Beholder, these women wanted to make a statement about the restaurant and what they see as its role in the ongoing gentrification of the area.

Fornicating Bunnies and Poverty Tourism

The spark that lit the fire on 10th St., as it were, was a mural.

In October, Brooks invited California-based artist Jules Muck, aka muckrock, who was travelling around the country painting muralsand not charging official prices for themto paint the side of Beholder.

Muck painted a mural depicting a pair of bunnies having sex.

Some in the surrounding neighborhood, which includes Woodruff Place, took exception to the mural before it disappeared under several coats of gray paint on the morning of Oct. 19, less than two days after it was painted. Some took exception on social media.

Brooks responded to critical postings on Facebook, writing, Everyone can hold & suck. Its not my favorite mural WHO FUCKING ASKED. Go do your own thing. And youre welcome for the rising property values. Bye.

Smith also took exception to this particular post.

A large majority of people who live just north and east of Woodruff place shop at the Family Dollar across the street from Beholder, because that's what they can afford, says Smith.

I cant imagine any one of those neighbors would feel comfortable walking into Jonathan Brooks establishment even if they could afford to eat there," she continues. "Im not one of those people saying that should have been a grocery store but I am one of those people saying that was an intentional choice."

"You put your restaurant here. What reason is that? Is it poverty tourism? Or is it because its in a run down cool area? Is it because hes trying to gentrify that area and he wants to be the harbinger of gentrification? Thats what it seemed like when he made a public post.

Smith decided to do something. She came into contact with Nuckols and they decided to collaborate together.

We decided to do the 50th food box as more of an art installation against gentrification, says Nuckols. We wanted to show the juxtaposition of a restaurant thats serving food for up to $100 a plate and the fact that the neighborhood still needs a food box because its an area without access to a nearby grocery store.

Ball State graduate Michelle Johnson's artwork for the box was inspired by Leonardo da Vincis "The Last Supper."

Her idea for using that painting as a starting point for her own work came after a conversation with Smith.

It was pretty much her reaching out to me saying Hey weve got this thing going on and I had this idea and I want you to execute it, says Johnson. She really wanted the idea of food inequality and how that occurs between classes. Her thought was having this table with things falling off and I saw "The Last Supper" and I thought hell yeah. I just decided to used that. For me its just mainly about food accessibility

Her piece ties everything together, Nuckols says. It shows people of a wealthier class feasting on food while the people underneath are eating their scraps and leftovers with their mouths open. It shows how theyre desperate for the food while people are eating at Beholder and eating this really expensive food.

Smith hopes this juxtaposition might encourage the patrons of the restaurant to take action.

[] If theres press about it, people that go eat there might realize they could bring some canned goods, she says.

Before the restaurant opened in June 2018, Brooks posted the following on Facebook:

I think at Beholder we have a unique opportunity to provide a neighborhood restaurant to an area that has been underserved food-wise, as well as draw folks from downtown and surrounding areas to a part of Indianapolis they may be unfamiliar with.

In a September 2018 Indianapolis Monthly article titled The Messy Genius of Jonathan Brooks, Brooks cited more practical reasons for locating on 10th Street: namely, the landlord who was willing to let them work with the space.

Then in October, 2018on the day that the mural was painted overBrooks defended his business to NUVO, citing Beholders reliance on local suppliers, craftsmen, artists, designers, and farmers for his restaurant. (The other Brooks venture, Milktooth in Fletcher Place, has brought Indianapolis national renown and made the Conde Nast Traveler list of best restaurants in the world in 2016.)

We rely on local all fucking day, he said.

On Instagram, Brooks also eventually apologized for his hold & suck comment, writing "It was not my intention to make anyone in our neighborhood feel unappreciated or disrespected.

But Beholder certainly didnt improve its perception among those in the local community who believe hes out of touch by offering $1,000 fried chicken wing dinners on New Years Eve. The meals, designed to serve two-four people, included, among other offerings, a bottle of Roederer Cristal champagne, a jar of Osetra caviar, in addition to 24 twice-cooked wings.

NUVO reached out to Beholder for their reaction to the food box but has not yet received a response.

The Community Food Box Project

Nuckols, who graduated from Hanover College in May with a degree in anthropology, founded the Community Food Box Program in August, 2016. She installed the first one adjacent to School 56 off of Andrew J. Brown Ave, using a repurposed NUVO News dispenser.

And it rapidly grew from that point on.

The Food Box program was inspired by an existent food box program Nuckols read about in The Huffington Post.

This article focused on Jessica McClards Little Free Pantry program in Fayetteville, AR, which took the Little Free Library conceptwhich Indianapolis residents are familiar withand applied it to food and basic personal hygiene items. In this manner, McClard addressed the issue of food insecurity in her city by making said items easily accessible to anyone who needed them.

Nuckols believes that the potential problem of quality control of items placed in the boxes is mitigated by rapid turnover of items placed inside. Theres also monitoring by business owners and others recruited to sponsor individual boxes, she says.

Right now its mostly word of mouth, people sending pictures, says Nuckols of current efforts to keep tabs on the boxes. They reach out to me and I reach out to them. They have the responsibility of keeping the box filled. Its going to get better in terms of measurement because Im going to turn [the project] into a 501-C3 [nonprofit organization] soon and that way Ill be able to get funding for a truck and Ill be able to monitor them.

Nuckols started the project almost immediately after her return from South Africa as part of the Desmond Tutu Youth Fellows Program. I came back and part of the program was to start your own social justice project in Indianapolis, she says.

The program was sponsored by Christian Theological Seminary and Butler University, and established through a gift from the Herbert Simon Family Foundation. Nuckols was part of the inaugural cohort of the program through which she was able to take part in an educational tour of Cape Town, South Africa in 2016.

Members of the cohort explore social justice and community development issues in a South African context. They visited townships, which were created under the racist Apartheid system, which ended in 1994. But the inequality and poverty, passed from generation to generation, didnt end.

One of the South Africans they met on the trip was Anglican cleric and theologian Desmond Tutu.

It was inspiring and empowering, Nuckols told NUVO in 2016. Desmond Tutu told us, Don't sell yourself short, you can dream. Reach for the stars. I think the experience in South Africa really changed my life and inspired me to make a change!

Community food boxes can be found throughout Indianapolis, and stretch all the way down to Southern Indiana.

Nuckols, who has a particular attachment to 10th St., having grown up at 10th and Sherman, likens some of the development happening in that corridor to a wave coming from Mass Ave down.

A lot of the development projects are not necessarily development projects for the people who are already living there, she says.

A Different Perspective

Gary Reiter is board president for the Riley Area Development Corporation, an organization that has been involved in small business development and increasing affordable housing opportunities in Indianapolis.

Reiter doesnt take issue with Beholder when asked for his perspective.

He says, instead, that controversies, like the one over the Beholder mural, can be overblown by social media.

The artwork that Jonathan put on that building was art for arts sake and it probably created a discussion in the community that needs to happen when someone comes into a neighborhood and creates a new identity, he says. I believe theres more people in the community that appreciate what Jonathan does than portrayed by that particular instance so I think the problem for me was the building owner was the one who took the painting down and I wish Jonathan would have owned the building and kept the painting up.

Reiter also thinks that the word gentrification is a word that means different things to different people.

What happens is culture comes into a community and starts to make it more attractive, says Reiter about the gentrification process. People move in and the people originally responsible for making the neighborhood attractive get gentrified out. Some people say, well, I own a house. Im going to be displaced or it could be Im living in a neighborhood I dont recognize anymore because I go into the coffee shop and its all these people with man buns and hipster-looking and thats not what this neighborhood was. Its different, I dont feel comfortable, it doesnt look like me anymore."

A Different Business Model

Elysia Smith, who has not approached Brooks directly with her concerns, at least not yet, is determined to run her business differently.

She began operating Irvington Books & Vinyl in June, 2018 after she acquired Bookmamas and Irvington Vinyl, which simultaneously closed in March.

Her store is as much a community gathering placeand a community organizing spaceas it is a business.

We are doing a ton, says Smith. We center a lot of events around DIY and zine making, and that includes writing letters to incarcerated people, teaching people how to hand make their own chapbooks and zines, and teaching people the kind of anarchist history of the zine. Im [also] working really hard to build the local poetry scene [...]

They also have book a radical book club called Queery, and For Colored Girls, which features books written only by Black women.

Were working with Musical Family Tree as our fiscal agent to build a recording studio in our basement and it will be for community use, much cheaper than traditional recording studios with access to professional recording equipment, she says.

On the horizon for 2019 are plans to partner with the city and/or nonprofit organizations to work with youth.

I believe that business owners have to be intentional about their choices, says Smith. If you arent intentional about the choices youre making, your business will suffer from it.

Forward into the Future

After the food box was installed, after it was stuffed with nonperishable food items, the installers took pictures and video of the food box to post on social media. Then Smith, Nuckols, Johnson and their friend Torian Jones got back in the van and drove out of the Beholder parking lot.

This is the first time Ive gotten really angry and instead of getting angry Ive done something, says Smith. Ive been angry about the process of gentrification but just angry that people know that its happening and its comfortable for them to ignore it. And its comfortable for me to ignore it, but then it wasnt.

Irvington Books and Vinyl is giving a 10% discount to patrons for non-perishable food to stock the boxes. In addition to the box at Beholder, Smith has also partnered with Nuckols to stock a foodbox at her store.

Smith promised to be back following day to check on the box at Beholder and to make some adjustments in the text written on it.

Theyre going to help monitor it and make sure that nothings wrong with it, says Nuckols.

If you'd like to help support this community food box or find out more about the project, contact Elysia Smith at Irvington Vinyl & Books
Indiana House of Representatives Speaker Brian C. Bosma, R-Indianapolis, joined several House Republicans on Monday at the Statehouse to release their top legislative priorities for 2019, including passing a balanced state budget, strengthening school safety, and increasing teacher pay.

Indiana House Democratic Caucus Leader Rep. Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, called the Republican list thunderous in its nothingness. Indiana Senate Democrats released their legislative prioritiesincluding $150 million in wage hikes for teachers, legalizing medical marijuana, and protections for Hoosiers with pre-existing medical conditionsin November.

Meanwhile, members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, led by the group's chair, Rep. Robin Shackleford, D-Indianapolis, said Monday they will pursue an aggressive agenda of reform including proposals to finally enact a hate crimes law, and giving teachers a long-needed increase in pay.

Bosma said the top priority this session is to pass a balanced state budget while maintaining healthy reserves and the states AAA credit rating.

The GOP priorities listed are the same ones that have been a part of Republican agendas stretching over the past three administrations: Cut spending at all costs in order to increase the surplus. When in doubt about what to cut, study and delay making any decisionsunless it comes to cutting taxes for big business, stated GiaQuina. Republicans continue to talk about the same things: Maintaining an honestly balanced budgetas if our state Constitution doesnt now require it. Education fundingwhich usually means more experimentation with the education-for-profit industry. Workforce developmentwhich generally leads to additional tax credits for large corporations.

Bosma said other priorities include increasing protections for Hoosier youth, strengthening the House Republicans commitment to students and teachers, better aligning workforce initiatives and supporting Indianas veterans, according to Erin Reece, director of communications and technology for the Indiana House Republican Caucus.

Will any of this help Hoosiers? As we have seen in recent years, those who are in charge find it better to talk about such things, instead of working to find pragmatic solutions to real issues, stated GiaQuinta. House Democrats believe that there are immediate issues facing Indiana and that the time to talk is over. We need to increase pay for teachers now. We need to protect Hoosiers with pre-existing medical conditions now. We need to expand pre-K throughout the state now. We need to protect funding for our public schools now. We need to make the charter, voucher and virtual school programs accountable now. We need to pass a hate crimes law now. We need to reform the scandal-plagued [Indiana Department of Child Services] now. We need to reform our tired election system now. All of these things can be done. We should do them.

DCS REFORMS

The Indiana DCS will annually require an additional $286 million over the next two fiscal years, which Bosma said narrows the first fiscal years budgetary focus to funding the states key priorities, including K-12 education, which accounts for over half of the states $32 billion biennial budget.

In response to the Child Welfare Groups comprehensive evaluation of DCS over the summer of 2018, State Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, authored House Bill 1006 to implement the legislative recommendations needed to help reform DCS and improve the outcomes of children in the child welfare system.

The bill aims to provide better balance to family case manager caseloads, allow foster youth to receive collaborative care, and participate in independent living programs into their early 20s, and give caseworkers greater flexibility in both their reporting and in how they prioritize cases in order to reduce court involvement, according to Reece.

SCHOOL SAFETY

Bosma said its clear Indiana must do more to protect school children in light of two recent shootings in Noblesville and Richmond.

State Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, authored House Bill 1004, which would implement recommendations from Holcombs school safety report to improve physical security at schools and mental health resources for students.

INFANT MORTALITY

House Republicans say they will continue their focus on reducing Indianas infant mortality rate, which is currently ranked seventh highest in the nation.

State Rep. Cindy Kirchhofer, R-Beech Grove, authored House Bill 1007, which would help engage at-risk expecting mothers in early prenatal care, and require medical providers to give verbal substance use screenings to pregnant women to improve and increase referrals to addiction treatment.

TEACHER PAY AND SCHOOL FUNDING

To help direct more dollars toward teacher compensation, and recruit and retain high-quality educators, House Republicans worked alongside the Indiana State Teachers Association, Teach Plus Indiana and Stand for Children Indiana to craft several new policy initiatives.

While teacher pay decisions are made entirely at the local level through collective bargaining and budgeting, House Bill 1003 would strongly encourage schools to shift more existing and future dollars to Hoosier classrooms.

Bosma said while many schools currently spend about 80 percent of their state funding on instructional expenses, other schools operational and overhead costs have balloonedtaking critical dollars away from teachers.

This legislation, authored by State Rep. Dale DeVon, R-Granger), would set a target for public schools to spend at least 85 percent of state funding on instructional expenses.

This new target percentage would not impose any new administrative requirements on school corporations because this analysis is already being reported to and tracked by the state.

Bosma said if all Indianas public school corporations meet this goal, Republicans anticipate over $350 million in new resources for classroomsenough for a 5 percent salary increase or more for teachers.

Bosma said this years renewed emphasis on classroom expenditures coupled with coming increases to the K-12 school funding formula will begin the process of lifting statewide teacher compensation.

He said HB 1003 is a significant first step toward making collective progress on these widely shared goals and House Republicans will continue working with their education partners to get more dollars into Hoosier classrooms.

Teachers in Indiana are not valued for the important work they do for our next generation of workers, said Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary. I am proposing that we increase the salaries for teachers across Indiana for two reasons. We need to combat the crisis caused by a shortage of teachers by making the profession more enticing to future educators. We also must send a message to current teachers that we value their efforts on behalf of our children.

Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, authored House Bill 1008, which would establish career ladders to help experienced educators step into new roles and advance in the profession.

DeVon also authored House Bill 1009 to provide critical support for new educators by creating residency programs to pair new teachers with mentors in the classroom.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Rep. Holli Sullivan, R-Evansville, authored House Bill 1002 to encourage early and continuing career exploration and navigation, reinvigorate career and technical education courses and encourage completion of certifications or postsecondary credentials.

In addition, the bill would prioritize funding for workforce programs with proven results and provide additional flexibility for schools to partner with employers in order to establish work-based learning opportunities.

EQUAL PAY WAGE DISCLOSURE

Rep. Carolyn B. Jackson, D-Hammond, introduced House Bill 1047, which would make it an unlawful employment practice to pay wages that discriminate based on sex for similar work.

Further, it would secure an employees ability to inquire about, disclose, compare, or otherwise discuss their wages, stated Jackson.

This bill additionally provides that the Civil Rights Commission would have jurisdiction to review any disputes and allegations of wage discrimination.

PARENT EDUCATION ASSISTANCE

IBLC member Rep. John Bartlett, D-Indianapolis, seeks to create a pilot program offering $15 per hour to any parent that receives government assistance, to obtain childcare while attending school or a trade program.

There will be a volunteering component that will require the parent to volunteer in their childs school in order to meet the requirements for the program, stated Bartlett. The program provides funding for child care, support of educational goals, and increased parental involvement in their childs school, and ultimately leads to self-sufficiency and no longer requiring government assistance.

HOOSIER VETERANS

Working in coordination with Gov. Eric Holcomb, Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, authored House Bill 1010 which seeks to phase in an income tax exemption for military retirement pensions, along with ratcheting up the assessed value eligibility cap for the disabled veterans property tax exemption.

HATE CRIMES LAW

One issue which was conspicuously absent from Bosma's list was the long-discussed hate crimes legislation. Indiana is one of only five states without such a law on the books.

IBLC members, including Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, and Rep. Gregory W. Porter, D-Indianapolis, who has been advocating for such a law for over 15 years, listed this as one of their main areas of concern.

The law I am proposing would cover age, race, religion, ethnicity, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, and sexual orientation, stated Porter. In the last few years, there has been a verified statistical increase in hate crimes across this country. This bill is important to the social, cultural, and economic future of Indiana. Most of our states major corporations and business trade organizations support this legislation, and the time to act is now. Hate crimes should be fully debated and voted on by all members of the General Assembly, rather than the people in one caucus.

Porter stated the bill would allow an individual that suffers a personal injury or property damage because of a criminal offense to bring forth a civil action to recover damages, if the person who committed the offense selected the individual because of the individuals actual or perceived race, color, creed, disability, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity.

It would also establishes a sentencing procedure that requires the court to impose an additional fixed term of imprisonment, if the crime was committed based on bias.

STUDY OF VIOLENT CRIME

IBLC member Rep. Vanessa Summers, D-Indianapolis, said she seeks to create a summer study committee formed around the idea that violent crime must be studied as a public health issue.

Gun violence is a significant public health danger that has had devastating effects, both nationally and in our state, stated Summers. Far too many people have lost their lives through this senseless violence, and it becomes particularly hard to bear when the victims are children. We must consider the implications of this wave of violence and act, much as we would in any public health crisis.

On a similar note, IBLC member Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis, seeks to pass legislation which would require public high schools contacted by the CDC to take part in their Youth Risk Behaviors Survey, to actually participate in administering and completing the survey.

The completed survey provides excellent data on the youth of our state and their health and wellbeing, stated Breaux.

TRAFFIC AMNESTY

Shackleford said the IBLC supported her traffic amnesty program reducing the amount of unpaid obligations based on a person's income.

Nearly 500,000 Hoosiers currently have their driving privileges suspended, due to unpaid financial obligations, said Shackleford. These obligations include everything from parking fines to traffic violations to reinstatement fees. A suspended drivers license prevents people from maintaining a regular job, keeping financial commitments, and helping other family members [] It would allow productive residents to regain their licenses immediately and provide additional revenue for local services.

RACIAL PROFILING

IBLC member Rep. Cherrish Pryor has introduced House Bill 1050, which would prohibit a law enforcement agency or a law enforcement officer from engaging in racial profiling or conducting pretextual stops.

The bill would require a law enforcement agency to adopt a detailed policy that defines the elements of racial profiling and pretextual stops; and requires a law enforcement agency to collect certain data relating to stops made by law enforcement officers.

It would also require cultural diversity awareness training and training on unlawful racial profiling and pretextual stops for law enforcement officers.

The bill specifies that a law enforcement agency must transmit to the attorney general information concerning racial profiling complaints, investigations, and any action taken, as well as data collected relating to stops made by the law enforcement agency.

DRIVER INSTRUCTIONS ON TRAFFIC STOPS

IBLC member Sen. Lonnie Randolph authored Senate Bill 295, which would require driver instruction on law enforcement procedures during traffic stops.

The bill would require that the driver license handbook include a description of law enforcement procedures during traffic stops and the actions that a motorist should take during a traffic

stop, including appropriate interactions with law enforcement officers.

The bill would also requires that the handbook be provided free of charge for use in a program of driver education offered at public high schools.

RESIDENCY OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS

IBLC member Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, said she is proposing legislation that provides that a city may adopt an ordinance requiring a member of the police or fire department to reside within the municipality within a specific time period, but no sooner than six months after the ordinance is adopted, or a member is hired by the department.

SICKLE CELL DISEASE GRANT PROGRAM

Porter is also planning to introduce a bill to requires that sickle cell disease centers providing care to underserved areas be opened in all regions of the state.

Porter stated the bill will give financial assistance to low income residents for sickle cell disease care. The bill will provide free counseling to residents for the symptoms and care of the sickle cell disease and establish an educational outreach program. The bill establishes that the State Department of Health will issue a report every two years detailing the many factors associated with the sickle cell disease in Indiana.

FOOD INSECURITY

IBLC member Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, said he plans to introduce a bill to conduct a study regarding the prevalence of homelessness, housing insecurity, and food insecurity among students at Indiana colleges and universities during the 2019 academic year.

The bill would Provide that the study must determine, as accurately as practicable, the number of

Indiana college and university students who are homeless, housing insecure, or food insecure.

DISTRESSED UNITS APPEAL BOARD

Current law requires Indiana House and Senate minority leaders to alternate every other year when appointing minority party members to the Distressed Units Appeal Board.

IBLC member Rep. Vernon G. Smith, D-Gary, plans to introduce legislation to provide that both the Senate and the House minority leaders can appoint members annually.
Today, Rep. Tony Cook, R-Cicero, is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives.

But, in 1987, he was principal at Hamilton Heights High School.

I decided to admit AIDS [patient] Ryan White [] and confront the bigots from around the country who raised their hateful heads concerning Ryan's admission to our public school, said Cook.

White had been barred for a time from attending Western Middle School in Russiaville, and, after a protracted legal battle, his family moved to Cicero.

Ryan and I both received threats for the actions we took at Hamilton Heights. We both turned in issues to the police during that time period, said Cook.

Cook shared his unique perspective Tuesday at the Statehouse as a new coalition, Indiana Forward, launched its campaign to pass a hate crimes law in the state.

The group is made up of representatives from the business, nonprofit, advocacy, education, and faith communities. The campaign is a united and bipartisan effort to pass a clear and comprehensive bias crimes law in the 2019 legislative session, according to Ann Murtlow, president and CEO of United Way of Central Indiana.

Bias crimes legislation we support would protect all Hoosiers, give our legal community a much-needed tool in its toolbox, and help Indiana better compete for talent and jobs by sending a message that we are just as interested in good quality of life as we are in good cost of living, said Murtlow. Our law must provide not special protections, but equal protections for all Hoosiers.

[Editor's note: Members of the coalition and others use the terms bias crime and hate crime interchangeably, which according to the U.S. Department of Justice mean the same thing.]

Indianaalong with South Carolina, Arkansas, Wyoming, and Georgiais currently one of only five states in the country without such protections.

In an effort to remedy that, Cook has introduced House Bill 1020, which would makes it an aggravating circumstance during sentencing that the crime was committed with the intent to harm or intimidate an individual or a group of individuals because of certain perceived or actual characteristics.

This bill provides clear guidelines, he said. The bias hate crimes bill punishes criminals, and action, not thought, or speech, or religious practice.

Cook's legislation is not the only one making its way through the Statehouse. House Bill 1093, was filed last week by Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon. However, the language in that bill is far more vague.

Another bill filed in the House claims to do this without classes, said Cook, alluding to HB 1093. I'm not going to argue that here, but I do want to emphasize this bill is filed with clear delineation of what those classes are.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry added that HB 1093 would be open to legal challenges precisely because the wording was so vague.

At a minimum, the Indiana Forward campaign believes that any bias crimes law should clearly enumerate at least the following immutable characteristics: race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation, stated Murtlow.

Murtlow pointed to the support given by another prominent Republican, Gov. Eric Holcomb, who has also advocated for the inclusion of these characteristics.

Holcomb broke with his own party July 30, 2018 to call for Indiana to join the vast majority of other states in passing such a law.

No law can stop evil, but we should be clear that our state stands with the victims and their voices will not be silenced, he said. Ill be meeting with lawmakers, legal minds, corporate leaders, and citizens of all stripes who are seeking to find consensus on this issue so that, once and for all, we can move forward as a state.

On Monday, Rep. Gregory W. Porter, D-Indianapolis, joined other members of the Indiana Congressional Black Caucus to call for hate crimes legislation in the state.

Porter has has been advocating for such a law for over 15 years.

We're going to pass hate crimes legislation, he said Tuesday. We cannot continue to operate in this manner for any longer.

Porter is the author of another hate crimes bill, House Bill 1159, which specifically lists the protected categories in dispute.

There's going to be four, five, six, eight, or ten bills filed in terms of hate crimes legislation, but we only need one, he said. We need one that's on the right of bias crime legislation. Nothing with room to interpret. We need it in black and white.

Also on Monday, the Indiana House Republican Caucus, led by House Speaker Brian Bosma, outlined their legislative agenda, which conspicuously did not include hate crimes legislation.

On Tuesday, Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, said he was less sure than others on the stage that they would be successful this year.

I've seen bills that have had a lot of support not make it through this General Assembly, he said. I have confidence that we're going to have a discussion, but until the people in leadership come forward and say, 'I want a bill, I have apprehensions about what's going to happen. And I'm just being real with you. I might be one of the few legislators who believes that. And that could be my pessimism for working on this for several years. But, I will say this: You don't have to worry about me.

Sen. John Ruckelshaus, R-Indianapolis, is another Republican who has thrown his support behind hate crimes legislation in the past and has done so once more. He cited the July 2018 attack on Congregation Shaarey Tefilla in Carmel in which a pair of spray-painted Nazi Party flags and Iron Crosses, along with burn marks, were discovered on the brick walls around the garbage bins outside the synagogue.

I signed on to this legislation because it's morally the right thing to do, he said.

Michael Huber, president and CEO of the Indy Chamber, said there were practical business reasons for passing hate crimes legislation if Indiana sought to continue to attract top recruits from other states.

When we compete as a state, we win, especially on talent, he said.
After four years of owning and operating R2GO, Regina Mehallick will close the specialty market on January 19, 2019.

We received a press release statement from Mehallick via email today explaining her decision.

I have loved the challenge of operating R2GO but stepped away from R bistro in hopes of spending less time working she said.

But, I continued to work too hard with no less hours. My future plans include enjoying time with my husband Jim, dog Fia and traveling. Im looking forward to two days off in a row!!!

Prior to opening R2GO, Mehallick owned and operated R bistro for 15 years. Mehallick was a James Beard semi-finalist in the Great Lakes Region from 2010-2014 and received the coveted Indianapolis Ross Farris award in 2013. In 2008, she was the recipient of a NUVO Cultural Vision Award in 2008.

Although R2GO will be closing its doors, Mehallick says she will continue to host cooking classes in the specially-designed kitchen at R2GO for a few months.

When Mehallick won her NUVO Cultural Vision Award in 2008, David Hoppe profiled the chef writing, in part:

I have food running through my head all the time, says Chef Regina Mehallick, founder of R Bistro. Every week theres a new menu, and a fresh array of seasonal ingredients to choose from. To share a meal at R Bistro is to take a leap, to open oneself to the possibility of a culinary improvisation.

Mehallick has accomplished a lot since opening R Bistro seven years ago. For starters, by establishing her business at the east end of downtowns Massachusetts Avenue corridor, she helped to extend and define a neighborhood that would eventually be designated one of the citys Cultural Districts.

But Mehallicks emphasis on locally grown meats and produce not only anticipated what would soon emerge as a major trend, but has helped to put the culture back in local agriculture.

Mehallick moved to Indianapolis with her husband after living and working several years in the U.K. After a stint in the kitchen at the Canterbury Hotel, she opened R Bistro. I wanted it to be a small menu with complete dishes and incorporating local ingredients, she says. It didnt take long for the citys foodies to find and fall for Mehallicks inventive interpretations of various cuisines. Asked to characterize what she does, Mehallick, who now works with a collaborative team of chefs, says, Its kind of like whatever we want to do. Its obviously very contemporary. It has a bistro flair. I think weve established that and people are willing to come here and have Indiana food or English food or Italian or Mediterranean or all-American.

At the heart of all these variations is Mehallicks reliance on Indiana suppliers, many of whom now seek her out. Last fall, she got a call from a woman in Anderson who had just picked 20 pounds of chestnuts and wanted Mehallick to have them. Yesterday, she says, we got the first-of-the-year lettuces from a greenhouse and, her eyes light up, oh, my God, theyre this beautiful color and so tender!

Business people have urged Mehallick to expand R Bistro or open additional restaurants in other locations. Shes not interested. I dont know if in business thats the way you should be  but I am, she says. Then she takes a long look around the space shes created  from the selection of wines and beer behind the bar to the works by local artists on the walls  and says, This is contentment.

 David Hoppe
 Property tax relief: As the Legislature gathers again for a new session, there will be another opportunity to deliver new property tax relief for Nebraskans. As we think about how to address high property taxes in the upcoming legislative session, it is important to focus on the fundamentals. There are three key things that matter when it comes to cutting property taxes: We have to control spending. We have to reform how property is valued for tax purposes. And we cannot tax one group of people to pay for someone elses tax relief. Right now I am preparing a budget that controls spending along with additional property tax relief. I will be unveiling my budget during my State of the State address on Jan. 15, and I look forward to working with senators to deliver more tax relief for you.

 Year-round E15: In October, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and I joined President Trump in Council Bluffs for a special announcement. At the event, President Trump announced his approval of the year-round sale of E15. This is a big deal for Iowa and Nebraska, the top two ethanol-producing states in the nation. Right now, E15 can only be marketed Sept. 16 through April 30, meaning that we are missing out on peak driving months during the summer. A final rule from the Environmental Protection Agency will allow E15 to be sold all year long, and we will be encouraging the EPA to finalize this rule in time for the summer driving season. The EPA also recently approved the state of Nebraska for a pilot program to test E30. In the pilot program, we will study the use of Nebraska-grown and -produced E30 in conventional vehicles owned by the state. This additional research around mileage and maintenance will help show that E30 will help consumers save money at the pump, help clean up the environment, and is great for our farmers and ranchers.
The cost of the equipment is $41,000, Lawrence said. We have raised about half of that amount.

Lawrence said most of the funds have come through private donations, and there will be an official fundraising push with more information in the near future.

The library had some money in its budget, Lawrence said. All of the money from the Foundation Giving Day last year and all of the money raised this year will be going toward purchasing the equipment.

She said the foundation raised just under $3,000 last year from Giving Day, and Lawrence hopes to exceed that amount this year. The first pieces of equipment will come in near the end of January.

Were probably going to have three to four pieces in at that time, Lawrence said. Then May for the next phase and the last one about November, three big waves.

The equipment has the potential to help entrepreneurs with their business ideas, Lawrence said.

It has a wonderful tie to entrepreneurial people, Lawrence said. They can actually create their own business with the equipment.
The OLED panel will likely be the same panel on the upcoming OLED HP Spectre x360 15. The convertible is otherwise only an internal update from last year's Yoga 730 2-in-1.

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

Not to be outdone by HP and Dell, Lenovo will be introducing its own OLED option for one of its upcoming laptops. The manufacturer's existing 15.6-inch Yoga 730 convertible will be updated for 2019 as the Yoga C730 with a new 4K UHD AMOLED SKU.

Much like the older OLED-equipped ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the new panel option will offer extremely fast black-white and gray-gray response times, much deeper contrast levels, and potentially more accurate colors than the typical TN or IPS panel. Lenovo is also claiming less eye fatigue from OLED due to a reduction in blue light emissions.

Other than the new AMOLED touchscreen, the Yoga C930 chassis looks to be exactly the same as last year's Yoga 730. As such, we recommend checking out our existing review on the Yoga 730 for more information on what to expect from the Yoga C730 since both share very similar qualities.

Lenovo is promising an April launch date and a hefty starting price of $1649 USD. No word yet on a U.S. launch likely because Lenovo wants to test consumer interest in the technology first before investing in more units and regions.
All 14 inch screens used in the ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2019 support touch. As with the X1 Carbon 2019, the high-end panel now has a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 (4K UHD). This panel has a brightness value of 500 cd/m and supports HDR, The low-end FHD option now has a higher brightness of 400 cd/m and supports the ThinkPad ePrivacy feature optionally.

Another change that mirrors the X1 Carbon 2019: The battery only has a capacity of 51 Wh now, down from 54 Wh with the predecessor. In terms of memory and storage, the max. amount of both is 16 GB of LPDDR3-RAM and 2 TB of SSD storage. For the processors, the newer Whiskey Lake CPUs seem to be featured in the X1 Yoga, although Lenovo`s spec sheet wasn't specific about that.

One of the best features of its predecessor though seems to have been sacrificed for a thinner profile: The keyboard deck is no longer flat, which points to a lack of the retracting keyboard that all older X1 Yoga models featured. At least the garage for the Digitizer pen, another special feature of the older models.

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2019 Convertible is slated for a June 2019 release, so potential buyers still have to wait quite some time. The base-price in the US will be $1930.
Lenovo aims to become more competitive in the mobile gaming market with the Legion Y740, the company's latest flagship gaming laptop. The Y740 comes in two sizes, a 15-inch and a 17-inch model. Both variants sport Intel's 8th generation H-series CPUs, up to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, and up to a 512 GB PCIe SSD / 512 GB SATA SSD or 2 TB HDD combo. The 15-inch model will come with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, while the 17-inch model gets the powerful GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q. The Legion Y740 is expected to be available next month for $1750 (15-inch) or $1980 (17-inch).

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

Lenovos Legion series of gaming laptops has improved steadily over the year, and each generation becomes more competitive in the cutthroat gaming market than the last. Lenovo may be upping the ante once again with the Legion Y740, the companys newest gaming laptop unveiled at CES 2019.

The Legion Y740 is Lenovos latest flagship gaming laptop and packs quite a punch. Powered by Intels 8th-generation Core i5-8300H or Core i7-8750H, the Y740 is in league with other top-tier gaming laptops in terms of computing power. The CPU is coupled with up to 32 GB of DDR4 2666 MHz RAM (or an optional 16 GB of Corsair RAM overclocked to 3200 MHz) and up to a 512 GB PCIe SSD combined with either a 512 GB SATA SSD or 2 TB HDD. The 15-inch model will come with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Max-Q, while the 17-inch model gets the powerful GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q.

The Legion Y740 comes in two screen sizes: a 15-inch and a 17-inch model. Both models have a FHD (1920x1080) 144 Hz panel with G-Sync rated at 300 nits. There is an optional 500 nit display option that is Dolby Vision HDR compatible. The 15-inch model uses a 3-cell 57 Wh battery, while the 17-inch model gets bumped up to a 4-cell 76 Wh battery. The 17-inch model also includes a subwoofer, which is absent in the 15-inch unit.

Port selection is fairly good for both models. Three USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A ports, a single USB-C Thunderbolt 3 port, an HDMI out, one mini-DisplayPort, a headset jack, and a dedicated Ethernet port adorn the sides and back of the device. The devices are still fairly portable. The 15-inch Legion Y740 measures 362 x 267 x 19.95 mm (14.2 x 10.5 x 0.8 inches) and weighs 2.2 kg (4.8 lbs). The 17-inch model comes in at 413 x 305 x 21.95 mm (16.25 x 12 x 0.86 inches) and weighs 2.9 kg (6.3 lbs). Both models sport a Corsair iCUE RGB keyboard and are wrapped in an Iron Gray aluminum chassis with RGB lighting options.

The Legion Y740 will be available next month from Lenovo and various retailers. Prices start at US $1750 for the 15-inch Legion Y740 and $1980 for the 17-inch model.
LEWISBURG  Our vision is that the Greater Susquehanna Valley would have limitless opportunities for making, sharing, and experiencing art, said Mary Jo Cicero. Enjoy mixed media artwork by staff and students on display in Gallery 255 at the Public Library for Union County throughout the month of January.

Located in Sunbury, the Arts Center of the Susquehanna Valley YMCA is a full arts center that offers pottery, jewelry, painting and drawing classes for adults. There are also a wide variety of classes for children including art mix, clay play, beginning drawing, chef in training and more. The art featured in this exhibit includes artwork from some of the classes offered at the Arts Center of the Susquehanna Valley YMCA which includes paintings, ceramics, jewelry and sculpture by children and adults of all ages. Support for the Arts Center of the Susquehanna Valley YMCA is provided by the Degenstein Foundation. More information about the Arts Center of the Susquehanna Valley YMCA can be found at ymcaartscenter.org.

Artists and organizations are encouraged to apply to exhibit items of artistic, cultural and intellectual interest in the librarys gallery and/or display cases. For more information, visit unioncountylibraries.org/home-page/info/displays/.
The following editorial was published in the Quad-City Times on Dec. 31:

This year is sure to be a challenging one in the political arena.

With split control of Congress and the beginning of the campaign to see who will run against President Trump in 2020, there will, no doubt, be heightened political tension.

As if it could get much worse.

The political polarization were experiencing today has been a subject of study for years. Where it started  who started it  is even a point of divide. Some trace it to the election of Barack Obama as president; others to the Reagan era.

Were not here to solve that argument. But we would like to issue a challenge to our readers for the coming year, one we intend to take on ourselves. Were sure this is not a novel idea, nor one that hasnt been tried before. But here in the Midwest, where we pride ourselves on our reasonableness, our friendliness and  in Iowa  our privileged place on the political calendar, we think its worth stepping into the shoes, or at least the head space, of people on the other side of the political fence.

And there perhaps is no better way to do that than by consuming political news differently.
Gas prices could be on the rise again soon, but estimates on how much depends on which expert you ask.

Fuel prices plummeted at the end of 2018, dropping nearly every day for three months. That reduced the national average by about 70 cents per gallon.

Between the end of 2017 and the end of 2018, prices declined by 44 cents in Iowa and 39 cents in Nebraska.

The average price for regular unleaded gas in Iowa Monday was $2.02. In Council Bluffs Monday, the lowest price regular unleaded gas was $1.84 and highest price was $2.39, according to gasbuddy.com.

But according to price-tracking service GasBuddy, gas prices will be on the rise this spring.

GasBuddy predicts that prices will rise due to an increase in demand for gasoline and projected production cuts by OPEC. The site estimates that the national average price will climb to $3 per gallon in May but will even out over the course of the year to about $2.70 per gallon, 3 cents cheaper than the 2018 annual average.

But take that prediction with a grain of salt.

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The blue light special has died.

The Council Bluffs Kmart officially closed over the weekend, while a not-so-distant neighbor has plans to move into the space left behind.

The store, once located at 2803 East Kanesville Boulevard, was marked with Closed signs on the doors on Monday, but still busy with movers stacking shelves and retail racks onto trucks.

The parent company for Sears and Kmart announced in October 2018 that the Council Bluffs location was one of 142 to close.

The closures come as the company filed for bankruptcy. Hundreds of Sears and Kmart locations had already closed in 2018.

Liquidation sales followed in the weeks after the announcement.

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It was also announced that two other Kmart locations in Iowa  in Cherokee and Webster City  were closing.

On Monday, an employee with Bomgaars in Council Bluffs  just west of the ex-Kmart store  said that Bomgaars intends to move into the Kmart space.

When the move will happen was not clear, the employee said.

Kathy Genrich, manager at Kmart, said Bomgaars had hired some of her employees after the closure.
Louisiana bettors got a step closer to being able to start wagering on sporting events by fall if the governor approves the second of two bills that is about to clear the Legislature.
Unwavering, unequivocal support for President Donald Trump and his policies has not been much of an issue for Louisianas congressional Republicans.

Trump won Louisiana by 20 points over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 and remains solidly popular with his base, even as his negatives rise. The Morning Consult state-by-state tracking poll pegged the presidents approval ratings in Louisiana at 54 percent in December. That was down a bit from 59 percent in January 2017, but his disapproval number jumped from 28 percent to 41 percent over the same period.

Still, conservative Republicans are savvy enough to align themselves with Trump, who has nearly unshakeable backing from Louisianians who traditionally give their cash and their votes to the GOP. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy exposed a couple of the presidents lower-court appointees as woefully not ready for prime time, but the states Republican delegation has otherwise stood by Trump without fear of recriminations from the folks back home.

Steve Scalise takes point in defending Trump, GOP

That calculation could change as the nation lurches into the third week of a partial government shutdown over the presidents demands for $5.6 billion to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.

Sticking with the president in his claim that a wall is the only way to make our border safe is not so much the problem for Louisiana Republicans as confronting the real-world consequences of the government closings that have knocked more than 800,000 federal workers off the payroll  roughly 350,000 remain on the job without pay  with their first missed paycheck coming later this week. Louisiana has about 6,000 federal employees working at agencies without appropriations, according to data from Governing.

That is already translating into hardships for non-government workers who face TSA delays at airports, closed federal parks and museums and the loss of other government services, sometimes in unexpected ways. The investigation of the multi-vehicle traffic accident that killed five Louisiana children near Gainesville, Fla., last week, for example, is apparently on hold because staffers for the National Transportation Safety Board have been furloughed as part of the shutdown.

Trump has said the shutdown could go on for months or maybe even years, which is making some Republican lawmakers uneasy as the new House Democratic leadership plans a series of votes on bills that would reopen portions of the government without funding for the wall.

The effort is to either peel off Republicans to vote for the Democratic measures or to get them on record as opposing the restoration of key government services and for paying employees who are either being forced to stay at home or work for free.

GOP staffers say they expect 15 to 25 Republicans will vote with Democrats this week and are trying desperately to prevent more from defecting, which would reveal a real breach in support for the president and perhaps force Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to take up the measures.

The canary in the coal mine for Louisiana may be Rep. Ralph Abraham, R-Alto, who has announced he will challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, meaning he will face Louisiana voters this year. He would prefer to do so, no doubt, without a string of votes that the Edwards campaign can paint as sacrificing Louisiana interests for Beltway politics.

The governors operations have already ripped into Abraham for launching his run for governor just weeks after winning re-election to his congressional seat and for holding a $1,000-per-plate fundraiser just as the shutdown was beginning.

They called it Ralphs Shutdown Party, so its not hard to imagine what they could do with Abrahams votes to keep government services shuttered and government employees scrambling to pay the rent.

Louisiana doesnt always have to be a sin industry leader

On the other hand, Abraham must be careful not to upset Trump supporters by undermining the presidents efforts to fulfill his most prominent campaign promise.

Whoever came up with that saying about a rock and a hard place must have been a politician.

Tim Morris is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write to Tim at tmorris@nola.com.
The Louisiana Legislatures Womens Caucus asked the state ethics board Monday (Jan. 7) to reconsider a recent prohibition on allowing candidates to use campaign money for child care expenses related to campaign events and activities. The ethics board is expected to take up the issue again in February.

[T]he Louisiana Legislative Womens Caucus deemed it necessary and prudent to request a reconsideration of this opinion, Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, told the ethics board in a letter. Mizell is chairwoman of the caucus that includes 12 Republicans and 10 Democrats from the House and the Senate.

In November, the ethics board told Morgan Lamandre, a Democrat running for a Baton Rouge seat in the Louisiana House, that she could not use campaign funds to pay for child care during her campaign events. The decision reversed a ruling the board made 18 years ago, when it allowed a man in elected office to use campaign money for child care.

Mizell said the womens caucus members overwhelmingly supported asking the ethics board to reverse their recent ruling.

It strikes us clearly as a womens issue, especially since the board had been in favor of it until a woman asked, Mizell said in an interview Tuesday. There are issues that are absolutely bipartisan. We require much higher than a majority [ of member votes to make official statements] and we met that threshold.

Lamandre has already asked the board to reconsider its November decision. She is running against state Rep. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, this year.

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Louisiana candidate will ask state ethics board to reconsider campaign funds child care decision

The boards ruling on child care upset several public officials once it went public. A pair of Democratic New Orleans senators have already vowed to introduce legislation that specifies campaign money can be used to cover child care expenses related to an election or holding public office. Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, has also said he wants the ethics board to reconsider its stance.

What comprises a legitimate campaign expense in Louisiana has been interpreted liberally over the years. Candidates are allowed to use campaign money for meals, fuel, community organization dues, auction items and flowers for constituents. Then-Gov. Bobby Jindal used his state campaign account to cover much of his out-of-state travel to Iowa and New Hampshire before he announced his failed presidential bid.

Louisiana politicians also spent $310,000 from their campaign accounts to ride in Mardi Gras parades from 2009 to 2012, according to campaign records.

Campaign money cant be used for child care, Louisiana Ethics Board rules

Some comments from Ethics Board members during the meeting with Lamandre in November have been criticized as sexist. Nobody forces you to run for public office," Former New Orleans legislator and state ethics board member Peppi Bruneau, a Republican, told Lamandre. "But you have a child and that is your primary responsibility, to provide for that child.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ended a 14-year legal effort by residents of St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans to seek compensation for flood damage during Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav resulting from the failure of the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet.

In a decision that included no written opinion or order, the nations highest court refused to certify an appeal by landowners -- including the St. Bernard Parish government -- of an April 2018 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that overturned a lower court ruling finding that the corps' construction and failure to maintain the now-closed navigation short-cut took some of the value of property in those two areas.

The three-judge appeals panel found that U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Susan Braden incorrectly interpreted the Constitution and federal law in awarding $3.16 million and interest to six test case landowners, and in awarding lost taxes to the city of New Orleans. The appeals panel found that the property owners failed to prove that government action caused the flooding, and concluded that the corps could not be penalized for inaction.

Federal appeals court tosses key post-Katrina ruling awarding damages in St. Bernard, Lower 9

This draws a bad close to a sad story, said Carlos Zelaya, a local attorney who came up with the idea to sue the government using the property value takings strategy.

Zelaya said he believes Braden and other federal judges in other lower court damage cases had correctly laid out numerous actions taken by the corps that had contributed to the flooding. The result of the Supreme Court decision, he said, is that no landowners in St. Bernard or the Lower 9th Ward will be compensated by the federal government for its failures.

Judge: Corps' MR-GO 'took' value of properties in St. Bernard, Lower 9th Ward

Zelaya added that Congress also has failed to act in the aftermath of Katrina to assure that federal agencies can be held liable for their mistakes.

When we have to file suit because the government fails to do what its supposed to do, thats already a last resort, he said. Government should be doing the right thing all along.

Braden had made a series of rulings between 2011 and 2016 that led to the monetary awards ruling. She had also declared the lawsuit to be a class action, meaning other property owners in St. Bernard and the Lower 9th might also have received compensation. If the Supreme Court had upheld Braden on appeal, decision, it could have potentially cost the federal government billions of dollars in payments.

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The decision not to hear the case by the Supreme Court brings to an end the last of a series of major court battles in which the federal government was repeatedly found to be at fault by lower court judges for much of the damage caused by the failure of levees and floodwalls in the immediate aftermath of Katrina. But in each case, those judges found that federal law granted immunity to the corps or their lower court rulings against the corps were overturned by appeals court panels. In each case, the judges ruled the federal government was either immune from damage claims, thanks to a 1928 law providing the corps with immunity for failure of flood control projects, or found the corps was not liable because it used its judgment in design or maintenance decisions as allowed under federal law.

Federal judge dismisses most of remaining Katrina damage lawsuits

More than 500,000 homeowners in the New Orleans area had filed damage claims with the corps in the aftermath of Katrina. None received compensation from the federal government.

In this case, the appeals court found that the lawsuit on which Braden ruled was only based on the damaging effects of the 72-mile MR-GO, which connected the Gulf of Mexico to the Industrial Canal until it was deauthorized by Congress as a navigation channel and cut off in 2009 by a dam and one of the post-Katrina surge barrier walls.

The appeals court ruled that neither Braden nor the attorneys representing the landowners considered whether the levee built by the corps before Katrina either had a direct role in the flooding or reduced the flooding.

In its ruling, the appeals court agreed that that under the Constitutions 5th amendment, the government cant take actions that take the value of private property without paying just compensation to the landowner.

But in this case, the issue was the lack of action taken by the corps, not the actions it took, the panel said.

We conclude that the government cannot be liable on a takings theory for inaction and that the government action in constructing and operating MRGO was not shown to have been the cause of flooding, said the ruling by Circuit Judges Pauline Newman, Alan Lourie, and Timothy Dyk.

Zelaya said Mondays decision confirms his view that it will be up to the public to assure that they remain safe from the effects of storm surge or other flood causes.

Louisiana has allowed itself to get torn up, quite literally, and at what cost to ourselves and our future?, he said. "Whats going to happen to our grandchildren if it continues?
Chef James Cullens short tenure at Upperline restaurant came to an end on 12th Night (Jan. 6). Owner JoAnn Clevenger dismissed Cullen, who only started in September, at the end of service that night.

"I knew I was done, Cullen said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

Clevenger declined to discuss the specific reasons for firing Cullen.

"It was a long list of things," she said. "He got very upset after I went through a list of things with him."

Cullen said that as the conversation became heated, Clevenger, 79, grabbed his arm and tried to search his personal bag. He said that he does not plan to press charges.

"I do not recall that," Clevenger said.

The chef also made the allegation of what he called an assault in a long series of tweets criticizing Clevenger, describing her as an awful person and the restaurant as evil. In the interview, he called Clevenger a micromanager and a bully.

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"You're not a chef there, you're a curator there," Cullen said. "She came from a theater background, and that's really what it is. I couldn't even put a special on the menu."

Cullen, originally from New Jersey, moved to New Orleans in 2012. Since arriving, he has worked at Cafe Reconcile, St. Lawrence, Treo, Press Street Station and the Southern Yacht Club.

"The whole restaurant industry is a toxic workplace, but as far as toxic workplaces go that has to rank near the top," he said of Upperline.

Clevenger declined to address other allegations and the criticisms Cullen made on Twitter.

"We're very concerned for the staff," she said.

Upperline opened in 1983 with Clevengers son as the original chef. Clevenger has been a finalist for the James Beard Award for Outstanding restaurateur three times. In 2017, Upperline was named restaurant of the year by NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

Correction: The original version of this story misstated the year Cullen move to New Orleans. It was 2012, not 2013.
Shaking with heartache and fury, Tanara Wallace took the witness stand in a Jefferson Parish courtroom Monday morning (Jan. 7) to confront convicted triple murder defendant Corey Woods before a judge handed down his sentence.

After calling Woods a liar, a murderer and a false friend, she stood from her chair, her trembling fingers holding tight to the victim impact statement prepared in honor of the dead: her brother, her teenage sister and her brothers girlfriend.

Trial begins, again, for man accused in Metairie triple murder

Say Malcolm Wallace. Say it, Tanara Wallace shouted at Woods, backing off when court officials cautioned her not to directly address the defendant.

Say Monica Bates; Daneka Lott, Tanara Wallace continued, listing the names of the victims.

Woods sat silently in the jury box, his head raised and his hands shackled, throughout the family statements. He was equally quiet when Judge Donnie Rowan of the 24th Judicial District Court sentenced him to three life sentences without the benefit or probation, parole or suspension of sentence for the three murders.

Rowan also sentenced Woods to a total of 50 years in prison on a 2018 conviction for three counts of heroin distribution. The 50-year sentence is to run consecutively to the life sentences, Rowan ordered.

A jury found Woods guilty Nov. 8 of three counts of second-degree murder and one count of being convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities said Woods executed his friend, Malcolm Wallace, 25; Wallaces 16-year-old sister, Monica Bates; and Wallaces girlfriend, Daneka Lott, 24, inside a car while all four were returning from a store on Jan. 22, 2017.

Woods was sitting in the backseat of the vehicle when he shot Lott, who was driving, authorities said. The car crashed into a pole in the 1400 block of Laurel Street in Metairie. Malcolm Wallace was shot in the neck as he sat in the front passenger seat and Bates was shot in the back of the head as she tried to escape the vehicle.

Assistant District Attorney Doug Freese told jurors that Woods killed Malcolm Wallace as a favor to another friend who wanted Wallace dead. Wallaces little sister and girlfriend were killed to eliminate any witnesses, he said.

The jury voted 10-2 to convict Woods. His attorney, Aubrey Harris, asked Rowan for an acquittal or a new trial because of the states circumstantial case and the new Louisiana law requiring a unanimous jury vote in felony cases.

Voters passed the law two days before Woods conviction. But Rowan denied the defense motion

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Im not going to change my ruling. The law was the law of the land (at the time), Rowan said.

And Rowan also disagreed that the states case was weak, noting that there was more than enough evidence to convict Woods.

I watched individuals who were deathly afraid to testify identify you as the person who got out of this car after the shooting, Rowan said.

Daneka Lotts sister, Jasmine Scott, addressed the court, reading a letter penned by their mother. Lott had four children, including a three-month-old with Malcolm Wallace.

The family sees glimpses of Lott in her children. But they confront grief daily, according to Scott, who recalled when Lotts oldest son asked his pre-kindergarten teacher when his mommy would be coming home because shes been gone for a long time.

Because of our justice system, finally, we can lay my baby girl, Daneka, to rest, Lotts mother said in the letter.

Quoting the Ten Commandments, Tanara Wallace told Woods, Thou shall not lie. Thou shall not steal. Though shall not kill.

Woods was closer than a brother to Malcolm Wallace, she said.

You pretended to be his friend, but the mask is off, said Tanara Wallace, who wished Woods nothing but despair and hopelessness when he thinks back on what he has done.

Tanara Wallace told Woods hes essentially serving a death sentence before leaving him with her last words: Monica, Malcolm and Daneka Lott. Monica, Malcolm and Daneka Lott.

Michelle Hunter covers crime and courts in Jefferson Parish. Got an issue? Contact her at mhunter@nola.com.
New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Michael Harrison is leaving his position after nearly three decades on the force, according to a city spokesman. The NOPD confirms he has accepted an offer to become Baltimores next police commissioner.

In a statement, Harrison said serving as police superintendent the last four years has been the highest honor and privilege of my 28-year-career" with the NOPD. "This city and its people will forever hold a special place in my heart.

A city official with knowledge of the situation said Harrison is scheduled to depart his job in two weeks.

Like New Orleans, Baltimore is operating under a federal consent decree, though New Orleans is further along in implementing the mandated reforms. As in New Orleans, Baltimore entered into its agreement after the U.S. Justice Department released a report detailing longstanding patterns of racial profiling and excessive force within the citys police force. Both cities also struggle with high violent crime rates.

WBAL-TV in Baltimore says Mayor Catherine Pugh announced her selection for police commissioner Tuesday (Jan. 8) based on recommendations from a search panel. Harrison has said he didnt apply for the job and initially turned it down.

Harrison in December acknowledged he spoke with the Baltimore search panel in October during a police chiefs' conference in Orlando. He arose as the panels top pick, according to the Baltimore Sun. However, he told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune last month that he was staying in New Orleans.

City Councilwoman Helena Moreno said in a statement she spoke to Harrison Tuesday morning and thanked him for his exceptional service to our city.

Im sad to see him leave NOPD, but happy for him personally as he takes on a new challenge in Baltimore. Im proud of the work Chief accomplished as NOPDs leader: from his unwavering commitment to constitutional policing and deep community engagement to his effectiveness at lowering violent crime, to his focus on building an impressive and diverse leadership team around him," Moreno said in the statement. New Orleans loss in Baltimores gain."

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh issued a statement Tuesday saying Harrison had informed Cantrell of his decision to retire.

Superintendent Harrison has achieved clear, compelling an consistent results in reducing violent crime, implementing a federally-mandated consent decree, increasing police recruitment, introducing advanced technologies and deploying proactive and effective policing strategies that reflect 21st century constitutional policing," Pugh said in the statement.

He will bring not only significant and relevant experience to addressing the challenges of Baltimore, but the insight and sensitively needed to reestablish essential trust and confidence of citizens in their police officers."

A look at New Orleans police Chief Michael Harrison's tenure

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Federal intervention in Baltimores police force is in early stages. NOPD, which entered into the consent decree in 2013, is approaching full compliance, while Baltimores consent decree was authorized in early 2017.

Harrison has been lauded by a federal monitoring team and the federal judge who oversees consent decree compliance for his leadership implementing reforms, though a shortage of officers, 911 wait times and high per capita violent crime rates remain ongoing challenges for NOPD.

The superintendent leaves as New Orleans, at the end of 2018, marked the lowest number of murders in nearly half a century  146  though the drop is not enough to pull the city from its perennial spot on a short list of mid-size and large cities with the highest murder rates. Baltimores murder rate ranks higher.

According to Jeff Asher, a consultant and analyst who worked as a crime analyst for NOPD from 2013 to 2015, an estimate of 2018 murder rates puts Baltimore in second for the highest murder rate in the United States among cities with a population of 250,000 and larger, and New Orleans holds the fourth spot. Asher cited a murder total for New Orleans of 145, as the police department did not publicly confirm the last murder of 2018 until Jan. 2.

It was not immediately clear who would fill the top spot in the New Orleans Police Department following Harrisons departure, or when the search process would start.

News of Harrisons hire comes after Pughs previous nominee, Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald, withdrew his name Monday after his son had a medical emergency, the Sun reported. The paper said since Fitzgeralds nomination had been announced in November, he had faced scrutiny and some opposition, including from the Baltimore City Council.

The Sun says the Baltimore Police Department has been without a permanent leader since May, when the commissioner resigned after being charged with failing to file federal tax returns.

Previous coverage: Michael Harrison says he's staying put

Check back for more details on this developing story.

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reporters Emily Lane and Kevin Litten contributed to this story.

Carlie Kollath Wells is a morning reporter at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Have an early-bird tip? Send it to her: cwells@nola.com or Twitter @carlie_kollath.
New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute on Monday (Jan. 7) welcomed an inaugural class of 21 students into its culinary arts, and the baking and pastry arts certificate programs.

The $32-million, five-story, 90,000-square-foot building, which also features space for events and public classes as well as a cafe, is at 725 Howard Ave. in the Central Business District.

See inside the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute, set to open in January

On Thursday (Jan. 10), NOCHI will offer its first enthusiasts class -- a course in cheese fundamentals taught by cheese expert Liz Thorpe.

NOCHI Cafe by Gracious, which is run by Gracious Bakery, opened on Jan. 2. It is on the ground floor at the corner of Howard Avenue and Carondelet Street features a bar, sit-down dining as well as grab-and-go items.

NOCHI, a nonprofit endeavor, was created to train professional cooks in a fast-track, five-month program that includes culinary and hospitality training, with technical classes in cooking and baking as well as instruction on health and safety, restaurant planning and career development. The curriculum was vetted by the Culinary Institute of America, founders said.

The certificate program costs $14,775, with about half of the inaugural class received tuition assistance from NOCHI supporters, such as Coca-Cola, Entergy, Sysco, the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation and the Ella Brennan Scholarship Fund, according to a NOCHI press release.

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We are thrilled to open New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute and to welcome a bright group of aspiring chefs and bakers, as well as locals and visitors, NOCHI executive director Carol Markowitz said in the press release. New Orleans is at the forefront of the culinary and hospitality industry and were excited to introduce our inaugural professional training programs and enthusiast courses right in the heart of the city.

Markowitz and Ti Adelaide Martin, a co-owner of Commanders Palace; restaurateur Dickie Brennan and businessman George Brower of Tax Credit Capital LLC are among the institutes founders.

Along with professional courses, NOCHIs public enthusiasts classes in both food and wine will range from knife-skill training and seasoning fundamentals to classes in Afro-Caribbean cuisine and New Orleans Creole cooking.

Cooking, wine, cocktail classes coming soon to New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute

NOCHI, which is pronounced no-kee," has taken years to develop. The Howard Avenue building was once a furniture company warehouse and later designed to be a world-class art studio. That project, known as Louisiana ArtWorks, was constructed with $25 million in federal, state and city taxes plus corporate and private donations. It closed in 2011. NOCHI signed a cooperative endeavor agreement with the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority that allowed them to buy the former ArtWorks building.

The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers donated about $5 million in kitchen equipment to the project. NOCHI has attracted other donors. At a November event, chef and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse announced that his foundation would make a dollar-to-dollar match of any new donations up to $250,000, and encouraged New Orleanians to step up.

The public may rent space in the building, such as the McIlhenny Hall on fifth floor named after the Tabasco family, for events and parties.
Historic retailer Sears appears to be reaching the end of its lifeline.

CNBC reports parent company Sears Holdings on Tuesday (Jan. 8) rejected Chairman Eddie Lamperts $4.4 billion offer to buy the retailer out of bankruptcy. Lampert was making the offer through his hedge fund ESL Investments.

USA Today reports the company decided Tuesday afternoon to give Lampert another day to come up with a feasible takeover bid. If that fails, liquidation would be the next step.

Sears, which also owns Kmart, has roughly 400 stores remaining, narrowed down from 700 when it filed for bankruptcy in October, and employs 50,000 nationwide, CNBC reports.

The 126-year-old retailers are a result of a steady decline in department store shopping, the rise of online retail and, in the view of some experts, poor management. Competitors like Macys and Kohls have been able to continue investing in stores, but the CNBC report notes Sears struggles with declining sales prevented it from making similar investments. Its last profitable year was in 2010.

There are roughly 15 Sears and Kmart stores in Louisiana, and only two remaining in the New Orleans area. Those two stores, a Kmart at 2940 Veterans Memorial Blvd. and the Sears store at Clearview Mall in Metairie, will close in coming weeks as part of the companys latest round of downsizing.

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CNBC reports the Sears brand may not go away entirely. Theres a chance the liquidation could revive and preserve the more successful parts of the brand, for example, its home services business, the report says.

Read the full reports from CNBCs and USA Today.

Metairie Kmart, Sears among 80 stores to close in March: report



Jennifer Larino covers residential real estate, retail and consumer news, travel and cruises, weather and other aspects of life in New Orleans for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Reach her at jlarino@nola.com or 504-239-1424. Follow her on Twitter @jenlarino.
High Point Regional High School is cutting ties with a contracted van driver after she was caught on camera allegedly having a video phone chat while transporting a student.

The incident last Thursday in Sussex County is the latest involving accusations of distracted driving, which law enforcement officials say is the leading cause of car crashes in New Jersey.

The driver, whose name has not been disclosed, appears to be having a conversation via FaceTime or another video application on a phone mounted to the dashboard during a 90-second video recorded by the lone high school student inside the minivan.

*Now public and edited for clarity and sharing.* **School bus company D.W. Clark, Sussex County New Jersey** Video from January 3rd. My sons School Van driver using FaceTime to video chat while driving him home from school this afternoon. Glad my child was able to document this gross negligence by a supposed professional driver. I will be reporting this tomorrow and hopefully this driver will NEVER be allowed to work with school children again. Im completely and utterly shocked that this woman is brazen enough to do this full knowing that I myself am also a CDL van driver for children. Imagine if she was driving a child unable to speak or communicate??Many children Ive driven over my nearly 15 year career have been like this, helpless against the actions of an adult trusted to safely transport them. I am thoroughly disgusted. Would you want your child driven by her?? Posted by Michelle Urban on Thursday, January 3, 2019

Schools Superintendent Scott Ripley said the district barred the driver from future rides as soon as we were made aware of the incident" on Friday.

The video was posted to Facebook by Michelle Urban, who identified herself as the mother of the student.

Ensuring the well being and safety of our students is our most important responsibility, Ripley said Monday in a statement provided to NJ Advance Media.

It is not clear if the incident will affect the drivers job. Her employer, D.W. Clark and Son, did not immediately return a phone call.

We have a positive relationship with the company which is highly reputable, Ripley said.

The laws governing driving and cell phone usage vary greatly for regular drivers and those with the added responsibility of operating a school bus.

While the 2008 state law bans only the use of hand-held devices, bus drivers are not allowed to use cell phones at all, except in emergencies or when parked in a safe location.

The 11-year-old law was implemented largely prior to video apps becoming a ubiquitous feature on cell phones, and over the years some have inquired about possibly updating the laws in New Jersey.

A bill that would have barred additional distractions, such as drinking coffee behind the wheel and grooming, did not target video chats and failed to gain support in Trenton.

Steve Carrellas, New Jersey state chapter coordinator for the National Motorists Association, said his organization would oppose any effort to ban FaceTime or other visual apps while driving.

Visual apps are, technically speaking, just hands-free calling. Whats the difference between people who look over every once in a while to the passenger theyre talking to, he said.

A school bus driver ticketed for violating the cell phone ban faces a fine of up to $500.

Urban told NJ Advance Media on Sunday that she planned to file a complaint against the unnamed driver.

This may seem harsh on my part, however I have been a school van driver for over 14 years and I would never think video chatting with somebodys children as passengers would be okay, she said in a Facebook message

A spokesman for the New Jersey State Police, Trooper Alejandro Goez, said Monday that a complaint had been filed, but did not provide additional information.

NJ Advance Media reporter Paige Gross contributed to this story.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook
Transportation Security Administration employees, who are tasked with handling security at the nations airports, face missing their first payday this Friday due to the ongoing government shutdown.

As the shutdown continues into its third week, some screeners have reportedly called in sick in protest in recent days.

During a press conference at Newark Liberty Airport, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, D-NJ and Congressmen Albio Sires and Donald Payne, Jr. , D-NJ, made an urgent plea to GOP leadership to put an end to shutdown.

Menenedez and Booker called on GOP leadership in the Senate to immediately post bi-partisan funding bills to re-open the government and create an opportunity for a debate on Homeland Security.

Across the federal government these 800,000 workers and families are treated like pawns in Donald Trumps pointless shutdown, Menendez said. The longer this shutdown goes on, the more damage it does to the economy and average American.

This shutdown makes our county less safe and less secure...this is not acceptable," Booker said. "There are air traffic controllers, the TSA workers who keep our airports safe, who face stress and strain on their families.

The shutdown began Dec. 22 when President Donald Trump refused to sign legislation funding the rest of the government unless there it included more than $5 billion for southern border wall that he at one time promised Mexico would pay for. Officials announced Monday that Internal Revenue Service employees to process income tax forms would be recalled to work without pay so that taxpayers wouldnt be delayed getting refunds, if they are entitled to one.

Trump said he would address the nation Tuesday in a prime time address on immigration. Menendez urged viewers to fact check statements made by Trump.

This president hasnt told the truth, there is a moral urgency to end this shutdown. Booker said.

The affect the shutdown is having on travel delays due to screeners whove called out sick is hard to quantify. The Port Authority, which operates the airports, declined to comment about wait times, referring questions to the TSA.

"Man of the people" this dude legit thought you needed an ID to buy groceries and yall acting shocked at this  I almost missed my flight today because over 100 TSA agents called out of Newark Airport. It's really bad guys, really bad https://t.co/r1F8EvQiAl  That Nets Fan 20-22 (@Camil0Guzman) January 7, 2019

While TSA wait time screens in Terminal B in Newark Airport said there was a 20-minute wait in standard security lanes and 5 minute wait at Pre Check express screening, some travelers reported having a worse experience.

I missed my whole flight because of it, said Ell Ash of Willingsboro, who was waiting with his two daughters for a flight to Houston Tuesday. There were only three workers working, It (the line) was very long.

At metro area airports, LaGuardia had the highest wait times at 52 minutes in standard lanes and 37 minutes at Newark Airport on Sunday, said James O. Gregory, a TSA spokesman., who did not say if those times were average for a busy weekend. JFK had the lowest, 18 minutes and passengers who used TSAs pre-check program that uses pre-screening of passengers saw a 5 to 10 minute wait, he said.

Nationwide, the TSA screened approximately 2.22 million passengers on Sunday, which Gregory called a historically busy day due to holiday travel.

We are grateful to the more than 51,000 officers across the country who remain focused on the mission and are respectful to the traveling public as they continue the important work necessary to secure the nations transportation systems, Gregory said in a statement.

People are working right down there at that gate are working unsure of their future,  Payne said. They have other things on their minds, will I have enough money for child care, will I have enough food in the house, what happens next week? Mr Trump they should be getting paid.

A call to Local 2222 of the American Federation of Government Employees union, which represents TSA workers at the local airports, was not immediately returned.

Menendez said he believes it is still safe to fly, but he said the stress of not having a paycheck or way to pay their bills may create a distraction for TSA screeners on the job.

When you create stress on the (security system, it creates the potential for error, he said. We have to get security right 100 percent of the time, a terrorist only has to get it right one percent of the time.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Graduates of New Jerseys drug court programs will have an easier time expunging their criminal records under a ruling from the states highest court.

The New Jersey Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously reversed a lower court ruling that advocates argued made it too difficult for those who completed the years-long drug court program to clear their names, setting up barriers to finding new jobs and stable housing.

The case was sparked by three drug court graduates, identified only by their initials, who were looking to expunge third- and fourth degree drug sale convictions. It concerned an obscure legal question over who was required to prove in expungement cases that wiping a persons record clean was in the public interest.

Advocates for the drug court graduates, including the state Public Defenders Office and the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that a 2017 state appeals court ruling put too much of a burden on drug court graduates to hunt down old court documents and other records to obtain expungements. They argued that prosecutors who oppose a particular applicants expungement should have to make the case against clearing their criminal record.

The state Attorney Generals Office disagreed, contending that each drug court graduate should make the case for expungement. The office declined comment on the ruling Tuesday.

New Jerseys general expungement law allows people to petition a court to wipe clean certain older offenses, excluding more serious crimes such as murder, aggravated sexual assault or robbery.

The court found that state lawmakers who set up the drug court system  an intensive, court-supervised program meant to rehabilitate people with histories of drug abuse  did not intend to make things as difficult on its graduates.

Were talking about people who have been in drug court for up to five years, rehabilitating themselves and going to treatment and really changing their lives, said Stephen Hunter, an assistant deputy public defender who argued the case.

The justices agreed.

Those narrow, seemingly technical questions can have far-reaching effects for drug court graduates who seek to reintegrate into society, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote in the decision.

Rabner found that because older transcripts and reports can be difficult to locate, the interpretation of the laws setting up drug court expungement will have a practical effect on a graduates ability to participate in lifes daily activities without the stigma and consequences of a criminal record.

It is unclear how many drug court graduates will have an easier road to expungement. According to the state judiciary, more than 5,400 people have gone through drug court since 2002.

Tess Borden, an attorney for the ACLU-NJ involved in the case, said the ruling was significant because the high court recognized that the Legislature meant to lower the barriers to expungement for drug court graduates.

"Expungement, ultimately, always serves the public interest, she said.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A state official who sparked an investigation into one of Gov. Phil Murphys closest aides says shes resigning from her job because she has faced retaliation from Murphys administration.

Allison Kopicki wrote in a letter last week that she will resign at the end of January as vice president of policy, planning, and research at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by NJ Advance Media, comes less than three months after the Wall Street Journal published a story in October about the investigation she prompted into Joseph Kelley, Murphys former deputy campaign manager and now a top official in the Democratic governors administration.

Unfortunately, since the fall, I have experienced a certain level of retaliation from members of the administration that is keeping me from doing my job effectively, including exclusions from meetings and being prevented from working on projects that I had been assigned to earlier this year, Kopicki wrote in the Jan. 3 letter.

That discrimination and hostility, the lack of support here, have been frustrating and draining, and I have chosen to leave my position to protect my health and happiness, she added.

As corny as it sounds, I came into this administration aspiring to make the world a better place and feel I can do that somewhere else much more productively and without the unnecessary stress and strain, Kopicki continued.

Shortly after Murphy was elected in November 2017, Kopicki told members of Murphys transition team about concerns that Kelley created a hostile work environment for women, according to the Journal report.

That included allegations that Kelley threw a chair while a female subordinate was in the room. NJ Advance Media later confirmed those accusations.

Kopicki was a deputy policy director to Murphys transition.

Murphys transition team hired an outside attorney to look into the complaints. The probe found that Kelley did throw the chair but did not find evidence that he treated women unequally, the Journal reported.

Kelley was later hired as a deputy chief of staff after Murphy became governor last January.

A spokesman for Murphys office declined to comment Monday on Kopickis resignation.

A Murphy administration official said Kopicki has been involved with hundreds of interactions with the governors office since the Journal report was published Oct. 18.

The official also said Kopicki lobbied unsuccessfully to get her husband, a water resources engineer, hired as the states flood czar.

The official is not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Kopicki did not immediately return a message left for her at the EDAs Trenton office on Monday.

But she told Politico New Jersey  the first outlet to report Monday on her resignation  that her request on behalf of her husband came before she took a job with Murphys administration.

Kopicki also told the website shes stepping down from her $140,000-a-year job because she doesnt want the bullies to win.

I am sort of running away, but I also want to speak out a little bit and say, Guys, dont do this, she said. And all of Trenton needs to look. Its also the Legislature.

We can do better than this, Kopicki added.

Kopickis resignation comes as state lawmakers continue to investigate how Murphys team responded to Katie Brennans allegations that a former top Murphy staffer, Albert J. Alvarez, raped her during Murphys 2017 campaign.

Brennan says Alvarez was hired and kept his job for months even though she alerted Murphys team about her accusations three times since December 2017. She has also said she felt ostracized since going public with her story.

Brennans attorney announced Monday that she has filed a lawsuit against the state.

A special legislative committee will hold its third and fourth public hearings on the matter Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, with multiple Murphy administration staffers and a former campaign attorney scheduled to testify.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.
THE LATEST: Murphy staffer accused of rape told his boss it was consensual

Gov. Phil Murphys top campaign lawyer testified Tuesday that he never spoke to the governor about Katie Brennans allegation that she was raped during the 2017 campaign by an ex-official in the administration.

The Washington D.C.-based campaign counsel, Jonathan Berkon, also told state lawmakers that he and the administrations chief counsel agreed that the former official, Albert J. Alvarez, had to leave, and he was surprised to learn months later than Alvarez remained in his state government job.

My recollection is that we discussed two things: First was kind of an exchange of views on the proper responses with respect to Mr. Alvarez, and I was certainly of the view that someone that had this kind of allegation against them, it would not be tenable to remain in government," Berkon said Tuesday at the Statehouse in Trenton during the third public hearing held by the special committee of state lawmakers investigating how Murphys team responded to Brennans allegations.

When asked about how he felt when he learned Alvarez hadnt left his job months later, Berkon said: I was surprised and troubled by it, absolutely.

Murphy, a Democrat, has maintained he had no knowledge of Brennans rape allegation until October, even though members of his inner circle inside and outside his administration were made aware. Just how Berkon learned about the allegation and became involved in the fallout has been an open question.

Within an hour of receiving a June 1 email from Brennan asking to discuss a sensitive matter, Murphy forwarded the correspondence to top lawyers for his campaign and administration, Berkon testified to lawmakers Tuesday.

Brennan was asking Murphy and first lady Tammy Murphy for a meeting to discuss the matter further. Instead, she was contacted by Berkon. After a few exchanges, Berkon said, he informed Brennan that Alvarez would be leaving his job.

Brennan says Alvarez raped her in her apartment after a campaign gathering in Jersey City in April 2017. The Hudson County Prosecutors Office declined to file criminal charges and Alvarez, through his attorney, has denied the allegation.

Brennan said she notified Murphys inner circle, but Alvarez was hired on by the transition and then the administration.

Berkon testified Tuesday that Murphy forwarded Brennans June 1 email to him and Chief Counsel Matt Platkin, who told him Brennan had accused Alvarez of rape. They decided jointly that Alvarez had to go and Berkon would contact Brennan.

Given the references to the campaign, it made sense for me to call, he said.

Jonathan Berkon, an attorney for Gov. Phil Murphy's campaign, testifies in front of state lawmakers at the Statehouse in Trenton on Tuesday. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

Berkon said he did not respond to the governors email and he has not had any conversations with the governor about Brennans accusation that she was attacked.

A few days after Brennans initial email and after some back-and-forth, Berkon testified, he told Brennan that Alvarez would be exiting state government and that he could not provide her with additional information about why he was leaving.

At a human level, I felt badly about that. And I still do, he said.

State Sen. Sandra Cunningham, D-Hudson, said she did not understand why Berkon did not follow up to see Alvarez had been terminated. She said she was troubled everyone involved had taken the rape allegation so lightly.

Its very difficult or me to understand that, given the severity of the allegation, you as the attorney brought into this felt no other responsibility other than to say, I recommend or think Mr. Alvarez should be terminated, " Cunningham said. As an attorney you would have a greater responsibility  a greater obligation  to make sure something is done, to do their own investigation.

This was a young woman who came and said I was raped,'" the senator continued. This is one of the worst things that could happen to a woman, and to have treated this so lightly by so-called responsible people is offensive.

When asked to say what he wished he had done differently, Berkon said in 20/20 hindsight, ensuring that the departure had taken place.

State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, the committees co-chairwoman, noted how the campaign said it could not act on Brennans complaint because it was an administrative matter, while state officials deemed it a campaign matter.

So somehow Katie Brennan was caught in a very interesting quagmire, Weinberg said.

Brennan, chief of staff of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, on Monday filed a lawsuit alleging various members of Murphys transition team and administration failed to investigate her claim, and violated her confidentiality by revealing her allegations to people who did not have authority to investigate.

Brennan also is seeking damages and emergency relief that bars the state from enforcing a confidentiality order against her as part of a new investigation into her statements that she has felt professional backlash since going public with her rape allegation.

Despite being told to leave his job by Murphy Chief of Staff Pete Cammarano in March and again by his direct supervisor in June, Alvarez remained in his job as chief of staff of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority until October, when he resigned after the Wall Street Journal contacted him for comment on Brennans allegations.

Committee members also pressed Jose Lozano, the volunteer executive director of the Murphy transition team, to explain why the transition didnt investigate the sexual assault allegation as Alvarez was in the hunt for a job.

Lozano, the president and CEO of the economic development group Choose New Jersey, said by the time he learned of the allegations against Alvarez, the Hudson County Prosecutors Office had declined to file criminal charges. He said he did not know the identity of the accuser at the time.

Jose Lozano, head of Murphys transition team testifies in front of the Senate Oversight Committee in Trenton on Tuesday, Jan. 8. The panel is holding hearings to investigate how Murphys campaign handled a sexual assault allegation made against Al Alvarez, who worked on the campaign, by volunteer, Katie Brennan. Alvarez was later hired in the administration. (Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

Second-hand information came forward to the transition about a sexual assault, an accuser who did not come forward, and a prosecutor that did not proceed with charges," Lozano said. "I am not 100 percent sure the what the true expectation is to investigate something with no facts or information, Lozano said.

State Sen. Steven Oroho, R-Sussex , said it seemed Lozano failed to set a tone that the transition would not tolerate allegations of misconduct.

The victim, to me, got the least amount of protection. She was left in the dark, Oroho said.

Lozano challenged Orohos remark.

Something else would have been done if the accuser had come forward, Lozano replied.

The committee also questioned Parimal Garg, deputy chief counsel to the governor, who also described himself as Brennans friend.

I admire her and respect her bravery, Garg said.

Parimal Garg, deputy chief counsel to Gov. Phil Murphy, testifies Tuesday.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

Garg said Brennan approached him at Murphys inaugural ball and asked to speak privately about a matter of serious wrongdoing. She called him two days later and she said she had changed her mind about telling him. Two months later, she contacted him again, arranged a meeting and told him Alvarez had raped her.

I was heart broken for my friend and I offered her my support," Garg said.

Garg said he contacted his boss, Chief Counsel Matt Platkin, who told Garg the matter had been referred to Heather Taylor, chief ethics officer for the governor. Matt said there was nothing more for me to do, Garg said.

Michael Critchley, attorney for the committee, pressed Garg to explain why he didnt press the matter further. As an attorney do you think you had any duty to report this to the attorney general?

Garg replied: I had a discussion with my supervisor. ... I did what I thought was appropriate at the time.

This is the third hearing of the special legislative committee investigating how Murphys administration responded to Brennans allegation she was raped by a former top staffer. Brennan, Chief of Staff Pete Cammarano and others testified previously. A half dozen campaign, transition and administration officials are expected to testify between a pair of hearings this week.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@SusanKLivio.
Gov. Phil Murphy has repeatedly called on a group formed by his close advisers to support his legislative agenda to follow through with a pledge to disclose their donors.

But public statements urging the pro-Murphy group, New Direction New Jersey, to live up to its promise could be as far as the governor is willing to go.

Murphy refused to say Tuesday whether he would decline to hire the advisers that run the group for a future gubernatorial campaign or other political work if they refuse his request. He was asked if he would work with them for a future campaigns or for political work at the Democratic Governors Association, which he is set to lead in 2020.

Instead, Murphy said he would support legislation that would change the way independent groups disclose donors.

I did say that I want to stand on the side of transparency and I would strongly like to see the organization disclose its donors, Murphy said at a public event in Passaic.

But the issue is far bigger than this. Its not just a big deal in New Jersey, its a big deal in America, he said. And that is the law is not right, so the fact is that thats a choice of any organization, in my humble opinion, is not right.

Murphy cant technically force New Direction New Jersey to disclose its donors because he doesnt control the group. And the independent group is not required by law to show who donated. But the people behind it are top advisers like Brendan Gill, Murphys former campaign manager, who continue to be part of the governors inner circle since Murphy took office a year ago.

Long-time Democratic operatives and Murphy advisers Steve DeMicco and Brad Lawrence also run the group along with pollster Danny Franklin.

New Direction New Jerseys pro-Murphy ads during tense budget negotiations last year rattled Democratic lawmakers. The group repeatedly pledged to release its donors by the end of 2018.

But citing toxic political environment these sustained attacks have fostered, New Direction New Jersey spokesman Philip Swibinski confirmed earlier this month the group had a change of heart and would keep its donors secret. Swibinski said Tuesday the groups decision on donor disclosure has not changed."

That prompted lawmakers  including state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester  to take swipes at Murphy.

But another group that backs South Jersey politicians including Sweeney has also taken in money without disclosing donors.

NJ Advance Media reported Tuesday the state attorney general may look into a $55,000 donation the states largest utility provider made to a group with close ties to George Norcross, a South Jersey political powerbroker, according to a senior administration official.

The donation from PSE&G went to the political action committee General Majority, which promotes South Jersey Democrats, four months after the company won a lucrative nuclear subsidy in legislation Murphy signed early last year. The PAC spent millions in 2017 to boost the campaigns of South Jersey lawmakers and Sweeney, who was a prime backer of the legislation.

Politico New Jersey reported on the donation Monday and that the utility mistakenly made it the General Majority instead of General Growth Fund, an independent group that is not required to disclose its donors. Both groups share the same leadership and office spaces, according to the report.

If PSE&G donated to General Growth Fund it likely would have never been made public.

Murphys group ran another series of TV ads last month.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
Gov. Phil Murphys state attorney general may look into a $55,000 donation the states largest utility provider made to a group with close ties to George Norcross, a South Jersey political powerbroker, according to a senior administration official.

The donation from PSE&G went to the political action committee General Majority, which promotes South Jersey Democrats, four months after the company won a lucrative nuclear subsidy in legislation Murphy signed early last year. The PAC spent millions in 2017 to boost the campaigns of South Jersey lawmakers and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who was a prime backer of the legislation.

Politico New Jersey reported on the donation Monday and that the utility mistakenly made it the General Majority instead of General Growth Fund, an independent group that is not required to disclose its donors. Both groups share the same leadership and office spaces, according to the report.

If PSE&G donated to General Growth Fund it likely would have never been made public.

The matter has been referred to state Attorney General Gurbir Grewals office, according to a senior administration official with knowledge of the process but who wasnt authorized to speak publicly. The official didnt elaborate on what  if anything  about the donation could have run afoul of any laws.

Jeff Brindle, the executive director of the states Election Law Enforcement Commission, says the way outside groups are currently allowed to operate likely means the donation was legal.

At this point, in terms of contributing to those groups, its not illegal, Brindle said.

But Ive been saying for a number of years its certainly a way around pay-to-play laws, he said. Basically, thats why weve been calling for a long time for reform of campaign finance law to be able to capture some of the contributions.

A spokeswoman for the attorney general wouldnt confirm or deny any investigation. But the potential legal inquiry is a sign the relationship between New Jerseys most powerful Democrats is not improving.

The governor has routinely locked horns with Sweeney, New Jerseys highest-ranking state lawmaker. The frosty relationship nearly led to a government shutdown in Murphys first year in office, it has slowed implementation of big-ticket items Murphy campaigned on like $15 minimum wage and recreational marijuana, and telegraphs another rough budget battle between Murphy and the Legislature.

Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and other lawmakers have lambasted Murphy after a political action committee formed to promote Murphys agenda, New Direction New Jersey, went back on a pledge to disclose its donors.

Murphy said he thinks the group should disclose its donors. But the group thats run by close Murphy advisers has not done that.

General Majority and General Growth Fund did not respond for a request for comment.

Norcross doesnt have an official role with either PAC, but he has considerable sway over South Jersey politics and is considered the most powerful unelected official in the state. A spokesman for Norcross declined to comment.

Sweeney told NJ Advance Media hes not involved with that PAC and hasnt solicited any money for it.

I read the story, Sweeney said. I have no idea if it was made in error. I have no involvement.

PSE&G spent millions lobbying for the legislation, which could award the company up to $300 million a year to subsidize three nuclear power plants located in Sweeneys district.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.
A raging house fire quickly consumed a home in Wayne on Tuesday, sending flames towering above the two story house.

Emergency crews rushed to the Skyview Road home around 1:20 p.m. after a neighbor called 9-1-1 to report the house was fully engulfed in flames, according to Capt. Laurence Martin.

First on scene of the inferno, Police Officer Dave Fox found a resident suffering from smoke inhalation, the captain said.

All Wayne volunteer fire companies attacked the fast-moving blaze. Police said firefighting efforts were ongoing as of around 2:30 p.m.

There were no immediate reports of serious injuries.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
If you Google "gofundme," the first thing on the search engine's list is a paid ad for the official GoFundMe platform, whose headline describes it as "Free & Trusted Fundraising."

After the Johnny Bobbitt Jr. debacle, we know that neither claim is entirely true. GoFundMe might be "free" and "trusted" for those who set up web pages for donations, but they can be false for anyone who contributes.

The apparent scam perpetuated by Bobbitt, a homeless veteran, and a South Jersey couple who purported to "help" him, turned out to be the kind of fraud that fake cancer sufferers used to perpetuate with donation cans and beef-and-beer benefits. Crowdfunding sites -- GoFundMe is not the only one -- are a higher-tech solution for those with genuine financial need, but they're just as susceptible to would-be embezzlers.

Prosecutors allege that Bobbitt and cohorts Kate McClure and Mark D'Amico concocted the story that Bobbitt gave his last $20 to aid McClure as a stranded motorist, and that the parties had misspent some of the $400,000 that poured into the GoFundMe page they'd set up.

The Bobbitt case also made clear that while GoFundMe.com doesn't charge to set up a donation page, it extracts a "processing fee," usually 2.9 percent, plus 30 cents, for each personal/charity donation. Crowdfunding sites are entitled to defray processing costs for credit-and debit-cards transactions, but it's not readily apparent that GoFundMe is a for-profit company.

Enter state Assemblyman Ron Dancer, R-Ocean, with proposed state legislation as charges in the Bobbitt case move forward. All three defendants are charged with theft by deception of more than $75,000 and conspiracy, second-degree crimes carrying prison five-to-10-year prison sentences.

Text of Dancer's proposal was not on the Legislature's website Monday, but a press release explained it would kick the penalties up a notch when the theft by deception involves crowdfunding, presumably making future Bobbitts, McClures and D'Amicos eligible for more serious first-degree penalties. The legislation would also add fines of up to $500 for each fraudulent donation collected -- money that would go into a fund for the homeless.

There's nothing wrong with Dancer's bill, because, as he states in the release, "Taking advantage of someone's good nature is appalling."

At the same time, why should profit-making crowdfunding aggregators be let off the hook when they can't vouch for the veracity of campaigns they promote? In the wake of the Bobbitt case, GoFundMe says it has refunded the $400,000 that donors gave unsuspectingly. We applaud the company for stating that it now offers crowdfunding's first "guarantee" of refunds of donations that later are exposed as non-kosher.

It's likely beyond the New Jersey Legislature's grasp to regulate crowdfunding platforms whose appeals reach national and international audiences. But what about the federal government?

It would ruin the crowdfunding concept if host sites, for-profit or nonprofit, had to hire detectives to find out every teacher who asks for funds for classroom supplies is legitimate. These sites have done tons of good that should not be needlessly disrupted.

Again, we propose some kind of circuit breaker. When a single appeal reaches, say, $100,000, regulations should compel the host sites to perform some vetting. Maybe a cursory criminal background check or a requirement to provide references would be sufficient.

Verification procedures won't catch every determined fraudster, but might trip up some of them before they can abscond with hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Get tough on the scammers, as Dancer's legislation proposes. But don't forget that crowdfunding hosts whose revenue grows as donations climb have obligations, too.

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com

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Our governor was off on an African safari for the holidays. Meanwhile New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was doing some pretty impressive legwork in the area of transportation.

His panel of experts had been working for weeks behind the scenes, even on Christmas and New Years Day, the New York Times reported.

That was in an article last week reporting that Andrew Cuomo shocked the entire transportation-industrial complex by doing something unheard of in this part of the world: He chose a practical solution over an expensive one that promised what New Yorkers were calling the L-pocalypse.

Thats the name that was given to the planned 18-month closure of two Sandy-damaged tunnels used by subway riders from Brooklyn to get to their jobs in Manhattan.

Cuomo canceled the closure after he did something that our governor ought to do when it comes to the two tunnels under the Hudson River that send our commuters to Manhattan:

He took a tour of the problem areas with some experts who dont have their palms out looking for pork.

Those experts were from the engineering schools at Columbia and Cornell universities. When they looked at the damage caused to those two tunnels by Hurricane Sandy, they concluded that there was a more efficient way to address the two problem areas than shutting the tunnels down.

One problem was the wiring, which is at the bottom of the tube and got soaked in sections. Instead of repairing it in place, they suggested running new wiring at the top of the tunnels. Problem solved.

The other was damage to the bench walls, the concrete paths running alongside the train. The prior plan had been to replace the entire bench wall. The profs suggested fixing only the problem areas, which are relatively small.

Cuomo took their advice and on Friday he announced that the shutdown will be canceled. Those repairs can be done on weekends and at night.

This being New York, there was a lot of grumbling from various entrenched interests. But a headline from a real-estate news website cited the consensus among those who would have been directly affected: Real estate community and hipsters rejoice over canceled L Train shutdown.

Cuomos plan will save them all a lot of grief. And according to one former transit executive, it would also work for those tunnels under the Hudson that are central to the proposed Gateway Development Project that includes representatives from both states as well as Amtrak.

Former Long Island Rail Road executive Joe Clift said the damage caused by Sandy to those subway tunnels was actually much worse than the damage to the tunnels that carry NJ Transit and Amtrak.

If you can do it for the tunnel with the most damage, you can do it for the tunnel with the least damage, Clift said.

Meanwhile the New York Daily News reported that Amtrak Chairman Tony Coscia has stated that Cuomos approach could represent a common-sense solution for fixing the two tunnels Amtrak has under the East River, which also suffered storm damage.

As for the Hudson tunnels, the Gateway plan calls for them to remain in use until two new tunnels are built. That wont be till 2030 at best.

But the sort of repairs that Cuomo is advocating for the subway tunnels could get underway immediately. That would give us time to consider just what new infrastructure is necessary.

The projected cost of the Gateway plan has ballooned to more than $30 billion because of all the extras added on to the tunnel project as the project progresses.

The planners expect to get half of that amount paid by the feds  even though President Trump has come out against it.

This is another area where Gov. Phil Murphy should follow Cuomos lead. In December, Cuomo traveled to Washington to meet with Trump concerning the Gateway project.

Even though Cuomo has been one of Trumps biggest critics, he came to a meeting of the minds with him over Gateway, according to Crains New York Business. The two agreed that it would be a good idea to decouple the Hudson tunnel projects from the bloated Gateway plan.

What will become of that remains to be seen. But it cant be seen from Tanzania. (Which has some really interesting railroads.)

Its time for Murphy to do a bit of legwork himself. I imagine those engineering professors from Columbia and Cornell would be glad to serve as his guides to tell him whether Cuomos approach would work on this side of the city.

I for one would like to read that report.
A stubborn two-alarm fire early Tuesday caused extensive damage to a house in Lakewood and left six people temporarily homeless, officials said.

One firefighter also had to be treated for a medical issue after battling the blaze on Ocean Avenue, Lakewood Fire Chief Michael DElia Jr. said.

The fire at a 2 1/2 story home on the 400 block of Ocean Avenue (Route 88) broke out at 1:42 a.m. and was brought under control around 3 a.m. Firefighters were on the scene for several more hours extinguishing pockets of fire in the house, according to the chief.

Fire and smoke were pouring from multiple parts of the house when firefighter arrived.

The Red Cross of New Jersey said it is assisting three families who lived in the home with temporary lodging as well as food and clothing as the house is uninhabitable, according to DElia. All escaped the home without injury.

The Ocean County Fire Marshall is investigating the cause and origin of the fire.

Photos from TheLakewoodScoop.com shows flames shooting out of the roof of the home.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A former treasurer for a Monmouth County fire department will spend the next three years in state prison for stealing over $40,000 from the department, officials said.

Christine Paladino, 41, of Ocean Grove, was sentenced on Jan. 4 after she plead guilty in August to theft by deception for stealing the funds from the Bradley Beach Fire Department, according to a release from the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office.

Paladino admitted that between May, 2016 and December, 2017 that she took over $40,000 from the department through checks, debit card charges, and ATM withdrawals, the release stated.

As part of her plea agreement, she must pay all the money back and was also prohibited from holding any public office once she is released, officials said

She must serve two years in prison before being eligible for parole, prosecutors said.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A veteran Camden County priest has stepped down from ministry after a decades-old allegation of sexual abuse was rediscovered during a review of personnel files, church officials said.

The Rev. John Bohrer wrote a letter to parishioners at Saint Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Collingswood saying he was retiring as parish administrator Dec. 31 for health reasons -- and due to an accusation of sexual abuse, the Diocese of Camden said in a statement.

The accusation, made in 2002, said Bohrer sexually abused an alleged victim while he worked at Saint Pius X Parish in Cherry Hill in the mid-1980s, diocese officials said.

The paperwork detailing the accusation resurfaced during an independent review of the Diocese of Camdens personnel files as all five of New Jerseys Catholic dioceses prepare to release the names later this year of all clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse in the past.

In Bohrers case, the accusations against him were reviewed in 2002 and he was allowed to return to the ministry seven years later.

It was reported to the diocese in October 2002 and subsequently reported to law enforcement, even though the criminal statute of limitations had expired, the dioceses statement said. Shortly thereafter, Father Bohrer was removed from ministry and the allegation was investigated by the diocese, and subsequently reviewed by the Vatican.

The Vatican review determined the allegation did not meet the bar for Bohrer to be removed from the priesthood, church officials said.

Bohrer returned to ministry in 2009, first as a nursing home resident chaplain and later as a parochial vicar, church officials said. He has been at Saint Teresa of Calcutta parish in Collingswood since 2011. No further complaints were made against him.

The statement did not give any additional details about the alleged abuse accusation made in 2002 or who filed it.

However, church officials said Bohrer resigned from ministry last week because of the Diocese of Camdens zero tolerance policy and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rules on how to handle sexual abuse allegations.

The Archdiocese of Newark and the states four other dioceses -- Camden, Paterson, Metuchen and Trenton -- announced in November that they are preparing to release the names of every priest and deacon credibly accused of sexually abusing a child.

Church officials have not given a date when they will release the list, except to say it is expected to be early this year. They have also not said how many names will be on the list.

The Catholic Church is establishing a victim compensation fund and counseling program for victims of sexual abuse by clergy and other church employees in New Jersey.

The move comes as the Catholic Church has been under increasing pressure worldwide to be more transparent about clergy sexual abuse.

Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced in September that a state task force will investigate how the Catholic Church in New Jersey handled sexual abuse claims. The grand jury probe is modeled on a similar investigation in Pennsylvania that found more than 300 priests sexually abused more than 1,000 children over several decades as many church leaders covered up the crimes.

The attorney generals task force has set up a hotline-- (855) 363-6548 -- for victims to report clergy sexual abuse in New Jersey. The Archdiocese of Newark said in November it has received what is expected to be one of multiple subpoenas to Catholic dioceses to turn over files and records of priest abuse allegations to state investigators.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.
A man described by prosecutors as the mastermind of a mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded homeowners, investors and banks of nearly $1.5 million has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison.

A federal judge in Rhode Island also sentenced 57-year-old Hasan Hussain, of Princeton, on Tuesday to four years of probation and ordered him to repay his victims more than $1.4 million.

Prosecutors say Hussain tricked distressed property owners seeking loan modifications into paying him fees, moving out of their homes, and selling their homes in short sale transactions. They say Hussain had people deliberately damage the homes to further drive down their value. He then bought them at reduced prices and flipped them at much higher prices.

He pleaded guilty in September.
A Jersey City man has pleaded guilty for his role in the beating and stabbing death of a party guest at a luxury Manhattan apartment.

District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. said Tuesday that Lawrence Dilione, 30, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Suspect enters surprise guilty plea in 'jeweler to the stars' murder case https://t.co/STQPqLObUH pic.twitter.com/L2fNfWsypz  New York Post (@nypost) January 8, 2019

Joseph Comunale of Stamford, Connecticut died in November 2016 at an Upper East Side apartment.

Authorities say partygoers were drinking and using cocaine.

Comunales body was shoved out of a window and stuffed in a car trunk. It was taken to Oceanport, where it was torched and buried in a makeshift grave.

Dilione will be sentenced on Feb. 6.
A heroin dealer was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for supplying drugs that caused two overdose deaths in a little over two weeks in 2017, authorities said.

Terrill Spann, 31, of Keyport, admitted to providing fentanyl and heroin to a 29-year-old Aberdeen Township man who was found dead of an overdose in his bedroom on Aug. 3, 2017. Spann also admitted to supplying fentanyl to a 26-year-old Old Bridge woman found dead of an overdose in her bedroom on Aug. 19, 2017.

In each case, detectives determined that Spann was the drug dealer who supplied the victims with the lethal opioids shortly before their deaths, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement Monday.

Spann, who was prosecuted by the state attorney generals office, pleaded guilty Oct. 26 to two counts of first-degree strict liability for drug-induced death.

Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Benjamin S. Bucca Jr. sentenced Spann to two concurrent 10-year prison terms with parole eligibility after he serves 8.5 years, Grewal said.

Spann was dealing heroin laced with fentanyl, a dangerous mix that is killing far too many people in New Jersey, Grewal said in the statement. We are sending a message through these prosecutions that drug dealers who callously profit by fueling the epidemic of opiate addiction will face stern prison sentences when their products prove deadly."

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
An 18-year-old from West New York was arrested Friday and charged with the murder of Steven Flores, who was shot and killed Dec. 23 just after midnight in West New York, authorities said.

The alleged shooter, a West New York resident who was 17 at the time, is being charged as a juvenile. His identity is currently being withheld by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, which has charged him with murder, weapons offenses, and aggravated assault.

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez credited her office's Homicide Unit for the investigation and arrest, as well as the West New York Police Department, the Union City Police Department and the North Bergen Police Department for assisting in the investigation.

On the morning of the shooting, West New York police received a call of shots fired in the area of 61st Street and Park Avenue and found Flores, 19, of Union City, with an apparent gunshot wound to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at approximately 1 a.m., Suarez said.

The Regional Medical Examiner's Office then determined the cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the neck ruled Flores' death as a homicide. A second victim who suffered injuries not considered life-threatening was also found at the scene. He was transported to a local hospital, authorities said.

Suarez said the 18-year-old was arrested at the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.
In the two years it's taken for production company Theatre of Terror to toil away on their eponymous anthology feature, anthology horror has continued a resurgence that makes the film's premiere Saturday, Jan. 12 at the historic Loew's Theater in Jersey City perfect timing.

In a vein reminiscent of the "Twilight Zone," the "Theatre of Terror" features four short films directed by local filmmaker Tom Ryan. Influenced by horror TV that also includes "The Outer Limits" and "Tales from the Dark Side," Ryan is careful to point out that, while this anthology's four films have a degree of social commentary, "Theatre of Terror" is mostly in the character-study mold of those shows. "I think we focus on that a lot more than making a broader statement," Ryan said.

The four films consist of "The Gift," about a scorned mother who meets a stranger willing to do whatever it takes to be reunited with the family she's estranged from; "The Bookworm" is the story of a young man getting more than he bargained for when he purchases an old library with his inheritance; "Abducted" is a country bumpkin's obsession with an alien encounter changing his life forever; and in "Endangered," three radical activists trying to save endangered wolves find themselves facing something much more dangerous.

The Bloomfield-based production company made sure all four films were shot in the state. "I was born and raised in Jersey City," Ryan said. "I've been living in Bloomfield for maybe the past 15 years or so, but I still work with Jersey City actors and locations, and we actually shot part of our film at the Loew's. I premiered a feature film I did called 'Faces' in 2014 (there). That film was shot all over Jersey City, so I like to return to the town where I grew up."

Ryan said he didn't want to write scripts for something that was beyond the capability of the Theatre of Terror team to shoot, "so we basically tried to keep the story within reach of a lot of the locations, and we actually got some really fantastic locations for these "100 percent Jersey-shot" stories.

"As far as the first film, we needed an antique shop, and that was a place that we shot in Bloomfield: a small ma and pa antique shop that was just perfect and creepy. ... For our second film, we needed a mansion and we needed a library. I reached out to the town of Bloomfield, and there was a mansion called the Oakside Manor, and it's an old colonial that was beautiful and perfect. I told them I was a local filmmaker, and they were great about working with me and letting me shoot in there."

"I also shot in the Glen Ridge Public Library," Ryan said. "I scouted six or seven libraries, and it was the only one that still had kind of a classical wooden shelf, rows, staircase, wooden trims and everything, as opposed to these more updated libraries which are a lot of metal racks and they're not as comfortable and as picturesque as Glen Ridge was."

Friends of the production team happened to have a house out in the woods that fit the third film, said Ryan. He found everything he needed for the fourth film in Branchville. "I found this picturesque diner, and I reached out to the owner, and she let us shoot on her property. And I wound up meeting Mayor Anthony Frato, and he got some locals out, and they wound up being in the film."

Theatre of Terror team-members Louis Libitz and Michael Beck grew up in Jersey City and still live there. Ryan said they all went to the Loew's Theatre when it was still fully functioning, and he loves to share his work among the historic architecture the Friends of the Loew's have renovated.

Doors open at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 12 for the 8 p.m. screening of "Theatre of Terror" at the Loew's Jersey Theatre, 54 Journal Square, in Jersey City. The first 100 people in the door get a free movie poster. Purchasing tickets online gets the buyer a chance to win a copy of "Theatre of Terror" on Blu-Ray.

Check out Theatre of Terror's Facebook page to learn more about the company's troupe who are on and off the screen, and check out Ryan's film "Faces" on Amazon Prime Video.
BAYONNE  A possible tragedy was averted when police arrested a man with a criminal past who they say doused the hallways and staircase of an apartment building with lighter fluid.

Patrick V. Marriner, 32, was arrested on Jan. 4 at 7 a.m. after residents in 762 Broadway observed him writing on the walls and called the police, authorities said.

Upon arrival, police found the 32-year-old at the corner of 34th Street and Avenue E in possession of what police described as butane lighter fluid. Police at the scene of the incident, meanwhile, said they detected an odor of lighter fluid in the hallways and said the carpeted staircase had been doused and saturated, authorities said.

Marriner was arrested and charged with attempted aggravated arson, burglary and criminal mischief, police said. Authorities also said he was found in possession of several butane lighters.

Bayonne Fire Chief Keith Weaver commended the residents who quickly responded and alerted the authorities, preventing "a potentially serious fire from occurring."

"A fire in the lower portion of the stairway could've blocked the main egress path for the residents and quickly spread vertically to the upper floors," he added.

While at the police headquarters, Marriner became combative and kicked one of the officers, for which he was additionally charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

Marriner has had a consistent record of criminal activity, according to Jersey Journal reports: he attacked a 49-year-old woman on a city street in June 2018; was charged with attempted burglary when he was spotted trying to enter parked cars in 2017; and chased a woman down the street after she left a bank in 2012, for which he was charged with attempted robbery.
JERSEY CITY  Former Gov. Jim McGreevey, who was hired nearly six years ago to run a nonprofit that manages Jersey Citys job training and prisoner re-entry program, was fired at a special meeting of the nonprofits board on Monday night.

The nine-member board of the Jersey City Employment and Training Program voted 5-3-1 in favor of terminating McGreevey at the tail end of a meeting that ran over two hours and featured pro-McGreevey testimonials from nearly 30 people crowded inside in a conference room in JCETPs Martin Luther King Drive office, called Martins Place.

McGreevey, 61, knew what was coming  he emailed supporters Sunday urging them to come to the meeting  and chastised board members for their decision.

No one has given me the courtesy of a detailed reason why I am being dismissed, McGreevey said. At a minimum I think in the interests of fairness and equity that I as executive director merit a reason for my dismissal.

No explanation ever came. Board members Sudhan Thomas, Rudolph Daniels, Jeremy Farrell, Stacey Flanagan and Mark Rowan voted in favor of firing the former governor without comment. Bob Knapp, Jake Hudnut and Darrell Laval voted against. Anthony Lewis abstained from voting.

Hudnut, a former criminal defense attorney who is now Jersey Citys municipal prosecutor, called the boards action troubling and said it could destroy the services JCETP provides to the citys neediest residents.

There are ways your concerns, our concerns, some of which are my concerns about JCETP can be addressed in a rational way, he said.

When the board vote was finalized, members of the audience began to yell, God bless Jim. McGreevey shook Lewis' hand.

Thomas will take over for McGreevey for at least six months on an unpaid basis. McGreeveys salary was about $119,000.

The board also voted in favor of hiring a board attorney, Englewood Cliffs-based Sobel Han, and an auditor to review the nonprofits finances, PKF OConnor Davies. McGreeveys allies on the board objected to awarding two public contracts before any review of the firms' proposals, but they were overruled.

Mayor Steve Fulop directed JCETP, a federally funded nonprofit, to hire McGreevey in 2013 when Fulop was elected mayor. The former governor later expanded his prisoner re-entry reach with the NJ Reentry Corp., which he chairs. That nonprofit has locations statewide.

For a while, McGreevey acted as a political adviser for the mayor as Fulop considered running for governor in 2017. The two Democrats had a falling out at about the time Fulop announced he would seek re-election as mayor instead.

Last year, Fulop tightened his control of JCETP by appointing his allies to its board of directors and by withholding federal funds that the city had previously distributed to the nonprofit. Thomas, a Fulop ally, took over as the boards chair in July, replacing a McGreevey ally.

We are hoping that tonights actions will ensure that the focus of JCETP re-pivots to serving the unemployed, underemployed and out-of-school citizens of Jersey City, Thomas told The Jersey Journal following Mondays meeting.

McGreevey is the second city official Thomas has helped dispatch in the last week. Thomas, the president of the Jersey City school board, voted along with six of his colleagues on Wednesday to tell Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles that she will not be rehired when her contract expires.

Fulop has publicly accused McGreevey in recent days of misappropriating funds, a charge McGreevey has denied and demanded Fulop retract.

McGreevey has said Fulop is retaliating against him because McGreevey fired one of Fulops political operatives last year (Fulop has denied this). In a letter sent to Fulop last week, McGreevey attorney Michael Critchley said McGreevey will sue if he is fired.

In his Sunday email, McGreevey told his supporters he is committed to remaining in Jersey City "if not at Martins Place, then at another location.

A woman named Alma Colon was one of the dozens who urged the board on Monday not to fire McGreevey. An ex-prisoner, Colon said McGreevey was responsible for helping to turn her life around. She said she was appalled when she read that McGreeveys job was in jeopardy.

"I was appalled and I was scared because hes the only one that looked at a person like myself as a human being, she said with tears in her eyes.

Alma Colon, right, urges the board of the Jersey City Employment and Training Program not to fire McGreevey.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
He was once given an award for arresting Superstorm Sandy looters. Now hes headed to prison for his own Superstorm Sandy greed.

Former Hoboken Police Officer Nikola Lulaj, 45, who fraudulently collected $187,000 in relief funds after the once-in-a-lifetime storm, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced. His wife, Majlinda Lulaj, 32, was sentenced to three years of probation, conditioned upon completion of 50 hours of community service.

The couple was convicted on Oct. 25 of second-degree conspiracy, second-degree theft by deception, and six counts of fourth-degree unsworn falsification. Lulaj and his wife, who appeared Monday before Superior Court Judge James M. Blaney in Ocean County, was ordered to pay full restitution.

They falsely claimed in relief fund applications that a home they own on Webster Avenue in Seaside Heights, which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, was their primary residence at the time Sandy struck in late October 2012. They have since moved to the home in Seaside Heights, but at the time their primary residence was in Dumont.

As a result of the fraudulent applications, the couple received $2,820 from FEMA, $90,200 in Small Business Administration loan proceeds, a $69,054 Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation grant, a $10,000 Homeowner Resettlement Program grant, and a $15,000 Sandy Homeowner and Renter Assistance Program grant.

As a result of Lulajs conviction, he forfeited his job as an officer with the Hoboken Police Department. In 2013, at the citys police awards ceremony, he and another officer were cited for arresting two looters who ransacked a convenience store at Third and Madison streets on Oct. 31, 2012 during the blackout and flooding that followed the storm.

For a police officer to commit this type of fraud is particularly egregious, because officers take an oath to uphold the law and we rightly hold them to the highest standards, Grewal said in a statement. When disaster strikes, we cannot allow dishonest applicants to divert disaster relief funds from the intended recipients  namely, those victims whose primary homes were destroyed or damaged.

The Attorney Generals Office has charged more 120 people with fraud in excess of $8 million related to Sandy relief programs, with most of the cases involve primary residence fraud of the type committed by Nikola and Majlinda Lulaj.

We have recovered well over $2 million through these prosecutions and have delivered a strong message that should deter this type of fraud during future disaster recovery efforts, Veronica Allende, director of the division of criminal justice, said in a statement. I commend our trial team for securing the verdict and these sentences, and I thank all of our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in these historic anti-fraud efforts.
Authorities have arrested a 16-year-old boy accused of gunning down a teenager last month in Jersey City and charged a 14- and 15-year-old as his accomplices, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced Tuesday.

The boys face a slew of offenses stemming from the Dec. 26 murder of Judane Holmes, a Snyder High School student who was shot after placing an order at a fried chicken restaurant on Martin Luther King Drive just before 3:30 p.m.

This is just a horrible story on all fronts; it shows how easily accessible guns are, even amongst young people, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said in a statement. "The JCPD suspected that Judane was a target as retaliation for an earlier event he was involved in and the JCPD had reached out several times directly to his family in the previous 3 weeks in a plea for their help.

This story is really so tragic and it reinforces that the only way we will move forward is with community support, he added.

When asked, the city did not provide additional details on what may have precipitated the deadly violence. Holmes' family did not reply to messages seeking comment on Fulops statement.

The 16-year-old is charged with murder, while the two others are charged as accomplices in the fatal shooting. All three are also charged with possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a firearm, Suarez said.

The 14-year-old was arrested on Jan. 4 in the area of Virginia Avenue in Jersey City and the 15-year was arrested in the area of Sawmill Road in Alloway Township the same day. The 16-year-old was arrested Monday at the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City, Suarez said.

The boys are currently charged as juveniles. The maximum sentence for a juvenile adjudicated guilty of murder is 20 years. In some cases, juveniles are waived up from Family Court and prosecuted as adults in the Superior Court Criminal Division at the request of the prosecutors office and with a ruling by a judge. The penalty for murder in criminal court is 30 years to life.

The names of the boys charged in Holmes' death have not been released due to their age. If they are waived up to criminal court, their names will become public.

The ages of the youth involved deeply concerns me and it reveals the urgent need for early prevention, said Pamela Johnson, the director of the Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition Movement. We have to provide the necessary resources and services to our youth as early as pre-K and continue that strategy in the school, in the home and in the community.

At about 3:25 p.m. on the day of the shooting police responded to the area of Bidwell Avenue in Jersey City and found Holmes suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:35 p.m.

Following a postmortem conducted at the state Regional Medical Examiners Office in Newark, it was concluded that Holmes died as a result of the gunshot wound and that the nature of his death was rule a homicide.

Holmes was one of four Jersey City high school students killed in 2018.

Jade Saunders, 17, a Lincoln High School student, was gunned down while hanging out with friends in a building on Brinkerhoff Street in Jersey City on Oct. 26. Three others were also wounded in the shooting. Alterik Ellis, 25, and Travis Defoe, 28, have been charged.

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.

Its upsetting that so many children in Jersey City believe they dont have options. I see their hopelessness and despair firsthand, Johnson said. "Folks need to understand that these are children being gunned down and in some cases children being arrested for committing the act.

Thats simply heartbreaking.

This story has been updated with new information.
People suffering from opioid addiction in New Jersey and the U.S. have been increasingly abusing Imodium, an over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medicine, to combat their withdrawal symptoms, experts say.

While Imodium and similar medications are harmless when taken at the recommended dose, experts say the medication can stop the heart if its taken at an extremely high dose.

Several fatal or near-fatal overdoses have been reported in New Jersey over the past year, said Diane P. Calello, executive and medical director of New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, which recently consulted on several cases.

Imodiums active ingredient, loperamide, is actually an opioid. The poison control center said that while its effects do not get you high like other opioids (heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone), in extremely high doses it does stimulate the brain in the same way."

Its been known for some years that people sometimes use loperamide to get high. But using it to alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms is something experts have only begun to see within the past five years, Calello said.

Its become clear that people are increasingly using (loperamide) to avoid withdrawal, she said.

While only a few people have died from loperamide overdoses in New Jersey in the past three years, Calello said, its becoming a growing problem in the state and nation. She worries that the lack of knowledge about the dangers of the medication may contribute to more deaths.

A recent study of loperamide abuse, in which Calello was involved, tied the increasing misuse of the drug to the internet and online forums filled with people casually recommending it as a cheap and readily available alternative to legitimate opioid withdrawal medications like Suboxone, which requires a prescription.

While federal regulations require other medications prone to misuse, like Sudafed, to be purchased behind the counter at pharmacies, Imodium can be bought cheaply and in unlimited amounts.

Because of that, poison control officials are seeing people taking 100 or even 400 times the recommended dose, which can cause fatal heart rhythms and death, Calello said.

If you take Imodium for diarrhea, youre not going to have a problem. But if you take 100 times the therapeutic dose, this is what can happen: cardiac arrest," she said.

Withdrawing from opioids is often an agonizing process. Calello said that may drive people in pain to do desperate and unusual things to alleviate their symptoms, particularly if they dont have a prescription for legitimate medications.

People with opioid abuse disorder, they have a significant problem with withdrawal, she said. Its one of the primary burdens of that illness. Its exceedingly uncomfortable, an insatiable craving for the drug  body aches, flu-like symptoms, vomiting. You feel awful. You cant function.

Calello believes the increasing misuse of loperamide should signal that some restrictions should be put into place.

She said too many people are dying. I think it makes sense.

If you think someone is suffering from a loperamide-related overdose, you can call the poison control center hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us. nj.com/tips
People who can are deserting overtaxed New Jersey. What are the citizens who cannot afford to flee going to do?

Favors for the politically connected are a disease imposed on taxpayers. The affliction is spread to ordinary residents from the cadre of government department heads, former officeholders and campaign contributors. We need changes to the structure and makeup of governments.

We have a governor who received election campaign donations from across the Hudson and Delaware rivers, and from Washington, D.C. A woman in New York City donated $4,300 to Phil Murphy. Why? What influence came with this donation?

Look at former Gov. Chris Christie's accommodations to the mostly-Democrat power structure in our state. Christie is Republican by party label, but he appointed a judge who came from the ruling South Jersey Democrats' ranks. Was that a move to get along with his opposition?

Why, in Washington Township, are so many township appointees and consultants from outside the township?

Behind-the-scenes political influence exists at all levels in New Jersey. How do we function or survive under this state, county and local "deep state"? Good government happens when people reject the politics of influence. Without it, maybe getting things done will require lower taxes and less spending.

The whole state Assembly is coming up for election in November. Why did potential candidates start amassing campaign donations as early as September 2018?

Interested voters must read the campaign financing reports that candidates have to file with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). Maybe these files should be printed in full by our newspapers.

Gerald Keer, Turnersville

Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com
A mans family has reported him missing and police are asking for help finding him.

William Overholt, 47, was last seen around Woodbury in early December, police said. His family has not been in touch with him since then.

Overholt is white, about 6 feet 1 inch tall, and about 181 pounds. He frequents Gloucester and Camden counties and the Fishtown, Fairmount and Kensington areas of Philadelphia.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Carl Villone at 856-845-0065, ext 146 or cvillone@woodburypd.com.
On June 10, 2007, less than five minutes remained in the final episode of The Sopranos.

After eight years with Tony Soprano, his family and the Family, viewers of the landmark series sat keenly alert to the final action as Tony waited for his family at Holstens in Bloomfield: The bell that sounds each time someone walks through the door. Journeys Dont Stop Believin' playing on the jukebox. The onion rings that Tony, Carmela and A.J. pop in their mouths as Meadow attempts her maddening parallel parking job outside.

Then, nothing. Cut to black.

Those final seconds hit Tonys native New Jersey  and the entire viewing audience  like the Big Bang, especially when everyone realized the black screen was not, in fact, a cable outage. As the waves of shock expanded outward, The Sopranos was never really over. Since that Sunday night more than 11 years ago, fans and TV critics, including former Star-Ledger writers Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz, have debated whether the abrupt end was an indication of Tonys demise or something else entirely.

So when they sat down recently with series creator David Chase for a series of interviews about the show, they did not expect any monumental clarification. And yet, behold this sentence in their new book:

I think I had that death scene around two years before the end, Chase told them.

Yes. Death scene.

That was the original, earth-shaking opening line of The Sopranos Sessions (Abrams Press), the book from Sepinwall and Seitz released Tuesday to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the shows debut on Jan. 10, 1999.

James Gandolfini and Edie Falco in a scene from the finale of "The Sopranos" filmed at Holsten's in Bloomfield. (Craig Blankenhorn | HBO)Craig Blankenhorn | HBO

Chases explosive phrasing emerged during the sixth of eight interviews with the showrunner. The critics seemed delirious.

My brain just blew up, Seitz told Chase.

Alas, Chase went on to explain to Sepinwall and Seitz that he was referring to another, earlier idea for the finale. But that is not the scene he ultimately went with, so he was not, in fact, confirming Tonys death. When Seitz, for claritys sake, repeated the death scene," Chase had a pointed reply:

F*** you guys."

Later, Chase got a look at an early version of the book with the death scene quote on the first page.

David immediately said, Please, guys. Please, dont do this,'" Seitz tells NJ Advance Media. They rewrote the intro.

Since 2007, many have revisited, discovered and binged on the series through streaming on HBO and Amazon. Sopranos ending explained videos abound on YouTube. Did Tony Soprano die? is the most asked question about the show (apart from, say, what happened to Valery, the Russian gangster in the Pine Barrens episode), but Chases latest answer wont bring closure if youre looking for a simple yes" or no."

'The Sopranos Sessions' by Matt Zoller Seitz and Alan Sepinwall. (Abrams Press)

The birth of a cultural beast

"The Sopranos Sessions arrives as the Sopranos legacy continues: currently underway is the prequel film project The Many Saints of Newark, written by Chase and set in the late 1960s, coinciding with Tonys childhood and the Newark riots.

Sepinwall, now a TV critic for Rolling Stone, and Seitz, a TV critic for New York Magazine and editor at large of RogerEbert.com, last teamed up for TV (The Book)," published in 2016. Sepinwall previously wrote the books The Revolution Was Televised and Breaking Bad 101 and Seitz wrote Mad Men Carousel" and The Wes Anderson Collection.

The two critics met in 1997 at The Star-Ledger, where they were at ground zero for Sopranomania. In the show, James Gandolfinis Tony could be seen stepping out of his North Caldwell home to pick up the paper. Seitz covered the series for the first three seasons and Sepinwall from the fourth season until the end. Months before the 1999 premiere, after seeing the long, awkward pauses between Tony and his psychiatrist Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco)  a rarity in TV  Seitz knew the show was worth spilling a lot of ink, regardless of how viewers would respond, he says.

He was like the music writer for the Liverpool Times who had been assigned to cover the Beatles in 1962, Sepinwall tells NJ Advance Media. He grew up in Pine Brook, a stones throw from Tonys house. The production team had also reached out to the Ledger to get fake copies made for the show, and Seitzs editor at the time, Mark Di Ionno, had gone to Rutgers with Gandolfini (Di Ionno said the dent in the actors forehead happened after he kicked a door open and it hit Gandolfini during a dart gun fight on campus).

Sopranos" evolved from a hard sell in a cultural landscape crowded with Mafia stories (including Analyze This, the gangster-psychiatrist film released just months after the shows debut) to the home of a beloved TV icon inextricably linked to New Jersey. Gandolfinis Tony Soprano spurred a new generation of antiheroes, from Walter White of Breaking Bad to Nucky Thompson of Boardwalk Empire.

Tony with his hometown newspaper. Anthony Neste | HBO

To many critics, The Sopranos is the show that set the current age of prestige TV in motion.

That drama you just binged on Netflix owes more to The Sopranos than to the rest of TV combined, Sepinwall and Seitz write.

Included in their book are excerpts from Ledger articles. Seitz had one of the first interviews with the notoriously press-shy Gandolfini. The critics interviewed Chase, who grew up in Clifton and North Caldwell, on set, also writing about the Jersey locations and actors filmed for the series and the critical reaction of Italian-American groups to the Mafia storyline.

Chase tells Sepinwall and Seitz he had anticipated blowback. He even offered to change his last name back to its original Italian  DeCesare  but HBO declined. Yes, the characters were gangsters, Chase tells them, but he points to the humanity of the show, maintaining the drama did a lot to raise the profile of Italians."

For all the criticism of the shows violence, Seitz says he used to get mail from readers panning Tonys therapy sessions, dream sequences and struggles to get his children to listen to him.

Dudes were uncomfortable with that, he says  these were people who didnt really care about whether or not Meadow got into Columbia.

They wanted more whacking, he says. Less yakking and more whacking.

The sessions in the title are new interviews with Chase conducted in 2017 and early 2018 (but also a reference to Tonys sessions with Dr. Melfi), which form the core of the book along with episode recaps.

The critics revisited all 86 episodes. Their verdict: It held up, and how.

Sepinwall says he was especially blown away by Gandolfini, who grew up in Park Ridge and died in 2013.

Watching it again, it was very clear to me, quickly and often, that this was the greatest dramatic performance in TV history," Sepinwall says.

He also thinks the show is so bingeable because it wasnt created with that in mind  each episode and individual moment can stand on its own. Seitz and Sepinwall go over every development in granular detail, along with the gritty opening sequence. Tonys circuitous route from New York to his home  the kind of place a man of no imagination whose regional auto-parts chain was just acquired by Pep Boys would buy for his wife, they write  makes little sense to any New Jerseyan. But they connect it with a greater idea.

A journey of cultural transformation starts with a shot of the Tunnels ceiling and ends with a man pulling into the driveway of a spacious house in hilly northern New Jersey and exiting his vehicle, they write. This sequence of shots compresses the twentieth-century East Coast immigrant experience into 59 shots lasting 89 seconds.

Out of the tunnel and into oblivion

In terms of the last episode, Chase tells Sepinwall and Seitz that the death scene he was referring to was actually the first concept he considered for an ending to the show.

Instead of onion rings in Holstens, he was going to have Tony drive into the Lincoln Tunnel  the reverse of the opening sequence  for a meeting with Johnny Sack (John Sacrimoni from Brooklyns Lupertazzi crime family). Then the scene would cut to black. The assumption would be that something bad happens to Tony, Chase tells them. Instead, he opted to go with what he describes as a meditation on death (and life). Still, he didnt anticipate people would be arguing about the scene for years to come.

Sepinwall recalls watching the finale at the offices of HBO with other regional TV critics, who wondered if something was amiss when the screen cut to black.

Alan Sepinwall, at left, and Matt Zoller Seitz last teamed up for "TV (The Book)," published in 2016.SYR

I was just sitting there laughing and laughing because this seemed like the ultimate David Chase thing to me," he says.

Sepinwall subscribes to the idea that Tony probably died in Holstens, even if its unclear exactly how. (A bullet from the Members Only guy" is one oft-mentioned explanation, but not the only one.)

In 2007, he had secured the only immediate interview with Chase in the wake of the finale (after much pleading). At the time, Chase insisted that he would not dissect or translate the scene.

Anybody who wants to watch it, its all there, he told Sepinwall.

Seitz, who appreciates a good arthouse, head-scratcher ending, points to what he sees as a lack of evidence supporting Sepinwalls conclusion that Tony died, though he says its certainly one possibility, along with the idea that Tony had a heart attack (or panic attack) and managed to stay alive. Or that Chase killed us, the viewer. He thinks it needs to remain ambiguous. The problem, he says, is that the show never embraced the predictable, and the death of Tony would be just that.

You cant spend your entire adult life consuming gangster films where the hero gets killed at the end and not have it feel like a death scene, anyway, even if thats not what you intended to do, Seitz says of Chase. Even if the shows creator doesnt know what actually happened to Tony, that doesnt matter, he says.

Seitz, at left, at The Star-Ledger in 2001 and Sepinwall at the paper in 1997. (Star-Ledger file photos)

In their interview, Sepinwall asks Chase if the point of the scene is not whether Tony died, but that he could have been whacked.

We all could be whacked in a diner," Chase replies. "That was the point of the scene. He could have been whacked.

Despite the clamoring of the masses to unlock some concrete answer, the critics focus on the larger meaning of the scene.

Sepinwall: The Holstens scene is about death  specifically, about the idea that we are all here on borrowed time, and our lives can be snatched away at any moment, without warning or explanation or the slightest hint of fairness.

Seitz: We make up stories to reassure ourselves that we have control over life, and we really dont.

Livia Soprano (speaking to A.J. Soprano in season two): Its all a big nothing. What makes you think youre so special?

Chase: Time here is precious, and it could end at any moment, and somehow, love is the only defense against this very, very cold universe. Thats what I meant to say.

Its not TV ... its The Sopranos

Of course, the finale isnt the sum total of the series, which Chase has always said is based on his relationship with his mother, represented by a devastating Nancy Marchand as Livia. But he originally intended Robert De Niro and Anne Bancroft to star as Tony and Livia in a film version of the concept. Chase tells Seitz and Sepinwall that there was little interest in pursuing the idea after the 1988 film Married to the Mob.

We are so lucky that he didnt do that, Sepinwall says. Of course, the show, which amounted to a game of spot that place in your hometown" for North Jerseyans, did have a cinematic quality.

It took northern New Jersey as seriously as Spike Lee took Brooklyn or Paul Thomas Anderson took Los Angeles, Seitz says. Beyond Satriales and the Bada Bing, in the interviews, Chase talks about Twin Peaks creator and film director David Lynch as a kindred spirit in his depiction of the great outdoors, even as Jersey presents a much different picture from the Pacific Northwest.

Id always been completely taken by the Meadowlands, and I wanted it to have that feeling, Chase, a former Northern Exposure writer, tells Sepinwall and Seitz.

Caution: Clip below contains explicit language

As for The Many Saints of Newark, the film that will shed light on the crime familys past, Seitz would like to see the story to delve into racial conflict, much like A Bronx Tale (1993). The movie is confirmed to involve Christopher Moltisantis father Richard, or Dickie (their last name means many saints), played by Alessandro Nivola.

I just want it to be good, and I suspect its going to be, because David is so protective of this show and its legacy, Sepinwall says. I cant imagine that he would want to revisit it unless it was something great.

After completing the book, Seitz organized the Sopranos Film Festival in New York.

The festival, running from Jan. 9 to 14, will screen episodes alongside films Chase has cited as inspiration. On Jan. 9, Chase will make an appearance at a Sopranos reunion alongside actors including Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Aida Turturro, Steven Van Zandt, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Steve Buscemi (who directed the Pine Barrens episode). Jan. 11 brings the premiere of My Dinner with Alan, a documentary set in Holstens starring the two critics.

At the Ledger, Seitz handed Sopranos duties to Sepinwall when the show started to become overwhelming.

It was too toxic for me to live in that space all the time, he says. These were pretty depraved characters.

That was something Gandolfini understood all too well. A few seasons in, the actor told Seitz, off the record, that he wasnt sure about renewing his contract. Hell never forget what Gandolfini said:

When I come home after shooting, there are times when no matter how long I spend in the shower, I cant wash off the stink from this guy."

Sepinwall and Seitz will be at Word bookstore in Jersey City for Sopranos" trivia at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8; wordbookstores.com. The Sopranos Film Festival, running from Jan. 9 to 14, is at the IFC Center in New York; ifccenter.com/series/the-sopranos-film-festival. HBO 2 is also airing a Sopranos marathon from noon through midnight on Tuesday, noon through 11 p.m. on Wednesday and noon to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday; hbo.com/schedule

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.
Garfield police and prosecutors in Bergen county are investigating what led to a 19-year-old man being shot inside of a McDonalds in Garfield.

An unnamed suspect from the scene of the shooting is in custody, according to a release from the Bergen County Prosecutors Office.

Several 911 calls came in reporting shots being fired near 25 Farnham Ave. around 3:30 a.m., prosecutors said. Police responded, and at a McDonalds less than half a mile away they discovered the man who they say had been shot once in the torso.

He was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center where he is in serious but stable condition.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo.

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Three current and former employees who asked state and federal officials to investigate Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon Tyner for alleged wrongdoing will be filing a lawsuit against him later this week.

One of the attorneys for the three women said the gender discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit will be filed Thursday and a press conference will be held to detail the allegations. Named as defendants will be Tyner, two of his assistant prosecutors, the prosecutors office and Atlantic County.

A media advisory issued Tuesday said the lawsuit will argue that Tyner violated state law by creating a culture in his office that favored men over women, ignoring reports of harassment and discrimination, and permitted "retaliation against anyone who dared question this culture or other questionable conduct within the office.

The women wrote a letter that leaked in October to the Attorney Generals Office and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey seeking an investigation of Tyner for alleged ethical violations including hiding evidence, committing mortgage fraud, nepotism and ignoring gender discrimination and harassment complaints.

While the Attorney Generals Office would not confirm it, two people with knowledge of the matter confirmed that the office did conduct an investigation as a result of the letter.

The women are Diane Ruberton, a former first assistant prosecutor who was fired by Tyner in June after she complained about alleged misconduct; Heather McManus, a former detective lieutenant who retired earlier this year; and Donna Fetzer, a chief assistant prosecutor still working in the office.

In previous statements, Tyner has called the allegations by the women baseless and said they stem from "personnel issues with disgruntled former employees and current employee."

The letter sent in October claims that Tyner repeatedly made sure that gender discrimination and sexual harassment complaints by women in his office were not investigated or passed on to the countys attorney.

Other allegations contained in the letter include that Tyner and his wife committed mortgage fraud by selling their house at a very inflated price to her father, and then buying it back for $1.

They also accused Tyner of hiding evidence in the October trial of Ferdinand Freddy Augello, convicted of murder for his role in the 2012 hit-man killing of April Kauffman. The women said Tyner violated discovery rules by hiding from the defense attorney that his office had not investigated missing evidence and that the lead detective had been investigated by internal affairs.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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While the 2018 census data isnt due for release until 2019, marketers should be prepared to answer two key questions  are we adjusting to the changing needs of our target market? and how do we acquire new customers that are gaining relevance in NZ? With the help of Nielsens Consumer Media Insights (CMI) and NZ Stats population projections, marketers and brand owners can prepare for what the new New Zealand will look like by developing products and services that cater to the needs of the changing consumer.

NEW ZEALANDS CHANGING POPULATION: THREE OBSERVATIONS FOR MARKETERS

The population is aging: While New Zealands average age has remained consistent since 2012, this is expected to change as the over 55 population is projected to grow from 27% to 30% of the overall population within the next 10 years (2028). Changing Ethnicity: Statistics New Zealand projections indicate a major growth in diversity in New Zealands population over the next 10 years, with Middle Eastern, Chinese, Indian, Other Asian, Samoan and Maori groups all set to experience between 18% to 58% population growth compared to just 11% for the overall population. With increasing cultural diversity, marketers and brand owners need to look deeper at how they will connect and engage with a variety of ethnic groups in the future. Different strategies for Auckland: Since 2012, the percentage of those in Auckland who identify as NZ European declined by 3%, while Asian ethnic groups have increased by 13%. Now, two-thirds of all New Zealanders who identify as being Asian live in Auckland. With this change, marketers need to consider whether their strategies are suitable for Auckland and ensure that differing cultural needs are being catered for in their product mix and marketing messaging.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR AN EXAMPLE CATEGORY LIKE BEVERAGES:

While changes to New Zealands population will impact all products and services, lets consider what these changes mean for a category that concerns most Kiwis  non-alcoholic Beverages. By overlaying consumer ethnicity across the top seven non-alcoholic beverages New Zealanders have consumed in the last month, we begin to see some patterns emerge. The Asian population (540k people) is much more likely to have consumed a range of beverages across the last month. They are more likely to consume carbonated soft drinks, smoothies, iced drinks (e.g. iced coffee, tea, chocolate), and energy drinks in the last month. Conversely, New Zealanders of European origin are less likely to drink smoothies, iced drinks and energy drinks compared to all Kiwis.

A CONSUMER-CENTRIC STRATEGY:

With the changing population, there is a growing need to develop products and services to satisfy a wider array of consumer preferences. Companies now need to ask themselves:

Which groups do our current products/services appeal to the most?

Are these group increasing/decreasing in size?

Are their preferences changing?

Are there new target customers that are increasing in relevance?

What media mix is required to reach these customers for either retention or acquisition?

As New Zealands cultural mix continues to change, these are just some questions that marketers and brand owners need to ask when considering the future of their business.
ANSONIA  The public is invited to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. this month during an event aimed at uniting the community.

The event, Unity in the Community Dinner & Cabaret  A Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Abundant Life Fellowship Ministries Church Hall, 195 N. Main St.

Sponsored by the MLK Bust Committee and the Ansonia NAACP, the event promises a day of inspiration, featuring food, song, dance, readings from Kings Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech and I Have a Dream speech, courtesy of several Valley high school students, and more, according to committee member Diane Stroman.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children 10 and under, and includes a dinner of fried chicken, chopped barbecue, string beans, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, rice/gravy, rolls and dessert. Proceeds will be used for the completion of a 450-pound bronze bust of King the committee has been working on for the past two years. Tickets are available by calling 203-645-9635 or 203-397-1947.

Also featured will be a special award presentation to the 2019 State of Connecticut Educator of the Year, Ansonia native Sheena Graham.

She has demonstrated greatness and raised the bar for our children, said Ansonia NAACP President Greg Johnson.

The Rev. Alfred Smith of Macedonia Baptist Church, who has led the bust project, encouraged the public to attend.

Dr. King tried to bring everyone together  something sadly needed these days, Smith said. A bust of Dr. King will be a constant reminder of his life, light, legacy and accomplishments. It will also give school systems a place to visit all year and in February for Black History Month.

Johnson echoed similar sentiments about the busts meaning.

There is only one bust of Dr. King in the state, and the community will be able to call Ansonia home to the second one and develop educational opportunities for those who travel to the Valley to visit and see it, said Johnson. It's a wonderful way for Ansonia to move into the New Year with a landmark we can call our own.

TEAM Inc. is serving as the projects in-kind fiduciary and President/CEO David Morgan has been honored to assist.

The total cost of this project is $27,000, and we are only $3,800 away and hoping this event will get us to the finish line, said Morgan. Our committees vision is that the dreams and convictions of Dr. King perpetually resonate throughout all the behaviors and actions of our regions work within community impact and well-being. The completion of this project will lay the foundation for symbolic annual recognition, and create countless opportunities for youth, students, residents and leaders to embody Dr. Kings influence of love and compassion, equity and learning for all.

The bust is being created by artist/sculptor Vasil Rakaj, an Ansonia resident, and will be placed atop a 6-foot black granite base. The location of the bust is still up in the air, as the committee would like it next to City Hall in Veterans Park, but the local veterans group believes the bust is better suited for another location on Main Street.

Ansonia will be only the second city in Connecticut to have a monument dedicated to King. The other one is in New Britain. Rakaj said Ansonias bust will be the first bronze one of King in the state.

jean.sos@snet.net
On Dec. 2, the New Haven Register printed a Houston Chronicle article about George H.W. Bush. Its quick brushstroke of the Gulf War could only be accepted by someone who hadnt lived consciously during those times.

In 1990, Kuwait was slant-drilling for oil on its border with Iraq, extracting Iraqi oil but claiming it as its own. In addition, Kuwait brought more oil to the market than agreed upon by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, driving the cost of oil down. In July 1990, prior to Iraqs Aug. 2 invasion of Kuwait, Saddam Hussein met with the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, April Glaspie, who said the U.S. had no opinion on Arab to Arab conflicts, and the U.S. had no security or defense commitment to Kuwait. Iraq invaded Kuwait and days later the U.S. sent troops and equipment into Saudi Arabia to prepare for war.
American Conservative much, but Rand Paul pointed out a nonpartisan article by George O'Neill worth looking at last week, I don't read themuch, but Rand Paul pointed out a nonpartisan article by George O'Neill worth looking at last week, $100 Billion in Weapons to the Saudis Buys a World Full of Hurt . He emphasized that "the meaning of 'friendship' in Riyadh's case has been distorted beyond all reality." Sounding a lot like a Bernie fanzine writer, O'Neill reported that "On December 13, the United States Senate made history with a vote invoking the 1973 War Powers Act to stop Americas military participation in, and support of, the unauthorized and immoral war against the desperate people in Yemen. Never before had a vote of this nature passed the Senate. The measure passed with 56 senators voting in support and 41 voting against. It marked the first time the Senate has been able to put the breaks on our involvement in Yemen, a war that was never authorized by Congress, as is required by our Constitution. Meanwhile, Speaker Paul Ryan went to extraordinary lengths to forestall a vote on a similar motion in the House of Representatives."





If you click the link to the vote above, you'll no doubt notice that every single Democrat in the Senate-- even Manchin, Heitkamp, Jones and Menendez-- voted for Bernie's Resolution and that they were joined by co-sponsor Mike Lee (R-UT) and half a dozen other Republicans, including Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Jerry Moran (R-KS) Steve Daines (R-MT), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Todd Young (IN). Susan Collins and Rand Paul might be expected to cross the aisle on a vote like this, but look at the Trump affinity scores for the 7 Republicans who backed it:

 Collins- 77.4%

 Daines- 88.0%

 Flake- 81.3%

 Lee- 78.6%

 Moran- 92.8%

 Paul- 72.8%

 Young- 92.9%

For comparison's sake, this is Bernie's affinity score: 14.3%.

And this is McConnell's affinity score: 95.2%.

Lindsey Graham, who ran away and refused to vote: 90.2%.

The 1973 War Powers Act was written to protect such motions from political shenanigans. However, in 2017, the leadership killed House Concurrent Resolution 81, using parliamentary trickery to table the motion without a vote. In November 2018, the House Rules Committee, controlled by Ryan and company, slipped a rule into the Wolf Protection Act to de-privilege H.Con.Res.138 so that a vote would again be thwarted. When the measure was brought up again in December, the Rules Committee inserted a rule on Res.142 into the farm bill, which again prevented Congress from voting on the issue.



Why so much effort on Capitol Hill to protect and perpetuate an illegal war that has brought the 14 million people of Yemen to the brink of starvation? Why so much support for enabling the Saudi governments inhumane naval blockade and bombing campaign, which are intentionally designed to starve the Yemenis and prevent other supplies, particularly medicines, from coming into Yemen?



When queried, the typical supporter of this horror tells us we have to support the Saudis because they are our friends. But how can we call those who willfully perpetrate such unthinkable misery our friends? For many years, our political, military, and press leadership have intoned the our friends mantra. Why? Exactly who benefits from this so-called friendship?



Ben Freeman at the Center for International Policys Foreign Influence Transparency Initiative has identified many of the American firms that receive vast sums of money from the Saudis. This money is laundered through these firms and into the campaign coffers of our political leaders.



It is difficult to imagine how a country that has spent billions of dollars both around the world and in America supporting a virulently anti-American jihadist ideology can be considered a friend. Adherents of this ideology, Saudis, comprised the leadership, the funders, the operatives, and 15 of the 19 hijackers who attacked us on September 11, 2001, killing 3,000 Americans. Yet Riyadh has not stopped funding madrassas overseas that teach extremism (despite a recent pledge to do just that), enabling these schools to breed and train new terrorists for the last five decades. Americas leadership has turned a blind eye in order to continue to protect their money flow.



Our national leaders also tell us that selling weapons to the Kingdom gives us the benefit of jobs in our country. This is somewhat deceptive. To paraphrase TAC columnist Doug Bandow: we do have people working to make the weapons, but we do not fully benefit from the export of arms because we do not benefit from them here. Instead, the products are sent overseas, often at our expense.



Also, due to this shortsighted practice, our technology and resources end up in dangerous and unstable regions where our own weapons are often used against our troops. The arms bonanza also raises serious questions about arming a bunch of nations that are hospitable to terrorist organizations. What is in it for America besides large sums of money for lobbyists and politicians?



Laughably, the defense industry suggests that the price of weapons, planes, and services will cost the taxpayers less money to purchase if the Military Industrial Complex mass produces the equipment for export. They forget to point out in this fairy tale that U.S. troops often end up fighting the terrorist networks to which America provides those same military-grade weapons. That forces us to spend even more resources to protect our troops from our own weapons. This has cost American lives and trillions in taxpayer dollars since 2001.



Americans would fare much better if the defense industry charged taxpayers more per plane, precision missile, and bombs-- and then kept our weapons and troops home to defend U.S. interests. We could forego the inevitable trench warfare that kills and injures U.S. soldiers and wastes treasure and instead rebuild Americas infrastructure.



And dont think the American public would be averse to holding back such aid. In a poll commissioned by the Committee for Responsible Foreign Policy in 2017, 57 percent of those surveyed thought giving weapons and other military aid to Saudi Arabia was counterproductive.



The Saudis are good friends to those who benefit from their lobbying largesse and military contracts. But theyre not so good for the rest of us who have to pay the human, social, and financial costs, and suffer under a corrupted political process.

I reached out to three members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Progressive Caucus members Ted Lieu and Tulsi Gabbard, respectively from Los Angeles and Hawaii, and New Dem Tom Suozzi from Long Island. Their perspectives on this were very similar. "Senators and Representatives," Ted reminded me, "all took an oath to the Constitution. And under the Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war. For far too long, the Executive Branch has been sending troops to war zones without congressional authorization. That has to stop and I am pleased there is bipartisan support to reigning back the unauthorized, endless wars that both Democratic and Republican Administrations have supported to the detriment of our Constitution and the well being of our nation."

Tulsi made it clear she feels that "For too long, the United States has supported Saudi Arabias genocidal war in Yemen killing thousands of civilians with their bombs, tens of thousands more dying from cholera and starvation, with over 20 million in dire need of humanitarian aid. This must end now. Saudi Arabia is not our ally. Congress must exercise its Constitutional responsibility and take action to end U.S. arms sales and support for Saudi Arabia." This is an especially strong statement from someone on the verge of announcing her candidacy for the presidency-- and just a couple of days after she was one of only 3 Democrats in Congress to stand up to House leadership and vote against the problematic PAY-GO rule, an act of extreme personal courage.





Tom took it right to the still unfolding catastrophe in Yemen: "The starvation of the people of Yemen is one of the greatest human tragedies in the world today. Withdrawing our support for the Saudis in Yemen is an opportunity for Democrats and Republicans to end this suffering while sending a clear message that the brutal murder and dismemberment of a journalist is not acceptable to America."
WEST HAVEN  Board of Education members donned hard hats and walked under scaffolding and around construction materials Monday evening as they toured the site of the 108,000-square-foot addition project to West Haven High School.

They saw what will become the huge media center enveloped by walls of windows, the framework of music and art classes, shop rooms, and what appeared to be a magnificent auditorium.

In the cafeteria downstairs, in addition to the usual lunch line, there will be kiosks where students can grab a quick bite, a central kitchen for the district and space for expanding the popular culinary program. Those students will make desserts and stock them into a two-sided fridge where cafeteria-goers can grab them for purchase.

Im really excited that were finally starting to see the progress, Superintendent of Schools Neil Cavallaro said, noting that he wants the community to get excited about it, too. The new portion of the school is on schedule to be completed in August 2019 for the following school year.

The entire $130 million construction and renovation project  years in the making  is supposed to be completed by 2021.

Board Vice Chairman Robert J. Guthrie said hes been watching from the outside, but it was nice to get a look inside.

It will be much more modern, much more state of the art and student-centered, Guthrie said.

Board member Rosa Richardson said she loves the modernization and technology the new building will bring to the school.

Richardson also liked that administrative offices will be a long, straight row so there are no areas where anyone can hide.

Board members also liked, for safety reasons, that no one can get into the school where students are without first going through offices.

Cavallaro said the entrance to the school will be in the back of how the school currently is situated and through the new building. He said there often is confusion now, because most people go to the back thinking the entrance is there.

Richardson raised the issue of whether the media center will be open after school for students to access and Cavallaro said he likes the idea, but will visit it after the new portion of the school opens, as it would require staffing.

West Haven High School Building Committee Chairman Kenneth Carney led the tour, saying the team at Gilbane Building Co. of Glastonbury has gone above and beyond to make sure the project is top-notch, making improvements over what the plan called for where issues arose.

Carney said he was impressed with the quality of the block work.

The rebuilt high school project, which involves renovation of much of the existing space and new construction, was designed by Antinozzi Associates of Bridgeport to accommodate 1,598 students. The total finished project will total 265,959 square feet, officials have said.

The completed school will offer a cutting-edge media center, advanced STEM  science, technology, engineering and math  classrooms and laboratories, and upgraded public areas for the school and community. The building will be fully air-conditioned and will have lower maintenance and operating costs while also offering enhanced access and security, according to a news release.

Site restoration work is expected to continue until spring 2022.

The projects construction phase, also known as Phase III, is composed of three major subphases to allow the school to offer a full academic curriculum throughout the project, officials have said.

The projects first subphase includes constructing the food services, building services, tech-ed shops, media center, auditorium, music and arts classrooms, and administrative offices to permit the transferal of building uses. That opens other parts of the existing building for renovation or demolition.

The second subphase involves renovating the existing eastern three-story building after demolishing the existing cafeteria and media center.

The third subphase includes demolishing the existing auditorium and music spaces, renovating the northern wing of academic spaces, and demolishing the existing gym and southern academic building.
NEW HAVEN  School district officials are looking for a way to streamline enrollment in school readiness programs after nearly losing state funding because of vacancies.

Denise Duclos, director of the districts school readiness program, presented members of the Board of Educations Finance Committee with eight change orders to reallocate the number of school readiness program seats with outside vendors Monday.

Programs tell us what they think they can serve and we do an agreement with them. It goes to the state Office of Early Childhood. In November, the state starts to look at the utilization of those spaces and every month they give a report on every single program, Duclos explained. If their utilization is chronically down, I begin talking with them in September to say, Lets think about what you can do to increase enrollment.

This year, she said, the state is prepared to ask for money back issued through the School Readiness grant if the seats are not filled. She proposed that five centers  Catholic Charities; Central Connecticut Coast YMCA; the Connecticut Childrens Museum; the Edith B. Jackson Child Care Program; and Farnam Neighborhood House, where two members of the school board are employed or serve on its board of directors  see a decrease in their number of seats.

Three vendors  Lulac Head Start, St. Andrews Child Care Center and Creative ME  would see an increase in seats.

Board of Education President Darnell Goldson asked what communities were losing early childhood seats, disbelieving that the need in several low-income neighborhoods isnt there. As Duclos walked through the locations of the vendors losing seats and gaining seats, Goldson roughly concluded that the Fair Haven, Newhallville and Dwight neighboroods were all losing seats.

Have we done anything to assist these organizations with outreach? Goldson asked. I cant imagine Dwight, Fair Haven and Newhallville dont have families that need these slots.

Duclos said she believes the difficulty has been in centralizing the enrollment process. There is not a central lottery process for enrollment, and there is not often communication between vendors, so a family placed on the waitlist for one program in their neighborhood might not immediately be connected with a program with open seats.

She said the program, governed by the New Haven Early Childhood Council and not the school board, should be included in school choice lottery materials in the future.

Weve been very siloed in early childhood, and this year with the support of (Superintendent of Schools) Dr. (Carol) Birks and the council co-chairs, theyre really working together to have a seamless system so that wherever parents go they can say theyre in a quality program, Duclos said.

After the meeting, Goldson said he was reassured by the efforts of the districts school readiness program to reorganize its enrollment process, although he still wants to see information on which neighborhoods have the most robust or lagging enrollment availability.

The school district serves 210 early childhood seats in five of its schools; a decision was made last year to outsource 30 seats to external vendors as the district closed several schools and facilities buildings to cut into a then-projected deficit of $20 million.

brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com
NEW HAVEN  Despite initial protests to hold off a vote establishing a new Civilian Review Board, the Board of Alders unanimously approved the legislation Monday night.

The significantly amended ordinance establishes a body to monitor, review and independently investigate civilian complaints of alleged police misconduct.

A number of revisions appear in the ordinance alders passed Monday to the satisfaction of activists who have pressured the board to include specific language granting subpoena power.

Prior to the meeting, a group of protesters gathered outside City Hall to sway alders from voting until the ordinance addressed membership, staffing and granting of subpoena power. While ordinance amendments strengthen the boards authority, alders and community members alike acknowledged Mondays vote wasnt the end of the boards formation.

We feel really encouraged to use this as a workable item and to build it and to make it stronger, said activist Kerry Ellington, who had been at the forefront of the community efforts. We feel confident the ordinance is sitting at a place that the community can work with it on the tough job this board has to do.

One year after the creation of the board, an aldermanic committee will hold a public hearing on its effectiveness and be given the chance to review what may need to change.

The issue of subpoena power for the CRB was central to the controversy around its creation. Despite an amendment submitted by several alders to explicitly give the board subpoena powers, the ordinance references the provisions of the City Charter and the Special Act of 1899, which grants the Board of Alders the authority to issue subpoenas, according to a 2015 memo by Corporation Counsel Attorney John Rose.

The Civilian Review Board, as one of the several boards of commissioners of the Board of Alders has the power to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses before it by the issuance of subpoenas and the administration of oaths, Rose wrote in the memo.

The inclusion of the Special Acts reference shows the city acknowledges the Civilian Review Board has power to subpoena to exist per state law, Ellington said.

However, during the meeting, Majority Leader Alder Richard Furlow, D-27, said, It is not the intent of this board to give definition to what that special act entails. That should be left up to the courts.

Other amendments included granting investigatory power in which the board would be allowed to contract or hire an independent investigator who is not an active sworn police officer. That investigator would have access to the same files and reports as Internal Affairs as allowed by law.

Following the complaint review, the Civilian Review Board will report its findings and make recommendations, including discipline, to the police chief, Board of Police Commissioners and the complainant. The police chief cant make a decision on a complaint until the CRB has submitted its report, at which point the chief could accept or reject the CRBs recommendations.

The alders clarified that the new board is not part of the Commission on Equal Opportunities. It will, however, be permanently located in the CEO office, as will its permanent staff.

According to the ordinance, the board minimally will consist of a member from each of the police districts, one from the Board of Alders and at least two at-large members. All will be mayoral appointees selected from Community Management Team recommendations, except for the at-large members and the aldermanic member, who will be selected by the Board of Alders.

But protesters asked for more representative membership.

Civilian Review Board need to be drawn from representative neighborhood-based organizations, a pool wider than New Havens Community Management Teams, Ellington read from a statement. The vitality of CMTs varies significantly across neighborhoods, and many Community Management Teams have complex and disqualifying connections to alders, police, and neighborhood watch organizations.

Overall, Ellington said they are fighting for a more democratic process to elect members so the board could be truly independent. But for now, Ellington said they want to work on getting people who are concerned around issues of police violence to get involved with their community management team.

The effort to create a civilian review board began with the death of Malik Jones, who was killed by an East Haven police officer in 1997 following a pursuit into New Haven. His mother, Emma Jones, has been fighting for accountability among police in instances of police violence ever since.

This was Emma Jones vision after that horrific tragedy of losing her son to police violence, this is her vision and she saw it through, Ellington said. To be in this moment is really significant. This was a peoples movement.

Jones said shes relieved after the vote.

Its my hope we can move forward in a peaceful kind of way, she said. Weve come to a place where theres some resolve.

We made sure the things that matter for the residents in New Haven got addressed, Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, D-23, said. We look forward to the continuous work, because as other alders have stated, the real work starts now. Now that we have it established the work starts and we have to do it together. ... Ultimately what we want is to have the police policing our people in a way that we wont need a body to look at the transparency because it will be clear.
NEW HAVEN  Amy G. Rashba, LCSW, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Jewish Family Service of Greater New Haven (JFSGNH).

We are thrilled that Amy has accepted this leadership role, saidLinda Caplan, JFSGNH Board President, in a written statement. Her energy and devotion to JFS is inspiring.

Rashbas career at the agency began in 1986 when she came to JFS as a MSW student. Shortly after joining, she developed the Shalom Group, offering educational enrichment and social interaction to developmentally disabled Jewish adults.

During her 30-plus years with the agency, Rashba has created new programs, helped families adopt children and provided counseling services throughout the community for children, families and aging adults and directs both the adoption and mental health programs.

Having spent my entire professional career here, its a privilege to lead JFS, an agency I am passionate about, Rashba said in a statement. Im grateful to the staff and Board for their support and look forward to many years of collaborating on the future of our beloved JFS. I am humbled to have made a difference in the lives of those in our Jewish community.

Amys ability to develop and cultivate relationships with staff, board and community makes her a natural to lead JFS, Caplan said. She has a unique combination of approachability and positivity and is well-respected by clients, peers and community members.

A Hamden native, Rashba attended the New Haven Hebrew Day School. Her father owned the renowned Glicks Delicatessen in New Haven. She and her husband Steve were married at Bnai Jacob and their children attended local preschools; daughter Ilana at Yeladim, and son Jordan at Temple Beth Sholom. The family has been members of Temple Beth David of Cheshire for more than 20 years.

A summa cum laude graduate of Quinnipiac College, Rashba earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Southern Connecticut State University. Upon being named CEO, she said, It is my honor to be leading the amazing staff at JFS who all work hard every day to provide quality services to our community- protecting children, creating families, feeding the hungry and healing hearts.

Yoga class enrollment open

BRANFORD  Gentle Flow yoga classes begin in March in Branford, offered by the Branford Recreation department.

Gentle Flow Yoga: Build yoga skills in this Vinyasa style practice. Breath work linked with intention and postures allow you to tone and tighten the entire body, improve flexibility, enhance balance and build core strength. Class is suitable for beginners to advanced practitioners. Bring a yoga mat and water bottle. Classes begin March 11 and continue to April 15, 6-7 p.m. Fee is $75. Classes will be held at the Mary T. Murphy Elementary School Gymnasium. To register, call the Branford Recreation Department at 203-488-8304 or go to http://www.branford-ct.gov/parks

Homeowners can apply for tax benefits

EAST HAVEN  The East Haven Assessors Office will be accepting applications for the Elderly/Totally Disabled Homeowners Benefit Program, Feb. 1-May 15.

All residents must be 65 years or older or totally disabled, own and live in the residence and meet the income guidelines of a maximum of $43,900 annual income for a married couple and $36,000 annual income for a single person. All applicants must provide proof of all income for the year 2018. Applications will be taken on Wednesdays only from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the Assessors Office at the Town Hall. All homeowners that qualify for this program will automatically receive and additional tax benefit through the town.

For information, call the Assessors Office at 203-468-3233 daily.

Celebrate St. Patricks Day

NORTH HAVEN  A St. Patricks Day Celebration will be held March 19 at the Aqua Turf featuring the Maclean Avenue Band. Guests can enjoy coffee, donuts, a family style dinner and door prizes. Cost is $43 per person. Reservations with payment are due by Feb. 15, and space is limited. For more information, call the Joyce C. Budrow Senior Center 189 Pool Road North Haven, at 203-239-5432.

Chili Cook-Off benefits Habitat

HAMDEN  Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Havens Sleeping Giant Builds Sixth Annual Chili Cook-Off is Saturday, Feb. 2 at the Unitarian Society of New Haven in Hamden.

Aspiring or champion chili chefs, chili aficionados or those who just love to eat chili are invited to the event. Guests sample a different types of chili and corn breads then vote for their favorites while chefs earn awards and bragging rights. The event also includes live music, a raffle, and silent auction. All proceeds from the Chili Cook Off benefit our homebuilding efforts in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven.

Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Children 12 and under are free. To purchase advance tickets, go to SleepingGiantBuild.org. To enter your chili, email sgbchili@gmail.com for more information.

Health district has free radon test kits

January is National Radon Action Month and the Naugatuck Valley Health District (NVHD) is recommending residents test their homes for radon gas, the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

Free home radon test kits are available to residents of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton while supplies last. Individuals may come to the Health District office located at 98 Bank Street, Seymour, on weekdays from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. during the month of January. Supplies are limited. Please call Jamie at 203-881-3255 to make sure test kits are still available before you head to the health department.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas formed from the natural decay of uranium and is found in rock, soil and water. Although radon in outdoor air poses a relatively low risk to human health, the odorless, colorless and tasteless gas can enter homes, becoming a health hazard. There is definitive evidence that exposure to high levels of residential radon over a long period of time can damage the lungs and lead to lung cancer. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Testing for radon saves lives and could potentially save yours and the lives of your loved ones.

The EPA recommends that homes with radon levels at or above 4.0 pCi/L be fixed. To obtain a list of qualified radon mitigation contractors, visit the DPH Radon Program web site at www.ct.gov/dph/radon.
NEW HAVEN  The mothballed English Station power plant has started 2019 with a new owner after the former owners lost the property through foreclosure.

The new owner is Haven River Properties, a limited liability company based in Queens, N.Y. The company acquired the 8.9-acre property at 510 Grand Ave. for $1 from a Spring Valley, N.Y., limited liability company, Pacific Atlantic.

Pacific Atlantic transferred the property to Haven River Properties, which was just established in September, using a quitclaim dead. Pacific Atlantic gained control of the property after English Stations former owners, Asnat Realty LLC and Evergreen Power LLC, defaulted on a $3.85 million loan they received from Pacific Atlantic in November 2012, according to legal papers filed as part of the foreclosure process.

David Tropper of Queens, N.Y., is listed as a principal in Haven River Properties, which has the same business address as his home. A woman answering the phone at Troppers home Monday night said he was at work.

Keith Ainsworth, the New Haven-based attorney for Asnat Realty and Evergreen Power, said he could not comment on what led to his clients defaulting on their loan. Evergreen and Asnat acquired the English Station property in late 2005 or early 2006.

Ainsworth has repeatedly accused city and federal officials of bullying his clients in an effort to gain control of the property for redevelopment.

My clients hung in for as long as they could and the city and the feds kept on hammering at them, Ainsworth said Monday. They tried to demonize my clients.

The United Illuminating Co. operated English Station for 63 years before shutting it down in 1992, leaving a site riddled with polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which are known carcinogens, as well as heavy metals and other contaminants. The plant sits on an island in the middle of the Mill River.

UI hasnt owned the property since 2000, when it paid Quinnipiac Energy of Killingworth $4.25 million to assume ownership of the former power plant, and put $1.9 million in escrow for cleanup in an attempt to get out from under the costs associated with cleaning up the site.

UI ultimately agreed to pay up to $30 million to clean up the property as part of a September 2015 agreement that cleared the way for the Orange-based electric distribution company and several of it sister utilities to be acquired by Spanish energy giant Iberdrola.

The environmental cleanup got underway in 2017 and is scheduled to be completed by August of this year. A company spokesman said Monday UI officials have asked the state for an extension of the cleanup process, but he didnt say how long an extension is being sought or the reason why it was needed.

Laurence Grotheer, a spokesman for New Haven Mayor Tony Harp, said city officials have made some preliminary contacts with the new owner of English Station, but said he wasnt aware of the substance of the discussion.

Steve Fontana, the citys deputy economic development director, is the Harp administrations point-person in dealing with UI. He was not available for comment Monday regarding the plants future.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
EAST HAVEN  Federal investigators have subpoenaed records of the East Haven Public Schools Little Jackets preschool program and emails of Board of Education member John T. Finkle III, his wife, fired Little Jackets manager Catherine Finkle, and former schools Business Manager James N. Farrell.

Neither the Finkles nor Farrell could immediately be reached for comment. John Finkle is a former Board of Education chairman and former Republican candidate for mayor.

The subpoena, obtained Monday by the New Haven Register, was issued Nov. 21, 2018, as part of an ongoing grand jury investigation.

The version obtained by the Register was issued to the East Haven Board of Education, with an order to appear before the grand jury at 9 a.m. Dec. 11, 2018, in the Robert N. Giaimo Federal Building in New Haven.

Its existence was first reported Monday by WTNH-TV.

The subpoena offered an option to send an extensive roster of records to an FBI special agent in lieu of making a personal appearance.

It orders the school board to produce any and all records related to the ... Little Jackets childcare program, to include operating budget, tuition schedule, tuition cost calculation criteria, receipts for payments received and deposits of tuition payments from Jan. 1, 2011, to the present.

It also requests:

And and all records pertaining to Little Jackets pie sale fundraisers from Jan. 1, 2014, to the present.

All incoming and outgoing email messages, calendars and contact lists from East Haven Public Schools email accounts set up for John Finkle, Cathy Finkle and Farrell.

Any and all school board meeting minutes or notes related to the discussion and/or hiring of Farrell as business manager, dating from Jan. 1, 2014, to the present.

Any and all records related to the August 2018 forensic audit conducted by Forensic Accounting Services LLC. including the firms unredacted final report.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation launched a probe after a forensic audit discovered a shortfall of $31,786 from the Little Jackets program managed by Cathy Finkle, whose husband is the former school board chairman.

Superintendent of Schools Erica Forti fired Cathy Finkle in a letter dated Nov. 8, 2018.

The New Haven Register learned in 2017 that Farrell, after being named to the schools position, was charged by the state banking commissioner with violating several Connecticut banking laws while he was working for the New Haven County Credit Union.

Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez said in a preliminary statement of the consent order that Farrell violated three state laws, each of which would form the basis for removing Farrell from office.

More News News FBI investigating East Haven school department fund

Farrell agreed to sanctions against him, including paying $10,000 to the state as a civil penalty, Perez said in the preliminary statement.

Another provision of the sanctions specified that Farrell could not, without Perezs consent, hold any position as a director, officer, employee or independent contractor with any bank, Connecticut credit union or federal credit union.

Fortis Nov. 8 letter to Cathy Finkle outlined her reasons for firing Finkle and provided insight into alleged financial mismanagement of the program.

Forti said she found Finkle to be not fully forthcoming, and her responses inconsistent or inaccurate during an October pre-disciplinary meeting, when the findings of the external audit were discussed.

The superintendent also alleged that Finkle filled out timesheets for her daughters, who both worked for the Little Jackets program, and forged their signatures, in violation of policies and protocols.

In her termination letter, Forti accused Finkle of failing to satisfy her responsibilities to manage the programs finances.

The forensic accountants found that, under your leadership, a shortfall of $31,786 existed in a two-year period between payments received and deposits made, Forti wrote. You could not explain this shortfall.

Cathy Finkle failed to maintain basic financial records and could not accurately describe the programs policies regarding tuition or wage rate structure, the letter said .

Finkle also allegedly didnt realize that personal items were purchased with her Sams Club card, and she provided authorization for the East Haven Public Schools to pay for the items, according to the letter.

These issues and your responses at the pre-disciplinary meeting demonstrate that you are unable or unwilling to carry out the responsibilities of the management of the Little Jackets program, Forti wrote.

mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com
BRIDGEPORT - A Shelton man, accused of fleeing after he struck and killed a pedestrian on Boston Avenue, was ordered held in lieu of $250,000 bond on Monday.

Police said more charges are expected against 24-year-old Robert Dominguez including making a false statement for allegedly reporting his car stolen to coverup the crash.

He is currently charged with evading responsibility in causing a death and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

During Dominguezs arraignment hearing Monday morning Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton lamented that she just had his alleged victim, 67-year-old Michael Zrelak, before her.

Zrelak was arrested two days before his death on motor vehicle charges.

Dominguezs lawyer, Edward Gavin, offered condolences to Zrelaks family calling the case a terrible tragedy.

We are doing our due diligence that this point, he said.

On Jan. 4, police responded to a call of a pedestrian versus car collision to find Zrelak, of Brookfield Avenue, lying unresponsive in the roadway. He was pronounced dead at Bridgeport Hospital.

Police said witnesses told them they had seen a black Mercedes sedan speeding from the crash scene. One witness photographed the car with his cell phone.

Police said they put out a broadcast for the car and a short time later were contacted by Shelton police. They had just received a complaint from Dominguez that the car had been stolen from his home in Shelton, police said.

Police said they subsequently found the Mercedes parked in a lot behind a condominium on Stewart Street. When police reviewed surveillance video from the condo they said they could see Dominguez walking away from the car.
Connecticuts Port Authority voted Monday to select the company that operates a terminal at New Haven Harbor to run the State Pier in New London.

Gateway Terminal beat out two other finalists to become manager of the New London pier. The terms of the 20-year agreement between privately-held Gateway Terminal and the Port Authority calls for the New Haven-based company to take over control of the State Pier, located near the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, on May 1.

The pier has been managed for the last 22 years under an agreement with Montreal-based Logistec. Port Authority Chairman Scott Bates said the deal with Logistec had been negotiated by the state Department of Transportation.

Having the new deal negotiated by a quasi-public agency with an expertise in the marine industry enabled the selection of a company that presents the best future for State Pier and the taxpayers of Connecticut, he said.

Our revenues will double in the first year from where they are now, Bates said. We will be able to take advantage of multiple revenue streams that will allow us to invest in other maritime projects around the state.

The new contract with Gateway requires an annual fee of $500,000 be paid to the authority, and that fee will increase by $250,000 every five years.

In the first year of the contract, the Port Authority is guaranteed to see a minimum of $1 million in revenues.

The authority also will receive a variable fee of 7 percent of Gateways gross revenues at State Pier, with a minimum annual guarantee of $500,000. That amount has the potential to increase every five years based on Gateways percentage increase in gross revenues.

Gateway also will pay an annual wharfage and dockage fee equal to 50 percent of all wharfage and dockage user fees at State Pier. Those fees begin the minute a cargo ship pulls up to the pier and covers all the cargo brought across the pier.

We look forward to working with our new partners to increase the movement of conventional cargo through our ports, while simultaneously capturing the opportunities presented by emerging markets, Bates said.

One of those emerging markets is the generation of wind power. Orsted U.S. Offshore Wind was selected by state officials in June to be part of the states future zero-carbon power portfolio of energy sources and the company has pledged to invest at least $15 million in the Port of New London so that substantial aspects of the Revolution Wind project can be constructed in that city.

Orsteds Revolution Wind project will produce 200 megawatts of electricity from a wind farm that will be built in federal waters about halfway between Montauk, N.Y., and Marthas Vineyard.

This deal positions New London as a wind power hub, Bates said.

Gateway Terminals final partner in operating the New London State Pier is Needham, Mass.-based Enstructure. Matthew Satnick, chairman and co-chief executive officer of Enstructure, said the company has experience in dealing with companies in the wind power industry.

The wind power industry in this country is in a nascent stage, but we know these companies have to have a level of trust with us, a level of understanding, Satnick said.

In addition to the investment that Orsted has committed to make on the State Pier, Gateway is committing a minimum of $30 million in capital improvements there over the duration of the contract.

Connecticut either invested or secured $48 million for improvements to State Pier in 2018, which Bates said is the largest investment in the pier in Connecticuts history.

Larry Smith, founder of Gateway Terminal, said in addition to positioning the pier to become of hub of wind power operations, the company will support the local harbor community and existing uses, which we believe will expand when we begin our operations.

That includes making New London a regular stop for cruise ships. Bates said the authority is exploring the possibility of using two other piers in New London Harbor as regular docking points for cruise ships, so vacationers leaving the boats wouldnt have to walk across the more industrialized State Pier.

One is Pier 7, located next to Fort Trumbull State Park. Bates said therealso is a pier located near the New London train station that could handle smaller cruise ships.

Pier 7 is not in great condition and weve put $750,000 into a study to determine what would need to be done to make the necessary improvements to it, he said.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
The Doomer David Attenborough hates humans and data. He desperately wants fewer humans and ignores data which shows how wrong his ideas are. This is a dangerous level of ignorance. This ignorance and constantly wrong belief has harmed millions of people and will harm millions more if is not 100% refuted. This is a simple 100% refutation of the people endanger the planet belief.

Attenborough praises Thomas Malthus and does not understand why the writings of Malthus are being ignored today.

Malthus wrote back in 1798 that population will rapidly grow to eliminate abundance. Malthus wrote this 220 years ago. Malthus is wrong by over 50 times on how much population the world can support. Malthus was over 100 times on wealth and abundance.

If Malthus was right about population rapidly grow to eliminate abundance, then the world population would be over 100 times higher and we would still be at 1800 per capita GDP or less.

World Population Will Soon be Ten Times Higher and Wealth is 100 Times More

The world population was about 1 billion in 1800. World GDP was 100 times less. The wealth per person was 30 times less in 1800. $500 per person. World per capita gdp on a ppp basis is about $17,000 now.

Doomers like Attenborough and Malthus use the people (population) numbers are big  we cant feed them. People seem to have an intuitive urge to believe this lie. It is a quick elevator pitch and it drives the wrong decisions. Doomers say there will not be enough water, energy etc.. The not enough argument reaches lingering caveman psychology that there will not be enough.

We do not have a caveman world society. Malthus and Attenborough can only understand a caveman society.

How Many People and How Much Wealth?

The World is NOT just barely getting by.

The average person in the United States is eating double the meat that they should be eating. Beef takes ten times the grain and water to produce as plants. If we converted to chicken, fish and soy instead of cows and only ate the amount that we should eat to be healthy then the US would eat less than half of the food that is consumed now.

30-40% of food is wasted in the US. There is significant food wastage in India and other parts of the world as well. This is not the food you are tossing out for your daily meals. This is spoilage of crops in India from stacking up harvested crops in open fields instead of granaries.

This is food going bad at supermarkets or at restaurants. France does better with this by requiring supermarkets to deeply discount food that nears its expiration date.

Beef production and other more water and grain expensive production of meat is extra slack in the world food system. Biofuel production in the USA and Brazil is also slack in the world food system. We have so much agricultural productivity we can stick a hundred million ton of food production each year into SUVs and burn it.

If the world had to feed three times the people we could actually try to prevent food waste, prevent excessive overeating, and shift from wasteful meat production.

This is not deep rationing. This would be rationing to what the medical people say people should eat to not be obese.

UK level of rationing during world war 2 would be getting by on ten times less food.

Green Revolution

Attenborough recognizes that the Green Revolution caused previous predictions of famine to be wrong. However, he made no effort to figure out what else is happening in terms of a food revolution.

The World is already deploying another Green Revolution to triple food production again. The world can produce greenhouses and new food factories to boost production by another 100 times.

This is before really tapping into biotech or other science and production capabilities.

Another Tripling in Agricultural Production

The Green revolution was a tripling of agricultural production from 1965-1985.

There are further green revolutions (GR 2.0) that are continuing to boost agricultural yields.

Food production is increasing by a lot. The productivity of agricultural land will triple by 2030-2040. This not magic. Dozens of hectares with higher productivity are being grown now. China and other nations will scale them up.

We are successfully feeding the 7.7 billion now. The world will have about 10 billion people by 2050 because of continued population growth in Africa. The World population will be about 12 billion in 2100. Attenborough does not even get population projections right. He thinks world population will stabilize at 8 to 10 billion. Africas population growth is not stabilizing.

Farm productivity is about 6 tons per hectare. There are large research farms growing 17 tons per hectare. Chinas Yuan Longping has set a goal of reaching a rice yield of 18 tons per hectare by 2020 and is in a race with other researchers.

Ten Times More Productivity from Greenhouses Which is 300-Year-old Technology

Greenhouses are over 200 years old. Even the old greenhouses are ten times more productive than open land. Even if the land has irrigation and fertilization. Greenhouses keep out the bugs and provide optimal growing conditions. The Netherlands, Denmark, and China have a lot of greenhouses.

Can we build enough greenhouses? China builds a megacity every year in new buildings. China builds 2 billion square meters of new buildings. 450 million square meters goes unsold. Chinas construction industry has a problem of not having enough opportunities to build.

Old greenhouses were already ten times more efficient than open-air farming. There are greenhouses that are thirty to fifty times more efficient. There are 13 billion hectares of farmed land in the world. A hectare is 10000 square meters.

Mass greenhouse construction could be built to replace 1% of the farmed land every year.

Biotech Can Boost Food Production Efficiency by Well Over 40%

There is a recent genetic hack to boost crop efficiency by 40%.

We can tap into kelp growth capabilities if needed. Kelp naturally grows at 2 feet per day.

World Energy and Water

Energy, food and water are linked in the global system. Energy production went up over 20 times since 1800.

Factory Grown Meat

We have begun to produce beef from the lab and factory which is ten times more efficient in terms of energy and water.

Factory grown meat can boost food productivity by 10X in terms of energy and water.

So we already have 3 times the food than we really need. The world can drop by 10 times and get by.

Food production will go up 3 times within 20 years using business as usual agriculture.

There is an option to use greenhouses on a larger scale for 30 times more food. Dedicated skyscrapers for greenhouses can boost food produced in a spot by 100X beyond greenhouses.

Factory produced meat can increase food production efficiency in terms of energy and water by 10X or even 100X.

World population will grow at most 3X by 2100 and 5X by 2150.

The World can increase the population by another 10X and have wealth increase another 30X and not overburden the earth. This would be repeating the gains of the last 220 years since the time of Malthus.

Attenborough is repeating the mistakes of his historical hero. Malthus had the excuse that he was living in an age of cluelessness. Attenborough does not have that excuse. Attenborough is actively seeking cluelessness. Attenborough insults economics and other sciences.

Attenborough is speaking in front of Prince Charles. Prince Charles is also anti-human. I believe Attenborough and Charles want their own personal nature preserves, without any peasants to bother them as they ride around and enjoy their nature.

Malthus was wrong then and Attenborough is wrong now. They are not just harmlessly wrong. These kinds of anti-human ideas have been used as justification for massive numbers of forced abortions and other harm to babies and humans.

The correct answers do not require an understanding of advanced science and technology.
Scientist He Jiankui shocked the world when he announced he had altered embryos for seven couples during fertility treatment to protect them against contracting HIV, leading to the birth of two twin girls with engineered DNA.

He Jiankui may be charged with bribery and corruption  crimes which are punishable by death in China.

He is under constant watch by armed guards following death threats and imminent trial.

Dr. He trained as a physicist, not a biologist, and was unqualified to carry out the research himself. He used his own 40 million fortune to fund the project and privately recruited highly-trained scientific professionals to carry out the research. The work was against current guideline on ethics and legality in genetics.

He really thought that he was doing good and doing really important for the good of mankind.

The two children, LuLu and Nana, were born in October. They had a modification to have a resistance to infection with HIV, the AIDS virus.

Any medium-sized Invitro Fertilization (IVF)clinic could utilize a CRISPR vector that can be purchased for $100 to replicate the embryo gene edit.

Geneticist He Jiankui claims to have altered the genes of twin girls born this month. He Jiankui presented his work in a forum organized by the University of Hong Kong to discuss human embryo editing.

The highlights are

* the work was thorough

* the consent was done

* the actual genetic change cost component is trivial and most of the cost in this case and for any future genetic modification would be in the multiple genetic tests and screening. It is likely that if this were done routinely all costs would come down. Cost will not be a limiting factor in the developed world.

* the families made the informed decision to use the genetically modified babies

* Geneticist He Jiankui has a personal, ethical and compassionate reason for performing this work. Others can reasonably disagree. It has been put forward that there are alternatives to genetic HIV immunity. There can be sperm washing to enable a safe HIV-free baby. The counter argument is how safe the child will be living with an HIV infected person. The statistic claimed is that there 0.5 to 2.0% chance of transmission after the child is born.

* Embryo selection with genetic screening is an alternative in some cases. However, this is not possible if neither parent has a recessive gene.

Father of the Baby Girls is HIV Positive and Desperately Wanted Them to Be HIV Immune

Geneticist He Jiankui also had personal experience with HIV. He came from a village with 30% HIV infection rates. Parents had to donate children to relatives in other locations in order to prevent HIV transmission.

All of the volunteers had educated backgrounds and were familiar with HIV. All fathers had HIV infections. They were in a community social group who shared knowledge about HIV. They were familiar with the science and pros and cons. There was a one hour and ten-minute pre-informed consent discussion. They were well educated and could read and understand the material. The 21-page informed consent was gone through line by line and paragraph by paragraph. There were two other observers. They were given two rounds of informed consent. The first was informal. The second was personally performed by He Jiankui.

The project had about 30 families. Some dropped out. There are about 20+ embryos created. There is one more woman who is in the early stage of pregnancy. The program has been paused. Geneticist He Jiankui is currently suspended.

Physicist and Genetics expert Stephen Hsu describes the situation at his blog Infoproc:

At one hour and 25 minutes into the video He JianKu claims that the parents were given the option to use unedited embryos for their pregnancy but chose to use the edited ones. This decision was made even after being informed of the existence of a possible off-target edit in an inter-genic region. The possible off-target was not confirmed by later analysis. If true, this has some important ethical implications. The problem becomes one of parental choice and reproductive freedom. IIUC, the father has rather strong feelings concerning HIV (being HIV positive) and the parents strongly desired HIV-resistance in their daughters. Who are we or anyone else to tell the parents whether to use the edited or unedited embryos?
David Attenborough made a lot of nature documentaries and is interviewed by the BBC as some kind of climate expert.

In an interview with the BBC, Attenborough and the UKs Chief Scientist (probably UK Chief Science Advisor Mark Walport) celebrated the Paris Accords in 2015.

The UK Chief Scientist was walking on air when they sealed the Paris Agreements. We got it. We got it.

The description of this celebratory reaction indicates Attenborough and Walport were both clueless and naive.

The Paris Agreements was an agreement where countries that signed were to make voluntary promises.

What will all of those voluntary promises amount to?

The Paris Agreement on climate is talking about emitting 745 billion tons of CO2 between the beginning of 2017 and the end of 2030 instead of 770 billions tons of CO2. This is the max if all promises were fully kept.

If the promises were kept then the world emits 770 billion tons of CO2 in the middle of 2030 instead of on January 1, 2030.

Shocker Empty Promises

However, surprise, surprise the promises that each of the countries chose to make are not being kept. Who would have thought that politicians and world leaders would fail to keep promises?

We would be very lucky to get to 5 to 8 billion tons of total lower emissions because most countries are falling well short of slowing the increased CO2 emissions.

So the world is looking at a delay of business as usual emissions from January 1, 2030, to about February 2030 for when full 770 billion tons of emissions are made.

Even if the voluntary promises were kept we would need about twenty times more than what was promised.

Double GDP Means 20% More Emissions

Based on the last ten years (which included a large world recession with slower growth) the world is still on track to double its purchasing power GDP every 14 years and this increases world emissions by 20%.

Country GHG emissions (MtCO2e) Percentage of global total (%) China 12455 26% United States 6674 15% European Union (28) 4225 9%

By 2030, if the US went to zero emissions and the rest of the world was business as usual including the Paris Agreement, the world would still have more emissions.

By 2035, if the US and Europe went to zero emissions and the rest of the world was business as usual including the Paris Agreement, the world would still have more emissions.

Fixing Black Carbon, Soot and Particulate Air Pollution Can Reduce Warming by 0.5 Degrees

The Gothenburg Protocol would be an agreement that would limit global Black Carbon and Soot. However, about eight more countries must sign before the other countries are bound to the terms. Those who signed before the end of 2019 can delay limitations for fifteen years.

China is spending hundreds of billions to make massive fixes to its air pollution. This includes getting 90+% of its big trucks cleaned up by the end of 2020.

China is actually following through on fixing air pollution because it kills one million people per year and is costing about 7% of GDP. It is profitable and worth it to fix the problem and it makes the populace happier and less likely to revolt and kills the leaders. Revolting and killing leaders or revolting and tossing out leaders happened twice in the 20th Century in China.

Politicians may lie but they do not want to die.
Chinas Ministry of Ecology and Environment is targeting having 90+ percent diesel trucks capable of meeting emission standards by 2020.

China has more than half of the worlds big trucks and these trucks cause most of the particulate air pollution. Particulate air pollution kills about 1 million people per year.

They will improve the quality of diesel, crack down on low-grade fuel, and reduce overall nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions from fuel combustion.

New trucks that fail to comply with state requirements will not be allowed to enter the market, and some regions will be ordered to implement advanced China VI fuel standards starting from July.

Tackling truck emissions has become a major part of Chinas efforts to curb pollution. Though trucks produce 13 times more pollution per unit of cargo than trains, the share of rail in total freight amounted to just 7.7 percent in 2017.

The environment ministry said last year that while diesel trucks accounted for just 7.8 percent of Chinas total vehicles, they contributed more than 57 percent of total nitrogen dioxide emissions and more than three quarters of airborne particulate matter.

The ministry plans to charge higher fees and introduce more stringent monitoring procedures to try to persuade firms to make better use of the rail network to deliver goods.

Northern regions near the capital Beijing will eliminate more than 1 million outdated diesel-fuelled trucks by the end of 2020. Tougher controls on diesel freight will also be imposed during smog build-ups.

National rail freight rates will be increased by 30 percent compared with 2017, and authorities will work to ensure that long-distance bulk commodity deliveries are done via rail or ships.

China Has Cleaned Up Beijings Air First

Air pollution in Beijing, Hebei down 12 percent in 2018.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, N.Y. -- The 12th Annual Coyote Hunt, open to hunters across the state along with five counties in Pennsylvania, is scheduled for Feb. 8-10 with a $2,000 grand prize being offered for the heaviest coyote.

The three- day contest is being sponsored by the Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs of Sullivan County. Coyotes can be taken by hunting or trapping. The hunter/trapper who makes the kill must be present at the competition's weigh-ins, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 8-9 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 10.

Eligible coyotes must be taken during the three-day contest in New York or the Pennsylvania counties of Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, Lackawanna and Monroe. They can be killed either by shooting or trapping them, day or night. All other New York State hunting regulations apply.

The weigh-ins will be held at the White Sulphur Springs Fire House on Route 52 in Sullivan County. According to the contest regulations: We suggest all coyotes be brought in on the day of the kill for weigh-in.

If taken after weigh-in hours keep coyote warm. All coyotes will be body temperature tested. A temperature above lOO degrees or below 68 degrees is a disqualification. Use whatever means necessary to keep the body temp above 68 degrees. Wrap the coyote in bags, tarps, blankets or put in Ice chests & don't expose the coyote to the elements before weigh-in.

The rules are a guard against a contestant entering a coyote taken outside of the tournament dates.

Last year, a total of 611 hunters participated and a total of 61 coyotes were taken during the three-day event. The biggest coyote  a 51.10-pound male -- was turned in by Kevin Burgher from Olive Branch, N,Y. hunting in Ulster county. He earned $2,000 for the grand prize, and an additional $200 for the heaviest coyote taken on Saturday during the contest.

As in years past, on the last day, a banquet and gun raffle will be offered this year from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 10.

Along with the $2,000 grand prize, other cash awards this year will include $500 for the second heaviest coyote and $250 for the third heaviest coyote weighed. In addition, there will be a $200 prize for the heaviest coyote weighed each day; $100 to a heaviest coyote turned in by a youth hunter (ages 12-15) and $100 to the heaviest coyote turned in by a female hunter. Finally, $80 will be awarded for all other coyotes weighed in during the 3-day hunt.

A $35 early entry fee ($45 after Jan. 25) will cover the three days of the hunt, plus the dinner Sunday and a free $5 gun raffle ticket to be drawn at the dinner. Banquet only is $25.

Proceeds from the coyote hunt go toward a wide variety of Federation's activities, including paying for fishing derbies and sending youngsters to the state Department of Environmental Conservation's summer camp.

More information, including a registration form can be found on the club's website at sportsmensfederation.com. Mail registrations to the Coyote Hunt Secretary: Kay Danchak, 122 Jake Road, Swan Lake, N.Y. 12783.

For further information, call 845-482-4987.

*For more Upstate New York outdoors on Facebook, go to Upstate NY Outdoors on NYup.com. (Wed appreciate a like.)
The Seneca Nation of Indians must resume the $100 million-a-year casino revenue payments it has withheld from the state since early 2017, a three-person arbitration panel has ruled.

The Senecas stopped making the payments in March 2017, setting off a legal battle with the state over the wording of the agreement, or compact, under which the nation operates casinos in Salamanca, Buffalo and Niagara Falls.

The Senecas' casino payments -- equal to 25 percent of its slot machine revenues -- are split among the state and the three communities where the casinos are located. The local communities -- especially Niagara Falls -- have struggled to compensate for the loss of their share of the revenues.

The Senecas, who say the payment obligation stopped at the end of 2016, have not said how they will respond to the arbitration ruling. Under the compact with the state, they can appeal the decision in court.

The arbitrators' decision was split 2 to 1. The dissent came from Kevin Washburn, who was the Senecas' appointee to the panel.

The Panels new provision rewrites the Compact in a way that harms the Nation and provides an unjustified windfall to the State, Washburn wrote in his dissent, according to a news release from the Seneca Nation.

Nation President Rickey Armstrong Sr. said in a statement that the Senecas know we are right in the law, but added they "will take the appropriate time to review and respond to the opinion, and move forward. He stopped short of saying the nation would appeal.

We continue to believe, as anyone who has read the Compact, that the Nations Compact payment obligation was fulfilled, and we believe we had an obligation to the Seneca people to defend the Compact as it was written and agreed upon, Armstrong said in his statement. "It is the Seneca people who voted to permit our Nation to negotiate our Compact and, like all government leaders, we must act every day in the peoples best interest. We created our gaming enterprise so that we could invest in the services that our people need, want and deserve. To that end, our casino operations have been transformational in helping the Seneca Nation serve our residents, from our youngest generations to our elders. None of that changes with this arbitration opinion.

In an emailed statement, Rich Azzopardi, an aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, responded to the arbitrators' ruling:

Were thankful the arbitration panel held a fair hearing of the facts and ruled in favor of the state and the local communities that have been hurt by the Seneca Nations actions, Azzopardi said. "It was clear to us that the Nation had an obligation to continue payments  period. According to the Compact, this arbitration process was prescribed to resolve conflicts and now that its concluded, we ask that the Nation to cease any further delays, make the state and local communities whole, and resume payments.

The Senecas argue the terms of the agreement requiring revenue payments ended 14 years from the original compact -- or the end of 2016. They made their last payment, $30 million covering the last quarter of 2016, in March 2017. In its arbitration filing, the state disagreed, saying the payment agreement was automatically renewed for seven years in December 2016. That would keep the payments flowing through 2023.

Between 2002, when the compact was signed, and 2016, when the nation says the payment obligation ended, the Senecas sent more than $1 billion in payments to the state and casino host communities. The Senecas say they have 4,000 workers, making the nation one of western New Yorks largest employers.

In September 2018, the state sent $12.3 million to the city of Niagara Falls to compensate for the lack of casino funding.

The Senecas' compact with the state gives them exclusive rights to operate casinos in a 16-county area of western New York. But the state in 2012 agreed to allow the opening of non-Indian casinos in regions of the state not covered under Indian gaming compacts. (The state also has gaming compacts with the Oneida Nation in Central New York and the Akwesasne Mohawks in northern New York.)

The 2017 opening of the non-Indian del Lago Resort & Casino near Waterloo in the Finger Lakes lhas been a sore point with the Senecas. It is just outside the Seneca Nations exclusive territory.

Don Cazentre writes about Upstate New York casinos for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- As the coat of ice that fell overnight melts away in todays rain, get ready for several days of lake effect snow.

Rain changes to snow tonight as temperatures drop, and snow could fall off and on through Thursday night when cold air blows across the Great Lakes. The highest snow totals are likely to be in the North Country and the southwest corner of the state, the National Weather Service predicts.

Somebody will probably do pretty well and get like a foot of snow, said Accuweather meteorologist Tom Kines.

Syracuse could get 6 inches, depending on the winds, which are forecast to be largely from the northwest. Buffalo, Rochester and Binghamton are expected to get 2 to 3 inches by late Thursday.

On its way out, the storm system that brought brought a hazardous coat of ice to roads and sidewalks overnight will swirl around and pull in moisture from the Atlantic Ocean by way of Canada. That will add some more snow to the lake effect, and the combination will yield decent lake enhanced snow showers, the weather service said.

There will plenty of cold air to keep the lake effect snow going after the storm system heads out. High temperatures across Upstate on Wednesday are likely to be only in the 20s. After the snow tapers off Thursday or even Friday, it will get even colder. Highs across much of Upstate on Friday are expected to be in the teens, with some parts of the Adirondacks not even getting above zero.

The weekend looks cold, too, with high temperatures not breaking out of the 20s, but probably not snowy. If a storm system develops in the Plains and moves eastward late this week, it will likely miss New York state, Kines said.

Theres going to be a big area of high pressure over eastern Canada," he said, and it looks like that high is going to deflect (the storm) to the south.

Its been a low-snow year so far this season. November started out strong, but December and January, the two snowiest months of the year, have been lackluster snowwise. Syracuse has had 37.9 inches of snow this season; in a typical year, it would have had 50 inches by now. More than half of this years snow fell in November.

Traffic alert: Icy roads cause slippery morning commute in Central NY
To prove that everything is better with Nacho Cheese, Taco Bell is launching the Nacho Cheese Naked Chicken Chalupa in a big way: With a nacho-cheese dispensing billboard (dubbed the 'Cheesiest Billboard'), challenging fans to take the Nacho Cheese taste-test. As a brand known for unexpected, over-the-top product launches and activations, it's no surprise that Taco Bell is kicking off 2019 with a big (cheesy) splash.

The Cheesiest Billboard will be live on Saturday, January 19th in Toronto, where fans are encouraged to bring any snack they like for the ultimate nacho cheese upgrade. Want to spice up that boring apple with some nacho cheese? Go for it! That salad or sandwich you packed for lunch? Why not! How about adding more nacho cheese to your Nacho Cheese Naked Chicken Chalupa? Absolutely! Because the only thing better than nacho cheese is more nacho cheese, and Taco Bell will be sampling a limited amount of Nacho Cheese Naked Chicken Chalupa's for free at the Cheesiest Billboard.

"The Cheesiest Billboard comes off the heels of a groundbreaking year for us, that saw everything from CrunchWrapping Paper for all our holiday gift-wrapping needs, to the Baja Blast Hair Salon that turned heads Baja-Blast blue. Just search #BajaBlessed on Instagram to see how far fans will go for a free sip of MTN Dew Baja Blast!" says Veronica Castillo, Head of Marketing at Taco Bell Canada. "Kicking off the year with a Nacho cheese-dispensing billboard means that 2019 will be as crazy as ever for us. Plus, our fans know it's impossible to deny the appeal of warm, gooey, zesty nacho cheese, and we couldn't agree more. Nacho cheese will be the perfect addition to the Naked Chicken Chalupa, already a fan-favourite."

The Cheesiest Billboard will be available on Saturday, January 19th from 11:30am-2:30pm EST at 482 Queen St W in Toronto (right next to Taco Bell's flagship Queen West location) and is guaranteed to warm up our taste buds this winter. Nacho cheese lovers will be served on a first come, first serve basis, so fans should move fast to get their fair share of nacho-cheesy goodness.

Built off the massively successful Naked Chicken Chalupa, this extra cheesy rendition features the famous shell made entirely of crispy, marinated chicken that fans love and crave. Glorious nacho cheese is added to the inside of the shell, taking this crowd-pleaser to the next level.

Fans looking for the latest and greatest news from Taco Bell Canada can visit www.tacobell.ca for more information.

About Taco Bell Canada:

Taco Bell Corp. ("Taco Bell") is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. and is the nation's leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, signature quesadillas, nachos, salads and much more. For locations, information on Taco Bell and to chat with Taco Bell fans, visit us online at our new website www.tacobell.ca or any of our other social channels including on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tacobellcanada, Twitter @TacoBellCanada, on Snapchat TACOBELLCANADA or on Instagram @tacobellcanada.

SOURCE Taco Bell Canada

For further information: Taco Bell Canada Media Contact: Chloe Stelmanis, Edelman, [email protected], 416.850.0163
Porter has recently made significant investments in Northern Ontario, including opening a base for pilots and flight attendants in Thunder Bay one year ago.

"This decision is excellent news for the city," said Bill Mauro, Mayor of Thunder Bay. "It benefits the economy by introducing quality jobs and supports our airport as a regional hub for moving people and goods."



The maintenance base will be located in an existing hangar at the airport. Porter engineers will perform daily overnight maintenance on two aircraft that will return to service the following day.

"We greatly appreciate the continued confidence Porter has displayed in Thunder Bay," said Ed Schmidtke, president and CEO of Thunder Bay International Airports Authority. "Since initiating service in 2009, Porter has consistently contributed to the airport's growth by increasing flights, passenger volumes and local employment."

Porter currently operates up to seven daily roundtrip flights between the city and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

About Porter

Porter Airlines has revolutionized short-haul flying with a warm and effortless approach to hospitality, restoring glamour and refinement to air travel. Porter is an Official 4 Star Airline in the World Airline Star Rating.

The airline currently offers flights to Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, Halifax, St. John's, Stephenville, N.L., Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Timmins, Windsor, New York (Newark), Chicago (Midway), Boston and Washington (Dulles), and has seasonal flights to Mt. Tremblant, Que., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Orlando-Melbourne, Fla.

Vacation packages are available from Porter Escapes at www.porterescapes.com, or call (855) 372-1100 for more information.

Visit www.flyporter.com or follow @porterairlines on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Porter Airlines Inc.

For further information: Media contact: [email protected]

Related Links

www.flyporter.com


One of the most common arguments against President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria is that it will strengthen Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who leaves Tuesday for a weeklong tour of the Middle East, makes an interesting case for why that isn't so.

Trump himself gave his critics ammunition at a Cabinet meeting last week, when he observed that Iran already "can do what they want" in Syria. But his comment was merely descriptive, not a prediction of what will happen when the U.S. leaves. And in an interview two days after that meeting, Pompeo stressed that the U.S. remains committed to kicking Iran and its proxies out of Syria - and to a broader strategy of countering Iran across the region.

"That campaign hasn't changed one lick," he told me. "A component of that is being altered, the reduction of the forces in Syria is being changed, but the mission set hasn't changed a bit." The U.S., he said, will continue to work to reduce Iranian influence in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

Two weeks ago, Pompeo's comments would have seemed naive. But it turns out the U.S. withdrawal from Syria is not as dramatic as it first appeared. The Wall Street Journal now reports that Turkey is requesting that the U.S. continue providing logistical support, transport and air strikes as its army prepares to move into Syria.

Pompeo noted that the campaign against Iran in Syria and the broader region has many components, some of which are public: sanctions against most of Iran's banks and its petroleum sector, for example, and diplomatic efforts to press European nations to take seriously some of Iran's recently discovered foiled terror and assassination plots. But the former CIA director also hinted at other elements. "There are lots of things taking place that are overt, there are other activities taking place as well," Pompeo said.

The secretary's tour of the region will take him to Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait. One important goal of the trip will be to reassure these allies that the U.S. remains committed to stopping Iran's predations.

Pompeo's remarks also serve as a reminder that there are limits to Sen. Rand Paul's influence on Trump. Paul was one of the only Republicans to defend Trump's decisions last month to withdraw forces from Afghanistan and Syria, prompting speculation that the Kentucky senator was driving his foreign policy.

This is not the case. As I reported last year, Paul has largely failed in persuading Trump to start a new round of arms-control negotiations with Russia. Paul is also an enthusiast of U.S. negotiations with Iran, a possibility Trump has occasionally dangled. Pompeo told me there were no current plans to explore negotiations. And while he would not say that regime change is U.S. policy, he did say this: "The charade of Iranian democracy is what we are hoping to fix. We want the Iranian people's voices to be heard, we want the government to be responsive to those voices."

Aside from Iran, the most important consequence of the Syria withdrawal will be the U.S. relationship with the country's Kurds, who have fought with American special forces against Islamic State since 2015. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had threatened a military assault on Kurdish positions in early December, but reversed himself after Trump's announcement. Pompeo pointed to high-level discussions in Ankara this month with Erdogan and his government. "We need to have long conversations with the Turks about what this will look like after withdrawal," he said.

One element of the U.S. strategy, according to Pompeo, will be a continuing relationship with the Syrian Kurds. "We will find a relationship with them that accommodates all of our interests," he said. "We are not just military to military, but diplomatically engaged." He added, "We understand the good work they have done, we appreciate that and we will do all that we can to honor that."

Syria's Kurds will have to wait for more specifics on what role they will play in America's broader plans for the Middle East. And they certainly have reason to be wary of U.S. intentions. For now though, they can seek a small dose of comfort from the statement of the U.S. secretary of state that America does not intend to betray them.

- - -

Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI.
As he readies to leave office, state Attorney General George Jepsen announced Neiman Marcus will pay $1.5 million to settle an investigation led by Connecticut and Illinois into the theft of payment card data from more than 75 stores.

The attorney generals office determined that more than 3,000 Connecticut customers had their payment card numbers exposed in the 2014 breach, with more than 9,000 of some 370,000 card numbers nationally used fraudulently.
Datto formally promoted its company president as the successor to CEO Austin McChord, who stepped aside in October after building the digital backup provider to a $1 billion valuation in less than a decade.

Tim Weller joined the Norwalk company in June 2017 as chief financial officer, with Wellers prior experience having included putting together an initial public offering of stock for Akamai Technologies. The Cambridge, Mass.-based company helps websites deal with surges in traffic and had among the biggest IPOs of the early dot-com boom.
New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he will "address the nation" on Tuesday night on his demand for a wall along the Mexico border. The differences over the wall has resulted in a partial government shutdown for over a fortnight now. Multiple television media outlets have received a request from the White House to disrupt their prime-time coverage Tuesday night for an Oval Office address to the nation by Trump, according to reports. Trump, who is at loggerheads with the Democrats over funding of the wall project, tweeted, "I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border. Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern."

He is also scheduled to visit the Southern border on Thursday, the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said.



ALSO READ | PM Modi, Putin hold telephonic conversation



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.



"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.



ALSO READ | US Syria pullout must be done with allies' defence 'assured': Bolton

"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.

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Islamabad:

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused India of not responding to his peace overtures and said that any war between two nuclear-armed nations would be suicidal for them. In an interview with Turkish news agency TRT World, according to his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan again expressed his desire for talks with India. He said that even a Cold War was not in the interests of the two countries.

"Two nuclear-armed countries should not even think of a war; not even a Cold War because it could worsen any time. The only way is bilateral talks. Two nuclear-armed countries at war is like a suicide," the party quoted him as saying. He said India did not respond to his peace overtures.

India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together. "India was offered to take one step towards and we shall take two. But India rejected Pakistan's offer for talks several times," Khan said.

Khan also said India would never be able to suppress the rights of the Kashmiri people. The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks taking place between them.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi :

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated Alok Verma as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director and set aside Centre's decision divesting him of his powers and sending him on leave. The court, however, said that Verma wont be allowed to take any major policy decisions until the Central Vigilance Commission inquiry is completed. In an unexpected overnight decision on October 23, the Modi government had divested Verma of his powers as CBI Director and sent him on forced leave. Verma, whose two-year tenure as CBI director will end on January 31, termed the government order illegal and challenged it in the Supreme Court.

Hearing Verma's plea, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had reserved its order after hearing arguments on behalf of the CBI chief, the Centre and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

During the argument, the central government had told the Supreme Court that the decision to send Verma on leave was taken after his feud with his deputy, Special CBI Director Rakesh Asthana became public. The Centre argued that it had become necessary to intervene as the cat fight between the top two warring CBI officers was denting the agencys image.

Also Read| 'Verma, Asthana were fighting like cats': Centre to top court on sending two CBI officers on leave

On this, the top court had come down heavily on the Centre and asked that even if the situation was as bad as it became necessary to intervene, what was the harm in consulting with the selection committee that comprises the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Both Verma and Asthana had been accusing each other of taking bribery from a Hyderabad-based businessman to clear his name from a case. The rift between Verma and Asthana turned ugly when the former ordered registration of a corruption case against the latter.

Following this, the Centre sent both officers on leave and appointed CBIs joint director M Nageswara Rao as the premier investigation agencys interim director. Soon after taking over, Rao ordered the transfer of several CBI officers who were investigating the case against Asthana.

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New Delhi :

Former Gujarat BJP vice president and MLA from Abadasa, Jayantilal Bhanushali was shot dead by unidentified assailants onboard a train near Kataria railway station in Kutch district of Gujarat on Monday night, news agency ANI reported. Jayantilal Bhanushali was onboard Sayji Nagri Express between Kataria-Surbari stations when the assailants shot him. Bhanushali was a former BJP MLA from the Abadasa constituency in Kutch district of Gujarat.

Bhanushali made headlines last year for allegedly raping a 21-year-old woman from Surat. Following the accusations of rape, Bhanushali had to resign as the vice president of Gujarat BJP. However, a man, claiming to be the husband of the woman claimed that she was playing the victim card to extort money.

Although it was not immediately known why the influential BJP leader was killed, it is suspected that personal dispute could be the reason.

Reacting to the incident, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that an investigation will be issued and action will be taken against the perpetrators. "A thorough investigation will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those guilty," ANI quoted the Gujarat CM as saying.

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New Delhi:

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the contentious Lok Sabha Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 that will provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The Bill was presented by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and was passed amid huge uproar and dissent by several opposition parties.

Introducing the Bill, Rajnath Singh said the Bill will pave the way for Indian citizenship to the persecuted religious minorities - the Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis -from the three countries. "They have no place to go to, except India," he added.

Singh told the Opposition that the Bill was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries.

"Such migrants can apply for citizenship now. The Centre can decide on their citizenship after getting necessary information," Singh said. He said the Bill not only applies to Assam but to the entire country and such migrants were in several other states.

"The responsibility is of the entire country. The burden of Assam is that of the entire country," he said.

READ MORE: Can BJP win Assam without AGP in 2019 Lok Sabha Elections? Click here to know

"They have no place to go to, except India," he said, adding several leaders including first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were in favour of giving shelter to persecuted minorities in the neighboring countries.

The political parties, including those from the northeast, are of the view that the Bill would give nationality to illegal Hindus who came to Assam after March 1971 in violation of the agreement of the Assam Accord, 1985.

READ MORE: AGP, BJP's Assam ally, snaps ties with NDA over Citizenship Bill, says 'made a last ditch attempt but...'

The Bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian nationality to people from minority communities - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians - from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they don't possess any proper document.

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New Delhi:

In a major political gamble ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Narendra Modi government on Tuesday tabled a Constitutional amendment bill in the Lok Sabha in order to implement the 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education for the economically backward in upper castes (general category). The bill, which was tabled in the Lower House by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot, will now be taken up for discussion in the House. The Narendra Modi Cabinet on Monday had approved 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for the economically weak in the general category. However, the reservation to the economically weaker sections of the general castes can be given only after a constitutional amendment as the proposed legislation will exceed the Supreme Courts 50 per cent quota cap for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the Other Backward Castes (OBCs). The reservation for economically backward in general category will be over and above the existing 50 pc reservation.

Below are the live updates:

22:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In

Lok Sabha passes Constitution (124 Amendment) Bill, 2019 with 323 'ayes'. The bill will provide reservation for economically weaker section of the society in higher educational institutions pic.twitter.com/mzsHxQoUva

 ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019



22:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 10 per cent quota bill passed by a margin of 323-3

22:07 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Bill will tabled in Rajya Sabha tomorrow

22:02 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Lok Sabha passes Constitution (124 Amendment) Bill, 2019. The bill will provide reservation for economically weaker section of the society in higher educational institutions

22:01 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 10 per cent quota for economically weaker section in upper castes cleared by Lok Sabha

21:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Parliament

19:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Quota bill will help 'upper caste' people who are economically backward: Ram Vilas Paswan.

19:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas is complete now, says Ram Vilas Paswan.

18:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In This bill is promising a fake dream which will never become a reality, says Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

18:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay questions the timing of the introduction of the bill.

18:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Economic criteria can change with time but caste is permanent, says AIADMK leader M. Thambi Durai.

18:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In How will you ensure quota in private unaided institutions: Congress to the government in Lok Sabha.

18:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Programmes announced by the Modi government are not properly implemented, says AIADMK leader M. Thambi Durai.

18:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Supreme Court has fixed the 50 per cent quota ceiling only for the caste-based reservation, says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha.

17:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Appeal my communist friends to support the bill or it will be considered as the first instance when something is being done for the poor and the left parties will be seen opposing it, says Arun Jaitley.

18:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Just how equals cannot be treated unequally, similarly unequals cannot be treated equally, says Arun Jaitley.











17:45 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The bill will enable social upliftment and will benefit a large section of the society, says Arun Jaitley.

18:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In This bill will be applicable to public employment as well: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha.

18:06 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Quota for poor in upper castes: Can't treat unequal equally, says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

17:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Reservation 'jumla' was in opposition's manifesto: Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha

17:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Efforts in the past were misdirected, says Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

17:35 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Arun Jaitley on quota bill: Don't need the approval of states.

17:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Quota for poor in upper castes: 10 percent quota in Higher Education institutions, says Gehlot.

17:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Quota for poor in upper castes: The current bill includes Christians and Muslims as well, says Gehlot.

17:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Quota for poor in upper castes: This is a historic moment, says Gehlot.

18:07 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Quota for poor in upper castes: Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, addresses Lok Sabha.

15:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Quota for poor in upper castes: Discussion to start at 5 pm in Lok Sabha.

14:36 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Congress walks out of Lok Sabha during the debate over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016.

14:30 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Rajnath Singh on Citizenship Amendment Bill: We are committed toward NRC. There will be no discrimination in NRC. All the necessary steps will be taken to deal with illegal migrants.

14:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav says his party supports government's decision to provide 10 percent reservation for general category based on their economic condition. He further added that there should be reservation for OBC as well based on their population.

13:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In JD(S) backs bill for 10 per cent quota for poor in general category: JD(S) supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda extended support Tuesday to the Centre's move towards providing a 10-per cent quota in government jobs and education for the "economically weaker" sections. "Janata Dal (Secular) supports the 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker sections of the upper castes," he said in a tweet.



13:44 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mayawati supports Centre on quota for poor: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has extended her support to the Modi government's proposed legislation on reservation for economically backward in upper castes.





15:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Bill to be discussed in Lok Sabha at 5 PM: Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot has tabled the bill for 10 percent reservation for economically weaker in upper caste in Lok Sabha. The bill will now be taken up for discussion at 5 pm.

13:36 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In What is the bill all about: The Centre on Monday approved 10 per cent reservation for general category based on their economic condition. However, the reservation to the economically weaker sections of the general castes can be given only after a constitutional amendment as the proposed bill will exceed the Supreme Courts 50 per cent quota cap for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the Other Backward Castes (OBCs). So to implement this, the government will need a constitutional amendment in order to increase the reservation cap to 60 per cent.

13:33 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Hello and welcome to News Nation live updates: In a major development that may have a large bearing on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Narendra Modi Cabinet has approved 10 per cent reservation for the economically backward in upper castes. For the implementation of the quota for the poor in the general category, the government has tabled a constitutional amendment bill in Parliament. The bill will be taken up for the discussion in Lok Sabha today. We will bring you all the latest updates on the proposed legislation. Stay with us.

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New Delhi :

Days after mocking him for building a library in Afghanistan, US President Donald Trump on Monday dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to increase Indias cooperation in the war-torn country. In an official statement released by the White House, Trump and Modi also discussed ways to reduce the US trade deficit in with India.

"The leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan," the White House said in a statement.

Last week, the US president had taken a dig at Modi for funding a library in the strife-torn nation, asking India and other neighbouring countries to take up the responsibility of security in Afghanistan.

Read Here - India's firm response on Donald Trump's 'Library In Afghanistan' dig

"I could give you an example where I get along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi. But he is constantly telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan. Library! That's like five hours of what we spend (in Afghanistan)," Trump told his cabinet colleagues during a meeting.

The United States has over 14,000 troops in Afghanistan. Trump is now planning to withdraw more than 5,000 of US troops and with a reduced military presence, he wants India and Russia to take up the job. Although India has committed to provide USD 3 billion aid to Afghanistan for building infrastructure but has no plans to send its troops.

Also, Trump has been pushing India to reduce the trade deficit between the countries. Recently, in a provocative measure, the US has slapped tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium from India. In response, India had also threatened to retaliate and likely to take an action after the end of January.

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New Delhi:

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday constituted a five-judge bench, comprising Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice UU Lalit, Justice DY Chandrachud, to hear the Ayodhya case from January 10. On October 28, the SC had said that the matter will be listed in the first week of January for fixing the date of hearing. A three-judge bench of the top court had on September 27 last year, by 2:1 majority, refused to refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgment that a mosque was not integral to Islam. The matter had arisen during the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute.

Various Hindutva organisations have been demanding an ordinance on early construction of Ram temple at the disputed site.

The hearing on Friday assumed importance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday had suggested any decision on an ordinance on Ram temple in Ayodhya can happen only after the completion of the judicial process.

Modi's comments had come amidst heightened demands by Hindutava organisations, including the RSS, for an ordinance for an early construction of the temple.

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New Delhi:

Journalist-turned-politician Apsara Reddy joined the Congress on Tuesday and became the first transgender woman to be an office-bearer of the 134-year-old party. Reddy has been appointed as the national general secretary of its women wing - All India Mahila Congress (AIMC). She joined the party in presence of party president Rahul Gandhi and Lok Sabha MP and AIMC President Sushmita Dev.

A photo of Reddy with Gandhi and Dev was tweeted by the Congress. All India Mahila Congress also tweeted about her joining the party. "Welcoming Apsara Reddy to @MahilaCongress As @sushmitadevmp puts it the path for inclusivity comes through acceptance and compassion beyond the set societal norms.#Womenpositive," the tweet reads.

Apsara Reddy has been appointed the first transgender National General Secretary of @MahilaCongress by Congress President @RahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/qDTZSgaoMH  Congress (@INCIndia) January 8, 2019



"I will campaign vociferously against the fascist BJP dictatorship that drives a coloured agenda that reduces people to what they eat, how they pray and how they love," Reddy said after joining the Congress. "I will work towards women's economic empowerment, against social injustices and helping women find their human rights," she added.

Reddy, an advocate of transgender's rights, started his career as a journalist and worked with various news organisations including BBC World Service, The Hindu, etc. She became extremely popular with her celebrity-chat show Natpudan Apsara. Later, she entered into the politics by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party after meeting Amit Shah. However, she left the party within a months time saying 'I felt I was just a photo opportunity for them on Womens Day.' Later, she joined the AIADMK.

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New Delhi:

After treating his fans in 2018 with five varied releases  Raazi, Lust Stories, Love Per Square Foot, Sanju and Manmarziyaan, Vicky Kaushal begins the new year with the action drama Uri: The Surgical Strike. The 30-year-old actors latest film Uri: The Surgical Strike will be out on January 11. The action-drama is based on the 2016 surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army in retaliation to an alleged terror attack in the Kashmir region of Uri. Kaushal, who is set to give yet another enthralling performance in Uri along with Yami Gautam who plays a challenging role of an Intelligence officer revealed some inside deets about their upcoming movie in an exclusive interview with News Nation.

Heres the tell-all interview with Yami Gautam and Vicky Kaushal:

Q: Tell us about your personal opinions on Surgical Strike?

Vicky Kaushal: It was 29th of November when we got to know about the Surgical Strikes through a press conference. For me, it was a feeling of immense pride. We all had this question in our mind if terrorism will be given a retaliation? This question was put to an end by our Indian Army very covertly and efficiently. Our soldiers came back without a scratch on their body! For me, it was a moment of utmost pride.

Q: Movies based on defense and Army come with a lot of expectations. How big was it a challenge for you?

Vicky Kaushal: Its always a challenge to portray an Army man. The uniform that you wear gives you pressure. Its not a normal uniform since our soldiers earn it after going on various missions and after facing too many hardships. So, playing this role is a big responsibility in itself. A lot of physical and mental preparation goes into playing this role because you cannot take it frivolously. So, that constant pressure is always there.

Q: As you said, you underwent intense training for your role, tell us more about how you had to prep for this challenging role?

Vicky Kaushal: It was exhausting (sighs) very, very exhausting for me. I was undergoing boot camp training and military training every day. I had to train for almost 7-8 hours and along with that, I had to read a lot about Army and meet Army personnel to learn about their state of mind before they go on a mission and after they come back from the mission. All these factors make it a really stimulating and engaging prep time. So, for me, my prep time was nothing less than a full-time job. As an artist, you feel content to go through such a process.

Yami Gautam: I play an intelligence officer, my characters name is Pallavi in the movie. For me, this role was something I have never played before. Forget playing, I wasnt even aware of what it takes to be an intelligence officer. For me, what their work is like and how it is to step into their shoes is much more than one could imagine. For me, the most important thing to do was to understand the character I was playing and be absolutely unpretentious about portraying it. For example, if you, as a journalist, figure out my identity being an intelligence officer, I have failed. For me, it was a revelation of sorts in a lot of ways.

Q: Patriotism is more than a sentiment in India and youll agree to it. What pressure does it build upon you?

Vicky Kaushal: I dont think I had to face any pressure revealing patriotism, it was an honor instead.

Yami Gautam: Its instead a responsible role to play. Everybody felt that sense of responsibility right from our director Aditya Dhar to Ronnie for the kind of film he was banking on. Its extremely disappointing and hurtful when a sentiment rather than a religion is called nationalism. We put a question on it and are afraid to show that emotion.

Q: What was your reaction to Surgical Strike when you got to know about it knowing the fact that some people started questioning Army and called it an illusion?

Yami Gautam: We all knew the reason behind the surgical strike. It happened after 10 days of Uri attacks. We were disappointed, sad, agonized and angry too because of the foul incident that took place. The surgical strike wasnt just an answer for this event it was a massive step against terrorism. You cannot do anything to make it fair for the jawans who lost their lives during the Uri attacks. For people questioning Army, I have nothing to say to that section of the society. I felt really liberated as a citizen of this country. And Im extremely proud of our Indian Army and I dont think we can ever do anything to thank them enough for what theyve done for us.

Q: In an action against the neighboring country, do you want Surgical Strike to happen again?

Vicky Kaushal: I would never want situations to go out of hand to a level that we end up carrying out Surgical Strike again. This is a sad thing when a human being has to kill another person. But under some circumstances, such incidents have to take place. I wish peace and brotherhood between both the nations and such things to never repeat again.

Thats all for todays conversation, folks!

Vicky Kaushals first film as lead Uri: The Surgical Strike will also test his commercial viability as a Bollywood actor. How excited are you to watch Uri? Let us know in the comment section.
New Delhi:

Days after a meeting with his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) over a campaign to build a non-BJP, non-Congress Federal Front, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said he wanted more time to decide on joining the Oppositions Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

"As far as Mahagathbandhan is concerned, we will take some time and think it over," he told reporters in New Delhi. Patnaik was in New Delhi to participate in a farmers' protest held by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for its demand to fix Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy at Rs. 2,930 per quintal from the current Rs. 1,750.

Patnaik will a 12-member delegation which will President Ram Nath Kovind in this regard. Addressing the gathering of farmers, Patnaik came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government for failing to fulfil the promises made before the 2014 general elections.

#WATCH Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik after BJD delegation met President Kovind: BJP in its manifesto in 2014 promised to give MSP to paddy farmers.They have done nothing. Today,we held a public meeting at Talkatora Stadium objecting this & now handed over a memorandum to the President pic.twitter.com/X2PyH95QrV  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

"The Centre cannot run away from providing (adequate) MSP as it is its responsibility. It has not responded to our demands despite several reminders," he said.

At the protest march, many BJD leaders took a dig at the Modi government calling it "jumlebaazi ki Sarkar" (government of fake promises).

The BJP accused BJD supremo of "running away from his responsibility" with his agitation here over the issue of paddy price and blaming the Union government.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the BJD chief quotes from the Swaminathan committee's recommendations to question the central government but appears to be unaware that MS Swaminathan, who had authored the report, has praised the Modi government's measures to boost farm income.

On December 23, KCR met Patnaik. Hinting at the possibility of an alternative front of like-minded parties after the meeting, Patnaik said they discussed a number of issues, including matters of national and mutual interest. The meeting had lasted for more than 40 minutes.

Holding a joint press conference with KCR, Patnaik said: We had a general discussion on matters of national interest and how to take this forward. We discussed several issues, including a further friendship amongst the like-minded parties, he said.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi:

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has finally left the BJP-led NDA on Monday over the Citizenship Amendment Bill. The party was opposed to the proposed amendments as it will give citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The AGP is also of the opinion that the Bill will violate the Assam accord of 1985. AGP president Atul Bora announced the decision on Monday in a press conference and said, "We have met almost everyone including the Joint Parliamentary Committee, President, Prime Minister and requested them to scrap the bill but unfortunately that didn't happen. As we were part of the government, we tried our best to stay with the government. But we have realised that the BJP government is bound to pass the bill. After meeting Home Minister Rajnath Singh, we are sure about that." However, there is no immediate threat to the Sarbananda Sonowal government in Assam as the BJP is still enjoying the support of the BPF. Former chief minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was leading the charge against the BJP over the Bill. Mahanta became the Assam chief minister in 1985 after the Assam accord. He again served as the chief minister of the state between 1996 and 2001 before suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Congress party.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had forged an alliance with the AGP and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) just ahead of the 2016 Assam Assembly elections. The alliance had stormed to power with 86 seats in the 126-member strong Assembly. The BJP had won 60 seats, while the AGP was able to get 14 Assembly seats. The BPF got the remaining 12 seats. The BJP was successful in getting 29.5 per cent of the votes whereas the vote shares for the AGP and the BPF were 8.1 per cent and 3.9 per cent respectively. The other two parties in the NDA at that time were the Rabha Jatiya Aikya Manch and the Tiwa Jatiya Aikya Manch. However, both the parties drew a blank in the elections. The overall vote share of the entire NDA alliance was close to 42 per cent. The formidable rainbow alliance had ended the 15-year-old reign of Congress chief minister Tarun Gogoi. The Congress was reduced to just 26 seats in the Assembly with 31 per cent of the vote share. The Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF had won 13 seats. In the 2011 Assembly elections, the BJP had won only 5 seats and the AGP was emerged victorious on 9 seats. The AGP and the BJP had contested the 2009 Lok Sabha polls together.

Also Read: AGP snaps ties with BJP in Assam over Citizenship Amendment Bill

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP and the AGP had contested separately. The BJP was successful on 7 seats of the 14 seats of Assam. The AGP was not able to open its account. The BJP was successful in winning Gauhati, Mangaldoi, Tezpur, Nowgong, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had defeated Congress candidate Ranee Narah from Lakhimpur seat at that time. The BJP came second on 5 constituencies namely Barpeta, Autonomous District, Karimganj, Kaliabor and Silchar. The AGP had received less than 1 per cent votes in Karimganj, Silchar and Dhubri. But the party had got more than 5 per cent votes in Lakhimpur (7.35 per cent), Kaliabor (6.69 per cent), Barpeta (6.11 per cent), Gauhati (5.72 per cent), Mangaldoi (5.39 per cent), Dibrugarh (5.13 per cent) and Jorhat (5.01 per cent). It had got only 2.86 per cent of vote share in Nowgong and 4.13 per cent in Tezpur.

So, a careful analysis of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections data shows that if the AGP decides to align with the Congress party in Assam for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it can dent the prospects of the BJP in Mangaldoi only. The BJP may lose a Lok Sabha seat in this scenario. So, the BJP which is trying to compensate its potential losses in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh etc through its expected gains in West Bengal, Odisha and Northeast, needs to be cautious in Assam. Meanwhile, the recently concluded panchayat and local poll results showed BJP's dominance in the state. Both the BJP and the AGP were at the loggerheads in these elections and contested the polls separately. The party had won close to 50 per cent of the total seats in the Assam panchayat polls. According to the Assam State Election Commission, the ruling party had won 9,025 Gram Panchayat Member (GPM) seats out of 21,990 seats. Apart from that, the BJP had won 991 Gram Panchayat President seats, 1,020 Anchalik Panchayat Member seats, and 212 Zila Parishad Member seats. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had won 1,676 GPM seats, 137 Gram Panchayat President seats, 117 Anchalik Panchayat Member seats and 19 Zila Parishad Member seats.
New Delhi:

Former chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Monday said that "coalition culture has failed in the state". Omar strongly pitched for single-party government in Jammu and Kashmir. "I want people of the state to elect a single party government in Jammu and Kashmir, keeping in view the challenges and magnitude of problems faced to the people. The experiment of coalitions has not worked well in the state," he said at a function at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan. Abdullah referred to the massive support and goodwill towards the NC and exuded confidence that the party will give a stable and responsive government.



ALSO READ | Jayantilal Bhanusali, former Gujarat BJP vice president shot dead

"In fact, the coalition culture has failed in various parts of the country as well and in a state like Jammu and Kashmir, a stable and strong dispensation was of paramount importance to steer it out of the mess created during the past nearly four years," Abdullah said.

Omar while attacking Mehbooba Mufti said, I was surprised to hear Mehbooba Mufti during one of her rallies today claiming PM Modi wasted a chance on winning hearts of Kashmiris. You (Mehbooba) would say PM Modi was better than Vajpayee. Have you forgotten how you would say you got whatever you asked for from PM Modi and also got what you didnt ask for? You would also say Modi would do magic. How could you criticise him (Modi) now? You (PDP president) are actually taking the politics to a new low.



Referring to Mehboobas garbage remark, Omar said: Youre stooping to this level in politics now that those whom you garlanded yesterday have become garbage for you today.to be filled," he alleged.



He claimed that the people, dejected by the PDP-BJP's misrule during over three years, are yearning for early elections to send out a terse message to the Centre about its misadventure by thrusting an "insensitive" and an "anti-poor government" upon the state.



ALSO READ | Dasharatha had 10,000 rooms, where was Ram born?: Mani Shankar



Those who left BJP also cited cheating, fraud and lies being thrown to them by the central government during polls, he said. He said in the 2014 elections, BJP set its target of 44+ seats, but when they got 25, it left the state to fend for itself. Omar also claimed that there is a wave in favour of NC and people are joining the party to be a part of this wave across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
New Delhi:

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on Monday announced that he will step down from his position on February 1 much before the end of his term in 2022. Kim, 58, has been in this position for over six years now. Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank CEO, will assume the role of interim President effective February 1. "It has been a great honour to serve as President of this remarkable institution, full of passionate individuals dedicated to the mission of ending extreme poverty in our lifetime," Kim said. The president of the Washington-based World Bank has always been an American citizen nominated by the United States, which is the largest shareholder of this multilateral financial institution.



ALSO READ | India's GDP growth during 2018-19 estimated at 7.2%

"The work of the World Bank Group is more important now than ever as the aspirations of the poor rise all over the world, and problems like climate change, pandemics, famine and refugees continue to grow in both their scale and complexity, Kim was quoted as saying in a World Bank press release.

"Serving as President and helping position the institution squarely in the middle of all these challenges has been a great privilege," Kim said.

During his term as World Bank President beginning July 2012, Kim emphasised that one of the greatest needs in the developing world is infrastructure finance and he pushed the Bank Group to maximize finance for development by working with a new cadre of private sector partners committed to building sustainable, climate-smart infrastructure in developing nations, the release said.

To that end, Kim announced that, immediately after his departure, he will join a firm and focus on increasing infrastructure investments in developing countries, it said, adding that the details of this new position will be announced shortly.

Under his leadership, the World Bank established two goals: to end extreme poverty by 2030; and to boost shared prosperity, focusing on the bottom 40 percent of the population in developing countries. These goals now guide and inform the institution in its daily work around the globe, it said.



ALSO READ | Choosing between a Short-Term or a Long-Term Home Loan

In addition, shareholders strongly supported measures to ensure that the Bank Group be even better positioned to respond to the development needs of clients:

The Bank Group's Fund for the Poorest, IDA, achieved two successive, record replenishments, which enabled the institution to increase its work in areas suffering from fragility, conflict, and violence.

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New Delhi:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys, as the chairman of the committee to assess digitisation of payments in India, according to Reuters. Nilekani has earlier worked as the chairman of the UIDAI and looked after the implementation of the Aadhar card in the country during the UPA government. Under the leadership of former Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani, who was the chairman, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was founded in 2009.

The five-member panel on deepening of digital payments has been constituted with a view to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion through digitisation, the RBI said in a statement. "The committee shall submit its report within a period of 90 days from the date of its first meeting," it added.

The panel has been tasked with reviewing the existing status of digitisation of payments in the country, identifying the current gaps in the ecosystem and suggesting ways to bridge them and assessing the current levels of digital payments in financial inclusion. It will also "suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments... (and) a road map for increasing customer confidence and trust while accessing financial services through digital modes".

It has also been asked to undertake cross country analyses with a view to identify best practices that can be adopted in our country to accelerate digitisation of the economy and financial inclusion through greater use of digital payments. Another term of reference of the panel, the RBI said is to suggest a medium-term strategy for deepening of digital payments.

Besides Infosys co-founder Nilekani, other members of the panel are former RBI deputy governor H R Khan, former MD and CEO of Vijaya Bank Kishore Sansi and former secretary in ministries of IT and steel Aruna Sharma. The fifth member is Sanjay Jain, chief innovation officer, Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship (CIIE), IIM Ahmedabad.

It was initially started by the Planning Commission so as to provide identification for each resident across the country. Started by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, it aimed for efficient delivery of welfare services. By this method, the government can also monitor various programs and schemes. It works as a proof of identity and address for the residents living across India.

(With PTI inputs)

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Shamokin, PA (17872)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to occasional showers during the afternoon. High 72F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low around 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
A French author has sparked outrage on social media after comments he made about women over 50 not being attractive.

Yann Moix, 50, told Marie-Claire magazine's French edition that he prefers "younger women's bodies," and that the body of a woman over 50 "is not extraordinary" compared to a 25-year-old's.

The acclaimed author and film director, who says he prefers to date Asian women, told the magazine women in their 50s were "invisible" to him, which has angered many women.

"It's perhaps sad and reductive for the women I go out with but the Asian type is sufficiently rich, large and infinite for me not to be ashamed," he told the magazine.

Laura Hulley, a woman who works in the British Embassy in Paris, took to Twitter to slam Mr Moix's comments. She wrote, "Happy New Year, sexists everywhere!"
Victoria Police and Metro Trains responded to the tweet, stating they were interested in hearing more, and now the train company has said they are looking into it.

"This is a terrible act of vandalism and we are thankful that no one was injured. Metro has launched a full investigation into the incident and will work closely with Victoria Police," reports The Age.

Other users on the social media site also expressed their disgust.

"Nefarious act. Thank you for highlighting," said one person, while another said they were always concerned about needles in train seats and brushed their hand over the seats to check.

It follows widespread panic last year when strawberries across the ditch were found to have had needles placed in them. Several copycat contaminations were also found, and as a result much of the fruit had to be put to waste.

A Queensland farm worker was later charged in connection to the strawberry scare.

Newshub.
A US man has admitted to killing six people while working as a driver for the ride-hailing app Uber.

Jason Dalton, 48, pleaded guilty to murder in Michigan on Monday, just before attorneys were set to interview jurors for his trial, the Guardian reports.

Dalton admitted to shooting eight people at three locations around Kalamazoo, Michigan, over the course of a few hours in 2016.

"Yes, I've wanted this for a while," he said when a judge asked if his guilty plea was voluntary.

He pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder which could result in a life sentence with no parole.

Six of the eight people Dalton shot were killed, including four women outside a restaurant. A father and his 17-year-old son were also fatally shot, the Guardian reports.

The survivors include a 14-year-old girl who was shot in the head during the restaurant shooting and another person injured in a residential area.

The motive behind Dalton's killing spree has baffled police. He was quoted as saying a "devil figure" on Uber's app prompted him on the day of the shootings.

But Dalton, a father of two, was deemed competent to stand trial last week and dismissed an insanity defence.

"There are personal reasons for him," defence attorney Eusebio Solis told the judge when asked why Dalton pleaded guilty.

In court Dalton did not explain why he shot the victims.

Newshub.
Yang said that he had wanted to do some good by offering Fuman a place, but was not prepared for the amount of media attention the boy was receiving.

"I found out that Fuman had been identified by the Ministry of Education as a key figure to be helped in the Government's poverty alleviation efforts... During these days of having him in my school we received numerous requests from various levels of Government departments to inspect us. Many media outlets also insisted on interviewing us. It was impossible for me to reject many of these requests."

Fuman's father was asked to take him back to his original school. Luckily, his viral fame followed him.

According to BBC, Fuman's school has improved - increased investment means the building now has heating, and a dormitory has been built so that students who live far away from school have housing on the campus, meaning that fewer student will have to go through what he did.

The school's deputy principal, Fu Heng, holds Fuman in a high regard, saying that he is "a top student and gets along well with his classmates".

The deputy also spoke of Fuman's fame, saying "All the attention has made the pupils feel the wonder of the world and their ideas have changed a great deal. The seeds of dreams that one day they will be able to walk away from the mountains have been planted, and they are very hopeful for the future."

China's version of Twitter, Weibo, has exploded with the hash tag "IceBoyaYearOn".

Many see the story as one of success.

"The power of the web really should not be underestimated" posted one user.

Another noted that the "The changes to Wang and his family are gratifying. This is the credit of public opinion and the joint effort of the local government and innumerable caring people".

Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his New Year address that rural poverty has been a focus over the past year. The focus on alleviating poverty has been successful, but he says that the work is not over.

"125 million poor counties and 10 million poverty stricken rural residents were lifted out of poverty. To achieve our task of lifting another 10 million-plus rural resident out of poverty as planned, we shall remain focused and work hard on this".

Newshub.
A new viral video shows how eating hot cross buns can lead to drivers failing an immediate breath test.

Footage was uploaded to the Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls' Facebook page showing founder Heather Jones chomping into the Easter bun.

She then blows into a breathalyser and the reading shoots up to 0.018.

"If you're driving a truck, be very careful," she says. "Be really careful this Easter."
A National MP has proposed a bill to raise the maximum fine for littering from $400 to $1000.

MP for Coromandel Scott Simpson spoke to RadioLIVE's Mike Puru this morning about his new bill, which aims to stop people littering.

Thames-Coromandel District Council has already attempted to quash littering in the region by installing solar-powered, coin-operated trash compactors.

The compactors have been placed in key areas that see high visitor numbers over the holiday period, but the council says they are being misused, or not used at all.

Photographs of one site, posted to the Thames-Coromandel District Council website last Friday, show piles of rubbish next to the machine, rather than inside them. Council infrastructure group manager Bruce Hinson says the rubbish is the second pile they have had to clear in less than a week.

Mr Simpson is disappointed in this and says the punishment needs to be stronger.

"All people have to do is pop in a $2 coin to make the machine work, but it seems people are too tight to even put in $2," he said.

The Coromandel MP explains the current system, saying, "At the moment councils around the countryside can impose what we call instant fines, a bit like a parking ticket. That doesn't involve a court case, it's a simple matter of if you're caught littering you get an instant fine from the council and you pay the bill."

However, he doesn't think that the current system is working, because the fines are not high enough for councils to bother enforcing them.

"The maximum fine that councils can impose under that infringement regime is a measly $400, and the net result of that is that a lot of councils actually don't even bother enforcing instant fine regimes in their districts."

At the moment, Mr Simpson says that "many types of council don't even bother (fining people) because the process is more expensive than the return".

He believes that raising the fine to $1000 would be "far more meaningful to litterbugs, and make them really stop and think about the cost to them personally if they drop litter in our natural environment".

His bill has passed its first reading, and has a second reading in parliament in February. Mr Simpson says that it is well supported by members of Parliament so far.

With higher fines, Mr Simpson hopes that councils will be stricter in enforcing penalties for litterbugs.

But he acknowledges that his proposed bill will not solve the problem alone.

"This bill won't of itself be a silver bullet. This is not going to fix our litter problem, it needs to be a cultural and mental attitude change towards littering. We need an attitudinal change to just be a whole lot more careful about where we place rubbish, what we do with litter and (we need) to be more responsible with the rubbish we create.

Newshub.
Ikea has announced it will open in New Zealand and now speculation is mounting as to where its first store will be.

Bosses from the homeware giant will arrive in Auckland on Friday for a launch event, where they are expected to provide further information.

The Swedish firm says it's got a franchisee lined up to open the furniture chain here, but hasn't released details on the location.

As anticipation builds, Kiwis are taking to the 'Ikea is coming to NZ' Facebook page to list where they hope the first store will emerge.

"Wellington sits nicely in the middle of New Zealand. Perfect location for the first Ikea store," one Wellingtonian wrote.

"One in the North Island and one in the South Island would be perfect," another commented.

Others were hopeful that smaller locations could be the first to benefit.

"Palmerston North (or the Manawatu) would be a great location. It's now the central hub for Foodstuffs and other major distributors," said one person.

"Tauranga the place to be, all the Aucklanders have moved down here!!" another exclaimed.
American hitmakers Toto have touched down in Tauranga on Tuesday where they were welcomed with a powhiri.

The band members responded with a showcase of their own, belting out their 1982 hit 'Africa' back to the ceremony tangata whenua.

Band member Steve Lukather told performers the group had never experienced such a greeting, and that they were "humbled" and "blown away".

Promoter Toby Burrows told Newshub he and his colleagues have been working on bringing the iconic group to New Zealand for almost three years.
Christian Bale has been applauded by the Church of Satan for thanking the Devil in his latest Golden Globes speech.

The 44-year-old actor won a Best Actor gong for his role as Dick Cheney in Vice, and thanked Satan for "giving me inspiration on how to play this role" as he accepted the award.

Bale's shout-out to Satan won reciprocal praise from the official Twitter account of the Church of Satan - which noted the irony of his first name, and revealed itself to be a Batman fan.

"To us, Satan is a symbol of pride, liberty and individualism, and it serves as an external metaphorical projection of our highest personal potential," said the Church of Satan.

"As Mr Bale's own talent and skill won him the award, this is fitting. Hail Christian! Hail Satan! Also, Bale's Dark Knight era Batman is the best Batman ever."
Laura Josephine (Conrad) Wilson, 94, of New Albany, Indiana, passed away on Saturday, June 12, 2021. Laura was a member of Grace Lutheran Church and the New Albany VFW Posts 1693 and 3281 Ladies' Auxillary. She was born on November 10, 1926 in English, Indiana to the late John and Stella (Un
Rep. Denver Riggleman said he will donate his paycheck to a fire department during the partial federal government shut down.

The freshman Republican representative from Nelson County said in a tweet Monday that he will donate his check to Drakes Branch Volunteer Fire Department in Charlotte County.

They were recently devastated by Hurricane Michael, he wrote. Their community came together after an awful tragedy. We can learn from them.

Roll Call listed at least 44 House members and senators who have announced they will go without pay or donate their pay.

Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Loudon, whose Northern Virginia district is home to many federal employees, said she asked the administrative office to hold her pay until the shutdown is resolved.

Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Henrico, and Elaine Luria, D-Norfolk, have also asked to forgo their pay.

The shutdown has stretched since Dec. 21, after an agreement between the Senate and House and President Trump fell apart after Trump demanded $5 billion for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Hawthorne said the summit focused on prejudice because we recognize this has been an issue for a long time.

We recognize that students might be left out or are made to be different or excluded and so we want to make sure that they are aware of what the different forms of prejudice can take and recognize that they have power to stop it, Hawthorne said.

The summit started off with skits, word association activities and individuals sharing their personal stories about prejudice.

Altavista Combined School eighth-grader Sophia Camiglio said she learned how men and women are often associated with certain careers such as a doctor being associated witha man and a nurse with a female.

Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School seventh-grader Malakhi Gillispie said he learned how different races can be judged just by the color of their skin.

Students then broke into groups made up of students from the six schools to discuss how they can apply the concepts they learned in the large group session into their schools and possibly share their personal experiences with prejudice.

At the end of the day, students gathered with those from their school to create an action plan to take back to the school.
As tragic as that day was, the residents of Nelson County have been rebuilding and growing stronger together ever since. I am looking forward to reporting on the changes the area has experienced, covering the different commemorative events, and talking to people and families about their experience on that day.

With the potential of an economic revitalization grant for Lovingston and a new project along Virginia 151, its possible Nelson County could see tourism revenue continue to increase. Revenue from tourism increased 4.2 percent from 2016 to 2017. Up on the mountain at Wintergreen Resort, Rod Kessler is entering his second year as the general manager. Renovations have been happening in the main check-in area of the resort and I look forward to getting up on the mountain more and reporting on the changes underway.

Nelson County Board of Supervisor seats for the West District and South District are set to expire at the end of the year, although Thomas Bruguiere, Jr., West District representative, and Larry Saunders, South District Representative are eligible to run again. I enjoyed covering the 2018 midterm election in November and talking to residents about what is important to them in a representative. I look forward to reporting on the potential changes a new face on the Board of Supervisors could bring.
Boggess announced his retirement during a May 14 meeting of the Bedford County Board of Supervisors but postponed his retirement date after former Bedford County Assistant County Administrator Reid Wodicka took a position as deputy city manager of Lynchburg.

Reid leaving delayed that a bit, Skelley said. But we are thankful for Carl Boggess assistance while the county searched for his replacement.

Boggess did not respond to requests for comment about his retirement or his time with the administration of Bedford County.

Skelley said county staff is continuing work that Boggess started on; issues like the upcoming budget for the next fiscal year and the proposed agreement between Bedford County and Roanoke-based Blue Ridge Towers (BRT) for an estimated $3 million project to construct an 11-site system that would provide broadband coverage to about 95 percent of residences in Bedford County.

Skelley said county staff is waiting on the results of Bedford Countys property tax reassessment  which should be completed by mid-February  before starting the next budget cycle and is ready for the Bedford County Board of Administrators to vote on the deal with Blue Ridge Towers on Jan. 14.
The train station site will go off the tax rolls as well. However, the Campbell Court bus station, which produces no tax revenue, is expected to produce significant tax revenue after redevelopment, he said.

Work will begin first on a temporary bus station on the parking lot where the permanent facility will be built. The site is big enough for both temporary quarters and a new one, city officials said. How the new station will look is unknown, officials said.

We know it will fit, but where exactly it will go will depend on the design and how we can sequence the construction, Cowell said.

Once bus operations end at Campbell Court, Thornton can begin demolition, he said. Thornton said he might keep a portion of Campbell Courts facade.

The deal is structured to allow portions to move forward even if others fall through. For example, the city plans to establish a new bus station even if Thornton does not redevelop Campbell Court. In that circumstance, well divest of Campbell Court sometime in the future. Campbell Court has a value to us economically once we move out, one way or another, Townsend said.

The train station is probably the last piece in this puzzle, Cowell said. Its the least time-sensitive.
A Bedford County business will be featured in the 2019 Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, California, according to a news release from Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Monday. The food show runs Jan. 13 to 15.

Southern Flavoring Company, Inc., located at 1330 Norfolk Avenue in Bedford, will feature its products at the trade show and is a participant of Virginias Finest, a program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The Virginias Finest program identifies, differentiates and promotes top-quality, Virginia-produced and processed specialty food and beverage products.

The 2019 Winter Fancy Food Show will feature more than 80,000 products and 1,400 exhibitors from around the world. Key buyers representing grocery stores, restaurants, markets and gift shops rely on this annual trade show to find innovative foods and beverages to add to their product mix and fulfill the growing consumer demand for specialty food and beverages.

Southern Flavoring Company sells natural and imitation flavors, pure extracts, sauces, dressings, marinades, salsas, dry mixes and seasoning blends.

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As 10 trade unions began their two-day nationwide general strike today, incidents of vandalism were reported from Bengaluru and West Bengal's Asansol. A police officer said that bandh supporters allegedly forced Asansol shopkeepers to shut shops, while some allegedly ransacked South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC). There were also reports of miscreants hurling stones on a BMTC bus in Bengaluru's Basaveshwaranagar.

The nationwide general strike has disrupted normal life as transport, bank and other services have been affected in several cities. The bandh has been called by 10 trade unions across the country against what they believe are "anti-labour policies of Modi government". Workers from the power, steel, auto, and financial services sector are all set to participate in the 'historic event'.


Incidents of vandalism were reported from Bengaluru and West Bengal's Asansol. A police officer said that bandh supporters allegedly forced Asansol shopkeepers to shut shops, while some allegedly ransacked South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC). There were also reports of miscreants hurling stones on a BMTC bus in Bengaluru's Basaveshwaranagar.



The nationwide general strike has disrupted normal life as transport, bank and other services have been affected in several cities. The bandh has been called by 10 trade unions across the country against what they believe are "anti-labour policies of Modi government". Workers from the power, steel, auto, and financial services sector are all set to participate in the 'historic event'.



Ten trade unions who have jointly called for the nationwide general strike are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA. The trade unions have supports of almost all major independent federations of central employees, state employees and the employees of banks, insurance, telecom, and other service sectors representing the workers and employees of all the industries and services including transport services, both in organised and unorganised sectors.



"AIKS and Bhumi Adhikar Andolan will observe 'gramin hartal', rail roko and road roko on January 8 and 9, the day trade unions are observing the nationwide general strike. This move is against the Modi government's failure to address rural distress issues, to save rural farmers' lands from the corporates. The farmers will extend all support to the ensuing general strike," said Hannan Mollah, general secretary of the CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha.



Atul Kumar Anjaan of the CPI's peasant wing said that the action committee of farmers in their meeting decided that when the workers, employees and common people are protesting against the Modi government's policies, the farmers will also join them.



"The farmers will join road jam, demonstration, protest meetings throughout the country to make the nationwide strike a success and register their disenchantment with PM Narendra Modi and his policies," said Anjaan.



In Karnataka, buses, radio taxis, auto rickshaws and other transport facilities remained shut, except for a few places. Hospitals and ambulance facilities, however, are working. In West Bengal, the administration assured that candidates appearing for JEE Main exam, which begins today (January 8) and ends on Saturday (January 12), will not be affected due to the two-day strike called by CPIM-led trade union CITU.



In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) buses stopped plying from 5am today as nearly 35,000 workers are on strike after talks with the management failed on Friday evening. In Kerala, trains were blocked at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikkod.
Academics at the University of Warwick have found that low functional connectivity of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex that is associated with the tendency to smoke is associated with increased impulsiveness - which may contribute to the tendency to smoke. The high connectivity of the reward-related medial orbitofrontal cortex in drinkers may increase the tendency to be attracted to the reward of alcohol consumption.

A new study by Professor Jianfeng Feng, Professor Edmund Rolls from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick, in collaboration with Dr. Wei Cheng from Fudan University, China, examined the neural mechanisms underlying two key types of substance use behavior, smoking and drinking.

In 2000 participants they found that smokers had low functional connectivity in general, and especially in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, a region of the brain associated with impulsive behavior. This suggests that people who smoke may do so to increase their overall brain connectivity with the stimulating effect of nicotine; and that being impulsive may be a factor leading to smoking.

Drinkers of alcohol had high overall brain connectivity, especially in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, a region implicated in reward. It is suggested that the high connectivity of this reward-related brain region may be a factor in attracting some individuals to alcohol.

Importantly the extent of these functional connectivity changes in the brains of drinkers and smokers correlated with the amount of alcohol and nicotine being consumed. Critically they were even detectable in individuals smoking only a few cigarettes or drinking one unit of alcohol every day.

Another key discovery is that it was possible to relate the connectivity at age 14 to who would smoke or drink at age 19. This opens up the issue of causality in addiction.

Professor Edmund Rolls, from the University of Warwick's Department of Computer Science, comments:

"These discoveries help to show that there are different neural bases of different types of addiction, and that the orbitofrontal cortex, a key brain region in emotion, is implicated in these two types of addiction."

Professor Jianfeng Feng, from the University of Warwick's Department of Computer Science comments:

"These findings could have important public health implications, as both drinking and smoking affect a large population worldwide. According to a WHO investigation, there are over 1.1 billion people who smoke tobacco in the world, and more than 7 million people die each year due to the use of tobacco. As well as 2.3 billion people worldwide who are currently drinkers, with more than a quarter of all 15-19 year old teenagers drinking. More than 3 million people die as a result of the harmful use of alcohol each year.

"These are key discoveries that advance our understanding of the neurological bases of smoking and drinking and also provide new evidence on the different neurological mechanisms that are related to these two types of human addictive behavior, smoking and drinking, and these advances have implications for prevention and treatment of these two substance use."
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) lead to atherosclerosis and heart failure and are prevalent age-related illnesses in humans. In a new study, published in the renowned journal JCI, scientists from Roland Foisner's group at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, together with scientists from the Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster for Cardiovascular Research at the Center for Biomedical Research, Medical University of Vienna and from the BOKU, Vienna describe the molecular mechanism behind CVD in the premature aging disease Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS). The findings could also help understand normal aging processes in the cardiovascular system.

Cardiovascular diseases remain one of the major causes for death in modern society, and are also a typical symptom in HGPS, a genetic defect characterized by progressive premature aging. The exact mechanisms of CVD on a molecular level are unclear, yet dysfunction of the endothelium, a cell layer lining the inner surface of blood vessels is known to be a prominent initiating event. These endothelial cells are under constant mechanical shear stress caused by blood flow. In normal cells a protein meshwork inside the cell called the nuclear lamina and the cytoskeleton provide stability and stiffness, ensuring that changes in mechanical forces from blood pressure do not cause cellular harm. The scientists now report how this cellular scaffolding is impaired in progeria model organisms, causing the cell to activate abnormal mechanoresponsive mechanisms that produce excessive connective tissue in blood vessels, a condition called fibrosis. First author and senior associated scientist Selma Osmanagic-Myers explains in detail: "In fact, the accumulation of the disease-causing mutant protein in endothelial cells makes the lamina extremely stiff and undynamic, thereby exerting high intracellular mechanical stress, so that the endothelium cannot respond properly to shear stress changes of the blood flow anymore. This in turn hyper-activates mechano-sensitive signaling pathways that lead to fibrosis, vessel stiffening, and cardiac overload."

The results were based on studies in HGPS model organisms. CVD is the most severe, life-threatening symptom in progeria. It is caused by mutations in the LMNA gene that lead to the production of a mutant lamin protein, called progerin. Roland Foisner explains further: "Understanding the molecular defects leading to CVD in progeria will tremendously help to develop new promising effective therapeutic strategies that can significantly improve life conditions of patients and prevent early death due to heart failure. While most previous studies revealed defects of vascular smooth muscle cells in HGPS, we show for the first time that endothelial dysfunction contributes to the severe fibrosis and cardiac impairment in the disease."

"Interestingly, the progeria-causing lamin mutant is also often found in normally aged organisms, yet in lower levels and the CVD pathologies of "normally-aged" people resemble those in progeria. Thus, our study provides an insight into underlying molecular mechanism relevant to defective blood flow sensing occurring at curvatures of aged arteries", adds Bruno Podesser, cardiologist at the Medical University Vienna.

The study therefore first provides a biomechanistic explanation for CVD in progeria and could also help unravel the molecular processes in normal aging of the cardiovascular system. The study was supported by grants from the Austrian Science Fund and the Progeria Research Foundation.
CytoReason, a leader in machine learning for drug discovery and development, announced today that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) that will leverage CytoReason's cell-centered models of the immune system.

CytoReason will receive from Pfizer payments potentially equaling up to low double digit millions of US$ for technology access fees, research support and certain success-based payments.

CytoReason's proprietary platform helps rebuild lost cellular information from gene expression data and associates genes to specific cells. This information is then integrated with additional omics and literature data to create a cell-based model of the trial-specific immune response. Integration with the CytoReason disease model empowers the study analytics and allows the model to learn and improve, leading to robust target discovery, drug response biomarkers and indication selection.

"We believe that CytoReason's platform has the potential to offer valuable insights that may be applied to our research into the human immune system," said Michael Vincent, Chief Scientific Officer, Inflammation & Immunology, Pfizer. "Leveraging technologies such as this can help us understand disease and prioritize targets, and support our mission of bringing innovative new therapies to patients who need them."

"The collaboration with Pfizer will further strengthen our models in our core therapeutic areas. This will be our fifth major partnership, which we believe will help make our model unparalleled in its accuracy for assets across the pipeline," said David Harel, CytoReason's CEO. "CytoReason's model brings together thousands of samples on a cell-protein-gene level, allowing for fast and accurate insights."
A high proportion of older people with hearing aids, especially those with lower incomes, report having trouble hearing and difficulty accessing hearing care services, according to a study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The researchers, whose analysis is based on Medicare survey data and appears in the January issue of Health Affairs, suggest that the federal government expand Medicare and/or Medicaid coverage of hearing care services.

The study of 1,133 Medicare participants found that having a hearing aid that functioned well appeared to depend greatly on income level. Among low-income Medicare beneficiaries dually eligible for Medicaid, 27 percent of respondents reported having a lot of trouble hearing with a hearing aid. By contrast, just 11 percent of those in the highest income category--at least four times the poverty level--reported a lot of hearing-aid difficulties. In all, 442, or 39 percent, of the 1,133 hearing-aid users reported using hearing care services in the previous year.

"This study highlights the fact that hearing aids alone don't necessarily improve hearing--hearing care services are important too, but there are barriers that prevent many people from accessing those services," says study co-author Nicholas Reed, AuD, who is a member of the core faculty at the Bloomberg School's Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health and is also an assistant professor of audiology in the Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Two-thirds of U.S. adults over the age of 70 experience hearing loss, which reduces quality of life and has been linked to depression, dementia and a worsened risk of falls. Yet most older adults do not wear hearing aids. The devices and the audiology services needed to fit them are specifically excluded from Medicare coverage. Medicaid does provide some coverage for lower-income elderly people with hearing loss, but that coverage is far from comprehensive even in the 28 states that have it.

Apart from the hearing aid itself, which typically is priced at more than $2,000 for a single unit, the cost burden includes the services of an audiologist or other licensed hearing aid dispenser--traditionally the only providers permitted to sell hearing aids. Recent legislation, the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017, will by 2020 allow people to buy hearing aids directly ("over the counter") from FDA-approved manufacturers. "Probably that will make hearing aids more affordable," Reed says. "But it won't affect the barriers to accessing hearing care services, which generally are needed to optimize the function of these devices. Most people, if you put two hearing aids in their hand, will have little idea of what to do with them."

For their analysis, Reed and his colleagues, including first author Amber Willink, PhD, an assistant scientist in the Bloomberg School's Department of Health Policy and Management and the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health, examined data from the 2013 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. This survey included 9,062 Americans age 65 and over, 1,133 of whom reported having used a hearing aid in the previous year.

The study found that 71 percent of hearing-aid users in the lowest income category reported not receiving hearing care services in the prior year, while only 58 percent of the highest-income users reported accessing such services.

The researchers conclude that access to hearing care services to optimize and maintain hearing -aid function is limited, especially for lower-income people.

They recommend that access be made easier by including hearing care services as a mandatory Medicaid benefit, or--preferably, since it would affect many more hearing-aid users--removing the exclusion of these services from the Medicare program.

"If Medicare were to cover hearing care services, then that should improve access to those services, which over time should result in better functioning hearing aids for older people," Reed says.
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President Donald Trump talks to media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Dec. 8, 2018.
The National Alliance on Mental Health, Lake County continues to welcome participants for its largest awareness and fundraising event set for 
Performance

Leaping home

Disney on Ice's 'Mickey's Search Party' skating into The Q with Mayfield High grad

Parkour enthusiast and Mayfield High grad Adam Kezele excited for Disney on Ice stint at Q with MIckeys Search Party
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BRIDGEPORT  In a police department that has lacked robust minority representation at the highest ranks, the promotion of a second black officer to captain could, on the face of it, be considered progress.

But it comes with an unfortunate backstory.

First, Sgt. Lonnie Blackwell is being made captain as part of a pending legal settlement resulting from his suing the city in federal court for discrimination.

And there is an opening for a captain because the white Mark Straubel, in a controversy unrelated to Blackwell, retired last year after allegedly sending racist messages to a friend through Facebook, some of which targeted the one black captain, Roderick Porter.

Still, Councilwoman Eneida Martinez, a Blackwell supporter, said it will be good to have a second black captain among Bridgeports Finest.

It will be beneficial to the community to see change  diversity  in the police department, Martinez said Tuesday of the settlement with Blackwell, approved by a council committee and the full City Council Monday following closed-door discussions.

While the details have yet to be made public, sources said Blackwell, who joined the force in 2000 and while a lieutenant in 2015 passed a test to qualify for captain, will receive that title.

Martinez added: He has served his due diligence in the police department and its really time. ... Its unfortunate he had to go through all of this stress and aggravation and nonsense to be put in the position. But Im definitely happy it finally came (to be).

Blackwells promotion was sidelined and he was instead demoted to sergeant after being accused of being involved in the February 2015 dissemination of a racist letter targeting black cops.

On Feb. 9, 2015, then-Officer Clive Higgins, who is black, reported finding the letter in his work mailbox. The letter, which was on city letterhead and circulated around the police department, made negative comments about African American officers and complained that Higgins, who is black, did not belong on the force.

The discovery sparked calls for an investigation by the NAACP and national organizations of African American police officers, and the state police launched an probe.

And then there was a big twist in the case  the racist letter was drafted by Higgins. State police said he confessed after being caught on surveillance video typing it at the police department.

But, state police claimed, Higgins accused Blackwell of ordering him to write the letter to bring attention to the department with respect to ongoing racial complaints.

Blackwell, then supervisor of the police academy, denied Higgins claims but was placed on administrative duty by then-Police Chief Joseph Gaudett in December 2015. Higgins pleaded guilty, but Blackwell was never charged.

Then in November 2016, Gaudetts successor, Police Chief Armando Perez, demoted Blackwell from lieutenant to sergeant. Perez admitted at the time that there was no credible evidence that Blackwell directed the writing of the letter, but he said Blackwell violated department rules for the way the letter was reported to authorities.

When Blackwell filed his discrimination lawsuit in late 2017, his attorney, Thomas Bucci, said, My client was placed on administrative leave for a year and then demoted, and by any measure or standard that was excessive. We are seeking to reverse the demotion and recover monetary damages for excessive discipline by the chief of police.

Whether Blackwell will also receive some financial compensation as part of Mondays settlement was not immediately known.

The matter has been settled to the mutual satisfaction of the parties, Bucci said Tuesday.

The city paid Blackwell $65,000 in mid-2017 to make an unrelated federal discrimination lawsuit go away.

Police Sgt. Chuck Paris, head of the departments union, declined comment Tuesday on the latest settlement with Blackwell.

I havent gotten anything official from the city, so its tough to comment until it happens, Paris said.

Councilman Ernie Newton, who is black, said Tuesday of Blackwell, I never thought he should have been suspended anyway. Ive watched police officers in this force do some crazy things and never receive a severe punishment that Mr. Blackwell has gotten ... I think Lonnie Blackwell is a bright individual and I think he cares about his job and the people of this city.

As for Straubel, who had been a close aide to Perez, he was allowed to retire last August after being accused of sending private racist messages to a friend on Facebook, some of which targeted Porter, Bridgeports highest ranking black officer.

In one of the Facebook messages obtained by Hearst, Straubel allegedly wrote that he had asked an officer of color if he had seen (the film) Planet of the Apes. He saidyes. I asked him if it made him homesick.

In another message, Straubel stated that African-Americans are a cancer and he hopes for a race war.

In still another message, Straubel allegedly complained about having to march in an unnamed parade that he claimed involved mostly black people, and used a racist term to describe the event.

City and state NAACP leaders had wanted Straubel prosecuted for hate crimes. But in October Bridgeport States Attorney John Smriga concluded that Straubel did not commit a crime.

The content of the statements and the manner in which these were communicated clearly provided a basis to fire Straubel immediately. But despite their reprehensible nature, these statements do not constitute a violation of any Connecticut criminal statute, Smriga had said.
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STAMFORD  Students at two city high schools may switch to eight-period block schedules as soon as next fall.

The Board of Educations teaching, learning and community committee plans to discuss the proposal for Stamford and Westhill high schools Tuesday night.

According to the proposal, the new schedule will feature eight 85-minute class blocks. Students would have four class blocks each day on an alternating schedule.

Stamford High and Westhill students now have seven periods, which rotate through six daily class blocks. Using A-G scheduling allows students to rotate classes with them missing one class every rotation.

A high school-level scheduling committee began discussing the plan in 2016, according to the board. Representatives from Stamford and Westhill high schools researched several options and examined scheduling in other districts.

According to documents provided to the board, the new, longer class blocks will allow teachers to dive deeper into instruction, as well as longer blocks of professional development and planning time. The research showed students will have the opportunity to develop stronger relationships with teachers and more chances to integrate technology into their work.

The longer classes also mimic college-level courses.

The full plan will be presented to the Board of Education on Jan. 19. Subcommittees will integrate feedback into the plan gathered from administration, student, and parent groups.

According to the board packet, the district will experiment with the new schedule at the end of the school year before being launched at Stamford High next fall and at Westhill in August 2020.

A spokeswoman for the district said more information will be released following the meeting, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday on the fifth floor of the government center.
A woman was hospitalized Tuesday after being found floating in the water off Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Barnstable Police Sgt. Eric Drifmeyer said a bird watcher discovered the victim shortly before noon.

"Noticed some articles lying on the beach and upon further inspection, he noticed what appeared to be a person floating in the water," Drifmeyer said.

The woman in her sixties, who authorities believe is local to the area, was unresponsive and rushed to Cape Cod Hospital. Her exact condition is unknown.

Authorities said she appeared to have been in the water for quite some time and are concerned due to the cold temperatures.

"I don't know the exact temperature of the water but I can't imagine that someone could survive in the water for very long," Drifmeyer said.

Local and state police, as well as the Cape and Islands District Attorney's office are investigating how the woman ended up in the water.

Authorities said although it's not uncommon for people to visit the beach in the winter and frequent the jetty, doing so could pose a risk if they aren't careful.

"It's icy, the rocks are slippery, if you take a walk on the jetty... certainly enjoy yourself on the beach but always be cautious and be aware," Drifmeyer said.
An officer-involved shooting involving an armed man who authorities say fired at state troopers multiple times Monday morning is under investigation in Arlington, Vermont.

State police said Matt Novick, 40, is undergoing treatment for multiple gunshot wounds following the incident at a home on Red Mountain Road.

Authorities said troopers responded to the home at about 3:50 a.m. after receiving a 911 call from a relative of Novick who lives nearby. The relative reported that Novick was "experiencing a mental-health crisis".

When troopers got to the home, Novick was standing in the doorway and carrying what appeared to be an AK-47-style semi-automatic rifle, according to state police.

The troopers parked at the base of the driveway and additional troopers and police officers were called to the scene to assist.

At about 5 a.m., police said they heard a number of gunshots being fired from the area of the home.

When officers started to evacuate nearby residents, they heard additional gunfire from Novick's driveway.

Police said a preliminary investigation indicates Novick had gone down the driveway and fired in the direction of officers. The troopers took cover and returned fire, striking Novick multiple times.

Novick was taken into custody and provided medical assistance before being taken to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington. He was then flown by medical helicopter to at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York where he underwent surgery. Novick's exact condition is unknown.

Police said the two troopers who fired their weapons will be placed on paid administrative leave for five days pending the investigation.

Both the Vermont Attorney General's Office and the Bennington County State's Attorney's Office will determine whether the shooting was justified.
Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that burned down a two-story vacant mill building in New Hampshire.

Foster's Daily Democrat reports firefighters received a call of a massive fire at the former Great Falls Bleachery and Dye Works building in Somersworth on Monday night. They battled the fire into Tuesday morning. Flames could be seen from the downtown area.

Somersworth Fire Chief Keith Hoyle said the structure is fairly isolated, and there were no reported injuries.

Fire crews from Rochester, Newington, Rollinsford and Dover along with Maine companies from Berwick and North Berwick assisted Somersworth.

A fire struck an adjacent building in 2003 and another portion burned in 2007.
Women are chronically underrepresented in the Boston Fire Department and at times subject to a work environment that includes "male banter" and "locker room talk," according to a report commissioned for city officials after recent allegations of discrimination.

In response, Mayor Marty Walsh said Tuesday he would propose several steps, including a firefighter cadet program to recruit and train more female firefighters, while developing a "strategy for changing the culture and implementing a welcoming and respectful work environment in all firehouses."

"It's incredibly important that our workplaces in the City of Boston are inclusive and diverse, and are safe and welcoming to all," Walsh said in a statement.

"This report makes clear that we have more work to do, and now more than ever I am committed to driving this needed change of embracing a culture of inclusion that will reach every corner of every firehouse," Fire Commissioner Joe Finn added.

A Boston firefighter was charged last year with sexually assaulting a female colleague, and at least three sexual harassment claims have been filed with the state's anti-discrimination agency in recent years.

Lawsuits alleging harassment against female firefighters have been filed in several other states, the report noted, some resulting in financial settlements with plaintiffs. The U.S. Department of Justice sued Houston in February after two female firefighters complained of hostile work environments. City officials disputed the allegations and said they would not tolerate discrimination.

In Boston, only 16 of the department's about 1,500 firefighters -- or 1 percent --are women, according to the report prepared by the Boston law firm of Stoneman, Chandler & Miller. There have been only 30 women who have served in Boston since its first female firefighter was hired in 1984.

The report notes that women are underrepresented in fire departments across the U.S., making up about 4 percent of firefighters. Boston's lower numbers were in line with other big cities where emergency medical services operate separately from the fire department.

While there has been progress in the treatment of women, "the lack of a critical mass of female firefighters results in a male dominated department with male banter/'locker room talk' frequently occurring in firehouses without a regularly assigned female firefighter," the report stated.

Currently, women are permanently assigned to nine of the city's 33 firehouses but are often called upon to temporarily work in other locations where the environment is "not as welcoming, professional and respectful as their normally assigned firehouses."

The most serious case in Boston involves criminal charges that are pending against a firefighter who was accused last January of sexually assaulting a female colleague after she returned to a firehouse to retrieve something she had forgotten.

Two cases alleging sexual harassment have been filed in the past 15 months and remain pending before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, according to the report. MCAD dismissed a third sexual harassment complaint in 2014 but determined the firefighter who complained had been subjected to retaliation.

The report credited Boston officials with an overall commitment to diversity in hiring and said Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn had already taken some positive steps since being hired by Walsh in 2014, including anti-harassment training and making the bathrooms and sleeping quarters in firehouses more private for women. It also noted that most women serving have reported feeling safe in their normal work locations.

The state's strict civil service rules, residency requirements for city employees and preference given to hiring veterans for fire department jobs were cited in the report as obstacles to increasing the number of women in the fire department.

The proposed cadet program, similar to one that exists in the Boston Police Department, would help to create a larger pool of female candidates for the fire department, Walsh said. The Legislature would have to approve such a program before it can be instituted.

Only one woman was among the city's 54 newest firefighters sworn in to their jobs last week.

"We've already made improvements within the past six months to several issues of concern to our female firefighters, such as updating the bathroom policy and addressing uniform issues," said firefighter Margaret Connolly, the female liaison to the department, in a statement. "We have increased our recruitment and outreach efforts to female candidates, and will continue to do so."
What to Know Two firefighters were injured and another person was pulled from a burning building in Everett on Friday afternoon.

The electrical fire started in the basement, officials believe.

One of the firefighters was burned "extensively" and authorities are investigating potential fire and building code violations.

Two landlords who managed a building that caught fire over the summer in Everett, Massachusetts, leaving two firefighters and another person injured, are facing charges.

The Middlesex County District Attorney's Office said 63-year-old Muddasir Bari and 55-year-old Nargis Bhatti, both of Everett, would be arraigned Tuesday over alleged building code violations in connection with the 3-alarm fire that broke out on July 13.

Two firefighters were seriously injured as they tried to battle the flames and rescue an occupant.

A grandmother was treted and released from the hospital that night, as was one of the firefighters.

In July, the Everett Fire Department identified the injured firefighters as Lt. Scott Dalrymple and Private Josh Doyon.

Bari and Bhatti are charged with wanton and reckless disregard of fire or building codes that result in serious bodily injuries. Prosecutors said the charges come under the Comprehensive Fire Safety Act, which was passed in response to the deadly 2003 Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island.

"Firefighters put themselves at risk whenever they respond to a fire and that is why there are laws in place to minimize risk to first responders in the public," District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement. "In this case, through their alleged violation of the building codes, the defendants are alleged to have created a dangerous situation that ultimately led to two firefighters sustaining serious injuries."

"This case is a worst case scenario of what can happen when overcrowding and serious fire and building codes are ignored," Everett Fire Chief Anthony Carli added. "I appreciate the district attorney taking on this case and taking these matters as seriously as the City of Everett does."
A Phoenix woman accused of stalking a man she met on a dating site and sending him more than 65,000 text messages apparently sent more than twice that many.

Jacqueline Ades sent a man more than 159,000 text messages  some of which were threatening  over the course of nearly 10 months, according to police records The Arizona Republic obtained via a public records request. (That would break down to about 530 texts a day given an average 30-day month.)

The two went on a single date.

Ades has pleaded not guilty to charges of stalking and criminal trespassing.

The man, whose name has not been released, called police after he found Ades parked outside his home in July 2017. Paradise Valley officers escorted her off his property and that's when police say Ades began threatening the man.

One text read: "I'd make sushi outta ur kidneys n chopsticks outta ur hand bones."

In April 2018, Ades was arrested for trespassing inside his home while he was out of the country.

In a jailhouse interview, Ades said she met the man on Luxy, an online dating service that caters to millionaires, The Arixona Republic reported.

In a police interview, she seemed to understand the man didn't want to be with her.

"It's OK if that's how [he] feels," Ades said, according to The Arizona Republic. "Somebody else should love him. He has so much to love. He's so cute. I can't believe I scared him."

Ades was first reported to police when they found her parked outside the home in the Phoenix suburbs, police said. Soon after the incident, she allegedly began sending threatening texts to the Paradise Valley man. She was reported at the residence in December but police didn't find her there, according to police.

The victim was out of the country when she allegedly broke into his house, but he saw her through home surveillance video and called police, according to a police statement. Officers found her taking a bath and arrested her; she was charged with trespassing and released, but allegedly continued to text the victim threatening messages.

Ades was found outside the victim's business in nearby Scottsdale, claiming to be his wife and removed by that city's police. When Paradise Valley police found out about the incident, officers searched for her and took her into custody without incident.

Ades' trial was scheduled to begin Feb. 5.
If you shopped at four stores in four Northern Virginia shopping centers in the 10 days before Christmas, police want to hear from you.

Amid an ongoing investigation into hidden cameras in store fitting rooms, Fairfax County police said Monday that they're expanding their search for dozens of victims.

Police want to hear from you if you shopped at Forever 21, Gap, H&M or Old Navy between Dec. 15 and 24 at Fair Lakes Promenade, Fair Oaks Mall, Springfield Town Center or Tysons Corner Center.

Gap stores and Springfield Town Center are new to the list of places where police say secret recordings could have been made.

Mumtaz Rauf, 39, is accused of using tiny cameras to film at least 60 women and girls in store fitting rooms, police said last week. He was arrested on Christmas Eve after a young woman saw a black device pointing down from the wall of her dressing room.

Many of the victims are young girls recorded in states of undress with their mothers, police said.

"This is a massive case," Col. Edwin Roessler Jr. said at a news conference.

Rauf was arrested on Dec. 24 and charged with unlawful filming of a minor, which is a felony because of the victim's age.

The victim was inside the Forever 21 store at about 4 p.m. when she saw an unfamiliar device in her fitting room.

"This young lady, on Christmas Eve, saw something that didn't seem right and took the right step," Maj. Ed O'Carroll said.

The girl told police she believed photos may have been taken of her.

A store employee then saw a man leave the store. Officers later found the suspect inside a dressing room of the H&M store.

Both stores are known for having young customers.

Officers found a pinhole camera, black tape and a battery-powered Bluetooth transmitter in Rauf's possession. Investigators believe he was using the transmitter to remotely gather video and photos.

Police are investigating whether the images were shared or put online.

Robbie Stark, the general manager of the Fair Oaks Mall, said mall officials and store employees are keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Mall officials are working to educate employees and make sure they're in touch with police, Stark said.

Rauf is being held pending trial. It's unclear whether he has an attorney who could comment.

If you think you may have been a victim of illegal filming, call police at 703-246-4600, text police at 703-718-5806 or email the police task force.

Spanish-speaking call takers are available. Accommodations for other languages can be made upon request.
A naval medic has been charged in the brutal killing of a man who was stabbed more than 40 times in his own apartment near the Washington National Cathedral.

Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Collin J. Potter is charged with murder, the U.S. Marine Corps Training Command said in a statement Monday. He is assigned to The Basic School, USMC Training Command in Quantico, Virginia, the Marines confirmed.

Potter, 26, was arrested by D.C. police on Sunday and charged with killing 36-year-old Vongell Lugo.

Lugo was a successful retail executive who ran the men's department at Bloomingdales in Chevy Chase in the past. Lugo's friends told News4 that he was openly gay.

It's unclear how the two men knew each other, but police are characterizing the killing as a domestic homicide.

First responders arrived at the apartment on Wisconsin Avenue Northwest near Washington National Cathedral before 4:30 a.m. Sunday.

Police say they found Potter, naked, bloody and apparently uninjured, standing over Lugo's body in the hallway of the apartment. Lugo was not wearing clothes and was covered in a blanket.

According to court records, Lugo was stabbed 40 times in the neck and upper chest and seven times in the abdomen.

Potter started talking to police when they arrived and said he had consumed alcohol and marijuana, according to court documents.

Police reported they found numerous bottles of alcohol inside the apartment. Court documents say investigators also found blood, a stained knife in a butcher block and another knife in a sink with running water.

After he was handcuffed, Potter asked the police to kill him and expressed he wanted to die, according to court documents.

Potter was initially charged with first-degree murder, but court documents show the charge was downgraded to second-degree murder.

Potter enlisted into the Navy more than eight years ago, in September 2010.
D.C. police and federal officials seized millions of dollars worth of heroin and marijuana from a Northeast D.C. home in what the mayor called the largest-ever seizure of heroin in the region.

Authorities seized more than 88 pounds of heroin laced with fentanyl, 40 pounds of marijuana, six semi-automatic handguns and a Maserati from a home in the 4200 block of Foote Street NE on Dec. 19, police announced Friday.

The heroin alone has a wholesale value of more than $2.5 million, police chief Peter Newsham said.

"We believe the street value is much more than that," he said at a news conference.

Two men were arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation, which was conducted in collaboration with the FBI and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The residence raided on Foote Street was the home of heroin supplier Linwood Douglas Thorne, 46, police said. When officials searched his home on Dec. 19, he wasn't there. He was arrested in Baltimore on Thursday.

Newsham said some of the drugs from Thorne's organization were sold in his neighborhood. More than 1 in 4 families there live below the poverty level, according to U.S. Census estimates.

On the same day that officials raided the house on Foote Street, they conducted two simultaneous operations. In Fairfax County, Virginia, a 28-year-old man was arrested and charged with drug offenses. His name was not released. Also, a business was searched in Prince George's County, Maryland. D.C. police did not name the business.

Officials disrupted the drug ring in part through the use of a monthslong undercover operation. An ATF agent bought 270 grams of heroin, 1,500 grams of marijuana and nine guns, Newsham said.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said the seizures and arrests will make the city safer amid a spike in opioid overdose deaths.

"Because we have removed this heroin from our streets, we know that we will save lives," she said.
Thousands of Maryland commuters who ride the MARC train to and from DC will have to wait a little longer for a new safety system.

The federally mandated improvement called Positive Train Control (PTC) was supposed to be completed by the end of 2018, but very few of the nation's railroads met that goal.

The technology is designed to detect when trains are moving too fast for conditions or approaching an oncoming train. It helps slow or stop the trains automatically to avoid crashes.

The Federal Railroad Administration said MARC is one of 33 railroads that requested a deadline extension to finish installing PTC.

A MARC spokesperson said the railroad installed all of the needed equipment and trained all of its employees prior to the Dec. 31 deadline and sent documentation to the FRA indicating that.

Those are benchmarks all railroads needed to meet in order to qualify for a two-year deadline extension.

Amtrak hosts the track on which MARC operates the Penn Line and says, as such, MARCs deadline extension would fall under Amtraks request, which it says has been approved by federal regulators.

Last year, the News4 I-Team revealed several warning letters the Federal Railroad Administration sent to MARC and Maryland leaders.

Federal regulators expressed concern that the railroad was behind schedule in installing the necessary hardware and training its employees, in order to qualify for the deadline extension.

This summer, the FRA fined MARC for failing to comply with its implementation plans. The $27,904 fine is the maximum fine for PTC enforcement. MARC told the I-Team it planned to appeal the fine.

MARC says the safety system is already up and running on its Camden and Brunswick lines, but the popular Penn Line is still in the testing phase.

MARC is now working with Amtrak to make sure the technology from both railroads can communicate properly and work together.

Amtrak told News4 the testing should be finished and the technology operating on the Penn Line by this spring.
The latest plunge in oil prices has dealt a heavy blow to Iraq's stagnating economy, threatening the new government's ability to rebuild after the war with the Islamic State group and provide basic services to areas roiled by recent protests.

Brent crude oil, used to price international purchases, briefly rose above $85 a barrel in October but has since plummeted to less than $55  a nightmare for a country like Iraq that derives 95 percent of its revenue from oil exports.

A $111.9 billion draft budget sent to parliament in October projects crude exports of 3.8 million barrels per day to be sold at $56 per barrel. The bill, which includes a 23 percent increase in spending, would leave a deficit of $22.8 billion.

But that won't even begin to address the colossal challenge of reconstruction after years of war. Some 1.8 million people have yet to return to their homes, according to the United Nations. Mosul, the country's second largest city, lies partly in ruins, as do many other cities, towns and villages once held by IS militants.

Iraq's Planning Ministry estimates the country needs approximately $88 billion for reconstruction. In February, donors at a Kuwait summit pledged $30 billion in loans and investments to finance a portion of the bill, but little progress has been made to fulfill the pledges.

In Iraq's oil-rich south, meanwhile, which was spared from the war's devastation, protests have erupted in recent months over unemployment and poor public services. Rolling power outages have been a nationwide problem going back to the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, and in the south the tap water is undrinkable.

"We were surprised by the plunging oil prices and we have fallen into a big problem," said lawmaker Haneen al-Qado, who chairs parliament's Economy Committee. "The government is not in an enviable position."

Iraqis elected a new government earlier in 2018, but it is dominated by the same bickering political factions that have governed the country for the last 15 years. Lawmakers have rejected the draft budget, calling for a new one that would estimate an even lower oil price and allocate even more funds for public investments.

Qado says they may not be able to approve a budget until sometime in the first quarter of next year. Until then, the government can only spend one-twelfth of the previous year's allocation each month.

While international attention has been focused on the devastation in northern and western Iraq, and the protests in the south, the budget crisis has also taken a heavy toll on Iraqis living in more stable areas. Construction projects across Baghdad have been stalled for years, with half-finished buildings turned into neighborhood garbage dumps.

Kadhim Nima Khudair's construction company signed contracts in 2014 to build four schools at a cost of $5 million. By the following year, three of them were 80 percent complete, but then public funds dried up as the government launched the costly war against IS. When oil prices started to recover in 2017, the government began paying installments again, but only for the projects that were mostly completed. Now the payments have stopped again pending the budget negotiations.

None of the schools have been completed, and Khudair has fallen deeply into debt, forcing him to lay off some 500 workers and sell family homes and cars.

"I don't want any profit now, I only want my capital back," Khudair said. "We have been struggling all these years. People are still knocking on my door, asking for their money."

Sami al-Araji, the head of the National Investment Commission, told an economic conference in December that hundreds of projects worth an estimated $54 billion are delayed. He called for a major overhaul of the economy that would promote investment and lessen the country's reliance on oil. "We have to think of all alternatives," he said. "The country has promising opportunities."

That's easier said than done. Efforts to diversify the economy have been stymied by political infighting and corruption going all the way back to 2003, fueling cycles of war and instability.

"Our fate is attached to oil," Khudair said. "When it's down, our blood pressure rises."
Read Gavin Newsom's inaugural speech in full below:

The story of our state is the story of a dream  one that has drawn strivers and seekers here forever. Its what brought my family to California three generations ago  the promise not just of a better life, but a bigger one, with opportunities they couldnt find anywhere else in the world.

So deep does the California Dream run in the history and character of our state that

it can feel as enduring as our primeval forests or our majestic mountain ranges. But there is nothing inevitable about it. Every dream depends on the dreamers. It is up to us to renew the California Dream for a new generation. And now more than ever, it is up to us to defend it.

And thankfully we have our champion Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But there is an administration in Washington hostile to Californias values and interests.

California has always helped write Americas future. And we know the decisions we make, would be important at any time. But what we do today is even more consequential, because of whats happening in our country. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe  they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment.

California is a giant engine of commerce  the most creative and entrepreneurial in the world. We have the resources to ensure a decent standard of living for all. Its not a question of whether we can do this, but whether we will.

At a time when so much of America is divided, we are united. Our people are big-hearted and fair-minded, when those qualities are more vital than ever. Ive seen that again in just the past few weeks.

I visited Paradise after the fires swept through, and met people who literally lost everything they owned but were still reaching out to help others.

I went to San Diego and met volunteers providing relief to desperate migrants who others treat like criminals  like the 3-year old girl, just a year older than my youngest, at a shelter who captured my heart.

I spent time with farmers in Fresno who rise and grind before the sun comes up to feed the world.

There are everyday heroes all over our state who work hard, then come home and care for aging parents or new-born children, or who open their homes to foster kids, like my mother Tessa did. She was a single mom raising two children and working three jobs, and she still had room in her heart for more.

Thats the California I know. Thats the California I love. And thats why I am so confident in our future.

Make no mistake, there are powerful forces arrayed against us. Not just politicians in Washington  but drug companies that gouge Californians with sky-high prices. A gun lobby willing to sacrifice the lives of our children to line their pockets. Polluters who threaten our coastline and pay-day lenders who target our most vulnerable. In other places, interests like these still have a tight grip on power. But here in California, we have the power to stand up to them  and we will.

We face serious challenges  some that have been deferred for too long. Even in a booming economy, there is a disquieting sense that things are not as predictable as they once were. That we must now run faster just to stay in place. Stagnant wages. Costs that keep rising  rent, utilities, visiting the doctor  the basics are increasingly out of reach. We face a gulf between the rich and everyone else  and its not just inequality of wealth, its inequality of opportunity. A homeless epidemic that should keep each and every one of us up at night. An achievement gap in our schools and a readiness gap that holds back millions of our kids. And too many of our children know the ache of chronic hunger. Ive met families across the state who have to improvise where to tuck their babies in at night  making nests out of blankets on the floor, or turning dresser drawers into makeshift cradles  because they cannot afford a crib.

These arent merely policy problems. They are moral imperatives. So long as they persist, we are all diminished. We are all touched by the human condition  whether we ourselves are homeless or jobless, whether we ourselves can pay the bills or have safe drinking water at home. We all have our own frailties and vulnerabilities  were all susceptible to suffering and disaster.

So let us resolve to follow the example of rescuers and rebuilders in Paradise and Malibu and Santa Rosa and Ventura  and make sure our fellow Californians share in the compassion and empathy that connect us and make our burdens and anxieties easier to bear.

Our politics doesn't always reward taking on the hardest problems. The results of our work may not be evident for a long time. But that cannot be our concern.

We will prepare for uncertain times ahead. We will be prudent stewards of taxpayer dollars, pay down debt, and meet our future obligations. And we will build and safeguard the largest fiscal reserve of any state in American history.

But let me be clear: We will be bold. We will aim high and we will work like hell to get there.

Here in California, we will prove that people of good faith, and firm will can still come together to achieve big things. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people.

This will take courage. Thats a word that means different things to different people. To me, courage means doing what is right even when it is hard.

That will be the mission of our Administration. We will be a "California for all."

We will not be divided between rural and urban or north and south or coastal and inland. We will strive for solidarity, and face our most threatening problems  together.

It is with deep faith in our state and our future that I ask you to join me in the work ahead. Let us be pioneering optimists who look to the future not with trepidation but with creativity and boundless energy. This is a time for courage  and we will rise to meet it.

Our state has been on a journey together since the worst of the Great Recession. Back then, we were $27 billion in debt. Unemployment above 12 percent. The worst credit rating of any state in our nation. Today, our economy is larger than all but four nations in the world. Weve created nearly 3 million jobs and put away billions for a rainy day.

Where Washington failed on the epochal challenge of climate change, California led, extending our cap-and-trade system and setting bold targets for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, then beating them.

So much of this progress has happened under the leadership of Governor Jerry Brown. It has been an honor to serve with him these past eight years  and to learn from him, not just as his Lieutenant Governor, but throughout my lifetime.

When Jerry last took the oath of office, he reflected on a parable from the Sermon on the Mount. It tells of a foolish man who built his house on sand. A storm washed it away. But a wise man sought a sounder foundation. And when the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house he built, it did not fall. For it was founded upon a rock. For eight years, California has built a foundation of rock. Our job now is not to rest on that foundation. It is to build our house upon it.

Now more than ever, we Californians know how much a house matters  as so many of our neighbors have lost theirs. Together, let us build a house stronger than the coming storms, yet open to the world. A house that provides shelter to all who need it and sanctuary to all who seek it -- where opportunity abounds for all who will work for it. A true California house, sun-kissed, dream-soaked, and built with the sweat of honest work. We will not have one house for the rich and one for the poor, or one for the native-born and one for the rest. We will build one house for one California.

Because what is a house but a home. And California is our home.

In our home, every child should be loved, fed, and safe. My wife Jennifer and I have four children, and there is nothing more important to us than giving them a good and happy life. But all kids  not just the children of a governor and a filmmaker  should have a good life in California. Not ripped away from their parents at the border Not left hungry while politicians seek to pour billions into a wall that should never be built. We will support parents so they can give their kids the love and care they need, especially in those critical early years when so much development occurs.

In our home, no one should live in constant fear of eviction or spend their whole paycheck to keep a roof overhead. We will launch a Marshall Plan for affordable housing and lift up the fight against homelessness from a local matter to a state-wide mission.

In our home, every person should have access to quality, affordable health care. Far-away judges and politicians may try to turn back our progress. But we will never waver in our pursuit of guaranteed health care for all Californians. We will use both our market power and our moral power to demand fairer prices for prescription drugs. We will stop stigmatizing mental health and start supporting it. And in California we will always protect a woman's right to choose.

In our home, we believe in justice for all. We will defend the progress weve made to reform our criminal justice system. We will continue the fight against over-incarceration and over-crowding in our prisons. And we will end the outrage of private prisons once and for all.

In our home, working people deserve fair pay, the right to join a union, and the chance at a middle-class life for themselves and their families. We will fight not just for growth at any cost but for inclusive, sustainable growth. We will shape the future of work and connect higher education and skills training to the next generation of middle-class jobs because in this time of swift and unsettling change, all Californians should be able to count on a measure of security and a real shot at opportunity.

And those who dream of building something of their own  a restaurant, a bookstore, a family farm  they will get our support. Our small businesses help explain why we have one of the biggest economies on Earth.

For me this is personal. I will never forget the day I got a $20 tip bussing tables at Ramona's restaurant in San Rafael. I was 16 years old. Trust me, busboys don't get tips like that. I know it sounds strange, but it changed my life. It meant that my hard work mattered and it motivated me to keep going. Eight years later, I started my own business. So I know how much hard work and sacrifice is behind every small business in this state  and how good it feels when that hard work pays off. California must never turn its back on the entrepreneurial spirit that has always defined us.

And in our home, when trouble comes, we will stand together. When fires strike or the earth shakes, we will be there for each other.

As a former mayor, I learned the wisdom of the African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. To my friends in the legislature, Democrats and Republicans alike, I promise you an open door and an open mind. Californians didnt send us here to bicker or sulk  they get enough of that from Washington.

And lets not forget that it is not only in the corridors of the Capitol that change is being forged. I will partner with mayors, sheriffs, and supervisors all over this state, I know the pressures you face. Ive been there. The only way to fix our problems is if you are empowered to lead the way.

I intend to represent all Californians, not only those who voted for me. I will be a governor for the dock worker in Long Beach, and the farm worker in Lost Hills, the small business owner in Corona, and the teacher in Compton. I recognize that many in our rural communities believe that Sacramento doesnt care about them  doesnt even really see them. Well, I see you. I care about you. And I will represent you with pride.

That notion  that were all in this together  is a powerful one. Its also how I was raised. Some of you may know that I lost my father just before Christmas. He was a judge. Justice Bill Newsom. For him, Justice was more than a title. It was in his bones. He believed to his core that all people should be treated fairly and with respect. Thats always been a bedrock California value to me.

So 15 years ago, when I was a new mayor and I heard politicians in Washington sneering at California values and attacking our LGBT community, I remembered what my father taught me: Its never the wrong time to do the right thing. And thats what we did. In San Francisco, Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, two women who had been in love for nearly 50 years, had the courage to stand up and say those two powerful words: I do. Thousands more followed in their footsteps. It took a long time, but love won.

Just like fifteen years ago, this is a time for courage. We will stand up for whats right, and we will defend our people. My pledge to every Californian is this: no matter what comes at us, I will have your back!

If we do this right, the progress we make will never be unmade. As Cesar Chavez said, You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.

There is a story we tell about our history, from Sutters Mill to Steve Jobss garage, about how this is the place where anything is possible. This is the coast of dreams. And thats true. But you shouldnt have to find gold or make it in the movies or create a billion-dollar start-up to live the California Dream. It is for everyone.

Everyone in California should have a good job with fair pay. Every child should have a great school and a teacher who is supported and respected. Every young person should be able to go to college without crushing debt or to get the training they need to compete and succeed. And every senior should be able to retire with security and live at home with dignity. That is the California Dream. Not to get rich quick or star on the big screen, but to work hard and share in the rewards. To leave a better future for our kids.

The work we have spoken of today cannot be the job of a governor alone, or a legislature, or even the entire government. It will only be achieved if all of us share the spirit of the young DREAMer from Los Angeles I heard recently. She said: I wasnt born in California, but California was born in me.

Theres a spark of California hope and California courage born in all of us. Its up to us, what we do with it. The eyes of the world are upon us. Now more than ever, America needs California. It needs the guiding light of our values and the progress they make possible. This is where Americas future is made. This is our charge. That is our calling.

Lets get to work. Thank you and may God bless California.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the U.S. national security adviser of making "a very serious mistake" Tuesday by demanding that Ankara guarantee the safety of Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria before the U.S. withdraws its troops from the war-torn country.

"We cannot make any concessions in this regard," Erdogan said after John Bolton sought assurances of protection for Kurdish forces that fought alongside U.S. troops against the Islamic State group. The Kurds fear an assault by Turkey if the U.S. withdraws.

Turkey's presidential spokesman said Turkey would not seek permission from its allies to conduct a military offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters but was willing to coordinate operations. Erdogan said Ankara's preparations for a new military offensive against what he describes as terror groups in Syria are "to a large extent" complete.

Bolton departed Turkey without meeting with Erdogan, with a spokesman for the U.S. official saying they were told Erdogan cited the local election season and a speech to parliament for not meeting with him.

Trump abruptly announced last month he intended to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, and the U.S. has sent mixed signals over how soon that would be accomplished. Bolton's trip to the Mideast was aimed at assuring allies it would not be done precipitously.

But Turkey's president spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters after talks with Bolton there is no slowdown in the timetable for U.S. withdrawal from Syria. He said U.S. officials have said during their discussions that the withdrawal could take place within "120 days."

Kalin said talks with Bolton focused on how the U.S. would collect the weapons that were given to Kurdish militia fighting Islamic States as well as the future of U.S. bases in Syria. He said he handed over two dossiers to Bolton  one on Turkish help to Kurdish populations in Iraq and Syria, the other on the Kurdish militias' "criminal activities and human rights violations."

A Bolton spokesman, Garrett Marquis, said in a statement that Bolton and Turkish officials "had a productive discussion of the President's decision to withdraw at a proper pace from Northeast Syria."

But Erdogan, for his part, said Bolton had "made a very serious mistake. Whoever thinks this way is also mistaken. We cannot make any concession in this regard and those involved in a terror corridor" in Syria would "receive the necessary punishment."

Trump's shifting timetable for pulling U.S. troops out of Syria has left allies and other players in the region confused and jockeying for influence over a withdrawal strategy that appeared to be a work in progress.

Trump faced widespread criticism that he was abandoning the Kurds in the face of Turkish threats. Officials said at the time that although many details of the withdrawal had not yet been finalized, they expected American forces to be out by mid-January.

After Bolton announced this week the U.S. pullout would not be as immediate as Trump had initially declared, U.S. allies were still seeking clarification from American diplomats.

Turkey insists its military actions are aimed at Kurdish fighters in Syria  the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG  whom it regards as terrorists, and not against the Kurdish people. That has been Ankara longtime position and Turkey has rejected any role for Kurdish fighters in restoring peace to the war-torn region.

Bolton had said the protection of U.S. allies in Syria, including the YPG, was among "the objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal" of U.S. forces.

Trump had also said that Turkey would step up the fight against the remnants of the Islamic State in Syria, but Bolton said Sunday U.S. troops will eliminate what remains of ISIS there.

Trump on Monday struck back at the perception that his intentions in Syria had changed. "No different from my original statements, we will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!....." he said in a tweet.

The Pentagon said Monday no U.S. troops have withdrawn from Syria yet, but added that there is an "approved framework" for withdrawal.

Bolton maintained there is no fixed timetable for completing the drawdown, but insisted it was not an indefinite commitment to the region. Still, some 200 U.S. troops will remain in the vicinity of al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region, he said.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, has begun an eight-nation trip of the Middle East. Both he and Bolton are seeking input and support for the specifics of the withdrawal plan, according to one official, who said U.S. partners were eager for details.

Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser, Bassem Mroue, Robert Burns and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
An aspiring paleontologist in the second grade has won Google's annual Doodle for Google contest.

Sarah Gomez-Lane, 7, of Virginia, had her drawing of dinosaurs selected and transformed into an animation on the search giant's homepage. In it, dinosaurs play the trumpet, eat blueberries and more.

Sarah, who responded to the prompt "What inspires me ...," originally drew the Doodle's design as a first grader, a Google spokesperson confirmed.

Google said her school in Falls Church, Virginia, will be awarded $50,000 to spend on technology, and Sarah will get $30,000 toward a college scholarship.

"When they called my name, I felt happy and surprised," she said when she learned she had won. "I'm going to call my principal. He's going to say 'Yay!'"

On video, a Google employee said she hoped the Doodle would inspire kids and adults alike.

"I just hope that when people see the Doodle, they also are inspired to think about  not only what they dreamed of and wished for when they were kids  but to also just take a second to enjoy the simple things in life," she said.

A group of local students who attend Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Virginia, took money from their own pockets to make stuffed bears for kids with cancer. News4's Aimee Cho reports.

Sarah's drawing will be on the Google homepage for 24 hours. Go there to see the Doodle in action.
What to Know NYPD vehicles were seen leaving a Pennsylvania landfill Monday, and sources say they're searching for missing man Michael Stewart

The 40-year-old Staten Island father was last seen on Dec. 20, and he's been presumed killed

Police sources say a couple he knew are considered persons of interest in his presumed death

The NYPD has traveled to a Pennsylvania landfill in their ongoing search for a missing Staten Island father who has been presumed dead, law enforcement sources say.

Law enforcement sources confirmed Monday the NYPD was searching the Republic Service Conestoga Landfill, about 140 miles from New York City, in connection with the disappearance of Michael Stewart.

The 40-year-old father of two was last seen on Dec. 20, and he last sent a text message to his mother on Dec. 21, writing, "Please help me Mom," the New York Post reported.

A reporter at The Reading Eagle first spotted NYPD vehicles, along with Pennsylvania state police, leaving the landfill Monday evening.

Stewart was seen on surveillance video Dec. 20 horsing around with his friend Angelo Nesimi inside a barber shop in Port Richmond. Nesimi is a person of interest in Stewart's disappearance, the Staten Island Advance reported.

Nesimi, 33, was arrested Dec. 31 in connection to a violent attack on his girlfriend, Zammara Sanchez, police told the Post. The couple were previously questioned in the suspected killing of Stewart, and Sanchez told detectives that her boyfriend "killed somebody -- and he made me go with him to get rid of the body in New Jersey," the Post reported, citing sources.

Investigators believe it's possible that Stewart's body was dumped in New Jersey, and that sanitation workers may have picked it up with the trash and it was incinerated, the Advance reported, citing a source. Another source said surveillance video shows Nesimi and Sanchez tossing what could be a body into a Dumpster in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, before driving away in a Chrysler sedan.

Sources also told the Post that Stewart had a relationship with the couple: "It was a relationship between the three of them that ended with [Stewart] stabbed up," a police source told the Post.

Nesimi told the Daily News in a jailhouse interview this month, "I didn't do it, 100 percent. They're trying to pin it on me."

Both Stewart and Nesimi have criminal records. Nesimi claimed he knew Stewart only for the past few years and that they kept up with each other because they went to the same barber shop, but said they weren't close.

No one has yet been charged in the suspected killing, and a body has not been found.
Flu claimed the lives of two more people in Delaware, bringing this flu season's death toll in the state to five, public health officials said.

A 51-year-old Kent County woman and a 55-year-old New Castle County woman were the most recent casualties, according to the Division of Public Health. Both women were infected with Influenza A and had other, underlying health conditions.

Authorities announced the first three flu-related deaths on Jan 2. A 65-year-old man, 73-year-old man and 77-year-old woman were all infected with Influenza A.

There were 687 confirmed flu cases as of Dec. 29, and 118 hospitalizations in the state, according to health officials.

In central New Jersey, a child died last month, the state's Department of Health announced Tuesday. New Jersey has reported more than 400 flu cases since October.

In Pennsylvania, more than 6,435 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases have been reported since the state Department of Health started tracking the flu season in October. Confirmed reports were received from 66 counties out of the 67 counties throughout the state.

At least eight adults have died from flu-associated illnesses in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

There were no influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported as of the last week of December. No flu-related pediatric deaths have been reported this season, according to the health department.

So, is the flu shot still available for those who haven't gotten one yet?

Absolutely. Immunizations are usually available through March.

What are the most vulnerable populations?

Those on either side of the age spectrum: the elderly and the very young ones are most at risk. Immunizations are given now at six months of age in split doses. In general, it also includes those with lung issues, and diabetics.

Does that mean that young, healthy people have nothing to worry about?

No. Young people, especially those in school or university, are constantly surrounded by their peers and still run the risk of contagion in close quarters.

Beyond an immunization, what are some simple ways to lower the chance of catching the flu?

One thing everyone should do every time they come into the office is clean everything, including computer keyboards, telephones and computer mouse. Wash hands and clothing, especially after coughing or touching door handles. This also applies to people who take public transportation and visit crowded places, such as restaurants and movie theaters.
A man died and two young men were hurt as an SUV slammed into a utility pole and the fence outside of a Philadelphia police parking lot and garage Monday night.

The Honda SUV jumped the curb then wrapped around a PECO pole outside the police department's major crimes investigation unit garage on Macalester Street and Whitaker Avenue in the Juniata section of the city just before 11 p.m.

The 39-year-old driver died at the scene. An 18-year-old front seat passenger was thrown from the SUV while a 21-year had to be cut out of the wreckage, police said.

The two injured men were listed in critical condition with multiple broken bones.

The fence surrounds the police department's major crimes auto investigation yard and often stores vehicles being investigated.

The cause of the crash wasn't immediately clear but police were looking into speed as a possibility.
President Donald Trump stood by his demands for funding for a border wall Sunday as another round of shutdown talks failed to break an impasse, while newly empowered House Democrats planned to step up the pressure on Trump and Republican lawmakers by passing legislation this week to reopen parts of the government.

Trump, who spent part of the day at Camp David for staff meetings, showed no signs of budging on his demand more than $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. White House officials affirmed that request in a letter to Capitol Hill after a meeting with senior congressional aides led by Vice President Mike Pence at the White House complex yielded little progress.

The letter from Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Russell Vought also formalized Trump's declaration that the wall would be built from steel, rather than concrete, asking for funding for a "steel barrier on the Southwest border."

The White House said the letter, as well as details provided during the meeting, sought to answer Democrats' questions about the funding request. Democrats, though, said the administration failed in both the meeting and the letter to provide a full budget of how it would spend the billions requested on the wall, money the president wants from Congress.

The letter includes a request for $800 million for "urgent humanitarian needs," a reflection of the growing anxiety over migrants traveling to the border  which the White House said Democrats raised in the meetings. And it repeats some existing funding requests for detention beds and security officers, which have already been panned by Congress and would likely find resistance among House Democrats.

Still, the request makes clear a wall is a top priority. Vought writes that a "physical barrier  wall  creates an enduring capability that helps field personnel stop, slow down and/or contain illegal entries."

Trump sought to frame a steel barrier as progress as he returned from the presidential retreat in Maryland, saying Democrats "don't like concrete, so we'll 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.

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 Trump's 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.

Although Trump tweeted that the Sunday session had been "productive," 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. One of the officials  neither was authorized to speak publicly  said no additional meetings were scheduled.

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: "There's not going to be any bend right here."

Among the Republicans expressing concerns was Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should take up bills from the Democratic-led House.

"Let's get those reopened while the negotiations continue," Collins said on NBC's "Meet the Press." Democrats criticized McConnell for waiting on Trump's support, but Collins said she was sympathetic to McConnell's 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, D-N.Y., suggested Sunday that pressure would only mount amid the shutdown, which he said is disrupting Transportation Security Administration operations, home loans and farmers in his state.

"Democrats and now a growing number of Republicans are coming together and saying let's open up the government and debate border security separately," Schumer told reporters in New York.

Adding to concerns, federal workers might miss this week's paychecks. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that if the shutdown continues into Tuesday, "then payroll will not go out as originally planned on Friday night."

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.

Incoming House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., 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," said Schiff, D-Calif.

Trump also asserted that he could relate to the plight of the hundreds of thousands of federal workers who aren't getting paid, 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."

Mulvaney, sought to frame Trump's support for a steel barrier as progress in the negotiations, saying on NBC that "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."

Trump 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. His administration has already spent millions constructing wall prototypes near the border in San Diego.

___

Associated Press writers Julie Walker in New York and Jill Colvin in Washington contributed to this report.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was expected to meet Tuesday with China's president at the start of a visit to Beijing believed to be an effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a possible second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kim's trip, announced earlier by both sides, comes after U.S. and North Korean officials are thought to have met in Vietnam to discuss the site of a second summit.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang gave no details about Kim's schedule or China's role as an intermediary between the U.S. and North Korea. But he said Beijing remains supportive of efforts to end tensions over U.S. demands for a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

"We always believe that, as key parties to the Korean Peninsula issue, it's important for the two sides to maintain contact and we always support their dialogue to achieve positive outcomes," Lu told reporters at a daily briefing.

He said further information about Kim's activities, the outcome of his meetings and a possible visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to North Korea would be "released in due course."

A long motorcade thought to be carrying Kim, including motorcycle outriders reserved for state leaders, left a Beijing train station shortly after the arrival of an armored train consisting of 20 to 25 cars  most of whose windows were blacked-out  along tracks lined by police and paramilitary troops.

The North's Korean Central News Agency said Kim departed Monday afternoon with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and other top officials. It said Kim is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Tuesday also happens to be Kim's birthday.

Kim is expected to stay at the highly secure Diaoyutai State Guest House in the capital's west, with meetings held at the Great Hall of the People, the hulking seat of the legislature that sits next to Tiananmen Square.

The trip marked a break with past practice in that it was announced in advance of Kim's arrival, a possible sign of growing confidence on the part of North Korea and China, the North's most important trading partner and a key buffer against pressure from Washington.

After years of cool relations following Kim's assumption of power 2011, ties have improved remarkably over the past year as Xi seeks to maintain his influence in the region.

Kim's trip comes as the U.S. and North Korea look to settle the North's decades-long pursuit of a nuclear arsenal.

The U.S. and North Korea seemed close to war at points during 2017 as the North staged a series of increasingly powerful weapons tests that brought it closer to its nuclear goal of one day being able to target anywhere on the U.S. mainland.

Possibly fearing the economic effect of crushing outside sanctions imposed over his weapons tests, Kim abruptly turned to diplomacy with Seoul and Washington last year. He also visited China three times, notably without a reciprocal visit from Xi in a break with diplomatic convention.

But even after what was seen as a blockbuster summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore last June  the first ever between the leaders of the war enemies  there's been little real progress in nuclear disarmament.

Washington is pressing North Korea to offer up a detailed accounting of its nuclear arsenal, while the North says it has already done enough and it's time for the U.S. to ease the harsh international sanctions that hold back the North Korean economy.

South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said Tuesday that Seoul hopes Kim's trip to China will act as a "stepping stone" for a second Trump-Kim summit.

Trump has offered assurances that another summit will allow him and Kim to make a grand deal to settle the nuclear standoff and change a relationship marked by decades of animosity and mistrust.

However, outside analysts are highly skeptical that North Korea will easily abandon a nuclear arsenal constructed in the face of deep poverty and likely seen by Kim as his only guarantee of regime survival.

Instead, Kim may be seeking to gauge China's attitude toward sanctions ahead of the talks, including what North Korea would have to concede in order to win Beijing's support at the U.N.

China, a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, has agreed to several rounds of punishing economic sanctions against the North. However, Xi has called on the sides to "meet each other halfway," and China's foreign minister in September urged some form of sanctions relief in response to any positive outcomes from the first Kim-Trump summit.

North Korea has held off on additional nuclear weapons and missile tests for more than a year, possibly in response to China's displeasure, while carrying out its new diplomatic offensive.

"The two leaders will further communicate over the issue of sanctions to further refine their previously general and vague attitudes," said Cheng Xiaohe, professor at Renmin University's School of International Studies in Beijing.

"It is impossible to see the cancellation of all sanctions, but what kind of sanctions can be canceled and what are China and North Korea's views on that will be discussed," Cheng said.

Trump has pushed heavily for Chinese support in convincing North Korea to give up its weapons programs, suggesting that could win Beijing better terms in a trade deal with Washington.

Kim's arrival in Beijing coincides with U.S.-China trade talks in Beijing that seek to end the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies ahead of a March deadline.

Asked whether China was linking the two issues in an interview Monday with CNBC, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues."

"Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that," Pompeo said. "China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Korea's nuclear capability. I expect they will continue to do so."

Lu echoed those sentiments in his response to a similar question, saying trade talks and the North Korean issues are "not the same thing."

"Our positions on the trade talks are very consistent and clear and we don't need any other techniques to help the U.S. to get our message."

Associated Press writer Foster Klug and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this story.
The partial government shutdown is starting to affect air travel.

Over the weekend, some airports had long lines at checkpoints, apparently caused by a rising number of security officers calling in sick while they are not getting paid.

Safety inspectors aren't even on the job. A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Monday that inspectors are being called back to work on a case-by-case basis, with a priority put on inspecting airline fleets.

So far, the impact of the shutdown  entering its 18th day on Tuesday  has been most visible for some government buildings and national parks being closed, and trash piling up on the National Mall in front of the Capitol. If the shutdown continues, food stamp recipients will go without aid.

By increasingly affecting air travel, however, the pain is being felt more widely.

Here are some common questions about the shutdown's impact on airports and travel, along with the answers:

WHO IS SUPPOSED TO KEEP WORKING?

About 10,000 air traffic controllers who work for the Federal Aviation Administration and about 51,000 Transportation Security Administration officers have been told to keep reporting to work because they are deemed essential. Those workers at airport checkpoints, control towers and FAA radar stations aren't being paid.

ARE THEY SHOWING UP?

TSA admits that more screeners are calling in sick at some airports, including Dallas-Fort Worth International. It gave few numbers but issued a statement Friday saying that more have been missing work since the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The TSA said the effect was "minimal."

Then over the weekend, travelers reported longer checkpoint lines at some airports, including LaGuardia in New York. On Monday, TSA tweeted that agents screened 2.22 million passengers nationwide on Sunday, which it called a "historically busy day due to holiday travel." TSA said only about 220,000 travelers waited at least 15 minutes at checkpoints, while 0.2 percent  fewer than 5,000  waited at least 30 minutes.

HOW WILL TSA RESPOND TO NO-SHOWS?

TSA spokesman Jim Gregory said officials are managing. "If we don't have appropriations by midweek or so, (officers) will miss their first paycheck. That's obviously where it becomes more difficult," he said.

Gregory said the agency has a team of officers who can go to airports facing a shortage, a tactic developed in case natural disasters prevented screeners from getting to work.

WHAT ABOUT TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS?

About 1,900 air traffic controllers  nearly one in every five  are eligible to retire right now and it's not clear how many of them will stick around. They won't get paychecks later this week despite working over the holidays.

"I don't know how long they're going to stay on the job if they're not getting a paycheck," said Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

There is an even larger group of recently hired trainees and apprentices and Rinaldi said the prospect of a long shutdown could lead some of them to take other jobs.

WILL A SHORTAGE OF CONTROLLERS LEAD TO FLIGHT DELAYS?

The largest pilots' union wrote to President Donald Trump last week urging a quick end to the shutdown, which it said was threatening the safety of the nation's airspace.

Rinaldi, the controllers' leader, said safety is not being compromised, but that capacity to manage traffic could be reduced, leading to flight delays. Others see that as less likely.

"It would have to get pretty bad before the government said (to airlines), 'Hey, start scaling back your plans for service,'" said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst. "You could see that in a worst-case scenario."

An early test of the air traffic system could come around the Feb. 3 Super Bowl in Atlanta, when an influx of corporate jets and private planes will further crowd the sky above the nation's busiest airport. Planning for handling that traffic has been put on hold, Rinaldi said.



WHO HAS BEEN FURLOUGHED?

Workers who aren't deemed essential. That ranges from technicians who maintain equipment used in airport towers to clerical staff. Federal aviation safety inspectors have also been furloughed.

SO WHO IS INSPECTING PLANES?

FAA spokesman Gregory Martin said the agency has been recalling inspectors for certain jobs including assignments at the airlines, as it did in previous government shutdowns.

"We're going to continue to prioritize with the resources that we have," Martin said. "Our focus is on the commercial air carriers and volumes of people they carry."

Martin did not say how many inspectors are working or how the number of inspections being done compared with pre-shutdown levels.

Chuck Banks, one of those furloughed inspectors, said colleagues are being called in when an airline needs something, like a plane certified for flight. The routine, normal oversight of operations at airlines and repair shops is not being done, leaving companies to regulate themselves, he said.

"Do you like the fox watching the hen house?" he said. "Every day the government stays shut down, it gets less safe to fly."

WHAT OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICES ARE AFFECTED?

The National Transportation Safety Board is delaying accident investigations and hearings. While there have not been any fatal airline crashes, the board has delayed other investigations, including an examination of a Florida highway accident that killed five children on their way to Walt Disney World.

NTSB representatives did not answer phone calls or reply to emails Monday. A recorded message for the public affairs office said nobody would respond until the shutdown ends.

Some people who applied for Global Entry, a program that lets travelers get expedited clearance into the U.S., have had interviews canceled. Gary Leff, who writes about travel on his View from the Wing blog, said that some airports are still processing applications.

The program is run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Spokespeople at the agency did not respond for comment.
What to Know NYPD vehicles were seen leaving a Pennsylvania landfill Monday, and sources say they're searching for missing man Michael Stewart

The 40-year-old Staten Island father was last seen on Dec. 20, and he's been presumed killed

Police sources say a couple he knew are considered persons of interest in his presumed death

The NYPD has traveled to a Pennsylvania landfill in their ongoing search for a missing Staten Island father who has been presumed dead, law enforcement sources say.

Law enforcement sources confirmed Monday the NYPD was searching the Republic Service Conestoga Landfill, about 140 miles from New York City, in connection with the disappearance of Michael Stewart.

The 40-year-old father of two was last seen on Dec. 20, and he last sent a text message to his mother on Dec. 21, writing, "Please help me Mom," the New York Post reported.

An army of @NYPD vehicles was spotted Monday afternoon at the Exxon station in #Morgantown. They were leaving from an investigation being conducted at the @RepublicService Conestoga Landfill. @PAStatePolice are also on the scene. pic.twitter.com/PmKvxYM8hH  Michael Yoder (@YoderReports) January 7, 2019

A reporter at The Reading Eagle first spotted NYPD vehicles, along with Pennsylvania state police, leaving the landfill Monday evening.

Stewart was seen on surveillance video Dec. 20 horsing around with his friend Angelo Nesimi inside a barber shop in Port Richmond. Nesimi is a person of interest in Stewart's disappearance, the Staten Island Advance reported.

Nesimi, 33, was arrested Dec. 31 in connection to a violent attack on his girlfriend, Zammara Sanchez, police told the Post. The couple were previously questioned in the suspected killing of Stewart, and Sanchez told detectives that her boyfriend "killed somebody -- and he made me go with him to get rid of the body in New Jersey," the Post reported, citing sources.

Investigators believe it's possible that Stewart's body was dumped in New Jersey, and that sanitation workers may have picked it up with the trash and it was incinerated, the Advance reported, citing a source. Another source said surveillance video shows Nesimi and Sanchez tossing what could be a body into a Dumpster in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, before driving away in a Chrysler sedan.

Sources also told the Post that Stewart had a relationship with the couple: "It was a relationship between the three of them that ended with [Stewart] stabbed up," a police source told the Post.

Nesimi told the Daily News in a jailhouse interview this month, "I didn't do it, 100 percent. They're trying to pin it on me."

Both Stewart and Nesimi have criminal records. Nesimi claimed he knew Stewart only for the past few years and that they kept up with each other because they went to the same barber shop, but said they weren't close.

No one has yet been charged in the suspected killing, and a body has not been found.
What to Know A 16-year-old mom and her two kids have been missing since last month and could be in Brooklyn

Kenyah Randall-Edwards, of Monroe, Georgia, and her kids Kensharri, 2, and Sharia, 1, have been missing since Dec. 22

The three of them reportedly disappeared from their foster home

A 16-year-old mom and her two kids have been missing since last month and could be in Brooklyn, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children says.

Kenyah Randall-Edwards, of Monroe, Georgia, and her children, Kensharri Randall-Edwards, 2, and Shariah Randall-Edwards, 1, have been missing since Dec. 22, the organization said.

The three of them could still be in the Monroe area, but could also have traveled to Covington, Georgia or Brooklyn, New York, according to the organization.

Kenyah has brown hair, brown eyes, weighs 150 pounds and is 5-foot-4.

The three disappeared from their foster home, Fox 5 Atlanta reported.

Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) or the Walton County Sheriffs Office in Georgia at 1-700-267-6557.
What to Know A brightly-lit floating billboard operated by Ballyhoo Media has drawn the ire of locals who say it's an eyesore

The city's Law Department says the floating billboard does not comply with city law

Ballyhoo Media's CEO, however, says the company is "legally operating in accordance with all current [NYC] laws and zoning resolutions"

A brightly-lit floating billboard thats drawn the ire of locals who say it evokes the worst of Times Square is also operating illegally, the city claims.

The 60-foot, double-sided barge owned by startup Ballyhoo Media has been operating near the shores of Manhattan and Brooklyn since October.

And while the advertisements emblazoned on the billboard would fit right in at the Crossroads of the World, New York residents whove spotted them from the shore say theres no place for them on the water.

Bay Ridge resident Tara Strome told News 4 the barge first caught her eye while she was on a walk a few weeks ago.

My first thought was, What fresh hell is this? Strome said. I think its horrible.

The boat currently sets sail near the Intrepid Museum on Manhattans west side before traversing the waters near the southern tip of Manhattan and ending up at Roosevelt Island.

After residents complained about the barge to City Hall, the citys Law Department sent a letter to Ballyhoo claiming the barge is breaking city law.

The city prohibits the display of an advertising sign on any vessel in a waterway adjacent to a residential, commercial or manufacturing district and within view of an arterial highway, the letter sent last week says.

Ballyhoo CEO Adam Shapiro refuted that claim.

The cited Zoning Resolution does not apply to the waters in which we operate. We are legally operating in accordance with all current New York City laws and zoning resolutions, Shapiro said in a statement.

The city has given Ballyhoo until Jan. 16 to explain how the company plans to comply with city code.

Shapiro said the boat would continue to operate while he works with his legal team and the city, adding that the company plans to host waterfront movie nights and other events when the weather warms up.

We look forward to working with the city to resolve this matter shortly, and we plan to continue being a valuable and contributing member of the New York community, just as we have been in Miami for the past two years, he said.

Locals, however, said they dont want to see the billboard barge on the water at all.

They should put an end to it before it gets out of hand, Battery Park resident Alan Joun said.

I dont want it to be [like] Midtown, with lights flashing all over the place.
What to Know Steven Pollard, 30, who had been with the FDNY for a year and a half, is the 1,151 member of department to die in the line of duty

He died helping victims of a car crash on the Belt Parkway after he fell more than 50 feet off the Mill Basin overpass

Pollard's funeral will be Friday at 11:30 a.m. at Good Shepherd Church in Brooklyn

Wake and funeral arrangements for a 30-year-old FDNY firefighter who died when he fell off a Brooklyn bridge while helping car crash victims have been set.

The wake for Steven Pollard, a probationary firefighter who came from a family of FDNY firefighters, will be held Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and again on Thursday fom 2 to 4 p.m. at Marine Park Funeral Home on Quentin Road in Brooklyn. Pollard will be laid to rest Friday at 11:30 a.m. at Good Shepherd Church on Batchelder Street in Brooklyn.

Throngs of firefighters stood at emotional salute Monday as they watched an ambulance carry away Pollard's body who died the night before when he plunged 52 feet to the concrete below the Mill Basin overpass when he responded to an overturned wreck on the westbound Belt Parkway.

Pollard went to jump over a 3-foot gap in the road to get from the eastbound to the westbound lanes to help the crash victims but slipped through, officials said.

Pollard, who was assigned to Ladder Company 170 in Brooklyn, was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later. Hours later, hundreds of FDNY personnel and vehicles lined highways and side streets for the procession from the medical examiner's office to a funeral home. Many bowed their heads in prayer; FDNY boats also spouted huge plumes of water, some colored blue, from the river.



Pollard had been on the job for a year and a half, and just finished probation; he's the 1,151st member of the FDNY to die in the line of duty.

Pollards father, Ray, is a retired FDNY firefighter who was on the job for 31 years for Ladder Company 102 in Brooklyn. His brother, Ray Jr., is currently an FDNY firefighter and has been for 11 years for Ladder Company 114. He is also survived by his mother.

The last time an FDNY firefighter was killed in the line of duty was last year when 15-year veteran Michael R. Davidson died battling a blaze at an Edward Norton film shoot in Harlem last March.
What to Know Miami Police and Fire Rescue officials arrived at the scene near Northwest 64th Street and 2nd Avenue, where both victims were transported.

Two people were rushed to the hospital after Miami Police said they were struck by a hit and run driver in Little Haiti early Tuesday morning.

Video obtained from 305CHASERS shows Miami Police and Fire Rescue officials at the scene near Northwest 64th Street and 2nd Avenue, where both victims were transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Police say the victims -identified by family members as 30-year-old Shameka Cone and Jay Cephus - were hit by an older model Infiniti that fled the scene.

Cone, who family members say is a mother of seven, is listed in critical condition with massive head injuries after being dragged one block.

Cephus suffered a broken leg and arm after being thrown into a tree, but is expected to survive.
Greed drove a Southern California man to kill his business partner's family with a sledgehammer and bury their bodies in the desert, prosecutors said Monday.

Sean Daugherty, supervising deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County, said in opening statements at Charles "Chase" Merritt's trial that the defendant wrote checks for more than $21,000 on his partner's online bookkeeping account after the family was last seen alive.

Merritt is charged with killing Joseph McStay; McStay's wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family's disappearance in 2010 perplexed investigators for years, with no signs of forced entry at their San Diego County home.

Three years later, their bodies were found more than 100 miles away in a remote area of San Bernardino County, along with a 3-pound sledgehammer and a child's pants and diaper.

Merritt "desperately tried to cover his tracks after the murders," Daugherty told jurors.

Merritt, 61, has pleaded not guilty.

If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Outside court, defense attorney Rajan Maline said his client's livelihood was tied to McStay being alive and the defense would show that prosecutors were relying on circumstantial evidence. Merritt's attorneys were expected to continue their opening statements Monday afternoon.

Authorities said that after the family disappeared, Merritt's cellphone was traced to the area near the gravesites and to a call seeking to close out McStay's QuickBooks account for his water features business.

They also say Merritt's DNA was discovered on the steering wheel and gearshift of McStay's SUV, which was impounded near the Mexican border a few days after the family vanished.

Merritt's attorneys say McStay could have transferred the DNA to the vehicle after he met with Merritt shortly before the family vanished. They say none of Merritt's DNA was found at the gravesites but DNA belonging to other unidentified individuals turned up there. The McStay family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, which is about 50 miles north of San Diego.

Daugherty said three victims died of blunt-force trauma to the head and there were not enough remains of one of the boys to determine how he was killed, the newspaper reported. Investigators spoke with Merritt shortly after the family went missing and noticed Merritt referred to them in the past tense, Daugherty said.
The people of northern Iceland have had their travel plans disrupted with a record high snowfall this December. Roads have been shut, flights cancelled and school suspended.

But for the children of this isolated North Atlantic island nation, the main worry is how the waist-high snow might affect the Icelandic Santa, Stekkjastaur, who comes to town Wednesday.

Stekkjastaur, after all, has a stiff peg-leg.

He is one of 13 mischievous troll brothers, called the Yule Lads, who have entertained and also frightened Icelandic children for hundreds of years.

Instead of a friendly Santa Claus, children in Iceland enjoy favors from the brothers, who come down from their mountain cave 13 days before Christmas according to folklore.

The brothers are loud, reckless, and have names like Door-Slammer, Window-Peeper, Meat-Hook, Candle-Stealer  reflecting their preferred method of pranks or criminal behavior. But they claim to be mostly rehabilitated, and Sausage-Swiper is now keen to host barbecues.

Traditionally, they bathe once a year ahead of Christmas. Every year local actors in Myvatn, an inland community bordering Iceland's uninhabited interior, dress up in 19th-century costume and arrive as the Yule Lads to a natural lagoon heated with water from hot springs.

To children in the region, their arrival marks the countdown to December 24, when Icelanders celebrate Christmas.

"But, but, but  I was told we were going fishing," mumbled actor Hulda Sigmundsdottir, who plays "Pot-Licker," as she dipped her woolen sock reluctantly into the bath.

In the spirit of today's global outsourcing economy, the Yule Lads have also taken on the responsibility of replying to letters addressed to Santa Claus, their foreign colleague.

Soffia Jonsdottir, who is Santa's de-facto secretary in Iceland, says the Icelandic Postal Service forwards all Santa mail to the tiny outpost at Myvatn.

"Santa is a distant cousin of the Yule Lads so of course we are happy to help out," she said. "We reply to every letter that has a return address."

The letters arrive throughout the year and often include a wish-list, personal gift or simply a warm greeting. The Yule Lads, who speak Icelandic, admit sometime struggling with foreign languages.

Fortunately the letters are not delivered to the Yule Lads' home, where they might be stolen by their evil mother, Gryla, said to be a 600-year-old woman who eats children.

This dysfunctional family even has an innocently named "Christmas Cat," a giant feline with the habit of eating children  particularly those not wearing new clothes over the Christian holiday.

"You find a number of parents saying that we have to tone Gryla and her family down a bit," said Terry Gunnell, a professor in folklore at the University of Iceland. "But that would take away some the genuine Icelandic Christmas which is a dark time when days pass with only few hours of sunlight."

Gunnell said the Yule Lads had traditionally been used to discipline children when adults were busy preparing for the holiday.

"On the old Icelandic farms, stories of dark figures kept children from running into the mountains or falling into lakes or things like that," he said.

Parents used to torment children with such disturbing stories that in the 18th century, Danish king Christian VI tried to ban such un-holy tales.

For the next 13 days leading to Christmas, Icelandic children will enjoy favors from the Icelandic Santas as they come down from the mountains one by one, with presents  or a rotten potato in the case of bad behavior.

Five-year-old Anita Heidrunardottir, who was playing with her friends at the Managardur kindergarten in the capital Reykjavik, said she was hoping to wake up to books and mandarin oranges in her shoe in the run-up to Christmas.

"My sister is scared of the Yule Lads," she said. Why? "She does not know them. That's why she is scared."
State Rep. Dennis Bonnen was unanimously voted in as House Speaker Tuesday during the first day of the 86th legislative session.

State Rep. Dennis Bonnen (R-Dist. 25), of Angleton, who announced in November he had the votes to win, was confirmed at about 1 p.m.

"It is a crazy honor. I am sitting in the office of the Speaker of the Texas House. I have had a lot of meetings in this office, but I have never been an occupant and it's kind of humbling," Bonnen told NBC 5 Tuesday. "It has not hit me at all, it really hasnt."



Bonnen told NBC 5 Tuesday he was able to secure votes for the job after several members came together and said they wanted him in the role if he was willing.



"Really, I was not interested in the job because it is a really hard job. It is a tough job and I really knew the challenges that the Speaker's office holds and I enjoyed being a member. But no one seemed to be getting the traction to put a coalition together that could govern and so when a group came to me and said we are together, we want you, I saw the opportunity to win the race and keep the House together," Bonnen said. "With an opportunity to be Speaker with a House that is unified that is an impossibility to say no to."

Bonnen, who was the Speaker Pro Tem during the 2017 session, replaces retiring Republican Speaker Joe Straus, a moderate Republican, as the GOP-controlled chamber's helmsman.

Gov. Greg Abbott has said property tax reform and school finance are two areas of focus for this legislative session -- Bonnen told NBC 5 Tuesday that he would not bring the bathroom bill, which was the subject of much controversy during the last legislative session, to the floor.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who pushed for the bathroom bill and lead's the Senate, was summoned to Washington ahead of President Donald Trump's address Tuesday night and missed the day's opening ceremony.

In a statement, Patrick congratulated Bonnen and said he was looking forward to working with him during the session.

"I am happy to congratulate Speaker Dennis Bonnen on his election as Speaker of the Texas House. Dennis is a principled and skilled leader, and I know he is ready to take on the tough challenges we are facing this legislative session. I look forward to working with him and I am confident our collaboration will lead to positive and bold public policy for the people of Texas and the future of our state.

Bonnen serves the 25th District in southern Brazoria County and all of Matagorda County. He was first elected to the Legislature in 1996 and began his 12th term in January 2019. He graduated cum laude from St. Edwards University in Austin with a B.A. in Political Science. He and his wife, Kim, live in Angleton with their two sons.
In Collin County, a group of band parents have been digging a little deeper into their pockets to helps students in need nearly 1,000 miles away.

It began when Ann Skaehill, a Prosper High School band parent, ran across a news story out of the Appalachian region of Kentucky.

"I opened it up and my heart immediately sank," Skaehill said.

The Pike County Central High School marching band in Kentucky had raised money for new uniforms. After giving the money to a local company, it went out of business and the band was out $3,700 according to band director Matt Moon.

"To know that that they were putting in all that hard work, knowing that new uniforms were coming, then to have it pulled out from under them, it's hard," Skaehill said. "You want to do something."

Skaehill had no connection to the band in Kentucky, but she reached out to Moon anyway.

"When I had that first conversation with him, he said, 'I'm sorry, did you say Texas? Are you in Texas?'" laughed Skaehill.

Skaehill launched a GoFundMe page to raise money for a nonprofit supporting the band in Kentucky.

Skaehill said the fundraiser was parent-driven and none of the Prosper High School band funds were used in the effort.

Since October, Skaehill's GoFundMe page has raised $4,650 -- just shy of their $6,700 goal.

"Get these kids the tools they need so they can be as successful as they possibly can," Skaehill said.

Skaehill's GoFundMe page asked for donations in this way:

"They say everything is bigger in Texas and perhaps that's true when it comes to the size of our trucks, high schools, marching bands, and possibly our hearts as well because we are linking arms and chipping in to help this band get back everything that they lost... and then some."

Over the weekend, Skaehill received a thank you video message from the students and staff at Pike County Central High School.

Students shared gratitude for the strangers who worked to help them get new uniforms.

"To be able to be part of a group that helps other kids get to do the same thing that my son enjoys, that I enjoy watching my son do, it's a really great feeling," said Evan Jones, another Prosper band parent.

The band families in Eastern Kentucky and North Texas haven't met and don't have plans to meet in person.

"Even if we never do, it doesn't matter because the Lord loves a cheerful giver. When we give, we give cheerfully," Skaehill said. "What matters is really making a difference in the lives of someone else."
Ned Lamont was sworn in today as the 89th governor of Connecticut and several public events are planned. If you are not going, NBC Connecticut will also be streaming the festivities live on air and online.

SWEARING IN:

Governor-elect Lamont was sworn in at the William A. ONeill State Armory, then spoke about his vision for the State.

PARADE:

A parade will be held right after the inauguration ceremony. It's expected to begin at 1:30 p.m.

It will step off at the Armory, head east on Capitol Avenue, pass the historic State Capitol, then turn north on Trinity Street and end at the intersection of Trinity and Elm streets.

Expect road closures in the areas surrounding the State Capitol and the State Armory.

STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS:

After the parade, Lamont will deliver the State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly inside the Hall of the House of Representatives at the State Capitol. It's expected to begin at 2:30 p.m.

INAUGURAL BALL:

The inaugural ball will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center at 7 p.m. and tickets are available for purchase online.

General admission tickets are $200 and tickets for young professionals, between 21 and 28, are $99.

The ball will feature more than 40 restaurants, artisanal cheese makers, bread makers, microbreweries and Connecticut wineries.

Actor Christopher Meloni, who might be best known for his role as Elliott Stabler on NBCs Law & Order and journalist Jane Whitney will be the co-emcees of the event.

Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBCs Morning Joe, will perform with his band during the inaugural ball.

After spending more than $12 million of his money on a successful election campaign, Lamont is paying for his own transition expenses.

A spokeswoman for Lamont's transition organization told The Associated Press in December that Lamont and his wife planned to spend $250,000 on the two-month changeover. The cost includes things like staff payroll and office expenses.

Lamont has also promised to forgo the $150,000 annual governor's salary.

The state's Military Department oversees inaugural activities and can accept donations capped at $25,000.
Connecticut State Police have identified the two Danbury police officers who were involved in a deadly shooting last month.

Troopers said officers Regina Guss and Alex Relyea responded to the Glen Apartments on Memorial Drive around 9:30 p.m. on December 29 after getting a report of a suspicious man in the area.

When they arrived, police encountered a man exiting an apartment, armed with a knife that he presented towards the officers.

Police said they ordered him to drop the weapon, but he failed to comply.

Officer Guss then deployed her stun gun towards the man, however, it did not control the him, according to police. The man continued to not comply with the officers' commands and advanced towards them again.

According to police, Officer Relyea then discharged his gun at the man and hit him three times. A female occupant of the apartment also was shot.

Both the man and the woman were treated on scene by emergency medical services and were transported to medical facilities for treatment.

The man, later identified as 45-year-old Paul Arbitelle, of Danbury, died of his injuries.

The Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crimes Squad has assumed the investigation into the use of force in the incident.

Officials said Officer Guss has been a police officer in Danbury since 2006 and Officer Relyea has been an officer in Danbury since 2014. Both officers have received multiple commendations each.

The incident remains under investigation.

Anyone who may have witnessed the event or who may have information to share is encouraged to contact State Police detectives at (203) 267-2225.
The priority right now is food, Matthew Asia, Broadbrook said.

Asia and his wife both work, but with five kids they struggle to feed their family and pay all of their bills. They rely on food stamps and the Five Corner Cupboard food pantry in East Windsor.

The pantrys executive director says its helped 10 new clients every month for the past four years. Marie Groves says she expects that number to skyrocket if the government shutdown continues into February.

Foodshare, a food bank serving Hartford and Tolland counties, provided 14 million meals last year. Tuesday, volunteers packed boxes for the senior food program.

If this shutdown continues I dont know whether were going to be able to do that, Jason Jakubowski, Foodshares executive director, said.

He believes that if the food stamp program known as SNAP runs out of money, people who cant afford groceries will turn to food pantries and soup kitchens. There are 400,000 people in Connecticut on food stamps.

Its gonna affect everybody, Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen Executive Director Priscilla Brayson said.

Brayson shopped for fresh fruits and vegetables for her Enfield soup kitchen at Foodshare on Tuesday.

Without Foodshare we wouldnt be able to exist and feed the people that we do, she said.

Brayson estimated they help 100 people a day right now. However, with government employees not getting paid and those already on assistance facing cuts shes expecting lines to start forming.

I will be seeing a lot more people coming into the soup kitchen, said Brayson.

The USDA has set aside $3 billion for the SNAP program for the month of February, but the program costs $5 billion a month to run.

Meanwhile, Foodshare says the federal government has promised to keep funding their share of the food banks inventory through the month of March.

Cuts could also come to the federal program that helps stock Foodshares shelves. That means, less food to distribute to their 300 pantry partners at the same time more people are in need of a helping hand.

We are absolutely in unchartered territory and I think whats making most of us anxious is we dont know how long its going to continue, said Jakubowski.

Were just surviving. Were here day by day, you dont know whats going to happen next month. You just never know what could happen to us, Asia added.
A man found dead along Route 2 in East Hartford early Tuesday morning died from gunshot wounds to the head and torso and his death is a homicide, according to the office of the chief medical examiner.

A Connecticut Department of Transportation employee found the body of 23-year-old Jermaine Williams, of Vernon, on Route 2 early Tuesday morning, according to police.

Troopers said they were called to Route 2 westbound in East Hartford around 3:30 a.m. to investigate.

Paramedics also responded, confirmed the man found in the road was dead and determined his death was a homicide, police said.

Detectives from Central District Major Crimes Squad responded to the scene and assumed the homicide investigation.

The Exit 4 off-ramp on Route 2 westbound was closed for hours while police investigated.

Anyone with information that might help investigators is asked to contact Troop H-Hartford at (860)534-1000.
Connecticut officials say two insurance companies have agreed to provide a total of $10.5 million to assist homeowners with crumbling foundations.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Attorney General George Jepsen announced Tuesday the state has reached separate agreements with The Hartford and Liberty Mutual Insurance to help current and former policyholders who file claims and receive awards through the new Connecticut Foundation Solutions Indemnity Company.

The Hartford has agreed to commit $3.5 million while Liberty Mutual Insurance will provide $7 million.

While most homeowners policies do not cover these damages, we recognize the highly unusual nature of this issue and the impact it is having on families in Connecticut," said The Hartford spokesperson Michelle Loxton.

This has been a particularly complex issue and we applaud the state for establishing a fund to assist Connecticut homeowners in this unfortunate situation when the policy does not provide coverage," added Jim MacPhee, president and chief operating officer of Liberty Mutual Global Retail Markets (U.S.).

Governor Malloy said he believes the commitments from The Hartford and Liberty Mutual is significant progress for homeowners with crumbling foundations.

The crumbling foundation crisis is a widespread and complex problem that requires all stakeholders to be a part of the solution. These commitments from The Hartford and Liberty Mutual represent significant progress for affected homeowners, and I applaud both companies for stepping up," Governor Malloy said.

Jepsen said the money will help homeowners bridge the gap between what they receive from the indemnity company and the cost of replacing their home's foundation.

"This is an important commitment made by these two companies today, and Im hopeful that additional insurers will join them to help address this potentially catastrophic situation, Jepsen added.

Thousands of homes have been affected by the presence of an iron sulfide that has reacted naturally with oxygen and water.

Consumers with related questions can contact the Connecticut Insurance Department at 1-800-203-3447 or the CFSIC by emailing info@crumblingfoundations.org.
Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson is heading to Connecticut to perform on Friday night.

Pete Davidson & Friends is coming to College Street Music Hall in New Haven on Friday, Jan. 11 and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45.

The 25-year-old performed in Boston last week and he made fun of his relationship history as well as some fellow comedians during the show and a source inside the show told E! News that Davidson spoke about his ex-fiancee Ariana Grande at length.

The event listing on the College Street Music Hall website says no cell phones, cameras or recording devices will be allowed at the performance.
Longtime state Rep. Lou Lang resigned from the Illinois House on Monday, days before he was slated to be sworn in for a 17th term.

Lang stepped down from his post to take a position as a partner at a government affairs firm, he said in a statement.

One enduring feature of any legislative career in Springfield is transition  entering and leaving the legislature. For me, I too will be part of this years transition, Lang said in a statement announcing his departure, effectively immediately.

Lang will join Advantage Government Strategies, LLC, working with president Nancy Kimme, who served as chief of staff to the late Illinois Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, according to his statement.

As much as I have enjoyed my legislative service, it is time to take a broader, long-term look at my professional career, Lang said, adding, "Im looking forward to my next act."

Lang was one of the chamber's most senior members, having represented the 16th District - encompassing parts of Skokie, Lincolnwood and Chicago - since 1987. He had also served as deputy majority leader in the House until May 2018, when a female activist accused him of sexual harassment.

Medical marijuana advocate Maryann Loncar alleged in a release that Lang "committed terrible acts against her while she advocated for a bill that he sponsored."

She accused him of making several "inappropriate actions" towards her, including placing his hand on her lower back, below her underwear line, while asking, "Does your husband know how lucky he is to have a wife like you?"

Loncar said that when she rejected his alleged advances, he "isolated, discredited and blackballed" her from Springfield.

Moments after she made her allegations public, Lang resigned from his leadership post and called for the Illinois legislative inspector general to conduct a full investigation into the matter.

Then-inspector Julie Porter concluded in September that there wasn't enough proof that Lang had harassed or intimidated Loncar, who Porter said did not cooperate with the investigation.

Lang will continue to serve as executive vice chair of the Cook County Democratic Party, he said Monday, as well as Niles Township Democratic Organization committeeman - meaning he will have a weighted vote in the appointment of his successor.

That successor will be chosen through a "public interview process with the local Democratic committeemen for any candidates who wish to seek the post," according to Lang.
As they exited their first meeting of 2019, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka put up a cohesive front.

"We will be working and working together to get the job done," Spilka said.

But the buzz on Beacon Hill is that the relationship between the chambers could become contentious.

Spilka is calling for bold action in response to constituent frustrations with small and incremental change  a veiled reference to the leadership of Baker and DeLeo. Baker's response?

"I would argue the last four years have been bold in many ways," he said.

Baker points to work on Bridgewater State Hospital, the opioid epidemic and gun legislation as proof of strong change, but others feel clashes are coming.

"It is going to be a challenging year, because you do have a different political dynamic," said Arline Issacson, Exec Director of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political caucus.

Rep. Patrick Kearney of Scituate is a freshman lawmaker who hopes the two chambers will be able to work together.

"I think that the stigma around both houses fighting each other, it needs to stop," Kearney said. "I think that words like 'clashing' makes it sound like it's a battle."

One measure of just how bold lawmakers will be is whether they will support new taxes.

Baker has said no to new taxes, but some lawmakers feel the time has come.

"I'm hopeful we can raise taxes, progressive taxes, to invest more in the transportation system," argued Acton Sen. Jamie Eldridge.

Spilka has shown definite interest.

"I have stated before that I think that it might be time to look at some of our tax structure," she said.

DeLeo could be the tiebreaker.

"Obviously, you all know, I am not a fan of any broad-based taxes," he said.
Palo Alto police are searching for a man who sexually assaulted and robbed a female pedestrian early Monday morning, according to the Palo Alto Police Department.

Police released a sketch of the suspect Wednesday.

At about 4:20 a.m. Monday, police received a call from a woman reporting she had just been sexually assaulted in the 100 block of Everett Avenue. The woman, who is in her 30s, drove herself to the police station and used the phone at the front door to summon help, police said.

Officers checked the area for the suspect but did not find him.

The preliminary investigation had the victim walking westbound on the south side of Everett Avenue at about 4:10 a.m. As she approached her parked car, the suspect walked up to her and asked if she could spare any change. She said she could, and reached into her car to get some change. The suspect then struck her first on the back, and then a second time on the back of her head, with an unknown object, police said.

The man then sexually assaulted her, police said, and when the victim began to scream and fight back, the suspect stole her wallet and fled on foot eastbound on Everett, before turning northbound on Emerson Street, police said.

The victim described the suspect as a white man in his late 20s to mid-30s, about 5 feet, 11 inches tall, with a skinny build. He had brown or dirty blond, long, straight hair, an unkempt beard and a beanie with a pompom on top, police said.

Paramedics from the Palo Alto Fire Department responded to the police station to treat the victim, who complained of pain to the back of her head.

The assault is not related to two other recent sexual assaults in Palo Alto as detectives have arrested the suspect in each of those two cases, police said.

Anyone with information about the latest incident is asked to call police at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.
The Contra Costa County Chief of Emergency Medical Services was arrested Sunday on charges of possessing controlled substances, authorities said Tuesday.

EMS Chief Richard Stephenson has been placed on administrative leave after he was arrested by Martinez police for the alleged violations of California Health and Safety Codes.

"Preliminary investigation indicates this is an isolated incident that did not involve the public or affect our services provided to the public, Jeff Carman, Fire Chief of Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said in a statement.

According to police documents the arrest came after the woman he was renting a room from in Martinez found dozens of vials of fentanyl and other drugs in a laundry basket while cleaning his room. She noticed other medications and hypodermic needles.

She brought the drugs to the Martinez Police Department with the intention of turning him in, police documents show.

Those same documents say Stephenson had access to pharmaceutical bins, fire trucks and other prescription drug disposal areas. Police believe he could have been selling the drugs on the street.

NBC Bay Area learned Stephenson my have needed help, himself. Those same documents say Stephenson was in detox at the time of his arrest.

The California Emergency Medical Services registry shows a man named Richard Paul Stephenson had his EMT license suspended in 2010. That suspension was to be lifted in 2020.

The investigation by Martinez police and an internal investigation is ongoing, Con Fire said.

Stephenson has been employed with the county for 19 years.
What to Know Tristan Beaudette, 35, was hit with a single shot while his young daughters slept beside him June 22 at a Malibu campground

Anthony Rauda was carrying the gun and two loaded magazines when he was arrested in October near the park

A detective familiar with the case who was not authorized to speak publicly called it part of a 10-year crime spree

A man accused of opening fire on campers and drivers in the Malibu State Park Area was charged Monday with murder in the fatal shooting of a 35-year-old father killed while he slept next to his daughters at a campground.

Authorities said this week they had finally assembled enough evidence to link the June 22 killing of the young father to the arrest of a reputed serial burglar, caught last October in a steep, brush-covered ravine near the park while armed with a rifle. A criminal complaint filed Monday in Los Angeles County Superior Court charges Anthony Rauda with the murder of Tristan Beaudette, who was hit with a single shot while his young daughters slept beside him.

Rauda, 42, also faces a total of 10 counts of attempted murder for a series of other peculiar gunfire attacks in the area of the park and Las Virgenes Road, and five counts of second-degree burglary for break-ins in the same area over the last few years.

In a statement, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said Rauda is accused of shootings in the Malibu Creek State Park area that date to November 2016, when he allegedly wounded a man sleeping in a hammock at the park. Rauda is accused of shooting into vehicles three different times in 2017. In June 2018, he allegedly opened fire on a Tesla on Las Virgenes Road.

Beaudette was shot four days later.

Prosecutors were only able to file the case after a forensic comparison of bullets linked several shootings, including the Beaudette murder, with the gun Rauda was allegedly carrying when he was arrested. That ballistic comparison was completed in early October, but the case took many more weeks to assemble, according to the sources.

They also said evidence shows Rauda is also responsible for additional shootings and burglaries for which not enough evidence was found for prosecution, including an until-now unsolved shooting of a woman driving on Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Ventura County in 2010. Rauda has been tied to thefts and violence in LA, Ventura and Sonoma counties.

"It's a 10-year crime spree that could make a Hollywood movie," said one detective familiar with the case who was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.

Rauda has been serving a sentence in LA County jail for violating the terms of Post Release Conviction Supervision, or PRCS, as a result of his arrest in October in the Malibu burglaries. That sentence was expected to be satisfied in the next week, according to court and jail records.

Detectives from the LA County Sheriff's Department's Major Crimes Bureau caught Rauda Oct. 10 near the park. Rauda was carrying the gun and two loaded magazines, according to testimony at a recent PRCS violation hearing.

A key break in the Malibu Creek State Park death investigation came less than two weeks before that when a security camera system recorded images of a man wearing a headlamp and "tactical style" clothing during an office break-in.

As the figure in the video moved into view it was clear the man had a rifle slung over his left shoulder. Some of the images, not shown publicly, captured detailed views of the gun.

Detectives compared the security video with firearms catalog photos and soon confirmed the gun carried by the burglar was a 9mm carbine, a weapon capable of firing the same caliber bullet that killed Beaudette.
(Natural News) Having poor vitamin B12 levels early in life may result in impaired or delayed brain development and function in children, according to a recent Norwegian study. Health experts at Uni Research in Bergen, Norway examined blood samples from 500 Nepalese infants and found that children with low vitamin B12 levels exhibited difficulties in dealing with various cognitive assessments such as interpreting other childrens emotions, solving puzzles, and recognizing letters.

Our results clearly demonstrate associations between early vitamin B12 status and various measures on development and cognitive functioning, as for example the ability to interpret complex geometrical figures, and the ability to recognize other childrens emotions. The number of children in low-income countries that do not develop according to their potential is large. Our results indicate that correcting childrens vitamin B12 status early may be one measure to secure a healthy development for these vulnerable children. We are currently in the process of confirming our results in randomized controlled trials, said researcher Ingrid Kvestad.

The findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Previous studies link low vitamin B12, poor brain function in children

The results of the recent study support previous research linking vitamin B12 deficiency to poor brain function in children.

A 2015 study revealed that lacking the essential nutrient may adversely affect memory, reasoning and intelligence in school-aged children. Researchers analyzed data on more than 3,000 public school students aged five to 12 and found that those suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency were twice more likely to repeat a grade compared with those who had adequate levels. The study also showed that children with low vitamin B12 levels have significantly more absences compared to their healthier counterparts. Health experts said vitamin B12 influenced the bodys immunity, and that taking supplements could help improve school attendance. The results were published in The Journal of Nutrition.

A meta-analysis published in 2008 also confirmed that low vitamin B12 levels in infancy may result in adverse conditions in children. Researchers cited four case studies from the U.S. where lethargy, irritability, and developmental delay were observed in exclusively-breastfed children born to vegan mothers with low vitamin B12 levels. Another case study noted delayed motor skills and lethargy among European infants born to mothers suffering from nutrient deficiency. The findings appeared in the journal Food and Nutrition Bulletin.

A 2001 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also demonstrated that inadequate vitamin B12 may result in neurological impairment in children. Data from two case studies showed that low vitamin B12 levels were associated with poor motor and speech developments in children. However, addressing genetics issues that trigger the nutrient deficiency proved effective in improving the patients motor and developmental skills.

Vitamin B12 deficiency rates, symptoms and recommendations

About 47 million Americans suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency, but very few are aware of it. The nutrient is essential in DNA and red blood cell production, as well as sleep, energy, and mood regulation. Inadequate vitamin B12 levels inhibit the body from regenerating new cells, which result in accelerated aging and cognitive decline. While long-term deficiency may lead to adverse health conditions, symptoms of low vitamin B12 levels  such as include forgetfulness, confusion and irritability  often go unnoticed and is often mistaken for Alzheimers disease symptoms.

Despite results from previous studies and statistics, The University of Maryland Medical Center discourages vitamin B12 supplementation in children unless prescribed by a clinician. According to the experts, the supplements may interfere with certain medications such as antibiotics, cholesterol drugs, and chemotherapy treatments. Non-prescription supplements are not tested for safety and are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the experts said.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

NutritionExpress.com

CDC.gov

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

SFGate.com
(Natural News) If you were holding out hope that the Democratic majority in the House was serious when leaders like Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California pledged to do the peoples work, weve got some bad news for you.

Its going to be a long two years. But hopefully, at the end of it, Democrats will have shown enough Americans just why they cannot  and should never again  be in charge.

As the crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border worsens and the agencies charged with defending it against illegal immigrants are not being paid, thanks to Democratic refusal to work with POTUS Trump on a solution to reopen shuttered government agencies, the party of the donkey is more concerned with enshrining voter fraud into law.

PJ Medias Tyler ONeil reports:

As Democrats took the majority in the House of Representatives last week, they wasted no time in drafting legislation to remake the U.S. Constitution, shifting the rules in their favor. One bill would abolish the Electoral College. Another would make voter registration automatic, repeal voter ID laws, drastically limit free speech in politics, and create a system where the government funds particular candidates  all in one bill!

These measures are being sold by Democrats to voters as good government, important to the defense of our democracy, fundamentally fair  and other nonsense. But in fact, each of them tears further at the fabric of our society and would destroy foundational principles our founders enshrined to us for their posterity.

Already the regressive Left (because reimposing tyranny isnt progressive) has made inroads into establishing state-level balloting systems devoid of legitimate oversight. Whenever states have made serious efforts to clean up voter registration rolls, for example, or prove who they are and that they are indeed eligible to vote, the Democrat Left has found ways to block them. (Related: Thanks to Democrat vote fraud and election tampering, trust in our entire system is collapsing  which is what they want.)

As for the Electoral College, this stems from Democrats refusal to accept the results of elections that their presidential nominees lose. Because George W. Bush and Donald J. Trump won a majority of electoral votes  which is how our presidents are chosen  instead of an overall majority of votes (which our founders patently rejected), they want to rig the system they believe will be in their favor and get rid of what they see as a roadblock to power.

These radical ideas are catching on throughout the Democratic Party  and they will tear our nation apart

Recently, one long-serving but now retired Democratic lawmaker, John Dingell from Michigan, actually proposed eliminating the Senate altogether.

Today, in a nation of more than 325 million and 37 additional states, not only is that structure antiquated, its downright dangerous. California has almost 40 million people, while the 20 smallest states have a combined population totaling less than that. Yet because of an 18th-century political deal, those 20 states have 40 senators, while California has just two, Dingell continued. These sparsely populated, usually conservative states can block legislation supported by a majority of the American people. Thats just plain crazy.

He, too, attacked the Electoral College, noting that he voted in 1969 to amend the Constitution to abolish it  even though our founders feared selecting presidents by popular vote specifically because a few large population centers would be able to do so, thus alienating a sizable plurality and setting the stage for unrest.

If anything, Congress should be favoring legislation and amendments that restore our founding constitutional principles, not tearing them asunder.

Mind you, none of these pieces of legislation the new Democratic House majority wants to be implemented are going to become the law of the land  yet.

However, what these bills tell us is that should the day come when Democrats are in charge again, these are the substantive changes they plan to make to our founding form of government.

If you think our politics are chaotic and divisive now, just wait and see what happens then.

Read more about the chaos Democratic policies will lead to at Chaos.news.

Sources include:

TheNationalSentinel.com

PJMedia.com

CBSNews.com
(Natural News) Knowing what we all know now about cigarettes, it seems insane that doctors used to recommend smoking to pregnant women, saying it would control their weight gain, calm their nerves, prevent hysteria, help with digestion of foods, and regulate stress. This was all published in books and scripted for advertisements endorsed by medical doctors. How long from now will we all look back and see how insane vaccines are for pregnant women, because in case you werent aware, many of the same toxic ingredients in cigarettes are found those holy grail immunizations recommended for pregnant women by not only doctors, but the corrupt CDC.

How ironic that to become a licensed medical doctor or physician in the U.S., one must complete a 4-year undergraduate degree program, spend 4 years in medical school, and then graduate from 3 to 7 years residency training. Most of a doctors training in medical school now focuses on managing medications, since chemical-based drugs are involved in 80 percent of all treatment plans, including the nearly five billion prescriptions already dispensed. Are these types of doctors to be trusted?

Every year, more Americans overdose from taking prescription drugs as directed than people who overdose and die from hardcore street drugs like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines (a.k.a. crystal meth) combined.

These Allopathic doctors today come from the same school of thought  from the doctors who told Americans for 30 years, between 1935 and 1965, that smoking cigarettes was good for your health and digestion, this AFTER scientists had already discovered and reported that cigarettes lead to lung cancer. Thats right, the scientific and medical communities agreed they would wait until the mid-1960s to publish a Surgeon Generals warning about the dangers of smoking cigarettes.

So for three decades, these doctors were paid by Big Pharma and Big Tobacco to lie to people so they could get paid for advertising and have a drove of new patients who would soon be suffering from the C word. Why should anyone trust these doctors who are cut from the same cloth today? Theyre still pushing lies and slinging bad medicine soaked in wicked advice. Vaccines are the new cigarettes, recommended as 100 percent safe and effective by all Allopathic doctors for all pregnant women. What a con.

Lets compare the doctors of the past who pushed cigarettes as healthy and safe to the ones now pushing vaccines as safe and effective for pregnant women

Cigarettes not only cause cancer, they deplete your nutrient base, cut off the blood and oxygen supply to your brain, pollute your cleansing organs, and destroy the good bacteria in your gut, thus crippling your immune system. This is exactly what vaccines also do. By injecting other animals infected proteins, heavy metal toxins, monosodium glutamate, formaldehyde, and genetically modified combinations of deadly viral strains and bacteria, the human immune system attacks itself while the central nervous system (CNS) goes into a panicked frenzy that can cause permanent damage, like autism.

Todays medical doctors spew what theyre told to spew, and thats the lie that all vaccines are 100 percent safe and effective. Its just the opposite. Should pregnant women smoke a cigarette while being injected with those known neurotoxins and carcinogens, doc? Wouldnt that help them relax so their CNS doesnt cause them to go into anaphylactic shock or a coma? What about all those toxins, including mercury, transferring directly to the fetus? Yes, most flu shots have 25,000 times the mercury that todays doctors warn pregnant women about consuming fish regularly.

Everything a pregnant woman consumes or injects she shares with her baby, including mercury and embalming fluid

The CDC tells women right on their website that when you are pregnant, you share everything with your baby. Hundreds of websites warn pregnant mothers about mercury consumption, but no mainstream websites ever mention how much mercury is in flu shots  that are highly recommended for pregnant women. Its just like cigarettes back in the day folks. Same big lies, different product. Make no mistake, nearly all vaccines contain foreign animal proteins, heavy metal toxins, or formaldehyde (embalming fluid for the dead).

Have you taken the Vaccine Stupidity Quiz? It asks you how many chemicals you recognize in cigarettes that are in todays vaccines, including the influenza vaccines. Tests conducted on the Flulaval vaccine revealed over 25,000 times higher mercury content than the maximum contaminant level of inorganic mercury in drinking water set by the EPA, and the package insert admits the vaccine has NEVER been subjected to scientific clinical trials.

That means the slogan safe and effective is fraudulent, just like doctors telling pregnant women in the 1940s they shouldnt gain weight in pregnancy, not to eat additional calories, not to breastfeed (that formula was superior), and that babies dont feel pain. Why? Thats what the doctors were taught in top medical schools  that babies are blank slates, with empty minds, that dont feel pain until theyre three years old when their central nervous systems are fully developed.

Dont forget, at least four of the cigarette industry mascots called Marlboro Man have died of lung cancer already. Instead of the slogan, Come to where the flavor is  it should be rephrased, Come to where the cancer kills. Now watch American doctors lie through their teeth and make a fortune doing it. Fact: Doctors endorsed smoking as healthy for pregnant women, even AFTER science revealed cigarettes lead to lung cancer watch this:

Tune into Vaccines.news for more information on how todays vaccines are just as toxic as todays commercial cigarettes, and contain many of the same known carcinogens. Pregnant ladies, please be very careful and get a second opinion, preferably from a naturopathic practitioner instead of a medical quack.

Sources for this article include:

ElkeSaunders.com

CDC.gov

BetterHealth.vic.gov

NaturalNews.com

EnvisioningTheAmericanDream.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Whats for dinner tonight? If you live in Oregon, it could well be that deer you hit on your way home from work thanks to a recently implemented law making it legal to harvest your roadkill in the state.

The bill was sponsored by Oregon state senator Bill Hansell, who was inspired by driving past a dead deer on the side of the road in his large rural district. He felt it was a shame to let it go to waste, so he put forth the bill that has now made Oregon one of roughly 20 states that permit harvesting roadkill for food.

Under Oregons new law, just deer and elk can be salvaged for human consumption. Those who do pick up a carcass are required to apply for a free permit online within 24 hours, and they are also required to bring the head and antlers of the animal to the states wildlife agency within five days. It sounds like an inconvenience, but because antlers are sometimes sold to collectors, authorities didnt want to give anyone a financial incentive to intentionally crash into animals. Meanwhile, the head is required to be turned over to authorities so they can test it for chronic wasting disease.

In addition, the roadkill must have come about as the result of an accident; hunting with cars, so to speak, is strictly prohibited. However, drivers who accidentally strike wild animals such as elk or deer and leave it wounded are allowed to humanely dispatch it and then salvage its meat.

One person who is squarely in favor of the law is wilderness survival instructor Tom Elpel, who told the Boston Globe: Its meat. Whether you buy it in a store or pick it up on the side of the road, its the same thing. In the stores, its packaged with Styrofoam and plastic, which maybe looks pretty but is harmful to the environment.

Laws governing harvesting roadkill vary by state

Oregon joins states like Washington, Georgia, Colorado, New York, Maryland, Illinois and Pennsylvania, which all have their own rules pertaining to the practice. In Georgia, for example, drivers can take home bears theyve hit, while Washington issued 1,600 permits for salvaging roadkill in the first year its own law was on the books.

Many states require the collection to be reported to authorities in a relatively short period, and most free the state of any responsibility should the meat make someone ill. In Oregon, for example, it is up to the individual to determine if the meat can be eaten and they do so at their own risk.

In Oregon, only the driver who hit the animal is allowed to salvage it, and they must notify law enforcement immediately. They must also remove the entire carcass from the road, including its gut piles. No part of the salvaged animal may be sold to other parties.

Of course, no one wants to see any animal get struck by a car, but these unfortunate accidents happen every day. Rather than letting these animals bodies sit on the side of the street to rot, laws like these can prevent food waste and give hungry people an organic source of protein that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

Sources for this article include:

Brietbart.com

USAToday.com

Boston Globe
(Natural News) There is a scientific reason as to why standing up and clapping along in singalongs makes you feel good. A new Japanese study reported that actively participating in music therapy sessions could improve its considerable effects on the activity levels of the brain.

Music is good for the body as well as the mind and soul. Research has shown that listening to certain types of music can affect the brain activity of people. The effects on the brain will eventually filter down to the rest of the body.

Playing the right music can improve the mood of patients and lift the spirits of depressed people. They can even help relieve pain for patients with serious diseases like cancer.

Some traditional and alternative forms of medicine believe that music can restore the normal functions of an ailing body. This led to the development of music therapy.

Music therapy treats the cognitive, emotional, physical, and social issues of its patients through carefully-selected and designed interventions. Among its many proven uses are relieving stress, bringing peace of mind, and improving the mindset of people.

Studies have covered its use in relieving anxiety and depression. It has also been used to improve the memory of elderly patients with Alzheimers disease and dementia. (Related: The healing potential of music therapy in pain relief in cancer patients.)

The effects of active and passive music therapy on the brain

Japanese researchers from Tokai University (Tokai) recently conducted a study on the effect of music therapy on brain activity. They targeted the frontal lobe, the biggest of the four lobes that comprise the human brain.

The frontal lobe controls human personality and communication skills. It is responsible for expressing our emotions, solving problems, creating and remembering memories, translating languages, and making decisions.

The study group was made up of 22 female volunteers. The average age was 21 years. None of the participants showed any signs of ailments.

In the experiment, the participants listened to either calm music or exciting music. Furthermore, they were asked to either passively pay attention to the music or to partake in it actively. Active participants would clap their hands according to the rhythm of the music.

While the participants actively or passively listened to the music, the research team scanned the frontal lobe. They measured the levels of oxygen-hemoglobin (oxy-Hb), cortisol, alpha-amylase, and immunoglobulin A in the brain.

The results of this study were published in the journal J-Stage.

If your brain is active and you know it, clap your hands

The Tokai researchers found that listening to calm music caused significant drops in the levels of oxy-Hb in various parts of the frontal lobe. When the music took on an exciting tempo, the concentration levels of these oxygen-laden proteins increased.

The energy level of the music similarly affected the amounts of cortisol, alpha-amylase, and immunoglobulin A. These chemicals play important roles in stress and tension. Calm music was shown to decrease them, thereby making it easier to relax.

When the researchers followed up on their earlier analysis, they found that participants who clapped their hands alongside the music displayed higher levels of oxygen-hemoglobin than those who passively listened to the song. This applied to both calm and exciting music.

The researchers surmised that active music therapy increased brain activity by a larger margin. They believe that increasing the participants activity during music therapy sessions could improve the benefits of the treatment. Active participation could help elderly individuals keep their minds even sharper or further raise the spirits of depressed patients.

To find out more about music therapy and its benefits for brain activity, visit AlternativeMedicine.news.

Sources include:

Science.news

ScienceDirect.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

JStage.jst.go.jp
(Natural News) Ironically, the same Greek mathematician who invented the syringe 2,000 years ago also created the very first vending machine. Some of the oldest vending machines dispensed holy water in Egyptian temples, but these days mostly what you get is sodas and junk food snacks. It only makes sense that most vending machines dish out junk science food stuff that causes cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and dementia, because its more or less toxic pellets for lab rats that dont know any better, provided by Big Food.

Nothing in America creates more patients for life than Big Pharmas partner in crime  junk food. And how does Big Pharma manage the symptoms of JFD (junk food disease)? Well, of course, by dispensing chemical junk-science drugs for the pain and anguish.

Even though you need a prescription from a medical doctor to get your hands and mouth on these toxic vended drugs, it doesnt take much more than any given moron telling the doctor theyve got pain, depression or anxiety, and voila, just like inserting a dollar and pushing a big button with a trademark symbol on it, the rat takes its medicine, and round and round it spins on the wheel called chronic sick care.

Deadly prescription drugs are CONVENIENT and easily obtained, just like vended junk food and soda

To grab a quick coke, a bag of chips, and a candy bar, you dont need a brain at all, just pull out a couple one dollar bills (or your credit card) and insert into the hole with the blinking arrow. Then wait for a bleep noise, and push the buttons featuring the pictures of the items your taste buds and weeping belly are craving. Reach down into the bottom slot when the junk bags and cans drop, open the packaging, and shove or pour ingredients into mouth.

To grab a quick fix of heroin (opiates), you dont need a brain at all, just pull out your medical coverage card and insert it into the slit beneath the office clerks window in the waiting room at the doctors office. Then wait for your name to be called, follow the nurse to a special room, and when the doctor finally comes in, say, I am depressed, I am stressed, or I have pain. Some doctors even have their own medication vending machine (in-house pharmacy) so you dont have to drive extra miles to a drug store.

Todays medical doctors are not allowed to give nutritional advice, or the American Medical Association will come shut them down, and even if they were, they dont know the right things to say, because they werent educated that way in medical college. So instead, M.D.s just sling experimental, addictive drugs at symptoms of deeper rooted sicknesses, along with immune-system-destroying antibiotics and carcinogenic vaccines.

Thats why any medicine that wrecks your health is easy to come by, just like junk food in vending machines. The money isnt made off the vending products, the money is made off the sick fools who are repeat offenders and keep going back to the well for more poison  its called chronic sick care or symptom management. Fact: Prescription drugs are the fourth leading cause of death in America, even when taken as directed.

Doctors can all be replaced by robots, since they dont engage in any human behavior

Ever notice youre not really allowed to speak your mind to a medical doctor? He or she will ask you a few questions, and as you begin complaining about your problems, they shut you up, run the stethoscope over your body, check your temperature, and blood pressure, and then its down to business as usual. Im going to write you two prescriptions, one for the (fill in pain, anxiety, or depression here), and one for the (fill in mucus, coughing, headache, inflammation, rash, or fever).

You see, theres really no intellectual discussion or human interaction necessary at all. Plus, youll probably just suggest some drugs you saw advertised on television, and the pill pusher will scribble his/her John Hancock on a little slip of paper and youre all set. Well, just as easily, there could be medication vending machines all over the USA, where you just slide in your medical coverage card, push the buttons that have symbols and pictures of your health ills, wait for the happy beep, and grab your chemical drugs.

All the lab-made concoctions that never really heal anyone, but only do more harm (think junk food in vending machines here) could easily be dished out by machines, including blood thinner, cholesterol meds, SSRIs, opiate-based painkillers, ADD and ADHD drugs, insulin, and even the syringes full of vaccines and deadly flu shots. Does it really take someone with a medical degree to sling these out? After all, anyone can administer a mercury-loaded flu shot these days.

Got pain or anguish? Just put your dollars in the pharma-vendor (M.D.s pocket) and push the panic button (simply say you have pain, anguish, or depression) and voila  your medication is dispensed by the med-vending-machine (they actually already have them in China). Addicted to cocaine, heroin, or fake news CNN? No problem. Just go to med-vendor and press panic. After all, medical doctors today are just glorified drug pushers making six figures. Go to BigPharmaNews.com to find out more about medication vending machines called American medical doctors.

Sources for this article include:

Whitmanwire.com

DrugAbuse.gov

TruthWiki.org

NaturalNews.com

BigPharmaNews.com

NaturalHealth365.com
By Thomas Neuburger (aka Gaius) Originally published at DownWithTyranny!

BREAKING: Gov. Jay Inslee to offer pardons for thousands with misdemeanor pot convictions https://t.co/EesejA88hz via @seattletimes  Jim Brunner (@Jim_Brunner) January 4, 2019

As we gear up for the full blast of the next new year, I want to offer a selection of items for your consideration. All are important, some are related, all show the kind of year were determined to have.

First, a bit of good news.

Correcting a Massive Injustice

This should have been done ages ago, and should have been promised by every pro-marijuana legalization presidential candidate in 2016.

Gov. Jay Inslee offers pardons for thousands with misdemeanor pot convictions Under the plan, Washington state will pardon anyone who has an otherwise clean criminal record but with a sole conviction as an adult for misdemeanor possession of marijuana. Gov. Jay Inslee will offer pardons to thousands of people with misdemeanor marijuana convictions, in an effort to help them move on from minor criminal records that can hinder housing and job prospects. Under the plan, Inslee will pardon anyone who has an otherwise clean criminal record but with a sole conviction as an adult for misdemeanor possession of marijuana in Washington state.  We shouldnt be punishing people for something that is no longer illegal behavior in the state of Washington, Inslee said[.]

Let me offer an analogy. Before the 1960s, the Catholic Church had declared that eating meat on Friday was a mortal sin, which, if unforgiven, would send you straight to hell. In 1966, the Church, in its infinite wisdom, reversed that stand, saying that eating meat on Friday would no longer by itself be cause for eternal damnation.

Imagine the scene in hell when that announcement takes place. What, one wonders, would go through the minds of those damned forever for committing this sin as they watched others do what they did with no consequences at all? If you were in hell for eating meat on Friday, what would you be thinking at that moment?

Now take yourself to an American prison, where millions languish for the crime of using recreational marijuana, as you watch these laws repealed in state after state. Imagine the cruelty of keeping these men and women in the hell that is Americas prison system.

Every pro-marijuana candidate in the U.S. must make it a corollary policy to release these people, with full pardons, immediately.

Hubristic Democrats Committing Suicide

In response to this: Hours after Rep. Rashida Tlaib made headlines for being sworn in as one of the two first Muslim female members of Congress on Thursday (alongside Minnesotas Ilhan Omar), she told a cheering crowd about her mission against Donald Trump: Impeach the motherfucker.'

Former Democratic leader (and ex-Congressman) Joe Crowley said this, as repeated and amplified by current NBC (and former pro-Clinton) reporter Andrea Mitchell:

.@JoeCrowleyNY on Tlaib: Recognizing the right to free speech, and express one self and the temperament starts from the top. If President sets the agenda, tone, and the language that he used  she pales in comparison to what he has said. #AMR  Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) January 4, 2019

This fire died as quickly soon after it was lit, but it burned brightly. The Bipartisan Washington Consensus has identified the new House members  Occasio-Cortez, Tlaib  as enemies, and leadership Democrats (and their media amplifiers) are leading the charge against them.

How is that good for the Democratic Party and their chances in 2020?

More Democrats Committing Suicide

Parsing the unparsable, Nancy Pelosi weighed in on Black Lives Matter:

Speaker Pelosi on Black Lives Matter: "I support the recognition that black lives matter, for sure, and I have incorporated that in many of my statements. All lives matter we really have to redress past grievances in terms of how we addressed the African-American community." pic.twitter.com/igbCqyceIJ  MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 5, 2019

Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matter are code for two very opposite movements. The first says, Cops should stop murdering black people. The second says, Stop criticizing cops. Pelosi either mindfully wants it both ways, or mindlessly doesnt understand the difference.

Ill bet black people though, who mainly vote Democratic, know the difference, and they may remember that difference in 2020.

By the way, past grievances, Ms. Pelosi?

Police change explanation  again  after killing black man they mistook for an active shooter Alabama police have backtracked further from their claims about Emantic Bradford Jr., who was initially described as an active shooter after an officer killed him in a suburban Birmingham shopping mall on Thanksgiving evening. In a regretful statement the next day, police said the actual gunman had apparently escaped the Riverchase Galleria  but still maintained that Bradford, 21, was fleeing the shooting scene while brandishing a handgun when an officer shot him in a corridor outside the JCPenney store. In a third statement Monday, police raised doubts about whether Bradford even had his gun out when officers encountered him.

And so it goes.

Even More Dems Committing Suicide

The top priority for Democrats in the new Senate seems to be support for a bill, not to open the government, or do any of a dozen good things for this country, but to protect another country, Israel, from criticism by Americans:

U.S. Senates First Bill, in Midst of Shutdown, is a Bipartisan Defense of the Israeli Government from Boycotts When each new Congress is gaveled into session, the chambers attach symbolic importance to the first piece of legislation to be considered. For that reason, it bears the lofty designation of H.R.1 in the House, and S.1 in the Senate. In the newly controlled Democratic House, H.R.1  meant to signal the new majoritys priorities  is an anti-corruption bill that combines election and campaign finance reform, strengthening of voting rights, and matching public funds for small-dollar candidates.  But in the 2019 GOP-controlled Senate, the first bill to be considered  S.1  is not designed to protect American workers, bolster U.S. companies, or address the various debates over border security and immigration. Its not a bill to open the government. Instead, according to multiple sources involved in the legislative process, S.1 will be a compendium containing a handful of foreign-policy related measures, a main one of which is a provision, with Floridas GOP Sen. Marco Rubio as a lead sponsor, to defend the Israeli government. The bill is a top legislative priority for AIPAC.

The bill, which punishes companies that take part in any boycott of Israel, could sweep up individuals as well, and is widely considered unconstitutional:

In the previous Congress, that measure was known as S.170, and it gives state and local governments explicit legal authority to boycott any U.S. companies which themselves are participating in a boycott against Israel. As the Intercept reported last month, 26 states now have enacted some version of a law to punish or otherwise sanction entities which participate in or support the boycott of Israel, while similar laws are pending in at least 13 additional states. Rubios bill is designed to strengthen the legal basis to defend those Israel-protecting laws from constitutional challenge. Punishment aimed at companies which choose to boycott Israel can also sweep up individual American citizens in its punitive net, because individual contractors often work for state or local governments under the auspices of a sole proprietorship or some other business entity. That was the case with Texas elementary school speech pathologist Bahia Amawi, who lost her job working with autistic and speech-impaired children in Austin because she refused to promise not to boycott goods produced in Israel and/or illegal Israeli settlements.

If it passes, it will be with Democrats  and Chuck Schumers  support:

With the seven Democratic co-sponsors, the bill would have the 60 votes it needs to overcome a filibuster. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.  who supported Sen. Cardins far more draconian bill of last year and is one of the Senates most reliable AIPAC loyalists  also plans to support the Rubio bill, rather than whip votes against it, sources working on the bill said. Schumers spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. [emphasis added]

Not the best look coming into the new year. Expect more stories like this.

Another Deadly Obesity Disease

This tale is indirectly about the food industry. Directly, its about a new disease  condition, actually  that affects obese American. Its on the rise (as youd expect), and it lurks undiagnosed. Usually, when its discovered, the only way to save the patient is with a liver transplant.

The $35 billion race to cure a silent killer that affects 30 million Americans At the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, the liver transplant group is busy handling an onslaught of patients who have come from all over the country in hopes of a chance at life. For many, a liver transplant is their last hope, after being diagnosed with a deadly disease sweeping the nation at epic proportions. People crowd the unit and undergo scores of testing and evaluation in an effort to get on the hospitals coveted transplant list. Its a program with a 94 percent survival rate after liver transplant, one of the highest in the nation. For many the culprit is a serious form of fatty liver disease called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, also known as NASH. An outgrowth of the obesity epidemic in the Western world and around the globe, it causes scarring and inflammation that can lead to liver cirrhosis, cardiac and lung complications, liver cancer and death. Yet few people know about it. Across the United States, millions of people of all ages suffer from this silent killer that slowly morphs from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition that now affects 89 million in the U.S., according to the Center for Disease Analysis. The National Institutes of Health estimates as many as 30 million people, or 12 percent of U.S. adults, now have NASH.

Much of the rest of the article is about the money some company could make if they find a cure: Industry experts estimate the global market for these new drugs is $35 billion, but that kind of pathology is what youd expect from CNBC. The pathology of NASH, the condition itself, is our point.

I said this is a story about food. Americans are obese because of their food, especially the modified food starchloaded fast food eaten by the poor and middle class. In that sense, this is an economic story, just as the opioid crisis is an economic story. Expect more like these as well.

The New Year

This feels like a birth of sorts, the start of this new year  for myself, no longer authoring as Gaius, and for the world. Im encouraged by the first story. Not so much the rest.

Were coming into campaign season for 2020, the last presidential campaign, in my estimation, that can elect a candidate who can make a real difference in the trajectory of the nation, and indeed the species. Those alive today will see what comes as we read the start of the last chapter of the final book most of us will be characters in.

Welcome to the New Year, all. It could be a bumpy ride.
A showdown is looming between the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) after the youth wing of the countrys biggest opposition political party resolved to conduct massive protests against government without first notifying the police.

The notorious Public Order and Security Act (Posa) makes it a requirement for the ZRP to be notified by parties that wish to stage protests or public gatherings.

It also gives police unfettered powers to suspend public gatherings.

But in a landmark ruling in October last year, the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) ruled in October last year that the provision empowering the local police to indefinitely ban public demonstrations in their jurisdictions was unconstitutional.

As a result, the MDC is planning to embark on demonstrations to push President Emmerson Mnangagwas administration to deal with the bad economic situation, which is threatening to grind the country to a halt, while bypassing the police.

Secretary-general of the MDC Youth Assembly Lovemore Chinoputsa told the Daily News yesterday that they will start rolling out the demonstrations next week.

This year, we are not seeking police clearance because its our time to liberate ourselves. We cannot leave out liberation to a group of people that are captured and that also need to be liberated from the jaws of Zanu PF. In our end of year youth national council, we resolved to embark on a series of demonstrations to force Zanu PF out because they have failed to run the affairs of the State, Chinoputsa said.

Efforts to get a comment from the police could not yield results yesterday after ZRP spokesperson Charity Charamba said she was in a meeting.

The MDC has insisted that it is their democratic right in terms of the Constitution to stage demonstrations.

The partys leader, Chamisa has refused to recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate president of the Republic despite a Con-Court ruling last year to the contrary.

The Con-Court ruling came after Chamisa had challenged the results of the elections.

Mnangagwa rose to power in 2017 following a de facto military coup that toppled long time ruler Robert Mugabe and subsequently won the July 30 elections after he garnered 50, 6 percent of the vote against Chamisas 44, 3 percent.

Since his inauguration, things have been going west, with cash and foreign currency shortages worsening, while fuel shortages and price increases have become the order of the day.

We have an absent leadership in this country and the same spirit that drove thousands into the liberation struggle is the same spirit thats driving us. We shall be our own liberators, Chinoputsa said.

He added, Mnangagwa has had ample time to revamp the economy of this country but he has shown that he has no capacity. Worse is the fact that he surrounds himself with people that know nothing about statecraft, but the gun only. So it will be an indictment on our part as young people if we sit back and allow these old men to destroy our future. So by mid-January we will be calling for our first demonstrations which will culminate in actions all over the country.

With each day passing, government seems to be running out of solutions to deal with the economic challenges, at a time the general populace is getting frustrated by the situation.

Amid these trials and tribulations, the doctors have downed their tools for over a month, while teachers have also resolved to follow suit.

Teachers unions and nurses issued a joint statement last week after a meeting in which they resolved to down their tools, until government concedes to their demand to pay them in United States dollars (USDs).

The meeting was attended by the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta); the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe; the Teachers Union of Zimbabwe; the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe; the Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Union and the Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers Union.

Zimta said it is worried by the governments failure to address any of these grievances and concerns despite previous engagements and discussion.

Now therefore, given the foregoing, it is thus declared as follows: a) Our members are unable to report for duty with effect from the 8th of January 2019 due to incapacitation, b) to enable the teachers to report for work and to subsist, we demand payment of salaries in USDs, the association said in a statement issued recently.

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I find it so weird when Zimbabweans argue on the side of sanctions. Cut your nose to spite your face? Larry Kwirirai.

I couldnt agree with you more Larry. Its like people are supporting their own suffering to frustrate Mnangagwa and Zanupf. They think by starving and suffering they are punishing Zanupf because that is what they are led to believe by selfish and crooked opposition leaders. Kuti jecha ngaridirwe mu sadza rauri kufanira kudya, unozodyei manje?

People like Dewa Mavhinga making a living from the crisis in Zimbabwe. They have travelled all around the world, they are paid in American dollars. If sanctions are dropped and Zimbabwes economy normalizes, they will go out of business.

A few years ago Morgan Komichi went around Zimbabwe telling Mdc structures that they should pray for drought so that things get worse in Zimbabwe. The worse things get the better their chances of getting into power. He would tell districts and provinces that they should be thanking God that things are bad in Zimbabwe as this is good for their politics.

Mdc leaders and Dewa Mavhinga dont have to worry about cooking oil and school fees, they are covered. Sanctions dont touch them but they turn the heat on the ordinary man. He is the one who has to suffer from depression and stress over economic troubles.

Some people have committed suicide because they could no longer take the pressure. Some abandoned their families and went into hiding because of the pressures. All this and the Dewa Mavhingas and Morgan Komichis think its good for business.

If you say making people suffer is evil, you are called Zanupf, by the people who are suffering! Its paradoxical.

Mnangagwa doesnt suffer, it is you who suffers. Strike Masiyiwa is not suffering, it is you who are suffering.

Because the support for sanctions is coming from the opposition, some people think yes the sanctions should not be removed. They will sheepishly support anything from the opposition even if it is bad for them.

Mnangagwa has a job and is getting paid. You dont have a job and cant buy underwear. It is you who will get a job when industries reopen. Then you can buy underwear and stop living with your mother and father at that age.

If Chamisa comes out and says sanctions are hurting the ordinary man, everyone will come on board and agree. Does it take Chamisa to make you see what is in front of you? Then you are a robot!

 Stanley Goreraza

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After the Bevo-Uga incident, PETA wants to eliminate live mascots.

College mascots are perhaps the best-treated animals in the world. They are fed well, constantly groomed, and have continuous human companionship and regular veterinary care.

Bevo was almost certainly not startled by the noise or lights, as PETA has suggested. I have been around cattle all my life and I have found that almost all do not like dogs.

PETA should also recognize that Uga is a bulldog  that is, an animal specifically bred to bite and lock down on the neck of a bull until the bull is subdued. Uga showed zero interest in such behavior so, by PETAs own standards, it should be happy that at least one animal lives a better life than what was originally intended.

Changes should be made. A stronger enclosure and never taking off the two-lease halter would be starters.

Rory L. Rieger, Fort Worth

Try an e-wall

There are many sorts of walls.

It seems to me that in the current times, electronic walls would be more effective than physical ones. It would require much manpower to follow up on alerts, but how preferable would it be with regard to dollars to employ people rather than concrete or steel? It seems that it might be more of a deterrent to crossers to know that they would always be detected, rather than occasionally.

If I, an octogenarian, can imagine this, why cant better minds find an answer? I truly hope that there is an option rather than a hideous wall. Berlin, anyone?

Lou T. Dagel, Seguin

Dont stop now

Good start, President Donald Trump, with the total troop removal from Syria, and partial departure from Afghanistan. Perhaps Congress and you can begin a discussion on whether the American troops abroad have created a safer United States and contributed to world peace. I say they havent.

While at it, begin to pare a bloated Pentagon budget. Imagine: You could initiate major steps toward a safer planet  an honorable legacy!

By the way, when planning more troop departures, at least speak to all the parties involved  friends and foes  before you act!

Eugene Novogrodsky, Brownsville

High-tech Congress

Congress, both houses, should implement televoting. Today, most companies conduct at least some of their business via the internet  teleconferencing, electronic signatures, online ordering and customer service, online banking and so on. It should be made possible for Congress to do business over the internet.

Members could and should spend more time in their home districts or states, so they would have a better handle on what their constituents actually think rather than what K Street thinks. Also there would be a savings on airfare and possibly on living costs, since the trips to D.C. could be far fewer and for much shorter times.

Another advantage is that we could add representatives to Congress. As it currently stands, those who live in small states have a more powerful vote in Congress than those who live in large states. For example, Wyoming has one representative for 580,000 people. Texas has 28 million folks and 36 representatives, so thats one representative for about every 777,778 folks. If we expanded the number of total representatives, then it would allow the same representation in every state.

Keep in mind that the president has used technology to allow him to conduct his job from anywhere in the world. We should at least put the legislative branch on a similar footing.

Susanne OBrien
There are many social and financial struggles for first-generation college students. When they arrive at the schools of their dreams, they are thousands of miles from friends and family.

Achieving the academic excellence that allows them to get accepted at top-tier schools is no easy task. Navigating the application can be a major obstacle course, but there are usually mentors, high school counselors and other administrators along the way to help ease the process.

But, once away from family and the network they have established at home, college students find themselves facing social and financial situations no one likely warned them about before they headed off to campus.

Express-News journalist Alia Malik tells a compelling story about the culture shock some college students face. The article featured Isaiah Guzman, 19, a sophomore at Columbia University in New York City.

He graduated from Travis Early College High School in the San Antonio Independent School District in 2017.

Guzmans experience is not unique. There are many other Bexar County students spread out across the country facing the same challenges. Teachers and administrators all know students who are facing the same types of struggles.

There are some efforts being made to provide these students some of the support they need long distance, but it could be better.

Malik reports that the SAISD Foundation has established a gap fund to help students struggling with unexpected emergencies such as winter coats, books and sometimes even the rent.

There are probably others similar funds that have been established by other entities, but it would be worthwhile if every district could have its own. And the Bexar County School Boards Coalition should put together a ready reference for students heading off to school addressing such issues.

Recent graduates would also benefit from having stronger high school alumni associations that match their members with underclassmen attending those schools. SAISD is already doing some of that.

Getting students college-ready has been the goal for decades. The successes are multiplying, but the effort has to be on ensuring they stay until completion.

Heres why: SAISD reports only half of the students who headed off to top-tier schools in 2012 had completed their degrees six years later.

Fixing adjustment problems isnt a panacea, but can help.
Russian space agency officials are demanding answers from NASA after their leaders invitation to Houston was rescinded last week.

We are still waiting for clarification on the current situation from the American agency through our established partner channels or from NASA representatives in Russia, Vladimir Ustimenko, a representative for the Russia state space corporation Roscosmos, told state-run news agency TASS on Sunday. So far even formal notifications about the cancellation of the official Russian visit have not been received yet.

NASA officials, many of whom are furloughed because of the federal government shutdown, did not respond to a request for comment.

Space agency Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Friday night revoked Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozins invitation to visit Houston  home of NASAs Johnson Space Center where the nations astronauts live and train  that was extended in October. Bridenstines announcement came just days after criticism over Rogozins visit grew from a quiet whisper to a steady roar.

We had heard from numerous senators suggesting that this was not a good idea and I wanted to be accommodating to the interest of the senators, Bridenstine told the Washington Post late Friday.

Rogozin, who previously served as Russias deputy prime minister, was banned from entering the United States after Moscow seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014. He also has a history of making racist and homophobic comments.

It was rumored that the meeting would take place at Rice University, Bridenstines alma-mater. But Rice officials said Wednesday they had no plans to bring Rogozin onto campus.

A good working relationship with Russia in space is vitally important, especially in the years after the Space Shuttle program was shuttered in 2011. Russia is the U.S.s primary partner on the International Space Station, which they began building in 1998 and NASA astronauts have relied on them for transportation to and from the orbiting laboratory since shuttled ended.

Tensions over this canceled meeting come as Russia tries to recover from two space station-related mishaps.

First, astronauts aboard the space station discovered an air leak-causing hole in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft attached to the space station in August. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory at the time, including NASAs Serena Aunon-Chancellor, were able to quickly patch the hole and there was no danger to the crew. Russia still is investigating the cause of the leak, though officials have said it was caused by an errant drill either on Earth or in space  a sabotage accusation that did not sit well with NASA personnel and astronauts alike.

Then in October, a different Soyuz carrying American astronaut Nick Hague to the orbiting laboratory was forced to abort its launch because of a rocket booster failure  the first time such an event had occurred in 35 years. Hague and his crewmate were safe and good condition. They will get a second chance to live on the space station in April.

Roscosmos officials told TASS on Saturday that the revoked invitation had not impacted cooperation on the International Space Station.

Work on the negotiating position of the state corporation on cooperation of the sides on the International Space Station program and other space programs has not been suspended as of yet, TASS reported.

But last week, Bridenstine told the Post that NASA will continue our strong working relationship with Russia as it relates to the International Space Station and sending our astronauts into space.

Alex Stuckey writes about NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.
The southbound lanes of Interstate 35 could remain closed until 3 p.m. on San Antonio's South Side after a woman smashed into an 18-wheeler.

The driver crashed into the big rig at about 1 p.m. near Fischer Road. Police said the 18-wheeler was stopped in traffic caused by another wreck further down the road, and the woman didn't apply her brakes quickly fast enough to avoid a collision.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office on Tuesday identified the 29-year-old man who police said was shot to death in the parking lot of a West Side apartment complex.

Scott Treiber was gunned down at about 12:50 a.m. at the Castleridge Apartments in the 8000 block of West Military Drive, officials said. Police said they found him dead in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds.
The American Legion Hall on the Southeast Side is available to rent for family or class reunions, baby showers and other celebrations. American Legion Post 375 is at 9608 S. Presa St. and offers air and heat, a kitchen, and ample parking in back of building. For information, contact Richard Holloway, post commander, 210-260-7317.

Mixed martial arts classes 6-8 p.m. Mondays, St. Michael Catholic Church hall, 418 Indiana St. Taught by Mike Ortiz, a mixed martial arts champion. Contact: 210-264-5291.

Masonic Anchor Lodge 424 meets 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 700 Hot Wells Blvd.

Bilingual Baby Time/La Hora del bebe bilingue 10:15-10:45 a.m. Wednesdays, Cortez Branch Library, 2803 Hunter Blvd. Rhythm, rhyme, and repetition of songs and stories. El ritmo, la rima y la repeticion de las canciones y los cuentos. For babies up to 18 months with their caregivers. Para bebes recien nacido hasta 18 meses con sus cuidadores.

12-step recovery group for compulsive overeaters Noon-1 p.m. Thursdays, Cresholme Presbyterian Church, 1602 Goliad Road (inside small building behind church). Free. Contact: 210-977-8379.

City Base Cancer Support Group 7 p.m. Thursdays, Brookhill Baptist Church, 631 Utopia Lane. Contact: Brenda Fox, 210-415-2830.

Cortez Chess Club 3:30-5:30 p.m. Fridays, Cortez Branch Library, 2803 Hunter Blvd. For beginners and experts. Chess sets provided or bring your own. Free. Contact: 210-207-9130.

Celebrate Recovery Fridays, Mayfield Park Church, 700 W. Hutchins Place. Free 12-step program for people struggling with hurts, hang-ups and habits. Meetings with meal 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Large group time 7:15 p.m.; smaller groups 8:15 p.m. Child care available. Contact: 210-923-2241.

Monthly Adult Computer Classes 6-7 p.m. second and fourth Tuesdays of month, Cortez Branch Library, 2803 Hunter Blvd. Classes cover computer and internet basics. Contact: 210-207-9130.

Free clothes closet 9 a.m.-noon, first Saturday of month Brookhill Baptist Church, 631 Utopia Lane. Free clothing distributed. Contact: 210-333-4947.

Trunk of Treasures 9 a.m.-2 p.m. first Saturday of month, St. Benedict Catholic Church, 4535 Lord Road. Cars with trunks open to sell garage-sale-type items line parking lot. $10 for parking slot to sell items; free admission to shop.

Wednesday, Jan. 9

Highland Park Neighborhood Association meets at 6:30 p.m. at Bode Community Center, 901 Rigsby Ave. There will be a presentation on major improvements to Pine and Greer streets. A representative from San Antonios Transportation & Capital Improvements Department will explain the timeline and scope of the project, which is intended to solve neighborhood drainage problems. Send an email to SA.hpna@gmail.com for more information.

Monday, Jan. 14

Villa Coronado Neighborhood Association meets at 6 p.m. Villa Coronado Park, 11030 Ruidosa.

Upcoming

Stroke Support Group meets on the third Thursday of every month at Southwest General Hospital, inside Classroom A, 7400 Barlite Blvd. Meetings are 2-3 p.m. Light refreshments served. The new group aims to support stroke survivors, their families and caregivers through educational sessions and interaction with other survivors and caregivers in the community. Guest speakers will present sessions related to stroke recovery during each meeting. To learn more or RSVP, call 1-877-215-9355 or visit www.southwestgeneralhospital.org and select Events and Classes from the main menu.

St. Peter Prince of Apostles School will hold its Open House on Jan. 27 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at 112 Marcia Place. The schools rigorous curriculum is for grades PreK-3 through eighth. The Learning Center (TLC) serves children from 18 months to 3 years and offers full or part-time enrollment. For more information, contact the school office at 210-824-3171 or visit the school.

Men in Mission Annual Sausage Dinner/Supper Jan. 30 Highland Park Lutheran Church, 705 Hammond Ave. Serving hours are 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4:30-7 p.m. Menu includes sausage, sauerkraut, green beans, potatoes and applesauce. Dessert and food-to-go plates available. Tickets $9 for adults; $5 for children under 10.

Harlandale High School Class of 1969 plans its 50th reunion on Oct. 19 at Embassy Suites, Brooks City Base. Organizers are updating their address books. Contact: Frank Garza, figarza@satx.rr.com, or Ann Franz (Fisher), cdcfranz@yahoo.com, with your information.

Burbank High School Class of 1969 is planning its 50th class reunion for Oct. 19. Contact: Pearl (Reyes) Montez, 210-422-0761 (cell), or Helen (Martinez) Aguirre, 210-885-7302 (cell).

Harlandale High School class of 1970 plans its 50th class reunion for October 2020. Organizers seek classmates. Contact: Robert Ramirez, 210-496-7687, or Jesus C. Vega or Yolanda Vasquez-Vega, 210-383-0613.

Compiled by Melissa Renteria

Send details and a phone number to mrenteria@express-news.net. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday before publication.
Teguh Inarsoyo smiles big as he picks up his golden Gibson Les Paul and strums his fingers through the strings, completely at peace when the gentle riffs sound off.

Taken from its place on a custom-built wall Teguh designed to hold more than a dozen of his most precious guitars, which range from a copper brown acoustic Taylor to an apple red electric Fender, the guitar he says is like a musical limb he doesnt want to live without.

The 60-year-old subsea engineer has amassed a wide collection of guitars - all different colors and sizes - estimated to be worth more than $50,000 inside his Katy home where hes lived with his wife, Yanti, since 2000.

But the most expensive guitar Teguh owns sits right outside his home in his backyard, exposed to the elements and can be seen using Google Earth: a 60-foot in-ground swimming pool modeled after the Gibson Les Paul 1960 Classic edition he loves.

READ ALSO: Study: Texas has largest homes in the country

We talked about it for almost two years and when we went to a pool builder, they offered us a regular pool, he says. We were like, No, thats not what we want.

True to form, the engineer drew up a plan to design the family swimming pool, which would entertain his wife, adolescent daughter and about a dozen neighborhood children for years to come.

Western Influences

Teguhs love for music and guitars is more than just an expensive hobby: Its a part of who he is.

As kids, Teguh and his siblings would string up wooden boxes and create makeshift instruments to use for playing music.

Anything that can could make a sound, wed make it, he said.

He was about 10 years old when he picked up his first real guitar - a no name acoustic that a family friend had left at his home in the village of Temanggung, Indonesia.

The guitar remained in his family until Teguh was a junior in high school, mainly because they were too poor to buy another, he said.

On Monday nights, his brothers and sister would head to the district office to watch television with other villagers. From 9 to 10 p.m., Teguh and his siblings would rock out to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. At 10 p.m., it was the Tom Jones hour.

They were the sounds of the western world that were for a time forbidden in his home country, as those with long hair, blue jeans and other western influences were jailed prior to the fall of Indonesias Communist Party in 1965.

Thats when we started getting guitars, western music, he recalled, adding that music brought joy into his household at a time when families were lucky if we could to get food every day.

The first guitar he bought with his own money was a Grand Suzuki in Jakarta, Indonesia. By that time, he and his two brothers were playing in an at-home band: he was on bass, while his brothers played drums and guitar.

Back then we liked the music, so we learned how to play, he said of his favorites Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, David Cassidy and the Rolling Stones. We just had to wait for when the radio played that song and then we would write it down, write it down.

Guitar-shaped pool

If Teguh had his way, he would have been a rock star, touring countries and playing the guitar to his hearts content. Instead, he went to a university in Jakarta and studied engineering.

READ ALSO: Beautiful San Antonio, Central Texas homes for sale that are in foreclosure

After a subsea project in Jakarta, Atlantic Richfield Company known as Arco transferred the engineer to the Houston area where he eventually bought a four-room, four-bath, nearly 4,000-square-foot home in Katy.

According to information from Houston Association of Realtors, Teguhs home, which was built in 1997 sits on a 17,665-square foot lot. The market value of the home has nearly doubled in the past five years, according to data from a 2017 Harris County Appraisal District report on the property.

Listed as an improvement is Teguhs gunite pool, which was built in 2010 and cost the family a total of $87,114.77.

Rick Hughes at Laguna Pools, the company responsible for constructing Teguhs 790-square-foot pool, said the familys pool was the most unusual pool hes ever helped design.

Mr. Inarsoyo sent me a picture of his Les Paul guitar and I scaled this up from that picture to get the shape, Hughes said.

Featuring LED light upgrades, bubbling jets and a spa at the end where the headstock on a guitar would be, the pool is 6 feet at its deep end and wide enough for two people two swim comfortably, side by side, according to a bid sheet from Laguna Pools.

michelle.iracheta@chron.com
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer and Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis will be the grand marshals of Houston's Martin Luther King Day Parade.

The grand marshals and the route of this years parade were announced by Mayor Sylvester Turner, who noted last July that the 40-year-old tribute begun by the Black Heritage Society would become an official city event. The downtown parade will be Jan. 21 on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Lewis, of Georgia, marched with King and about 600 others through Selma, Alabama in 1965, after which he and others were attacked by white state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, an event that came to be known as Bloody Sunday.

At a Monday press conference, Turner said the parade will "unite people from different faiths and cultures" as a "new tradition in honor of (King's) life and legacy."

The parade route will begin at 10 a.m. in front of City Hall, move to Louisiana where participants will march a six-block loop between Bell and Walker before ending at Lamar and Smith around noon.

Turner and others also dedicated this year's parade to Ovide Duncantell, the longtime Houston civil rights activist and founder of the Black Heritage Society. Duncantell died in November at 82.

"Ovide, this one is for you," Turner said.

Sylvester Brown, chief operating Officer of the Black Heritage Society, echoed that sentiment and noted that Houston's MLK parade began five years before the bill making Kings birthday a federal holiday was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.

"For 41 years, he fought to get to this point," Brown said of Duncantell. "...This has been a long time coming."

Duncantell began the societys annual MLK parade in 1978, by some accounts the first such parade in the country.

Since 1995, a second group launched by a former Black Heritage Society volunteer has put on a competing parade and schedule of events known as the MLK Grande Parade.

The result was an annual competition as both groups jockeyed for parade permits and participants, as well as repeated accusations between the two groups founders that the other was profiteering on parade proceeds. The rancor and dueling events prompted repeated calls from civic leaders over the years for the two groups to unite for a single MLK parade.

The groups unsuccessfully tried to unite for a joint parade in 2005.

Frustrated by the competing events that asked Houstonians to divide their time between two parades, Turner last year put the citys backing behind the Black Heritage Societys parade. He said at the time that choosing between two events may have kept some from attending, and that the competing parades was also a waste of resources.

robert.downen@chron.com

twitter.com/RobDownenChron
Police shot an armed man Tuesday morning at a southwest Houston hotel, where he earlier had holed up, then fled and tried to re-enter, authorities said.

The man had ignored several commands to drop his weapon when he was shot outside the Comfort Inn and Suites along the Southwest Freeway near Beltway 8, said Houston Police Department Executive Assistant Chief Troy Finner.

The man was taken to an area hospital, where he remains in critical condition, police said late Tuesday. No officers were injured.

Officers went to the hotel around 9:30 a.m. after a guest called 911, saying a man with a gun was in the hotel parking lot.

Two officers responded but were initially unable to find the man in the parking lot, Finner said.

The hotel's manager flagged down the officers and told them the man was holed up inside a restroom inside the guest area, Finner said.

The officers approached the restroom and tried to lure the man out. He bolted through the door, fleeing out of the hotel past the officers and onto the feeder road, Finner said.

The officers gave chase, demanding that he drop his handgun before finding him allegedly trying to break into the hotel's secured guest entrance on the south side of the building, Finner said.

They again ordered that he drop the gun, but he refused, Finner said.

Both officers opened fire, striking the man at least once. He immediately collapsed, and the officers, assisted by a Texas DPS trooper who was nearby, started first aid.

Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department rushed the man to an area hospital in critical condition.

"When you give a suspect commands, one after another, and use all the restraint you can, I don't expect my officers to wait until a suspect shoots them," Finner said. "It's very sad when we have to use deadly force, but today they used all the restraint that I expected them to do."

Detectives are still trying to determine what the man was doing at the hotel. Finner said hotel management told detectives that he was not a guest and that they did not recognize him.

He was only identified as a man in his mid-20s.

Finner did not know how many times the man was shot or what part of his body was shot.

The officers were identified as Senior Police Officer Steven Deroam, a 16-year veteran, and Officer George Craig, a six-year veteran.

Both were shaken up after opening fire, Finner said.

"There is emotional pull and stress on an officer who has to shoot someone," Finner said. "I'm very proud of the restraint they used. It just got to a point where they had to use deadly force."

The Harris County District Attorney's Office as well as the Houston Police Department's Special Investigations Unit and Internal Affairs Unit are investigating the shooting.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
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.
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Seven men have been killed in a shooting attack at a bar in Mexico's Caribbean coast resort city of Playa del Carmen, authorities said Monday.

State and local police said the attack occurred late Sunday at the "Las Virginias" bar in a low-income section relatively far from the beachside tourist zone. Six men were found shot to death in the bar, and another died at a local hospital.

One man was wounded but survived the attack. He told police he was drinking beer with friends when gunshots broke out. The attackers have not yet been identified.

READ ALSO: 28 Texas DPS most wanted fugitives captured in 2018, including 4 along the Texas-Mexico border

Playa del Carmen is located on the coast facing the island of Cozumel, Mexico's leading cruise ship destination. Once a quiet fishing and ferry town, Playa del Carmen has grown exponentially in the last two decades, with lower-income neighborhoods springing up on the inland side of the coastal highway.

The resort is midway between Cancun, to the north, and Tulum, to the south, in the coastal state of Quintana Roo, which has seen homicides more than double in the last year, with 688 killings in the first 11 months of 2018, compared to 322 in the same period of 2017. At that rate, Quintana Roo could end 2018 with a homicide rate of about 50 per 100,000, on a par with El Salvador.

The Caribbean coast  especially Cancun and the area south known as the "Riviera Maya"  had long been largely spared the drug violence affecting other areas, but that no longer appears to be the case. Local sources report that the feared Jalisco cartel has moved into the region, disputing control with local gangs.

In September, two Mexican marines were found stabbed to death in Cancun. In a single day in August, police found eight bodies strewn on the streets of Cancun.

In January 2017, gunmen attacked the state prosecutors' office in Cancun, killing four people. A day before that, a shooting at a music festival in Playa del Carmen left three foreigners and two Mexicans dead.

RELATED: Shootout claims lives of Mexican marine, 2 gunmen near Nuevo Laredo

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a brief travel warning for Playa del Carmen in March. A February 2018 blast on a ferry apparently caused by an explosive device injured 26 people, including several American citizens.

That has sparked fears that the Caribbean resorts could come to resemble the faded Pacific coast resort of Acapulco. The bloody violence in Acapulco that flared in 2006 eventually earned it a level-four "do not travel" warning from the U.S. Department of State.

Still, violence in Playa del Carmen is still far from Acapulco levels. In 2017, Acapulco had a homicide rate of 103 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the highest in Mexico and the world.
MELBOURNE, Australia - Authorities in Queensland, Australia, were forced to close beaches across the region over the weekend, amid what local officials said was a jellyfish "epidemic." More than 13,000 stings were recorded in Queensland alone last week, with more than 2,500 people seeking treatment over the weekend, according to rescue organizations.

While the vast majority of those stings are not life-threatening and were caused by so-called bluebottle colonies, researchers say that the number of more serious injuries from less common jellyfish is also at above average levels.

Some researchers also say this jellyfish infestation could be one more thing to blame on climate change.

"Unlike other species, jellyfish are stimulated by just about any change to the ecosystem. So, it's reasonable to say that the jellyfish might potentially be responding to the warmer-than-usual weather," said marine life researcher Lisa Gershwin, who works with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, which is Australia's national science agency.

While researchers are still examining how much recent heat waves may have contributed to the current jellyfish bloom off Australia's coasts, they can already say with certainty how they got to the beaches: strong and unusual winds pushing toward Queensland.

Gershwin and other scientists say that the surge in stings is unlikely to be coincidental. "Jellyfish are demanding our attention right now and we should be giving it to them. Those stings are an indication that something is wrong with our oceans - and we're silly that we're not listening," said Gershwin.

While some scientists have been more careful about linking climate change and jellyfish blooms, given a lack of long-term data so far, most researchers agree that jellyfish populations respond positively to a number of human-induced changes, including pollution, overfishing and warmer water. "All of this takes out their predators and competitors, so they're the 'last men standing,'" said Gershwin.

For some less common species, that's also true for any contact with humans. While a so-called Irukandji variety of jellyfish can cause hours-long body pain and potential strokes, the number of actual deaths is relatively low. By 2017, there had only been two recorded fatalities in Queensland, according to the Department of Health there. Far more dangerous are box jellyfish, which have caused over 70 fatalities across Australia.

Even though there is no definite way to predict future fatalities caused by jellyfish blooms, Australian researchers are concerned that the numbers could rise significantly.

Australian environmental activists say that their own government shares some of the blame, pointing at the lack of a coordinated effort to target plastic pollution in the waters around the Australian coastline, for example. In October, the conservative governing party faced additional criticism after it rejected calls to abandon coal power by 2050.

While Australia's current government does not appear in a rush to tackle some of those factors, other nations like China have a far bigger carbon and plastic waste footprint and it's unlikely that this will change any time soon. Combined, that makes for some pessimistic predictions.

"(Jellyfish) are bad for the environment; they're bad for humans. Having more jellyfish isn't something good - but I'd say we're on track to that," said researcher Gershwin.
When the police officer sped into the small-coin laundromat located on a quiet intersection in Wausau, Wisconsin, the mother's worst nightmare was already unfolding inside.

According to a criminal complaint later filed in state court, the officer arrived as the unidentified woman frantically worked at the small chest of her 2-month-old baby boy lying on a table. The child was motionless, his skin cold, his mouth clenched shut. The baby's legs were rigidly bent at the knees, frozen into the position they had been in his car seat just before the mother realized her son was no longer drawing air.

More for you News A cigarette butt and an old scrap of paper leads to an...

As the mother would later tell investigators, only minutes before coming to the laundromat last October, she had picked the child up from a babysitter named Marissa Tietsort. A 28-year-old mother of five then pregnant with her sixth child, Tietsort had handed the baby over to his mother already snapped into his car seat, seemingly asleep. But now the child was dead.

"You killed my sister's . . . baby," the mother's sister texted Tietsort within minutes of the police arriving at the laundromat.

Hours later, police reached Tietsort, who admitted she knew the child had died in her care but did not know how or why. Instead of calling for help, Tietsort said she bundled up the boy in his winter clothing, pulled a hat over his eyes, snapped him into his car seat, and later returned the boy over to the mother without telling her the child was already dead.

The coroner's report, however, would paint a much uglier and more violent picture of the child's death.

Last Friday, Tietsort was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, the Wausau Daily Herald reported. As Tietsort made her first appearance in the courtroom last week, friends and family members of the deceased boy filled the courtroom wearing shirts featuring his picture.

The child's alleged murder, however, was made all the more shocking when the state revealed this is not the first time Tietsort has been accused of hurting children in her care.

Tietsort has been in police custody since October. Although she has yet to enter a plea in the murder case, she did defend herself in a recent letter sent to the judge in her case.

"I'm not a threat to society or a monster," she wrote, according to the Daily Herald. "I'm a great mom and I love everybody."

According to the criminal complaint, between 3:30 and 4 p.m. on Oct. 18, 2018, the mother dropped off her 2-month-old and her other young child at Tietsort's home.

She was the only adult at the house at that time. Around 6 p.m., the mother received a strange text message from Tietsort: the babysitter said a local news site had posted a story on child abuse charges that had been filed against her. She was not supposed to be alone around children, Tietsort told the mother, so the babysitter asked the mother not to tell anyone she was watching the kids.

Following the baby's death, when investigators interviewed Tietsort, she claimed the 2-month-old had died before her boyfriend returned home around 6:30 p.m. The criminal complaint does not state whether she offered any explanation for how the child died.

"She stated that Victim felt cold and she knew he was dead," the criminal complaint stated. "She said she did not check for a pulse, she did not reach out for help and she did not perform any resuscitation efforts. Tietsort admitted that she put the Victim's lifeless body on the floor in the hallway of her home, grabbed his snowsuit from the car seat, dressed him in the snowsuit and then placed his body in the car seat with his blankets."

When Tietsort's boyfriend returned around 6:30 p.m., she did not tell him about the death. Instead, she loaded up the deceased baby in his car seat, the baby's brother, and her own child into the car. Tietsort and her boyfriend drove to McDonald's, where they ate, the criminal complaint said.

When the baby's mother returned to pick the child up at 9:20 p.m., Tietsort again allegedly stayed silent, allowing the mother to assume the baby was simply asleep. Once the mother arrived at the laundromat, she realized the child was not breathing.

When a forensic pathologist performed an autopsy on the child, the evidence countered Tietsort's account.

The baby "had at least three separate blunt force injuries to his head," according to the criminal complaint. The child's tailbone had also been broken off, "indicating a significant amount of force was used." The rigor mortis that set in on the baby's legs - bent at the knees from sitting in the car seat - indicated the child was murdered at least two hours before police were called to the laundry, the complaint stated.

Tietsort's past run-ins with police and child service agencies allegedly point to a pattern of abuse.

Weeks before the 2-month-old's death, she was babysitting an 11-month-old. Tietsort told that child's mother the baby had fallen off a couch and injured her face, according to WSAW-TV. Doctors, however, said that the injuries could not have happened from a fall such as Tietsort described. Felony charges were filed against Tietsort in October - the same charges she alerted the 2-month-old's mother to on the night of the baby's death.

A year earlier, a 3-month-old child Tietsort was babysitting was also injured in her care, suffering a skull fracture. According to the Daily Herald, she was not charged in the case.

In 2010, her then-boyfriend filed a temporary restraining order against Tietsort for allegedly abusing their two sons. The newspaper reported social workers removed Tietsort's four children from her home. But state workers did not know she'd had a fifth child, or that she was now pregnant with a sixth baby.

She is currently being held on a $500,000 bond. She is due back in court on Jan. 18.
For just $3.6 million, a 100-acre ranch outfitted with a sleek "barndominium" can be yours.

Located at 19220 Farm Market 442 Road in Needville, the estate is currently on the market and boasts multiple properties in addition to the barndominium. Only 45 minutes from downtown, the scenic ranch will transport you into what must feel like true the Texas countryside.
The Fort Bend County Fair is giving back through its scholarship program and now is the time to apply. The opportunity to earn a fair scholarship is open to a range of qualifying students.

The fair will provide $4,000 scholarships to 50 Fort Bend County students. Since 1979, the Fort Bend County Fair has given 871 scholarships to county youth. The deadline to submit a scholarship application is Friday, Feb. 15, 2019. In addition, three fair queen scholarships will be awarded.

Justin Bronsell, a 2018 scholarship recipient, is attending his first semester at Blinn College. Bronsell is thankful for the fair scholarship and said, It is a real relief to help financially. College can be overwhelming, but I know I can concentrate on my classes and continue to work toward my dream of owning my own fabrication shop." Bronsell is working toward a welding technology degree and passed all his first semester classes.

The proceeds from the 2018 Fort Bend County Fair and the Fort Bend County Fair Life Membership Fund provide the necessary monies to allocate the scholarships. The scholarships are divided into different divisions depending on the applicants fair involvement and their field of study.

Eligible candidates are required to submit their completed scholarship application by the February deadline. Applicants, parents, and school counselors are urged to review the guidelines and rules carefully. Students wanting to apply for a fair scholarship must meet certain requirements: They must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Fort Bend County or zoned to a school in Fort Bend County; be a high school senior and graduate by the spring semester of 2019.

Get your applications in; this is an extraordinary opportunity for all high school seniors. Last year we had the largest number of applicants and we are proud to be able to give back through our scholarship program, said Cindy Schmidt, Fort Bend County Fair manager.

Selection of the recipient will be based on several qualifications including: scholastic standing, leadership, citizenship, need and fair participation. During the application process, candidates will

declare what type of scholarship they will be applying for. Restrictive, Non-Restrictive, Open, Vocational, or Art Scholarships are some of the classifications options that candidates will have to choose.

For more information on the 2019 scholarship rules and application, visit the Fairs website: fortbendcountyfair.com or call the fair office at 281-342-6171.
Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosens office is asking the public for help in locating a pair of suspects in a carjacking case.

The incident occurred about 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, in the 5800 block of West Gulf Bank. The two suspects approached a female victim as she arrived at her home. The men were wearing ski masks and held the victim at gunpoint and knifepoint.
Residents turning up to demand the resignation of the superintendent, students protesting cuts to the high school English department, Scotland Elementary School parents calling for their school principal to be fired, petitions pushing for a vote to rescind later start times  the biweekly Board of Education meetings have been a raucous place the past year.

Concerned about the rise of frustration and misinformation among its constituents, the board is reviving its outreach committee.

The board previously had an outreach committee under the superintendency of Deborah Low, who retired in 2015.

The four-member committee, which still needs to schedule its first meeting, will be chaired by Carina Borgia-Drake. Kathleen Holz, Sharon DOrso, and Tracey OConnor will also sit on the committee.

Board Chairwoman Margaret Stamatis said she thinks the outreach group enables a two-way conversation with members of the public.

Thats a change from the boards typical process.

Most board meetings have a designated time, before the meeting gets underway, for anyone to comment. Speakers are limited to three minutes, but the board does not generally respond to specific issues or questions raised by the public.

Stamatis said that while the committee is not being brought back in response to any one issue, events over the past year make it clear to us that there are rifts in the community and frustration and lots of misinformation.

Part of this about the rift is bigger than the Board of Ed, she added.

The community is divided over other issues, as well, Stamatis pointed out  including whether or not the Planning and Zoning Commission should allow the construction of a private skating club on Peaceable Street.

Social media, as we know, is difficult but we have to figure out how to live with it. We know people take little pieces of information and they spin their own narratives  fake news, said Stamatis.

The hope is that the board will be able to improve the dialogue with residents so they dont feel like they have to make their own narrative because they can come to get the right information from the right sources, said Stamatis.

The problem of issues spreading like wildfire on social media has also vexed the selectmen.

In August, the Board of Selectmen hired Emily Pambianchi, of Social Graces Communications, to oversee social media communications for the town  a role that includes social listening, to see if any particular issues have gathered negative sentiments from residents.

The news quickly drew the ire of several residents on Facebook, who said they were concerned that the town would be paying someone to monitor and correct peoples opinions online.

First Selectman Rudy Marconi said the town plans to keep Pambianchi in place.

In her acceptance speech as board chair, Stamatis said she also wants to bring civility back into discussions in the community.

She echoed the sentiments of other public officials.

Marconi recently said he intends to bring more awareness to the issue of compassion.

Part of the committees task will also be improving communications with other boards and town agencies.

We may not always agree, but we can be respectful of our differences, Stamatis said.

She pointed to a recent decision to form a committee with representatives from three boards  the Board of Education, Board of Selectmen, and Board of Finance  to look at the infrastructure needs of the schools as one success.

The incoming superintendent, Dr. William Collins, is also aware of the frustrations expressed by parents and residents over the past year.

In a recent interview, Collins said he is considering restarting a monthly TV program dubbed After the Bell, broadcast on local channels while he was superintendent of Newington public schools. The program, which was produced by students at the high school, had a number for residents to call in questions on-air.

Absent anything else people will begin to believe whats on Facebook, said Collins. You can ignore it  which, tried that, that doesnt work  because it just gets bigger and bigger.

Im certainly not going to get a Facebook account and go on Facebook and start talking to people. Thats something I cant do, thats dangerous, he added. What I have done in the past is I put out FAQs on some of the more ridiculous things that people may start to believe straight from the horses mouth, so to speak.
One of Texas State University's most-recent graduates isn't naming any names, but is having a good laugh at the bakers who botched the Bobcats-themed cake she ordered for her graduation party.

"PLEASE look at this cake we got for my #txst graduation party," Lucero Ibarra said in a now-viral tweet showing the half-sheet vanilla and buttercream dessert she bought for the Jan. 5 get-together to celebrate her December accomplishment.

Centered in the middle of the white frosting is a silhouette of what was supposed to be Boko the Bobcat, the school's mascot, but instead looked like what some online commenters compared to a "chupacabra" or Pumba from the "Lion King" movie.

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Ibarra declined to identify the Liberty grocery store she ordered the cake from and she said she didn't complain about her purchase. She said when her mom showed the workers the cake a few days prior, they said they had never heard of the San Marcos university.

"They're little old ladies who have only written 'happy birthday' on cakes for years, so I'm not going to complain about the bobcat," she said.

Despite the odd-looking mascot, endearingly named "Bob Bob," the 22-year-old said the cake was a hit and provided a few good laughs within her friend group and family.

"We tore through that cake," she said, adding that she thought "Bob Bob" looked like a screaming goat.

RELATED: San Antonio's UTSA love story that started at H-E-B ends up on 'Good Morning America'

Online strangers tore apart the attempt to create a Bobcat head. Ibarra's tweet has garnered more than 19,000 likes and 3,000 retweets.

Ibarra, who graduated with mass communications degree, joked that producing her first piece of viral content is the start of her career in the field.

Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com |@MaddySkye
More than 100 restaurants, coffee shops and cafes throughout San Antonio had perfect health inspection scores in the last month of 2018.

Several chain restaurants  like Whataburger, Chipotle, Shipley Do-Nuts and Pizza Hut  had more than one establishment in the Alamo City receive perfect marks in December.
Sun Country Airlines, a Minnesota-based low-cost carrier, will enter the San Antonio market later this year with nonstop flights to Portland and the Minneapolis area, officials said Tuesday.

The airline will launch two nonstop routes flying four times a week from the San Antonio airfield to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Portland International Airport in May and June, respectively. One-way tickets start at $89.

Were excited to provide new low cost air service to San Antonio residents and to bring more visitors to the Alamo City, Ted Botimer, Sun Country chief commercial officer, said in a statement. Our focus on low fares and great customer service will be a great fit in this market, and we look forward to our continued partnership with the San Antonio Aviation Department.

RELATED: San Antonio airport lands new nonstop flight to New York

Delta Air Lines currently offers nonstop service from San Antonio International to Minneapolis-St. Paul International, according to the airports website. The San Antonio airport did not previously have a nonstop flight to Portland.

San Antonio aviation officials have more aggressively courted nonstop flights in recent years. The airport has added three carriers and 35 flights since 2016, officials said, and now provides nonstop routes to 54 cities. Last week, Alaska Airlines announced a twice-daily nonstop flight to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that will launch in July.

RELATED: New $25 million development coming to San Antonio airport

And San Antonio International has experienced 27 straight months of passenger growth. About 9.2 million travelers flew out of or landed at the airport in the 11-month period ended Nov. 30  up 10.7 percent from nearly 8.3 million passengers during the same period in 2017.

In addition to San Antonio International, Sun Country announced it is expanding to Washington Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago OHare International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Sacramento International Airport and T.F. Green Airport International Airport in Rhode Island.

Joshua Fechter is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering real estate, economic development and philanthropy. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports
Saudi Arabia is reportedly eyeing an investment in U.S. liquefied natural gas, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday citing unnamed sources.

Saudi Aramco, the kingdom's oil company, apparently has a shortlist of at least four U.S. LNG projects and expects to announce a deal in the first six months of the year, sources told the Journal.

A deal would be a major milestone for the burgeoning U.S. liquefied natural gas industry and mark a major shift in energy flows between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

Two of the projects reportedly on the shortlist include Houston-based Tellurian Inc.'s terminal in Louisiana and San Diego-based Sempra Energy's project in Port Arthur, Texas, the Journal reported.

Aramco already has a massive presence in Port Arthur through its ownership of Motiva, the largest oil refinery in the U.S.

Sempra Energy said in a comment to the Chronicle that it has had "strong interest in Port Arthur LNG from global LNG buyers and investors but can't comment on any commercial discussions." The company is developing three LNG projects in the U.S. and Mexico and says it will become one of the largest exporters of LNG from North America.

Tellurian Inc. said it could not comment on commercial matters.

Other than Tellurian Inc.'s Driftwood project in Lake Charles, it's not clear whether other Lake Charles developers are in the running on Aramco's shortlist too.

A spokesperson for LNG Limited, which is developing Magnolia LNG in Lake Charles, said the company receives interest from global investors but the company can't comment on any" specific ongoing commercial discussions." The Australian-owned company operates out of Houston.

Several other LNG projects are proposed in Brownsville, including NextDecade which said "we do not discuss ongoing commercial negotiations."

This story is developing.
ATLANTA - As President Donald Trump digs in on the shutdown and insists "we have to build the wall," three economists are trying to warn him that the benefits from a wall along the southern border do not outweigh the costs.

The economists found that for every 19 cents the government has spent building walls or fences on the border, the economy has declined and low-income U.S. workers have gained only a cent of extra income. Adding more walls, as Trump wants, appears unlikely to change the poor return on investment.

The U.S. border with Mexico is about 2,000 miles long, and a third of it (700 miles) has a wall or fence. Economists Treb Allen of Dartmouth College and Caue Dobbin and Melanie Morten of Stanford University modeled what would happen if Trump were able to cover two-thirds of the border (1,300 miles) with some sort of wall.

Their conclusion? It would hurt the U.S. economy because there would be fewer workers and lower output. It would also have a tiny impact on illegal immigration, and U.S. workers wouldn't be better off.

"Our research shows that building a wall was an ineffective way of reducing migration," Allen said after presenting the new research paper this weekend at the American Economic Association conference. "It was expensive to build, and it harmed U.S. workers."

Expanding the wall would reduce the number of Mexican workers in the United States by 144,000 - about 1 percent - the economists found after extensive modeling and data analysis.

Trump has proposed spending at least $5 billion - about $15 per American - to extend the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. The economists found that the incomes of low-skilled workers without college degrees would increase by only 58 cents a year, far less than the cost per American to build the wall. Incomes of higher-skilled workers would fall by $7.60.

"This is a bad investment," Allen said.

On top of the cost to build the wall, the U.S. economy would lose more than $4 billion a year, the economists calculated, meaning the country would forfeit nearly $30,000 in lost economic output for each Mexican migrant the wall stops.

It's difficult to model the economic impact of a border wall. These researchers were able to do it because of two factors - special migration data they obtained from the Mexican government and the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which triggered the construction of walls and fences along 548 miles of the border between 2007 and 2010.

Mexicans living in the United States can apply for a "matricula consular" ID card from the Mexican Embassy or a consulate. This government ID can be used to open bank accounts or obtain a cellphone. They are popular with Mexicans living without documentation in the United States and are considered the best indication of how many Mexicans are in the country without proper paperwork. The IDs also list the exact location in Mexico where a person was born, allowing researchers to get a sense of how they probably migrated.

The Secure Fence Act - which Sens. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer voted for - was a large expansion of barriers and checkpoints at the border that cost $2.3 billion (or $7 per person in the United States).

The economists looked at the impact of that expansion on migration, jobs and the U.S. economy by comparing the data in 2006 and 2010. It was tricky because the Great Recession hit during that period, which played a large role in reducing illegal immigration into the United States because so few jobs were available, but the economists used a sophisticated model to split out the effects of the downturn from the wall.

The Secure Fence Act resulted in a 0.6 percent decline in migration (about 83,000 fewer Mexican workers), the economists found.

Low-skilled U.S. workers without a college degree benefited a "tiny" amount - 36 cents a year in additional income - from having fewer low-skilled Mexican workers to compete with.

"This paltry effect turns out to be the largest positive benefit of the Secure Fence Act, as all other groups of workers were harmed," the researchers wrote in their paper.

Perhaps not surprisingly, employees with a high school degree or less who live near the border in Arizona and California were the ones who benefited the most from walls and fencing, but even they saw their incomes improve by just over $7 - about the cost per American to erect the wall.

Workers with college degrees lost $4.35, Allen, Dobbin and Morten calculated, and the overall economy declined by $2.5 billion.

"This suggests that for each fewer migrant in the United States as a result of the Secure Fence Act, GDP declined by $30,000 (in addition to the direct costs of wall construction)," the economists wrote.

Trump insists a bigger wall is necessary not just to stop undocumented immigrants from taking U.S. jobs but for security reasons. He argues that many migrants are criminals and terrorists, which is not backed up by data.
Larry Woodruffe, the alleged gunman in an early morning drive-by shooting that killed 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes on Dec. 30, was charged Tuesday with capital murder, authorities said. The charges were filed the same day that hundreds attended a public funeral for the young girl at a Houston church.

Woodruffe, 24, has been in the Harris County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail since Saturday when he was arrested for possession of drugs during a traffic stop. Woodruffe, a documented member of the street gang the Five Deuce Hoover Crips, faces the same level of culpability as the suspected driver, 20-year-old Eric Black Jr., who was charged over the weekend and appeared in court Monday.

"We expect the hard work by investigators and prosecutors will lead to the convictions of Larry Woodruffe and Eric Black Jr. for the meaningless murder of this young child." First Assistant Harris County District Attorney Tom Berg said. "Proof in a criminal case is beyond a reasonable doubt, and this requires professional investigation and scientific evidence."

In court records filed Tuesday prosecutors argued that Woodruffe, a former janitor and father of three, should be held without bail because of a lengthy criminal record including a felony conviction for domestic violence and one for unlawful possession of a firearm.

Both Jazmine Barnes, a second grader at Monahan Elementary in Sheldon ISD, and her mother were hit by gunfire in what prosecutors say was an unprovoked shooting in which at least eight shots were fired. Woodruffe and Black mistook the car driven by Jazmine's mother for a vehicle with a group of people they had been in an altercation hours earlier, prosecutors said.

Last year, Woodruffe pleaded guilty to the state jail felony of illegally having a gun in exchange for nine months behind bars. That was after he was sentenced to two years in prison in 2017 for choking and biting his girlfriend while brandishing a gun, according to court records.

Woodruffe is expected in court this week where a judge will likely order him held without bail, which is typical in capital murder cases in Harris County

LAID TO REST: Services for Jazmine Barnes begin at north Houston church

On Monday, state District Judge Nikita Harmon ordered that Black be held without bail on a charge of capital murder.

The charges cap more than a week of speculation and nartionwide coaster outrage after Barnes was killed in the early morning hours of Dec. 30 as she rode in the back seat of her mother's car with two older sisters.

Extended coverage: Services for Jazmine Barnes begin at north Houston church

Witnesses, including Jazmine's family, who are black, originally said they were shot at by a white man in a red pickup, raising concerns of a hate crime.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has said video surveillance shows that a truck was near the car and was likely the last thing the family saw before the gunfire erupted.

"Jazmine was an innocent bystander," Assistant Harris County District Attorney Samantha Knecht said after Black's arraignment on Monday.

Knecht said Black consented to a search of his home, where police found a semi-automatic pistol they believe to be the murder weapon.

Over the weekend, police were on the lookout for Black and Woodruffe after an anonymous tip came in and arrested both during traffic stops in which police officers found drugs.

Black was alone when he was arrested during the traffic stop after officers say they found marijuana in the car. Under Texas law, any party connected to the intentional death of a child under 10 can be charged with capital murder.

ANSWERED: Your questions about the Jazmine Barnes murder case, answered

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has said video surveillance shows that a truck was near the car and was likely the last thing the family saw before the gunfire erupted.

Jazmine was an innocent bystander, Assistant Harris County District Attorney Samantha Knecht said after Blacks arraignment on Monday.

Knecht said Black consented to a search of his home, where police found a semi-automatic pistol they believe to be the murder weapon.

Over the weekend, police were on the lookout for Black and Woodruffe after an anonymous tip came in and arrested both during traffic stops in which police officers found drugs.

Black was alone when he was arrested during the traffic stop. Investigators said he was arrested after they found marijuana in the car. Under Texas law, any party connected to the intentional death of a child under 10 can be charged with capital murder. If convicted, Black could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty. The decision to seek death is generally made months after an arrest.
Washington Street Structure Fire View Photos

Update at 7:10am: The Sonora Police Department says Washington Street/Highway 49 is back open in both directions near the structure fire in the 300 block of North Washington Street. Crews continue to work to fully extinguish the fire so be prepared for activity there and drive with caution. Officials are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Update at 6:50am: The Sonora Police Department reports that North Washington Street is closed in both directions due to the structure fire in the 300 block. Snell Street can be utilized to access Sonora High School. Small cars heading between Columbia and Sonora are utilizing Columbia Way to Stewart Street, however, large trucks are not able to pass through that area. You will want to continue to avoid the area if possible.

Original story at 6:40am: Sonora, CA  There is a structure in Sonora in the 300 block of North Washington Street.

Multiple fire crews are arriving on scene so be prepared for activity in the area. Flames were coming from the structure when the first responders arrived. Well pass along more information when it becomes available.
Gavin Newsom and family celebrate election victory View Photos

Sacramento, CA  California officially has a new Governor as Gavin Newsom was given the oath of office on the first day of the legislative session.

He was sworn into office with his wife and children standing nearby. Afterwards he commented, Peoples lives, freedoms, security, the water they drink, and the air we breathe, all hang in the balance. The country is watching us, the world is waiting on us, and the future depends on usand we will seize the moment.

Newsom replaces the termed out Governor Jerry Brown. He indicated that healthcare, the environment and natural disasters will be among the big issues of discussion on tap during the coming weeks.

The Senate Republican leader, Patricia Bates, has a released a statement reading, California Senate Republicans are committed to working with Governor Newsom to protect essential state services, expand employment and job creating opportunities to all Californians, and ensure that our state is able to pay its financial obligations through a balanced budget.

Governor Brown, meanwhile, has stated he will leave Sacramento to now reside on his ranch property in Colusa County.
Strikes work, it is a very ...
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 of 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 a gallon, George W. Bush was about as popular as Donald Trump is today. And in 2007, as we all remember, Pelosis 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 didnt work out as planned, and America returned, in much smaller numbers, in 2014. The history of Nancy Pelosis tenure as speaker is a reminder of the limitations and tenuousness of political victories (and defeats).

I suspect Pelosi is aware of this lesson. I doubt her caucus is. More than a quarter of them are freshmen, many are young, and two are self-avowed democratic socialists. They are inclined to believe history began when Barack Obama entered Mile High Stadium in Denver. Its an impression encouraged by cable news, which spent the run up to Pelosis investiture celebrating the youth, diversity, and ambition of the House Democratic freshmen. And yet, for all the talk of Alison Spanberger and the Badass Caucus, of how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib arent going to take no for an answer, of grand plans for a Green New Deal and Medicare for All, there remains the inescapable reality of power. Democrats dont really have it. Indeed, they have even less than the last time Pelosi became speaker.

Yes, they can fire their subpoena cannon at the White House. They can interrogate cabinet officials, subpoena Jared and Ivanka, leak scoops to reporters, maybe force a cabinet official or two to resign, if any are left. When Mueller delivers his findings, they could begin impeachment proceedings. But impeachment, like progressive legislation, wont get far. A decade ago the House could pass bills and hope that Harry Reid would persuade his Democratic Senate majority to support them. All Pelosi had to worry about was President Bushs veto. Now, Pelosi has to deal with Mitch McConnells Republican Senate even before her policies reach Donald Trump.

Shes in the same situation as John Boehner, who became speaker after the tea party election in 2010. No one envied Boehner.

The main product of the Tea Party Congress (2011-13) was frustration. Votes to repeal Obamacare went nowhere. Negotiations over a rise in the debt ceiling produced a fiscal sequester that hardly anyone liked. Through it all, Boehner faced sniping from within his party by newcomers short on experience but long on ideological zeal. It so wore him down that he resigned his post in 2015. His replacements tenure was even briefer.

Pelosis not the resigning type. But dont pretend that she will emerge from this trial unscathed. Republican control of the Senate is but the first difference between the 116th and 110th Congresses. The second is within the Democratic Party itself. Not only must Pelosi balance the progressives against members from swing districts. She has to manage her comrades during a rowdy and unpredictable presidential primary. Hillary fighting Obama was nothing compared to the coming rumble. Already Bernie is leaking against Beto, Warren is downing beers on Instagram, and someone reminded the New York Times of accusations of sexual harassment within Bernies campaign. Were headed for disaster, frets Michael Tomasky.

Very soon news from the trail will overtake the goings-on in Congress. House Democrats wont just have trouble changing laws. They also will have difficulty promoting their message. Especially considering the third and greatest difference between 2007 and 2019: the presence of Donald Trump. Theres no evidence that Pelosi has any better an idea of how to deal with him than her predecessors. Whenever Trump focuses his attention on reelection, and sets the agenda of cable news coverage by attacking his rivals on Twitter, Pelosi will be less than powerless. She will be irrelevant.

The partial government shutdown is a prelude to an unpredictable two years of conflict, deadlock, breakdown, acrimony, dissatisfaction, and annoyance. At the end, Democrats will be reminded that, thanks to congressional delegation of authority, the House doesnt count for much. What matters is the presidency.

Ask the GOP.

Even there, Republicans will tell you, be careful what you wish for.

Matthew Continetti is the editor in chief of the Washington Free Beacon.
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis has introduced a measure that would designate the site of the 1908 race riots in Springfield as a National Historic Monument.

HR 139, introduced by Davis on Wednesday, would establish the Springfield Race Riot as a National Historic Monument in Illinois. This move comes after the congressmans request from the National Park Service to do a preliminary survey of the location in December was approved.
The attorneys general of 43 states, including Illinois, have reached a $1.5 million settlement with the Neiman Marcus Group to resolve a multistate investigation after a 2013 breach compromised customer credit cards in 77 stores.

Neiman Marcus will also implement policies to prevent further breaches, according to Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
PITTSFIELD A Beardstown man police say failed to register as a sex offender was arrested Monday after a 20-minute chase in Pittsfield.

Joshua S. Hare, 29, of Beardstown was seen in Pittsfield about 11 a.m. and fled on foot when a police officer tried to take him into custody, according to authorities. After about 20 minutes, Pike County sheriffs deputies caught Hare in a field near Little League Park.
The Fair housing Act of 1968 was a piece of legislation that was prominent to the conclusion of discrimination in the matter of homeownership 
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Rutherford Countys organizations serving the homeless and other vulnerable people are pooling their efforts to better serve their clients. One of those groups, The Journey Home, provides services like meals and affordable housing. One of their clients, Hal Charles, enjoyed a holiday meal recently.
We'll keep you connected to all the updated local news and information about what's happening in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County!

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The mother of a missing San Antonio baby says a search team of relatives and friends found a baby bottle near Rodriguez Park Sunday morning, prompting a large police presence at the West Side park.

"I honestly believe it's my baby's bottle," said Jasmine Gonzales.

8-month-old King Jay Davila was abducted Friday night from a corner store parking lot. San Antonio police reported that the car was left running and the door unlocked when the father went into the Friends Food Mart at 351 Enrique Barrera Parkway Friday evening.

San Antonio police posted on their Twitter feed at 5:43 p.m. that the search for Davila is ongoing and that officials are conducting a more thorough search of the area as part of the investigation.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus confirmed a bottle was found but said it is unknown if it belonged to Davila.

McManus also disputed that a body had been found at the park.

RELATED: S.A. police respond to North Star Mall after man pulls out a gun

"There's been reports of a body being found at Rodriguez Park and that is not the case, there was no body found," McManus said at a briefing for a separate incident across town on the North Side. "Detectives are doing their due diligence in searching everywhere in that park including the body of water that's in there and will be back there again tomorrow to continue that search. "

Bexar County Sheriff's Department deputies and San Antonio Fire Department personnel were seen assisting police. SAPD confirmed that firefighters were helping with a water search and a BCSO spokesman said deputies were called to the park.

At 4:30 p.m. deputies shut down the park as an SAFD crew launched a watercraft into Leon Creek nearby and a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter searched from above.

Police released a surveillance video Saturday showing a woman at the gas station getting into the father's Dodge Dart  with the baby inside  and driving away without hesitation.

The car was found later that night in the same area where family members found the bottle Sunday morning.

A family member who did not want to be identified said they were searching the park Sunday morning because they were told by police that is where the car was found after the abduction.

RELATED: Video shows missing 8-month-old abducted from San Antonio corner store

San Antonio police charged the father, Christopher Davila, with child endangerment. Police have said the parents are estranged and the family has been uncooperative, something the family disputes.

"The family is not cooperating, as is the father Christopher Davila, not cooperating," McManus said Saturday evening at a news conference.

Gonzales and other family members adamantly rejected those allegations Sunday and lambasted the police department. She said she and the father are engaged and remain together, and that family has been searching for the child since Friday.

"The police is saying a whole bunch of bull****," Gonzales said at the park. "That's why I'm disagreeing with them and disputing them and everything."

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

Police have focused on the father since the start of the investigation.

"We believe right now that (the father) knows the woman who took the baby," McManus said Friday evening. But Sunday several family members said no one in the family recognized the woman in the video.

The baby's mother also blasted San Antonio police as they searched the park.

"They need to stop (expletive) putting some blame on someone that's innocent and worry about finding my baby, that's what they need to do," Gonzales said. "I'm assuming they couldn't do their job so now the FBI is stepping in."

San Antonio police reported Saturday evening that the FBI began assisting in the investigation but also that local law enforcement has not paused in their search for the child.

"Detectives have been working around the clock since this happened last night and they continue to work as we speak," McManus said Saturday.

Christina Gonzalez, the father's sister, said he loves his kids.

"They're too focused on my brother," she said Sunday.

The bottle, which prompted the police presence at the park, is decorated with multicolored stars and a blue lid and was found near the park's Leon Creek Trail by Gonzales' stepmother, the child's mother said. The family called police immediately after finding the bottle.

"The case remains under heavy investigation," McManus said Sunday night.

There will be more on this breaking story as news develops.
City leaders are proposing issuing $75 million in certificates of obligation over the next three years.

Elana Ladd, public information officer for the city, told the Reporter-Telegram on Monday that the money will be used for the following projects: fire stations No. 5 and 11, Fairgrounds Road from Loop 250 to Mockingbird Lane, northeast Midland Water System improvements and additions and the Wadley Avenue extension to the west.

The first step in the process takes place Tuesday, as the council could approve the publication of notice to issue as much as $25 million in certificates of obligation, a form of borrowing that some local governments can use to fund public works without voter approval.

Ladd also said this potential new borrowing is in addition to the scheduled road bond issuances.

Over the last nine years, the city has borrowed $92.725 million through the issuing of non-voter-approved certificates of obligation. City officials told the Reporter-Telegram on Monday that its debt report required by the state shows outstanding debt at $140.255 million in principal and $208.178 million in total payments.

The city plans to use the money  not to exceed $25 million in any year  for the purposes of acquiring, constructing, improving and equipping fire-fighting facilities, improving and extending the citys water and wastewater system, constructing and improving streets within the city and paying professional services rendered in relation to such projects and their financing.

The city reports the certificates of obligation will be paid from ad valorem taxes and a limited pledge of the net revenues of the citys water and sewer system.

The notice will be published once a week for two consecutive weeks, with the first publication to be at least 31 days before the date the City Council intends to pass the ordinance authorizing the issuance.

Other items the council will consider today include approving:

--a contract for microsurfacing and slurry seal with Slurry Seal Inc of North Salt Lake, Utah, for a total project cost of $2.546 million.

According to the city, microsurfacing and slurry seal are pavement preservation techniques designed to extend the useful life of paved streets.

--a contract for pump and motor maintenance for the Utilities Department with Evans Enterprises of Wichita Falls for $1.226 million a year for five years.

The total cost of $6.123 million would come out of the Water and Sewer Fund, according to the city, which also reported there are more than 40 pumps/motors in wastewater, 74 in water production and treatment and more than 24 in Water and Wastewater Maintenance. Pumps typically require two to four months for repairs and new pumps can take longer. City officials said this contract is needed to reduce response time for repairs.

--a contract adding a new lift station and replacement of an existing force main for the Utilities Department with TEC Excavation Inc of Midland for a total project cost of $1.709 million.

Funds included in the Water and Sewer Operating Budget will pay for the project.

--the purchase of 205 Getac Laptops and accessories for the Police and Fire departments from SHI Government Solutions of Austin for a cost of $836,015. The funds are expected to come from the Public Safety Software Project.

--the sale of the old Municipal Courthouse at 406 E. Illinois Ave. to Ausbilt of Midland for $500,000.
The U.S. was on track to export more natural gas than it imported for a second year in row at the end of 2018 as production and domestic consumption swelled in the first 10 months of the year, according to a report from the Energy Department.

Through October, dry natural gas production in the United States was 11 percent higher in 2018 compared with the same period in 2017. While final data has yet to be released, the Energy Department projects that U.S. natural gas production hit record levels in 2018 thanks to growing production in the Permian Basin, Appalachian Basin in the Northeast and Haynesville Shale in Texas and Louisiana.
Oil notched its longest stretch of daily gains in more than 17 months as fresh trade talks between the U.S. and China added to optimism that a global supply glut will be averted.

Futures closed 1.2 percent in New York, reaching their highest settlement in three weeks. A U.S. delegation began new negotiations in Beijing as representatives of the world's largest economies sought to ease tensions. That followed Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's assurances on Friday that interest-rate hikes may be paused if the economy weakens.

Crude has rebounded this month after its worst fourth-quarter performance since 2014. Shipping data shows OPEC is following through on a pledge to curb supplies, and traders who had given up on the market late last year have come back in a buying mood in 2019, said Vikas Dwivedi, global oil and gas strategist for Macquarie Capital Inc. in Houston.

PREVIOUSLY: Oil set for biggest weekly gain since 2016 on Saudi supply cut

"It's just a broadly reinvigorated market," Dwivedi said by telephone. "A lot of these guys just said, 'I'm going to turn it off' at the end of last year and talk to their investors. But they've come back with a green light."

While Goldman Sachs Group Inc. cut its 2019 oil-price forecasts on Monday, citing a re-emerging glut and resilient American shale output, the bank said the late-2018 price drop was excessive.

West Texas Intermediate for February delivery rose 56 cents to settle at $48.52 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices have risen almost 7 percent so far this month, erasing most of December's 11 percent decline.

RIGS: California leads rig count dip

Brent for March settlement advanced 0.5 percent to $57.33 on the ICE Futures Europe Exchange in London. The global benchmark crude traded at an $8.51 premium to WTI for the same month.

Powell's dovish remarks helped push the U.S. dollar to its lowest level since October, a positive development for commodities such as oil that are denominated in the greenback.

Bullish Sentiment

"The statement from the Fed chair was in the direction of what the market bulls have wanted," said Kim Kwangrae, a commodities analyst at Samsung Futures Inc. in Seoul. "At the same time, there's increased expectation that OPEC+ will cut its production from this month."

Traders still have to weigh the prospects of surging American supplies. Stockpiles at the key crude storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, probably rose by 700,000 barrels last week, according to a Bloomberg survey. Still, data from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes last week showed working oil rigs in the U.S. contracted for the first time since mid-December.

American and Chinese officials began negotiations on Monday in the hope of reaching a deal during a 90-day truce in the trade war between the administrations of President Donald Trump and counterpart Xi Jinping.

--With assistance from Tsuyoshi Inajima, Sharon Cho and Grant Smith.

2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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CMP: What made you first get into the mortgage broker industry?

Jillian Sparrow: My entrance into the industry was kind of a fluke. I had started my own business a couple of years prior  a small aesthetics studio  and met my principal broker while working there; she was a client. We got to know each other, and she found out that I was looking to do something different.

She knew that I had a commerce degree and had worked in advertising in the past, and she suggested the idea of becoming a broker. I was really intrigued. I spent time shadowing her and learning more about the industry and just fell in love instantly. I knew it was going to be a great fit.

CMP: How would you describe your time in the industry?

JS: It has been a whirlwind. I jumped right in and have experienced a lot of growth quite quickly. In my first year, I was laying the groundwork for a really big second year where I just about tripled my first year, which was awesome.

In recent years, we have had a ton of change in the industry, so it has been a big learning curve for me, as well as for seasoned veterans. I think it has been a good time to enter the industry because I havent had to relearn anything  Im learning all of the new processes and rules as I go.

CMP: What strategies have you implemented to achieve such growth so early in your career as a broker?

JS: I have done a lot of reaching out to my existing network. My client base from my previous business has been a huge source of business and referrals. I had gotten to know clients really well, and as soon as they knew about my new venture, they started reaching out and referring friends and family, so that has been great.

This year especially, I have seen a ton of referrals, which to me is the biggest compliment. I have also been doing some social media advertising and some Google AdWords, so that contributes, but its not the main source  thats my existing network.

I also stay in touch with current clients. Im just wrapping up my third year in the business, and Ive had a lot of repeat clients already. Im already seeing the value in staying in touch. I am touching base yearly, if not more, with all of my clients so that I stay top of mind when they are ready to purchase something else or make a change.

CMP: What do you think it is about your approach that compels people to refer you so eagerly?

JS: I think its all about providing a really personalized experience, which was my strategy in my previous business. Its about really getting to know people and making them feel valued, getting invested in their story and making sure they understand who I am.

You have clients who prefer to keep the process as simple as possible and only want essential information, but you also have other clients who need you to touch base with them every day, every step of the way. Its important for me to figure out from the get-go how each client works and then cater to them.

I really love working with first-time homebuyers and have had the pleasure of helping many already. I find they especially need to be walked through the entire process. When they know I will inform them when things need to happen, they can sit back and relax rather than panic.

CMP: What are your areas of focus?

JS: I am based in Saskatoon, and I do quite a few deals there, but I focus on the province as a whole.

I grew up in a smaller city here, so it has been great to get back to my roots and reach out to that community, because there are not a lot of brokers focusing on smaller centres here in Saskatchewan.
A letter claiming Lorain City Schools teachers and support staff would not be paid, was not meant to induce unnecessary fear among employees, 
Tax season is here and the partners of the Lorain County Free Tax Prep Coalition are ready t

Just the facts for Lorain income tax

The city of Lorain will have an income tax amnesty period Feb. 1 to March 29.

It does not supersede the normal tax requirements for 2018. Taxpayers must file their returns this year for income of 2018, said city Treasurer Terri Soto.

Anyone with questions about their city income tax can get free help at the Lorain Municipal Income Tax Division, 605 W. Fourth St., Lorain.

Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments are available or walk-ins are welcome.

For more information call the division at 440-204-1002 or email incometax@cityoflorain.org.

Information also is posted at www.cityoflorain.org.
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is welcomed with a kiss by his wife, Coretta, after leaving court in Montgomery, Ala. Court records from the arrests of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and others at the dawn of the modern civil rights era are being preserved after being discovered in an Alabama courthouse.
From left, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Director Craig W. Butler, Lorain Storm Water Manager Kate Golden and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director James Zehringer show the $4 million check granted to the city to develop a facility that will reuse material dredged from the Black River. They gathered in Toledo on Jan. 8, 2019, to announce the projects in Lorain, Toledo and Conneaut.
So far, the partial federal government shutdown has had little effect on the social services clients in Burke County.

President Donald Trump triggered the partial government shutdown in a fight with Congress over funding for a wall at the southern border of the U.S. The shutdown has affected programs and services that rely on federal funding, from national parks to air travel.

Dorraine Hernandez, director of Burke County Department of Social Services, said on Monday that the department has been advised by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services that it should continue to provide services as usual and expect updates from the state as it receives them and as the situation changes.

Hernandez said her department, along with the other 99 counties in the state, received information just before Christmas from Tara Myers, Deputy Secretary for Human Services, who shared her disappointment of the possible federal government shutdown. She indicated at the time that they did not expect any major impacts to DHHS or the core programs it administers.
The issue has been quite a bit worse for Buffs, as customers have had a hard time making their way across the parking lot to the service center. Owner Gregg McCabe wanted to assure customers that his business remains open and they can pay it a visit more easily by coming down to the front entrance of Rural King and around the other side of the lot.

Its causing a lot of issues here, McCabe said. But I was told I cant really say anything because I only have the right-of-way on my property here. Its killing us. Customers are afraid to go across. It hasnt been a good situation.

Ive just been trying to be nice and patient. I thought someone would do something by now. Im kind of worried about the next rain.

McCabe said his business serves many older customers who wont go across the water, and many of them have called the business from the KFC parking lot. Buffs has placed signage with arrows to help direct customers to the alternate way into the service center, but many of them have not noticed.
McKissick has worked as an attorney at McKissick and McKissick in Durham since 1990, where he specializes in civil litigation, among other areas of practice. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. He co-authored the book, Attracting Foreign Direct Investment to the United States, and has authored several published articles.

McKissick received his Juris Doctorate from Duke Universitys School of Law and his Master in Public Administration from Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government, where he specialized in the management of state and local government and diplomacy. He also earned a m asters in Regional Planning from the School of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he specialized in land use planning and financial management, and an AB in geography from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Prior to attending law school, he was a leading expert on large-scale mix-use developments, and lectured on such projects at the University of Virginia at Charlottesvilles School of Architecture. In addition, he was a co-instructor at North Carolina Central Universitys School of Law, where he taught courses in civil rights litigation and law office management with his father, the late Judge Floyd B. McKissick, Sr. Hes also been a guest speaker and lecturer at numerous universities.
January 08, 2019

Turkey Rejects New U.S. Syria Plan - Humiliates John Bolton

On Sunday National Security Advisor John Bolton tried to set conditions for a U.S. retreat from Syria:

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 protected.

...

Asked whether a U.S. withdrawal would not take place in Syria until Turkey guaranteed the Kurdish fighters would be safe, Bolton said: Basically, thats right.

...

"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, Bolton said, 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.

Turkey was not amused. The YPG Kurds, which the U.S. uses in Syria as cannon fodder to fight the Islamic State, are the same organization as the PKK which acts as a terrorist group in Turkey. Turkey can not allow that group to exist on its border as an organized military force.

When Bolton landed in Turkey today he received a very cold welcome. The planned meeting with the Turkish President Erdogan did not take place. The meeting John Bolton, Joint Chief of Staff Joe Dunford and Syria envoy James Jeffrey held with the Turkish National Security Advisor Ibrahim Kalin was downgraded and took less than two hours. A planned joint press conference was canceled.

The U.S. delegation did not look happy, or even united, when it left the presidential compound in Ankara.

Shortly after Bolton's meeting Erdogan held a speech to his parliament group. It was a slap in Bolton's face. Via Raqip Solyu:

Erdogan says he cannot accept or swallow the messages given by US National Security Advisor Bolton in Israel. Erdogan, YPG/PKK are terrorists. Some say dont touch them because they are Kurds. This is unacceptable. Everyone can be a terrorist. They could be Turkmans. Their ethnicity doesnt matter. Bolton made a big mistake by his statements Erdogan on the Syria policy chaos in Washington: "As it happened in the past, despite our clear agreement with Trump on US withdrawal from Syria, different voices started to come out from different levels of the American administration." Erdogan says Turkey continues to rely on Trumps view on Syria and his decisiveness on the pullout. "We, largely, completed our military preparations against ISIS in accordance with our agreement with Trump" "Saying that Turkey targets Syrian Kurds, which is a lie itself, is the lowest, most dishonorable, ugliest, most banal slander ever" Erdogan added.

Erdogan's communication director gave the last kick:

Fahrettin Altun @fahrettinaltun - 14:17 utc - 8 Jan 2019

U.S. National Security Adviser @AmbJohnBolton held talks with his Turkish counterpart @ikalin1 at the Presidential Complex in Ankara today. I hope that he got a taste of the world famous Turkish hospitality during his visit.

An editorial in the Erdogan aligned Daily Sabah called Bolton's ideas a soft coup against Trump.

And with that, Bolton was humiliated and the issue of the U.S. retreat from Syria kicked back to Trump.

We have seen a similar scheme in U.S. negotiations with North Korea. Trump made a four step deal with Kim Jong Un. Then the borg in form of Secretary of State Pompeo tried to change the deal, and demanded that North Korea fulfills step four before the U.S. will take step one, two and three. When he then flew to North Korea he was ignored by Kim Jong Un and only met with lower level staff. It required Trump's intervention to keep the talks alive.

Erdogan likewise had a deal with Trump about the U.S. retreat from Syria. Bolton tried to change the deal, to add conditions and to prolong the timeline. When he arrived in Ankara he was not only ignored by Erdogan, but scolded. It will require Trumps intervention to bring the issue back onto its tracks.

If Trump does not move, Erdogan is likely to seek a military escalation. His army will probably fire artillery on this or that Kurdish position near the Turkish border. It may even invade a few towns. Not necessarily to hold them, but to increase the pressure on the U.S. occupation force.

Turkey originally planned to first take Manbij on the western side of the Euphrates. But Manbij is blocked by Syrian troops, now reinforced by Russian military police patrols. Erdogan will not dare to attack them.

Erdogan wants the U.S. to leave Syria and to take with it the arms it handed to the YPG to fight ISIS. He wants the Syrian government to retake northeast Syria and to bring the Kurds under control. That would eliminate the danger to Turkey.



Since Trump announced that U.S. troops would soon leave Syria the fight against the remaining ISIS forces near the Iraqi border increased in pace. ISIS' territorial hold is now down to two or three villages. Sunday night it used another spat of bad weather due to which the U.S. air force could not provide air support to the Kurdish led proxy force that fights ISIS. An ISIS counter attack ensued and killed some 25 of the U.S. supported forces. This was likely the last significant battle for ISIS. The Islamic State is down to a few hundred fighters who have no way to escape. They will be bombed to smithereens.

In Idleb governorate al-Qaeda aka Hayat Tahrir al Sham continues to consolidate its hold. It issued several ultimatums to Ahrar al-Sham and other 'moderate rebel' groups that still hold parts of the area. When it is finished with the elimination of its competition it will likely shell Aleppo city and attack the Syrian government lines. That will restart the war over Idleb.

The last time the Syrian government planned to cleanse Idleb of the Jihadis, the U.S. intervened and threatened to attack the Syrian army. Russia forged the Astana agreement under which Turkey agreed to eliminate HTS. It failed to fulfill its promise. The Syrian army is thus free to solve the problem.

But what will the White House do? Will Bolton (should he still be NSA by then) press for defending al-Qaeda? Will Trump agree to that?

Posted by b on January 8, 2019 at 16:47 UTC | Permalink

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At time of writing, the share price of BrainChip Holdings Limited [ASX:BRN] is up 8.99%, trading at $0.097 per share.

After taking off in mid-2015, the share price has been volatile for the past three and a half years:

Source: marketindex.com.au

The latest news out of the company is that it has inked a strategic partnership agreement to aid its push into the European market.

How Aussie investors could potentially win big when China takes on Silicon Valley  Download your free report now.

SoftCryptum deal to build links with government agencies

In an announcement today, BrainChip flagged that it has signed an agreement with with SoftCryptom to sell BrainChipss AI-powered video analytics solutions to government agencies in France, Belgium and Switzerland.

SoftCryptom is a company that sells security and data analytical solutions, particularly to government agencies who need a way of analysing CCTV footage.

Co-founder and President of SoftCryptom, Guillaume Tissot, hailed the agreement saying:

With a solid network of contacts in Law Enforcement, Defense and Intelligence Agencies, our company is well positioned to help promote, install and support BrainChips AI-powered software and hardware solutions.

Fighting through the fuzz  BrainChips AI solution

Low resolution of the CCTV images is often a barrier to successful investigations and BrainChips technology addresses this through a spiking neural network (SNN).

According to the company, the SNN enables their BrainChip Studio to work on low resolution video and requires only a 2424 pixel image to detect and classify faces.

Below is an example of how a low resolution image of Mona Lisa is recognised using BrainChips technology:

Source: BrainChip Holdings Limited

In our previous post on BrainChip, we suggested that the marketing side of the business could be an important aspect of its success going forward.

The strategic partnership agreement announced today strengthens the marketing aspect of their business model, giving it a closer connection to customers in the European security environment.

With recent events in Europe, these agencies are likely looking for ways to improve their operational capacities  something BrainChip will be seeking to capitalise on.

Regards,

Lachlann Tierney,

For Money Morning

PS: Silicon Valley is losing ground to this hot new competitor  and you could potentially profit with this concise guide. Read the free report now.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has announced that he is stepping down as the head of the premier anti-poverty institution putting the likely choice of its future leadership in the hands of US President Donald Trump, a sceptic of international development.

Trump's role is expected reinvigorate challenges to Washington's monopoly on appointing the Bank's head.

Announcing his decision on Monday, Kim said in a tweet: "It's been the greatest privilege I could have ever imagined to lead the dedicated staff of this great institution to bring us closer to a world that is finally free of poverty."

Kim, 59, who is dropping out 19 months into his second term on February 1, would be joining a private company and focus on infrastructure investments in developing countries, the Bank said.

The Bank's CEO Kristalina Georgieva will become the interim president till a successor to Kim is appointed.

As the largest share-holder, the US by tradition appoints the head of the Bank, while Europeans determine the chief of the International Monetary Fund.

Kim was nominated for the job by former President Barack Obama in 2012.

Before Trump's election, Kim was hastily re-appointed in September 2016 to a second term that began in July 2017 with an eye on pre-empting a possible Trump nominee getting the job.

Now, however, Trump will get an opportunity to nominate the Bank's head.

Trump's role will resurrect and strengthen challenges to the post-World War II model of the leadership of the 189-member bank that has always been determined by the US .

Already the US nominee was challenged for the first time in 2012 by two contenders.

Colombian economist Jose Antonio Ocampo Gaviria eventually withdrew from the race, while Nigeria's then-Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala lost when the Bank's directors rubber-stamped Kim's appointment.

Now there will be robust demands for reconsidering the US leadership of the Bank and stronger non-American contenders for the job.

Kim, a South Korea-born US citizen, was an unusual leader for the Bank: He was a medical doctor by training, a specialist in public health and an academic with a Harvard doctorate in anthropology who had led the Ivy League Dartmouth College.

But his background in health was a plus for the Bank's mission of fighting poverty and promoting development.

Under his leadership, the Bank adopted in tandem with the UN the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and focusing on the bottom 40 per cent of the population in the developing world.

The Bank's International Development Association, which funds programmes in the least developed countries, achieved two record replenishments during his tenure, the last one in 2016 for $75 billion.

Last April, the Bank also increased its capital by $13 billion with the unexpected support of the Trump administration.

Kim also pushed the Bank's cooperation with the private sector for financing development in the developing world, particularly in the areas of climate change and infrastructure.

China, though a part of the World Bank, has thrown a challenge to it by setting up its own development banking institutions.

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), founded in 2016 is one of those institutions and several countries including India, Germany, Britain and South Korea have joined it.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday restored the powers of the CBI Director Alok Verma as it set aside the Centre's decision to divest him of his powers to function as the head of the investigating agency.

While restoring Verma's powers, a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice K.M. Joseph said that the matter will go to the selection committee which will look into the issue.

Pronouncing the judgement on behalf of Chief Justice Gogoi, Justice Kaul said that the selection committee will meet within seven days from Tuesday and till then Verma will resist from taking any important policy decisions.

The selection committee comprises the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India.

The Supreme Court pronounced the judgement on a plea by the Central Bureau of Investigation Director and NGO Common Cause challenging the government's decision on the intervening night of October 23-24 to divest Verma of his charge as head of the investigating agency.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.
Continuing to crack the whip against agents of controversial multi-level marketing (MLM) companies, the Cyberabad City Police has arrested 58 independent representatives (IRs) of QNet for their involvement in 14 cases of fraud and cheating worth Rs1,000 crore. Those arrested by the police include three bank employees.

According to VC Sajjanar, commissioner of police at Cyberabad, primary investigation reveals that those arrested by the police have cheated unemployed youth under the pretext of giving them a job and collected around Rs1,000 crore in the MLM scam.

"Total 58 persons were arrested in 14 cases, which were registered against QNet and Vihaan Direct Selling Pvt Ltd in different police stations of Cyberabad are arrested. The godown of Vihaan Direct Selling at Bangalore and the office of Transview Enterprises (a marketing agency for QNet products) are seized. An amount of Rs2.7 crore in the bank account of Vihaan Direct Selling is frozen. The bank accounts of accused persons involved in the cases are also seized," Mr Sajjanar says.

According to the commissioner, this is a case of cheating by the Vihaan Direct Selling Pvt Ltd, a sub-franchisee of QI Group in India marketing under brand name of QNet. He says, "This case is cracked down by the sleuths of Cyberabad in various parts of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bengaluru and Delhi, in which 58 persons were arrested in 14 cases, which were registered against Vihaan Direct Selling in different Police Stations of Cyberabad. There are total 30 cases registered on QNet Cyberabad. There are eight cases, which are under investigation with crime investigation department of Telangana Police."

Talking about the modus operandi of QNet and Vihaan, Mr Sajjanar says, at first the QNet and Vihaan promoters say to the new comers that there are various business projects such as cost optimization business, health and wellness products, watches and jewellery, personal care and beauty, tour packages, education packages (SMC MBA Certification). "The promoters trap the new comers with sweet words stating that they will be a part of the QNet Kingdom where they can build their own future. They say that if the new comers who paid money do not like QNet business packages, they can claim their refund within a month. But in fact, the promoters will drag the one month period by giving motivational classes, training sessions and also providing books such as 'The Parable of the pipeline', 'Questions are the answers', 'The Business School', 'Who Stole the American dream', 'The Copycat Marketing 101' and 'Talk the talk', to the newcomers and tell them to read all the books to gain knowledge over the business. Once the new comer joins into the QNet or Vihaan business through a referrer or promoter he becomes IR. After paying the money, the new comer gets some products and the promoter gets commission. The promoter then says to the IR that to get money he/she has to enrol two other members and they in turn join two each other new comers. As the number of persons increases down the line, the upline get more money as commissions."



"The QNet and Vihaan business model is a simple pyramid scheme in which the early entrants earn money and as the number of IR increases, finding more IRs (new comers) to join becomes difficult or impossible. IRs that joins late does not earn enough to cover their first outlay and the model collapses. It works as a binary scheme. Down the line, the number of persons to be joined becomes difficult or impossible. The scheme collapses at a point of time," the Cyberabad police commissioner added.

Out of the total 58 persons arrested, 51 are from Hyderabad, five from Bengaluru and one each from Delhi and Eluru.

Earlier in September 2016, the Hyderabad police had arrested four IRs, Sreenath Konda, Prasanna Kumar Reddy, Kanchana Vobbilichetty and Beemarthi Dhan Raj, for cheating about 200 people under the pretext of giving a job and collecting around Rs2 crore to Rs3 crore.

Hyderabad police has been warning public not to indulge or make any investment in QNet and Vihaan Direct Selling in any form. "As per law every member who promotes such business and enlist other members also will be prosecuted treating as promoters of multi-level marketing, chain system business," it says.

Last year in September, QNet, the controversial MLM company had to cancel V-Con , its high-profile, flagship annual event that was scheduled to be held in Dubai.

Read: QNet: Saudi Arabia Raids Meeting Places of the Banned MLM ) Later in mid-September, the MCI from Saudi Arabia raided meeting places of QNet in that country. QNet marketing activity aims to mislead and deceive dealers and clients with quick profit. Therefore, they try to raise money illegally by claiming that they are investing such money. This kind of activity is considered illegal because it depends on deceiving, cheating, fraud and manipulation, the Ministry had said in a release. (

Under a resolution, MCI has banned QNet marketing activity in Saudi Arabia. This includes prevention of QNet or Pyramid marketing, and also the prevention of making advertisement or promotion for such activity by any means. This is in addition to the Ministerial Decree issued by the Ministry of Interior, which stipulates that the financial fraud issues are considered crimes punishable by arrest.

Read: QNet and Vihaan Fail to Make Entry in the List of Direct Selling Entities in India ) In November 2018, QNet and its franchisee Vihaan Direct Selling (India) Pvt Ltd, both of which often try to hide behind the 'direct selling or product company' tag failed to make an entry into the list of direct selling entities in India. (

There are several court cases and probe going on against QNet, its franchisee Vihaan and many people associated with the MLM scheme. In fact, three year ago, the Bombay High Court, in its judgement has observed "the deceit and fraud is camouflaged under the name of e-marketing and business."

While rejecting anticipatory bail applications of five accused in the multi-crore QNet scam, Justice Mridula Bhatkar, in a hard-hitting order on 6 May 2016, had said, "The motto of the company 'sell more, earn more' appears very attractive and innocuous. However, this motto is fully camouflaged. The company stands on a basic statement that people can be fooled. Thus, the true motto is 'sell more earn more' by fooling people. In fact, it is a chain where a person is fooled and then he is trained to fool others to earn money. For that purpose, workshops are conducted where study and business material is provided with a jugglery of words, promises and dreams. Thus, the deceit and fraud is camouflaged under the name of e-marketing and business."

Read: QNet: It is a chain where a person is fooled and then he is trained to fool others to earn money says Bombay HC order ) "The claim that the wellness products, i.e., Biodisk and Chi Pendent are medicinal and spiritual products, are after all, a matter of faith. However, the applicants/ accused have launched these wellness products with ulterior motive and with correct judgment of vulnerability of the people. The holiday packages, which were sold or offered, without any choice left to the buyers. The entire business was Internet based and, therefore, the persons who are responsible, i.e., the top brass, i.e., the applicants/ accused, were not approachable to the persons who were aggrieved. The nature of the business was knitted in the interest of the directors and shareholders in such a manner that the persons who are at the lower level of the pyramid cannot get any access to put up their grievances. The manner in which the persons were contacted, incentives offered, the workshops were conducted, are best examples of inducement," Justice Bhatkar had remarked. (

Gurupreet Singh Anand, a computer consultant from Lokhandawala, Andheri in his first information report (FIR) stated that his wife was duped for Rs30,000 by some people who had introduced themselves as the independent representatives (IRs) of QNet.

While arguing before the HC in person, he had contended that the illegal money circulation scheme is being conducted in India by changing names from GoldQuest to QuestNet to the current QNet.
Kashmiri village women carry baskets filled with water chestnuts after collecting them from the waters of Wular Lake as they walk over the marshy land while wearing wooden boards on foot at Bandipora, about 65 km (40 miles) north of Srinagar, November 5, 2012. Water chestnuts are locally known as "Singada" and are eaten raw, boiled or are grounded into flour after they are dried. Picture taken November 5, 2012. REUTERS/Danish Ismail (INDIAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR - Tags: AGRICULTURE BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT SOCIETY) - GM1E8B61FZ501

Pakistan's Supreme Court has reserved its verdict in a case regarding the constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the grant of fundamental rights to its residents.

A seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on January 7 took up a set of petitions challenging the 'Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018', 'Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order, 2009', as well as the right of the citizens of the area to be governed through their chosen representatives, the Dawn reported.

The Gilgit-Baltistan Order, 2018 was earlier opposed by protesters from the region who demanded that the area should be declared a part of Pakistan instead of being administered through presidential orders.

Pakistan has bifurcated occupied Kashmir into two administrative parts - Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Gilgit-Baltistan was treated as a separate geographical entity by Pakistan till now. Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh are the four provinces of Pakistan.

India has termed as "entirely unacceptable" any possible attempt by Pakistan to declare the Gilgit-Baltistan region as the fifth province. India has also protested to China over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which goes through Gilgit-Baltistan region.

It is believed that China's concerns about the unsettled status of Gilgit-Baltistan prompted Pakistan to change its status.

The federal government's proposed reforms draft states that it intends to grant the region the status of a provisional province, "subject to the decision of the plebiscite to be conducted under the UN resolutions", with all privileges provided by the Constitution.

However, the draft states, the move would require an amendment in the Constitution, which needs a two-thirds majority in Parliament and "would take time". Therefore, as an interim measure, the government plans to give such fundamental rights to GB residents as enjoyed by the people of any other province.

The Attorney General Anwar Mansoor informed the bench that objections have been raised on the proposed draft in the Cabinet and therefore as of now, "it remains only a draft".

He informed the court that the funds allocated for higher courts in the region have been transferred from the territory's government to the GB Council.

The Government of Pakistan can also increase the number of judges in GB, he added.

At this, the chief justice inquired what the procedure of the judges' appointment would be. Mansoor responded that the GB council has been given the authority to legislate in this regard.

Justice Nisar observed that an appeal cannot be filed against a decision of the GB Supreme Appellate Court in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The GB law minister during the hearing stated that the region's government desired the implementation of recommendations made by the Sartaj Aziz-led committee.

"It's (almost) impossible, but we have come very close to it's [fulfilment]," he added.

Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan  a senior counsel who has also been appointed by the apex court as amicus curiae (friend of the court)  noted that the government has expressed its intention to first declare GB a provisional province, and later grant it the status of a full-fledged province.

He said although Parliament would may pass any constitutional amendment brought before it regarding GB, Pakistan's stance on Kashmir would be weakened by making Gilgit-Baltistan a full province.

After hearing all sides, the bench reserved its judgement in the case and ordered the reforms committee to submit additional details after holding consultations regarding fundamental rights, legislation and judicial autonomy in GB.
Nissan Motor Co's ousted Chairman Carlos Ghosn is set to appear in a Tokyo court on Tuesday, in his first public appearance since his arrest in November on allegations of financial misconduct.

Ghosn, credited with rescuing Nissan from near-bankruptcy two decades ago, is scheduled to appear at the Tokyo District Court for a hearing requested by his lawyers to explain the reasons for his prolonged detention since his November 19 arrest.

A crowd of journalists and television crew gathered outside the court house while media reported that 1,122 people lined up for 14 seats assigned by lottery, highlighting the level of public interest in the case of the once-feted executive.

The judge on Tuesday is expected to give reasons for Ghosn's detention, after which the prosecutors, defence lawyers and the defendant are allowed to address the court. Local media have said Ghosn denies the allegations.

Ghosn's Japanese lawyers have also scheduled a press conference for Tuesday afternoon, where they are expected to speak in his defence for the first time since the arrest. The legal team is headed by former prosecutor Motonari Otsuru.

The case has rattled Nissan's alliance with French automaker Renault SA, where Ghosn still remains chairman and chief executive. He had been pushing for a deeper tie-up between the pair, including potentially a full merger at the French government's urging, despite strong reservations at Nissan.

His arrest has also put Japan's criminal justice system under international scrutiny and sparked criticism for some of its practices, including keeping suspects in detention for long periods and prohibiting defence lawyers from being present during interrogations that can last eight hours a day.

Ghosn, who was arrested first on Nov. 19, has been re-arrested twice on different charges since then, a tactic often used by Japanese prosecutors to keep suspects in detention.

He has been held at the Tokyo Detention Center, a spartan facility where small rooms have a toilet in the corner and no heater - a far cry from the jet-setting lifestyle Ghosn was accustomed to. His son, Anthony Ghosn, said his father had lost 10 kgs (22 pounds) during his detention, according to France's weekly Journal du Dimanche.

Under Japanese law, suspects can be detained without charges for up to 23 days, and then re-arrested on separate allegations.

Ghosn has been formally charged with under-reporting his income. On December 21, he was re-arrested, but not indicted, on allegations of aggravated breach of trust. In the latter, Ghosn is accused of transferring personal investment losses worth 1.85 billion yen ($17 million) to the carmaker.

On December 31, the Tokyo District Court granted prosecutors' request to extend Ghosn's detention by 10 days until January 11.

Nissan, which has ousted Ghosn from its board, has said a whistleblower investigation also uncovered personal use of company funds and other misconduct.
Kim Jong Un_North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un arrived in China on Tuesday on an unannounced visit, in an apparent effort to co-ordinate with his only major ally ahead of a possible second summit with US President Donald Trump over denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Kim is visiting China from January 7 to 10 on the invitation of President Xi Jinping, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.

He is expected to celebrate his 36th birthday here on Tuesday.

According to reports, he was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and senior officials, including Kim Yong-chol, his right-hand man in diplomatic negotiations with the United States and South Korea.

Kim's visit came only days after he warned of taking an alternative path if the United States does not ease sanctions and pressure on his isolated country.

The visit also comes amid reports that negotiations are under way for a second summit between Kim and Trump. The two met in June in Singapore for the first summit.

Kim visited China last year to meet Xi before and after his first meeting with Trump.

Speculation had grown on Monday that Kim was possibly making his way to China after South Korea's Yonhap news reported that a North Korean train had been seen crossing the border.

Both countries media confirmed the visit on Tuesday morning when Kim's distinctive green and yellow train arrived at a station in Beijing.

His visit to Beijing, which is stated to be closest ally of Pyongyang, comes at a time when China itself is locked in a trade war with the US over Trump's demand to cut the USD 375 billion trade deficit.

Trump while seeking Xi's support in forcing Kim to relent and give up the nuclear and missile programme has also blamed the Chinese leader last year for tardy progress after his first summit with Kim at Singapore in June.

Since the Singapore summit, there is growing scepticism in the US over Kim delivering on his promise to do away with the nuclear programme despite Washington's assurance over North Korea's security.

Also, China and Russia -- both the permanent members of the UN Security Council -- have been putting pressure on the US to lift UN sanctions against North Korea.

But the US has been insisting on their continuance. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo insisted that sanctions should be enforced vigorously and without fail.

Observers say the outcome of Xi-Kim meeting would be watched for its likely impact on the planned second summit meet between Kim and Trump.

In his tweet in August last year Trump had said North Korea was "under tremendous pressure from China because of our major trade disputes with the Chinese government".

Significantly, Kim's visit is taking place when Chinese and US officials are holding talks to end the trade war.

The US and China have been locked in an escalating trade spat since early 2018, raising import tariffs on each other's goods.

Last year, Trump imposed tariff hikes of up to 25 per cent on USD 250 billions of Chinese goods. The move prompted China to increase tariffs on USD 110 billions of US goods.

Trump and Xi has agreed to halt any further tariff increases for 90 days beginning January 1.
President Donald Trump discussed the US strategy in Syria and the defeat of the ISIS with French President Emmanuel Macron, the White House said, amid global concern over America's early exit from the war-torn country.

Trump's surprise announcement in December that appeared to signal a rapid withdrawal of the American forces from war-torn Syria, where the US special forces play an important role in supporting local forces fighting the dreaded ISIS group caused a diplomatic storm.

"We've won against ISIS," he said at that time. "We've beaten them and we've beaten them badly. We've taken back the land. And now it's time for our troops to come back home."

Allies, like Britain, France, and American lawmakers were taken off-guard when Trump announced plans for the withdrawal.

The White House on Monday said Trump and Macron talked about "plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of the US troops from Syria".

"The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria, including the commitment of the United States and France to the destruction of ISIS as well as plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of US troops from Syria," the White House said in a readout of the phone call.

"They reiterated that any further use of chemical weapons in Syria must not be tolerated," the White House said.

Trump on Monday also held a call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where they spoke about the detention of two Canadian citizens in China and trade issues, the White House said.

The two leaders agreed to continue to seek the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were taken into custody last month by Chinese authorities.

"President Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau today, during which the two discussed the unlawful detention of two Canadian citizens in China as well as bilateral trade issues, the White House said in a readout of the call between the two leaders.

The detention of Canadian citizens by China come in the aftermath of the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei. Detention of Canadian citizens by China is considered as a retaliatory move by Beijing.

The two leaders also talked about the steel and aluminum tariffs Trump imposed against Canada. The move prompted retaliatory measures from Canada.

The two nations have since brokered an agreement on a revised version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), dubbed the US Mexico Canada Agreement. Congress has yet to ratify the revised deal.
The United Kingdom will leave the European Union on March 29 and is not looking to extend the Article 50 exit process, Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said on January 8.

The Daily Telegraph reported that British and European officials are discussing the possibility of extending Britain's formal notice to withdraw from the EU amid fears a Brexit deal will not be approved by March 29.

"The government's policy is clear on this, the prime minister has said it on many an occasion: We are leaving the European Union on the 29th of March. We are not looking to extend," Barclay told Sky News.

When asked if any lawmakers in the Conservative Party had changed their minds on opposing May's deal, Barclay said: "Some have said they are much more open to but it is obviously challenging."
Zalmay Khalilzad

Afghan Taliban representatives and US officials will sit down to two days of peace talks on January 9 in Qatar but Afghan government officials will not be involved, senior Taliban members said.

The Taliban have rejected numerous requests from regional powers to allow Afghan officials to take part in the talks, insisting that the United States is their main adversary in the 17-year war and that Kabul is a "puppet" regime.

The insurgents, seeking to reimpose strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster by US-led troops, called off their meeting with the U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia this week because of Riyadh's insistence on bringing the Western-backed Afghan government to the table.

The talks will be the fourth in a series between Taliban leaders and US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

"After mutual consultations, we are going to meet US officials in Doha on Wednesday. The meeting will continue for two days - Wednesday and Thursday," said a senior member of the Afghan Taliban on condition of anonymity.

Pakistani and Iranian officials said they were trying to persuade the Taliban to meet Afghan officials.

Another senior Taliban leader confirmed the Qatar meeting and said no other country would be involved.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took part in the last round of talks in December.

"This time we want to hold talks with the American officials," said a Taliban leader based in Afghanistan, adding that they would discuss a US withdrawal, prisoner exchange and the lifting of a ban on movement of their leaders.

The war in Afghanistan is America's longest overseas military intervention. It has cost Washington nearly a trillion dollars and killed tens of thousands of people.

The United States, which sent troops to Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington and at the peak of the deployment had more than 100,000 troops in the country, withdrew most of its forces in 2014, but still keeps around 14,000 troops there as part of a NATO-led mission aiding Afghan security forces and hunting militants.

Reports last month about US President Donald Trump's plans to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan triggered uncertainty in Kabul which depends on the United States and other foreign powers for military support and training.

The US Embassy in Afghanistan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Acer Swift 7

The Consumer Electronics Show is undoubtedly one of the most significant events in the tech world. With all the biggest names in the PC industry set to exhibit at CES 2019, laptop users are in for some major surprises.

Heres a slight glance of whats in store for laptop users this year:

AMD is looking to steal the show

In the last couple of years, Ryzen has become synonymous with PC users worldwide. AMDs Ryzen processors built on AMDs Zen architecture have gained considerable notoriety among desktop users for both their competitive pricing and powerful performance. However, Intel still holds significant ground over the Red Team on the laptop front. But thats likely about to change with the widely expected announcement of AMDs Ryzen 3000 series CPUs, Ryzen 3000 series APUs, and the new Vega 2 graphics cards. With the announcement of AMD finally getting into Chromebooks, it will be interesting to see what top laptop manufacturers like Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo have in store for laptop users.

MacBook Air under threat

Apples latest MacBook Air received much praise for its improved Retina display and powerful Intel processor. The new MacBook Air might be one of the fastest laptops in the market today, but the companys over-the-top pricing has earned it considerable criticism. The Dell XPS 13 and Huawei MateBook X Pro have offered stiff competition to the previous MacBooks. Intels lower-powered Y-series processors are likely to be introduced on more entry-level laptops as seen with the HP Spectre, PixelBoo and MacBook Air.

Mobile graphics performance gets a major boost

Nvidia unveiled its GeForce RTX series of graphics cards for desktop PCs last summer. Just as we seen the GTX 1000 series make its way to laptops, Nvidia is all set to bring its RTX cards to over 40 laptops in 2019. While the current line of RTX cards was designed for high-end gaming PCs, Nvidia promises a new range of RTX cards designed for affordable gaming PCs. Nvidia will bring its RTX cards to more than 40 laptops with confirmations already coming in from brands like Asus and Razer. Intel and AMD will also reveal portable graphics cards for their gaming laptops at CES 2019.

Experimental form factors should come as no surprise

CES 2017 saw the debut of the Acer Predator 21X; a gaming laptop with a curved display and Razers Project Valerie; the worlds first triple display laptop. Several companies have followed suit with mechanical keyboards on their gaming laptops. CES never disappoints on experimental concept products and gaming laptops with a healthy dose of weirdness in form factor should come as no surprise.

Qualcomm issues a challenge

A new breed of laptops built on the promise of better longevity, reliability, and mobility powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors debut in 2018. Qualcomm has promised up to 21 hours of battery life on laptops powered by the Snapdragon 850 processor. Considering some of the best Intel-powered laptops see only about 12-15 hours of battery life, it will be interesting to see how Intel and AMD respond to the challenge.
As the tenure of the Narendra Modi-led government comes to a close later this year, several of its promises aimed towards reforming the automotive sector remains a pipe dream.

National Automotive Board (NAB), is one such initiative that is stuck since its proposal during the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) rule in 2011. Though taken up by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime, the quasi-public corporation, which was to steer, coordinate and synergise efforts of the government in on-going and new initiatives, is yet to take off completely.

Instead of steering core issues in automotive testing, collaborative R&D, suggest policy and regulations, develop technology platforms and implementing recommendations of the Automotive Mission Plan, NAB has become a programme manager for electric mobility and intelligent transport system.

As per the government's definition, NAB would work as a nerve centre of organisational interactions between the government, industry and the academia functioning under the Department of Heavy Industry. The post of a Chairman at NAB is yet to be filled even four years after the NDA government floated the vacancy.

NAB was supposed to be the channel through which the automotive industry would coordinate with the government. At present, there is no synergy and one feels that all departments of the government gives directives to the auto sector unilaterally. In all the interactions with the government, it was reminded of NAB and there seems to be no urgency to get the unit up and running. The NAB is in a cold storage, said a senior person from a lobby body of the automotive companies.

The absence of NAB has allowed even the Oil & Gas Ministry to issue directives to the automotive sector which is otherwise the job of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways or the Department of Heavy Industries.

The Oil Ministry had informed the Supreme Court that vehicles not complying with Bharat Stage-VI standards wont be allowed to ply on Indian roads.

Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme (BNVSAP), the India version of Europe-based GNCAP (The Global New Car Assessment Programme) is yet to take off fully. Issues about the governing body for the BNVSAP remains in question. Under the programme, cars were to be awarded star ratings based on their safety performance.

While crash test norms for new cars have been implemented since October 1, 2018 all other cars will have to be upgraded to this standard from October 1. From July 1, all cars will have to be equipped with a driver-side airbag, speed warning system, seat belt reminder and rear parking sensor.

CV Raman, Senior Executive Director (Engineering), Maruti Suzuki, said, Seat belt reminder, airbag and ABS (anti-lock braking system) will now be made mandatory. No movement (on any of these). We have started the dialogue with the test agencies and the government. We need to have the BNVSAP in practice. Who has to be the governing body to look over BNVSAP is a question that is not clear with the government.

Scrappage policy for old vehicles to get rid of high vehicular pollution and vehicle recall order for safeguarding the interests of the consumer were the final two policies announced by the government, but have not been implemented till date.

While the issue of providing incentives for a successful scrappage scheme has been a hot topic with the government, with neither of the departments coming forward to bear the financial burden, the call for a vehicle recall order has been in the works for past several years.

Unlike some of the developed markets -- US, Germany and UK, India does not have an official vehicle recall policy. Though a provision for it was made in the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2017, it never got enacted as it failed to go through the Rajya Sabha.
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg is currently on a three-day visit to India from January 7 to 9. (Photo: ANI)

In an interview with NDTV, Norways Prime Minister Erna Solberg said the country is ready to mediate on the Kashmir issue if both India and Pakistan desire an intervention. Solberg said both the south Asian countries need to focus on other issues and areas of development like health and education.

Over the years, Norway has had a reputation of playing a key role in conflict resolution between countries. "If there is an interest from the partners, we will try to use the mechanisms that we know. We have been working quite a lot in different countries, but we always have this one basic thinking, said Solberg as she suggested both the bigger countries should sit down by the table and sort out things.

She also said both India and Pakistan need to talk more to each other and reduce military expenditure. Solberg suggested that instead of spending so much on military, it could be used to boost development in other essential areas like health and education.

Former Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik played an essential role in solving disputes between Sri Lankas Tamil Tigers and Palestine a few years ago. Last November, the former PM went to Srinagar on a private invitation by Sri Sri Ravishankar.

Bondevik later met leaders in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). When asked about the former PMs views, Solberg said she does not think the use of the military is a solution to any situation. I think you have to have popular support. You have to have good trust between the partners in any region where still there is conflict, but we don't have a special meaning about whether it is a military solution in Kashmir or not," she said. The Prime Minister also said that to have stable peace in the area, the inclusion of women and youth is essential to get popular support. She also made it clear that Bondevik was strictly on a private visit and there was no government or mission involved.
The two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions to protest the Centre's alleged anti-worker policies disrupted rail and road traffic in Odisha on January 8.

Train services were hit as trade union activists staged rail roko on the first day of the 48-hour strike at many places including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Jaleswar, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Paradip, police said.

Over a dozen trains were delayed due to blockade of railway tracks by strike supporters, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at many places, they said.

Shops, markets, business establishments, educational institutions and offices remained closed, while vehicular movement virtually came to a grinding halt across the state during the strike.

Roads wore a deserted look with vehicles, including government and private buses refraining from playing, while a large number of passengers were seen stranded in bus stands in many places.

In state capital Bhubaneswar, trade union activists staged picketing and and road blockade by burning tyres at several places and busy thoroughfares. They held a sit-in at Master Canteen Square.

In neighbouring Cuttack city, the activists picketed and blocked roads at various places, besides staging a rail roko at the railway station.

Commissioner of Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, Satyajit Mohanty said adequate police personnel have been deployed to prevent any untoward incident during the strike. The strike is peaceful so far, he said.

In the port town of Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, trade union activists staged a demonstration near five gates of Paradip Port and blocked the road leading to the IOCL refinery at Rangiagarh, police said.

Educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities remained shut in view of the strike. A notification in this regard was issued by the state government on Monday, an official said.

The impact of the strike was visible in many places including Balasore, Jaleswar, Rayagada, Sundargarh, Rourkela, Berhampur, Puri, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur and Kendrapara, sources said.

Different political parties including the ruling BJD and its trade union front Biju Sramika Samukhya (BSS) have extended support to the strike called by 10 central trade union organisations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Viju Cherian

On Monday news reports said that the Union Cabinet decided to grant 10% reservation to economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category in admission to educational institutions and recruitment for government jobs. This will be in addition to the existing 50% cap to Schedule Castes, Schedule Tribes and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). News reports also said that the government will introduce a Bill in Parliament on Tuesday.

While opposition parties have welcomed the move theyve raised doubts about the governments intentions of bringing such a legislation with hardly two months to go before the model code of conduct is expected to kick in. A constitutional amendment would require two-third approval from the House and would also have to stand the test of legal scrutiny. It is not sure if the government has the required data and proof to show that there is a need for this 10% reservation  the absence of such data could be backfire if the move is legally contested.

Irrespective of the outcome, the government has shown the willingness to address a grouse of a section of society, especially of the upper castes. Analyst believe that the upper castes were unhappy after the Modi government, in August, overturned the Supreme Court order on the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. This sentiment was evident in the poll results in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. With this Bill the government is trying to appease the upper castes.

The move for 10% reservation might earn the Modi government political brownie points but it exposes a failure of the current government  to create adequate jobs and educational opportunities. In 2014, Modi came to power on a development plank, promising jobs and improving the educational sector. At the end of this governments term if it has turn to reservations, it reflects poorly on those promises made then. If the governments argument is that it is a step in the right direction  what prevented it from executing it in 2014 as soon as it came to power?

Some have called this another jumla by the government and there could be a point to it  but that criticism will fall flat if the government manages to pass the Bill before the model code of conduct sets in.

When seen from the fact that elections are round the corner, the move to introduce the Bill for 10% reservation is an astute political move by the Modi government. This is because in the theatre of electoral politics in India, often it is the professing of the intention to act that is important  and at times more important than the action itself.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 8 held talks with his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg on a host of issues with an aim to expand the multi-faceted bilateral partnership.

Solberg, who arrived here on January 7, was accorded a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning.

Later, Modi and Solberg held delegation-level talks and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties.

"Adding strength and momentum to our relationship. PM @narendramodi warmly welcomed his Norwegian counterpart @erna_solberg to India ahead of delegation-level talks. The leaders last met at India-Nordic Summit in April 2018. India & Norway share warm and friendly relationship," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on Solberg and the two leaders had a good exchange of views on expanding ties across all sectors, officials said.
The Pakistani army fired on forward posts along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on January 8, the fifth ceasefire violation in a week, officials said.

Pakistani troops resorted to small arms firing on the forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector's Gulpur and Khadi Karmara areas, they said.

Indian troops have retaliated strongly, the officials said.

On January 5, Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling and firing along the LoC in the Mankote, Khadi Karmara and Gulpur areas.

Ceasefire violations were also reported on January 3, January 2 and January 1 from the Poonch sector.

Last year saw the highest number of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years. In total, 2,936 incidents were reported.
Representative Image

The Shiv Sena on January 8 claimed author Nayantara Sahgal's invite to the 92nd all-India Marathi literary meet was rescinded after the organisers learnt about her intent to speak on issues like cow-related violence and lynchings and 'misuse' of government machinery.

An editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' said the literary meet's organisers killed the freedom of expression and self-respect of writers by rescinding the invite.

The noted English-language author who was at the forefront of the 'award-wapsi' (returning of awards) campaign, was to inaugurate 92nd All India Marathi Literary Meet in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra on January 11 in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

In 2015, several writers returned their awards to protest against what they described as "rising intolerance and growing assault on free speech" under the Narendra Modi government.

The Sena claimed that Sahgal's speech, in which she planned to speak on mob lynchings, politics of hatred, using government machinery against Opposition, political pressure on journalists and killings of writers, had already been sent to the literary meet's organisers.

"The organisers must have thought that they will have to forego 'sarkari meherbani' (favours from government) if Nayantara Sahgal is called for the event. They have killed the freedom of expression and self-respect of writers," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said.

"Nayantara, who is feared by the ruling party today, is the same person who was jailed during the Emergency for speaking against Indira Gandhi. This means she is not against an ideology or a political party but against all that is wrong," the Marathi daily said.

She would have clearly laid down her thoughts in the Marathi literary meet, the Sena said. Her 'kul va mul' (origin and roots) can be traced to coastal Konkan in Maharashtra, it added.

The editorial referred to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray saying his party has no objection to Sahgal being invited to the literary meet and his apology after a local MNS worker threatened to disrupt the function.

The MNS was being made a puppet by someone, the Sena said, but did not mention any name.

Amid flak by Opposition leaders and authors over rescinding the invitation to Sahgal for the literary event, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) had on Monday distanced itself from the controversy.

Soon after the CMO's clarification, Sahgal had said she won't attend the meet now even if a fresh invite were to be sent to her.

Opposition leaders have alleged that the invitation was cancelled at the behest of the ruling BJP.
Mike Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived January 8 in Jordan on a Middle East tour to show commitment to the region after President Donald Trump's surprise decision to withdraw troops from war-torn Syria.

The top US diplomat, on his longest trip since taking the post last year, pledged that the Islamic State group (IS) would not be allowed to regroup following a string of battlefield defeats.

But in a stark reminder of the lingering threat, a war monitor reported that the jihadists had killed 23 US-backed fighters in a counterattack in eastern Syria aimed at defending their last bastion.

After setting off on the trip to eight Arab capitals, Pompeo told reporters he would show that "the United States is still committed to all the missions that we've signed up for with them over the past two years."

The eight-day tour comes weeks after Trump announced that the United States would quickly pull its 2,000 soldiers out of Syria, declaring that IS -- also known as ISIS -- had been defeated.

His advisers have since been walking back his timeline, with national security adviser John Bolton saying Monday in Jerusalem that the United States would verify that the group is truly beaten before withdrawing.

Highlighting that IS emerged during the tenure of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Pompeo said the campaign to destroy the movement's self-styled "caliphate" in war-battered Syria has been "enormously successful." "And I am confident that we will continue to ensure that the kind of rise that ISIS had under the Obama administration doesn't occur again," he said on his plane.

Just hours later the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS suicide attackers had hit the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria, killing 23 of its fighters.

IS was unable to hold on to the positions it attacked but the assault which began late Sunday killed 23 SDF members and also left nine jihadists dead, the Britain-based monitor said.

Pompeo opened his trip in Jordan and will deliver an address on Middle East policy in Egypt, whose army chief turned president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has been a key partner of Trump.

He will also visit Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat, Kuwait City, and possibly Baghdad.

A major focus of the tour will be sustaining a regional coalition to counter Iran, the main enemy of US allies Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"This is a coalition that understands that the largest threats -- terrorism and the Islamic Republic of Iran -- are things that we ought to work on jointly and we will be marshalling all of the resources, theirs and ours, to achieve them," Pompeo said.

Last year, Trump pulled out of an international accord negotiated under Obama on ending Iran's nuclear programme and has instead reimposed biting sanctions.

Pompeo has repeatedly called Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror," pointing to its targeting of domestic rivals in Europe and support of militant movements such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

The Trump administration has cited Iran as a reason for maintaining a strong alliance with Saudi Arabia, despite the murder and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October.

One of the rare US partners to support Washington's withdrawal from Syria has been Turkey, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke to Trump before the US leader's December 19 decision.

Pompeo, in an interview before his departure, said that Erdogan had "made a commitment" to Trump not to attack Washington's Kurdish allies who have fought IS in Syria.

Bolton, the White House national security adviser, held talks Tuesday in Ankara as tensions grew over his earlier comments that the US retreat was conditional on the safety of US-backed Kurdish fighters, considered terrorists by Turkey.

Erdogan branded his remarks "unacceptable" and a "grave mistake".

"It is not possible to accept or swallow the message given by Bolton from Israel," Erdogan told his party's lawmakers in parliament.
Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused India of not responding to his peace overtures and said that any war between two nuclear-armed nations would be suicidal for them.

In an interview with Turkish news agency TRT World, according to his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan again expressed his desire for talks with India.

He said that even a Cold War was not in the interests of the two countries.

"Two nuclear armed countries should not even think of a war; not even a Cold War because it could worsen any time. The only way is bilateral talks. Two nuclear armed countries at war is like a suicide," the party quoted him as saying.

He said India did not respond to his peace overtures.

India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

"India was offered to take one step towards and we shall take two. But India rejected Pakistan's offer for talks several times," Khan said.

Khan also said said that India would never be able to suppress the rights of the Kashmiri people.
The Czech government on January 7 approved a bill to regulate relations between the Czech Republic and Britain in the event of a "no deal" Brexit, Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said.

The clock is ticking down to Brexit on March 29, when Britain, the world's fifth-biggest economy, divorces from the European Union, its main trading partner.

The British parliament is set to vote next week on Prime Minister Theresa May's unpopular Brexit deal with the European Union. A defeat could potentially send Britain crashing out of the EU without an agreement with Brussels in place.

The Czech draft law includes the introduction of a transition period until December 31, 2020, during which British citizens living and working in the Czech Republic will be treated like citizens of the European Union.

According to Hamacek, the legislation would apply to some 5,000 Britons working in the Czech Republic.

"If we don't adopt this law, we will compromise the situation of some 40,000 Czech citizens living in Britain, which is something we don't want," Hamacek was quoted as saying by the Czech CTK news agency.

Interior ministry figures show that overall, there are around 8,000 Britons living in the Czech Republic, a central European EU member of 10.5 million people.

Parliament is expected to vote on the legislation in the coming weeks.

Once adopted, the law will only apply to British citizens who took up residence in the Czech Republic before Britain leaves the European Union.

The draft legislation is in line with a European Commission recommendation that post-Brexit transitional periods in EU countries should not run beyond the end of 2020.
Forensic experts search for evidence after a bomb blast outside the Greek SKAI TV building in Athens, Greece. (Reuters)

In continuing incidents of violence over the Sabarimala issue, countrymade bombs were hurled at the homes of CPI(M) and BJP workers in Kerala's Kozhikode district early on January 8, police said.

The house of CPI(M)'s Koyilandy area committee member, Shiju, came under attack first, following which local Bharatiya Janata Party leader V K Mukundan's house was also attacked using crude bombs, police said. However, no one was injured, they said.

On January 7, a countrymade bomb was hurled at the house of a BJP worker at Koyilandy, while 18 crude bombs were seized from Kannur.

Kerala had seen unprecedented violence after two women of menstruating age -- Bindu and Kanakadurga -- offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala last Wednesday, following which a shutdown was called by various Hindu outfits the next day.

According to police, 2,187 cases have been registered and 6,914 arrested in connection with the violence witnessed in the past few days.
Representative Image

Trains were stopped, buses and auto-rickshaws kept off roads as the 48-hour general strike called by 10 central trade unions against "anti-labour policies" of the central government, hit normal life in the southern state Tuesday. Workers from various sectors have extended support to the two-day strike.

Trains were stopped in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura, Shoranur railway stations.

Venad Express, which runs from the state capital to Shoranur Junction daily, was delayed by more than one hour as agitators squatted on tracks, blocking its route, and raised slogans. Other trains that were stopped here were Jan Shatabdi and Raptisagar Express.

All trade unions except the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh have supported the strike, which has come five days after a 'hartal' was observed by right-wing groups in protest against the entry of two young women into the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

The Sabarimala pilgrims, tourists, social and religious functions have been exempted from the strike Tuesday.

To ensure Sabarimala pilgrims were not affected by the strike, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has been operating buses from various destinations to Pamba, the foothills of the Sabarimala temple. However, KSRTC buses were not plying on other routes.

Meanwhile, pilgrims at Nilackal said they have been waiting for hours to reach the hill shrine. Private-run buses are also keeping off roads.

Shops at many places in the state capital were open and the popular 'Mittayi Theruvu' (sweet street) in Kozhikode was buzzing.

The union leaders had assured businesses they would not force closure of shops and target traders. The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi has said it would open its commercial establishments.
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has committed a ''historic blunder'' by not extending support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and has betrayed the Assamese, state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said January 8, a day after the party withdrew support to the ruling BJP-led alliance.

Former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta had committed the first blunder by signing the Assam Accord and the party made the second ''historic blunder'' by not extending support to the Bill, Sarma said.

Lok Sabha passed on January 8 the Bill that seeks to amend Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian nationality to people from minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they don't possess any proper document.

''We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Bill and saving 18 Assam assembly seats from going into the hands of 'Jinnah' or AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal',' Sarma said.

''I am proud of being an Assamese and the BJP is committed to protect the interest of the indigeneous population," the minister told reporters here.
The Supreme Court of India (SC) on January 8 overturned the Centre's decision to divest Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma of his duties.

The verdict was delivered by a bench comprising of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph.

"The legislative intent of insulating the CBI director is manifest," the court said in the judgement.

SC asked the government to approach the Selection Committee. The top court reinstated Verma but ruled that he cannot take major policy decisions till the committee's decision.

The court also ruled that further decisions against Verma would be taken by the high-powered committee which appoints the CBI Director.

Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana were both sent on a forced leave in October by the government amid a feud between the two.

The bench headed by CJI Gogoi had on December 6 reserved the judgement after hearing arguments on behalf of Verma, the Centre, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and others.

Verma's two-year tenure as the Director of CBI ends on January 31. He had moved the apex court challenging the Centre's decision.

Speaking to the media after the SC verdict, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government will comply with the verdict.

Jaitley said the decision of sending Verma and Asthana on leave was taken on the recommendation of the CVC.

However, Jaitley added that the Centre had not read the full order and would only react after going through it.

Reacting to the apex courts verdict, the Indian National Congress tweeted, "We welcome the Supreme Court's verdict lambasting the government against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM. Modi government has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country. Wasn't CBI director illegally removed at midnight to stall the probe in Rafale scam which directly leads to PM himself?"

Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan termed it a "partial victory" for Verma. Speaking to reporters, Bhushan said "What is the meaning of reinstating him as the CBI director, if he cannot take any major policy decision."

Speaking to reporters, senior advocate Sanjay Hegde hailed the top courts decision, terming it a "victory not just for Alok Verma, but for independence of CBI".
Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address a public meeting in Cuttack during his one-day visit to Odisha on January 25, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said on January 8.

"Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address a public meeting at Bali Yatra ground in Cuttack during his Odisha visit on January 25," Patnaik said after a preparatory meeting.

Patnaik said the OPCC finalised Rahul Gandhi's public meeting venue at the preparatory meeting.

"Mr Gandhi will reach Bhubaneswar at about 10 am on January 25 and then meet some intellectuals in the city before attending a workers meeting in Cuttack. He will join the public meeting at about 2.30 pm," Patnaik said.

He said Rahul Gandhi will also visit the state in February.

Gandhi's visit assumes significance as Odisha is preparing for twin elections to the state assembly and the Lok Sabha later this year.

The prime minister, who visited the state on December 24 and January 5, is also scheduled to attend another public meeting at Bolangir next week.

BJP president Amit Shah will also visit Odisha on January 18 and attend booth level workers' meeting at Cuttack.
Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi met former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and discussed a host of issues of mutual interest.

Blair is in the national capital to participate in the 'Raisina Dialogue', considered India's flagship annual geo-political and geo-strategic conference.

"I met with Mr Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the UK, in Delhi today. I enjoyed our discussion, that covered a wide range of topics of mutual interest," Gandhi said in a Facebook post.

Blair was the prime minister of Britain from 1997 to 2007.
January 09, 2019 / 10:31 PM IST

Earlier in the day, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot had introduced The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenth- Four Amendment) Bill 2019 amid slogan shouting by opposition Congress over the citizenship amendment bill.

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha yesterday and was brought to the Upper House after the sitting of the House was extended by a day.
Come March and Indians would be able to travel between Guwahati and Dhaka in less than Rs 3,000. This will be possible under the governments affordable air travel, Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN), scheme.

There were many states who came to us for UDAN International But we chose to go with Assam as they had been pursuing the ministry for last one year, said a senior aviation ministry official.

Assam, especially Guwahati, had requisite funds which made it eligible to take international flights, the official said. The state government is likely to provide a subsidy of Rs. 2,370 (Guwahati-Dhaka) and Rs. 4,400 (Guwahati-Bangkok) for a certain number of seats on the flights operating these routes.

Assam has airports, which are suitable for international operations but, until now, they didnt have proper operations running Now, Assam government was very keen on starting international operations and they placed bids for all destinations, the official said.

Also read: 15 airlines participated under UDAN-3, routes to be announced soon

According to another government official, Assam has been selected to connect two cities, Bangkok and Dhaka under UDAN International and these could be the first flights under the scheme.

The file is already with the minister. We just need his go-ahead, he said.

The official also said that Centre would finalise UDAN-International by March.

Centre had launched UDAN scheme in 2016 to make air travel affordable for common man. UDAN or regional connectivity scheme (RCS) capped prices of air tickets at Rs 2,500 for every one-hour flight.

Under its international plan, ministry of civil aviation has identified seven international locations including Singapore, Dhaka, Yangon, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Kuala Lampur and Dubai to connect Indias tier-II and tier-III cities. In the first phase, Guwahati and Vijayawada will fly passengers to these locations.

State governments, either on their own, or through Centre can start international flights under the scheme.

The primary objective of the scheme is to assist state governments as they seek to facilitate/stimulate scheduled air connectivity between their respective states and international destinations as selected by them, according to circular issued by the ministry.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

The government has allowed an Iranian bank to open a branch in Mumbai, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said January 8 after a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Md Javad Zarif here.

Iran's Bank Pasargad will open its branch within the next three months.

Gadkari said, "the Government of India has already given permission to Iran to open a bank branch in Mumbai. They are going to open a branch in Mumbai in three months. That will be used for transactions".

Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari termed his meeting with Iranian Minister on Chabahar Port "fruitful".

We had detailed discussions... Our meeting was very fruitful and we have resolved a lot of issues," Gadkari said.

India has placed USD 85 million machinery order for Chabahar, which is a port on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, and is Iran's southernmost city.

We have had a good discussion with the minister (Md Javad Zarif). The first ship from Brazil has already been received at Chabahar... The financial arrangement is ready. There were some problems, but we have resolved the issues, Gadkari said.

Proposals on barter system between the two nations can also be considered, Gadkari said.

He said the Iranian minister had given many proposals.

"They need steel, particularly real steel and locomotive engines, and they are ready to supply urea," he stated.

India can provide steel rails to Iran and the Persian gulf nation can provide urea to India, he added.
The global market for drones and drone powered solutions is expected to cross $100 billion by 2023, and India seems to be on the right track to cash on in this sector. The country's newly-announced Drone Regulation 1.0 is a step to open up the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs)  commonly known as drones  for commercial activities.

The regulations will be enhanced in 2019, multiple industries stakeholders told Moneycontrol, adding that the drone industry could see a huge market in the near future.

The policy, which has been formulated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation has created a huge base for a drone ecosystem in the country. By lifting the blanket ban on activities related to drones, companies will now be able to utilise RPAs for commercial purposes.

However, experts have called the existing policy "restrictive in terms of usage, height and weight limits" of drones, which gives "very little leeway for commercial usage". They believe the government could go on to relax the policy in 2019, which would open a broader gateway for industries to leverage the unmanned aviation vehicle (UAV) technology.

What is Drone Regulations 1.0?

Drone Regulations 1.0 allows RPAs to be used commercially and came into effect on December 1, 2018. It defines drones as a technology platform, classifies RPAs, fly zones, and what approvals are needed to operate them commercially and otherwise.

As per the regulation, RPAs have been categoried as nano, micro, small, medium and large, on the basis of weight.



During day light (except those flying in enclosed spaces)

Within visual line of sight (VLoS)

A maximum height of 400 feet above ground limit (AGL)

Drones will not be able to take flight in "no drone zones", including areas close to airports; international borders, Vijay Chowk in Delhi; State Secretariat Complex in state capitals, strategic locations/vital and military installations.



Operations of drones for commercial and general use will be restricted to the following conditions:

What experts say

Terming the policy a "good start", Amber Dubey, partner and India head of aerospace and defence at global consultancy KPMG said that having a policy and regulations thereof is definitely better than not having one.

However, he claimed it was "restrictive" for commercial use. "Mandating VLoS gives very little leeway for commercial usage. Not permitting delivery of payloads (weight restrictions) reduces its commercial use further," said Dubey.

Mughilan T, Co-founder and CEO of Skylark Drones that provides drones solutions for enterprises is of the view that the policy has the potential to create conditions for Indian companies to innovate products for global use.

Opportunities and challenges for RPAs in certain sectors

Food delivery

Food delivery platform Zomato welcomed the government's move and said that it would be a "game changer in the food delivery space".

"The factors which crippled the sector in the past years are now in favour of its development. So with the right set of people, favourable government regulations and aerial technological advancements, drone delivery will be a game changer in the food delivery space," a company spokesperson told Moneycontrol.

The food-tech firm that acquired TechEagle -- a Lucknow-based drone startup -- in 2018, is currently working on devising hub-to-hub delivery networks and designing multi-rotor drones that can pick up a payload of under 5 kg.

Asked about the expected benefits of using drone technology for food delivery, the spokesperson said, "Delivery via drones will help us reduce the last mile delivery leg and make the process more convenient and cost-effective. UAVs will significantly mitigate the delivery time while also increasing our reach."

The company would go on to run a pilot project in Delhi-NCR after finishing thorough testing and procuring all licences as directed by DGCA. It will eventually scale operations to other cities where it is offering food delivery services.

However, experts suggest that the commercial delivery of food via drones will not start in 2019. "Drone deliveries is definitely a possibility but we may not have a scenario where you can place food orders and get them delivered home anytime soon. This is because you need a lot of other infrastructure to enable delivery of food via drones, which will take at least a couple of years to develop and test, Mughilan said.

Real estate projects

Construction is one of the most dynamic, responsive and unique sectors in the Indian economy. On a typical construction project, hazards are a recurrent feature, especially as equipment and materials keep moving around a site. Instead of safety managers physically conducting site "walk-throughs" to identify potential hazards, UAVs and drones can be deployed to conduct safer, faster and more accurate inspections, according to a November 2018 PwC analysis report.

Nonetheless, Mughilan added, "The market size for enterprise-grade applications of drones in sectors such as construction in a fast-growing economy like India can be huge."

Agriculture

Farming is an area where drones have the most potential to expedite and redress major challenges. Successful adoption of drone technology for agricultural purpose has been seen in several foreign countries. Similarly, it has a huge potential in the Indian agricultural sector. "Drones have huge applications in agriculture in terms of crop imaging and spraying of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. Drone Regulations 1.0 does not permit delivery of payloads and this restricts usage of RPAs. Given the small land-holdings in India, and availability of cheap farm labour, large scale usage of drones for crop imaging and spraying operations may take some time," said Dubey.

Expectations

Enterprises and experts expect relaxation in the policy to make drone solutions more efficient for businesses and the economy.

"Drone Regulations 1.0 has proved to be a significant milestone and we're confident that the further developments expected in the foreseeable future will facilitate the ease of doing business and help create a robust ecosystem for the future of food delivery in India," the Zomato spokesperson added.

According to Dubey, India has an opportunity to leapfrog from its current low ranking in terms of commercial aircraft manufacturing to becoming a global leader in research, design and manufacturing of RPAs. This may require the government, regulators, academia, funding institutions and industry to work in a coordinated manner, he explained.

Dubey noted that Drone Regulations 2.0, expected in late 2019, could enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, delivery of payloads and automation of the air traffic management. One pilot could also be allowed to operate multiple RPAs.
The AAP government January 8 told the Delhi High Court that it has decided to release over Rs 600 crore and Rs 400 crore to the East and North MCD, respectively in accordance with the recommendations of the fourth Delhi Finance Commission.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao was informed by the Delhi government standing counsel Rahul Mehra that it will release Rs 632.05 crore and Rs 450 crore to East and North municipal corporations, respectively at the earliest.

The court asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit of compliance after releasing the funds to the MCDs and listed the matter for January 18.

It said the amount could be used for paying arrears of employees' salaries and pensions.

The bench was hearing a batch of writ petitions on providing adequate funds to all the local bodies, including the municipal corporations, to enable their proper functioning.

On April 16 last year, the court had directed the Delhi government to release the amounts according to the 4th DFC (Delhi Finance Commission) within four weeks for the period from November 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018, saying it was imperative to ensure salaries are paid and civic facilities not affected.

The court had earlier told the AAP government that it was liable to pay the municipal corporations in the city in accordance with the recommendations of the 4th DFC.

It had said if the government had objections to releasing funds as claimed by the municipal bodies under the 4th DFC, the chief secretary will have to file an affidavit indicating reasons for it.

It had also asked the corporations to inform the Delhi government about the amount of funds they needed to pay the salaries and pensions of their employees according to the 4th DFC recommendations.
January 08, 2019 / 09:09 AM IST

Normal life likely to be affected in Bengaluru, Karnataka

Normal life is likely to be affected in Bengaluru city and several parts of Karnataka today due to the bandh.

With state transport buses likely to stay off the roads, commuters, office goers who use the service may face the brunt. However, the metro service in Bengaluru, as also auto and taxi service, are likely to function as usual.

Hotels, malls and film theatres are also likely to function as usual, with their unions extending "moral" support to the strike.

Bank services are likely to be partially affected. District administrations have been given the authority to declare a holiday for schools and colleges depending on the situation there, officials said. (PTI)
Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi

Bangladesh would cultivate more effective ties with India and China, pursuing a vigorous economic diplomacy, newly appointed Foreign Minister Abdul Kalam Abdul Momen said on January 8.

Momen, 71, also said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed him to intensify cooperation with neighbours on the basis of "solid partnership" and ensure that the foreign office acts as a partner of other ministries to draw more foreign investments in the country.

"My main focus will be to pursue a vigorous economic diplomacy with all major countries and particularly the neighbours," Momen told PTI in an interview a day after assuming the office, indicating that the new government wanted to reap the benefit of the friendships with both India and China.

An economist by background, Momen said his office would effectively do its part to elevate the country's status as a higher middle income by 2021 as envisaged by the premier and draw the required foreign assistance in implementing the government's ambitious development plans.

Momen said intense relations with neighbours like India and China would remain as a major policy while he would try to cultivate more effective ties with all major foreign nations like the US, the UK and France keeping Bangladesh's integrity intact.

"In no time in the recent history, our relations with India was so good. We will maintain it and rather take it to another level," he said.

Simultaneously, Bangladesh would try to reap benefits of its ties with China as it offered a huge amount as credit for the country's development, Momen said.

Bangladesh's ties with India last year grew steadily, with high-level visits from both sides. Prime Minister Hasina visited India in May last during which she held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The last few years have been a "golden chapter" in India-Bangladesh relationship when complicated issues of land and coastal boundaries were resolved, Modi said at the time.

During 2018, the two countries launched many development cooperation projects, including the construction of the Akhaura-Agartala rail line and the restoration of Kulaura-Shahbazpur section of railway line.

Asked about major challenges, Momen referred to the Rohingya crisis and preferred to call it "an economic issue" but feared it could affect the regional stability unless addressed through a conserted effort involving nations in the neighbourhood.

"The issue needs to be solved as soon as possible, otherwise it would affect stability of the entire region," he said.

More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees have crossed into Bangladesh from Rakhine since August 2017 when Myanmar launched a brutal military crackdown, dubbed by UN as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing" and "genocide" by international rights watchdogs, sparking a global uproar.

Momen is a new face in the ruling Awami League. He previously served as Bangladesh's politically appointed permanent envoy to the UN with concurrent accreditation to South American republics of Chile and Peru. He started his career as a civil servant in early 1970s to later became an economics professor in the US.

Having a doctorate degree in economics and MBA in business from Boston's Northeastern University and MPA in public administration, public policy and international economics from the Harvard University, Momen was elected from the northeastern Sylhet constituency.

His elder brother, AMA Muhith, was elected to parliament from the same constituency during the last parliament election and served as Bangladesh's longest serving finance minister in Hasina's cabinet.
The Lok Sabha on January 8, has approved the bill granting a 10 percent reservation for the economically backward upper castes in government jobs and educational institutions.

Here's all you need to know about the 10 percent quota for the general category:

Who will benefit from this?

Economically backward upper castes such as Brahmins, Banias, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Gujjars, Bhumihars, Kapus, whose family income is under Rs 8 lakh per annum will benefit from this proposed quota reservation.

According to media reports, the poor among the other religions such as Muslims and Christians will also get the benefit.

Read  Quick Take | 10% reservation for EWS an astute political move

What are the criteria for reservation?

Apart from the family income of the beneficiaries being under Rs 8 lakh per annum, the family should have a landholding of less than five acres, according to a report by The Times of India.

The family should not have a residential plot not measuring over 100 square yards in a notified municipality and less than 200 square yards in non-notified areas, according to the report.

Quota seekers should also not own more than five acres of agricultural land.

How will the quota be implemented?

The new legislation would amend Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution dealing with caste-based quotas to provide reservation for "economically weaker" sections in public employment and all educational institutions.

The government, however, would require support from at least two-thirds of the members in both the Houses to amend the Constitution. It has passed the Lok Sabha hurdle and not the bill is headed to the Rajya Sabha before the President signs it.

According to media reports, the quota will be over and above the existing 50 percent reservation to SCs, STs, and OBCs.

What are the challenges ahead of the implementation of this quota?

One of the major challenges that lie ahead of the implementation of this law is the Supreme Court's 50-percent cap on quotas in the Indra Sawhney case in 1992. The apex court had upheld in its verdict that reservation shall not exceed 50 percent.

However, if the changes are amended, the reservation quota may jump to 60 percent from the existing 50 percent.

Similar changes to amend Articles 15 and 16 were attempted by the governments in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra but the laws were struck down by the court on the ground of the judgement in the Indra Sawhney case.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had said that the Constitution makes no case for a quota on the economic ground and only talks of educational and social backwardness.

What is the politics behind the move?

The move is seen as the BJP's step to consolidate upper caste votes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in April-May. Political observers suggest that these sections of upper castes had drifted from the party because of its aggressive push to win over backward classes and Dalits. And this is the party's attempt to bring them back before the Lok Sabha elections.

The saffron party faced the wrath of the upper castes in the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan elections, over the amendment brought by the Central government to nullify the Supreme Court judgement in the SC-ST Act last year.

Reacting to the development, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi termed the move as an "election gimmick" and asked what the government was doing for the past four years and eight months.

The move is significant for BJP ahead of the general elections to garner support from an influential section of society. The party may also need the opposition's support to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers.
A signboard is seen outside the premises of Supreme Court in New Delhi, India, September 28, 2018. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis - RC1B5CE56370

The Supreme Court on January 8 set up a five-judge ConstitutionBench to hear the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case.

The bench will be headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and also comprise of Justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud.

The Constitution Bench is scheduled to hear the matter on January 10.

"Take notice that the following matters (petitions in the Ayodhya land dispute) will be listed on Thursday the 10th January, 2019 at 10.30 AM in Chief Justice's court before the constitution bench comprising the Chief Justice, S A Bobde, N V Ramana, Uday Umesh Lalit and Dr D Y Chandrchud, JJ," said a notice, which was uploaded on the apex court website.

On January 4, the top court had said that further orders in the matter would be passed on January 10 by "the appropriate bench, as may be constituted".

As many as 14 appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land be partitioned equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

The apex court on October 29 last year had fixed the matter in the first week of January before the "appropriate bench".

Later, an application was moved for according an urgent hearing by advancing the date, but the top court had refused the plea, saying it had already passed an order on October 29 relating to the hearing of the matter.

The plea for early hearing was moved by the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) which is one of the respondents in the appeal filed by legal heirs of M Siddiq, one of the original litigants in the case.

A three-judge bench of the top court had on September 27 last year, by 2:1 majority, refused to refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgement that a mosque was not integral to Islam. The matter had arisen during the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute.

Various Hindutva organisations have been demanding an ordinance on early construction of Ram temple at the disputed site.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested that any decision on an ordinance on Ram temple in Ayodhya can happen only after the completion of the judicial process.

Modi's comments had come amidst heightened demands by Hindutava organisations, including the RSS, for an ordinance for an early construction of the temple.
Ashish Chaturmohta

Bharat Electronics was in decline mode for last one year and touched low of Rs 74 in September18. It then rallied to Rs 99 levels and then again tested the low of Rs 74 and seen bounce back to current levels. Thus, forming double bottom pattern on daily chart. Volumes have been above average indicating buying at participation the stock.

ADX line indicator of trend strength has moved above neutral level of 20 on daily chart indicating strength in the uptrend. Thus, stock can be bought at current levels and on dips to Rs 89 with stop loss below Rs 85 for target of Rs 105 levels.

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
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Shares of Bharat Dynamics added 9.7 percent intraday Tuesday after company won a contract worth Rs 760 crore.

The company has signed contract worth of Rs 760 crore approximately with the Indian Army for production and supply of Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) and Launchers.

The contract was signed by V. Gurudatta Prasad, Director (Production), of the company at New Delhi.

The missiles and launchers will be manufactured under continued technical collaboration with Russia at the Bhanur Unit of company in Telangana State.

At 15:06 hrs Bharat Dynamics Ltd. was quoting at Rs 295.00, up Rs 16.80, or 6.04 percent on the BSE.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 428 and 52-week low Rs 260 on 31 May, 2018 and 24 October, 2018, respectively.

Currently, it is trading 31.07 percent below its 52-week high and 13.46 percent above its 52-week low.
SoftBank Corp is in talks to invest $2 billion in US shared office space provider WeWork Cos Inc this year, a much lower amount than the $16 billion discussed towards the end of last year, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

The deal will now not include the participation of SoftBank's Vision Fund, which had been a major backer of SoftBank's existing investment in WeWork, the report said, citing two people briefed on the deal.

Reuters reported in November that loss-making WeWork had secured an additional $3 billion in funding from SoftBank.
Q12. The development of the "short-link" radio technology was initiated in 1989 by Nils Rydbeck, CTO at Ericsson Mobile in Lund, Sweden and Johan Ullman. What was it later called?

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The Supreme Court issued notice to Reliance Communication (RCom) Chairman Anil Dhirubhai Ambani and others on a plea filed by Ericsson India for allegedly not clearing its dues of Rs 550 crore after selling its assets to Reliance Jio.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman and Vineet Sharan sought a response from Ambani and others in four weeks.

Appearing for RCom, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Mukul Rohatgi urged the bench to accept Rs 118 crore towards the dues to establish its bonafide.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson, said they would not accept Rs 118 crore being given by RCOM and want their entire Rs 550 crore with interest.

Dave said it is a case of gross contempt and even after RCom received Rs 3,000 crore after selling its assets it has not complied with apex court's order to pay the outstanding amount to Ericsson.

Sibal said RCom is giving two demand drafts of Rs 118 crore just to establish its bonafide and would pay the remaining outstanding amount in due course.

"This would not lead you (RCom) anywhere. You have to deposit the entire amount. However, you can deposit the two demand drafts amounting to Rs 118 crore in the apex court registry," the bench said while posting the matter for further hearing after five weeks.

Besides seeking contempt proceedings against RCom chairman and two others, Ericsson had also sought that they be "detained in civil prison" unless they purge themselves by making the payment.

It had also sought directions to the Ministry of Home Affairs to prevent Ambani, Reliance Telecom Chairman Satish Seth and Reliance Infratel Chairperson Chhaya Virani from leaving the country.

The apex court had on October 23 last year asked RCom to clear the dues by December 15, 2018 saying delayed payment would attract an interest of 12 percent per annum.

The plea had sought that the court direct Ambani and the lenders forum to hand over the Rs 550 crore with interest from sale proceeds as per the October 23, last year order.

The apex court had on October 23, 2018 had given one last opportunity to RCom for clearing the settlement amount.

It had said Ericsson can revive its contempt plea against Reliance if the amount is not paid by December 15, 2018.

In its first contempt plea, Ericsson had sought action against Ambani and others for failing to pay Rs 550 crore towards settlement to the company by September-end last year.

The company had alleged that RCom has "wilfully and consciously" defied the order dated August 3, 2018 of the top court and the undertaking given before it to pay up by September-end last year.

Ericsson India, which had signed a seven-year deal in 2014 to operate and manage RCom's nationwide telecom network, had alleged that it had not been paid the dues of over 1,500 crore and challenged the debt-ridden firm before National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

The top court had perused the May 30 last year interim order of the NCLAT and noted that Ericsson India was willing to settle its debt of over Rs 1,500 crore for a sum of Rs 550 crore which was to be paid by RCom within 120 days.
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Here are stocks that are in the news today:

Himachal Futuristic Communications (HFCL): Board approved the proposal of enhancing the additional manufacturing capacity of optical fibre cable (OFC) at Hyderabad from 7 million Fibre Kilometer (FKM) to 10.5 million FKM where the company is already setting up optical fibre (OF) and OFC manufacturing facilities.

HFCL: Board approved redemption of 60,37,500, 6.5% cumulative redeemable preference shares (CRPS) of Rs 100 each at par aggregating to Rs 60.38 crore as per the terms of CRPS.

VST Tillers and Tractors: The Malur unit will be closed on January 8 and 9 due to the impact of strike and power shut down by BESCOM.

Bandhan Bank: Board approved amalgamation of Gruh Finance, subsidiary of HDFC, into the bank.

TCS: Central Bank of Kuwait modernised its technology platform with TCS BaNCS.

Endurance Technologies: Subsidiary Endurance Overseas Srl., Italy and the special purpose vehicle for strategic overseas investments, acquired entire equity stake in Fonpresmetal Gap SpA (Fonpresmetal), an aluminum die casting company in Italy.

National Peroxide: Board approved the appointment of Conrad David Fernandes as Chief Financial Officer and Shailesh Chauhan ceased to be the Chief Financial Officer.

Indostar Capital Finance: Board approved allotment of 2,500 Series XXXII Rated, Secured, Unlisted, Redeemable, Non-Convertible Debentures of face value of Rs 10 lakh each, for cash at par, on private placement basis, aggregating to Rs 250 crore.

Jagran Prakashan: CRISIL assigned long term rating of AA+/Stable for non-convertible debentures worth Rs 300 crore.

Rane Brake Lining: ICRA reaffirmed - for the Rs 165.32 crore line of credit - long term rating at AA- with outlook stable.

PIX Transmissions: CARE upgraded its rating to an A- rating from BBB+ for long-term bank facilities and A2+ rating for short-term facilities has been reaffirmed .

Omaxe: CARE revised its rating to BBB-/Negative from BBB-/Stable for long term bank facilities.

Trident: Company fixed record date for the purpose of third interim dividend for the financial year 2018-19, if declared by the board in its meeting scheduled to be held on January 15, 2019.

Prabhat Dairy: Company entered into animal nutrition business.

Punjab National Bank: Government amalgamated Madhya Bihar Gramin Bank and Bihar Gramin Bank to become Dakshin Bihar Gramin Bank in Bihar while Punjab Gramin Bank, Malwa Gramin Bank and Sutlej Gramin Bank will be merged to become Punjab Gramin Bank in Punjab.

Alliance Integrated Metaliks: Sanjiv Bhasin, Director resigned from the board and all committees of board, due to personal and unavoidable circumstances.

Fedders Electric and Engineering: Satya Narayan Gupta has resigned as the Non- Executive Independent Director of the company due to personal reasons.

Insecticides India: Government of India, The Patent Office has granted the patent for an Insecticidal Combination of 'Diafenthiuron and Acetamiprid in Wettable Power Form' for 20 years.

Sadbhav Infrastructure Project: Toll revenue received from 10 operational SPVs (apart from NSEL which is an annuity project) have increased by approximately 6.2 percent to Rs 275.76 crore in Q3FY19 from Rs 259.78 crore in Q3FY18.

Bulk Deals on January 7

Rajshree PolyPack: Unifi Financial Pvt Ltd sold 92,000 shares of the company at Rs 105 per share on the NSE.

TPL Plastech: Bridge India Fund sold 70,000 shares of the company at Rs 150 per share on the NSE.

(For more bulk deals, click here)

Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings

IRIS Business Services: Company's officials will be meeting Baring Private Equity Partners (India) on January 8.

Deccan Health Care: Company will be conducting Investor Meet on January 9 at Trident, BKC Mumbai.

Seshachal Technologies: Board meeting is scheduled on January 14 to consider the proposal of raising funds through issue of equity shares on preferential allotment basis.

DCM Shriram: Company's officials will be meeting Reliance MF on January 9.

Lancer Container Lines: Company will be participating in an Investor Meet scheduled to be held on January 9 at Trident, BKC Mumbai.

Adani Gas: Company will participate in 'HDFC Securities Investor Forum' on January 10 at Mumbai.

Nitin Castings: Board meeting is scheduled on January 14 to consider sub division of equity shares.

ITI Limited: Company's officials will be meeting certain financial/institutional investors on January 8 and 9.

Jay Bharat Maruti: Board meeting is scheduled on January 15 to consider the un-audited financial results for the 3rd quarter and nine months period ended December 2018.

Trident: Board also consider third interim dividend for the financial year 2018-19 in its meeting scheduled to be held on January 15.

Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company: Board meeting is scheduled to be held on January 30 to consider the unaudited standalone financial statements for the quarter for the ended December 2018 and payment of an interim dividend for the financial year ending March 2019.

MCX: Board meeting is scheduled on January 15 to consider the un-audited financial results (standalone & consolidated) of the company for the quarter and nine months ended December 2018.

Rico Auto Industries: Senior officials of the company will be attending the Investor Conference on January 8.

Jindal Stainless: Management of Jindal Stainless will be participating in the investors' conference - DBS Vickers Pulse of Asia Conference, to be held at Singapore on January 10.

Future Lifestyle Fashions: Company's officials will be meeting institutional investors and mutual fund houses on January 8 and 9.

Tejas Networks: Board meeting is scheduled on January 23 to consider the unaudited standalone financial results of the company for the quarter and nine-months ended December 2018.

L&T Finance Holdings: Board meeting is scheduled on January 21 to consider the unaudited financial results (standalone and consolidated) for the quarter ended December 2018.

Phillips Carbon Black: Board meeting is scheduled on January 16 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter and nine months ended on December 2018.

Punjab Chemicals and Crop Protection: Board meeting is scheduled on January 24 to consider the un-audited financial results of the company for the third quarter and nine months period ended on December 2018.

Jumbo Bag: Board meeting is scheduled on January 14 to consider the unaudited results for the quarter ended December 2018.

Everest Industries: Board meeting is scheduled on January 23 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 2018.

Sasken Technologies: Board meeting is scheduled on January 21 to consider the audited financial results of the company for the quarter and nine months ended December 2018.

Wipro: Board meeting is scheduled on January 18 to announce results for the third quarter ended December 2018.

Mafatlal Industries: Board meeting is scheduled on January 31 to consider the un-audited financial results for the quarter ended December 2018.

Jindal Stainless Hisar: Extraordinary general meeting of shareholders is scheduled to be held on February 1.

Titan Company: Board meeting is scheduled on February 1 to consider the unaudited financial results for the third quarter / nine months ended December 2018.

Hindustan Unilever: Board meeting is scheduled on January 17 to consider the unaudited financial results for the quarter ended December 2018.

Magma Fincorp: Board meeting is scheduled on January 31 to consider the financial result (standalone and consolidated) for the quarter ended December 2018.

Alkyl Amines Chemicals: Board meeting is scheduled on January 30 to consider the unaudited financial results.

Futuristic Solutions: Board meeting is scheduled on January 14 to consider the un-audited financial results of the company for the quarter ended on December 2018.

Lakshmi Machine Works: Board meeting is scheduled on February 4 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 2018.
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Ajcon Global

We expect volatility to remain in the market and street participants would now track global cues and Q3 earnings season. We believe Q2 earnings season has been mixed bag but Q3 can be much better. The monthly sales numbers of auto companies have been subdued in December 2018.

All eyes would be also on the last budget of the current government to be presented before the general elections. We do expect volatility as the central government may resort to populist measures to gain back popularity amongst the rural community especially farmers, after its loss in key states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh.

The strategy at present should be to invest in a phased manner in companies which are not connected to any political party, have a robust business model, strong earnings and cashflow visibility, low debt and backed by quality management especially on the corporate governance front.

Considering the above factors, investors can have a stock specific approach in midcaps and smallcaps as there are many companies which are trading at a discount of 50-70 percent to their peak price in early 2018. We believe the falling crude oil prices will benefit paint companies. On the other hand, there would be significant inventory losses for OMCs.

Last week, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday that creditors are expected to get Rs 70,000 crore as some of the big cases, including Bhushan Power & Steel and Essar Steel, are likely to be resolved in this financial year.

They have already recovered Rs 80,000 crore from 66 cases resolved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). According to FM, increase in conversion of NPAs (non-performing asset) into standard accounts and decline in new accounts falling in the NPA category show a definite improvement in the lending and borrowing behaviour. All these factors would augur well for PSU banks which are trading at depressed valuations.

For short-term investors, the strategy can be to sell on rise and buy on declines up to the general elections. On a safer side, we would suggest long-term investors to have a look at pharma MNCs, consumption stocks, auto stocks, PSU banks  trading at depressed valuations (looking better after the cleanup of NPA mess, progress made under the NPA resolution framework under IBC, faster resolutions under NCLT and proposed recapitalisation), IT sector and private insurance companies at the current moment.

Stock Ideas

3M India | CMP: Rs 20,357 | | Target: Rs 24,800 | Upside: 22 percent

We like 3M India due to its unique and sound business model. The companys products touch life of citizens on a daily basis in some way or the other with products in different segments like abrasives, automotive, casting and splinting, dental, filtration, food service and hospitality, hand hygiene, marine maintenance and repair, medical device and optical components, orthodontic, painting equipment & supplies, patient monitoring, safety products, securement and immobilization-dressing securement, skin and wound care, sterilization monitoring, surgical solutions, tapes and adhesives, vascular access and wire and cables.

With renewed rigour around priority market segments such as automotive, infrastructure, energy and retail, the company is well aligned to address customers challenges with its strong expertise in science and innovation.

There is no similar and comparable company in India with its unique products. As the country prepares for the 2019 general election, there are expectations of more focus on execution and increased expenditure on infrastructure by the government. All this augur well for the companys business segments that are focused on domestic growth in the future.

The company enjoys a strong balance sheet with virtually zero debt company. The significant correction in the stock price gives investors an opportunity to take a pie of this great company who had missed the bus earlier.

In the recent turmoil, the stock has corrected from levels of Rs 26,662. At difficult times like now, it is better to accumulate companies of such kind which can give you multibagger returns over the horizon of 5-10 years. In the near term, we expect an upside of 22 percent.

Eicher Motors | CMP: Rs 20,103 | Target: Rs 25,129 | Upside: 25 percent | Horizon: 9-12 months

The company's motorcycle division (flagship brand  Royal Enfiled) reported subdued monthly sales numbers in December 2018 which resulted in steep correction of the stock price in the previous week.

Royal Enfield aims to lead and grow the mid-weight (250-750cc) motorcycle segment globally, and Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 will help the company accomplish this. The companys strategy of new exclusive stores format introduced in India and international market is also auguring well.

Volvo Trucks is the market leader in the premium truck segment. VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd, a Volvo Group and Eicher Motors joint venture, reported 2.4 percent increase in sales for December 2018 to 6,236 units.

We believe this company is available at cheap valuation only at distressed times. One may argue that Royal Enfield market share might be impacted owing to competitors introducing new range of bikes to compete with Royal Enfield.

We believe, the company will be able to manage competition in a good manner owing to its strong technical capabilities and high brand recall among customers. Brand loyalty for Royal Enfield is huge.

Regarding the LMD and HD vehicle production, we expect the company to increase the same to an average of about 300 vehicles a day in next three months of this financial year as against about 260 vehicles a day, till December 2019.

We advise investors to stick with a quality company like Eicher Motors during difficult times as history has proved that great companies always bounceback when bull run starts.

The author is Vice President - Equity Research at Ajcon Global Services Ltd.

Disclosure: I do not have any personal holding in the stocks discussed above but may have been recommended to our clients in the past.

: The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Jet Airways owes banks nearly Rs 8,000 crore.

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Domestic and foreign lenders of Jet Airways have sought an update on the airlines' liquidity situation, according to a Mint report.

The move by lenders comes a few days after the airline defaulted on a debt payment to a consortium of banks led by State Bank of India (SBI). As a result, ICRA downgraded the long-term rating of Jet Airways to D from C and revised the short-term rating to D from A4.

The lenders are said to meet Jet Airways' executives, along with various vendors in coming days, to help the airline renegotiate contracts and revive its poor cash flow position, sources told the paper.

A consortium of banks led by SBI along with vendors, lessors and those providing engineering, spare parts, credit card and airport services are scheduled to meet officials of the cash-strapped airline on January 8, the report said.

Foreign lenders of Jet are expected to meet its executives next week, a source told the paper.

Read: Jet Airways' survival may rest on founder Naresh Goyal leaving the cockpit

According to a report by Reuters, bankers are being called to the meeting to reassure creditors -- domestic as well as overseas -- that Jet is working toward securing funding and has a repayment plan which it will share with them.

"Lenders want to ensure that the outstanding dues of lessors and vendors are sorted out to avoid any cancellation of lease contracts," a senior banker told the paper, adding that lenders may recall a loan, seize assets or slap penalties in case the borrower violates a loan covenant.

The airline has been planning to raise money from the market to repay debt and fund its operations. Jet Airways is said to be close to striking a deal with SBI for a fresh loan of Rs 1,500 crore ($215 million) to meet its working capital needs.

Read  Jet Airways close to securing Rs 1,500 crore loan from SBI: Sources

In September, the airline had informed its overseas lenders that it would raise about Rs 3,500 crore over six months through a stake sale in its loyalty programme  Jet Privilege  and infuse fresh funds into the company. However, the airline is yet to find fresh funds or monetise its stake in its loyalty programme.

Jet Airways has been undertaking cost-cutting measures such as shutting services on unviable routes and moving towards a no-frills airline by stopping free meals. Jet Airways had earlier said it intends to cut its operating cost by Rs 2,000 crore over the next two years. These measures may, however, take a few more quarters to show significant results.

The airline, part-owned by Etihad Airways, was in talks with the Abu Dhabi-based carrier to infuse more equity, but any money would be conditional on Jet's founder Naresh Goyal ceding control, sources told Reuters.

Read | Quick Take: Can Jet Airways avoid a crash landing?

Lessors have already forced the airline to ground at least four of its new fuel-efficient Boeing 737 MAX aircraft over non-payment of dues, sources told the news agency, adding more planes could be grounded if lessors are unconvinced.

According to the report, lenders of Jet Airways along with SBI Caps, are working on a restructuring package that includes conversion of debt into equity, additional loan facility and equity infusion by promoters.

SBI has appointed EY to conduct a forensic audit into Jet Airways books from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2018. The process is underway. EY's audit is said to determine if the SBI-led consortium of banks will make further funds available to Jet Airways, which has the guarantee of its partner Etihad Airways to raise up to $150 million.

Analysts told Mint that any further restructuring steps taken by bankers may be made available on a condition that the promoter dilutes his stake.
Aiming to boost ties with India, Iran welcomed investment proposals from the country in urea and petrochemicals and is willing to provide fertilisers at reasonable rates, an Iranian minister said on January 8.

After meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said India can look at investments in sectors like petrochemicals and fertilisers in the Chabahar area.

"We have offered discussions in that area (urea) and we welcome proposals from India...India has been a customer for Iranian urea fertilisers for a long time.

"Because of the illegal US sanctions, the Indian consumer, the Indian farmers are paying 38 percent more for the fertilisers and we have possibilities of providing that to India at a reasonable rate," Zarif said.

He said trade arrangement with the European Union (EU) was moving slower and Iran was working with its traditional partners like India, China and Russia to protect its interests.

"While we continue to work with Europeans on their special purpose vehicle, we are working with our traditional partners like India, China, Russia so that we continue to work in the interest of our people.

"Europeans have been trying...but they have not been able to do it as rapidly as we had expected them to do ...We are in touch with Europe but we are not waiting for Europe...," Zarif said.

In November last year, Iran said the EU must be given more time to set up a trade mechanism meant to circumvent reimposed US sanctions on Tehran, but warned it could not "wait forever".

The EU is working on a payment system to continue trade and business ties with Iran after the US ditched a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018 and reintroduced a raft of sanctions on the country.

The US sanctions aim to cut off Iran's banks from international finance and significantly reduce its oil exports.

"With India we are expanding our areas of cooperation through various channels that we have, both through direct channels as well as barter, and providing for requirements of the two countries," the Iranian minister said.

Earlier, shipping and port minister Gadkari had said India plans to set up a urea plant at the strategic Chabahar port complex in Iran to cut down on its huge subsidy on urea.

"Ministries of Chemical and Fertiliser and Petroleum are working on it. Once it is set up, there will not be the need for a huge Rs 80,000-crore subsidy on urea and prices will come down by 50 percent," Gadkari had said.
Enforcement Directorate

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered its first case of money laundering through fake long term capital gains, against a group of investors on a complaint by the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

These investors are alleged to have laundered Rs 40 crore by claiming them as profits from their investments in shares of Radford Global.

The investorsPinky Agarwal, Pratik Agarwal beneficiary trust, Praveen Kumar Agarwal HUF and Praveen Kumar Agarwalwere already charged by SEBI for having manipulated the stock price of Radford Global, in which they got shares on a preferential basis.

On January 4, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against these investors on the basis of a criminal complaint filed by SEBI, a person privy to the information told Moneycontrol.

The ED has registered case under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002.

Till long term capital gains tax on equity investments was reintroduced in the Budget of 2018, many wealthy investors were laundering their undisclosed money, or evading taxes through the long term capital gains route.

Section 3 of PMLA says that Whosoever directly or indirectly attempts to indulge or knowingly assists or knowingly is a party or is actually involved in any process or activity connected with the proceeds of crime and projecting it as untainted property shall be guilty of offence of money-laundering.

In December 2014, SEBI had barred 108 entities from accessing the securities for allegedly rigging the stock price of Radford Global. The names included the promoters of bankrupt firms Alok Industries and Bhushan Steel.

In its subsequent order a year later, SEBI has lifted the restrictions on the promoters of Alok Industries and Bhushan Steel citing lack of evidence against them.

In February 2012, Radford Global had allotted 91 lakh equity shares of Rs 10 each at a premium of Rs 5 on preferential basis to 48 entities aggregating to Rs 13.65 crore.

These shares had a lock-in period of one year. Between February 2012 and January 2013, the stock price rose from around Rs 3 to Rs 241. The SEBI order noted that the companys fundamentals did not support such a steep appreciation in the stock price.

In January 2013, the company announced a split in face value of the stock from Rs 10 to Rs 2. After the stock-split, the stock price rose from Rs 49 (adjusted for the stock-split) to Rs 86 by July 2013. It then started to slide and crashed to Rs 4.89 by March 2014.

Radford announced a stock-split to make a passage for preferential allottees to exit on expiry of the lock-in since the stock split would reduce the per share price and increase liquidity, the SEBI order of December 2014 noted. It further said: After the expiry of lock-in, it was noted that after the stock split, the preferential allottees sold the shares to entities connected/related, directly or indirectly, to Radford Group/Suspected Entities, thereby raking in huge profits.
Sugar mills want the government to defy economics. The government may have no choice but to do it. While sugar prices are falling worldwide, it may fix a higher price for domestic consumers.

Sugarcane arrears have touched Rs 11,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, according to the Indian Express. Mills are withholding payments, saying they dont have the money because of high cane prices and low market prices. International sugar prices have been falling. Raw sugar futures on the InterContinental Exchange are down by 13.7 percent since their October highs.

What makes this politically difficult is that theres nobody to point fingers at. The government at the Centre and these two states are from the same party. This sugar season, that matters more because general elections are nearing.

In India, crushing has begun in the current sugar season (starts in October) and so far, sugar output is higher by 6.7 percent over a year ago. But bad weather and crop infestation will see final output lower than the previous seasons output, according to Indian Sugar Mills Association.

Normally, that would be good news as low supply means prices would firm up. But a glut in the previous season means ample stocks and weak international prices are keeping domestic prices down.

The government had fixed a minimum selling price of Rs 29/kg for sugar in the previous season, but mills claim thats insufficient. They want Rs 35/kg or nearly a fifth more, according to a Business Standard report. The government may agree to a level of Rs 32.

A bit of toing and froing on this front can be expected, with the balance tilting in favour of the mills because elections are drawing near.

But it appears that the government too has had enough. It is upset that sugar mills have not exported the agreed quotas of sugar, leaving more sugar inside the country.

If exported, the demand-supply situation would have been much tighter, and prices would have firmed up. Mills would be sitting on cash instead of sugar, the government seems to think. But mills were unhappy with the price they were getting.

If domestic prices improve this year, mills can sell those stocks at a better rate in the domestic market. The government has now said that if a higher MSP is agreed, no other subsidy should be sought. That may be wishful thinking.

This makes it a difficult time for investors in sugar mills. The government wants farmers to get higher prices and payment on time, but when sugar prices are dull, mills want the government to bridge the deficit. The government is not keen on that.

So how sugar mills do in the coming fiscal will be determined by how this tug of war plays out, and not the price of cane or the price of sugar. Investors will be left looking for news on government subsidies or schemes that could improve mills' financial condition.

The steep fall in crude oil prices and what that means for the ethanol-blending campaign is another uncertainty. (In the past, the government has been keen that oil retailers mix ethanol -- a byproduct of sugar production -- with petrol to cushion the impact of high crude prices.)

Overall, one factor to watch is revised sugarcane estimates, which will be out in the third week of January. If the estimates are sharply lower, sugar prices could increase anyway.

But if the Narendra Modi government does return to power in 2019, it should consider sugar sector reforms as one of the tough nuts to crack. The Rangarajan committee report on sugar sector reforms is a good place to start.

The government needs to shrink its role in the sugar sector, from its current larger-than-life size. There may be some pain but in the longer run, farmers, mills and even investors in sugar mills will benefit.
Senior officials of the Indian Railways recently hauled up one of their colleagues for writing an article that was critical of the railways management.

It is quite possible that the colleague had violated the employment guidelines of the government by writing articles without permission of his seniors. But a quick analysis of some of the figures given in the latest Railways Yearbook suggests that this organisation could be in big trouble.

A critical parameter for judging efficiency  for ships, aircraft and even railways  is turnaround time. For the railways, turnaround time worsened from 5.18 days to 5.32 days. Wagon-km per wagon per day also worsened. Freight earning also declined, if one excludes demurrage and wharfage. What is worse is that return on capital plummeted from 6.99 percent to 1.62 percent.

To understand the crisis, one must bear in mind that unlike other developed countries, Indian Railways makes its money on freight. It is this money, which allows it to subsidise passenger traffic to a great extent. Passengers represent votes and there are studies, which show that passengers do not really pay the full cost of railway transport.

If freight is critically important to the railways, the organisation should have ensured that it retained its edge in freight management. But for the past two decades, the railways has continued to slip in terms of freight market share. By 1999-2000, more cargo travelled by road than by rail. For that year, the railways carried 305.2 billion tonnes-km, while roads carried 467 billion tonnes-km.

Since then, the railways attempts to regain freight market share has been a losing proposition. Thus, with freight earnings not coming in, it was inevitable that the railways would push up both passenger and freight tariffs.

As a result, currently, more than 50 percent of Indias freight is carried by roads, which is easily one of the most expensive forms of transport in India and the world.

Water transport is the cheapest form of transport, followed by railways. Road transport is at times double the costs of railways on a per tonne per km basis.

What this means is that customers were willing to opt for the most expensive form of transport because the India Railways was not found acceptable despite its lower costs. The railways continue to lose market share.

This situation could become worse with Union minister Nitin Gadkari aggressively pushing for revival of water transport through inland waterways and coastal shipping. That means that the railways will have even more competition trying to grab its freight (as well as passenger) business.

But why do people not like the railways? One simple reason is that while roads allow for door-to-door pickup and delivery, the railways operate only from point to point.

The railways have tried to address this problem, by trying to work with road transporters to pick up and delivery from the doorsteps of their customers. But that requires multiple handling and is too messy and expensive. After all, the railways are not the most efficient when it comes to loading and unloading operations.

The railways have tried to find another solution in what it calls roadrailer train services. In this, railway wagons are designed with both rail and road wheels. When the wagon is attached to a trailer, the the road tyres take over. It is a solution, but not an elegant one.

Maybe, it should instead try a new method  it could learn from the ro-ro and ro-pax services that Nitin Gadkaris ministry has been pushing both for waterways and for coastal transport. Ro-ro boats are those which allow for a vehicle  not just cars but fully loaded container trucks as well  to drive on to ships, and then drive off these vessels at the destination ports.

The railways should redesign their rakes to allow fully laden trucks to roll on to trains, and then roll off at destination stations. That way, the truck will save on fuel costs, the customer has to ensure loading and unloading of the consignment only once, and the truck offers door-to-door service in partnership with the railways. And the railways have better capacity utilization.

But this requires the railway management to be imaginative and to work with market developers  like Gadkaris ministry has done. It must urge them to develop new vehicles, new solutions and also new packages. If the railways does not do this, it will see more business slipping away.

That would be unfortunate because the railways is still the pride of India. It runs one of the largest network of railway lines in the world. And it is a very large employer in India (it employed 1.3 million regular employees at last count accounting for a wage bill of Rs.1.15 lakh crore annually. It also employs two or three times this number as contract employees).

Can that be done? Can the railways stop bleeding? Will the railways ministry provide people some answers?

The author is consulting editor with Moneycontrol.com
Representative image

In the wake of growing protectionism globally, centre, state governments and industry representatives will meet on January 10 to discuss ways to boost the country's exports, an official said on Tuesday.

The issues would be deliberated upon in the fourth meeting of the Council for Trade Development and Promotion, which will be chaired by the Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu.

Trade ministers from different states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Karnataka are expected to attend the meeting, the official added.

The council was constituted in July 2015 to promote India's overseas shipments. The meeting assumes significance as states play a proactive role in promoting outbound shipments.

The commerce ministry has advised all the states to formulate their export policies and appoint export commissioners.

The issues which are likely to figure in the meeting include ways to enhance export competitiveness, quality and standards of products.

The council acts as a platform to develop partnership with states with an aim to boost international trade.

Besides trade/commerce ministers of states and union territories, 14 secretaries of the central government, including commerce, revenue, shipping, civil aviation, agriculture, food processing and economic affairs are the members of the council.

The council also provides a platform to state governments and UTs for articulating their perspective on trade policy to help them develop and pursue export strategies in line with the national foreign trade policy.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ganesh Kumar Gupta said issues related to credit and modern infrastructure need to be resolved to push the exports.

Since 2011-12, India's exports have been hovering at around USD 300 billion. During 2017-18, the shipments grew by about 10 per cent to USD 303 billion.

Experts have cautioned that growing trade tensions between the US and China could impact global trade growth.

Imposition of high import duties by the US this year on certain steel and aluminium products have triggered a trade war kind of situation.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) too has stated that escalating trade tensions and tighter credit market conditions in important markets will slow trade growth in 2019.

During April-November 2018-19, the country's exports grew 11.58 per cent to USD 217.52 billion.
Lupin | Rakesh Jhunjhunwala increased stake in company to 1.53 percent in September quarter, from 1.47 percent in June quarter; LIC also raised stake to 3.71 percent from 2.7 percent and MFs to 12.58 percent from 11.94 percent. (Image: Reuters)

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Lupin on Tuesday said the European Commission (EC) has approved specialty drug NaMuscla to treat a rare neuromuscular disorder.

NaMuscla, scientifically called as mexiletine is used for the symptomatic treatment of myotonia in adults with nondystrophic myotonic (NDM) disorders.

Non-dystrophic myotonic disorders are a group of rare, inherited neuromuscular disorders which cause the inability to relax muscles following voluntary contraction.

Lupin said it is preparing for the launch of NaMuscla in Germany and the UK in Q1 2019, while looking for partners to commercialise the drug in rest of the European territories.

The EC approval follows the positive opinion which was issued by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), in October 2018 and will apply to all 28 countries of the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The approval makes NaMuscla which recently had its orphan drug designation ratified by the EMAs Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP), the first treatment to be licensed throughout the EU for the symptomatic treatment of myotonia in adults with NDM disorders.

We are delighted by the decision of the European Commission to approve NaMuscla, making it the first treatment to be licensed across the EU for patients with non-dystrophic myotonia, said Thierry Volle, President EMEA, Lupin.

The EC approval represents a further important milestone for Lupin as we build a leading specialty pharma company focused on the development, registration and commercialization of science-based therapies and solutions for areas of unmet medical need, Volle said.

More than 7500 people in Europe are living with NDM have limited access to a licensed treatment for myotonia which reduces the daily burden of this disabling, lifelong symptom.

Lupin said it is also pursuing a paediatric investigation plan (PIP) for NaMuscla.

The approval was based on a pivotal Phase III clinical study (MYOMEX1) which enrolled 25 participants who were diagnosed with non-dystrophic myotonic disorders and symptomatic myotonia.

In randomized controlled trials, NaMuscla been shown to significantly reduce myotonia compared to placebo, reducing skeletal muscle hyperexcitability through its use-dependent, voltage-gated, sodium channel blocking actions which are independent of the cause of channel function. This resulted in an improvement in patient quality-of-life

Shares of Lupin rose 1.04 percent and were trading at Rs 829.40 on BSE at 12.20 pm, the benchmark Sensex gained 0.04 percent to 35,860.59 points.
Phones (Representative image)

Smartphone shipments in China fell between 12-15.5 percent last year, market data indicated, suggesting a bleak outlook for the sector at a time when behemoths Apple and Samsung Electronics have already issued dour forecasts.

China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a research institute under the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said shipments dropped 15.5 percent to roughly 390 million units for the year, with a 17 percent slump in December.

Market research firm Canalys estimates shipments fell 12 percent in China last year and expects smartphone shipments in 2019 to dip below 400 million for the first time since 2014.

The Chinese smartphone market, the world's largest, could shrink another 3 percent this year, Canalys said, in what would be a third straight year of declines. Smartphone shipments in the country had fallen 4 percent in 2017.

Shipments are the number of smartphones that manufacturers deliver to retailers and carriers, different from sales that happen when customers actually buy these smartphones.

The plunge in Chinese shipments expected in 2018 could lead to a 1 percent contraction in the global smartphone market, Canalys said.

Apple triggered a selloff in global markets last week after it took the rare step of cutting its quarterly sales forecast citing slowing iPhone sales in China.

China boasts the world's biggest smartphone market, but a slowing economy, exacerbated by a trade war with the United States, has seen demand for gadgets drop across the tech sector.

TuanAnh Nguyen, a Singapore-based analyst for Canalys, told Reuters that China was now a fully mature market and lengthening refresh cycles for smartphones would be the new normal.

"Weaker economic growth and lower consumer confidence will likely hit the premium segment well into the first half of 2019," Nguyen said.

"Apple certainly was the biggest victim of this trend, with added effects from the fact that it's lagging behind local competitors in innovation and attractive pricing," he said.

Apple rival and supplier Samsung on January 8 estimated that its fourth-quarter earnings plunged 29 percent and that profitability would remain subdued in the current quarter due to weak demand for its memory chips.

Also, Samsung's display business is struggling due to the lack of growth of its own devices as well as worse-than-expected performance of Apple's X/XS/XS Max iPhone series, Nguyen said.

Chinese firms Huawei and Xiaomi are challenging Samsung's dominance in many key markets, he added.

Huawei dominates the Chinese market, where the once-market leading Korean firm is now nearly a bit player.

Samsung controls over a fifth of the global market, followed by Huawei, which has a 14-percent market share, Canalys said.
Idahos governor was on hand Wednesday to help break ground for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories 140,000-square-foot printed circuit board factory in Moscow, welcoming one of the few new plants of its kind to be built in the United States in the last decade.
A Long-range weather forecast from NOAA shows this warmer than normal weather is not expected to stay the entire month of January. The forecast maps show an about-face in temperatures may be coming.

Here is the six to 10 day forecast.

The six to 10 day temperature forecast gives Michigan and the Great Lakes region a high probability of warmer than normal temperatures from January 13 to 17, 2019

Next is the eight to 14 day temperature forecast.

Temperature forecast for January 15 to January 21 shows continued warmer than average temperatures across Michigan, the Great Lakes and all of the U.S.

But as the forecast period goes into the last part of January, notice the big change in the expected temperature pattern.

The three to four week temperature forecast shows a higher chance of colder than average temperatures for late January to the beginning of February.

Long-range forecaster Stephen Baxter, meteorologist at NOAAs Climate Prediction Center, says he still saw reasons to predict a flip-flop to colder than average temperatures when producing this forecast. Baxter told me there are three weather features that influenced his forecast. The first feature you are probably familiar with, while the second two features may be new weather terms for you. Dont feel bad. There is a whole vault of weather conditions that meteorologists have talked about just within our field. But society and you are so advanced in technical info now, we throw it all out there.

The first large-scale weather feature is an El Nino condition. El Nino tends to bring warmer than average air into the Great Lakes during January. So El Nino actually would oppose the current forecast. The El Nino experts say although El Nino waters are warm, the atmosphere doesnt appear to have taken on that warming effect yet. In other words, our recent mild weather isnt the result of El Nino.

The other two features point toward colder weather coming, and the two computer models used to forecast several weeks out are showing the change to cold.

The strongest feature to drive cold weather back into Michigan and the eastern U.S. is probably a new term to most of you. Its called the Madden-Julian Oscillation( also called MJO). The Australian Weather Bureau describes the MJO as, an eastward moving pulse of clouds and rainfall near the equator that typically recurs every 30 to 60 days. The MJO is a mass of thunderstorms that moves from west to east across the Pacific Ocean. One large blob of thunderstorms will develop in the western Pacific and then move east toward South America. The cycle then starts over again.

The MJO is probably the reason for our recent mild weather, according to Baxter. But now the MJO is going into the phase that tends to pull colder air into the eastern U.S. This is the main driver of what Baxter thinks will be an upper-air pattern shift. The warmer air will back up to the western U.S., and cold air could drop south out of Canada.

The other weather situation that could enhance the cold is a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW). I wrote about this SSW on December 21, 2018. A Sudden Stratospheric Warming tends to push on the polar vortex and move the polar vortex off of the North Pole region. Usually the cold air first moves toward Asia, and then sloshes back toward the eastern U.S. The timing of a possible cold push would put the eastern U.S. in the colder air late in January.

Long-range computer models, called the European Medium Range Weather Forecast Model (ECMWF) and the National Weather Services CFS model both are now showing colder weather in late January. Baxter says the cold air keeps being delayed by the models, and he wouldnt be surprised if the cold arrives closer to the beginning of February. The Climate Prediction Center and Baxter will produce a new three to four week forecast this Friday. We may see a continued few day delay in the cold.

Baxter doesnt know if it will be extreme cold, or just a temperature situation a few degrees colder than average. He estimates this pattern should last two to three weeks. Beyond that hes not sure if its a longer lasting cold blast, or fades as we go back to warmer than average temperatures.

Ill throw my two cents in also. I remember one of my first forecasting classes in college. The professor was a long-time meteorologist retired from the Air Force and the newly formed Weather Bureau. He came into class one day to teach us long-range forecasting. We didnt have the models we have now. We had two models that projected out just 60 hours in advance. He came up with what I thought was a really lame forecasting technique. He called it persistence. He said that when a weather pattern is strong, we are best off to just forecast that pattern to continue. Ive since realized this is a good principle in long-range forecasting.

In this case, warm weather has been common this first half of winter. The upper-air pattern always seems to bounce back to a mild flow, for whatever reason. So, using persistence, the possible coming cold spell could be just a short-lived few week cool-down.

For those of you planning some outdoor winter fun, centering that fun around the first of February looks like the best bet right now.
WASHINGTON -- The fight between President Donald Trump and the Democratic leadership in Congress heads to network TV Tuesday night as Trump will address the nation from the Oval Office about what he and his administration are referring to as a national security crisis concerning the border between the United States and Mexico.

The focus of the speech is expected to revolve around funding for the proposed wall between the countries as Trump continues to push for $5 billion in federal funding to construct the wall. Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate refuse to support any spending bill that would include funding for the wall, resulting in a government shutdown that is nearing its third week.

Trump is expected to speak to the nation at 9 p.m. EST with news networks across the country interrupting scheduled programming to broadcast the address. Rumors have swirled over the past few days that Trump may declare a national emergency in order to use government funding to build the wall.

Members of the administration have hinted at that possibility in the past few days, including Vice President Mike Pence and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. However, critics of Trump say the emergency is based on false information and Tuesdays address may use that misleading information to try to sway public support for the wall.

Both Pence and Sanders have claimed 4,000 terrorists were apprehended by the U.S. and those numbers are a reason why the border must be secured. However, CNN reports that just 12 of those apprehended were caught at the southern border. The majority of those caught were apprehended at airports.

A response from Democratic leaders Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of California will air shortly after Trump has finished his remarks. The networks that have committed to airing Trumps speech have also agreed to air the response.

Along with airing on TV networks, the speech will be broadcast live on Youtube via the official White House page. It can also be viewed below. Democrats have not announced a stream of their planned response to Trumps address.
Less than ideal road conditions will keep some mid-Michigan school districts closed on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Among the school districts closed on Tuesday include Gladwin and Beaverton in Gladwin County and Harrison in Clare County.

A message Monday night on the Beaverton Rural Schools Facebook page states the district is closed Tuesday due to unsafe secondary road conditions, primarily on northern borders, where freezing rain lasted longer.

CPS will have its snow day...tomorrow, 1/8/19. Back roads are a mess. Stay safe Pioneers. Posted by Clare Public Schools on Monday, January 7, 2019

A complete list of school and organization closings is available on the ABC 12 website here.

Gladwin and Harrison schools posted statements on social media noting the closures were due to icy roads in those communities.

All three districts were also closed on Monday, Jan. 7.
UPDATE: Police cant verify dead teachers claim that he sexually abused 15 youths

WHITTEMORE, MI  A northern Michigan school district has released an edited version of an email sent by one of its teachers to colleagues expressing remorse for having sexually abused 15 boys. The teacher, who subsequently died by suicide, warns coworkers to be vigilant.

Let this be a reminder that you really NEVER know the people around you, wrote 24-year-old Kevin Schutte. Many people whove known me for years would never believe Id do such a thing as I did; always check, always verify, you never know what someones hidden intentions might be."

Schutte was hired in August by Whittemore-Prescott Area Schools as a music teacher and band leader.

Those named as abuse victims in Schuttes email are not students of the district, Superintendent Joseph Perrera and police have confirmed.

Schutte sent the email on Sunday, Jan. 6. MLive and The Bay City Times obtained a redacted copy of the email on Tuesday through the Michigan Freedom on Information Act.

About 8 p.m. Sunday, Arenac County Sheriffs deputies responded to his Turner Township home after numerous school employees called 911 to report having received the email. Upon arrival, deputies found Schutte dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In his email, Schutte listed the names of 15 people he said he sexually abused. Police have yet to confirm anyone was victimized by Schutte and are reaching out to those he named.

Many may not remember the abuse as it was a long time ago and some of them may have even slept through it, Schutte wrote. Others still may have convinced themselves that what occurred was consensual even though their participation was brought about by heavy coercion.

He goes on to state his hope that someone will contact the named individuals to see if they need counseling or help.

The focus here should be undoing my damage once Im gone, Schutte wrote. If there are any names Ive forgotten, Im truly sorry, but after racking my brain pretty hard, this is all I could come up with in terms of boys that that I actually touched, as opposed to simply watched at opportune times.

The email continues with Schutte saying some victims may be reluctant to step forward.

"(N)ever underestimate the ability of sex abuse victims ability to keep quiet, because so many take it to their grave, I dont know if you or anyone ever wouldve found out if it werent for my crisis of conscience in these final acts.

Perrera said there was no indication Schutte was suicidal or had a history of sexual abuse.

There were absolutely zero red flags from our perspective, Perrera said. We followed our policies, procedures, and protocol for hiring.

Schutte may have had a traffic ticket on his record. In his application process, he self-reported that he had gotten into some kind of trouble involving marijuana while a freshman or sophomore in college, Perrera said.

He didnt have to report that, but he did, Perrera said. Thats all he had. There was nothing there.

Schutte began working at the school in the fall, having previously graduated from Au Gres-Sims High School in 2012. He served as the Whittemore-Prescott districts band/choir director and music teacher.

Perrera lauded Schutte for getting the band program started again after an eight-year hiatus.

He literally had to come in and start from ground zero, inventorying the instruments, getting them repaired in the summer, getting the kids tested for their instruments, Perrera said. The kids were excited. Its a great program and were going to find a way to continue band and choir. Its essential for kids to learn music.

Perrera said he received no complaints from students, parents, or staff regarding Schutte, adding he was friendly and got along with everyone.

Perrera on Monday notified staff face-to-face of Schuttes death and provided them with a letter to read to their students.

Were a school family, he said. I didnt want rumors getting out there. I wanted the kids to hear it from us.

Counselors, social workers, mental health professionals, and local clergy were on-hand at the schools to help students and staff, Perrera said. Classes were canceled Tuesday due to weather, but if they resume Wednesday, counselors will again be on-hand.

In situations like this, there are no school boundaries, Perrera said. Were all one big, educational community. The staff was unbelievably professional. They responded like champions. Providing support for kids and staff is vital.

In concluding his email, Schutte encouraged his colleagues to keep the music programs alive.

I may be evil, but one of the things that kept me alive after realizing how truly horrific my actions were was the power of music and the belief that I could begin got make amends for what Id done if I spent my professional energies educating children in music, he wrote. I will never become the type of music teacher your community deserves. Find someone else, lots of people can do what I do musically, but a school like yours needs someone who can STAY and build a legacy.

Im sorry it wasnt me, he signed off just above his first name.
UPDATE: Part of Michigan teachers email confessing to sexual abuse released by school district

UPDATE 2: Police cant verify dead teachers claim that he sexually abused 15 youths

STANDISH, MI  Police in northern Michigan say they are investigating the apparent suicide of a high school band director who confessed in an email to having sexually abused more than a dozen people.

About 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 6, Arenac County Sheriffs deputies responded to the Turner Township home of Kevin R. Schutte, 24. They arrived to find him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said Undersheriff Don McIntyre.

No one else was present in the home, McIntyre said.

Deputies responded after having receiving numerous calls from Schuttes colleagues with Whittemore-Prescott Area Schools. Schutte had sent an email to his coworkers indicating he was suicidal.

Also in the email was a list of 15 names of people Schutte claimed to have sexually assaulted in the past, McIntyre said.

Were at the beginning of investigating those names, McIntyre said, adding none of the 15 have so far contacted the sheriffs office.

McIntyre said he is unaware when the alleged abuse spanned but said the named individuals dont appear to be Schuttes current students nor are they currently minors.

Schutte was a former student of the Au Gres-Sims High School, graduating from there in 2012. McIntyre said he believes Schutte worked for Whittemore-Prescott schools since August.

McIntyre could not comment on whether or not Schutte had a criminal background.

MLive left messages seeking comment from Whittemore-Prescott Area Schools Superintendent Joseph Perrera. The Whittemore-Prescott districts website shows the district closed Tuesday due to poor road conditions.
KENT COUNTY, MI  A new initiative designed to help young students develop a daily reading habit to improve their reading proficiency called Mission: READ! launched Monday, Jan. 7.

The mission of the partnership between the four Kent County library systems, Kent Intermediate School District, and the Literacy Center of West Michigan is to help beginning readers  kindergarten through third grade  read at grade level and advance to fourth grade.

Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, third-graders could be retained if they demonstrate reading proficiency levels that are more than one level behind. The state law passed in 2016.

The law potentially could impact thousands of children, based on the latest state assessment scores released in August. Only 44 percent of Michigan third-graders passed the M-STEP reading test administered in April 2018.

This initiative is a community effort to ignite a greater interest in reading, said Grand Rapids Public Library Director John McNaughton.

When you instill stronger reading habits and reading retention is improved, it enhances the quality of life of students in school and beyond. Why we know this program is not a cure all, we consider it a useful tool in the toolbox to support schools and their families.

Families in the county with K-3 students can sign up for Mission Read at any Kent District Library or Grand Rapids Public Library locations, as well as at Cedar Springs Public Library and Sparta Township Library.

For every 100 days of reading, each student will get a planet sticker to place on a map of the solar system. The 500-day prize is a book, and the 1,000-day prize is a digital tablet reader. The mission is to read for 1,000 days before sixth grade.

Officials say students arent told what to read and can read at their own pace. The goal is simply to read something of interest every day for however long they decide.

At the end of every day, organizers want students to ask themselves, Hey, did I read today? If they answer yes, students fill in a circle in their reading journal.

Theres an urgent need to help these kids, said Mark Raffler, English Language Arts Consultant at Kent Intermediate School District, in a statement.

When kids love to read, everything else in school comes more easily and with greater effectiveness. The results of good reading habits carry throughout their schooling and into adult life.

Of the 102,249 third-graders that took the M-STEP reading test, 25 percent, or 25,150 students, scored as partially proficient. About 31 percent, or 31,700, tested as not proficient, the lowest performance level.

Superintendents have the option to grant exemptions regarding holding kids back in some limited instances.

In addition to developing strong reading habits, the initiative has measures to help students with low reading assessment scores.

When an in-school assessment identifies one or more of five specific reading skills that need improvement, the student and family are referred to their local public library, according to a press release. Books and activities have been selected to strengthen specific skills.

An Individual Reading Improvement Plan (IRIP) describes the reading intervention services a pupil needs to remedy. In preparation for the new law, school districts started creating IRIPs in 2017-18 for students in grades K-3 within 30 days of the student showing a deficit.

Lindsey Dorfman, director of branch services and operations for Kent District Library, said KDL employees and those in other library systems have been trained in the third-grade reading law, including IRIPs, and are prepared to assist families.

Dorfman said KDL is piloting Reading Booster Packs at their Comstock Park branch. She said that families can pick up a bag that includes things such as literacy games and activities. She said the booster packs target different reading skills: fluency, phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Grand Rapids Public Library also has an activity pack its piloting that families can take home that includes reading lists, games and activities.

Kent District Library Director Lance Werner said the partners began discussing this initiative last spring, as part of the Community Literacy Initiative within the Literacy Center.

At the forefront of everyones mind was the third-grade reading law, the repercussions that could affect this community, and how to help kids and families get ready, he said, about the libraries complementing early intervention and other efforts at the schools.

Werner said libraries have already been engaged in encouraging students to read throughout the year with different programs, especially during the summers to prevent summer learning loss.

Mike Nassar, director of the Community Literacy Initiative at the Literacy Center of West Michigan, said this type of collaboration can help move the needle for early literacy.

Mission Read adds a new dimension to public libraries as a powerful resource for schools and, most importantly, for beginning and developing readers, he said.
IONIA, MI  A 49-year-old man is in critical condition after he dove into a hotel pool and suffered head and neck injuries.

The water was 5-feet deep where he struck his head. His name was not released.

The incident happened around 8:40 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at American Inn and Suites on Brown Boulevard in Ionia.

Rescuers were dispatched to a reported drowning. Others at the pool had pulled the victim from the water and began life-saving efforts until Life EMS paramedics took over.

The man was taken to Sparrow Ionia Hospital then airlifted to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.

He is in critical condition, Ionia Department of Public Safety said.

Police said that the victim dove into the pool where it was marked 5-feet deep. He suffered traumatic injury to his head and neck and was under water for several minutes before he was pulled out.

Police believe alcohol was a factor in the incident.
KENT COUNTY, MI  After a jury was seated in a murder trial, a prosecutor asked for a mistrial after admitting she erred in excusing a prospective black juror she meant to keep.

The excused prospective juror would have been the only black juror hearing the case against Cameron Wright, 27, a black Grand Rapids man accused of killing a witness to a previous killing he committed.

Assistant Prosecutor Kellee Koncki, assigned to Kent Countys biggest cases, said she misattributed statements of one prospective juror for another, and used one of her peremptory challenges to dismiss the black woman she intended to keep.

But for my mistake, she wouldve been sitting (in the jury box), Koncki told Kent County Circuit Judge Mark Trusock on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

Its important we have a representative jury.

Defense attorneys agreed. Trusock granted the mistrial after the defendant waived any right to claim he was victim of double jeopardy.

During jury selection, in a sidebar discussion with attorneys, the judge raised concerns about the prosecution excusing two black women.

Trusock said he did not find that the prosecutor targeted African Americans to be removed from the jury.

But, he said, It was the first time I was concerned about race issues and jury selection in 12 years (on the bench). Im very concerned if African Americans are being excluded.  This is a court of law and everyone needs to be treated equally here. Under no circumstances would I tolerate discrimination  based on the color of a mans skin  but (prosecutors) have admitted there was an innocent error here, Trusock said.

Minorities are not guaranteed to have minorities on the jury but there has to be a fair selection process, Trusock said.

Clearly, the prosecutor was not intentionally trying to exclude people of color.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said Koncki could have proceeded to trial but did the right thing in bringing the issue before the judge.

No question. ... Thats a good call. I think its the right thing to do when youre looking at it from a fairness perspective.

Koncki said that she attributed statements of one black prospective juror for another. She intended to  and did - dismiss a black woman who had already served on a jury within the last year. That woman also had a background in psychology. It raised concerns for the prosecution she could try to psycho-analyze the defendant.

Koncki said she realized what happened Monday night, after a long day of selecting a jury. She contacted defense attorney Justin McCarthy then had a conference call with the judge.

McCarthy said no one wants to go through another jury-process but said he agreed with the mistrial request.

Its just fundamentally a fairness issue.

Wright, 27, was convicted of first-degree murder in the August 2013 shooting death of Andre Davis, 20. Wright is accused in the Jan. 17 killing of Curtis Kirky Swift Jr., 26, who was in a car with two others when Wright fired at another vehicle, killing Davis. Wright will be sentenced a mandatory term of life in prison without parole in the earlier killing once the second case is resolved.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  The Grand Rapids Board of Education unanimously approved the purchase of property from Habitat for Humanity of Kent County for $965,141 Monday, Jan. 7 to build a new school in the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood.

The new $20 million middle/high school will be an expansion of Southwest Community Campus, a PreK-8 Spanish/English dual immersion program, located at 801 Oakland Ave. SW.

The school, scheduled to open in August 2020, will anchor "Plaza Roosevelt," a redevelopment project targeting a 5.5-acre block of the Southwest Side neighborhood. GRPS is one of eight partners in the initiative.

In addition to Grand Rapids schools and Habitat for Humanity, the other partners in the project are: Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association, Mercy Health Saint Mary's, Dwelling Place, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities, Ferris State University, and the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan.

This is a dynamic, very complicated, but just amazing collaboration of groups, John Helmholdt, district communications director, told the school board. time

Things could have come off the rails multiple times, but we all stuck together. This is a partnership that is really going to do right by kids and the residents in that neighborhood.

The 1.7-acre, 500-student school site is directly behind the Cook Arts Center, located 644 Grandville Ave. SW. The district plans to seek bids on the constructing the school for seventh through 12th grader this month. The existing site will now be PreK through sixth-grade.

The planned mixed-use development includes the school, affordable and rental housing, an increase in healthcare services at Mercy Health Saint Marys Clinica Santa Maria, and shared community spaces, among other projects.

Last summer, when the district was getting close to finalizing a memorandum of understanding, Helmholdt said school leaders heard from the Neighborhood Partners Committee that they wanted the district to conduct more community engagement.

They said theyd like GRPS specifically engage at a higher level to really help to raise awareness about what this school is, what is dual immersion, and to really gather more feedback, he said.

It was a very healthy process. We worked to build trust and relationships in the neighborhood after they said we hadnt done enough.

Neighbors had been asking for more opportunities for early childhood education and a high school so that their children didnt have to be bused to another district high school or attend one of the Wyoming districts. They also advocated for expanded health care in the area and affordable housing.

Board member John Matias said he is excited about the project and that the predominately Hispanic community is seeing its requests come to fruition with the redevelopment.

Helmholdt said school leaders got good feedback from residents about how to ensure more children in the community could access their neighborhood school. He said they also found out many families didnt realize there was an attendance area neighborhood boundary.

He said the district is expanding the attendance area boundary to be the entire neighborhood, not just half the neighborhood.

The reality is this school will not be able to serve all the individuals that are interested, said Helmholdt, about being upfront with neighbors. The capacity between the two buildings is simply not big enough.

He said the district is also committed to working with other schools in the area such as Cesar Chavez Elementary, who have some families hoping their kids can attend the school when they graduate.

Helmholdt said as part of the admissions criteria students must pass a test to show that they are bilingual enough to handle the rigors of the dual immersion program.

We are looking at what supports we can provide to students and families so that we are really being sensitive to all of those concerns and questions, he said.

Larry Oberst, Chief Financial Officer for Grand Rapids, said Habitat for Humanity has been acquiring land for several years for this neighborhood redevelopment effort and the district is one of five property owners. He said GRPS has been working on the project for close to four years.

The $20 million designated for the new school will be funded out of the $175 million school bond the district passed in 2015. The expanded Southwest Community Campus was among the new buildings and renovations shared with voters.
FLINT, MI  Two additional businesses will join ELGA Credit Union in the renovated Perry Drugs building in downtown Flint.

The approximately 9,000 square-foot building at the corner of Saginaw and Second streets is expected to open by March and include ELGA Credit Union, Buckham Gallery and KeLan Foard The Brand, a mens grooming and clothing shop.

Work has been underway since fall 2018 on the building owned by nonprofit Uptown Reinvestment Corporation. The space will house a total of six retail units for lease when construction is completed in March.

The newly renovated retail space provides viable options for the growing entrepreneurial community and small businesses that will serve the needs of downtown residents and workers as well as visitors to the area, said Tim Herman, president of Uptown Reinvestment and CEO of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. Combining this new space with existing spaces within the Capitol Theatre and along Saginaw Street will help create a critical mass of shopping options downtown.

Uptown has owned the property since purchasing it from Genesee County in 2006, according to Flint Journal records.

The county had purchased the property in 2000 after a Family Dollar store that operated there for nearly five years closed.

Prior to Family Dollar, the property was home to a Perry drug store, which closed in 1994.

The $1.4 million renovation project was aided by a $200,000 Michigan Community Revitalization grant via the state Economic Development Corporation.

A 12-year tax abatement valued at $50,000 under the states Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act was approved by the Flints Receivership Transition Advisory Board in July 2015 after it was turned down by city council members two months earlier.

Its expected 15 full-time jobs will come along with the new businesses, including four employees at the ELGA Credit Union branch announced in July 2018.

This full-service branch will add convenience for people working, living, going to school and visiting downtown Flint, said Karen Church, CEO of ELGA Credit Union. We are excited about our new branch location and looking forward to working with downtown partners to help move Flint forward.

Buckham Gallery will move from its current spot on the second floor across Second Street.

Lynn Penning, the gallerys director, said the new street level location will enable everyone in the community to attend our openings and exhibitions.

The gallery has operated in Flint since 1984 offering monthly exhibits, events and Art Walk receptions. Penning called the move the next chapter for the gallery as the downtown area continues its transformation.

For KeLan Foard, it will be his first-ever official physical location for customers to view his mens clothing line as well get a haircut or shave.

Herman expressed his hope the new development would help diversify the downtown business landscape into a 24/7 city center for young professionals and students as well as attract entrepreneurs and small businesses to the space.

He referenced some of those may come from the Flint Farmers Market, Factory Two and the Ferris Wheel building across the street which houses more than 30 businesses  including State Bank, Pod Mod Photography, and The Yoga Loft.
The University of Michigan last month agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a former employees whistleblower and wrongful termination lawsuit.

The university, through its attorney, signed a confidential settlement agreement on Dec. 3. A copy of that agreement was later released to MLive in response to a Freedom of Information act records request.

Amy J. Wang, who earned nearly $200,000 per year working as an executive in technology services and later the finance department, claims the university fired her for blowing the whistle on improprieties related to the employment of a non-U.S. resident.

Wang, through the complaint filed by her attorneys in September, claims she was asked by her boss, Associate Vice President of Finance Nancy Hobbs, to lie to U.S. Customs and Immigration Services officials about the duties of a temporary, full-time employee.

The employee in question worked at the university through a North American Free Trade Agreement-created program that allows residents of Mexico or Canada to receive temporary work Visas to work in the U.S.

The University denied the allegation in a response to the lawsuit filed in federal court and said administrators identified and corrected the employees Visa renewal issue independent of Wang.

According to the complaint, the employee worked in a permanent, managerial role, which isnt allowed under the program guidelines.

The lawsuit says the unidentified employee and Hobbs asked Wang to fraudulently misrepresent the employees title and job duties in a letter to U.S. Customs and Immigration Services that was required in order to renew the employees Visa.

Wang refused and worked with human resources personnel to revise the employees work duties, which included the removal of management duties and a pay reduction of $9,500.

The incident caused conflict between Wang and her boss, whom the lawsuit said had a close personal relationship with the temporary employee.

On June 19, the lawsuit said Hobbs completely blindsided" Wang by asking Wang to resign under threat of firing if she refused.

Wang declined and the matter went to a disciplinary review conference, which resulted in Wang being officially fired on July 13. According to the lawsuit, the basis for her termination was a failure to meet expectations. Wang argued that the decision was retaliation for her refusal to write a fraudulent letter on behalf of the employee who required a work Visa renewal.

While the university doesnt admit any liability in the matter, it agreed to pay Wang $219,000 for lost wages and other damages, as well as $81,000 in costs and legal fees to Gasiorek, Morgan, Greco, McCauley & Kotzian Attorneys at Law, the firm that represented Wang.

Wang agreed to never again work for the university and cleared the university of any new claims related to her termination. The university agreed to update Wangs personnel file so that it includes no mention of termination and reflects her departure as a voluntary resignation.

Hobbs retired from the university in late 2018.

Full settlement agreement:
ANN ARBOR, MI  Author Tim Wise and educator Julia Putnam are the keynote speakers at the University of Michigans 33rd annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Symposium on Monday, Jan. 21.

The symposium kicks off at 10 a.m. inside Hill Auditorium, with the theme Unravel." Wise, a self-described anti-racist writer and educator, is joined by Putnam, principal of James and Grace Lee Boggs School.

Wise is known for his work surrounding anti-racism literature, and has authored several books, including his most recent, Under the Affluence: Shaming the Poor, Praising the Rich and Sacrificing the Future of America and his podcast, Speak Out with Tim Wise. Putnam is known for her work in community-building as a founding member of the James and Grace Lee Boggs School.

This years theme, Unravel, represents the value and, at times, frightening nature of unmasking and addressing institutional -isms, according to UM. The theme is composed by faculty, staff and students across campus based on its relevance to current social justice issues and the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr.

The UM MLK symposium is open to the university community and general public. Those unable to attend in person are encouraged to watch the event online.

In addition to UM, Eastern Michigan University also will commemorate the life of Dr. King at 2 p.m. on Jan. 21, inside EMUs Student Center Auditorium, 900 Oakwood St., Ypsilanti. The event is free and open to the public.

Political commentator Keith Boykin will deliver the keynote address during the celebration. Boykin has provided political commentary for major networks, such as MSNBC, CNBC, and CNN.

EMUs MLK celebration is from Jan. 17-22, with a variety of events occurring during the week. For further details on the celebration, see the website link.
ANN ARBOR, MI  City officials have agreed to settle a lawsuit proposed by the Ann Arbor Central Park Ballot Committee regarding the future of the city-owned Library Lot.

The City Council voted unanimously Monday night, Jan. 7, to direct the city attorney to sign legal documents prohibiting the city from selling the Library Lot development rights to Chicago developer Core Spaces.

The city last week terminated the $10 million sale agreement with Core Spaces, which has been planning to build a 17-story high-rise with a plaza on the Fifth Avenue property.

The councils latest action, agreeing to a permanent injunction, now brings closure to the Central Park Ballot Committees lawsuit that challenged the validity of the Core Spaces deal.

Ann Arbor voters in November approved the central park groups ballot proposal, amending the city charter to prohibit selling the Library Lot and to stipulate that the property must be turned into an urban park and civic center commons.

The Library Lot is the surface of the citys underground parking garage next to the downtown library.

Will Hathaway and Alan Haber, two leaders of the central park campaign, appeared before the City Council Monday night.

It is time to look forward to the idea of an urban park and civic center on the Library Block, Hathaway said. Creating a consensus vision will take some work and time. All of us want a resulting public space of which we will be proud.

Hathaway said hes been reading a book that he recommends to anyone interested in the future of the center of the city: Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg.

The subject is social infrastructure, defined by the author as the physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact, he said. Klinenberg uses public parks and libraries as prime examples of spaces that can foster crucial, face-to-face interaction.

Hathaway noted the City Council approved a resolution in April 2014 to reserve 12,000 square feet of the Library Lot for an "urban public park" and to "encourage the creative use of this space to commence on an occasional basis during the transition from parking to public park even before the urban park design and installation work is complete."

The resolution asked the city's staff, including the parks department, to work with the Downtown Development Authority and the Ann Arbor District Library "to encourage groups to reserve the space for public activities including, but not limited to, craft fairs, book fairs, food carts, fine arts performances, and other activities and consider modification of permit requirements in order to eliminate fees for those seeking to put on public programs on the Library Lane site."

Its time to start planning so the city can begin to activate the space when the weather warms, Hathaway said.

Imagine what kind of creativity Ann Arbor might unleash if we invited the local arts community to formulate uses for the surface of the parking structure, he said.

The Ann Arbor Arts Center, the Neutral Zone and the Michigan Theater are just a short distance away. The downtown library is adjacent. We could hold performances during the summer Art Fair and other annual downtown events. Lets begin testing the potential of the social infrastructure with a thousand creative ideas.

Haber offered a ditto after Hathaway spoke. He said its time to move beyond the Core Spaces project, though he suggested perhaps the developer could build on another site in the city.

Theyre a good group, Haber said, though he said he had warned the development team that it shouldnt try building on the Library Lot because people want it as a public space.

Core Spaces, which knew the central park proposal was going on the ballot before it signed the sale agreement last year, bet against the people and the people have now spoken, he said.

The people said, Well, lets keep it for everyone, and that is really the challenge, Haber said. How do we invite everyone as a participant in the co-creation of a Center of the City that would represent our best ideals, aspirations, some part of it that would make somebody say, Well, I really like this. This should be something that draws out creativity in all 120,000 people in Ann Arbor.

Central park proponents are hoping the vision can be realized in time for Ann Arbor's 200th anniversary in 2024, and they've suggested forming a nonprofit conservancy to help raise funds for it, similar to how the city is cooperating with a nonprofit conservancy to try to raise funds for an urban trail project known as the Treeline.

Acknowledging it might take five years leading up to Ann Arbors bicentennial, Haber said theres a lot of opportunity now. Hes calling for a community process to refine the vision, with hopes of leaving something beautiful for future generations of Ann Arborites.

City Council Member Anne Bannister, who filed a separate lawsuit against the city to challenge the Core Spaces deal last year, applauded the move Monday night to settle the lawsuit brought by the central park group, saying it will make it clear that the city is legally precluded from selling the Library Lot.

Bannister said its expected the city attorney will sign the settlement by the end of the day on Tuesday if Mayor Christopher Taylor, who has supported the Core Spaces project, doesnt veto it.

Council Member Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, noted Taylor sponsored the resolution to settle the lawsuit so he doubts the mayor will be vetoing his own resolution.

Council Member Jane Lumm, an independent from the 2nd Ward, said she hopes the city can close the books on the other related litigation soon. Bannister sued the city along with Sumi Kailasapathy, who stepped down from the City Council in November.

Theres still a chance Core Spaces could take legal action to try to uphold the sale agreement. The developer has strongly objected to the citys cancelation of the deal.
As construction crews worked to transform the Cobo Center into the North American International Auto Show on Monday morning, Jan. 7, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and members of the press were granted an early look at the showroom floor.

Visible in the photos above and video below is the fact that the skeleton of the showroom floor is in place, but there remains a full week of work ahead to have everything ready in time for the opening of media preview days on Jan. 14.

For those still in the dark, this years auto show in Detroit will be the last to take place during the brutally cold month of January.

Auto show officials announced in December that they had agreed with the Cobo Center on a contract extension while confirming the dates for a June 2020 show. Officials said they agreed to a seven-year extension to keep the NAIAS at the Cobo Center through 2026.

The Detroit auto show has been held at Cobo in Downtown Detroit for more than 50 years.

The 2019 NAIAS opens to the public from Jan. 19 to Jan. 27 at the Cobo Center. Press preview days run Jan. 14 and Jan. 15, which is when to check in with MLive for any breaking news, features and all of the fresh product reveals.

Nearly every single automaker press conference at the 2019 NAIAS will take place on Monday, Jan. 14. There is one mystery time slot being advertised for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 15 as pending industry announcement, but it appears the reveals and unveilings at the last January Detroit auto show will take place on the first day of press previews.

Other aspects of the schedule to note before we dig a little deeper: There will be three fewer automaker press conferences than last year, and only one European brand -- Volkswagen -- will be displaying. The Detroit News reports that the Detroit Auto Dealers Association -- the hosts of the NAIAS -- estimate there will be about 30 product reveals at the auto show.

Thats a dramatic decline from the 69 reveals that took place at the 2018 auto show. Another downward trend for the 2019 NAIAS is the fact that there is only one press conference scheduled for the weekend leading into the press preview days.
LANSING, MI -- Irene Balfour was walking through the parking lot to her car after buying an instant lottery ticket shed been wanting to play for some time. As she approached the car, she noticed a coin on the ground and decided to pick it up. Little did she know, shed just found her new good-luck charm as she won $300,000 playing the ticket shed just purchased after using the found coin to scratch it off.

I was cashing in a $20 winning ticket and I had been wanting to play this bingo game for a while said the 63-year-old Balfour. I bought the Super Bingo ticket and when I was walking to my car, I found a quarter on the ground that I picked up to use to scratch the ticket, which is now my lucky quarter.

I scratched off the first bingo row and was happy I won. I kept scratching and revealed a second and third bingo. After revealing the fourth, I knew I had won big. I told my husband: We have to go to Lansing!

Balfour, of Rose City, bought her winning ticket at the Shell Gas Station, located at 600 West Houghton Avenue in West Branch and visited Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing recently to claim her prize. She plans on using the money to pay off her home and buy a new car. She says shes never won a prize quite like this before.

I win here and there, but I have never won this big. It is an indescribable feeling, Balfour said.
You will soon be able to party on the Detroit River in an actual tiki bar.

The same people who brought you Detroit Pedal Pub and Detroit Cycle Boat are bringing you tiki bar boat tours. Nick and Jody Blaszcyk will launch Aloha Tiki Tours beginning on May 25 in both Detroit and St. Clair Shores. Nick says this will be the first tiki bar boat tours in the Midwest. We wanted to bring something new. We came across this and think Michigan will love it. If you cant go to the Caribbean or Hawaii, we plan to bring that to Michigan.

Launching points: The boats will launch out of Sinbads Marina in Detroit and Blossom Heath Park in St. Clair Shores. The tours will last two hours and each one will have its own U.S. Coast Guard certified captain. Passengers wont have to pedal or do any work. The tiki boats run on motors.

Pricing: The cost is $250 Monday - Thursday and $300 Friday - Sunday. Each boat holds up to six people and comes with a Bluetooth speaker, cooler and blender. Tiki bars are so hot, said Nick. This is a more intimate feeling than our cycle boats. You can have as little as two people if you want. The boats will also be lit up at night."

Nick says the boats will stop about halfway through the tours for a bathroom break. Otherwise, theyll be on the water the entire time. You can get more info on Aloha Tiki Tours here.

More fun in Detroit:

Inside Michigans first Topgolf complex

Pop-up skating rink now open inside Detroit high-rise

A look inside Michigan's first indoor Velodrome

You can now play FootPool in Detroit
The Dodgers have struck a deal to acquire right-hander Jaime Schultz from the Rays, per Eduardo Encina of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Fellow righty Caleb Sampen is headed to Tampa Bay in return.

Schultz was bumped from the Tampa Bay 40-man roster recently when the club added fellow righty reliever Oliver Drake. Now 27 years of age, Schultz has in the past been seen as a quality prospect, though he posted rough results at Triple-A and in the majors during the 2018 campaign.

Its not hard to see why the Dodgers front office  which is, of course, led by former Tampa Bay GM Andrew Friedman  decided to take a shot on Schultzs right arm. Though his MLB debut last year did not go as hoped, he did show a mid-nineties fastball. Schultz has struck out 11.7 batters per nine over the course of his minor-league career, though that has also come with more than five free passes per nine.

Sampen, meanwhile, debuted last year after being taken in the twentieth round of the 2018 draft. He pitched to a 5.04 ERA in 30 1/3 Rookie ball innings, but did record a promising blend of 43 strikeouts against just nine walks.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un celebrates his 35th birthday on Jan. 8. This milestone would make him old enough to be elected president of the United States -- except for the whole "born in a foreign country" thing. It also means he shares a birthday with Army veteran Elvis Presley.

Kim Jong Un's grandfather, Kim Il Sung established the family dynasty, and he's the subject of the first episode of a new PBS series called "The Dictator's Playbook." The show premieres Wed, Jan. 9, at 10 p.m. ET on PBS. As always with public TV, check your local listings.

Kim Il Sung went from guerilla fighter to supreme leader and created a dynasty that's survived three generations with few signs of weakness. His grandson studied his methods, and North Korea continues to have an outsized impact on world affairs.

Future episodes of the series, which focuses on the world's most notorious dictators, will profile Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Italy's Benito Mussolini, Panama's Manuel Noriega, Spain's Francisco Franco and Uganda's Idi Amin. These leaders' tactics included controlling their society's elites, creating a culture of fear, controlling the press, creating a common enemy, utilizing propaganda, instituting firm indoctrination of their beliefs and creating a myth to justify governance.

A recurring theme in the series is how these men influenced each other, using techniques that they copied and shared to prop up their oppressive regimes. The series explores the "playbook" that helped them seize and maintain power.

"These dictators were all unique in time and place," said Michael Rosenfeld, vice president for national programming at Twin Cities Public Television, producer of the series. "But they engaged in tactics that transcended borders and decades, sometimes even learning from one another. Each hour in the series is a detailed biography, but we highlight the methods these men used to establish their dictatorships, from purges to propaganda to targeted violence. And we explore the impact on the people who lived under these regimes, who often paid a terrible price."
Another woman has completed a major milestone in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Maj. Rachael Winiecki, of the 461st Flight Test Squadron, recently became the first female test pilot to lead an F-35 mission at Edwards Air Force Base, California, according to the service.

Winiecki, who's flown the A-10C Thunderbolt II and F-16 Fighting Falcon on various missions, is part of a team overseeing developmental testing of all F-35 variants, which began last month at the base.

"I may be the first female developmental test pilot [in the F-35], but [test pilots] are just one small part of the test enterprise," she said in the release.

Winiecki's background in the A-10 is one of the reasons she was selected for the job, according to Lt. Col. Tucker Hamilton, 461st FLTS commander. Winiecki has previously flown A-10 missions in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the Pacific, according to the release.

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"Major Winiecki was selected to become an F-35 test pilot based on her exceptional flying ability and the important voice she brings to the F-35 development as a prior A-10 pilot," Hamilton said.

Winiecki's close-air support experience allows her to apply lessons to the F-35, as well as critique them.

"I really do appreciate the perspective that I can bring coming from the A-10 and the F-16 to hopefully bring some influence from that perspective. As testers, the contacts we have back in the combat Air Force are valuable," she said.

Last July, close-air support tests between the F-35 and A-10 Warthog finished up at Edwards as part of a congressionally mandated requirement that the two aircraft go up against each other.

The stipulation was included as a provision in the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act amid congressional concerns over plans to retire the A-10 and replace it with the F-35.

A Project on Government Oversight report slammed the "skewed" testing, saying at the time the flights overwhelmingly favored the F-35. But aviation enthusiasts and pilots have also said putting the two aircraft side-by-side remains an apples-to-oranges comparison.

It's why the Air Force consistently avoided calling the highly anticipated test a "fly-off."

After Winiecki's flight, the Air Force stressed that the stealth jet has air-to-ground capabilities, even if they don't exactly mirror the A-10.

Winiecki said keeping officials in the loop when comparing testing techniques is important.

"We can reach out to our networks to solicit feedback, solicit information on how we could and should accomplish our mission sets in the future," she said. "That's really where we can open doors. I can reach back to my friends and contacts in my previous community just like other test pilots here."

The service did not specify what type of flights Winiecki carried out at Edwards. She worked side-by-side with her crew chief, Airman 1st Class Heather Rice of the 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, for the flight.

More women are coming to the test field, Winiecki said.

"I am grateful for the women who have broken barriers previously; they built the path," she said. "I look forward to the day when sorties like this are a regular occurrence."

Winiecki follows other women who have accomplished similar feats in the fifth-generation jet.

Last year, Col. Gina "Torch" Sabric became the first female F-35 pilot in the Air Force Reserve.

In 2015, Lt. Col. Christine Mau became the first woman ever to fly the plane.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.
The head of Army Training and Doctrine Command said Jan. 7 that the U.S. military's advise-and-assist missions in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan have eroded young leaders' confidence and willingness to make necessary decisions.

Gen. Stephen Townsend, TRADOC commander, said he is "troubled" that many young leaders -- from sergeants to lieutenant colonels -- don't believe in Army Mission Command, the service's doctrine designed to empower ground combat leaders to make decisions that may not follow initial orders from senior commanders.

"There is a lot of agreement that Mission Command is the right leadership and command doctrine for our Army; however, there is an alarming number of folks in uniform who don't believe that we, as an Army, are constantly practicing the principles of Mission Command," he told an audience Monday at an Association of the United States Army event.

Townsend said this has become obvious to him after visiting pre-command courses across the service, especially when he shows a slide with the six tenets of Mission Command, which include:

Building cohesive teams through mutual trust.

Creating shared understanding.

Providing clear commander's intent.

Exercising disciplined initiative.

Using mission orders.

Accepting prudent risk.

Mission Command is designed to allow leaders and units to adjust a plan as conditions on the battlefield change, as long as the adjustments can still accomplish the mission, Townsend said.

"First, I want you to be smart enough to realize that the plan I gave you is not going to work; then, I want you to be smart enough to come up with a plan that will work," he said. "Then, I want you to have the guts enough to do that plan, even if you can't talk to me."

In the likelihood that U.S. forces may face near-peer adversaries such as Russia and China on the battlefield, units must be prepared for their command-and-control (C2) systems to be compromised, Townsend said.

"They are going to jam us. They are going to spoof our C2 systems. You might think your C2 system is working, but the icons aren't showing you their true grids," he said.

"They are showing you what the enemy wants you to see, so how do you work that problem? You do it with Mission Command," he continued. "[Then] I ask them who buys into that? It's been shocking to see how few hands go up."

Townsend said he is convinced that the U.S. military's shift from direct combat to train, advise and assist operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria in the past several years has sent the wrong message to young leaders.

"When I went to war in Afghanistan in 2002, I didn't feel like I was over-directed or micro-managed in any way," he said. "When I fought in the surge in Iraq in 2006, I also didn't feel like anyone was breathing down my neck. I was given a job to do, I was given an area to do it in and I had a lot of latitude to do that job."

Townsend said he thinks the process of "trying to extricate ourselves from direct leadership in these long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and Syria, where we want our partners to do more," has created distrust of Army Mission Command.

"So we started telling all our units, you may not do these operations, you may not lead these operations; our partners must take lead," he said.

"So therefore, if you want to do something, you have to submit to me ... a five-paragraph field order or an eight- or nine-slide document that we are going to brief up to a colonel, or maybe a brigadier general, who is going to approve you -- U.S. forces -- to do this job, instead of our counterparts," he said. "That has become fairly standardized in both the Iraq theater and the Afghanistan theater over the last 10 years or so. And I think a lot of these junior leaders -- that is what their experience is."

Townsend said he has made it one of his priorities to "re-instill" the confidence that young leaders need to succeed on the battlefield.

"The bottom line is that I believe that Mission Command is the only way to lead a winning Army. We are going to fix this," he said.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
VICENZA, Italy -- A sergeant first class pointed an unloaded pistol at one soldier, called another fat and touched the hair of a third, prosecutors said at a special court-martial Tuesday.

"It's not the crime of the century," Capt. Justin Kman told a nine-man panel. "But it's a crime."

Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Barboza, an information technology specialist, is in fact charged with three military crimes, and Kman said the evidence would show she was guilty.

Barboza's lawyer cautioned the panel against rash decisions and argued that the Army's case was weak. The charges Barboza faces often get dealt with in similar situations as nonjudicial punishment, but a service member can refuse and accept a court-martial.

Barboza declined nonjudicial punishment, defense attorney Jonathan Crisp told Stars and Stripes.

"She did not believe she was going to get a full and fair hearing," Crisp said.

If found guilty, the sentencing guidelines call for up to a year in jail and a bad conduct discharge. The charges against her stem from three incidents, which Kman described in his opening statement.

Pointing a 9mm pistol at another sergeant during preliminary marksmanship instruction at the range near Allied Joint Force Command Naples in November 2017 constituted dereliction of duty, he said.

"She said, 'Stay still so I can find my sight picture,'" the prosecutor said. "The government doesn't care if SFC Barboza thought she was being funny."

Repeatedly calling a specialist fat in front of other soldiers was maltreatment, he said, and Barboza had committed disrespect of a noncommissioned officer when she touched the hair of an African-American staff sergeant and made a derogatory comment.

Hold Barboza to account, Kman urged. Then, "we all move on and put the needs of our soldiers first."

Barboza's lawyer, however, lectured the panel on the danger of a rush to judgment that could have lifelong ramifications for his client and suggested that the specialist was in fact fat.

"I'd ask you to keep two concepts in mind -- context and culture," said Davis Younts, Barboza's attorney. "What was the context? Who else was in the room? Were there personality conflicts?"

The Army would not succeed in proving his client guilty, Younts told the panel.

"The government will not be able to prove there was the required criminal intent," he said.

The court-martial is expected to finish Wednesday.
A Navy corpsman has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a man in northwest Washington, D.C.

Navy Hospitalman 3rd Class Collin Potter, 26, assigned to The Basic School at Marine Corps Training Command in Quantico, Virginia, was arrested Sunday in the death of Vongell Lugo, 36, of Washington, according to D.C. Washington Metropolitan Police.

The police responded to a trouble call at 4:14 a.m. Sunday in an apartment complex at the 2800 block of Wisconsin Avenue, NW, and found Lugo in a hallway, suffering from multiple stab wounds. He later was determined to be deceased by D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services and transported to the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

According to a police incident report, Potter was present at the scene. After detectives developed probable cause to arrest him, he was charged with first-degree murder while armed.

The charge was downgraded Monday to second-degree murder while armed at a hearing in D.C. Superior Court.

During a presentation Monday on D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's goals in 2019, Police Chief Peter Newsham referred to the case as a "domestic homicide." He later told the Washington Blade newspaper that investigators believe Lugo and Potter were in a relationship.

The incident was first reported by Navy Times.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at patricia.kime@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.
An Associated Press investigation has found that at least 1,900 U.S. military firearms were lost or stolen over the last...
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford arrived in Ankara on Monday to join a delegation led by National Security Adviser John Bolton to warn NATO ally Turkey against attacking the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

Dunford has maintained contact with Gen. Yasar Guler, chief of the Turkish General Staff, and Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and was expected to meet with both following what appeared to be a major shift on the withdrawal plan outlined over the weekend by Bolton.

Both Guler and Akar have echoed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's intention to wipe out the Syrian Kurdish YPG (People's Protection Units), the main fighting force within the SDF, in the effort to eliminate the last remnants of the Islamic State in Syria

Immediately following U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement Dec. 19 via Twitter that U.S. troops in Syria would be withdrawn, Akar said that the Turkish military was preparing "intensely for a counter-terrorism military operation" against the YPG in northeastern Syria.

"Whatever they dig, be it trenches or tunnels, when the time comes, they will be buried in the trenches that they dug," Akar said of the YPG, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency.

In his last contact with Guler a week before Trump's withdrawal announcement, Dunford defended the presence of observation posts set up by U.S. troops in northern Syria.

Dunford and Guler discussed "the U.S. observation posts in the northeast Syria border region, which were established to address Turkish security concerns," according to a Dec. 14 release from the Joint Chiefs.

Pentagon officials on Monday declined to discuss the current status of the observation posts.

In late November, at an informal session with Pentagon reporters, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he had ordered the observation posts be set up to "track any threat we can spot going up into Turkey." He also acknowledged that the posts served the dual purpose of protecting the YPG from the Turkish military.

"What this is designed to do is make sure that the people we have fighting down in the MERV [Middle Euphrates River Valley] are not drawn off that fight, and that we can crush what's left of the geographic caliphate," he said.

Mattis said the Turks "don't like our relationship" with the YPG, "and I understand where they're coming from. But we do not say that YPG is the same as PKK."

He referred to Turkey's charge that the YPG is allied with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), considered a terrorist group by the U.S., Turkey and the European Union.

In an op-ed posted in The New York Times late Monday, Erdogan said that Turkey is prepared to take over the U.S. role in Syria to inflict a lasting defeat on ISIS and ensure stability in the region, thus protecting Washington's interests.

"Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest standing army, is the only country with the power and commitment to perform that task," Erdogan said, according to the Anadolu news agency.

Akar said the U.S. misunderstood Turkey's threat to invade eastern Syria. Akar told Anadolu that the "fight of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is not against our Kurdish brothers with whom we have shared the same geography and the same bread for centuries."

"Our struggles in the region are against the PKK/YPG and Daesh [ISIS] terrorists that threaten all ethnic and religious groups, particularly our Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen brothers," Akar said.

In a news conference in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, and in earlier remarks with reporters traveling with him, Bolton appeared to put conditions on a U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria that would indicate a lengthy continued presence for the U.S. military.

He said the U.S. would remain in Syria to eliminate ISIS and also to guarantee the safety of the SDF in establishing security in the region. "The timetable [for the withdrawal] flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement," Bolton said.

On Sunday, in response to questions on the White House lawn, Trump insisted that he never called for a rapid withdrawal. However, on Dec. 19, he wrote: "Our boys, our young women, our men, they're all coming back and they're coming back now."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
The U.S. Army's elite 75th Ranger Regiment is offering bonuses worth up to $10,000 to new recruits to attract infantrymen, cooks and even supply MOSs such petroleum supply specialists.

In a series of recent Facebook posts, the Army Special Operations Command unit announced the initial enlistment bonuses to 11-series military occupational specialty soldiers, even if they already have signed their contract and are in Infantry One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

"Didn't receive an Option 40 contract before you shipped to OSUT? Contact the 75th Ranger Regiment Recruiting Team to find out how you can become a part of one of the most elite organizations in the United States Army and qualify for the $10,000 initial enlistment bonus," according to a Jan. 3 Facebook post.

Army Times first reported on this story.

The new bonuses come as the Army is pushing ahead with an aggressive new recruiting strategy after the service missed its annual recruiting goal last year by more than 6,000 soldiers.

The strategy is the top priority of Training and Doctrine Command and involves several new initiatives such as visiting major cities and producing sharp new commercials designed to connect with the American public.

"Our Army can do a better job at attracting talent and our team, along with Army senior leadership, is focused on fixing this," Gen. Stephen Townsend, TRADOC commander, told an audience Monday at an Association of the United States Army event. "Our ability to recruit and maintain this smart, fit, lethal, all-volunteer Army is the most important thing that TRADOC is working on."

The Ranger Regiment is upping its recruiting game by offering $10,000 bonuses to soldiers with MOSs such as 88M, motor transport operators, and 25C, radio operator-maintainers. It also is offering $5,000 bonuses for 25P, microwave systems operator-maintainers, and 25Z, visual operations chiefs.

Soldiers with MOSs such as 92A, automated logistics specialists; 92F, petroleum supply specialists; 92R, parachute riggers; and 92Y, unit supply specialists, can also receive a $10,000 bonus under the program. The regiment also is offering $5,000 bonuses to 92G, food service specialists, and 92W, water treatment specialists.

The 75th Ranger Regiment was the first unit to appear in the Army's new "Warriors Wanted" marketing campaign ads that debuted last fall. A short video, which featured Rangers fast-roping out of helicopters and clearing buildings, aired on social media and cable TV aimed at Generation Z.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
In 2017, the late tech billionaire Paul Allen funded an expedition to locate the final resting place of the USS Indianapolis, an American cruiser sunk by Japanese torpedoes on July 30, 1945. 900 men survived the blast and spent 4  days trying to withstand the shark-infested waters until a passing plane noticed them and called for rescue. Only 316 members of the original 1,200-man crew survived.

The research vessel Petrel located the ship on Aug. 19, 2017, and the Indianapolis' final resting place was revealed 72 years after the attack. Allen's Vulcan Productions filmed the search, and the resulting documentary "USS Indianapolis: The Final Chapter" is scheduled to air on PBS stations Jan. 8 at 10 p.m. ET.

The USS Indianapolis was sailing without escort because it was on the most secret of missions: The ship had just delivered the atomic bomb "Little Boy" for the upcoming attack on Hiroshima. Capt. Charles McVay was leading an inexperienced crew, and the Navy failed to deliver intelligence that might have helped him evade the coming attacks. McVay was court-martialed after the war and committed suicide in 1968. His death inspired his crew to mount a successful campaign to clear McVay's name.

The program features conversations with the last remaining USS Indianapolis survivors interwoven with high-definition underwater footage filmed 18,000 feet below the surface. Allen's team used state-of-the-art technology in the search, including an autonomous underwater vehicle used to scan the crushing depths of the sea floor.

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Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, cashed out relatively early and spent the rest of his life pursuing his interests in scientific research, popular culture and sports. He owned the NFL's Seattle Seahawks, the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and the MLS Seattle Sounders. The hunt for the USS Indianapolis was one of his last major projects before his death in October 2018.
Connecticut State Police troopers are investigating the death of a 23-year-old Vernon man as a homicide after his body was found on Route 2 in East Hartford early Tuesday morning.

Later Tuesday, state police identified the victim as 23-year-old Jermaine Williams, of Vernon.

Around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, Troop H-Hartford had troopers respond to the area of Route 2 west at the Exit 4 off ramp in East Hartford.

According to witnesses in the area they observed what they believed was a person lying in the travel portion of the roadway, a news release said.

Shortly after, state police said, Troop H was notified that a Department of Transportation worker found a body near the shoulder of the roadway.

When troopers got there, they found a man lying in the right shoulder of the off ramp, partially in the travel lane. Paramedics responded and confirmed the man was dead. It was determined to have been a homicide.

Detectives from Central Distract Major Crimes Squad responded and assumed the lead on the investigation. While investigators worked at the scene, the off ramp was closed for a few hours.

Anyone with information which can aid investigators are asked to contact Troop H-Hartford at 860-534-1000.
Contributed photo

MIDDLEFIELD  The Independent Day School is celebrating a year of global citizenship and cultural studies with a multitude of activities connecting students to people and cultures throughout the world.

First-graders have been exploring their connection to Vietnam with a variety of activities by exchanging pen pal letters with another first-grade class at the International School of Ho Chi Minh City  learning about their culture and asking them questions about their life, school, families and more, according to a press release.
MIDDLETOWN  The states junior U.S. senator spent an hour Monday hearing from people working to develop innovative programs to end youth and young adult homelessness in Connecticut.

Last month, Connecticut received $6.5 million in federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to pay for a new program to eliminate youth homelessness. It might seem like an unattainable goal, but U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said recent successes are encouraging.

Agencies represented Monday afternoon at The Connection, 100 Roscommon Drive, received a portion of this federal funding, intended to pay for new programs aimed at making sure any child experiencing homelessness can find permanent housing and support.

In 2016, Connecticut was the first state in the nation to proclaim that it had housed all chronically homeless veterans, and had matched all chronically homeless individuals with housing, according to the Coalition on Housing + Homelessness in Middletown.

Connecticut has done innovative work around attacking homelessness, so when youre pitching for dollars to come back to the state for something like youth homelessness, its not that hard, because people know if they send the money to Connecticut, theres going to be a lot of providers who are going to do the right thing with the money, said Murphy, the first Connecticut senator to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee in over 30 years.

There are still far too many kids who are out on our streets today. Its terrible when anybody is homeless, but when young people are homeless, it sends them into a downward spiral that is often hard to get out from underneath, he said.

The $6.5 million will be used for shelter diversion and rapid exit programs, youth navigators (who do street outreach), integrative housing programs and rapid rehousing resources.

That first episode of homelessness as a young person, if not properly addressed, can be crippling, especially if it involves mental illness and addiction, Murphy said.

Were on the brink of tremendous change in the state. I hope we all believe were going to be one of the first, if not the first, in the state to end youth homelessness, said Mary Ann Mimi Haley, deputy director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.

If a youth is falling into homelessness, we should be there to treat that youth as a unique individual to really help problem solve with them, and understand what they need to stabilize, really having a holistic approach, said Haley, who championed youth navigators.

We really want to go to one person, and have them shepherd us through all these different systems and resources that might be out there for us  but we dont want to go to this place, this place, and this place, Haley said youth tell her.

When a young person is walking in the door, were going to have not only this problem-solving conversation around housing, but also working to connect them to employment, mental health services, DCF, education  so that safety net will begin to weave together for them, Haley said.

Within the coming weeks, Steve DiLella, director of the Connecticut Department of Housing, told the senator, his agency will be housing its first youth.

The statewide plan does address things like outreach and engagement, having better data.  It involves not just the services, such as the navigation, and crisis housing and rapid rehousing. It involves partnering with the state Department of Correction, DCF, education systems, local colleges, said Lisa Bahadosingh, director of youth initiatives and special projects at Supportive Housing Works of Bridgeport.

Most youth arent aware of agencies that could help them due to inexperience  or dont trust these systems because theyve had bad or even traumatizing experiences in the past, she said.

Some of our chronically homeless adults, they understand, if they lose their IDs, how to get it. Theyre mostly connected to Medicaid or food stamps. Youth who are homeless and have aged out of foster care are on their own for the first time or coming out of incarceration with no adult supports, plenty of them have no access to these kinds of resources, Bahadosingh said.

They dont trust systems enough to come to us to get it. We understand we need to go to them, she added.

Couch surfing, which homeless people of all ages do, presents far more dangers to young people, said Regina Moller, executive director of Noank Community Support Services of Groton.

Her agency conducted an 18-month-long unfunded pilot to determine what happens to those 18 to 24 in a smaller, different type of model setting for crisis housing. Youth that age didnt do well in the adult shelter. It was not safe, there were a lot of negative influences for them to continue in some of their negative behaviors, Moller said.

Weve never had a moment where we could stop and think of any goals, because it was always about survival, Moller said youth tell her  not just survival off the streets, but in the adult shelter.

Solutions can begin once youth are willing to trust the outreach workers trying to help them. Its all about relationship and mentoring, moving into permanent housing, sustaining that after securing jobs, and getting life skills training, she said.

Murphy asked what sends people of all ages out onto the streets.

The most staggering difference has to do with family rejection/family non-acceptance. It presents to us at the front door as a symptom of homelessness, but more or less the disease is a lack of support from the federal government, said John Lawlor, director of the Homeless Youth/Young Adult Program at The Connection.

Mental health and substance abuse issues are also at play, he said, but, every time we look at it, the reason seems to be the lack of a safe place to return home to, Lawlor added.

The reasons why these young people are homeless are often different from adults, he added.

According to the states youth count data, Lawlor said, it is not that youth are spending more time outside (homeless)  thats probably more the exception than the norm  they tend to choose high-risk options that put a roof over their head, but put their personal and emotional safety at very high jeopardy, Lawlor said.

For information, visit theconnectioninc.org, growstrongct.org and cceh.org.
MIDDLEFIELD  The barn-red bar on Route 66, a landmark across the region known as a mecca for motorcyclists, has shut its doors.

Three small closed placards in red capital letters are posted on the front entrance, side exit and street-facing window of the Red Dog Saloon at 222 Meriden Road, on the corner of Higby Road and Route 66.

The Red Dogs neon-lit Lite Beer, Rolling Rock and Molson signs, which greeted motorists who whizzed by late afternoon into evening seven days a week, went dark Saturday, according to First Selectman Ed Bailey.

An unidentified man who answered a phone call to the number listed online in owner John Baulskis name, replied, No, thank you, when asked for comment.

On the I Grew Up in Middletown Facebook page, people who frequented the bar, once h ome to Colemans Dairy in the 1950s and Pine Barrel country and western bar in the 1960s, shared their recollections, including Who had their initials carved in the bar?

Several people marveled at their memories of walking into the Red Dog and seeing womens undergarments, mens ties and other tokens confiscated from anyone who walked in wearing attire that didnt align with the culture inside.

Did they still cut the alligators off any unsuspecting preppy that dared to venture in wearing a polo shirt? If I remember correctly, they would stick them on the ceiling with pins, one Facebook poster wrote.

A woman recalled her memories going back to the 1980s included being barred for life once.

On the Red Dogs Facebook page, the last time someone checked into the saloon was Dec. 29.

Former Middletown Press reporter Anthony Pioppi recalled stopping into the saloon in 1993 to find out whether patrons would be watching the finale of Cheers at the bar for a story he was writing.

They had no working TV and a rule: no soap operas. The story was the owner shot the TV because a soap opera was on when he walked in the bar, he said. The TV set, still on the wall, had a hole in it where the bullet had penetrated, Pioppi said.

The saloon also had one of the largest pool set-ups around, with an active league.

DJ Les Benfield, of Middletown, who last visited the saloon six years ago, played a few times at the Red Dog as part of a Christian motorcyclists outreach ministry. The group conducted bike blessings there in 2010, he said.

I was set up inside due to the weather, as we had a bit of rain that day, and the following year (2011), we did a summer of giving out trophies, where we would set up outside and have bike nights once a month. We were there to outreach to and pray with those who needed prayer, he said.

Bailey, who wasnt aware of the bars closing Monday morning, called the Red Dog an institution in town. He acknowledged the saloons reputation with It does have a long history.

A story in the Hartford Courant on July 25, 1993, Inside the Red Dog Saloon: Patrons say Middlefields biker bar is just another friendly place, sought to demystify what went on inside.

No outsider knows exactly what goes on inside the bright, blood-red building on Route 66, but they just know it cant be good. The customers are big, imposing bikers, in black leather, dark sunglasses and boots, with tattoos of women, snakes, birds and phallic symbols covering their bodies, wrote Kathryn Kranhold.

They could walk straight out of The Wild One and Easy Rider. Everyone must be a member of the Hells Angels or, perhaps, the more locally known Diablos, she wrote, referring to the publics perception of the Red Dog.

The Courant story went on to say that, following a number of fatal accidents allegedly involving patrons between 1985 and 1989, state police and members of MADD appealed to the state liquor control commission, appealing for the place to be closed.

In response, the story said, John Baulski said he has become overly cautious about his customers and business, including closing the bar on New Years Eve to avoid the hazards of that night.

Baulski told the Courant he had his bartenders take a course on how to refuse to serve liquor to inebriated patrons.

Photos shared by Benfield show street signs, various vintage license plates adorning one wall and the ceiling  where a multitude of multicolored bras were hung. Posters inside hailed an upcoming dart tournament and cherry shots special. Beer distributor promotions such as lights and signage can be seen throughout.

In another, a giant stuffed red dog leans on a jukebox player next to an upside-down female mannequin whose torso and legs make it look like shes doing a headstand.

The sign on the rear steel door includes the word IRS inked above the word closed. The door is filled with bumper and motorcycle stickers (Corbin, Harley Davidson, Vindicator Cycles, Cromwell) proclaiming phrases such as In search of the eternal buzz, Proud to be an American, Think ink, Proud to be union and, mysteriously, In memory of Panhead Paul. Did I tell Ya?

cassandra.day@ hearstmediact.com.

Twitter @cassandrasdis.
HARTFORD  Its rare that a group of advocates and frontline workers would gather to support the nomination of a Department of Children and Families Commissioner, but thats what happened Monday.

Colleagues and advocates whose work intersects with the Department of Children and Families came to support Vannessa Dorantes at a press conference where Gov.-elect Ned Lamont nominated her to the position.

After a national search, Lamont said some of the best and the brightest are already on the frontlines already doing the work.

Dorantes, 49, said she was offering the search committee information she thought would help inform their decision about who best to choose to lead the department. She didnt necessarily go into this looking to apply for the job.

Connecticuts children need us rowing in the same direction regardless of our different roles, Dorantes said. Professional relationships are not always easy, theyre not always agreeable, but theyre built upon mutual respect. We have common goals and child well-being is one of them.

She said as head of the agency she believes children thrive in nurturing and supportive families and to that end the department will continue to focus on community-based, culturally responsive, trauma informed services. She said shes also committed to improved data collection services so we all evolve to meet children where they are.

She said Connecticuts children want stakeholders to work together. She said collaboration will pay dividends for children and families.

Dorantes, who was hired 27 years ago as a social worker in the department, said it was the year after the Juan F. federal court order went into effect. The same consent decree the department is still under to this day.

The Juan F. complaint filed in 1989 and settled in 1991 alleged that the department failed to provide adequate child protective services, failed to make reasonable efforts to keep families together and failed to provide minimally adequate staffing and appropriate care for children.

Im not going to commit to an end date because no one has been able to successfully get there, Dorantes said. But weve going from 22 outcome measures down to the last five and the last five are practice related and thats where my skill set is.

She said they will get there by making sure the agency maintains strong ties to the community and community organizations.

Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, a critic of the departments previous leadership, said shes thrilled with Dorantes.

Shes representative of the staff because she rose up from the ranks, Walker said.

She said she also has credibility within the community because when shes presented with a concern or a problem she tackles it head on. She said a parent was struggling to get their child, who was under DCF care at the Connecticut Juvenile Training School, services and no one in the administration would address the issue, except for Dorantes.

Vannessa took the case. She met with the young man and his parent and the child is now thriving in a system thats community and family based, Walker said.

Dorantes serves as a Regional Administrator in the Department of Children and Families, where she is responsible for the leadership and development of 475 professional and support staff members in a 43-town area in northwest Connecticut.

As commissioner she will oversee about 3,200 employees and she will be paid the same as former Commissioner Joette Katz, whose salary was around $172,200 a year.
ESSEX - Essex Winter Series' 42nd season begins with a stunning program of Haydn, Dvorak, and Schumann performed by the New York Philharmonic String Quartet and Artistic Director and pianist Mihae Lee on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. at Valley Regional High School, 256 Kelsey Hill Road, Deep River.

The New York Philharmonic String Quartet comprises four principal musicians from the orchestra, including Concertmaster Frank Huang; Principal Associate Concertmaster Sheryl Staples; Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps; and Principal Cello Carter Brey.

The group formed in January 2017 during the Philharmonics 175th anniversary season, and made its debut as the solo ensemble in John Adamss Absolute Jest in March 2017. The quartet will start the program with the delightful Haydn Quartet Op. 72, No. 2 and end the first half with the iconic Dvorak's "American" Quartet.

Mihae Lee will join them for the Schumann Piano Quintet in the second half.

Essex Winter Series season continues Feb. 17 with the Stu Ingersoll Jazz Concert featuring the Midiri Brothers Sextet with special guest Jeff Barnhart performing the music of reeds giants Benny Goodman, Jimmy Noone and Artie Shaw.

On March 17, violinist Tai Murray (the 2019 Fenton Brown Emerging Artist) joins the New Haven Symphony Orchestra under the direction of William Boughton for a program featuring Mozart, Prokofiev, Barber, and Hadyn.

The final concert of the series on April 7 is Chanticleer, known around the world as an orchestra of voices, celebrating their 40th year with a program of favorites composers, from Palestrina and Victoria to Mason Bates and Steven Stucky, as well as audience favorite arrangements by Jennings, Shaw and others.

All performances take place on Sundays at 3 p.m. with the January and March concerts at Valley Regional High School, 256 Kelsey Hill Road, Deep River; the February jazz concert at John Winthrop Middle School, 1 John Winthrop Middle School Road, Deep River; and the April concert at Old Saybrook Senior High School, 1111 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook.

Seating is general admission and tickets may be purchased by calling 860-272-4572 or visiting www.essexwinterseries.com.

The 2019 season is sponsored by The Clark Group, Essex Meadows, Essex Savings Bank, Jeffrey N. Mehler CFP LLC, Masonicare at Chester Village, Tower Laboratories, Guilford Savings Bank, and BrandTech Scientific.
Contributed photo /

EAST HAMPTON  The Chatham Historical Society and East Hampton Library are co-sponsoring a talk by emeritus Connecticut state archaeologist, Nicholas Bellantoni, Jan. 12, 1 p.m. at the East Hampton Library Community Room at 105 Main St. in East Hampton. Bellantoni will present a slide presentation on his new book, The Long Journeys Home: The Repatriations of Henry Opukahaia and Albert Afraid of Hawk. The talk is part of the Cabin Fever Winter Talk History Program.

Henry Opukahaia and Itankusun Wanbli lived almost a century apart and came from different Indigenous Nations  Hawaiian and Lakota. Yet the circumstances of Western imperialism that led them to leave their homelands and come to Connecticut where they died and were buried have striking similarities. In 1992 and 2008, descendant women had visitations that their ancestors wished to come home and they started the repatriation process.
Now that the holidays have passed, the blues scene is getting back on schedule. Big names are touring, although fear of snow slows down some acts.

Guitar legend Albert Lee is coming to Black-eyed Sallys on Friday. Opening up this show is special guest, Atlas Gray. Lee first came to prominence during a 1964-68 stint in British Blues and R & B withtThe Thunderbirds. He has an extensive resume with musicians of all types.

After working with bands in the UK, work with U.S.-based-greats led to collaborations with Don Everly, and Lee contributed to his 1974 solo effort Sunset Towers. The move to California also led to work on sessions for the debut album of Jackson Browne.

Lee joined Joe Cockers band in the mid 70s, a time that included recordings for the April 1976 release Stingray. From there A & M records signed Albert as an artist in his own right. An invitation in 1978 led to a five year stint in Eric Claptons band

In his fifth decade as a professional musician, Lee is part of a rarefied fraternity. He is respected across the globe and pretty much living out a professional career that most of his colleagues, when he started out, could only dream of.

Saturday, Popa Chubby drops in on the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. Popa Chubby has been hard-rocking the blues in his fierce and soulful way for more than 25 years, and has gained a state following with his stylings. Over the course of a career that dates back to 1994, he has become a force to be reckoned with on the guitar, and his tempestuous, soulful playing has never been more powerful. An imposing figure with a shaven head, tattooed arms, a goatee and a performance style he describes as the Stooges meets Buddy Guy, Motorhead meets Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson, Popa Chubby is an endearing character who is one of the genres most popular figures. He can take that fierce style and slow it down with a moving ballad.

His career has always been about moving forward and carving a place for himself in the imposing terrain of the music business. He has built a constantly increasing base of fans across the world. A native New Yorker, his first gigs were in the New York Citys punk scene. Right from the start, he was immersed in rock n roll as theater.

The blues however, was the foundation of his playing style. He recalls, Since Id grown up on Hendrix, Cream and Led Zeppelin, when I started playing blues in New York clubs I understood that the blues should be dangerous, too. Popa Chubby is his own man for better or worse.

Daryls House has Johnny A. for a solo show on Friday, doing a celebration of the British songbook of the 60s. Saturday, another strong guitar player, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, hit the stage.

Sunday at 2 p.m., Junes Outback Pub hosts The Redliners. The show is a fundraiser for Steve Hatch, who won the Connecticut Blues Society Solo Duo Challenge and will go to compete in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis later this month.

Friday, the Kathy Thompson Band debuts at Crystal Bees.

Petey Hop is at The Falcon Underground creating a home for traditional blues and roots music. On the third Wednesday, its a strict no pedals policy and philosophy to keep it raw and true to the original music.

The Note Kitchen & Bar has a variety of blues coming in this week. Friday, it is Dan Zlotnick, followed on Saturday by Jake Kulak & the Lowdown. Wednesday, Elle Sera takes the stage.

Milford Arts Council thought you might need something to look forward to after the holiday festivities. Saturday and Sunday, kick off the dead of winter with an indoor bluegrass and blues festival thatll warm you inside and out. Ticket information at https://www.milfordarts.org/https/souped-up-blues-grass-bash.

Stafford Cidery is hosting a Feed Our Feathered Friends event on Saturday at 2 p.m. You can help support Horizon Wings with a contribution being made for every pint sold between 2-5 p.m. to the Feed Our Friends Fund, which helps purchase food for the birds being cared for at Horizon Wings. And of course, donations made directly to Horizon Wings are greatly appreciated.

This just in from Pete Scheips: Salty Dog Band is hosting the Open mic every Tuesday at The Press, 187 Allyn St., Hartford.

It is not too late to make plans for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Bands from Connecticut, Steve Hatch, solo/duo and Jake Kulak & the Lowdown will be joined by more than 200 other bands from around the world. It is a chance to see some up and coming talent and maybe discover a future star or two. The list of participants who have gone on to get recording contracts and make the festival circuit are many.

Get the complete Blues Beat schedule on Thursday at the blog http://bluesbeatnews.wordpress.com/. Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.
BAD AXE  In a case a judge called, absolutely sickening, a Pigeon man was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for sexually touching two of his younger family members.

These children have to live with this for the rest of their lives, Huron County Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski said of the defendants actions.

Christopher Lee Sproull stood before Judge Gerald M. Prill on Monday to be sentenced on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. The 20-year-old pleaded guilty last November.

Following Sproulls arrest Nov. 5, police learned he sexually touched his victims  ages 6 and 11  on more than one occasion. Both victims are immediate relatives of Sproull.

The incidents occurred Sept. 1 to Oct. 8, 2018, according to a police report.

Police also discovered  through one victims statements  Sproull would bribe the victims in exchange for sexual acts.

During Mondays proceeding, defense attorney Andrew Lockard noted his client was cooperative with law enforcement throughout the entire case.

He hasnt had any issues with the law up until this point in life, Lockard said, adding Sproull has a rather low maturity level. He does show remorse  hes ashamed of what happened.

Sproull, at first, declined to speak, but then offered his apologies to the court.

I do want to say sorry to both of the victims for what Ive done, he said. It was the wrong thing to do.

The mother and father of one victim then addressed Sproull.

What Christopher has done to our (relative) cant ever be undone, the mother read from a letter. Shell never forget what hes done to her.

The mother told Prill that Sproull was a person her family trusted  or at least they thought they could.

We feel he should get at least five years (in prison) for each girl hes victimized, she said.

Prill called it a troubling case.

Absolutely sickening, he said. Theres no excuse. Theres no justification for it.

Sproull was sentenced to a minimum four years and nine months  maximum 15 years  in prison for each charge. The sentences will run concurrently.

He received credit for 63 days served.

Sproull must also register on the Michigan Sex Offenders Registry for life.
BAD AXE  With a due date of Jan. 9, local couple David and Ashley Roberts gave very little thought to having the area's first baby of the year.

But daughter Hannah Joy Roberts had other plans.

At 6:53 p.m. Jan. 3, at McLaren Thumb Region in Bad Axe, Hannah Joy made her way into the world. She weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 inches in length.

For her  and mom's efforts  the Roberts family took home the annual First Baby Contest that the Huron Daily Tribune runs in conjunction with the hospital, where various prizes donated by area businesses are awarded to the winner.

"When we got here, everybody was like, 'She could be a New Year's baby,'" said Ashley. "I was like, well, if she is, she is."

Ashley said when the couple arrived at the hospital, there was another soon-to-be mother there at the time, so they figured it would come down to one of the two.

"Right before I started pushing, my doctor was like, 'Well, she's going to be the New Year's baby,'" she said.

Hannah Joy will be the third child in the Roberts household, joining brother Eli, 6, and sister Lydia, 20 months.

"Every one of them are precious," Ashely said. "I love being a mom."

The Roberts family recently made the move from Bad Axe to Deckerville. Despite what she described as a wonderful experience at the hospital, she is ready to get back home.

"I'm very excited (to go home)," she said. "I miss my bed in my house."
BAD AXE  For anyone who needs to continue RUP certification, MSU Extension will be offering a review class on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

The review will begin at 9 a.m. and cover the core manual. Three RUP credits will be available to those with current certification and not taking the test in the afternoon. The review will be offered again at 9 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 21.
EVERGREEN TOWNSHIP  An 18-year-old man was hospitalized Monday afternoon, after accidentally shooting himself in the abdomen in Evergreen Township, according to the Sanilac County Sheriff's Office.

Sanilac Central Dispatch received a call shortly after 2 p.m. reporting a subject had shot himself in the abdomen with a .22 caliber firearm at a residence in the 3000 block of Leslie Road.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Terens Quick will travel to Nicosia on Wednesday, 9 January, where he will meet with his counterpart, Presidential Commissioner Fotis Fotiou, in the context of the bilateral actions of Greece - Cyprus on Diaspora issues. On the evening of the same day, they shall depart for Cairo where, on Thursday, 10 January, they will participate in the new trilateral meeting between Greece - Cyprus - Egypt, with Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs Nabila Makram, on the preparation of the NOSTOS III Programme which will be held in Australia, in March.

Finally, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs will meet with Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry.
Climbing furthest over the afternoon, the three-month tin price climbed to its highest level since July 31, closing just short of $20,000 per tonne and climbing 1.2% and gaining $255 per tonne on just 345 lots traded. Continued export delays out of Indonesia, tins second largest global exporter, have resulted in a gradual climb for the metals outright price, yet some participants in the physical tin market believe the move is in line with positive macroeconomic sentiment. Additionally, falling LME tin inventories have further supported upward price action, with total on-warrant material now sitting just above 1,000 tonnes. I think the move [in the LME tin price] is more of a general move with the complex, and not fundamental as of yet. I dont think we should read into it too much, a Europe-based tin trader told Fastmarkets. Meanwhile, nickel futures also continued to trade higher over the afternoon, breaching $11,200 per tonne and...
TACOMA, Wash.

Jan. 7, 2019

Washington

/PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- CRYO Science in partnership with Canopy Environmental is proud to announce that the United State Air Force's special tactical unit has incorporated the CRYO Arctic Whole Body Cryotherapy Chamber into their squadron at Joint Base Lewis-McChord,. This is the first time the Air Force has included cryotherapy in the pursuit of the peak performance and well-being of their Air Force personnel."It is an honor to work with some of the America' most elite servicemen and women. CRYO stands for the highest standards when it comes to quality, comfort and safety and we are continuously iterating on our products to deliver only the best for our clients", says Amir Amirsadeghi, CEO of CRYO North America. "We want to inspire people to live their best and most powerful lives, and The United States Air Force is a shining example of both of these things."The squadron provides tactical command and control of air power assets to the Joint Forces Air Component Commander and Joint Forces Land Component Commander for combat operations across multiple different units.The CRYO ARCTIC is the coldest and most effective whole body chamber on the market. CRYO Science is the only company to have innovated in cryotherapy solution over the last 30 years, creating a patented system combining performance and safety. Reaching temperatures of -140C / -220F the CRYO ARCTIC is the only machine that accurately measures the chambers temperature to deliver the most effective treatment to the user. With CRYO ARCTIC, the user never comes into contact with cryogenic gases and is exposed to breathable atmosphere using a patented heat exchange technology, making it the safest product on the market.http://www.cryosc.comContact: CRYO Science +1 (800) 392-4158 press@cryo.comSOURCE CRYO
New research throws a wrench in cancers deception plans. A molecule that scientists have designed stops cancerous cells from tricking the immune system into sustaining their growth. Share on Pinterest Scientists have devised a molecule that stops cancer cells from recruiting the immune system to help them grow. Cancer has many sly ways in which it tricks the immune system into sparing it or even into boosting its spread. One such way involves the so-called myeloid cells. These are a key weapon in the immune systems armory. Myeloid cells are both crucial for the bodys innate immune response and its adaptive response against a wide range of pathogens. In theory, myeloid cells should attack invaders such as cancerous cells. But the latter trick the former into thinking that cancer cells are actually a part of the body that something has damaged. As a result, the tumor cells rope the myeloid cells into helping them divide and grow. A team of scientists, however, has now found a way to thwart cancers plans. New research, appearing in the journal Nature Communications, reveals a novel target for immunotherapy, which can stop cancer from recruiting myeloid cells. Vineet Gupta, Ph.D., a professor and vice chairperson for research and innovation in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College in Chicago, IL, jointly led the new research with Judith Varner, Ph.D., of the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California in San Diego.

How cancer tricks the immune cells Using two types of genetically modified mice, the researchers unraveled the mechanism by which cancerous cells deceive the immune system. They found that a protein called CD11b would usually help myeloid cells transform into a sub-type of myeloid cell called M1 macrophages. M1 macrophages can stop tumor growth. However, the research revealed that cancerous cells interfere with the activity of CD11b and, instead of turning myeloid cells into M1 macrophages, they turn them into M2 macrophages. Instead of suppressing tumor growth, M2 macrophages boost this process. They do so by keeping at bay immune T cells  which are crucial in warding off disease  and by secreting growth factors that fuel cancerous cells with new blood vessels, enabling them to receive nutrients and grow faster. Thus, in cancer, myeloid cells promote tumor growth and suppress the activity of [disease-fighting] T cells, explains Prof. Gupta. Previous research in immunotherapy, the professor continues, has shown that drugs that activate T cells can be extremely effective in controlling tumor growth. However, this approach does not seem to work for all cancers, which motivated the scientists to continue to search for ways to improve immunotherapy.
Orgasmic dysfunction is when a person has trouble reaching an orgasm despite sexual arousal and stimulation. In this article, learn about the causes and symptoms of orgasmic dysfunction and how to treat it.

What is orgasmic dysfunction? Share on Pinterest Orgasmic dysfunction can affect men and women of any age. Orgasmic dysfunction is the medical term for difficulty reaching an orgasm despite sexual arousal and stimulation. Orgasms are the intensely pleasurable feelings of release and involuntary pelvic floor contractions that occur at the height of sexual arousal. Orgasmic dysfunction is also known as anorgasmia. There are several different types of orgasmic dysfunction, including: Primary orgasmic dysfunction , when a person has never had an orgasm.

, when a person has never had an orgasm. Secondary orgasmic dysfunction , when a person has had an orgasm but then has difficulty experiencing one.

, when a person has had an orgasm but then has difficulty experiencing one. General orgasmic dysfunction , when a person cannot reach orgasm in any situation despite adequate arousal and stimulation.

, when a person cannot reach orgasm in any situation despite adequate arousal and stimulation. Situational orgasmic dysfunction, when a person cannot orgasm in certain situations or with certain kinds of stimulation. This type of orgasmic dysfunction is the most common. Orgasmic dysfunction can affect both males and females but is more common in females. Researchers estimate that female orgasmic disorder, which is recurrent orgasmic dysfunction, may affect between 11 to 41 percent of women. The North American Menopause Society report that 5 percent of all women have difficulty achieving orgasm. Research from 2018 found that 18.4 percent of women could reach an orgasm through intercourse alone. However, the same study indicated another 36.6 percent of women needed clitoral stimulation to reach orgasm during intercourse. In men, experts often categorize orgasmic dysfunction and delayed ejaculation together. Available studies suggest that delayed ejaculation is very uncommon in men, with one 2010 overview noting that it was rarely prevalent in more than 3 percent of men, although other estimates have the figure between 5 and 10 percent. Orgasmic dysfunction can affect the quality of peoples relationships, as well as a persons self-esteem and mental health.

Symptoms Orgasmic dysfunction is when someone has difficulty or the inability to reach an orgasm. For some people, reaching a climax can take longer than normal or be unsatisfying. The way an orgasm feels or how long it takes to have an orgasm can vary widely. When someone has orgasmic dysfunction, climax can take a long time to reach, be unsatisfying, or be unattainable.

Causes Share on Pinterest Stress and anxiety can affect a persons ability to orgasm. Scientists are not sure what causes orgasmic dysfunction, but believe the following factors may contribute to the problem: relationship issues

certain medical conditions, such as diabetes

a history of gynecological surgeries

some medications, including antidepressants

a history of sexual abuse

religious and cultural beliefs about sex and sexuality

depression

anxiety

stress

low self-esteem Also, women over 45 years of age are more likely to have trouble orgasming than women under this age. This may be due to menopause-related hormonal shifts and vaginal changes. Men are more likely to have trouble orgasming following a radical prostatectomy. They are also more likely to experience delayed ejaculation as they get older, as the ejaculatory function tends to reduce with age . Once someone experiences difficulty reaching an orgasm, they may experience increased stress in sexual situations. Stress and anxiety during sex can make it even more difficult to reach an orgasm.

Diagnosis Before diagnosing orgasmic dysfunction, a doctor will likely ask about a persons symptoms and how long they have existed. The doctor will also note any factors that could contribute to orgasmic dysfunction, such as underlying health conditions or the medications a person is taking. A doctor may do a physical examination as well. In some cases, they may refer a person to a sexual medicine specialist or a gynecologist.

Treatment Share on Pinterest Couples counseling may help if relationship issues are causing orgasmic dysfunction. Treatment for orgasmic dysfunction varies, depending on the underlying cause. A doctor may recommend treating any other conditions or adjusting any medications that may contribute to sexual health problems. In many cases, a doctor may recommend a person who has orgasmic dysfunction try sex therapy or couples counseling. A certified sex therapist can offer psychotherapy that focuses on concerns related to sexual function, feelings, or dysfunctions. Sex therapy can be done on an individual basis or with a partner. Couples counseling focuses on relationship issues that may be affecting an individuals sexual function and their ability to orgasm. In some cases, a doctor or therapist may suggest a person try other forms of sexual stimulation to reach orgasm, such as masturbation or increased clitoral stimulation during intercourse. For others, they may recommend over-the-counter oils and warming lotions. Hormone therapy may be effective for some females, particularly if the inability to orgasm coincided with the start of menopause. In these cases, a doctor may suggest the woman tries an estrogen cream, patch, or pill. The estrogen may alleviate some menopause symptoms and improve sexual response. While situational orgasmic dysfunction is not uncommon, people should speak with their doctor if they have any concerns about their ability to orgasm.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, January 8, 2019

A report claiming that AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint sell customers' location data is prompting new calls for action by the federal government.

On Tuesday, Motherboard reported it was able to pay a bounty hunter $300 to track a phone's location to neighborhood in Queens, New York. The only information provided to the bounty hunter was the phone number; the carrier was T-Mobile.

The bounty hunter did this all without deploying a hacking tool or having any previous knowledge of the phones whereabouts, Motherboard wrote. Instead, the tracking tool relies on real-time location data sold to bounty hunters that ultimately originated from the telcos themselves, including T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint.

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Motherboard reports that six different entities potentially had access to the location data. T-Mobile shares location data with an aggregator called Zumigo, which shares information with Microbilt. Microbilt shared that data with a customer using its mobile phone tracking product. The bounty hunter then shared this information with a bail industry source, who shared it with Motherboard.

Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), who recently unveiled a draft privacy bill, said the report shows the need for new privacy legislation.

This is a nightmare for national security and the personal safety of anyone with a phone, he said on Twitter. Major carriers pledged to end these practices, but it appears to have been more empty promises to consumers. Its time for Congress to take action by passing my bill to safeguard consumer data and hold companies accountable.

Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel called for her agency to conduct an immediate probe. The @fcc needs to investigate. Stat, she tweeted.

Last year, Wyden called on the FCC to investigate the practices of the company Securus, which was helping law enforcement officials track people's locations -- without court orders. Wyden also urged the carriers to stop sharing their customers' information, absent court orders or other legal authority.

In 2016, the FCC passed a set of broadband privacy regulations that would have prohibited carriers from sharing a host of data about customers without their explicit consent. Those rules were revoked by Congress in 2017.
by Ray Schultz , January 8, 2019

A bill now on tap in the California state assembly would require retailers to offer digital receipts at the checkout counter unless asked for a paper copy.

AB-161, recently introduced by Rep. Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), would make California the first state to take that step, sources say. The legislation would take effect in January 2022.

The objective is to protect consumers, workers and the environment from toxins that often coat paper-based receipts.

The bill would allow retailers to provide paper receipts on request, but not as the default option.

Transactional email would be one of the ways to send such receipts and could be a boon to email service providers while saving money for retailers.

Many businesses currently offer digital receipts, and they commonly do so through email, says a spokesperson for the environmental group Green America.

Ting is asking consumers to support a petition for the bill in as part of the Skip the Slip campaign.

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Retailers who have adopted digital receipts are already seeing benefits in terms of reduced costs and greater connection to their customers, states Green Americas executive co-director Todd Larsen. Assembly member Tings bill will benefit retailers, workers, and consumers in California, and it will be an important step forward in addressing the increasing impacts of paper-based receipts.

Green America says in a report that paper receipts:

Use 10 million trees

Consume 21 billion gallons of water

Generate 686 million pounds of waste and 12 billion pounds of CO2

In addition, the group estimates that 93% of paper receipts are coated with toxins linked to cancer, diabetes and reproductive issues. People are exposed to endocrine-disruptors when they touch the receipts, it says.
by Ray Schultz , January 8, 2019

Almost a month after announcing them in a blog post, Google has sent an email to users informing them of two potential data breaches.

Critics are asking why the search giant waited until now to inform account holders of the exposure of Google+ data.

The only problem with this, writes Digital Information World, is that the data breach occurred all the way back in October, and the users received this email on the 3rd of January.

Googles email states that it discovered the breaches in November.

It is unlikely that Google users were unaware of the breach, given the widespread publicity it received. However, the GDPR requires immediate notification of victims when data has been leaked.

The email starts as follows:

Dear Google User,

We are writing to inform you of a technical issue caused by a software update, which affected Google+ APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) between November7th, 2018 and November 13th, 2018 PT when the issue was fixed. We have determined that the technical issue was limited to Google+ APIs that return profile information about users and results in two potential unintended effects.

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If you granted an app permission to view your profile information, such as name, email address, and occupation, the app was able to request and view more profile fields than you granted the app permission to view.

If a person with whom you had shared profile information granted an app permission to view your public profile, that app was able to request and view your public profile fields that you had shared with that person but not share publicly.

Google has shut down Google+ in reaction to the incidents.

The email continues: This issue was limited to profile fields and did not give developers access to information such as financial data, national identification numbers, passwords or similar data typically used or fraud or identity theft.

It adds: The issue was detected by our automated testing and fixed on November 13 2018 PT. We have no evidence that the app developers who inadvertently had this access for six days were aware of it or misused it in any way.

Meanwhile, Google is facing litigation over data episodes. Rhode Island filed a suit last month, alleging that Alphabet Inc., parent company of Google, misled shareholders and regulators by not disclosing the breaches, NBC 10 News reported.
by Sara Guaglione , January 8, 2019

Politicos subscription-based product has expanded with a new offering that launches today and focuses on California policy and politics.

Called California Pro, it covers issues ranging from healthcare to immigration, education to technology.

(Pricing starts at the mid-four-figure range and then varies, based on number of policy areas, users and additional products needed, according to a spokesperson.)

Politico Pro has 15 editions covering federal policy areas, as well as editions in New Jersey, Florida and New York.

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The expansion in California is part of a global push for Politico Pro, which recently moved into Canada and continues to grow in Europe.

California Pro will include a newsletter (available for free since November), as well as original reporting and legislative updates from the state capitol designed for in-state policy professionals with a stake in California policy and politics, according to a statement from Politico.

"Politicos expansion into the Golden State represents the latest step to serve the increasing demand we are seeing from Politicos growing professional audience," stated Danica Stanciu, vice president of Politico Pro.

New hires include Kevin Yamamura, editor of California Pro, who previously served as the assistant managing editor of the Sacramento Bee.

Debra Kahn will serve as environment/transportation reporter, Angela Hart as health care reporter and Colby Bermel as energy reporter.

Politico has had a presence in California for nearly four years, with California Playbook (its city-focused newsletter) led by Carla Marinucci in Sacramento, Jeremy White in the Bay Area, national politics reporter David Siders in Los Angeles and national health care reporter Vicky Colliver in Oakland.

In December, Politico announced it would make a $3 million investment in its revenue team and client services.

By the close of 2019, Politico anticipates its sales team to expand by 35% and its revenue to increase by almost 40% over the previous two years (since January 2018.)

Politico says it has more than doubled in size over the last five years, growing revenue from $52 million to $113 million in 2018.

In other Politico news, Tim Grieve, the founding editor of Politico Pro and most recently McClatchy's head of news, was hired by Politico publisher Robert Allbritton to lead a new, separate media company unrelated to politics, according to Politicos"Morning Media" newsletter this morning.
by Melynda Fuller , January 8, 2019

Following the launch of the Meredith Innovation Group at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, the company has tapped Catherine Levene as its Chief Strategy Officer.

Levene will work with senior leadership to set its strategic direction, while focusing on boosting the growth of Merediths digital lifestyle portfolio. She begins January 14 and will report to Meredith president and CEO Tom Harty.

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Corbin deRubertis, Head of Innovation for Meredith, will oversee the new innovation group.

In a memo to staff, Harty lauded Levenes experience working with boards and CEOs to set strategy, implement business plans and direct M&A activities.

Levene comes to Meredith from online contemporary art marketplace Artspace, where she was cofounder -CEO. She spent three years at the company positioning it for sale, and remaining for two more after it was acquired.

Prior to her work with Artspace, Levene spent eight years working with New York Times Digital, where she eventually became vice president of product, business development and strategy. She was also COO of Daily Candy prior to and during its sale to Comcast. Levene currently is part of theSkimms advisory board.

Moving into the new role, Levene stated: Meredith has already built a digital business with great scale, and the organic revenue growth opportunities are very exciting.

Separately, Gannett announced two executive promotions.

Chief Revenue Officer Kevin Gentzel has been named president of the USA Today Network Marking Solution. He replaces Sharon Rowlands and will begin his role January 26.

Gentzel became the companys first CRO when he joined the company over three years ago. In that time, he has overseen advertising and marketing solutions revenue in North America. At the time he joined Gannett, he brought with him 20 years of experience in boosting revenue across publishers like Yahoo, The Washington Post and Forbes Media.

Additionally, Gannetts Chief Product Officer Kris Barton will now report to president-CEO Robert J. Dicky.
by Larissa Faw , January 8, 2019

After less than one year since its last creative review, Russell Stover is appointing Cutwater as the boxed chocolate maker's new agency of record.

The remit is aimed at reinvigorating and leading all communication efforts, including brand strategy, creative, communication planning and social.

WPPs VML (now part of VMLY&R) was awarded the account last March, but sources say the contract wasn't renewed.

Russell Stover vice president of marketing Mark Riegel stated in a release that the brand wanted a partnership with "chemistry," he says. "People you want to sit across the table from, true rock stars who are human, approachable and collaborative. Cutwater showed us this and were looking forward to working together.

While Russell Stover is one of the most well-known U.S. confectionary brands, Riegel acknowledged that the company needs to become more "culturally relevant."

advertisement advertisement

The switch is notable given the clients decision to move the assignment out of its own backyard. Last March, the Kansas City, Mo.-based chocolate maker said it primarily considered advertising agencies in the Kansas City area, ultimately selecting VML. Now, the business will be overseen by Cutwater's San Francisco operations.

"We look forward to leveraging all of our talent and resources within the agency to help the brand tell a fresh story in the years to come," says Christian Hughes, principal/president, Cutwater,
by Chuck Martin , January 8, 2019

Comcast at CES today introduced the national launch of an artificial intelligence-based home security system that monitors, blocks and informs consumers of online threats to connected home devices.

The Xfinity xFi Advance Security system is aimed at protecting all devices connected to a home network by using AI and machine-learning technology to constantly monitor all Wi-Fi traffic in a home.

The AI engine has a simple user interface, Eric Schaefer, senior vice president and general manager, broadband, automation and communications, Comcast Cable, told the AI & IoT Daily. The system determines normal behaviors and then identifies anomalies.

The security system operates at the gateway to the home level.

The service is opt-in with a monthly fee of $6 and is expected to be included in some select packages in some markets.

This is an advanced solution for power users, Schaefer said.
Report Description

This report analyzes the coma diagnosis and treatment market by types (toxic-metabolic encephalopathy, anoxic brain injury), diagnosis (physical examination, brain scans) treatment (medical treatment), end user (hospitals & clinics); it also studies the top manufacturers in the market.

The coma diagnosis and treatment market are expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% during the forecast period 2017  2023.

The major players in coma diagnosis and treatment market include:

Fujifilm Holdings (Japan)

GE Healthcare (U.S.)

Siemens Healthcare (U.S.)

Philips Healthcare (U.S.)

Shimadzu Corporation (Japan)

Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation (Japan)

Carestream Health (U.S.)

Nihon Kohden Corporation (Japan)

Electrical Geodesics Inc. (U.S.)

Masimo Corporation (U.S.)

Hologic (U.S.)

Esaote (Italy)

Others

The market revenue and share have been analyzed with respect to the following regions and countries:

Americas

North America

U.S.

Canada

South America

Europe

Western Europe

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

U.K.

Rest of Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Asia-Pacific

China

India

Japan

Australia

Republic of Korea

Rest of Asia-Pacific

The Middle East & Africa

United Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia

Oman

Kuwait

Qatar

Rest of The Middle East & Africa

Request Sample Report at https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3597662-coma-diagnosis-and-treatment-market-research-report-global-forecast-till-2023

On the basis of types, the coma diagnosis and treatment market has been categorized into the following segments:

Toxic-Metabolic Encephalopathy

Anoxic Brain Injury

On the basis of diagnosis, the coma diagnosis and treatment market has been categorized into the following segments:

Physical Examination

Brain Scans

On the basis of treatment, the coma diagnosis and treatment market has been categorized into the following segments:

Medical Treatment

On the basis of end user, the coma diagnosis and treatment market has been categorized into the following segments:

Hospitals & Clinics

Research Methodology

The analysis is conducted by industry experts who offer insight into industry structure, market segmentation, technology assessment, competitive landscape (CL), and market penetration, as well as on emerging trends. Besides primary interviews (~80%) and secondary research (~20%), their analysis is based on years of professional expertise in their respective industries. Our analysts also predict where the market will be headed in the next five to 10 years, by analyzing historical trends and current market positions. Furthermore, the varying trends of segments and categories in different regions are estimated based on primary and secondary research.

Both the top-down and bottom-up approaches were used to estimate and validate the size of the market and to estimate the size of various other dependent sub-markets. The key players in the market were identified through secondary research, and their market contributions in the respective regions were determined through primary and secondary research. This entire process included the study of the annual and financial reports of the top market players and extensive interviews for key insights with industry leaders such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and marketing executives. All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns were determined using secondary sources and verified through primary sources. All the possible parameters that affect the market covered in this research study have been accounted for, viewed in extensive detail, verified through primary research, and analyzed to arrive at the final quantitative and qualitative data. This data has been consolidated, and detailed inputs and analysis added before being presented in this report.

Table of Content

Report Prologue Market Introduction Research Methodology Market Dynamics Market Factor Analysis Global Coma Diagnosis & Treatment Market, By Type Global Coma Diagnosis & Treatment Market, By Diagnosis Global Coma Diagnosis & Treatment Market, By Treatment Global Coma Diagnosis & Treatment Market, By End User Global Coma Diagnosis & Treatment Market, By Region

11 Company Landscape

Company Profiles

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SPRINGFIELD  A city woman was sentenced to state prison Monday for misleading police and attempting to cover up the February 2017 fatal shooting of Kevin Blanton in Chicopee.

Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara sentenced Sorheyddi Colondres, 35, to five to seven years in state prison.

Michael Brawner, who was her fiance at the time of the shooting, is charged with murder. His trial is slated to start next week.

Colondres pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact of murder, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, cocaine trafficking in the amount of 36 to 100 grams and assault and battery.

The assault and battery charge was for striking her then 16-year-old daughter, Assistant District Attorney Mary Sandstrom said.

Defense lawyer Daniel D. Kelley said Colondres is unbelievably contrite for misleading police and for the way she treated her daughter after the shooting. Blanton, the victim in the shooting, was the girls father.

According to information presented at Colondres' sentencing, and at pretrial motions held Monday for Brawners trial, the shooting, at around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 10, 2017, happened after Brawner and Colondres went to get the 16-year-old girl at Blantons home.

Colondres has 696 days credit on her sentence for days spent in jail awaiting trial.

Sandstrom asked for a sentence of seven to 10 years in state prison, while Kelly asked for a sentence of three to five years. Colondres has no prior record.

Sandstrom said Colondres' daughter suffered a damaging emotional toll after the girl stood up to Brawner, who was abusing Colondres.

Colondres was angry at her daughter for confronting Brawner and telling Blanton, Sandstrom said.

She (Colondres) lied to law enforcement and that was all for the man who murdered the father of her child, Sandstrom said.

Blantons mother and father, as well as other relatives, were in the courtroom for the sentencing.

Judy Blanton, Kevin Blantons mother, said in her victim impact statement, Life is more devastating the more reality sets in. ... So many people loved him and will do so forever.

She said after the shooting she was just going through the motions of everyday life.

Memories are not enough for me, Judy Blanton said, I want my son back."

The impact statement from Colondres' daughter said she believes her mother has to do some time but, I dont want to see my mother gone forever.

Donald Blanton, Kevin Blantons father, said the family will continue to suffer.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will rebut President Donald Trumps Tuesday night national address on border security with their own primetime Democratic response to the issue, which is at the center of debate in efforts to reopen the federal government.

Pelosis office announced Tuesday morning that the House Democratic leader and Schumer will deliver their own address.

Hours after Trump announced on Twitter Monday that he would address the nation on the humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border, the Democrats called for equal airtime to defend their opposition to the presidents requested funding for a wall along the United States' southern border with Mexico.

They further urged Trump to pass a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government while Congress debates his proposed expensive and ineffective wall.

Trump is scheduled to deliver his national address Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.

Fox News, Fox Business, NBC, CBS and CNN have said they plan to air both the presidents speech and the Democratic response, according to The Hill. CBS has indicated that Trumps address will last no more than eight minutes, the news outlet reported.

In addition to the prime time remarks, the White House has announced that the president will travel to the United States' southern border with Mexico on Thursday.

The shutdown, now in its third week, began late last month when funding ran out for nine Cabinet-level departments and various agencies after Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on a spending measure.

Trump has pledged to oppose any spending bill that does not include $5 billion for his proposed border wall.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
With thousands of government employees furloughed or working without pay due to the partial government shutdown, one Massachusetts congressman announced Tuesday that he too will not collect a paycheck until the federal funding lapse is addressed.

U.S. Rep. Seth Moultons office revealed that the Salem Democrat will not accept his congressional pay "as long as furloughed government employees are not paid."

Noting that Friday marks the first pay period federal workers could miss as a result of the shutdown, Moulton has encouraged constituents impacted by the funding lapse to take advantage of various resources available to them, including unemployment and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

The congressman, who highlighted such resources in a video posted on social media, stressed that his office is here to help" and urged Massachusetts residents to reach out if they need assistance signing up for benefits.

Were here to help, he said.

If the government shutdown continues through Friday Jan. 11th, many federal workers will miss their expected paychecks. Even though the government is shutdown, there are still resources available to you, and my staff and I are standing by, ready to help. https://t.co/oDv9IYkfuC pic.twitter.com/2AQFAPYAxK  Seth Moulton (@sethmoulton) January 8, 2019

The Democrat offered that while hes working hard in Washington to try to end this shutdown," President Donald Trump is playing politics with our border security and our public safety and our federal employees.

Weve got to end the shutdown, he further contended.

Moultons office noted that it has more than a dozen open cases assisting constituents directly impacted by the shutdown, including seven which have been put on hold due to federal agency disruptions. It has been working statehouse colleagues to facilitate unemployment claims.

The shutdown -- now in its third week -- began late last month when funding ran out for nine Cabinet-level departments and various agencies after Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on border security spending.

The Associated Press reported that about 420,000 workers were deemed essential would work unpaid, while an additional 380,000 were furloughed.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Exxon Mobils appeal of a ruling allowing Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to proceed with her investigation of the oil company.

Healey has demanded extensive documents and testimony from Exxon Mobil to determine whether the oil company knew and lied to the public and investors about the impact of burning fossil fuels on climate change. She is arguing that the company violated the state's consumer protection law.

Exxon Mobil has been fighting her investigation in court, arguing that it is not subject to Healey's jurisdiction and that Healey is biased against Exxon Mobil and is violating the company's rights.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in April that Healey can compel Exxon Mobil to comply with her investigation.

Exxon Mobil appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. On Monday, the court announced without comment that it will not accept the case.

Litigation is still pending in a separate but related case before a federal Appeals Court.

Healey, speaking to reporters Tuesday, called the U.S. Supreme Court decision an important and decisive victory for our office.

Were going to continue with our investigation, Healey said.
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided that it will not allow 13 states to sue Massachusetts in the nations highest court over a law that will ban the sale of eggs and meat from animals that are too tightly confined.

In 2016, Massachusetts voters passed a ballot question that will prohibit the confinement of pigs, calves and chickens in tight quarters, and prohibit the sale of meat and eggs from animals that have been confined.

The law is set to take effect in Jan. 1, 2022.

After the ballot question passed, 13 states, led by Indiana, asked the Supreme Court for permission to sue Massachusetts to overturn the law. Unlike in state courts, someone seeking to sue before the Supreme Court must first get permission to file a complaint.

The Supreme Courts decision, which was issued Monday without an explanation, denied the states permission to file a complaint.

Justice Clarence Thomas disagreed and said he would have allowed the case to move forward.

Margaret Quackenbush, a spokeswoman for Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, said, Massachusetts voters exercised their lawful authority to enact meaningful animal welfare reforms. We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has paved the way for the law to go into effect in 2022.

Supporters said the ballot question was about preventing cruelty to animals. Opponents said it would hurt low-income consumers by raising food prices. The biggest impact will be the prohibition on sales, since Massachusetts has only a single farm that cages chickens and no farms that use small crates for confining pigs or calves.

The question passed with 78 percent of the vote.

Indiana is home to Purdue University, which raises hogs to export to other states. Indiana and the other states argued that Massachusetts was essentially regulating the production of meat and eggs in their states, which could hurt their farmers and also raise prices for consumers.

Massachusetts, in a brief filed by Healeys office, said the Supreme Court should not accept the case.

The Massachusetts brief argued that the court generally declines to take cases in which a state is trying to protect a particular subset of its residents, in this case farmers. Healeys office said the claims of the other states are based on unadorned speculation that their prices for eggs and meat will rise, which is not enough to base a case on.

The Solicitor General of the United States, Noel Francisco, filed a brief urging the Supreme Court not to take the case.

The brief from the United States argued that the case does not rise to the level for which the Supreme Court should exercise its authority. The solicitor general said certain facts  such as the question of whether the Massachusetts law will raise egg and meat prices in other states  should be litigated first in District Court.

California is the only state with a similar law banning the sale of non-cage-free eggs. A federal appeals court threw out a similar lawsuit there, finding that the states that sued California lacked standing.

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would not hear the California case either.
The Cannabis Control Commission has given Theory Wellness in Great Barrington the green light to open a retail marijuana store this Friday, Jan. 11.

The store expects to open Friday at 10 a.m. for retail sales. It will continue to sell medical marijuana at the same location.

Its the first dispensary to open for recreational sales in the Berkshires, said Theory Wellness owner Brandon Pollock. We look forward to being part of history here.

Today @MA_Cannabis issued a notice authorizing Theory Wellness in Great Barrington to commence adult-use retail operations and open in a minimum of three calendar days (Friday, 1/11 or later).  MA Cannabis Control Commission (@MA_Cannabis) January 7, 2019

Theory Wellness will be the sixth adult use marijuana shop to open in Massachusetts.

While it will be the first to open in the Berkshires, a store run by Temescal Wellness in Pittsfield is also in the final stages of the licensing process.

In an interview last month, Pollock said Theory Wellness wants to define craft cannabis, by offering a selection of high-end marijuana products.

The Cannabis Control Commission also on Monday gave New England Treatment Access permission to begin cultivating marijuana and developing products for the recreational market at its Franklin facility. NETA opened one of the states first two recreational marijuana stores, in Northampton, in November.

Theory Wellness will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. Walk-in customers are welcome. The dispensary will accept debit cards and cash.

There will be limits on how much marijuana someone can buy, which will be lower than limits set by the state. Information on specific product limits will be available on the Theory Wellness website.

Information on parking will also be available on the website.

Previous dispensaries have seen long lines on opening day. Pollock warned that customers should dress for the elements since there may be a bit of a line.

Some of the other dispensaries have chosen symbolic first customers. Theory Wellness has not yet picked a first customer. Pollock said the store may just let it happen, see who wants to get there first.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has been a strong political ally of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, but dont expect Healey to announce her 2020 allegiance just yet.

Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, recently formed an exploratory committee and traveled to Iowa to campaign, the first steps toward launching a presidential run. Asked by reporters after an unrelated event in Boston whether she would support a Warren run for president, Healey would not commit.

I have a lot of respect for Sen. Warren and particularly for the issues that she has raised over the years about economic inequality, about fairness and fair play in the marketplace, Healey said. I think that a lot of Americans are concerned about things like jobs, whats happening to their wages, whats going to happen to their health care. And I know that Sen. Warren is going to be speaking to these issues, and I look forward to listening further to her.
BOSTON  Housing. Legal services. Walking paths.

While these things are not typically thought of as health care, they do have a significant impact on peoples health.

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey on Tuesday announced $3 million in grants to 13 community organizations that address things like housing, hunger and other societal factors that affect someones health. Healey announced the grants at an event at the Greater Boston Food Bank.

The effort is a way to address what are called social determinants of health, factors that are often tied to wealth, employment, education and other social and cultural factors. These include things like access to healthy food and the ability to exercise.

For too long, our health care system has focused on people after they get sick, Healey said. Its time for us across the state to really flip the script, to give families and communities the resources they need on the front end to be healthy and stay healthy.

The Republican / MassLive.com recently reported on new statistics showing that life expectancy is closely tied to societal factors.

One Associated Press report looked at lifespan by census tract and found that in Massachusetts, for example, poor and rich neighborhoods have vastly different life expectancies.

A second report, based on death data from the Department of Public Health, shed light on the health disparities between black Massachusetts residents and the rest of the population.

In both these cases, experts say the disparities are likely due to social factors. For example, people who have more education are likely to earn higher wages and can live in communities that have grocery stores that carry fresh produce and have safe parks to walk in. Stress caused by financial difficulties can hurt someones health.

The new grants will fund partnerships between a range of social service agencies and health care providers. They are paid for with money from settlements reached by the attorney generals health care division.

In Western Massachusetts, Baystate Health Care Alliance and the BeHealthy Partnership ACO will receive a $250,000 grant to launch a partnership with Community Legal Aid, in which lawyers will be stationed at community health centers to help medical patients who have legal needs.

For example, legal aid lawyer Faye Rachlin said a child may be hungry because her mother was wrongfully cut off from food stamps, a child may need help getting special education services or an abuse victim may need a restraining order.

Kerry LaBounty, of the BeHealthy Partnership ACO, said the lawyers will educate patients on life skills, like being a good tenant. They will work with doctors so the doctors know who to call when a patient needs an attorney.

Community Action Pioneer Valley, the Community Health Center of Franklin County and the Center for Human Development are getting a $250,000 grant to offer mental health support to high-risk adolescents and young adults in Franklin County.

The Collaborative for Educational Services is working with the Hilltown Community Health Center, Hilltown Community Development Corporation and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to develop a mobile farmers market tailored to the rural Hilltowns. The group will also develop walking maps of accessible, easy walking routes in six Hilltowns and will work with municipalities to develop infrastructure that encourages walking, like better sidewalks and crosswalks. It is getting a $150,000 grant.

Sarah Bankert of the Collaborative for Educational Services said the goal is to help people access physical activity in a way thats very easy and fun and cheap.

One statewide project that will affect Western Massachusetts is being run by the Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance in partnership with Community Healthlink in Worcester, Duffy Health Center in Hyannis and Mercy Medical Center  Health Care for the Homeless Program in Springfield. Community health workers will be stationed at each medical center to work with chronically homeless patients with complex medical needs. The workers will help these individuals navigate the medical system and also find permanent, stable housing with ongoing support services.

Other programs receiving funding in other parts of the state will provide help finding housing for homeless pregnant and postpartum women, support for families of people addicted to drugs, music therapy to engage at-risk adolescents and modifications to the homes of elderly people at risk of falls, among other services.
Attorney General Maura Healey is continuing to fight in the courts against rules set by President Donald Trumps administration that will make it easier for businesses to decline to provide insurance coverage for birth control.

Its another wrongheaded move by the Trump administration trying to take away access to contraception, Healey said, speaking to reporters in Boston. It doesnt make any sense from an economic or a health care perspective.

Healey on Monday led other state attorneys general in filing briefs in federal courts in Pennsylvania and California, where judges are weighing whether to let the Trump administrations new rules go into effect.

The Affordable Care Act, passed under former President Barack Obama, required employer-based insurance plans to cover contraception with no copays.

Under Trump, the federal government crafted an exemption that would allow any employer with a religious or moral objection to refuse to cover contraceptive care. This is far broader than a religious exemption that was in place under Obama.

The state attorneys general argue that many women who lose employer-based contraceptive coverage will turn to state-funded programs to get contraception-related health care or to deal with unintended pregnancies.

The briefs argue that the Trump administration rules will threaten the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of residents of their states.

Healey is joined by 20 other attorneys general in the Pennsylvania case and eight in the California case.

Its really important that we stand up here and take a stand for women and for access to health care, and we know how important contraception is for women and for families all across the country, Healey said.

As soon as Trump proposed the rules, Healey sued in federal court in Massachusetts. A federal judge dismissed the case, finding that because Massachusetts passed its own law requiring employers to provide health insurance that covers contraceptives without co-pays, the state does not have standing to sue. That case is under appeal.

The federal rules have not gone into effect, however, because of an injunction by a federal Appeals Court judge in a case involving California, Delaware, Maryland, New York and Virginia.
SPRINGFIELD - If all goes according to plan, a marijuana company will open two facilities in the city, including a recreational shop downtown, a grow facility in Pittsfield and a medical marijuana facility in Agawam before 2020.

Employees of Debilitating Medical Condition Treatment Centers Inc., held two community outreach meetings on Monday to discuss their plans for their business in the city and plan to hold a third at 7 p.m., Tuesday at the Aquarius Night Club, 1217 State Street.

The company, which principals are calling DMC, is applying for permits to open an about 2,500-square-foot recreational store by late summer in the former Biergarten, 1600 Main St., which its president Heriberto Flores owns and currently rents for private functions.

A second facility is proposed for 700 Berkshire Ave. and should open by late summer or fall. It will sell recreational marijuana, but much of the business will be used for processing and packaging marijuana. The marijuana sold is expected to be grown in a third facility proposed for Pittsfield, Flores said.

The company has already been granted a permit from the state to open a medical marijuana facility in Agawam in a building near the Route 57 rotary. The company is still seeking local permits and does not expect to open it for six months to a year, Flores said.

Cannabis products are not all the same, said Grant Guelich, one of the principal employees for the company. We want to make sure our retail store is focused on education. We want to make sure people find what they need.

Guelich is probably the most experienced in the company. Originally in the business of growing fruit, he began working in the cannabis industry about five years ago when Washington State legalized recreational marijuana. He is now taking his expertise to Massachusetts.

Along with Flores the company officers are Tonia Butler Perez, who is the clerk, and Mary E. Frey, who is the treasurer. Frey is married to former Hampden District Attorney William Bennett, who is working as one of the companys lawyers, Flores said.

About 20 people attended the meeting in the Kimball Towers community room Monday. Audience members asked about parking, traffic and one asked if city residents, minorities or people adversely affected by the prohibition of marijuana in the past would be hired as employees.

The company is already one of the few minority-owned cannabis operations in the state and Guelich said owners have already hired local people and will continue that practice. We will not discriminate against anyone.

The Biergarten property has a parking lot for 20 cars and there are an estimated 600 metered parking spaces within a five-minute walk to the Main Street location. Guelich said he does not anticipate any problems with parking, explaining there should be a lot of competition in the region soon and the long lines seen when the first marijuana store opened in Northampton are not anticipated to continue. Guelich said his experience in Washington shows 20 parking spaces should be more than sufficient.

The 12 to 15 employees who work in downtown Springfield will park in spaces rented a short distance from the store, he added.

The company has also hired the engineering firm of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. to do a study of the traffic and parking for both locations. There will be 50 parking spaces at the Berkshire Avenue location, he said.

He also talked about how the company will control the odor, provide security and ensure quality of the cannabis they sell.

The company will track the product "from seed to sell" through a software program already used in Washington state. The program ensures that the marijuana does not have carcinogens or other harmful chemicals and is pesticide free, Guelich said.

Security systems with alarms and high-definition cameras will be installed at each facility. In addition, the company is planning to hire military veterans to oversee security and prevent theft and is hoping to market that service to other cannabis companies, he said.

Betsy Johnson, a member of the Armory Quadrangle Civic Association, said she was not necessarily against retail marijuana but is concerned there are three proposals all in the same area and close to neighborhoods with children.

Currently those who hold liquor licenses are regulated by the liquor commission, which has the authority to issue fines or revoke licenses. She questioned which agency will oversee marijuana stores.

Is cannabis the only business that will rejuvenate our neighborhoods? she asked.
SPRINGFIELD - Police say a 30-year-old city man surrendered himself late Monday after detectives had obtained a warrant for his arrest in connection with this weekends fatal shooting of a man in a Sixteen Acres shopping plaza.

Karl Exantus of 28 Manhattan St. turned himself in at the lobby of police headquarters at 130 Pearl St. at around 10 p.m., said police spokesman Ryan Walsh.

Exantus is charged with murder, carrying a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm without a licence.

He is charged in connection with the fatal shooting of a man Saturday at the Five Town Plaza on Cooley Street. The man was found dead inside a car in the parking lot at around noon.

The victims identity has not been formally released to the media by either the police or the Hampden District Attorney. But members of his family have gone to the press to identify him as Alexis Martinez, 29, a Springfield native who had recently moved to Philadelphia.

Walsh said Springfield detectives, under the command of Capt. Trent Duda, had identified Exantus as a suspect in the shooting within hours of the shooting, and had gone to court to obtain a warrant for his arrest.

No information was released about possible motives in the shooting.

The shooting is the citys first homicide of the year.
Patrick A. Carnevale, director of Gov. Charlie Bakers Western Massachusetts office, will be the featured guest speaker at the East Longmeadow Republican Town Committees meeting on Jan. 16.

The meeting, at 7 p.m. in the media room at the East Longmeadow Senior Center, 328 North Main St., is free and open to the public.

Carnevale, who was appointed by Baker in April 2018, will discuss the role of the Springfield governors office, where he serves as the liaison between the communities in Western Massachusetts and the executive branch. The office serves as a connector to support constituents, local leaders and municipalities in the area.

He will also offer insights from his 15 years as the regional director of the western and central Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. During his tenure, he oversaw the recovery from the June 2011 tornado and the October 2011 ice storm.

Prior to his current position, Carnevale worked for governors Paul Cellucci and Jane Swift as a liaison between their administrations and Western Massachusetts.

More information is available on the East Longmeadow Republican Town Committees Facebook page.
A woman was hospitalized overnight on Tuesday after reportedly crashing a car into Martys Liquor store in Bostons Allston neighborhood.

Boston Emergency Medical Services report that sometime before 3 a.m., a driver crashed into a liquor store on North Beacon Street in Allston.

The crash caused the car to flip upside down and land on its roof inside of the liquor store, according to Boston EMS. The driver was unconscious and transported to an area hospital.

Boston police told The Boston Globe that the womans injuries were first considered life-threatening, but that her conditions improved and she is expected to survive.

The cause of the crash remains under police investigation.
Boston police are asking for the publics help to find the woman wanted in connection to a dognapping in Dorchester.

A pet owner told police that his black-and-white Shih Tzu dog, Lola, was stolen from outside of a Dollar Store on Columbia Road in Dorchester on Dec. 31. The victim said he realized his dog was gone when he left the store, shortly before 9:30 p.m. that night.

Police shared surveillance footage of the female suspect holding the dog.

Any person who can identify the woman, or has any other information on the dognapping, is urged to contact Boston Police detectives or send an anonymous tip at 1-800-494-TIPS.
SPRINGFIELD  A businessmans proposal to open a marijuana shop at the Potco store at The X in Forest Park does not appear to meet the city and state requirement to be at least 500 feet from a school, according to a city legal opinion.

The three-page opinion from Associate City Solicitor Tasheena M. Davis, dated Jan. 4, said the proposed shop at 522 Sumner Ave., also known as 401 Dickinson St., is less than 500 feet from a school when measured from the business property line to the property line of the school.

Potco store owner David Mech said Monday he has not given up the effort.

We are assessing our options, Mech said. Sometimes, time just takes care of things. Well see what happens.

Both the state Cannabis Control Commission and the city have laws in which the measurement for buffers is clearly defined, Davis said.

That measurement must be a straight line between the property line of the business and the property line of the school  not from building to building, Davis said.

Her opinion echoes the opinion of Deputy Planning Director Philip Dromey, who said he asked Davis to evaluate the matter after he had multiple conversations with Mech.

Mech has not yet scheduled a community meeting to discuss his plans for the marijuana store.

The Potco store property and Springfield High School, located on the grounds of Holy Name Church, are less than 500 feet apart, on a straight line from boundary line to boundary line, Dromey said.

In past practices involving local permitting and land use matters, the citys Planning Department has routinely and consistently relied on measuring the 500 foot distance utilizing the GIS (Geographic Information System) map to determine if the required buffer zone is met, Davis said.

"The GIS map shows that a straight line from the subject property to the school's property line is less than the required 500 feet," Davis said.

Mech has said Potco already sells products including fertilizers, grow lamps, indoor growing tents and hydroponic and aquaponic setups. The business also sells cannabidiol, or CBD  an extract from hemp that lacks marijuanas psychoactive properties.

The City Council approved a zoning ordinance in September that allows up to 15 marijuana stores in Springfield. The shops are only allowed in business and industrial zones and only on 58 designated streets in those zones.
WILLIAMSTOWN - The Williamstown Art Conservation Center, considered the largest multi-disciplinary regional conservation center in the United States, has been awarded a three-year grant of $580,000 for capacity building at two locations from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The long-established non-profit consortium is located in a state-of-the-art facility on the campus of the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, and provides services to private clients, historical and educational organizations as well as institutions like Springfield's George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum.

According to a release, the grant from the not-for-profit corporation known for its arts advocacy will support growth initiatives at WACC as well as its Georgia-based satellite facility, the Atlanta Art Conservation Center, that was established in partnership in 2001 with the High Museum of Art there to provide conservation services to cultural institutions throughout the Southeastern United States.

WACC manages the 6,686-square-foot facility whose treatment services, likes its own, include paintings, frames and works on paper. Additional services include materials characterization and identification, furniture and decorative arts conservation, along with collections/facility surveys and preventive conservation workshops.

The grant will allow for greater integration of services and personnel between the two facilities, according to the release.

The fund was granted under a Mellon initiative to strengthen small and mid-sized arts institutions and regional conservation centers. In collaboration with the Nonprofit Finance Fund, the award is said to provide WACC with financial resources to enhance capacity building over a three-year period.

It builds on a 2017 Mellon award of $150,000 to fund a financial sustainability analysis and business growth strategy for the two institutions.

The new grant will allow AACC to double its full-time staff of conservators, adding a paper conservator and objects conservator to its present roster of two paintings conservators.

Expanded services will also include internships for young conservators at all stages of their training and workshops for museum professionals and contemporary artists.

The grant will permit the purchase of advanced analytical equipment at WACC as well as allow for other investments there and a portion will be used to expand publication of WACC's Art Conservator magazine that is said to be the only periodical about art conservation written for a non-technical audience.

WACC was incorporated in 1977 by a founding consortium of five members in the wake of the country's bicentennial and efforts by the federal government to establish nonprofit regional conservation centers to preserve the country's cultural heritage.

Its home in the Clark's 2008 Stone Hill Center, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, is said to be among the nation's most sophisticated conservation facilities.

The center includes treatment labs designed to meet the specific needs for paintings, textiles, furniture and other works.

It also includes an analytical laboratory, examination room, classroom, and photo-imaging studio, as well as an X-ray room with 160-kilovolt capacity.

The center also houses Clark exhibition galleries.
Despite their beauty and the fact that they usually want nothing to do with humans, bears have often been feared by people. These days however, there is a bigger scare than big furry beasts that threatens people on a daily basis: cyber attacks to folks' privacy.



But whichever you fear, Nerd Nite Northampton has you covered, as this month's talks address both topics at the Jan. 14 edition of the event at The Deuce at 7 p.m.



The first talk, "What's the Hulla-Baloo About Bears?" features Stacey Schmeidel. Schmeidel spent six weeks last summer volunteering for the National Park Service at Katmai National Park, Alaska, reputed to be one of the world's best places to see bears in the wild. Schmeidel will discuss what bears can teach us about motherhood, workplace behavior, resilience, and body image, among other things.



Schmeidel has a long career as a college public relations professional -- but says that "when she grows up," she wants to be a National Park Service ranger. In addition to volunteering with the National Park Service (at Katmai, Yosemite and the Springfield Armory), Schmeidel also leads hikes for the Wilbraham Hiking Club and serves as a volunteer camera operator for the explore.org, the world's largest collection of nature web cams.



The second talk, "Tech Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Little-Known Ways Everyday Tech is Compromising Our Privacy and Security," will be given by Michael Barnard, who is a longtime audience member at Nerd Nite. In Barnard's first time at the microphone for the event, he will address how even beyond the ways our mobile apps are spying on us, our phones, cars, fitness trackers, and even our houses are all conspiring against us in secret, and that anyone with some modest technical knowledge and a few spare dollars can watch us more closely than we ever suspected.



Barnard is a systems and applications manager at Mount Holyoke College with around 20 years of experience in systems administration and development.



The Deuce is located at 50 Conz St.



Scouting Report





The Loft Comedy Club in Chicopee will showcase the talents of comic Brian Beaudoin on Jan. 18-19. Beaudoin, who hails from Rhodes Island, has won several comedy awards, including the 2011 Jokers Wild "Next Biggest Thing" competition as well as being named Rhode Island's Best Comedian by The Providence Phoenix in both 2009 and 2010. He was also a semifinalist in the World Series of Comedy in Las Vegas in 2015. The Loft is at 92 View St.

The harmony-laden music of Eavesdrop will fill the air at the Yarde Tavern in South Hadley on Jan. 19. The Yarde Tavern is at 3 Hadley St.





Do you have a cool event coming up at a club? Send me a note about it at least two weeks in advance to geolenker@yahoo.com and I'll try to get it in this space.






NORTHAMPTON  The starting minimum wage at River Valley Co-Op market at 330 North King St. went up Monday from $12.50 an hour to $15 an hour under a new three-year union contract that had been ratified Friday by the 125-member bargaining unit.

State law raised the minimum wage in Massachusetts as of Jan. 1 to $12 an hour from $11 an hour. That same state law calls for incremental increases hitting $15 an hour on Jan 1, 2023, said Jeff Jones, a vice president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459 in Springfield, which represents River Valley workers.

The new three-year deal also addresses wage compression. Those employees who had worked to get raises before the contract will get raises under the contract to keep them ahead of the starting wage, Jones said. But the raises are smaller for those at the upper end of the wage scale.

As a union, our goal is to do the most good for the most people, he said.

There is no cost-of-living adjustment in future years of the contract. However, union members get raises for longevity after reaching certain hours-worked thresholds.

Jones said he plans to use the new contract with River Valley as a template as he begins negotiations in the coming months with other food co-ops in the region where workers are UFCW members: Franklin Community Co-Op, which includes Green Fields Market in Greenfield and McCuskers Market in Shelburne Falls; Brattleboro Food Co-Op in Brattleboro, Vermont; and Wild Oats Market in Williamstown.

They are all in different situations, he said. River Valley is the only one I know of that is planning to expand, with its second location in Easthampton.

UFCW also begins negotiations later this month with Stop & Shop. Overall, 10,000 Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. employees are unionized, members of different locals in the region.

Well, if you go to the other end of King Street, Stop & Shop is starting people at $12 an hour and River Valley is now starting people at $15, he said. Wed certainly like to get that starting wage up.

Rochelle Prunty, River Valley Co-ops general manager, said she is happy to have been able to work out an agreement.

Our goal is to have the best retail jobs in the area and we are very happy about launching the $15 minimum wage now because we have the best employees in the area, she said in a statement. Over 90 percent of our staff are full time with excellent benefits and a voice in their workplace. This keeps our turnover far below the status quo for retail grocery and contributes to our overall success.

She didnt anticipate any changes to the number of employees in Northampton.

But the new store in Easthampton will need at least 70 employees to start off. Current plans are for it to be open in the year 2020.

River Valley Co-op plans a 17,000-square-foot location at the former Fedor Pontiac on Route 10. Jones said employees at the new location will also be in the bargaining unit.

The Northampton market opened in 2008 and now has more than 9,500 member-owners and many regular customers.
While politicians argue over a wall in the desert, a Westfield woman  the low-income widow of a veteran  is left without a good roof over her head because federal funding for repairs is held up in Washington by the government shutdown.

This woman needs a roof, said Colleen Loveless, president and CEO of Revitalize Community Development Corp., in Springfield. But I cant even send someone out there to evaluate the situation.

Back in October, Revitalize CDC was notified that it would receive $730,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of its Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program. The $730,000 is meant to be able to pay to modify or repair 50 homes across the state that belong to low-income or disabled veterans or their dependents.

Loveless said she has no other way to fund the roof or other projects for veterans.

"We don't have another pool of money to go to," she said.

But that October grant letter isnt a contract, and it specifically warns against spending money until one arrives, generally about 90 days later, Loveless said.

The contract, and the money, is held up because HUD staffers are on furlough during the shutdown.

That stops Loveless' ability to hire staff to administer the program and her outreach efforts to veterans and community groups that would have let them know by now how to take advantage of the program.

Loveless said she first heard of the woman Monday from Julie Barnes, director of veterans services in Westfield.

Barnes said she can't identify the woman publicly because of confidentiality rules.

Loveless said there are other veterans in Holyoke and Springfield who are seeking help from the program. And shed very much like to get the Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program up and running.

"Now is when we would be getting ready for the construction season," she said. "It takes time to process the applications. Everything needs to be documented: income, service records."

She said she had people in mind for the two jobs administering the program. But those folks might find another job. She might have to interview new candidates once she gets the formal OK to hire.

Loveless said Revitalize CDC also cannot use a smaller $25,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection that it received to fund the Green & Healthy Homes program.

Green & Healthy Homes is a partnership with Revitalize CDC, Baystate Health, Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts, Pioneer Valley Asthma Coalition, the City of Springfield and Square One that removes health hazards from homes, especially hazards that cause asthma in children.

Local business lenders are also blocked from making SBA-guaranteed loans because of the government shutdown that has left 800,000 federal employees without paychecks.
U.S. Small Business Administration loans have hit a wall with the government shutdown, and so have the businesses that depend on the credit to get started, fund day-to-day operations or grow.

The businesses are really caught, said Christopher L. Sikes, senior vice president for development at Common Capital, a community loan fund in Springfield. They are the ones who are hurt by this.

Common Capital, an affiliate of Way Finders housing agency, provides SBA credit to small business in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties as well as to a portion of Worcester County.

Common Capitals SBA-funded microlending program has about two weeks left without an infusion of more cash from Washington, Sikes said. Businesses use that money, up to $50,000 a loan, either to get started or to buy equipment and real estate to expand. Sometimes, businesses use the microlending fund for working capital, borrowing money to meet expenses and complete a big order knowing that it wont get paid until after the product is delivered, he said.

These are loans that are not bankable, Sikes said. The company is just not quite in a position to go to a traditional bank. But these companies have a lot of potential. We give a lot of business assistance.

The SBA Microloan Program approved 102 loans totaling $2.08 million across Massachusetts in federal fiscal year 2018, according to a news release from the SBA sent out before the shutdown. The SBA has 10 partners including Common Capital.

In Massachusetts, an average microloan was $20,352.

Other SBA loans are already stopped. Applications for SBA guaranteed loans, larger ones made by banks only with assurance that the government will step in if the borrower defaults, cant be processed by the SBA, Sikes said.

"Its just stopped, he said. You cant do anything.

Monson Savings Bank has one application for an SBA guaranteed loan, said president Steven E. Lowell. He said the bank is continuing to work with the potential borrower, hoping that the government will restart in time for the loan to proceed.

The SBA through its flagship 7(a) Loan Guaranty Program approved 2,126 loans in Massachusetts in the most recent fiscal year. The loans totaled more than $349 million, supported by a network of 123 lenders, including 16 credit unions, according to a pre-shutdown SBA news release.

Time is money for potential buyers working on real estate transactions or closing deals for products they can only deliver with the SBAs help, said Samalid Hogan, director of the Western Regional Office of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center.

It holds them back, she said. Everything gets delayed."
Two landlords will be arraigned Tuesday in connection with a three-alarm blaze that seriously injured two Everett firefighters over the summer.

Muddasir Bari, 63, and Nargis Bhatti, 55, both of Everett, are charged with violating building codes as landlords of the multifamily home at 15 Morris St. in Everett.

The wood-framed building was the location of a three-alarm fire that left two firefighters seriously injured on July 13.

Everett Fire Chief Anthony Carli said the blaze was a worst case scenario of what can happen when overcrowding and serious fire and building codes are ignored.

Firefighters put themselves at risk whenever they respond to a fire and that is why there are laws in place to minimize risk to first responders and to the public, Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan said in a statement. In this case, through their alleged violation of the building codes, the defendants are alleged to have created a dangerous situation that ultimately led to two firefighters sustaining serious injuries.

When firefighters responded to the blaze just after 2 p.m., they were met with heavy fire on the second floor of the two-and-a-half story, three-family home. Investigators determined that the blaze started at the electrical panel as a result of the circuit being overloaded.

Bari and Bhatti have been charged with wanton and reckless disregard of fire or building codes that result in serious bodily injuries under the Comprehensive Fire Safety Act, passed as a result of the 2003 The Station Nightclub fire.

The fire was jointly investigated by the Everett Fire and Police Departments, State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal and State Police assigned to the Office of the Middlesex District Attorneys Office.
A fundraising page for Utah police officer Joseph Shinners, who was killed in the line of duty on Saturday, has raised more than $43,000 in one day.

Shinners, who grew up in the Boston area, was shot and killed while pursuing a suspect in Orem. Officers from Orem and Provo were pursuing 40-year-old Matt Frank Hoover in the parking lot of a Bed Bath and Beyond Saturday night, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

Hoover had skipped court hearings while on probation for drug and joyriding convictions, according to the newspaper.

Shinners, 29, died in the hospital following a shootout. He leaves behind his wife and 1-year-old son.

Hoover was also injured and remains hospitalized, police told the newspaper.

A GoFundMe page describes Shinners as an amazing husband, father, and friend to many.

Joe was always the first to volunteer whenever anyone needed help or if there was anything to be done, a friend wrote on the page.

Money from the fundraiser will help be given to Shinners family to help pay for funeral costs, according to the page.
Apples announcement of revised expectations for the most recently ended quarter was met in typical fashion with a flurry of slapdash analysis.

Writing for the Forbes contributor network and competitive back waxing circuit, Gordon Kelly provides almost one-stop shopping for ridiculous assertions about Apples downward revision.

iPhone Sales Fears After Apple Slashes Estimates. (Tip o the antlers to Uluroo.)

The leaks were right.

And it only took 10 years of breathless reporting on supply chain Apple doom rumors for them to finally be right! So, it was all worth it.

Last year these sources said Apple had cut iPhone X production by as much as 60 percent which was fantastically wrong, but who cares? They were right this year! All is for- uh, well, not forgiven. More like forgotten.

Cook pins the blame on everything from macroeconomic challenges in some markets

As if thats a real thing! But clever people who write for the Forbes contributor network and store all of their excess bodily fluids in their basements so the government doesnt get a hold of them recognize this type of base flimflammery when they see it.

Simply put, Apple under Cook has essentially delivered just two new iPhone designs in eight years: the iPhone 6 (which looked identical across four generations) and the iPhone X (which will look identical until 2020).

According to Kelly, the iPhone 5, 5C, the larger Plus and Max sizes and the iPhone XR all dont count. Just cause, thats why.

Meanwhile, rivals continue to innovate.

One of them innovated an exploding phone!

Oh, sorry. It is considered crass to mention the Galaxy Note 7 at the Forbes contributor network unless you are writing to praise Samsung for responding quickly to the problem.

Apples 2020 iPhone design has already been released by Samsung in 2018 and the notch is outdated with cut-outs, teardrops, pop-up and sliding cameras replacing it.

This is the point at the party where you just nod and say Yes, if theres one thing we can all agree on, its that hole-punches and teardrops and pop-out selfie cameras are definitely, uh, more innovative than notches.

Then you whisper to your wife Grab your coat, Martha, and make your way to the back door. Im going out the bathroom window and Ill meet you at the car. When you get out the door, run. Run as fast as you can. I love you.

All of which speaks to a wider concern: Apple has little up its sleeve to fix this.

Lets contrast this with some better criticism. Because Apple definitely made mistakes here. This piece by Ben Thompson manages to cover the mistakes Apple madewhich are mostly, but not all, related to Chinawhile explaining the ways the company can avoid them in the future and pointing out that while its bad, its not a complete catastrophe.

Which, you know, you might get from Apples new guidance being toward it having just its second best quarter ever rather than its best ever. You might get that, unless you were busy drooling over cut-outs and pop-up cameras.
This undated photo provided by the Whelan family shows Novi resident Paul 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.
In this Dec. 22, 2018 file photo, the U.S. Capitol is seen on the first morning of a partial government shutdown in Washington. As the governments 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)
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Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 08 2019

Roy Gomez, 39, pled guilty to the top charge of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, DA Singas says.

Mineola, NY - January 8, 2019 - Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a West Hempstead man was sentenced Friday to five to 15 years in prison for the fatal Baldwin crash that killed a 21-year-old man in March 2018 and injured his parents.

Roy Gomez, 39, pled guilty to the top charge he faced before Acting Supreme Court Justice Meryl Berkowitz on October 19 to:

Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a B felony)

Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, Resulting in Death (a D felony)

Two counts of Assault in the Third Degree (an A misdemeanor)

Aggravated DWI (an unclassified misdemeanor)

The Bien-Amie family was simply driving home after having dinner together, DA Singas said. It is unthinkable that in a split second the selfish, drunk and criminal driving of the defendant stole the life of an innocent 21-year-old man, injured his parents and imposed a life sentence on the shattered Bien-Amie family. Our thoughts and sympathy are with them.

DA Singas said on March 13, 2018, at approximately 10:15 pm, the defendant drove his 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer south on Grand Avenue in Baldwin while highly intoxicated when he crashed into the rear of a Nissan Altima that was stopped at a red light just blocks from the victims home. The violent impact pushed the rear of the Altima into the front seats, left all three victims trapped inside, and propelled the Nissan down Grand Avenue. Following the collision, the defendant fled the scene in his vehicle and abandoned it in a parking lot a few blocks away. He then hid in a charter boat three miles away in Freeport.

The defendant was later arrested at 3:30 am by members of the Freeport and Nassau County Police Departments who found the defendant sleeping on the boat on Woodcleft Avenue in Freeport.

21-year-old Jovanni Bien-Amie of Baldwin died on March 14 from injuries sustained in the crash and his parents, Jacques Bien-Aime and Kettelye Plantin, were also injured. The NCDA recommended a sentence of seven to twenty-one years in prison.
Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 08 2019

The Firemens Home is a skilled-nursing home that is available to all of New Yorks volunteer firefighters.

Jerry Owenburg of West Babylon, 48, has been elected as the VP of the Board of Trustees of the FASNY Firemens Home.

Long Island, NY - January 8, 2019 - Jerry Owenburg, a 48-year veteran of the fire service, has been elected as the Vice President of the Board of Trustees of the Firemen's Association of the State of New York (FASNY) Firemens Home. The Firemens Home, located in Hudson, New York, traces its roots back to 1892 and operates as a high quality, skilled-nursing home that is available to all of New Yorks volunteer firefighters.

Its a great honor to be elected as Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the FASNY Firemens Home, said Owenburg, As Vice President, I want to make sure that we maintain the premier care that the Firemens Home provides for our brothers and sisters of the volunteer fire service. Im looking forward to supporting the great staff at the Firemens Home and making sure every resident feels like family.

Owenburg was re-elected to the board at the annual FASNY Convention which was hosted in Liverpool, NY. He was recently elected as Vice President of the board, starting this new position on January 1. The Board of Trustees is a group of FASNY members who look over the operation of the Firemens Home, ensuring the great care for aging volunteer firefighters from across the State of New York.

There are currently 70 retired firefighters and Ladies Auxiliary members living full-time in the Firemens home, and seeking care.

Its important to know that retired firefighters and members of the Ladies Auxiliary always have a home away from home if they need it, said Owenburg. Im excited about this new leadership position and making sure that our brothers and sisters are in good hands.

Owenburg joined the West Babylon Fire Department in 1970 at 20 years old. He joined his father-in-laws fire company, Rainbow Hose Co. 1, and served as Lieutenant in 1973. In 1974 he moved to Mastic, where he joined the Mastic Fire Department. He served with the Mastic FD for six years, serving as second Lieutenant in 1978, before moving back to West Babylon where he rejoined the West Babylon FD.

He then rose up the ranks in West Babylon from Chief Driver, Lieutenant, Captain and now Treasurer of Rainbow Hose Co. 1. In 1992 he became the Third Assistant Chief and then Chief of Department in 1998. In addition, Owenburg is a member of the West Babylon Rescue Squad as an EMT for 10 years.

A member of FASNY, he began with the Communications Committee and then moved to the EMS Committee. He has organized the Long Island Day at the FASNY Firemen's Home for the past twelve years, where Suffolk County and Nassau County come together to visit and honor their fellow firefighters.

Owenburg is a member of the Suffolk County Volunteer Firemen's Association where he served as President. He also served as the Past President and Treasurer of the Suffolk County Firefighter's Burn Center at Stony Brook University Hospital . In addition, he is a Director from Suffolk County to the Southern New York Firemen's Association, a member of the Suffolk County Fire Safety Educators, where he is now the voice of Sparky the Fire Dog, and is the Caregivers Coordinator for the Firefighters Cancer Support Network

He worked for the Town of Babylon Highway Department for 32 years, from a laborer to a General Supervisor.

Owenburg is married to his wife Ellen of 48 years and they have three children Jerry Jr., Shawn and Jennifer. They also have seven grandchildren; Andrew, Emily, Connor, Meghan, Jack, Abigail and Emma.

About FASNY
Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 08 2019

Defendant Patrick Poillon, 24, allegedly fled on foot, leaving vehicle and injured passenger at scene.

DA Sini announced the indictment of Patrick Poillon of Mastic Beach, 24, in connection with a fatal vehicle crash.

Central Islip, NY - January 8, 2019 - Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini today announced the unsealing of a 12-count indictment against a Connecticut man for allegedly causing the death of a husband and wife in a motor vehicle crash then fleeing the scene.

Patrick Poillon, 24, of Darien, Conn., is charged with two counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a C felony; two counts of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death, a D felony; Tampering with Physical Evidence, an E felony; Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, an A misdemeanor; Assault in the Third Degree, an A misdemeanor; Reckless Driving, an unclassified misdemeanor; Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, an A misdemeanor; Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Vehicle in the Third Degree, an unclassified misdemeanor; and Speeding and Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign, which are both traffic infractions.

The defendant was allegedly driving more than twice the legal speed limit and blowing through stop signs in a residential neighborhood at the time of this horrific crash, District Attorney Sini said. Because of his reckless actions, a husband and wife were killed just days before Christmas.

At approximately 10:11 p.m. on Dec. 22, 2018, Poillon was allegedly driving a 2006 Ford Explorer southbound on Huguenot Drive in Mastic Beach when he drove through a stop sign and struck a 2004 Subaru Legacy traveling eastbound on Forest Road West. Poillon allegedly fled the scene of the crash on foot, leaving the Explorer and a passenger at the scene.

The two passengers in the Subaru, William Molnar, 50, and Jean Molnar, 41, both of Mastic Beach, were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.

A 22-year-old male passenger in the front seat of the Explorer was transported by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of physical injuries.

Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives, Poillon was arrested at a relatives residence in Mastic Beach at approximately 3:37 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2018.

Poillon was allegedly driving at approximately 68 mph at the time of the crash, which occurred in a 30 mph speed zone. Surveillance video also shows Poillon allegedly holding a Natty Daddy, which is a 25-ounce can of Natural Light beer, while driving.

Poillon was arraigned on the indictment today in front of Suffolk County Acting Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho. Bail was set at $1 million cash or $5 million bond and his license was suspended. He is due back in court on Feb. 4.

If convicted of the top count, Poillon faces a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison.

Poillon also has criminal charges pending in Brattleboro, Vermont, from an incident that occurred in August 2016 in which Poillon and a co-defendant allegedly assaulted a man in a supermarket and stole alcohol from him. The charges also include a hate-motivated Aggravated Disorderly Conduct charge for allegedly attacking an African-American woman during the incident and calling her a racial slur.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jacob DeLauter and Maggie Bopp, of the Vehicular Crime Bureau.
Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 08 2019

Nurses Keisha Demas And Alla Noginsky Conspired With Marco Vanni to Steal approximately $750,000 From Interfaith Medical Center in a No-Show Job Scheme That Took Place Over a 5 Year Period.

New York, NY - January 8, 2019 - Attorney General Letitia James today announced the convictions of Keisha Demas, 42, Alla Noginsky, 55, and Marco Vanni, 53, of Brooklyn, NY, for stealing approximately $750,000 from Interfaith Medical Center (Interfaith), a Brooklyn not-for-profit community-based hospital that recently came out of bankruptcy. The Attorney General's office charged that at varying times Demas and Noginsky were paid for no-show jobs at the hospital over a 5 year period. During this period, Demas also received Medicaid benefits she was not entitled to and failed to remit her income taxes to the State of New York. In total, Demas defrauded Medicaid of over $30,000 and underpaid the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance by nearly $40,000.

For years these defendants stole from a community based hospital, while lining their own pockets at the expense of its patients, said Attorney General James. Our office will continue to investigate all forms of fraud and seek to protect taxpayers and our state resources.

According to the Attorney General's filings and statements made by prosecutors, Demas and Noginsky were contracted by Interfaith through an outside nursing agency. Beginning in 2012 and continuing through at least 2016, Demas and Noginsky each conspired with former Interfaith employee Marco Vanni to falsify their timesheets as part of a scheme to make it appear as if Demas and Noginsky were working, when in fact they were not. Demas and Noginsky would then provide kickbacks to Vanni with regular cash payments. Through the no show job scheme, Demas stole over $600,000 from Interfaith, while Noginsky stole over $125,000.

In 2014 and 2015, Demas applied for Medicaid, claiming she had no income during those years. As a result, Demas obtained Medicaid benefits, resulting in over $30,000 of paid false claims. In addition, while Demas' income exceeded $100,000 in each year of the scheme, she failed to file personal income taxes with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, resulting in a nearly $40,000 underpayment of taxes.

Demas pleaded guilty today before Supreme Court Judge William Miller in Kings County to two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, in violation of Penal law 155.35, and one count of Criminal Tax Fraud in the Third Degree, a class D felony, in violation of Tax Law 1804. Demas is expected to be sentenced on March 15, 2019 to a sentence of 5 months jail and 5 years of probation.

Noginsky, who has cooperated with the investigation since 2017, pleaded guilty on January 19, 2018, in Criminal Court, Kings County to the crime of Criminal Facilitation in the Fourth Degree in violation of Penal Law 115.00(1), a Class A misdemeanor and Petit Larceny, in violation of Penal Law 155.25, a Class A misdemeanor. Noginsky paid $125,000 in restitution to Interfaith, and is expected to be sentenced to a 2-year conditional discharge.

Vanni, who has also cooperated with the investigation, pleaded guilty on November 29, 2017, in Supreme Court, Kings County to the crimes of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, in violation of Penal Law 155.40(1), a Class C felony; Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, in violation of Penal Law 155.35(1), a Class D felony; Forgery in the Second Degree, in violation of Penal Law 170.10(1), a Class D felony; Commercial Bribe Receiving in the First Degree, in violation of Penal Law 180.08, a Class E felony. Vanni paid $200,000 in restitution to Interfaith, and is expected to be sentenced to 5 years of probation.

To date, the Attorney Generals Office was able to obtain $750,000 in restitution for Interfaith Medical Center.

The Attorney Generals Office thanks the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for their assistance on this case. The tax case was investigated by Department of Taxation and Finance Auditors Nicholas Capkovic and Nataliya Sydorchuk.

The Attorney Generals office also thanks the New York State Department of Health (DOH) along with DOH Associate Attorney Kerry-Ann Lawrence of the Bureau of Litigation and Sara Oberst of the Division of Eligibility & Marketplace Integration, who investigated the Medicaid fraud.

The Attorney Generals office also thanks Investigator Albert Flowers of the New York State Department of Financial Services for his assistance on this case.

Investigators Vincent Gisonti, Frank Tirri and Steven Pratt conducted the Attorney Generals investigation under the supervision of Supervising Investigator Michael Leahy and Deputy Chief John McManus. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief John Reidy.
Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 08 2019

Todays Sentencing Marks First Deed Theft Ruling Resulting from OAG Investigation; Property Deeds to be Transferred Back to Lawful Owners.

New York, NY - January 8, 2019 - Attorney General Letitia James today announced the sentencing of Marilyn Sanchez, 49, of Brooklyn, for filing two fraudulent deeds and supporting documents with the New York City Registers Office in order to fraudulently acquire ownership of two separate residential homes in Brooklyn, New York. Today in Kings County Supreme Court, Sanchez was sentenced to 60 days in jail, followed by five years of probation. Sanchez also agreed to transfer ownership of the two property deeds back to the lawful owners. Todays sentencing marks the first deed theft ruling resulting from an OAG investigation.

Too often scammers turn the American Dream of homeownership into a nightmare, said Attorney General Letitia James. Im pleased our offices investigation has resulted in the return of these stolen deeds to their rightful owners. No one should have to worry about their property being stolen by scammers, and I encourage New Yorkers to follow my offices tips to help protect themselves from potential foreclosure scams. I remind anyone who tries to harm hardworking New Yorkers that we will hold you accountable.

The DOF Office of the Sheriff remains committed to investigate and arrest those responsible for deed fraud, said New York City Sheriff Joseph Fucito. The Attorney Generals prosecution of this case sends a strong message about the severity of the crime and the commitment to protect the homes of all New Yorkers. I want to commend Sheriffs Detectives Francesca Rosa and Nene Kodjoe for their efforts in this investigation.

After years of working with New York homeowners, weve seen hundreds of scam and fraud cases, many of which result in major losses for families and their communities. But deed fraud cases are some of the most painful and complicated, because homeowners are often forced to fight for years to regain their properties, said Christie Peale, CEO/Executive Director for the Center for NYC Neighborhoods. We congratulate the Attorney Generals Office here in making sure that these homes were returned to their lawful owners. The OAGs significant investments in fighting mortgage scams and deed theft through education and prosecution are particularly welcome, given how easy it is for bad actors to steal homes from hardworking families.

According to the indictment and statements made at Sanchezs arraignment in Kings County Supreme Court, in January 2016 Marilyn Sanchez illegally transferred ownership of 477 Christopher Avenue in Brownsville from the lawful owners to herself by recording a deed and five supporting documents containing forged signatures with the New York City Registers Office.

Additionally, in November 2016, Sanchez illegally transferred ownership of 271 East 32nd Street in East Flatbush by recording a deed and five supporting documents containing the forged signatures of the lawful owners with the New York City Registers Office.

In both instances, the owners never signed the deed nor the supporting documents and they never gave Sanchez, or anyone else, permission to sign on their behalf.

On October 5, 2018, Sanchez pleaded guilty to two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, before the Honorable Judge Miller in Kings County Supreme Court.

Launched in December 2016 by the Attorney Generals office, the Foreclosure Rescue Scam Prevention Initiative is a grant program focused on enhancing outreach, education, and referral services for homeowners at risk of fraudulent foreclosure rescue schemes. The Foreclosure Rescue Scam Prevention Initiative is part of the offices broader efforts to direct resources to at-risk homeowners, including investing $130 million in the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP). Since 2012, HOPP has provided free, high-quality assistance to over 90,000 families to help avoid foreclosure of their homes.

To protect yourself from becoming a victim of a foreclosure rescue scam, Attorney General James offered the following tips:

Be skeptical of online ads or telephone callers that promise they can get you a mortgage modification or save your home from foreclosure. Only your bank or loan servicer can approve a loan modification.

Visit homeownerhelpny.com for information on how to avoid or report scams.

Do not give your personal financial information, such as your bank account number, social security number, or the name of your loan servicer, to a caller offering to help save you from foreclosure. Your bank will already have this information.

Never pay an up-front fee for mortgage-related services. It is a violation of New York law to charge upfront fees for such services, and violations should be reported to the Attorney Generals hotline at 1-855-HOME-456.

If you believe you have been scammed by a foreclosure rescue operator or a debt relief organization, submit a complaint to the New York State Attorney Generals Office: ny.gov/consumer-frauds/Filing-a-Consumer-Complaint

The case is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Don Nguyen and Herman Wun of the Public Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Real Estate Enforcement Unit Chief Travis Hill and Public Integrity Deputy Bureau Chief Stacy Aronowitz. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jose Maldonado.

The Attorney Generals investigation was conducted by Investigator Walter Lynch under the supervision of Deputy Chief John McManus. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief John Reidy.
School & Education, Local News, Arts & Culture, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 08 2019

The book is scheduled for release on February 28.

Moriches, NY - January 8, 2019 - Nine aspiring sixth-grade authors at William Floyd Middle School recently had their work selected for inclusion in a new book, Stranger Sagas  Stories from New York, a writing contest for middle and high school students held by Young Writers USA, an organization dedicated to encouraging young people to read, write and enjoy poetry and creative writing. The contest, which received more than 13,500 entries, had students coming up with creative stories in 100 words or less. The book is scheduled for release on February 28.

Beatrice Foster, an English Language Arts teacher at William Floyd Middle School, discovered the writing contest and encouraged her students to come up with their own creative stories. This unique and very limited form of storytelling of 100 words or less prompted the students to consider the importance of each word they chose and challenged them to come up with a substantial plot that would make sense in so few words. I am proud of the time and creativity my students put into their sagas, said Ms. Foster, who added that the students were engaged and focused on the goal of getting published.

Congratulations to the students who will have their mini-sagas published in Stranger Sagas  Stories from New York:
Over 60 people attended Longford Community Resources clg Volunteer Centres annual event in recognition of the contribution made by volunteers here in Longford.

Valerie McFarlane, SICAP Co-ordinator said, There is such a great tradition of volunteering here in County Longford and International Volunteer Day provides an opportunity for Longford Community Resources to thank all the volunteers and groups, involved with the Volunteer Centre, for all their dedication and hard work.

Representing Ballymahon Convent HS Daycare and Resource Centre, Breda Greaves (Manager) spoke about the ongoing need to have a pool of quality volunteers to provide services to the centre users.

Teresa ODonoghue, who volunteers regularly with the centre, gave a heart-warming and personal insight into the impact the lifeline volunteering provided for her since her return to Ireland in 2010.

Longford Voices United Community Gospel Choir entertained the audience by singing some festive favourites.

Longford Volunteer Centre is a project managed by Longford Community Resources clg. Longford Volunteer Centre works to increase awareness of, and access to quality volunteering in county Longford.

For further information contact Terri Doherty, Co-ordinator on 087 291 5367 or e-mail terri@volunteerlongford.ie.
A new community led feature film is being shot and produced in Swanlinbar and Cavan Town in early 2019.

ALSO READ: Warning issued about latest phone text scam

Auditions for extras are being held in Trivia House in Swanlinbar on Sunday, January 13 from 2-5pm.



Two-time winner of the RTE PJ OConnor Radio drama Award, Philip Doherty is set to embark on his first feature film in early 2019 which is being made in association with Cavan County Council.

ALSO READ: Call for young film-makers in Longford



This community film will be shot on location in Cavan town and around Swanlinbar in late January and early February.



No acting experience is required. Actors of all ages needed so why not head down for something truly new to knock off your list for 2019!

ALSO READ: Call for entries to the Inaugural Roscommon / Longford Garda Youth Awards
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The $1.7 billion question heading into the 86th Texas Legislature  which kicked off Tuesday  is how the state will pay for the long awaited recommendations from the Texas Commission on Public School Finance.

Action on the revamping of the states troubled school finance system was placed on hold two years ago to allow a state-appointed panel to review the problem. The groups mission is now complete.

The 13-member commission, which includes state Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, took great pains to ensure the language in the report did not assess blame on the state for spending inadequacies for public education and it took no firm position on funding sources for the possible changes listed.

The commission has produced 35 detailed recommendations on how existing education funds can be reallocated and where new money is needed. Included in the report is a short list of where state budget writers might go looking for new revenue. Bottom line: It clearly places that hot-button issue squarely back in the Texas Legislatures court. The Legislature must make this its top priority.

The commissions 165-page report came after a yearlong review of the status of the states public school finance system, including more than 80 hours of testimony from more than 155 individuals representing 19 school districts.

The startling statistical information gathered by the commission is not new. We have seen bits and pieces of the information trickle in slowly over the course of time, but having it compiled in this comprehensive report underscores just what a mess the current public school finance structure has created.

Education officials often tout the gains the state has made increasing high school graduation rates in the last decade. Yes, we can celebrate that 90 percent of Texas high school students graduate within four years, but is it really cause for jubilation if less than 40 percent of those students are ready for a post-graduation education and require remedial courses once they get to college?

It is encouraging to see the commission recommend an alignment of PK-12 education goals with the states higher education goals. This has been long overdue. It only makes sense the state should aim to increase third-grade reading levels and increase college readiness among high school graduates to 60 percent by the year 2030. This dovetails well with the 60x30TX Higher Education Plans overarching goal to increase the percentage of 25- to 34-year-old Texans who hold a certificate or degree.

Getting the 5.4 million public school students in Texas  roughly 10 percent of the schoolchildren in the country  to these higher achievement levels will take some doing when only 58 percent of Texas students begin their education ready for kindergarten and only four in 10 students met the states third grade reading standard last year.

Texas spends about $60 billion a year on public education from federal, local and state sources. The commission found those precious dollars are being allocated in part by funding formulas and allotments that are not only complex, but are also outdated, inefficient and unaligned with the substantially evolving needs of Texass K-12 population.

The commission recommends a restructuring of the states funding formulas and allow for an increased investment in low-income and other historically underperforming students to address that.

The commission is also recommending reallocation of funds and an infusion of new money to address early-childhood education needs, increase third-grade reading skills, increase college readiness among high school graduates and improve teacher pay.

The funding suggestions the commission offers include diverting projected increases in sales tax and oil severance tax revenue  designated to go into the states rainy day fund  to education and property tax reform. The commission also recommends expanding the tax base to include internet sales associated with out-of-state vendors.

In an appendix to the report, the group list some other suggestions discussed. Those included increases to the alcohol beverage and gas taxes and expansion of the sales tax base to include legal, accounting, architectural, engineering, financial, marketing research, public opinion polling, display advertising and public relations services  all currently tax exempt.

All these things  and perhaps more  should be on the table at this legislature. There are some tough political decisions ahead as new education revenue sources are considered. Simply reshuffling existing funds and grandstanding to impress the voters back home is not going to cut it this time. State leaders must find the political fortitude necessary to address the longstanding inequities in our public school funding system.

Texas school children have been waiting long enough. Get to work, legislators.
Confronted with heart-wrenching images of children snatched from parents at the U.S.-Mexico border, good people will feel as if there is nothing one person can do to make their sliver of the world a kinder and gentler place.

Robert Kennedy understood that feeling. And yet, at the University of Cape Town in South Africa in June 1966, the U.S. Senator from New York pushed back.

First is the danger of futility, Kennedy told his audience. The belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the worlds ills  against misery, against ignorance, or injustice and violence. Yet many of the worlds great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man.

One such man is Richard Villasana, a bi-national guardian angel who works to spare children the pain of family separation.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents often add to the pain. In El Paso, Texas, on Christmas eve, ICE agents played Scrooge by dumping hundreds of asylum-seekers in the parking lot of a bus station.

Villasana hates the thought of thousands of children being funneled into foster care. And whether those children come to the United States as unaccompanied minors, or come with parents who wind up incarcerated or deported, foster care is where many of these would-be refugees wind up. When they turn 18, theyre released into the streets  with no family, no home, and no hope. The first time they run across a predator, they wind up on the menu.

But not if Villasana can help it. As the founder of a nonprofit organization called Forever Homes for Foster Kids, he spends his days trying to locate the relatives of some of these children who find their way into foster care in the hopes that the kinfolk will take in these kids and get them out of the system.

What a great idea. Simple but effective.

But there is a catch. Not just anyone can do this magic trick. Were talking about tracking down people in Third World countries with scant personal information to go on. Locating someone in the Mexican state of Oaxaca is not like finding someone in the midwestern state of Ohio.

Luckily, Villasana has a gift. Its a knack for finding people by putting information together, using just phones and people skills, following a paper trail and analyzing data until the bread crumbs lead to an aunt, cousin, grandma or parent.

You gotta remember, when I started, I was doing all this pre-Google, he told me.

Born in Houston, Texas, and raised as one of nine kids, the Mexican-American Villasana at first had no use for hyphens.

I thought of myself as American growing up, he said. I wouldnt think of being Mexican until many years later.

It was also years later that hed learn to speak Spanish. His parents remembered well the bigotry and racism they experienced as children, he said. And they didnt want their kids to experience the same sort of thing.

Now Villasana speaks four languages  Spanish, English, and some Italian and French.

Like they say, join the U.S. Navy and see the world. And he did. He left for Desert Storm with the Naval Reserves in 1989, and later relocated to San Diego. There, he developed an international consulting business that required him to often cross the border into Tijuana. His specialty: helping U.S. companies do business in the Mexican medical/health care field. You have to do and say the right thing to open doors in a foreign country.

Before long he was known as The Mexico Guru, and he was giving seminars about doing business in Mexico. He even wrote a book, titled: Insider Secrets for Doing Business in Mexico. I asked him to share one of those secrets.

Whether you speak Spanish has nothing to do with it, he said. The key is knowing how to talk to the Mexican people, including the Mexican government. If you approach them with respect, it puts them at ease. And they want to help you.

Reuniting children with family is a labor of love, with an emphasis on the labor part. The organization operates in the red.

This is dogged work, he said. Its hard, and its depressing. But I keep going because, I know that on the other end of this long road is a child who needs help.

This is a good man. Just the kind of person we need when things on the border are so bad.

ruben@rubennavarrette.com
As this years flu season ramps up, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District is offering free immunizations to the public while supplies last.

Vaccines will be available at Metro Healths two immunization clinics on a first-come, first-served basis.

Walk-in patients are accepted at the East Side clinic at 210 N. Mel Waiters Way, which is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.

The Frank Garrett Center, 1226 N.W. 18th Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, by appointment only. Appointments can be made by calling (210) 207-8894.

The flu season can extend from October until May, with the most cases generally appearing between December and February. Health officials recommend immunization against the flu for everyone over the age of six months, including pregnant women.

The vaccine protects against certain strains of the flu. If a person contracts the illness, the vaccination could lessen the severity of symptoms. The 2017-18 flu season was particularly severe, killing an estimated 80,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba
RICHMOND, Va. - A bunch of Virginia legislators, mostly Republicans, stood behind Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam as he rolled out a highway-improvement bill on the eve of the General Assembly's Wednesday kick-off.

"I just want to let you know this is the way it works here in Virginia," Northam joked to a newcomer, Del. Ronnie Campbell, R-Rockbridge, who won a special election in December. "Every idea that I have gets bipartisan support."

Not quite.

Northam has faced GOP pushback on other legislation he is pitching in the 46-day session. Tuesday's gathering on Capitol Square suggests there may still be room for compromise, despite the fact that all 140 seats in the state House and Senate will be on the ballot in November - a dynamic that will color the entire session.

Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Rockingham), a fiscal conservative, was among those backing legislation to create the I-81 Corridor Improvement Fund - even though the bill calls for $2.2 billion in fixes to be paid for with new tolls.

"Believe me, it's an uncomfortable position to take, to say that I would be supportive of tolls, but under the right circumstances I am," Obenshain said, recalling his own "close encounter with the front end of a Peterbilt" on the highway that stretches 325 miles in central and southwest Virginia.

The legislative session begins as Northam, a former lieutenant governor and state senator, enters his second year in the Executive Mansion. He won the office in November 2017 amid a blue wave fueled by suburban antipathy toward President Donald Trump. The same wave nearly wiped out the GOP's 2-to-1 majority in the House. Fifteen new Democrats and some GOP defectors enabled Northam to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in his freshman year, an enormous win that had eluded predecessor Terry McAuliffe, also a Democrat, for four years.

Whether Northam can pull off another big victory this year is unclear.

But Democrats have a clear agenda - gun control, no-excuse absentee voting, tax relief for lower-income Virginians - that they may be able to leverage at the polls if Republicans defeat it during the session, according to University of Mary Washington political scientist Stephen Farnsworth.

"Very effective D effort to set the stage for the 2019 elections in #Virginia," Farnsworth tweeted. "Republicans may block much of this agenda, but if so Democrats will use these measures to frame the commonwealth's midterm elections."

Republicans, who have not won a statewide election since 2009, enter the session desperate to find their footing in once-friendly suburbs. The president's unpopularity, which helped Democrats flip three suburban congressional seats in November, put Republicans at risk of losing the House and Senate. The GOP has a mere two-seat majority in both chambers.

Del. David LaRock, R-Loudoun, one of the few Republicans in the northern Virginia delegation, tried to capture the peril in a fundraising appeal issued Tuesday afternoon, comparing himself to a polar bear clinging to a melting iceberg.

"Save Endangered Delegate Dave from Extinction!" began the missive, which went on to describe the delegate as a "High-value target of liberal extremists" who is "Not cute," "Not fuzzy," "But crucial to keep around."

At stake in the elections is control of not just the legislature, but also the redistricting process that will determine the contours of Virginia's congressional and state legislative maps for the next decade.

As it is, the map for this year's elections is unsettled. A federal district court found that 11 districts in Hampton Roads and greater Richmond were racially gerrymandered and has appointed a "special master" to draw new boundaries that will also affect adjacent districts. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal filed by Republican legislators defending the existing map, but on Tuesday, the high court rejected their request to halt the special master's map-making in the meantime.

House Speaker Kirkland Cox, R-Colonial Heights, has encouraged Republicans to focus on "practical" problems. In the Senate, a group of Republicans have proposed a package of bills intended to lower the cost of health insurance.

Some Republicans are choosing to champion causes that their party has not ordinarily embraced, such as working to make Virginia the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Some strategists predict softening on certain social issues, such as gay rights.

At a recent GOP retreat, Cox said the party was working to field a more diverse slate of candidates. D.J. Jordan, an African-American who once chaired the state's Board of Social Services, announced this week that he would run as a Republican for the House seat that Democratic Del. Elizabeth Guzman flipped last year.

Just ahead of the session, two of the party's more polarizing figures announced they were stepping away from politics.

Corey Stewart, who made the preservation of Confederate statues a rallying cry in his failed bid for U.S. Senate last year and for the gubernatorial nomination in 2017, said this week that he is leaving politics "for the foreseeable future."

Sen. Richard Black, R-Loudoun, a vocal social conservative who drew international notice for twice meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is retiring. Loudoun County Supervisor Ron Meyer, a Republican, jumped into the race this week with a promise to focus on transportation.

Perhaps the most pressing issue in Richmond this year concerns how to respond to the federal tax overhaul championed by Trump and passed by congressional Republicans.

The 2017 federal law limited deductions on mortgage interest and property taxes and doubled the standard deduction to make up for those changes, probably making the standard deduction more appealing. Under current law, Virginians who take the standard deduction on their federal returns must do the same on their state tax returns, which would lead to higher state tax bills because Virginia's standard deduction remains unchanged.

If Virginia leaves its tax code untouched, an extra $1.2 billion is expected to pour into the state's coffers every two-year budget cycle until the federal cuts partially expire in 2024. Northam wants to use half of that windfall to fund tax breaks for households making less than $54,000 a year and put the rest toward "historic" investments in the state's reserve fund, schools and other government programs.

House Republicans regard that approach as a tax hike that prevents Virginians from reaping the full benefits of the federal cuts. They have offered a plan to allow taxpayers to itemize on their state taxes regardless of what they do on their federal returns. It also would increase the state standard deduction from $3,000 to $4,000 for individuals, and from $6,000 to $8,000 for a married couple.

The disagreement is likely to complicate efforts to make the usual midpoint amendments to the state's $117 billion two-year spending plan, which was approved in May and took effect July 1.
Foot chase ends with

sex offenders arrest

PITTSFIELD A Beardstown man police say failed to register as a sex offender was arrested Monday after a 20-minute chase in Pittsfield.

Joshua S. Hare, 29, of Beardstown was seen in Pittsfield about 11 a.m. and fled on foot when a police officer tried to take him into custody, according to authorities. After about 20 minutes, Pike County sheriffs deputies caught Hare in a field near Little League Park.

Hare was taken into custody on a Greene County warrant.

The Pittsfield Police Department charged Hare with obstructing justice, saying he provided an officer with a false name. The Pike County Sheriffs Department charged Hare with failure to register as a sex offender.

Hare was being held Monday in the Pike County Jail.

 

Morgan County

Jacksonville Police

ACCIDENTS

 A vehicle driven by Katelynne M. Smith, 21, of Jacksonville, struck a vehicle driven by Keith S. Jones, 59, of Jacksonville at 3:11 p.m. Monday in the 1800 block of West Morton Avenue. Smith was cited for following too closely and Jones was cited for operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

Jones reported neck pain but refused treatment.

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Keith M. McComas, 39, of 1701 S. Main St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 11:04 p.m. Saturday on charges of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.

 Bert O. Welker, 60, of 509 E. Douglas Ave. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:54 a.m. Sunday on a charge of driving while license is revoked.

South Jacksonville Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Sydni L. McCoy, 18, of 1701 S. Main St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 11:39 p.m. Saturday on charges of battery and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.

 Treyvon L. Prather, 19, of 1701 S. Main St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 11:39 p.m. Saturday on a charge of illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.



Brown County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Dalton S. Smothers, 20, of Campbellsville, Kentucky, was arrested at 3:46 p.m. Saturday on a domestic battery charge after an incident in the 300 block of East Second Street in Versailles.

 Megan E. Caraway, 26, of Champaign was cited on charges of possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia at 12:40 a.m. Jan. 1.

 A 16-year-old Beardstown boy was cited on charges of possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia at 12:32 a.m. Dec. 30 on U.S. 24 near Mount Sterling.



Cass County

Virginia Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Enrique Rangel, 20, of 272 Sylvan St. was booked into the Morgan County jail at 12:47 a.m. Monday on a charge of driving while license is revoked or suspended.



Pike County

Pittsfield Police

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 Ryan Chatman, 35, of Louisiana, Missouri, was arrested about 1 a.m. Sunday on a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm after police were called to reports of shots fired in the 400 block of North Monroe Street.

 Cain I. Vincent, 19, of Pittsfield was arrested Saturday on a charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after police said he had a loaded .40-caliber handgun in his waistline in the 200 block of West Washington Street.

Compiled by Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree, Nick Draper, David C.L. Bauer
Year after year, the arrests for toplessness at public beaches generated headlines and signaled the start of summer.

Newspapers ran stories about the nearly naked outlaws, and leaders denounced the public display of nipples.

No shirtless bather will be allowed "to mar the high standard and fine appearance" of Long Island's newly created Ocean Beach Park, said resolute local Police Chief Philip Kohut, after the trial of three men arrested for swimming topless.

Men.

That's right. Seems like no big deal today. Shirtless men everywhere - on the beach, at swimming pools, jogging along neighborhood streets.

But 1930s America lived in fear of the male nipple. It was illegal in most states and cities for men to go anywhere shirtless, even at the beach.

So yes, nearly 100 years ago, men fought for the right to go topless.

Which is a little funny, right?

Because today, women are doing the same thing in Ocean City, where a group of five sunbathers has sued for the right to decide how much of their bodies to show at the beach. They argue that because men walk on the beach shirtless, women should be able to do so, too.

Last month, a federal judge ruled that the beach town can continue to enforce its ban on topless women as the lawsuit plays out.

Ocean City leaders argue that their town is a family-friendly resort. And families - the same families that pass bongs and shot glasses and sexually explicit T-shirts being peddled on the boardwalk - are not ready for so much skin.

These are the same arguments men who wanted to swim shirtless faced in the 1920s, when they were expected to wear full swimsuits - all with tank tops to hide the nipples. The fancier models even had attached swim skirts to add a little more mystery to what was going on south of the belt line - skirts that were a requirement in many swimming pools.

And men rebelled, showing up in trunks, pulling off their shirts or rolling down the tank tops and getting locked up.

A headline on a June 16, 1934, Associated Press story called it the "Perennial Battle of togs" before listing which cities and states would jail men for indecency if they showed their chests.

"New York City, for example, is that way about half-naked natators at municipal beaches. It arrests them on sight. Fines of $1 are the penalty. The city fathers insist on complete bathing suits - tops and trunks, or one-piece suits combining both."

Many places where folks understood the outcome of a water-meets-light-color-fabric equation specifically banned all-white suits.

In D.C., men were urged to swim in the one-piece suits their hotels provided.

And the Northeastern fashion of flirting with lawlessness by wearing a tank but letting the straps slip to reveal some pecs was strictly and specifically prohibited.

"All we demand is decency," William Whittacker, secretary to the Boston Metropolitan District Commission told The Associated Press. "But we won't allow slipping straps."

Geez, so many rules.

Men grew tired of being told what they could do with their bodies and kept rebelling, especially after observing the way dames swooned after seeing Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller bare-chested in the 1932 "Tarzan the Ape Man" flick.

The problem, of course, was that not all men looked like dreamboat Johnny Weissmuller.

Not all women were thrilled with the views their non-Olympian peers provided. A group of pearl-clutching New Yorkers said they had "no desire to gaze upon hairy chested men," according to a June 29, 1936, Associated Press story.

"In this year of campaigns we are having our own drive, and we won't stop until every hairy chested man covers up on the beach or removes the curls from his chest," said Grace Donohue, a spokeswoman for the group who demanded men wear shirts or wax.

Nevertheless, they persisted.

One hot August day in 1935, police rounded up, arrested and fined 42 men who protested and swam topless on the beach in Atlantic City, N.J., according to The New York Times. City official Thomas Taggart logged each of their arrests and collected a $2 fine from each bare-chested man.

The summer of 1936 was the summer of the men's no-shirt movement, and arrests and protests and slipped straps were an epidemic.

But the next year, in the epicenter of the men's protests and mass arrests, a lengthy experience with "bareback bathing," as some called it, changed one important man's mind.

" 'Bareback' bathing for men, heretofore taboo in Atlantic City, broke down the last line of official resistence today and will be allowed this Summer," The New York Times reported on March 29, 1937. "Mayor C.D. White succeeded in holding off the invasion of shirtless bathing suits all last Summer on the ground they were 'not nice.' But today he returned from a vacation in Florida a convert to the style."

A judge in New York overturned the ban the same year. And boom, male nipples were free.
When President Donald Trump addresses the nation on Tuesday evening to make the case that migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border constitute a crisis, he won't have to convince his supporters of the need to build the wall he has long promised. Since Trump is trying to get the rest of the country onboard, his critics are arguing that the address should be seen as a de facto part of the 2020 presidential election campaign.

In a joint statement on Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said they should receive equal airtime after Trump's TV address. The two Democratic leaders voiced concerns that Trump could again use his address to spread "misinformation." Immigration scholars similarly have pointed out that the Trump administration has misled the public on the security threat posed by border crossings multiple times, for instance by exaggerating numbers.

Under the so-called equal time rule, U.S. broadcasters are already required to provide political opponents equal airtime if they so desire, but there are now so many exceptions to this law that it rarely determines who gets on the air and who doesn't. And then there's the question of when U.S. election campaigns actually start, or if they ever really end.

There are measures in place to allow the opposition party to offer prominent rebuttals in Congress to a president's perhaps most important regular speech, the State of the Union address. But those efforts do not extend to broadcasters.

It looks likely that Pelosi and Schumer will receive the airtime they have requested. But what would happen if that were the norm rather than the exception?

While enforcing a real equal airtime rule might sound impossible to keep track of or even in contradiction with freedom of expression, there is some substantial data on how it could play out. Some European countries have long relied on airtime laws to prevent media bias - and while the restrictions there have tended to encourage a more serious political discourse, things can easily become messy.

France is perhaps the most prominent case study. Once election campaigns officially start in Paris - with a few weeks to go until voting day - French broadcasters are required to give all presidential candidates the same airtime. A previous version of the law stated that airtime should be based on a candidate's rating in the polls, but with pre-election surveys perceived as increasingly inaccurate, lawmakers recently opted for equal airtime for all.

While the number of weeks this rule applies ahead of elections was recently cut down from five to two, the law is taken much more seriously in France than in other countries. Unlike in the United States, it is also enforced during newscasts, which still tend to attract tens of millions of viewers every day. Not complying isn't really a possibility: Ahead of a presidential election two years ago, France's media supervisory authority tasked more than a dozen employees with monitoring radio stations and TV broadcasters to measure every second of coverage.

Additionally, French broadcasters are prohibited from broadcasting political campaign ads, to prevent wealthy donors from being able to shift the political discourse. Similar rules apply in other European countries, including Belgium and Ireland. Meanwhile, the United States has gone in the other direction with the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision stating that restricting third-party campaign ads limits free speech.

The European approach gained some support during the 2016 presidential election campaign in the United States, when cable networks dedicated much of their airtime to a candidate initially considered unlikely to win. While there is disagreement on the type of content that really counts as "coverage," media measurement firm mediaQuant found after the U.S. elections that cable networks' focus on Trump had provided him with free publicity worth $5.8 billion in advertising. Democratic rival Hillary Clinton received only roughly half of that.

In much of Europe, such a skewed media focus would simply be against the law. Britain's public broadcaster, the BBC, for instance, reaches huge audiences and is respected across the political spectrum. Its supporters agree that this is due to its efforts to always include commentary from both sides of the political spectrum, ideally for the same amount of time. The British rules have triggered more criticism in the recent months of Brexit negotiations, as the broadcaster has been accused of providing politicians with a platform to repeat inaccurate statements, rather than debunking or disinviting them, but the BBC standard is still seen as a more flexible alternative to the strict French government-controlled approach.

The French rule has also faced a fair share of criticism but not for reasons that would necessarily apply in the United States. In Paris, broadcasters have complained about the need to dedicate airtime to as many as 11 candidates with days to go until elections, even though the majority of them have almost zero chance of winning. They argue that the rule unnecessarily distracts from high-profile issues that voters would like to hear discussed. In a recent letter of complaint, they also wrote that the legislation forces them to broadcast less political coverage to keep ratings at a stable level, as bored viewers move on to coverage of more relevant candidates online or on other channels.

While those concerns may be somewhat justified for a presidential election debate with 11 candidates, that's less valid in the U.S. system where only two candidates end up having a chance to win.

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As President Donald Trump announced Monday that he will make a public pitch for his border wall, Democratic lawmakers toured a U.S. Border Patrol station where a Guatemalan boy had been held before he died last month in federal custody.

Trump said he will address the nation Tuesday night and visit the border Thursday, as the government shutdown over wall funding stretched into its third week. Trump tweeted that there is a "Humanitarian and National Security crisis" at the border.

But Democratic lawmakers standing outside a razor-wire-topped Border Patrol station in Alamogordo, N.M., said illegal border crossings are nowhere near the levels that would warrant a national emergency.

The delegation - led by Reps. Joaquin Castro of Texas and Xochitl Torres Small of New Mexico - accused the president of manufacturing a crisis by endangering migrant families attempting to seek asylum in the United States. They said the Trump administration's policies are giving families two impossible choices: to wait in crime-ridden border cities in Mexico for a chance to apply for asylum or cross illegally in remote areas into the United States.

"The only emergency at the border is a humanitarian emergency caused by this war on children," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, standing beside other lawmakers. "The fact is the number of migrants crossing the border is way down."

Border apprehensions are at their lowest levels in decades, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. About 400,000 migrants were apprehended in fiscal 2018, down from more than 1.6 million in 2000.

But the number of families attempting to cross is at a record high, igniting a humanitarian crisis because U.S. border facilities were not built to house children such as Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8. Officials detained the boy and his father in Alamogordo and other facilities before he died at a hospital of still-undetermined causes.

He was the second child to die in federal custody last month. Earlier, 7-year-old Jakeline Caal, also from Guatemala, died soon after being apprehended while crossing the border with her father. CBP initially said her death was from shock and dehydration. Both deaths are under investigation.

Castro, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, worried that the president would attempt to bypass Congress to "single-handedly" build the wall.

"We would challenge it in every single way that we could in Congress, in the courts and otherwise, and I hope that the president will take a different path," said Castro, whose twin brother, Julien, former housing and urban development secretary in the Obama administration, is expected to announce a 2020 bid for president Saturday.

Castro had launched an inquiry into Jakelin's death and called on U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan to resign.

Nadler added that he was concerned that Trump would mislead the public about the need for a border wall Tuesday. He said the administration has suggested that thousands of terrorists have been caught attempting to cross the southern border, but he and others have said there is no evidence of that.

"I expect the president to lie to the American people," Nadler said. "Why do I expect this? Because he has been lying to the American people."

Lawmakers said they had few answers about the deaths of Felipe and Jakelin. The delegation said a physician and other officials assured them that CBP is developing new medical standards for detaining families but warned that the facilities are not staffed or equipped to house families.

"No American would be proud of the way that we're treating these folks," Castro said.

Also in the delegation of Democrats were Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Reps. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Veronica Escobar of Texas, and Grace Napolitano, Nanette Barragan and Salud Carbajal of California.
The Laredo Fire Department is investigating a couple of fires reported last week.

First responders said the first blaze was reported at about 11:45 p.m. Thursday on the fifth floor of the old Mercy Hospital in the 1500 block of Logan Street.

There, crews said they found burnt paper towel. An arson investigator took over the case. No one was harmed.

RELATED: Records: Man caught on video setting vehicle on fire in north Laredo

A second case was reported Sunday in the 3100 block of Saltillo Street when a Chevy Suburban caught fire. The vehicle had fire damage to the passenger-side fender, windshield area and dashboard.

Fire crews extinguished the fire. Laredo police turned the case over to a Fire Department arson investigator. No injuries were reported.

To provide information on either case, call police at 795-2800 or Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS (8477). Information provided through Crime Stoppers may be eligible for a cash reward.
Nicole Kidman assumes a startlingly cadaverous pallor to play her half-dead character in "Destroyer," a piece of L.A. noir at its scuzziest and most sun-baked.

As an exercise in actorly transformation, joyless determination and uncompromising tone, this procedural whodunit set in the city's seediest precincts and arid, desolate outer reaches can't help but inspire admiration. For Kidman, "Destroyer" is simply the latest in a long career of fascinating, often nervily risk-taking career choices, in which she submerges her lithe grace and porcelain beauty to inhabit the toughest characters and stories.

As easy as it is to laud Kidman's commitment, however, there's a sense that "Destroyer" can't leave grim enough alone. This is a movie obviously impressed with its pulpiest affectations - including outrageous violence, cynical sexuality, promiscuous criminality and an overarching sense of hopelessness - but it seems not to know when to stop, continually going a little too far for its own good.

From the outset, the more-is-more ethic is evident - and unnecessarily distracting - in Kidman's makeup job: As Erin Bell, a barely functioning alcoholic and Los Angeles police detective, Kidman has been given her most astonishing makeover since her Virginia Woolf nose in "The Hours." Here, her skin is waxy and greenish, her eyes sunken in bruised shadows, her hair frizzled into an indecipherable shag. As "Destroyer" opens, Erin wakes up - presumably after her latest bender - in her car under a bleak underpass. A murder victim has been discovered nearby, and when she unofficially joins the investigating officers, she realizes she recognizes the corpse.

Thus begins an enigmatic, often savagely punishing journey through Southern California's crime world and Erin's own memory. "Destroyer," written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, toggles between her troublingly dysfunctional present (addiction, isolation, a teenage daughter going perilously off the rails) and a slightly less despairing past, when her life might not have taken such a self-destructive turn. Sebastian Stan, Tatiana Maslany and Toby Kebbell deliver assured, occasionally terrifying performances as figures from that time in Erin's life; Maslany in particular shows up for one of "Destroyer's" most memorably scathing action sequences.

Directed with bare-knuckled verve by Karyn Kusama - who is obviously well-schooled in a genre epitomized by the likes of "Heat," "Detour" and, more recently, "Rampart" - this plunge into the corruption and class stratifications of modern-day L.A. plays like the desiccated, far more pessimistic cousin of "Widows," which addresses similarly dark corners of Chicago.

But as vigorous and go-for-broke as Kusama is, and as exhilarating as it can be to watch Kidman collaborate so fearlessly with a filmmaker of such pitiless vision, "Destroyer" finally collapses under its own lugubrious weight. Erin's Stygian journey feels like it's supposed to be a moral reckoning, but it has all the depth of a simple - and simplistic - revenge tale. Once the audience figures out the "who" of the "dunit," which they're likely to early on, the movie turns into a ravaging, repetitive slog of one hard-boiled set piece after another.

Filmed in her harshest light at her most unforgiving angles, Kidman does her best to invest Erin with layers, despite the bloodshot, zombie-like makeup and prosthetics that threaten to overwhelm her carefully tuned performance. In the end, even the ferocity of her avenging angel - as tarnished as she is righteous - can't save "Destroyer" from its own sour excesses.

---

Two stars. Rated R. Contains coarse language throughout, violence, some sexual content and brief drug use. 120 minutes.

Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time.
A small boxship was targeted by pirates on January 2 off the coast of Cotonou, and several crew members are missing. The attack follows five others reported near Benin last year

Several crew members are reported to be missing following a piracy attack on board a small containership owned by Mediterranean Shipping Co near Benin in the Gulf of Guinea, West Africa.

The attack happened 55 nautical miles off the coast of Cotonou shortly after midnight on January 2, according to maritime consultancy Gray Page.

MSC confirms that a small containership was attacked on January 2 in the Gulf of Guinea and several crew members were reported as missing, the company said in a statement.

The Geneva-based company has reported the safety of the remaining seafarers on board, and has secured the vessel and its cargo.

Out of respect for the missing crew members and their families, MSC has no further comment for the time being, it said.

Benin is a known area for piracy, with five attacks reported off its coastline in 2018, according to Gray Page.

First published on www.lloydslist.com
A 210-foot-long (64 meters) monster made from grease and used baby-wipes has clogged up a sewer in Sidmouth in southwestern England. British officials said in a statement they expect that removing the gooey blob, which will happen in "exceptionally challenging work conditions," could take up to eight weeks.

"Fatbergs" like this one have become unpleasantly familiar in the United Kingdom. As Live Science reported back in 2017, workers used high-pressure water jets to slowly break down an 820-foot-long (250 m), 143-ton (130,000 kilograms) "rancid blob" that formed in a London sewer. Eventually, that mass was converted to biofuel, but it took workers months to fully restore function in the affected area. [The Poop on Pooping: 5 Misconceptions Explained]

(Another chunk of that fatberg, according to the Associated Press, ended up on display at the Museum of London.)

See more

Part of the problem seems to be the British public's habit of flushing used baby wipes down the toilet, as these can clump together and form the scaffolding for fatbergs. The issue has become serious enough that the government has proposed banning the wipes altogether.

For now officials in Sidmouth are asking residents to avoid contributing to this new mass before workers can remove it, saying, "Don't feed the fatberg."

Originally published on Live Science.
A man in Nebraska who doctors believed had experienced a devastating stroke actually had a different condition  fortunately, one that allowed him to come back from the brink of death.

After his children accepted that their father was likely to die and decided to have him removed from his breathing tube, T. Scott Marr kept breathing and began to move his fingers and toes, Nebraska's WKRN reported. Doctors soon realized that Marr had not experienced a stroke, as initially believed. Instead, he had a condition called posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, which involves swelling in the brain. [27 Oddest Medical Case Reports]

"It's an injury that is going to get better when the swelling goes down, as opposed to a stroke, which is an injury that may not recover in the same way," said Dr. S. Andrew Josephson, a professor and chair of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco and a member of the American Neurological Association. Josephson was not involved with Marr's case.

A difficult diagnosis

According to WKRN, Marr was found unconscious on Dec. 12. Doctors diagnosed him with a stroke and observed swelling in his brain. One of his doctors at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, Dr. Rebecca Runge, told reporters that the medical team feared the damage was irreversible.

But after Marr's breathing tube was removed and he began to respond to simple commands, doctors re-evaluated his diagnosis. He hadn't experienced a stroke, they found. Instead, he had posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, or PRES.

In about 70 percent of cases, PRES is caused by an extreme increase in blood pressure. Such a spike can damage the barrier between the blood vessels and the brain tissue, causing leakage and swelling, said Dr. Joseph Miller, a clinical associate professor at Wayne State University and an emergency-medicine physician at Henry Ford Hospital, both in Detroit. Miller was also not involved with Marr's case.

It's not surprising that PRES was mistaken for a stroke, Miller told Live Science. The symptoms of PRES, which range from headache and vision changes all the way up to coma, are quite similar to those of strokes, and strokes are far more common than PRES. At Henry Ford Hospital's emergency room, Miller said, there are only about eight confirmed cases of PRES each year, out of approximately 450,000 ER visits.

PRES is also easy to miss on a CT scan, Miller said. It's best diagnosed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). But in many hospitals, it can take hours or even a day to get a patient an MRI scan, so doctors might start treatment for a stroke first.

A typical treatment for PRES involves removing the underlying cause, Miller and Josephson said. (Marr and his medical team did not disclose the underlying cause of Marr's PRES.) If the cause is high blood pressure, for example, the patient's blood pressure should be brought down with medication.

Sometimes, PRES occurs in patients taking immunosuppressive drugs, perhaps because these medicines somehow interfere with the membranes within those patients' blood vessels. In such cases, Miller and Josephson said, the treatment is for the patient to stop taking the particular medication.

"Nearly brain-dead"?

Marr and his family called the recovery a "miracle." Though news reports called Marr "nearly brain-dead," that's an inaccurate and confusing use of the term, Josephson told Live Science. Brain death is a very specific condition that is morally, ethically and legally identical to just plain death, he said. It involves irreversible brain damage that means the person can no longer breath on his or her own. Artificial ventilation can push air into the person's lungs, making it appear as if they are alive and breathing, but without medical machinery, breathing stops. [The Science of Death: 10 Tales from the Crypt & Beyond]

Brain death "has a very, very specific [set of] criteria that have to be met," Josephson said. There is no such thing as being nearly brain-dead, he said: You either are or you aren't.

"This patient had a neurologic injury and was not doing well, and then [he] recovered from it," Josephson said. "I would be very loath to even introduce the term 'brain death.'"

Marr was, however, very fortunate. While PRES is reversible, it is far from harmless.

"If untreated, it can certainly be fatal," Miller said of the condition. "And even with treatment, there are occasional fatalities if it's caught too late."

Originally published on Live Science.
Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have long inspired curiosity and speculation, but when did our fascination with UFOs really take off? A new television drama explores the origins of the UFO phenomenon, drawing from the incredible true story of the U.S. governments decades-long investigation of reported UFO encounters.

The secret program  dubbed Project Blue Book  launched in 1952 and was monitored by the U.S. Air Force until the project's termination in 1969. During that time, experts investigated more than 12,000 reports of UFO sightings, of which over 700 remain unexplained, according to records in the National Archives.

Now declassified, the most intriguing of these unsolved cases are revisited in the History Channel series "Project Blue Book." Premiering tonight (Jan. 8) at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT., the show offers UFO aficionados and skeptics alike a peek at how it all began. [7 Things Most Often Mistaken for UFOs]

Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger on HBO's "Game of Thrones") stars as Dr. J. Allen Hynek, the real-life professor and astrophysicist who acted as the science adviser for Project Blue Book, and who is known to many as the "father of UFOlogy," show creator and executive producer David O'Leary told Live Science.

In the series, Hynek joins Air Force officials to investigate and explain sightings of peculiar lights in the sky, mysterious glowing fireballs, "flying saucers" and even purported extraterrestrials, History Channel representatives said in a statement.

"The government had to respond to the fact that military pilots, commercial airline pilots, police officers  people with trained eyes  were seeing objects in the sky that they couldn't understand," O'Leary said.

But as "Project Blue Book" unfolds, Hynek comes to an unpleasant realization: His scientific curiosity about UFOs may run counter to a government agenda that wants to bury events that prove unthreatening, but nonetheless truly defy explanation, O'Leary said.

National security

During the period in U.S. history that gave rise to Project Blue Book, global superpowers were testing the boundaries of military technology, the likes of which had never been seen before. For obvious reasons, the U.S. Air Force wanted to keep tabs on all UFO sightings  which could represent previously unknown weapons  in the interests of national security, according to O'Leary.

However, hundreds of the UFO sightings investigated by Project Blue Book proved impossible to explain at all.

An incident that took place Sept. 12, 1952 (and is featured in the series), involved three boys in Flatwoods, West Virginia, who witnessed a fiery red light streaking overhead, followed by a loud crash. A local newspaper reported at the time that when the boys approached the scene, they glimpsed "a 10-foot monster with a blood-red body and a green face that seemed to glow," later dubbed "The Flatwoods Monster," the History Channel recounted.

Another unexplained sighting was documented in Lubbock, Texas, on Aug. 30, 1951; a teenager photographed a V-shaped arrangement of lights in the sky, now known as the Lubbock Lights, according to the History Channel.

Among the many reports of so-called flying saucers, one of the most unexplainable phenomena is the "Lubbock Lights," photographed at Lubbock, Texas, by 19-year old Carl Hart, Jr., on August 30, 1951. (Image credit: Bettmann Archive)

Other unnerving encounters with UFOs were directly observed midair by pilots, who are trained to recognize unexpected sights that may appear during challenging flight conditions. This makes their descriptions of UFOs harder to dismiss as delusional, and fueled Hynek's efforts to get to the bottom of these baffling events, O'Leary explained.

Credible witnesses

Case reports dramatized by the show feature a range of witnesses, from lone civilians, to individuals representing the military and law enforcement, to groups of people all reporting the same sighting, executive producer and showrunner Sean Jablonski told Live Science.

"By the time you get to the finale, there's a mass sighting by credible witnesses that actually prompts the president to get involved. So you go, 'Well, that's just undeniable.' And it's historically accurate," Jablonski said.

The cast of the new UFO drama series "Project Blue Book" (from left to right: Laura Mennell, Aidan Gillen, Neal McDonough, Michael Harney, Michael Malarkey, Ksenia Solo). (Image credit: Copyright History 2019)

Though the real Project Blue Book ended decades ago, interest in UFOs has scarcely dimmed. In fact, the U.S. government has continued to monitor and analyze UFO reports to this day, Live Science reported in 2018. The work took place under a secret program called the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program (AATIP), and it spanned decades despite official statements that federal UFO investigations ended with the demise of Project Blue Book in 1969.

"UFOs are a mystery that's still unsolved at this point," Jablonski said. "Once you open your mind up to the idea of the UFO phenomenon, then you have to ask 'Who's flying them?' And then you have to talk about alien life. It unmoors you from a reality that most people live in their whole lives."

The first episode of "Project Blue Book" airs tonight (Jan. 8) on the History Channel at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.

Original article on Live Science.
Female Magellanic penguins, shown here, have been stranding on the coasts of South America, and researchers aren't sure why.

Near the southern tip of South America, thousands of ladies  wives, mothers, anchovy enthusiasts  are vanishing from their nests.

The females in question are Magellanic penguins  a mid-size species of black-and-white bird native to South America's Patagonia region. When not breeding in the latter part of the year, both male and female members of the species migrate north toward Uruguay and Brazil to hunt for the tasty anchovies that call those waters home. Over the last decade, however, scientists have observed an upsetting trend: some penguins are swimming too far north  sometimes hundreds of miles away from their breeding grounds  and getting stuck there.

According to a new study published today (Jan. 7) in the journal Current Biology, every year, thousands of Magellanic penguins fail to return home from their migrations. Some become stranded on the shores of Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. Others wash up already dead, their stomachs empty or polluted with plastic waste. Strangely, about two-thirds of the stranded birds are female. [Photos of Flightless Birds: All 18 Penguin Species]

Takashi Yamamoto, lead author of the new study and a researcher at the Institute of Statistical Mathematics in Tokyo, wanted to find out what was happening, and why female penguins were disproportionately afflicted. So, he and several colleagues tagged a small group of 14 Magellanic penguins (eight males and six females) with GPS ankle monitors, then watched where the birds strayed after their breeding period ended in early 2017.

After several months of observations, the team saw a clear pattern. During their spring and summer migrations, male penguins tended to dive deeper and stay closer to their Patagonian breeding grounds; female penguins swam closer to the water's surface, but migrated significantly farther north than their male counterparts.

There, in the waters near Uruguay and southern Brazil, the penguins approached known penguin-stranding hotspots. According to the researchers, these stranding sites  such as the riverfront near the city of Buenos Aires, in northern Argentina  likely trap the penguins through a mixture of strong currents that prevent smaller-bodied birds from swimming home and man-made threats"These [threats] include water pollution caused by oil development and marine transport as well as fishery-associated hazards, such as bycatch and depletion of prey species," Yamamoto said in a statement.

The reason that female penguins seem to be disproportionately stranded compared to males might be as simple as body size. According to the researchers, female Magellanic penguins are smaller than males, which could make it harder for them to compete for food in crowded southern waters, or to fight against strong currents in the north. A smaller body also means a greater sensitivity to ocean temperatures, Yamamoto noted. This could give the smaller-bodied females a preference for chasing warmer waters northward toward the equator, and for avoiding deep dives into the cold, dark ocean.

This small study is just the first step toward understanding the cause and scale of the mysterious bird strandings. But, according to Yamamoto, this much is clear: If fewer and fewer females return to their breeding grounds every year, the viability of the entire Magellanic penguin population could soon be at risk.

Originally published on Live Science.
AN UP-and-coming young film director will make her television debut when an eight-minute Christmas short she created will appear on RTE this Monday evening.

Hygge, which tells the story of a blossoming friendship between an Irish boy and a Syrian girl whose families live beside each other with tension, will air on RTE Two at 11.50pm this Monday.

Castleconnell film student Rachel McGill, 20, directed Hygge two years ago when she was just starting out at university as part of the Fresh Film Festivals Hothouse Project.

Ahead of the late night broadcast, Rachel told the Leader: I'm so excited that a film I made at such a young age is being broadcasted by RTE. Although as a filmmaker I've grown quite a lot since making this film, I'm incredibly proud to be able to show it to everyone on national television.

She said the subject matter is important and that at the time of writing the film, there was a lot of controversy about Ireland taking in Syrian refugees as part of the Syrian resettlement programme.

This is film is just to show how no matter what you believe in or what your political views are, friendship can be found anywhere, she said.

The cast includes Rio Ayoub who plays Aamira, Daniel Patterson as Paddy, Christine Lally and Lulius Hedges as Syrian parents, and Wayne Byrne and Sandra Dowd Callaghan as Irish parents.

She said another notable cast member was Limerick man Sean Hammond who is an young Irish actor I have worked with on a number of things. He was a great asset to the production and great to have another limerick person involved.

We also had two other Limerick people on our crew. Our cinematographer Tiernan O Rourke from croom and our art director Rebekah Bustos from Newport.

Though young, Rachel is no stranger to the film circuit as she was included in a 30-strong Creative Minds line-up at the 2018 Cannes International Film Festival last summer.

She is a third year Film and Television Production student at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.
JOIN the team at Brian Geary Toyota, Raheen in Limerick this Saturday, January 12 from 9am to 6pm for the unveiling of their new 2019 Hybrid Range - the Corolla Hatchback Hybrid, the Corolla Saloon Hybrid, the Camry Hybrid and the RAV4 Hybrid.

This is a ONE DAY only event where all the new models will be available to see.

Demand has proven high for these new models and it offers interested customers and new car browsers an opportunity to get an exclusive first look at the exciting new range of Toyotas self-charging hybrids at the Brian Geary Toyota Hybrid Now Roadshow.

Interested customers are urged to visit Brian Geary Toyota during this event as this is a ONE DAY only event and your only opportunity to view the amazing 2019 Toyota range before the cars embark on their European Tour.

The four New Generation models  Corolla Hatchback, Corolla Saloon, RAV4 and Camry - which are all arriving in early 2019 will be on display in the showroom on Saturday from 9am to 6pm.

The RAV4 has already arrived, the Corolla Hatchback is arriving late January, the Corolla Saloon is arriving mid-February and the Camry will arrive in early April. Dont miss this opportunity to see all four models ahead of launch.

The Brian Geary Sales Team and Staff will be on hand to inform visitors of their fantastic 191 offers and answer any questions you may have. The new generation models have head-turning looks, are packed full of excellent specification and offers include three years servicing as standard on all new models.

You can also upgrade to Hybrid for Less with excellent finance offers, which can be arranged for you at Brian Geary Toyota.

Commenting on the new self-charging hybrid cars Denis OSullivan, Sales Manager, said: Were really excited about the new 2019 hybrid range, and demand has been phenomenal so far with many of our customers already reserving early arriving models which are fast running out for January and February delivery.

Our Roadshow event will show our customers why we are so excited about 2019 Hybrid Range.

Hybrid is going from strength-to-strength, and were expecting 80% of our passenger car mix to be self-charging hybrids in 2019. Our wide-reaching hybrid range is very much meeting consumer demand for excellent fuel economy, low road tax and low emissions which make for cleaner air and a more sustainable motoring environment, which is something that is at the very heart of our Built for A Better World brand promise.

To RSVP to this event please call 061-225225. Brian Geary Toyota, your Hybrid Dealer.
NURSES and midwives in Limerick hospitals are set to go on strike for 24 hours at the end of this month, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has announced this Tuesday afternoon.

This comes after the union expressed dissatisfaction with the Government in tackling the countrys recruitment and retention crisis.

There are currently 24 nursing vacancies at UHL, of which 12 are expected to be filled by the end of this month, a spokesperson said.

UHL had the highest rate of overcrowding in the country with 11,437 patients on trolleys in 2018the only hospital to exceed the 10,000 mark since records began in 2006.

In a statement to the Leader, the UL Hospitals Group said: "UL Hospitals Group and the INMO are currently engaging in discussions on contingency arrangements on nurse staffing for the scheduled industrial action. We are meeting with the INMO this Wednesday afternoon where the matter will be progressed."

The union said that nurses and midwives will go on strike on January 30. It has indicated that further strikes will take place on February 5 and 7, and then for three consecutive days, from February 12 to 14, if matters go unresolved.

The union said that staff will withdraw their labour, save for providing lifesaving and emergency response teams.

The strike will see INMO members withdraw their labour for 24 hours, providing only lifesaving care and emergency response teams.

The dispute centres on safe staffing in the public health service. The HSE has not been able to recruit and retain enough nurses and midwives on current wages.

The number of staff nurses fell by 1,754 (6%) between 2008 and 2018, despite an ageing, growing population making the health service busier. This would be only the second national strike in the INMOs hundred-year history.

INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said that going on strike is the last thing that a nurse or midwife wants to do.

But the crisis in recruitment and retention has made it impossible for us to do our jobs properly. We are not able give patients the care they deserve under these conditions.

The HSE simply cannot recruit enough nurses and midwives on these wages. Until that changes, the health service will continue to go understaffed and patient care will be compromised.

The ball is in the governments court. This strike can be averted. All it takes is for the government to acknowledge our concerns, engage with us directly, and work to resolve this issue, in a pro-active manner.
TEACHING methodologies, eating disorders and information retention are just some of the topics John the Baptist Community School students have been investigating this year.

The school in Hospital, County Limerick, has six entries from their transition year class in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

Rachel Hayes, deputy principal, said: They are a wonderful group of students and we are really proud of them.

First up is, Eating disorders: Are we educated? by Ciara Ramsbottom, Anna Joy ORegan, Eimear Molloy. The aim of their project is to investigate and compare the knowledge that people of different age groups have acquired in relation to eating disorders.

Does the Leaving Certificate efficiently prepare you for college? is the project of Moya Burke, Mollie McKeogh and Sinead OConnell. They have looked at the Leaving Certificate, if it prepares students for college and which aspects of the exam can be improved upon.

An investigation into the difference in retention of information when learning using screen, using paper or aurally on the basis of age and gender is the work of James Wolfe. He has carried out tests to establish which medium is the most effective for retaining information when learning using screen, paper and aural sources.

Next up is The Mandela effect: A cognitive study proving the existence of collective confabulation. This reporter had to look up what confabulation meant. In normal language it is a chat or a conversation but in psychiatry it is a memory error defined as the production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories about oneself or the world, without the conscious intention to deceive. Aidan Walker, Colm ORiordan and James Martin teamed up on this one.

We will prove the existence of collective confabulation which is when large groups of people have the same false memories e.g Mandelas death, they say.

Statistical analysis evaluating the Irish publics views towards the governments ability to solve current issues facing Irish society has been undertaken by Jack Gunning and Xiao Lu Liu.

Last but by no means least is the work of Siobhain Condon, Jessica Costelloe and Rebecca Harty. The title of their project is, An investigative study on views towards student centred teaching methodologies in the Irish secondary level education system.

Our project focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of student/teacher centred learning. We will figure out which method is preferred and which more effective, they say.

Ms Hayes said the dedication, innovation, enthusiasm, interest and scientific curiosity they have shown is truly inspiring, as is the amazing work of their mentor, James Devereux.

It is no small task to have six teams representing the school and it is because of the tireless efforts of the students, their teachers and their parents that such a feat is possible. We wish them all the very best in the competition, said Ms Hayes.

Mr Devereux, a physics, chemistry and applied maths teacher, said they are an extremely hard-working group and have put tremendous effort into their projects.

It is great to see teenagers showing such an interest in the sciences. The Young Scientist competition is great as the students have an opportunity to ask a question that they themselves find interesting, and devise their own method to try to answer it scientifically. They are a credit to John the Baptist and everything the school's students and staff represent both inside and outside of the classroom, said Mr Devereux.
THERE are over 150 posts vacant at University Hospital Limerick despite record levels of overcrowding, according to Sinn Fein TD for Limerick City Maurice Quinlivan.

Mr Quinlivan called on the Minister for Health to urgently address the recruitment and retention crisis in the health service.

The Sinn Fein TD was responding to figures he has received from the HSE which show that there are currently over 150 vacant positions across various professions in University Hospital Limerick alone.

In response to a Parliamentary Question I put to the Minister for Health, the HSE has confirmed that 155 posts are currently vacant at University Hospital Limerick, Deputy Quinlivan said.

This is quite a worrying figure, especially given the fact that UHL was the most overcrowded hospital in the state in 2018, with 11,437 people waiting on trolleys in the hospital last year. This severe overcrowding combined with so many vacant positions is resulting in workers being put under substantial pressure across various sections of the hospital, he added.

A hospital spokesperson noted however that there are over 3,000 employees working in UHL and the vacancies need to be seen in that context, with more than half of them outside of clinical posts.

The vacant jobs include 24 nursing positions, 16 Health and Social Care Professionals and 4 consultant posts which have an average vacancy time of 18 months.

A spokesperson said that of the clinical posts, all the junior doctors and half the nursing vacancies are being filled this month and all critical positions being filled by locum/agency.

Responding to Deputy Quinlivan, UL Hospitals CEO Colette Cowan noted that a further 12 nurses are due to commence work in early January, so the number of nursing vacancies will drop to 12 at this point.

She explained that "critical vacant posts are filled on a temporary basis, through overtime, extra hours or temporary contracts until such time as the post is filled temporarily".

However, Deputy Quinlivan said the situation in University Hospital Limerick has reached a tipping point, and urgent measures are needed to address the capacity and staffing issues at the hospital.

Despite the number of people waiting on trolleys at UHL rising from 8,869 in 2017 to a massive 11,437 last year, the number of beds open at the hospital has remained stagnant at 451. This is totally unacceptable.

The Minister for Health must urgently address the underlying difficulties causing this staffing crisis, including working conditions, facilities, supports, training opportunities, promotion opportunities, and pay.

This must also be combined with immediate action to open new beds in UHL and surrounding hospitals in the Mid-West to ensure the chronic overcrowding at UHL is tackled, he added.

There are 43 patients waiting for beds at UHL this Tuesday morning, according to the INMO Trolley Watch.
A LIMERICK man who threatened to strike a garda with a can of Coke while celebrating his 40th birthday has been told he needs to deal with his alcohol addiction.

Thomas Hehir, aged 41, of Deer Court, John Carew Park pleaded guilty to public order offences relating to an incident in the city centre on December 11, 2017.

Garda Ger Summerly told Limerick District Court he approached the defendant at around 12.30am after he saw him kicking a taxi which was parked at OConnell Street near its junction with Sarsfield Street.

There was no evidence of any damage caused to the taxi and Garda Summerly said the defendant was intoxicated at the time.

I observed he was unsteady on his feet and I could smell intoxicating liquor on his breath, he said adding the defendant then became aggressive and verbally abusive towards him.

Garda Summerly told Inspector Dermot OConnor that when he attempted to arrest Mr Hehir he repeatedly threatened to strike him with a can of Coke which he was holding in his hand.

Additional gardai were deployed to assist Garda Summerly and the defendant was detained and taken to Mayorstone garda station where he calmed down.

Solicitor Sarah Ryan said her client, who is unemployed, was celebrating his 40th birthday on the night and that he wished to apologise for his actions.

He accepts he drank way too much and that he behaved badly  his behaviour was totally out of order, she said.

Garda Summerly confirmed there were no difficulties at the garda station and that there was good humoured interaction with the defendant while he was being processed.

Ms Ryan said her client realises his drinking is problematic and that he needs to take action to address it.

She said there have been no incidents since and that Mr Hehir has developed some level of maturity over the past 12 months.

Judge Mary Larkin said what happened was not acceptable and that she believed it merited a custodial sentence.

He clearly has a difficulty with drink, hes 41 now, she said.

However, given the defendants guilty plea and noting that his apology had been accepted by Garda Summerly, the judge said she was willing to give him a chance.

She imposed a two month prison sentence which she suspended for six months on condition Mr Hehir stays out of trouble and cooperates with the Probation Service.

He was also directed to attend counselling and to take action to deal with his alcohol addiction as a condition of the suspended sentence..

If he wants to avoid prison, he will have to deal with his alcohol addiction, warned the judge.
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Leitrim is the second worst affected county in Ireland with long travel times to hospital emergency rooms.



In Leitrim the average distance to the nearest A&E facility is 39km, but in fact half of the county is more than 42km from either Sligo University Hospital or Cavan General Hospital. That means at a minimum it takes 40 minutes to access A&E from most parts of Leitrim.



Gamma, the location intelligence software services provider, has revealed the counties in Ireland with the longest travel times to A&E departments.

Carlow, Leitrim and Donegal are worst affected, the findings were determined using Eircode data, location software and routing algorithms and found that certain people were at a disadvantage when seeking emergency treatment.



The issue of Leitrim's isolation from hospital emergency and medial services has arose time and time again especially in relation to ambulance wait times.

While those living around Carrick-on-Shannon and North Leitrim tend to opt for Sligo University Hospital, those in Ballinamore, Mohill and Carrigallen are slightly closer to Cavan General Hospital. Either way the drive is approx 40 minutes.



Those in Dublin are an average 10 minutes away from their nearest A&E with Louth on average 8km and Kilkenny 14km to the nearest emergency department.

Which means that living in Leitrim could actually be bad for your health!

Also read: 2018 was worst year on record for hospital overcrowding
A Danish home retail brand will open its first Irish store in Co. Kildare.

The store will be located at the Naas Retail Park, Jigginstown and will open in early April.

JYSK plan to open 15 stores around Ireland in the next two years, creating 200 jobs.

Two further stores will open in Drogheda, Louth and Navan, Meath in May, and a fourth store will open in Portlaoise, Laois during the summer.

County Kildare Chamber welcomed the news.

Allan Shine, CEO of the Chamber in Kildare said; This job boost is very welcomed and we believe that with the amount of new housing under construction in Kildare and the continued growth in our population that JYSK will do very well in the county with their offering, Mr Shine told the Leader.

Independent Cllr Sorcha O'Neill says it is hugely positive news for the town.

I am delighted to hear the news, it's very exciting for us. Choosing Naas for a location and the location to open its first store in the country is a wonderful compliment to the county town of Kildare, Cllr O'Neill said.

There is the argument that out of town retail units detract footfall from the main street and affect local businesses.

However, I feel that this calibre of retail and the uniqueness of this brand to Ireland will attract visitors from around the country to visit Naas.

So it should be welcomed as hugely positive news both for jobs and for making Naas a destination and not a place to bypass on the motorway, Cllr O'Neill concluded.

Cllr Rob Power said it is a real vote of confidence for Naas.

It's great to see another international brand moving to Kildare and a real vote of confidence in Naas that JYSK are beginning their Irish expansion here.

JYSK's product offering looks to be a great addition to the town and the store is well located. With the council breaking ground on the Merits Digital Hub nearby and the new housing going up recently we're starting to see life come into the previously dormant, south side of the town, said Cllr Power.

JYSK is an international retail homewares chain which is owned by the original founder, Lars Larsen. The popular store first opened in 1979, and today has more than 2,700 stores across 51 countries worldwide.

SEE ALSO: Danish home retail brand JYSK, similar to IKEA, to open first Irish store in Kildare

SEE ALSO: Well known Naas business is moving - but stays in the town
Drehid Against Wind Turbines will host a public meeting tonight in The Hamlet Court Hotel in Johnstownbridge to discuss plans for a wind farm in North West Kildare.

Read also: Derelict Naas Shopping Centre to go for sale in March

The meeting is scheduled for 8pm. The residents have expressed their anger over a new planning application for 12 industrial wind turbines by North Kildare Wind Farm Ltd.

The 12 turbines, if approved, will be located on both Coillte and private lands in the areas of Ballynamullagh, Coolree, Drehid, Dunfierth, Killyon, Kilmurry and Mulgeeth.

The previous wind developer, Element Power Ltd which was involved in the proposed 46 turbine Maighne wind farm which spanned North West Kildare and South Meath, has sold it's company to Statkraft, a Norwegian company.

This new application singles out the Drehid Cluster of the original Maighne project, which was refused twice by An Bord Pleanala. Element Power had originally proposed 14 turbines for Drehid, but has reduced that by two in the planning application.

A new group, Drehid Against Wind Turbines formed when the the plans were first mooted, and it said it will be helping people with their objections against this "outrageous proposal".

"The outdated 2006 Wind Energy Guidelines were published when wind turbines were 50 metres in height. New Wind Energy Guidelines have been promised by Fine Gael since 2014 and still have not been published in spite of 7,500 submissions. There is still no protection for communities from these loud roaring industrial monsters. Kildare constituents have been badly let down by this Government," said a spokesperson.

"Nothing has changed in the feelings of the residents of Kildare since the 'Maighne Wind Farm' refusal and vow to fight this new application."

When contacted for a response, the PR company representing Element Power said; The Drehid wind farm proposal is being brought forward by Statkraft which acquired Element Power Ireland in October of his year. Statkraft has a long history in the development of renewable energy projects and is committed to the ethical and responsible development of pure energy in order to assist in our transition to becoming a low carbon economy.

"From the outset, we have sought to encourage real community involvement in a project that will deliver real climate action. Our focus has been to develop a proposal that will make a positive difference for the environment, future generations and for the people who live in the locality today.

"We have engaged directly with over 260 households in the local and wider Drehid area to seek feedback on how this proposal could work best. This feedback has led to the reduction in the number of turbines being proposed from 14 turbines to 12, the distances between houses and turbines has been increased and we have committed to zero shadow flicker at any houses in the local area."

It said whilst these changes have "reduced the potential output of green energy from the wind farm, we believe that this proposal sets an example of how positive engagement between renewable energy proposers and local communities during the design stages, can lead to exemplary projects that work well in local communities and bring benefits at both a local and national level.
A Laois student who battled illness through her final years of secondary school, has achieved one of the top Leaving Cert Applied results in Ireland.

Maggie Houlihan, 19, from Coolrain was recently awarded the Leaving Cert Applied National Associations Feargal Quinn award, after getting an overall 95% Distinction in her exams. She was one of only ten students in Ireland to achieve the award.

Maggie is a graduate of Mountrath Community School.

It was because of her ongoing illness that Maggie had chosen to switch to do the Leaving Cert Applied course.

I had started in the normal Leaving Cert course in 5th year, but then I got really sick. I decided to repeat in LCA because it caused less stress, she said.

The course had been introduced to Mountrath CS four years ago. It offers students a practical vocational education geared towards employment rather than just third level.

Subjects she enjoyed include leisure and recreation, social education, agriculture, childcare and commerce as well as languages.

There were only nine of us doing it and the teachers really help you out more, the subjects are much more practical. I really loved doing it, Maggie said.

She was stunned to hear she had won an award for her results.

I was absolutely over the moon to receive this award and I'm honored to be the first student in Mountrath Community School to receive it. I was really surprised and really happy, she said.

She attended the recent award ceremony in the Shamrock Lodge Athlone, along with her proud mother Brigid Austin and Maggie's boyfriend Daragh Brennan.

It was a very proud day for us. Maggie had done a lot of work over the two years to get her results. She is a hard worker, a very intelligent girl, said her proud mother Brigid.

She had a lot of support from her stepdad Desmond, who helped her through her illness. She is in top form again and we are very proud of her, said Ms Austin.

Maggie also had thanks for her mother and stepfather.

They supported me a good lot, I get stressed and my stepdad was always there to help me calm down, she said.

Maggie has since fully recovered from her illness.

She is now studying for a Social Care qualification in Carlow Further Education Centre, while working part-time down in Carlow to fund her studies and accommodation.

Maggie who has one older sister Nicole, recommends the Leaving Cert Applied route to others.

I would 100 percent recommend it, I couldnt praise it enough, she said.

Her coordinator in Mountrath Community School was Anne Breen.

Maggie was such a hard working student and I am thrilled to hear about her award. In fact, the current Leaving Cert Applied students are very encouraged to hear of this unique achievement, she said.

The principal is Mrs Siobhan McCarthy.

The Leaving Cert Applied programme is very successful in Mountrath CS, and it's just great news to hear of Maggie's award. Maggie is a wonderful role model for the current Leaving Cert Applied students, the principal said.

Her teacher Mary Gannon added her congratulations.

Maggie is a very deserving award winner and we wish her every success in the future, we are all so proud of her, she said.
Irelands nurses and midwives are set to bring hospitals in Portlaoise and elsewhere to a standstill with the announcement of a series of strike days over pay.



The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has given notice of industrial action on January 30. Should the dispute go unresolved, there will be further 24-hour strikes February 5,7, 12,13,14.



The strike will see INMO members withdraw their labour for 24 hours, providing only lifesaving care and emergency response teams.



Nurses say the dispute centres on understaffing in the public health service which they blame on poor wages. The HSE has not been able to recruit and retain enough nurses and midwives on current wages.

While the Minister for Health Simon Harris insisted that the dispute is not warranted he said an invitation to talks would be issued. His Department also claim that the Public Service Stability Agreement which nurses have signed up to prohibits industrial action.



This would be only the second national strike in the INMOs hundred-year history.



INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said low wages mean there are not enough nurses to deliver safe care.



Going on strike is the last thing a nurse or midwife wants to do. But the crisis in recruitment and retention has made it impossible for us to do our jobs properly. We are not able to give patients the care they deserve under these conditions.



The HSE simply cannot recruit enough nurses and midwives on these wages. Until that changes, the health service will continue to go understaffed and patient care will be compromised.



The ball is in the governments court. This strike can be averted. All it takes is for the Government to acknowledge our concerns, engage with us directly, and work to resolve this issue, in a pro-active manner.



We were due to meet with the government in the national oversight body in December, but the meeting was cancelled. Like many patients in Irelands health service, we are still waiting for an appointment.



INMO President Martina Harkin-Kelly said nurses entered the profession because we care for our patients.

"Well be going on strike for the exact same reason. Irelands patients deserve better than this understaffed health service.



Nurses and midwives are now globally traded assets. The public health service no longer pays a competitive wage, so we can no longer get the necessary number of nurses and midwives.



We are calling on the public to support us. Nurses and midwives are always there for you when you need help. Now we need your help, she said.

In a statement, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, noted the decision of the executive of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. The Minister does not believe that industrial action is warranted and could be avoided.

The Minister believes there is a clear need for engagement and it is essential that the time is used by all sides to find a resolution to this dispute. In that context, health sector management will invite the INMO to meet with them next week.

The Department said that in 2017, the Government concluded an overall Public Service Stability Agreement with public sector unions which sees very significant increases in public service pay, including for nurses.

It says that in line with that Agreement, in September 2018, the Public Service Pay Commission concluded a review in respect of key health service grades, including nurses.

The Department also says that the Public Service Pay Commission recommendations would see Specialist Qualification and Location Allowances for nurses increased by 20% and would see them extended to nurses working in maternity services.

In addition, the Commission recommended that eligibility requirements for Senior Staff Nurse /Midwife be reduced from 20 to 17 years.

However, it says these recommendations, with a value of approximately 20m, have been rejected by the INMO and the PNA.

The Department of Health says the Government has also made proposals to address new entrant pay which will benefit approximately 10,000 nurses to the value of around 3,000 each.

"It is clear that these measures would improve the overall pay package for the majority of nurses and midwives. They show that the Public Service Stability Agreement and the related negotiation process are delivering significant improvements for nurses.

"Both the INMO and the PNA are signed up to the PSSA and under this agreement, industrial action is prohibited," concluded the statement.
County councillors need to do more than knock on doors every five years at election time, according to an aspiring public representative.

Conor Bergin running for Fine Gael in the local elections next May.

He told the Leinster Express that he wants to be a fresh voice in local politics.

As a young, hard-working and energetic candidate in the district, I want to bring a new perspective and fresh approach to representing people in the Borris in Ossory / Mountmellick electoral area.

We need a strong voice and someone to speak up for the area, who is not afraid to raise important issues such as the poor condition of many local roads, the need for additional street lighting and footpaths in rural areas and the need for investment in high-speed broadband in rural towns and villages.

I think that councillors need to do more to keep in touch with the people who elect them. A knock on the door once every five years isnt enough. There is often a disconnect between the views of councillors and the communities they represent. I believe that local public representatives should do more to keep in touch with their constituents between elections and listen to their views, said Conor Bergin.

Aged 25, the Borris-in-Ossory native lives locally and works as a political adviser to Laois TD and Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan in his constituency office in Portlaoise.

He says he is involved in many local organisations in Borris-in- Ossory including the Tidy Towns, Community Development Association and Laois Public Participation Network. He is on the board of Laois Partnership as an area representative for the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick municipal district area.

He was educated locally in the Convent of Mercy NS in Borris-in-Ossory, Colaiste Phobal Roscrea and then attended University College Dublin, graduating with an honours degree in History and Politics, followed by a Masters in Public Policy.

Mr Bergin says he is not from a political family and has made his own way into politics.

His father Gerard is a retired Garda and his mother, Kathryn has worked as a teacher and Deputy Principal in Borris-in-Ossory National School.
A property that had been a farm or open space is sold to a developer and, despite objections from many residents at various municipal planning meetings, the warehouse, commercial facility or housing development is built.

That scenario has occurred repeatedly throughout the Lehigh Valley for years.

Lower Nazareth Township's Board of Supervisors took steps Monday to curb that pattern.

The supervisors unanimously voted Monday to advertise that they'll vote at the Feb. 13 meeting on whether to create a ballot referendum imposing a 0.25 percent earned income tax to preserve open space.

If they approve the referendum, it would go on the May 21 primary election ballot.

The earned income tax revenue would be dedicated to acquire and preserve farms, fields, wooded areas or other open spaces.

Although the referendum would be on a primary election ballot, all voters, even those not registered as Republican or Democrat, could vote on the referendum.

"Residents have commented on concerns about development in the township," Supervisors' Chairman James Pennington said.

The Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Code requires municipalities to have a variety of zoning uses, including industrial and commercial uses. If a developer meets the zoning requirements, supervisors are legally required to approve the developments or risk their decisions being appealed, Pennington said.

However, if the township were to acquire land through the open space earned income tax, that land would be preserved in perpetuity and not eligible for development.

About 700 acres of township land has been preserved already through county open space programs, according to Pennington.

A simple majority -- over 50 percent of voters -- is required to pass the referendum.

The referendum does not directly impose the earned income tax. It only authorizes supervisors to impose the tax. If authorized by voters, supervisors would still need to vote to impose the tax.

Pennington said the supervisors plan to hold several public information meetings before the May vote to answer questions and discuss how the earned income tax would work.

"We're going to have some open sessions for people to attend," Pennington said.

Several other townships in Northampton County have opens space earned income tax programs. Last month, Upper Nazareth Township supervisors decided to form a committee to investigate creating an open space preservation plan in their township.

John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Bethlehem police said they are looking for a man accused of exposing himself to three girls in two separate incidents Tuesday morning near Northeast Middle School.

The first incident occurred at about 7:45 a.m. in the 500 block of East Locust Street, near Wood Street. Police said two middle school students were walking when the man exposed himself and then fled on Woodruff Street. The man was white, with a medium build, in his late 30s or early 40s, and was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, black beanie and gray pants, police said.

About 15 minutes later, another female student reported seeing a black vehicle and a man standing next to it in the 500 block of Turner Street, also near Wood Street. The man exposed himself, got into the car and drove away, police said. The flasher matched the description of the man from the earlier incident, but was not wearing a hat and had dirty blond hair, police said.

In a safety alert to the Northeast school community, the Bethlehem Area School District further describes the vehicle in the second incident as a black sedan or coupe with dark-tinted windows.

A man also reportedly exposed himself to Northeast students after school on Dec. 14 near Maple and Jennings streets and Maple and Frankford streets.

A separate incident was reported Dec. 18, where a man of Hispanic descent, 30 to 40 years old with a goatee made inappropriate contact with a child in front of Donegan Elementary School on the South Side, according to police.

Chief Mark DiLuzio urged anyone with information on the incidents to contact the Bethlehem Police Department at 610-865-7187 and ask for city detectives. If residents see something suspicious, they should contact police immediately, the chief said.
The year 2019 has clearly started on a good note for Alore Khadijat who recently put to bed a set of quadruplets.

The joy that comes with becoming a parent is something most people look forward to, hence, the major reason a lot of people go above and beyond to see that come to past.

This is why one can only imagine the joy Alore Khadijat must have felt when after several years of bareness, she was finally blessed with not one but a set of quadruplets.

READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com)

READ ALSO: 29-year old woman gives birth to quintuplets in Anambra state

In a similar story, for a lady simply identified by her Instagram handle, Sylviespice, it was indeed a long wait filled with challenges that eventually paid off.

Having being childless in her 15 years of marriage, the elated mother was filled with joy and gratitude to God as she welcomed a baby girl that will forever change her life.

During the dedication of her child, Ogechukwuka, the proud mother delivered a rather emotional testimony. While speaking, she revealed that she didn't experience any challenges while pregnant and had nothing but gratitude to God.

This pleasant arrival of Ogechukwuka comes several months after a lady identified as Helen Odoh, a resident of Nnewi in Anambra state, gave birth to a set of quintuplets (4 boys and a girl)

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My Husband Ran Away When He Heard I Had Quadruplets | Legit TV

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- The Nigeria Customs has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of its officials

- The deceased officer, Customs Assistant 1 Hamisu Sani, was reported killed by men suspected to be smugglers

- In a statement by the agency, Sani has been buried in Islamic way. It added that two people have been arrested in connection with the murder

The Nigeria Customs has been thrown into mourning following the death of one of its officials, Customs Assistant 1, Hamisu Sani, who was reported killed by men suspected to be smugglers.

In a report available in The Punch, the deceased was killed at the Asero area of Abeokuta, Ogun state, with another official of the agency, Tijani Michel, injured by the assailants.

Legit.ng gathers that the unfortunate incident occurred when the operatives of the agency, attached to Ogun area command, during a routine anti-smuggling patrol, stopped about eight vehicles loaded with smuggled rice and kept in the Asero community.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

The officers, trying to seize the vehicles, were ambushed by the smugglers, resulting to the death of Sani who died after sustaining various injuries.

Speaking on the incident on Monday, January 7, the Customs spokesperson for the command, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the dead officer was buried according to Islamic rites, while the injured one is recuperating at the hospital.

In a statement to the press, Maiwada said two people have been arrested in connection with the murder incident.

He said: "Unfortunately during the encounter, one of the officers, a Customs Assistant 1, Hamisu Sani, sustained grievous injuries and paid the supreme price in active service. He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

Also, an inspector of Customs, Tijani Michel, sustained serious machete cuts but is responding to treatment in the hospital.

Meanwhile, two suspects have been arrested by the police in connection with the incident and the eight vehicles fully loaded with the smuggled rice have been secured at the Customs house, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

While we commend the patriotic role of our sister agencies and law abiding citizens, we wish to categorically state that we will deploy all necessary apparatuses to ensure that the perpetrators of this devilish act are brought to book to face the full weight of the law."

Maiwada said the agency will not relent in ensuring that the country gets rid of smugglers.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory in Cross River state arrested six Cameroonians smuggling 700 bags of parboiled foreign rice into the country through the Calabar channel.

Commodore Julius Nwagu said he had handed over the illegal immigrants to the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the seized rice and Nigerians to the Nigerian Customs Service at the NNS Victory jetty in Calabar.

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- An Enugu-based prophet, Anthony Nwoko, has revealed why Nigeria is still backward among the comity of nations

- The pastor attributed Nigeria's woes on the failure of religious leader to speak truth to politicians

- Nwoko noted that Fr. Mbaka who said President Buhari is the one to deliver this nation, should relocate to Katsina from where he will be speaking for Buhari

A popular Enugu-based prophet, Anthony Nwoko, has come hard on religious leaders in Nigeria accusing them of lying to politicians through fake favourable prophesies in order to gain material wealth insisting that such acts by these men of God was responsible for the nation's many woes.

Legit.ng regional reporter in Enugu, Ikpechukwu Chinedu, reports that the prophet who addressed a press conference in Enugu on the state of the nation and the need for Nigeria to embrace the light which he claims emanates from the east also said that Nigerian's desire to practise a democratic system of government against the will of God has brought suffering, poverty, corruption and killings on the people.

He said: "The Lord Almighty has come with authority and power to sanitize this nation full of witches and wizards, workers of iniquity right from the House of God. The religious leaders have failed this nation woefully. I can't find any man of God that has come to make sure that this nation stands.

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"All we have workers of iniquity in the vineyard. They go on flying their helicopters and private jets in the name of Jesus but this year, 2019, God is set to take over His home. He will take over His vineyard and His property from these people because they have failed the nation and failed heaven.

"If the religious leaders are not ready to set this nation free, God will punish them. God will make sure that the sword from heaven will touch all of them. They have eaten a lot from the House of God. Enough is enough. I don't need anything from anybody, what I want is for this nation to gather together and move forward.

"We can't continue with evil mention and women. Any man of God who did not speak the mind of God during his new year prophesy is fake. There is not light in most of them.

"As at now, no man of God has spoken about the glory and the light of God which is from the East. They are all fake. The lying spirit in them has contributed to the downfall of this nation.

"Tell all the religious leaders in Nigeria, people like Rev. Fr. Mbaka who said that President Buhari is the one to deliver this nation, that he should relocate to Katsina from where he will be speaking for Buhari. If he refuses to listen, the wall of Jericho will fall in the Adoration ministry.

"Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma (The Ecclesiastical Bishop of Enugu Dioces of the Anglican Communion) said that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is the Joshua of today, but he refused to see that the glory of God is from the southeast. Tell Chukwuma that they have not seen the glory of God because of jealousy and envy.

"Nigeria wasted 20 years since 1999 practising democracy which was annulled in 1993 by angels of God. They said that without democracy they cannot survive. But today, they are suffering, there is hunger in the land, there is crisis, there is corruption, there is killing and there is Boko Haram. It is only the Glory that can stop Boko Haram in Nigeria.

He however said that for Nigeria to know peace and reach its potentials, it must accept the glory of God which is revealed through him by a divine mandate to liberate the country.

"The world is suffering because of this glory that has been concealed. The heaven has done everything possible to hold on to this glory since the year 1985 but today, the hour has come. Nigeria will have peace, Africa will have peace and the world will have peace because the prince of peace is here with a divine mandate to deliver his people.

"The glory of God, the light of the world and the prince of peace is right here in the southeast of Nigeria. No Governor, no President, no Senator, no politician can stop the glory of God this year.

"All the monies that had been stolen in this country, God is ready to return them back to our nation. All that is needed is for all the children of God to rise up and support the glory of God, they will never lack anything because there will be restoration. All evil men in this country will pay the price of their evil.

"I am ready to die for this mission. I will continue until my people are set free. This is not the glory of Nnamdi Kanu or Atiku Abubakar, neither is it the glory of Muhammadu Buhari. It is the glory that has come to liberate my people.

READ ALSO: 2019 elections: We're yet to decide on our preferred candidates - OPC

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported an Enugu-based prophet, Anthony Nwoko, attacked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)'s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, claiming that they were not solutions to Nigerias problems as all he sees in them was darkness.

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- A Nigerian doctor has taken to social media to narrate the reason why he left the medical profession

- The man revealed that healthcare in Nigeria failed him and he could not go on working so hard for it

- He explained that a patient he tried hard to save had died due to the failed system

Doctors save lives, but it is no surprise that there are times when they try their best and still a patient dies no matter what. After all they are just doctors not the maker himself.

A Nigerian doctor who left the medical profession has taken to social media to reveal the reason for his decision. The doctor identified simply as Guendouzi revealed that he left due to the failed healthcare system.

The man narrated the story of the incident that led to his decision to leave the profession. He explained that he left the medical field after a patient died and he was blamed for it after he did all he could for the deceased.

Doctor narrates how the Nigerian health system frustrated him out of his medical profession Twitter source: @fimiletoks

Source: Twitter

READ ALSO: Kano doctors perform first brain surgery on 26-year-old Nigerian man

According to the doctor, the patient had died come into the hospital with a severe injury on her neck after an accident had happened along Owo Road.

He revealed that from the wound he realised that she needed a cardiovascular surgeon which meant she had to be transferred to a teaching hospital.

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The doctor explained that there was no air support which meant they had to travel by road. He claimed he tipped the ambulance driver and the driver promised to get the patient to the location in two hours.

On the way, he called them to keep in touch and discovered that they had not arrived due to traffic and they got there after three hours.

According to him, the doctor that attended to the lady claimed he could not treat the patient because of something he had done and even blamed him for her impending death.

After she died, her family members started to threaten him and he was asked to go into hiding for a day. The next day he was called to defend his case in front of the panel.

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His case was solved and he was free. The doctor revealed that he, however, decided to let go of the profession that was paying less for hard work.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported a month ago, that The Association of Resident Doctors revealed that about 12 doctors leave Nigeria weekly for greener pastures. These doctors are said to move to others countries why their skills can be appreciated and used properly.

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- The deputy national chairman (north) of the PDP has been suspended

- Senator Gamawa Babayo was suspended over his alleged involvement in anti-party activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, January 7, announced the immediate suspension of its deputy national chairman (north), Senator Gamawa Babayo.

Babayo was suspended over alleged involvement in anti-party activities, according to the PDP.

Daily Trust reports that the PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement on Monday night that the decision was reached at the partys National Working Committee (NWC) extra-ordinary meeting held on the 5th of January, 2019.

READ ALSO: Buhari deceiving Tinubu again - Afenifere

Ologbodiyan said: The NWC found merit in the petition on allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity as contained in Section 58 (1) e, f, g, h of the PDP Constitution.

Therefore, in exercise of section 29 (2) a, b and c, the NWC hereby invokes Section 59 (1) d of the constitution of the PDP on the Deputy National Chairman (North) and accordingly suspends him from the party immediately."

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Fulani Socio-Cultural groups in Taraba on Monday endorsed the candidatures of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Governor Darius Ishaku as their preferred choices in the Presidential and Governorship elections holding February 16 and March 2.

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Alhaji Mafindi Danburam, North-East Zonal Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, who led the groups and their Ardos (Chiefs), to endorse Ishaku and Atiku in Jalingo, said that the decision was in the best interest of Fulani speaking people in Nigeria.

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- A said political ally of Buhari, Eshanekpe Israel, is to lead the campaign of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the Niger Delta region

- Israel is appointed as the zonal coordinator, South-South, Youth and Support Groups (SSYSG) by the office of the special adviser to Atiku on PDP campaign organisations

- A PDP member, Sunny Oyewosa, says the former ally of the president has activated his campaign machinery to get the Niger Delta region to vote en mass for Alhaji Atiku at the poll on February 16

An alleged political ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Eshanekpe Israel, also known as Akpodoro, has reportedly defected to the camp of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

Vanguard reports that Eshanekpe Israel is to lead Atikus campaign in the Niger Delta region after he was appointed as zonal coordinator, South-South, Youth and Support Groups (SSYSG) by the office of the special adviser to Atiku Abubakar on PDP campaign organisations.

READ ALSO: Organised labour to embark on nationwide protests over 30,000 new minimum wage

The director of media/strategy, Sunny Oyewosa, said the former ally of the president has activated his campaign machinery to get the Niger Delta region to vote en mass for Atiku at the poll on February 16.

Oyewosa stated that Akpodoro was sure of victory for Atiku, who he said will change the misfortunes of the Niger Delta region people for the better.

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Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, January 7, formally received various members of the Peoples Democratic Partys Support Groups from the North East, who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Receiving delegation of the North East political stakeholders including the defectors led by Umar Bukar Bolori, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, President Buhari commended them for their decision, and also welcomed the new members to the APC.

He said he was not surprised by their defections because a good majority of the people in the North East were traditionally APC members and supporters.

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The federal government has reached an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) thereby raising the possibility of the end of the ongoing strike.

Premium Times reports that Biodun Ogunyemi who is the national president of ASUU spoke after the meeting with the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, on Monday, January 7.

He said the National Executive Committee of the union will review the new commitment of the federal government.

READ ALSO: Amaechi speaks after leaked audiotape, sends message to PDP

Ogunyemi said it is only after the meeting that the strike will be called off.

Ngige on his part said agreement has been reached and that the accountant general and the Ministry of Finance have confirmed with evidence that N15.4 billion had been released to cover funding in public universities.

He also said President Muhammadu Buhari has approved N20 billion to be used to offset the outstanding arrears of the 2009 to 2012 audit verified earnings in the universities. He said the earned allowances will be released as soon as the process is completed.

Recall that representatives of the federal government held a very crucial meeting with officials of the Academic Staff Union of Universities in an urgent move to resolve the lingering industrial action embarked upon by lecturers in the country.

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The labour and employment minister, Chris Ngige, who summoned the meeting, said the event would not take long since much effort had been made previously.

Professor Abiodun Ogunyemi, the ASUU president expressed hope that there would be good news judging from Ngiges expression.

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- A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo in Abuja declares Senator John Enoh as the governorship candidate of the APC

- With the judgement of the court, the Niger Delta minister, Uguru Usani, seems to have lost out in his ambition to be the APC flag bearer

- Justice Olukayode Adeniyi rules that the plaintiff, being Usani, had failed to adduce evidence to substantiate his claims

A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo in Abuja, on Monday, January 7, upheld the election of Senator John Enoh as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the March 2 governorship election in Cross Rivers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Uguru Usani, minister of Niger Delta Development, who lost out in the governorship primary, had dragged APC, INEC and Enoh to the court to contest the outcome of the exercise.

The report said while delivering judgment, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, held that the plaintiff had failed to adduce evidence to substantiate his claims.

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According to the judge, documentary evidence before the court indicated that the APC governorship primary was conducted on Sept. 30, 2018.

Justice Adeniyi also held that the court was satisfied with evidence that showed that APC conducted the exercise in collaboration with the state executives of the party.

The judge also said the court admitted in evidence a proof that officials of the INEC were at hand to monitor the exercise.

The judge, therefore, said the action ought not to have been instituted as the party had satisfied all requirements as enshrined in the 1999 constitution and the Electoral Act in the conduct of the exercise.

In the final analysis, the judgment of this court is that the case lacks merit and the court lacks the jurisdiction to undo what has been done rightly. The suit is hereby dismissed, he ruled.

The report noted that Usani had claimed that the exercise was conducted solely by the state executives contrary to the provisions of paragraph 14 and 20 of the APC guidelines.

He had averred that he participated in the process, adding that he scored the highest number of votes.

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I was shocked to find out that my name was fraudulently replaced with that of Enoh, he said while seeking a declaration of the court to hold that he was validly elected as the governorship candidate of the party in the primary.

Aside this, he also sought for a declaration that forwarding Enohs name by APC to INEC as its candidate in Cross River was illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

Legit.ng earlier reported that the campaign billboards of Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River state, were among those destroyed by suspected political thugs in the state recently.

It was reported that the billboards were destroyed barely three days following the warning against such by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Senator John Owan-Enoh.

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- Opposition parties have resolved to begin nationwide protests from January 15 over continuous stay of police IGP

- According to the coalition, position of the IGP was currently vacant since Idris was deemed to have retired having served for 35 years

- They added that the nations constitution did not make provision for a former police officer to be an IGP

The Coalition of United Political Parties have resolved to begin nationwide protests from January 15 for President Muhammadu Buhari to name a new inspector-general of police.

They claimed that the current IGP, Ibrahim Idris ceased to be a policeman since January 3 after 35 years in service.

This was contained in a statement by its first national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere in Abuja.

READ ALSO: Buhari meets with Amosun, Akinlade in Aso Rock

According to the coalition, position of the IGP was currently vacant since Idris was deemed to have retired having served for 35 years and the nations Constitution did not make provision for a former police officer to be an IGP, Punch reports.

Going further, the coalition said that by parading himself as IGP after January 3, Idris is committing a crime of impersonation.

This means that with the reaching of the mandatory retirement age of 35 years of active service on January 3, 2019, and the mandatory retirement age of 60years of age while in service by the

IGP (which comes up on January 15, 2019), the IGP is constitutionally barred from being retained or reappointed as IGP as he is no longer a serving police officer.

His continued stay in office is illegal and an act of impersonation as there is no legal or documentary contrary evidence to back up his stay as IGP.

We call on President Buhari to be courageous to announce the replacement and not bow to the pressure to cement illegality in the core of the nations security architecture due to his desperation to rig himself back to power knowing he has been rejected by the Nigerian people.

The uncertainty in the leadership of the police in such auspicious moment emboldens persons with sinister motives and demoralises senior officers of the force due to this abrupt and unlawful halt to their career progression.

The law is clear on who can be appointed as Inspector-General of Police and who cannot be appointed as Inspector-General of Police and Mr. Ibrahim Idris is now in the latter group.

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It is flowing from this and to save our dear country from further drift from a government that lacks capacity to provide leadership to our country that the secretariat of CUPP hereby directs all coalition members in the 36 states to begin preparation for nationwide protests from January 15 if the retired IGP is seen dressed in police uniform around the Force Headquarters.

The protests will be in front of the police command headquarters of every state and shall be continuous till the right thing is done.

Going further, Ugochinyere added that: During the protests, there shall be a declaration that since Mr. Ibrahim Idris is no longer a police officer, he cannot be addressed as IGP and a call to him to steer clear of the Force Headquarters.

By January 15, Mr. Ibrahim Idris would have attained both 35 years(January 3, 2019) in service and 60 years of age (January 15, 2019) and he would have been roundly unqualified to occupy the office of the Inspector-General of Police.

Finally, we call on President Buhari that he should realise now that he would be held personally responsible if there is a breakdown of law and order, loss of lives and property if he continues down this path of noxious plots to rig himself into power. A word is enough for the wise!

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Shillong, January 7: Unidentified persons lobbed a molotov cocktail at a BJP office here partially damaging it, a police officer said Monday. No casualty was reported in the explosion. The office was attacked before Tuesday's proposed North East bandh called by the North East Students Organisation, an umbrella organisation of students' bodies of the region, in protest against the prime minister's announcement to pass the Citizenship Bill.

An investigation has been initiated into the bomb attack on the BJP office, said Davis N R Marak, superintendent of police of East Khasi Hills district in which Shillong falls. "Unidentified men attacked the front portion of the office partially damaging it. The incident was reported around midnight last night," BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh said. Shiv Sena to Oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament: Sanjay Raut.

Meghalaya: Petrol bombs were hurled at BJP head quarters in Shillong yesterday. Alexander Laloo Hek, BJP says," We condemn any kind of violence. We will write a complaint to the Home Minister to find the culprit and take action." pic.twitter.com/O1ZWhtOdXP  ANI (@ANI) January 7, 2019

The office does not have CCTVs installed and hence it is up to the police to identity the assailants, he said. Protests were on in various places of the region over the Citizenship (amendment) 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. Citizenship Amendment Bill May Not Get Through in Winter Session of Parliament.

The Bill has been opposed by a large section of people and organisations in the Northeast. Meanwhile, the Meghalaya unit of the BJP has condemned the attack on its office and requested the police to tighten security in all its offices across the state. "The state unit of the BJP has strongly condemned the act of arson in its state headquarters at Bivar Road," BJP Minister A L Hek said in a statement.

An FIR was lodged and copies of it were also sent to the Chief Minister and Home Minister requesting stern action against those involved in the crime, he said. Hek, who is also the BJP legislature party leader, said the party has also requested the police to deploy security personnel in all its offices across the state to prevent such incident to take place. The BJP, having two MLAs, is part of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government headed by Conrad K Sangma of the National People's Party as the Chief Minister.
Washington D.C. [USA], Jan 08(ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States President Donald Trump exchanged New Year greetings in a telephonic conversation Monday evening and expressed satisfaction over the progress of US-India ties in 2018.

Sources told ANI that the US-India relations continue to be on a positive trajectory even at the diplomatic level - referring to a special expedited service provided for the newly appointed Ambassador of India to the United States, Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

"An extraordinary effort from the Trump administration that has gone an extra length to make sure that the Indian ambassador is functional within 48 hours after his arrival. Something that has never happened before," the source said.

A credential ceremony has been scheduled for more than 10 countries including India on January 11 at the White House, marking the beginning of the official period of Ambassadorship.

The source said that the reason for the swift clearance can be the new quality of relationship between the two democracies. "It shows the new trust and eagerness that highlights the positive traction between the two democracies" the official added.

The official further stated, "India is getting a lot of US attention, even though this span of attention may vary from time to time, the level of attention is very high. The quality of conversations between the two countries have grown dramatically".

The official further stated, "India is getting a lot of US attention, even though this span of attention may vary from time to time, the level of attention is very high. The quality of conversations between the two countries have grown dramatically."

The US will be sending a large delegation for the Raisina dialogue, an annual multi lateral conference organised by the Observer Research Foundation think thank, in New Delhi. Despite the government shutdown in the United States the official delegation from the Trump Administration will be the largest and the two countries will be engaging in bilateral conversation including a mini 2+2 dialogue.

During the telephonic conversation, both Prime Minister Modi and President Trump expressed satisfaction over the progress in India-US strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments, including the launch of the new 2+2 Dialogue mechanism, and the first-ever trilateral summit between India, the US and Japan at the sidelines of G20 summit held in Argentina last year.

The leaders agreed to strengthen U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan.

The two leaders took positive note of growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism, energy and coordination on regional and global issues.

They also agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries in 2019. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Jan 8 (ANI): Former United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Tony Blair met with Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday at the Real Time Governance Centre (RTG) situated in the secretariat.

Welcoming the world leader, Naidu recalled the fact that the British politician was the youngest to become prime minister of his country at the age of 43. He also reiterated Blair's enormous contribution to the governance practices by being the first to introduce the National minimum wage act and Freedom of information act.

Furthermore, Naidu shared the vision he has for the state and how it has been equipped far better than before through Real-Time Governance. He also shared his seven missions for the state's progress and five grids that would enable these missions.

The Blair - Naidu bonhomie dates back to the former's visit to Andhra Pradesh during Naidu's previous tenure in 2002 when Blair and his wife were taken on a visit to experience rural India by Naidu himself.

Blair recalled his last visit and said "It has been 20 years and we came into the leadership positions at the same time. I stopped. You survived ageing and kept going". (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Rome, January 3 - A clash between Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and centre-left and left-leaning mayors on the minister's recent security and migrant decree continued on Thursday. As Salvini said the mayors would have to change their allegedly lenient ways regarding migrants, a new front was opened over a migrant ship that has been seeking landfall for over a week. Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris said Thursday he was ready to open his port to Sea Watch, an NGO ship that has been roaming the Mediterranean for days with 32 migrants on board. "I hope this boat comes to the port of Naples because unlike what the government says we will put into the field a rescue action and we will let it into the port," he said. He said "I will be the first to lead the rescue actions". Italian ports are closed to NGO migrant rescue ships, Salvini reiterated after de Magistris's promise. "Italian ports are closed, we have already accepted too many fake refugees, we have enriched too many migrant smugglers!," he said. "Let the leftwing mayors think of their citizens in difficulty, not about clandestine migrants". The party is over for some leftwing mayors who allegedly benefited from migrant reception business, Salvini went on to say. "With the (Democratic Party) it was chaos and clandestine migrants, with the League it is order and respect," said the leader of the anti-migrant League party. "Certain mayors look back fondly on the good old times of immigration, but for them too the party is over!". Salvini was commenting on a rebellion against his migrant-security decree by mayors including Palermo's Leoluca Orlando who say it unfairly strips some migrants of access to healthcare and other local services and allegedly ejects thousands of migrants from the system creating potential criminals. Orlando, for his part, said his perceived rebellion against Salvini's allegedly "inhuman" migrant clampdown had been "a dutiful institutional act". "Don't call me a rebel. My action is a dutiful institutional act, against a decree that authoritative men of the Church have described as inhuman", he said in press interviews. Orlando has been joined by other left-leaning mayors including de Magistris in Naples, Dario Nardella in Florence, and Federico Pizzarotti in Parma in saying they will not apply some allegedly unconstitutional norms in the decree. Orlando went on to say that he would turn to a judge to raise the issue of whether the decree complies with the Italian Constitution. He said he hoped raising the issue at a judicial level would lead to the Constitutional Court examining the decree. The other deputy premier, Salvini's ruling partner Luigi Di Maio of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, accused the mayors of indulging in "electoral spots". "It's just electioneering on the part of mayors who have to feel a bit leftwing by making a bit of noise," said Di Maio, who is also labour and industry minister. The European Commission has been in touch with some member States to find landing spots for the 32 migrants on board NGO rescue ship Sea watch, an EC spokesman said Thursday, adding that the contacts also concerned another ship, Sea Eye. The spokesman said Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos "directly contacted member States in the last few days". He said the commissioner "is asking member States to help this joint effort to disembark those on board safely and as soon as possible".
Rome, January 8 - The mothers of some Rome schoolchildren said Tuesday that there were dead rats in rubbish near the institute. Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi has been accused of not doing enough to deal with the capital's trash woes.
Palermo, January 8 - Lucia Riina, 39, the youngest daughter of late Corleonesi Cosa Nostra mafia boss Toto Riina, posted some photos on Facebook last fall with the caption "new life" flagging a restaurant called after the infamous Cosa Nostra fief in Paris. Her father, who was arrested in Palermo in January 1993, died in prison on November 17, 2017. She had long wished to leave Corleone, where she said she felt "oppressed" and "marginalised", and where she maintained that she and her family had a low income. Now, part of the new life she posted about includes a restaurant that has opened in the City of Lights, called "Corleone by Lucia Riina". Riina moved with her husband Vincenzo Bellomo, 44, and their two-year-old daughter to Paris, where the restaurant bearing her autograph promises "authentic Sicilian-Italian food to discover in an elegant and welcoming atmosphere". The restaurant - located on the Rue Daru, not far from the Arc de Triomphe - is owned by an Italian S.p.A. corporation called Luvitopace, with a share capital of 1,000 euros and whose president is Pierre Duthilleul. The young man who answered the phone at the restaurant said it wouldn't be possible to speak with Bellomo or Riina and that the restaurant is owned by two French citizens. Lucia, reached by chat, asked for "respect for privacy" and said she doesn't give interviews. She married Vincenzo Bellomo, a Corleone native, in 2008. Bellomo became the focus of antimafia investigations after it was suspected he was the "Vincenzo Bellomo" referred to in a "pizzino", a handwritten note on a small slip of paper used by the mafia for passing information and directives. The pizzino was found in the hideout of Montagna dei Cavalli, in Corleone, where mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano was arrested. In 2017, after Lucia Riina's daughter was born, she was twice denied a state "baby bonus" welfare payment by the City of Corleone, and then once denied the bonus by the Italian social security agency INPS. At that time, she wrote on Facebook: "We will ask the Italian president to revoke Italian citizenship both for us as well as for our daughter, so that it will be clear to the entire world how the Italy of politics and media treats its children, because they are ugly, dirty, and evil".
Rome, January 8 - Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio said Tuesday that members of the opposition, centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and some newspapers were lying about the government's intervention to help troubled bank Carige. "How many lies in the newspapers and from (ex-premier and former PD leader Matteo) Renzi and (ex-minister Maria Elena) Boschi," 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Di Maio said. "We haven't given a euro to the banks. "Do you think these failed politicians and the media would continue to wage war on us? "Wake up!!!". Premier Giuseppe Conte's government approved a decree to support Carige late on Monday. The decree means the lender will be able to have State guarantees for future bond issues and loans from the Bank of Italy. It will also be able to request a State-backed precautionary recapitalisation if necessary. The two ruling parties, the M5S and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's League, were both highly critical of interventions to rescue troubled banks by PD-led administrations in the past. "Salvini and Di Maio should be ashamed," said ex-premier and former PD leader Matteo Renzi. "All it took was a 10-minute nighttime cabinet meeting to belie five years of insults and lies against us". Salvini defended the government's position. "While Renzi and (former reform minister and former cabinet secretary) Boschi ignored and forgot savers, we intervened immediately to defend them without doing any favours for the banks, for foreigners, or for friends of friends," Salvini said. Boschi's father was a former executive of one of the banks involved in an operation by Renzi's government. Premier Conte does not have a conflict of interest in the Carige case because he allegedly worked for former Carige partner Raffaele Mincione or with former Carige director Giudo Arpa, government sources said Tuesday, denying those claims. Conte, a lawyer by trade, was never a consultant of Mincione's, indeed he "has never met or known him, not even via a third party", they said; and as for Alpa, he "has never had a an associated professional studio with him". Given the absence of a conflict of interest, the sources said, Conte had been able to vote in Monday night's cabinet meeting that approved the decree to support the Genoa bank.
Brussels, January 8 - The European Commission has accepted a petition from France and Germany to examine Fincantieri's acquisition of Chantiers de l'Atlantique (the new name of STX), the antitrust authority said. The examination will look into the risk that the takeover could damage European and international competition in the shipbuilding sector in a significant way. French presidential sources said "The European Commission is following the dossier, and France has not asked for absolutely anything. "It must not in any way be seen as a form of political reprisal".
Rome, January 8 - Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio hit back on Tuesday after French European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau told Italian officials to butt out after expressing support for the Yellow Vests protest movement. Di Maio said Monday that his 5-Star Movement (M5S) was ready to provide support to the Yellow Vests while fellow Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and League party leader Matteo Salvini, also voiced his backing for the protests. Di Maio said Tuesday that it was rich of France to tell Italy to mind its own business. "Maybe (Loiseau) is forgetting that her president, (Emmanuel) Macron), compared us to leprosy when talking about our government," Di Maio said on Facebook. Loiseau also returned to the issue on Tuesday, saying Paris would take it up with Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi. "We speak often, about many things," she said. "We'll talk about this too. "The priority of every government is to take care of the well-being of its citizens, so I think that the well-being of the Italian people is the priority of the Italian government. "I don't think dealing with the yellow vests has anything to do with the well-being of the Italian people". Loiseau briefly touched on the issue with Moavero on the sidelines of the EU general affairs council in Brussels. A source at Macron's office, meanwhile, said Di Maio's words in support for the Yellow Vests were "for domestic electoral purposes". The Elyseee Palace source said the words were probably aimed at League leader Salvini, who is seen as overshadowing the M5S leader, or at his own M5S rival Alessandro Di Battista, and certainly not at Macron. "We don't want to add polemic to polemic," said the source. "It's not worth it". The European Commission, meanwhile, said Tuesday that it was behind Macron's executive. "We don't make comments on other comments," a spokesperson for Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said. "The European Commission supports President Macron and the French authorities, who have our confidence to put into practice the programme the president was elected on".
Turin, January 8 - The TAV high-speed rail line between Turin and Lyon doesn't cost 11 billion euros as asserted by Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli but only 4.8 billion, Piedmont Governor Sergio Chiamparino said Tuesday. He said Toninelli had been referring to an original estimate that was halved by a 2012 deal. This was not taking into account the EU's readiness to raise its quota, he said.
Vatican City, January 8 - In his message for the 27th World Day of the Sick, Pope Francis urged believers to promote a culture of generosity, noting that the joy of generous giving is a barometer of the health of a Christian, Vatican News reported. Francis said that those who care for the sick and give of themselves with generosity and straightforward love - like St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta - are amongst the Church's most credible evangelizers. In his message for the World Day of the Sick, celebrated on 11 February, the Pope focused on Jesus's words to the Apostles: "You received without payment; give without payment"
Ancona, January 8 - The Marche regional government has become the latest Italian region to mull an appeal to the Constitutional Court against the government's security-migrant decree that allegedly strips asylum seekers of basic rights. Five regions are already appealing against the decree. Umbria and Piedmont on Monday joined Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Calabria in filing suits to the Constitutional Court to see if the decree complies with Italy's founding charter, while Lazio said it was considering the move. The legal move comes after some leftwing mayors rebelled against the decree, including Naples' Luigi de Magistris and Palermo's Leoluca Orlando, who said his local authority would not apply it. The decree was drafted by Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Salvini, who has said it will create order in the management of asylum seekers and boost security. He also said only migrants who commit crimes will be penalised but opponents have denied this. Critics say it unfairly strips some migrants of access to healthcare and other local services and will see thousands of people ejected from the legal reception system, creating potential criminals.
Rome, January 8 - Premier Giuseppe Conte's government came under fire from the opposition centre-left Democratic Party (PD) on Tuesday after approving a decree to support troubled Italian bank Carige. The decree means the lender will be able to have State guarantees for future bond issues and loans from the Bank of Italy. It will also be able to request a State-backed precautionary recapitalisation if necessary. The two ruling parties, Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio's 5-Star Movement (M5S) and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's League, were both highly critical of interventions to rescue troubled banks by PD-led administrations in the past. "Salvini and Di Maio should be ashamed," said ex-premier and former PD leader Matteo Renzi. "All it took was a 10-minute nighttime cabinet meeting to belie five years of insults and lies against us". Salvini defended the government's position. "While Renzi and (former reform minister and former cabinet secretary Maria Elena) Boschi ignored and forgot savers, we intervened immediately to defend them without doing any favours for the banks, for foreigners, or for friends of friends," Salvini said. Boschi's father was a former executive of one of the banks involved in an operation by Renzi's government.
Genoa, January 3 - There is no risk of Carige defaulting, the former CEO and now commissioner of the Genoa-based bank, Fabio Innocenzi, said Thursday. "The bank is well capitalised and has a clear governance, so our clients can count on their Carige," he told Class CNBC. Innocenzi said Carige had had an "important" subordinated loan from the Interbank Deposit Protection Fund (FITD), "which brought us into line with the requirements and the asset obligations of the bank. "Carige is OK, the ordinary activity continues". The troubled northwestern lender was placed into extraordinary administration by the European Central Bank Wednesday after most of its board quit after Italy's 10th-biggest bank failed to secure shareholder support for a 400 million euro share issue last month. The move came as the lender seeks a partner for a merger, sources said. The administrators were named as Innocenzi, former chairman Pietro Modiano, and Rome Tor Vergata and Luiss universities' lecturer in financial law, Raffaele Lener, the ECB said. The ECB said they had been "tasked with safeguarding the stability" of the bank. Bourse regulator CONSOB suspended trading in Carige at the bank's request. The European Commission will closely monitor the situation at Carige, an EC spokesman told ANSA Wednesday. Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio repeated that pledge on Thursday. "As always we closely monitor developments in the EU banking sector, Italy included," the EC spokesman said. "We duly note the ECB's decision, in its capacity as supervisor, to name a temporary administrator for Carige" as one of the moves available thanks to banking union, he said. Italian banks have made "significant progress" in recent years, the spokesman added. The work must continue but non-performing loans (NPLs) have been substantially reduced, he said. Italy's Interbank Deposit Protection Fund (FITD) on Wednesday said Carige needed to merge with another bank to pull it out of its current crisis. FITD chief Salvatore Maccarone told ANSA the fund "backed" the ECB's move "because it will serve to carry forward the original plan, a merger with another bank". He said the failure of Carige's capital call last month "is proof that the overall governance mechanism has got stuck, and therefore this (ECB-ordered administration) is the only thing that could have been done". The ECB's move comes after years of troubles for Italian banks. Six small, regional banks have had to be rescued in recent years, with ordinary savers losing billions of euros. Big banks also got into trouble with the third-biggest and world's oldest, Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS), undergoing precautionary recapitalisation after racking up too many bad loans. MPS, founded in 1472, is recovering from its crisis. Carige, founded in 1483, has 529 branches across Italy with one branch in France, in Nice. About 37.2% branches are located in its home region of Liguria.
Rome, January 8 - Carabinieri police on Tuesday arrested three nursery school teachers and an assistant for the alleged mistreatment of pupils aged three to five in the Castelli Romani area near to Rome, sources said. Police based in the town of Velletri documented the four allegedly hitting children on the head and insulting them via bugs and video recordings, the sources said. The suspects are are under arrest.
Rome, January 7 - A reporter and a photojournalist for L'Espresso magazine were attacked by far-right militants on Monday while covering the commemoration in Rome of the victims of a 1978 attack against far-right activists, the online edition of the weekly reports. Reporter Federico Marconi and photographer Paolo Marchetti on Monday morning were "kicked and slapped" by members of the neo-fascist movement "Avanguardia Nazionale and the head of Forza Nuova Roma", the Roman chapter of the extremist party, at the Verano cemetery in Rome, L'Espresso said. "The assailants included the Roman head of Forza Nuova Giuliano Castellino", the magazine reported, although he is "under special surveillance" and was not supposed to attend the event to commemorate Franco Bigonzetti and Francesco Ciavatta, members of the now dissolved neo-Fascist Movimento Sociale Italiano party who were killed on January 7, 1978. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini responded to the incident by saying "those who beat people up should go to prison." He said he wanted to know why one of the assailants was free despite being supposedly under special surveillance.
Rome, January 7 - A delegation from Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) will fly to Atlanta later this week to gauge Delta Airlines's possible interest in Alitalia in the light of possible bids from Lufthansa and EasyJet, sources said Monday. The State rail company's industrial plan is expected by the end of this month but may now be put off, they said.
Rome, January 7 - The 95th edition of international menswear trade fair Pitti Uomo is kicking off Tuesday in Florence at the Fortezza da Basso with 1,230 brands, including 542 from abroad, showcasing their fall-winter 2019-2020 collections. The leading trade fair wraps up on Friday. Belgian designer Glenn Martens, the creative director of Paris-based label Y/Project, will be the special guest of this edition of Pitti. Aldo Maria Camillo of the eponymous label Aldomariacamillo, who has previously worked for Zegna, Valentino, Cerruti and Berluti, will present his first collection at the Pitti Italics special event. Another initiative mixing fashion with art and music, Slam Jam, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with an event at the Marino Marini Museum. Other initiativeswill include Art-Meets-Fashion, a special project by brand Haculla Haculla. The label inspired by the work of street artist Harid Guzman and its creative director Jon Koon will be presenting an installation dedicated to the evolution of New York's street art and innovative materials. At Pitti, snow boots brand Moon Boot is also celebrating its 50th birthday with an event at the Stazione Leopolda and a special exhibition space at the Fortezza. Outdoor clothing company Woolrich is promoting another special event while sneakers brand Diadora will celebrate its 70th anniversary with the exhibit It Plays Something Else. Ecoalf, a pioneering brand in sustainable fashion, is launching a capsule collection entirely made in Italy with sustainable and recycled fabrics designed by stylist Ana Gimeno and designer Tiziano Guardini at the Fortezza and Villa Strozzi's Limonaia. Herno is presenting its collection Laminar- Sartorial Engineering, an evolution of its Herno Laminar line debuted in 2012 at Pitti Uomo. Allegri is unveiling its now collaboration with British label Cottweiler, designed by Ben Cottrell and Matthew Dainty, called Cottweiler for Allegri: a capsule collection of 10 raincoats. Portugal will be the guest country of this edition of the trade fair with labels Caiagua, Ecol, Hugo Costa, Ideal & Co, Labuta, Nycole, Poente and Westmister. Pitti's agenda will include the second edition of the Scandinavian Manifesto with collections by designers from Denmark, Sweden and Norway at the Arena Strozzi. Another key event of Pitti 95 is the Tokyo Fashion Award with the presentation of collections of six up-and-coming Japanese labels: Anei, Cinoh, Jieda, Nobuyuki Matsui, Postelegant, Rainmaker.
Students will build a house on a former blighted property in Lebanon, Mo.

The Lebanon School District bought this property on Hoover Street from the city. The city condemned it. And the city had the old house here torn down. Now students will build a new house there.

The district broke ground on their project this morning in a ceremony with community leaders. Then the kids got right to work on excavation and measuring out where the footings for their foundation will go. They will do everything from the framing to the roofing.

Students with the Lebanon technology and career center will be out here each day, one group for a few hours in the morning and another for a few hours in the afternoon. Donations from businesses and individuals in the community will help with supplies.

Students even created their own construction company for this project, which they're calling Construction Technology Cares, and they all have a specific job. It's giving them all some good hands-on experience in the construction industry.

"Construction was just one of the things that, I like to be able to look back at a day and know that, oh I did this," said Breanna Carruth, Lebanon Technology and Career Center student. "And be able to drive down the street and, oh yeah, we built that house. We're making our community better. Because before we got this house, it was actually a pretty bad nuisance in this neighborhood."

The Lebanon Technology Career Center students hope to finish this construction project in about a year-and-a-half. Once the house is completed, the school district will put it up for sale.
BOZEMAN - Authorities have released the name of a Bozeman police officer who shot and killed a suspect.

Sgt. Ben Green is identified as the officer who shot and killed a suspect on Jan. 3. Police say the suspect brandished a handgun and hatchet at officers, "posing a lethal threat."

A release from the Bozeman Police Department says:

"Sergeant Green is a veteran officer with over 12 and a half years of service with the Bozeman Police Department. In accordance with departmental policy, Sergeant Green is on paid administrative leave while an internal review of the incident is conducted.

The Montana Division of Criminal Investigation is continuing their investigation into the incident."
BUTTE  With everything from Evel Knievels high school memorabilia to genealogy records from the 1890s, the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives have been providing people with Mining City history for the past 40 years.

Aubrey Jaap is an expert. And she says these archives are extremely unique.

or starters, none of the collections are purchased - Community members donate all of the artifacts. It allows people to preserve their family history and contribute to Montana historic records.

We love that we let our people connect with our record, she says. I think its super special that the people of Butte can connect with their community in that way as well.

The sharing extends to Facebook, where followers will see some of the best throwback Thursdays and flashback Fridays around.

And its the people behind the scenes who truly bring the history to life, like Larry Cyr. He works to identify people in old photos. Hes come across a local legend on occasion.

I found one picture of a dance, probably a junior or senior prom, and the only person I can recognize by name is Bob Knievel.

Thats right  Evel Knievel at a high school dance.

Its unique items like this that bring people from as far away as Finland and Ireland to the heart of the Montanas history.

The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives this weeks Montana Treasure.

The archives are free and open from 9-5 on weekdays. Right now, visitors can check out World War I and Spanish flu exhibits, which will be up through February.
MISSOULA - Officials are asking parents to look out for a potentially deadly social media challenge known as the Momo Challenge."

The Momo Challenge is a form of cyber bullying that sends graphic threats to users on WhatsApp.

WhatsApp is a free messaging app that allows people to send text messages, video, and voice calls.

Reports say the WhatsApp user "Momo" has threatened and bullied people across the world into doing unsafe tasks, resulting in the suicides of two teenagers in the South American country of Colombia.

Children are encouraged to message the user "Momo". The account will send threats and dangerous dares telling children they'll be punished by Momo if they fail.

A Missoula police officer says it's all the more reason for parents to monitor their children's online activity.

"Be aware of what your children are doing online, what their activity is like, what they're looking at," says Travis Welsh, public information officer for Missoula police. "Make sure you're aware of all their devices and how they might be connected and what they are connected to."

With the responsibilities of a parent ever changing in the digital age, monitoring what your child can help protect your loved ones and telling them why trends like the Momo Challenge are dangerous can make all the difference.

Mother Jessie Lundberg said she'll adjust the control setting on her daughter's phone to limit what her child has access to.

"When stuff has come up like that I try and talk about it with her, but keeping it on a general, light note," Lundberg says. "Like, 'if you see anything or if something happens, be sure to tell me.' Without getting into detail that makes her more worried."

But some parents like Randy Kline have seen the online brutality first-hand, leading him to keep his children offline until he can educate them about the dangers of the internet.

"Ive actually experienced some of it myself being an adult. There are a lot of people out there that do not know how to put a filter on their mouth or their hands when they are texting or messaging," Kline said.

Again, its really important for parents to control what their kids are doing on the internet or over social media to avoid cyber bullying.

Missoula police urge parents or children who find themselves in a dangerous situation online to contact law enforcement and their local school district.
Weather Alert

...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * IMPACTS: Low humidities, hot temperatures, and strong gusty winds will create erratic fire behavior. * AFFECTED AREA: In South Central MT Fire Zones...125...126...127...128...129. In Southeast MT Fire Zones...130...131. * COUNTIES AFFECTED: In Central MT...Golden Valley...Musselshell. In South Central MT...Big Horn...Carbon...Park...Stillwater Sweet Grass...Yellowstone. In Southeast MT...Powder River...Rosebud...Treasure. * WIND: Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. * HUMIDITY: As low as 5 percent. * TEMPERATURES: 104 to 109 degrees. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. &&

...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions. * WHERE...Portions of central, south central, and southeast Montana. Portions of north central Wyoming. * WHEN...From Noon today to 9 PM MDT this evening. * IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those working or participating in outdoor activities. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Records will be broken today. Expect highs ranging from near 100 to 109 degrees. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! &&
"We are going to be running at just about full capacity again this year after the pandemic last year," said Director of Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation PJ Holm. Read more
Police searching for two suspects who used tractor to break into Wells Fargo ATM in Hillsboro
Satellite imagery of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear testing site on Feb. 11, 2018. / 38 North website

By Kim Bo-eun



Questions are being raised about North Korea's development of nuclear power for energy purposes, after its leader made a reference during his New Year address.



Kim Jong-un mentioned nuclear energy, along with others including tidal, wind and hydroelectric power, as a means to boost the country's electricity supply.



Regarding the remark, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said "there is a need to focus on what this would mean in denuclearization talks." The remarks came during an interview with local broadcaster KBS.



Cho referred to a joint statement issued in September 2005 by six nations that were members of North Korea's denuclearization talks.



"There is a part that guarantees North Korea's peaceful use of nuclear energy according to progress on the nuclear issue," he said. "It is (the South Korean government's) stance that we should discuss the issue of the North's nuclear power generation or peaceful use of nukes after progress is made on denuclearization."



The statement says "North Korea stated it has the right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The other parties expressed their respect and agreed to discuss at an appropriate time the subject of the provision of light-water reactor to North Korea."



There is speculation that the North Korean leader's remarks on nuclear energy may be a prelude to possible claims that a light water reactor that is known to be under construction at Yongbyon, and uranium enrichment facilities to supply fuel for the reactor are unrelated to the development of nuclear weapons.



There were reports last year of progress on North Korea's experimental light water reactor at Yongbyon. It is known to have been under construction since 2010.



The reference to nuclear energy comes at a time denuclearization talks between North Korea and the U.S. have failed to make progress over the past year, despite the North Korean leader's pledge to work toward this goal. Pyongyang claimed it dismantled facilities at its Punggye-ri nuclear and Tongchang-ri missile testing sites but these measures have yet to be verified.




Man shot at after driving away from alleged robbers in south St. Louis, police say
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Herald reports:

The SPCA is calling for a ban on pest control poison 1080 over concerns about animal welfare.

In a statement issued this week, the charity said it was deeply concerned over the use of 1080, and the use of poisons to kill animals due to the level of suffering they caused.

Environmental organisation Forest & Bird has called the SPCAs position naive, and one that would lead to cruel deaths and extinctions of native birds.

Sodium fluoroacetate, more commonly known as 1080, is a poison, mixed into baits, and used to control the numbers of a range of mammalian species, particularly possums and rats.



The SPCA called for a greater emphasis on finding ways for species that could not be completely removed to co-exist with native birds, and for finding more humane methods of pest control.

This is real nutty stuff from the SPCA.

Without 1080, tens of millions of native birds will get ripped to pieces and eaten by stoats, rats and possums. That isnt particularly humane either.



Forest & Bird chief executive Kevin Hague said the SPCAs position showed a naive failure to understand how nature works in the wild, and they would be seeking a meeting with the organisation to discuss its position.

Their position reflects their history of caring for domesticated animals such as cats and dogs, without understanding the needs of New Zealands native animals and ecosystems.



While the idea of stoats and rats peacefully coexisting with native birds sounds great, the reality is that an estimated 25 million native birds, eggs and chicks are cruelly eaten alive by introduced predators every year in New Zealand.



This is the terrible death that countless native animals across New Zealand suffer every night.



The SPCAs position on 1080 is a blow to their credibility. Its sad to see them promoting flawed logic whose outcome is the extinction through being eaten alive of treasured animals like our kiwi, kereru and kokako.

Forest & Bird are correct on this.

The SPCA seems to be saying it is better to have entire species of native birds go extinct, rather than poison a single rat or stoat.

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(Updates with SMB joining Better Sourcing)

By Fiston Mahamba and Barbara Lewis

GOMA/LONDON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of Congo's biggest miner of coltan, an ore containing metals used in mobile phones, is leaving the ITSCI certification scheme relied on as a guarantee that minerals are free from human rights abuses.

Societe Miniere de Bisunzu (SMB) has given 30 days' notice to end its contract with the ITSCI supply chain initiative, SMB Communications Director Philippe Stuyck told Reuters, citing the scheme's rising costs.

In emailed statements, SMB later announced it was instead joining another scheme, the Better Sourcing programme, which was implemented by responsible-sourcing group RCS Global.

"The transparency of our supply chain remains our main priority, which is why we are doing everything we can to improve and modernise it," Stuyck said.

Many others in the industry have complained about ITSCI for reasons including cost but have been reluctant to pull out because of concerns they will not be able to sell their minerals without ITSCI certification.

ITSCI did not respond to requests for comment.

SMB, in a letter to the Democratic Republic of Congo's mines minister dated Dec. 13 and seen by Reuters, said "the Societe Miniere de Bisunzu had no choice but to end its relations with ITSCI" because it could no longer pay "higher and higher costs".

Coltan is an ore that contains tantalum, used in technology such as mobile phones and laptops. SMB declined to name its clients, but the company supplies the mineral to Europe, the United States and Asia.

ITSCI was introduced after the 2010 Dodd Frank legislation, drawn up in response to the global financial crisis and which requires U.S. companies to vet their supply chains.

The scheme has provided a way for companies to continue to use minerals from Congo and neighbouring Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.

The system of bagging and tagging metals is designed as a guarantee that the minerals in question are unconnected with conflict, child labour or other human rights abuses.

However, many mining companies have said the costs of ITSCI are increasingly burdensome.

"That ITSCI does not review the traceability cost is a huge burden to all of us," Rwanda Mining Association Chairman Jean Malic Kalima told Reuters.

"The only challenge that stops some of the Rwandan miners from joining other traceability programmes is whether end-buyers are comfortable with them," he said.

The pressure on ITSCI to lower costs has increased as others working in responsible sourcing seek to use blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrency bitcoin, to help to track minerals and guarantee they are clean. Kalima said that costs range between $130 and $180 a tonne, depending on the mineral.

(Additional reporting by Clement Uwiringiyimana, Pratima Desai in London and Aaron Ross in Dakar Editing by Susan Fenton and David Goodman)
TOKYO (Reuters) - Ousted Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn declared his innocence in his first public appearance since his November arrest, telling a Tokyo court on Tuesday that he had been wrongly accused of financial misconduct.

Ghosn, credited with rescuing Nissan Motor Co from near-bankruptcy two decades ago, was brought into the courtroom in handcuffs and a rope around his waist. He was wearing a navy suit and white shirt without a tie, and looked thinner than before his arrest, with his dark hair showing gray roots.

I have been wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations, the 64-year-old executive told the Tokyo District Court in a clear voice, reading from a prepared statement.

I believe strongly that in all of my efforts on behalf of the company, I have acted honorably, legally and with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate executives inside the company, he said.

From early morning, a crowd of journalists and television crews thronged outside the courthouse, and some 1,122 people lined up for 14 court seats assigned by lottery, highlighting strong interest in the case. News of the hearing was given top billing on public broadcaster NHK throughout the day.

The court hearing, requested by Ghosns lawyers, was held to explain the reasons for his prolonged detention since his Nov. 19 arrest rather than to argue merits of the case. Judge Yuichi Tada said the detention was due to flight risk and possibility he could conceal evidence.

But Ghosn used the opportunity to deny accusations against him, kicking off what is expected to be a lengthy counter-attack against the accusations.

Former prosecutor Nobuo Gohara said the court appearance was a public relations victory for Ghosn because it gave him an opportunity to counter the weeks of negative news about him.

In this high-profile case, news had been dominated by information from the prosecutors and Nissan, so the public tended to view him accordingly, he said. But today it was all Ghosn. Thats very significant.

After weeks of silence, Ghosns lawyers insisted in an afternoon press conference that the courts have no reason to keep him behind bars during the investigation.

On Dec. 31, the Tokyo District Court granted prosecutors request to extend Ghosns detention by 10 days until Jan. 11.

But former prosecutor Motonari Otsuru, who heads Ghosns defense team, said it was likely Ghosn would stay in custody until the trial starts, which could be in six months, given the practice in Japan of keeping defendants locked up until trial.

The Tokyo District Court said later on Tuesday that Ghosns lawyers have asked for an end to his detention.

One of Ghosns lawyers, Masato Oshikubo, told Reuters that a reply from the court to the request could come on Wednesday.

INVESTMENT LOSSES AND SAUDI PAYMENTS

Ghosn has been formally charged with under-reporting his income. He has also been arrested, but not yet indicted, on allegations of aggravated breach of trust in shifting personal investment losses to the carmaker.

I never received any compensation from Nissan that was not disclosed, nor did I ever enter into any binding contract with Nissan to be paid a fixed amount that was not disclosed, Ghosn told the court.

Regarding allegations that he transferred losses to Nissan, Ghosn said he had asked the company to temporarily take on his foreign exchange contracts after the 2008-2009 financial crisis prompted his bank to call for more collateral.

He said he did this to avoid having to resign and use his retirement allowance for collateral.

My moral commitment to Nissan would not allow me to step down during that crucial time, said Ghosn. A captain doesnt jump ship in the middle of a storm.

Otsuru said that Nissan had agreed to the arrangement, on condition that any losses or gains would be Ghosns.

Ghosn said the contracts were transferred back to him and that Nissan did not incur a loss.

Ghosn is also accused of paying $14.7 million to Saudi businessman Khaled Al-Juffali using Nissan funds in exchange for arranging a letter of credit to help with his investment losses.

Ghosn said that Juffalis company was compensated for critical services that substantially benefited Nissan, including soliciting financing and resolving a business dispute.

The Khaled Juffali Company has issued a statement saying it had received the payments for legitimate business purposes.

Nissan, which has ousted Ghosn as chairman, reiterated that its internal investigation prompted by an informant had uncovered substantial and convincing evidence of misconduct and that its investigation was ongoing and expanding in scope.

ALLIANCE RATTLED

The case has rattled Nissans alliance with French automaker Renault SA, where Ghosn remains chairman and chief executive. He had been pushing for a deeper tie-up, including potentially a full merger at the French governments urging, despite strong reservations at Nissan.

French Labour Minister Muriel Penicaud reiterated the governments call for Nissan and Renault to preserve the alliance, seen as crucial for the two to compete long term amid trends such as autonomous driving.

The most important thing today is that the presumption of innocence is respected and that we look after the Renault-Nissan alliance. There are many jobs at stake, she told a television news channel.

Ghosns arrest has also put Japans criminal justice system under international scrutiny and sparked criticism for some of its practices, including keeping suspects in detention for long periods and prohibiting defense lawyers from being present during interrogations that can last eight hours a day.

Ghosn has been held at the Tokyo Detention Center, a spartan facility where small rooms have a toilet in the corner and no heater. His son, Anthony Ghosn, said his father had lost 10 kgs (22 pounds) during his detention, according to Frances weekly Journal du Dimanche.

Otsuru said Ghosn had been moved to a larger room with a western-style bed, but did not say when that had happened.

Nissans Representative Director Greg Kelly, who was also arrested on Nov. 19 and has been charged with conspiring to under-report Ghosns income, was released on Dec. 25 after posting bail of 70 million yen, or about $640,000, in cash.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House sought to make the case on Monday that President Donald Trump had not changed his position on withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria, a day after his national security adviser outlined conditions for a withdrawal that could take months.

Trumps abrupt announcement last month that he was bringing home the roughly 2,000 troops in Syria, saying they had succeeded in their mission to defeat Islamic State there, sparked concern among officials in Washington and allies abroad and prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign.

In recent days, Trump administration officials have applied the brakes, making clear the withdrawal will not happen quickly. The president himself said last week that the United States would get out of Syria slowly over a period of time.

The president hasnt changed his position, as he mentioned his primary goal is to ensure the safety of our troops and the safety of our allies as well, White House spokeswoman Mercedes Schlapp told Fox News on Monday. And so the Department of Defense will come up with its operational plan to safely withdraw our troops.

It takes time to take the troops out because we want to make sure that our troops are safe in this process, she said.

On Sunday, White House national security adviser John Bolton added a new condition to the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, saying Turkey must agree to protect the United States Kurdish allies.

Trump reiterated on Sunday that the United States would be pulling its troops out of Syria but suggested the move might not happen soon.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNBC on Monday that the Syria drawdown is a change of tactics but reiterated that it does not alter the U.S. commitment to defeat Islamic State and counter Irans influence in the region.

Islamic State has been beaten back from large areas of territory it once controlled in Syria but Trumps announcement of a U.S. pullout left many questions open, including whether Kurdish fighters who had been operating in northern Syria alongside U.S. forces would now be attacked by their long-time enemy, Turkey.

Allies were also concerned that the withdrawal could leave the United States with few options to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State.

As to whether Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could be trusted not to turn on Americas Kurdish allies in Syria, Pompeo said Erdogan made a commitment to President Trump.

On Dec. 19, the day he first announced the pullout, Trump said in a video message, referring to the U.S. troops, Theyre all coming back and theyre coming back now. We won.

At the time, the White House declined to offer a timeline for withdrawal. However, one U.S. official said then that Washington aimed to withdraw troops within 60 to 100 days and a second official said they could leave even sooner.
WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The United States and China are likely to reach a good settlement over immediate trade issues while agreement on structural trade issues and enforcement will be harder, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said on Monday as U.S.-China trade talks resumed.

Ross, in an interview on CNBC, said the talks in Beijing would help determine whether trade differences between the world's two largest economies could be resolved through negotiations.

"I think there's a very good chance that we will get a reasonable settlement that China can live with, that we can live with and that addresses all of the key issues. And to me those are immediate trade. That's probably the easiest one to solve," Ross said.

U.S. officials are meeting their counterparts this week for the first face-to-face talks since U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in December to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled global markets.

It is unclear if Beijing will yield to key U.S. demands over trade imbalances, market access, and more protection for intellectual property.

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. Even if a trade agreement is reached soon, analysts say it would be no panacea for China's economy, which is expected to continue decelerating in coming months. (Reporting by Susan Heavey;

Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
LONDON (Reuters) - Britains opposition Labour Party criticized the government on Monday for awarding a 14 million pound ($18 million) contract to a ferry company with no ships to provide backup freight cover in case the country exits the European Union without a deal.

Labours transport spokesman, Andy McDonald, said the transport ministry had failed to carry out proper checks on the company, Seaborne Freight, contrary to what it had asserted.

He pointed to mounting evidence of a lack of relevant expertise or experience on the part of Seaborne.

Our economy depends on these trading routes continuing to function yet [Transport Secretary] Chris Grayling is prepared to rely on amateurs in the event of a no deal, he said.

A no-deal (Brexit) scenario would be terrible for our transport networks under any circumstance but the sheer incompetence with which preparations have been handled is alarming in the extreme.

Seaborne Freight Chief Executive Ben Sharp rejected the criticism and said the company had been working on providing a ferry service for the last two years.

Collectively, the directors and investors of Seaborne have significant experience in operating vessels and ferries alike - in particular ferries in the Channel, he told Reuters.

Seaborne is no threat to the United Kingdom because they are not paying us anything until we deliver. So, what is the problem?

Currently, Britains EU membership means that trucks drive smoothly through border checks within the 28-nation bloc. But in a no-deal Brexit, even a few minutes delay at customs for each truck could mean vehicles backed up at ports and queued on feeder roads on both sides of the Channel.

British lawmakers are expected to reject Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal, potentially leading to a disruptive departure of the UK from the EU on March 29 without an agreement on their relationship.

Britain awarded contracts worth more than 100 million pounds in total to three shipping firms to provide extra ferries. The other two are established operators - French firm Brittany Ferries and Danish group DFDS.

Grayling said on Monday the contract with Seaborne was subject to the achievement of a range of key milestones.

It is not uncommon that they do not own their own vessels and will be chartering them through third parties, Grayling said. The bids we received to provide capacity were subject to technical, financial and commercial assurance.

In a review of UK filings, Seaborne Freights Sharp served as a director with a shipping company, Mercator International Ltd, which filed for insolvency in 2014. The firm owed creditors 1.7 million pounds, a filing for the year to March 31, 2013 showed.

Sharp said: That was part of a complex chartering contract that failed, and the company was wound up in the United Kingdom. The directors were not sanctioned, disciplined or criticized and that has never changed.

Seaborne Freight faced separate criticism last week when its business terms and conditions showed references to placing any meal/order, prompting speculation on social media that it had copied the format from a takeaway delivery company. Seaborne has since updated its website.
DUBAI (Reuters) - Smaller banks in the United Arab Emirates are facing regulatory pressure to merge after the fallout from a property downturn forced the state to lead a bailout of Invest Bank INVB.AD last month.

UAE has 50 commercial banks including 22 local lenders, a number seen as too high in a country of about 9.5 million people. Saudi Arabia, which has a population of 32 million, has 12 banks and is set to lose two of those if announced mergers are successfully concluded.

After two of the UAEs biggest lenders, First Gulf Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi, merged in 2017 to become First Abu Dhabi Bank FAB.AD, three more lenders are in talks to combine, led by Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank ADCB.AD.

Analysts expect mergers in the sector to accelerate given a slowing economy, slide in house prices, robust accounting standards and tougher competition.

There will be pressure on the bigger banks to absorb smaller lenders, said Sabah al-Binali, CEO of Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Universal Strategy.

People were expecting mergers from an economic point of view, but what you are seeing now is perhaps a greater regulatory push to strengthen balance sheets.

Smaller banks in the UAE, which are mostly family owned, have lost market share to the top four lenders, which now control around 65 percent of banking sector loans, according to Fitch. Despite that, their owners have resisted mergers, partly due to differences over who would control the combined entity.

But one banker, who has been advising banks on M&A, said there are more merger conversations happening in a sign that owners are becoming more open to consolidation.

We are party to a number of such conversations and instigating a number of those, the banker said.

NOT SO GENEROUS

In 2009 the UAE rescued its largest banks with billions of dollars of fresh equity without forcing losses on shareholders.

Nine years on, with those lenders well capitalized, authorities are tightening the screws on smaller banks, but without the generosity shown to the larger players.

The Sharjah government proposed to buy Invest Bank shares for just 0.70 dirhams ($0.19) each, against the last traded price of 2.40 dirhams, after the central bank ordered it to take losses that wiped out its capital base.

The central bank has become much more involved with all of the banks in ensuring (they) have a sustainable business model and the risks they are taking can withstand downside shocks, said the banker.

A second banker said the central bank had been closely scrutinizing distressed assets and challenging banks on their classification assumptions for such assets, especially in the real estate sector.

The central bank did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

HIGHER EXPOSURE

Mik Kabeya, assistant vice president at rating agency Moodys, said smaller banks tended to have higher exposure to small and mid-sized corporates, which have been disproportionately affected by the relatively soft economy.

He added that there was a need for scale to meet sizeable investment requirements related to compliance, digitalization and new accounting standards.

The central bank is becoming increasingly strict with the banks in terms of maintaining minimum capital, liquidity and loan loss reserve levels, said Redmond Ramsdale, senior director, financial institutions at Fitch Ratings. Real estate and contracting sectors are a large sectorial exposure across all UAE banks. This is putting pressure on asset quality metrics for all banks.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Monday launched a drive to push U.S. firms to better protect their trade secrets from foreign hackers, following a slew of cases accusing individuals and companies of economic espionage for China.

U.S. companies hit by recent attacks included Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co and International Business Machines Corp

The National Counter-Intelligence and Security Center, which coordinates counter-intelligence efforts within the U.S. government, launched the outreach campaign to address persistent concerns that many companies are not doing enough to guard against cyber theft.

The Center is worried about cyber attacks on U.S. government agencies and the private sector from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.

Top corporate executives and directors should know the intent of our adversaries and what they are trying to do economically to gain the upper hand, William Evanina, a veteran FBI agent who oversees the center, said in an interview. We are not saying dont invest in China or with China, but know the risk.

The drive targets trade associations across the United States and their members. Videos, brochures and online informational materials describe the threat posed by cyber espionage and other methods used by foreign intelligence services.

One brochure details methods hackers use to break into computer networks and how they create fake social media accounts to deceive people into revealing work or personal details. It outlines ways to protect information, such as researching apps before downloading them and updating anti-virus software.

The first parts of this administration outreach effort called Know the Risk, Raise Your Shield, focused mainly on federal workers. The new phase follows a series of cases announced by the U.S. government against individuals and firms for allegedly stealing government secrets and proprietary information from U.S. companies for Chinas benefit.

Nine cases announced since July 2018 included the unsealing last month of an indictment of two alleged hackers linked to Chinas main spy agency on charges that they stole confidential government and corporate data. The pair allegedly belonged to a hacking ring known as APT 10.

Evanina said the new campaign also focuses on what he called Moscows aggressive, persistent attacks on computer networks of critical U.S. infrastructure, which includes power grids and communications, financial and transportation systems.

China and Russia have repeatedly denied conducting such attacks.

The most serious threats now facing companies, Evanina said, are efforts to plant malicious software in components purchased from suppliers or to substitute counterfeit parts for genuine products.

Companies need to take greater care to counter those efforts and in vetting new hires because of the growing danger of employing people acting for foreign powers, he said.
BEIJING (Reuters) - A U.S. guided-missile destroyer sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea in what China called a provocation as U.S. officials joined talks in Beijing during a truce in a bitter trade war.

The USS McCampbell carried out a freedom of navigation operation, sailing within 12 nautical miles of the Paracel Island chain, to challenge excessive maritime claims, Pacific Fleet spokeswoman Rachel McMarr said in an emailed statement.

The operation was not about any one country or to make a political statement, McMarr said.

The statement came as trade talks between China and the United States were under way in Beijing, the first round of face-to-face discussions since both sides agreed to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled international markets.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said the conduct of the U.S. ship had violated Chinas and international law, and China had lodged stern representations.

We urge the United States to immediately cease this kind of provocation, he said, adding that China had sent military ships and aircraft to identify and warn off the ship.

Chinas defense ministry added that the ship had gravely infringed upon Chinas sovereignty.

We will be on high alert and will closely monitor the air and sea situation to strongly defend our sovereignty and security, it said in comments carried by state media.

Asked about the timing of the operation during trade talks, Lu said resolving issues would help both countries and the world.

Both sides have the responsibility to create the necessary positive atmosphere for this, he said.

China claims almost all of the strategic South China Sea and frequently lambastes the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan have competing claims in the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in December agreed to put on hold a spiraling trade dispute of tit-for-tat import tariffs on hundreds of billions worth of goods.

Trump has imposed tariffs to pressure Beijing to change its practices on issues ranging from corporate espionage to market access and industrial subsidies. China has retaliated with tariffs of its own.

Fears have grown in recent months that the dispute is just one vector in a bilateral relationship that is fast cooling across the board, with top administration officials sharply criticizing Beijing for everything from human rights abuses and its influence operations in the United States.

The two countries are also at odds over regional security, including Washingtons overtures to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own.

China and the United States have in the past repeatedly traded barbs over what Washington says is Beijings militarization of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs.

China defends its construction as necessary for self-defense and says that it is rather Washington that is responsible for ratcheting up tensions in the region by sending warships and military plans close to islands Beijing claims.
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkeys competition authority said on Monday it had launched an investigation into whether internet search engine Google broke competition law with algorithms it uses for searches and to target advertisements.

The probe follows a complaint that Alphabet Incs Google unit had abused its dominant position and made the efforts of other companies difficult, the authority said.

The investigation will include companies Google Reklamcilik ve Pazarlama, Google International LLC, Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited and Alphabet Inc., it said.

Calls by Reuters to Google Reklamcilik ve Pazarlama, Alphabets local unit, were not answered on Monday.

In September, the authority fined Google some 93 million Turkish lira ($17.38 million) for violating competition law with its mobile software sales.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump plans visit the U.S. southern border on Thursday in the midst of a partial federal government shutdown triggered by his demand for funding for a wall along the border with Mexico.

President @realDonaldTrump will travel to the Southern border on Thursday to meet with those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis, White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said in a Twitter post on Monday.

She said details would be announced soon.

Large chunks of the federal government were shut down on Dec. 22 after lawmakers and the president hit an impasse over Trumps demand that a bill to keep the federal government operational include money to help build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. About 800,000 government workers are either furloughed or working without pay.

On Sunday, Trump pledged not to bend in his demand for the wall but said the barrier could be made of steel instead of concrete as a potential compromise with Democrats who refuse to fund it.

Trump has argued the wall is necessary for national security and has tried to link terrorism to illegal immigration, without providing evidence, as justification for the plan.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As the partial U.S. government shutdown entered its 17th day, no clear end was in sight, with Republican President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats in a standoff over his demand for $5 billion for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

It is hard to see how the impasse will be resolved but here are some possible scenarios for how it might play out, as well as potential winners and losers, based on interviews with lawmakers and aides in Congress and the Trump administration.

A COMPROMISE EMERGES

As the closure of a quarter of the government begins to hurt the economy, both sides could give ground and do a deal, possibly based on the following factors.

* Dreamers. These mostly young Latin Americans are living in the United States after being brought into the country illegally as children. Trump could offer to protect them from deportation in return for wall money. A deal along these lines was nearly achieved previously but collapsed.

* Barrier, not wall. Trump has insisted on funding for a wall but he has also talked about steel fencing. Tall, slatted fences already are in place in some spots on the border and more are being built. Funding for more slats could let Trump declare victory and let Democrats say they blocked a wall. The same could be said for steel mesh pedestrian barriers and other types of fencing.

* Other steps. There are many additional ways to fortify the U.S.-Mexico border, such as deploying more all-terrain vehicles and border guards on horses. Large metal detectors also could be installed to scan trucks and buses for illegal activities.

* Follow the money. A dollar-figure bargain could be reached somewhere between Trumps demand for $5 billion in wall funding and the Democrats offer of $1.6 billion for border security.

TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY

Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency, claiming that illegal immigration jeopardizes U.S. security and empowers him to redirect existing federal funds to build his wall, perhaps by tapping the Defense Department budget. Under the Constitution, Congress holds the power to make decisions about spending U.S. taxpayers money. Such a step by Trump would escalate what is now a policy dispute into a fight over presidential powers. Democrats would almost certainly move to block Trump, likely kicking off a protracted court battle.

DEMOCRATS FOLD, TRUMP WINS

Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have vowed they will not give Trump any money to build a wall but as the shutdown grinds on, they could have second thoughts, although this seems unlikely given the political climate.

Democrats won a majority in the House of Representatives by a landslide in Novembers elections. Trumps approval rating continues to hover at around 40 percent. There is plenty of skepticism among voters about the need for a wall, polls show.

In addition, more voters blame Trump for the shutdown than congressional Democrats, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found in late December.

TRUMP BACKS DOWN, DEMOCRATS WIN

Trump, whose main responsibility as president is to make sure that the federal government carries out its duties, could find the shutdown too politically hazardous as everyday problems increasingly confront average Americans.

Closed national parks and museums is one thing. But federal airport security screeners, now working without pay, have begun calling in sick, potentially causing delays for air travelers.

Trump has promised for years to build his wall - initially saying Mexico would pay for it - and has repeatedly attacked Democrats for standing in his way. Now he may find the shutdown unsustainable, fold and endorse Democrats shutdown-ending bills while finding a way to claim victory.

Bills passed by the House last week would fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8, giving the White House and Congress more time to negotiate on border security. Other agencies, such as Agriculture, Justice and Commerce, would have their funding restored under separate legislation.

Democrats this week plan to start passing agency-by-agency funding bills in the House of Representatives that they would then send to the Senate. Republicans there would then have to decide whether to approve the bills or block them in the name of Trumps wall project. Blocking a bill to fund the Treasury Department, for example, might delay Americans tax refunds.
ROME (Reuters) - The Italian cabinet will meet later on Monday to discuss the situation at the troubled Banca Carige (CRGI.MI), two government sources said.

Ministers have been summoned to a cabinet meeting at 9.00 p.m. (2000 GMT) with no explanation initially given for the unexpected call up.

The European Central Bank (ECB) last week selected three commissioners to try to save the Genoa-based bank after the Malacalza family, Cariges biggest stakeholder, blocked a share issue that was part of an industry-financed scheme to stave off a collapse.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump would almost certainly face a legal challenge if he carries out his threat to get funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall by declaring a national emergency and circumventing Congresss purse-strings power.

Legal scholars said it was unclear exactly how such a step would play out, but they agreed that a court test would likely focus on whether an emergency actually exists on the southern border and on the limits of presidential power over taxpayer funds.

Declaring an emergency would likely end a 17-day-old partial government shutdown. But it could also result in a long court fight, possibly stretching into Trumps 2020 reelection bid and emboldening critics who accuse him of authoritarian tendencies.

Trump has triggered a partial shutdown of the government by demanding the inclusion of $5 billion for his proposed wall in any legislation to fully reopen agencies whose funding expired on Dec. 22.

When Trump first started vowing to build a wall, he pledged Mexico would pay for it. But Mexico refused and now Trump wants U.S. taxpayers to pay for the roughly $23-billion project.

The law

Under the Constitution, decisions about spending taxpayer funds and creating new policy are made by Congress.

However, the president can make quick decisions during emergencies under a patchwork of laws in specific situations such as war, natural disasters and epidemics.

A 2007 report by the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan research arm of the legislature, said: Both the judiciary and Congress, as co-equal branches, can restrain the executive regarding emergency powers.

The National Emergencies Act of 1976 was meant to create a congressional check on presidential emergencies. Under the law, the president must notify Congress and the public about an emergency declaration.

Congress can override such a declaration, but it requires approval by both chambers. That could be hard to get with the House of Representatives under the control of Democrats, but the Senate in the hands of Trumps fellow Republicans.

The border

Trump may argue illegal immigration constitutes a national emergency, entitling him to mobilize the military to the border and use Defense Department personnel to design and construct a wall. One way to challenge such an assertion would be to demand Trump show in court that an emergency actually exists.

The money

Even if Trump could convincingly declare an emergency, he would need to get his wall money out of funds already appropriated by Congress for other purposes.

He could run into problems if he tried to shift funds dedicated to something else to his wall. Congress does give federal agencies some money without clear priorities. Trump would likely need to tap that kind of funding to avoid violating congressional authority.

Trump hasnt shied away in the past from unilateral action. But the liberal Center for American Progress said a national emergency strategy would be illegal, plain and simple.

House Democrats have already said they would be opposed.

Mark Tushnet, a constitutional law professor at Harvard Law School, said, Its a very aggressive use of presidential authority. The fact that its aggressive doesnt mean its unlawful. But it does mean that it goes beyond the boundaries of what has been done before.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission repeated on Monday that EU leaders would not renegotiate a Brexit treaty agreed last month with Prime Minister Theresa May and was pressing on with planning for Britain to crash out of the Union without a deal.

The deal that is on the table is the best and the only deal possible, chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters when asked about a phone conversation on Friday between May and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

This deal will not be renegotiated.

He also repeated that there were no talks planned between negotiators from the two sides as negotiations are complete.

Schinas repeated that Junckers conversation with May on Friday was friendly and that the two would speak again this week.

May has failed to win parliamentary support for the treaty she agree with fellow leaders of the European Union last month and is expected to put it to a vote next week. At a summit on Dec. 14, she urged EU leaders to modify some terms but they insisted they would not reopen the agreement.
SANTIAGO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Chile's copper production could jump by nearly 30 percent over the next 10 years, Chiles state copper agency Cochilco said on Monday.

Cochilco said in a report that output from Chile, the world's top producer of the red metal, could reach a record of 7.25 million tonnes as early as 2025.

The state copper agency said in the report that it believes production by existing, aging mines will decrease by 19 percent, to 4.46 million tonnes per year, but that the decline would be offset by several new projects and expansions.

"The growth in production is only possible if the new investments materialize," Cochilco said in the report.

Several major new projects and expansions are planned in the coming years, as Chilean miners confront declining ore grades at sometimes century-old mines.

State-run miner and world top copper producer Codelco recently launched a $40 billion, 10-year investment plan to boost productivity at its Chilean mines. Canadian miner Teck Resource Ltd is also moving forward with an expansion plan, known as QB2, which won regulatory approval in August. The overhaul is expected to extend the ageing deposit's life by 25 years and substantially boost production to 300,000 tonnes of copper annually from 23,400 tonnes in 2017.

In addition to Codelco, Chile is home to global miners BHP Group Ltd, Anglo American Plc, Glencore Plc and Antofagasta Plc.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
OTTAWA (Reuters) - A group of legislators from Canada on a visit to China pressed authorities on Monday to release two men who were detained last month but had little success, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported.

Ottawa is demanding that China immediately free Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were picked up after Canadian authorities arrested a senior Chinese executive on a U.S. arrest warrant in early December.

Senator Joseph Day, one of the Canadian legislators, said the group had reiterated the governments concerns in what he called a very frank meeting with Chinese officials in Shanghai.

The gist of the message is that the executive branch of Canada has asked for their immediate release, Day told the CBC after the encounter.

They havent been informed of what charges there might be against them, they havent had open access to their lawyers. We told them (the Chinese side) that by any international standard that is not fair, he added.

Day said Chinese officials had demanded to know why Canadian police had arrested Huawei Technologies Co [HWT.UL] Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on Dec. 1.

Beijing insists the charges against Meng be dropped but Canada, which was acting on a U.S. extradition request, says it cannot interfere with the judicial process.

Although Canada says China has made no specific link between the detentions and Mengs arrest, experts and former diplomats say they have no doubt Beijing is using the cases of Kovrig and Spavor to pressure Ottawa.

The China Daily newspaper on Monday published a commentary saying Canada could lose the trust and cooperation of most developing countries over the matter.

By continuing to follow the U.S., either passively or actively, Canada will eventually harm its national interests, said the commentary by Li Qingsi, a professor on international studies at Renmin University.

The Canadian visit was arranged before Mengs detention.

Asked whether the talks had improved the prospects of the two detained Canadians, Day relied: I think the fact we had an open and frank discussion ... creates opportunities.

Alex Lawrence, chief spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, reiterated in an email that we are deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians last month and call for their immediate release.
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazils Economy Ministry denied a report that the government would pay $14 billion to state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA to settle a dispute related to the so-called transfer of rights areas off the Brazilian coast. The ministry said the figure, reported earlier by newspaper Valor Economico, was delivered to the transition team of president Jair Bolsonaro, but was only one of several different proposals. The final amount has not yet been decided, the ministry said in a statement issued in response to a query from Reuters. Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by Christian Plumb

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
(Reuters) - Activist investor Starboard Value LP on Monday called on Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR.O) to sell its underperforming Family Dollar business and proposed replacing a majority of its board after revealing a stake in the company.

In a statement, Dollar Tree said its board had the right balance and did not comment on the funds call for a change in pricing strategy or a sale of Family Dollar, which accounts for more than half of the retailers 14,000 U.S. stores.

Starboard, one of the best-known funds specializing in forcing boards to make strategic moves to boost shareholder returns, said that Family Dollar was now worth far less than the $8.5 billion the discount store operator paid for it in 2015.

We believe Dollar Tree should explore all strategic alternatives for Family Dollar, including a sale of the business, Starboard Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Smith said in a letter to the company.

The market is likely only ascribing approximately $1 billion - $3 billion of value to Family Dollar based on the current stock price, Smith said.

The purchase of Family Dollars roughly 8,000 stores four years ago was aimed at fending off growing competition from Walmart Inc (WMT.N) and fellow discounter Dollar General Corp (DG.N).

Despite re-modeling and sprucing several stores and expanding offerings, same-store sales growth at Family Dollar have been flat on average for the past two years, in contrast to Dollar Trees 2.7 percent rise. This has pushed Dollar Trees shares down 15 percent over the past year, in contrast Dollar Generals stock has risen 14 percent.

I personally think they should consider selling Family Dollar, Oppenheimer analyst Rupesh Parikh said as Dollar Tree drives the vast majority of profitability and would get a higher multiple being independent.

Starboards intervention is Dollar Trees second tryst with activist shareholders after billionaire investor Carl Icahn engineered the sale of Family Dollar to it in 2015.

At the time, Icahn was the largest shareholder in Family Dollar, exiting his stake just after the deal was formally signed.

Starboard on Monday said it had built a 1.7 percent stake in Dollar Tree making it the ninth biggest shareholder in a company controlled mainly by institutional investors.

The hedge fund also proposed to replace seven of the retailers 12-member board and urged the company to move away from its strict $1 ceiling for Dollar Tree-branded stores.

The value that Dollar Tree has offered its customers has deteriorated because of the need to fit everything into a $1 price point. Products today are smaller or of lower quality than they were five, ten, and certainly thirty years ago, Smith said.

Starboard said that if the company accepts its demands, Dollar Tree could be valued at $150 per share.

Dollar Tree shares were up 5 percent at $98.01 in morning trade.

(GRAPHIC: Dollar Tree stock performance - tmsnrt.rs/2AyVbGZ)
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) delayed several major U.S. and world crop reports because of the two-week-old partial government shutdown, the agency said on Friday.

New release dates for the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report and other data originally scheduled for Jan. 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 to make their planting and harvesting plans.

Aside from U.S. forecasts, the report includes USDAs latest fix on everything from corn and soy production in Brazil and Argentina, both key exporters, 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.

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 to reopen the government include wall money.

Trump and congressional leaders were to meet on Friday to discuss breaking the impasse. About one-quarter of the federal government, including many from the 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.
(This January 3 story is refiled to correct reference activists in paragraphs four and 20, making clear some from outside the Border Support Network.)

By Julia Love and Mohammed Salem

MEXICO CITY/TIJUANA (Reuters) - A group of U.S. activists opposed to President Donald Trumps immigration policies helped migrants in Mexico during a clash with U.S. agents at the border on New Years Eve, and dispute their governments account of the events.

Late on Monday, about 150 migrants gathered at the border in Tijuana to try to enter the United States, according to the U.S. activists and a Reuters witness.

After learning of a possible conflict, 11 U.S. volunteers who were in Tijuana headed to the border to provide medical assistance and document the events, said Lilith Sinclair, a spokeswoman for the group.

The activists, some of whom are part of a group known as the Border Support Network, have said they were banding together to counter what they view as the U.S. governments violation of asylum seekers rights.

They have also challenged the U.S. governments position that agents deployed tear gas after coming under attack.

This attack on migrants peacefully seeking asylum was crippling, inhumane and unprovoked, Sinclair said in a statement on Wednesday.

The clash in Tijuana was the second incident in less than two months in which dozens of migrants tried to cross the border and were met with gas.

The activists were not present for the entire confrontation, but did not witness any provocation by migrants in the time they were there, Sinclair, a 24-year-old from Portland, Oregon, said in an interview.

When Sinclair arrived, she saw a small group near the border fence, trying to tell agents they planned to seek asylum. She then saw agents deploy tear gas.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency said it could not immediately respond to a request for comment, citing a backlog due to the U.S. government shutdown. The CBP previously said agents launched smoke, pepper spray and tear gas known as CS gas only after migrants threw rocks.

This is among the lowest levels of response we can give, said Joshua Wilson, vice president of the San Diego Border Patrol Union. A rock is deadly force.

A Reuters witness did not see migrants throwing rocks. The Associated Press reported that rocks were flung after tear gas was deployed.

The CBP said on Wednesday that an internal investigation of the use of CS gas on Dec. 31 was underway. On Thursday, the Mexican government requested a full investigation.

ANTI-FASCISTS

Formed in November in response to the migrant caravans that drew Trumps ire, the activist coalition includes self-described anti-fascists and advocates for causes such as indigenous rights and water access, Sinclair said. Some members met through protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline and a police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri.

Mario Osuna, Tijuanas secretary of municipal development, and a spokesman for the foreign ministry said they had no information about the group. Mexicos immigration institute did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Under Mexican law, U.S. citizens may undertake voluntary work for up to 180 days without a visa.

In mid-November, the group opened a safe house in Tijuana, housing about 25 volunteers at a time, most from the United States, said Evan Duke of Seattle, one of the organizers.

The Border Support Network is funded largely by individual donations, Sinclair said.

The group mobilized quickly after receiving word of the clash, heading out with warm clothes, medical supplies and water, said Duke, 45. He stayed behind to support volunteers from the safe house, adding that the activists had not transported migrants to the border or otherwise instigated the incident.

An independent volunteer, Nathaniel Dennison, a 34-year-old documentary filmmaker based in Virginia, said the mood at the border was hopeful and peaceful until border patrol acted on asylum seekers, unprovoked.

Dennison said he was struck by three plastic pellets. The CBP says it does not deploy rubber bullets but does use pepper balls, a round rubber projectile containing pepper spray.

Erick Hernandez, a 24-year-old Salvadoran who tried to enter the United States, said American volunteers helped bridge the language gap at the border.

They spoke with the American side, he said. We asked them for a little bit of respect for the children.
GENEVA (Reuters) - 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 U.N. rights office always opposed the death penalty, she added.
WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he could use emergency powers to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border without approval from Congress.

A showdown between Trump and Congressional Democrats over funding for the project has led to a two-week government shutdown. Trump says he will not support a bill to fully fund the government until he secures the money for the wall.

Asked at a White House press briefing whether he had considered declaring a national emergency to build the wall, Trump said: Yes, I have. ... We can do it. I havent done it. I may do it. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper Editing by Leslie Adler)
LIMA (Reuters) - Mexico declined to join its regional peers on Friday in urging Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro not to take office this month, the first time it has not signed a declaration by the Lima Group bloc created to pressure Caracas to make democratic reforms.

Mexico was once among the most outspoken critics of Maduro. But ties between the two countries have warmed under leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who faced criticism for inviting Maduro to his inauguration last month.

Mexico told the Lima Group it prefers to keep its diplomatic channels with Caracas open to help find a solution to the South American countrys political crisis, said a government source in Peru who asked not to be named.

Mexico will remain a part of the Lima Group, the source and a Mexico foreign ministry spokesman said.

The remaining 13 members of the Lima Group, which include Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru, said they would not recognize Maduros new term because last years election was not free or fair, according to the joint statement they signed.

They also agreed to reevaluate their diplomatic relations with Venezuela and bar high-ranking Venezuelan officials from entering their territory as much as their domestic laws allow, the statement said.
SAN JOSE, California - (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commissions antitrust case accusing Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) of abusing a monopoly on mobile chip technology kicked off in a California courtroom on Friday in a trial whose outcome could have a major impact on the smartphone industry.

If the government prevails in the 10-day, non-jury trial before U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh, in San Jose, California, Qualcomm could be forced to change its practices for licensing a trove of patents to manufacturers like iPhone maker Apple Inc (AAPL.O).

Apple will be closely watching the FTC case, as it has its own pending lawsuit making similar claims against Qualcomm.

The outcome of the case will have a major impact on any settlement discussions between Apple and Qualcomm, Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley said in a research note.

Though well-known as a maker of smartphone chips, Qualcomm derives more of its profits licensing patents to other companies.

The FTCs 2017 lawsuit alleged San Diego-based Qualcomm maintains an anticompetitive no license, no chips policy under which it only supplied processors to phone manufacturers if they agree to inflated patent licensing terms.

Qualcomm says you will pay our rates if you want our chips, Jennifer Milici, an attorney for the Federal Trade Commission, said during opening arguments. The only way to arrive at a market rate [for Qualcomms patents] is to negotiate without that threat.

The agency also said Qualcomm pushed Apple into an anticompetitive deal in which the iPhone maker received financial rebates in exchange for only buying Qualcomms chips, undermining competition from Intel Corp (INTC.O).

Qualcomm has argued it achieved market dominance through technical leadership, and that its patent licensing rates were reasonable in light of its groundbreaking research and development.

The FTC seeks to enjoin legitimate, procompetitive business practices that facilitated the growth of a phenomenally successful industry that bears all the hallmarks of healthy and vigorous competition, Qualcomm said in a Dec. 31 court filing.

Qualcomms business practices have also been investigated by regulators in South Korea, China, Taiwan, and Europe. Qualcomm has accused Apple of driving those regulatory actions.

European antitrust officials hit Qualcomm with a 997 million euro ($1.14 billion) fine in January 2018, saying the firm unlawfully paid billions of dollars to Apple so it would not buy from rivals. Qualcomm has appealed the determination.

Apple and Qualcomm are also locked in a global legal dispute. After Apple brought its antitrust case, Qualcomm responded by accusing Apple of using patented technology without authorization.

In December, Qualcomm won rulings limiting iPhone sales in Germany and China.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Personal data and documents from hundreds of German politicians and public figures including Chancellor Angela Merkel have been published online in what appears to be one of Germanys most far-reaching data leaks.

A preliminary analysis showed the data had been obtained through wrongful use of log-in information for cloud services, email accounts or social networks, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said in a statement late on Friday.

He said there was no evidence that the computer systems of the German lower house of parliament or the government had been compromised, but provided no further details.

The ministry said it remained unclear if the breach, which triggered an emergency meeting of the BSI national cyber defense agency, was the result of a hack or a leak. Authorities were investigating all possibilities, including espionage, according to one government source.

The public broadcaster rbb, which broke the story, said the data, published on a Twitter account, included addresses, personal letters and copies of identity cards. It said the identity of the perpetrators and their motive were not known.

German media said a fax number and two email addresses used by Merkel had been published but the government said it appeared no sensitive material from her office had been released.

The hacked material included private chats by Greens leader Robert Habeck with family members and the identity cards of his children, a source familiar with the matter said.

POLITICAL PARTIES HIT

The BSI said 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 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.

The BSI met to coordinate the response of intelligence and other federal agencies.

The Defense Ministry said the armed forces were not affected. The public broadcaster ARD - affiliated to rbb - said its journalists had as yet detected no incriminating content.

The city-state of Hamburg was working with Irish data protection authorities to stop the data being spread via Twitter, but said the company had not been responsive.

It said the Twitter account used to spread the data had been deleted, but that it was still pressing for the deletion of links to data on other platforms.

Security officials have blamed most previous attacks on a Russian hacking group, APT28, that experts say has close ties to a Russian spy agency. Experts held the same group responsible for an attack ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Bild newspaper reported that German authorities had asked the U.S. spy agency NSA for assistance.
PARIS (Reuters) - The French government on Friday dismissed yellow vest protesters as agitators whose only goal was to topple it, signaling a toughening stance against a movement that has shaken Emmanuel Macrons presidency.

In his first cabinet meeting of the year, Macron told ministers they should be more radical in their attempt to reform the country and law and order must be restored, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said.

The sometimes violent protests over the cost of living have brought disruption and destruction to Paris and other major cities and forced Macron to make concessions, including scrapping a planned fuel tax rise.

Since then attendance at the protests has dwindled - some tallies put the turnout on Dec. 29 at 12,000, below the 40,000 the previous Saturday - but many demonstrators have said they will carry on.

Since these announcements, the yellow vest movement, for those who continue to protest, has become the thing of agitators who promote insurrection to topple the government, Griveaux told reporters.

We must take the desire of the French for change to its fullest because it is this desire which brought us to power, he said. Maybe we have made too many concessions to conservatism, well have to change that.

Since Macron swept to power in May 2017 promising to transform France and do away with a political class he blamed for the countrys malaise, he has seen his popularity slide to a record low as discontent with his style and policies grew.

Facing the sternest challenge of his 20-month tenure, Macron has vowed to press on with other reform pledges, such as stricter rules for unemployment benefit and overhauling the civil service.

One of the faces of the leaderless yellow vest movement, Eric Drouet, was detained on Wednesday for organizing an undeclared protest, before being released on Thursday. Macrons critics have called the tougher response a mistake likely to inflame the situation.

The protests have squeezed many businesses, including retailers and hotels that closed their doors or suffered cancellations in early December at the height of the violence.

French services activity retreated at the fastest pace in more than four years last month, a survey showed on Friday.
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Authorities from a chain of Dutch islands have told Swiss shipping line MSC they will hold it responsible for cleaning costs related to debris from 270 lost cargo containers that washed up on their shores, an official said on Friday.

The containers, including hazardous chemicals, fell off one of the worlds largest container ships, the MSC Zoe, during a North Sea storm on Wednesday.

A statement from MSC on Friday said that the company was directly taking over more of the clean-up and was working with several salvage companies.

An MSC spokesman had no immediate comment on the letter sent by Dutch officials, but the statement said it had deployed boats to locate and tow drifting containers, plus sonar-tracing vessels for underwater recovery.

MSC is not giving a detailed account of the cargo on board to the general public at this time, it said, adding that caution should be applied in particular for any containers or drums which are labeled as having hazardous content.

Tineke Schokker, the mayor of Vlieland, one of the Wadden Islands, said she had sent a sharply worded letter to the company. Debris continued to wash up on Friday, she said, posing a threat to flora and fauna.

They need to remove this as quickly as possible because the longer its here the more damage it does, she said in an interview. We have decided to collectively pass on the costs to the shipping company.

It was not clear if there would be lasting environmental damage to the area, a vast expanse of tidal flats and wetlands known for its rich biological diversity.

Roughly 100 soldiers were assisting the clean-up operation, in which local authorities and volunteers have already gathered hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste.

It was also unclear how many of the containers had sunk and how many were still floating and could pose a hazard to marine traffic or fishing boats.

Among the lost cargo were 25 kg (55lb) bags of peroxide, a strong bleaching agent that can cause injury on contact with skin, some of which had washed ashore.

At least three of the containers were thought to contain hazardous chemicals, the Dutch coastguard has said.

German authorities are leading the investigation into what caused the accident in German waters near the island of Borkum.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - There are lots of indications that some managers discussed the reputational risks of Deutsche Banks involvement in a share-trading scheme that is the subject of Germanys biggest post-war fraud investigation, according to a conclusion in one of five internal audits seen by Reuters.

The bank issued tax certificates for withholding tax that had never been deducted and made loans to clients to allow them to participate in the scheme to claim tax rebates, according to the audits.

German prosecutors say the schemes participants misled the government into thinking a stock had multiple owners on its dividend payday who were each owed a dividend and a tax credit, according to court documents.

The authorities say the scheme, called cum-ex and involving several other global banks, cost the state 5.6 billion euros in rebates that should not have been paid.

Deutsche Bank commissioned law firm Freshfields to write the five audits as part of an internal investigation into its role in cum-ex trading between 2006 and 2011. They are dated from 2013 to 2015 and marked highly confidential.

The audits were prepared by Freshfields in Germany and London. One of the five documents is a summary that was handed to the prosecutors in May 2017. Reuters does not know whether the Freshfields documents are the final versions, but prosecutors have been given the summary for use in their investigation, according to a letter sent to the chief prosecutor, seen by Reuters. A spokesman for Freshfields declined to answer any questions for this story.

One part of the audit addresses Deutsche Banks decision to lend money to companies  what the audit calls provision of finance  so that those companies could carry out cum-ex trades and the discussion of risks to its reputation.

Even though evidence is not clear-cut, there are a lot of indications that the staff of SETG (Strategic Equities Transactions Group) and managers, who were responsible for Prime Brokerage at the SEF-IM (Structured Equity Finance  Inventory Management) trading desk, discussed the reputational risk for Deutsche Bank from its provision of finance in January 2009 and came to the conclusion that this was acceptable, one of the Freshfields audits said.

Group Tax confirmed in March 2009 the provision of leverage for cum-ex trades through Deutsche Bank.

A Deutsche Bank spokesman said that Deutsche Bank was involved in some of its clients cum-ex transactions and that it was fully cooperating with investigators.

Reuters has seen the Freshfields documents, as well as thousands of pages of bank files, correspondence and court documents relating to the cum-ex case. The documents were obtained as part of a European media investigation coordinated by non-profit newsroom Correctiv.

The audit dated April 16, 2015 pointed to significant failings in overseeing two traders, Simon Pearson and Joe Penna, who they say acted as middle men between the clients and the bank departments that lent money to fund the cum-ex scheme and issued tax certificates.

Pearson and Penna have been suspects in the investigation since at least 2014 for their role in cum-ex trading, according to court documents. The Freshfields audits say the two traders were aware the prime brokerage services were being used to help other companies carry out cum-ex deals.

The reports highlighted the role of the traders but also pointed to failures of the banks internal controls as well as lapses of managers in the global financial markets division.

The April 16 report said that the banks controls over the trading desk headed by Pearson were too weak and this was a serious shortcoming.

That criticism about oversight is leveled at management generally but it does briefly single out one individual.

Richard Carson was most directly responsible for this shortcoming as the direct supervisor of the manager of the trading desk, the report said.

Carson has since left Deutsche Bank. In an email to Reuters he said: I have not seen, nor have been provided with any copies of the reports you mention in your communication. I would not accept that there was any failings on my part. The report did not implicate him further in the cum-ex scheme.

Pearson did not respond to multiple emails sent to him at his new company in Gibraltar. Reuters also contacted his spokeswoman by email, who did not respond.

Penna did not respond to a letter requesting comment sent to his home in London. A person involved in the case gave Reuters the name of a lawyer he said represented Pearson and Penna. Reuters contacted the lawyer who would not confirm that he represented either, citing client confidentiality.

EMPLOYEES KNEW

According to one of the Freshfields reports dated Nov 28, 2013, Deutsche lent shares to Seriva, a client involved in cum-ex, via a chain of brokers in 2008.

Deutsche issued Seriva with 5.8 million euros of withholding tax certificates, allowing Seriva to make claims for tax rebates. Freshfields said in the report that staff at Deutsche and Seriva were aware that no withholding tax had been levied.

The tax certificates existed until 2017, when Deutsche Bank canceled them, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

Seriva obtained withholding tax certificates from DB Frankfurt, the report said, adding later: Employees of DB London ... knew that no withholding taxes had been levied.

Serivas manager, who asked not to be named, said that the company had received no rebates because of the investigation by tax authorities. He declined to comment further.

Reuters also contacted Josef Schucker, a person named in the Freshfields audit as the sole investor in Seriva. Reuters received no response to two emails sent to his company.

The Deutsche Bank spokesman declined to comment on Seriva.

Deutsche also provided funding and acquired shares to help a company called Ballance carry out cum-ex deals multiple times between 2009 and 2011, the Freshfields documents say.

Ballance controlled several entities which have been disbanded or renamed, according to filings with the Britains financial regulator, the Financial Services Authority, seen by Reuters. Reuters could not find any remaining parts of Ballance.

Pearson and Penna, the two Deutsche Bank traders, left to work for Ballance in 2009, when they became part owners, according to the Freshfields documents.

Deutsche made at least 18 million euros in interest and in the sale of financial products to Ballance, the Freshfields report said. The Deutsche Bank spokesman declined to comment.

The new details of the case come at a difficult time for Deutsche Bank as it tries to repair its public image and relations with Berlin after a series of fines relating to other trading scandals. The spokesman for Deutsche Bank declined to comment.

Other global banks, including Santander and Macquarie, are also under investigation for their roles in cum-ex trading schemes. Contacted for this story, spokesmen for both banks said they are cooperating with investigators.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-backed forces are still retaking territory from Islamic State in Syria, U.S. officials said on Friday, even as President Donald Trumps administration plans for the withdrawal of American troops from the country on the grounds the militant group has been defeated there.

Washington announced last month it would withdraw the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, with Trump saying they had succeeded in their mission and were no longer needed there.

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.

Were hitting the hell out of them, the ISIS people, Trump said, using an acronym to refer to Islamic State, adding were down to final blows.

In a separate statement 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.

Experts say the U.S. withdrawal could allow Islamic State to stage a comeback. Trumps surprise decision to withdraw contributed to the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis last month.

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 hideout and be able to launch raiding attacks, Stein said.

It is unclear how quickly Trumps withdrawal will take place. U.S. officials have told Reuters that it could take several more months to carry out, 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 the United States would get out of Syria slowly over a period of time and would protect the U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in the country as Washington draws down troops.

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.

Two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the U.S. military was assisting with the operations.

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.
Senior Producers, Larger-Cap Near-Term Production

Aluminum Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Alcoa Inc AA 2.0 US$26.58 186 $4,957 3.01 3.63 3.54 7.3 7.5 6.55 2.92 8.97 9.1 3.0 7.1 0.0%

Alumina Ltd AWC 2.0 US$1.62 2880 $4,669 0.13 0.24 0.18 6.7 8.9 0.09 0.22 0.18 7.5 9.0 6.2 8.7%

Aluminum Corp China Ltd (ADR) ACH 2.8 CNY$2.21 14904 $6,928 0.09 0.12 0.18 18.3 12.5 0.88 0.77 1.01 2.9 2.2 12.4 0.0%

Century Aluminum CENX 2.9 US$7.31 88 $641 0.36 (0.23) 0.66 -- 11.0 0.59 (0.41) 1.48 -- 4.9 28.3 0.0%

United Company Rusal Ltd (HK) 486 2.0 US$0.33 15193 $5,025 0.07 0.12 0.12 2.8 2.7 0.11 0.14 0.16 2.3 2.1 8.4 0.0%

Average 8.8 8.5 5.5 4.2 12.5

Iron Ore

Cliffs Natural Resources CLF 2.2 US$7.69 298 $2,292 0.43 2.14 1.68 3.6 4.6 1.15 1.83 2.32 4.2 3.3 10.4 0.0%

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (AU) FMG 2.5 US$2.95 3089 $9,124 0.51 0.33 0.30 9.1 9.9 0.94 0.59 0.66 5.0 4.5 3.1 5.4%

Kumba Iron Ore Ltd (SA) KIO 4.0 ZAR$283.05 322 $6,323 30.26 25.52 24.80 11.1 11.4 52.91 41.07 45.49 6.9 6.2 4.9 10.0%

Labrador Iron Ore Royalty (CN) LIF 3.0 C$24.24 64 $1,138 2.46 2.17 2.54 11.2 9.6 2.61 2.37 2.72 10.2 8.9 16.6 3.6%

Mount Gibson Iron Limited (AU) MGX 2.5 AUD$0.54 1128 $426 0.03 0.03 0.03 18.4 16.2 0.05 0.06 0.02 9.0 28.2 6.9 6.9%

Average 10.7 10.3 7.1 10.2 8.4

Note: Currency shown is that used by the company for financial reporting. Currency does not always reflect the country/market in which the company/stock symbol trades. GAAP may differ between stocks due to countries and markets.

The tables are compiled from the Thomson Reuters database of consensus Ratings & Estimates of equity analysts. The historicals and estimates of earnings and cash flows exclude non-operating, special items.

Thomson Consensus Rating System: Buy (1.0), Buy/Hold (2.0), Hold (3.0), Sell/Hold (4.0), Sell (5.0) Source: Thomson Reuters.

Base Metals & Diversified

Large Cap Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Anglo American PLC (UK) AAL 2.2 US$22.30 1405 $31,197 2.53 2.46 2.44 9.1 9.1 6.48 4.79 5.15 4.7 4.3 6.6 4.6%

Antofagasta PLC (UK) ANTO 2.2 US$9.99 986 $9,850 0.76 0.59 0.75 16.8 13.3 2.12 1.62 1.95 6.2 5.1 8.4 3.6%

BHP Billiton Ltd BHP 2.6 US$24.13 5058 $115,580 1.53 1.79 1.73 13.5 13.9 3.30 3.36 3.25 7.2 7.4 8.1 4.7%

China Molybdenum Co Ltd (HK) 3993 2.5 CNY$2.53 21599 $11,107 0.14 0.25 0.24 10.3 10.7 0.36 0.43 0.42 5.8 6.0 37.6 0.0%

Freeport McMoran C&G FCX 2.7 US$10.31 1449 $14,940 1.17 1.64 0.84 6.3 12.3 3.22 3.16 2.17 3.3 4.7 5.3 1.1%

Glencore International PLC (UK) GLEN 1.9 US$3.72 13998 $52,026 0.39 0.48 0.46 7.8 8.1 0.82 0.86 0.89 4.3 4.2 8.1 2.1%

Grupo Mexico (MX) GMEXICOB 2.8 US$2.06 7785 $16,021 0.20 0.21 0.26 9.9 7.9 0.43 0.30 0.38 7.0 5.5 7.0 4.2%

Hindustan Zinc (IN) HZ 2.7 INR$277.85 4225 $16,878 20.96 21.70 23.57 12.8 11.8 21.92 24.39 26.99 11.4 10.3 8.8 2.2%

MMC Norilsk Nickel (RU) GMKN 2.0 RU$5,429.84 158 $29,716 -- 899.94 1210.92 6.0 4.5 -- 689.72 1388.13 7.9 3.9 11.1 12.1%

Rio Tinto PLC (UK) RIO 2.5 US$47.58 1649 $81,103 4.83 5.07 4.50 9.4 10.6 7.77 7.15 7.30 6.7 6.5 7.5 5.5%

Sesa Sterlite Ltd (ADR) SSLT 1.6 INR$202.10 3717 $10,800 18.89 22.37 29.75 9.0 6.8 52.24 49.85 58.37 4.1 3.5 5.6 7.3%

South32 Ltd (AU) S32 2.5 US$2.36 5081 $11,985 0.23 0.26 0.26 9.0 9.2 0.37 0.38 0.42 6.3 5.7 5.6 3.9%

Southern Copper Corp SCCO 3.6 US$30.77 773 $23,787 0.94 2.12 2.32 14.5 13.3 2.62 3.04 3.32 10.1 9.3 12.9 2.9%

Sumitomo Metal Mining (JP) 5713 2.4 JPY$2,948 291 $7,774 232.51 320.36 297.18 9.2 9.9 400.09 524.02 462.68 5.6 6.4 9.7 2.9%

Teck Resources Ltd TCK 1.8 C$29.39 575 $12,390 4.45 4.35 3.78 6.8 7.8 8.84 7.79 7.54 3.8 3.9 6.1 0.6%

Vale SA (ADR) VALE 2.1 US$51.18 5284 $69,583 4.39 5.37 6.73 9.5 7.6 7.79 9.14 9.21 5.6 5.6 9.8 3.4%

Average 10.0 9.8 6.2 5.8 9.9

Mid Cap

Assore Ltd (SA) ASR 3.0 ZAR$290.00 140 $2,808 50.01 51.08 47.76 5.7 6.1 14.92 23.33 18.60 12.4 15.6 11.0 7.5%

Aurubis AG (GR) NDA 2.4 EUR$43.22 45 $2,221 5.38 5.64 5.01 7.7 8.6 9.13 5.15 7.26 8.4 6.0 5.1 2.6%

Boliden AB (SW) BOL 2.4 SEK$191.98 274 $5,830 25.06 25.03 22.26 7.7 8.6 46.57 39.32 39.64 4.9 4.8 5.6 3.3%

Eramet (FR) ERA 2.2 EUR$60.35 27 $1,838 7.03 10.52 9.43 5.7 6.4 23.79 17.32 24.06 3.5 2.5 5.8 2.0%

Exxaro Resources Ltd (SA) EXX 1.5 ZAR$137.87 359 $3,430 4.50 27.07 26.48 5.1 5.2 9.80 16.44 23.30 8.4 5.9 8.8 7.4%

First Quantum Minerals (CN) FM 1.9 US$8.10 689 $5,581 (0.16) 0.65 0.97 12.5 8.3 1.62 2.54 2.50 3.2 3.2 13.4 0.1%

Iluka Resources Ltd (AU) ILU 2.0 AUD$7.62 422 $2,269 0.23 0.71 0.99 10.8 7.7 0.99 1.31 1.30 5.8 5.9 -- 3.1%

Jiangxi Copper Co "H" (HK) 358 2.4 CNY$8.09 3463 $5,604 0.48 0.73 0.81 11.1 10.0 0.72 1.45 1.04 5.6 7.8 11.2 2.4%

Kazakhmys PLC (UK) KAZ 2.5 US$6.79 448 $3,030 1.07 1.11 1.10 6.1 6.2 1.68 1.62 1.64 4.2 4.2 21.7 0.5%

KGHM Polska Miedz (PO) KGH 3.4 PLN$88.88 200 $4,730 7.84 9.12 12.30 9.8 7.2 15.27 16.81 23.74 5.3 3.7 5.4 0.0%

Lundin Mining Corp (CN) LUN 1.9 US$4.14 733 $3,034 0.56 0.28 0.31 14.9 13.3 1.14 0.72 0.84 5.8 4.9 4.2 0.0%

MMG Ltd (HK) 1208 2.3 US$0.43 8051 $3,465 0.02 0.03 0.05 13.1 8.8 0.29 0.19 0.22 2.3 2.0 13.4 0.0%

Turquoise Hill Resources TRQ 3.0 US$1.65 2012 $3,320 0.09 0.12 0.07 13.5 25.3 0.06 0.11 0.15 15.3 11.0 13.1 0.0%

Vale Indonesia Tbk PT (ID) INCO 1.9 US$0.22 9936 $2,226 (0.00) 0.01 0.01 30.9 16.2 0.02 0.02 0.02 13.2 10.9 14.5 0.0%

Vedanta Resources PLC (UK) VED -- US$10.85 285 $3,089 0.43 0.87 1.24 12.5 8.7 5.26 9.96 12.60 1.1 0.9 -- 6.6%

Average 11.1 9.8 6.6 6.0 10.3

Small Cap Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Capstone Mining Corp (CN) CS 1.9 US$0.45 400 $179 (0.02) 0.07 0.09 6.1 5.1 0.29 0.28 0.30 1.6 1.5 2.9 0.0%

Hudbay Minerals HBM 2.1 US$4.74 261 $1,238 0.61 0.35 0.35 13.5 13.5 2.04 1.69 1.61 2.8 3.0 3.9 0.3%

Independence Group NL (AU) IGO 2.3 AUD$3.82 590 $1,590 0.08 0.17 0.28 22.9 13.8 0.34 0.62 0.71 6.2 5.4 15.5 0.6%

Ivanhoe Mines Ltd (CN) IVP 2.1 US$1.74 1011 $1,756 (0.14) (0.03) (0.03) -- -- (0.05) (0.03) (0.01) -- -- -- 0.0%

Mechel OAO (ADR) MTL 4.0 RU$73.47 555 $641 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 8.3 0.0%

Mineral Resources Ltd (AU) MIN 1.8 AUD$15.47 188 $2,050 1.15 1.00 1.10 15.5 14.1 1.89 1.66 1.56 9.3 9.9 7.4 0.0%

Mitsui Mining & Smelting (JP) 5706 2.6 JPY$2,277 57 $1,183 72.45 171.66 318.82 13.3 7.1 532.87 678.59 863.42 3.4 2.6 5.9 2.1%

Outokumpu (FN) OUT1V 2.4 EUR$3.20 416 $1,520 0.83 0.29 0.49 11.0 6.5 0.75 0.75 1.04 4.3 3.1 8.4 4.9%

Oz Minerals (AU) OZL 2.1 AUD$8.80 323 $2,003 0.77 0.70 0.50 12.5 17.5 1.15 1.19 1.25 7.4 7.0 6.4 2.3%

Philex Mining Corp (PH) PX 3.0 Php$3.09 4940 $291 0.34 0.27 0.16 11.4 19.3 -- -- -- -- -- 6.0 2.2%

Sandfire Resources NL (AU) SFR 2.6 AUD$6.68 160 $751 0.64 0.74 0.95 9.1 7.0 1.46 1.56 1.86 4.3 3.6 4.1 2.9%

Sherritt International (CN) S 1.6 C$0.45 397 $131 (1.07) (0.11) 0.05 -- 8.7 (0.03) (0.01) 0.12 -- 3.7 16.7 0.0%

Volcan Cia Ninera VOLABC1 2.0 US$0.21 4077 $2,212 (0.12) 0.02 0.02 10.5 10.5 -- -- -- -- -- 10.2 3.6%

Western Areas NL (AU) WSA 2.3 AUD$2.00 273 $386 0.06 0.08 0.17 25.2 11.8 0.26 0.33 0.44 6.0 4.6 6.4 0.6%

Average 13.7 11.2 5.0 4.4 7.8

Note: Currency shown is that used by the company for financial reporting. Currency does not always reflect the country/market in which the company/stock symbol trades. GAAP may differ between stocks due to countries and markets.

The tables are compiled from the Thomson Reuters database of consensus Ratings & Estimates of equity analysts. The historicals and estimates of earnings and cash flows exclude non-operating, special items.

Thomson Consensus Rating System: Buy (1.0), Buy/Hold (2.0), Hold (3.0), Sell/Hold (4.0), Sell (5.0) Source: Thomson Reuters.

Gold

Large Cap Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd AEM 2.0 US$40.40 235 $9,477 1.02 0.19 0.63 NM 64.2 3.30 2.69 3.27 15.0 12.3 12.1 1.3%

Barrick Gold Corp ABX 2.8 US$13.53 1168 $15,780 0.75 0.42 0.46 32.2 29.3 1.77 1.74 1.70 7.8 8.0 5.6 1.1%

Franco-Nevada FNV 2.1 US$70.20 186 $13,069 1.08 1.17 1.29 59.8 54.5 2.67 2.60 2.95 27.0 23.8 26.6 1.5%

Goldcorp Inc GG 2.3 US$9.70 870 $8,525 0.40 0.06 0.38 NM 25.2 1.55 1.17 1.75 8.3 5.5 8.3 0.8%

Newcrest Mining Ltd (AU) NCM 2.5 AUD$15.37 768 $11,806 0.57 0.63 0.76 24.5 20.2 1.88 1.72 1.68 9.0 9.1 9.6 1.1%

Newmont Mining NEM 2.4 US$34.65 533 $18,457 1.46 1.21 1.22 28.7 28.5 4.39 3.58 3.88 9.7 8.9 8.7 1.6%

Polyus Gold International (UK) PGIL 1.8 RU$5,399.00 134 $10,385 559.00 632.93 608.42 8.5 8.9 584.53 577.92 853.99 9.3 6.3 -- 6.7%

Zijin Mining Group (HK) 2899 1.8 CNY$2.61 23031 $10,577 0.16 0.19 0.21 13.4 12.7 0.44 0.43 0.45 6.1 5.8 16.3 0.0%

Average 27.8 30.4 11.5 10.0 12.5

Mid Cap

Alamos Gold AGI 2.1 US$3.60 391 $1,409 0.13 0.05 0.15 73.3 23.7 0.53 0.53 0.65 6.8 5.5 7.9 0.7%

AngloGold Ashanti Ltd AU 2.5 US$12.67 413 $5,203 0.02 0.57 0.92 22.1 13.8 2.40 2.02 2.79 6.3 4.5 4.6 0.7%

B2Gold Corp BTG 1.7 US$2.93 990 $2,895 0.05 0.17 0.15 17.6 19.1 0.16 0.46 0.44 6.3 6.6 10.1 0.0%

Buenaventura (ADR) BVN 2.3 US$16.22 276 $4,379 0.29 0.56 0.89 28.9 18.2 0.84 1.31 1.50 12.4 10.8 13.5 0.4%

Evolution Mining Ltd (AU) EVN 2.6 AUD$3.69 1697 $4,414 0.14 0.14 0.16 25.9 23.0 0.41 0.40 0.40 9.1 9.1 9.6 2.1%

Gold Fields Ltd (ADR) GFI 2.4 US$3.52 822 $2,811 0.24 0.08 0.21 42.2 17.0 1.01 0.85 1.07 4.1 3.3 3.5 2.0%

Iamgold Corp IAG 1.9 US$3.68 468 $1,718 0.06 0.11 0.10 33.1 36.0 0.63 0.64 0.77 5.7 4.8 4.6 0.0%

Kinross Gold Corp KGC 2.6 US$3.23 1250 $4,034 0.14 0.09 0.12 36.9 26.3 0.76 0.70 0.76 4.6 4.3 6.2 0.0%

Kirkland Lake Gold (CN) KL 2.0 C$26.11 210 $5,478 0.72 1.19 1.40 21.9 18.7 1.42 2.20 2.43 11.9 10.7 29.8 0.4%

Northern Star Resources (AU) NST 3.1 AUD$9.24 639 $4,165 0.33 0.40 0.55 22.9 16.7 0.58 0.70 0.90 13.2 10.3 12.7 1.3%

Polymetal International PLC (UK) POLY 2.5 US$10.49 469 $4,922 0.88 0.90 1.12 11.6 9.4 1.22 1.33 1.56 7.9 6.7 8.7 5.3%

Randgold Resources (ADR) GOLD 2.0 US$82.89 95 $7,954 2.92 2.58 3.25 32.1 25.5 5.75 5.25 7.71 15.8 10.8 13.7 2.8%

Royal Gold Inc RGLD 2.1 US$85.65 66 $5,611 1.62 1.66 1.85 51.5 46.2 4.56 4.72 4.64 18.2 18.4 21.4 1.3%

Yamana Gold Inc AUY 2.5 US$2.35 949 $2,235 0.08 0.11 0.13 22.2 18.5 0.51 0.55 0.58 4.3 4.0 6.4 1.0%

Zhaojin Mining Industry Co Ltd (HK) 1818 2.2 CNY$6.98 3221 $3,269 0.20 0.21 0.25 33.5 27.4 0.34 0.95 0.65 7.3 10.8 18.3 1.2%

Average 31.7 22.6 8.9 8.0 11.4

Small Cap Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Acacia Mining PLC (UK) ACAA 2.9 US$2.34 410 $955 0.36 0.16 0.21 14.8 11.3 (0.06) 0.39 0.57 6.0 4.1 2.2 0.0%

Alacer Gold Corp (CN) ASR 2.6 US$1.85 294 $543 0.28 0.10 0.26 19.4 7.0 0.37 0.24 0.60 7.9 3.1 26.0 0.0%

Argonaut Gold Ltd (CN) AR 1.9 US$1.14 178 $203 0.09 0.08 0.20 14.3 5.8 0.22 0.35 0.48 3.2 2.4 4.8 0.0%

Centamin Egypt (CN) CEE 2.3 US$1.39 1155 $1,603 0.13 0.07 0.09 19.1 16.2 0.31 0.12 0.23 11.2 6.2 3.4 9.0%

Centerra Gold (CN) CG 2.6 US$4.30 292 $1,255 0.93 0.33 0.51 12.9 8.4 1.71 1.04 1.21 4.1 3.5 4.0 0.0%

Detour Gold Corp (CN) DGC 2.1 US$8.45 175 $1,482 0.66 0.33 0.32 25.8 26.1 1.65 1.50 1.41 5.7 6.0 6.0 0.0%

Eldorado Gold Corp EGO 3.1 US$4.71 159 $466 0.10 (0.09) (0.05) -- -- 0.45 0.52 0.75 9.1 6.3 4.7 0.0%

Endeavour Mining Corp (CN) EDV 1.8 US$16.38 108 $1,765 0.67 0.41 0.98 39.6 16.6 2.24 2.15 2.93 7.6 5.6 9.8 0.0%

Guyana Goldfields Inc (CN) GUY 2.7 US$1.17 174 $204 0.15 0.09 0.31 12.6 3.7 0.38 0.33 0.65 3.6 1.8 1.7 0.0%

Harmony Gold Mining Ltd HAR 3.0 ZAR$25.20 532 $930 2.24 2.46 3.34 10.3 7.5 8.32 8.77 9.50 2.9 2.7 4.1 0.0%

Hecla Mining Co HL 2.7 US$2.36 480 $1,133 0.10 (0.07) 0.01 -- NM 0.29 0.26 0.38 9.1 6.2 6.8 0.4%

Hochschild Mining PLC (UK) HOC 2.3 US$1.99 509 $1,013 0.08 0.05 0.08 37.1 23.8 0.45 0.46 0.53 4.3 3.8 3.5 1.6%

McEwen Ming Inc. MUX 2.0 US$1.82 345 $628 (0.03) (0.11) 0.01 -- NM (0.05) (0.05) 0.07 -- 28.0 -- 0.5%

New Gold Inc NGD 3.1 US$0.77 579 $446 0.09 (0.06) (0.04) -- -- 0.61 0.46 0.40 1.7 1.9 4.1 0.0%

Pretium Resources PVG 2.0 US$8.48 183 $1,557 0.10 0.60 0.83 14.2 10.3 0.40 1.14 1.63 7.5 5.2 -- 0.0%

Oceanagold Corp (AU) OGC 2.3 US$3.43 618 $2,259 0.30 0.22 0.18 15.6 18.9 0.57 0.53 0.48 6.4 7.2 8.4 0.8%

Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd OR 1.9 C$11.97 156 $1,372 0.18 0.11 0.19 NM 63.0 0.38 0.51 0.61 23.3 19.8 51.0 2.0%

Regis Resources Ltd (AU) RRL 2.8 AUD$4.83 508 $1,728 0.31 0.33 0.34 14.7 14.2 0.46 0.47 0.48 10.2 10.2 9.3 3.1%

St Barbara Ltd (AU) SBM 2.3 AUD$4.70 524 $1,735 0.36 0.35 0.30 13.5 15.6 0.60 0.55 0.48 8.6 9.8 7.4 2.5%

Semafo (CN) SMF 1.9 US$2.16 326 $704 0.00 0.03 0.31 74.6 7.1 0.23 0.34 0.75 6.4 2.9 5.3 0.0%

Sibanye Gold Ltd (SA) SGL 2.5 ZAR$10.02 2266 $1,575 (0.12) 0.34 1.22 29.1 8.2 3.53 2.85 4.26 3.5 2.4 4.7 0.0%

SSR Mining SSRM 2.3 US$12.09 120 $1,455 0.34 0.23 0.25 52.7 48.4 1.21 0.83 1.31 14.6 9.2 6.2 0.0%

Torex Gold Resources (CN) TXG 1.8 US$9.53 85 $809 (0.18) 0.42 0.72 22.7 13.2 0.92 2.07 2.67 4.6 3.6 6.4 0.0%

Average 24.6 17.1 7.3 6.6 8.6

Note: Currency shown is that used by the company for financial reporting. Currency does not always reflect the country/market in which the company/stock symbol trades. GAAP may differ between stocks due to countries and markets.

The tables are compiled from the Thomson Reuters database of consensus Ratings & Estimates of equity analysts. The historicals and estimates of earnings and cash flows exclude non-operating, special items.

Thomson Reuters Rating System: Buy (1.0), Buy/Hold (2.0), Hold (3.0), Sell/Hold (4.0), Sell (5.0) Source: Thomson Reuters.

Silver Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Americas Silver Corp (CN) USA 1.7 US$1.64 43 $70 (0.09) 0.01 0.11 NM 15.3 0.04 0.27 0.35 6.1 4.7 0.0 0.0%

Coeur Mining Corp CDE 1.9 US$4.47 203 $909 0.02 (0.12) 0.11 -- 39.3 1.08 0.57 0.90 7.9 4.9 5.7 0.0%

Endeavour Silver Corp EXK 2.8 US$2.16 130 $279 0.08 (0.07) 0.06 -- 39.2 0.12 0.24 0.27 9.1 8.0 7.5 0.0%

First Majestic Silver Corp AG 2.3 US$5.88 194 $1,138 (0.04) (0.19) 0.19 -- 31.0 0.43 0.33 0.69 18.0 8.6 10.8 0.0%

Fortuna Silver Mines FSM 2.2 US$3.67 160 $586 0.28 0.22 0.31 16.7 11.8 0.44 0.50 0.64 7.3 5.7 5.5 0.0%

Fresnillo (UK) FRES 2.2 US$10.97 737 $8,085 0.65 0.54 0.57 20.2 19.4 1.03 1.07 1.09 10.3 10.1 8.1 2.7%

Mag Silver Corp MAG 1.8 US$7.33 86 $627 (0.08) (0.03) (0.06) -- -- (0.05) (0.04) (0.05) -- -- 64.8 0.0%

Pan American Silver PAAS 2.6 US$14.60 153 $2,241 0.51 0.47 0.62 31.3 23.7 1.47 1.26 2.06 11.6 7.1 7.4 0.8%

Wheaton Precious Metals WPM 1.8 US$19.53 444 $8,677 0.63 0.48 0.53 41.0 36.8 1.22 1.07 1.17 18.2 16.8 16.5 2.1%

Silvercorp SVM 2.0 US$2.09 168 $351 0.26 0.20 0.24 10.4 8.7 0.42 0.38 0.42 5.5 4.9 -- 0.9%

Average 23.9 25.0 10.5 7.9 14.0

Platinum Group Metals

African Rainbow Minerals (SA) ARI 1.8 ZAR$142.35 222 $2,191 20.46 24.05 20.85 5.9 6.8 13.98 14.80 19.75 9.6 7.2 31.5 9.2%

Anglo Platinum Ltd (SA) AMS 2.5 ZAR$537.93 270 $10,061 14.76 24.72 29.28 21.8 18.4 49.84 39.45 45.25 13.6 11.9 15.7 2.0%

Impala Platinum (SA) IMP 2.4 ZAR$36.68 735 $2,080 (1.54) 0.07 2.38 NM 15.4 2.34 5.29 8.19 6.9 4.5 12.1 0.0%

Lonmin PLC (UK) LMI 3.8 US$0.58 283 $162 (2.61) 0.12 0.05 4.7 12.6 0.17 0.29 0.22 2.0 2.6 -- 0.0%

Northam Platinum Ltd (SA) NHM 2.3 ZAR$43.26 510 $1,529 (1.91) (1.30) 0.14 -- NM 0.91 2.89 6.82 15.0 6.3 37.6 0.0%

Average 10.8 13.3 9.4 6.5 24.2

Diamonds & Gems Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

AK Alrosa PAO (RU) ALRS 2.2 RU$33.75 7365 $10,460 10.47 14.47 14.44 2.3 2.3 13.65 18.46 17.76 1.8 1.9 4.3 10.5%

Lucara Diamond Corp (CN) LUC 1.9 US$1.09 397 $430 0.16 0.07 0.13 15.1 8.2 0.25 0.15 0.20 7.2 5.5 2.1 4.6%

Mountain Province Diamonds (CN) MPVD 2.3 US$1.95 210 $300 0.11 0.17 0.21 11.5 9.4 0.26 0.71 0.62 2.7 3.1 -- 0.0%

Petra Diamonds Ltd (UK) PDL 2.0 US$0.48 865 $416 0.02 0.03 0.07 15.3 6.7 0.18 0.15 0.18 3.3 2.7 6.0 0.0%

Stornoway Diamond Corp (CN) SWY 2.8 C$0.20 923 $132 0.02 (0.07) (0.04) -- -- 0.08 (0.01) 0.07 -- 2.9 -- 0.0%

Average 11.1 6.7 3.8 3.2 4.2

Fertilizers

Arab Potash Co (JR) APOT -- JOD$16.02 83 $1,882 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 12.2 6.0%

CF Industries CF 2.2 US$43.51 231 $10,042 (0.25) 1.58 2.74 27.5 15.9 6.97 5.84 6.52 7.5 6.7 19.2 2.2%

Compass Minerals CMP 2.3 US$41.69 34 $1,411 2.75 2.30 3.58 18.1 11.6 4.34 4.89 7.44 8.5 5.6 9.9 4.3%

Incitec Pivot Ltd (AU) IPL 2.8 AUD$3.28 1611 $3,725 0.19 0.22 0.26 14.9 12.5 0.39 0.41 0.47 7.9 7.0 10.1 2.7%

Israel Chemical (IS) ICL 2.5 US$5.70 1280 $7,300 0.30 0.39 0.41 14.8 13.9 0.66 0.48 0.73 11.9 7.9 9.2 3.1%

K & S Aktiengesellschaft (GR) SDF 2.3 EUR$15.72 191 $3,439 0.96 0.36 1.36 43.9 11.6 1.60 1.95 3.11 8.1 5.0 11.3 1.9%

Mosaic Co MOS 2.3 US$29.21 385 $11,260 1.09 1.93 2.44 15.2 12.0 2.67 4.02 4.56 7.3 6.4 13.5 0.3%

Sociedad Quimica Minera (ADR) SQM 2.2 US$38.30 263 $10,324 1.63 1.75 2.24 21.9 17.1 2.67 2.07 2.83 18.5 13.5 14.3 5.6%

Yara International ASA (NO) YAR 2.9 NOK$38.28 273 $10,459 1.81 1.66 3.07 23.0 12.5 2.87 4.79 5.64 8.0 6.8 8.5 1.6%

Average 22.4 13.4 9.7 7.4 12.0

Note: Currency shown is that used by the company for financial reporting. Currency does not always reflect the country/market in which the company/stock symbol trades. GAAP may differ between stocks due to countries and markets.

The tables are compiled from the Thomson Reuters database of consensus Ratings & Estimates of equity analysts. The historicals and estimates of earnings and cash flows exclude non-operating, special items.

Thomson Reuters Rating System: Buy (1.0), Buy/Hold (2.0), Hold (3.0), Sell/Hold (4.0), Sell (5.0) Source: Thomson Reuters.

Uranium Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Cameco Corp CCJ 2.4 C$15.48 396 $4,493 0.15 0.25 0.11 62.2 NM 1.51 1.46 0.89 10.6 17.4 11.1 1.4%

Denison Mines DNN 2.0 US$0.63 584 $270 (0.04) (0.03) (0.03) -- -- 0.03 (0.03) (0.02) -- -- -- 0.0%

Energy Resources Australia (AU) ERA 4.0 AUD$0.25 518 $89 (0.04) 0.01 0.01 24.5 24.5 0.02 (0.01) 0.01 -- 24.5 -- 0.0%

Uranium Participation Corp (CN) U 2.0 C$4.48 138 $454 (0.03) 0.55 0.51 8.2 8.9 (0.03) (0.03) -- -- -- -- 0.0%

Average 31.6 16.7 10.6 20.9 11.1

Coal

Large - Mid Cap Price Shrs O/S Mkt Cap Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Cash Flow Per Share Price/Cash Flow EV/EBITDA Div Yld

Symbol Rating 31-Dec-18 (MM) (US$MM) 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2017 2018E 2019E 2018E 2019E 2018E %

Adaro Energy TBK (ID) ADRO 2.1 US$0.08 31986 $2,670 0.01 0.01 0.01 6.3 6.4 0.03 0.03 0.03 3.1 3.2 4.5 5.8%

Banpu Public Co Ltd (TH) BANPU 1.9 THB$0.45 5162 $2,348 0.07 0.07 0.07 6.1 6.4 0.13 0.08 0.10 5.7 4.7 17.1 3.6%

China Coal Energy Co (HK) 1898 2.4 CNY$2.70 13259 $7,805 0.26 0.43 0.39 6.3 6.9 1.34 1.15 1.16 2.3 2.3 11.9 2.0%

China Shenhua Energy Co (HK) 1088 2.2 CNY$15.07 19890 $50,524 2.40 2.30 2.26 6.5 6.7 4.78 4.09 4.12 3.7 3.7 5.3 6.0%

Consol Energy CNX 2.4 US$11.42 204 $2,325 (0.04) 1.10 1.00 10.4 11.4 1.88 3.88 4.67 2.9 2.4 7.7 0.0%

Whitehaven Coal Lyd (AU) WHC 2.0 AUD$4.32 1026 $3,124 0.45 0.60 0.56 7.2 7.6 0.72 0.90 0.79 4.8 5.5 0.0 0.0%

Yancoal Australia Lyd YAL -- AUD$3.92 1316 $3,637 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0 0.0%

Yanzhou Coal Mining Co Ltd (HK) 1171 2.5 CNY$5.55 4912 $5,355 1.50 1.64 1.61 3.4 3.4 2.48 3.12 3.33 1.8 1.7 17.2 5.7%

Average 6.6 7.0 3.5 3.3 8.0

Small Cap

Cloud Peak Energy CLD 3.3 US$0.37 76 $28 (0.50) (0.53) (0.54) -- -- 0.71 0.29 0.42 1.3 0.9 3.4 0.0%

Fushan Int'l Energy Group (HK) 639 2.3 HK$1.59 5302 $1,076 0.20 0.22 0.21 7.3 7.5 0.29 0.19 0.29 8.4 5.5 6.8 8.3%

NLC India Ltd (IN) NLCINDIA -- INR$69.25 1387 $1,380 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 6.0 5.4%

New Hope Corp Ltd (AU) NHC 2.3 AUD$3.41 831 $1,998 0.22 0.39 0.45 8.7 7.6 0.41 0.57 0.58 6.0 5.9 15.6 4.4%

PT Tambang Batubara Bukit (ID) PTBA 2.5 IDR$4,300 11521 $3,404 425.00 467.91 444.07 9.2 9.7 229.16 532.89 469.33 8.1 9.2 15.5 7.4%

PT Bumi Resources (ID) BUMI -- US$0.01 65476 $463 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 0.0%

Average 7.2 7.4 4.4 4.1 8.8

Limited Partnership

Alliance Resource Partners LP ARLP 2.0 US$17.34 130 $2,257 2.80 2.95 2.78 5.9 6.2 5.63 3.18 3.65 5.5 4.8 3.9 10.0%

Natural Resource Partners LP NRP 3.0 US$38.24 12 $468 3.43 4.37 3.91 8.7 9.8 6.67 6.95 16.07 5.5 2.4 5.3 5.8%

Average 7.3 8.0 5.5 3.6 4.6

Note: Currency shown is that used by the company for financial reporting. Currency does not always reflect the country/market in which the company/stock symbol trades. GAAP may differ between stocks due to countries and markets.

The tables are compiled from the Thomson Reuters database of consensus Ratings & Estimates of equity analysts. The historicals and estimates of earnings and cash flows exclude non-operating, special items.

Thomson Reuters Rating System: Buy (1.0), Buy/Hold (2.0), Hold (3.0), Sell/Hold (4.0), Sell (5.0) Source: Thomson Reuters.

Recent and Forecast Commodity Prices

Cash Price (31-Dec-18)

Aluminum ($0.85 / lb)

Cobalt ($25.17 / lb)

Copper ($2.71 / lb)

Lead ($0.91 / lb)

Molybdenum ($11.79 / lb)

Nickel ($4.81 / lb)

Tin ($8.85 / lb)

Zinc ($1.14 / lb)

Palladium ($1252 / oz)

Platinum ($794 / oz)

Silver ($15.47 / oz)

Uranium ($28.50 / lb)
HAMPTON, Iowa  Trial is set for a Franklin County man accused of stealing money and hiding drugs in an apartment complex.

Brady Joe Hunt, 38 of Hampton, is charged with 2nd degree theft, possession of marijuana, and possession of methamphetamines. Prosecutors say he was seen on security video leaving an apartment where $3,000 in cash was stolen.

Police say the video shows Hunt entering a third floor laundry room, where he supposedly dropped the money down the dryer vent to the 2nd floor. Hunt is accused of collecting the cash from the 2nd floor, then returning a short time later to hide some marijuana, meth, pills, syringes, and $1,310 in cash.

Hunts trial is scheduled to start on February 14.
ROCKWELL, Iowa - Authorities say a Mason City man went on a one-person crime spree early Monday morning, including stealing a vehicle and driving it through a closed garage door.

Terry Arp, 29, was arrested Monday after a number of calls to authorities.

The Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office said it began when a suspicious vehicle was reported in the area of the Rockwell Care Center.

While en route, deputies came in contact with the vehicle before it fled into a field and the driver took off on foot in the 11000 block of Owl Ave. at around 1 a.m.

The subject wasnt located at that time.

However, at 4 a.m., deputies were called back to the area after a vehicle was reported fleeing the area at a high rate of speed.

When deputies arrived, they found a 1994 Dodge van in a ditch near the area of Partridge Ave. and 200th St. The vehicle had been stolen from a nearby building and was driven through a closed garage door, authorities said.

While investigating the incidents, another call was taken in the 16000 block of 200th St. involving a suspicious subject on the property.

Arp was taken into custody after being found hiding inside a shed.

He is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on outstanding warrants for third-degree theft and driving while barred.

He is facing new charges of trespassing, driving while barred, possession of a controlled substance (meth), possession of drug paraphernalia, operating without owners consent, criminal mischief and failure to maintain control.

Arp was allegedly in a vehicle pursuit in Mason City late last month where a truck hit a parked car and two houses.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  Criminal sexual conduct with a minor results in probation for a Stewartville man.

Craig Dean Jech, 63, was arrested in June 2018 and accused of inappropriately touching his victim. He pleaded guilty to one count of 4th degree criminal sexual conduct with two other charges of 3rd and 4th degree criminal sexual conduct being dismissed.

Jech was sentenced Monday to 27 days in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center and 10 years of probation. He will also have to perform 100 hours of community work service and register as a predatory offender.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  A man convicted of assaulting his probation officer has gotten his sentence overturned.

Clifton Dale Robinson, 38 of Bayport, was convicted in August 2017 of 5th and 4th degree assault after a confrontation with his Mower County probation officer. Authorities say Robinson shoved the officer into a wall and threw open a door, smashing it into the officers arm.

Robinson was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

He appealed, arguing the district court judge admitted too much testimony supporting the probation officers version of events, that the state failed to prove out-of-state convictions used to increase his sentence, and that he was the victim of both ineffective counsel and a biased juror.

The Minnesota Court of Appeals has rejected Robinsons claims about testimony at his trial, his lawyers strategy, and the supposedly biased juror. However, the Court did find that proper evidence of any out-of-state convictions was not presented in district court and ordered Robinson be resentenced.
STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP)  A Minnesota supporter of President Donald Trump is facing a disorderly conduct charge stemming from a weekend altercation at an Iowa rally for Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Photos from Warren's rally Saturday in Storm Lake show 58-year-old Randal Thom, of Lakefield, Minnesota, carrying a sign that read "Keep America Great"  which was a reference to Trump's "Make America Great Again" 2016 campaign slogan.

Police say Thom was involved in an argument with supporters of the Massachusetts senator that turned physical, and that some punches were thrown. There were no injuries and no one else was arrested.

Court records don't list an attorney for Thom and attempts to reach him for comment Monday weren't successful.

Warren's trip to Iowa offered a first glimpse of what she may look like as a candidate for president if she runs in 2020.
MASON CITY, Iowa - A woman is facing a charge of child endangerment-bodily injury for allegedly being too intoxicated to care for her grandchild.

Lakesa Mitchell, 36, of Mason City, was arrested at 4:06 a.m. Saturday in the 1700 block of S. Delaware Ave.

According to court documents, medics were called to the residence for a medical call involving a two-month old child and it was discovered Mitchell was caring for the child at that time.

The child rolled off the bed and onto the floor, according to the criminal complaint, The child was found on the floor by its mother.

The child was transported by ambulance for evaluation. Mitchells blood-alcohol level was .214, according to the criminal complaint.
UPDATE: The charges against Nicholas Ramirez have been dismissed due to his death.

ALBERT LEA, Minn.  A Norgaard plea is entered in a drunken assault.

Nicholas Richard Ramirez, 21 of Albert Lea, was arrested in May 2018 and charged with 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon, 5th degree assault, and consumption of alcohol under the age of 21. Ramirez turned 21 in November 2018.

Authorities say Ramirez was drinking at a home along 790th Avenue in Freeborn County when Ramirez put another man in a chokehold, stabbed him in the ear with a screwdriver, and bit his right hand. Ramirez was taken down and held at the scene by others until law enforcement arrived.

Court documents state Ramirez blood alcohol content at the time of the incident tested at .223, nearly three times the legal limit.

Ramirez entered a Norgaard plea Monday to 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon. That means he wants to plead guilty but cannot remember the details of the crime due to intoxication or amnesia.

A sentencing date is set for March 29.
ST. PAUL, Minn.  The Minnesota court of Appeals has upheld the sentence of an Olmsted County drug dealer.

Robert Lee Crum, 42, was convicted in March 2015 of 1st degree sale of cocaine, four counts of 2nd degree controlled substance crime, and 3rd degree sale of drugs. Law enforcement says he sold cocaine to a confidential informant four times in May and June of 2014. Crum was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison.

He filed an appeal, arguing that old convictions were used to increase his criminal history score. Under Minnesota law, prior felony convictions are no longer to be considered in sentencing if 15 years or more has passed since the sentence was served.

Crum says his 1995 convictions in Illinois should therefore not have been counted as part of his criminal history, but the Court of Appeals says the sentence for those crimes ended in 2001 and that is less than 15 years before his drug arrest in Olmsted County.
MASON CITY, Iowa- The Mason City School Board addressed a re-audit Monday, which showed more than $2M in improperly spent funds. The investigation covered spending between July 2009 and August 2017.

Former State Auditor Mary Mosiman said more than $1.3M of improper payments were in salaries paid to 66 school district employees. The report also stated that during the time Dr. Anita Micich was shared superintendent for Mason City Schools and Clear Lake School Districts. Mason City over billed Clear Lake by more than $7,000 as part of the sharing agreement.

During the public forum portion of the board meeting, only one person took the podium, former Mason City Schools Union Board President Katie Koehler.

This board has worked very hard to be collaborative with the teachers, she said.

The board said it has put in place safety nets to ensure this doesnt happen again; all raises must now be signed by the school board president, the union president will sit in on finance meetings and wages will be put in spreadsheet form for the board to review. The board said it is working.

With the audit done on our new superintendent and our finance director, they came back clean, said School Board President Jodi Draper. It shows that our internal controls we set in place are working.

Other members expressed disappointment about receiving hate mail during the probe.

In the world we live in its instantaneous, said Draper. We expect answers but there is a process that needs to happen in order to make sure you get everything right.

The spending scandal has tested the emotions of all parties.

Im very emotional so if I cry life goes on, said Koehler.

Those we spoke with said it is time to focus on bettering Mason City Schools and let the legal system sort the rest of audit findings out.

Draper explained that the findings are now out of their hands and in the hands of the Cerro Gordo County Attorneys Office and DCI.
MASON CITY, Iowa  A caretaker for dependent adults is going to prison for sexual assault.

Wasfie Ahmed Alshara, 19 of Mason City, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. The Cerro Gordo County Attorneys Office says Alshara assaulted an adult female who he was caring for on November 21, 2017, and assaulted a different adult female at a group home on June 8, 2018.

Hes been sentenced to up to two years for each count, to be served consecutively for a total of up to four years. Alshara must also sign up with the Iowa sex offender registry.
CHARLES CITY, Iowa  A Mason City man is changing his plea in a high-speed chase.

Sean Daniel Wendling, 52, was arrested on October 28, 2018, after a chase through Floyd County that involved Charles City police, the Iowa State Patrol, and the sheriffs offices from Floyd and Mitchell counties. Law enforcement says Wendling was driving a car reported stolen out of Kansas and was caught with multiple baggies of methamphetamine.

Wendling entered a guilty plea Monday to possession with intent to deliver meth and operation a vehicle without the owners consent. His sentencing is set for March 4.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  A Rochester man gets probation after pleading guilty to a beating and a robbery.

Yiep Mathiang Lam, 23, was accused of robbing a man on September 11, 2018, and forcing his victim to withdraw cash from an ATM. Lam was also arrested for severely beating a boy and then dragging him from a car about a week after the robbery.

He entered guilty pleas to 2nd degree aggravated robbery and 3rd degree assault. On Monday, Lam was sentenced to 15 years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $2,178.64 in restitution. He must also do 100 hours of community work service.
ROCHESTER, Minn.-It's a day of firsts in Rochester, as the city's mayor-elect Kim Norton is sworn in as Rochesters first female mayor.

And in another first in recent history the city held a formal inauguration as Norton takes over the job.

The community was invited to attend the first inauguration for the city's elected officials.

It brought out the local educator Sara Lopez, who brought her students to the inauguration to witness history.

The kids said this is historyyes, it is, she said Have them really take a time to look at who is the mayor.

She tells KIMT that the inauguration will help kids learn about the democratic process and what they can achieve.

Students are the future of our community so by participating in the community at such a young age. We hope they engage and take hold of their community and take ownership, said Lopez.

Kim Norton will take over the city's highest leadership role, which was held by Ardell Brede for 16 years and he has one advice for the new mayor.

Listen to what the people want in the community and pay attention to that. I think it's so important to be connected to the community from little kids to seniors, said the former mayor.

Kim Norton tells KIMT that shes feeling a little overwhelmed but is ready to take on the role of leading the city.

I think that once staff are hired, Ill have some support to get through my emails and phone calls and get to all the meetings and make sure I go where I need to go. Ill feel a little calmer, said the Mayor Norton.
NORTHWOOD, Iowa  A Worth County judge rules that nine dogs and four cats may not be returned to a North Iowa dog breeder.

154 Samoyed dogs and four cats were seized from the Manly property belonging to Barbara J. Kavars on November 12, 2018. Authorities said they were living in poor conditions and suffered from a variety of health problems.

Kavars voluntarily surrendered legal ownership of all the seized animals except for nine dogs and four cats she said she wanted to keep. The Worth County Attorneys Office filed a petition to have those 13 declared threatened animals and removed from Kavars ownership.

A hearing was held in December where Kavars and the County Attorneys Officer made their arguments to Worth County Magistrate Judge Douglas Krull.

On Monday, Judge Krull ruled the nine dogs and four cats were neglected by Kavars in that she failed to provide adequate food and water, left the animals in horrid, filthy conditions, and did not provide adequate shelter or veterinary care. Judge Krull also states he does not find Kavars testimony that she will stop breeding dogs credible and that she made statements which clearly indicate her desire to begin breeding animals again.

Judge Krull rules the nine dogs and four cats qualify and threatened animals and says the Worth County Sheriffs Office should appropriately care for them, up to and including delivering them to another owner.

Criminal charges in this case are pending.
NORTHWOOD, Iowa  A Cresco man is pleading not guilty in a 100+ mile per hour chase.

Adam Benjamin Collings, 29, is charged with 1st degree theft and eluding. Law enforcement says he stole a truck from Aluma-line property in Cresco, then led authorities on a pursuit on Interstate 35 that lasted nearly 25 miles.

Collings is accused of reaching speeds of over 100 mph and swerving in and out of traffic before stop sticks were deployed and he was halted in Worth County.

Arresting officers say Collings attempted to run in front of a semi before being taken to the ground.

His trial is set to begin on February 20.
CHARLES CITY, Iowa  One of the people named as suspects in a parking lot assault is pleading guilty.

Tasiana Stephens, 29 of Charles City, and Tristan Walker were accused of attacking a woman on August 11, 2018, in a parking lot in the 2100 block of Clark Street. Law enforcement says Stephens brought handgun from her apartment and gave it to Walker, who pointed it at the victim and struck her in the head. Stephens is also accused of punching the victim several times in the head.



Tristan Walker Tristan Walker

Stephens was arrested on October 22, 2018, and eventually pleaded guilty to willful injury. Her sentencing is set for March 18, 2019.

The Charles City Police Department says they continue to look for Walker and arrest warrants have been issued for him.
ALBERT LEA, Minn.  A St. Paul man pleads guilty in a Freeborn County stolen car case.

Matthew Dennis Smith, 30, was arrested in the early morning hours of November 30, 2018, after an Albert Lea police officer said he noticed a suspicious vehicle driving with no rear plates and a rear window completely covered by snow.

The officer says he signaled the vehicle to stop but it took off and went over the curb. The driver, Smith, then ran from the vehicle while it was still in motion. The officer chased after Smith as he ran through some backyards and jumped a fence before finally capturing him at gunpoint.

A check found the vehicle had been reported stolen from Southtown Motors.

Smith pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of stolen property. His sentencing is set for March 15.
PRESTON, Minn.  The man arrested after a fatal collision with an Amish buggy is pleading not guilty.

Connor Louis Keene, 24 of Canton, is charged with four felony counts of criminal vehicular homicide, three counts of failing to stop for an accident involving injury or death, failure to notify police of a personal injury accident, failing to stop for a collision involving a driven or attended vehicle, and careless driving.

Authorities say Keene was driving his car when it hit the buggy on a Fillmore County road on August 31, killing William Stutzman, 21 of rural Harmony, and injuring two of Stutzmans brothers.

Law enforcement says Keenes car was found in a nearby hayfield and a test showed him with a blood alcohol content of .184, more than twice the legal limit.

Keene entered his not guilty plea Monday. A trial date has not been set.
BYRON, Minn.- A quick ten-minute drive from Rochester. On the real estate front, you can get a lot for your money in Byron.

Mary Blair-Hoeft is the city administrator, she tells KIMT that in the early 2000's hundreds of houses were built in Byron.

This Thursday Mary will present the number of homes built in the surrounding cities.

In Oronoco 10 homes were built, Pine Island it was 14 and Zumbrota 27 homes were built in 2018.

That number has decreased slightly but Blair-Hoeft says the area is still a developers dream because of its close proximity to the Med-City.

The convenience of being able to drive six miles into Rochester a lot of people don't quite understand that you can live in Byron and get to Mayo clinic quicker than if you lived on the other side of Rochester, said the administrator.

Its not just homes are coming to Byron, its also businesses.

Small businesses and manufacturers are seeing the town as a potential new home for their companies.

Blair-Hoeft explains that the pros outweigh the cons to moving their businesses outside of Rochester.

Commercial prices has increased so much in Rochester it has encouraged small businesses and small manufactures to look outside of Rochester and they realize the convenience that it's easy to get in and out of Rochester from an outlying city, she said.
MASON CITY, Iowa- About 35 residents in Mason City are being told they cant stay in their apartments complex. The reason: asbestos, mold and lead-based paint in the buildings.

Signs were put up on doors telling residents they must leave the Regency Terrace Apartments by January 9th. As of Monday, the city said around 10 people, including Jordan Showalter, are packing their belongings.

Many of the apartments are homes to those on a fixed income or with mental illness. The City Housing Inspections Division says they have been able to help most of the residents find new places to live. Many, including Showalter, will not be able to stay in the North Iowa area. Jodran says he is looking forward to moving to Waterloo.

I know a lot of people down there, he said.

Those with the city said it is up to Quad Cities Accommodation LLC, the owners of the complexes, to bring them up to code.
Kilkenny is to receive over 400,000 for a further three recreational investments, Junior Minister, John Paul Phelan, TD, has confirmed. Castlecomer Discovery Park is one of the biggest beneficiaries and is to get 200,000 for enhancement and improvement works. Graiguenamanagh Outdoor Activity Hub is to receive a 124,000 boost and Moat Fields Nature and Heritage Trail in Callan is to receive 79,069, Minister Phelan has confirmed.

The funding in Callan will be used to create a walkway while enhancement and improvement works are on the cards for Castlecomer.

Im thrilled to confirm that in all, 403,069 is to be made available to a further three Kilkenny-based projects under the 2018 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS). In all, 12 million is being invested across Ireland. The scheme provides funding for the development and maintenance of outdoor amenities such as greenways, blueways and other trails, Minister Phelan said.

In the order of 380 applications were received across the three funding categories and of those, 146 projects to the value of just under 10 million have been approved to date.

Kilkenny is now one of Irelands top leisure and pleasure destinations. Weve always been a Mecca for the culturally and culinary curious. But more and more individuals, couples, families, clubs and groups are now coming to Kilkenny to walk, to run, to cycle, to hike, use our waterways and enjoy everything the county has to offer. The great work done over the years by Kilkenny County Council, by Kilkenny LEADER, by Trail Kilkenny and the various outdoor pursuits hubs, companies and community groups has to be commended.



"Its a great boost to the city and the county and the revenue generated helps to create and sustain jobs in communities right across Kilkenny. It also goes a long way towards encouraging people to get active, get outdoors and lead healthier lives.I look forward to further investment in even more attractions in Kilkenny over the coming months, Minister Phelan concluded.
The development of an Outdoor Activity Hub in Graiguenamanagh is to receive a grant of 124,000.

The money will come from the 2018 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, part of the Governments Action Plan for Rural Development and provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure. It also supports the maintenance, enhancement and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in Ireland.
Kootenai County Asking For Help in Locating Man Who Failed to Register as Sex Offender
EUGENE, Ore. -- Recent saturation patrols by the Lane County Sheriffs Office and Roseburg Police Department yielded multiple arrests, law enforcement officials said.

Deputies conducted overtime saturation patrols over the Christmas and New Year holidays with the aim of reducing impaired driving and related crashes.

During the two-week period, deputies on grant-funded overtime made five DUII arrests. An additional 10 DUII-related arrests were made by deputies outside of that overtime.

Deputies on overtime also contacted community members, gave 72 warnings, made seven arrests and issued multiple citations.

During the same time period last year, 15 people were arrested in connection with DUII. This year, deputies worked 36 hours of grant-funded overtime, six more than the year before.

The countys grant was provided through the Oregon State Sheriffs Association and the Oregon Department of Transportation.

In Roseburg, police participated in DUII enforcement patrols throughout the month of December with a grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Impact.

Eight people were arrested during December and the New Year holiday for suspicion of DUII.

Police said grants allow officers to focus on issues they wouldnt be able to during normal patrols.
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An excerpt from Please Dont Die.

While I was still writing this book, a local doctor killed himself. This was a younger psychiatrist with a successful practice, leaving three children after shooting himself in the head. What do you imagine his patients are thinking right now, especially if they are struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts? I didnt know him but thinking about this makes me want to cry.

Did you know that doctors actually have higher rates of suicide than Veterans? Their suicide rate is twice as high as the general population. The number of doctor suicides is estimated to occur at 40 per 100,000. This is more than double what is seen among the American general public, which is thought to be around 13 per 100,000. That works out at between 300 and 400 medical practitioners taking their own lives every single year. In the U.S., health professionals are well compensated and well educated. It is a career choice many wish for but few achieve.

How can you explain suicides among this group? They are smart, educated, and by most standards, successful. They have access to resources. What possible reason could they have for ending their lives? We tend to think of this group as success stories. But there are significant stressors in the training and in these careers.

Doctors endure extended training which is extremely competitive. The training itself is taxing intellectually, emotionally and financially. They usually enter the medical field because they want to help others. While training involves intensive and prolonged exposure to almost intolerable stress, being responsible for anothers life is overwhelming.

Because the exposure to stress is so prolonged, talented and compassionate people reach their breaking point. They give up. Doctors tend to feel they should be stronger, and think theyre alone in their despair. They dont turn to each other, and they dont talk about how they feel, or how afraid they are of failure. They often internalize their despair and end their lives. As humans, doctors are exposed to the same kind of life stressors as others, and deal with it the same way others do, with drugs and alcohol. Their suicide means is usually drug overdose. They have access to drugs and know how much to take.

The loss of physicians yearly to suicide is a tragic loss of resources because we need compassionate people to provide our health care. The process of medical training has been inhumane for some time, based on an archaic notion that the quality of the ability to provide treatment is based on ones ability to tolerate extreme stress over long periods of time.

Doctors and nurses are made to suffer, and are stressed to their emotional and physical tolerance as part of training in the belief that this trait is necessary to be successful in the field. That exposure to prolonged sleep deprivation and emotional and physical stress becomes more than some can bear. Students graduate with high student loan amounts.

Adjusting to the work environment coupled with insurance restrictions further frustrates those whose goal it is to help others as it impairs their ability to help those they seek to help. Normal life stressors add to the mix. Relationships suffer from the amount of time lost to studying and working, more so than with a number of other types of employment. Varying work shifts and the need to be on call may cause interference with emotional intimacy. The scales can tip to overwhelming. Approximately one million people lose their health provider each year to suicide.

Rhonda Fried is a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist. She is the author of Please Dont Die.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Im a little fascinated around this time of year with the fact that we seem to be drowning in joy. You can buy knick-knacks adorned with the word, and its written on coffee cups and doughnut boxes. We sing of tidings of comfort and joy. And if youre a Christian actually celebrating the Incarnation of God theres some real overwhelming joy for you.

But what is joy at a time when people seem to opt more for anger and despair? When joy seems illusory or impossible to others? And how does joy work when you get grim news?

Sister Wendy Beckett, the recently deceased nun and art historian known best for her BBC documentaries, wrote this in her book In the Midst of Chaos, Peace: Joy is a liberating power, an absolute gift. And though it is not won or deserved, it is often the resource which transforms our times of despair and horror. Joy is the victory over our struggles.

Our neighbors are now experiencing the singular joy of foster parenting, Mike Aquilina, the author of many books on church history, including the new Villains of the Early Church, tells me. Its demanding. They look exhausted a lot of the time. But they radiate joy.
Lawmakers and other observers say they dont expect such turmoil on Wednesday because the balance of power has shifted to the moderate middle. Still, they say, dont be shocked if the secret votes for legislative leaders bring some surprises  and some last-minute candidates.

I dont see quite the drama I saw two years ago, said State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha. The surprise element is fairly gone, although its likely a couple of candidates will pop up.

State Sen. Matt Williams of Gothenburg said he hasnt seen the arm-twisting and intimidation employed before the 2017 votes this year. Theres been attempts this time, but they have not been successful, he said.

The 2019 Legislature will consist of 30 Republicans, 18 Democrats and one independent, which is two fewer Republicans and three more Dems than in 2017.

Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte, a leader in the conservative wing of the Legislature, said it appears that the moderate middle has gained some power from the recent election. That group of senators always decides who gets elected, he said.

Well have a vote (Wednesday), and whoever wins wins, Groene said.
So she switched to felting, the process of rubbing wool with olive oil to harden it.

When she attended a wool festival in Wisconsin, events included a hat-making session. That led to a new passion.

I started from nothing and had no skills, she said of her millinery launch. I have taken tons and tons of classes to learn all these things that nobody would have a clue it takes to make a hat.

She had to learn how to use a sewing machine and how to stretch fabric over wooden molds and steam it to actually create the hats. Many of her hat forms come from France, known for its millinery. She has even used teak salad bowls as forms. Some fabric comes from the Czech Republic. She has made hats out of felt, straw, velour and material made out of cork, among other things.

Trembley loves embellishments: jewels, scarves, ribbons, fur, leather, even fake flora and fauna  one purple and green hat on display in her shop looks like a hill with a valley that holds what looks like tall grass.

Nature inspires me a lot, she said.
Wilcox was able to purchase a reflective safety jacket and safety cones. Also purchased were two LED light bars, which were mounted on the villages pickup and loader. The Lean on LARM Safety Grant is available from the Nebraska League Association of Risk Management, an insurance pool made up of 163 governmental entities across Nebraska.
MINDEN  Plans to rebuild a bus barn that burned down in July were approved by the Minden Board of Education.

The new barn will be built this year, and it will be a 70-foot by 140-foot structure, said Minden Public Schools Superintendent James Widdifield.

Before Mindens new school was built, the old bus barn was much larger.

When they built the high school, they tore down part of (the barn), and they just left what was up there. We are getting back to what we had similarly as far as size goes but where you can actually put buses in this versus what was existing this summer, Widdifield said.

Before burning down, the barn housed small vehicles and maintenance equipment including a pickup and lawn mowers.

The Nebraska State Fire Marshals office deemed the fire to be accidental and was started by a vehicle inside the bus barn, according to a previous Hub story. The fire was contained to the barn, which was a total loss.

After discussing the project at a Nov. 12 school board meeting, the board approved the bus barn contract at the Dec. 3 meeting. The $600,000 structure will be built about a quarter of a mile west of the school.
UPDATE: The crash that claimed two lives on Highway 18 was caused by icy conditions, Oregon State Police said.

Andres Resendez, 52, of Sheridan was driving a 2006 Freightliner that was pulling two empty tanker trailers, and he was traveling eastbound on the Newberg/Dundee bypass.

Police said Daniel Green, 45, of Winlock, Washington was driving a 2012 Freightliner westbound when the two trucks collided. Green's truck was pulling two trailers loaded with empty poultry cages.

Resendez and Green were pronounced dead on the scene.

Police said a woman driving on the roadway at the time was unable to stop her 2000 Hyundai and hit the back of one of the tanker trailers.

Delia Lake, 23, of McMinnville sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.

The bypass was opened at about 4 p.m.

____________________

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Two trucks collided on an icy highway in western Oregon before dawn, killing both drivers and triggering a fire.

The Oregon State Police said the collision happened about 5:20 a.m. Monday on Highway 18 on a recently opened Newberg-Dundee bypass. Photos sent by the state police showed flames across the highway and firefighters on the scene.

Almost five hours later, the stretch of highway remained closed as workers cleaned up spilled diesel fuel.

A car was also involved in the crash. The driver was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

The state police said the icy road is believed to have contributed to the crash.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
North Kansas City-based health care IT firm Cerner Corp. says they are currently going through a reduction of their workforce.
The head of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City wants to represent taxpayers in a lawsuit over proposed police budget spending. Urban League president Gwen Grant said in a statement that the city's current policing structure does not represent the needs of Kansas City citizens, particula
Bosnian Serbs on Tuesday began celebrations of the national holiday of their entity, Republika Srpska, defying a 2016 legal ban and angering Bosnian Muslims who view it as a provocation.

Muslims in Bosnia oppose the event as it marks the creation of a Serb republic in Bosnia on January 9, 1992, three months ahead of an ethnic war that claimed 100,000 lives and displaced more than two million people.

Among the founders of the Republika Srpska was Radovan Karadzic, who was jailed by an international court for genocide committed during the 1992-1995 conflict.

The key event is a parade of the Republika Srpska police forces which will take place Wednesday in the northern town of Banja Luka, capital of the entity.

Post-war Bosnia is divided along ethnic lines into two semi-independent entities  Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation.

They are linked by a loose central government and tripartite presidency that includes representatives of three major communities.

Republika Srpska is predominantly made up of Orthodox Christian Serbs who account for a third of Bosnias 3.5 million inhabitants.

Muslims comprise half the countrys population, while Catholic Croats are the third major ethnic group, representing 15 percent of the total.

Bosnian Serb strongman Milorad Dodik, who served as the Serb member of Bosnias tripartite presidency since November, said Tuesday that the country was a failed society that can hardly survive without international intervention.

Dodik spoke after laying wreaths at a memorial to Serb soldiers killed during the war.

Some realities should be accepted. As we endure the existence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, they (Muslims) should get used to us, said the former social-democrat-turned-nationalist.

A representative of Bosnian Muslims, Ramiz Salkic, said the day would never be a holiday for his community as it reminded Muslims of expulsions, the destruction of our property and murders of our loved ones  the genocide of our people, Salkic said.

Karadzic, the political wartime leader of Bosnian Serbs, and his military chief Ratko Mladic have been condemned by the Hague-based UN court for former Yugoslavia for war crimes and crimes against humanity for their role during the war in Bosnia.

Both are notably found guilty for genocide, the July 1995 Srebrenica massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys.
Protestants in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday added their voice to that of the Catholic Church in urging the authorities to publish the results of a delayed presidential election.

In a statement, the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) appealed to the DRCs election commission to uphold its promises, made before God and before the nation, to offer the nation the truth, and nothing but the truth, of the ballot box.

Elections postponed three times over the last two years were held on December 30 to choose a successor to long-term President Joseph Kabila.

But the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has put off announcing the provisional results, saying it is having problems in collecting the data.

Those results were due to have been published on Sunday, followed by definitive results on January 15 and the swearing-in of the new president three days later.

Last Thursday, the powerful Roman Catholic Church said it knew who had won the ballot from its own monitors at polling stations.

It called on CENI to publish the election results in keeping with truth and justice.

The Catholic Churchs National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) said it had deployed more than 40,000 observers around the vast country.

Catholicism is the main religion in the DRC. The ECC, the largest Protestant church, said it had 10,000 election observers on December 30.

The coalition of governing parties, the Common Front for Congo (FCC), has accused CENCO of bias and breaching electoral law and says opposition candidate Martin Fayulu is trying to force CENIs hand.

The DRC has a long history of political violence and suspicions of political manipulation and electoral fraud run deep.

It has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960.

The country suffered 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.
VANCOUVER, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Nexus Gold Corp. (''Nexus'' or the ''Company'') (TSX-V: NXS, OTC PINK: NXXGF, FSE: N6E) is pleased to report initial sampling results from the recently acquired, 100% -owned, 98-sq km Dakouli 2 Gold Project, located on the Boromo-Goren Greenstone Belt, central Burkina Faso, West Africa.

Ground reconnaissance conducted recently by the Company to the West and South of the main orpaillage (artisanal zone) identified new near surface workings currently being exploited by artisanal miners. Rock samples collected from these new zones have returned assays up to 29.5 grams-per-tonne (''g/t'') gold (''Au'') with several containing various concentrations of visible gold, including coarse nuggety samples (see Figures 1 and 2).

A total of 12 samples were taken from the Northeast Zone. Six of the 12 returned significant grades, with values between 2.90 g/t Au and 29.5 g/t Au (see Table 1), including 27.5 g/t Au and 12.4 g/t Au from samples containing visible gold. The remaining six samples returned values from 0.005 to .192 g/t Au. Samples taken at the Northeast Zone were obtained between 8-18 meters below surface from artisanal shafts and pits.

In addition to the higher-grade rock samples, Company geologists have viewed the panned concentrates of these near surface materials being processed by the artisanal miners and noted that the gold being recovered was also coarse and nuggety in nature.

Figure 1: Visible gold in quartz sample recovered at the Dakouli 2 concession, November 2018

Figure 2: Close up of coarse gold nugget in quartz recovered at the Dakouli 2 concession, November 2018

''The size of the workings and the coarse nature of the gold we have seen from the property so far makes this a very exciting prospect,'' said Vice President of Exploration, Warren Robb, P.Geo.'' These orpaillages were first identified only a year ago and have now expanded to two areas of workings, given the coarse visible gold observed here it is not surprising,'' continued Mr. Robb.

''The initial results from our early exploration activity at Dakouli are very encouraging,'' said Alex Klenman, president & CEO. ''We have already identified multiple zones of mineralization and have recovered some significant high-grade samples. The abundance of visible gold observed and recovered is certainly compelling. We will continue to conduct ground work in the near term and gather needed data as we move towards a maiden drill program in the coming months,'' continued Mr. Klenman.

Dakouli Samples - November 2018 Sample-ID Easting Northing Comment g/t Au DKL-001 636687 1445630 Qtz from orpaillage pit, about 8m depth, light grey to smoky qtz, looks like flat vein 3.15 DKL-004 636763 1445627 Milky qtz vein from orpaillage pit, about 8m depth, several pieces of VG show from panning 27.5 DKL-009 636828 1445661 Milky qtz vein from orpaillage pit, 18m depth 2.90 DKL-010 636767 1445652 Light grey qtz vein from orpaillage pit 4.93 DKL-011 636738 1445670 Qtz from orpaillage pit, VG show in panning and on a piece of quartz coming from the same shaft, about 10m depth 29.5 DKL-012 636677 1445642 Qtz from orpaillage pit, about 8m depth, VG show in panning 12.4

Table 1: Six of 12 Dakouli samples greater 1.00 g/t Au - November 2018

The Dakouli 2 exploration permit is located approximately 100 kilometers due north of the capital city, Ouagadougou. The permit lies immediately South of and contiguous to the Niangouela concession, which has been explored by the Company over the past two years. Drilling at Niangouela has returned significant intercepts, including 26.69 g/t Au over 4.85m, including 132 g/t Au over 1m, and 4 g/t Au over 6m, including 20.5 g/t Au over 1m (see the Company news releases dated March 7, 2017 and April 5, 2017).

The Dakouli 2 property is located on the Boromo-Goren Greenstone belt and is bordered to the North by granitic rocks. It is also bisected by the Sabce Shear (see Figure 3) a major structural fault zone proximal to multiple gold deposits, which trends southwest northeast and bisects the entire long axis of the property.

Figure 3: Nexus project locations with known faults in red

The Sabce Nord trend starts east of the open pits at Nordgold's Bissa mine and continues through the new orpaillage located at the northeast corner of the Dakouli 2 permit, and the southeastern corner of the Niangouela permit (see Figure 4). It proceeds to the Boken Vein Orpaillage on the western boundary of Dakouli 2 extending approximately 12 kilometers across the Dakouli 2 property.

The Sabce Sud trend appears to span approximately four kilometers across the southern section of Dakouli 2, and includes the Black Vein Orpaillage, a series of deep shafts that trend sub parallel to the Sabce Sud trend. The Black Vein Orpaillage features abundant black quartz vein, similar to what is found at Nordgold's satellite pit located approximately 20km to the east.

Figure 4: Nexus project locations with bisecting Sabce faults in red

Please note the size of the Dakouli 2 concession was incorrectly stated in previous news releases, the correct size is 98-square kilometres.

About the Company

Nexus Gold is a Vancouver-based gold exploration and development company operating primarily in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The company is currently concentrating its efforts on establishing a compliant resource at one or more of it's four current Burkina-based projects which total over 560-sq kms (56,000+ hectares) of land located on proven gold belts and active mineralized trends.

Warren Robb P.Geo., Vice-President, Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information contained in this release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of

NEXUS GOLD CORP.

Alex Klenman

President & CEO

604-558-1920

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www.nexusgoldcorp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.
TORONTO, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kerr Mines Inc. (TSX: KER, OTC: KERMF, FRA: 7AZ1) (Kerr or the Company) is pleased to announce that the Phase II Resource Expansion Program will begin mid- January, 2019 at the Copperstone Mine located in Arizona, USA. In addition, Kerr is progressing with environmental and operating permit modifications and continuing with advanced metallurgical testwork.

Highlights:

Major Drilling Group International Inc. (Major) has been awarded the contract and is preparing to commence with drilling.

15,000 meter underground resource expansion program will culminate in Q3 2019 with an updated Resource Statement and Reserve Study intended to increase the 38,000 gold ounce per annum mine life by 3-4 years to total of 8 years.

Phase II Resource Expansion Program consists of exploration drilling with the purpose of adding new resources and in-fill drilling for the purposes of converting existing resources to higher classification and potential inclusion into reserves.

Existing operating permit modifications are well underway and are expected to be received by end of Q1 2019.

All remaining permits required for mine operations and gold production are in place and do not require modification.

Metallurgical testing to provide information for detailed gold processing plant design is expected to be complete during Q1 2019.

Additional metallurgical testwork to provide the information needed for the potential monetization of Copper as a by-product revenue stream.

The Phase II Resource Expansion Program

The 15000 meter resource expansion program will be stationed from the 4 kilometers of existing underground access and focused primarily on the C & D Zones of the Copperstone Zone. The objective of the resource expansion program is to increase reserves and increase mine life by 3-4 years to a total of 8 years. As such, the focus will be on targeting areas of Measured and Indicated that are not already included in Proven and Probable reserves as well as converting Inferred tons to Measured and Indicated classification. In addition, the program will target areas along strike and down dip with the intent of growing the existing Inferred ore tons and ounces of gold. Any newly identified Inferred will then be available for conversion into higher classifications with future drilling. The program will be executed by Major, a multinational provider of drilling services with a strong record of safety and performance.

Permit Modifications

Certain existing permits require minor modification in order to facilitate changes in key attributes of the project as it progresses to gold production. Among the changes are higher throughput of 600 ore tons per day and the use of a whole ore leaching process for recovery of the gold ore. State of Arizona environmental permits governing air and water and the Federal operating permit are slated to be received by the end of Q1 2019. The approval of these changes indicate a benefit to the mine economics because of the increased throughput and the higher recoveries allowed by leaching as discovered in the 2018 43-101 engineering study (see press release April 10, 2018), 600 ore tons per day and 95% average gold recoveries with no concentrate charges.

Metallurgical Testing

The primary purpose is to validate prior results of average 95% recovery of gold and to refine reagent consumption and leach times. The results of these tests will be for final detailed plant design. The secondary purpose is to perform testing to evaluate the economic viability of incorporating a Sulfidization-Acidification-Recycle-Thickening (SART) circuit to the planned mineral processing plant. A SART circuit can reduce operating costs by reducing reagent consumption and add revenue from the recovery of Copper from the gold ore.

We are looking forward to this underground drilling program and subsequent update of Resources and Reserves. The Company will release drill results once adequate drilling has been completed said Martin Kostuik, President. Other catalysts for the Copperstone Mine such as the receipt of the permit modifications and the conclusion of our detailed metallurgical testing are significant milestones for the first part of this year.

About Kerr Mines Inc.

Kerr Mines is an Emerging American Gold Producer currently advancing the 100% owned, fully permitted past-producing Copperstone Mine project to production. Copperstone is a high-grade gold project located along a detachment fault mineral belt in mining-friendly Arizona. This gold project in Arizona demonstrates tremendous exploration potential targeting multi-million ounce prospects within a 4,775 hectare (11,800 acres) land package.

PDF Version of 43-101 technical report available: Click Here

YouTube: Copperstone Gold Mine KER:TSX 3 min. Investor Tour Video

For further information contact:

Claudio Ciavarella

Chief Executive Officer

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

416-855-9305

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including current expectations on the timing of the commencement of production and the rate of production, if commenced. These forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations, are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, and actual results may differ materially from those contained in such statements. These uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, the strength of the Canadian economy; the price of gold; operational, funding, and liquidity risks; the degree to which mineral resource estimates are reflective of actual mineral resources; and the degree to which factors which would make a mineral deposit commercially viable are present; the risks and hazards associated with underground operations. Risks and uncertainties about Kerr Mines business are more fully discussed in the Company's disclosure materials, including its annual information form and MD&A, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and available at www.sedar.com and readers are urged to read these materials. Kerr Mines assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such statements unless required by law. Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and no stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.
TORONTO, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HARTE GOLD CORP. (Harte Gold or the Company) (TSX: HRT / OTC: HRTFF / Frankfurt: H4O) is pleased to announce commercial production has been achieved at the Sugar Zone Mine, effective January 1, 2019.

Highlights:

Following a successful commissioning period, the Sugar Zone Mill is operating consistently at the permitted 575 tonnes per day (TPD).





Start-up, commissioning and commercial production was achieved within a three month period since receipt of commercial production permits.





The mill averaged a 90.8% gold recovery rate for December, which is expected to improve during the transition to commercial operation.





A 2019 budget and life of mine plan is underway, expected to improve overall economics. This information will form the basis of a NI 43-101 Feasibility Study targeted for Q1 2019.

Mr. Stephen G. Roman, President and CEO of Harte Gold, stated, Since start-up of the mill, our focus has been on reaching commercial production in an efficient and cost effective manner. I believe our team has done a remarkable job getting to capacity with no significant operational issues. We are now progressing the permit to increase throughput to 800 TPD.

Mr. Jeff Hanson, Mill Superintendent of Harte Gold, stated, The mill is currently at steady state and our focus will now shift to improving recoveries.

Mill Operations

For the month of December, the mill processed 16,400 tonnes over a 29 day period. During commissioning, mill feed was a combination of material from the surface stockpile, development material and stope production. As underground mining continues to accelerate, a majority of the mill feed will be supplied by higher grade stope material. The surface stockpiles will remain a source of auxiliary supply. The stockpiles were sampled in December and are estimated to contain 19,470 tonnes of material at an average grade of 5.08 g/t.

Underground Mining

First blasts between the 140 and 155 levels were successful and downhole drilling and blasting is confirming planned dilution control.

The Company is optimizing its mine plan with the intent to improve grade, particularly in the early years of the mine life. The Company will incorporate these optimizations into an updated life-of-mine plan which will form the basis of a Feasibility Study expected in the first quarter of 2019.

Resource Update

Infill and step-out drilling is now complete and an updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate is underway. Drilling for 2018 focused on the upgrade of Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated and the expansion of Inferred Mineral Resources boundary along strike and at depth across the Sugar, Middle and Wolf zones. The Company expects to deliver an updated Mineral Resource Estimate in early 2019.

Financing

Harte Gold has executed an agreement (the Bridge Loan Extension) with ANR Investments B.V. (Appian) to extend the term of the debt facility with Appian (the Bridge Loan) to May 9, 2019. Details of the Bridge Loan were previously announced by the Company on May 3, 2018 and June 1, 2018. Pursuant to the Bridge Loan Extension, the Company has issued to Appian 2,000,000 common share purchase warrants at an exercise price of $0.50 per share and expiring on May 11, 2023.

The Bridge Loan Extension with Appian is a related party transaction as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101  Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation or minority shareholder approval in connection with the Bridge Loan Extension in reliance on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a), respectively, of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the transaction does not exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization calculated in accordance with MI 61-101.

QA/QC Statement

Robert Kusins, P. Geo., Harte Golds Senior Mineral Resource geologist, is the Companys Qualified Person and has prepared, supervised the preparation, or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Harte Gold Corp.

Harte Gold is Ontarios newest gold producer through its wholly owned Sugar Zone Mine in White River Ontario. Using a 3 g/t gold cut-off, the NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate dated February 15, 2018 contains an Indicated Mineral Resource of 2,607,000 tonnes grading 8.52 g/t for 714,200 ounces contained gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 3,590,000 tonnes, grading 6.59 g/t for 760,800 ounces contained gold. The Company has completed a 90,000 metre drill program on near mine and exploration targets, results of which will be incorporated into an updated NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate and mine plan targeted for early 2019. Exploration continues on the Sugar Zone property, which encompasses 83,850 hectares covering a significant greenstone belt.

For further information, please contact: Stephen G. Roman Shawn Howarth President and CEO Vice President, Corporate Development Tel: 416-368-0999 Tel: 416-368-0999 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
CALGARY, Jan. 8, 2019 /CNW/ - Lithium Chile Inc. ("Lithium Chile" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed South American lithium expert, Jose de Castro Alem, to the Board of Directors and as Manager of Lithium Operations. Mr. de Castro is a recognized pioneer in lithium brine exploration, development and production in South America. He brings over 20 years of lithium brine experience, as well as a significant track record in the lithium triangle, to the Company's management team. Jose de Castro Alem's appointment is subject to regulatory approval.

Career Highlights

Orocobre Limited ("Orocobre") - 2010-2015: Mr. de Castro was instrumental in Orocobre's growth from a sub-$10 million market cap to over $1 billion market cap. During this time, he was responsible for everything from salar exploration to development of evaporation ponds and design/development of the initial plant. Mr. de Castro oversaw the $300 million-dollar lithium carbonate plant from definitive Feasibility Study until complete commercial operation. Mr. de Castro was also extensively involved with building relationships with local communities through to the senior levels of government. He was also involved in the successful joint venture between Orocobre and Japan based Toyota Tsusho Group.

NRG Metals Inc. - 2016-2018: Mr. de Castro was Vice President Operations for NRG Metals Inc. and played a key role in NRG Metals' initial 43-101 lithium carbonate resource report.

FMC Corporation ("FMC") - 1997-2003: During his years with FMC, Mr. de Castro was responsible for the lithium operations and production from the solar evaporation ponds, and lithium carbonate production from the processing plant.

Jose de Castro is a graduate of the National University of Salta, Argentina, with a degree in Chemical Engineering.

Steve Cochrane President and CEO of Lithium Chile, commented, "Jose de Castro is one of the leading lights in the South American lithium space and we are delighted that he has agreed to join us as both Manager of lithium operations and Board Director. Lithium Chile has an exceptional technical team and one of the largest lithium portfolios in Chile. With the additional expertise that Jose brings to the Company, we are looking forward to a very active and productive year ahead."

Jose de Castro Alem Manager of Lithium Operations commented, "I am very pleased to join Lithium Chile because of their outstanding portfolio of lithium prospects, their exceptional exploration team, and the new possibilities in Chile. Northern Chile is one of the most mining friendly jurisdictions in the world, with clear rules and great infrastructure. I look forward to working with Lithium Chile's management team in advancing their projects quickly and efficiently."

The Company also announces the granting of stock options to purchase a total of 700,000 common shares of the Company, an option to purchase 400,000 common shares to Mr. de Castro and an option to purchase 300,000 common shares to a consultant, subject to regulatory approval. The options were issued with an exercise price of $0.52 per share, vest as to one half (1/2) immediately and the remaining one half (1/2) on the first anniversary of the grant date and expire five years from the grant date.

About Lithium Chile

Lithium Chile is advancing a lithium property portfolio consisting of 159,950 hectares covering sections of 14 salars and 1 laguna complex in Chile.

Lithium Chile's common shares are listed on the TSX-V under the symbol "LITH" and on the OTC-QB under the symbol "LTMCF".

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements, including without limitation obtaining regulatory approval for the appointment of Jose de Castro Alem and the granting of the stock options. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Lithium Chile's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Lithium Chile does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Sunny skies this morning. Scattered showers and thunderstorms developing during the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 94F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
My favorite meal  and indeed one of the best dishes Ive ever had  is one that Im hesitant to mention, because they seem to have removed it from the menu: Polenta Con Zucca at Baita, a seasonal, Alps-themed restaurant inside Eataly. Eataly is a smorgasbord of a store/restaurant, an ode to Italian gastronomy. It houses several mini-restaurants, as well as counters where you can buy gelato, cannolis, desserts, ravioli and coffee to have there. The polenta was eye-opening, creamy and soft, almost like custard, and was topped with roasted squash, spinach and hazelnuts. It was divine and I relished every glorious spoonful. It makes me sad its no longer available, as theyve changed and shortened the menu since I visited. Still, Im sure youd be able to find something else delicious there! I really wanted to try the mushroom fritters, too, but I just wasnt hungry enough.
Less than two months after Bistro B Tapas & Wine Bar closed, Kernersville residents have a new fine-dining option in the same spot at 126 S. Main St.

Robert Prescott and a silent partner bought Bistro B lock, stock and barrel from chef-owner Tim Bocholis and opened as The Prescott on Dec. 19 after renovating and sprucing up the space.

The restaurant is now open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and brunch on Sunday. It is run by two Kernersville natives: Prescotts son, Trey, who is the head chef, and Daniel Dyson, the general manager.

The restaurant is decorated in warm, muted grays and blacks. It seats 92 in a variety of tables and booths, and includes a bar and lounge area.

Trey Prescott, 34, has a hospitality business degree from Appalachian State University. His resume includes stints at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, the former Christophers in Winston-Salem and the Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary.

In Kernersville, Prescott ran the kitchen at Smittys Grille for four years. And he and Dyson worked together at J. Peppers Southern Grille. Prescotts sous chef is Alex Governale, who has worked at Mozelles and Quanto Basta in Winston-Salem.
I urge the City Council to vigorously defend property rights and the rule of law by catching those responsible for defacing the monument and prosecuting them.

Vernon Robinson

Winston-Salem

Robinson was a member of the Winston-Salem Board of Aldermen (now known as the city council) from 1997 to 2005.  the editor

Move it

When I was 19, I studied in a small city in Austria. Every day, I walked to campus past a bland apartment block. That is, it was nondescript except for one tenants balcony decoration  a Confederate flag.

I felt jarred and confused to see that complicated and painful symbol in Europe. Why would a symbol of the Confederacy be here? Did they not know what it was or understand how much pain and suffering that flag embodied?

When I asked an Austrian friend, he looked at me like it was obvious. And, in retrospect, it was. The Nazi flag and symbols were banned in Austria. If white supremacists couldnt display the Nazi flag as a symbol of their beliefs, they chose the next best symbol of white supremacy  the flag of the Confederacy.
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, hell have met his modest goal of becoming the worlds only human both to dive the planets 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 Carolinas seashore and hurricane history knows that something ought to be done. But what?
The new entente among Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and -- crucially -- Iraq is holding. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also enjoys the confidence of the president, is swinging through the region to consult with the leadership of his entente even as Bolton makes stops in Israel and Turkey. The relationship with the latter is fraught. Our NATO ally is unjustly and unwisely holding an American hostage, Houston physicist Serkan Golge, just as it did Pastor Andrew Brunson, who was finally freed late last year. Releasing Golge would be a second major step toward easing tensions after the Brunson release. The third would be intense talks about the Kurds and our reluctance to allow our longtime allies to be slaughtered. Talks between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Bolton on Tuesday could be of enormous significance in solving the Rubik's Cube of Syria.

And while relations with Israel are indeed warm and deep -- the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem has generated an unprecedented level of goodwill toward the United States -- they are not without problems. It is a terrible idea for Israel to sell advanced weapons systems to China, and worse to allow China to operate massive port facilities in Israel. This latter, under-the-radar investment by the Chinese brings their considerable cyberespionage capabilities within range of all of Israel's most secret programs, not to mention many of ours.
GREENSBORO  A supermarket chain that hasnt operated around here in decades is making a return.

A Piggly Wiggly is planned for Freeman Mill Square Shopping Center in Greensboro.

Were going to submit the plans to the city and hopefully be open by this summer, said Shezad Quamar, who owns the franchise for the store.

Quamar also owns the shopping center along with Shahzad Akbar. Quamar said they were struggling to get a grocer to anchor the shopping center so they decided to open their own store. They approached Piggly Wiggly about purchasing a franchise.

We have enough experience in retail grocery that we were able to qualify, Quamar said.

Piggly Wiggly is a chain of supermarkets operated in the southeast and midwest. They are known for their freshly-cut meat counters.

Its not the first time Piggy Wiggly has called Greensboro home, though its been many years. There are dozens of stores in North Carolina, mostly in the eastern and coastal area of the state. There are Piggly Wiggly stores in Siler City and Danville, Va.
But some speakers went beyond history to talk about the present:

Miranda Jones told the council that she was elated to hear the city wants to move the statue, but not encouraged because too often my people get rhetoric and no action.

While I want the statue to come down, I want my people to at least have the opportunity to be able to afford to live and work jobs with a livable wage right here in downtown Winston or in any other area of the city that they choose, Jones said. We should not talk about the statue alone.

Nancy Carroll said she understands pride in ones heritage can be important, but added that to some the statue represents cruelty and oppression.

When this statue was erected, a whole population of people had no voice in the decision, she said. They do now.

Unusually for a council meeting, some speakers declined to give their full names. When the first to take that approach spoke, Council Member James Taylor said some people were scared they might get targeted for retribution, and speakers were allowed to continue speaking without giving their full names and addresses if thats what they wanted.
Allen K. Baker, 74, Stark City, MO, entered into rest on June 13, 2021, at his home, following an extended illness. Allen was born October 31, 1946, in Stella, MO, and was a graduate of Midway High School. He entered the United States Air Force in 1966 and served until his retirement in 1986
Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado.
Scene Editor Billy Arnold covers arts and entertainment. He apprenticed as a sound engineer at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio before making his way to Jackson, where he has become a low-key fan of country music.
Funeral services for June Ann Leadbetter Arnold will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in the Chapel at Boren-Conner Funeral Home, Jacksonville with Bro. George Folmar officiating. Burial will follow at the Jacksonville Old City Cemetery. June was born April 15, 1932 in Hidalgo, Te
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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,
January 7, 2019

POCATELLO  Noted jazz pianist and recording artist Kyle Aho, a 1996 Idaho State University alumnus, will perform in a scholarship benefit concert on Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Goranson Hall, in the ISU Fine Arts Building.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $5.

The solo-piano concert will combine original compositions with jazz classics and standards.

Im looking forward to coming back to perform and visit with all of the wonderful people who helped shape me as a musician  and as a person, Aho said.

Aho is featured on recording labels including CadenceJazz, Watercourse, NohJoh, Papaya and EMP, and has appeared at numerous important jazz venues including The Kennedy Center.

After earning his bachelors degree in piano performance at ISU, Aho went on to earn a masters degree in jazz-piano performance from New England Conservatory. He also earned a masters degree in music theory from the University of Missouri, where he currently teaches in the jazz studies department.

After performing for the ISU Alumni Concert Series, Aho has been invited to stay in Pocatello to share his artistic and professional insights with ISU classes, according to Jonathan Armstrong, ISU director of jazz studies, and Patrick Brooks, director of bands.

Kyles talent became obvious during his years in our music department, said Kathleen Lane, ISU professor of voice and organizer of the event. Now, through the Alumni Concert Series  and thanks to additional support from the Jazz Studies and Band programs  he is helping another generation of music students to advance as he has done.

Over the past five years, the Alumni Concert Series has raised more than $3,500 in scholarships. In 2013, Lane joined forces with ISU colleague Kori Bond, professor of piano, and prominent local soprano and vocal pedagogue Melanie Reynolds, to organize alumni benefit concerts.

Kori and I collaborate as performers and colleagues, Lane said. And Melanie Reynolds was my prize-winning student from the 1990s, so the committee practically formed itself.

For more information, contact Kathleen Lane at (208) 282-2423 or lanekath@isu.edu.
January 7, 2019

POCATELLO  After months of preparation, the Idaho State University Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development/U.S. Bank Pitch-Off Contest was held in December in the Pond Student Union Ballroom.

This year, 28 teams hailing from four ISU colleges and divisions across campus competed for prize money sponsored by U.S. Bank. More than 50 students, from a Ph.D. candidate to a senior from Highland High School, pitched their entrepreneurial ideas in 10-minute presentations to a panel of 21 judges from campus, business and civic organizations.

The winning team this year came from a student team proposing a self-cleaning baby changer station for public restrooms. The all-female student team presented a working prototype of the automated device and a compelling pitch to take it to market. The team won $2,000 for the best idea. They also won $250 for the best prototype, built by the College of Technology under the direction of the team. In total, nearly $10,000 was awarded by U.S. Bank to winning teams and students.

During lunch while judges deliberated and selected pitch-off winners, students played a game where each participant made a standing 60-second elevator pitch to a rotation of judges for instant cash.

Open to all students on campus, this U.S. Bank 'pitch-off' event organized by the ISU College of Businesss Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development program helps motivate young entrepreneurs to polish-up their eventual application to the statewide $100,000 Idaho Entrepreneurship Challenge held each March in Boise.
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019 (12:52 pm) - Score 2,005

Some 57 properties in the isolated rural village of Drimnin (West Highlands, Scotland) can now access broadband speeds of up to 50Mbps. The new fixed wireless network reflects a community collaboration with Scottish Sea Farms, which has resulted in a new ISP being setup called Drimnin Community Broadband CIC.

Gaining access to superfast broadband can still be very problematic in many parts of rural Scotland and the United Kingdom, where deploying new fixed line networks is often disproportionately expensive. Meanwhile many such communities have also grown tired of waiting for the Government to come up with solutions and have instead sought to build their own.

The small village of Drimnin, which is tucked away at the end of 30 miles of single-track road from the A861 in the West Highlands and overlooks the waters of the Sound of Mull, is one such location. The community itself is comprised of just 57 properties, a village hall, a post office thats open twice a week and a whisky distillery. But the latter has not helped locals to forget about their dire internet connectivity.

Until now residents have been left with little option but to use a slow and unreliable Satellite connection, which they say made it difficult to carry out everyday activities such as online banking, filing VAT returns, watching catch-up TV, installing anti-virus software or computer updates.

However the good news is that Scottish Sea Farms (SSF), which has also helped to connect another rural Scottish community (here), have been able to help as part of their effort to enable remote feeding at its salmon farms around the Sound of Mull (i.e. for those times when severe weather makes it unsafe to travel out by boat to the pens).

The solution came via a complex Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network, which used a bunch of repeaters operating in the 23GHz band to link back into Tobermory (see image at the bottom of this article). At the same time locals have established a new Community Interest Company (CIC)  Drimnin Community Broadband  to help provide the broadband service to nearby premises.

Forbes Baylis, Project Leader for Scottish Sea Farms, said: Traditionally, a wireless radio link requires a direct line of sight, however the exposed location of some of our farms combined with the natural geography of the area meant this wasnt an option. Our proposed solution, in partnership with wireless specialists Rapier Systems, was to effectively bounce the signal back and forth from different locations, but this was dependent on us securing permission to install the necessary masts and repeaters at the most suitable locations. Drimnin Community Broadband CIC proved instrumental in reaching out to businesses, both in the village itself and across on neighbouring Mull including Tobermory Harbour Association, Scottish Water and Ardnacross Farm situated near the waterworks.

Mary Macgregor, Finance Officer with Tobermory Harbour Association, said: We are a community company and work to provide facilities for the benefit of the local area. As such, we are more than happy to help our neighbours across the water, Drimnin Community, by hosting the equipment for their new community broadband. We are also pleased to support Scottish Sea Farms in developing their remote feeding facility.

Initially some 40 of the villages 57 homes and businesses signed-up in advance via a 2 year subscription, which enabled the ISP to place an order for its own 200Mbps leased line from BT, organise construction works and even start digging the trenches for the power cables. This work has since completed.

SSF is understood to have contributed 55,000 to help build the network, while a further 12,500 came from the Morvern Community Trust and 10,000 from the National Lottery Fund. This helped to cover the costs for the new infrastructure and its installation. Equally important though was ensuring that the new service would be viable to run in the long-term, so we introduced two price packages that makes it affordable, said David Campbell, one of the CICs founding members.

Locals currently have a choice of paying either 27 per month for a package that offers unlimited (Fair Usage Policy) maximum download speeds of up to 7.5Mbps (2Mbps as a minimum) or 50 for the top speed of up to 50Mbps (10Mbps minimum). Being in the middle of nowhere, Drimnin is the sort of community where we do lots of things for ourselves, but this particular project has been hugely popular with everyone in the village. The whole community pulled together to help make it happen, added David.

Scottish Sea Farms is now understood to be in talks with a third remote local community about bringing similar connectivity to its farms and the surrounding area.
Commentary Chinas Belt and Road InitiativeA Bargaining Chip for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

tate Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (center) and military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (right) arrive at the presidential palace in Naypyitaw on March 30, 2016. / Reuters

Years after the launch of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and several meetings between top officials from China and Myanmar, the government formed a steering committee for the implementation of tasks relating to the BRI in late November 2018. The committee is chaired by State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, with and Vice-President U Myint Swe serving as vice chairman and other ministers and regional chief ministers as members of the committee.

I here argue that Daw Aung San Suu Kyis motivation for forming the steering committee and taking on the role of chairperson is to use the BRI as a bargaining chip for her political goals.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party came to power with a campaign slogan Time for Change, and she was keen to make unprecedented reforms in Myanmar. People piled tall hopes on her when they voted in the 2015 general election and the following by-elections.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, however, faces a major obstacle in her efforts to make changes in Myanmar. She herself has admitted that, according to the 2008 Constitution, she cannot control the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) meaning it does not comply with or listen to her. The Tatmadaw holds the ultimate political power in Myanmar as granted by the Constitution and it can reject any reforms that may negate their interests or benefits.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi herself appears to understand that influencing the Tatmadaw can only be possible through China as Beijing firmly shields the Tatmadaw from international punishment.

With the plight of the Rohingya leading to Myanmars spurning by the West, which coincides with an ongoing and fierce civil war and human rights abuses, Myanmar appears helpless in international politics. In response, China stepped in to show its paukphaw or brotherhood in a crisis. China diplomatically protects Myanmar from any scrutiny or punishment meted out at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

For instance, China along with Russia blocked a short UNSC statement expressing concern on the situation of human rights in Myanmar after a 15-member body met to discuss the situation in Rakhine State in March 2017. China again boycotted talks on a British-drafted resolution at the UNSC which was considering action to push Myanmar to work with the UN to address the Rohingya refugee crisis in December 2018.

On the other hand, China wants to speed up its ambitious BRI projects in all designated countries, especially Myanmar as China is keen to gain access the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean, bypassing the Malacca Strait as an energy conduit.

As the Myanmar saying goes make yarn while the moon shines, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has grabbed a rare chance by forming the steering committee and taking the leading role which she can use as a bargaining chip.

In the run-up to the formation of the committee, on Nov. 6, 2018, she met Song Tao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. Just two weeks later, on Nov. 16, she met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. On Nov. 26, she received Ning Jizhe, deputy head of Chinas National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi kicked off Myanmars involvement in the BRI project by attending the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing in May 2017 and is expected to attend the next Belt and Road Forum planned to be held in Beijing in April.

It appears that the State Counselor wants to achieve peace in Myanmar while she still has power. She wants to speed up the peace process and gain peace before the next general election in 2020. It was she who initiated the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference aimed at ending conflict, though despite three rounds of talks being held so far, no tangible results have been achieved.

She also wants to amend some articles of the 2008 Constitution, if not all. The Constitution grants 25% of the seats in central and state legislatures to the Tatmadaw as well as the control of three powerful ministriesDefense, Home Affairs and Border Affairs.

With the formation of the steering committee, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi appears to be using the BRI as a bargaining chip, and it could even be said that she has set a secret agenda with China to push the Tatmadaw.

On Dec. 21, the Tatmadaw declared a four-month unilateral ceasefire, despite not covering the Western Command in Rakhine State where it is currently in conflict with the Arakan Army. A week later, it transferred control of the powerful General Administration Department (GAD) to Daw Aung San Suu Kyis civilian government. Perhaps these moves made in recent weeks by the Tatmadaw exemplify the progress of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis efforts.

China also appears to be taking a role in pushing the non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA)particularly the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC)to sign it. The FPNCC comprises of seven powerful ethnic armed groupsthe United Wa State Army (UWSA), the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Shan State Army (SSA), the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army (AA).

The Northern Alliance, a three-member group consisting of the AA, the MNDAA and the TNLA has already expressed interest in joining the peace process. These groups are expected to meet the governments Peace Commission in Kunming, China in the coming week.

Once the faltering peace process embarks on the right track, Aung San Suu Kyi will then be able to push for the amendment of the Constitution. So far her bargaining chip has worked. Only time will tell whether she can achieve peace and amend the Constitution in the very near future.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of an analyst based in Kachin State.
World INSIGHTChinese Tech Investors Flee Silicon Valley as Trump Tightens Scrutiny

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands after making joint statements at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on November 9, 2017. / REUTERS

SAN FRANCISCONew Trump administration policies aimed at curbing Chinas access to American innovation have all but halted Chinese investment in US technology startups, as both investors and startup founders abandon deals amid scrutiny from Washington.

Chinese venture funding in US startups crested to a record $3 billion last year, according to New York economic research firm Rhodium Group, spurred by a rush of investors and tech companies scrambling to complete deals before a new regulatory regime was approved in August.

Since then, Chinese venture funding in US startups has slowed to a trickle, Reuters interviews with more than 35 industry players show.

US President Donald Trump signed new legislation expanding the governments ability to block foreign investment in US companies, regardless of the investors country of origin. But Trump has been particularly vocal about stopping China from getting its hands on strategic US technologies.

The new rules are still being finalized, but tech industry veterans said the fallout has been swift.

Deals involving Chinese companies and Chinese buyers and Chinese investors have virtually stopped, said attorney Nell ODonnell, who has represented US tech companies in transactions with foreign buyers.

Lawyers who spoke to Reuters say they are feverishly rewriting deal terms to help ensure investments get the stamp of approval from Washington. Chinese investors, including big family offices, have walked away from transactions and stopped taking meetings with US startups. Some entrepreneurs, meanwhile, are eschewing Chinese money, fearful of lengthy government reviews that could sap their resources and momentum in an arena where speed to market is critical.

Volley Labs Inc., a San Francisco-based company that uses artificial intelligence to build corporate training materials, is playing it safe. It declined offers from Chinese investors last year after accepting cash from Beijing-based TAL Education Group as part of a financing round in 2017.

We decided for optical reasons it just wouldnt make sense to expose ourselves further to investors coming from a country where there is now so much by way of trade tensions and IP tensions, said Carson Kahn, Volleys CEO.

A Silicon Valley venture capitalist told Reuters he is aware of at least ten deals, some involving companies in his own portfolio, that fell apart because they would need approval from the interagency group known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). He declined to be named for fear of bringing negative attention to his portfolio companies.

CFIUS is the government group tasked with reviewing foreign investment for potential national security and competitive risks. The new legislation expands its powers. Among them: the ability to probe transactions previously excluded from its purview, including attempts by foreigners to purchase minority stakes in US startups.

China is in the crosshairs. The Asian giant has been an aggressive investor in technology deemed critical to its global competitiveness and military prowess. Chinese investors have bought stakes in ride-hailing firms Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft, as well as companies with more sensitive technologies including data center networking firm Barefoot Networks, autonomous driving startup Zoox and speech recognition startup AISense.

A dearth of Chinese money is unlikely to spell doomsday for Silicon Valley. Investors worldwide poured more than $84 billion into US startups for the first three quarters of last year, exceeding any prior full-year funding, according to data provider PitchBook Inc.

Still, Chinese funders are critical to helping US companies gain access to the worlds second-largest economy. Volleys Kahn acknowledged that rejecting Chinese investment may make his startups overseas expansion more difficult.

Those of us who are operators and entrepreneurs feel the brunt of these tensions, Kahn said.

It is a radical shift for Silicon Valley. Money has historically flowed in from every corner of the globe, including from geopolitical rivals such as China and Russia, largely uninhibited by US government scrutiny or regulation.

Reid Whitten, an attorney with Sheppard Mullin, said that of the six companies he recently advised to get CFIUS approval for their investment offers, only two have opted to file the paperwork. The others abandoned their deals or are still considering whether to proceed.

It is a generational change in the way we look at foreign investment in the United States, Whitten said.

Critical technologies

The decline in Chinese investment comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington. Trump has blasted China for its enormous trade surplus and for what he claims are its underhanded strategies to obtain leading-edge American technology.

The nations have already levied billions in tariffs on each others goods. And Trump is considering an executive order to bar US companies from using telecommunications equipment made by Chinas Huawei and ZTE, which the US government has accused of spying.

CFIUS is emerging as another powerful cudgel. Led by the US Treasury, it includes members from eight other government entities, including the departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security. The secretive committee does not disclose much about the deals it reviews. But its most recent annual report said Chinese investors made 74 CFIUS filings from 2013 to 2015, the most of any nation. The president has the authority to make the final decision, but a thumbs-down from CFIUS is usually enough to doom a deal.

Washington demonstrated its tougher stance even before the new law was passed, when Trump in March blocked a $117 billion hostile bid by Singapore-based Broadcom Ltd. to acquire Qualcomm Inc. of San Diego. CFIUS said the takeover would weaken the United States in the race to develop next-generation wireless technology.

A White House spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

In November, CFIUS rolled out a pilot program mandating that foreign investors notify the committee of any size investment in certain critical technologies. The scope of that term is still being defined, but a working list includes artificial intelligence, logistics technology, robotics and data analytics  the bread and butter of Silicon Valley.

Research firm Rhodium predicted that up to three-quarters of Chinese venture investments would be subject to CFIUS review under the new rules.

Just the threat of that scrutiny has caused some Chinese investors to reconsider.

Peter Kuo, whose firm, Silicon Valley Global, connects Chinese investors with US startups, said his business has slumped dramatically. In 2018, he said not a single Chinese investor took a stake in the companies he shopped to them.

CFIUS didnt kill our organization, but it hampered a lot of startups, and most of them are American startups, Kuo said.

Safe side of the fence

Some security experts applaud what they call long-overdue protections for US startups.

What we are concerned about is a limited number of bad actors who are phenomenally clever about how they can access our intellectual property, said Bob Ackerman, founder of AllegisCyber, a venture capital firm based in San Francisco and Maryland that backs cyber security startups.

Rhodium calculates that, on average, 21 percent of Chinese venture investment in the United States from 2000 through 2017 came from state-owned funds, which are controlled at least in part by the Chinese government. In 2018, that figure surged to 41 percent.

But some tech industry players say Washington is casting too wide a net in its zeal to check Beijing.

A lot of innocent business people are getting caught up in the administrations spat with China, said Wei Guo, the China-born founding partner of Silicon Valley firm UpHonest Capital, whose funding comes mostly from foreign investors with ties to China.

Adding to Silicon Valleys anxiety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken a more active role in policing Chinese investment.

Two industry veterans, a startup adviser and a venture capitalist who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters they were recently cautioned by the FBI not to pursue deals with Chinese investors. The two people did not name the Chinese entities of interest to the FBI, but said the deals concerned US companies building artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technologies.

Whether any of this deters China from reaching its goal of dominating advanced technologies remains to be seen. China can still invest in US technology through layers of funds that obscure the money source. And Chinese investors are redirecting funds to promising companies in Southeast Asia and Latin America. US startups, meanwhile, are rewriting deal terms to avoid a CFIUS review. Strategies include adding provisions to prevent foreign investors from obtaining proprietary technical information, and denying them board rights, veto rights or additional equity in future rounds, attorneys told Reuters.

People are rightfully concerned about making sure they are on the safe side of the fence, said Jeff Farrah, general counsel of the National Venture Capital Association.
News N.Korea Leader Visits China after Warning of Alternate Path to US Talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju inspect an honor guard before leaving Pyongyang for a visit to China on January 7, 2019. / Korean Central News Agency via REUTERS

BEIJINGNorth Korean leader Kim Jong Un is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, only days after warning he may take an alternative path if the United States does not ease sanctions and pressure on his isolated country.

The visit, confirmed by North Korean and Chinese state media, will likely lead to Kims fourth summit with Xi in the last year and comes amid plans for a second summit with Trump aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.

Kim held three summits last year with Xi, his most important ally, before and after summits with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Kim is eager to remind the Trump administration that he does have diplomatic and economic options besides what Washington and Seoul can offer, Harry J. Kazianis, Director of Defense Studies at the US-based Centre for the National Interest said in an e-mailed statement.

In fact, during his New Years Days speech, Kims new way that he referred to may well have been a veiled threat to move closer to Beijing. That should make America quite concerned.

Kim left for China on a private train on Monday afternoon accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and senior North Korean officials, including Kim Yong Chol, a major negotiator, and Ri Yong Ho, North Koreas state-run KCNA news agency said.

He was warmly seen off by leading officials of the Party, government and armed forces organs at the railway station, KCNA said in its report.

Chinas official Xinhua news agency also confirmed that Kim is visiting from Monday to Thursday at Xis invitation.

A green train with a yellow stripe similar to the one Kim took to Beijing last year arrived at a station in the Chinese capital on Tuesday morning amid heightened security, though it was not immediately clear if Kim, his wife, and North Korean officials were aboard. A motorcade with heavy security later drove through central Beijing.

The visit coincided with what South Korean officials say is Kims 35th birthday on Jan. 8.

Kims visit to North Koreas most important economic and diplomatic ally, which was first reported by South Korean media, follows reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang aimed at resolving the standoff over North Koreas nuclear program.

Kim said in a New Year speech last week he is ready to meet Trump anytime to achieve their common goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But he warned that he may seek an alternative path to a summit with Trump if US sanctions and pressure against the country continues.

Good partner

In an interview with CNBC on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Chinas support for resolving the North Korean crisis and said he did not think the US trade dispute with Beijing would affect this.

Kims visit comes as a US delegation opened a second day of talks with Chinese counterparts in Beijing aimed at ending the bitter trade war between the worlds two largest economies.

The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues, Pompeo said.

Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that. China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Koreas nuclear capability; I expect they will continue to do so.

Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said Kims trip would have no direct influence on the progress of trade talks.

From the other prospective, this is something that can indirectly be used to show the United States that China is not playing without any cards in hand, Shi said.

He added that Kim would certainly call on Xi Jinping to give North Korea more economic assistance.

South Koreas foreign ministry said it was aware of Kims planned visit and hopes Kims latest visit and summit with Xi would contribute to the shared strategic goal of achieving complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean peninsula.

While there were no details released about the possible agenda in China, Kim has been seeking relief from international sanctions, a peace declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War, and more economic investment.

Ties between China and North Korea, which had frayed as Pyongyang stepped up its provocations through a series of missile and nuclear tests, warmed over the last year as Kim engaged with Beijing as well as Seoul and Washington.

Neither KCNA nor Xinhua provided further information on Kims itinerary, though South Koreas Hankyoreh newspaper said on Monday that he will meet with Chinas Xi for a fourth summit.
News Frustrated Farmers Give Melons Away as Border Checkpoint Remains Shut

Growers give away watermelons in downtown Monywa on Jan. 7, 2019. / Ko Thitsar

MANDALAYMelon growers gave away around 50 tons of watermelons in Sagaing Regions Monywa on Monday in a protest against the closure of a key border checkpoint for fruit exports in the Muse border trade zone on the Myanmar-China border.

Melon and cantaloupe growers from Butalin Township organized the protest, one of its leaders, Ko Thitsar, told The Irrawaddy.

Local melon exporters have suffered serious losses as their produce has been left to spoil at the border since the Myanmar Army closed the Jin San Jiao Gate on the evening of Dec. 26 for security reasons. The timing couldnt have been worse for the farmers, with seasonal demand for melons and cantaloupes now at peak level.

We gave away our fruit to the public, as it would have gone off at the border anyway, Ko Thitsar said.

Protesters have demanded the immediate re-opening of the gate and called on the government to help establish a system that allows melon and cantaloupe growers to sell their produce on the Myanmar side of the border.

Border traders are frustrated that the Commerce Ministry has not made an official statement about the gate closure.

It is time we growers speak up. We submitted a letter [to authorities complaining about the closure] last month. But as there are two governments [the elected government and the military], we dont know what will happen, melon grower Ko Tun Win of Butalin Township told The Irrawaddy.

Some smaller fruit trucks have been using the Pansai gate, which Chinese authorities re-opened on Dec. 28. However, the 10-mile road from Muse to the gate is just 8 feet wide and not suitable for 12-wheeled trucks.

Previously, around 500 trucks ferrying watermelons and cantaloupes traded at the Jin San Jiao gate daily. But the number has declined to around 200 because of the traffic congestion along the route to Pansai, and because Chinese officials are taking longer to inspect Myanmar exports.

Most of the brokerages in Muse have stopped accepting fruit shipments due to the closure. However, growers are taking risks and still attempting to export their crops as it is now the harvest season.
Burma President Convenes Top-Level Security Meeting in Wake of AA Attacks

President U Win Myint leads a high-level meeting in Naypyitaw on Jan. 7, 2019 in the wake of the Arakan Armys deadly attacks against four police outposts three days earlier in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State. / Myanmar Presidents Office

President U Win Myint led a high-level coordination meeting on national security and current international relations on Monday afternoon in Naypyitaw, following the Arakan Army (AA)s attacks on four police outposts in Rakhine States Buthidaung Township on Jan. 4, which left 14 police officers dead.

All 11 members of the National Defense and Security Councilthe president; State Counselor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; both of the Union vice presidents; the speakers of both houses of the Union Parliament; the Army chief; the deputy Army chief; and the ministers of Home Affairs, Defense, and Border Affairswere present, together with the ministers of the Office of the State Counselor; the Office of the Union Government; Investment and Foreign Economic Relations; and International Cooperation, according to the Presidents Office.

The government avoided describing the gathering an official NDSC meeting due to the presence of the additional Union ministers from new ministries formed under the NLD, as well as the chairman of the Peace Commission and chief of Military Security Affairs.

Presidents Office spokesman U Zaw Htay said the meeting focused on developments in the security situation in the wake of the Tatmadaws declaration of a four-month truce and the AAs attacks on the police outposts, which came as Myanmar marked its Independence Day.

He said the AAs actions did nothing to help the governments efforts to develop Rakhine State and reduce conflict in the area.

The leaders reviewed the [AA] attacks on the police stations and decided what steps to take, in terms of both an immediate response and a long-term plan, U Zaw Htay said.

Following the attacks, the Presidents Office has instructed the Defense Ministry [which oversees the Army] to increase troop deployments in the areas where the police stations were attacked on Friday and to use aircraft if necessary. The Tatmadaw is following these instructions, as well as carrying out military operations against AA insurgents, the spokesman said.

He accused the AA of taking advantage of the fact that Rakhine State is being watched closely by the international community in the wake of military operations against the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which conducted deadly coordinated attacks against security forces in 2016 and 2017.

The governments Peace Commission has been holding informal talks with the AA, whichalong with two others groups, the Taang Nationalities Liberation Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Armypledged a month ago to enter political negotiations and give up its armed struggle.

The Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw)s unilateral ceasefire announced on Dec. 22 did not apply to its Western Military Command in Rakhine State, apparently intensifying the current armed conflict between it and the AA.
Burma Mon Community Leaders Building Drug-Treatment Center for Youth

Mon community leaders prepare a signpost directing people to a new drug rehabilitation center in Ye Township. / Min Ye Mon / Facebook

Mon community leaders plan to build a rehabilitation center for drug-addicted youth in Ye Township, Mon State, Mon sources said.

The New Mon State Party (NMSP) donated 3 acres of land to house the care center. Committee members used a bulldozer to begin clearing the land, and started work on laying water pipes. They said they hoped to complete the structure soon.

A 45-person committee comprising 15 members of the NMSP, 15 Mon Buddhist monks and 15 other members of the local community will operate the center as long-term project.

After we build the center, we will take care of [drug addicts] for free here. When they get better, we will even educate them, said Nai Tin Shein, a leading member of the working committee.

It is a long-term project. We do not have enough money, but will keep working on this project. We will rely on donations from the Mon community. The NMSP will provide medics to take care of patients, he said.

The project needs funds to cover staffs salaries and the cost of medicine. Mon Buddhist monks and community leaders have offered to cover those costs.

Projects like this are really the responsibility of the government, but they dont do it. So, we have to help our ethnic people, Nai Tin Shein said.

Illegal drugsparticularly methamphetaminespose a serious threat to the community in Mon, with addiction becoming an increasing problem among youth. Families of drug addicts dont know where to send their loved ones in order to start a new life. Therefore, Mon leaders felt they had to do something to save the community, according to committee members.

It is mainly youths that are at risk from illegal drugs in our community. They are the future Mon leadership. Therefore, we must help them. If we do not, this disease will get worse, Nai Tin Shein said.

He said one reason for the problem was that many Mon youth were unemployed despite having graduated from university. Seeing no future for themselves, some turned to methamphetamine use.

The center currently under construction is some distance from other Mon townships including Mudon, Thanbyuzayat, and Moulmein, but Nai Tin Shein said most communities balked at the idea of allowing a center for drug addicts in their midst. Therefore, the committee had to build it in an NMSP-controlled area.

Nai Tin Shein said the Mon State government had failed to take care of substance abusers. He said that hundreds of ethnic Mon were addicted to illegal drugs and in need of treatment, but the only public facility was a small treatment room at Moulmein Hospital.

The new center will offer free treatment and facilities to drug addicts including food, medical treatment and a hostel. It will also provide education about the dangers of illegal drugs.

The Mon communitys business, education and many other sectors have been badly affected, said Nai Aung Htoo, another committee member.

The illegal drug situation in the Mon community was already at a crisis level, he said, adding that the problem had spread to public schools.

He also criticized police, saying their crackdown on illegal drugs in Mon State targeted only drug users, while drug traffickers escaped arrest.
Burma Analysis: International Media Injecting Religion into Rakhine Armed Conflict

An AA fighter is seen in a screengrab from a video released by the group to mark the ninth anniversary of its founding.

YANGONBowing to public pressure, soon after publishing a report on the deadly Jan. 4 attacks by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State, Reuters news agency removed the word Buddhist from the storys headline and lead paragraph. The initial story was headlined: Rakhine Buddhist rebels kill 13 in independence day attack on Myanmar police posts.

The AAs coordinated attacks on four border police outposts in northern Rakhine States strifetorn Buthidaung Township left 13 Border Guard Police officers and three AA fighters dead. Though the conflict between the Arakanese rebels and the government is essentially political, Reuters headline used religious terminology.

Many people disagreed with the agencys use of the Rakhine communitys religious affiliation in the headline and the story. Its true that the majority of Rakhine people are Buddhists. But critics voiced concern that emphasizing this in the headline of a story on the armed conflict had potential to fuel international misunderstanding of the situation in Rakhine.

In 2017, after security forces clearance operations against the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in the same area prompted nearly 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, international media indiscriminately mislabeled all Buddhists in Rakhine state as violent. With the headline Rakhine Buddhist rebels kill 13 , did Reuters want to portray Rakhine people as violent? Whats more, the heading implies that if Buddhist groups are killing each other, there can be little wonder that the Buddhist majority is intolerant of Muslims.

It needs to be asked why Reuters chose to use a religious term in reference to the ethnic Rakhine. In its reports on other armed groups in Myanmar, it simply refers to, for example, the KIA as Kachin rebels and to the KNU as Karen rebels, rather than calling them Christian Kachin rebels or Christian Karen rebels. For example, a Reuters report on the death of 23 cadets killed by Myanmar Army artillery fire on a KIA training camp in 2014 referred to Kachin rebels in the headline, without specifying their religion.

Yangon-based ethnic affairs analyst U Maung Maung Soe openly condemned Reuters on his Facebook page, accusing the agency of religious incitement. He told The Irrawaddy that using religious references in conflict reporting could spark problems.

Please think about the potential consequences if you say, Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslim Rebels Are Fighting rather than saying AA and ARSA, he said.

U Maung Maung Soe was not the only person criticizing Reuters; local media experts disagreed with the agencys decision to insert the religious issue into the news story, saying its reporting did not meet acceptable standards for what is known in the industry as conflict-sensitive journalism.

Media adviser U Sein Win from Internews Myanmar said that the international communitys knowledge of Rakhine State was mostly limited to issues relating to the Rohingya, adding that global audiences were largely ignorant of the ethnic Arakanese (another term for Rakhine). He assumed that Reuters had emphasized Buddhist in the headline in order to avoid confusion with the Rohingya, but said that as the conflict is not a religious one, the news agency should not have used the term in that way.

He explained that while it was acceptable to identify a groups religious affiliation in a headline if the issue being reported was related to religion, it is discouraged in conflict-sensitive journalism, as conflicts can be worsened by sensational coverage. He added that an agency was within its rights to use religious descriptions in reports when they appear as part of a name, such as the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).

Our choice of words in a report should maintain stability and we journalists have a responsibility not to cause divisions within communities. That is the meaning of conflict-sensitive journalism, U Sein Win said.

When asked if the agencys removal of the word Buddhist was prompted by the public perception that Reuters had ignored local and religious sensitivities, the agency said via an email on Monday that, In keeping with our commitment to the Reuters Trust Principles of independence, integrity and freedom from bias, we updated this story to clarify the context that the Arakan Army insurgency is ethnic, rather than religious.

In fact, Reuters is not alone in using religious terminology in its reporting on the Rakhine conflict. The Wall Street Journal used an even harsher headline: Buddhist Violence Portends New Threat to Myanmar. In its reporting on fighting between the AA and the Myanmar Army, Al Jazeera has used terms like Buddhist Rebels and Buddhist groups.

But it is Reuters that has attracted the most attention from local netizens, as the agency has been under public scrutiny in Myanmar since last years arrest of two local reporters who covered a mass killing of Rohingya in Rakhine. Their arrest and reporting sharply divided public opinion. So the agencys lack of local and religious sensitivity could further widen the divisions.

Writing on his Facebook page, Letyar Tun, who works with a media development INGO, questioned Reuters professionalism.

He said Reuters should have referred to the AA using the ethnic groups own languagethe Arakan Armyrather than dubbing them Rakhine Buddhist rebels.

As journalists, your most powerful tools are the words you use, along with pictures and sounds. You can use your tools to build peace and understanding instead of fear and myths, he wrote.
Burma Analysis: Arakan Army - A Powerful New Threat to the Tatmadaw

AA leader Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing (second right) attends an ethnic armed organizations peace conference in Kachin State in July 2016. / The Irrawaddy

YANGONMore than nine years after it was formed by 26 Arakanese (Rakhine) youths, the Arakan Army (AA) today is a 7000-member strong army which is gaining progress in its bid to establish a stronghold in its homeland, Rakhine State.

Hundreds of AA troops launched a coordinated attack on four border guard police outposts in Buthidaung Township on Friday. Only after the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Army) sent reinforcements and attacked from the air, the AA troops retreated.

Thirteen police were killed in the attack during which the AA abducted 18 police and their family members who they later released.

The conflict plays out as Myanmar comes under growing pressure from the international community regarding the exodus of Rohingya from northern Rakhine State into Bangladesh following brutal military clearance operations spurred by serial attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on a number of police outposts in August 2017.

The AA was established in 2009 in Kachin States Laiza with the support of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and in 2014 it revealed its dream of returning to its homeland of Rakhine State.

It appears that the ethnic armed group has been realizing this dream.

Ethnic affairs analysts estimate that around 3,000 AA soldiers have infiltrated Kyauktaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung and Ponnagyun townships in northern Rakhine State and Chin States Paletwa Township.

How has the AA funded a standing army of some 7,000 troops and managed to conduct military operations just a few years after its formation in spite of having no areas in its control?

The AA obtains arms and ammunition from its mentor the KIA and its ally the United Wa State Army (UWSA). It also purchases them on the black market at the Thai-Myanmar border, according to sources close to the matter.

In addition to arms and ammunition made locally by the KIA and UWSA, and China-made weapons, the AA has in its arsenal US-made M60 machine guns whose unit price is around $10,000 on the black market. The M60s are seen in a video commemorating the 9th anniversary of the AAs formation which circulated on social media in April 2018.

According to the video clip, the AA also has Barrett MRAD sniper rifles which have a unit price of over $10,000 on the black market at the Thailand-Myanmar border. The sniper rifle is commonly used by the border guard forces of Israel and armed forces in Norway and the Netherlands.

The sniper rifle is believed to be attributed to the deaths of a number of Myanmar army officials since clashes broke out between the two sides in 2015.

Analysts suggest that the AA might also purchase weapons from Kuki rebels on the Myanmar-India border.

As well as an arsenal of advanced weapons, AA troops appear to be well-equipped with uniforms and ample food rations. The AA also helps with living and health expenses of the troops family members and is even said to finance members who drop out in order to continue their education.

The AA pays transportation costs for those wishing to join the armed group but cannot afford to travel to Kachin States Laiza where they undergo military training.

While its true that a portion of the AAs funding is likely to be provided by their Arakanese supporters, Myanmars government and military have accused the AA of smuggling drugs to fund its army.

Where does the money come from?

It is a rare case among ethnic armed groups in Myanmar to have established a strong army within nine years and to be able to fund a sophisticated campaign.

For years, Arakanese people have migrated to find employment opportunities and escape the ailing economy of Rakhine State. Many Arakanese who are working abroad contribute at least a few thousand kyats monthly to the AA. Some affluent Arakanese people also make large contributions to the AA on a regular basis. They often contribute cash on special occasions such as the birthdays of family members, in one case witnessed by The Irrawaddy, a wealthy donor contributed more than 10 million kyats.

After the Tatmadaw launched air strikes on the AAs footholds in Chin States Paletwa in 2017, some rich Arakanese gave money to the AA to help them buy anti-aircraft missiles, the AAs Chief Maj-Gen Twan Mrat Naing once told The Irrawaddy.

Their support is so huge that even the Presidents Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay on Monday told AA sympathizers to stop their support.

I want to tell AA supporters to think about whether the AA really can make Rakhine State better. Frankly speaking, please stop your support, he said.

According to U Zaw Htay, the government and Tatmadaw believe the AA mainly gets its funds from drug smuggling, an accusation which AA information officer Khine Thu Kha denied.

The 2017 report compiled by the Kofi Annan-led Rakhine State Advisory Commission states that the AA is linked with drug dealers.

The case in which Lt-Col Aung Myat Kyaw was arrested in Yangon in February 2016 supports the accusation of the government and Tatmadaw. A graduate of the first batch of AA military training and also a close aide of Maj-Gen Twan Mrat Naing, the court heard that he was responsible for the procurement and logistics of arms and ammunition for the AA in preparation for their staging of a revolution in Rakhine.

In early 2015, AA troops marched over land from Kachin States Laiza to Chin States Paletwa Township near the Myanmar-India border, leading to clashes with the Myanmar Army. Lt-Col Aung Myat Kyaw was a key player in arranging logistics of arms and ammunition for those troops.

A large number of army rucksacks and backpacks, night binoculars, walkie-talkies, compasses, GPS, and materials and used in the making mines and bombs were seized from a house in North Dagon Township in Yangon where Lt-Col Aung Myat Kyaw was a tenant.

Thousands of anti-aircraft machine-gun bullets, AK47 bullets, shells, and TNT dynamite were seized from a house in Yangons Hlaingtharyar Township in a follow-up search.

U Wai Tha Tun, a drug dealer who resided with Lt-Col Aung Myat Kyaw in North Dagon Township was also arrested together with over 300,000 yaba tablets.

The AA dismissed claims of their connections to the drug trade and accused the government of deliberately attempting to defame it.

During his trial, Lt-Col Aung Myat Kyaw admitted to cooperating with drug dealers to supply drugs to Rakhine State, and of giving the profits back to the armed group. He bought arms and ammunition with the money allotted by the AA.

According to his testimony, he has transported rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), RPG warheads, TNT dynamites and mines around 30 times either in his own car or by long-distance express buses from the Myanmar-Thai border to Rakhine States capital Sittwe via Yangon.

He was charged under the arms act and narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances law and sentenced ten years to prison. He was also charged for money laundering as he was found to have bought land along the Yangon-Sittwe Highway and saved over 40 million kyats at banks. He is currently facing trial at Yangon Region Northern District Court for this along with eight other drug dealers.

The government claimed that the four persons suspected of killing former Mrauk-U Township administrator U Bo Bo Min Theik in February 2018 are connected with the AA.

The suspects said they traded approximately 4.4 million methamphetamine pills between December 2016 and November 2017, and confessed to buying M-16 assault rifles, pistols and several magazines and rounds to supply the AA.

The ethnic group denied their claim, saying that it never uses M-16 assault rifles.

Leaders of some of the ethnic allies of the AA also denied accusations that the AA is involved in drug dealing.

The UWSA, the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) have always denied their own involvement in the drug trade despite the fact that large amounts of drugs are produced in their regions.

Why is the AA popular among the Arakanese?

Since 1962, the Arakanese people have had few strong representational organizations.

Being a small force, the Arakan Liberation Party and its armed wing the Arakan Liberation Army, which were established before the AA, never managed to win much support from the Arakanese people.

But the AA has managed to revive a patriotic fervor in the Arakanese and rekindle their hopes of self-determination reminiscent of the golden days of the mighty Arakanese Kingdom.

Prominent Arakanese political figure Dr Aye Maung, who is currently facing trial for high treason, told The Irrawaddy in 2016 that he supports the AA.

AA chief Maj-Gen Tun Myat Naing would be one of the persons who will shape the future of Rakhine State, according to Dr Aye Maung.

It is indisputable that the AA has won popular support among Arakanese people. The Irrawaddy has even witnessed some Arakanese parents encouraging their children to join the AA. As well as the ordinary Arakanese people, most Arakanese politicians accept the AA too.

Why is the AA warring against government troops?

Having been established in Kachin States Laiza, the AA gathered their feathers and learned to fly from the KIA. Their cause is, like other ethnic armed groups, self-determination and greater autonomy.

AA leaders could not start their revolution in Rakhine State, but have been planning to return to their homeland since 2014.

Although the government has invited the AA to join peace talks, the Tatmadaw repeatedly refused to hold talks with them between 2015 and 2017, on the grounds that the armed group was established after the 2008 Constitution was adopted, while most other ethnic armed groups were born at the time of independence.

Several active and retired military officers, on condition of anonymity, have said that there is no seat for the AA at the peace talks since it was founded so recently.

Tatmadaw spokespersons have said they would not hold peace talks with the AA as it launched attacks since 2015 after the country had a democratically elected government.

On Dec. 21, the Myanmar Army declared a four-month unilateral ceasefire in five military regions saying it would hold talks with non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement during the ceasefire period.

However, they have been criticized for excluding Rakhine State which is overseen by the Tatmadaws Western Command.

The Tatmadaw cited threats of attacks by ARSA as their reason for excluding Rakhine State from the ceasefire. The AAs information officer Khine Thu Kha later said that if the Tatmadaw has genuine willingness, it could also announce a ceasefire where military tensions are running high with the AA and at the same time exclude areas where ARSA is active.

He said the Tatmadaw excluded Rakhine State because it wants to launch large-scale attacks on the AA while halting its military operations in northern areas of Myanmar.
France's prime minister is planning to ban people from taking part in unauthorised demonstrations.

There have been weeks of anti-government protests in the country, many of which have turned violent.

Edouard Philippe also wants to make it illegal for "yellow vest" protesters to wear masks.

Much of France, but particularly Paris, has endured weeks of protest by a nationwide movement that at times descended into violence.

French security forces fired tear gas and flash-bang ammunition at protesters during a march through central Paris over the weekend as several thousand supporters of the yellow vest movement kept up pressure on President Emmanuel Macron with the first action of 2019.
The declaration by Pope Francis, describing paedophilia as one of the vilest of crimes, is the clearest indication yet that he may be prepared finally to tackle the issue of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church.

His promise to bring justice to victims of clerical abuse is welcome.

The abuse of minors is one of the vilest and most heinous crimes conceivable, he said in his annual address to ambassadors to the Holy See, swearing to render justice to minors.

What would be even more welcome is if he followed those fine words with real action.

His record, along with that of his immediate predecessors, is not good. In a 2001 apology, Pope John Paul II called sexual abuse within the Church a profound contradiction of the teaching and witness of Jesus Christ but did nothing about it.

Benedict XVI went further than that, meeting victims and speaking of his shame at the Churchs failure to tackle the abuse but, again, did nothing concrete. In January of last year, Pope Francis first accused victims of fabricating

evidence, accusing victims of Chiles most notorious paedophile of slander. It took him until April to apologise for what he described as a tragic error.

That apology can only be accepted fully if he follows his latest remarks with concrete measures either to prosecute abusers or help victims  preferably both.

Those who suffered abuse by Catholic Church clerics deserve nothing less.
It would be a matter of the greatest concern if it was proven that an Islamic State member had obtained Irish citizenship despite being on a garda watchlist of terrorist suspects.

It would show failures by both the Garda Siochana and the Department of Justice as well as posing a threat to the security of the state and those resident within it.

An Irish citizen, along with two US and two Pakistani fighters, was arrested as a suspected Islamic State terrorists by Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

The man, named as 45-year-old Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev, is originally from Belarus and came to Ireland in 2000, living and working in Dublin for a number of years.

He was known to gardai as an IS sympathiser before he left Ireland with his wife and family in 2013 to fight in Syria and was placed on a watchlist and monitored by the Gardas Special Detective Unit.

There appears to be confusion over whether Bekmirzaev was granted citizenship before or after becoming radicalised so it is of the utmost importance that the Garda Siochana and the Government make the matter clear. The pertinent questions are: what did members of the Special Detective Unit know and when did they know it?

Garda sources suggest he was radicalised here and they only became aware of his affiliations after he had been granted Irish citizenship. This is unlikely for two reasons: Firstly, the gardai had received information from a foreign intelligence agency that the man was an active supporter of radical Islamist groups. Secondly, while there are undoubtedly IS sympathisers in Ireland, the numbers are small.

This was confirmed last May when Assistant Commissioner Michael OSullivan declared that most of the Irish jihadis who left to fight wars are now dead or missing.

It is estimated that around 30 terror sympathisers from here went to fight wars in Iraq or Syria. Speaking at an

Interpol conference, Mr OSullivan said the gardai were monitoring a small number of IS sympathisers here.

It is, of course, possible that the man was radicalised here but the expert view is that it is more likely that this occurred abroad. According to security analyst Declan Power, a former member of the Defence Forces, it is unlikely that the man became radicalised in Ireland, which suggests that his IS sympathies were evident before he was granted citizenship.

The chairperson of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, Dr Umar Al Qadri, want the Government to revoke the mans citizenship. This can be done by the Minister for Justice in limited circumstances under the 1956 Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act.

Revoking his ciizenship may, in any case, be moot, considering he has been captured by Kurdish militants who are not known to treat IS members gently.

Of more pressing concern is the prospect of such radicals being granted Irish citizenship. Given the bloodshed wrought by our homegrown variety for 30 years in Northern Ireland, the last thing we need is to import terrorists.
I am not a client, a customer, nor a service user.

I am not a shirker, a scrounger, a beggar

nor a thief. I am not a national insurance number,

nor a blip on a screen.

I paid my dues, never a penny short, and proud to do so.

I dont tug the forelock but look my neighbour in the eye and help him if I can.

I dont accept or seek charity.

I am a man, not a dog.

As such I demand my rights.

I demand you treat me with respect.

I  am a citizen, nothing more, nothing less.

You may already know where those few sentences come from. If not, Ill tell you in a minute. But I want to tell you what they mean to me.

Theres one phrase that I hate above all others. If I had my way, I would ban it from all forms of public discourse.

I would make it illegal for any public servant, or anyone providing a public service, ever to utter the phrase in their interactions with citizens. I would make it a dismissable offence for any manager to use the phrase.

The phrase is we know best. There are different variations of it, and different ways in which it manifests itself. But its used, again and again, to make people feel inferior, and as often as not beholden. Its a phrase that ignores the fact that we all have both rights and responsibilities.

Sometimes, of course, the phrase is never uttered. It just underpins behaviour. Let me give you a small example of what I mean.

Don Buckley is an Irish journalist. He is one of that band of journalists of whom it can be said that he has done the State some service over many years. Throughout his career he did tenacious and demanding work.

And he did that despite the fact he has never been a physically well or strong man.

The progress of his illness means that its very difficult for him to get around now, and hes often housebound.

Recently, he needed some money from his bank account (more than could be got from an ATM, though considerably less than four figures), and made his way, with difficulty, to the bank branch where his account has always been.

They refused to give him the amount he needed without proof of identification. So he produced the only proof he had, his personal public service card (PPS). Youre familiar with them, I imagine. Dons had his name, photograph, signature, and PPS number, as they all do. It had been issued by the State, as they all are, using the best standards of authentication available.

But the bank refused to accept it. His own branch of his own bank (Ulster Bank, though Ive since established that other banks apply the same daft rule) refused to give him access to his own money in his own bank account because the basis on which the State recognised him wasnt acceptable to them. When he protested, he was told that the Central Bank wouldnt recognise the PPS card. And that was the end of that.

The Central Bank, however, implies something different saying that the requirement for the various proofs of identity is specified by the individual financial institutions as their interpretation of the 2010 Criminal Justice Act.

It is up to the banks to interpret the legislation as they see fit.

Nevertheless, what Don Buckley was told locally was come back with your passport, notwithstanding the fact that he had struggled to get his walking frame into the bank in the first place.

When he protested, he was told that the Central Bank wouldnt recognise the personal public service card. And that was the end of that.

They reckoned without Don Buckley. As ill as he is, he decided he wasnt leaving the bank without his money.

Through mounting discomfort and pain, he sat there for several hours. He was never threatened, although he was entreated several times to leave, and even offered smaller amounts of money. When it was clear that he would not surrender, they gave him the money, in return for his signature on a withdrawal slip.

The nonsense  and the callousness  involved in this rule, if thats what it is, is incalculable. Despite illness, Don Buckley can stand up for himself.

There are thousands of people in Ireland  elderly people, ill people, disabled people  who dont have passports or multiple means to identify themselves.

Rules like this, that have no basis in logic, are designed to make citizens feel inadequate. Of course there is a need to ensure that someone seeking to take money from a bank account is who they say they are.

There could actually be no better way of meeting this requirement than the personal public service card, and yet some bureaucrat somewhere has decided to outlaw it.

The only reason?

We know best.

As I said, thats a small example. I have written here before about the bureaucracy that refused a medical card to a dying man.

Ive written about the publicly-funded service providers that deprive people of the services they need. Ive written about the people with disabilities whose legal rights  to independent assessment of their needs, for instance  are routinely ignored.

We know best is the reason so many women were deprived of their most basic rights in the cervical check controversy.

We know best is the reason so many women suffered symphysiotomies. We know best is the reason behind the still largely untold story of thousands of fake birth certificates.

We know best is the reason we still dont know the full story of what happened to Grace and other children in the South-East of Ireland.

We know best is the reason that whistle-blowers can be driven to act, and the reason why they are always punished for doing right.

We know best is what deprives a citizen of his or her citizenship in the face of any bureaucracy.

Let me go back to the first paragraph of this piece. The words there were written by a man called Daniel Blake.

He is a fictional character in an unbearably true story. The movie, I, Daniel Blake is about an ordinary man who, because of illness, gets caught up in a vicious spiral of we know best-ery that deprives him of the most basic means of support.

Theres no good reason behind any of the decisions made that affect his wellbeing in ever more damaging ways.

The film is a harrowing, powerful reminder of the poisonous relationship that can develop between a bureaucracy that takes on a life of its own and the ordinary citizen. Movies like that can move us to tears. More important, they can bring us up short and force us to think.

So, sadly, can real life. You listen to a story like Dons  with a happy, though unnecessary, ending thanks to his determination  and you remember all the other stories. Stories where people had to fight for years, often to the end of their resources, to get any sort of result. Or stories where, no matter how hard they fought, people were crushed by systems anyway.

We designed those systems. We did it to try to make sure that services were better delivered, and then we were powerless as they became more remote and out of touch.

And stupid  the most striking thing often about the injustices so often done is that theyre not necessary and they serve no purpose. And you wonder  when will we ever learn?
The Russian president may not be taking the challenge he faces seriously enough as media shifts away from anti-Western propaganda to highlight peoples frustrations, writes Nina L Khrushcheva.

In his widely broadcast annual press conference last month, Russian president Vladimir Putin was confident and condescending, animated only when criticising Ukraine for skirmishes in the Black Sea or railing against the Wests unfair complaints about Russias behaviour.

Asserting that Americas withdrawal from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty demands that Russia develop new weapons, Putin sneered: And they should not whine later that we are allegedly trying to gain certain advantages.

His character was a cross between the Soviet ambassador in Dr Strangelove, promising to close the Doomsday gap with the West, and the folkloric Ded Moroz (Father Frost), who miraculously resolves peoples problems.

This is a diminished repertoire for Putin, who has spent the last 18 years playing everything from a caring father-to-the nation to a judo-fighting James Bond. More important, it was less believable than ever.

Putin built his authority on direct contact with Russian society. Early in his presidency, he would traverse all of Russias 11 time zones promising  and often delivering  real income growth, better infrastructure, and national renewal. In fact, the recent press conference  the 14th of its kind  looked a lot like another of Putins oft-repeated public performances: Direct Line, a live broadcast in which he answers (scripted) questions from Russians.

In what was probably also scripted, the press conferences included journalists stepping up to ask questions  and then being revealed to be ordinary Russians who had been duped by corrupt officials.

In response to her complaints, one such aggrieved character received Putins personal pledge to look into the problem.

But, amid falling living standards and increasing global hostility, Putins televised promises dont fool anybody anymore  and not just because of falling confidence in televised news broadcasts (from 79% to 49% over the last decade). Russians also have their doubts about Putins leadership itself, as reflected by a sharp decline in his approval rating, from over 76% to 66%, in the last six months. Only 56% of Russians say that they would vote for him if an election were held tomorrow.

Of course, this is not news to the Kremlin, which has been attempting to change its tactics to get voters on side. Instead of counting on Putins personal pledges and performances, the authorities have increasingly focused on technocratic indicators of Russias development, while playing up the threat posed by the West.

The US, Kremlin-controlled media warn, is withdrawing from decades-old nuclear agreements specifically so that it can nuke Russia. Add to that stories of the horrors of the Second World War, and complaints about living standards, the Kremlin hopes, will seem trifling by comparison.

But Putin may not be taking the challenge he faces seriously enough. During his third presidential term  he is now on his fourth  he focused more on defending his entourage from accusations of corruption or indifference than on keeping ordinary Russians happy.

In true Soviet style, he remains more afraid of a palace coup than a public uprising. His landslide victory in last years presidential election reinforced this, as it fed into the classic assumption of the longstanding autocrat: The public will love him no matter what.

The problem with a semi-authoritarian regime like Putins, however, is that peoples behaviour is not fully under the leaders control. And, in todays Russia, this extends to the news media, which report far more often  and more boldly  on social challenges, and the anger they stoke than outsiders might expect.

The Russian state never actually demanded a positive spin on coverage of social issues. So, when it comes to such issues, the level of free speech is akin to the glasnost (openness) of the 1980s.

Even as media outlets toe the official line on topics relating to Ukraine and the West  not to mention, popular protests led by opposition leader Alexey Navalny  they still highlight peoples frustration with salaries, pensions, housing and parking rules, and taxes, among other issues.

Headlines about Russians loss of faith in their government, for example, have made it into Russian newspapers such as MK and Kommersant, and onto television networks like NTV. This is no anti-Putin conspiracy; rather, it is the Russian media doing its job, to the extent that a semi-free press can.

Russias news business is, after all, a business  one that needs customers to survive. So as media shift away from anti-Western propaganda and stories glorifying the past  which they, unlike the Kremlin, recognise is no longer what readers want  they are not just reporting on social issues; they are concocting their own audience-attracting doomsday headlines. Patriotism may be out, but alarmism is still in.

In this sense, Russias press recalls the potentially transformative power of glasnost. In the 1980s, coverage of social and historical injustices went into overdrive, creating a rift between hardliners who claimed to protect the state (reminiscent of the current Kremlin) and those who wanted to accelerate perestroika (restructuring).

The hardliners failed 1991 coup hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union failed partly because of the disconnect between ordinary peoples basic needs and the states superpower agenda, which made the population poorer. By claiming to defend the Motherland, while ignoring its people, Putin now risks making a similar mistake.

The national newspaper Vedomosti  by no means a liberal outlet  recently reported that Russians today dont want survival, but self-expression. They want protection by the law, respect, and a peaceful foreign policy.
Monitoring suspects and managing returnees to this country is the priority, writes security correspondent Cormac OKeeffe.

THE arrest in Syria of an Irish citizen, suspected of fighting for IS, is the latest link between Ireland and jihadist terrorism.

Such links are still relatively rare, reflecting in part the scale of the actual problem, the lack of information on the issue, and the ingrained culture of Irish intelligence services to provide limited information.

Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev is originally from Belarus, and moved to Ireland around the year 2000, and is thought to have become a naturalised citizen in 2010.

It emerged on Sunday night that the 45-year-old was one of five people arrested by Kurdish militia in eastern Syria, who said the five men were IS fighters.

Bekmirzaev worked in various jobs in Dublin and left the city in 2013.

Garda sources said their understanding at the time was that he was going to fight in Syria.

His wife and their Irish-born child are understood to have left afterwards.

It has been reported that Bekmirzaev was facilitated by a man described in the High Court as Islamic States foremost recruiter in Ireland. He was deported last year.

The case of Bekmirzaev highlights the twin issues of Irish citizens who travelled to Syria and Iraq and the risks posed by those who might return  a process expected to accelerate given the significant military successes against IS in the region.

Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev, originally from Belarus, left Ireland in 2013 to join IS in Syria.

Estimates going back a number of years  and cited by the New-York based security organisation, The Soufan Grup  have said that in the region of 30 Irish citizens had travelled to Syria and Iraq over the last five or six years.

While the number is small, the ratio per head of population (seven per million) is higher than Spain (three per million) and similar to Germany (nine per million), though significantly lower than France (26 per million), Belgium (42 per million) and Sweden (31 per million).

Garda sources and sources in the Muslim community have pointed out that many of these joined military factions fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad or IS.

Gardai have said their policy is to engage with those they know about as they go out and come back, but said this was based on the intelligence available.

What has happened to the 30 people is unknown to a significant extent, though five are thought to have died.

This includes Dubliner and convert Khalid Kelly, who was reportedly blown up by Iraqi forces as he was attempting a suicide bombing in November 2016.

While authorities dont know for sure, he is thought to be the first Irish person to die fighting with IS.

Garda sources have said they dont know the outcome of the others, including how many are still out there and fighting. It is not clear as to how many have travelled back to Ireland.

One report published in September 2017 said there was only a small number of returned foreign fighters which it estimated to be in the low double digits.

The report, compiled by the Financial Action Task Force, said Irish authorities indicated these people were under surveillance and subject to close monitoring.

It said there were only a small number of individuals in Ireland involved in international terrorism activities.

It noted the deportation in 2017, and a second one still going through the courts, but added: However, other disruptive methods such as revoking the passports of persons who may be suspected of terrorist-related activities have not been actively utilised.

Garda sources have pointed out that it was not possible to keep every person of interest under surveillance, which is a massively labour intensive endeavour.

The amount of attention would depend on how active they are and are they associating with main players, said one source.

People go in and out of that. Its not an exact science, you cant grade them as such. Its all based on intelligence.

Sources said that Bekmirzaev was of significant interest, but that doesnt necessarily mean he was constantly monitored.

One source said that all the investigations and intelligence to date showed that jihadist suspects in Ireland were involved in providing the likes of false documentation or financing for terrorist groups abroad or recruitment to fight abroad, not physical attacks here.

Last July, in the first such conviction, Irishman Hassan Bal was sentenced to two and a half years for fundraising for IS.

In June 2017, one of the three men behind the London Bridge terror attack, Rachid Redouane, had previously lived in Ireland. A Garda review established Redouane had no links to terrorism while in Ireland. A similar review will now be now conducted in relation to Bekmirzaev.

Regarding returning fighters, gardai and EU agencies have expressed concern, given the military experience and radicalised views of the people concerned.

There is certainly a fear, said a garda source.

Its a fear right across Europe, for all police and security services.

Figures show that three people were arrested for suspected jihadist activities in Ireland in 2017, compared to one in 2016.

The EU police agency Europol has documented a rise in jihadist attacks, accompanied by a decrease in their sophistication, citing the use of vehicles and knives in many incidents.

The Department of Justice has noted the change in the rhetoric of IS towards personal jihad and self-motivated attacks in Europe.

The Governments National Risk Assessment 2018 also referenced Europols view that a rise in returned fighters would likely strengthen domestic jihadist movements and magnify the threat to the European Union.

In an interview last May, Assistant Commissioner Michael OSullivan, head of Garda Security and Intelligence, said a small number of IS sympathisers were being monitored here.

He said lone wolf attacks were probably the greatest concern for all police and security services throughout Europe, adding: It is a concern for us.

The security chief said that of the estimated 30 Irish citizens gone to Syria and Iraq, a small number were still alive. He said quite a number were deceased and that some were missing.

He said: Of concern to us certainly would be families returning and that is a concern for a lot of jurisdictions. These may have been families not involved directly in the war but whose children, particularly young males, may have witnessed some of the most appalling crimes known to man.

He added: They will return and they will become a challenge for a multi-agency effort  not just An Garda Siochana but other agencies as well. If and when they return, how they are managed from a welfare, education [point of view], so that is probably more of a concern at the moment than returning fighters.

Irelands intelligence structures are due to be revamped under the Policing Commission report, with a new overarching intelligence assessment unit, called the Strategic Threat Analysis Centre.

It will bring intelligence from the gardai, the Defence Forces, and other bodies together and will be headed by a new national security co-ordinator.

The body, based in the Department of the Taoiseach, will develop strategies and devise priorities for the individual agencies, which will retain operational independence.
The enormous success of Hamilton has underlined the enduring appeal of musical theatre. Marjorie Brennan selects the best shows of the year ahead.

Come From Away, Abbey Theatre, Dublin, until Jan 19

The national theatre has broadened its remit since Graham McLaren and Neil Murray took the reins in 2017, and it scored something of a coup in securing the European premiere of this hit Broadway musical, ahead of its much-anticipated transfer to the West End.

Come From Away is inspired by the true story of the 7,000 air passengers from all over the world who were grounded in Canada in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and the small Newfoundland community that took them in. Tickets available for this run, which ends on Saturday, January 19.

abbeytheatre.ie

Blood Brothers, INEC Killarney, March 19-23, Cork Opera House Aug 6-24

Willy Russells heart-wrenching tale of twins separated at birth is the third longest-running musical production in West End history and its enduring popularity is illustrated by the fact that its touring production is getting two Irish outings this year, in Cork and Kerry.

It had a hugely successful run in Cork Opera House eight years ago and its many fans are sure to be delighted to see it return to the venue.

www.inec.ie

corkoperahouse.ie

Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre, London, Tickets currently on sale to April 2019

Believe the hype about Lin Manuel Mirandas all-conquering, genre-busting tale of US founding father Alexander Hamilton.

Tickets arent easy to come by but given its huge success and the investment in renovating the theatre especially for Hamilton, its not likely to be going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

There is a weekly late release of premium tickets on Ticketmaster, which go on sale at 12 noon every Monday for the following weeks performances. If you happen to be in London anyway, there is also a daily lottery for 10 tickets which opens at 4pm and closes at 2pm the following day.

You can enter by downloading the Hamilton app or on the website. You can also check the Ticketmaster Hamilton website daily for returns.

Tickets for the show are more freely available for performances several months ahead.

www.ticketmaster.co.uk/hamilton

Oklahoma, Circle in the Square, Broadway, New York From March

Its got to be a special show that entices people to travel, especially to New York, with Hamilton and Bruce Springsteen on Broadway perhaps the most notable recent examples of destination shows.

However, if you find yourself in the Big Apple and in the mood for a show, first port of call should be the TKTS booth in Times Square which sells heavily discounted tickets on the day.

One thats creating a buzz Stateside at the moment is an acclaimed dark and revisionist take on Oklahoma, transferring from Brooklyns St Anns Warehouse to Broadway in the spring.

The King and I, Bord Gais Energy Theatre, May 21-Jun 1

Loaded with school concert classics such as Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You and Shall We Dance, and cemented in collective memory thanks to the film starring Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr as the title characters, The King and I is one of the greatest musicals ever made.

This critically acclaimed Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic comes to Dublin from a record-breaking season at the London Palladium.

Accompanied by a full orchestra, this lavish revival is sure to be a treat for the senses.

bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Cabaret Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Oct 1-5

Escape into the decadent milieu of the Kit Kat Club with Sally Bowles, one of the most iconic female characters in the history of musicals, a role memorably played on stage and screen by Liza Minelli.

The Kander and Ebb classic has been imprinted on the cultural consciousness since its Broadway debut over 50 years ago.

This revival from Britains National Theatre has enjoyed two smash hit West End runs and its portrayal of 1930s Berlin remains as fresh and relevant as ever.

Expect impressive choreography, dazzling costumes and timeless numbers including Money Makes The World Go Round and Cabaret.

bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Last Orders at The Dockside, Abbey Theatre, Dublin, October

Described as a play with music, this is one of the few new compositions to feature on this list. Staged by the Abbeys as part of the 2019 Dublin Theatre Festival, and written by Dermot Bolger as a special commission by Dublin Port Company, it centres on a group of friends who gather in a local pub to celebrate the life of an elderly docker.

Abbey director Graham McLaren is at the helm, and if his exuberant production of Jimmys Hall is anything to go by, this should be worth watching. Exact dates and ticket details to be confirmed.

abbeytheatre.ie

We Will Rock You, Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Oct 28- Nov 2

The success of the recent Bohemian Rhapsody movie only underlined the huge appetite for the music of Freddie Mercury and Queen, as reflected in thecontinuing success of this musical inspired by their hits.

With a book by Ben Elton (it might explain why the comedian doesnt need to earn his crust on TV any more) more than 16 million people have seen the production since it began in 2002.

Audiences cant get enough of Queens biggest hits delivered in a show that aims to match the scale and spectacle of the bands legendary live performances.

bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Dear Evan Hansen, Noel Coward Theatre, London, autumn

Described as a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical by the New York Times, this story of a high school student who finds himself the centre of attention when a lie gets out of control struck a huge chord with Broadway audiences, and featured a standout performance from Pitch Perfect star Ben Platt.

Details yet to be announced but you can sign up for early access at dearevanhansen.com/london

Mrs Browns Boys DMusical, SSE Arena, Belfast, Nov 22-24, 3 Arena, Dublin, Dec 13-15

The television show tends to divide opinion, but no-one can deny Brendan OCarrolls achievement in making Mrs Brown a cultural phenomenon.

Now the innuendo-loving Dublin matriarch and her boys are embarking on a musical adventure in arenas in Ireland and Britain.
Two Donegal men are facing murder charges in an Australian court in the coming hours after the man they allegedly assaulted in Australia last month died in hospital yesterday.

Christopher McLaughlin (24), and Nathan Kelly, (21), were arrested in Summer Hill, Sydney, on Saturday, December 29 last after emergency services found a 66-year-old man on the side of the road with critical injuries.

The Sydney Morning Herald named the victim as Paul Tavelardis, who was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown where he passed away on Monday.

The two Irish men were taken to Burwood Police Station shortly after the alleged assault, where they were charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and affray.

Their charges were upgraded to murder after Mr Tavelardis death.

It is understood that both Irishmen are from the Inishowen Peninsula and have only been in Australia for a few months.

The pair are due to appear in Burwood Local Court in the next number of hours to face charges of murder.

The New South Wales Police confirmed the arrests in a statement.

"About 12.30am on Saturday 29 December 2018, emergency services were called to the intersection of Grosvenor Crescent and Liverpool Road, Summer Hill, where they located a critically injured 66-year-old man on the side of the road, the statement read.

He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a critical condition, it said.

The statement confirmed the victim died in hospital at about 8.30am on Monday.

Two men  aged 21 and 24  were arrested by detectives from Burwood Police Area Command at the time and charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and affray.

"The men, both Irish nationals, were charged with murder, the police statement added.
Thousands of students will descend on Dublins RDS as the 55th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition kicks off tomorrow.

The event brings together some of the countrys brightest young minds, from diverse backgrounds, as they compete to take home the coveted title of the BT Young Scientist & Technologist(s) of the Year 2019.

President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins will officially open the Exhibition at a special ceremony tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8, attended by students, teachers, Exhibition partners and stakeholders, and presented by broadcaster Aidan Power and TG4s Roisin Ni Thomain.

The ceremony will be streamed live on Facebook from 2pm.

President Higgins has often paid tribute to the competition, for its ability to provide a platform for young people to showcase their talents, saying it is at the pinnacle of scientific achievement and discovery amongst young people worldwide.

Speaking at todays launch, Shay Walsh, Managing Director, BT Ireland said:

I am delighted to welcome the next wave of future scientists and entrepreneurs to the RDS this week for the 55th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

Over the next few days the students will have the experience of lifetime, presenting their projects to some of the most renowned scientists and technologists in Ireland as well as the public; not to mention all the fun they will have making new friends and learning from their peers.

Since 1965, over three-quarters of a million people have visited the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition illustrating how fascinated people are by the limitless possibilities of science and technology.

"BT Ireland is proud to both organise and sponsor the Exhibition, giving these bright students a prominent platform to pursue their interest in science and technology. I wish every single student the very best of luck this week.

The winner(s) of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2019 will be announced at a special awards ceremony on Friday, January 11.

The overall prize winner(s) will be presented with a cheque for 7,500, the BTYSTE perpetual trophy and will go forward to represent Ireland at the 31st EU Contest for Young Scientists in Bulgaria this September.

It is the 19th year as both organiser and sponsor of the Exhibition for leading communications and IT services company, BT. Under its guardianship, the Exhibition has grown to become one of the largest and most renowned of its kind in Europe.

This year will see the BTYSTE play host to a festival of science and innovation with guest appearances from leading tech entrepreneurs such as: Steve Collins, a world-renowned developer and co-founder of Havok, one of the most successful video game companies to ever come out of Ireland, and Azeem Azhar, an influential AI commentator and tech influencer.

Also taking place alongside the BTYSTE is The Primary Science Fair, now in its 17th year, bringing hundreds of primary students from across Ireland to the RDS from Thursday, January 10, to showcase their projects. Come see the very young scientists tackling issues with science and technology - and a lot of enthusiasm.

As well as the projects on display, over 20 shows a day will take place during the Exhibition for students and visitors to see, including Space: The Next Frontier, a 3-D spectacle celebrating 50 years since the Apollo moon landing, highlighting the development of manned space flight.

One of the worlds most loved science acts, Ministry of Science is set to spellbind thousands of students over the coming days with quirky live science experiences like no other.

Other returning shows, due to popular demand, include Sue McGrath AKA Scientific Sue and psychologist James Soper of 'Your Beautiful Biased Brain', with science demonstrations to amaze and entertain all ages.

There are 550 projects on show at this years Exhibition across four categories: Technology; Biological and Ecological; Social and Behavioural Sciences; and Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

This years projects cover a wide variety of topics, from climate change to gender diversity and everything in between.

Judging begins tomorrow afternoon, and the Exhibition opens to the public from Thursday, January 10 to Saturday, January 12, with approx. 50,000+ visitors, young and old, expected to visit the event over the course of the three days.

Visitors can plan their visit to the RDS in advance by downloading the free BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition app, available on Android and Apple devices.
Fianna Fails Education spokesperson Thomas Byrne has described comments by Longford-Westmeath Fine Gael TD Peter Burke as Punch and Judy politics.

He told RTEs Morning Ireland that Mr Burkes accusations that Fianna Fail repeatedly made wild calls to increase public spending should be put aside at this time and that instead Fine Gael should focus on Brexit.

This is crazy stuff, he added.

Mr Burke, who chairs the Fine Gael research unit, said Fianna Fail had made irrational spending claims throughout last year that totalled 3.5bn. He claimed the party had no coherent strategy and sought to throw cash at every issue.

Peter Burke (left) with Eoghan Murphy and Paschal Donohoe.

Mr Byrne said that the Fine Gael research unit should instead focus all its efforts on Brexit and questioned where Fine Gael had found the details for the 17-page document as they did not appear to be based on Dail questions.

Mr Burke said that the research was based on calls made by Fianna Fail at different times over the past year. This tells us that Fine Gael is economically responsible. It is important that when Fianna Fail takes a reckless approach, we should call them out.

However, Mr Byrne felt that it had been unwise for Fine Gael to publish the statement particularly at a time when the UK was experiencing the uncertainty and chaos of Brexit.

Frankly, its scary, we need to ensure that doesnt happen here.

Earlier on Newstalk Breakfast Mr Byrne called on Fine Gael to focus on the international crisis that was Brexit. He said it was hypocritical for Mr Burke to make some of the comments in view of the fact that the Rainy Day fund introduced in the last Budget had come about at the insistence of Fianna Fail.

They criticise us, then they adopt our policy.

However, Mr Burke said that it was important, with the backdrop of Brexit, that this kind of practice should be stopped.

A leopard doesnt change its spots. It is up to Fianna Fail to stop this.
The Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney is due to hold talks with his German counterpart in Dublin this morning.

The Tanaiste is expected to thank Minister Heiko Maas for Germany's solidarity with Ireland during the Brexit process.
The organisers of the St Patrick's Day parade in Washington DC have cancelled this year's event due to rising security costs.

In a statement, the organising committee described itself as "distraught" to announce that the event has been cancelled. The volunteer-run parade has been held annually in the US capital since 1971 with tens of thousands of Irish-Americans attending in a celebration of heritage each year.

However, just two months ahead of this year's event, the organisers have been forced to pull the plug.

They said the threat of terrorist attacks at major public events globally is a growing concern and has resulted in a corresponding rise in security costs, exceeding the budget available for the event.

"The greatest overhead in producing an event of this magnitude is the government-related expense of security and street closures," the group said. "After the 2016 tragedy in Nice, France, the government of the District of Columbia has significantly increased preventative security requirements for public gatherings such as the St Patrick's Parade. The corresponding rapid increase in overheads, in combination with relatively stagnant funding, have put the Committee in a precarious financial position."

The organising committee is a non-profit organisation which exists "solely for the purpose of raising funds for and producing a St Patrick's Parade". In addition to the funds raised locally, the event is partially supported by government grants.

"Certain expenses are offset by a grant from the government of the District of Columbia. We have relied on this grant support for many years, but as costs have increased, recently the grant has not had the same effect in reducing our financial burden," it said.

The committee urged people to instead travel to parades in Baltimore and Annapolis.

Despite the setback, organisers are now re-focusing their efforts on the 2020 event, which would have been the 50th held prior to the decision to cancel this year's parade.

"The St Patricks Parade of Washington, DC will hold the parade for its 50th year on Sunday, March 15, 2020. We look forward to your participation in 2020 and ask for your continued support until then."
A judge has suggested a pair of dead dogs should be given a Christian burial in a wrangle between their hunter owners and the landowner who shot them.

John McSweeney of Coolnadane, Macroom, Co Cork, and David Kenneally, of 62 Tuarin Glass in Ballincollig, face charges of worrying livestock with their dogs at Kilpatrick near Macroom on November 5, 2017.

That case is due to be contested in the near future but yesterday at Macroom District Court the solicitor for the two men, Jack Purcell, asked that the bodies of the mens dogs be returned to them, claiming they may be of evidential value.

Mr Purcell said the bodies of the dogs  a foxhound and terrier  were in cold storage in a freezer belonging the landowner.

The manner in which they were shot is in dispute, said Mr Purcell, adding that a veterinary examination may assist with that.

He said that normally a landowner can retain the bodies of dogs shot on their land if their identities are in dispute, but that was not the case in this instance.

He said their owners had the dogs registered and needed to get a certificate to prove they had been properly disposed of.

He said the only other option would be to issue civil proceedings to have the dogs returned.

Judge James McNulty said regarding the land-owner: Maybe he should let the dead dogs go.

Mr Purcell said that the corpses needed to be examined before they are disposed of, adding: The carcasses are not being brought into court.

Judge McNulty said normally he would order that statements be issued to defendants in a case but this couldnt include the dogs, so he invited the landowner to make them available for veterinary inspection and then be returned.

Maybe they should be given a Christian burial, he said.

The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions is considering a file in relation to the landowner but the judge said he was blameless and innocent at this time but that he may possess something with evidential value.

The case is due to be mentioned before the court on February 6.
Two Irish men have been charged with murdering a man in Australia.

The pair, from Co. Donegal, had previously been charged with assaulting the 66-year-old in the Summer Hill area of Sydney on December 29, 2018.

Christopher McLaughlin, 24, and 21-year-old Nathan Kelly were charged with grievous bodily harm and affray after a man was found with critical injuries on the side of the road. It is understood that both Irishmen are from the Inishowen Peninsula and have only been in Australia for a few months.

The Sydney Morning Herald named the victim as Paul Tavelardis, who was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown where he passed away on Monday.

The charges were upgraded to murder after the man lost his fight for life at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

The men remain in the custody of New South Wales police and are due to appear before a court on Wednesday.

The New South Wales Police confirmed the arrests in a statement.

"About 12.30am on Saturday 29 December 2018, emergency services were called to the intersection of Grosvenor Crescent and Liverpool Road, Summer Hill, where they located a critically injured 66-year-old man on the side of the road, the statement read.

He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a critical condition, it said.

The statement confirmed the victim died in hospital at about 8.30am on Monday.

Two men  aged 21 and 24  were arrested by detectives from Burwood Police Area Command at the time and charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and affray.

The men, both Irish nationals, were charged with murder, the police statement added.
Almost half of Irish GPs believe they are ineffective in helping problem drinkers.

A survey by the Irish College of General Practitioners found that while two-thirds of family doctors feel prepared to counsel patients about their drinking, many question the effectiveness of their intervention.

At the same time, the vast majority are positive about their ability to help reduce a patients consumption level if they are given adequate information and training.

A third of GPs also report not having any access to an addiction counsellor.

Almost 500 registered family doctors, who are members of the Irish College of General Practitioners, took part in the survey.

More than two in five GPs said they screen patients for alcohol misuse by using a common questionnaire. Two-thirds report they have managed patients for hazardous drinking and alcohol dependency in the previous 12 months. The overwhelming majority of GPs said they initiate conversations around alcohol consumption even when the patients do not.

When treating a patient who has an alcohol problem, a third of doctors recommend either total abstinence or cutting down. The remainder said they do not have a pre-determined approach, but adapt their advice to suit the patient.

ICGP director of research Claire Collins said that alcohol consumption is now linked to more than 60 medical conditions, with alcohol use disorders as common and as costly as depression and coronary heart disease.

Irish adults also rank among the highest consumers of alcohol in Europe, particularly in relation to binge drinking.

It is estimated that the overall annual cost of problem alcohol use here is 3.7bn.

Dr Collins said that earlier studies have shown that up to 20% of patients here have unhealthy drinking patterns.

This survey highlighted the disparity of access to support services for GPs and their patients with alcohol problems, with some who did not have access to an addiction counsellor, she said.

She claims many factors could contribute to doctors feeling they are ineffective in helping patients to reduce their alcohol consumption, including the fact that we need to better understand how, why, when and what brief interventions work.

Dr Collins said the impact of intervention by GPs may also be limited if patients do not regard their drinking as problematic.

The study acknowledges that the documentation of the alcohol consumption status of patients by GPs is poor.

Dr Collins said a clearer understanding is required of what interventions are effective, in order to maximise the potential impact of GPs in treating patients with an alcohol problem. She also called for the services available in the wider healthcare system, and Government policy on alcohol-related issues, to further support GPs and their patients.
Garda security units are expected to conduct a fresh review into a naturalised Irish citizen who was captured fighting for Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev, one of five militants arrested by Kurdish forces, left Ireland in 2013 and, at the time, was considered a person of significant interest to Garda Security and Intelligence (S&I).

Gardai believed he had gone to fight in Syria. His arrest and identification by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces is their first information on him since he left.

The S&I section, along with operational detectives from Counter Terrorism International, is expected to conduct a fresh review of his associations here.

A fresh review will be carried out to establish, if possible, his movements in recent years and if he had any contact with Ireland, said one security source.

Given that his own family left soon after Bekmirzaev departed, he might not have had communications with anyone here, said the source.

He said the Garda units will also review their files and establish who his jihadi associates were when he was here and determine if they are still in the country.

Gardai will liaise with other EU security services in relation to the matter.

Bekmirzaev arrived in Ireland from Belarus in 2000. He lived in south Dublin and worked in the retail and security industries.

He married an Eastern European woman here and had an Irish-born son. He became a naturalised citizen in 2010.

Garda sources said suspicions about his extremism did not arise until after he was granted citizenship by the Department of Justice.

Sources said he had not been arrested for terrorist activities and had no convictions, including for crime.

Umar Al-Qadri, a Dublin-based imam, said he believed Bekmirzaev was radicalised after he acquired Irish citizenship.

The chairman of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council said where a naturalised citizen subsequently supports terrorism, their Irish citizenship should be revoked.

He told the Irish Examiner: The State should send out in this way a clear message to potential terrorists.

Dr Al-Qadri said he was concerned at the return of fighters from Syria and Iraq.

I am concerned that we do not have a policy on how the Irish State will deal with foreign returned fighters, he said. I believe this development should initiate this important debate.

Such fighters should face justice abroad and those who are Irish by birth should face justice here, said Dr Al-Qadri.

Such people are dangerous and Ireland should learn from the approach by other European countries like Denmark on how to deradicalise them, he said.
47 Irish citizens were deported from the United States last year, according to official figures.

The data, released by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency today, shows that this was an almost 40% increase on 2017 when 34 Irish people were deported.
Delegates at last weeks Oxford Farming Conference said they would vote 60% in favour of remaining in the EU, if there was a second Brexit referendum. However, the Theresa May exit deal would be favoured by 30%, while 10% would opt for leave with no deal.

The audience at the conference was also asked how they voted in the EU referendum, and 24% said they voted leave, 76% voted for remain. Asked if Brexit would be a good or bad thing, five years on, 60% said Bad, 40% said Good. And Brexit over the next 25 years? Good, said 74%; Bad said 26%.

They were interesting responses, at a conference headlined by the UKs environment secretary, Michael Gove, who said the prime ministers withdrawal deal that was agreed with the EU would avoid disruption and pave the way for reforms to put UK farmers in a world-leading position. However, the bookies (probably as good a source as any for Brexit information) say there is one chance in four that the UK will leave the EU with no Brexit deal before April 1.

Whenever the Brexit dust settles, the role of fake EU news published by the UK press over the last 20 years should not be forgotten. This happened long before alleged meddling by Russians or others pushing fake and dark news on the internet to influence the Brexit vote.

Decades before that, the European Commissions representation in London had started publishing a Euromyths section in its website to debunk inaccurate information about the EU published in leading sections of the UK media. The EU was obviously conscious of the damage that a drip-drip of fake or inaccurate news could do to perceptions among the UK public.

For the past 43 years, their leading newspapers told them the EU would ban crayons and colouring pencils, smoky bacon crisps, teeth-whitening products, herbal cures, mince pies, mushy peas, playgrounds, double-decker buses, church bells, two-for-one bargains, rocking horses, pints of shandy, U16s using Facebook, zipper trousers, high-heel shoes for hairdressers, noisy toys, bagpipes, and trapeze artists.

Respectable newspapers said the English Channel would be re-named the Anglo-French Pond, and Brussels would put the EU flag on England shirts.

Its an age-old tradition, since the UK joined the EU

These news items have all been corrected in the EUs Euromyths website (blogs.ec.europa.eu/ECintheUK/), where the latest entry in November said the EUs General Data Protection Regulation does not forbid Christmas wishlists, in a correction of a UK newspaper article saying German children were banned from sending their wishlists to Santa.

One outrageous article in 2000 said the EUs animal waste directive made it legal to bury dead pets only after pressure cooking them at 130C for half an hour.

A newspaper also uncovered an EU plot to rename Trafalgar Square and Waterloo Station. There is no plot, plan, or proposal to change UK place names, explained patient EU representatives.

The UKs agri-food sector was also targeted. Readers were told in 2013 the EU would ban the union flag from British meat packs.

They were told in 2008 that acres were outlawed or banned by Brussels, after 800 years of this ancient British imperial measurement.

The UK press had great fun in the 1990s saying curved bananas were banned by the EU  their interpretation of a commission regulation classifying bananas according to quality and size.

The story went down so well with UK readers that similarly unfounded stories of banning curved British cucumbers and rhubarb, and non-oval strawberries, were trotted out, and were duly corrected by the commissions Euromyths section in London.

Perhaps the Euromyths website should be compulsory reading for all in the UK before they make the crucial decisions required in the coming months around the impending withdrawal of the UK from the European Union on March 29.
Two international broadcasters are close to formally choosing Dublin as the location for their EU operations after Brexit.

It is understood that one broadcaster is currently seeking approval from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), with another expected to start the process shortly.

The IDA has long-since identified the broadcasting sector as a target for post-Brexit relocation jobs and has been working in tandem with the BAI in pitching Dublin as a location to well-known international television companies.

If the UK crashes out of the EU with no deal and the country's regulator Ofcom is no longer recognised by the European Commission, broadcasters such as CNN, Discovery and National Geographic would need to find different regulatory approval for broadcasting in the EU.

A lot of companies are waiting to see the final terms of the UK's exit before making a relocation decision, but the IDA remains in talks with all relevant players.

The agency's head of content, consumer and business services, Shane Nolan, said discussions are only being held with big-name players.

At last week's publication of the IDA's 2018 operational results, the agency's chief executive Martin Shanahan said Ireland was now seeing a "Brexit dividend" in all job and investment announcements by overseas companies.

The IDA secured more than 55 investments - leading to more than 4,500 jobs - directly as a result of post-Brexit location decisions by companies last year. A total of 42 of those moves were by companies investing in Ireland for the first time. The agency said the number of first-time investors choosing Ireland as a location because of the UK leaving the EU is likely to increase.

Mr Shanahan also said that talks with broadcasting companies remained "ongoing".

There are approximately 1,300 international broadcasters with EU operations in the UK and Mr Nolan said the fact that the IDA remains engaged with all the major players is "encouraging".

However, Ireland faces huge competition from other EU countries to attract broadcasters looking to leave London. Chief among them is the Netherlands - home of MTV Europe and others - followed by Belgium and Luxembourg.

Mr Nolan said that while Ireland may lack a track record as a home for overseas broadcasters it has the infrastructure, an "amenable" regulator not dissimilar to Ofcom and an English-speaking population and workforce.

The IDA also said it can offer such companies real economies of scale from a Dublin switch.
Irish hauliers said they hope the trial of a contingency plan for a no-deal Brexit around Dover Port will help the industry in Britain and Ireland spur support for a deal before March.

The UKs transport ministry said it tested the disused Manston airfield in Kent as a holding facility for lorries and on local roads in the event of disruption at the new EU border.

Aidan Flynn, general manager at the Freight Transport Association Ireland, said the truckers welcomed the preparations but said the trial involving 87 trucks was unrealistic and didnt represent the potential chaos a no-deal exit for Britain in March would entail for all Irish and European truckers in Kent.

Nonetheless, the exercise would rove to be politically useful if it were to alert local people to the potential disruption, he said.

The UK plan involves putting hundreds of trucks in a holding pattern and using an airport up the M26 and M20 motorways from Dover to prevent full-scale disruption at the port.

Mr Flynn said the trial used only 97 trucks when 150 had been planned, at a time of year when the roads were relatively empty. While it is welcome that they are trialling this, it is very late in the day, he said.

Mr Flynn said some of the ports, such as Ramsgate, that the British government plans to dredge to ease congestion at Dover would likely not work because the same roads network in the region will still become congested.

Dublin Ports plans to have 200 truck parking spaces was welcomed but any delay to a Holyhead sailing could lead to traffic backing up to M1 motorway, said Mr Flynn.

He said it was very disappointing that the Government wasnt planning similar trials in Ireland.

In the UK, some MPs criticised the Dover trial as a waste of time and money and mocked on Twitter as a fake traffic jam... to show the EU we are ready for no deal.

Britains Road Haulage Association said the trial was too little, too late and would need to be repeated to properly stress-test the management of thousands of lorries.

Additional reporting Reuters
PARIS, France - January 8, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) With 27 years of existence, more than 180 design awards, numerous collaborations with some of the most prestigious designers, presence in 90 countries and more than 6,000 point of sales including the legendary MoMa Store, Lexon has established itself as a worldly-known brand, designing timeless everyday objects spanning across various categories: speakers, clocks, radios, watches, lamps, office accessories and luggages.

Lexon Mina, Mino, Mino X and Mino L. Design by Manuella Simonelli & Andrea Quaglio

While attending CES Las Vegas for the first time, Lexon is fiercely expanding its US sales activity, being listed by the most prestigious retailers such as Bloomingdales and many more to come.

After successfully selling more than 500.000 pieces of its Mino speaker in Europe, Lexon is proud to unveil its 2019 collection at CES; thereby affirming its new ambition to position and differentiate itself within the consumer technology market, with lifestyle products that combine iconic design, innovation and affordable price.

AMONG LEXONS NEWEST PRODUCTS THAT WILL BE SHOWCASED AT CES 2019:

MINO X

This is latest addition to Lexons best-selling line Mino and the worlds smallest floating Bluetooth speaker. Boasting a compact design, a bouncing rubber finishing and an IP67 water resistance, Mino X is a mini yet full-featured portable speaker that acts as the perfect sound companion to bring everywhere with you, even by the pool.

Tech Specs: 3W Water resistant Bluetooth speaker / Floating / IP X7 / Pairable / USB-C port / Hands-free / Selfie control /  4,1 x 4 cm / Design by Manuela Simonelli & Andrea Quaglio.

MSRP: $39.90

Retail availability: Q2 2019

MINO & TWIN MINO

Small size, Huge sound. Meet the worlds smallest Bluetooth speaker that fits in the palm of your hand and deliver an outstanding sound quality.

Tech Specs: 3W Bluetooth speaker / Pairable through TWS technology / Rechargeable / Hands-free / Selfie control /  3,2 x 3,7 cm / Design by Manuela Simonelli & Andrea Quaglio.

MSRP: $29.90 - $49.90

Retail availability: Q1 2019

MINO L

A boosted Mino to fill your interior with high sound quality, without any compromise on style.

Tech Specs: 5W Bluetooth speaker / Pairable / Rechargeable / Hands-free / USB-C port /  9,2 x 3 cm / Design by Manuela Simonelli & Andrea Quaglio.

MSRP: $49.90

Retail availability: Q2 2019

OBLIO

Keep your eyes away from the screen while charging and sanitizing your phone. This vase-looking Qi wireless charging station will charge your smartphone at clean it at the same time thanks to its built-in UV sanitizer LED.

Tech Specs: Wireless Charging station / Built-in UV sanitizer LED / QI-Certified wireless charger / USB-C port /  7 x 17,5 x  13.6 cm / Design by Manuela Simonelli & Andrea Quaglio.

MSRP: $79.90

Retail availability: Q2 2019

HELLONITE

When solar technology meets design: illuminate your interior from your window with Hellonite solarpowered wireless lamp.

Tech Specs: Solar-powered wireless lamp for window / Solar energy / Automatic power On / LED / Repositionable / Lamp  8,8 x 6,8 x  4,7 cm / Base 7,5 x 0,9 x 10,9 cm / Design by Manuela Simonelli & Andrea Quaglio.

MSRP: $39.90

Retail availability: Q1 2019

MINA

The cutest portable LED lamp to create the perfect atmosphere.

Tech Specs: Mini LED light / Cold or warm light / Dimmer / 6h battery life / USB-C port /  7 x 8,3 cm / Design by Manuela Simonelli & Andrea Quaglio.

MSRP: $29.90

Retail availability: Q1 2019

Lexon new products will be making their debut at CES Unveiled on Sunday January 6, 2019 at Mandalay Bay. They will also be on display and available for demos on the CES 2019 show floor at the Lexon booth in the Sands Expo (Booth #44534) January 8-11, 2019.

ABOUT LEXON

Lexon is part of BOW Group, a global player in lifestyle consumer products, operating worldwide in the design, wearables, connected vehicles and smart home markets with its 4 brands: MyKronoz, Lexon, RoadEyes and Deconnect.

Since July 2015, BOW raised more than $40 million from NextStage AM in series A, followed by series B in November 2017 lead by PM Equity Partner - the corporate venture fund of Philip Morris International - and crowdfunding platforms.

BOW Group has now more than 100 talents spread across four office locations: Paris, Geneva, Miamiand Shenzhen.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONTACT:

Annabel Corlay a.corlay@lexon design.com

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January 8, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) After the world success of Mhe yLiFi, the first LiFi consumer lamp, Oledcomm enters the race for professional performance with LiFiMAX, the first ceiling module to offer internet connection through light to 16 users simultaneously, covering 28 m2 (92 ft). Mass product will be delivered in September 2019 and made for companies, LiFiMax revolutionizes team work with an internet connection that is wave-free, ultra-secure and ultra fast.

Wireless and radiowave-free internet through light is now faster, more secure and opened to multiple users!

After the world success of Mhe yLiFi, the first LiFi consumer lamp, Oledcomm enters the race for professional performance with LiFiMAX, the first ceiling module to offer internet connection through light to 16 users simultaneously, covering 28 m2 (92 ft). Mass product will be delivered in September 2019 and made for companies, LiFiMax revolutionizes team work with an internet connection that is wave-free, ultra-secure and ultra fast.

After a first consumer lamp, LiFi is now accessible to professionals! Companies always need increasing security for data protection and fast communication. Oledcomm, world leader in LiFi has worked for more than 10 years in R&D to offer professionals LiFiMAX, a LiFi product that suits their needs.

LiFiMAX access point is the most powerful in the world. It covers up to 28 m2 (92 ft) and allows 16 users equipped with dongles to connect to internet simultaneously and benefit from an ultra-secure and ultra-fast connection. As discrete as a smoke detector, LiFiMAX is simply mounted to the (false) ceiling of a conference room or co-working space and plugs in to an Ethernet POE socket.

Designed for professional use, LiFiMAX offers a 100Mbps in downlink data rate and 40Mpbs uplink.

Benjamin Azoulay, president of Oledcomm, explains: "LiFiMAX is the result of more than 10 years of research. We have worked to create a product based on the new communication standards and offer companies unprecedented security and speed in wireless internet. It also suits new ways of working together. LiFiMAX connection is particularly recommended for offices :conference rooms, flex-work or co-working spaces to the industrial M2M environments that are sensitive to radio frequencies. Aeronautics and the Automotive Industry are particularly interested in LiFi".

For the record, LiFi (Light Fidelity) allows devices to inter-connect by using LED light. LiFi transmits data by modulating the light signals from an LED light source, a process that is invisible to the human eye. Light signals are received and converted into data by a dongle connected to the device.

Availability

The LiFiMAX end user price will available from less than 1000$. The product will be delivered with the accessories required to either fix the device in false celling (similar to the built-in recessed spot lights) or on it, as a surface mounted celling lamp (similar to a smoke detector).

LiFiMax will be available in pre-orders starting January 7, 2019 at orderLiFiMax@oledcomm.net, with deliveries starting before September 2019.

CES 2019

Oledcomm will be at Pepcom (Digital Experience!) on January 7, 2019, from 7pm to 10.30pm at Mirage Events Center at Las Vegas.

Test and demos of LiFiMAX will be set up on demand at Venetian from January 8 to 12.

CES participants can also discover the Oledcomm technology at the Magneti Marelli booth at Hotel Wynn, ballroom Latour 5-7. Oledcomm LiFiMAX is part of the Modular Smart Corner Platform of Magneti Marelli, winner of a CES 2019 Innovation Awards. Moreover, Oledcomm LiFi will be included in the connected vehicles technology exhibition of Magneti Marelli at CES.

LiFiMax Technical Features

Diameter: 11 cm / 4,3 in

Thickness: 2,5 cm / 0,98 in

Coverage: 20 to 28m2 / 65 to 92 ft

16 simultaneous users

Ethernet POE connection About Oledcomm

Oledcomm is a French company and world leader in data exchange through light solutions (LiFi), presided by Benjamin Azoulay, pioneer in intelligent light at Philips. Based in Ile-de-France (Velizy-Villacoublay, France), Leon (Mexico) and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Oledcomm has 30 employees and conceives complete solution to exploit LiFi, such as microcontrollers (modem), photo-receivers (dongles and bridges) and logistic platforms (LiFiCloud et SDK).

Oledcomm registered over 20 patents (joined by France Brevets) and partnered with known companies such as Airbus, Air France Industries, Latecoere, RATP, EDF, Legrand, Artemide, Leclerc,  Oledcomm received France's Innovative Company Award from the French Ministry of Research and Industry in 2012. In 2013, LiFi technology was tested in high-speed trains by SNCF and in the offices of Thales. That same year, EDF chose Oledcomm for its first Smart City project in the town of Palaiseau, Yvelines, France. In January 2009, Oledcomm launched MyLiFi, the first consumer lamp, receiving two CES Innovations Awards ("Tech for a Better World" et "Smart Cities") at the show in Las Vegas. Oledcomm equipped the first LiFi hospital at Perpignan, Frnace, and won the RATP bid to deploy indoor LiFi guidance in all the metro and RER (TER) stations.

The potential market for LiFi is huge: the world's 14 billion light bulbs could be transformed into a powerful, secure and wave-free communications network.

www.oledcomm.net

Visuals are available here

Press Contacts Oledcomm

Jean-Francois Kitten jf@licencek.com +33 (0)6 11 29 30 28

Stephanie Moy s.moy@licencek.com +33(0)6 32 55 85 48

Ilinca Spita i.spita@licencek.com +33(0)6 64 75 12 98 (EN)

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The brother of slain Colorado child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey has settled the lawsuit he filed against CBS Corp. over a documentary theorizing that he killed her, both sides said.

Burke Ramseys attorney, Lin Wood, said the case had been settled but declined to disclose the terms.

I can only comment that the case has been amicably resolved to the satisfaction of all parties, Wood told Reuters in a telephone interview last week from his Atlanta office.

A spokesman for CBS confirmed that the lawsuit had been settled but declined further comment.

JonBenet Ramsey was found bludgeoned and strangled in the basement of their parents Boulder, Colorado, home on Dec. 26, 1996, touching off a media frenzy.

No one has ever been charged for the murder, but in 1999 a Colorado grand jury seated to examine the case voted to indict the parents for child abuse resulting in death.

The district attorney at the time, Alex Hunter, declined to move forward with a prosecution, citing a lack of evidence.

The four-hour CBS documentary aired in two parts in September, 2016 amid a flurry of media accounts ahead of the 20th anniversary of JonBenets death.

At the conclusion of the CBS show, a panel of experts said it had formed the opinion that Burke Ramsey, who was 9 at the time of the killing, struck JonBenet in the head with a heavy object.

The group said it believed the parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, then staged the crime scene to make it appear an intruder was the culprit.

Two months later Burke Ramsey sued CBS, the production company that produced the show, and the experts who re-examined the case, seeking $250 million in compensatory damages $500 million in punitive damages.

In an interview on the Dr. Phil talk show that aired before the CBS documentary, Burke Ramsey, now 31, denied harming his sister and said he suspected she was killed by a pedophile who stalked beauty pageants.

Patsy Ramsey died of ovarian cancer in 2006 at the age of 49. Her husband, John Ramsey, has since remarried and in 2004 ran unsuccessfully for the Michigan state House of Representatives.

(Reporting by Coffman in Denver Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles Editing by Leslie Adler and David Gregorio)

Topics Lawsuits Colorado
As Ricardo Lara took office as California Insurance Commissioner at a ceremony in Sacramento on Monday, he pledged to help residents recover from wildfires while defeating the threat of climate change.

Lara, the eighth elected California insurance commissioner since voters created the position in 1988, is the first openly LGBTQ person to be elected to statewide office in California.

U.S. Judge Vaughn R. Walker administered the oath of office. Walker wrote the decision in Perry v. Schwarzenegger in 2010, overturning Proposition 8 and allowing marriage equality in California.

Californias Department of Insurance is the largest state consumer protection agency in America, Lara said in a statement. We are the department of fair deals, the department of fresh starts, the department of rebuilding your home, the department of protecting your investment, and the department of the sun will come out tomorrow. In short, we are the department of hope, and we have never been more important.

He pledged to protect the victims of wildfires and other disasters, defend all Californians from the threat of climate change and insurance scams, and promote innovation and technology.

Our seniors, people living in poverty, and immigrant communities are targets of con artists and scams. Our entrepreneurs face economic uncertainty. Millions of us live one emergency room visit away from financial ruin. We cannot deny that with climate change, California faces a threat like never before, Lara said.

Lara announced the creation of the position of Deputy Commissioner of Climate and Sustainability to work with environmental and industry leaders on innovative solutions to the risk of climate change.

To the insurance industry  I ask you to join me in this fight against extreme disasters linked to climate change. We need bold action to ensure our communities adapt and are resilient to this new reality, Lara said. There is no other industry that has the necessary expertise to ensure that California is prepared to mitigate and reduce risk to our communities and environment. Our planet cant wait. I am ready, and I hope you are too.

Lara also said he would work with the new administration of Gov. Gavin Newsom to expand access to health care.

To Governor Newsom  I am excited to be your partner in expanding affordable healthcare for every Californian, Lara said.

Topics California Climate Change
Risk management involves looking around the corner to spot future threats. When it comes to director and officer liability, the question is this: Whats on the horizon for directors and officers in 2019?

Here are seven critical areas of risk management to consider as you plan for 2019.

1. Securities Class Actions on the Rise

Securities class action lawsuits are on the rise, and data show this will likely persist in 2019.

IPOs are a consistent target for securities class action litigation. Adding to this dynamic is the recent decision in Cyan v. Beaver County Employees Retirement Fund. In this case, the U.S. Supreme Court decided unanimously that federal class action lawsuits brought under Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933 could be brought in all state courts.

As a reminder, Section 11 means public companies are strictly liable for material misstatements in their S-1 registration statements, making newly public companies an easier target.

The reason the Cyan decision is significant is because there is typically a lower dismissal rate for Section 11 claims in state courts compared to federal courts.

2. #MeToo Impacts the Boardroom

The #MeToo movement that came out of Hollywood permeated almost every industry and is now a board-level issue in corporate America. Signet Jewelers and Wynn Resorts Ltd. are just two companies that have faced director and officer litigation as a result of sexual harassment and misconduct.

To prepare, boards of directors need to be willing to have the conversation of what they would do if it happened at their company, including walking through real scenarios and case studies.

The board will be a focus should an incident occur. To give the board a fighting chance to defend itself, its best to take the temperature of the company sooner than later. In other words, do employees feel that the tone at the top is proactive about #MeToo-type issues?

3. Directors and Officers Face Criminal Prosecutions

No director or officer wants the news they are under investigation from any government agency, let alone the Department of Justice. Thats because the DOJ can criminally prosecute individuals for wrongdoing, resulting in incarceration.

In a little bit of good news for those who fear inappropriate prosecutions, the DOJ announced in 2018 a no piling on policy that would coordinate within the agency and with outside agencies to help avoid piling on enforcements for the same misconduct.

While it may seem like the DOJ is easing up, its a bad idea to become cavalier about compliance. For example, the DOJ increased the number of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act actions it took last year.

To prepare, companies will want to review their compliance policies and procedures on a regular basis and update them with changes in the law or as they become aware of enforcement activity at other companies.

Its also a good idea for directors and officers to make sure that indemnification agreements are up to date and able to help defend them quickly and easily if they are accused of wrongdoing.

4. M&A Litigation Persists

Companies that are involved in a merger or acquisition can almost always expect litigation to follow, though data show a downward trend in the percentage of M&A deals challenged by shareholders.

The average number of lawsuits per M&A deal has also declined. This can be attributed to the Delaware Court of Chancery decision in the Trulia case in late 2015. The Delaware court took the position against allowing plaintiff attorneys to be awarded lucrative fees in exchange for disclosure-only settlements  those settlements in which plaintiff attorneys are awarded legal fees for doing nothing more for the shareholders they represent than force defendants to provide additional (and often relatively trivial) disclosures about the M&A deal.

However, the plaintiffs bar is nothing if not resourceful. Plaintiffs are now bringing cases that are likely to result in disclosure-only settlements in federal court, often with better results in terms of fee awards compared to what they were experiencing in state court.

5. Bad Actors Are Being Humiliated

The first Wells Fargo scandal came to light when it was revealed in 2016 that Wells Fargo employees had been secretly creating fake accounts without customers knowing it to boost sales figures and qualify for bonuses.

In 2018, the Federal Reserve published a letter it had written to the former lead director of Wells Fargo. The letter noted, among other things, that his performance in that role is an example of ineffective oversight that is not consistent with the Federal Reserves expectations for a firm of WFSs size and scope of operations. The letter was a rare instance of a regulator publicly shaming an independent director.

The investigation of Wells Fargo was significant, and along the way, multiple Wells Fargo executives were publicly shamed, with lawmakers calling Wells Fargo a criminal enterprise and comparing the former CEO to a common bank robber.

For independent directors, especially those serving on boards of companies in highly regulated industries, the message is clear: if they do not do their job well and fraud results, their conduct will be judged both harshly and publicly.

In striking the right balance of operating at the director level but still knowing whats going on in management, public company directors should know what their regulators expect.

And if there are wrongdoings, independent directors will need to get much closer to the companys day-to-day business than they typically do in their normal oversight role.

6. Boards Role in Cybersecurity

In February 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued interpretive guidance for public companies on how to control and disclose cybersecurity risks and events.

The guidance, among other things, made note of the boards role in cybersecurity oversight: To the extent cybersecurity risks are material to a companys business, we believe this discussion should include the nature of the boards role in overseeing the management of that risk.

The SEC also encouraged disclosure of how the board of directors engages with management on cybersecurity issues, so that shareholders can assess the boards performance when it comes to the execution of its risk oversight duties. Boards of directors will want to ensure that cyber risk and its mitigation continue to be a regular topic of discussion.

Theyll also want to review the SECs interpretive guidance with counsel and refine the companys cyber policies and disclosures as needed.

Separately in 2018, SEC Commissioner Robert Jackson Jr. called cyber threats the most pressing issue in corporate governance today. Also in 2018, the SEC settled with Yahoo for $35 million, the first penalty associated with a cyber disclosure investigation. All of this together is a clear signal that addressing cyber threats will be a primary area of focus for the SEC in the foreseeable future.

7. Social Expectations

BlackRock is the No. 1 U.S.-headquartered institutional investor, and its CEO Larry Fink publishes an annual and anticipated open letter. In the January 2018 edition, Fink said that in addition to maximizing shareholder value, public companies should have another goal: making a positive societal impact.

Fink noted that to prosper over time, every company must not only deliver financial performance, but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society.

The letter was received with mixed reviews and presents a conundrum for boards of directors that believe maximizing shareholder value is their primary fiduciary duty. Directors and officers will want to be cautious when considering whether and how to implement Finks vision. If a board decides to pursue the dual goals of maximizing shareholder value and maximizing societal good, it will want to be explicit about this with shareholders as a matter of good disclosure. Directors and officers should also review the BlackRock document titled, BlackRock Investment Stewardship Engagement Priorities for 2018 and other useful documents at BlackRock.com.

Boards have a lot on their plates when it comes to planning for 2019. When it comes to thoughtful risk management for directors and officers, the seven items listed above provide a useful starting point.

This article was originally published in the Nov. 5 issue of Insurance Journal magazine.

Topics Lawsuits Cyber Directors Officers
MetLife Inc. appointed Michel Khalaf president and chief executive officer, succeeding Steven Kandarian.

Khalaf, 54, will take over on May 1, the company said Tuesday in a statement. He is currently president of the companys U.S. and Europe, Middle East and Africa businesses, based in New York.

Khalaf will be tasked with bolstering investor confidence in the insurer, which has been marked by missteps during Kandarians final years as CEO. In 2017, the company disclosed that it failed to pay thousands of people owed pension payments and alerted regulators. Thats caused investigations, material weaknesses in internal controls and a public mea culpa. The shares tumbled 19 percent last year.

By accelerating revenue growth, further optimizing our portfolio, and strengthening expense discipline, we will become a more financially successful company, Khalaf said in the statement.

His responsibilities were expanded in July 2017 to include the U.S. operations, which account for almost 40 percent of the overall company. He oversees MetLifes group benefits, retirement and property and casualty businesses in the U.S., as well as individual and group insurance sold through agents, brokers, banks and direct channels in EMEA.

Before joining MetLife, he spent 21 years at Alico, a unit of American International Group Inc. that was purchased by MetLife in 2010. He has a bachelors degree in engineering from Syracuse University and an MBA in finance.

The appointment marks the second major change of leadership at one of the largest U.S. life insurers in recent months after Charles Lowrey took over as CEO at rival Prudential Financial Inc. in December. The new chiefs at both firms have a background in international operations.

Kandarian, 66, is stepping down after a tenure that oversaw a major shift at MetLife. In a move that veered from his competitors strategy, he successfully sued the U.S. government to get rid of the companys label as too big to fail. He also worked to separate a U.S. retail unit with more than $200 billion in assets, now called Brighthouse Financial Inc., to hone MetLifes focus on selling insurance through employers and in international markets.

Kandarian was named CEO in 2011 after working as chief investment officer, overseeing billions of dollars. Before joining MetLife in 2005, he was executive director at the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. and at a private equity firm, Orion Partners LP.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics USA
CorPro Underwriting Managers has expanded its availability of several new key coverage enhancements under the Private Edge Plus and Not-for-Profit Risk Protector products (directors and officers, employment practices, fiduciary and crime insurance coverages) offered to SME businesses on a national basis on behalf of AIG.

Since 2014, CorPro has partnered with AIG to provide a centralized access point for private company and not-for-profit management liability coverages for a broad spectrum of U.S. businesses and industry segments with revenues up to $50 million.

New and renewal policyholders that satisfy underwriting qualifications will now be offered competitive Wage & Hour (FSLA) defense costs coverage, deletion of the Antitrust exclusion, expanded Crisis Management protection, a 50 percent one year pre-set discovery option, and enhanced allocation and duty to defend policy provisions under the updated CorPro Amendatory 2.0 endorsement.

CorPro Underwriting Managers is a series of RSG Underwriting Managers, LLC. RSG Underwriting Managers, LLC is a Delaware series limited liability company and a subsidiary of Ryan Specialty Group, LLC, specializing in underwriting management and other services for insurance products distributed through agents and brokers.

Topics Underwriting AIG
The United Auto Workers union is accusing General Motors of violating a national contract by using temporary workers instead of employing full-timers who were laid off from its factories.

The union filed a federal lawsuit in Cleveland alleging that GM has temporary workers at its pickup truck plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The lawsuit says GM has about 1,000 workers on layoff from several factories who should be working at the plant.

The UAW says its contract with GM requires it to hire the laid-off workers, including 690 at a small-car plant in Lordstown, Ohio, which is scheduled to close in March.

The legal move is another sign of acrimony between GM and the union ahead of negotiations on a new contract that will start this summer. GMs contract with the union expires on Sept. 14.

GM wouldnt say how many temporary workers are employed in Fort Wayne, but the company says it started the process late last year to bring in about 50 laid-off Lordstown workers. About 35 will be working in Fort Wayne by the end of January, GM said in a statement. The company said its talking with the union about staffing in Fort Wayne, and it declined further comment.

In November, GM announced plans to shutter five factories this year as it adjusts to lower demand for cars.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Canadian insurance broker Jones Brown Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Toronto, Jones Brown is a retail property/casualty insurance broker offering a full range of commercial and personal insurance services throughout Canada from offices in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario; Calgary, Alberta; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Jones Brown team will continue to operate from their existing locations under the direction of Steve Bryant, president of Gallaghers Canadian retail property/casualty brokerage operations.

Jones Brown has an outstanding reputation, built around highest quality customer service, innovation and deep insurance expertise, said Bryant. This makes them an ideal new partner for Gallagher Canada and brings tremendous value to our own business and clients across the country.

Jones Brown is a highly regarded, well-run broker that brings us complementary expertise, new geographies and a similar company culture, said J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr., chairman, president and CEO of in Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based Gallagher. I am very happy to welcome our colleagues at Jones Brown to Gallagher.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has operations in 35 countries and offers client service capabilities in more than 150 countries around the world through a network of correspondent brokers and consultants.

Source: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Topics Mergers Agencies Canada A.J. Gallagher
At least two crew members were killed on Monday after a cargo ship sank in rough seas off Turkeys Black Sea coast, officials and media reports said. Seven crew members were rescued while a search was underway for four others.

Turkish authorities launched a search and rescue mission off the Black Sea coastal province of Samsun after receiving a distress signal from the Panama-flagged vessel, Volgo Balt 214, the Samsun governors office said.

The vessel, which was carrying coal and had 13 crew members on board, was heading to Samsun from the Russian port of Azov.

The state-run Anadolu Agency said the vessel split into two during the sinking.

The Turkish Coast Guard said a plane, three helicopters and two boats were taking part in the rescue operation.

The cause of the sinking was not immediately known.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Trucking
The Board of Directors of Everest Re Group Ltd. has been informed by its President and Chief Executive Officer Dominic J. Addesso that he will retire at the end of his contract term on Dec. 31, 2019.

As a result, the board is undertaking a search as part of its succession planning process which will include a review of internal and external candidates for the position effective in 2020.

In November 2017, the Everest board extended Addessos contract to the end of 2019.

Joseph V. Taranto, chairman of the board, stated, Dom has done a great job of growing Everest and positioning us for the future. We are thankful for his continued leadership.

Addesso joined Everest in 2009 as executive vice president and chief financial officer, and was promoted to president in 2011. Before Everest Re, he was president of regional markets for Munich Re America.

Addesso became chief executive officer on Jan. 1, 2014, replacing Joseph Taranto, who retired.

Source: Everest Re Group

Related:

Everest Re CEO Addesso Contract Is Extended Through 2019
Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd. announced that its wholly owned European subsidiary Accredited Insurance (Europe) Ltd. has signed a new program underwriting partnership with Kitsune Ltd., a UK managing general agent that provides private motor insurance.

Kitsune is one of a number of programs targeted for completion before year end, said Colin Johnson, CEO of European Program Management at R&Q. We are delighted to confirm this transaction and to add Kitsune to our stable of top quality MGAs. Our pipeline remains strong allowing us to partner with experienced and well respected businesses in a number of insurance classes throughout Europe, he added.

Ken Randall, R&Q CEO and chairman, added: This transaction underlines our commitment to supporting high quality program business throughout the European Union and highlights the critical role that Accredited continues to play in this arena.

Accredited, which is licensed to write all non-life classes in all EU member states and is A- (excellent) A.M. Best rated, provides a distribution channel for reinsurers and can provide a ready-made Brexit solution to European MGAs, said R&Q in a statement.

Source: Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings

Related:

Topics Mergers Europe Insurance Wholesale
A New York City law forcing Airbnb and HomeAway home-sharing platforms to reveal a breathtaking amount of information about their businesses seems unconstitutional, a judge decided Thursday, forcing the law to be shelved for now.

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer made clear it wasnt a close call whether the law violates the Fourth Amendments search and seizure provisions, though he only needed to find a more than 50 percent likelihood that the companies would win before suspending the laws Feb. 2 enforcement.

The ruling comes in an early stage of litigation, prior to the collection of additional evidence by both sides, but decisions written with the flourish that Engelmayer provided generally remain consistent until the case ends.

Under the law, companies would be required to reveal the names of hosts, among other information.

The scale of the production that the ordinance compels each booking service to make is breathtaking, Engelmayer said of a law the city established last summer so it could crack down on illegal listings and impose fines. Companies would be required to reveal the names of hosts, among other detail.

He estimated that enforcement penalties could cost the companies hundreds of millions of dollars. If the law had been in effect in 2016, Airbnb would have had to produce user data regarding over 700,000 bookings, the judge noted.

Each company, he said, was expected to provide what is effectively a wholesale replica of that booking services database as to New York City users.

In the era prior to electronic data storage, such overreach would have been unthinkable because of the Fourth Amendment, the judge said.

He said if he let the laws enforcement proceed unchecked, the result could be far reaching because it would invite municipalities to make similar demands on other e-commerce companies for broad-ranging records of all users and customers.

By the citys logic, he said, the city could compel all online auction services to produce all sales records so investigators could find tax cheats or demand that all medical providers produce all patient records so law enforcement authorities could more easily locate health care fraud.

At a news conference, Mayor Bill de Blasio defended the law that requires companies to also reveal the addresses of hosts, and whether theyre renting a room or the full apartment. Critics say the listings boost rents for New Yorkers by diminishing the quantity of rentable properties.

This is a law to stop landlords from creating de facto hotels, which is unfair and illegal, which creates real security problems for neighbors, the mayor said. He added that there was a lot of legal process ahead, and the city believes it will ultimately prevail.

In a statement, San Francisco-based Airbnb Inc. praised the ruling, calling it a huge win for Airbnb and its users, including the thousands of New Yorkers at risk of illegal surveillance who use Airbnb to help make ends meet.

The court today recognized the fundamental importance of New Yorkers constitutional rights to privacy and the sanctity of their own homes, the statement said.

Lawyers for Homeaway.com Inc., based in Austin, Texas, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Legislation Sharing Economy
With some of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, Michigans no-fault insurance laws  much maligned by the insurance industry and business interests  are sure to be a target for legislative reforms. Insurance trade associations, including the Property Casualty Insurance Association of America (PCI), along with the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, have said no-fault auto insurance reform will be a focus in the states legislative session that begins on Jan. 9.

Part of the problem with no-fault is the unlimited personal injury protection required under the law. Previous attempts to allow insurers to offer consumers other options, such as PIP limits of $250,000 and $500,000, have been shot down in the legislature.

Dan Gilbert, founder of the Detroit-based mortgage lender, Quicken Loans Inc., reportedly has threatened legal action against no-fault and may push to get no-fault reform on the 2020 ballot if state lawmakers dont tackle the issue next year. Gilbert, and other business interests in the state, say the no-fault system is a deterrent to economic development.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a bill introduced in the Michigan Senate late in 2018 would create an auto-fraud authority and catastrophic claims board to oversee high-risk losses  including fraud. Another Michigan bill that supporters say would help lower both auto insurance and workers compensation costs, would strengthen the states oversight of pharmacy benefit managers, giving that responsibility to the insurance department. NICB noted that it will be tough to get either measure passed in the waning days of the 2018 session, but the bureau expects to see them resurrected in 2019 if passage fails in 2018.

Jeffrey Brewer, vice president for Public Affairs for PCI outlined some of the other issues PCI would be working on in the Midwest.

He said the group backs stronger distracted driving laws in Midwest states.

Specifically, we would like to see a ban on hand-held devices in Minnesota and the current hand-held ban for young drivers in Indiana extended to all drivers, he said.

PCI would oppose any proposed body shop legislation in Minnesota that would restrict the ability of insurers to offer direct repair program options to consumers. The insurers association will also keep a watch on towing issues in Indiana and will pursue the passage of towing protections there.

Roofing and contractor fraud and abuse are issues in Iowa, Kansas and Ohio that PCI will be watching. We will be supportive of legislative efforts in Iowa and Kansas to address assignment of benefits abuses associated with roofing repairs. Nebraska passed assignment of benefits reform in 2018 that created key disclosures for consumers and provided protections so that they dont unknowingly sign away their rights. PCI would like these provisions adopted in Iowa and Kansas. We would also like to see Ohio pass stronger consumer protections to prevent contractor fraud and abuse, Brewer wrote.

A significant priority for PCI and other groups in Missouri is tort reform. St. Louis, in particular, has for years been tagged as a judicial hellhole by the American Tort Reform Foundation (ATRF) due to its popularity as a forum for litigation and its reputation for handing down big awards in civil cases. According to the ATRF, issues such as venue laws, punitive damages in lawsuits and statute of limitations, are expected to be debated by Missouri lawmakers in the coming session.

Brewer said PCI expects workers compensation reform will likely resurface in Illinois, and PCI will be focused on ensuring that proposals address the true underlying costs for Illinois businesses.

In Wisconsin and Michigan, outgoing Republican governors Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Rick Snyder of Michigan each signed lame duck legislation passed by Republican controlled legislators that limit the powers of Democrats in both states. Voters elected to replace Walker and Snyder with Democrats  Tony Evers and Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan. Insurance commissioners in Wisconsin and Michigan are appointed, so its possible both states may have new top insurance regulators.

Kansas also has a new governor, Democrat Laura Kelly, and a newly elected insurance commissioner, Vicki Schmidt, a Republican and a former state senator.

Illinois

Governor: J.B. Pritzker, D, elected 2018

Insurance committees: House Insurance Health & Life, Insurance Property & Casualty; Senate Insurance

Insurance Commissioner: Jennifer Hammer, appointed in 2017. Was deputy chief of staff for the governor.

Iowa

Governor: Kim Reynolds, R, elected 2018

Insurance committees: House Commerce; Senate Commerce

Insurance commissioner: Doug Ommen, appointed in 2017. Was deputy commissioner. Also Missouri insurance director.

Indiana

Governor: Eric Holcomb, R

Insurance committees: House Insurance; Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions

Insurance commissioner: Stephen Robertson, appointed in 2010, 2013 and again in 2016. Was executuve at Conseco Insurance Group and general counsel at the Nebraska Department of Insurance.

Kansas

Governor: Laura Kelly, D, elected 2018

Insurance committees: House Insurance; Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance

Insurance commissioner: Vicki Schmidt, elected in 2018. A pharmacist and state senator.

Michigan

Governor: Gretchen Whitmer, D, elected 2018

Insurance committees: House Insurance; Senate Insurance

Insurance commissioner: Patrick McPharlin, appointed 2015. Was CEO of credit union.

Minnesota

Governor: Tim Waltz, D, elected 2018

Insurance committees: Commerce and Consumer Protection

Insurance commissioner: Jessica Looman, appointed in 2017. Was deputy labor commissioner.

Missouri

Governor: Mike Parsons, R

Insurance committees: House Insurance Policy; Senate Insurance and Banking

Insurance commissioner: Chlora Lindley-Myers, appointed in 2017. Was property/casualty section chief for insurance department and worked in Tennessee department.

Nebraska

Governor: Pete Ricketts, R, re-elected 2018

Insurance committees: Banking, Commerce and Insurance

Insurance commissioner: Bruce R. Ramge since 2010. Was acting director and deputy director; past president of the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society.

North Dakota

Governor: Douglas J. Burgum

Insurance committees: House Industry, Business and Labor; Senate Industry, Business and Labor

Insurance commissioner: Jon Godfread, elected in 2016. Was with Greater North Dakota Chamber.

Ohio

Governor: Mike DeWine, R, elected 2018

Insurance committees: House Insurance; Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions

Insurance commissioner: Jillian Froment, appointed. Joined the department in 2011 as chief administrative officer and subsequently served as deputy director. Was a city administrator.

South Dakota

Governor: Kristi Noem, R, elected 2018

Insurance committees: House Commerce and Energy; Senate Commerce and Energy

Insurance commissioner: Larry D. Deiter, appointed in 2015. Was in market conduct and investigations with the department. Served as vice president/market manager of a financial institution.

Wisconsin

Governor: Tony Evers, D, elected 2018

Insurance committees: House Insurance; Senate Insurance, Housing and Trade

Insurance commissioner: Ted Nickel, appointed in 2011. Worked for Church Mutual Insurance Co.

Topics Legislation Auto Fraud Personal Auto Michigan Ohio Iowa Illinois Wisconsin Missouri Kansas Indiana Contractors Minnesota Nebraska
Welcome to the new year. I hope that it is full of possibility for you and yours.

If youre a regular reader (and why wouldnt you be?!?), you may notice that this is going out early this week. I had to do that because I felt compelled to let you know about a new offering that the Academy has for this year.

You know that we offer a regular schedule of webinars on all kinds of topics. Youre used to us providing great speakers with relevant learning. You also know that we dont normally use the blog to talk about Academy webinars. Its just not how we normally do things. We like to keep the blog about issues that impact the insurance industry. So if youll forgive me, Im using this weeks blog to tell you about something that goes live today.

This year, we have added a separate offering. Its so outside of our normal that we decided to even do it on a different day.

We have partnered with Bill Wilson of InsuranceCommentary.com to bring you a series based on his bestselling book, When Words Collide.

I can hear your questions already. Its one of the gifts that I have. Here are some questions that I think you have.

Why would we partner with Bill Wilson?

Why not? Bill is a preeminent insurance educator, writer and speaker. He has worked with the Big I, the Insurors of Tennessee, and even at ISO (Insurance Services Office). He understands insurance policies at a deep level. He has researched case law and worked with people who have had claims denied. On top of all that, hes fun to listen to. He doesnt just quote you insurance policy language (although we all know how much fun it is to read policy language). He also tells real stories about how real people have been helped over the years.

Why would we present a 12-part series?

In truth, it seemed like a good idea at the time. When I read the book, I became convinced that it was worth the read for ANY insurance professional. You can read my thoughts on the book here. Ill extend my recommendation even farther.

You should buy the book right now for yourself and the rest of your team.

You should keep it on your desk as a reference guide right next to the binder that you use to hide your passwords, or that old Captain America comic book you keep on your desk.

You should sign up for this 12-part series and when your books come in, make this a monthly learning event for you and the team. Call it an online and in office lunch time book club. I leave it to you to come with the cool name and t-shirt design. (and if you do that, take a team picture and send it to us, share it with us on your social media, etc.)

Beyond all that, the book details his process for dealing with coverage and claims disputes. It is rich and full and would be a disservice to it and to you to try and cover the whole thing in one or two sessions.

Why Tuesdays?

If you have paid attention to the Academy the last several years, youve gotten used to our webinars being on Thursdays. In fact, Ive been here for two years, and Im used to it. So why would we do something different and have these webinars on Tuesdays? I wanted to set it apart from the rest of what we do. I wanted you to realize that this is a different deal. Its important so important to us that I wanted to change my pattern.

Who should sign up for this series?

If you help your customers to understand their policies, sign up.

If you want to help your customers to understand their policies, sign up.

If you want to know how to negotiate with a carrier for coverage enhancements for your customers.

If you want to know how to negotiate with a claims adjuster to get claims paid for your customers.

If you want to learn how to read policies better and make yourself a better insurance

I think its worth the investment in time and money to become better at our chosen profession. Now that youve read the blog, go ahead and sign up for the webinar series.

PS  If its too late to join this weeks live session, its not too late to sign up. Well let you know when the recording is ready.

PPS  Ill get back to ranting about coverage and insurance issues next week.

Topics Customer Experience
Brownyard Group is purchasing the alarm insurance book of business from TRMS, one of the few insurance programs that exclusively serves the alarm industry.

A release noted that the transaction comes as the president of TRMS, George Tanty, retires after 47 years of providing risk management and insurance services to the alarm industry.

Since 2003, TRMS has been the exclusive broker for Brownyard Groups alarm and monitoring services insurance program, called Siren. Siren is available through an A+ rated carrier and serves businesses that offer alarm installation, security system installation, alarm system monitoring and so on.

We are proud to have worked with George over the last 15 years. After nearly five decades in the industry, he has proven to be an invaluable risk management resource for the alarm industry, said Brownyard Group president Tory Brownyard.

We congratulate George on his career and are confident we can sustain his legacy with the alarm expertise offered through Siren, Brownyard added.

The acquisition of TRMS will not result in any changes to Siren, Brownyard Group explained in a release. Coverages under the program will remain the same, and will include general liability, commercial excess liability, business auto, commercial property, inland marine, and first- and third-party dishonesty; the coverage is available in all states except Nebraska.
"This is a David-and-Goliath fight no owner expects, or should be expected, to enter into," Karen Stiles, Owners Corporation Network executive officer, told The Australian Financial Review. But they are left by a broken system to fend for themselves."

Louise Stewart, a spokeswoman for the Australian Subcontractors Association, blamed the industrys financial setup for encouraging shoddy work. The associations members typically complete 90% of the work on a building, but frequently suffer from delayed or incomplete payment.

"What we're seeing in Opal Tower is that there are systematic issues with how the building has been constructed," Stewart told the publication. "This comes down to the quality of workmanship on the projects."

Another difficult task is tracking buildings with defects, with owners often subjected to private settlements that demand confidentiality of the information, AFR reported.
The insurer also said in documents that its lawyers also urged Shores counsel to confirm default proceedings were not underway. Lloyds claims it only learned of the judgment four days after it had been made.

Court documents also reveal that Lloyds plans to challenge the order next month. The insurer claims that Shore failed to ensure that the statue was accompanied by at least two people, The Canadian Press reported.

The stolen bird, encrusted with 763 diamonds, was part of a global treasure hunt held by Shore. Contestants in the treasure hunt stood a chance of winning one of 12 silver eagles  replicas of the golden eagle. The golden eagle was to be auctioned at the end of the hunt to finance the $1 million grand prize.

Five of the silver eagles had already been awarded to treasure hunters when Shore was attacked in 2016 while he was visiting a Ladner church to promote the contest; the attackers made off with the golden eagle, as well as one of the silver eagles.

During the night of the attack, Shore was accompanied by a friend, Tanya Merx, who is a psychologist.

Im not technically a security guard, Im a psychologist for a living, but for that night  like, I dont know what the terms are, security guard, like I find that a bit confusing  but I was the second person with him, Merx told a Lloyds claims adjuster.

Merx claimed that Shore was not showing the eagles around during the church event, but when asked about the eagles by one of the guests, Shore confirmed that he had them in his possession. After walking Merx to her car that night, Shore was attacked en-route to his own vehicle  he was hit over the head and the thieves cut open his bag to steal the eagles.

According to Forgotten Treasures documents, the insurance policy for the golden bird had liability set at $400,000. Liability for loss of the silver bird was set at $53,750. Documents filed by Lloyds said that the policy limits of liability for the eagles were $710,000 and $53,750, respectively.

Lloyds, however, denied coverage for the loss in October 2016, Shores civil claim said.

CBC News reported that Shore is also suing the Insurance Corporation of BC for injuries suffered during the attack. Shore claimed that his arm was trapped in the window of the getaway vehicle of the thieves, and they dragged him some 200 metres until the window was finally lowered and he was released. The contest maker claims he suffered a concussion and torn meniscus, as well as other injuries.
Dom has done a great job of growing Everest and positioning us for the future, commented board chairman Joseph V. Taranto. We are thankful for his continued leadership.

Addesso joined Everest Re Group in 2009 as executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Operating for over four decades through subsidiaries in the US, Europe, Bermuda, and other territories, the global reinsurance and insurance provider offers property, casualty, and specialty products.
Local Twin Cities artists Enzyrose, Eyenga Bokamba, Noah Lawrence-Holder, LeShon Lee, and Meadow Gillispie, talk about their reaction to the murder of George Floyd, the trial of Derek Chauvin, and life as a black artist during this time.
The city council has a good plan. The narrower lanes will slow traffic.

Narrower vehicle lanes will make it too difficult for larger vehicles.

A separate pedestrian solution should be constructed away from any vehicular traffic.

Widening the sidewalk could work best if a barrier is put up between the sidewalk and vehicular traffic.

Vote

View Results
Corey Stewart speaks to his supporters at the victory party in The Electric Palm Restaurant in Woodbridge on June 12, after winning the GOP nomination for U.S. Senator. Stewart vowed to support President Donald Trump's agenda if elected in November. Paul Lara/for InsideNoVa.com
The Google doodle on the front of the popular search engine's home page on Tuesday was designed by a Falls Church student.

Sarah Gomez-Lane won the Doodle for Google contest last June with her drawing of dinosaurs in response to the contest theme, What Inspires Me She plans to be a paleontologist.

Sarah got a chance to work with Google's designers to turn her submission into an animated, interactive doodle.

She also received $30,000 toward a college scholarship, and her school, Pine Spring Elementary, received $50,000 to spend on technology.

Over the past decade, hundreds of thousands of drawings have been submitted in Googles doodle contest.

We fell in love with Sarahs rendering of her dinos, and were blown away by her big  ambitions for her future, especially at her young age, wrote Doodle Team Leader Jessica Yu in an online post announcing the prize last spring.

Sarah said at the time that she was surprised! Her advice to students interested in submitting to future Doodle 4 Google contests? Try your best and have fun!
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In spite of receiving 1,000,000 signed petitions on November 1 and being confronted with 30,000 people marching in a climate protest in San Francisco in September, Governor Jerry Brown did not change any of his positions on fossil fuel extraction, carbon trading, the Delta Tunnels and other questionable environmental policies.

Over two months before Governor Jerry Brown's term ends and Gavin Newson becomes the next California Governor today, January 7, activists with the Browns Last Chance campaign delivered petitions with over 1 million signatures to Brown urging him to phase out fossil fuels in the state.Representatives from Californians Against Fracking, the Central California Environmental Justice Network, Presente.org, Physicians for Social Responsibility-Los Angeles, Amazon Watch, CREDO and other organizations held a press conference on the north steps of the Capitol building in Sacramento to call on the current and future state leadership to address the harms that fossil fuels impose on the climate and communities.The event took place on November 1, during Dia de Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead, to call attention to those who have lost their lives to illnesses associated with living in close proximity to oil and gas industry infrastructure and climate-fueled natural disasters, and to celebrate communities on the frontlines of extraction who organize tirelessly for oil and gas protections," according to the organizers.Browns Last Chance was a campaign of over diverse 800 organizations united to demand that Governor Brown put the health and well-being of Californians and vulnerable communities globally before oil industry profits. Since April 2018, Browns Last Chance urged Brown to take the following actions: Establishing a health and safety buffer around existing and new drill sites. Announcing no new permits for oil and gas extraction, fossil fuel infrastructure, or petrochemical projects in California. Setting a global precedent by becoming the first oil producing state to announce a phase-out of existing production in line with the Paris climate goals, with a just and equitable transition that protects workers, communities, and economies, starting in places that are suffering most from the impacts of fossil fuel extraction.The event followed Browns Global Climate Action Summit in September, where Governor Brown was confronted with a series of demonstrations by indigenous and frontline communities calling out his refusal to sever his close ties with the oil and gas industry  and challenging Browns expansion of offshore and onshore drilling in California and his BigOil-written carbon trading program.In spite of Browns reputation as a climate leader, Browns administration has issued permits for over 21,000 new oil and gas wells, including new 238 offshore wells. More than 5 million Californians live within a mile of an active oil and gas well, leaving them vulnerable to respiratory problems, preterm births, and premature death, according to the groups.The event began at 11:30 a.m. with opening remarks and an opening ceremony by Azteca dancers. Starting at noon, the organizers held a press conference on the north steps of the Capitol building, Sacramento, California before delivering the petitions to the Governor.Speakers at the event included Adelita Serena, Mothers Out Front; Matt Nelson, Presente.org; Cesar Aguirre, Central California Environmental Justice Network; and Leila Salazar-Lopez, Amazon Watch.Azteca dancers arrayed in colorful ceremonial gear started off the program with a performance and smudged the petitions and participants.Although Governor Brown was invited outside to receive the petitions, he didn't join them, so representatives from the campaign delivered the petitions inside the Capitol to Governor Browns office. Serena, Nelson and Salazar-Lopez did speak briefly with a member of Browns staff when they delivered the petition.In spite of receiving 1,000,000 signed petitions on November 1 and being confronted with 30,000 people marching in a climate protest in San Francisco in September, Governor Jerry Brown did not change any of his positions on fossil fuel extraction, carbon trading, the Delta Tunnels and other questionable environmental policies.Now activists will be putting political pressure on the incoming Democratic Governor, Gavin Newson, to do the right thing and change the state government's course on these issues.Hopefully, Newson will be open to breaking with Browns controversial policies, including his oil drilling expansion, carbon trading program and Delta Tunnels project.Idle No More SF Bay sang carols urging Newson to make courageous decisionsWith this in mind, Idle No More SF Bay members and their allies on December 22, 2018, sang special Christmas carols at the Marin County home of California Governor-Elect Governor Gavin Newsom. The lyrics in the songs asked Newson to make courageous decisions on a survivable climate, including stopping the oil drilling expansion, carbon trading program and Delta Tunnels project of Governor Jerry Brown, as well as opposing the federal Shasta Dam raise.As they were caroling, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Newsoms wife and a prominent filmmaker, asked her driver to stop the SUV she was riding in down the driveway and got out of the car to talk to the carolers. She talked with Alison Ehara-Brown and Dr. Melinda Micco from Idle No More SF Bay and the Indigenous Women of the Americas Defending Mother Earth Treaty. Siebel Newson explained that Gavin Newson was at a funeral at the time.Siebel Newson began singing the Little Drummer Boy with the revised lyrics along with the carolers after she was invited to do so. Here are some of the lyrics, written by Ehara-Brown, Maria De Lime Dorsey, Amanda Bloom and Amy Hutto:Come were calling, pa rum pa pum pumto our new future governor pa rum pa pum pumWe pray youll do the right thing pa rum pa pum pumAnd bring much needed change pa rum pa pum pumWeve come to meet you, pa rum pa pum pum Welcome!!Gavin Newsom, pa rum pa pum pumAre you gonna do something? pa rum pa pum pumJoin us to make a bright way pa rum pa pum pumCalifornia needs to start todayToday, today, todayFossil free California, Its possibleWere so excited to see what youll bringApparently so much weve come to singNo new fracking wells, or refineriesTo keep the future for everybodyFor everybody, For everybodyFor more information, go to: http://www.dailykos.com/ Group exposes Browns close relationship with a Big Oil lobbyistAs Governor Brown was getting ready to leave the Governors Office, the Public Accountability Initiative published a new report revealing that one of Browns closest confidants is a top California oil lobbyist who has repeatedly lobbied his office on behalf of industry clients that received major concessions from Brown.Lucie Gikovich, a lobbyist with the Crane Group, has been the top California lobbyist for oil industry powerhouse Phillips 66 since late 2012, raking in nearly a million dollars. She lobbied Browns office repeatedly on his cap and trade program, which ultimately contained concessions worth billions of dollars to oil refiners like Phillips 66, according to the Initiative.After the historic Aliso Canyon methane leak of 2015-2016 and the evacuation of thousands of nearby residents, Gikovich lobbied Browns office on behalf of SoCalGas, the owner of the gas field, against a bill that would have granted disaster victims more options to litigate against the company. Brown vetoed the bill after Gikovich lobbied his office. The report also shows that Gikovich lobbied Browns office on behalf of Halliburton on a major fracking regulation bill that many criticized as containing concessions to the fossil fuel industry, the group eported.Gikovich has been a close confidant of Browns for decades. She was a top aide during Browns first stint as Governor from 1975 to 1983 and was paid $780,000 to represent the city of Oakland when Brown was mayor between 1999 and 2007. Gikovich has lobbied Browns office on behalf of corporate clients since 2011, even as Brown stayed at her Washington, DC home, a possible violation of ethics rules, and brought her on official trade delegations abroad in 2013 and 2014, the initiative stated.The report calls on Governor-Elect Gavin Newsom to sever the states ties with Gikovich and to support an independent investigation into Gikovich's lobbying efforts in California under Brown. To read the full report, go to: public-accountability.org/...
On Jan. 1, Yasmin Ali Haque, the UNICEF Representative in India, said: We can save millions of babies if we invest in training and equipping local health workers so that every newborn is born into a safe pair of hands. (IANS photo)
The Congressional Research Service, which provides non-partisan data to members of Congress, has recommended removing the annual cap on H-1B workers seeking a green card. Currently, more than 300,000 Indians are stuck in the green card backlog, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Indian American advocacy organizations claim that 1.5 million H-1B workers are stuck in the green card backlog, and will endure wait times of 70 years before getting legal permanent resident status. (eventbrite photo)
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Our neighbouring country Pakistan's sweet fate has been decided all thanks to a Twitter poll. They have now declared their national dessert to be the gulab jamun.

What is the National Sweet of Pakistan?  Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) 1 January 2019

Gulab jamun won the poll with 47% votes while the second position was taken by Jalebi with 34% votes. Barfi secured 19% of the total number of votes.

Twitter

Around 15,000 people voted in the poll and gulab jamun was officially declared the Qaumi Mithai. But not everyone was entirely satisfied with the decision.

Some claim the poll to be rigged.

Pakistani internet sours over one-sided national sweet poll, demands fresh vote#SamaaDigital #GulabJamun pic.twitter.com/irFsaa5dd2  Samaa English (@SamaaEnglish) 6 January 2019

That's because the government posted the poll only on their official Twitter handle that has less than a 5 lakh followers and the numbers clearly don't add up.

Pakistanis have also been contemplating over the origins of gulab jamun. Some say it has 'foreign identity', introduced by Central Asian Turkic invaders to the subcontinent.

Others claim that it was discovered accidentally by Shah Jahans personal chefs, while they were conducting experiments with a Persian sweet dish.

Either way, the poll left many miffed and many slammed the frivolity of the topic.

You people don't have other things to do?#joblessphds

are protesting on roads and You people are asking about National sweet. What a shameful act.  Dr. Munir Ullah Khan (@DrMunirUllahKh1) 1 January 2019

Really? Govt could be doing better than this. For example how many people are unemployed or how many PhDs finding jobs, how many households eating on alternate days, and how many dropping out of schools because their parents are unable to support education, wrote a user.

ALSO READ: The Rasgulla Battle Continues As West Bengal Is Dead Set On Not Losing It To Odisha
In the hacking world, the best kind of data heist you can pull off is one that can't be countered. That's why zero-day hacks are valuable, exploits that are so new there's no fix for them yet. And it seems hackers are highly valuing these kinds of exploits for iOS apps in particular.

Zerodium is one such company that deals in zero-day exploits, legally of course. They gather up this knowledge through research and business deals with hackers, and then sell them to companies that pay for the information. And on Monday this week, the company announced it would pay up to a cool $2 million for zero-click jailbreaks of Apple's iOS (which don't require the user to click a link), $1.5 million for one-click iOS jailbreaks, and $1 million for exploits that hijack secure messengers WhatsApp and iMessage.

Also Read: Millions Of Android Devices Are Highly Insecure Before You Even Buy Them, Claims New Research

Earlier Zerodium was offering $1.5 million, $1 million, and $500,000 respectively for the same exploits, so prices have risen steeply. That means that the demand for zero-day exploits is going up, and perhaps also that it must be getting harder to crack into commercial apps and hardware.

In either case, it's a warning sign to tech companies that it's impossible to safeguard your systems without a bug bounty program. You can't just rely on your budget-constrained cybersecurity team and the good will of white hat hackers.

Also Read: If You Get This SMS On Income Tax Refund, Beware It's A Russian Scam With Thousands Of Victims

The types of exploits Zerodium are looking for are the kind that criminals regularly use to try to dupe people into handing over their data or security credentials. And if they work, the point is you have no idea you've been compromised. Additionally though, it's also the kind law enforcement around the world use to monitor criminal and terrorist suspects.

It's also interesting to note that the rewards for WhatsApp and iMessage exploits have doubled, even as the company's payment for Signal exploits (considered the most secure messenger) has remained the same. That's not because these two are harder to crack than the latter, but just because of the sheer number of people using them.
With CES 2019 finally kicked off, Google seems to have quite a few things to show off this year. Foremost among them however is its Google Assistant, the driving force behind its Pixel line of smartphones and Google Home smart speakers, and it's getting better.

For one thing, Google had a ridiculously good year as far its digital assistant is concerned. By the end of January, the company expects Google Assistant will be active on a whopping one billion devices. That's a massive jump when you consider it hit the 500 million benchmark just this last May.

It's also way more than rival Amazon's Alexa, which just posted users numbers closer to 100 million. Of course, the difference is that Google Assistant comes standard with Android devices, whereas Alexa is only the default for the Amazon Echo line. Android's do make up the majority of that large number, but it seems many more people have been adopting Google Home last year as well. In addition, the company was also quick to point out that Google Assistant is now available in 30 languages across 80 countries

Also Read: Alexa vs Google Assistant vs Siri vs Bixby: Which Voice Assistant Is The Best Of Them All?

The next huge announcement though, has less to do with what the technology has achieved, rather than where it's going. Google announced that its next target is emerging markets, and to tackle them it's going to bring the assistant to feature phones.

"There are large, large numbers of feature phones in the market today, hundreds of millions," Google Assistant VP Manuel Bronstein told The Verge. "But if you think about writing, reading, and typing on those feature phones, it's not that simple. And the voice-first interaction is becoming increasingly important in those markets, and we're beginning to see traction there. We're going to start talking more about that at Mobile World Congress, but definitely, there's a massive opportunity for voice interaction and assistive technology in those markets as well."

As such, it seems we won't get all the details of this move until February. In the meantime however, people are more than happy to use Google Assistant on their smartphones. As it turns out, most tend to use it to make a call without having to actually navigate to a contact name. The next biggest use cases are for texting and setting alarms, with streaming music featuring much lower than it does for smart speaker users.

Still, it might be nice to have the assistant available on a sub-Rs 5,000 phone.
If the induction of light weight battle tank in Tibet bordering India was didnt alarm the Indians, the Chinese military getting it equipped with new vehicle-mounted howitzers to improve their combat capability certainly should. The official media reported about the development on Tuesday.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) stationed in Tibet Autonomous Region has been equipped with mobile howitzers which aims to boost the troops' high-altitude combat capability to improve border security, state-run Global Times reported.

It quoted Chinese military analysts as saying that the new equipment would be the PLC-181 vehicle-mounted howitzer. The announcement was made in an article released by the WeChat account of the PLA Ground Force on Saturday, the report said.

The equipment was used in an artillery brigade in Tibet during the 2017 China-India stand-off at Doklam, it said.

Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told Global Times that the howitzer has a 52-caliber cannon with a range of over 50 kms and shoots laser-guided and satellite-guided projectiles.

It will boost the high-altitude combat capability of the PLA in Tibet, Song said.

The induction of the mobile howitzers followed the move by the PLA to put into service the lightweight battle tank, which was tested by its military during exercises in Tibet held at the peak of the Doklam standoff.

The Type 15 has an engine capable of 1,000 horsepower and is significantly lighter than the PLA's other main battle tanks in service, weighing about 32 to 35 tonnes. The tank meant for rugged and mountainous terrain of the Himalayan region.

AFP

The induction of the tank and the mobile howitzers highlighted the PLA's efforts to reinforce its troops with new equipment despite steady normalisation of military relations since last year.

As part of the military training in 2019, an artillery brigade in the Tibet Military Command ordered soldiers to take part in a military skills competition at a training ground on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 3,700 meters above sea level, the report said.

Last week, President Xi Jinping, who also heads the military, ordered the armed forces to enhance their combat readiness to make sure they are always ready for battle, saying risks and challenges for China are on the rise.

China's border issue has not been completely resolved, and was challenged by pro-Tibet independence forces and terrorists, the report quoted analyst as saying.

Zhao Gancheng, director of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the daily that the military investment in Tibet has been rising, but is primarily meant for defence and not to provoke conflict with neighbouring countries.

He said the PLA troops stationed in Tibet need to improve their combat capabilities in plateau areas and strengthen their willpower in extreme weather as they are primarily responsible for the border defence against terrorists and foreign invaders, he said.

To cope with altitude sickness, the PLA built oxygen stations for the soldiers in Tibet in 2015, which were used for medical purposes, but are now also being used in regular training.
Rana Daggubati has flown away to the jungles of Kerala for the shoot of his upcoming film Haathi Mere Saathi. Daggubati took to Twitter to inform all his fans and friends about the shoot. Rana on Tuesday tweeted, Morning... Off into the jungles of Kerala for filming Haathi Mere Saathi.

Haathi Mere Saathi is a multilingual film and the plot revolves around wildlife conservation. While the Hindi version features Pulkit Samrat, the Tamil and Telugu version will have Vishnu Vishal playing the same role. Zoya Hussein and Kalki Koechlin will also play a pivotal role in the film.

The Eros Internationals movie is titled Kaadan in Tamil and Aranya in Telugu. Helmed by Prabhu Solomon, the trilingual is being shot simultaneously in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil.

twitter

The movie will highlight man-animal relationship and is a story inspired by true events. The tile is a tribute to 1971 classic film Haathi Mere Saathi -- starring Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja, but the plot is completely different. The music has been composed by Shantanu Moitra and sound designed by Resul Pookutty.

Morning....Off into the jungles of Kerala for filming #HaathiMereSaathi  Rana Daggubati (@RanaDaggubati) January 7, 2019

Speaking about his role to Mumbai Mirror, Rana had earlier said, Yes, Ill need to do more for this film. Ill be taking 15-20 days before the shoot to stay with the elephants in the jungle and get familiar with them before I start filming.

bccl

At the same time, we are also doing a bunch of workshops because the story is inspired by two events, so we are trying to get as authentic as we can in the filming process.
From being co-stars to friends and then finally taking the plunge and marrying each other, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's love story feels straight out of a film.

The couple got engaged in 2007 and have worked in several memorable films including Dhoom 2, Guru and Raavan.

10 years ago on a freezing New York balcony, she said "yes".   Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) January 13, 2017

Aish was on the show Famously Filmfare where she went candid about her relationship with husband Abhishek Bachchan.

Colors Infinity

Aishwarya was asked what she and Abhishek Bachchan argue the most about. She had a funny take on it and she said, You dont want to know.

When she was nudged a little to share details, she revealed,

Were both genetically very generously been given very strong genes. So, were inherently very strong personalities. I think there is a very fine line between arguing and discussing and thats something were still arriving at discovering what is what. So, we discuss a lot, either politely put it as discuss, probably argue but

She was further asked if there is any habit of Abhishek Bachchan in particular that leads to a fight. She added,

Twitter

"It has been 12 years and how many years before that weve known each other as friends. Weve known each other for quite a long time. Weve always conversed a lot and communicated a lot, in all its shades, in all the colours of the rainbow.''

On the work front, the couple is all set to reunite onscreen for Gulabjamun but a few recent reports claim that the couple has opted out from the project.


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Emily Fink, associate degree nursing chair, said there were four different scenarios students were challenged with during the day, and each of them began in the dentist chair.

Scenarios included someone having a heart attack, an allergic reaction to latex, a stroke and a foreign body aspiration.

We are helping our health programs learn how to work together and communicate with each other because interprofessional education is so important right now. Its so vital, Fink said. When we are taking care of a patient they need to learn that every discipline has to be responsible for taking care of that patient, and so its vitally important for our students to learn how to work together.

After the paramedics picked up the patient and got them to the emergency room, students had to make decisions on whether to ask for an X-ray of if they needed to go into surgery.

We are doing a simulation and going from dental to EMS to musing to x-ray, and then the rehab hospital with our OTA (occupational therapy assistant) students so they learn how each of them report to each other and work together to get that patient back to stable, Fink said.

The daughter of a college staff member also played the role of the child of the victim.
Cropper told the board those numbers arent extreme, if they consider a majority of them will be moving to new schools which would have happened with or without the whole district realignment.

Of the 1,218 elementary students, about 700 of them will attend the new Hickory Ridge Elementary School and of the 2,334 high school number, almost 1,600 will attend the new West Cabarrus High School.

The new West Cabarrus pulled from schools all adjacent to it pretty much. A lot of students were impacted by this, but this was a good zone and provided relief to all schools around it, Cropper said. You should expect to move that many with a new building coming online.

Cropper said he also believes the committee cleaned up many of the districts feeder patterns to help balance the schools and help with capacity issues. Most of the adjustments in the recommendation are in the Cox Mill and Odell areas, along with the new elementary school area in Harrisburg.

This was the best option to give as much relief as possible and this is what they (committee) recommended, Cropper said.

The next steps

Now, its up to the board of education to make a decision, and Cropper said he will be there to help.
The engine that was donated was a surplus truck that the city had replaced last year. Instead of selling it, Chief Parnell offered it to the college for training.

I really want to thank the Salisbury Fire Department and the City of Salisbury for their donation. This is a great example of community partnership, said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus. One of the Colleges biggest challenges is keeping our programs equipped with industry-recognized, state-of-the-art equipment that is used in the workplace. This donation will help us in achieving that goal.

The Fire & Emergency Services Training Facility serves an important role in the training of local public safety providers who protect citizens every day. The facility includes a 3,500 square foot burn building, training pads for various props, and a future driving course for fire and emergency vehicles will be included in the project.
I never want to be that person, he said. Ive done a lot of food things in 25 years. I dont want people to remember me by being that guy that just hung out, shouldve retired. I want to go out on top. I want to go out on my terms, and I was able to do that. So I filled 25 years of what and said let somebody else do it. Im out the way I want to.

Ending as the brigade sergeant major, Payne said he had surpassed any goals he had when joining the force. And he didnt really have any farther he could go, since any promotion would have him in charge of the entire statea full-time job in and of itself.

I had pretty much accomplished everything, well even beyond what I had ever dreamed of, he said. I was pretty fortunate. But it was time. It was time. Ive got an 11-year-old and a 6-year-old playing ball and doing things, and Ive missed a lot already. Im tired of missing things. Thats the only Daddy theyll ever know. I want to be a good Daddy and not the Daddy that was never here because he was always going to Army or whatever.

The change still hasnt really sunk in, however. Payne said when he cleaned out his desk and the locker at home, it felt almost surreal.

I think over the next couple months when theres weekend drill, and Im not going, that will feel weird, he said. Im not in it anymore. Im done. Its just kind of that weird feeling I suppose when you retire from anything; how do you do something for 25 years, and today youre in, and now youre not. Youre like, wow, its over. Twenty-five yearsthe only thing Ive done longer is live and breathe.
Thailands immigration police chief has met officials from the Saudi embassy in Bangkok as Saudi Arabia tried to distance itself from accusations that it attempted to block a young womans effort to flee her family and seek asylum abroad.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun arrived in Bangkok from Kuwait late on Saturday after slipping away from her family, who she accused of abuse. The 18-year-old was stopped by officials in Thailand who confiscated her passport.

Her urgent pleas for help over Twitter from an airport hotel room garnered tens of thousands of followers and the attention of the UNs refugee agency.

Public pressure prompted Thai officials to return her passport and let her temporarily stay in Thailand.

I seek protection in particular from the following country

Canada/United States/ Australia /United kingdom, I ask any if it Representatives to contact me.  Rahaf Mohammed UU U U  (@rahaf84427714) January 6, 2019

The teenager alleged several times that Saudi officials were involved in seizing her passport, but the embassy in Thailand repeatedly said it was only monitoring her situation.

The statement, which described the case as a family affair, said the kingdom did not demand her deportation to Saudi Arabia.

The embassy  and Thai officials  earlier also said that Ms Mohammed Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities in Bangkok because she did not have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist, which appeared to have raised a flag about the reasons for her trip.

Thailands immigration police chief, Major General Surachate Hakparn, told reporters on Tuesday that Saudi diplomats had told him they were satisfied with how her case had been handled.

The position of two countries on this matter is the same  that the priority is to provide her safety. We are both concerned for Miss Rahafs safety and well-being, he said.

The Saudi charge daffaires said he is satisfied and expressed confidence on the work of Thai immigration, of the Thai government, and of the Foreign Ministry yesterday.

Rahaf's flight from her allegedly violent Saudi family should remind us of Dubai Princess Latifa who tried to flee the constraints of her family but was kidnapped back by United Arab Emirates forces and hasn't been free to leave or speak freely ever since. https://t.co/F2issBwPNI pic.twitter.com/cSWfFLv2L5  Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) January 8, 2019

Maj Gen Surachate said Ms Mohammed Alqununs father and brother were due to arrive soon in Bangkok, but it was her decision whether to meet them.

On Twitter, she has expressed fear of such a meeting. The father had previously been expected on Monday night.

A spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Babar Baloch, said it is premature to say what will happen next, but it could take several days for the agency to look into the teenagers claims.

He said it too early to tell if she will be granted asylum or refugee status.

Australia national broadcaster ABC reported that the countrys Home Affairs Department announced late on Tuesday that it would consider Ms Mohammed Alqununs application for asylum if she was found to be a genuine refugee, and called on the Thai authorities and UNHCR to assess her claim as quickly as possible.
Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun says she is fleeing abuse by her family (Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch via AP)

Thailands immigration police chief has said officials of the Saudi Embassy in Bangkok are satisfied with how the case of a Saudi woman who claims to be fleeing her abusive family has been handled.

Major general Surachate Hakparn explained the Saudi reaction to reporters after a meeting with its diplomats.

Saudi officials say they have had nothing to do with the case of 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun and are not demanding her return, and that the controversy is strictly a family matter.

Expand Close Ms Alqunun is seeking asylum in Australia (Immigration police via AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ms Alqunun is seeking asylum in Australia (Immigration police via AP)

Ms Alqunun grabbed global attention when she sent out pleas for help via social media, saying she feared for her life if she were put on a plane back to Kuwait, where she had slipped away from her family, or her homeland.

Instead, she has been allowed to enter Thailand temporarily under the protection of the UN refugee agency, which was expected to take about five to seven days to study her case and her claim for asylum. She said she wants to go to Australia to seek refuge there.

Mr Surachate said Ms Alqununs father and brother were due to arrive soon in Bangkok, but that it was her decision whether to meet with them. On Twitter, she has expressed fear of such a meeting.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has called on the Australian government to allow Ms Alqununs entry into that country.

Understand starting from today #UNHCR will interview #Rahaf in refugee determination process & then discuss #refugee resettlement options with possible destination countries. This needs to proceed quickly to get her safe. @hrw is monitoring situation closely! #SaveRahaf @Refugees pic.twitter.com/3aaOldjrqN  Phil Robertson (@Reaproy) January 8, 2019

Ms Alqunun says she had a visa to continue her journey to Australia, but media reports say the Australian government has now cancelled it. Australian officials have not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Human Rights Watchs Australian director, Elaine Pearson, said since Australia has expressed concern in the past about womens rights in Saudi Arabia, it should come forward and offer protection for this young woman.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks with his wife Ri Sol Ju at Pyongyang Station (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has arrived in Beijing at the start of a four-day visit.

The trip is likely to be an effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with US president Donald Trump that could happen early this year.

A long motorcade including motorcycle outriders reserved for state leaders left a Beijing train station shortly after the arrival of an armoured train consisting of 20 to 25 cars  most of whose windows were blacked out  along tracks lined by police and paramilitary troops.

Mr Kims trip, announced earlier by both sides, comes after US and North Korean officials are believed to have met in Vietnam to discuss the location of a second summit.

Norths Korean Central News Agency said Mr Kim departed on Monday afternoon with his wife Ri Sol Ju and other top officials.

It said Mr Kim is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Tuesday also happens to be the reclusive North Korean leaders birthday.

Expand Close A train similar to one seen during previous visits by Kim Jong Un arrives at Beijing Railway Station (AP/Mark Schiefelbein) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A train similar to one seen during previous visits by Kim Jong Un arrives at Beijing Railway Station (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

Chinas official Xinhua News Agency issued a nearly-identical report, while Beijings North Railway Station was cocooned in security, with dozens of police and paramilitary troops patrolling outside.

Mr Kim is expected to stay at the highly-secure Diaoyutai State Guest House in the capitals west, with meetings held at the Great Hall of the People, the hulking seat of the legislature that sits next to Tiananmen Square.

The trip marked a further break with past practice in that it was announced in advance of Mr Kims arrival, a possible sign of growing confidence on the part of North Korea and China, Pyongyangs most important trading partner and a key buffer against pressure from Washington.

After years of cool relations following Mr Kims assumption of power 2011, ties have improved remarkably over the past year as Mr Xi seeks to maintain his influence in the region.

Mr Kims trip comes as the US and North Korea look to settle the Norths decades-long pursuit of a nuclear arsenal.

Expand Close A limousine similar to one Kim Jong Un has used previously is seen leaving the train station (AP/Ng Han Guan) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A limousine similar to one Kim Jong Un has used previously is seen leaving the train station (AP/Ng Han Guan)

Washington and Pyongyang seemed close to war at points during 2017, as the North staged a series of increasingly powerful weapons tests that got it tantalisingly close to its nuclear goal of one day targeting with pinpoint accuracy anywhere on the US mainland.

Possibly fearing the economic effect of crushing outside sanctions imposed because of his weapons tests, Mr Kim abruptly turned to diplomacy with Seoul and Washington last year.

He also visited China three times, notably without a reciprocal visit from Mr Xi in a break with diplomatic convention.

But even after what was seen as a blockbuster summit between Mr Kim and Mr Trump in Singapore last June  the first-ever between the leaders of the war enemies  there has been little real progress in nuclear disarmament.

Washington is pressing the North to offer up a detailed accounting of its nuclear arsenal, while Pyongyang says it has already done enough and it is time for the US to ease harsh international sanctions that hold back the North Korean economy.

Mr Trump has offered assurances that another summit will allow he and Mr Kim to make a grand deal to settle the nuclear standoff and change a relationship marked by decades of animosity and mistrust.

However, outside analysts are highly sceptical that the North will easily abandon a nuclear arsenal constructed in the face of deep poverty and likely seen by Mr Kim as his only guarantee of regime survival.

Instead, Mr Kim may be seeking to gauge Chinas attitude toward sanctions ahead of the talks, including what the North would have to concede in order to win Beijings support at the UN.

The North has held off on additional nuclear weapons and missile tests for more than a year, possibly in response to Chinas displeasure, while carrying out its new diplomatic offensive.
Uncertain times: Transport security admin officers on duty at the departure area of the Los Angeles International Airport. Photo: Getty

Time is running out for US President Donald Trump in his showdown with the Democrats over the Mexican wall.

Mr Trump insists he's prepared to keep part of the US government shut down for more than a year if necessary to get the money he wants for a wall on the border.

But a series of deadlines over the next seven weeks will pile pressure on Mr Trump to do a deal to end a shutdown that could soon become the longest in history.

Hundreds of thousands of workers at nine Cabinet departments and other agencies will soon start to miss pay cheques, and the longer the standoff continues, the more consequences Mr Trump and Congress will face.

Courts will close, rubbish will not be collected in National Parks and eagerly anticipated tax refunds will not be paid.

Later in the year, unrelated issues will compound the shutdown's problems - the US debt limit will need to be increased, and Congress will have to strike a deal with Mr Trump to prevent steep, automatic cuts in federal spending.

Mr Trump said at a news conference on Friday that "I'm very proud of what I'm doing" and invited reporters to call it "the Schumer or the Pelosi or the Trump shutdown", referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, the new House speaker.

"Doesn't make any difference to me. Just words," he said.

Vice-president Mike Pence and other administration officials, with senior Congressional aides, produced no breakthroughs as Democrats and Republicans remained far apart in their demands. No further meetings of the group are scheduled.

This Friday about 800,000 federal workers on furlough, or working without pay, will miss their first pay cheque. That milestone will significantly escalate the political pain of the shutdown. While federal workers are not allowed to strike, many can be expected to eventually walk off the job and go work elsewhere - a challenge for maintaining services like the TSA, that is essential for air travel.

The longest shutdown on record was in 1995. The government was closed for 21 days because then-president Bill Clinton and congressional Republicans, in charge of both chambers for the first time in more than 40 years, couldn't agree on a spending plan.

Mr Trump is scheduled to travel to Davos, Switzerland, to address global political and business leaders at the World Economic Forum, and he may have to do so while the self-styled deal-maker can't get his own government re-opened.

On January 29, Mr Trump will give his second State of the Union address in the House chamber - with Ms Pelosi sitting behind him.

The backdrop of a government shutdown would cast a pall on what is usually a highlight of the year for any president.

"He doesn't like getting upstaged," said Doug Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum and former director of the Congressional Budget Office. He thinks this date is the first important milestone for the president.

If history is any guide, taxpayers could see their refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) held hostage if the shutdown extends into the filing season at the end of the month and into February.

In previous shutdown contingency plans, the IRS would accept tax returns, but would be prohibited from issuing refunds, which averaged about $2,899 (2,527) per cheque in 2018.

The agency has yet to release an updated version of its shutdown plan during a filing season, but will likely do so in the coming days.

Mr Holtz-Eakin said there should be considerable overlap between Mr Trump's voter base and the kind of Americans who seek - and need - early tax refunds. "That's why it matters so much," he said.

With extraordinary measures, the US government could likely continue normal operations into the summer.

But March 1 becomes another pressure point for the impasse to be resolved, and the longer a shutdown continues, the more likely other budget items - like a deal to prevent automatic spending cuts in 2020 - get wrapped into the talks.

The Census Bureau is shuttered, preventing work on the decennial count of every American - data crucial to allocating federal spending and redrawing congressional districts.

A shutdown hurts the Trump administration's ability to conduct the census on its own terms.
US State Department officials recently met multiple times with North Korean counterparts in Vietnam, and discussed planning a second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a South Korean newspaper reported yesterday.

US officials discussed the schedule for the second Trump-Kim summit while in contact with North Korean officials in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, fuelling speculation that Vietnam could host the event, the 'Munhwa Ilbo' reported, citing unnamed diplomatic sources in Seoul and Washington.

Vietnam has diplomatic relations with both the United States and North Korea, with North Korea maintaining a diplomatic office in Vietnam, and has the symbolic significance of a communist country that has reformed its economy, the newspaper reported.

On Sunday, Mr Trump said the US and North Korea were "negotiating a location" for a second summit. "It will be announced probably in the not too distant future," Mr Trump said. "They do want to meet and we want to meet and we'll see what happens."

But Mr Trump said sanctions would be enforced until more progress is made.
In the dock: Kevin Spacey is led into the court in Nantucket, Massachusetts yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Actor Kevin Spacey has appeared before a judge for the first time to face charges of sexual assault.

Spacey (59) is accused of groping William Little when he was an 18-year-old employee of the Club Car, a restaurant and bar on the island of Nantucket, in the evening of July 7, 2016.

He stated in court documents before trial he would plead not guilty. But in the courtroom itself yesterday he did not speak, and was not asked to enter a plea.

Wearing a purple paisley shirt and spotted tie, Spacey, flanked by his lawyer Alan Jackson, was ordered to have no contact with Mr Little.

Much of the hearing was concerned with a potential video recording of the incident. Initial reports had suggested Mr Little, now 23 recorded the alleged assault and sent the tape to his girlfriend.

It later emerged the clip only showed Spacey's hand, which was not on the accuser's genitals.

The hearing lasted less than 10 minutes, and a pre-trial hearing was set for March 4.

"It's very hard to tell whether this will proceed to full trial," said Adam Citron, senior legal counsel at New York law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, and a former assistant district attorney.

"A lot may lie with the defendant's wishes. Kevin Spacey may feel he has done nothing wrong, and so not admit to any charges or settle. From what I've seen so far, he seems quite defiant, and so may take it all the way and seek a jury trial."

Mr Citron said the prosecution were proceeding with "enormous caution" - likely mindful of the circus surrounding Harvey Weinstein, who is currently facing trial in New York City on rape and sexual assault charges.

Weinstein's lawyers have attempted to pick holes in the case on technicalities and procedural issues; the prosecution for Spacey were so cautious they took their case to a judge to decide whether there was enough evidence to proceed.

Spacey, twice an Oscar winner, had tried to avoid appearing in court, with his lawyers arguing his presence would turn the arraignment into a circus.

In court documents, Spacey himself also asked the judge that he be exempt from court session, arguing his presence would "amplify the negative publicity already generated in connection with the case."

The judge swiftly denied his request, taking only a few hours to rule the actor must attend.
Monzo is known for its coral pink bank cards.

Monzo is to appoint the former boss of collapsed lender Northern Rock as its chairman, months after the challenger bank raised enough cash to reach coveted unicorn status.

Digital start-up bank Monzo is to formally announce on Wednesday Gary Hoffman as its non-executive chairman, according to Sky News.

He will replace Labour peer Denise Kingsmill who left Monzo in May having chaired the bank since it was founded in 2015.

Monzo chief executive Tom Blomfield tweeted the announcement later on Tuesday.

Im delighted that Gary Hoffman will be joining @monzo as chair of the board of directors from next month.

Mr Hoffman, an industry veteran, in 2008 became chief executive of Northern Rock, then one of Britains biggest mortgage lenders, and is credited with steering the bank through its bailout at the height of the financial crises.

Queues had formed outside Northern Rock branches after the Bank of England said it would guarantee all deposits at the beleaguered lender, which was the first run on a British bank in 150 years.

Mr Hoffman, the former boss of Barclaycard and vice-chairman of Barclays, left Northern Rock in 2010 and set up investment vehicle NBNK Investments.

His appointment at Monzo highlights the growth ambitions of Monzo, which in October raised 85 million from venture capitalists and saw its valuation rise to over 1 billion, reaching the so-called unicorn status for private companies.

Monzo is one of a slew of fintech firms that has gained banking licences in recent years with the aim of poaching customers from the traditional high street lenders.

The start-up, like rival challenger banks Starling, Revolut and N26, does not have any bricks-and-mortar branches but operates solely online through its app.

Loss-making Monzo currently has over one million customers with ambitions to hit three million by the end of this year.

Monzo is also moving into business banking as it was recently one of 11 banks that was approved for Royal Bank of Scotlands alternative remedies fund.

Monzo will be entitled to a share of a 350 million incentivised switching scheme aimed at encouraging small business customers to ditch their RBS account for rivals.
Harvey Weinsteins sexual assault trial in New York is scheduled for May 6, his lawyer has said.

Court officials say that date is tentative and unofficial.

Lawyer Benjamin Brafman mentioned the date in a court filing on Monday in a civil case against Hollywood mogul Weinstein.

He wants actress Ashley Judds lawsuit put on hold until Weinsteins criminal case is resolved.

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A court spokesman said on Tuesday that an early May trial date had been discussed, but that nothing was official.

A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for March 7.

A judge last month denied a defence motion seeking to dismiss the case.

The 66-year-old Weinstein is charged with raping an unidentified female acquaintance in 2013 and performing a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.

He denies all allegations of non-consensual sex.
Pope Francis warned yesterday against a resurgence of nationalist and populist movements and criticised countries that try to solve the migration crisis with unilateral or isolationist actions.

The Pope, speaking to diplomats in an annual speech known informally as his "state of the world" address, suggested such movements and closed-door policies were turning the clock back 100 years to the dangerous period between the world wars.

Relationships within the international community "are experiencing a period of difficulty, with the resurgence of nationalistic tendencies," he said, making dialogue between countries harder and hurting the most vulnerable members of society, including migrants.

Populist anti-immigrant parties made gains in a number of countries last year, including in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Brazil and Poland.

In the United States, a partial government shutdown has now entered its third week as President Donald Trump has pledged not to bend in his demand for a wall along the southern border of the US with Mexico.

In his hour-long speech, Pope Francis several times mentioned the League of Nations, which was set up after World War I to promote peace but failed to stop the nationalist and populist movements that helped lead to World War II.

"The reappearance of these impulses today is progressively weakening the multilateral system," he told envoys from 183 countries in the speech, which touched on the situation in many countries.

While migration has led to diffidence and unilateral actions by governments, particularly in Europe and North America, the international community has a duty to defend refugees and migrants, he said.

"I do not believe that partial solutions can exist for so universal an issue," he said.

The Pope again condemned the arms trade and possession of nuclear weapons, lamenting that past efforts at nuclear disarmament had given way to "the search for new and increasingly sophisticated and destructive weapons".

Calling sexual abuse of children "one of the plagues of our time", he said a meeting of key bishops at the Vatican in February would aim to "shed full light on the facts and to alleviate the wounds caused by such crimes".
Passengers' safety "comes first", the British Airline Pilots' Association has said after Heathrow Airport temporarily suspended departing flights this evening due to a drone sighting.

Flights were stopped for approximately one hour, sparking a number of delays at the busy airport.

Police officers were among witnesses who saw a drone at Heathrow Airport and the military has been brought in to provide assistance, Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy said.

The first sighting was shortly after 5.30pm this evening. Flights resumed shortly after 6.30pm.

We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow and are working closely with the Met Police to prevent any threat to operational safety. As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause.  Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) January 8, 2019

In response to the temporary shutdown, which saw flights grounded for just over an hour, BAPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said it is time for the UK government to act "swiftly and decisively".

"This second drone incident in less than a month has shown how important it is that airports invest in drone protection technology immediately," Mr Strutton said.

"The Government should ensure that every airport does so in the interests of public safety and should accelerate and strengthen its other drone legislation planned for later this year. Its time to act swiftly and decisively.

"An aircraft or helicopter collision with a drone has the potential to be catastrophic and so its right that Heathrow shut until it was sure flights could take off and land safely again.

"While it may be frustrating for the passengers who are delayed, its their safety that must come first."

Passengers at Heathrow Airport reacted with disbelief on social media during the closure earlier this evening.

"Sitting on a plane at #Heathrow. Plane not going anywhere due to #drones. Like WTAF?!," one wrote.

Another wrote; "Grounded at #Heathrow whilst waiting to fly home to Manchester, first officer says flights suspended whilst police investigate possible #drone activity."
Heavy snowfalls have left large areas of the Austrian and Bavarian Alps paralysed, with more than 2,000 people in various villages and ski resorts left cut off from the outside world. Five people have been killed so far, and another two were still missing.

The entire Austrian ski resort of Hochkar had to be evacuated yesterday amid fears of avalanches.

Avalanche warnings are at the second-highest level across much of the Austrian and Bavarian Alps, after three feet of snow fell in 24 hours.

Two German skiers were killed in separate avalanches in Austria over the weekend.

A Slovenian skier also died after becoming trapped in deep snow, while a Swiss snowboarder was killed. Two Austrian skiers are missing. In Bavaria, a man was killed by a falling branch.
Fearful: Rohaf Mohammed Alqunun was expected to meet her father in Thailand after she fled her family, saying she would be killed for renouncing Islam. Photo: AP

An 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family over alleged abuse and barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room in a desperate bid for asylum will be allowed to stay in Thailand while her case is evaluated by the UN refugee agency.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun grabbed global attention when she sent out pleas for help via social media, saying she feared for her life if she was put on a plane back to Kuwait - where she had slipped away from her family - or her homeland.

Instead, she has been allowed to enter Thailand temporarily under the protection of the refugee agency, which was expected to take about five to seven days to study her case and her claim for asylum.

She said she wants to go to Australia to seek refuge there.

"We will not send anyone to die. We will not do that. We will adhere to human rights under the rule of law," said Thai immigration police chief Major General Surachate Hakparn.

Ms Alqunun's plight mirrors that of other Saudi women who in recent years have turned to social media to amplify their calls for help while trying to flee abusive families and other obstacles they face in the kingdom.

Ms Alqunun was seen with Thai and UN officials after she left the airport transit hotel room where she had been holed up over the weekend, sending her pleas for help on her Twitter account. She later tweeted she felt safe under UN protection and had her passport returned.

Her ordeal began when she fled from her family while in Kuwait and boarded a flight to Thailand, taking advantage of being away from Saudi Arabia's restrictions on women who cannot travel abroad without a man's consent.

Ms Alqunun wrote of being in "real danger" if forced to return to her family in Saudi Arabia, and said in media interviews she might be killed.

She told the BBC she had renounced Islam and was fearful of her father's retaliation.

Maj Gen Surachate said Ms Alqunun's father was due to arrive last night, and officials would see if she was willing to meet with him.

"She does not wish to go back and we will not force her. She won't be sent anywhere. She fled hardship. Thailand is a land of smiles," he said.

He noted her tweets mentioned "she does not want Islam", adding "this type of thing, in her country, is a hard crime".
A famous orca has been spotted making a rare appearance in Scottish waters better known for dolphin watching.

John Coe, part of a pod called the West Coast Community, was seen at Chanonry Point in the Moray Firth on Monday.

After dolphin watcher Francis McWilliams first sighted the creature, others followed suit to catch a glimpse of the bull who is identifiable by missing chunks in his dorsal fin and tail.

Phil Clark, 39, and his wife Lynette were among those who rushed to the area.

Oh. My. God!!! Guys we just seen an Orca at Fortrose!! And not just any Orca, John Coe!!!! Posted by Sivako Photography on Monday, January 7, 2019

The amateur photographer told the Press Association: My wife is daft on sealife and as soon as we got word that there was an orca in the Moray Firth we left our house in Inverness immediately.

We were getting a few updates on our way from a few other watchers and couldnt believe our luck when we arrived and spotted him almost immediately, John Coe!

Lynette has went on and on about trying to go see this pod, especially John Coe.

To then have him turn up in our area, she and the other watchers did have a scream and jump for joy.

I am watching John Coe right now with Dad and Stuart. Too far for a photo but fantastic sight through spyglasses!  Wendy (@Northmaven) January 7, 2019

Although Chanonry Point is a well-known location for spotting dolphins, it is rare for any orca to be seen there.

John Coe is more often spotted off the west coast of Scotland and occasionally close to Ireland.

Scientists believe the missing chunk in his tail could be the result of a shark attack.

It was also reported another orca was seen alongside John Coe at the point  but has not been photographed or identified conclusively.
Actress and singer Lady Gaga poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'A Star Is Born' at the 75th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Actor and singer Lady Gaga arrives for the press conference for the film A Star is Born at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 9, 2018. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Singer and actress Lady Gaga arrives for the photo call of the film 'A Star Is Born' at the 75th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Lady Gaga may have been snubbed for Best Actress at the Golden Globes, but her dramatic attire is proof she is the most thoughtful star on the red carpet.

Over the course of the last four months, as she made her ultimate comeback - adjacent with another new career move - promoting A Star is Born, she has become fashion's eternal tour de force. It was only eight years years ago that she was wearing meat dresses and arriving via egg to the Grammys, moves which encapsulated her personality as an entertaining and unpredictable artist, and it has taken that long for the world to catch up with her message and understand that no, it wasn't always just a publicity stunt.

The infamous meat dress, at the 2010 VMAs, was in coordination with her protest to the US military's 'don't ask don't tell' policy and the prejudices gay soldiers were faced with ("If we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones," she said after) and the egg pod was a very literal interpretation of her rebirth. Are they extravagant and exhibitionist? Yes, of course, but so is her industry.

She works in a business obsessed with women's looks - their ages, their bodies, their height, their muscles, their haircuts - with rigid standards of what classically beautiful looks like and will subsequently have on your career. Gaga understood this from the get-go, and in her 2016 Netflix documentary Five Foot Two, explained the empowering reason behind her outlandish dress.

Expand Close Lady Gaga attends the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Lady Gaga attends the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

"What I've done is that when they wanted me to be sexy or they wanted me to be pop, I always f*cking put some absurd spin on it that made me feel like I'm still in control," she says.

Each move, although intelligent and considered, seems genuine and showcases just how seriously she takes her work, as a cultural figure and the devotion of her fans.Those who dismiss fashion as frivolity need only look at the strength and subtext in her attire.

As she sashayed up the red carpet on Sunday night in an off the shoulder periwinkle Valentino dress, old Hollywood buffs had a case of deja vu. After all, her career-making turn as Ally opposite Bradley Cooper's Jack was a modernised concept of a well-established concept and theirs was the fourth interpretation of A Star is Born, the most memorable being Judy Garland in the lead role in 1954 (the second was Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson in 1976).

In 2000, the 1954 film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and Gaga acknowledged its modern impact with her red carpet attire at the Golden Globes, paying homage to the late legend, who wore a near-identical Jean Louis dress in the picture. It was a heartfelt and elegant decision.

These last few months have shown a more mature aesthetic, with more layered interpretations of her carefully chosen ensembles: there may not be any steak headwear, but no fashion choices of hers should be taken at face value.

At the Elle Women in Hollywood event in October, she turned heads in a boxy beige two piece Marc Jacobs suit, her hair slicked back into a low ponytail. Why? "In this suit, I felt like me today. In this suit, I felt the truth of who I am well up in my gut," she said.

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And who can forget her dramatic pink tulle Valentino Couture gown at the Venice Film Festival last year, an "I've arrived" moment if ever there was one.

It's an important message, one which proves how seriously she takes her role model status, a woman who wants to lead instead of following and is raising a generation of Little Monsters to do the same. "[I'm not] defined by the same designer or defined by the same hair cut or defined by the same icon," she told Women's Wear Daily in 2013. "The statement is that I'm not one icon. I'm every icon. I'm an icon that is made out of all the colours on the palette at every time. I have no restrictions. No restrictions."

There may be celebrities, actors and dreamers aplenty in Hollywood, but Lady Gaga might just be the last performer - and we are all the better for it.
Last year's Golden Globes ceremony was a protest, signposted with a uniform of all black and a guest list that included activists alongside A-listers. One year on, attendees still showed their support for Time's Up with bracelets and pins, but politics took a back seat to classic Hollywood glamour.

The biggest, boldest and most talked about look of the night was Lady Gaga's periwinkle Valentino confection, an unintentional callback to Judy Garland's dress in the 1954 version of A Star Is Born.

With a cascading train that required two aides, it was gorgeously old-fashioned, but Gaga added a contemporary twist by tinting her hair to match.

Elsewhere, there were great swathes of elegant tulle, complemented with masses of diamonds. Emmy Rossum was pretty in pink Monique Lhuillier, If Beale Street Could Talk breakout Kiki Layne paired her caged-bodice Dior gown with a dazzling choker, and Crazy Rich Asians actress Constance Wu looked every inch the modern princess in Vera Wang.

Many of the guests ran in the opposite direction of 2018's sombre black, landing on bright white instead. Some critics interpreted it as a nod to the suffragettes, drawing parallels with Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's all-white outfit at last week's swearing-in.

White is a notoriously tricky colour on the red carpet - it's not an easy shade to pull off, and runs the risk of looking bridal. But since Hillary Clinton stepped out in a white suit at the Democratic Convention in 2016, commentators have rushed to imbue any woman in white with suffragist symbolism. In some instances, it's simply a case of the lucky few who can wear it well reaping the rewards of a sartorial challenge.

Sandra Oh's Versace gown was one such triumph. The show's host, and Best Actress winner for her role in TV hit Killing Eve, likely had woman-power on the brain as she wore only female designers on the night.

Jamie Lee Curtis went full ice-queen in Alexander McQueen, coordinating her pixie cut and dress (after Lady Gaga, are we seeing the start of a trend?), while Julianne Moore opted for a busy Givenchy in brilliant white.

Saoirse Ronan's stylist, Elizabeth Saltzman, explained that her goal was to "find the positive" after a year of industry tumult in Hollywood. Her request to Gucci? "I'd like a silver lining."

The result - a shimmering platinum gown - was a sexier look than the actress usually goes for, but she struck a delicate balance with sleek hair, emerald earrings and a vibrant lip. Sparkle ruled on the red carpet, from the millions of dollars' worth of jewels to the gleaming metallic gowns.

Thandie Newton brought disco glamour in Michael Kors, and Lupita Nyong'o mastered high-low dressing, teaming a Calvin Klein dress dripping in silver fringe and exquisite Bulgari earrings with a pair of 75 sandals from Aldo.

Slinky columns were as popular as ever, with Regina King's rose-coloured Alberta Ferretti number proving the most striking.

It may not have screamed 'Time's Up', but during her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress, she pledged that all of her projects in the next two years will include 50pc women, concluding: "Time's Up, times two."

The dress code may be off the agenda, but the movement isn't far from anyone's minds.
In the US infantry, it was said that anything under 10 miles was "almost there..."

And Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was "almost there" on his morale-boosting trip to visit Irish soldiers in Africa. Then he shot himself in the foot. Having waxed lyrical about Ireland's noble involvement in peacekeeping, and a goal to double our global footprint over the next decade, he showed himself at his tone-deaf worst.

He told the soldiers in Mali he accepts they are low paid but "the career is always about more than money".

But Mr Varadkar is right on one front - the career certainly is about more than money.

The Defence Forces, after all, are the go-to sector in time of national emergency.

In extreme weather they are called in to transport people who are cut off, as we saw last year. They play a vital role in intercepting illegal drugs, people and arms. And they protect the State from armed aggression.

They have also won international recognition on peace keeping missions.

By Mr Varadkar's logic, no amount of money would be adequate to put your life on the line.

On the other hand their wives, husbands or partners should not have had to march on the Dail, as they were driven to do last year, to demand enough money to feed their families.

This very week Ger Guinan, General Secretary of PDFORRA, said he would find it hard to recommend a career in the Defence Forces.

Last year, a survey of 167 personnel who opted to pay to be discharged early from our Defence Forces revealed the vast majority left for better pay elsewhere. Some 84.12pc of serving personnel earn below the average public service wage. The current staffing number of 8,700 is well below establishment strength of 9,500, which tells its own story.

Of course, the Government made a rod to beat its own back two years ago, by caving in to gardai who had threatened to strike.

But by any stretch, the case of the Defence Forces is exceptional. Mr Varadkar is in a tricky situation attempting to balance books with Brexit coming over the hill, and a potential economic tsunami to be managed.

Some sort of social solidarity is essential. With this in mind he would do well not to further inflame tensions with incendiary comments. Their timing didn't help as they came a day after the Government was accused of a "serious waste of resources" for channelling 42m for reports by external experts.

Government priorities are best reflected in budgets. And by such cold metrics, the role of the Army does not appear to be greatly valued.

Patriotism, courage and integrity may be prized but, if the Defence Forces are to put food on their tables, they need to be paid for.
I have nothing to do and all day, and every day, to do it. Which isn't good.

There's a range of reasons for this. Mostly because college, where I am a third-year mature, is still out until the last week of the month.

That's on top of a Christmas that seemed, as it always does, to last a few millennia, and the strict instructions laid down after an operation I had in mid-December.

There are only so many books you can read (two fictions and munching my way through a third course-related history tome), ho-hum dramas you can binge-watch or movie classics you can reboot.

Even now I've been advised I still shouldn't drive and while walking is encouraged, indeed compulsory, a long hike in the mountains would, literally, be a stretch.

So here I am, twiddling my thumbs and drumming my fingers. Just irritable and waiting for my life to start back up. But this experience has nudged me into recognising a few things and woken me up to the reality of some others.

Firstly, I'm not any good at standing or sitting still. My brain and body like to be off somewhere else. Anywhere really, neither is particularly fussy.

Having time to do things but no deadlines to meet is akin to psychological torture.

I prepared myself for these weeks of confinement but it didn't make it any more palatable.

The past week in particular, now that everyone else has gone back to living fruitful lives, has been a special sort of misery.

More scarily though it has jolted me into realising that when I finish with Trinity in the summer of next year I will have a whole lot of nothing scheduled for my diary for then or ever. Just a big challenging blank.

I spent more than 40 years in newspapers. I loved it all. Its excitements and unpredictability, the friends I made, the crazies I knew. Most of all I loved the job, though some might suggest I never got the hang of it.

Giving that up was hard, but there is always a time to move on.

It's simply a matter of acknowledging it. But the word retirement never entered my head and I flinched in its presence. Still do.

Study became my new career, Trinity my new community. It was a completely different experience though oddly familiar, in as far as I simply swapped a spent passion for an unexplored one.

So what to do when the college has run its course? This lay-off has taught me one thing at least: sitting around twiddling those thumbs won't be an option.

Life, hey? Always with the challenges.

Let me bow to the march of technology

I had a sort of gentleman's agreement with technology. I wouldn't pretend to understand it as long as it didn't pretend to understand me.

I have always found that those with the best grasp of the whole ever-wowing world of digital are those with precise, logical minds.

That is those who think things through methodically. The sort, in other words, who read instructions on boxes.

That was never me. Whenever I did DIY (I don't anymore) there were always a few bits left over.

I can only use technology after it has been set up for me and I get by, by dint of repetition, folly, chance and stupidity.

I just got an email from Google Maps informing me I walked for 533 hours, covering 1,709km over 322 days in 2018.

I had switched on my Location History, it seems. Don't know how I did, because I didn't know I could. Technology, it seems, understands me only too well.
For all its power, dynamism and (supposed) cut and thrust, politics can be a lonely outpost, whether you're male or female. The hours are erratic. The 'robust' online debating (read: trolling) can be truly scathing. The running of a constituency office is a wild, unpredictable beast. Often, keeping a head above water takes a strong constitution and a stronger personality, and this can go double for women. It goes without saying that in any sector, powerful women can do with all the help, childcare support and emotional bolstering that they can avail of. Still, it's been interesting to note Josepha Madigan's comments about a husband being a great political asset. Acknowledging the relentless pace of political life, Madigan has praised the support offered by her own husband, Finbarr Hayes, during her career and spoken about how the breakneck schedule of a politician can impinge on family life. Offering advice to younger female politicians, Madigan is quoted as saying: "Get good childcare, get a good husband, have the confidence and don't over-think it."

Madigan isn't the first female politician to voice this sentiment: who can forget the several effusive tributes that former Fianna Fail minister Mary O'Rourke heaped on her late husband Enda down the years?

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Of course, it isn't just female politicians who have spoken out about the importance of a supportive partner. Enda Kenny has openly admitted that he would be floundering without his wife Fionnuala; Maureen Haughey was long credited as the indefatigable wind beneath Champagne Charlie's wings. Yet there's something about this dynamic in reverse - she, the powerhouse; he, the strong but silent scaffolding - that seems to capture attention. Is it that we have a problem acknowledging that some men have been key in facilitating a woman's dogged climb to the top? Or is it that men have already been benefactors for so much of the credit for too long?

Fianna Fail's Anne Rabbitte offered a riposte of sorts to Madigan's observation. "Once you have the bit between your teeth and fire in the belly, you will succeed," she says. "You don't need to have a husband there, you don't need to have a wife there. If you actually feel that this is a right match for you, and you feel you can do it, you can do it."

Yet Rabbitte, who was widowed in 2011 when her husband Paddy died, has noted that when it comes to balancing the very real demands of political and family life, it very much takes a village.

Though constituents understand that she is 'mummy first and politician second', Rabbitte previously noted that when it came to her three children, a number of staff, family and friends were a huge help in the smooth running of her household.

The question looms large: is it the case that behind every successful woman, there lies a strong and supportive partner? Certainly, one look at the corridors of power across the world might lead one to reckon so. From Theresa May to Angela Merkel; Christine Lagarde and Ivanka Trump, there are several high-profile female leaders in government and big business around the world. Their partners are often cast in the role of 'backbone'. Certainly, as Theresa May lurches from one dark hour to the next, Philip May has famously been a constant presence in the wings, ready to offer no end of crisis support.

In her book Lean In: Women, Work & The Will To Lead, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg extolled the virtues of marrying well as a nifty career strategy: "When looking for a life partner, my advice to women is date all of them: the bad boys, the cool boys, the commitment-phobic boys, the crazy boys. But do not marry them," she wrote. "The things that make the bad boys sexy do not make them good husbands. When it comes time to settle down, find someone who wants an equal partner. Someone who thinks women should be smart, opinionated and ambitious. Someone who values fairness and expects or, even better, wants to do his share in the home. These men exist and, trust me, over time, nothing is sexier."

Senator and mum of two Ivana Bacik observes that it's important for anyone in politics, irrespective of gender or marital status, to have an extended support network.

"You do need some sort of support outside of the political life, as it can be very lonely otherwise," she affirms. "In Martina Fitzgerald's book Madam Politician, a lot of female ministers do discuss being lonely. But for any of us in politics that have children, things would be much less difficult without a partner, male or female. I certainly couldn't do it without a supportive partner (Alan Saul), and particularly my mother, who is really good in terms of offering childcare. To have a partner is a huge advantage: being a single parent is very difficult, in politics and elsewhere."

The logistics of childcare aside, support in the face of the emotional vagaries of political lie is also paramount: "It's great to have someone to sound off to," Bacik notes. "There's a lot of abuse in politics, especially on social media, and people manage this in their own ways, but it's important to have the support of someone you can talk to outside of politics."

Similarly, Minister of State for European Affairs Helen McEntee acknowledges the support of her husband Paul Hickey, who she married in 2017, but notes that it takes more than just a supportive plus one to make strides in the political arena.

"I have a fantastic husband and couldn't do a lot without him, but if he wasn't there, I would definitely have other support," she reasons. "Having a husband or not doesn't mean you can't achieve (success). You'll meet challenges whether you're in a relationship or not, and you have to have that drive and ambition. Perhaps because there has been a lot of focus recently on the #MeToo movement, I suppose there's the idea you shouldn't say anything that there should be a man in the background. I don't think it was what Josepha was saying at all. But to me, I don't think there's any difference in a woman or a man saying it."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has acknowledged that low pay is an issue for the Defence Forces, but said it is a career choice that is "always about more than money".

Amid ongoing criticism about the pay and conditions facing Irish soldiers, Mr Varadkar has mooted overseas allowances as one area that could be looked at to boost pay for members of the Defence Forces, but warned the public service pay deal is at the upper limit of affordability for taxpayers.

Ger Guinan, the general secretary of PDFORRA, had told RTE on the first day of the visit that he would find it hard to recommend a career in the Defence Forces.

Mr Varadkar said he was "a little bit disappointed to hear that comment".

"Because joining the Defence Forces is always about more than money. It's an opportunity to serve your country, an opportunity to travel the world and an opportunity to learn new skills, which of course can bring you to future careers.

"But I acknowledge that low pay is an issue for the Defence Forces," he said.

Mr Varadkar said that allowances for Defence Forces members are being considered by the Public Service Pay Commission, with a report expected in spring, but said the suite of pay increases already slated for public servants was at the top limit of what taxpayers can afford.

A number of pay increases are scheduled to come into effect this year, including a special pay increase for low-paid staff.

"We've factored in hundreds of millions of euro worth of pay increases. It's pretty much at the limit of what taxpayers can afford.

"We do have a public sector pay commission and what they can do is look at specific areas that are very specific to particular parts of the public service and there are specific parts of the Defence Forces that are different, for example, to other public servants."

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach also said he believes that a consensus can be built around the best way to increase carbon taxes for Irish households that will avoid the type of backlash seen in the wake of the ill-fated attempt to introduce water charges.

He said he had studied the situation in Australia and Canada, as well as the water charges debacle and will bring forward proposals shortly for all-party consideration.

"We need to get this right in terms of having a proposal that works in terms of reducing emissions, that doesn't hit people disproportionately in their pockets, and one that we can explain to the public," he said.

He has already mooted the idea of a 'carbon cheque' or using revenue raised to fund an increase in child welfare.

Mr Varadkar was speaking in Mali, where he visited Irish troops serving as part of an EU training mission.

He witnessed Irish soldiers run drills with Malian forces on improvised explosive device (IED) detection, as well as urban warfare.
Scene at Ballyandrew in Ferns, Co Wexford (Photo: Colin O'Riordan)

Scene at Ballyandrew in Ferns, Co Wexford (Photo: Colin O'Riordan)

Closed: Gardai shut the road near Ferns, Co Wexford after the remains of a woman were found by a walker yesterday

Scene at Ballyandrew in Ferns, Co Wexford (Photo: Colin O'Riordan)

A garda car blocks the road to where skeletal remains were found near Ferns

GARDAI have found no indication of foul play in the death of a woman whose skeletal body was found in a Wexford ditch.

It is now feared that the middle aged woman may have died between a year and 18 months ago, possibly from a severe fall or sudden illness such as a heart attack.

Garda sources warned that extensive further tests will be required to try to determine the precise circumstances of the woman's death.

But inquiries so far have given no indication of anything suspicious in her death.

Officers are baffled as to how the woman's remains were not found before now.

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Whatsapp Closed: Gardai shut the road near Ferns, Co Wexford after the remains of a woman were found by a walker yesterday

The body was removed from Ballyandrew, outside Ferns in north Wexford, yesterday morning and a full post mortem examination was conducted at University Hospital Waterford (UHW).

Deputy State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan has briefed Gardai on her preliminary findings.

It is understood that further tests will be required to determine a precise cause of death.

However, it is understood there was no sign of trauma to the remains.

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The body was effectively skeletal though both clothing and hair was recovered at the scene.

One Garda source indicated that the woman, believed to be middle-aged and most likely an Italian national, died some considerable time ago.

"It certainly appears that she died either in late 2017 or in early-mid 2018," he said.

Further pathology tests including DNA genetic fingerprinting and toxicology are set to be ordered to confirm the identity of the woman.

Gardai admitted that a backpack found at the scene has yielded significant information.

The area where the body was found on Monday by a person out walking their dog remained sealed off yesterday to facilitate the work of Garda forensic experts.

Central to their investigation is whether the woman died at the scene and, if so, how the remains could have gone undiscovered for so long.

Door-to-door inquires around the tight-knit Ferns community are now being carried out to determine if anyone spotted anything unusual in the area over the past 18 months.

The clothing, backpack and black hair of the deceased match that of an Italian woman who was seen around the south-east in 2016/2017.

The woman, in her 50s, had been living rough in the north Wexford area in late 2017.

However, DNA may be required for a formal identification.

The woman was described as living on the fringes of local communities and largely keeping to herself.

Several people had expressed concern over her well-being given her frail appearance, state of health and lifestyle.

It is understood that Gardai had logged public concerns in 2017 over the welfare of the woman.

But she had not come to their attention beyond that.

Gardai are now working with Europol, Interpol and the Italian police to confirm the woman's identity and to trace any family members in Italy.

The investigation is being led by Enniscorthy Gardai who appealed for anyone with information to contact them on (053) 9242580.

Shocked locals left flowers and candles near the site.
Two Irishmen have been charged with murdering a 66-year-old man in Australia.

The two men, both from Co Donegal, were originally charged with the assault of the man on December 29.

The 66-year-old was found in a critical condition on the side of a road in Summer Hill when emergency services arrived to the scene shortly after 12.30am on December 29.

The man was treated at the scene by New South Wales ambulance paramedics before being taken to hospital in a critical condition, where he died yesterday morning at around 8.30am.

Christopher McLaughlin (24) and Nathan Kelly (21) from Co Donegal were first charged with grievous bodily harm and affray but had their charges upgraded to murder yesterday.

Both men remain in custody and are due to appear at Burwood Local Court on Wednesday 9 January.

Earlier reports said that they had arrived in Australia a few months ago.
The oil tanker " The Betelgeuse" which went on fire in Whiddy Island , Co. Cork

A IRISH marine expert paid emotional tribute to his father as one of the heroes of the 1979 Whiddy Island disaster for ignoring his own safety as he bravely stayed at his post by the burning oil tanker in a bid to save as many lives as possible.

Michael Kingston paid tribute to his late father, Tim, who died in the aftermath of the oil tanker explosion as relatives of the seven Irish victims gathered at Cork airport to welcome the families of the 44 French, UK and Dutch victims of Ireland's worst maritime tragedy of modern times.

The families who lost loved ones in the Betelgeuse oil tanker disaster at Whiddy Island flew into Ireland for a special 40th anniversary ceremony to be staged in west Cork this morning.

A total of 50 people died when the oil tanker exploded while unloading its cargo at the Whiddy Island terminal operated by Gulf Oil in the early hours of January 8 1979.

A 51st casualty was a Dutch salvage diver who died during subsequent work on the disaster site.

The special memorial service to be staged in Bantry today was organised by marine surveyor, Michael Kingston, who lost his father, Tim, in the disaster.

Mr Kingston, now a renowned London-based marine expert, marked his 44th birthday on January 7.

"In my eyes my father heroically remained at his post until the last," he said.

"You can imagine what it was like with a foreign-speaking crew desperately asking the local employees how do we get off this bloody jetty."

"There was no way off - and the safety boat that should have taken seven minutes to arrive, they waited for 25 minutes.

"Unfortunately they were denied their natural human instinct to save themselves because they relied on the system. Had they immediately swam to safety, they would be alive today.

"It was an atrocious situation but my father heroically remained at his post.

"Indeed, he was later found with two local people, one of whom couldn't swim, eight months later and one of their wives said that he probably tried to assist in saving them at the last minute.

"My father was an employee of Gulf Oil and was an oil pollution control officer (at Whiddy) to be closer to his family in Goleen," he said.

"He was one of the two people on the jetty that night who, in conjunction with the ship (officers), had walkie-talkies and was desperately trying to get rescue boats called out and the fire hydrants turned on. Sadly, that never happened."

A total of seven Irish workers died in the explosion and fireball which was seen almost 25km away.

Those who died included Tim Kingston, Denis O'Leary, David Warner, Charlie Brennan, Neil OShea, Jimmy OSullivan and Liam Shanahan.

Denis O'Leary's daughter and grandson, Maura and Harry Baker, were amongst those who welcomed the French families to Cork.

Betelgeuse, an ageing 120,000 tonne French-owned tanker, exploded in a fireball so intense as it unloaded a 110,000 tonne cargo of crude oil that rescue crews and tugs were unable to reach crew and workers stranded on the burning jetty.

An inquiry revealed that the tanker's hull cracked due to pressure strains during the unloading of the crude oil cargo. The ageing vessel was in poor condition with corrosion to its hull.

A small fire began which was quickly followed by a massive explosion which resulted in the tanker splitting in half and a large portion of the jetty being sprayed with burning oil and debris.

Many of the French crew who died were asleep in their bunks when the explosion occurred. Just 27 bodies of the 42 French, seven Irish and one UK nationals were recovered.

Such was the incredible violence of the explosion that pieces of the wrecked ship and oil assembly were blown into the Meelagh Valley some 10km away.

A huge piece of shrapnel from the ship - roughly the size of a car - narrowly missed one of the giant oil storage tanks on the island.

Mr Kingston warned that the lessons of the Whiddy disaster have still not been enacted.

"Any family will understand the scale of the loss we have suffered," he said.

"It was a horrific disaster- the pain is multiplied by the atrocious manner in which our loved ones died, waiting for a rescue that never happened.

"To compound that, there was a failing of the institutions of the Irish State - and there were also huge regulatory failings.

"A huge issue not just for what happened in Whiddy Island but also every worker in the Irish State is that Ireland still hasn't enacted corporate manslaughter charges which the Law Commission recommended in 2005 and which were implemented in the UK in 2007 - leaving the workers of Ireland wide open for deliberate failings by corporations in health and safety.

"You would have thought we would have learned from the Whiddy Island disaster but we have not learned.

"We need to wake up and wake up fast before further life is lost."

The memorial service will be staged at St Finbarr's Church in Bantry at 11am today.

Following the service, members of the Irish-French Betelgeuse Association will lay a wreath at Bantry graveyard where some of the victims are buried.

Special boats will also bring the families to the disaster site at Whiddy.

A number of leading maritime organisations will be represented at the memorial together with the Naval Service, Irish Coast Guard and several embassies.
An Irish businessman on the board of a company that produces controversial pesticide Roundup said consumers and farmers should be in no doubt that the product is safe.

Liam Condon, who is originally from Dublin, made his comments five months after a Californian jury ordered Monsanto, the company that produces Roundup, to pay $289m (252m) to a school groundskeeper who said the glyphosate in the product caused his terminal cancer.

The jury said Monsanto failed to warn consumers of cancer risks. Monsanto, which is owned by Bayer, is appealing the ruling. Mr Condon, who is the president of Bayer's crop science division, told the Irish Independent he is confident the appeal will be successful.

"Roundup has been on the market for over 40 years and approved by over 160 authorities around the world. Every regulatory authority has looked at this again and again and they have all come to the conclusion that it is safe and effective," he said.

Mr Condon said the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is one of four arms of the World Health Organisation that examine cancer risks and was the only one that stated that Roundup probably causes cancer.

"IARC basically put glyphosate in to the same category as hot drinks, red meat, aloe vera so a lot of stuff that you would say is consumed or used on a daily basis by an average person without anybody screaming for the products to be banned," he said.
Spectacular: Climbers enjoy the sights of the McGillycuddy Reeks in Co Kerry

Famed for its stunning scenery, mountain walks and outdoor activities, it's no wonder that the 'Reeks District' in Co Kerry has been listed as one of the world's best places to visit in 2019.

The newly rebranded tourism region features at No.3 on the 'Rough Guide's 'Six Regions on our Radar' list, behind Yunnan in China and Argentina's Ibera Wetlands.

Canada's Yukon Territory, Jordan's Wadi Rum and Alabama, USA, round out the holiday hotspots "that most excite" the guides' authors for the coming year.

The Reeks District is now expected to see a significant boost in tourists thanks to the prestigious accolade.

"Kerry has been on the tourism map for so long, it's easy to be jaded about the region's beauty," the British travel guide stated. "But the spectacular MacGillycuddy's Reeks refresh the brand by taking you inside that postcard scenery.

"Visitors can drive, walk, hike, climb, bike, kayak, surf and sail around the mountains, lakes and coast of a rugged region formerly marketed as 'Mid Kerry', it adds.

Killorglin's Puck Fair, Blue Flag beaches at Inch and Rossbeigh and the 1,038m Carrauntoohil are listed as highlights, as are its live music pubs, warm welcome and the "modern Ireland of trendy coffee shops, young designers and boutique B&Bs."

Thanks to The Mid Kerry Tourism Cluster, the territory that hugs Castlemaine Harbour from Inch to Rossbeigh has been making strides since its launch in April 2018.

Louise McEvoy, who runs Aloha House - a Hawaiian Healing & Yoga retreat in Killorglin - said she hopes the rebrand will make the Reeks District as popular as Killarney and Dingle. "All this promotion we've been receiving over the past year has been just incredible," she said.

"Although the Reeks is on the very popular 'Wild Atlantic Way', there weren't many people who would stay longer than a night. Now with this rebrand, we're certainly giving the likes of Killarney and Dingle a run for their money.

"It's also helped to bring local businesses together in ways that benefit everyone."

Surf school owner Tom Leen, who has been running Kingdom Waves in Ardroe, Inch, for the past 15 years, believes that last year's rebrand has tapped into the region's potential for the first time.

"It's been doing great for us so far, but honestly this is just the beginning. What's really cool about the rebrand is that all of the smaller townlands within the Reeks are being highlighted and bringing far more people into the area.

"There was definitely a need to put this region on the map because most visitors only see Tralee, Killarney and Dingle as their only options when visiting Kerry. So far our online presence is way up and it will be interesting to see just how well we do this summer".
Former President Mary Robinson ignored questions about her controversial visit to Dubai to meet with Princess Latifa.

The princess - the daughter of the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum - reportedly tried to flee the UAE last year, though her attempted bid to get away was thwarted in controversial circumstances after it was alleged security forces from the UAE snatched her from a yacht off the coast of India in March.

Ms Robinson visited Princess Latifa last month, at the request of her stepmother Princess Haya, and photographs documenting the visit were issued by the government in Dubai.

Since then, Ms Robinson has been interviewed on the BBC and made comments describing Princess Latifa as a "troubled young woman". She has been subjected to much criticism since.

The former President of Ireland chose not to make any comment as she attended the 'Global Ireland 2025 Conference: Making it Happen' at Dublin Castle yesterday afternoon.

Despite posing for photographs upon her arrival at the Castle, Ms Robinson did not acknowledge a question asking for comment on her trip to Dubai as she made her way into the conference hall.

The Mayo woman - who previously served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights between 1997 and 2002 - was speaking as part of a panel at the event.

However, media were not invited to cover the event.

A number of photographs showing Ms Robinson addressing delegates at the conference were posted on social media platforms yesterday.

It's understood that Ms Robinson spoke of a number of challenges currently facing humanity.

Among the topics discussed at the event were climate change and stalled nuclear disarmament.

A spokesperson for the former President said that the decision to keep the media out of the event was a matter for the Department of Foreign Affairs and it had nothing to do with her recent trip to the UAE.

The department said that "as in years past, the conference is not open to the public as it is a working conference which allows our heads of mission the opportunity to gather and discuss Ireland's place in the world".

On Saturday, Princess Haya - one of the ruler of Dubai's six wives - told RTE's 'Marian Finucane Show' that she had invited Ms Robinson to "seek counsel as a family friend".
Closed: Gardai shut the road near Ferns, Co Wexford after the remains of a woman were found by a walker yesterday

The skeletal remains found in a drain in Co Wexford are believed to be those of a woman.

A garda investigation is under way today following the discovery yesterday by a woman out walking her dog.

The body was found alongside a road in the townland of Ballyandrew, near Ferns, Co Wexford shortly before midday.

Although the gender has not yet been officially established, it is understood the remains are those of a woman.

A small backpack was found beside the body, it is understood.

A post mortem was due to be conducted today, the results of which will determine the investigation, and whether the gardai are dealing with a crime or tragic death.

Gardai have said there appears to have been no attempt to conceal or bury the remains but they were concerned, particularly as the find was made in a relatively quiet area.

Officers are checking the list of people reported missing in the region as they make preliminary inquiries to identify the remains.

One officer said: "This could be a death from natural causes, or possibly a traffic incident or something more sinister. We are not likely to know until we receive the PM results".

Local gardai in Bunclody are being assisted by officers from the district headquarters in Enniscorthy.

A decision on whether to bring in a forensic anthropologist to help with the inquiries will only be taken by gardai following the post mortem examination.

It is as yet not known how long the remains had been in the location where it was found.

Local farmer Harry Murphy said he was "shocked" when he realised a body bad been discovered within a mile of his home.

"I was coming through and I didn't know what was happening when I saw the guards," he said.

"This is a quiet area and I was shocked because nothing ever really happens like this around here.

"I go up and down that road every day, I only live a mile up the road," he added.

Residents in the quiet farming community said they are not aware of anyone who is missing from the area.

Local Fianna Fail councillor Pip Breen said the local community was shocked but hopeful the discovery would bring "closure" once the remains are identified.

"Everyone who is missing a relative will say to themselves: 'Is this one of ours?'

"And that's the biggest thing here," he said.

"We have to wait to see and everyone is only guessing for something at this stage.

"There is nothing good about this and the only thing is it might bring closure for someone."
French tanker 'Betelgeuse' explodes at Whiddy Island in Cork in 1979 in what was Ireland's worst oil disaster

The oil tanker " The Betelgeuse" which went on fire in Whiddy Island , Co. Cork

THE Government was accused of failing to properly honour the memory of 51 Irish, French, UK and Dutch nationals who died in the 1979 Whiddy Island disaster with marine safety recommendations gathering dust on Government shelves.

The son of one Whiddy victim also hit out at the fact the Government was only represented at a special 40th anniversary memorial service by a Junior Minister despite all senior Irish politicians being asked to attend.

Junior Health Minister Jim Daly attended the memorial in Bantry in west Cork - but Michael Kingston, who lost his father, Tim, in the oil tanker explosion on January 8 1979, insisted someone of Cabinet rank or the minister with the specific portfolio involved should have attended as a mark of respect.

"I hoped I would not have to do this but that there would be compassion. But my hand has been reluctantly forced and I have to be true to myself. Today is an enormous day...the world is here today in Bantry and looking on. Ireland is a maritime nation. Nearly every Irish maritime institution is here today but where are the responsible ministers for these areas in the Irish Government?

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"Where are our leaders to welcome our French friends here today? Where is the respect for our maritime sector and our rescue services?

"Let us be clear - 43 (French) people came into our jurisdiction and died in a workplace disaster that should never have happened.

"The failures that took place both on the ship and at the oil terminal were some of the the worst derelictions of duty in relation to safety in world maritime history."

Mr Kingston asked Mr Daly to immediately raise the Whiddy issue in the Dail - and to urge Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to issue a public apology for what happened at the oil terminal 40 years ago.

"Today, the world is watching here in Bantry - raise these issues immediately in Cabinet. Set down a motion in the Dail to enact Ireland's corporate manslaughter act....you can ask the Taoiseach to issue an apology to all families," Mr Kingston told the memorial ceremony.

Mr Daly later said he was representing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Government at the ceremony.

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"That (an apology) is a judgement call for the Taoiseach to make," he said.

"I will certainly pass on that call to the Taoiseach. I am not going to speak or react on behalf of the Government. Clearly relatives are not happy and that will be looked at."

Hundreds attended the special memorial service in Bantry, Co Cork to mark the 40th anniversary of the fire and explosion on the

French-owned oil tanker MV Betelgeuse which wrecked the Whiddy oil jetty.

Relatives of the 51 Irish, French, UK and Dutch nationals who died in the tragedy and its aftermath attended the special ceremony at St Finbarr's Church in Bantry.

Afterwards, special wreath laying ceremonies took place at Bantry graveyard and near the disaster site where two boats brought relatives to Whiddy escorted by Naval Service, RNLI and Coast Guard vessels.

Virtually all Irish and international marine organisations were represented at the service.

Mr Kingston warned Ireland is duty-bound to ensure such a tragedy never again happens within Irish industry.

"You would have thought we would have learned from the Whiddy Island disaster but we have not learned," he warned.

"We need to wake up and wake up fast before further life is lost."

Mr Kingston said it was "inexplicable" that charges arising from the 1979 tragedy were later dismissed.

"The reasons for this have never been explained - it was a failing of the institutions of the Irish State," he said.

"There were also huge regulatory failings."

The Whiddy Island relatives warned that the legacy they want for their loved ones is the world's finest health and safety legislation and enforcement.

"It was very traumatic - any family who has suffered a sudden loss will understand. We had the awful pain of suffering and loss (from) not being able to say goodbye to those we loved," Mr Kingston said.

"It was a horrific disaster- the pain is multiplied by the atrocious manner in which our loved ones died, waiting for a rescue that never happened."

"A huge issue not just for what happened in Whiddy Island but also every worker in the Irish State is that Ireland still hasn't enacted corporate manslaughter charges which the Law Commission recommended in 2005 and which were implemented in the UK in 2007 - leaving the workers of Ireland wide open for deliberate failings by corporations in health and safety."

"There are still outstanding conventions in Ireland for the safety of our seafarers and our fishermen and to prevent our rescue services from being unnecessarily called out that are laying on Government shelves.

"You would have thought we would have learned from the failure to implement (such safety issues) from the Whiddy Island disaster."

A total of 50 people died when the oil tanker exploded while unloading its cargo at the Whiddy Island terminal operated by Gulf Oil in the early hours of January 8.

A 51st casualty was a Dutch salvage diver who died during subsequent work on the disaster site.

Mr Kingston, now a renowned London-based marine expert, marked his 44th birthday on January 7.

"In my eyes my father heroically remained at his post until the last," he told Independent.ie.

"He was one of the two people on the jetty that night who, in conjunction with the ship (officers), had walkie-talkies and was desperately trying to get rescue boats called out and the fire hydrants turned on. Sadly, that never happened."

A total of seven Irish workers died in the explosion and fireball which was seen almost 25km away.

It was estimated the temperatures on the jetty at the height of the fire reached 1000C.

Those who died included Tim Kingston, Denis O'Leary, David Warner, Charlie Brennan, Neil OShea, Jimmy OSullivan and Liam Shanahan Snr. Liam Shanahan Jnr, who was born the night his father died, said the families had supported each other over the years.

"It is a very emotional occasion. We will never forget what happened that night. We will never forget those that died," he said.

Denis O'Leary's daughter and grandson, Maura and Harry Baker, were also amongst those who attended the ceremony.

Betelgeuse, an ageing 120,000 tonne French-owned tanker, exploded in a fireball so intense as it unloaded a 110,000 tonne cargo of crude oil that rescue crews and tugs were unable to reach crew and workers stranded on the burning jetty.

An inquiry revealed that the tanker's hull cracked due to pressure strains during the unloading of the crude oil cargo.

The ageing vessel was in poor condition with corrosion to its hull.

A small fire began which was quickly followed by a massive explosion which resulted in the tanker splitting in half and a large portion of the jetty being sprayed with burning oil and debris.

Many of the French crew who died were asleep in their bunks when the explosion occurred.

Just 27 bodies of the 42 French, seven Irish and one UK nationals were recovered.

Such was the incredible violence of the explosion that pieces of the wrecked ship and oil assembly were blown into the Meelagh Valley some 10km away.

A huge piece of shrapnel from the ship - roughly the size of a car - narrowly missed one of the giant oil storage tanks on the island.
A man who "died three times" after suffering a cardiac arrest while driving has appealed for help in identifying the people who saved his life.

Patrick Sweeney (60), who lives in Co Wexford, made his appeal on the national airwaves yesterday when he contacted RTE's 'Liveline' programme. He told broadcaster Joe Duffy that he was driving in South Dublin when he suffered a "cardiac arrest". He crashed into the car in front of him

The doctor, along with two paramedics who arrived on the scene within minutes, provided CPR to Mr Sweeney until an ambulance arrived.

"The doctor and two paramedics brought me back to life and kept me there until an ambulance arrived and brought me to St James's," he said.

"I died three times, these three people brought me back to life."

He said he wants to thank the three people for saving his life while he continues to recover at home.
Hundreds of hospital patients suffered a last-minute cancellation of surgery yesterday amid warnings the trolley crisis is set to worsen.

Hospitals were unable to find beds for 541 patients who spent hours on trolleys in A&E departments and wards.

Consultants also cautioned that some of the patients whose surgery has been postponed up to now are suffering from cancer.

Patients with cancer in University Hospital Galway are among those whose operations have been put back due to rolling theatre closures imposed even before the winter emergency plan, said the Irish Hospital Consultants Association.

The ominous surge in overcrowding yesterday follows a series of control measures by the HSE since the beginning of 2019 which kept trolley numbers below 400.

But there are now fears the winter plan is beginning to unravel as an influx of very sick patients who need to be admitted to a ward looks set to escalate.

All day case surgery scheduled for University Hospital Limerick had to be cancelled.

Doctors in Letterkenny University Hospital were told surgeries are being reduced from up to six operations a week to two for the next three weeks.

The worst-hit hospital was University Hospital Limerick - where 44 patients languished on trolleys.

Letterkenny was also struggling to find beds for 36 patients, and a similar number were languishing at Cork University Hospital.

Dr Emily O'Connor, spokeswoman for emergency consultants, said: "It will get worse."

Despite the efforts to stem the crisis and achievements by some individual hospitals, there has been "no wholesale change", she added.

Health Minister Simon Harris, who met with the HSE yesterday, said a rise in the numbers of patients struck by flu was adding to congestion.

Mr Harris insisted the figures were still better than this time last year. But in a worrying development, hospitals are having to cope with an increase in patients who no longer need medical care but cannot be discharged without supports.

The HSE revealed some 526 of these patients are now occupying beds, escalating from 471 on Christmas Day after some 300 homecare packages freed up beds.

Dr O'Connor said many of the patients who are on trolleys are ill and need a bed.

She also worried about a slowing down of pace in the response from community services to help relieve hospitals as the festive season progressed.

Meanwhile, Mr Harris was asked if he was trying to put a positive spin on the increased numbers on trolleys by highlighting the fall in numbers year-on-year.

"It's still far too many but I find the question a bit interesting because if we were standing here and it was an 8pc increase in hospital trolleys, you'd be saying 'it's terrible, they're up 8pc'. I'm just making the point that they're down 8pc," he said.

"Of course there's far too many on hospital trolleys. Of course we need to do everything we possibly can to help patient flow.

"But let's remember what's happening in the health service today... people are coming into hospital.

"They're often very sick with flu.

"They need to get assessed.

"It takes longer perhaps to find them an appropriate isolation space in the hospital.

"It's really important that the HSE prioritises isolation, that it does everything it possibly can to make sure that we don't spread the flu throughout the hospital and throughout the community and we need the public's help in that regard as well."

He promised there will be new teams to assess the frailty of elderly patients in Cork, Waterford and Galway to determine if they need to be admitted or not.

More homecare packages are also on the way, he added. There will also be more access to diagnostics and 1,300 vouchers were given to patients for private scans.
A nursing union that will announce a series of 24-hour strikes today has hit back at the Taoiseach for ruling out pay rises.

The 40,000-strong Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) will announce stoppages that could begin as early as the end of this month.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned any extra funds available would be used to protect jobs that are most vulnerable if the UK crashes out of the EU in March - not wage hikes.

And Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe claimed nurses' demands for increases on top of pay rises due under an existing pay deal threatened to take the State back to the "bad old days" and was "unsustainable".

Health Minister Simon Harris said the last thing the health service needed was a strike. He called for talks but warned "we can't just pick and choose bits of the public sector agreement that we like".

Forge

But the INMO and Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) warned they will forge ahead with strikes unless ministers discuss their grievances.

INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said the strike could be averted, but it would take direct engagement from ministers.

"The first step is for the Government to acknowledge that we have a problem," she said.

She said uncompetitive wages made it impossible to recruit enough nurses and midwives and the HSE only received one application for every four posts. She claimed the unions' demands could be dealt with within the existing pay deal. The unions want rises to bring nurses' wages in line with other staff, including occupational therapists.

However, ministers claim granting them would be a breach of the deal. They are also likely to fear knock-on claims.

The Public Service Pay Commission found no recruitment crisis among nurses and recommended increases for specialised grades. But a Government offer worth 20m was rejected.

General secretary of the PNA Peter Hughes said nobody in Government had disputed the worsening recruitment and retention issue. He said vacancies in psychiatric nursing had increased 40pc in the past year.

More than 7,000 support staff in major hospitals will begin balloting on strike action at the end of the month.
HOSPITAL patients face the threat of disruption as more than 40,000 nurses are set to go on strike on six dates from the end of this month.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has announced a series of stoppages unless the government agrees to give them pay rises.

They will strike on January 30 for 24 hours and if the dispute is unresolved on further dates on February 5, 7, 12, 13 and 14.

Nurses will strike for the 24 hour period, providing only lifesaving care and emergency response teams.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association, representing another 6,000 nurses, will announce its strike dates on Thursday.

The unions claim there is a recruitment and retention crisis among nurses and midwives that is fuelled by low wages.

The unions want rises to bring nurses' wages in line with other staff, including respiratory technicians, whose pay at 53,372 a year is 7,671 higher than a nurses 45,701 basic pay rate after 15 years.

The Minister for Health, Simon Harris said today he does not believe that industrial action is warranted and could be avoided.

The Minister said he believes there is a clear need for engagement and it is essential that the time is used by all sides to find a resolution to this dispute.

In that context, health sector management will invite the INMO to meet with them next week.

The number of staff nurses fell by 1,754 (6pc) between 2008 and 2018, despite an ageing, growing population making the health service busier.

This would be only the second national strike in the INMOs hundred-year history, said INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha.

Going on strike is the last thing a nurse or midwife wants to do. But the crisis in recruitment and retention has made it impossible for us to do our jobs properly. We are not able give patients the care they deserve under these conditions.

The HSE simply cannot recruit enough nurses and midwives on these wages. Until that changes, the health service will continue to go understaffed and patient care will be compromised.

The ball is in the governments court. This strike can be averted. All it takes is for the government to acknowledge our concerns, engage with us directly, and work to resolve this issue, in a pro-active manner.

We were due to meet with the government in the national oversight body in December, but the meeting was cancelled. Like many patients in Irelands health service, we are still waiting for an appointment.

INMO President Martina Harkin-Kelly said:We entered these professions because we care for our patients. Well be going on strike for the exact same reason. Irelands patients deserve better than this understaffed health service.

Nurses and midwives are now globally traded assets. The public health service no longer pays a competitive wage, so we can no longer get the necessary number of nurses and midwives.

We are calling on the public to support us. Nurses and midwives are always there for you when you need help. Now we need your help.

However, the nurses will face serious financial repercussions if they take industrial action.

A spokesperson at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said public servants who take any industrial action face a nine month day in pay rises due under that deal.

Their increments will be frozen until the end of 2020.

In addition, they would pay more pension contributions than their colleagues and would not benefit from a 20m government offer for specialised nursing grades due to recruitment difficulties.

They would also lose measures to reverse the two-tier pay for recent recruits worth 3,300 each.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned that any extra funds available will be used to protect the most vulnerable jobs if the UK crashes out of the EU in March - not wage hikes.

He also said that patients will be hit as surgeries and appointments will be cancelled if a strike takes place..

We have an agreement which we have concluded with all public servants, including the nursing unions, and we will honour that, he said.

It involves an across-the-board pay increase in the Autumn for everyone and an incremental pay increase for the vast majority of nurses.

It involves also a special pay increase for new entrant staff, those recruited after 2012, worth around 3,000 a year to roughly ten thousand nurses, and there has been a special increase in January for those earning below 30,000 a year.

He said the public sector pay commission has already examined the issue of nursing retention, and made recommendations for increased allowances for nurses in areas where there is a real difficulty with recruitment and retention.

But unfortunately two of the nursing unions object to that, and that is why we are heading into potential dispute, he said.

He said the Workplace Relations Commission and the the Labour Court will be available to assist in trying to come to a resolution.

At a time when we are finally getting waiting lists down when it comes to operations and procedures, I would really regret if a few days of strike action was to cause us to lose that progress, he added.

And Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe claimed nurses' demands for increases on top of pay rises due under an existing pay deal threatens to take the State back to the "bad old days" and are "unsustainable".

Health Minister Simon Harris said the last thing the health service needed was a strike.

He called for talks but warned "we can't just pick and choose bits of the public sector agreement that we like".

But the INMO and Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) warned they will forge ahead with strikes unless ministers discuss their grievances.

INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha claims uncompetitive wages made it impossible to recruit enough nurses and midwives and the HSE only received one application for every four posts.

She claimed the unions' demands could be dealt with within the existing pay deal. However, ministers claim granting them would be a breach of the deal.

The Public Service Pay Commission found no recruitment crisis among nurses and recommended increases for specialised grades. But a Government offer worth 20m for these nurses was rejected.
The education gap between pupils in post-primary schools in disadvantaged communities and others has narrowed, but there is still a significant gulf, according to an evaluation of the DEIS programme.

There was a general upward trend in student performance between 2002 and 2017, but pupils in DEIS schools have improved at a faster rate than others. However the report, by the Educational Research Centre (ERC), Drumcondra, warns "significant gaps still exist" and that they are mainly based on income inequality.

Report authors Dr Susan Weir and Dr Lauren Kavanagh say "while this is a societal problem, the impacts are evident in our schools and it is important to continue to provide educational programmes such as DEIS to address the needs of our most marginalised students".

The Delivering Equality of Opportunities in Schools (DEIS) programme provides extra supports, such as higher grants and additional teachers, to schools under its umbrella.

More than one in four - 198 - post-primary schools have a DEIS designation, which is linked to the socio-economic profile of pupils. While schools that are not designated as DEIS may have a lot of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, DEIS schools have higher concentrations.

The ERC used medical card possession as an indicator for low family income and DEIS schools had almost double the concentration of pupils from such families compared with non-DEIS schools.

Nationally, there has been a significant rise in medical card possession in the past decade, particularly for families that have pupils in DEIS, and, on average, in 2017, 41pc of pupils came from medical card families - up from 30pc in 2007.

However, DEIS schools had almost double the proportion (62pc) of pupils from medical card families compared with non-DEIS schools (34pc) - up from 49pc and 21pc in 2007.

Among the ERC findings are that, since the introduction of DEIS, fewer students in these schools have sat foundation level papers in Junior Cert English and maths, with more students also taking higher level papers in these subjects.

For example, in 2007, about 24pc of DEIS pupils took foundation level maths, and by 2016 this had reduced to 13pc, while the proportion of DEIS students taking higher level maths rose from 19pc to 33pc.

The report also notes the leap in numbers staying on to do the Leaving Cert. Of pupils who started post-primary in 1995, 77pc of those in non-DEIS schools and 62 pc of those in DEIS school did the Leaving Cert - rising to 90pc and 82pc respectively for those who started in 2011.

Education Minister Joe McHugh said the research provided "further valuable evidence that DEIS is working", although it was "still very apparent that a gap still remains. It is vital that we continue our commitment to support those schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantage under the DEIS programme".
A former sales manager with a pet food supplier has secured a temporary High Court injunction requiring his ex-employers to stop publishing allegedly defamatory statements about him.

The orders were secured by Gerard Flannery, who had been the sales manager in the Republic for Northern Ireland-based Nutts About Pets Ltd and a related firm, Speedritedog Food Limited.

On December 7 last, he claims he was summarily dismissed without any prior notice.

A week later, statements were posted on Nutts About Pets Ltd website and Facebook page.

The company statements refer to "misleading rumours and speculation" regarding Mr Flannery's dismissal and that Nutts About Pets would "like to set the record straight".

The statements add Mr Flannery was sacked after "a lengthy investigation [about] financial irregularities" within the office where he worked.

Margaret Nerny SC, for Mr Flannery, told the High Court yesterday the statements are "defamatory" of her client, who had worked very hard on behalf of the company.

Destroy

Mr Flannery claims the statements are an attempt to destroy his reputation in order to distract from the defendant's own financial irregularities and shortcomings.

Counsel said her client was well known in the greyhound sector, had increased product sales and earned a promotion during his tenure.

Counsel said matters had been exacerbated several days after the statements were published when readers of the web pages were asked to "share this post".

As a result of the publications Mr Flannery from Ballinakill, Eyrecourt, Co Galway, secured an injunction against the two companies and the firm's owner Mr Basil Thompson.

They require the defendants to remove and delete the company statement posted on both the Nutts About Pets website and Facebook pages on December 13 last.

The orders also require the defendants to remove and delete a post made on December 23 entitled "please share this post" in regards to the statement posted on the sites December 13.

The injunction was granted on an ex parte basis.
Vanished: Conor and Sheila Dwyer were last seen in April, 1991

Gardai admitted that tracing a 30-year-old Toyota Cressida car or its parts now holds the key to solving the mystery of an Irish couple who vanished without trace in 1991.

Conor and Sheila Dwyer both vanished from their home in Fermoy, Co Cork, on April 30, 1991, and have not been seen since.

Their disappearance remains one of Ireland's most baffling missing persons cases.

Despite a major investigation, both gardai and the couple's family have been unable to determine their fate.

Gardai stressed that their investigation into the missing couple remains open and active, though it has now been several years since any possible information came to light.

But detectives believe tracing their Toyota Cressida car holds the key to the mystery over what happened and urged anyone with information to contact them.

The car, a white saloon, had the registration number 5797 ZT and has never been found.

The Garda investigation was hampered by the fact the couple, both in their 60s, vanished with all their travel documents left at their Chapel Hill home.

Their bank accounts were never accessed and, despite numerous appeals, TV reconstructions and even an RTE radio documentary, no confirmed trace of the couple was ever found.

The TV reconstruction revolved around a replica Toyota Cressida car which Fermoy gardai believe now holds the key to the mystery.

A possible sighting was reported in Munich in Germany in 1993 but both Bavarian police and Interpol were unable to confirm it.

The German information intrigued gardai because Mr Dwyer, a handyman, had worked for a time in Ireland for a German businessman.

Mr Dwyer ran errands for the businessman and also looked after his cars, including a Rolls-Royce.

"The file is open but, at this point, we just don't know what happened," a Garda source said.

"Without any possible sightings to investigate, our best hope is tracing that Toyota Cressida car.

"Or what might remain of it, such as a licence plate or engine block."

The last contact anyone had with the couple was on May 1 when Ms Dwyer spoke to her sister on the phone.

The last sighting was by a neighbour near their Chapel Hill home at 9.30am on April 30 as the couple left to attend a funeral.

On May 22 the alarm was raised when Ms Dwyer's sisters, Maisie and Nellie, became concerned at their inability to locate the couple and alerted gardai.

The disappearance shocked neighbours, friends and family because all had reported nothing unusual with either Conor or Sheila Dwyer.

The couple vanished, leaving behind all their personal belongings including photo albums, clothing and even jewellery.
Broadcasting legend Larry Gogan will be leaving 2FM after 40 years, the station has announced.

Gogan will present his last programme on 2FM on Thursday 31st January 2019 as part of a day of special events celebrating the DJ.

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He will then present the golden hour on RTEs digital station, RTE Gold, on weekdays at 1pm.

In a statement, Gogan said: I have loved all my time on 2FM and would like to thank all the amazing support from all my listeners, great colleagues and all the fantastic Irish and International artists I have been privileged to support and be a part of their success. I am thrilled to be moving over to Gold full time and being part of that exciting new digital world.

Gogan presented the golden hour which featured the "just a minute quiz", and the DJ became known for catchphrases like "they didn't really suit you".

Throughout his career, Gogan has interviewed musical greats such as the late Glen Campbell and Roy Orbison, as well as Larry Mullen, Garth Brooks, Michael Bolton, and Tom Jones.

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He began presenting shows on RTE Radio in the 1960s, working primarily on pop music programmes and he was in the original line up for Radio 2 in 1979.

He has won a number of awards for his contribution to Irish music including a Meteor Award and is a member of the IMRO radio awards hall of fame.

Speaking to Joe Duffy on on RTE Radio 1's Liveline, Larry revealed that he is on dialysis three times a week which is "very time consuming". He also has arthritis in his knees which necessitated a brief stint away from his show for a time in 2017.

However, he said he "I feel great, there's no doubt about that. I was getting very full of fluid and heavy [before dialysis] but now I'm fine."

Dan Healy, Head of RTE 2FM and Radio Strategy described Gogan as one of the foundations on which 2FM was built.

There have been huge names associated with 2FM such as Gerry Ryan, Dave Fanning, Ian Dempsey, and of course Larry Gogan. Larry and these other great broadcasters were the foundation on which 2FM was built and paved the way for the other music driven stations in Ireland."

"Larrys love of music and radio has made him the greatest music DJ in Irish broadcasting history. No matter what time of day, whether it was weekday or weekends  audiences always followed Larry. The best thing any aspiring music presenter can do is to listen to Larry broadcasting. That gorgeous voice is his, not much you can do about that, but listen to the crisp tight warm links and how he only ever talks about the music. That is how to do it."

Healy paid tribute to Gogan, saying he won "all the major radio awards in Ireland including the highest accolade The Radio Outstanding Achievement award in 2012".

"2FM owe Larry a great deal and I am proud and grateful as are all my colleagues at 2FM that we can claim that we worked with Larry Gogan. We had Gogan, the UK had Wogan. The greatest of them all is Larry Gogan and we look forward to continuing to listen to him on RTE Gold.

Meanwhile, Dee Forbes, Director General, RTE said: Larry Gogan is a living legend, a true household name, and a genuine national institution. His legacy transcends generations  he is remembered as the first man to spin a disc on Radio 2; others will fondly mention him in connection with a hilarious moment on the Just a Minute Quiz; others still will know him as the man who starts Christmas with a song  and that, by the way, is a tradition Im sure Larry will continue on RTE Gold. As one disc ends, another begins: thank you for the music Larry, the music you launched to millions on 2fm, and the music yet to come on RTE Gold.

Larry survived several shake-ups at 2FM, the most recent of which saw the move of long-time 2FM presenters Will Leahy and Rick O'Shea to digital station, RTE Gold.

Larry said earlier this year that he had no intention of retiring.

Nicholas Parsons, who hosted that TV quiz Sale of the Century, is 90 and does a radio show every day on Radio Norwich," he told the Irish Sun.

I love playing music. I would hate to retire. I dont feel old. I feel about 30. I watch Love Island on TV  that seems to amaze people in RTE, but I do.
One of Americas sweethearts will hand the torch to another when Tom Hanks presents Alan Alda with a lifetime achievement award at the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Award ceremony.

Alda, an 82-year-old Golden Globe and Emmy winner, will become the 55th recipient of the annual award given to an actor who fosters the finest ideals of the acting profession.

Hanks will hand it to him in a ceremony on January 27.

Im so thrilled that Tom agreed to that. I had no idea they were even asking him. And its so generous of him, Alda told the Associated Press.

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Alda and Hanks worked together on the film Bridge Of Spies, and Alda said they have run into each other casually over the years at awards ceremonies and on airplanes and things like that. So, I remember him when he was just a kid.

Throughout a career that has spanned seven decades, Alda has appeared in The West Wing, The Aviator and Manhattan Murder History, but is perhaps best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the television series M*A*S*H.

He has won six Emmy awards and was also nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2004 for his role in The Aviator.

He has also been involved in numerous charities and organisations that have supported childrens causes, womens issues and the sciences.

The latter inspired the formation of the Alan Alda Centre for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University in New York.

That combined with his affable personality has earned Alda his nice guy reputation over the years. He jokes that the niceness compensates for a profession that is not always viewed kindly.

Its a counterbalance, I guess, to the rowdy reputation that a lot of actors have had over the last couple of hundred years, including the guy who shot Lincoln. So its good to balance the reputations of the acting profession, Alda said.
European governments are expected to issue some 35bn of new debt this week (Stock photo)

European governments are expected to issue some 35bn of new debt this week, and anticipation of supply as well as recovering risk sentiment are keeping upward pressure on bond yields despite more weak data from Germany.

Austria, Germany and the Netherlands will kick off issuance with auctions on Tuesday, and Ireland and Portugal are widely expected to add to recent syndications from Belgium and Slovenia.

Core euro zone bond yields, including Germany -- the benchmark for the region -- inched higher in early trade, tracking the late move higher in US Treasuries on Monday.

Expected supply is outweighing any downward pressure from falling German industrial output which will likely add to concerns about European growth, according to Christoph Rieger, rates strategist at Commerzbank.

"What is more important than the tier two macro data is the avalanche of supply in European government bonds and SSA, as well as the US refinancing which starts today," he said.

German industrial output unexpectedly fell in November for the third consecutive month, data showed on Tuesday, in a further sign that Europe's largest economy shifted into a lower gear in the final quarter of 2018.

But investors remain focused on the stronger than expected US jobs growth data and soothing comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Friday which saw core Eurozone yields rise from the two year lows hit on January 3.

Powell said the Fed will be patient and sensitive to market risks, alleviating concerns about a global economic slowdown.

Germany's 10-year government bond yield rose two basis points in early trade to reach 0.234pc, its highest level this year while 10-year bond yields from other core European governments were also around two basis points higher.

HERE IT COMES

Austria plans to sell a combined 1.265bn of 2028 and 2047 government bonds, the Netherlands will auction 1.25-1.75bn of bonds maturing 2023, and Germany will auction 500m of its 2030 bund on Tuesday.

Analysts expect supply for the first full week of 2019 to surpass that issued in the same week last year.

While low bond yields should result in lower all in funding costs for these issuers, the glut of supply is expected to mean that new issue concessions - the extra premium governments must offer to entice investors to buy new debt - could creep up.

"Rich market levels mean this week's auctions will be a test for the market," wrote Societe Generale in a note to clients.
Tech company Cubic Telecom has entered a partnership with Panasonic Automotive.

Cubic will expand its connectivity management solution for Panasonic Automotive customers across 54 countries in North America and Europe.

Panasonic Automotive is a division company of Panasonic Corporation, and a global supplier of automotive infotainment and connectivity system solutions.

Through Cubics PACE Platform, Panasonic Automotive can access advanced connectivity analytics, a SIM inventory management portal, as well as a full range of customer care services.

Commenting on the announcement Cubic CEO Barry Napier said he was "excited" to partner with Panasonic Automotive.

"We are collaborating with Panasonic Automotive to support the delivery of future-proof connected technology solutions for its clients," Mr Napier said.

He added that Cubic is also working with Panasonic Automotive to offer connectivity management solutions for a broader range of markets and vehicle categories.

Cubic, which has over 110 staff spread across six offices worldwide, is a privately held, and to-date it has received close to 80m in funding.

Investors in the group include Audi Electronics Venture, Qualcomm, Valid, Enterprise Ireland and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.
Homeowners who have yet to pay the property tax have been warned that time is running out to comply.

Revenue has also warned that, although most people are paying the tax, debt collectors are to be engaged to chase those who are refusing to hand over the money.

New figures from the tax authority show that the lowest compliance rate is in Donegal, with homeowners in Carlow the most compliant in the country.

Those who have yet to pay have until Thursday to get their payment made on time.

This applies to people paying using a debit or credit card, by cheque or by annual debit authority. Those who pay by annual debit authority will not see the money leave their bank account until March 21 next.

Revenue said that close to 500m was raised last year from the tax, with another 2m being paid in the household charge arrears.

Some 1.68 million properties are liable for the tax - and 97pc of householders paid up again last year, which is in line with previous years.

Revenue said the "vast majority" of property owners fully comply with the tax.

Donegal had a compliance of 93.3pc, compared with 99.6pc for Carlow.

Some 250,000 warning letters were issued last year, with most of those paying up after getting the letter.

"However, there was a relatively small number of cases that chose to remain non-compliant, which left Revenue with no alternative but to deploy debt collection/enforcement measures or other sanctions to ensure payment," Revenue said.

Tax officials referred 797 cases to a sheriff or a solicitor for collections.

Some 12,800 people were refused a tax-clearance certificate. Most of these people got a clearance cert after agreeing to pay the tax.
Galway medtech company Atlantic Therapeutics has raised 28m in funding.

The money will be used to launch in the US market, with the firm having got FDA approval for a device known as Innovo, which is designed to treat incontinence.

The funding will also help accelerate sales in other countries, further develop existing products, and expand into new medical areas.

The Innovo product is a garment similar to a pair of shorts, which is designed to strengthen the pelvic floor and guard against bladder leaks.

LSP, one of Europes largest healthcare investors, is the lead investor in this funding round.

Other investors in the round include Irish venture capital firm Atlantic Bridge. Existing investors Seroba Life Sciences, another Irish firm, and Earlybird Venture Capital also participated in the investment.

Innovo has already transformed the lives of many thousands of people in Europe, said Steve Atkinson, CEO of Atlantic Therapeutics. We are delighted to have completed our Series B financing with such renowned investors and look forward to working together to accelerate the growth and value of Atlantic Therapeutics.
Internet travel giant Expedia has failed in its efforts to secure leave to appeal a decision in the US courts that will see a screen-scraping case taken against it by Ryanair proceed there.

The airline launched a case against Expedia in 2017 in a Washington court, in an effort to prevent the travel firm from selling its flights via so-called screen-scraping.

Ryanair has sued Expedia in Seattle in the case, but also launched related legal action against the online travel agent giant in Dublin. The pair have been at loggerheads since 2016 and the Seattle lawsuit was launched in 2017.

The airline has claimed in the US case that Expedia uses automated computer programmes to 'scrape', or capture fares from Ryanair's website before selling them to Expedia customers who don't then have to visit the Ryanair site to make the airline ticket purchase.

Ryanair generated 28pc, or 2.01bn, of its 7.1bn in total revenue during its 2018 financial year from ancillary revenue.

If passengers bypass the airline's website by buying screen-scraped tickets, Ryanair loses a sizeable opportunity to generate additional revenue.

Expedia, which also owns brands such as Travelocity and Hotels.com, has previously claimed that Ryanair cannot recover any losses it may have incurred under the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) that the airline has relied on for claiming in the United States that it has been injured by Expedia's alleged actions.

Expedia had unsuccessfully attempted in the lower court to have the case dismissed and then sought leave to appeal the court's decision.
EFFORTS to boost take up for examinerships appear to have failed, with insolvent Irish firms shying away from the process despite the chance it offers them to continue trading.

Just 3pc of insolvencies were examinerships in 2018, the same figure as in 2017, according to figures compiled by Deloitte.

Deloitte said the level of examinerships was unexpectedly low. Examinership gives an insolvent firm a 100-day grace period from its creditors, within which time it can seek to come up with a scheme for survival.

"Given the overall improvement in the economy and the increased availability of risk capital, the level of examinership appointments continues to remain unexpectedly low," Deloitte said.

"This is particularly noteworthy when one considers that the mechanism has in recent years been more accessible to company directors through a less costly and more efficient circuit court application process than had previously been the case."

One of the reasons companies may shy away from examinership is that it can eat up more of the capital due to expenses. It involves having an examiner appointed by a court, and then having the court approve any survival scheme the examiner draws up, which requires legal costs.

David van Dessel, a partner at Deloitte, said that though it might be more expensive, examinership is the best way to save a business.

Michael McAteer, an insolvency expert and managing partner at Grant Thornton in Ireland, said examinership may not be suitable for all insolvent firms.

"It can't be used just to get a better return for creditors, it needs to be because the business itself has a unique selling point". PJ Lynch, of insolvency practitioners PJ Lynch & Co, said that in many cases entrepreneurs prefer to liquidate an insolvent entity and move on, rather than go through a drawn out process.
The ECB's vice-president used the institution's first speech of 2019 to stress that monetary policy alone isn't enough to boost euro-area growth, calling on other actors to play their part.

Speaking at an event in Latvia marking five years since it joined the currency bloc, Luis de Guindos reflected that the euro-area economy has improved amid significant monetary support.

"Latvia in particular has really shone during this time," he said. While the ECB is no longer adding stimulus after nearly four years of buying bonds across the region, Mr de Guindos said that "substantial accommodation will continue to be provided".

Bloomberg
New legislation which bans the slaughter of animals without prior stunning has come in to effect in parts of Belgium.

New legislation which bans the slaughter of animals without prior stunning has come in to effect in parts of Belgium.

The ban in the Flanders region of the country was put in place on New Years Day, following on from legislation that was passed by Belgiums parliament in July 2017.

Similar restrictions are expected to be implemented in the countrys Wallonia region from September. The Brussels region, which has the largest Muslim population will remain the only region that will still allow Islamic halal and Jewish kosher rituals

Under the law, animals will have to be stunned electrically before being killed, which most animal rights campaigners say is more humane than the Islamic halal and Jewish kosher rituals. Both require that butchers swiftly slaughter the animal by slitting its throat and draining the blood.

The law has received broad support in the predominantly Catholic region, and the opposition from Flanders religious minorities illustrates the difficulties facing some European countries as they struggle to integrate immigrant populations.

Muslim leader Saatci Bayram told The New York Times: "The government asked for our advice on the ban, we responded negatively, but the advice wasn't taken.

"This ban is presented as a revelation by animal rights activists, but the debate on animal welfare in Islam has been going on for 1,500 years. Our way of ritual slaughtering is painless."

As stunning larger animals is not possible without also fatally wounding them, the law requires animals such as cattle be stunned immediately after their throats are cut if slaughtered in a ritual manner.

Countries including Denmark, Switzerland and New Zealand already prohibit unstunned slaughter.

In 2014 Veterinary Ireland called on the Department of Agriculture to engage with Muslim and Jewish authorities in order to identify methods of stunning that were acceptable to their religious beliefs.

John Fishwisk of the British Veterinary Association said it wants to see the stunning of all animals prior to slaughter to improve animal welfare.

Our focus on this has nothing to do with the expression of religious beliefs, but is about finding ways to reduce the welfare harm of non-stun slaughter, he said.

If slaughter without stunning continues to be permitted in the UK, then meat and fish from this source must be clearly labelled, to help customers make informed choices about the food that they buy and eat.
File photo dated Prime Minister Theresa May, as almost three quarters of MPs believe Ms May has done a poor job of negotiating Britain's exit from the European Union, according to a new poll. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Theresa May's no-deal Brexit preparations suffered a blow after MPs defeated the UK Government in the Commons.

Labour former minister Yvette Cooper tabled an amendment to the Budget-enacting Finance (No. 3) Bill which attracted support from Tory rebels.

Her proposal aims to restrict the Government's freedom to use the Bill to make tax changes linked to a no-deal Brexit without the "explicit consent" of Parliament.

It was supported by 303 votes to 296, a majority of seven.
Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D. and German Federal Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas. Photo: Julian Behal

TANAISTE Simon Coveney has said Ireland won't stand in the way of Britain delaying their departure from the EU but said it must be justified.

There are reports today that British and European officials are discussing the possibility of extending Article 50 amid fears a Brexit deal will not be completed by March 29.

UK officials are said to be "putting out feelers" on delaying the departure as British Prime Minister Theresa May faces a major battle to get her Withdrawal Agreement with the EU through parliament.

Mr Coveney said the debate and vote on the deal in Westminster will be monitored and that the EU would provide assistance to Mrs May to give it the best possible chance of ratification by MPs.

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He added: "If it is the case that at some point in the future... that the British government seeks an extension of Article 50 then thats obviously something that would have to get consideration at an EU level.

"Certainly from an Irish perspective if such an ask happens and is justified we wont be standing in the way of that.

"But that is really a matter for the British government to make decisions on and my understanding is that Theresa May, the prime minister, has made it very clear she is not looking for an extension of Article 50.

"That is why I think all the focus now needs to be on the deal and providing the clarifications and reassurance around the detail of that deal in order to get it passed."

He was speaking after both he and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas delivered speechs to diplomats in Dublin Castle.

Both men urged British politicians to ratify British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal with the EU amid continuing debate in Westminster.

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Mr Maas said the uncertainty over Brexit and cannot be taken lightly saying: "Brexit is less than three months away and the final outcome is still up in the air.

"Even a no-deal scenario is still an option  despite the serious damage that this would cause on both sides."

He said: "We urge our British friends to act responsibly and unite behind the agreement that we have spent so much time and effort negotiating."

Mr Maas said he would leave it to "book-makers and fortune tellers" to predict the results of discussions in London.

He said there are take-aways from the Brexit process.

One is the EU is "strong when we stand united" and this includes "full solidarity with Ireland"

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"We insisted, and still do, that a hard border dividing the Irish island is unacceptable.

"Some people called us stubborn. But the truth is: Avoiding a hard border in Ireland is a fundamental concern. It is a matter of principle, a question of identity for the European Union.

"A union that, more than anything else, serves one purpose: To build and maintain peace in Europe.

"As Germans, we understand how walls and borders can threaten peace.

"We believe in the peace-making power of European unity. A belief we share with you, the Irish. Your Good Friday Agreement is living proof of this principle. "

Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Coveney said he remains convinced that there is a majority in Westminster which will do all it can to avert a disastrous, crash-out Brexit.

But as the House of Commons continues to debate British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal with the EU, Mr Coveney has warned politicians in London that the time for wishful thinking is over.

The Tanaiste said: there will be no more important bilateral relationship for Ireland in the EU after Brexit than the one we enjoy with Germany.

He said Germany is Ireland's fourth largest trading partner, third largest tourism market and second largest inward investor.

Mr Coveney and Mr Maas held talks this morning before attending the conference on the government's Global Ireland initiative.

During the talks he thanked Mr Maas for the solidarity shown by Germany on Brexit and both Ministers agreed on the need to maintain unity among the EU27.

In his speech to more than 80 diplomats, Mr Coveney said: This solidarity has never been more evident" than during Brexit.

In Germany, you understand borders all too well  both their symbolism and their corrosive impact on communities on both sides.

And you know that our effort to ensure no physical infrastructure or associated checks and controls emerge on this island is borne of a determination never to return to the divisions of times past.

Rather, it is one of the greatest Irish and British and indeed European achievements  an enduring peace, rooted in the Good Friday Agreement  which we have been striving at all times to protect and guarantee into the future despite Brexit.

Referring to events in Westminster, Mr Coveney said: "These are fateful days and weeks in British politics.

I remain convinced that there is a majority in the United Kingdom parliament which will do all it can to avert a disastrous crash-out Brexit for everyone.

I am also of the view that the deal obtained by Prime Minister May - which, in relation to the now-famous backstop, was significantly modified to address UK concerns and red lines  that that deal is fundamentally a good one for both sides.

The so-called backstop is the plan to avoid a hard border in Ireland until a comprehensive trade deal can be agreed between the UK and EU.

Mr Coveney said the European Council had provided reassurances about the backstop and the EU is ready to provide additional clarifications if these are helpful. But he said the Withdrawal Agreement text cannot be reopened.

In a message to Westminster politicians he said: One thing is certain now  the time for wishful thinking is over.

There is no alternative 585-page agreement waiting to be dusted off somewhere.

And it is also wishful thinking to ignore the default outcome if nothing else is agreed. That default is a crash-out.

Surely now is the time in Westminster for everyone - in government and in opposition - to cast aside unrealistic options based on promises that simply cannot be delivered.

If that doesnt happen quickly, in the absence of that realism, it is the hardliners who think no price is too high to pay for their version of Brexit who will win out to everyones cost, including Irelands.
TALLAHASSEE -Attorney General Ashley Moody took the oath of office Tuesday, becoming Floridas 38th Attorney General.

Moody joined Gov. Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried at the inaugural ceremony where the new governor and cabinet members assumed responsibilities of their statewide offices.

I am deeply honored to serve the citizens of this great state as Floridas 38th Attorney General, Moody said. As Floridas top legal officer, I will seek justice for all Floridians, defend the rule of law and protect our State and our citizens from crime and fraud.

Moody was sworn in by her father, James S. Moody, Jr., a Senior United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida. The Bible she took the oath of office upon is the same Bible that her paternal grandfather, James S. Moody, Sr., took the oath of office on when he was sworn in as the presiding judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in 1957.

Moody, a fifth-generation Floridian, previously served as a circuit court judge in Floridas 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County. Prior to serving on the bench, Moody joined the United States Attorneys Office prosecuting drug, firearms and fraud crimes. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration commended Moody for her prosecutorial excellence and outstanding initiative in drug law enforcement for her work as a federal prosecutor. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also recognized her work as the lead prosecutor of Operation Round-Up, a targeted prosecution of violent and repeat offenders.

As a judge, Moody founded the Attorney Ad Litem program to recruit volunteer attorneys to stand in place of parents who did not appear in court with their children. She also developed a mentoring program for at-risk children in the juvenile delinquency system. In 2015, the National Legal Services Corporation recognized Moody for her significant contributions to pro bono legal service and awarded her the Florida Supreme Courts Distinguished Judicial Service Award.

Moody was born and raised in Plant City. She attended the University of Florida, where she earned her bachelors and masters degrees in accounting and her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. She later earned a Master of Law in International Law from Stetson University College of Law.

Follow Attorney General Moody on Twitter @AGAshleyMoody
Food for thought: The UKs former foreign secretary Boris Johnson arrives for a drinks reception at 10 Downing Street last night. Picture: Getty

British and European officials are discussing the possibility of extending Article 50 amid fears a Brexit deal will not be completed by March 29.

Three separate EU sources confirmed that UK officials had been "putting out feelers" and "testing the waters" on an Article 50 extension, even as the government said it had no intention of asking to extend the negotiating period.

The discreet diplomatic contacts, described by one source as officials "just doing their homework", emerged as a British minister broke ranks to raise the possibility of extending the talks.

Margot James, the digital minister, admitted "we might have to extend Article 50" if Prime Minister Theresa May lost next week's Commons vote on the Brexit deal.

Downing Street said Ms James was wrong but her comment sowed suspicion among Brexiteers that ministers were trying to soften MPs for the possibility that Brexit could be delayed.

Leave-supporting Tories fear the party will be punished at the polls if the prime minister breaks her promise to take Britain out of the EU on March 29.

Senior EU diplomatic sources confirmed that despite the government's official position, UK officials were exploring the terms under which the EU might agree to extend Article 50.

"Until now this didn't come up but we're hearing it more and more," said one diplomatic source.

"We presume this is based on some conversations in Westminster, even though we are clear that the government is formally dead against it and doesn't want to do it."

Any extension to Article 50 must be unanimously agreed by all EU member states, and EU officials have hinted in the past that the UK could be granted a "technical extension" to give it time to enact legislation or complete a general election or referendum.

"We hear talk of the government forcing through legislation without scrutiny but honestly wonder how realistic that is," a second EU diplomatic source said. EU sources have indicated the limit of an extension would be July 6, when the new European Parliament first sits, but even after this, EU leaders would have to decide whether to allow no deal if the UK wanted more time.

Some regional analysts question if, when confronted with no deal, the EU might yet be prepared to go further than a mere "technical extension". Mujtaba Rahman, a Europe analyst at the Eurasia Group risk consultancy, said the EU's thinking had started to shift.

"The current deal is a good one for the EU and it won't want to throw it away unnecessarily, so the Union's position toward an extension has evolved and it is more nuanced than it was a year ago," he said.

"For some time, the expectation in Brussels has been that the impasse in the Commons would inevitably push the UK toward an extension. That's looking much more likely."

The discussions come amid rising tensions ahead of Britain's scheduled exit on March 29.

Yesterday, Tory MP Anna Soubry hit out at Brexit protesters after being called a "Nazi" by a mob outside Parliament. The pro-EU MP was interrupted while doing live interviews on Monday at Westminster in the heart of London.

She was forced to stop talking during a BBC discussion while people off-camera could be heard shouting "Soubry is a Nazi".

She told interviewer Simon McCoy: "I just think this is astonishing, this is what has happened to our country." Protestors also chanted slogans including "Liar, liar" throughout a live interview by Ms Soubry on Sky News. Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Coveney is set to issue a stark warning to Westminster that the time for "wishful thinking" on Brexit is over.

He is to put squabbling British politicians on notice that if "unrealistic options" aren't cast aside quickly, hard-line Brexiteers will "win out to everyone's cost, including Ireland's". Mr Coveney was expected to use a keynote speech to Irish diplomats in Dublin Castle this morning to say that time is running out to get the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement over the line.

The speech is aimed at MPs in Westminster, and he is telling them "there is no alternative 585-page agreement waiting to be dusted off".

He was also expected to say that it's "wishful thinking" to ignore the default outcome if nothing is agreed, which would be a "crash-out".

"Surely now is the time in Westminster for everyone, in government and in opposition, to cast aside unrealistic options based on promises that simply cannot be delivered. If that doesn't happen quickly... it is the hard-liners who think no price is too high to pay for their version of Brexit who will win out to everyone's cost, including Ireland's."

Mr Coveney will be joined at the conference on the Government's 'Global Ireland 2025' initiative by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
A man in his 30s has been arrested by gardai investigating an alleged sexual assault on a woman in a car in Dublin.

The man was arrested in the Dublin area last Thursday, January 3.

He was taken to Irishtown garda station where he was detained under the the Criminal Justice Act.

Gardai have also seized a car in connection with the investigation.

The man was later released without charged on Friday evening and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The incident is believed to have happened on Sunday, December 9, between 12.30am and 2.30am around the Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Merrion Road, Serpentine Avenue areas of Dublin 4.

Gardai say they also have particular interest in the movements of the woman in the Mountjoy area between 2.14am until 3.44am.

The woman described her alleged attacker as being in his late 20s or early 30s, with a short beard, glasses, short dark hair and a short sleeved shirt.

The alleged injured party was wearing a long black dress.

Gardai have appealed to anyone who noticed anything suspicious around Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Merrion Road and Serpentine Avenue in the early hours of December 9 or in the Mountjoy Square area between 2.14am and 3.44am.

They have also appealed to any motorists with dashcam footage from the area.

Witnesses have been asked to contact gardai at Irishtown garda station on 01 6669 600 or the garda confidential line on 1800 666 111.
A Dublin law firm lost 97,000 in the space of a week after fraudsters intercepted emails about a mortgage redemption.

The Law Society of Ireland has today warned all firms to be wary of the bank transfer scam and is urging solicitors not to rely on bank details received by email.

An email from a solicitor to a bookkeeper stating they had verified the account details was intercepted and the bank account details were changed to that of a fraudulent bank account.

The account was in an Ulster Bank branch in Ireland and the money has since been withdrawn.

"Members of the profession are advised that as far as possible, they should not rely upon bank account details received in an email," the Law Society said in a statement.

"However, in cases where this is done, it is imperative that the individual transferring the money is the person verifying the account details. The profession is reminded that both external and internal emails have been intercepted and the details amended.

"It is recommended that, when contacting the sender, obtain his or her phone number through the Law Directory, phone book etc. Do not use the phone number contained within the email."
The satirist concedes defeat when he has to deploy what is known in the news business as a straight intro, but once again Chris Grayling has got the better of us so, with a real sense of sadness, here goes...

On Tuesday lunchtime, Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, was called to the despatch box of the House of Commons to face questions about why he had awarded a 14m shipping contract to a company that does not own any ships, whose registered assets total 66, and whose terms and conditions of business turned out to have been copied and pasted from a takeaway delivery website.

To mount any kind of defence for events as fully auto-parodic as this would be beyond even the most skilled politician, so the distance by which it was beyond Chris Grayling can only be accurately calculated by monitoring shifts in the radiation levels emitted by stars on the edge of the observable universe.

Grayling rarely goes 24 hours without committing some kind of atrocity that would be career-ending in a man with shame, but from the moment he shuffled into the Commons chamber shortly after lunch it was clear he too considered the Seaborne Freight abomination right up there with his very greatest hits.

The tell for when not just the world but Grayling himself knows Grayling has cocked up is an occasional twitch in his right eye, as if the lower eyelid is determined to scratch an itch in the upper one.

And as Labours Andy McDonald filleted, seasoned and served up the full horrors of the Seaborne Freight contract with a spectacular precision that can only be described as Salt Bae-esque, the transport secretarys right eye socket danced like a dying fly on a halogen hob.

Why, Mr McDonald wanted to know, had they awarded this contract to a company with no money, no ships and no employees?

Why, he wanted to know, had the governments due diligence inspected only the company, and not the individuals behind the company, whose trail of business devastation appears to cover several continents, and has left Her Majestys Revenue and Customs several hundred thousand pounds out of pocket?

What would happen, he wanted to know, in the instant that Seaborne Freight might actually be required to sail some ships from Ramsgate to Ostend in Belgium, the very job they had been hired to do, given the Mayor of Ostend has made clear that, even if they manage to get their hands on any actual ships, he will not allow them to dock there?

The answer Mr Grayling gave to the first point was the worst defence of anything I have ever heard in the House of Commons, a record that would stand for almost the next three minutes.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

There is no due diligence we have done that indicates there is anything wrong with these people, Mr Grayling said to howls of derision from Labour.

It was a bold tactic. When the woeful quality of the due diligence itself is the very thing you are being criticised for, to deploy your own woeful due diligence as a defence is not really a defence.

On the metaphor front, it is hard to know where to start. It was not that Mr Grayling was being asked, by his wife, why he had bought a house that was demonstrably on fire from the first floor up. What he was being asked was why, given that pervasive burning smell, he hadnt asked the estate agent if he could just have a quick look upstairs. And his response was that, given neither the living room nor the kitchen were directly ablaze, how could he possibly have been expected to know?

But it was then that things got especially ridiculous. As far as Grayling was concerned, it was fine to give a 14m contract to a shipping company with no ships, because they will only get the money should their services be required in the event of a no-deal Brexit. And the government doesnt want a no-deal Brexit, so why does it matter?

That the Conservatives were willing to sign large contracts with all but non-existent companies, apparently showed it was them, not Labour, that was serious about no-deal contingency planning. But given no deal wouldnt happen anyway, it didnt matter that the contracts were so very obviously not serious.

While all this was going on, by the way, a backbencher by the name of James Heappey was circling the Tory benches, handing out sheets of paper to sympathetic Brexiteer MPs, containing various pre-planned attack lines with which to leap to Mr Graylings defence, which would soon be revealed in all their pyrotechnic glory.

Suddenly, there was Owen Paterson MP, rising to his feet to say: I commend him for showing we are serious about no deal.

Admittedly, this is a man who, while environment secretary, went on live television to blame the failure of a badger cull on the fact that the badgers have moved the goalposts, and who now regularly appears on the radio to tell the CEOs of multinational car manufacturers that Brexit will be great and it is he, not they, who knows how to run a car company. But this was still right at the top of the Paterson scale.

Whether it takes a special kind of chutzpah or a special kind of stupidity to commend a man for showing we are serious about no deal by hiring a shipless shipping firm on a contract that can only be defended by shout-twitching that you dont have any intention of activating it, is a matter of personal taste. The footage is on the parliament TV website should you wish to judge for yourself.



Next it would be Steve Bakers turn to claim that the sheer temerity of the Labour Party to ask about the details of a government contract now shown to be palpably ridiculous, was because they had not an ounce of sense or concern for the national interest.

Shortly after this happened, the transport secretary would go on to claim that Labours doubts about whether a shipping company with no ships was the right choice for an emergency shipping contract was because Labour hates small business. This, without question, is the most risible comment I have ever heard from either despatch box of the House of Commons.

But for Chris Grayling, it was just another day in the office on Planet Brexit. Were serious about no-deal Brexit. Just dont challenge us on the details, because none of them are serious.
Everyone has an opinion about where Theresa May went wrong in her Brexit policy. So here is mine. I think she went wrong when she secured the breakthrough on the backstop in November  extending the temporary customs union to the whole of the UK and not just Northern Ireland.

She should have gone to the podium in Brussels on 25 November, at the end of the special summit and said: It is game, set and match to the UK. I have secured the deal we wanted. It was a hard-fought negotiation but the EU side has conceded a UK-wide temporary customs union. That means we avoid a hard border in Ireland and we avoid a customs border in the Irish Sea. We will have the benefits of special access to the EU single market and an end to free movement of people.

Later, when she got home, she could have been even more triumphalist. The EU said the four freedoms were indivisible, but we divided them, she could have told a noisy House of Commons. They said no cherry picking but Ive just driven a cherry picker into the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels and taken the biggest cherry of them all. We have won control of our money, our laws and our borders while maintaining privileged, customs-free access to the single market.

No, it doesnt sound like her, does it? But it would have been better than what she did say at the post-summit news conference on 25 November: that she was confident we have achieved the best deal available. And things got worse when she got home and had to defend the deal in the Commons. Yes, the backstop is terrible, she said  and Im exaggerating only slightly  but it will never come into effect and besides if it did it would be better than the alternative which would be to leave without an agreement.

No wonder MPs didnt like it.

She should have sold the backstop not as a regrettable necessity but as a negotiating triumph  which it is. She should have said she hoped the backstop did come into effect because it would give us everything we want in the short term. It would focus minds on the EU side and give them an incentive to negotiate a long-term trade deal with us: to stop our firms exploiting their competitive advantage  especially those in Northern Ireland, which would for some purposes be both inside and outside the single market.

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When MPs complained that Britain could not get out of the backstop without the consent of the EU, she should have said: But you have it the wrong way round! The EU cannot get out of the backstop without our consent. We have them right where we want them. It gives us the leverage we need in the long-term trade negotiations. They will be so desperate to bring this cherry-picked arrangement to an end they will offer us good terms in the shortest possible time.

As James Kirkup, the director of the Social Market Foundation, points out, the backstop breaks the EUs fundamental rules  and in the UKs favour. It applies only to goods, whereas 80 per cent of our economy is services. And it doesnt apply to the economically trivial but symbolically important trade in fish.

The whole point of the backstop is to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Anyone who is opposed to the backstop needs to be asked: why do you want a hard border? (And anyone who pretends there are other ways to avoid border checks and controls needs to explain why they have failed to persuade the British and Irish governments and the EU commission.)

And the side-effect of the backstop is to keep the UK in a close economic relationship with the EU after we have left and after the transition period has ended. Who but the most extreme Brexiteers and the most extreme Remainers can disagree with that?
Uzbekistan is becoming even more accessible for tourists on 1 February 2019, when it will allow visa-free travel for 45 more countries, including the UK.

Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev wants to build on the countrys initiative to stimulate tourism.

Last year saw the introduction of e-visas to smooth the process for visitors from approved countries, as well as nationals of France, Israel, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Turkey being offered a visa waiver.

German tourists will be allowed to visit without a visa from 15 January, while those from countries including Cyprus, Austria and Italy, as well as the UK, will get the same privilege from February.

The existing e-visa scheme will also be extended to cover nationals of 76 more countries, and will allow for double and multiple entries to the country.

Recommended Eight reasons to go to Uzbekistan

Visitor numbers to the Central Asian country have already doubled since the visa reforms of 2018, from 2.6 million the previous year to 5.3 million. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs understandably expects significant more growth for 2019.

Uzbekistan will also become more accessible to UK tourists thanks to increased flight routes. Uzbekistan Airways says it will take delivery of two new Airbus A320neos and three Boeing 787 Dreamliners in spring 2019, enabling it to add new long-haul destinations. The flag carrier already offers direct flights between London Heathrow and Tashkent, and plans to add a second UK airport to its network in summer 2019.

Tourist interest in the countries along the old Silk Road route  including Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan  has been steadily increasing in recent years, and was given a further boost in September 2018 thanks to the ITV series Joanna Lumleys Silk Road Adventure.

The journey via Uzbekistan is one of Independent travel correspondent Simon Calders top picks for 2019. He says: Just as there is more than one Great Wall of China, there are also multiple Silk Roads connecting Europe with Asia. But from a travellers perspective, the heart of the network is Uzbekistan  happily more accessible than ever in 2019.

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Airbnb named Uzbekistan as one its top trending destinations for the year, while Abta also named it in its 12 places to visit in 2019.

Other decrees announced on 5 January will help contribute to Uzbekistans tourism appeal.

Hotels must now offer accommodation regardless of the place of residence, citizenship, kinship and marital relations of individuals, as well as other factors that restrict the right to privacy. This means previous restrictions on unmarried couples staying together have been lifted.

Prohibited sites will be listed by 1 February and clearly marked  other than these, tourists are free to photograph and film whatever they like.

New specialist visas will also be available for pilgrims, students, academics and medical tourists, all of which will be issued within one month of application.
Hardline White House national security adviser John Boltons last-ditch attempt to secure his factions goals for a planned US withdrawal from Syria appeared to go down in flames on Tuesday as Turkeys president rejected any protection for the Washington-allied Kurdish militia, and even refused to meet with the firebrand conservative.

Instead, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took to the floor of parliament in Ankara, announcing that Turkish armed forces had mostly completed our preparations for a military offensive against Isis elements in Syria as per an agreement with US president Donald Trump forged last month.

Likewise, we are determined to take our steps against terror organisations such as the PYD/YPG [Kurdish Peoples Democratic Union and its allied militia and political organisation in Syria] along with Daesh [Isis], he said. We will act to neutralise those terror organisations in Syria very soon.

Mr Bolton, a Washington fixture known for his hawkish foreign policy positions, arrived in Ankara with his own travelling press in an apparent attempt to convince Turkey to avoid attacking Syrian Kurds. He has also demanded that any US withdrawal be conditioned on Iranian-backed forces leaving Syria, and steps put in place for the political change in Damascus.

Instead, Mr Bolton left Ankara without even meeting Mr Erdogan, who was cited by the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper as insisting his busy schedule prevented him from meeting Mr Bolton, whose public positions have contradicted those of his boss and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who is also visiting the Middle East.

John Bolton during an appearance in Washington in December 2018 (Getty)

Mr Bolton and anti-Isis envoy Jim Jeffrey, arriving after a visit to Israel, met privately with Mr Erdogans senior adviser Ibrahim Kalin, who helped organise a 14 December phone call in which Mr Trump agreed to withdraw 2,000 or more US troops from Syria and hand control of anti-Isis efforts to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Mr Erdogan publicly hammered Mr Bolton.

It is not possible for us to accept and swallow the message that Bolton gave from Israel, he told lawmakers. Turkey, along with most independent analysts and US intelligence agencies, considers the YPG inseparable from the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, an outlawed separatist organisation deemed a terrorist group by Ankara, the US and Europe.

It is not possible for us to accept and swallow the message that Bolton gave from Israel Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish president

If the US evaluates them as Kurdish brothers then they are in a serious delusion, Mr Erdogan said, in a televised speech interrupted by chants of allahu akbar, or God is great, by supporters. John Bolton made a serious mistake on this issue. Whoever thinks like that is making a mistake.

Many have voiced doubt over Turkeys ability to fight Isis in Syria without continuing US air and intelligence support. But in a New York Times opinion piece published on Monday, Mr Erdogan spelt out Turkeys plans for Isis-controlled Syria, noting that Turkish troops and allied local fighters left northern Syrian towns they liberated from extremists in far better shape than the US aerial bombardments that destroyed Raqqa and Mosul in their efforts to dislodge the jihadi group in 2017 and 2018.

 Trump says Syria is sand and death

Turkish troops and fighters of the Free Syrian Army went door to door to root out insurgents, Mr Erdogan wrote. Our approach left the citys core infrastructure largely intact and made it possible for life to return to normal within days.

Turkey and its allies already control a number of cities in northern Syria. Mr Erdogan proposed creating the same types of stabilisation forces used in those towns, along with popularly elected local councils, advised by Turkish officials. Turkey is volunteering to shoulder this heavy burden at a critical time in history, he said.

Turkish efforts to bring stability to Arab and ethnic Turkmen stretches of northern Syria have been successful, even drawing back tens of thousands of refugees.

But its track record is more troubled in the ethnic Kurdish-dominated Afrin, where human rights organisations and witnesses have described a smouldering insurgency by Kurdish militants and kidnappings for ransom at the hands of Ankaras own Syrian rebel allies.
More than 80,000 people have signed a petition calling on the British government to grant asylum to a young Saudi woman who fears that her life may be in danger if she is sent back to her home country.

Eighteen-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun fled what she said was prolonged abuse from her family, and was on her way to claim asylum in Australia when she was detained in Bangkok on Saturday.

Thai immigration officials were in the process of deporting Ms Qunun, but hours ahead of her scheduled departure she barricaded herself in her hotel room and appealed for help on social media, garnering tens of thousands of responses.

My brothers and family and the Saudi embassy will be waiting for me, she wrote on Twitter, while sharing pictures of a mattress blocking the doorway of her room. They will kill me. My life is in danger. My family threatens to kill me for the most trivial things.

She added that she had been imprisoned for months inside her house, and suffered physical, emotional and verbal abuse.

Amid an outcry from rights groups, Thai authorities eventually reversed their decision to send her back, but her status in the country is still unsure. The United Nations refugee agency is currently investigating her case, while her supporters are calling for a third country to step in.

A petition on Change.org calling on UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt to grant Ms Qunun asylum has been signed by more than 80,000 people at the time of writing. It follows a direct appeal from Ms Qunun to Mr Hunt on Twitter on Sunday.

I appeal to you personally @Jeremy_Hunt to organise an emergency UK travel document for me. My life is on the line, she wrote.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson told The Independent they were "concerned" about the case and were "monitoring developments closely."

Ms Qunun was granted a temporary permit to enter Thailand, and UN officials interviewed Ms Qunun on Tuesday as part of their investigation into her case for refugee status.

It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps, UNHCRs Thailand representative Giuseppe de Vincentiis said in a statement.

But her case may be complicated further by the arrival of her father and brother in Bangkok. Thailands immigration chief, Surachate Hakpan, said the pair arrived in the country on Tuesday and wanted to talk to Ms Qunun.

There are concerns now that Ms Qununs family will try to bring her back to Saudi Arabia. Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watchs deputy director for Asia, told Reuters that her fathers arrival was a source of concern.

We have no idea what he is going to do ... whether he will try to find out where she is and go harass her. We dont know whether he is going to try to get the embassy to do that, he said.

The Australian government has reportedly said it would consider an application for a humanitarian visa after the UNHCR has completed its investigation.

Ms Qununs ordeal comes at a time when Saudi Arabias rights record is under increased scrutiny following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which caused international outrage.

Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Show all 10 1 /10 Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Street protests greeted Mohammed Bin Salman during his visit to Tunisia AFP/Getty Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit A mural depicting Mohammed Bin Salman washing his hands of blood Simon Speakman Cordall Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit A protester holds a banner accusing Mohammed Bin Salman of being a war criminal AP Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Protesters pass down Habib Bourguiba avenue in Tunis Simon Speakman Cordall Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit A Tunisian man holds up a cartoon that depicts Donald Trump assisting Mohammed Bin Salman in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi AP Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit A poster depicting a war ravaged Yemeni child Simon Speakman Cordall Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Protesters hold up saws in reference to the reportedly gruesome manner in which Jamal Khashoggi was disposed of AFP/Getty Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Protesters pass down Habib Bourguiba avenue in Tunis Simon Speakman Cordall Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Protesters chant slogans as they move down Habib Bourguiba avenue in Tunis Reuters Tunisians protest against Saudi Crown Prince's visit Protesters pass down Habib Bourguiba avenue in Tunis Simon Speakman Cordall

It has also shone a light on the countrys guardianship laws, which stipulate that a woman cannot travel abroad, work or open a bank account without the permission of a male guardian. Rights groups say the practice traps women in abusive relationships.

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, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. 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.

Officials from the Saudi embassy in Bangkok met with Thailands immigration police on Tuesday, as the country has tried to distance itself from the affair.

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has not asked for her extradition. The embassy considers this issue a family matter, the embassy said in a post on Twitter.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has compared corruption allegations against him to eggless omelettes and relationships within the TV series Friends, in a bizarre stream of social media posts apparently mocking the ongoing probes.

Mr Netanyahu, who is contesting an April election under the shadow of possible indictment, urged his supporters to help him make jokes about bribery shortly after declaring his innocence in a televised address.

Taking to Instagram, the embattled premier, who heads Israels right-wing Likud party, posted bribery without money is like and called on people to fill in the blanks, sparking disbelief and fury among many.

In the posts, which were dotted with emojis, he wrote bribery without money is like an omelette with no egg, bribery without money is like Rachel with no Ross in reference to US TV series Friends, before going on to say bribery without money is like Tuesday with no couscous.

He neared the end of the thread with bribery without money is like Kim with no Kanye West, the famed American rapper.

It came just hours after he made a special televised announcement, originally billed by his office as due to contain a dramatic statement.

In the speech, panned by critics and much of the media in Israel as being anticlimactic, he professed his innocence in three corruption cases against him, claiming he has been subjected to a political witch-hunt.

Mr Netanyahu insisted he be permitted to confront the states witnesses against him, saying his requests to do so have been twice turned down.

What are they afraid of? What do they have to hide? I am not afraid, and I have nothing to hide ... As far as I am concerned it can be broadcast live, so the public can see and hear it, he said.

He then claimed the countrys attorney-general was facing non-stop pressure to indict him.

In response, Israels justice ministry released a terse statement saying that the investigations against Mr Netanyahu have been carried out professionally and thoroughly.

Opposition leaders were also quick to respond, and blasted the leader, who is now in his fourth term.

Labour Party chief Avi Gabbay called the speech and Instagram deluge a horror show and said in a statement in a normal country, the prime minister does not attack the law enforcement authorities.

He added: Instead of caring about the safety of the souths residents, the cost of living or the deteriorating health system, Netanyahu is busy saving himself from the investigations.

Bribery without corruption is like Rachel with no Ross reads a post on the Israeli PMs official Instagram account (Benjamin Netanyahus office (Instagram)) (Benjamin Netanyahu's office (Instagram))

Meanwhile Tzipi Livni, head of the liberal Hatnuah Party, called Netanyahus statements a victim-like, hysterical attack on law enforcement, according to left-wing daily Haaretz.

Mr Netanyahu is currently facing three graft cases, dubbed 4000, 2000 and 1000. He has repeatedly denied all the charges.

In case 4000, police have alleged that Mr Netanyahu granted regulatory favours to Israels leading telecommunications company, Bezeq, in return for more positive coverage on Walla, a news website belonging to the firms owner.

Case 2000 focuses on suspicions Mr Netanyahu negotiated a deal with the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper for better coverage in return for promises to limit the circulation of a rival.

In the third investigation, case 1000, police argue that he received expensive gifts from wealthy friends.

The attorney general is expected to decide whether to push ahead with an indictment in these cases within the next few weeks.

Bribery without corruption is like an omelette without an egg (Benjamin Netanyahus office (Instagram)) (Benjamin Netanyahu's office (Instagram))

Mr Netanyahu said on Monday doing so before the election on 9 April was a lack of justice as he would be unable to answer the claims. His recent decision to call a snap election, seven months early, is seen by many as a direct appeal to voters for a fresh political mandate to bat off the investigations.

While some supporters joined in with the premiers Instagram jokes on Tuesday, the bizarre outburst also drew widespread criticism with some people tweeting altered photos of Mr Netanyahu wearing prison uniform.

Opposition figures hit back on their own social media platforms. Merav Michaeli, a Labour Party member of parliament, posted a photo of a foot on Instagram saying: A prime minister under indictment is like a sock with a hole.

The elections in Israel also come under the spectre of renewed conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Israel and Gaza, which is run by the militant group Hamas, were pushed to the brink of war several times last year amid some of the heaviest exchanges of cross border fire since the last conflict in 2014.

Bribery without corruption is like Kim with no Kanye (Benjamin Netanyahus office (Instagram)) (Benjamin Netanyahu's office (Instagram))

But at the close of the year violence also flared in the occupied West Bank, which is run by Hamass political rival Fatah, after Hamas operatives launched a series of deadly shooting attacks on Israelis.

Israeli forces said on Tuesday they had arrested Assam Barghouti, the Palestinian man accused of shooting dead two soldiers at a bus stop near the Israeli settlement Givat Assaf in the Ramallah area last month.

He is also accused of being involved with his brother Salah in another shooting nearby, close to the Ofra settlement, that caused the death of a baby and wounded seven.
Months of often self-inflicted political gyrations culminating in the global uproar over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi have waylaid the glittery Persian Gulf monarchies economic ambitions, turning one of the most promising regions in the world for investment into a veritable no-go zone for some international firms and businesspeople.

Both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, the engines of economic growth in the oil-rich Arabian peninsula, have scaled back expansion plans and are tightening their belts. The region eked out 0.5 per cent growth in 2017, according to The World Bank, and was not expected to do much better once 2018 numbers are in.

Salaries are dropping, real estate prices have dived, retail, corporate profits are down, and tourism numbers have flattened, or worse, say Gulf economy experts. One analyst described how every year a colleague in the UAE manages to pressure his landlord to lower instead of increase his rent.

People are leaving, said one former consultant in the UAE. Its become too costly for families to live.

Meanwhile government debts have risen, from 15 per cent of GDP to about 20 per cent in the UAE and from 1.5 per cent to 17 per cent in Saudi Arabia over the past five years, forcing governments to lower taxes.

The taxes and VAT are adding up, said an analyst. People are asking why its not as good as used it be.

Recommended Saudi Arabia needs to diversify to survive the drop in oil prices

Adding to the troubles, the Gulfs rich have begun moving their own assets overseas. Signature projects like Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salmans Neom city, a $500bn proposed city on the Red Sea, appear to have been shelved, the Financial Times reported last month.

One Western diplomat joked that the princes ambitious Vision 2030 programme to wean the kingdoms economy off hydrocarbon sales and modernise the economy in a dozen years would have to be renamed Vision 3020.

Some of the troubles are beyond the power of the Gulf monarchies. Oil prices have dropped, hurting the mainstay of the economies of the Arabian peninsula. Tightened US sanctions on Iran have complicated once-flourishing business ties between the UAE and the colossus to the north.

Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Show all 7 1 /7 Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Jamal Khashoggi Washington Post journalist who was critical of the Saudi regime and the young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he was murdered on 2 October in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul AFP Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Heir to the Saudi throne, Mohammed bin Salman has been implicated in the murder, with US officials claiming that he must have known of the plot AFP/Getty Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures 15 man hit squad Turkish police suspect these 15 men of being involved in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, issued 10 October, 8 days after the journalist disappeared EPA Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Saud al-Qahtani Aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saud al-Qahtani is claimed to have ordered Khashoggi's murder Saud Al-Qahtani/Twitter Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb A former diplomat who often travelled with the Crown Prince, Mutreb was initially claimed to be the leader of the hit squad and is pictured here entering the Saudi consulate on the day of the murder AP Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Mustafa al-Madani First implicated in the 15 CCTV photos released by the Turkish police, al-Madani was later found to have been used as a body double for Khashoggi, leaving the Saudi consulate dressed in his clothes on the day the journalist was killed CNN Jamal Khashoggi death: key figures Salah bin Jamal Khashoggi (L) Son of the murdered journalist met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 23 October EPA

The Gulf weathered the 2008 economic crisis, and boasts some of the most modern infrastructure in the world. Dubai, with its advanced air and seaports, remains a crucial hub for both Africa and Asia. Saudi Arabia remains one of the biggest and most important economies of the world.

Progress was always going to be much slower than many investors and businesses had hoped for, Axel Dalman, Middle East and North Africa risk analyst at London-based Fitch Solutions, told The Independent.

Over the past 18 months or so youve seen the reputation of the Gulf as a safe and secure place has taken a battering Kristian Ulrichsen, expert on Gulf economy

Saudi Arabias currently weak private non-oil investment environment doesnt represent a drastic change from the recent past  more just a failure to match extremely high expectations for very rapid gains.

But experts say the Gulf states own missteps over the past couple years have added gratuitously to the problems, shattering the regions once gleaming image.

Over the past 18 months or so youve seen the reputation of the Gulf as a safe and secure place has taken a battering, said Kristian Ulrichsen, an expert on the Gulf economy at Rice University in Texas and a fellow at Chatham House.

Dubai Marina, United Arab Emirates (Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah) (REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah)

For a long time it was seen as a haven for doing business. Thats taken a blow.

In addition to the kingdoms handling of the Khashoggi affair, the Saudi and Emirati decision to impose a siege on the tiny Gulf monarchy of Qatar in June 2017 roiled confidence in the region. Later that year, Prince Mohammed stunned the world by locking up scores of Saudi royals in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh and then forcing them to cough up billions to win their release.

The way the shakedown happened shook a lot of people, said Mr Ulrichsen. There was no rule of law.

 Netflix pulls Hasan Minhaj Patriot Act after Saudi Arabia complains about Jamal Khashoggi jokes

Businesspeople have been stunned to see wealthy Saudi families move their cash into overseas investments over which they have little controlling interests in a desperate scramble to keep their money out of the hands of greedy monarchs.

[The crown princes] recent actions of stripping families of their wealth has forced all Arab families across the region to worry that any state is now legitimately empowered to seize their assets, said one Gulf businessperson.

Now they will surrender control over their assets as long as it can be hidden in a legitimate business. They are focused on Arab countries like Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria because it is still more safe than Saudi, and Europe comes with a lot of questions.

Investors now worry that Riyadhs policy assertiveness or miscalculations could result in regional instability or reputational damage Axel Dalman, Middle East risk analyst

The 2 October abduction, detention and dismemberment of Khashoggi, along with the arrest and detention in the UAE of UK scholar Matthew Hedges on dubious espionage charges, as well as the Saudi temper tantrum against Canada over a human rights-related tweet, have also rattled international investors. The incidents underscored a shift in Saudi and its UAE junior partner that has spooked businesspeople.

Saudi policy-making has moved from a consensus-based and largely predictable model of governance to a much more vertical structure thats prone to seemingly sudden shifts, said Mr Dalman.

Thats generating uncertainty, as investors now worry that Riyadhs policy assertiveness or miscalculations could result in regional instability or reputational damage.

Recommended Saudi scrutinised over claim it hauled 11 Khashoggi suspects to court

The troubles, including a corresponding shift in attitude towards foreigners amid a hardening of propaganda across state-backed media, are discouraging talented international professionals who were once flocking to the Gulf for opportunities.

One senior consultant and adviser to the UAEs defence industry realised one day recently his advice to focus on training personnel and building systems of accountability instead of buying expensive military hardware wasnt being heeded, and was actually raising suspicions about his motives.

They want yes-men. They dont want any challenge to the authorities, he told The Independent, speaking on condition he not be named. If you were adopting a neutral stance, a moderate point of view, or a contrary point  other elements who were more devoted to the state would attack you.

Eventually, he said during a phone interview from the US, he joined others in abandoning the Gulf, quitting his post because he found he couldnt do his job. Hundreds of other expats  especially those from South Asia living in the UAE  have also quietly made their way back home over the last year or so, as wages have fallen. While the oil business that has been the mainstay of the regions economy for decades continues to generate interest, few other opportunities are surfacing, despite last-ditch efforts to make the Gulf more business friendly.

The expat community have observed that salaries are falling, positions are no longer secure, and the investment to maintain businesses is not in place, said the consultant. Theres little fresh money. Theyre making a lot of public announcements about investing but nothing is happening.
Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 9:34AM

It seems Apple is not the only smartphone giant affected by economic slowdown and increased competition. Samsung recently advised that it, too, will miss its calendar Q4 (fiscal Q1) guidance by a significant $5 billion to $9 billion.

This announcement will result in a drop in revenue and profits. While this is alarming for Samsung, it isn't as dramatic as what Apple is facing since Samsung makes profit off a wider variety of products and not just smartphones and their associated peripherals and services.

Still, the entire industry is hurting from fewer smartphone shipments, Samsung makes a lot of the displays, storage and components used by other brands so it is taking losses from various areas of its business. Hit jump for details.

As per the CNBC report,
A far-right German MP was left seriously injured in hospital after being beaten unconscious in a politically motivated attack.

Frank Magnitz, state chairman for the AfD (Alternative fur Deutchland) party, was ambushed as he left a New Years reception in the centre of Bremen on Monday evening.

His party issued a graphic photograph of his head injuries and released a statement describing the incident as an assassination attempt and a black day for democracy in Germany.

The AfD described how Mr Magnitz, 66, was attacked by three masked men armed with a piece of wood before kicking his head as he lay on the ground in front of the Theater am Goetheplatz.

It is thanks to the courageous intervention of a construction worker that the attackers could not complete their project and that Frank Magnitz escaped with his life, the party added. He is now seriously injured in the hospital.

Bremen police said the attack took place at around 5.20pm and appealed for witnesses. Due to the function of the injured party, a political motivation to act is assumed, the police said in a statement. The state police and the public prosecutors office in Bremen have started the investigation.

The police said there were at least three attackers who were dressed in dark clothing with hoods or caps.

They hit him with an unknown object against the head and fled towards Bleicherstrae. Two craftsmen nearby spotted the man lying on the ground and called an ambulance. The fire department then alerted the police. Several patrol cars searched for the suspects immediately.

Mr Magnitz, who remains in hospital, told the local newspaper Weser-Kurier that he could not remember the attack.

Foreign minister Heiko Maas, a centre-left politician who has been a strong critic of AfD, tweeted that violence must never be a means of political confrontation  no matter against whom or what the motives are.

There is no justification whatsoever for this. Anyone who commits such a crime must be punished consistently.

Green Party MP Cem Ozdemir said those who fight hatred with hatred always win the hatred in the end while Johannes Kahrs, an MP for the centre-left Social Democratic Party, wished Mr Magnitz a quick recovery and said: Violence does not work against anybody. Extremism of every kind is crap.

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The anti-immigration AfD became the third-largest party in the German parliament in 2017, with 12.6 per cent of the vote. It claims its members have been increasingly targeted by left-wing antifa in recent months.

Tensions have increased since a 35 year-old German-Cuban man was stabbed to death in Chemnitz, a city in the eastern state of Saxony, in August last year.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. 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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. 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The killing triggered violent clashes between neo-Nazis and police and demonstrations by far-right groups, including supporters of the AfD party and anti-Islam Pegida movement.

On Tuesday prosecutors said a Syrian man had been charged with second degree murder over the stabbing. They are yet to make a decision on a case against an Iraqi man who was freed on bail by a court in September.

German authorities have also issued an international arrest warrant for a second Iraqi man who is wanted in connection with the attack.

Additional reporting by Reuters
At least 12 people have been killed as deadly winter weather continues to pummel Europe.

Hundreds have been trapped in Alpine regions by heavy snow and high winds as conditions cause flight delays and increase the risk of more deadly avalanches in the mountains.

Attempts to find the bodies of four skiers in Norway were put on hold again due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall.

A 29-year-old Swedish woman and three Finns, aged 29, 32 and 36, were presumed dead after a 990ft wide avalanche hit a valley near the northern city of Tromso last week.

In Austria hundreds of residents were stuck in their homes due to blocked roads, and some regions experienced power outages after snow-laden trees took down power lines.

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

Schools in some regions remained closed for a second day and homeowners were advised to remove snow from their roofs after several buildings collapsed.

A 78-year-old man was severely injured when he fell off the roof of his home in Turrach while shovelling snow, Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported.

On Monday night 11 German hikers had to be rescued by mountaineers from a cabin near Salzburg after getting snowed in without electricity and with little food since Friday.

A skier walks past snow-covered trees after heavy snowfall in Flachau, Austria (Reuters)

Other people have also been killed by avalanches in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, and authorities warned continuing snowfall is increasing the already high risk of more avalanches.

In southern and eastern Germany people were bracing for more snow, while in the northern coastal city of Hamburg residents were preparing for a storm flood caused by a winter gale, the German news agency dpa reported.

Authorities warn the avalanche risk remains high in the northern Alps (Reuters) (REUTERSREUTERS/Emmanuel Foudrot)

In the Netherlands, Amsterdams busy Schiphol airport warned of delays and cancellations on Tuesday. Dutch carrier KLM cancelled 159 flights to and from European destinations.

Low-lying northwestern coastal regions were being hit by strong winds and wild seas, and local water authorities were checking dikes to make sure they were not damaged.

The Noorderzijlvest water authority said it was monitoring dikes because of debris floating in the sea after 281 shipping containers tumbled off a cargo ship in a storm last week. Many of the containers are still at sea and some have broken open, spilling their contents.

A fridge or container that is rammed against a dike can cause damage, the authority said.

Workers clear snow near Holzkirchen, Bavaria, after heavy snowfall over the weekend (EPA)

Heavy snowfall and strong winds were reported on Tuesday over central Scandinavia, hampering efforts to restore electricity that went down after a major storm swept through northern Europe on 2 January.

In Greece, schools in Athens and many surrounding areas remained closed after snow blanketed the capital, and temperatures in some parts of the Mediterranean nation plunged well below freezing. Some rural mountain roads were closed.

Dozens of refugees housed in tents in a camp in northern Greece protested about living conditions as temperatures sunk to minus 20C in some areas.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
North Koreas Kim Jong-un has arrived in Beijing for the start of a four-day visit which is being seen as likely preparations for a second summit with the USs Donald Trump.

Mr Kims trip was announced by both sides at short notice. He arrived in Beijing in the same armoured train he has used for previous visits, along tracks lined with police and paramilitary troops.

Shortly afterwards, a long motorcade left Beijing train station accompanied by motorcycle outriders. He is expected to stay at the highly secure Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in the capitals west.

During the four-day visit, Mr Kim is expected to meet with Chinas president Xi Jinping. North Korean media said the trip was at Mr Xis invitation and that Mr Kim would be accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju. Tuesday also happened to be Mr Kims birthday.

The trip marked a further break with past practice in that it was announced in advance of Kims arrival, a possible sign of growing confidence on the part of North Korea and China.

Chinas foreign ministry spokesman said Beijing was supporting all efforts towards a peaceful solution on the Korean peninsula, but would not comment on Chinas possible role as an intermediary between the US and North Korea.

We always believe that, as key parties to the Korean peninsula issue, its important for the two sides to maintain contact and we always support their dialogue to achieve positive outcomes, Lu Kang told a daily briefing.

South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said Seoul hoped the trip would act as a stepping stone for a second Trump-Kim summit.

Talks on denuclearisation have stalled since the US and North Korean leaders first met in Singapore in June last year, and Mr Trump has offered assurances that another summit will allow him and Mr Kim to make a grand deal to settle the nuclear standoff and change a relationship marked by decades of animosity and mistrust.

However, outside analysts are highly sceptical that the North will easily abandon a nuclear arsenal constructed in the face of deep poverty and likely seen by Mr Kim as his only guarantee of regime survival.

North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits Show all 16 1 /16 North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, portraits of former supreme leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are required by law to be hung in the home, the classroom, the factory and all manner of other private and public places Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the classroom AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the living room AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the maternity ward of the hospital Alamy North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On board the ship Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the ballot box Mannen av bord North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the office AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On the bridegroom Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On the Pyongyang subway Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On a government building Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the teacher training facility AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the home AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the military parade Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the hall Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the Chinese border AFP/Getty

Instead, the north may be seeking to gauge Chinas attitude towards sanctions ahead of the talks, including what it would have to concede in order to win Beijings support at the UN.

Mr Kim has held off on additional nuclear weapons and missile tests for more than a year, possibly in response to Chinas displeasure, while carrying out its new diplomatic offensive.

The two leaders will further communicate over the issue of sanctions to further refine their previously general and vague attitudes, said Xiaohe Cheng, professor at Renmin Universitys School of International Studies in Beijing.

It is impossible to see the cancellation of all sanctions, but what kind of sanctions can be cancelled and what are China and North Koreas views on that will be discussed.

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Mr Kims arrival in Beijing coincides with US-China trade talks in Beijing that seek to end the trade dispute between the worlds two largest economies ahead of a March deadline.

Asked whether China was linking the two issues in an interview Monday with CNBC, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said, The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues.

China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Koreas nuclear capability. I expect they will continue to do so.

Additional reporting by agencies
A Japanese magazine has apologised after publishing an article which ranked womens universities on how easy it is to convince students to have sex at drinking parties.

The weekly magazine Spa! printed an interview with Keiji Isogimi, manager of matchmaking site Lion Project, which ranked five colleges whose students he said were sexually easy at drinking parties.

He also described how to coax women and judge whether a woman is sexually available based on her clothing and appearance.

Now, an apology has been issued after a ferocious backlash on social media and a petition which accused the article of sexualising, objectifying and disrespecting women garnered 35,000 signatures as of Tuesday.

Takashi Inukai, a spokesperson for the magazine, said the publication was writing specifically about drinking parties where male participants pay fees to women.

He said such parties are currently popular among female college students.

We would like to apologise for using sensational language to appeal to readers about how they can become more familiar with women, and for making a ranking based on (Mr Isogimis) experience that mentioned real university names  which came out in a way that may have offended readers, he said.

But there was no suggestion the controversial 25 December issue would be taken off the shelves.

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

Kazuna Yamamoto, a female university student, started the Change.org petition on Friday which called for the magazine to issue an apology, remove the article, and pledge not to use terms which objectify women.

Ms Yamamoto also shared videos on social media in Japanese and English which hit out at the magazine over its depiction of women.

She hit out at wider Japanese society for excusing the objectification of women and for victim blaming those who experience sexual assault.

The student said this was not the first time the magazine had run similar content  it has also published stories on subject matters such as the characteristics of a woman who gets into bed easily and the types of alcohol to use to have sex with a woman", she claims.

Getting a girl unconscious or incapable of making decisions so that you can have sex with her is called rape, Ms Yamamoto said during the clip. What if your daughter went to one of the schools (mentioned in the story)? What if your daughters classmate is reading the article about alcohol to get a girl drunk and unconscious?

Japan has recently been in the public eye for falling behind on gender equality in the wake of the global #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault.

The East Asian country ranks bottom of the G7 countries on female representation in politics and business.

A number of medical universities in Japan have admitted to meddling with entrance exam scores to deliberately put female applicants at a disadvantage.
The Indian government has introduced a bill in parliament that would for the first time open up quotas for public sector jobs and higher education places to the upper castes.

Under Indias constitution, 50 per cent of spaces at many public institutions are reserved for members of scheduled castes such as dalits (formerly untouchables) and the lower strata of the Hindu caste system.

The reservations were introduced after independence in an attempt to overturn the historic disadvantages faced by Indias lower castes, but have become an effective way for political parties to pander to large voting blocs at elections.

Prime minister Narendra Modis cabinet has now approved an amendment to the constitution that would set aside another 10 per cent of government jobs and university places for the economically weaker sections of society, beyond the scheduled castes.

The policy would aid households with an annual income of less than 800,000 rupees (8,950), while Indias average income sits at around a tenth of that value. In a note accompanying the legislation, the government admitted it would encompass a considerable part of the Indian population.

Opponents painted the change, which was introduced to the lower house of Indias parliament on Tuesday, as an attempt to appease upper caste voters with just a few months to go until a general election.

And it comes on the same day as the lower house passed another law, the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which would give citizenship to non-Muslim minorities who have moved to India away from alleged persecution in neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Home minister Rajnath Singh told parliament such people have no place to go except India. But critics said the bill was a blatant move to bolster the BJPs Hindu voter base.

Protesters burned tyres and damaged two BJP offices in the northeastern state of Assam, where immigration along its long open border is a contentious issue, and police said 700 were arrested. Protest leaders said the government bill would issue citizenship on the basis of religion, in violation of Indias secular constitution.

Rajdeep Sardesai, a political commentator and author, said that be it the 10 per cent quota or Citizenship Amendment Bill, it only reaffirms that while our constitution builders spoke of individual rights, electoral politics only cares for vote banks.

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

Dilip Mandal, a journalist who tracks caste politics in India, told Al Jazeera: What the government is doing now is an appeasement of the upper castes, who are already over-represented in bureaucracy, judiciary, media and echelons of corporate power.

Despite its strong Lok Sabha (lower house) majority, the BJP might struggle to pass any changes to the quota system  constitutional amendments require a special majority of two-thirds in both houses to pass. But it could be enough to buy support for the BJP from groups that have long resented the affirmative action as diminishing their own access to much-sought-after public sector jobs.

In an op-ed, Ashoka University vice-chancellor Pratap Bhanu Mehta described the quota policy as a token signal that admits this governments massive failure to create jobs in the private sector. Gone are the narratives of a buoyant economy lifting all boats, he wrote. We are now back to distributing crumbs.

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The government said the move would improve opportunities for all poorer citizens  whether they be from Hindu upper castes or from religious minorities such as Muslims and Christians.

Shahnawaz Hussain, national spokesperson for Mr Modis ruling BJP party, called it yet another step based on the philosophy of Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas  a favourite Modi slogan meaning collective efforts, inclusive growth.

Ramdas Athawale, the BJP minister for social justice and empowerment, told the Indian Express: My demand has always been for 25 per cent reservation for the upper caste poor; 10 per cent is a good start.
Chinese authorities say a man has injured 20 children, three of them seriously, in an apparent knife attack on a primary school classroom in Beijing.

A male suspect was arrested at the scene and an investigation into what happened has begun, according to the government of Xicheng, a major district of the capital.

All the children were taken to hospital and the three who were badly injured were in a stable condition.

The local authorities would not comment on whether a weapon was used in the attack, but posts on social media said some of the children suffered knife wounds to the head.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

A witness told the Reuters news agency that there was a significant police presence outside a hospital near the school.

Violent crime is rare in China but there has been a series of knife and axe attacks in recent years, many targeting children, and many schools have beefed up security in response.

In January 2017, a man in southern China stabbed 12 children with a vegetable knife. Prosecutors said the man's motivation was to extract revenge for his life not going as he wanted, as well as a dispute with a neighbour.

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The man was executed this month.

Last April, nine people were killed outside a middle school in northwestern China, allegedly by a former student seeking revenge for having been bullied. And in November, five people were killed when a car plowed into a crowd of children outside a northeastern Chinese nursery school.
Police in Tibet have raided the ashram of a spiritual leader dubbed Buddha Boy following the alleged disappearances of a number of his devotees, authorities have said.

Ram Bahadur Bomjon, whose followers believe is a reincarnation of Buddha, achieved fame in 2005 when thousands of people flocked to watch the then-teenager apparently meditate cross-legged under a tree for 10 months without eating or drinking.

Three years later, he reappeared in front of jubilant supporters following a year missing, which he said was spent in a remote jungle spot in south-east Nepal.

But last week, officers inspected Mr Bomjons ashram in Badegaun forest in Sindhupalchok following complaints that four people, including three nuns, had disappeared from a number of sites associated with the guru.

The ashram will be under police control until the investigation concludes, a deputy superintendent, quoted by his surname Kandel, told The Himalayan Times.

The newspaper reported Mr Bomjon had not been in the Badegaun ashram for the past 10 months at the time of the raid.

We didnt find any evidence that could provide us a lead in the case, Sindhupalchok police chief Mukunda Marasini told the Kathmandu Post. But it doesnt mean we wont find anything later. The investigation has just started and there are a lot of new things to come.

A Nepal police spokesperson confirmed Mr Bomjon was under investigation over the alleged disappearances of nuns and monks, and that the religious leaders ashrams in Sindhupalchowk, Nawalparasi and Bara were under 24-hour surveillance.

 Boris Johnson 'recited colonial poem in Burma's most sacred Buddhist temple'

It came after relatives of three missing persons demanded the government investigate their whereabouts.

Three of the missing  Fulmaya Rumba, Sancha Lal Waiba and Chunmo Dolma Tamang  have not been seen by their families in years.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

A spokesperson for Bodhi Shrawan Dharma Sangha, a non-governmental organisation founded by Mr Bomjon, told The Independent: "We are as surprised as many about the recent spate of curious allegations and accusations directed at [Mr Bomjon].

They continued: "The Guru has been and remains in full cooperation with all Nepali government and police authorities in accordance with our community precepts.

"It is true that as the Guru's spiritual influence is rising across Nepal, many sectors may feel threatened in one way or another, and attempts to diminish [Mr Bomjon] with untrue stories are common.

"But these are too numerous and we have as a rule regarded them with benign tolerance, hoping for their fear of the unknown to subside in our all-comprehending compassion and inclusiveness of peaceful Maitribhavana (a buddhist meditation). But such takes time."

A spokesperson for the group also told the Post the missing followers had not been seen since an earthquake struck the country in 2015, killing almost 9,000 people.
The diplomatic status of the European Union ambassador to the US has been quietly downgraded by Donald Trump's administration.

The 28-nation bloc was upgraded from an international organisation to a member state in 2016, under former president Barack Obama.

Without announcing the move, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported that its status had been relegated to its previous position.

This only came to the attention of EU officials when the ambassador to Washington, David O'Sullivan, remained uninvited to certain events last year.

We don't exactly know when they did it, because they conveniently forgot to notify us," an EU official told the broadcaster. "I can confirm that this has not been well received in Brussels.

EU diplomats were given final confirmation when Mr OSullivan was called up as the last person invited to former president George HW Bushs funeral last month.

The State Department traditionally calls ambassadors to high-profile events in chronological order  from longest-serving to newest.

As one of the longer-serving diplomats in Washington, Mr OSullivan would have expected to have been among the first to receive an invite.

President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Show all 36 1 /36 President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Hannah McKay (Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump walk away after holding a joint news conference at Chequers) "This was the third and final time I was photographing Donald Trump during his working visit to the UK. I'd noticed he had a tendency to hold Theresa May by the hand when they used stairs, so I lay on the floor for fifteen minutes waiting for the pair to exit via some steps. As they did, Trump took May by the arm and shouted over his shoulder, "Yes" in response to the question "Mr. President, will you tell Putin to stay out of the U.S elections?" - from a reporter in the press conference." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump confers with White House Communications Director Hope Hicks as Press Secretary Sarah Sanders listens) "I stayed in the room after our reporters had left, and seemingly unnoticed like the cliched 'fly on the wall', I was witness to this unusual moment." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Chris Bergin (A supporter of Trump and Republican senate candidate Mike Braun at an election night party in Indianapolis) "I saw the colour-coordinated woman in the back of the ball room while covering mid-term elections. She stood out to me because she was lit by a single overhead light that created deep shadows." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Shannon Stapleton (Stormy Daniels, puts her shoe back on after passing through a security screening, as she arrives at federal court) "On the morning that I took this picture there was a mad scrum outside the courthouse to get a picture of Stormy Daniels. She didn't enter the regular entrance of a media gauntlet that was set up for her. I placed myself by a window where I saw her passing through the metal detector. Shooting through the window was difficult but I was able to make the frame." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump appears on the South Portico of the White House with the Easter Bunny during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll) "There are many holiday events at the White House, but one of the most light-hearted happens during Easter, when the President shows up at the balcony of the South Portico accompanied by someone in a big Easter bunny costume. I didn't have the best position, but towards the end, the bunny stood behind the President and I was able to take this shot." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (Melania Trump wearing a jacket with the phrase "I Really Don't Care. Do U?" on the back after a visit to the US-Mexico border in Texas) "I could not see the words on Melania's jacket when she boarded Air Force One. I only heard about it once airborne. But there was no way I was going to miss it again, and to my utter astonishment, she was wearing it once more upon her return to Washington." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (A White House staff member reaches for the microphone held by CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions President Trump during a news conference following the midterm congressional elections) "Covering politics has always felt to me like photographing a live theatre production - the actors and stage are usually set in a familiar way. But even if you've seen a specific play many times, there is always the possibility that there will be something exciting or new. It became obvious during this exchange that the dialogue was going in a different direction than expected, and I took it as a cue to make sure I gave the scene extra attention." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Trump boards Air Force One for travel to Ohio) "We photograph departures and landings hundreds of times. Sometimes, as in this case, the clouds or the light can give you a little gift." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (Donald and Melania Trump stand beside French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife on a visit to the estate of the first US President George Washington) "I'm always happy for events that take us off the White House campus and provide new visual opportunities. This day, when the Trumps feted the Macrons at George Washington's historic estate, it provided just the right contrast for the stylish leader-couples as they took their spots for an otherwise posed moment." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump gestures after arriving in Pennsylvania to take part in the annual September 11 observance) "Celebratory fist pumps on a national day of mourning and reflection caught even the most seasoned of us off guard." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Peter Nicholls (Demonstrators fly a baby Trump blimp in London's Parliament Square, during his UK visit) "I took this picture of the Trump blimp from a wall at the back of Parliament Square, to get a clear view from above the crowd, as it was revealed for the first time, prior to a day of protests during his visit to the UK, mid-July." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un walk together before their working lunch during their summit in Singapore) "On a historic and difficult day, it was fun to look for the odd angle or expression. Here, Trump and Kim walk away after impromptu remarks to reporters - which clearly pleased the North Korean leader." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Ronen Zvulun (Ivanka Trump and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stand next to the dedication plaque at the new US embassy in Jerusalem) "I shot this picture when I was standing on a platform really close to Ivanka Trump. I knew exactly where to stand and what lens to use because I did a tour the day before. I knew this was the key picture we had been waiting for since the story broke some weeks before." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (The imprint of French President Emmanuel Macron's thumb across the back of Trump's hand at a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit) "This is taken right after the first photo-op the two presidents had at the G7 summit after they had a tense back-and-forth on Twitter. They were smiling but Macron gripped Trump's hand quite hard and I noticed that it left a visible impression on Trump's hand." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki) "Body language can give an ordinary photo much more meaning, and here, Trump and Putin did not disappoint." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Joshua Roberts (A father of a Florida shooting victim tries to shake hands with Brett Kavanaugh during his US Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation) "This moment happened in a break in testimony. Kavanaugh seemed surprised as Guttenberg approached but as he turned away he looked anxious. Kavanaugh later said he did not understand who Guttenberg was at the time." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlo Allegri (First lady Melania Trump visits the Pyramids in Cairo) "The First Lady had taken a tour of African nations and could not depart the continent without a visit to the incredible pyramids of Egypt where I, as part of the traveling press pool, was able to make this photo of her looking out over Giza Pyramid Complex." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Brian Snyder (Trump and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel hold a joint news conference in the White House) "The East Room felt tense even before President Trump and Chancellor Merkel entered for their joint news conference. With Merkel's podium behind the President's from my vantage point, she seemed to want to keep an eye on him. The East Room was very full for the joint news conference, with photographers on ladders all around the perimeter." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (White House counselor Kellyanne Conway gives an interview at the White House) "This is a fairly common scene at the White House, especially with Kellyanne Conway. Often the press will wait yards off while she or another member of the Trump administration gives a live interview. Conway will then walk past the rest of the press, and everyone hopes that she will give another interview to the group." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Francois Lenoir (President Trump attends a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during a NATO summit in Brussels) "I like the contrast in the photograph. The presence of U.S. President Trump posing smiling and the lack of interest of the officials in the background." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Thomas Musolino wears a mask of President Trump while holding his daughter Gianna during a Trump campaign rally) "The President's rallies are well-known at this point, we attend a lot of them as members of the White House travel pool. This father-daughter situation really stood out from the crowd because of the juxtaposition of the mask and the tenderness between the two of them." REUTERS/Leah Millis SEARCH "TRUMP POY" FOR FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2018 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. LEAH MILLIS Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump observes a demonstration with US Army 10th Mountain Division troops as he visits Fort Drum) "President Trump often talks about how much he likes big planes and tanks, and the 'beautiful military.' This summer he had a up-close look during a visit to a military base in New York state, where he signed the National Defense Authorization Act." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jim Bourg (Christine Blasey Ford closes her eyes as she is sworn in before testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Trump's Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh) "The moment looks peaceful as if Christine Blasey Ford had closed her eyes in thought, but the image actually reflects the fact that in the nine seconds that she had her hand up to be sworn in to testify, she blinked several times. Blasey Ford began her testimony by saying: 'I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.'" REUTERS/Jim Bourg SEARCH "TRUMP POY" FOR FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2018 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. JIM BOURG Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (Supporters listen as President Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Montana) "As a White House photographer I'm always looking for a way to connect the President, Donald Trump, with a place. Before the mid-term elections Trump spent six days campaigning across the country, and at most of the rallies the visual elements were so similar that it was impossible to say whether we were in Florida or Alaska. In this case, though, the context was obvious. We arrived at a rally in Montana and I noticed a group of Native Americans wearing traditional headdresses behind the podium. For me this was the picture of the day." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (Trump meets with supporters from a group called "Bikers for Trump" at the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey) "President Trump likes to be celebrated by supporters, and none better than a group known as "Bikers for Trump," who visited him at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this summer. Unfortunately, it poured down that day and plans for an outdoor event gave way to a short visit inside the clubhouse for a group photo." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (A protester is removed during acting CIA Director Gina Haspel's testimony at her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing) "Just like sports, you have to follow the action. This time, I followed it out of the hearing room and into the hallway." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (President Trump speaks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Convention) "I took this photograph as the pool was being ushered out to leave right before Trump's speech was supposed to end. These are the images we take after we have taken the literal, newsy ones." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump and Melania at the Flight 93 National Memorial) "A somber moment, this image came together because of the scale and symmetry of the wall panels and the people in the photo." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo awaits the start of a news conference) "I always say that as photojournalists we photograph through the lens of the lives we live, including the books we read, the music we listen to, the movies we watch. As I was waiting for President Trump to arrive at an event one day, I noticed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo standing right behind me in classic dark sunglasses. The image of John Belushi in the movie "The Blues Brothers" crossed my mind." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump speaks during the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day at the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial in Paris) "During a recent visit to France and just days after a gunman opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, President Trump visited a WWI cemetery to honor American soldiers. As he spoke, I noted a gravestone at a side angle A a single Star of David in the middle of rows and rows of crosses. I felt in this moment, the image carried more meaning than the words." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Alex van der Zwaan goes through security at the US District Court after arriving for his sentencing) "Everyone has to go through security, no matter who you are. He seemed to embrace the inevitable as the woman with the wand asked him to turn around, facing him back towards the doors where many of the news media were still gathered." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Missouri) "In a last push before the mid-term elections, President Trump traveled for six consecutive days, attending two or three rallies a day, to boost Republican candidates. Most of the rallies were held in airport hangars for an easy flight in and out. Sometimes, the rallies were held in the middle of the night, like this one at Columbia Regional Airport in Columbia, Missouri." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Trump holds his prepared questions as he hosts a listening session with high school students and teachers to discuss school safety at the White House) "This event was loaded with raw emotion as school shooting victims from across the country described their experience as student-survivors or as friends and family who never stop mourning dead children. President Trump was given a hand-written card by one of his aides to help him navigate the emotional meeting, and pictures of the card helped tell the story of the day." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump behind the reflection of a House chamber railing as Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of the US Congress) "The State of the Union speech is one of the most important political events at the beginning of the year. We usually photograph it from several fixed positions, but this year I was assigned to be the 'rotating' photographer, meaning I could move around on the balcony and shoot from different angles, but only during short windows of time. During one of those windows, I found an interesting play of light reflected off a gold-colored railing, which, at a certain angle, could be seen to fall over the president." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Trump arriving at Nashville International Airport) "One of my favorite photographers, Sam Abell, likes to quote his father: "Bad weather makes good pictures." In addition to the weather, the controlled chaos of White House press handlers and Secret Service agents help make pictures like this possible." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (White House Communications Director Hope Hicks leaves after attending the House Intelligence Committee closed door meeting) "This is the product of about seven hours of waiting and lots of team work involving constant coordination to guess where to wait in order to capture Hope Hicks as she left the hill. Luckily, there were several cameramen along for the moment and their lighting captured her perfectly." Reuters

Officials believe the downgrade likely occurred in October or November.

The move by the Trump administration effectively repeals the change in status made in the last day's of Mr Obama's presidency.

It is likely to raise further suspicions among European diplomats over increased hostility by the US government under Mr Trump towards Brussels.

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The US president is a vocal supporter of Britains exit from the EU  he dubbed himself Mr Brexit in 2016  and has regularly criticised the bloc for its approach to trade with America.

A spokesperson for the EU, Maja Kocijancic, said: "We understand that there was a recent change in the way the diplomatic precedence list is implemented by the United States Protocol.

"We are discussing with the relevant services in the administration possible implications for the EU Delegation in Washington.

"We were not notified of any change."

The State Department said it could not comment due to the US government shutdown imposed by Mr Trump.

"Due to the lapse in appropriations, the Press Office will be operating on a reduced status," it said in an email.

"Communications with the media will be limited to events and issues involving the safety of human life or the protection of property, or those determined to be essential to national security."
A Kentucky teacher has been charged with assault after an investigation into video footage appearing to show her dragging a 9-year-old boy with autism throughout the hall of a school.

The incident in the footage took place in October at Wurtland Elementary School. The Greenup County School District fired the teacher on Mondaymore than two months after the alleged dragging incident occurred.

The teacher was removed from the school and a formal investigation was conducted, Sherry Horsely, the school districts superintendent, said in a statement. The superintendent also followed protocol and reported the incident to the Kentucky Education Standards Board.

Angel Nelson, the mother of the boy victim, said on Facebook that her son was forcibly removed from the classroom after having an outburst. The video surveillance from the school shows a woman dragging a young boy by his wrist throughout the schools hallways. Throughout the video, the boy is either lying on his back or sliding on his knees.

The school district did not release the womans name or position at the school.

The boy in the video is diagnosed with autism, ADHD, PTSD, anxiety and depression, Ms Nelson said. She also said her son has very limited speech and often experiences a meltdown due to his diagnoses.

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Ms Nelson said her son had an outburst after a teacher told him to keep working, or do more work, when he needed to take a break.

He was not hurting anyone, the mother said.

The cameras in the classroom was turned away into a corner, thus making it difficult to see what happened there. But according to Ms Nelsons Facebook post, her son said the teacher threw him hard onto a chair.

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. 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Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. 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We will never truly know what took place behind that closed door because of my sons speech limitations, Ms Nelson wrote on Facebook. This incident was violent enough to not only injure my child, but to also destroy his shoes.

She took her son to the doctor the same day he was dragged. He had x-rays and an MRI scan taken of his wrist and tailbone. The doctor discovered a possible left wrist fracture and confirmed a sprain in one of his wrists.

In days following, he suffered swelling and bruising around his wrist, Ms Nelson said.

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In addition to the physical injuries, Ms Nelson said her son suffers emotional trauma from the incident.

She made him feel different, the mother said, making the point that the teacher humiliated her son in front of other students. She said her son will have to go through more intense occupational therapy to regain his skills that took so long to grasp.

My son deserves justice, Ms Nelson added. The fact that my son is not able to fully verbalize what he went through means that we must fight that much harder for all kids, but especially the kids who cannot speak for themselves.

The teacher is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday. She is charged with fourth-degree assaulta misdemeanour.
The Russian lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr and others in June 2016 promising dirt on Hillary Clinton has been charged in a money laundering case that highlights her ties to the Kremlin.

Natalia Veselnitskaya, who met with President Donald Trump's son in Trump Tower in New York, has been charged with obstruction of justice by the US attorney's office in Manhattan as part of the separate case.

According to a newly-unsealed indictment, Nataliya Veselnitskaya has been charged with obstructing justice by filing a misleading statement in the money laundering case, which was settled in 2017. The court documents show that Ms Veselnitskaya had ties to senior Russian government officials.

The indictment states that the Justice Department asked the Russian government for assistance in the case, which relates to a civil fraud investigation involving a Russian business man and his investment firm. That call for help was refused in a letter that sought t exonerate those involved.

The court documents allege that Ms Veselnitskaya had secretly cooperated with a senior Russian prosecutor in drafting the Russian response, which was filed in federal court in Manhattan.

In doing so, Veselnitskaya obstructed the civil proceeding, the indictment said.

The US attorney in Manhattan, Geoffrey Berman, said in a statement that acts like Veselnitskayas undermine the integrity of the judicial process.

We take seriously our responsibility to protect the integrity of the judicial proceedings in this district, and we will not stand idly by while outside influences seek to corrupt and pervert that process, Mr Berman said.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Ms Veselnitskaya represented Prevezon Holdings Ltd, a Russian-controlled company, which in 2017 agreed to pay nearly $6m to settle a US government lawsuit accusing it of laundering proceeds of a $230m tax fraud.

While not related to the latest money laundering case, investigations into the Trump Tower meeting on 9 June 2016 are part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election and any possible collusion with Trump campaign officials.

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Donald Trump Jr has said he agreed to the meeting after being promised damaging information on Ms Clinton, President Trump's Democratic opponent in the 2016 election. Mr Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-senior campaign aide Paul Manafort also took part in the meeting.

Both Mr Kushner and Mr Trump Jr have acknowledged attending the meeting but have said it amounted to nothing.

Last April, Ms Veselnitskaya also told NBC News in an interview that she was not only a private lawyer, but a source of information for the Russian prosecutor general, Yuri Chaika.

Ms Veselnitskaya, 43, is believed to be in Russia. There was no indication from US officials that they expected her to be sent to New York to face the new charge.
Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 9:08AM

As competition in the premium laptop and notebook segment heats up, it is not enough for manufacturers to rely on processor and performance upgrades, bezel-reduced displays and thinner form factors to remain competitive. Lenovo gets this and has imbued its ThinkPad X1 Yoga line with aluminum enclosures. ThinkPads are premium devices and usually come with metal frames but polycarbonate plastic enclosures which, while sturdy, felt less than completely premium.

The skinny ThinkPad X1 PCs are the first aluminum ThinkPads which is quite surprising since there are more premium models geared towards enterprise that could have used the upgrade.

Creating the 2019 ThinkPad X1 Yoga required us to completely go back to the drawing board and develop all new approaches, said Jerry Paradise, vice president, Commercial Product Portfolio. The challenge of reimagining our engineering, design and materials while achieving the reliability, quality, and usability required of a ThinkPad was massive, but the end result will provide a delightful customer experience.

Source: NeoWin
Family handout(MOSCOW) -- Of the many questions around Paul Whelan, the former United States Marine arrested in Russia on spying charges, one puzzling aspect is his use of Russian social media.



Whelan had a long-standing enthusiasm for Russia, traveling there previously at least twice, according to his twin brother, and talking online about his efforts to learn Russian. For a decade, Whelan also maintained an account on the Russian social media site VKontakte, using it to reach out to ordinary Russians he often didnt know to try and befriend them. Those he contacted were surprised by it, saying they couldnt understand why he had written to them.



"He didnt want to know anything specific," Alexander Buzov told ABC News, saying Whelan had never explained why he had added him on Vkontakte roughly 9 years ago. "He just started the dialogue with 'Hello! How are you?'"



Of the several friends on Whelans VKontakte account reached by ABC News, all of them said he had contacted them out of the blue. Whelan, they said, had simply struck up conversation, making small talk about their travels and sending greetings on Russian holidays.



"We didnt know each other. About a year ago he simply sent a request," Pavel Laponov, a former soldier in Bryansk said by telephone, adding he had found it "very strange."



Whelan's account has lost around 10 friends since his arrest was announced. The 55 remaining contacts are almost exclusively young men (there appears to be only 3 women) and the majority appear to have some kind of connection to the military posted on their page.



All of Whelan's contacts who spoke to ABC News said they had been very surprised to hear of Whelans arrest, saying he had seemed simply an unusually friendly foreigner who was interested in chatting with Russians and that he had never sought any sort of significant information from them. He had written in English and Russian that contained mistakes, with one contact saying they thought he was using an online translator.



Whelans outreach adds to the curious portrait that has been built up of him so far.



Currently director of global security for the large American car parts supplier, BorgWarner, Whelan had been discharged from the Marines in 2008 for bad conduct, after being found guilty of stealing $10,000 while on a tour of duty in Iraq. In the mid-1990s he had served as a part-time police officer in Chelsea, Michigan.



Born in Canada to British parents with Irish descent, Whelan later re-settled in Michigan, according to his twin brother. That family history gave him the three other citizenships that he was unexpectedly revealed to possess last week, when it was found Britain, Ireland and Canada were all also seeking to provide consular assistance to Whelan, in addition to the U.S.



Now 48, Whelans interest in Russia appears to date from well before this most recent trip to Moscow, which his family have said was to attend a wedding of an old friend in the Marine Corps to a Russian woman.



Whelans first trip to Russia was as early as 2006, a vacation he described in an interview to a Marine publication. On a now defunct personal site, he described meeting some Russians and taking excursions around the country.



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 on the site.



Those Russians he befriended online said he had never said much beyond generalities. Buzov said Whelan had talked about the weather, trips and his service in Iraq, but nothing substantial.



Whelan, Buzov said, had asked him to meet once on a visit to Moscow but he had politely refused because I didn't understand his motivation.



I thought that he was a fan of military issues and a very sociable person," Buzov said. At his age, what else does he have left to do except chat with different people on social media.



Laponov, the former soldier, said Whelan had only asked him about countries he had posted holiday photos from.



"He wrote, 'Oh, those are very good countries,' something like that. He just sent a few ratings about them, but I didnt answer because, well, hes an unknown person to me," Laponov said.



Whelans social media has attracted interest in part because of unverified reports last week on a Russian news site. Russia has still not provided any information on what Whelan is accused of, but the only allegations to have emerged publicly so far appeared have appeared on the site, Rosbalt, which is known to have ties to the security services.



Rosbalt cited an anonymous security services source, who said Whelan was arrested after receiving a memory card with a classified list of Russian operatives.



Rosbalt also claimed authorities accused Whelan of trying to recruit Russians as intelligence sources using internet forums. The site asserted Whelan had spent 10 years trying to befriend Russians online who were likely to have access to classified materials and then, after years of internet chat, meeting them in Russia to try to cultivate them over drinks.



The Rosbalt reports have not been confirmed or verified in anyway and former U.S. intelligence officers have expressed skepticism, suggesting instead that they are fabricated to frame Whelan.



"This has all the hallmarks of a Russian KGB-style setup," Dan Hoffman, a former CIA agent who served as a station chief in Moscow, told NPR on Friday. The allegations may have been tailored from Whelans social media profile, and Hoffman suggested, the FSB had likely been tracking him for years.



In any case, former U.S. intelligence officials have said Whelans court martial would almost certainly have excluded him from being selected as a U.S. operative. They also noted that the CIA rarely sent agents into Russia without diplomatic cover because the risks of arrest were too high.



If he was involved in anything related to intelligence, it was a massive uncoordinated screw up, John Sipher, who used to run the CIAs Russia operations, told ABC News last week.



Some former U.S. officials have suggested Whelan's arrest could be retaliation for Maria Butina, the Russian gun rights activist who pleaded guilty last month to trying to infiltrate American conservative political circles as an illegal foreign agent.



One explanation why Whelan reached out to Russians with military connections is that they shared his background. Most of Whelans social media friends also appeared to have already graduated from military academies and some now had civilian jobs. Military service also is compulsory in Russia and studying at a military academy doesn't guarantee a career in the armed forces.



All of those reached by ABC News said Whelan, in any case, had never asked them about their military service.



Laponov, who said he left the military in 2012, suggested Whelan might have added him because he had visited the U.S.



Laponov would not give details of his military experience, but in photos dated from 2012 on his social media account in which he appears in uniform with an assault rifle, Laponov identified himself as a member of Russias chemical and biological protection troops.



The other Whelan contact, Buzov, said he was a civilian but refused to give more details, saying that he worked in housing utilities. His social media photos, however, include one from several years ago in which he is wearing a military cadets uniform.



Some of Whelan's other social media friends contacted by ABC News declined to comment. One account, for Vasily Razumovsky, showed many photos of a man in combat gear and a post linking to an elite paratrooper school in Ryazan. Two days after ABC News wrote to Razymovsky's account, it transformed into one for a woman called Tamara Matveeva, wearing a negligee, and accompanied by other nude photos and the relationship status actively searching". The many military-themed posts from before the change though remained on the page.



Whelans twin brother, David, has said his brother always sought to make friends in foreign countries when he was traveling and as an avid tourist had made many friends over the years.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The US Supreme Court is said to have ruled against an unidentified company seeking to fight a subpoena in Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia probe.

Several media outlets said the company, owned by a foreign nation referred to in documents simply as Country A, is believed to be part of the special counsels ongoing probe into Russia alleged interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign.

The closely read Scotusblog.com, said the company had been seeking to appeal a lower court ruling that had held it in contempt for refusing to comply with a subpoena requesting information.

It said that on December 23, chief justice John Roberts put a temporary hold on the lower courts order, requiring the company to provide the information or pay penalties. It noted that the filing was sealed and not available for the public to read.

The Washington Post said the subject of the secretive legal battle, is a financial institution owned by a foreign government, according to two people familiar with the case. It said it is believed to be the first time that an aspect of Mr Muellers inquiry has reached the Supreme Court.

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The Associated Press said the decision by the court came in the form of a brief order declining to get involved in the subpoena dispute, rejecting a request from the company. While the all the documents in the case were filed under seal, the court's docket reflected the filings and the Supreme Court order.

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 said a three-judge panel of the federal appeals court in Washington had in December upheld the issuance of the subpoena and a contempt order issued by a district court judge when the company failed to comply. The district court imposed and the appeals court upheld a fine in connection with the company's refusal to comply, the AP said.

The company had argued that it was immune from being subpoenaed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and that complying would require it to violate its countrys own laws.

The case has been shrouded in secrecy as it has moved through the court system. Federal marshals closed an entire floor of the federal courthouse in Washington last month when the case was argued before the three-judge appellate panel, the AP added. The move stopped the efforts of a group of 15 reporters to see whether any of the Mueller team members or other participants had entered the hearing room.
As she nears a decision on whether to seek the presidency, Senator Kamala Harris is taking on what could be a hurdle in a Democratic primary: her past as a prosecutor.

In her memoir published on Tuesday, the California Democrat describes herself as a "progressive prosecutor" and says it is a "false choice" to decide between supporting the police and advocating for greater scrutiny of law enforcement. The argument is aimed at liberal critics of her record who argue she was sometimes too quick to side with the police and too slow to adopt sentencing reforms.

"I know that most police officers deserve to be proud of their public service and commended for the way they do their jobs," Ms Harris writes in The Truths We Hold. "I know how difficult and dangerous the job is, day in and day out, and I know how hard it is for the officers' families, who have to wonder if the person they love will be coming home at the end of each shift."

But, she continues, "I also know this: it is a false choice to suggest you must either be for the police or for police accountability. I am for both. Most people I know are for both. Let's speak some truth about that, too."

After high-profile fatal shootings involving police officers and unarmed people of colour, the criminal justice system's treatment of minorities is a top issue among Democratic voters. The passage suggests Ms Harris is aware her seven years as the district attorney in San Francisco, followed by six years as California's attorney general, is something she will have to explain and signals how she may frame her law enforcement career if she decides to run for the White House.

Recommended Elizabeth Warren kicks off 2020 bid by attacking corruption

"It's a presidential campaign, and every aspect of a candidate's record is going to be scrutinised and they're going to have to answer for it," said Mo Elleithee, a long-time Democratic operative who leads Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service. "She knows that this is something that's heading her way and a good candidate is one who doesn't wait for it to hit them. A good candidate is someone who addresses it proactively, and she appears to be doing that."

Beyond the book, Ms Harris recently supported legislation that passed the Senate late last year and overhauls the criminal justice system, especially when it comes to sentencing rules.

In the book, Ms Harris recounts an instance when she was an intern at the Alameda County district attorney's office and an innocent bystander was one of many people arrested during a drug raid. Ms Harris said she "begged" and "pleaded" on a late Friday afternoon for a judge to hear the case so the woman could avoid spending the weekend in jail.

Kate Chatfield, the policy director of the California-based criminal justice reform group Re:store Justice, said Ms Harris did do "some good" when she was in law enforcement but it was "incumbent on the public to hold her accountable for the ways in which she either didn't do enough or actually did some harm."

"When the conversation shifts, one should be expected to be questioned about those choices," Ms Chatfield said, noting among other issues Ms Harris's advocacy for tougher truancy laws.

By addressing policing in the book, Ms Harris is taking on an issue that confronted Democrats and some Republicans in 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton was criticised for her husband's role in passing the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which created stricter penalties for drug offenders and funnelled billions of dollars towards more police and new prisons.

The issue is likely to be the subject of fierce debate in 2020 as well and could expose divisions among the wide field of candidates  presenting hurdles for some and opportunity for others.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Former Vice President Joe Biden was the head of the Senate's Judiciary Committee when the 1994 crime bill  which is now criticised as having helped create an era of mass incarceration  was passed and signed into law, which could be an obstacle for him. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker was central to the passage of the Senate's criminal justice overhaul package and is certain to tout it if he decides to launch a presidential campaign. Meanwhile, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is also considering a 2020 bid, often refers to her own prosecutorial past.

The memoir  and the publicity surrounding it  will shift the 2020 campaign spotlight to Ms Harris this week after much of the focus has been on her Senate colleague, Elizabeth Warren. Last week, the Massachusetts Democrat became the most prominent person yet to take steps towards a presidential run by launching an exploratory committee. Her weekend trip to the lead-off caucus state of Iowa also generated largely flattering headlines.

Some criminal justice advocates said they were happy the issue would get more attention in 2020.

"When we had the 2016 elections, it was at the height of Ferguson and Baltimore, and we still didn't have serious engagement with criminal justice reform," said Phillip Goff, the director of the Centre for Policing Equity, referring to the protests that followed the deaths of black men by police officers in Missouri and Maryland. "My hope is that we require candidates to demonstrate that they know more than the catchphrases of the activists in their bases."

Surveys underscore the potency of criminal justice issues among Democrats. A February 2018 poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research found majorities of Democrats  but far fewer Republicans  think there has been little progress for African-Americans on criminal justice or policing issues over the past 50 years. The poll showed 45 per cent of Americans, including 62 per cent of Democrats and 19 per cent of Republicans, thought there had been little to no progress on fair treatment for black Americans by the criminal justice system. Similarly, 46 per cent of Americans, including 63 per cent of Democrats and 23 per cent of Republicans, said there has been little to no progress for African-Americans on fair treatment by police.

While it is not yet clear how Ms Harris' prosecutorial background could affect her primary bid, it could help her if she faces President Donald Trump in the 2020 general election.

"He ran as the law-and-order president," Mr Elleithee said of Mr Trump. "Being able to go toe-to-toe with him on law and order in a smarter way, I think, is going to be important. Should she win the nomination and does it by navigating this topic well, then I think she would be a strong voice and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to issues of law and order, criminal justice and civil rights as they collide in a general election."

Associated Press
 Close Donald Trump falsely claims ex-presidents told him they wanted the Mexico border wall

Donald Trump has told the American people that the US is facing a humanitarian and security crisis on its southern border during his first-ever prime time address from the Oval Office on Tuesday, as a nineteenth day of partial government shutdown loomed.

Mr Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall in the sombre televised address that was heavy with dark immigration rhetoric, which caused Democrats to accuse the president of stoking fear.

How much more American blood must be shed before Congress does its job? he said, recounting gruesome details of murders he said were committed by illegal immigrants.

But after days of hinting he might use presidential powers to declare an emergency as a first step toward directing money for the wall without congressional approval, Mr Trump said he would continue seeking a solution to the impasse with Congress.

Democrats have so far flat out rejected Mr Trumps demand for $5.6bn (4.4bn) to build the wall, and the budgetary showdown over that money has left 800,000 public sector staff either furloughed or working without pay until the issue is resolved.

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All major US television networks aired Mr Trumps speech, prompting Democrats, who say a wall would be expensive, inefficient and immoral, to seek equal time in an address directly after the president.

They used it to accuse the president of implementing fear tactics and spreading misinformation about the situation along the border.

The president has chosen fear. We want to start with the facts, said Nancy Pelosi, Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

The fact is, President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation, many of them veterans, she said.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found that 51 per cent of adults mainly blamed Mr Trump for the shutdown, up four percentage points from late December, while 32 per cent blamed congressional Democrats and seven per cent faulted Republicans in Congress

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Mr Trump has invited the congressional leadership from both parties to another meeting at the White House on Wednesday afternoon to try and break the deadlock. Mr Trump then travels to the border on Thursday.

To see how events unfolded, follow our liveblog below

Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load

Reuters contributed to this report
A man has been found dead at the home of a prominent Democratic fundraiser in the second such incident within 18 months.

His body was found at the West Hollywood home of Ed Buck.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said in a statement that officers were called out in the early hours of Monday morning to reports about a person not breathing.

It said that the informant performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and called police.

It added: Los Angeles County Fire responded to the location and pronounced a male adult deceased. The cause of death is unknown at this time and will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Office.

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 dead mans name was not released.

Mr Bucks lawyer, Seymour Amster, told the Los Angeles Times that the man was an old friend who died of an accidental overdose and, unfortunately, we believe that the substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment.

The Sheriffs Department said it was probing the death and planned a secondary review of the previous incident, in which 26-year-old Gemmel Moore, a gay escort, was found dead of a drug overdose in Mr Bucks flat in July 2017.

Investigators are conducting a thorough investigation, which includes follow up interviews and a secondary review, it said. As with the previous incident, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office was intimately involved in reviewing the facts of the case, and will be so in this case as well.

No charges were brought against Mr Buck after Moores death. A coroner originally ruled that the death was an accident.

News of the latest death nonetheless sparked protests near Mr Bucks apartment.

One demonstrator repeatedly shouted: Black boys are dying here. Both deceased men were reportedly black, while Mr Buck is white.

The 64-years is a prominent figure in Los Angeles LGBT political arena, according to the LA Times, while NBC News reported that he has donated more than $50,000 to Democratic causes since 2008.

Mr Buck also made headlines in 2010 when he disrupted a campaign event for Meg Whitman, a Republican candidate for California governor, leading to a confrontation with New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

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In a statement, the Los Angeles LGBT Centre advocacy group said: Although the investigation is in its early stages, we urge [police] to keep the public fully informed as LGBT people have a considerable and urgent interest in a case that is so clearly linked to the health and safety of our community.

The reports we have heard provide more questions than answers.

It added: LGBT people and other marginalized groups are at elevated risk for impacts that result from the current epidemic uses of opioids, methamphetamine, and other dangerous drugs.
New York City is taking the unprecedented step of guaranteeing healthcare for every single resident of the city regardless of economic or immigration status, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Announcing the new programme the mayor said it is necessary to help protect the more than half-a-million New Yorkers who currently rely on hospital emergency rooms as their primary care provider.

The mayor said that his plan would provide primary and speciality care to the citys roughly 600,000 uninsured people. The plan  which would cover care from pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health care, obstetrician-gynecologists and other services  would build on the foundations of a public health insurance option that already exists to help undocumented residents receive care.

Well put the money in to make it work; its going to save us money down the line, Mr de Blasio said, detailing a plan to expand that existing program and to add another program called NYC Care.

Mr de Blasio said that the healthcare plan would be built over the next few years after being introduced this year. It will come at a cost of around $100 million.

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Were already paying an exorbitant amount to pay for health care the wrong way when what we should be doing is helping them get the primary car, Mr de Blasio said.

But, a spokesman said following the announcement, the plan is not a form of health insurance.

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

This is the city paying for direct comprehensive care (not just ERs) for people who cant afford it, or cant get comprehensive Medicaid  including 300,000 undocumented New Yorkers, Eric Philips, the spokesman, tweeted after the announcement.

Mr de Blasio said that there would be no new tax hikes to fund the program, and that New Yorkers would be able to access the program through the citys website or by calling the local services line, 311.

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This has never been done in the country in a comprehensive way, he said. Health care isnt just a right in theory, it must be a right in practice. And were doing that here in this city.

Additional details were expected later on Tuesday.
The chief executive of the corporation that runs a private nursing home in Arizona where a woman in a vegetative state was sexually assaulted and later gave birth to a child resigned on Monday, the company said in a statement.

The company, Hacienda HealthCare, said the resignation of the executive, Bill Timmons, was unanimously accepted by its board of directors. David Leibowitz, a company spokesperson, said Mr Timmons had been chief executive for 28 years. Efforts to reach Mr Timmons on Monday night were unsuccessful.

Gary Orman, executive vice president of the companys board, said it would accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation, an unprecedented case that has devastated everyone involved, from the victim and her family to Hacienda staff at every level of our organisation.

Hacienda HealthCare has been under intense scrutiny since the Phoenix Police Department said last week that it had opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the conception of the child, who was born last month. The woman has not been publicly identified.

A spokesperson at the Arizona Department of Health Services said it was also aware of the allegations and would conduct an inspection of the Hacienda Nursing Facility. Records posted to the Medicare website indicate the care centre received a below average rating from health inspectors in 2017. The Centres for Medicare & Medicaid Services rated its quality of resident care as much below average.

Recommended Investigation launched after woman in vegetative state gives birth

I want to assure our patients, their loved ones, our community partners, the agencies we do business with, Governor Ducey and the residents of Arizona, we will continue to cooperate with Phoenix police and the investigating agencies at all levels in every way possible, Mr Orman said in the statement. And we will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees.

The nursing home, which is about 7 miles south of downtown Phoenix, specialises in the care of people with intellectual disabilities and has at least 74 patient beds, according to federal records. State records indicate some patients have lived there for decades.

This is not the first time investigators have expressed concern about the facility.

In 2013, the Arizona Department of Health Services found a male employee mistreated some patients by making sexually explicit remarks about them. A state report issued at the time did not allege physical abuse at the centre, and its operators said the employee in question had been fired. It said employees would be given new training on how to report the suspected abuse of patients.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

In 2017, state investigators cited the facility for providing inadequate privacy to patients while they were naked or being showered. A report issued at the time reminded the centre it had an obligation to its residents.

Federal and state laws guarantee certain basic rights to all residents of this facility and they include the right to a dignified existence and to be treated with dignity, it said.

The New York Times
The US Supreme Court has refused to hear a request from ExxonMobil that would have hampered an investigation into whether the oil giant intentionally covered up the impact that its products have on climate change.

The court denied the motion on Monday, the first day that the court was to hear oral arguments in 2019.

In doing so, the court essentially confirmed that Exxon must turn over 40 years worth of documents to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healeys office. New York State has also been investigating the company.

The law is clear. The Attorney Generals Office has the authority to investigate Exxons conduct towards consumers and investors, and we are proceeding. The public deserves answers from this company about what it knew about the impacts of burning fossil fuels, and wen, Chloe Gotsis, Ms Healeys spokesperson, said in a statement following the Supreme Courts decision.

The development follows after a 2017 decision in the Massachusetts Superior Court that first ruled against ExxonMobil. From there, the oil company appealed to the Supreme Judicial Court in the state, which upheld the lower court ruling last year.

The Supreme Courts decision to not hear the case was celebrated by climate scientists and activists.

Deception and delay are Exxon's core climate strategies. Today the court dealt the company yet another defeat in their fight to hide the fact that they have known for 50 years that their products cause climate change, Richard Wiles, the executive director of the Centre for Climate Integrity, said in a statement. Exxon's last ditch effort to avoid turning over additional documents to investigators suggests the company has a whole lot more it's still hiding from the public, shareholders, and policymakers.

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

ExxonMobile has not responded to the ruling.

The most recent ruling against Exxon came in April, when the Massachusetts judge said that Exxon could not stop the investigation.

New York and Massachusetts first began their climate change probes after news reports in 2015 suggested that Exxon had known for years that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to combat climate change impacts, but did not reveal those concerns to shareholders or the public.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Exxon has denied that their public policies were in any way inconsistent with their scientists' findings that climate change poses a serious risk to its business and to the environment.

While Exxon has gone after the attorneys general in New York and Massachusetts, as many as 15 states are involved in investigating the company for potentially misleading the public about climate change.

Those states first began their investigations in 2016, shortly after the news reports. At the time, officials in the states came together to sign a private compact not to discuss the Exxon probe with anyone outside of their teams, unless compelled to do so legally.

The states said then that their goal was to investigate ways in which they could use federal law to enforce greenhouse gas emissions guidelines, and to investigate whether the fossil fuel industry had broken laws in order to slow or stop the implementation of renewable energy technologies.
 Close 'El Chapo' Guzman's legal team arrives at court

The trial of notorious drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman continues in Brooklyn, New York, and is expected to last into early 2019.

This is the first time a major Mexican drug lord has been tried in a US court and pleaded not guilty. The trial has become increasingly tense in recent days, as Guzmans attorney seeks to undermine testimonies from major drug traffickers.

Guzman, 61, faces a 17 count indictment that covers nearly three decades of alleged criminal activities. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Follow updates form the trial as they happened

Agencies contributed to this report
One of the hitmen that the infamous Joaquin El Chapo Guzman trusted to do his dirty worth kept a soundproof room complete with a drain in the floor to make cleaning up mess killings easier, a witness has told court.

He took me once to a house, where the floor was just white, tiled, Edgar Galvan, a government witness in the case against Mr Guzman, said of alleged hitman Antonio Jaguar Marrufo.

Thats where he killed people, he testified on Monday in a New York City federal courtroom.

Testimony indicated the room was somewhere in Mexicos Ciudad Juarez.

Mr Galvan told prosecutors that he was informed that the room was sound proofed so no noise comes out, and that nobody leaves the house once they enter.

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The witness said that he had accidentally come upon the world of drug trafficking in 2007, after he divorced from his wife and started going to clubs.

He testified that he had not met Mr Guzman before his testimony on Monday, and that Mr Guzman's general position in the cartel was to help run guns over the border to help kill off rival cartels.

Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Show all 4 1 /4 Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Pictures reveal how the Mexican drug lord had been living since his escape Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout The inside of a house searched by marine special forces where Guzman was hiding Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Inside a house searched by marine special forces during the military operation to recapture Guzman Getty Inside Mexicos top drug lord El Chapos hideout El Chapo's attempted escape A marine stands guard next to a manhole of the sewer system through which drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman tried to escape Getty

Once the cleaning of Juarez had taken place, he said, Mr Guzman could then control the areas, Mr Galvan told the court.

Mr Galvan was arrested in 2011 and pleaded guilty to possessing narcotics and firearms. He is currently a third of the way through a 24-year sentence.

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Mr Guzman has pleaded not guilty to the 17-count indictment he faces. Those charges include murder conspiracy, the distribution of cocaine, and firearms possession.

The trial began in November in a federal courthouse in Brooklyn and is expected to last a number of weeks more.
The Catholic order Opus Dei in 2005 paid $977,000 (766,000) to settle a sexual misconduct suit against the Reverend C John McCloskey, a priest well-known for preparing big-name conservatives like Newt Gingrich, Larry Kudlow and Sam Brownback for conversion.

The survivor is a devout Washington-area Catholic who was among the many who received spiritual direction from McCloskey through the Catholic Information Centre, a hub of Catholic life in downtown area of the District of Columbia.

She told The Washington Post McCloskey groped her several times while she was going to pastoral counselling with him to discuss marital troubles and serious depression.

The guilt and shame over the interactions sent her into a tailspin and, combined with her existing depression, made it impossible for her to work in her high-level job. She spoke to him about her "misperceived guilt over the interaction" in confession and he absolved her, she said.

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"I love Opus Dei but I was caught up in this cover-up - I went to confession, thinking I did something to tempt this holy man to cross boundaries," she said.

The complaint was not made public by the order until this week, but behind the scenes the ministry of the well-known priest had been sharply curtailed. A lot of Washington-area Catholics have wondered for years what happened to McCloskey, who was the closest thing to a celebrity the Catholic Church had in the area.

One other woman told the order McCloskey's touches had made her uncomfortable, an Opus Dei spokesperson said. He said Opus Dei is also investigating a third claim - so far unsubstantiated - that spokesperson Brian Finnerty called potentially "serious." He declined to provide details.

Opus Dei Vicar Monsignor Thomas Bohlin said in a statement that McCloskey's actions at the Centre were "deeply painful for the woman, and we are very sorry for all she suffered."

Msgr Bohlin's statement, which came after the survivor requested Opus Dei go public in an effort to reach other potential victims, said McCloskey was removed from his job at the Centre a year after the complaint, when it was found to be credible.

"All harassment and abuse are abhorrent," Msgr Bohlin wrote. "I am painfully aware of all that the Church is suffering, and I am very sorry that we in Opus Dei have added to it. Let us ask God to show mercy on all of us in the Church at this difficult time."

After leaving Washington after the complaints, McCloskey was sent to England and then Chicago and then California for assignments with Opus Dei. The survivor in the settlement said she was told by church officials in Chicago when he was sent there that McCloskey would not be allowed to "get faculties" - or permission to fully function as a priest - and would be put on a very tight leash, she said.

She became worried earlier this year when she came into contact with someone else who knew about McCloskey and heard he may have been working as a priest in California.

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

Opus Dei said after the settlement McCloskey was told to only give spiritual direction to women in the traditional confessional - meaning separated physically from them. In Opus Dei, a traditional community of Catholics, that is the norm for priests working with those they are counselling. McCloskey had an unusual public, free role at the Information Centre.

McCloskey, who is now in his 60s, in very recent months moved back to the DC region, where he has family. The order said he "suffers from advanced Alzheimer's. He is largely incapacitated and needs assistance for routine daily tasks. He has not had any pastoral assignments for a number of years and is no longer able to celebrate Mass, even privately."

The woman, who remains close to Opus Dei and participates in some of their spiritual activities, said she was grateful to the order for going public. She is now in her mid-50s, and was 40 when the incidents with McCloskey occurred.

"I'm very happy with how it's being handled right now. They listened," she said.

When she first reported McCloskey's actions in the early 2000s, she said, she did so in a confessional with an Opus Dei priest in Virginia. The priest told her not to tell anyone else, including any other priests, "so he could fix it," she said.

Later, an Opus Dei priest tried to help her, encouraging her to seek medical and legal assistance.

"I was grateful they treated it spiritually - there is someone out there who is hurting and we need to encourage her to get some help," she said of the other woman Opus Dei is trying to reach. "It means a lot to me that they did the right thing."

The Washington Post
| BY Lynchy |

Publicis Groupe has today announced the appointment of Michael Rebelo as chief executive officer for ANZ.

Rebelo started his career in Perth before moving to Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney in 1997 and held various agency leadership across the Saatchi & Saatchi network  including in Vietnam, New Zealand, and in the CEO role in Singapore, MD role in London and and CEO in Australia.

In 2017, he was appointed as CEO Publicis Communications in ANZ.

In this newly created role, Rebelos responsibilities include driving greater integration across the Groupes capabilities to transform its relationship with existing clients and win the trust of new ones, to cultivate and attract the best talents across the Groupes agencies and disciplines, as well as improving its resources management across disciplines and solutions. In his role, Rebelo will be supported by solution hub leadership, John Preston, chairman of Publicis Media, and Sarah Adam-Gedge, managing director at Publicis.Sapient.

Says Loris Nold, Publicis Groupe CEO, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa: I am incredibly excited with Mikes appointment. He and I have partnered for years now and I am very confident that he will successfully drive our Groupe across these two exciting, strategic and highly sophisticated markets.

Our strategy relies on two very important pillars: a solution-led approach and a country-led approach. This is to ensure that we accelerate on our global game changers while driving acceleration at a country level. The Power of One has generated some great examples of collaboration in Australia and New Zealand and it has transformed the way we work with our clients while bringing great opportunities to our people.

With Mike at the helm, working closely with John and Sarah, we have the right team and the right model to accelerate in Australia and New Zealand.

Last but not least, I want to congratulate Matt James for his appointment as global brand president, Zenith. Matt has been an incredible partner, working seamlessly with Mike, Henri, Pauly, Phil and I, and I cant think of a better leader to take on this exciting new role.

Says Rebelo: Im genuinely honoured to be taking on the role of CEO of Publicis Groupe for Australia and New Zealand. Im also thrilled for Matt as he takes on his new global role and thank him for his partnership and collaboration these past couple of years.
At least three people were killed and around 300 injured on Tuesday after two trains collided in the South African capital Pretoria, an emergency services official said.

The crash, which occurred at 9.30 am (07.30 GMT), left 82 passengers with serious injuries after a packed train careered into a stationary train at Mountain View station.

"We do not rule out the possibility of additional fatalities as we search under the wreckage," emergency official Charles Mabaso told Reuters.

Solly Msimanga, the mayor of Pretoria, said the collision was caused by vandalism and cable theft on the line.

In a statement on social media, he said:

Recommended At least 14 dead as train crashes into truck in South Africa

Although the investigation is ongoing, we call on the law enforcement authorities to strengthen their fight against cable theft and vandalism to state infrastructure, which we believe has caused damage to the railway signal system, which in turn led to this heart-breaking incident.

This is the latest in a series of train accidents in South Africa, which has the continent's largest railway network.

In October, 320 people were injured after a packed train travelling from Johannesburg to Pretoria crashed into the back of a stationary train.

The line for Mountain View station was closed indefinitely on Tuesday, according to the local newspaper Pretoria Rekord.

Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng said the line will remain closed until the scene has been cleared and investigations have concluded.

She added: We want to assure the public that we are doing everything we can to ensure that commuters are not stranded.

President Cyril Ramaphosa sent condolences to the victims of the crash and said his thoughts were with those who lost their lives and their families.

Reuters
UK government officials in Brussels have reportedly been exploring how an extension of Article 50 might work.

Such an extension would be key to a second referendum: heres why.
MPs have condemned the Brexit secretary after he suggested the intimidating protests outside parliament should rule out a fresh referendum.

Conservative and Labour MPs joined forces after Stephen Barclay said the abuse hurled at MPs  by far-right Brexit supporters  showed it would be too divisive to stage another public vote.

Labour MPs Chuka Umunna and Ben Bradshaw branded the comment disgraceful and a willingness to give in to fascist thugs respectively.

And senior Tories Justine Greening and Sarah Wollaston accused Mr Barclay of being ready to bow down to mob rule and to appease right-wing thuggery.

The row blew up after Mr Barclay said the growing pressure for a Final Say referendum on the Brexit outcome should be resisted, arguing: That would be hugely damaging to our democracy and our politics.

Recommended What you need to know about stopping Brexit and revoking Article 50

We saw in the appalling scenes outside parliament, in the way my colleague Anna Soubry was disgracefully treated yesterday, how divisive this process has been.

It is time now, after what has been a difficult period of time, to come together in the national interest, to unite behind the only deal on the table.

The Brexit secretary was speaking after Ms Soubry, a leading Final Say supporter, accused the police of ignoring the harassment of MPs and journalists by far-right demonstrators.

The Tory MP, who was subjected to chants of Soubry is a Nazi during television interviews and later followed along the street by a group shouting abuse, said action should have been taken.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

The Independent has reported how the protesters, calling themselves the Yellow Vests UK, in an echo of the protests in France, appear to be led by Tommy Robinson supporter James Goddard.

The group returns to Westminster on an almost daily basis to heckle pro-Remain protesters, journalists and MPs outside parliament, also targeting government buildings.

Ms Greening told the PoliticsHome website: What fuels the thugs who abused Anna Soubry is when ministers wont outright condemn these thugs and their intimidation.

That sends a dangerous message that ministers will take it into account in decisions. Thats called mob rule.

Dr Wollaston said: This is orchestrated intimidation against MPs, journalists and members of the public that should not be tolerated.

No one should suggest that we should alter our democratic process simply to appease right-wing thuggery.

Mr Umunna tweeted: Disgraceful for the Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay on @BBCr4today to suggest the abuse and intimidation @Anna_Soubry was subject to yesterday is a reason not to hold a democratic #PeopleVote.

And Mr Bradshaw added: Disgraceful comments from rookie #brexit secretary Stephen Barclay claiming the attacks on @Anna_Soubry are reason not to have a #peoplesvote on Mays botched deal. Since when has Britain give in to fascist thugs?

Meanwhile, the police said they had been briefed to intervene appropriately if there is further trouble after more than 50 MPs wrote to Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick.

Laurence Taylor, the Mets deputy assistant commissioner, said: Our role is to facilitate peaceful protest and balance the needs and rights of all those present, including protesters, MPs and members of the public.

We will deal robustly with incidents of harassment and abuse against anyone where that harassment or abuse constitutes a criminal offence.
Theresa May has suffered a fresh Commons defeat after MPs passed a motion to make it harder for ministers to force through a no-deal Brexit.

The amendment to a key government bill was tabled by Commons home affairs committee chair Yvette Cooper and supported by 303 MPs to 296.

It prevents ministers from introducing new tax rises in the case of a no-deal Brexit unless MPs have specifically voted in favour of leaving the EU without an agreement.

20 Conservatives joined with the opposition parties to vote through the change.

The defeat marks the latest in a series of Commons setbacks for the government in the run-up to next week's crunch vote on Ms May's Brexit deal.

MPs are widely expected to reject the proposed withdrawal agreement, prompting mounting fears of Britain crashing out of the EU without an agreement.

The amendment to the Finance Bill was backed by senior MPs from across the Commons, including Conservative select committee chairs Nicky Morgan and Sarah Wollaston and Labour's Hillary Benn and Frank Field, a Brexiteer. Tory grandees Sir Oliver Letwin and Nicholas Soames also supported the move.

The MPs plan to table similar amendments to other bills, including on trade, fisheries and healthcare, that are crucial to implementing a no-deal Brexit.

If passed, they would make it difficult for ministers to take the UK out of the EU without an agreement unless the Commons has approved such an outcome.

Supporters also hope the votes will demonstrate parliament's opposition to a no-deal Brexit amid a cabinet split over how the government should respond if its deal is voted down.

Some ministers are pushing Ms May to agree to leave the EU without a deal if her plan is rejected, but others have insisted that such an outcome would be disastrous for the country.

Government sources played down the significance of the latest defeat, saying the amendment to the Finance Bill would not have a major impact.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

Speaking in favour of the motion, Ms Cooper told the Commons: "I'm really worried that delays, drift or brinkmanship mean there is now a serious risk we will end up crashing out of the EU with no deal in just 80 days time.

"I'm worried we could come to the crunch and parliament wouldn't have the powers to stop it happening, and I believe we have a responsibility not to just stand by.

"The government should rule out no deal but if it won't then parliament must make sure that it has the powers to do so if it comes to the crunch."

She said her amendment "provides a safeguard to make it harder for the government to go ahead with no deal without even going back to parliament".

Responding for the government, Treasury minister Robert Jenrick said the Finance Bill would give ministers the power to make only "minor technical changes" in the case of no deal.

He said the bill amounted to "simply prudent preparations to provide our taxpayers with the certainty they deserve" and urged MPs worried about a no-deal outcome to back Ms May's plan.

Labour ordered its MPs to back Ms Cooper's amendment.

Following the government defeat, Jeremy Corbyn said: This vote is an important step to prevent a no deal Brexit.

It shows that there is no majority in parliament, the cabinet or the country for crashing out of the EU without an agreement. That is why we are taking every opportunity possible in parliament to prevent no deal.

Theresa May must now rule out no deal once and for all.
Cabinet ministers have compared MPs wanting to reject Theresa Mays Brexit deal of acting like middle-aged swingers hopelessly waiting for people with Hollywood good looks to arrive at a sex-party.

Michael Gove is said to have sparked the discussion by saying to colleagues that opponents of Ms Mays deal were waiting for Scarlett Johansson, while a female cabinet minister is said to have chipped in saying or Pierce Brosnan.

Another senior frontbencher took the metaphor further and likened Labours position on Brexit to waiting for Scarlett Johansson on a unicorn.

The bizarre discussion took place as Ms Mays top team of ministers discussed the critical vote on the prime ministers deal which is now confirmed for Tuesday 15 January.

The Conservative leaders aides have resumed their push to persuade Tory rebels of the merits of Ms Mays approach, promising new concession from Brussels, but also warning Brexit could be delayed or cancelled if they do not support it.

When asked about the swingers conversation at the cabinet table, the prime ministers official spokesman said: Next question.

The discussion took place in the context of the meaningful vote on Ms Mays Brexit deal, which is to follow five days of debate starting tomorrow.

Environment secretary Mr Gove made the point that some MPs were opposing the deal in the hope that something perfect would come along afterwards, adding that they are like mid-50s swingers waiting for Scarlett Johansen to turn up.

 Scarlett Johansson on flirting

A female member of the cabinet, believed to be Amber Rudd, then added or Pierce Brosnan is an attempt to ensure the metaphors gender balance.

As the conversation moved on to Labours position on Brexit, justice secretary David Gauke picked up the theme again claiming it was like Scarlett Johansson on a unicorn.

Mr Gauke appeared in news stories after a previous cabinet meeting in which he compared the managed no-deal Brexit favoured by some eurosceptic colleagues to a unicorn, and he then later appeared in a picture on Twitter holding a little model of one of the mythical creatures.

The prime ministers spokesman said that Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay would open the debate and that the prime minister herself would close it, giving one final chance to make a plea to MP to back her deal.

He indicated that the debate could take a similar form to that which began before Christmas, with different days exploring different themes like, the economy, security and trade.

Justice secretary David Gauke (David Gauke/Twitter)

The spokesman added that there had been a reaffirmation during the meeting that it was not the governments position to extend the Article 50 negotiating period beyond Brexit, March 29.

The prime minister is currently attempting to win further assurances from the EU over the Irish backstop that is so hated by her DUP partners in government and many on her backbenches.

Irish leader Leo Varadkar said on Tuesday that the Brussels is happy to give the UK fresh assurances over the backstop, an arrangement which comes into play if no new trade deal is agreed by December 2020 and which could lead to the UK being in an indefinite customs union with the EU.

Ahead of a vote on Ms Mays proposed withdrawal agreement in parliament, the Taoiseach told the Irish Times: We dont want to trap the UK into anything.

His comments during a trip to Mali could give fresh hope to the prime minister, whose Brexit plan faces almost certain defeat without input from Brussels that would make it more palatable to rebellious MPs in her own party.
The Irish government has said it would not stand in the way if the UK asked to extend the Article 50 negotiating period, following reports that British officials have sounded out the possibility with their counterparts in Brussels.

The UK is said to be looking behind the scenes at the possibility of delaying the Brexit date amid uncertainty about how the Brexit deal could get through parliament.

Speaking in Dublin, Simon Coveney, the Irish foreign minister, said: If it is the case that in some point in the future the British government seeks an extension of Article 50, that will have to have EU approval, but that is not something we would stand in the way of.

The French government also left the door open to an extension, with its Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau telling reporters in Brussels: I dont work on hypotheticals. The current situation is complex enough. It has not been asked about by the British authorities.

German foreign minister Heiko Maas struck a similar tone, telling journalists: I wouldnt really want to think about the possibility of extending Article 50 here and now. I dont think this is what we ought to focus on today.

The government has been emphatic that it does not want to extend Article 50, but one minister, Margot James, said for the first time that we might have to extend Article 50 if the prime minister loses next weeks parliamentary vote on the deal.

Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay said on Tuesday morning: I can be very clear that the governments policy is to leave on 29 March.

The UK government is currently seeking further reassurances about the Brexit deal from the EU in an attempt to boost the documents apparently slim chances of getting through parliament.

The EU has repeatedly ruled out making any actual changes to the agreement, but there have been suggestion in Brussels that the bloc could send the UK a letter offering such reassurances.

Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, said on Tuesday that he was happy to give these. Frances Ms Loiseau, however, told reporters that the EU had repeatedly said it did not want the backstop to come into effect, but that these are political assurances but there is nothing more that we can do.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on Tuesday that UK officials have been putting out feelers and testing the waters on an extension  despite it not being government policy.

Without an extension, the UK is set to leave the bloc on 29 March 2019. If Theresa Mays Brexit deal cannot pass parliament, the default will be that the UK leaves without a deal, which is expected to cause a major economic crisis.

The European Court of Justice has however ruled that the UK can unilaterally revoke Article 50 if it wants, effectively cancelling Brexit. An extension, which is separate from revocation, requires the unanimous approval of the other 27 EU countries.

A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA

Though most MPs in parliament do not want a no-deal Brexit, some Brexiteers in the Conservative Party are now campaigning for one to happen.

Theresa May has said that no deal is better than a bad deal, but insists her deal is a good deal  despite both the public and MPs across all parties having a very low opinion of it.

The PM is due to speak to European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on the telephone this week as the debate on her deal kicks off in the Commons. The EU has confirmed there are no meetings taking place between negotiators because it considers the deal finalised.
A growing number of MPs are calling for far-right Brexiteers to be prevented from continuing their threatening behaviour outside the Houses of Parliament  but police may be powerless to intervene.

Officers are investigating whether yellow vests who followed pro-Remain MP Anna Soubry while calling her a Nazi and traitor have committed a crime, and no arrests have yet been made over the incident.

Concern has been mounting over almost daily protests that started in December, seeing members target pro-EU protesters, politicians and journalists, as well as blocking roads and scuffling with police.

More than 60 MPs have written to police demanding action, but officers have no power to remove the group from outside the Houses of Parliament or any other public place unless they are committing a crime, or a specific court order is made.

John Bercow, speaker of the House of Commons, said MPs have raised concerns for their personal safety over the aggressive, threatening and intimidating behaviour.

In a letter to the Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick, he said the situation was not only intolerable but untenable.

Matters cannot stand as they do today, Mr Bercow added. A change in policy is required. I would therefore ask you and your offices to do your utmost to increase security for members, journalists and visitors to the parliamentary state, and ensure there is safe access to and from Abingdon Green.

The alleged harassment of Ms Soubry was reported as a potential public order offence on Monday and police are assessing whether the incident meets the bar for investigation.

A pro-Remain protester who did not want to be named said the yellow vests have been intimidating demonstrators and trying to goad them into a response on camera.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

They put cameras in our faces, insulting us, trying to pull our flags down  just intimidation, basically. Weve been called nazis, paedophile enablers, traitors, he said.

Im not quite sure what their motivation is because one minute its anti-EU, then its anti-Islam, then its the police. They dont seem to have a focus.

Five members of the yellow vests have so far been arrested. On Monday afternoon, a man was arrested in Parliament Square for suspected assault.

And at a protest in London on Saturday, three yellow vests were arrested on suspicion of public order offences and a 13-year-old girl was detained for allegedly assaulting a police officer.

Heated scenes saw a smoke bomb set off outside Downing Street and protesters scuffle with police on Whitehall, as organiser James Goddard shouted: If they want a war well give them a war, lets give them a f***ing war.

It was one of several protests held in British cities by the UK yellow vests, who have appropriated the high-visibility jackets worn in demonstrations that turned violent in France.

The yellow vests have verbally abused officers sent to police their protests, calling them Nazis, traitors and scum.

 Smoke bombs set off outside London's Downing Street by far-right 'yellow vest' protesters

Although police have not moved to prevent them protesting in Westminster, officers have helped eject them from private buildings.

Police warned members of the group that they were committing trespass at LBC Radios studio and the Labour Party headquarters in London and told them to leave. No arrests were made in the two incidents.

Key members of the group have attended numerous protests in support of Tommy Robinson, the English Defence League and other far-right groups, and are familiar with policing tactics and the boundaries of legal behaviour.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told The Independent that demonstrators will be detained if they are found to be committing an offence.

Extra police officers were stationed around entrances to parliament and ongoing protests on Tuesday, as a senior officer said Scotland Yard had to balance safety and freedom of speech.

Deputy assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor for Met Operations said: Our role is to facilitate peaceful protest and balance the needs and rights of all those present, including protestors, MPs and members of the public.

We will deal robustly with incidents of harassment and abuse against anyone where that harassment or abuse constitutes a criminal offence.

Officers in the area have been briefed to intervene appropriately where they hear or see breaches of the law.

Speaking outside Scotland Yard, Mr Taylor said police were taking advice as to whether the behaviour from [Monday] meets a criminal threshold.

James Goddard in the yellow vest worn for protests in Westminster (Twitter)

Asked whether calling someone a Nazi was a crime, he replied: That is part of the assessment we are making.

Some MPs have argued that chants by the yellow vests and their habit of following MPs and journalists through Westminster could amount to an offence under the Public Order Act.

It makes threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour illegal in some circumstances, as well as causing harassment, alarm or distress.

Particular concern has been raised about the frequent use of the insults traitor and treason, following the murder of Jo Cox in 2016.

The Labour MP was killed by a pro-Brexit extremist, who shouted death to traitors, freedom for Britain in court.

Although Thomas Mairs attack came during the EU referendum campaign, prosecutors also presented evidence showing a long-standing obsession with Nazism and white supremacism.

The yellow vests have also blocked major roads and bridges in London on several occasions since their demonstrations started in December.

Obstructing a highway is a criminal offence under the Highways Act 1980, but as police did not arrest environmental protesters Extinction Rebellion for using the same tactic, using the law against the yellow vests could be perceived as bias.

Brexit racism and the fightback Show all 9 1 /9 Brexit racism and the fightback Brexit racism and the fightback Demonstrators protest against an increase in post-ref racism at London's March for Europe in July 2016 PA Brexit racism and the fightback These cards were found near a school in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, the day after the EU referendum Twitter/@howgilb Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback Romford, Essex, June 25 @diamondgeezer Brexit racism and the fightback A worker at this Romanian food shop was asleep upstairs at the time of this arson attack in Norwich on July 8, but escaped unharmed. Hundreds later participated in a love bombing rally outside the shop to express their opposition to racism and their support of the shop owners. JustGiving/Helen Linehan Brexit racism and the fightback This neo-Nazi sticker was spotted in Glasgow on June 26 Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback But after news emerged of neo-Nazi stickers appearing in Glasgow, some in the city struck back with slogans of their own. Courtesy of Eoin Palmer Brexit racism and the fightback Getty Brexit racism and the fightback More signs began to appear in some parts of the UK, created by people who wanted to show their opposition to post-referendum racism Courtesy of Bernadette Russell

The group has already accused authorities of double standards and cracking down on freedom of speech.

Leaders are likely to jump on any ban or arrests as evidence of establishment collusion against Brexiteers, and cast themselves as victims to garner more support and crowdfunding donations.

Leave Means Leave national organiser Harry Todd told The Independent the police had to walk a very fine line.

There was a point where I think the police should have intervened a bit quicker, but thats an operational decision for officers, he added. They have to judge someones right to free speech against whether theres an offence being committed, and I do not envy them that decision because its a very fine line at times.

I think if they are protesting peacefully, they are not being aggressive, they are not being angry at people for no reason, they are not upsetting anyone, of course they should be allowed to protest. But being allowed to protest is a privilege. If they are going to go around making people feel unsafe, if they are going to go around causing trouble, they lose that privilege, as everyone does. They definitely crossed that line yesterday.
An additional three million social homes are needed to solve the housing crisis, according to a landmark report which calls on the government to extend the criteria for who is eligible for social housing.

A major review by housing charity Shelter, commissioned in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, urges ministers to invest 214bn in a 20-year housebuilding programme that will reverse the decay of social mobility in Britain.

The proposals, produced by 16 independent commissioners from across the political spectrum, would offer social homes to millions who fail to qualify under the current system, including young families and elderly people who are trapped in rented housing.

Specifically, the report calls for 1.27 million homes for those in greatest housing need, 1.17 million homes for younger families who cannot afford to buy and 690,000 homes for older private renters struggling with high housing costs beyond retirement.

The commissioners, who include former Labour leader Ed Miliband and ex-Tory chairman Baroness Warsi, argue that politicians cannot remain idle at a time when almost 280,000 people in England are homeless.

They also highlight the fact that half of young people have no chance of ever buying a home and private renters on lower incomes spend an average of 67 per cent of their earnings on rent.

Findings by Shelter last year showed more than 100,000 households had been stuck on council housing waiting lists for more than 10 years as the number of social homes dwindles to a record low.

Mr Miliband said: This is a moment for political boldness on social housing investment that we have not seen for a generation. It is the way to restore hope, build strong communities, and fix the broken housing market so that we meet both the needs and the aspirations of millions of people.

The review suggests the economic benefits of social housebuilding would ultimately outweigh the initial costs, stating it would require an average yearly investment of 10.7bn during construction, but that up to two-thirds of this could be recouped through housing benefit savings and increased tax revenue.

On this basis, the true net additional cost to the government, if the benefits were fully realised, would be just 3.8bn on average per year over the 20-year period  and after 39 years the investment would have fully paid for itself, says the report.

Baroness Warsi said: Social mobility has been decimated by decades of political failure to address our worsening housing crisis. Half of young people cannot buy, and thousands face the horror of homelessness.

Our vision for social housing presents a vital political opportunity to reverse this decay. It offers the chance of a stable home to millions of people, providing much needed security and a step up for young families trying to get on in life and save for their future. We simply cannot afford not to act.

Recommended Locked in council house limbo for a decade

The report also calls for a series of reforms to improve social housing, including a new Ofsted-style consumer regulator to protect residents and enforce common standards across social and private renting, a new national tenants voice organisation and a new national standard to ensure enough investment in maintaining social homes and their surrounding neighbourhoods.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation, welcomed the report, saying the lack of affordable housing was locking families out of achieving a decent life.

With high rents and housing benefit frozen, millions of families are backed into a corner, leaving them in a daily struggle to get by. Now is the time for the government to step up and act upon the concerns of struggling families, he added.

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said: Providing quality and fair social housing is a priority for this government and our Social Housing Green Paper seeks to ensure it can both support social mobility and be a stable base that supports people when they need it.

Weve asked tenants across the country for their views and the thousands of responses weve received will help us design the future of social housing.

Our ambitious 9bn affordable homes programme will deliver 250,000 homes by 2022, including homes for social rent. A further 2 bn of long term funding has already been committed beyond that as part of a ten year home building programme through to 2028.

Were also giving councils extra freedom to build the social homes their communities need and expect.


A conspiracy theorist who feared he could be murdered told his mother to investigate if anything happens to me just days before his death, an inquest has heard.

Maxwell Bates-Spiers, 39, known widely as Max Spiers, died in Poland after appearing at a conference to speak about secret military programmes, the court was told.

His mother had previously said he was incredibly strong, incredibly fit, nothing wrong with him at all before leaving for the trip in July 2016.

Speaking on the second day of the three-day hearing on Tuesday, Vanessa Bates said her son had sent her a message before he died which read: If anything happens to me, look into it, investigate.

She added: He even said, I think I might be murdered. That would have been in the last week or so before he died.

I really think, standing back from it now, that he was just getting himself in more and more of a state.

Paying tribute to her son, who was described to the court in Sandwich, Kent, as a journalist dealing with the topics of conspiracy theories and paranormal phenomena, Mrs Bates added: He was very funny, so funny and so full of life, and humorous.

He was not one of those hell-bent on conspiracy and pointing out that the government was going to fall  stereotypically, thats how conspiracy theorists are presented.

Mr Bates-Spiers, of Canterbury, was in Warsaw to attend the Earth Project conference where he gave a lecture about participation in secret military programmes, the inquest heard. The court was told he died at the home of Monika Duval, 50, after taking prescription drugs while suffering from pneumonia.

He had met Ms Duval, a publisher, at the conference and she let him live with her for several weeks before his death on 16 July, 2016. The pair also went on holiday to Cyprus together and the court heard they had had an informal relationship.

In the statement read to the hearing, Ms Duval addressed the circumstances around Mr Spiers death. She said he took about 10 tablets of a Turkish form of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax before he fell asleep on her sofa and stopped breathing.

A toxicology report also discovered potentially fatal levels of oxycodone, an opioid, in his system, the inquest heard.

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. 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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. 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Ms Duval said in her statement gastric fluids had poured from Mr Bates-Spiers mouth as she tried resuscitation.

Two police officers, Slawomir Mamczak and Pawel Semeniuk, were called by the paramedics after Ms Duval grew agitated when they stopped CPR.

In a statement, Mr Mamczak said a doctor had told them the death was due to natural causes.

He added: The doctor said a woman who was present in the house didnt agree with their decision to stop resuscitation.

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Mr Semeniuk said in a statement: After the doctor said the death was due to natural causes, we somehow didnt delve into it. There was no examination or further investigation.

British toxicologist David Rose previously told the court Mr Spiers had twice the normal dose of Xanax in his system. He also discovered levels of oxycodone which could be fatal to an inexperienced user, the inquest heard.

Mr Spiers GP, Dr Cecily Fahey, said he had been addicted to a variety of medications.

Assistant coroner Chris Sutton-Mattocks is expected to give his conclusion on Wednesday.

Additional reporting by PA
Nasa has found a strange alien planet sitting outside of our solar system.

The world is cool and small: two characteristics that make it a very strange thing indeed for scientists to find.

The little planet known as HD 21749b is the third planet to be found by TESS, Nasa's new planet-hunting telescope. It goes around its star on a long orbit, taking a relatively leisurely 36 days.

Despite that proximity, it is quite cool at around around 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

As such it could be a very important way for scientists to find out about such relatively little and temperate worlds.

Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427  more commonly known as WR 124  and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead  sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later  having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region

Its the coolest small planet that we know of around a star this bright, says Diana Dragomir, a postdoc in MITs Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, who led the new discovery.

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We know a lot about atmospheres of hot planets, but because its very hard to find small planets that orbit farther from their stars, and are therefore cooler, we havent been able to learn much about these smaller, cooler planets. But here we were lucky, and caught this one, and can now study it in more detail.

Even despite being called small by the scientists who found it, the world is still huge compared to us: it is about three times our size, and 23 times as massive. That puts it in the category of a "sub-Neptune", and means that it would be the first roughly Earth-sized planets to have been found by TESS.

But it is unlikely to look much like our own planet. It's probably made of gas like Neptune or Uranus, though something far more dense than their atmospheres.

We think this planet wouldnt be as gaseous as Neptune or Uranus, which are mostly hydrogen and really puffy, Dragomir says. The planet likely has a density of water, or a thick atmosphere.
| BY Lynchy |

Omnicom Media Group has appointed Claudine Kwek as Chief Operating Officer for its business in China. The newly created role will be responsible for driving operational excellence among its agencies in China  namely the full-service media agencies, OMD and PHD, as well as the Groups data & analytics division, Annalect.

Kwek (pictured) joins Omnicom Media Group from WPP, where she spent 18 years garnering invaluable industry experience in APAC and comprehensive knowledge of the China market in particular. She has previously held the COO title at GroupM in Shanghai and tenthavenue in Singapore, and was most recently the President, China Trading & Investment for tenthavenue in Shanghai. In her new role at Omnicom Media Group, Kwek will work closely with the CEOs of the Groups agencies and business units to continuously enhance efficiencies and fuel future growth through the Groups Client-First, Brand-Led, Group-Powered approach.

Tony Harradine, CEO of Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific, commented, As our agencies continue to scale new heights in China, we have strengthened our Group leadership in order to ensure they are backed by operational excellence and solid commercial direction in the face of fresh growth. Claudines track record in reorganising agencies and generating operational efficiencies, coupled with her extensive knowledge of the communications industry in China, make her the ideal candidate to augment our agencies leadership and we are excited to have her onboard. I am highly confident that under her guidance, our agencies will continue to achieve even greater results for our clients and people.

Kwek added, I am excited to be joining Omnicom Media Group at a time when its agencies are at the top of their game, making the challenge for me to uncover areas of growth and improve processes ever the more interesting. Both OMD and PHD are renowned in the China marketplace for their unique value propositions and solid product offerings, which has attracted some of the most prominent brands to their client rosters. Additionally, both have been recognised by the industry as the very best in their fields. I am looking forward to working closely with the agency heads on enhancing their operational and revenue models and boosting synergies across the business, and am excited to be a part of the Groups continued success story in China.
A form of birth control for mosquitoes could be used to tackle populations of the creatures in areas where insect-borne diseases are rife.

The discovery of a key protein involved in forming mosquito eggs has provided scientists with a new target in the fight against them.

Globally more than 500 million people are afflicted with diseases carried by mosquitoes, like malaria, Dengue fever and the Zika virus, which claim the lives nearly one million people.

Previous efforts to prevent the disease have included sterilising male mosquitoes and editing their genes to block female reproduction.

But the new strategy being proposed by a team of researchers from the the University of Arizona would involve an insecticide that tampers with the newly discovered protein.

The scientists found that blocking the activity of this substance resulted in females laying eggs with defective shells. These caused the insect developing inside to die.

Crucially, the researchers found this protein only exists in mosquitoes, meaning if a drug that prevents it from functioning can be widely applied it will only harm these insects.

"We think this strategy may have a much lower chance of harming other organisms than what is being used today," said Professor Roger Miesfeld, one of the scientists behind the research.

Conventional pesticides work well at killing mosquitoes and were initially viewed by researchers as a viable way of wiping out diseases like malaria.

However, the potency of these chemicals mean they can have far-reaching effects in ecosystems, killing other insects and harming larger animals.

Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary

It has also become apparent in recent years that mosquitoes are beginning to develop resistance to some of the most widespread chemicals used to control them.

With this in mind, the scientists said they were hopeful their discovery will provide a way to drive down mosquito numbers in high-risk areas without affecting beneficial insects like honeybees.

"Since the days of DDT, we have known that mosquito population control works to reduce the incidence of human disease, said Professor Miesfeld. This could be a next-generation tool that could be applied to bed nets and other areas frequented by mosquitoes."

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Dr Jun Isoe, who led the project, identified the protein by searching for genes that were unique to mosquitoes, ultimately settling on the previously unknown EOF-1 gene.

The team then created small molecules that stop the proteins working properly, and found that once inserted into mosquitoes these molecules prevented the female insects from producing functional eggs until the end of their lifespan

While techniques that wipe out huge numbers of mosquitoes are tempting, there are concerns that such large-scale engineering of ecosystems could have unintended knock-on effects, even if limited to a single species.
The former chairman of Japan's Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, denied any wrongdoing and proclaimed his loyalty to the company at a court hearing in Tokyo on Tuesday.

It was Mr Ghosn's first public appearance since he was arrested on 19 November and charged with false financial reporting.

Your honour, I am innocent of the accusations against me, Mr Ghosn told the judge, speaking firmly and calmly as he read from a statement. I am wrongfully accused.

Prosecutors have charged Mr Ghosn, who led a dramatic turnaround at the Japanese car manufacturer over the past two decades, with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his income by about 5 billion yen (35m) over five years through 2015.

They also say he is suspected of having Nissan temporarily take on his investment losses from the financial crisis.

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Wearing plastic slippers and a dark suit without a tie, Mr Ghosn rebutted the allegations against him point-by-point and said he had the option to leave Nissan but had decided to stay on.

A captain doesn't jump ship during a storm, said Mr Ghosn, who was visibly thinner than before his arrest.

The veteran car industry executive, a familiar face at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and other elite gatherings, was handcuffed and led into the courtroom with a rope around his waist as the hearing began. Officers removed his handcuffs and seated him on a bench.

Presiding judge Yuichi Tada then read out the charges and said Mr Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, was considered a flight risk  he was arrested on his arrival in Tokyo by private jet  and might try to hide evidence.

In Japan, suspects are routinely held without bail, often due to fears about evidence tampering.

During Tuesday's hearing, Go Kondo, one of Mr Ghosn's lawyers, argued he was not a flight risk.

He's widely known so it's difficult for him to escape. There is no risk that the suspect will destroy evidence, he said.

Facing the courtroom, Mr Ghosn spoke proudly of the company's  and his own  achievements, such as reviving iconic models like the GT-R and the Z, expanding operations in China, Russia, Brazil and India and pioneering electric cars and autonomous driving.

I have a genuine love and appreciation for Nissan, he said.

Mr Ghosn has been held in Spartan conditions at a Tokyo detention facility since he was taken into custody. However, Mr Ghosn's defence lawyer Motonari Ohtsuru told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club late on Tuesday that Mr Ghosn was transferred to a bigger room with a bed at his request.

In keeping with Japanese regulations, he has been allowed visits only from his lawyers and consular officials.

Mr Ghosn said he had acted honourably, legally and with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate executives inside the company with the sole purpose of supporting and strengthening Nissan, according to a statement released to some media including The Associated Press before the hearing and confirmed by his legal team.

It said he had not failed to disclose any of his income from Nissan.

Mr Ghosn also defended payments questioned by prosecutors and by Nissan that were made to Khaled Juffali, a Saudi businessman. He said the money was paid to Mr Juffali for real work that he did to sort out problems with a local distributor.

Before the hearing, the Khaled Juffali Company issued a statement saying the $14.7m (11.5m) in payments over four years from Nissan were for legitimate business purposes.

Other Nissan executives approved the payment, Mr Ohtsuru said.

Mr Ghosn said his personal investment losses stemmed from being paid in Japanese yen and that he had only asked Nissan to temporarily provide collateral for foreign exchange contracts. The company suffered no losses, he said.

Sent to Japan by Nissan's alliance partner Renault in 1999, Mr Ghosn led a spectacular turnaround at the Yokohama-based company over two decades, during which he mostly served as chief executive.
A Drag Race contestant claims she was banned from wearing a gown that resembled a giant menstrual pad on the show.

Drag artist, Manila Luzon, is currently appearing on the fourth season of RuPauls Drag Race All Stars, a show which has become synonymous with pushing boundaries, overcoming stereotypes and, of course, killer lewks.

In the episode that aired on 4 January, Luzon wore a Chanel-inspired pink outfit for the Curves and Swerves runway challenge.

However, the reality star has revealed that this was not the dress she originally planned to wear.

Taking to Instagram, Luzon revealed another outfit she had chosen to fit the theme, which was banned after head judge RuPaul deemed it to be in bad taste.

The look, which was created by designer Dallas Coulter, consisted of a corset made of a giant sanitary pad stained with fake blood and a large red skirt.

Luzon said she hoped the dress would help to normalise menstruation.

I was really looking forward to wearing this gown that I think celebrates a perfectly normal human experience! she wrote on Instagram.

Many of my fans are young women who may feel pressured by society to be embarrassed by periods.

Its empowering to teach young women about their bodies, encourage them to celebrate them and to question people who tell them not to.

Luzon continued: My goal with this look was to normalise menstruation by looking sickning even if I was on my period!

Instead, I decided to wear the beautiful quilted dress you saw in the episode because it is not my show, its Rus.

But because of Ru, I have my very own platform to speak for myself and show you all my interpretation!

The post has since stirred up some major criticism for the show with many sharing their disappointment on social media.

Look at this, a show that should be about inclusivity yet again proves patriarchal. I would SO LOVE to see this on the runway, one person wrote.

Another added: Wow. @RuPaul wouldnt even let @manilaluzon wear a menstruation dress.

"Youre doing nothing for the stereotype that cis gay men hate vaginas, boo. Sincerely, A man who menstruates.

Others took the opportunity to thank Luzon for trying to normalise menstruation.

Period drama! As an endometriosis sufferer thank you for trying to normalise periods, one person commented.

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Women need to be able to discuss periods without feeling embarrassed.

RuPaul or the Drag Race production team are yet to respond to Manila Luzon claim.

This isnt the first time RuPaul has faced criticism for his decisions on the show.

Last year, the Drag Race host was accused of transphobia after claiming that trans women who have transitioned couldnt compete in the show.

When asked if a trans woman who was actively transitioning should be allowed to compete on the show, RuPaul said, Probably not. You can identify as a woman and say you're transitioning, but it changes once you start changing your body.

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It takes on a different thing; it changes the whole concept of what we're doing, RuPaul added.

The 57-year-old LGBTQ advocate later apologised on social media for his comments.
Ethereum classic, a spin-off of the world's second most popular cryptocurrency, has been hit by a series of major attacks on its blockchain network.

Unknown hackers made away with more than $1.5 million (1.2m) by performing a so-called 51 per cent attack on ethereum classic's underlying technology.

Popular cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase was forced to cease trades of ethereum classic as a result of the attack.

Coinbase told its users in a blog post that more than $1.5 million had been lifted by hackers through the double spend event.

"Coinbase detected a deep chain reorganisation of the ethereum classic blockchain that included a double spend," the blog post stated.

"In order to protect customer funds, we immediately paused interactions with the ETC blockchain. Subsequent to this event we detected... additional reorganisations that included double spends. We will continue to monitor the status of the network."

Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins  the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images

A 51 per cent attack is technically possible on any cryptocurrency, though by its nature it is very difficult to carry out.

It involves taking control of more than half of the network's mining computer power, which is used to both generate new units of the cryptocurrency and confirm transactions on the network.

This allows for something called 'double spend', whereby whoever is in control of the network can spend units of the cryptocurrency twice.

Ethereum Classic was hit by a 51 per cent attack, allowing hackers to make off with $1.5 million (Getty Images)

Bitcoin's pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto first described this type of attack in their 2008 white paper.

The paper stated: "If a majority of CPU power is controlled by honest nodes, the honest chain will grow the fastest and outpace any competing chains."

Ethereum classic is currently ranked on CoinMarketCap as the 18th most valuable cryptocurrency, however the latest attack is likely to damage traders' trust in the asset.

Previous 51 per cent attacks on cryptocurrencies like bitcoin spin-off bitcoin gold have resulted in a decrease in their value.
Hackers have once again managed to syphon millions of dollars from a cryptocurrency thanks to a fundamental weakness in its underlying technology.

A so-called 51 per cent attack on ethereum classic, a spin-off of the world's second most popular cryptocurrency, saw cyber criminals make away with more than $1.5 million (1.2m) and forced popular exchange Coinbase to cease trades of the cryptocurrency.

The heist once again highlighted issues with the blockchain network and the cryptocurrency mining process supporting it.

The attack method involves taking control of 51 per cent of a cryptocurrencys network in order to manipulate its blockchain and reverse transactions that have taken place.

While a 51 per cent attack on major networks like bitcoin and ethereum are almost impossible due to their size, smaller cryptocurrencies are increasingly falling victim to them.

The attacks take place on cryptocurrency exchanges, but are not actually attacks on the exchanges themselves. Instead the attack takes place on the blockchain, or online ledger, of the cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Satoshi Nakamoto creates the first bitcoin block in 2009 On 3 January, 2009, the genesis block of bitcoin appeared. It came less than a year after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto detailed the cryptocurrency in a paper titled 'Bitcoin: A peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin is used as a currency for the first time On 22 May, 2010, the first ever real-world bitcoin transaction took place. Lazlo Hanyecz bought two pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins  the equivalent of $90 million at today's prices Lazlo Hanyecz Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Silk Road opens for business Bitcoin soon gained notoriety for its use on the dark web. The Silk Road marketplace, established in 2011, was the first of hundreds of sites to offer illegal drugs and services in exchange for bitcoin Screenshot Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The first bitcoin ATM appears On 29 October, 2013, the first ever bitcoin ATM was installed in a coffee shop in Vancouver, Canada. The machine allowed people to exchange bitcoins for cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures The fall of MtGox The world's biggest bitcoin exchange, MtGox, filed for bankruptcy in February 2014 after losing almost 750,000 of its customers bitcoins. At the time, this was around 7 per cent of all bitcoins and the market inevitably crashed Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Would the real Satoshi Nakamoto please stand up In 2015, Australian police raided the home of Craig Wright after the entrepreneur claimed he was Satoshi Nakamoto. He later rescinded the claim Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's big split On 1 August, 2017, an unresolvable dispute within the bitcoin community saw the network split. The fork of bitcoin's underlying blockchain technology spawned a new cryptocurrency: Bitcoin cash Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin's price sky rockets Towards the end of 2017, the price of bitcoin surged to almost $20,000. This represented a 1,300 per cent increase from its price at the start of the year Reuters Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures What goes up... Bitcoin price crashes spectacularly, losing half of its value in a matter of days Getty Images Bitcoin's volatile history in pictures Bitcoin plunges The cryptocurrency eventually bottoms out below $4,000 in 2019 before slowly rebuilding momentum to outperform more traditional assets Getty Images

By controlling the majority of the networks computing power, hackers can alter the blockchain and reverse transactions that they have made, effectively allowing them to spend the cryptocurrency twice.

Increased attacks inevitably lead to slower transaction times as cryptocurrency exchanges attempt to identify attackers.

The attacks take place on cryptocurrency exchanges, but are not actually attacks on the exchanges themselves. Increased attacks inevitably lead to slower transaction times as cryptocurrency exchanges attempt to identify attackers.

Around 388,000 units of bitcoin gold were stolen in one attack in 2018, amounting to $16.6 million at today's prices.

Any blockchain  even bitcoin  can theoretically be attacked by a malicious actor who can control more hashing (computing) power than all the honest miners, bitcoin gold developers wrote in a blogpost responding to the attacks.

Of course, the biggest risk is to a smaller network in the shadow of a bigger one Were monitoring the situation carefully in a variety of ways to rapidly alert the exchanges when we can tell an attack is in progress.

A 51 per cent attack can be devastating for a cryptocurrency (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The vulnerability of cryptocurrencies that have formed by splitting from more established cryptocurrencies was highlighted in a recent study by researchers at FECAP University in Brazil.

According to the researchers, bitcoin gold could be compromised by hackers spending around $200,000 on hashing power per day. In contrast, larger networks like bitcoin cash would cost around $2 million per day to attack.

"A growing number of institutional investors are watching crypto-currencies, ruthless intimidating wizards and trolls, standing on the tips of their toes aiming to exploit opportunities for quick and big profits," the researchers said.

"They arent the type of dudes youre used to, the ones that care about the community, the ecosystem and the future of decentralization."
A car which can climb walls and step over holes thanks to its robotic legs could transform the way rescue teams operate in disaster zones.

More than 10,000 people died in natural catastrophes in 2017, with an estimated 201 million needing international humanitarian assistance.

One of the problems is reaching those affected. Car maker Hyundai has unveiled a concept vehicle named Elevate which blends the technology found in electric cars with that found in robots to help it cover terrain beyond the limitations of even the most capable off-road vehicle.

Elevate can be driven by first responders to a location like a traditional electric car.

But when the terrain gets tough, it can use its highly dexterous robotic legs to move in any direction.

It can climb a 5ft wall, step over a 5ft gap, walk at 3mph over tricky terrain, and achieve a 15ft wide wheelbase, all while keeping its body and passengers completely level.

The legs, which can walk like a mammal or reptile, also fold up into a stowed drive-mode, where power to the joints is cut, and the use of an integrated passive suspension system maximises battery efficiency.

It is not just disaster zones where people can benefit from Elevate, according to Hyundai.

Disabled people who do not have access to a ramp outside their home could hail an Elevate taxi that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll in.

Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 Show all 6 1 /6 Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 Superstructure printer Inspired by Disrupt to Stabilize: How Youth are Shaping a Fractured World Florian de Gesincourt /AKQA Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 Remote robotic surgeon Inspired by Transforming Healthcare in the 4th Industrial Revolution Florian de Gesincourt /AKQA Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 Public Technology Ethicist Inspired by in Technology We Trust? Florian de Gesincourt /AKQA Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 Landfill Recycler Inspired by From Linear to Expotential Value Chains Florian de Gesincourt /AKQA Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 Blockchain Banking Engineer Inspired by the Remaking of Global Finance Florian de Gesincourt /AKQA Tomorrow's workplace: How the world will look like in 2030 National identify conservationist Inspired by WPP Best Countries Breakfast Florian de Gesincourt /AKQA

Elevate is part of Hyundais Centre for Robotic-Augmented Design in Living Experiences (Cradle), which aims to enhance transportation on and off the road.

It has been dubbed the worlds first Ultimate Mobility Vehicle and is being revealed in concept form at this weeks Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, USA.

In a statement, the manufacturer said: At CES 2019, Hyundai Cradle is presenting a totally new vehicle concept that combines the power of robotics and EV technology to take people where no vehicle has been before.

The quadrupedal Hyundai Elevate will redefine the boundaries and perceptions of vehicular mobility.

Its four highly dexterous and movable legs can be utilised in ways beyond the imagination to allow Hyundais inception of a new vehicle category  The Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV).

The manufacturer is also unveiling an electric concept car which can autonomously drive to an empty parking space to be charged up.

SWNS
Sandra Ohs Golden Globes after-party jumpsuits have received high praise from the actors fans, many of whom have expressed a desire to emulate her chic style.

Ohs stint as co-host of the 2019 Golden Globes alongside Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Andy Samberg went down a storm with viewers of the annual award show.

The night was a particularly eventful one for Oh, who made history as the first woman of Asian descent to win the accolade for best actress in a TV drama in almost 40 years.

After the ceremony had ended, Oh, Samberg and other guests of the show headed to a private after-party with tequila brand Don Julio in West Hollywood, California.

Having worn an array of stunning gowns throughout the evening, including an elegant white Versace number for her red carpet appearance with Killing Eve co-star Jodie Comer, Oh chose to change into a tuxedo-style jumpsuit for the remainder of the evening.

Sandra Oh wearing a tuxedo jumpsuit by Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop fashion line G. Label and trainers by Alexandre Birman (Getty Images)

Oh's stylist, Elizabeth Saltzman, explains to People that comfort was key when selecting the actor's after-party look.

"Sandra's a sneakers, dance-aholic, fun, let-me-wear-my-own-clothes girl," Saltzman says.

The jumpsuit was sourced from Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop fashion line G. Label, and retails at $850 (666).

Numerous people have expressed their admiration over Ohs laid-back style, describing her decision to pair the jumpsuit with a diamond necklace and trainers as iconic.

Sandra Oh looked amazing all night, but this jumpsuit, sneakers and diamonds ensemble at a post-party might be my fave, one person wrote.

Sandra Oh drinking whisky in diamonds a jumpsuit and sneakers is the energy Im carrying THROUGHOUT 2019. YES gurl, someone else remarked.

One person even stated that they when they get married, they want to have a wedding topper on their cake that looks like Sandra Oh in her jumpsuit.

Im invested into that look. Such a power moment, they continued.

Oh continued to raise the style stakes even further following the Golden Globes after-party.

She later posted a photo on Twitter that showed her lying on a hotel floor in a Onepiece onesie and the same diamond necklace, surrounded by the remains of a celebratory feast.

Thank you to all my Team(s), she wrote in the caption.

She switched the victory jumpsuit for a victory onesie and kept the bling on underneath we LOVE sandra oh! one fan wrote in response to her outfits.

Sandra Oh living her best life, another person added.

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The second season of Killing Eve, which was nominated for best drama television series at the Golden Globes, is due to air this year.

For a full list of this year's Golden Globes winners, click here.

To see all the best-dressed stars from the night, from Lady Gaga to Lupita Nyong'o, click here.
Google Doodles are often used to drive attention to forgotten yet notable cultural figures, but todays is slightly different.

In what may be one of the tech companys most inspirational Doodles, January 8 is dedicated to the winner of the 2018 Doodle 4 Google competition  and the dreams, hopes and talents of students across the country.

The Doodle, which features hand-drawn dinosaurs, was created by Sarah Gomez-Lane as part of Googles annual drawing contest  and chosen from hundreds of thousands of submissions.

For this years competition  the 10th year  students were asked to create a Doodle based on the theme: What inspires me

According to Google, Gomez-Lanes Dino Doodle drawing of dinosaurs, which includes a Tyrannosaurus Rex, a dinosaur egg hatching, a Brontosaurus, and a shovel, was inspired by her dream of becoming a palaeontologist.

Of her winning drawing, Gomez-Lane, whos in the second grade (ages 7-8), said: When they called my name I felt happy and surprised. Im going to call my principal, hes going to say yay.

In addition to featuring at the top of the Google homepage for 24 hours, Gomez-Lane also got to see her Doodle transformed into an animated picture  with her T-rex playing the trumpet and her Stegosaurus blowing bubblegum.

And, as part of the prize for winning the competition, the second-grader from Falls Church, Virginia also received $30,000 towards a college scholarship and her elementary school will receive $50,000 to spend on technology.

As for Googles hopes for the Doodle, Perla Campos, Google Doodles global marketing lead said: I just hope that when people see the Doodle they are also inspired to think about not only what they dreamed of and wished of when they were kids but to also just take a second to enjoy the simple things in life.

To enter the 2019 competition, you can submit your own Doodle at doodle4google.com. The contest closes on March 18.

The theme for 2019, as announced by guest judges Jimmy Fallon and Kermit the Frog, is When I grow up, I hope
Amazon is selling items including toilet seat covers adorned with Islamic iconography amid complaints they are offensive to the Muslim community.

The online retailer recently announced its decision to withdraw a selection of products featuring Islamic scripture from its site following a request from an American-Muslim civil rights group.

A variety of derogatory products are still available to purchase on the site. However, the retailer has stated that all products in violation of its policies will be reviewed.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) submitted an appeal last week for Amazon to remove 20 bath maths and doormats being sold through its platform by retail company Emvency.

Cair said it received complaints about the items offered by Amazon seller Emvency that are offensive to Muslims because the Quranic verses and other Islamic references would be stepped-on or otherwise disrespected by customers, the organisation stated.

Recommended Muslim youth groups clean up national parks during government shutdown

Amazon subsequently announced that all of the offending items listed by the advocacy group had been taken off the site.

All sellers must follow our selling guidelines and those who do not will be subject to action including potential removal of their account, an Amazon spokesperson told The Independent.

The products in question are being removed from our store.

Masih Fouladi, executive director of CAIRs Washington, DC branch, expressed his gratitude for Amazons quick response to the matter.

We thank Amazon for its swift action on this issue and hope it sends a message to manufacturers of such inappropriate and offensive items that they will not profit from Islamophobia or any other form of bigotry, he said.

However, products such as toilet seat covers decorated with the word "Allah" and shower curtains referencing the religious festival Eid can still be found on Amazon.

A toilet seat cover and mat decorated with the word 'Allah' being sold online at Amazon by retailer Printsonne (Amazon.com)

Ibrahim Hooper, a Cair spokesperson, told CNN: "I don't think it would be appropriate to have a toilet seat with the image of a Bible on it either.

"My gut feeling is that at least for the bath mats, shower curtains, and stuff like that, it's these companies just slapping these designs on everything without even thinking about it.

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"But there are others crossing the line into intentional Islamophobia. Some of the companies have things like toilet seats. I mean come on, why else would you do that?"

Hooper has said that Cair is continuing to "work with Amazon in identifying items that violate its policies."
US rapper Cupcakke has been accounted for and her safety confirmed by the Chicago Police Department after troubling messages were posted from her Twitter and Instagram accounts last night (8 January).

The 21-year-old was taken to hospital in Chicago after a tweet was sent from her account that read im [sic] about to commit suicide, prompting worried friends to contact police to help find her and ensure her wellbeing.

Chicago Police said Cupcakke was admitted to hospital for a mental evaluation, rather than injuries, the BBC reports.

In a separate post on Instagram, she shared a screengrab of the tweet and added: Thank you for everything yall have done for me, I really appreciate it.

The posts sparked widespread concern from fans on social media and an outpouring of support for the rapper, whose real name is Elizabeth Eden Harris.

Soon after the tweet was sent, comedian Elijah Daniel, who is reportedly friends with the 21-year-old, posted a series of updates on his own Twitter account reporting correspondence with Cupcakkes family, friends, and the Chicago police department.

He said Chicago police carried out a wellness check at Cupcakkes address and she was later taken to hospital.

Ive never felt so relieved and sad at the same time, he tweeted. @CupcakKe)_rapper I love you more than youll ever know. Youre one of the sweetest souls Ive ever had the pleasure of knowing, and youre not leaving us. We wont let it happen.

A further update said: Police [are] able to [tell me] nothing in the report indicated that she is harmed, and was most likely just taken to the hospital as a protocol.

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

Fellow artist Charli XCX posted a message to Cupcakke after the worrying tweet, writing: You are one of the most unique, genuine and loving people I have ever met in this industry. You are such a HUGE inspiration [to] so many kids, to so many artists, to me. Whenever you walk into a room or onto a stage you exude so much LOVE and the energy in the room turns electric.

You are powerful. People believe in you. People want to listen to every word you have to say. People are inspired. You have taught me and so many others so much about being ourselves, embracing exactly who we are and being proud of where we come from an what we stand for. You have so much more to teach.

I have read and heard that you are safe now and that someone is looking after you, Charli XCX concluded. I hope those reports are accurate. The world would never be the same without you. We all love you SO MUCH Cupcakke. Please stay strong. Please confide in friends and family. You are such a beautiful and wonderful person and we simply cannot lose you.

Cupcakke, who rose to fame in 2015 after two of her songs went viral on YouTube, released her fourth album Eden in November last year to positive reviews from critics. She is known for tackling themes in her lyrics that address sexuality, masturbation and body positivity, although other tracks, which are written from Cupcakkes perspective, are about darker issues such as child abuse and homelessness.

Her UK tour was recently pushed back to March due to visa issues. It is currently unclear if these shows will go ahead.

The Independent has reached out to Cupcakkes management for additional updates.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you can contact the following for support:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (US)  1-800-273-TALK

Samaritans (UK)  116 123

MIND  0300 123 3393 or text 86463
| BY Ricki Green |

Virgin Active is reclaiming its disruptor heritage by addressing the reality of exercise and celebrates the struggles and the beauty of simply doing enough in a new campaign via UK agency That Thing, which is set to air in Australia shortly.

The playful campaign aims to get people to think differently and more honestly about exercise, celebrating the realities of what successful exercise looks like and how good it should make you feel.

The campaign launched in the UK during the festive period (26 December), and will be in full swing through January, as it rolls out to Australia, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. Elements include a film seeded through TV on Demand and social media, and an OOH campaign. A redesign of the global website launched in early December 2018.

That Thing created the campaign, led by founders Joe Weir and Mark Williams. It is part of a wider repositioning of the brand that will roll out through 2019.

Says Anton Brown, chief experience officer, Virgin Active: Gyms tend to promise a whole new you in their advertising, but they arent delivering. Exercise can be hard to fit into your life  between your job, family and trying to have a social life, just doing the recommended amount in a week is an achievement. When Enough becomes part of your life, its more likely to stay there. We want to share a message that helps people feel good about themselves.

Says Weir: Enough wants to speak to the 85% of people that the fitness industry has been ignoring and show them a new way of thinking about exercise. This campaign is part of a global brand repositioning that were really excited to be part of.

Client: Virgin Active

CMO: Anton Brown

Head of Marketing: Katrina Southerly

Brand Director: Tim Carter

Agency: That Thing

Creative Director Words & Strategy: Joe Weir

Creative Director Design: Mark Williams

Senior Designer: Dan Sowten

Strategist: Joe Weir

Client & Commercial Director: Kate Simmons

Account Director: Hayley Hyland

Director of Production: Henry Jackson Janes

Editor: Tupaq Felber

Film Production: That Thing

Director: Mark Williams & Joe Weir

Producer: Hayley Hyland

Production Manager: Henry Janes

Editor: Tupaq Felber

Sound Designer/Mixer: Resonate Music

Music Company: Resonate Music

Post Production: The Mill

Colourist: James Bamford

Production Manager: Sam Wood

Print Production: That Thing

Retouching: Henry Janes
I've been a Regina King fan since she played teenager Brenda on the 1980's sitcom 227. After watching the acceptance speech she gave on Sunday at the Golden Globes, I have a newfound respect for her as a leader.

King took to the stage to claim her award for her role as best supporting actress in the film If Beale Street Could Talk. King started off by giving thanks to a slew of people. Before relinquishing the microphone, she turned an arguably forgettable moment (how many award show acceptance speeches do you remember?) into a remarkable experience that many are still talking about days later.

Better yet, it also has the potential to impact the lives of many people for many years to come. Here are three leadership lessons we can all take from Regina King's three-minute speech, no matter what industry you are in:

1. Use your platform to stand up for what you believe in.

Whenever you have a prime opportunity placed in your lap, you must seize it -- especially if it involves using a global platform to advocate for an important cause. King, acknowledging the power of the platform and the moment, used it to plug gender equality, rather than just giving the standard "thank you's" that most people do when accepting an award:

"The reason why we do this is because we understand that our microphones are big and we are speaking for everyone. I'm going to use my platform right now to say, in the next two years, everything that I produce -- I'm making a vow and it's going to be tough -- to make sure that everything that I produce is 50 percent women."

As you build your business, you will grow a platform as well. When you use it strategically to advance the greater good, rather than just solely promoting your products, your leadership stance will draw your ideal customers closer to you.

2. Don't be deterred by others who want you to go away.

Award shows can be fun to watch. They can also be long and boring, which is why organizers work hard to hurry along acceptance speeches when they start to run long.

The team at the Golden Globe's did the same with King on Sunday night. The "wrap it up" music started to play just after King transitioned from her shout-outs into her gender equality message.

Undeterred, King powered through to say what was on her heart. After a few seconds, the music stopped -- something you rarely, if ever, see happen. Perhaps the organizers realized that what the actress had to say was more important than keeping their strict time schedule.

As you use your voice to stand up for causes and issues that are important to you, know that for a variety of reasons, there will be people who will want you to shut up and get off the stage. Moving people to action, especially on an important issue, involves shocking them out of their comfort zone.

To do that, you'll have to take bold action to seize the moments to say what needs to be said, and or do what needs to be done. Doing so may not always be comfortable for others.

Do it anyway.

3. Lead by example.

Regina King could have used her time to just talk about the problems that Hollywood has with gender equality. Instead, she wisely used it to declare what she was going to do to make sure more women had a seat at the table on the projects she will be producing.

Leaders take action. They don't expect others to do work, especially challenging work they aren't willing to do themselves. King used her speech to showcase that she was raising her hand to be a part of the solution.

Because the actress vowed to get in the trenches to improve gender equity, she earned the right to encourage other leaders to join the effort so even more progress can be made:

"And I just challenge anyone out there -- anyone out there who is in a position of power, not just in our industry, in all industries -- I challenge you to challenge yourselves and stand with us in solidarity and do the same."

Effective leaders inspire others to follow them -- and they'll do the work even if they have to stand alone in the beginning.

As you build your business, you'll quickly see a number of areas where transformational leadership, rather than sexy strategy and tactics, is what is most needed to grow. Embrace these three lessons from Regina King to become the kind of leader that moves others to take uncommon action to create and sustain positive change.
Imperial Valley News Center

Warning to the Iranian Regime on Space Launches That Defy UNSCR 2231

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "The Iranian Regimes Ministry of Defense has publicly announced plans to launch three Space Launch Vehicles (SLV) in the coming months. Such actions would once again demonstrate Irans defiance of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2231, which calls upon the Iranian regime not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. This action includes launching SLVs, which incorporate technology that is virtually identical to that used in ballistic missiles, including in intercontinental ballistic-missiles (ICBMs).

An ICBM with a range of 10,000km could reach the United States.

The Iranian regime has launched ballistic missiles numerous times since UNSCR 2231 was adopted and continues to do so. On December 1, the Iranian regime test-fired a medium range ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple warheads, and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force later said that Iran tests 40 to 50 ballistic missiles every year. The United States has continuously cautioned that ballistic missile and SLV launches by the Iranian regime have a destabilizing effect on the region and beyond. France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and many nations from around the world have also expressed deep concern.

The Iranian regime is the worlds foremost state sponsor of terror and has proliferated missiles and related technology to its proxies around the Middle East, further flouting UNSCR 2231. The United States will not stand by and watch the Iranian regimes destructive policies place international stability and security at risk. We advise the regime to reconsider these provocative launches and cease all activities related to ballistic missiles in order to avoid deeper economic and diplomatic isolation.
Imperial Valley News Center

Fourth Defendant Sentenced For Role in Atlanta-Based Mexican Sex Trafficking Ring

Atlanta, Georgia - Severiano Martinez-Rojas, 53, of Mexico, was sentenced on Friday by United States District Judge Edward R. Korman to over 24 years in prison for his role in the sex trafficking of three victims. The amount to be paid in restitution will be announced at a later date.

The defendant is the fourth member of an Atlanta-based Mexican sex trafficking ring convicted for their roles in compelling young women from Mexico and Central America to engage in commercial sex. Co-defendants Arturo Rojas-Coyotl and Odilon Martinez-Rojas previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and were sentenced to 16 years and 21 years and 10 months in prison, respectively. Both defendants were also ordered to pay $180,000 in restitution to the victims. A third co-defendant, Daniel Garcia-Tepal, pleaded guilty to alien harboring and received a sentence of time served.

Human trafficking is disgraceful and unacceptable. Todays sentence demonstrates the Department of Justices unwavering commitment to combatting these crimes, said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. This sex trafficking enterprise was extensive and resulted in the abuse of young women and girls. The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is thankful for the hard work of the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of Georgia, the FBI, and the Homeland Security Investigations team who helped deliver justice on behalf of the victims and survivors.

Sex trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery that exploits and traumatizes some of the most vulnerable members of our society, said U.S. Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak. We stand united today with our colleagues at the Department of Justice, Eastern District of New York, and federal law enforcement partners, in applauding the courage of the three victims in this case who remained determined to see this prosecution to its conclusion. The lengthy prison sentence that this final defendant has received in this case is primarily the result of the valiant efforts of these human trafficking survivors to hold their traffickers accountable.

This case represents why sex trafficking is such a high priority matter for the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the non-government agencies who provide assistance to those with nowhere else to turn, said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. As one of the worst examples of human trafficking, this case should resonate with those who might consider this reprehensible criminal conduct acceptable. We urge anyone with information about human trafficking activities to contact authorities and help put an end to modern day slavery.

According to documents filed in court, between 2006 and 2008, defendant Severiano Martinez-Rojas and co-defendants Arturo Rojas-Coyotl and Odilon Martinez-Rojas, lured the three victims into fraudulent romantic relationships using false promises of love, marriage, and legitimate work. They then arranged for others to smuggle the victims across the border into the United States. Once illegally in the United States, the defendants used violence, threats, and intimidation to coerce the victims to perform countless commercial sex acts in the Atlanta area and Alabama, where defendant Severiano Martinez-Rojas also operated a brothel.

Defendant Severiano Martinez-Rojas was indicted in May 2013 but had remained a fugitive until his arrest in Mexico in November 2015 as part of a coordinated U.S.-Mexico bilateral enforcement action. The action also resulted in the arrests of seven other defendants in a related Eastern District of New York case. Martinez-Rojas was also charged, convicted, and sentenced in that case.

Since 2009, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have collaborated with Mexican law enforcement counterparts in a Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative. The Initiative seeks to more effectively dismantle human trafficking networks operating across the U.S.-Mexico border, bring human traffickers to justice, restore the rights and dignity of human trafficking victims, and reunite victims with their children. These efforts resulted in successful prosecutions in both Mexico and the United States, including U.S. federal prosecutions of more than 170 defendants in multiple cases in Georgia, New York, Florida, and Texas since 2009, as well as numerous Mexican federal and state prosecutions of associated sex traffickers.

The case was investigated by the FBIs Atlanta Division and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta. Assistance with the arrest and extradition of defendant Severiano Martinez-Rojas was provided by HSI New Yorks Trafficking in Persons Unit, HSI Mexico City Attache Office, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Department of Justices Office of International Affairs, the State Department, and Interpol. The government of Mexico, including Mexicos Procuraduria General de la Republica and Policia Federal, also played a prominent role in advancing the bilateral anti-trafficking enforcement efforts in this case.

Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, United States Attorney Byung J. BJay Pak of the Northern District of Georgia, FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Hacker, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan, announced the sentence.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr., Chief of the Violent Crime & National Security Section for the Northern District of Georgia, and Deputy Director of Litigation Benjamin J. Hawk of the Civil Rights Divisions Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Imperial Valley News Center

Five Members of Mexican Sex Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison

Brooklyn, New York - Last week in federal district court, five members of a notorious international criminal organization, known as the Rendon-Reyes Trafficking Organization, were sentenced to prison terms of 15 to 25 years by United States District Court Judge Edward R. Korman. The amount to be paid in restitution will be announced at a later date. Three other defendants are set to be sentenced on January 15.

The defendants previously pled guilty to racketeering, sex trafficking, and other federal charges following their arrests in Mexico and the United States, where they were residing illegally. For over a decade, the Rendon-Reyes Trafficking Organization, based in Tenancingo, Tlaxcala, Mexico, smuggled numerous young women and girls from Mexico and Central America into the United States and forced them to engage in prostitution for the Organizations profit, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in criminal proceeds that were then laundered back to Mexico. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Department of Justices Civil Rights Division prosecuted this case.

These well-deserved sentences reflect the gravity of the human trafficking crimes these defendants committed, said Acting Attorney General Whitaker. The defendants operated an extensive sex trafficking enterprise that preyed on vulnerable young women and girls, deceiving them with false promises, coercing their compliance, and compelling them into submission through beatings, threats, isolation, and intimidation. This prosecution is the result of strong partnerships among the Eastern District of New York, the Civil Right Divisions Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the New York Office of the Department of Homeland Securitys Homeland Security Investigations, and our Mexican law enforcement counterparts. The sentences imposed in this case demonstrate our unwavering commitment to working across international borders to dismantle transnational trafficking networks and seek justice on behalf of victims and survivors.

These sentencings are the latest chapter in this Offices long-term commitment to eradicate human trafficking and all forms of modern-day slavery, stated United States Attorney Donoghue. The crimes committed by the members of the Rendon-Reyes Trafficking Organization were brutal and shocking, and I hope that the sentences give the victims in this case some sense of justice. We will not tolerate the exploitation of women and girls for profit or sexual servitude.

These individuals will now face the consequences of their callous criminal actions exploiting women and girls whom they forced into sex slavery for profit. The investigation and prosecution that led to todays sentencings speak to the strong bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico, in which both nations are committed to holding accountable those engaged in the ruthless act of human trafficking, said Homeland Security Investigations Executive Associate Director Derek Benner. Investigating human trafficking remains a priority for HSI, whose primary focus is to rescue victims and release them from the grip of their captors. HSI will continue leveraging all of its investigative capabilities to disrupt human trafficking syndicates no matter where in the world they operate.

The defendants were sentenced to the following prison terms: Jovan Rendon-Reyes, aka Jovani, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced to 20 years in prison; Saul Rendon-Reyes, aka Satanico, 41, of Mexico, was sentenced to 15 years in prison; Felix Rojas, 48, of Mexico, was sentenced to 25 years in prison; Odilon Martinez-Rojas, aka Chino or Saul, 47, of Mexico, was sentenced to over 24 years in prison; and Severiano Martinez-Rojas, 53, of Mexico, was sentenced to over 24 years in prison. Severiano Martinez-Rojas was also sentenced in a related case in the Northern District of Georgia. Those proceedings were transferred to the Eastern District of New York for entry of the defendants guilty plea last year, and the cases were consolidated for last weeks sentencing. Defendants Jose Rendon-Garcia, aka Gusano, 35, of Mexico, Guillermina Rendon-Reyes, 48, of Mexico, and Francisco Rendon-Reyes, aka Pancho, 30, of Mexico, will be sentenced on Jan. 15.

According to documents filed in court, between December 2004 and November 2015, members of the Rendon-Reyes Organization, including the defendants, enriched themselves by forcing multiple young women and girls, including the 12 referenced in court documents, to perform countless commercial sex acts throughout the United States and Mexico. The Organization targeted vulnerable women and girls, some as young as 14, from impoverished areas of Mexico and Central America. Male members of the Organization typically used false promises of love and marriage to lure the victims into fraudulent romantic relationships. In some instances, they forcibly abducted the victims, and on one occasion, a victims child. Members of the Organization frequently arranged for others to smuggle the victims across the border and into the United States. Once in the United States, members of the Organization utilized different methods to force the victims to engage in prostitution, including severe and repeated beatings, sexual assaults, forced abortions, threats to the victims, their families and children, and psychological harm. Members of the Organization forced the victims to perform as many as 45 sex acts a night and took all of the prostitution proceeds, funneling the money back to Mexico.

The investigation, prosecution, bilateral enforcement action, and extraditions of the defendants apprehended in Mexico were coordinated through the U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative. Since 2009, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security have collaborated with Mexican law enforcement counterparts in a Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative to more effectively dismantle human trafficking networks operating across the U.S.-Mexico border, bring human traffickers to justice, and restore the rights and dignity of human trafficking victims. These efforts have resulted in successful prosecutions in both Mexico and the United States, including U.S. federal prosecutions of over 170 defendants in multiple cases in New York, Georgia, Florida, and Texas, in addition to numerous Mexican federal and state prosecutions of associated sex traffickers. The convictions in this case are also the latest development in the Eastern District of New Yorks comprehensive anti-trafficking program, which has to date indicted more than 80 defendants, assisted more than 150 victims, including 45 minors, reunited 19 victims children with their mothers, and secured restitution orders of over $4 million on behalf of trafficking victims.

The investigation of the Rendon-Reyes Trafficking Organization was led by HSI New Yorks Trafficking in Persons Unit, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of New York, and the Department of Justices Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, with assistance from HSI Mexico City Attache Office, the Department of Justices Office of International Affairs, the State Department, Interpol and the New York City Police Department. Assistance was also provided by the FBIs Atlanta Division, and the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Northern District of Georgia. The government of Mexico, including Mexicos Procuraduria General de la Republica and Policia Federal, also played a prominent role in advancing the bilateral anti-trafficking enforcement efforts in this case. Non-governmental victim service providers and advocates also dedicated efforts to restore and improve the lives of survivors of trafficking and their families.

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue of the Eastern District of New York, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Executive Associate Director Derek Benner made the announcement today.

The case against the Rendon-Reyes Trafficking Organization was investigated by HSI New Yorks Trafficking in Persons Unit, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Taryn A. Merkl and Margaret Lee of the Eastern District of New York and Deputy Director for Litigation Benjamin J. Hawk of the Civil Rights Divisions Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
(The Center Square)  Illinois state lawmakers are back this week to continue the regular session and energy legislation is expected to top the agenda, but there could be some differences in what the governor wants versus what lawmakers actually pass.
| BY Ricki Green |

Truce Films is kickstarting the new year by announcing the signing of director Bec Peniston-Bird.

The move for Peniston-Bird comes after spending several years at Renegade Films where she wrote and directed TVCs and documentaries. In 2017 she undertook a four-month writer/directors placement on the Spierig Brothers period thriller Winchester, starring Helen Mirren. In 2018, she was one of three Australian filmmakers to be selected for Berlinale Talent Campus, the prestigious talent escalator of Berlin International Film Festival, where her work has previously screened In Competition.

Peniston-Bird and Truce recently collaborated on the water safety commercial Think Again for the State Government Victoria, which was released over the summer holidays.

Says Peniston-Bird: The Truce team are such a joy to work with. Creatively, we share a passion for telling stories which intrigue and entertain, always keeping the end-viewer front and centre. I love the rigour that goes with commercials directing and am looking forward to doing more of this in 2019.

Says Michael Ciccone, head of production, Truce Films: Its a real coup for us to be able to bring a director of Becs calibre on to the roster. From what we have seen already, clients love her and respond to her enthusiasm for collaboration. Her experience across both short and long form content proves she has a lot to offer, and that flexibility is something we see as important in this evolving landscape.

Peniston-Bird was recently shortlisted for the 2019 Sundance Writers Lab for her feature screenplay, Petrova, a cold war thriller set in 1950s Canberra. The project has also been recognised with the AWGs Insite Award and is being developed with funding from Screen Australia.

With a background in visual art and music, her documentaries include Nick Cave: Abusing the Muse, which premiered at Melbourne International Film Festival and Keith Haring Uncovered for ABC TV.

To work with Bec Pensiton-Bird call Michael Ciccone on 0412125433 or email mike@trucefilms.com.
| BY Ricki Green |

After enlisting a half-dozen top animation studios from around the world to each create a separate segment for the campaign to promote the call for entries for the ADC 98th Annual Awards, The One Club for Creativity today released the complete The Cube short film which collects all six acts together into a single, visually dazzling two-minute piece.

The idea for the compelling new short-form online film campaign was developed and produced by brand experience design company COLLINS.

The firm cast the iconic ADC Cube as the unlikely hero on an inspiring adventure along the creative journey from adversity to achievement, and the ultimate symbol of relentless creativity and individual ambition. In the campaign, the Cube character perseveres through difficulty to learn its true powers, and embarks on a journey to find its place in the universe.

To bring the campaign to life, COLLINS partnered with six highly accomplished animation studios from around the world to each create one segment. The studios were free to interpret their part of the campaign in any way they wanted, without knowing the approach of the segment before or after their own.

The campaign launched last September, with a new act released every few weeks. Participating animation artists were:

Frances Haszard, Auckland, New Zealand, https://www.francies.work

Angela Stempel, Los Angeles, CA, USA, http://angelastempel.com

Says Jules Tardy, design director, COLLINS: We selected six collaborators with unique visual points of view to join us in this campaign, and gave them enough freedom to express themselves but also enough guidance so we could assemble each part into an exquisite corpse construct. When all tied together, each animators very distinct vision became part of a larger story, which to us represented the roles of the ADC Annual Awards in bringing the creative community together.

Says Michael ORourke, executive director, ADC: While made up of six distinct forms of animation, the complete short film has a striking and beautiful continuity. This campaign is a great fit for ADC because it tells the familiar story of a creatives life, and recognizes the challenges and ultimate rewards of the process.

Part of The One Club for Creativity, the worlds foremost non-profit organization recognizing creative excellence in advertising and design, the ADC 98th Annual Awards celebrates global excellence in craft, design and innovation. Entries are accepted at http://www.adcawards.org, deadline January 31, 2019.

Tiered pricing structure

This years competition also marks continuation of a tiered pricing structure (http://www.adcawards.org/tieredpricing/), designed to make it easier for smaller studios, agencies and freelancers to participate in the ADC Annual Awards.

The fee structure varies depending on whether the submitting firm is a design studio or ad agency. Design studios with between 2-20 employees get a discount (amount varies by discipline), while ad agencies with between 2-50 employees qualify for the tiered pricing discount. Freelance creatives and one-person shops in either design or advertising are eligible for an even greater reduction in their entry fee.

For more information on the ADC 98th Annual Awards, please visit http://www.adcawards.org.

COLLINS

CCO, founder: Brian Collins

Design director: Jules Tardy

Business manager: Antonia Lazar

Animation studios:

Part One: Golgotha, Paris (co-founders/creative directors: Guillaume Hugon, Antoine Aillot, Marvin De Deus Ganhitas)

Part Two: Laurie Rowan, London

Part Three: Dasha Chukhrova, Moscow

Part Four: Frances Haszard, Auckland

Part Five: Angela Stempel, Los Angeles

Part Six: CATK, Berlin
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Tom Rukavina is pictured addressing a February 2018 pro-mining rally in Duluth. Services will be held at 11 a.m.. on January 19 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia.
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The US Supreme Court just declined to hear Exxon Mobils appeal in a climate change lawsuit

by Umair Irfan

January 07,2019 | Source: Vox

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a significant ruling for ongoing legal battles around climate change by declining to hear oil giant Exxon Mobils appeal in its suit with the state of Massachusetts. In the appeal, the company was attempting to block the release of records of its knowledge of how burning fossil fuels changes the climate.



Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed suit against the company in 2016 alleging that Exxon, the worlds largest investor-owned oil company, violated state consumer protection rules and misled investors about the impacts of fossil fuels on climate change as well as risks of climate change to its business.



The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decided last April that Exxon would have to start turning over internal documents about its knowledge about the impacts of fossil fuel combustion on the global climate. Exxon appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Massachusetts attorney general doesnt have jurisdiction to compel the company to release documents.



But the high court declined to hear the appeal  a blow to Exxon that may lead to more damaging revelations about the company. The company had not issued a statement as of Monday afternoon, but the company website says it has followed the scientific consensus on climate change.



Healys suit was filed after reporting from InsideClimate News and the Los Angeles Times in 2015 found that Exxon Mobils in-house scientists warned top executives that fossil fuels were leading to more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that were warming the planet with research dating to 1977.



Despite this, the company publicly sowed doubt about whether humans could warm the planet through advertising campaigns, as well as funding think tanks and institutions that outright denied climate change was occurring.

 2019 Vox Media, Inc.

Theme(s): Others.
The US military is warning that China's fishing boats are bullies and could start a war on the high seas

by Christopher Woody

January 04,2019 | Source: Insider

China's "insatiable appetite" for seafood is straining the limited abilities of South American countries to enforce their maritime boundaries, according to a December 13 article in Dialogo, a website run by US Southern Command.



Countries on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts have been affected, and most of the illicit fishing activity in those areas is done by Chinese vessels.



Juan Carlos Sueiro, fisheries director for Peru at the ocean conservation and advocacy organization Oceana, told Dialogo that Peru and Argentina saw "the largest congregation of these vessels in the world."



"It's not that they can't fish in international waters, but their close presence generates controversy. For example, Oceana already identified vessels entering into Peruvian waters without a license or with duplicated ID," Sueiro said.



"Refrigerated fishing vessels can be found in international waters to transfer their captures, fuel, and supplies," he said, adding that transshipment activity, which can launder profits from illegal fishing, had also been detected.



Officials and experts have said rising demand for fish and increased competition over dwindling stocks could spark new conflicts. Many of them have pointed specifically to China.



Fishing stocks around China have shrunken dramatically. But Beijing has expanded its distant-ocean fishing fleet, and those vessels have been involved in disputes as far afield as Argentina  where the coast guard has fired at and sunk them  and in Africa, where Chinese firms are building fish-processing facilities.

 2019 Insider Inc.

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.




iciHaiti - DR : Illegal deportations of 18 cane cutters





Responding to the call of the Workers' Union Caneros (sugar cane worker), dozens of cane cutters demonstrated peacefully in front of the premises of the Directorate General of Migration (DGM) in Santo Domingo, to protest against the deportation illegal of 18 cane cutters last December.



Jesus Nunez, the president of the trade union, explained that the agents of the DGM had broken into the homes of sugar cane workers in the province of Monte Plata, insisting that such actions can not continue.



Nunez demanded that President Danilo Medina, comply with agreements on employment contracts signed between Haiti and the Dominican Republic explaining "What they do not have is their residence card, but they are regularized because they arrived here in 1950 under the contract of migration between the Dominican Republic and Haiti and the Government must grant permanent residence to all those who applied for a pension at the Dominican Institute of Social Security (IDSS) between 1999 and 2014."



During the rally, 300 applications for permanent residence were submitted to the DGM.



SL/ iciHaiti


















Anonymous no longer: UBs largest-ever donor was a country doctor

George M. Ellis, MD '45, at the time of his graduation from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Together with previous gifts, George Melvin Ellis donated more than $50 million to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

It will be years  maybe even decades  before we fully realize the impact of Dr. Elliss generosity, because this is truly a gift that will keep on giving for generations, Cain added. It ensures that we can provide more scholarships to the most promising students and continue hiring top physician-scientists to teach and perform groundbreaking research in our school.

Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences at UB and dean of the Jacobs School, said: This was something that George Ellis planned for close to 70 years, and it came in 2011, just after UBwith Gov. Andrew Cuomos support  had made the decision to build a new home downtown for the Jacobs School. Just knowing we had this gift invested has made all the difference in our having the confidence to plan and move forward.

It is these future physicians who will benefit profoundly from Dr. Ellis tremendous legacy  and, by extension, the patients they will ultimately care for, here in Western New York and beyond.

In the decades since Dr. Ellis attended UB, our university and our city have undergone transformative changes, said UB President Satish K. Tripathi, PhD. But just as he remained steadfast in his commitment to give back to the university he cherished, UB has remained committed to cultivating exceptionally well-trained, civic-minded physicians  like Dr. Ellis  who are dedicated to delivering exemplary care.

During all those years, while caring for generations of families in the same small town, he also was committed to giving back to his alma mater. The value of his gift, announced anonymously after his death in 2011, was more than $40 million. (His wife, Gladys Kelly, died earlier this year.) Today, those funds, combined with other contributions and the interest on the principal of the endowed portion of gifts to the school that Ellis had previously made, now total more than $50 million.

UB now can reveal the remarkable story behind this historic gift: UBs largest donor is George Melvin Ellis, Jr., MD, who earned his medical degree at UB in 1945 and who, for more than 60 years, worked as a country doctor, practicing out of a modest house in the rural Midwest.

BUFFALO, N.Y.  In September 2011, the University at Buffalo announced its largest-ever gift of $40 million, designated for the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. According to the terms of that gift, the donors identity could be revealed only when he and his wife were deceased.

Gladys "Kelly" Ellis, left, and George Ellis, MD, right, at UB on April 21, 2004, with the late Tim Russert, who was the university's Distinguished Speaker that night. The Ellises were big admirers of Russert, in large part because of his Buffalo connection.

Life-changing house call

Ellis dream of becoming a doctor took hold when he was 8 years old. While on a family vacation in New England, he became ill. The physician who diagnosed him with appendicitis and made sure that he was promptly treated was a general practitioner who had made a house call.

Because of that experience, George became enamored of the skills of general practitioners, said David Draper, associate vice president for advancement at UB, who knew Ellis for many years. He was very proud of the fact that he was a clinician, and he always described his medical education at UB as superior to other schools, even Ivy League schools, because of the quality of clinical training he received.

From what he told me over the years, I would say that Georges primary motivation was to ensure that the Jacobs School continue providing its students with clinical training that is equal or superior to what he received.

The magnitude of the donation isnt the only factor that distinguishes what Ellis left to UB, its the fact that the gift was given without restrictions.

He was the epitome of a true philanthropist, said Draper. His intent was that there were people other than him who could make decisions about how the money should be best utilized to further the mission of the school.

Elliss gifts to the university support nearly every aspect of medical education at UB.

The endowments established through Elliss contributions are actively managed by the University at Buffalo Foundation Inc. (UBF), whose mission is to support the activities and programs of UB.

The foundation worked with Ellis during his lifetime to set up charitable trusts, and it continues to actively administer and steward the endowments, which support, among other things, faculty recruitment, a scholarship fund for medical students and the George M. Ellis Jr. and Kelly Ellis Professorship in Family Medicine to recognize the value of the kind of medicine he practiced.

Everything we do at UBF is for the betterment of the university, said Gregory M. Bauer, chair of UBFs Board of Trustees. UBF is proud to support and promote UBs activities and programs, made possible by gifts like this extraordinary donation from George Ellis, by assisting in the acquisition of strategic assets, managing and providing resources and making an array of services available for the university community.

Accelerated medical education

In 1942, at the height of World War II, Ellis, a native of Toledo, Ohio, was awarded early admission to the Jacobs School after only three years of college. Due to the war and the need for physicians, many medical schools around the country offered accelerated medical education programs such as UBs, where students graduated in three years.

The war ended in August 1945, six weeks after Ellis began his internship. Injured troops returning home required medical care. Ellis was assigned to the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, where he met and began dating Gladys Kelly of Wilmington, Delaware, a nurse at the facility. They married in 1952 and she began working as his nurse.

When his military service was over, he relocated to a small town in the Midwest, where he lived and practiced until his death in 2010.

Ellis posted office hours, but the hours didnt really matter, Draper recalled. They never turned people away, even if they couldnt pay. He was focused on the fact that his life was dedicated to the health and well-being of the community he served  he really embraced the Hippocratic Oath.

The greatest day of his life

George always said that the greatest day of his life was the day he received his letter of acceptance to the UB medical school, recalled classmate Herbert E. Joyce, MD 45. He was without a doubt the most loyal to UB of anyone I have ever known.

Joyce said he knew Ellis had some wealth because he was a savvy investor, but he never imagined he had acquired the wealth he had.

George never changed, he said, in appearance or approach. He was always very friendly and very humble. He did not want his name mentioned or any accolades. Above everything was his love for the UB medical school.

In the decades following their graduation from medical school, Joyce served as class chair for reunions and Ellis was class secretary. Whenever the class reunion projects fell short, Ellis would write a check for the deficit, Joyce recalled.

He never refused me, and we never would have made it without him stepping up when he did.

Ellis served UB in various volunteer capacities and was a long-term member of the Deans Advisory Council at the Jacobs School. The Ellises remained highly engaged with UB, including traveling to Buffalo for all the class reunions.

Eric Alcott, associate vice president for advancement for health sciences and senior associate dean of medical advancement at UB, who knew Ellis for decades, said, Ultimately, the amount of his gift and recognition for it was not what he focused on. He loved UB, and from the early 1940s on, he never lost sight of his goal to give back. I dont think he knew that he would be supporting the Jacobs School to the extent that he is. But his time here was an experience he cherished, and he gave back from his heart.
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Amman - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on the government of Jordan to continue to focus on aviation as a strategic enabler of the countrys economic growth and development. Aviation already supports close to $2.2 billion in economic activity and 70,000 jobs in Jordan, including the catalytic benefits of tourism enabled by air transport.



Jordans leaders have always understood the importance of having a sustainable aviation sector. They have prioritized policies such as infrastructure development, visa facilitation and open skies that have encouraged the development of air connectivity that supports travel and tourism, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO.

Looking Ahead

Today, 8 million passengers travel to, from and within Jordan each year. This demand is expected to increase at around 4% per annum over the next 20 years (0.5 of a percentage point higher than the average industry growth rate), with double the number of passengers expected to fly by 2037.

To fully realize this potential, however, the government needs to ensure that aviation continues to be prioritized as a key economic enabler. Long-term strategic decisions taken today must support the competitiveness of Jordans aviation sector. De Juniac highlighted three key focus areas: safety, competitive infrastructure, and smarter regulation.

Safety

An important safety milestone was reached in Jordan in 2018 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IATA and the Jordan Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (Jordan CARC) to improve aviation safety. Crucially, under the terms of the MoU, CARC recognizes the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) as an acceptable means of compliance to complement the regulator's safety oversight function.

Safety is aviations top priority. Global standards and cooperation are the key to improve performance. Recognizing ISAGO as an integral component of safety oversight is an important step towards ensuring ground operations at the countrys airports are operating under globally-accepted best practices. We urge CARC to take another step forward by recognizing the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) as an element of safety compliance for airlines serving the country, said de Juniac.

Infrastructure

Queen Alia International Airport in Amman demonstrates the foresight of Jordan in developing world-class airport infrastructure. There is now, however, a need to build more airport capacity in Amman. Its important that both the government and airports continue to invest in sustainable airport development as traffic grows.

"Ammans competitive advantage as a regional aviation hub depends on infrastructure that meets the needs of customers and stakeholders, at a fair price. The key to achieving that is consultation with users. We urge the Jordanian Government to talk to all stakeholdersespecially the airlinesto ensure that the best long-term economic and social benefits are realized, said de Juniac.

Smarter Regulation

Jordan is in the process of drafting new consumer protection regulations. Throughout this process they have fully engaged with IATA to ensure that the new legislation meets the Smarter Regulation objectives such as sufficient consultation and cost benefit analysis. And follows principals laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of which they are a member.

There has been a proliferation of disparate consumer protection regulations in the region that do not meet Smarter Regulation objectives. Jordan has the opportunity to reverse this trend. Consumers are best served with clear, simple and harmonized regulations aligned with global standards and best practices as defined by ICAO, said de Juniac.

For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Tel: +41 22 770 2967

Email: corpcomms@iata.org

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Houston voters will decide a one-cent sales tax issue in April that would provide additional revenue for the fire and police departments, as w
Shari McCallister, center, owner of D&L Florist, presents proceeds from her business annual Christmas tree fundraiser to TCMH Hospice of Care. Alongside her are Courtney Owens, hospice director, and Jay Gentry, TCMH Healthcare Foundation director.
It was easy to believe. A 7-year-old black girl had been shot to death while riding in a car with her mother and three sisters. Witnesses described the possible assailant as a white man. Immediately racism was suggested as the likely motive. And why not? White separatists seem emboldened these days. The FBI says hate crimes are up in America.

But now an apparent confession suggests Jazmine Barnes murder isnt one of them. Does that make her death any less of a tragedy? Only if weve accepted the solemn drumbeat of news reports involving child gun deaths as predictable background noise.

Add Jazmines name to a long list of innocent children killed when gunfire erupts where they are supposed to feel safe  outside their home, in places of worship, at school, or riding in the car with their mom to the store. Thats what Jazmine was doing when she was shot Dec. 30 in northeast Houston. I turned around and my 7-year-old was shot in the head, said Jazmines mother, LaPorsha Washington, who was shot in the arm.

In a hail of glass and bullets, a young girl with a big laugh who loved purple and playing dress up was gone. Six days later police arrested a suspect who implicated an accomplice. Neither Eric Black Jr. nor Larry Woodruffe is white. Black reportedly told Harris County authorities the suspects shot into the wrong car thinking it belonged to someone else.

That eyewitnesses got it wrong isnt surprising. The Innocence Project says eyewitness misidentification is the greatest contributing factor to wrongful convictions.

Police said an unidentified white man in a red truck recorded by surveillance video was not a suspect, but that didnt convince everyone. Theyre going to have to prove this to me, because I know how they can do to cover themselves, said Juanita Bell.

Such mistrust of police can make a community more dangerous. Add too many guns and you have besieged neighborhoods resembling the Wild West.

The Brady Campaign says eight children and teens die from gun violence every day in America. Among them the baby and two other young children killed last week in Texas City by their father, who had a history of domestic abuse.

Though Jazmines murder may not be race-related, thats not a license for complacency.

Ending racism requires changes in the heart encouraged by leaders who set an example. Ending gun violence merely requires common sense. Congress could pass stricter gun purchase laws. Texas could join the states with extreme risk laws that limit gun access for people with histories of violence.

Race hatred may draw more headlines, but any childs life cut short by a bullet deserves action.
Abortion restrictions in Texas faced a renewed challenge on Monday in federal court, as abortion rights groups argued in court that more than two dozen of the states laws and restrictions are unconstitutional.

The hearing came on the eve of the Texas Legislative session, where lawmakers have proposed still more of the sort of restrictions that have led to a series of lawsuits pitting the abortion rights activists against the Texas attorney generals office.

Monday, the abortion rights groups in federal court were targeting laws that require a mandatory 24-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions, that require women to get sonograms of the fetus before getting an abortion, and a ban on abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, among others.

Abortion patients and providers now face a dizzying array of medically unnecessary requirements that are difficult, time-consuming, and costly to navigate  sometimes prohibitively so, the lawsuit states. Plaintiffs ask the Court to strike down Texas unduly burdensome abortion laws, returning the State to a regime of reasonable and medically appropriate abortion regulation.

Attorneys for the state called the lawsuit meritless and bordering on frivolous.

In the past, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel has called his Austin courtroom a whistlestop for the constant, never-ending stream of abortion-related cases on the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. And the stream is showing no sign of slowing down.

A bill for the legislative session has already been filed by Rep. Valoree Swanson, R-Spring, that would make it illegal for a Texas doctor to perform an abortion except to save a womans life, and there are several other proposed bills that would create various restrictions. If any of the bills are signed into law, theyre sure to face a legal challenge, sending the two sides back to to Yeakels courtroom.

We know well be fighting this again, said Marsha Jones, the executive director for The Afiya Center, one of the plaintiffs in the case. This case will still be going on a year from now, and there will probably be a new one too, just a different law with a different name affecting womens reproductive healthcare. But well still be here.

The legal landscape for these cases has shifted following President Donald Trumps appointment of conservative Judges Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. Kavanaugh replaced longtime swing vote Justice Anthony Kennedy, throwing Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling legalizing abortion, into question.

Despite the now conservative makeup of the Supreme Court, former state Sen. Wendy Davis said she didnt anticipate a change in strategy on the part of abortion rights groups in the state. Davis drew national attention in 2013 for her 13-hour filibuster to block an anti-abortion bill in the Texas Legislature.

I dont think you can abandon one strategy for another, Davis said. Thats why we have three branches of government, and we have to rely on exercising tools and resources at our disposal in each of those realms. It would be foolish for us to look at the current makeup of the court and decide that were going to give up on that route because I believe that the law is on our side, and Im reliant on a judiciary thats going to uphold that.

On the other side of the debate, Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, also said he doesnt expect any Supreme Court reversals in the near future.

Unfortunately, the case law is currently very bad and the precedent is very bad against the Texas Legislature for doing what we think is just a matter of justice, Pojman said. Im very cautious, and Im not foreseeing any earthquakes any time soon.

If Roe v. Wade is ever overturned by the Supreme Court, conservative Texas Legislators heading into the session are going to be ready. Rep. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, filed a resolution that would amend the Texas Constitution to automatically ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
Dr. John Mendelsohn, a pioneering scientist and the architect behind MD Anderson Cancer Centers emergence as the nations No. 1 cancer hospital, has died. He was 82.

Mendelsohn succumbed to glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, late Monday night at his home in Houston. He had been diagnosed with the disease 15 months ago.

Mendelsohn served as president of MD Anderson from 1996 to 2011, the time of the institutions greatest growth. A molecular biologist, he also conducted some of the earliest research in targeted therapy, a type of treatment that more precisely identifies and attacks cancer cells.

MD Anderson had the great fortune of being led by John Mendelsohn for 15 years and the strides made under his direction were nothing short of remarkable, Dr. Peter Pisters, president of MD Anderson, said in a statement.

In addition to impressive achievements, both as a scientist and as a leader, John was a role model and inspiration to so many. He has left an indelible mark on this world, and he will be fondly remembered and greatly missed, Pisters said.

The late former President George H.W. Bush, a long-time time friend and MD Anderson supporter who consulted Mendelsohn on some issues in the Oval Office, last year called Mendelsohn one of the leading gladiators in the war against cancer  innovative, relentless, fearless.

Now Playing: John Mendelsohn, M.D., president emeritus of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and an internationally acclaimed leader in the field of medicine and scientist whose research helped pioneer a new type of cancer therapy, died Jan. 7 at his home in Houston. He was 82. Video: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Medical center growth

Under Mendelsohn, MD Andersons private philanthropy increased almost tenfold, its budget quadrupled, its space tripled and its number of employees and patients doubled. It also started receiving more National Cancer Institute grants and conducting more clinical trials to evaluate new cancer treatments than any institution in the world.

In addition, the cancer center grew from 28 buildings in the Texas Medical Center to 58 and forged partnerships with institutions around the United States and in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and South America.

EVOCATIVE ESSAY: What happens when a cancer researcher gets cancer? Only on HoustonChronicle.com.

It also moved ahead of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in U.S. News and World Reports annual hospital survey. After years of ranking it No. 2, the magazine ranked MD Anderson as the nations top cancer hospital eight of Mendelsohns last 10 years as president, all of the last five.

Tributes to Mendelsohn poured forth Tuesday in cancer circles around the country and from Texas leaders in politics, academia and business.

Mendelsohn was a titan of the medical community who extended the lives of many threatened by cancer, a community leader who strove to make Houston a world-class city, and a wonderful human being who spent a lifetime caring for others, former Secretary of State James A. Baker III said.

And U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said Mendelsohn made a lasting impact on this world, helping lead and inspire many under his command. A born leader, his impact on the medical field is profound.

Dr. Paul Klotman, president of Baylor College of Medicine, said Mendelsohns leadership had an impact far beyond MD Anderson and Rice University President David Leebron called him a role model for so many of us in Houston.

Legendary oil mogul T. Boone Pickens, who gave MD Anderson $50 million in 2007, called Mendelsohns passing tough to take. He was a builder and a dreamer who made things happen. I worked closely with him for many, many years and bought into his vision in a big way. All I wanted was a difference maker, and he delivered in spades.

Great patient care

Mendelsohn retired from MD Anderson in summer 2018, amid the cancer battle. Hed served as co-director of the Houston research hospitals Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy the previous seven years, after stepping down from the presidency at 75. Upon retiring, he was named president emeritus, the first such at MD Anderson.

Nicknamed Central Casting by some faculty because he so looked the part, Mendelsohn was just the third president in MD Andersons history. He was also a rare commodity among presidents in the Texas Medical Center at the time  an outsider.

He was nevertheless a perfect fit, according to James Olson, author of Making Cancer History: Disease and Discovery at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and a Sam Houston State University historian.

He had the wisdom to preserve MD Andersons reputation for great patient care, said Olson. He was a pre-eminent scientist at the forefront of cutting-edge new research that positioned M.D. Anderson to be a leader in the arena. And he had the personality and face to work marvelously with community political and financial leaders.

Mendelsohn came to MD Anderson at a challenging time. A consultants report had just advised the center to tighten its belt and shut down departments, the seemingly logical response to insurance companies then new new practice of steering patients to lower-cost community hospitals. It was described at the time as a doom-and-gloom picture.

Instead, Mendelsohns disregarded the advice and MD Anderson flourished, growing into a virtual empire and dominating the cancer care field.

Early life and research

Mendelsohn was born in Cincinnati on Aug. 31, 1936, the son of a homemaker and a seller of suspenders and mens belts. He earned both bachelors and medical degrees from Harvard University, then spent a year in Scotland at the University of Glasgow as a Fulbright Scholar in biochemistry.

He hadnt originally intended to study medicine. Unsure about his career path, he initially majored in physics and chemistry as a Harvard College undergraduate before settling on biochemistry.

As an undergraduate, Mendelsohn worked in the lab of James Watson, a then 28-year-old biologist who would go on to win a Nobel Prize for his co-discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA a few years later. Mendelsohn was the first undergraduate to ever work in Watsons lab.

Olson called Mendelsohns career its own double helix, a series of medical and scientific accomplishments coiled inextricably with the evolution of cancer medicine in the twentieth century.

After medical school, Mendelsohn trained in internal medicine at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston and spent two years as a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health before completing a hematology-oncology fellowship at Washington University Medical School in St. Louis.

He then joined the new University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, first as an assistant professor, eventually being named the founding director of its cancer center. His research there led to the development of the monoclonal antibody cetuximab (Erbitux), the first targeted drug, which would go on to receive Food and Drug Administration approval for advanced colorectal cancer in 2004 and for head and neck cancer in 2006.

In 1985, Mendelsohn left San Diego to become chairman of the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, then the nations top ranked cancer center. There, said Olson, he led the rebellion against the super-radical procedures of such surgeons as George Pack and Jerome A. Urban in favor of more conservative operations combined with radiation therapy and chemotherapy, which preserved existing survival rates while leaving patients with fewer side effects.

Eleven years later, to the amazement of some of his colleagues, he bolted for MD Anderson.

Beginning with my knocking on Watsons laboratory door, I took opportunities when they presented themselves, Mendelsohn once said.

Making cancer history

During Mendelsohns tenure, the theme MD Anderson: Making Cancer History was originated and trademarked. The cancer center also became a degree-granting university, conferring graduate and masters degrees in biomedical sciences and undergraduate and masters degrees in multiple allied health disciplines.

He also made a higher priority of patient satisfaction. He simplified the phone system so callers could reach a live person after pushing one button; he hired more radiologists and pathologists to shorten the wait for test results; and he set a policy of getting patients in to see doctors within four days of calling for an appointment.

He was a visionary, a relentless optimist who always saw the possibilities, said Margaret Kripke, a chief academic officer under Mendelsohn and a former member of the Presidents Cancer Panel, a three-person panel that provides policy advice to the White House. He was big on getting research out of the lab and into the clinic, serving patients interests, not just sciences.

His presidency was not without bumps. In 2002, Mendelsohn found himself embroiled in controversy because of his role with two troubled companies: Enron, whose accounting gimmicks and fraud ultimately led to bankruptcy that cost investors billions and prison time for its CEO; and ImClone Systems, a biotechnology company whose CEO pleaded guilty to insider trading over Mendelsohns Erbitux drug. Mendelsohn served on the boards of both ImClone and Enron, including the latters audit committee.

Mendelsohn was never linked to Imclones insider trading, though he was touched by another controversy with the company when it was revealed that from 1997 to 2001, MD Anderson tested Erbitux on patients without informing them he had a financial interest in it.

Mendelsohn was elected to several of the countrys most prestigious organizations, including the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences and the Academy of Arts and Sciences. Honors included the 2005 Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal for contributions that have expanded the boundaries of human wisdom; the American Cancer Societys Medal of Honor for Clinical Research; the American Society of Clinical Oncologys Distinguished Achievement Award; and the prestigious Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science.

For 10 years, he served as the founding editor of Clinical Cancer Research, an American Association for Cancer Research journal focused on translational research that could apply molecular-targeted therapies more rapidly to cancer patients.

Mendelsohn is survived by his wife, Anne; sons Andrew, Eric and Jeff; and eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in the Cullen Theater at the Wortham Center.

*****

Remembering Dr. John Mendelsohn

James A. Baker III, former U.S. Secretary of State

"John Mendelsohn was a titan of the medical community who extended the lives of many threatened by cancer, a community leader who strove to make Houston a world class city, and a wonderful human being who spent a lifetime caring for others," said James A. Baker, III, 61st US Secretary of State and member of MD Anderson's Board of Visitors since 1974. "We will all miss his brilliant mind, thoughtful personality and dedication to the world that surrounded him. My wife, Susan, and I send John's wife, Anne, and their entire family our deepest sympathy."

Sheila Jackson Lee, U.S. Congresswoman

"From Harvard to Fulbright and into the world of research and medicine, Dr. Mendelsohn made a lasting impact on this world, helping lead and inspire many under his command. A born leader, his impact on the medical field is profound and he will be fondly remembered and greatly missed."

David Leebron, president of Rice University

"Houston has lost an extraordinary leader with the passing of John Mendelsohn, whose 15 years of leadership made MD Anderson Cancer Center the best in the world. He was a role model for so many of us in Houston and I'll miss immensely his wisdom and relentless optimism."

Dr. Paul Klotman, president of Baylor College of Medicine

"Dr. John Mendelsohn's leadership had an impact far beyond MD Anderson Cancer Center. His commitment to the Texas Medical Center and its growth has served all institutions. His contributions to science and specifically the field of cancer research are significant. He will be missed."

James Milliken, chancellor of the University of Texas System

The UT System mourns the loss of John Mendelsohn, president emeritus of MD Anderson and a great humanitarian who set the gold standard for cancer care, compassion, leadership and kindness. His style and brilliance inspired everyone with whom he worked to be the best they could be. His beneficiaries include patients and families from all over the world, whose lives were made better not only by his discoveries and treatments, but by the dignity and sincerity with which he treated everyone."

T. Boone Pickens, oil mogul

"The passing of John Mendelsohn is tough to take. He was a builder and a dreamer who made things happen. His passion for curing cancer in all forms helped transform the medical community in Houston, Texas and the nation and, in doing so, established MD Anderson as the pre-eminent cancer institution in the world. I worked closely with him for many, many years and bought into his vision in a big way. All I wanted was a difference maker, and he delivered in spades. My thoughts and prayers are with his family as we pause together to commemorate his lasting legacy. We will one day succeed in ridding the world of cancer and see John as a true pioneer in this fight."

todd.ackerman@chron.com

twitter.com/chronmed

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The Texas City man who is accused of killing three young children then reporting himself to police allegedly used a screwdriver and hammer during the attacks, according to an arrest affidavit filed in Galveston County court.

Junaid Hashim Mehmood, 27, also is accused of shooting his girlfriend in the face. He remains in the Galveston County Jail on three charges related to the attacks: capital murder of multiple people, capital murder of a child under 10 years old and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has been denied bail for all three charges, jail records show.

VICTIM'S FAMILY: Police ID 3 kids slain in Texas City

The incident occurred on Jan. 3, when police responded to a possible deceased child at the Point Ann Apartments in the 1200 block of 10th street in Texas City.

Mehmood's brother called police, saying that when he dropped by to check on his brother, he opened the apartment to find large amounts of blood on the walls and floor of the apartment, according to the document.

Inside, police found the three deceased children and a trail of blood leading to the bathroom, where they discovered Mehmood's girlfriend, Kimaria Nelson, lying on the floor covered in blood.

Nelson was transported to University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in serious but stable condition. Her current condition is unknown. UTMB spokesperson Donna Ramirez said Tuesday that Nelson was not listed in the hospital directory, and she could not confirm whether Nelson still was admitted.

The three children were identified in medical examiner records as Ashanti Mehmood, Prince Larry Brown, almost 2; and Angela Pilot, 5. Ashanti was the accused man's 1-month-old biological daughter, and Nelson was the mother of all three children, the Associated Press reported.

After police found Nelson in the bathroom, doctors discovered small pellets embedded in her head and face, the affidavit said. The children died from multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma.

Investigators at the crime scene learned about Mehmood through his brother, who identified him as a possible suspect. Mehmood's mother also was in the apartment on Jan. 3 when police responded to the call.

The mother declined to comment when reached by phone on Wednesday.

During the initial investigation, Mehmood called Houston police dispatch saying authorities were looking for him, the affidavit said. Several Houston police officers responded to the area where he claimed to be calling from, and he was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

The affidavit did not specify Mehmood's exact location when he called.

RELATED: Suspect turns himself in after killing kids, including baby, at Texas City apartment

Mehmood eventually was taken to the Texas City Police Department. Police said he waived his rights and confessed to shooting his girlfriend in the face with an "aerosol pistol" and killing his children, the affidavit said.

Mehmood told police he stabbed Prince Larry Brown in the heart and chest multiple times with a screwdriver, according to the affidavit. He also said he struck Angela on the head with a hammer, stabbed her with a screwdriver and broke one of her arms. He told investigators he killed Ashanti but could not remember how, the affidavit states.

Asked whether mental illness played a role in the killing, Texas City police deferred to the homicide investigator on the case, who could not be reached for comment.

Mehmood has a criminal record with multiple arrests in Galveston and Harris County since 2010, records show.

He was arrested for hitting a girlfriend in 2014, and served 20 days in jail for that offense. The conditions of his sentencing make it illegal for him to possession a firearm, according to court documents.

In 2015, Mehmood was arrested after shoving a family member and robbing him. He was sentenced that same year to serve three years after pleading guilty to a separate robbery charge.

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
Police and Houston's own Chris Shepherd are searching for a pair of thieves who allegedly stole a charity smoker from a Montrose restaurant.

The suspects broke into Houston's One Fifth restaurant overnight around 7 a.m. Monday, making off with a custom-made Southern Smoke smoker.

The smoker is used for charity events and as a PR piece for Southern Smoke, a Houston-based nonprofit that helps food-service workers down on their luck.

BUSTED: Kids accused of causing $800K in damage at Houston car lot

"(The smoker) gets people talking about who we are and what we do," Southern Smoke Executive Director Kathryn Lott said, adding that without it, the charity could suffer.

Shepherd posted photos of surveillance footage to Instagram Monday, pleading with the public to help track down the smoker  and whoever took it.

The surveillance stills show an older-model pickup truck driving into the property shortly before making off with the recognizable piece.

Shepherd said the driver of a black Ford Mustang served as look-out as the driver of the pickup truck loaded up the smoker.

More Information Charity smoker stolen from Montrose restaurant See More Collapse

"The people that have it are just plain bad people," Shepherd said in the post. "Not just for stealing but stealing from a charity that helps take care of our community. I just don't get why people do this but I sure would like to have it back so that we can continue to raise money for our organization and our industry."

Anyone who spots the smoker, or who knows anything about its whereabouts, is urged to contact local law enforcement or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned down an appeal from a former Missouri City police officer convicted of hiring a hitman to kill his wife, one of two Houston-area death row losses in the high court this week.

Though he has consistently maintained his innocence, Robert Fratta was sentenced to death in 1996 after a Harris County jury found him guilty of masterminding a murder-for-hire plot designed to do away with his wife Farah.

"I'm completely innocent of my wife Farah's death," Fratta wrote in an appeal he filed himself, alleging he was framed by his slain wife's father. "The evidence was also legally insufficient. Yet here I set on Texas Death Row awaiting execution unless this Court intervenes."

Robert and Farah Fratta were embroiled in a heated divorce and custody battle when the 34-year-old mother was shot in the head while stepping out of her car at their home.

The ex-officer and erstwhile firefighter was at church at the time, but investigators flagged him as a suspect in part because he'd reportedly asked around for a hitman before the crime. In the end, prosecutors said, he hired Joseph Prystash, who in turn hired a third man to carry out the killing. All three men are now on death row.

READ MORE: Former Missouri City cop on death row denied federal appeal

Written from a prison typewriter, the appeal the court declined to review on Monday raised a slew of questions including everything from claims about allegedly ineffective lawyers to insufficiency of the evidence used to convict him and problems with jury instructions during his trial.

But at the heart of the claim are questions about whether Fratta was allowed to file his own appeals in tandem with attorneys' filings - something lower courts did not let him do, repeatedly ignoring some of the claims he filed himself.

"The rule of law is taking another hit," said attorney James Rytting, who represents the condemned former officer. "Robert Fratta's trial was deeply flawed, (he) proved that himself and was penalized for figuring out serious problems with his trial on his own and for trying to bring them to the courts' attention."

In addition to turning down Fratta's case, the court declined to review the conviction of Shelton Jones, who was convicted of the 1991 killing Houston police officer Bruno D. Soboleski.

Neither Jones nor Fratta has an execution date set.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump unleashed an offensive Monday to persuade Americans that a humanitarian and security crisis on the southern border must be addressed before a government shutdown can end, announcing a prime-time address for Tuesday and a trip to the border later in the week.

Vice President Mike Pence briefed reporters in a hastily arranged session, part of an orchestrated effort to sway balking Democrats who say the government must reopen before they negotiate on Trumps demand for $5.7 billion to begin his border wall.

The shutdown, heading into Day 18, has become a critical test for Trump, who campaigned as a master negotiator and deal-maker but so far has achieved virtually no agreements with Democrats. Already, it is the second-longest breakdown in government funding in the nations history, affecting about 800,000 federal workers, many of whom will not get paid for the first time this week. For a deal-maker, the president has offered little to his Democratic adversaries to lure them to the table.

Now, he will try to use a broad-based public appeal to raise the pressure.

Democrats, for their part, were having none of it. Senate Democrats were moving to ground legislation in that chamber to a halt to try to pressure Republicans to bring up a bill to reopen the government, starting Tuesday when they plan to block consideration of a Middle East policy measure. And late Monday, the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate released a joint statement demanding equal television time abutting the presidents address.

Now that the television networks have decided to air the presidents address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime, wrote the leaders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York.

The vice president, while conceding that no progress was made in weekend negotiations with senior Democratic staff members, said Democrats did not dispute our facts about what he called a humanitarian and security crisis. Democrats and immigration advocates have argued that the administration has vastly overstated the scope of the border situation.

Democrats said Pence appeared to be misrepresenting their position. While they agreed there was a crisis at the border, one senior Senate Democratic official said, they see it as a humanitarian rather than national security issue. As such, Democrats view Trumps proposed wall as an expensive and pointless response that does nothing to address the needs on the ground.

Several aides briefed on the weekend negotiations said the White House appeared eager to promote an agreement on almost anything in lieu of any real progress between the two sides.

But Pence said the White House was bargaining in good faith. The administration has now provided Democrats details they were seeking about how any border security money would be spent, and officials have incorporated at least one Democratic idea, to allow migrant children seeking asylum to apply in their home countries rather than make a treacherous journey to the U.S. border.

The question I have is: When are the Democrats going to start negotiating? Pence said.

The administrations credibility continues to suffer, as Democrats call out Trump for falsehoods about the crisis, such as his assertion that former presidents had told him privately that they should have built the wall. On Monday, former President Jimmy Carter joined the list of presidents who said they had never discussed a border wall with Trump.

With talks to end the shutdown at a standstill, Pence said the president had directed the Office of Management and Budget to take steps to mitigate its effects, including an order to the Internal Revenue Service to issue tax refunds. Under previous shutdown plans  and interpretations of federal law  the IRS was prohibited from dispensing tax refunds when Congress had not approved money to fund the Treasury Department, as is the case now.

On Capitol Hill, Democrats tried to use leverage of their own to force Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate majority leader, to come to the table and pressure Trump. On Monday, Democrats said they would vote against advancing a package of bipartisan Middle East policy bills slated for consideration this week unless Republicans allowed a vote on bills to reopen shuttered federal departments already passed by the House  a decision that could scuttle its prospects if Democrats stick together.

Senate Democrats did not indicate whether they are ready to block other bills, but their position raised the prospect that a significant portion of the chambers work could halt until the Senate gets to vote to reopen the parts of the government now closed.

The House, under Pelosi, passed a package of bills Thursday, the day Democrats took control of the chamber, to reopen the one-quarter of the government without funding Trumps wall. But McConnell has refused to consider them, insisting that he will not bring up any legislation that does not have Trumps explicit support.

Unfortunately, President Trump keeps rejecting the bipartisan House-passed bills, which have already received strong bipartisan support in the Senate, to reopen the government, Pelosi and Schumer wrote. Instead, he is still demanding that American taxpayers pay at least $5.7 billion for his wall, which cant pass either chamber of Congress and of course Mexico is not paying for.

It is unclear what effect the Democratic screw tightening will have on McConnell, a political tactician who sees little benefit in entering the shutdown fray.

Republicans in the chamber turned the blame around on Democrats.

If its all about defeating President Trump and embarrassing him politically, which seems to be the focus of Ms. Pelosi and Sen. Schumer, then obviously were not going to get a deal anytime soon, said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Democrats in the House were preparing their own steps. The Rules Committee will start the process of passing individual appropriations bills to reopen the government Tuesday, beginning with legislation that would fund the Treasury Department, including the IRS.

Trump has decided to make a public appeal to try to break the impasse. By Monday evening, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox had agreed to broadcast the presidents address live at 9 p.m. Eastern. Cable news channels, including CNN and Fox News, will also carry the speech.

But what in past administrations would be a fairly standard request set off a day of tense deliberations inside the major broadcast networks.

Handing Trump a chunk of network prime time could allow the president to assert falsehoods to tens of millions of viewers. But several network producers said privately Monday that they were uncomfortable turning down the president amid a national event affecting millions like the government shutdown. Declining Trumps request could also open the networks to accusations of partisan bias.

Ted Koppel, the veteran ABC anchor, said in an interview that given that Trump had not previously requested time for an Oval Office speech, the networks ought to give him the benefit of the doubt.

When the president of the United States asks for airtime, youve got to do it, Koppel said. If what he has to say is clearly just in his self-interest and does not address the greater national interest, then the next time the White House comes around, I might not be inclined to offer it.

In the recent past, White House requests to interrupt prime-time programming on the nations broadcast networks were rare and usually reserved for moments of national import, like the death of Osama bin Laden, and networks usually granted the requests. There have been instances, however, where such requests were rejected by producers as insufficiently newsworthy. In 2014, the networks declined a request from the Obama administration to air his speech about using executive action to change immigration policy.

The acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, has for days told other White House officials that a presidential address would be a way for Trump to try to recast the narrative around the shutdown fight.

On Monday, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the White House press secretary, announced Trumps plans to travel Thursday to the border, which would be the 20th day of the partial government shutdown if an agreement between Congress and the White House is not reached.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times
REYNOSA, Mexico - The deportees arrive after dark, usually 100 to 200 of them, deposited by U.S. immigration officials at a bridge that connects the United States to one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico.

Many of the deportees, all Mexican, have been living illegally in the United States for years, and they don't know Reynosa's reputation. It is the least secure city in Mexico, according to a government survey. It is in a state, Tamaulipas, that is the only place along Mexico's northern border to carry the State Department's most severe travel warning, putting it in the same category as Afghanistan and North Korea.

Shutdown: Can Trump declare emergency to build his wall?

From 2017 to 2018, the number of homicides more than doubled to 225 in the city of 600,000. At least another 2,500 people are missing. Criminal groups enrich themselves through kidnapping and extortion, with migrants among their most common targets.

Last year, a third of people deported from the United States to Mexico, about 60,000 as of October, were sent through Tamaulipas. About 16,500 of the deportees arrived in Reynosa. Mexican officials and human rights advocates argue that the U.S. practice of sending deportees to these areas is a flagrant human rights violation.

Mexico's new administration says it plans to formally ask the United States to stop deportations to Reynosa and other dangerous, poorly resourced border cities, and instead concentrate on safer ports of entry.

Jalisco: Attack by gunmen to free prisoner kills 6 police in Mexico

"The ideal solution is not to have Reynosa as a point of return," said Tonatiuh Guillen, head of Mexico's national immigration authority.

Ricardo Calderon, Tamaulipas state's top immigration official, greets the deportees almost every night, explaining how cautious they need to be while in Reynosa, near the southern tip of Texas, across the border from Hidalgo.

"The fact is, they're deporting people to one of the most dangerous places on the border," he said from his office near the international bridge. "If people leave here to get something to eat, they're going to be kidnapped."

Also: Mexico to regulate 370 illegal crossings on Guatemala border

Officials have catalogued a string of crimes against both deportees and other migrants. In 2017, the Tamaulipas government recorded dozens of cases of migrants being kidnapped or extorted by criminal groups. That year, the governor of the state created a program known as "Project Safe Passage," providing a police escort to deportees as they navigate the city, a precaution not taken in any other state.

"I tell them, 'Either you arrive with us, or you don't arrive at all,' " said Mario Garcia, another state immigration official. The program also warns deportees that if they attempt to travel independently, they should expect to be kidnapped.

The threats are constant. In some cases, Calderon said, deportees have been taken away at gunpoint after withdrawing money to pay for bus tickets to their hometowns. In other cases, criminal groups stop southbound buses leaving Reynosa and force deportees out. The kidnappers then ask for several thousand dollars from the migrants' family members to secure their release. In October, 22 kidnapped migrants, most of them Honduran, were rescued in a single police operation.

"They're seen as easy targets," Calderon said, "people with relatives in the U.S. who can pay a ransom."

In 2016, Mexico's federal government agreed to limit deportations from the United States to 12 border crossings, including Reynosa. It was an attempt to streamline the process, even though the inclusion of several dangerous locations in Mexico angered local officials and raised human rights concerns.

When asked about the deportations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement refused to comment on concerns about the security of deportees but said the Mexican government had agreed to accept deportees in Reynosa.

"Removals to Tamaulipas, like all removals to Mexico, are coordinated with and approved by the government of Mexico," said Brendan Raedy, an ICE spokesman.

Guillen said he would soon formally request the United States to limit deportations to fewer cities.

"This would help us create a neutral space and a safer environment for the deportees," he said, suggesting that deportations in Tamaulipas could be concentrated in the safer - though still troubled - city of Nuevo Laredo.

Tamaulipas, in Mexico's northeastern corner, contains the closest border crossings to ICE detainees held on the East Coast of the United States. It is also not far from some of America's largest immigrant detention facilities, which are in South Texas. The last time the portion of deportees sent here approached 30 percent was 2014, and security in Reynosa has since deteriorated.

"Why Tamaulipas? Why keep deporting people through a place where they are consistently kidnapped, recruited and extorted? The U.S. response is mostly that Mexicans have agreed to it," said Maureen Meyer, director for Mexico and migrant rights at the Washington Office on Latin America. "On the Mexican side, it's been hard for the government to admit that part of their border is so insecure that the U.S. shouldn't send anyone there."

On a recent Wednesday night, a relatively small group of deportees arrived in Reynosa - 59 men and women - carrying the red nylon bags distributed by ICE.

Victor Quevedo, a state immigration officer, picked them up at the international bridge and led them to the state migration institute.

Many of the deportees in the group had lived the bulk of their lives in the United States. Pedro Giesbrecht and his wife, Anna Giesbrecht, worked on a farm in Ulysses, Kansas, for 27 years. Salvador Herrera was a roofer in Minneapolis for 23 years. Juan Fragaso worked on farms and in restaurants in Del Campo, Texas, for 21 years. Some of the deportees felt more comfortable speaking to one another in English.

Most were originally from Mexican cities hundreds or thousands of miles away. Several were from Tijuana, at the opposite end of the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. immigration agencies do not consider a deportee's city of origin when sending him or her across the border.

At the Tamaulipas immigration office, the migrants gathered on plastic chairs, near a Christmas tree. They were each handed a sandwich. Calderon addressed them.

"Because of insecurity, you're not going to be able to leave Reynosa tonight," he said. "You need to be escorted by police wherever you go."

A woman named Henriqueta started crying. She had lived in California for 31 years and had nowhere to go in Mexico.

"I don't want to live alone," she said.

It was already close to 10 p.m., and there was a bus waiting outside to take the deportees to the Virgin of Guadalupe migrant shelter, a few minutes away. A police truck, with five masked officers, waited behind the bus with its lights on.

It had been another brutal week in Reynosa. The previous Saturday, a shootout at a local bar left four people dead and nine injured. That Wednesday, hours before the deportees arrived, another shootout on a main thoroughfare forced a nearby elementary school to keep its students for hours after their scheduled release.

Tamaulipas descended into chaos during the course of Mexico's drug war, and it was often migrants who found themselves in the crosshairs of organized criminals. In 2010, authorities found the decomposing bodies of 72 migrants from across Latin America on a ranch 90 miles south of Reynosa. The Mexican government accused members of the Zetas, a criminal group with ties to drug trafficking, of committing the massacre.

Since then, the U.S. government has experimented with ways to keep deportees out of the hands of criminal groups along the border. Beginning in 2013, for example, it operated twice-weekly flights that took deportees directly to Mexico City, bypassing more dangerous cities like Reynosa. But that program was paused in May, and human rights advocates say the United States is ignoring the reality along the border, especially by deporting people to Reynosa after dark.

"Dumping people in dangerous cities which they don't know after dark and putting them at even higher risk for kidnapping and violence makes the already traumatic process of deportation needlessly more damaging," said Marcelo Fernandez, head of mission for Mexico and Central America at Doctors Without Borders. "The practice of nighttime deportation by the United States puts people's lives at risk and must end immediately."

The situation has become so bad that the city's Virgin of Guadalupe shelter won't allow the deportees to walk outside until they are ready to depart the city. Sometimes shootouts occur so close to the shelter that nuns find bullets next to the dining hall.

"If they go out on the streets, they can be kidnapped, they can be forced to work as members of these groups," said Sister Catalina Carmona, the director of the shelter.

Last month, the group of 59 deportees awoke in the shelter on Thursday morning, and a silver bus took them to a kiosk where they could withdraw money their relatives had sent them. Four police officers waited outside.

"They're telling us this place is dangerous, but I really don't know anything about it," said Herrera, the roofer from Minneapolis.

Some of the deportees grew antsy. Two young women told Garcia, the immigration official, that they wanted to leave the group and head out on their own.

"It's not worth it," he told them.

That week, like every other week, the shelter had received calls from families looking for relatives, migrants who were missing in Tamaulipas.

But the two deportees, both young women, left anyway. Garcia muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"They don't know what they're doing."
Travis Scott's Houston bonafides are beyond question. The rapper from Missouri City took Houston wide last year with a hit album called "Astroworld" and a Houston-centric music festival bearing the same name.

Following the biggest year in his career, Scott just donated $100,000 to Workshop Houston, a nonprofit and after-school program in the Third Ward.
It's cold and gray in Washington. The days are short, the nights are long and the president has vowed to keep the government shut down for months, even years, if he does not get what he wants. A southern border lined with "artistically designed steel slats," apparently.

For so many languishing federal workers - public servants alternately characterized as deep state antagonists or bloated bureaucrats - it's all too much.

Over two years, the Trump administration has dealt blow after blow to government employees - budget cuts, hiring freezes, inept Cabinet secretaries and, for some, open hostility to their fundamental mission. President Donald Trump promised to shake up Washington, and he has. But the country's 2 million federal workers have mostly soldiered on, believing in the value of their work even if they question decisions coming out of the White House.

Until now.

In what some see as the ultimate insult, almost half of them were told to stay home. Do not pass "Go." Do not collect any dollars.

Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, says many of his members and their departments have been undermined since Trump took office. "A lot of these agencies have been starved for resources, which has made carrying out the mission difficult," he explains. "With this shutdown, the mission has gone from difficult to impossible."

We talked to six of these workers, many of whom requested anonymity to protect their jobs. They told us about their sleepless nights, creeping anxieties and financial distress. All of it an affront, they said, the nadir of indignation wrought by two years of government work under Trump.

- - -

A National Forest Service wildland firefighter

If the president of the United States said anything that made a lick of sense when he toured the smoldering ruins of Northern California last year, you'll have to forgive this particular federal fighter if he can't immediately bring it to mind. He hasn't been sleeping much since the furlough and is frustrated beyond words.

"I'm so exhausted," he said, two weeks into the shutdown. "I'm floundering. My whole purpose and routine is a little off."

He tried to think back to November - the end of the deadliest fire year in his 20-year National Forest Service career, not to mention in the state's history. Trump had posed for news cameras near the destroyed town of Paradise, which the president thought was called "Pleasure," and lectured Californians as if they were children with messy rooms. "You've got to take care of the floors," he said. "You know, the floors of the forests."

"The guy just insulted victims of the fire, as they and their family members were still fleeing," the firefighter said. "He was talking to Chris Wallace about how he saw firefighters raking under a bush and he didn't know why it hadn't been raked. It doesn't make any sense."

But now that you mention it, Trump said one thing that rang true to an old smoke eater. "He said we need more forest management," the firefighter said. "And yeah, we absolutely need to."

Tight budgets notwithstanding, he said, his crew spends each winter clearing out excess brush and burning it in piles. Taking care of the floors, so to speak.

That's what he would be doing right now, he said, had the shutdown not cut off the funding and forced his crew to stop.

"We're not allowed," he said.

Next summer, there will be that much more kindling on the forest floor, waiting to spark. Waiting for a president to make a photo tour across the wreckage.

These are the things a National Forest Service firefighter thinks about when he can't work and can't sleep.

- - -

A Housing and Urban Development investigator

"I enforce civil rights for a living. I try to enforce equality for all," says Jamie Rodny, a 35-year-old with a law degree who was recruited into public service under a presidential management fellows program in 2011.

But her work as a federal investigator with the Department of Housing and Urban Development has been made more challenging over the past two years under the Trump administration. The federal hiring freeze has resulted in a "brain drain," she says, as the positions of people who quit or retire go unfilled, leaving more work for the staffers who remain. There has been no opportunity for promotion, and the agency's complaint intake branch dwindled from about 40 workers to "a skeleton crew of five people."

Rodny, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband and 3-year-old son, knows that she earns less than she could in the private sector and was already frustrated with the agency's parental leave policy. The salary freeze, government shutdown and pay furlough is, she says, "salt in a really big wound."

Rodny scoffed when she heard, recently, that Trump said the government has no problem retaining talented professionals.

"Are you serious? I'm one foot out the door," she says. "The federal government recruited me. The federal government has trained me. I'm an outstanding employee - the highest rating you can get is 'outstanding,' and I got 'outstanding' on my last review. And then what do you do? You punish me. You make me not want to work for you anymore."

- - -

A National Park Service ranger

The better part of a decade with the National Park Service took a ranger to some of the most beautiful places he knew to exist. His job was to learn about the land and share its story with visitors - to teach them to preserve it for those who would come next.

"Parks are the most intimate space for people to study their history, their geology, their climate history," the ranger said. "The Park Service as a meeting ground for the American experience is unrivaled."

After Trump became president, nearly 2 million acres of once-protected land were opened up for potential drilling. The new interior secretary spoke of exploiting the land for its energy. Over the past two years, the ranger said, his supervisor warned him against speaking to visitors about the threat of climate change.

"We take our role seriously as nonpolitically opinionated people," he said. Now "I have to retract fact and become a politically aware park ranger."

Still, he said, he never considered giving up. The job felt like a calling. But on Dec. 22, they gave him no choice.

"It's humiliating to tell people that my job no longer matters for this place," the ranger said. "It's heartbreaking to see the place you've been compelled to work become something you can't protect."

- - -

A scientist at NOAA

One marine biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that since Trump took office, morale among her colleagues has been "looooow - very low." Because she works in conservation, she knows there's not a lot of White House support for their mission. (See: Trump's sons with their big game hunting trophies.)

This staffer, who was attracted to government work because it seemed to offer stability, says she thinks NOAA has been protected from budget cuts faced by other environmental agencies because it operates under the Department of Commerce. But they still feel hostility to their cause.

"Day to day it's easy for us to be frustrated. 'Why are we doing this?' No one cares. No one pays attention," she says. "But we know if we left it would be 'Yes men' or nobody to fill the job - which is far worse in most of our opinions."

- - -

A Homeland Security employee

"Our job is noble," the worker says.

A lifelong employee of the federal government, she is approaching retirement from deep within the bureaucracy of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington. She holds one of those unglamorous-but-someone-has-to-do-it roles that keeps an agency with a quarter-million employees from disintegrating on a granular level. Her long career is essentially a chronology of abandoned ideals.

She was raised in a family that revered the U.S. government, and she carried that reverence into the federal workforce when she joined it after high school.

When reverence faded, there was still the sense of purpose. Her voice - grogged with a cold in the second week of the shutdown - brightens when she recalls that long period when "we had a mission, we believed in our management."

She lost that feeling shortly after Trump took office, about the time she noticed a change in department communiques distributed by Homeland Security's top officials.

Before the Trump administration, department leaders sent emails notifying the entire staff about agents who died in the line of duty. Officials under Trump began sending notices that seemed overtly political, she said.

"It seems like propaganda. Anything about the wall, I don't want to read about it."

Trump's campaign-promised border wall kept showing up in her inbox. She tried to put it out of her mind and carry on the work. Until last month, when Trump decided the wall was more important than her job.

When she goes back to work, assuming she ever goes back, she isn't sure what will be left of nobility.

- - -

An Environmental Protection Agency worker

Gary Morton has been an employee of the federal government since 1981. He remembers when he started out and an older colleague promised him it was a good place to work, a place to build a career.

And over almost four decades, that's been true, but he doesn't think young people will see it that way now.

"When people join an organization, when they take an oath, they want to have the resources necessary - free of political influence - so they can do their job," says Morton, who works at the EPA. "And when employees have dreams, futures, careers that are interrupted by forces outside of their control, it makes you wonder, 'Why should I continue here?' When you have a president who time and time again uses executive orders to punish federal employees, what message does that send?"

Morton, who is president of a local union representing EPA workers, says he's never seen his co-workers so depressed.

"It's been no secret the (Trump administration's) disdain for EPA and our policies," he says. "So we were demonized; and when you add in the combination of sequestration, budget cuts, pay freezes, buyouts, realignment, the agency's refusal to backfill positions when people leave, and increased work assignments, it has led to a situation of low morale."

Morton worries about his colleagues who have bills to pay. He worries about the superfund cleanups that aren't happening and the permits that aren't getting processed. Mostly he worries that everyday folks will pay the price for political ineptitude.

"It's like a civil war. We're all Americans. But Americans are getting in the way of Americans helping America."
Memorial Hermann Health System has partnered with a new generic drug company formed to combat "artificially high" pharmaceutical prices and ease chronic drug shortages, the drug company announced Monday.

Utah-based Civica Rx launched its generic drug initiative a year ago with strong Houston roots. The idea behind the venture is to allow hospital systems to "create their own priorities" in needed medications.

Such generic versions of the medications remain difficult to obtain because of price or availability or both, Heather Wall, chief commercial officer for Civica Rx, said in an interview on Monday.

"We're tackling the drugs that we've seen significant price increases over the past few years," she said.

Price hikes, often dramatic, can come from a lack of competition, especially among drugs that have fallen out of mass production. But Wall said that just because a drug is elusive does not mean it is not needed.

Typically there are about 200 drugs on shortage lists any given year.

When there is not enough of a certain drug in the supply chain, it can drive up the price to "artificially high" levels, which in turn forces providers and, ultimately, patients to pay more, Wall said.

RELATED: Texans missing or delaying needed treatment because health costs too high

Memorial Hermann is one of 12 health systems across the country to enter partnerships with Civica Rx. The Houston-based system will be considered a founding member of what is predicted to be a growing network of hospitals nationwide, Wall said.

There are 750 U.S. hospitals now participating, the company said.

"Creating a consistent and stable supply of generic drugs not only ensures that we can continue delivering on our promise to always provide safe, high-quality care tailored to our patients' needs, but it also allows us to tackle the dramatic increases in U.S. health care costs that affect everyone. Our industry is consistently experiencing pharmaceutical shortages for commonly used drugs. These shortages result in health care organizations having to pay inflated pricing to secure appropriate supplies to adequately care for patients  pricing that ultimately gets passed along to the consumer," Chuck Stokes, CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System, said Monday in a statement.

Civica Rx will make generic versions of targeted drugs directly or subcontract the process, the company said. Currently it is scheduled to make 14 hospital-administered drugs by midyear, Wall said. The names of those drugs were not disclosed.

RELATED: Drugmakers may have to post prices in TV ads

The company was formed last January under the guidance of seven major hospital systems and three philanthropies to establish a framework and business model.

Among the philanthropies are the Houston-based Laura and John Arnold Foundation, which gave $1 million in seed money as well as access to $9 million more in loans, Wall said.

"The early success of Civica Rx gives you a sense of how much frustration there was within hospital systems in regards to accessing a steady and affordable supply of generic medications," said Dr. Mark Miller, vice president of health care for the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, in an email sent Monday. He called the burgeoning venture a "step in the right direction."

Also part of the original governing body are HCA Healthcare, which operates 15 hospitals in the Houston area, and Catholic Health Initiatives, which includes the St. Luke's health network in the region.

Memorial Hermann will now join them.

RELATED: Is bigger better? Memorial Hermann and Baylor Scott & White merger raises questions

In October, Memorial Hermann unveiled plans to merge with the Baylor Scott & White health network to form the largest nonprofit health care system in Texas and one of the largest in the nation. Wall said Monday it was not clear if the Baylor Scott & White system would also join with Civica Rx.

The collaboration between hospital and drug maker is part of a larger trend of unusual health care couplings to create access outside the usual boundaries. Take for instance, the plan announced last year that three business giants, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase, would form an independent health care company for their U.S. employees.

More recently, the CVS drugstore chain received approval to buy Aetna, the nation's third-largest health insurance company, in a $69 billion deal that many say could transform the way millions of people get basic medical care.
Station Houston, one of the citys most prominent startup hubs, has reincorporated as a nonprofit, the latest reboot in Houstons continuing quest to find the right formula to create a vibrant technology and innovation scene.

Station Houston, founded just over two years ago as a for-profit company, says becoming a nonprofit will allow it to attract more funding from grants and foundations to augment what it earns from charging fees to big corporations, such as energy companies, seeking introductions to new technologies. The change, executives said, will provide more money to invest in programs that spur local entrepreneurs and turn innovative ideas into successful businesses.

But technology analysts say that Station Houston risks losing the edge that makes innovation happen. In general, for-profit organizations thrive if they can cultivate startups that attract investment then get bought by bigger companies or become publicly traded. Nonprofits, however, could rely on fundraising to survive even if their startups dont succeed.

An active startup ecosystem is not looking for grant dollars, said Marc Nathan, who publishes the Texas-Squared Startup Newsletter and previously worked with Houston entrepreneurs. Theyre not begging. Theyre earning their money through making successful companies.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Station Houston appoints new CEO

Houston, as it seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy, has aspired in recent years to build a technology cluster. But like many cities outside established tech centers such as Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin, progress has not come easily. An earlier tech accelerator program focused on energy software shuttered in 2016, and about half the startups affiliated with it left the city.

The acceleration program of the Houston Technology Center was closed after the tech center was folded into a new organization called Houston Exponential in 2017 to centralize and coordinate efforts to promote Houstons technology sector, include raising an investment fund to help attract venture capital for local startups. Houston Exponential has raised half of its $50 million goal for the fund.

But the tech community keeps trying. Newer organizations are trying to make Houston a hotbed for esports or medical technologies. And Rice University last year announced an innovation district in the former Sears building in Midtown, in which Station Houston is a partner to provide programming for entrepreneurs.

Gaby Rowe, CEO of Station Houston, said that becoming a nonprofit will help the organization extend and broaden its reach, including a new initiative, called Station 3.0, that includes a stronger focus on industrial and business-to-business entrepreneurs to take advantage of Houstons strengths as a global corporate center and a new in-house business accelerator program concentrating on energy, industrial and transportation startups.

Its new accelerator program will focus on energy, industrial and transportation startups. The three-month program, with three weeks at Station Houston and nine weeks remote, will culminate with a pitch competition. It will not take equity in startups.

Rowe said the accelerator is, essentially, a condensed time frame of the coursework already offered by Station Houston. Its ideal for companies needing a shorter time frame or for those based outside of Houston that want access to the citys large industrial corporations.

Station Houston is also in talks with nationally recognized accelerators that could operate from within Station.

We want everybody to be able to be part of the Station community, said Rowe, who has been CEO for five months, so we can grow with the (innovation) ecosystem and help the ecosystem grow.

Other tech development programs, including the 1871 startup hub in Chicago and the MassChallenge accelerator based in Boston, have succeeded as nonprofits, said Rowe. They have managed to maintain the drive needed to get startups to the next levels of funding, product development and commercialization.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Rice, partners envision innovative future for retired Sears building in Midtown

The transition to a nonprofit received unanimous support from Station Houston board members.

Rowe said that Station has created measures to keep the organization aligned with its profit-making roots and to calm any concerns that becoming a nonprofit would lead the organization to rely on fundraising rather than the success of its entrepreneurs. Investors voiced support for the nonprofit model.

For Station Houston to continue to make an even larger impact on the innovation climate in this city, said investor Harvin Moore, principal at advisory and investment firm Frontera Technology Ventures, a nonprofit format makes sense to get to that next level.

But Ed Egan, the former director for Rice Universitys McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, disagreed. He had previously praised Station Houston for boosting venture capital investment in the citys startups. When Station Houston debuted in 2016, Houston ranked 39th among U.S. cities in venture capital activity.

The city climbed to 29th during the first half of 2018, in large part because of Station Houston, said Egan, now a professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

But he expects such advances will be lost. Startups in for-profit entrepreneurial accelerators, hubs and incubators tend to raise more venture capital money than startups in similar nonprofit organizations. Ten of the countrys top 12 accelerator programs  defined by the number of startups they assist and the amount of money those startups raise  are for-profit, he added.

By becoming a nonprofit, they are saying that they cant compete, Egan said. We dont want people who cant compete running Houstons ecosystem.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Report: Houston needs more 'growth' venture capital to reach its ambitious goals

Other academics who study innovation and entrepreneurship say that the right model for a tech development program often depends on the goals. For-profit accelerator programs, which typically take small ownership stakes in the startups they accept, are probably better at finding the most promising companies and helping them attract venture capital. Nonprofits tend to do better at promoting the broader innovation ecosystem, rather than specific companies, some academics said.

There are tradeoffs in each one, said Jorge Guzman, who teaches entrepreneurship strategy at Columbia Business School.

SJ Maxted, director of strategic initiatives for The Engine, which helps develop advanced technology startups in the Boston area, doesnt think for-profit or nonprofit status is the most critical element. Every entrepreneurial community needs both.

Both models serve very important roles, she said. You cant have an ecosystem that has all for-profit, and you cant have an ecosystem thats all nonprofit. So you have to have a mix.




1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.
Bad Boys 3 is officially underway and the cameras are rolling, getting the anticipated third installment closer than ever before to airing on the big screen. Will Smith previously shared a photo of the first day on set, showing off scripts or production notes with "Bad Boys For Lif3" written on the spines.

Today, Will has come through with a video that shows us the office space of Martin Lawrence's character and of course, Will had to go the extra mile and make a video of himself acting up in Martin's space. The clip below sees Will surfing on the desk, throwing things on the ground, attempting to break a lamp and even peeing in his plant - we hope that part wasn't real.

"Turns out this was @martinlawrences office... My Bad, Dawg," Will captioned the video.

"The film will see Lawrences character Marcus Burnett working as a private eye after a falling out with Smiths Mike Lowery, who is going through a midlife crisis as a bachelor who finally wants to mature, all while dealing with a new a young and cocky partner who is loyal to Lowery but that loyalty is not reciprocated, and finds bond with Burnett when he returns to the fray," the plot for the film reads.

"Lowery and Burnett are brought together again when a lean, mean, skilled, Albanian mercenary with a vendetta puts a death order on Lowery and Burnett for the death of his brother. Now the two must work together once again to bring him down."
Yusaka Maezawa, the Japanese billionaire, has given us on the other side of the Pacific another reason to notice him. After signing up to be the first "lunar tourist" with SpaceX, he's also become the author of the most retweeted Tweet of all time.

The tweet, which he posted three days ago, has now been retweeted more than five million times. The reason for the Tweet's popularity is very simple, some might even say predictable. Maezawa promised those who retweeted it that 100 of them (randomly selected) would get one million yen, which is equivalent to $9,250 USD. The tweet is as follows:

Courtesy of Google Translate, the english version of the Tweet:

ZOZOTOWN New Year 's Sale is the fastest ever in history and handling volume of 10 billion yen has passed so far! ! With a daily gratitude, I will give you 100 million yen [100 million yen grand prix for 100 people] from individuals in cash. To apply, just follow me and just RT this tweet. Receptionist is up to 1/7. I will DM directly from winners! # Otoshidama If you go to the moon

The "ZOZOTOWN New Year's Sale" he's referring to is the sale at his clothing store, ZOZOTOWN, the source of his billions and the big giveaway seems to be a celebration of the store's successful new year's promotion. The Tweet took the number one spot from a very similar Tweet from last year:
Snoop Dogg has been extremely vocal about his displeasure with Trump. The Long Beach rapper has taken aim at the President and his supporters on numerous times, both on wax and on social media. The government shutdown is Snoop's latest beef with Trump. The rapper took to social media to share a hilarious video condemning the president for his actions.



Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Snoop Dogg thinks anyone who works for the government and decides to vote Trump in again is plain stupid. The rapper shared a video on Instagram telling anyone working for the government to rethink who they'll be voting in for president in 2020.

"All you people [working] for the federal government not getting paid right now, ain't no fuckin' way in the world you could vote for Donald Trump when he come back up again," he said. "If y'all do vote for him, y'all some stupid mothafuckas. I'm sayin' that to y'all early. All you federal government people that's not being paid, that's being treated fuckin' unfairly right now -- that's so terrible and this punk mothafucka don't care."

Snoop continued to urge the people to refrain from voting for Donald Trump once the government shut down is over. Before ending his video, Snoop sent one more message to Trump and his supporters: "So fuck him too. And fuck everybody down with Donald Trump."



[Via TMZ]
Last week, police found themselves in an altercation with a then-unidentified man, which ultimately took a tragic turn. Today, Police have released the identity of the man, confirming him to be rapper Ryan Bowers. According to FOX San Diego, police arrived at Bowers' home after receiving word from a family member that he had cut his own throat.

Upon being let in by the aforementioned family member, police found the rapper in the back of his bedroom. San Diego Police Lieutenant Anthony Dupree claimed that Bowers pulled a different knife from his jacket and approached with the weapon drawn. Police warned him to stay back, but Bowers continued, still wielding the knife. One of the officers proceeded to open fire, reportedly hitting Bowers somewhere in the upper body. Despite receiving medical attention at the scene, Bowers was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. He is currently fighting for his life.

For those who don't know, Bowers was actually signed by Nick Cannon, who issued an emotional statement on Instagram. "This honestly hurts my heart to have to post this right now, but Im just requesting prayers and positive energy for my young guy!" he writes. "He had such a troubled and haunted journey when I first signed him that I wasnt aware of because he did it all with a smile. One of the nicest and sincere kids you could ever meet." You can read Cannon's full post below. In the meantime, send your thoughts and prayers to Ryan Bowers.
Yesterday, we received some amazing news as Cyntoia Brown was granted clemency after being sentenced to life in prison for killing a man who bought her for sex at age 16. Her sentencing was a topic of conversation for many celebrities with the most vocal being Kim Kardashian, T.I. and others. Many reacted to the news when the Governor of Tennessee announced that he would be granting Brown clemency, including Drake who reflected on what he's tried to do to help her out.

The Canadian artist posted on his Instagram story that he couldn't be any happier about the decision to grant the 30-year-old clemency. Kim Kardashian is actively working on a criminal justice reform but it appears as though Drake was interested in getting involved too. He wrote, "This makes me so happy. I remember me and @futuretheprince getting on the phones calling everyone trying to see if there was anything we could do about this situation and now Cyntoia was finally granted clemency!"

The case was made public a few months ago as Kim Kardashian urged people to get involved in the fight for Brown's clemency. The rap community has been ecstatic about the news with T.I., Meek Mill, and others also speaking out.

[via]
For the last few days, Cardi B has been staying close to her daughter as Kulture fights off a cold. The music superstar revealed that she hasn't been able to sleep, posting photos of herself cuddling with her baby on her Instagram story. The Invasion of Privacy artist is trying not to overreact but obviously, it can be pretty worrisome for a new parent to be tending for their child who is ill.

Bardi updated her social media to include a brief video of herself holding Kulture in her arms, captioning the clip, "Second day." A mask can be seen, which has been connected to baby Kulture's mouth to help her breathe as her body fights off the infection. Yesterday, the artist told fans that she hasn't been able to get rest in over a day, saying, "I haven't slept for 24 hours and I've been team-working with my sister and my mom. My baby has a cold."

Obviously, a common cold may not seem like cause to worry but in babies, it can often lead to more serious illnesses. Cardi B recently returned from New Zealand and Australia and she appears to have put her busy life on pause to care for her daughter. Hopefully, Kulture is back up and crawling around within a few days!

[via]
European hospitality technology show is 09-11 April 2019 in Palma, Mallorca, Spain

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), producers of Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC), announced that attendee online registration for its third-annual HITEC Europe is now open. The event is the first of three HITEC events in 2019, which bring together thought leaders, practitioners and vendors to cover hospitality technology trends and practices. HITEC Europe will take place from 09-11 April 2019 at the Palau de Congressos in Palma, Mallorca, Spain.

"HITEC Europe in 2019 will be located in the premiere travel destination of Palma, Mallorca a locale with hundreds of hotels and headquarters to numerous hospitality companies," said Carl Weldon, HFTP COO - Europe. "Not only is the island a draw due to its large hospitality market, but the program for HITEC Europe will be a cannot miss event for industry professionals who are involved in the technology operations at hotels, resorts and more."

A highlight to the program is the keynote presentation on Wednesday, 10 April by award-winning futurist Rohit Talwar. Talwar is an entrepreneur and specialist advisor on business transformation, disruptive strategies and radical innovation. Profiled as one the top 10 global future thinkers by the Independent newspaper, his controversial and inspiring keynote speeches enable teams to think differently, act fast and be first to the future.

"Rohit includes a good mixture in his presentation of technology, as well as management and business strategies to cope with the various disruptors that will be coming our way," said HITEC Europe Advisory Council Chair Derek Wood.

HITEC Europe full registration attendees will have access to two full days of education, two full days of exhibits and access to the Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) pre-conference event and Welcome Reception. The full schedule of events is available on the HITEC Europe website.

Education. Full registration attendees will have access to two days of educational training and best practices, carefully planned for the European hospitality market by the HITEC Europe Advisory Council, including the keynote presentation.

Exhibits. Full Registration attendees, as well as those purchasing an exhibits only attendee pass will have access to two days of exhibits. Do not miss the only opportunity to see a number of new products and high-caliber existing products all in one location. The education program does not conflict with exhibit hours, but attendees will also have access to educational opportunities right on the show floor with the new Spotlight Presentations.

View the current HITEC Europe floor plan to see which companies are exhibiting. Stands for the 2019 exhibition are still available for companies interested in participating.

Entrepreneur 20X (E20X). This pre-conference event features ambitious, unfunded technology entrepreneurs presenting breakthrough business concepts to a room full of HITEC attendees as well as a panel of expert judges. All HITEC badges, including exhibits-only badges, will have the opportunity to watch some of the most innovative startups the hospitality technology industry has to offer compete in the European version of the globally recognized pitch competition.

The application process for participating in the competition is now open through 08 February 2019.

In addition to the opening of HITEC Europe registration, the HITEC Europe website offers information on travel and hotel reservations.

Following HITEC Europe, HFTP will host the larger HITEC Minneapolis on 17-20 June 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA. Registration for HITEC Minneapolis is open as well. For more information about HITEC and HFTP's other international activities, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at education@hftp.org.

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Industry watches closely as mobile key usage skyrockets with popular platform

OpenKey, the industry standard for universal mobile key in hotels, expects to build on an impressive 2018 performance by reaching a key milestone in 2019. Following a 970 percent increase in keys issued among OpenKey client hotels last year, OpenKey is projecting performance to reach 100,000 mobile keys a month in 2019.

An OpenKey survey, Guest Expectations for Hotel Tech in 2019, identified that technology will play a major role in the overall guest experience this year. Particularly, it found that 54 percent of hotel guests now expect mobile keyless entry. Given the convenience of having secure room keys directly on their smartphone devices, as well as the time it saves guests during check-in and check-out, this finding is in line with other research conducted in the hospitality industry. As more hotel properties seek ways to improve the guest stay experience, mobile key technology is a simple and cost-effective choice for 2019.

We are excited about the year ahead and the opportunity to accelerate our mission of revolutionizing room access in hotels. In 2018 we took major steps to build a stronger foundation for the path ahead that will allow us to make our technology more widely available. We augmented our strategic partnerships with leading property management system providers, industry organizations and are collaborating with new hotel portfolios, brands and properties all around the world, said TJ Person, OpenKey CEO.

One of the companys 2018 innovations included the development of Automated Mobile Key Delivery. The innovative feature integrates with a PMS to issue a secure encrypted mobile key to a guests smartphone immediately upon hotel check-in. OpenKeys proprietary technology makes the back-end delivery of mobile keys even faster and more efficient for hoteliers.

The factors driving hoteliers to embrace keyless entry are simple: its efficient and it delivers cost-saving benefits while improving the guest experience and their carbon footprint, commented Brian Shedd, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for OpenKey. Research shows that 48 percent of hotels are investing or plan to invest in mobile check-in and out. Given the industry trends, we expect that number to grow in 2019. With the overwhelming benefits of mobile key, plastic keycards will soon be a thing of the past.

In addition to providing the most secure form of room access, the OpenKey app allows hotel guests to check-in and out remotely, receive room assignments in advance, get directions to and from the hotel, receive hotel Wi-Fi access information and much more. OpenKey also uniquely offers key sharing, a major app innovation where the main hotel guest can digitally share their mobile key with other guests without ever having to visit the front desk.

OpenKey can be found in 50 countries on six continents with primary offices in Plano, Texas and Shanghai, China. The innovative key technology works with 90 percent of all digital hotel locks and is both user-friendly and affordable. To learn more about OpenKey, visit www.openkey.co.

About OpenKey

Founded in 2014, OpenKey is reinventing the hospitality experience through its mobile access solution. The OpenKey app is the industry standard for universal mobile key technology and works with the majority of digital hotel locks. Hotels and their guests benefit from OpenKeys platform providing efficiency, convenience and cost savings. OpenKey is a privately held company located in Plano, Texas. The company has been funded by several of the largest hotel ownership and management companies in the world. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. For more information, please visit www.openkey.co.



Media Contact

Juana Veliz

media@openkey.co

469.661.0841

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The partnership will provide a modern alternative to the traditional corporate travel distribution chain by offering eligible SiteMinder hotel customers direct access to a travel management companys clients for the first time.

SiteMinder, the global hotel industrys leading guest acquisition platform, today announces a pioneering partnership with RoomIt by CWT, the hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a long-standing leader in business travel. The partnership will provide a modern alternative to the traditional corporate travel distribution chain by offering eligible SiteMinder hotel customers direct access to a travel management companys clients for the first time.

Under the agreement, RoomIt will create a connection to SiteMinders platform so hotel users can offer their best available rates, corporate negotiated rates, consortia rates and any promotional rates directly to RoomIt travellers under CWTs umbrella of multi-billion-dollar corporate travel programs. The direct connection serves as an alternative means of rate distribution to RoomIt for accommodation providers seeking value and that meet certain business traveller criteria.

SiteMinders managing director, Mike Ford, says, The hotel industry is witnessing an unprecedented rise of direct connections, be that to guests or, now, a travel management company. This partnership is about rewriting the rules to provide hotels choice as they look to tap into the booming corporate travel market.

RoomIt is committed to connecting hotels to business travellers and business travellers to the right rooms, says Yon Abad, Vice President Suppliers at RoomIt by CWT. We are pleased to fulfil this commitment together with SiteMinder, a globally premier guest acquisition platform. Hotels want more rooms booked and business travellers want more choice; its a win-win.

The higher-rated, shorter-lead business traveller opens up a highly-lucrative market for hotels. According to Phocuswright research, corporate travellers have greater demand for ancillaries and interest in paying for more than standard hotel products, including late checkout or early check-in.

The connection is being piloted to SiteMinders hotel enterprise customers in the UK and Italy, and expected to be offered to other SiteMinder hotel customers globally later this year. To be eligible, the properties of hotel groups and chains must currently be centrally located in a business travel destination, have more than 10 rooms, and provide amenities and services that cater for business travellers, including last room availability, in-room Wifi and same-day cancellations.

Media contact

Maria Cricchiola

+61 410 233 735

media@siteminder.com

About SiteMinder

In an age of rising choice and accessibility for curious travellers, SiteMinder is the name synonymous with the belief that technology can empower any hotel to win in a consumer-led world and unleash their potential. SiteMinder is the global hotel industrys leading guest acquisition platform, ranked among technology pioneers for its smart and simple solutions that put hotels everywhere their guests are, at every stage of their journey. Its this central role that has earned SiteMinder the trust of more than 30,000 hotels, across 160 countries, to generate in excess of 80 million reservations worth over US$35 billion in revenue for hotels each year. For more information, visit www.siteminder.com.

About RoomIt by CWT

RoomIt by CWT is the hotel distribution division of Carlson Wagonlit Travel, a long-standing leader in business travel. Every day we match travellers with the right room at the right rate, and every minute we book over 30 hotel rooms. We also provide travellers with the amenities and loyalty programs they want; while helping organisations control their budget and improve travel oversight. Follow us on LinkedIn.

About Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected. We provide their travellers with a consumer-grade travel experience, combining innovative technology with our vast experience. Every day, we look after enough travellers to fill more than 260 Boeing 787s and 100,000 hotel rooms  and handle 105 events. We operate in around 150 countries, and in 2017 posted a total transaction volume of more than US$23 billion. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Supplier News

8 January 2019

San Jose, Calif. -- Bittel Americas announces initial customer deliveries of MODA. MODA, designed by Jacob Jensen, is Bittel's next generation ALL-IN-ONE guest room solution. MODA combines traditional nightstand devices including Bluetooth Audio, Alarm Clock, and mobile device charging into a stylish new design.

"We have just delivered and installed several significant projects and initial feedback is very positive," says Bittel's CEO Joe Zhang. "At a diameter of fewer than 5 inches, MODA's stackable configuration reduces nightstand space by a serious amount while providing significant guest functionality."

"MODA's stack also includes the guest room phone," says CEO Joe Zhang

"Equally exciting is MODA's technology roadmap. DECT and SIP modules are soon to be available rounding out MODA's telephony configuration and we are in initial testing of our Alexa ready technology" CEO Joe Zhang restates that each of MODA's modules contains Bittel's VR1 technology making MODA Voice Ready. "We are now testing our Alexa compatible features and we have a number of technology initiatives in the pipeline"

For a demo or more information on MODA please visit Bittel's website www.bittelamericas.com or email Bittel at [email protected]

How do you Your In-Room Components Stack Up?

The base component of MODA is its Charging module; it is this module that powers the entire"stack" of smart devices. The Charging module features two USB ports and one USB-C port. Guest use convenient, magnetically attached cables to charge their devices. Wireless charging is an optional feature. Hoteliers can then build onto this Charging module with one or ALL of the following components.

Alarm Clock Module- MODA's TRU-TIME technology insures the clock time is correct todaytomorrowalways, improving the guest experience and reducing housekeeping effort. It also included an auto-dimming feature with an ambient light sensor and an easy-to-set single day alarm with a 10-minute duration.

Speakerphone Module - MODA's high-performance speakerphone and four guest-service buttons enables the guest to easily reach hotel services. Optional corded or cordless handset supplements MODA's speakerphone.

Bluetooth Speaker Module- NFC enabled and features high- performance sound

Casting Module- MODA offers a wired casting option to Apple and Samsung devices or wireless casting to all devices

Voice Recognition Module- All MODA modules are "Voice Ready" and designed to work with the voice recognition technology.

"We thought of everything when designing MODA; it's attractive, adaptable, and affordable," Zhang said. "There is not much more today's owners and operators ask forbut just in case they do, MODA is future proof and can be upgraded to meet future technology requirements."

For a demo of MODA, pre-schedule an appointment with Mitch Heinlein by emailing [email protected] For more information on Bittel's full line of in-room equipment options, visit bittelamericas.com

About Bittel

Bittel is a rapidly-growing provider of smart devices for hotel guestrooms that provide mobile charging, casting, calling and streaming services to today's modern travelers. Bittel products are known for their reliability and groundbreaking designs and are installed in thousands of hotels around the world. Headquartered in Rizhao, China, Bittel's North American operations are based in San Jose, California. Please visit us at bittelamericas.com
Press Release

8 January 2019

BOSTON -- Advent International, one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a majority ownership interest in North America's leading third-party hotel operator Aimbridge Hospitality from Lee Equity Partners, a U.S.-based private equity firm, and General Atlantic, a leader in global growth investing. Aimbridge's experienced senior management team will continue to lead the company and will retain a meaningful equity stake in the business.

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The transaction is expected to close by February. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Aimbridge is North America's leading third-party hotel operator, with a management portfolio that includes approximately 800 upscale, independent and branded hotels with more than 100,000 rooms across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. Aimbridge provides property management, asset management, development, renovation and consulting services to the most respected hotel brands in the industry, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG and Wyndham.

"Over the past 15 years Aimbridge has grown to become one of the most respected independent hotel managers in the industry, while creating a positive guest experience and generating operational excellence for our hotel partners," said Dave Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Aimbridge Hospitality. "We appreciate Lee Equity's strategic guidance over the past several years, and with Advent's financial and strategic support, we look forward to building on our proven track record of delivering superior results for some of the most prestigious hotel owners and developers across the U.S. and beyond."

Since 2013, Aimbridge has made significant progress on its growth strategy, expanding its properties under management from 8 to over 800 and penetrating full-service and select-service properties at attractive growth rates. With its market-leading position and the support of Advent in partnership with Lee Equity and the Aimbridge management team, Aimbridge will be well positioned for continued growth and international expansion.

"Aimbridge has emerged as the clear leader in the fast-growing and fragmented U.S. third-party hotel management industry, and we are thrilled to partner with the organization as we invest in Aimbridge's next chapter of growth," said Jeff Case, a Managing Director at Advent International. "Aimbridge has a unique opportunity to expand its reach globally through both organic growth and strategic opportunities while leveraging technology to better serve its hotel partners."

"It's been a pleasure to work with the Aimbridge management team," said Yoo Jin Kim, Partner at Lee Equity Partners. "Under Dave Johnson's strong leadership, the team has grown the business consistently during our partnership and established a prominent market-leading position. We look forward to their next phase of success."

"Over the past several years, Aimbridge has expanded significantly both through organic growth and strategic acquisitions," said Peter Munzig, Managing Director of General Atlantic. "We have been proud to work in partnership with Dave and the Aimbridge team and wish them continued success."

Advent has extensive investment experience in the business and financial services and retail, consumer and leisure sectors. Over the past 27 years, Advent has invested $9 billion in 75 business and financial services companies and $11 billion in 75 companies in consumer, retail and leisure.

About Advent International

Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in over 340 private equity transactions in 41 countries and as of September 30, 2018, it had $39 billion in assets under management. With offices on four continents, Advent has established a globally integrated team of over 190 investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; healthcare; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology, media and telecom. After more than 30 years dedicated to international investing, Advent remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies. For more information, visit www.adventinternational.com.

About Aimbridge Hospitality

Aimbridge Hospitality is the nation's largest independent hotel management firm with a proven track record for delivering superior returns for its strategic partners in a variety of markets and through economic cycles. Aimbridge provides hotel management services, accounting, revenue management, and a full suite of services. Based in Dallas, Texas, Aimbridge currently manages approximately 800 hotels with more than 100,000 rooms across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. For more information, visit www.aimbridgehospitality.com.

About Lee Equity Partners

Lee Equity Partners is a New York-based private equity firm that partners with successful management teams to build companies with strong growth potential. Lee Equity targets equity investments of $50 million to $100 million in middle-market control buyouts and growth capital financings in companies with enterprise values of $100 million to $500 million which are located primarily in the United States. The firm invests in a range of industries where the team has deep relationships developed over decades, including financial, healthcare and business services and consumer. For more information, visit www.leeequity.com.

About General Atlantic

General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support for growth companies. Established in 1980, General Atlantic combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to build exceptional businesses worldwide. General Atlantic has more than 150 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Greenwich, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.generalatlantic.com.
Appointment

8 January 2019

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle Welcomes Back Mike Hill as General Manager. Good things come in threes for Mike Hill. He first joined Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle as an engineer in 2011, returning three years later as the assistant general manager, and now he assumes the role of general manager to kick off 2019. Most recently managing The Grand Hotel in Minneapolis (where he learned the challenges and excitement of being the Super Bowl host city), Mike returns to a rapidly growing Seattle- both in terms of residents and hotel supply. Mike has worked at a number of downtown Seattle properties, in addition to the 189-room Hotel Monaco, and brings nearly 10 years of multi-departmental leadership to the position. His focus is to maintain Hotel Monaco's relevancy and reputation as a best-loved hotel in Seattle, by fostering employee culture, delivering memorable guest experience and managing the on-going profitability of the hotel. But it all starts with keeping the team involved, motivated and engaged. Mike is eager to get back outdoors in the Northwest, hiking and camping with his wife and two kids, but continues to add to his growing record collection in the meantime.
Now Open

8 January 2019

AccorHotels announces the latest addition of Premier Residences Emerald Bay in the Pearl Island of Phu Quoc. Managed by AccorHotels, the resort features 745 stylish rooms, suites and two-bedroom penthouses with a private pool that offers expansive views of Emerald Bay.

Phu Quoc Island boasts idyllic beaches, romantic sunsets, evergreen forests, and serene surrounds, making it an ideal holiday destination for travellers looking to escape bustling city life. Located 45 kilometres west of Ha Tien in the far south of Vietnam, the island's northern part is listed on UNESCO world heritage site. Phu Quoc is a hub of marine activity, housing large patches of coastal ecosystems, and nearly 108 species of corals, 135 species of coral reef fish and 132 different types of mollusks, as well as migrating fish and marine mammals in its surrounding waters. The island is one of the few places in the country where wildlife enthusiasts can spot unique species like dugong, the hawksbill turtle and green turtle.

The resort boasts three restaurant and two bars. Mercato, an all-day dining restaurant features buffet and ala-carte menu options of Vietnamese and international cuisine while the Clubhouse serves a range of fresh seafood selection and grilled items. Leisure facilities include a fitness centre, yoga studio and outdoor pool that overlooks Khem Beach. For a complete rejuvenation of the body and soul, the resort's Emerald Spa offers a range of signature facial and massage treatments where guests can indulge in a day of personal pampering.
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In their coverage of the 1968 Tet Offensive, did journalists distort the truth rather than tell it? Look at what they said and wrote.

One of the most momentous events of the Vietnam War, the communists 1968 Tet Offensive, is mired in controversy over whether the press inaccurately portrayed a U.S. victory as a defeat and turned the public against the war. There is a widespread belief, fostered by a multitude of articles and books, that the media treated the attacks as a disaster for American and South Vietnamese troops. But those charges against the press are often phrased in generalities that arent backed with actual quotes from news reports and dont reflect the media consensus on the attacks.

The communist forcesmostly Viet Cong, but including substantial numbers of North Vietnamesewere heavily outnumbered and even more heavily outgunned when the offensive began on Jan. 30 and 31, 1968. To have even a chance of victory they would have needed good coordination and near-complete surprise. The demand for surprise prevented them from disseminating their plan widely among their own forces, causing a massive failure of coordination. Still, they achieved a partial surprise. Some American and many South Vietnamese units were poorly prepared or completely unprepared for the offensive, but others were ready for the attackers.

The initial communist attacks came as a terrible shock to the American public and to many journalists who reported on them. The U.S. government and military had been painting for the press and public a picture of communist weakness. Gen. William Westmoreland, in charge of all U.S. combat forces in South Vietnam as head of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, had been especially conspicuous in pushing claims of progress.

Most of the best reporters in South Vietnam, who talked a lot with officers in the field, recognized that those claims were exaggerated, but higher-ranking journalists in New York and Washington tended to believe the optimistic statements of senior officers and officials. If the anchor of a network news program believed Westmorelands claims that the communist forces were weakening, it did little good to have a reporter in the field who knew better.

Hanson W. Baldwin, the hawkish military editor of The New York Times, noticed that the reports of a weakening enemy did not seem to fit the actual performance of communist forces on the battlefield, but he nonetheless chose to believe the reports. His articles on Dec. 3 and Dec. 26, 1967, included statements like, Two years of attrition have weakened the enemy even though the weakening may appear imperceptible to the veterans of [the bloody November 1967 battle of] Dakto, and Most intelligence experts believe that the enemy is weaker than he appears to be.

Joseph Alsop, whose regular column in The Washington Post gave him an extraordinary degree of influence in Washington and was syndicated to hundreds of newspapers across the country, was so wildly optimistic about the war in 1966 and 1967 that even Westmoreland told the journalist he was going too far. On Oct. 11, 1967, Alsop announced it was near-certain that Hanoi was abandoning large-unit warfare in South Vietnam. When the White House leaked to him some early intelligence on what became the Tet Offensive, he watered it down in his analysis: There have been a couple of indications of quite important enemy units grimly preparing to make one last assault, while thinking about defecting in mass if the assault should fail.

First Reactions

The American media did not portray the Tet Offensive as a communist military victory. That is myth. But the shock of the offensive led many journalists quickly to conclude that the communists had won a political victory by showing that they had the ability to attack cities and towns throughout South Vietnam. The military coverage during February 1968 mostly focused on the details of the ongoing struggle, and few journalists chose to designate an overall winner or loser in the military confrontation while the combat was still raging. Those who did pick a losing side at an early date tended to pick the communists. Alsop wrote on Feb. 19 that the communists attack on the cities had been on balance a disaster for them.

Charges that the American media gave too much attention to the Viet Cong attack on the U.S. Embassy in Saigon are quite correct. The attackers, a small group of special assault troops (called sappers), were all killed or captured in about six hours and did not seriously damage the embassy. But it is unlikely that the medias exaggerated focus on this incident had a negative impact on public support for the war. The concentrated coverage of events in Saigon distracted attention from the way stronger communist forces were inflicting serious losses in other battles lasting much longer. It made the Tet Offensive seem smaller and less dangerous than it actually had been.

CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite, after interviewing Westmoreland in Saigon on Feb. 13, said in a filmed report broadcast on the CBS Evening News the following night: First, and simplest, the Vietcong suffered a military defeat. Its missions proved suicidal. If they intended to stay in the cities as a negotiating point, they failed at that. The [South] Vietnamese Army reacted better than even its most ardent supporters had anticipated. That account of Tet was not dramatically out of line with what other journalists were reporting on network news shows and in major print publications, so it did not attract much attention.

Cronkites view changed after he spent more than a week in South Vietnam, talking with American officers and seeing for himself in Hue that the communist forces there were much stronger than Westmoreland had told him they were.

On his return to New York, Cronkite put together a 30-minute CBS News special report on Vietnam that aired on Feb. 27. That was almost a month into the communist offensive, but heavy fighting was still taking place in many parts of South Vietnam. During the week of the broadcast, 542 Americans were killed in action in Vietnam. The highest number for any week of the war up to that point had been 543 for Feb. 11-17.

In his commentary at the end of this broadcast Cronkite said he believed the offensive could not be described as a victory or defeat for either side but rather as a draw, a standoff and he concluded that the United States seemed mired in stalemate.

A few minutes earlier, however, he had seemed to call Tet a communist defeat. He said the Tet attacks had been the second phase of a three-phase plan. The first phase, attacks on Dak To and Loc Ninh in late 1967, had failed. The second-phase attacks, against cities all across South Vietnam during the Tet holiday celebrating the Lunar New Year, also have failed, though they inflicted great damage, Cronkite said, and added, Now its believed the enemy is ready to move to phase three of the winter-spring offensive with the hope that he can recoup there what he lost in the first two phases. Just a few days later Cronkite indicated the communists hopes for the third phase were not realistic. In his Evening News broadcast on March 4, he stated, It seems fairly clear to any observer in Vietnam that the communists cannot win this offensive on the battlefield.

Cronkite had not called the Tet Offensive a communist victory, yet his Feb. 27 broadcast is widely remembered as being shockingly negative, perhaps because his comments about a military draw and stalemate looked negative at a time when the public was more accustomed to hearing Tet and other communist offensives described as military defeats for the enemy.

Even the most anti-war statements in the media seldom were more negative than Cronkites judgment that the Tet Offensive had been a draw. On March 11, the Times editorialized against a proposal to send more American troops to Vietnam. It strongly denounced the notion that there might be light at the end of the tunnel and proclaimed: The tunnel has turned out to be a bottomless pit, going down toward nowhere. The time has come to abandon this bankrupt policy. But the editorial did not say that the bankrupt policy had led to defeat, only that the enemy had been able to match past expansions of American forces and thus each escalation has produced a new stand-off.

Follow-up Reporting

Communist forces did not fade back into the jungle to lick their wounds in the weeks and months after Tet. Combat was continually heavy until late June and intermittently heavy until the end of September. By that time the communists had been seriously weakened by their cumulative losses and desperately needed a respite. Americans and South Vietnamese on offensive operations did not find serious combat nearly as often in the last quarter of 1968 as they had up to that time. An accelerated pacification campaignproviding rural areas with civic improvements and increased security to weaken the Viet Congs influenceencountered less resistance and restored the South Vietnamese governments control in many villages that had been lost in the first half of the year.

By the beginning of 1969, American reporters in Vietnam were hearing from officers in the field, whom they trusted much more than they did government spokesmen, that the enemy really had been seriously weakened. On Jan. 3, Charles Mohr wrote in the Times:

The indigenous South Vietnamese Vietcong military and political leadership lost a large part of its best leadership in the 1968 general offensive, which began at the Lunar New Year. Although less important than the loss in leaders, the rank and file of Vietcong guerrillas and infiltrated North Vietnamese soldiers suffered very heavily in their bold attacks on cities.

Some of the senior journalists based in New York and Washington accepted the new optimism, but others did not. A Times editorial on Jan. 17 denounced American generals, perennial optimists, who continue to promote delusive dreams of military victory. Such talk has been heard beforenotably, just before last years devastating Tet offensive.

1969: Another Tet to Cover

A new communist offensive hit on Feb. 23, 1969, immediately after that years Tet celebration. It was not as big as the 1968 Tet Offensive, nor did it last as long, but the casualty numbers were substantial. American combat deaths for the week ending March 1 totaled 453, not far short of the highest weekly toll for the 1968 offensive (the 543 deaths for the week ending Feb. 17).

Combat in 1967 had killed about 180 Americans per week. Tet 1968 began a period of continuously very heavy combat that lasted 21 weeks and killed an average of 403 Americans per week from Jan. 28 to June 22. Tet 1969 started 18 weeks of intermittently heavy combat, which killed an average of 275 Americans per week from Feb. 23 to June 28.

One would think that the heavy casualties would have made the 69 offensive also a memorable event, but it has been almost completely forgotten. The main reason is that the press did not treat it as a crisis. The press had treated Tet 68 as a crisis because it obviously was one. The American military was unable to persuade President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to send massive reinforcements of more than 200,000 troops to Vietnam, but he felt he had no choice but to send a significant numberinitially 17,000 men, then an additional 22,000. The press gave extensive coverage to controversies about the size of the reinforcement package.

A year later, when the press contemplated possible American responses to Tet 69, the question of significant reinforcements did not even arise. It seemed obvious that the American forces already in South Vietnam were adequate to cope with the offensive. The press treated the offensive not as a crisis but merely as a provocation. The question in 1969 was whether President Richard Nixon should or would respond to that provocation by resuming the bombing of North Vietnam, ended by Johnson late in 1968.

MACV treated the prospect of an offensive much more seriously in February 1969 than it had in January 1968, even though the actual threat was smaller. Perhaps most important in shaping press and public reactions was the large and successful effort that MACV and the South Vietnamese government made to ensure that there would be no serious fighting in Saigon. The defenses there were much stronger and the troops much more seriously on alert for Tet 69 than for Tet 68.

As early as Jan. 4, 1969, the Times had reported: Security measures have been increased recently throughout Saigon and other South Vietnamese cities in reaction to speculation that the enemy may be planning another major offensive.This afternoon, South Vietnamese military engineers were stringing barbed wire around the approaches to a bridge deep within Saigons residential areas. Previously, a single guard had provided security.No one has forgotten the Tet offensive in late January and February of 1968. As 1969 begins, most of the 100,000 or so enemy troops in South Vietnam are within striking distance of either Saigon, Danang or Hue.

The communists managed to fire rockets into Saigon from miles away during the 1969 offensive, but they could not march whole battalions into the city, as they had during the night of Jan. 30-31, 1968.

Mohr complained in the Times on Feb. 24 and March 13 that military spokesmen sometimes tried to make the situation look better than it actually was, but this did not become a major issue because MACVs optimism was not nearly as extravagant in 1969 as it had been in the months before Tet 68.

Terence Smith in Saigon spoke with senior officers at MACV on Feb. 27 and wrote in the Times the following day: The five-day-old enemy campaign of shelling and ground attacks flagged today, but few members of the United States Command took much comfort from the lull.No one here doubts the enemys capability to mount a full offensive. There are about 40,000 to 50,000 enemy troops west of Saigon, including some 15,000 within easy striking distance of the capital.

Gen. Creighton Abrams, who replaced Westmoreland as MACV commander in mid-1968, had managed to win back some of the credibility for claims of progress that Westmoreland had thrown away.

The editorial writers at the Postwho saw no chance that the United States could actually win the war and felt that any success on the ground should simply

be used to put the United States in a better negotiating position during peace talkswere prepared to accept that progress might indeed be occurring on the ground. They did not treat the current offensive as evidence for a lack of progress.

On Feb. 28, six days into the 1969 offensive, the lead editorial in the Post stated: Optimism over progress on the ground in South Vietnam is nothing new. It has been with us in good times and bad, a light that always beckoned at the end of an increasingly long and dark tunnel. . . . There had been optimism from John F. Kennedy in 1963, from General Maxwell Taylor in 1964, from [Defense Secretary] Robert McNamara in 1965, [Ambassador to South Vietnam] Henry Cabot Lodge in 1966, General William Westmoreland in 1967, and [head of pacification] Robert Komer in 1968. These were the men in charge, but their predictions were not believed: not by the press, and ultimately not by the public. Too many of the predictions had been wrong. Since, 1963, the record of the skeptics and the pessimists has been excellent. Now, . . . there is optimism again. . . . But it is optimism which, for a change, must be taken seriouslyperhaps even believed.

One cannot imagine such a statement appearing six days into the 1968 offensive.

The Press and Public Opinion

The impact of the 1968 Tet Offensive on public opinion has often been overrated. In early November 1965, just before fighting in South Vietnams Ia Drang Valley brought the first substantial death tally, a Gallup poll found that 64 percent of the public thought the decision to send the military to Vietnam was a correct one, and just 21 percent thought it was a mistake.

By May 1971, as the U.S. combat presence was finally winding down, the war had become deeply unpopular and the original decision was supported by just 28 percenta drop of 36 points from 1965. Meanwhile, 61 percent had come to believe it was a mistake.

The January 1968 Tet Offensive caused just a small portion of that overall decline in support for the war, despite negative press coverage and a dramatic increase in U.S. casualties. Big drop-offs had already occurred by December 1967, when support for the war stood at 46 percent, down 18 points from the 1965 poll. The number who thought the war was a mistake rose to 45 percent.

In late February 1968, shortly after the attacks, support for the war dropped only 5 points below the December 1967 number, to 41 percent. The number who thought the war was a mistake didnt change much either, rising 4 points since December to 49 percent. But that poll did mark an important shift in public opinion. Significantly more people thought the war was a mistake than believed it was correcta tipping point in what was politically possible as the Johnson administration responded to the Tet attacks.

Although Johnson could still send more troops to South Vietnam and increase monthly bomb tonnages on Indochina, he could not run for president while doing so, or talk too openly about it. When he announced on March 31 that he was not running in the 1968 election, Johnson falsely said that he was reducingsubstantially reducingthe present level of hostilities, because he realized that was what much of the public wanted to hear.

By August 1968, with the casualty count still high, a majority of Americans, 53 percent, for the first time thought the war had been a mistake.

The renewal of heavy combat after the February 1969 Tet attacks pushed public support for the war down to a level that forced Nixon to de-escalate. The monthly bomb tonnage dropped on Indochina peaked in March 1969. The number of American military personnel in Vietnam peaked in April at about 543,000 The first substantial declines, in both figures, were in August.

All American troops were out of Vietnam by the end of March 1973. The North Vietnamese achieved their 1968 Tet Offensive goals in April 1975, when the South Vietnamese government in Saigon surrendered.

Edwin E. Moise, a professor of history at Clemson University, is the author of The Myths of Tet: The Most Misunderstood Event of the Vietnam War, and Tonkin Gulf and the Escalation of the Vietnam War (revised edition forthcoming).
Harrisburg, PA., was the heartbeat of a state that produced much-needed men and materiel for the Union. From the capital, strategically located in the interior of the commonwealth, Republican Governor Andrew G. Curtin, who served two 3-year terms beginning in 1861, capably guided Pennsylvania through the rebellion. Men and supplies flowed from all corners of the state to Harrisburg, then proceeded on rail lines to the front. In 1863, during the Gettysburg Campaign, Southern troops came within cannon shot of Harrisburg. In late June, Confederate General Richard S. Ewells Corps menaced the capital from two directions. Federal forces hastily constructed earthworks on high ground west of the city, at present-day Lemoyne, and Ewells skirmishers engaged Union militia near Oyster Point on June 28 and 29. One day later, grayclad cavalry sparred with Federal units near Sporting Hill, west of Camp Hill. The threat to Harrisburg abated after the Army of Northern Virginia was ordered to concentrate near Gettysburg, 38 miles to the southwest. The skirmishes near the city were the northernmost Confederate advance during the campaign. Harrisburgs rich Civil War history is preserved in many forms in and around the capital, accessible to see and experience by the public.  Steve T. Phan







Governor Curtin statue at Camp Curtin (Noel Kline Photography)

In Honor of the Gov

Named in honor of war Governor Andrew G. Curtin, Camp Curtin was a critical concentration point and training ground for Pennsylvania soldiers during the war. Over 300,000 men trained there, then headed to their wartime destinies. Camp Curtin Memorial-Mitchell United Methodist Church (ccmmumc.susumc.org) and Camp Curtin Park also commemorate the capitals Civil War history with historic markers and a statue to its namesake. explorepahistory.com



Keeper of Keystone Relics

The State Museum of Pennsylvania, located adjacent to the state capitol, preserves and interprets the commonwealths rich history and culture. The museum includes the exhibit, Objects of Valor: Commemorating the Civil War in Pennsylvania, which displays items belonging to Maj. Gen. John W. Geary, artworks, flags, and soldier items of the state that sent the second-largest contingent of troops to the United States forces. statemuseumpa.org



Rupp House, temporary Rebel HQ (Noel Kline Photography)

Fort Couch

During the Gettysburg Campaign, Harrisburg was in the direct path of the Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania, and Union forces fortified the heights surrounding the state capital. Department of the Susquehanna commander Maj. Gen. Darius N. Couch ordered the rapid construction of earthen forts on Hummel Heights (modern-day Washington Heights in Lemoyne Borough). A mixture of soldiers, local civilians, and African Americans built Fort Washington and Fort Couch. The forts never saw action. Today, remnants of Fort Couch are preserved. A historic marker and monument erected by the Camp Curtin Historical Society commemorate the earthworks. explorepahistory.com

Cool Stuff The National Civil War Museum is a must-see, and portrays the entire story of the American Civil War preserved in equally balanced presentations. The museums vast collection includes more than 24,000 items, and nearly 900 artifacts are on display. Robert E. Lees Bible, objects belonging to Union commanders Ulysses S. Grant and George Greene, and Stonewall Jacksons gauntlet are among museum CEO Wayne Motts favorite items.





Modern Harrisburg from the Susquehanna Rivers west bank. About 13,400 people lived here in 1860, but thousands of troops training or defending the city caused that number to swell during the war. (Mihai Andritoiu/Alamy Stock Photo)

Blue and Some Gray

Harrisburg Cemetery inters notable Civil War figures like Simon Cameron, Lincolns first secretary of war; Maj. Gen. John W. Geary; Major Charles C. Davis, a Medal of Honor recipient with the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry; and more than 150 Civil Warrelated burials. Included in this number are 11 Confederate soldiers who succumbed to Gettysburg wounds.

On the 16th of June [1863], I received ordersdirecting me to send as many regiments as possible to Harrisburg, to assist in repelling the invasion of Pennsylvania by the Rebels. Maj. Gen. Charles W. Sandford, New York State National Guard

Named for the 16th

Lincoln Cemetery was founded by Wesley Union Church in 1877 as a burial ground for Harrisburgs African-American population, which was active in the prewar Underground Railroad. A notable list of Civil War burials can be found at Lincoln Cemetery, including African-American soldiers Sergeant Horace Bennett of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry and Ephraim Slaughter of the 37th USCT, who was Harrisburgs last surviving Civil War veteran (1846-1943). Other interments include Thomas Morris Chester, war correspondent and recruiter for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts, and William Howard Day, black abolitionist, editor, and minister.

State Capitol

Governor Curtin is commemorated with a statue adorning the capitols rotunda and is featured in the buildings largest mural, The Apotheosis of Pennsylvania, by Edwin Austin Abbey, located in the house chamber. On the exterior grounds, an equestrian monument to Maj. Gen. John F. Hartranft, Medal of Honor recipient and 17th governor of Pennsylvania, was unveiled in 1899. capitol.com

Skirmishes at Oyster Point

On the outskirts of Harrisburg, near the town of Camp Hill, Federal militia engaged the advanced elements of the Army of Northern Virginia under the command of General Albert G. Jenkins at Oyster Point, the crossroads of the Carlisle Pike and Trindle Springs Road, on June 28-29, 1863. Confederate artillery lobbed shells at the Union defenders from the Peace Church (historicpeacechurch.org) and the Samuel Albright House in Camp Hill at N. 36th St. After inconclusive skirmishing, Federal defenders withdrew east toward the Susquehanna River.

Temporary Housing

Jenkins pushed his cavalry brigade east to reconnoiter the defenses of Harrisburg after the skirmishes at Oyster Point. He chose as his headquarters the Rupp House at 5115 E. Trindle Rd., in Mechanicsburg, a stone structure built in 1773. A heavy skirmish erupted on June 30 with Union militia along the Carlisle Pike near Sporting Hill, leaving 16-20 dead. Jenkins withdrew in the late evening when Ewells Corps was recalled.
As France and Spain vied for the key port of Dunkirk in early 1658, England unexpectedly held the balance.

THE SHIFTING SANDS AND BRACKISH TIDES SURROUNDING THE PORT of Dunkirk were no less treacherous or unpredictable than the murky political alliances on display there in June 1658. Two bristling armies, each commanded in whole or in part by a storied French general and variously including large contingents of French, English, Spanish, Swiss, German, and Walloon troops, jockeyed for position around the besieged city. Even the citys ownership was in dispute. Although Dunkirk was technically in France, Spain claimed it as part of its northernmost colony, the Spanish Netherlands. A decade earlier, Spain and the Dutch Republic had concluded an uneasy peace settlement that gave the Dutch their independence but allowed Spain to retain the southern half of the Netherlands. Neighboring France, ruled by the regent Queen Anne in the name of her underage son, King Louis XIV, looked on the new arrangementparticularly Spanish control of Dunkirkwith scant enthusiasm.

But the French rulers had more immediate problems than the disposition of Dunkirk or the Netherlands. A series of spontaneous rebellions known collectively as La Fronde (after the slingshots rebels used during the first round of rioting in Paris in 1648) had kept the nation in a near-constant state of turmoil. Less a spontaneous peoples revolt than a reassertion of hereditary rights by French noblemen aggrieved by the crowns steady accumulation of power, the three Fronde wars featured an ever-changing roster of pro-royal and pro-rebel commanders. Not even the principals could keep track of all the changes. Leaders switched sides at a moments notice.

The commander of the royal forces, Henri de la Tour dAuvergne, vicomte de Turenne, had initially opposed the king and been imprisoned during the First Fronde War before repenting and being restored to command. At age 46, Turenne was one of the most respected generals in Europe. He had served in the Eighty Years War and the Thirty Years Warthe names alone were stark evidence of the European propensity for conflictand had subdued Bavaria and its faithless Elector (prince of the Holy Roman Empire), Maximilian I, at the Battle of Zusmarshausen in 1648. A French Protestant, or Huguenot, Turenne had entered the military at 14 and risen rapidly to command, overcoming not only his minority religion but also a lifelong speech impediment. By age 32 he was a full-fledged marshal of France.

Turennes rebel counterpart, Louis II de Bourbon, Prince of Conde, was almost exactly 10 years younger than Turenne. A blood relative of Henry IV, the late king of France, he had been forced while still a minor to marry the 13-year-old niece of the all-powerful cardinal Armand de Richelieu. (He eventually locked her away in the countryside after claiming, improbably, that she had committed adultery with numerous men. The princess, by all accounts, kept her marriage vowsand was also notoriously homely.) One of the richest men in France, with hereditary holdings that included the lush provinces of Burgundy and Lorraine, Conde had become a general at 21 and, alongside Turenne, his later opponent, won significant victories during the Thirty Years War at Rocroi, Freiburg, and Nordlingen. He had been seriously wounded at Nordlingen while helping avenge a rare earlier defeat of Turenne at Mergentheim.

Conde, unlike Turenne a Catholic, had remained loyal to the crown during the first Fronde revolt but had switched sides during the second and been thrown into the Bastille after losing the Battle of Faubourg Saint-Antoine to Turenne on the outskirts of Paris in 1652. Released by Queen Anne in recognition of his noble bloodlines and his previous service to the throne, the Great Conde, as he had become known, immediately left Paris and offered his services to the Spanish king, Philip IV, his former archenemy. Pleased to have such an experienced general on his side, Philip ignored their previous enmity and gave Conde command of his main army in the field.

FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS TURENNE AND CONDE HAD SPARRED ALONG THE DISPUTED BORDER between northern France and the Spanish Netherlands, trading victories and defeats. Seeking to break the stalemate, Richelieus successor, Cardinal Jules Mazarin, proposed a new alliance with Spains other major enemy, the Commonwealth of England. The English Protestantsthe Roundheadsunder Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, had thrown off the shackles of their own hereditary monarchy a decade earlier and chopped off the head of King Charles I in the process. In the kings place, the Roundheads had instituted a de facto Protestant theocracya development that Mazarin conveniently overlooked in his ongoing negotiations with England. Cromwell, for his part, seemed to regard the French as less stringently Catholic than the Spanish, whose industrious privateers had seized, in a single year, nearly 2,000 English ships from their coastal stronghold at Dunkirk. To Cromwell, the enemy of his enemy was his friend.

Charles Is eldest son, Charles Stuart, had narrowly escaped death after his defeat by Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. That defeat had necessitated six weeks of hair-raising flight, with Charles creeping across the English countryside at night from attic to outhouse to priests hole before he managed to escape to the continent. Dismissively called the Pretender by Cromwellians, he had spent the next several years in Paris, nursing grudges, spinning plots, and playing the angles in the ongoing power struggle between Spain and France. When he wasnt plotting, he was womanizing. He promised lavish rewards for momentary pleasures, but with no intention on either hand of keeping his word.

In a bid to curry Cromwells favor, Mazarin abruptly expelled Charles and his entourage from Paris in 1654. You will do well to put him in mind that I am not yet so low, a humiliated Charles warned, but that I may return both the courtesies and the injuries I have received. Two years later Mazarin agreed to support a joint Anglo-French expedition against the Spanish forces in the Netherlands. France would provide 20,000 men, England 6,000 foot soldiers and an English fleet to blockade the ports of Dunkirk, Mardyke, and Gravelines. After capturing those cities, the allies would divvy up the spoils, with England taking title to the first two and France assuming control of the third. The agreement would be in effect for one year only, starting in 1657. For both sides, the clock was ticking.

Along with his religious differences with Spain, Cromwell harbored a deep personal grudge against the country, stemming from the dismal failure of his overly ambitious transatlantic campaign two years earlier. In the winter of 16541655, determined to strike a crushing military and economic blow to Spain by seizing its lucrative colonies in the West Indies, Cromwell had launched a joint army-navy operation to ferry thousands of English soldiers halfway around the world to the Spanish-held island of Hispaniola (now Haiti). Once there, the soldiers would drive off the Spaniards and make the island a forward base for expanding English interests in the New World.

But problems arose before the first English ship ever left port. Preoccupied with pressing affairs of state, Cromwell had delegated the planning of the expedition, known as the Western Design, to subordinates. Supplies for the five-week voyage across the Atlantic were inadequate, and the miserably seasick soldiers were penned below decks on the 40-ship task force and forbidden to go topside, lest they get in the sailors way. By the time they made landfall in Barbados a month later, many of the soldiers could barely walk, much less mount an effective attack. To make matters worse, supply ships carrying the mens muskets and swords failed to arrive in time, and the English were ultimately forced to attack Santo Domingo, Hispaniolas capital, armed only with homemade pikes. Raging thirst and venomous snakes plagued the soldiers every step of the way.

The Spanish defenders, with weeks to prepare, easily repelled the English attack. The battered invaders limped back to their ships and sailed to Jamaica. There they had better luck, bombarding the island from the sea and storming Spanish-held Port Royal by land. Leaving behind an occupying force of 7,000 soldiers and sailors, Sea General William Penn and Colonel Robert Venables, the joint commanders of the expedition, returned to England, where Cromwell promptly threw them both into the Tower of London for leaving their posts without his approval. Within six months, nearly 4,000 of the men they had left behind in Jamaica died of disease, deprivation, or wounds inflicted by Spanish guerrillas. Angry and embarrassed, Cromwell vowed revenge. His treaty with France was the first step in that direction.

In the meantime, unaware of Cromwells diplomacy, Charles Stuart secretly met with Philip IV and urged him to invade England and seat Charles on the empty throne. In return, Charles promised to restore Jamaica to Spain and abjure any further English encroachments into the New World. To cement the deal, he offered to provide 2,000 English troops under the command of his brother James, the Duke of York, to Philips army in the Netherlands. (James had served under Turenne in the Fronde wars and disapproved of Charless overtures to Spain, to no avail.) The numbers were insignificant; it was mainly a symbolic gesture on Charless part designed to underscore his intention to return to his homelandwith his shield or on it.

Not that Charles, still licking his wounds from his thrashing at Worcester, intended to personally lead anyone into battle. He had tried that once already and nearly lost his head. His role now was to get other men to risk their heads. In this endeavor he was surprisingly effective. Responding to his royal summons, hundreds of Englishmen serving in the various continental armies rallied to his cause. He managed to scrape together five regimentsone Scottish, one English, and three Irishand induced his reluctant brother James to leave Turennes army and assume command of the Royalist contingent in Condes.

Cromwell was not overly alarmed by Charless not-so-secret diplomatic or military efforts. The Pretender, he scoffed, was damnably debauched. Give him a shoulder of mutton and a whore, thats all he cares for. Another disgusted Protestant observed: Of all the armies in Europe there is none wherein so much debauchery is to be seen as in these few forces which the said King hath gotten together. Fornication, drunkenness and adultery were esteemed no sin amongst them. The Irish troops in particular were renowned for their begging and their thievery. Those were handy skills to have since Charless supporters at Bruges, ill clothed and ill fed, shivered hungrily through the damp Flemish winter. They called themselves the naked soldiers, meaning it literally, and they were not above robbing local residents or stealing gold plate from the Catholic church. They even ate dogs when they could get their hands on them. When Charles narrowly escaped death one night at the hands of a panicky sentry who unloosed a round of buckshot at the royal party, many wondered if it was really an accident.

Meanwhile, Cromwell completed his bargain with Mazarin. Announcing his treaty with the Catholic French, the Protestant Cromwell sought to justify war with Spain by depicting England as the righteous avenger of New World natives who had been systematically colonized and brutalized by the Spanish over the past two centuries. Puritan poet John Philips drove home the point in a fiery pamphlet titled The Tears of the Indians: Being an Historical and True Account of the Cruel Massacres and Slaughters of Above Twenty Millions of Innocent People. Philipss pamphlet, dedicated to Cromwell, painstakingly detailed Spanish abuses from the first conquistadors onward. Cromwell himself appeared before Parliament and bluntly warned: Why, truly, your great enemy is the Spaniard. He is a natural enemy, by reason of that enmity that is in him against whatever is of God. He hath an interest in your bowels.

Cromwell was scarcely overstating the point. The two nations had been at each others throats since the English scuttled the Spanish Armada in 1588 and turned back Spains last serious attempt to unseat Queen Elizabeth I. Whatever the rationale for renewed war, the Anglo-French alliance proceeded slowly. In May 1657 Turenne assumed overall command of the combined forces. John Reynolds led the English contingent, six all-Protestant regiments, many of them veterans of the recent French civil war. Under the terms of the agreement, Scotsmen and Irishmen were excluded from serving in the army on the debatable grounds that they could not be trusted to bear arms against their fellow Catholics. Clothed in the bright red coats of Cromwells vaunted New Model Army, a uniform that in time would become familiar around the world, the Protestant soldiers followed the aggressive philosophy of Puritan theologian Samuel Rutherford: The want of fighting were a mark of no grace. Without running, fighting, sweating, wrestling, heaven is not taken. Since its founding in 1645, the New Model Army had done more than its fair share of fighting, sweating, and wrestlingfrom Hispaniola and Jamaica to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England.

The pragmatic Turenne did not share his allies thirst for what they considered righteous battle. He would bide his time. Rather than head immediately for the Flemish ports, as Cromwell wanted, Turenne moved inland instead, marching and countermarching through Luxembourg in a fruitless attempt to lure Conde into battle on less favorable ground. Cromwell, accustomed to a more direct and aggressive approach to war, grew increasingly impatient with the Frenchmans intricate tactics. He threatened to pull out of the alliance altogether if Turenne did not move at once against the enemys coastal strongholds. With illness and desertion having already reduced English ranks by a third, Turenne reluctantly agreed to attack. On September 19, the army arrived on the outskirts of Mardyke, near Dunkirk, on the northern coast of France.

While Turenne advanced, however measuredly, across the Netherlands, Charles Stuart continued to pressure the Spanish to help him mount a cross-Channel invasion of England. But that plan was proving futile. The English navy, operating off the coast of Cadiz, had recently sunk one of the two silver fleets that annually carried back to Spain her ill-gotten booty from the Americas. With the loss of 600,000 of long-awaited riches, King Philip could barely support himself, much less take on the additional expense of an amphibious invasion of England in support of a foppish playboy and his insufferable retinue. Charles would have to fend for himselfsomething in recent years he had gotten all too used to doing.

Marooned in Bruges, Belgium, which the English sourly branded Bruges-la-Morte because it was so deathly boring there, Charles busied himself with ever more outlandish invasion plans, ranging from a diversionary landing in Scotland to the assassination of Cromwell by a former military ally, Edward Selby. Dubbed the Agitator for his combative personality, Selby effectively torpedoed the assassination scheme at the outset by writing a pamphlet openly advocating Cromwells death. Selby cheekily dedicated the pamphlet, titled Killing No Murder, to Cromwell, declaring that it is from your death that we hope for our inheritances. Cromwell was not amused. He had Selby arrested and thrown into the Tower of London, where he soon died.

Undeterred, Charles continued plotting, corresponding with the Sealed Knot, a shadowy cabal of English Royalists who assured the Pretender that they were ready at a moments notice to rise up and install him on the throne. Charles sweetened the pot with a standing offer to pay anyone who would kill Cromwell 500 a year for life. (The offer went unclaimed.) Charles also cultivated King Philips illegitimate son, Prince Juan Jose of Austria, the progeny of the kings longstanding affair with Maria Calderon, a Spanish actress. The only one of the kings many illegitimate offspring to be formally recognized and educated at court, the 29-year-old Juan Jose was now governor-general of the Spanish Netherlands. Charles assiduously charmed the younger man, and the two attended lavish concerts, balls, and parties together. But Juan Jose, like his father, suffered from a continual lack of funds, and though Charles raged in private about his scurvy usage at the hands of his Spanish hosts, he could do nothing to advance his dream of a cross-Channel invasion.

Charless prospects darkened even further when Turennes forces captured Mardyke on September 21 and handed over the harbor, considered the best deepwater port on the Flemish coast, to Cromwells supporters. A month later Charles joined Juan Jose in a desultory attempt to retake Mardyke. Cromwells men easily repelled the Spanish counterattack and came near to killing Charles when a Puritan cannonball bounded past his head and disemboweled a courtiers horse next to him. Once again, Charles had dodged death by a matter of inches.

Prevailed on by his aides not to risk the royal personage again in open combat, a plea that Charles found easy to grant, he relocated to Antwerp for the winter. There he resumed his correspondence with plotters back in England and continued to grouse about the reluctance of the Spanish to mount an amphibious invasion across a channel that was, by then, swarming with English blockaders. The Spanish, he said with sweeping self-interest, had grossly failed in all their undertaking to send the King into England. Charles, for his part, failed to see that it was not Spains primaryor even secondarygoal to make him king, although of course it remained his sole objective.

Charles did succeed in enticing some of the Protestant defenders at Mardyke to desert to the royal standard. At the same time, Reynolds, the English commander there, conducted an ill-advised parley with Charless newly arrived brother, the Duke of York. The two generals merely exchanged civilities between their lines, but Reynoldss less-civil fellow officers were so critical of his contact with a member of the despised royal family that he immediately rushed back to England to explain himself to Cromwell. On December 5 Reynoldss ship foundered on the Goodwin Sands, and Reynolds drowned before he could make his explanations. He was replaced at Mardyke by Major General Thomas Morgan, who wisely held no further meetings with the opposing side.

Prodded continually by Cromwell to capture Dunkirk, Turenne broke camp at last in the spring of 1658. Mustering his forces at Amiens, he set out in May at the head of a 25,000-man army. Meanwhile, elbowing Conde aside and assuming personal command of the Spanish forces, the less experienced Juan Jose completely mistook Turennes intentions and rushed east instead to reinforce Cambrai, leaving the English contingent at nearby Cassel unprotected. Turennes men fell upon the unsupported regiment and annihilated the Royalists to a man. Charless youngest brother, Henry, Duke of Gloucester, commanded the regiment on paper, but he had had the good fortune to fall ill a few months before and go to the rear to recuperate, thus postponing his own date with destiny. (In September 1660 Henry would die of smallpox at age 21.)

Temporarily unimpeded, Turenne reached the outskirts of Dunkirk in early June and immediately threw up two siege lines to block any attempt to resupply the defenders by land. Offshore a force of 18 English ships likewise embargoed the town from the sea. Belatedly realizing his mistake, Juan Jose hurried to relieve Dunkirk. It was a daunting task, made more so by the fact that he had far fewer men than Turenneabout 16,000 in all, counting the English Royalists. Adding to Juan Joses problems, the relief party soon outdistanced its artillery, whose progress was slowed by the marshy terrain. They would soon pay dearly for the delay.

ON THE AFTERNOON OF JUNE 13, JUAN JOSE ARRIVED AT A CRESCENT-SHAPED RANGE of sand hills a few miles northeast of Dunkirk and began deploying his troops in two wings. Conde commanded the left; the Duke of York guarded the right. Taking the high ground, Juan Jose aligned his forces perpendicular to the shoreline. His right flank, held by his Spanish Netherlands troops under Brigadier General Don Gaspar Boniface, was anchored on a 150-foot-high sand dune. The other forces, right to left, included the English Royalists, the Germans, the Walloons, and the French, the last directed personally by Conde, who, having been demoted, insisted on that prerogative. Two lines of cavalry under Don Luis de Caracena massed behind the front, with the remainder dispersed along the Spanish left flank, which rested on a road and canal that ran parallel to the shoreline.

Juan Jose did not intend to offer battle until his entire army was in place, but the uncharacteristically quick-moving Turenne gave him no choice. Leaving behind 6,000 men to guard the siege works at Dunkirk, Turenne swung north to confront the Spaniards in the sand dunes above the city. French cavalry deployed on both flanks, and seven English infantry regiments under Sir William Lockhart of Lee and General Morgan massed on the left, supported by cannon fire from the English ships. Although sporadic and not particularly accurate, the fire from the ships nevertheless compelled Juan Jose to move his own cavalry to his left to avoid shelling. It was a fatal mistake.

Turenne halted for the night on a low ridge 500 yards from enemy lines. The next morning Cromwells infantry began trudging through the dunes toward Dunkirk. Ahead of them waited the main Spanish position. It was 10 a.m. The tide was flooding out as Lockharts soldiers moved into position, their red coats shimmering in the sun. Musketeers and pikemen massed while the French cavalry of Jacques, marquis de Castelnau, covered their wings. The horses hoofs rested in the receding water at the edge of the beach. Turenne had carefully timed his advance for low tide, when the infantry and cavalry could move unimpeded up the beach beyond the enemys flank. He intended to halt 600 yards from the Spanish position and see what the enemy would do next.

But Turenne had not counted on the courage of the English Protestants or their simmering hatred for all things royal. Just ahead, they knew, waited the Duke of York and the remnant supporters of the dead king and his presumptive heir. An angry murmur swelled to a roar as the English footmen broke for the front, shouting their familiar battle cry: The Lord of Hosts! French marksmen rushed to their aid, peppering the Spaniards with musket fire as Lockhart and his men charged up the sandy hillside.

Startled by the unexpected English advance, Turenne recovered quickly and sent the cavalry of Francois, marquis de Crequy, racing forward to support them, while the rest of the infantry, including regular French troops and Swiss mercenaries, surged toward the center. Meanwhile, on the allied left, Lockharts infantry stubbornly climbed a commanding sand dune and pitched headlong into the Spanish defenders, who were arrayed in their time-tested tercio formationpikemen first, then swordsmen and musketeers. Bitter hand-to-hand combat commenced beneath the broiling Flanders sun. The men on both sides were battle-hardened veterans, the English of their countrys civil war, the Spanish of the Thirty Years War, and the French of the three wars of the Fronde. They all knew how to fight.

BACK AND FORTH THEY SURGED. IN THE END, RELIGIOUS ZEAL CARRIED THE DAY. While Conde held his own on the Spanish left, Lockharts Roundheads overwhelmed the dunes defenders and dashed down the far side after them. Lockharts regiment bore the brunt of the fighting, losing its second-in-command, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Fenwick, two captains, and 40 to 50 foot soldiers in the charge. Almost all the regiments officers were wounded in the attack. Roger Lillingstons regiment, in close support, lost a captain and another 30 to 40 men. They came on like wild beasts, one Spanish survivor said of the English attackers.

The Duke of York bravely rallied his cavalry, personally leading several countercharges, but Castelnaus horsemen, controlling the flank, got around him and sent the whole right wing of the Spanish army into retreat. The Germans and Walloons in the center gave way, followed finally by Condes French. Juan Jose galloped away to Dunkirk. At the same time the tide began rushing back in, making it impossible (as Turenne had foreseen) for the Spanish cavalry to counterattack. The Royalists fell back in orderly but hasty retreat. The Irish regiment, commanded by Colonel Richard Grace, made a brief stand in the center but soon gave way. Conde, after being unhorsed and nearly captured, withdrew as well. He and Juan Jose reunited south of Dunkirk. Behind them, Turenne and his English allies were masters of the battlefield. The entire event had lasted a mere two hours.

At the comparatively low cost of 400 men, mostly English, Turennes army had killed or captured 15 times that number. Napoleon Bonaparte, a brilliant tactician in his own right, would later declare the battle Turennes most brilliant action. Knowing their likely fates, the defeated English Royalists rushed to surrender to French troops; one unfortunate sergeant fell into Roundhead hands and was hanged on the spot as a traitor. The Duke of York managed to get awaythe younger Stuarts proved far better at escape than their fatherand retreated to Nieuwpoort, 23 miles north of Dunkirk. Ten days later the garrison at Dunkirk surrendered to Turenne, leaving him in complete control of Flanders and the Flemish coast. On June 15 King Louis XIV personally handed over the city to Lockhart in recognition of his leading role in the battle. Turenne continued campaigning and in short order captured the Flemish towns of Furnes, Dixmude, Gravelines, Ypres, and Oudenarde.

Waiting apprehensively in Brussels, Charles got word of the Spanish defeat and fled immediately for the Dutch border, taking refuge at Hoogstraten. Remarkably, he then resumed his wastrel life as though nothing had happened. Two months later, while out hunting partridges with his fleet of royal hawks, he received the unexpected news that the great monster Cromwell was dead. The Lord Protector had succumbed on September 3 to a sudden bout of malaria, complicated by grief over the death of his favorite daughter, Elizabeth, a few weeks earlier. It would take another 18 months of subtle diplomatic maneuvering before Charles set foot once again on English soilno thanks to the Spanish, who concluded a separate treaty with France in November 1659 and gave up their last strongholds in the Netherlands. The English navy controlled the coast.

After Cromwells death the Protestant Commonwealth quickly fell into disarray, and army commander George Monck, Duke of Albemarle, seized control of Parliament and negotiated with Charles to disband the New Model Army and restore the Stuarts to the throne. Charles, in gratitude, raised Monck to baronet, gave him an annual pension of 7,000, and awarded him with a large swath of land in present-day North and South Carolina. All court documents were backdated to read as though Charles had succeeded his father as king in 1649.

On assuming the throne in 1660, one of Charles IIs first official acts was to have Cromwells body disinterred from its place of honor at Westminster Abbey and hanged in chains like a common thief at Tyburn on the 12th anniversary of Charles Is execution. In an entirely redundant exercise in delayed revenge, the corpse was then beheaded, and Cromwells skull was stuck on a pole outside the abbey, where it remained in place for the next 28 years. For centuries to come, English schoolchildren would recite the macabre nursery rhyme: Oliver Cromwell lay buried and dead, / Heigho! Buried and dead! / There grew a green apple-tree over his head. / Heigho! Over his head! By then both Cromwell and Charles were beyond caring. In a final bit of irony, Charles sold Dunkirk back to France two years later for 320,000. MHQ

Roy Morris Jr. is the author of eight books, including, most recently, American Vandal: Mark Twain Abroad (Harvard University Press, 2015).

This article appears in the Winter 2019 issue (Vol. 31, No. 2) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: Dunkirk and the Dunes

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An earnest rebel from Alabama helped save Antietam and Gettysburg for future generations

The soldiers of Maj. Gen. John B. Hoods Division waited in the West Woods on September 17, 1862. Union shrapnel, shell, and solid shot rained down upon the woods, at times sending tree limbs crashing down upon the soldiers below. Captain William McKendree Robbins, acting major of the 4th Alabama, was standing beside a friend talking when a shell or shell fragment struck the young manthe noble and handsome Lieutenant David B. Kingin the head, spattering Robbins with blood and brains and hurling a piece of Kings skull into the ranks of the 11th Mississippi. No human can witness such an event and not be traumatized, yet Robbins had no time to dwell on the horror. Minutes later, a to arms order was sounded and Hoods Division poured out of the woods to launch a devastating counterattack.

The 4th proceeded double-quick up the Smoketown Road in column as the rest of the division deployed in the fields to their left. The bullets began to zip about us, very lively, recalled Robbins, who was disturbed that Captain Lawrence H. Scruggs, the acting lieutenant colonel and regimental commander, had not deployed the 4th Alabama. The problem soon resolved itself when a bullet struck Scruggs in the foot and command fell to Robbins. He deployed the regiment at once. As it advanced toward the East Woods, elements of the 21st Georgia of Colonel James A. Walkers Brigade joined on its right.

Under the pressure of Hoods counterattack, the Federal troops firing on Robbins and his regiment fell back and the Alabamians and Georgians pushed up into the East Woods. Robbins halted his advance about midway in the woods and had his men take advantage of the abundant cover. They were soon joined by the 5th Texas, which moved to the right of the line. All told, about 500 Confederates now occupied the woods.

Hoods counterattack roared up to the northern edge of the Miller cornfield, where Union resistance inflicted devastating casualties and drove it back. But Robbins and his small force held on, repulsing all efforts to dislodge them. Because of their cover, Robbins losses were not heavy, but one of his casualties was personally devastating. His younger brother, Madison, serving as an enlisted man, was shot through the throat and killed.

Needing men and ammunition, Robbins sent back repeatedly for both. Colonel Evander M. Law, Robbins brigade commander, encouraged the captain to hold your position, Hill is moving to your support, meaning troops of Maj. Gen. D.H. Hills Division. As for ammunition, Robbins remembered, somehow we in the wood were overlooked & no supply came, so his men scrounged from the dead and wounded. Garlands Brigade, of Hills Division, commanded by Colonel Duncan K. McRae, soon entered the woods behind Robbins. About this time, a new Union advance approached the woods from the north. After a brief resistance, McRaes Brigade fled to the rear. Without ammunition, his numbers dwindling, and the enemy threatening to envelop his right flank, Robbins had no choice but to retreat.

It was a perilous withdrawal. The enemy fire was so heavy that Robbins concluded he could not survive. Determined not to be shot in the back, he kept his face toward the Federals while his men were dropping all about me. When he arrived at the edge of the woods unscathed, he recalled, Thinks I to myself I believe I shall escape after all, and he made a little better time to the West Woods. His small mixed command had held the East Woods for more than 90 minutes, yet no ranking officer on the Confederate side seemed to understand what he had done. He received no acknowledgment in either Laws or Hoods after-action reports. Robbins was sick after the battlea common occurrence for those exposed to severe trauma and great stressand did not write a report, which may account for his lack of recognition.

Robbins served through the rest of the war, fighting at Little Round Top at Gettysburg and suffering a severe wound in the Wilderness in May 1864. But he returned to duty and surrendered with his regiment at Appomattox. Although he served in an Alabama regiment, Robbins was a North Carolinian. He had moved to Alabama with his wife in 1855 to open a female college, but soon made a career change from education to the law. His wife died three years later, leaving Robbins a widower with two young children. He left his Selma law practice, volunteering immediately when war came.

After the war, he returned to North Carolina. He had married his wifes sister during the conflict and they settled in Salisbury, where Robbins resumed a legal career. In 1868 and 1870, he was elected to North Carolinas Senate, then served 1872-1876 as a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Robbins was a staunch conservative who opposed Reconstruction, including African-American suffrage, and supported prohibition. While he took great pride in his service as a soldier, he did not cling to the cause of the Confederacy or lament its defeat. There was not a more sincere or thoroughly earnest rebel, I suppose, in the Southern armies, he wrote in 1891, but its all over and nobody is sorry for that. He now embraced our great common country which will soon be the center and acknowledged greatest of the powers of the world.

In 1891, 10th Maine Infantry veteran John Gould, who was attempting to track down what regiment he had fought in the East Woods and which Rebel unit mortally wounded Maj. Gen. Joseph Mansfield, contacted Robbins. Goulds inquiry opened memories Robbins had locked away for years. They flowed out in an 18-page letter to the New Englander. He teasingly admonished Gould for having tempted me to fight my battle again which I have never done before. Through their correspondence, it became clear to Robbins that Goulds regiment might have been the one responsible for killing his brother. Yet instead of being angry, Robbins warmly embraced Gould as a friend, signing his many letters, With best wishes, Your friend.

Four years later, in 1895, President Grover Cleveland selected Robbins to serve on the park commission for the newly created Gettysburg National Military Park. Thirty-two years after trying to fight his way up Little Round Top, Robbins would return to Gettysburg, this time to help develop a park for all Americans. In our next Crossroads we will take up what he did there in the final years of his life.

Scott Hartwig writes from the crossroads of Gettysburg.
With talks stalemated over the shutdown, US president Donald Trump is scheduled to pitch his case to the nation in a prime-time address Tuesday night in which he is expected to argue for a barrier along the US-Mexico border saying there was a Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border.

The presidents characterization of the situation as a crisis was already drawn criticism for the false and exaggerated claims forwarded by him and his aides in support, such as an influx of terrorists through the southern border, when, in fact, most suspects were held at airports or coming from Canada.

Wary of being used to further those falsehoods, networks and cable news channels took their time agreeing to air the address. They will, they have decided. But some of them  CNN, CBS and NBC  plan to allow Democrats equal airtime to rebut the president, which, in itself, is not without precedence. Republicans were given rebuttal slots in 2011 to answer to a speech by then President Barack Obama on national debt.

Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer will deliver the rebuttal, jointly.

There has been no headway in negotiations to break the funding deadlock that has shut down a fourth of the federal government for 18 days now. The president is standing his ground on the money he wants, $5 billion, but has dropped the concrete wall for a steel barrier But Democrats are not buying yet.

I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border, Trump wrote on Twitter Monday, about his move to take his case to the people. And press secretary Sarah Sander announced he will be travelling to the southern border on Thursday to meet those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis.

The crisis, according to the Trump administration, is not about just illegal immigrants entering the United States through the southern border with Mexico, but also, they have claimed, the influx of terrorists, human smugglers, other criminals and drugs, which they have backed up with questionable arguments.

Press secretary Sander, for instance, was called out on Fox News on Sunday for saying, nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists come into our country illegally, and we know that our most vulnerable point of entry is the southern border She was trying to conflate two separate facts to make her argument.

And she got caught, on air. Chris Wallace, the interviewer, said, But theyre not coming across the southern border, Sarah, theyre coming and theyre being stopped at airports.

We have terrorists coming through the southern border because they find thats probably the easiest place to come through, Trump claimed at a news conference last week, adding, They drive right in and they make a left.

If theyre driving in through border crossings, no wall would stop them, the Associated Press noted wryly. And added that while most terror suspects are held coming in by air, but Canada, and not Mexico, has been a bigger worry for the state department for land crossing.

The news agency cited a report by Cato Institute, a libertarian think-tank, to say the last known terrorists to enter the US from Mexico, were three ethnic Albanians from Macedonia who came as children with their parents in 1984 and were arrested in their 20s in 2007 for a foiled terror plait n New Jersey.
On Sunday morning, a new Twitter account was created by an 18-year-old Saudi woman denied entry into Thailand as she fled from what she said was an abusive family.

The first message from Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, in Arabic, was at 3:20 am Thai time (1:50 am IST ) and posted from the transit area of Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi airport. It said: I am the girl who escaped Kuwait to Thailand. My life is in real danger if I am forced to return to Saudi Arabia.

Within hours, a campaign sprung up on Twitter dubbed #SaveRahaf. Spread by a loose network of activists around the world, within 36 hours it prompted Thailands government to reverse a decision to force the young woman onto a plane that would return her to her family.

Qunun was allowed to enter Thailand and on Tuesday was beginning the process of seeking asylum in a third country through the UN refugee agency.

Watch: Thai police wont deport Saudi woman seeking asylum

Everybody was watching. When social media works, this is what happens, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, of the international outcry.

Qununs family could not be reached to respond to her allegations of abuse. Reuters could not directly contact Qunun, but spoke to several confidants who described how the dramatic campaign unfolded across the world.

After her initial Tweet, Qunun posted nearly non-stop for five hours, saying she had been abused and threatened by her family.

Halfway around the world, retweets by Saudi Twitter users were noticed by Egyptian-American activist Mona Eltahawy in Montreal who began translating and retweeting Qununs Arabic tweets at 4 am Thailand time (2.30 am IST), even though she was initially unsure if the account was authentic.

(I was) doing my best to get attention to her because I could not live with myself if she was real and I ignored it, Eltahawy told Reuters in an e-mail.

Read more| We will protect her: Thailand halts plan to expel Saudi teen fleeing family

Bangkok, Montreal, Sydney

About two hours later - 6 am Sunday morning in Thailand but mid-afternoon in Australia - a Sydney-based video journalist noticed and retweeted Eltahawys translated messages.

The journalist, Sophie McNeill of Australia Broadcast Corp., began tweeting back to Qunun, and later the two began privately corresponding by direct message.

At 11 am on Sunday in Thailand - eight hours after Qunun began tweeting - Human Rights Watchs Robertson, who is based in Bangkok, also began tweeting about the case.

He also contacted Qunun directly and she replied.

She said very clearly that she has suffered both physical and psychological abuse. She said she has made a decision to renounce Islam. And I knew once she said that, she is in serious trouble, Robertson told Reuters.

Renouncing Islam is a crime punishable by death under the Saudi system of sharia, or Islamic law, though the punishment has not been carried out in recent memory.

By early Sunday afternoon, Robertson had notified the UN refugee agency in Thailand and several foreign embassies about the unfolding case, and they began to contact Thai authorities.

Barricaded Door

At around the same time, journalist McNeill decided to fly to Thailand and try to meet Qunun.

Id never spoken to her before, she told Reuters. For me, it was so important that this was documented, and I wanted to be there and witness it.

While McNeill boarded a flight from Sydney to Bangkok, Qunun was holed up in an airport transit hotel and afraid she would be forced onto the next flight back to Kuwait. She continued tweeting and also corresponding with Robertson of Human Rights Watch.

At around 5 pm Sunday, she was taken out of her room by Thai officials but later allowed to return.

She filmed these two people talking to her, said Robertson. They said to her very clearly that they will put her on the Kuwait Airways flight KU 412 leaving (Monday) at 11:15 am

By this time, global media outlets had picked up on the story and Thai immigration officials were confirming that Qunun was to be expelled on Monday morning.

At about 1 a.m. Monday morning, Qunun posted a video of herself pushing a table to barricade her hotel room door.

Threatening Language

McNeill arrived in Thailand early on Monday and managed to join Qunun in her hotel room.

When it became clear that she wasnt going to leave, I decided it was important to stay and have someone documenting what was going on, McNeill said.

Qunun refused to open the door when various officials came to escort her to the Kuwait Airways flight.

We were inside the room and there were numerous people coming to the door ... There were several Arabic speakers who came and were using threatening language to try and force her back on the plane, McNeill recalled.

The flight to Kuwait City left without Qunun.

At 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Thailands immigration chief Surachate Hakparn held a press conference at the airport for dozens of Thai and international media representatives gathered in the transit area.

After a day of insisting that Qunun must be sent back under Thai law, Surachate said she would not be immediately be expelled since she could be in danger and he would meet UN officials to discuss her case.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) country representative Giuseppe de Vincentiis arrived at the airport at about 5 p.m. on Monday to meet Thai officials and Qunun herself.

By about 7:30 p.m on Monday, Surachate told reporters Qunun would be allowed to enter Thailand and apply for asylum in a third country.

The UNHCR said on Tuesday that it would take time to process Qununs application, and its officials continued to interview her at an undisclosed location.

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday denied on its Twitter account that its embassy in Thailand had asked for Qunun to be extradited, although Surachate had said the previous day the embassy had been in contact with Thai immigration before her arrival from Kuwait.

The Saudi embassy in Bangkok declined to comment on Qununs case when contacted by Reuters on Monday and could not be reached on Tuesday.

But on Tuesday, the Thai immigration office released a video clip of its officials meeting Saudi diplomats to discuss the case.

When she first arrived in Thailand, she opened a new site (account) and the followers reached about 45,000 within one day, a Saudi official speaking in Arabic through a translator tells Thai officials in the video.

I wish you had taken her phone, it would have been better than (taking) her passport, the official said.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un took the train to Beijing for an unannounced three-day visit to China on Monday, his fourth since last March, amid speculation that he is seeking better ties with the US and Beijings advice and assurance to take forward talks on denuclearisation.

Kim is visiting China from Monday to Thursday, said a spokesperson of the International Department of the Communist Party of China central committee in Beijing.

He is accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju; Tuesday, incidentally, is said to be Kims birthday.

As with the three visits in 2018, this visit wasnt announced ahead by either China or North Korea.

Kim is expected to have long interactions with President Xi Jinping on whose invitation he has officially come to China.

Besides meeting Xi three times last year, Kim met US President Donald Trump for a high-profile summit in Singapore last year.

Trump had said earlier this week that the venue for a second meeting with the North Korean leader would be announced soon.

The US President told reporters in Washington DC that a good dialogue was ongoing with North Korea but sanctions on Pyongyang would remain.

A BBC report pointed out that in his annual New Years speech last week, Kim said he was committed to denuclearisation but warned that he would change course if US sanctions remained.

In fact, the details about denuclearisation werent really spelt out by either side at the June summit between Kim and Trump.

In such a scenario, Beijing as North Koreas key ally and main economic benefactor would be crucial to talks with Washington.

Kim met President Xi last March in Beijing, the first time that he had travelled abroad after assuming powers in 2011.

Next, he came to the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian in May when he again met Xi to discuss ties, providing the photo-op of the two leaders taking a stroll on the beach.

And in June, he again met Xi, a week after the summit with Trump in Singapore.

Kim is likely seeking advice and assistance from China, Wang Junsheng, a research fellow on East Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the tabloid Global Times.

The reason North Korea can take the daring step toward denuclearisation and engagement with the US is mainly because of its trust in China, Wang Sheng, a professor of international relations and expert on the Korean peninsula issue at Jilin University said.

China  besides sharing a border with the country -- has enough strategic reasons to remain close to developing ties between the US and North Korea.

China will want the US and North Korea to find a peaceful way to resolve tensions and avoid conflict, and they also share the goal of denuclearisation, but their primary interest is maintaining leverage and influence in and over North Korea, Paul Haenle, director of the CarnegieTsinghua Center for Global Policy, had told HT after Kims visit to China in June.

Ideally for China, a US-North Korea long-term deal would undermine the political rationale in Washington, Seoul and Tokyo for continued US military presence, radars, and troops on the (Korean) Peninsula and in Japan, he had said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump discussed how to increase cooperation in Afghanistan in a phone call Monday in the backdrop of reports the United States was planning to drawdown its forces there and that it wanted India and other regional players to play a large role militarily.

The two leaders also exchanged perspectives, said a readout of the conversation from the White House, on how to reduce US trade deficit with India, a top priority for President Trump for the relationship now, acknowledged by both Indian and US officials, and expand cooperation in Indo-Pacific.

But most significantly for New Delhi, there were no indications in the call that the United States was either drawing down its troops presence  from 14,000 to 7,000 as reported widely earlier  or that it expected India to deploy troops in Afghanistan, contrary to a mutually agreed position.

President Trump received a call today from Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India on the occasion of the New Year, said the White House readout of the call. The leaders agreed to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the US trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan.

The ministry of external affairs in New Delhi said in a separate press statement that the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress in India-US strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 Dialogue mechanism and the first-ever Trilateral Summit of India, the US and Japan.

Also read | PM Narendra Modi discusses trade deficit, Afghanistan with US president Donald Trump over phone

The two leaders took positive note of growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy and coordination on regional and global issues. They agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening India-U.S. bilateral relations in 2019.

The Indian statement did not mention Afghanistan directly. But New Delhi had been concerned lately about a slew of comments and remarks from the US president, on record, and his officials, off the record, over Afghanistan. Unidentified officials were reported widely in US media as suggesting President Trump had decided to reduce US troops stationed in Afghanistan by half.

Just days after, a US National Security Council spokesperson Garett Marquis told Bloomberg that the president had not made a determination yet. Defense department officials have said they have not received orders drawing down or exiting Afghanistan and congressional aides said they were waiting for clarity as well, despite many requests.

Soon after the reports of Afghanistan drawdown, the president belittled Indian contribution in Afghanistan, worth an estimated $3 billion and more in intangibles, by misleadingly, and mistakingly perhaps, reducing it to the construction of a library  which may have been a reference to the $90-million Afghan parliament built with Indian help.

President Trump had gone on, in remarks before a cabinet meeting, the first hour of which was aired live, to ask, rhetorically, why India, Russia and Pakistan, regional players, were not there in Afghanistan militarily, he seemed to have indicated without saying so explicitly.

New Delhi was both irritated by the US presidents bizarre outburst and disparaging remarks about its efforts in Afghanistan and confused about the his complaint that India was not doing more. He appeared to have been suggesting that India should contribute troops to the war effort..

Equally importantly if not more, India was stunned by the reported decision of US drawdown in Afghanistan, as were US allies, including its partners in the international coalition in Afghanistan such as the United Kingdom and Germany, as also were lawmakers, experts, supporters and allies at home still trying to come to make sense of the presidents controversial decision to bring back troops from Syria, which had led to the resignation of then defense secretary James Mattis.

Though prepared for the US pulling out of Afghanistan eventually, New Delhi wants the US to stay there as long as possible,, as an insurance against Pakistan interference in the affairs of long-time friendly nation.

Also read | Opinion: Donald Trumps long shutdown could destabilise the world
With talks failing between the labour unions and management of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) on Monday, commuters may be inconvenienced because approximately 35,000 BEST employees will go on indefinite strike from today. Owing to a lack of coordination between authorities, no private buses have been arranged and other modes of public transport are likely to feel the pressure.

Leader of BEST workers union Shashank Rao said talks had failed and BESTs general manager Surendrakumar Bagde did not attend the meeting. A personnel department officer conducted the meeting, so nothing fruitful was expected from it, Rao said. BEST Kamgar Sena has decided not to join the strike, but they will also not ply their buses. We are not participating, but we have given our support, said Suhas Samant, BEST committee member and leader of Best Kamgar Sena. Bagde did not respond to calls or text messages.

The state government has invoked provisions of the Maharashtra Essential Service Maintenance Act (MESMA) and an industrial court has restrained the unions from going on the strike, but BEST Sanyukta Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS), a joint action committee of labour unions, will go on strike from today. The unions demands include higher-grade pay, merging BESTs budget with that of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and bonuses similar to those given to BMC staff.

The labour unions have also threatened to not allow any private buses on roads. BESTs spokesperson said that they have written to Maharashtra State Road Transport Undertaking to arrange extra buses if required.

Generally, the state government allows private buses to ferry passengers during strikes. However, a senior official from the regional transport office (RTO) said it had not received any communication about arranging private buses for public convenience. We will do all the needful things if required, said Shekhar Channe, transport commissioner of Maharashtra, and confirmed no communication had come from BEST.

To avoid damages to its buses, BEST has put wire mesh on windshields of several buses, but no information has been released about the steps taken for the convenience of passengers.

Meanwhile, citizens forum Aamchi Mumbai Aamchi BEST (AMAB) declared its support to the BEST workers strike on Monday.
Failing to get re-elected to either of the two Houses, public health minister Deepak Sawant tendered his resignation on Monday. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has handed over the additional charge of Sawants portfolio to Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, the public works department (public utilities) minister.

Sawants term as a member representing the Mumbai divisions graduates constituency in the Maharashtra legislative council ended in July 2018. He had six months to get re-elected to the lower or the upper house of the state legislature.

Given the current strain in ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray chose not to nominate a Sena member for the cabinet berth. A Sena functionary said the party chief felt engaging in activity to give power to new members would not be good at a time when the Sena was talking tough with the BJP. Instead, Thackeray chose Shinde to hold on to the Senas share of cabinet berths.It wouldnt look appropriate to participate in the exercise to nominate another member for the post at the moment. So one of the ministers from the party was chosen to take the additional charge, said a functionary, who did not wish to be named.

The party leaderships decision is likely to upset a few legislators who were lobbying hard to bag the ministerial berth. The functionary said many legislators from rural Maharashtra were awaiting their chance to get the post.

Party insiders said Thackeray was unhappy with Sawants performance, which is why he was not considered for another term in the legislative council in July 2018. Sawant, however, said that he is not upset with the party, but he is now expecting a new role.
According to investigations conducted by the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the blaze at Sargam Housing Society in Tilak Nagar, which killed five people, was caused by an electric spark and the Employees State Insurance Corporations (ESIC) Kamgar Hospital, where 11 people died in a fire, had an illegal canteen that was a fire hazard. Both incidents took place in December 2018 and the probe reports were submitted to the chief fire officer on Monday.

Chief fire officer P Rahangdale said, I received the enquiry report into the fire at Sargam Society, along with the enquiry report into the fire incident at ESIC Kamgar Hospital. The hospital comes under the purview of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). A fire had broken out in the building on December 17, 2018, in which 11 were killed, including two children.

The MFB report said the hospital had an illegal canteen on the ground floor, which had stored 20 LPG cylinders. This is highly objectionable from fire risk and life safety point of view, said the report. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) could not verify if ESIC Kamgar Hospital was fire compliant since the building comes under MIDCs jurisdiction. The MFB has directed the MIDC fire brigade to take action against the hospital after verifying it had the necessary fire compliance and occupation certificates.

Deputy chief fire officer of the MIDC fire brigade MV Ogale said, We have not received the fire brigades report yet. We will conduct inspections and rely on police investigation to take necessary action against the hospital. Depending on the gravity of irregularities in the hospital building, our action will range from penalty to sealing the building premise.

In case of Sargam Society, where a fire broke out on December 27, 2018, and claimed five lives, the fire brigade has directed Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) take action against the buildings developer for non-compliance and violation of fire safety norms.

The probe found the fire had been caused by a defective electric circuit. A spark from the electric lighting for a Christmas tree came in contact with combustible material  like curtains or wooden furniture  and led to the blaze. The report concluded that cause of the senior citizens death was an LPG cylinder blast triggered by the fire. Additionally, the building had no occupation certificate, its refuge areas had been encroached upon and it had a defunct fire fighting system. The MFB has directed Mhada to take action against the developer for non-compliance and violation of fire safety norms.
Thousands of commuters in Mumbai faced delays on Tuesday as employees of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) went on strike to press for several of their demands.

People heading to office were seen queuing up near BEST bus stops after the strike started after midnight on Monday. Authorities allowed private buses to ferry passengers but commuters said they were inadequate.

I have been waiting for 30 minutes. Two private buses had come but the passenger queue is just too long, Anamika Saxena, a Ghatkopar resident, said.

Parents taking their children to schools were also seen waiting at BEST bus stops.

I have been waiting for 20 minutes but there is no sight of any BEST bus. Autorickshaws are charging a lot. The only hope is private buses, Amna Khan from Bandra said.

Other commuters also complained of being overcharged by auto-rickshaw drivers.

I take a shared auto from Bandra station to BKC every day for Rs 20. Today for the same journey the auto rickshaw drivers are charging Rs 30 to 40 per seat, said Kunal Gupta, Khar resident.

People also took to social media, saying there was less traffic on roads due to the non-operation of BEST buses and overcharging by auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers.

@BESTMumbai thank you for being on strike traffic there is less on roads I think Maha govt should close best buses as it is running in kiss & why should Mumbikar bare your loss @CMOMaharashtra please look into thus & close BEST service asap as it is mumbaikar dont care (sic), tweeted a user on handle Vijay68200965.

#BEST buses completely off roads as union has called for indefinite #strike in Mumbai. No alternate arrangements at #Kurla. Auto Ricksha charges 20,30 & 100 seat.... plan your travel (sic), another user @mandar2005 tweeted.

BEST officials said at 7am on Tuesday there was no operation of buses in all the 27 bus depots. Out of the 2,200 drivers, only eight reported to work and one conductor out of 2,259 was present, they said. The strike has been called by BEST Sanyukta Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS), a joint action committee of several labour unions.

The Samiti is demanding higher grade pay for employees recruited from 2007 onwards, bonus equivalent to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) staffers, a merger of BEST budget with that of BMC, resuming appointments and deliberations on new wage agreement that was supposed to come into effect from April 2016.

The BEST management had declared the strike illegal and issued internal circulars warning staffers of strict action if they proceeded with it.

They approached the industrial court on Monday seeking relief against the strike after talks with workers failed. The court restrained union workers from going on strike till it hears the complaint filed by BEST management.

The BEST bus service is the second largest mass transport system in Mumbai after the suburban trains.

News agency PTI reported citing unnamed sources that the Maharashtra government might slap Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) on the striking BEST employees. Police can arrest anybody violating the provisions under the law.
Himanshu, a student of Class 5, is popular as Prime Minister in this primary school and loves to be addressed by this title as he is an elected member of Bal Sansad (childrens cabinet) in the institution. He was overjoyed when Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg pulled a chair and sat next to him on Monday!

Solberg visited the government-run Primary and Upper Primary schools in Nithora village of Ghaziabad to take stock of the facilities available for students.

SOLBERG LAUDS GOVT Pleased to see the democratic set-up of the school, Solberg congratulated the UP government, school authorities, and community members for making the institution an inspirational model, providing quality education and facilities for hand-washing, toilets and safe drinking water.

Interacting with children, Solberg, said, It is inspiring to meet the students, teachers and parents in this village. I view education as fundamental to sustainable development. Access to quality education is a universal human right and is the key to unlocking opportunities for all, so that everyone can enjoy a better life.

Pleased to see the democratic set-up of the school, Solberg congratulated the UP government, school authorities, and community members for making the institution an inspirational model, providing quality education and facilities for hand-washing, toilets and safe drinking water.

Solberg pulled a chair and sat next to Himanshu. (HT Photo)

We believe that the right to sanitation is an essential component of the standard of living. Good sanitation facilities result in high retention of girl students in school. India is making impressive strides in education, and I applaud the work that the local community and Unicef are doing, she said.

Himanshus friend Ritika, the health and sanitation minister in the Bal Sansad was given the responsibility to look after the hygiene part of the school.

I made sure that there are soaps in toilets and hand-washing areas so that my friends can wash their hands after using toilet and before and after mid-day meal, said Ritika.

Speaking on the occasion, district magistrate, Ghaziabad Ritu Maheshwari, said, We are proud that Ghaziabad district is Open Defecation Free and that almost 100% of households have built toilets, which are in regular use.

DEMO OF MOBILE APP, EEKSHA

Norway Prime Minister Solberg saw demonstration of the mobile app, Eeksha, used for supportive supervision in classrooms. The app is being used in over 1,60,000 schools across UP for supporting quality education.

She also met young boys and girls from the Meena Manch who highlighted issues of girls attendance and enrolment in schools. Meena Manch is a young peoples collective platform for empowerment of girls at the school level.

Later, the PM spoke to parents during a session on Life Skills Education (LSE) and met young mothers and infants to understand how community health workers are saving newborn lives.

This school is a wonderful example of how communities and authorities can work together to ensure that every girl and boy gets quality education in school. Girls education is one of the best investments that India can make for its future, Yasmin Ali Haque, Unicef India representative.

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg telling students how to wash hands at a primary school in Ghaziabad.

The school has witnessed sharp increase in enrollments and attendance in the last couple of years. Thanks to the good infrastructure and participation of teachers that has made school a favourite place for children in the village, said a basic education department official.

Himanshu, the prime minister in the schools child cabinet, said, It doesnt take more than 10 minutes for all students to have their hands washed. The reason is that there are so many taps and soaps here that no one has to wait for long.
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) national vice-president Jayant Chaudhary on Tuesday held a meeting with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow.

The two leaders are understood to have discussed issues related to the RLD joining the anti-BJP alliance led by the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh.

Emerging from the hour-long one-on-one meeting at the SP state headquarters, Jayant sought to underplay its importance and termed it a general meeting. We had a general discussion on certain issues relating to the countrys polity, he said. Asked if the issue of seat-sharing was discussed during the meeting, he said, Nothing can be confirmed and nothing can be denied at this stage. He said everything would be clear in the days to come. Rashtriya Lok Dal insiders familiar with the matter revealed Akhilesh assured Jayant of keeping the RLD in the anti-BJP alliance in the Lok Sabha election.

Akhilesh Yadav told Jayant Chaudhary that he had spoken to BSP national president Mayawati about keeping the RLD in the alliance and the BSP chief had no objection to the same, they said.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing 10 percent reservation for economically weaker sections belonging to upper castes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, terming the measure politically motivated.

Politics is a strange thing and politicians are masters in using the people. They think people are naive and gullible. The PM suddenly announced reservation. Had he been sincere, he would not have waited for nearly five years, he said at a party meeting in Jammu.

Attributing the decision to the BJPs defeat in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana assembly polls, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister alleged it was only then the party thought of the measure but actually dont intend to give it.

If the bill doesnt get passed, the BJP will say that they tried but Parliament didnt pass it and they will offer the same excuse if it is defeated in the court, he said

The union cabinet on Monday cleared a 10 percent quota in education and government jobs for economically weaker sections of upper castes. The proposed reservation will be over and above the existing 50 percent reservation enjoyed by the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, taking the total reservation to 60 percent.

Fielding media queries later, Abdullah said that he never justified militancy by youth, who pick up guns in the state.

Its not justification of terrorism. You have to understand their anger. I dont condone what they do. I am trying my best to work with them so that this sort of rebirth of militancy is put to a premature end. I dont justify what they do. I have never justified the use of militancy to achieve political gains. I always believed that J&K is a political problem and hence needs political handling and a political solution, which can be arrived at via dialogue, he said.

He added that when governments of the day refused to acknowledge the root cause of the problem, they were themselves creating circumstances responsible for the rebirth of militancy.

I am not justifying the use of violence on any side, he added.

He accused the Peoples-Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government of creating an atmosphere conducive for the growth of militancy in the state.

It is ironical that some say they killed 1500 and some say 1700 but they were created in your (PDP-BJP government) time, not in our time. But killing them wont solve the problem. The army has also said that the government has to build over gains made by security forces. Killing militants alone wont solve the J&K dispute. The real political issue has to be addressed in right earnest, he said.

Citing the terror attacks in Nagrota, Sunjuwan, BC Road Bus Stand, Kishtwar and Akhnoor during the PDP-BJP regime, he said, Militancy has started rearing its head in Jammu region. No development and no employment in sight. What have they done in the past four years. Leave aside Kashmir. They vitiated peace in Jammu as well.

There is not even a single day in Kashmir when youth dont pick up guns, he said.

Abdullah also criticized former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for asking youth to join PDP.

It is the same PDP, which had said that the security forces are not meant for showing their presence alone and they can use force. And, when she was CM, she had said that were youth going to army camps for toffees and sweets, he said.

He said that time has come when people give full majority to the NC, which in turn give the people of all three regions a stable government committed for their equitable development

Hal mein hi hal hai (Plough has all the solution), Abdullah said, in a reference to his partys election symbol
A seat-sharing pact between Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party and Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party for 2019 elections has been almost finalised and there have been indications that the two big players from the opposition camp in Uttar Pradesh could leave the Congress out. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has finally responded to the reports but asserted that his party, which was ready to go solo, would not just do well but also surprise everyone.

The Congress has the ability to surprise people with results in UP, Rahul Gandhi said in an interview to Gulf News. There are very interesting things that the Congress party can do in Uttar Pradesh... the Congress idea is very powerful for Uttar Pradesh. So, we are very confident of our ability in Uttar Pradesh and we will surprise people, he said.

The Congress chiefs comments comes days after reports that the SP-BSP alliance may only give two seats to the CongressAmethi and Raebareli, the Lok Sabha constituencies of Rahul Gandhi and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had on Sunday said that details of seat-sharing agreement with Mayawatis BSP may be announced in a week but refused to talk about the possibility of the Congress joining them. You will come to know about it (alliance) in a week or so, he had said.

In his interview, just days ahead of his two-day visit to the UAE from January 11, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to stitch an alliance and defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.

We are trying to bring opposition together I have heard some statements in the media but we are going to work together and make sure that we defeat Mr Modi. But, I just want to say again  to underestimate the Congress in UP is a big mistake, said the Congress president.

Rahul asserted that the primary objective is to defeat PM Modi. Our first aim is to defeat Narendra Modi. There are states where we are very strong and we are the primary party and are contesting the BJP directly. There are states where there are possible alliances  Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Biharwhere we are working out an alliance formula.

Earlier, SP vice-president Kiranmoy Nanda had said his party, together with the BSP, is strong enough to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh in 2019 and there is no need of an insignificant force like the Congress to make it happen.

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 had said.

The politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. In the last parliamentary elections in 2014, the BJP won 71 seats, Samajwadi Party got five while the BSP did not win any seat. The Congress registered wins on two seats.

Last year, the opposition parties defeated the ruling BJP in three Lok Sabha bypolls. In the Kairana Lok Sabha by-elections held in May, the BJP lost to the joint opposition candidate, RLDs Tabassum Hasan. In March, the BJP lost the Lok Sabha bypolls in Gorakhpur and Phulpur.
Amid fresh speculations of pact between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday once again ruled out need for an alliance, saying the Arvind Kejriwals party was defunct in Punjab.

Amarinder, who met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi to discuss poll preparations, told media persons later that alliance with AAP in Punjab was not discussed at the meeting. He, however, said there was no need for one.

The AAP is totally defunct in Punjab and there is absolutely no need for the Congress to go in for alliance with it .The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) has already conveyed these views to the high command. However, any decision on a coalition with AAP or any other party would be taken by the Congress high command keeping in mind the national perspective and electoral compulsions and would be followed by the PPCC, he said.

The recent resignations of AAP leader HS Phoolka from Punjab assembly and Ajay Maken as Delhi Congress chief, both staunchly opposed to an alliance, had fuelled fresh speculations of a pact between the two parties. The Samajwadi Party giving the Congress a cold shoulder after its recent victory in the Hindi heartland has also lent credence to the possibility.

However, Amarinder exuded confidence that the Congress would win all 13 LS seats in Punjab on its own. There has been no discussion on the selection of the candidates but the best and winnable ones would be chosen. And we will win all 13, he added.
After the completion of Jan Sampark Abhiyan, the Bihar BJP leadership is now faced with the daunting task of handing over its five winning seats to its alliance partner JD (U) for the Lok Sabha polls.

As per agreement in the NDA, BJP and the JD (U) would contest on 17 seats each while the LJP will contest on six seats. By agreeing to contest just 17 of the 40 seats in Bihar, the BJP has given up five seats it had won in 2014. The BJP had contested 30 seats in the last election, when the JD(U) was not part of the alliance, and won 22.

The biggest gainer from the seat-sharing arrangement will be CM Nitish Kumars JD(U). Kumars party had won only two out of the 38 seats it had contested in 2014 polls and had lost deposits in 23 seats. The LJP had contested on seven and won six seats.

JD (U) state president Bashistha Narain Singh had earlier said that the name of constituencies to be contested by each of the NDA alliance partners would be announced any day after the Makar Sankranti.

BJP leaders agree in private that though there are no hurdles for some of the seats, the real problem would be the constituencies on which BJP had won comfortably and have done enough work to seek re-election.

BJP sources said that there is high probability of Nawada or Begusarai, Darbhanga, Madhubani going the JD (U) way. The other seat, which BJP may lose in the bargain, is Valmikinagar. Party sources say that a lot of debate is also on between Chhapra and Patliputra seats, as well. The JD (U) may contest on one of them, said a BJP leader.

The recent appointment of former union minister and Saran MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy as BJP national spokesperson has also set the rumour mills agog with speculation that the party might field somebody else from this seat.

Madhubani MP Hukumdeo Narain Yadav has announced he would not be contesting the polls this time, while Begusarai seat is lying vacant after the death of sitting MP Bhola Singh (BJP).

JD (U) sources said that party will also stake its claim for Karakat and Ara seat. If Ara, represented by union minister of state for energy RK Singh, goes to JD (U), he will be asked to contest from some other seat, said a BJP leader. The JD (U) is also likely to field its nominee from Karakat, a seat represented by former union minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha.

BJP sources said that seats of no less than half a dozen candidates will be changed in the seat sharing.

Before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the JD (U) was the senior partner in the seat-sharing arrangements with the BJP. In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, the JD (U) contested 24 out of the 40 seats, winning six. The BJP contested 16 and won five. In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the JD (U) won 20 and BJP 12.

A similar arrangement existed between the two parties in the assembly polls in the state. In the 2010 Assembly polls in Bihar, the JD (U) contested 141 of the 243 seats and won 115. The BJP contested 102 and won 91. The support bases of the two parties also complimented each other.

Kumar had support among his Kurmi community and other ECB (or extremely backward castes), Dalits and Muslims. The BJPs support base in Bihar comprises the upper castes. This polarisation helped the Kumar-led alliance to successive wins in the 2005 and 2010 Assembly polls, and the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
Two hikers - and thanks to their video, now many on Internet - have learnt the hard way that nothing good can come from poking a sleeping animal. In some cases, the situation can be worse than one would even imagine. A video that has gone viral shows curious hikers giving a sleeping animal - or so they thought - a little nudge. What it actually turned out to be now has people shuddering.

According to the video, shared on December 30, the men were walking around Alamos in Sonora, Mexico when they discovered the furry-looking sleeping animal in a cave.

I dont know what it is but its very hairy! Is it a sleeping animal? one of them says according to DailyMail.

The men are seen poking the animal only to discover it was actually a spider nest. Moments after the prodding, dozens of spiders are seen scurrying out of the nest. One of the hikers pulls apart a bigger potion of the nest and just like before, the spiders are seen breaking away from it and running away.

Ayer explorando #Alamos# Sonora... lo que parecia ser un animal dormido en un cuevita resulto ser algo mas sorprendente! pic.twitter.com/gJry170M5c  Rada SC (@Rada_SC) December 29, 2018

Since being shared, the video has collected over 1.6 million views, almost 29,000 likes and more than 10,400 retweets. People have shared a lot of reactions to the video.

Por que he tenido que verlo pic.twitter.com/LSus3qnxxw   (@Mariiaaa01) December 31, 2018

How would you react if you came across such a spider nest?

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The Supreme Court today reinstated ousted CBI chief Alok Verma, three months after the government divested him of his powers and sent him on forced leave in a midnight action. The top court has, however, ruled that Verma cannot take any major policy decisions till the high-powered selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India, reviews the probe report against him and decides on his continuation.

The Supreme Court, while referring to the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DSPE), which governs how the CBI director is appointed, as well as the CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) Act, which has provisions to remove the Central Vigilance Commissioner or a Vigilance Commissioner on certain contingencies spelled out in the Act, the court said the legislature had no intention to confer any powers on the state to take interim measures against a CBI director as the DSPE does not spell it out as it is done in the CVC Act.

The court referred to Section 4B(2) of the DSPE Act which states that the Director shall not be transferred except with the previous consent of the committee.

The top court said that if the legislature had intended to confer in any authority of the State the power to take interim measures against the Director, CBI... the legislation would have been differently worded,

The court said that it was in light of this backdrop that the words transferred except with the previous consent of the committee needed to be understood.

Explaining the reference of the word transferred, the court said that by itself, the word meant change from one post to another but since it had to be read with the second clause previous consent of the committee, it clearly negated the legislative intent.

The court said that the transfer of the CBI director did not mean sending him on leave.

In such an event, it will be free for the State Authority to effectively disengage the Director CBI from functioning by adopting various modes, known and unknown, which may not amount to transfer but would still have the same effect as a transfer from one post to another, namely, cessation of exercise of powers and functions of the earlier post, the court said.

This, the court said, is not what the legislature could have intended.

The court said that the CBIs evolution had ensured that it was kept away from all kinds of extraneous influences so that it can perform its role as the premier investigating and prosecuting agency without any fear and favour and in the best public interest.

The head of the institution, namely, the Director, naturally, therefore, has to be the role model of independence and integrity, the court said, adding that this can only be ensured by freedom from all kinds of control and interference, except to the extent that the Parliament may have intended.

It said that if a situation ever arises where such interference may be called for, public interest must be writ large against the backdrop of the necessity.

The court said that in such a situation, it would only be the selection committee, as appointed under the DSPE Act, that could test the relevance and adequacy of the reasons.

Stating this, the Supreme Court directed the selection committee, led by the Prime Minister, to meet within a weeks time to decide on whether Verma needs to be removed or not. Meanwhile, the court also placed restrictions on Alok Verma and said that he cannot take major policy decisions, but could take day-to-day decisions.

Verma had approached the Supreme Court after he had been sent on forced leave on October 23 in a midnight swoop that had also seen his deputy Rakesh Asthana being sent on leave.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused India of not responding to his peace overtures and said that any war between two nuclear-armed nations would be suicidal for them.

In an interview with Turkish news agency TRT World, according to his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan again expressed his desire for talks with India.

He said that even a Cold War was not in the interests of the two countries.

Two nuclear armed countries should not even think of a war; not even a Cold War because it could worsen any time. The only way is bilateral talks. Two nuclear armed countries at war is like a suicide, the party quoted him as saying.

He said India did not respond to his peace overtures. India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

India was offered to take one step towards and we shall take two. But India rejected Pakistans offer for talks several times, Khan said.

Khan also said that India would never be able to suppress the rights of the Kashmiri people.

The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and Indias surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place between them.

Also watch: PM Modi to soldiers before surgical strike: Come back before sunrise

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

Also read | God save! They havent given voting rights to cows: Mehbooba Muftis dig at BJP
Indian Administrative Services officer B Chandrakala, who has been accused of corruption in the illegal mining case being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), is on education leave as she had enrolled herself as a student of MBA in IIMT University, Meerut in August last year.

A university official, on the condition of anonymity, said that Chandrakala got enrolled in the two-year MBA course in August last year after approval of her study leave.

The official claimed that she was a bright student and attended classes regularly till December end . He, however, refused to comment where she stayed during her studies.

According to CBI sources, the IAS officer is staying at her Noida flat at present.

Meanwhile, expressing ignorance about the whereabouts of Chandrakala, a senior officer in the State Appointment Department said, Action will be taken against her once the CBI informs the Uttar Pradesh government about the registration of FIR against her in the illegal sand mining case.

Posted at present as special secretary in the secondary education department, she is on study leave since August 2018, he said.

CBI has accused Chandrakala, along with 10 others, of criminal conspiracy for illegally granting lease for mining during her posting as DM in Hamirpur district in 2012.

On Saturday, the CBI conducted raids at 14 places across Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, including the residences of Chandrakala in Lucknow and Samajwadi Party MLC Ramesh Kumar Mishra in Kanpur and Jalaun. The CBI also raided the residences of some mining department officials and red sand mining lease holders in the case.

During the raids on Chandrakala flat in Lucknow, the CBI seized several documents and some gold jewellery from there. The CBI sleuths also recovered documents related to mining and property, around 4 kg gold and over Rs 2 crore during the raids at other places.

An IAS officer, who does not wish to be named, said along with Lucknow, Noida and Delhi, Chandrakala has invested in land property in her home state Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. She has purchased plots in Ranga Reddy and Karimnagar districts in Telangana as well as Annapurna Nagar in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh.

An IAS officer of 2008 batch, she has a large following on social media. Her Facebook page has 86 lakh followers -- more than SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Union home minister Rajnath Singh.

During her stint as DM, Bulandshahar, she liked to be projected as Dabaang IAS officer and her videos reprimanding municipal corporation officers for poor quality construction of pavement and sewer line went viral. In the video, she is heard threatening the officials of registration of FIR if they indulged in corruption. Later she lodged a case against the contractors in the local police station.

She also lodged an FIR against a youth who allegedly took a selfie with her without her consent and posted on social media. When local journalists questioned her about sending an innocent person to jail, she threatened to send unknown persons to their house for selfie with their female family members.

A PCS officer, who was posted in Hamirpur, said she was popularly known as Didi by local women and school girls. She often visited schools to take stock of classes and ensured that women got the benefit of the welfare schemes. In Meerut, where she was posted as DM in 2016-17, she made surprise checks in a government schools and admonished the class teachers when the students failed to answer questions asked by her.

Coming from a Scheduled Tribe community settled in Karimnagar district, Chandrakala has completed MA in Economics in from Osmanai University through distance education.
Iran has launched a dialogue with the Taliban to secure its security interests linked to Afghanistan, and India, if it desires, can use this channel of communication to reach out to insurgents, people familiar with the developments said Tuesday.

Iran was the last among regional and global players, after the US, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, to open a dialogue with the Taliban and the first meeting between the two sides was held in Tehran on December 30, the people said.

However, Tehran had established contacts with the Taliban some time ago to protect its interests along the Afghan border. Though Irans sway over the Taliban is not as much as that of Pakistan, India is free to use this channel of communication to establish contacts with the group, the people cited above said.

India has so far ruled out talks with the Taliban, though it had non-official representation at a meeting under the Moscow format hosted by Russia in November. Indian officials are warily tracking what they term as Pakistans activism in the emerging processes to engage the Taliban.

The people said Iran believes the Taliban are a reality in Afghanistan but wants to ensure that the group is not exploited by outside powers such as the US and Saudi Arabia. Tehran is comfortable with the concept of a government in Kabul in which the Taliban are participants, but not a government in which the militants are the dominant participants, the people added. At the same time, Tehran has warned Islamabad that a Taliban-dominated Afghanistan represents an existential threat to Pakistan.

Since the US appointed Zalmay Khalilzad as the special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation and he established contact with the Taliban, a number of countries have launched parallel processes to reach out to the militants. Kab- ul is growing increasingly frustrated with these processes as it has not been a part of any of them.

The people pointed out that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were the only ones that had recognised the erstwhile Taliban regime in Kabul, while Khalilzad served as the contact person for US oil company Unocal, which helped the Taliban lobby with the US state department in 1997 to recognise the regime in Kabul.

Commodore (retired) C Uday Bhaskar, director of the Society for Policy Studies, said, In the current sort of turbulence driven by US President Donald Trump, the pieces in the Afghan quagmire are going to be rearranged. It would be prudent for India to look at certain options in the changed scenario, where the Taliban may have a more visible role in the future Afghanistan.
Nothing is going to save the Prime Minister from Rafale: Rahul Gandhi

Nothing is going to save the Prime Minister from Rafale. He has personally helped Anil Ambani. Did the Air Force, defecne minister object when Modi bypassed the old Rafale deal? I want an Yes/No answer. The nation is going to know, says Rahul Gandhi.

Govt removed CBI chief over Rafale probe, says Rahul Gandhi

CBI chief was removed at 1 AM in the night because he was about to begin an investigation in the Rafale scam. Now that he has been reinstated, some justice has been done. Now lets see what happens, says Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress President: CBI chief was removed at 1 AM in the night because he was about to begin an investigation in the Rafale scam. Now that he has been reinstated, some justice has been done. Now let's see what happens. pic.twitter.com/UncVjXK15s  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Centres midnight operation failed: Kapil Sibal

Kapil Sibal, Congress on SCs verdict on Alok Verma plea: Midnight operation to remove CBI Director had an objective, it was to not let Alok Verma function. The operation failed, the decision of both Centre and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) was held unconstitutional by SC.

Kapil Sibal, Congress on SC's verdict on Alok Verma plea: Midnight operation to remove CBI Director had an objective, it was to not let Alok Verma function. The operation failed, the decision of both Centre and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) was held unconstitutional by SC. pic.twitter.com/rxbxt5gFzU  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

SC has strengthened immunity to CBI: Jaitley

SC apparently has strengthened the immunity given to CBI director in larger interest of fair&impartial investigation. Therefore in accordance with direction of SC, orders will be complied with and the govt will act in the same manner, says Jaitley.

Action was perfectly bonafide: Jaitley

This action was taken perfectly bonafide as there were cross-allegations made by both the officers,&in accordance with recommendations of CVC.The govt had felt that in the larger interest of fair&impartial investigation&credibility of CBI,the 2 officers must recuse themselves, says Jaitley.

Govt not biased against anyone: Jaitley

Govt not biased against anyone. CVC exercised its powers of superintendence in connection with corruption in CBI,says Jaitley.

Govt acted on CVC recommendation: Jaitley

The government had taken this action of sending two senior officers of the CBI on leave on the recommendation of the CVC, says finance minister Arun Jaitley.

Alok Verma reinstatement is indictment of Modi: Kejriwal

Modi govt has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country, says Arvind Kejriwal. SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of Modi, he says.

Alok Verma removed for probing Rafale deal: Congress

Alok Verma was investigating the #RafaleScam, so he was illegally & undemocratically removed from his position. Today the SC has proven to PM Modi that democracy will always fight back. Where will NoMo hide, now that all his skeletons are falling out of the closet. Congress tweets.

Cong leader Kharge welcomes verdict

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on SCs verdict on Alok Verma plea: Were not against one individual, welcome SCs judgement, its a lesson for govt. Today youll use these agencies to pressurise people, tomorrow somebody else will, What will happen to democracy then?

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on SC's verdict on Alok Verma plea: We're not against one individual, welcome SC's judgement, it's a lesson for govt. Today you'll use these agencies to pressurise people, tomorrow somebody else will, What will happen to democracy then? pic.twitter.com/sAHEvuYNf8  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

SC gives committee a week to consider Vermas case

Supreme Court says the High Power Committee under DSPE Act to act within a week to consider his case.

SC quashes government order, reinstates Alok Verma as CBI chief

Supreme Court quashes government order, reinstates Alok Verma as CBI chief.
Assam and six other states in the northeast came to a near standstill on Tuesday as several student bodies enforced an 11-hour shutdown in protest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The shutdown comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government cleared changes to the Citizenship Act, prompting one of its regional allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), to break ties.

The bill will allow 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.

To be naturalised, applicants must have in India during the 12 months leading up to December 2014 and for 11 of the 14 years prior to that. This has become contentious because it can potentially inflame ethnic divides in the Northeast, where the influx of immigrants from Bangladesh has been a major issue over three decades.

In Assam, the call for the bandh was given by the All Assam Students Union (AASU), the influential students organisation. It has been supported by various other groups. The North East Students Organisation (NESO), an umbrella body of students organisations, also announced a shutdown.

Police patrolling is being done to prevent any untoward incident. We have done adequate deployment, Assam police chief Kuladhar Saikia said. Police said there are reports of some cases of violence but the details are still awaited. The shutdown began at 5:00am and will continue till 4:00pm.

Enforcers of the shutdown blocked roads, prevented vehicles from moving and burnt tyres on streets at various places across Assam since early morning. Educational institutions and commercial establishments downed shutters, but essential services were kept outside the purview of the shutdown.

The Centres move to pass the bill despite opposition in the region over the fear of indigenous communities getting sidelined by illegal immigrants shows how far BJP can go for vote bank politics, AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said while speaking to journalists.

Todays shutdown is just the beginning. If the bill is passed in Parliament, we will resort to more stringent means of protest. Legal avenues against the bill are also being explored, he added. The shutdown reflects the sentiments of a section of people who are vociferously opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

This bill is unconstitutional, illegal and immoral. It is not just a threat to Assam but to the Constitution. The preamble has secularism, right to equality, equality before law, said Akhil Gogoi, president of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti. We have explored all ways of protest. Now the only way left is to demand sovereignty.

The views are also echoed by other sections, including the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) faction who are in talks with the government. Assams people consider themselves Indians. But if the Centre is going to take actions which will make us a minority, we will have to reconsider if we want to stay with India, said Jiten Dutta, a pro-talk ULFA leader.
Stray incidents of violence over the Sabarimala row were reported from north Kerala on Tuesday even as the two-day general strike called by various trade unions against the Centres labour policies crippled normal life in the state.

Crude bombs were thrown at the houses of BJP and CPI(M) leaders in the early hours in Koyilandi in Kozhikkode as part of the continuing violence over the Sabarimala issue and the administration has called a peace meeting.

A Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) worker was stabbed in Mancheri in Malappuram district, police said. Sustaining serious injuries, he was rushed to the Kozhikkode Medical College Hospital. The RSS alleged workers of the Social Democratic Front of India, political wing of the fundamentalist Popular Front of India, were behind the attack.

The area has been witnessing sporadic incidents of violence after the shutdown called by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi on last Thursday.

The state had witnessed violence since the shutdown called after two women of reproductive age entered the hill temple and police have arrested more than 7000 people. The Centre and the CPI(M)-led state government had traded charges over the crackdown on protestors.

Police said the house of CPI(M) leader P Shiju came under attack and within hours, BJP leader K V Mukundans house was targeted. In both cases, no one was injured but the attack and its immediate retaliation showed preparedness of rival party cadres, said a senior police officer.

As stray incidents of violence continued in north Kerala, police have intensified searches for crude bombs and weapons. During one raid, 20-odd steel bombs were recovered from Kolavalur in Kannur district on Monday.

The trade union strike affected transport services across the state.

Though Left leaders claimed that they would not enforce the strike, in many areas, it turned into a forced shutdown. Besides road transport, train services were also affected in many parts of the state. Many people were seen stranded outside bus terminals, railway stations and airports. Many long-distance trains were running late and in the state capital, agitating employees have erected huge tents outside the secretariat, even blocking private vehicles.

Besides tourists, patients also faced a tough time in several places as taxis, autos and private vehicles were off the roads. In Manjeri in Malappuram, protestors and traders clashed after the former forced closure of shops.

The CPI (M)-affiliated Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) leader A Aanandan said the shutdown was complete and it really showed pent-up anger of the workforce.

The strike came amid the Kerala High Court ruling on Monday that t no shutdown will take place without seven- day notice as it heard a petition against recurring work disruption.
Activists and intellectuals of the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities criticised the government for proposing quotas for the economically weaker sections, alleging the move ran afoul of the Constitution.

The activists said the basis of reservation was historical inequality and underrepresentation, not poverty. Reservation is not a poverty alleviation programme. It is a question of representation of people who have been denied that in institutions for millennia. This move is obnoxious and a political stunt, said Vivek Kumar, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University.



Watch: Opposition slams 10% quota for economically weaker sections

Ashok Bharti, chairman of the National Confederation of Dalit Organisations, contended that forward castes are not underrepresented at any level of government. Giving people who are represented more than their share of population is not in line with the spirit of the Constitution. This is clear violation of the Constitution and an appeasement of upper castes, he said.

The ruling BJP has battled Dalit anger over a raft of issues  the 2016 suicide of PhD student Rohith Vemula, the flogging of Dalit men in Gujarats Una , the violence at Bhima Koregaon in 2018, and the dilution of the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court for which the Centre amended the law to roll back the changes.

Activists said Mondays move, which they called a dilution of social justice , could result in more ire from the community. The government wants to please forward castes. It also shows their bias towards the marginalised communities as they are more concerned about poor forward castes, said Manjula Pradeep, an activist from Gujarat.

Ramesh Nathan, general secretary of the National Dalit Movement for Justice, said adding communities to the quota pie hurt social justice. He added that a longstanding demand by some sections of the Muslim and Christian communities to get SC status was not heeded, despite repeated petitions. The government wants to pacify upper castes that is why they have proposed this.

Activists also contended that poor people existed in SC, ST and OBC categories, and if, economic backwardness is the parameter, additional quotas should be carved out for them as well. The governments move is unjust and it has just proved it is pro-upper caste in its thought, said Grace Banu, a Tamil Nadu-based transgender and Dalit rights activist.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has named Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani as the chairman of a special committee to assess the digitisation of payments in the country.

Nilekani will head the high-level five-member committee on deepening of digital payments.

Apart from Nilekani, the committee will have HR Khan, former deputy governor RBI, Kishore Sansi, former MD and CEO Vijaya Bank, Aruna Sharma, former secretary, ministry of Information technology and steel, and Sanjay Jain, chief innovation officer, Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship, IIM Ahmedabad.

As per the terms of reference, the committee will review the existing status of digitisation of payments in the country, identify the current gaps in the ecosystem and suggest ways to bridge them. It will also assess the current levels of digital payments in financial inclusion.

The five-member panel will also undertake cross-country analyses to identify the best practices that can be adopted in our country to accelerate digitisation of the economy and financial inclusion through greater use of digital payments.

It will also suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments as well as a medium term strategy for deepening of digital payments.

The Committee will submit its report within 90 days from the date of its first meeting.

Nilekani has earlier worked as the chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and oversaw the implementation of the Aadhaar card in the country during the UPA regime.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed reducing the U.S. trade deficit with India and increasing their cooperation in Afghanistan in a telephone call on Monday, the White House said.

The leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan, the White House said in a statement.

The United States has slapped tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium from India, part of Trumps drive to reduce the U.S. trade deficit and boost American manufacturing jobs.

India has threatened to retaliate but said it would not take action until the end of this month.

In Afghanistan, Trump is planning to withdraw more than 5,000 of the 14,000 U.S. troops there, a U.S. official said last month.

With a reduced military presence in Afghanistan, the United States would almost certainly have to curtail its missions, which include training and advising Afghan forces and waging an air campaign against the Taliban and other militant groups.
A womens court in Tamil Nadus Cuddalore on Monday sentenced a Christian pastor to 30-year prison term and 15 others, including eight women, to varying degrees of incarceration, for kidnapping, raping and forcing two minor girls into prostitution in 2014.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the Church of South India pastor, Aruldoss (60) of Viriddachalam in Cuddalore district, a coastal town 175 km from Chennai. Nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment.

On Friday, womens court judge, T Lingeswaran found 16 of the 17 accused guilty of various charges, including kidnapping, besides those under the POCSO Act.

According to the prosecution, one of the victims, a 13-year-old student of Government Higher Secondary School in Thittagudi near Cuddalore, while visiting an idli shop near the school saw Tamilarasi (40), the woman who ran it having intercourse with her paramour, Anandaraj. Tamilarasi caught the girl and forced her to have sex with her paramour and then with her husband as well.

When this became a routine and unbearable, the girl pleaded to be relieved, but was told to get another one to be set free. Believing this, she brought her friend aged 14, also studying in the school. But, the gang sexually assaulted both of them and forced them to into the sex trade, taking them to various places, including the pilgrimage centre, Velankanni.

Since the girls were missing since June 8, 2014, parents of the victims approached the police and a case was registered on July 11.

The girls somehow managed to escape and landed at Thittagudi and lodged a complaint with the police, narrating their ordeal in August 2014.

Pastor Aruldoss was among those who sexually abused the girls. According to prosecution, police investigation revealed that he had a habit of forcing the victims to watch pornography before raping them.

Anbazhagan (28) of Salem, the kingpin of the gang, was given a life term and fined Rs 3.21 lakh, while Anandaraj of Thirukandeswaram was sentenced to four life terms and fined Rs 2.1 lakh. Selvaraj was sentenced to three life terms and Rs 30,000 fine. Mohan Raj and Mathivanan were sentenced to two life terms each besides a fine of Rs 2 lakh.

The judge sentenced Fathima to two life terms with a fine of Rs 4.4 lakh and the driver, Sridhar, who took the teens to various places to two life terms and a fine of Rs 4.4 lakh. Kala and Lakshmi were both awarded two life terms and a fine of Rs 4.2 lakh each.

Public prosecutor K Selvapriya told the media that Tamilarasi, the idli shop owner, and her husband Satheesh have been absconding after jumping bail.
Protests spearheaded by trade unions across several states on Tuesday hit transport services and businesses as millions of workers pressed for social security provisions and better wages, among other demands, calling central policies pro-corporate and anti-worker.

Markets and business establishments were closed and passenger vehicles remained off the streets in some areas of the strike-hit states that included West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala and Maharashtra. Rajasthan and Assam also faced partial impact.

At least six trains were cancelled and many others diverted as workers associated with a group of 10 central trade unions launched the rail and rasta roko protest to push their 12-point charter of demands in the two-day protest. The protests come months after thousands of farmers marched to Parliament to highlight the deepening nationwide agrarian crisis. They alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party took an anti-farmer stance after coming to power.

The unprecedented expanse and active participation of the workers in the two-day strike is a clear indication of the extent of anger and resentment of the workers against the neo-liberal policies and the attacks on their working and living conditions perpetrated by the governments policies, the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), affiliated to the Communist Party of India, said as the protests were launched on Tuesday.

Employees and workers in sectors such as steel, oil, mines, docks and ports, transport, and insurance joined the strike. The unions will go on a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in central New Delhi on Wednesday. Protests were reported from some areas that house factories in the national capital.

Banking services were partially affected as All India Bank Employees Association and Bank Employees Federation of India supported the strike. Operations at SBI, the nations largest lender, and private sector banks were not affected.

The trade unions have alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people. The unions are also opposed to the proposed amendments to the Trade Union Act, 1926, saying they were irrational and damaging to the independent functioning of the unions.

In West Bengal, police resorted to lathi-charge in Hooghly district to control protesters. Clashes were reported in the North 24 Parganas district. Police arrested our workers even when they were standing on the pavement, alleged Communist Party of India (Marxist) central committee member Rabin Deb, who said the bandh had strong impact in West Bengal and Kerala. While West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said her government was opposed to the strike, state Congress president Somen Mitra said his party was extending moral support to the protesters.

BJP leaders said the common man had rejected the strike. In some places some left leaders and activists are creating commotion. Trinamool is deliberately trying to supply oxygen, so that CPI(M) can revive in the state, Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh alleged.

About 32,000 employees of Mumbais civic transport undertaking went on an indefinite strike over various demands, including higher salaries, prompting the state government to invoke the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act. The protest by the employees of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport coincided with the nationwide strike. Violence was reported from Odisha and Kerala as strikers clashed with police while enforcing the shutdown through road and railway blockades.

Even as thousands of industrial workers, labourers and Anganwadi workers took to the streets of Bengaluru and gathered in front of Town Hall demanding labour-friendly laws, government offices and bus and metro services remained largely unaffected. Ten central trade unions, except the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh-affiliated Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, are participating in the strike. The unions include Indian National Trade Union Congress, All India Trade Union Congress, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, CITU and All India United Trade Union Centre.

(With inputs from agencies)
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday apologised for her remarks made in 2016 about local youths.

In July 2016, while addressing a press conference with Union Home minister Rajnath Singh in Srinagar, when asked about the killings of youths in firing by security forces, Mehbooba Mufti had blamed miscreants for inciting children to violence and justified the killing of protesters by security forces

Most of the children killed (by security forces) died in retaliation for attacking army camps. The children didnt go to the army camps to buy milk or toffees, she had said.

Not only separatists but mainstream politicians had used the statement against Mehbooba on social media and political rallies, terming the remark as insensitive.

However, addressing party workers on the third death anniversary of her father, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, at Dara Shikoh park in south Kashmirs Bijbhera town, the former CM on Monday said,  Those remarks were aimed to show concern towards the lives of young boys who were put on front line by miscreants close to the police stations and army camps.

Mufti said the youths who were injured or killed by the police and army used to be part of her rallies whenever she used to visit South Kashmir.

As a mother, I used to feel the pain and made those remarks in anger. Often mothers get angry with their children and I was angry on how those young boys were put on forefront, she said.

Didnt I have this right to tell these children in a loud voice that you were a part of my rallies, why were you asked to stand in front of the protest demonstrations where you, God forbid, get injured. Still, I apologize. What else can I do?, the former CM added.

Forced to form government with BJP

The former CM said she was forced to form government with BJP after her fathers demise as her position to renegotiate was weakened by some of the party leaders.

After my fathers death, I didnt want to form government with the BJP and had put certain conditions, like getting back power projects, land under army at Anantnag, Tatoo ground, Kargil and other, to ally. People who were trying to create disturbance within the party went to Nagpur and told RSS leadership that they were ready to form government with BJP and break the party which weakened my position for renegotiation, she said.

Demands which were earlier accepted by the BJP got scuttled, the former CM added.

Modi wasted the mandate he got

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, PDP president said that Narendra Modi wasted the mandate he has got, turning things worse for Jammu and Kashmir.

He wasted the mandate he had got, not only for the entire country but also for J&K as he failed to adopt the policy of Atal Bihari Vajaypayee which turned things worse in the state, she said.

Highlighting the achievements during her tenure, the former CM said she had fulfilled various promises, especially amnesty to youth.

I tried to extend ceasefire for months, ensured justice in Rasana, didnt allow CBI to takeover cases like Shopian rape and murder and neither compromised on states special status nor allow BJP to tinker it, Mehbooba said.

Retaliating to the questions revolving around the series of resignations in the party, Mehbooba said that people with selfish goals have left the party and youth must come forward to join the same.

Six legislators including four former minister like Imran Raza Ansari, Haseeb Drabu, Javaid Mustafa Mir and Basharat Bukhari have left the party ahead of the 2019 assembly elections. Imran Ansari, Abbas Ansari and Abbas Wani have joined BJP ally Peoples Conference while Bukhari joined the National Conference.
The husband of a sarpanch candidate owing allegiance to the ruling Congress and two of his aides were arrested on Monday at Khalihara village in Jandiala subdivision of Amritsar district for allegedly killing his brother-in-law to get sympathy votes in the recently held panchayat elections, police said.

Those arrested are Jasmer Singh (47), a former sarpanch, his aides Titu Singh (48) of the same village and Jagir Singh (50) of Dashmesh Nagar in Amritsar city. Jasmers brother-in-law, Tejinder Singh (50) of Baba Sri Chand Colony in Amritsar was murdered at Khalihara on December 29, a day before elections for panchayats were held in Punjab.

Police said Jasmer also wanted to avenge the death of his brother Palwinder Singh alias Sona, an alleged militant, who was killed in a police encounter in 1991, since he suspected that Tejinder had tipped off cops about him.

Initially, police had booked six persons, including the husband of Akali Dal candidate Sandeep Kaur and two of his supporters on the basis of Jasmers complaint.

Jasmers wife Rupinder Kaur lost the election by 65 votes to Sandeep Kaur. He had told the police that on December 29 morning when he along with Titu, his domestic help, and Tejinder was canvassing in the village for his wife, Sandeep Kaurs husband Harjinder Singh and five other men from the village assaulted them with sticks and sharp-edged weapons.

He had claimed that while he and Titu managed to flee, Harjinder and his aides caught hold of Tejinder and hit him on the head with a wooden rod several times, killing him on the spot.

Addressing a press conference, senior superintendent of police (SSP-rural) Parampal Singh a said during investigation they found something fishy in Jasmers statement.

During his questioning, Jasmer confessed to have killed Tejider to get the sympathy of voters in favor of his wife besides taking revenge for brother Sonas death. We have o seized the spade used for killing Tejinder, he said.

A case under Sections 302 (murder), 506 (criminal intimidation), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly in prosecution of common object) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the arrested accused at the Jandiala police station.
Himachal Pradesh government on Monday issued a low danger avalanche warning for five state districts.

On the basis of information received from Chandigarh-based Snow Avalanche and Study Establishment (SASE), a warning has been issued for avalanche prone areas, including Kullu, Shimla, Chamba , Lahual and Spiti and Kinnaur districts.

According to the advisory, there are partly safe conditions and small size triggering is possible on few extreme slopes, the advisory issued by SASE read.

The warning comes after higher altitude areas of the state experienced moderate to heavy snowfall in the last 24 hours.

Road traffic disrupted, NH 5 reopens

The areas have been witnessing intermittent snow spell , snapping road and electricity connectivity across various regions.

The upper Shimla regions remained cut off from the rest of the state following heavy snow fall in the tourist resort Kufri, Kharapathar and Narkanda. Traffic on as many as 75 lateral roads across the state remained affected, while the National Highway Five connecting Punjabs Ferozepur to the sugar point Shipkila along China border was thrown open for vehicular movement on Monday. Kharpthar on the Theogh-Hatkotyi national highway was also cleared off snow.

Snow-clearing machines have been deployed at Kufri, besides extra traffic police for smooth movement of vehicles. an official said.

All the major roads in Shimla district were thrown open on Monday. The road connecting the Chopal to Khidki is still closed for traffic and would be cleared off snow by Tuesday, said Shimla deputy commissioner Amit Kashyap.

Meanwhile, all the officials at the sub-divsional level have been directed to take appropriate measures to ensure that ration supply is not disrupted during snowfall, he added.

Power outages

Electricity supply to various localities in Shimla remained suspended adding to peoples woes in extreme cold weather condition. The plummeted temperature affected the water supply in the state capital due to frozen pipelines in places, including United Service Club, Richmond, Lakkar Bazar and Jakhu locality.

Sunshine in Himachal after widespread snow

It was a bright and sunny on Monday morning in most parts of Himachal Pradesh after days of widespread snowfall. The minimum temperature settled at - 0.7 C in Shimla, which saw 5 cm of snow.

Shimlas nearby destinations like Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda experienced moderate snowfall in the past 24 hours.

Keylong, district headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti, was the coldest in the state at a minimum of -12 C. It saw 6 cm of snow.

Kalpa in Kinnaur district saw a low of -8.6 C, while the minimum temperature was -3.6 C in Manali, -1.9 C in Dalhousie, -4.5 C in Kufri and 1.8 C in Dharamsala.

Chail, a tourist resort 35km from Shimla, received 10cm of snow and recorded - 1.6C temperature while Bharmuar and Khadrala in Rohru witnessed 6 and 10 cm of snow, respectively.

Rains lashed towns in lower hills in Himachal Pradesh such as Dharamsala, Palampur, Solan, Nahan, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi, pushing down the mercury.

The Met said another western disturbance -- storm systems originating from Caspian Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region -- are likely to hit the western Himalayan region on January 8, bringing isolated to scattered precipitation.
Lok Sabha has passed a constitution amendment bill to introduce 10 per cent reservation for poorer sections among general category aspirants for jobs and educational institutions. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the bill had been supported by 323 members while only 3 members voted against it.

The bill  which was passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting  will be taken up by the Rajya Sabha tomorrow. This is the first time that economic status would entitle a person to reservation benefit at a national level.

The 10 per cent quota covers nearly 190 million people from the general category and is seen as an effort by the BJP-led national coalition to reach out to upper caste groups and once-dominant agrarian communities such as the Patidars, Jats, Gujjars and Marathas who have been lobbying for reservation.

The upper castes have a significant share in population in northern and central India states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and others. The Jats and Gujjars dominate Haryana, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh.

Opinion | The BJPs trump card: Reservations for the economically weaker sections of upper castes

The Congress, which had expressed reservations at the government pushing the bill without getting a parliamentary panel to study the law, also voted in favour of introducing the reservation.

Nearly 30 members participated in the debate, mostly in support of the bill that has been described by BJP leaders as a masterstroke and a game-changer.

The policy is good, so is the intention, said social justice minister Thawar Chand Gehlot responding to criticism in Lok Sabha during the debate that politics, and not public interest, had driven the government to time the initiative just months before the Lok Sabha elections.

Poor people from across all religious communities... will benefit from this amendment, said Gehlot shortly before voting was to begin.

The minister said the government could be criticised, rightly so, that the centre had brought the amendment bill at the last moment. Yes, we were late... but our intentions are good, he said.

Read more| Landmark moment: PM Modis thank you tweet after Lok Sabha clears quota bill

DMK chief MK Stalin had declared well before the debate started that his party opposes the bill because the quota should be based on social backwardness and not economic status. Tamil Nadus ruling AIADMK party said quota cannot be based on economic status and would be struck down in courts.

For the economically weaker sections, this government has brought several pro-poor schemes and the reservation is needed only if government schemes have failed, AIADMK leader Thambidurai said, before walking out of the house.

Also read | Who is eligible to quality for the new 10% quota in general category

Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM had opposed the bill, which he had described as a fraud on the Constitution. Its an insult to BR Ambedkar. Its against the spirit of the Constitution, he said during the debate.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had earlier addressed concerns raised by the Congress pulled out the opposition partys manifesto for the 2014 elections to ask the party that it should support the bill whole-heartedly, not grudgingly.

He also hit out at the Congress which had described the bill as a jumla, or a false promise. This jumla had come from them (Congress), Jaitley said.
The Lok Sabha cleared amendments to the Citizenship Act on Tuesday even as much of the countrys north-east was paralysed by protests against the legislation, which seeks to grant citizenship to religious minorities in neighbouring countries.

The citizenship amendment bill will now need to be cleared by Rajya Sabha, where the government does not have a majority and the Opposition has slammed the legislation as divisive and flawed.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh, while arguing in favour of the law in Lok Sabha, said the initiative was crucial to protect people, except the Muslim majority, who flee persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. They have no place to go to, except India.

Referring to the protests in the north-east, Singh tried to allay fears by saying that the burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden. Government of India is committed to give all help to the state government and people of Assam. Instances of violence were reported from Assam and Tripura as most of the seven north-eastern states shut down.

In Tripura, the shutdown was limited to tribal areas.



Read more| Tripura suspends SMS, mobile internet for two days amid protest against Citizenship Bill

The government in Tripura imposed a 48-hour ban on SMS and mobile data services after seven people were injured in a clash in Madhabbari in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council. In Assams Dibrugarh and Golaghat districts, BJP offices came under attack from angry protestors. Fourteen people have been arrested in Dibrugarh while four have been arrested in Golaghat and two in Guwahati, said Mukesh Agarwal, additional director general of police, Law and Order.

The protests, which began on Monday, reflect the ethnic divisions in a region where people see migrants as those who take away jobs from indigenous groups.

The bill provides for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years, which is the norm currently, even if they do not possess any document.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), BJPs partner in the frontier state, has already snapped ties even as allies Shiv Sena and the JD(U) vehemently opposed the legislation.

Trinamools Saugata Roy dubbed the bill as divisive and insidious.

Singh recalled that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, when the latter was the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, had asked the then BJP-led government to be more liberal in dealing with the issue of persecuted minorities in Bangladesh.
Trade unions strike evokes mixed response on Day 1, complete bandh in Kerala

The strike by 10 central trade unions evoked a mixed response on Tuesday as five states, including Kerala, Odisha and Assam, witnessed complete bandh while sporadic incidents of violence were reported in West Bengal and Rajasthan.

Central trade unions, except RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, launched the two-day nationwide strike Tuesday to protest against proposed labour reforms and worker policies of the BJP-led government. The bandh partly affected the public life in most of the states and Union Territories.

Active participation of workers indicates extent of anger against govt: Centre of Indian Trade Union

The expanse and active participation of workers in the two-day strike which began Tuesday is a clear indication of the extent of their anger and resentment against the policies of the government, the CITU said.

It said that around 20 crore workers from all sectors of the economy have participated in the strike across the country. The strike would continue on January 9.

The unprecedented expanse and active participation of the workers in the two-day strike is a clear indication of the extent of anger and resentment of the workers against the neo-liberal policies and the attacks on their working and living conditions perpetrated by the governments policies, said the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) in a statement.

No major impact barring some stray incidents of violence reported in West Bengal

Barring some stray incidents of violence on Tuesday, the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions protesting against anti-people policies of the centre failed to evoke much response in West Bengal.

Elaborate security arrangements made by the Trinamool Congres government foiled the striking unions bid to stall the normal life in the state.

Government offices, IT sector and port activities were normal, while banking sector experienced partial impact with some branches and ATMs closed. Workers in tea gardens also worked like normal days.

Trade unions strike evokes mixed response in Cgarh

Banking and postal services were partially affected in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday as the Central Trade Unions went on a two-day nationwide strike against the governments alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.

Employees of some of the major banks, insurance companies and post offices joined the strike, which evoked a mixed response in the state.

Protesters burn tyres in Guwahati

Strike supporters burn tyres in Guwahati.

Assam: Visuals of protest from Hengrabari area of Guwahati. #CitizenshipAmendmentBill pic.twitter.com/MpSWogt2qW  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Trade union leaders assure of peaceful protests in Kerala

Trade union leaders had earlier said they would not force closure of shops. The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi has said it would keep its commercial establishments open.

Shops open in Thiruvananthapuram

Shops at many places in Thiruvananthapuram are open and the popular Mittayi Theruvu (sweet street) in Kozhikode is buzzing.

Private buses off Kerala roads

Sabarimala pilgrims at base camp Nilackal complain that they have been waiting for hours to reach the hill shrine. Private buses are keeping off roads.

KSRTC plying buses to Pamba for Sabarimala pilgrims

To ensure that Sabarimala pilgrims are not affected by the strike, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has been operating buses from various destinations to Pamba, the foothills of the Sabarimala temple. However, KSRTC buses are not plying on other routes.

Sabarimala pilgrims exempted from strike in Kerala

Sabarimala pilgrims, tourists, social and religious functions have been exempted from the strike in Kerala.

Trains stopped in Kerala

In Kerala, trains were stopped at Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura and Shoranur railway stations. Venad Express, which runs from Thiruvananthapuram to Shoranur Junction daily, was delayed by more than one hour as agitators squatted on tracks. Other trains stopped were the Jan Shatabdi and Raptisagar Express.

Political parties in Odisha extend support to strike

Different political parties in Odisha, including the ruling BJD and its trade union front Biju Sramika Samukhya, have extended support to the strike.

Educational institutions shut in Odisha

Educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities remained shut in view of the strike. A notification in this regard was issued by the state government on Monday, an official said.

Demonstrations in Paradip

In the port town of Paradip in Odisha, activists staged a demonstration near five gates of the port and blocked the road leading to the IOCL refinery at Rangiagarh, police said.

Roads blocked in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack

In Bhubaneswar, trade union activists staged picketing and road blockade by burning tyres at several places and busy thoroughfares. They held a sit-in at Master Canteen Square. In Cuttack, activists picketed and blocked roads at various places, besides staging a rail roko at the railway station.

Vehicular movement comes to a halt in Odisha

Shops, markets, business establishments, educational institutions and offices remained closed in Odisha, while vehicular movement virtually came to a grinding halt across the state. Roads wore a deserted look with vehicles, including government and private buses, refraining from playing, while a large number of passengers were seen stranded in bus stands in many places.

Train services hit in Odisha

Train services were hit in Odisha as trade union activists staged rail roko at many places including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Jaleswar, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Paradip, police said.

Over a dozen trains were delayed due to blockade of railway tracks by strike supporters, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at many places, they said.

Schools shut in many Karnataka districts

In many districts of Karnataka, holiday was declared in schools and colleges, with examinations being postponed. There were complaints about auto drivers charging exorbitant fares. Hotels, shops and establishments such as malls and film theatres functioned as usual.

Mixed response in Karnataka

While buses of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) stayed off the roads in most parts of the state, causing inconvenience to the people travelling to distant places, private buses, auto, taxi and metro services were available as usual.

People foiled the strike: TMC

The strike has been foiled by people. It is a tactic of bandh supporters to create disturbances at a few spots and claim that the entire state has been paralysed, said Trinamool Congress secretary general and West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee.

Clashes between Left and TMC workers in Bengal

In West Bengal, clashes between supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition CPI(M) were reported from Sodepur, Asansol and Jamuria. The clashes reportedly broke out as CPI(M) workers tried to enforce the strike, after which TMC supporters confronted them.

Police indulged in excesses: CPI(M)

Police indulged in excesses. They arrested our workers even when they were standing on the pavement and were yet to start any agitation, said CPI(M) central committee member Rabin Deb, adding that West Bengal and Kerala were the two states where the effects of the bandh were the most prominent.

WATCH | CPI(M), Trinamool Congress workers clash in Bengal

Operations in SBI and private banks unaffected

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) are supporting the strike, which has impacted banking operations where these two unions are strong. Operations in SBI and private banks remain unaffected as seven other bank unions are not part of the strike.

Banking operations partially affected

Banking operations affected in some parts of the country as a section of employees refrained from work in support of the strike, reports PTI.

Mixed response in tea plantations

There was mixed response in the tea plantations.

Of the 87 tea gardens in Darjeeling hills, 30 are closed. Most of the closed gardens are in Mirik valley, said Saman Pathak, former Rajya Sabha MP from the CPI(M) and Darjeeling district chief of CITU.

Protesters take out rally in Bengals Siliguri

In Siliguri, West Bengals second largest city, protesters organised a big procession. But the trading hub in the city was open, though roads had fewer vehicles compared to a normal working day.

Roads, railway tracks blocked in Kolkatas Jadavpur

Jadavpur in south Kolkata became a major flashpoint for strike supporters. While some agitators blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur railway station, others blocked the arterial Raja Subodh Chandra Mallick Road about 300 metres away. Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed to disperse the agitators at the station.

SFI activists stage protest

Members of Students Federation of India (SFI) stage agitation at the gates of Presidency University in Kolkata.

JNU students unions support strike

AITUC general secretary Amarjeet Kaur tells PTI that Jawaharlal Nehru University students unions have expressed solidarity.

Strike successful in industrial areas: AITUC

The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur, Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana  particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines, Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), tells PTI.

Additional buses on Bengal roads

West Bengal transport minister Suvendu Adhikari had said the government would ensure 500 additional buses on the roads to counter the bandh.

Mamata says wont allow disruption of normal life

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said that though the Trinamool Congress opposes the policies of the central government that the strike is supposed to protest, the state government is against bandhs and she would not allow disruption of normal life.

Congress provides moral support for strike

West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra announced earlier that they had moral support for the strike. The BJP opposed the bandh.

Clashes in Bengal

Clashes break out between Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) workers in Bengals Asansol.

West Bengal: Clash between TMC and CPM workers in Asansol during 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public and government sector. pic.twitter.com/5oM6TWxnx7  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Rallies in Kerala

Protesters take out rallies in Kochi and Trivandrum in Kerala.

#Kerala: 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public and government sector; Visuals from Kochi (pic1&2) and Trivandrum (pic 3) pic.twitter.com/cuKkicTzJW  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Traffic hit in Bhubaneswar

Traffic movement affected on NH-16 due to protest by central trade unions in Bhubaneswar.

Odisha: Traffic movement affected on National Highway 16 due to protest by Central Trade Unions in Bhubaneswar. Their demands include minimum wages and social security among others., pic.twitter.com/chGKdZk3x3  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Most schools open in Kolkata

Traffic normal on NH-2 connecting Kolkata and Delhi. In Kolkata, most schools are open and attendance near normal.

Protests in New Delhi

All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) members hold protest in Patparganj industrial area in New Delhi against privatisation of public and government sector and demanding minimum wages, social security, among others.

Delhi: All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) members hold protest in Patparganj industrial area against privatisation of public and government sector and demanding minimum wages, social security among others pic.twitter.com/jbfilCAwYN  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

School bus attacked, driver beaten up in Bengal

Scuffles broke out between police and protesters in West Bengals Asansol. In Barasat, a school bus was attacked and the driver beaten up.

Protesters block trains in Bengal

Protests underway at Rupsa, Jaleswar and Datan in Bhadrak-Kharagpur railway section and Raghunathbari in Haldia railway section, reports news agency ANI.

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty detained in Bengal

Police detain leader of the CPI(M) in state assembly Sujan Chakraborty and several Left workers after he led a procession of protesters in south Kolkatas Jadavpur and blocked an arterial road.

Bus driver sports helmet fearing attack

Buddhadev Bakshi, a driver of Calcutta State Transport Corporation (CSTC), sports a helmet given by the department fearing attacks during the two-day Bharat Bandh called by central trade unions, in Kolkata.

Protesters block trains, throw banana leaves on overhead wires

Train services came to a halt in West Bengals Madhyamgram, Hasnabad-Bongaon, Krishnagar, Duttapukur and Lakshmikantapur. At Sodepur in North 24 Parganas district, protesters threw banana leaves on overhead wires to disrupt train movement. Trains were also blocked in Samudragarh station of East Burdwan district.

Police lathicharge protesters in Bengal

Police resort to lathi charge in Srirampore in Hooghly district of West Bengal as protesters try to remove roadblocks. Scuffles broke out in Barasat and Belgharia in North 24 Parganas district as well. Protesters also vandalised a bus at Garia in the south fringes of Kolkata.

Protests in Karnataka

Protesters take out rally in Hubli, Karnataka.

#Karnataka: 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public and government sector; Visuals from Hubli pic.twitter.com/Gr6so1MwTJ  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Police detain CPI(M) workers in Kolkata

Police in Kolkata, West Bengal, detain CPI(M) workers protesting in support of the 48-hour nationwide strike called by central trade unions.

West Bengal: Police in Kolkata detain CPM workers protesting in support of 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions. Their demands include minimum wages and social security schemes among others. pic.twitter.com/Bub5airQ1Y  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Protesters block roads in Bhubaneswar

Members of central trade unions hold protests and block commuters in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, demanding minimum wages and social security schemes, among others.

Odisha: Members of Central Trade Unions hold protests & block commuters in Bhubaneswar demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. Central Trade Unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike over several demands. pic.twitter.com/5LgEWntTEQ  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Protesters block railway line in Howrah

Members of central trade unions block railway line in Howrah, West Bengal, demanding minimum wages and social security schemes, among others.

West Bengal: Members of Central Trade Unions block railway line in Howrah demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. Central Trade Unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike over several demands. pic.twitter.com/o4FvWpFWdK  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Protesters block train in Assam

Central trade unions have called for a two-day nationwide strike demanding minimum wages and social security schemes, among others.

Assam: Central Trade Unions have called a two-day nationwide strike demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others; Visuals from Guwahati pic.twitter.com/vbcQfCKk9m  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019
India is exploring the possibility of selling the BrahMos cruise missile to Indonesia, and a team from the Indo-Russian joint venture that makes the weapon system visited a state-run shipyard in Surabaya last year to assess the fitting of the missile on Indonesian warships, people familiar with developments said.

Besides the BrahMos, India has offered to supply coastal defence radars and marine grade steel to Indonesia and to service the Russian-made Su-30 combat jets flown by the Indonesian air force as part of efforts to deepen bilateral defence and military cooperation, the people said.

India has earlier held talks with the Vietnam government for the sale of the BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile developed by an Indo-Russian joint venture set up in 1998. The Indian Navy inducted the missile on its frontline warships in 2005.

Though India and Indonesia have not reached a final agreement on the sale of the BrahMos, the visit of the a team from the Indo-Russian company to the state-run PT PAL shipyard on the sidelines of the Indo Defence 2018 expo late last year was a significant step forward in efforts to sell the weapon system to a foreign country.

The BrahMos team was invited to visit the state-run ship-building enterprise and had a look at the Indonesian platform, a person said. The inspection of the warships was focused on fitting the BrahMos system on them, the people cited above said.

Though there has been some traction in Indias offer of coastal defence radars to Indonesia, matters were more advanced in considering the BrahMos system, the people added.

A group of MPs from the commission on defence, foreign and information affairs of Indonesias lower house of parliament had visited the BrahMos headquarters last year, the people said.

It is a good proposition to have deeper defence cooperation with India because it has advanced technology that it is both functional and economical, the first person cited above said. Indian technology is not as complicated as technology from the West as it is of good value for regional countries, the person added.

Commodore (retired) C Uday Bhaskar, director of the Society for Policy Studies, said: It is significant if India is offering the BrahMos missile to Indonesia. It enhances the relevance of Indias military profile as a credible exporter of cruise missile technology.

Besides the BrahMos, India had offered to sell marine grade steel and to service the Indonesian Air Forces Su-30 combet jets, which are very similar to the Su-30s flown by the Indian Air Force, the people said.

On the other hand, Indonesias state-run Pindad enterprise is bidding for the Indian Armys contract to acquire a new assault rifle, the people said. This is currently at the request for proposal stage and the rifle offered by Indonesia has consistently performed well at regional shooting competitions, the people said.

The Indonesian and Indian armies have held exercises for several years and the first bilateral naval wargame was held last November. The first bilateral air force exercise is expected to be held in 2019, the people said.
Calling the Supreme Courts order on the reinstatement of CBI chief Alok Verma a balanced decision, union finance minister Arun Jaitley said that the government is not against any individual.

He said that the Supreme Court had upheld the independence and dignity of the CBI he clarified that the governments order (taken on October 23 when Alok Verma was sent on leave in a midnight drama), was taken as per the CVCs recommendations.

The governments action was perfectly bonafide as there were cross allegations made by both the officers and in accordance with the recommendations of the CVC. The government had felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the two officers must recuse themselves, he said.

Also read: How the feud between CBI chief Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana unfolded

The Supreme Court has has upheld the CBIs dignity, honour and independence. The CBI legislation says that in matters related to corruption, the CVC has jurisdiction, he said.

The CVC had exercised its power under the power of superintendence. Weve not read the judgement of the SC, but it could be a view that the court has taken. That if superintendence results in the chief relinquishing his powers temporarily then the jurisdiction of the committee comes into play. Therefore, the court has referred the matter to that Committee to decide on that issue within one week. And in accordance with the directions of the court it will be complied with and the government will act in the same manner. The government is not biased, Jaitley said.

Watch: Supreme Court reinstates CBI director Alok Verma

CBI Director Alok Verma and his deputy, Rakesh Asthana, had been relieved of their duties on October 23 in a midnight drama and sent on forced leave. Verma had moved the Supreme Court challenging his dismissal.

The Supreme Court in its order on Tuesday set aside the government order of October 23 and reinstated Verma as the CBI director, but placed certain restrictions on his powers. The court directed Verma to cease and desist from taking any major policy decisions until the Selection Committee does not meet and give its decision. In its order, the Supreme Court directed the Selection Committee to meet within a week and discuss Alok Vermas continuation as CBI director. The Selection Committee is headed by the Prime Minister and includes the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition.

CBI Director Alok Vermas tenure ends on January 31.

Meanwhile, the opposition has welcome the Supreme Courts decision.

In three tweets, the Congress welcomed the Courts decision saying that Alok Verma had been illegally and undemocratically removed from his position.

We welcome the Supreme Courts verdict lambasting the govt. against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director. The SC has reinstated Alok Verma as director.

Alok Verma was investigating the Rafale Scam, so he was illegally and undemocratically removed from his position. Today the SC has proven to PM Modi that democracy will always fight back.

Where will NoMo hide, now that all his skeletons are falling out of the closet. When PM Modi illegally removed CBI Director Alok Verma from his position he insulted both the Constitution of India and the Indian people. Todays SC verdict proves that democracy and justice will always triumph, the Congress tweets said.

Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM. Modi govt has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country. Wasnt CBI director illegally removed at midnight to stall the probe in Rafale scam which directly leads to PM himself?

The midnight operation (of October 23) had a purpose, to prevent Alok Verma from discharging his duties. That operation failed. The decision of both Centre and Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) was held unconstitutional by Supreme Court, Senior lawyer and Congress leader Kapil Sibal said.
A constitution amendment bill to introduce 10 per cent reservation for poorer sections among general category aspirants for jobs and educational institutions reached the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot tabled the bill in the Lok Sabha that has started a discussion on the bill ahead of a vote on its passage.

The discussion comes just a day after the Union Cabinet cleared the draft legislation which BJP leaders have variously described as a masterstroke and a game changer.

The Congress and opposition parties such as Mayawatis BSP see the BJP-led national coalitions bill as an attempt to reach out to the upper caste ahead of general elections a few months later. But they have made it clear that they will support the legislation in parliament.

The bill has to be passed in each House by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.

Also read | Modi govt okays 10% quota in general category. Heres who will benefit

After that, it will have to be passed by at least half of all state legislatures. Asked whether the Congress will support a bill for the quota in Parliament, Surjewala said, The son or daughter of a person who is economically poor should get their share in education and employment. We will support all steps for this.

Social Justice Minister Gehlot told the Lok Sabha that the bill seeks to benefit people suffering due to economic incapacity.

The economically weaker sections have largely remained excluded from attending higher educational institutions and employment on account of their financial incapacity, the bill said.

The benefits of general reservation are largely unavailable to them and the amendment proposed seeks to rectify that, the bill adds.

People who have an annual income less than 8 lakh, own less than 5 acre farm land, have house smaller than 1,000 sq feet in a town or a 100 sq yard house in notified municipal area would qualify for the proposed quotas.

The 10 per cent quota covers nearly 190 million people from the general category and is seen as an effort to reach out to upper caste groups and once-dominant agrarian communities such as the Patidars, Jats, Gujjars and Marathas who have been lobbying for reservation.

The upper castes have a significant share in population in northern and central India states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and others. The Jats and Gujjars dominate Haryana, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh.

Also read | Election stunt: Mayawati on Centres move to give 10% quota to economically weak

With Modi, a leader from the backward community, as the prime minister and partys most prominent face, the BJP reaped benefits of its growing acceptance among the non-Yadav backward communities in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and others. All this while, the upper castes, the BJPs traditional voters, remained loyal to the party.

But there had been indications in the recent state elections that a section of the upper castes could shift. A BJP general secretary said that the party suffered in Chhattisgarh because of a complete shift of OBC votes towards the Congress.

Of late, there was a realisation about a sense of disenchantment among the upper castes too. The Congresss ability to draw upper caste voters towards itself in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh was a worry. We needed to correct this situation, a union minister said.
Protesters blocked roads and stopped trains in many parts of the country on Tuesday as ten central trade unions called a two-day strike to protest the Narendra Modi governments anti-worker policies and rising unemployment among others.

Violence was reported from West Bengal, Odisha and Kerala as agitators clashed with police while enforcing the shutdown through road and railway blockades.

Members of the trade unions blocked railway lines in West Bengals Howrah, Madhyamgram, Hasnabad-Bongaon, Krishnagar, Duttapukur and Lakshmikantapur stations. At Sodepur in North 24 Parganas, protesters threw banana leaves on the overhead wires to disrupt train movement. Trains were also blocked in Samudragarh station of East Burdwan district.

Several leaders were also detained during the protests in the eastern state.

In Kerala, trains were stopped in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura and Shoranur railway stations. Venad Express, which runs from the state capital to Shoranur Junction daily, was delayed by more than one hour as agitators squatted on tracks, blocking its route, and raised slogans. Jan Shatabdi and Raptisagar Express were the other trains which were stopped.

Follow live updates on Bharat bandh here

Shops at many places in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram were open and as union leaders had assured businesses they would not force the closure of shops and target traders. The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi has said it would open its commercial establishments.

Train services were also hit at many places in Odisha including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Jaleswar, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Paradip, police said.

Over a dozen trains were delayed due to blockade of railway tracks by strike supporters, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at many places, they said.

Shops, markets, business establishments, educational institutions and offices remained closed, while vehicular movement virtually came to a grinding halt across the state during the strike.

Mixed response

The shutdown had a mixed response in Karnataka on, with government offices and bus services functioning normally in most parts of the state.

Thousands of trade union members and workers have joined the strike demanding a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month and abolishing the contract system among other demands, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) leader MD Harigovind said, according to news agency IANS.

Even as thousands of industrial workers, labourers and Anganwadi workers took to the streets of Bengaluru and gathered in front of the Town Hall demanding labour-friendly laws, government offices and bus and metro services remained largely unaffected.

Most of 2,000-odd IT firms and 750 multi-national companies that Bengaluru is home to were open.

Schools and colleges across the state, however, remained shut and exams scheduled were put off. Many commercial establishments and shops, too, remained closed in support of the strike.

A senior leader of Labour Progressive Union (LPF) said the strike received a mixed response in Tamil Nadu.

Members of our affiliated unions have not attended duty. Nearly 50% of the bus services in Chennai are not plying. In other cities, about 30-40% buses are on the roads operated by members of the ruling party union, LPF General Secretary M. Shanmugam told IANS.

He said the response to the strike was positive from the unorganised sector like construction workers and others.

The response for the strike call is good in industrial estates in Sriperumbudur and others. In some continuous process industries where shutdown is not possible like the power plants, workers are holding demonstrations, Shanmugam said.

Asked about the absence of difference between the Congress and BJP in their economic policies, Shanmugam said: The Congress would at least listen to us and act. But BJP does not listen to the workers.

Banking and insurance services in Tamil Nadu too were affected as the staff there is also striking work.

Inter-state bus services to Kerala and Karnataka were terminated at the border to prevent any untoward incidents.

Charter of demands

At least ten central trade unions, except the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh-affiliated Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), are participating in the strike. The unions striking include Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the workers arm of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), among others.

Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan, a powerful platform of farmers bodies, has lent support to the strike, which may help trade unions penetrate rural areas as well. Student and teacher organisations of various universities have also declared their support to the strike, the unions have said.

Banking services are also affected as the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees Federation of India has informed the Indian Banks Association (IBA) of the two-day nationwide strike.

The trade unions have alleged in a joint statement that the government undermined tripartism and continued its aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people.

The unions are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, saying they are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions.

The central trade unions had given the call for a nation-wide strike during a convention held in September last year.

They accused the government of arrogantly ignoring the 12-point Charter of Demands on minimum wage, universal social security, workers status and including pay and facilities for the scheme workers, against privatisation of public and government sector including financial sectors.

(With agency inputs)
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the Supreme Court order reinstating Alok Verma as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director has done some justice.

Verma was asked to go on leave in a midnight order on October 23, prompting him to rush to the top court challenging the administrative orders.

CBI chief was removed at 1 AM in the night because he was about to begin an investigation in the Rafale scam. Now that he has been reinstated, some justice has been done. Now lets see what happens, Gandhi said.

The Congress welcomed the verdict and said it showed that democracy will always fight back.

We welcome the Supreme Courts verdict lambasting the govt. against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI director, the party tweeted.

Linking the CBI chiefs removal to the controversial Rafale deal, the party said, Alok Verma was investigating the #RafaleScam, so he was illegally & undemocratically removed from his position. Today the SC has proven to PM Modi that democracy will always fight back. Where will NoMo hide, now that all his skeletons are falling out of the closet.

Read: How the CBI feud between chief Alok Verma and deputy Rakesh Asthana unfolded

Party leader Mallikarjun Kharge also welcomed the Supreme Court order saying it was a lesson for the government.

The leader of the Congress, the largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha said, Were not against one individual, we welcome SCs judgment, its a lesson for govt. Today youll use these agencies to pressurise people, tomorrow somebody else will, What will happen to democracy then?

Kharge has separately petitioned the Supreme Court against the midnight order removing Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana, seeking that he, being a member of the selection panel that appoints a CBI chief, be heard before any order is passed.

The CBI director is appointed by a panel comprising the prime minister, the chief justice and the leader of the opposition.

The tenure and term of the CBI director is protected and even the process of transfer cannot be effected without the previous consent of the Committee, Kharge had said.

The top court on Tuesday cancelled the governments October order to divest Verma of all powers as the chief of the probe agency. But the top court ruled that Alok Verma cannot take any major policy decisions till the selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decides on the issue.

The top court has given this selection committee, which also comprises the Chief Justice of India and leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha (kharge in this case), one week to meet and discuss the issue.
Congress legislator NP Prajapati was on Tuesday elected speaker of the Madhya Pradesh assembly in the absence of Opposition MLAs who walked out of the House to protest the pro tem speakers refusal to allow them to propose BJP MLA Vijay Shahs name for the post.

Ex-chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called it a black day in the history of MP assembly. As the proceedings began on the second day of the assembly session, pro tem speaker Deepak Saxena read out four motions from the treasury benches for election of Prajapati (60) to the post. The fifth motion from the Opposition proposed Vijay Shahs (56) name for the constitutional post.

Minister for cooperative Govind Singh requested the pro tem speaker to take up the treasury benches motions first, citing rules. The BJP MLAs then entered the well of the House when the pro tem speaker didnt entertain their plea to take up all the motions together and allow voting in the House for the post.

Amid sloganeering, leader of the Opposition Gopal Bhargava and ex-chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that they would boycott the proceedings after which the BJP MLAs staged a walkout. In the absence of opposition legislators, Congress MLAs proposed the name of Prajapati, following which the pro tem speaker ordered a voice vote. Later on the demand of BSP MLA Sanjeev Singh, the pro tem speaker announced a division of vote that showed Prajapati had secured all the 120 votes of Congress and its allies. In the House of 230 MLAs, the Congress has 114 and BJP 109 members.

The Congress enjoys support of four independent MLAs, two BSP legislators and one SP MLA. The pro tem speaker didnt participate in the voting. Chief minister Kamal Nath said the Opposition knew well right from the morning that it didnt have the numbers in its favour. Thats why it adopted such a strategy [walkout], he said. Later, speaking to mediapersons, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh accused the BJP of horse-trading. He also alleged some BJP legislators had offered ~25 crore-~100 crore to a few MLAs in exchange of voting for the BJP nominee. Later, the Opposition MLAs led by Bhargava and Chouhan met governor Anandiben Patel and submitted a memorandum on the matter.

The pro tem speaker read out four motions in reference to just one candidate whereas he didnt read out the fifth motion which was in the business list. The election proceeding was carried [out] without taking into the consideration the fifth motion. It was a murder of democracy, the memorandum read.
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday set up a new five-member constitution bench headed by him, and comprising justices SA Bobde, NV Ramana, UU Lalit and DY Chandrachud to hear the contentious Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case on Thursday.

The bench  it includes the present chief Justice of India and, potentially, the next four chief justices of India  will on Thursday decide whether the decades-old title dispute will be heard on a daily basis.

The court was originally supposed to hear the case in October, but after this was deferred to January, several right-wing groups affiliated to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have been demanding a law or executive order to facilitate the building of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a recent interview that his government would wait for the courts to rule on the case.

The setting up of a five-judge bench is significant because last year, the Supreme Court rejected the demand of Muslim parties to refer the Ayodhya title dispute to larger bench. That demand came in the context of its own observations in an earlier judgement by five judges in the 1994 Ismail Faruqui case.

In that case, the court held that a mosque is not an essential part of the practice of the religion of Islam and namaz by Muslims can be offered anywhere, even in the open.

Muslim petitioners in the Ram Janmabhoomi case said that the Ayodhya title dispute could not be decided until that judgement was revisited.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court in September ruled that the earlier observation was in the context of acquisition of land.

It further stated that those observations were neither relevant for deciding for suits nor for these appeals.

The case was then listed before a three-judge bench, which is why the CJIs decision to constitute a larger bench has taken everyone by surprise.

All parties in the case have welcomed the setting up of the new and larger bench.

Advocate Ejaz Maqbool , appearing for one of the Muslim parties in the case, said, CJI has an exclusive jurisdiction to refer any matter to a larger bench. This is what we had argued earlier but the former CJI committed a grave error and rejected our demand. Moreover when issues of national ramification like Sabraimala and other cases can be heard by a five- judge bench why should the Babri case not be heard by a similar composition?

Advocate Vishnu Jain of Hindu Mahasabha, one of the parties to the case, said: Even though the demand for referring the case to a larger bench was rejected earlier by the Supreme Court, the CJI has the exclusive power to set up benches in important matters. We will argue the matter before the five-judge bench and we are not into bench hunting.

Constitutional expert and senior advocate Chander Uday Singh welcomed the CJIs move to set up a larger bench in light of the importance of the case. He said: Notwithstanding the earlier judicial pronouncements, the CJIs power to set up benches is absolutely sacrosanct. This is the legal position. The CJI has done the right thing.

Hoping for an early resolution to the contentious matter , Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesperson Vinod Bansal said :  (We) Hope the newly constituted five-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court headed by the CJI will be able to deliver its verdict on Ram Mandir soon, after day-to -day hearing of the case.

Fourteen cross-appeals have been filed against the Allahabad high courts 2010 judgement dividing the 2.77 acre land equally among the three parties  the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and RamLalla, or infant Ram, represented by the Hindu Mahasabha. The matter has been pending before the top court since 2010.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has paid Rs 9,406 crore in three years  2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18  to the government of India as dividend to buyback its shares and as tax on buyback and dividend, according to the financial statements of the company and documents accessed by Hindustan Times, perhaps explaining the poor financial health of the state-owned company.

Over a five year period, including 2013-14 and 2014-15, the number increases to Rs 11,024 crore.

In addition, the so-called receivables (or amount owed for completed work) on its books are a staggering Rs 15,000 crore, with much of this being owed to the company by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

As a result, the company has frequently borrowed from banks and financial institutions to meet its operational expenditure.

A senior government official said senior HAL executives and officials of the ministries of defence and finance will meet in New Delhi later this week.

They will help address the companys financial woes. Some way out, perhaps by way of early payments, will be worked out, the official added.

According to HALs annual report, the company borrowed nine times in the last financial year to meet its working capital requirements; of this, it borrowed seven times in March 2018 alone. The company borrowed a total of Rs 4,446.87 crore in the last nine months of the previous financial year.

The company has not defaulted in repayment of loans or borrowings to a financial institution, banks, government or dues to debenture holders during the year, the annual report for 2017-18 said. It said that the company had timely serviced its short-term debts, but could not start repayment of the Rs 100 crore it had borrowed for the acquisition of capital asset.

HAL director (finance) and chief financial officer CB Ananthakrishnan and the companys spokesperson did not respond to Hindustan Times queries. The companys chairman and managing director R Madhavan couldnt be reached. A Delhi-based chartered accountant, who did not wish to be named, said that receivables are part of the assets against which the company can always raise money from banks and financial institutions.

HALs financial burden is also mounting because IAF hasnt paid HAL in full for work done in the last two financial years, company executives said.

According to a senior HAL executive who did not wish to be named, IAFs outstanding is expected to soar to Rs 20,000 crore by the end of this financial year (March 31, 2019).

Experts say that the buybacks hit the company the most. In 2015-16, HAL spent Rs 5,265 crore on a buyback; in 2017-18, it spent Rs 1,128 crore. A buyback is where a company buys back its shares from shareholders (and extinguishes them), paying for it from free reserves or cash flows. HALs annual report (the company was listed in March 2018 and only one annual report is available), says the 2017-18 buyback was funded from reserves. It isnt clear how the earlier buyback was funded.

This is the first time in the history of HAL that the government used the buyback option to raise funds for itself (to meet its disinvestment target).

In addition, HAL paid dividends of Rs 755 crore, Rs 962 crore and Rs 1,294 crore (the amount includes dividend tax).

While the government has clarified that HAL will get more orders, this is a process that is time consuming. Orders are placed after lengthy price negotiations; there is no clarity on time frame. We are going through a working capital shortage now, a second HAL executive who did not want to named said. He added that it isnt prudent to account for orders until they have been placed.

We are being squeezed from both sides, our customers have not paid us whereas the government for the first time in the history of HAL used the buyback option. It is not salary alone, HAL doesnt have money to pay its vendors, procure raw material, which is extremely serious, Surya Devra Chandrasekhar, general secretary of HAL Employees Union, said.

The company could not leverage the initial public offering (IPO) made last year that led to the listing of the company with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on March 28, 2018. The entire amount raised, Rs 4,054.66 crore, was mopped up by the promoter, the Central government, to meet its disinvestment target by diluting its 10.03% equity stake in the company though the IPO.

At the time of the IPO, a Kotak Securities private client research summed up its good financial year in its March 2018 report: HAL has a sustained track record of profitability and have paid dividends to stakeholders every year for over four decades. As of December 31, 2017, HALs order book was Rs 684.6 bn [Rs 68,460 crore], which generally includes products and services to be manufactured and delivered and excludes anticipated revenues from its joint ventures and subsidiaries.

HALs shares closed at Rs 790.90 apiece on Monday, a fall of 2.75% compared to the previous days closing.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday hit out at the Modi government over farm distress at a rally held by his party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the heart of Delhi.

Patnaik demanded that the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy be increased to Rs 2,930 per quintal  a demand, if fulfilled, will help large number of his states farmers.

Last year, the Centre had increased the MSP of paddy from Rs 1,550 to Rs 1,750.

Although Tuesdays rally was seen as his attempt to showcase his political strength ahead of the Lok Sabha election, Patnaik maintained his distance from the Congress and other Opposition parties. When asked that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has demanded a farm loan waiver, Patnaik hailed his own governments scheme KALIA and said, The real solution to farm distress lies in the policy my state has implemented.

The Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme is expected to benefit about 92% of the farmers in Odisha.

The BJP came to power with assurance of increasing the minimum support price of food grain as per the Swaminathan formula. I have gone to the Centre many times with this demand, but it has been ignored. It was promised by the BJP in 2014, but they have forgotten their promise after coming to power, Patnaik said.

Union minister from Odisha, Dharmendra Pradhan, however, hit back at the BJD. He said, Agriculture is a state subject and mandis [wholesale markets] are yet to be opened for paddy procurement in Odisha.

The ruling party (BJD) is in nexus with the mill owners, and as mandis are yet to be opened, farmers in Odisha are forced to sell their paddy at Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,200 per quintal. In a bid to shift the responsibility, chief minister has staged demonstration in New Delhi. But he cannot run away from his responsibility.

Later, a delegation, led by Patnaik, met President Ram Nath Kovind, urging him to take immediate steps to declare paddy MSP at Rs 2,930 per quintal to safeguard the interests of farmers in Odisha.

( With PTI inputs)
Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu, who has taken a lead role in building an opposition front against the BJP, arrived in the national capital to attempt to cement ties with the Congress. Naidu, who started the exercise with a meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, is expected to call on Nationalist Congress Party boss Sharad Pawar soon after.

Naidus latest visit to the national capital comes against the backdrop of the Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party and Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party suggesting that they have firmed up a seat-sharing deal minus the Congress.

Rahul Gandhi, who was earlier said to have been keen to join the alliance, appears to have lately reconciled to the possibility that his party would have to go solo in the Lok Sabha elections later this year. The Congress, he recently said in an interview, would do well in UP and surprise people.

Naidu is also likely to call on Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Janata Dal (Secular) president HD Deve Gowda during his Delhi visit.

For now, it is not clear if the Andhra Pradesh chief minister would attempt to broaden the opposition front in Uttar Pradesh.

Asked whether he would meet SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, Naidu told reporters on Monday that he would certainly seek their time and meet them, if possible.

Naidus TDP had tied up with the Congress in Telangana assembly elections but the alliance did not really work on the ground. The Congress ended up with 19 seats of the 119; TDP with just about 2.

But the alliance, after its not-so-impressive performance, has run into some problems of its own. Telangana Congress leaders have been nudging Rahul Gandhi to break up with Chandrababu Naidus party in Telangana and fight the Lok Sabha elections alone, arguing that the marriage just wasnt working in the countrys newest state.

A report to this effect has been sent to the party high command. We are awaiting its decision. It is most likely that there will be no alliance with the TDP, in the wake of strong sentiment prevailing among the people of Telangana against the TDP, Telangana Congress treasurer and spokesman Guduru Narayana Reddy told Hindustan Times.

The Andhra CM was attacked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently for harbouring Prime Ministerial ambitions though he had miserably failed to run his own state. Modi said Naidu was pushing the state into sunset with his corrupt administration to see his son rise.

The Prime Minister had also ridiculed Naidus efforts to build the grand alliance saying it was an alliance of family-ruled parties.

Naidu had met Rahul Gandhi in the first week of November last year. The Andhra CM had then said that it was democratic compulsion to defeat the BJP and bring opposition parties on a common platform.

Naidus Delhi visit comes in the wake of the latest outburst against him by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during video conferencing with BJP leaders in Andhra Pradesh.

Modi accused Naidu of nurturing Prime Ministerial ambitions though he had miserably failed to run his own state. He even alleged that the Andhra chief minister was pushing the state into sunset with his corrupt administration to see his son rise.

The Prime Minister also ridiculed Naidus efforts to build the grand alliance saying it was an alliance of family-ruled parties.
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a controversial Bill that seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan amid protests by the opposition parties.

Home minister Rajnath Singh tabled the Citizenship Bill in the House and said that the Bill is not only for Assam or for migrants from a particular country.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had on Monday withdrew its support to the ruling BJP in Assam over differences regarding the Bill.

I want to clarify that Citizenship Amendment Bill is not for Assam alone, this Bill is also for migrants who have come from the western borders. Assam is dealing with illegal migration for a long time now and Assams burden is Indias burden, Rajnath said on Tuesday.

Opposition MPs raised slogans during the home ministers speech in the Lok Sabha with some of BJPs allies in the Northeast also joining in. Congress MPs walked out while the Trinamool Congress warned that Northeast will burn due to this Bill.

Watch: Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 passed in LS amid Congress walkout

Citizenship Amendment Bill will set fire to Assam and the Northeast. No objection for refugees from Afghanistan and Pakistan but make this a secular Bill. Why mention only 6 religions. Do not mention only three countries, said Trinamool MP Saugata Ray.

Also read | Shutdown in Northeast to protest citizenship bill

Protests had erupted across Assam on Monday evening as the the NDA government cleared changes to the Citizenship Act. The protesters burned copies of the legislation in angry marches and announced a shutdown in the region on Tuesday.

The Congress said the Bill would create ethnic divisions not just in Assam but the entire Northeast and could lead to a resurgence of extremist groups.

The BJPs allies, Meghalayas National Peoples Party (NPP) and Mizorams Mizo National Front (MNF), also opposed the proposed law.

We are going to support the bandh. Mizoram will be completely shut. We are vulnerable if people can get citizenship so easily. Mizoram has immigrants from Bangladesh and Burma (Myanmar), Zoramthanga, Mizoram chief minister and president of the MNF told HT, adding the proposed amendment will encourage illegal immigration.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will allow 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. To be naturalised, applicants must have in India during the 12 months leading up to December 2014 and for 11 of the 14 years prior to that.

While the Union Cabinet cleared the redrafted amendments, a joint parliamentary committees (JPC) report, submitted to Lok Sabha, also endorsed the proposed law.

Headed by BJPs Rajendra Agarwal, the JPC added the considered view that since the matter is still subjudice, the government have to tread with caution and take recourse to all legal precautions lest it causes embarrassment at a later date.

The committee, its report added, also believes the primary objective of the Assam Accord to protect the cultural, social and linguistic identity of the Assamese would not be impeded by the new law.

Also read | Row erupts as citizenship bill gets nod; AGP withdraws support to BJP in Assam
A 57-year-old accredited social health activist (ASHA) died in Karnatakas Uttara Kannada district on Tuesday while taking part in a protest as part of the two-day shutdown called by various trade unions across the country.

The deceased has been identified as Shantavva, who was a member of a local labour union in Mundgod town of the district, police said.

The protest culminated at the tahsildars office and she took ill while a memorandum was being submitted to the tahsildar. She was reported to have vomited at the spot and was rushed to the hospital but she passed away, said superintendent of police Patil Vinayak Vasanthrao.

We are checking if she was suffering from any illness, he added.

The shutdown had a mixed response in Karnataka, with government offices and bus services functioning normally in most parts of the state.

Thousands of trade union members and workers have joined the strike demanding a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month and abolishing the contract system among other demands, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) leader MD Harigovind said, according to news agency IANS.

Even as thousands of industrial workers, labourers and Anganwadi workers took to the streets of Bengaluru and gathered in front of the Town Hall demanding labour-friendly laws, government offices and bus and metro services remained largely unaffected.

Most of 2,000-odd IT firms and 750 multi-national companies that Bengaluru is home to were open.

Schools and colleges across the state, however, remained shut and exams scheduled were put off. Many commercial establishments and shops, too, remained closed in support of the strike.
Workers first  the diktat of Congress president Rahul Gandhi to partys Punjab leadership was clear and loud at a meeting held at New Delhi on Monday to discuss preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Rahul met Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and general secretary in-charge of Punjab Asha Kumari. The leaders discussed campaign and publicity committees for the Lok Sabha elections and appointments to government bodies. Amarinder also met Rahul separately.

The party president told the state party top brass that workers should be appointed in government bodies first and everyone else can wait. Like Donald Trumps slogan was America first, Rahuls mantra is workers first. His main concern was that they are the primary blocks of the party and should not feel left out. The Congress president said whoever worked for the victory of the party should be accommodated and given whatever was assured to them. He has left it to the CM to take a final call, Jakhar said after the meeting.

The positions workers are likely to be accommodated include market committees, district planning boards, district grievance redressal committees, zila parishads and panchayat samitis. In its 21 months in power, the Amarinder government has anointed loyalists of the CM, ministers, senior party leaders and former bureaucrats to plum positions, which has fuelled resentment among party workers. Though Rahul wants doles for workers not MLAs, senior legislators denied cabinet berths are likely to be pacified with chairmanships of boards and corporations under the office of profit bill passed by the state assembly.

Talking to the media later, Amarinder said: We discussed a host of state government and party related issues in view of the forthcoming parliamentary elections. He also congratulated Rahul for partys victory in the recent state polls.

The CM said that the central government had not sanctioned any funds for the construction work to start on the Indian side of the Kartarpur corridor. While Pakistan has already started work on the construction of the road on their side, development work had yet to start in the Indian Punjab as the state government had not got any funds from the Centre for acquiring land for building the infrastructure, he told the media.
In a setback to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma, overturning the governments October 23 order divesting him of his powers and sending him on leave.

The top court said it intends to maintain the independence of CBI, and protect and insulate the office of the CBI director.

The court, however, barred Verma from taking any significant decision until a panel that selects the agencys chief decides whether he should stay on.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, a lawyer by profession, while defending the governments move called the courts ruling a balanced decision that upheld the independence and dignity of CBI. The Congress said in a Twitter post that it welcomed the verdict lambasting the government against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI director, linking his ouster to a probe he planned into the deal to purchase Rafale warplanes from Dassault Aviation of France.

Read more| Balanced decision, says Jaitley on SC reinstating Alok Verma as CBI boss

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi and justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph gave the selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which also comprises the CJI and the Leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, a weeks time to study the report of a probe against Verma and decide on his continuation.

The transfer of the director without the consent of the selection committee negates the legislative intent that is to ensure independence of CBI, said the judgment, which was read out by justice Kaul as CJI Gogoi, who authored the order, was on leave.

Watch: Politicos react over SCs verdict on Alok Verma restored as CBI director

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Within a week, the selection committee, led by the PM, will meet and look into the aspect of whether Verma needs to be removed or not, said the bench, which had on December 6 reserved its judgment after hearing arguments on behalf of Verma, the Centre and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which has administrative superintendance over CBI and conducted the probe against Verma. The other two members of the panel are the CJI and the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha.

The Centre acted in October after a feud played out in public between Verma, whose two-year tenure ends on January 31, and his deputy, special director Rakesh Asthana, who accused each other of corruption. On the midnight of October 23, it divested both officers of their powers and sent them on leave.

Verma, who approached the apex court against the governments move, was on Tuesday asked by the bench led by Gogoi to cease and desist from taking any major policy decision unless the selection panel decides on his continuation or otherwise.

Only administrative decisions can be taken as in day-to-day working, the court said.

The Centre told the apex court that it had been forced to intervene because of the rift between Verma and Asthana, against whom a CBI team had launched a criminal investigation. After sending both on leave, the government, in an interim measure, appointed CBIs joint director M Nageswara Rao, a 1986 batch Odisha-cadre Indian Police Service officer, as the agencys temporary chief.

With Raos approval, orders were issued to transfer and reassign 13 officials, including those who were probing the case against Asthana.

Read more| Some justice done, says Rahul Gandhi as SC reinstates Alok Verma as CBI chief

Verma had contended that the move to send him on leave amounted to removing, which he argued cannot be done without the concurrence of the high-powered committee that approves the CBI directors appointment.

The court also heard a plea moved by NGO Common Cause, which sought a court-monitored special investigation team (SIT) probe into the allegations of corruption against various CBI officers, including Asthana. Asthana has moved the Delhi high court requesting it to quash the first information report (FIR) registered against him by the agency for allegedly accepting gratification. The high court has reserved its order.

Challenging the governments decision, Vermas counsel and senior advocate Fali S Nariman argued that the CBI director was appointed on February 1, 2017, and the position of law is that there will be a fixed tenure of two years and this gentleman cannot be even transferred. He argued there was no basis for the CVC to pass an order recommending that Verma be sent on leave.

Attorney general KK Venugopal justified the Centres intervention and said it was well within its right to send both officers on leave. Only God knows where and how this fight between the two top officers would have ended if the government would not have taken the action which was aimed at restoring public faith in CBI, the law officer had argued.

Finance minister Jaitley said: The governments action was perfectly bonafide as there were cross allegations made by both the officers and in accordance with the recommendations of the CVC. The government had felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the two officers must recuse themselves.

The Supreme Court has upheld CBIs dignity, honour and independence. The CBI legislation says that in matters related to corruption, the CVC has jurisdiction, he said. The CVC had exercised its power under the power of superintendence... If superintendence results in the chief relinquishing his powers temporarily then the jurisdiction of the committee comes into play. Therefore, the court has referred the matter to that committee to decide on that issue within one week. And in accordance with the directions of the court, it will be complied with and the government will act in the same manner. The government is not biased, Jaitley said.

CBI chief was removed at 1am in the night because he was about to begin an investigation in the Rafale scam. Now that he has been reinstated, some justice has been done. Now lets see what happens, Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged. He was referring to the governments R59,000-crore purchase of French-made Rafale jet fighters in which the Congress has alleged corruption.

Party leader in the Lok Sabha Kharge also welcomed the Supreme Court order saying it was a lesson for the government. Kharge has separately petitioned the Supreme Court against the midnight order removing Asthana, saying that he, being a member of the selection panel that appoints a CBI chief, be heard before any order is passed.

Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM. Modi govt has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country. Wasnt CBI director illegally removed at midnight to stall the probe in Rafale scam which directly leads to PM himself?

The government has repeatedly denied Congresss allegations of wrongdoing and corruption in the Rafale deal.
Denial of VIP privileges to Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan at the airport in Patna a day ago raised some eyebrows though an official asserted on Tuesday that the situation arose since orders for extending the facilities were not issued by the competent authority.

Paswan had arrived in Patna on Monday morning to attend the last rites of former Union minister Jay Narayan Nishad, who passed away a fortnight ago. The shradh ceremony was held in Hajipur, Paswans Lok Sabha seat, and attended by him besides Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi.

Paswan returned to Delhi by an evening flight on Monday.

However, when he was seen at the airport walking down from the tarmac, unlike in the past when he was given access through a vehicle, journalists rushed to him with queries as the development came close on the heels of reports of discontinuance of similar privileges to local MP Shatrughan Sinha.

Paswan, however, sought to downplay the development saying I do not face any difficulty in walking a few metres.

The facilities given to me at the airport in Patna were for a period ending on December 30 and I could not apply for renewal in time since I have been on the move. Do not worry, I will soon be a VIP again, he said smilingly before waving goodbye to the puzzled media persons.

Similar VIP facilities were extended to Shatrughan Sinha, popularly called Shotgun, for a period which ended on June 30 and discontinuation of the same ever since is being viewed in the backdrop of souring of relations with his party, which is in power at the Centre as well as in the state.

When asked about the development, Director of the Jay Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna, Rajendra Singh Lahauriya told PTI that in the first place, the airport has no role in extending or discontinuing such facilities to anybody.

We get an advice from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) whenever privileges like exemption from frisking and access to the tarmac are extended to anybody.

We had sought an advice from the BCAS when the Union ministers expiry term (VIP facilities) was coming to a close and we were told that there was no order for renewal. So, we had to discontinue the facilities given to him, Lahauria said.

He said that a beneficiary has to apply for grant of VIP facilities for a fixed term and thereafter for its renewal upon the expiry of the period.

Applications, for both purposes, are moved before the ministry of civil aviation which forwards the same to the BCAS. The airports concerned are thereafter advised by the BCAS to do the needful, he added.
The governments move to carve out 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) is beset with legal complications and will likely be tested in the Supreme Court before it can become a reality, believe legal experts.

So far, reservation under the Constitution is only given on the basis of social and educational backwardness, not economic backwardness. The leading case on the issue is a nine-judge bench judgment of the Supreme Court in 1993, called the Indira Sawhney and others vs Union of India case.

The Sawhney judgment caps reservation at 50%, saying,  Reservation being extreme form of protective measure or affirmative action it should be confined to minority of seats. Even though the Constitution does not lay down any specific bar but the constitutional philosophy being against proportional equality the principle of balancing equality ordains reservation, of any manner, not to exceed 50%.

The judgment also shuns the idea of reservation on the basis of economic criteria.

Constitutional expert and senior advocate Dr Rajeev Dhawan dismissed the government proposal as a gimmick saying , This move of the government does not correspond to any thing legal. Its a gimmick because this amendment will first have to meet the parliamentary challenge, where the government will have to get the amendment passed by 2/3rd of the MPs present and voting. And the government doesnt have these numbers. After this it will have to pass the legal hurdle and that of the Indira Sawhney judgment which has categorically rejected economic criteria for giving reservations.

Senior advocate Sanjay Hegde said the government proposal would not be able to stand judicial scrutiny. The SC has already held 50% as the limit to reservation. You cant amend the constitution beyond the basic structure and equality is part of the basic structure. Creating a fresh reservation in open field, you are violating these limitation on exercise of constitutional power, said Hegde.

In the past, reservation has been approved only when given for social and educational backwardness and none of them included economic criteria, said senior advocate Jaideep Gupta.

In the past, the SC and several high courts have used the 1993 judgments to strike down reservations that breached the 50% limit, such as in the Maratha and Patidar quota cases.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which is in the process of rolling out a biometric attendance system despite protest from students and teachers, will introduce a smart card for its students and staff to mark attendance.

The biometric machines have been installed in almost all schools and will soon be operational, said Chintamani Mahapatra, Rector-I, adding the system has been launched in the administrative building. The card-based biometric attendance system will be provisioned for students, staff and faculty attendance. The all-in-one smart card will initially act as an ID card, biometric attendance, library card and health centre card.

On whether the smart card will record the biometrics of the students and staff, Mahapatra said, Only a technical person will know this.

Mahapatra, during a media interaction on Monday, said the mandatory attendance policy was in accordance with University Grants Commission guidelines which mention that a teacher should be available on campus for at least five hours everyday.

Students have come to us saying that teachers are not available in classrooms, he said.

The statement comes three days after the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) criticised the mandatory attendance system. The teachers body said a survey conducted by them showed that only one university among the 75 high-ranking universities across 21 countries follows the procedure of recording faculty attendance.

The JNUTA also accused the administration of coercing faculty members to accept the attendance system by denial of processing of papers including those related to leaves, medical coverage, fellowships and conferences.

Dean for School of Arts and Aesthetics (SAA) Kavita Singh said her leave application to go to Bengaluru to receive the Infosys Prize 2018 was rejected by the administration on January 2. Singh  who had been removed from her post last year for expressing inability to implement compulsory attendance norms  said she only learnt of the development once she reached Bengaluru.

On the issue of her application being rejected, university officials said the issue will be sorted out.

Singh, meanwhile, explained that the university administration should have sought the opinions of the various departments on UGC guidelines before adopting, modifying or rejecting them.

She added that these needed to be included in the agenda 10 days before the Academic Council meeting to leave enough room for discussion.

However, the decision to make the attendance mandatory for faculty members was taken without any consultation with the other departments, she claimed.
For months, there has been fervent speculation about what the Narendra Modi-led government would do to win back the political narrative in the run-up to the 2019 election. This assumed urgency for the party with the recent setbacks in the state polls in the Hindi heartland. On Monday, Modi pulled out his trump card: 10% reservations for the economically weaker sections. This will primarily benefit upper-castes, and those from dominant agrarian communities who have been demanding reservations, for instance, Patidars, Jats and Marathas.

It is first important to understand the context of the decision. One big takeaway for the BJP from the electoral results, substantiated with the consistent feedback it has got from internal party channels and the media, is that its core voters  particularly upper castes  are unhappy. They are upset with the government for restoring the stringent provisions of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) despite the Supreme Court reading it down. They believe that with its pro-poor welfarist pitch, the government has, for most part, forgotten its original voters from traditionally dominant communities and shifted its target group. Lurking beneath this upper caste resentment across north India is also the anger against reservations, which they believe has deprived the young people of their communities of both educational and employment opportunities. This perception, right or wrong, is widely held. The BJP had been in a fix. Its expansion into Dalit, backward and poor voters was central to its electoral success. It also could not do anything to dilute reservations  for Dalits and OBCs would never forgive a party which takes away this benefit. And so the government has, true to the tendency of Indian politics to evolve new forms of identity mobilisation, decided to grant 10% additional reservations to the poorer sections among upper castes without undermining the existing framework of reservations. Whether this is a real solution to underlying structural issues of Indian political economy of educational opportunities and jobs is open to question. Public employment is limited. The private sector does not have reservations. The goal has to be expand the pie.

But this is a political move which will give the BJP a major talking point in the Hindi heartland in particular. The government could face a test. The Supreme Court has laid the bar for reservations at 50%  the current proposal will exceed the limit and thus could be legally challenged. The government could overcome this through the legislative route, and force other parties to make a choice. The more important political test for the BJP is how, after this decision, it continues to maintain its multi-caste alliance. Can the party, as in 2014, keep both its upper caste vote and retain the newer voters from subaltern communities?
Iran Tuesday expressed hope India will seek another waiver from US sanctions to continue buying its crude oil, noting that it is the worlds fastest-growing major economys most reliable energy provider.

India in November last year won a six-month waiver to buy crude oil from Iran after it agreed to cut imports and escrow rupee payments.

Challenges will be overcome, ways will be found. So, you are looking at a country that has not only survived but prospered and achieved progress in spite of 40 years of sanctions. Sanctions are not new for Iran, Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said while addressing a business summit in New Delhi.

He termed the US sanctions against his country as purely illegal, saying one country was using its economic might to advance illegality.

While the previous sanctions over its suspected nuclear programme were endorsed by the United Nations, the sanctions Trump administration imposed last year are only by the US.

Iran is the most reliable energy provider to India. We have not allowed any consideration to impede our relations, he said. India was on our side (when Iran went through sanctions). We will not forget people who were on our side when better times come. Asked what will happen at the end of the waiver period, Irans Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Gholam Reza Ansari told reporters India is trying to extend the waiver.

As far as I understand Indians are trying to extend these waivers and I think according to our traditional relation between Iran and India they will be successful to receive this waiver as well, he said.

Under the 180-day exemption, India is allowed to import a maximum of 3,00,000 barrels a day of crude oil. This compares to an average daily import of about 5,60,000 barrels in 2018.

India, which is the second biggest purchaser of Iranian oil after China, has since then restricted its monthly purchase to 1.25 million tonnes or 15 million tonnes in a year (3,00,000 barrels per day), down from 22.6 million tonnes (4,52,000 barrels per day) bought in the 2017-18 financial year.

New Delhi will pay its third-largest crude oil supplier in rupees. The government has exempted such payments made to Irans national oil company NIOC from payment of any withholding tax.

This will help clear close to $ 2 billion of payments Indian refiners are holding for oil they bought from Iran since November.

The rupee pact was signed following the US letting India and seven other nations to keep buying Iranian oil despite sanctions were reimposed on the Islamic state on November 5, 2018.

Iran can use these funds to pay for imports of foodgrains, medicines and medical devices from India, the cost of its missions in the country, direct investment in Indian projects, and financing of Iranian students in India. It can also invest the funds in Indian government debt securities.

Addressing the India-Iran Summit, Zarif said a new trend was being witnessed wherein a single country or an individual is threatening to punish countries which do not violate a UN Security Council resolution, which the US itself proposed. There hasnt been a revolution in the US, only a change of government. Even had there been a revolution they could not go back against a security council resolution, Zarif said.

Responding to how the US sanctions have impacted India-Iran economic relations, Ansari said: Of course the potential between our two countries is great and these sort of unilateral sanctions will create a lot of obstacles which need a lot of efforts to remove those.

Minister of State for External Affairs General V K Singh said both Iran and India have to work together to find ways and means by which they can benefit each other, and the US does what it wants to do. Responding to a question, Singh told reporters India has always followed an independent policy. Zarif claimed that Indian farmers were paying 38 per cent more for importing urea fertilisers because of arbitrary US sanctions on Iran while some intermediaries were pocketing huge profits. Your farmers are paying 38 per cent more because of an arbitrary imposition by an individual. Is that the kind of future we want to see. Is that the kind of future we will be able to entertain so this is the challenge that we face, the Iranian Foreign Minister said. He assured that the Persian Gulf nation was the most reliable energy provider for India as it has never allowed any consideration to impede relations with its partners.

India, the worlds third-biggest oil consumer, meets more than 80 per cent of its oil needs through imports. Iran is its third largest supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia and meets about 10 per cent of total needs.

US President Donald Trump in May withdrew from the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, re-imposing economic sanctions on the Persian Gulf nation. Some sanctions took effect from August 6, 2018, while those affecting the oil and banking sectors started from November 5, 2018.
In one of those rare reveals that establish that stars are just people at the end of the day, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan said that she and husband Abhishek Bachchan are still figuring out the fine line between polite discussion and an argument. Speaking during an interview with Famously Filmfare, Aishwarya was asked what the couple argues the most about.

While Aishwarya laughed the question off at first saying, You dont want to know, she added on a more serious note, Were both genetically very generously been given very strong genes. So, were inherently very strong personalities. I think there is a very fine line between arguing and discussing and thats something were still arriving at discovering what is what. So, we discuss a lot, either politely put it as discuss, probably argue but

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan with daughter Aaradhya.

When asked if any particular habit of her husband leads to arguments, Aishwarya said, It has been 12 years and how many years before that weve known each other as friends. Weve known each other through quite a long time. Weve always conversed a lot and communicated a lot, in all its shades, in all the colours of the rainbow.

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan on their wedding day.

Aishwarya and Abhishek have been married for 12 years now. On the same show, the actor spoke about how Abhishek proposed to her on the sets of Jodhaa Akbar. Ashutosh (Gowariker) is like you are engaged and I am like yeah. Meanwhile, Duggu gave me an excited thumbs up. Were doing Khwaja Mere Khwaja, sitting as a bride, and I am like, oh my god this is surreal, all happening on-screen, off-screen, this is bizarre, she continued.

Aishwarya and Abhishek announced their engagement in 2007. They were married shortly afterwards in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence in Mumbai. Aishwarya and Abhishek have worked together on numerous films, such as Dhoom 2, Guru and Raavan. The couple has a daughter together, Aaradhya.
Something caused it, said a man who declined to give his name. We dont know what it is. Were just getting out of here.

Kim Murray said she was worried about her elderly mother who lives at Westwood Chateau.

They are all elderly people, she said. Theres very few young people here.

Betsy Cannon, Murrays daughter, said she was concerned about her grandmother as well but even more so for the other elderly residents who dont have family close by.

Theres no one to blame here, said Cannon. I understand theyre going to do shelters but shelters are short term."

Jane Neal is the president of the Westwood Chateau Condominium Homeowners Association. She said some time ago one of the condos in Building A was found to have a shifting brick and the tenant who lived there pointed it out. This was a sign of a possible problem underneath the complex.
Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to occasional showers during the afternoon. High 73F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 48F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Jenni Vincent

jvincent@herald-mail.com

MARTINSBURG, W.Va.  There is strength in numbers when it comes to fighting the areas opioid epidemic, and Berkeley Medical Center professionals embrace that philosophy each day.

The hospitals behavioral-health-services unit focuses on coordinating efforts with other community resources in a way that positively affects patients both during and after their hospital stays, unit Director Keith Gostel said.

A big part of the effort is making patients aware of available resources to aid in the recovery process, he said.

The goal is to make sure these folks succeed, he said. We have a window, right here and now, so we want to do as much as possible. But we also help equip patients to continue to seek help even after leaving here.

Jan Augusta Nieves said she was an intensive-care-unit nurse when fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, first became part of the local drug scene about four years ago.

We had a series of seven or eight, maybe up to 10, overdoses that had come through and passed. I just really felt a calling that something needed to be done, so I really just kind of followed that calling, she said.

Today, she focuses on substance-use-disorder treatment and works closely with the behavioral-health-unit staff members.

Nieves co-founded a nonprofit organization, Healthcare Advocates for Recovery Team, or HART, two years ago, and strongly agrees with her co-workers about the importance of moving forward as a community.

It has really evolved into this beautiful collaborative, even though we started thinking we would be health care folks educating other health care folks, she said.

It only took about a week to see that who we were really learning the most from was our community because there are people who have been doing this recovery work for a long time, she said.

Sharing among professionals is an important part of the collaborative effort, said Valerie Gorman, a behavioral-health-crisis coordinator.

As chairwoman of the local Health and Human Services Collaboratives Behavioral Health Work Group, Gorman said she sees great opportunities in literally getting folks around the table.

We also bring issues to the forefront and talk about them, as well as what are some new resources that are coming out that these folks can use at their organizations, she said.

While there still is plenty of work to be done, current efforts are paying off, she said.

For example, hot-line numbers dealing with suicide prevention and Help4WV (Behavioral Health Referral and Outreach Center) are included in patients discharge information, she said.
C.J. Lovelace

cj.lovelace@herald-mail.com

A Wicomico County, Md., man accused of trying to detonate a homemade explosive device in the parking lot of a Hancock apartment complex remained held without bond Monday.

Michael Joseph Thorn, 51, of Salisbury, is charged with possessing a destructive device and explosives with intent to create a destruction device.

Each felony count carries up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Online court records show that Thorn appeared Monday in Wicomico County District Court, where a judge ordered that he remain held without bond.

Thorn is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in Washington County District Court on Jan. 31 at 1 p.m.

The charges stem from a reported improvised explosive device found early Dec. 30 in the parking lot of Quaker Creek Apartments, just off North Pennsylvania Avenue in northern Hancock.

A state bomb squad determined the device was functional, but rendered it safe without damage or injuries.

The device was found near a Dumpster and measured 3.5 inches long by 1 inch in diameter, according to a statement of charges.

It was described as a red-white-and-blue cardboard tube about one-eighth of an inch thick with energetic powder inside. Both of its ends were capped and sealed by plastic inserts. It had a 2-inch fuse inserted in the middle.

During the investigation, a cigarette was found on the ground near the device, which investigators believe was being used as a time-delay ignition source for the device. Due to the weather, the cigarette failed to light the fuse.

We compare them to quarter sticks of dynamite, Senior Deputy State Fire Marshal Ed Ernst said in a phone interview Monday.

Ernst said investigators dont believe Thorn  a resident of the Hancock apartment complex for about three years who moved out days before the device was found  had a specific or malicious motive.

He was just building them, Ernst said. There was no intention.

On Dec. 29, a witness told investigators Thorn called that evening to ask if they heard a boom outside. Thorn told the witness he left the device there and asked them to go retrieve it.

Another resident later called police after being told by the person to stay away from the Dumpster because of some type of bomb or something.

Another witness, who said he and his brother helped Thorn move out of Quaker Creek, told investigators he was riding in a vehicle with Thorn about two weeks ago when he lit and tossed one of the explosives out the window and it was louder than any firework he had ever witnessed.

Thorn was arrested Friday when authorities executed a search warrant at his residence in Salisbury.
Sherry Greenfield

sgreenfield@herald-mail.com

SHARPSBURG  The Sharpsburg Town Council approved and signed a resolution Monday night, asking that the Washington County Board of Commissioners rescind its decision to forgive approximately $195,000 in sewer debt for the town of Williamsport.

Sharpsburg Town Council Vice Mayor Russ Weaver presented the council with a resolution he drafted asking commissioners to delay or rescind their decision.

Im asking the county commissioners for a full audit (of all financial transactions related) to the water and sewer debt with Williamsport, Weaver said at the councils meeting Monday night.

The resolution is also asking commissioners for an estimate of the financial impact the debt relief will have on Sharpsburgs water and sewer rates.

Sharpsburg is on the same sewer system as Williamsport.

On Oct. 30, the commissioners decided to forgive Williamsports sewer debt owed to the county.

In exchange, the town agreed to forgive debt the county owes for the use of Williamsports sewer lines.

But how much the county owed the town is in dispute between the two entities, which agreed to wipe out both debts and start from scratch.

Williamsport Mayor Bill Green has said the county would have owed the town about $169,000 by the end of 2023. That estimate is based on a five-year agreement that outlined how the town was to repay the sewer debt to the county.

But county spokesman Danielle Weaver stated in an email that the county owed the town about $37,000. After deducting that amount from the $195,000 the town owed the county, that left roughly $160,000, which commissioners waived.

Weavers written resolution asks the commissioners to meet with the Sharpsburg council and the Smithsburg Town Council, which also has voiced opposition to the debt forgiveness.

In November, Smithsburg Town Council Vice President Donnie Souders told Herald-Mail Media that the county commissioners decision was wrong.

Souders called the decision a municipal bailout and said it is hypocrisy run amok.

Souders said that when commissioners attended an August workshop in Smithsburg to discuss upgrades to the towns wastewater treatment plant, they told the council that if the county paid for the entire upgrade  some $15 million  it would not be fair to taxpayers.

What hypocrites, he said in November. I guess when you do the right things, you get the shaft?

Smithsburg Mayor Jack Kesselring, in his state of the town address on Wednesday, said that after several meetings, the county decided to do a smaller, intermediate upgrade to the towns wastewater treatment plant using a BioMag system.

This will accommodate 540 equivalent dwelling units, or EDUs.

A developer wishing to connect to the wastewater system must purchase an EDU for each residential unit it builds. One house equals one EDU.

The county also stated that they will monitor Smithsburgs growth and keep ahead of the towns needs and upgrade the plant accordingly, Kesselring said.

Meanwhile, Russ Weaver said he will send a copy of the resolution to the town of Smithsburg. He also said he is talking with Funkstown officials to join the opposition.
Julie E. Greene

julieg@herald-mail.com

WILLIAMSPORT  Kelly Moore Sheds will expand its shed displays and partner with a food truck and farmers market on Virginia Avenue property northeast of Williamsport.

The Washington County Planning Commission authorized the plan-review staff on Monday night to approve a site plan for the businesses once they had approvals from all the required agencies.

Kelly Moore said before the meeting that he operated Moore Sheds on Sharpsburg Pike for several years and it closed in 2009. Kelly Moore Sheds & The Marketplace moved to 17051 Virginia Ave. in October. The business started operating in December.

The area for which the applicants were seeking site-plan approval included the neighboring 17047 Virginia Ave.

The larger space will allow for more sheds and other lawn furnishings such as lighthouses and windmills to be displayed, said Moore and his wife, Meredith Poffenberger Moore.

Poffenberger Moore operated the marketplace, with vintage goods, in Sharpsburg for five years.

She attempted to open a farmers market in Sharpsburg at the site of the former BP gas station. In December, the Sharpsburg Town Council approved holding a farmers market in the town center only, not at the former gas station site.

As a result of that, Poffenberger Moore is now planning to set up Williamsport Farmers Market at the site of Kelly Moore Sheds.

A grand opening for the shed company, the farmers market and Jays BBQ will be held March 30, the Moores said.

Jays BBQ is a food truck that will be stationed, possibly weekly, at the site during warmer months, Poffenberger Moore said. It is operated by Jason Turner.

The shed and marketplace are open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Those hours will expand to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 30, Poffenberger Moore wrote in a text.

The barbecue truck will be open from noon to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays starting March 30.

The farmers market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays starting March 30.
Julie E. Greene

julieg@herald-mail.com

The Washington County Planning Commission approved a variance request Monday allowing two specimen trees to be removed for a proposed development that includes a fast-food restaurant in front of the new Walmart.

Planner Travis Allen said the concept plan for the 1.27-acre development, which includes retail and a fast-food restaurant, is in the early stages.

The project involves five residential properties that Sharpsburg Pike Real Estate LLC purchased since September 2017 for a total of $1,093,297, according to land records and the concept plan. The addresses are 10322, 10326, 10400, 10402 and 10406 Sharpsburg Pike.

The purchase prices for the sites, which varied from 0.23 acre to 0.34 acre, ranged from $174,600 to $255,000, according to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxations website.

They are among a line of homes in front of the newer Walmart.

The resident agent listed for the limited liability corporation is Edward Scott, at an address belonging to Kline Scott Visco Commercial Real Estate. The company is a commercial and real-estate brokerage firm in Frederick, Md., involved in sales, leasing, development, and property and project management, according to its website.

Scott could not be reached for comment Monday.

The variance granted Monday lets the company remove two silver maples  one with a 48-inch diameter and the other with a 50-inch diameter.

The wide coverage of the trees critical root zones was the linchpin of the applicants argument that it would be difficult to let the trees remain and still develop the property, Allen said. The applicant was Piedmont Design Group of Frederick, acting on behalf of Sharpsburg Pike Real Estate LLC.

With the variance request, the developer can make a payment instead of planting trees to accommodate forest-conservation law, Allen said.

Planning commission member Andrew Bowen wished the developers luck with the State Highway Administration, since Sharpsburg Pike, or Md. 65, is a state highway.

Plan Review Chief Cody Shaw said a traffic study must be done.

The project still needs to go through the site-plan process.

Sharpsburg Pike Real Estate LLC also bought two properties nearby on the east side of Sharpsburg Pike. Those properties, at 10401 and 10405 Sharpsburg Pike, total 1.08 acres and were purchased for $1.21 million, according to land records.
Dave McMillion

davem@herald-mail.com

Growing neighborhoods along the west side of Hagerstown have more convenient access to medical laboratory services, primary and urgent care and physical therapy with a new Meritus Medical Plaza operating nearby.

The roughly 52,000-square-foot facility was formally dedicated Monday when dignitaries, Meritus Health officials and others attended a 5 p.m. ribbon cutting and open house at the facility at 13620 Crayton Boulevard in the north end of the city.

The ceremony was scheduled for Nov. 15, but was cancelled due to weather.

The facility opened to the public in November, and some patients made their way through the crowd during Mondays ceremony.

Meritus Medical Plaza is intended to make outpatient services more convenient not only for city residents, but those up and down the Interstate 81 corridor, officials said Monday. The facility is in the rapidly growing Maugans Avenue area, and a Meritus Health official has said the location will give the center good visibility for I-81 traffic.

The facility is designed to offer primary and urgent care services that can be handled outside a hospital environment, where more serious, life-threatening conditions are treated.

There is a transformation underway in health care to improve access to high-quality services, said Carolyn Simonsen, interim chief executive officer of Meritus Health, an umbrella organization under which Meritus Medical Center operates.

Thats really what we are about at this new facility, Simonsen said.

Meritus officials said they are leasing the building from developer Asad Ghattas and Ghattas Enterprises Maugans Avenue Limited Partnership.

Lab and primary-care services that were part of Meritus Urgent Care in the Sylvania Centre at 13424 Pennsylvania Ave. moved into Meritus Medical Plaza, said Doug Spotts, vice president and population health officer for Meritus Health.

Spotts said there was no room to expand in the Sylvania Centre, which was a leased space, but there is room for growth in the new facility.

Among the dignitaries attending was Del. William Wivell, R-Washington, who delivered a proclamation from the Maryland General Assembly in celebration of the facility.

Washington County Board of Commissioners President Jeff Cline presented a certificate of recognition to mark the occasion. Cline commented on the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the plaza, which he said will be a comfort to those who need medical care.

He said the plaza is another reason why you want to live here.

Guests could view parts of the facility, like a large roomy area containing various exercise equipment for patients needing physical and occupational therapy. Physical therapist Ethan Roberts said patient volume is increasing and they seem pretty happy.
Dan Dearth

ddearth@herald-mail.com

A Hagerstown man accused of stabbing two other men outside a restaurant in June pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault Monday.

Travis Lee Walton, 27, entered the plea during a bench conference with Washington County Circuit Judge Brett Wilson.

Assistant Public Defender Robert Sheehan said after the conference that the agreed-upon sentence was a 20-year prison term, with all but six years suspended.

Walton was charged with stabbing one man in the abdomen and another man in the hand on June 22 during an altercation at Bennys Pub on Eastern Boulevard.

Hagerstown police wrote in court documents that officers found a man holding a paper towel against his stomach and another man holding a paper towel on his hand.

Witnesses told investigators that Walton confronted the victims the night before the stabbings as they sat on the pubs patio.

Walton accused one of the victims of showing gang signs and claimed to be a member of the Bloods gang. The two victims and a woman argued with Walton until he left.

The following night, Walton returned and argued with the victims again before he walked away.

Police said Walton purchased two knives from a supermarket near Bennys Pub. He then returned and attacked the victims.

One of the victims told police that he was stabbed in the abdomen when he tackled Walton. The other victim said he was wounded in the hand when he tried to intervene.

Both victims were taken to Meritus Medical Center, where the man with the abdominal wound required surgery.

A witness called police the day after the stabbing and said she saw the attacker working at a fast food restaurant on Massey Boulevard.

Online court records show Walton was served with an arrest warrant on June 25.

Eight other charges were dropped in exchange for the plea.
Dan Dearth

ddearth@herald-mail.com

A Hagerstown man is accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriends house after he allegedly threatened to shoot her.

Keith Maurice Crawford, 31, is charged with first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, fourth-degree burglary and malicious destruction of property.

During a hearing Monday in Washington County District Court, Judge Terry A. Myers set Crawfords bond at $10,000.

Crawford previously was being held without bond at the Washington County Detention Center.

Hagerstown police wrote in court documents that officers were called at 3:23 a.m. Saturday for a report of a burglary in progress at 1076 Ross St.

Jasmine Ferriera told authorities that she was calling from a neighbors home because the intruder was inside her residence.

Ferriera showed police the rear door, which was slightly opened and damaged. Crawford then came out of the house and was arrested.

Ferriera told police that two of her children were inside the residence when Crawford entered.

Police said Ferriera called 911 twice before the incident occurred  the first time about ongoing problems with Crawford and the second time because he allegedly threatened to shoot her in the face while the two were talking on the phone.

Crawford told police that he entered the home to check on one of his children.
Dave McMillion

davem@herald-mail.com

CLEAR SPRING  Fire caused about $3,000 in damage to a two-story house on Charles Mill Road Monday morning, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshals office.

The preliminary cause of the 6:48 a.m. fire at 11240 Charles Mill Road was ruled accidental due to improperly discarded smoking materials in a second-floor bedroom, according to a news release.

Charles Mill Road turns off Big Pool Road south of Clear Spring.

The blaze was discovered by an occupant. The owner/occupants of the house were listed as Pamela Dunn and Adrian Parran, according to the release. There was a smoke alarm in the house, but it did not activate.

It took 25 firefighters five minutes to bring the blaze under control, according to the release. The fire resulted in about $1,000 worth of damage to the contents.

The Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Department was the primary respondent.

 Dave McMillion
Dan Dearth

ddearth@herald-mail.com</p><p>and DAVE McMILLION</p><p>davem@herald-mail.com

Hagerstown Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven said he cant stress enough the importance of working smoke alarms after a kitchen fire in a duplex on Mulberry Avenue Tuesday afternoon.

DeHaven said the fire, which was reported at 1:21 p.m., started as a result of cooking at 803 Mulberry Ave.

There was a delay in notifying the fire department because people inside the home tried to deal with the fire before the fire department arrived, DeHaven said.

The delay allowed the fire to grow, DeHaven said.

DeHaven said there were smoke alarms in the duplex but they were not operational.

Firefighters arrived quickly and brought the fire under control, but not before heavy smoke caused enough damage to displace four adults and one child, fire officials said. Two people were in the duplex at the time.

A woman was checked by medical personnel for smoke inhalation, but she refused to be taken to the hospital.

Hagerstown Fire Chief Steve Lohr said the American Red Cross was called to assist the family.

DeHaven said smoke spread into the adjoining duplex at 805 Mulberry Ave., but firefighters were able to ventilate that residence.
Staff reports

The Herald-Mail

HALFWAY  The Washington County Sheriffs Office is asking for the communitys help to locate a runaway teenager.

In a news release Monday morning, deputies said Adriana Menjivar, 15, was last seen around 5 p.m. on Friday entering a small, white, four-door passenger car near her home in the Halfway area.

Police provided no further description of the vehicle.

Adriana is described as a Hispanic female, about 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black sweater, dark blue skinny jeans and black Nike sneakers.

Anyone with information on Adrianas location was asked to contact the sheriffs office at 240-313-2885.

 C.J. Lovelace
If Democrats are going to build a grassroots movement, they have to go where the people are  all the people, not just some, Warren told me Saturday. I grew up in Oklahoma. Your main drag looks like mine in Wetumka. The core values we shared are the core values that Americans believe in  they want their kids to have a fighting chance to build a future here.

That sort of language resonates as two-thirds of our counties, all rural, wave goodbye to the young every year. Iowans are fleeing those places for bigger cities such as Des Moines-Ames and Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, our metro-state university corridors. Those places are solidly blue and growing. Iowa State University economist Dave Swenson notes that county seats and other regional trade centers of 10,000 to 30,000 people are losing people ages 31 to 44 who have acquired skills and would be the ones to have children in school, vote for bond issues, serve on the city council, and moderate the poles of politics between left and right.
A new report by the Virginia Department of Education reveals 1,040 of the states 2,005 school buildings are 50 or more years old. That includes 55% of all Virginia elementary schools, 45% of middle schools and 46% of all high schools.
Virginia legislators will consider a legislative proposal this session to provide $2.2 billion for improvements along Interstate 81.

The proposal was announced on Tuesday by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. The legislation is a result of a year-long study ordered by the General Assembly and completed by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, according to a press release.

Interstate 81 is the economic engine of western Virginia, and its time we take decisive action to enhance the safety and improve the reliability of this key corridor, Northam said in the release. I am committed to working with legislators on both sides of the aisle to establish a dedicated funding source that will support the critical improvements that Interstate 81 needs to move goods and people around the Commonwealth.

Senator Bill Carrico, R-Galax, will sponsor the bill in the Senate along with Senator Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham. The House version will be sponsored by Delegates Steven Landes, R-Weyers Cave, and Terry Austin, R-Botetourt.
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The case of a former Washington County, Virginia, resident accused of murder in Florida may go to trial in November.

On Monday, Sheila Keen-Warren briefly appeared before Palm Beach County Judge Joseph Marx, who granted a defense motion to schedule an April 17 hearing to check the status of trial preparations, court documents show.

Prosecutors are seeking a November trial, but defense attorney Richard Lubin said that is too soon. A trial date may be set at the April status hearing.

In 2017, Keen-Warren was charged with first-degree murder in a case that happened nearly 30 years ago. Authorities say she dressed as a clown then shot and killed Marlene Warren on the front porch of her home in Wellington, Florida. Keen-Warren will face the death penalty if convicted. She has pleaded not guilty.

Keen-Warren and her husband, Michael  who was married to Marlene Warren at the time of her death  married in 2002 and moved to a home near Abingdon. They operated the Purple Cow restaurant in Kingsport for many years but sold it shortly before her arrest in September 2017.
KINGSPORT, Tenn. The Tri-Cities Airport Authority voted unanimously on Monday to offer the airports vacant executive director position to Gene Cossey, who is currently executive director of an airport in Illinois.

The board spent nearly three hours Monday at the MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport publicly interviewing Cossey and two other candidates Rick Feltner and Shaun Germolus for the job. Each interview of the out-of-state candidates lasted 45 minutes.

Board members agreed that Cossey had a diverse aviation background that has spanned decades and said they were impressed with his masters degree in public administration, bachelors degree in business management and information systems design, and pursuit of a doctorate in public administration.

Cossey is executive director of the University of IllinoisWillard Airport in Champaign, Illinois. He has worked in aviation operations management for more than 30 years, holding positions at five airports during that time.

The board agreed that Cossey seemed to already have a vision for Tri-Cities Airport to support public-private partnerships to build a sense of community and boost economic development and aviation education programs. Cossey also had ideas on how to support development of Aerospace Park, whereas the other candidates seemed to still be focused on their current jobs. The 160-acre park is a build-ready development adjacent to the airport in Blountville that officials say will be designed to attract aviation-related industries and high-paying jobs. Construction is slated for completion by the end of 2020.

Each candidate was asked to describe his leadership style, and the board members thought Cosseys answer stood out. He said he believes in a strong organizational dynamic around the team with no hierarchy.

One of the aspects of a strong leader, I believe, and what I try to do, is let people use their strengths and their abilities the best way they can, so that means, first of all, no micromanaging, Cossey said.

The leaders role, he added, is to give employees the resources and education they need to do the job; to work with community stakeholders and the Airport Authority; and find ways to support and grow the strengths of the region.

Cossey said he believes he has a unique level of experience and abilities to be able to be the best director.

Board members said they decided not to offer the job to Feltner or Germolus because they lacked airport leadership experience.

By a unanimous vote of the board, if Cossey turns the job down, the boards search committee will consider a new slate of candidates. Smith said the goal is to have a new director in place in April, at the latest. The salary range is $150,000 to $185,000 and will be negotiated with Cossey, if he accepts the position.

The airport announced in September that former Director Patrick Wilson was leaving to serve as president of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. His last day was Nov. 2. Director of Operations David Jones, who was promoted to deputy executive director by the board in October, is serving as interim executive director.

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Imam Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri has hit out at Taoiseach Leo Varadkar over his reaction to the capture of Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev

An Irish citizen held by Kurdish fighters after being captured in an operation against Islamic State (IS) in Syria was regarded by gardai as a key member of a back-up logistics cell here.

Gardai have also established that Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev was radicalised in Dublin shortly after becoming an Irish citizen in 2010.

Bekmirzaev left Ireland for the Middle East in 2013 and, some months later, his wife and young child also left the country.

He arrived in Ireland from Belarus in 2000 and became a naturalised Irish citizen in 2010 after going through a lengthy application process here.

Forged

Bekmirzaev had never come to garda attention before becoming a citizen but by 2011 he had been brought to the attention of specialist counterterrorism intelligence (CTI) officers in the force's Special Detective Unit (SDU).

A senior source said gardai suspected that he was actively involved in "fundraising for IS" and he, along with a number of his associates, had been under detailed surveillance for more than two years.

They were also suspected of providing forged passports and other false identity documents for potential IS fighters.

"He was one of around a dozen people at the time who were on a specific security watch list in relation to Islamic terrorist activity," a senior source told the Herald.

"There were serious concerns about his activities before he left the country and there were genuine fears of what he may have been capable of.

"All this dangerous activity happened after he became an Irish citizen."

The senior source revealed that Bekmirzaev lived in a number of rented properties across Dublin during his 13 years here - including in the north and south inner city and on the capital's southside.

He disappeared off the intelligence radar until he and four others were arrested by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces as they fled toward a region controlled by the Kurds and US forces to avoid capture by Syrian government forces.

Today, the Herald can reveal that in the summer of 2011, Bekmirzaev established a grocery store on Dublin's busy Talbot Street and lived nearby in a flat on Seville Place.

Documents lodged with the Companies Registration Office show that Bekmirzaev's business was registered as Mix Food Store.

On July 4, 2011, he signed documents as the business owner.

Most of the shops adjacent to his business have changed in the years since Bekmirzaev left the country, and no one in the area was able to recognise him.

People at a nearby mosque on the busy shopping street did not know him either. Meanwhile, a leading Irish-based Muslim cleric has slammed the reaction of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to Bekmirzaev's capture and said he expected a stronger message from the Government on the issue.

Alarming

When asked about the news that a naturalised Irish person was a suspected IS terrorist, Mr Varadkar said: "Any Irish citizen around the world is entitled to consular assistance and will get that."

Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chair of Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council and Chief Imam and Mufti at the Islamic Centre Ireland, said the Taoiseach's reaction was "alarming" and that anyone found to have travelled abroad to take part in terrorism should have their citizenship revoked.

He was critical of what he perceived to be a lack of focus and direction in relation to the situation.

"The Irish Government needs to have a clear policy on how it will deal with situations like these.

"The Taoiseach's statement is alarming and disturbing," he said.

"Someone who is an Irish citizen has travelled abroad to take part in terrorism, which undermines the very values of our society, the values of democracy, religious freedom and religious plurality. They want to destroy these values.

"People in these situations, or anyone in this position, should have their citizenship revoked, in my opinion."
Health Minister Simon Harris has condemned those sharing information on social media about Ireland's first abortion procedure under the new law.

A post on social media over the weekend alleged that the termination was due to take place yesterday in a specific Irish hospital.

Mr Harris said people should not try to learn of others' medical histories.

"I find it extraordinarily unedifying," he said.

"I find it pretty darn despicable, actually, that somebody would take to social media and endeavour to create a public conversation about an individual patient's care.

"Any service that is provided legally in our country deserves to be treated with absolute respect. Confidentiality of the patient must be to the fore.

"I've spoken to the director general and the HSE shares this view: we will defend and protect any citizen accessing any health service, and the idea that people would effectively try and incite harassment of women and healthcare staff through online discourse is despicable and offensive.

Majority

"I don't think it's in any way reflective of how the large majority of the people in the country feel.

"If the information has been leaked from our health service, that's very serious, and I have no doubt the HSE will act accordingly."

Anti-abortion activists have been protesting outside doctors' offices and hospitals in some areas in the past week, and Mr Harris said he was committed to creating safe access zones outside healthcare facilities.

"That people would endeavour to intimidate people, be it doctors, nurses or midwives or people using the services, is indeed upsetting," he said.

"I'm looking at pictures today of people standing outside hospitals and there are many people going in and out of that hospital today in many different circumstances, and they should be able to freely access that hospital without any added burden of such a protest that could cause upset.

"I am committed to introducing safe access zones - this will take legislation.

"I will endeavour to meet with the opposition spokes- people in health to discuss how we can work together to make safe access zones a reality."
Former gang boss John Gilligan - who is accused of money laundering offences in the North - is set to go to the UK's highest court in a bid to secure release from custody.

The Dublin criminal was arrested at a Belfast airport last summer with a suitcase containing nearly 23,000.

Gilligan (66) has been on remand in prison since then, with repeated bail applications denied.

His lawyers told a High Court judge he has suffered discrimination compared to those being held while awaiting trial in other parts of the UK.

Satisfied

They contended that despite a 70-day maximum period operating in England and Wales, Gilligan has now been detained twice as long.

Refusing leave to take an appeal to the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Gerry McAlinden ruled yesterday there was no point of law of general public importance.

"The court is satisfied that there is no discrimination in this particular case," he said.

Following the verdict, Gilligan's solicitor confirmed he will now petition directly for a hearing in London.

"We will be taking Mr Gilligan's case to the Supreme Court and asking it to rule on the issue of detention time limits for the North of Ireland," Niall O'Murchu said.

The accused, of Greenfort Crescent, Dublin, was detained at Belfast International Airport last August 23 as he was about to board a flight to Alicante.

At the time the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) said officers recovered around 23,000 from his luggage.

He faces a charge of attempting to remove criminal property.

At previous hearings the prosecution alleged he had "sold up" and was leaving Ireland behind for a new life in Spain.

The money in his suitcase was said to have come from donations and the sale of belongings.

Gilligan's legal team insisted he only intended to rent a property in Spain for a limited period of time.

Fresh attempts to secure his release on bail centred on claims of delay in the case.

Gilligan, it was contended, is now approaching 140 days' detention.
Tanaiste Simon Coveney will issue a stark warning to Westminster that the time for "wishful thinking" on Brexit is over.

He will put squabbling British politicians on notice that if "unrealistic options" are not cast aside quickly, hard-line Brexiteers will "win out to everyone's cost, including Ireland's".

The return of the House of Commons from its Christmas break brought renewed polit- ical turmoil over Brexit in Westminster.

Alternative

Mr Coveney is expected to use a keynote speech to Irish diplomats in Dublin Castle this morning to say time is running out to get the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement over the line.

Mr Coveney will tell MPs: "There is no alternative 585-page agreement waiting to be dusted off."

He will also say it is "wishful thinking" to ignore the default outcome if nothing is agreed, which would be a "crash-out".

"Surely now is the time in Westminster for everyone, in government and in opposition, to cast aside unrealistic options based on promises that simply cannot be delivered," he will say.

"If that doesn't happen quickly, it is the hard-liners who think no price is too high to pay for their version of Brexit who will win out to everyone's cost, including Ireland's."

Mr Coveney will be joined at the conference on the Government's Global Ireland 2025 initiative by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker will hold more talks with British prime minister Theresa May this week.

However, the prospect of the Brexit deal being renegotiated to gain support in the British parliament has been ruled out.

Mrs May is desperately seeking additional assurances on the so-called backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland.

Much of the Opposition in Westminster is due to the backstop, which many hard-line Brexit-supporting MPs fear will lock the UK into EU rules indefinitely.

Mrs May said yesterday that her government will set out additional proposals in relation to Northern Ireland as her off-icials work on getting further assurances from the EU.

She faces opposition to her deal from within her own Conservative Party, from Labour and from Northern Ireland's DUP, who her government relies on to stay in power.

There was heated debate in the Commons, where Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn branded the Withdrawal Agreement as a "Frankenstein's monster of a deal".

He criticised Mrs May's absence from the special debate and told MPs there can be "no more running away" from the meaningful vote on the Brexit agreement.

The vote on the deal was due to take place before Christmas but has been postponed to next week.

In remarks at the weekend, Mrs May defended the backstop.

She said the British government will "whatever the circumstances, do everything in our power not to have a hard border".
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An estimated 0.6 percent of the adult population has, or has had, a pathological gambling addiction in their lifetime  with a further 2.3% having lived through a less severe addiction. Whats more, a report from the NSW Government found that 25% gamblers admit that their addiction has impacted their ability to work.

This problem can manifest itself in many ways, from using workplace technology to access slot sites to skipping work in favor of the casino. Whilst it can be difficult to diagnose a gambling problem in an employee, there are a red flags you should watch out for:

Increased absenteeism

Disheveled appearance

Taking large blocks of vacation at short notice

Excessive use of company telephones

Mood swings

Theft of company property

Arguments with colleagues

Whilst any of these signs may be symptomatic of another problem  or no problem at all  when theres two or more of them thrown into the mix, employers may want to start looking a little deeper.

So, how exactly do you go about discussing it? Bringing up personal issues in a professional context is a tricky art to master, even for the more distinguished HR practitioner  but thats no excuse to ignore the problem.

Dr Patrick Smith  CEO of Toronto-based addiction treatment centre Renascent - told HRD how addictions have the ability to irreparably damage an organization.
Judy Neely, left, talks with Betty Thackerai about how to use a new tablet Thackerai received for Christmas at the North Central Senior Center Monday, January 7, 2019 in Havre, Mont. Neely, a member of the Hi-Line chapter of the Montana Association for the Blind, talked with many of the seniors, often sympathizing with the difficulties they have with newer phones and devices.

Many senior citzens attended a technology workshop sponsored by the Montana Association for the Blind Monday afternoon with questions regarding their smartphones or regular cellphones and many left saying they felt more comfortable than when they came in.

The workshop, held inside the North Central Senior Center, was led by Jerry West.

West teaches a technology class in the summers for the Montana Association for the Blind that focuses on helping those visually impaired with utilizing their smartphones capabilities.

West was assisted by Leif Bowman of Vision Matters.

Peggy Malone said she has had her iPhone for six years now and said she came in to the workshop because she doesnt even know how to run this old one, much less a new one.

Malone was specifically looking to get help regarding her Facebook application because it said it had expired.

Lowell Miller said he has had his flip phone for about three years and was interested to learn about the various voice commands that West had mentioned the phone was capable of.

Miller added that he heard about the seminar from his brother and decided to check it out and it was just what I needed.

Diane Miller said she has had her smartphone for about two years. She added that she, too, was interested to learn more about the voice command functions of the smartphones.

Many people, including Joan Johnson, had brought pen and paper to write down the tips and instructions presented.

Havre Daily News/Ryan Berry Jerry West, left, explains how to use certain features on smartphones during a technology workshop at the North Central Senior Center Monday in Havre. Most of the attendees had similar questions on how to use their devices, so West tackled each issue one at a time.

Johnson, who has had her iPhone for about four years, said there is so much stuff on there and she just wanted to know how to utilize some if it. Johnson pulled up the camera application on her iPhone and said she had noticed all the icons that were down below and asked West what they were.

She said she now knows how to email a photo to her friends and family, which is something she likes being able to do.

Johnson also had some questions regarding the tablet, but said she didnt want to take up to much of his (Wests) time.

She said she thought the workshop was excellent and that it was good for people like her. She received her iPhone as a hand-me-down from her grandson who lives out of state. Her daughter has a smartphone as well, but also lives out of state. She said workshops like this were good for people who dont have family nearby to help them figure out their device.

She added that the smartphones have so many cool features, and seniors should take advantage of the technology that is available to them.
Havre Police Department

A caller at a Montana State University-Northern residence hall reported Monday at 7:19 a.m. a pickup truck was broken into and a sound system and laptop stolen.

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A caller on 19th Avenue West reported a hit and run between a semitractor-trailer and a car at 12:44 p.m. Monday.

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A caller at a Third Street business reported Monday at 3:21 p.m. someone was rummaging around in her vehicle and had taken some change.

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Monday at 4:59 p.m. a gold Chevrolet Malibu was reported stolen from Washington Avenue.

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Daniel W. Williams of Havre, 41, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant during a vehicle stop on First Street West Monday at 10:26 p.m.

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Verlas Reylynne Chiefstick of Box Elder, 59, was arrested on a charge of probation violation after a caller at a First Street West business reported suspicious activity at 2:14 a.m. today.

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A caller reported suspicious activity at a 9th Avenue business at 2:54 a.m. today.

Hill County Sheriff's Office

Hill County Sheriff's dispatch log showed no arrests or investigations.

Montana Highway Patrol

A call was received at 2:09 p.m. Monday reporting a two vehicle crash, between a full size Ford pick up truck and a sport utility vehicle, with no injuries on U.S. Highway 2 in front of the former Kmart building. A adult male driver failed to yield the right of way while merging onto the highway.

Havre Fire Department

Emergency medical personnel responded to three calls Monday.

Havre Animal Shelter

The Havre shelter this morning held two medium-hair cats of unknown gender, four medium-hair male cats and one long-hair female cat.

--

The Havre shelter this morning also held a male American bulldog, a female mixed-breed dog, a female Labrador retriever dog. a male mixed-breed dog, a female Anatolian shepherd/husky 9-month-old puppy and a male pit bull-Labrador 9-month-old puppy.
One applicant so far, deadline is Friday

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon told Havre City Council during its meeting Monday that the city is accepting applications to fill the vacancy of city judge, through Friday, adding the city council then will schedule a special meeting to review applications and appoint someone to this position.

City Judge Virginia Seigel announced in November her resignation effective Jan. 21. Siegel is taking a position with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Finance Director and City Clerk Doug Kaercher said that so far there has been one applicant, Susan Brurud, for the position.

Council member Caleb Hutchins, chair of the councils Ordinance Committee, called a meeting for the committee Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. to review language of the proposed vacant property registry ordinance the councils Ad-Hoc Committee approved Dec. 27.

If the Ordinance Committee approves the vacant property registry ordinance, it would be looked over by the citys legal counsel before it is brought in front of the full council, Hutchins said.

The ordinance says if a property is vacant for 60 days, with the definition of vacancy written into the ordinance, the owners of the property would be required to register the property with the city, Hutchins said. He added that it would be listed on a vacant property registry which would include emergency contacts for a property manager within 60 miles of the city.

Owners also would have to submit a plan of what they would do with their property as far as repairs, selling it, renting it, living in it or demolishing it, including a rough timeline, when they register the property.

He added that failing to meet the requirements of the ordinance would incur a fee starting at $100 the first year, increasing by $100 every year after that up to a maximum of $500.

Its essential to get that property back into productive use, Hutchins said.

He added that many different avenues would be available for exemptions for properties such as property that is damaged in a natural disaster or people who live on the property part-time. Hutchins said a process is laid out in the ordinance for these exemptions.

Council also approved the appointment of of Marc Oberweiser to the position of probationary patrol officer with the Havre Police Department.

Chief Gabe Matosich said that Oberweiser was unable to attend the meeting Monday because he was at the police academy.

Mayor Tim Solomon said Oberweiser will be sworn in at a later date.

Oberweiser grew up in Billings and graduated from Billings Senior High School, Matosich said. He added that Oberweiser is the son of Tom and Pam Oberweiser, and his father is a former Havre police officer.

Hes excited to continue to move forward and follow in his fathers footsteps, Matosich said.

City Council also approved Solomons appointment of Chase Stoner to the Havre City-County Airport Board and approved the December Claims and Manual Warrants.
Some call it a fee, others a tax, but in a matter of weeks it will all be in the past.
By Vasia Orion | Published on 2019/01/07

OCN's "Kill It" has its leads, so open your peepers and take in the beauty that is Jang Ki-yong and Nana as its killer and detective duo. "Kill It" is a chase melodrama about a man who has to kill in order to find his family, and a woman who has to catch him in order to unravel the mystery behind her lover's death.

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The character information for Jang Ki-yong's Kim Soo-hyeon is largely the same as previously reported. He is a skilled hitman who can turn anything into a weapon, and yield it with ease. His obscure identity makes him a prime choice for any country's gangs and organizations. However, although he has trouble navigating relationships, and pretends to not care about people, deep down he is someone who craves human connection.

Nana plays Do Hyeon-jin, an ace detective who graduated at the top of her class from the police academy. Hyeon-jin is an appealing, talented woman who does not tolerate injustice, but is generous enough to turn a blind eye to a white lie. She has faith in her excellent intuition, but she also understands that scientific input is necessary. She may look cold on the outside, but she can connect with other people's pain.

I don't see a mention of the Devil character, who was previously reported as having abandoned our killer and raised our detective, so I wonder if that is a scrapped early concept, or a twist the production later decided to keep under wraps. Whichever the case, "Kill It" is looking good, and it will be with us this spring.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Sources (1)
Published on 2019/01/08 | Source

Actress Go Hyun-jung returned to the small screen on Monday in the sequel "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment" to the popular TV series "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho", an adaptation of a Web-based comic.

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It is Go's first TV series since she abruptly stepped down from her role halfway through the hit TV series "Return" after clashing with its producer in early last year.

In the new series, Go plays a woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants but has her own justification for doing so.

"Despite some concerns about casting her for the role, I believed she was the perfect fit for this ambivalent character. After working with her, I realized again my choice was right", Han Sang-woo, the series' producer, said at a press event ahead of the airing of the first episode on Monday.




Haiti - Taiwan : $22 million for increased rice seed production





On Monday Jobert C. Angrand the Minister of Agriculture, Bocchit Edmond, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador HU Cheng-Hao of Taiwan (Republic of China) signed a cooperation agreement for the execution of two projects aimed at increased supply of rice seeds in the Artibonite Valley and in the rice plains of the North and North-East departments.



This agreement, worthing more than 22 million US dollars (22,825,000), provides each department with a modern Rice Seed Treatment Center. The goal is to produce 20,000 tons of rice seed to increase this production in the country. The agreement stipulates that Taiwan will provide the Government of Haiti with technical assistance for the production of quality seeds, the management of the Quality Control Laboratory, the purchase of equipment and the construction and maintenance of these infrastructures. These two projects will increase the supply of quality seeds in the Artibonite Valley and in the North and Northeast Rice Plains over a three-year period starting this month.



According to Minister Angrand, conditioning facilities are already under construction at Ferrier, Estere and Torbeck.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Economy : The DGI urges citizens to file their tax return





Monday at a press conference, Miradin Morlan, the Director General of the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI), recalled "The deadline for filing its final tax declaration according to the law is 31 January. It is a duty for every citizen who has reached the age of 18 [...] all income generated during the 2017-2018 fiscal year must be declared according to the tax laws in force. The system is declarative subject to verification by the DGI [...]" He asked taxpayers including foreigners to file their income tax returns, especially for the last 5 years before the deadline in order to avoid penalties of 3% per month or fraction of a month without any limit. Affirming that there will be no extension period this year



He advised to declare with frankness and sincerity, whatever the field of activity, all revenues received. Regretting that "too many people with the ability to pay their taxes refuse to do so" he argued for a tax law criminalizing fraud and tax evasion to compel violators to pay their taxes.



While celebrating the performance of the DGI, which raised 39.8 billion Gourdes for the fiscal year 2017-2018 on a forecast of 41 billion, Miradin Morlan called on all taxpayers aged 18 and over to fulfill their duty to citizen by regularly honoring their tax, which will allow the government to materialize projects in favor of the population "All those who pay their taxes allow the country to move on the path of change and progress."



Note that the DGI for the fiscal year 2018-2019, provides tax revenues of about 56 billion Gourdes.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















MOSS POINT, Miss.  Drama is unfolding in the City of Moss Point as alderman Ennit Morris had a tort of claim filed and sent to Mayor Mario King individually and in his capacity as the Mayor of Moss Point by his attorney David C. Frazier of Pascagoula.

Per the tort of claim, Morris is seeking $500,000 in monetary damages.

Morris alleges a pattern of behavior King has exhibited since the current administration entered office reared its ugliness at a Dec. 4, 2018 meeting while aldermen were in executive session.

The tort of claims says that King attempted to have Morris arrested and an officer subsequently placed his hand on Morris to remove him but was told not to do so by St. Pe and according to the claim told King he could not have Morris removed.

Those involved include King, St. Pe', members of the board of aldermen, unknown members of the police department and the city clerk.

As a result of the acts and omissions committed by Mayor King, Alderman Morris has sustained an assault, outrage, intentional infliction of emotional distress and such other injuries to which there is a remedy pursuant to Mississippi law, the tort outlines.

King and fellow aldermen are in Jackson attending conferences and workshops related to the opening of 2019 Legislative Session, but said he only had one word in response to receiving the tort of claim and Morriss actions.

Embarrassing.

The Mississippi Press placed calls to Morris but our calls have yet to be returned.

The tort claim in its entirety can be read here.
ZTE nubia Red Magic Mars is coming to the US and Europe on January 31 for just $399

At CES ZTE has announced that its nubia Red Magic Mars gaming smartphone is headed to the US and Europe pretty soon - so the rumors were right.

The handset will be available in those markets on January 31. Pricing has only been unveiled for the US, and it's $399 for the entry-level version which has 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The higher-end models with 8/128GB and 10/256GB, respectively, are also likely to be offered in Western markets, but that hasn't been made official yet.

If you're wondering what you get in exchange for $399 of your hard earned cash, here's a quick spec reminder for the nubia Red Magic Mars. First off, the one important thing for gamers: it has an RGB light panel on the back. It's also got a 6-inch FHD+ touchscreen, the Snapdragon 845 chipset, Android 9 Pie, a 16 MP f/1.8 main camera, an 8 MP selfie shooter, and a 3,800 mAh battery.

The Red Magic Mars became available in China last month, and a few days ago it topped all of its competitors in AnTuTu's monthly Top 10 rating. Maybe that's thanks to its dual liquid+air cooling system.

Via
Xiaomi's Mi Mix 3 was announced in China back in October, and it definitely took its sweet time reaching European shores. Contrary to some speculation, the launch didn't happen last December. But the wait is now finally over.

The Mi Mix 3 is available to purchase in Spain today, and will be out in Italy tomorrow in Sapphire Blue and Onyx Black. The phone is priced at 549 and you can buy it from the Chinese company's physical stores and its online store.

What's more, in Italy, if you buy one tomorrow, on January 9, from the online store, you will pay just 499. Only the model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage seems to be launching in Europe at this time, so that's the one you'll get for these prices.

The Mi Mix 3 comes with an almost entirely bezel-less front that's made possible by the manually sliding construction that reveals the hidden dual front camera array (with a 24 MP main sensor and a 2 MP depth sensor). The phone has a 6.39-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen, the Snapdragon 845 SoC, Android 9 Pie on board underneath MIUI 10, and a 3,200 mAh battery. The ceramic back adds some heft (taking the Mix 3's weight to 218g) and slipperiness, but is practically scratch-resistant.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Via
(CNN)  Cyntoia Denise Brown, a woman serving a life sentence for killing a man who bought her for sex when she was 16 years old, has been granted clemency, the Tennessee governor's office said Monday.

Brown, 30, will be released to parole supervision on August 7 after serving 15 years in prison, Gov. Bill Haslam's office said in a statement.

"This decision comes after careful consideration of what is a tragic and complex case," Haslam said.

"Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16. Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life. Transformation should be accompanied by hope."

Brown's case drew the attention of several high-profile advocates including a U.S. congressman, several Tennessee lawmakers and a number of A-List celebrities. Comedian Amy Schumer, reality star Kim Kardashian West and actress Ashley Judd were among those who called for Brown's clemency.

Years-old case ignites new interest

In 2004, Brown killed Johnny Mitchell Allen, who Brown said had solicited her for sex and taken her back to his house.

Prosecutors at the time said Brown shot Allen in the head while he was sleeping, stole money and guns, took his truck, and fled the scene. They argued the killing wasn't motivated by self-defense, but robbery.

Brown said she was scared for her life by Allen's behavior, and took money for fear of returning empty-handed to her pimp, nicknamed "Cut Throat."

A juvenile court found Brown competent to be tried as an adult. She was convicted of murder and robbery, and sentenced to life in prison.

Though more than a decade had passed since her trial, the harsh punishment for a teenage victim of sex trafficking sparked outrage around the U.S.  particularly after celebrities Rihanna and Kardashian West came to her defense on social media in 2017.

Since Brown's conviction, juvenile sentencing guidelines in Tennessee have been amended:

"If Cyntoia Brown were tried today, legal experts say she would not have been tried in the same way," said CNN affiliate WZTVanchor Stacy Case, who had been investigating reports of sex trafficking in Tennessee when she came across Brown's story.

"Our courts today would view her as a child sex slave... she would be viewed as a victim."

In fact, it was Brown's trial that inspired a documentary that eventually helped to alter the way Tennessee deals with sex trafficking victims, particularly those who are juveniles.

"If you look at Cyntoia's original transcripts, they are peppered with the phrase 'teen prostitute,'" says Derri Smith, founder and CEO of non-profit End Slavery Tennessee.

"Well we know today there's no such thing as a teen prostitute ... because this teen may think that she decided this was her idea to be raped multiple times a day and give money to someone else, it's pretty clear there's an adult behind that who's manipulating and exploiting her."

Read: Want to help survivors of child sex trafficking? Stop using these terms

Abandoned, abused and exploited

In the 2011 documentary "Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story," Brown describes being forced into prostitution at a young age, sex-trafficked and raped repeatedly.

"The first time he did something to me is when he choked me and I passed out," Brown recounts of her alleged pimp in the documentary. "I made him money...he wasn't going to let me go nowhere. He told me he'd kill me."

The documentary by Daniel H. Birman Productions, Inc. also revealed new evidence that suggests Brown suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, which can cause brain damage  evidence that the jury which convicted her in 2004 never saw. Her mother also admitted to drinking heavily while pregnant, according to court records from a 2014 appeal.

"Then as a teenager, she did have a nice adoptive family," Case said. "But because of her experiences she veered and ended up on the wrong side of law  and ended up being sex-trafficked. If she had grown up differently, if she had had other opportunities, it may not have ended up that way."

A second installment of the documentary is scheduled for release this year.

Fighting for a second chance

Since her sentencing, Brown has spent all of her adulthood in prison  but her advocates say she has worked to transform herself during her time behind bars.

"She is light years today, as a woman, different from the traumatized 16-year-old that she was," Smith says. "She's mentoring... troubled youth, working on her college degree, she is planning a nonprofit so she can help other young people."

Brown received her associate's degree from Lipscomb University in 2015, and, according to Smith, has been working toward her Bachelor's degree while in prison. She's also collaborating with Tennessee's Juvenile Justice System to help counsel young people at risk, and her supporters say she's been a model inmate during her incarceration.

"I learned that my life was  and is  not over," Brown said over the phone in a clip titled "Prison Reflections" from the documentary filmmakers. "I can create opportunities where I can actually help people."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Cyntoia Brown is granted clemency after serving 15 years in prison for killing man who bought her for sex"
Rumor has it there will be more than one 5G version of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S10, and that makes sense because it appears that at the beginning the new tech will require a customized model for each carrier using 5G. That's a pretty huge step back from the current state of 4G, but remember that LTE got started like that too.

Anyway, one of those 5G iterations of Samsung's next flagship is headed to Sprint, the carrier proudly announced in a press release today. Well, the company stopped short of naming the device, but did reveal that "an innovative, standards-based 5G smartphone" is "expected to launch in summer 2019 from Samsung". The obvious candidate is the S10, so let's not play Sprint's game and just call it.

The Sprint S10 will also work on the carrier's 4G LTE network, of course, and it will support its 1.9 GHz spectrum (band 25) as well as its 800 MHz spectrum (band 26), and other LTE bands for roaming.

In the first half of this year Sprint will launch its mobile 5G network in nine cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C.

Source
Huawei was a company of contrasts in 2018 - it reached new highs in smartphone sales while being repeatedly targeted by governments across the globe because of privacy issues and evading trade sanctions.

Richard Yu, Huawei CEO, addressed these issues in an open letter, along with priorities for 2019 and plans for the next 5 to 10 years. He also shared that his company managed to ship 200 million smartphone in 2018, making it the second biggest manufacturer in the world.

Huawei CEO, Richard Yu

Yu revealed that another 100 million devices were sold in 2018, including PCs, tablets, wearables, etc. This propelled the Chinese maker to third biggest tablet maker in the world, right after Samsung and Apple.

The plans for 2019 included retaining the trust of consumers. With investments in R&D, 5G and AI, the company is aiming to build an ecosystem that should deliver an intelligent experience across every consumer scenario. Richard Yu said Huawei believes in the power of AI and is committed to use the technology for helping deaf children.

There were also clarifications that the company complies with the most stringent privacy technology framework in the world and that it is a contributor that is open for cooperation and collective success.
GREENWICH  Tuesday was a day of celebration for the members of the Cos Cob Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10112. They not only gathered for their, a little late, Christmas party, but also enjoyed a special commemoration of their anniversary.

The post marked its 50th year in 2018, but the official citation from the national VFW was not ready in time. Post members received it instead on Tuesday afternoon when they gathered at Zodys 19th Hole in Stamford. It was a chance to celebrate, and remember decades of community service and advocacy for veterans in town.

This is a proud moment for the post, said Commander Joe Musich. Weve been in business for 50 years and were trying to get new membership. Our mission has not changed and its still to serve our veterans and be proud that we served the United States of America in World War II, Korea, Vietnam.

Post member Anthony Marzullo presented the citation. The posts service officer, he is an original member, having been involved for all 50 years.

Its a great honor, Marzullo said. Weve lasted more than 50 years and weve done a lot of community activity during those years and gone to the VA hospital for services. I hope that this post will continue to last, at least another 10 years.  A lot of the credit for us lasting this long has to go to men who are now deceased.

The citation from the national VFW reads that it was awarded, In recognition of outstanding contributions to the welfare of our nation and its disabled veterans during fifty years of dedication to the high ideals of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Post 10112, a part of the towns Veterans Council, has 43 members, and is still active, sponsoring events including clothing drives at Cos Cob School, raising money for scholarships and holding ceremonies every Memorial Day and Veterans Day at its memorial in the pocket park across the street from the Greenwich Historical Society.

Marzullo said they will continue to advocate for veterans issues, including by making sure veterans are getting the benefits they should. Organizations like the VFW are speaking up for veterans rights, he said.

We dont want to stop, Marzullo said. We want to make sure veterans are getting everything they should and to take care of younger veterans. Veterans are responsible for our freedom and our way of life and were going to keep fighting for their rights and their benefits. Thats whats kept me as a member of the post. Getting this is a real honor because 50 years is a long time to have a post.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
GREENWICH  A Cos Cob man already facing a number drug offenses has been hit with a new round of criminal charges, police said.

Alexander Edell, 36, of Valley Road, was arrested after an incident at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Old Greenwich in late July. Edell was accused of breaking down a door and assaulting a woman there, police said.

Both Edell and the woman were charged with drug possession, for alleged possession of Xanax and Ketamine, police said.

Further investigation by Greenwich police led to the filing of new charges against Edell on Tuesday: aggravated sexual assault, a felony, and reckless endangerment.

According to the application for an arrest warrant filed at Superior Court in Stamford, the woman who was taking drugs with Edell said he had sexually assaulted her. The woman, who was homeless in Bridgeport, connected with Edell through a drug-dealer named Winky, the affidavit states.

Edell told her he would help her out since she was homeless, according to the court papers, and the two began taking drugs together at the Hyatt over the next several days.

The woman told police that Edell sexually assaulted her at the hotel, in a rough and painful manner, in her words, according to court papers. Alexander told her (the victim) he liked to be dominating, the affidavit states.

The woman told investigators he also forced her to take a dose of MDMA, a potent mood-altering drug known on the street as Molly, through her rectum. According to drug-counseling journals and organizations, the practice provides a rapid drug high.

The woman told police she was also assaulted in Stamford and New York City, the affidavit states, but Greenwich detectives could not pursue those cases as they happened in other jurisdictions.

Edell appeared in court in Stamford for an arraignment Tuesday, and he remains in state custody.

Edell has a history of arrests. In 2010, he abducted a female student at Norwalk Community College, later pleading guilty to second-degree kidnapping.

 With Staff Reporter John Nickerson
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Hugh Hewitt (Look forward, Mr. President, Jan. 1) and other Trump apologists have started the new year with articles touting the accomplishments of the current administration.

Even if you can twist your morals into odd shapes to accept how this president goes about his work, there are plenty of individuals who do not share Mr. Hewitts assessment.

Climate change is an existential threat; exiting the Paris agreement was hubris at best.

The tax cut has had its positive impact. From this point onward it is deficits beyond belief with no relief in sight. The battering of old friends and genuflecting to international despots is not positive foreign policy.

Even if there are a few things that have gone well, such as continued low unemployment and slightly increased wages, these seem to be largely carryover accomplishments from the previous administration.

Nothing positive that has happened since his election are worth the sacrificing of our morals and traditional norms of behavior. Trump could have had a different approach, but he opted to alienate many of citizens of this country.
(The college) cant close  thats the attitude we have, Rice said. Were working to make sure it doesnt.

Students are helping, too. They pledged to return to campus for the spring semester, which started Monday. Seniors are being asked to give $20.19  their graduation year. And students are raising awareness on social media.

Student Government Association President Alexis Branch said her counterparts at Morehouse and Spelman colleges agreed to organize fundraising campaigns on their campuses. Students at the two Atlanta schools will be asked to give $1 each. Then students at other historically black colleges will be challenged to match their totals.

Bennetts call for help has resonated at other historically black colleges, said Branch, a senior from Maryland whos majoring in political science. Bennett is just one of two remaining historically black womens colleges in the country  Spelman is the other  and the college has produced generations of black women leaders.

I think they recognize the history and legacy of HBCUs and the struggles that HBCUs are going through, Branch said. Were not the only HBCU with accreditation issues. 

Its important that we keep our doors open and preserve the legacy of the college.
GRAHAM  The Alamance County Sheriffs Office is warning residents of a telephone scam.

Residents have reported receiving phone calls from individuals claiming to be with the court system, according to a sheriff's office news release. The scammer tells the resident that there is an order for their arrest for failing to report for jury duty. The scammer then tells the person to send money to a federal agency via Western Union to avoid being arrested.

The amount of money requested varies as does the name of the federal agency.

The Alamance County Clerk of Court nor the North Carolina Court System call residents for failing to report for jury duty.

Residents are advised not to give any personal information and disconnect the call. It is also recommended to block the number of the caller. Citizens can call their telephone provider for instructions on how to block a call.
A group of 22 people who support keeping the Confederate monument in downtown Winston-Salem gathered in front of City Hall Monday night, saying that the statue represents their Southern heritage.

Pattie Curran of Winston-Salem, an organizer of the rally, said the statue is a memorial to the Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War.

We have been across the South looking at these statues to Confederate dead, said Curran, a state executive committee member of the Constitution Party of North Carolina. We have a constitutional right, a God-given right to honor our dead.

The federal government has deemed them to be veterans as well, Curran said of the Confederate soldiers who survived the war. We just want to leave our history alone.

The rally preceded a meeting of the Winston-Salem city council. The city has ordered the United Daughters of Confederacy, which owns the statue, to remove it by Jan. 31 or face legal action. The UDC has said that it will fight to keep the statue at its current location at at Fourth and Liberty streets. Opponents of the statue maintain that it symbolizes white supremacy and racial hatred.
"If you take $10 and go to Food Lion or Walmart or Aldi or whatever store you shop at, it's going to be worth $10," said Shante Woody, the People's Market manager. "But if you take those same $10 on your card and come here, we are going to give you $20 to spend."
Transdev, a leading operator and global integrator of mobility solutions, is partnering with ZF and e.GO, a manufacturer of electric vehicles to develop a new shared mobility solution by integrating the autonomous driven e.GO Mover shuttle with the operating System by Transdev.





The e.GO Moove GmbH joint venture (which partners e.GO and ZF) is providing the e.GO Mover, a fully electric, connected and automated shuttle. ZF is equipping this people mover with electric drive systems, steering systems and brakes as well as ZFs ProAI central computer (using artificial intelligence) and sensors which enable automated driving functions. Transdev, through its global Autonomous Transport System (ATS by Transdev) will provide its supervision system, connected infrastructure and client application.

The partners will start working together immediately to provide a fully functional solution by 2020, with priority markets in France and Germany.
A coalition of industry, non-profit and academic institutions has launched a campaign to inform the public and policymakers about the potential and the reality of advanced vehicle technologies and self-driving vehicles.

Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE) will hold events across the country to introduce driver assistance and self-driving technology to consumers and policymakers; hold educational workshops to help federal, state and local officials make informed policy decisions; and develop educational materials to distribute to retail sales and customer service personnel.

The National Safety Council and Audi of America will serve as inaugural co-chairs of PAVE.

The members of this coalition come from a wide variety of interests, but we share two beliefs: A belief in the potential for advanced technologies, including automated vehicles, to transform the safety, mobility and sustainability of transportation, and a belief that fully informing the public is essential to meet that potential. If we are going to save the lives that automated vehicles can save, the public and their elected representatives must be full participants in shaping the future of our roadways. Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council

Traditional automakers and newcomers are investing billions of dollars in the technology that will make automated vehicles possible. PAVE recognizes the need to invest in public informationin making sure consumers and policymakers understand whats real, whats possible, and what is rumor or speculation. Mark Del Rosso, President, Audi of America

PAVE will seek to bring realistic, factual information to policymakers and the public so consumers and decision-makers understand the technology, its current state and its future potentialincluding the benefits in safety, mobility and sustainability.

The group will sponsor hands-on workshops in partnership with SAE International to give consumers the ability to see, touch and feel developing AV technology. It will hold policy workshops in partnership with major academic institutions such as Stanford Universitys Center for Automotive Research to help policymakers understand AVs and their potential. It will also produce a website and social media content designed to reach broad audiences with factual, digestible information about AVs and their development.

PAVE members:
Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning, with mostly sunny skies this afternoon. High 101F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 74F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.
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NAPPANEE [mdash] Daniel F. Chupp, 89 of Nappanee, Indiana, died at 9:46 a.m. Thursday, June 10, 2021 at Goshen General Hospital. Cremation will take place and a memorial service will be held at a later date.
With each passing week, it seems, theres another positive move on the jobs and economic development fronts in Danville and Pittsylvania County, leading us to be increasingly bullish on the prospects for our part of Virginia.

Just consider the developments of the last four weeks or so.

First, Essel Propack, which has been a business in the region for more than a decade and a half, announced a $31.2 million expansion of the capabilities of its facility in the Airside Industrial Park that will result in the creation of 45 new jobs, each with annual average salary close to $50,000. New equipment purchases at the plant will result in increased tax revenues for the city, as well.

Essel Propack, which is based in Mumbai, India, is a global leader in the production of tube containers used in the health and beauty industry for things like toothpaste and shampoo. The company has about 2,850 employees worldwide and 252 at its Danville plant, its only U.S. facility. The new jobs, according to a company official, will be highly skilled positions in digital printing and graphics, and hiring is currently gearing up. The new equipment will increase the plants annual production of tubes from about 700 million to more than 1 billion.
The suspect went to his car and retrieved a rifle. His brother-in-law fired the handgun. Then the suspect opened fire.

After multiple shots, court documents state, Veronica Peatross turned to her son and saw him lying dead on the ground, bleeding from his head.

Pittsylvania County Sheriffs Office deputies arrived shortly thereafter and arrested Smith without incident, said Captain of Investigations Corey Webb. Smith was not known to the Pittsylvania County Sheriffs Office before then.

He was taken into custody there at the scene, Webb said. All weapons that were used in this altercation, they were taken into evidence.

Webb could not comment on the nature of the argument between the three and their family ties. Nor would he speak to whether the guns were legally obtained.

The shooting comes two days after three people were shot to death and two others were wounded at a home in Hurt.

The incident is still under investigation, Webb said. Smith is scheduled to appear in Pittsylvania Countys General District Court for a preliminary hearing March 5.

James Whitlow reports for the Danville Register & Bee. Contact him at jwhitlow@registerbee.com or (434) 791-7983.
Though the cops said a lot of nasty things about Louie and Gene, no one could prove all the property was hot. The cops traced only a small part of it to burglaries. Louie and Gene knew their rights and claimed that 492 leftovers belonged to them. They went to court, and last week Judge Paul Dorf ordered all the goods  except guns  back to Louie and Gene Comi. Back to Louie, this one-time numbers runner, this old timer with a record dating back 47 years. Back to Gene, convicted years ago of dealing in stolen government bonds and forgery. For the moment, looks like crime might pay, after all.
You asked. We listened. Your daily crossword, Sudoku and dozens of other puzzles are now available online. Play them or print them here.

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US Syria Withdrawal Must Be Planned in Cooperation With Right Partners - Erdogan

Sputnik News

01:36 08.01.2019

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States must closely coordinate its planned pullout from Syria with the "right partners" in order to protect itself and the Syrian people, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday in an op-ed published by the New York Times.

"President Trump made the right call to withdraw from Syria. The United States withdrawal, however, must be planned carefully and performed in cooperation with the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people," Erdogan wrote.

The Turkish president also argued that his country was the only one that could work with both the United States and Russia on Syria, noting that Ankara is involved in both the Russian-led Astana process and the UN-backed Geneva process for Syria.

Erdogan emphasized that Turkey remains committed to the mission to defeat the Daesh* terror group in Syria, underlining that there would be "no victory for the terrorists."

After the terrorists are defeated, Syrian territories must be governed by "popularly elected councils," Erdogan wrote, adding that councils in predominantly Kurdish regions would largely consist of representatives from the Kurdish community.

In December, Trump declared victory over Daesh and announced that as a result, US forces would be coming home soon. On Monday, Trump said US forces would leave Syria while at the same time continue fighting the Daesh terror group.

*Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State/IS), a terrorist group banned in Russia and a wide number of other countries.

 Sputnik
Syrian Army Arrive in Northwestern Provinces to Repel Nusra Attacks - Reports

Sputnik News

02:25 08.01.2019

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) - Additional forces of the Syrian army arrive in the provinces of Idlib, Aleppo and Hama and are ready to repel the attacks of the terrorists from the Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham group (former Jabhat al-Nusra, banned in Russia), the pro-government Syrian newspaper al-Watan reported on Monday, citing local sources.

"Syrian army forces from military units in the south and in the centre of the country arrive in the north and north-west of Hama Province and south-east of Idlib Province, while other military convoys move north and north-east of Aleppo province," local sources told the newspaper.

The sources added that the army in Aleppo and its neighbourhood is fully prepared "for any confrontation with Nusra, after it seized control all the points on the line of contact with the army."

According to the sources, Nusra terrorists intend to escalate tensions by shelling residential areas of Aleppo and conducting other provocations.

The publication also reported that the Syrian army reinforced its positions in the areas of the cities of Tall Rifat and Manbij in the province of Aleppo, and also blocked all the loopholes through which the militants tried to penetrate the positions of government troops.

According to media reports, Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham terrorists established control over the city of Atarib in the Syrian province of Aleppo and the international highway leading to the border with Turkey.

On Sunday, Nusra terrorists established complete control over the city of Atarib, main opposition outpost in the western part of Aleppo Province located on the highway leading to the Bab al-Hawa border crossing, sources close to the opposition National Liberation Front told the newspaper.

According to the publication's sources, Nusra completely blocked all the routes and passages connecting the western part of the province of Aleppo with its northern part, in order to prevent the arrival of additional opposition forces.

Nusra concentrated its forces around the city of Arihah on the Aleppo-Latakia highway, putting forward an ultimatum to the militants Ahrar al-Sham and Suqour al-Sham to leave the city within 48 hours. The newspaper noted that in the event of the seizure of the city, the terrorists will control a significant part of the Aleppo-Latakia highway. At the same time, the terrorists of the group surrounded the city of Ma'arat al-Nu'man in the province of Idlib, held by the opposition, the newspaper noted.

The newspaper's sources noted the "official silence" of the Turkish side and the lack of coverage in the Turkish media of what is happening in northern Syria, including the squeeze-out of the militants of the Nour al-Din al-Zenki group sponsored by Ankara. This may mean that Ankara accepted everything that Hayat Tahrir Ash-Sham group planned, "without any on-the-ground reaction," sources told the newspaper.

 Sputnik
Pompeo: US Pullout From Syria Doesn't Change 'Counter-Iran Strategy'

Sputnik News

04:07 08.01.2019

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the planned US withdrawal of troops from Syria won't change the mission of destroying the Daesh terror group and stopping Iran from influencing the region.

Pompeo said that the withdrawal is a "change of tactics" and will not interfere with the US commitment "to the defeat of the caliphate or of ISIS globally," CNBC reported.

"There's no change in our counter-Iran strategy," Pompeo added.

Secretary of State Pompeo also gave assurances that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can be trusted not to turn on the Kurds in Syria, who have been allies of the US during the campaign.

"Erdogan made a commitment to President Trump that the Turks would continue the counter ISIS campaign after our departure, and that the Turks would ensure that the folks that we'd fought with  that assisted us in the counter ISIS campaign  would be protected," he said. He noted that White House national security advisor John Bolton is in Ankara to ensure the fulfilment of these promises.

On Sunday, Bolton said the planned US withdrawal of nearly 2,000 troops from Syria will be contingent upon finalizing an agreement with Turkey that protects Kurdish fighters in the region. Speaking to reporters in Jerusalem during a visit to Israel and Turkey, Bolton answered some of the questions regarding the planned withdrawal. He described the stipulation as Trump's official position.

In December, Trump declared victory over Daesh and announced that as a result, US forces would soon be coming home. On Monday, Trump said US forces would leave Syria while at the same time they would continue fighting the Daesh terror group.

*Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State/IS), a terrorist group banned in Russia and a wide number of other countries.

 Sputnik
Putin, Erdogan Plan Meeting 'Soon' On U.S. Plan To Exit Syria

By RFE/RL January 07, 2019

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan are planning to meet "soon" to discuss the announced departure of U.S. troops from Syria, where both countries also have a strong military presence.

Turkey's state news agency Anadolu reported on January 6 that the meeting is expected to take place this month.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the two leaders intend to hold talks "soon" but that the exact date has not yet been set.

Putin and Erdogan last met on December 1 at the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires.

Foreign and defense ministers from the two countries met in Moscow at the end of December to discuss Syria.

Syria has been engulfed in a seven-year civil war.

Russia and Iran back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The United States and Turkey back differing antigovernment fighters.

The U.S. national security adviser, John Bolton, said he would discuss U.S. plans when he meets Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan in Turkey on January 8.

Those meetings will follow talks, also focusing on Syria, that Bolton is holding in Israel, where he said the U.S. pullout was conditional on Turkish guarantees in regard to U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters.

President Donald Trump on December 19 surprised U.S. lawmakers and many military leaders when he announced he would pull all 2,000 U.S. forces from Syria, where they have been assisting a Kurdish militia in rooting out IS fighters from that country.

Many supporters, critics, and international allies expressed shock over the decision, saying it would hand Russia and Iran a victory and leave the Kurds at the mercy of Turkish forces.

Ankara sees the U.S.-backed YPG militia in Syria as an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey and has vowed to crush it.

Trump was not specific about a time frame, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters after meeting with Trump. He said the president was committed to making sure Turkey did not clash with the U.S.-backed Kurdish YPG forces once U.S. troops leave Syria.

Israel has expressed concerns that a U.S. pullout from Syria could allow Iran to consolidate its presence there and pose a risk to its security.

On January 6 in Jerusalem, Bolton said the U.S. decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria was conditional on Turkey ensuring the safety of Kurds in Syria.

Asked if a U.S. pullout would be halted if Turkey could not guarantee the Kurdish fighters would be safe, Bolton said: "Basically, that's right."

"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," Bolton said.

It must be assured, he added, that any Turkish military actions will not "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."

With reporting by dpa, Reuters, and TASS

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-erdogan-meet-soon -on-us-syria-plan/29694946.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.
Iran security chief: US suffered strategic defeat in Syria

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 11:40AM

Iran's security chief says the United States has been forced to decide to leave Syria because it has suffered a strategic defeat there, and that Washington will ultimately have no choice but to leave the whole region.

Last month, President Donald Trump made an abrupt announcement to withdraw the roughly 2,000 American troops from Syria, claiming that the US had accomplished its goal of defeating Daesh.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, however, said, "The US has had no role in defeating Daesh in Syria and has suffered defeat in its strategy there."

"In 2019, America's compulsory withdrawal from our region will begin and in the future, they will be forced to start their pullout from the Persian Gulf," the official told an international seminar on defense and security in West Asia that was held in Tehran on Monday.

Shamkhani said US withdrawal from Syria and Iraq portends "a dark future" for the United States. "Today, a trend has begun against the forces of instability in our region, which has somehow prompted the compulsory exit of the United States."

"Today, the Americans are talking about leaving Afghanistan, while they have fulfilled none of the security components there," Shamkhani said.

Trump has ordered the start of withdrawing some 7,000 troops from Afghanistan, about half of the total number of American boots on the ground in the war-torn country, The New York Times reported last month.

More than 2,400 Americans have died in Afghanistan since 2001, with 13 troops killed this year. US forces have remained bogged down in Afghanistan through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and now Trump since they invaded the country 2001.

Shamkhani said, "Today, US crimes have become embedded in the minds of regional people, and US troops have no choice but to leave the region."

The United States invaded Syria in 2014 under the pretext of confronting Daesh without the request of the Syrian government or a UN mandate.

Shamkhani also touched on US military presence in Iraq, where Trump paid a secret visit recently, prompting an outcry from Iraqi politicians and lawmakers.

The Iranian official said Iraqi commanders had snubbed a US invitation to attend Christmas celebrations at the a-Asad air base in Anbar Province.

Shamkhani said the United States is now faced with a "bitter truth" in the region where Iran's influence is expanding.

"We are so powerful that no one can attack us," he said, adding the Islamic Republic would retaliate with far greater force against any act of aggression.

Shamkhani touched on US officials' patronage of anti-Iran terrorists, mentioning National Security Adviser John Bolton who takes his position against Iran according to MKO statements.

"It is unbecoming of an administration which lays claim to greatness to base its strategic decision-making against Iran on communiques" issued by the MKO, he said.

US officials have stepped up their support for the MKO. The group has killed thousands of Iranian civilians and officials throughout decades.

Bolton and Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani have become familiar faces at conventions held by the terrorist group in recent years.
Four civilians, one Kurdish militant killed in Daesh bomb attack in Syria's Raqqah

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 07:03PM

A deadly bomb attack, claimed by the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, has hit a center for US-backed Kurdish militants in the northern Syrian city of Raqqah, leaving at least four civilians and a militant dead.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fatalities took place on Monday, when the attacker detonated his explosive vest after entering the center run by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), part of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that has close military cooperation with the US.

"A suicide attacker wearing an explosive belt blew himself up inside a YPG center after opening fire on a security checkpoint at its entrance," said Rami Abdel-Rahman, the Observatory chief.

Raqqah residents said the Kurdish militants had cordoned off the area and the nearby streets after the blast.

Daesh claimed responsibility for the assault in a statement issued via its Amaq news agency, describing the site as a "recruitment center" for Kurdish forces.

The US has been arming and training Kurdish militants under the banner of helping them fight Daesh, but Syria and several other countries see ulterior motives behind the deployment.

Syria and its allies pushed the Takfiri terrorist group out of its last stronghold in the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr early last year.

Turkey, a key US ally in the region, has repeatedly questioned Washington's deployment of heavy weapons in Syria despite the defeat of Daesh in much of the Arab country.

Ankara views the YPG as a branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting a decades-long deadly war against Turkey for an independent state in the country's southeast.

Kurdish forces, who were left exposed by US President Donald Trump's pledge to pull out American soldiers from Syria, have asked Syrian government forces for help amid indications that Turkey is considering a military campaign against them.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups that are wreaking havoc in the country.
Iran Defense Minister hopes for further victories for Syrian government

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 7 January 2019 / 15:08

Tehran (ISNA)  Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier-General Amir Hatami held a meeting with deputy Defense Minister of Syria Mahmoud al-Shawa on Monday.

During the meeting held at the sideline of the International Conference on Defense and Security in West Asia, General Amir Hatami hoped for further victories for the Syrian forces in their battle against terrorism.

General Hatami expressed his happiness over Syria's recent victories, and hoped that the chain of victories will go on for Syria.

Al-Shawa, for his part, said that the Syrian forces will keep defeating the enemies of the Syrian people, IRNA reported.

End Item
US to upgrade Saudi missile systems despite global backlash over Khashoggi murder

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 08:32AM

The United States has approved upgrades to Saudi Arabia's missile defenses worth $195 million despite global outrage over the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a report says.

In December, the State Department approved the commercial deal and notified Congress of the sale, but the exact dollar value of the transaction was recently revealed by the Security Assistance Monitor.

Under the deal, the kingdom will receive upgrades to improve its Patriot PAC-3 defenses, including a guidance system that increases its ability to intercept ballistic missiles able to evade US-made radars.

A State Department spokesperson said President Donald Trump had indicated that Washington would remain a "steadfast" partner for Saudi Arabia.

The pronouncement came despite growing outrage over Riyadh's aggression in Yemen and the death of Khashoggi, who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last year.

The kingdom's military campaign has hit rough patches in Yemen where Houthi forces and their allies in the Yemeni army frequently target the Saudi military in retaliatory attacks.

"It's not theoretical anymore for the Saudis," Frank Rose, a former assistant secretary of state for arms control, verification, and compliance said of Yemen's missiles which have landed as far as Riyadh.

"This situation has caused them to rethink many of their assumptions around missile defense," said Rose, now a fellow at the Brookings Institution.

She noted that the Patriots can help protect smaller installations such as airfields, but don't provide enough coverage to defend a large city such as Riyadh, which has been hit by Houthi missiles.

The deal was approved despite a bill introduced by a bipartisan group of senators aimed at halting US arms exports to Saudi Arabia in response to the "barbaric" murder of Khoshoggi, continued detention of activists and the "indiscriminate" bombing campaign in Yemen.

The Patriot deal could "provide another pipeline for the Trump administration to provide lethal assistance to Saudi Arabia," online newspaper Al-Monitor said.

Fleeing teenager in Bangkok

With global scrutiny rising over Riyadh's deeds, a Saudi teenager said her passport was forcibly taken by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived in Thailand after she fled abuse by her family.

"They took my passport," Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun said, adding that her male guardian had reported her for travellng "without his permission."

Rahaf, who was stopped from entering Thailand when she flew in from Kuwait on Sunday, said she will be killed if she is repatriated by Thai immigration officials.

Human Rights Watch Asia deputy director Phil Robertson criticized Thai authorities and called on the UN refugee agency to help Rahaf.

"What country allows diplomats to wander around the closed section of the airport and seize the passports of the passengers?" he said, noting that there is "impunity" within the family unit in Saudi Arabia to abuse women.

Rahaf said she her family 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 at Bangkok's international airport, adding that she is certain she will be imprisoned if she is repatriated.

"I'm sure 100 percent they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail," Rahaf added.

Rahaf said she had a visa to Australia, where she had hoped to seek asylum.

Immigration chief Surachate said Rahaf would be returned to Saudi Arabia by Monday morning, adding that the case is "a family problem."

In recent years, the Al Saud regime has come under intense pressure by rights groups for mistreating women. Since May, Saudi authorities have detained more than a dozen prominent women's rights activists, most of whom campaigned for the right to drive which was granted in June.

Saudi women had also been banned from voting until 2015, when they were finally allowed to vote in local elections.
Iraqi troops kill senior Daesh commander, capture 17 others near Mosul

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 01:46PM

Iraqi security forces have killed a high-ranking commander of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group and detained more than a dozen other terrorists during a counter-terrorism operation in the country's northern province of Nineveh as government troops and allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Units are trying to purge the Arab country of the last remnants of the terror outfit.

"Troops from the Nineveh Operations Command launched a major security campaign in Badush district, northeast of Mosul, and managed to kill a senior Daesh leader," Provincial police officer Major Azad Fouad told Arabic-language Dijlah television network on Sunday.

"The troops also arrested 17 Daesh militants," Fouad said, adding that a large amount of munitions and firearms were seized from the Takfiris as well.

The development occurred a day after fighters from Popular Mobilization Units  commonly known by the Arabic name Hashd al-Sha'abi  and soldiers from the Salahuddin Operations Command launched joint operations in 30 villages of Iraq's north-central province of Salahuddin, destroying three militant hideouts as well as two underground tunnels used by Daesh members.

Arabic-language al-Maalomah news agency, citing an unnamed Hashd al-Sha'abi source, reported that the fighters also detonated 70 explosive devices in the process. Two Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters were injured after they entered a booby-trapped house.

Former Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, declared the end of military operations against Daesh in the Arab country on December 9, 2017.

On July 10 that year, he had formally declared victory over Daesh in Mosul, which served as the terrorists' main urban stronghold in Iraq.

In the run-up to Mosul's liberation, Iraqi army soldiers and volunteer Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters had made sweeping gains against Daesh.

Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January 2017 after 100 days of fighting, and launched the battle in the west on February 19 last year.

Daesh began a terror campaign in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast swathes in lightning attacks.
Kimberly Armstrong has been fighting the water bill since 2014 when she began receiving what she describes as "astronomical water bills," from $200 to $1,000 for a house she lived in alone most of the time because her daughter was away in school. She hired a plumber to repair a minor leak in a basement bathroom. After following all protocols her house went into tax sale in 2016. Her mortgage company took care of that, she said, but then she received a bill for more than $3,000. "So, I don't know where to go, and I'm still fighting this issue to this day," she said at the briefing Monday.
Tehran Ridicules Trump's Claim of Iran Seeking Talks as 'Unattainable Dreams'

Sputnik News

14:15 07.01.2019

Speaking to reporters at the White House on 6 January, President Donald Trump claimed that Iran was not doing well and wanted to hold talks with the United States.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi has flatly rejected Donald Trump's claims that Tehran had sought talks with Washington, saying that the US president was only giving voice to his "false and unattainable dreams".

"He knows that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been faced and familiar with American pressures and sanction policies for decades", Qassemi said, adding that Trump's "dreams have nothing to do with the existing realities".

The ministry spokesman said that POTUS "should know that the Iranian nation will never bow to the oppressive US pressures, least of all to the rulers who choose sanctions over respect and walls over bridges".

"Throughout their turbulent but proud history, Iranians have learned how to resist expansionists and bullies and defeat those hostile to Iran", he added.

Qassemi's comments were made in response to Trump's Sunday claims that the Iranian economy had been badly damaged due to US sanctions.

"They [Iran] are not doing well. They want to talk [with the US]", Trump told reporters at the White House.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated last May after Trump announced Washington's unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, under which anti-Iran sanctions were lifted in exchange for Tehran maintaining the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme.

As part of his decision, Trump re-imposed all sanctions and introduced new restrictions on Iran's energy, shipping, financial and other sectors, with a stated goal to reduce the country's oil exports to zero.

The US president threatened to slap foreign companies doing business with Iran with secondary sanctions, but granted a handful of nations  China, India, Japan, South Korea, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Taiwan  temporary waivers, allowing them to continue buying Iranian oil if they make substantial cuts to their purchases.

In response, Iran has repeatedly warned the US against any hostile or provocative actions, threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf and the strategic waterway linking Middle East crude producers to crucial world markets.

 Sputnik
Trump's claims of Iran seeking talks 'false dreams': Ministry

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 08:18AM

Iran has categorically dismissed Donald Trump's new claims that Tehran is after talks with Washington, saying the US president is only giving voice to his "false and unattainable dreams."

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Monday that Trump's "dreams have nothing to do with the existing realities" after the US president said Iran wanted to hold talks with America.

"They (Iran) are not doing well. They want to talk (with US)," Trump told reporters at the White House on Sunday, claiming that the Iranian economy was badly hit due to his sanctions.

"He knows that the Islamic Republic of Iran has been facing and is familiar with American pressures and sanction policies for decades," Qassemi said.

Last year, Trump withdrew the US from an international nuclear deal with Iran and imposed sanctions on the country. As part of building pressure, he has asked other countries to bring down their purchase of Iranian oil to zero.

Qassemi said Trump "should know that the Iranian nation will never bow to US pressures, least of all to the rulers who choose sanctions over respect and walls over bridges."

"Throughout their turbulent but proud history, Iranians have learned how to resist expansionists and bullies and defeat those hostile to Iran," he added.

Senior Iranian officials have already rejected Trump's offer of talks without preconditions, saying his words contradicted his action of reimposing sanctions on Tehran.

President Hassan Rouhani has said Trump's repudiation of the 2015 nuclear deal was "illegal" and Iran would not easily yield to Washington's renewed campaign to strangle its oil exports.

Last May, Trump pulled the United States out of the multilateral deal concluded before he took office, later saying that he would be willing to meet Rouhani to discuss how to improve relations.

His White House, however, has said that the call for negotiation did not mean the United States would lift sanctions or re-establish diplomatic and commercial relations.

US officials have also launched repeated volleys of rhetorical assault on Iran -- with Trump himself calling the country a "terrorist nation" -- and promised unspecified backing for groups with a history of terrorism, such as the MKO.

Qassemi on Monday said Trump echoed "the same excessive demands and ambitions of medieval and archaic powers."

The spokesman noted, "As always, being ignorant of the history of developments in recent decades and without reviewing the utterly false policies of his predecessors on the region and Iran, Trump has once again made irrational statements out of spite against the people of this ancient land."

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington's tough sanctions against the Islamic Republic were aimed at giving the Iranian people a chance to have better lives.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani told a security conference in Tehran Monday that the US was not trustworthy and dismissed claims of Iranian request for negotiations.

"Iran has not sent any signal or message for negotiations with the US and the Americans have proven that they are not reliable. The history of negotiations also confirms this," he said.

"Another issue is that it is the Americans - and not the Islamic Republic of Iran - who send messages and announce through their couriers that they are ready for negotiations with Iran," he added.
Era of American order, West's hegemony over: Iran minister

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 03:25PM

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami says the era of American order and Western hegemony has reached its end and time has come to usher in the post-West age in West Asia.

"The Islamic Revolution (in Iran) and the resistance in Syria, Iraq and Yemen show the reality that the West is not the center of regional developments anymore, and the compulsory US exit from Syria indicates the failure of their (the US) strategies in the region," Hatami said in an address to the International Conference on Defense and Security in West Asia in Tehran on Monday.

Last month, US President Donald Trump made an abrupt announcement to withdraw the roughly 2,000 American troops from Syria, claiming that the US had accomplished its goal of defeating Daesh.

"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump said in his Twitter account, using an acronym for the terrorist group.

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said on December 30 that the United States is only fueling insecurity in the Persian Gulf through its presence in the strategic region.

"The US exit from Syria was the humiliating withdrawal of a country that was present there without the consent and approval of the [Syrian] people and the legal government," Baqeri said.

Elsewhere in his address, Hatami said the West's greed played a leading role in triggering the ongoing developments in regional countries.

Unrest and war in West Asia have emanated from the failed ideology of Western countries, which created unrest and chaos in the region for their own interests, he added.

"West Asia is facing a sensitive era and peace and stability are being restored to this region due to the resistance of [regional] nations," the Iranian defense chief pointed out.

Hatami also touched on the US withdrawal from the landmark nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries, including the United States, saying that Washington's move once again showed the real face of America more than ever before for everybody.

The decision also proved that the Americans would resort to every means to harm the independence of countries, he added.

"Those who have refused to fulfill their commitments [as per the JCPOA] have no right to speak about negotiations and making any comment in this regard is ridiculous," Hatami said.

US President Trump withdrew his country in May from the Iran nuclear deal and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Under the deal, reached between Iran and six major powers -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany -- Tehran agreed to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

The US administration hoped to get the other parties to the deal with Iran to likewise scrap the deal, but instead, they stressed that not only would they stick to the agreement, but would also work to sustain it in the face of increased US pressure.

Back in December, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif once again reiterated the ineffectiveness of US sanctions with regard to causing any change in the Islamic Republic's policies, saying that they only hurt "ordinary Iranians."

"They (sanctions) hurt ordinary Iranians, but don't change [the Islamic Republic's] policy," Zarif said in a post on his official Twitter account.

Iran will stand by Syria until full victory: Hatami

In a meeting with Syria's Deputy Defense Minister Major General Mahmoud al-Shawa, the Iranian defense chief hailed the resistance of Syrian government, nation and Armed Forces in their battle against terrorism.

The Syrian people have succeeded in repelling the "big danger" of terrorism in their country and the entire region, Hatami added, emphasizing that the Islamic Republic would stand by the Arab country until its final victory over terrorist groups.

Shawa, for his part, said the Syrian government, nation and Armed Forces managed to make recent achievements in the fight against terrorists thanks to Iran's support.

The Syrian defense official reiterated his country's firm determination to fight terrorists, particularly Daesh, to achieve a final victory.

"At the present time, only one percent of Syria's soil is under occupation of terrorists through the US support, and will definitely take that one percent back from Daesh," he added.
US sends message to negotiate with Iran: Shamkhani

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 7 January 2019 / 12:37

Tehran (ISNA)  Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani announced that the Islamic Republic of Iran has three main policies: First, collective security by the regional states is the key solution to the sustainable development in the region, second, opposing change of borders and the division of countries and third, opposing presence of foreign forces in the region.

He made the remarks during the inaugural speech at the International seminar of "Peace, Stability and Sustainable Security in Light of Defense Cooperation" held in Tehran on Monday.

Shamkhani said, "Along with following these three policies, the providing security to the region will be only possible by serious fighting against terrorists, exchanging views and solidarity with the countries as well as social-cultural empowering of the region aiming at drying up the roots of terrorism in the region".

About EU's commitment to preserve Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and European financial mechanism known as the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Shamkhani said, "The time of Europeans in order to fulfill their commitments toward the JCPOA including the SPV is over".

He pointed to Iran's recent negotiations with Taliban on the Afghan-Afghan peace issues, dismissing the possibility of holding talks with ISIL and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists.

Shamkhani stressed, "Talks with Taliban will certainly never lead to talks with Daesh and Jabhat al-Nusra".

About military threats against Iran in 2019, the official said, "Given Iran's deterrence power, no one can have the war or military options against Iran. They know that any little military action against our country will face with Iranian armed forces' deterrence power".

Shamkhani also rejected Washington's claims that Tehran has called for talks with the US, saying, "Just the opposite, during my recent visit to Afghanistan, the Americans asked me twice for negotiations".

According to him, the US has violated an alarming number of international norms and commitments, so far, "so there is no point in negotiating with them".

Referring to the challenges in the region posed by extremist and Takfiri groups and their allies, he said the US has not played any positive role in the collapse of the ISIL in Syria.

The Americans have not fulfilled any of their obligations to ensure security in Afghanistan, Shamkhani said, adding that the current situation dictates nothing but the departure of the US from the region.

Noting that the US' presence in Afghanistan has brought nothing to the region but insecurity, he said, the departure of the US troops will give Afghanistan the chance to strengthen its defense and military capabilities.

He further rejected US officials' claims that Tehran has called for talks with Washington and said, "The Americans have asked me twice for negotiations."

End Item
FM spokesman: Trump just echoing his own hollow, impossible dreams

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 7, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said that the allegations repeatedly leveled against Iran by the US President Donald Trump claiming that Tehran was keen for talks with Washington were merely the expression of Trump's own false and absurd dreams.

Qasemi made the remarks Monday referring to the US President's remarks about the situation in Iran and his claims about Tehran's tendency to hold talks with the United States.

The spokesman said Trump was just expressing his impossible dreams which could not be realized.

The US president as always has extended his illogical and hateful allegations against Iranian people with no knowledge of the recent developments and without reviewing the completely wrong policies adopted by his predecessors in the region and toward Iran, he said.

He added that Trump's claims were the repetition of the medieval powers' avarice and ambitions the expiration date of which has long been overdue.

Despite all its rancorous plots against Iranian people, he noted, the US fantasies and hostile acts against Iran have always failed so far .

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman went on to say that the US is well aware of the fact that Islamic Republic of Iran is quite familiar with the mechanism of US pressures and sanctions policies which have been going on for decades now.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Qasemi advised Trump to be aware of the fact that Iranian nation could never be brought to their knees by unfair US pressures.

He said Iranians have throughout their eventful history learned how to stand against avaricious dictators, he added.

The US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that anti-Iran sanctions have been effective, adding that Iranians are not in good conditions.

Iran is after holding negotiations with US, he claimed.

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Germany to Kick Off Jet Training Flights Over Estonia Next Week - Statement

Sputnik News

05:39 07.01.2019(updated 09:10 07.01.2019)

TALLINN (Sputnik) - German Eurofighter jets on a NATO air policing mission in the Baltic States will conduct daily low-altitude training flights over Estonia from Monday to Friday, the Estonian Defence Forces said in a statement.

"During the work week, Eurofighter jets from the German Air Force will conduct training flights in Estonia's air space at an altitude of no less than 500 feet", the statement read.

The three Baltic States do not possess military aircraft suitable for patrolling the skies over the region. Since their accession to the alliance in 2004, NATO member states have been engaged in patrolling the Baltic airspace.

NATO fighter jets are based at the Lithuanian air base Zokniai and the Estonian air base Amari.

 Sputnik
Kim Jong Un Makes Visit to China at Beijing's Invitation

Sputnik News

02:18 08.01.2019(updated 02:43 08.01.2019)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in China on Monday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, marking his fourth summit with Xi. This visit is expected to last from January 7 to January 10, according to state media.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim was spotted traveling with his wife and various high-ranking officials including Kim Yong Chol, who is the vice chairman of the Central Committee of the North Korean ruling Workers' Party.

Although it's presently unclear what talking points the meeting will include, this latest get together comes amid reports that a second summit is in the works between Kim and US President Donald Trump.

Earlier reports indicated that a train was spotted traveling through Dandong, a Chinese city on the border with North Korea, according to the New York Times, which noted that increased security was detected around the city. Hotels in the area, which overlooked the river border, also refused to accept guests at the time.

Kim previously met with Xi in 2018 on three different occasions, which took place before and after the historic meetings with US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae In.

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North Korean Leader Presumably Entered China for Summit - Reports

Sputnik News

21:16 07.01.2019

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be on his way to Beijing for a summit, since a special train for North Korean high-ranking officials, including Kim, has crossed the border between North Korea and China, South Korean Hankyoreh reported on Monday, citing an unnamed source in the South Korean presidential administration.

"It is unknown whether the North Korean train is moving to Beijing, but [Seoul] follows its movement, as there is a possibility that [North Korean] chairman Kim [Jong-un] is carrying out his fourth visit to China," the source told the Hankyoreh newspaper.

According to North Korean and Chinese media reports, the train, presumably carrying Kim, crossed into the Chinese border city of Dandong at around 10:15 p.m. local time (13:15 GMT). Shortly before its arrival, Chinese security officers have shut off entry points to the station. After the train moved further, having crossed the border, the cordon was lifted.

The train is expected to arrive in Beijing by early morning Tuesday, media reports suggest.

Neither Chinese nor South or North Korean authorities have provided any comment so far.

 Sputnik
'Negotiating a Location': Trump, Kim Teams Pinning Down Next Meeting Point

Sputnik News

22:59 07.01.2019

US State Department and North Korean officials have met multiple times in Hanoi, Vietnam, to discuss the location of the next summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to anonymous diplomatic sources in Seoul and Washington.

According to Reuters, which cited South Korean newspaper Munhwa Ilbo Monday, officials have met multiple times in the Vietnamese capital city, suggesting that Vietnam could be the location for a second Trump-Kim summit.

On Sunday, Trump told reporters outside the White House that the US is "negotiating a location" for another summit with Kim, whom Trump claims he has talked to "indirectly."

Trump also noted that the US has a "very good dialogue with North Korea."

"Now I say this: North Korea, we're doing very well," Trump told reporters. "And again, no rockets. There's no rockets. There's no anything. We're doing very well."

In a nationally televised New Year's speech, Kim said he wanted to improve relations with the US. However, he also noted that if Washington continues to enforce sanctions, Pyongyang will have "no other choice but take a different path." In particular, Kim urged Washington not to deploy strategic weapons to South Korea and not to conduct drills aimed against Pyongyang.

During the historic Kim-Trump Singapore summit in June 2018, the two leaders agreed that North Korea would make efforts to promote the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for the United States and South Korea freezing their military drills as well as the potential removal of US sanctions.

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White House Paints Crisis at Border, Considers Declaring National Emergency

By Patsy Widakuswara January 07, 2019

The Trump administration is pushing hard to portray the southern border with Mexico as an imminent "humanitarian and national security crisis" to win support for border wall funding in a fight with lawmakers that has brought the country to a 17-day partial government shutdown.

Vice President Mike Pence, in a briefing to reporters Monday, stressed that there is a "bona fide crisis" at the border, and blamed Democrats for "refusing to negotiate" to reopen the government.

Pence was joined by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, who said that status quo funding and laws are "not able to address the crisis that we're seeing at the border."

Democrats and several immigration advocates have argued the administration's representation of the issue is inaccurate, and accused them of manufacturing a crisis for the political purpose of building the border wall, which Trump campaigned for as a presidential candidate in 2016.

Trump is scheduled to address the nation Tuesday about what he called the U.S.-Mexico border crisis, before traveling there Thursday.

Pence said the president has invited Democratic leadership to the White House to give their response to the president's proposal.

Within the past two weeks, Democratic leadership visited the White House twice to negotiate a deal with the president, and failed. They said that weekend negotiations on border security also failed to show progress.

National emergency?

The White House is looking into the legality of declaring a national emergency at the border to begin wall construction without congressional approval. In his briefing, Pence said Trump continues to weigh the idea but has yet to make a decision.

There is no end in sight for the shutdown that has halted a quarter of U.S. government operations since Dec. 22 and forced some 800,000 federal employees to be furloughed or work without pay.

Asked at what point workers' pain outweighs the president's desire for a border barrier, Pence said the administration understands the burden faced by government workers but hopes "we don't find out."

Responding to Democrats' request, the Office of Management and Budget sent a revised estimate for the proposals for wall funding to the U.S. Senate's Appropriations Committee.

Along with $5.6 billion for the wall, the administration has called for another $800 million for "urgent humanitarian needs" to take care of migrants at the border.

Tax refunds will be paid

Russell Vought, OMB's acting director, said tax refunds for Americans will be processed and will be not be considered "non-accepted activities" during the shutdown.

"We are making this as painless as possible, consistent with the law," he said.

Democrats plan to start passing legislation aimed at funding individual agencies that have been shuttered, in particular the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called it "an action necessary to make sure working families received their tax refunds on schedule."

Trump has said he opposes a piecemeal approach that does not resolve his demand for a wall.

Concrete or steel?

Opposition Democrats have refused Trump's demand for wall funding, but offered $1.3 billion in new spending for border security.

Semantics may provide negotiating room over the impasse, as Democrats appear more amenable to approving money for "fencing" rather than a "wall" and Trump is now saying he would agree to a steel barrier instead of a concrete wall. On Dec. 21 he tweeted a photograph of a "steel slat barrier" he called "totally effective while at the same time beautiful!"

"If in fact a compromise emerges, it will be over a change in some of the rhetoric," said Steven Billet, legislative affairs program director at the George Washington University. He added that once "we start talking about border security as an alternative, we may be able to find a way to provide some funding that is satisfactory to the president and House Democrats."

Speaking to reporters Friday, Trump said, "I think we are probably talking about steel, because I really feel the other side feels better about it, and I can understand what they are saying."
In the history of Morgan she ranked with Benjamin Quarles  he in the 1950s, 60s and 70s and she in the 80s, 90s and 2000s, said Dr. Burney Hollis, recently retired dean of Morgans College of Liberal Arts and professor of English. I understand from her students that she was one of the best teachers they encountered. She set a high standard and was very demanding  but she got the best out of them.
(CNN)  A Saudi teenager who flew to Thailand to escape her family in Kuwait will be allowed to stay in the country for now, Thai officials said Monday.

The 18-year-old, who identified herself as Rahaf Mohammed Mutlaq Al-Qunun on an unverified Twitter account, had barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room in an effort to prevent officials from sending her back to her family.

She posted photographs of herself and her passport, and said she was seeking refugee status from "any country that would protect me from getting harmed or killed due to leaving my religion and torture from my family."

Earlier on Monday, Qunun posted videos on social media where she can be heard refusing entry to people knocking on the door of her hotel room at the airport.

"They're trying to get me to come out so they can take me away. I'm trying to contact the UN," she told the camera. A mattress, desk and chair were seen standing against the chain-locked door.

Thailand's immigration police chief, Surachet Hakpal, initially told CNN that Qunun would be returned to Kuwait later on Monday.

But hours later, Hakpal said Qunun would instead be released from the airport into the protection of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

"She is now under the sovereignty of Thailand. No one and no embassy can force her to go anywhere. We will protect her as best as we can," Hakpal told a news conference Monday.

"We will talk to her and do whatever she requests. Since she escaped trouble to seek our help, we are the Land of Smiles, we will not send anyone to their death. We won't do that, we will adhere to the human rights principles under the rule of law."

After meeting with Thai immigration officials and UNHCR representatives, Qunun left the hotel with UNHCR staff through the back door to avoid the waiting media outside, Hakpal told CNN.

In a statement, UNHCR said it would "assess her need for international refugee protection and find an immediate solution for her situation."

CNN has not been able to reach Qunun's family for a response to the abuse allegations.

Qunun says she arrived at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday after a flight from Kuwait, where her family is. She told CNN she originally intended to fly on to Australia, but decided to enter Thailand instead.

Upon landing, she claims she was held by Saudi embassy officials and had her passport confiscated. She said the Saudis tried to make her sign a piece of paper, and that when she refused and appealed to Thai immigration officials, she was escorted to a transit hotel.

"I cannot flee the airport, I've tried but couldn't. There's a security guard watching me," she said in a video posted on Twitter before she left the hotel.

In a statement, Human Rights Watch urged Thai authorities to allow Qunun "unrestricted access to make a refugee claim with the Bangkok office of 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, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "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."

went out of the room to figure out if theyre watching me closely or not

Im under there sight all times been asked to get back to the room

She was checking when Im going to be send back to Kuwait before 11h of the flight time they must want it to end as soon as possible pic.twitter.com/mwBbKQ9QN7

 Rahaf Mohammed    (@rahaf84427714) January 6, 2019

Hakpal, the immigration chief, told CNN that Qunun had been refused entry into the country because she did not present "any necessary document." But he denied the Saudi teenager was being detained by Thai authorities.

"In order to enter our country, she must comply with our regulations ... this is their (Saudi Arabia's) internal affairs. We are simply performing our duties," he said. Hakpal also said Qunun was trying to escape from an arranged marriage.

Phil Robertson, HRW's deputy director for Asia, based in Bangkok, said no country should interfere with an 18-year-old's right to travel where she wished. Robertson told CNN that Qunun "fears for her life if she is returned to Saudi Arabia and her family, who have physically and psychologically abused her for daring to assert her independence."

In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Qunun "does not have a return reservation or a tourist program, which requires deportation by the Thai authorities."

The ministry added that Saudi consular officials were in "constant contact with her family" and she would be "deported to the State of Kuwait where her family live."

It denied allegations that her passport had been seized.

Saudi Arabia's restrictive guardianship laws govern many aspects of women's lives. Women may not marry, divorce, get a job, have elective surgery or travel without permission of their male guardians.

When asked about Qunun and guardianship laws in Saudi Arabia on Monday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said as "a matter of principle for the world over, the Secretary-General believes in equal treatment of men and women under the law."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Saudi teenager who fled her family allowed to stay in Thailand for now"
USS to Hold Joint Exercises With Romanian Frigate in Black Sea - Romanian Navy

Sputnik News

02:57 08.01.2019

CHISINAU (Sputnik) - US amphibious assault ship USS Fort McHenry arrived at the Romanian port of Constanta for three days to conduct joint exercises with the Romanian frigate in the international waters of the Black Sea on January 10, Romanian Navy reported on Monday.

"Between January 7 and 10, the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) amphibious assault ship is visiting the port of Constanta and will be stationed for three days at the passenger pier. After leaving the port on Thursday, January 10, USS Fort McHenry and the frigate Regele Ferdinand (Romania) will hold joint exercises in the territorial waters of Romania and the international waters of the Black Sea," the statement says.

Romanian General Staff noted that during the visit, representatives of the US ship will meet with the command of the Romanian fleet, and the detachment of soldiers from the 307th Marine Battalion will make a reference visit aboard the US ship.

Earlier, official US outlets said that the US amphibious landing ship Fort McHenry has sailed through the Dardanelles Strait on a visit to Romania, making it the first US Navy warship to enter the Black Sea since the Kerch Strait crisis last November.

"The Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) arrived in Constanta, Romania [on] January 7 for a scheduled port visit," the Navy News Service said in a report.

The US military newspaper Stars and Stripes noted that the Fort McHenry was the first Navy warship to enter the Black Sea in five months.

"This is the first Navy ship to enter the Black Sea since August, when the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the fast-transport vessel USNS Carson City worked separate missions there," the newspaper said.

The Fort McHenry first visited the Romanian port of Constanta and is a member of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, which includes the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship Kearsarge and the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship Arlington, the report said.

 Sputnik
Gabon Government Regains Control After Attempted Military Coup

By VOA News January 07, 2019

The government of Gabon has regained control in the capital, Libreville, after an attempted coup, officials said Monday.

A government spokesman said that Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang  the leader of the self-declared Patriotic Movement of the Defense and Security Forces of Gabon  has been captured.

Obiang was the last of five members of the group to be arrested Monday. Two soldiers associated with the coup attempt were killed by government forces.

Government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou said the situation was "under control" late Monday, and that the government had retaken control of state broadcasting offices and a major thoroughfare in Libreville  the only two places affected by the attempted coup.

Military officers seized Gabonese National Radio, the state radio station, early Monday, announcing their intent to establish a "national restoration council." Gabon's President Ali Bongo is out of the country in nearby Morocco, recovering from a stroke.

The African Union condemned the attempted coup.

Bongo has been in Morocco since October. In a brief New Year's speech recorded in Morocco, he acknowledged his health problems without giving details, and called the country "indivisible."

Obiang said on the airwaves that President Ali Bongo's recent radio address "reinforced doubts about the president's ability to continue to carry out the responsibilities of his office."

Bongo has been in office since 2009, narrowly winning re-election in 2016. His father ran the oil-rich country before him, and many have criticized the family for profiting off the country's natural resources while failing to adequately invest in basic services for its roughly two million citizens.

U.S. President Donald Trump deployed American military personnel to Gabon last week because of fears on political unrest in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Taliban Raid, Market Blast Kill More Than 30 in Afghanistan

By Ayaz Gul January 07, 2019

More than 30 people, mostly pro-government forces, were killed in Afghanistan when Taliban insurgents stormed security outposts and a bomb blast ripped through a busy market, officials confirmed Monday.

The Taliban staged coordinated raids in two districts of northwestern Badghis province late Sunday, killing 21 Afghan soldiers and police personnel. The attack also injured nine security forces, Abdul Aziz Beg, head of the provincial council told VOA.

A provincial government spokesman, Jamshid Shahabi, confirmed the overnight attacks, saying government forces killed 15 assailants and injured 10 others.

A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousaf Ahmadi, claimed its fighters killed more than 32 Afghan forces and seized a large quantity of weapons. The insurgent group usually issues inflated battlefield claims.

Meanwhile, a bomb went off Monday in a busy market in eastern Paktika province, killing at least 10 people and injuring 13 others, said provincial police and health officials.

No group claimed responsibility for the deadly blast in the troubled Janikhail district of the province which borders Pakistan.

Afghan peace efforts

The violence comes as Taliban representatives and U.S. officials are scheduled to meet again this month to discuss ways to bring an end to the war in Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told VOA over the weekend that a date and venue for the next meeting with U.S. diplomats have not yet been determined.

"There has been no interruption in the dialogue process with America because ending the occupation of Afghanistan is now a compulsion for them [the U.S.]," said Mujahid.

Taliban officials insist they are seeking a timeline for the United States and its coalition partners to completely withdraw their troops from Afghanistan, naming the presence of foreign forces in the country as the biggest obstacle in the way of peace.

Mujahid asserted that if talks fail to achieve the desired results and the war continues with the Taliban "the Americans would have no option but to be driven out of Afghanistan."

The Taliban has said that its engagement with the United States for negotiating an end to "the war and illegitimate occupation" of Afghanistan remains on track, ruling out once again any direct peace talks with the government in Kabul.

Mujahid dismissed the Afghan government as the product of "foreign occupation" of Afghanistan, with no "authority or ability" to end to the conflict.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said last week that President Donald Trump is in the "process of evaluating" whether to withdraw some troops from Afghanistan.

In December President Donald Trump ordered military commanders to begin preparing plans to bring back home about half of the more than 14,000 U.S. forces currently stationed in Afghanistan.
US-Backed Forces in Syria Say Five IS Arrested, Five More Deported

By Rikar Hussein, Zana Omer January 07, 2019

The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Monday confirmed the arrest of five Islamic State foreign fighters and the handover of five more to their governments in efforts to rid eastern Syria of the jihadists.

In an interview with VOA, SDF spokesperson Mustafa Bali confirmed the five IS fighters, two Americans, two Pakistanis, and one Irish, were arrested on Dec. 30 during a special operation in eastern Deir el-Zour province.

He said the operation saved dozens of displaced civilians from being targeted.

"Our special anti-terror forces obtained information that IS thugs were planning an attack against civilians who are fleeing the war zone," Bali told VOA. "We conducted that operation based on the information and arrested five of them who are in our prisons now."

In a statement, the SDF identified the American men as Warren Christopher Clark, 34, nicknamed Abu Mohammad al-Ameriki, and Zaid Abed al-Hamid, 35, nicknamed Abu Zaid al-Ameriki. It said the other two men, Fadel al-Rahman Cad, 48, nicknamed Abu Enam al-Muhajir, and Abed al-Azem Rajhoud, 19, nicknamed Abu Omea al-Pakistani, travelled from Pakistan. The fifth man, Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev, 45, is originally from Dublin,Ireland.

Spokesperson Bali said an investigation is under way to obtain more details about the men and their activities in eastern Syria, adding that more jihadists could be arrested as the U.S.-backed forces make further advances in the days to come.

The SDF said the arrests are part of their Jazeera Storm operation, supported by the U.S.-led global coalition against IS, to remove the terror group from its last bastions in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border.

"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," the SDF said in its statement Saturday, using another acronym for IS.

IS families

Meanwhile, the SDF said Monday it also handed over five IS fighters, along with 11 wives and 30 children of IS fighters, from Kazakhstan to Kazakh authorities following months of preparation for their transfer.

The SDF did not disclose the identities of the IS fighters and their family members but said the move was part of a formal protocol with Kazakhstani government, meditated by the U.S.

"The reason that made the handing over of those people got late was technical reasons. The agreement was applied on 5 Jan 2019, where they were formally handed over to their country with American mediation," the SDF said in the statement.

Syrian Kurdish officials last September told VOA they were holding in their prisons 514 IS foreign fighters, along with 534 wives and 1175 children of IS foreign members, from 44 countries. The officials said they were overwhelmed by the burden and asked the relevant countries to retake their nationals.
Trump: US Troop Withdrawal in Syria Will Be at 'Proper Pace'

By VOA News January 07, 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump says he will be withdrawing the 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria at a "proper pace," while at the same time continuing the military's fight against Islamic State terrorists.

Trump, in a Twitter remark Monday, set no timetable for the withdrawal and derided what he said was "a very inaccurate story" in "the Failing New York Times" that said Trump was retreating from his December 19 announcement for a quick pullout of troops, which administration officials at the time predicted would take about 30 days.

John Bolton, Trump's national security adviser, said Sunday on a visit to Israel the U.S. troops would stay in Syria until Islamic State is defeated and the Trump administration received assurances Turkey would not target Kurdish fighters allied with American forces.

Trump, in his tweet, said, "No different from my original statements, we will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!"

When he made the troop withdrawal announcement, he said on Twitter, "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency."

Trump overruled U.S. national security officials and surprised allies with his announcement last month that he was withdrawing the U.S. 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, and led to the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

Bolton, after meeting Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed the U.S. troop withdrawal with officials Monday in Turkey. He said Sunday that protection for the Kurdish fighters who have helped battle Islamic State militants was one of the necessary conditions for a U.S. withdrawal of its 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, 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 said.

Turkey considers the Kurdish fighters, known as the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units or YPG, to be linked to the PKK, a Kurdish group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

Bolton said there is no timetable for a U.S. withdrawal, but the process would not be abrupt. His comments were the first public confirmation that the administration had backed off an initial indication that it would pull out the troops 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.
Framework for US Withdrawal from Syria 'Approved'

By Jeff Seldin January 07, 2019

U.S. forces in Syria have a plan in place for their much talked about withdrawal, but it will likely not see all of them leave the fight against the Islamic State terror group anytime soon.

The 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria as part of the fight against the Islamic State terror group have "an approved framework for the withdrawal," Pentagon spokesman, Commander Sean Robertson, said Monday, adding commanders are "now engaged in executing that withdrawal."

"That framework is conditions-based and will not subject troop withdrawal to an arbitrary timeline," Robertson said.

Robertson said the Pentagon would not discuss any specifics, citing security concerns, but that a number of factors, including the weather, would impact how quickly troops return home.

He also said the Pentagon would provide "a periodic update on progress regarding percentages of equipment removed from Syria."

Word of an approved withdrawal framework came just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump took to Twitter, criticizing media coverage of his decision last month to immediately begin pulling U.S. forces from Syria  a decision which led to the resignation of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis days later.

"Our boys, our young women, our men, they're all coming back and they're coming back now," Trump said in a video posted on his Twitter feed Dec. 19.

At the time, administration officials predicted the withdrawal would take about 30 days. But since then, senior U.S. diplomatic and military officials have slowly pushed back the timeline.

This past Friday, a senior State Department official said there was "no timeline" for the withdrawal.

By Sunday, U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton, on a trip to Israel and Turkey, told reporters any pullout would be based solely on conditions on the ground.

But Trump on Monday denied there was any change in the U.S. approach to Syria and IS.

"No different from my original statements," he tweeted. "We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!"

Military officials said Monday that while the initial stages of the U.S. pullout from Syria are under way, U.S. and coalition forces would continue to support its partners and allies in the fight against IS.

YPG

Since Trump's initial announcement, U.S. and coalition planes have continued to bomb IS positions in the group's last remaining strongholds in Syria's Middle Euphrates River Valley.

Officials said the steady bombing campaign has helped reduce the terror group's communication and propaganda capabilities by almost half.

It also has allowed the largely Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to make significant gains on the ground, liberating the towns of Hajin, Abu Hassam and Kashmah from IS control.

But a key concern has been what happens to the Kurdish fighters once the U.S. leaves.

U.S. withdrawal could allow Turkish troops to move against Kurdish fighters in Syria who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara.

Turkey considers the Kurdish fighters, known as the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units or YPG, to be linked to the PKK, a Kurdish group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey.

"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," Bolton said Sunday, "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."

Erdogan response

In an opinion piece published on The New York Times website Monday, a day before he was scheduled to meet with Bolton, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised Trump for making "the right call to withdraw from Syria."

"The United States withdrawal, however, must be planned carefully and performed in cooperation with the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people," he wrote, adding Turkey "is the only country with the power and commitment to perform that task."

But Erdogan also warned that Turkey would continue to work to defeat all terror groups, including the YPG.

"Turkey will continue to do what it must to ensure its own safety and the well-being of the international community," Erdogan wrote.

"Under Turkey's watch, the Syrian territories that are under the control of the YPG or the so-called Islamic State will be governed by popularly elected councils," he added. "Individuals with no links to terrorist groups will be eligible to represent their communities in local governments."
DR Congo: Restore internet services as 'a matter of urgency', urges UN expert

7 January 2019 - More than a week after voters went to the polls to choose a new President in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), results have yet to be announced and all primary telecommunications remain shut down  prompting a UN expert on Monday to urge the authorities to restore internet services as "a matter of urgency".

"A general network shutdown is in clear violation of international law and cannot be justified by any means," said David Kaye, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, commenting on the information blackout in place since 30 December.

According to a senior Government official, the authorities cut internet and text services to preserve public order after "fictitious results" began circulating on social media, saying that they would be restored after the preliminary results due on 6 January. Those results has now been postponed.

"Access to information is crucial for the credibility of the ongoing electoral process", stressed Mr. Kay, adding that "shutdowns are damaging not only for people's access to information, but also for their access to basic services".

News reports described a climate of suspicion surrounding the poll in a country that has not gone through a peaceful transition of power since 1960, when it gained independence from Belgium. As of Sunday, the head of the election commission, CENI, said that just over half of ballots have been counted.

The UN expert cited reports indicating that the shutdown was hindering both electoral observers and witnesses in sharing information from rural polling stations with local centres that are compiling results. It is also hampering the ability of the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC, or MONUSCO, to communicate with its partners in the field, including those offering protection to vulnerable civilians.

The authorities need "to restore internet services as a matter of urgency and to ensure the integrity of a fundamental democratic exercise such as this one," the Special Rapporteur said.

In 2016, the Human Rights Council passed a resolution unequivocally condemning measures, as a violation of international human rights, which intentionally prevent or disrupt access to the internet, and the dissemination of online information.

Previously, in 2015 the Joint Declaration of UN and regional experts on freedom of expression stated that network shutdowns or internet "kill switches" were measures that can "never be justified under human rights law". The UN expert said he would continue to monitor developments in the DRC closely, and is standing by to assist authorities, as requested.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights issues. The positions are honourary and the experts are not paid for their work.
'Puppet': Maduro Claims National Assembly President 'Created by US Intelligence'

Sputnik News

07:07 07.01.2019(updated 08:39 07.01.2019)

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has claimed that Juan Guaido, the new president of the country's opposition-controlled National Assembly, is a US agent.

"He is a puppet, an American agent, created by the US intelligence agencies, it is them who control him", Maduro told Venezuela's state television.The National Assembly has had an opposition majority since January 2016. The Constituent Assembly, which is made up of Maduro loyalists, was elected in July 2017 and has been tasked with rewriting Venezuela's Constitution.

Guaido assumed the presidency of the National Assembly last week.

Current Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will be sworn in for a second six-year term on 10 January before the country's Supreme Court and not before the National Assembly.

Maduro won the 20 May 2018 elections, which have been widely condemned as illegitimate. At a meeting in Peru on Friday, the Lima Group of Latin American countries plus Canada denounced Maduro's second term.

Maduro has also accused US National Security Adviser John Bolton of plotting a coup with the help of Colombia, whose president Ivan Duque, Maduro claimed, was part of the plan.

In December, Maduro said he had instructed the country's Armed Forces to maintain the highest level of combat readiness to defeat "imperialistic plots".

 Sputnik
Gabon's Envoy to Paris: Rebel Soldiers in Libreville Arrested - Reports

Sputnik News

09:49 07.01.2019(updated 13:12 07.01.2019)

The military has taken control of the state-owned broadcasting station in Gabon to announce the creation of a "National Restoration Council", RFI radio in Africa reported.

Gabon's envoy to Paris has stated as quoted by RFI radio that the rebel military personnel in Libreville have now been arrested. According to reports, four soldiers have been arrested, while one fled.

"The government is in place, the institutions are in place", a Gabon government spokesman stated, speaking about the attempted coup.

Earlier, RFI radio reported that the military had arrived at the office of the broadcaster at about 4 a.m. local time (3 a.m. GMT). The communique on behalf of the army was reportedly read over the air by Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang.

The statement says that a New Year's address by President Ali Bongo "reinforced doubts about the president's ability to continue to carry out of the responsibilities of his office". The military announced that in the next few hours it would create a National Restoration Council.

Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba was hospitalised in Riyadh on 24 October. According to RFI, the 59-year-old president suffered a stroke. He is currently undergoing a recovery treatment in Morocco, the radio station noted.

In his New Year video address from Rabat, Ali Bongo said that he felt better and was preparing to meet the nation again. Though he appeared to have delivered his speech without much effort, media outlets pointed to the fact that the president's lower body was not shown, thus fuelling further speculation about the head of state's months-long absence from the country and his ability to perform his duties.

The army's statement comes only days after Donald Trump said in a letter that the US had deployed 80 military personnel to Gabon in response to reported violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) related to the recent election.

The US military personnel will remain in the region until the security situation in the DRC no long requires it, the letter said.

 Sputnik
Russian Patrol Ship Monitoring USS Fort McHenry's Actions in Black Sea  MoD

Sputnik News

11:15 07.01.2019(updated 11:21 07.01.2019)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Patrol ship Pytlivy of Russia's Black Sea Fleet is monitoring actions of USS Fort McHenry that entered the Black Sea on January 6, the Russian Defence Ministry said on 7 January.

"Patrol ship Pytlivy of Russia's Black Sea Fleet is performing a complex of activities to control the actions of amphibious transport dock (LSD) USS Fort McHenry", the ministry said in a statement.

The statement noted that the ship had been in the Black Sea since 9:00 p.m. Moscow time (18:00 GMT), January 6.

"As of 9:30 a.m. (6:30 GMT), the ship entered the Romanian port of Constanta", the ministry added.

Commander of the US 6th Fleet Vice Adm. Lisa M. Franchetti said that the vessel's transit to the Black Sea shows collective commitment to the Black Sea security.

In December, US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker said that Washington should consider the possibility of increasing its presence in the Black Sea.

On 25 November, Ukraine's Berdyansk and Nikopol gunboats and the Yany Kapu tugboat illegally crossed the Russian maritime border as they sailed toward the Kerch Strait, the entrance to the Sea of Azov. Russia seized the Ukrainian vessels and detained 24 crew members after they failed to respond to a demand to stop. After the incident, a criminal case on illegal border crossing was opened in Russia.

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Owner-occupied homes can go to tax sale if they have at least $750 in unpaid water bills that are at least nine months late. At tax sale, investors can buy that debt from the city  important revenue for a cash-strapped City Hall  and can then foreclose if homeowners dont pay.
Israeli Military Strikes Gaza After Overnight Rocket Fire - IDF

Sputnik News

13:12 07.01.2019

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that they had struck a number of Hamas targets in retaliation against a rocket fired from northern Gaza.

"In response to the rocket fired at Israel from Gaza, IDF fighter jets and a helicopter targeted a number of terror targets within Hamas's military camp in northern Gaza. We hold the Hamas terror organization accountable for all acts of terror emanating from the Gaza Strip", IDF tweeted.

The military added that the rocket launch had been repelled by the Iron Dome air defence system.

The news comes after the IDF reported on 6 January that Israeli military helicopters had conducted airstrikes against two Hamas military positions in the Gaza Strip in response to an attempted attack with explosive balloons.

The strike was followed by another intensification of clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli military forces on the Gaza border.

In mid-November, tensions in the area were at the highest point over the past four years as Palestinians fired some 460 rockets and mortar shells on the Israeli territory, prompting the IDF to respond with attacking 160 targets in Gaza.

Later on, the sides managed to agree to a cessation of hostilities. However, this prompted Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign. The minister was outraged by the ceasefire and has instead called for a more decisive blow against the Hamas movement, de facto governing the enclave.

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Gabon Rebel Chief Arrested, Two Killed After Failed Coup - President's Office

Sputnik News

17:02 07.01.2019(updated 19:19 07.01.2019)

Earlier in the day, a group of military servicemen reportedly seized the state broadcasting station of Gabon to announce the creation of a so-called National Restoration Council.

According to the president's office, two military officers involved in the failed coup have been killed.

"[Security forces] took the building by storm. Two participants of the rebellion were killed, and hostages were freed," the statement reads.

The Gabonese military officer who led the thwarted coup attempt early on Monday morning, Lieutenant Kelly Ondo Obiang has been arrested, government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou told reporters. According to RFI radio station, it was Obiang who fled, dressed in civilian clothes, which he took away from the editorial staff.

A few hours later, the rebel leader was found in a house near the broadcasting station's office.

A government spokesman earlier stated that four military servicemen who were involved in the attempted coup had been arrested by the country's security services, while one individual managed to escape.

Authorities have taken back control over the state broadcasting offices and a major highway in the capital, Libreville, which were the only areas taken over by the officers, according to the spokesman.

The aforementioned coup attempt took place early on 7 January, when Gabonese rebel military officers seized the state broadcasting station stating they had been disappointed by the December 31 address of President Ali Bongo Ondimba and branded it "a deplorable performance of the fierce attempt to retain power".

The army of Gabon, in turn, reportedly did not support the rebellious officers and kept control over all strategic facilities, while the seized broadcasting station was encircled.

In his New Year video address from Rabat, that outraged rebel military servicemen, Ali Bongo, 59, made his first public appearance since he suffered a stroke on October 24 and underwent a long treatment in Saudi Arabia and Morocco. The president said that he felt better and was preparing to meet the nation again. Though he appeared to have delivered his speech without much effort, media pointed to the fact that the president's lower body had not been shown, thereby fuelling further speculation about the head of state's months-long absence from the country and his ability to perform his duties.

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US Navy 'Confident' F-35Cs Will Be Combat Ready On Time

Sputnik News

22:15 07.01.2019(updated 02:01 08.01.2019)

The United States Navy is likely to hit a goal set in 2013 to prepare the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter for combat by February 2019, according to a new report.

Snafus with the potential to derail the F-35 program have not happened in recent months, Military.com reported Friday. The Navy's Joint Strike Fighter Fleet Integration Office is "confident," therefore, that it will meet program milestones "as planned," spokeswoman Lt. Lauren Chatmas said in a Friday statement to military.com.

With a projected lifecycle cost in excess of $1.5 trillion, the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is the most expensive military program in the United States' history. A lone F-35C squadron dubbed the "Argonauts" earned a safety certification aboard the USS Carl Vinson in early December.

The Defense Department targeted initial operational capability (IOC) for the F-35C on a rough schedule anywhere from August 2018 to February 2019, according to a departmental report dated June 2013. If the IOC testing is completed successfully by next month's end, the program will be hitting its "threshold" mark for IOC; August 2018 was the "objective" for when it should have been wrapped up.

Instead, Navy-specific testing started in September.

Navy officials previously blamed the sputtering IOC testing schedule on the Defense Department's habit of missing deadlines. "The whole F-35 enterprise's IOT&E [initial operational test and evaluation] starts in September, so it's not Navy's F-35C that's holding up IOC, it's that we're tied to IOT&E and need to see the demonstration and the capabilities," Rear Adm. Dale Horan said last March, USNI News reported.

Horan did not shared in Chatmas' optimism about hitting the February IOC target. "We really need to see the 3F capability demonstrated in IOT&E, and there's just not going to be enough time to see enough of that before Feb. 2019," Horan said, noting it was "DoD's opportunity to test drive their new airplane." The 3F capability refers to the plane's software system.

"I'm just saying that those dates are at risk and it's based on the capabilities and events that we need to see," he said.

An evaluation separate from the Navy's testing of the F-35C, the Defense Department's overarching initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) phase, kicked off in December 16 months behind schedule, Sputnik News reported.

Horan said the F-35C's delayed IOC  whether at the fault of the Navy or the Pentagon  should not be an obstacle to the aircraft's first deployment, slated for 2021.

The F-35C version of the aircraft is unique in that it will take off and land from aircraft carriers. IOC is the last major testing stage a weapons program must go through before industrial suppliers start mass production, sometimes called "full-rate production" as opposed to the purgatory of "low-rate initial production" (LIRP) the F-35 program has been stuck in since 2007.

These testing programs are playing out even as more than 340 F-35 aircraft are currently in operation at 15 bases around the world, F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin said in a statement last month, adding that it was also "confident" in the F-35 weapons systems' "operational performance, capability and suitability."

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson described the F-35 as the firm's "the largest driver" of international revenue growth, while 20 percent of the company's overall revenue traces back to domestic or international F-35 sales, Fortune magazine reported in March 2017.

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At Least 26 Killed In Taliban Attacks In Western, Eastern Afghanistan

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan January 07, 2019

Taliban militants have stormed security posts in western Afghanistan, killing 21 police officers and pro-government militia members, officials said on January 7.

The attacks occurred late on January 6 at checkpoints in two different parts of Badghis Province, which borders the Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan, provincial officials said.

Abdul Aziz Bek, head of the Badghis provincial council, said 14 police officers and seven members of pro-government militias were killed, while nine were wounded.

Jamshid Shahabi, a spokesman for the Badghis provincial governor, said at least 15 Taliban militants were killed and 10 wounded in the fighting.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said in a statement that militants killed 34 members of the security forces and pro-government militias and seized many weapons and ammunition.

Meanwhile, a roadside bombing has killed five civilians and wounded seven in the country's eastern Paktika Province, an Afghan official said on January 7.

Nawroz Ishaq, the provincial governor's spokesman, said the attack occurred in the Jani Khail district.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, but provincial official Mohammad Rasoul Adel blamed the Taliban, saying the group had left the bomb in a village square.

Taliban representatives and U.S. officials are scheduled to meet this month to discuss the withdrawal of foreign forces and a possible cease-fire.

Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times in recent months to try to agree on a way to end the 17-year war.

The Taliban says it is fighting to oust the Western-backed government and restore strict Islamic law.

The United States and its allies say they want to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a haven for international Islamist militants plotting attacks in the West.

With reporting by AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa, and TOLO News

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/taliban-attacks -security-posts-in-western-afghanistan -killing-21/29695327.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.
Beijing makes 'stern representations' over US warship in South China Sea

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 08:50AM

Beijing says it has lodged "stern representations" with Washington after an American navy warship sailed near the disputed islands in the South China Sea, prompting the Chinese military to scramble warplanes and vessels to warn it off.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the US violated China's law after its guided-missile destroyer, USS McCampbell, sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Xisha Island chain, called Paracel by Beijing's rivals.

The ministry's spokesman Lu Kang urged Washington to stop such actions in the strategic waters, mostly claimed by Beijing.

"We urge the United States to immediately cease this kind of provocation," he said, adding that China had sent military ships and aircraft to identify and warn off the ship.

Earlier, US Navy spokeswoman Rachel McMarr said in an emailed statement that the warship had sailed near the islands "to challenge excessive maritime claims."

The operation was not about any one country or to make a political statement, she said.

China has constantly warned Washington that close military 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  which sides with China's rivals in their territorial claims -- says such military operations are meant to protect "freedom of navigation" in the sea, a gateway for trillions of dollars in maritime trade each year.

The waters are also claimed by Vietnam, tge Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and Brunei.

Late last week, President Xi Jinping signed an order which calls on China's armed forces to get prepared for a "comprehensive military struggle" amid an era of drastic changes.

He told a meeting of the Central Military Commission in Beijing that various predicable and unpredictable risks and challenges were arising and that the armed forces needed to be able to respond quickly to emergencies and nurture new types of combat forces.

The latest naval friction comes as a delegation of US negotiators is in Beijing for talks over a bitter trade dispute between the two economic powers.

It all started when US President Donald Trump announced in June 2018 that $50 billion worth of Chinese goods would be subject to 25 percent tariffs in an attempt to "fix" the US-Chinese trade deficit. Since then, the two countries have exchanged several rounds of trade tariffs.

The two leaders, however, came to an agreement on a truce for the first time on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires in December 2018. The ceasefire has so far showed some signs of progress, and an absence of new threats from the White House.
Gabon says Libreville calm after military coup attempt

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 09:37AM

The government in Gabon says calm has returned to the capital Libreville hours after a group of military officers launched a coup attempt in the absence of ailing President Ali Bongo.

Government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou told AFP on Monday that most of the army rebels, who had earlier in the day seized the national radio station and called for a public uprising, had been arrested.

"Calm has returned, the situation is under control," he said.

Gunshots were heard around the headquarters of the national TV station at 6:00 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) around the same time a person, who identified himself as Lieutenant Ondo Obiang Kelly, the deputy commander of the Republican Guard, read a message on the radio.

He announced a "national restoration council" would be formed, adding that the so-called Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defense and Security Forces (MPJFDS), headed by himself, "calls on all young people from forces for the defense and security and Gabonese young people to join us."

"The eagerly awaited day has arrived when the army has decided to put itself on the side of the people in order to save Gabon from chaos," he said. "If you are eating, stop; if you are having a drink, stop; if you are sleeping, wake up. Wake up your neighbors... rise up as one and take control of the street."

The apparent coup attempt comes as Bongo has not been back to Gabon since he was first hospitalized in Saudi Arabia on October 24. It was later revealed that he had suffered a stroke. He is now recovering at a private residence in Rabat, Morocco.

In his New Year address, Bongo said in spite of health issues, he was regaining his fitness. Media reports suggested that during the speech, Bongo had slurred some words and had not moved his right arm.

Gabon's Constitutional Court has transferred part of the presidential powers to the prime minister and the vice president in Bongo's absence.

The Bongo family has ruled the oil-producing country for nearly half a century.

Bongo has been president since succeeding his father, Omar, who died in 2009. His reelection in 2016 was marred by claims of fraud and violent protests.

US troops in Gabon

Just days before the coup attempt, the United States deployed military troops to Gabon.

President Donald Trump told Congress in a letter on Friday that the troops had been sent to Gabon to "protect" American citizens and diplomatic facilities in case violence breaks out in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, Kinshasa.

"These deployed 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," Trump wrote to Congress.

Many geopolitical analysts believe that the US is expanding its military presence in Africa in order to exploit the continent's oil and mineral resources while staying close to the Middle East.
Afghan Taliban storm security posts in western province, killing 21

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 11:22AM

At least 21 Afghan security forces have been killed as Taliban militants stormed security checkpoints in the western province of Badghis, in one of the deadliest attacks to hit the area in months.

Local officials said two security posts in different parts of the province, which borders Turkmenistan, had been stormed by the militants overnight.

Some 14 Afghan policemen and seven pro-government forces lost their lives, while nine others were injured in the raids, according to Abdul Aziz Bek, head of the provincial council.

Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, put the number of fatalities at 34, claiming that the militants had seized many weapons and ammunition from government forces during the raids.

Jamshid Shahabi, a spokesman for the Badghis provincial governor, also aid over 15 Taliban militants had been killed and 10 others wounded in the ensuing clashes.

In a separate incident on Monday, at least five civilians were killed and eight wounded in a bomb blast in the eastern province of Paktika.

The Taliban left the bomb in a village square, said provincial official Mohammad Rasoul Adel.

The Taliban militants have in recent months stepped up attacks on security forces across Afghanistan, killing a large number of police forces as well as civilians.

This comes as representatives from the militant group, the US, and regional countries met for a fourth time in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi last month for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan. Another meeting is also scheduled for later this month.

The militant group has so far refused to hold talks with the Kabul government, which it views as illegitimate.
Netanyahu urges US to recognize Israel's annexation of Golan

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 11:46AM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked a visiting senior aide to US President Donald Trump to recognize Syria's Golan Heights as Israeli territory.

"The Golan Heights is tremendously important for our security," Netanyahu told US National Security Adviser John Bolton, during a joint statement after their meeting in Jerusalem al-Quds on Sunday.

Netanyahu said he was planning to take the Trump adviser on a tour of the occupied Golan Heights.

"When you're there, you'll be able to understand perfectly why we'll never leave the Golan Heights and why it's important that all countries recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights," Netanyahu said. "I've discussed this with the president, and I hope I have a chance to show it to you directly tomorrow on our visit."

In 1967, the Israeli regime waged a full-scale war against Arab territories, including those of Syria, and occupied a large swathe of Syria's Golan Heights.

In 1973, the Yom Kippur War broke out between the Israeli regime and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria.

A year later, a UN-brokered ceasefire came into force, according to which the Israeli regime and the Syrian government agreed to separate their troops, and create a buffer zone patrolled by UN peacekeepers.

In late 1981, Israel passed the Golan Heights Law that extended the regime's "laws, jurisdiction and administration" to the Golan Heights, effectively annexing the territory to Israel.

A few days after the law's passage in Israel's Knesset, UN Security Council Resolution 497 determined the law as "null and void and without international legal effect."

Standing next to Bolton, Netanyahu praised Trump for recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's "capital," for withdrawing from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and for supporting the Israeli regime in international forums, saying the Trump administration backed Tel Aviv "both in word and deed."

"It's important to know that we have the backing of our great friend and ally, the United States of America," he said.

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution on the permanent sovereignty of Syria over natural resources of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in 2018.

Also on Sunday, Bolton visited the Western Wall and its adjacent tunnels in the old city of Jerusalem al-Quds in a move that angered the Palestinians.

Accompanying him on the tour of the city were his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-Shabbat, Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman.

Since the international community does not recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israeli territory, foreign dignitaries usually avoid having Israeli officials as company when they visit the Western Wall, which is considered as one of the most sacred Jewish sites.

Trump became the first sitting American head of state to visit the Western Wall In May 2017. Later on, he recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital and proceeded to move the US diplomatic mission to the ancient city.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds during the Six-Day War in 1967. It later annexed East Jerusalem al-Quds in a move not recognized by the international community.

Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.
Hamas reclaims Egypt-Gaza Rafah crossing as PA staffers withdraw: Officials

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 03:46PM

Employees of the Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas have retaken control of the Rafah Crossing between the besieged Gaza Strip and Egypt after the Palestinian Authority (PA) withdrew its own staffers from the important gateway, officials say.

The resistance movement took control of the crossing in a bid "to avoid a vacuum," AFP quoted a Hamas border official, speaking on condition of anonymity, as saying on Monday.

Furthermore, Hamas officials were seen at the border crossing's main gate and inside accompanying offices in southern Gaza Strip on Monday, AFP reported.

The development came just a day after the PA's civil affairs authority accused Hamas in a statement, cited by official Palestinian news agency WAFA, of "summoning, arresting and abusing our employees."

The PA, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, added that "hampering [of] their work and tasks" by Hamas ultimately led the authority to the conclusion that the presence of its staffers at the Rafah Crossing had been "futile."

Rafah, the sole crossing point between Egypt and blockaded Gaza, was closed on Monday due to the Orthodox Christmas holiday. However, it was not clear whether it would reopen as scheduled on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Hamas' Interior Ministry Spokesman Iyad al-Bozum said that the resistance movement "will protect the interests of our people."

The Fatah party, led by President Abbas, and Hamas have been at odds ever since the latter scored a landslide victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006. Since 2007, Hamas has been governing Gaza while Fatah has been based in the autonomous parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The two rival Palestinian factions finally agreed on a unity government in April 2014, but it fell apart months later.

However, the PA took control of Rafah in November 2017, as part of a deal for Egypt to reopen a border that had been completely closed from August that year and largely sealed for years before that. Cairo has allowed the crossing to be open regularly since August 2018, providing a lifeline to desperate Gazans.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already said that he would put his stamp on the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation only if Hamas recognizes Israel, cuts ties with Iran, and disbands its military wing, known as the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, and its estimated 25,000 fighters, who have defended Gaza against three deadly Israeli wars over the past decade.

Israel has imposed movement restrictions on the Gaza Strip since the early 1990s. Restrictions intensified in June 2007 when Tel Aviv imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Gaza, citing security concerns.

Back in July last year, Tel Aviv also restricted the fishing area for Gazans to just three nautical miles as part of punitive measures against them over the launch of incendiary balloons from the Palestinian coastal enclave into the occupied territories as part of ongoing protests against the decades-long Israeli occupation.

Over the past few years, Israeli troops have also carried out over a hundred assaults on Palestinian boats, arresting dozens of fishermen and confiscating several boats.

Around two million Palestinians in Gaza remain locked in and are prevented from having free access to the remainder of Palestine and the outside world. The blockade has also undermined the living conditions in the coastal enclave and fragmented its economic and social fabric.
Trump denies backtracking on troop withdrawal from Syria

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 04:34PM

US President Donald Trump has stated that his plans to withdraw US troops from Syria are "no different" than originally announced.

In a tweet on Monday morning, Trump condemned The New York Times for publishing "a very inaccurate story on my intentions for Syria."

"No different from my original statements, we will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS (Daesh) and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!" he wrote.

Earlier, the White House said Trump has not changed his position on the withdrawal of troops from Syria

"The president hasn't changed his position, as he mentioned his primary goal is to ensure the safety of our troops and the safety of our allies as well," White House spokeswoman Mercedes Schlapp told Fox News on Monday.

"And so the Department of Defense will come up with its operational plan to safely withdraw our troops," she added.

The White House statement came a day after Trump's national security adviser John Bolton set conditions for a troop departure that could take months, contradicting the president's insistence that the withdrawal would be immediate and without any conditions.

Bolton contradicts Trump

Speaking during a visit to Israel, Bolton said that the United States must achieve certain "objectives" before withdrawing troops from Syria, a country where the US, Israel, France, Britain and their regional allies such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Qatar have been sponsoring terrorists since 2011. This has left the country in ruins.

"The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement," Bolton said.

"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, added Bolton.

Last month, Trump declared victory against Daesh terrorists in Syria and announced to pull out American troops from the country, saying that US troops cannot stay in Syria "forever."

Several senators on both sides of the aisle have accused Trump of making a hasty decision, with one administration official saying "the President's decision-by-tweet will recklessly put American and allied lives in danger around the world."

But several others, like Republican Senator Rand Paul and former congressman Dr. Ron Paul, have defended Trump's decision to withdraw the American troops in Syria, with Dr. Paul saying that the United States needs to "have a clean cut" with military involvement in the Middle East.
While shes relatively new to legislative office, Carozza has a history in Annapolis and in Washington. She was a deputy chief of staff to Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich. Before that, she was deputy assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs, based at the Pentagon. Carozza also served as a press secretary and chief of staff to Republican members of Congress.
Leader of failed coup in Gabon arrested, two killed: Presidency

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 05:44PM

The Gabonese military officer who led a failed coup in Gabon has been captured and two of his commandos killed following an attack on a public radio station, the presidency says.

The two rebels were killed and their leader was arrested after security forces invaded the radio station in the Gabonese capital Libreville on Monday. The journalists who had been forced to help rebels make their appeal were also been freed.

"The situation is under control," the presidency statement said.

Earlier in the day, Gabonese government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou told AFP that calm has returned to Libreville hours after a group of military officers launched a coup attempt in the absence of ailing President Ali Bongo who is abroad recovering from a stroke.

Most of the army rebels, who had earlier in the day seized the national radio station and called for a public uprising, had been arrested.

"Calm has returned, the situation is under control," he said.

According to the presidency statement, six rebel forces earlier Monday burst into the state radio broadcasting station, "neutralizing" gendarmes in front of the building before making their broadcast.

Gunshots were heard around the headquarters of the national TV station at 6:00 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) around the same time a person, who identified himself as Lieutenant Ondo Obiang Kelly, the deputy commander of the Republican Guard and head of a previously unknown group, the Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defense and Security Forces (MPJFDS), read a message on the radio.

He said a "national restoration council" would be formed "to guarantee a democratic transition for the Gabonese people."

Gabon's Constitutional Court has transferred part of the presidential powers to the prime minister and the vice president in Bongo's absence.

The Bongo family has ruled the oil-producing country for nearly half a century.

Bongo has been president since succeeding his father, Omar, who died in 2009. His reelection in 2016 was marred by claims of fraud and violent protests.
Yemeni snipers kill four Saudi troopers in retaliatory attack

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 7, 2019 06:14PM

Yemeni army soldiers, backed by fighters from allied Popular Committees, have shot dead four Saudi soldiers in the kingdom's southwestern border region of Jizan, in retaliation for the Riyadh regime's military campaign against the crisis-hit country.

A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Yemen's Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that Yemeni forces shot and killed four Saudi troopers in al-Tabbeh al-Hamra area east of Jahfan district of the region, located 967 kilometers southwest of the capital Riyadh, on Monday afternoon.

Later in the day, a Yemeni woman lost her life and another sustained injuries when a cluster bomb dropped earlier in a Saudi-led airstrike went off in an area of the Bart al-Marashi district of Yemen's northern province of al-Jawf.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital city of Sana'a on December 3, 2018, the spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces said the Saudi-led military coalition continues to use internationally-banned weapons, particularly cluster bombs, in its aerial bombardment of residential neighborhoods in Yemen despite a global outcry against the use of such munitions by Saudi Arabia and its allies.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree stated that Saudi Arabia and its allies target citizens with cluster bombs and internationally-banned arms in the northern province of Sa'ada and Hajjah, leaving 1,124 people dead and 1,665 others wounded.

Saree pointed out that most of the victims are children, and that most of the cluster bombs are made in the United States.

Five Saudi-paid Yemeni mercenaries slain in friendly airstrike

Separately, five militiamen loyal to former Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi have been killed and several others injured when Saudi military aircraft mistakenly targeted them in the Khabb wa ash Sha'af district of Jawf province.

A Yemeni military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were commanders among the slain Saudi mercenaries.

Moreover, tens of Saudi-paid militiamen were killed and injured when Yemeni army soldiers and allied fighters from Popular Committees repelled their attack on an area in the Nihm district of Yemen's province of Sana'a.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing Hadi's government back to power and crushing the country's Houthi Ansarullah movement.

According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi-led war has so far claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis.

The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has already said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years.

A number of Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance.
U.S. adviser Bolton says U.S. conditions Syria withdrawal with safeguarding Kurds

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 07:34, January 07, 2019

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.
Fort McHenry Arrives in Romania

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS190107-09

Release Date: 1/7/2019 11:37:00 AM

By Seaman Dominic L. Holder,

CONSTANTA, Romania (NNS) -- The Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) arrived in Constanta, Romania, Jan. 7 for a scheduled port visit.

Constanta is the first port visit for Fort McHenry, which deployed from its homeport of Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2018.

"The Sailors and Marines of Fort McHenry have a great opportunity to experience a historic city," said Cmdr. Steve Schmidt, commanding officer of Fort McHenry. "We stand together with our Romanian allies and partners to maintain a safe, secure and prosperous region. Strong relationships are the foundation of peace and prosperity."

Fort McHenry is a member of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, which also consists of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), Fleet Surgical Teams 2 and 8, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 21, components of Naval Beach Group 2 and the embarked staff of Amphibious Squadron 6.
CENTCOM Statement on Death of USS Cole Bombing Operative

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS190106-02

Release Date: 1/6/2019 7:57:00 PM

From U.S. Central Command Public Affairs

TAMPA, Fla. (NNS) -- U.S. Central Command spokesman Capt. Bill Urban released the following statement Jan. 6 on the death of Jamal al-Badawi:

"U.S. Central Command has confirmed that Jamal al-Badawi was killed in a precision strike in Marib governate [Yemen] on Jan. 1.

"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.

"Jamal al-Badawi was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2003, charged with 50 counts of various terrorism offenses, including murder of U.S. nationals and murder of U.S. military personnel; was wanted by the U.S. for his role in the Oct. 12, 2000, terrorist attack against USS Cole; and was also charged with attempting with co-conspirators to attack a U.S. Navy vessel in January 2000."

Editor's note: USS Cole (DDG 67) was attacked during a brief refueling stop in the harbor of Aden, Yemen. The suicide terrorist attack killed 17 members of the ship's crew, wounded 39 others and seriously damaged the ship.

After 14 months of upgrades and repairs, the Arleigh Burke-class  "Determined Warrior"  returned to the fleet, departing Pascagoula, Mississippi, April 19, 2002.


Yemen accuses Saudis of violating truce for 353 times

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 7, IRNA -- Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman has accused the Saudi-led coalition of repeatedly breaching cease fire agreement in Yemen, saying that it has violated the truce 353 times over the last 48 hours.

According to the Yemeni media 'Al-Masirah', Brigadier General Yahya Saree said on Sunday that the Saudi forces targeted various areas in Al Hudaydah like Hays, Khamsin, Koie, Shaab, Al-Tahita, Al-Shajan, Al-Zafaran and Sheikh village with missiles and mortar shells.

Meanwhile, in response to Saudis violation, Yemeni forces targeted Khaled military base, in west of Taiz with ballistic missile, he said.

They also attacked Saudis' positions in Najran and Asir, he reiterated.

Saree went on to say that Yemeni forces have inflicted heavy damages to Saudi and Emirati forces.

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. It 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.

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Terrorist attack in NW Afghanistan kills 21 soldiers

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Kabul, Jan 7, IRNA -- Afghan sources announced that a Taliban attack on Qadis District, northwestern Afghanistan has claimed the lives of 21 government soldiers and injured 9 others.

Speaking to local media, Head of Badghis Provincial Council Abdol Aziz Beig said the Taliban conducted an attack on Qadis District on Sunday and killed 21 soldiers and injured 9 others.

Meanwhile, a Taliban special forces commander together with 29 others have been killed in an air attack in Almar District.

In the meantime, Afghanistan Defense Ministry said in a statement that two famous Taliban commanders , namely Molla Sarvar and Molavi Habib , were killed in this air attack.

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Engagement with Taliban aimed at helping Afghan peace: Iran

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Dec 7, IRNA -- The Taliban are seeking peace with the Afghan government and Iran is helping the process to promote stability and peace in the country, the secretary of Supreme National Security Council of Iran told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Monday.

'Iran is peace-seeking and has no domineering intentions,' said Ali Shamkhani on the sidelines of the International Conference on Defense and Security in West Asia held in the Supreme National Defense University in northern Tehran.

Referring to the Iran-Turkey-Russia coalition on Syria, he said, 'We follow the Astana Peace Process. After suppressing terrorism, a joint effort is underway to finalize the constitution and transferring power to people.'

He also said the fact that many countries have sent their representatives to the conference shows that Iran is not isolated.

This is a good example to show that the US sanctions are ineffective to isolate Iran, he stressed.

Shamkhani said that US sent a message asking to negotiate with Iran when he was in Afghanistan last week. He added that because the US is not trustable, Iran will not negotiate with them.

'With its current characteristics, the US cannot be negotiating party to any country,' he said.

Iran has taken up a policy to disappoint the US. Iran has no forces to pull out from the region. Iranian forces in the region are only advisors, he said.

'Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen are defending themselves and we have no forces in the region.'

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Iran talks with Afghanistan aiming to re-establish peace

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 7, IRNA -- Iran talks with Taliban was aimed at maintaining peace to Afghanistan, Iranian defense minister said on Monday, adding that it was held with Afghan government coordination.

Speaking to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on the sidelines of Seminar of 'Peace, Stability and Sustainable Security in Light of Defense Cooperation, which was held in Supreme National Defense University, Brigadier General Amir Hatami said the negotiations were held, aiming to bring back peace and stability to Afghanistan.

Commenting on security in West Asia, he said the region has been dealing with insecurity since Western countries entered it.

Referring to the fact that Western Asia has experienced one of the bloodiest era over the past eight years, Hatami said people have faced many problems after West presence in the region.

He also pointed to different roles, played by Iran and the US in the region, saying Iran has helped its brothers sincerely and modestly.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Iranian defense minister referred to fighting Daesh terrorists as the latest measure taken by Iran to establish peace and stability in the region.

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Afghan Gov. direct talks with Taliban shortest way to achieve lasting peace: Ambassador

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 7, IRNA -- Afghan ambassador to Tehran says that the shortest way for a lasting peace in Afghanistan is direct talks between his government and the Taliban to realize the practical and lasting result.

In an exclusive interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Ahmad Nour referred to the growing relations between Afghanistan and Iran, and said, 'As an embassy in Tehran, there is almost no week that we are not witnessing the reception and coming of a delegation, and even more than a delegation, which is mostly at the level of Ministers, deputy of Ministers and Experts. In addition to this, leaders of the two countries for institutionalizing the ties required developing a comprehensive document on long-term cooperation between the two countries and this document is a basic document regarding the cooperation of the two countries."

Afghanistan's ambassador to Tehran, in response to a question about the transfer of the ISIS (Daesh) to Afghanistan, said that ISIS in Iraq and Syria are different from those operating under the name of the ISIS in Afghanistan. The ISIS of Afghanistan has come out of the context of Taliban and the elements of the group are the Taliban elements that have put down a white flag and raised the black one, otherwise we do not see any the difference between the two in terms of the nature, ideology, goals and practices.

About the US security strategy in Afghanistan, which was announced about a year ago, as well as the announcement of troop withdrawal by US president Donald Trump in recent days, he said, "The coalition in Afghanistan had 130,000 to 140,000 predominantly American troops before 2014. At the same time, Americans announced that they would reduce their troops in Afghanistan. But we saw that this great departure did not have a very negative impact on Afghanistan, and despite the fact that our security forces were newcomers at the time, they were able to take on their responsibilities well and maintain cities, roads and major centers."

'The Afghan government and nation have been thirsty for peace for many years, and we are on this path; we welcome every way and in a solution that brings about a sustained and dignified peace and reconciliation,' said the Afghan diplomat in talks and contacts recently conducted with the Taliban group.

He added, 'We welcome and thank all brotherly and friendly countries that will help us in this way, but we emphasize that the issue of peace and negotiations with Taliban should be on managing the Afghan government.

Answering a question about the outlook of reaching an understanding with the Taliban, Nour said, "We are hopeful. It is up to the Taliban to take advantage of the opportunity and consider the very comprehensive proposal for negotiations and peace that the President introduced in the second Kabul process and see whether they want to have a role in the political future of Afghanistan.

In response to another question about US unilateral sanctions against Iran and the possible impact of these sanctions on Iran-Afghanistan relations, including the Chabahar agreement, Afghan ambassador said, "It is our wish to see a world without tensions, sanctions and conflict, and if anything we can do, we are glad to do our best, but as far as the current sanctions are concerned, the Americans have stated that the Chabahar port project is exception to US sanctions.'

Ahmad Nour continued, 'The relationship between Tehran and Washington is not related to these days and have lasted for four decades.' During these 16 years or more when Americans in Afghanistan have a significant presence, our relationship with our brotherly neighbor (Iran) is getting stronger every day, and the presence of Americans and the strategic relationship between Afghanistan and the United States has no effect on our relations with Iran.

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Incorrect bills and rising water rates lead State Sen. Mary Washington and Delegate Nick Mosby to plan to introduce legislation to permanently ban the city from placing liens against homes, churches and other properties over unpaid water bills. (Luke Broadwater, Baltimore Sun video)
Over 15,000 Yemenis killed in Saudi-led air raids in 2018

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 7, IRNA -- Air attacks by the Saudi-led coalition forces left killed over 15,000 Yemenis in 2018, a Yemeni news media quoted on Monday the spokesman for the Yemeni National Salvation Government as saying.

Saudis killed 15,395 Yemenis and injured 24,121 more in 2018, said Zeifollah Shami, according to a report by the Yemeni TV Channel 'Al-Masirah'.

The closure of Sana'a airport also resulted in the killing of 17,608 patients, he added.

In the wake of humanitarian disaster in Yemen, over 22,000 people are in urgent need of aids, he said.

This is while, 3,450,000 Yemenis have become internally and over 70,000 others externally displaced, he added.

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. It 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.

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Indian Ocean littoral states Navy Commanders to convene

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Bandar Abbas, Jan 7, IRNA -- Commander of the 1st Zone of the Naval Force of the Iranian Army said the commanders of the naval forces of the Indian Ocean's littoral states will convene at the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) summit in Bandar Abbas next month.

Second Admiral Mojtaba Mohammadi said in a meeting with Pakistani commander of Peace and Friendship fleet in Bandar Abbas on Monday that one of IONS Summit's programs is the joint drill of member states.

In another part of his remarks, he said, "The Local IONS summit to manifest the strategy of the navy of Iran's Army in strengthening the good neighborliness with the neighbors and showing the power of the countries of the Indian Ocean region to establish security without the presence of transnational nations.'

Pakistani Peace and Friendship fleet, comprising Kheyber flagship destroyer, Coast Guard Job, Logistic ship of Madadgar and Rahnavard training ship, docked in the 1st zone of Naval Force of the Iranian Army on Sunday

Pakistan's Peace and Friendship fleet commander Admiral Mohammad Salem, speaking at a meeting with members of the navy with the governor of Hormozgan on Sunday evening, stated, 'In this regard, the Pakistani Navy provided an idea for the security of the Indian Ocean.'

'We hope the naval forces of Iran will cooperate with the navy of Pakistan to implement the plan,' he said.

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US Providing Companies With Information to Guard Against Intel Threats - DNI

Sputnik News

21:13 07.01.2019(updated 21:15 07.01.2019)

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) is providing information to US companies to guard against growing threats from foreign intelligence entities, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) said in a press release on Monday.

"The National Counterintelligence and Security Center is today disseminating videos, brochures, and other informative materials to help the private sector guard against growing threats from foreign intelligence entities and other adversaries," the release said.

According to NCSC Director William Evanina, well-financed nation-state actors breach private sector networks, steal proprietary data, and compromise supply chains. The release also wrote that the information disseminated to US companies addresses a range of issues including supply chain risks, economic espionage, social engineering, social media deception, spear-phishing, mobile device safety, and foreign travel risks.

The release echoes Washington's repeating accusations Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow of hacking attacks against the country. North Korea, China, and Russia have rejected the accusations, urging the US to provide evidence on the issue.

In the meantime, a $716 billion defence spending bill for 2019, signed by US President Donald Trump, has provided significant funding to counter alleged Russia and China threat.

 Sputnik
National Counterintelligence and Security Center Launches Campaign to Help Private Industry Guard Against Threats from Nation State Actors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ODNI News Release No. 01-19

January 7, 2019

National Counterintelligence and Security Center Launches Campaign

to Help Private Industry Guard Against Threats from Nation State Actors

The National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) is today disseminating videos, brochures, and other informative materials to help the private sector guard against growing threats from foreign intelligence entities and other adversaries.

"Make no mistake, American companies are squarely in the cross-hairs of well-financed nation-state actors, who are routinely breaching private sector networks, stealing proprietary data, and compromising supply chains. The attacks are persistent, aggressive, and cost our nation jobs, economic advantage, and hundreds of billions of dollars," said NCSC Director William Evanina. "To enhance private sector awareness, were arming U.S. companies with information they need to better understand and defend against these threats."

Recent examples underscore the foreign intelligence threats faced by U.S. companies:

Last month, cyber actors associated with Chinas Ministry of State Security were indicted by the U.S. for global computer intrusion campaigns targeting intellectual property, confidential business information, and other data at managed service providers, as well as at more than 45 U.S. technology companies and U.S. government agencies.

In September 2018, U.S. charges were announced against a North Korean, state-backed hacker for his role in the Global WannaCry 2.0 ransomware, the cyberattack on Sony Pictures, spear-phishing attacks on U.S. defense contractors, and other activities.

In March 2018, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a joint technical alert about an ongoing intrusion campaign by Russian government cyber actors to reconnoiter U.S. energy sector networks.

In March 2018, the U.S. levied charges against nine Iranians for a massive hacking campaign at the behest of Irans Islamic Republican Guard Corps that targeted intellectual property and other research at more than 144 U.S. universities.

"Know the Risk, Raise Your Shield"

Accordingly, NCSC is distributing its trademarked "Know the Risk, Raise Your Shield" materials specifically to raise awareness among private sector organizations and equip them with best practices for protecting their data, assets, technologies, and networks. These materials were previously distributed to raise awareness in the federal workforce.

The "Know the Risk, Raise Your Shield" materials are featured on NCSCs website (NCSC.gov) or at https://www.dni.gov/ncsc/knowtherisk/tools/ and include videos, posters, brochures, and flyers. They address numerous topics, including supply chain risks, economic espionage, social engineering, social media deception, spear-phishing, mobile device safety, and foreign travel risks. At a minimum, the materials provide basic tips to help mitigate risks faced by the private sector. These include:

Corporate supply chains are growing targets of foreign intelligence entities. Adversaries are bypassing hardened corporate defenses by using less-secure suppliers and vendors as surreptitious entry points to surveil, sabotage, and steal information from companies networks. Supply chain security can be expensive, but lack thereof is costlier and can result in pronounced, long-lasting damage. This is a place where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. TIP : Know your suppliers, the equipment and services they provide, and their service providers. Ask the right questions before procuring their products or services. Integrate acquisition and procurement personnel into your organizations enterprise-wide risk management and security program.

are growing targets of foreign intelligence entities. Adversaries are bypassing hardened corporate defenses by using less-secure suppliers and vendors as surreptitious entry points to surveil, sabotage, and steal information from companies networks. Supply chain security can be expensive, but lack thereof is costlier and can result in pronounced, long-lasting damage. This is a place where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. : Know your suppliers, the equipment and services they provide, and their service providers. Ask the right questions before procuring their products or services. Integrate acquisition and procurement personnel into your organizations enterprise-wide risk management and security program. Spear-phishing e-mails , in which the recipient is asked to click on a link or attachment, remain a common tool for foreign intelligence entities to compromise networks and access data. In October 2018, two Chinese intelligence officers and eight others were indicted for hacking U.S. and European aerospace firms over five years to steal trade secrets on commercial aircraft engines. They allegedly used spear-phishing and other tactics to penetrate company networks. TIP : Never click on suspicious links or attachments, particularly from unverified or unknown sources.

, in which the recipient is asked to click on a link or attachment, remain a common tool for foreign intelligence entities to compromise networks and access data. In October 2018, two Chinese intelligence officers and eight others were indicted for hacking U.S. and European aerospace firms over five years to steal trade secrets on commercial aircraft engines. They allegedly used spear-phishing and other tactics to penetrate company networks. : Never click on suspicious links or attachments, particularly from unverified or unknown sources. Social media deception is another technique used to target private sector individuals. Adversaries may create fake profiles on social media, posing as a job recruiter or someone with a shared interest, to connect with and elicit information from business persons. Chinas intelligence services use social media platforms to spot, assess, and target Americans with access to business or government secrets. A former CIA officer convicted of espionage conspiracy in 2018 was first approached by a Chinese intelligence operative posing as a job recruiter on social media. TIP : Maximize your social media privacy settings; use caution in what you share; never accept friend requests from strangers; and validate friend requests through other sources.

is another technique used to target private sector individuals. Adversaries may create fake profiles on social media, posing as a job recruiter or someone with a shared interest, to connect with and elicit information from business persons. Chinas intelligence services use social media platforms to spot, assess, and target Americans with access to business or government secrets. A former CIA officer convicted of espionage conspiracy in 2018 was first approached by a Chinese intelligence operative posing as a job recruiter on social media. : Maximize your social media privacy settings; use caution in what you share; never accept friend requests from strangers; and validate friend requests through other sources. Foreign travel presents critical risks to private sector individuals, particularly those bringing smart phones, laptops or other electronic devices. When abroad, dont expect electronic privacy. Wi-Fi networks overseas are regularly monitored by security services and others who can insert malicious software into your device through any connection they control. They can also do it remotely if your device is enabled for wireless connection. TIP: If possible, leave your electronic device at home. If you bring it, always keep it with you; the hotel safe isnt really "safe."

Foreign Economic Espionage in Cyberspace

Another resource available to the private sector is NCSCs 2018 Foreign Economic Espionage in Cyberspace report, which provides the latest unclassified information on foreign intelligence efforts to steal U.S. intellectual property, trade secrets, and proprietary data via cyberspace.

Released in July 2018, the report identifies the most pervasive nation-state threat actors, including China, Russia and Iran; those U.S. industrial sectors of greatest interest to foreign threat actors; and several emerging threats that warrant attention, including:

Software supply chain infiltration, which has already threatened the U.S. critical infrastructure and is poised to threaten other sectors.

Laws in foreign countries, such as those in China and Russia, that can pose an increased intellectual property risk to U.S. companies doing business there.

Foreign technology firms that are subject to foreign state influence or have links to foreign governments with high-threat intelligence services.

NCSC is a center within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. NCSC is the nations premier source for counterintelligence and security expertise and a trusted mission partner in protecting America against foreign and other adversarial threats.
About $2 million has been identified to cut at the central office, Bulson said Monday, but hes looking to redeploy some of that and is advertising two positions that would mostly support schools and principals. If those positions are filled internally, it could affect how other positions are shuffled.
North East needs to double mobile towers to improve networks, says Taipa News oi-Priyanka Dua The state tower policy which is aligned with Right of Way rules, 2016 will extensively help to boost the telecom network and to ensure connectivity to masses across the state in the far-flung areas.

According to industry body Taipa, there is around 7184 mobile tower in North-East which needs to double up in the forthcoming time to support emerging technologies.

There are 2374 villages which require 2162 new mobile towers for basic network connectivity in Meghalaya alone, Taipa said.

The state tower policy which is aligned with Right of Way rules, 2016 will extensively help to boost the telecom network and to ensure connectivity to masses across the state in the far-flung areas.

Taipa highlighted that after Assam, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya state has become the 4th state in North East region to align with Prime Minister's vision of Digital India by notifying a state policy for fast-tracking the rollout of telecom infrastructure which will eventually develop a robust telecom infrastructure extending ubiquitous network connectivity across the state.

The much-awaited state Right of Way rules have been notified by Meghalaya Government on 21st December 2018 that are aligned with Right of Way rules, 2016 notified by the Central Government and will be effective from 15th January 2019.

The Right of Way rules, 2016 offers salient features such as no restriction on the location of telecom towers, single window clearance mechanism, defined time-period for approvals, deemed approvals, the appointment of Nodal officers, nominal administrative fees and deemed approval etc. extensively supporting the Digital India mission by simplifying and expediting the telecom infrastructure rollout.

"We appeal Manipur, Sikkim, Nagaland, and Mizoram to notify a state tower policy immediately which is aligned with Right of Way rules, 2016 notified by the central government if they wish to empower their citizens with the enormous power of internet responsible for socio-economic growth," Dua said.

He said that Meghalaya on December 21, 2018, notified the rules aligned to that of the central government for rolling out telecom networks in the state.

"Before the notification of state policy, the telecom infrastructure industry was struggling with multiple/high fees and levies, the absence of single-window clearance and absence of sites in government lands and buildings etc," Dua said.

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LG Q9 debuts in South Korea with QHD display and IP68 rating News oi-Vivek LG Q9 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC

LG has launched yet another mid-tier smartphone in South Korea. The LG Q9 is the latest smartphone from the brand with sort of flagship specifications. Here are the complete details on the latest IP68 rated smartphone from LG Electronics.

LG Q9 price and availability

The LG Q9 comes in Carmine Red, New Aurora Black, and New Moroccan Blue colors and retails for 499,400 Korean Won (Rs 31,120). The smartphone will be available in South Korea from 11th of January 2019. As of now, there is no information on the launch of the LG Q9 in India.

LG Q9 features and specifications

The LG Q9 has a 6.1-inch QHD+ IPS LCD grade screen with 2.5D curved tempered glass protection. The device has a modern 19.5:9 aspect ratio display with a resolution of 3120 x 1440p with a notch cut out on the top.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC powers the smartphone with 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 64 GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot for additional storage expansion (up to 2TB).

The LG Q9 has a single 16 MP primary camera with an f/2.2 aperture with an LED flash. On the front, the device has an 8 MP selfie camera with an f/1.9 aperture. The smartphone also has a rear-facing physical fingerprint sensor.

Just like most of the LG flagship smartphone, the LG Q9 is water and dust resistant with IP68 rating, and also MIL-STD 810G certified. The smartphone comes with a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack with 32-bit Advanced Hi-Fi Quad DAC and Boombox Speaker.

The LG Q9 has a 3000 mAh Li-ion battery with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support via USB type C port. Lastly, the smartphone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with custom LG skin on top.

The LG Q9 has a great set of features including the high-resolution display and IP68 rating. However, the smartphone is powered by a 2-year-old chipset and comes with a single camera, which makes it difficult to suggest the LG Q9 over other affordable flagship smartphones.

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The fire in the single-family, rancher style home in the 1000 block of Emmerick Drive was reported at 2:45 p.m. by Nicholas Schweitzer, the 18-year-old son of homeowners William and Colleen Schweitzer, according to a notice of investigation from the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High 106F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 66F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph.
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DELAVAN

Two convicted sex offenders will be released from prison Jan. 15 and will reside in Delavan, according to a press release from Delavan police.

Terrence D. Flood, 50, will live at 740 E. Geneva St. Flood was convicted of two counts of first-degree sexual assault of the same child in Walworth County in 1999.

Jesus G. Guzman, 48, also will live at 740 E. Geneva St. Guzman was convicted of three counts of first-degree sexual assault of four children in Walworth County in 1993.

Threatening, intimidating or harassing registered sex offenders will not be tolerated, according to the release.
Belton is the second member of Hogans cabinet to leave the administration since his re-election in November. Department of Commerce Secretary Michael Gill stepped down in December to return to his former career in the private sector. Hogan named former state Labor Secretary Kelly Schulz to replace him; Hogan appointed former Anne Arundel County Del. James Rzepkowski as acting secretary of the labor department and launched a search for a permanent secretary.
Michael Gersons Washington Post commentary on Jan. 7 ("Evangelicals Falsely Believe They Have Found a Champion in Trump") was a superb example of hate speech propaganda smoothly veneered over with references to Trump. I was equally disappointed that the newspaper would print such an article from another newspaper back East, where the media is making a living from hate speech, cheap shot, and innuendo.

Did the newspaper somehow miss the point in the first sentence, where Gerson says the reluctant support by white evangelicals for Donald Trump ... has solidified into something like devotion. How selective to leave out black, Hispanic, and Asian evangelicals. Gerson cleverly skips his hate-filled rock across the shimmering lake of integrity we all used to think used to think existed in the press years ago. How vulgar can Gerson get with the remark: In their battle with the Philistines, evangelicals have essentially hired their own Goliath  brutal, pagan, but on their side.

Was the editorial board asleep at the wheel when this piece of East Coast garbage made it to page A6? Can you imagine what would happen to a faculty member at Oregon State University if "evangelical" was replaced with LGBTQ, blacks, Jews, and President Obama? We have K-12 teachers getting defrocked yearly for far more innocent things than this act of hate-filled verbal gymnastics.
July 13, 1947  December 29, 2018

William Harvey White Jr. (Bill) passed away at home at the age of 71 in Dallas, Oregon.

Bill was born on July 13, 1947, in San Mateo, California.

Bill went peacefully to be with his Lord and savior after succumbing to a bravely fought battle with cancer. Bill was the son of William and Marie White.

The family moved to Albany in 1948, where he graduated from Albany Union High School in 1965.

Bill then met and married the love of his life, Janet Lee Teachout (White), of Dallas, Oregon on December 28, 1968. They just celebrated 50 amazing years together.

Bill worked for Pacific Power for 42 years as a Journeyman Lineman. Following his heart for God and people, he went to Indonesia three different times to help provide electricity to remote hospitals in the jungles of Borneo.

He was also very active and well-loved in the Dallas City community. He was a well-known presence at both his children's and grandchildren's many various sporting events. Bill was always quick to lend a helping hand to his family members, friends, church and many others in need throughout the community.
The Benton County Democratic Central Committee will elect new officers during its biennial organizational meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17, at Grace Lutheran Church, 435 NW 21st St., in Corvallis.

The Benton County Democrats will elect a new chair, as well as two vice chairs, a treasurer and secretary. The group also will elect delegates and alternates to the Democratic State Central Committee and Congressional District 4 and Congressional District 5 committees.

Any registered Democrat who is a legal resident of Benton County is eligible to serve as an officer, delegate or alternate in the party. Congressional committee members must be legal residents of the congressional district to which they are elected.

Nominations can be submitted to Benton County Democratic Chair Rick Osborn at rickosborn@hotmail.com. All nominations will be made from the floor during the reorganizational meeting, and nominees will be given time to speak. Anyone who wishes to nominate themselves for any position may do so.

For more information, contact Osborn at rickosborn@hotmail.com or 541-908-6384.

The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

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That new philosophy appears to have driven the districts decision to delay the closure of Martin Luther King by one year. MLK has low enrollment and its building has serious infrastructure problems. In the 2020-2021 school year, its students will be rezoned to either Pimlico Elementary/Middle or Edgecombe Circle Elementary. Delaying the closure by a year, district officials say, gives more time for the communities to get to know each other. The district pledged at Tuesdays meeting to preserve the schools historic name in some way.
Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 90F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low near 80F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Graveside services for Ruby Mae Brackeen, 93, of Gainesville, are set for 10:00 AM Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at the Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville with Bro. Gary Carter officiating under the direction of the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home. A visitation will be held at 7:00 PM Monday, J
General Assembly should ratify the ERA

The original Equal Rights Amendment was introduced into Congress in 1923. Here we are in 2019 still trying to get it added to the U.S. Constitution.

The original version died in Congress. A second version was introduced in 1972 and passed. Thirty-seven states have now ratified it. If thirty-eight states ratify the amendment, it will become part of the Constitution.

The ERA will be considered in the Virginia legislature in 2019. It would be an amazing step forward if Virginia becomes the state that takes the ERA over the finish line.

Some have argued over the years that the ERA is not necessary or will actually be harmful to women.

Is it necessary? A recent 2015 poll by the ERA Coalition/Fund for Womens Equality showed that 94 percent of Americans believe that the Constitution should guarantee equal rights for men and women, and 80 percent believe it is already there.

It is not there. No less a constitutional authority than Justice Antonin Scalia said that there is no protection against discrimination on the basis of sex in the Constitution.
The governor is already planning to spend the windfall on expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income residents, continuing to clean up Chesapeake Bay, and expanding broadband to rural areas. These are all good priorities, and the governor should include them in his regular budget recommendations, but they should all be includedand fundedin the regular biennial state budget cycle.

Because whats a dream for politicians could be a nightmare for people whose state income taxes stand to increase by some $800 per year if the tax code problem is not rectified.

Last month, a large majority of Virginia taxpayers (59 percent) from every region of the commonwealth and among all demographic and political groups said in a Mason Dixon poll that they want any extra money the state collects from the tax code conflict to be returned to them.

Only 28 percent said they wanted the windfall to be spent on other state programs.

Republicans say they want to use most of the windfall to provide tax relief to middle-income taxpayers. Today we are standing up and saying no to a tax hike on the middle class, said GOP caucus Chairman Tim Hugo, RFairfax.

That puts the GOP position a lot closer to the clear will of the peopleif Republicans stick to it.
I know what the interim commissioner said in October  that, at age 54, he did not have the five to seven years he felt it would take to fix the Baltimore Police Department. I know he withdrew from consideration for the top job. I know that Brandon Scott, a member of City Council and vice chair of its public safety committee, said he did not believe Tuggle had sufficient support to get the councils confirmation.
Stafford County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Kizner recently struck some of the more controversial language in his proposed policy on the treatment of transgender students.

But he also wants to bolster the crux of the highly debated proposal, which would let transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms in alignment with their gender identities.

Kizners latest draft removes language stating that administrators and counselors may foster an understanding of gender identity, to create a school culture that respects and values all students. The change is meant to ease some parents concerns that schools would indoctrinate their children.

At the same time, Kizner proposes strengthening wording that previously said schools should address transgender students by their preferred pronouns and let them use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice. He replaced should with shall, which Kizner said in an email basically means you must do it.

Should implies that you have an option to do it or not do it, Kizner added. Board members made this observation, and I agree.
The foundation report cited improvements in two of the 13 indicators, dissolved oxygen and Bay grasses. In the pollution category, toxics were unchanged, while nitrogen and phosphorus levels and water clarity were worse. In the fisheries category, scores for shad fell while oysters, crabs and rockfish stayed the same.

The report covers progress made as part of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, an agreement by six bay states and Washington, D.C., to meet requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2010.

The foundation said Maryland and Virginia were advancing in pollution reduction, but pointed out that Pennsylvania continues to lag in dealing with agricultural runoff pollution.

Foundation President William C. Baker said farmers in that state are struggling and cant afford to handle required changes, so Pennsylvania lawmakers should step in.

If the state legislature does not fund efforts to reduce pollution in its next session, EPA must hold Pennsylvania accountable, he said in the release.

The foundation stressed that other states also have work to do to clean the Bay.
Then in March 2016, Wolfe pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder, use of a firearm, and one drug conspiracy charge, in an agreement where he faced a range of 29 to 41 years in prison, with credit for the 15 years he had already served. The handwritten confession Wolfe filed with the plea stated that he and Barber plotted together to kill Petrole, and "I am responsible for Danny's death even though I didn't pull the trigger. If I had not been involved Danny would never have been killed." Wolfe had previously maintained his innocence. He was sentenced to 41 years in prison.

Wolfe's new lawyer, Marvin Miller of Alexandria, argued to the Supreme Court that Wolfe entered his plea because he faced the possibility of another death sentence and concluded that "the Commonwealth was determined to deny him a fair trial." Miller's brief said the Prince William trial court "erred in accepting his guilty plea because he was the target of a vindictive prosecution" after Wolfe won relief from the federal courts.

Both the Virginia Court of Appeals and the Virginia Supreme Court rejected Wolfe's appeals last year, saying he waived his right to appeal the issue because he pleaded guilty without any conditions allowing for such appeals.
A Stafford man was charged with multiple drug and firearms charges after he fired shots and demolished his bedroom early Monday during what authorities suspect was a drug-induced outburst.

Stafford Sheriff's spokeswoman Amanda Vicinanzo said deputies went to the 200 block of Spring Park Lane in the southern part of the county for a reported disturbance. They heard a man screaming and tearing up his room on the third floor of the residence, and neighbors reported hearing gunshots coming from the house, Vicinanzo said.

Deputies described the man as being in a "paranoid and agitated" state when they confronted him and the room had bullet holes in the ceiling, a destroyed television, broken windows and other damage. He told deputies that he had recently used methamphetamine, Vicinanzo said.

Dominick Serago, 31, was taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail. He was charged with reckless handling of a firearm, shooting in an occupied dwelling, possession of illegal drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a firearm while in possession of illegal drugs.

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No less famous are Kings battlefield murals. For decades when they were in their original settings, Kings paintings offered visitors a realistic depiction of some of the wars most dramatic moments, giving them an idea of what they might have seen had they been standing on the same spot a century or more before. With the help of Kings paintbrush, they could see the fatal charge of Federals at Maryes Heights at Fredericksburg, Confederate artillery at Hazel Grove bombarding Union positions at Chancellorsville tavern, the bitter fighting at the Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania, as well as quieter moments such as Lee and Jacksons cracker box meeting that led to Jacksons famous flank march.

He was trying to convey through his minds eye, Hennessy said, the people who inhabit landscapes... who have gone before us.

Those landscapes, the battlefields themselves, became a living element in Kings work. His characteristic birds eye perspective featured in so many of his larger murals places the viewer above the action, so he can see what the soldiers could not, namely, the entire drama unfolding before them like a Cecil B. DeMille epic.

He was very good at landscapes, Hennessy said. He did his work on the ground. It is really solid.
And, while the numbers I cite have been reported elsewhere, and multiple times, it seems a good part of the nation is reluctant to acknowledge these pathological conditions. The appeal of Trump to his supporters is his offer of a simplistic vision  that somehow hes making the country great again and safe again, fixing things that were broken. Embracing this delusion is a way of avoiding the bad news about addictions, suicide and gun violence that runs like a toxic river from the rural countryside to the inner city.
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A preliminary investigation found the shooting stemmed from an accident in the 400 block of Yale Ave. in Irvington, less than a mile away from the location where the shooting was reported. There, another male, whose identity is unknown, was riding a dirt bike when he hit and damaged the victims vehicle, according to police.
(CNN)  Nigerian soldiers raided the offices of a local newspaper and took away journalists who wrote an article that "divulged classified information" and put its troops' lives at risk, the army said Monday.

The Daily Trust said security agents "invaded" the newspaper's bureau in the country's troubled northeastern region and took away two journalists who worked on a story about the military's operations against terror group Boko Haram.

"The soldiers shut the gate of the Maiduguri regional office, after arresting the two editorial staff on sight at the time of the raid," the newspaper said on its website.

The army has faced fierce criticism following the raid. Garba Shehu, a spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari, said on Sunday that the military had been ordered to leave the newspaper's premises and that differences should be worked out through dialogue.

The army said it did not arrest the journalists but "invited" them to discuss the security implications of the article.

"We would like to state that the invitation of those involved in divulging military plans was done with the best intention in order to make them realise the import of such acts to our national security," army spokesman Gen. Sani Usman said in a statement on Facebook.

The publication contained sensitive information that disclosed plans to counter the terrorist activities in Nigeria's troubled northeast, he added.

Nigeria's main opposition party has seized the opportunity to score campaign points against Buhari and called the raid "an attack on freedom of the press."

"Soldiers should not be used to target law-abiding citizens," a spokesman for opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar said in a statement.

Military bases have come under intense attack from Boko Haram militants in recent months with reports of large numbers of army casualties. The army's leadership often denies these reports.

In November, it was forced to admit that 44 soldiers died in an attack on its military base in Metele village, Borno.

Insurgents have also reportedly reclaimed Baga, a village on the outskirts of Maiduguri and hundreds of residents, including the village head, have fled their homes.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Nigerian army raids newspaper over Boko Haram article."
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
The family of a woman killed in an early morning, wrong-way crash on the Bayway says she was driving home from a wedding.

Mobile Police identified her earlier as 24 year old Kaytrielle Jones of Molino, Florida.

They say she was one of two people killed.

Police have not released the name of the second driver, who they say is a male.

According to a GoFundMe page, Jones was killed driving home from a wedding.

The page says Kaytrielle loved her family and God, Jehovah, and was beautiful, vivacious, and fun.

Alan Hardy says he was driving home from Daphne to Mobile about 1:20 Monday morning when he saw a terrifying sight.

He said, "I saw out of the corner of my eye a flash of red, and I looked up and I saw taillights, and it took me a second to realize that I was watching a car drive the wrong way down I-10 on the wrong side of the Bayway."

Hardy also said, "I was freaking out and said, 'Oh my God, he's hit somebody, he's hit somebody.'"

Hardy says the car was moving at a high rate of speed and that the accident scene was near the Battleship.

Police say both drivers died on the scene.

It's a sight Hardy has a difficult time getting out of his mind.

He said, "I think I got maybe three hours of sleep before I had to get up and be here this morning and be at work so, it was, yeah, it was hard. It was difficult."

There were no other reported injuries and police say the investigation is ongoing.
(Meredith) -- Two sisters, ages 12 and 14, have been arrested on murder charges after their mother was found dead outside their Mississippi home, authorities said.

Erica Hall, 32, died Friday night after the girls allegedly stabbed her multiple times and shot her once in the chest with a small-caliber handgun, Pike County Sheriff Kenny Cotton told the Enterprise-Journal.

Relatives who live nearby found Hall laying on the ground outside her home in Magnolia following the attack, WLBT reported.

She was stabbed in the back. The knife was still in her back, Halls aunt, Robin Coney, told the station.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate Hall, but she could not be saved. Hall leaves behind two other daughters, ages 16 and one.

Authorities have not released many details about what led to the shooting, but family members said the girls and their mother had been arguing beforehand.

The 14-year-old daughter, Amariyona Hall, has been charged as an adult and is being held in the Pike County jail on a $150,000 bond. The younger daughter, whose name has not been released, is being held in the Adams County Juvenile Detention Center in Natchez.

Mental health evaluations are pending for both. A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 29.
MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. -- Authorities responded to an accident involving a school bus before 7 a.m. Tuesday on Lott Road.

One Mary G. Montgomery High School student sustained a minor injury, said Rena Philips, a spokeswoman for the Mobile County Public School System.

Lt. Joe Piggott with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency told FOX10 News the accident happened near Gaynor Road.

According to Piggott eight students were on the bus at the time of the accident and two of those students sought treatment for what was described as minor bumps and bruises.

Philips said an SUV came into the lane in which the bus was traveling and hit the bus.

Piggot said the driver of the SUV was transported as well and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Troopers and the Mobile County Sheriff's Office are investigating.
BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WALA) - Nicholas Young, the primary suspect in the stabbing death of Foley man Jeff Higginbotham is not cooperating with investigators upon his extradition back to Baldwin County, police say.

Young had been arrested in Florida on Nov. 29 after he allegedly stole Higginbotham's vehicle following Higginbotham's October death inside his Bay Villa Apartments. Young had been staying with Higginbotham in the days leading up to his death, according to Higginbotham's brother.

At the time of his initial arrest in Florida he was being a little bit cooperative but soon after that he did request an attorney so he has invoked his right on this case," Baldwin County Sheriff Huey "Hoss" Mack said. At this point in time there has been no cooperation and no statement.

Jail records show Young does not have a bond. Right now, he faces charges of receiving stolen property and driving with a suspended/revoked license.

"Mr. Young is the primary suspect in the homicide death," Sheriff Mack said. "We did collect several amounts of forensic evidence from the scene, as well as some other locations over the course of the investigation and that evidence is now being reviewed by the Department of Forensic Sciences."

No preliminary court date has been set for Young on his charge of receiving stolen property, according to the Baldwin County Jail.
Foley Police have made two more arrests in a gun theft January 2, 2019 at Gulf Gun and Pawn. Theyve also recovered all but one of the stolen guns. Two 18-year-olds and a juvenile have been charged in the crime.

Police say Dorian Richardson of Loxley and Moses Horace of Robertsdale, both 18, turned themselves in Friday night, January 4, 2019 at Foley PD. This came just hours after police announced the arrest of a 17-year-old juvenile who they said was in the possession of an AR-15 rifle taken in the theft. Gulf Gun and Pawn owner, Lyle Stephenson said hes thrilled these guns are off the street.

We were worried to death that if they was in the wrong hands, what they could have done, but man the ATF, Foley and the FBI, they justthey nailed it, Stephenson said.

The day after the theft Stephenson was really concerned that his guns had fallen into the hands of criminals. But as fate would have it, police said a recent investment to protect his property played a big role in bringing the case to a close.

We had dedicated officers working around the clock, but on top of that we had a really good lead in that we had quality surveillance footage, Assistant Chief Thurston Bullock with Foley Police said.

Police havent released the footage to protect the identity of a juvenile suspect. Video from the stores new, high-quality camera system showed the thieves breaking through the glass on the front door and going straight to the gun counter.

After questioning Richardson and Horace, investigators were able to locate several more guns which had been dumped in a wooded area in the Marlow community. Police said they have now recovered all but one of the stolen guns.

Weve got six of them in our possession. Were still looking for one more, Bullock said. If the public knows anything about where that last weapon might be, wed be glad to hear from you and hopefully that person will bring it to us if they happen to come across that gun or they purchased it.

The suspects are charged with burglary third and theft of property second by the state and police said they could still face federal charges.
Pugh has been meeting with state lawmakers about her priorities for the city in the session and getting aid to hire and train officers is part of that wish list. She said Baltimore has too few officers patrolling its streets, and that the city needs the states help to solve such issues.
MOBILE, Ala. -- We now know the identities of both people killed in a wreck on the Interstate 10 Bayway Monday morning.

Police say a man driving the wrong way on eastbound I-10 caused the deadly crash.

One of the victims is a young woman from Florida. And, according to friends, the other is a local man from Daphne.

The wrong-way crash on the eastbound side of the Bayway claimed the lives of both drivers.

"I was freaking out," said eyewitness Alan Hardy, who said he still can't believe what he saw around 1:20 a.m. Monday.

Hardy said, "I saw out of the corner of my eye a flash of red, and I looked up and I saw tail lights, and it took me a second to realize that I was watching a car drive the wrong way down I-10 on the wrong side of the Bayway."

Hardy dialed 911, but it was too late.

"As I got a little closer to the battleship, I saw smoke and I kind of slowed down as as I passed," Hardy said. "And you could see two cars in the middle of the smoke, and they were destroyed, just utterly destroyed."

Authorities identified one of the drivers as Kaytrielle Jones. Her family says she was heading home to Molino, Fla., after attending a wedding.

In a Facebook post, the family says, "Kaytrielle was only 24 years old, had overcome so much, and had such a bright future, and it was taken away from her far too soon."

The other driver was identified Monday night by friends as Shawn Wright, a local musician from Daphne.

Friend Daniel Driskell told FOX10 News, "It was definitely a surprise. (He was) so young, and so full of life and talent, that we would have never expected such a thing to happen."

Wright was involved with the Joe Jefferson Theater. He rehearsed there this week for an upcoming production.

Harvie Jordan said he was "just a guy that could play a lot different instruments and play all of them well."

They are devastated, and they say they are praying for everyone involved. They say they won't forget the young man who loved sharing his musical talents.

"He loved making music," Driskell said. "He was always up for the challenge. You would give him something you though was impossible and he could totally do it."

Jordan said, "Shawn's horn will echo across the stage as we perform this show and other shows and people who worked with him. It will echo here for a long time."
As 2019 gets underway, investors need to put a tough 2018 behind them and take a fresh look at the investment landscape. Unfortunately, even after a down year, the markets remain at historically high valuation levels, and there's still a huge amount of political uncertainty.

Under these conditions, adding a few reliable dividend payers to your portfolio continues to be a good idea, and real estate investment trusts can fit the bill. W.P. Carey (NYSE:WPC), Welltower (NYSE:WELL), and Tanger Factory Outlet Centers (NYSE:SKT) are all strong, high-yield options, and they are my three top REITs to buy in 2019.

Check out the latest W.P. Carey, Welltower, and Tanger Factory Outlet Centers earnings call transcripts.

1. Diversification is key

W.P. Carey is a triple net lease REIT. This means that it owns a portfolio of buildings, but that its tenants generally pay all of the operating expenses of the properties, including taxes and maintenance. Essentially, Carey buys assets from companies, then immediately rents them back to the previous owners under long-term leases (often with built-in rent escalators). Usually, these transactions provide the tenants with the cash they need to pay for expansion efforts or mergers. Carey profits from the spread between its rental rates and its financing costs.

There are a lot of triple net lease REITs, but Carey stands out from the crowd because of its size, diversification, and long history. At this point, it has a portfolio of roughly 1,180 properties leased to more than 300 tenants. Around 63% of the rent roll is generated from the United States, with the rest largely coming from Europe. And its portfolio is broken down by industrial (42% of rents), warehouse (24%), retail (13%) office (12%), education (2%), and other (7%). Without a doubt, Carey is the most diversified triple net lease REIT investors can buy.

This is important because Carey is an active portfolio manager, buying and selling assets on a regular basis. Its broad sector and geographic diversification gives it more levers to pull as it looks to keep rewarding investors with regular dividend increases -- it has boosted its dividend for 21 consecutive years. And its yield of 6.2% is well above industry bellwether Realty Income's roughly 4.2%. If you are looking for a proven REIT, Carey should be on your buy list in 2019.

2. Healthy living

Another company that you should take a serious look at now is Welltower, one of the largest healthcare-focused REITs. Its portfolio of roughly 1,500 properties is a mix of senior housing (66% of net operating income), outpatient medical facilities (16%), long-term care/post acute (11%), and health systems (7%). Over the last couple of years, it has transitioned toward private pay, with around 90% of its rents coming from this customer group. This means that changes in government payments systems (Medicaid and Medicare) don't have a big impact on Welltower.

Its dividend yield is currently around 5%, just a little lower than its peers. That, however, is partly a function of Welltower's focus on high-quality properties in desirable locations. Management has a preference for sites in wealthy areas with high barriers to entry and minimal local competition. The shift toward private pay, meanwhile, depressed its financial results, lifting the company's price-to-trailing-FFO ratio to a fairly high level, historically speaking. So Welltower stock isn't exactly cheap, but it's still a quality company.

The bigger story here, however, is that Welltower is one of the largest and strongest healthcare REITs in an industry niche that's in the midst of a huge demographic tailwind. Its customer base consists primarily of baby boomers and their parents, two groups that will push the ranks of the 85 and older age group (the demographic that needs the most medical care) up materially faster than any other group over the next 20 years. And the REIT just announced an acquisition in the medical office space, suggesting that the transition that has depressed results over the last couple of years is over -- and that top- and bottom-line growth could start to pick up again in 2019. Welltower is in a great position to benefit from the demographic changes taking shape. Investors with a long-term focus can ride upward with it, collecting a 5% yield along the way.

3. A little bit of risk

The last company on this list is only appropriate for investors with a notable risk tolerance. Tanger owns 44 outlet centers, and it has felt the pinch of the so-called retail apocalypse that's pushed many chains into bankruptcy court. The REIT's net operating income growth basically stalled in 2018. However, Wall Street's fears here appear to be overblown -- the stock is down roughly 50% from its mid-2016 highs. The word apocalypse is hyperbole in this instance -- people still do most of their shopping in person, and high-quality malls remain desirable places for consumers to visit.

As for Tanger, it owns assets that have low operating costs and, thus, relatively low rents for its lessees, which in turn makes it easier for retailers to turn a profit. In fact, even during economic downturns Tanger's occupancy levels tends to remain high -- they've never fallen below 95%. To be fair, it is aggressively working with customers right now, via temporary rent concessions, to make sure occupancy remains robust. But that's well worth any short-term hit to the top and bottom lines, since fully occupied malls make for a better shopping experience. Basically, Tanger is doing what it needs to do in order to ensure its properties will succeed over the long term -- the same game plan it used during previous periods of retail weakness.

The real reason to like Tanger, however, is its rock-solid financial status. Total debt as a proportion of total adjusted assets is just 51%, well below key debt covenant levels of 60%. And it covered interest expense by 5.3 times in the third quarter. Leverage is not a big problem. The dividend, meanwhile, only eats up 45% of funds from operations (FFO), which is a low payout ratio that leaves it plenty of cash for debt repayment, stock buybacks, and investment in its portfolio.

Yes, the changes taking shape in the retail sector are impacting Tanger. But the company is taking steps to work through the upheaval and, equally important, has the financial wherewithal to do so. And with the stock price down so much, its yield is a very attractive 6.6%. The dividend, by the way, has been increased every year for 25 years. For long-term investors who can stomach a little near-term uncertainty, Tanger looks like an opportunistic buy now.

Strong and reliable

Investors looking for income investments in 2019 should clearly take a close look at the REIT sector, an area of the market that is known for high yields. But you'll want to focus on the names that offer the best combinations of yield, portfolio strength, financial fortitude, and opportunity. Carey, Welltower, and Tanger score well on each of these fronts, and each deserves a deep dive today.
08 Jun 2021 --- Traceable, fair-trade and simplified labels and other claims are stealing the spotlight in F&B innovation, and texturizing ingredients are no exception to the... Read More
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Sony at the CES 2019 has announced that its latest WH-1000XM3 noise-canceling wireless headphones will get Amazon Alexa support soon. It Previous WH-1000XM2 and WI-1000X wireless headphones will also get Alexa suport.

Amazon Alexa functionality will offer hands-free, voice-controlled experience, same as Google Assistant which is already available. You can ask Alexa to play music, change tracks, control smart home devices, search information and more after you tap the button.

Alexa support will be available to these headphones via Sonys Headphones Connect app (version 4.1) and firmware update in the first quarter of 2019.

Regarding the same, Mike Fasulo, president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics North America, said:

Sony is always seeking to provide new listening experiences and to enhance the usability and integration of our products into users daily lives. Adding Alexa support to our noise-canceling wireless headphones makes it easy to find audio content so users spend less time searching for their music and more time enjoying it.

Pete Thompson, vice president of the Alexa Voice Service, said:

We are delighted to collaborate with Sony on listening experiences that combine high-quality sound with the simplicity of voice control.With Alexa built-in, you can easily play music, hear the news, control smart home devices, access tens of thousands of skills, and more.
Pugh announced Fitzgerald in November as her choice to lead the department, but many community advocates said they were dissatisfied with the selection process that did not offer public input or a chance to evaluate candidates before he was named. Others said they simply did not know enough about Fitzgerald to fully support him before he was scheduled to come to several community meetings last weekend.
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A woman said to have been in a vegetative state for at least a decade at a private health care facility in Phoenix reportedly gave birth recently.

Phoenix: A woman said to have been in a vegetative state for at least a decade at a private health care facility in Phoenix reportedly gave birth recently, triggering a police investigation and reviews by state agencies in a situation that the state governor's office called "deeply troubling.'"

Azfamily.com, a news website for television stations KPHO and KTVK, first reported late Thursday that according to sources not identified by the website, a woman gave birth on 29 December, living at a Hacienda Health Care facility where the staff was unaware that she was pregnant.

Two other Phoenix television stations later aired similar reports.

According to some reports, the woman was a victim of a near-drowning more than 10 years ago. Her identity hasn't been reported, and it's not known if she has family or a guardian.

Sources quoted in the reports said the woman was heard to be moaning and that the baby's head was starting to emerge when a nurse came in.

"None of the staff were aware that she was pregnant until she was pretty much giving birth," azfamily.com quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying. That person said the baby was said to be alive and healthy.

Following the azfamily.com report, Hacienda Health Care and state officials issued brief statements about the situation, expressing concern and describing reviews being conducted and steps being taken. But they did not specifically confirm the reported pregnancy and birth.

A Phoenix Police Department spokesman, Sergeant Tommy Thompson, said only that the "the matter is under investigation." He declined to confirm whether the investigation involved a possible sex crime or elaborate on the circumstances that prompted the investigation.

Hacienda said it in a statement it was cooperating with law enforcement and reviewing its security protocols after becoming aware of a "deeply disturbing incident and "an unprecedented matter."

"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," Hacienda said in its statement.

Hacienda's website said it serves infants, children and young adults who are "medically fragile" or have developmental disabilities.

Governor Doug Ducey's office said Ducey was briefed on the "deeply troubling" reports as soon as the office learned of them and that state agencies "immediately began taking every measure to protect patient safety."

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, an agency that regulates health care facilities, the 60-bed Hacienda facility was required to tighten security procedures to protect patients in wake of the report.

"We are aware of this situation and are actively working with local law enforcement in their criminal investigation," the department said in a statement.

The state Department of Economic Security, a social service agency whose functions include serving disabled people, said it performed health and safety checks on all of the residents at the Hacienda facility after the birth was reported and was working with police on their investigation.
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey cannot accept recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser that Ankara must agree to protect Washington's Kurdish allies in Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday. Erdogan, speaking to members of his AK Party in parliament, said John Bolton had made 'serious mistake' in calling for a new condition for the U.S

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey cannot accept recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser that Ankara must agree to protect Washington's Kurdish allies in Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

Erdogan, speaking to members of his AK Party in parliament, said John Bolton had made "serious mistake" in calling for a new condition for the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, and that Turkey could never compromise on the issue of the YPG Kurdish militia.

Turkey sees the YPG, which the United States has backed in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, as a terrorist organisation and part of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

(Reporting by Gulsen Solaker; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Dominic Evans)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - The leaders of Canada and the United States on Monday agreed to continue pressing Beijing to free two Canadian citizens who were detained after the arrest of a senior Chinese executive in Vancouver, Ottawa said. Canada wants the immediate release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were picked up after Canadian authorities arrested Huawei Technologies Co [HWT.UL] Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on Dec

By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - The leaders of Canada and the United States on Monday agreed to continue pressing Beijing to free two Canadian citizens who were detained after the arrest of a senior Chinese executive in Vancouver, Ottawa said.

Canada wants the immediate release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were picked up after Canadian authorities arrested Huawei Technologies Co [HWT.UL] Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States.

China denounced the move and the affair is threatening to increase global tensions at a time when Washington and Beijing are already locked in a trade war.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday and thanked him for "the strong statements of support by the United States" in response to the detentions of the two men, Trudeau's office said in a statement.

"The two leaders agreed to continue to seek their release," it said.

Although Canada says China has made no specific link between the detentions and Meng's arrest, experts and former diplomats say they have no doubt Beijing is using the cases of Kovrig and Spavor to pressure Ottawa.

Beijing insists the charges against Meng be dropped but Canada says it cannot interfere with the judicial process.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland reacted unhappily last month after Trump suggested he could waive the request to have Meng sent to the United States in return for progress on a bilateral trade deal with China. She said the extradition process should not be politicized.

Trudeau's office said the two leaders had discussed the U.S. request and "reaffirmed the importance of respecting judicial independence and the rule of law".

The China Daily newspaper on Monday published a commentary saying Canada "could lose the trust and cooperation of most developing countries" over the matter.

"By continuing to follow the U.S., either passively or actively, Canada will eventually harm its national interests," said the commentary by Li Qingsi, a professor on international studies at Renmin University.

Earlier in the day a group of legislators from Canada on a visit to China pressed authorities on Monday to release Spavor and Kovrig but had little success, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp reported.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Susan Thomas and James Dalgleish)

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SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese and North Korean state media reported on Tuesday, as preparations for a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump continue. Kim left for China on a private train on Monday afternoon accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and other senior North Korean officials, including Kim Yong Chol and Ri Yong Ho, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency said.

SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese and North Korean state media reported on Tuesday, as preparations for a second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump continue.

Kim left for China on a private train on Monday afternoon accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and other senior North Korean officials, including Kim Yong Chol and Ri Yong Ho, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency said.

China's official Xinhua news agency also confirmed the visit and said Kim is visiting China from Monday to Thursday. The report did not state the purpose of the visit.

The visit, first reported by South Korean media, comes amid reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang.

Kim travelled to China, his most important ally, three times to meet with Xi last year before and after summits with U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Neither KCNA nor Xinhua provided further information on Kim's itinerary, though South Korea's Hankyoreh newspaper said on Monday that he will meet with China's Xi for a fourth summit.

Kim said last week in a New Year address he is ready to meet Trump again anytime to achieve their common goal of denuclearising the Korean Peninsula, but warned he may have to take an alternative path if U.S. sanctions and pressure against the country continued.

China is North Koreas most important economic and diplomatic backer, despite anger over its neighbours nuclear and missile programmes. Ties have warmed in the last year as Pyongyangs relations with both Seoul and Washington have also improved.

(Reporting by Andrew Galbraith and Joyce Lee; Writing by Se Young Lee; Editing by Michael Perry)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Andrew Galbraith and Joyce Lee SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, only days after warning he may take an alternative path if the United States does not ease sanctions and pressure on his isolated country. The visit, confirmed by North Korean and Chinese state media, will likely lead to Kim's fourth summit with Xi in the last year and comes amid plans for a second summit with Trump aimed at denuclearising the Korean peninsula. Kim held three summits with Xi, his most important ally, last year, before and after summits with Trump and South Korean President President Moon Jae-in.

By Andrew Galbraith and Joyce Lee

SHANGHAI/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, only days after warning he may take an alternative path if the United States does not ease sanctions and pressure on his isolated country.

The visit, confirmed by North Korean and Chinese state media, will likely lead to Kim's fourth summit with Xi in the last year and comes amid plans for a second summit with Trump aimed at denuclearising the Korean peninsula.

Kim held three summits with Xi, his most important ally, last year, before and after summits with Trump and South Korean President President Moon Jae-in. "Kim is eager to remind the Trump administration that he does have diplomatic and economic options besides what Washington and Seoul can offer," Harry J. Kazianis, Director of Defense Studies at U.S.-based Center for the National Interest said in an e-mailed statement.

"In fact, during his New Years Days speech, Kim's 'new way' that he referred to may well have been a veiled threat to move closer to Beijing. That should make America quite concerned."

Kim left for China on a private train on Monday afternoon accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and other senior North Korean officials, including Kim Yong Chol and Ri Yong Ho, North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency said. China's official Xinhua news agency also confirmed that Kim is visiting from Monday to Thursday at Xi's invitation.

"He was warmly seen off by leading officials of the Party, government and armed forces organs at the railway station," KCNA said in its report.

Kim's visit of North Korea's most important economic and diplomatic ally, which was first reported by South Korean media, comes amid reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang aimed at resolving the standoff over North Korea's nuclear programme.

Kim said in a New Year speech last week he is ready to meet Trump anytime to achieve their common goal of denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. But he warned that he may seek an alternative path to a summit with Trump if U.S. sanctions and pressure against the country continues.

While there were no details released about the possible agenda, Kim has been seeking relief from international sanctions, a peace declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War, and more economic investment.

Ties between China and North Korea, which had frayed as Pyongyang stepped up its provocations through a series of missile and nuclear tests, warmed over the last year as Kim engaged with Beijing as well as Seoul and Washington.

Neither KCNA nor Xinhua provided further information on Kim's itinerary, though South Korea's Hankyoreh newspaper said on Monday that he will meet with China's Xi for a fourth summit.

(Reporting by Andrew Galbraith and Joyce Lee; Writing by Se Young Lee; Editing by Michael Perry)

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KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan said on Monday it had detained more than 800 people since protests began nearly three weeks ago in the most persistent challenge to President Omar al-Bashir's three-decade rule. The figure, the first given by authorities since the unrest erupted, was far below the assessment of a leading human rights activist who said about 2,000 people were detained. In a report to parliament, Interior Minister Ahmed Bilal Othman added that 381 demonstrations had taken place and 127 police officers were injured during the demonstrations triggered by price rises and shortages of cash

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan said on Monday it had detained more than 800 people since protests began nearly three weeks ago in the most persistent challenge to President Omar al-Bashir's three-decade rule.

The figure, the first given by authorities since the unrest erupted, was far below the assessment of a leading human rights activist who said about 2,000 people were detained.

In a report to parliament, Interior Minister Ahmed Bilal Othman added that 381 demonstrations had taken place and 127 police officers were injured during the demonstrations triggered by price rises and shortages of cash. He said 14 police bases and more than 100 police cars had been burned around Sudan.

Authorities say 19 people, including two security officials, have died, while global rights group Amnesty International said on Dec. 24 it had credible reports 37 protesters had been killed by bullets from security forces.

Officers have been using live ammunition, tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters, witnesses say.

Activist Barraq al-Nathir al-Warraq said on Friday that security forces had detained around 2,000 people, including political activists, journalists and civil society members.

Authorities have called for restraint in response to the protests, which they blame on unnamed infiltrators.

Sudan's economy has struggled from the loss of three quarters of its oil output - its main source of foreign currency - since South Sudan seceded in 2011, keeping most oilfields.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz, writing by Lena Masri; editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
David R. Logsdon, 34, of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, took an Alford plea to one count of sexual abuse of a minor before Carroll County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Stansfield on Monday, Jan. 7. An Alford plea is when a defendant agrees the state would likely be able to prove that they are guilty if the case went to trial, but they dont admit guilt. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 24.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is making a four-day trip to China, the Norths state media reported on Tuesday, in whats likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with US president Donald Trump that could happen early this year.

Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is making a four-day trip to China, the Norths state media reported on Tuesday, in whats likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with US president Donald Trump that could happen early this year.

Kim departed for China on Monday afternoon with his wife Ri Sol Ju and other top officials, the Norths Korean Central News Agency said. It said Kim is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese president Xi Jinping. South Korean media reported that Kims distinctive armoured train was expected to reach Beijing on Tuesday morning, which happens to be Kims birthday.

Kims trip comes after US and North Korean officials reportedly met in Vietnam to discuss the location of a second summit between Kim and Trump as the two nations look to settle the Norths decades-long pursuit of a nuclear arsenal.

Washington and Pyongyang seemed close to war at points during 2017 as the North staged a series of increasingly powerful weapons tests that got it tantalizingly close to its nuclear goal of one day targeting with pinpoint accuracy anywhere on the US mainland.

Possibly fearing the effect on his countrys terrible economy of crushing outside sanctions imposed because of his weapons tests, Kim abruptly turned to diplomacy with Seoul and Washington last year. Three times he visited China, which is North Koreas most important trading partner and a key buffer against pressure from Washington.

But even after what was seen as a blockbuster summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore last June  the first-ever between the leaders of the war enemies  theres been little real progress in nuclear disarmament.

Washington is pressing the North to offer up a detailed accounting of its nuclear arsenal, while Pyongyang says it has already done enough and its time for the US to ease harsh international sanctions that hold back the North Korean economy.

Despite Trumps repeated assurances that another summit will allow he and Kim to make a grand deal to settle the nuclear standoff and change a relationship marked by decades of animosity and mistrust, outside analysts are highly sceptical that the North will easily abandon a nuclear arsenal constructed in the face of deep poverty and likely seen by Kim as his only guarantee of regime survival.
DUBAI (Reuters) - An aide to Iran's supreme leader said on Monday U.S.

DUBAI (Reuters) - An aide to Iran's supreme leader said on Monday U.S. officials approached him during a December visit to Afghanistan to request talks with Tehran, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported, but the U.S. State Department denied the report.

Tensions between Iran and the United States have increased since May, when President Donald Trump abandoned a 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers and later reimposed sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the pact.

"During my visit to Kabul last month, the Americans ... asked to hold talks," Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a close aide to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted as saying, without specifying what the U.S. side wanted to discuss.

"This report is not accurate," said a State Department spokeswoman on condition of anonymity.

While denying it made a specific overture to Shamkani, the spokeswoman repeated that Trump is open to a dialogue with Iran on "urgent national security issues" and wants Tehran to "make fundamental changes in their destructive behaviour."

Washington accuses Tehran of destabilising the region by projecting its power via proxies in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

In 2001, Iran worked with the United States to help set up a new Afghan government to replace the Taliban, which had been toppled by a U.S.-led military campaign following al Qaedas September 11 attacks on U.S. cities.

Shamkhani was in Kabul last month for talks with the Taliban "to help curb the security problems in Afghanistan." He said the Kabul government had known of his talks with the Taliban.

Majority-Shi'ite Iran has long had close ties to Shi'ites in neighbouring Afghanistan whose militias have fought the Taliban's Sunni militants.

Washington accuses Iran of trying to extend its influence in western Afghanistan by providing military training, financing and weapons to the Taliban, a charge Tehran denies.

Shamkhani's comments came days after reports of talks between U.S. and Taliban officials over proposals for a ceasefire in Afghanistan and a future withdrawal of foreign troops ahead of possible peace negotiations.

Khamenei slapped down an offer of direct talks made by Trump last year and Iranian officials have said Washington's crippling sanctions would fail to wreck the economy.

In July, Iranian authorities said Tehran had rejected eight U.S. requests for a meeting between Trump and President Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in Sept 2017.

(Additonal reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Gareth Jones and Tom Brown)

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India cannot draw upon the experience of Operation Pawan because that was an overseas deployment of only the Indian Army and not even in cooperation with the Sri Lankan Army which could have been the host organisation.

So US president Donald Trump wants India to display its muscle by deploying troops in Afghanistan to keep the Taliban at bay even as he decides to pull out or at least drawdown the strength of the US presence from 14,000 to 7,000 troops. Is this tripe or potential for India to gain a higher place in the Trump durbar, unpredictable that the latter is anyway. It needs examination if for nothing else than doing an appreciation on Indias out of area military capability and examining the strategic implications of what at the face of it sounds a lot of balderdash.

There appears a US perception that the situation in Af-Pak has dwindled down from the international strategic to merely a regional one. Strange perception since the US went into Afghanistan for many reasons. First, there was the sentiment of retribution for 9/11. Then there was the desire to offset those conditions which gave rise to threats not to the US mainland alone but also to the western world in general. The first was achieved ten years later; the second hasnt been achieved to date. The potential return of the Taliban has all the portents of it playing host once again to those who harbour ambitions of a caliphate. The Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP), set up by the US but not adequately equipped, is losing 175 men a week (700 a month) battling the Taliban and other forces ranged against the National Unity Government. The effects are no doubt regional but discounting international threats is no prudence at this juncture.

Two examples come to mind immediately when demands for troops from the Indian subcontinent rise. First, the attempt to draw an Indian presence into Iraq in 2003. A formation was on request; fortunately, the wisdom of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee did not allow this to happen. In 2015 Saudi Arabia demanded from Pakistan troops to join the Islamic Coalition to fight the Houthis in Yemen. Pakistan was in a quandary but its National Assembly came to the rescue and refused to adhere to the request although Pakistani troops have done service in Saudi Arabia for other purposes.

Now imagine hypothetically the Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed in Afghanistan. Many clarifications would be necessary and many may not be given here. First, will it be a peacekeeping mission or a peace enforcement one; much difference between the two. Considering the situation on ground peace enforcing seems the only option. Secondly, what would be a suitable strength? Suggestions in discussions are ranging from a corps to a brigade. Much depends on how many other international contingents would also deploy. If it is to replace the US troops alone then the deployment would be more in the ground holding role rather than in strike role; occupation to deny space and support the ANA in its operations.

Third a concept of operations would need to be drawn up based upon which selection and creation of a force structure would be needed with clear command and control. An example of this would be the necessity of heavy weaponry with the ANA. To make it more effective detachments of artillery, mechanized infantry and engineers would be required to be grouped with ANA formations; what would be their command and control? International peace enforcing even under the UN can be very challenging. Here it would be devoid of the UN flag and all kinds of factors would come into play which needs resolution well before lives of Indian troops can be placed on the line. Bases for the air force and billets of Indian troops would need protection for which elements would be separately needed enhancing the size of the force.

We cannot draw upon the experience of Operation Pawan because that was an overseas deployment of only the Indian Army and not even in cooperation with the Sri Lankan Army which could have been the host organisation. From a logistics point of view Operation Pawan had clear lines of communication by sea and air and thereafter by land. Land routes had to be secured physically in which considerable deployment of troops was involved although the air force rotary resources did outstanding work in the execution of logistics maintenance. With overland routes through Pakistan closed to India the only means of logistics would be through the inordinately expensive airheads at urban centres such as Kandahar, Herat and Kabul or through the sea route to Chah Bahar and then the 1,800 km highway to Kabul via Zahidan. The nightmare that this would pose for security is actually incomprehensible even to trained military minds. In addition, simply assuming that Chah Bahar is under an Indian company and therefore gives military access at will would be a grandiose mistake. Irans sensitivities in supporting an Indian mission, which would be at the behest of the US, may not accept this.

General David Petraeus, ten years after commencement of the Af-Pak campaign realised that the US armed forces were culturally insufficiently prepared to undertake hybrid conflict of this nature. In 30 years we have remained culturally unprepared for the hybrid conflict in Jammu and Kashmir. That isnt a happy commentary on our capability to undertake the most modern form of conflict in the world today, that too overseas. There are no straight lines in this conflict and different cultures, Tajik, Pashtun and Uzbeg all intermingle differently and political meandering through these is a nightmare.

We cannot discount the adversary in this. Pakistan with an Indian force deployed on its western flank would perceive existential threats beyond even the conventional red lines we imagine. With its well-embedded networks established through 40 years, with the Haqqanis and the Taliban, it would have an intelligence march over any alien force which would deploy.

We mock at General Pervez Musharrafs grand Kargil plan where conflict initiation was easy but he had no vision of conflict termination. Similarly, getting into Afghanistan may sound romantically tempting with India at a higher table but conflict termination and resolution eluded the Americans with all their capability. What about us? Would it be worth the while to have troops deployed overseas while land and air threats continue to multiply at the borders and Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW) transforms to 5GW. To add to it General Ziaul Haqs infamous strategy of a thousand cuts to bleed India would receive impetus in one more unimagined dimension.

There is no doubt that Indian political leadership is pragmatic and balanced just as it was when the issue confronted former prime minister Vajpayee. The latters refusal in 2003 did not take India out of the US ambit of strategic partnership. In fact, the India-US relationship flowered much more after the polite refusal. President Trumps kite flying hints to India and derision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of the library created by India in Kabul for the Afghan people need not be taken seriously. As they say quite often  this too shall pass.
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Robin Emmott and Anthony Deutsch COPENHAGEN/BRUSSELS/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The European Union on Tuesday froze the assets of an Iranian intelligence unit and two of its staff, as the Netherlands accused Iran of two killings on its soil and joined France and Denmark in alleging Tehran plotted other attacks in Europe. The move, although in part symbolic since one of the men is in prison in Belgium, marks the first time the EU has enacted sanctions on Iran since lifting a host of curbs on it three years ago following its 2015 nuclear pact with world powers.

By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Robin Emmott and Anthony Deutsch

COPENHAGEN/BRUSSELS/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The European Union on Tuesday froze the assets of an Iranian intelligence unit and two of its staff, as the Netherlands accused Iran of two killings on its soil and joined France and Denmark in alleging Tehran plotted other attacks in Europe.

The move, although in part symbolic since one of the men is in prison in Belgium, marks the first time the EU has enacted sanctions on Iran since lifting a host of curbs on it three years ago following its 2015 nuclear pact with world powers.

The decision, which includes designating the unit and the two Iranians as terrorists, follows last year's disclosure by Denmark and France that they suspected an Iranian government intelligence service of pursuing assassination plots on their soil. Copenhagen sought an EU-wide response.

"EU just agreed to enact sanctions against an Iranian Intelligence Service for its assassination plots on European soil. Strong signal from the EU that we will not accept such behaviour in Europe," Denmark's Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said on Twitter.

France, which has already hit the two men and the ministry unit with sanctions, has said there was no doubt the Iranian intelligence ministry was behind a failed attack near Paris.

On Tuesday, the Dutch government publicly accused Iran of the plots, as well as two killings in 2015 and 2017, sending a letter to parliament to warn of further economic sanctions if Tehran did not cooperate with European investigations.

The letter signed by the Dutch foreign and interior ministers said Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium met Iranian officials to convey "their serious concerns regarding Iran's probable involvement in these hostile acts on EU territory."

"Iran was informed that involvement in such matters is entirely unacceptable and must be stopped immediately ... further sanctions cannot be ruled out," the letter said.

Iran has denied any involvement in the alleged plots, saying the accusations were intended to damage EU-Iran relations.

"Accusing Iran won't absolve Europe of responsibility for harbouring terrorists," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday in a tweet.

"Europeans, incl(uding) Denmark, Holland and France, harbor MEK," he added, referring to an exiled Iranian opposition group Mujaheedin-e Khalq.

Paris accused Iran of a plot to carry out a bomb attack at a rally near Paris organised by the MEK. Denmark says it foiled a Iranian intelligence plan to assassinate an Iranian Arab opposition figure on its soil.

On Tuesday, the Netherlands said it had "strong indications" that Iran was behind the assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin, in 2015 and in 2017. The latter was dissident Iranian Arab activist Ahmad Mola Nissi who was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in front of his home in The Hague.

Iran denies any involvement in the killings.

SANCTIONS SENSITIVE

The decision to impose the curbs was taken without debate at an unrelated meeting of Europe ministers in Brussels and the asset freeze comes into effect on Wednesday, EU officials said.

The Danish Foreign Ministry named the two employees as the deputy minister and director general of intelligence, Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, and a Vienna-based diplomat, Assadollah Asadi. Their names are to appear in the EU's Official Journal on Wednesday.

Sanctions on the intelligence ministry, which is under the control of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are unlikely to change what the European Union says are Iran's destabilising activities in Europe and the Middle East.

The deputy minister and director general of intelligence is in Iran, while the Iranian diplomat was charged and is being held by Belgian authorities. Neither appear to have assets in France, which first imposed the asset freeze late last year.

But imposing economic sanctions on Iran, once the EU's top oil supplier, remains highly sensitive for the bloc.

The EU has been straining to uphold the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers that U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of in May. It has been less willing to consider sanctions, instead seeking talks with Tehran.

Iran has warned it could ditch the nuclear deal if EU powers do not protect its trade and financial benefits.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, Emil Gjerding Nielson in Copenhagen, John Irish in Paris, Robin Emmott in Brussels, Anthony Deutsch in Amsterdam, Stephanie van den Berg in The Hague, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London; Editing by Catherine Evans, William Maclean, Andrew Cawthorne)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
After the recent induction of lightweight battle tank in Tibet bordering India, the Chinese military has equipped its troops stationed at the Himalayan plateau with new vehicle-mounted howitzers to improve their combat capability

Beijing: After the recent induction of lightweight battle tank in Tibet bordering India, the Chinese military has equipped its troops stationed at the Himalayan plateau with new vehicle-mounted howitzers to improve their combat capability, Chinese media reported on Tuesday.

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) stationed in Tibet Autonomous Region has been equipped with mobile howitzers which aims to boost the troops' high-altitude combat capability to improve border security, state-run Global Times reported. It quoted Chinese military analysts as saying that the new equipment would be the PLC-181 vehicle-mounted howitzer. The announcement was made in an article released by the WeChat account of the PLA Ground Force on Saturday, the report said. The equipment was used in an artillery brigade in Tibet during the 2017 China-India stand-off at Doklam, it said. Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told Global Times that the howitzer has a 52-calibre cannon with a range of over 50 km and shoots laser-guided and satellite-guided projectiles. It will boost the high-altitude combat capability of the PLA in Tibet, Song said.

The induction of the mobile howitzers followed the move by the PLA to put into service the lightweight battle tank, which was tested by its military during exercises in Tibet held at the peak of the Doklam standoff. The Type 15 has an engine capable of 1,000 horsepower and is significantly lighter than the PLA's other main battle tanks in service, weighing about 32 to 35 tonnes. The tank meant for rugged and mountainous terrain of the Himalayan region. The induction of the tank and the mobile howitzers highlighted the PLA's efforts to reinforce its troops with new equipment despite steady normalisation of military relations since last year.

As part of the military training in 2019, an artillery brigade in the Tibet Military Command ordered soldiers to take part in a military skills competition at a training ground on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 3,700 meters above sea level, the report said. Last week, President Xi Jinping, who also heads the military, ordered the armed forces to enhance their combat readiness to make sure they are always ready for battle, saying risks and challenges for China are on the rise. China's border issue has not been completely resolved, and was challenged by pro-Tibet independence forces and terrorists, the report quoted analyst as saying.

Zhao Gancheng, director of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the daily that the military investment in Tibet has been rising, but is primarily meant for defence and not to provoke conflict with neighbouring countries. He said the PLA troops stationed in Tibet need to improve their combat capabilities in plateau areas and strengthen their willpower in extreme weather as they are primarily responsible for the border defence against terrorists and foreign invaders, he said. To cope with altitude sickness, the PLA built oxygen stations for the soldiers in Tibet in 2015, which were used for medical purposes, but are now also being used in regular training.
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will extend a drone exclusion zone around airports and give police new powers to deal with lawbreaking drone pilots and their aircraft, transport minister Chris Grayling told parliament on Monday. Grayling's department said the exclusion zone would be extended to around five kilometres (3.11 miles).

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will extend a drone exclusion zone around airports and give police new powers to deal with lawbreaking drone pilots and their aircraft, transport minister Chris Grayling told parliament on Monday.

Grayling's department said the exclusion zone would be extended to around five kilometres (3.11 miles). It is currently one kilometre. The government will also begin testing the use of counter-drone technology, he said.

The response comes after drone sightings caused chaos last month at Gatwick, Britain's second busiest airport, disrupting the travel plans of tens of thousands of people in the run-up to Christmas.

(Reporting by William James and Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The Taliban said on Tuesday they had cancelled planned peace talks with US officials in Qatar this week over a disagreement regarding the agenda of the talks.

Peshawar: The Taliban said on Tuesday they had cancelled planned peace talks with US officials in Qatar this week over a disagreement regarding the agenda of the talks.

"Both sides have agreed to not meet in Qatar," senior Taliban members based in Afghanistan told Reuters.

Talks had been planned for two days starting on Wednesday in Qatar, senior Taliban members had earlier told Reuters. The Taliban had rejected requests from regional powers to allow Afghan officials to take part in the discussion, insisting that the United States is their main adversary in the 17-year war and that Kabul is a "puppet" regime.

The insurgents, seeking to reimpose strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster by US-led troops, called off their scheduled meeting this week with US officials in Saudi Arabia as well because of Riyadh's insistence on bringing the Western-backed Afghan government to the table.

The talks would have been the fourth in a series between Taliban leaders and US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

"After mutual consultations, we are going to meet US officials in Doha on Wednesday. The meeting will continue for two days, Wednesday and Thursday, a senior member of the Afghan Taliban had said on condition of anonymity.

Pakistani and Iranian officials had been trying to persuade the Taliban to meet Afghan officials. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had taken part in the last round of talks which took place in December, 2018.

The United States, which sent troops to Afghanistan in the wake of the 11 September, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington and at the peak of the deployment had more than 100,000 troops in the country, withdrew most of its forces in 2014, but still keeps around 14,000 troops there as part of a NATO-led mission aiding Afghan security forces and hunting militants.
Kavya Narayanan

Scientists and researchers from many different institutions, as well as large masses of India's general public, have taken to the streets and to social media this week to voice their protest against "irrational and unscientific claims" made by so-called 'scientists' at the ongoing Indian Science Congress in Jalandhar. These claims included such gems as an assertion that the Kaurava's were test tube babies and that guided missile technology was used in the Kurukshetra War described in the Mahabharata.

On 6 January, the streets outside Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, (IISc) were packed with scientists and researchers from the local Akhila Karnataka Vicharavadigala Vedike (Karnataka Rationalists' Forum), the Breakthrough Science Society (BSS) and other groups that seek to promote science and awareness about science in the country, the Times of India reported.

"Time to speak up for science!", "Do not mix mythology and science!" and "Do not tarnish genuine contributions of Indian scientists!" were three of dozens of printed slogans held up by the silent protestors outside IISc.

The uproar came after two speakers, and supposedly senior members of India's science fraternity, at the Childrens' Science Congress this year made some bizarre claims about science in the age of Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Kauravas were 'test tube babies'

G Nageshwar Rao, the vice chancellor of Andhra University, took the stage to deliver a talk on day two at the Congress, where he claimed that India was well aware of stem cells, test tube fertilisation and guided missiles thousands of years ago, citing tales from Mahabharata and Ramayana, according to a PTI report.

We had hundreds of Kauravas from one mother because of stem cell research and test tube baby technology, Rao claimed. It happened a few thousand years ago. This was science in this country... 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.

Narendra Modi waves

Another supposed scientist, Kanan Jegathala Krishnan, took the stage on day 2 of the Science Congress on Friday and delivered a talk on Einsteins theories.

Space is heavier than the sun and every other planet and hence compresses all the planets. Equal pressure is applied to them, which is why they are moving, Krishnan said. The quality of space is self-compressive, which is something that Newton and Einstein could not understand. Einstein did not guide the world in the correct way.

No breed of legend was spared from Krishnans firing.

According to Krishnan, the Minister for Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan will be a bigger scientist in the future than Dr A P J Abdul Kalam ever was. And if that wasnt nearly enough, he went on to say that once his theories about gravity were accepted, what the world has come to know as "gravitational waves" will then be named "Narendra Modi waves", and gravitational lensing, the "Harsh Vardhan effect".

The demands made by the BSS and other protesters were plain and simple: for the organising committee of the Indian Science Congress, the ISC Association, to revise their standards for speakers at the event.

"It is important that we tell people that such claims should have no place at an event like this ISC," Rajani KS, Secretary of BSS Karnataka told ToI.

"It is absolutely distressing that these claims were made in the Children Science Congress section of the ISC, where the audience was largely made up of teachers and young students," the All India Committee of the BSS added in a statement.

Many reputed names in Indian science, including aerospace scientist Roddam Narasimhan and Bharat Ratna awardee and world-renowned chemist Dr CNR Rao chimed in to voice their dismay to media.

I avoid attending sessions of the Congress. If I attend, it might appear as if I am endorsing these statements and claims," Dr CNR Rao said, according to ToI.

At the close of the Childrens' Science Congress, however, the General President of the ISC Association, Manoj Kumar Chakrabarti, bid the audience and attendees of the event to kindly forget the ludicrous claims made by the pair of scientists during the event.
Indo-Asian News Service

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 crosshairs by eye, and slowly keep it centred 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, affordable, 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.
tech2 News Staff

Samsung's AI voice-assistant Bixby may not be a favourite among users but that has never deterred the Korean giant from adding new features and forcing people to use it.

Samsung announced at CES today that Bixby will be integrated into more of its products, including its 2019 lineup of QLED TVs as well as its range of connected refrigerators, washers and AI speakers.

That's not all, Samsung stated that Bixby will soon work alongside Google Play, YouTube and Google Maps thanks to an agreed partnership with Google. iHeartRadio, Uber and Ticketmaster will also partner up with Bixby to make their services more intelligent.

Samsung's move essentially means that Bixby is no longer just another smart assistant but on its way to becoming an AI platform that will gradually work with many other services and devices. Hopefully, Samsung will also figure out how to make Bixby actually useful.

As per a report by CNET, Samsung has promised to spend $22 billion on artificial intelligence by 2020 and has already opened seven AI centres across different parts of the globe. A total of 1,000 artificial intelligence specialists are expected to be employed by the company come 2020, which also happens to be the same timeframe within which Samsung expects all its products to be internet-connected and integrated with Bixby.
He told police he had driven into the parking lot to make a phone call and saw a man walking up to his car with a gun, police said. The victim drove off as the suspect approached, police said, but was shot in the upper extremity. Police did not specify where in the body he was shot.
Reuters

Qualcomm Inc on Monday expanded its lineup of car computing chips and broke them into tiers of different prices, similar to its chips for smartphones that power relatively budget-friendly handsets as well as premium models.

Qualcomm provides the chips for so-called infotainment systems as well as dashboard displays, but is also trying to fight its way into the market for self-driving car systems as they emerge.

Qualcomm President Cristiano Amon told Reuters in an interview ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that the companys backlog of design wins - that is, instances where carmakers plan to include Qualcomms chip in future vehicles - has reached $5.5 billion, up slightly from the $5 billion Qualcomm officials disclosed last year.

The reach into the automotive market is important for Qualcomm because its biggest chip market - mobile phones - is stagnating, though Qualcomm also said on Monday that the number of device makers working on 5G devices to be released in 2019 has grown to 30 from 20, with most of them smartphones.

In fending off a hostile takeover bid from Broadcom Inc last year, Qualcomm promised investors it would look to new markets like automobiles for future revenue growth. The effort became more critical after Chinese regulators scuttled Qualcomms planned $44 billion purchase of NXP Semiconductors NV last summer.

Qualcomm will sell three levels of car computing platforms, from entry-level to expensive: Performance, Premiere and Paramount. Amon said the intention is to provide a budget-friendly option to automakers so they can put more complex computing systems into ever-cheaper cars.

On some of the most inexpensive cars where automakers struggle to earn healthy profit, revenue generated from selling services to drivers over those computers could bring in extra revenue for automakers, Amon said.

We are going to have a tier of products for every single kind of car. We are in the automotive market to stay.

Qualcomm also said it was working with Amazon.com Inc to offer more Amazon services through car computers. While some carmakers are already offering Amazons virtual assistant, Alexa, in their vehicles, Qualcomm and Amazon said they are working to put Amazon Music, Prime Video, Fire TV and Audible, Amazons audiobook business, on car computers powered by Qualcomm.

The move competes directly with Apple Inc and Alphabet Incs Google, which have been wooing automakers to adopt software that lets the tech companies phones show up on a car computers main screen.

CES 2019: To catch up with all the announcements from the world's largest consumer electronics show, head here.
tech2 News Staff

We've seen a number of smart displays pop up here and there last year and Lenovo was one of the first brands that Google partnered with to manufacture smart displays with the Google Assistant built in.

At CES 2019, Lenovo announced the Smart Clock, which essentially is a bed-side clock which can answer questions and do a bunch of other things, without you having to use your hands. The clock features a 4-inch display which not only shows you the time and date but also lets you manage daily tasks, view answers to quick queries and also plays music, podcasts and audiobooks  all by saying "Hey Google".

The display is not too heavy at just 329 grams and comes in a single soft touch Cloth Grey finish.

Inside, the Lenovo Smart Clock is powered by a 1.5 GHz MediaTek 8167S processor and features support for dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. There's also 8 GB of built-in eMMC storage for you to store a few of your podcasts and photos.

As far as audio goes, this won't really suffice as a replacement for your home audio system. The clock gets a single 1.5-inch 3W speaker along with two passive radiators for a little more depth.

The Lenovo Smart Clock will start at $79.99 once it arrives sometime in spring 2019. But is it coming to India? Well, Lenovo hasn't mentioned anything yet.

CES 2019: To catch up with all the announcements from the world's largest consumer electronics show, head here.
Reuters

Intel Corp said on Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that it is working with Facebook Inc to put the final touches on a new artificial intelligence chip in the second half of this year.

The chips are Intels gambit to retain hold of a fast-growing segment of the artificial intelligence computing market but will face competition from similar chips from Nvidia Corp and Amazon.coms Amazon Web Services unit.

CES 2019: To catch up with all the announcements from the world's largest consumer electronics show, head here.
tech2 News Staff

Apple'smost affordable offering this year, the iPhone XR, has emerged as the best-selling iPhone model globally, as of November 2018 data.

However, data revealed by market research firm Counterpoint reveals that iPhone sales have fallen by 20 percent overall based on numbers compared for November 2018 against those from the same period in 2017.

In fact, Counterpoint data reveals that the iPhone X experienced close to a "50 percent higher volume" in November 2017 than the iPhone XR did in 2018.

The research firm in a blog post states that lower than expected sales in emerging markets such as India and greater China have contributed to decreasing sales globally.

The iPhone XS Max, when compared to iPhone X sales in November last year, shows a 46 percent decline in sales. However, cumulative sales of iPhone XS Max were up by 50 percent in comparison to that of iPhone X last year due to the early availability of the higher priced models this year.

As far as predictions for the coming months go, the firm sees iPhone sales in China take a dip in December, partly due to the ongoing trade war between US and China, as well as because of Chinese companies encouraging employees to buy smartphones from Chinese OEMs. The sale of older iPhone models like iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 is expected to pick up in emerging markets due to the high price of newer models.

Counterpoint believes that the decline in sales, particularly in the US and European markets, is due to the "lengthening replacement cycle and decreased operator discounts" during the launch of new iPhone models.

The report also arrives just days after Apple took the rare step of cutting its quarterly sales forecast, with Chief Executive Tim Cook blaming slowing iPhone sales in China.

This does not quite add up. That's because earlier today, Trump Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in an interview with CNBC, said Apple shouldnt point towards China for struggling iPhone sales, considering no specific tariffs have been imposed.
Reacting to the Supreme Court order reinstating Alok Verma to the post of CBI director, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that Verma had been divested of his powers 'at 1 am' because he was 'planning to investigate the Rafale deal', and added that 'some justice' had been done with his reinstatement.

Reacting to the Supreme Court order reinstating Alok Verma to the post of CBI director, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that Verma had been divested of his powers "at 1 am" because he was "planning to investigate the Rafale deal", and added that "some justice" had been done with his reinstatement.

Rahul, reiterting his accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal, said, "No one and nothing can save the prime minister from Rafale. I want to know whether the defence ministry raised on objection when Modi bypassed the old Rafale deal." Claiming that "Rafale is the truth", Rahul said that the nation is going to know with "100 percent surety" that "Modi took money" and gave it to "his friend".

Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan had also said that Verma was asked to go on leave because he had been planning to probe the Rafale deal.

Bhushan termed the apex court's order on Tuesday as a "partial victory for Verma" and said the court "ought to have restored him with full powers". In its order on Tuesday, the top court said that Verma is forbidden to take major policy decisions as CBI director until a selection committee meets and decides on his fate.

While the apex court's order overturning the Centre's decision of his duties has been praised by legislators and Twitterati alike, concerns have also been raised about how the Narendra Modi-led BJP government had "arm-twisted" the system and "interfered" into the workings of the CBI.

SC quashes Govt decision to remove Alok Verma as CBI Director. But does not restore the time that he was illegally kept away & further restrains him from taking policy decisions! Still, that will not prevent him from ordering registration of FIRs & dealing with investigations  Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) January 8, 2019

Bhushan, along with former BJP ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, filed a complaint against the Centre's order divesting Verma of his powerswhich named Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then-defence minister Manohar Parrikar. The petitioners urged the agency to file an FIR against them for alleged range of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation.

Addressing a press conference, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said, "The government had taken this action of sending two senior officers of the CBI on leave on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission. This action was taken perfectly bonafide."

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed the Supreme Court's decision and said it was a "lesson" for the government.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress on SC's verdict on Alok Verma plea: We're not against one individual, welcome SC's judgement, it's a lesson for govt. Today you'll use these agencies to pressurise people, tomorrow somebody else will, What will happen to democracy then? pic.twitter.com/sAHEvuYNf8  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

Congress' Twitter handle also sent out a tweet saying the verdict has "lambasted" the government's "illegal" removal of Verma.

We welcome the Supreme Court's verdict lambasting the govt. against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director. The SC has reinstated Alok Verma as director. https://t.co/4d2IvnnJ2x  Congress (@INCIndia) January 8, 2019

Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Manu Singhvi meanwhile sent out a tweet moments after the verdict was out, criticising the court's order to not let Verma take calls on major policy decisions.

Before the Supreme Court verdict; Alok Verma didn't have powers of CBI Chief, couldn't take any decision on policy or investigation. After Supreme Court verdict : DITTO !!!  Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) January 8, 2019

In a press conference, Singhvi also said how the prime minister is "experiencing Rafaleophobia". He said the fighter jet scam had led to the demolition of the pillars of the Indian investigating agency. Reacting to the verdict, a CBI source was quoted by News18 as saying, "The uncertainty that was there in the past two months will continue. What constitutes policy decision to be interpreted." Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also took to Twitter and praised the apex court's verdict.

Welcome SCs decision to reinstate #AlokVerma as CBI Dir.Reinstates belief in independent institutions of our democracy that are its pillars. Time for the Central gov to stop misusing its influence to arm twist investigative agencies like NIA & CBI for political vendetta.  Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 8, 2019

Meanwhile, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the verdict is a "direct indictment of the PM".

SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM. Modi govt has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country. Wasn't CBI director illegally removed at midnight to stall the probe in Rafale scam which directly leads to PM himself?  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 8, 2019

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned how will the Centre will compensate for those "three months" of suffering that Verma had to undergo after he was forcefully sent on leave.
A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Narendra Modi, cleared the Citizenship Amendment bill and it is expected to be tabled in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Monday cleared the redrafted Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, officials said.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the bill and it is expected to be tabled in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, an official privy to the development said.

The move came within hours of the presentation in Lok Sabha of a report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill that was first introduced in Parliament in 2016.

Large sections of people in Assam and other northeastern states have been protesting against the bill, saying it would nullify the 1985 Assam Accord under which any foreign national, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after 1971 should be deported.

The fresh bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian nationality to people from minority communities  Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians  from 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.

Eight influential students' bodies of the North East, besides more than 40 socio-cultural organisations of Assam, have called an 11-hour "bandh" on Tuesday in protest against the central government's move to amend the Citizenship Act.

The JPC report was prepared with a majority vote as Opposition members have opposed the move to grant citizenship on the basis of religion saying it is against the Constitution.

The Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPM and a few other parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill claiming that citizenship can't be given on the basis of religion as India is a secular nation.

Some Opposition members have even given dissent notes in the report.

Interestingly, BJP's ally Shiv Sena and JD(U) have announced that they would oppose the bill in Parliament.

Speaking in Silchar in Assam on Friday, the prime minister 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 the Partition," he said.
While the BJP has traditionally enjoyed support from upper castes such as Brahmins, Banias, Rajputs, Jats, Patels and Marathas, that was not enough to fend off challenges from the Congress in the three Hindi heartland states that bankrolled Modi's success in 2014.

The Narendra Modi government's move to approve 10 percent reservation in jobs and education for 'economically weaker' sections among the general category is an attempt by the BJP to shore up their core support base ahead of the 2019 polls. While the BJP has traditionally enjoyed support from upper castes such as Brahmins, Banias, Rajputs, Jats, Patels and Marathas, that was not enough to fend off challenges from the Congress in the three Hindi heartland states that bankrolled Modi's success in 2014.

According to this report in The Times of India, the saffron party is both attempting to assuage its upper caste constituency which is not happy with the changes made to the SC/ST Act and trying to cut the legs off from the Congress, which has been pursuing a policy of loan waivers wherever it has come to power. The same report pointed out how, in order to secure a second term for Modi, the BJP needs to keep these 'influential categories' within arm's reach. A senior minister  who did not wish to be named told the newspaper: "What we are doing is empowering the poor belonging to the so-called upper castes. A historic wrong is being corrected at nobody's expense."

Political analyst Amitabh Tiwari told BloombergQuint the decision is aimed at a favourable verdict in the peoples court. It will be difficult for any political party to argue against quotas among the upper castes who make up 25 percent of the population. Its a win-win for the BJP. However, Dalit ideologue Chandrabhan Prasad sounded a note of caution, telling the outlet the objective of reservations is not economic upliftment. The purpose of reservation is to bring social equality and not to alleviate poverty, he said. The move will only frustrate the upper caste youth in the long run because of lack of government jobs.

This Hindustan Times piece pointed out the BJP's quandary: "Its expansion into Dalit, backward and poor voters was central to its electoral success. It also could not do anything to dilute reservations  for Dalits and OBCs would never forgive a party which takes away this benefit." The piece further stated that the BJP's task  other than facing down legal challenges  it to retain its multi-caste alliance. It wondered if the party can, as in 2014, simultaneously keep its upper caste vote and retain newer voters.

As this Firspost piece pointed out, the BJP did not do well in the urban areas of Madhya Pradesh among middle class voters it may consider as its core, which indicates a clear dissatisfaction among the trader communities and salaried class. While the piece suggested the BJP's reversals in the Hindi heartland would generate tougher introspection within the party and prompt it to reflect, analyse, learn lessons, take difficult decisions and implement them, few could have conceived of this last-minute gambit which put their rivals off-balance: while the Opposition parties questioned the timing of the Cabinet decision, they extended support for the move.

Meanwhile, BSP chief Mayawati dubbed the Modi government's move an "election stunt and political gimmick" ahead of Lok Sabha polls, but added that she welcomed the "immature" move. "It would have been better had the BJP taken the decision much earlier... The government is now on its way out," she claimed. "BSP's demand to provide reservation to the economically backward sections in general category is approved by the Cabinet in an immature way and without preparation. Our party, however, welcomes the decision though it appears to be an election stunt and political gimmick of BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls," Mayawati said in a statement.

With inputs from agencies
Imran Khan also accused India of rejecting Pakistan's offer for talks several times

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused India of not responding to his peace overtures and said that any war between two nuclear-armed nations would be suicidal for them.

In an interview with Turkish news agency TRT World, according to his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan again expressed his desire for talks with India.

He said that even a Cold War was not in the interests of the two countries.

"Two nuclear armed countries should not even think of a war; not even a Cold War because it could worsen any time. The only way is bilateral talks. Two nuclear armed countries at war is like a suicide," the party quoted him as saying.

He said India did not respond to his peace overtures.

India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

"India was offered to take one step towards and we shall take two. But India rejected Pakistan's offer for talks several times," Khan said.

Khan also said said that India would never be able to suppress the rights of the Kashmiri people.

The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place between them.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said Tuesday that assembly polls should be held 'as soon as possible' in the state to put in place an elected government to run affairs of the state, which is under the President's rule

Jammu: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said Tuesday that assembly polls should be held "as soon as possible" in the state to put in place an elected government to run affairs of the state, which is under the President's rule.

The National Conference (NC) vice-president also took a dig at some politicians and bureaucrats for "creating hurdles" in holding of elections of assembly jointly with Parliament elections in the state.

"We want that polls should be held as soon as possible in the state and an elected government in the state is formed so that they run the affairs of state," Adbullah told reporters in Jammu.

He was replying to a question whether his party wants to hold assembly and Parliamentary polls jointly in the state.

"Either he (Union home minister Rajnath Singh) has deceived the Parliament. If you say Rajnath Singh has deceived Parliament, what can I say (on holding of joint elections in J&K))," he said.

The former chief minister said he "clearly" heard Singh saying in Parliament that "whatever the number of forces is required by election commission for holding Assembly and Lok Sabha elections together, we will provide them".

The NC vice-president took note of alleged attempts being made to delay polls in the state.

"Some people do not want elections at this time. Some politicians are trying to create hurdles and also some bureaucrats want this system (Governor's rule) to continue so that their accountability is not checked," Abdullah said.

The former chief minister also took a dig at Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik over his reported remarks that J&K is like any other state and Patna records more murders in a day than J&K.

"To say Jammu and Kashmir is like any other state, it is wrong. If this Governor, who has been Governor of Bihar before, says like this, then Nitish Kumar (Bihar CM) has to clarify", he said.

Abdullah said Article 370, Article 35-A and accession differentiate Jammu and Kashmir from other states.

He said his party has not changed its stand on Article 35-A, which guarantees special rights and privileges to permanent residents of the state, and is doing whatever possible to defend it.

Referring to prominent political leaders joining the National Conference, Abdullah decried the statement of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, describing leaders leaving her party as "garbage". He said the statement speaks volumes about "lowest depths" of political discourse.

He said large-scale desertions in the PDP are reflective of the "anger" among people for the "miseries" caused to them during the past three and half years.
Congress MP Priya Dutt on Monday announced that she would not contest the 2019 elections and spend more time with her family

Mumbai: Ending speculations over her future political move months after she was 'relieved' as an AICC secretary, high-profile former Congress MP Priya Dutt on Monday announced that she would not contest the 2019 elections and spend more time with her family.

In a statement, the former Congress MP said she had shared her decision to take a break from active politics with Congress president Rahul Gandhi a couple of months ago. The Congress leader also said that she was committed to work for the party and its candidate, but "would not support anyone against her conscience". "I will not be contesting the 2019 General Election. Politics needs a particular mindset that I do not have. However, I have great respect for those who do," she stated.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Dutt was defeated by BJP's Poonam Mahajan from the Mumbai North Central seat. Dutt, daughter of actor-turned-politician late Sunil Dutt, stated that she had decided in 2005, when she entered politics, that she would "step out for a while" after contesting three terms. In 2005, following the death of her father, Dutt contested from his Mumbai North West seat and defeated Shiv Sena veteran Madhukar Sarpotdar.

In 2009, she emerged victorious from the Mumbai North Central seat. In her statement, Dutt has hailed and thanked her "mentor" UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. She also praised Rahul Gandhi for being a "good human being and a compassionate leader" the country needs. Dutt was relieved as AICC (All India Congress Committee) secretary in September-October 2018, raising speculations over factionalism in the Mumbai Congress unit. Dutt noted that being a politician was a 24/7 job and that one has life, family and privacy while serving the nation. "So it is my humble request to those who hate all politicians because of the misdeeds of a few to not judge all by the same yardstick. I have served honestly and selflessly, and so have many others," she stated.

@PriyaDutt_INC: I will not be contesting the 2019 General Election https://t.co/mrKKiVgU8x  Dilip Chalil (@chalil) January 7, 2019

Dutt said the past years had been "enlightening" for her, but added that she struggled to keep a balance between her personal and political life. Dutt said she did her best in the electoral politics which took a toll on many aspects of her life. "My boys are now 13 and 11 years old. I had missed so many special moments in their lives and want to be there for them more than ever before...My husband has steadily supported me all these years and has sacrificed much of his life to adjust to mine. It was time for me to be together with and for them," she said.
The officer who was driving the car, along with another officer who was a passenger, were taken to an area hospital by ambulance. Their injuries were not life threatening.
Diverse views of BJP allies Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and Apna Dal (Sonelal) in Uttar Pradesh on the reservation to backward classes have become a thorn in the flesh for the ruling party ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

Lucknow: Diverse views of BJP allies Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) and Apna Dal (Sonelal) in Uttar Pradesh on the reservation to backward classes have become a thorn in the flesh for the ruling party ahead of Lok Sabha polls. While the SBSP has given 100 days' ultimatum to the BJP to implement recommendations of a social justice committee on backward reservations, the Apna Dal (Sonelal) has raised questions on the basis of the report without caste census.

The committee constituted in May in 2018 had in its recommendations to the state government favoured division of backward castes in three categories -- backward, 'ati picchda' (very backward) and 'sarvadhik picchda' (most backward). "The recommendations of the committee cannot be implemented without caste census. The government should first do caste census and then implement any such recommendation. The reservation should be according to 'jiski jitni sankhya bhari, uski utni bhagidaari' (based on population). And when the government has not done any census, how can it provide quota within quota," Union minister and Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel said. "If without caste census, the government implements the recommendations, it will be seen as a move of the government to create infighting among backwards," she said.

On the other hand, SBSP chief and cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said, "If the government does not implement recommendations of the report within 100 days, my party will leave the BJP and contest on all 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh." "BJP president Amit Shah had said that he would ensure reservation within reservation for backwards before Lok Sabha polls. Now hardly 100 days are left for the polls. We will adopt 'ekla chalo re' (march alone) path," he said. Backward classes account for about 44 percent of the electorate in the state and play a crucial role in making or marring political prospects of any party. The recommendation of UP social justice committee to classify various OBC and Dalit sub-castes into three broad categories and provide quota within quota to them is likely to spice up the political scene ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in caste-riddled Uttar Pradesh.

While two allies of the ruling BJP have expressed divergent views on its implementation, the state's main opposition Samajwadi Party sees it as a BJP ploy to divide castes for electoral benefits. "The move is to split castes for political gains," SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said. The BSP has so far been silent. The BJP, however, countered the remarks saying politics should not be seen in every policy decision. "We believe in 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikas'," a senior BJP leader said. In 2002, the then chief minister Rajnath Singh too had attempted a quota within quota for most backwards and most Dalits but the move failed after Singh's government fell soon after.
Making an intervention in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the constitutional amendment bill, Jaitley rejected suggestions that the measure may fall foul of a Supreme Court judgment putting a cap of 50 percent at the total quota.

New Delhi: Union minister Arun Jaitley Tuesday made a forceful pitch for the passage of a bill providing 10 percent quota for the poor among the general category, saying almost every party, including the Congress, had supported the measure in their poll manifesto. Making an intervention in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the constitutional amendment bill, he rejected suggestions that the measure may fall foul of a Supreme Court judgment putting a cap of 50 percent at the total quota.

The bar, he added, is for caste-based reservations, while the bill seeks quota for the economically weaker sections in the general category. Attempts were made earlier too by governments at the Centre and states in this regard but failed because they were done either through common statutory provisions or notifications, Jaitley said. The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to amend the Constitution by introducing provisions for reservation for economically weaker sections, he said, adding that it presently mentions only social and educational backwardness as the criteria for quota.

Quoting from the Congress manifesto, which called for such a quota, he asked it to "walk its talk" by supporting the bill, describing it as a test for the Opposition party. With Opposition members using 'jumla' jibe, Jaitley hit back saying if the mention of a similar quota for the general category in their manifestos was a jumla as well. The BJP in its manifesto also supported the measure and is now working to implement it, he said, adding the Constitution makers also spoke about equality of status and opportunity.

Taking a jibe at Opposition parties for their protests, he said if they are supporting the bill, they should be whole-hearted and not grudgingly doing it. He also added the bill, once passed by Parliament, will come into effect and would not be required to be ratified by state assemblies.
Ram Vilas Paswan had arrived here on Monday morning to attend the last rites of former Union minister Jay Narayan Nishad, who passed away a fortnight ago

Patna: Denial of VIP privileges to Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan at the Patna airport a day ago raised some eyebrows though an official asserted on Tuesday that the situation arose since orders for extending the facilities were not issued by the competent authority.

Paswan had arrived here on Monday morning to attend the last rites of former Union minister Jay Narayan Nishad, who passed away a fortnight ago. The shradh ceremony was held in Hajipur, Paswans Lok Sabha seat, and attended by him besides Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi.

Paswan returned to Delhi by an evening flight on Monday. However, when he was seen at the airport walking down from the tarmac, unlike in the past when he was given access through a vehicle, journalists rushed to him with queries as the development came close on the heels of reports of discontinuance of similar privileges to local MP Shatrughan Sinha.

Paswan, however, sought to downplay the development saying, "I do not face any difficulty in walking a few metres. The facilities given to me at the airport here were for a period ending on 30 December and I could not apply for renewal in time since I have been on the move. Do not worry, I will soon be a VIP again," he said, smilingly before waving goodbye to the puzzled media persons.

Similar VIP facilities were extended to Shatrughan Sinha, popularly called 'Shotgun', for a period which ended on 30 June and discontinuation of the same ever since is being viewed in the backdrop of souring of relations with his party, which is in power at the Centre as well as in the state.

When asked about the development, Director of the Jay Prakash Narayan Airport, Rajendra Singh Lahauriya said that in the first place, the airport has no role in extending or discontinuing such facilities to anybody.

"We get an advice from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) whenever privileges like exemption from frisking and access to the tarmac are extended to anybody. We had sought an advice from the BCAS when the Union ministers expiry term (VIP facilities) was coming to a close and we were told that there was no order for renewal. So, we had to discontinue the facilities given to him," Lahauria

said.

He said that a beneficiary has to apply for grant of VIP facilities for a fixed term and thereafter for its renewal upon the expiry of the period.

Applications, for both purposes, are moved before the ministry of civil aviation which forwards the same to the BCAS. The airports concerned are thereafter advised by the BCAS to do the needful, he added.
The bandh evoked response in the Bengali-majority Barak valley also where Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 January, had announced that the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 will be passed as soon as possible in the Parliament as a penance for past injustices

Guwahati: An 11-hour North East bandh, called by a number of students' organisation and political parties on Tuesday, to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill began amid tight security at 5 am.

In Assam, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) has called for a state-wide bandh after a gap of 10 years and it is being supported by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam on Monday, the opposition Congress, the AIUDF, and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).

Tyres were burnt on roads at various places in Assam to prevent movement of vehicles. Vehicles were damaged in Guwahati, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts, police said.

Railway tracks were blocked briefly in Guwahati and Dibrugarh district but movement of trains, including that of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, resumed after the GRP removed protestors from the tracks, railway sources said.

Train and flight schedules remained unaffected.

Shops, markets, financial institutions kept their shutters down, educational institutions, private offices remained closed and private vehicles, including long-distance buses, kept off roads in the Brahmaputra valley, police and official sources said.

Attendance in government offices was thin as the employees had difficulty in reaching their workplace in the absence of adequate public transport, the sources said.

A skeleton service of the government-run Assam State Transport Corporation buses were pressed into service.

Several students' bodies of the region have decided to observe the 'bandh' in support of the call given by the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), an umbrella organisation of students' unions, of which the AASU is a constituent.

Thirty ethnic organisations are also supporting the bandh in Assam.

The bandh evoked response in the Bengali-majority Barak valley also where Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 January, had announced that the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 will be passed as soon as possible in the Parliament as a penance for past injustices.

The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to people from minority communities Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document.

The AGP and other groups in Assam have said the provisions of the bill will nullify the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides for deportation of all illegal migrants, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after March, 1971.

Security arrangements were intensified and patrolling by police and paramilitary forces intensified across the state in view of the bandh called by the AASU after 10 years.

Assam Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia said, "District SPs have been instructed to ensure public peace. Appropriate forces have been deployed across the state to prevent any untoward incident. Patrolling has also been intensified at all places."

Meanwhile, member organisations of the NESO in other states such as Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP), All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), Khasi Students Union (KSU), Garo Students Union (GSU), Naga Students' Federation (NSF), All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) and Twipra Students Federation (TSF) are also supporting the bandh.
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Tuesday welcomed and endorsed the Narendra Modi government's decision to introduce reservation for economically poor classes irrespective of caste. However, Mayawati said that the move seems like an election stunt as it could have come earlier.

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Tuesday welcomed and endorsed the Narendra Modi government's decision to introduce reservation for economically poor classes irrespective of caste. However, Mayawati said that the move seems like an election stunt as it could have come earlier. The BSP chief also demanded review of 50 percent cap on quota for OBC/SC/ST.

"It has been my long standing demanding and I welcome Centre's move to propose reservation for the economically backward classes belonging to the upper caste," Mayawati told reporters on Tuesday.

Echoing the views of other Opposition parties like, the Congress and the Left, Mayawati welcomed the move but with riders. "The decision could have come earlier. This seems like a election stunt," the BSP supremo said. The Congress on Monday frowned at the intention behind the Modi government approving 10 percent quota for the "unreserved categories" and demanded to know "where are the jobs".

Addressing the media after the cabinet approved 10 per cent reservation for economically backward people in general category in jobs and educational institutions, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the decision reeked of "political motive" rather than the actual welfare of the masses.

"India is on verge of the worst job crisis of the century with unemployment at a high of 7.3 percent which is the highest in last 23-24 months. The demonetisation disaster and the flawed implementation of GST resulted in crores of job losses.

"Moreover, the Modi government admitted in Parliament that 24 lakh posts in government sectors are lying vacant which the government has failed to fill up in last 4.5 years," said Surjewala.

"While we welcome the decision to offer reservation to economically weaker classes, but the question that arises is where are the jobs. The government after destroying millions of jobs, with the next elections just 100 days away, has suddenly woken up and offering reservation without creating any jobs.

"Without creating jobs, reservation for the upper castes will turn out to be a 'jumla' (false promise) for the elections," said Surjewala. He also demanded to know the government's road-map, if any, for creation of jobs as well as recouping the jobs lost and destroyed by the "demonetisation disaster" and "flawed GST".

With the Modi government likely to bring Constitutional amendment bill on quotas for economically weaker sections in Parliament on Tuesday, Surjewala affirmed the Congress' support.

"We are ideologically opposed to the BJP and they have personal animosity towards the Congress but we support steps for reserving seats in education and employment for economically weaker sections irrespective of caste," said Surjewala. "The question that remains is where are the jobs".

On Monday, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "The Supreme Court has said that in the current constitutional architecture, no reservation can be given to non-educational and socially backward class, even if they are poor. We are coming up with constitutional amendment as a separate constitutional platform for economically weaker section of the community. Therefore it is a constitutional amendment and not a legal amendment."

Tewari had said that a similar attempt was made by PV Narasimha Rao government in 1991, but the Supreme Court struck it down on constitutional grounds.

With inputs from agencies
Narendra Modi government's decision to amend the Constitution to provide 10 percent quota for economically weaker sections of the upper caste has generated a lot of heat and dust. Not surprisingly, the political discourse has been twisted out of shape.

Narendra Modi government's decision to amend the Constitution to provide 10 percent reservation in college admissions and government jobs for so-called economically weaker sections (EWS) of people who are not covered by any of the existing schemes of reservation, has expectedly generated a lot of heat and dust. Not surprisingly, the political discourse has been twisted out of shape.

The mainstream media has termed it as NDA's ploy to "placate the upper castes". Screaming headlines in newspapers and panel discussions in TV studios have found a direct connection between the timing of the decision and the BJP's losses in three Hindi heartland states where the saffron unit seems to have lost quite a bit of ground among upper castes  its traditional support base.

It is being said that the BJP was at the receiving end of a backlash from upper-caste groups who are worried with the loss of economic empowerment and social privileges and became annoyed with the Modi government for restoring the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that had been diluted by the Supreme Court. That move was interpreted as appeasement politics and resulted in counter-mobilisation and protests among upper-caste voters and led to BJPs losses in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, say analysts.

In this context, the Union Cabinet's move to extend 10 percent reservation in central jobs and educational institutions to the EWS among all castes and communities including Christians, Muslims and others  in addition to the Supreme Court-mandated 50 percent cap for SC, ST and other OBCs taking total figure to 60 percent  is being called a "political masterstroke" that brings everyone within the quota pie.

Though the government's proposal for introduction of The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty- Fourth Amendment) Bill stresses on extending benefits to "the economically weaker sections of the people who are not covered by any of the existing schemes of reservation", by targeting the poor within the general category, the move is being seen as a placatory gesture for angry upper caste communities and once-assertive agrarian groups such as the Patidars, Jats, Gujjars and Marathas.

The opposition to the governments proposed legislation can be broadly categorised into three parts. Moral, legal and political.

The moral objection to reservation is spurious. The Constitution mandates reservation on grounds of social and educational backwardness. Yet, as a report in Hindustan Times points out, governments proposed move is estimated to benefit 190 million people. It is not a small number.

The bill defines EWS households as those with an annual income less than Rs 8 lakh, having land under five acres, a house less than 1000 square feet; a residential plot less than 100 square yards in notified municipalities; and a residential plot less than 200 square yards in other municipalities, according to a report in Hindustan Times.

The repercussions and impact of this legislation  if it goes through  will be much more than merely addressing upper caste angst. It is specious logic to label this income-based and caste-and-religion-agnostic reservation as a poll ploy. It addresses the a segment of the society that badly needs a little leg-up from the state and by bringing everyone within the quota net (including religious minorities) it aligns with the Modi governments dictum of appeasement of none, justice for all. The case for reservation in favour of economically backward sections of the society is greater, stronger and morally more justifiable than other metrics. The effectiveness of reservation as a tool to address inequality may be the subject of a debate, but it is difficult to argue against a move to give economically disadvantaged a chance.

The governments legal challenge could be steeper to surmount given the 1993 Supreme Court verdict that restrict quota benefits to 50 percent of the population but the government may argue that the Constitution does not bar the government from bringing in a legislation to address the economically backward section.

The political challenge to the move is understandable. The Opposition has seen red with the timing of the proposed bill and has called it an election gimmick. The Oppositions charge is not unjustified. If the government was keen to address the economically weaker section through reservation, it could have brought the legislation earlier. It may have calculated that the impact of the move will be greater closer to the Lok Sabha election date and it would be difficult for political parties to publicly oppose the move and risk alienating upper caste voters.

While the charge is justified, outraging over it makes little sense. If Oppositions ploy to mobilise upper-caste voters by pandering to their sentiments is a good political strategy, the BJP should also be extended the benefit of the same argument. The BJP cant seriously be expected to go belly up and play dead when it senses a drift in its traditional base. Its a political ploy to counter other political ploys and in that sense it is no better or worse.

Only a political ploy can enable an atmosphere for income-based reservations instead of caste-based ones (that Thomas Piketty has called a possible evolution in the long run) in a hyper-polarised polity where caste equations are integral to politics. Modi governments move is smart and topical.
The French artist Edgar Degas once wrote, in a letter: I want to be famous, but unknown. Degas spent the last years of his life blind, roaming the streets of Paris having lost the friendship of pretty much everyone he knew. By the end he was convinced that an artist was best left to himself. That privilege, however, never befell Janghar Singh Shyam. In 2001, Shyam committed suicide, possibly as a result of being lonely and overworked while completing a residency at a gallery in Japan.

In a way, Shyam couldnt wait for the day he could finally roam the streets, blind or not. He died away from them, succumbing to a world he knew not the insides of. A new biography, and an exhibition on Shyam  curated by critic Jyotindra Jain at the Kiran Nadar Museum in Delhi  offers a fresh perspective on the Gond artist whose craft demands just as much of a personal examination, as an objective one.

(Above: Chachan and the Snake. Using the technique of creating auratic forms by zigzag edges most effectively, the artist has lent force to the theme of a bird attacking a snake. Jangarh Singh Shyam, 1997. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) Shyam, born to a Pardhan household in 1962, was discovered by modernist Jagdish Swaminathan and given his first opportunities to work at Bhopals Bharat Bhavan. As an exceptionally brilliant artist Jangarh managed to cross the barrier of anonymity purely on the basis of his talent and the merit of the prolific body of his work, Jain, who was also a close friend of Shyam, says. His rootedness in the myths and legends of his community, coupled with the modern art world of Bharat Bhavan where his muse was moulded, (led to) his art 'blossoming' and to that extent his ethnicity played a major role in shaping his work, he adds.

(Above: Portrait of a Barasingha. Jangarh Singh Shyam, mid-1980s. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) But this rootedness or the label of identity can also become an impediment. In the biography, Jain recalls an incident when the artist was asked to shed his jeans for a loincloth to look wholesomely tribal. There were occasions when his ethnicity was used by insensitive market forces as a stamp for endorsing the authenticity of his work, Jain says.

(Above: An elephant-headed crab; a character from the Pardhan myth of creation. Jangarh Singh Shyam, 1992. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) The exhibition features a large part of Shyams works, right from his paintings to his immaculately detailed experiments with ink, and his years spent printmaking. But what catches the eye, is the attention paid to his life  and most crucially, to the incident that ended it. There are letters from Shyam to his family sent during his residency in Japan, letters that evoke an exceptionally painful phase of his life that he eventually caved in to.

(Above: Chachan and the Snake; a gigantic eagle swooping down on a snake. Jangarh Singh Shyam, 1997. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) There are newspaper clips, photographs and other objects that clearly want this to be an intimate experience. Showcasing Shyams letters in the exhibition or publishing them in the book, is not for any better appreciation of his work but for understanding the ways in which the art world and the art market function. The ways of the art world being complex, Jangarh got trapped in crossing them, Jain says.

(Above: Foreplay of Lizards. Jangarh Singh Shyam, 1993. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) In its entirety, Shyams work is so breathtakingly organic and grounded in a language of its own, that it isnt hard to understand why the markets wanted to lap him up. As he chased deadlines that he couldnt meet, and etiquette that he had neither learned nor perhaps aspired to, Shyam chose to discontinue living a life he could not have known he had signed up for.

(Above: The Story of the Tiger and the Boar. Jangarh Singh Shyam, 1994. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) The exhibition explores the development of what has been called by critics the 'Jangarh qalam, a unique visual language, also bringing to the public his competent skills as a printmaker, a muralist and his monochromatic drawings that are a class apart. Viewers to the exhibition have been amazed by the oeuvre of Jangarh Singh Shyam and his evolved imagination and mastery of skills as witnessed through the chosen works, co-curator Roobina Karode says.

(Above: An anecdote from the Gond epic  the annihilation of sanbarah, the boar. Jangarh Singh Shyam, 1992. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) At the time of Shyam's death, most critics and writers decried the state of folk and tribal artists in the country, and how they were probably being exploited by projects abroad, in far-off places. In such a case then, how does one separate the art from the tragedy of life, or should one? If the artists life and work are seen as deeply interconnected, there would be a critical risk of melodramatic interpretations of the work. The artists life and work are deeply united to the extent the subjectivities and the power of imagination that are reflected in the work are related to the artists inner life and responses to the world around, Jain says.

(Above: An episode from the Pardhan myth of creation  the crow brings earth from the underworld, for creation to take place. Jangarh Singh Shyam, 1997. Courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography [MAP], Bengaluru) As for Shyam and his work, his stature has never dwindled and it weighs equally on the measure of his craft as much as the life he never had. The work speaks for itself, perhaps in many ways to the viewers, and does not need to be backed by the knowledge of facts of the artists life. More important is how an artist such as Jangarh who comes from a well-anchored cultural tradition encounters the new and adapts it in his work, Jain says.

In 'visiting' an old friend and looking back at his life with renewed purpose, Jains experience working on the biography and curating the exhibition has been a personal journey in more ways than one. As an artist he had a unique sense of innovation, both in terms of ideas and pictorial imagery as well as experimentation with the materials and techniques. His engagement with printmaking amply substantiates the latter, Jain says, adding: As a friend I remember Jangarh as a very emotional person with great integrity. Jangarh Singh Shyam: A Conjurers Archive is on display at the Kiran Nadar Museum, Saket, Delhi and is published by Museum of Art and Photography (MAP), Bengaluru
A case was registered against BJP's former Uttarakhand secretary Sanjay Kumar after a party worker accused him of sexually harassing and threatening her.

Dehradun: A police case was registered against BJP's former Uttarakhand general secretary Sanjay Kumar on Saturday night after a party worker accused him of sexually harassing her.

The survivor told ANI, "I was threatened when I complained about it within the party. I fear for my life. I demand strict action against him."

In November 2018, Kumar was removed from his post following earlier allegations of sexual harassment. Once a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) campaigner, Kumar was a prominent leader of the organisation for the last seven years before being ousted from the post.

The survivor has alleged that the former BJP secretary assaulted her at the party's headquarters in Balbir Road. He also sent her derogatory messages and duped her on the pretext of providing a job, the survivor alleged.

The issue came to the fore when the survivor lodged a complaint before the party members.
Statistics claim that the Bantaligram panchayat, which hosts 1,293 households, has only 234 toilets constructed, while 1,059 toilets are yet to be constructed.

Bhubaneswar: At a time when a majority of the Indian states have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) after ensuring 100 percent toilet coverage, few states like Odisha and Goa are still struggling with meagre toilet coverage due to myriad reasons.

The latest government data (till 4 January, 2019) claims that Odisha is the second worst performing state in India after Goa under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) with only 78 percent toilet coverage while most other states have crossed 99 percent coverage. Much of the poor progress of the state in terms of toilet coverage could be attributed to the worst sanitation coverage it had at 11.72 percent before the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission on 2 October, 2014.

However, there are several other ground level bottlenecks that are preventing the state from achieving 100 percent sanitation (toilet) coverage. A visit by this correspondent to some of the worst performing (in terms of toilet coverage) villages and gram panchayats in remote areas of Odisha revealed startling facts on why these have failed to match up with the sanitary progress across other parts of the country.

Advance fund a booster?

Ketamani Swain, a 68-year-old woman from the Bantaligram village under the Gop Block of Puri district, does not have a toilet of her own and goes to fields to relieve herself. This village panchayat has only 18 percent toilet coverage. Several facts in the reel life of Akshay Kumar-starrer Toilet seem to be true for this village.

She said: Most of the ladies in our village go to the fields in the early hours of morning and late evening. Be it rainy days, winter or summer, we are used to defecating in the open. Women and elderly are worst hit due to open defecation but feel helpless due to lack of money.

Swain claims lack of funds is the prime reason why poor families are discouraged to construct toilets, a view echoed by others too.

Ranjan Kumar Das, another villager who runs a small store in Bantaligram, says, Most of the households here are poor and live in kuccha houses. If they dont have proper houses how can they think about investing in toilet construction? The government should consider paying the full toilet construction incentive in advance to help us.

Statistics claim that the Bantaligram panchayat, which hosts 1,293 households, has only 234 toilets constructed, while 1,059 toilets are yet to be constructed. Other villages cite different problems that have hindered toilet construction. One such claim of villagers in other laggard districts is that a political tussle between the state and Centre has been an obstacle in toilet construction.

Favouritism hurting development

Barely 65 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, Badapokharia village panchayat in Tangi Block of Khurda district has only 17.72 percent sanitation coverage, with 641 households out of the total 779 yet to construct toilets. Most villagers told this correspondent that it was due to the political tussle between the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the BJP that development has shunned this village.

Anant Balwantrai, a sexagenarian from Badapokharia, says the reluctance of the local BJD member in aiding the village has deprived it of development. The gram sarpanch is from the BJD while our village supports the BJP. So, we are deprived of the benefits of government schemes. We know that the government is ready to give Rs 12,000 for toilet construction but the benefits are failing to reach out to us, he says. This view is shared by many others in the village.

While kuchha roads run through most of Badapokharia, villagers point towards a stretch running around their big pond and claim they are getting it constructed by pooling in their own funds, as the local panchayat office has allegedly shunned them from availing benefits of government schemes. Some allege that those close to the representatives of political parties avail benefits of government schemes such as Indira Awas Yojana more than once through manipulation and claim this could easily be verified if local administration conducts a ground visit.

The panchayat officials, however, narrate a different tale. Amarendra Mohapatra, a panchayat official from Badapokharia, says the Rs 12,000 allotted for constructing a toilet is not enough. The terrain here is rocky in nature. People need to spend more than Rs 25,000 and thus many are refraining from toilet construction. If the government can consider enhancing the incentive, the toilet construction could get an impetus. Around 80 percent people are facing a problem due to this, says Mohapatra. The views were also ratified by the village sarpanch Sagar Baliarsingh.

However, another village panchayat member speaking on the condition of anonymity blames the political tussle for poor sanitary development and says residents of the BJP-preferring Badapokharia village do not take part in panchayat planning meetings.

No volunteers on the ground as norms demand

Nevertheless, traces of corruption have been reported from other laggard regions in Odisha. Dhaulimuhan, a village panchayat in Khurda district is located juxtaposed to the Dhaulimuhan railway station. Official figures reveal the village has only 11.11 percent toilet coverage as out of the 639 total households, 568 households are yet without toilets. Villagers hint at government apathy and corruption as reasons claiming that they were asked for money to put their names in the list of beneficiaries.

Prasanna Mishra is a resident of the village who does not own a toilet. Many other villages are flourishing but not ours. Three months back some government officials came, inquired with the villagers, wrote down the name of the eligible persons and took Rs 20 from each of them. But after taking the money they were never seen, he says.

The norms drafted by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, the nodal ministry handling the mission, warrant the states to ensure ground level foot soldiers in each village and panchayat level for community mobilisation and promoting behavioural changes while encouraging residents to construct toilets. But, no such workers on the ground were seen across any of the laggard villages of Odisha visited for this story.

Pratap Sarangi, a resident of Dhaulimuhan who is forced to relieve himself in the open, says, No one comes to take stock of the situation here neither we see any volunteers working here. We have never heard of swachhagrahis or seen them.

Peculiar problems have been reported from other districts where toilet construction has been dithered. In Bandhapada village panchayat of Kendrapara district, many villagers cite lack of land owned by the poor household as a key reason.

Manoj Kumar Rout, a youth from the village, says, Some are very poor while some do not have space for toilets of their own. There have been no attempts from the government to reach the village. He says only volunteers involved with some active NGOs have persuaded people to construct toilets.

Many villagers also claim the local offices have made them run from pillar to post for availing incentives. Kalpatru Rout, a veteran from Bandhapada, says, There have been cases where even after two years of application, they are yet to get Central assistance for toilet construction. Such acts discourage poor people to construct toilets.

Santosh Rout, another villager from Bandhapada, explains the lack of land in his village. He says that many houses in this village are located between the panchayat main road and the village road on either side and all the available land was used in building the houses in past, leaving no extra land to construct a toilet. Rout observes that if the government considers constructing community toilets for this village, the sanitation movement could gain some impetus here.

Kumuda Satpathy, a consultant for the Mission in Deogarh district, which was the first district from the state to be declared as ODF, says the lagging village panchayats could learn from other successful models. He believes innovative ideas and the work of local ground workers/volunteers can bring changes on the ground. In the Deogarh district there were several ground level workers/volunteers who chipped in to stop the menace of open defecation. Strict vigilance, proactive district administration ensured doing away with the menace. Community mobilisation and bringing behavioural change through local volunteers is a very important aspect, Satpathy says.

Most villagers in the worst-hit areas of Odisha claim the local administration officials hardly take stock of the overall situation, swacchagrahis (on-ground volunteers) exist only on paper and gram panchayats are paid for community mobilisation and engaging local volunteers, but all that only exists on paper, making the entire sanitation movement a futile attempt on ground. Payment of the entire amount in advance by the government is also a recurring request from many poor households across the state.

The author is a Bhubaneswar-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com.
Senior Gujarat BJP leader and former MLA Jayanti Bhanushali was shot dead by unidentified persons while he was travelling in a train in the early hours of Tuesday.

Ahmedabad: Senior Gujarat BJP leader and former MLA Jayanti Bhanushali was shot dead by unidentified people while he was travelling in a train in the early hours of Tuesday, police said.

The incident took place at around 2 am on the Bhuj-Dadar Express train, when 53-year-old Bhanushali was returning to Ahmedabad from Bhuj town of the Kutch district in Gujarat.

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday assured that stringent action will be taken against those found guilty of murdering Bhanushali. Rupani stated, "A thorough investigation will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those guilty."

The BJP leader had stepped down from the post of the party's Gujarat unit's vice-president in July, 2018, after a woman accused him of rape. However, the Gujarat High Court had quashed the case in August, 2018, after the woman withdrew the complaint.

He was apparently shot dead between Gandhidham and Surajbari stations in the neighbouring Kutch district, Morbi district's Superintendent of Police Karanraj Vaghela said.

"The railway police on board the Bhuj-Dadar Express informed the Morbi police that Bhanushali was shot dead in the train. When the train reached Maliya station of Morbi, we recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem," he said.

As per preliminary investigation, two bullets were fired at him, Vaghela said. "We also recovered some empty bullet cases from the compartment and sent them for forensic examination. The railway police will file an FIR in connection with the incident," he said.

Bhanushali had represented the Abdasa assembly constituency in Kutch from 2007 to 2012.
 Like Baltimores police department, New Orleans is also under a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. The department entered into the consent decree in 2012 to improve policing after the DOJ alleged unconstitutional conduct by police.
Following is the chronology of events leading up to the Supreme Court reinstating Alok Kumar Verma as CBI director on Tuesday.

New Delhi: Following is the chronology of events leading up to the Supreme Court reinstating Alok Kumar Verma as CBI director on Tuesday, setting aside the Centre's decision to divest him of his powers:

April 2016: Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana appointed additional director of CBI.

3 December: Asthana made interim CBI director after retirement of then chief Anil Sinha.

19 January, 2017: Alok Verma appointed CBI chief for a tenure of two years.

22 October: CBI appoints Asthana special director.

2 November: Advocate Prashant Bhushan moves Supreme Court on behalf of NGO, Common Cause, challenging Asthana's appointment.

28 November: Supreme Court dismisses the petition.

12 July, 2018: While Verma was abroad, CVC calls meeting to discuss promotions, seeks to know who will attend it. CBI responds Asthana has no mandate to represent Verma.

24 August: Asthana complains to cabinet secretary, alleging misconduct by Verma. Matter referred to CVC.

21 September: CBI tells CVC Asthana was facing probe in six cases of corruption.

15 October: CBI lodges FIR with bribery allegations against Asthana, Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, Dubai-based investment banker Manoj Prasad and his brother Somesh Prasad.

16 October: CBI arrests middleman Manoj Prasad.

20 October: CBI raids Kumar's residence and office at its headquarters, claims to have seized his mobile phones and iPads.

22 October: CBI arrests Kumar, alleging he "fabricated the statement" of businessman Sathish Sana, facing probe in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi and had paid bribes to get relief.

23 October: Kumar moves high court seeking quashing of FIR against him. Hours later, Asthana too moves high court seeking quashing of FIR against him and direction to CBI not to take coercive steps against him. Delhi High Court orders status quo regarding Asthana, seeks response of CBI, Verma on both pleas. Late night, DoPT divests Verma of all his statutory obligations, appoints M Nageswara Rao interim CBI chief.

24 October: Verma moves Supreme Court against government order.

25 October: NGO Common Cause files PIL in Supreme Court, seeking SIT probe into allegations of corruption against CBI officials including Asthana.

26 October: Supreme Court directs CVC to complete inquiry into complaint against Verma in two weeks, seeks response of CVC and Centre on Verma's plea challenging the government order. The court directs Rao to not take major or policy decisions, to file in sealed cover his decisions taken till now. Supreme Court notice to Centre, CBI, CVC, Asthana, Verma and Rao on NGO's plea.

30 October: Supreme Court directs Hyderabad police to provide adequate security to businessman Satish Sana, complainant against Asthana. CBI deputy SP AK Bassi, former probe officer in alleged corruption case against Asthana, moves Supreme Court against his transfer.

31 October: CBI additional superintendent of police SS Gurm approaches high court against Asthana.

1 November: FIR against Asthana shows cognisable offences, CBI tells high court. CBI, Asthana oppose in high court Gurm's plea to be heard in the matter.

12 November: CVC files preliminary probe report in sealed cover in Supreme Court.

18 November: Dy SP Ashwini Gupta moves Supreme Court challenging his repatriation to Intelligence Bureau.

19 November: CBI officer, probing the FIR lodged against Asthana, moves Supreme Court seeking quashing of his transfer to Nagpur.

27 November: Trial court extends middleman's judicial custody till 11 December.

29 November: Alok Verma tells Supreme Court his fixed tenure of two years as CBI chief cannot be altered.

5 December: Fight between two top CBI officers exposed agency to ridicule, Centre tells Supreme Court.

8 January, 2019: Supreme Court sets aside Centre's decision divesting Verma of his powers and sending him on leave, restrains him from taking policy decisions.
The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Bengal government after hearing the BJP's plea against a Calcutta High Court order not allowing the Rath Yatra.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the West Bengal government after hearing the state BJP's plea against a Calcutta High Court order for not allowing its Rath Yatra to progress in the state. The BJP has fresh plans to start the rallies from four places in Bengal and covering all 42 of the state's Lok Sabha constituencies.

The Bengal government will now have two weeks' time to respond to the matter after which it will be listed for further hearing. A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice SK Kaul also asked the BJP's Bengal unit to submit a revised plan for its rallies for consideration by the state government. The apex court will hear the BJP's plea on 15 January.

#NewsAlert -- Supreme Court notice to West Bengal government over rath yatra matter. @BJP4India had appealed against Calcutta High Court's decision. Detailed inputs by @utkarsh_aanand. pic.twitter.com/M298lHIJYY  News18 (@CNNnews18) January 8, 2019

The Supreme Court had, on 3 January, agreed to hear the West Bengal BJP's plea against the Calcutta High Court's 21 December order, which had set aside the order of a single judge allowing the yatra. The party had approached the apex court seeking permission to hold the "Save Democracy Rally", which would cover all the constituencies in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Initially, the party had planned to launch the yatra from three districts of the state. The Calcutta High Court's division bench had earlier sent the case back to the single judge to hear it afresh and also to consider intelligence inputs by state agencies. The order of the division bench had come after hearing an appeal moved by the West Bengal government challenging the order of the single judge.

The rallies, according to the original schedule, were supposed to be flagged off by BJP president Amit Shah from Bengal's Cooch Behar district on 7 December, Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on 9 December and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum on 14 December.

In the plea filed in the apex court, the BJP's West Bengal unit had contended that authorities cannot abridge their right and they have a duty to facilitate them in exercising their democratic right.

The plea had alleged that the state government was repeatedly "attacking" the fundamental right of citizens. Article 19, which promises Indian citizens freedom of speech and expression, was one of the clauses invoked by the BJP at court on Tuesday. Aryama Sundaram, who appeared on behalf of the BJP said, "The BJP's fundamental right of protest was being curtailed."

A News18 report from the Supreme Court premises said he argued that the Rath Yatra was "just a contact programme which cannot be muzzled by the state under the garb of maintaining peace".

Sundaram also argued that it was "unconstitutional" and against the tenets of democracy to bar a particular rally on grounds that the BJP alleges are "flimsy, concocted and made on the behest of the Trinamool Congress government in the state".

The Supreme Court found the matter merited detailed examination.

The BJP had wanted the petition to be listed during the winter break but the Bengal government had opposed it. Even the registrar had not found merit in the BJP's claim that the case needed urgent hearing by a bench specially constituted during the vacation.

With inputs from PTI
On 29 October, the Supreme Court had fixed the Ayodhya matter in the first week of January before an 'appropriate bench', which will decide the schedule of hearing.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case from Thursday at 10.30 am, ANI reported.

Five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will hear the Ayodhya case. Other four judges are Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice UU Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachud. https://t.co/MeIQq64EpJ  ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will hear the Ayodhya case from 10 January.

The bench will also comprise Justices SA Bobde, NV Ramana, UU Lalit and DY Chandrachud.

On 4 January, a three-judge Supreme Court bench took up as many as 14 appeals filed against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits.

The 2010 judgment had said that the 2.77-acre disputed land be partitioned equally among the three parties  the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

The apex court on 29 October had fixed the matter in the first week of January before an "appropriate bench", which will decide the schedule of hearing.

Later, an application was moved for according an urgent hearing by advancing the date, but the top court had refused the plea, saying it had already passed an order relating to the hearing on the matter.

The plea for early hearing was moved by the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) which is one of the respondents in the appeal filed by legal heirs of M Siddiq, one of the original litigants in the case.
The call for a 48-hours-long nation-wide shutdown evoked mixed response from most parts of India, with protests marred by violence in parts of West Bengal and North East India.

The call for a 48-hour-long nationwide shutdown evoked mixed response from most parts of India, with protests marred by violence in parts of West Bengal and North East India. The bandh was a result of a clarion call issued by a host of organisations, trade unions, independent workers, and other groups over a wide ranging bunch of issues. However, the common thread binding the nationwide shutdown was the resentment against the ruling dispensation in New Delhi.

Most parts of India faced a shutdown due to the government workers, trade unions, and bankers associations protests against anti-labour policies and unilateral watering down of labourers' rights by the BJP-led NDA government. The northeastern part of the country was up in arms against the Centre's bid to pass and implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2018, which will grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Looking at the overall picture, the bandh was near total in North East India with the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) calling for a shutdown after a gap of 10 years, which is also being supported by the erstwhile BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the Opposition Congress, the AIUDF, and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).

In the rest of India, the strike evoked mixed response as banking services and state transport took the maximum brunt of the shutdown. However, many private establishments remained open in defiance to the shutdown call. Only in Kerala was the effect almost absolute with only a few traders' associations keeping their establishments open in defiance. However, they too were later forced to down shutters.

West Bengal, meanwhile, saw major clashes between the ruling TMC and Opposition CPM workers as the latter tried to enforce the shutdown while the former were seen thwarting them. At one place in Murshidabad, nine TMC workers were injured after a bunch of CPM workers attacked their party office.

The government, meanwhile, brought in bills upsetting both segments of protesters on the same day as they were out on streets to seek their rights: Coincidentally or otherwise, the Centre decided to table both Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and the amendment to Trade Union Act 1956 in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Why is North East India protesting?

The 11-hour North East bandh, called by a number of students' organisation and political parties on Tuesday, was to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2018 which was tabled in the Parliament as the protests raged on.

The political aim behind the bill seems to target the majority Hindu population in the Lok Sabha elections, but it faces widespread opposition from the northeastern states, primarily because the fault line dividing demography in these states is linguistic and cultural, rather than religious. Thus, the Assamese-speaking people, or the Gorkhas in neighbouring northeastern states, are less than enthusiastic hosts to the large number of Bengalis who have crossed over to India, regardless of whether they are from West Bengal or East Bengal/East Pakistan/Bangladesh, or whether they are Muslims or Hindus.

Near total shutdown in Assam

In Assam, tyres were burnt on roads at various places to block roads, vehicles were damaged in Guwahati, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts, while rail traffic was affected briefly due to the various blockades planned across state.

Shops, markets, financial institutions kept their shutters down. Educational institutions, private offices remained closed and private vehicles, including long-distance buses, kept off roads in the Brahmaputra valley, police and official sources said. Attendance in government offices was thin as the employees had difficulty in reaching their workplace in the absence of adequate public transport, the sources said. A skeleton service of the government-run Assam State Transport Corporation buses was pressed into service.

Several students' bodies of the region have decided to observe the 'bandh' in support of the call given by the North East Students' Organisation (NESO), an umbrella organisation of students' unions, of which the AASU is a constituent. Thirty ethnic organisations are also supporting the bandh in Assam.

Protesters vandalised the Bharatiya Janata Party's office in Dibrugarh, which is the home district of Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. Protesters raising slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill vandalised the BJP office situated at Amolapatty just 100 metres from Amolapatty police outpost. However, the police managed to disperse the protesters and take the situation under control.

The bandh evoked response in the Bengali-majority Barak valley also where Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 January had announced that the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 will be passed as soon as possible in the Parliament as a penance for past injustices. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to people from minority communities  Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians  from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document.

The AGP and other groups in Assam have said the provisions of the bill will nullify the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides for deportation of all illegal migrants, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after March 1971.

Meanwhile, member organisations of the NESO in other states such as Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP), All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), Khasi Students Union (KSU), Garo Students Union (GSU), Naga Students' Federation (NSF), All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) and Twipra Students Federation (TSF) are also supporting the bandh.

Why are trade unions, workers protesting?

A host of Central Trade Unions, independent groups, transportation workers, contractual workers and employees of the government on Tuesday began a two-day nationwide strike to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.

"The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana  particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines," Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told PTI. As many as 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have joined hands to go on a two-day nationwide strike from Tuesday. 20 crore workers are expected to join the strike. This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining a strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government, she stated.

She said that some states' transport departments, taxi drivers and autorickshaw drivers have gone on strike for two days while railway workers are holding a gate meeting bearing black badge to express their solidarity.

The CTUs are also opposed to unilateral labour reforms, are demanding social security for all workers, end of contractual employment and extension of equal benefits to contractual and temporary employees under the principle of equal work and equal pay.

In a joint statement, the CTUs had also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people." The unions are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions. The bill proposes to grant statutory recognition to trade unions at both the central and state-level. However, unions have pointed out that the bill seeks to vest the government with the discretionary power in recognising the trade unions, departing entirely from the existing practice based on tripartite (employees, employers and government) consensus.

Kerala worst-hit, West Bengal remains tense; mixed response from rest of India

In Kerala, trains were stopped, buses and autorickshaws kept off roads and traders were forced to down shutters on the first day of shutdown. Sabarimala pilgrims, although exempt from shutdown, also faced the brunt of the bandh. Pilgrims mostly from other states were stranded at railway stations and bus stands in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Patghanamthitta, Ernakulam and Palakkad districts as supporters of the strike blocked trains and private bus operators and state-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation were also forced to remain off roads in face of massive protests.

The effect of the shutdown was such that it brought the functioning of the government offices in Kerala, including state secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram, also to a standstill. While most employees did not report for work, a few who came were prevented from entering the offices. Even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues and senior officers kept off the secretariat. The Left unions also blocked traffic on a road leading to the secretariat by erecting a shed for their meeting.

The assurances given by trade union leaders not to enforce the strike in Kerala also remained futile with trade union workers preventing workers from going to offices, blocking vehicles and trains and forcing traders to close shops and business establishments throughout the state. The assurance was given by the leaders following strong public opinion against frequent shutdown strikes (hartal). The general strike turned out to be a hartal with vehicles keeping off the roads, schools and colleges declaring holidays and shops and business establishments remaining closed in most parts of the state. The trade union workers clashed with traders in Malapuram and Alapuzha districts when they tried to open the shops. The strike also hit the functioning of the industry.

In West Bengal, the mood of the protests edged near violence as AITMC workers were seen preventing Left-wing trade unions from enforcing the shutdown. Clashes between the two groups were reported at several places including Asansol, Hooghly, Murshidabad, and Kolkata. Eight CPM workers, including party leader Sujan Chakraborty were briefly detained, while nine persons of the Trinamool were injured after a bunch of CPM workers attacked their party office in Murshidabad. The TMC alleged that the Left party workers attacked its cadres with iron rods and bricks, heavy amount of stone-pelting was also reported.

The protesters also targeted a school bus in Barasat city of North 24 Parganas district, prompting state's child protection committee to send a notice to the CPM leadership. Another bus was vandalised in Barasat, making the town the worst-hit in state after the initial few hours of bandh.

In Karnataka, schools and colleges were shut and workers took out marches to mark their protest. However, normal life remained by and large peaceful.

In Odisha, traffic on National Highway 16 was briefly disrupted as protesters blocked the roads. Seven trains from Bhubaneswar have been cancelled due to the ongoing protests.

22819/22820 Bhubaneswar-Visakhapatnam Inter City Express, 58416/58415 Puri-Cuttack Passenger, 58436/58435 Cuttack-Brahmapur Passenger, 58424/58423 Cuttack-Bhadrak Passenger, 68434/68433 Brahmapur-Cuttack MEMU, 68435/68436 Cuttack-Paradeep MEMU and 58411/58412 Bhubaneswar-Brahmapur Passenger were cancelled from both the directions.

In Maharashtra, anganwadi workers, trade unions and contractual workers held a sit-in protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Around 29,000 employees of the civic-run transport service BEST are on an indefinite strike for various demands despite an industrial court restraining them from taking the step. Due to the strike, around 25 lakh passengers who travel by 3,000 BEST buses that ply on streets of Mumbai city and the metropolitan region every day were inconvenienced even as the MSRTC plied additional buses to help the commuters.

Meanwhile, sources said the Maharashtra government might slap Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) on the striking employees.

The Act gives police the right to arrest, without a warrant, anybody violating the provisions. The BEST management had declared the strike illegal and issued internal circulars warning staffers of strict action if they proceeded with it. When all talks between the parties failed, the BEST management approached the Industrial Court seeking relief against the strike.

With inputs from 101Reporters and TK Devasia
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump spoke on US's trade deficit with India, and on ways to enhance cooperation in areas of defence and counter-terrorism.

New Delhi/Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump held a telephone conversation during which they discussed the contentious issue of the USA's trade deficit with India and the ways to enhance cooperation in areas of defence and counter-terrorism.

During the conversation on Monday evening, the two leaders exchanged New Year greetings and expressed satisfaction at the continued growth of the India-US strategic partnership in 2018.

They also appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 dialogue mechanism and the first ever trilateral summit of India, US and Japan, a statement from the prime minister's office in New Delhi said.

The two nations had held the first edition of the 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi in September.

The two leaders also took positive note of the growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy, besides co-ordination on regional and global issues, the statement said.

"The leaders agreed to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the US trade deficit with India," the White House said in a readout of the call.

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the US's goods and services trade with India totalled an estimated $126.2 billion in 2017. Exports were $49.4 billion; imports were $76.7 billion. The US goods and services trade deficit with India was $27.3 billion in 2017.

They also agreed to expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan, according to the White House.

India has been actively involved in reconstruction efforts in war-ravaged Afghanistan. It has committed about $3 billion in assistance to Afghanistan since US-led forces toppled the Taliban regime after the 11 September, 2001 attacks.

This was the first phone call between the two leaders after the tri-lateral summit meeting they had with the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in Buenos Aires in November, on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit in Argentina.
As per the 10% reservation approved for economically backward upper castes, any family from the general category that holds less than five acres of agricultural land, owns less than 1,000 square feet of residential property and earns less than Rs 8 lakh per annum is eligible to seek quota.

In a move that is likely to heat up the political scenario ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Union Cabinet on Monday approved 10 percent reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker sections in the general category, meaning upper castes. Consequently, the Centre is expected to introduce a constitutional bill in Parliament on Tuesday to circumvent the 50 percent threshold on quota set by the Supreme Court of India.

However, the Cabinet's decision is likely to face judicial scrutiny and backlash from experts.

Eligibility criteria

Any family from the general category that holds less than five acres of agricultural land, owns less than 1,000 square feet of residential property and earns less than Rs 8 lakh per annum is eligible to seek reservation. Additionally, those who own a residential plot below 100 yards in a notified municipality, or a residential plot below 200 yards in a non-notified municipal area, are eligible to avail of the new policy.

Interestingly, the latest decision is likely to benefit the economically backward among upper caste Hindus as well as Muslims and Christians.

Also, the income limit for the economically weak in the general category has been kept the same as for those who belong to the "creamy layer" of Other Backward Castes (OBCs).

The present situation

Since the implementation of the recommendations of the Mandal Commission, 49.5 percent of government jobs and seats in educational institutes are reserved. As much as 15 percent is reserved for candidates from Scheduled Caste communities; 7.5 percent is reserved for Scheduled Tribes; and 27 percent is reserved for OBCs, a category absent prior to the 1990s.

In Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, however, reservation goes well beyond the 50 percent cap imposed by the Supreme Court after the Indira Sawhney & Others versus the Union of India case. The reservation stands at 69 percent in Tamil Nadu and at 68 percent in Maharashtra.

Unique cases of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra

Tamil Nadu is a unique case study in India's reservation policy. The state has kept its reservation policy safe from judicial intervention, thanks to the IX Schedule of the Constitution of India. Any Act of Parliament or legislatures added to this schedule is beyond judicial review. When both the Supreme Court and Madras High Court ordered the state to bring reservation down to 50 percent, the then J Jayalalithaa government had sought the Centre's help to include the Tamil Nadu Reservation Act, 1994, in the IX Schedule.

Maharashtra, through the 2001 State Reservation Act, became the second major state to cross the 50-percent mark. According to the 2001 Act, 52 percent of public sector jobs came under quota. The divide includes 13 percent reservation for Scheduled Castes; 7 percent for Scheduled Tribes; 19 percent for Other Backward Classes; 2 percent for Special Backward Classes; 3 percent for Vimukta Jati; 2.5 percent for Nomadic Tribe-B; 3.5 percent for Nomadic Tribe-C (Dhangar); and 2 percent for Nomadic Tribe-D (Vanjari). However, with the state government granting 16 percent reservation to the Maratha community, the total reservation in Maharashtra now stands at 68 percent.

Not a new promise

The idea of quota for economically weaker sections of the population is not new. Former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao was the first to support the idea, but he backed out after the Supreme Court capped reservation at 50 percent.

In the aftermath of the Patidar protests in Gujarat, the state government approved 10 percent reservation for "economically weaker sections". However, it was struck down by the Gujarat High Court as "unconstitutional".

Regional players like the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party (TDP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (Secular) have also promised economic status-based reservation in the past.

Ahead of the 2008 Karnataka elections, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda promised reservations for forward class poor. "All political parties should evolve through consensus on a social and economic support system for the poor among the forward classes," he had said.

In 2011, BSP chief Mayawati had written to the Centre demanding reservations for upper caste poor. In her letter, she had also urged then prime minister Manmohan Singh to add quota based on financial conditions in the IX Schedule.

In its 2014 Lok Sabha manifesto, the Samajwadi Party had promised to set up a Savarna Aayog, or upper caste, commission to look into the issues faced by people in upper caste communities. The party also promised reservation for the poor among the upper castes.

More recently, Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP president Chandrababu Naidu indicated that he is ready to extend reservations to include economically backward upper castes.

An old debate

The debate on whether reservation in India should be based on economic backwardness or caste is as old as Independent India. It was a hot topic of debate in the Constituent Assembly. The vague interpretation of the term "Scheduled Caste" during the debates had led to many members questioning the logic of caste-based reservations.

One such member, Mahavir Tyagi, had opined: "The term 'Scheduled Castes' is fiction. Factually, there is no such thing as 'Scheduled Castes'. There are a variety of castes with different problem situations."

He had also said something that may resonate among modern-day opponents of caste-based reservations: "There are thousands of Brahmins and Kshatriyas who are worse off than these friends belonging to Scheduled Castes. So by the name of Scheduled Caste...and a selected few of these castes get benefit. No caste ever gets benefit out of this reservation. It is the individual or the family that gets benefited."

However, Ambedkarites have been opposing any change in the reservation criteria. They believe that economic conditions can change within a lifetime, but the genesis of poverty in the Dalit community stems from centuries of social oppression. For Ambedkarites, reservations are a means to fight caste-based deprivation. Unsurprisingly, Babasaheb Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar has called any attempt to introduce economic status-based reservation "fruitless".

Nevertheless, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has repeatedly come out in support of granting quota based on economic backwardness. "Reservation based on caste should be scrapped. The reservation should be given only for the economically backward," he had said in 2016.

The way ahead

The path ahead is likely to be tricky for the government. The bill may fail the legal test as it allows reservations to exceed the 50-percent cap on quota set by the Supreme Court.

Moreover, the focus on "economic backwardness" is likely to be challenged in courts as only social and educational backwardness are considered valid reasons to provide reservations. The landmark Indra Sawhney case had ruled out economic backwardness as the sole reason for quota.

Economic reservation is also likely to be considered a violation of the basic structure of the Constitution. As per the landmark judgment in the Keshavananda Bharati case, the basic structure of the Constitution cannot be violated. This means that amending articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution by adding the word "economically" may also violate its basic structure.

The government may add the bill to IX Schedule to protect it from judicial review. Yet, the court can scrutinise the law if it is found to be violating the basic structure of the Constitution of India.
The issue of illegal mining in India was raised multiple times in the Parliament, and both the UPA and NDA answered them, yet Meghalaya doesn't feature anywhere in their responses

Illegal mining is like slavery. People can justify them with specious logic  as Karl Popper would have loved to explain  saying that it offers livelihoods and allows people to earn something with which they can find food to fill their stomachs.

But it is exploitative nonetheless  as brutal as slavery.

It is also theft because it robs a state and nation of the taxes and royalties that they would otherwise have earned to provide facilities to the poor and the needy.

It is also rapacious and does not tolerate any legal and organised mining nearby lest its own clandestine earnings get threatened.

Yet successive governments have abetted illegal mining. Its legislators have apparently benefitted from and fattened themselves on the ill-gotten gains that illegal mining brings. The enormous difference between the fines collected, the absence of illegal mining data in the governments reports and the measly amount it got as fines when incidents of illegal mining are detected appear to bear this out.

Confirmation of these fears can be got from the various documents submitted before the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, which can be downloaded from the links provided below. They have been stored on our servers because they are not easily traceable on the governments own websites meant for public scrutiny. And when such documents are actually found, they are without the annexures that are critical to understanding the seriousness of the issues involved. A summary of the findings can be found in the table alongside.

Political whistleblowers

The story of illegal mining would possibly not have become public knowledge had it not been for the politicians themselves who tried to blow the whistle. It was pushed into the limelight when Congress which ruled at the Centre encouraged investigations by the CBI and the Lok Ayukata into illegal mining  first in Karnataka and then in Goa. In fact, as the table above shows, these two states were never big players in the illegal mining business. But they were ruled by the opposition. That possibly made their acts more reprehensible.

Maharashtra was a bigger culprit. But this state had possibly ensured that all parties shared the spoils from illegal mining. So, no major convictions took place in this state. Check the fines collected against the number of cases registered. Even if the seized vehicles had been auctioned, the amounts collected would have been higher. It was clearly a charade.

Thus, in 2008, the Lok Ayukta report in Karnataka was tabled. It uncovered major violations and systemic corruption in mining in Bellary. Contrary to government and media reports that only 200 trucks were carrying ore each day, the Lok Ayukta put the figure at 4,000.

The rest was to have been expected. In 2010, Justice Santosh Hegde resigned from the post of Lok Ayukta on account of pressure and non-cooperation of the state government. The state government fell, and the Supreme Court banned mining in Karnataka. A similar story took place in Goa where in September 2012 all 90 iron ore mines in Goa were ordered to be shut down by the apex court.

Yet, at the same time, the government kept on talking about the huge potential mining had in India. This was reiterated in its annual report for 2010-11.

The government was also quite aware that legal and organised mining was not easy to implement. Lafarge lost a great deal of money in trying to combat environmentalists who did not want it to set up a cement plant in the North East. However, nobody in the government bothered to ask the environmentalists whether they had registered any cases against illegal miners. There is nothing in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha replies to show that serious action had ever been taken against illegal miners.

Consider the pathetic amounts collected by way of fines in other states, including Karnataka and Goa, and compare them with the fines lapped by states like Odisha. That state alone slapped penalties ranging between Rs 8,000 crore and Rs 60,000 crore on illegal miners.

The only time protests against mining by environmentalists took place was when legal and organised mining tried to set up their businesses  whether it was Posco and Vedanta in Odisha or Nuclear Corporation of India and Lafarge in the North East.

Even while guns were being trained on Karnataka and Goa, the government presented data which had no information on illegal mining in the North East.

The first such instance was on 10 December 2012 (Rajya Sabha Unstarred question No.1782). This flies in the face of submissions by the Meghalaya legislators in the state Assembly that each one of them was engaged in 20-30 mines, but which they closed only in 2014 after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned all mining in the state.

Then  in 2013  came the report of the Justice MB Shah Commission of Inquiry for illegal mining of iron ore and manganese. The first part of the report can be found here. Unfortunately, it too focussed on Odisha, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The North East was ignored.

The reluctance to even consider the North East was obvious in the actions of the government. This is evident from the minutes of the coordination-cum-empowered committee on mineral development and regulation that was held on 15 January 2013. Copies of the minutes were sent to most mining states, but not to the North East. This was despite the government having access to the maps of the department of mining which showed the rich mining potential in the North East (page 24 of the governments own Exploration and Mining Opportunities in India  An Investor Guide, Ministry of Mines, Government of India, 15 August, 2015 (also available here).

The government knew about the problems that the Nuclear Corporation of India was facing in setting up its mining facilities in the North East, and the challenges faced by Lafarge as well. Moreover, as the recent statements of the legislators in Meghalaya show, there were hundreds of such mines in operation at that very time. Clearly, the government did not want anyone to focus on the North East. This was despite another presentation of the government  on 5 March 2013  showing maps which identified the North Easts mineral potential (see slide 13 of the presentation).

The issue of illegal mining in India was raised multiple times in the Parliament, and the government submitted its responses as well. Look at the submissions that were made by the government:

Now, compare this with the jottings in the CBIs diary about the ill-famed Saradha Scam. It noted that as much as Rs 1,000 crore had been diverted for investment in illegal mines in Meghalaya. Clearly, the fines are a joke!

So, now you have the Supreme Court trying to get the information that the state was to have supplied all along. The silence of the legislature and the bureaucracy on the issue of illegal mines is stunning. It is just the example of collusive governance and mass-scale exploitation one often associated with tin-pot dictatorships; not with a well-functioning and responsible democracy.

Can the Supreme Court help remedy the situation?

The author is a senior journalist

Click here to read the first part of the story on illegal mining in Meghalaya
Justice V Parthibhan of the Madras High Court dismissed the revision petition filed by Gauthaman and Y Arul

Chennai: The Madras High Court Tuesday upheld a lower court order rejecting the discharge petition filed by Tamil film director V Gauthaman and another person in a case filed against them for staging protests here without permission in April last year over the Cauvery issue. Justice V Parthibhan dismissed the revision petition filed by Gauthaman and Y Arul against the 23 November, 2018, order of Alandur Judicial Magistrate court, holding that there were prima facie materials available for proceeding against them.

The petitioners who blocked an arterial road in the city by staging a demonstration without permission and causing inconvenience to the public cannot be allowed to take refuge under the constitutional protection of freedom of expression and assembly, the judge said in his order. A detailed order had been passed by the learned magistrate finding that there was more than prima facie material to proceed against the two, Justice Parthibhan said.

He took exception to the petitioners' counsel comparing their protest with that of Mahatma Gandhi's 'satyagraha' during the freedom struggle. "This court is unable to comprehend the seriousness in which such comparison is drawn by the learned counsel for the petitioners. Such arguments are advanced on behalf of these petitioners without understanding the context of protest during freedom struggle and demonstration during the period of elected governance of today," the judge said.

The counsel was attempting to give a colour of legitimacy and constitutionality to the illegal demonstration which was held at the instance of the petitioners and others by holding the entire citizenry to ransom, Justice Parthibhan said. Freedom of expression or assembly as guaranteed in the Constitution has its own boundaries as defined from time to time by the constitutional courts, he said.

"It is trite in law to say that any freedom which is guaranteed in the Constitution has always been circumscribed by a reasonable restriction as no citizen is guaranteed absolute right to do whatever he likes without there being a reasonable restriction," he added. Gauthaman and others were booked for holding the protest to press for constitution of Cauvery Management Authority. The city was rocked by protests by various pro-Tamil outfits and film personalities.
The passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by a voice vote is a crucial step closer to making religion the basis for identification of 'illegal Bangladeshi migrants' in Assam, in violation of the Assam Accord

The passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by a voice vote is a crucial step closer to making religion the basis for identification of "illegal Bangladeshi migrants" in Assam, in violation of the Assam Accord, resulting in the creation of two classes of Indian citizens in the state. The bill seeks to make six minority communities of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan  Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians  who came to India till 31 December, 2014 without valid travel documents eligible to apply for Indian citizenship and not be treated as illegal migrants.

The cut-off date for determination of Indian citizenship of one class will be 24 March, 1971 while the cut-off date for the other class will be 31 December, 2014. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tabled the redrafted Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, in the Lok Sabha amidst protests by Opposition parties that described the bill as "divisive" and anti-Assam Accord. Congress and Trinamool Congress members demanded sending the bill to the Select Committee and staged a walkout in protest during the debate.

The extension of the Rajya Sabha session by a day indicates that the Narendra Modi-led government is determined to push the bill into an Act, taking to the ordinance route, if required, ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls in the event the bill is not passed by the Upper House. The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) dubbed the Centre's move of "imposing" the bill as violation of the Assam Accord and claimed it was "aimed at derailing the National Register of Citizens (NRC)" currently being updated in the state under the supervision of Supreme Court.

The NRC in Assam is currently being updated by taking 24 March, 1971 as the cut-off date for determination of Indian citizenship in accordance with the Assam Accord. Verification of claims of over 31 lakh applicants left out of the complete draft and over 2.65 lakh objections is scheduled to start on 15 February. On the other hand, all post-1971 Hindu Bangladeshi and other non-Muslim minority migrants from the neighbouring country who came to Assam without valid travel documents till 31 December, 2014 will be eligible to apply for Indian citizenship under the amended citizenship laws, if the bill is passed in Rajya Sabha or if an ordinance is issued.

The report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 tabled on the floors in both Houses of Parliament on Monday 7 reveals that opinions on the cut-off date were divided within the Ministry of Law and Justice. The Department of Legal Affairs opined that "the proposal to legalise the minority migrants who entered Assam till 31 December, 2014 without valid travel documents as proposed in the bill, appears contrary to the Assam Accord".

The Legislative Department, however, has clarified, the report states that "Section 6A of the Principal Act only deals with foreigners who entered India, from Bangladesh into Assam between 1 January, 1966 and 24 March, 1971. It does not provide for any form of detection, deletion or expulsion of foreigners beyond the said date. The proposed proviso to exempt persons belonging to certain minority communities coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan has general application beyond the Assam Accord and is intended to apply to the whole of India. The Legislative Department have emphasised that there appears to be no conflict in the application of the proposed proviso regarding exemption of minority communities coming from Bangladesh to Assam between 1 January, 1966 and 24 March, 1971, as per the Assam Accord."

The amendment in the citizenship laws, if the bill is passed in both the Houses of Parliament or if the Modi government takes the ordinance route, implies that henceforth, only the post-1971 Muslim Bangladeshi migrants will now be treated as illegal migrants in Assam when it comes to identification, deletion of names from voters' list and expulsion of illegal Bangladeshi migrants. Clause 5 of the Assam Accord, however, makes no distinction of "illegal Bangladeshi migrants" on the basis of religion and requires identification, deletion of names of voters list and expulsion of all those migrants, irrespective of their religion, from the neighbouring country who came to Assam without valid travel documents after March 24, 1971 and living illegally in the state.

A total shut-down and angry protests in Assam and other North East states on Tuesday coinciding with the Centre pushing the citizenship bill in Parliament on the last day of the current session of Lok Sabha indicated that the region is likely to have turbulent days ahead. North East Students' Organisation (NESO) called for a North East bandh while the AASU and other NESO constituents also called for bandhs in their respective states demanding withdrawal of the bill. Apart from Assam, the BJP runs coalition governments in Nagaland, Tripura, Manipur, shares power in Meghalaya, while the saffron party is in power in Arunachal Pradesh.

The first political casualty of pushing the citizenship bill is the breakdown of the coalition between the BJP and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). AGP president Atul Bora declared in New Delhi that the regional party would be snapping ties with the BJP and withdrawing support to the Sarbananda Sonowal government to protest the saffron party's decision to pass the bill. The regional party came under flak for not severing ties even after the announcement by Modi at a rally in Silchar in Bengali-dominated Barak Valley in Assam on 4 January 4 that the bill is "atonement for the past mistakes of Partition" and expressed hope that the bill would soon be passed in the Parliament.

However, the AGP pulling out of the BJP-led coalition is not going to pose any threat to the Sonowal government as the other ally of the saffron Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) announced that it will continue in the government. In the 126-member Assam Assembly, the BJP has 61 members, BPF has 12 members and AGP has 14 members.

The Modi cabinet on Monday approved the redrafted the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on the day that a dozen supporters representing a conglomerate of 70 organisations led by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Partishad (AJYCP) staged a nude protest in front of Parliament in New Delhi demanding the withdrawal of the bill. Thousands also took to the streets across the state on the day waving black flags and shouting slogans to press for withdrawal of the bill with the AASU and 29 organisations representing ethnic communities. The Left-Democratic Manch, Assam of Left and democratic parties, and intellectuals, writers, literary and cultural workers took to the streets under the banner of the "Save Assam Movement" separately calling for the observance of a Black Day.

The Congress joined the protests and lent support to the bandh with its leaders joining the agitation programmes against the bill.

The Cabinet decision quickly follows the tabling of the report by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in both Houses of Parliament. BJP members in the JPC voted down the opposition to the bill provisions and amendments given by Opposition members. The committee defended the cut off date of 31 December, 2014 in respect of Hindu Bangladeshis and other minority migrants from the neighbouring country.

"As regards the cut-off date of 25 March, 1971, as spelt out in the Assam Accord and 31 December, 2014, as proposed in the bill, the Committee feels that the intent of the government is to protect the interest of those migrants of Indian origin who are subjected to unfair treatment for no fault of theirs. Display of such supportive and humanitarian approach on the part of the government towards the minorities who fled the three countries, including Bangladesh, due to religious persecution is quite appreciable. In fact, as the notification of the new cut-off date implies that no more migrants would be legally allowed into India after 31 December, 2014, it should motivate every stakeholder including the Central and state governments to work in unison to ensure putting in place foolproof measures to prevent illegal migrants from entering the country, especially Assam that has borne the maximum impact of influx from Bangladesh. The Committee, therefore, while agreeing with the cut-off date of 31 December, 2014, impresses upon the government to engage and mobilise all the resources at its command for implementing effective border fencing and technology deployment in a time bound manner to detect and stop further influx of illegal migrants," states the report of the Joint Committee on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The report also states that taking into account the apprehension by organisations and individuals from the North East, especially Assam raised apprehensions that the proposed amendments, if passed, would adversely impact the demography and socio-economic culture of the North East Region, the Committee sought the views of the government. In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs deposed before the committee as under: "There is no specific report on whether the refugee migrant population from Bangladesh is causing unexpected demographic changes of certain North Eastern States. The amendments are applicable to specific class and these people have been living in these areas since long. Further a cut-off date of 31 December, 2014 has been decided for determination of eligibility and to prevent the possibilities of vested interests in the neighbouring countries taking advantage of this provision for further influx into India".

Anticipating the protests, the Modi Cabinet decided to constitute a high-powered committee to assess levels of reservation of Assembly seats and in local bodies for Assamese and indigenous people in accordance with the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and also rushed to constitute a committee in a bid to counter-balance the protests against the bill. However, the AASU rejected the constitution of the committee saying that after dilution of the Clause 5 of the accord by passing the the Citizenship Amendment Bill, any safeguard under Clause 6 will be only a meaningless exercise.

The BJP faces the daunting task of holding onto its support base in Assam in the face of raging protests over the amendment in citizenship laws while the vexed problem of identification of "illegal Bangladeshi migrants" is poised to become more complicated than ever.
A landmark bill seeking to provide 10 percent reservation in jobs and education for the general category poor was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with most parties backing the measure, described by the government as 'historic' and in the country's interest.

New Delhi: A landmark bill seeking to provide 10 percent reservation in jobs and education for the general category poor was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with most parties backing the measure, described by the government as "historic" and in the country's interest.

As many as 323 members voted in support of the bill and only three voted against, underlining the cross-party support the politically crucial bill elicited. Replying to an over four and half hour debate, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot sought to allay doubts raised by several opposition members about the legislation's fate if challenged in the Supreme Court, saying he can say with confidence that the apex court will accept it. The Modi government's policy and intention is good and that is why it has enabled the reservation for the poor in the general category with the constitutional amendment, he said, seeking the support of all parties for the passage of The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019.

"Your doubts are unfounded. Put them to rest," he told opposition members, many of whom dubbed the bill as "jumla" and "gimmick", questioned its legal standing and accused the government of bringing it in haste with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls. Gehlot claimed that the bill is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion when he assumed power in 2014 that his government would be devoted to the cause of the poor and work for "sabka saath sabka vikas" (With all, development for all). "This is a historic decision and in the interest of the country," he said.

Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present in the House when the bill was passed. The government will table the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
President John F. Kennedy set up the CFC as the ideal avenue for federal employees [and] military members to demonstrate their belief in sharing with those who are less fortunate, Anderson said. The CFC goes along with the federal mission to serve. It provides federal employees [and] military members with the opportunity to further the mission of serving and giving.
The POCSO Act defines child as any person below the age of 18 years and the amendments are aimed at discouraging the trend of child sexual abuse by acting as a deterrent.

New Delhi: The Government on Tuesday in Lok Sabha introduced amendments to the POCSO Act, which provides death penalty for aggravated sexual assault on children, making it gender neutral and introducing provisions against child pornography and for enhancing punishment for certain offences.

The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2019, seeks to protect children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography and provide for establishment of Special Courts for trial of such offences.

The POCSO Amendment Bill, introduced by Minister of State in Ministry of Women and Child Development Virendra Kumar, also provides stringent punishments for other crimes against those below 18 years of age.

"The said Act is gender neutral and regards the best interests and welfare of the child as matter of paramount importance at every stage so as to ensure the healthy physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of the child," said the statement of Objects and Reasons of the

Bill.

The Sections 4, 5, 6 of the Act are proposed to be amended to provide the option of stringent punishment, including death penalty, for committing aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a child.

The Act defines child as any person below the age of 18 years and the amendments are aimed at discouraging the trend of child sexual abuse by acting as a deterrent.

Besides, Section 9 of the Act is being amended to protect children from sexual offences in times of natural calamities and disasters and in cases where children are administered any hormone or chemical substance to attain early sexual maturity for the purpose of penetrative sexual assault.

The Bill proposes a fine of not less than Rs 1,000 for not destroying or deleting or reporting the pornographic material involving a child. In case of subsequent offence, the fine would be not less than Rs 5,000 crore.

The offender can be further penalised with three-year jail term or fine or both for transmitting, propagating, administrating such material.

"In the recent past incidences of child sexual abuse cases demonstrating the inhumane mind-set of the abusers who have been barbaric in their approach towards young victims is rising in the country. Children are becoming easy prey because of their tender age, physical vulnerabilities and inexperience of life and society," the Bill said.

It said there is a strong need to take stringent measures to deter the rising trend of child sex abuse in the country.

The proposed amendments make provisions for enhancement of punishments for various offences so as to deter the perpetrators and ensure safety, security and dignified childhood for a child.
On Monday, the Union Cabinet approved 10 percent reservation in jobs and education to those economically weaker among the 'general category' who till now have never benefited from quotas.

On Monday, the Union Cabinet approved 10 percent reservation in jobs and education to those economically weaker among the 'general category' who till now have never benefited from quotas. While this decision by the Narendra Modi government is being analysed through a political prism, its constitutional validity also needs to be discussed.

Article 15 of the Indian Constitution  that ensures equality to all citizens and prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth  also provides that nothing in this article "shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes".

Similarly, Article 16, while ensuring equality of opportunity in matters of public employment, states that "nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from making any provision for the reservation of appointments or posts in favor of any backward class of citizens which, in the opinion of the State, is not adequately represented in the services under the State".

These two Articles while being the guarantors of equality, also form the basis of any 'positive discrimination' by the State, commonly known as 'reservation'. But to ensure that 'exception' does not override the 'rule', the Supreme Court of India through various landmark judgments has provided certain riders and principles that should be taken into consideration by lawmakers when framing any policy on reservation or granting reservation to any section of people. And the '50 percent' rule is one such rider that the apex court has put forward with regard to the reservation policy in India.

It is being held by the apex court that the total reserved quota should not exceed 50 percent, except in some extraordinary situations.

Currently, the Centre provides reservation to the Schedule Classes (SC), Schedule Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) that together make up 49.5 percent reservation. And with the Modi government's decision to provide a 10 percent quota in jobs and education to the economically weaker section among the 'general category', the total reservation will go much beyond the capped limit of 50 percent and will face the litmus test of legality and constitutional validity.

In the Oxford Handbook of The Indian Constitution, in a chapter on 'Reservations', Vinay Sitapati, assistant professor of political science and legal studies at Ashoka University, writes that the logic for imposing the 50 percent rule is based on the three different visions of the relationship between affirmative action and equality provisions of the Indian Constitution.

The first vision is what Sitapati explains as a "balance between competing constitutional principles of formal equality, social justice and efficiency". One of the consequences of the vision is "to see Article 16(4)  which permits reservations in employment  as being an exception to the formal equality provision of Article 16 (1)".

"Since the exception cannot be greater than the rule, reservations could not exceed 50 percent," writes Sitapati.

Further, it is also important to refer to some landmark cases in relation to this 50 percent rule, to understand the fate of the decision of Modi government, when it faces legal scrutiny. Dwelling on another perspective on relations between the two parts of Article 16 that have a clear bearing on reservation policy, Sitapati writes, "Article 16 (4) is merely an elaboration of 16 (1), which includes within it the idea that unequals cannot be treated unequally. Seen this way, the reservations do not limit the equality provisions of the Constitution, but merely elaborate upon them. Therefore, a 50 percent limit has no constitutional justification".

This vision has been endorsed to a certain extent by the apex court in the NM Thomas and ABSK Sangh case. However, in the famous Indra Sawhney case, the apex court, as pointed out by Sitapati, tried to harmonise the 'rule' and the 'exception' by declaring that while the two sections of Article 16 are inextricably linked, the balancing of various provisions of constitution is a must, hence the total quota cannot cross the 50 percent mark.

In the MR Balaji judgment too, the Supreme Court has held that special provisions must be within reasonable limits. Over the years, some states have provided reservations that have crossed the capped limit and are in contravention of the apex court's judgment. Tamil Nadu provides 69 percent reservations. The state has largely relied upon the exception provided to the 50 percent rule in the Indra Sawhney case.

The apex court, in the Indra Sawhney case, had held that, "While 50 percent shall be the rule, it is necessary not to put out of consideration certain extraordinary situations inherent in the great diversity of this country and the people. It might happen that in far-flung and remote areas the population inhabiting those areas might, on account of their being out of the mainstream of national life and in view of conditions peculiar to and characteristically to them, need to be treated in a different way, some relaxation in this strict rule may become imperative. In doing so, extreme caution is to be exercised and a special case made out."

However, as the judgment itself defines to an extent as to what the 'exception' can be, it is the judiciary's final review that will decide whether the 'exception' falls within the idea and definition of the 'exception' as articulated and conceived the apex court.

The states that had exceeded the 50 percent limit have also resorted to another way to shield their reservation policy from judicial review by placing them in Ninth Schedule of the Constitution that was meant to keep certain legislations beyond the ambit of judicial scrutiny.

Now this shield also stands exposed to judicial review as in 2007, in the landmark IR Coelho versus State of Tamil Nadu, the apex court held that even the laws placed under Ninth Schedule are subject to judicial review. However, the same Supreme Court has allowed Tamil Nadu to continue with its 69 percent reservation upholding the legality of some of its argument.

There are several apex court judgments, constitutional principles, precedents and legal arguments that go in favour of or against of breaching the 50 percent rule to be picked depending upon which side of the fence  that reservation policy has clearly created over the years  one is placed.

As of now, for the government to implement its decision, a constitutional amendment will be required, but at same time a judicial review of that decision can be, and by all possibility will be, on the anvil.
Various trade unions and farmers' and teachers' associations across the country have started the tw0-day nationwide strike. The Left parties have called affiliate unions to participate in the strike to protest against the Narendra Modi government.

Various trade unions and farmers' and teachers' associations across the country have started the tw0-day nationwide strike. The Left parties have called affiliate unions to participate in the strike to protest against the Narendra Modi government. Trade and farmers' unions have said they will stage rail and rasta roko (stop traffic and trains) protests in their respective areas.

Almost 20 crore workers from formal and informal sectors are protesting against the central government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms, a group of 10 central trade unions said on Monday.

"As many as 10 central trade unions (CTUs) have joined hands to go on a two-day nationwide strike from tomorrow. We expect 20 crore workers to join the strike. This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining the strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government," Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told reporters in Delhi in a joint press conference of the 10 CTUs.

She said sectors like telecom, health, education, coal, steel, electricity, banking, insurance and transport among others are likely to support the strike. "We will go on a protest march from Mandi House to the Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday. Similar protests would be held across the country," she said.

Scores of transport workers, demanding social security and a monthly salary of Rs 24,000, will also participate in the two-day strike on Tuesday, Live Mint reported.

The transport workers who have threatened to join the nationwide protests include employees of Mumbais BEST buses, Bengalurus Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses.

It is not yet clear whether Uber and Ola services will be affected or not. Kaur added that the CTUs are also opposed to unilateral labour reforms.

"We have given suggestions on labour codes. But during the discussion... trade unions' demands were rejected. We went on strike on 2 September, 2016. We also did three-day mahapadav (agitation) from 9 to 11 November in 2017. But the government did not come for dialogue, rather it went ahead with unilateral labour reforms," she said.

The 10 CTUs going on strike include Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), AITUC, Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will not participate.

"The government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored the unions' 12-point charter of demands. The Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since the strike on 2 September, 2015. This has left us with no other option but to go on strike," Kaur said.

In a joint statement, the CTUs also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people".

They are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions.

"The unions claim that farming communities through their associations have also extended support to the strike. Student and teacher organisations of various universities have also declared support," the statement said.

With inputs from PTI
Bharat Bandh LIVE Updates: The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Right has sent a show cause notice CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty and other party office bearers. The commission is aggrieved over the attack on school bus in Barasat. The commission said that 'such dangerous and unconstitutional move by a political party is a violation of child rights under the juvenile justice Act.

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While trade union have called for a two-day Bharat Bandh on 8 and 9 January, bank employees are also set to go on strike on the same days. Banking services are likely to be affected on 8-9 January as a section of PSU bank employees are going on a two-day strike in support of the nation-wide strike call given by 10 central trade unions against the government's alleged anti-worker policy.

The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees Federation of India have informed the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) of the two-day nationwide strike on 8-9 January.

Ten central trade unions  INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA  have also called for a nationwide general strike on 8-9 January against what they call "anti-people" policies of the Centre and have placed a charter of 12 demands before the central government.

the Bill proposes to grant statutory recognition to trade unions at both the central and state-level. However, unions have pointed out that the Bill seeks to vest the government with the discretionary power in recognising the trade unions, departing entirely from the existing practice based on tripartite (employees, employers and government) consensus.

Even as ten central trade unions (CTUs) have called for a nationwide workers strike on January 8-9, expected to be among the biggest strike actions in India, the government will introduce a Bill in Lok Sabha to further amend the Trade Unions Act 1956.

Kolkata Police detained CPM workers protesting in support of the 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions on Tuesday, ANI reported. Their demands include minimum wages and social security schemes among others.

On the other hand, there was fresh tension at Hutton road of Asansol city when the bandh supporters forcefully tried to shut down the shops and the private buses. Later, there was a clash when Trinamool Congress workers went to stop the bandh supporters from forcefully disrupting the state bus service near the Hutton road.

Tension prevailed in Asansol during the band called by the Left wing trade unions against the 'anti-people' policy of the central government. SBSTC buses run by the West Bengal government was allegedly ransacked by the supporters of trade unions following which, Jamuria police reached the spot and dispersed protesters.

As a fallout of the trade union bandh call, schools and colleges in parts of Karnataka and all of Odisha remained closed on Tuesday in view of the bandh. Kerala government has left the decision to shut the schools with the local administration.

Auto rickshaw unions have been supporting the bandh but many auto rickshaws came to the roads this morning. Buses from other cities have been arriving. As CBT has called for a complete Bandh people who had come to Belagavi found hard to travel back to their cities. Apart from three to four buses leaving from Belagavi city this morning, no buses left and buses from Belagavi to other cities are completely stopped.

The Bharat Bandh called by trade unions has seen mixed reaction this morning in Belagavi city, Karnataka. While CBT (City and Central Bus Stand) has called for a complete bandh, buses from other cities have arrived at the bus stand. Though schools and colleges were shut today as a precautionary measure, many students were not aware of this and had to turn back from the Belagavi bus stand.

A school bus was attacked in Barsat area of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal where protesters tried to enforce a bandh. Reports of massive damage to public property was also received from other parts of the state, including Kolkata, Hooghly, Asansol.

Normalcy has been affected in the Union Territory of Pondicherry due to the nation-wide strike called by trade unions. Protesters pelted stones at the buses which were trying to move towards Cuddalore and other neighbouring districts. Autos and share rickshaws also remained off roads. Most shops have been shut down and many schools remain closed. Commuters have been badly affected as all the means of transport came to a halt. The administration has deployed nearly 500 police personnel in and around the city.

Policeman laced with riot gear were deployed in heavy numbers in Barasat city of the North 24 Parganas district. However, despite this, the trade union workers along with CPM workers are still trying to stop the government buses and other vehicles. Buses are being vandalised and commuters are being forced to turn back by CPM cadres.

Over 33,000 BEST employees were on an indefinite strike since midnight over their demands, including higher wages, paralysing bus services and causing inconvenience to nearly 25-lakh daily commuters.

The state-run Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has provided special buses for Mumbai as of city's civic transport undertaking BEST buses remained on strike. The MSRTC has run a total 40 special buses since morning. Fifteen state buses were operated for office goers from Thane to Mantralaya, said MSRTC spokesperson Abhijit Bhosale, The Times of India reported.

Major clashes between Left party workers and local police were reported from Palsit area in Burdwan district of Wesr Bengal. The disturbance was reported after protesters tried to block the national highway this morning. Four people have been detained so far.

"The government is with the candidates, if they face any problem, the administration will surely help them," a newspaper report quoted Education Minister Partha Chatterjee as saying.

West Bengal candidates appearing for JEE Main exam, which begins today (8 January) and ends on Saturday (12 January), will not be affected due to the two-day strike called by CPIM-led trade union CITU, News18 reported .

Schools have been forced to shut down as the strike affects the public transport in Tamil Nadus Thiruvarur District. Thiruvarur has a large majority of Left-wing supporters and the DMK union is lending its support to the national strike. About 2,000 autos were stopped and the private buses were not operated. School children and public are largely affected due to this two-day strike.

Massive clashes between Trinamool Congress and CPM workers in West Bengal's Kolkata as a result of which train traffic was completely halted at city's suburban Dum Dum junction. Reports said that journalists covering the protests were also assaulted by the clashing workers.

The traders have opened the shops in accordance with the decision taken by the traders organizations led by Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) during the hartals called by BJP and other Hindu organisations in protest against the womens entry in Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. Several shops opened by the traders in the light of this decision during the last hartal on 3 Janauary were attacked. Trade organization leaders had then said that they would not cooperate with such strikes in future as well.

A section of traders in Kochi and Kozhikode opened shops defying the general strike that turned out to be a total shut down in most parts of Kerala. In Kochi, shops were opened in Broadway, one of the major shopping hubs in the city. However, the strike supporters did not allow traders to open shops in other parts of the city. Business was run as usual on the Sweet Street in Kozhikode with traders joining hands in keeping the strike supporters at bay.

Protesters vandalised the Bharatiya Janata Party's office in Dibrugarh, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal's home district. Protesters raising slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill vandalised the BJP office situated at Amolapatty just 100 meters from Amolapatty police outpost. Security forces are deployed in the area to control the situation.

Hundreds of Ayyappa devotees, who observe a difficult 40-day-Vratham before they come to Sabarimala, were found stranded at railway stations and bus stands in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Patghanamthitta, Ernakulam and Palakkad districts.

The general strike affected the pilgrims to the Sabarimla Lord Ayyappa shrine who were trying to reach Pamba base camp to begin their trek to the hil shrine. Supporters of the strike blocked trains in most parts of the state and private bus operators and state-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation were also forced to remain off roads in face of massive protests.

Fresh clashes were reported from Murshidabad district in West bengal as bandh supporters attacked ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) offices. Nine TMC men were reportedly injured in the ensuing clashes and a large police party has been sent to bring the situation under control. The TMC alleged that the Left party workers attacked its cadres with iron rods and bricks, heavy amount of stone pelting was also reported.

Even as ten central trade unions (CTUs) have called for a nationwide workers strike on 8-9 January, expected to be among the biggest strike actions in India, the government introduced a Bill in Lok Sabha to further amend the Trade Unions Act 1956. The Bill proposes to grant statutory recognition to trade unions at both the central and state-level. However, unions have pointed out that the Bill seeks to vest the government with the discretionary power in recognising the trade unions, departing entirely from the existing practice based on tripartite (employees, employers and government) consensus.

TMC leader Mijanur Rahman was brutally attacked in the clashes reported between CPM workers and AITMC cadres in Murshidabad. Rahman has been admitted in Murshidabad's medical college along with eight other TMC workers and is undergoing treatment.

Ten trade unions have announced a massive protest across India starting today. One of their key demands is to grant equal benefits and pay to contractual workers, education and pension benefits for all employees.

Vishwas Utagi, convener of the Traders Association in Maharashtra said, "We have give the government our note, we have given them our vote. Now why can't they set aside 10 percent of the Union Budget to ensure social security for the government employees."

The BEST management threatened to invoke Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against the striking employees. However, the employees were adamant to carry on with the strike until their demands were met. The Maharashtra government on Monday had brought in the state power corporation employees under the scope of MESMA to stop them from joining the strike.

RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has said it will not participate in the all-India strike called by 10 traders uniouns mostly backed by Left-wing parties.

In Bhubaneswar, there is a mixed response to the bandh call. There is no blockade in several parts of the city. However, public transport has come to a halt. People are using their private vehicles to commute. All shops, petrol pumps have been shut down. Trade union protest rally was taken out near state secretariat, however, the police stopped the rally at Jaydev Bhawan near secretariat.

The 48-hour general strike called by central trade unions brought the functioning of the government offices in Kerala, including state secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram, to a standstill. While most employees did not report for work, a few who came were prevented from entering the offices. Even chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues and senior officers kept off the secretariat. The Left unions also blocked traffic on a road leading to the secretariat by erecting a shed for their meeting.

A bunch of students travelling to give their exam in Burdwan were attacked by Left-wing protesters. The private vehicle in which the students were travelling was suddenly hit by stones. Despite repeated requests by the students that the protesters let the car go, the angry mob broke the car's front screen with sticks and forced the students to turn back.

In Karnataka's Hassan, Anganwadi workers, daily wage workers and other contractual workers gathered in large numbers to protest demanding equal pay rights and social security benefits. Many women, particularly workers of Asha, are participating in the rally, demanding among other things Rs 18,000 per month as minimum wage.

The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Right has sent a show cause notice CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty and other party office bearers. The commission is aggrieved over the attack on school bus in Barasat. The commission said that "such dangerous and unconstitutional move by a political party is a violation of child rights under the juvenile justice Act.

The assurances given by trade union leaders not to enforce the strike in Kerala remained futile with trade union workers preventing workers from going to offices, blocking vehicles and trains and forcing traders to close shops and business establishments throughout the state. The assurance was given by the leaders following strong public opinion against frequent shut down strikes (hartal). The general strike turned out to be a hartal with vehicles keeping off the roads, schools and colleges declaring holidays and shops and business establishments remaining closed in most parts of the state. The trade union workers clashed with traders in Malapuram and Alapuzha disticts when they tried to open the shops. The strike also hit the functioning of the industry.

The BEST management threatened to invoke Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against the striking employees. However, the employees were adamant to carry on with the strike until their demands were met. The Maharashtra government on Monday had brought in the state power corporation employees under the scope of MESMA to stop them from joining the strike.

RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has said it will not participate in the all-India strike called by 10 traders uniouns mostly backed by Left-wing parties.

In Bhubaneswar, there is a mixed response to the bandh call. There is no blockade in several parts of the city. However, public transport has come to a halt. People are using their private vehicles to commute. All shops, petrol pumps have been shut down. Trade union protest rally was taken out near state secretariat, however, the police stopped the rally at Jaydev Bhawan near secretariat.

The 48-hour general strike called by central trade unions brought the functioning of the government offices in Kerala, including state secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram, to a standstill. While most employees did not report for work, a few who came were prevented from entering the offices. Even chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his cabinet colleagues and senior officers kept off the secretariat. The Left unions also blocked traffic on a road leading to the secretariat by erecting a shed for their meeting.

A bunch of students travelling to give their exam in Burdwan were attacked by Left-wing protesters. The private vehicle in which the students were travelling was suddenly hit by stones. Despite repeated requests by the students that the protesters let the car go, the angry mob broke the car's front screen with sticks and forced the students to turn back.

In Karnataka's Hassan, Anganwadi workers, daily wage workers and other contractual workers gathered in large numbers to protest demanding equal pay rights and social security benefits. Many women, particularly workers of Asha, are participating in the rally, demanding among other things Rs 18,000 per month as minimum wage.

West Bengal, meanwhile, saw major clashes between the ruling TMC and Opposition CPM workers as the latter tried to enforce the shutdown while the former were seen thwarting them. At one place in Murshidabad, nine TMC workers were injured after a bunch of CPM workers attacked their party office.

In rest of India, the strike evoked mixed response as banking services and state transport took the maximum brunt of the shutdown. However, many private establishments remained open in defiance to the shutdown call. Only in Kerala was the effect near total with only a few traders' associations keeping their establishments open in defiance. However, they too were later forced to down shutters.

Looking at the overall picture of Tuesday's bandh, the effect was near total in North East India with the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) calling for a bandh after a gap of 10 years, which is also being supported by the erstwhile BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the opposition Congress, the AIUDF, and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).

The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Right has sent a show cause notice CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty and other party office bearers. The commission is aggrieved over the attack on school bus in Barasat. The commission said that "such dangerous and unconstitutional move by a political party is a violation of child rights under the juvenile justice Act.

The assurances given by trade union leaders not to enforce the strike in Kerala remained futile with trade union workers preventing workers from going to offices, blocking vehicles and trains and forcing traders to close shops and business establishments throughout the state. The assurance was given by the leaders following strong public opinion against frequent shut down strikes (hartal). The general strike turned out to be a hartal with vehicles keeping off the roads, schools and colleges declaring holidays and shops and business establishments remaining closed in most parts of the state. The trade union workers clashed with traders in Malapuram and Alapuzha disticts when they tried to open the shops. The strike also hit the functioning of the industry.

Bharat Bandh Latest Updates: The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Right has sent a show cause notice CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty and other party office bearers. The commission is aggrieved over the attack on school bus in Barasat. The commission said that "such dangerous and unconstitutional move by a political party is a violation of child rights under the juvenile justice Act.

A bunch of students travelling to give their exam in Burdwan were attacked by Left-wing protesters. The private vehicle in which the students were travelling was suddenly hit by stones. Despite repeated requests by the students that the protesters let the car go, the angry mob broke the car's front screen with sticks and forced the students to turn back.

The strike affected the pilgrims to the Sabarimla Lord Ayyappa shrine who were trying to reach Pamba base camp to begin their trek to the hill shrine. Supporters of the strike blocked trains in most parts of the state and private bus operators and state-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation were also forced to remain off roads in face of massive protests.

Hundreds of Ayyappa devotees, who observe a difficult 40-day-Vratham before they come to Sabarimala, were found stranded at railway stations and bus stands in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Patghanamthitta, Ernakulam and Palakkad districts.

Santosh Kumar Gangwar was listed to introduce The Trade Unions (Amendment) Bill, 2019. A CPM MP pointed out that the bill is being presented on a day workers in the entire country are on strike to demand better working conditions for the working class. "The sole purpose is to determine a criteria for the recognition of a trade union, the current Act only grants registration," he said.

He has opposed the introduction of the bill as per Rule 70 of the House, as per which such amendments should be accompanied by a memorandum explaining the need for such proposals.

Protesters vandalised the Bharatiya Janata Party's office in Dibrugarh, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal's home district. Protesters raising slogans against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill vandalised the BJP office situated at Amolapatty just 100 meters from Amolapatty police outpost. Security forces are deployed in the area to control the situation.

In Bengaluru, BMTC buses have been plying their regular routes like its any other working day. Namma Metro is operational and auto rickshaws largely remain available on the roads. But establishments remain closed. The famous MTR hotel on Lal Bhag road, Lal Bhag Grand Hotel, Vidhyarthi Bhavan in Basavangudi and many other hotels are closed with no takers for their hot coffee and idlies.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders from west Bengal, Sujan Chakraborty and Anadi Sahoo have been detained by Kolkata Police during bandh demonstration in South Kolkata.

The state-run Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has provided special buses for Mumbai as of city's civic transport undertaking BEST buses remained on strike. The MSRTC has run a total 40 special buses since morning. Fifteen state buses were operated for office goers from Thane to Mantralaya, said MSRTC spokesperson Abhijit Bhosale, The Times of India reported.

A school bus was attacked in Barsat area of North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal where protesters tried to enforce a bandh. Reports of massive damage to public property was also received from other parts of the state, including Kolkata, Hooghly, Asansol.

The bandh supporters managed to enforce the shutdown in most parts of Dibrugarh district in Assam. Train services were shut in Hooghly and in Odisha's Bhubaneswar, traffic was halted at NH16. The bandh has hit early morning commuters and office goers the worst.

At Hindmotor in Hooghly, trade union supporters and CPM workers suporters ransacked a bus as they were trying to block the GT Road in the city in support of Bharat bandh called by the left parties. Meanwhile, tension prevailed in Asansol as ruling party's workers tried to prevent the striking workers from enforcing the shutdown.

The Central Trade Unions have called for a 48-hour nationwide strike accusing the Narendra Modi government of neglecting demands on minimum wage, universal social security, workers status, including pay and better facilities. States, like West Bengal, Assam and Odisha were the worst affected on Tuesday morning. Kolkata police detained CPM workers protesting in support of the 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions on Tuesday, ANI reported. Their demands include minimum wages and social security schemes among others.

While trade union have called for a two-day Bharat Bandh on 8 and 9 January, bank employees are also set to go on strike on the same days. Banking services are likely to be affected on 8-9 January as a section of PSU bank employees are going on a two-day strike in support of the nation-wide strike call given by 10 central trade unions against the government's alleged anti-worker policy.

Central Trade Unions Monday said around 20 crore workers will go on a 2-day nationwide strike from Tuesday to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.

"As many as 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have joined hands to go on a 2-day nationwide strike from tomorrow. We expect 20 crore workers to join the strike.

"This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining the strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government," Amarjeet Kaur, General

Secretary of AITUC, told reporters here in a joint press conference of the 10 CTUs. She said sectors like telecom, health, education, coal, steel, electricity, banking, insurance and transport among others are likely to support the strike.

"We will go on protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday. Similar protests would be done across the country," she said. Kaur said the CTUs are also opposed to unilateral labour reforms.

"We have given suggestions on labour codes. But during discussion...trade unions' demands were rejected. We went on strike on 2 September, 2016. We also did 3-day 'Mahapadav' (agitation) from November 9-11 in 2017. But the government did not come for dialogue rather went ahead with unilateral labour reforms," she said.

The 10 CTUs going on strike include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will not participate.

"The government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions' 12-point charter of demands. The Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015 strike. This has left us with no other option but to go on strike," Kaur said.

In a joint statement, the CTUs also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people."

They are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926 saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions.

The unions claim that farming communities through their associations have also extended support to the strike. Student and teacher organisations of various universities have also declared support, the statement said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh moved the the Citizenship Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha amid protests inside the House and in the northeast.

The Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, on Tuesday amid protests, both inside the House and in the North East.

Amidst the din, Union Home Minister, who moved the Bill, said that the responsibility of the well-being of migrants will belong to the whole of India and not just Assam.

"Assam's burden is the whole nation's burden," he said, stating that "the proposed amendment will make persecuted minorities in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan "eligible to apply for citizenship".

In the parliament, the Bill was tabled amidst vehement objection by the opposition. The Congress said many states have opposed the Bill and it should be sent to a select committee. With Speaker Sumitra Mahajan not heeding to the demand, the Congress staged a walkout.

The Bill aims to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Sikhs who have fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.

One of the key points of the Bill is that while the minimum residency period for immigrants to be recognised as citizens were 12, it is now seven.

The home minister said that citizenship will be given to them only after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the state government.

As Singh sought to clarify that Bill is not just for Assam but the whole of India, his speech was met with rounds of "Modi hatao, desh bachao" slogans from opposition leaders.

Amidst the din, Singh said, "A lot of wrong information is being spread in the name of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Which is why it is important to mention that the Bill is not just for Assam but for migrants who settle all over India, in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The law applies to all of them. It will apply to all states and Union Territories."

The home minister also said that the slow process of drafting the National Register of Citizens has been completed in a "time-bound manner" by the Central government which is committed to fulfilling this charge.

"As I had said earlier, no Indian citizen will be left out of the NRC. Even after the final list is published, there will be an option for people to go to court," Singh said.

He also spoke on preserving the Assam Accord, and its contentious Clause Six, which he called an "important pillar". Clause 6 of the Accord states that "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.

Singh's speech, however, is unlikely to calm the All Assam Students Union (AASU), along with 30 other organisations, had called for a state-wide 11 hours shutdown in the northeast from 5 am to 4 pm on Tuesday, protesting against the Bill.

The shutdown is being viewed as one of the rare instances when the whole of the North East region has come together over an issue. The BJP appears to have been isolated over the issue. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a partner in the BJP-led Assam government, broke up with the saffron party while the NDA allies, the Shiv Sena and the JD(U), have opposed this legislation. Mizoram and Meghalaya governments have opposed the bill as well by adopting a resolution against it in their respective cabinet meetings.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Trinamool Congress legislator Saugata Roy both advocated that the Bill be sent to a select committee. Roy was particularly scathing and said the Bill would "burn" Assam and parts of the North East, leaving Bengal to carry the burden of people who would enter the state through Alipurduar as a result. "In every meeting (called by the select committee) I said the Bill needs to go because it has divisive parts. They felt no need to evolve a consensus," Roy said.

He also asked for a secular Bill. "Do not mention communities or just three countries. What about people who come in from Sri lanka and Nepal? We should act as a humanitarian nation," he added. Calling the Bill an "insidious, divisive" mechanism, Roy pronounced that the Matua community stands with Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and cannot be wooed by the BJP through Bills like these. The Trinamool Congress then staged a walkout.

BJP's Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia spoke in Bengali and quoted the poet Dwijendralal Roy, saying the people who fought for freedom likely did not realise that they would one day be driven out of their own land and at such a juncture, the government owed it to them to help them.

Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab moved an amendment to the Bill, asking for Bangladesh to be removed from the list of countries in it if Sri Lanka or Myanmar were not included. Calling it a 'manifesto', CPM leader Mohammed Salim said citizenship cannot be granted on the basis of religion and that the Bill was a pre-election ploy to garner votes.

All India United Democratic Front MP Badruddin Ajmal and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddin Owaisi rejected the Bill, demanding its withdrawal.

Shiv Sena MP Arvind Ganpat Sawant said the Bill was a continuation of the tenets based on which the Sena was formed, the protection of the rights of indigenous people, and called for talks between the BJP and the AGP for a resolution of the issues in Assam.

BJP MPs Bijoya Chakravarti, Meenakshi Lekhi and Sunil Kumar Singh all spoke for the Bill. Lekhi cited data that seemed to correlate rising violence on women with Muslim population in Assam.

In his ending reply, Singh replied to the issues raised, especially to Roy's call for a "secular" bill, by saying that the government was happy to extend longterm visas to Muslims from Pakistan or Afghanistan who are facing religious persecution in their own countries. "Whatever has been done has been keeping Assam on the forefront," he said.

Singh also quoted excerpts from the earlier speeches of several political figures beginning from Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh, vouching for the acceptability and necessity of the Bill, before Speaker Mahajan declared it passed by the Lok Sabha after voting.

With inputs from PTI
The murmurs within the CBI is that Verma, after being reinstated, may resign since the Supreme Court decision is merely a moral victory for him.

New Delhi: "Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat" - Sun Tzu

These words of the Chinese general, military strategist, writer and philosopher adequately sum up the government's midnight October coup against CBI Director Alok Verma. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) drafted an eight-page note highlighting allegation of corruption, non-cooperation and cited several notices that went unanswered before it sent Verma into hibernation on 23 October.

The move was seen as a show of strength by a decisive government, which finally stepped in to defuse the bitter fight with Special Director Rakesh Asthana (Verma's deputy) and show them their place. Verma and Asthana were at loggerheads: the latter was booked by the chief investigative agency in an alleged bribery case for accepting a bribe to "settle" a case of meat exporter Moin Qureshi, who is facing multiple cases of money laundering and corruption.

Asthana accused Verma of interfering in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation corruption case involving family members of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad and filed a complaint against him. The CBI responded by releasing a statement denying Asthana's charges, asserted that Asthana was being probed in a half dozen cases and accused him of trying to intimidate investigators. The fight between the CBI director and his deputy came to light after Verma objected to the CVC calling Asthana as the CBI representative for a meeting when Verma was on a trip abroad. The tiff has been on for months, with Verma allegedly attempting to block Asthana's elevation as the special director on the grounds that he was being investigated.

While BJP leaders defended the government's decision, saying it takes tremendous courage to act against corruption, a section within the government remained nervous. The government's first big mistake was to let the fight escalate and allowing the two factions within the CBI  each accusing the other of corruption  to mar the administration's image.

The second blunder was to rope in the CVC to rein in Verma, who could have been asked by Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to behave like a CBI director and not a sulking babu. There was a serious misinterpretation of CVC roles and functions vis-a-vis Vineet Narain case. The vigilance watchdog exercises superintendence over the functioning of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (CBI) insofar as it relates to the investigation of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. And it can give directions to the CBI for superintendence insofar as it relates to the investigation of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Before taking steps against Verma, the government should have gone to the selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with leader of Opposition, Chief Justice of India before the midnight coup. It did not do that. The process, which could have been completed without any hitch will now be set in motion, but only after losing face in the Supreme Court and termed "despotic" by the Opposition Congress.

The government argument that the action was due to extraordinary and emergent situation overwhelmingly failed to assure the apex court, which set aside the CVC and DoPT order. Tuesday's defeat is not a minor hiccup, but a huge embarrassment for the government, which also failed to consider two salient points before acting: Was the CVC legally empowered to divest the CBI chief of his powers without a decision taken by the selection panel that appoints him? Should the probe have been ordered into the alleged corruption case after a meeting was convened by the panel?

The Supreme Court directive to reinstate Verma  albeit without any power to take policy decisions  clearly indicates that these two points were not even considered by the higher-ups in government despite the fact that they knew there was a possibility of a crushing defeat on the eve of 2019 general elections.

This is undoubtedly a setback for the government and an argument like balanced view is nothing more than a face-saving exercise. Verma is set to retire in the first week of next month and the selection panel needs to decide his fate. The murmurs within the CBI is that Verma, after being reinstated, may resign since the Supreme Court decision is merely a moral victory for him.

Verma went to the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of his rights, but the directive is more academic and cannot be seen as such. The government will still call the shots, but this whole saga is an important reminder to decision-makers: Know which battles to pick, and more importantly, when to pick them.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated CBI Director Alok Verma, setting aside the Centre's decision to divest him of his powers, but restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against him is over.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated CBI Director Alok Verma, setting aside the Centre's decision to divest him of his powers, but restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) probe into corruption charges against him is over.

The apex court said any further decision against Verma, who was sent on leave following the Centre's 23 October decision and retires on 31 January, will be taken by the high-powered committee which selects and appoints the CBI director.

The selection committee comprises the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. The top court said the selection committee will take its decision on the basis of the findings of the CVC inquiry. It said the meeting of the committee should be convened within a week.

The judgement was penned by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. However, the CJI didn't attend court and it was pronounced by Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph. The apex court also set aside the Centre's decision to appoint senior IPS officer M Nageswara Rao, who was joint director, as the agency's interim chief.

Noting the history of the CBI, the Supreme Court noted that the CBI, which was initially governed by the Police Act, 1861 made the provision, "The superintendence of the police throughout a general police district shall vest in and shall be exercised by the State Government to which such district is subordinate; and except as authorised under the provisions of this Act, no person, officer, or court shall be empowered by the state government to supersede, or control any police functionary."

The DSPE Act was enacted in the year 1946 to carve out an exception to the Police Act, 1861. The court noted:

"The organization i.e. CBI has grown over the years in its role, power and importance and today has become the premier investigative and prosecution agency of the country. The high stature and the preeminent position that the institution has acquired is largely on account of a strong perception of the necessity of having such a premier agency. Such a perception finds reflection in the conscious attempts of the Government of the day to introduce reforms, from time to time, so as to enable the institution to reach greater heights in terms of integrity, independence and confidence. A close look at such attempts will now be in order."

"If the word transferred has to be understood in its ordinary parlance and limited to a change from one post to another, as the word would normally convey and on that basis the requirement of previous consent of the Committee is 39 understood to be only in such cases, i.e. purely of transfer, such an interpretation would be self-defeating and would clearly negate the legislative intent. In such an event it will be free for the State Authority to effectively disengage the Director, CBI from functioning by adopting various modes, known and unknown, which may not amount to transfer but would still have th same effect as a transfer from one post to another, namely, cessation of exercise of powers and functions of the earlier post. This is clearly not what the legislature could have intended. The long history of evolution has shown that the institution of the CBI has been perceived to be necessarily kept away from all kinds of extraneous influences so that it can perform its role as the premier investigating and prosecuting agency without any fear and favour and in the best public interest. The head of the institution, namely, the Director, naturally, therefore, has to be the role model of independence and integrity which can only be ensured by freedom from all kinds of control and interference except to the extent that Parliament may have intended. Such intendment, in our considered view, would require all Authorities to keep away from intermingling or interfering in the functioning of the Director."

"In a situation where such interference may at all be called for, public interest must be writ large against the backdrop of the necessity. The relevance and adequacy of the

reasons giving rise to such a compelling necessity can only be tested by the opinion of the Committee constituted under Section 4A(1) of the DSPE Act in whom the power to make recommendations for appointment of the Director has been vested by Parliament. This alone can provide an adequate safeguard to ensure the independence of the office keeping in view the legislative intent, as found and held by us."

"As the issue of divestment of power and authority of the Director, CBI is still open for consideration by the Committee and our interference with the impugned orders has been on the ground indicated above, we deem it proper to direct that the petitioner Shri Alok Verma, Director, CBI, upon reinstatement, will cease and desist from taking any major policy decisions till the decision of the Committee permitting such actions and decisions becomes available within the time frame indicated. We further make it explicit that the role of the Petitioner Shri Alok Verma as the Director, CBI during the interregnum and in terms of this order will be confined only to the exercise of the ongoing routine functions without any fresh initiative, having no major policy or institutional implications."

Read the full Supreme Court verdict here:

With the verdict, the apex court overruled the Centre's 23 October decision divesting Verma as CBI chief and sending him on leave. Verma had moved the top court challenging the Centre's decision.

Verma sought quashing of three orders of 23 October, 2018  one by the CVC and two by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT)  as being without jurisdiction and in violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

Rao, a 1986 batch Odisha-cadre IPS officer, was given the charge of interim chief of the probe agency. The Centre took the decision to send Verma and CBI's Special Director Rakesh Asthana on leave after their feud become public. The top two charged each other of corruption.

The Centre said Verma and Asthana were fighting like "Kilkenny cats", exposing the country's premier investigating agency to "public ridicule".

Challenging the government's decision, Verma's counsel and senior advocate Fali S Nariman argued that the CBI director was appointed on February 1, 2017 and "the position of law is that there will be a fixed tenure of two years and this gentleman cannot be even transferred".

Nariman said there was no basis for the CVC to pass an order recommending that Verma be sent on leave.

With inputs from agencies
House Speaker Michael E. Busch is proposing to rename the State House press room in honor of five employees who were killed at The Capital newspaper office last year. (Pamela Wood, Baltimore Sun video)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Centre's order divesting CBI director Alok Verma of his powers after an internal feud in the investigative agency came to the forefront in October 2018.

The Supreme Court's decision reinstating Alok Verma as the CBI director has generated bittersweet reactions. While lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that the Supreme Court has given a verdict favouring the "shunted" CBI chief, he added that it also is only a "partial" victory for Verma because of the stipulations added by the Supreme Court in its order.

The apex court, however, issued a caveat in its ruling saying that the CBI director will not be able to make any policy decisions until a Selection Committee  comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition  comes to a decision about his powers as head of the investigative agency.

Analysts pointed out that the limitation makes the ruling, which was authored by CJI Ranjan Gogoi, rang hollow in practicality and is not a real win for the previously shunted Verma. Verma's tenure is set to end on 31 January, while the Selection Committee's possible date of meeting is still a week away. Uncertainty about the CBI director's fate in office could be extended for longer if the committee is unable to come to a decision immediately.

However, Verma's "partial victory" was celebrated by his supporters, who, according to TV reports, were happy that Verma at least got a chance to exit his office with dignity. Supporters were happy with the judgment as it allowed the embattled head of the investigative agency a dignified exit from his office. Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Verma's lawyer Sanjay Hegde said, "I see it as a victory for democracy and institutional integrity in India."

The CBI, however, said that the uncertainty within the agency will continue, according to reports. "What 'policy decision' is will be open to interpretation on a case by case basis," the agency reportedly told News18.

The apex court on Tuesday set aside the Centre's order divesting Verma of his powers after an internal feud in the investigative agency came to the forefront in October 2018. The government had sent Verma and his second-in-command Special Director Rakesh Asthana on leave after their allegations of corruption against each other become public.

In his case against the government's order, Verma had sought the quashing of three orders of 23 October, 2018  one by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and two by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), as being without jurisdiction and in violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

The apex court's order observed that the decision was not made based on the protocol of referring to the selection committee. "The legislative intent of insulating the CBI director is manifest," said the three judges who set aside the government's move unanimously. The appointment of M Nageswara Rao, joint director, as interim chief has also been set aside.

According to reports, the Supreme Court observed that the "director must be a role model" for the CBI's "independence". The court also said, "Public interest paramount in ensuring the independence of the CBI."

"The legislative intent of insulating the CBI director is manifest," said the judgment, which was a unanimous decision by the three judges. According to reports, the appointment of M Nageswara Rao, joint director, as interim chief has also been set aside.

With inputs from agencies
Civil society organisations in Assam have announced indefinite economic blockade from Wednesday restricting movement of commodities from Assam to other parts of India to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which is likely to be tabled in Rajya Sabha on 9 January

Even as the Lok Sabha passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha, civil society organisations in Assam are bracing up for the second phase of agitation against the Bill in the form of an economic blockade. Seventy civil society organisations have already declared indefinite economic blockade restricting movement of commodities from Assam to other parts of India.

The economic blockade is going to take place a day after the state observed 11-hour bandh in protest of the bill on Tuesday.

Assam witnessed sporadic violence in different districts where moving vehicles along with offices of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were attacked. Even the movement of a number of trains was restricted.

Speaking about the declared protest programme that is going to take place from Wednesday, Junmoni Devi Khound, one of the female leaders of the movement said to Firstpost, "The economic blockade has started from today itself. But since a bandh was already called, the blockade programme was not evident. It will start in a full-fledged manner from tomorrow.

On Tuesday, as a part of the bandh roads were blocked in Guwahati and Dibrugarh, as a result of which movement of vehicles through roads was affected.

Nripen Bhattacharyya, a public relations officer in the Indian Railways, said that movement of long distance and short distance trains was affected due to the bandh.

Trains were detained by protesters in Tinsukia, Makum and Moranhat stations, as a result of which movements of Rajdhani and other long-distance trains got affected, he said.

Khound informed that as a part of the economic blockade, movement of trucks through the highways would be restricted in Assam-West Bengal bordering district of Dhubri.

Palash Sangmai, general secretary of the Asom Jatiyotabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad told Firstpost that not only the exit points but even sources of production would be closed to ensure that no production takes place to export commodities outside Assam.

"Our main target would be to block the outflow of resources from Assam, especially of those taken by the agencies which are under the Central Government. We will stop oil tankers that go out of Assam with petrol, diesel and other mineral products, he said.

As per record published by the Industries Department of Assam, the state exported 19 petroleum products worth Rs 43 crores in the year 2015.

Sangmai also said that to stop the movement of crude oil through the pipeline, civil society organisations would attempt to stop production in the oil fields

"We would attempt closing off entry to oil fields to ensure that no worker can go to the production site. Similarly, we would also attempt to stop trucks carrying materials to production sites which would finally result in the closing down of work in the oil fields," he added.

Sangmai said that the organisations would attempt at closing down work in the coal fields in Assam as well.

With the centre determined to pass the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in both the houses it is likely that situations may flare up in Assam during the protests. The plan to launch the economic blockade from Wednesday is also keeping the Assam police on its toes and is bracing up to face the protesters.

Kuladhar Saikia, Director General of Police, Assam said to Firstpost, "The superintendents of police have already been instructed to take adequate and rapid action in case of any law and order situation. Additional forces have been deployed."

Significantly, the economic blockade declared by civil society organisations in Assam would be the second of its kind in the last decade.

The last blockade Assam witnessed was in the year 2011 when the state rose against the construction of a big dam on the Subansiri river. During that protest, all roads leading to the project site was blocked by protesters, as a result of which no truck carrying building materials could reach the destination. The Subansiri river dam project has still not been completed.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, aims at providing citizenship to illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis or Christians. However, it does not have a provision for Muslim sects like Shias and Ahmediyas, who also face persecution in Pakistan.

The contentious Bill, however, has brought back the fear among indigenous tribes and ethnic groups of becoming minorities in the state.

These fears have been aggravated due to the Centres recent notification to register Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian infiltrators from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh as Indians in 16 districts across seven states in India.

The Centre on Wednesday passed the Bill in the Lok Sabha and is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Kim announced that, immediately after his departure, he will join a firm and focus on increasing infrastructure investments in developing countries.

Washington: In a surprise move, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on Monday announced that he will step down from his position on 1 February much before the end of his term in 2022.

Kim, 58, has been in this position for over six years now.

The president of the Washington-based World Bank has always been an American citizen nominated by the United States, which is the largest shareholder of this multilateral financial institution.

"It has been a great honour to serve as President of this remarkable institution, full of passionate individuals dedicated to the mission of ending extreme poverty in our lifetime," Kim said.

Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank CEO, will assume the role of interim President effective 1 February.

"The work of the World Bank Group is more important now than ever as the aspirations of the poor rise all over the world, and problems like climate change, pandemics, famine and refugees continue to grow in both their scale and complexity, Kim was quoted as saying in a World Bank press release.

"Serving as President and helping position the institution squarely in the middle of all these challenges has been a great privilege," Kim said.

During his term as World Bank President beginning July 2012, Kim emphasised that one of the greatest needs in the developing world is infrastructure finance and he pushed the Bank Group to maximize finance for development by working with a new cadre of private sector partners committed to building sustainable, climate-smart infrastructure in developing nations, the release said.

To that end, Kim announced that, immediately after his departure, he will join a firm and focus on increasing infrastructure investments in developing countries, it said, adding that the details of this new position will be announced shortly.

Under his leadership, the World Bank established two goals: to end extreme poverty by 2030; and to boost shared prosperity, focusing on the bottom 40 percent of the population in developing countries. These goals now guide and inform the institution in its daily work around the globe, it said.

In addition, shareholders strongly supported measures to ensure that the Bank Group be even better positioned to respond to the development needs of clients:

The Bank Group's Fund for the Poorest, IDA, achieved two successive, record replenishments, which enabled the institution to increase its work in areas suffering from fragility, conflict, and violence.

In April 2018, the Bank Group's Governors overwhelmingly approved a historic $13 billion capital increase for IBRD and IFC that will allow the Bank Group to support countries in reaching their development goals while responding to crises such as climate change, pandemics, fragility, and under-investment in human capital around the world.

"Over the past 6+ years, the institutions of the World Bank Group have provided financing at levels never seen outside of a financial crisis, the bank said.

Recognising the power of capital markets to transform development finance, the Bank Group during Kim's tenure also launched several new innovative financial instruments, including facilities to address infrastructure needs, prevent pandemics, and help the millions of people forcibly displaced from their homes by climate shocks, conflict, and violence.

The Bank is also working with the United Nations and leading technology companies to implement the Famine Action Mechanism, to detect warning signs earlier and prevent famines before they begin.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the two leaders discussed reducing the U.S. trade deficit with India and increasing their cooperation in Afghanistan, the White House said.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; editing by Chris Reese)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the green tribunal's order of setting aside the Tamil Nadu government's decision to close Vedanta's Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay the green tribunal's order of setting aside the Tamil Nadu government's decision to close Vedanta's Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin.

A bench, headed by Justice R F Nariman, sought a response from Vedanta on the state government's appeal against the National Green Tribunal's (NGT's) order to reopen the plant.

The state had moved the top court, saying that the NGT had "erroneously" set aside various orders passed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) last year with regard to the Sterlite plant.

It had said the tribunal had consequentially directed the TNPCB to pass fresh orders of renewal of consent and issue an authorisation to handle hazardous substances to the Vedanta Limited.

On 15 December, the NGT had set aside the state government's order for closure of the Sterlite copper plant, saying it was "non-sustainable" and "unjustified".
The apex court was hearing a contempt petition filed by RCoM alleging that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has failed to furnish a no-objection certificate (NoC) clearing its spectrum sale deal with RJio even after the court had directed it to do so

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday asked Reliance Communications Ltd (RCom) and Reliance Jio to take a decision by 11 January over the settlement of past dues to DoT, which is yet to give clearance to their spectrum sale deal.

It also asked RJio to furnish an undertaking to abide by the spectrum trade guidelines, to which the company said that it cannot take this risk knowing the problems faced with regard to the past dues.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman and Vineet Sharan said, "You both (RCom and RJio) sit together and settle the issue among yourselves by January 11. Till you do not settle among yourselves, we can't do anything."

The apex court was hearing a contempt petition filed by RCoM alleging that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has failed to furnish a no-objection certificate (NoC) clearing its spectrum sale deal with RJio even after the court had directed it to do so.

The bench said that a letter written by Reliance Jio to DoT seeking clarity on payment of past liability of RCom is "on the teeth of the guidelines".

At the outset, the bench said that without going into the nitty-gritty of the case, it wants RJio to furnish an undertaking that it will abide by the spectrum sale guidelines.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for RJio, said: "There are various stages of the deal. Knowing the problems with prior dues and of furnishing a guarantee, it can't take the risk."

He said that "they (DoT and RCom) have to settle among themselves so that it is not on me to pay the liabilities after the deal". Salve added that RJio can abide by the guidelines provided RCom deposits a bank guarantee.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for RCom, said that Reliance Jio will not be liable for past liabilities.

Sibal said the company will deal with its past liabilities and not look to RJio for any future demands.

To this, the bench said it will be better that both the parties resolve the issue by January 11.

On 30 November last year, the apex court had asked DoT to give NoC to RCom to sell its spectrum to Reliance Jio, provided a corporate guarantee of Rs 1,400 crore is furnished by its group firm in favour of government by 2 December, 2018.

The top court had said that the NoC would be given to RCom, a Anil Ambani-group firm, by the DoT if Reliance Realty furnishes the corporate guarantee within two days.

After the corporate guarantee is furnished, the DoT would grant NoC within seven days thereafter, it had said.

The top court's order had come on a plea filed by DoT against the order of Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) which had allowed RCom to sell spectrum to Reliance Jio without providing the bank guarantee of around Rs 2,900 crore to the DoT.

The TDSAT, in its last month order, had rejected DoT's plea seeking bank guarantee of around Rs 2,900 crore before it permits sale of RCom spectrum to Reliance Jio.

RCom has signed an agreement with Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd to sell its spectrum and other telecom assets for an estimated Rs 25,000 crore and partially clear its debt of about Rs 46,000 crore.
(Reuters) - SoftBank Corp is in talks to invest $2 billion in U.S.

(Reuters) - SoftBank Corp <9434.T> is in talks to invest $2 billion in U.S. shared office space provider WeWork Cos Inc this year, a much lower amount than the $16 billion discussed towards the end of last year, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

The deal will now not include the participation of SoftBank's Vision Fund, which had been a major backer of SoftBank's existing investment in WeWork, the report said, citing two people briefed on the deal.

Reuters reported in November that loss-making WeWork had secured an additional $3 billion in funding from SoftBank.

(Reporting by Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
The decision on appeal overturns an earlier ruling by the Delhi High Court that Monsanto was unable to claim patents on GM cotton seeds.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that US seed maker Monsanto can claim patents on its genetically modified (GM) cotton seeds in the worlds biggest producer of the fibre.

The decision on appeal overturns an earlier ruling by the Delhi High Court that Monsanto - which has been bought by German drug and crop chemical maker Bayer AG - was unable to claim patents on GM cotton seeds.

The outcome is positive for foreign agricultural companies such as Monsanto, Bayer, Dupont Pioneer and Syngenta which have been concerned that they could lose patents on GM crops in India.

This is a very good move as most international companies have stopped releasing new technology in the Indian market due to the uncertainty over patent rule, said Ajit Narde, a leader of the Shetkari Sanghatana, a farmers body, which has been demanding access to new technologies.

Access to advanced technology was important to help Indian farmers to compete with rivals overseas, Narde said.

Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (India) (MMB), a joint venture between Monsanto and Indias Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co (Mahyco), sells GM cotton seeds under license to more than 40 Indian seed companies, which in turn sell product to retailers.

The Delhi High Court ruling came after local company Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd (NSL) argued that Indias Patent Act does not allow Monsanto any patent cover for its genetically modified (GM) cotton seeds.

Monsantos Indian joint venture had terminated its contract with NSL in 2015 after a royalty payment dispute, escalating tensions over seed technology and drawing in the Indian and US governments.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday also said the Delhi High Court would examine Monsantos claims that NSL infringed its intellectual property on Bt cotton seeds.

New Delhi in 2003 approved Monsantos GM cotton seed trait, the only lab-altered crop allowed in India, as well as an upgraded variety in 2006, helping transform the country into the worlds top producer and second-largest exporter of the fibre.

Monsantos GM cotton seed technology dominates 90 percent of Indias cotton acreage.
The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee under Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani to suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments in the country

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee under Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani to suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments in the country.

The five-member panel on deepening of digital payments has been constituted with a view to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion through digitisation, the RBI said in a statement.

"The committee shall submit its report within a period of 90 days from the date of its first meeting," it added.

The panel has been tasked with reviewing the existing status of digitisation of payments in the country, identifying the current gaps in the ecosystem and suggesting ways to bridge them and assessing the current levels of digital payments in financial inclusion.

It will also "suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments... (and) a road map for increasing customer confidence and trust while accessing financial services through digital modes".

It has also been asked to undertake cross country analyses with a view to identify best practices that can be adopted in our country to accelerate digitisation of the economy and financial inclusion through greater use of digital payments.

Another term of reference of the panel, the RBI said is to suggest a medium-term strategy for deepening of digital payments.

Besides Infosys co-founder Nilekani, other members of the panel are former RBI deputy governor H R Khan, former MD and CEO of Vijaya Bank Kishore Sansi and former secretary in ministries of IT and steel Aruna Sharma.

The fifth member is Sanjay Jain, chief innovation officer, Centre for Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship (CIIE), IIM Ahmedabad.
Reid & Taylor India, owned by the Kasliwal family-run S Kumar Group, which is also facing bankruptcy proceedings, owes over Rs 4,100 crore to banks and other lenders.

Mumbai: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Tuesday asked the union of the bankrupt premium apparel brand Reid & Taylor to provide the Hong Kong-based investor's financial details for 2017-18 by Thursday.

The Mumbai NCLT bench headed by Bhaskara Pantula Mohan and V Nallasenapathy directed the Employees Welfare Association of the company, which has just been registered, to produce the certified financial accounts of SP Growth Partners of Hong Kong for 2017-18 by Thursday when it will resume hearing on the matter.

SP Growth Partners was also a co-applicant with the RTIL Employees Welfare Association to take over the company, whose creditors had voted for liquidation as none of the eight parties who presented their expressions of interest showed any interest thereafter.

The bench also directed the resolution professional, who mentioned another two other unnamed investors from the US and Britain, to be in touch both these investors.

The bench had accepted a bid by the association to take over the firm on 4 January. Reid & Taylor India, owned by the Kasliwal family-run S Kumar Group, which is also facing bankruptcy proceedings, owes over Rs 4,100 crore to banks and other lenders.

The committee of creditors, who include Finquest Financial Solution which is the largest with close to Rs 800 crore of claims, Union Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, IL&FS Financial Services, IDBI Bank and L&T Finance etc, had on 14 December, 2018 voted for liquidation.

That apart Edelweiss ARC, which has taken the company to NCLT in March 2018, Arcil and JM Financial ARC also have exposure in Reid & Taylor which sells premium suits, jackets, trousers, shirts, T-shirts, among others. Its brands used to be endorsed by actors like Pierce Brosnan and Amitabh Bachhan during its hey days.

Giving to a new twist to the resolution process earliest this month, the RP has moved the NCLT seeking

criminal proceedings against the promoter Kasliwal accusing him of over Rs 3,500 crore of financial fraud, while the employees union had moved the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board accusing the RP of pushing for liquidation. They have also accused the RP of fronting the promoter of the main creditor Finquest, Bharat Patel.
Santos has had to complete the check-ins since Frederick County sheriffs deputies arrested her 2008 while she was sitting on a curb eating her lunch. Deputies at the time asked to see her identification and arrested her on an outstanding immigration warrant related to her failing to show up to court after having been detained after crossing into the country years before, court records state.
Ahead of the general and the assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Rs 3,168-crore worth of infrastructure and housing projects in Solapur on Wednesday

Mumbai: Ahead of the general and the assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch Rs 3,168-crore worth of infrastructure and housing projects in Solapur on Wednesday.

Modi will launch several development projects and lay the foundation stone for a Rs 1811.33-crore housing project under the PM's housing scheme that offers 30,000 houses, according to a PIB statement.

That apart the prime minister will commission a four-laned Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad section on NH-211 (New NH-52). The Rs 972.50-crore project was awarded to IRB Infra.

The four-laned Solapur-Osmanabad highway will improve connectivity between Solapur and the Marathwada region.

The housing project will primarily benefit the homeless poor like rag pickers, rickshaw pullers, textile and beedi workers, among others and involves an investment of Rs 1811.33 crore, of which Rs 750 crore will be provided by the Centre and the state as assistance, the PIB statement said.

Modi will also launch an underground sewerage system, and three sewage treatment plants in the western Maharashtra city of Solapur.

Further, Modi will lay the foundation stone for water supply and sewerage system as part of area-based development in the Solapur smart city area, by augmenting drinking water supply from the Ujani dam to the city and build an underground sewerage system.

The project, which is estimated to cost Rs 244 crore under the smart city mission, is expected to bring about significant improvements in service delivery.

Modi is visiting Solapur for the second time since August 2014 when he had laid the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Maharashtra-Karnataka border section of NH9. He had also commissioned the 765-kV Solapur-Raichur power transmission line then. He will also address the public in the city.
By Fernando Carranza Garcia and Anthony Esposito GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) - An offensive by Mexico's new government against fuel theft at one of the country's main refineries has led to days of shortages at gas stations in several central states, as authorities move more fuel by tankers and less by vulnerable pipelines. A Reuters witness said many gas stations in the city of Guadalajara in Jalisco state were closed on Sunday, including those operated by state oil firm Pemex, Spain's Repsol and BP . There were long lines of motorists at those that were operating.

By Fernando Carranza Garcia and Anthony Esposito

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Reuters) - An offensive by Mexico's new government against fuel theft at one of the country's main refineries has led to days of shortages at gas stations in several central states, as authorities move more fuel by tankers and less by vulnerable pipelines.

A Reuters witness said many gas stations in the city of Guadalajara in Jalisco state were closed on Sunday, including those operated by state oil firm Pemex, Spain's Repsol and BP . There were long lines of motorists at those that were operating.

"I've gone to 10 gas stations and nothing, there's none at any of them," said Alan Delgado, trying to fill his Buick truck at a BP gas station in Guadalajara. "This is a serious and critical situation because it complicates work and businesses."

The shortages followed the closure of a pipeline from the Salamanca refinery in the central state of Guanajuato, and as Pemex started using more tankers to transport fuel.

Theft by gangs and oil industry workers from Mexico's state-controlled refineries is a major drain on government resources, but the measures taken to tackle the crime could also weigh on the economy if shortages drag on.

Violent criminal gangs have for years used fuel theft as a way to supplement their income, bleeding money from state coffers and driving bloodshed as they fight rivals and extort oil workers.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office in December, confirmed on Friday that less fuel was being sent through pipelines.

"I ask citizens for understanding and support, because we need to solve this problem together. We are trying to get it resolved soon," Lopez Obrador said in a televised speech.

Obrador has vowed to tackle theft "outside and inside" Pemex, or Petroleos Mexicanos [PEMX.UL], which estimates that fuel worth more than 146 billion pesos ($7.40 billion) has been stolen since 2016 alone.

The president said last month that Mexico's armed forces would take part in security at Pemex installations around the country, including its refinery in Salamanca.

Fuel theft there has been linked to a surge in violence, according to Guanajuato state governor Diego Sinhue.

The Mexican Association of Gasoline Station business owners warned its members on Jan. 3 that no fuel was being transported via the pipeline from the Salamanca refinery.

"You are free to take measures that benefit your customers, to limit the sale (of fuel) to 10 liters per car or whatever you consider necessary to serve the public," the association said.

Guanajuato governor Sinhue took to Twitter on Sunday, saying that Pemex's chief executive Octavio Romero "confirmed that after reopening the Salamanca-Leon pipeline, he expects to reestablish service to 100 percent of the gasoline stations during the day."

It was not immediately clear whether opening that pipeline would reduce shortages in other regions.

Pemex said on Saturday that it is "preferring the use of safer means of transport, which means changes in the logistics for delivery to service stations," leading to delays in the states of Hidalgo, Mexico, Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato and Queretaro.

Pemex said it is aiming to boost distribution in the affected states by up to 20 percent, transporting fuel by tanker trucks and trains.

A May 2017 study commissioned by the national energy regulator found that thieves, between 2009 and 2016, had tapped pipelines roughly every 1.4 kms (0.86 miles) along Pemex's approximately 14,000 km pipeline network.

The government has not made clear if they see road and rail transport as a long term solution for fuel distribution.

Transporting fuel by road and rail is 12 to 16 times more expensive than by pipeline, said Gonzalo Monroy, a Mexico City-based oil analyst.

"If this keeps happening and expanding to other parts of the country, the Mexican economy is going to have a very tough first quarter," said Monroy.

(Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Jet Airways Naresh Goyal will be holding a meeting with the vendors and creditors to convince them to stand by the airline, a media report said

The promoter-chairman of cash-strapped Jet Airways Naresh Goyal will reportedly be holding a meeting with vendors and creditors to convince them to stand by the airline, a media report said.

Goyal, according to Financial Express, will hold the meeting with vendors, creditors, MRO partners, among others on Tuesday in Mumbai. The report added that the promoter will try to convince them "to take a haircut as the airline is unable to meet its payment obligations."

Lenders, however, said that short-term loans to keep Jet Airways afloat would be based on the plan proposed by the airline, Bloomberg reported. The airline reportedly trying to renegotiate contracts with its vendors as lenders.

Recently Jet Airways failed to disburse the December salary to some of its employees. Earlier it had defaulted on payment of salary to its senior management along with pilots and engineers.

The Naresh Goyal-controlled Jet airline, which is part-owned by Gulf carrier Etihad, has not been paying on time to about 15 percent of its over 16,000 employees since August last year due to a liquidity crunch.

In December last year, the board of Jet Airways met and discussed ways to raise funds without taking an investor on board. During the meeting, there were discussions on how the airline could prune the costs further and make it viable in the long-term.

Goyal's penchant for the control of the airline has emerged as a major obstacle as Jet Airways tries to negotiate a rescue deal.

On 31 December, it was reported that Jet Airways was in discussions with the State Bank of India (SBI) for raising Rs 1,500 crore short-term loan to meet its working capital requirement and some payment obligations.

Significantly, the talks for availing loan are going on at a time when EY is carrying out a forensic audit of Jet Airways on the orders of the airline's largest lender for alleged irregularities.

The Naresh Goyal-controlled airline, which has posted three consecutive quarterly losses of over Rs 1,000 crore each since March, already has as much as Rs 8,052 of debt on its books as on 30 September. Rating agency Icra has already cut the rating on Jet Airways borrowing programmes.

--With inputs from agencies
Aiming to boost ties with India, Iran welcomed investment proposals from the country in urea and petrochemicals and is willing to provide fertilisers at reasonable rates, an Iranian minister said on Tuesday

New Delhi: Aiming to boost ties with India, Iran welcomed investment proposals from the country in urea and petrochemicals and is willing to provide fertilisers at reasonable rates, an Iranian minister said on Tuesday.

After meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said India can look at investments in sectors like petrochemicals and fertilisers in the Chabahar area.

"We have offered discussions in that area (urea) and we welcome proposals from India...India has been a customer for Iranian urea fertilisers for a long time.

"Because of the illegal US sanctions, the Indian consumer, the Indian farmers are paying 38 percent more for the fertilisers and we have possibilities of providing that to India at a reasonable rate," Zarif said.

He said trade arrangement with the European Union (EU) was moving slower and Iran was working with its traditional partners like India, China and Russia to protect its interests.

"While we continue to work with Europeans on their special purpose vehicle, we are working with our traditional partners like India, China, Russia so that we continue to work in the interest of our people.

"Europeans have been trying...but they have not been able to do it as rapidly as we had expected them to do ...We are in touch with Europe but we are not waiting for Europe...," Zarif said.

In November last year, Iran said the EU must be given more time to set up a trade mechanism meant to circumvent reimposed US sanctions on Tehran, but warned it could not "wait forever".

The EU is working on a payment system to continue trade and business ties with Iran after the US ditched a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018 and reintroduced a raft of sanctions on the country.

The US sanctions aim to cut off Iran's banks from international finance and significantly reduce its oil exports.

"With India we are expanding our areas of cooperation through various channels that we have, both through direct channels as well as barter, and providing for requirements of the two countries," the Iranian minister said.

Earlier, shipping and port minister Gadkari had said India plans to set up a urea plant at the strategic Chabahar port complex in Iran to cut down on its huge subsidy on urea.

"Ministries of Chemical and Fertiliser and Petroleum are working on it. Once it is set up, there will not be the need for a huge Rs 80,000-crore subsidy on urea and prices will come down by 50 per cent," Gadkari had said.
The outcome of the board meeting will be disseminated to the stock exchanges after the conclusion of the board meeting on 11 January, 2019, it added

New Delhi: India's second largest IT services firm Infosys Tuesday said its board will consider a buyback programme and payment of special dividend, among other proposals, at its meeting on 11 January.

"...the board of the company will consider proposal(s), including but not limited to, buyback of fully paid-up equity shares of the company, payment of special dividend, for implementation of the capital allocation policy at its meeting to be held on 11 January, 2019," Infosys said in a BSE filing.

The outcome of the board meeting will be disseminated to the stock exchanges after the conclusion of the board meeting on 11 January, 2019, it added.

The Bengaluru-based company is also slated to announce its third-quarter results on 11 January.

In April last year, Infosys board had said it had identified an amount of up to Rs 13,000 crore to be paid to shareholders. This was done through a special dividend of Rs 10 per share that was to result in a payout of about Rs 2,600 crore in June 2018.

"Also, an amount of up to Rs 10,400 crore has been identified to be paid out to shareholders for the financial year 2019 in a manner to be decided by the board," it had said in its April 2018 filing.

The company had also stated that the board had decided to retain its policy of returning up to 70 percent of the free cash flow of the corresponding financial year to shareholders.
The first phase of the Chabahar Port was inaugurated in December 2017 by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, opening a new strategic route connecting Iran, India and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan.

New Delhi: India has taken over operations of the strategic Chabahar Port in the Sistan-Balochistan province of energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the government said Monday.

This is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territory.

"The government of India took over the operations of a part of Shahid Beheshti port, Chabahar, in Iran during the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement meeting held there on 24 December, 2018," the shipping ministry said in a statement here.

The heads of Indian, Iranian and Afghanistan delegation jointly inaugurated the office of the Indian SPV - India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) at Chabahar.

"The physical take-over of the terminal area, cargo handling equipment and office building was completed by 29 December, 2018," the statement said.

Commercial operations began at IPGCFZ with the arrival of a vessel, it said adding, a Cyprus registered bulk carrier had arrived at Chabahar with 72,458 MT of corn cargo.

The vessel MV Macheras berthed at the terminal on 30 December, 2018, and IPGCFZ carried out its first cargo operation by discharging the imported cargo (ex Brazil) using pneumatic un-loaders, it added.

"This step marks the beginning of a long journey. India has written a history with its engagement in Chabahar and is now leading the regional cooperation and joint efforts to support land locked Afghanistan. This is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territories," the statement said.

India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but a major push was received in the second half of 2014, resulting in the signing of an MoU between the two countries for the development of Chabahar Port in May 2015.

This MoU translated into a formal 10-year contract for Equipping and Operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23 May, 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tehran.

"Since there were challenges in activation of the said contract, the foundation of an interim period contract was laid during the visit of Hassan Rouhani, President of Islamic Republic of Iran to New Delhi in February 2018. Resultantly, a formal short term contract between the two sides was signed on 6 May, 2018," the statement said.

The Chabahar Port in the Sistan-Balochistan province in the energy-rich nation's southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar.

The first phase of the Chabahar Port was inaugurated in December 2017 by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, opening a new strategic route connecting Iran, India and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan.

The Chabahar Port is being considered as a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries, besides ramping up trade among the three countries in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi.

Under the agreement signed between India and Iran earlier, India is to equip and operate two berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with capital investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $22.95 million on a 10-year lease.
HTC Global Services is eyeing to increase its share of automation-led services to rev up its growth.

IT services company HTC Global Services is expected to recruit up to 3,000 people in India in the coming two years as part of taking its revenue target to $1 billion by the end of 2020.

Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, HTC is eyeing to increase its share of automation-led services to rev up its growth, said a report in The Economic Times.

"We are finalising hiring and it will not be less than 2,000-3,000 people by 2020 for India," Chary Mudumby, chief technology officer, HTC Global Services, was quoted as saying by ET.

In September 2018, HTC Global Services India and Automation Anywhere, a developer of robotic process automation software based in California, inked a pact to further boost HTCs RPA (robotic process automation) services, by building BOT-based industry-specific solutions with cognitive abilities, said a report in the Deccan Chronicle.

In September 2017, the IT and ITeS firm had acquired Ciber Inc, a US-based global information technology consulting services and outsourcing company, for about $93 million.

According to a statement issued by HTC Global, the acquisition of Ciber would add over 3,500 employees to its operations globally.

HTC Global has delivery centres across multiple time zones in North America, India and Malaysia. The firms operation in India is spread across Chennai and Hyderabad.

In 2014, HTC Global acquired CareTech Solutions to expand its footprint in the healthcare industry.

Madhava Reddy, CEO, HTC Global, said the latest acquisition will boost the organisations ability to deliver exceptional customer service and gain deep expertise in cutting edge technologies.

"With the acquisition of CareTech and Ciber we are confident of achieving our vision of $ 1 billion (revenue) by 2020. We will be recruiting another 5,000 employees by the year 2020," Reddy said. The combined strength of both the companies will help HTC Global to offer customers a comprehensive set of services and fulfil an integral part of material growth across a range of industry sectors, the statement said.

This buyout will also help HTC Global in expanding its footprint in other parts of the US. The addition of Cibers workforce will propel the company?s growth into the marketplace, it added.

 With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: Shares of Gruh Finance and Bandhan Bank tumbled on Tuesday, with the former plunging up to 15 percent following the announcement of merger plans.

The stock of Gruh Finance after a weak opening further slumped 14.36 percent to Rs 262.20 on BSE.

At NSE, shares of the company tanked 14.70 percent to Rs 261.30.

Shares of Bandhan Bank fell 6 percent to Rs 470.85 on BSE.

At NSE, the scrip tumbled 5.43 percent to hit the day's low at Rs 471.

"The boards of Bandhan Bank and Gruh Finance announced the merger of the two entities wherein shareholders of the latter would receive 568 shares of the former for every 1,000 shares held. The deal values Gruh at Rs 209 billion which is at a 7 percent discount to yesterday's market capitalisation," YES Securities said in a report.

Bandhan Bank on Monday said it has agreed to acquire Gruh Finance through a share-swap deal.

Gruh Finance, promoted by the country's largest mortgage firm HDFC Ltd, is into the financing of affordable housing segment.

Under the merger agreement, shareholders of Gruh Finance will get 568 shares of Bandhan Bank for every 1,000 shares held.
Gadkari said that the government of India has already given permission to Iran to open a branch of Bank Pasargad in Mumbai.

New Delhi: The government has allowed an Iranian bank to open a branch in Mumbai, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday after a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Md Javad Zarif here.

Iran's Bank Pasargad will open its branch within the next three months.

Gadkari said, "The government of India has already given permission to Iran to open a bank branch in Mumbai. They are going to open a branch in Mumbai in three months. That will be used for transactions".

Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari termed his meeting with Iranian Minister on Chabahar Port "fruitful".

We had detailed discussions... Our meeting was very fruitful and we have resolved a lot of issues," Gadkari said.

India has placed $85 million machinery order for Chabahar, which is a port on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, and is Iran's southernmost city.

We have had a good discussion with the minister (Md Javad Zarif). The first ship from Brazil has already been received at Chabahar... The financial arrangement is ready. There were some problems, but we have resolved the issues, Gadkari said.

Proposals on barter system between the two nations can also be considered, Gadkari said.

He said the Iranian minister had given many proposals.

"They need steel, particularly real steel and locomotive engines, and they are ready to supply urea," he stated.

India can provide steel rails to Iran and the Persian gulf nation can provide urea to India, he added.
The 7.2% GDP growth number nonetheless is noteworthy as it will form the fulcrum for all futuristic scenarios that would go into the formulation of the Budget. Thats why it cannot be ignored.

It is now a practice to have an advance estimate of the gross domestic product (GDP) growth profile every year in the month of January. This is odd in a way because data points are available for between 6-8 months for several variables on the basis of which extrapolations are made.

A critical element of these imputations is corporate results which is available till September 2018. Extrapolating any growth number based on first-half performance assumes that the next two quarters will be similar, which may not be the case. Therefore, such advance estimates need to be looked at as more of a statistical exercise, though the likelihood of being in the vicinity of this forecast is still likely. Therefore, the advance estimate of 7.2 percent will be within the range of 7.2-7.4 percent.

Is this number relevant? The answer is still yes, because the Central Statistics Office (CSO) is now talking of a number which is lower than what the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had reaffirmed in its last policy of 7.4 percent. Also, a number of 7.2 percent is looked at differently from 7.4 percent because psychologically it is closer to 7 percent compared with the latter that looks nearer to 7.5 percent.

Given that growth was 6.7 percent last year, 7.4 percent would appear to be a sharper improvement compared with 7.2 percent. Again, if this number holds finally, then the ascent towards 8 percent in 2019-20 looks a bit more daunting considering that it is now accepted that several business decisions will be deferred till June-end, after the elections results are out and the new policy agenda is known.

The growth numbers presented this time have some surprises. Agriculture is to grow by 3.8 percent based on the first advance estimates of agricultural production. The rabi sowing pattern is not too encouraging presently and hence this number could be a bit optimistic unless things change drastically in the coming month.

Manufacturing growth is to be better at 8.3 percent which is premised on corporate India continuing to do well. While this looks possible, it must be remembered that the base effect, where the growth numbers last year were substantially higher in Q3 and Q4 post-Goods and Services Tax (GST), could be a barrier this time.

Last year, companies had de-stocked in Q1 due to the impending GST implementation. Subsequently, they restocked in Q3 and Q4 which helped to push up growth. This being the case, a similar picture is not expected this time. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) which is used for valuing 25 percent of manufacturing output would tend to be low from now on with the base effect kicking in.

Construction has been another booster this year which is based on cement and steel which have been buoyant. Credit for this should go to the housing sector in particular coupled with roads as the thrust given by the government has been quite remarkable. In fact, if this is juxtaposed with retail bank lending, it is evident that housing has been one of the prime drivers of the economy. This should carry on for some more time.

The services sector has not been up to the mark. Trade, transport, communication etc., has grown at a slower rate and here the clue is the GST collections which have been slow. Taxes are used as a proxy for some of these components especially trade and the shortfalls witnessed in most of the months has led to this slower estimate.

The financial sector has maintained growth at a slightly higher rate of 6.8 percent. But given that we have had a liquidity crisis for three months this year and the banking sector is still grappling with the non-performing asset (NPA) issue, using growth in credit and deposits as proxies may be overstating the optimism.

Last, the government sector has again been projected to be the leader with growth of 8.9 percent on top of 10 percent last year. This is good news but may have to be modified in case the government has to trim down some expenses to meet the 3.3 percent fiscal deficit mark. While the government has assured that this contingency will not arise, one cannot be too sure.

Interestingly, the basis for being skeptical of these numbers even though most forecasts have been higher than the 7.4 percent-mark vests in the fact that the CSO has used extrapolations of the present into the future to get this number of 7.2 percent. Therefore, there is reason to raise these flags.

Another interesting outcome of these advance estimates is the gross fixed capital formation number which has been placed higher at 29.5 percent compared with 28.5 percent last year. This is the investment rate which is expected to go up this year.

Now, if one looks at debt issuances in the market or bank credit to the non-retail sector, growth in raising resources has been quite lacklustre. Against this background, the number of 29.5 percent looks quite optimistic and may convey a buoyancy that is still to be witnessed given that Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) data on new investment is not too encouraging so far.

Ideally, one should wait for Q3 numbers of GDP to take a more informed call on GDP growth for the full year as a lot of the impact of lower farm income, liquidity issues, forex crisis etc., would tend to be buffered in. The 7.2 percent growth number nonetheless is noteworthy as it will form the fulcrum for all futuristic scenarios that would go into the formulation of the Budget. Thats why it cannot be ignored.

(The writer is chief economist, CARE Ratings)
Businesses that collect and hold consumers payment card data have a responsibility to make sure that data is protected from hackers, Frosh said in an announcement. This settlement requires Neiman Marcus to bolster its protection of consumers information to prevent a breach like this from reoccurring.
(CNN)  Bangkok, Hanoi and Hawaii have been visited by White House scouting teams as they search for a location for a potential second summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump, according to a source familiar with the planning process.

On Sunday, Trump said that the U.S. is "negotiating a location" for a second summit with Kim and the two had spoken "indirectly."

The U.S. has not decided on a top pick and the list, which could expand, has not yet been presented to the North Koreans. There have not been any meetings between the U.S. and North Korean officials in these locations yet, according to the source.

Working level discussions will be required to pick a date and location but getting both parties to the table has proved to be a challenge. Late last year a planned meeting in New York City between the U.S. and North Korea was canceled and there is no future meeting on the calendar. Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special representative to North Korea, has not met with his counterpart one-on-one since taking the job, though he did travel to Pyongyang with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in October.

The State Department would not say when the next round of working level talks will happen but claimed that there are still open lines of communication.

"Discussions are ongoing," a State Department spokesperson told CNN. "There will be many follow-up discussions until we reach our desired goal. Not all will be announced or read out."

Some experts worry that hosting the summit in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi would send the wrong message because it invites a comparison between North Korea and Vietnam. Kim does not want to emulate another communist country's efforts to modernize its economy, experts say. Kim is wary to invite outside investment, which he believes could disrupt his grip on power.

Pompeo has called Vietnam-U.S. engagement after the Vietnam War a "miracle" and pointed to it as an example of the path that North Korea could follow if they abandon their nuclear program. He has stated that the Vietnamese economy has greatly benefited from increased trade with the U.S., which grew by 8000% in the last two decades.

"The fact that we are cooperating -- and not fighting -- is proof that when a country decides to create a brighter future for itself alongside the United States, we follow through on American promises," Pompeo said during a trip to Hanoi last summer. "In light of the once-unimaginable prosperity and partnership we have with Vietnam today, I have a message for Chairman Kim Jong Un: President Trump believes your country can replicate this path."

It is believed that Bangkok would not be flat out dismissed. Thailand has diplomatic ties with North Korea and similarly to Singapore, where Trump and Kim met in June of last year, Pyongyang would be able to send in teams that could be based at the embassy in the city ahead of time to conduct planning. That is not the case for Hawaii.

"The thing that would make Hawaii difficult is that there is no DPRK embassy there," said Joe Yun, the former US State Department special representative for North Korea and a CNN contributor. "Within the U.S., New York is possible because there is a North Korea mission there. That is the same in parts of Europe like Geneva and Stockholm."

The North Koreans have said that they would like the summit to be in Pyongyang but it is highly unlikely that the U.S. would agree to that.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "US scouts Bangkok, Hanoi and Hawaii as possible locations for Kim-Trump summit."
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has registered 131 cases of the running lottery and hawala rackets involving Rs 4,452.5 crore in the last three years, Parliament was informed on Tuesday

New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has registered 131 cases of the running lottery and hawala rackets involving Rs 4,452.5 crore in the last three years, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla said the ED has arrested 2 persons in cases of lottery and hawala rackets.

"The total money involved in cases having both domestic and foreign connections is Rs 4,452.5 crore," he said in a written reply to the House.

In a separate reply, Shukla said the finance ministry has received representations from various startups requesting a change in their valuation and the matter is under consideration.

Several startups have raised concerns on taxation of angel funds under Section 56 of the Income Tax Act, which provides for taxation on funds given by angel investors.

"Representations have been received from startups requesting a change in startup valuation. The matter is under consideration. However, as an interim measure, CBDT has instructed field authorities not to take coercive measures to recover the outstanding demand till further instructions," Shukla said.
Since 2011-12, India's exports have been hovering at around $300 billion. During 2017-18, the shipments grew by about 10 percent to $303 billion.

New Delhi: In the wake of growing protectionism globally, Centre, state governments and industry representatives will meet on 10 January to discuss ways to boost the country's exports, an official said Tuesday.

The issues would be deliberated upon in the fourth meeting of the Council for Trade Development and Promotion, which will be chaired by the Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu.

Trade ministers from different states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Karnataka are expected to attend the meeting, the official added.

The council was constituted in July 2015 to promote India's overseas shipments. The meeting assumes significance as states play a proactive role in promoting outbound shipments.

The commerce ministry has advised all the states to formulate their export policies and appoint export commissioners. The issues which are likely to figure in the meeting include ways to enhance export competitiveness, quality and standards of products.

The council acts as a platform to develop partnership with states with an aim to boost international trade.

Besides trade/commerce ministers of states and Union Territories (UTs), 14 secretaries of the Central government, including commerce, revenue, shipping, civil aviation, agriculture, food processing and economic affairs are the members of the council.

The council also provides a platform to state governments and UTs for articulating their perspective on trade policy to help them develop and pursue export strategies in line with the national foreign trade policy.

Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) president Ganesh Kumar Gupta said issues related to credit and modern infrastructure need to be resolved to push the exports.

Since 2011-12, India's exports have been hovering at around $300 billion. During 2017-18, the shipments grew by about 10 percent to $303 billion.

Experts have cautioned that growing trade tensions between the US and China could impact global trade growth.

Imposition of high import duties by the US this year on certain steel and aluminium products have triggered a trade war kind of situation.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) too has stated that escalating trade tensions and tighter credit market conditions in important markets will slow trade growth in 2019.

During April-November 2018-19, the country's exports grew 11.58 percent to $217.52 billion.
Ghosn is also accused of making $14.7 million in payments to Saudi businessman Khaled Al-Juffali using Nissan funds in exchange for arranging a letter of credit to help with his investment losses.

Tokyo: Nissan Motor Co Ltds ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn declared he was innocent on Tuesday in his first public appearance since his arrest in November, telling a Tokyo court that he was wrongly accused of financial misconduct.

I have been wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations, he told the Tokyo District Court, according to a prepared statement which was obtained by Reuters.

Contrary to the accusations made by the prosecutors, I never received any compensation from Nissan that was not disclosed, nor did I ever enter into any binding contract with Nissan to be paid a fixed amount that was not disclosed.

Ghosn, credited with rescuing Nissan from near-bankruptcy two decades ago, appeared thinner than before his arrest as he entered a court in handcuffs and a rope around his waist. He wore a suit without a tie, and his dark hair showed grey roots.

A crowd of journalists and television crew gathered outside the court house while earlier, 1,122 people lined up for 14 court seats assigned by lottery, highlighting the level of public interest in the case of the once-feted executive.

The hearing, requested by his lawyers, was held to explain the reasons for his prolonged detention since his 19 November arrest. Presiding Judge Yuichi Tada read out the charges and said Ghosn was being detained due to flight risk and the possibility that he may conceal evidence.

Ghosns Japanese lawyers are also expected to speak in his defence at a news conference scheduled later in the day. The legal team is headed by former prosecutor Motonari Otsuru.

Investment losses and Saudi payments

Ghosn has been formally charged with under-reporting his income. The 64-year-old executive has also been arrested, but not yet indicted, on allegations of aggravated breach of trust in shifting personal investment losses worth 1.85 billion yen ($17 million) to the carmaker.

Regarding allegations that he transferred losses to Nissan, Ghosn said he had asked the company to temporarily take on collateral for his foreign exchange contracts. He said he did this to avoid the only other choice he had, which was to resign and use his retirement allowance for collateral.

But my moral commitment to Nissan would not allow me to step down during that crucial time, he said. A captain doesnt jump ship in the middle of a storm.

Ghosn also said the contracts were transferred back to him, and that Nissan had not incurred any loss.

Ghosn is also accused of making $14.7 million in payments to Saudi businessman Khaled Al-Juffali using Nissan funds in exchange for arranging a letter of credit to help with his investment losses.

Ghosn said in his prepared remarks that Juffalis company was compensated for critical services that substantially benefited Nissan, including soliciting financing and solving problems involving a local distributor.

The Khaled Juffali Company also issued a statement on Tuesday saying it had received the payments for legitimate business purposes.

The case has rattled Nissans alliance with French automaker Renault SA, where Ghosn still remains chairman and chief executive. He had been pushing for a deeper tie-up between the pair, including potentially a full merger at the French governments urging, despite strong reservations at Nissan.

His arrest has also put Japans criminal justice system under international scrutiny and sparked criticism for some of its practices, including keeping suspects in detention for long periods and prohibiting defence lawyers from being present during interrogations that can last eight hours a day.

Ghosn, who was arrested first on 19 November, has been re-arrested twice on different charges since then, a tactic often used by Japanese prosecutors to keep suspects in detention.

He has been held at the Tokyo Detention Center, a spartan facility where small rooms have a toilet in the corner and no heater - a far cry from the jet-setting lifestyle Ghosn was accustomed to. His son, Anthony Ghosn, said his father had lost 10 kgs (22 pounds) during his detention, according to Frances weekly Journal du Dimanche.

Under Japanese law, suspects can be detained without charges for up to 23 days, and then re-arrested on separate allegations.

On 31 December, the Tokyo District Court granted prosecutors request to extend Ghosns detention by 10 days until 11 January.

Nissan, which has ousted Ghosn from its board, has said a whistleblower investigation also uncovered personal use of company funds and other misconduct.
Deciding the appeal of US-based Monsanto, the apex court restored the order of the single judge bench of the Delhi High Court

New Delhi: Seed industry bodies FSSI and AAI comprising mostly MNCs Tuesday hailed the Supreme Court's decision to set aside the Delhi High Court order that had invalidated the patent right of US-based agro major Monsanto Technology over BT cotton seeds for its Bollgard technology.

However, National Seeds Association of India (NSAI) President M Prabhakar Rao said the matter was not decided "either on facts or on the law without a trial" and was referred back to a single bench and the situation has come to square one.

Deciding the appeal of US-based Monsanto, the apex court restored the order of the single judge bench of the high court which was not seized of the issue of the patent but had dealt with the issue of trademark infringement claimed by Monsanto over the BT cotton seeds by Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd.

German chemical and pharma major Bayer, which has now acquired Monsanto globally, welcomed the judgement and said it will give a detailed commented after studying the SC order.

Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSSI) Chairman M Ramasami said the SC order validates that patents are integral to innovation and reinforces faith in the Indian judiciary and the Indian patent system.

"While we await the detailed order for complete understanding, this seems to be a pro-farmer and pro-technology ruling that will have a long-term and positive impact on Indian agriculture," he said in a statement.

Technology developers will now be encouraged to invest more money into bringing new technologies to the market, he said.

"By creating a positive environment for agri R&D, the court has underlined the importance of protecting innovators and promoting legitimate access to technology."

Welcoming the order, Alliance for Agri Innovation Executive Director Shivendra Bajaj said it's a landmark judgement in favour of Monsanto's patents on Bt Cotton.

The court has recognised that products of biotechnological processes such as man-made DNA constructs are patentable in India.

"We believe this will bring certainty in the policy environment. IPR, whether global or Indian, needs protection and this verdict is a shot-in-the-arm to India's agri-biotech industry that has been looking to improve Indian cotton farmers competitiveness," he said.

Very importantly, this decision also safeguards the interest of public and private investments in agricultural R&D and will prove immensely beneficial in providing continuous innovations across sectors, not just limited to agriculture, he added.

National Seeds Association of India President M Prabhakar Rao said, "The SC pronounced the order. They chose not to decide either on facts or on law without a trial and referred the matter back to single judge."

"The double bench order is set aside by the SC as it decided on point of law with summary trail. It's an order which takes the issue back to square one. Though we didn't win as expected, we did not lose either," he added.

Mahyco Monsanto Biotech Ltd (MMBL), a joint venture firm of Monsanto, has sub-licensed Bt cotton seed technology to various domestic seed companies since 2002.

However, eight licensees including Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd (NSL) refused to honour their commitments to pay MMBL over Rs 450 crore after collecting these amounts from cotton farmers in kharif 2015.

Amid dispute between the two companies, the government started fixing the royalty fee or trait value to be paid by domestic seed firms to MMBL. The royalty fee was fixed at Rs 49 per packet for the 2016-17 season and later was brought down to Rs 39 per packet for the 2017-18 season.
In terms of GDP, the rates of GFCE at current and constant (2011-12) prices during 2018-19 are estimated at 11.5 percent and 11.0 percent, respectively.

New Delhi: Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.2 percent in 2018-19 against 6.7 percent in the previous fiscal mainly due to improvement in the performance of agriculture and manufacturing sectors, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said on Monday.

The CSO estimate is, however, a bit lower than 7.4 percent growth projected by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the current fiscal.

Releasing the first advance estimates of National Income for 2018-19, the CSO said, "The growth in GDP during 2018-19 is estimated at 7.2 per cent as compared to the growth rate of 6.7 percent in 2017-18."

The gross domestic product (GDP) had expanded by 7.1 percent in 2016-17 and 8.2 percent in 2015-16.

"Real GVA (gross value added) is anticipated to grow at 7 percent in the current fiscal as against 6.5 percent in 2017-18," it said.

Describing the 2018-19 GDP growth projection 'very healthy', economic affairs secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said India has continued to remain the fastest growing economy in the world.

"Very healthy advance GDP growth numbers for 2018-19. GDP grows by 7.2 percent compared to 6.7 percent in 2017-18. India remains the fastest growing major economy globally. At current prices, GDP grows by 12.3 percent rising to 188.41 lakh crore. Per capita GDP at current prices rises to Rs 1,41,447," Garg said in a series of tweets.

He further said an increase in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) indicates a pick up in investment activities.

"Especially gratifying, impressive and promising is the growth in gross fixed capital formation (GFCF). Nearly 12.2 percent real growth in 2018-19 as compared to 7.6 percent in 2017-18 heralds excellent pick up in investment activity. GFCF as a ratio to GDP has risen to 32.9 percent from 31.4 percent in 2017-18," he said.

According to the CSO data, the expansion in activities in 'agriculture, forestry and fishing' is likely to increase to 3.8 percent in the current fiscal from 3.4 percent in the preceding year.

The growth of the manufacturing sector is expected to accelerate to 8.3 percent this fiscal, up from 5.7 percent in 2017-18.

However, the mining and quarrying sector growth rate is estimated to decline from 2.9 percent in 2017-18 to 0.8 percent in current fiscal. Trade, hotels, transport, communication and services related to broadcasting will too witness deceleration to 6.9 percent from 8 percent in the previous fiscal.

The growth rate of public administration, defence and other services will also dip to 8.9 percent from 10 percent last fiscal.

Electricity, gas, water supply and other utility services growth is estimated at 9.4 percent in 2018-19, up from 7.2 percent in the last fiscal. Similarly, the construction sector is expected to grow at 8.9 percent from 5.7 percent previous fiscal. Financial, real estate and professional services' growth will be a tad higher at 6.8 percent this fiscal against 6.6 percent in 2017-18.

According to the CSO estimates, the per capita net national income during 2018-19 will be Rs 1,25,397, showing a rise of 11.1 percent as compared to Rs 1,12,835 during 2017-18 with the growth rate of 8.6 percent.

Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), a barometer of investment, at current prices is estimated at Rs 55.58 lakh crore in 2018-19 as against Rs 47.79 lakh crore in 2017-18.

At constant (2011-12) prices, the GFCF is estimated at Rs 45.86 lakh crore in 2018-19 as against Rs 40.88 lakh crore in 2017-18.

In terms of GDP, the rates of the GFCF at current and constant (2011-12) prices during 2018-19 are estimated at 29.5 percent and 32.9 percent, respectively, as against the corresponding rates of 28.5 per cent and 31.4 per cent, respectively in 2017-18.

The discrepancies in the GDP estimates for current fiscal has been pegged at Rs 1,49,331 crore as against Rs 2,23,504 crore in 2017-18.

The Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE) at current prices is estimated at Rs 21.70 lakh crore in 2018-19 as against Rs 19.08 lakh crore in 2017-18. At constant (2011-12) Prices, the GFCE is estimated at Rs 15.28 lakh crore in 2018-19 as against Rs 14.0 lakh crore in 2017- 18.

In terms of GDP, the rates of GFCE at current and constant (2011-12) prices during 2018-19 are estimated at 11.5 percent and 11.0 percent, respectively, as against the corresponding rates of 11.4 percent and 10.8 percent, respectively in 2017-18.

CRISIL chief economist Dharmakirti Joshi said revival in private investment is critical to sustaining the upswing in overall investments.

"Improvement in private consumption demand and a stable election outcome will play an important role in that. Private consumption was a sore spot with its growth slipping anew to 6.4 percent from 6.6 percent as farm incomes and rural wage growth remained weak," he said.

The real agriculture GDP growth was strong at 3.8 percent but nominal growth fell to 3.8 percent from 4.5 percent suggesting farmers are realising less from their produce, he said.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 8, 2019) - Transcanna Holdings Inc. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that on January 8, 2019, it completed its initial public offering of 4,400,000 units (each a "Unit") issued at a price of $0.50 per Unit. This generated aggregate gross proceeds of $2,200,000 pursuant to a prospectus dated December 10, 2018 (the "Prospectus").

Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (each a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional Share at an exercise price of $1.00 per Share until January 8, 2020, provided that in the event that the price of the Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") closes at or above $1.50 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, the Company may accelerate the term of the Warrants to a period of 30 days by issuing written notice to the Warrant holders. The Warrants are issued pursuant to a warrant indenture dated January 8, 2019 between the Company and its warrant agent , Odyssey Trust Company. A copy of which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

A commission of 8% of the gross proceeds of the offering was paid partly through the payment of $21,800 in cash and in part through the issuance of 308,400 Units, to the Company's agent, Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood"), as well as a corporate finance fee of $25,000, plus applicable taxes. In addition, Haywood received 352,000 non-transferable warrants to acquire up to 352,000 Shares at a price of $0.50 per Share until January 8, 2020.

The Company has granted to Haywood an over-allotment option (the "Over- Allotment Option") exercisable until February 7, 2019, to sell up to a further 660,000 Units at the offering price.

The Company will use the net proceeds from the offering in furtherance of its short term business objectives as outlined in the Prospectus. A copy of the Prospectus is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The Company's common shares were listed for trading on the CSE under the trading symbol "TCAN" on January 8, 2019 and are expected to commence trading on or about January 9, 2019.

The Company has also granted an aggregate of 1,150,000 incentive stock options to its directors, officers and consultants as outlined in the Prospectus. Each option is exercisable at a price of $0.50 per share for a period of three years, vesting immediately.

The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws. Accordingly, the securities of the Company may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Transcanna Holdings Inc.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. is a Canadian based company providing branding, transportation and distribution services, through its wholly-owned California subsidiaries, to a range of industries including the cannabis marketplace.

For further information, please visit the Company's website at

www.transcanna.com

On behalf of the Board of Directors

James Pakulis

President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: (604) 609-6199

The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to complete a qualifying transaction. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Corporate Communications Contact:

NetworkNewsWire (NNW)

New York, New York

www.NetworkNewsWire.com

212.418.1217 Office

Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 8, 2019) - ePower Metals Inc. (TSXV: EPWR) (the "Company" or "ePower") appoints Tyler Ross VP Investor Relations and announces the grant of incentive stock options under the Company's stock option plan, officers of the Company.

Mr. Ross has 18 years of capital market work experience. He has been involved in every stage of business development from inception through to exit. Mr. Ross has worked with many successful public companies, including Fronteer Gold, which went on to sell its asset to Newmont for $2.5-billion. Mr. Ross was also a consultant to Fission Uranium, which was a uranium discovery in the prolific Athabasca basin that went on to be sold to Denison for $80-million. Mr. Ross was also a consultant to Mira Resources, a Nigerian junior oil exploration company. Mr. Ross was also responsible for finding and financing Tranzeo Wireless from its seed round financing until its eventual initial public offering to the senior Toronto Stock Exchange at over $1.50 per share.

Michael Collins, President & CEO states: "I am pleased to welcome Tyler to the ePower Metals team. His experience and expertise will be a great asset to the Company and our stakeholders as we develop our cobalt and gold projects in Idaho, Mexico and Suriname."

ePower has entered into a six-month term contract with Tyler Ross as of January 8th, 2019, which may be extended by mutual agreement or terminated by either party on 30 days notice. Tyler will receive $3,500 per month and has been awarded 150,000 options with an exercise price of $0.22.

The company has granted options to officers of the company to purchase up to an aggregate of 190,000 treasury shares. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.22 per share for a period of two years and are subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and the Company's stock option plan.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael Collins

President and CEO

For further information, please contact:

Nancy Curry

VP Corporate Development

ePower Metals Inc.

1507 - 1030 West Georgia Street,

Vancouver BC, V6E 2Y3

Telephone: (604) 428-6128

Facsimile: (604) 428-6430

Website: www.epowermetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

We seek safe harbor.
Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the UAE Parliament, led a high-level delegation to the European Parliament in Brussels, met with Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, and discussed UAE-EU relations. Dr Al Qubaisi highlighted the issue of the three UAE islands occupied by Iran and called to resolve the issue through direct negotiations or international arbitration.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005994/en/

Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, Speaker of the UAE Parliament, with Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs (Photo: AETOSWire)

She presented an overview of the UAE's role in international counter-terrorism efforts, establishing the Sawab Center and hosting Hedayah Center, and noted that 2019 is the UAE Year of Tolerance. She commended the decision of the UAE President in raising the representation of women in parliament to 50 percent.

Mogherini stressed the importance and depth of the cooperation and partnership and noted that the EU is keen to strengthen cooperation with the UAE, a valuable ally in the fight against terrorism and in achieving security and stability. She welcomed the approach adopted by the UAE and its progressive mindset, in terms of women empowerment, gender equality, tolerance and coexistence.

Mogherini expressed the EU's appreciation for the UAE's efforts for stability in Yemen, noting that the UAE is instrumental in securing political settlement in line with its interest in finding a peaceful solution: "We appreciate the UAE's role in this regard as well as the aid offered to refugees in different countries." She reiterated the importance of stability for returning refugees.

Mogherini further acknowledged Libya's role in ensuring regional stability, as well as its efforts to achieve peace among various parties.

Mogherini noted that there is significant cooperation between the EU and GCC countries. Regarding security, the nuclear deal with Iran is the best means available to ensure its disarmament. She added that the EU would like to see Iran change its foreign policy and adopt a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of its neighbors.

Dr Al Qubaisi added: "The UAE's stance of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries is diametrically opposed to Iran's supporting the Houthi militias in Yemen with arms and missiles. We condemn the move of the Houthis to stop humanitarian aid from reaching Yemenis in need. The UAE has contributed US$4.9 billion in humanitarian aid to Yemen from April 2015 until December 2018."

*Source: AETOSWire

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005994/en/

Contacts:

Federal National Council, United Arab Emirates:

Mohammed Al-Sawafi +971506183874

m.alsawwafi@almajles.gov.ae

Twitter: @FNC_UAE
RUFFER INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED

(a closed-ended investment company incorporated in Guernsey with registration number 41996)



Attached is a link to the Investment Monthly Report for December 2018

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/805707/2018_12_RIC_monthly_report_Dec2018.pdf

During the month, the net asset value fell by 1.5%. This compares with a fall of 3.7% in the FTSE All-Share Index.

In a turbulent month our protective assets started to come into play. If we were to factor in the positive performance of the protective credit and volatility strategies, which did not price until after the month end, then the NAV would have fallen less than 1%. From where we stand a further market fall should see the Company perform well. That being said, we have failed in the last 12 months to deliver on Ruffer's raison d'etre: namely to protect capital and deliver positive returns regardless of the direction of markets. That is disappointing and frustrating to us; more importantly it has been costly to our shareholders.

Let us briefly survey what the financial historians will likely say about 2018. The most striking factor was the all-encompassing nature of the decline. Recent market volatility has not been an economic event (yet) but a financial market one: the global economy has been growing robustly with the US at the forefront. Yet a Deutsche Bank study demonstrated that more than 90% of asset classes posted losses in dollar terms for the year, a record since 1908. In December, not a single company managed to borrow money in the $1.2 trillion high yield market and it will go down as the worst

December ever for US stocks. Oil plunged 42% from peak to trough with no clear catalyst and President Trump scared the horses by engaging in trade wars and musing about firing the chairman of the Federal Reserve. For the first time in several years, Federal Reserve and Treasury communication policy hurt, rather than helped, the market.

So how is the portfolio currently positioned? We have our lowest allocation to equities since 2008, at 34%. Yet we have still sustained damage here. Our exposure was focused on cyclical businesses trading on low valuations, which we thought would best capture the benefits of economic growth. Low valuations did not soften the blow as these stocks fell in line with equity markets, but we remain confident that these investments will be well placed to capture any bounce. On the opposite side of the ledger, we have deliberately chosen to protect the portfolio from material declines, rather than buying expensive protection against bumps in the road. As such, the protective investments have only just begun to kick in, the exception being our investments against distress in credit markets: these have performed well (up around 30% over the quarter) and we would expect them to continue to deliver strong positive returns should the stresses we observe begin to manifest themselves more seriously.

Looking into 2019, credit markets are likely to be the epicentre of the next crisis, but the effects will be felt much more widely. The combination of option protection and the aforementioned credit market protection will be a powerful one and should more than offset any losses in our relatively trim equity exposure. When combined with gold starting to show signs of life and index-linked bonds likely to contribute positively, this should allow us to be greedy when others are fearful, if markets fall further.

Enquiries:

Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited

Martin Bourgaize +44 1481 745552
Article L. 238-8-II of the French commercial Code and article 223-16 of the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) general regulation

Regulatory News:

Veolia Environnement (Paris:VIE):

Corporate name of the issuer:

Veolia Environnement

21, rue La Boetie

75008 PARIS

FRANCE

(ISIN code: FR0000124141-VIE)

Information closing date Total number of shares forming the share capital Total number of voting rights December 31, 2018 565,593,341 Total number of theoretical voting rights (1): 598,630,652 Total number of voting rights that may be exercised (2): 586,120,263

Inclusion in the Veolia Environnement Articles of Association of a clause requiring a reporting obligation of the declaration of crossing a shareholding threshold, complementary to the one relating to the thresholds provided by the French law and the regulations in force (article 8).

(1) Number of theoretical voting rights after taking into account the number of shares with double voting rights as of December 31, 2018 (33,037,311 shares) and the number of treasury shares held as of December 31, 2018 (12,510,389 shares).

(2) Number of voting rights that may be exercised number of theoretical voting rights (or total number of voting rights attached to shares) shares without voting rights (number of treasury shares held as of December 31, 2018).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005920/en/

Contacts:

Veolia Environnement
PRESS RELEASE

Telefonica deploys NAGRA content protection to secure Movistar IPTV service worldwide

NAGRA provides Telefonica and its subsidiaries in Latam with next generation content protection for the IPTV content, including 4K UHD

The NAGRA Security Services Platform (SSP) and NAGRA Connect client provide a single security solution to secure new generation set-top boxes

Solution addresses CAS for IPTV linear TV, while meeting the highest Hollywood studio requirements for the protection of premium and enhanced content such as 4K UHD



Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland, and Phoenix (AZ), USA - January 8, 2019 - NAGRA, a Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) company and the world's leading independent provider of content protection and multiscreen television solutions, today announced that Telefonica, a global leader in telecommunications, has deployed the NAGRA Security Services Platform (SSP) managing the NAGRA Connect client to secure its Movistar IPTV service and 4K Ultra HD content in multiple countries with newest STBs. The announcement marks the first deployment of the NAGRA SSP and NAGRA Connect with a telco provider in an IPTV environment.



The new security platform provides Telefonica with a single, 4K-ready content protection system capable of securing multiple devices types, from existing set-top boxes to next generation set-top boxes, as well as multiple use cases as required by the operator regarding live TV. It will also benefit content owners, ensuring them of the highest level of security for premium and enhanced content, such as 4K, and consumers, enabling access to new IPTV services in the operator's newest markets, as well as to high-quality 4K content using a new generation of set-top boxes.

"We are proud that Telefonica has selected NAGRA as their security partner for their worldwide IPTV deployments," said Maurice Van Riek, SVP Content and Asset Security for NAGRA. "The NAGRA Security Services Platform provides a single suite of solutions to address every content protection need and provides a scalable and modular system for managing multiple environments across existing and newer generation set-top boxes. Together with the Connect client, Telefonica has a robust and comprehensive 4K and IP-ready content protection solution that can seamlessly deploy across device generations, regions and markets."

The NAGRA Security Services Platform (https://dtv.nagra.com/SSP) (SSP) goes beyond simple CAS and DRM management to give service providers complete control of content value protection across all of their networks, devices and use cases, and can be deployed on an operator's premises or in the cloud, in a software-as-a-service model (SaaS). Its Connect client provides cable and IPTV service providers with a native IP security solution that combines the best of CAS and DRM solutions into a single client supporting connected broadcast, IPTV, operator and third-party OTT delivery (including Net?ix), and in-home distribution.

The Connect client features a unique Adaptive Security concept that pragmatically leverages the security infrastructure of any client device to uniformly address a wide range of STB generations, all from one single platform. The NAGRA SSP and its range of security solutions fully support Movielabs' Enhanced Content Protection (ECP) profile Hollywood-approved for 4K Ultra HD content.

NAGRA content value protection solutions, new cloud-based Security Service Platform, Anti-Piracy Services and NexGuard watermarking will be on display at CES 2019 in Las Vegas in NAGRA suite, The Venetian Meeting Rooms, Level 4, Zeno 4609, from January 8-11, 2019. For more information on NAGRA's CES presence, please visit dtv.nagra.com/ces (https://dtv.nagra.com/ces).

About Telefonica

Telefonica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world by market capitalization and number of customers with a comprehensive offering and quality of connectivity that is delivered over world class fixed, mobile and broadband networks. As a growing company it prides itself on providing a differential experience based both on its corporate values and a public position that defends customer interests. The company has a significant presence in 21 countries and 346 million accesses around the world. Telefonica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe and Latin America, where the company focuses an important part of its growth strategy. Telefonica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 5,037,804,990 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market and on those in London, New York, Lima, and Buenos Aires.

About NAGRA

NAGRA, the digital TV division of the Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S), provides security and multiscreen user experience solutions for the monetization of digital media. The company offers content providers and DTV service providers worldwide secure, open and integrated platforms and applications over broadcast, broadband and mobile platforms, enabling compelling and personalized viewing experiences. Please visit dtv.nagra.com (https://dtv.nagra.com/) for more information and follow us on Twitter at @nagrakudelski (https://twitter.com/nagrakudelski).

Contacts

Ivan Schnider

Marketing Communications

+41 21 732 09 40

ivan.schnider@nagra.com

Christine Oury

Marketing Communications

+1 415 962 5433

christine.oury@nagra.com
Regulatory News:

In the context of a new leadership setup, Europcar Mobility Group (Paris:EUCAR) announced last november the appointment Olivier Baldassari, as Group Chief Countries and Operations Officer, joining on January 2019 the 1st

As such, Olivier Baldassari joins the Group Management Board.

Olivier Baldassari was previously Vice-President Operations and Logistics for the USA at Rexel, where he strongly contributed to the transformation of the activity. He has a recognized experience in Operations and in Technology as enablers of transformation, implemented across different business environment and cultures. Previously, he held different senior management positions at Rexel in France and Southern Europe, Delphi Corporation and at Smurfit Kappa.

In his new role and responsibilities on Countries and Operations, Olivier Baldassari will focus on the pursuit of the Group's transformation into a mobility service company , by addressing the following key priorities: aligning networks and countries' resources on the multi-brand and multi-activities strategy of the Group, performance optimization through operational excellence and value creation in terms of customer service, with a multi-channel approach supported by the acceleration of digitalization.

Olivier Baldassari comments: Europcar Mobility Group has become in a short period of time a major player in the mobility eco-system, offering a wide range of mobility solutions. At a time when faced with traffic congestion and struggle to reduce carbon footprint -, many public or private organizations think about the future of urban mobility, I'm convinced that offering an alternative to vehicle ownership is a model that makes sense. Even more, as technology and digital enable it.

ENDS

About Europcar Mobility Group

Europcar Mobility Group is a major player in mobility markets and listed on Euronext Paris.

The mission of Europcar Mobility Group is to be the preferred "Mobility Service Company" by offering alternative attractive solutions to vehicle ownership, with a wide range of mobility-related services: vehicle-rental, chauffeur services, car-sharing, scooter-sharing and peer-to-peer car-rental.

Customers' satisfaction is at the heart of the Group's mission and all of its employees and this commitment fuels the continuous development of new services.

Europcar Mobility Group operates through multi brands meeting every customer specific needs; its 4 major brands being: Europcar the European leader in vehicle rental services, Goldcar the most important low-cost car-rental company in Europe, InterRent 'mid-tier' brand focused on leisure and Ubeeqo one of the European leaders in car-sharing (BtoB, BtoC).

Europcar Mobility Group delivers its mobility solutions worldwide solutions through an extensive network in 135 countries (including 16 wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe, 2 in Australia and New Zealand, franchises and partners).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005740/en/

Contacts:

Europcar Mobility Group

Valerie Sauteret Marie-Anne Benardais

+33 1 30 44 98 82

europcarpressoffice@europcar.com

Publicis Consultants

Salima Djeziri

+33 (0) 1 44 82 47 48

salima.djeziri@publicisconsultants.com
R&S PACE 2 DPI helps vEPC vendors boost competitive advantage by easily and reliably detecting and classifying thousands of applications and attributes

ipoque GmbH, a Rohde & Schwarz company providing market-leading deep packet inspection (DPI) software, today announced new R&SPACE 2 capabilities for the virtualized evolved packet core (vEPC) market. The high-performance DPI product offers vEPC vendors comprehensive signatures for video streaming, breakthrough efficiency, enhanced NAT and tethering detection and flexible licensing. Today, three of the five leading vEPC vendors have embedded R&SPACE 2 in their solutions to boost competitive advantage with Communication Service Providers (CSPs).

CSPs are increasingly moving to software-defined networks and network function virtualization (SDN, NFV, respectively) in order to handle rapidly growing and diverse traffic. As a result, the vEPC market, which is key to SDN and NFV deployments, is projected to reach $15.9 billion by 2026, a CAGR of over 36.3 percent from 2018. CSPs need application-aware vEPC frameworks to optimize their SDN and NFV service deployments. vEPC provides the granular network intelligence CSPs use to develop application-based business models, service function chaining and advanced firewall rules.

vEPC solutions, in turn, rely on DPI to classify mobile apps and services and provide intelligence on subscriber traffic, app usage and behavioral patterns. R&SPACE 2 provides extremely cost-effective and reliable detection and classification of thousands of applications and their attributes in real-time, making it ideal for vEPC vendors.

R&SPACE 2 capabilities for the vEPC market include:

Extensive video streaming app signatures

By integrating R&SPACE 2 with their vEPC solutions, vendors can easily identify the approximately 80 percent of mobile traffic that consists of video streaming. This enables them to implement dedicated treatment of this important OpEx driver, including TCP optimization, steering or local breakout, and to improve customer Quality of Experience (QoE).

Extensive signatures for policy-bypass applications

With R&SPACE 2 integrated into the firewall, vEPC vendors can detect potential policy bypasses and zero-rating fraud. Anomaly detection and heuristic analysis also enable them to block this kind of traffic. Extensive coverage of VPN and anonymizer signatures allows to prevent policy-bypassing.

Market-leading DPI efficiency and scalability

vEPC vendors benefit from the industry's most efficient memory and CPU utilization: R&SPACE 2 features the smallest processing footprint-around 400 bytes/flow and zero memory utilization during run time. Capacity can be increased through targeted scaling as R&SPACE 2 has no external dependencies and works on all standard servers and operating systems, as well as physical, virtual and SDN architectures.

Improved NAT Tethering Detection

R&SPACE 2 uses advanced heuristics to detect NAT tethering scenarios regardless of used transport encryption enabling vEPC vendors to realize use cases such as Tethering Abuse Detection and new revenue streams such as tethering-related data plan options.

Custom Signatures

vEPC vendors can add or implement their own signatures as needed, for instance, to comply with strict service level agreements.

"R&SPACE 2 ensures vEPC vendors can reliably and accurately track and classify the latest apps and protocols," said Dirk Czepluch, CEO of ipoque. "By making it easy to embed the industry's best-performing DPI software in their solutions, we're freeing vEPC providers to focus on their core competencies and gain competitive advantage with CSPs."

For more information, download the white paper "DPI for vEPC vendors: Real-time analytics, QoE and security," and listen to the archived webinar "DPI: The key technology for vEPC solutions Build or Buy?"

About ipoque

ipoque, a Rohde Schwarz company, is a leading vendor of deep packet inspection software that adds protocol and application classification capabilities to network analytics, traffic management and cybersecurity solutions. Rohde Schwarz also provides a holistic network traffic analytics system for communication service providers that allows deep insights into network behavior, network performance and trends to optimize both quality of experience and quality of service. For more information, visit www.ipoque.com

Rohde Schwarz

The Rohde Schwarz technology group develops, produces and markets innovative communications, information and security products for professional users. The group's test and measurement, broadcast and media, aerospace defense security, networks and cybersecurity business fields address many different industry and government-sector market segments. On June 30, 2018, Rohde Schwarz had approximately 11,500 employees. The independent group achieved a net revenue of approximately EUR 2 billion in the 2017/2018 fiscal year (July to June). The company has its headquarters in Munich, Germany. Internationally, it has subsidiaries in more than 70 countries, with regional hubs in Asia and America.

R&S is a registered trademark of Rohde Schwarz GmbH Co. KG.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005814/en/

Contacts:

Press contact

Christine Lorenz

Phone: +49 341 5940 3062

E-mail: christine.lorenz@rohde-schwarz.com
Cooperation focus in the field of LiDAR sensor and iDAR system development

First results will be already demonstrated at CES 2019 in Las Vegas

HELLA, one of the world's leading automotive suppliers for lighting and electronics, and AEye, a world leader in artificial perception systems and the developer of iDAR, seek to extend their strategic partnership to deliver customized sensing and perception solutions for ADAS Automated Driving (AD) based on AEye's iDAR technology. Both parties will combine their complementary know-how and capabilities in their respective domains.

AEye's iDAR artificial perception system leads the industry in range and scan rate performance for automotive-grade LiDAR. iDAR is a new form of intelligent data collection that fuses 1550 nanometer (nm), solid-state agile LiDAR with a low-light HD camera and embedded AI to intelligently capture data at the sensor level. HELLA will bring in its high competence in the field of embedded software and image processing as well as its automotive experience and industrialization capabilities along the entire supply chain to leverage and extend this platform. This joint development effort will bring best-in-class Level 3 ADAS solutions to global automotive OEMs. AEye and HELLA will be demonstrating first results of their already existing cooperation at CES 2019 in Las Vegas, January 8th to 11th, 2019 (Booth #2100, Westgate Convention Center).

"HELLA is an ideal strategic partner for AEye as we look to ramp production capabilities to meet the demand of our OEM partners," said Blair LaCorte, President of AEye. "HELLA has an excellent track record working with automotive OEMs, and I anticipate great synergies as we look to roll out next generation perception capabilities that meet their needs both today, and in the future."

Frank Petznick, responsible for Automated Driving at HELLA, says: "HELLA is actively promoting the trend towards AD. The collaboration with AEye will provide us with additional opportunities to catalyze new functionality for ADAS and AD solutions that will redefine performance."

In December, Hella Ventures became a major shareholder of AEye as part of its $40M Series B round of financing.The first joint development project will start immediately, with the objective of a SOP in 2022.

For more information about AEye and Hella's partnership, please visit AEye's CES Booth #2100 at the Westgate Convention Center in Las Vegas.

About HELLA GmbH Co. KGaA, Lippstadt: HELLA is a global, family-owned company, listed on the stock exchange, with more than 40,000 employees at over 125 locations in some 35 countries. The HELLA Group develops and manufactures products for lighting technology and electronics for the automotive industry and also has one of the largest retail organizations for automotive parts, accessories, diagnostics, and services within Europe. With more than 7,000 people working in research and development, HELLA is one of the most important innovation drivers on the market. Furthermore, with sales of 7.1 billion in the fiscal year of 2017/2018, the HELLA Group is one of the top 40 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest German industrial companies.

About AEye: AEye is an artificial perception pioneer and creator of iDAR, a perception system that acts as the eyes and visual cortex of autonomous vehicles. Since its demonstration of its solid-state LiDAR scanner in 2013, AEye has pioneered breakthroughs in intelligent sensing. The company is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, and backed by world-renowned investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Taiwania Capital, Intel Capital, Airbus Ventures. For more information, please visit www.aeye.ai.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005373/en/

Contacts:

Dr. Markus Richter

Company spokesman

HELLA GmbH Co. KGaA

Rixbecker Strae 75

59552 Lippstadt, Germany

Phone: +49 2941 38-7545

Fax: +49 2941 38-477545

Markus.Richter@hella.com

www.hella.com

AEye Media Contact

AEye, Inc.

Jennifer Deitsch

jennifer@aeye.ai

925-400-4366

www.aeye.ai
Technavio analysts forecast the global agricultural grow bags market to grow at a CAGR close to 5% 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/20190108005779/en/

Technavio has released a new market research report on the global agricultural grow bags market for the period 2018-2022. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The use of double layered agricultural grow bags is one of the major trends being witnessed in the global agricultural grow bags market 2018-2022. Double layered agricultural grow bags have two layers of growing medium compared with traditional single layered grow bags with one medium. In 2015, the vendor Dutch Plantin introduced agricultural grow bags with two layers, one layer containing coir and the other layer contains chips. The coir layer allows the horizontal spreading of roots, while the chips layer allows better drainage. Compared with other growing substrates such as rock wool, the combination of coco coir on top and cocci chips at the bottom is better at removing excess water and allowing air retention. With the introduction of these agricultural grow bags, the use of coco as a substrate material for agricultural grow bags has increased. The increase in adoption of double layer agricultural grow bags is evident from the fact that Dutch Plantin had to expand its production capacity with an additional factory to meet demand. These double layered agricultural grow bags are ideal for plant growth, especially in the early growth phase. Since 2015, the use of double layered agricultural grow bags has increased among horticulture farmers in the Netherlands and Belgium, who use these to grow cucumber and bell pepper.

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 agricultural grow bags market is the increased adoption of fabric agricultural grow bags for high yield:

Global agricultural grow bags market: Increased adoption of fabric agricultural grow bags for high yield

Growing plants in a container like plastic pot can cause the roots to grow in the form of a ring. Such roots are called girdled roots and are caused due to the solid plastic layer, which restricts the free flow of air and prevents the free growth of roots. Roots need to grow downward or laterally for the proper growth of plants. When roots hit the plastic walls of a pot they tend to form a circular pattern instead of following the usual pattern. The girdling of roots in such a manner causes structural damage to the plants; growth is stunted as the stem of the plant becomes compressed. However, the fabric agricultural grow bags have pores that allow aeration of roots, thus removing much of the heat from the roots to avoid pruning and girdling. Well-developed roots also help in achieving an increased yield. Another reason for the adoption of fabric agricultural grow bags is that they are generally cheaper than other containers such as pots.

According to a senior analyst at Technavio, "Marijuana has been legalized in the US, for medical purposes, in 31 states. Similarly, Canada legalized marijuana in October 2018. Australia has also legalized the use of marijuana, but in a regulated way under the supervision of a physician. Marijuana is grown indoors or in greenhouses in containers. As agricultural grow bags have several advantages over other containers, including cost marijuana growers are increasing their adoption of agricultural grow bags, in turn, boosting the growth of the global market."

Global agricultural grow bags market: Segmentation analysis

The global agricultural grow bags market research report provides market segmentation by product (upright grow bags and horizontal grow bags), 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 Americas held the largest share of the market in 2017, accounting for close to 35% share, followed by the EMEA and APAC respectively. Although APAC held the smallest share of the market, it is expected to witness the maximum increase in its market share over the forecast period.

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/20190108005779/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

www.technavio.com
The Inaugural Nummo Robo Ranking 2019 breaks down 17 robo-advisors and 300 investment portfolios

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) -- Nummo, a personal financial management platform that empowers people to live better by helping them manage, maintain and improve their financial health, today announced the release of the first ever Nummo Robo Ranking 2019, an in-depth analysis and ranking of popular robo-advisors down to the portfolio level. The report is designed to help average investors decide whether a robo-advisor is right for them, and if so, which portfolio may be a good fit for their specific needs, especially as we enter a more challenging investing climate.

"Robo-advisors were fortunate in that they launched during a strong bull market," said Roi Y. Tavor, co-founder and CEO, Nummo. "But, that changed in 2018 and with it the performance of these portfolios. We wanted to see which did best during their very first down year, something that has not been measured before, and which is essential information for any investor currently working with a robo-advisor or considering one."

Nummo's distinct methodology places less weight on past performance and takes into consideration total costs and other qualitative services that Nummo believes are essential for investors. The report, which analyzes the period from December 1, 2017 to December 1, 2018 is the first to truly consider robo-advisors and portfolio performance in a down market.

"This is pitch perfect timing. The number of robo-advisors continues to increase, but there are variations in performance and results, making it challenging for investors to compare offerings and make better informed decisions," said Robin Raskin, founder, Living in Digital Times (LIDT). "As fintech and digital tools continue to evolve and become more sophisticated we need a straightforward guide like the one Nummo has now created."

The Nummo Robo Ranking 2019 not only shows everyday Americans the differences between the firms offering these services, it also gives return-weighted rankings and portfolio level views, to help investors, at all levels, see how these portfolios performed relative to one another, and helps them decide which risk profile and investments might be right to achieve their goals.

The ranking analyzed the past performance and total costs of 300 portfolios at 17 robo-advisors. Nummo categorized portfolios based on various investment risk profiles and objectives, broken down for both retirement and taxable investment accounts. Best robo-advisors by category are as follows:

Nummo's Top Robo Portfolios for Taxable Accounts

Value: Wealthsimple Basic, Growth SRI Portfolio

Growth: Wealthfront, Risk Score "4.5" Portfolio

Balanced: SoFi Wealth, Moderate Portfolio

Income: Ellevest Digital, A Place to Call Home Portfolio

Conservative: SoFi Wealth, Conservative Portfolio

Nummo's Top Robo Portfolios for Retirement Accounts

Value: Ellevest Digital, Retirement on My Terms Portfolio

Growth: Fidelity Go, Growth Retirement Portfolio

Balanced: Fidelity Go, Growth with Income Retirement Portfolio

Income: Fidelity Go, Moderate Retirement Portfolio

Conservative: Betterment Digital, 0% Stock Retirement Portfolio

"While there are no risk-free investments, this ranking will help investors determine the characteristics of robo-advisors and portfolios that are important and meaningful to them," said Lawrence G. Baxter, PhD, faculty director of the Global Financial Markets Center at Duke University, who serves on Nummo's Advisory Council. "This will become even more important as there has not been an in-depth review of robo-advisors in a down market."

The report also provides overall rankings for robo-advisor firms based on lowest total cost (Top Pick: SoFi Wealth); lowest investment minimums (Top Pick: Betterment Digital); and whether they offer portfolios for Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) (Top Pick: M1 Finance).

Download a full copy of the Nummo Robo Ranking 2019 here1: www.nummo.com/robo-ranking/robo-ranking-01-2019.pdf.

Useful Links:

Nummo: www.nummo.com

Robo-Advisor Ranking: www.nummo.com/robo-ranking

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nummo_com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nummoltd/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nummo-ag/

About Nummo

Nummo is an independent privately heldcompany, with no ties to any financial institution or current product providers in any way.The company provides a personal financial management platform that empowers people to live better by helping them manage, maintain and improve their financial health. Founded in 2016, Nummo is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. For more information, visit www.nummo.com.

1 This report is not intended to provide legal, tax or financial advice. It is strictly educational in nature and is provided with the understanding that Nummo is not engaged in rendering accounting, investment, tax, legal, or other professional services. Nummo makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees, express or implied, regarding the results or savings that may be obtained through your use of any of the reviewed robo-advisor services. The report is intended only to assist you in your banking decision-making and financial planning and management, and is provided without complete knowledge of your financial situation. If legal, financial, or other professional advice is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005442/en/

Contacts:

ANW Networks

Claudine Cornelis, +1 845,424.6342

claudine@anwnetworks.com

or

Alicia V. Nieva-Woodgate, +1 720.808.0086

alicia@anwnetworks.com
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Loop and Tie, a leading corporate gifting platform, is extending their offering with a new solution on the Salesforce AppExchange. Loop and Tie can now help Salesforce users deepen client relationships through smart client gifting programs. After winning Dreampitch, Salesforce's startup pitch contest, at Dreamforce in 2017, Loop & Tie invested in its presence in the Salesforce Ecosystem and their technology stack.

Sara Rodell, CEO and founder of Loop and Tie

Built on the Salesforce Platform, Loop and Tie is currently available on AppExchange.

With more than 500 businesses using Loop and Tie, customers have seen a 20% reduction in corporate gifting costs. 'We send about 2,000 gifts a year, and with Loop and Tie we spend 10% of the time we used to spend on gifting; we're getting notes of thanks we've never received in other gift initiatives,' says Emily Cannon, Corporate Marketing Director at Brasfield & Gorrie.

'Before Loop and Tie, client gifts were given in a void. In an increasingly competitive sales environment, we recognized that providing gifting choice to clients was an opportunity to understand what clients want, as well as initiate a new, more meaningful conversation with them,' says Sara Rodell, CEO and founder of Loop and Tie. 'Working with Salesforce to arm their users with new ways to strengthen client relationships is a powerful next step in scaling Loop and Tie.'

http://loopandtie.com Loop and Tie is also pleased to announce its latest funding from Salesforce Ventures, The Revolution Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, and Wise Ventures.

'Our fans were the happiest they've ever been with their gifts. And because their renewals came in so quickly, our sales team could be more efficient with their time on at-risk accounts,' says Kamryn Beard, Director of Client Relations & Retention for the Dallas Stars.

Loop and Tie customers include brands such as the San Francisco 49ers, Google, Visa, Greystar, MGM Resorts, and more.

To learn more about Loop and Tie, visit LoopandTie.com.

Salesforce, AppExchange, and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, Inc.

Loop & Tie is a gift choice platform that helps brands treat their customers to choices of unique gifts sourced from independent makers. The platform is used to celebrate customers or employees at key moments and foster meaningful conversations.

Salesforce Ventures

Salesforce is the fastest growing top five enterprise software company and the #1 CRM provider globally. Salesforce Ventures-the company's corporate investment group-invests in the next generation of enterprise technology that extends the power of the Salesforce Customer Success Platform, helping companies connect with their customers in entirely new ways. Portfolio companies receive funding as well as access to the world's largest cloud ecosystem and the guidance of Salesforce's innovators and executives. With Salesforce Ventures, portfolio companies can also leverage Salesforce's expertise in corporate philanthropy by joining Pledge 1% to make giving back part of their business model. Salesforce Ventures has invested in more than 280 enterprise cloud startups in 18 different countries since 2009. For more information, please visit www.salesforce.com/ventures.

SOURCE: Loop and Tie

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532072/High-Growth-Gift-Platform-Loop-and-Tie-Scales-Corporate-Gifting-Through-Salesforce-AppExchange
EPSOM, England, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The toughest, strangest and most challenging data recovery jobs of 2018

With festivities now over and a new year officially under way, data recovery expert, Ontrack is taking a look back at some of its most memorable data recovery projects.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/743806/Ontrack_Logo.jpg )

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796903/Ontrack.jpg )

(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796904/Ontrack.jpg )





2018 was a good year for Ontrack, with the company successfully accomplishing data recovery from a large number of jobs where its competitors failed. But, don't think that every data recovery was straightforward. In order to showcase the types of situations Ontrack dealt with last year, below are 5 of its most memorable data recovery projects of 2018.



1. Polar bear selfie

A year ago, the world-famous Norwegian nature photographer, Audun Rikardsen, was in the Svalbard archipelago (between Norway and the North pole) to photograph sea lions. Setting up his self-timer camera right by a sea lion breathing hole, he waited for the perfect picture. As he waited, a polar bear approached, curious about the camera equipment. The bear sniffed around the camera and triggered a series of pictures, before it rolled the camera down into the ice-cold water where it sank 140 metres.

A year later, Audun returned to the same GPS-position and miraculously, he and the team managed to find the camera using an underwater drone. The memory card was miraculously still intact, so he sent it off to Ontrack who managed to save the images.



2. Too hot to handle

A huge fire totally destroyed a customer's factory located in Fiji, causing millions of dollars' worth of damage. An external hard drive with important business data was retrieved out of the ruins. Before Ontrack was contacted, two other "professional" data recovery service providers tried to retrieve data from the disk without success. When the Ontrack engineer finally received the drive, he quickly concluded that the damage by both the fire and the water (used to extinguish the fire) was severe, but not as severe as the work the other "experts" had caused.

The damage to the drive including melted components, contaminated insides and water corrosion. However, the two previous attempts to recover the data had caused even more damage: the dirty platter had been "cleaned" leaving it filthy and badly scratched, and it had been inserted upside down. Despite this, the experienced engineer's at Ontrack managed to extract the most critical files, which otherwise would have cost the customer both time and a substantial amount of money to replicate.

3. The accident at number 13

A customer in Poland had some bad luck when he went to show some holiday pictures at a party on his mobile phone. While smoking on the balcony, he slipped and his phone fell off the edge - 13 floors down! Recovering the phone from the street, it was in a fragile state, but the team at Ontrack had no problem recovering 100% of the phone's data.



4. Not amused

Earlier this year there was a big fire in an amusement park in Germany. The fire severely damaged an important internal data centre and two high-end servers. Over 90 hard drives were sent to Ontrack Germany in the hope that the data on the disks could be saved. The disks were severely damaged, the covers had largely melted, and they smelled terrible. However, the German engineers managed to create a copy of all of the disk files and rebuild the complete database for the client.



5. Unintentionally curved screen

Curved PC monitors have become a big trend in recent years, but having such a display on a laptop is rather unusual. However, an Ontrack customer bent his laptop screen when it got jammed in a car seat. Additionally, the laptop had also been exposed to water, which caused the motherboard to short circuit. The Ontrack technicians got the SSD isolated and connected to an interface specifically developed by Apple. As a result, 100 percent of the data was recovered and Ontrack had another satisfied customer.

For more information about Ontrack data recovery capabilities and services please visit https://www.ontrack.com/uk

About Ontrack

Ontrack provides technology-enabled services and software to help law firms, corporations, government agencies and consumers solve complex data challenges. Part of the KLDiscovery brand, Ontrack provides market leading data recovery for any type of media - hard drives, SSD, server, RAID, virtual, cloud, mobile, tape, NAS/SAN/DAS, laptop, desktop computers and Apple devices. Additionally, through proprietary technologies and expert services around the globe, Ontrack helps clients with email extraction, tape management and data destruction.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Pelangio Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: PX; OTC PINK: PGXPF) ("Pelangio" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its plans for future exploration and project generation. With the recent completion of the acquisition of 2522962 Ontario Inc. ("5SD Capital"), Pelangio remains focused on exploring its properties and also pursuing new value generating projects and opportunities in Ontario, Canada and Ghana, West Africa. The Company also wishes to announce the addition to its technical team.

Addition to Technical Team

Pelangio is pleased to announce that Mr. Kevin Filo, P.Geo. joins the Company as the Vice-President of Corporate Development. Mr. Filo is an experienced international mining and exploration geologist with over 35 years of experience in the mining industry. In recent years, Mr. Filo carried out consulting work for numerous exploration companies and successfully managed several private project generator corporations, including 5SD Capital which was recently acquired by Pelangio. Prior to this, Mr. Filo was Vice President Exploration for Pelangio during its acquisition of the Detour Lake Project from Placer Dome Canada in 1998.

Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO of Pelangio Exploration stated, "We are very pleased to have Kevin Filo join our team, and I am delighted to be working with him again. He was instrumental in compiling 5SD's property portfolio and has a proven track record of attracting collaborative partners and enhancing the value of projects he leads. We are excited for Kevin to spearhead our Canadian exploration and generate future opportunities."

Update on the Dalton Property

The Dalton property, one of the more strategic properties included in the 5SD property portfolio, is located within the City of Timmins, approximately 1.5 km west of the Hollinger Gold Mine. The Hollinger Mine is currently being operated by Goldcorp and has historical production of over 19 million ounces of gold.

Earlier in 2018, a cursory prospecting program was conducted on the Dalton property to evaluate a series of historical trenches. Numerous trenches observed on the property contained significant westerly trending shear structures associated with quartz veins. Some of the larger quartz veins observed were approximately 2 metres (m) in width. A preliminary examination of all trenches and a significant sampling program was conducted prior to winter. This data in now being compiled and samples will be sent for assay analysis shortly.

Further, the company secured approximately 1000m of drill core, drilled by San Gold in 2009, from eight historical holes on the property. An initial examination of the core has shown that there are numerous sections that have not yet been assayed. These sections of core are of interest because they have substantial carbonate and sericite alteration, as well as sulphide mineralization within the altered zones and along with some quartz veining. Sampling of this historical core has been completed and results will be released as soon as they are available.

The work described above represents a preliminary investigation of the Dalton Property. A more comprehensive exploration program is planned for the 2019 field season to develop drill targets. Kevin Filo, P.Geo., will be responsible for this program.

Qualified Person

Mr. Warren Bates, P.Geo., Pelangio's Senior VP Exploration, is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this press release.

About Pelangio

Pelangio acquires and explores large land packages in world-class gold belts in Canada and Ghana, West Africa. In Canada, the company is focusing on the 25 km2 Birch Lake Property, located in the Red Lake Mining District and the Dalton Property, located 1.5 km from the Hollinger mine in Timmins. In Ghana, the Company is focusing on two 100% owned camp-sized properties: the 100 km2 Manfo Property, the site of seven recent near-surface gold discoveries, and the 284 km2 Obuasi Property, located 4 km on strike and adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti's prolific high-grade Obuasi Mine. Ghana is an English-speaking, common law jurisdiction that is consistently ranked amongst the most favourable mining jurisdictions in Africa.

For additional information, please visit our website at www.pelangio.com, or contact:

Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO

Tel: 905-336-3828 / Toll-free: 1-877-746-1632 / Email: info@pelangio.com

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements or information appear in a number of places and can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the Company's ability to complete the planned work programs, the Company's strategy of acquiring large land packages in areas of sizable gold mineralization, the Company's plans to follow-up on previous work, and the Company's exploration plans. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made numerous assumptions, including assumptions about the state of the equity markets. Such forward-looking statements and information are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Such risks include the changes in equity markets, share price volatility, volatility of global and local economic climate, gold price volatility, political developments in Ghana, increases in costs, exchange rate fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration and other risks involved in the gold exploration industry, might not encounter favourable exploration results. See the Company's annual and quarterly financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statement and information. There can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information referenced herein will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. All forward-looking statements and information herein are qualified by this cautionary statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Pelangio Exploration Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532060/Pelangio-Provides-Update-on-the-Dalton-Property-and-Addition-to-the-Technical-Team
VAUGHAN, Ontario, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

CannTrust Holdings Inc. ("CannTrust" or the "Company") (TSX: TRST), one of Canada's leading, most trusted licensed producers of cannabis and the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Awards "Top Licensed Producer of the Year," announces that it has applied to list its common shares on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE").

Listing of the Company's common shares on the NYSE remains subject to the approval of the NYSE and the satisfaction of all applicable listing and regulatory requirements. In connection with the intended listing on the NYSE, the Company has filed a registration statement on Form 40-F (the "Registration Statement") with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The Registration Statement has not yet been declared effective by the SEC. Upon receipt of all required approvals and completion of the formal listing process, the Company will publicly announce its first trading date on the NYSE.

"CannTrust has firmly established itself as one of the top licensed producers in Canada with a global platform rooted in trust, science and innovation," said Peter Aceto, CEO of CannTrust. "A listing on the NYSE is a natural step forward in our evolution as we look to broaden our investor base, increase the Company's exposure and expand our business on an international scale."

About CannTrust

CannTrust is a federally regulated licensed producer of medical and recreational cannabis in Canada. Founded by pharmacists, CannTrust brings more than 40 years of pharmaceutical and healthcare experience to the medical cannabis industry and serves over 57,000 medical patients with its dried, extract and capsule products. The Company operates its 450,000 sq. ft. Niagara Perpetual Harvest Facility. The industry's broadest product portfolio is prepared and packaged at the 60,000 sq. ft. manufacturing centre of excellence in Vaughan, Ontario.

CannTrust is developing nanotechnology to develop new products in the medical, recreational, beauty, wellness and pet markets. The Company has established its international footprint through a strategic partnership with Cannatrek Ltd. in Australia and a joint venture with STENOCARE in Denmark. The Company has also partnered with Breakthru Beverage Group through Kindred Canada, for recreational distribution in Canada. CannTrust is committed to research and innovation. Its partnerships with McMaster University in Ontario and Gold Coast University in Australia were designed to contribute to the growing body of evidence-based research regarding the use and efficacy of cannabis.

CannTrust was proudly voted Top Licensed Producer of the Year at the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Awards. For more information, please visit http://www.canntrust.ca.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation which are based upon CannTrust's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs and views of future events. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expect", "likely", "may", "will", "should", "intend", "anticipate", "potential", "proposed", "estimate" and other similar words, including negative and grammatical variations thereof, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "would" or "will" happen, or by discussions of strategy.

The forward-looking information and statements in this news release are based upon the expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and views of future events which management believes to be reasonable in the circumstances. Forward-looking information and statements includes estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, targets, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the approval to list the Company's common shares on the NYSE. Forward-looking information and statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation: risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; loss of markets; future legislative and regulatory developments; the cannabis industry in Canada generally; the ability of CannTrust to implement its business strategies; obtaining NYSE and SEC approval to list CannTrust's common shares; any delays related to obtaining such approvals as a result of the current shutdown of the US Federal government and other risks.

Any forward-looking information and statements speaks only as of the date on which they are made, and, except as required by law, CannTrust does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for CannTrust to predict all such factors. When considering these forward-looking information and statements, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in CannTrust's Annual Information Form dated March 29, 2018 (the "AIF") and filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com. The risk factors and other factors noted in the AIF could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking information or statements.

The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright  2019 CannTrust Holdings Inc.

For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Media Relations:

Sybil Eastman

media@canntrust.ca

Investor Relations:

Marc Charbin

+1-416-519-2156 x2232

investor@canntrust.ca
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 8, 2019) - Senternet Phi Gamma Inc. ("Senternet" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Cura Partners, Inc. ("Cura Partners") (the "LOI"). The LOI outlines certain mutual understandings and principal terms and conditions pursuant to which the Company and Cura Partners intend to effect a possible transaction that will result in a reverse takeover of the Company by the shareholders of Cura and the listing of the Company common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") (the "Transaction").

Cura Partners, the parent company of Cura Cannabis Solutions and its affiliates, is one of the largest cannabis companies in the world and on a mission to be the leading provider of cannabis oil in legal U.S. and international markets. Makers of the Select Oil and Select CBD brands, Cura Partners strives to provide patients and customers with the cleanest, most flavorful, high-quality cannabis oils, with the safest delivery methods available. Cura Partners was established in 2015 in Portland, Oregon and has expanded into Nevada, California, and Arizona with plans to expand into additional states and locations across North America and around the world.

The Transaction is proposed to be completed by way of share exchange, merger, amalgamation, arrangement or other similar form of transaction to be agreed to by the parties. The parties have agreed on the valuation of the Company for the purposes of the Transaction and the ownership ratio for the respective securityholders of the Company and Cura Partners will be subject to the final valuation of Cura Partners on the closing of the Transaction, which will be based on a private placement to be undertaken by Cura Partners concurrently with the Transaction.

Closing of the Transaction is subject to negotiation, completion and execution of all definitive transaction documents as well as customary conditions, including consolidation of the Company's existing share capital on a basis mutually determined by Cura Partners and the Company, receipt of all required shareholder, board, third party and regulatory consents and approvals, the listing of the Company's post-consolidation common shares on the CSE, and the satisfaction of other closing conditions.

The Company intends to provide further details regarding the Transaction in due course.

SENTERNET PHI GAMMA INC.

"Yaron Conforti" Yaron Conforti, CEO

yaron@conforti.ca

Cautionary Notes

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including CSE acceptance. The Transaction cannot close until all required regulatory and corporate approvals are obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed, or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the Listing Statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. All statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking, including statements regarding the completion of the Transaction, the listing of the Company's common shares on the CSE, and the provision by the Company of further information regarding the Transaction. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include market fluctuations, availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market and business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable laws.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of their Global HR Payroll Processing Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005431/en/

Global HR Payroll Processing Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire)

An increase in employee volumes and the preference for outsourcing complex payroll operations to relevant service providers is accelerating the spend momentum for HR payroll processing category. The current market trends imply that manufacturing, retail, and healthcare are the three critical end-users of HR payroll processing services and, together, account for more than 70% of the total market share. Get access to the free sample copy of this market intelligence report here!

In the US, SMEs account being the significant buyers of HR payroll processing services. It has been observed that companies with an employee strength of less than 10,000 typically utilize payroll outsourcing services that are either hosted or entirely outsourced. The need to reduce complexities associated with regulatory compliance is driving companies in Europe to leverage payroll processing services.

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Regulatory changes pose significant risks to category managers

Increasing demand for MCPO will drive market growth during the forecast period

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005431/en/

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SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / In this post, Dr. Najib Babul, an entrepreneur, experienced pharmaceutical scientist, drug developer, inventor and consultant discusses Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and the opioid overdose crisis. OUD is a chronic relapsing illness characterized by repeated, compulsive opioid seeking or use despite harm. Opioid addiction generally refers to moderate to severe OUD, which the American Society of Addiction Medicine defines as "a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry."

A diagnosis of OUD confers a high risk for adverse medical consequences, including poor physical and mental health, increased health care utilization, a higher incidence of HIV and Hepatitis C, opioid overdose deaths and a 14-fold higher all-cause mortality than the general population. OUD is also associated with many adverse non-medical consequences, including higher rates of criminal behavior and incarceration, impaired social functioning, reduced labor force participation and lost productivity. The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) estimated the economic cost of the opioid crisis at $504 billion in 2015. The CEA noted that previous economic cost estimates greatly undervalued the most important component of the loss - fatalities resulting from overdoses. The CEA estimate was derived from 2015 data, when opioid overdose mortality was 30% lower than the most recently available estimate (2017).

More than 2.1 million Americans have an opioid use disorder (OUD), including 626,000 with heroin related OUD. Overall life expectancy in the U.S. began to decline in 2015 due to the opioid overdose crisis, the first such decrease since the 1960s. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the year 2017, 47,600 Americans died of opioid overdoses, a 12% increase over 2016. This means that on average, 130 Americans died each day from opioid overdoses in 2017, up from 116 daily opioid overdose fatalities in 2016. Synthetic opioids which include illicitly manufactured fentanyl and fentanyl analogs were involved in almost 60% of opioid overdose deaths, an increase of about 45% from the previous year. Overdose deaths from prescription opioids and heroin remained stable during 2016-2017.

According to Babul, stabilization of prescription opioid overdose deaths may be due to improved diversion control, a decline in opioid prescribing rates since 2012, and high-dose opioid prescribing rates since 2009, and the introduction of abuse deterrent (or tamper resistant) dosage forms. There is now compelling evidence that oral prescription opioid abuse by non-oral routes more than doubles the risk of death or life-threatening events. Furthermore, a changeover to abuse deterrent formulations can reduce the extent of tampering and diversion into the illicit market. For example, following the introduction of abuse deterrent OxyContin, the desirability of OxyContin among persons with OUD decreased dramatically. The rate of intentional abuse, diversion, oral and non-oral abuse variously declined by approximately 60 to 90%, and the street price decreased by about 40%.

Similarly, the levelling of heroin overdose deaths may reflect its displacement by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogs clandestinely manufactured at labs in far-flung places including China, Mexico, Bulgaria, Greece, Slovakia, Belarus, the Ukraine and Russia, and trafficked through both traditional illicit drug distribution channels, and increasingly, over the internet. Starting in 2016, the number of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids surpassed heroin and prescription opioids. In some cases, manufacturers of illicit opioids and/or drug dealers are responding to periodic declines in the purity of heroin by using synthetic opioids as heroin adulterants to maintain stable retail pricing. In other cases, synthetic opioids entirely substitute for heroin. Some of the synthetic opioids are characterized by new features, including ease of availability on the web, low price and high purity. Many of the new synthetic opioids are derived or resurrected from patent filings or published scientific literature of pharmaceutical companies.

Babul notes that fentanyl precursors are also being shipped from China to individuals and drug cartels for processing and distribution across the U.S. for manufacture of fentanyl-laced pills sold as counterfeit oxycodone or hydrocodone, underscoring the need for a robust harm reduction strategy. This can include: (i) not using alone so that others can call for help; (ii) education on the overdose potential of synthetic opioids and how to recognize an overdose; (iii) naloxone rescue use training for people who use drugs, their family and peers; (iv) use of small test doses to assess the potency; and (v) activating emergency medical services by calling 911. More recently, some organizations have expressed interest in the use of fentanyl test strips (FTS) to identify illicitly manufactured synthetic fentanyl in street purchased drugs. Studies suggest that use of FTS may have the potential to effect changes in drug use behavior and/or reduce opioid overdose fatalities, particularly if used as part of a broad harm reduction strategy.

The increase in opioid overdose and deaths is not for lack of significant efforts on the part of operating divisions of the HHS, including the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). These efforts have included the NIH HEAL Initiative, a public-private partnership in conjunction with the FDA to address the opioid crisis via more effective and safe ways to prevent and treat OUD and overdose; increased availability of the opioid overdose reversal agent naloxone; expanded access to medication-assisted treatments; and linking individuals with OUD to treatment and harm-reduction services. Without significant Congressional appropriations for the opioid overdose crisis, and intervention by various HHS operating divisions and other stakeholders at the Federal, State and local level, the devastation from the opioid overdose crisis would be far greater.

Unfortunately, things may get worse before they get better. Synthetic opioids are an increasingly major public health hazard which present unique interdiction challenges. The worldwide recreational drug market is being ?ooded at a rapid pace with a diversity of synthetic compounds. Recent interdiction data show that while illicitly manufactured fentanyl is the predominant synthetic opioid, increasingly, many fentanyl analogs and structurally-diverse non-fentanyl synthetic opioids are being encountered as adulterants in illicit heroin or as constituents of counterfeit prescription opioids.

Dr. Najib Babul, PharmD, MBA, is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, the State University of New York, and the California Institute of Advanced Management. He has over two decades of experience in bringing new and repurposed drugs to market. Dr. Babul is the author of over 170 abstracts and manuscripts published by leading medical journals and scientific proceedings, including the Lancet, the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Cancer, Anesthesiology, Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, and Anesthesia & Analgesia.

SOURCE: Cinergen

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532097/Najib-Babul-Reviews-Opioid-Use-Disorder-and-the-Opioid-Overdose-Crisis
Visible Gold and coarse, nuggety samples recovered from new zone

Select sample highlights include 29.5 g/t Au, 27.5 g/t Au and 12.4 g/t Au

VANCOUVER, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Nexus Gold Corp. ('Nexus' or the 'Company') (TSX-V: NXS, OTC PINK: NXXGF, FSE: N6E) is pleased to report initial sampling results from the recently acquired, 100% -owned, 98-sq km Dakouli 2 Gold Project, located on the Boromo-Goren Greenstone Belt, central Burkina Faso, West Africa.

Ground reconnaissance conducted recently by the Company to the West and South of the main orpaillage (artisanal zone) identified new near surface workings currently being exploited by artisanal miners. Rock samples collected from these new zones have returned assays up to 29.5 grams-per-tonne ('g/t') gold ('Au') with several containing various concentrations of visible gold, including coarse nuggety samples (see Figures 1 and 2).

A total of 12 samples were taken from the Northeast Zone. Six of the 12 returned significant grades, with values between 2.90 g/t Au and 29.5 g/t Au (see Table 1), including 27.5 g/t Au and 12.4 g/t Au from samples containing visible gold. The remaining six samples returned values from 0.005 to .192 g/t Au. Samples taken at the Northeast Zone were obtained between 8-18 meters below surface from artisanal shafts and pits.

In addition to the higher-grade rock samples, Company geologists have viewed the panned concentrates of these near surface materials being processed by the artisanal miners and noted that the gold being recovered was also coarse and nuggety in nature.

Figure 1: Visible gold in quartz sample recovered at the Dakouli 2 concession, November 2018

Figure 2: Close up of coarse gold nugget in quartz recovered at the Dakouli 2 concession, November 2018

'The size of the workings and the coarse nature of the gold we have seen from the property so far makes this a very exciting prospect,' said Vice President of Exploration, Warren Robb, P.Geo.' These orpaillages were first identified only a year ago and have now expanded to two areas of workings, given the coarse visible gold observed here it is not surprising,' continued Mr. Robb.

'The initial results from our early exploration activity at Dakouli are very encouraging,' said Alex Klenman, president & CEO. 'We have already identified multiple zones of mineralization and have recovered some significant high-grade samples. The abundance of visible gold observed and recovered is certainly compelling. We will continue to conduct ground work in the near term and gather needed data as we move towards a maiden drill program in the coming months,' continued Mr. Klenman.

Dakouli Samples - November 2018 Sample-ID Easting Northing Comment g/t Au DKL-001 636687 1445630 Qtz from orpaillage pit, about 8m depth, light grey to smoky qtz, looks like flat vein 3.15 DKL-004 636763 1445627 Milky qtz vein from orpaillage pit, about 8m depth, several pieces of VG show from panning 27.5 DKL-009 636828 1445661 Milky qtz vein from orpaillage pit, 18m depth 2.90 DKL-010 636767 1445652 Light grey qtz vein from orpaillage pit 4.93 DKL-011 636738 1445670 Qtz from orpaillage pit, VG show in panning and on a piece of quartz coming from the same shaft, about 10m depth 29.5 DKL-012 636677 1445642 Qtz from orpaillage pit, about 8m depth, VG show in panning 12.4

Table 1: Six of 12 Dakouli samples greater 1.00 g/t Au - November 2018

The Dakouli 2 exploration permit is located approximately 100 kilometers due north of the capital city, Ouagadougou. The permit lies immediately South of and contiguous to the Niangouela concession, which has been explored by the Company over the past two years. Drilling at Niangouela has returned significant intercepts, including 26.69 g/t Au over 4.85m, including 132 g/t Au over 1m, and 4 g/t Au over 6m, including 20.5 g/t Au over 1m (see the Company news releases dated March 7, 2017 and April 5, 2017).

The Dakouli 2 property is located on the Boromo-Goren Greenstone belt and is bordered to the North by granitic rocks. It is also bisected by the Sabce Shear (see Figure 3) a major structural fault zone proximal to multiple gold deposits, which trends southwest northeast and bisects the entire long axis of the property.

Figure 3: Nexus project locations with known faults in red

The Sabce Nord trend starts east of the open pits at Nordgold's Bissa mine and continues through the new orpaillage located at the northeast corner of the Dakouli 2 permit, and the southeastern corner of the Niangouela permit (see Figure 4). It proceeds to the Boken Vein Orpaillage on the western boundary of Dakouli 2 extending approximately 12 kilometers across the Dakouli 2 property.

The Sabce Sud trend appears to span approximately four kilometers across the southern section of Dakouli 2, and includes the Black Vein Orpaillage, a series of deep shafts that trend sub parallel to the Sabce Sud trend. The Black Vein Orpaillage features abundant black quartz vein, similar to what is found at Nordgold's satellite pit located approximately 20km to the east.

Figure 4: Nexus project locations with bisecting Sabce faults in red

Please note the size of the Dakouli 2 concession was incorrectly stated in previous news releases, the correct size is 98-square kilometres.

About the Company

Nexus Gold is a Vancouver-based gold exploration and development company operating primarily in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The company is currently concentrating its efforts on establishing a compliant resource at one or more of it's four current Burkina-based projects which total over 560-sq kms (56,000+ hectares) of land located on proven gold belts and active mineralized trends.

Warren Robb P.Geo., Vice-President, Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information contained in this release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of

NEXUS GOLD CORP.

Alex Klenman

President & CEO

604-558-1920

info@nexusgoldcorp.com

www.nexusgoldcorp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

SOURCE: Nexus Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532073/Nexus-Gold-Recovers-High-Grade-Samples-at-New-Dakouli-2-Project-Burkina-Faso-West-Africa
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 8, 2019) - TerraX Minerals Inc. (TSXV: TXR) (FSE: TX0) (OTC Pink: TRXXF) is pleased to announce that 2018 exploration programs delivered concrete advancement of targets at the Yellowknife City Gold (YCG) project. While continuing to deliver high grade surface results, TerraX compiled and enhanced all data sets to achieve a clearer understanding of the deposits. Analysis and review of the entire district by a panel of internal and external global experts has identified new targets and further defined existing ones.

David Suda, President and CEO stated: "The Yellowknife City Gold Project continues to emerge as a globally significant exploration opportunity due to it's district scale, infrastructure and proximity of targets to historic gold producers Con and Giant. The outcome of targeting has brought about an exciting turning point for TerraX. Most importantly, this work provides context for gold findings on and below surface to date and sheds light on new un-drilled opportunities that lie within our existing core focus areas."

Identifying targets included the analysis and prioritization of over 100 prospective areas Figure 1 on the property. These targets were scored based on a rigorous classification of their exploration stage, their potential, and the level of confidence from the information currently available Figure 2. Four top priority targets were flagged for deposit expansion or confirmation drilling. Joe Campbell, Executive Chairman stated: "Equally exciting is the identification of several new high potential early stage targets that require additional exploration work. These targets are parallel structures to the shear that produced 5+ million ounces of gold at the Con mine."

The Targets:

Barney Deformation Corridor (BDC), Crestaurum and Sam Otto are the top three targets which will be the focus for expansion of gold deposits. Homer screened as a new high potential target and will be the focus of confirmation drilling. All four targets lie within 5km of each other in the Northbelt Core focus area of the project. Figure 3 These data driven targets are the highest potential and highest confidence targets that were the result of the comprehensive work completed by our expert panel.

BDC Figure 4 (Barney Deformation Corridor) is an extension of the Giant gold system with 3 parallel north/south structures over 1km of strike intersecting with Crestaurum. It features abundant high-grade rock samples on surface. There has been very little drilling over the majority of this shear zone at the intersection with Crestaurum making this a strong new target .

is an extension of the Giant gold system with 3 parallel north/south structures over 1km of strike intersecting with Crestaurum. It features abundant high-grade rock samples on surface. There has been very little drilling over the majority of this shear zone at the intersection with Crestaurum making this a . Crestaurum Figure 5 continues to be a top priority target. Previous drill success together with strong vectors from surface data including magnetics and geochemistry have identified two parallel structures to the north that are new and largely untested .

continues to be a top priority target. Previous drill success together with strong vectors from surface data including magnetics and geochemistry have identified two parallel structures to the north that are . Sam Otto Figure 6 remains a prospective bulk tonnage target with total strike length of 2.5km continuous mineralization. Drilling will focus on further defining the extension of mineralization.

remains a prospective bulk tonnage target with total strike length of 2.5km continuous mineralization. Drilling will focus on further defining the extension of mineralization. Homer Figure 7 is a 2km long and nearly 1km wide target with confirmed strong mineralization on surface. Pathfinder elements and felsic intrusions related to gold mineralization are contributing vectors that make this a very exciting target. This is one of TerraX's largest mineralized zones, and there is potential for economic gold bearing shears.

The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Joseph Campbell, Executive Chairman of TerraX, who is a Qualified Person as defined in "National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About the Yellowknife City Gold Project

The Yellowknife City Gold ("YCG") project encompasses 783 sq km of contiguous land immediately north, south and east of the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. Through a series of acquisitions, TerraX controls one of the six major high-grade gold camps in Canada. Being within 10 km of the City of Yellowknife, the YCG is close to vital infrastructure, including all-season roads, air transportation, service providers, hydro-electric power and skilled tradespeople.

The YCG lies on the prolific Yellowknife greenstone belt, covering 70 km of strike length along the main mineralized break in the Yellowknife gold district, including the southern and northern extensions of the shear system that hosted the high-grade Con and Giant gold mines. The project area contains multiple shears that are the recognized hosts for gold deposits in the Yellowknife gold district, with innumerable gold showings and recent high-grade drill results that serve to indicate the project's potential as a world-class gold district.

For more information on the YCG project, please visit our web site at www.terraxminerals.com.



On behalf of the Board of Directors



"DAVID SUDA"



David Suda

President and CEO

For more information, please contact:

Samuel Vella

Manager of Corporate Communications

Phone: 604-689-1749

Toll-Free: 1-855-737-2684

svella@terraxminerals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors - including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts, the completion of due diligence and the results of exploration activities - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise.
Mobile Industrial Robots, the industry first mover and market leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), today announced a global strategic collaboration with one of the world's leading companies within automotive technology, Faurecia, to deploy these AMRs in manufacturing plants worldwide to take the company's automation to a new level.

Faurecia has investigated and tested different solutions for automating its inhouse transportation for years in order to optimize productivity and internal workflows and hereby gain competitive advantages. The company has now partnered with MiR to rethink the internal logistics in Faurecia's production sites globally and make their logistics processes more efficient via flexible, autonomous mobile robots.

"We have entered into this strategic partnership with MiR because it has the capacity and extensive knowledge to support us in streamlining and optimizing our logistics operations," said Eric Moreau, VP Supply Chain & Digital Enterprise, Faurecia Clean Mobility Business Group. "MiR already has a proven technology, and many of the worlds' largest multinational companies are using its robots to increase logistics efficiency. We generally have a high level of automation, but material handling has until now been a challenge, and we see a huge potential in automating logistics."

"We are continuously adjusting our facility layouts to meet the demand for a high number of smaller batch sizes in our production," Moreau added. "This needs to be supported by our intralogistics systems, and that requires a high level of flexibility. This is offered by MiR, since its autonomous mobile robots do not need any guidance to navigate other than their own internal map that can easily be updated."

MiR offers a range of collaborative and autonomous mobile robots that are designed to work alongside their human colleagues, to relieve them from physically strenuous work and to redeploy them for more valuable tasks. The mobile robots are extremely user-friendly and can be operated without prior programming experience. The employees can easily interact with the robots via a robot interface that can be accessed via smartphone, tablet, or personal computer, and send them on their missions with a push of a button. The simple operation results in easy deployment and low total cost of ownership. The robots from MiR can be customized with different top modules depending on the customers' need. The versatility of the robots is another reason why Faurecia chose to collaborate with MiR.

"The mobile robots from MiR have the ability to not just transport goods but also to combine other process steps such as loading and unloading in order to increase the overall efficiency of an entire production line," Moreau added. "The mobile cobots are extremely flexible, and we have already identified several different applications where the mobile robots from MiR can take over the monotonous task of transporting goods both within the production lines and between production and warehouse and thereby drive efficiencies."

Logistics robots are on the rise

The latest figures from International Federation of Robotics (IFR) show how Faurecia is not the only company that sees the potential in automating its internal transportation. Sixty-three percent of the total service robots for professional use that were sold in 2017 were logistics robots, and IFR expects the sales of logistics robots to increase to about 600,000 units between 2018 and 2021.

"We are pleased to enter into this collaboration and contribute to Faurecia achieving their productivity goals by deploying our flexible, collaborative and safe mobile robots," said Thomas Visti, CEO of MiR. "In general, we see a great potential in the automotive industry, which is adopting advances in autonomous technology more rapidly than most other industries."

"The plant setups of today are agile and highly dynamic, and people, equipment, pallets and other obstacles can appear in what used to be open passageways," Visti added. "Our mobile robots fit these ever-changing environments particularly well. With the collaborative, autonomous navigation of our robots, the automated material transportation becomes flexible and easily adaptable without additional cost or disruption to processes."

Mobile Industrial Robots has a global distribution network in more than 40 countries and local offices in New York; San Diego, California; Singapore, Frankfurt, Barcelona and Shanghai, and as a result, is able to support Faurecia globally.

About Faurecia

Founded in 1997, Faurecia has grown to become a major player in the global automotive industry. With 290 sites including 30 R&D centers and 109,000 employees in 35 countries, Faurecia is now a global leader in its three areas of business: automotive seating, interior systems and clean mobility. Faurecia has focused its technology strategy on providing solutions for smart life on board and sustainable mobility. In 2017, the Group posted total sales of 17.0 billion. Faurecia is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is a component of the CAC Next 20 index. For more information, please visit www.faurecia.com

About Mobile Industrial Robots:

Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) develops and markets the industry's most advanced line of collaborative and safe autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that quickly, easily and cost-effectively manage internal logistics, freeing employees for higher-value activities. Hundreds of mid-sized through large multinational manufacturers and logistics centers, along with several hospitals around the world, have already installed MiR's innovative robots. MiR has quickly established a global distribution network in more than 40 countries, with regional offices in New York, San Diego, Singapore, Frankfurt, Barcelona and Shanghai. MiR has grown quickly since its founding in 2013, with sales rising by 500% from 2015 to 2016, and 300% from 2016 to 2017. Founded and run by experienced Danish robotics industry professionals, MiR is headquartered in Odense, Denmark, and was recently acquired by American company Teradyne, the leading supplier of automated test equipment. In 2015, Teradyne also acquired the Danish company Universal Robots. Due to its growth results the last years, Mobile Industrial Robots was awarded EY Entrepreneur of The Year in Denmark in 2018. For more information, visit www.mobile-industrial-robots.com.

Press photos:

For pictures of products, staff, cases, logo and much more, visit: http://www.mobile-industrial-robots.com/en/resources/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005300/en/

Contacts:

Press Contact:

Kelly Wanlass

Kelly@hughescom.net

Hughes Communications, Inc.

+1 (801) 602-4723

Company Contact:

Denise Degli Innocenti

din@mir-robots.com

Mobile Industrial Robots

+45 20 30 74 47


SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of their Global Data Center Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005429/en/

Global Data Center Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Most of the end-user sectors are integrating the IoT technology in their business infrastructure which is expected to drive the demand for data storage and analysis facilities, globally. This will accelerate the spend growth momentum for this category. According to this market intelligence report, the data center services is extensively leveraged by the cloud services which are now widely being adopted across the globe. Request your free sample copy of this market intelligence report here!

The preference for digitization of the BFSI sector and growing stringency of data storage regulations will accelerate the category spend growth rate in APAC. Statistics state that the spend growth rate in APAC has already crossed $44 billion last year.

This data center services procurement research report offers an in-depth analysis of the supply market forecasts, sustainability and negotiation strategies of top suppliers and buyers. Also, it also provides information on the total cost of ownership outlook and strategies to cut down on costs. Ask for a customized version of this market intelligence report here for free.

"Bundling of services is one of the key strategies to reduce excess spend while purchasing data center services," says SpendEdge procurement expert Tridib Bora. "It also reduces management complexities by simplifying the process of managing multiple stakeholders for different purposes," added Tridib.

This data center services procurement research report has identified the following factors to influence the category growth:

Engaging with suppliers that offer value-added services will maximize cost savings

Rising cost of power will be a crucial cause of concern for suppliers

Buy the complete data center services market intelligence report here to explore its comprehensive scope of coverage.

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SpendEdge's procurement market intelligence reports for the information technologycategory offer information on critical cost drivers and category pricing strategies to help the buyers achieve significant cost-savings. The report provides information on supplier performance benchmarking criteria to help buyers reduce spend and establish better SLAs. Additionally, SpendEdge's reports offer category management insights and procurement best practices for the category.

Report scope snapshot: Data center services

Category ecosystem

Market favorability index for suppliers

Competitiveness index for suppliers

Threat of new entrants

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Category management enablers

Procurement organization

Category enablers

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Category definition

Category hierarchy

Category scope

Category map

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Related Reports:

Global Managed Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report

Global IT Support Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report

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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005429/en/

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Press release, Copenhagen, Denmark

Today, FLSmidth has been awarded a contract to deliver equipment for a greenfield cement plant in Paraguay, South America. The contract is valued at more than DKK 350m.

The expected plant start-up is within 24 months and the plant is expected to be fully operational in 2021. The plant will have a capacity of 2,500 tonnes per day and will mainly supply cement to its local market. FLSmidth will design and engineer the production line and will deliver energy-efficient equipment for the entire production line, from crushing to packing, while the customer will be in charge of the civil design and construction of the plant.

"The customer needed a state-of-the-art solution to meet the steady demand for cement in this developing region. This contract reinforces our position as the leading supplier of the most productive and energy-efficient equipment and technology for customers in the cement industry who focus on productivity, reliability and sustainability," says Jan Kjaersgaard, President, Cement, FLSmidth.

FLSmidth has received the down payment and the order becomes effective immediately and will be part of the order intake for Q1 2019.

Contacts Investors Relations

Nicolai Mauritzen, tel. +45 36 18 18 51, nicm@flsmidth.com

Contacts Media Relations

Sofie Karen Lindberg, tel. +45 30 93 18 77, skl@flsmidth.com

FLSmidth delivers sustainable productivity to the global mining and cement industries. As the market-leading supplier of engineering, equipment and service solutions, FLSmidth improves performance, drives down costs, and reduces the environmental impact of operations. Present in more than 50 countries and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Group and its 11,700 employees generated revenue of DKK 18 billion in 2017. www.flsmidth.com (http://www.flsmidth.com)

FLSmidth signs contract for cement plant equipment in South America (http://hugin.info/2106/R/2230754/876699.pdf)



This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: FLSmidth via Globenewswire


SAN FRANCISCO, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The global sternal closure systems market size is expected to reach USD 2.96 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., expanding at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period. The market is driven by growing number of surgeries undertaken to treat complex cardiovascular problems. For instance, according to data published by American Heart Association (AHA), around 520,000 Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgeries were performed in the U.S. in 2014. The report further states that more than 800,000 CABG surgeries are performed worldwide every year.

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Furthermore, the National Health Interview Survey conducted by CDC in 2016 concluded that 28.1 million people in the U.S. were diagnosed with heart related disorders, including valvular heart disease and cardiac arrest. Moreover, increasing research and development activities are paving way for advanced systems such as talon systems and double sternal wires. This, coupled with favorable reimbursement criteria, is bolstering market growth.

Mergers and acquisitions, new product development, and geographical expansion are key strategies adopted by players to stay ahead in the market. For instance, KLS Martin, started its sales operations in the U.K., the Netherlands, Italy, France, Australia, Russia, Dubai, Japan, Malaysia, and Brazil in last couple of years in order to increase its geographical presence. The company is also focusing on Asia Pacific due to presence of large patient pool in the region. In line with the strategy, in June 2016, the company started a manufacturing unit in Chennai, India.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Sternal Closure Systems Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Closure Devices, Bone Cement), By Material (Stainless Steel, PEEK, Titanium), By Procedure, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025" at:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/sternal-closure-systems-market

Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest:

Rising adoption of cardiothoracic surgeries, including Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), Aortic valve surgery, and Arrhythmia surgery, is projected to augment the market

Growing population of geriatrics across the globe is expected to stoke the growth of the market

The closure devices segment held the leading share in the global arena in 2017, owing to introduction of technologically advanced clips and wires globally and favorable reimbursement regulations offered in developed regions such as North America and Europe

and The PEEK segment is anticipated to post significant growth over the coming years due to several benefits offered by the material, including biocompatibility, chemical resistance, end-product purity, high temperature resistance, and thermoformable nature

North America dominated the market in 2017. The growth of the region can be attributed to presence of a large number of players and high competitive rivalry in the market. Moreover, rising adoption of technologically advanced systems coupled with presence of skilled professionals are likely to provide a fillip to the regional market

dominated the market in 2017. The growth of the region can be attributed to presence of a large number of players and high competitive rivalry in the market. Moreover, rising adoption of technologically advanced systems coupled with presence of skilled professionals are likely to provide a fillip to the regional market Asia Pacific is poised to register the highest CAGR during forecast period. Increasing per capita income, improving healthcare infrastructure, and rising patient pool are estimated to drive the market

is poised to register the highest CAGR during forecast period. Increasing per capita income, improving healthcare infrastructure, and rising patient pool are estimated to drive the market The market is currently consolidated, with few companies capturing major shares. However, increasing demand for innovative technologies and recent market dynamics are making way for new entrants.

Browse related reports by Grand View Research:

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Market - The global coronary artery bypass graft market size was valued at USD 77.3 million in 2016 and is expected to grow with a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period.

The global coronary artery bypass graft market size was valued at in 2016 and is expected to grow with a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period. Air Ambulance Services Market - The global air ambulance services market size was valued at USD 3.7 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.3% over the forecast period.

The global air ambulance services market size was valued at in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.3% over the forecast period. Bone Densitometers Market - The global bone densitometers market size was estimated at USD 893.7 million in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% over the coming years.

The global bone densitometers market size was estimated at in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% over the coming years. Mortuary Equipment Market - The global mortuary equipment market size was valued at USD 678.7 million in 2016.

Grand View Research has segmented the global sternal closure systems market on the basis of product type, material, procedure, and region:

Sternal Closure Systems Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Closure Devices Sternal Closure Wires Sternal Closure Plates and Screws Sternal Closure Clips Sternal Closure Cables Bone Cement

Sternal Closure Systems Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Titanium Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) Stainless Steel Others

Sternal Closure Systems Procedure Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Median Sternotomy Hemisternotomy Bilateral Thoracosternotomy

Sternal Closure Systems Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025)

North America U.S. Canada

Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Spain

Asia Pacific Japan China India

Latin America Brazil Mexico

Middle East & Africa South Africa

&

Explore the BI enabled intuitive market research database,Grand View Compass, by Grand View Research, Inc.

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Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.



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Restated Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves increased by a further 17% in gold ounces and 11% in antimony tonnes compared to January 8, 2019 announcement

Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources remained as announced on January 8, 2019

TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) today announced the results of an amended and restated Mineral Resources and Reserves estimate for its Costerfield gold-antimony mine in Victoria, Australia.



On January 8, 2019, Mandalay announced an updated Mineral Reserves and Resources estimate for Costerfield, including a maiden Mineral Reserves estimate for the Youle lode. Subsequent to that announcement, Mandalay discovered that an error in the block volume transformation methodology utilized in the estimate as originally reported had affected the modeled vein width of Youle, leading to an understatement of the Mineral Reserves at Costerfield. The error did not affect the Mineral Resource nor did it affect the Mineral Reserves for any other lode at Costerfield. The impact of the amendment on the Mineral Reserves at Costerfield is a 17% increase in gold ounces and an 11% increase in antimony tonnes.

As a result of this restatement, net of depletion from production during the first eleven months of 2018, Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves for contained gold ("Au") increased by 48% versus the year prior, while contained antimony ("Sb") replaced depletion in the same period. The restated Mineral Reserves do not impact the Company's 2019 - 2021 production guidance which was announced January 16, 2019.



Details of the Mineral Resources and Reserves estimate at Costerfield are included in the notes below each table. The estimate was prepared by SRK Consultingand the Mandalay website www.mandalayresources.com within 45 days of the January 8, 2019 press release. All dollar amounts in this press release are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. See Mandalay January 8, 2019 press release for details on logging, sampling and QA/QC.

Table 1: Mineral Resources at Costerfield, Inclusive of Mineral Reserves as of December 1, 2018 and December 31, 2017



2018 Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Measured 245 8.5 4.0 67 9.8 Indicated 1,073 8.2 2.9 283 31.0 Measured + Indicated 1,319 8.3 3.1 351 40.8 Inferred 497 8.0 1.9 128 9.5 2017 Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Measured 290 9.2 4.2 86 12.1 Indicated 971 5.7 2.5 177 23.9 Measured + Indicated 1,261 6.5 2.9 262 36.0 Inferred 379 6.6 1.1 80 4.0

Notes:

Mineral Resources estimated as of December 1, 2018 and depleted for production through November 30, 2018. Mineral Resources stated according to CIM guidelines and include Mineral Reserves. Tonnes are rounded to the nearest thousand; contained gold (oz) Rounded to the nearest thousand and contained antimony (t) rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may appear different from the sum of their components due to rounding. A 3.5 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) cut-off grade over a minimum mining width of 1.2 m is applied where AuEq is calculated at a gold price of $1,400/oz, antimony price of $10,000/t. The Gold equivalent value (AuEq) is calculated using the formula: AuEq = Au g/t + 1.67 * Sb %. Geological modelling and sample compositing was performed by Mandalay Resources. The models were independently verified by Danny Kentwell FAusIMM, a full-time employee of SRK Consulting. The Mineral Resource estimation was performed by Mandalay Resources. The resource models were verified by Danny Kentwell FAusIMM, a full-time employee of SRK Consulting. Danny Kentwell is the qualified person under NI 43-101, and is the Competent Person for the Resource.

From the Mineral Resource, a mine plan was designed based only on Measured and Indicated Resource blocks using, predominantly, the cemented rock fill blast hole stoping method. A cut-off grade of 4.0 g/t AuEq and minimum stoping width of 1.2 m were used, with planned and unplanned dilution at zero grade. Gold equivalent ("AuEq") grade (using $1,200/oz Au and $8,500/t Sb), for the mine plan is calculated using the formula AuEq = Au + (Sb x 1.68) where Sb is in % and Au is in grams per tonne.

Table 2: Restated Mineral Reserves at Costerfield as of December 1, 2018 (announced January 22, 2019 compared to announced January 8, 2019)



Restated on January 22, 2019 Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Proven 76 8.4 4.0 20 3.1 Probable 461 10.8 3.1 160 14.2 Proven + Probable 537 10.4 3.2 180 17.2 Previously announced January 8, 2019

Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Proven 76 8.4 4.0 20 3.1 Probable 461 9.0 2.7 134 12.5 Proven + Probable 537 8.9 2.9 154 15.5

Notes:

Mineral Reserve estimated as of December 1, 2018, and depleted for production through to November 30, 2018. Tonnes are rounded to the nearest thousand; contained gold (oz) rounded to the nearest thousand and contained antimony (t) rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals are subject to rounding. Lodes have been diluted to a minimum mining width of 1.2 m for stoping and 1.8 m for ore development. A 4.0 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) cut-off grade is applied. Commodity prices applied are; gold price of $1,200/oz, antimony price of $8,500/t and exchange rate USD:AUD of 0.71. The gold equivalent value (AuEq) is calculated using the formula: AuEq = Au g/t + 1.68 * Sb %. The Mineral Reserve is a subset of a Measured and Indicated only Schedule, of a Life of Mine Plan that includes mining of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources. The Mineral Reserve estimate was prepared by Steven Taylor BTech (Mining Engineering) MAusIMM, and Chris Lynch BEng (Mining) MAusIMM who are full time employees of Mandalay Resources and was independently verified by Anne-Marie Ebbels, MAusIMM, CP (Mining) who is a full-time employee of SRK Consulting who is a qualified person under NI 43-101.

Table 3: Restated Mineral Reserves at Costerfield as of December 1, 2018 compared to December 31, 2017

2018 Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Proven 76 8.4 4.0 20 3.1 Probable 461 10.8 3.1 160 14.2 Proven + Probable 537 10.4 3.2 180 17.2 2017

Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Proven 152 7.3 3.5 36 5.3 Probable 470 5.7 2.5 86 12.0 Proven + Probable 622 6.1 2.8 122 17.2

Notes: See notes to Table 2

Table 4: Restated Mineral Reserves at Youle (Costerfield), as of December 1, 2018 (announced January 22, 2019 compared to announced January 8, 2019)

Restated on January 22, 2019 Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Proven - - - - - Probable 267 14.1 3.3 121.2 8.8 Proven + Probable 267 14.1 3.3 121.2 8.8 Previously announced January 8, 2019

Tonnes

(kt) Au Grade

(g/t) Sb Grade

(%) Cont. Au

(koz) Cont. Sb

(kt) Proven - - - - - Probable 263 11.2 2.7 94 7.0 Proven + Probable 263 11.2 2.7 94 7.0

Notes: See notes to Table 2

Qualified Persons:

All Qualified Persons listed below have read and approved the contents of this news release as it pertains to the Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves estimate disclosed in this news release.

The Mineral Resource Estimate was carried out under the supervision of Danny Kentwell, FAusIMM, an employee of SRK Consulting and independent of Mandalay Resources Corporation. He is a Qualified Person for the purpose of NI 43-101. The Mineral Reserve estimate was prepared by Steven Taylor BTech (Mining Engineering) MAusIMM, and Chris Lynch BEng (Mining) MAusIMM who are full-time employees of Mandalay Resources and was independently verified by Anne-Marie Ebbels, MAusIMM, CP (Mining) who is a full-time employee of SRK Consulting and a qualified person under NI 43-101.

For Further Information:

Dominic Duffy

President and Chief Executive Officer

Greg DiTomaso

Director of Investor Relations

Contact: 647.260.1566



About Mandalay Resources Corporation:

Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia and Sweden, and care and maintenance and development projects in Chile. The Company is focused on executing a roll-up strategy, creating critical mass by aggregating advanced or in production gold, copper, silver and antimony projects in Australia, the Americas and Europe to generate near-term cash flow and shareholder value.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the exploration potential of the Costerfield gold-antimony mine and development potential of the Youle deposit (Costerfield). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mandalay's annual information form dated March 29, 2018, a copy of which is available under Mandalay's profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additional drilling will ever be upgraded to proven or probable reserves. Although Mandalay has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VALLEY COTTAGE, New York, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Future Market Insights (FMI) has recently published a report titled 'Industrial Agitators Market - Global Industry Analysis 2013-2018 and Opportunity Assessment 2019-2027.' Industrial agitators are simple instruments used for the mixing of two types of liquids together. However, with time, industrial agitators are being used in more applications and for performing different functions such as keeping the homogeneous liquid bulk during storage, increasing the heat transfer and promoting the reaction between chemicals. Industrial agitators work on the basic principle where the rotation of the impeller is used for the blending of the liquids.

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The global industrial agitators market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period. The industrial agitators market was valued at US$ 2293.4 Mn in 2018, and is projected to grow significantly to reach US$ 4487.6 Mn by 2027 due to the flexibility provided by industrial agitators to work in multiple industries and the increasing number of small and medium manufacturers across the world, which receive funding from venture capitalists as well as help from the governments of their countries of operation.

In this report, FMI has segmented the global industrial agitators market by type, by model, by end user and by region. By type, the industrial agitators market is sub-segmented into top entry industrial agitators, side-entry industrial agitators and bottom-entry industrial agitators. The top-entry industrial agitators sub-segment of the global industrial agitators market is projected to register a 69.0% market share at the end of 2018. In addition, in terms of volume, the top-entry industrial agitators sub-segment is also expected to register a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period.

A sample of this report is available upon request @https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3323

Based on model, the industrial agitators market is sub-segmented into large-tank agitators, drum agitators, portable agitators and tote agitators. Due to the increasing demand from the paints & coatings industry as well as the inks & pigments industry, the tote industrial agitators sub-segment is expected to register a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period. In the recent years, industrial agitators have been gaining traction in the developing countries as there is an increase in the number of chemical industries where the industrial agitators find applications. It has been observed that an increase in the number of laboratories and research institutions is also driving the industrial agitators market due to an increase in the number of industrial agitators at research laboratories of the food, pulp & paper and similar other industries in the recent times. Due to these factors, the tote industrial agitators sub-segment is projected to create potential growth opportunities for the manufacturers of industrial agitators.

Based on end user, the global industrial agitators market is segmented into chemical, pharmaceutical, food & beverages, paper & pulp, waste & wastewater treatment, and oil, gas & petrochemical. In terms of value, the chemicals sub-segment is projected to register a CAGR of 8.8% during the forecast period, and, in terms of volume, the paper and pulp sub-segment is expected to register a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period. In addition, advancements in technology have resulted in an increase in the demand for application-specific customised industrial agitators, which is among the key factors expected to boost the market during the forecast period. Owing to these factors, the chemicals sub-segment of the global industrial agitators market is projected to register a 22.3% market share at the end of 2018.

Preview Analysis On Industrial Agitators Market: Global Industry Analysis (2013 - 2018) & Opportunity Assessment (2019 - 2027): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/industrial-agitators-market

In addition, the report covers the trends that drive all the segments and offers insights & analysis about the growth potential of the industrial agitators market in various regions, which include Europe (Germany, Italy, France, Spain, U.K. & the rest of Europe), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico & the rest of Latin America), APEJ (China, India, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore & the rest of APEJ), North America (U.S. & Canada), MEA (GCC Countries, Israel, South Africa & the rest of MEA) and Japan. The revenue contribution of APEJ is estimated to increase at a CAGR of 8.4% over the forecast period due to consistent innovations as well as an increase in the number of research activities at laboratories, which is fuelling the adoption of industrial agitators in this region.

According to FMI analysis, strategies such as product innovations, improvements in durability and others are estimated to boost the revenue, due to which the vendors of industrial agitators are likely to be able to reach new growth markets. Xylem Inc. is one of the prominent vendors in the industrial agitators market. The company offers industrial agitators for different end-users such as chemicals, pulp and papers etc. As per FMI analysis, Xylem Inc. plans to upgrade its existing products to enhance its customer base by providing an improved user experience. Some of the key players featured in the global industrial agitators market report include Xylem Inc., Silverson Machines Ltd., Dynamix Agitators Inc., EKATO HOLDING GmbH, Philadelphia Mixing Solutions, Ltd., Tacmina Corporation, SPX FLOW, Inc., Sulzer Ltd, Statiflo International Ltd., MIXEL Agitators, Mixer Direct Inc., Alfa Laval AB.

Request Report TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-3323

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WESTON, FL / ACCESSWIRE / January 8, 2019 / Bayside Corporation (OTC PINK: BYSDD) ('Bayside or the 'Company') today is pleased to announce that it has signed lease agreements to place Bayside Blockchain branded Cryptocurrency ATMs ('CTMs') in 3 new locations in California and 1 new location in Florida. The Company plans on having the 4 new machines installed and operational this month.

In California, two of the Bayside Blockchain CTMs, powered by Chainbytes, will be installed at the Fruitridge Chevron and at the Shift Change, both in Sacramento, CA, with a third location at the Kwik Pik in Ukiah, CA. The new Florida location will be at the Cybr-Cafe in Miami Beach.

Carl Ettlinger, Director of Business Development for Bayside, commented, 'We are pleased to work with such great location partners to provide safe, easy, and convenient access to customers who want to buy and sell Bitcoin. We are thrilled to expand our locations in our home state of Florida and in Northern California.'

The placement of the Company's CTMs in these highly visited and trafficked locations is just the latest step in a larger plan to have Bayside Blockchain CTMs conveniently available to consumers and crypto enthusiasts throughout the nation.

Justin Frankel, Chief Executive Officer of Bayside, commented, 'We are committed to growing the blockchain ecosystem by investing directly in technology and infrastructure that fuels mass market adoption in the cryptoasset economy.'

Late last year, the Company announced its intention to do a reverse stock split with a ratio of 1 for 15,000 shares. The split, which was approved by the Board and shareholders, was effective as of Monday, January 7, 2019.

About Bayside Corp.:

Bayside Corp . is an American corporation that trades publicly under the symbol 'BYSD'. At Bayside Corp., we believe that emerging technologies will create new opportunities for generations to come. Crypto-assets and blockchain technology will fundamentally impact a broad range of industries such as financial services, digital rights management, and computer processing and programming, along with many others. Our goal is to become the premier provider of infrastructure in this new and exciting industry. For additional information on the Company visit our website at: http://www.baysidecorp.com .

Forward-Looking Statements:

This press release may contain projections and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such projections or statement reflect the company's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. No assurances can be given, however, that these events will occur or that such projections will be achieved and that actual results could differ materially from those projected. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those projected are decreases in oil and gas prices or decreases in oil and gas production. The company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed herein. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, government regulation, taxation, spending, competition, general economic conditions and other risk factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied in the forward-looking statements.

Company Contact:

Info@baysidecorp.com

SOURCE: Bayside Corporation

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532076/Bayside-Expanding-Operations-with-New-Locations-in-California-and-Florida
Company granted broad and exclusive patent rights for the use of an epigenetic biomarker as a diagnostic tool for cancer.

5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) epigenetic sequencing technology platform being used to develop a screening test for the detection of colorectal and other cancers using a standard blood draw.

Company announces the appointment of new Chief Executive, Dr Suman Shirodkar, to lead the advancement of its scientific programmes.

Cambridge Epigenetix Ltd, a pioneer in the development and application of epigenetic technologies, today announces its discovery and development programme for a test to detect colorectal and other cancers. This follows completion of a c. $30 million funding round, as well as the acquisition of exclusive patent rights for its epigenetic sequencing platform.

Epigenetic changes act as a control layer for the genome and can alter gene expression, but not the genetic code itself. These alterations may involve the presence of small chemical groups on the building blocks, or nucleotide bases, which make up DNA. DNA from cancer cells has a distinct epigenetic signature, and this is the basis for the use of epigenetic tests in cancer testing.

"The global burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) is expected to increase by 60% to more than 2.2 million new cases and 1.1 million deaths by 2030,"1 stated Dr David Johnson MD, MACG, FASGE, MACP, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, who serves as a member of the company's clinical advisory board. "Detection of CRC remains a challenge, and the availability of a non-invasive, easy-to-administer and affordable screening test as our first initiative could transform the diagnosis, detection and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions and CRC." Dr Johnson has previously been President of the American College of Gastroenterology and has played a pivotal role in shaping the dialogue around colon cancer screening and early detection. He was instrumental in putting through the historic first legislation to mandate colon cancer screening using colonoscopy as the preferred standard in the state of Virginia, USA.

In support of its mission, the company has been granted broad and exclusive patent rights (US Patent number 10,041,938) for the use of epigenetic modification 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) as a diagnostic biomarker for cancer. Cambridge Epigenetix is using proprietary technology for analysing 5hmC in circulating free DNA (cfDNA) to develop a test for detection of CRC. The company is currently conducting a large discovery study with over 2,000 patient samples, including healthy volunteers, and individuals with adenomas and all stages of CRC. This study follows encouraging preliminary results from profiling 5hmC in over 200 CRC and healthy volunteer cfDNA samples.2 Several independent studies have indicated that measuring 5hmC in plasma circulating cfDNA is effective for non-invasive cancer detection. 3,4

Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, co-founder of Cambridge Epigenetix, FRS, FMedSci, Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, said: "Cambridge Epigenetix's 5hmC platform analyses some of the earliest markers of cancer development in patients' blood samples to detect disease. Ultimately, our aim is to develop a diagnostic test that can detect multiple cancers from one standard blood draw."

The latest round of secured funding will advance the company's proprietary technology platform, which enables the sensitive and specific detection of epigenetic biomarkers for cancer in blood and other liquid biopsy samples. Ahren Innovation Capital (UK) led the funding round with current US-based supporters GV, New Sciences Ventures and Sequoia Capital. Additionally, new investors including DNA Capital (Brazil) also participated, bringing the total amount raised by the company since founding to $56.5 million.

Alice Newcombe-Ellis, Founder Managing Partner, Ahren Innovation Capital, said:"Cancer detection through liquid biopsy has the possibility of transforming human health. Our investment will help Cambridge Epigenetix build on its strong intellectual property foundation, based on the research conducted by Sir Shankar Balasubramanian and Professor Anjana Rao."

Cambridge Epigenetix also announces the appointment of Dr Suman Shirodkar, MBBS, PhD as the CEO of the company. Dr Shirodkar has extensive leadership experience in the industry and will lead the next phase of development of the diagnostic test. Prior to joining Cambridge Epigenetix, Dr Shirodkar led product teams in oncology, HIV, and cardiovascular medicine at Pfizer and Novartis.

"It is a very exciting time to be leading Cambridge Epigenetix" commented Dr Suman Shirodkar. "Our ability to detect 5hmC in circulating, cell-free DNA, and the discovery and development of a liquid biopsy signature for tumours, could revolutionise cancer care and decrease cancer mortality through widespread screening, early detection and timely intervention. I am excited to lead the talented team at Cambridge Epigenetix for the development and launch of the first of many tests to detect cancer".

For notes to editors and references please click here

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005542/en/

Contacts:

George Hickling

george.hickling@porternovelli.co.uk

(+44)20 36369066
Innovative underwater technology and lifestyle brand Sublue will debut its intelligent water recreation and exploration products at CES in Las Vegas from 8th to 11th January 2019. Hannah Fraser, a marine and ocean conservationist, will also be on hand to discuss how SublueTM products support her work.

SublueTM products at CES:

WhiteShark Nano, a super smart autonomous underwater robot, is an ideal solution for underwater photography and videography. It uses AI to follow a preset target, whether that is a human diver or marine life, to capture beautiful shots even from a distance.Its 120 wide-angle 4K camera with two LED lights and seven mini propellers with dedicated dynamic control algorithm provide high-quality images and video footage.

Seabow, is the latest generation underwater scooter that pulls users effortlessly through the water. Winner of a CES 2019 Innovation Award, and with an iconic crossbow design it is a must-have for anyone who loves recreational diving. Powerful dual motors with three speeds can run up to 6ft per second (1.8 m/s). It has two mounting options for cameras, lights or weights.

WhiteShark Mix, the world's smallest double propeller underwater scooter and winner of the 2018 CES Asia Innovation Award has an innovative detachable floatation-enhancing accessory for buoyancy control. Perfect for swimming, snorkeling and diving. The dual motors plus dual propellers mean high speeds of up to 5 ft/s (1.5m/s). A built-in action camera mount makes it super easy to capture shake-free footage in the water.

Swii,this intelligentelectronic kickboard enables both adults and kids to have fun in the water regardless of their swimming ability. The dual motors have a safety cutoff feature, to balance excitement with safety, while the ergonomic foam design provides comfort and protection. Users can change speeds and customize their Swii with the built-in LED lights.

To send a strong message about the level of trash in our oceans Hannah Fraser, an underwater performance artist and conservationist, will discuss this issue and how Sublue can help from a water tank filled with trash at the Sublue booth.

Sublue'sTM booth is #25317, Ground Level South Halls 2, Tech East, LVCC.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005359/en/

Contacts:

For CES appointments contact

Cecilia Ho:

cecilia@makehoney.com

+44 7948 425 887

press@sublue.com

For more details: www.sublue.com
Industry-Leading Disclosure Program Reaches Consumers Around the World and Has Inspired Companies Globally

RACINE, Wisconsin, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, SC Johnson is fulfilling a worldwide commitment made nearly 10 years ago by expanding its industry-leading global ingredient transparency program to Latin America and delivering transparency to consumers everywhere around the world who use its products.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8452051-sc-johnson-ingredients-transparency-whatsinside

SC Johnson has led the industry toward greater transparency and continues to disclose beyond industry standards. The company has also led the charge with governmental bodies for positive reform of chemical management and disclosure. When the company first announced its ingredient transparency plan, regulations requiring ingredient disclosure did not exist.

"Ten years ago, SC Johnson made a commitment to global ingredient transparency. Today, by expanding our program to Latin America, we have fulfilled that commitment," said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. "By keeping our promise, we have brought ingredient transparency around the world, and in the process, we have helped motivate the industry toward greater transparency."

For example, SC Johnson began disclosing product-specific fragrance ingredients in 2015. Two years later, in 2017, Procter and Gamble, Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser announced plans to increase their own products' fragrance disclosure.

SC Johnson's pioneering approach began in earnest in 2009, with ingredient disclosure programs launched in the U.S. and Canada. In 2016, the company's European ingredient transparency program was unveiled at WhatsInsideSCJohnson.com. One year later, the Asia Pacific market was added to SC Johnson's global ingredient transparency program. Latin America is the final piece of the puzzle.

"While some companies have been slow to incorporate ingredient transparency with their products, SC Johnson has always led from the front," said Ken Cook, President of Environmental Working Group. "I applaud Fisk Johnson for his steadfast commitment to consumers as a global leader in ingredient transparency."

SC Johnson's leadership in ingredient transparency has paved the way for others in the industry to follow its lead. In 2015, SmartLabel was unveiled as a digital tool to access a greater range of product ingredients, five years after SC Johnson began disclosing ingredients. SC Johnson has also led the way in advocating for product transparency at the federal and state levels, including strong support for strengthening the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act and advocating for California's Cleaning Product Right to Know Act, which was signed into law in 2017 and made California the first state to require ingredient disclosure on product labels and online for cleaning products. SC Johnson has set a bold example in ingredient transparency that has led to meaningful change.

"The demands for transparency are not going to decrease and there are a lot of enabling technologies like blockchain that will make traceability and transparency much easier for everybody and more affordable," said Joel Makower, Chairman and Executive Editor with GreenBiz Group. "So as those increase and become more available, I think that will also lead to more demands for transparency."

Leadership in Transparency

The disclosure of product ingredients is just one of many transparency initiatives SC Johnson has pursued. Over the last decade, the company:

Was the first company to share a comprehensive list of fragrance ingredients used in its products in 2012. The SC Johnson Exclusive Fragrance Palette excludes about 2,400 ingredients that don't meet the company's high standards even though they meet industry standards and are legal in commerce.

Led the industry when it added website product-specific fragrance disclosure in 2015.

Began disclosing in 2017, on a product-specific basis, the presence of 368 potential skin allergens that may occur in its products. This goes beyond regulations and far beyond what most companies share.

Was the first in its industry to make the rigorous science behind its ingredient selection program clear and available to the public in 2018. The peer-reviewed Greenlist program assesses the human health and environmental impacts of more than 3,500 ingredients used in its global product portfolio and considers both the hazard and risk associated with the use of these ingredients in its products.

Became in 2018 the first major consumer packaged goods (CPG) company to globally disclose fragrance ingredients down to .01 percent of the product formula across its portfolio of brands.

Consumers today expect more from companies, including information about the ingredients in the products they use. According to a recent global public opinion study, 74 percent of consumers worldwide expect companies to provide product transparency on their products and services.[i]

"I'm immensely proud of the dedication and work by the people of SC Johnson to deliver global ingredient transparency," Johnson said. "Through these efforts, SC Johnson continues to work hard to earn the goodwill of consumers. As a family company, we're committed to honoring those values and maintaining that trust."

"Over recent years, we have seen a lot of shifting in the area of ingredient transparency," said Mary Mazzoni, Senior Editor of 3BL Media and TriplePundit. "For example, consumers now care about the ingredients in the products they buy, how those ingredients will affect their personal human health and, increasingly, the health of the environment."

Making Information Available to Global Consumers

SC Johnson's global ingredient transparency program now provides information for more than 8,700 products used in nearly every country in the world in 35 languages. By meeting this important commitment, SC Johnson is now able to offer unparalleled access to nearly 6 billion consumers, providing a comprehensive list of product ingredients for the company's many iconic brands.

For anyone wanting to know what's in an SC Johnson product and why, all the details are available at WhatsInsideSCJohnson.com - written in clear and straightforward terms including the purpose of each ingredient. This simple, easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly platform enables consumers to pull up a product they are considering, see the ingredients listed in a clear and understandable format, and ultimately make the choice that is right for their families.

With its unique global reach, SC Johnson is once again raising the bar for the industry while giving more consumers around the world the tools and information they need to make informed choices. SC Johnson encourages other companies to join in disclosing their own ingredients to consumers around the world.

Fragrance Transparency Leadership

Currently, the fragrance industry uses 3,700 fragrance ingredients approved by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). In 2012, SC Johnson took the review of fragrance ingredients a step further with the creation of its Exclusive Fragrance Palette that narrowed the acceptable fragrance ingredients from 3,700 to approximately 1,300 used in SC Johnson products.

In 2015, SC Johnson was the first U.S. CPG company, working with its core fragrance suppliers, to offer product-specific fragrance ingredient disclosure. This drove a sea change across the fragrance industry that is leading to greater fragrance ingredient transparency down to the component level.

SC Johnson in 2018 became the first major CPG company to globally disclose fragrance ingredients down to .01 percent of the product formula across its portfolio of brands. This action continues the company's decade-long journey to transform industry efforts when it comes to ingredient transparency.

Allergens Transparency

In 2017, SC Johnson fulfilled a commitment it made to disclose the presence of 368 potential skin allergens by product on its ingredient website. This level of transparency goes well above and beyond current regulatory and industry standards. Other companies use similar ingredients, but only disclose per the EU 26 regulatory requirements, which only requires companies to list 26 potential skin allergens. SC Johnson takes care to use ingredients with potential skin allergens only in amounts so low that it would be highly unlikely to create a new skin allergy or trigger a skin allergy reaction.

To determine its comprehensive list of potential skin allergens, SC Johnson scientists analyzed more than 3,000 data sets from public and industry sources for potential skin allergens identified on country regulatory lists, fragrance industry lists, the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety reviews, dermatology clinic data and individual supplier safety data sheets. The company then shared its findings for validation with experts in the fields of dermatology, immuno-toxicology, fragrance toxicology and allergens.

Greenlist Criteria Program

Building upon the company's transparency commitment to tell the whole story about the ingredients it uses and the rigorous science that informs those choices, SC Johnson in 2017 began sharing publicly the scientific criteria behind the company's Greenlist ingredient selection program. The Greenlist program helps the company continually improve its products by choosing ingredients to better protect human health and the environment. People can now see, in detail, the care that goes into choosing each of the ingredients that are used in SC Johnson products.

SC Johnson's Greenlist program has guided the company's product development for nearly two decades. Every ingredient in every SC Johnson product goes through the rigorous Greenlist program, which is centered around a peer-reviewed, four-step evaluation of its potential impact on human health and the environment. The Greenlist program looks at both hazard and risk to select the ingredients the company uses, and at what concentration, if at all. It's grounded in best-in-class data collection and driven by the company's commitment to continually improve its products.

As part of the Greenlist program, SC Johnson maintains a list of ingredients that are not allowed in its products. This list is termed the "Not Allowable" list. It includes over 200 unique raw materials in roughly 90 material categories, and over 2,400 fragrance materials. These materials all meet legal and regulatory requirements - and are often used by other companies in the industry - but simply do not meet SC Johnson standards. You can find more information about SC Johnson's Greenlist program in its 26th annual Sustainability Report, The Science Inside.

Industry Leadership

Calling for reform of chemical management rules at the federal level, SC Johnson was an early supporter of bipartisan efforts to update and modernize the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to achieve a credible, risk- and science-based federal program for managing chemicals in commerce that inspire confidence in the safety of chemicals used in consumer products. SC Johnson was one of the first CPG companies to publicly testify in support of strengthening the tools available to screen all chemicals in commerce, evaluate the risks of high-priority substances and regulate certain conditions of use where necessary. In 2016, following the signing into law of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, SC Johnson was singled out for leadership in championing this reform by then-U.S. President Barack Obama.

SC Johnson also supported the development and legislative approval of the Cleaning Product Right to Know Act of 2017 by the California Assembly, and partnered with NGOs, industry groups and local legislators to advance the disclosure legislation. This legislation created an industry-wide ingredient communication program for manufacturers of consumer and institutional air care, automotive, general cleaning, polish and floor maintenance products - enhancing ingredient transparency for consumers by requiring full ingredient disclosure on product labels with enhanced disclosure on manufacturer websites.

Also in 2017, SC Johnson added SmartLabel for many of its popular U.S. brands. The SmartLabel program offers consumers easy and instantaneous access to detailed information about products - just like on the WhatsInsideSCJohnson.com website - so they can make informed decisions about the products they bring into their homes. By providing consumers with additional places to find information about its products, SC Johnson is continuing to build consumer trust.

Transparency - What's Next

With its ingredient disclosure commitment met, SC Johnson is not stopping. Transparency will continue to be a priority as the company continually strives to be the most trusted company in its industry through greater transparency.

"We aren't done with transparency by a longshot," Johnson said. "Transparency is ingrained in our values and helps us remain focused on how we operate as a global company to earn the trust of consumers around the world."

About SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE, KIWI, OFF!, PLEDGE, RAID, SCRUBBING BUBBLES, SHOUT, WINDEX and ZIPLOC in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN, BAYGON, BRISE, KABIKILLER, KLEAR, MR MUSCLE and RIDSECT. The 133-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com



i 2017 GlobeScan Radar

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/620114/SC_Johnson_Logo.jpg
FELTON, California, January 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The global Decorative Laminates Market is expected to display higher growth rate over the next seven years. The market is subject to witness a substantial growth due to the growing construction activities, rapid urbanization, increasing population and growing infrastructural spending by both developing and developed economies across the globe. Growing constructional activities like in shopping malls and business parks the developing economies across the Asia Pacific region such as India, China, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore are expected drive the growth of decorative laminates market in the upcoming years.

Growing demand of decorative laminates from housing market is credited to booming buildings & construction industry, thus driving market growth over the forecast period. Additionally, increasing benefits of decorative laminates over traditional materials such as metal, wood, and plastic are expected to fuel the growth of the market in upcoming years. Globally, the market is predicted to generate massive revenue over next seven years, providing numerous opportunities for market players to invest for research and development in the decorative laminates market.

Browse research report with TOC on "Global Decorative Laminates Market"at:https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/decorative-laminates-market

Increasing demand for decorative laminates from building & construction industry owing to benefits associated with its use such as higher durability and attractive appearances of the surfaces are expected to influence market growth over the forecast period. Additionally, decorative laminates also provides protection against harsh weather and external environmental factors such as ultra-violet radiation, high temperatures, acid rain, and pollution particles. These factors are predicted to boost market demand for decorative laminates during the forecast period.

Growing popularity of decorative laminates in marine applications to build decks, rooftops and doors are anticipated to boost market growth. Increasing adoption of decorative laminates in manufacturing of structural panels is likely to drive market expansion. Increasing infrastructural activities in developing economies across the globe are major drivers for sustained growth of the market, in the last few years. Furthermore, rise in the per capita income and surging economic condition in BRICS economies such as India, Brazil and China are predicted to fuel market growth in near future.

Easy availability of raw materials required to manufacture decorative laminates, particularly in regions where forest resources and wood plantations are in abundant amount, are offering lucrative growth opportunities for market players in the decorative laminates industry. Moreover, substantial investment by market players in development of innovative products to gain a competitive edge coupled with mergers, acquisitions and partnerships for vertical integration are driving growth of the market, in the recent years.

The market is broadly categorized into two major segments based on the application type such as residential sector and non-residential sector. The non-residential sector is considered as one of the fastest growing segment in the market with substantial revenue generation in the last few years. Growing popularity of decorative laminates in the non-residential segment is attributed to the increasing demand from restaurants, laboratories, educational institutes, office furniture, hospital, hotels, and retail shops. The residential segment has also witnessed substantial growth owing to the improved living standards and rising per capita income.

The market is divided by region as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa. North America has shown major growth in recent years owing to the rise in the implementation of latest technologies home decor industry, increase in the number of research & development activities in the region and existence of well-established industrial infrastructure.

Asia-Pacific region is predicted to hold major market share in the decorative laminates market with massive growth in forecast period. Countries such as India, China and Singapore are leading the Asia-Pacific market with robust growth home decor industry, increasing building & construction activities, rising per capita income, improved living standards, and significant investment by leading industry players considering potential growth opportunities in the region.

The key players in the decorative laminates market are Fletcher Building Ltd., Omnova Solutions Inc., Greenlam Industries Ltd., Merino Group (India), Wilsonart International Inc., Abet Laminati S.p.A., Archidply Industries Ltd., FunderMax GmbH, Panolam Industries International, Inc., and Stylam Industries Ltd.

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Market Segment:

Report contents include Analysis of the decorative laminates market including revenues, future growth, market outlook Historical data and forecast Regional analysis including growth estimates Analyzes the end user markets including growth estimates. Profiles on decorative laminates including products, sales/revenues, and market position Market structure, market drivers and restraints.

Key regions North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa South America

Key vendors Wilsonart FRiTZ EGGER Broadview Holding Fletcher Building Arclin Funder America OMNOVA Solutions incorporation Panolam industries internationals request free sample to get a complete list of companies



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Baker Hughes, a GE company (NYSE:BHGE) announced today that the Baker Hughes international rig count for December 2018 was 1,025, up 34 from the 991 counted in November 2018, and up 71 from the 954 counted in December 2017. The international offshore rig count for December 2018 was 234, up 28 from the 206 counted in November 2018, and up 43 from the 191 counted in December 2017.

The average U.S. rig count for December 2018 was 1,078, up 1 from the 1,077 counted in November 2018, and up 148 from the 930 counted in December 2017. The average Canadian rig count for December 2018 was 141, down 57 from the 198 counted in November 2018, and down 64 from the 205 counted in December 2017.

The worldwide rig count for December 2018 was 2,244, down 22 from the 2,266 counted in November 2018, and up 155 from the 2,089 counted in December 2017.

December 2018 Rig Counts

December 2018 November 2018 December 2017 Land Offshore Total Month

Variance Land Offshore Total Land Offshore Total Latin America 170 27 197 8 161 28 189 169 26 195 Europe 57 38 95 12 56 27 83 57 30 87 Africa 93 15 108 5 87 16 103 67 10 77 Middle East 338 56 394 0 344 50 394 336 42 378 Asia Pacific 133 98 231 9 137 85 222 134 83 217 International 791 234 1,025 34 785 206 991 763 191 954 United States 1,054 24 1,078 1 1,055 22 1,077 911 19 930 Canada 139 2 141 -57 196 2 198 204 1 205 North America 1,193 26 1,219 -56 1,251 24 1,275 1,115 20 1,135 Worldwide 1,984 260 2,244 -22 2,036 230 2,266 1,878 211 2,089

About the Baker Hughes Rig Counts

The Baker Hughes rig counts are counts of the number of drilling rigs actively exploring for or developing oil or natural gas in the U.S., Canada and international markets. The company has issued the rig counts as a service to the petroleum industry since 1944, when Hughes Tool Company began weekly counts of the U.S. and Canadian drilling activity. The monthly international rig count was initiated in 1975.

The North American rig count is scheduled to be released at noon Central Time on the last working day of each week. The international rig count is scheduled to be released on the fifth working day of the month at 5:00 a.m. Central Time. Additional detailed information on the Baker Hughes rig counts is available from our website.

About Baker Hughes, a GE company

Baker Hughes, a GE company (NYSE: BHGE) is the world's first and only fullstream provider of integrated oilfield products, services and digital solutions. We deploy minds and machines to enhance customer productivity, safety and environmental stewardship, while minimizing costs and risks at every step of the energy value chain. With operations in over 120 countries, we infuse over a century of experience with the spirit of a startup inventing smarter ways to bring energy to the world.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005158/en/

Contacts:

Media Relations:

Melanie Kania, +1 713-439-8303

melanie.kania@bhge.com

Yulia Caris, +44 7827-35-4283

yulia.caris@bhge.com

or

Investor Relations:

Philipp Mueller, +1 281-809-9088

investor.relations@bhge.com
CEO Andy Khawaja of Allied Wallet, a globally leading provider of mainstream online payment processing, was recently featured on Forbesin an article that encourages international e-commerce to promote more sales for business owners.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005089/en/

Dr. Andy Khawaja is a proud member of the Forbes Finance Council Expert Panel, offering advice to Forbes' business owner and entrepreneur readership. (Photo: Business Wire)

Dr. Andy Khawaja's Forbes article titled "How To Cater Your E-Commerce Business To A Global Audience takes note of the international trade issues that we witnessed in 2018 and the tariffs that were imposed.

His Forbes article states that in August, "Business Insidersaid that the total amount of taxed goods between [the United States and China] had risen to $106 billion and further escalated the trade war between them."

Business Insider reported that "the U.S. is also preparing tariffs on another $200 Billion of Chinese goods and "if those tariffs go through, more than 50% of all Chinese imports to the U.S. would be subject to tariffs."

Dr. Andy Khawaja made note that this is somewhat beyond our control, but that we can bridge borders with international trade despite international trade issues.

"While we can't fully control the tariffs that our respective countries will ultimately put on trade goods, we live in a day and age where the internet can connect people on every continent, in nearly every country, in almost any dialect," Dr. Andy Khawaja said in Forbes

Dr. Khawaja's expertise with Allied Wallet and global e-commerce renders him as a seasoned expert in the space. He encourages business owners to offer their products globally and gives a few tips to those who plan to take advantage of the global marketplace.

His tips in Forbes give an overview on how to cater to a global audience, how to globalize your website, how to leverage social media and influencers, and how to update your logistics to improve your customer experience.

Dr. Khawaja strongly believes that entrepreneurs and consumers from all over the world can benefit by opening their e-commerce borders.

He told Forbes readers, "open your company up past your country's borders and see what extraordinary success you may have at your fingertips."

Read More Here.

About Allied Wallet:

Allied Wallet continues to revolutionize the e-commerce industry by introducing new and innovative payment processing solutions for online merchants, enabling them to send and receive global payments. With PCI compliant merchant services for nearly any business size, Allied Wallet provides a state-of-the-art payment gateway to optimize online transactions. Please visit www.alliedwallet.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005089/en/

Contacts:

A.J. Almeda

E-mail: aalmeda@alliedwallet.com

+1-888-255-1137
Technavio analysts forecast the gasket and seals market in the US to grow at a CAGR of nearly 4% 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/20190108005447/en/

Technavio analysts forecast the gasket and seals market in the US to grow at a CAGR of nearly 4% by 2023. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The growing renewable energy sector in the US is one of the major trends being witnessed in the gasket and seals market in US 2019-2023. In the US, a major challenge faced by the gasket and seals market is the growth of the renewable energy sector especially the solar energy and wind energy. Over the last few years, due to the growth in population urbanization and industrialization, there has been a rise in the demand for electricity generation. Governments of various countries across the world have started switching to renewable energy production owing to the increasing demand for electricity and the increasing concerns over environmental pollution.

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 gasket and seals market in the US is the growing need to increase the efficiency of equipment and machinery:

Gasket and seals market in the US: Growing need to increase the efficiency of equipment and machinery

Several industries such as oil and gas, mining, food processing, textile, and industrial machinery manufacturing, use various engineered equipment to carry out their operations. Leakages in equipment result in significant material losses, which add to the overall cost of operations. Additionally, labor costs are associated with the repair of equipment, which increases the overall OPEX for operators. The improper coupling and sealing of mechanical components lead to energy losses, which ultimately reduces the efficiency of the equipment.

According to a senior analyst at Technavio for research on industrial machinery, "Any leakage in the equipment leads to a significant effect on the environment and human health. For instance, leakages in a diesel engine, which is used as a power source in the mining industry, lead to energy losses in terms of the excessive consumption of diesel and excessive emission of toxic gases. This results in longer downtimes and can even result in fatal accidents. Thus, gaskets and seals are increasingly being used in various industrial machinery applications in order to overcome such situations and improve the overall efficiency of the engineering equipment. This is expected to drive the gasket and seals market in the US during the forecast period."

Gasket and seals market in the US: Segmentation analysis

The gasket and seals market in US research report provides market segmentation by type (metallic gasket and seals and non-metallic gasket and seals) and by end-user (automotive, industrial machinery, and electronics). It provides an in-depth analysis of the prominent factors influencing the market, including drivers, opportunities, trends, and industry-specific challenges.

The metallic gasket and seals segment held the largest market share in 2018, accounting for nearly 57% of the market. This type segment is expected to dominate the global market throughout the forecast period.

The automotive segment held the largest market share in 2018, accounting for over 41% of the market. This end-user segment is expected to dominate the global market throughout the forecast period.

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/20190108005447/en/

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US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

www.technavio.com
Capital for Colleagues plc / EPIC: CFCP / Market: NEX / Sector: Investment

8 January 2019

CAPITAL FOR COLLEAGUES PLC

('Capital for Colleagues' or the 'Company')

DIRECTORS' INTERESTS

Capital for Colleagues, the investment vehicle focused on opportunities in the Employee Owned Business ('EOB') sector, has been notified that Piccadilly SIP Trustee Limited has acquired 10,000 ordinary shares of 40p each in the Company ('Ordinary Shares') at a price of 49p per share pursuant to the Company's Share Incentive Plan.

John Eckersley and Alistair Currie, both of whom are Executive Directors of the Company, are each interested in 5,000 of the 10,000 Ordinary Shares acquired for the Share Incentive Plan and their interests in the Company's issued share capital are now as follows:

Ordinary Shares % John Eckersley 504,348 3.27 Alistair Currie 378,850 2.45

The Directors of the Company are responsible for the contents of this announcement.

**ENDS**

For further information, please visit www.capitalforcolleagues.com or contact:



CAPITAL FOR COLLEAGUES PLC

Richard Bailey, Chairman

John Eckersley, Chief Executive

0161 464 3260 PETERHOUSE CAPITAL LIMITED

Mark Anwyl

Duncan Vasey 020 7469 0930

Capital for Colleagues

Capital for Colleagues is an investment company focused on the UK EOB sector. The Company has a proven management team, with a wide network of contacts and affiliates, as well as established access to investment opportunities, enabling the Company to execute its strategy and capitalise on EOB-focused investment opportunities.

The Company's joint venture, Castlefield Corporate Advisory Partners, educates and assists companies which are looking to launch employee ownership schemes, advising them, amongst other things, on how to secure investment and achieve their objectives.

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

Notification and public disclosure of transactions by persons discharging managerial responsibilities and persons closely associated with them. 1 Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities / person closely associated a) Name John Eckersley 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Chief Executive of Capital for Colleagues plc b) Initial notification /Amendment

Initial 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Capital for Colleagues plc b) LEI 213800K2JRG9LQKQTM98 4 Details of the transaction(s): section to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each place where transactions have been conducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument

Identification code Ordinary Shares of 40p each





ISIN: GB00BGCZ2V99 b) Nature of the transaction Acquisition of Ordinary Shares by SIP Trustee c) Price(s) and volume(s) 5,000 Ordinary Shares at 49p per share d) Aggregated information

- Aggregated volume

- Price

n/a (single transaction) e) Date of the transaction 7 January 2019 f) Place of the transaction NEX Exchange Growth Market
Artprice: The "Toulouse Caravaggio' will be sold to the highest bidder, probably a long way from France

The "Toulouse Caravaggio' will not be kept in France (along with the five canvases by the brilliant Baroque artist that it already has).

A month and a half after expiry of the official pre-emption period, the French State has officially declined to make an offer. Art appraiser, Eric Turquin, entrusted with the sale of the canvas, is now free to take the work beyond France's frontiers as he sees fit. He told Artprice and its president and founder thierry Ehrmann that after a global road show, the painting would probably be offered for sale at the end of spring 2019 in Toulouse where it all began. Auctioneer Marc Labarbe, originally contacted by the owners of the painting, may well be involved in this historic sale.

The value of such a work is of course difficult to estimate because there is nothing similar on the market. In 2016 a value of 120 million was announced, but that was before Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi fetched $450 million (incl. fees), illustrating the massive demand that exists for old masterpieces. The acquisition of this painting - which could well be the sister of a Caravaggio masterpiece conserved at Rome's Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica - will undoubtedly appeal to the world's biggest collectors, but also to the world's most prestigious museums.

In recent years the Art Market has become an efficient and mature market, structured by the virtuous economy of the Museum Industry. In this context, Eric Turquin's brilliant strategy corresponds to that of the financial markets: the value of the work will be determined by the market rather than by a qualified expert. A public sale reveals the value of a work in the eyes of the public, but also in the eyes of the Art Market's key movers and shakers who advise the big collectors.

Mr. Turquin's sales strategy may well be similar to the one used for the sale of Raden Saleh's The Wild Bull Hunting (Banteng) (1855). The work was presented in Indonesia but was sold in the town of Vannes in Brittany by the auctioneer Ruellan on 28 January 2018. Far from the Art Market's major capitals, The Wild Bull Hunting was finally purchased by an Indonesian collector for over $11.1 million (8,922,240), the highest price ever hammered for an artwork in Brittany).

The owners and Mr. Turquin's Appraisal activity have left the French State plenty of time to acquire the "Toulouse Caravaggio'. The Louvre's experts were invited to discover the work very soon after its lucky discovery in an attic in Toulouse in 2014.

The Caravaggio's unique story, that Artprice has followed since the begining, has only just begun...

Try our services (free demo):

https://www.artprice.com/artist/23640/baishi-qi

Subscribe to our services:

https://www.artprice.com/subscription

Copyright 2019 thierry Ehrmann - www.artprice.com

About Artprice:

Artprice is listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF.

Founded by thierry Ehrmann (see Who's who certified Biography ) (c) https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2018/10/bio-2019-whos-who-thierry-ehrmann.pdf ).

Dicover Artprice in video: https://www.artprice.com/video

Artprice is the global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results covering more than 700,000 artists. Artprice Images gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians.

Artprice permanently enriches its databanks with information from 6,300 auctioneers and it publishes a constant flow of art market trends for the world's principal news agencies and approximately 7,200 international press publications. For its 4,500,000 members, Artprice gives access to the world's leading Standardised Marketplace for buying and selling art. Artprice is preparing its blockchain for the Art Market. It is BPI-labelled (scientific national French label) Artprice's Global Art Market Annual Report for 2017 published last March 2018: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2017

Artprice is associated with Artron Group the Chinese leader in the Art Market, its solid institutional partner.

About the Artron Group:

"Artron Art Group (Artron), a comprehensive cultural industrial group founded in 1993 by Wan jie, is committed to inheriting, enhancing and spreading art value. Based on abundant art data, Artron provides art industry and art fans with professional service and experience of quality products by integrated application of IT, advanced digital science and innovative crafts and materials. Having produced more than 60,000 books and auction catalogues, Artron is the world's largest art book printer with a total print volume of 300 million a year. It has more than 3 million professional members in the arts sector and an average of 15 million daily visits, making it the world's leading art website."

Artron's Web: www.Artron.net

Artprice's Contemporary Art Market Annual Report for 2017 - free access at: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2017

Artprice's press releases:

http://serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseen.htm

https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom

Artmarket News:

https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom & https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom

https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom 3.4 million subscribers

http://artmarketinsight.wordpress.com/

Discover the Alchemy and the universe of Artprice http://web.artprice.com/video , which headquarters are the famous Museum of Contemporary Art, the Abode of Chaos:

http://goo.gl/zJssd

https://vimeo.com/124643720

The Contemporary Art Museum The Abode of Chaos

https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 3.4 million subscribers

Contact: ir@artprice.com

------------------------



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LONDON, Jan 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The EV revolution represents a number of significant opportunities for China, and the Chinese government has been keen to stimulate domestic EV production as a result. But while other countries are using incentives and subsidies to encourage the improvement of battery technologies, China gave indications that it would instead use highly punitive measures to encourage manufacturers to improve their energy densities over the coming years. An announcement this week suggests that this may no longer be the case.

The growth of the e-mobility sector represents a huge opportunity to the Chinese government

The growth in EV usage in China will have a number of far-reaching effects on the country.

Reduced smog in cities. China has been battling with dangerous levels of smog and pollution across many major cities. Growth in adoption of EVs would reduce tailpipe emissions, leading to reduced pollution.



China has been battling with dangerous levels of smog and pollution across many major cities. Growth in adoption of EVs would reduce tailpipe emissions, leading to reduced pollution. Growth in domestic vehicle sales. The Chinese vehicle market has historically been dominated by foreign brands like GM, Ford, VW Group, Toyota and Daimler which operate manufacturing plants in the country. While there have historically been a small number of Chinese-owned OEMs, they have never had a substantial market share. The EV revolution is an opportunity for China to build its fledgling auto industry, as EVs are typically cheaper and easier to make than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.



The Chinese vehicle market has historically been dominated by foreign brands like GM, Ford, VW Group, Toyota and Daimler which operate manufacturing plants in the country. While there have historically been a small number of Chinese-owned OEMs, they have never had a substantial market share. The EV revolution is an opportunity for to build its fledgling auto industry, as EVs are typically cheaper and easier to make than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The potential for an export market. If China can ramp up scale of good quality, high-performance EVs fast enough then it could outpace the plans of foreign OEMs and potentially export vehicles into other regions. This would be a new market opportunity for the country.

As a result, the Chinese government has been keen to encourage EV production through a combination of measures.

While other countries use carrots, China uses a stick

Like other countries, China offers generous subsidies to EV consumers. When considering subsidies offered at a government and a local level, these equate to around $10,000 per vehicle currently - though China does intend to reduce this in the coming years.

Read the full story: https://www.crugroup.com/knowledge-and-insights/insights/2019/new-year-present-for-oems-china-relaxes-ev-battery-requirements/

Read more about CRU: http://bit.ly/About_CRU

About CRU

CRU offers unrivalled business intelligence on the global metals, mining and fertilizer industries through market analysis, price assessments, consultancy and events.

Since our foundation by Robert Perlman in 1969, we have consistently invested in primary research and robust methodologies, and developed expert teams in key locations worldwide, including in hard-to-reach markets such as China.

CRU employs over 260 experts and has more than 10 offices around the world, in Europe, the Americas, China, Asia and Australia - our office in Beijing opened in 2004.

When facing critical business decisions, you can rely on our first-hand knowledge to give you a complete view of a commodity market. And you can engage with our experts directly, for the full picture and a personalised response.

CRU - big enough to deliver a high-quality service, small enough to care about all of our customers.
Pre-Stabilisation notice

8 January 2019

Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau (KfW)

 benchmark senior unsecured Notes due 2029

Pre-Stabilisation Notice

Commerzbank AG (contact: Daniela Olt-Farrelly; telephone: +49 69 13623492) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014).

The security to be stabilised: Issuer: KfW Guarantor (if any): The Federal Republic of Germany Aggregate nominal amount: EUR benchmark Description: Fixed rate bonds due 15th January 2029 Offer price: tbc Other offer terms: EMTN Programme, Rating Aaa/AAA/AAA, German Law, payment date 15th January 2019 Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator:

Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Societe Generale Stabilisation period expected to start on: 8th January 2019 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Frankfurt SE regulated market

In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.
Zaandam, the Netherlands, January 8, 2019 - Ahold Delhaize announces today the appointment of Farhan Siddiqi as Chief Digital Officer and member of the Executive Committee, effective January 28, 2019. In this role, Farhan will drive digital transformation and innovation across Ahold Delhaize's great local brands, focusing on loyalty, data analytics and personalization.





Farhan joins Ahold Delhaize from McDonald's where he most recently served as Chief Digital Officer and led the restaurant chain's digital transformation, including the launch of mobile commerce in 20,000 restaurants, a new mobile app and the upgrade of self-service ordering kiosks. He was also responsible for data analytics and extending Customer Relationship Management capabilities. Prior to this, Farhan held several key leadership positions within Bank of America, Target and General Electric, where he focused on implementing successful customer loyalty programs, digital payment solutions, and launching strategic partnerships.





Frans Muller, President and CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said: "I'm thrilled to welcome Farhan to Ahold Delhaize. With his knowledge of the digital customer experience in a wide variety of industries, he will help further accelerate Ahold Delhaize's digital transformation, a key element in our Leading Together strategy. Farhan will drive best practice sharing in digital and eCommerce across our great local brands while leveraging our global scale, supporting us in doubling net consumer online sales to around 7 billion euros by 2021."

Ahold Delhaize announces appointment of Farhan Siddiqi as CDO (http://hugin.info/130711/R/2230638/876649.pdf)



This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Ahold Delhaize via Globenewswire


FIGEAC AERO Group (mnemo: FGA) has confirmed that it meets all eligibility criteria for the French PEA-PME tax-efficient investment regime.

In accordance with the French application decree n 2014-283, dated 4 March 2014, adopted for the application of article 70 from 2014 financial law No. 2013-1278 (29 December 2013), fixing the eligibility criteria, FIGEAC AERO complies with:

having fewer than 5,000 employees, and

having annual revenue of less than 1,500 million or balance sheet assets of less than 2,000 million.

Consequently, FIGEAC AERO shares continue to be eligible for incorporation into PEA-PME accounts, which benefit from the same tax advantages as the traditional French Share Savings Plan (PEA).

ABOUT FIGEAC AERO

The FIGEAC AERO Group, a leading partner of major aerospace manufacturers, specialises in the production of light alloy and hard metal structural parts, engine parts, landing gear parts and sub-assemblies. An international group with a workforce of over 3,300 employees, FIGEAC AERO operates in France, the United States, Morocco, Mexico, Romania and Tunisia. In the year ended 31 March 2018, the Group reported annual revenue of 371 million.



FIGEAC AERO

Jean-Claude Maillard

Chief Executive Officer

Tel: +33 (0)5 65 34 52 52



ACTUS finance & communication

Corinne Puissant - Analyst/Investor Relations

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 77 / cpuissant@actus.fr



Manon Clairet - Press Relations

Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 73 / mclairet@actus.fr



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Orphan Drug NaMuscla Receives European Commission Approval for the Treatment of Myotonia in

Non-Dystrophic Myotonic Disorders

Zug, Switzerland, 8 January 2019: Lupin is pleased to announce that the European Commission (EC) has approved NaMuscla (mexiletine) for the symptomatic treatment of myotonia in adults with non-dystrophic myotonic (NDM) disorders. Non-dystrophic myotonic disorders are a group of rare, inherited neuromuscular disorders which cause the inability to relax muscles following voluntary contraction. NaMuscla reduces myotonia symptoms in adult patients, resulting in a significant improvement in patient quality-of-life and other functional outcomes1,5.

Lupin has partnering discussions ongoing for commercialization of NaMuscla in European territories outside Germany and the UK.

The EC approval follows the positive opinion which was issued by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), in October 2018 and will apply to all 28 countries of the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The approval makes NaMuscla, which recently had its orphan drug designation ratified by the EMA's Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP), the first treatment to be licensed throughout the EU for the symptomatic treatment of myotonia in adults with NDM disorders.

Lupin is preparing for the launch of NaMuscla, which will occur in the initial markets of Germany and the UK in Q1 2019.

"We are delighted by the decision of the European Commission to approve NaMuscla, making it the first treatment to be licensed across the EU for patients with non-dystrophic myotonia,"

said Thierry Volle, President EMEA, Lupin. "The EC approval represents a further important milestone for Lupin as we build a leading specialty pharma company focused on the development, registration and commercialization of science-based therapies and solutions for areas of unmet medical need. We are now closer to being able to provide patients with an effective treatment for myotonia symptoms and we look forward to launching the product in the first territories in Q1 2019."

The approval was based on a pivotal Phase III clinical study (MYOMEX1) which enrolled 25 participants who were diagnosed with non-dystrophic myotonic disorders and symptomatic myotonia, in addition to bibliographical references, including a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study and an observational study, to support the efficacy and safety of mexiletine.

Today, more than 7500 people in Europe2,3 living with NDM have limited access to a licensed treatment for myotonia which reduces the daily burden of this disabling, lifelong symptom. Limited access leads to inconsistent medication supply, administrative challenges and associated financial burdens, which, along with low awareness and clinical experience among healthcare professionals, may result in harm to patients4. Lupin is also pursuing a paediatric investigation plan (PIP) for NaMuscla.

"The EC approval of NaMuscla is very good news and an important step forward for NDM patients across the EU living with the burden of symptomatic myotonia,"

said Professor Christiane Schneider-Gold of

St. Josef und St. Elisabeth Hospital / Neurologische Universitatsklinik (Bochum, Germany). "The approval and commercialization of NaMuscla brings to an end the difficult off-label treatment challenges faced by these patients. With no licensed antimyotonic drug being available to date, many patients have lived without treatment. NaMuscla fills an important, unmet clinical need for a licensed, efficacious treatment with a positive risk-benefit profile which is proven to significantly improve patient quality-of-life and disability caused by myotonia's lifelong impact."

For further information or queries please contact:

Consilium Strategic Communications

Amber Fennell / Julia Wilson / Sukaina Virji / Angela Gray

Tel: +44

Notes for Editors

About Myotonic Disorders and Non-Dystrophic Myotonic (NDM) Disorders

Myotonic disorders are a group of heterogeneous, inherited, neuromuscular disorders characterized by a shared symptom called myotonia. Myotonia can be described as an inability to relax a contraction of skeletal muscle which originates from a voluntary muscular contraction such as shaking someone's hand and blinking, or everyday activities such as walking across a street and climbing stairs.

Non-dystrophic myotonias (NDM) are a sub-set of rare (prevalence of 1:100,0002), inherited, myotonic disorders which are caused by mutations within ion channels in the sarcolemma membrane of skeletal muscles. Non-dystrophic myotonias exhibit both sodium and chloride channelopathies which result in altered membrane excitability. For patients with NDM, myotonia is the most prominent symptom and demonstrates different phenotypes in subgroups of NDM disorders, and can affect different parts of the body, such as legs, arms or facial muscles, more severely.

Myotonia in NDM patients has an onset in childhood and persists across their lifetime. Patients perceive that myotonia increases in severity over time, impacting daily life. Myotonia is described by patients in a variety of ways (stiffness, cramps, pain, difficulty releasing a fist, or difficulty swallowing or eating) which can contribute to substantial delays in diagnosis and treatment, leading to decreased patient quality-of-life and often significant disability.

About NaMuscla (mexiletine)

NaMuscla is the first and only antimyotonic agent licensed to treat symptomatic myotonia in adults with non-dystrophic myotonic disorders across Europe. In randomized controlled trials, NaMuscla (167 to 500 mg/day) has been shown to significantly reduce myotonia compared to placebo, reducing skeletal muscle hyperexcitability through its use-dependent, voltage-gated, sodium channel blocking actions which are independent of the cause of channel function. This resulted in an improvement in patient quality-of-life and other functional outcomes, with gastro-intestinal discomfort reported as the most common adverse event, demonstrating NaMuscla to be safe and well tolerated1,5.

About Lupin Limited

Lupin is an innovation led transnational pharmaceutical company developing and delivering a wide range of branded & generic formulations, biotechnology products and APIs globally. The Company is a significant player in the Cardiovascular, Diabetology, Asthma, Pediatric, CNS, GI, Anti-Infective and NSAID space and holds global leadership position in the Anti-TB segment.

Lupin is the 8th largest generics pharmaceutical company both in terms of market capitalization (30th June 2018, Bloomberg) and revenues (31st March 2018, Bloomberg LTM) globally. The Company is the 4th largest pharmaceutical player in the US by prescriptions (IQVIA MAT June 2018); 3rd largest Indian pharmaceutical company by global revenues (31st March 2018, Bloomberg LTM); 6th largest generic pharmaceutical player in Japan and 5th largest company in the Indian Pharmaceutical Market (IQVIA MAT June 2018).
New global weather forecasting system can crowdsource data from millions of previously untapped sources and will provide accurate, rapidly updated local forecasts worldwide

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CES 2019 -- IBM (NYSE: IBM ) and its subsidiary The Weather Company today unveiled a powerful new global weather forecasting system that will provide the most accurate local weather forecasts ever seen worldwide. The new IBM Global High-Resolution Atmospheric Forecasting System (GRAF) will be the first hourly-updating commercial weather system that is able to predict something as small as thunderstorms globally. Compared to existing models, it will provide a nearly 200% improvement in forecasting resolution for much of the globe (from 12 to 3 sq km). It will be available later this year.

GRAF uses advanced IBM POWER9-based supercomputers, crowdsourced data from millions of sensors worldwide, and in-flight data to create more localized, more accurate views of weather globally. IBM Chairman and CEO Ginni Rometty announced GRAF at CES 2019 in Las Vegas.

"Today, weather forecasts around the world are not created equal, so we are changing that," said Cameron Clayton, general manager of Watson Media and Weather for IBM. "Weather influences what people do day-to-day and is arguably the most important external swing factor in business performance. As extreme weather becomes more common, our new weather system will ensure every person and organization around the world has access to more accurate, more finely-tuned weather forecasts."

Today, outside of the United States, Japan and a handful of other countries primarily in Western Europe, the rest of the world has to settle for less accurate forecasts for predictions that cover 12- to 15-kilometer swaths of land - too wide to capture many weather phenomena. And, traditionally, leading weather models update less frequently, only every 6 to 12 hours. In contrast, GRAF will provide 3-kilometer resolution that updates hourly, delivering reliable predictions for the day ahead.

The new system will be the first to draw on untapped data such as sensor readings from aircrafts, overcoming the lack of specialized weather equipment in many parts of the world. It will also give people the opportunity to contribute to helping improve weather forecasts globally, as it will be able to make use of pressure sensor readings sent from barometers found within smartphones if people opt-in to sharing that information. The Weather Company will assure it conforms to the relevant operating system terms of use. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of weather stations, many run by amateur weather enthusiasts, can also contribute data to the model.

While the resulting volume of data would be too much for most supercomputers, this powerful new model analyzes data using IBM POWER9 technology, which is behind the U.S. Department of Energy's Summit and Sierra, the world's most powerful supercomputers.

Predictions from the new system will be made available globally later in 2019, helping airlines to better minimize disruption from turbulence; insurers to better prepare for storm recovery operations; utility companies to better position repair crews for outages; farmers to better anticipate and prepare for dramatic shifts in weather and more.

Individuals and communities will be able to better plan for weather. Anyone with The Weather Channel app, weather.com, Weather Underground app, wunderground.com - and any business that uses IBM offerings from The Weather Company - will be able to use these forecasts.

In addition to IBM's unique R&D investments, this advancement in global weather forecasting is made possible by The Weather Company's open-source collaboration with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). GRAF incorporates the latest-generation global weather model - the Model for Prediction Across Scales, or MPAS - which was developed by NCAR with the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

About The Weather Company, an IBM Business

For more information, visit https://newsroom.ibm.com/the-weather-company.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/805362/IBM_WeatherGRAF_SidebySide_1.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95470/ibm_logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/523728/Weather_Company_Logo.jpg
What is a Jalsa Salana?

Since 1891, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has held its annual convention, or Jalsa Salana, in countries around the world.

The U.S. event was most recently held in July 2018 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which has hosted it for 15 years.

During the 10 years prior, the event was held at the Dulles Expo Center, according to county documents.

"The principal aims of the annual convention are to facilitate greater spiritual awareness among community members, strengthen ties and promote peace," according to the application the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community filed with Fauquier County.
Sheep farmers have told the New Zealand Government to take account of the interests of the UK sheep industry and that they are realistic in their asks in any future trade deal.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has responded to a New Zealand Government consultation on building a free trade deal with the UK after Brexit.

The UK and New Zealand are both countries with highly significant sheep industries.

With sheepmeat being of equal scale in both countries yet trade being an entirely one way process, the NSA has appealed for mutual respect for UK sheep farmers adjusting to Brexit.

Post-Brexit trade negotiations will be taking place at a time when the sheep industry is likely to be going through significant change.

The NSA said the industry will be both vulnerable and opposed to any further trade pressure.

NSA Chief Executive, Phil Stocker said: Any new UK/NZ trade deal will cover all products, industries and services and it is crucial to recognise that for sheepmeat it is an entirely one way trade.

We may be relatively equivalent in terms of flock size and productivity but what is not equivalent at all is the market place with the UK having a human population of some 66 million compared to New Zealands 4.8 million.

For sheep farming there is much to be gained by New Zealand in striking a free trade deal with the UK post Brexit, and much to be lost by UK sheep farmers.

Mr Stocker added: Our own sheep industry will already be struggling if Brexit does not go smoothly, as seems apparent today, and if New Zealand is given the go ahead to import a higher quantity of lamb than comes in now it will risk either pressure on prices or the UK having to chase equivalent export markets elsewhere.

I would be highly uncomfortable with the UK having higher environmental and welfare standards and building niche markets elsewhere in the world, and in the meantime feeding our own people on lower standard and cheaper products from overseas. That is not the way to engage our own citizens with sustainable food production and land management, he said.

The NSA has submitted a response to the New Zealand department of international trade to ask for this consideration to be made by New Zealand during this process.
A North East MP has backed the needs of local farmers after it emerged the SNP Government will make disastrous cuts to lifeline support payments.

The SNPs rural economy secretary has confirmed the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) payments will likely drop to 40% of current levels over the next two years.

Gordon MP Colin Clark, who sits on the Agriculture Bill committee at Westminster, has described the SNPs intent as a 'major let-down' for livestock farmers.

Compulsory changes to EU regulations mean payments must drop by 20% this year but the SNP's Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing indicated his Government will take advantage of EU proposals to go further.

Mr Clark said: The industry has braced itself for an initial cut of 20% and this was confirmed in the SNPs budget.

But further cuts are unpalatable to farmers in my constituency and could have disastrous consequences for their business and our economy.

He added: The SNP have had four years to plan their own alternative to LFASS but have sat on their hands while farmers remained in the dark.

It is my concern the SNP spend the 65 million LFASS budget to shore up their failing projects elsewhere, leaving farmers high and dry, Mr Clark said.

NFU Scotland previously warned the net result of cuts to LFASS, unless reversed, will be a further demise of the more extensive livestock sectors, the red meat sector in general, the Scotch brand it underpins, and the risk of yet more land abandonment in some quarters.

Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing said: I fully accept that this is not ideal, but under changes to EU regulations there is no option but to revise payment rates down. Importantly, we are clear this change will not impact on those who receive the minimum payment of 385, which is not being reduced.

Our hill farmers and crofters continue to face significant challenges from both adverse weather and Brexit uncertainties and we are already seeing reduced livestock numbers and land abandonment.

Therefore, I will continue to strongly push for further revisions and have submitted proposed amendments to give more flexibility in setting the rates for 2020  a move I fully expect the UK Government to support.
A parliamentary group which aims to protect the best interests of British hill farmers is to be re-instated after disbanding back in 2015.

The National Farmers' Union and Westmorland and Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron are to re-instate the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming.

The group, which the former Liberal Democrat leader chaired for ten years, disbanded back in 2015.

But now, with the uncertainty surrounding Britain's future relationship with the European Union and the Government's new Agriculture Bill, it is felt that a group is needed now more than ever to stand up for hill farmers.

When the group was active, it ensured the plight of hill farmers was recognised in Parliament and frequently put pressure on Defra ministers to maintain support.

The all-party group will host an official re-launch later in January where they will publish a report on the future of hill farming in the UK.

Farron said: With the Government planning to remove direct payments which are a lifeline to so many hill farmers, and with the threat of leaving the European Union with no deal still on the table, the future for hill farming has never been more uncertain.

That's why it's vital that there is a group in Parliament to speak up for the interests of hard-working British hill farmers who are so crucial both to the national economy and to the environment.

I look forward to working with MPs from all parties, and the NFU, to help secure the most stable future for the industry and a better deal for farmers here in Cumbria and across the country, he said.
The discovery of Bluetongue in Germany is a warning to farmers in the UK to remain vigilant, a farming union has said.

This is the first detection of Bluetongue in Germany since 2012 and comes not long after a heifer, imported to Northern Ireland in December, tested positive for the disease.

The German authorities have declared a 150km zone and exports from that region will need to be vaccinated or tested to demonstrate natural immunity before they leave the zone.

The UK routinely tests all cattle imported from mainland Europe to ensure the Bluetongue virus is not present and for evidence of vaccination.

The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) says the discovery of Bluetongue in Germany is a 'timely reminder' to farmers not to become complacent.

"I would encourage farmers to regularly inspect their animals for Bluetongue symptoms and maintain good biosecurity, said UFU deputy president, David Brown.

He said if the disease were to gain a foothold, it could come with a significant price tag. It could cost the industry over 25 million per year. We cannot afford to be relaxed when it comes to Bluetongue, he said.

The UFU says farmers must remain vigilant and ensure they source animals responsibly.

He added: The best way to do this  do not import animals from high-risk Bluetongue areas. However, if you must import from a Bluetongue affected region, seek additional guarantees from the seller such as requesting pre-export testing to prove effective immunity to the virus.
The ex-wife of missing Hertfordshire farmer William Taylor and her partner have pleaded not guilty to his murder.

The pair were charged with conspiracy to murder the 69-year-old in December.

Angela Taylor, aged 52, of Charlton Road, Hitchin, was charged with conspiracy to murder in connection with the disappearance of Mr Taylor from Gosmore in North Hertfordshire.

Paul Cannon, aged 53, of Pirton Road, Hitchin, was also been charged.

However, the pair have now pleaded not guilty to his murder, and have also denied an arson attack on Mr Taylor's car days before he disappeared last June.

The farmer was last seen at his home in Gosmore on Sunday, June 3 at around 9pm  shortly before his 70th birthday.

He was reported missing to police the following day (Monday, June 4). His body has never been found.

Since then extensive enquiries and searches have been carried out in the effort to locate him.

Police scoured an area within a 1.7km (1.05 mile) radius of Mr Taylor's farm in July.
The Welsh Government has confirmed that 5 million of Rural Development Programme funding will be used to help eradicate sheep scab in Wales.

The funding will help deliver an industry led project to tackle the disease in Wales.

Sheep scab is one of the most contagious disease of sheep and has been identified as a disease priority by the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group.

The disease has significant economic consequences for sheep producers and animal welfare issues for sheep.

It is caused by mites living in sheeps fleeces or hair, which causes intense itching.

The cost of scab to the British sheep industry is currently estimated at 8.3 million per annum.

Further details of the project will be announced in the forthcoming months following ongoing discussions with industry representatives.

Announcing the funding, Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said: Eradicating the disease has the potential to deliver significant lasting economic benefits for the sector at a particularly challenging time as we prepare to leave the European Union.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) welcomed the announcement, calling it positive step in eradicating the disease.

BVA Welsh Branch President, Sarah Carr said: Vets see first-hand the very significant impact sheep scab has on livestock health and welfare and we are delighted to see Welsh Government supporting vets and industry to eradicate this highly contagious disease.

Today's announcement is another example of Welsh Government leading the way in demonstrating that industry and government can work together for the benefit of animal welfare.
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BRIDGEPORT - Charged with killing 12-year-old Clinton Howell in a drive by shooting last month, 18-year-old Tajay Chambers will have a choice.

Im going to ask you if you choose to have a hearing on probable cause or not, Superior Court Judge Robert Devlin told Chambers on Tuesday, as the defendant looked about the courtroom.

The judge then continued the case to Jan. 28.

Next out was 16-year-old Alexander Bolanos Jr., who police said was the driver of the car.

Through a Spanish interpreter, Bolanos pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, carrying a pistol without a permit and second-degree larceny. He asked for a jury trial.

His case was continued to Jan. 31.

In the back of the courtroom, Howells family sat grim-faced. They left after the hearing, declining comment.

Chambers, is charged with murder with special circumstances, murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, illegal carrying or possession of a pistol or revolver without a permit, three counts of risk of injury to a child, first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree larceny. He is being held in lieu of $1 million bond.

If convicted of murder with special circumstances, Chambers could be sentenced to life without the possibility of release.

In a hearing on probable cause, state prosecutors would have to present their evidence in the case before a judge to determine if they have probable cause to try Chambers for murder. However, in most cases defendants decide to waive such hearings.

Shortly after 9 p.m. on Dec. 18, Howell was standing outside his Willow Street home with an older cousin when he was shot in the chest. Police said Chambers had been aiming for the cousin, who had shot at their stolen car with a BB gun.

An undocumented immigrant from Jamaica, Chambers joined his family in Bridgeport 18 months ago.

Enrolling in September at Central High School, he quickly formed his own gang with the 16-year-old Bolanos and a 14-year-old and a 12-year-old whose names are not being released, police said.

On Oct. 8, they attacked a 16-year-old boy in a stairwell of the high school, police said. Police said that as the victim protested he was not involved in gang stuff, Chambers and associates pummeled him and then kicked him down the stairs.

Police said they had a rivalry with a supposed gang from the citys East Side calling themselves the BGs or Blitz Gang, and were using Facebook and Snapchat to trade boasts and insults.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Chambers told Police Detective Adam Roscoe that on Dec. 18, Bolanos and the two other youths had picked him up in a Ford Escape they had stolen on Madison Avenue. Chambers took over the driving and they went to a location in Stratford to make a sneaker trade, police said. While driving back, Chambers received a Snapchat video on his cell phone from Howells cousin, who Chambers told the detective is a member of the BGs.

In the video, (the cousin) showed them the Willow Street sign and they understood this to be a dare or challenge. Chambers stated that after receiving the video he said, they just hit me, they are on Willow, the affidavit states.

With Bolanos now at the wheel, the four drove to Willow Street, police said.

At first, they didnt see any BG members, so they drove around the block twice, the affidavit states. On the third pass, they saw Howells cousin who they believed to be one of the captains of the BGs. He was coming back from the corner store with the younger Howell.

When the cousin saw them, he fired at them with a pellet gun, the affidavit states. Bolanos then drove to the end of the block and made a U-turn. One of the other youths in the car handed Chambers a loaded 9mm handgun and Chambers told the detective he extended his hand out the rear passenger window and fired twice.

I didnt know that he was 12 years old, police said Chambers told them. He said he didnt know he shot someone until he saw it on the website Doing It Local.

Police said they later recovered the gun used in the shooting.
In his second year in office, President Donald Trump did many positive things, and last week, I offered my list of the 10 best things Trump did in 2018. But he also did a lot of bad things that ranged from cringeworthy to catastrophic. Here are the 10 worst:

10. His comment about shhole countries blew up negotiations for a deal that would have given Trump his border wall. Nearly a year ago, the president made a bold offer to Democrats  putting not just legal status but also a path to citizenship for nearly 1.8 million young illegal immigrants on the table. Then his abhorrent comment undermined Democrats who were serious about cutting a deal and gave those who were not a pretext to walk away.

9. His offensive tweets continued to undermine his presidency. Calling former White House aide Omarosa Manigault Newman a dog and Stormy Daniels Horseface  among countless offensive tweets  is not just unpresidential, it drives away potential supporters who like Trumps policies but then are reminded how much they dont like him.

8. His misuse of power turned critics into martyrs. Revoking former CIA Director John Brennans security clearance and CNN White House correspondent Jim Acostas White House press pass turned partisan critics who were embarrassing themselves into victims  and gave them an even greater platform from which to attack him.

7. He drove away suburban voters and caused the GOP to lose control of the House. Thats because the president has sought to energize his base in ways that push those voters away.

6. His graceless handling of Sen. John McCains funeral was a new low. Trump didnt like McCain, but when youre the president, sometimes you must honor people you didnt like. McCain was an American hero.

5. His handling of Jamal Khashoggis murder harmed Americas moral standing. Trump is right that a permanent breach with Saudi Arabia is not acceptable, because there is no other country in the Middle East that can serve as a counterweight to Iran. But it was unseemly to declare, Its all about America First and Were not going to give up hundreds of billions of dollars in orders.

4. His news conference with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki was an embarrassment. His meeting with the Russian president came on the heels of Russias attempted assassination of a dissident on British soil using banned chemical weapons and the indictment of 12 Russians for 2016 election meddling. Instead of condemning these actions, Trump publicly sided with Putin over his own intelligence community.

3. His policy to separate migrant children from their families at the southern border was an avoidable tragedy. There is nothing wrong with a zero-tolerance policy for illegal crossings. But his administrations failure to anticipate and prepare for how to deal with migrant families was gross negligence.

2. His planned withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan is a gift to the Taliban and al-Qaida. In 2017, my Top 10 Best list praised Trump for reversing President Barack Obamas disastrous withdrawal, which he said would create a vacuum for terrorists. But in December, Trump ordered the military to start planning the withdrawal of roughly 7,000 troops  about half the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The news came just as U.S. officials were holding talks with the Taliban, whose No. 1 demand is  the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

1. His pullout of all U.S. troops in Syria will take Americas boot off the terrorists necks. Trumps claim that we have defeated ISIS in Syria is as bad as Obamas dismissing them as the J.V. squad. The Islamic State still has up to 30,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, and about $400 million in their coffers. The Islamic State is not defeated, and not one member of Trumps national security team agrees with his decision to withdraw. If he lets the Islamic State off the mat like Obama did in Iraq in 2011, our nation will pay a terrible price.

It is notable that, with the exception of troop withdrawals and family separations, most of the items on this list were transgressions of style rather than substance. With the mute button on, the Trump presidency is pretty good from a conservative policy perspective. And yet Trumps approval rating at years end is just 39 percent  because most Americans dont follow politics with the sound off.

@marcthiessen
Patience has apparently already run out for some Democrats waiting on Beto ORourke to announce whether hell run for president.

A group of Democrats led by a key South Carolina Democrat and a TV actress have created a Draft Beto campaign with a goal of raising $1 million and setting up a grassroots network to help ORourke get a jump start on 2020 if he were to run.

We believe by building the grassroots infrastructure and financial resources we'll be able to not only convince Beto to run for the Democratic nomination but give him a head start, the group states on its new website. That's why every single dollar we raise is put into an escrow account, which immediately transfers to Beto's campaign if he decides to run.

Nate Lerner, a co-founder of the group based in Brooklyn, said other groups are trying to also draft ORourke to run, but what makes Draft Beto different is the group is building a network of operatives and volunteers that could easily transfer over to an official ORourke campaign.

No other candidate has anything remotely like this, said Lerner, who worked on President Barack Obamas 2012 re-election campaign.

Opinion pieces only at HoustonChronicle.com: For 2020, Beto O'Rourke is plainly uninspiring

For his part, ORourke, who once said he would not run for president in 2020, has since changed his tune. When asked at a town hall meeting in El Paso about running, ORourke said he and his wife Amy would talk about what their next move will be and did not discount the possibility.

Since then, ORourke has been among the leaders in some early polls and even came out ahead in a straw poll from MoveOn.org  an influential group that helped propel Bernie Sanders upstart campaign in 2016.

ORourke has stoked more anticipation that he will run by posting videos on social media accounts opposing President Donald Trumps proposed border wall, specifically along the Rio Grande River.

Among those behind the new Draft Beto campaign is former South Carolina State Rep. Boyd Brown, who was an early supporter of then-Sen. Barack Obamas presidential campaign in 2008. Also part of the effort is Misha Collins, an actor in the hit television series Supernatural.

Already another Texas Democrat has announced hes considering running for president. Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro last month created a presidential exploratory committee. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has also already taken steps to run in 2020.

ORourke, now a former Congressman from El Paso, lost his 2018 U.S. Senate campaign against Ted Cruz by about 3 percentage points. While ORourke lost, it was the closest a Democrat has come to winning a U.S. Senate seat in Texas since Democrat Lloyd Bentsen won his final term in 1988.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
Listening to District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevinos State of the Center City address last year at the Westin Riverwalk, hotelier Justin Holley remembers one moment in particular that presaged his imminent campaign to unseat the incumbent.

Toward the end of his speech, Trevino explained why he would not support the citys submitting of a bid to host the 2020 Republican National Convention. The fiscal benefit of doing so, Trevino said, does not outweigh the tremendous respect we have for our cultural heritage  a not-so-veiled reference to President Donald Trumps stance on immigration.

I was sitting in that lunch, Holley recalled, and I was thinking, How could he? To say all Republicans are bad? Youve got to be open for business.

OnExpressNews.com: At least two candidates already prepping for Feb. 12 special election to fill San Antonio's open House seat

Holley, 46, who is a gay man, described himself as an independent through and through.  Im fiscally conservative, but socially Im extremely liberal.

Indeed, the hotelier cited fiscal reasons for his outrage at Trevinos rebuffing the RNC: The decision would forgo a potential economic impact of $200 million, much of it flowing to the local hotel industry. At the time, Holley and Trevino both were board members of Visit San Antonio, a private nonprofit that coordinates bid submissions for the city.

He should have picked up the phone and called a fellow board member  Hey, Justin, what are your thoughts? said Holley, vice president of a local hotel management company.

Two days later, Trevino and his council colleagues joined City Manager Sheryl Sculley behind closed doors, where a decision was reached not to submit a bid. Cassandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit San Antonio, also was at the meeting; City Attorney Andy Segovia later said Matej decided not to pursue the event because she lacked enough council support to move forward.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg has borne the brunt of the backlash by those who felt burned by the process, a bump in his tenure that District 6 Councilman Greg Brockhouse, who is expected to launch a mayoral run, hopes no one forgets.

The biggest crime committed, Brockhouse said Monday, was the fact that we didnt take advantage of $200 million in economic impact because people had their feelings hurt by Donald Trump.

OnExpressNews.com: Gonzales recruited old colleagues to serve under him

As he prepares to run, Holley would also blame Trevino.

On Monday, Trevino noted that his office was not involved in the initial decision to pass on the convention.

Months before the councilman jumped into the fray, Nirenberg and other local leaders  but not Trevino  made it clear to Ron Kaufman, the visiting GOP Site Selection Committee chairman, that there was no interest in pursuing it.

Then former San Antonian Brad Parscale, Trumps current campaign manager, took to Twitter to trash Nirenberg.

It was a public shaming that eventually prompted the mayor to convene the closed-door meeting, where Sculley verbally enunciated a count of council members opposed to pursuing the convention  Trevino among them, according to Brockhouse.

Holley decried that process as lacking in transparency.

Trevino disagreed.

To call this a transparency issue here is uninformed, the councilman said. If thats the case, then he should run for mayor. This is not a District 1 issue. This is something he wants to call out the mayor for.

In any case, rehashing the RNC controversy is a distraction, Trevino said.

I think the city has much, much bigger issues to tackle, he said.

The resurgence of the RNC debate in the looming election, though, hints at one of the current councils biggest weaknesses: a perception that some of its members are just too progressive for the nonpartisan body. Its a vulnerability that would-be usurpers such as Brockhouse and Holley appear eager to exploit.

Should he run for mayor, Brockhouse might do more damage in that attack than Holley. District 1 residents are predominately Democratic voters; presumably, many would agree that Trumps policies arent worth any amount of economic impact, even $200 million.

The question for Trevino is whether voters in District 1 would make the same moral judgment.
San Antonio firefighter Dereck Hillyers long-shot bid to win the City Councils appointment to the District 2 seat is getting longer as details of his past emerged in a one-page, city-compiled dossier.

Hillyer, 57, is one of 13 candidates who applied to finish out the unexpired term of freshman Councilman William Cruz Shaw, who resigned to take a judicial position at the Bexar County courthouse. Hillyer, a member of the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, is the only candidate whos been employed by the city.

That hes aligned with an organization that has declared war on the citys leadership was likely enough to tank his chances for the appointment, observers say, given that its the City Council that makes the decision.

Then theres the dossier.

Released by the city Monday under the Texas Public Information Act, the one-page document shows that Hillyer was suspended five days in 2016 without pay for insubordination, failure to follow orders and poor on-duty performance. He was also counseled on numerous deficiencies, including absence without leave, the document states.

Hillyer did not return a call seeking comment.

RELATED: Thirteen candidates vie for open San Antonio City Council seat

The document also states that Hillyer owes the city $11,251 because he was erroneously paid twice in workers compensation payments between 2016 and 2018. Officials have attempted numerous times to obtain repayment but have been unsuccessful. When Hillyer applied for retirement last week, he was once again informed that he owes taxpayer dollars to the city, the document notes.

Hillyer is also at the heart of a potential million-dollar lawsuit against San Antonio. According to city documents, Hillyer was driving a city vehicle in February 2016 when he crossed a solid white line while exiting the highway and turning into a parking lot, colliding with a private vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle has sued the city, claiming damages ranging from $200,000 to $1 million. The city has a July court date on the matter, but city attorneys defending the case say Hillyer has never responded to their efforts to gather information from him.

Another document shows that in the early 1980s, he pleaded guilty to and received deferred adjudication for theft of gasoline.

Last week, a group of East Side community members informally selected Hillyer as their choice for the District 2 seat, which is centered on the East Side.

Much of Hillyers background didnt come up during neighborhood forums on the applicants, said state Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio, who helped facilitate the events. But she said the information shouldnt disqualify Hillyer from the District 2 seat, insisting that he was seen as the best pick  someone who has deep roots in the community, is educated and has been married to the same woman for decades.

RELATED: Reluctant politician resigns from San Antonio City Council to become juvenile judge

To make it a disqualifier to me is a clear picture of small-mindedness, vendettas and grudges that have no space in the political arena at all, she said.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg said he asked for information on Hillyers background when he learned that he was an employee of the city seeking office at the same time. The San Antonio charter prohibits city employees from seeking any city office.

When an employee of the city runs for office and is reported to be the selected candidate, its critically important that we do due diligence so that the public and the council is informed about who would seek to represent over 100,000 people in our community, the mayor said.

The City Council will briefly interview the 13 candidates Wednesday and invite up to three to return Thursday morning for more interviews.

By midmorning Thursday, the council likely will have made its decision, and Shaws successor will take his or her seat on the dais.

The appointment lasts less than four months, however, because the seat is up for election May 4.

Josh Baugh is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaugh
The San Antonio Police Department on Tuesday identified the 45-year-old woman accused of concocting a fake baby abduction with a relative.

Angie Torres was arrested on an unrelated robbery charge. She was booked into the Bexar County Jail on a $50,000 bond. According to her arrest affidavit, Torres stole some razors from a West Side Dollar General on Sunday and kicked an employee who tried to stop her.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

The alleged robbery occurred about two days after Torres staged the kidnapping of 8-month-old King Jay Davila on Friday with the boy's father, Chris Davila, who is Torres' cousin, police said.

Davila was arrested Monday on charges unrelated to the alleged kidnapping scheme.

Authorities have not elaborated on why the two would fake a kidnapping, but SAPD Chief William McManus emphasized on Monday that it was a "staged event" used to cover up foul play.

"Ask yourself, why would someone concoct such a story," McManus said.

Police also indicated that others might have been involved in the fabrication, as investigators have identified the person who dropped Torres off at the West Side convenience store where the allegedly fake abduction occurred.

Davila first called in the kidnapping at about 7 p.m. Friday from a convenience store in the 300 block of Enrique Barrera.

OnExpressNews.com: Father of missing infant in San Antonio staged kidnapping to cover up 'foul play,' police say

Video footage from the store shows a woman -- who is now believed to be Torres -- jump into Davila's car and drive off after Davila had gone inside the store. Davila told police that King Jay, his infant son, was inside.

Torres drove to an intersection near Rodriguez Park, and footage also shows her walking down a West Side street with a baby seat.

King Jay Davila remains missing and the investigation into his whereabouts remains ongoing.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Caleb Downs covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com |

cdowns@mysa.com | @calebjdowns
A stolen car, a baby inside, a mysterious female kidnapper seen on video, a fruitless search.

All of it was part of an elaborate scheme staged by a young father to cover up foul play involving his 8-month-old son, Police Chief William McManus said Monday night.

Christopher Davila, 34, had told police that he left his Dodge Dart running with son King Jay Davila inside and the door unlocked Friday evening while he went into a convenience store to buy water. He reported the car stolen.

Police say Davila knew that a cousin had been dropped off nearby to purportedly steal the car and take the child and that King Jay was not even in the car.

OnExpressNews.com: Top San Antonio psychologist to tackle 'pervasive issue' of deputy misconduct at Bexar County Sheriff's Office

We believe the story of the kidnapping was made up, said McManus, who appeared by turns somber and angry. Ask yourself why someone would concoct such a story.

McManus declined to answer whether authorities think King Jay is alive.

We believe there was foul play, he said.

We are actively looking everywhere, and we will continue to search everywhere as this investigation unfolds.

The cousin was arrested Monday evening and is facing unrelated charges. Her name was not released late Monday pending magistration.

Police believe she was the woman seen in the stores surveillance video wearing a hood pulled down over most of her face. In the video, she walks to the Dart, opens the door and drives away. Later, she was seen in a different video walking and carrying a babys car seat.

Another person who dropped off the cousin at the Friends Food Mart on Enrique Barrera Parkway moments before she was seen taking the Dodge Dart has been identified by police.

McManus did not name the individual or say whether the person could face charges.

After Davila reported the stolen car and his missing son about 7 p.m. Friday, police were skeptical.

As investigators questioned him about King Jays disappearance, they immediately noticed discrepancies in his story. Within hours, police charged Davila with child endangerment.

The fathers story is not adding up, McManus had said Friday. From what we captured on video, to what hes saying.

By 7:30 p.m. Friday, the Dart was found near Rodriguez Park, about 3 miles from the store.

Michael Fisher

An extensive search for the infant was launched Saturday. On Sunday morning, a baby bottle possibly belonging to King Jay was found in the park.

OnExpressNews.com: Panelists talk pros, cons of arming teachers at San Antonio-area school district

McManus said Monday that the bottle has been tested but that it is not yet clear if it belonged to King Jay.

On Sunday, Jasmine Gonzales, Davilas fiance and King Jays mother, lambasted the Police Department for focusing on her fiance, who she said was innocent.

The police is saying a whole bunch of (expletive), said Gonzales, who is pregnant. Thats why Im disagreeing with them and disputing them and everything.

McManus addressed those claims Monday.

We understand the anguish that the mother is going through, but we believe that the information that weve put out refutes (the mothers) allegations, he said.

McManus also criticized Davila, who spoke to KSAT-TV reporters from jail Saturday to dispute the allegations against him. He was released later that day on bail.

He spent more time talking to the media than he spent with us, McManus said Monday.

Davila has a lengthy criminal history, records show. Hes been arrested at least 12 times on various charges dating to 1999, when he was 15.

He has been convicted of arson; assault causing bodily injury  married or cohabitant; possession of a controlled substance under 200 grams (cocaine and Xanax); unauthorized use of a vehicle; and twice for possession of marijuana under 2 ounces.

He was sentenced to five years in prison for the controlled substance charge. For the other convictions, he was sentenced to anywhere from 30 days to one year in jail.

Davila, who has six children under age 12 with three women, has twice been brought into court for not paying child support, records show.

In November 2013, Davila was jailed for contempt because he owed nearly $26,000 in unpaid child support to the mother of two of his oldest sons.

A judge ruled that Davila would not be released until he paid the woman at least $5,000.

According to court records, Davila has worked at Universal Forest Products, a lumber supplier in Schertz.

In early 2018, his mother told a person attempting to serve child support documents that her son was in Houston helping with Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts.

McManus implored anyone with information about King Jays disappearance to come forward, even if the details seem insignificant.

He said there are several people with information about the case who could face charges even if they were not directly involved in the alleged cover-up.

We have a lot of information right now, McManus said. We want that additional information. It helps us tie everything together.

Anyone with information about King Jays whereabouts is encouraged to call 911 immediately.

Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton
After months of living apart from her son, Tiffany Harper had a chance to be a mother to her child for the first time.

The 25-year-old had struggled with addiction since she started using heroin at age 14. Last year, when she was 32 weeks into her pregnancy and living on the streets, she realized she was tired of using. Having a child, she believed, would give her a purpose.

Harper checked herself into treatment and gave birth to her son a few weeks later. When the baby tested positive for opioids, Child Protective Services placed him with Harpers sister while she started working her way through Bexar Countys Family Drug Court.

There, Harper learned about Casa Mia, a new home for pregnant women or mothers recovering from opioid addiction where they can live with their children. Harper, who was staying at Haven for Hope, had been allowed to see her baby whenever she wanted during unsupervised visits. But a CPS caseworker told her that she could live with him only if she found stable housing.

So she decided to give Casa Mia a shot.

Harper said she liked the idea of living with other women who had similar experiences to hers.

Its like a support system  like Im not the only one going through this struggle, Harper said her first day at Casa Mia. Itd be like a family here.

OnExpressNews.com: Needy East Side church shares what bounty it has with San Antonio's homeless and poor

The home, which began accepting referrals in November, is operated by Crosspoint, in partnership with UT Health San Antonio. Harper and her son, now 7 months old, were the second family to move in to the house, nestled in a neighborhood near Monte Vista. The transitional home has the capacity to house 20 mothers and children and allows women like Harper to stay with their children in a safe, structured environment that is staffed 24 hours a day.

Really, its about family preservation, said Lisa Cleveland, an assistant professor with UT Health San Antonios nursing school whose research focuses on addiction during pregnancy and at-risk families. Keeping families together.

The idea for Casa Mia grew out of the countys collaborative group formed to combat neonatal abstinence syndrome, which occurs when babies are exposed to drugs in the womb. In the years since the state began tracking it, Bexar County has accounted for about a third of all babies born in Texas with the condition.

Unlike many transitional homes, Casa Mia does not deny entry to women who are on medication-assisted treatment, such as methadone or suboxone, which really is the only evidence-based treatment there is for opioid use disorder, Cleveland said.

Crosspoint, a nonprofit that operates transitional homes for vulnerable populations, including veterans and former prisoners, seemed a natural fit for the project, said Kevin Downey, its president and CEO. The program is located at Crosspoints Pryor House, which previously housed indigent women recovering from addiction. The opening of Casa Mia marks the first time the nonprofit is serving children, Downey said.

At Casa Mia, women participate in activities and complete chores meant to foster independent living skills. They have access to community service opportunities, faith-based services and are within walking distance of an outpatient drug program. When they first come to Casa Mia, women may spend more time at the house. As they progress in their recovery and become self sufficient, they may come and go more often, finishing their education or finding work, Downey said.

OnExpressNews.com: Chow Train halts Tuesday night meals after 13 years

We provide a level of structure that they dont necessarily have, he said. At this early stage of getting ready for their transition to independence, its nice to have support staff who have been trained to help them overcome the obstacles of day-to-day living.

Casa Mia is funded in part by a contract with the Texas Department of State Health Services. As a result, the home accepts women from all over the state, not just San Antonio.

Women can refer themselves to Casa Mia or be referred by family members. The mothers cannot be actively detoxing and will be screened for criminal history, which must not include homicide or predatory sex offenses.

In the spring, students from UT Health San Antonio who are studying population health will begin clinical rotations at Casa Mia, where they will conduct projects based on the mothers needs, Cleveland said.

The benefit to our students is going to be enormous. We dont get a lot of education in our curriculum about addiction and mental health. Thats a huge gaping hole, Cleveland said. When theyre health care providers, they need to have that understanding.

Harper has been clean since late April and found work at a call center. She has settled in with her baby at Casa Mia, getting to know the staff and taking the boy on walks to help him fall asleep.

Learning how to be a mom, its all new, Harper said. Its really exciting. Im really happy.

Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick skipped the first day of the Texas Legislature on Tuesday to be in Washington, D.C., for meetings at the White House as President Donald Trump prepared to address the nation in a televised speech.

He was called by the White House for an important meeting in Washington today to discuss issues that are critical to Texas, State Sen. Jane Nelson told the Texas Senate as she gavelled in the session.
Parents urged East Central Independent School District officials to release more specific information about their intended policy to allow volunteer teachers and staff to carry firearms in school during a panel Monday night.

The district held a panel discussion with mental health and school safety experts to discuss whether to adopt the Guardian Plan, one of the states options for arming teachers.

District officials organized the event after parents decried the plan during a November school board meeting.

The four panelists were David Colbath, who survived the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs shooting in 2017; Laura Aten, a retired East Central teacher; Mary Beth Fisk, executive director of the Ecumenical Center; and Rod Ellis, police chief of Glynn County Public Schools in Georgia.

OnExpressNews.com: Opponents skeptical of East Central ISD quest for gun proposal input

Ellis has assessed mass casualty events for the nonprofit security firm Safe Havens International, which was hired by Broward County Public Schools district in Florida after a mass shooting Feb. 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Hes part of a team currently reviewing school safety in that district, East Central ISD spokeswoman Ashley Chohlis said.

Consistent training for guardians is key, Ellis said. Still, he acknowledged parent and teacher concerns that theres no way to tell how anyone will respond in a crisis situation.

This is absolutely not without risk, Ellis said. You hope youre going to react as you train.

Training should also include treating wounds to stop the bleeding, he added.

Aten, a retired teacher of 31 years, said she is concerned about the impacts arming teachers might have on students learning and whether it would increase students anxieties in the classroom. Recent, heavy discussion around arming teachers has been too new for objective research effects to have been conducted, she said.

Board president Steve Bryant said he was disappointed with the low turnout, about 144 people. More than 10,000 students are enrolled in the district.

Bryant said he anticipated more attendees after about 1,200 community members responded to a survey posted by the district. Survey results showed 636 votes for the plan, 665 against and 77 were neutral. The district said 338 faculty members agreed with the plan while 261 did not.

The board will not discuss the Guardian Plan at its Jan. 17 board meeting, Bryant said.

Trustees are planning a work session Jan. 24, Bryant said, to discuss how to improve communication with the community.

Gina Cartwright, who has eight grandchildren in the districts schools, said she is on the fence about the plan, but would not be satisfied with the district unless they released their intended policy and conducted a cost analysis.

Some details of the plan will not be released, Bryant said such as who is armed and how they will be identified to first responders in a crisis.

Bryant said the district gained insight from the audience and acknowledged its been a polarizing discussion.

We came here as friends and neighbors and I hope we leave here as friends and neighbors, he said.
Texas has landed its first investment project under a portion of the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul signed by President Donald Trump in 2017 designed to encourage investment in economically distressed areas.

DPR Investments a San Antonio-based business management company with some commercial real estate holdings  will build a $16-million, climate-controlled self-storage facility with flex space at the Brooks master-planned community of San Antonios South Side, officials announced Tuesday.

In April, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Brooks and 23 other census tracts in the San Antonio area opportunity zones under the Republican tax bill  economically disadvantaged areas where investors can park their capital in long-term investments in exchange for reduced or, if they keep that investment long enough, eliminated capital-gains tax burden.

Officials have said the provision could prompt billions of dollars worth of new investment in areas with slow economic growth.

Texas is leading the way with one of the first secured Opportunity Zone investments in the country, Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. The Opportunity Zone program highlights areas of Texas, like Brooks, that are prime for business investment, and Im thrilled to see that come to fruition.

RELATED: U.S. Treasury picks 24 census tracts in San Antonio to get Trump tax benefits

DPR Investments, which owns the food truck park StreetFare SA on Austin Highway, has purchased 9.4 acres at Brooks to develop the self-storage facility, according to a news release. DPR decided to build the facility after commissioning five studies to determine the lands best use, the release said.

DPR expects to break ground on the development in fall 2019.

Were thrilled to lead the way for San Antonio and the state of Texas to capitalize on this great community development program, Brooks CEO Leo Gomez said in a statement. Our Opportunity Zone designation gives us yet another incentive as we continue to attract quality investors, like DPR Investments, to the south side.

The areas selected by Treasury to become opportunity zones include large chunks of the East Side near Fort Sam Houston, much of downtown San Antonio, areas of the West Side close to downtown along Commerce Street, Port San Antonio, Kelly Air Force Base, portions of the South Side, Stinson Municipal Airport and the Northeast Corridor  which includes a stretch of Perrin Beitel and Nacogdoches roads that extends to OConnor Road.

RELATED: More than 600 Texas communities could see new investment under Trump tax breaks

Treasury also picked wide swaths of southern Bexar County that cover Von Ormy, Toyotas manufacturing plant, Texas A&M University San Antonio, Braunig Lake and Elmendorf.

Governors were allowed in March to nominate a quarter of all eligible census tracts in their state  areas where the poverty rate is at least 20 percent and where median family income is no more than 80 percent of the regions median income.

Gov. Greg Abbott nominated 628 census tracts in 145 Texas counties as potential opportunity zones last month, including 24 in Bexar County. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg had submitted 27 tracts for consideration by Abbotts office in February.

Joshua Fechter is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering real estate, economic development and philanthropy. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports
Sun Country Airlines, a Minnesota-based low-cost carrier, will enter the San Antonio market later this year with nonstop flights to Portland and the Minneapolis area, officials said Tuesday.

The airline will launch two nonstop routes flying four times a week from the San Antonio airfield to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Portland International Airport in May and June, respectively. One-way tickets start at $89.

Were excited to provide new low-cost air service to San Antonio residents and to bring more visitors to the Alamo City, Ted Botimer, Sun Country chief commercial officer, said in a statement. Our focus on low fares and great customer service will be a great fit in this market, and we look forward to our continued partnership with the San Antonio Aviation Department.

Theres strong demand for nonstop routes to the Minneapolis-St. Paul and Portland markets out of San Antonio but both have been underserved in the past, Aviation Director Russ Handy said.

About 160 San Antonio travelers fly to and from Portland each day, driven in part by that citys advanced manufacturing sector, and about 300 fly to Minneapolis, which shares with San Antonio a prominent health care industry presence, Handy said.

Delta Air Lines currently offers nonstop service from San Antonio International to Minneapolis-St. Paul International but the San Antonio airport did not previously have a nonstop flight to Portland.

It just speaks to the continued chorus of validation on just how strong this market is and how popular a destination San Antonio has become, Handy said of the new routes.

San Antonio aviation officials have more aggressively courted nonstop flights in recent years. The airport has added three carriers and 35 flights since 2016, officials said, and now provides nonstop routes to 54 cities. Last week, Alaska Airlines announced a twice-daily nonstop flight to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that will launch in July.

And San Antonio International has experienced 27 straight months of passenger growth. About 9.2 million travelers flew out of or landed at the airport in the 11-month period ended Nov. 30  up 10.7 percent from nearly 8.3 million passengers during the same period in 2017. Handy said he expects to see slower growth in passenger figures in 2019.

In addition to San Antonio International, Sun Country announced it is expanding to Washington Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago OHare International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Sacramento International Airport and T.F. Green Airport International Airport in Rhode Island.

Joshua Fechter is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering real estate, economic development and philanthropy. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports
Teenagers and college students packed into Kuma on Babcock Road last week, snapping photos of the Hong Kong-style ice cream shops bubble waffle cones topped with marshmallows, panda cookies and shiny chocolate mermaid pearls.

One girl brought a top-notch camera and another a Polaroid to capture themselves holding the colorful creations and posing under neon pink lettering proclaiming, It Aint Gunna Lick Itself!

This is so hip, said a man waiting in line, the smell of freshly-baked waffles wafting through the room.

Opened in 2017, the business has become a magnet for people, mostly young, eager to snap fun, splashy photos to post online. Part of the draw is the ice-cream dishes eye-catching presentation - The second its in their hand, theyre snapping a picture, said co-owner Kevin Chu - but the store itself is just as Instagrammable.

Instagram, the photo-sharing service owned by Facebook, has become a powerful tool for attracting new customers and spreading the word about a business, and its influencing what new restaurants and stores look like and serve  at least the businesses trying to woo millennials. Retailers are adding murals, graffiti, fancy wallpaper and other visuals to maximize photo opportunities, said Taylor Coyne, research manager for U.S. retail at Chicago-based commercial real-estate firm JLL.

Chu said good lighting, neon lettering and an industrial, organic look are some of the ingredients avid Instagram users are looking for. At Kumas second location, on West Loop 1604, a leafy green wall with loopy lettering makes for an attractive backdrop.

Still, some customers arent satisfied with the obvious photo opportunities. Theyll stand very close to the counter, crouch down or look for other ways to find a fresh angle, Chu said.

Its crazy how some people are with it. Its awesome, he said. We can present you with one thing, but you can put a twist on it. It goes both ways.

Some retailers have built Instagram-friendly rooms within their stores, such as the immersive Glossier Canyon desert space at the skincare and makeup brand Glossiers Los Angeles location. Others have added drinks and dishes, like lattes made with activated charcoal, that regularly pile up likes on Instagram.

When retailers and restaurateurs envision what they want their space to look like, Youre starting to hear, This is going to be the selfie stop, said Gene Williams, first vice president at commercial real estate firm CBRE. Theres a growing focus on how to present menu items and stores.

Its also a way for online brands and businesses with pop-up stores or food trucks to test the market.

Its allowed people to develop and market a concept without the overhead of brick-and-mortar cost, Williams said.

The focus on Instagram-ability is part of a broader trend, Coyne said. When people step into a store or restaurant, theyre looking for an experience. They want to capture and share the space theyre in with family and friends.

Thats part of what draws people to San Antonios Flower Vault. After trying to snag a cool picture of their own in front of a mural along bustling Interstate 10, Robbie and Sarah Forrest decided to open the pop-up photo studio last year for people seeking a fun, safe photo opp with their loved ones.

They started with a floral-themed North Side location last spring, expanded to Houston in the fall and returned to San Antonio this winter with a holiday-inspired setup at The Rim. The installations have been popular, particularly with millennials and families, said Robbie Forrest. The Vaults even been the setting for several marriage proposals.

Its a cultural moment, he said. People want to have and document experiences.

For businesses, social media provides a direct channel to customers. Kuma gets about 85 percent of its new business through social media, which is the only way the retailer communicates with customers, Chu said. The business has more than 24,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook combined, and they use the apps to share shop hours and re-post visitors photos.

Anything that we do, it just has to look good, Chu said.

Instagram-savvy patrons at Jugo Juicery, which has several locations in the San Antonio area, often pose in front of the businesss neon signs. When they were researching designs for the shops, they noticed neon lighting seemed to be popular, particularly with younger crowds, co-founder Chris Hinojosa said.

We knew that would generate more of a buzz, he said.

The wooden tables, greenery and clean walls at the shops are also frequent photo backdrops, and not just for customers. Hinojosa handles the businesss Instagram account, which has more than 16,000 followers, and makes it a priority to post often.

Instagram, with hundreds of millions of users, is a major means of getting Jugo Juicerys name and products in front of consumers. About 70 percent of their new customers find them through social media, Hinojosa said. He also uses the businesss Instagram account to re-post and tag photos taken by customers, which can help them attract more followers and recognition.

We have to use social media as a platform, Hinojosa said. We try to get our customers as involved as possible.

Instagram-ability had a big influence on the look of Brews Lee Tea, along with owner Frances Lees passion for art and design, Lee said in a Facebook message. The Broadway Street bubble tea shops colorful drinks, clean wooden surfaces and simple accents are featured in dozens of customers posts online.

In this era, everyone loves to document everything, including the food and drinks they enjoy or see as Instagrammable, then share them on Instagram/Facebook, Lee wrote. This helps us tremendously because it becomes a form of advertisement that feels more real and relatable, not paid commercial models. Knowing what my friends like create(s) that connection with them.

Platforms such as Instagram and Facebook helped Emilie and Joel Tatu Herrera spread the word about their new venture, Folklores Coffee House. They opened the South Side shop in October, and Tatu Herrera said about 90 percent of those coming in found them through social media.

They use Folklores accounts to share funny memes, events and mouth-watering photos of drinks and food, giving followers a window into how their coffee is made and whos making it.

Our social media should be kind of like us, Herrera said. Were goofy, were all from Texas, we bring that with us. People love that because its sincere.

Customers say they use the apps to find cool coffee shops, he said. Theyre drawn to Folklores decor, which reflects the couples love for tattoos and 80s pop culture, and homey atmosphere. Then there are the creative drinks  captured in dozens of Instagram photos  topped with bruleed bananas, breakfast cereal and fluffy marshmallows. Theres also an Anthony Bourdain mural.

Without social media, I dont know how I wouldve done it, Herrera said. It keeps us going.

madison.iszler@express-news.net
Gibbons Creek Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant about 20 miles from Bryan near College Station, put the states grid operator on notice that the plant will not operate this summer. The closure reduces the states already tight power reserves and is sparking forecasts of higher electricity prices.

The Texas Municipal Power Agency, a group comprising the cities of Bryan, Garland, Denton and Greenville, owns the plant and notified the Electric Reliability Council of Texas that it will suspend operations of the 470-megawatt plant through at least the summer. The move follows the shutdown last year of three coal plants with a combined generation capacity of more than 4,000 megawatts  enough to power at least 800,000 Texas homes  by Vistra Energy of Irving.

The loss of Gibbons Creek will cut the projected power reserve margin from the already record low of 8.1 percent to 7.4 percent, just over half of ERCOTs reserve margin goal of 13.7 percent. The reserve margin measures additional power supplies available to meet unusually high demand, fill in for generators that break down unexpectedly, or both.

The lower the power reserves, the higher the risks of shortages, price spikes and in worst case scenarios, disruptions to the power system in the form of blackouts and brown outs. DeAnn Walker, chairman of the Public Utility Commission, has called the shrinking power supply cushion very scary.

On HoustonChronicle.com: ERCOT predicts lower reserve margin for electricity this summer

Futures markets, which allow utilities and retail power companies to contract for power months in advance, are reaching similar conclusions. The August contract is trading at about $170 per megawatt hour, more than 60 percent above last summers peak wholesale price of $105 per megawatt hour, according to the Intercontinental Exchange, which operates commodities markets. Such an increase would eventually filter down to household bills.

This tells you the financial futures market is expecting shortages, said Ed Hirs, energy economist at the University of Houston.

ERCOT is anticipating more periods of price spikes, given the tighter reserve margins compared to last summer, said spokeswoman Leslie Sopko.

Coal-fired power plants have shut down in Texas and across the nation in recent years as they were undercut by cheaper natural gas and the rapidly falling cost of renewable energy, such as wind and solar. For the past two years, Gibbons Creek has operated as a peaker plant, dormant except during the scorching summer months when demand soars, supplies dwindle and prices spike.

In recent years, however, additional supplies from other sources, particularly wind, have moderated the summer price spikes that made it worth the cost of keeping peaker plants ready to go into operation. Peaker plants now face the growing likelihood that they may never be called upon to produce power, even as they maintain and staff them.

Gibbons Creek did not return calls for comment.

Andrew Barlow, spokesman for the Public Utility Commission, said regulators are concerned about the impact of the loss of the Gibbons Creek plant on electricity supplies this summer. The commission is awaiting an update from ERCOT on the power situation, he said.

The Texas Municipal Power Agency has been trying to sell Gibbons Creek since 2016 and announced it reached a deal that year, according to financial reports from the nonprofit company. But the deal unraveled, according to the reports.

The changing power market is upending traditional business models that banked on summertime price spikes to generate profits. As a result, traditional generators are arguing they have little incentive to invest in new plants and maintain older ones to have them available when demand soars. They have proposed changes in the way the market operates, including advocating for additional payments during peak demand periods, which would boost electricity prices by as much as $4 billion statewide.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas power companies lobby for higher prices

The Public Utility Commission has asked ERCOT to investigate and identify power reserves that may be overlooked in their calculations. Many large retailers, manufacturing firms and other companies have installed emergency back up generators that can be put into operation quickly if severe weather knocks out power or peak summer demand sends wholesale prices, which they pay, to exorbitant levels.

In Texas, wholesale prices are allowed to rise to as much $9,000 per megawatt. Reliant Energy reported in June that wholesale prices during the hottest time of the day which is typically late summer afternoons when air conditioners are going full blast were running about $200 a megawatt hour.

lynn.sixel@chron.com

twitter.com/lmsixel
Bankrupt All American Oil & Gas Inc. of San Antonio is working on a deal to sell its assets to its largest creditor.

The proposed transaction calls for creditor Kern Cal Oil 7 to bid the amount its owed by AAOG for the San Antonio companys assets. Such an offer is known as a credit bid. In October, KCO acquired $142 million in loans made to AAOG.

The bankruptcy had been shaping up to be a hotly contested affair until AAOG and KCO recently agreed to mediate their claims.

READ ALSO: Ex-Retama Park operator loses appeal of securities fraud case

AAOG President Patrick Morris had accused Santa Monica, Calif.-based KCO of attempting to strip AAOG and its two subsidiaries of their equity as a way to get the companies assets on the cheap.

KCO responded by alleging that AAOG improperly directed millions of dollars to company insiders, shareholders, various professionals and creditors ahead of its Nov. 12 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Peace has broken out, AAOG bankruptcy lawyer Richard Wynne quipped to Chief U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Ronald King during a Monday court hearing.

AAOG is parent company of exploration and production company Kern River Holding Inc. and a power company called Western Power and Steam Inc., both of which also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Kern River Holding has a 215-acre lease in the Kern River Oil Field near Bakersfield, Calif., where it operates 182 wells. Western Power and Steam operates a 20-megawatt co-generation facility adjacent to Kern River Holding. Western provides electricity and steam to aid Kern River Holdings oil extraction.

The sale of AAOG would effectively be swapping debt for equity. The deal also involves the settlement of each sides claims, Wynne said. In addition, he said KCO may acquire the stock of AAOGs subsidiaries.

Were pleased with the progress that weve made so far and hope well be able to finalize the terms of the agreement, (which) will be subject to court approval in February, attorney Deborah Williamson, who also represents AAOG, said after the hearing.

READ ALSO: USAA sues California utility over massive blaze

All causes of action that AAOG and KCO have against each other would be resolved if the deal is approved, Williamson added. The mediation the two sides participated in with a retired California judge contains a confidentiality agreement, so she said she couldnt say anything more.

Other parties could still object to the sale terms, which Wynne said are being finalized.

Daren Brinkman, a lawyer for the unsecured creditors committee, told the judge the committee supports the possibility of a sale, given talk that creditors claims will be paid in full. But he said the committee needs to be involved in the process.

Not long after acquiring AAOGs debt, KCO declared AAOG in default on the loans for failing to abide by certain obligations. That became an issue for KCO when oil prices dropped by about $20 a barrel in early October.

Stephen Warren, a lawyer for KCO, previously expressed concern that AAOGs performance had deteriorated with the decline in oil prices.

In a Dec. 19 court filing, AAOG listed more than $15.3 million in assets and about $160.1 million in liabilities.

We started (mediation) with a huge gulf between the parties, Warren said during Mondays court hearing.

Morris had said AAOGs and its subsidiaries equity value ranged from $35 million to $55 million, while KCO believed the companies equity was worthless.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD
Tuesday, January 8, 2019

While conventional history is biographical and anecdotal and resists the concept of theory, Peace Economics finds that theory works very well, thank you. Empire Economics is a new science that incorporates the new findings of Peace Economics. Here are some of the key concepts of this new framework I consider a backbone to the jellyfish of conventional history, a backbone to the jellyfish of the social sciences.

Opportunity Cost

Military spending is like capital investment turned into political investment instead. Resources used in military spending are like those used in capital investment or manufacturing or construction except that they are focused on political goals rather than economic goals. Diverting those resources to a non-economic purpose represents an "opportunity cost" to society that permanently reduces the economic growth of that society by the amount of those resources used. These economically misdirected research and capital resources may significantly enhance military capability and effectiveness instead of enhancing civilian economy capability and effectiveness. This trade-off is the "opportunity cost" of military spending. This is the principal reason empires eventually fall behind another emerging nation and lose their premier empire status. The economic loss of military spending is immediately apparent in each year, it is measurable and direct in its impact year after year after year. Alleged research benefits of military spending are minuscule compared to the lost capital investment growth. Foreign military sales are also dwarfed by the large military expenditures and often subsidized by military foreign aid.

History Explained

Because of the opportunity cost principal, empire economies are gradually eroded until another low military spending emerging nation overtakes them economically. Since usually the stronger economy wins wars, the changing economic fortunes eventually lead to adverse political consequences, like losing a hegemonic war. This explains why the slogan "peace through strength" is terribly misleading. The illusion is that more spent on the military makes a nation stronger, but the reality is that that additional spending weakens the nation year after year eroding the economic standing of the nation and exposing the nation to an increasing over time chance of losing a hegemonic war to one of the upstart nations.

Minds That Hate

The Beatles song "Revolution" says we all want to change the world, but if you talk about destruction lead by people with minds that hate, leave me out. The framework of minds that hate becomes especially consequential in that empires create or react to enemies. When a whole people view another people as their enemies, this is a corrosion of the mind into a mind that hates. Killing another person is the worst that you can do to them. When killing is the main occupation of troops, this has a corrosive effect on the persons who are the troops. Even in World War II 70% of the troops never fired a shot in anger at another person. It is extremely difficult to get one person to kill another. This natural tendency was overcome in the fifties in America with training techniques that made it easier for troops to kill. Murder rates rose after Vietnam in America and based on seventies eighties and nineties data, murder rates among America, Germany, Italy, and Japan were almost perfectly correlated with military spending as a percentage of the economy. With the end of the Cold War both military spending and murder and crime rates dropped in the leading Western countries. But they dropped further and faster in Europe as Europe demilitarized more that America did.

Social Decay Explained

In recent decades, the G7 countries have shown varying levels of social decay in proportion to the economic militarization of the country. This association with military spending is so strong suggesting that the economic decay produced by military spending spills over into the social decay in statistics like mental health, infant mortality, diabetes, teenage births, prisoners, murders, and social mobility and income inequality. The connection seems so direct that alternative explanations of the decay of empires such as moral decay leading to economic decay are clearly backwards, as causality shows the logic is the other way around. The military spending leads to economic decay in year by year analysis, whereas morality is a long-term issue. So, if morality or taking the money supply off the gold standard were causes rather than effects, how would that explain the annual variation of military spending (net of deficits) effect on the economy? Clearly the military economic effect is primary. Another issue that arises is the idea that empires with eventually fall over a long enough time period. This assumes a kind of complacency comes over a population that leads to the fall, somewhat like the morality theory earlier discussed. Again, this theory is defied by the reaction to military spending changes shown by the economy. Both in the sixties and nineties in America, lowering military spending lead to great economic booms, hardly a sign of the so-called inevitable decline theory. Military spending changes do change the economic and social structure of the country, suggesting that long term decline is not inevitable, but in fact is caused by the level of military spending.

Paramount Politics

Politically, leaders are afraid to be shown to be cowards. This often translates into being in favor of the latest war suggestion regardless of the merits. Oddly enough, this suggests that warlike leaders may be cowards, because it takes a great deal of political courage to oppose war. But people assume the opposite, perhaps because of the sacrifice required in wartime seeming so noble and courageous, at least at the level of the individual soldier. This combined with the reverse economics that those who command the most military resources are empowered the most in the political system, as huge military contracts are easily steered into the political districts of presidents and congressional leaders, and especially the committee members of the key military spending authorization and disbursement committees. This runs completely counter to the national drain on the economy of military spending, so much and so visibly so that many come to believe that military spending can stimulate economic growth. This belief does not look at the complete picture as manufacturing states lose jobs and income during military buildups. The victim states and regions tend to blame themselves rather than recognize how the military scam works at the political level, rewarding those that seize the military resources away from the life-giving civilian economy.

Climate Change

Paradoxically, the oil loaded military aircraft (one third of all jet fuel is used by the military) and vehicles (M1 tank gets one mile for two gallons) people at the pentagon are concerned about how climate change is destabilizing the world and creating many warlike opportunities for local leaders to exploit droughts and other natural occurrences of so-called global weirding. This has led to the pentagon scrutinizing my climate work and the CIA scrutinizing my military spending work. As so often seems to be the case, the micro dominates the macro, as people are so overwhelmed by the big picture that they concentrate on the little picture. This is a good tactic in passing controversial budgets. Give in on a small issue and people will vote the huge budget through without too much scrutiny. Just look at the hoopla over $5 billion dollars for a wall or other barrier in America. Meanwhile, 800,000 federal employees will forgo about $2.5 billion in paychecks on January 12, 2019, as the issue drags on. $5 billion could give universal pre-K education to all children in America. Trade war, shutdown, and military could fuel recession.

Of 78 papers on my academia website, "Stages of Empire" is the 6th most popular:

https://www.academia.edu/5415354/STAGES_of_EMPIRE_Twelve._15_ppt._3_p._2007

Please cite this work as follows:

Reuschlein, Robert. (2019, January 8), "Need to Know About Empire", Madison, WI: Real Economy Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/Need-to-Know-About-Empire , 2019166287.aspx

Dr. Peace, Professor Robert Reuschlein, Real Economy Institute, Nominated Vetted 2016 (2 Web Looks), Given Odds 2017 (3 Web Looks), Strongly Considered 2018 (48 Web Looks, one million words) Nobel Peace Prize, A Favorite in 2019 Nobel Peace Prize October 4th.



Contact: bobreuschlein@gmail.com, Info: www.realeconomy.com
Tuesday, January 8, 2019





Despite Hype, Government Shut-Down Impact Is Minimal For Now



By Peggy Sands Orchowski

Since Dec. 22, headlines have declared that the federal government has been shut down. This after President Trump refused to sign a final authorizing bill after House Democrats refused to include in it his request for $5 billion for a border wall. Americans are said to be "fearful" "frightened" "angry" "demoralized" and "panicked".

But reader beware. There's a lot of hype in the media - for the usual political and commercial reasons of course. The facts show a different story than panic.

First this government shutdown is in fact a partial closure of less than 25% of government departments whose budgets had not yet been approved as of Dec. 21, 2018. Officially over 75 percent of government agencies were fully funded by Dec. 21.

Millions of federal employees are being and will be paid on time throughout the country. Their agency budgets are secure until September 2019. All of the operations of the Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs departments "continue unimpeded" (as the VA puts it on its web site).

In addition, U.S. tax payers will continue to receive social security checks and tax refunds. All federal postal workers and post offices are funded.

But the payroll allocations for employees in other agencies including Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, State and Transportation as well as for all of their sub-entities and the Presidential Executive Administrative Office were not approved. Their full time employees may not receive checks on the first payday of the new year January 11, although it is expected all will receive back-pay once a funding bill is passed.

None of these departments are truly shut down however. In every agency, some employees are ordered to come to work while others not. In government shutdowns, a distinction is made between "essential" functions -- those jobs where absences would risk lives, or government or economic stability and "non-essential". Employees deemed to be doing "essential jobs" are ordered to work "and the non-essential" are officially "furloughed". None receive a paycheck till the department is funded, but furloughed employees can apply for unemployment benefits.

Agencies vary widely in their percentage of essential and non-essential employees. For instance, of the 245,000 employees in the Department of Homeland Security, nearly 213,000 have been deemed essential, according to the department's contingency plan. That means 87 percent of the DHLS is still working and only 13 percent have been furloughed.

In the Transportation Department, only 37 percent of employees have been furloughed, 63% are at work. Almost all of the Federal Aviation and Federal Highway Administration employees are considered to be doing essential work and have been ordered to stay on the job.

On the other hand 95.6 percent of the jobs in the Department of Housing and Urban Development are considered to be "non-essential" and almost all HUD employees were furloughed, according to Reuters NewsAgency. Public and tribal housing authorities however are not affected since they are not federal.

A majority of jobs (61%) in the Executive Office of the President also are considered to be non-essential. Most of the Office of Management and Budget employees who help implement budget and policy goals have been furloughed.

Federal courts have remained open, but certain civil cases have been put on hold.

The National Park Service jobs are almost all considered to be non-essential. Some park services however are being maintained by volunteers, using entrance fees to pay for expenses

Many workers in jobs considered to be "non-essential" may find it frustrating, even embarrassing and demeaning to be furloughed and told not to come to work. On the other hand, it is assumed they will receive full back pay; they got the entire holidays between Dec. 22 and Jan 2 off without having to count them as vacation time, and some retailer gave them special discounts. Most can receive un-employment payments and assume their jobs will be continued.

Common sense dictates that inevitably, all government agencies will be fully funded and monies to build some kind of a border barrier will be found. To date the partial closure of a few federal departments over the holidays and some full time federal workers pay delayed, has had low public impact, albeit generating a lot of heat and speculation of doom in the media. Similarly President Trump seems to be having trouble convincing Democratic leaders of the urgency for a border wall.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Declines in homicides in big cities have been reported nationally, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, and one factor contributing to this has been criminal justice reform. Such reform has been advocated by criminal justice expert Paul Brakke, who has just published his latest book, Crime in America from American Leadership Books.

In this book, one of the reforms Brakke has advocated is reducing incarceration rates for prisoners convicted of less serious nonviolent crimes, since this not only reduces costs but it contributes to returning prisoners to their families and communities. The result is they are less likely to return to crime, thereby reducing recidivism rates, and more likely to become productive citizens -- a win-win for the individual, the criminal justice system, and the American economy.

A good example of the connection of this wider reduction in homicide rates and prison reform is a recent report from the San Francisco Bay Area, where homicide rates in San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco dropped by 26% over the past two years -- from 199 in 2016 to 141 in 2018. While one reason for the drop has been law enforcement's focus on gangs, illegal firearms, and the worst criminal offenders, another reason is criminal justice reforms, which include shrinking the prison population. This decline in incarceration occurred with one proposition -- Proposition 47-- which lowered some low-level felonies to misdemeanors, and another -- Proposition 57 -- which provided more chances of parole for nonviolent offenders.

In Crime in America, Brakke discusses the importance of prison reform and reducing sentences for non-violent less serious offenders at more length, with extensive statistics showing the relationship between reduced incarceration, lower recidivism, and rehabilitation and treatment for prisoners and ex-cons. Plus he provides many other suggestions for better ways to improve relationships with the police and deal with the opioid crisis and illegal immigration. Other chapters in the book discuss finding ways to create safer communities with less conflict between different groups in society based on race, ethnicity, income, and other differences. And now Brakke is reaching out to legislators and governors to consult with them on the best approaches to criminal justice reform in their jurisdiction.

As Brakke has previously stated: "We need to make changes based on current data about what works and doesn't. We should learn from other countries, too -- especially about the more effective prison policies in countries like Germany, Sweden, and Norway, which emphasize rehabilitation, shorter sentences, and getting ex-cons who have committed less serious crimes back into the community, so they can unite with their families and become more productive citizens."

So now Brakke is using his book to reach out to Federal and state government officials, politicians, and the media to help implement some of his recommended changes.

In writing his book and working as a consultant, Brakke brings to the table a unique conservative approach to crime and criminal justice, since usually liberals discuss ways to reform the system through more of a social welfare approach. But Brakke uses an approach that is more based on an economic business model of doing what works most efficiently to both cut down costs and create more productive citizens.

Brakke has also made 30 videos featuring highlights from the book which are available on the American Leadership Books YouTube channel at https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCfHgXXiW3jgODnaypgcYZFw/videos/upload

To learn more, you can get a copy of Crime in America, which is now available through Amazon, Kindle, and major bookstores. It is currently available on Kindle for free during its special KDP Select Promotion at https://www.amazon.com/Crime-America-Conservatives-Approaches-Criminals-ebook/dp/B07MKZG84Z Also, free copies are available for government officials who are seeking ways to reduce crime and fix the criminal justice system and for members of the media at www.crimeinamericathebook.com.

For media copies of the book, more information on American Leadership Books and Paul Brakke, and to set up interviews, please contact:

Jana Collins

Jones & O'Malley

Toluca Lake, California

jana@jonesomalley.com

(818) 762-8353
Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Ever thought about writing fan fiction? Many authors started out writing on fanfic sites.."

Anna Todd started writing fanfiction on her phone, published chapters to Wattpad, then after garnering 1 million+ views she was pursued by numerous literary agents. Fast forward five years, her story AFTER is a Simon & Schuster NY Times bestseller and Ann Todd is making millions.

Amanda Hocking started out writing fan fiction and she was signed to a multimillion-dollar book deal. Erika Leonard, aka E.L. James discovered Fan Fiction in August 2009. Taking a stab at fan fiction under the pen name Snowqueens Icedragon has certainly served James well. The fan fiction morphed into the Fifty Shades of Grey series and movies which as of December 2018 give her a whopping $150,000,000 net worth.

Convinced yet about the value of writing on FanFiction sites? Before you dive in check out my list of top 27 fan fiction sites and see where your work could fit in and most importantly stand out.

Commaful: For a different flavor of fanfiction, visit Commaful. This site takes a new and exciting spin on fanfiction, offers a unique picture book format and is ideal for shorter works. Quotetv: While Quotev is a fan fiction site that offers a wide variety of fan fiction categories for readers to choose from, its also a platform that gives writers the opportunity to post their original poems, stories, and quizzes. FictionPad: Established in 2013, FictionPad is a great option for anyone who spends a lot of time on their mobile phone. It makes it easy to read stories without being signed in on a desktop, tablet or smartphone device because it is well optimized for all screen sizes. TONFA: TONFA is a purely Naruto centric website. It features a comprehensive archive of Naruto fanfiction. Users can read fanfiction on this site or submit their own. MediaMiner: MediaMiner brings together those who are interested in reading and writing fan fiction. The three major sections of this site include fan fiction, fan art, and anime. Mrs. Darcys Story Site: Do you love Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice? If so, Mrs. Darcys Story Site was made for you. Its a platform for you to write and read stories based on this popular novel. One Direction Fan Fiction: If you are a huge fan of One Direction, youll be pleased to find out theres a website dedicated to One Direction fan fiction. This site offers categories such as action, romance, drama, mystery, and many others. Percy Jackson FanFiction: Percy Jackson Fan Fiction was made for fans of the legendary Percy Jackson. It offers a variety of Percy Jackson story remixes to read and can allow you to write your own remix. All Percy Jackson stories on this sites are subject to votes and comments from fans. Good Reads: With over 18 million users, members of the site can share their work, about 400 of which are fan fiction. The most popular books are inspired by Twilight, Harry Potter, and Naruto. FanFiction is considered to be worlds largest fanfiction archive on the web. The site launched in October 1998 and currently has well over 2 million users. The most popular sections on FanFiction are Harry Potter (675,000 titles), Twilight (215,000 titles), and Lord of the Rings (51,000 titles). FictionAlley Founded in 2001, the site boasts over 60,000 registered users. Also, in 2006, FictionAlley launched HarryPotterWiki, which was the first wiki to blend information about the Harry Potter book series characters, places, magic and things, with fan theories, stories, art, videos and music. Wattpad: Based in Toronto, Wattpads monthly audience is over 10 million readers. Every minute, the site connects more than 10,000 readers with a new story. Wattpad is more about fanfic driven by celebrities and comics. There are over 100,000 stories about One Direction. You can also find fanfic about Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, or Zac Efron. Internet Archive: Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library. The Internet Archive allows users to download digital material, but also to upload their own. Fan Works, Inc.: This site launched in 2003 and while Twilight and Harry Potter are the most popular categories, be sure to check out fan fiction inspired by The Outsiders and Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. Archive of Our Own: Archive of Our Own is a project founded and operated by the Organization for Transformative Works. Its a non-profit, non-commercial archive for fan fiction of all formats, including writings, graphic art, videos, and podcasts. Currently, there are over 170,000 users. Asianfanfics: Asianfanfics is mostly about Asian characters and topics that often revolve around Asian culture. One-shot fanfiction, which is characterized as stories no longer than one chapter, is very popular on Asianfanfics, with over 35,000 stories listed in the category. Tumblr: You can stay logged into your favorite network and search for new, fresh fanfiction; its just a matter of using the right tag to search the posts, and finally picking up Tumblr posts you want to follow. Try searching #fanfic, #fanfiction, or any book title youre a fan of and read what Tumblr has to offer. FicWad: FicWad is an archive of both fanfiction and original work, launched in 2005 and managed by K&D Lynch. The site is currently in beta stage, but you are able to read the stories even if you are not a registered user. Twilighted: Twilighted calls itself all-inclusive, high-quality Twilight fan fiction. Founded in 2008, the site already has a large following. The most popular, and arguably most interesting category is AU-Human: stories in which all the vampires are humans. Feed Books: Feed Books features works uploaded by the sites users into its Original Books section. You can easily upload any of the 800 fanfiction pieces to a book application or an e-reader, as they are available in mobi (Kindle), epub and pdf formats. Deviant Art: There are 176,092 deviations for fanfiction, grouped in 6 categories: drama, general fiction, horror, humor, romance, and sci-fi. The most popular one, however is Not in Harry Potter, with quotes and words that should be included in Harry Potter books  but arent. Harry Potter Fan Fiction: This site is obviously for the Harry Potter fans of the literary world. Founded in 2001, this site has a large inventory with over 78,000 stories and receives over 50 million hits per month! The sites filtering options make it easy to target exactly what youre looking to read. Lord of the Rings Fanfiction: With 4,936 members, this fan fiction site dedicated to Lord of the Rings offers well over 4,400 stories, which you can sift through by author, title, or category. Fiction Press: This is the fanfiction site for all things sci-fi and fantasy. One unique attribute of Fiction Press is that there are many dedicated communities of authors on the site who help edit and encourage the work of one another. Mibba: Mibba is a community that welcomes fan fiction and utilizes forums for help with writing and connecting with people who have similar viewpoints. Sugar Quill: This Harry Potter fan fiction site favors the Harry and Ginny love match, as well as the Weasley family in general. The site was founded in 2001 and is very well organized and easy to navigate. It also has a page of daily affirmations, lest you forget. Kindle Worlds. An Amazon publishing platform that lets authors sell fan fiction based on properties like Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars and Vampire Diaries. Amazon Publishing retains the rights to the works and sets prices. There are strict parameters and limited offerings but Kindle Worlds pays fan fiction authors a royalty of 35 percent for works of at least 10,000 words, and a royalty of 20 percent on works between 5,000 and 10,000 words. The authors of the original properties also get royalties.

Bonus: http://www.archiveofourown.com. Its a growing fanfiction archive thats almost as big as www.fanfiction.net and www.deviantart.com right now.

The Bottom Line: I encourage you to post on fan fiction sites and take your writing to the next level. Reach out to new readers, get feedback from others and fine-tune your craft. You never know, it might be the start of something big!

About Book Publicist Scott Lorenz

Book publicist Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with authors to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz works with bestselling authors and self-published authors promoting all types of books, whether its their first book or their 15th book. Hes handled publicity for books by CEOs, CIA Officers, Navy SEALS, Homemakers, Fitness Gurus, Doctors, Lawyers and Adventurers. His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC News, New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, LA Times, USA Today, Washington Post, Womans World, & Howard Stern to name a few.

Learn more about Westwind Communications book marketing approach at http://www.book-marketing-expert.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090. Follow Lorenz on Twitter @aBookPublicist

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Strong Eurozone Retail Growth Keeps Pressure on Pound Sterling Euro (GBP/EUR) Exchange Rate

Despite hopes that the UK will be able to avoid a worst-case scenario no-deal Brexit, the British Pound to Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate has failed to hold its ground this week so far.

Concerning Eurozone confidence data has even had a limited impact on the Euro, with investors opting to instead buy the shared currency following a strong Eurozone retail sales report published on Monday.

Eurozone economic data and Brexit uncertainties caused GBP/EUR volatility last week. GBP/EUR opened last week at the level of 1.1097 and closed the week at the level of 1.1163. The pair also briefly touched lows of 1.0988 and highs of 1.1194.

Since markets opened this week, GBP/EUR has been trending with a downside bias. The pair briefly recovered this morning, but has since fallen again and at the time of writing was trending near the level of 1.1143.

Still, while the Euro is strengthening and pushing GBP/EUR lower today, concerns about the Eurozones economy, as well as Brexit hopes, are making it easier for the exchange rate to avoid shedding more of last weeks gains.

Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Losses Limited on Hopes No-Deal Brexit Can Be Avoided

A cross-party group of UK MPs tabled an amendment to the UK Finance Bill this week, in the hopes it would dissuade the UK government from heading towards a worst-case scenario no-deal Brexit.

In the event that UK Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit plan fails to pass through UK Parliament during a vote next week, MPs will have the opportunity to vote on the amendment.

The amendment will reportedly limit the UK governments spending ability in the event of a no-deal Brexit, essentially forcing the government into shutdown. According to Labour Minister Yvette Cooper, one of the MPs behind the amendment:

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.

This news made the Pound a little more appealing since markets opened this week, but uncertainties regarding how the Brexit process will unfold continue to keep pressure on the British currency.

Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates More Appealing as Eurozone Retail Sales Beat Forecasts

The Euro was able to hold some gains against a Brexit-pressured Pound on Tuesday, thanks to both domestic and global factors supporting the shared currency.

Monday saw the publication of the Eurozones November retail sales results, which came in notably above expectations in many key prints.

German retail sales were well stronger than expected both month-on-month and year-on-year. Similarly, the Eurozones overall monthly retail sales report was stronger than expected.

The data was good news for Eurozone growth, which had shown many signs of broad weakness towards the end of 2018.

On top of this, the Euro has benefitted from weakness in its biggest rival, the US Dollar (USD).

The US Dollar (USD) is tumbling on market expectations that the Federal Reserve will become more dovish. As the US Dollar and Euro are negatively correlated, this has led to Euro strength.

As a result of the strong retail sales, investors also brushed over some disappointing Eurozone growth data published this week so far.

GBP/EUR Exchange Rate Forecast: Trade Data and Brexit Developments in Focus

The Euro may be in for further gains versus the Pound this week, if upcoming Eurozone data beats expectations or if Brexit uncertainties worsen.

Wednesday will see the publication of Germanys November trade balance results, as well as December consumer confidence data from France. The Eurozones November unemployment rate may also prove influential.

Pound investors will be focused on Brexit developments. With UK Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal returning to UK Parliament debate on Wednesday, any surprising developments are likely to have a strong impact on Sterling.

Later in the week, industrial production from France and the UK, as well as notable UK growth and trade balance stats, will be published and could influence movement in the Pound to Euro exchange rate.
Big and bullish moves over the weekend, mainly during the Sunday session.

Profit taking and near-term technical resistance halting the broader market during Mondays trading session.

+6% gain on Sunday

Above: Bitcoin at important inflection point.

Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market experience a significant drive higher on Sunday. While the news sounds bullish and indicative of some return to a bullish buying spree by retail traders/investors, we might be a little discouraged. The majority of the move happened during a 5-minute period with 1,458k Bitcoin traded, moving Bitcoin from 3848.49 to 4041.00. Before that trade and after that trade prices remained in a tight and flat trading range, indicating that the move up was one individual/group. But prices have maintained their current value around the 4000-value area and traders have apparently decided to keep the 4000-value zone as support.

Technically, the move up on Sunday broke above a key triangle that had been forming since December 28th, 2018. The type of triangle is a symmetrical triangle. In technical analysis, certain triangles have certain common behaviors associated with their type. In the case of a symmetrical triangle, they are a mostly neutral triangle  but when they form soon after a prior up or down trend, they can turn into powerful continuation patterns. In the case of Bitcoin, price began to consolidate after a large move up and then that consolidative price action turned into the symmetrical triangle we see on the chart. One thing that is common in all triangles is that we often see the breakouts happen during the final 1/3rd of the triangle, with volume falling prior to a breakout. There is another triangle that has formed off of the Sunday spike, with the apex of that triangle appearing on January 8th at 0400.

Daily Ichimoku resistance

One of the most important zones that traders are looking at is the current daily candlestick and its proximity to the bottom of the Cloud. The last time Bitcoin intercepted the bottom of the daily Ichimoku Cloud, it traded in some choppy price action that existed from July 16th, 2018 all the way to September 7th, 2018. From September 7th, 2018, Bitcoin traded constantly and consistently just below the Cloud until November 13th, 2018, just before the most recent slaughter and selloff of 2018. But this is also a fairly fast time period for Bitcoin to test the bottom of the Ichimoku Cloud so close to after the most recent drive lower. Bitcoin is fast approaching another price action catalyst at this present level. We could just one more of many bull traps before another prompt and violent selloff occurs. Then again, this could be a setup for a major bear trap where shorts attempt to keep the status quo moving  but instead will fuel a rally that will put Bitcoin into the first bullish Ichimoku breakout setup that it has had since mid-2017.
Euro Area & German Retail Sales Push EUR/USD Exchange-Rate Higher While Investor Confidence Lags

While recent data affecting the Euro (EUR) has prompted growing concern among investors over the economic stability of the bloc amid worries of a growing slowdown amid slumping economic activity, Mondays retail data release brought a welcome change, boosting the exchange rates through Mondays session.

Mondays Eurostat retail sales release printed a month-on-month increase in the volume of euro area (EA19) retail trade by 0.6%, beating forecasts of a 0.2% increase and equalling the previous (October data) 0.6% printing. EU28 retail sales also so a positive printing, up 0.7% compared to a previous 0.4%.

Above: Deflated Turnover for Total Retail Trade

While 2018 has brought increasingly negative economic data for the euro area, on an annual timescale retail sales increased 2.1% compared to November 2017s 1.1%.

German data also saw an above forecast release, rising 1.4% month-on-month, the highest rate of change since May 2018 and significantly exceeding the 0.4% forecast.

Against a backdrop of a muted US Dollar in light of Fed Chairman Jerome Powells comments last week which have left investors uncertain over the future Fed funds rate path, the Euro (EUR) appreciated significantly versus the USD (EURUSD), pushing the exchange rate in the upper portion of the range which has constrained the FX rate since mid-October 2018.

While less pronounced, Mondays session also saw the Euro appreciate versus the Pound Sterling (EURGBP), the Canadian Dollar (EURCAD) and the Australian Dollar (EURAUD).

However, ecostats werent all positive in the session with German factory orders registering a month-on-month decline of 1.0% (November versus October), down 4.3% on the same month in 2017.

Even more worrying for EUR bulls, investor confidence (m/m) registered a fifth consecutive month of declines, printing -1.5 versus the previous -0.3. From the release, From an economic point of view, the new year begins just as the old one ended: the worries on the forehead of investors about the overall economic situation did not diminish at the beginning of January 2019.

Given the contrasting data, ING senior economist Bert Colijn highlights the impact of oil prices on consumer spending activity, Even though consumer confidence continues to decline, circumstances for eurozone consumers have improved. Oil prices have dropped significantly and wage growth is on the rise, making real disposable income growth look pretty good for Europeans.

Looking ahead however, Colijn expects that Continued uncertainty will curb the upside potential of household consumption while suggesting that amid otherwise bleak economic data, retails sales could be an important driver of continued growth.

Versus the US Dollar (USD) specifically, Danske Bank senior analyst Marten Helt highlights the reduced impact of Fed induced dollar strength for USD crosses but has limited expectations for sustained upside EURUSD potential, stating for that we need a more confident ECB.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  Authorities have identified the suspects behind the deadly blast in Cotabato City, Defense Chief Delfin Lorenzana said on Tuesday.

He said the names will not be revealed yet, but he said they are connected with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The Defense Secretary said they are investigating the motive behind the mall blast on New Year's Eve that killed two and injured dozens.

"They are under investigation now, under tactical investigation, para malaman natin kung ano talaga ang purpose nila kung bakit sila nagpaputok dun," he said in an interview.

The police regional office earlier said they are eyeing two suspects identified from a security camera footage.

The government of Cotabato City has offered a P500,000 reward to anyone who will give leads on the suspect behind the incident.

Cotabato City is one of the areas in Mindanao which will hold a plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law on January 21. The landmark legislation is the result of decades-long peace negotiations between the Philippine government and Muslim rebel groups in Mindanao.

Lorenzana said the residents of Cotabato were assured they can vote without intimidation from communist groups or local government officials.

"Ang naging kasunduuan namin is walang takutan. All the leaders there, MILF at saka 'yung sitting mayor is to assure the people that they will be allowed to vote without intimidation, without fear, at saka kung ano man ang magiging desisyon ng mga tao ay dapat respetuhin nila," he said.
this news is not available
Maunakea, Hawaii - Astronomers have found a new exoplanet that could alter the standing theory of planet formation. With a mass that's between that of Neptune and Saturn, and its location beyond the "snow line" of its host star, an alien world of this scale was supposed to be rare.

Aparna Bhattacharya, a postdoctoral researcher from the University of Maryland and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), led the team that made the discovery, which was announced today during a press conference at the 233rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle.

Using the Near-Infrared Camera, second generation (NIRC2) instrument on the 10-meter Keck II telescope of the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaii and the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope, the researchers took simultaneous high-resolution images of the exoplanet, named OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb, allowing them to determine its mass.

"We were surprised to see the mass come out right in the middle of the predicted intermediate giant planet mass gap," said Bhattacharya. "It's like finding an oasis in the middle of the exoplanet desert!"

"I was very pleased with how quickly Aparna completed the analysis," said co-author David Bennett, a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland and GSFC. "She had to develop some new methods to analyze this data - a type of analysis that had never been done before."

In an uncanny timing of events, another team of astronomers (which included Bhattacharya and Bennett) published a statistical analysis at almost the same time showing that such sub-Saturn mass planets are not rare after all.

"We were just finishing up the analysis when the mass measurements of OGLE-2012- BLG-0950Lb came in," said lead author Daisuke Suzuki of Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. "This planet confirmed our interpretation of the statistical study."

The teams' results on OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb are published in the December issue of The Astronomical Journal and the statistical study was published in the December 20th issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb was among the sub-Saturn planets in the statistical study; all were detected through microlensing, the only method currently sensitive enough to detect planets with less than Saturn's mass in Jupiter-like orbits.

Microlensing leverages a consequence of Einstein's theory of general relativity: the bending and magnification of light near a massive object like a star, producing a natural lens on the sky. In the case of OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb, the light from a distant background star was magnified by OGLE-2012-BLG-0950L (the exoplanet's host star) over the course of two months as it passed close to perfect alignment in the sky with the background star.

By carefully analyzing the light during the alignment, an unexpected dimming with a duration of about a day was observed, revealing the presence of OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb via its own influence on the lensing.

METHODOLOGY

OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb was first detected by the microlensing survey telescopes of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) and the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) collaborations.

Bhattacharya's team then conducted follow-up observations using Keck Observatory's powerful adaptive optics system in combination with NIRC2.

"The Keck observations allowed us to determine that the sub-Saturn or super-Neptune size planet has a mass of 39 times that of the Earth, and that its host star is 0.58 times the mass of the Sun," said Bennett. "They measured the separation of the foreground planetary system from the background star. This allowed us to work out the complete geometry of the microlensing event. Without this data, we only knew the star-planet mass ratio, not the individual masses."

For the statistical study, Suzuki's team and MOA analyzed the properties of 30 sub-Saturn planets found by microlensing and compared them to predictions from the core accretion theory.

CHALLENGING THE THEORY

What is unique about the microlensing method is its sensitivity to sub-Saturn planets like OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb that orbit beyond the "snow line" of their host stars.

The snow line, or frost line, is the distance in a young solar system, (a.k.a. a protoplanetary disk) at which it is cold enough for water to condense into ice. At and beyond the snow line there is a dramatic increase in the amount of solid material needed for planet formation. According to the core accretion theory, the solids are thought to build up into planetary cores first through chemical and then gravitational processes.

"A key process of the core accretion theory is called "runaway gas accretion," said Bennett. "Giant planets are thought to start their formation process by collecting a core mass of about 10 times the Earth mass in rock and ice. At this stage, a slow accretion of hydrogen and helium gas begins until the mass has doubled. Then, the accretion of hydrogen and helium is expected to speed up exponentially in this runaway gas accretion process. This process stops when the supply is exhausted. If the supply of gas is stopped before runaway accretion stops, we get "failed Jupiter" planets with masses of 10-20 Earth-masses (like Neptune)."

The runaway gas accretion scenario of the core accretion theory predicts that planets like OGLE-2012- BLG-0950Lb are expected to be rare. At 39 times the mass of the Earth, planets this size are thought to be continuing through a stage of rapid growth, ending in a much more massive planet. This new result suggests that the runaway growth scenario may need revision.

Suzuki's team compared the distribution of planet-star mass ratios found by microlensing to distributions predicted by the core accretion theory.

They found that the core accretion theory's runaway gas accretion process predicts about 10 times fewer intermediate mass giant planets like OGLE-2012- BLG-0950Lb than are seen in the microlensing results.

This discrepancy implies that gas giant formation may involve processes that have been overlooked by existing core accretion models, or that the planet forming environment varies considerably as a function of host star mass.

NEXT STEPS

This discovery has not only called into question an established theory, it was made using a new technique that will be a key part of NASA's next big planet finding mission, the Wide Field Infra-Red Survey Telescope (WFIRST), which is scheduled to launch into orbit in the mid-2020s.

"This is exactly the method that WFIRST will use to measure the masses of the planets that it discovers with its exoplanet microlensing survey. Until WFIRST comes online, we need to develop this method with observations from our Keck Key Strategic Mission Support (KSMS) program as well as observations from Hubble," said Bennett.

"It's very exciting to see Keck and Hubble combine forces to provide this surprising new result," said Keck Observatory Chief Scientist John O'Meara. "And it's equally exciting to know that we can make these kind of advances today to help facilitate the best science from WFIRST and Keck's partnership in the future."

The NASA Keck KSMS program will continue to make follow-up observations of microlensing events detected by telescopes on the ground and in space.

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Better use of standard assessment tools could help long-term care homes identify which new residents are at risk of hospitalization or death in the first 90 days of admission.

A study from the University of Waterloo and Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging has found that newly admitted residents' history of heart failure, as well as their score on the interRAI Changes to Health, End-Stage disease, Signs and Symptoms (CHESS) scale, can accurately determine which residents are most at risk.

"Being able to identify at-risk residents early can help long-term care homes ensure they have the necessary care and management strategies in place," said George Heckman, associate professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems at Waterloo and Schlegel Research Chair in Geriatric Medicine. "These assessments can also help health providers determine which conditions require a trip to the hospital or which would be better managed as a hospice-type condition within the homes themselves."

He added, "It is not always advisable to take someone who is closing in on the end of life out of their home and put them into a hospital setting. These residents are very complex and frail, and not only might they not benefit from the hospital visit, the transition itself can lead to harms such as delirium and further disability."

The study examined data collected from 143,067 residents aged 65 years or older, admitted to long-term care homes in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, between 2010 and 2016.

It found that over 15 percent of residents had a history of heart failure. Residents with heart failure were more likely to be hospitalized than those without (18.9 percent versus 11.7 percent). Residents with a history of heart failure were also twice as likely to have higher mortality rates than those without, 14.4 per cent versus 7.6 per cent. At the one-year mark, residents with a history of heart failure had a mortality rate of more than 10 per cent higher, at 28.3 percent compared to 17.3 percent.

The CHESS scale identifies frailty and health instability, and is embedded within the MDS, an interRAI instrument mandated in almost all long-term care homes across Canada. Higher health instability, identified through higher CHESS scores, were associated with a greater risk of hospitalization and death at three months. Most notably, residents with high CHESS scores were more likely to die even when sent to hospital, regardless of whether they had heart failure or not. Mortality rates for the highest CHESS scores were 80 percent; most of these residents died in hospital.

"Together, these two factors independently identified this increased risk," Heckman said. "By making clinical assessments early, advance care planning discussions can take place. Furthermore, by ensuring that the entire long-term care home care team, including personal support workers, understand these risks, they can help monitor resident health and optimize their quality of life in the long-term care home."

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The study, Predicting Future Health Transitions Among Newly Admitted Nursing Home Residents with Heart Failure, appears in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. It was authored by Heckman, John Hirdes, Paul Hebert, Anne Morinville, Andre Amaral, Andrew Costa and Robert McKelvie, and was funded by the Canadian Frailty Network.
Researchers from the University of Tokyo developed a new system to charge electronic devices such as smartphones and smartwatches wirelessly. The method involves a cuttable, flexible power transfer sheet which charges devices wirelessly and can be molded or even cut with scissors to fit different-shaped surfaces and objects.

"I really wish to live in a wireless world," says Ryo Takahashi of the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology. "Imagine homes and offices without tangled cables, and think how useful it could be for emerging fields like robotics."

Takahashi is a master's student whose previous study of robotics inspired him to pioneer ways to power devices such as robots or smartphones simply and easily. This path led him towards the creation of the first-ever cuttable wireless power transfer sheet. It might seem strange to invent something just so it can be cut to pieces, but the idea is users can reshape the sheet to fit whatever surface upon which they wish to charge devices.

"You can do more than just cut this sheet into fun or interesting shapes," continues Takahashi. "The sheet is thin and flexible so you can mold it around curved surfaces such as bags and clothes. Our idea is anyone could transform various surfaces into wireless charging areas."

The clever design which allows these novel features is also what separates this idea from existing contactless power chargers. Both systems use conductive coils in the charger to induce a current in corresponding coils in the device. But the cuttable sheet is not only much thinner but has a wider usable charging area thanks to the way the coils are designed. These coils are also wired in such a way that provided enough of them remain intact after the sheet is cut to shape, they can still charge a device.

"Currently a 400-millimeter (15.75-inch) square sheet provides about 2 to 5 watts of power, enough for a smartphone. But I think we could get this up to tens of watts or enough for a small computer," concludes Takahashi. "In just a few years, I would love to see this sheet embedded in furniture, toys, bags and clothes. I hope it makes technology more invisible."

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Journal article

Ryo Takahashi, Takuya Sasatani, Fuminori Okuya, Yoshiaki Narusue, and Yoshihiro Kawahara. A Cuttable Wireless Power Transfer Sheet. Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies, Volume 2, Issue 4, Article 190 (Dec 2018)

DOI: 10.1145/3287068

Supported by JST ERATO, Japan under Grant No JPMJER1501

Related links

Kawahara Laboratory

http://www. akg. t. u-tokyo. ac. jp/

Graduate School of Information Science Technology

https:/ / www. i. u-tokyo. ac. jp/ index_e. shtml

Research Contact

Kenji Tsushio

Kawahara Laboratory, Graduate School of Information Science Technology

The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 JAPAN

Tel: +81-3-5841-6710

Email: tsushio@akg.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Press Contact

Mr. Rohan Mehra

Division for Strategic Public Relations

The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654 JAPAN

Tel: +81-3-5841-0876

Email: press-releases.adm@gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp

About the University of Tokyo
Mega-dams should not be built in lowland tropical forest regions due to the threat they pose to biodiversity and ecosystems, according to experts at the University of Stirling.

The recommendation - published in the Journal of Applied Ecology - emerged from a new study that focuses on the Balbina Hydroelectric Reservoir system in the Brazilian Amazon. Like many hydropower systems in the region, the Balbina dam caused extensive forest fragmentation, with large swathes of land flooded once the dam was closed, transforming former hilltops into islands.

The combined area of forest islands created during reservoir filling is not currently explicitly considered in the Environmental Impact Assessment and licensing process of dams. Experts found that tree communities on Balbina's islands are "unstable", with some rare species becoming extinction-prone due to reduced tree recruitment and density. This could potentially lead to future losses in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, such as carbon storage, across Balbina's 3,500 reservoir islands.

Dr Isabel Jones, the ecologist from Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences who led the research, said: "Ideally, we recommend that dams should not be constructed in lowland tropical forest regions such as the Amazon basin, due to the far-reaching impacts of river impoundment on aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. However, where no alternative is available, we hope to improve the environmental impact procedure and impact mitigation of future dams, by providing robust recommendations regarding dam development and operation."

Flooding associated with the construction of mega-dams in lowland tropical forest regions can negatively affect biodiversity through the loss of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Worldwide, dams have displaced between 40 and 80 million people leading to significant social impacts.

In addition, reservoirs in tropical regions such as the Amazon basin can emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases including methane, which can make tropical dams far less 'green' than other renewable sources. Despite this, dam construction in Amazonia is increasing, with more than 280 new dams planned or already under construction, risking future impacts to a region that is critical for the global climatic balance and biodiversity.

The new study assessed the long-term impact of dam-induced fragmentation on tropical tree communities isolated on islands following dam construction, with the aim of generating robust recommendations for dam developers and decision-makers to mitigate some of the detrimental impacts associated with dam development.

The research was carried out across 89 permanent forest survey plots on 36 islands across Balbina, as well as three nearby mainland continuous forest sites. The network of forest survey plots is the most extensive established within a hydroelectric dam system. Large trees were surveyed in 2012 and saplings in 2014.

Dr Jones explained: "Our research found that islands within the Balbina Hydroelectric Reservoir harboured significantly lower densities of adult and sapling trees, compared to mainland continuous forest. In other words, tree biomass is being lost on those islands. This is important to know considering the carbon emissions associated with tropical forest loss and degradation.

"Furthermore, the species composition of saplings was significantly different to those of the relict adult trees on islands, indicating that future tree communities on islands will be very different to those originally there when the forest was continuous.

"We also showed that the overall composition of tree communities on islands was different to those in mainland continuous forest, which means that island tree communities are changing due to being isolated within the reservoir. Loss of tree species and biomass within these remnant tree communities is largely ignored in Environmental Impact Assessments. We show that the degradation of remnant tree communities on islands is an additional impact of dams, and must be explicitly considered in the planning and licensing of future dam construction. "

The researchers also found that fires - which can spread through reservoir island systems in periods of drought when water levels are not maintained - can cause even more degradation to tree communities and that the damage is particularly severe for hard-wooded species, those which store the most carbon.

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The research was developed with Professor Carlos Peres, University of East Anglia; Dr Maria Benchimol, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz in Brazil; as well as Dr Daisy Dent and Dr Lynsey Bunnefeld, of the University of Stirling. It was part-funded by grants from the Natural Environment Research Council and a Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland.

The paper, Instability of insular tree communities in an Amazonian mega-dam is driven by impaired recruitment and altered species composition, is published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
BALTIMORE, MD. Jan. 8 -- University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that Claire M. Fraser, PhD, a pioneer in the field of microbial genomics, who is the Dean's Endowed Professor, Department of Medicine, and Director of the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS), has been chosen as president-elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AAAS is the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting edge research through its Science family of journals.

Fraser is among the 114 officers selected during the 2018 election, AAAS announced today. She will begin her term on February 18 after the AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., serving for one year as president-elect, one year as president and one year as chair of the AAAS Board of Directors.

"One of the most important roles of the AAAS President is to serve as an ardent spokesperson for science and to promote application of the scientific method to the solution of our most pressing problems," said Dr. Fraser, citing such challenges as climate change, antimicrobial resistance and food, water and energy security. "Our ability to respond to these challenges has been hampered to a considerable extent by a lack of adequate funding, a tendency to fund 'safer' research projects, and a relative lack of public trust in science," Dr. Fraser said, noting the increasing political attacks on science in the U.S. and abroad.

"Dr. Fraser is one of the pre-eminent scientists of our time in a field that is re-defining how we investigate and treat complex diseases," said E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, and Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine. "In addition to her own groundbreaking discoveries in microbial genomics, she has mobilized a team of world-renowned investigators at IGS who are leading the nation in harnessing the power and potential of large-scale genomic research, and exploring new genomic applications in precision medicine, therapeutics, infectious diseases, virology and cancer research."

A pioneer and global leader in genomic medicine, Dr. Fraser is one of the most highly cited investigators in microbiology. In 1995, Dr. Fraser was the first to map the complete genetic code of a free-living organism--Haemophilus influenza--the bacterium that causes lower respiratory tract infections and meningitis in infants and young children. This achievement took place at the Institute for Genomic Research, where Dr. Fraser served as Director from 1998 until 2007.Her discovery forever changed microbiology and launched a new field of study--microbial genomics.

During that time, Dr. Fraser and her team also sequenced the bacteria behind syphilis and Lyme disease, and eventually the first plant genome and the first human-pathogenic parasite. She also helped identify the source of a deadly 2001 anthrax attack in one of the biggest investigations conducted by U.S. law enforcement. In 2007, Dr. Fraser launched the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, which holds over 25 percent of the funding awarded by the Human Microbiome Project.

Issues like health, security and environmental protection "have no boundaries and can only be tackled by strong multi-disciplinary international collaborations," Dr. Fraser said. "I am energized by the opportunity to help deliver the message that science matters to all of us."

Between 1995 and 2008, Fraser was the most highly cited investigator worldwide in the field of microbiology, and her published work has received more than 50,000 citations.

Her current research interests center on the structure and function of the human gut microbiota. Dr. Fraser has authored more than 320 scientific publications, edited three books, and has served on committees of the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and National Institutes of Health. She is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Promega Biotechnology Award and the E.O. Lawrence Award from the Department of Energy. Dr. Fraser uses her skills and position of leadership in genome sciences to improve the lives of women throughout the world. Dr. Fraser has more than $10 million in total award funding. As director of the Institute for Genome Sciences, she leads a team of scientists who are housed in the UM School of Medicine's new 430,000 square foot Health Sciences Research Facility III (HSRF III).

Dr. Fraser graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, and earned her PhD in pharmacology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She was honored by AAAS as an elected Fellow in 2004 for her pioneering work in sequencing and analyzing microbial genomes. Her prior involvement with AAAS also includes serving on the AAAS Committee on Nominations from 2006 to 2008, on the AAAS Board of Directors from 2013 to 2017 and on the AAAS Section on Biological Sciences' Electorate Nominating Committee from 2014 to 2017.

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About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 43 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished recipient of the Albert E. Laser Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically-based care for more than 1.2 million patients each year. The School has over 2,500 students, residents, and fellows, and more than $530 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total workforce of nearly 7,000 individuals. The combined School and Medical System ("University of Maryland Medicine") has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact more than $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu/

About the American Association for the Advancement of Science

AAAS is the world's largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its Science family of journals, AAAS has individual members in more than 91 countries around the globe. Membership is open to anyone who shares our goals and belief that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can help solve many of the challenges the world faces today.
Many cat owners worry about their pets wandering the streets, but perceive cats hunting mice and birds to be unavoidable instinct, researchers at the University of Exeter have found.

Owners often dislike their feline companions' compulsion to catch wildlife but feel unable, or unwilling, to control it.

The researchers interviewed cat owners about their pets' roaming and hunting behaviour, what worried them, and what they felt responsible for.

Hunting, and the resulting corpses on the kitchen floor, were seen as natural behaviour outside owners' control. Those who did want to limit hunting felt this was difficult to achieve without locking cats indoors - and hardly any owners wanted this.

"We found a spectrum of views on hunting, from owners who see it as positive for pest control to those who were deeply concerned about its consequences for wild animal populations," said lead author Dr Sarah Crowley, of the Environment and Sustainability Institute on the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in Cornwall.

"However, because hunting is a natural cat behaviour, few owners believed they could effectively control this without negatively affecting their cats' welfare."

Cats vary in the amount they hunt, with some catching multiple birds and small mammals every week, while many others stay indoors or rarely lift a predatory paw.

With up to 11 million cats in the UK, some conservationists are nevertheless concerned about the effect even a minority of hunting cats might have on wildlife, especially declining species like house sparrows.

Current methods of preventing cats catching wild prey include fitting them with collars with bells and bright colours, and keeping them indoors at night.

"Cat owners understandably make their pets' health and well-being a priority, and many feel that cats need free access to the outdoors," said Professor Robbie McDonald, head of Exeter's Wildlife Science group, who is leading the research.

"At the same time, having such independent pets creates extra anxieties for owners about both their cats' safety while ranging free, and their impacts on wildlife.

"We are working closely with cat owners and cat welfare organisations. Our aim is to find practical ways of reducing hunting, while enhancing cat health and welfare."

The researchers interviewed 48 cat owners from urban, suburban and rural areas in Cornwall and Oxfordshire.

Sponsorship for the study comes from the independent bird conservation charity SongBird Survival and is overseen by an advisory group comprising veterinarians, cat behaviour and welfare experts, and representatives from SongBird Survival, International Cat Care and the RSPCA.

"We are very concerned about the significant adverse impacts that free-ranging domestic cats can have on our songbirds and other wildlife," said Robert Middleditch, SongBird Survival's Chairman.

"We are therefore delighted to have commissioned this important project, and believe that working with cat owners to find practical solutions, while promoting responsible pet ownership, can benefit both vulnerable wildlife and cats."

Sam Watson, RSPCA cat welfare expert, said: "This is valuable work which helps us to understand pet owners' sense of responsibility towards their cats and any potential impact they could have on wildlife.

"While there is still lots of debate as to whether cats have detrimental effects on wild bird populations, on an individual level predation attempts by cats are likely to cause considerable suffering, so we would welcome any practical solutions which would help to avoid this.

"We hope further study can help find ways to reduce the impact that cats may have on wildlife whilst also maintaining and boosting the welfare of our cats."

The paper, published in the journal People and Nature, is entitled: "Hunting behaviour in domestic cats: an exploratory study of risk and responsibility among cat owners."

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Few years from now, students in schools all over the world will receive part of their education in virtual learning environments. Wearing VR-goggles the students will be able to enter 3-dimentional, simulated places and situations that they would normally not have access to because it would be too expensive, too dangerous or physically impossible. Teaching via VR-technology is spreading widely these years and international studies predict that this will revolutionize the way we learn.

Using VR, students can learn about the cells in the human body while "travelling" into the bloodstream, or "explore" the degree of plastic pollution in the oceans. They can also conduct complicated experiments using expensive lab-equipment and dangerous chemicals, just by putting on a pair of VR-goggles that immediately offers very realistic and lively experiences.

According to several of these reports, the cost of VR-technology will be reduced so much over the next 2-3 years that it will be included in everyday classroom teaching for around 15 million students across nations before 2025. This prognosis is backed by large investments in developing VR for teaching by tech-giants such as Apple, Google and Samsung.

But the rapid growth of VR-technology in teaching is a new and relatively un-tested field, and at the University of Copenhagen Associate Professor in Psychology Guido Makransky investigates how, why, and in what settings VR-learning provides an advantage over traditional methods and media, so societys investments in VR-technology can be used in the most beneficial way.

-Our studies show that VR-learning where students train certain skills via simulations can be more effective than regular classroom teaching or learning via computers, and that it motivates and engages students more and heighten their self-efficacy. However, we need more information on when and how teaching via VR-simulations is an advantage, so we can steer clear of thoughtless investments in technology just for the sake of investing in technology without any real benefits in terms of better learning, he says.

Guido Makransky is especially interested in the pedagogical factors of VR-learning. In previous studies he has tested hundreds of high school and university student's cognitive and emotional learning processes using electroencephalography (EEG) and by registering their sweat-responses (GSR), eye-tracking and facial expressions.

A virtual rolemodel

Since 2014 Makransky has documented in various studies that VR-learning in certain situations is more engaging and can lead to better learning outcomes compared to traditional methods. Furthermore, his latest research shows that girls and boys learning differs greatly depending on the form and appearance of the virtual teacher, the so called pedagogical agent.

In a study with 66 7th and 8th -grade students (half boys, half girls) at a Danish science talent school, Makransky and colleagues found that the girls learned most in the VR-simulations, when the VR-teacher there was a young, female researcher named Marie, whereas the boys learned more, while being instructed by a flying robot in the form of a drone.

-We can see that students ability to identify with the pedagogical agent improves their level of learning. This gives us an exciting possibility to actually make education more appealing to the students. This is important as children's' interest in school decreases in middle school, and there is specifically a desire to increase female students' interest, in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. Therefore, the possibility to engage girls is very appealing. In our opinion VR-program designers should use this knowledge to incorporate different types of pedagogical agents in VR for different types of students, says Guido Markansky.

The boys in the study on the other hand learned best, when the pedagogical agent instructing them was a flying robot in the form of a drone.

-Our results show, that the boys concentration and focus on the task rises when their virtual teacher is a non-traditional teaching figure like a robot or a drone. We also see these types of pedagogical agents are more effective in terms of the boys learning outcomes, possibly because they portray some of the superhero-qualities, that appeal widely to boys, and because they resemble the agents, boys are used to interact with in computer games, says Guido Makransky

Other aspects of VR-teaching examined

The younger the students the more important it appears to be that they can relate to their VR-teacher. University students for instance have not been found to learn better when instructed by a figure that resembles themselves, whereas the ability to mirror oneself in the teaching figure has been identified as being very important for students in middle school classes.

But there are still many unanswered questions regarding VR-learning, adds Guido Makransky, who is currently heading a project funded by the Danish Innovation Fund where he and his fellow researchers at the University of Copenhagen Virtual Learning Lab examine a number of other aspects of when it is most beneficial for schools to implement VR-for teaching and how you design VR-learning experiences, that really add value to education and function well in a classroom setting.

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An international collaboration led by scientists from the National University of Ireland, Galway, The University of St Andrews, Trinity College Dublin and the Zoological Society of London has uncovered why the venom of some snakes makes them so much deadlier than others.

Snakes are infamous for possessing potent venoms, a fact that makes them deadly predators and also strikes fear into humans and other animals alike. However, some species, such as cobras, boomslangs and rattlesnakes have far more venom than they apparently need--in a single reserve of venom, they have the potential to kill thousands of their prey animals and several adult humans.

But not all venomous snakes are so dangerous. For example, the marbled sea snake has only a tiny amount of very weak venom, making it effectively harmless to any relatively large animals such as humans. Why venoms vary so much in their ability to kill or incapacitate potential prey animals has long puzzled scientists, with several competing hypotheses suggested as explanations.

The study, which has just been published in international journal Ecology Letters, tackled this puzzle by comparing records of venom potency and quantity for over 100 venomous snake species, ranging from rattlesnakes, cobras and the tree dwelling boomslangs of Africa to sea snakes and burrowing asps. The team found strong evidence that venoms have evolved to be more potent against animals that are closely related to the species that the snake commonly eats.

Dr Kevin Healy, who conducted the research at the University of St Andrews and is now Lecturer of Zoology at the National University of Ireland Galway, is the lead author of the study. He said: "These results make sense from an evolutionary viewpoint as we expect that evolution will have shaped venoms to be more efficient at killing the prey animals they are most often the target of the venom. You won't find many mice in the sea so we wouldn't expect a sea snake to evolve venom that is more effective at killing mice than fish."

The research also showed that the amount of venom a snake has depends on both its size and the environment it lives in.

"Like all substances venom is dosage-dependent," said Associate Professor in Zoology at Trinity College Dublin, Dr Andrew Jackson. "Even alcohol, coffee and water can be toxic at high enough volumes so we needed to consider how much venom different species of snake produce and store in their venom glands. We found that big terrestrial species have the most venom, while smaller tree dwelling or aquatic species had the least. This difference may be due to how often a snake encounters its prey in these different environments, with terrestrial species requiring a larger reserve of venom to take advantage of the rarer opportunities to feed."

The results of the study also have potential to aid in our understanding when it comes to human snakebites.

"Snakebites are a major health concern worldwide, with 2.7 million cases each year," commented Dr Chris Carbone of the Institute of Zoology in the Zoological Society of London. "Understanding how venom evolves may help us better identify the risks to humans from different snake groups, and also potentially from other venomous animals such as spiders, scorpions, centipedes and jellyfish."

The approach used in the study may also help researchers predict the potency of venoms in species that have yet to be tested, and even pinpoint potentially useful healthcare-related applications.

Dr Healy added: "The next step is to see how well this model may predict the potency of venoms in groups that have yet to have their venoms tested. By using ecological and evolutionary data for available species we may be able to use our approach as a tool to identify other species which may have properties in their venoms that are useful for biomedical purposes, such as drug development."

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A new device developed by Stanford University researchers could make it easier for doctors to monitor the success of blood vessel surgery. The sensor, detailed in a paper published Jan. 8 in Nature Biomedical Engineering, monitors the flow of blood through an artery. It is biodegradable, battery-free and wireless, so it is compact and doesn't need to be removed and it can warn a patient's doctor if there is a blockage.

"Measurement of blood flow is critical in many medical specialties, so a wireless biodegradable sensor could impact multiple fields including vascular, transplant, reconstructive and cardiac surgery," said Paige Fox, assistant professor of surgery and co-senior author of the paper. "As we attempt to care for patients throughout the Bay Area, Central Valley, California and beyond, this is a technology that will allow us to extend our care without requiring face-to-face visits or tests."

Monitoring the success of surgery on blood vessels is challenging as the first sign of trouble often comes too late. By that time, the patient often needs additional surgery that carries risks similar to the original procedure. This new sensor could let doctors keep tabs on a healing vessel from afar, creating opportunities for earlier interventions.

Flow or no

The sensor wraps snugly around the healing vessel, where blood pulsing past pushes on its inner surface. As the shape of that surface changes, it alters the sensor's capacity to store electric charge, which doctors can detect remotely from a device located near the skin but outside the body. That device solicits a reading by pinging the antenna of the sensor, similar to an ID card scanner. In the future, this device could come in the form of a stick-on patch or be integrated into other technology, like a wearable device or smartphone.

The researchers first tested the sensor in an artificial setting where they pumped air through an artery-sized tube to mimic pulsing blood flow. Surgeon Yukitoshi Kaizawa, a former postdoctoral scholar at Stanford and co-author of the paper, also implanted the sensor around an artery in a rat. Even at such a small scale, the sensor successfully reported blood flow to the wireless reader. At this point, they were only interested in detecting complete blockages, but they did see indications that future versions of this sensor could identify finer fluctuations of blood flow.

The sensor is a wireless version of technology that chemical engineer Zhenan Bao has been developing in order to give prostheses a delicate sense of touch.

"This one has a history," said Bao, the K. K. Lee Professor in the School of Engineering and co-senior author of the paper. "We were always interested in how we can utilize these kinds of sensors in medical applications but it took a while to find the right fit."

The researchers had to modify their existing sensor's materials to make it sensitive to pulsing blood but rigid enough to hold its shape. They also had to move the antenna to a location where it would be secure, not affected by the pulsation, and re-design the capacitor so it could be placed around an artery.

"It was a very exacting project and required many rounds of experiments and redesign," said Levent Beker, co-lead author of the paper and a postdoctoral scholar in the Bao lab. "I've always been interested in medical and implant applications and this could open up a lot of opportunities for monitoring or telemedicine for many surgical operations."

Making connections

The idea of an artery sensor began to take shape when former postdoctoral fellow Clementine Boutry of the Bao lab reached out to Anais Legrand, who was a postdoctoral fellow in the Fox lab, and connected those groups - along with the lab of James Chang, the Johnson and Johnson Professor of Surgery.

Once they set their sights on the biodegradable blood flow monitor, the collaboration won a 2017 Postdocs at the Interface seed grant from Stanford ChEM-H, which supports postdoctoral research collaborations exploring potentially transformative new ideas.

"We both value our postdoctoral researchers but did not anticipate the true value this meeting would have for a long-term productive partnership," said Fox.

The researchers are now finding the best way to affix the sensors to the vessels and refining their sensitivity. They are also looking forward to what other ideas will come as interest grows in this interdisciplinary area.

"Using sensors to allow a patient to discover problems early on is becoming a trend for precision health," Bao said. "It will require people from engineering, from medical school and data people to really work together, and the problems they can address are very exciting."

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Additional Stanford co-authors include Clementine Boutry (co-lead), Christopher Vassos, Helen Tran, Allison C. Hinckley, Raphael Pfattner, Simiao Niu, Junheng Li, Jean Claverie, Zhen Wang and Yukitoshi Kaizawa. Bao is also a member of Stanford Bio-X, a senior fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy, a fellow at Stanford ChEM-H, an affiliate of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and a member of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Chang is also a member of Stanford Bio-X. Fox is also a fellow at Stanford ChEM-H.

This work was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the European Commission, Stanford ChEM-H and the National Science Foundation.
Newton, Mass. (Jan. 8, 2019) - A new analysis shows variation in the way state and federal regulators manage PFAS contaminants in drinking water, with some states adopting guideline levels that are more health protective than the non-enforceable levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the study's authors, the findings highlight the need for enforceable federal standards based on full consideration of the science to ensure consistent protection for the millions of people, including vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children, whose water supplies have been contaminated.

The study, by researchers at Silent Spring Institute, Whitman College, and Northeastern University, appears online January 8 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (JESEE), and is part of a special issue dedicated to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

PFAS in drinking water are often traced to military fire training areas and airports, as well as industrial sites and wastewater treatment plants. More than 25 communities in the U.S. have contaminated water from manufacturing and industrial sites, and the Department of Defense has identified approximately 400 current or former military sites with contamination stemming mostly from the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS.

Despite widespread contamination and evidence linking PFAS with numerous health effects including cancers, thyroid disease, and developmental problems, there are currently no federal standards for PFAS in drinking water. "In the absence of federal standards, states are developing their own guidelines, using different approaches to determine what a safe level in drinking water should be," says Silent Spring's Dr. Laurel Schaider, an environmental chemist and one of the study's authors.

To understand differences in how state and federal regulators approach the problem, Schaider and her colleagues gathered information released in June 2018 by the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council. The researchers also sourced documents from state websites and contacted state environmental and health agencies.

The researchers identified seven states that have their own guideline levels for PFOA and PFOS, the two most well-studied types of PFAS. Of these, three states (Vermont, Minnesota, and New Jersey) have adopted levels that are lower than the health advisory levels set by EPA. And since the writing of this paper, three additional states (New Hampshire, New York, and California) have also proposed guideline levels that are lower than EPA's. "The regulatory landscape is changing quickly as communities across the U.S. discover that their water is contaminated," says Schaider.

Some states have even taken steps to regulate other kinds of PFAS--including chemicals that companies use as substitutes for PFOA and PFOS and that also raise health concerns.

Differences in how regulators review the science is one factor underlying the variation, the team noted. States with stricter drinking water levels for PFAS considered additional health effects, such as effects on mammary gland development and the immune system, that were not used as the basis for EPA's calculations. For instance, studies in animals have shown that exposure to PFOA in the womb alters mammary gland development, which may increase breast cancer risk. Other studies have found that exposure to PFOA and PFOS weakens the effectiveness of vaccines in children, and so could cause longer term health problems.

"This tells us that a number of states consider EPA's health advisory levels for PFAS to be insufficiently protective," says Schaider. "As we learn more about these chemicals, the levels at which scientists think a person can be exposed without being harmed keep getting lower, and that's an important thing for regulators to be aware of."

In addition, the study identified several other factors that impact how state and federal regulators set drinking water guidelines. For instance, states with more resources have the capacity to conduct their own risk assessments, while other states may be hampered by a lack of funding and expertise. Political and social factors, as well as pressure from industry, also influence the process.

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Funding for this project was provided by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, the Broad Reach Foundation, and charitable donations to Silent Spring Institute.

Reference: Cordner, A., V.Y. De La Rosa, L.A Schaider, R.A. Rudel, L. Richter, P. Brown. 2019. "Guideline Levels for PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water: The Role of Scientific Uncertainty, Risk Assessment Decisions, and Social Factors." Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. DOI: 10.1038/s41370-018-0099-9

About Silent Spring Institute:
Newton, Mass. (Jan. 8, 2019) - A new study suggests certain types of consumer behaviors, including flossing with Oral-B Glide dental floss, contribute to elevated levels in the body of toxic PFAS chemicals. PFAS are water- and grease-proof substances that have been linked with numerous health problems. The findings provide new insight into how these chemicals end up in people's bodies and how consumers can limit their exposures by modifying their behavior.

The study, led by Silent Spring Institute in collaboration with the Public Health Institute in Berkeley, CA, appears online January 8 in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (JESEE), and is part of a special issue dedicated to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

PFAS are used in a range of consumer products, including fast food packaging, non-stick pans, waterproof clothing, and stain-resistant carpets. People can be exposed to the substances directly through the products they use and the food they eat. They can also be exposed through indoor air and dust and contaminated drinking water.

Scientists are concerned about widespread exposure to PFAS in the population because the chemicals have been linked with health effects including kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, low birth weight, decreased fertility, and effects on the immune system.

In the new study, researchers measured 11 different PFAS chemicals in blood samples taken from 178 middle-aged women enrolled in the Public Health Institute's Child Health and Development Studies, a multigenerational study of the impact of environmental chemicals and other factors on disease.

To understand how people's behavior influences their exposure to PFAS, the researchers then compared the blood measurements with results from interviews in which they asked the women about nine behaviors that could lead to higher exposures. Half of the women in the analysis were non-Hispanic white and half were African American.

Women who flossed with Oral-B Glide tended to have higher levels of a type of PFAS called PFHxS (perfluorohexanesulfonic acid) in their body compared with those who didn't. To further understand the connection, the researchers tested 18 dental flosses (including 3 Glide products) for the presence of fluorine--a marker of PFAS--using a technique called particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy. All three Glide products tested positive for fluorine, consistent with previous reports that Glide is manufactured using Teflon-like compounds. In addition, two store brand flosses with "compare to Oral-B Glide" labelling and one floss describing itself as a "single strand Teflon fiber" tested positive for fluorine.

"This is the first study to show that using dental floss containing PFAS is associated with a higher body burden of these toxic chemicals," says lead author Katie Boronow, a staff scientist at Silent Spring. "The good news is, based on our findings, consumers can choose flosses that don't contain PFAS."

Other behaviors that were associated with higher PFAS levels included having stain-resistant carpet or furniture and living in a city served by a PFAS-contaminated drinking water supply. Additionally, among African American women, those who frequently ate prepared food in coated cardboard containers, such as French fries or takeout, had elevated blood levels of four PFAS chemicals compared to women who rarely ate such food. The researchers did not see the same relationship with prepared food among non-Hispanic whites.

Overall, non-Hispanic whites tended to have higher levels of two PFAS chemicals, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFHxS, compared with African Americans. The researchers could not explain the differences, suggesting that there are other behaviors they didn't measure that contribute to PFAS exposure.

"Overall, this study strengthens the evidence that consumer products are an important source of PFAS exposure," says Boronow. "Restricting these chemicals from products should be a priority to reduce levels in people's bodies."

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Funding for this project was provided by grants from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the California Breast Cancer Research Program, and charitable donations to Silent Spring Institute.

Reference: K.E. Boronow, J.G. Brody, L.A. Schaider, G.F. Peaslee, L. Havas, B.A. Cohn. 2019. "Serum concentrations of PFASs and exposure-related behaviors in African American and non-Hispanic white women." Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. DOI: 10.1038/s41370-018-0109-y

About Silent Spring Institute:
In response to the growing problem of drinking water contaminated with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a new analysis shows that many states are establishing their own guideline levels for two types of PFAS--PFOA and PFOS--that differ from federal guidelines. The new study appears in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, which is published by Springer Nature. According to Alissa Cordner of Whitman College in the US, the study's lead author, the findings highlight the need for enforceable federal standards and more health protective limits on these contaminants in drinking water to safeguard the health of millions of people whose water supplies have been contaminated.

PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) are widely-used chemicals found in a range of products such as non-stick coatings, stain repellents, and firefighting foam. They have been in use since the 1950s. When it became clear the substances were linked to a variety of diseases, manufacturing of products containing PFOA and PFOS ceased in the US.

However, both contaminants are very persistent in the environment and the human body. They are also extremely mobile in the environment and so have contaminated drinking water supplies serving millions of Americans. Although the chemicals are no longer produced in the US, they are still used in many products manufactured outside the country. Companies have been replacing PFOS and PFOS with other PFAS substances, however studies show these replacement chemicals share many of the same chemical properties.

In this study, the research team identified state agencies that have guidelines regarding the levels of PFOA and PFOS chemicals that are allowed in drinking water without causing adverse health effects, and the remedial action to be taken if these contaminants are found in water sources. These guidelines were compared with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EAP) health advisories for the same chemicals.

As part of the assessment, Cordner and her colleagues at Silent Spring Institute and Northeastern University gathered information released in June 2018 by the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council. The researchers also sourced documents from state websites and contacted state environmental and health agencies.

Their analysis shows that seven states so far have adopted or proposed their own water guideline levels for PFOA and/or PFOS, and three states have set levels of the contaminants that are lower than those set by EPA. In some cases, states developed the guideline levels after specific incidents of contamination. The state water guideline levels also vary dramatically. While EPA has released a health advisory level of 70 nanograms per liter for PFOA and PFOS combined, state guideline levels for the two chemicals range from 13 nanograms per liter (in New Jersey) to 1,000 nanograms per liter (in North Carolina). Some states are also developing guildeline levels for other PFAS.

The researchers identified multiple scientific factors that influenced the guideline levels, including the choice of toxicological endpoints and assumptions about drinking water consumption. Social, economic and political pressures all influenced the establishment of guidelines by states, for instance in response to community concerns or discovery of contamination incidents.

"Assessments by multiple states and academic scientists suggest that EPA's health advisory for drinking water is not sufficiently protective," explains Cordner. Previous studies in children exposed to PFOS have shown effects on immune function at lower exposures than EPA's drinking water advisory levels. The most sensitive toxicological endpoints--altered mammary gland development and suppressed immune function--were not the basis for EPA's health advisories but were used by a small number of states.

"There are currently no federal drinking-water standards for PFOA and PFOS, despite widespread drinking water contamination, ubiquitous population-level exposure, and toxicological and epidemiological evidence linking it to various diseases. Because of this, public water entities are not required by law to routinely test whether contaminant levels in water exceed EPA's health advisory and state agencies are not empowered to enforce cleanup," she explains.

The researchers stress that lack of federal standards may create or exacerbate public health disparities because not all states have the resources to develop their own guideline levels or ensure cleanup of contaminated supplies.

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Reference: Cordner, A. et al (2018). Guideline Levels for PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water: The Role of Scientific Uncertainty, Risk Assessment Decisions, and Social Factors, Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology DOI: 10.1038/s41370-018-0099-9
New to science, the species was named after Pluto, the ruler of the underworld in Greek mythology

A diving beetle demonstrating various adaptations to the life underground, including depigmentation and evolutionary loss of eyes, was discovered at the bottom of a clay pound in the cave Soprador do Carvalho, Portugal. The species turned out to be the very first in the whole order of beetles (Coleoptera) to be known exclusively from the underground waters of the country.

Despite not being able to find any other specimens during their study - save for the single female, the team of Dr Ignacio Ribera, Institute of Evolutionary Biology (Spain) and Prof Ana Sofia P. S. Reboleira, University of Copenhagen (Denmark) identified the beetle as new to science, thanks to its unambiguous morphology in combination with molecular data.

Aptly named Iberoporus pluto in reference to the ruler of the underworld in Greek mythology Pluto, the species was recently described in the open-access journal ZooKeys.

With a uniformly pale orange body measuring 2.8 mm in length and 1.1 mm in its widest part, the beetle is larger than the rest species known in its genus, and its appendages are longer and more slender. While blindness and depigmentation are clear adaptation to life away from sunlight, the elongated limbs and antennae reflect poor swimming abilities needed in a subterranean habitat. Going for 4 km in horizontal direction, Soprador do Carvalho is the largest in the Dueca cave system, located in the north-eastern part of the Sico karst area in central Portugal. In recent years, the cave is being explored for tourism.

"The knowledge of the subterranean fauna from Portugal has significantly increased over the last decade, with the description of a high number of obligate subterranean species (tripling their number) and the establishment of new biogeographic patterns," explain the authors of the study. "A high number of these species are stygobiont (i.e. confined to groundwater), mostly from wells in the north of the country, where evapotranspiration is higher."

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Original source:
Having two or more non-communicable diseases (multimorbidity) costs the country more than the sum of those individual diseases would cost, according to a new study published this week in PLOS Medicine by Tony Blakely from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and colleagues.

Few studies have estimated disease-specific health system expenditure for many diseases simultaneously. In the new work, the researchers used nationally linked health data for all New Zealanders, including hospitalization, outpatient, pharmaceutical, laboratory and primary care from July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2014. These data include 18.9 million person-years and $26.4 billion US in spending. The team calculated annual health expenditure per person and analyzed the association of this spending to whether a person had any of six non-communicable disease classes--cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, musculoskeletal, neurological, and lung/liver/kidney (LLK) diseases--or a combination of any of those diseases.

59% of publically-funded health expenditures in New Zealand were attributable to non-communicable diseases. Nearly a quarter (23.8%) of this spending was attributable to the costs of having two or more diseases above and beyond what the diseases cost separately. Of the remaining spending, heart disease and stroke accounted for 18.7%, followed by musculoskeletal (16.2%), neurological (14.4%), cancer (14.1%), LLK disease (7.4%) and diabetes (5.5%). Expenditure was generally the highest in the year of diagnosis and the year of death.

"There is a surprising lack of disease-attributed costing studies involving multiple diseases at once," the authors say. "Governments and health systems managers and funders can improve planning and prioritisation knowing where the money goes."

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Research Article

Funding:

The Burden of Disease Epidemiology, Equity & Cost-Effectiveness Programme (BODE3), which supported this research, is funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand (http://www. hrc. govt. nz , #16/443). Funding support was also provided by the National Health and Medical Research Council (GNT1084347) and the Australian Research Council (CE170100005). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of this manuscript.

Competing Interests:

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation:

Blakely T, Kvizhinadze G, Atkinson J, Dieleman J, Clarke P (2019) Health system costs for individual and comorbid noncommunicable diseases: An analysis of publicly funded health events from New Zealand. PLoS Med 16(1): e1002716. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1371/ journal. pmed. 1002716

Author Affiliations:

Burden of Disease Epidemiology, Equity and Cost-Effectiveness Programme, Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand

Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America

Health Economics Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
The Swiss National Science Foundation has awarded MARVEL full funding of 18 million Swiss francs for its second phase, which will run until April 2022. In its report, the SNSF Research Council praised MARVEL's scientific excellence and performance, national networking, cooperation and structural achievements.

"The Scientific Advisory Board continues to be highly impressed and inspired by the results obtained in MARVEL," said Professor Giulia Galli of the University of Chicago, Chair of MARVEL's Scientific Advisory Board. "With the presence of a critical mass of world-leading researchers in the Centre, it is exceptionally well positioned to advance computational materials science and to discover technologically transformative materials."

The funding will allow MARVEL to build on the work done in Phase 1 uniting a group of outstanding computational scientists towards the goals of materials design and discovery. In Phase 2, MARVEL will leverage this community - and the convergence of simulations, data and experiments - to dedicate itself to six ambitious Design-and-Discovery projects, complemented by two Incubator projects and the structural efforts of its "Open Science" and "HPC and Future Architectures" platforms.

The Design-and-Discovery projects address outstanding scientific problems that have promising technological implications for the high-tech, high-value industrial landscape of Switzerland, or more broadly in energy, pharma, and ICT. Phase 2 will initially focus on organic crystals, complex metal alloys, nanomaterials, metal-organic frameworks, correlated oxides, and topological materials, complemented by Incubator efforts on solid-state ionic conductors and machine learning.

The continued development of the Open Science platform powered by the AiiDA materials informatics framework and the Materials Cloud portal will allow the broader scientific community to compute on-demand complex material properties, leading the way to tailored solutions and the establishment in the third phase of a user facility to explore and leverage materials space.

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Collaborations between all PIs and projects are greatly enhanced by the HPC and Future Architectures platform that co-develops the software and hardware ecosystem at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre, hosting the largest supercomputer in Europe (5th in the world).

Finally, MARVEL has also established close synergies with major European initiatives, most notably in its partnership with the H2020 MaX Centre of Excellence for e-Infrastructure, dedicated to materials, and the H2020 projects European Materials Modelling Council, MarketPlace, and Nanoscience Foundries and Fine Analysis.
Awards for the year's distinguished service to mathematics will be awarded by the Mathematical Association of America at the Joint Mathematics Meetings on January 17 in Baltimore

WASHINGTON, DC - Awards for the year's distinguished service to mathematics will be given to mathematicians Suzanne Doree of Augsburg University and the MAA North Central Section, Carl Lee of Central Michigan University and the MAA Michigan Section, and Jennifer Switkes of California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and the MAA Southern California Section by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) on Jan. 17, 2019 at the Joint Mathematics Meetings, the world's largest gathering of mathematicians, in Baltimore.

"The mathematicians receiving these awards are essential in carrying out the MAA's mission to advance the understanding of mathematics and its impact on our world," said Michael Pearson, executive director of the MAA. "Their commitment to their Section and valued service to the mathematical community ensures that the future of mathematics is bright."

Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics

Each year the MAA recognizes college or university mathematics teachers who demonstrate extraordinary success in teaching effectiveness, even beyond their own institutions. The Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Awards go to Suzanne Doree, Carl Lee, and Jennifer Switkes.

Doree is recognized for her exemplary teaching and leadership, not only at Augsburg University, but also nationally through her work with the MAA, the Charles A. Dana Center, and numerous presentations and workshops on campuses throughout the U.S. Doree is an expert teacher of mathematics who goes to extraordinary lengths to help students at all levels to learn mathematics.

Lee of Central Michigan University is recognized for his outstanding contributions to teaching and learning in the mathematical sciences. Lee provides tireless mentoring and helps any student interested in mathematical sciences and applications. He developed the NSF-supported Real-Time Online Hands-on Activities Database, used by more than 100 instructors at more than 50 institutions. Lee is also one of the founding members of the Consortium for the Advancement of Undergraduate Statistics Education (CAUSE) and he founded the Undergraduate Statistics Project Competition (USPROC).

Switkes of California State Polytechnic University Pomona is recognized for bringing her educational core values of excellence, honor, integrity, love, and purpose to all students. She has directed 13 master's theses and 12 undergraduate research projects during the past 13 years. She also taught calculus at the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, CA, through the Prison Education Project. She has taken her teachings international and taught a semester of differential equations to two large classes of students at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

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The Mathematical Association of America is the world's largest community of mathematicians, students, and enthusiasts. We accelerate the understanding of our world through mathematics because mathematics drives society and shapes our lives. Learn more at maa.org.
Researchers from LSTM have looked at the efficacy of using a novel artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), pyronaridine-artesunate, to treat malaria in areas where resistance to other ACTs is becoming a problem. The analysis finds it at least as effective as the currently used ACTs, if not better.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends ACTs to treat uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria. However, concerns over rising artemisinin resistance have led global initiatives to develop new partner drugs to protect their efficacy.

In this update of a Cochrane Review, independent LSTM authors Joseph Pryce and Paul Hine assessed the efficacy of pyronaridine-artesunate in treating malaria. They found that the treatment was as good, if not better than other ACTs; and while some people receiving it have liver function tests suggesting mild liver injuries, there was no evidence that this injury was severe or irreversible.

LSTM's Dr Hine is corresponding author on the review. He said: "The need to find novel ACTs is important so that we can protect the efficacy of the artemisinin derivatives within them. The evidence that we found clearly showed at pyronaridine-artesunate performs as well, if not better than some of the currently marketed ACTs."

The review team looked at the results from 10 included trials that compared pyronaridine-artesunate with other currently-used treatments for P. falciparum malaria. Five of the studies looked specifically at the safety of the drug, and two of the trials exclusively recruited children under the age of 12.

Joe Pryce, one of the authors, said: "We found that pyronaridine-artesunate did increase the risk of having blood tests that showed mild liver injury, but there was no evidence that this caused severe or irreversible damage. The findings of this review's efficacy analysis support the recommendation for using pyronaridine-artesunate in areas of multiple drug resistance, providing effective malaria treatment where other treatments may be failing."

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This Cochrane Review was co-ordinated by the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (CIDG), which has its editorial base at LSTM. The CIDG has been in operation since 1994 and consists of over 600 authors from 52 countries and is supported by UK aid from the UK Government for the benefit of low- and middle-income countries (project number 300342-104).
Cytomegalovirus is widespread and remains in the body for a lifetime after infection. In healthy individuals, this virus is usually kept in check but can become dangerous when the immune system is weakened or during pregnancy. DZIF scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen have developed an analytic method that can very precisely detect viral infections using immune responses. This method could help identify gaps in protection early on, and make transplants safer in future.

The human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is globally widespread and the majority of adults are carriers, also in Germany. After an infection, the virus hides in the body for a lifetime, which usually goes unnoticed. However, when the immune system is weakened, as is the case after transplants or when unborn children become infected during pregnancy, it can cause damage to a range of different organs including the nervous system. It is therefore important to find out whether an appropriate immune response against the virus is present in order to prevent such damage from occurring.

Killer T cells detect a broad range of viral targets

Dr Andreas Moosmann heads a DZIF research group at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and is specialised in studying immune responses to viruses. "In healthy humans, cytomegalovirus replication is curbed by T cells in particular," explains Moosmann. Billions of different T cells patrol through our body. Each cell has its own sensor on its surface, a so-called T cell receptor, which is able to identify just a small portion of a specific pathogen. As soon as this sensor is activated, the T cell turns into a killer cell. The infected cell is then killed and the viruses contained within it cannot replicate any longer. "Just by looking at specific T cells in the blood, we can now precisely detect whether a virus is present," says Moosmann. The problem up to now has been that complex techniques challenged such analyses. "Separate tests were required for every individual type of T cell and for each particular specificity," says Moosmann.

One test for many types of viruses

In order to identify viruses more rapidly and precisely, Moosmann and his Munich team of scientists developed a method that enables analysis of millions of T cells with one single test. "We sequence ribonucleic acid (RNA) from the blood samples, through which we can identify existing types of T cell receptors that are specific for different parts of CMV," explains PhD candidate Alina Huth. Using this new method, the scientists were able to identify 1052 CMV-specific T cell receptors in eight healthy virus carriers. In a second group of 352 donors, the scientists measured the prevalence of these sequences, enabling them to very precisely predict infected donors.

The results will be serve to establish a database of virus-specific T cell receptors. According to the scientists, this method can also be used for other viruses. Biologist Dr Xiaoling Liang is convinced that "This diagnostic method will deliver more information at a lower cost and is therefore attractive for clinicians in future. We can now develop a test that can directly determine the immune status for different viruses in one step."

The applications of such a test are manifold. For example, it could be used to predict viral infections in transplant patients and other people with weakened immune systems and enable timely treatment. "We believe this test has great potential. It could, for example, also be used to check if a vaccination has been successful. And it will promote research on the connections between infections, auto-immune diseases and allergies," adds Moosmann.

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Publication

Alina Huth, Xiaoling Liang, Stefan Krebs, Helmut Blum, Andreas Moosmann:

Antigen-Specific TCR Signatures of Cytomegalovirus Infection.

J Immunol December 26, 2018, ji1801401; DOI: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 4049/ jimmunol. 1801401

Contact

Dr Andreas Moosmann

Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and German Center for Infection Research

T +49 89 3187 1202

E-mail: andreas.moosmann@helmholtz-muenchen.de

DZIF Press Office

Karola Neubert and Janna Schmidt

T +531 6181 1170/54

E-mail: presse@dzif.de

At the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), over 500 scientists from 35 establishments across Germany jointly research new approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. The aim is to translate research findings into clinical practice rapidly and effectively. With this the DZIF paves the way for developing new vaccines, diagnostics and drugs to treat infections. http://www. dzif. de/
Nuclear--Deep space travel

By automating the production of neptunium oxide-aluminum pellets, Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have eliminated a key bottleneck when producing plutonium-238 used by NASA to fuel deep space exploration. Pu-238 provides a constant heat source through radioactive decay, a process that has powered spacecraft such as Cassini and the Mars Rover. "Automating part of the Pu-238 production process is helping push annual production from 50 grams to 400 grams, moving closer to NASA's goal of 1.5 kilograms per year by 2025," said ORNL's Bob Wham. "The automation replaces a function our team did by hand and is expected to increase the output of pressed pellets from 80 to 275 per week." Once the pellets are pressed and enclosed in aluminum tubing, they are irradiated at ORNL's High Flux Isotope Reactor and chemically processed into Pu-238 at the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center. In 2012, NASA reached an agreement with the Department of Energy to restart production of Pu-238, and ORNL was selected to lead the project. [Contact: Jason Ellis, (865) 241-5819; ellisjk@ornl.gov]

Video: https:/ / youtu. be/ gl8vESVnRBc

Caption: Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists have automated part of the process of producing plutonium-238, which is used by NASA to fuel deep space exploration. Resolving this key bottleneck will help boost annual production of the radioisotope towards NASA's goal of 1.5 kilograms of Pu-238 per year by 2025. Credit: Genevieve Martin and Jenny Woodbery/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Supercomputing--Memory boost

Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Hypres, a digital superconductor company, have tested a novel cryogenic, or low-temperature, memory cell circuit design that may boost memory storage while using less energy in future exascale and quantum computing applications. The team used Josephson junctions made from niobium and aluminum-based materials, fabricated at Hypres, for the single-bit memory design on a chip and demonstrated write, read and reset memory operations occurring on the same circuit. "The test showed the viability of memory processing functions to operate faster and more efficiently," ORNL's Yehuda Braiman said. "This could lead to substantially decreased access energies and access times and allow for more circuits to occupy less space." Building on the initial design, ORNL's Braiman, Niketh Nair and Neena Imam continue working on multi-valued memory cell circuits and large arrays of memory cells. Their first step was a ternary memory cell circuit design, which was published in Superconductor Science and Technology. [Contact: Sara Shoemaker, (865) 576-9219; shoemakerms@ornl.gov]

Image 1: https:/ / www. ornl. gov/ sites/ default/ files/ Supercomputing-Memory_boost1. jpg

Caption: Oak Ridge National Laboratory and digital superconductor company Hypres designed a layout of four memory cells with different parameters. Their study of cryogenic memory cell circuit designs may boost storage while using less energy in future exascale and quantum computing applications. Credit: Dr. Amir Jafair-Salim/Hypres

Image 2: https:/ / www. ornl. gov/ sites/ default/ files/ news/ images/ Supercomputing-Memory_boost2. jpg

Caption: A fabricated single-bit memory design on a chip developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Hypres demonstrated write, read and reset memory operations occurring on the same circuit. Credit: Dr. Amir Jafair-Salim/Hypres

Buildings--On-the-go HVAC check

Technicians can access a free tool developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory to support the installation and repair of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, particularly when using new refrigerants. Researchers at ORNL have launched a mobile app called fProps to quickly check fluid properties such as refrigerant, coolant and air while installing or repairing HVAC equipment in commercial and residential buildings. Users specify inputs for each property and a wizard then guides through the module within the tool. "With fProps, technicians have at their fingertips a way to evaluate air, coolant, refrigerants and capacity calculation functions," said ORNL's Bo Shen. "This tool also provides additional support for professionals using new low global warming potential refrigerants in HVAC systems." The fProps app is a pilot program, and additional modules can be added in the future based on interest. [Contact: Jennifer Burke, (865) 576-3212; burkejj@ornl.gov]

Image: https:/ / www. ornl. gov/ sites/ default/ files/ Building-HVAC_app. jpg

Caption: ORNL's fProps is a mobile phone app that allows HVAC technicians to quickly check fluid properties before equipment installation or repair. Credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Vehicles--Fuel cell power up

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists studying fuel cells as a potential alternative to internal combustion engines used sophisticated electron microscopy to investigate the benefits of replacing high-cost platinum with a lower cost, carbon-nitrogen-manganese-based catalyst. "We used electron microscopy to demonstrate that atomically dispersed manganese can act as an oxygen reduction reaction catalyst while also increasing durability," said ORNL's David Cullen. Fuel cell technologies hold promise for use in vehicles because of their high-power density, low operating temperature and carbon-free emissions. Yet, the high cost associated with platinum-based catalysts and insufficient durability of alternative platinum-free catalysts remains a market barrier. "Our team's finding could open up the potential for widespread use in transportation and other energy conversion applications," said Cullen. ORNL researchers were part of a team that produced the results published in Nature Catalysis. [Contact: Jennifer Burke, (865) 576-3212; burkejj@ornl.gov]

Image: https:/ / www. ornl. gov/ sites/ default/ files/ Picture2_1. png

Caption: ORNL researchers used high-resolution electron microscopy to show that nitrogen-doped carbon with atomically dispersed manganese can enhance the performance and durability of low-cost platinum-free polymer electrolyte fuel cells, an important step towards use of such fuel cells in transportation applications. Credit: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

Neutrons--Quest for QSLs

Researchers used neutron scattering at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Spallation Neutron Source to investigate bizarre magnetic behavior, believed to be a possible quantum spin liquid rarely found in a three-dimensional material. QSLs are exotic states of matter where magnetism continues to fluctuate at low temperatures instead of "freezing" into aligned north and south poles as with traditional magnets. "If you could shrink down to see what individual electrons are doing, it would seem as though nothing special was going on," said Kemp Plumb of Brown University. "But, when you zoom out, a beautiful collective pattern emerges signifying a new phase of matter that hasn't been seen before." Observations of the material's quantum behavior are consistent with the theoretical models. This indicates the material has the right ingredients for fractionalized magnetic excitations that could be harnessed for future quantum information technologies. The research was published in Nature Physics. [Contact: Jeremy Rumsey, (865) 576-2038; rumseyjp@ornl.gov]

Image: https:/ / www. ornl. gov/ sites/ default/ files/ 18-G01703%20PinchPoint-v2. jpg

Caption: Neutrons reveal a striking pattern of connected "bow ties" that is characteristic of the emergent electron motion in the quantum spin liquid state, observed in a three-dimensional material belonging to a class of minerals used in a wide range of technological applications. Credit: Kemp Plumb/Brown University and Genevieve Martin/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Dept. of Energy

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Beijing, December 24, 2018: The Winter 2018 issue includes five original research articles, a review article, a letter to the editor and a China Focus article addressing various topics in family medicine in both China and internationally.

The first featured article in this issue is an original research article entitled "Adherence to clinical guidelines for monitoring diabetes in primary care settings by authors Mingliang Dai, Michael R. Peabody, Lars E. Peterson and Arch G. Mainous. Adherence to clinical guidelines is an integral part of the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan to reduce the impact of diabetes. In this study, the authors used the 2013 National Ambulatory Care Survey to assess US physicians' adherence to the American Diabetes Association's guidelines for monitoring diabetes. A substantial gap was found between what was done in primary care settings and what is recommended for optimal diabetes management. The authors findings support the positive effect of continuity of care on improving diabetes quality of care.

The second featured article is an original research article entitled "Relationship between glycemic control and perceived family support among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus seen in a rich kinship network in Southwest Nigeria by authors Nnenna A. Osuji , Oluwaseun Solomon Ojo , Sunday O. Malomo , Peter T. Sogunle , Ademola O. Egunjobi and Olufisayo O. Odebunmi. Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries are currently experiencing a rapid increase in the incidence of noncommunicable diseases, especially diabetes mellitus (DM), as a result of increasing urbanization and changing lifestyles. People with diseases such as DM that require lifelong management may be tired of taking medications and adhering to the life-style modifications over time. This underscores the importance of motivation in people with DM. The authors consider whether support from the family motivate people with DM to improve self-management behaviors and ultimately their glycemic control.

The third featured article is an original research article entitled "Factors associated with visit-to-visit variability of blood pressure in hypertensive patients at a Primary Health Care Service, Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia by Gusti Ayu Riska Pertiwi , Anak Agung Ngurah Aryawangsa , I. Putu Yuda Prabawa , Ida Bagus Amertha Putra Manuaba , Agha Bhargah , Ni Wayan Sri Ratni and I. Putu Gede Budiana. This study provides an overview of visit-to-visit variability (VVV) in hypertension blood pressure management in a primary health care service setting. In this study there was a significant relationship between the use of antihypertensive drugs and VVV. This finding illustrates that VVV can be used as an additional factor in considering the target of controlling blood pressure in primary health services, given that hypertension has many complications that can arise if management is not done properly.

The China Focus article is entitled "Efficiency of community health centers in China during 2013-2015: A synchronic and diachronic study by Lin Zhao, Yao Zhang, Yabing Hou and Guiming Yan. This article evaluates the efficiency of CHCs in China at the national regional level from synchronic and diachronic perspectives. Data was used from China's Health and Family Planning Statistical Yearbook 2014, China's Health and Family Planning Statistical Yearbook 2015, and China's Health and Family Planning Statistical Yearbook 2016 and reviewed by envelopment and Malmquist index analysis to assess the efficiency of CHCs.

###

Other articles published in the issue include:

Original Research

Predictors of successfully quitting smoking among smokers registered at the quit smoking clinic at a public hospital in northeastern Malaysia

Nur Izzati Mohammad, Selasawati Ghazali and Mohd Nazri Shafei.

Nutritional status in adolescent girls: Attempt to determine its prevalence and its association with sociodemographic variable

Smitha Malenahalli Chandrashekarappa, Narayana Murthy Mysuru Ramakrishnaiah and Renuka Manjunath.

Review Article

Comprehensive AIDS prevention programs in prisons: A review study

Somayeh Zare, Mehdi Kargar, Jeyran Ostovarfar and Mohammad Hossein Kaveh.

Letter to the Editor

The challenge given by Zika virus

Juan Sebastian Vargas Rodriguez
The American Statistical Association Board of Directors announces its endorsement of Principles and Best Practices for Post-Election Tabulation Audits. The December 2018 document--which updates a 2008 document with the latest statistical research and best practices--"is meant to provide guidance to relevant legislative bodies, state and local election administrators and vendors..." because a "healthy democracy requires widespread trust in elections... [and] people need to be sure that the official election outcomes match the will of the voters."

Imagine someone counted hundreds of blue, red and white marbles in a bag and concluded there are many more red marbles than blue marbles. How can you trust that conclusion? You could dump out the marbles and count each one.

Or you could use statistics to do the job faster.

If you pull out 20 blue marbles in a row, you'll want to recount the whole bag. But if you pull them out one at a time and end up with 19 reds and one blue, you can stop--there's too small a chance that you did that with more blues than reds in the bag.

You've established the basis of risk-limiting audits, one of nine post-election auditing principles in Principles and Best Practices for Post-Election Tabulation Audits, endorsed by the American Statistical Association. The December 2018 document updates a 2008 document with the latest statistical research and best practices.

"Given heightened concerns about foreign subversion of election systems and processes, election officials and legislators around the country are turning their attention to post-election audits as part of the solution," said Mark Lindeman, a senior officer with Verified Voting who has expertise in risk-limiting audits and co-wrote the document. "The interest in audits has never been greater. Unfortunately, a lot of specific proposals for how to conduct audits are inadequate or fundamentally misguided."

Principles and Best Practices for Post-Election Tabulation Audits includes guidelines for auditing elections and a brief appendix explaining risk-limiting audits.

"The principles document should be readable by anyone interested in implementing best practice post-election audits," Lindeman said. "Election officials, legislators, citizens advocating for better election verification can read this document and use it as a starting point for their strategies and implementation."

Principles to support democracy

"A healthy democracy requires widespread trust in elections," is the first line of the new document.

After the recount in Florida in 2000, many Americans became aware of the difficulty of full hand recounts. Before you read the ballots, you have to count them to make sure none are stuck together with static or left in the ballot boxes, according to Tammy Patrick, former election official in Arizona and commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration.

"People can't count to 10 consistently," Patrick said. "In about 10 years of conducting post-election audits, at every single table in every single room I ever oversaw, I would go through a stack [of ballots] and find the one that had 11."

"The problem is, if you're trying to audit large quantities of ballots, we humans are terrible at repetitive tedious tasks and so audit has a bad taste in a lot of election officials' mouths for that reason," added former Arapahoe County deputy of elections Jennifer Morrell, who co-edited Principles and Best Practices for Post-Election Tabulation Audits.

Post-election audits decrease the number of hand-counted ballots while ensuring the correctness of the outcome. A few principles the ASA supports include the following:

The public should be able to monitor the process. Transparency is key to building trust in the electoral process.

Use humans to inspect paper ballots. Voters can verify paper ballots, which are more immune to tampering than electronic systems.

If an audit indicates a full hand count is necessary and that changes the winner, then the changed outcome should hold. Audits should do what they are intended to do.

The guiding principles--which also include separating responsibility between the auditor and policymakers, considering mail-in and absentee ballots, and protecting the ballots--should help people perform audits.

"We don't expect the public to be able to prove the theorem, but they ought to be able to verify the arithmetic themselves with just addition and multiplication," said UC Berkeley statistics professor Philip Stark, who developed risk-limiting audits and offered the marbles analogy for a simple explanation. "Some jurisdictions have done this on their own, with no statistician present."

Risk-limiting audits: A more effective, cheaper way to ensure outcomes

If you know how many marbles are in the bag, you could decide to inspect one percent of the marbles. You'd be in good company--California law has dictated the hand-count audits of one percent of precincts since 1965. But if you have millions of marbles, or ballots, one percent can be a lot of work.

A risk-limiting audit trades the efficiency of checking a small number of ballots for an acceptable risk that the wrong outcome is not found. That is, if red won but blue was the actual winner, there's a chance our risk-limiting audit doesn't notice.

"The idea is that you need to convince me that the outcome is right, so we're going to collect convincing evidence," Stark said. "If that means we have to look at every ballot, so be it. But as soon as we get to the point that it's clear that a full hand count would give us the same winners that have been reported, we stop."

In the 2008 presidential election in California, where Barack Obama received 61% of the vote, you'd check only 97 ballots to complete a risk-limiting audit with 10% risk. That's a miniscule .0007% of 13.7 million votes cast. If the margin had been 52%, you'd still only check 3,860 votes, as explained in a 2012 paper by Lindeman and Stark.

Risk-limiting audits have been endorsed by the Senate Intelligence Committee, the bipartisan Presidential Commission on Election Administration, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Implementing the principles

Stark based risk-limiting audits on statistics research from the 1940s. He started this project after taking part in a California working group on voting and realizing "there was no particular motivation" for the flat one percent law. Colorado put Stark's series of papers to the test for a pilot study in 2014.

"My team was not a fan of [risk-limiting audits]; they thought it was a terrible idea that didn't make sense, and we hoped we would never see [advocates of these audits] again," Morrell said. "Three years later, the same staff who said this was gobbledygook could see the value in it and totally embraced it."

After Colorado formed a mandate to run risk-limiting audits by 2017, Morrell's team had to implement them. They formed a working group with election officials, state lawyers, election machine vendors, individual advocates in the community and researchers including Stark and Lindeman. Collaboration will be crucial for implementing risk-limiting audits in other localities, Morrell said.

"In the past, [risk-limiting audits] were seen as on the fringe because they're complex," Morrell said. "The [2008] document of first principles of best practices was seen as something for advocates and not pertinent to election officials. Now, it's got to election officials everywhere and it's made its way all the way up to the federal purview."

The authors hope these principles will reassure Americans of the security of the election process.

"It takes us from black boxes, where no one's sure how they know who won the election, to transparent processes, where anyone who cares can drill down into the details and convince themselves that things are going well," Lindeman said. "That's democracy. These are elections that belong to the people, and when we create processes that help people own the election, then we're doing it right."

###

Contact: Steve Pierson, pierson@amstat.org, (703) 302-1841.

About the American Statistical Association
WSJ (Saudis Plan New Export Cuts in Hopes of Lifting Oil to $80 a Barrel):

Saudi Arabia is planning to cut crude exports to around 7.1 million barrels a day by the end of January in hopes of lifting oil prices above $80 a barrel, according to OPEC officials.

The new strategy comes as the kingdom seeks to cover a large government spending boost. It said last month that it planned to increase its expenditures by 7% in 2019the equivalent of about $20 billionas the country struggles to fund ambitious plans to diversify its economy beyond petroleum products.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto Saudi ruler, has faced a sharp decrease in oil prices since October amid a supply glut. The brutal killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi operatives in October has also deterred foreign companies from working in the kingdom and investing in its economic development plans.

The new Saudi budget requires oil prices to rise to as much as $95 a barrel, according to an official with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. But the kingdom would be satisfied with prices at $80 to $85 a barrel, a range that would limit its need to dip it into its financial reserves, according to people familiar with its thinking.

To cover proposed expenditures, Riyadh is set to reduce crude exports by up to 800,000 barrels a day from November levels.

Saudi Arabia exported about 7.3 million barrels a day of crude last month. That was already down from around 7.9 million barrels a day in November and 7.7 million barrels a day in October.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 1.2% to just under $59 a barrel and WTI jumped 3.5% to just under $50 a barrel Monday after The Wall Street Journal reported Saudi Arabia planned to deepen export cuts.
Turkey, US had productive talks on Syria: US official

US looks forward to 'ongoing military-to-military consultations' on cooperation in Syria, US official says.

Following a meeting between Turkish and US delegations, Washingtons National Security Council spokesman said the two sides had a productive discussion.

"US LOOKS FORWARD TURKEY'S COOPERATION"

Garret Marquis told journalists that US President Donald Trumps recent decision to withdraw roughly 2.000 military personnel at a proper pace from northeast Syria was a major talking point for the delegations led by Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and US National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Marquis said that the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries was emphasized during the meeting. The US looks forward to ongoing military-to-military consultations today on our cooperation in Syria, he said.

The talks between senior military, intelligence and diplomatic officials on both sides took place at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Tuesday, lasting around two hours.

Bolton departed from the Turkish capital later on Tuesday, while other major figures -- including US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford and Special Envoy for Syria James Jeffrey are still in Ankara.
There will be no victory for the terrorists, says Erdogan

In an op-ed article for the New York Times, President Erdogan said Turkey has a plan to restore peace in Syria.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an article published in The New York Times late Monday that Donald Trump made the right call to withdraw US troops from Syria.

President Trump made the right call to withdraw from Syria. The United States withdrawal, however, must be planned carefully and performed in cooperation with the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people, Erdogan wrote.

"TURKEY WILL ENSURE ITS OWN SAFETY"

I say this again: There will be no victory for the terrorists. Turkey will continue to do what it must to ensure its own safety and the well-being of the international community. Erdogan said. Militarily speaking, the so-called Islamic State has been defeated in Syria. Yet we are deeply concerned that some outside powers may use the organizations remnants as an excuse to meddle in Syrias internal affairs.

"THERE ARE LESSONS TO LEARN FROM IRAQ"

Erdogan also warned that the international community should avoid making the same mistakes as in Iraq. A military victory against the terrorist group is a mere first step. The lesson of Iraq, where this terrorist group was born, is that premature declaration of victory and the reckless actions they tend to spur create more problems than they solve. The international community cannot afford to make the same mistake again today.
Iranian women dance on social media to resist government

A video of Iranian women shuffle dancing publicly in the streets of Iran has gone viral this week.

Iranian women have long suffered under Irans morality laws. And now, But they are pushing back, in ways both subtle and strong.

A 19-year old Iranian teenager, Maedeh Hojabri, had filmed videos of herself happily dancing in her bedroom to American and Iranian pop music and posted them on Instagram. After her post, Iranian authorities had arrested her without warning and without specific charges. That sparked an Internet campaign and a nationwide debate over the prohibition on women dancing in Iran.

Iranian women dance on social media to resist government WATCH

A video of Iranian women shuffle dancing publicly has gone viral after the sparks.

Under Iranian sharia law, it is illegal for a woman to dance in public. Iran Sport for All Federation bans lots activities, which include rhythmic motions and dance and are unlawful in any shape and title, like Zumba, yoga and pilates.
Erdogan rejected Boltons requested meeting

Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton has left Ankara after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected his meeting request.

President Erdogan on Tuesday slammed US National Security Adviser John Bolton's recent claim that Turkey targets Kurds in Syria.

On Sunday, Bolton had said the US will not withdraw troops from northeastern Syria until the Turkish government guarantees it wont attack Kurdish fighters, referring to YPG/PKK terrorist group.

"BOLTON'S COMMENTS ON YPG ARE UNACCEPTABLE"

Commenting on the development, Erdogan told reporters at the Justice and Development (AK Party) Party's parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday that Presidential Adviser Ibrahim Kaln is Bolton's Turkish counterpart. Erdogan said that Bolton's comments on the YPG were unacceptable and that Turkey could not accept the US's stated condition.

"It is impossible to accept the message given by Mr. Bolton in Israel," Erdogan told at the parliamentary group. "Claims that Turkey targets Kurds in Syria is dishonorable, ugly, vulgar and defaming," Erdogan said. Erdogan said Turkey is determined to eliminate "terror corridor" in northern Syria, adding that Turkey made no distinction between terrorist groups.

"For Turkey, there is no difference between PKK, YPG, PYD or Daesh," the president said.

He said Turkey's preparations to eradicate Daesh in Syria's north "together with other terrorist organizations are underway." "Very soon we will act to neutralize terrorist groups in Syria. And we will take out other terror groups that might try to prevent us from doing this," Erdogan added.

He said Turkey has always respected its allies, adding that his country expects the same attitude from its allies.
A pile of rubble sits on the ground as crews tear down the east side of the North Van Buren overpass in this November file photo. The federal government shutdown has forced delays in some state highway projects, although the work in Enid has not been affected. (Billy Hefton / Enid News & Eagle)
The visit falls on what is believed to be the North Korean leaders 35th birthday. The four-day stay suggests that a second summit with the US president is in the making. According to observers, North Korea and China are seeking a common strategy.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies)  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived this morning in Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid speculations that his second summit with the US president, Donald Trump, might be held very soon.

A special train carrying Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, arrived in Beijing at around 10:55 am. The North Korean delegation is made up of party, government and military officials, including Kim Yong-chol, a key nuclear negotiator with the United States, and Ri Yong-ho and No Kwang-chol, the country's foreign and defence ministers respectively, Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

China's Xinhua News Agency also confirmed the visit at Xi's invitation and is set to run over four days.

According to South Koreas Unification Ministry, Tuesday is Kims 35th birthday, although the date hasnt been confirmed by North Korea.

Kim is widely expected to meet with Xi during his stay, though his detailed itinerary has not been made public. China is North Koreas ally as well as its main trading partner and source of aid.

The trip  Kims fourth to China since March  suggests that a second summit between Kim and the US president Donald Trump is being worked out.

According to the US leader, talks are underway between Pyongyang and Washington to pick a place where the two leaders can meet.

Analysts see Kim's visit to China as an opportunity for North Korea to coordinate a strategy with its powerful ally.

According to observers, Kim could exploit his relationship with the Chinese president to push the United States to make greater concessions in nuclear talks.

In his New Year speech, the North Korean leader threatened to change course if the United States did not ease economic sanctions imposed on his country.
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.

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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
Teenager receives hospital treatment after Douglas incident

Police in Douglas are appealing for information after a teenager required hospital treatment.

The incident happened at around 8:15pm on Thursday on Market Street, around the old Shoprite site at Chester Street Car Park.

The incident involving two youths led to one of them receiving hospital treatment.

It is believed that there were a large group of youths in the area at the time.

Police are keen to speak to anyone with information.
INDIANAPOLIS, June 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To advance the science of migraine treatment and aid the understanding of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) compared to oral CGRP receptor antagonists in the prevention of migraine, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) will be conducting a head-to-head study comparing once-monthly injectable Emgality (galcanezumab-gnlm) with Nurtec ODT (rimegepant), an orally disintegrating tablet patients take every other day. CGRP is a protein in the brain thought to play a key role in migraine. Emgality binds to this protein, preventing it from attaching to the CGRP receptors, whereas Nurtec ODT blocks the receptor for this protein.1-3 This study aims to answer important questions that will help clinicians and patients make more informed treatment decisions on the path to more migraine-free days.
The labour action is the first test for recently re-elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her fourth mandate. The government has raised wages for entry-level workers. Some 4,500 textile and clothing factories operate in Bangladesh with exports worth US$ 30 billion.

Dhaka (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Clashes in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, have left one dead and 50 injured, following three days of strikes by garment workers in Dhaka, Savar and Gazipur. Workers are demanding better wages and changes to the new wage structure that favours entry-level workers.

To restore calm, the newly-appointed Minister of Labour and Employment Begum Monnuzan Sufian said that if there are discriminations in pay structure, they will be resolved within a month.

The victim, Sumon, a 22-year-old man, was hit by a bullet fired by agents in the Ulail area. Together with thousands of others, he was protesting against the salary hike for entry-level workers.

Workers complain that the monthly wage in the seventh grade increased from Tk 5,300 (US$ 63) to Tk 8,000 (US$ 100), which is more than their senior operators, who have been working for more than seven to eight years.

The demonstrations are the first test for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was re-elected for a fourth mandate.

In Bangladesh, the garment industry, especially the export sector, is a cornerstone of the countrys economy, making it the second garment exporter in the world after China.

At least 4,500 textile and clothing factories produce some US$ 30 billion worth of apparel for Western labels  both luxury and low-cost  like H & M, Zara, Walmart, Tesco, Kappa, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. The workforce is made up mostly of women and working conditions are poorly regulated.

Work-related accidents are commonplace. The most serious incident occurred in 2013 when the Rana Plaza complex in Savar collapsed killing more than 1,300 people.
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Massachusetts' Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey declared "victory" on Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected ExxonMobil's attempt to derail her office's probe into whether the fossil fuel giant misled investors and the public about its knowledge of climate change.

The justices declined to hear Exxon's appeal of an April ruling by Massachusetts' highest court, Reuters reported.

The decision effectively affirmed Healy's authority to investigate Exxon and to order the company to hand over decades of internal records related to the company's understanding of global warming.

This victory "clears the way for our office to investigate Exxon's conduct toward consumers and investors," Healey tweeted after the ruling.

"The public deserves answers from this company about what it knew about the impacts of burning fossil fuels, and when," she added.

Healey first issued a civil investigative demand on Exxon in April 2016 in order to seek "information regarding whether Exxon may have misled consumers and/or investors with respect to the impact of fossil fuels on climate change, and climate change-driven risks to Exxon's business."

The oil company repeatedly tried to block the AG's investigation in lower courts but never prevailed. Today's rejection from the nation's top court likely means that Exxon must comply with Healy's demands.

Environmentalists, including 350.org U.S. communications manager Thanu Yakupitiyage, celebrated the news.

"This latest decision brings great momentum in the fight to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for causing the climate crisis," Yakupitiyage said in an issued statement. "We thank Attorney General Healey for her vigilant leadership in standing up for people over polluters."

In October, New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood officially filed a lawsuit against Exxon alleging the company defrauded shareholders and downplayed the risk of climate change to its business.

Underwood's office said in a press release that a years-long investigation uncovered an alleged fraudulent scheme to systematically and repeatedly deceive investors about the significant impact that future climate change regulations could have on the company's assets and value. The alleged fraud reached the highest levels of the company, including former chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson.

The probes from the Massachusetts and New York attorneys general were launched after groundbreaking investigations by InsideClimate News and The Los Angeles Times in 2015, which reported that Exxon scientists and executives understood for decades that its products drive global warming.

"Today's decision is yet another defeat for Exxon in their fight to hide the fact that they have known for 50 years that their products cause climate change," Richard Wiles, executive director of the Center for Climate Integrity, said in an issued statement. "Deception and delay are Exxon's core climate strategies. Today the court dealt the company yet another defeat in their fight to hide the fact that they have known for 50 years that their products cause climate change."

Exxon has dismissed these allegations as "meritless," Reuters reported.
A standoff between indigenous activists and TransCanada over a proposed natural gas pipeline in British Columbia (BC) came to a head Monday as Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stormed a checkpoint set up by protesters to block construction, arresting 14, The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) National News reported Tuesday.

The RCMP were enforcing a court injunction issued Dec. 14, 2018 saying that Coastal GasLink, a subsidiary of TransCanada, could access unceded Wetsuwet'en territory in order to build a pipeline. The company says it has approval from the elected representatives of all 20 First Nation groups along the pipeline route, but the hereditary Wetsuwet'en leaders say that they are the ones who control access to the land, and they do not want any fossil fuel development to take place on it.

"The RCMP's ultimatum, to allow TransCanada access to unceded Wet'suwet'en territory or face police invasion, is an act of war. Canada is now attempting to do what it has always donecriminalize and use violence against indigenous people so that their unceded homelands can be exploited for profit," the main protest camp said in a statement reported by The Guardian.

The main camp, the Unist'ot'en camp, was established almost ten years ago on the Morice River to prevent three different pipeline projects from passing through the area, APTN reported. A separate Gidimt'en checkpoint, which the police rushed on Monday, was set up within days of the court injunction, according to The Guardian. The Unist'ot'en and Gitimd'en are two of the five clans that make up the Wet'suwet'en.



The Gitimd'en checkpoint was toppled Monday, and it is not known when police will move on the Unist'ot'en camp, APTN said. Police first arrived 9 a.m. on Monday and set up a barrier and an "exclusion zone" blocking public and media access.

APTN shared the experience of 72-year-old protester Carmen NIkal:



"They (police) spent some time trying to get the barricade down and I stepped away and there were a couple of the protestors who had secured themselves to the barricade inside, I'm not exactly sure how the rest of us were standing and singing," she said in an interview on Facebook.



"The only thing I could do was try to block the path between the bus and the bridge. I'm not a big person but I was big enough to stand and they had asked me to move and I said 'No I'm not moving' and he said, 'Well, we can arrest you,'" she said.



"And I'm proud to have been arrested."

Gidimt'en Clan spokesperson Molly Wickham was also among those arrested. Four hereditary chiefs attempted to negotiate with the company outside the checkpoint, but the company would not compromise.

"We may have lost this battle but not the war," said hereditary Gidimt'en Chief Madeek told APTN.

The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) issued a statement ahead of Monday's police action criticizing the RCMP's intention to enforce the injunction.

"We strongly condemn the RCMP's use of intimidation, harassment, and ongoing threats of forceful intervention and removal of the Wet'suwet'en land defenders from Wet'suwet'en unceded territory," UBCIC President Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said.

The $4.6 billion Coastal GasLink pipeline would carry natural gas 670 kilometers (approximately 416 miles) from Dawson Creek to Kitimat, on the BC coast, The Guardian reported.


By Sarah Lazarovic

Sarah Lazarovic created this comic for or The Good Money Issue, the Winter 2019 edition of YES! Magazine. Sarah is an artist and creative director. As a journalist, she's worked for almost every publication in Canada, covering news and cultural events in comic form. In 2015, her live sketching of a Rob Ford speech won gold at the Online News Association awards. As a Massey Fellow at the University of Toronto in 2014, she studied behavioral economics and environmental sustainability. Her book, A Bunch of Pretty Things I Did Not Buy (Penguin 2014), is available at fine libraries everywhere.



Reposted with permission from our media associate YES! Magazine.
The injured are aged six to ten years with three in hospital in serious conditions. The attacker was arrested but nothing is known about him. The motivations behind the deed are also unknown.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A man attacked a group of children with a hammer in front of a elementary school in Xicheng, a district of the Chinese capital.

More than 20 children are said to be injured, with three hospitalised in very serious conditions. All children are aged between three and ten years.

Local police said they arrested the attacker, but did not release any details about him.

Xicheng District announced that a full investigation would be carried out to understand the motivations for the gesture and examine security flaws that allowed him to act almost undisturbed.

The administrators of Beijing No.1 Affiliated Elementary School of Xuanwu Normal School, where the attack took place, did not make any statements but said they were ready to collaborate with the authorities.

The Global Times, an online newspaper close to the Communist Party, reported that the attack occurred at 11 am.

Violent crimes are quite rare in China, where the law imposes the death penalty on anyone who attacks Chinese and foreigners.

The attack comes a day after a Chinese man was put to death for injuring 12 children in a knife attack at a nursery in China.


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Digital transformation has become a prime focus for retailers these days. In order to grow, brick-and-mortar stores realize they must use their digital touchpoints to enhance their customers' in-store experiences.

Online retailers recognize they need to separate themselves from the pack through faster and more informative shopping experiences. And omnichannel sellers and brands are aware they need to provide their customers with a seamless, cross-channel experience.

To meet the exigencies of digital transformation, retailers have been turning to business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce suites to automate their merchandising, streamline operations, and boost the impact of their business teams on the experience of their customers.

However, choosing such a platform can be difficult.

"It's a very competitive space. Differentiation is challenging," said Thad Peterson, a senior analyst with the Aite Group, a global research and advisory firm based in Boston.

"It's a maturing market, but some aspects of it are growing faster than the market as a whole," he told the E-Commerce Times. "The home mobile side is growing more quickly -- and in the developing world, it's growing much, much more quickly."

Hands On or Hands Off?

How much the business should be involved in the technical implementation and operation of the platform is one of the first questions a commerce platform shopper should consider, Gartner analyst Mike Lowndes suggested in a research note on digital commerce platform architecture. Gartner, a research and advisory company, is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

"If the business will be less involved, then a more packaged or single-vendor solution may be appropriate," he wrote. "However, if IT organizations are to be involved in more than governance, leaders need to understand the high-level approaches available to make the best decision for the business."

When examining a new digital commerce venture or replacing a legacy platform, organizations often search first for a digital commerce platform vendor before considering the impact of the vendor's product architecture on their business and future needs, Lowndes wrote.

"Alternatively, this decision is placed in the hands of a development partner or system integrator on behalf of the business," he added, "sometimes with unforeseen consequences to flexibility, future-proofing and fit for purpose."

Big Versus Small

When shopping for a B2C e-commerce suite, the size of the purchaser is an important consideration.

"If you're a sophisticated e-commerce provider with an IT group that does a lot of your Web development, then you don't need a turnkey solution. You just need good cloud-based functionality and a good, secure platform that's flexible so you can do what you need to do," Aite Group's Peterson explained.

"If you're a small organization, you may need Web services, Web design and a lot of other things," he continued. "If you're smaller, you're ceding more control to the provider. If you're larger, you're keeping more control to yourself."

A recent Forrester Wave report on B2C commerce suites notes, for example, that SAP Commerce Cloud is a suite suitable only for organizations with deep technical skills or a strong partnership with a system integrator.

"SAP commerce cloud is a best ft for companies looking for an industrial-strength full-function commerce platform in wide use across several industry verticals," the report points out.

IBM's Watson Commerce is another suite that requires technical chops to deploy, and IBM is also in the process of modernizing the solution's architecture.

"IBM is a good fit for large enterprises with the budget, resources, and willingness to bet on the company's ability to execute on its modern platform vision. Less mature organizations will likely find this suite too cumbersome," Forrester concludes.

What to Look For

At the start of the shopping process for a B2C suite, an organization has to evaluate what it sells. Is my product complex or is it simple?

"There are solutions that are better for selling simple products than complex products," said Gartner Vice President Penny Gillespie.

Where a product is being sold is another important consideration.

"Some platforms do better selling locally and regionally than globally," Gillespie told the E-Commerce Times.

For example, in Forrester's report notes that Digital River's commerce suite is a good fit for companies looking to expand globally and to outsource the transactional overhead of doing business internationally.

Forrester offers three general recommendations when shopping for a B2C suite:

Make sure the suite contains the core set of features that drive a customer's online experience -- including search, personalization and promotions, and the analytics to tie those three elements together. The ability to target content and products with consumer incentives across the consumer's shopping journey is essential to giving the consumer a differentiated shopping experience. Make sure the suite is agile enough to give business users the tools they need to rapidly change content. Business users need a 360-degree view of their customers, along with a promotions and campaign engine they can control, so they can attract customers and induce them to make purchases. Make sure the suite incorporates operational efficiencies that reduce costs and provide an upgrade process that requires little regression testing and no recoding. A containerized approach to upgrades that manages versions and automates scaling is critical to simplifying the upgrade cycle, as is the use of an abstracted API layer to isolate the commerce runtime from store customizations.

Transformation Versus Optimization

When purchasing a B2C suite, a buyer should understand the difference between a solution that's going to optimize an organization's performance and one that can transform it. A transformational solution is one prepared to deal with the future of e-commerce.

Just a scant six years ago, optimization was the driving force behind digital commerce investments, but that isn't the case anymore, Gartner research shows.

"In 2012, customers were investing in digital commerce for cost savings. In 2017, it was about transformation and delivering great customer experiences," Gillespie said.

"When I think about delivering a great customer experience, I think about delivering a personalized customer experience," she continued. "And when I think about delivering a personalized customer experience, I think of content being relevant, my process being easy and seamless, and content that resonates with me."

One characteristic of transformation is putting commerce in context. For example, the app for a furniture store will be able to show a consumer how a piece of furniture will look in a home, or a clothing store app will display how an item will look on the consumer.

Another characteristic is shifting from being reactive to a consumer's wants to being proactive or anticipatory of them.

"Today, 99.99 percent of all transactions are initiated by customers," Gillespie explained. "In the future, we're going to see more and more transactions by merchants or suppliers based on what they know about the customer."

Make a Road Map

Commerce platform shoppers should create a road map for digital commerce and manage technologies based on the digital commerce technology ecosystem, Gillespie recommends.

"This will lead to a complete digital commerce solution, maximizing the value of both the commerce platform and the corresponding digital commerce ecosystem applications," she said. "Organizations underestimate the requirements of a digital commerce solution. As a result, they deploy incomplete solutions that impede their journey to success."

It's important to scrutinize an IT vendor's digital commerce platforms to ensure they match the road map and requirements, Gillespie advised, and to identify requirements delivered natively. "This can reduce unplanned spending on additional technology and lower integration costs."

Create a Short List

Commerce suites need to provide customers with more than just access to a company's goods, observed Hayward, California-based Charles King, a principal analyst with Pund-IT, a technology advisory firm.

"It also needs to highlight and reinforce a company's brand and go-to-market strategy," he told the E-Commerce Times.

"Customization, search, personalization and support for company promotions are all critical parts of that process," King added. "I'd also add that mobile transaction support and optimization is a critical issue for many, if not most, retailers -- especially those in consumer markets."

After performing its initial analysis, suite shoppers will need to create short list of prospects. When making that list, "first and foremost, invest time and effort in determining what your own organization hopes to accomplish with online commerce, along with developing realistic budgets and timelines," King recommended.

"Then take a long and close look at primary vendors, along with whatever strategic partners -- banks, hosted service providers, designers and such -- are working behind the scenes," he continued. "That includes examining a vendor's existing sites, and arranging discussions with those customers."

If a suite shopper operates in a particular industry, platform providers that focus on that industry should be good candidates for a short list of finalists.

"You need to understand your vertical," said Aite Group's Peterson, "and identify players with expertise in that vertical, so you don't have to explain to them what you're doing or adapt their technology to what you're doing."

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

As a shopper works down the list of candidates for a suite deployment, sales pitches can start to fog the shopper's focus, but it's crucial to keep what needs to be accomplished front and center, King advised.

However, "companies also need to determine how flexible or willing to compromise they can be on specific points," he added.

"Realistically, it will be difficult to find a commerce vendor that's a perfect 100 percent fit for your situation," King continued, "but considering and remaining focused on your organization's core requirements will go a long way to determining which B2C partners are worthy of serious consideration."

John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John.


The data emerged from the latest report of the Central Statistics Department. There are about 175 thousand Christians today in Israel, equal to 2% of the population. The population increase of 2.2%. 78.5% of the 12-year-olds graduated from secondary education, just under 70% of the active population.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - A Christian population that is growing, even with a lower child birth rate compared with Jews and Muslims, thanks also to the arrival of migrant workers. A good level of education among young people, with a figure that almost equals the Jewish majority and a percentage of increasingly significant active participation in the life of the country.

This is the picture revealed by data related to the Christian community of Israel, in the recent report elaborated by the Central Statistics Department and published in conjunction with the Christmas holidays (click here for the video).

According to the document, Christians today in Israel are about 175 thousand equal to 2% of the total population. In 2017, the population growth of the minority reached 2.2%, a marked increase compared to 1.4% in the previous year. According to experts, growth is linked to the arrival of 597 migrants from Ethiopia rather than a boom in new births (where problems remain).

According to territorial distribution, 70.6% of Christians live in northern Israel; the city with the greatest Christian presence is Nazareth, with over 22 thousand inhabitants, followed by Haifa with just under 16 thousand.

Regarding Christian marriages, 782 couples married in 2016; the average age for males 29.2, females 25.6. For 2017 the number of newborns reached 2504: the number of children up to seven years per family is 1.89, the lowest among the Israeli communities. The average of children in Jewish families is 2.39, surpassed by Muslims - the most prolific - with 2.83.

The best data is from education: 78.5% of the 12-year-olds graduated from secondary school, which provides access to higher education (for Muslims, the figure is 59.5%, Jewish students reach 78.7%) %). For the academic year 2017/18 the number of Christian students in high schools has reached 5900, equal to 2.3% of the total. 73% completed their studies, 22.8% graduated and 3.3% also received a degree.

Finally, the Christian population active in Israel in 2017, which includes people aged 15 and over, reached 68.6%, distributed as follows: 63.3% of males and 74.7% of females.

Education, health and above all tourism - in particular pilgrimages -are the sectors in which the Christian community finds its most frequent employment.
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."

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AUSTRALIAN women are encouraged to upskill in data and technology in preparation for a future dominated by the technology industry.

Global not-for-profit organisation, She Loves Data, is the founder of a worldwide movement to help Australian women upskill in data and technology regardless of their career background.

She Loves Data CEO and co-founder, Jana Marle-Zizkova, said a new technological revolution had begun and we need to be ready for it.

Its no secret that we live in a totally data-driven world. There is a shortage of data analytics and data scientists, and by building up the community, we hope to bridge this shortage by getting more women interested in data, she said.

I have spent more than 20 years in the tech industry, and in every city Ive visited, I have never seen enough women in development, analytics, data science or middle-management tech teams  and even less in top level tech and data management.

With the future we are facing, I believe all Australian women should consider upskilling to some extent in data and tech  whether its developing a side skill or moving into a focused tech role  we will all need great data knowledge in the short and long-term across the workforce.

Since its inception in 2016, She Loves Data has trained more than 2,260 women. The not-for-profit organisation provides education and events for women and currently has more than 5,000 members in its online community from Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland, to Singapore, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Malaysia.

For more information visit shelovesdata.com
Gardai in Ardee arrested a man in his 30s this afternoon following the gruesome discovery of the body of a 57-year-old woman at a house in Clonmore estate in Ardee this morning.

Gardai received a call at around 11.30am and upon arriving at the house in Ardee they discovered the woman's body.

The woman is understood to be Polish and a mother of two adult children.

It is also understood that they have lived in Ireland for ten years.

The man in his 30s is understood to have been known to the deceased and is being held at Drogheda Garda Station.

At a press briefing this evening, gardai say they are investigating the scene at Clonmore and are also investigating three other "areas of interest" as part of the overall investigation.

These areas include two houses in the area and an area of land in the village of Drumconrath, some 8km away.

Gardai also said they have one suspect in custody and are not not looking for anyone else in connection to the discovery of the woman's body.

The State Pathologist has been informed of the discovery by gardai.
Sinn Fein are to hold a public meeting on Wednesday that will focus on the future of Monaghan Hospital.



Long been an issue of political controversy, Monaghan Hospital has seen several services removed over the past two decades.

Sinn Fein say they have long been consistent in their demand for the return, retention and development of services at the Monaghan town site.



The party will hold a public meeting in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan tomorrow Wednesday January 9, at 8pm where there will be a discussion and debate as to how services can be returned to the hospital.

Co-hosted by the partys local MEP, Matt Carthy, and TD, Caoimhghin O Caolain, confirmed speakers are General Secretary of the Irish Nurses & Midwifes Organisation (INMO) Phil Ni Sheaghadha, Peadar McMahon of Monaghan Community Alliance and Louise OReilly TD, Sinn Fein spokesperson on Health.



Speaking this week MEP Matt Carthy said:



Sinn Fein have been the only party that has constituently articulated a role for local hospital services while other parties have systematically removed function after function from hospitals such as Monaghan.



When Micheal Martin (current Fianna Fail leader) as Minister for Health oversaw the withdrawal of maternity services from Monaghan in 2001, Caoimhghin O Caolain was on the record of stating that this would lead to further service removal and that subsequently it would create problems in the larger hospitals that those functions were being transferred to. Unfortunately he was proven right on both counts.



Since then both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael governments have systematically decimated Monaghan Hospital services including, essentially, A & E services.

"This, in turn, has led, as predicted by Caoimhghin O Caolain, to bed shortages and crisis after crisis in other hospitals, including Cavan and Drogheda. In the meantime we had a Fine Gael health spokesperson commit to undoing the damage caused by Fianna Fail only for that promise to be quickly forgotten once they entered government.



I am delighted that the General Secretary of the INMO Phil Ni Sheaghadha will address our meeting. Nobody knows better than nurses the devastation that has been caused to the delivery of healthcare by the decisions of successive governments and it is appropriate that the leader of the largest nursing union will be present to outline their proposed solutions.



Peadar McMahon has long been the foremost community proponent for local hospitals. His insight will prove invaluable to the discussion on the future of Monaghan Hospital.



For Sinn Fein this will be an opportunity to outline our proposals for the restoration and development of services at our hospital. Knowing that it is always more difficult to restore than retain functions it is therefore imperative that political parties are upfront in terms of the ambition and timeframe for restoration of services. The alternative is that the hospital ceases to operate in any meaningful manner.



Crucially, our public meeting will be an opportunity for members of the community across county Monaghan to listen but also to contribute to the debate. This is our hospital. It has been robbed of its services by political decisions. We must fight to get them back.
Gardai in Co. Louth are investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a body of a woman at a house in Ardee.

The discovery was made by Gardai shortly after 11.30am this morning.

The house has been sealed off and the Office of the State Pathologist has been notified. Investigating Gardai have also requested assistance from the Garda Technical Bureau.

No arrests have been made to date and enquiries are ongoing.

UPDATE: The Irish Times is reporting the victim is a middle aged woman.
The UNHCR experts will have to assess whether there are any grounds for granting refugee status. According to some sources, her father has arrived in Thailand to bring her home. In the recent past, Mohammed al-Qunun has abandoned Islam and is therefore afraid of being killed.

Bangkok (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The UN refugee agency has launched an investigation into Saudi 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, stuck in Thailand in an attempt to flee to Australia and in danger for her life in case of repatriation. Barricaded for three days in a hotel room at Bangkok International Airport to escape the Thai authorities and Riyadh emissaries, the young woman repeatedly stated that her family members would "kill her".

Some UNHCR experts took charge of the young Saudi, freezing Rahaf's return to Kuwait, where a part of her family are waiting for her. Mohammed al-Qunun said she had recently renounced Islam and, for this reason, is afraid of being killed.

In Saudi Arabia there is no freedom of conscience and those who abandon the Muslim faith or embrace another religion risk death for apostasy.

In recent months Riyadh has come to the forefront of activists, NGOs and international leaders for its role in the war in Yemen, with civilian casualties including children, and the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

A woman named Noura, who has managed Rahaf's Twitter account in the last hours and brought the case to the global spotlight, has been contacted by the BBC, explaining that the two met in an online group of Saudi feminists and that she fled 'Saudi Arabia because she is "a former Muslim". She says the 18-year-olds father works for the government.

Since the beginning of the affair, Rahafs family have refrained from making official statements. Meanwhile, the Thai authorities have granted UN experts permission to "take care" of the girl and assess the case, to check if there are any grounds for granting refugee status.

Yesterday evening, the head of the Thai immigration department, Surachate Hakparn, confirmed that Mohammed al-Qunun "was allowed to stay" and that she "left the airport with the UNHCR delegation". In the previous hours the Bangkok government had denied repatriation claiming that "no embassy" on Thai territory "can force her to leave against her will," adding that "we do not send anyone to die".

In one of the last posts on twitter the 18 year old Saudi revealed that her father arrived in Thailand and "this worries me and scares me a lot". Now she says he feels safer "under the protection" of the UN humanitarian agency ". Thailand is not a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Refugees and does not grant legal protection to those fleeing for humanitarian reasons, having over 100 thousand refugees on its territory.
POTTSBORO [ndash] Thelma Irene Toney passed away on June 11, 2021, in Denison, Texas. She was born on Feb. 28, 1924, in Francis, Oklahoma to John Franklin and Essie Akins Scroggins. She attended grade school at Cedar Grove School and then attended and graduated from Francis High School. She 
Most of us heard the parable of the Good Samaritan at an early age. Probably in a Sunday School Class. And in Alabama, it was probably a Baptist Sunday School.

As you remember, Jesus told the story of a Jewish traveler who was beaten and left by the side of the road. A priest saw him, but did not help. Then a Levite came along and, like the priest, did not lend a hand. And even though Samaritans and Jews did not like each other, it was a Samaritan who came to the aid of the traveler.

The point being, of course, that we are to help those most in need.

This is where those who drafted the Alabama Accountability Act forgot what they learned in Sunday School. Because while the law makes a big deal out of identifying the bottom 6 percent of all public schools as failing, they made no mention of trying to help these struggling schools in any form or fashion.

We have now published six lists of so-called failing schools. Most years there are about 75 schools identified. (We will soon get the latest list.)
Gissendanner was charged with three counts of capital murder in the death of Snellgrove: murder during a kidnapping in the first-degree; murder during a robbery in the first-degree; and murder during a rape. A separate indictment charged Gissendanner with possessing or uttering a forged check drawn on Snellgroves bank account.

Authorities said Gissendanner was spotted at a bank with one of Snellgroves checks after her disappearance and had clothes at an abandoned trailer in Johntown in which some of Snellgroves property was found.

Gissendanner was convicted of two counts of capital murder -- murder during the course of a robbery and murder during a course of kidnapping, as well as the charge of possession of a forged instrument. He was acquitted of rape and sodomy, according to court records.

The jury recommended by a vote of 10-2 that Gissendanner be sentenced to death on the capital murder convictions.

The path to a new trial began in 2010 after Dale County Circuit Judge Ken Quattlebaum ruled attorneys Joe Gallo and Bill Kominos could have made unprofessional errors while defending Gissendanner for the murder of 77-year-old Snellgrove.
There were issues with the family, Simon said. But, for starters, mom never kicked Kaylab out of the house as it was reported. There was never a problem with him and my sister. He left home at 17 because of a girl. We would hear from him often, just like my dad did. They were always helping him with stuff like a backpack or something. It was usually for just a minute or so. Nobody on either side stayed that close. It wasnt like our dad was father of the year like she had said.
We are really, really excited about this. The reason Im so excited about this is when we started Women Who Care 22 years ago, besides the purpose of trying to help the whole person, one of the things we said was that if we could have locations across the country, they would be in community organizations or churches, because thats where I believe we need to be partnering, Benjamin said. I cant do it all, so if I have someone who comes in here and has a bill, I can do the intake, I can make those phone calls, and most of the time Im going to call a church because that is a part of their mission -- to help the poor and those in need. We dont have the money to pay that bill, but we work with people and organizations who do.
The Beef Plan, a movement and associated plan put together by farmers for farmers, is holding a meeting in Donegal.

Meetings are being held around the country this month and a meeting will be held in the Clanree Hotel in Letterkenny on Wednesday, January 9 at 8pm.

The group is planning to organise farmers into producer groups around the country, which can negotiate on farmers behalf.

Over 10,000 farmers have joined to date and the group is hoping to attract at least 40,000 members.

The movement says farmers profits are been eaten into by beef processors and retailers and as a result, beef farming in Ireland is on its knees.

The plan was born with the aim of saving and rejuvenating beef farming in Ireland.

The plans objectives centre around regaining control of an animal from birth to slaughter and beyond, returning a cost of production price plus a margin as a minimum, and regaining respect within the beef industry.
Minister Joe McHugh has announced more than 343,000 is to be spent on the development of trails and greenways in the county.

Hundreds of thousands of euro are being pumped into three outdoor recreation projects in Donegal, Minister McHugh said.

The announcement is positive news for Fanad, Glenties and the bigger plans for a greenway to run from Letterkenny to Burtonport.

In total the Government is investing 343,660 to support the development of these big ideas with the Great Arch Trail at Pollet, Fanad Head getting funding of 136,200; the Glenties Alter Trail being supported with 30,400; and investment of 177,060 on the Creeslough to Falcarragh stretch of the Letterkenny to Burtonport Greenway," Deputy McHugh said.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Joe McHugh, said: The money thats being put into these big ideas in Donegal is to help with the development, enhancement and extension of the trails and greenways. It is also about this Government backing rural communities and doing more to develop the network of greenways in the north-west. They are hugely valuable from the point of view of tourism, leisure, health and recreation.

The funding is being allocated to County Donegal under the Department of Rural and Community Developments Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

Minister McHugh said: Minister Michael Ring and the department have been at the forefront of supporting community projects and putting up the money to back ideas to support rural areas in the last couple of years.

The success of these projects in Donegal has brought a whole new level to what the county offers communities and people coming to visit.
India takes over operations of part of Chabahar Port in Iran

India formally took over operations of a part of the Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar, in Iran, during the Chabahar Trilateral Agreement meeting held on 24 December 2018 and commercial operations began with the docking of a Cyprus registered bulk carrier at Chabahar with 72,458 tonnes of corn cargo at the terminal.

The heads of Indian, Iranian and Afghanistan delegation jointly inaugurated the office of the Indian SPV, India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), at Chabahar. The physical take-over of the terminal area, cargo handling equipment and office building was completed by 29 December 2018.

The vessel MV Macheras berthed at the terminal at 0130 hrs on 30 December 2018 and discharged imported cargo from Brazil using pneumatic un-loaders, formalising the first cargo operation at IPGCFZ.

Indias engagement in Chabahar marks the beginning of a major push towards regional cooperation, enabling joint efforts to support land locked Afghanistan. This is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territory.

India started interacting with Iran on Chabahar Port around 2003 but it took until May 2015 to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of Chabahar Port. The MoU translated into a formal 10-year contract for equipping and operating the Chabahar Port, which was executed on 23 May 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Tehran .

During the visit of President of Islamic Republic of Iran Hassan Rouhani to New Delhi in February 2018, the foundation of an interim period contract was laid and a formal short term contract between the two sides was signed on 6 May 2018.

Meanwhile, India also completed construction of the Sittwe Port in Myanmar and the port is ready for operation, minister of state for shipping, road transport and chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh L Mandaviya informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Monday.

He said the construction of Sittwe Port is part of the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project. Its objective is to create a multi-modal sea, river and road transport corridor for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar through Sittwe port as well as to North-Eastern parts of India via Myanmar. Once fully operational, the project would encourage investment and trade and also open up alternate routes for connectivity to Indias North East Region.

The approved construction cost of Sittwe Port and Inland Water Terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa is Rs517.29 crore.

India and Myanmar signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 22 October 2018 for operationalisation of the port at Sittwe and inland water transport (IWT) terminals at Sittwe and Paletwa.
Rajnath Singh introduces Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 in Lok Sabha

Union home minister Rajnath Singh today introduced the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to facilitate acquisition of citizenship by six identified minority communities, namely Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis, who have migrated to India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh before 31 December 2014.

Moving the bill, the home minister clarified that the Act will not be confined to the state of Assam. The bill will apply to all states and union territories of the country and that the beneficiaries can reside in any state of the country.

The burden of these persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone would not have to bear the entire burden and Government of India is committed to give all help to the state government and people of Assam, said Rajnath Singh.

Dispelling the misgivings about Citizenship Amendment Act, Rajnath Singh highlighted the discrimination and religious persecution faced by these communities in these countries. They have no place to go to, except India, he said. The Act will provide relief to persecuted migrants who have come through western borders of the country to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other States, he added.

Migrants from these communities were earlier given protection against legal action in years 2015 and 2016. Long term visa provision was made for them.

The proposed amendment will make these migrants eligible to apply for citizenship. Citizenship will be given to them only after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the state governments. The minimum residency period for citizenship, however, has been reduced from existing 12 years under the present law to 7 years.

The home minister said the present government has taken several measures to implement the Assam Accord. An important pillar of Assam Accord is Clause 6 dealing with constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards for protection of cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of Assamese people, he said.

The home ministry on 5 January notified the setting up of a high level committee consisting of eminent and persons from Assamese society with a very wide mandate to suggest such safeguards for protection of the Assamese identity, including reservation in the state assembly and in jobs. The committee will submit its report within six months, he added.

The centre has also given approval to move the bill in Parliament granting ST status to six communities of Assam, namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak. Government has waived the requirement of cabinet approval. A bill is being introduced in the current session of Parliament.

At the same time, Rajnath Singh said, full safeguards will be provided to protect the interests, rights and privileges of existing scheduled tribes of Assam. A separate bill will be brought to grant ST status to Bodo Kacharis in hill districts of Assam and Karbis in the rest of Assam, he said. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is also proposed to be amended to strengthen the Autonomous District Councils, he added.

A large number of people in Assam and other North Eastern states have been protesting against the bill, saying it would nullify the 1985 Assam Accord under which any foreign national, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after 1971 should be deported.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill has appreciated the governments decision to give Indian nationality to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, claiming such people were being subjected to unfair treatment in those countries.

In its 440-page report, the panel headed by BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal said, Display of such supportive and humanitarian approach on the part of the government towards the minorities who fled the three countries, including Bangladesh, due to religious persecution is quite appreciable. The JPC report was submitted to the Lok Sabha on Monday and adopted through a majority vote, amidst dissent notes by opposition members.
by Caterina Zakharova

On Christmas day Tomos arrives solemnly in the cathedral of Saint Sophia on, where it will remain exposed for the curiosity and devotion of the faithful. Eucharistic division between families and friends with followers of Moscow, Kiev, Constantinople. But there are priests who pray at Mass for all three Churches. Epifanyj seeks to tame Russian-Ukrainian opposition.

Kiev (AsiaNews) - The Tomos of autocephaly, which consecrates the autonomy of the Church of the patriarchate of Kiev, arrived in Kiev yesterday January 7 and was transported to the Cathedral of St. Sophia, the mother church of Kievan Christianity (photos 1 and 2).

Precisely on the day when the Orthodox Church celebrates the Birth of Jesus, the document celebrating the birth of the new Orthodox Church in Ukraine was celebrated. The document will remain exposed in the cathedral for the curiosity and devotion of the faithful.

This Church is born after a difficult gestation, and it raises in both the east and west, in Ukraine and in Russia, many questions about the interference of politics in the affairs of the Church.

But there are also questions about the meaning of ecclesiastical authority, about the pain of division (with Moscow) and the joy of unity (between Ukrainian churches). Now in Ukraine among friends we look at ourselves wondering: and what will you do? Where will you go to the liturgy this Sunday? And the question is painful, because if some are sure they want to be with the newborn church, others have not yet decided whether to take the step; others still have remained with Moscow, and not necessarily by virtue of a political vision. And after Moscow's decision to break the communion with Constantinople, this means that long-standing brothers of faith can no longer participate in communion. In any case structures are structures, authorities, authorities, and the rules of an ecclesial community cannot be changed at will.

And yet, within what appears to be a dead end made up of forced separations, the interruption of Eucharistic communion, many parishes in Ukraine took the opportunity to rediscover what the community really means. Many priests have not yet decided "which side to be on", but try to mature a decision together with their own parishioners. Many of them, during the liturgy, pray both for the patriarch of Moscow, Kirill, and for the metropolitan of Kiev, Epifanij, as well as for the ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew.

The brazenly "cesarean-papist" speech pronounced by President Porosenko at the conclusion of the Council in Kiev, which on 15 December had elected Epifanij as the new Metropolitan, was criticized most in Ukraine: a political speech for an electoral campaign in a sign of victory over an enemy. In spite of political calculations, the same neo primate Epifanij, during the celebration of Christmas in St. Sophia, standing before the newly arrived Tomos, changed the tables commemorating all the primates of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches, including the Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill. A clear sign for those that, while affirming his role, he does not want to continue any opposition. This gesture is hope filled, and give greater substance to the words spoken by Epifanij at the first press conference after his election. On that occasion he did not speak of a clash with Moscow or of victory over Kirill, but said that the Church must meet the people must not isolate herself, that the priests must be ready to respond to the new demands of society, that everything must be done to avoid violence and to promote reconciliation.

This is what we need in this country where the war has lasted for five years, and in an extremely divided society, we need to try to find a modus vivendi that welcomes all.
Rajya Sabha session extended by a day to take up key bills

The government now seeks to bring a constitutional amendment bill in this regard in Lok Sabha on Tuesday and in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, for which the session has been extended, sources said

The government has extended the winter session of the Rajya Sabha by a day till 9 January to enable the government bring a constitutional amendment bill to facilitate job reservation for the poor among the upper castes, even as the government is scrambling to pass key bills, including the one on Triple Talaq and amendments to the Citizenship Act.

Government seeks to bring a constitutional amendment for 10 per cent reservations in Lok Sabha on Tuesday and in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, after the union cabinet on Monday cleared a 10 per cent job and education quota for "economically weaker" sections among the upper castes.

The ruling BJP government also plans to use the extra day to make a final push for the passage of the Citizenship Act amendment bill and the Triple Talaq bill.

But, with the opposition Congress arty vehemently opposing the governments Rafale fighter jet deal and raising the issue all the time the two Houses of Parliament meet, any extension of the proceedings of the two houses are unlikely to show any desirable results.

Opposition parties, including the Congress, have opposed any extension as they do not want to give any leeway to the government to push new legislations, especially when it would help the BJP in the coming elections.

But, for the BJP, the issue of extension of the session, earlier scheduled to end on Tuesday, assumes significance in the wake of the cabinets decision to bring a bill reserving 10 per cent of government jobs and slots in educational institutions for the economically weaker sections (EWS) among the general category.

Passage of the bills is aimed at placating the upper caste vote bank of the BJP ahead of the general election, which the opposition would not allow.

Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu decided to extend the current session of the House for another day in consultations with senior ministers and others, in order to complete essential business.

The government made a similar proposal at the Business Advisory Committee meeting of the Lok Sabha on Monday afternoon. Parliamentary affairs minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that an extension of one or two days may be given as the NDA government wants to complete some pending business.

Congress, along with other Opposition parties such as the Trinamool and Left promptly rejected the proposal.

On Monday, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day amid ruckus by opposition members, soon after it met in the post-lunch sitting. Deputy chairman Harivansh adjourned the House for 15 minutes. As the House met again at 2.20 pm, the scene was no different. The chair then adjourned the House for the day.

The Lok Sabha was also adjourned till 2.30 pm following ruckus by the opposition. Members of Samajwadi Party and Congress protested over a CBI probe against Akhilesh Yadav on alleged illegal mining and the Rafale issue respectively.
Bharat Bandh hits normal life across the country

The two-day Bharat Bandh called by ten trade unions against "anti-labour policies" of the central government disrupted normal life in many parts of the country today as striking workers stopped trains and buses and auto-rickshaws kept off roads.

In Maharashtra, over 5,000 strikers blocked the Mumbai-Baroda-Jaipur-Delhi national highway at Charoti in Maharashtra's Palghar district. The blockade is being led by several leaders from the CPI (M), AIKS, CITU, AIDWA and DYFI, including Ashok Dhawale, L B Dhangar, Barkya Mangat and Radka Kalangda.

Sporadic violence has been reported in West Bengal, Odisha and Kerala where the left unions have greater strength. Tyres were burnt and buses were vandalised at many places in West Bengal. Protesters blocked roads and obstructed train services in all the three states. Around 20 crore workers of the Central Trade Unions (CTU) are participating in the two-day nationwide strike today and tomorrow.

Striking workers stopped trains in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura, Shoranur railway stations, while tyres were burnt in West Bengal to stop buses from plying in the roads. In Odisha, shops, markets, business establishments, educational institutions and offices remained closed, while vehicular movement virtually came to a grinding halt.

MPs belonging to Left parties held up placards with slogans like 'Universalise PDS' and 'Stop Contract Work' outside the Parliament in a show of support to the striking worker.

Odisha CM and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik led a protest rally at Delhi's Talkatora stadium to demand an increase in the minimum support price of paddy and the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report.

Workers allege that the proposed Trade Union (Amendment) Bill 2018 as cleared by the union cabinet is designed to impose conditions of slavery on the working people and abrogate trade union rights.

In Puducherry, protesters attacked a Tamil Nadu government bus going from Puducherry to Cuddalore. A few demonstrators started flinging stones at the bus following a tussle with the police. Buses and auto rikshaws kept off the road and shops remain closed in the union territory.
Supreme Court holds Monsanto's patent on GM cotton seeds valid in India

Biotechnology major Monsanto won a major legal battle in India after the Supreme Court held Monsantos patent on gene modified cotton seed valid in the country, reversing a Delhi high court order that plant varieties and seeds cannot be patented under Indian law by companies such as Monsanto.

For Monsanto, now owned by German pharmaceuticals and life sciences major Bayer AG, the apex court ruling involving its business in the worlds biggest producer of the fiber comes as a rare victory.

The ruling comes as a big boost for Monsanto, which faced the prospect of losing revenues and exclusive patent rights in India, amidst legal challenges in the US over allegations that its Roundup weed killer can cause cancer.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice RF Nariman today held that Monsantos patent claim on genetically modified (GM) Bt cotton was valid and set aside a 2 May order of the division bench of the Delhi High Court, which had held that plant varieties and seeds cannot be patented under Indian law.

The high court order also barred companies such as Monsanto Inc from collecting royalties on GM technology, which the court said, would be decided by a specialised agency of the agriculture ministry.

Monsanto had licensed its Bollgard-II Bt cotton seed technology, a GM variant which resists the bollworm pest, through its Indian arm Mahyco-Monsanto Biotech Ltd (MMBL).

Monsanto, however, faced farmers wrath after it was found that the cotton seeds sold at huge margins did not resist pests or give yields as promised. The seeds also left the fields unsuitable for other varieties.

A division bench of the Delhi High Court comprising justices Ravindra Bhat and Yogesh Khanna had permitted MMBL to approach the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (PPVFRA) under the agriculture ministry for registering the variety within three months, following which the authority had to decide on a benefit-sharing mechanism.

At present, trait fees on Bt cotton seeds are decided by a price control committee under the agriculture ministry.

The two-judge bench, headed by Justice Rohinton F Nariman, said a lower court will decide if Indian companies infringed Monsantos patent on Bt cotton seeds.

The ruling is the result of years of legal battles between Monsanto and domestic seed companies, led by Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd. The Indian firm, one of the licensees of the US companys seeds in India, had petitioned in the court to cancel Monsantos patent. Monsanto had lodged counter cases for patent infringements by Indian companies.

Local seed firms, which get licences from Monsanto to sell genetically-modified seeds, pay a trait fee fixed by the government. They had argued that the US company was not entitled to get any more money from them. The government cut the fee on Monsantos cotton seeds last year to Rs39 per 450-gram pack from Rs49. Monsanto sells about 50 million packs of GM cotton seeds in India each year, according to the National Seed Association of India.
Civil aviation authorities take up A320neo engine issue with Airbus, Pratt & Whitney

Civil aviation authorities in India have called a meeting of officials of European plane maker Airbus SE and engine maker Pratt & Whitney amidst unending woes of Indian carriers IndiGo and GoAir that use A320neo planes fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines.

Reports quoting sources close to the development said civil aviation ministry officials discussed ongoing issues with representatives of Airbus and the engine maker after the Indian carriers warned of new problems with the Pratt & Whitney engines on its A320neo planes.

IndiGo, Indias biggest carrier by market share, and rival GoAir were forced to ground Airbus A320neo aircraft and cancel flights on several occasions in the past year due to problems associated with the planes Pratt & Whitney engines.

This has also prompted European air safety officials to issue emergency restrictions on the A320neos, in a move that will force airlines operating the A320neo with affected engines to ground some of their planes.

According to the European Aviation Safety Agency, it was aware of "several occurrences of engine in-flight shutdown" and other in-service events with the engine on the A320neo, Airbus's best-selling plane.

The agency had ordered flight restrictions on planes powered by the engines.

Indian budget carriers IndiGo and GoAir had cancelled 65 flights in one day on 13 March 2018 after the country's aviation regulator DGCA grounded 11 of their A320Neo planes with faulty Pratt & Whitney engines.

Recent incidents involved an IndiGo aircraft making an emergency landing on 11 December due to smoke in the cabin. In another case on 3 January, an IndiGo plane had to return to its base due to a technical problem.

India authorities are reported to have sought replacement of the faulty engines while asking the airlines to refrain from putting into service further planes fitted with the engines - and even ground existing ones - until problems are resolved.

IndiGo is Airbus biggest customer for the A320neo, all of which are fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines. Low-cost carriers IndiGo and GoAir together have over 500 such planes on order.

Airbus in July said it had a backlog of up to 100 A320neo jets on the ground outside factories due to delays in engine deliveries, mainly from Pratt & Whitney.
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VANCOUVER (AP)  The Washington Department of Ecology has fined the city of Vancouver $60,000 for spilling nearly 600,000 gallons of raw sewage into the Columbia River.

The Columbian reports the fine comes after a 15-month investigation into spills in September and October 2017.





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A 25 percent tariff would have added $10 million to the cost, but it was removed.



By BEN FINLEY

Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va.  What are said to be the largest cranes to operate at a U.S. commercial port arrived Monday in Virginia, marking the latest effort to accommodate the increasingly mammoth container ships that underpin international trade.

Standing 170 feet tall, the Chinese-made gantry cranes towered over the ship that carried them through the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Officials from the Virginia Port Authority said they will be the nation's largest.





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CLATSKANIE, Ore. (AP)  The state Land Use Board of Appeals has remanded a decision to rezone 837 acres of farmland for industrial development and expansion at Port Westward Industrial Park along the Columbia River in northwest Oregon.

The state board recently sent the decision back to Columbia County commissioners, finding the Port of Columbia County did not demonstrate how the proposal would be compatible with neighboring farms, the Capital Press reported Thursday.





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The probe follows a complaint that Alphabet Incs Google unit had abused its dominant position.

The investigation will include companies Google Reklamcilik ve Pazarlama, Google International LLC, Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited and Alphabet Inc.

Turkeys competition authority said on Monday it had launched an investigation into whether internet search engine Google broke competition law with algorithms it uses for searches and to target advertisements.

The probe follows a complaint that Alphabet Incs Google unit had abused its dominant position and made the efforts of other companies difficult, the authority said.

The investigation will include companies Google Reklamcilik ve Pazarlama, Google International LLC, Google LLC, Google Ireland Limited and Alphabet Inc., it said.

Calls by Reuters to Google Reklamcilik ve Pazarlama, Alphabets local unit, were not answered on Monday.

In September, the authority fined Google some 93 million Turkish lira ($17.38 million) for violating competition law with its mobile software sales.
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Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. 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Adecoagro S.A. operates as an agro-industrial company in South America. It engages in farming crops and other agricultural products, dairy operations, and land transformation activities, as well as in sugar, ethanol, and energy production activities. The company is involved in the planting, harvesting, and sale of grains and oilseeds, as well as wheat, corn, soybeans, peanut, cotton, sunflowers, and other; provision of grain warehousing/conditioning, handling, and drying services to third parties; and purchase and sale of crops produced by third parties. It also plants, harvests, processes, and markets rice; and produces and sells raw milk, UHT, cheese, powder milk, and others. In addition, the company engages in the cultivating, processing, and transforming of sugarcane into ethanol and sugar; and sale of electricity co-generated at its sugar and ethanol mills to the grid. Further, it is involved in the identification and acquisition of underdeveloped and undermanaged farmland, and realization of value through the strategic disposition of assets. As of December 31, 2020, the company owned a total of 220,186 hectares, including 18 farms in Argentina, 8 farms in Brazil, and 1 farm in Uruguay, as well as had a total of 241 megawatts of installed cogeneration capacity. Adecoagro S.A. was founded in 2002 and is based in Luxembourg, Luxembourg.

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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.

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Highlights:

Samsung Galaxy S10 with 5G confirmed by Sprint

Sprint will partner with Samsung to launch the Galaxy S10 5G variant this Summer

Galaxy S10 is expected to feature Snapdragon 855 in US and Exynos 9820 in other markets

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is one of the most hotly anticipated smartphones of 2019, as is every Samsung flagship that launches at the Mobile World Congress each year like clockwork. The first Samsung flagship of this year will also mark the coming of 5G networks, at least in the US. While we are still about two years away from seeing 5G hitting networks in India, the technology is ready to be deployed by our western brethren and American telecommunications company Sprint has now confirmed (Via GSM Arena) that a Samsung smartphone with 5G connectivity will be launching in the US this Summer. There is no other phone but the Galaxy S10 which will be unveiled by that time, so even if Sprint has not chosen to name the device, it is in all likelihood the S10 5G variant.

At Qualcomms launch of the Snapdragon 855 chipset that features the companys 5G-ready X50 modem, Samsung had gone on stage to announce that it will launch its first 5G smartphone powered by new chipset in the first half of 2019. Sprints announcement matches Samsungs timeline and the launch timeframe of the Galaxy S10 series of smartphones. In its release, Sprint notes, This device will offer dual-mode connectivity to Sprints LTE and 5G network. For 5G and LTE, it will support Sprints 2.5 GHz spectrum. In addition, it will support Sprints 1.9 GHz spectrum (band 25), 800 MHz spectrum (band 26) and other LTE spectrum bands for roaming.

In the first half of 2019, Sprint plans to launch its mobile 5G network in nine of some of the largest cities in America: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., with additional markets to be announced.

Samsung is expected to launch two versions of its 5G Galaxy S10 smartphone. The two variants were also recently spotted in the wild. The number of cameras on the Galaxy S10 is still debatable, but rumour has it that the 5G variant of the S10 will feature six cameras.

Related reads:

Samsung Galaxy S10 to come with six cameras, 5G support: Report

Samsung Galaxy S10+ 5G variant spotted in the wild

Upcoming 5G mobile phones in India: Here are all 5G-ready smartphones expected to launch in 2019
Highlights:

Poster of alleged Redmi 7 leaked.

The leak shows phone with three colour options.

Xiaomis sub-brand Redmi is set to launch a smartphone on January 10 but the model name of the device is not yet confirmed. While some say it could be the Redmi Pro 2, others say that the upcoming phone will be Redmi 7. Whatever the name may be, we have now got some more information to share on the device. A poster, allegedly of the Redmi 7, has been leaked on the internet and it shows the colour options that the upcoming phone is expected to have.

Leaked by SlashLeaks, the poster shows three colour variants of the alleged Redmi 7. In the poster, we can see black, blue and red coloured smartphones and it seems that the blue and red colours will have a gradient pattern with purple. The poster also confirms the 48MP camera and the announcement date. Contrary to the previous reports, the phone is seen sporting a waterdrop notch with thin side bezels and a thick bezel on the top.

Recently, a news report claimed that the upcoming Redmi device could feature a USB Type-C port. Lei Jun, Founder and CEO of Xiaomi, posted comments on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo asking his followers whether they would like to see a USB-C port on Redmi phones. If Redmi decides to use the new port, it is obvious that the the cost of the device will increase. We have to wait and see what Xiaomi pulls out of its bag.

Further, Redmi could launch three variants of the Redmi 7 series of smartphones. Previously, three models - M1901F7E, M1901F7T and M1901F7C - had received the 3C certification and were listed on the website with a 10W charger. The yet unidentified models of these smartphones are said to be the Redmi 7, Redmi 7A and Redmi 7 Pro because the Note and the Pro series of the Redmi device lineup have already been launched in the recent past.

Related Read:

Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 spotted on Geekbench featuring Snapdragon 660 SoC
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not bad; the major concern is how humans use the AI.

Artificial Intelligence  this was something that was vague a few years ago. No one knew what it really meant. No one knew what it really did. But 2018 saw a boost of artificial intelligence in almost everything  from speakers to air conditioners, smartphones to cars. With AI and ML (Machine Learning) hand-in-hand, things can be automated to glory, without much human intervention.

Today we use AI everywhere  from common home appliances such as smart vacuum cleaners that automatically clean the surroundings and charge themselves, to driverless cars that ride you to your destiny at the push of a button. And from smartphones that can automatically detect the frame and do some sorcery to get the best image from a puny sensor to smart speakers and android robots that can communicate with you like another human being. While these seem to be something that we look forward to getting better and flawless technology in the future, there are a few AI areas that could be equally dangerous to mankind in future.

AI is a set of instructions that is born from algorithm. While the instruction is at no fault, the algorithm is the main culprit. Confused? AI works on algorithm and gives an output with a set of commands after processing the input. For example, ask Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa for the time. It processes the voice input, crunches the audio into data using a set of algorithms that it needs to convert voice commands into data commands. If then crunches the data into an output, and then gives out the answer through the speaker, using an artificial pre-recorded voice. Same goes for an auto-pilot mode in an airplane or a self-driving car. It grabs information from cameras, sensors and a lot of other inputs to know the way ahead and steer around to its destination.

While AI is constantly getting better as it learns along the way, there could be dangers lurking for us in the future. We have seen fictional movies showing how AI-based systems take over the world and killer robots that could put an end to mankind. Well, we could see those days nearing soon unless we make sure that we limit the power of AI before it is too late. If we are not careful, vigil or cautious, AI could be manipulated by bad guys, and who knows what could be in store for us ahead. Lets look at a few AI-based platforms and the dangers that could lurk within each of them, and if they are not attended to carefully by their creators, they could spell disaster.

Autonomous cars:

Well, AI is the best example here. Using sensors, cameras and radars, the car can drive around a given route by sensing and viewing its surroundings. There are a handful of companies (such as Google, Uber and a few more) who are experimenting with AI-driven cars and many are also currently running around the streets in a few countries.

However, self-driving cars are not completely safe  at least not yet. You may have heard of the Uber incident where a woman was mowed down by a self-driving car because the car was not able to spot the victim in time. While self-driving cars are probably the future mode of transport, todays roads and pedestrian rules are not meant for the autonomous traffic. It will take a lot of time and investment to make roads safer and compliant for self-driving cars to commute. Roads will need sensors, pedestrians will need to adhere to strict rules, and a lot more has to still be placed in line. Additionally, AI needs a lot of computing power and processing time to come up with the right decision and make immediate responses. A single bug in the algorithm could make the AI go for a complete toss, putting the car into a rampant metal beast. Fortunately, todays driverless cars still need a human behind the wheel for emergency takeover.

Face recognition:

Recently, the London police went on to once again place cameras around its streets in order to do a test on live or real-time video-based face detection on its citizens. The police were working on a test drive and the citizens were well informed about the same. This drive was to check how the face detection algorithm could be used in real time to search for people, who are lost, and wanted criminals and terrorists.

While this could be a great way to have a safe community, hackers could make best use of this technology and probably sell it to the underworld to find their next victim easily. Face recognition has also seen a big move into smartphones today. With the best of it seen used by Apple on its latest iPhones, others are also implementing it into their phones in order to unlock smartphones and make online payments. Soon, we could see the fingerprint biometrics fade away to face recognition. The future will also see the technology enter conventional appliances such as televisions (the TV will know who is watching and personalize the content accordingly) or cars (where you can authorize the car to start with your face). But we have also seen hackers attempting to break into this technology by building fake faces using simple and cheap methods such as masks and silicon to replicate the face and skin. If this technology is not made robust enough, we could soon see a dystopian future where privacy and security could be at stake.

Deepfake:

Till date, voice recordings could be doctored and voices could be mimicked by voice artists. Photos could also be photoshopped or morphed with technology getting better and give out almost flawless results. However, the new trend with evolving AI technology can now manipulate videos too. Recently a few videos were out where AI was used to create fake videos  the more prominent ones where a womans face was cleverly morphed on a pornstars naked body and the video clip looked almost real. Take for example this video below, which uses AI and related data to create a fake video, but looks almost real.

And here is another fake video example that features Barack Obama, manipulated to speak something that he did not.

GANs can generate photorealistic faces of any age, gender, or race and graphics processors can easily make these come to life with their immense processing power and based on AI algorithm. Neural processing engines can help AI take the darker side if they are used for all the wrong means. A recent news report did mention about a US defence agency investing in new methods to detect deepfakes. However, with non-ethical hackers gaining funds from the dark web and the underworld, we will see probability of deepfakes only grow larger.

Military AI:

Google was in the news last year for helping the Pentagon with AI-based drones for military operations. The pilot project from Google set off alarms between its own employees when they found out about the involvement. The AI that was used in drone operations could detect and identify objects in the footage, known as Project Maven, was questioned about its ethical use of machine learning. The concern was with the technology that could be used to kill innocent people. While Google denied the use of the technology for combat operations, it was finally reportedly abandoned the project.

Project Maven was used with AI and ML to detect vehicles and various other objects to take the burden off analysts and provide the military with an advanced computer vision. It could detect and identify up top 38 categories in the video footage from the drones camera. While the project could be seen as a benefit to the military in keeping the country safe, the use of autonomous weapons could also spell disaster if fallen in wrong hands. There are campaigns running around to ban the use if AI in autonomous weapons stating that decision to take a human life should never be delegated to a machine. Thousands of AI researchers agree that by removing the risk, attributability, and difficulty of taking human lives, lethal autonomous weapons could become powerful instruments of violence and oppression, especially when linked to surveillance and data systems, claims FutureOfLife in a pledge against the use of AI-based autonomous weapons.

Online information and manipulation:

Facebook was big news last year. We saw how Facebook and Cambridge Analytica were in the firing zone when they were exposed for manipulating the elections based on user database shared by the social network platform. Using this data, algorithms by the artificial intelligence algorithm to decide what to news and information should be shown to public. Using this technique, fake and unrealistic news gets front prominence and can manipulate something as sensitive as the election polls.

AI was used to amplify misinformation and create isolation between citizens with different views from each other. with fake news and information flooding the online channels such as instant messaging platforms and social media, it is now up to AI itself to help detect and eradicate the nuisance. However, AI is still at a nascent stage where it fails to understand what is being circulated in videos, text or photos. AI is presently being used in almost all online platforms that serve information. It brings to the front the most read, circulated and the freshest/unique content without any human intervention. However, with fake information easily riding on these platforms, it is not easy for AI to detect fake information from the truth.

Privacy nightmare:

While AI could be used to solve many world problems, intrusion of AI into our privacy could be another issue thereon. And this could spell disaster to people, probably in long term. Earlier last year, it was reported that China has built a behavioural monitoring system for its citizens that uses AI-based face recognition cameras around the country to look up on the behaviour of its citizens and give them individual scores.

All of its 1.4billion citizens are planned to be given a score based on their behavior  whether the smoke, drink, jaywalk, get into fights, and a lot more. Based on this score their future will be based. The score could ban them from purchasing property, flying abroad, or even which school their kids are allowed to go to. CBS News reported in April that a journalist was denied flight because he was on the list of untrustworthy behaviour, and that he could not buy property or even send his kids to a private school. With every citizen being stamped a social credit, it is a way for China to purify its society. In another parts of the world, we also see AI so a similar check  for example  credit scores on credit cards, and tax payments, will treat you to your next home or car loan accordingly. While AI can be used for the good, a simple error or manipulation by the AI algorithm can ruin someones life.

While Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not bad, the major concern is how humans use the AI. We should not be afraid of AI, but humans usually tend to be afraid of something that they cannot understand  and that is pretty much seen in the modern machine  robots. Many people are freak out with robots that are large and do weird stuff. Well, AI presently is as good as a toddler. It has to learn a lot. With more than two decades of data shared by users and collected by online tech companies, the data may be sufficient to build algorithms for AI, but not enough to build a 'super intelligence' that can take over mankind. However, with the amount of AI being used for good, the misused AI is what we need to be careful of. Professor Stephen Hawkings, SpaceX Chief Elon Musk, Cleverbot creator Rollo Carpenter, and Bill Gates are some of them who have also warned about AI getting the better side of humanity, fearing that the future could be disastrous and the human race could be at stake of a full artificial intelligence is created.

Photos: Pixabay. (for representational use only)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte again expressed his dislike of the Commission on Audit (COA), this time saying he would kidnap and torture someone from the agency.

Speaking before barangay officials in Pasay City Tuesday, Duterte said, "Ah, p****g**a 'yang COA na 'yan. L***e. Kasi yung COA, every time may mali talaga. Ano ba itong COA na ito? Gusto mo magkidnap tayo ng taga-COA, ilagay natin, i-torture natin dito... Sino ba gusto makulong ng ano?"

The President said the agency made things difficult for local officials, which he admitted he did not like.

In a statement, Palace Spokesperson Salvador Panelo downplayed the comment as another joke.

"The more you criticize his style the more he will stick to his mischief and irreverence. But at the same time PRRD is chiding COA not to derail ongoing government projects by certain stringent protocols that go against the letter and intent of the law," Panelo said.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in a separate statement, reminded that torture and kidnapping are illegal acts.

"As crimes, these are grave human rights violations that should not be taken lightly or be used as a joke, especially if used to challenge the mandate of a constitutionally-mandated body, such as the Commission on Audit," the CHR said, adding that dialogue and cooperation are better avenues to improve how government bodies work.

In a social media post, former COA commissioner Heidi Mendoza said that auditing is a job akin to being an actor portraying a villain role.

"Kung maraming nagagalit sa iyo, ibig sabihin ay epektibo at makatotohanan ang iyong pag-ganap," Mendoza said.

This was not the first time Duterte railed against COA.

In September last year, he hit back against a former COA commissioner who called him out for discrediting the agency.

In a post on social media, former COA commissioner Heidi Mendoza told Duterte to "give us respect because we deserve it."

Duterte had criticized COA for its prohibitions on government spending during a situation briefing with Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos over the effects of Typhoon Ompong.

"Sinong taga-COA dito? Ihulog mo na sa hagdanan para hindi maka-report," Duterte joked.

[Translation: Who's from COA here? Push him down the stairs so he cannot report.]

Marcos, who sat beside Duterte, clapped and said, "Yes. Yes."

He then reiterated his order to Benguet officials to go ahead with providing for residents affected by Ompong and ignore the COA's regulations.
Key Highlights:

Samsung's new Notebook Odyssey has a Nvidia RTX 2080 inside with a " penta -pipe" cooling system.

The notebook has a strange centre hinge that puts the display like a gaming monitor.

It features a 15.6-inch Full HD panel with 144hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync support.

Weird things happen at CES and at the 2019 edition to due to kick off from 8th January, Samsung is out with a weird-looking gaming laptop. Samsung is not the first name youd think when you think of gaming laptops, but the company has been making gaming devices under the Odyssey moniker for quite some time. Nothing has been as outrageously ambitious as this though. The Notebook Odyssey is Samsungs most powerful gaming laptop yet, and the spec-sheet of the device pegs it in the leagues of Alienware, Razer, Acer Predator and the likes.

Yet, the Notebook Odyssey will be hard to brand as the usual gaming laptop. It weighs 2.4 kilos and has a weird centre-hinge that puts the display like a desktop monitor. Its too early to say how durable and stable that design is, but it sure does make a statement. You do have the common gaming features like a multi-colour backlit keyboard and top of the line hardware.

Speaking of hardware, one of the major reasons why this laptop is considered powerful is the presence of a Nvidia RTX 2080 graphics card inside. Nvidia announced the new RTX graphics cards for laptops at an event preceding CES. The graphics cards will be made available for over 40 laptops, according to Nvidia. Both the RTX 2080 and the RTX 2060, Nvidia claims, offers 20 percent more performance over the GTX 1080. Whats more important is the fact that the cards support Ray-tracing, that makes video games look ever more realistic.

The graphical prowess is certainly impressive, and paired with it is an 8th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU (the variant is not confirmed), 16GB of RAM and space for two NVME SSDs and one hard drive. The laptop has a 15.6-inch Full HD panel with 144Hz refresh rate and support for Nvidia G-Sync. For I/O, there are three USB-A 3.0 ports, one HDMI port, one ethernet port and even a USB-C port. The laptop is certainly not a thin-and-light and goes the extra mile to offer support for a lot of accessories.

Ray-tracing does require a lot of compute power. The cards themselves rely on a new Max-Q tech to ensure performance and Samsung has employed a new penta-pipe cooling system to keep things cool inside. The Notebook Odyssey uses two fans, each with 86 blades, that the company claims, can keep it fast and cool.

Samsung has not announced the price of the Notebook Odyssey and is expected to be available early this year.

Related Links:

CES 2019: NVIDIA announces RTX 2060, mobility RTX 2000 GPUs and software partnerships

Asus ROG Mothership with detachable keyboard, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 and Intel Core i9 CPU unveiled at CES 2019

CES 2019: NVIDIA's 65-inch 4K HDR display worth $5000 to launch in February
Highlights:

Samsung has unveiled Notebook 9 Pro and Notebook Flash

Both the laptops will be available soon

Samsung has launched two laptops: the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro and the Samsung Notebook Flash, which it claims are designed to meet the consumers' demand of style and power. The Samsung Notebook 9 Pro is aimed at content creators and ships with a metal exterior and diamond-cut thin bezel. The Samsung Notebook Flash combines select premium features at an affordable price point. The South Korean giant says that the Samsung Notebook 9 Pro and Samsung Notebook Flash will be available soon.

Our consumers want beautiful, modern devices that let them do more of what they want, when and where they want. By offering two different PCs that are modern and sleek, put a premium on design and deliver Samsungs signature cutting-edge performance, were offering our consumers even more choices so they can pick the PC that is specific to their needs, said YoungGyoo Choi, Senior Vice President of the PC Business Team, Mobile Communication Business at Samsung Electronics, at the 2019 CES in Las Vegas.

Samsung Notebook 9 Pro

The Samsung Notebook 9 Pro packs 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor coupled with a an 8GB LPDDR3 RAM. For graphics, the laptop ships with Intel UHD 620 graphics, and runs on a Windows 10 Home operating system. There is a 13.3-inch Full HD display which has a 350 nits of brightness. The Samsung Notebook 9 Pro has dual 1.5W stereo speakers with Thunder Amp, and an Active Pen (included in the box) with over 4000 levels of pressure sensitivity.

The notebook also features a customised LED Indicator Bar, a backlit keyboard and 256GB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. In terms of ports, the device has a pair of Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, a regular USB-C port, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot. The Windows Hello fingerprint reader is built into the power button. Samsung claims that the laptop delivers up to 14 hours of running on a single charge.

Samsung Notebook Flash

The Samsung Notebook Flash has some of the premium features at an affordable price. The laptop is equipped with Gigabit-Wifi technology for fast web streaming and surfing. Samsung has incorporated a fingerprint scanner to provide security as well as an option to log-in instantly. The Samsung Notebook Flash offers expandable storage (sold separately) with a Universal Flash Storage/MicroSD Memory.

Available in Charcoal colour in the US, the Samsung Notebook Flash has a textile-patterned plastic chassis that has a 13.3-inch Full HD anti-glare display fitted in it. It comes with a typewriter keyboard, multiple port options, including two USB Type-C, single USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0, and is claimed to deliver up to 10-hour battery life. It runs on Intel Celeron N4000/

Intel Pentium Silver N5000 processor coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage.

Related Read: Samsung unveils Notebook Odyssey gaming laptop
Tanaiste hosts German Federal Foreign Minister at 'Global Ireland 2025' Conference

Press release

The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D., held talks this morning with the German Federal Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, before each of them addressed the Heads of Ireland's 83 diplomatic missions, as well as key partners from Government Departments, the business and arts communities, at the annual Ambassadors Conference in Dublin Castle.

The Tanaiste said:

This is Heiko's second visit to Ireland in less than a year. I was delighted to accept his invitation to address the German Ambassadors' Conference in Berlin in August and it is a reflection of the close working relationship that we have developed that he has taken the time to engage with us here just days into Germany's term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

During the talks, the Tanaiste thanked Minister Maas for the solidarity shown by Germany on Brexit and both Ministers agreed on the need to maintain unity among the EU27.

The Tanaiste said:

The European Council provided reassurances about the backstop in December and we are ready to provide additional clarifications if these are helpful. However, we cannot re-open the Withdrawal Agreement text itself, which was the product of multiple compromises and highly detailed negotiations in a very wide range of areas.

The two Ministers reviewed progress in the implementation of the Joint Action Plan agreed in November under the report entitled Ireland in Germany: a wider and deeper footprint which was launched on the occasion of Minister Maas visit in April 2018.

Germany is an indispensable partner for Ireland. Trade between the two countries is now valued at 34 billion per annum. The Joint Action Plan covers 27 projects or policy areas where we want to work together, the Tanaiste said.







They cover cooperation on research, climate action and agriculture as well as working closely with one another on effective multilateralism and at the UN. I am pleased that we are on target to open a new Consulate in Frankfurt in the autumn and that work is underway on expanding the cultural profile of the Embassy in Berlin.

At this morning's meeting the Ministers exchanged views on transatlantic relations and discussed developments in the Middle East Peace Process.

ENDS

Press Office

08 January 2019

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My Cheque Makes Me Real Happy; Says Shashank Vyas

Actor Shashank Vyas is now playing the lead for Roop  Mard Ka Naya Swaroop produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms and is aired on Colors TV is really sweet in real life too. The actor got in touch with Desimartini and shared all about his personal life, his friendships, his humble beginnings and a little bit about his role in the show too.

Excerpts from the interview:

Tell us how Ujjain's boy who was passionate about his studies has become an actor?

I was passionate about my studies but I also had acting talent in me which was well recognized by my friend who suggested me to try my luck in Mumbai. I gave more than 100 auditions but I never gave up the hope till I bagged my first show Balika Vadhu. I was determined to prove my mettle as an actor. Opportunities take time

You are from a small city, did you find any difficulties and hurdles adapting to Mumbai's environment?

Of course, it took time to adjust in the city and the space. But it's said that if Mumbai accepts you then its accepts you for life. Travelling was an issue, especially when you don't know the place but the people were helpful. The journey has been fantastic.

Throw light on your friendship with Vivian Dsena

Vivian is a good friend. His set is in the same compound as mine. We keep bumping into each other. We both hail from Ujjain and that is a pleasant coincidence. It's also a coincidence that we both are big foodies. We share a great chemistry.

What was the most interesting thing about the story of your current show Roop?

Its a story of a brother/son/husband/ son in law. The show revolves around the character Roop. The basic norms we follow in the society we have divided some work to the men and some to the women. The character doesn't believe in these norms and he believes in equality. He is breaking the rules which are going against the society and the women. This character talks about women empowerment and feminism which was the talk of women in other shows.

What makes you most happy?

Three kinds of paper- my script, my cheque, and my boarding pass.

Your wishes for 2019

Be happy, be Blessed and stay healthy. Focus on your work and do your best and do it every day.
TOOELE  A man with a history of kidnapping and sexually assaulting women has been arrested in Tooele and accused of holding another woman hostage, drugging her and sexually assaulting her.

Casey Ray Nielsen, 36, of Tooele, was booked into the Tooele County Jail Monday night for investigation of aggravated kidnapping, rape, aggravated sexual assault and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A woman, 22, said a man kidnapped her around Thanksgiving. A pillowcase was placed over her head, her hands were tied with a rope and she was taken to a room inside a Tooele house, a police affidavit states.

"The victim stated Mr. Nielsen had a handgun on top of a safe in the room and he was blocking the entry of the room and she was not able to leave," according to the affidavit.

While in the residence, Nielsen gave the woman "several injections of an unknown substance," causing her to not remember what happened next, the report states. When she woke up, police say there was evidence she had been raped.

The woman told investigators that Nielsen, whom she only knew by the moniker "Ogre," would not let her leave.

"Ogre would bring her an orange bucket when she needed to urinate and Ogre would then dump her urine outside," according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 3rd District Court. "The victim stated Ogre gave her several injections of unknown drugs into her arms and one into her left ankle. The victim stated after Ogre would inject her with the unknown drugs she would pass out. The victim stated before she passed out Ogre would take her pants off and underwear off."

The woman escaped on Dec. 6 while driving in a car with Nielsen after "pulling on the steering wheel, causing Mr. Nielsen to crash the car and she was able to run from Mr. Nielsen," the report states.

On Dec. 18, Tooele police returned to the house with a search warrant. Investigators interviewed the homeowner who said she saw the woman in the home and "at some point she saw the victim not wearing her pants and she appeared to be disoriented," according to the affidavit.

When interviewed on Monday, Nielsen claimed the woman was at the residence willingly and he denied assaulting her.

In 2016, Nielsen was arrested and charged with kidnapping a woman at the same address, according to police.

"The victim reported that she escaped a home where she was being held captive," according to charging documents.

The woman told police she was held captive for a couple of weeks before she was able to escape, the charges state.

Nielsen later pleaded guilty to being a restricted person in possession of a firearm and felony drug possession in exchange for the kidnapping charge being dropped. He was given a suspended prison sentence, according to court records.

In another 2016 case that allegedly happened seven months prior, Nielsen was charged with aggravated kidnapping and object rape of another woman. The state later dismissed the case due to "evidentiary concerns," according to court records. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office said the alleged victim in that case moved out of state and stopped contacting prosecutors.

Nielsen's criminal history also includes drug, weapons and theft-related charges dating back 15 years.

The man who allegedly tied up the woman and delivered her to Nielsen had not been arrested or charged as of Tuesday.
SALT LAKE CITY  The state's newest member of Congress, Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, is holding two town hall meetings this month, in Lehi and West Valley City, as well as an open house at his 4th District office in West Jordan.

"I'm a better representative when I'm hearing from Utahns and I plan to have frequent listening sessions," McAdams said in a statement Tuesday announcing the availability with constituents.

Town hall meetings were an issue in McAdams' race against now former Republican Rep. Mia Love for the seat. Love was criticized for not holding town hall-style meetings, although she did sit down with small groups of constituents.

During their only debate before last November's election, McAdams won applause when he told the audience he dealt with questions about the Olympia Hills development by doing something he never saw Love do: hold a town hall meeting.

But Love drew a few chuckles at the debate when she responded by saying she'd held 85 town hall meetings. Those apparently included tele-town halls and what was called "open office hours" at her West Jordan district office.

During designated "open office" times, Love met with a series of small groups of constituents in a conference room and answered their questions on a variety of topics, including why she wasn't holding town hall meetings.

Love, who started a new job this week as a CNN commentator, said at the time that a lot of people preferred her approach "because they feel like it's less intimidating. They feel like they can come and actually have one-on-one."

McAdams said his district office, located at 9067 S. 1300 West in West Jordan, "belongs to constituents and I'm eager to begin helping them with any issue they may be having with the federal government."

The open house at the office is scheduled from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 22.

His town hall meetings will be held in Lehi at Lehi City Hall Council chambers, 153 N. 100 East, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Jan. 23 ; and in West Valley City at the City Hall Council chambers, 3600 Constitution Blvd., from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 24.

McAdams has joined Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, in having his congressional paycheck withheld during the government shutdown that has affected some 800,000 federal employees nationwide.

"During the govt shutdown, all members of Congress should be treated as other "non-essential" federal employees and not get paid. I will have my pay deferred until the #shutdown is over," McAdams tweeted last Friday.
UTAH STATE PRISON  A man who committed a series of crimes against young boys 15 years ago  kidnapping one, attempting to kidnap two others, and hitting one with a car  is seeking another chance at parole.

Robert Allen Kartchner, of Orem, who will turn 36 next week, was sentenced to 15 years to life at the Utah State Prison in 2004. From 2002 to 2003, Kartchner committed crimes against four boys ranging in age from 6 to 16.

In one case, he abducted a kindergartner walking home from school, bound him with duct tape, cut and stabbed him with a knife and left him in Spanish Fork Canyon.

In another case, Kartchner hit a teenage boy from behind with his van, leaving him with spinal injuries.

On Tuesday, two of those boys, now adults, Ben Bladh and Andrew Martin, attended Kartchner's parole hearing at the prison. It was Kartchner's second attempt at parole.

When addressing Utah Board of Pardons and Parole member Denise Porter, who conducted the hearing, Martin said he would support whatever decision the board makes, but asked that members consider whether they believe Kartchner would attempt to abduct another child.

"I feel that it's very important (that) the past not happen again," he said.

Ben Bladh, who was kidnapped and tortured by Kartchner, did not address the board and declined comment after the hearing. Both men, however, said that they are doing well today.

Kartchner spoke slowly and softly as he answered Porter's questions.

"I am truly sorry for my actions, for the children that I hurt and their families," he said. "All I can do is move forward and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Kartchner talked about how he had spent 4  years at the Olympus facility while at the prison, which is where inmates with mental health issues are housed. It was there, he said, that he learned to deal with anxiety and depression. While stressing several times that he was not using it as an excuse, Kartchner said after the death of his grandmother he fell into a deep depression, which turned into anxiety.

"I felt socially inept," he said.

That depression turned into paranoia and the fear that everyone around him was judging him, Kartchner said.

"I was young and stupid," he said, adding that he "wanted to run away from life  then it just went downhill."

He said he became "isolated" and refused to talk about his mental problems with anyone because he "didn't want to be treated differently" and he thought admitting having a mental illness "would be seen as weakness."

Treatment at prison, he said, has taught him that seeking help when he starts to feel those feelings of depression and anxiety again is OK.

"Now I actually find friends or family that I talk to and say, 'Hey, I'm starting to think this way.'"

But while Kartchner seemed to have the right answers for most of Porter's questions, the one he had the most trouble answering was, "What was your intention?"

At one point during the hearing, Dan Bladh, Ben Bladh's father, raised his hand and asked Porter if that question could be answered. He said he wanted to know whether Kartchner was "working up the courage to kill somebody" when he cut his son.

"I think that's an important thing to consider," Bladh said.

Porter agreed and pressed Kartchner for an answer.

He took a long pause, shaking his head several times as he tried to think of the right words to reply.

"My intention was not to hurt him," he said. "It was not the intent to harm him. However, it went that way and I know I did.  I regret it with my entire heart and soul."

For a long time, Kartchner said he was able to block the incident from his mind and forget the details of what happened. But after years of therapy at the prison, he said he remembers what happened, but said "none of it really makes sense to me, what really happened," while adding that it is hard for him to verbalize what his intent was.

Kartchner, who has been on mental health medication ever since he arrived at the prison, simply said he was in a "different state of mind" at the time of the crimes.

After the hearing, Bladh said he doesn't believe Kartchner should be released.

"It just seems to me he's the same guy he always was. You know, we don't hate him or anything. We just think this is a good place for him to be. It's a safe place for him, for us, for everybody," he said.

Todd Martin, Andrew Martin's father, agreed, saying he holds no ill will toward Kartchner, he just wants the community to be safe, adding that what Kartchner did was some "pretty deep, dark serious stuff."

"You can't allow someone out who could torture little children, and maybe worse," he said.

Furthermore, he believes Kartchner is still not being truthful about what he intended to do with the kidnapped boys.

"He really would not answer the question about whether he intended to kill little Ben. And I think that he did. And for him to come back after a long pause and say, 'I didn't want to hurt anyone, it wasn't my intention to hurt anyone,' that just doesn't ring true."

The full five-member board will now vote on whether to grant parole, set another parole hearing in the future, or order Kartchner to serve his entire life sentence.
OREM  The Orem Police Department is asking for anyone who witnessed the confrontation between police and a wanted fugitive that resulted in the death of a Provo police officer to contact them.

Saturday night, Orem and Provo police officers responded to the parking lot of Bed Bath and Beyond, 50 W. University Parkway, Orem, after apparently learning that Matt Frank Hoover, 40, was in the area. Hoover had two warrants out for his arrest and had allegedly made comments that he did not want to go back to prison and threatened officers.

As officers approached the pickup truck that Hoover and a woman were in, officer Joseph Shinners, 29, who was standing by the open passenger side door, was shot. Orem police say Shinners also fired his weapon, striking Hoover.

A witness recorded cellphone video of the confrontation. In the video, officers can be seen on both sides of Hoover's pickup truck.

"The cops were yelling in the very beginning (of the video), 'Put the gun down! Put the gun down!'" said Delene Ostler, who recorded the video.

Shinners can be seen hobbling away from the truck after he was injured. He then kneels on the ground as the other officers take Hoover into custody, apparently not aware their colleague was injured.

"There were several officers that walked past him. I don't think anyone knew that something was wrong. Eventually an officer knelt down beside him and then he helped the injured officer up," she said.

Shortly afterward, officers can then be seen rushing him into an SUV and speeding away with lights and sirens activated.

On Tuesday, Orem police, who say they had also received a copy of the video, made a request for anyone else who witnessed the incident to contact them.

Orem Police Lt. Trent Colledge said detectives made the request to be thorough in their investigation and not because they were looking for something specific. In a post on the Orem Police Facebook page, the department noted that "many people saw a lot of cop cars and flashing lights but we are only looking for those who had a closer view or heard specific things being shouted. Contact dispatch at 801-229-7070 and ask for Detective Locke."

Hoover remained under guard at Utah Valley Hospital on Tuesday as he continued to be treated for his shooting wound. Police have not said how many times he was shot or on what part of his body. Colledge said he was stable.

It was not known Tuesday when Hoover would be released from the hospital and booked into jail. Police say they anticipate he will be booked for investigation of aggravated murder, among other charges.

A funeral for Shinners is scheduled for Saturday.
SALT LAKE CITY  After months of legal squabbling between Utah County and Gov. Gary Herbert, the newly restructured Utah Transit Authority is one step closer to getting a third trustee.

Kent Millington, the candidate named as part of a compromise between Herbert and Utah and Tooele counties, received an endorsement from a Senate committee on Monday.

Millington won't be sworn in on the new UTA board until after he's confirmed by the full Senate, expected later this month. But Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, told Millington he can begin working with the two other trustees and participate in board meetings. He just won't be able to vote until he's sworn in.

Millington pledged to lawmakers on the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Confirmation Committee on Monday he would work "very carefully" with other trustees on the new UTA board to address UTA's scandal-riddled past and bring reform to the agency.

"I am aware of those issues and commit to the committee and the Senate and to the state my full efforts to find good solutions to the issues and problems that are facing us," Millington said.

The Utah Legislature restructured UTA's board to a three-member commission after the agency became the subject of critical legislative audits that cited insider dealings, the subject of a federal investigation.

UTA signed a nonprosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney's office in exchange for cooperating with the investigation and submitting to three years of federal oversight.

Millington's appointment came after Herbert rejected two nominees submitted by Utah County, prompting a lawsuit. The county petitioned for the Utah Supreme Court to compel Herbert to appoint one of its two nominees.

But Herbert fired back, asserting his power to reject the county's nominees and arguing Utah County did not properly include Tooele County in the nomination process.

Last month, Herbert and Utah and Tooele county leaders arrived at Millington's name as a compromise to represent both counties on the new UTA board.

Millington, former chairman of the Utah Transportation Commission, joins two other UTA trustees already sworn in.

Carlton Christensen, a former Salt Lake City councilman who was serving as Salt Lake County's director of regional transportation, represents Salt Lake County. Beth Holbrook, former Bountiful City Councilwoman and former president of the Utah League of Cities and Towns, represents Davis, Weber and Box Elder counties.

Correction: An earlier version misidentified Utah and Tooele counties' appointee. His name is Kent Millington, not Brent Millington.
SALT LAKE CITY  Residents experienced a respite from unhealthy air quality conditions as a fresh blanket of snow covered much of northern Utah Sunday and into Monday.

But the weather conditions again kept state troopers busy on Utah's roads.

The Utah Highway Patrol responded to 56 crashes during the morning commute alone Monday, officials said.

The agency asked drivers to be mindful of "spots of icy and slushy roadway" in areas where those conditions aren't usually expected and to adjust their speed accordingly.

Troopers also reminded drivers to move off the freeway when they get into fender benders and to move over for emergency vehicles.

The National Weather Service Utah Avalanche Center also asked people to be cautious as snow and strong winds created "dangerous avalanche conditions" in the mountains.

The service issued an backcountry avalanche warning Sunday and into Monday for the Wasatch Range, the Bear River Range and Uinta Mountains.

Ski resorts benefited from the snow  Alta received 29 inches, while Solitude got 23 inches and 14 inches fell at Park City, KSL meteorologist Kevin Eubank said.

The rest of the week is expected to offer more glimpses of the sun.

"The storm is winding down and moving out," Eubank explained. Clearer skies and cooler temperatures were forecast for overnight Monday, he said.

A "weak little storm" is expected to pass through Utah on Thursday, Eubank said, and that will help keep the atmosphere moving.

During the latest storm, several Utah residents took to Twitter to post about the weather and share photos of the snow.

"My boots are getting quite the workout," Kendal Brian Hunter wrote.

"It's a winter wonderland once more in northern #Utah!" Chase Charaba posted, along with a photo of fresh snow framed by snow-tipped mountains.
Even the New National Party, the remnant of the party that built apartheid, and Mandela roundly condemned the song.

LETS not blame Mahatma Gandhi for the removal of his own statue from a university campus in Ghana following protests from students and faculty alike.

True, the hero of Indian nationalism held racial ideas about the black community during his tenure in South Africa. South African scholar Ashwin Desai has dilated on the Mahatmas pro-colonial role on behalf of the rich Indian diaspora in The Stretcher Bearer of the Empire. Arundhati Roys introduction to AmbedkarsAnnihilation of Caste offers a sharp reminder of Gandhis regressive approach towards the black communities in South Africa, and with the Hindu caste system in India.

However, blaming Gandhis worldview, which he is believed to have subsequently discarded, for the latest episode in Ghana is to miss the woods for the trees. Or, as Samuel Becketts tramp says in Waiting for Godot: its like blaming the boots for the faults of the feet.

Consider the likelier possibility that the anger in Ghana was a reaction to a more contemporary provocation than Indians  living in India, or those doing business in Africa  would be willing to concede. The reaction, in fact, appears to be rooted in the affront the average African feels when African students are harassed or beaten up in (only) northern India for their eating habits, or lifestyle, or simply out of pure malicious racism.

The anger is even likelier to be the outcome of the growing clout of Indians as part of the power elite in many African countries, owning vast tracts of lands and eyeing more, not any different from the way they are vying for the virgin forest tracts of Chhattisgarh, while blaming the native tribespeople for the ensuing violence.

What happened in Ghana the other day had occurred in Malawi in 2015 and elsewhere on the continent, though the Indian-blacks run-in has remained a lurking feature in South Africa. Nelson Mandelas rainbow nation vision of Indians, whites, and blacks living harmoniously was challenged in his lifetime when an anti-Indian song stirred up racial and ethnic tensions among groups that had unified in the fight against apartheid. The source of the controversy was Mbongeni Ngema, a noted anti-apartheid songwriter and playwright who has long championed a multiracial society. But one cut on his album was at odds with his past.

AmaNdiya, written in Zulu, the language of the African people who live in Natal, said: Oh brothers, Oh my fellow brothers. We need strong and brave men to confront Indians. This situation is very difficult, Indians do not want to change, whites were far better than Indians. Even Mandela has failed to convince them to change.

Even the New National Party, the remnant of the party that built apartheid, and Mandela roundly condemned the song. So its not about Gandhi. The malaise is more immediate, and the trigger lies in a daily experience of inequality. Youve got the Indian trader, the Indian shopkeeper, who is constantly in the eyes of the African because he trades with them, Dr Fatima Meer, head of the Institute for Black Research at the University of Natal, is on record as saying. The African looks at him and thinks, even he has more than I do.

Deepening the existing racial faultlines is a radically new image of the nouveau riche Indian as depicted approvingly in Hindi movies. Sample a much-travelled Amitabh Bachchans instructions to Sridevi who was on her maiden flight to America in the movie English Vinglish. You can press the call button at will as many times as you wish. Have no hesitation. It is the job of the airhostess to come running to you. Dont be afraid.

Then, in the same movie, Mr Bachchan gets asked by the US immigration officer about the purpose of his visit, which is what any officer on duty would be asking visitors to their country. Ive come here to spend some dollars. You dont want me here? I can go back. Contrast this arrogance rooted in new money with the clamour for work visas for Indian computer graduates at the highest levels in the Indian government, and you would wonder whether the politicians ever cared as much for the farmers who are committing suicide in droves.

Instead of blaming Gandhi or his detractors for African anger, observe the widespread influence-peddling and power play, which impoverished Africans watch rich Indians indulging in.

By arrangement with Dawn
NORTH OGDEN  The North Ogden City Council is expected Tuesday to choose the city's next mayor to serve in place of fallen Utah National Guard Maj. and North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor.

The City Council is scheduled to interview applicants and vote on a finalist Tuesday during a 6 p.m. meeting at the North Ogden City Office.

The meeting to choose a new mayor will be somber, said Annette Spendlove, the city's recorder and human resources director.

"It's something we never wanted," she said. "It's not a pleasant thing to have to do  He is certainly (missed)."

Taylor was killed Nov. 3 in an insider attack at a training base in Kabul, Afghanistan. He took an unprecedented one-year leave of absence from his post as mayor for the deployment to Afghanistan. Taylor left behind his widow, Jennie Taylor, and their seven children.

The City Council will choose among five candidates to serve as mayor through 2019, after which the mayor's seat will be up for re-election for the final two years of Taylor's term, which would have run through 2021.

Five hopefuls have submitted resumes to the City Council to consider:
SALT LAKE CITY  Facebook is free to users, but that doesn't mean they don't value it.

Researchers from Kenyon College, Michigan State University, Susquehanna University and Tufts University measured just how much people value Facebook by paying them to stop using it.

Their research, published in peer-reviewed science journal "Plos One" in December 2018, showed that on average, Facebook users required more than $1,000 to quit using the social media network for one year.

Participants were asked to take part in an auction in reverse, where instead of bidding to purchase an item, they bid the amount they would need in compensation to give up Facebook. It was not hypothetical. Winners were actually paid and required to deactivate their accounts, knowing that researchers would be checking periodically throughout the promised time period to ensure they had not reactivated.

The experiment was conducted anonymously, so participants were not aware of the amounts others were bidding.

Across three separate experiments, which included a sample of college students, a nonstudent community sample and an online sample recruited using Amazons Mechanical Turk platform, the average value users placed on Facebook ranged from $1,139 to $2,076 a year.

At a time when the body of research on social media's effects on mental and physical health is rapidly expanding, this study puts a number on how attached people are to the world's largest social network with more than 2 billion global users.

"This is important because it speaks not necessarily to addiction, but how much attachment we have to these free services," said Saleem Alhabash, associate professor of public relations and social media at Michigan State University, who worked on the study. "They have nestled into the fabric of our lives in a way that keeps us going. They become an extension of who we are, our lives and how we conduct our daily routines  as much as brushing our teeth and drinking a cup of coffee in the morning."

After one experiment, a participant approached researcher Jay Corrigan, professor of economics at Kenyon College, and explained why she would have required hundreds of dollars to deactivate her account. She said she used Facebook to correspond with her boss and worried if she didnt have access to the app, she would lose her job.

Researchers found the more people posted status updates and used Facebook for events, the higher monetary value they placed on the social network. While the average bid was more than $1,000, the median bid for one of the experiments was $200. So while half of participants bid less than $200, the average was pulled upward by some people who valued Facebook much more.

Corrigan and Alhabash had few expectations going into the experiment but were intrigued by the results. They agreed Facebook has many positive uses, but that it is possible to become too dependent.

"Like anything, it is possible to use it too much," Corrigan said, who personally decided to deactivate his Facebook account after the experiments.

"Im not anti-Facebook. I just know its something people spend a lot of time with. There are not enough hours in the day," he said.

Alhabash, on the other hand, said he is guilty of checking Facebook every hour or so, and has been tempted to check his notifications during meetings or moments of boredom.

"Connecting with distant family and friends, seeing their pictures and having reminders of their existence ... is something great social media and Facebook are providing us," said Alhabash, who has been studying Facebook for the past 11 years. "But in a social, physical sense, people are disconnected because we treat our devices and social media and apps as security blankets. Communicating with strangers is hard, and it's so much easier to use a device than to have face to face conversations."

While the study was published just last month, the data was collected in 2015 and 2016, prior to several major Facebook scandals, including data-leaks to political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, Netflix and Spotify.

It is unclear whether these events have affected how much people value Facebook. Despite the negative publicity surrounding the Cambridge Analytica revelations in mid-March 2018, Facebook added 70 million users between the end of 2017 and March 31, 2018, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Alhabash said these scandals are bound to influence some people, but not the majority. While people generally understand that their private information is vulnerable, they don't completely comprehend the risks. That skews the cost-benefit calculation people make when they ask themselves, "What am I going to lose by being off Facebook, and what am I gaining by being on Facebook?" said Alhabash.

"People are willing to exchange some privacy to be a part of what is the worlds largest social network by a large margin," Corrigan said.

According to Alhabash, Facebook's long-term popularity will not depend on a crisis or scandal, but on how Facebook handles the situation and what guarantees they are willing to make to live up to users' expectations.

Facebook reached a market capitalization of $542 billion in May 2018. At 2.2 billion active users in March 2018, this suggests a value to investors of almost $250 per user  less than one-fourth of the average annual value Facebook users reported in the study.

So why doesn't Facebook charge for the service?

According to Corrigan, the value of Facebook lies in the fact that it is the world's largest social network. Even though many would be willing to pay for the service, if Facebook started charging for access, a large number would quickly move to another social network. Once Facebook was no longer the biggest, even the people originally willing to pay wouldn't be anymore, he said.

"People derive value from Facebook, but I dont think Facebook can capture that," said Corrigan.
SALT LAKE CITY  New details, including a hefty price tag, emerged Monday about Gov. Gary Herbert's plan to give Utahns a $200 million sales tax cut and reduce the state rate while expanding the base by adding taxes to some services.

The plan the governor outlined in his $19 billion budget proposal last month and pitched Monday during the Utah Taxpayers Association's annual conference is expected to be front and center when the 2019 Utah Legislature begins meeting Jan. 28.

At the conference, the cost of dropping the state sales rate from 4.7 percent to below 3.9 percent was estimated at $800 million  money that Herbert's budget director, Phil Dean, told participants would come from broadening the tax base.

That could include taxing services such as limousine rides, cosmetic surgery and landscaping, as well as removing exemptions in the law for some purchases, including car washes, although no specific recommendation has been made.

The governor told the legislative, business and community leaders gathered at the Little America Hotel that the state's shrinking sales tax base must be broadened so "everybody is, in fact, required to pay their fair share."

The good news about what he's calling his tax modernization plan, Herbert said, "is if we broaden the base, we have the ability to lower the rate and in so doing, everybody will pay less taxes."

Legislative leaders said Monday they were willing to talk about the governor's plan but stopped short of backing a tax cut or adding new taxes on services and removing existing exemptions.

Rep. Tim Quinn, R-Heber City, said during a discussion of taxing services the same as goods that he believes House Republicans are more interested in lowering the state income tax rate than cutting sales taxes.

While Quinn said lawmakers want to see the sales tax base expanded, "the devil is in the details." Reducing the sales tax rate, however, would exacerbate the problem with the declining sales tax base, he said.

Herbert told reporters his $200 million sales tax cut would be among the largest ever. The biggest  $400 million under former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.  replaced the state's 7 percent top income tax rate with a 5 percent rate for all taxpayers.

Last year, lawmakers trimmed that rate again, to 4.95 percent.

He said he didn't know the exact numbers associated with reducing the state sales tax rate, calling it "a math game  this is like Whack-A-Mole," because there will be a tax increase on some services even though he wants a net decrease.

"The hope is that overall, we find that right optimal number, where everybody, in fact, has a reduction of their overall tax obligation, every family, every household, every individual. So that's the goal," the governor said.

As for cutting the income tax rate instead, Herbert said, "Who knows. I guess that could happen. That could be part of the discussion." But he said the narrowing sales tax base is not sustainable.

With the shift to a service economy, the governor said the percentage of economic transactions subject to sales taxes has shrunk from 70 percent to only 40 percent, a situation "that's not fair. That's not equitable."

The future of the economy seemed to be a sticking point with lawmakers.

The governor said at the conference he won't allow his staff to use the "R" word  recession  but House and Senate leaders expressed concerns that the strong economy won't last despite recent budget surpluses.

"I don't know where it's coming from. I don't know what it is out there," Herbert told the conference participants. "But it is not an inevitability that we're going to have some major downturn in the economy."

Senate Budget Chairman Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, offered a more gloomy perspective.

"I'm not a doomsayer, but something is going to happen," Stevenson said during a presentation about the new budget year beginning July 1 titled, "Caution: Rough Road Ahead."

His presentation cited the $646 million in one-time surplus funds and $657 million in ongoing revenue growth projected, then warned that not many people "think this economy is going to keep going like it's going."

Stevenson said lawmakers voted in special session in December to use $335 million of those funds to help pay for the construction of the new state prison instead of issuing bonds as planned as a hedge against an economic plunge.

Should the economy start heading south, he said the bonds could still be issued later this year to free up that cash. Another big chunk, $458 million, was put into so-called Rainy Day accounts by the Legislature's Executive Appropriations Committee.

"We need to stay within our means," Stevenson said.

Incoming House Speaker Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, said the House will look at all options to shore up the state's tax system for the long term. Right now, he said, everything is on the table including the size of any tax cut.

"It's time that we have a serious conversation about a tax cut. The specifics about how we broaden the base, lower rates, have a tax cut, I think you'll find we probably have some different ideas than the governor," Wilson told reporters.

He said a year or so before what's known as the Great Recession, the state's revenue numbers looked as strong as they do now.

"We need to be very prepared for both the good times but also in case storm clouds are on the horizon, we need to get ready for that as well," Wilson said, because the current economic expansion can't be expected to continue forever.

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, said, "Even though everything looks rosy in the budget, we want to be a little careful that we don't just automatically do large tax cuts that aren't targeted in case the money goes away."

Vickers said in an interview he believes the Senate also would prefer to look at reducing the income tax rate, although the issue still needs to be discussed among senators and with the governor's office.

Putting sales taxes on services, he said, is "easy to say. It's hard to do."

Both House and Senate Republicans are set to meet Tuesday in closed, all-day party caucuses to talk about the issues anticipated to come up during the 45-day legislative session.
SALT LAKE CITY  Layton-based author Lesli Muir is hard at work preparing her 50th novel for publication. As the new year begins, shes also midway through publishing a Scottish time travel romance series, The Ghosts of Culloden Moor. Therell be 81 books total when the series is complete. Approximately half of those will be written under her pen name, L.L. Muir. Shes enlisted the help of other authors to write the rest.

With that scale of production, it might seem like Muir has the backing of a big-time book publisher in New York. But Muir doesnt need a publishing house. She is the publishing house.

Thats the idea behind self-publishing  sometimes referred to as independent, or indie, publishing. Whereas traditionally published authors write their books and pass them on to a publishing house that polishes, packages and sells the book, all those responsibilities fall in the lap of the author.

And for Muir, thats fine. She's independent both creatively and financially, and her earnings are in the six-figures. She considers herself a mild success.

The writing part is the easy part, she said. We have to be publishers, we have to be editors. We have to find cover artists and have professional covers or were not taken seriously. Its a four-hat job.

Muir always wanted to write but spent 25 years as a florist and lacked the time to fully pursue her passion. Her life changed when someone introduced her to Diana Gabaldons Outlander books. She closed shop, which allowed her to care for her son with Down syndrome and write full-time.

I decided I needed to get back to the original dream of writing, she said. I wrote my first novel in about three weeks.

She found an agent in 2010 and hoped that would land her a deal with a New York publisher, but things didnt work according to plan. Nearly two years later, she was ready to give up when she heard about self-publishing from a friend.

She told me how much she had made the previous month because she started self-publishing, Muir said. It blew my mind.  Three weeks later, (I self-published) one of the  books my agent couldnt sell. I started making money right away, and it just kept getting bigger and bigger.

It wasnt magic. She and others who got in early on self-publishing had to watch the market closely, staying ahead of the curve and jumping on trends that put their books in front of readers.

And even after all the hard work, many dont see the same success that Muir has experienced  though that doesnt stop them from trying.

The allure of self-publishing

For many writers, self-publishing is appealing because it allows them to maintain creative and financial control over their careers, according to John D. Brown, an author based in Laketown, Rich County.

Brown debuted the first book of his fantasy trilogy with Tor Books  the same publisher that backs bestsellers Brandon Sanderson and V.E. Schwab. But when it came to writing his second book, he and his editor didnt see eye to eye.

Thankfully we had a good working relationship, Brown said. I parted ways  and I took (those books) indie.

Not only did becoming an independent author mean he had creative control, but based on his calculations, he figured he could make just as much money as he would have made with Tor. He proved his theory correct when he independently published his thriller novel Bad Penny.

If Im going to partner up with a publisher, what do I get and what do I give away? Brown said. Do I want to give up my ability to price (books), my ability to go to market as I want or to bring (books) out as fast as I can?

Orem-based author Janci Patterson had a similar experience. Macmillan published her young adult novel Chasing the Skip but didnt do much to promote the book. Consequently, the book didnt sell well and Macmillan wasnt interested in anything else she wrote.

I decided I could either quit from discouragement or I could look into self-publishing and see if I could do it, she said. I packaged the book myself. I learned how to upload it and market it. It was really kind of fun.

Techniques for success

Placing control in the hands of writers rather than corporate bigwigs makes the self-publishing industry something of an experimental publishing playground.

Its among the self-published shelves where readers will find books that cater to their niche interests. Muir  with her clean Scottish time-travel romances  said the more specific the better in self-publishing. Writers are also experimenting with marketing techniques and release schedules, something traditional publishers typically control, in hopes of finding a formula for success.

A popular model is quickly blitzing the market with books, which has become easier thanks to the popularity of e-books. Rather than publishing a book every one or two years, it isnt uncommon to see self-published authors publishing multiple books a year. Book series, in particular, work well.

Patterson and a friend have spent four years teaming up to write a string of books they plan to introduce to the market this year. Their plan? Publish 15 books in 16 months. It takes them six weeks to write a romance novel, three months to write a fantasy novel.

Weve written almost all the books that are coming out (this) year, she said. Were coming out strong to gather the audience.  Ive done a ton of research about (how to succeed) and this seems to be the model that works best for people.

Brown has the same plan. Hes waiting until he completes the final book in his upcoming fantasy series before he publishes the first.

Im going to try to release them in quick order and do a lot of marketing and advertising, he said. That seems to work best with the Amazon algorithm to get the most visibility. When you have more visibility, you have more sales  its a virtuous cycle.

Patterson added, Putting out the next book is probably the single best marketing thing you can do.

Self-publishings stigma is changing

But with all that control comes the risk of mediocrity. In its early days, self-publishing had a reputation for unprofessional covers, an abundance of grammatical errors, poor formatting and  worst of all  bad storytelling.

The stigma is fading, though that doesnt mean authors dont fall short.

Doing indie books isnt for everybody, Brown said. Youve got to know what youre getting yourself into.

For writers who want to succeed, there are some things they cant cut corners on. For one, the book has to be good. That might seem obvious, but many fail to give their books to beta readers who can give them feedback about the books strengths and weaknesses. A copy editor who can read for grammar is also nonnegotiable. And spending money on marketing  including the cost to produce a well-designed book cover  is important too.

Theres a huge indie author graveyard, Brown said. There are a lot of people who try it and they just dont get the advertising right or the cover right, or their stuff just isnt up to snuff yet.

It doesnt have to be that way, though. Taking the time and pulling the resources to produce something professional can make all the difference. When it comes down to it, readers want a good story  it doesnt matter whose logo or name is on the spine.

(People), in my experience, sometimes dont even know if what theyre reading is self-published or not, unless its obvious by the quality, Patterson said. Theyre just looking for good books.

But dont expect to get rich

But even if a writer has a strong story and an attractive cover, there are no guarantees. Those who make a living as self-publishers are the exception, not the rule.

In a 2017 shareholder letter from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, he stated that over a thousand independent authors surpassed $100,000 in royalties through Amazons e-publishing program, Kindle Direct Publishing. That may seem like a lot, until considering that more than a million books were self-published in 2017, according to a report from Publishers Weekly. A 2014 survey found that self-published authors make between $1-$999 a year.

We highlight all these successes and we dont let people know theres a huge graveyard, Brown said. Not everybody finds success.

The numbers arent only true of self-publishing either. Even with fancy covers and professional copy editors, many authors published with large publishing houses can see small paychecks (two percent of traditionally published authors see six figures).

No matter how you cut it, publishing isnt a goldmine  even if a lucky handful strikes gold every now and again.

With writing, its a long shot," Brown added. "No matter whether youre going through traditional publishing or you're going indie. The graveyard is full of books that didnt sell and its full of authors who, after trying for so many years, just decided its not worth it.

While Browns seen significant sales, he still works his day job to support his family, which adds its own challenges to the mix. He juggles a side-business along with work and family priorities. And Patterson doesnt work a day job, but shes a stay-at-home mother and home-schools her children.

Everything just kind of wraps around everything else, she said. I write in between moments.

Of course, beyond the writing itself is the pre-writing. And the editing. And the marketing. From there, its fingers crossed  despite the odds  that the book will do well. With so many factors out of the authors hands, the handful of things they can control become all the more important.

I need to do the things that are going to make it more likely (for me to succeed), Brown said. Its not a guarantee. The odds are still long. But there are some things that I can do to make my odds a little bit better.

An evolving and optimistic industry

And yet there is a lot to be optimistic about. Amazon currently claims nearly 50 percent of book sales  that means more opportunities for self-published authors who publish on Kindle. According to a 2017 Authorearning.com report, indie authors accounted for 20-35 percent of e-book sales worldwide. And while the results will surely vary from author to author, the fact that there are new doors opening means success is much more possible.

Author and blogger Mike Thayer, who grew up in Provo, chose to jump all into the self-publishing game last year. He published his childrens fantasy novel, Passage to Avalon, in April. He made the same decision Muir made shortly thereafter, walking away from his day job in August to concentrate on his books full-time.

My brain was telling myself, Im not guaranteeing you success, Thayer said of his decision. But (it was saying), You can take a crack at it if you want.  It was just an awesome realization.

Thayer soaked in everything he could before diving into the industry. He read articles, watched YouTube videos and even befriended writers who were in the throes of publishing, asking them questions and learning from their experiences.

(Self-publishing) is changing so fast, Thayer said. You have to be on the forefront of it.

Since making his decision, hes written two books (the sequel to Avalon came out in December, eight months after the first books release), recorded the audiobook of his novel himself and toured local schools in Billings, Montana, speaking to over 3,000 kids. He says he isnt financially stable yet, but hes encouraged by his experience so far.

Thayer  like many self-published authors  knows its all about patience, hard work and a bit of luck. The experience can be brutal, but even just the reward of holding a book with ones name on the cover can make the jump worthwhile.

Its a slow process, Thayer said. But its cool to have ideas and to have the means to share those ideas. Its a cool time to be alive in the publishing industry.
SANDY  The Canyons Board of Education is now taking nominations for the districts 2019 Teacher of the Year.

The district recognizes a teacher of the year from every Canyons school for outstanding instructional practices, positive engagement with parents and professional approach to their craft.

From that field, one overall teacher of the year is selected to represent the district in the state top-teacher competition and receives the 2018 Apex Award, which will be presented at a community celebration on Tuesday, April 23, at the Canyons Administration Building, 9361 S. 300 East.

The board and administration will also announce one top teacher from the elementary, middle and high school levels. Every school-based teacher of the year will receive gifts and prizes donated by the districts business partners.

To nominate teachers, log on to the districts website at canyonsdistrict.org. Nominations are due Friday, Feb. 1.
SALT LAKE CITY  Residents are invited to visit with Salt Lake police detective Dave King as part of the monthly outreach program Coffee with a Cop.

King and other law enforcers will be available to answer police-related questions between 7 and 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Tracy Aviary, 589 E. 1300 South.

Coffee with a Cop is an opportunity for the public to meet with officers in a comfortable environment and talk about any subject  from crime trends to neighborhood nuisance issues, public safety management to how to join our team.
SALT LAKE CITY  At the urging of some fellow Republicans, Salt Lake County Council Chairwoman Aimee Winder Newton is considering a 2020 run for governor.

Newton, who last month won re-election to a second term on the County Council, confirmed Monday some of her GOP supporters have urged her to think about a gubernatorial run after Gov. Gary Herbert's term ends at the end of next year.

"I said I would mull it over," Newton said. "I'm willing to consider it."

She noted much of her work at the county level does "culminate on the state level."

However, for now, Newton said she's focused on county business.

"It's something I haven't made any decisions on," she said. "Right now, I'm focusing on my constituents at the county."

If Newton runs for governor, she'd be the first female Republican to run for governor in Utah since former Gov. Olene Walker's campaign in 2004.

So far, Newton is the only woman on a list of possible Republican 2020 candidates for governor. The list includes Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, former U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, and possibly Sen. Mike Lee, according to Utah Policy. Outgoing Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes has also said he's "definitely" considering a run for the seat.

Newton said she doesn't have a specific timeline on when she'll decide whether or not to run.

"Over the next few months I'll mull it over and make a decision," she said.
Editor's note: This commentary by Hal Boyd is part of an ongoing Deseret News opinion series exploring ideas and issues at the intersection of faith and thought. The authors views are his own.

Perhaps youve heard of The Onion, the satirical news site known for its tongue-in-cheek headlines (see, for example, Johnson & Johnson Introduces 'Nothing But Tears' Shampoo To Toughen Up Newborns or Annual ninja parade once again passes through town unnoticed).

The Babylon Bee meanwhile is an online publication that follows The Onions basic model, but with a distinct evangelical-Christian flair.

I have to admit, more often than not the Bee displays a penchant for sharp wit and an uncommon theological savvy (one recent headline reads: Calvinist Dog Corrects Owner: No One Is A Good Boy').

Indeed, at its best, the publication needles the less-than-heavenly elements of contemporary religious culture in a mostly good-natured manner (An Ohio man once shopped at a shopping mall for over twenty years before realizing it was actually a church).

At its worst, however, the publication evinces the very sectarian stereotypes that one hopes such publications exist to extinguish.

Sadly, last week, this less desirable iteration of The Babylon Bee was on display.

Twitter-dwelling members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sighed through their thumbs upon encountering the Bees piece on social media. Follower Of Joseph Smith Urges Nation To Reject Morally Flawed Leaders, reads the headline.

Ostensibly directed at Utah Sen. Mitt Romney in the wake of his Washington Post editorial criticizing President Donald Trump, the article was nonetheless widely read as a shot at Latter-day Saints generally. Matt Whitlock, the former deputy chief of staff for the now-retired Sen. Orrin Hatch, reacted on Twitter: I generally love (The Babylon Bee) but this was less ha ha Mormons and more we have some pretty deep-seeded hate for the Mormons weve wanted to get off our chests for a while.

For starters, Latter-day Saints would contend that, while they revere Brother Joseph, they most accurately follow Jesus Christ. But, for the sake of argument, the logic of the Bee's piece goes something like this  Romney is a follower of Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith was flawed; ergo, we should dismiss Romneys ideas about moral character.

The man (Romney) who has devoted his life to the teachings of a con artist encouraged the nation to examine its leaders to see whether they are worthy of our devotion and respect, the Bee's piece reads.

What a hypocrite, right?

Setting aside that discerning scholars of Joseph Smith  including some Protestant ones  would balk at reducing one of the 19th Century's most influential religious leaders to a mere con artist, the Bees main point amounts to little more than a classic ad hominem fallacy. That is, the Bee attacks the person (or the persons faith), rather than the substance of the persons argument.

And then there's the sticky issue of the red herring fallacy, deployed, evidently, in an effort to distract from the issue at hand (by raising another, unrelated one).

Romney wrote an article in the Washington Post? ... Hey, look everyone, Joseph Smith!

Most Latter-day Saint reactions to the Bee's article, however, are not gripes about its sloppy logic (after all, it's an online humor site). For those Latter-day Saints who saw the piece and commented publicly on it, there was mostly a sense of disappointment in what they felt was little more than a religiously bigoted piece hiding behind the guise of humor.

While its the mark of a mature believer to embrace a little religious ribbing, lines like Joseph Smith's own prophecies failed to come true over and over again" and "the Mormon Church continues to deceive its members by covering up its past seem like gratuitous shots rather than the makings of a friendly interfaith roast.

What's worse is the shots are inaccurate.

Certainly, the Bee has a right to scrutinize Joseph Smith or the churchs prophetic record (although it seems to have overlooked that prophecy about people speaking both good and evil about Joseph Smith). And the Bee is also free to scrutinize the track record of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in terms of transparency regarding its past (but, considering that the Joseph Smith Papers project aims to publish every document associated with the prophet's history, perhaps the Bee should also criticize the church for covering up its past so poorly).

Romney took Trump to task for his immoral lifestyle," the Bee's article points out, before claiming that his churchs founder used his influence to marry more women and to deceive millions. In a craft that rewards punchlines  rather than nuanced footnotes  its perhaps understandable (if not entirely excusable) that online humorists cut corners. But even one of Joseph Smiths harshest biographers admitted that there was too much of the Puritan in Joseph to dismiss him as a careless libertine, as the Bee seems to do.

Simply put: Drawing such uncharitable (and inaccurate) conclusions about Joseph Smith comes across as, well, unchristian.

Lamentably, for those of us who once called ourselves fans of The Babylon Bee, this kind of jaundice isnt an isolated incident. In October, Christian commentator Morgan Guyton expressed public discomfort with what he felt were the publications anti-Semitic barbs aimed at George Soros.

Once again, the issue wasnt with satirizing Soros  rather, the issue was that the jokes focused on Soros Jewish background.

Soros, of course, lived through Nazi occupation of his native Hungary. But the Bee thought it funny to run headlines like: George Soros Accused Of Providing 30 Pieces Of Silver Used To Pay Off Judas. Another read: George Soros Vows To Lead Migrant Caravan Into Promised Land.

Some would undoubtedly contend that such pieces were actually meant to expose the folly of right-wing hysteria surrounding Soros. I hope so. But Guyton takes issue with the Bee making Soros' Jewish heritage the centerpiece of satire at a time when, in his words, "far-right evangelical Christians are peddling conspiracy theories about rich liberal Jews and a deranged gunman who specifically blamed Jews for bringing refugees to the United States murdered 11 Jews at the Tree of Life synagogue.

Now, I dont think The Babylon Bee is intentionally trying to provoke anti-Semitism. On the whole, the enterprise is rather ecumenical. Nor do I believe that Joseph Smith, Romney or Soros should be shielded from scrutiny or satire. But, for professed followers of Jesus Christ, is it too much to expect that interfaith discussions (and humor) would extend a modicum of, ahem, grace?

Now, Latter-day Saints are by no means perfect. I would know. But contemporary members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints express almost nothing but reverence for the founders of the Protestant traditions (traditions evidently embraced by writers at the Bee).

One Latter-day Saint apostle, President M. Russell Ballard, declared, We owe much to the many brave martyrs and reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Huss who demanded freedom to worship and common access to the holy books. Elder D. Todd Christofferson stated simply: We owe them all a great debt of gratitude." The late church president Gordon B. Hinckley rhapsodized: Reformers worked to change the (Christian) church, notably such men as Luther, Melanchthon, Hus, Zwingli, and Tyndale. These were men of great courage, some of whom suffered cruel deaths because of their beliefs. Protestantism was born with its cry for reformation.

Some today uncritically dismiss the contributions of Calvin or Luther because of what many conclude to be their anti-Semitic sentiments, which were all too frequently espoused within the Christendom of their day (Calvin, for instance, is reported to have said, I have never found common sense in any Jew).

While certainly not supportive of such misguided (and reprehensible) prejudice, Latter-day Saints today almost never make a habit of disparaging or mocking the legacy of the reformers or stating that fellow Americans shouldn't take Protestant politicians seriously because their founding theologians had flaws.

Perhaps we could all learn from the ecumenical attitude expressed by Joseph Smith. If I esteem mankind to be in error, shall I bear them down? Joseph wondered aloud. No. I will lift them up, and in their own way too, if I cannot persuade them my way is better; and I will not seek to compel any man to believe as I do, only by the force of reasoning ... Do you believe in Jesus Christ and the Gospel of salvation which He revealed? So do I. Christians should cease wrangling and contending with each other, and cultivate the principles of union and friendship in their midst.

On a separate occasion, Joseph wrote: I have the most liberal sentiments, and feelings of charity towards all sects, parties, and denominations; and the rights and liberties of conscience, I hold most sacred and dear, and despise no man for differing with me in matters of opinion. If he was willing to die for a Mormon, he declared, he was just as ready to die for the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination.

To be clear, devout denominationalism and strong theological claims play a constructive part in intra-Christian comity. When believers lack a sound conviction in their own faith traditions, its the collective Christian corpus thats weakened. But firm faith must never become a license for unchristian attitudes toward the faithful of another stripe. Perhaps a bit less sting and a bit more honey is in order for the Bee.

C.S. Lewis advised in his seminal Mere Christianity: When you have reached your own room be kind to those who have chosen different doors and to those who are still in the hall. If they err, he writes, they need your prayers all the more; and if they are your enemies, then you are under orders to pray for them. That is one of the rules common to the whole house.
SALT LAKE CITY  Heres a look at the news for Jan. 7.

Greg Hughes offered the Deseret News a behind-the-scenes look at Utahs medical marijuana compromise bill. Read more.

Utahns mourn a slain Provo police officer. Read more.

New Utah County clerk Powers her way forward to fix dysfunction in the elections office. Read more.

Utah national parks have been affected by the government shutdown. They will get federal help within days. Read more.

Where are the most dangerous roads to bike in Utah? Salt Lake City and Provo, study says. Read more.

A Detroit Pistons fan sparked Donovan Mitchells 26-point game over the weekend. Read more.

A look at our InDepth coverage:

A look at our most-read stories:

A look at national headlines:
SALT LAKE CITY  The folks at PBS mined the Bard to kick off the third season of their royal drama "Victoria," stealing a line from "Henry IV, Part II" for the title of their first episode. Debuting on Sunday, Jan. 13, the episode "Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown" could well describe the whole show. Queen Victoria, played by Jenna Coleman, hasn't really had an easy time since she took over the throne back in season 1, and as she heads into season 3, it appears she has a whole lot more unease to deal with.

If you can't wait until Jan. 13 and want to see the first episode on the big screen, KUED is hosting two Utah screenings ahead of the Masterpiece program's season premiere.

To help us get a handle on the history that surrounds this new season, we've dug into our history books and fleshed out some of the details. Here's what we've found:

Revolutions of 1848

The PBS website states that this new season starts in 1848, as "revolution breaks out across Europe." But what revolution is that? Come to find out, more than one.

According to Britannica.com, revolution fever was in the air around Western Europe in 1848. In January of that year, a group of Sicilians revolted against Austrian Empire rule, seeking an independent Italy, and their democratic fire spread, first to France and then onward, impacting most Western European countries. In France, where revolution was nothing new (this revolution took place 16 years after the events depicted in the ever-popular musical "Les Miserables"), the revolutionaries actually did overthrow the monarchy, establishing the Second French Republic.

So what did this mean for Britain and her diminutive queen? Not quite as much as it meant across the Channel, but it did have an impact.

Britain's Chartists Movement, which started 10 years previously in 1838 and was named for the People's Charter, echoed some of the revolutionary ideas of mainland Europe. Aiming to give all men the vote (the women's vote was still some ways off), the Charter had five other demands  including three that dealt directly with Parliament  and amassed some 1.25 million signatures, according to Parliament.uk. In 1848, the leaders of the movement tried for the last and third time to get their charter passed in Parliament. While unsuccessful at the time, in the coming years, many of their stipulations finally passed, and by the time that Queen Victoria's grandson, George V, was king, all but one of the Chartists' demands had been met.

The United Kingdom in 1848

1848 was an important year in many respects, and while we don't know for sure what historical events will find their way into "Victoria's" season 3 screenplay, here are a few that would make for compelling on-screen drama:

The potato blight returns to Ireland, adding more deaths to the Great Famine, which ran from 184549. According to Britannia.com, roughly 1 million people died during the Great Famine from either starvation or disease, while Ireland lost another 2 million to emigration.

The Workers' Educational Association publish "The Communist Manifest" in London in February of 1848. Written by German philosopher Karl Marx with the aid of philosopher Friedrich Engels, the initial pamphlet made few waves when it first came out, according to History.com; however, its principles very much reflected the revolutionary spirit across the Channel as well as ideas brewing in the U.K. Still, we probably shouldn't expect to hear Queen Victoria mention Marxism quite yet.

The Public Health Act passes. Public health debates are nothing new, and the 1848 Parliament passed the not-so-popular Public Health Act, which, according to bbc.uk.co, people didn't like because it was seen as an "unwelcome intrusion by central government." We've heard that one before.

Queen Victoria gives her name (sort of) to Queen's College, London, the first school to give degrees to girls, according to the Queen's College website. We're hopeful this one makes it into the show, as it's a lesser-known event that deserves a special mention.

Polish pianist and composer Frederic Chopin, who had been living in Paris but lost most of his well-heeled students following the revolution of 1848, pays a visit to London and Scotland, according to Chopin-society.org. Highlighting his visit in the show would definitely give an episode of "Victoria" a lovely soundtrack.

London's Waterloo Railway Terminus opens in the summer of 1848. While Queen Victoria likely won't mention the new train station in the show, it's good to know that 119 years later, the Kinks will immortalize it in their 1967 hit song "Waterloo Sunset." We'd love to see Victoria get groovy to this tune.

And finally, just before Christmas in 1848, Victoria, Albert and their brood (six children by the end of the year) pose for a drawing around their Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. The picture appeared on the cover of "The Illustrated London News" and gave rise to the popularity of Christmas trees throughout the country, according to WhyChristmas.com.

"Victoria Season 3" airs on KUED on Sunday, Jan. 13, 8 p.m.

If you go 

What: KUED hosts a "Victoria" season 3 advance screening

When: Tuesday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m.

Where: Broadway Centre Cinemas, 111 E. Broadway

How much: Free

Web: www.kued.org

Also 

What: KUED hosts a "Victoria" season 3 advance screening

When: Thursday, Jan. 10, 7 p.m.

Where: The Utah Theatre, 18 W. Center Street, Logan
Amit Shah announced a list of different committees for the preparation of elections.

Mumbai: The inclusion of Narayan Rane in the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) manifesto committee indicates that the partys rift with the Shiv Sena is beyond repair now. This was underlined after BJP national chief Amit Shah used strong words against the Sena and in reply, Sena leaders slammed him.

Mr Shah announced a list of different committees for the preparation of elections. He included Mr Rane in the BJPs manifesto preparation committee.

Mr Rane has his own party, Maharashtra Swa-bhiman Paksha. Howe-ver, his inclusion in the committee of the BJP is likely to have political implications in the state.

Mr Rane started his political career with the Sena before joining the Congress in 2006. Hence, he shares a bitter relationship with the Sena. The saffron party is also an alliance partner of the BJP. It was claimed that the Sena opposed the inclusion of Mr Rane in the cabinet and hence, he was sent to the Rajya Sabha.

Mr Ranes inclusion in the BJPs manifesto committee implicates that the BJP leadership has now come to the conclusion of snapping pol-itical ties with the Sena.

On the same day, Mr Shah said, in Latur, that his party was ready to contest on its own in the state. In reply, the Sena too said that it was ready for any such battle.

All this implicates possibility of Mr Rane being BJPs choice for candidature in the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg LS constituency, if Sena doesnt partner with the party.
WALTER E. WILLIAMS is a professor of economics at George Mason University. To find out more about Williams, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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Letter to the Editor: It's time to end Pa.'s Hunger Games for education funding
Editor of Town Talk, News & Press of Delaware County

Call me wife, mom, daughter, granny, writer, neighbor, sister, aunt, editor, Godmother, niece, friend, acquaintance, co-worker, cousin, news junkie, diva, funmeister... call me them all, just call, text or e-mail me-- especially when there's "a scoop!"
editorial

Rep. Tlaib needs to be better; we all do
PM 2.5 level is a measure of fine particulate matter in air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers.

The data achieved will help understand the source profile needed to be regulated for the effective improvement of air quality in the city.

New Delhi: The Delhi government has signed an agreement with the Washington University to conduct a joint study on air quality evaluation in the national capital.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims at the joint study to be undertaken by the Washington University and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for real-time source apportionment with special reference to PM 2.5 and analysis of elemental, organic carbon, and 72 inorganic elements.

PM 2.5 level is a measure of fine particulate matter in air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers.

The project duration will be 18 months. The work will be undertaken by the personnel of the Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory (AAQRL), which has expertise in identifying air quality problems and suggesting solutions to curtail emission for reducing air pollutant release, an official statement said.

Two speciation monitors will be used in the project for obtaining the composition of PM 2.5. Identification of the sources of the respective particulate matter based on a real-time algorithm will be developed. Data analyses and algorithm will be developed for identifying major source categories and approaches to minimise and improve air quality, it added.

The data achieved will help understand the source profile needed to be regulated for the effective improvement of air quality in the city.

Wireless sensors will be deployed together with developed algorithm, which will help in monitoring the real-time air quality and the source at selected locations in the city, the statement said.

While the study will involve testing and identifying the source of air pollution and chemical composition of various PMs, it will also help identify the factor affecting the quantities of emissions of various pollutants from different sources. It will also derive conclusions and policy recommendations for air pollution control, it added.
Islamabad: A top court in Pakistan on Monday indefinitely postponed hearing of a petition filed by jailed former premier Nawaz Sharif seeking suspension of his sentence in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case.

On December 24, 2018, Accountability Court II Judge Arshad Malik sentenced 69-year-old Sharif to seven years in prison along with a fine of Rs 1.5 billion and $25 million in the Al-Azizia corruption case, concluding a series of three court cases against the Sharif family in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal.

The three-time former premier is serving his term in Lahores Kot Lakhpat Jail. Sharif filed an appeal against his conviction in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and a petition to suspend sentence until adjudication on appeal. A two-member IHC bench led by Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition and postponed it with the observation that it can only be heard after hearing of the appeal started.

The court has so far not set any date for hearing of Sharif's appeal. In the appeal filed through his lawyer in the Islamabad High Court, Sharif argued that he was convicted on the basis of presumptions and his sentence should be set aside.

He said the trial court verdict was based on misunderstandings as it failed to properly evaluate the objections by the defence.
Yusaku Maezawa is the chief executive of Japans largest online fashion store and is the 18th richest person in Japan. (Photo: Twitter)

Tokyo: Billionaire Japanese tycoon and future space tourist Yusaku Maezawa said on Monday his tweet promising a cash giveaway of nearly $10,000 was the most retweeted ever.

The 43-year-old Maezawa posted a tweet on Saturday promising one million yen ($9,250) in cash each to 100 randomly selected followers who had retweeted it by Monday.

The tweet  now retweeted more than 4.3 million times  is the most shared in history, according to the entrepreneur. Hit the new world record. Surpassed Twit-ters world record number of retweets (it was 3.55 million RTs before) and more people are still retweeting, wrote the high-profile Maezawa.

The previous record-holder was an American teenager in 2017 trying to win a years supply of chicken nuggets from fast food chain Wendys, according to media.

In October, Maezawa said he paid an undisclosed sum for a ticket on fellow tycoon Elon Musks SpaceX rocket around the moon as early as 2023.

Maezawa will hitch a ride aboard Musks Big Falcon Rocket, which SpaceX has acknowledged may not be ready for human flight for at least five years. Known as a passionate art collector, he also plans to take around half a dozen artists with him on the trip. Maezawa is chief executive of Japans largest online fashion store.
India has threatened to retaliate but said it would not take action until the end of this month. (Photo: File)

Washington: US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed reducing the US trade deficit with India and increasing their cooperation in Afghanistan in a telephone call on Monday, the White House said.

"The leaders agreed to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the US trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan," the White House said in a statement.

The United States has slapped tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium from India, part of Trump's drive to reduce the US trade deficit and boost American manufacturing jobs.

India has threatened to retaliate but said it would not take action until the end of this month.

In Afghanistan, Trump is planning to withdraw more than 5,000 of the 14,000 US troops there, a US official said last month.

With a reduced military presence in Afghanistan, the United States would almost certainly have to curtail its missions, which include training and advising Afghan forces and waging an air campaign against the Taliban and other terrorist groups.
US President Donald Trump signed new legislation expanding the governments ability to block foreign investment in US companies, regardless of the investors country of origin.

New Trump administration policies aimed at curbing Chinas access to American innovation have all but halted Chinese investment in US technology startups, as both investors and startup founders abandon deals amid scrutiny from Washington.

Chinese venture funding in US startups crested to a record $3 billion last year, according to New York economic research firm Rhodium Group, spurred by a rush of investors and tech companies scrambling to complete deals before a new regulatory regime was approved in August.

Since then, Chinese venture funding in US startups has slowed to a trickle, Reuters interviews with more than 35 industry players show.

US President Donald Trump signed new legislation expanding the governments ability to block foreign investment in US companies, regardless of the investors country of origin. But Trump has been particularly vocal about stopping China from getting its hands on strategic US technologies.

The new rules are still being finalized, but tech industry veterans said the fallout has been swift.

Deals involving Chinese companies and Chinese buyers and Chinese investors have virtually stopped, said attorney Nell ODonnell, who has represented US tech companies in transactions with foreign buyers.

Lawyers who spoke to Reuters say they are feverishly rewriting deal terms to help ensure investments get the stamp of approval from Washington. Chinese investors, including big family offices, have walked away from transactions and stopped taking meetings with US startups. Some entrepreneurs, meanwhile, are eschewing Chinese money, fearful of lengthy government reviews that could sap their resources and momentum in an arena where speed to market is critical.

Volley Labs, Inc, a San Francisco-based company that uses artificial intelligence to build corporate training materials, is playing it safe. It declined offers from Chinese investors last year after accepting cash from Beijing-based TAL Education Group as part of a financing round in 2017.

We decided for optical reasons it just wouldnt make sense to expose ourselves further to investors coming from a country where there is now so much by way of trade tensions and IP tensions, said Carson Kahn, Volleys CEO.

A Silicon Valley venture capitalist told Reuters he is aware of at least ten deals, some involving companies in his own portfolio, that fell apart because they would need approval from the interagency group known as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. He declined to be named for fear of bringing negative attention to his portfolio companies.

CFIUS is the government group tasked with reviewing foreign investment for potential national security and competitive risks. The new legislation expands its powers. Among them: the ability to probe transactions previously excluded from its purview, including attempts by foreigners to purchase minority stakes in US startups.

China is in the crosshairs. The Asian giant has been an aggressive investor in technology deemed critical to its global competitiveness and military prowess. Chinese investors have bought stakes in ride-hailing firms Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft, as well as companies with more sensitive technologies including data center networking firm Barefoot Networks, autonomous driving startup Zoox and speech recognition startup AISense.

A dearth of Chinese money is unlikely to spell doomsday for Silicon Valley. Investors worldwide poured more than $84 billion into US startups for the first three quarters of last year, exceeding any prior full-year funding, according to data provider PitchBook Inc.

Still, Chinese funders are critical to helping US companies gain access to the worlds second-largest economy. Volleys Kahn acknowledged that rejecting Chinese investment may make his startups overseas expansion more difficult.

Those of us who are operators and entrepreneurs feel the brunt of these tensions, Kahn said.

It is a radical shift for Silicon Valley. Money has historically flowed in from every corner of the globe, including from geopolitical rivals such as China and Russia, largely uninhibited by US government scrutiny or regulation.

Reid Whitten, an attorney with Sheppard Mullin, said that of the six companies he recently advised to get CFIUS approval for their investment offers, only two have opted to file the paperwork. The others abandoned their deals or are still considering whether to proceed.

It is a generational change in the way we look at foreign investment in the United States, Whitten said.

CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES

The decline in Chinese investment comes amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington. Trump has blasted China for its enormous trade surplus and for what he claims are its underhanded strategies to obtain leading-edge American technology.

The nations have already levied billions in tariffs on each others goods. And Trump is considering an executive order to bar US companies from using telecommunications equipment made by Chinas Huawei and ZTE, which the US government has accused of spying.

CFIUS is emerging as another powerful cudgel. Led by the US Treasury, it includes members from eight other government entities, including the departments of Defense, State and Homeland Security. The secretive committee does not disclose much about the deals it reviews. But its most recent annual report said Chinese investors made 74 CFIUS filings from 2013 to 2015, the most of any nation. The president has the authority to make the final decision, but a thumbs-down from CFIUS is usually enough to doom a deal.

Washington demonstrated its tougher stance even before the new law was passed, when Trump in March blocked a $117 billion hostile bid by Singapore-based Broadcom Ltd to acquire Qualcomm Inc of San Diego. CFIUS said the takeover would weaken the United States in the race to develop next-generation wireless technology.

A White House spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

In November, CFIUS rolled out a pilot program mandating that foreign investors notify the committee of any size investment in certain critical technologies. The scope of that term is still being defined, but a working list includes artificial intelligence, logistics technology, robotics and data analytics  the bread and butter of Silicon Valley.

Research firm Rhodium predicted that up to three-quarters of Chinese venture investments would be subject to CFIUS review under the new rules.

Just the threat of that scrutiny has caused some Chinese investors to reconsider.

Peter Kuo, whose firm, Silicon Valley Global, connects Chinese investors with US startups, said his business has slumped dramatically. In 2018, he said not a single Chinese investor took a stake in the companies he shopped to them.

CFIUS didnt kill our organization, but it hampered a lot of startups, and most of them are American startups, Kuo said.

SAFE SIDE OF THE FENCE

Some security experts applaud what they call long-overdue protections for US startups.

What we are concerned about is a limited number of bad actors who are phenomenally clever about how they can access our intellectual property, said Bob Ackerman, founder of AllegisCyber, a venture capital firm based in San Francisco and Maryland that backs cyber security startups.

Rhodium calculates that, on average, 21 per cent of Chinese venture investment in the United States from 2000 through 2017 came from state-owned funds, which are controlled at least in part by the Chinese government. In 2018, that figure surged to 41 per cent.

But some tech industry players say Washington is casting too wide a net in its zeal to check Beijing.

A lot of innocent business people are getting caught up in the administrations spat with China, said Wei Guo, the China-born founding partner of Silicon Valley firm UpHonest Capital, whose funding comes mostly from foreign investors with ties to China.

Adding to Silicon Valleys anxiety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken a more active role in policing Chinese investment.

Two industry veterans, a startup adviser and a venture capitalist who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters they were recently cautioned by the FBI not to pursue deals with Chinese investors. The two people did not name the Chinese entities of interest to the FBI, but said the deals concerned US companies building artificial intelligence and autonomous driving technologies.

Whether any of this deters China from reaching its goal of dominating advanced technologies remains to be seen. China can still invest in US technology through layers of funds that obscure the money source. And Chinese investors are redirecting funds to promising companies in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

US startups, meanwhile, are rewriting deal terms to avoid a CFIUS review. Strategies include adding provisions to prevent foreign investors from obtaining proprietary technical information, and denying them board rights, veto rights or additional equity in future rounds, attorneys told Reuters.

People are rightfully concerned about making sure they are on the safe side of the fence, said Jeff Farrah, general counsel of the National Venture Capital Association.

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He Jiankui, associate professor at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, sparked an international scientific and ethical row when he said he had used a technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born in November.

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A leading geneticist who ran the conference where a Chinese scientist said he had made the worlds first gene-edited babies condemned him on Monday for potentially jeopardizing lives and having no biology training.

Robin Lovell-Badge, organizer of the November 2018 event where Chinas He Jiankui made his controversial presentation, described him as a rich man with a huge ego who wanted to do something he thinks will change the world.

He Jiankui, associate professor at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, sparked an international scientific and ethical row when he said he had used a technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born in November.

He could not be immediately reached to respond to Lovell-Badges comments. Chinese authorities are investigating him and have meanwhile halted this kind of research.

In videos posted online and at the conference, He said he believed his gene editing would help protect the girls from infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Lovell-Badge, a professor and gene expert at Britains Francis Crick Institute who led the organizing committee for the November Human Genome Editing Summit at Hong Kong University, said it was impossible to know what He had actually done.

If its true (that he edited the genomes in the way he says) then it is certainly possible that he has put the childrens lives at risk, he told journalists in London.

No-one knows what these mutations will do.

Lovell-Badge said he originally invited He to the conference after hearing in scientific circles that he was up to something. Lovell-Badge hoped that asking He to interact with specialists would encourage him to control his urges.

Pretty much everyone he talked to had said to him: Dont do it, he said. But clearly it was all too late.

Lovell-Badge said he learned of Hes claims on the eve of the conference, and had an emergency meeting with him.

He thought that he was doing good, and that what he was doing was the next big thing, Lovell-Badge said. But he had no basic training in biology and the experiments he said he had carried out ignored all the norms of how you conduct any clinical trial or clinical experiment.

He should certainly be stopped from doing anything like this again, he said.

Lovell-Badge said he had not heard from He since early December, but understood he was in Shenzhen in a guarded apartment during the probe.

Chinese authorities and institutions, as well as hundreds of international scientists, have condemned He and said any application of gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes was against the law and medical ethics of China.

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Whats important nevertheless is that China and Pakistan appear first and foremost in the queue, as once again a section of gullible and benign Indians appear mesmerised and hypnotised, like the rulers and the ruled in the 17th/18th centuries were, by British traders and the likes of Thomas Roe. (Photo: AFP)

Just over 418 years ago, on December 31, 1600 was formed a company (in London) by the name of Governor and Company of Merchants of London, trading into the East Indies. The company, later known by its simplified title East India Company, secured from Queen Elizabeth the First a royal charter. The charter originally stood as a privilege for fifteen years granted by Her Majesty to certain adventurers for the discovery of trade for the East Indies.

Interestingly, the East Indies comprised mainland India and the countries to the east of the Bay of Bengal, the Straits of Malacca, and the Java and Chinese Seas. The management of the company was entrusted to 25 men (one governor and 24 one-man committees), all of whom were based in England. Subsequently, these committees were called directors, and the court of directors was born.

The company required powers to make rules and regulations for the administration and management of its own internal affairs, and to attend to the needs of the natives. (Note the words needs of the natives). How derogatory things could be! It thus became a question of the so-called white mans burden to civilise, guide and navigate the coloured natives of the Orient as the Company acted under the authority of the Crown. It was the power and privilege of the Crown which granted the Company specific legislative and judicial authority for exercising over areas and terrain under its possession.

A British multinational corporation was thus born (much before those of our times) under the tutelage (and direct supervision) of the British Crown at the turn of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century. (Globalisation, privatisation certainly are not any new-fangled 21st century terms). The 1600 Charter further authorised the governor and the Company to assemble... in any convenient place to hold court for the company and affairs thereof; to make, ordain, and constitute reasonable laws, constitutions, orders and ordinances for good government of the Company and its officers; and to execute its laws by imposing or providing such punishments and penalties as might seem necessary.

In retrospect, therefore, can any Indian of the 17th century, or for that matter the various rulers of India, scattered all over, be faulted for their collective inability to see through, and understand the long-term implications of allowing the Englishmen, appearing as harmless, benign traders, paying abiding obeisance to a decaying Delhi Durbar, to do business in India? Certainly not. The Orient clearly got hooked by the guile of the traders of the Occident, who had the rock-solid backing of imperial London. The smooth-talking and soothsaying white people in the land of the coloured, triumphed over, and trumped, the tormented ruler which has been vividly described thus: From Delhi to Palam, was the realm of Shah Alam.

Understandably, Indias continent-like geography soon became the administrative, legal and operational headquarters of the British multinational corporation (the East India Company), a virtual administrative state within the imperial state, with jurisdiction spanning from Aden to Indonesia and beyond, and carrying its sporadic agenda of loot and war; all for profit of business.

But what began in the 17th century, with Western traders, appears to be repeating in the 21st century, as both terror and trade initiatives have been relaunched across India by another set of foreigners deep inside. Once again, foreigners want to do trade with India. Prima facie, there is nothing wrong with the prospect of trade. Its all perfectly legitimate and bona fide. Whats important nevertheless is that China and Pakistan appear first and foremost in the queue, as once again a section of gullible and benign Indians appear mesmerised and hypnotised, like the rulers and the ruled in the 17th/18th centuries were, by British traders and the likes of Thomas Roe. The difference today is that instead of the West, the dramatis personae hail from the Orient itself: operating from the two flanks of India  east, under the Communist Party of China; and west, under the eternal hatred-filled, communal-agenda spreading terror elements and their military masters masquerading as the backseat driving political establishment of Islamabad.

In fact, what is being suggested today is the need for a fresh look and reorientation of Indias trade with countries like China, which are lop-sided, resulting in colossal losses to India and fat profits for China. In 2017-2018, Indias trade imbalance stood at a negative $63 billion. In 2018 too, the figures of the first six months (April-September 2018) show an adverse figure minus $29 billion for India. Now comes Huaweis and ZTEs penetration into the Indian telecommunications market, which is bound to lead to a long-term negative scenario, on which several warnings by state institutions dont appear to be taken note of. All this at a time when the world is increasingly getting worried and concerned about the rank unethical modus operandi being followed by Chinese companies, backed by the Communist Party government. The same way the British government had stood behind its East India Company in the distant past.

One wonders why so many in India are still failing to take note of the inherent propensity of the Chinese to sabotage all foreigners! Beijing seems to be following the example of Britain and the US in past centuries; to spread its tentacles like imperial Britain of the 18th and 19th centuries around targeted destinations, and keep all potential hostility far away from mainland China, as was done by 20th century America after the Pearl Harbour attack by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. China has learnt the tricks of geopolitics, geo-economics and international trade/commerce fast; emerging as a cash-rich Communist nation operating through bilateral commercial and financial transactions across the globe.

For India, therefore, the day of reckoning doesnt appear too far. Unlike Americans and the West, on whom the realisation of the harsh reality of past follies appears to be dawning, its now advantage China all the way vis-a-vis India. New Delhis desperation, to open up to China is simply bewildering. Just one instance will suffice.

On January 1, 2019 came the report: After smartphone manufacturer Vivo was allotted 169 acres last month, the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority has given 19.7 acres to two other Chinese companies (9.8 acres to Yingtong Electronic and 9.8 acre to Xihi Tech)  which is expected to generate 13,000 jobs. What exactly will these companies do now? They will manufacture mobile accessories like headphones, earphones, & USB cables. Something which appears to be beyond the capability of Indian companies! India can make nuclear-submarines and Isro can launch spacecraft to the moon, but we need Chinese companies (known for espionage and sabotage across the globe) to make mobile accessories. A new avatar of Londons East India Company 418 years ago is surely on the way!
Leading science intellectuals like Prof. C.N.R. Rao, who has done so much to advance research within the country, has reportedly said he no longer attends the Science Congress for fear that he may be seen as endorsing what goes on there in the name of science.

Indian Science Congresses became a prestigious event when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru began to inaugurate it in the first month of every year. It attracted men and women at the frontiers of scientific research from all corners of the globe, and invigorated scholarship in science within the country and was an inspiration to young scientists.

All that seems like pre-history today. Leading science intellectuals like Prof. C.N.R. Rao, who has done so much to advance research within the country, has reportedly said he no longer attends the Science Congress for fear that he may be seen as endorsing what goes on there in the name of science. The comment was published after startling things were said at the recent science conclave in Jalandhar that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At the event, Mr Modi was ready with a slogan  Jai jawan, jai kisan, jai anusandhaan  as he is wont to  to underline the importance of research. But this aspect was hardly being heeded.

Apparently, the political culture of our rulers these days, which regards the fertile imagination plentifully available in Hindu mythology as concrete evidence of advanced scientific work in ancient India, is beginning to have an effect. Thus the vice-chancellor of Andhra University expounded on the Kauravas in the Mahabharat as being test-tube babies or products of stem cell research. He also claimed that Ravana had 24 types of aircraft, not just the Pushpak Vimaan.

Another worthy dismissed the work of Newton, Einstein and Stephen Hawking, and spoke of his own forthcoming theory of the Modi wave.

The real question is: how do such radicals make it to this once highly-prestigious meet?
Soon after the resignation of Americas defence secretary Jim Mattis in December, news broke from official American sources that the United States would withdraw 7,000 troops, out of the 14,000 deployed in Afghanistan, over the next few months. US President Donald Trump followed this up with a tweet that in fact it was Syria from where US troops would withdraw fully, claiming the Islamic State (ISIS) had been defeated completely. Mr Mattis departed prematurely, after Mr Trump discovered belatedly that his resignation letter was in fact an indictment of Mr Trumps entire geostrategic worldview. Mr Trump himself has blown hot and cold over the withdrawals, alternating between a delayed drawdown to possibly an indefinite status quo.

His vacillation aside, the Trumpian remarks made most regional powers scurry to protect their own interests, most by playing peacemaker between the Afghan government and the Taliban. In fact, the jockeying had begun with the appointment of ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad as US special envoy for Afghanistan and his proactive diplomatic outreach. Russia tried its hand at peacemaking by convening a conference in Moscow which Taliban representatives attended, and to which India sent two former diplomats. The fourth session of a regional conclave was due in Riyadh this month, when the Taliban announced their unwillingness to attend, saying it should be held in Qatar, where the Taliban have their office. The last meeting in the United Arab Emirates in December, attended by the United States and Pakistan, besides the Taliban, was inconclusive as the Taliban refused to sit down with Afghan government representatives. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while hosting Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan, announced last week that both would hold a conclave with the Afghan government in March. Iran has had its first open parleys with the Taliban in December, claiming that the Afghan government was in the loop. Tehrans national security adviser later flew to Kabul to brief the Afghans. According to the Taliban, they discussed post-occupation issues, the use of Chabahar, while the Iranians claimed they insisted on the Afghan governments sovereignty remaining intact.

The independent Western assessment is that the Afghan government today controls about 65 per cent of the population and 55 per cent of the territory in the country. The Taliban claim that the number is 70 per cent for both. The former US defence secretary, Mr Mattis, and President Trump differed precisely over this  that troop withdrawals could not be talked about till the Taliban had been bled enough to bring them to the negotiating table. President Trump was made to accept this at the start of his term, which varied with his campaign pitch and perhaps his belief and was marketed as rectifying his predecessor Barack Obamas mistaken announcement of deadlines for withdrawal as it emboldened the Taliban to wait out till the American exit. Clearly, the Taliban have now a strategy to play one power against the other to balance pressure on them from the Saudis, Emiratis and Pakistan. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed suddenly surfaced in Islamabad on a one-day working visit on January 6, bearing a $6 billion-plus aid-cum-financial package and the promise of fresh investment in a refinery. The Taliban have been cultivating Iran for years, and now by discussing Chabahar as an alternative access route to the Indian Ocean are degrading Pakistani leverage, besides sticking a finger in the US-Saudi-Emirati eye by ceding Iran influence on Irans east when the trio has been labouring to contain it on Irans west and in Yemen.

The government in Kabul has also been circling its wagons to prepare for US abandonment as it enters a crucial year, with a presidential election in April. The home and defence ministers have been replaced by known Pakistan-Taliban baiters. In this context came the snide and inaccurate remarks by President Trump that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told him that India had built a mere library for Afghans. Whether this can be attributed to miscommunication or simply Trump-think, the truth is vastly different. Indias assistance tops $3 billion and India has lost lives and earned much goodwill by its projects, ranging from hydropower stations to hospitals and vital roads and even the Afghan Parliament. Two visitors, close on the heels of each other, broaden Indias options, provided the Modi government has overcome its bashfulness in upsetting Mr Trump.

Afghan national security adviser Hamdullah Mohib was in India on January 3-6 for parleys with Indias NSA Ajit Doval. Mr Mohib was measured but direct during his press interaction, saying that Afghanistan values its strategic partnership with India and sees eye to eye with India on terrorism. Reflecting the 2011 agreement which raised bilateral relations to a strategic level, he said his current visit was not about a wishlist but to discuss strategic issues. He naturally ducked commenting on Mr Trumps swipe at Mr Modi, but conceded that defence training and even equipment had been provided by India in the past and more was in the pipeline. This answers Mr Trumps charge of Indias supposed reluctance to take on a bigger security role. In fact, the US has in the past blocked an excessive Indian role in the security field due to Pakistani objections. India should not put its boots on the ground in Afghanistan, which only earns the hostility of locals, but can and probably would hike the three legs of security cooperation  funding, equipment and training.

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javed Zarif visits India on January 7-9 for bilateral talks and to speak at the Raisina Dialogue. India has had to play a balancing game between Iran and the US-Saudi-Emirati trio as President Trump has thrown his weight behind the other two, leading a Sunni alliance, wrongly dubbed an Arab Nato as it excludes Arab Shia powers like Iraq and Syria, as indeed Sunni Qatar and even Kuwait and Oman. With the Narendra Modi government distracted by domestic issues, the coming Lok Sabha elections and rattled by the BJPs defeat in three state Assembly elections, it will perhaps play the Afghan game conservatively, more to avoid misadventures than to scale-up an Indian role to shape outcomes. The main challenge that remains will be to keep riding multiple horses without falling off.
Army proposed the idea of surgical strike after the 26/11 attack but the Congress government said no, the actor said.

Actor Paresh Rawal stars in the upcoming thriller, Uri: The Surgical Strike based on surgical strike carried out by Indian Army. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: Actor Paresh Rawal, who stars in the upcoming thriller "Uri: The Surgical Strike", claimed that the Congress rejected the idea of surgical strikes after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

"The idea of a surgical strike was proposed by the Army after the 26/11 attack but the Congress government had dismissed the suggestion," the actor said while talking about the plot of the film.

"Instead of standing alongside our Army and supporting them, the government said no," he told news agency ANI on Tuesday.

Questioning the Congress' intentions behind dismissing suggestion of surgical strike during the 26/11 attack, Rawal said, "People started doubting our Army's strength. Why did the government say no? Was it worried about the vote bank?"

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi answered people's doubts about the Indian Army's strength by green-flagging the surgical strike.

"All these doubts were answered when Narendra Modi took a stand and said that a surgical strike will take place. It was only a matter of political will. We had a strong Army which was ready and prepared for the attack," said the veteran actor.

"It was important to show Pakistan that we know how to answer them and that we surely have the strength to," he said.

Rawal said that "Uri: The Surgical Strike" is a political thriller and is about the preparation that goes into such an attack.

"You can't just go without proper planning, a lot of thought, planning plotting and preparation goes into a surgical strike," he said.

The actor is BJP's Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and has been a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

When asked who will win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Rawal said, "BJP will win. And I can say it with conviction."

He said that people know that PM Modi is working selflessly for hours and hours. "So it is a choice. Do you want a man who is working with honesty or do you want the people who looted the country," Rawal said.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, "Uri: The Surgical Strike" is based on the Indian army's surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri town on September 29, 2016.
Actor Paresh Rawal stars in the upcoming thriller, Uri: The Surgical Strike based on surgical strike carried out by Indian Army. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: Actor Paresh Rawal, who stars in the upcoming thriller "Uri: The Surgical Strike", claimed that the Congress rejected the idea of surgical strikes after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

"The idea of a surgical strike was proposed by the Army after the 26/11 attack but the Congress government had dismissed the suggestion," the actor said while talking about the plot of the film.

"Instead of standing alongside our Army and supporting them, the government said no," he told news agency ANI on Tuesday.

Questioning the Congress' intentions behind dismissing suggestion of surgical strike during the 26/11 attack, Rawal said, "People started doubting our Army's strength. Why did the government say no? Was it worried about the vote bank?"

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi answered people's doubts about the Indian Army's strength by green-flagging the surgical strike.

"All these doubts were answered when Narendra Modi took a stand and said that a surgical strike will take place. It was only a matter of political will. We had a strong Army which was ready and prepared for the attack," said the veteran actor.

"It was important to show Pakistan that we know how to answer them and that we surely have the strength to," he said.

Rawal said that "Uri: The Surgical Strike" is a political thriller and is about the preparation that goes into such an attack.

"You can't just go without proper planning, a lot of thought, planning plotting and preparation goes into a surgical strike," he said.

The actor is BJP's Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and has been a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

When asked who will win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Rawal said, "BJP will win. And I can say it with conviction."

He said that people know that PM Modi is working selflessly for hours and hours. "So it is a choice. Do you want a man who is working with honesty or do you want the people who looted the country," Rawal said.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, "Uri: The Surgical Strike" is based on the Indian army's surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri town on September 29, 2016.
Vijayawada: When YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy completes his Praja Sankalpa Yatra at Ichapuram in Srikakulam on Wednesday, he would have set a record with the longest walk by a politician in the Telugu states.

Earlier, his father Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and sister Y.S. Sharmila and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu undertook similar padayatras. Dr Rajasekhar Reddy and Mr Naidu went on to become Chief Ministers after their padayatra.

Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy will unveil a pylon and address a massive meeting with party workers and leaders at Ichapuram to mark the occasion.

He was stabbed in the arm at the Vizag airport while he was on his weekly break to attend court.

The YSRC president started the padayatra on November 6, 2017, from his family estate of Idupulapaya in Kadapa. Though the yatra was scheduled for 180 days, he decided to extended on the back of the enthusiastic response. He covered 13-15 km a day. The total distance travelled by him 3,648 km.

Over 341 days, he has covered 2,516 villages, addressed 124 public meetings and 55 community meetings.

He also had 42 meetings with select groups which included fisherman, auto drivers, teachers, Nayee Brah-mins, weavers, goldsmiths, anganwadi teachers, advocates, ambulance employees, government employees and unemployed youth.

By the time he ends the yatra, Mr Reddy would have interacted with more than two crore people, which is close to 40 per cent of the total population of the state

The padayatra was undertaken with the slogan Raavali Jagan, Kaavali Jagan (Jagan should come, we want Jagan), aimed at catapulting him to power in the Assembly elections.

Mr Reddy, who completed the first 1,000 kms of his Praja Sankalpa Yatra has made the issue of Special Category Status to Andhra, the key theme on January 29 in Nellore district.

Jagan has been moving forward while listening to peoples woes and instilling hope in them. Despite several issues and hiccups, he remained among the public unperturbed. I am proud to say that Y.S. Jagans padayatra continued while keeping hope intact among people. As a last resort, they indulged in a murder attempt on my son. By gods grace, Jagan survived this, said Y.S. Vijayamma, Mr Reddys mother.

The Praja Sankalpa Yatra has changed the equations of the YSRC and Mr Reddy has the image of a leader close to people. Many well-known personalities and bureaucrats joined the YSRC during his padayatra especially in Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari, Vishakhapatnam and Vizianagaram. The people of AP are looking for a change and it is only a matter of time before their leader brings justice to them through Rajanna Rajyam and sets Andhra Pradesh on the path of progress, said state Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Buggana Rajendranath Reddy.

The padayatra has helped Mr Reddy interaction directly with party leaders and second rung grassroot leaders.

He was able to sort out issues without depending upon middlemen. This padayatra has made Jagan more accessible to leaders and cadres, observed a party functionary.
New Delhi: Just days after US President Donald Trump took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Indias development efforts in Afgha-nistan, the two leaders spoke on phone and discussed a range of issues which apparently inclu-ded strengthening coordination in Afghanistan.

The US plans to withdraw thousands of its troops from that country. President Trump apparently also raised the issue of reduction in the trade deficit with India.

News agency reports from Washington quoted the White House as stating, The leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan.

In its own statement meanwhile from New Delhi, the MEA said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald J. Trump of the United States exchanged New Year greetings in a telephonic conversation last evening. They expressed satisfaction at the progress in India-U.S. strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 Dialogue mechanism and the first-ever Trilateral Summit of India, the U.S. and Japan. The MEA added, The two leaders took positive note of growing bilateral cooperation in defen-ce, counter-terrorism and energy and coordination on regional and global issues. They agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening India-U.S. bilateral relations in 2019.

 PTI
Hyderabad: Asaduddin Owaisi citied eight points for opposing the bill for 10 per cent reservation for uppe caste poor, stating that the constitution does not recognise economically backward and that this bill will not stand in the court of law. He said, You can enjoy your Diwali or whatever today but it will not be valid in court.

The eight reasons cited by him included that the bill was a blot on the constitution and an insult to Baba Saheb Ambedkar.

The purpose of reservation is to give social justice and to reduce social economic backwardness. For poverty alleviation there are various schemes that the government can operate. The constitution does not recognise economic weaker sections at all. The architects of our Constitution had more wisdom than this government Mr Owaisi said in the Parliament.

Mr Owaisi said that this exercise was fraught with impropriety as there was no empirical data of backwardness. He said this amendment would be a burden on the states. The proposal of Telangana state to give reservation to 10 per cent Muslims and 12 per cent ST's was backed with empirical evidence, but the Central government has refused it for past six months, he said.

Have the savaranas and janyadharus ever suffered sue to untouchability, police encounters and atrocities, school drop outs, lower number of graduates than what is seen in SC, ST, Dalits and Muslims? He asked
CITU activists capture images of the rally being taken out along the MG Road in front of the Secretariat on Tuesday, expressing solidarity with the two-day all-India general strike. In the background is the huge shamiana covering half the road up to the divider, erected by the organizers in flagrant violation of the court order against blocking roads. Union leaders took turns, addressing the public meeting of strikers seated under the shamiana. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and ministers kept off the Secretariat. (Photo: A.V. Muzafar)

Kochi: The two-day national strike by trade unions protesting against the economic and anti-worker policies of the Union government has turned into a full-fledged hartal in Kerala despite the assurances given by the union leaders that nobody will be compelled to join the strike.

In Manjeri, the strike supporters scuffled with shopkeepers who opened the shops, while public transport services in most places were severely affected.

The train services were hit badly as strikers squatted on railway tracks in many parts of the state with many trains suffering delays and some cancelled.

The Venad Express was partially cancelled between Ernakulam and Shoranur as an emergency step on Tuesday. At least three trains, including the Thiruvan-anthapruam-Tiruchirappali Intercity Express, were rescheduled, said a railway spokesperson. The Ernakulam-Kayamkulam and Kayamkulam-Ernakulam passenger trains were cancelled. The Janashatabdi Express from Kozhikode to Thiruvanathapuram was delayed by three hours.

The protesters squatted on railway tracks in Thiruvananthapuram early on Tuesday. The Venad Express, scheduled to leave at 5 am finally left Thiruvananthapuram Central at 6.30 am. The Janshatabdi Express and the Raptisagar Express too were an hour behind schedule.

Though union leaders had repeatedly said that they would not force the closure of shops and business establishments, in most places shops were shut due to the pressure mounted by the supporters of the strike. The lack of public transport also forced some of the traders to keep the shutters down due to lack of business. The KSRTC cancelled most schedules and private buses, taxis and autos stayed away from the road hitting the normal life in the city.

In Kochi, most shops in Broadway market remained open. District collector Mohammad Y. Saffiulla walked from Convent Junction to the Market Road and Broadway to study the situation. The collector has been advocating 2019 as the year of change for Ernakulam with shops bidding goodbye to the culture of closure on hartals and strikes. The Lulu shopping mall remained open though the footfall was lower compared to normal days.

In Thiruvananathapuram, most shops remained closed while in Kottayam shops and other commercial establishments opened and no incidents of violence were reported in the district.

The attendance in the secretariat was thin with fewer than 100 out of 5,000-odd staff reporting for duty. The chief minister, ministers and higher officials did not go to the office. The strike leaders had blocked the main road in front of the secretariat by erecting a pandal on one half of the road.

The other government offices also recorded minimum attendance and in many places offices were closed as no staff reported for duty. The attendance was around 10 to 20 percent in the offices.

The attendance in public sector undertakings such as BPCL-Kochi Refinery, Cochin Shipyard, Cochin Port Trust, Cochin Export Processing Zone and industrial areas in KalamasserryEloor region in Ernakulam was thin. The IT services sector was largely immune to the strike with attendance in Technopark in Thiruvananthauram and Infopark in Kochi remaining at normal levels.

Arrangements were made by companies in Technopark and Infopark to ferry the staff members while those who found it difficult to reach the workplace were given the work-from-home option.
New Delhi: In the first sign that the Congress could go alone in Uttar Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday seemed to be flexing his muscles when he cautioned the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party not to underestimate the Congress.

The Congress president, bolstered by recent wins in Assembly elections in three critical heartland states, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in December without entering into a pre-poll alliance with the SP or BSP, said in an interview to a Dubai-based Gulf News, We are trying to bring the Opposition together Ive heard some statements in the media but we are going to work together and make sure that we defeat Mr Modi. But I just want to say again  to underestimate the Congress in UP is a big mistake.

His comments are the first indication of the partys Plan B after the regional players decided to desert it. In 2014 elections, the Congress had won only two out the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP. The Congress presidents statement comes days after the SP and the BSP were seen fashioning an electoral alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

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. Rather, there have been instances where the Congress had not put up its candidate in a seat and the BJP got its vote share.

He further added, Our first aim is to defeat (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi. There are states where we are very strong and we are the primary party and are contesting the BJP directly. There are states where there are possible alliances  Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Bihar where we are working out an alliance formula. The Congress president also said he was confident of stitching together alliances in several states.
The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to amend the Constitution by introducing provisions for reservation for economically weaker sections.

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill to provide 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections in government jobs and educational institutions, including private aided or unaided institutes. While the government claimed the legislation was historic and should be unanimously passed, most Opposition parties though in-principle supporting it, termed the legislation as a political gimmick ahead of general elections later this year.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to amend the Constitution by introducing provisions for reservation for economically weaker sections.

The Bill was passed by voting with division as it was a Constitutional Amendment Bill. A total of 319 members voted in favour of the Bill and only four against it out of the 323 present.

The EWS quota Bill which had been cleared by the Union Cabinet on Monday, had not been listed in the List of Business of the House and was circulated suddenly around 12 noon and added as a supplementary business. Social justice minister Thawarchand Gehlot introduced it even as the Lower House was debating another piece of legislation.

The Bill, however, was unlikely to see a smooth passage in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with the government lacking the numbers in the Upper House. A constitution amendment Bill needs to muster two-thirds majority of members present in each House of Parliament.

Kicking off the debate from Opposition benches, senior Congress leader K. V. Thomas said that the Bill was being introduced and passed in great haste. This is an important legislation. I think the government is very hasty and any hasty decision will land us in a mess.

Finance minister Arun Jaitely rejected suggestions that the measure may fall foul of a Supreme Court judgement putting a cap of 50 per cent at the total quota. The bar, he added, is for caste-based reservations, while the bill seeks quota for the economically weaker sections.
Police personnel look on as tyres are seen ablaze during a strike called by All Assam Students' Union and the North East Students Organisation in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in Dibrugarh. PTI

Guwahati: The normal life came to grinding halt in Assam and most of Northeastern states on Tuesday following the 11-hour bandh called by North East Students Organisation (NESO) in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.

In Assam the bandh called by All Assam Students Union (AASU), which crippled the normal life in Brahmaputra Valley, turned violent in different parts of the state where incidents of stone pelting, tyre burning, and occasional lathi charges were reported from various places.

Thirty ethnic organisations also supported the bandh in Assam.

The citizenship bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to people from minority communities - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians - from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document.

The AASU and other organization opposing the bill are saying that the provisions of the bill will nullify the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides for deportation of all illegal migrants, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after March, 1971.

The bill has created an emotional upraise among the indigenous people of the state who accused the BJP of betraying them.

The anger against the BJP was such that protestors also attacked BJP offices at least at two places. The bandh supporters vandalize the office of BJP at Golaghat. Police and CRPF resorted to blank firing to control rampaging bandh enforcers in Dibrugarh.
Hyderabad: Kammas, Reddys, Kapus, Vysyas, Velamas and Brahmins in the two Telugu states stand to gain from the Centres proposed 10 per cent quota in education and employment for Economically Backward Classes. There are economically poor people in all these communities, of them Brahmins and Vysyas being traditional BJP voters.

BJP leaders are of the view that the decision to provide 10 per cent quota to poor people among the upper castes will help consolidate their vote bank in Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh. People of these communities are often unable to go for higher studies becau-se of financial problems.

The Kapu community is likely to benefit the most, with a population of 4,93,86,799 (15.2 per cent) in Andhra Pradesh and 3,51,93,978 (15 per cent) in Telangana. In Andhra Pradesh, the Kapu community is demanding 10 per cent quota in education and jobs.

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly had passed a bill to include the Kapus in the Backward Classes category, but the central government did not take any decision on this.

Reacting to the EBC quota proposed by the Centre, AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu demanded 10 per cent quota for the Kapus. Speaking at Kurnool on Tuesday, Mr Naidu said that his party would support the EBC quota if the Centre provides 10 per cent quota to the Kapus.

The proposed 10 per cent EBC quota will help the poor among Kapus, but not the entire community. If the Centre accepts 10 per cent quota for Kapus in Andhra Pradesh, it will not help Kapus in Telangana.

The Reddy communitys population in both Telugu states is almost equal at 6.5 per cent. The Brahmin population is higher in Telangana at 8 per cent, over APs 3.8 per cent. The population of the remaining communities is almost the same in both Telugu states.
Arun Jaitley rejected suggestions that the measure may fall foul of a Supreme Court judgement putting a cap of 50 per cent at the total quota. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

New Delhi: Union minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday made a forceful pitch for the passage of a bill providing 10 per cent quota for the poor among the general category, saying almost every party, including the Congress, had supported the measure in their poll manifesto.

Making an intervention in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the constitutional amendment bill, he rejected suggestions that the measure may fall foul of a Supreme Court judgement putting a cap of 50 per cent at the total quota.

The bar, he added, is for caste-based reservations, while the bill seeks quota for the economically weaker sections in the general category.

Attempts were made earlier too by governments at the Centre and states in this regard but failed because they were done either through common statutory provisions or notifications, Jaitley said.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to amend the Constitution by introducing provisions for reservation for economically weaker sections, he said, adding that it presently mentions only social and educational backwardness as the criteria for quota.

Quoting from the Congress manifesto, which called for such a quota, he asked it to "walk its talk" by supporting the bill, describing it as a test for the opposition party.

With Opposition members using 'jumla' jibe, Jaitley hit back saying if the mention of a similar quota for the general category in their manifestos was a jumla as well.

The BJP in its manifesto also supported the measure and is now working to implement it, he said, adding Constitution makers also spoke about equality of status and opportunity.

Taking a jibe at opposition parties for their protests, he said if they are supporting the bill, they should be whole-hearted and not grudgingly doing it. He also added the bill, once passed by Parliament, will come into effect and would not be required to be ratified by state assemblies.
The private FM broadcasters have to carry the AIR news bulletins either simultaneously or deferred live by not more than 30 minutes.

Minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore launched this sharing facility of AIR News with private FM broadcasters on Tuesday.

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday allowed private FM radio stations to broadcast All India Radio news bulletins in English and Hindi. The AIR bulletins have to be carried in unaltered form along with the commercials which are broadcast during the news bulletins. Private FM broadcasters will have to give due credit to AIR for sourcing their news. The private FM broadcasters have to carry the AIR news bulletins either simultaneously or deferred live by not more than 30 minutes.

Minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore launched this sharing facility of AIR News with private FM broadcasters on Tuesday. This will be done free of cost, initially on a trial basis till May 31, a government statement said.

Mr Rathore congratulated all I&B ministry officials for this initiative, and said the governments priority was ensuring peoples awareness, which was why the service was made available free of cost. Saying an aware citizen was an empowered citizen, he added this would bring together all radio stations in India to inform, educate and empower people.

Delighted to launch the sharing of @airnew-salerts bulletins with Private FM Channels. Awareness is empowerment and the broadcast of @airnewsalerts news bulletins by Private FM Channels is a wonderful public-private collaboration aimed at informing, educating & empowering people, Mr Rathore tweeted.

Any private FM broadcaster which wants to broadcast the news bulletins will first have to register with the AIR News Services Division on its website http://newsonair.com at the Register Now tab. The broadcast of AIR News can be done only after accepting the terms and conditions, which can be found at http://newsonair.com/Broadcaster-Reg-TnC.aspx, the statement added.

The proposal to share AIR news bulletins with private FM broadcasters was pending for the past several years.
'India was offered to take one step towards and we shall take two. But India rejected Pakistan's offer for talks several times,' Imran Khan said. (Photo: File | AFP)

Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused India of not responding to his peace overtures and said that any war between two nuclear-armed nations would be "suicidal" for both nations.

In an interview with Turkish news agency TRT World, according to his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan again expressed his desire for talks with India.

He said that even a Cold War was not in the interests of the two countries.

"Two nuclear-armed countries should not even think of a war; not even a Cold War because it could worsen any time. The only way is bilateral talks. Two nuclear-armed countries at war is like a suicide," the party quoted him as saying.

He said India did not respond to his peace overtures.

India has been maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

"India was offered to take one step towards and we shall take two. But India rejected Pakistan's offer for talks several times," Khan said.

Imran Khan also said that India would never be able to suppress the rights of the Kashmiri people.

The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks taking place between them.
Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders have challenged former Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya to a debate on central assistance to the state. TRS MLCs Karne Prabhakar and Farooq Hussain said the people would not believe the false claims of BJP leaders on Central assistance.

Speaking to mediapersons on Monday at Telangana Bhavan, Mr Prabhakar said the TRS was ready for a debate on Central assistance given to the state. He alleged that Centres attitude was one of neglect towards Telangana state.

Mr Prabhakar said that when BJP president Amit Shah had spoken about Central assistance in the past, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had contradicted him with facts and figures. Now Mr Dattatreya was making the same mistake, he said.

Mr Prabhakar said that instead of answering the questions raised by TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, the BJP leader was talking in an irresponsible manner.

Mr Prabhakar also said that they were pained when Mr Dattatreya was removed from the Union Cabinet, but would have appreciated if he had mounted pressure on the Central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interests of the state.

He said that the Centre had given assistance to BJP-ruled states without their requesting it and had neglected Telangana state, even after several requests. He asked the Centre why it had denied financial assistance to Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya when Niti Aayog had recommended assistance of `24,000 crore for these projects.


The meeting was attended, among others, by AICC in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil, BPCC president Madan Mohan Jha, former Chief Minister and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi and Arjun Rai of the LJD founded by Sharad Yadav besides these two leaders. (Photo: PTI | File)

Patna: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief Upendra Kushwaha on Monday came up with a fresh allegation of use of foul language by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

After a meeting of Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) leaders at Yadav's residence, the two leaders alleged that Mukesh Sahni, who floated his political outfit VIP two months ago and joined the Grand Alliance last month, was called sadak chhap (roadside) by the chief minister.

The meeting was attended, among others, by AICC in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil, BPCC president Madan Mohan Jha, former Chief Minister and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi and Arjun Rai of the LJD founded by Sharad Yadav besides these two leaders.

The former Deputy CM and the ex-Union minister told reporters that Kumar had made the remark at his Lok Samvad programme earlier in the day.

The chief minister, who also heads the JD(U) and is an alliance partner of the BJP, had mocked at the grand alliance saying it was picking up people from the roadside (sadak par se logon ko utha ke shaamil kar lete hain).

Kushwaha and Yadav alleged that the remark was aimed at Sahni, a Bollywood set designer-turned-politician and was tantamount to insulting Nishad community.

Kumar had first called me neech (lowly). Now he is calling our alliance partner ''sadak chhap''. He must apologize. We strongly protest," said Kushwaha as Yadav nodded in approval.

The RLSP chief was referring to a controversy that had erupted while he was in the NDA fold and Kumar, while being asked by a journalist about the problems being faced in reaching a seat-sharing arrangement with Kushwaha, had remarked bahas ka star neeche mat giraiye (do not lower the level of discourse).

Kushwaha had alleged that this was tantamount to him being called lowly even as his party took out demonstrations in protest against the alleged "insult" of their leader at the hands of the chief minister.

Speaking on the occasion, Yadav who is the leader of the opposition in the state assembly said, "by insulting our alliance partner, the chief minister has berated all of us. If he thinks we are roadside, he should remember that once he won power with our support".

Yadav was referring to the 2015 Assembly polls, which Kumar had fought in alliance with the RJD and the Congress.

Asked about the agenda of the grand alliance meeting that took place at his residence, the RJD heir apparent said the only agenda was how to win 40 of 40 seats. All grand alliance partners had a feast of rice and fish hosted by Sahni earlier in the day.

Kushwaha said there are no hiccups in arriving at a seat-sharing formula. But we have made it clear before that finalization will take place only after the inauspicious month of Kharmas ends on January 14.

Asked about absence of Left Front with which the grand alliance is planning to reach an electoral understanding, Yadav quipped this is not the last meeting. After Nitish Kumar turned his back on us, only RJD and Congress were left behind. Then came Jitan Ram Manjhi, followed by others like Sharad Yadav, Kushwaha and Mukesh Sahni.
'The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana -- particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines,' Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress said. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: Central Trade Unions Tuesday began a two-day nationwide strike to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.

"The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana -- particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines," Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told PTI.

She said that some states' transport departments, taxi drivers and auto-rickshaw drivers have gone on strike for two days while Railway workers are holding gate meeting bearing black badge to express their solidarity.

Kaur said that Jawaharlal Nehru University student unions have expressed their solidarity with trade unions; and other educational institution are expected to support the strike.

She also informed that transport department in Bhopal is closed completely and Haryana Roadways is also participating in the strike. As many as 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have joined hands to go on a two-day nationwide strike from Tuesday.

20 crore workers are expected to join the strike. This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining a strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government, she stated.

She informed that sectors like telecom, health, education, coal, steel, electricity, banking, insurance and transport are supporting the strike. The unions will go on protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Similar protests would be done across the country. Kaur had said the CTUs are also opposed to unilateral labour reforms.

The 10 CTUs which have gone on strike include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will not participate.

"The government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions' 12-point charter of demands. The Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015 strike," Kaur had said on Monday.

In a joint statement, the CTUs had also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people."

The unions are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions. The unions claim that farming communities through their associations have also extended support to the strike.
Vijayawada: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused him of promoting his son, TD president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he was talking out of frustration and without any dignity.

Mr Naidu claimed that Mr Modi was jealous of the progress that AP had made, and was making unsavoury comments about his family.

Andhra Pradesh is ahead in all sectors. The state is receiving hundreds of awards. Thats why they have become jealous of Andhra Pradesh. At every step, the BJP-led Centre is being vindictive towards the state. They are not able to stand the progress of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Naidu said.

I can see despair in the Prime Ministers accusations. Out of frustration, he is making allegations. He has lost his dignity and is making unsavoury remarks and talking about my family. Everyone had expected such an outburst. Modi doesnt have anything to say and accomplished nothing to talk about, thats why he is talking like this, Mr Naidu said.
Asked about his party's stand on joining the 'mahagathbandhan', Naveen Patnaik said, 'We will take some time and think about it.' (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: The Biju Janta Dal (BJD) will decide on joining the "mahagathbandhan" of opposition parties later as it needs time to firm up its decision, party president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Participating in the BJD's sit-in seeking an increase in the minimum support price for paddy, Patnaik alleged that the BJP ignored the demand despite promising it in its manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Asked about his party's stand on joining the "mahagathbandhan", Patnaik said, "We will take some time and think about it."

The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has stepped up efforts to increase footprint in Odisha where it won nine out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections. The BJD had won 10 seats and the Congress two.

After its impressive win in panchayat elections in the state in 2017, the BJP has shifted focus on the state with an aim to upstage the BJD.

The success of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2017 panchayat elections in Odisha has led to predictions that the BJP will emerge as the largest party in the state in the 2019 elections.

Interestingly, nine MPs of the BJD had voted in favour of NDA nominee Harivansh Narayan Singh in the election to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman held in August last year.
Introducing the bill in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the bill will pave the way for Indian citizenship to the 'persecuted religious minorities'. (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, was passed by Lok Sabha today amid massive uproar by opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left.

Most parties from the Northeast have raised strong objection to the bill.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a partner in the BJP-led Assam government, snapped ties with the saffron party on Tuesday over the issue while NDA allies like the Shiv Sena and the JD(U) have also opposed this legislation.

Mizoram and Meghalaya governments have opposed the bill by adopting a resolution against it in their respective cabinet meetings.

Earlier, while introducing the bill in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the bill will pave the way for Indian citizenship to the "persecuted religious minorities"-- the Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis---from the three countries. "They have no place to go to, except India," he said.

Singh said the migrants - Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis - were earlier given protection against legal action in 2015 and 2016. "Long term visa provision was made for them. The proposed amendment will make these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for citizenship," he said.

Singh said citizenship will be given to them only after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the state government.

The minimum residency period for citizenship is proposed to be reduced from existing 12 years under the present law to seven years. The legislation also seeks to provide relief to persecuted migrants who have come through western borders of the country to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other states, the home minister said.

The bill will apply to all states and union territories of the country and the beneficiaries of Citizenship Amendment Bill will be able to reside in any state of the country.

The bill was originally introduced in 2016 and was later sent to the JPC, which submitted its report on Monday. On the basis of the recommendations of the JPC, a fresh bill was introduced on Tuesday.

Opposition parties have raised objections to the bill. The Congress said many states have opposed the bill and it should be sent to a select committee. As the government did not heed to the demand, the Congress staged a walkout.

TMC's Saugata Roy dubbed the bill as "divisive" and "insidious" that goes against the basic tenents of the constitution. "This is the worst form of vote-bank politics", Roy said.
In the video, children are seen showing the liquor bottles placed neatly in the lunch packets. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Kanpur: Former Uttar Pradesh minister Naresh Agarwal and his son were embroiled in a controversy after videos surfaced on Monday.

Naresh Agarwal's son Nitin had organised a sammelan (conference) for the Pasi community at the Shravan Devi Temple.

In a video from the event, Nitin Agarwal can be seen announcing from the dais that the food packets will be handed over to the village headman who would, in turn, distribute it to the people accompanying him.

The video showed 200 ml plastic liquor bottles in lunch packets distributed to people who attended a sammelan organised by the duo in Hardoi on Sunday.

In the video, children are seen showing the liquor bottles placed neatly in the lunch packets.

Following the controversy, BJP MP from Hardoi Anshul Verma criticised Agarwal for the distribution of liquor and asserted that he will be raising the issue with the party leaders.

Verma said "Naresh Agarwal, who has recently taken the membership of the BJP had organised a Pasi sammelan at one of our religious places. I will call it an unfortunate event because, to the same small children whom we have given pens and copies, Agarwal distributed the liquor bottles. I will inform the top leadership. How did the excise department not take notice of such large-scale distribution of liquor? To rectify its mistake, BJP will have to rethink".

Verma wrote a letter to state chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday and sought strict actions against the duo.

Agarwal and his son have not yet made any comment about distributing lunch boxes with liquor bottles at the temple event.

Naresh Agarwal, a former Rajya Sabha member, had left the Samajwadi Party to join BJP in 2018. He is preparing the ground to contest 2019 Lok Sabha election on the BJP ticket from Hardoi.
Hyderabad: The Cyberabad police rescued 18 children aged between 11 months to 12 years from begging at various places in the city recently.

The children claimed that they were forced to beg by their parents near religious places. Police have rehabilitated the children at rescue homes and booked a case.

On January 1, the Cyberabad police along with Ranga Reddy District Child Protection Unit officials rescued eight girls and 10 boys who were begging at Calvary temple in Hydernagar of Miyapur. The rescue operation was planned expecting heavy public presence at the Calvary Temple on New Year.

The police found that the children were brought to the city in trains by their parents and relatives from Vikarabad and Tandur, to beg money. A case was registered against the people who used the minors for begging at Miyapur police station against. Investigations are under way to verify if they were abducted, said the police.
While today's meeting will consist of presentations on the various projects from the departments concerned, detailed discussions about the main meeting will be held tomorrow, officials said. (Representational Image)

New Delhi: Amid an ongoing row between the BJP and the Congress over Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the aerospace public sector undertaking will hold a board meeting on Tuesday to discuss the company's financial situation.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had attacked Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for "lying" in Parliament about orders worth 1 lakh crore to the PSU.

"The initial board meeting was held today with senior management including the Chairman. A Joint Secretary from the department of defence production of Defence Ministry also in attendance," Defence Ministry officials told news agency ANI.

While today's meeting will consist of presentations on the various projects from the departments concerned, detailed discussions about the main meeting will be held tomorrow, officials said.

After the war of words between Rahul Gandhi and Nirmala Sitharaman, HAL had clarified that it had taken an overdraft of Rs 962 crore but with orders for 83 light combat aircraft, 15 light combat helicopters and other products, its finances are expected to improve.

HAL issued the clarification after media reports quoting its chairman suggested that the firm was forced to borrow money to pay salaries to its employees.
Jaitley asserted that the governments decision on the issue was not against any particular individual.

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday described its action to send the CBIs two senior officers  director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana  on leave as perfectly bonafide and said it was the CVCs recommendation and the move was to protect the integrity of the investigating agency. The government said that it would comply with the Supreme Courts order after the apex court reinstated the CBI director.

The government took this decision to protect the integrity of the CBI... Government took the action of sending two senior officers of CBI on leave on CVCs recommendation, said Mr Jaitley adding that the governments decision was completely legal as the two officers in question were at loggerheads.

This action taken was perfectly bonafide as there were cross-allegations made by both the officers, and in accordance with recommendations of the CVC. The government felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the two officers must recuse themselves, the finance minister said. He said the court has referred the matter to the committee to decide on the issue within one week.

Mr Jaitley said that the apex court apparently has strengthened the immunity given to the CBI director in the larger interest of the fair and impartial working of the CBI. At the same time, the court has devised an accountability mechanism, said the minister. He asserted that the governments decision on the issue was not against any particular individual.

The government had accepted the CVC recommendations with full honesty and today a reinterpretation on the matter has been given by the SC today and we will take action according to the order, he said.

Mr Verma had challenged the governments October 23 order sending him on forced leave and appointing an interim chief, arguing that the CBI chief has a fixed two-year term and can be removed only by the high-powered committee.

The CVC had exercised its power under the power of superintendence. Weve not read the judgement of the SC, but it could be a view that the court has taken. That if superintendence results in the chief relinquishing his powers temporarily then the jurisdiction of the committee comes into play....Therefore, the court has referred the matter to that committee to decide on that issue within one week. And in accordance with the directions of the court it will be complied with and the government will act in the same manner. The government is not biased, Mr Jaitley said.

The Supreme Court reinstated Mr Verma, setting aside the Centres decision to divest him of his powers, but restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against him is over. The apex court said any further decision against Mr Verma who retires on January 31, would be taken by the high-powered committee which selects and appoints the CBI director.
'The action was taken perfectly bonafide as there were cross-allegations made by both the officers and in accordance with recommendations of CVC, the government felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the 2 officers must recuse themselves,' Jaitley said. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the decision to send the CBI's two senior officers on leave was taken by the government on the recommendation of the Central Vigilance Commission.

The action was taken perfectly bonafide as there were cross-allegations made by both the officers and in accordance with recommendations of CVC, the government felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the 2 officers must recuse themselves, Jaitley said referring to Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana.

Jaitley further added that the Supreme Court apparently strengthened the immunity given to the CBI director in the larger interest of a fair and impartial investigation. Therefore, in accordance with the Supreme Court verdict, orders will be complied with and the government will act in the same manner.

The Supreme Court reinstated Verma, setting aside the Centre's decision to divest him of his powers, but restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against him is over.

The court said any further decision against Verma would be taken by the high-powered committee which selects and appoints the CBI director.

(With PTI inputs)
Following his death, Mubarak Alis brother Ahmed lodged a complaint with the Poonamallee Traffic Investigation Police alleging that there was a family feud and he suspected that his brother had been murdered. (Representational Image)

Chennai: The city police on Monday arrested a duo on charges of murder after they killed their brother-in-law and arranged to make it look like an accident.

According to the police, Mubarak Ali (37), a native of Avadi was married to Sabur Nisha (34) and the couple has a daughter and a son.

On October 10, Mubarak Ali was run over by a car. The accident happened at Pudu Nagar in Avadi, a few metres away from his house. Mubarak Ali died at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital on October 14 without responding to any treatment.

Following his death, Mubarak Alis brother Ahmed lodged a complaint with the Poonamallee Traffic Investigation Police alleging that there was a family feud and he suspected that his brother had been murdered.

The Poonamallee Traffic Investigation Police nabbed Sabur Nisha and on enquiry, she told the police that Mubarak Ali was a tailor and his income was not sustainable for the family.

Sabur Nishas brothers Sathakathulla and Abdul Rahman had arranged for a job in Kuwait in the month of October but Mubarak Ali had turned down the offer saying that he was not willing to relocate. Since he was not working for two months then and the family was under financial pressure, a dispute arose between them. In the quarrel, Mubarak had broken the windshield of Sathakathullas car, she added.

Suspecting that Sathakathulla and Abdul Rahman must have murdered their brother-in-law, the police launched a hunt for the men but they were absconding.

Meanwhile, acting on a tip-off that Sathakathulla had come to visit his sister on Monday, the police team nabbed the suspect and he admitted to having murdered him over the quarrel.

After Mubarak Ali broke their cars windshield, Sathakathulla and Abdul Rahman followed him and knocked him down at the street corner in a fit of rage, the police said.

Sathakathulal was arrested and remanded to judicial custody and a search is on for Abdul Rahman.
Sai Pallavi has become popular with her debut film Fidaa and she has a huge fan following in Telugu. The actresss recent film Padi Padi Leche Manasu opposite Sharwanand bombed at the box-office. The producer Sudhakar incurred huge losses but the actress made a magnanimous gesture. The producer paid more than half of the remuneration to Sai Pallavi and after the release of the film he was going to pay the remaining Rs 40 lakhs to her. And though the film was a flop, the producer decided to pay the money, says a source.

However, Sai Pallavi said that since the film had failed, the producer should keep the money. The producer even called her parents and told them to take the remaining remuneration of their daughter. But they told him that it was Sai Pallavis wish not to and they respected her decision.

Sai Pallavi seems different because many actors and actresses promptly take their money from the filmmakers irrespective of the films fate.
Rana took to the social media site to give an update about his project.

Actor Rana Daggubati who has already shot a few portions of the film Haathi Mere Saathi is back in action for the final schedule of the film. Rana took to the social media site to give an update about his project.

On Tuesday, he tweeted: Morning... Off into the jungles of Kerala for filming 'Haathi Mere Saathi'.

The film is an animal drama also featuring Pulkit Samrat and Kalki Koechlin. Helmed by Prabhu Solomon, the trilingual is being shot simultaneously in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil with a different cast across languages.

The movie highlights a man-animal relationship and is a story inspired by true events. It is a tribute to the 1971 classic film Haathi Mere Saathi starring Rajesh Khanna and Tanuja.
Kevin Spacey pleaded not guilty Monday to indecently assaulting a teenager who alleged that the Oscar-winning US actor groped him in a bar in Massachusetts in 2016.

The "House of Cards" star, who faces five years in prison if convicted, is accused of repeatedly reaching down into the pants of a man identified as William Little, who was 18 at the time of the alleged attack at a Nantucket restaurant.

Spacey, dressed in a gray coat over a dark blazer and tie, was not asked for his plea during the brief arraignment in a crowded Nantucket courtroom, but his lawyer entered the denial on Spacey's behalf.

A follow-on hearing was scheduled for March 4, but Spacey is not required to attend.

The 59-year-old actor stood quietly with his hands clasped as the clerk read out the charge "that in the town of Nantucket on July 18, 2016 (the defendant) did commit indecent assault and battery on someone 14 and over."

The case marks the first time Spacey has faced sexual misconduct charges, although there are dozens of claims against him.

They come more than 13 months after the complaint was filed, the latest chapter in Hollywood's reckoning over sexual assault and harassment that has already seen television icon Bill Cosby jailed and movie mogul Harvey Weinstein indicted.

Spacey's alleged victim was working as a bus boy for the summer in Nantucket and had remained in the bar after his shift finished to see his hero.

After meeting the actor and telling him he was 23 years old -- the legal drinking age is 21 in Massachusetts -- he said he started drinking first beer and then whiskey at Spacey's urging.

The actor then allegedly invited him back to his place, along with some other friends. The young man declined, suspecting the actor was trying to seduce him.

But he stayed at the bar in the hopes of getting a picture with Spacey. It was then that the actor began sexually molesting the young man, according to court filings.

The two-time Oscar winner -- recognized for his supporting role in "Usual Suspects" in 1996 and his lead role in "American Beauty" in 2000 -- was considered one of the finest actors of his generation.

His career nosedived following allegations of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen men in the United States and Britain.

Forced out of public life, Spacey posted a video online in December in which he discussed allegations of sexual abuse in character as Frank Underwood, the scheming politician he played in "House of Cards" before the show dropped him.

"You wouldn't believe the worst without evidence, would you? You wouldn't rush to judgments without facts, would you? Did you? No, not you. You're smarter than that," Spacey said in the video.

"Of course, some believed everything and have been just waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all. They're just dying to have me declare that everything said is true and that I got what I deserved.

"Only you and I both know it's never that simple, not in politics and not in life."

In addition to the Nantucket case, two other investigations are underway in Los Angeles and London, where Spacey served as artistic director of the prestigious Old Vic theater from 2004 to 2015.

Mexican actor Roberto Cavazos, who performed in several Old Vic productions, said it seemed that "it only took a male under 30 to make Mr Spacey feel free to touch us."

The first public allegation of abuse came from actor Anthony Rapp, who claimed that Spacey sexually assaulted him when Rapp was 14, in 1986.

Spacey has not appeared on the screen or on stage since Rapp came forward.

Director Ridley Scott even removed Spacey from his film "All the Money in the World" (2017) by shooting all scenes in which the actor appeared again with another star, Christopher Plummer.
Hours after signing up as the lead in a dance film, Shraddha Kapoor has already begun rehearsing for the films songs and dances with Varun Dhawan and director choreographer Remo DSouza.

It was interesting to note how quickly Shraddha got back with her ABCD 2 co-star, Varun Dhawan, and director Remo after signing the deal with producer Bhushan Kumar, who, incidentally, is also bankrolling her film on Saina Nehwal.

Shraddha had to juggle her dates for other films, but then she did not want to waste any time as she cut out on all her holidays and free time and devoted them to the new dance film. ABCD 2 made `100 crore and it is one of the films that Shraddha is very proud of, which was the reason she agreed to do the film in the first place, says a source.

Shraddha stepped into Katrina Kaifs shoes as the actress had to back out of it due to her film Bharat. Curiously, Katrina herself had stepped into Priyanka Chopras shoes when she dropped out of Bharat.

 Sanskriti Media
Mumbai: Starring Vicky Kaushal in the lead role, URI is creating buzz ever since the trailer has released. Based on true events, Ronnie Screwvala's URI is based on the 2016 Indian armys surgical strike on terrorist camps in Pakistan in retaliation for the terror attack on an Army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir.

The 2016 URI attacks which was a response from the Indian government to the terrorism were much acknowledged and appreciated by the citizens of our nation. But the next question arises in the minds of people is that will India be up for retaliation in future again?

Talking and promoting about their upcoming movie URI, Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam are getting a lot of responses and queries from the masses whether Indian government will give a similar befitting reply whenever next a terrorist attack happens?

Its not every day you get to see a Hindi film showcase the feats of the Indian army with intricate details of the incident. The youth ever since the film announcement have been very eager to know about the research that went into the script and how the director spent six months fleshing our key moments in the script. its interesting to see that the film boasts of an ensemble cast has all the young actors of the industry portraying some key roles comprising of Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam, Mohit Raina, Kriti Kulhari amongst others. The young breed of actors involvement and key roles in the movie definitely shows what the youngest of actors in our industry feel about the surgical strikes.

In 2016, nearly 10 days after the Uri attack that claimed 18 jawans, India was under the BJP governance which carried out surgical strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, inflicting heavy casualties on terrorists and 'those protecting them" and indicating a change of stand on the rules of engagement on the disputed line of control.

The Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on a certain night on terror launch pads across the Line of Control in a fitting response to Pakistan for the Uri attacks conducted by the country. The strikes were conducted when Pakistan did not mend ways after repeated diplomatic efforts to check terrorism originating from their soil.

Surgical strikes require not just detailed and exhaustive planning but need to be carried out with absolute precision to achieve the objective of taking down targets with either no or minimal collateral damage.

For the first time in the history of Indian Army, our nation took an initiative to attack an enemy, making the strike more special. The response to the trailer has been overwhelming and the nation is looking forward to the movie.

Produced by RSVP movies and directed by Aditya Dhar, the film has Vicky Kaushal, Yami Gautam and Paresh Rawal in pivotal roles. The film is slated to release on 11th January 2019.
In another case on January 3, an IndiGo plane had to return to its base due to a technical problem.

Hyderabad: The ground operations at the Hyderabad airport will now be handled by Turkish firm Celebi Aviation, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

In the statement, Celebi, which won the order via a competitive bidding process, said that it will invest about $5-6 million over the next 10 years.

The company in the recent months had also won the contract to carry out ground-handling at the Bengaluru airport and the just-commissioned Kannur international airport in Kerala.

Besides these three, Celebi also does ground-handling at the Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Ahmedabad airports, the company said.

Being well set for a major growth path in the aviation space, India is a key market for us. With our focused and strategic expansion plans, we stand committed to play a meaningful role in the growth story of the aviation sector in this country, said Murali Ramachandran, CEO at Celebi India.

Celebi has committed to partner with the Rajiv Gandhi airport to offer modern and technologically-backed services to over 20 million passengers, the company said.

Ground-handling services include aircraft cleaning and servicing, loading and unloading of food and beverages, besides cargo and luggage handling.

Under the 2107 new ground handling policy, aerodromes clocking 10 million passengers per annum or more are required to have three ground handling agencies, including that of the airport operator/its joint venture/its wholly-owned subsidiary or a joint venture/ subsidiary of Air India or any other agency appointed through a bidding process.
323 MPs voted in support of the Bill and only 3 voted against it, underlining the cross-party support the politically crucial Bill elicited.

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the landmark Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 to provide 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections in government jobs and educational institutions, including private, aided or unaided, ones. While the government claimed the legislation was historic and should be unanimously passed, most Opposition parties, though in-principle supporting it, termed the legislation as a political gimmick ahead of general elections scheduled for later this year.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to amend the Constitution by introducing provisions for reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS).

The Bill was passed by voting with division as it was a Constitutional Amendment Bill after a four-hour-long debate. As many as 323 members voted in support of Bill and only three voted against, underlining the cross-party support the politically crucial Bill elicited.

Congress backed the Bill, but questioned the timing of the decision, given that it comes four months before the country is scheduled to hold general elections. AIMIM leader Asadudin Owaisi opposed the Bill and AIADMK member M. Thambidurai walked out.

The EWS quota Bill, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Monday, had not been listed in the List of Business of the House and was circulated suddenly at around 12 noon and added as a supplementary business. Social justice minister Thawar Chand Gehlot introduced it even as the Lower House was debating another piece of legislation.

The Bill, however, is unlike to see a smooth passage in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday with the government lacking the numbers in the Upper House. A Constitution Amendment Bill needs to muster two-thirds majority of members present in each House of Parliament.

Kicking off the debate from Opposition benches, senior Congress leader K.V. Thomas said that the Bill was being introduced and passed in great haste. This is an important legislation. I think the government is very hasty and any hasty decision will land us in a mess.

This should not become a tamasha, he said adding that the purpose of the government seems to be the coming elections. You are looking at the 2019 manifesto. You are butchering Indian democracy.

Mr Thomas said his party was in favour of the Bill being referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for scrutiny and added that the Bill was nothing but a jumla.

Finance minister Arun Jaitely, who was making an intervention in the debate, said that all parties should pass the Bill as almost every party, including the Congress, had supported the measure in their poll manifesto.

Buttressing his point, he quoted from the Congress manifesto and said most parties in their manifesto had promised this jumla.

You promised this reservation in your Lok Sabha election manifesto of 2014. The question of sincerity (sic). Will a government promise be limited to manifesto or will it translate into a law to deliver real benefits? If you are supporting this Bill, please support it whole heartedly and not grudgingly, the finance minister said.

Mr Jaitely rejected suggestions that the measure may fall foul of a Supreme Court judgement putting a cap of 50 per cent at the total quota. The bar, he added, is for caste-based reservations, while the Bill seeks quota for the economically weaker sections in the general category.

Just as equals cannot be treated unequally, unequals cannot be treated equally... Reservation was always envisioned for socially or educationally backward, on the basis of caste. Therefore Supreme Courts judgment applies only to reservation of backward classes, Mr Jaitley said.

Supporting the Bill, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan said there should also be reservation in the private sector and demanded that the Bill be added in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution so that it is not challenged in courts.

NCP leader Supriya Sule said though she supported the Bill, it was unfortunate that the finance minister said that we are grudgingly giving support.

They have been in power for more than four years. Why was this not brought earlier? They should first explain how the job scene is, she said.

Dharmendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party said his party was in favour of the Bill but the government should come out with a report of the share accrued to all communities.

In his reply, the social justice minister said the passage of the Bill is a historic occasion for the country. We have managed to give the economically backward classes their due, he said.

Mr Gehlot said that doubts about the legislation being challenged in courts was unfounded as earlier attempts were made without constitutional provisions.

Participating in the debate, M. Thambidurai of AIADMK said reservation is not on economic backwardness but on social backwardness. He pointed out that government has many schemes for uplift of economically poor sections of the society and did that mean that these schemes have failed.

Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present during the passage of the Bill.

The Bill is expected to benefit a huge section of upper castes including Brahmins, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Bhumihars and several trading castes including Kapus and Kammas. The economically deprived among Muslims, Christians and other religions will also benefit.
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MILFORD  A Superior Court judge on Tuesday refused to throw out a lawsuit against the city and the Board of Education by the family of Maren Sanchez, who was stabbed to death by a classmate in April 2014 at Jonathan Law High School after she rebuffed his invitation to the prom.

In a 32-page decision, Judge Barry Stevens did not accept the argument by the city that Christopher Plaskon intended to kill Sanchez and that there were no actions the school system could have taken to prevent it.

Sanchezs report that Plaskon was exhibiting suicidal ideation was an indication of an emotional problem sufficient to trigger the mandatory procedure of the Suicide Prevention and Intervention Procedure, the judge ruled in denying the citys motion for summary judgment.

The city took a very public position that it didnt do anything wrong and couldnt have prevented Maren Sanchezs death, said her mothers lawyer, David Golub of Stamford. Its been ignoring the evidence and thats what Judge Stevens said.

Golub said the city had put settlement discussions in the case on hold until the judges decision came out. Now we will see if they come back to the table, he added.

Golub had earlier offered to settle the case with the city for $15 million.

Plaskon was sentenced on June 7, 2016, to 25 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to murder for stabbing 16-year-old Maren Sanchez to death on April 25, 2014, with a steak knife in the hallway of the high school.

A week later, Sanchezs mother, Donna Cimarelli-Sanchez, filed suit in Superior Court here against the Plaskon family and the Board of Education seeking damages for her daughters death.

The Plaskon family later agreed to pay Cimarelli-Sanchez an undisclosed settlement, ending the lawsuit against them.

Sanchez was stabbed to death on the day of the Law High School junior prom.

Security video showed Plaskon arriving at school early that morning and wandering the hallways. When he met up with Sanchez, Plaskon followed her into a stairwell and, out of sight of the cameras, he stabbed her in the chest and neck.

The lawsuit states in November 2013, Maren Sanchez reported to the high school guidance department her concern that Plaskon was emotionally disturbed and was threatening to commit suicide or acts of serious self-harm with a knife, and that she believed it was important for high school personnel to to prevent him from engaging in potentially violent conduct dangerous to himself or to others.

Plaskon was absent from school for a week after Sanchezs report about him to the school guidance counselor, then returned to school and continued to engage in self-destructive behavior, including cutting himself with a knife, and began bringing a knife to school with him, the suit states.

Plaskons guidance counselor failed to advise the principal, school security or others in the school administration or the state Department of Children and Families of Sanchezs report, in violation of mandatory school policies and state law, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit further alleges Plaskons parents were aware that their son was engaging in self-destructive conduct with knives that was potentially dangerous to himself and others and failed to obtain proper medical treatment for him, nor did they try to prevent him from having access to knives.
Connecticuts Democratic U.S. senators plan to re-introduce a universal background check bill this week that was first proposed six years ago as a response to the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary school.

Back then  to the dismay of family members of Sandy Hook victims who watched the vote from the Senate gallery  the background check bill failed to win enough votes, even though the chamber was controlled by Democrats at the time.

Republicans currently hold a 53-47 vote majority in the Senate, but most legislation in that chamber requires 60 votes to pass.

At a press conference in Hartford Monday, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., was cautiously optimistic about the bills prospects.

I think the stronger the bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives, the more pressure there will on Republicans in the Senate, Murphy said. It is not an easy road to get to 60 in the Senate, but it is not impossible and I dont think you can calculate how much energy will be created by this bill passing the House of Representatives for the first time.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said public sentiment about gun control has shifted and the National Rifle Associations grip on members of Congress has slipped.

We have reached that tipping point when we are breaking the grip of the NRA and the special interests who have been in our way up to now on this issue, Blumenthal said.

The senators bill would extend FBI background checks, which are now conducted when someone purchases a gun from a store, to people buying weapons at gun shows and through the internet.

Murphy said the bill will make sure that every single person that tries to buy a gun in this country proves that they are not a dangerous criminal before they get their hands on a dangerous weapon.

It is simply common sense that you should not be able to get your hands on a deadly weapon if you have a history of violence, if you have a history of serious illness, Murphy said.

Murphy launched a successful filibuster, holding up work in the Senate, in 2015 to force GOP leaders to schedule votes on the universal background check bill and other gun-related legislation. But, once again, the background check bill failed to garner enough support to pass.

However, leaders in the new Democratic-controlled House have planned votes on more than a dozen gun-related bill, including the universal background check legislation.

Despite the obstacle GOP leadership in the Senate poses to Democrats who seek to tighten federal gun laws, Blumenthal said they are not settling for background checks alone. He also plans to introduce bills that would require safe storage of weapons and extend Connecticuts red flag law to the rest of the nation. That bill would allow family members and others to seek the temporary confiscation of guns from people who could be a threat to themselves or others.

Background checks are a beginning, they are a bare minimum, Blumenthal said.
The partial federal government shutdown is now in its third week, and threatens to become the longest ever in United States history.

Its having a tangible effect in Connecticut in a variety of ways, some of them unexpected.

Here are 7 ways the federal shutdown may very soon or is already affecting Connecticut.

1. Courts could stop prosecuting

The federal public defenders office has 23 employees in Connecticut, all of whom will work without pay or refuse to work at all on Friday, should the shutdown not be resolved, the Hartford Courant reported.

But with no money flowing from Justice Department, Connecticuts federal courts could stop prosecuting civil cases altogether and, should the shutdown continue for months or even years, as President Donald Trump suggested it might, criminal cases would halt as well.

The agencies whose workers are not currently being paid include the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Prisons, Customs and Border Protection, Coast Guard and Secret Service.

2. Tax refunds in question

All Internal Revenue Service operations have stopped, according to an internal memo posted on the IRS website. An IRS-wide furlough began on December 22, 2018, for everyone except already-identified excepted employees.

That would mean any scheduled refunds will not be issued, though your taxes will still be due on tax day.

However, on Monday, a Trump administration official taxpayers who are owed money will be paid on time. Russell Vought, acting director of the White House budget office, said customary rules will be changed to make the payments possible.

3. Passports may not get issued or renewed

The Social Security Administration will be sending out social security checks this year, but with most agency functions shuttered for the duration of the shutdown, that means no new or replacement Social Security cards.

That affects the State Department, too, meaning new and renewed passports may be in jeopardy.

Consular operations, including visa and passport services, domestically and abroad will remain open as long as there are sufficient fees to support operations, the U.S. State Department said in statement to Hearst. If a domestic passport agency is located in a U.S. government building affected by a lapse in appropriations, the facility may become unsupported and therefore unavailable to the public.

4. Many national parks are closed

There are five national parks in Connecticut, some of which will remain open but have limited services for the duration.

An alert on the National Parks website reads, Some national parks may remain accessible to visitors; however, access may change without notice. Some parks are closed completely. Some visitor services may be available when provided by concessioners or other entities.

5. Air traffic control is affected

Air traffic controllers at Bradley International Airport are working without pay, and face losing their jobs completely if they choose to stay home, the Courant reported.

There are about 15,000 air traffic controllers in the United States  some in Connecticut  who are marked essential.

That means theyre working, but not getting paid.

6. Airports are less secure

Unpaid TSA workers across the country are calling in sick, many calling it a blue flu, according to NBC.

As of Friday, 150 TSA workers at Kennedy International Airport called out sick, The New York Times reported.

7. You cant buy a home

The problem isnt the loan itself  FHA loans, or any made through the VA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are moving forward. The problem is the IRS cant verify your income or provide key tax return documentation, according to the Connecticut Mirror.

In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, wont write the flood insurance policies needed to buy a home along the shoreline.


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The Congress presidents statement comes a few days after the SP and the BSP gave contours to an electoral alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday flexed his muscles by hinting that the Congress could go alone in Uttar Pradesh and cautioned the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party not to un-derestimate Congress.

The Congress president, bolstered by the wins in Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh in December without entering into a pre-poll alliance with the SP or BSP, said in an interview to Gulf News, We are trying to bring the Opposition together I have heard some statements in the media but we are going to work together and make sure that we defeat Mr Modi. But I just want to say again  to underestimate the Congress in UP is a big mistake.

The Congress presidents statement comes a few days after the SP and the BSP gave contours to an electoral alliance ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. His comments are the first indication of the partys Plan B after the regional players decided to desert it. In 2014 elections, the Congress had won two out the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP.

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. Rather, there have been instances where the Congress had not put up its candidate in a seat and the BJP got its vote share.

He further added, Our first aim is to defeat (Prime Minister) Mr Narendra Modi. There are states where we are very strong and we are the primary party and are contesting the BJP directly. There are states where there are possible alliances  Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Bihar where we are working out an alliance formula.

The Congress president also said he was confident of stitching together alliances in several states.
Congress, others walk out after govt refuses to refer contentious law to select committee.

Introducing the bill in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the bill will pave the way for Indian citizenship to the 'persecuted religious minorities'. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: A landmark, but contentious bill that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Piloting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, home minister Rajnath Singh told the Opposition that the bill was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries.

The bill provides for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years now, even if they do not possess any document.

They have no place to go to, except India, he said, adding that several leaders, including Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had been in favour of giving shelter to persecuted minorities in the neighouring countries.

The Congress and several Opposition parties opposed the bill, and they demanded the bill be sent to a select committee. As the government refused to heed this demand, the Congress and some others staged a walkout. TMCs Saugata Roy dubbed the bill as divisive and ins-idious that goes against the basic tenents of the Constitution. This is the worst form of votebank politics, Mr Roy said.

While introducing the bill, Mr Rajnath Singh clarified that the law will not be confined only to Assam but would be applicable to all states and Union territories. This means that beneficiaries of this bill can reside in any part of the country. The home minister said the burden of these persecuted migrants will be shared by the entire country, not just Assam.

Giving further clarifications, Mr Singh said the intent of the bill was to help minority communities from the three neighbouring countries facing discrimination and religious persecution. He said it will give relief to persecuted migrants who have entered India through its western borders to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere.

These migrants were earlier given protection against legal action in 2015 and 2016 by giving them long-term visas. The proposed amendment will make these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for Indian citizenship. The home ministry said these migrants will be given citizenshiponly after due scrutiny and the recommendation of the district authorities and the state governments.

Mr Singh rejected the Oppositions contention that the bill sought to discriminate on the basis of religion, and said anyone eligible under the provisions under the law will be accorded citizenship.

In Assam and the Northeast, the BJP appears to have been isolated on the issue. The Asom Gana Parishad, a partner in the BJP-led Assam government, broke up with the saffron party, while NDA allies Shiv Sena and JD(U) have opposed this legislation.

The Mizoram and Meghalaya governments have opposed the bill by adopting resolutions against it in their respective Cabinet meetings.

Also, in a bid to address Assams concerns, the home minister said the government had taken several steps to implement the Assam Accord. An important pillar of the accord is Clause 6, dealing with constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect the cultural, social and linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people, Mr Singh said. For this, he added, the government had already constituted a high-level committee of eminent and knowledgeable people from Assamese society with a wide mandate to suggest such safeguards, including reservation in the state Assembly and in jobs. The committee was asked to submit its report within six months.

In addition, the Union Cabinet has also approved the grant of ST status to six Assamese communities  Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak, the minister clarified.
Patnaik alleged BJP ignored demand to increase MSP of paddy despite promising it in its manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Asked about his party's stand on joining the 'mahagathbandhan', Naveen Patnaik said, 'We will take some time and think about it.' (Photo: File | PTI)

New Delhi: The Biju Janta Dal (BJD) will decide on joining the "mahagathbandhan" of opposition parties later as it needs time to firm up its decision, party president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Participating in the BJD's sit-in seeking an increase in the minimum support price for paddy, Patnaik alleged that the BJP ignored the demand despite promising it in its manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Asked about his party's stand on joining the "mahagathbandhan", Patnaik said, "We will take some time and think about it."

The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has stepped up efforts to increase footprint in Odisha where it won nine out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections. The BJD had won 10 seats and the Congress two.

After its impressive win in panchayat elections in the state in 2017, the BJP has shifted focus on the state with an aim to upstage the BJD.

The success of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2017 panchayat elections in Odisha has led to predictions that the BJP will emerge as the largest party in the state in the 2019 elections.

Interestingly, nine MPs of the BJD had voted in favour of NDA nominee Harivansh Narayan Singh in the election to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman held in August last year.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the executive and legislative departments to submit their comments on an ongoing petition against the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

SC Spokesperson Midas Marquez on Tuesday announced the judiciary has asked Malacanang and Congress to comment on the Philippine Constitution Association's (Philconsa) petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the measure.

Philconsa in December urged the high court to stop the ratification of the law, calling it "unconstitutional."

"Both the executive and legislative departments had been asked to comment," Marquez said in a media briefing.

"So far, comment pa lang (just the comments) on the petitions and prayers for TRO ang (are) required by the court," he added.

The Philconsa petition is just one of the appeals filed against the Bangsamoro law. The Sulu provincial government, through its governor Abdusakur A. Tan II, in October filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition asking the high court to review the constitutionality of the measure.

The high court, meanwhile, ordered the consolidation of the two petitions, Marquez added.

A group of Islamic accountants, as well as lawyers on Monday urged SC to "uphold the constitutionality" of the measure and junk the two aforementioned petitions. They argued the law is a social justice legislation designed to empower the Bangsamoro people-- letting them free from "unwarranted encroachment by the majority population of the country."

During a speech in Zamboanga City on July 26, President Rodrigo Duterte announced he had signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law, creating the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Mindanao.

The region will abolish the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Referendum to push through

Marquez added the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) scheduled plebiscite on January 21 in Mindanao will push through.

"The Comelec set the plebiscite on January 21, and since there is no TRO as of the moment, then that plebiscite can proceed," Marquez said.

READ: The Bangsamoro Organic Law: Everything you need to know

The plebiscite will determine which other cities and provinces, aside from the covered areas of ARMM, will be named part of the proposed Bangsamoro region.

The measure is the result of decades-long peace negotiations between the Philippine government and the Muslim rebel groups in Mindanao.
This action has been taken to provide rescue and relief operations during Ganga Sagar Mela between Jan 13 and 15.

The triangular Sagar Island, situated around 130 kms from Kolkata, is separated from the mainland by rivers Ganga and Muriganga on two sides and faces the sea on the third side. (Photo: Asian Age)

Kolkata: The Indian Navy has deployed a 10-member diving team at the Sagar Island for the upcoming Ganga Sagar Mela, the second largest assembly of pilgrims after the quadrennial Kumbh Mela, off the Bay of Bengal for providing Search and Rescue (SAR) cover for any eventuality.

Around 18-20 lakh devotees are expected to visit Ganga Sagar Mela between January 13 and 15 on the occasion of 'Makar Sankranti' this year.

On Tuesday, the Indian Navy informed that it has positioned a team of specialist Diving Team from January 8 to 17 for rescue and relief operations in case of any eventuality during the mela.

This deployment of the diving team from the Eastern Naval Command comprising of 10 divers has been coordinated by the Naval Officer-in-Charge (West Bengal), Commodore Suprobho K De on special request from the state government, it stated.

The Navy said, "The district administration of South 24 Parganas has also rendered full administrative support to the diving team. In addition, National Disaster Response Force and Indian Coast Guard are also likely to be deployed at the Sagar Island in subsequent days."

During Makar Sankranti in January every year, lakhs of devotees from across Indian and neighbouring countries of Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh congregate at the annual Ganga Sagar Mela to pay obeisance at Kapil Muni temple after taking a holy bath at the confluence of river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal.

The triangular Sagar Island, situated around 130 kms from Kolkata, is separated from the mainland by rivers Ganga and Muriganga on two sides and faces the sea on the third side.

The island is considered auspicious by the pilgrims, who converge here at this time of the year to take the holy dip which is considered as a sacred wellspring of salvation.
The Supreme Court had diluted certain provisions in the Act, but the BJP government restored them by passing a Bill in the Parliament.

New Delhi: In the run-up to Lok Sabha elections, the Narendra Modi Cabinet on Monday proposed a landmark 10 per cent quota in government jobs and higher education for the poor among the general category. The move, which requires a constitutional amendment, was hailed by the BJP as historic but dismissed as a gimmick by most Opposition parties, including the Congress. The proposal is being seen as a game changer that will woo the economically weaker sections (EWS) among the upper castes, the backbone of the BJPs vote base. Upper castes have been upset with the Modi government ever since it restored stringent provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Supreme Court had diluted certain provisions in the Act, but the BJP government restored them by passing a Bill in the Parliament.

The proposed 10 per cent reservation for general category EWS will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes, taking the total reservation to 60 per cent. Critics said that the overshooting of the court-mandated cap may expose it to judicial scrutiny and cited a similar attempt by the Narasimha Rao government that was struck down by the Supreme Court in the 1990s.

The government, however, wants to make a distinction between economic and social reservation. The Supreme Courts 50 per cent limit is for social reservation, said sources.

The proposal for upper caste quota was approved in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a plan to introduce a constitutional amendment Bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the last day of Winter Session, and seeking extension of Rajya Sabha proceedings by a day for taking up the Bill on Wednesday.

Sources disclosed that Rajya Sabha chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu has agreed to the governments request and extended the Upper Houses proceedings by a day.

The amendment Bill is required as the Constitution does not provide for reservation on the ground of economic conditions. The Bill envisages amendment to Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution and it will need support of at least two-thirds of the members in both the Houses for passage.

Among the major castes to benefit from the proposed law are Brahmins, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Bhumihars, se-veral trading castes, Kapus and Kammas among other upper castes. It would also benefit the poor in other religions like Christians and Muslims.

Sources said the eligibility criteria for availing the proposed EWS category quota would include a condition that families should have an income, including agricultural and from profession, below `8 lakh per annum, possess agricultural land below five acre and residential house below 1,000 square feet. Beneficiaries in urban areas would include those with residential plot below 100 yards in notified municipality or residential plot below 200 yards in the non-notified municipal area.

Union minister Vijay Sampla said, This was a long-standing demand but only the Modi government had the courage to do it. Brahmins, Baniyas, Christians, Muslims, all will benefit from this.

The minister of state for social justice and empowerment said that the decision should not be seen as political as it is the governments duty to understand the feelings of the people and fulfil their needs.

The governments 10 per cent quota proposal seeks to meet a long standing demand of the upper castes, BJPs core vote bank, which had shown signs of drifting away over the ruling partys aggressive wooing of the OBCs and dalits. The move is also being seen as a step to consolidate upper caste votes ahead of Lok Sabha polls around May.

The proposal comes in the backdrop of an upper caste backlash against its move against the Supreme Courts attempt at ring-fencing apprehensions of misuse of SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The Supreme Court move had sparked nation-wide protests from dalit groups after which the Modi government brought a legislation and nullified the apex court measure through Parliament in the last Monsoon Session.

The upper caste communities, in turn, voiced their protest over the governments alacrity in addressing the concerns of dalit communities of the issue.

On Monday, BJP hailed the Cabinet decision as historic, the Congress described it as an election gimmick and accused the BJP of posturing ahead of the national elections. However, the Congress said that it will support the Bill.

Within the BJP, which recently faced massive electoral drubbing in key states, the move was hailed as the mother of all political moves and a game changer as anger among the upper castes against it was one of the main reasons for its loss in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Though the upper castes constitute not more than 15 per cent of the total population, their support is considered crucial for the BJP. Reservation for the EWS was a key demand of the RSS as well.

Amid indications that retaining power at the Centre is going to be tough for the BJP, the move is seen as a game changer by its poll managers who feel that the party leadership has sent a strong positive message to its core votebank and it will not be politically viable for the Opposition parties to object to it.

Sources disclosed that the government was working on this issue for more than a month and atleast two Cabinet ministers had been fastidiously working for the past four days with the PMO on the nitty gritty of the constitutional amendment Bill on 10 per cent to be tabled on Tuesday.

The Bill will provide a shelter for upper castes under the rubric of fundamental rights. The courts rule of the maximum 50 per cent quota cannot fetter Parliaments right to amend the Constitution, said a Union minister adding that the proposed legislation will provide constitutional recognistion to the deprived and marginalised poor among the upper caste.

The Supreme Court had set a cap of 50 per cent on quotas in the Indra Sawhney judgment and the Modi governments proposed constitutional amendment will pave the way for the additional 10 per cent quota.

Influential castes like Marathas, Kapus and Jats have hit the streets in the last few years, seeking reservation benefits. Their protests at times have turned violent.

Though governments in states like Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra have made laws, they are often struck down on the ground of the Supreme Courts Indra Sawhney judgment.

Terming the decision as historic, BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) said that the poor are a group in themselves and should never be discriminated on the ground of castes.

The Congress called the Modi governments decision as a proof of the BJPs fear of losing Lok Sabha polls.

Union minister Ramdas Athawale, a leader of BJPs ally Republican Party of India (Athawale), described the decision as a masterstroke which could end the difference between the upper and lower caste.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), a BJP ally welcomed the governments decision and said the move will bring economically backward sections of upper castes in the mainstream of development.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that without jobs, creation of reservation in employment may just prove to be one more jumla. He however, added that the Congress has always backed every step for reservation and extended support to the economically poor sections of society irrespective of caste, community or creed.

Another Congress leader, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, questioned the Modi government, Why did you not think of this for four years and eight months? So obviously thought of as election gimmick three months before the model code.

Rebel BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said that the proposal is nothing more than a jumla. It is bristling with legal complications and there is no time for getting it passed in Parliament, he said.
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Photo identifications are preventing people from voting. One of the photo ID requirements is a drivers license or special photo ID. But 13 percent of the people in the United States dont have a drivers license, which makes it harder to vote.

A lot of peoples jobs pay by the hour, so they cant afford to leave and get a photo ID. And they cant go get their photo identification after work because the Department of Motor Vehicles closes at 5 p.m., and they cant get their photo ID before work because the DMV opens at 8 a.m.

Getting a REAL ID, an alternative to a drivers license, is a difficult process. Getting a REAL ID will never make it easier to vote.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia do not require a photo ID to vote.

In my opinion, photo IDs are not good for the state of Virginia because they are preventing people from voting. A solution for this problem is that voters should only have to show their voter identification card to a poll worker.

Aidan W. Kelty

Venable fourth-grader

Charlottesville
Ours is an uneasy age. Social mores are changing so fast that people in their early 30s have started muttering about the "kids these days." Formerly safe corners of the economy are being swept bare, so that even people with good, steady jobs are anxious about how long they'll be able to keep them. In nation after nation, politics are in turmoil.

The political upheaval is generally chalked up to those other changes. But they may all be symptoms of one mega-change: the dramatic alteration in communication technology. The internet revolution has turbocharged formerly leisurely processes of economic and social change, while allowing insurgent political movements to bypass the gatekeepers of the old system.

There's no telling how long it will take for the system to work itself back to some sort of equilibrium, or what the new normal will look like. But the broad outlines of an interim politics are starting to emerge.

Start with where things stand now: Throughout the developed world, left-wing parties are struggling as their old working-class voters defect  not to other left-wing parties, but to right-wing upstarts that are less economically conservative than the establishment right, yet far more conservative on questions of territorial and cultural integrity.
The Green Leaf Grill in downtown Waynesboro will finally open again to the public at 4 p.m. Wednesday after being closed for the past year because of the pandemic.
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Virginia Republicans request to halt the implementation of a new House of Delegates map for the 2019 elections.

In a brief order released Tuesday, the court said it had denied a stay application filed by attorneys for House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights. Coxs team had argued that the lower courts plan to redraw portions of the map should be paused until the Supreme Court hears an appeal in the case in the next few months.

The Supreme Courts order means the lower court can proceed with redrawing the map, a process that could lead to a more Democratic-friendly landscape for the 2019 General Assembly races.

Obviously we hoped for a stay, but the courts decision was not unexpected because the burden for a stay is very high, said Cox spokesman Parker Slaybaugh. However, the court will hear our argument on the merits this spring and we are confident the map will be upheld.

The timeline could get tricky as political parties and election officials gear up for this years legislative races, when all 140 seats in the General Assembly will be up for grabs and Democrats will be looking to upend slim GOP majorities in the House and Senate. The primaries are scheduled to take place June 11, but candidates are already lining up their campaigns.
Last month, Norfolk Southern officially announced it was moving from Norfolk to Atlanta, a decision that will likely force the company to repay some of a $4 million economic development grant it received from the state in 2016.

When asked Monday if his decision to accept corporate money while calling for reform could appear hypocritical, Northam said he doesn't make decisions based on who has or hasn't made contributions. Northam said he never accepted money from the pharmaceutical industry during his career as a physician, and he'd like to see similar system in place for politics.

"Until we're able to do that, I will continue to operate in the existing landscape," Northam said.

Virginia Democrats are on a statewide winning streak that has lasted a decade, and believe they have a chance to take control of the General Assembly in legislative elections this fall. Instead of one party choosing to voluntarily impose campaign finance limits on themselves, Northam said both parties should play by the same rules.

"We all need to be in this together," Northam said. "Campaign finance reform needs to affect both sides of the aisle."

Northam also said he'll back legislation to ban the personal use of campaign funds. Currently, there's no law preventing state politicians from using a campaign spending account to cover personal expenses like mortgage payments or school tuition. A bill to ban the activity passed the House of Delegates last year, but failed in the Senate.
Naidu will be meeting a host of other opposition leaders, including NCP's Sharad Pawar and NC leader Abdullah.

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at the latter's residence in the national capital and is learnt to have discussed plans of uniting all opposition parties against the BJP.

According to sources, this is the second round of meeting the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief was having with leaders of opposition parties to cobble up a united platform to take on the saffron party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu will be meeting a host of other opposition leaders, including NCP's Sharad Pawar and NC leader Abdullah.

Ever since the TDP moved out of the NDA, Naidu has been seeking to forge an anti-BJP front. He has maintained that it was a "democratic compulsion" to bring together all parties on a common platform to "save the country and save the people".
An Ohio man charged in the brutal Aug. 12, 2017, beating of DeAndre Harris was given an active sentence of three years and 10 months in prison by a Charlottesville judge Monday.

Daniel Patrick Borden, 20, sat quietly in the citys Circuit Court, wrists and feet chained together, as his parents testified on his behalf.

One of four men charged with malicious wounding in the Harris beating after the deadly Unite the Right rally, Borden is the only defendant not to request a jury trial, instead accepting a plea agreement.

Two of the other men  Jacob Scott Goodwin, of Arkansas, and Alex Michael Ramos, of Georgia  already have been found guilty and will serve prison sentences of eight and six years, respectively. The fourth man, Tyler Davis, has requested a trial and will return to court on Feb. 11.

As the white supremacist Unite the Right rally fell apart, Harris was chased into the Market Street Parking Garage and beaten as he scrambled on the ground to get away. Hit with sticks, shields and fists, Harris was left with a laceration on his head that required staples, a broken wrist and multiple cuts and bruises.
 Charlottesville Aviation Luncheon Club hosts David Hilty, who will speak about the NC-4 airplane that made a transatlantic crossing in 1919, at noon Jan. 16 at Blue Ridge Cafe at 8315 Seminole Trail in Ruckersville. (434) 328-2323.

 Nature Foundation at Wintergreen offers its Winter Lecture Series with Rob Prichard and Lynn Fontana presenting Stories of Africa at 7 p.m. Friday. 3421 Wintergreen Drive. twnf.org. (434) 325-8169.

 Sierra Club hosts a panel discussion on the destructive gold mining in the Amazon Basin of Peru after a screening of the film River of Gold at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16 in the McIntire Room of Central Library. (434) 973-0373.

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"This is a time when we need art, and it can do many things. We really want people to have some sense of joy and affirmation in the midst of all this hardship."
Host Terri Allard and her crew are launching a new season of capturing quintessentially Charlottesville people, places and phenomena. This seasons 12 episodes will introduce viewers to a couple who founded a wildlife conservation center, an author and architect who studies ruins in Virginia and a University of Virginia professor whose hip-hop class explores philosophy, music, sociology and history. The first episode will introduce viewers to esteemed fiddler Lovell Coleman and nature photographer Robert Llewellyn. ideastations.org/CVIO ; facebook.com/CharlottesvilleInsideOut .

Go from Im not an artist to I can finish a painting in two hours as part of a convivial, confidence-building event. If you arrive early for dinner to make an evening of it, be sure to let your server know youre there for Paint Nite. (And if music is your dates passion, he or she can join host Bennie Dodd upstairs at 6:30 p.m. for Open Mic Night; performers and listeners alike are welcome.) A 16-by-20-inch canvas, smock, acrylic paints, brushes and music will be provided. Must be 21 or older; outside food and drinks are not permitted. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time at (434) 422-6225.
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Apsara Reddy has been appointed as National General Secretary of All India Mahila Congress (AIMC).

Apsara Reddy was inducted into the party in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and Lok Sabha MP and AIMC president Sushmita Dev on Tuesday. (Photo: Twitter | @INCIndia)

New Delhi: Apsara Reddy, a well-known transgender journalist and activist, has been appointed as the National General Secretary of All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) by Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Apsara was inducted into the party in the presence of Rahul and Lok Sabha MP and AIMC president Sushmita Dev on Tuesday.

As a transgender woman, Apsara has been involved in social activism since her college days and has also taken up high-profile cases of child rape in Tamil Nadu.

Her active voice on social issues and her brand of journalism initially saw her joining the BJP after meeting party chief Amit Shah. However, Apsara left the BJP within a month, claiming that the party was "regressive and has no place for free-thinking individuals."

In her new role, Apsara aims to work towards women's economic empowerment, fighting against social injustices, helping women find their human rights and help contribute to the Congress party's manifesto with women-centric policies.

"Over 40 per cent of Indian women, according to the Human Development Report's Gender Inequality Index, suffer abuse, neglect or violence at the hands of their husbands or family members," she said.

"Girl child rape is at an all-time high. To protect women from crimes and abuse we need to embolden their voices, frame policies that push for intervention and strengthen our social justice mechanisms," she noted.

With regards to the Transgender Bill, Apsara said the need of the hour for the community is to bridge the inequality meted out to them. "What the community truly needs is education and equal opportunity. This is a good starting point for mainstreaming," she added.

Laying out her plans as the newly-appointed general secretary of AIMC, Apsara said, "I will meet a cross-section of women to address issues pertaining to their rights. This coming election I will campaign vociferously against the fascist BJP that drives a coloured agenda that reduces people to what they eat, how they pray and how they love."
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Airport official said the situation arose since orders for extending facilities were not issued by competent authority.

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, however, sought to downplay the development saying I do not face any difficulty in walking a few metres. (Photo: File)

Patna: Denial of VIP privileges to Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan at the airport in Patna a day ago raised some eyebrows though an official asserted on Tuesday that the situation arose since orders for extending the facilities were not issued by the competent authority.

Paswan had arrived in Patna on Monday morning to attend the last rites of former Union minister Jay Narayan Nishad, who passed away a fortnight ago. The shradh ceremony was held in Hajipur, Paswans Lok Sabha seat, and attended by him besides Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi.

Paswan returned to Delhi by an evening flight on Monday.

However, when he was seen at the airport walking down from the tarmac, unlike in the past when he was given access through a vehicle, journalists rushed to him with queries as the development came close on the heels of reports of discontinuance of similar privileges to local MP Shatrughan Sinha.

Paswan, however, sought to downplay the development saying I do not face any difficulty in walking a few metres.

The facilities given to me at the airport were for a period ending on December 30 and I could not apply for renewal in time since I have been on the move. Do not worry, I will soon be a VIP again," he said smilingly before waving goodbye to the puzzled media persons.

Similar VIP facilities were extended to Shatrughan Sinha, popularly called 'Shotgun', for a period which ended on June 30 and discontinuation of the same ever since is being viewed in the backdrop of souring of relations with his party, which is in power at the Centre as well as in the state.

When asked about the development, Director of the Jay Prakash Narayan Airport, Rajendra Singh Lahauriya told news agency PTI that in the first place, the airport has no role in extending or discontinuing such facilities to anybody.

"We get advice from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) whenever privileges like exemption from frisking and access to the tarmac are extended to anybody. We had sought advice from the BCAS when the Union ministers expiry term (VIP facilities) was coming to a close and we were told that there was no order for renewal. So, we had to discontinue the facilities given to him," Lahauria said.

He said that a beneficiary has to apply for the grant of VIP facilities for a fixed term and thereafter for its renewal upon the expiry of the period.

Applications, for both purposes, are moved before the ministry of civil aviation which forwards the same to the BCAS. The airports concerned are thereafter advised by the BCAS to do the needful, he added.
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Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft Argentina S.A., Krafft S.L., Lock Inspection Systemes France Sarl, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Luvex - Industria De Equipamentos De Protecao Ltda., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, Magna Industrial Co. Limited, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Odesign Inc., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Salter India Limited, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tape Group B.V., Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Tarutin Kester Co. Ltd., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode (Qingdao) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tregaskiss Welding Products, US Finance Gamma LLC, Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., W Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wujiang Advanced Cleaning Co. Ltd., Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V..
Motorola Solutions, Inc. provides mission critical communications and analytics in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Services and Software. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation, optimization, and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety and first-responder agencies, municipalities, and commercial and industrial customers. Its LMR and video security and analytics devices include two-way portable and vehicle-mounted radios, fixed and mobile video cameras, and accessories; radio network core and central processing software, base stations, consoles, and repeaters; and video analytics, network video management hardware and software, and access control solutions. The Services segment provides repair, technical support, and hardware maintenance services. This segment also offers monitoring, software updates, and cybersecurity services; and public safety and enterprise command center software, unified communications applications, and video software solutions. It serves for government, public safety, and commercial communication networks. The company was formerly known as Motorola, Inc. and changed its name to Motorola Solutions, Inc. in January 2011. Motorola Solutions, Inc. was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Lloyds Banking Group: A G Finance Ltd, A.C.L. Ltd, ACL Autolease Holdings Ltd, ADF No.1 Pty Ltd, Addison Social Housing Holdings Ltd, Alex Lawrie Factors Ltd, Alex. Lawrie Receivables Financing Ltd, Amberdate Ltd, Anglo Scottish Utilities Partnership 1, Aquilus Ltd, Automobile Association Personal Finance Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services 2 Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 2) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 3) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland)) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 1 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 2 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 3 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 4 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 5 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 6 plc, BOS (USA) Fund Investments Inc., BOS (USA) Inc., BOS Edinburgh No 1 Ltd, BOS Mistral Ltd, BOS Personal Lending Ltd, BOSSAF Rail Ltd, Bank of Scotland (B G S) Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland (Stanlife) London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Branch Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Central Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Equipment Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Foundation, Bank of Scotland LNG Leasing (No 1) Ltd, Bank of Scotland London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Nominees (Unit Trusts) Ltd, Bank of Scotland P.E.P. Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Structured Asset Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Transport Finance 1 Ltd, Bank of Scotland plc, Bank of Wales Ltd, Barents Leasing Ltd, Barnwood Mortgages Ltd, Birchcrown Finance Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Financial Services Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Land Development Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd, Black Horse (TRF) Ltd, Black Horse Executive Mortgages Ltd, Black Horse Finance Holdings Ltd, Black Horse Finance Management Ltd, Black Horse Group Ltd, Black Horse Ltd, Black Horse Offshore Ltd, Black Horse Property Services Ltd, Boltro Nominees Ltd, British Linen Leasing (London) Ltd, British Linen Leasing Ltd, British Linen Shipping Ltd, C.T.S.B. Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley  Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley  Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business.
Union Cabinet approves reservation for economically weaker sections in general category.

New Delhi: The move to provide 10 per cent quota in jobs and higher education to the "economically backward" upper caste" nearly four months before the Lok Sabha polls, could well be a game changer for the BJP. The master stroke delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi not merely caught the Opposition off guard, but it's a decision that the political rivals might find difficult to criticse.

This has been a move, which the Opposition parties ranging from Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party among others had been trying to achieve, but did nothing to take the step.

It may be recalled that during 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Samajwadi party led by Mulayam Singh Yadav had promised to set up an upper caste commission to deal with the issued faced by the ecnomically weaker section among them.

The BSP supremo, Ms Mayawati had made similar demands both in 2007 (when she formed government in Uttar Pradesh) and 2011. In 2011 Ms Mayawati wrote to the then Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and urged him to make a provision of reservation for poor among the upper caste.

Reports stated that the Andhra Pradesh chief minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2016 indicated that his government was looking at the option of extending reservation to the poor among the upper caste.

While the Opposition parties failed to make the move, the Modi government in a decisive step went ahead and bit the bullet. The decision to push for reservation for poor among the upper caste is not expected to disturb the existing reservation for OBCs, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes.

Union minister for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale while welcoming the decision said: It is a masterstroke, but many strokes are still pending. Mr Modi is a strong batsman there will be many sixes and fours. BJP's Dalit MP, Mr Udit Raj, who had been critical of BJPs treatment of Dalits also welcomed the decision but told a news agency that This will open a Pandoras Box and others will also demand reservation now.

Some Dalit leaders in the ruling NDA too have demanded such a quota for the upper caste poor. Ram Vilas Paswan, Union minister and the chief of Lok Janshakti Party, an NDA ally, said last year that the upper caste poor should be given 15 per cent reservation.

Another Dalit leader, Ramdas Athawale, Union minister and president of the Republican Party of India, an NDA ally, rooted last year for 25 per cent reservation to the poor among the upper castes by enhancing the quota limit to 75 per cent.

The reservation benefit is likely to be availed by those whose annual income is below `8 lakh and have up to five acres of land, the sources said. Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution will have to be amended for implementation of the decision, the sources added.
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The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. 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Iran's Bank Pasargad will open its branch within the next three months.

New Delhi: The government has allowed an Iranian bank to open a branch in Mumbai, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday after a meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Md Javad Zarif here.

Iran's Bank Pasargad will open its branch within the next three months. Gadkari said, "the Government of India has already given permission to Iran to open a bank branch in Mumbai. They are going to open a branch in Mumbai in three months. That will be used for transactions".

Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari termed his meeting with Iranian Minister on Chabahar Port "fruitful".

We had detailed discussions... Our meeting was very fruitful and we have resolved a lot of issues," Gadkari said.

India has placed USD 85 million machinery order for Chabahar, which is a port on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, and is Iran's southernmost city.

We have had a good discussion with the minister (Md Javad Zarif). The first ship from Brazil has already been received at Chabahar... The financial arrangement is ready. There were some problems, but we have resolved the issues, Gadkari said.

Proposals on barter system between the two nations can also be considered, Gadkari said. He said the Iranian minister had given many proposals.

"They need steel, particularly real steel and locomotive engines, and they are ready to supply urea," he stated. India can provide steel rails to Iran and the Persian gulf nation can provide urea to India, he added.
Dunelm Group plc engages in the retail of homewares in the United Kingdom. The company offers furniture for bedroom, living room, dining room, and office; sofas and chairs; bean bags; bed frames, mattresses, divan beds and bases, and headboards, as well as kids beds; and bedding products, such as bed linens, duvets, pillows, protectors, and baby and kids beddings. It also provides curtains, and poles and tracks; blinds; rugs, runners, and door mats; mirrors; cushion pads, covers; throws; seat pads; pictures and frames, wallpapers, and accessories; lighting products, including ceiling and wall lights, lamp shades, floor and table lamps, and outdoor lights; kitchen products, such as cooking, dining, utility, and electrical products; and storage products for home, clothes, and kitchen, as well as travel and luggage products. In addition, the company offers towels and bathmats, bathroom accessories, and bathroom furniture; kids accessories and toys, and nursery furniture and products, as well as travel, safety, and wellbeing products; garden furniture and storage, and garden dAcor products; and Christmas trees and lights, wreaths and garlands, baubles and tree decoration, and novelty products. It operates 173 superstores and 2 distribution centers, as well as sells its products through an online store at dunelm.com. Dunelm Group plc was founded in 1979 and is based in Syston, the United Kingdom.

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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.
44 minutes ago

| June 15th | 2021 7:00 AM

EU, US said to be near deal to end Airbus-Boeing dispute

The Latest on U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to Europe: ___ BRUSSELS  The United States and the European Union appear close to reaching a deal to end a damaging dispute over subsidies to rival plane makers Boeing and Airbus and lift billions of dollars in punitive tariffs. A person familiar with the discussions said U.S.
The following companies are subsidiares of Archer-Daniels-Midland: ADM (Shanghai) Management Co. LTD, ADM (Thailand) Ltd, ADM Ag Holdings Ltd, ADM Agri-Industries Company, ADM Agriculture Limited, ADM Agro Iberica S. L. U., ADM Agro Indust Latur and Vizag Pvt Ltd, ADM Agro Industries India Private Limited, ADM Agro Industries KOTA and AKOLA Pvt. Ltd., ADM Agro SRL, ADM Agroinvestimentos LTDA, ADM Alliance Nutrition of Puerto Rico LLC, ADM Americas S de RL, ADM Andina Peru SRL, ADM Antwerp NV, ADM Arkady Ireland Limited, ADM Asia-Pacific Trading Pte. Ltd., ADM Australia Holdings I PTY Limited, ADM Bio Science And Technology (Tianjin) Co Ltd, ADM Bioproductos SA DE CV, ADM CZERNIN SA, ADM Caribbean Inc, ADM Chile Comercial LTDA, ADM Clinton Bioprocessing Inc, ADM DO Brasil LTDA, ADM Direct Polska SP. ZO.O, ADM Dominican Holdings Inc., ADM Dominicana SA, ADM Edible Bean Specialties Inc, ADM Europe HoldCo SL, ADM European Holdings LLC, ADM European Management Holding GMBH, ADM Export Co, ADM Food Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ADM France, ADM Germany GmbH, ADM Grain River System Inc., ADM Hamburg Aktiengesesllschaft, ADM Holding (Thailand) LTD, ADM Holdings LLC, ADM Hungary Agro Trading LLC, ADM Industries Centers Ltd, ADM International Holdings Inc, ADM International SARL, ADM Interoceanic LTD, ADM Investments LTD, ADM Investor Services Inc, ADM Investor Services International LTD, ADM Ireland Receivables Company Limited, ADM Israel, ADM Japan Ltd, ADM MALBORK SA, ADM Mainz GMBH, ADM Medsofts Sarl, ADM Mexico Inc, ADM Mexico SA DE CV, ADM Milling Co, ADM Milling LTD, ADM New Zealand Limited, ADM Olomouc S.R.O., ADM Paraguay SRL, ADM Protexin Limited, ADM Pura Limited, ADM Receivables LLC, ADM Rice Inc, ADM Ringaskiddy Unlimited Company, ADM Romania Logistics SRL, ADM Romania Trading SRL, ADM Specialty Ingredients - Europe BV, ADM Spyck GMBH, ADM Szamotuly SP Z O.O, ADM Trading Australia Pty. Ltd., ADM Trading Co, ADM Transportation Company, ADM Trucking Inc, ADM Vietnam CO. LTD, ADM WILD Europe GmbH and Co. KG, ADM WILD Ingredients GmbH, ADM WILD Nauen GmbH, ADM WILD Valencia S.A., ADM Wild Netherlands BV, ADM Worldwide Holdings LP, ADMIS Holding Co Inc., ADMIS Hong Kong LTD, ADMIS Singapore Pte Limited, AOR, AT Holdings II Company, Agri Port Services Investments Ltd., Agri Port Services LLC, Agricolas Madagascar SARLU, Agrinational Insurance Co, Agriserve, Agrograin LTD, Alfrebro LLC, Alfred C Toepfer International Netherlands BV, Alimenta USA, American River Transportation Company LLC, Ameriseed, Amylum Bulgaria EAD, Amylum Nisasta Sanayi Ve Ticarek Anonim Sirketi, Archer Daniels Midland (UK) Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Asia Pacific Ltd., Archer Daniels Midland Erith LTD, Archer Daniels Midland Europe BV, Archer Daniels Midland Europoort BV, Archer Daniels Midland Nederland BV, Archer Daniels Midland Singapore PTE LTD, Arinos Unlimited, Aston Foods & Food Ingredients, Balanceados Nova SA Balnova, Barbados Mills Limited, Bela Vista Bio Etanol Participacoes LTDA, Bern Aqua, BioPolis SL, Biopolis, Campa Sued GmbH & Co KG, Cattleman's Choice Loomix LLC, Chamtor, Ci ADM Colombia Ltda., Controladora ADM Sa De Cv, Crosswind Petfoods Inc., Daavision BV, Eaststarch, Eatem Corporation, Eatem Foods, Elstar Oils, English River Pellets Inc., Epicore Bionetworks INC, Epicore Networks (USA) INC, Erich Ziegler GmbH, Evialis France, Fasco Mills Co., Filozoo SRL, Florida Chemical, Florida Chemical Company LLC, GP Blanching Inc., Global Cocoa Holdings LTD, Golden Peanut Company LLC, Golden Peanut and Tree Nut Seed SA (PTY) LTD, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts SA, Group Lysac, Guyomarc'h - VCN Company Limited, Guyomarc'h Vietnam CO LTD, HFR Shipping Company Ltd, HRA Shipping Company Ltd, HTI Shipping Company Ltd, Harvest Innovations, Hilltop Grain and Feed, Holding P and A Asia Company Limited, Hubei Meiweiyuan Biotechnology, Ilitchevskiy Maslo Extractionniy Zavod (IMEZ), Invivo NSA Asia PTE LTD, Invivo NSA Philippines Inc, Jamaica Flour Mills Limited, Julius Meijer-Alpharma BV, LLC ADM Ukraine, Liquid Feed Commodities, Malta Industries SA de CV, Malta-Texo De Mexico SA de CV, Master Mix of Trinidad LTD, Medsofts Investment Co, Medsofts L.L.C., Medsofts Trading Co, Mepla Comercio e Navegacao Ltda, NRG Inc, Naviera Chaco SRL, Neovia, Neovia Latina SL, Neovia Nutricao E Saude Animal LTDA, North Star Shipping S.R.L., P and A Marketing SA, PJSC ADM Illichivsk, PT Wirifa Sakti, Pancosma (Shanghai) Feed Additives CO LTD, Pancosma France SAS, Pancosma SA, Premiere Agri Technologies of Mexico Inc, Pura Foods LTD, Rodelle Inc., Schokinag-Schokolade-Industrie Herrmann, Sermix, Setna Nutricion SA, Societe Industrielle Des Oleagineux, Southern Cellulose Products Inc, Soy Investors LLC, Specialty Commodities, Specialty Commodities LLC, Sul Mineira Alimentos LTDA, SzSzV Kft, Toepfer International, Toepfer International Trading (Shanghai) Co. LTD., Vantage Corn Processors LLC, WILD Amazon Flavors Ltda, WILD Flavors, Wild Flavors Inc., Wild Flavors International GmbH, Wild Flavors Singapore Pte. Ltd., Wild Intermare GmbH, Wild Russia LLC, and Wisium SA (PTY) LTD.
The following companies are subsidiares of Air Products and Chemicals: 7001 Hamilton Properties LLC, ACP Europe SA, ACP Zolder Invest NV, AJWAA Gases LLC, AP Services South America SpA, APCI (U.K.) Inc., Air Products (Anshan) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (BR) Limited, Air Products (Cangzhou) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Changsha) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Chongqing) Chem-Materials Co. Ltd., Air Products (Dongguan) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Guangzhou) Electronics Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Hangjin Qi) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Hefei) Electronics Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Huaibei) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Jiangxi) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Jincheng) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Jinjiang) Electronics Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Kunshan) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Linfen) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Middle East) FZE, Air Products (Nanjing) Electronics Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Ningbo) Hi-Tech Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Rozenburg) B.V., Air Products (Shenyang) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Air Products (Xi'an) Gases Co. Ltd, Air Products (Xiamen) Electronics Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products (Zhongshan) Gases Co. Ltd, Air Products (Zhumadian) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products A/S, Air Products Advanced Materials LLC, Air Products Asia Inc., Air Products Asia Inc. Taiwan Branch, Air Products Bahrain W.L.L, Air Products Brasil Ltda., Air Products Canada Ltd./Prodair Canada Ltee, Air Products Caribbean Holdings Inc., Air Products Central Asia Group LLC, Air Products China Inc., Air Products Debang (Lianyungang) Co. Ltd., Air Products Ecuador S.A., Air Products Emirates Gases LLC, Air Products Equipment Limited, Air Products Gas O.O.O., Air Products Gases Holdings B.V., Air Products Gases S.A.E., Air Products Gesellschaft mbH, Air Products GmbH, Air Products Group Limited, Air Products Gulf Gas LLC, Air Products Helium Inc., Air Products Helium Inc. Qatar Branch, Air Products Holdings B.V., Air Products Holdings GmbH, Air Products Huadong (Longkou) Co. Ltd., Air Products Hydrogen Company Inc., Air Products Iberica S.L., Air Products Industrial Gas LLC, Air Products International LLC, Air Products Investments B.V., Air Products Investments Holdings LLC, Air Products Investments LLC, Air Products Ireland Limited, Air Products Italia S.r.l., Air Products Japan Inc., Air Products Japan K.K., Air Products Korea Inc., Air Products LLC, Air Products Leasing B.V., Air Products Llanwern Limited, Air Products LuAn (Changzhi) Co. Ltd., Air Products Maghreb S.A.R.L., Air Products Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Air Products Management S.A., Air Products Manufacturing Corporation, Air Products Manufacturing LLC, Air Products Middle East Industrial Gases LLC, Air Products Nederland B.V., Air Products Netherlands Gases B.V., Air Products O.O.O., Air Products PLC, Air Products PLC Branch, Air Products Peru S.A., Air Products Qudra (GICIS), Air Products Renewable Energy Limited, Air Products S.A., Air Products SAS, Air Products San Fu Co. Ltd., Air Products Services Europe S.A., Air Products Shared Services Sdn. Bhd, Air Products Singapore Industrial Gases Pte. Ltd., Air Products SinoHytec (Beijing) Hydrogen Energy Technology Co. Ltd., Air Products Slovakia s.r.o., Air Products Sp. Z o.o., Air Products Specialized Process Equipment SDN, Air Products Switzerland Sarl, Air Products Taiwan Holdings Co. Ltd., Air Products Ukraina LLC, Air Products West Coast Hydrogen LLC, Air Products Yanbu Limited, Air Products and Chemicals (Anhui) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Banan) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Beijing) Distribution Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Binzhou) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Chengdu) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Guiyang) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Hefei) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Hohhot) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Jiyuan) Onsite Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Lianyungang) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Nanjing) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Pengzhou) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Putian) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Qingdao) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shaanxi Pucheng) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shaanxi) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shanghai) Electronics Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shanghai) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shanghai) Gases Production Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shanghai) On-Site Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shanghai) Systems Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shangluo) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Shenzhen) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Tangshan) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Tongxiang) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Weifang) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (WuXi) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (WuXi) Gases Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Xingtai) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Xinxiang) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Xian) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Yichun) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Yulin) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Zhuhai) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals (Zibo) Co. Ltd., Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Air Products and Chemicals Inc. of Utah (Utah), Air Products and Chemicals Tech Development (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Air Products spol s.r.o., Asia Industrial Gas Company Ltd., Beijing AP BAIF Gases Industry Co. Ltd., Blue Ocean Industrial Gases Co. Ltd., Carbolim B.V., Carburos Via Augusta Logistics S.L., Centro Tecnico Indura Limitada, Chengdu Air & Gas Products Ltd., Contse S.A.U., CryoService, CryoService Limited, Dixons of Westerhope, DuPont Air Products NanoMaterials, EPCO Carbon Dioxide Products, EPCO Carbon Dioxide Products Inc. (Illinois), East Coast Nitrogen Company LLC, East Coast Oxygen Co., Gardner Cryogenics (Pennsylvania), Gas Direct Limited, Gas Supply Services Ltd., Gas Technologies Ltd., Gases Industriales de Columbia S.A.  Cryogas, Gases Integrated Company Limited (GIC), Gasin II Unipessoal LDA, Gastel Limited, Goar Allison & Associates, Green BioFuel s.r.o., Harvest Energy Technologies (California), Harvest Energy Technology, Helap SAS, Indura, Indura Argentina S.A., Indura Holdings Colombia LLC, Indura Inversiones Limitada, Indura Peru S.A., Indura S.A., Indura S.A. (Peru), Indura Sociedad Comercial Limitada, Ingemedicas Santandar Ltda., Ingenieria en Redes de Gases S.A. - Gasproject S.A., Inversiones Air Products Holdings Limitada, Jazan Gas Projects Company, Jazan Integrated Gasification and Power Company (JIGPC), KRIG Holdings B.V., KRYVYI RIH Industrial Gas, Korea Industrial Gases Ltd., Kulim Industrial Gases Sdn Bhd, Lida SAS, Markaziy Osiyo Sanoat Gaz LLC, Matgas 2000 A.I.E., Napro S.A., Olin DNT Limited Partnership, Oxigeno Medicinal Domiciliario Limitada, Oxigeno de Sagunto S.L., Oxigenol S.A., Oxygen & Argon Works, Oxygen & Argon Works Ltd., Oxygen Center Ltd., Oxygen Warehouse Trade (1980) Ltd., PQ Ammonia, PT Air Products East Kalimantan, PT Air Products Indonesia, PT Air Products Indonesia Services, Permea China Ltd., Permea Inc., Procal (California), Prodair Air Products India Private Limited, Prodair Corporation, Prodair Escravos Limited, Prodair S.A.S., Prodair Services Limited, Prodair et Cie S.C.S., Quimica Basica S.A., ROVI Cosmetics International, S.I.Q. Beteiligungs, SAGA SAS, SCWC Corp., STP & DIN Chemicals Sp. Z.o.o., Servicios Indura Limitada, Sociedad Espanola de Carburos Metalicos S.A., Soprogaz SNC, Stravinsky Investments LLC, The Former SR Manufacturers Inc., Tyczka Industrie-Gase GmbH, Union Mobiliere Industrielle S.A.R.L., United Industrial Gases Company LLC, Vitalox Industrial S.L.U., WuXi Hi-Tech Gas Co. Ltd., Yangon Industrial Gas (Thilawa) Company Limited, Zibo Chuangcheng Engineering Design Co. Ltd., and ir Products Israel Ltd..
Quotient Technology Inc. operates as a digital media and promotions technology company that offers power integrated digital media and promotions programs for brands and retailers. The company offers Quotient Promotions Platform offers digital paperless and print promotions, including Coupons.com website and mobile applications; brand and retailer websites and mobile applications; and third-party publishing websites and mobile applications. It also provides Quotient Retailer Promotions Platform that uses consumer data and insights to distribute personalized and targeted media and promotions for retailers of grocery, drug, mass merchant, dollar, club and convenience merchandise; and Quotient Media Platform, which provides targeted advertising solutions that enables brands to reach shoppers before, during, and after their shopping cycles with digital media campaigns. It also provides Quotient Retailer Performance Media Platform that uses retailer's consumer data to drive sales and enhances the shopper experience; Quotient Analytics provides campaign analytics and measured sales results to brands and retailers; Quotient Consumer Properties; and Quotient Retailer Media Services. It serves approximately 800 consumer packed goods, representing approximately 2,000 brands, including various food, beverage, personal care, and household product manufacturers; retail partners representing various classes of trade, such as grocery retailers, drug, mass merchant, dollar, club, and convenience merchandise channels; and consumers visiting its websites, mobile properties, and social channels. The company was formerly known as Coupons.com Incorporated and changed its name to Quotient Technology Inc. in October 2015. Quotient Technology Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

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Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, and markets biopharmaceutical products worldwide. The company offers products in hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, and immunology therapeutic classes. Its products include Revlimid, an oral immunomodulatory drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma; Opdivo for anti-cancer indications; Eliquis, an oral inhibitor indicated for the reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; and Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis, as well as reducing signs and symptoms in pediatric patients with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The company also provides Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia; Yervoy for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma; Abraxane, a solvent-free protein-bound chemotherapy product; mpliciti for the treatment of multiple myeloma; and Reblozyl for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with beta thalassemia. In addition, it offers Onureg for the continued treatment of adult patients with AML; Zeposia to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis; Vidaza for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome subtypes; Baraclude, an oral antiviral agent for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B; and Breyanzi, a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma. The company sells products to wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies, retailers, hospitals, clinics, and government agencies. It has collaboration agreements with Pfizer, Inc.; Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Nektar Therapeutics; AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Huyabio; and DarwinHealth, Inc. The company was formerly known as Bristol-Myers Company. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Innovation Singapore Holdings Pte, ?What If! Limited, ?What If! Shanghai Co. Ltd, ?What If! USA LLC, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD Dialeto Agencia de Publicidade SA, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Beijing) Mobile Technology Co Ltd, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co Ltd, Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (South Africa) Pty Limited, Accenture (UK) Ltd, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Azerbaijan Ltd, Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BV, Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A, Accenture CAS GmbH, Accenture Canada Holdings Inc., Accenture Capital DAC, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd., Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SAS, Accenture Customer Services Limited, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Delivery Poland sp. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital France Holdings SA, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance (Gibraltar) III Ltd, Accenture Finance GmbH, Accenture Finance GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II GmbH, Accenture Finance II GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II Ltd, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services Srl, Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Ghana Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Ltd., Accenture Global Services Ltd, Accenture Global Solutions Ltd, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services Ltd, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc., Accenture Holding GmbH, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holding GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SAS, Accenture Holdings plc, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazylym Cozumleri Limited irketi), Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture Insurance Services SAS, Accenture Insurance Services SpA, Accenture International BV, Accenture International Capital SCA, Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture International Sarl, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea BV, Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Managed Services SpA, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Middle East B.V, Accenture Middle East BV, Accenture Minority I BV, Accenture Minority III Ltd, Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi (Pty) Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Newco LLC, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations Sp. z o.o., Accenture Outsourcing SRL, Accenture Outsourcing Services, Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations BV, Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru S.R.L, Accenture Peru S.R.L., Accenture Post Trade Processing SAS, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process Ltd, Accenture Product Lifecycle Services, Accenture Properties, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture S.A., Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture SAS, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sendirian Berhad, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Ltd, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.r.l., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services Sp. z o.o., Accenture Services Sp. z.o.o., Accenture Services and Technology Srl, Accenture Services fur Kreditinstitute GmbH, Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Servicos Administrativos Ltda, Accenture Servicos de Suporte de Negocios Ltda, Accenture Solutions Co Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Sp. z o.o., Accenture Sp. z.o.o., Accenture SpA, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc., Accenture Sub Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag KFT, Accenture Technologia, Accenture Technologia Consultoria e Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Technology Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions SAS, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn. Bhd., Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures BV, Accenture Technology Ventures S.P.R.L., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co., Accenture Vietnam Co. LTD, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Limitada, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Customer Insight Limited, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Agave Consultants Limited, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, Allen International Consulting Group Ltd, Alnova Technologies Corporation S.L., AlphaBeta Advisors, Altima, Altima Asia Ltd., Altima SAS, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Appaloosa Technology SAS, Arca, Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Avanade, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade (Thailand) Co Ltd, Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Denmark ApS, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Ltd, Avanade Europe Services Ltd, Avanade Federal Services LLC, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SAS, Avanade GZ Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd. (SH), Avanade Guangzhou, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy SRL, Avanade KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Netherlands BV, Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland Sp. z o.o., Avanade Poland Sp. z.o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain SL, Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Ltd, Avanade do Brasil Limitada, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, AvantBiz Consulting Limited, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Boomerang Pharmaceuticals Communications Ireland Limited, Bow & Arrow, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brand Learning LLC, Brand Learning Ltd, Brand Learning Partners Limited, Brand Learning Pte Limited, Bridge Energy Group LLC, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CadenceQuest Inc., Capable Marketer Limited, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc., Certus Solutions Consulting Services Ltd, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cimation UK Limited, Cirruseo, Cirruseo SAS, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas (SN) (PTE.) Limited, Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Ltd., Cloud Talent Limited, Cloudsherpas, Cloudsherpas Inc., Codagenic Pty. Ltd., Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda., Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda., Context Information Security, Coritel S.A., Corliant Inc., CreativeDrive, CustomerWorks Europe SL, Cutting Edge Solutions Ltd, D5 Global Holdings LLC, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., DMA Solutions Limited, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (Australia) PTY LTD, DayNine Consulting (Deutschland) GmbH, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting France SAS, DayNine Consulting Japan K.K., DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings, Declarative Holdings LLC, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digiplug SAS, Digital Consulting & Software Services LLC, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Ltd., Duck Creek Technologies, Duck Creek Technologies LLC, Deja Vu Security LLC, ESR Labs, Elcurator SAS, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting L.P., End-to-End Analytics, Energuia Web, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Ltd., Energy Quote Private Ltd., EnergyQuote JHA, EnergyQuote JHA Ltd., EnergyQuote Trading Ltd., Enimbos, Enkitec, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V. , Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enterprise System Partners PR LLC, Enterprise System Partners S.A.S., Epylon, Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Fairway Technologies Inc, Fairway Technologies LLC, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, First Annapolis International, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Focus Group Europe Limited, Formicary, Formicary Holdings Limited, Formicary Limited, FusionX, FutureMove Automotive, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, Genfour Limited, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gestion Altima Canada Inc., Global Public Firm S.L., GlobalView SAS, GoodFilm GmbH Filmproduktion Stuttgart, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., Hagberg Consulting Group, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Hytracc Consulting UK Limited, Hytracc Holding AS, I-Faber S.p.A., IBB Consulting, IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INCAD, INSITUM, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Imagine Broadband (USA) Ltd, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Industrie&Co, Infoman AG, Infoman Schweiz AG, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Infusion Development Inc., Infusion Development UK Limited, InfusionDev LLC, Innoveer Solutions India Pvt Ltd, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria Brasil LTDA, Insitum Consultoria Colombia SAS, Insitum Consultoria Europa SL, Insitum Consultoria Peru SAC, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., Intrepid, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Advertisement (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inventor Technology Limited, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, Javelin Group (Bulgaria) EOOD, Javelin Group Limited (UK), Javelin Group SASU, K Comms Group Limited, KCS.net AG, KCS.net AG West, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, KCS.net Holding AG, KCS.net Osterreich GmbH, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Ltd, Kogentix Singapore Pte. Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kunstmaan NV, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon UKI, Kurt Salmon UKI Ltd., Kurt Salmon US LLC, LINKBYNET, LabAnswer, LabAnswer Government, LemonXL Limited, Logistics Market Place Limited (UK), Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Corporation, Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte. Ltd., Mackevision UK Ltd, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd., Maihiro, Matter, Matter Llc, Maud Corp Pty Limited, Maxamine International, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing Corporation, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mindtribe Product Engineering LLC, MobGen, MobGen Technology S.L, Moonrise NV, Mortgage Cadence, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, N3 LLC, NBS Marketing Inc., NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile, Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Chile SpA, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda., New Energy Aborda, New Energy Associates Ltd, New Energy Group, New Energy S.r.l., NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage China Ltd., NewsPage Pte Ltd, Nice Agency Limited, Northstream, Northstream AB, Northstream Holding AB, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology LTDA, Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Octo Technology SPRL, Octoman SAS, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium Consulting Ltd, Orbium GmbH, Orbium Holding AG, Orbium Inc., Orbium International AG, Orbium International sp. z o.o., Orbium Licences AG, Orbium Limited, Orbium Pte. Ltd., Orbium Pty Ltd, Orbium Services sp. z o.o., Orbium Sarl, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PCO Innovation Canada Inc., PCO Innovation EURL, PIXO PUNCH Limited, PLM Systems S.r.l, POC Holdings, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, Pach Invest SARL, Pach Invest SAS, PacificLink Group, PacificLink iMedia Ltd., Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald Inc., Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Partners Technology Mexico Holdings BV, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production K/S, Perseroan Terbatas. Accenture, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Ltd, Pragsis Technologies S.L, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Ltd, Procurian Germany GmbH, Procurian Inc., Procurian International I LLC, Procurian International II LLC, Procurian LLC, Procurian Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procurian Switzerland GmbH, Procurian USA LLC, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co Ltd, Radiant Services, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Limited, Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (Asia) Pte Ltd, Redcore (India) Private Limited (India), Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Renacentis IT Services, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Rothco, Rothco Holdings Designated Activity Company, Rothco Unlimited Company, S.C. EnergyQuote S.r.l., S3 TV Technology Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SEC Servizi S.p.A., SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Sagacious Consultants LLC, Sanchez Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Airline Planning Group, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace Asia (Hong Kong) Limited, Seabury Aviation Consulting LLC, Seabury Cargo Advisory B.V., Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Human Capital LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Seabury Structured Finance LLC, Search Technologies BPO, Search Technologies BPO Inc., Search Technologies GmbH, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LATAM, Search Technologies LATAM S.A., Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Sente Partners LLC, Sentelis, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Shackleton, Shackleton Barcelona S.L., Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton Madrid S.L., Shackleton S.A., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., Silveo, Simian Pty Limited, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, Sinnerschrader, Sistemes Consulting S.L., Solutions IQ, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Storm Digital, Storm Digital B.V., Structure Consulting Group, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Systor AG, TQuila Limited (UK), Tadata Creative Unlimited Company, Tara Insurance DAC, Tara Risk DAC, TargetST8, TargetST8 Consulting LLC, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica Ltd., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Limited, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Total Logistics Supply Chain Consultants Limited, Tquila, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Verax Solutions, Verax Solutions Corporation, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong, Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd., Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Weblinc Pty Ltd, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wire Stone Sarl, Wolox, Yesler, Zag, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines, Zenta Global Philippines Inc., Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc., Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH.
Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2020, the company marketed approximately 354 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States and Canada, as well as in 14 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

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KAR Auction Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides used vehicle auctions and related vehicle remarketing services for the automotive industry in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through two segments, ADESA Auctions and AFC. The ADESA Auctions segment offers whole car auctions and related services to the vehicle remarketing industry through online auctions and auction facilities. It also provides value-added services, such as auction related, transportation, reconditioning, inspection, title and repossession administration and remarketing, vehicle research, and analytical services, as well as data as a service. This segment sells its products and services through vehicle manufacturers, fleet companies, rental car companies, finance companies, and others. As of December 31, 2020, this segment had a network of 74 whole car auction facilities in North America. The AFC segment offers floorplan financing, a short-term inventory-secured financing to independent used vehicle dealers; and sells vehicle service contracts. The company provides wheel repair and hail catastrophe response services. It serves vehicle manufacturers, vehicle rental companies, financial institutions, commercial fleets and fleet management companies, and dealer customers. The company was formerly known as KAR Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to KAR Auction Services, Inc. in November 2009. KAR Auction Services, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  Thousands of devotees lined up at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila for hours to participate in the ceremonial "Pahalik" or kissing and touching of the feet of the Black Nazarene, police reported.

The Metro Manila police said they monitored around 16,000 people in the area as of Tuesday afternoon. The line to the image of the Black Nazarene has reached the May Katigbak corner of Roxas Boulevard, approximating one kilometer long. The "Pahalik" started around 6:00 a.m. In 2018, around 153,000 Black Nazarene devotees joined the rites.

Manila Police Director SSupt. Vicente Danao Jr. said they have deployed at least 2,000 police personnel to secure the area inside and outside the Quirino Grandstand. An additional 5,000 forces from the Metro Manila police and the National Headquarters will also be sent to the area later in the day, he added.

The "Pahalik" is celebrated a day before the annual tradition of the Traslacion where the image of the Black Nazarene will be moved to the Quiapo Church through a six kilometer-long procession.

Danao said at least 7,000 police officers will be on standby during the procession which is expected to span about 22 hours beginning Wednesday at 5 a.m.. Danao said they expect at least three million people to join the event. Last year, 1.1 million devotees attended the procession.

The police have issued security measures and prohibitions for the Traslacion, including a "no vendor" policy. Vendors caught will be instructed to leave the premises, he explained.

READ: Traslacion 2019: What not to bring to the procession

Health Secretary Francisco Duque announced in a statement that all government hospitals in Metro Manila will be on "Code White" until Thursday, which means that these facilities are on readiness status.

He also assured " the availability of general and orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, internists, operating room nurses, ophthalmologists, and otorhinolaryngologists, to respond to any emergency situation."

The DOH will also station 13 medical teams along the procession route.

An evening vigil at the grandstand will commence at 5 p.m. Tuesday, and will culminate with a fiesta mass on Wednesday at midnight.
TheaDesign/iStock(LONDON) -- Brexit got the Hollywood treatment for U.K. viewers on Monday night. With the final round of debates set to begin in Parliament on Theresa Mays deal on Wednesday, watching "Brexit: Uncivil War" must have felt like "Groundhog Day."



"Brexit: Uncivil War" features actors playing the real-life figures behind the vote, as the country once again relived the most divisive political campaign in recent British history.



The U.K. Parliament was expected to vote on the Prime Minister Mays Brexit deal in December, but she delayed the vote, which is now scheduled for Jan. 15. Starting Wednesday, another week of debating on the key issues of the deal will take place in Parliament. If May loses, the U.K. could leave the European Union without a deal.



The timing was almost too perfect for "Brexit: Uncivil War," which stars Benedict Cumberbatch. Written for Channel 4 by British playwright James Graham, the movie was based on extensive research and interviews with key players on both sides of the political landscape.



It follows the story of the 2016 referendum, with the inside story of the officially designated Brexit campaigners, Vote Leave, leading the charge against the government-led campaign to stay in the European Union, Britain Stronger in Europe. On June 23, 2016, Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum. Leave secured 17,410,742 votes (51.89 percent), to Remains 16,141,241 (48.11 percent).



With the country in such a sensitive political moment, Graham recognized a need to approach the subject matter responsibly and mindfully.



Im a big believer in the power of drama and storytelling and its capacity to help us reflect on difficult things, he told ABC News. Theres nothing more complicated and divisive and difficult to have a rational response to than Brexit. We were determined to be as even handed as possible and speak to all sides.



Cumberbatch leads the charge in the Uncivil War as Dominic Cummings, the little-known political strategist and anti-establishment figure who led the official Vote Leave campaign to victory with his powerful slogan: "Take Back Control." Since winning the vote, Cummings has since largely retreated from public life.



Graham is adamant that Brexit is part of a part of a global story.



The conditions that created Brexit are not unique to the U.K. - something is happening across western liberal democracies, Graham said. And it started way before the 2016 vote for Brexit or November that same year for [Donald] Trump, people just hadnt identified this anti-establishment, populist feeling. When you combine that with the new [social media] platforms, the new technology which can exacerbate and spread some of those feelings and give voice to them, it gives an unpredictability and a shock factor to politics in America as well. You might argue that this is an origin story to Trump.



Indeed, the film also features some interesting characters from North America. Billionaire financier and Breitbart backer Robert Mercer, Aden Gillett, makes an appearance, highlighting his alleged role in providing key data analytics services for the Leave campaign. Zack Masingham, the Canadian founder of data technology company Aggregate IQ, portrayed by Kyle Soller, plays an important role by reportedly enabling the Vote Leave campaign to target voters through social media.



Donald Trumps former campaign strategist, Steve Bannon, is also briefly a character in the movie.



On Britains current predicament, Graham is sanguine.



We are tearing chunks out of each other, he said. We somehow need to learn to listen and not to enter into these debates in such bad faith.



The drama serves as a reminder of the sometimes toxic atmosphere of the referendum. The horrific murder of Remain-campaigning Member of Parliament Jo Cox a week before the referendum features heavily in the movie. She was killed by Thomas Muir, who was later convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.



The sentencing judge said the murder was done for the purpose of advancing a political, racial and ideological cause namely that of violent white supremacism and exclusive nationalism most associated with Nazism and its modern forms.



The main takeaway from "Brexit: Uncivil War" is that Brexit was about far more than just leaving the European Union. And with the final chapter of the Brexit debate set to begin on Wednesday, the world is getting ever closer to seeing how the real-life drama is going to end.



"Brexit: Uncivil War" will air in the U.S. on HBO on 19th January.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Sempra Energy operates as an energy-services holding company in the United States and internationally. The company's San Diego Gas & Electric Company segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity; and supplies natural gas. It offers electric services to approximately 3.7 million population and natural gas services to approximately 3.4 million population that covers 4,100 square miles. Its Southern California Gas Company segment owns and operates a natural gas distribution, transmission, and storage system that supplies natural gas to a population of approximately 22 million covering an area of 24,000 square miles. The company's Sempra Texas Utilities segment is involved in the regulated transmission and distribution of electricity serving 3.7 million homes and businesses, and operation of 139,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines. Its transmission system includes 18,127 circuit miles of transmission lines, 336 transmission stations, and 806 distribution substations; distribution system comprises 121,129 miles of overhead and underground lines; and 63 miles of electric transmission lines. Its Sempra Mexico segment develops, owns, operates, or holds interests in natural gas, electric, liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquid petroleum gas (LPG), ethane, and liquid fuels infrastructure; and purchases LNG, and purchases and sells natural gas. This segment operates natural-gas-fired, and wind and solar power generation facilities. Its assets/facilities consist of 1,850 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines, 15 compressor stations, and 139 miles of ethane pipelines; and 2,729 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines. The company's Sempra LNG segment develops and builds natural gas liquefaction export facilities; holds an interest in a facility for the export of LNG; owns and operates natural gas pipelines; and buys, sells, and transports natural gas. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

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Cabot Corporation operates as a specialty chemicals and performance materials company. It operates through three segments: Reinforcement Materials, Performance Chemicals, and Purification Solutions. The company offers rubber grade carbon blacks used in tires as a rubber reinforcing agent and performance additive, as well as in industrial products, such as hoses, belts, extruded profiles, and molded goods; and engineered elastomer composites. It also provides specialty grades of carbon black used in inks, coatings, plastics, adhesives, toners, batteries, and displays applications; masterbatch and conductive compound products for use in automotive, industrial, packaging, infrastructure, agriculture, consumer products, and electronics industries; inkjet colorants used in the inkjet printing applications; fumed silica used in adhesives, sealants, cosmetics, batteries, inks, toners, silicone elastomers, coatings, polishing slurries, and pharmaceuticals; fumed alumina used in various products, including inkjet media, lighting, coatings, cosmetics, and polishing slurries; and aerogel, a hydrophobic, silica-based particle for use in various thermal insulation and specialty chemical applications. In addition, the company offers activated carbon products used for the purification of water, air, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, and other liquids and gases; and activated carbon solutions for activated carbon injection in coal-fired utilities, mobile water filter units, and carbon reactivation services. The company sells its products through distributors and sales representatives in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. Cabot Corporation was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Wabash National Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes engineered solutions for the transportation, logistics, and distribution industries primarily in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Commercial Trailer Products, Diversified Products, and Final Mile Products. The Commercial Trailer Products segment provides dry van and platform trailers; refrigerated trailers; converter dollies; aftermarket parts and services; and used trailers, as well as laminated hardwood oak flooring products. The Diversified Products segment offers stainless steel and aluminum liquid and dry bulk tank trailers, and other transport solutions for the dairy, food and beverage, chemical, environmental, petroleum, and refined fuel industries; and parts, and maintenance and repair services for tank trailers and other related equipment. This segment also offers process vessels, and round horizontal and vertical storage silo tanks; containment and isolation systems for the pharmaceutical, chemical, biotech, and nuclear industries; and composite products, including truck bodies, overhead doors, and other industrial application products. The Final Mile Products segment provides van bodies for dry-freight transportation; cutaway van bodies for commercial applications; service bodies; insulated van bodies; stake bodies; and refrigerated and dry freight truck bodies. The company offers its products under the Wabash National, Benson, Brenner Tank, Bulk Tank International, DuraPlate, Extract Technology, Supreme, Transcraft, Walker Engineered Products, Walker Transport, DuraPlateHD, ArcticLite, Iner-City, Spartan, and Kold King brands. It distributes its product directly, as well as through its retail operations and independent dealers to truckload common carriers, leasing companies, private fleet carriers, less-than-truckload common carriers, and package carriers. Wabash National Corporation was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Lafayette, Indiana.

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As part of the series of programmes planned to mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Press Information Bureau and Regional Outreach Bureau, Raipur will be jointly organising a Symposium at Government J Yojganandanam Chhattisgarh College here on Wednesday.

The Symposium is titled Return of Mahatma Gandhi to India from South Africa.

The symposium will be addressed by Professor Dr Vasudev Shahasi and Prof Rajesh Shukla along with PIB and Regional Outreach Bureau, Raipur, Additional Director General Sudarshan S Pantode. Special guest will be College Principal Dr C.L. Dewangan. The students of the college would also express their views on the subject.
Chhattisgarh State Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution unanimously asking the Centre to increase the numbers in the Council of Ministers from existing 15 per cent to 20 per cent of States total strength of Legislators.

The resolution was tabled in the House by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

In resolution, citing larger geographical area and urgency for speedy development of the State, the CM asked the Centre to raise headcount in States Council of Ministers.

As per existing law, any State cant induct more than 15 per cent of its total strength of MLAs into its Council of Ministers and in Chhattisgarh the number of the Council of Ministers cant exceed 13 as State has total number of 90 legislators.

The Congress which returned to power last month with a brute majority in Chhattisgarh after a gap of 15 years is finding hard to satisfy its majority of MLAs who are nurturing the ambition of getting ministerial berth.
While inviting the ascetics based in Haridwar to the Kumbh Mela slated in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Minister Dharmpal Singh said that a continuous supply of 12,000 cusecs of water from Tehri Dam would help the holy Ganga maintain its normal flow during the occasion of auspicious snans when millions of devotees would take holy dip in the river. The first major snan would be held on the occasion of Makar Sankranti and several ones would follow. We have made sure that the flow of Ganga is maintained till March 4, the day Kumbh Mela would end, the UP Minister said. He had come to invite Jagadguru Swami Rajrajeshwarashram, in particular, to Kumbh Mela being held in Prayagraj.

He further said that the devotees would not just have ample volume of water in the Ganga for taking holy dips during the entire period of Kumbh Mela but the farmers too would continue to get enough water through the Ganga canal during Kumbh Mela which would continue for nearly three months. After the Prime Minister Narendra Modi upgraded the status of Kumbh Mela the Governments focus has remained trained on revamping the infrastructural facilities. While the Ardhkumbh Mela has been given the status of Kumbh the main Kumbh Mela is now Mahakumbh Mela under the new proposal, Singh said.

I have come here to assure all that the devotees would not face shortage of water in Ganga during the Shahi and general snans (bathing days) like what they faced during the previous occasions. Just knee-deep water used to be left in the river for the devotees who come from across the world. This time, things would be different as the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the departments to ensure that the minimum level of waist-deep water is maintained all through the snans to be held during the Kumbh Mela, he said.

Earlier, the UP Irrigation Minister came to Haridwar along with some senior Tehri Dam officials for a review meeting before the first snan of Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj is held.
With barely a few months to go to 2019 general elections, the farming community and its issues is set to take centre stage in agrarian state of Haryana.

The farmers, who form a large voter base in Haryana are all set to hold state-level rallies to raise their demands while the BJP led Haryana Government has proposed to roll out a pension scheme for farmers in a bid to assuage the angry farming community ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2019.

According to the 2011 census data, the total rural population in Haryana is 1.65 crore, which is 65.21 per cent of its total population and are engaged primarily in farming and other related activities.

Apparently, the farmers will hold the key for the major political parties in elections to 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana.

The Manohar Lal Khattar Government in Haryana have had faced several protests from the farming community in the past four years. With the 2019 polls nearing, the farming community is now again up in arms against the ruling BJP.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU, Chaduni) has announced to hold a state-level rally in Kurukshetra on February 3 to pressurize the government on the issue of loan waiver. Similarly, a Kisan maha panchayat is proposed to be held on February 6 in Barwala of Hisar on the issue of loan waiver.

Farm debt waiver had remained a crucial issue in the recently concluded elections to five state assemblies in the country Ahead of Lok Sabha also, the political parties have been making a series of promises from farm debt waiver for farmers to providing subsidy or special incentives to woo the farmers voters.

A state level rally will be organized in Kurukshetra on February 3 to raise the demand of farm loan waiver. Other demands including minimum income guarantee scheme, implementation of Swaminathan Commission report, pension scheme will also be raised during the rally, said BKU Haryana president Gurnam Singh Chanduni while talking to The Pioneer.

Gurnam Singh said that several states have announced farm loan waiver but the Haryana Government has failed to take up this issue so far.

He said that the BKU has written to all the political parties on farmers issues. In 2019 general polls, the BKU will support the political party which will accept all our demands, said Gurnam Singh, who had recently announced to field BKU candidates for the polls.

Rattan Mann, president of BKU (Mann faction), Haryana said that a Kisan maha panchayat of farmers will be held in Barwala on the issue of loan waiver and thousands of farmers will attend the programme.

Besides, complete loan waiver, other issues related to farmers will also raised at the maha panachayt. Our demands include implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, loan waiver for farmers, retirement allowance of Rs 5 lakh to all farmers after attaining the age of 60, medical insurance for farmers, he said.

Aware of the growing anger among farming community in the state, Haryana Government is formulating a pension scheme for farmers, apparently in a move to woo the community ahead of elections.

The governments constituted committee under Haryana state BJP chief and MLA from Tohana, for finalizing the pension scheme will meet on Wednesday here.

Barala said that the previous meeting of the committee was held on December 27. The committee would soon submit its report to the Chief Minister Manohar Lal.

He said that after implementation of Kisan Pension Yojana, the financial condition of farmers would be strong.

The other members of the committee are MLAs namely Abhay Singh Yadav, Mahipal Dhanda, Ghanshyam Das Arora, Pawan Saini and Director General, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Ajit Balaji Joshi.

Meanwhile, the farmers unions have expressed displeasure over not including any member from the BKU in the governments constituted committee.

The farmers union leader Rattan Mann said that atleast two representatives from the BKU should have been included in the committee as the government is formulating a pension scheme for the benefit of farmers.

Earlier in a series of decisions to woo the farmer, the Haryana Government had set up Haryana Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran and announced to issue demand notices for about 44,000 pending tube-well connections since January 1, 2014 by March 31, 2019.
In-form Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah was Tuesday rested from the upcoming ODI series against Australia and the subsequent tour of New Zealand with Mohammad Siraj replacing the hero of the team's maiden Test series triumph Down Under.

With 21 scalps, Bumrah ended the four-Test series as the joint-leading wicket-taker alongside Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.

"Keeping in mind the work load of the bowler, it was best felt to give him adequate rest ahead of the home series against Australia. Mohammed Siraj will replace Bumrah in the squad for the Australia and New Zealand tour," said the BCCI in a statement.

"Punjab pacer Siddarth Kaul has also been drafted into the squad for the three-match T20I series against New Zealand," it added.

Bumrah, who made his Test debut just 12 months ago, has become India's go to pacer in all three formats.

The attack comprising Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma has been hailed as India's best ever.

The decision to rest him comes after saptain Virat Kohli also emphasised on managing the workload of the pacers following India's maiden Test series win in Australia here on Monday.

"It's important to take care of these guys especially  manage workloads, that's going to be our priority going forward. But even more so, finding three more guys who can bowl as fast as and as relentless as these guys," said Kohli.

India play three ODIs against Australia starting here on Saturday before travelling to New Zealand for a five-ODI and three-T20I assignment starting January 23.
Amid opposition from the Congress, the TMC, Left parties and others as well National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies Janata Dal (United) and Shiv Sena, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday approved a Bill seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The contentious Bill provides Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years even if they do not possess any document.

Piloting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Opposition that the Bill was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries.

Allaying apprehensions from Assam where its coalition partner Asom Gona Parishad (AGP) has resigned from the BJP-led State Government, the Home Minister said the law is not meant for Assam only but for the entire country which would bear its burden.

Congress and the TMC staged a walkout from the House in protest with the latter demanding that the Bill should have also included persecuted minorities from the Muslim community in these country. It should have been a secular Bill.., said TMC member Sugata Roy.

Describing the Bill as divisive and insidious, Roy said, This is the worst form of vote-bank politics. TMC sought that it be sent to select committee for further vetting.

The Congress said many States have opposed the Bill and it should be sent to a select committee.

The Bill was originally introduced in 2016 and was later sent to the JPC which submitted its report on Monday. On the basis of the recommendations of the JPC, a fresh Bill was introduced on Tuesday.

The Home Minister said minorities are persecuted in Pakistan and they have been taking shelter in India. He said though Governments in Bangladesh and Afghanistan are taking measures to protect non-Muslim minorities, still they are being persecuted there.

They have no place to go to, except India, he said, adding several leaders including first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were in favour of giving shelter to persecuted minorities in the neighouring countries.

Seeking to assuage the concerns in the North-East, which saw an 11-hour bandh on Tuesday against the legislation, Singh said the proposed law will not be confined to Assam alone.

The burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden. Government of India is committed to give all help to the State Government and people of Assam, he said.

The BJP appeared to have been isolated over the issue as the AGP broke up with the saffron party while the NDA allies, the Shiv Sena and the JD(U), have opposed this legislation.

Mizoram and Meghalaya Governments have opposed the Bill by adopting resolution against it in their respective Cabinet meetings.

The Home Minister said the Union Cabinet has also approved grant of ST status to six communities of Assam namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak.

The Union Cabinets decision can been seen as a balancing act by the Central Government to strong opposition to the Bill in Assam.

At the same time, full safeguards will be provided to protect the interests, rights and privileges of existing Scheduled Tribes of Assam.

A separate Bill will be brought to grant ST status to Bodo Kacharis in Hill districts of Assam and Karbis in the rest of Assam. Sixth Schedule of the Constitution is also proposed to be amended to strengthen the Autonomous District Councils, Rajnath said.

The Home Minister said the migrants -- Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis -- were earlier given protection against legal action in 2015 and 2016.

Long-term visa provision was made for them. The proposed amendment will make these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for citizenship, he said.

He said citizenship will be given to them only after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the State Government. The minimum residency period for citizenship in India is proposed to be reduced from existing 12 years under the present law to six years.

The legislation also seeks to provide relief to persecuted migrants who have come through western borders of the country to States like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other States, the Home Minister said.

The Bill will apply to all States and Union Territories of the country and the beneficiaries of Citizenship Amendment Bill will be able to reside in any State of the country.
The collaboration of SP-BSP and troubles with its own allies have made matters worse for the BJP. But the party remains hopeful

It is often said that Uttar Pradesh is India and India is Uttar Pradesh. A win in Indias most populous State can prove to be a game-changer for any party, nationally, as it accounts for 80 out of the 545 parliamentary seats. Besides, Uttar Pradesh has gifted many Prime Ministers to our country. As the two foe-turned-friends  Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP)  inch closer towards a grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, minus the Congress, the poll scene is becoming interesting. The Congress could still become a coalition partner if there is any breakthrough in alliance talks. But as of now, the two regional satraps want to keep the Congress out as it does not have a place in their scheme of things as yet. They want to win the maximum number of seats in their stronghold and take matters from there to a post-poll scenario to do the final bidding for the top job.

First, the SP and the BSP do not need the Congress which is a lightweight in that crucial State. Second, the Congress votes are not transferable. Third, the SP feels that its experience of aligning with the Congress during the 2017 Assembly election did not work. Also, the Congress did not include the lone SP legislator in the recent Madhya Pradesh Cabinet. Though it was the Congress that had been stressing on the need to bring regional parties together to take on the BJP, after its recent wins in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, it failed to honour the demands of smaller parties. Fourth, BSP supremo Mayawati is worried about some Dalit votes moving to the Congress camp. She has made her political calculations keeping her partys interests in mind. Fifth, both parties feel that a three-cornered contest would benefit the alliance as it can stop the Congress votes from going to the BJP in protest against the grand old party joining the alliance as the formers core voters are from Dalits, Other Backward Classes and minorities.

The grand alliance might include Ajit Singhs Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and some smaller parties. The RLD, once strong amid sugarcane farmers of western Uttar Pradesh, has just begun to re-organise itself. The alliance is also trying to get Om Prakash Rajbhars Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party and the Krishna Patel faction of Apna Dal. Not only does the tie-up has arithmetic but also chemistry as the once bitter enemies  Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav  are now on aunt and nephew terms. In 2014, the BJP had a vote share of 42.63 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, while the SP-BSP combine got 42.19 per cent  its almost the same. With Mayawati winning 22.23 per cent of the votes even in 2017 and the SP securing 28.32 per cent, together, they polled over half of the total votes. If the Congress also joins the alliance, the combined vote share of the three parties will be more than that of the BJPs. There is a divided opinion in the Congress about it joining the alliance. This is in sharp contrast to 2017, when the party, in one voice, favoured a tie-up with the SP. One section feels that making the contest triangular is bound to hurt the BJP. The grand alliance might have a strategic understanding with the Congress to help each other.

But where does all of this leave the BJP? Experts say that it means the alliance might pick up about 50 seats. Then the BJP and the Congress would be left with 30 seats. The Congress could pick up two seats  that of the Gandhis and perhaps one or two more. The BJP can at best hope to get 24 or 25 seats. After the recent loss of three Hindi heartland States  Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh  it might lose another 30 seats. In other States, it might shed 20 seats. So, expectation is that the BJP could lose as many as 100 seats. The party would have to cover up the gap from other regions to reach the 282 mark that it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll. But how much can they make up in West Bengal, south and Odisha? Moreover, the BJP does not have any big alliance partner. The Telugu Desam Party has quit and the Shiv Sena is threatening to break alliance. The Peoples Democratic Party has left and the Akali Dal is disgruntled. About 18 smaller parties have left the NDA fold since 2014. However, the BJP does not agree with this analysis. They believe that the people will vote for Modi. The party is hopeful that with a strong leadership, effective communication, disciplined organisation, unlimited funds and a divided Opposition, it can make a come back.

However, one can sense a certain degree of worry within the party. BJP chief Amit Shah is subdued and the top leadership is already on a course-correction mode. It will be looking for a new narrative in its national council meeting next week. But Modi can spring surprises. One week is said to be long in politics and three months is quite long to make any prediction. One thing is certain that the BJP will emerge as the single largest party with or without forming the Government.

(The writer is a senior political commentator)
AGP may have stood out as a champion but its real intention is to dent BJPs LS tally

In the end it is all about seizing the pre-poll narrative for the general election and whoever does that better, may just get some customers or force a self-serving discussion. That is why the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)s withdrawal of support to the BJP-led Government in Assam is more about finding a politically opportune moment than real dissatisfaction. Yes, the AGP is right in arguing that the new citizenship amendment Bill as proposed by the BJP, granting citizenship to Hindu refugees from across the border till the cutoff year of 2014, is detrimental to Ahom identity and the right of indigenous people over their land, indeed the wherewithal of its politics. However, it was not that the AGP didnt know that this was coming though, it can be reasonably argued, it found itself in a box in launching a counter campaign. It knew that the ruling Sarbananda Sonowal government would not fall if it withdrew support as it had overwhelming numbers (74 to AGPs 14) and was unsure about its standing as an independent party that had the faith of the people.

The panchayat polls of December restored its confidence as did the Assembly election results that got the Congress back in reckoning in some states. But it was when other NDA allies became restive, demanding a pound of flesh or two from a dented BJP, that the AGP decided to get into the ring. Sensing the national sentiment at the moment, the AGP has realised that while the state government could run without it, it could threaten the BJPs winning prospects in the Lok Sabha with its pullout. The BJP, not exactly riding the wave pre-2014, may not get the monolithic heartland verdict and would need every extra seat from the Northeast, which it has been nurturing and betting on. In about four seats, the BJP needs the AGP to effect a swing or defeat an entrenched Congress vote. Pundits predict if the Congress woos AGP and other parties to form a state level alliance and ensures a convergence of vote shares, then they could halt the BJP juggernaut in the general election and push its tally back from the seven seats it won in 2014.

The AGPs main contention is a refugee influx, irrespective of religion, would change the demographic contours of the border districts that would forever be a prey base for the larger national parties and ensure the local parties are squeezed out. The BJP is clearly following a me-too model that has worked for the Congress and other Opposition parties at one time. As waves of Bangladeshi migrants crossed the borders, each Opposition party is equally guilty of legalising their stay and shoring up its respective votebank. If it was Muslims before, it is Hindus now. So the AGP has little choice now but to stand out as a strong regional voice. Meanwhile, the BJP is losing the tide of opinion as far as its allies are concerned. First, it was the TDP, then it was the PDP in Kashmir, followed by the Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samta Party. The Shiv Sena still likes to trouble it now and then while the latest withdrawal missive from Apna Dal (Sonelal) has revived the perception of the BJP as an arrogant big brother feeding off the smaller parties and then grinding them to dust. As we said, it is all about the visual narrative. Depending on trade winds, all allies jump ships.
Aiming to boost ties with India, Iran welcomed investment proposals from the country in urea and petrochemicals and is willing to provide fertilisers at reasonable rates, an Iranian minister said Tuesday.

After meeting Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said India can look at investments in sectors like petrochemicals and fertilisers in the Chabahar area.

We have offered discussions in that area (urea) and we welcome proposals from India...India has been a customer for Iranian urea fertilisers for a long time.

Because of the illegal US sanctions, the Indian consumer, the Indian farmers are paying 38 per cent more for the fertilisers and we have possibilities of providing that to India at a reasonable rate, Zarif said.

He said trade arrangement with the European Union (EU) was moving slower and Iran was working with its traditional partners like India, China and Russia to protect its interests.

While we continue to work with Europeans on their special purpose vehicle, we are working with our traditional partners like India, China, Russia so that we continue to work in the interest of our people.

Europeans have been trying...But they have not been able to do it as rapidly as we had expected them to do ...We are in touch with Europe but we are not waiting for Europe..., Zarif said. In November last year, Iran said the EU must be given more time to set up a trade mechanism meant to circumvent reimposed US sanctions on Tehran, but warned it could not wait forever.

The EU is working on a payment system to continue trade and business ties with Iran after the US ditched a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018 and reintroduced a raft of sanctions on the country.
Donald Trump is planning a live address to the nation and a visit to the Mexico border to highlight his demands for a border wall as pressure grows over a partial government shutdown.

With no breakthrough in sight to end the shutdown, newly empowered House Democrats  and at least a few Republican senators  are stepping up pressure on the president and Republican legislators to reopen the government.

Mr Trump said he would discuss the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border on Tuesday evening.

He maintains that more than 5 billion dollars (4 billion) for a wall is necessary to secure the border.

I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border. Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2019

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted on Monday that he will use the visit on Thursday to meet with those on the front lines of the national security and humanitarian crisis.

As the shutdown lurched into a third week, many Republicans watched nervously from the sidelines as hundreds of thousands of federal workers went without pay and government disruptions hit the lives of ordinary Americans.

Donald Trump (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Mr Trump has offered to build the barrier with steel rather than concrete, billing that as a concession to Democrats objections to a solid wall.

They dont like concrete, so well give them steel, he said.

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

But the Democrats have made clear they see a wall as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed levels.

White House officials affirmed Mr Trumps funding request in a letter to Capitol Hill after a meeting with senior congressional aides led by vice president Mike Pence at the White House complex yielded little progress.

The letter from Office of Management and Budget acting director Russell Vought sought funding for a steel barrier on the Southwest border.

The White House said the letter, as well as details provided during the meeting, sought to answer Democrats questions about the funding request.

Democrats said the administration still failed to provide a full budget of how it would spend the billions requested for the wall from Congress. Mr Trump campaigned on a promise that Mexico would pay for the wall, but Mexico has refused.

Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi intends to begin passing individual bills to reopen agencies in the coming days, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds.

That effort is designed to squeeze Senate Republicans, some of whom are growing increasingly anxious about the extended shutdown.
An 18-year-old Saudi Arabian woman who fled her family over alleged abuse and barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room in a bid for asylum will be allowed to stay in Thailand while her case is evaluated by the UN refugee agency, immigration authorities said.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun grabbed global attention when she sent out pleas for help on social media, saying she feared for her life if she were put on a plane back to Kuwait, where she had slipped away from her family, or to her homeland.

She has been allowed to enter Thailand temporarily under the protection of the UN refugee agency, which is expected to take five to seven days to study her case and her claim for asylum.

She said she wants to go to Australia to seek refuge there.

Hey I'm Rahaf. My father just arrived as I heard witch worried and scared me a lot and I want to go to another country that I seek asylum in

But at least I feel save now under UNHCR protection with the agreement of Thailand authorities. And I finally got my passport back pic.twitter.com/pQER7HDVi7  Rahaf Mohammed   (@rahaf84427714) January 7, 2019

Thai immigration police chief Major General Surachate Hakparn said: We will not send anyone to die. We will not do that. We will adhere to human rights under the rule of law.

Ms Mohammed Alqununs plight mirrors that of other Saudi women who in recent years have turned to social media to amplify their calls for help while trying to flee abusive families and other obstacles in the conservative kingdom.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun (Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch via AP)

Photos released on Monday night by immigration police showed her with Thai and UN officials after she left the airport hotel room where she had been holed up over the weekend, sending her pleas for help on her Twitter account.

She later tweeted that she felt safe under UN protection and has got back her passport, which had been taken from her earlier.

Her ordeal began when she fled from her family while in Kuwait and boarded a flight to Thailand, apparently taking advantage of being away from Saudi Arabias restrictions on women who cannot travel abroad without a mans consent.

On arriving at Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday night, she said she was met by a man she identified at various times as either a Kuwait Airways employee or a Saudi diplomat, who took her passport and said he would help her gain entry to Thailand.

Saudi Arabia denies its officials were involved in any way.

When the man returned about an hour later with four or five other people, they said they knew she had run away, that her family wanted her back, and she should go home to Saudi Arabia. She was sent to a hotel room and told she would be put on a Monday morning flight to Kuwait.

She then went online sending out pleas for assistance, and barricaded the hotel room door. Global attention was sparked by social media and she did not get on the scheduled morning flight to Kuwait.

She wrote of being in real danger if forced to return to her family in Saudi Arabia, and said in media interviews that she might be killed.

She told the BBC she had renounced Islam and was fearful of her fathers retaliation.

Her Twitter account attracted more than 66,000 followers in less than 48 hours and her story grabbed the attention of foreign governments and the UN refugee agency.

As the pressure grew, with concern expressed by Australian legistalors, Germanys ambassador to Thailand and human rights agencies, Thai officials agreed to allow UN refugee officials to meet her.

Giuseppe De Vincentiis, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Thailand, told journalists he did not know where Ms Mohammed Alqunun would be staying but she would be safe because she was under his agencys protection.
Ferrari have replaced Maurizio Arrivabene as team principal with former technical director Mattia Binotto.

Arrivabene, 61, spent over four years in the role but failed to deliver a title for Ferrari as they continued to battle against Mercedes.

Binotto has been widely praised for his technical innovations and will head into the new Formula One season as the main man at Ferrari.

Ferrari have struggled to break Mercedes dominance (David Davies/PA)

Ferrari released a statement on Monday evening, which read: After four years of untiring commitment and dedication, Maurizio Arrivabene is leaving the team.

The decision was taken together with the companys top management after lengthy discussions related to Maurizios long term personal interests as well as those of the team itself.

Ferrari would like to thank Maurizio for his valuable contribution to the teams increasing competitiveness over the past few years, and wish him the best for his future endeavours.

With immediate effect, Mattia Binotto will take over as Scuderia Ferraris team principal. All technical areas will continue to report directly to Mattia.

Ferrari have not won a constructors title since 2008, while Sebastian Vettel has come up short in his head-to-head battle with Lewis Hamilton for the drivers crown over the past two years.

Vettel will be hoping Binottos appointment can help him overcome Hamilton and Mercedes to win a fifth world title in 2019.

He will be joined by Monegasque youngster Charles Leclerc  the 21-year-old having impressed for Sauber last year.
Lazio have denied reaching an agreement with Liverpool winger Bobby Adekanye and say they are not in negotiations to sign the 19-year-old.

Nigeria-born Holland youth international Adekanye, who joined Liverpool from Barcelona in 2015, has been linked with Lazio in the last few days.

The Serie A club said in a statement on their official website on Monday: In reference to the news released by some media, according to which SS Lazio have found an agreement with the player Bobby Adekanye, the club denies this and announces that it has not signed any contract, nor has it started negotiations for the aforementioned player.

Adekanye has shone for Liverpools Under-19s and Under-23s but has not made a first-team appearance.
Tory MP Anna Soubry has hit out at Brexit protesters after being called a Nazi by a mob outside Parliament.

The pro-EU MP for Broxtowe was interrupted while doing live interviews on Monday on College Green, across the road from the Palace of Westminster in the heart of London.

With the home of British politics clear in the background, she was forced to stop talking during a BBC discussion while people off-camera could be heard shouting Soubry is a Nazi.

Is this what its come to ...? @Anna_Soubry faces "nazi" taunts..... pic.twitter.com/NHNMULtbEK  norman smith (@BBCNormanS) January 7, 2019

She told interviewer Simon McCoy: I do object to being called a Nazi, actually.

I just think this is astonishing, this is what has happened to our country.

But lets try and move on and be positive about things.

Anna Soubry was called a Nazi by a mob while being interviewed outside Parliament (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA)

Protestors also chanted slogans including Liar, liar throughout a live interview by Ms Soubry on Sky News.

Speaking up to be heard over the chants, Ms Soubry told interviewer Kay Burley: I dont have a problem with people demonstrating and making their views heard. I have a real problem with people who call me a traitor or Soubry, you Nazi. That is a criminal offence and Im a criminal barrister.

Im also a lass from Worksop, so I dont get scared by these people or intimidated. I was a reporter during the miners strike, so I dont feel physically intimidated. My difficulty is I want to respond and you mustnt, so Im really behaving myself.

Ms Soubry said the incident was seriously worrying, adding: Im afraid the truth is that Brexit has unleashed these people. This is Britain now. This is not the country I know and love and these people do not represent our country and they need sorting out.

She added: Im told that we should get used to it, but we shouldnt have to. Apparently its democracy in action and the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) believe that no offences are being committed.

The protesters were criticised by high-profile Brexit supporters including presenter Piers Morgan and Douglas Carswell, the former Conservative and Ukip MP.

Writing on Twitter, Mr Carswell said: Small crowd shouting oafish chants at TV crew outside Parliament.

Im not a great fan of the mainstream broadcasters, but such boorishness is out of line.

Do they realise how much damage they do?

Broadcasters carrying out live interviews outside Parliament have found themselves having to deal with noisy attempts at interruption from protesters from across the Brexit divide in the run-up to Marchs planned withdrawal.

They include pro and anti-Brexit supporters who have shouted and waved flags during broadcasts.

Just met some lovely Tommy Robinson fans and Id love for you to get to know them too pic.twitter.com/iRom8GavNy  Owen Jones says join a union (@OwenJones84) January 7, 2019

Earlier on Monday, the political commentator Owen Jones shared video on Twitter showing him being accosted by a group outside Parliament, including men wearing Union Jacks.

They could be heard calling him a traitor and a horrible little man and accusing him of writing fake news.

Theresa Mays official spokesman said he had not discussed the incident involving Ms Soubry with the PM, but added: The Prime Minister has been very clear that nobody involved in the political process should be subjected to abuse or harassment.

They should be free to do their job without any form of intimidation and it is clearly unacceptable when that isnt the case.

Asked whether MPs should be offered greater protection while the meaningful vote on Brexit is debated over the next few days, the PMs spokesman said: There are existing laws in relation to public order, harassment and making threats.

Where laws are already in place, its important that they are respected.

Labour MP Stephen Doughty raised the issue in the Commons during a Brexit question session and called on Speaker John Bercow to intervene.

The Cardiff South and Penarth MP said: Can I urge you to use your offices with the Metropolitan Police at the highest levels to ensure that proper action is taken on this?

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay responded: Obviously I wont have seen the incidents outside but anyone who stands at this despatch box is always mindful of the plaque of Jo Cox, which I know is so dear to many, particularly on the benches opposite, but across the House.

I think all of us would unite on that wherever people are on the Brexit debate  all of us in this House should be able to air their views with respect.

The Speaker said he was aware of incidents involving aggressive and threatening behaviour towards members and others by assorted protesters who have donned the yellow vests used in France.

He said that it was a matter for the Metropolitan Police rather than Parliamentary authorities as it happened in the street, but added: Female members, and in a number of cases Im advised, female journalists have been subjected to aggressive protest and what many would regard as harassment.

I can assure the House that I am keeping a close eye on events and I will speak to those who advise me about these matters.
A man accused of killing a father who was stabbed nine times said he was innocent until proven guilty as he appeared in court.

Darren Shane Pencille, 35, is charged with the murder of Lee Pomeroy, 51, and possessing an offensive weapon.

He is accused of launching the attack after the alleged victim followed him into a neighbouring carriage on a train following an argument.

A court heard Mr Pomeroy, who lived in Guildford and owned an IT firm, suffered nine stab wounds when he was knifed to death.

Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Darren Shane Pencille (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Pencille is said to have left the London-bound train at Clandon and fled over a fence to make his getaway, discarding his blood-stained hat and jacket. The knife has not been found.

His partner, mother-of-one Chelsea Mitchell, 27, is charged with assisting an offender after allegedly picking Pencille up from the station in her car.

She is accused of helping Pencille to leave the scene, discard his clothing and change his appearance, including by buying razor blades.

A manhunt led detectives to a flat in Farnham on Saturday morning and they made two arrests.

Pencille appeared in the dock at Staines Magistrates Court on Monday morning wearing glasses and a prison-issue grey tracksuit.

He stood in the dock to confirm his name, date of birth and that he was British, telling the court he had no address during a hearing lasting just over two minutes.

Hunched double so he could not be seen, Pencille then addressed magistrates from his seat, telling them: Innocent until proven guilty.

Chelsea Mitchell, 27, appearing at Staines Magistrates Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Turning to the public gallery, which was packed with journalists, he said: The people are making me paranoid They look like they are filming, recording me for no reason.

He added: Im paranoid. Im hearing voices.

Pencille did not enter pleas and chairman of the bench Helen Mattey remanded him in custody.

His partner, Mitchell, appeared in the same court separately, also dressed in a grey tracksuit, charged with assisting an offender.

She spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth, that she lives in Willbury Road, in Farnham, and that she is British.

Mitchell indicated a not guilty plea and was remanded in custody.

The couple again appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Monday afternoon.

Mitchell blew a kiss to people in the public gallery as she left the dock following a brief hearing.

Pencille, this time appearing without glasses, nodded to confirm his identity, then stood quietly as he was addressed by the judge.

Judge Robert Fraser remanded the pair in custody to appear by prison video-link at the same court on February 7.

Mr Pomeroy, who would have celebrated his 52nd birthday on Saturday, boarded the 12.58pm train service between Guildford and London Waterloo at London Road station on Friday afternoon.

He was described by his family as an honourable man and would always help somebody who was in trouble.

In a statement, the family said he was 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.
The European Union says it has no plans for talks on renegotiating Theresa Mays Brexit deal after the Prime Minister said she was seeking further assurances from Brussels to help it through Parliament.

With a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement expected to take place on Tuesday January 15 a European Commission spokesman said there were no talks planned for this week.

Margaritis Schinas said that the agreed Brexit deal was the best and the only deal possible and the Commission was focused on watching what happened in the vote.

Without some activity from Brussels Mrs May is expected to lose the so-called meaningful vote, which was postponed in December when it became clear the Government would be defeated.

Mrs May on Monday said she was still working to get concessions that would appease rebellious MPs.

Speaking at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool at the launch of the NHS Long-Term Plan, she said work was still ongoing and claimed that there had been some further movement from the EU at the December European Council meeting.

She said: In the coming days, what we will set out is not just about the EU but also about what we can do domestically.

So we will be setting out measures which will be specific to Northern Ireland, we will be setting out proposals for a greater role for Parliament as we move into the next stage of the negotiation and we are continuing to work on further assurances on further undertakings from the European Union in relation to the concern that has been expressed by parliamentarians.

However, her speech came minutes after Mr Schinas had said that while Mrs May would speak to EC president Jean-Claude Juncker this week, there is no negotiation because everything on the table has been established as approved, established, achieved.

He added: The priority now is to await events, monitor what is happening (with) the ratification procedure on the UK side and no, there will not be any meeting between the Commission and our negotiator teams.

As MPs returned to Westminster after the Christmas break Mrs May was also warned that the attitudes of Tory Brexiteers had hardened, with Boris Johnson stating that a no-deal Brexit was closest to what people voted for in the referendum.

He used his Daily Telegraph column to dismiss downright apocalyptic messages about a Brexit on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms, arguing that people could sort fact for nonsense.

A paper written by Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Lilley, along with Labour Leave general secretary Brendan Chilton, also backed a WTO-style Brexit, claiming that concerns raised about the approach were similar to fears about the Millennium Bug.

But 209 MPs from across the Commons have now signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging her to rule out a no-deal Brexit.

The letter was organised by Tory former Cabinet minister Dame Caroline Spelman and Labours Jack Dromey.

All signatories to the letter have been invited to meet the Prime Minister in Downing Street on Tuesday.

The meeting is one of a series being organised by Mrs May, who is also hosting drinks receptions for Tory MPs on Monday and Wednesday as part of a charm offensive to win support for the Brexit deal.

Asked about a report that Parliament may have to sit through half term and weekends to ensure the necessary legislation is on the statute book by Brexit day, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: What we are committed to doing is ensuring the statute book is ready for exit day.

We will do whatever is required to deliver that.

Brexit related bills currently before Parliament  the Trade Bill, the Agriculture Bill, the Healthcare Bill, the Fisheries Bill, the Immigration Bill and the Financial Services Bill.

Lorries begin to line up during a trial at the former Manston Airport site in Kent (Victoria Jones/PA)

Meanwhile Digital Minister Margot James has been slapped down by Downing Street after suggesting Article 50 might have to be extended in order to stop a no-deal Brexit if the Withdrawal Agreement is rejected by Parliament.

Mrs James told the BBCs Politics Live that she expected MPs to coalesce around the PMs Brexit deal or something very similar, saying: This country cannot afford to leave the European Union with no deal.

Asked what would happen if MPs did not back a deal, Mrs James added: If that proves to be impossible then I think we have very little time left but  we might have to extend article 50.

But I think that its very unlikely Parliament will actually stare down the barrel of that particular gun.

Speaking to reporters later on Monday, the Prime Ministers official spokesman said: The PM has been very clear on a number of occasions that that is not something we are intending to do.

Earlier on Monday almost 100 lorries descended on Manston Airport near Ramsgate in Kent to test out using the runway as an HGV holding bay to prevent traffic jams on roads to Channel ports.

The trial, called Operation Brock, saw lorries directed along the A256 towards Dover in a 20-mile journey which should take around half-an-hour.

Up to 150 vehicles were initially anticipated to take part but only 89 were involved, the DfT confirmed after the first test.
Brexit has materially strengthened the case for Scottish independence, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister said Scotlands interests are being completely ignored and sidelined and that what has happened in the last two years has reinforced the case for it to leave the UK.

Ms Sturgeon would not be drawn on timings around an independence referendum, saying she would wait until this phase of the Brexit process concludes.

However she said there is a mandate to have an independence referendum within this term of the Holyrood parliament and that there is every right on the Scottish Government to fulfil that mandate.

Speaking on BBC Good Morning Scotland, she said: Everything that has happened over the past couple of years, from Scotland facing exit from the EU against our will to every reasonable attempt at compromise to protect Scotlands interests by the Scottish Government being spurned, to the powers of the Scottish Parliament being eroded, to the UK Government even taking the Scottish Government to court, all of that has strengthened and reinforced the case for Scotland to be independent, because these are not just academic arguments, all of this will have a material impact on Scotlands economy and well-being for decades to come.

She added: The case for independence is materially strengthened from an already strong base in 2014 because of all of the experience of Scotland in the last two years.

We were told in 2014 that it was voting for independence that would put in peril our membership of the European Union.

Because we didnt vote for independence, we now not just find ourselves facing exit, the voice and the interests of Scotland are being completely ignored and sidelined.

Prime Minister Theresa May has warned that the UK will be in uncharted territory if her deal is rejected in next weeks crunch vote. expected on January 15.

Ms Sturgeon said there is clearly no majority to crash out of the EU without a deal and that holding another referendum on the issue should be the alternative.

She said: I hope the meaningful vote does go ahead next week so that MPs can once and for all say that they dont support the Withdrawal Agreement, and then the House of Commons can coalesce behind the alternative, and in my view that alternative now should be to have another EU referendum.

I think we will need to see the Withdrawal Agreement voted on in order for MPs to coalesce behind an alternative.

I dont take for granted that there is a majority for that, but the SNP will be part of building that majority and if we can get Labour to finally come off the fence then we will be closer to building that majority.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said there is no appetite for another independence referendum (Jane Barlow/PA)

Mrs Mays official spokesman said: The Prime Minister has throughout this process sought to engage with the devolved administration on Brexit. Shes been working hard to get the best possible Brexit deal for the whole UK.

In terms of a second referendum, the Prime Minister has been very clear that now is not the time and that what the different parties should be doing is working together in the best interests of the UK rather than on  in her words, when she visited Scotland  sowing the politics of division.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said there is no appetite among the people of Scotland for another independence referendum.

He said: One of the experiences of Brexit has been just how difficult and painful it can be to break away from a union, even one that has been place for just 40 years. A union that has been in place for 300 years would, in my view, cause considerable economic disruption and there is no appetite from the people of Scotland for it.

So I think the First Minister should take the earliest opportunity to rule out a second independence referendum.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said: Today Scots are heading back to work at the beginning of a new year, but Nicola Sturgeon is stuck in the past.

As at the start of 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2015 her priority is to rerun the referendum of 2014. People across the country will correctly be thinking, There she goes again.

He added: The best new years resolution the SNP could make would be to drop the independence obsession and concentrate on delivering for the people of Scotland.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, accused the First Minister of trying to weaponise Brexit.

Nicola Sturgeon couldnt be more wrong, said Ms Nash.

Brexit has weakened the case for independence, not strengthened it. The process has proved how incredibly difficult it is to leave a union between nations.

Nicola Sturgeon is trying to weaponise Brexit in a desperate bid to boost support for independence.

But the majority of people in Scotland know that we are better off together, with a shared culture and history we can build our future on.

The First Minister should take the threat of a second referendum off the table and get on with the day job of fixing our schools, hospitals and railways.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: The nationalists appear to have learned absolutely nothing from Brexit.

Leaving a successful economic and political union leads to upheaval and uncertainty. Breaking up is hard to do.
More than 100 lorries are set to descend on a disused airfield as the Government carries out a major test of its plans for UK border disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The trial in Kent on Monday will test out Manston airfield near Ramsgate as a mass HGV holding bay to ease congestion on roads to Channel ports, the Department for Transport confirmed.

Letters to hauliers from DfT and Kent County Council, which emerged last week, said the practice run would take place during morning rush hour at 8am and again at 11am to establish the safest optimum release rate of HGVs from the airfield to Dover along the A256.

It said it would pay for 100 to 150 lorry companies to take part in the trial of Operation Brock, although a driver has since claimed he turned down the job because he was only being offered fuel expenses.

On Sunday road signs directing traffic could be seen set up on the runway and on roads surrounding the airfield.

Signs on the runway ahead of the test at Manston Airport (Gareth Fuller/PA)

A DfT spokeswoman said: We do not want or expect a no-deal scenario and continue to work hard to deliver a deal with the EU.

However, it is the duty of a responsible Government to continue to prepare for all eventualities and contingencies, including a possible no deal.

We will be testing part of Operation Brock to ensure that, if it needs to be implemented, the system is fully functional.

Congestion at the Channel ports caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods has been one of the most commonly cited negative effects of a no-deal withdrawal from the EU at the end of March.

Also known as Kent International Airport, the site closed in 2014 after owners could not find a buyer.
The killing of a man on a train in front of his 14-year-old son is among a variety of headline stories on Saturday.

The Daily Telegraph leads on the suspected murder on a train travelling through the Surrey commuter belt.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'Boy sees his father killed in random stabbing on train' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/jr1XAn12PP  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) January 4, 2019

The 51-year-olds stabbing also leads the Daily Express, which says the knifeman fled the scene when the train arrived at the next station.

In other news, The Sun splashes with 115 million EuroMillions winners Frances and Patrick Connolly, from Moira in Northern Ireland.

Tomorrow's front page: The 115m EuroMillions winners will share half their jackpot with friends and family https://t.co/1rFgU0K9cv pic.twitter.com/pbEwjgmvfd  The Sun (@TheSun) January 4, 2019

The Daily Mirror reports the Duke of Sussex will play a role in major military exercises due to be a show of strength to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Greater Manchesters decision to ban fracking, involving 10 local authorities, leads The Guardian.

What the papers say - January 5 (PA)

The Guardian front page, Saturday 5 January 2019: Regions set for clash with government over fracking pic.twitter.com/PRCEycaPvs  The Guardian (@guardian) January 4, 2019

The Daily Mail leads with Government reaction to outrage over the legal aid given to fugitive speedboat killer Jack Shepherd.

The Independent reports on the arrest of a UK citizen in Russia over spying allegations.

Nearly 30 universities are paying for police officers to protect students from criminals, The Times reports.

And the Financial Time leads with US reaction to unrest in global stock markets.
Jack McConnell outlined a range of options for the inquiry into spiralling cost for the Scottish Parliament building to his Cabinet, official papers show.

The Cabinet meeting minutes from 2003, newly released by the National Records of Scotland, indicate the then first minister considered several options for the inquiry into the Holyrood building.

There was public anger at the home of the new parliament which was completed 10 times over budget at 414 million and three years late.

Official documents from June 2003 reveal Mr McConnell updated his Cabinet on the proposals for an inquiry.

The papers state: the three main options under consideration were: a full scale public inquiry, which would be costly and take some time; an inquiry by a Parliamentary Committee which could be criticised as amounting to MSPs investigating themselves; and an inquiry by an independent person such as the Auditor General, Mr Robert Black.

He said the last option would have the benefit of being totally independent and also having access to papers dating back before 1999, but the disadvantage was that he had already investigated the building project.

The Cabinet heard Mr McConnell was therefore considering bringing in two or three other people to work alongside Mr Black in a joint investigation and planned to make approaches to them that day, June 11 2003, if approved, which the Cabinet did.

An inquiry led by Lord Peter Fraser was subsequently announced.

Former Scotland First Minister Jack McConnell outside Holyrood (David Cheskin/PA)

Once the inquiry had been established, further papers released show Mr McConnell said he planned to write to Lord Fraser over reservations about the proposal that evidence to the investigation might be televised.

These concerns were shared by the Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC.

Mr Boyd revealed at a later Cabinet meeting he had been in correspondence with Fraser Ewing MSP about the issue of granting immunity to witnesses to the inquiry.

The newly released Cabinet meeting minutes state: The Lord Advocate had told Mr Ewing that the prosecution would not use anything said or produced at the investigation against that person.

This was not the same as immunity from prosecution.
Scottish Cabinet ministers were told the UKs Health Department was investigating a claim of knowingly supplying contaminated blood, newly released files from 2003 show.

Official documents show Scotlands then Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm telling the cabinet of the Scottish Executive at a meeting in October 2003 there were two current issues relating to the contaminated blood scandal, recommendations for compensations levels and the claim the contaminated blood and knowingly been supplied.

Thousands of people across the UK in the 1970s and 1980s were given blood products infected with hepatitis viruses and HIV.

The first UK-wide inquiry into the public health disaster heard earlier this year it is estimated more than 25,000 could have been affected.

The UK Government imported blood clotting factor from the US, where much of the plasma used came from donors such as prison inmates, who sold infected blood, which was then given to haemophiliacs and other patients in the UK.

The papers also record Mr Chisholm telling the Cabinet he had only had money for the cheapest of the options drawn up to compensate those given contaminated blood in Scotland.

That paper states: Mr Chisholm said that there were two current issues in relation to Hepatitis-C infection through contaminated blood products.

The first was the calls from Lord Ross, as chair of the Expert Group, in relation to the level of compensation for those affected and the range of people who should receive it.

The second was a claim that the Government had knowingly supplied contaminated blood after procedures had been introduced in 1991 to test for the virus used in blood transfusions.

This would be a very serious matter, if true, and the Health Department was investigating the basis of the claim.

Malcolm Chisholm after a meeting at Bute House (David Cheskin/PA)

Earlier that year, in a briefing paper to the Scottish Cabinet, Mr Chisholm said he could only release up to 10 million from the health budget towards a compensation scheme for those in Scotland given contaminated blood.

An expert group headed by Lord Ross recommended to a parliamentary committee that all those infected were given compensation payments, including those who have cleared the virus and payments to dependants who those who had become infected and died.

However, Mr Chisholm said the scheme should be targeted at those still alive with long-term symptoms of signs of liver inflammation.

In three options for compensating this group, ranging from the 50,000-25,00 for all with long-term symptoms or damage and an another 50,000-25,000 for those who develop cirrhosis.

He told the Cabinet the cheapest version was the only financially affordable option.

Scotland was the first part of the UK to hold an inquiry into the infected blood scandal but this did not take place until 2009 and did not report until 2015.

It estimated around 3,000 people had been infected in Scotland.

Earlier this year, the Scottish Government announced increased compensation payments for those who contracted chronic hepatitis through contaminated blood, including to the partners of those who died.
Terrorism, falling oil prices and the effect on tourism were among the forecast impacts on Scotland of the Iraq War discussed by Scottish ministers, newly-released official papers show.

The Scottish cabinet at the time was given a briefing paper on the likely domestic impacts of the war ahead of Westminster voting for military action.

The paper, from February 2003, which was predicated on a short, military successful war involving British forces, against Iraq, is among official documents kept secret for 15 years but now made public.

The briefing stressed the need to reassure Muslim residents and prevent the war being used as a pretext for racist attacks in Scotland.

It further warned of the UK-wide threat of a large-scale terrorist attack and that anti-war demonstrations were presenting significant public order issues.

Principal likely economic effects outlined in the document were rapid rises in oil prices, instability in financial markets and fluctuations in tourism.

Then first minister Jack McConnell, centre, and deputy Jim Wallace, right, visited the Scottish Police Information and Co-ordination Centre to view arrangements for dealing with any impact of the Iraq War (Andrew Milligan/PA)

National tourism body VisitScotland forecast a drop in transatlantic visitors but viewed an increase in UK tourists as an opportunity to offset this, and marketing plans were said to have been prepared accordingly.

The paper also warned the call-up of medical reservists could cause problems in individual hospitals.

Stressing the need to reassure members of the public, particularly Muslim residents, the briefing stated: Ministers will wish to make it clear, as after September 11, that the actions being taken by the UK Government in Iraq, and by the police and security services, are not targeted at Muslim residents in general, and should not offer support for racist or other attacks.

Cabinet meeting minutes also released show then deputy first minister James Wallace, who introduced the briefing paper to ministers, said Scotland was not immune to the general threat to the UK, but there was no specific threat to Scotland.

He stressed there could be no absolute guarantee of safety but he had been impressed with the seriousness with which the police were taking the issue.

The cabinet also discussed a number of apparent security breaches at the Scottish Parliament following anti-war demonstrations in the public gallery.

Following the House of Commons voting in favour of military action in Iraq in March 2003, Scottish Cabinet papers show then first minister Jack McConnell and Mr Wallace planned to visit the Special Intelligence Centre in Glasgow to view contingency arrangements.

The documents also indicate daily security briefings took place.
The Irish Premier said he and other EU leaders have discussed concerns about potential external interferences in the 2019 European elections.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned a European Parliament full of nationalists, populists and extremists could bring some of its work to a halt.

It warned the matter is a serious issue that leaders need to be across.

Allegations have been made that both Russian and Chinese hackers may have attempted to influence the 2016 United States presidential election which saw Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

Donald Trump was elected president of the United States in 2016 (Niall Carson/PA)

Mr Varadkar did not specify where the external interference he spoke of might come from, instead saying it could come from many sources.

The next election to the European Parliament is set to take place at the end of May 2019, following the United Kingdoms planned exit from the European Union in March.

The number of MEPs elected is expected to decrease from 751 to 705 following Brexit.

The poll is likely to be watched carefully across the world following political turbulence in a number of the current EU 28 member states.

Mr Varadkar said the concern about potential interference in the election was discussed by EU leaders recently.

I would certainly be concerned about external interference in European elections, it can come from many sources, I wouldnt particularly hone in on any particular source, he said.

We do know there has been election interference in quite a number of elections and protest movements and so on.

That is something as EU leaders we are quite concerned with, we discussed it in Brussels earlier in December.

The European Parliament site in Strasbourg, France (PA)

Mr Varadkar described the potential of external interference as a real risk, but said there is no easy remedy.

What people cant come up with is an easy solution as to what you actually do about it other than notifying it and calling it out and saying it is happening, he said.

European elections tend to be low turnout elections, people often use them as an opportunity to register a protest and they are very vulnerable to interference and external actors.

Bear in mind the EU Parliament is a very powerful institution.

If we had a parliament full of nationalists, populists and extremists it could bring a lot of the work we do in Europe to a halt, so it is serious issue and one we need to be across.
New rules have come into force that will require Britains biggest companies to justify bosses salaries and reveal the pay gap with their average workers.

The measure is an effort to improve transparency and accountability to workers and shareholders over executive pay following concerns that some chief executive salaries are out of step with company performance, say ministers.

The new regulation means that for the first time UK-listed companies with more than 250 employees will have to disclose every year the difference between their chief executives pay and their average UK worker, known as the pay ratio.

Companies will start reporting on the pay ratio in 2020, which will cover chief executive and employee pay awarded in 2019.

Jeff Fairburn (Persimmon/PA)

Alongside the pay ratio, firms will also be required to set out how the growth in a companys share price impacts executive pay.

The move comes following public and political uproar over recent pay packets for executives at companies such as Persimmon, WPP and BP.

Persimmon boss Jeff Fairburn resigned following outrage over his 75 million bonus, while shareholders revolted over the termination package for former WPP chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell.

Sir Martin Sorrell (Jonathan Brady/PA)

Business Secretary Greg Clark said: Britain has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most dependable and best places in the world to work, invest and do business, and the vast majority of our biggest companies act responsibly, with good business practices.

We do however understand the frustration of workers and shareholders when executive pay is out of step with performance and their concerns are not heard.

Mr Clark said the new regulation will build on our reputation by increasing transparency and boosting accountability at the highest level  giving workers a stronger dialogue and voice in the boardroom and ensuring businesses are accountable for their executive pay.

TUC general secretary Frances OGrady said publishing pay ratios is important, but more was needed.

Requiring companies to publish their pay ratios is important. More transparency helps workers and unions to put pressure on greedy bosses.

But we need a bigger shake up of corporate governance in the UK. Worker representatives should have a guaranteed place on boardroom pay committees. That would inject some much-needed common sense into decision-making about executive pay.
Senator Elizabeth Warren has taken the first major step towards launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency.

No matter what our differences, most of us want the same thing, the 69-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said in a video that highlights her familys history in Oklahoma.

To be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules and take care of the people we love. Thats what Im fighting for and thats why today Im launching an exploratory committee for president.

Every person in America should be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules, & take care of themselves & the people they love. Thats what Im fighting for, & thats why Im launching an exploratory committee for president. I need you with me: https://t.co/BNl2I1m8OX pic.twitter.com/uXXtp94EvY  Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 31, 2018

Mrs Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections.

President Donald Trump responded to the move by saying he would love to run against Mrs Warren.

Mr Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channels All-American New Year set to air on Monday night that he hoped Mrs Warren was among the Democrats to run in 2020.

He said: Well see how she does, I wish her well. I hope she does well. Id love to run against her.

She quickly became one of the partys more prominent liberals even as she sometimes fought with Obama administration officials over their response to the market turmoil.

Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is making an appeal to the partys base. Her video notes the economic challenges facing people of colour along with images of a womens march and Mrs Warrens participation at an LGBT event.

In an email to supporters, Mrs Warren said she would more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019.

Mrs Warren is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move towards a presidential bid and has long been a favourite target of Mr Trump.

Donald Trump regularly takes aim at Mrs Warren (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

In mid-December, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. Outgoing Maryland representative John Delaney is the only Democrat so far to have formally announced a presidential campaign.

But that is likely to change quickly in the new year as other leading Democrats take steps towards White House runs.

Mrs Warren enters a Democratic field that is shaping up as the most crowded in decades, with many of her Senate colleagues openly weighing their own campaigns, as well as governors, mayors and other prominent citizens.

One of her most significant competitors could be senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who is eyeing another presidential run harnessing the same populist rhetoric.

She must also move past a widely panned October release of a DNA test meant to bolster her claim to Native American heritage.

Thank you to the Cherokee Nation for revealing that Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to as Pocahontas, is a complete and total Fraud!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2018

The move was intended to rebut Mr Trumps taunts of Mrs Warren as Pocahontas. Instead, her use of a genetic test to prove ethnicity spurred controversy that seemed to blunt any argument she sought to make. There was no direct mention of it in the video released on Monday.

Mrs Warren has the benefit of higher name recognition than many others in the Democratic mix for 2020, thanks to her years as a prominent critic of Wall Street who originally conceived of what became the governments Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

She now faces an arduous battle to raise money and capture Democratic primary voters attention before Iowa casts its first vote in more than a year. She has an advantage in the 12.5 million US dollars left over from her 2018 re-election campaign that she could use for a presidential run.
Theresa May has urged MPs to back her Brexit deal, saying that passing it into law will allow the UK to turn a corner and put a disruptive period of political turmoil behind it.

The Prime Minister used her New Year message to put pressure on politicians to support her Withdrawal Agreement when it is put before the Commons.

She said while the 2016 referendum was divisive there was a chance to make 2019 the year we put our differences aside and move forward together.

In her video message, she said: New Year is a time to look ahead and in 2019 the UK will start a new chapter.

The Brexit deal I have negotiated delivers on the vote of the British people and in the next few weeks MPs will have an important decision to make.

If Parliament backs a deal, Britain can turn a corner.

Mrs May used her New Year message to say that backing her Withdrawal Agreement would allow the country to `turn a corner (Downing Street/PA)

MPs return to Parliament next week, with debate on the Brexit deal due to start on January 9 before a meaningful vote the following week.

Mrs May also used the message to attempt to look beyond Brexit, saying settling the deal would allow time and energy to be spent on areas like housing, trade, the NHS, immigration reform and the environment.

Highlighting the Governments 2018 achievements, she added: Together, I believe we can start a new chapter with optimism and hope.

We have all we need to thrive and if we come together in 2019 I know we can make a success of what lies ahead and build a country that truly works for every one of us.

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster used her New Year message to warn the PM that she will need to get significant changes to her Withdrawal Agreement if the Northern Irish party are to back it.

Mrs Foster, whose party is in a confidence and supply arrangement with the Conservative Government, said: The Prime Minister has promised to get changes to the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement.

We will be holding her to that commitment and we will work with the Government to achieve a better deal.

We are very mindful that any deal will bind the hands of future governments and prime ministers therefore the legal text must be watertight for the United Kingdom.

Jeremy Corbyn used his New Year message to accuse Theresa Mays Government of plunging the country into crisis by making a mess of Brexit.

The Labour leader said the Prime Ministers efforts to force through her Withdrawal Agreement in a crunch Commons vote next month were letting people down all across the country, whether they voted Leave or Remain.

In the message, released on social media on Monday morning, he said the UK was full of talent that was being held back by the economic system and Conservative rule.
More than 100 firefighters are tackling a blaze at a self-storage warehouse in south London, the London Fire Brigade has said.

Twenty fire engines and around 120 firefighters have been called to the scene on Purley Way, Croydon, following the first calls to the emergency services at 7.47pm on New Years Eve.

Purley Way update: Twenty fire engines & around 120 firefighters are tackling a self-storage warehouse blaze in #Croydon https://t.co/t0a2c9cUHh pic.twitter.com/jEKrv6bo4X  London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) December 31, 2018

There have been no reports of any injuries.

A photo posted on social media by London Fire Brigade suggests the fire is at a Shurgard self-storage facility.

Firefighters are making steady progress at the #Croydon self-storage warehouse blaze. There are no reports of any injuries https://t.co/t0a2c9cUHh pic.twitter.com/4zon9nP8op  London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) December 31, 2018

The cause of the fire is not yet known.
NEW YORK (AP) - Former New York state Senate leader Dean Skelos began serving his four-year and three-month prison term Tuesday after he was convicted on corruption charges by a jury for a second time.

Skelos, 70, reported to the federal prison at Otisville, New York, which has a medium security facility and an adjacent minimum-security satellite camp.

His son, Adam, reported to the federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, to begin serving his four-year sentence.

Skelos and his son were convicted in July on charges of extortion, wire fraud and bribery after prosecutors presented evidence that the elder Skelos pressured wealthy businessmen to give his son roughly $300,000 for no-show jobs.

Prosecutors said the payments were bribes designed to win support from the powerful Republican for legislation favored by the businesses.

Originally convicted in 2015, the men were given a second chance to defend themselves when the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan overturned their convictions, citing a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reversed the corruption conviction of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.

FILE - In this July 17, 2018, file photo, former Republican New York state Senate leader Dean Skelos and his wife, Gail, right, leave federal court in New York after he and his son Adam were convicted on charges of extortion, wire fraud and bribery. On Tuesday Jan. 8, 2019, the elder Skelos is expected to report to the federal prison at Otisville, New York, to begin serving his prison sentence, while his son will report to the federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut, to begin serving his sentence. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

Their 2018 trial ended with a conviction too.

Meanwhile, Democrat Sheldon Silver - the former state Assembly Speaker - remains free while he appeals his corruption trial conviction and seven-year prison sentence.

Last spring, a jury convicted Silver of taking nearly $4 million in return for legislative favors that he performed for a cancer researcher and real estate developers. Prosecutors said he earned another $1 million by investing the money.

Skelos and Silver were arrested in separate cases in early 2015.

Silver and Skelos were once among the three most powerful politicians in Albany, along with Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Republicans' first bill of the new Congress was intended to insert the legislative branch into President Donald Trump's Middle East policy - but also to drive a wedge between centrist and liberal Democrats over attitudes toward Israel.

The bipartisan package backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had initially drawn widespread support ahead of Tuesday's vote. It included measures supporting Israel and Jordan and slapping sanctions on Syrians involved in war crimes at a time of growing unease in Congress over the Trump administration's shifts in the region. But Democrats are split over the addition of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's "Combatting BDS Act," which seeks to counter the global Boycott, Divest and Sanctions movement against Israel over its treatment of Palestinians and the settlements.

For now, the package has stalled on a vote of 56-44, not enough to clear the 60-vote hurdle needed to advance.

Coming amid the partial government shutdown, Democrats said they will block the bill until government is reopened. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer opposed proceeding to the legislation. Other Democratic senators who supported the substance of the bill followed suit.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., tweeted that the Senate "should not take up any bills unrelated to reopening the government" until the shutdown is resolved.

Republicans see an opening to focus on newly elected House Democrats, including the country's first Palestinian American woman in Congress, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who has spoken about the rights of Americans to support the BDS issue.

In this Jan. 3, 2019, photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, as the 116th Congress begins. Senate Republicans' first bill of the new Congress aims to insert the legislative branch into President Donald Trump's Middle East policy - but also tries to drive a wedge between centrist and liberal Democrats over attitudes toward Israel. The bipartisan package backed by McConnell, had initially drawn widespread support ahead of Tuesday's vote. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

"This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality," Tlaib said in a weekend tweet. "Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away."

Israel sees a growing threat from the BDS movement, which has led to increased boycotts of the Jewish state in support of the Palestinians. A Woodstock-style concert was canceled and some companies stopped offering services in the West Bank settlements. That has led to a "boycott of the boycotts" as Israel pushes back against those aligned with BDS.

In support of Israel, Rubio's bills would affirm the legal authority of state and local governments to restrict contracts and take other actions against those "engaged in BDS conduct." Several states are facing lawsuits after taking action against workers supporting BDS boycotts of Israel.

Opponents say Rubio's measure infringes on free speech. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., tweeted, "It's absurd that the first bill during the shutdown is legislation which punishes Americans who exercise their constitutional right to engage in political activity. Democrats must block consideration of any bills that don't reopen the government. Let's get our priorities right."

But Rubio's office says the bill allows the governments "to counter economic warfare against Israel."

Rubio, a Florida senator, said in a series of tweets, including one pointed at Sanders and Tlaib: "The shutdown is not the reason Senate Democrats don't want to move to Middle East Security Bill.... A significant # of Senate Democrats now support #BDS & Dem leaders want to avoid a floor vote that reveals that."

Both sides were squaring off ahead of Tuesday's votes. A coalition of civil liberties and liberal Jewish groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union and J Street, was working to defeat the legislation, while the influential pro-Israel AIPAC supports it.

"Any contention that the bill infringes upon First Amendment rights is simply wrong," said AIPAC's Marshall Wittman by email. "It ensures Israel has the means necessary to defend itself-by itself-against growing threats and helps protect the right of states to counter boycotts against Israel."

J Street's President Jeremy Ben-Ami said in a statement: "While millions of Americans suffer from the effects of the ongoing government shutdown, it's outrageous that Senate Republican leaders are prioritizing legislation that tramples on the First Amendment and advances the interests of the Israeli settlement movement. Not a single Democrat should vote to enable this farce."
SAN ANTONIO DE PICHINCHA, Ecuador (AP) - It's a gravity-defying edifice that befits the lofty ambitions of what was supposed to be a symbol of South American unity.

Set against an arid moonscape on the equatorial line, two cantilevered glass wings soar dramatically above a reflecting pool, symbolizing freedom and transparency and looking like something out of a science-fiction movie.

But for all its architectural grandeur, the headquarters of the Union of South American Nations outside Ecuador's capital seems as moribund as the group itself. What was once an aspiring diplomatic hub bustling with official translators and cocktail parties for visiting dignitaries looks more like a ghost building, with barely half the staff it had when it was inaugurated to great fanfare in 2014.

The group's chief architect, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is in jail on corruption charges while another big booster, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, has died.

Meanwhile, a rightward shift in politics has left the region more polarized than it has been in decades, dampening enthusiasm for the group's anti-imperialist anthem: "Soy del Sur," or "I'm from the South."

"Unasur was a good idea, but ultimately didn't deliver concrete results," said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington-based think tank Inter-American Dialogue.

The Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, building stands forlorn near Quitom Ecuador, Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018. What was once an aspiring diplomatic hub bustling with official translators and cocktail parties for visiting dignitaries looks more like a ghost building, with barely half the staff it had when it was inaugurated to great fanfare in 2014.(AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

In April, half of Unasur's 12 member-states - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru - stopped paying dues and suspended their membership. Then in August, newly elected Colombian President Ivan Duque renounced the treaty altogether, paving the way for his country's withdrawal in February.

The result is a $20 million deficit that has led to across-the-board budget cuts. At the current rate, the group, which has been without a secretary-general for two years, will burn through all of its cash reserves by April. That's around the same time that Brazil, whose incoming President Jair Bolsonaro has criticized UNASUR, takes over the group's rotating presidency.

For critics who see Unasur as little more than a wasteful monument to leftist overreach during the previous decade's commodities boom, its headquarters make a convenient target.

Designed by Ecuadorian architect Diego Guayasamin, the $43 million building was built and donated to the group by former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, a protege of Chavez.

The prize-winning building, 75 percent of which is underground, is equipped with a state-of-the-art assembly hall, an impressive art collection and salons named for leftist icons like Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and Nobel Prize-winning novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Just like in public buildings in socialist-ruled Venezuela, Chavez's bright-red signature and fiery citations dominate the hallways.

"It's absurd that a building that cost several dozens of millions of dollars has no usefulness," Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno said in July while announcing that he would demand - illegally, it turns out - that Unasur return the building so that it could be repurposed as an indigenous university.

But for critics perhaps the biggest eyesore is the giant bronze statue at the entrance showing a striding Nestor Kirchner, the first secretary-general of the bloc. Since his death in 2010, the former Argentine president has seen his legacy tarnished by allegations of corruption. Supporters of Moreno are leading a campaign to have it removed.

Unasur was created in 2008 to breathe life into independence hero Simon Bolivar's dream two centuries earlier of a giant, borderless South American "homeland" to deter U.S. and European designs on the continent.

While ambitious plans to create a common currency fell flat, other proposals like creating a common Unasur work visa - which has helped nations absorb the masses of Venezuelans fleeing their crisis-wracked country - have had more success.

Decisions required the consensus of all members, which was easy when the so-called "pink tide" of leftist leaders was sweeping across the region, mistrust of the U.S. was running high and governments were flush with cash.

But in identifying so closely with the left and fixating on the U.S., it inevitably lost support when the political tide shifted, Shifter said.

He said the fatal blow was Unasur's failure to deal effectively with Venezuela's crisis.

During 2015 and 2016, Unasur's then-Secretary-General Ernesto Samper frequently traveled to Caracas accompanied by representatives from the Vatican to promote talks between the government and opposition as tensions on the streets were running high.

When those talks collapsed, many blamed Samper, a former Colombian president, for not doing more to extract concessions from the government.

Samper, in an interview, acknowledged that for Unasur to survive it needs to adopt a less-progressive agenda, but argued that dismantling it would be a huge mistake.

He said there's a vital need for the region to speak with a common voice as the Trump administration threatens military action against Venezuela, stigmatizes Latino migrants trying to enter the U.S. and withdraws from international efforts to fight climate change.

"The sad thing," he said, "is that at the same time the region desperately needs unity, we are more fragmented than ever."

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Follow Goodman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APjoshgoodman

The statue of former Argentinian President Nestor Kirchner stands at the entrance to the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, building, near Quito, Ecuador, Dec. 19, 2018. The spectacular new building meant to be a symbol of South American unity is instead increasingly empty. The headquarters of UNASUR is suffering from the woes of a group whose leftist backers have largely turned over power to conservative leaders unenthused about bonding together to challenge Washington. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - Guatemala said it was withdrawing from a United Nations-backed anti-corruption commission and giving its prosecutors a day to leave the country, as President Jimmy Morales moved to expel a body that has investigated him, his family and top government officials.

Accusing the commission of overreach and violating Guatemala's sovereignty, Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel on Monday announced the decision after meeting with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

An hour later in Guatemala City, Morales held a news conference accompanied by his ministers in which he accused the U.N. and Guterres of being silent in the face of what he said were human rights abuses committed by the commission, known as CICIG for its Spanish initials.

"In spite of Guatemala's efforts with the United Nations, the silence, passivity and negativism of the secretary-general contributed to an uncertainty in the CICIG's actions that put at risk the country's sovereignty," Guatemala's president said.

Morales was accompanied by members of a Russian family who had been convicted of corruption for the use of false documents to open businesses and buy property in Guatemala, in a case in which the CICIG participated.

"Thank you, Mr. President, for your fight for sovereignty and human rights," said family member Irina Bitkova.

Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales, flanked by his cabinet, gives a statement at the National Palace in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Guatemala announced that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric issued a statement saying the U.N. expects Guatemala to keep up its end of an agreement that created the commission, until its mandate ends in September.

Guterres "strongly rejects" Guatemala's complaints in withdrawing from the commission, Dujarric said, adding that the group has made an "important contribution ... to the fight against impunity in Guatemala."

Jovel accused the commission and its members of politicizing its work, violating Guatemala's sovereignty, failing to respect the presumption of innocence and causing "division in our society."

"The CICIG has exceeded its authority," she said. Jovel said the commission's staffers have 24 hours to leave the country, though a Guatemalan court has ruled that the country has to grant them visas.

U.S. Representative Norma Torres, a Democrat from California who was born in Guatemala, said Morales' presidency "has set the country back years, if not decades."

"When he took office in 2016, Morales had a historic opportunity to give Guatemalans the transparent and effective government that they deserve," she said in a statement. "Instead, when faced with the prospect of criminal investigation by CICIG and the public ministry, he chose to destroy the rule of law in order to protect himself."

During its 11 years operating in Guatemala, CICIG has pressed corruption cases that have implicated more than 600 people, including elected officials, businesspeople and bureaucrats. The commission said in November that it has won 310 convictions and broken up 60 criminal networks.

Morales has made no secret of his contempt for the group - formally, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala - which has investigated the president's son and his brother, as well as Morales for possible campaign finance violations. They deny the accusations.

Lawmakers so far have rebuffed proposals to lift Morales' immunity from prosecution.

Morales said in August 2017 he was expelling CICIG's chief. Though a court quickly blocked that order, the commission head was later barred from re-entering the country after leaving for a business trip.

Last year, Morales refused to renew CICIG's mandate, effectively giving it until September 2019 to wind down operations and leave the country. He used his speech at this fall's annual U.N. General Assembly meeting of world leaders to inveigh against CICIG.

Most recently, a commission member was detained at an airport for almost a day and refused entry to the country after arriving Saturday. A court ordered his release.

____

Peltz contributed from the United Nations.

FILE - FILE- In this April 20, 2015 file photo, a man holds a sign that reads in Spanish: "CICIG yes" in reference to the U.N. International Commission Against Impunity, or CICIG, during a protest against Guatemala's President Otto Perez Molina in Guatemala City. Guatemala announced on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2018 file photo, firecrackers go off as a supporter in favor of a decision by Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales to shut down a U.N.-sponsored anti-graft commission led by Ivan Velasquez, protests outside the United Nations International Commission Against Impunity, CICIG, headquarters in Guatemala City. Guatemala announces on Monday, Jan, 7, 2018, that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales arrives to give a statement, at the National Palace in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Guatemala announced that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
PHOENIX (AP) - After a campaign buoyed by a surge in teacher activism, Arizona's new schools chief took office with a pledge to address the kind of grievances that led to school-shuttering walkouts in several states last spring.

Kathy Hoffman, a 33-year-old school speech therapist, is among hundreds of educators being sworn into office following the #RedforEd protests, which were credited with raising awareness of the needs of public schools and inspiring many educators to join the political fray.

To take the oath of office at her inauguration Monday, Hoffman placed her hand upon "Too Many Moose," a book she enjoyed using in her classroom to help children with speech impediments.

"It was thrilling to see everyone come together for that cause last spring, but now we need to do everything we can to come together to pass policies and solve this together," said Hoffman, the state's new superintendent of public instruction. "We want to do everything we can to prevent another walkout."

Nationwide, an unprecedented 1,800 current and former educators, administrators and support staffers ran for office in 2018, and more than half of them won, according to the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers union.

As the educators shift from classrooms to statehouses, they have been attending trainings, fielding meeting requests and reading through thousands of pages of legislative proposals. For Democrats who won in the red states where the walkouts took root, there is also the dawning reality that being in the political minority may pose hurdles to passing bills.

FILE - In this April 26, 2018 file photo participants in #RedForEd protest march in Yuma, Ariz. After massive walkouts over teacher salaries and school funding inspired many teachers to run for office, the reality of November's results are coming into focus. (Randy Hoeft/The Yuma Sun via AP, File)

School administrator Melissa Provenzano, an Oklahoma Democrat elected to the state's Republican-controlled House of Representatives, said she plans to keep the focus on ensuring teachers' salaries are in line with national averages. A walkout that closed schools in many of Oklahoma's largest districts for two weeks ended with an average raise of $6,180.

"There was a concern there was voter fatigue or public fatigue, and 'Well, you've got the teacher raise and so we're done with you,'" said Provenzano, one of four school administrators elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. "But most people can grasp that that was a Band-Aid."

Provenzano's school is two hours from the capital - too far for students to attend the November inauguration - but the ceremony was livestreamed in the building's library and classrooms. "So that was kind of neat," she said.

The #RedforEd protests, in which many teachers wore red shirts, converged last spring on statehouses in Arizona, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Colorado to press for better teacher pay and school funding.

As some participants now learn the ropes of government, there are also signs of new life for the protest movement. Teachers in Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest school district, appear poised to strike as early as Thursday after failed contract negotiations, and teachers have been organizing rallies for this month in Oakland and across Virginia.

Elsewhere, some of the teachers who lost elections are already looking ahead to the next race.

"I won't be happy until I am able to sit at the table to help make decisions about the education system," said Democrat Aimy Steele, a former principal who came within about 2,000 votes of unseating an 18-year incumbent Republican for a House seat in North Carolina, where teachers last year shut down schools with demands for better pay and school funding. Steele plans a rematch for 2020.

"I was definitely not happy with the results, but it did not discourage me from trying," said Steele, who as principal of Beverly Hills Elementary School in Concord said she became frustrated with what she saw as ill-conceived education mandates from lawmakers.

Hoffman, who is taking over a job typically held by career politicians or political insiders, said she knows what students are capable of when they have the resources they need.

"I feel proud to be part of the movement of educators who decided to run for office," she said. "I think that the other educators felt the same way I did, that we wanted our voices to be heard and to make sure that our students had a voice in government, and we were tired of waiting around and waiting for someone to speak for us."

____

Thompson contributed from Buffalo, N.Y.

File - In this Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 file photo, Kathy Hoffman, a Democratic superintendent of public education, poses for a portrait in Phoenix. After massive walkouts over teacher salaries and school funding inspired many teachers to run for office, the reality of November's results are coming into focus. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

File - In this Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, file photo, Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., center, talk on the first day of the 116th Congress with Democrats holding the majority under the leadership of Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California as speaker of the House, at the Capitol in Washington. After massive walkouts over teacher salaries and school funding inspired many teachers to run for office, the reality of November's results are coming into focus. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

File - In this Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018, file photo, Rep. Melissa Provenzano poses for a photo Oklahoma City. After massive walkouts over teacher salaries and school funding inspired many teachers to run for office, the reality of November's results are coming into focus. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

FILE - In this April 27, 2018 file photo a sign reads "Because education matters, #redfored" as thousands of teachers and supporters begin their rally from the amphitheater at Civic Center Park in Denver. After massive walkouts over teacher salaries and school funding inspired many teachers to run for office, the reality of November's results are coming into focus. (Dougal Brownlie/The Gazette via AP, File)

FILE - In this April 25, 2018 file photo NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia speaks at the #RedForEd Walkout, March and Rally news conference Phoenix. After massive walkouts over teacher salaries and school funding inspired many teachers to run for office, the reality of November's results are coming into focus. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin,File)
NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (AP) - Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro introduced himself to Iowa Democrats on Monday night as a champion for universal health care and affordable housing as he indicated he was close to launching a run for the presidency.

Castro spoke with party activists at a crowded house party in North Liberty after forming an exploratory committee last month. Castro said that he would announce his presidential campaign on Saturday in San Antonio and that he looked forward to meeting with Iowa voters before the first-in-the-nation caucuses next year.

Castro said that he would lay out his vision for making the United States "the smartest, the healthiest, the fairest and the most prosperous nation in the world." He said that his plans will include expanding Medicare to allow access for all and addressing what he called a housing affordability crisis in which rising rents are squeezing the poor and middle class.

Castro, who served as the nation's housing secretary during President Barack Obama's second term, also promised that he will not accept money from political action committees tied to corporations and unions.

"What you're going to hear from me is that I'm not taking that PAC money, that I support universal health care, and that I've shown in my time in public service an ability to stand with the people instead of the special interests, and I've taken action to do that," said Castro, 44.

Castro shook hands, spoke and fielded questions for an hour as guests sipped wine from plastic cups. He received a warm welcome from the activists, who said they were eager for someone who could defeat President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. North Liberty is a fast-growing bedroom community that's located near Iowa City in Johnson County, which has long been the state's liberal stronghold.

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro talks with Julie Wittig, of Iowa City, Iowa, left, during a house party at the Ed and Jane Cranston home, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in North Liberty, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Castro's visit was the latest activity in Iowa as the field of candidates seeking the Democratic Party's nomination begins to take shape. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts visited the state over the weekend after forming her own exploratory committee, and several more candidates are expected to join the race soon.

Castro acknowledged that some Democrats will view his and other candidates' decisions to not accept PAC money as tantamount to "bringing a knife to a gun fight." But he said that the Democratic nominee will have no problem raising money from individuals who want change and that the decision sends an important message.

"I think it says something, that if a candidate doesn't take that money, they're going to work for you," he said. "If I'm elected, that's what I'm going to do."

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro stands on the front porch after speaking at a house party at the Ed and Jane Cranston home, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in North Liberty, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro speaks during a house party at the Ed and Jane Cranston home, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in North Liberty, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro speaks during a house party at the Ed and Jane Cranston home, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in North Liberty, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is taking over the nation's airwaves Tuesday night to argue his case for a U.S.-Mexico border wall - and Democrats are not happy about it.

Representatives for ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, MSNBC and NBC confirmed plans to air Trump's address live at 9 p.m. Eastern.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer say Democrats should be given time to respond after Trump's address.

"Now that the television networks have decided to air the President's address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime," they wrote in a joint statement Monday night.

Trump's address will come in the third week of a partial government shutdown, the result of a stalemate with congressional Democrats over $5 billion the president wants for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Democrats are refusing to pay for it, noting that he repeatedly promised that Mexico would foot the bill for it.

The speech is part of a public relations blitz by the president. Trump has scheduled a trip to the border Thursday to highlight his demands for a wall.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The U.N. Security Council has put off a planned session on Congo and its closely watched presidential election as the country continues waiting for delayed results.

A council discussion initially set for Tuesday was postponed to Friday after Congolese officials indefinitely postponed the release of the first results. They had been due Sunday.

The council has been keenly following the long-awaited election in a country where the U.N. operates one of its biggest peacekeeping missions.

But there have been differences in the council over sending a collective message about the Dec. 30 election, diplomats said. A closed-door discussion last week spanned two hours but yielded no joint statement.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday the U.N. is looking forward to "the timely publication" of provisional results. Spokesman Stephane Dujarric also reminded everyone with a stake in the outcome to respect Congo's electoral laws and "help maintain an environment free of violence."

The vote could herald Congo's first democratic, peaceful transition of power since its 1960 independence from Belgium, and the vast, mineral-rich Central African nation is awaiting the results in a tense atmosphere.

Congolese supporters of opposition Presidential candidate Felix Tshisekedi stand outside the UDPS party headquarters in Kinshasa, Congo, Monday Jan. 7, 2019. The Congolese Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) has not given a date for the publication of preliminary results. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Longtime President Joseph Kabila had already postponed the election for two years, and some Congolese worry it could be manipulated to keep his party in power - suspicions fanned by the delay in announcing a winner.

With a little over half the vote compiled, officials said Sunday that no information would be released until all ballots were tallied. Officials gave no date for when that might be. Meanwhile, the government has cut off internet access to prevent any social-media speculation about who won.

In the Security Council's private meeting Friday, France - which had called for the session - wanted the group to make a statement about the importance of the election and results, according to two council diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about the private discussion.

Other countries, including South Africa, thought the council shouldn't weigh in until results were known, the diplomats said Monday.

South African Ambassador Jerry Matjila, whose country just joined the council as a voice from Africa, had publicly appealed for patience on his way into the session: "Let's wait for the count," he told reporters.

While the council didn't speak as a whole, French Ambassador Francois Delattre said Friday that the meeting underscored the group's close attention to Congo's electoral process.
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - The Latest on Guatemala's decision to withdraw from a United Nations-sponsored anti-corruption commission (all times local):

5:45 p.m.

The United Nations says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "strongly rejects" Guatemala's complaints in withdrawing from a U.N.-sponsored anti-corruption commission.

Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric issued a statement Monday evening. It said the U.N. expects Guatemala to keep up its end of an agreement that created the commission, until its mandate ends in September.

Dujarric says the U.N. "has been constructively engaged" with the Guatemalan government about the commission, known as CICIG.

Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel announced the pullout after meeting with Guterres on Monday.

A caravan carrying Colombian national Yilen Osorio, a member of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) leaves the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. Authorities in Guatemala were holding Osorio, a member of the U.N.-sponsored anti-corruption commission in the capital's airport on Sunday, refusing him entry to the country in an escalation of tensions between the government and the commission. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has been inveighing against the commission. It has investigated his son and his brother, among other people.

Guatemala says the group has politicized its work, caused social division and failed to respect the presumption of innocence, among other criticisms.

___

4:45 p.m.

Guatemala is pulling out of a United Nations-sponsored anti-corruption commission after more than a year of tension between the government and the group, which has investigated top government officials and people close to President Jimmy Morales.

Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel announced the decision Monday after meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

There was no immediate response from the U.N. Before the announcement, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres continues to support the commission's work.

Morales has sought to end the commission known as CICIG, which has investigated Morales' son and his brother. They deny accusations of corruption.

Morales refused to renew CICIG's mandate last year and has barred its chief from returning to Guatemala from a business trip.

A commission member was detained at an airport after arriving Saturday.

___

12:30 p.m.

A member of a U.N.-sponsored anti-corruption commission has been allowed into Guatemala by a court order after he was held for almost a day at the capital's airport.

Guatemala's Constitutional Court ordered the government to admit Colombian Yilen Osorio, who was detained upon arrival at the airport Saturday.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday the organization was happy at Osorio's return to Guatemala and expects its government to let commission staffers travel freely.

Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel was due to meet later Monday with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has sought to end the commission known as CICIG, which has investigated Morales' son and his brother. They deny accusations of corruption.

Morales refused to renew CICIG's mandate last year and barred its chief from returning to Guatemala from a business trip.

___

10 a.m.

A member of a U.N.-sponsored anti-corruption commission has been allowed into Guatemala by a court order after he was held for almost a day at the capital's airport.

Guatemala's Constitutional Court ordered the government to admit Colombian Yilen Osorio, who was detained by immigration officials upon arrival at the airport Saturday.

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has sought to end the commission known as CICIG, which has investigated Morales' son and his brother. They deny accusations of corruption.

Osorio heads an investigation of alleged bribery implicating the vice president of Congress and others. He also participated in a campaign finance investigation into the dealings of Morales' political party.

Morales refused to renew CICIG's mandate last year, and barred its chief from returning to Guatemala from a trip to the United States.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has filed for divorce from his wife of 42 years.

The Virginian-Pilot reported Monday that McDonnell confirmed to the paper that he filed the paperwork. He declined to comment further.

Online court records show that a Robert Francis McDonnell filed for divorce against Maureen Gardner McDonnell in November. The attorney listed for Bob McDonnell, Reeves Mahoney, did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.

Nancy White, supervisor of the Virginia Beach Circuit Court's civil division, told the AP by phone that a judge has sealed the case.

The McDonnells were convicted of public corruption in 2014 after federal investigators said the family received more than $170,000 in gifts, cash or loans from a businessman. The U.S. Supreme Court later overturned their convictions.
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - Guatemala announced Monday it was pulling out of a United Nations-sponsored anti-corruption commission after more than a year of tension between the government and the group, which has investigated top government officials and people close to President Jimmy Morales.

Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel announced the decision after meeting with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about the commission, known as CICIG for its initials in Spanish, at the United Nations.

An hour later, Morales, accompanied by ministers and family members of people accused of corruption, held a news conference in Guatemala City in which he accused the U.N. and Guterres of being silent in the face of what he said were human rights abuses committed by CICIG.

"In spite of Guatemala's efforts with the United Nations, the silence, passivity and negativism of the secretary-general contributed to an uncertainty in the CICIG's actions that put at risk the country's sovereignty," Guatemala's president said.

Members of a Russian family accused and convicted of corruption for the use of false documents to open businesses and buy property in Guatemala thanked Morales for withdrawing from the commission.

"Thank you, Mr. President, for your fight for sovereignty and human rights," said Irina Bitkova, whose family was affected by the commission's work in Guatemala.

Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales, flanked by his cabinet, gives a statement at the National Palace in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Guatemala announced that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric issued a statement saying the U.N. expects Guatemala to keep up its end of an agreement that created the commission, until its mandate ends in September.

Guterres "strongly rejects" Guatemala's complaints in withdrawing from the commission, Dujarric said, adding that the group has made an "important contribution ... to the fight against impunity in Guatemala."

Jovel accused the commission and its members of politicizing its work, violating Guatemala's sovereignty, failing to respect the presumption of innocence and causing "division in our society."

"The CICIG has exceeded its authority," she said. Jovel said the commission's staffers have 24 hours to leave the country, though a Guatemalan court has ruled that the country has to grant them visas.

During its 11 years operating in Guatemala, CICIG has pressed corruption cases that have implicated more than 600 people, including elected officials, businesspeople and bureaucrats. The commission said in November that it has won 310 convictions and broken up 60 criminal networks.

Morales has made no secret of his contempt for the group - formally, the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala - which has investigated the president's son and his brother. They deny accusations of corruption.

The commission has also tried to bring a case involving purported illegal campaign financing against Morales, who has repeatedly denied involvement in any corruption and calls attempts to investigate him politically motivated. Lawmakers so far have rebuffed proposals to lift Morales' immunity from prosecution in the matter.

Morales said in August 2017 he was expelling CICIG's chief. Though a court quickly blocked that order, the commission head was later barred from re-entering the country after leaving for a business trip.

Last year, Morales refused to renew CICIG's mandate, effectively giving it until September 2019 to wind down operations and leave the country. He used his speech at this fall's annual U.N. General Assembly meeting of world leaders to inveigh against CICIG and what he called Guterres' indifference to Guatemala's concerns.

Most recently, a commission member was detained at an airport for almost a day and refused entry to the country after arriving Saturday. A court ordered his release.

____

Peltz contributed from the United Nations.

FILE - FILE- In this April 20, 2015 file photo, a man holds a sign that reads in Spanish: "CICIG yes" in reference to the U.N. International Commission Against Impunity, or CICIG, during a protest against Guatemala's President Otto Perez Molina in Guatemala City. Guatemala announced on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2018 file photo, firecrackers go off as a supporter in favor of a decision by Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales to shut down a U.N.-sponsored anti-graft commission led by Ivan Velasquez, protests outside the United Nations International Commission Against Impunity, CICIG, headquarters in Guatemala City. Guatemala announces on Monday, Jan, 7, 2018, that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)

Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales arrives to give a statement, at the National Palace in Guatemala City, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Guatemala announced that it is going to withdraw from UN-sponsored anti-corruption commission. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Taxpayers who are owed refunds will be paid on time, despite the government shutdown that has closed many federal agencies, a Trump administration official said Monday as concern mounted over the risk that the payments could be delayed.

The acting director of the White House budget office, Russell Vought, said customary rules will be changed to make the payments possible. He told reporters that an "indefinite appropriation" was available for the refunds, which would go out as normal.

As it dragged through a third week, the partial government shutdown could not have come at a worse time for the Internal Revenue Service. Tax-filing season officially begins Jan. 28, and while those who owe Uncle Sam will still have to pay up by April 15, people who are due to receive money back have worried about whether the closure could postpone their payments.

About three-quarters of taxpayers receive annual refunds, giving them an incentive to file their returns early. Many lower-income people count on refunds as their biggest cash infusion of the year.

The IRS said late Monday that it will recall a large number of furloughed employees to process returns. They will probably work without pay. Under the previous rules, hundreds of billions of dollars in refunds could be delayed because funding would not be available.

Some experts question whether the Trump administration has the legal authority to reverse those earlier policies to allow the government to issue refunds during a shutdown. Vought framed the move as part of President Donald Trump's goal to make the shutdown "as painless as possible."

FILE- In this Aug. 19, 2015, file photo the Internal Revenue Service Building in Washington. The prolonged government shutdown couldn't come at a worse time for the Internal Revenue Service. The tax filing season is opening soon. And for taxpayers, payments for those who owe Uncle Sam likely will still be due April 15, but people due refunds could see a delay if the partial shutdown persists. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

The administration's announcement came as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaled her intention to begin passing individual bills to reopen federal agencies in the coming days, starting with the Treasury Department, which includes the IRS, to ensure Americans receive their refunds.

Some Senate Republicans have been growing increasingly anxious about the extended shutdown and could support such legislation from the Democratic-led House.

With the White House announcement on refunds, "They're reversing a long-standing legal position," said Howard Gleckman, senior fellow and tax expert at the Urban Institute. But, he added, "Who's going to sue? It would be hard to show damages. ... So they might be able to get away with it."

In 2011, the chief counsel at the IRS concluded that such payments were legally allowed during a shutdown. At the time, the White House Office of Management and Budget, under President Barack Obama, rejected that position and directed the IRS not to pay refunds during a shutdown. But the IRS said Monday in a news release that the OMB had reviewed the issue at the Treasury's Department's request and now agrees with the IRS counsel's position.

The IRS said it will recall a "significant portion" of its roughly 52,000 furloughed employees to work on tax returns. The agency also announced the Jan. 28 date to start processing returns. That's within the normal timeframe.

"We are committed to ensuring that taxpayers receive their refunds notwithstanding the government shutdown," IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig said in a statement. "I appreciate the hard work of the employees and their commitment to the taxpayers during this period."

If the shutdown weren't enough to contend with, taxpayers and the IRS have to grapple with the most sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code in three decades. Enacted by Republicans in December 2017, the changes provided for $1.5 trillion in tax cuts mainly financed by government deficits. The package was signed into law by Trump as his signature legislative achievement.

The new law, which took effect Jan. 1, 2018, gave generous tax cuts to corporations and the wealthiest Americans and more modest reductions to middle- and low-income households.

Nonpartisan tax experts have projected that the law will bring lower taxes for the great majority of Americans, though not all. According to the Tax Policy Center, a middle-income household should on average get a $930 tax cut for 2018, lifting its after-tax income by 1.6 percent.

The IRS' challenges come as the agency is hobbled by what is widely viewed as a skimpy budget. Republicans controlling the congressional purse strings for years accused the IRS of having a liberal bias and unfairly targeting conservative tax-exempt groups. Last year, with the new tax law looming, Congress was more willing to open its wallet for the IRS and rejected to an extent the Trump administration's proposed cuts. But it ended up cutting in other areas, with the result that the agency budget is about the same - $11.4 billion - as in recent years.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A man who apparently stabbed himself before driving into an SUV in Philadelphia, killing three people, has been arraigned from his hospital bed on homicide charges.

Bail was set at $1.75 million for 29-year-old Keith Campbell after Monday's arraignment.

Witnesses told police Campbell crossed the median into oncoming traffic while speeding before crashing into the SUV Wednesday.

Two of the three killed were members of a string band that had performed in the annual New Year's Day Mummers Parade. A fourth person suffered a broken pelvis and other injuries.

Campbell, of Bear, Delaware, is charged with three counts of homicide by vehicle in the deaths of Dennis Palandro Jr., Joseph Ferry and Kelly Wiseley. He also faces one count of aggravated assault and related charges.

No attorney was listed for Campbell in online court documents.
HOUSTON (AP) - Two men suspected in a drive-by shooting that killed a 7-year-old black Houston girl and that was initially investigated as a possible hate crime mistakenly thought they were attacking people whom they had fought with at a club hours earlier, a prosecutor said Monday.

One of the men, Eric Black Jr., appeared in court Monday on a capital murder charge in the Dec. 30 killing of Jazmine Barnes. Black, 20, didn't speak during the brief hearing or answer reporters' questions as he was being led into the courtroom. His lawyer, Alvin Nunnery, didn't speak to the media after the hearing and didn't immediately reply to a call seeking comment.

Black, who is African-American, was arrested Saturday during a traffic stop. Prosecutors allege that he told investigators he was driving the SUV from which an unidentified passenger fired at Jazmine, her three sisters and mother as they were on their way to a grocery store.

Authorities have declined to name the suspected shooter or say whether he has been arrested, but Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he is also black.

The girl's family and activists had believed the shooting was a hate crime. Gonzalez had said he was aware of these concerns and investigators looked into the possibility that race could have played a role. But Gonzalez declined to state a specific motive for the shooting before any arrests were made.

Based on the family's account of what happened, authorities initially believed that a white man in a red pickup truck was behind the attack. But they later received a tip that sent the case in a new direction from Shaun King, a civil rights activist who writes about racial issues and has a large social media following. The tip implicated two black men in the shooting.

This undated image provided the Harris County Sheriff's Office shows Eric Black Jr. Prosecutors said Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, that the shooting death of a 7-year-old black girl as she rode in her family's vehicle stemmed from a case of mistaken identity. Prosecutors charged Black in the Dec. 30 death of Jazmine Barnes. (Harris County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Prosecutor Samantha Knecht told a judge Monday that the unidentified passenger fired on the family's car in a case of mistaken identity, thinking it belonged to people he and Black had fought with at a club hours before the shooting. She declined to comment about the second suspect.

Gonzalez said there was, in fact, a red pickup truck driven by a white man seen at a stoplight just before the shooting, but the driver didn't appear to have been involved. The sheriff said it was dark, the shooting happened quickly, and the red truck was probably the last thing seen by Jazmine's family. He said authorities believe Jazmine's family has been truthful during the investigation.

Throughout the investigation, Gonzalez stressed that he and his investigators would not stop working on behalf of Jazmine, and activists and elected officials praised him and other investigators for their efforts.

Deric Muhammad, an organizer of a rally that took place on Saturday in Houston to demand "Justice for Jazmine," commended Gonzalez for working with the community to collect evidence that led to Black's arrest.

"We are still heartbroken at the thought of a 7-year-old innocent child losing her life in such a violent way," Muhammad said in a statement. "We are no less heartbroken that those person(s) currently charged with this homicide are Black; not White."

Gonzalez cautioned that authorities were still investigating, but said: "At this point, it does not appear it was related to race."

Prosecutors said the 9 mm handgun they believe was used in the shooting was recovered from Black's home.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a black Democrat who represents parts of Houston in Congress, said the community came together to help solve the case.

"It's wonderful to have a sheriff who's willing to engage in a dialogue about violence, about hate, about guns and we have that along with the (police chief), the mayor of our city," Lee said.

James Dixon, a prominent pastor in Houston, also thanked Gonzalez for working around the clock during the investigation.

"We are blessed in this city to have the kind of collegial relationships between pastors and law enforcement and elected officials where we all really work together, we cry together, we pray together, we serve together and sacrifice together," Dixon said.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70

FILE - In this undated file photo, Shaun King poses where he was the lead pastor of Courageous Church in Midtown Atlanta. Acting on a tip received by civil rights activist King, the Harris County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest in the case of a 7-year-old girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting. (Vino Wong/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)

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)

FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 file photo, Christopher Cevilla, father of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, speaks during a news conference, in Houston. Authorities in Texas say on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, "persons of interest" are being interviewed in the investigation into the shooting death of the young black girl. Jazmine's family has said they believe the shooting was racially motivated. (Nicole Hensley/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are renewing their attempt to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job, sending a signal to President Donald Trump as he keeps up his criticism of Mueller's Russia investigation.

The legislation, sponsored by incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and three other members, is expected to be introduced this week. The same bill was approved by the panel in April but later blocked by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said it was unnecessary and who allowed the legislation to expire at the end of the year.

But there will be more pressure on senators this Congress as Democrats now have the House majority and have already introduced a similar bill.

Graham is a friend and ally of the president's but has frequently warned him not to mess with Mueller's job.

"I think this will serve the country well," Graham said in a joint statement ahead of the bill's introduction.

Both Graham and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, the bill's other Republican sponsor, have said they don't think Trump will move to have Mueller fired.

FILE - In this Dec. 30, 2018, file photo, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, after his meeting with President Donald Trump. Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are renewing their attempt to protect special counsel Robert Mueller's job, sending a signal to Trump as he keeps up his criticism of Mueller's Russia investigation. The legislation, sponsored by incoming Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Graham, and three other members, is expected to be introduced this week. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

"I still believe that is true," Tillis said in the statement. "However, I also believe this bipartisan legislation is good government policy with enduring value across the current and future administrations."

The legislation would allow any fired special counsel to seek a judicial review within 10 days of removal and puts into law existing Justice Department regulations that a special counsel can only be fired for good cause. It would also order that staff remain and documents be preserved while the matter is pending.

Democratic Sens. Chris Coons of Delaware and Cory Booker of New Jersey are also sponsors of the bill.

"This is a time when Republicans and Democrats need to stand up and protect the rule of law in this country," Coons said in the statement.

Trump regularly criticizes Mueller's Russia investigation on Twitter, calling it a "witch hunt" and a "hoax." In December, he suggested he would do a counter report to challenge Mueller's probe into contact Trump's Republican presidential campaign had with Russia. On Dec. 3, he tweeted that Mueller and his staff "only want lies."

Graham, Tillis, Coons and Booker originally introduced bills in the summer of 2017 after Trump started to criticize the special counsel. They agreed on a compromise version in early 2018, and the panel approved it with the support of four Republicans on the panel. One of those Republicans, former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, tried to force McConnell to pass the bill in December by saying he would vote against all judicial nominees at the end of the year. But McConnell refused to consider the legislation.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., introduced a companion bill in the House last week, his first major action as chairman.
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The apparent suicide of a Nevada death-row inmate who said he wanted to die and tried several times to kill himself amid court fights and postponements of his execution has renewed a debate over his treatment and the death penalty itself.

Attorneys for Scott Raymond Dozier, who was not on suicide watch when he was found dead in his prison cell Saturday, lamented the twice-convicted killer's death. His executions were canceled in November 2017 and July 2018 amid legal battles over a three-drug combination that had never been used for a lethal injection in the U.S.

"The system, I think, is broken and it's hard on everybody," defense attorney Thomas Ericsson said.

Just minutes after taking office Monday, Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak referred to Dozier's death and said he talked recently with outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and prison officials about Nevada's capital punishment law. He said he would await the results of an ongoing investigation.

"We can't execute anybody even if they're demanding it," said Scott Coffee, a deputy public defender in Las Vegas who wants capital punishment abolished in Nevada. "The legal process and the mental health effects on people who are sentenced to death has become the mental equivalent of torture."

Dozier, 48, had suspended appeals of his sentence and said repeatedly he wanted to die rather than live his life in prison. He had complained in a federal lawsuit in November that being placed on suicide watch three times and administrative segregation once in the previous year was "blatantly unconstitutional" and cruel.

FILE - In this Aug. 17, 2017, file photo, Nevada death row inmate Scott Raymond 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. Authorities say the 48-year-old Nevada death-row inmate who wanted for two years to die, but whose execution was postponed twice, has been found dead in his cell on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, from an apparent hanging. (AP Photo/Ken Ritter, File)

His attorneys reported that while under observation, he was stripped to his underwear and placed in an infirmary cell with only a mattress and a blanket. They also revealed that he apparently cut his neck and wrist in October.

They said Dozier was found to have tried to obtain drops of a deadly drug on a piece of paper sent through prison mail and had somehow obtained razor blades behind bars.

A state prison psychologist who examined him concluded in October that Dozier was "secretly seeking an outlet to end his problems, worries and stress." She said the prison could not afford to lose Dozier to suicide and called it "clinically best to be safe than sorry."

However, Dozier was not on suicide watch Saturday. He was housed alone in the death-row cell where he was found with a noose fashioned from a bedsheet tied to an air vent, prisons spokeswoman Brooke Santina said.

If Dozier had been on suicide watch, he would have been in an observation cell with little clothing, a tamper-resistant mattress and a blanket made of quilted canvas designed not to be ripped, torn or bunched up, Santina said.

White Pine County Sheriff Scott Henriod said there was no indication of foul play. An autopsy is pending.

Both the defense attorney and the prosecutor who handled Dozier's 2007 conviction in a 2002 methamphetamine robbery and killing of 22-year-old Jeremiah Miller in Las Vegas all referred to the starts and stops of the case. Dozier also was convicted in Arizona of second-degree murder for killing 26-year-old Jasen Green in 2002.

Prosecutor Giancarlo Pesci said Miller's family was involved in the case for more than 16 years.

"It's been such a long and emotional process," Pesci said. "Clearly, the Nevada Department of Corrections had reason to be concerned that he was suicidal."

Nevada now has 79 people on death row, Santina said. Dozier would have been the first inmate executed in the state since 2006.

Three drug companies who don't want the state to use their products in an execution have cases pending that stem from Dozier's planned lethal injection, including a Nevada Supreme Court challenge.

"The delays caused by the criminal justice system and the civil litigation brought by the drug companies have been hard on the victims' family and Scott and his family," Ericsson said.

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Associated Press Writer Scott Sonner contributed to this report from Carson City, Nevada.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) - Greed, debt and a gambling problem drove a Southern California man to kill his business partner's family with a sledgehammer and bury their bodies in the desert, prosecutors said Monday.

But the defense said authorities are charging the wrong man and the real culprit is another business partner.

Opening arguments were held in the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt.

Merritt, 61, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Sean Daugherty, supervising deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County, told jurors that Merritt wrote checks for more than $21,000 on his partner's online bookkeeping account after the family was last seen alive in February 2010, the Sun newspaper of San Bernardino reported.

"Greed, and greed's child, fraud" were the motive, Daugherty argued.

Murder defendant Charles Ray Merritt sits in San Bernardino County Court prior to opening statements in San Bernardino, Calif. on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Merritt is on trial for the murder of the McStay family from Fallbrook back in 2010. The bodies of Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife Summer, 43, along with their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were found in a shallow grave in the desert north of Victorville in 2013. (Will Lester/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

Merritt is charged with killing Joseph McStay; McStay's wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family's disappearance perplexed investigators for years, with no signs of forced entry at their San Diego County home.

Three years later, their bodies were found more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in a remote area of San Bernardino County, along with a 3-pound (1.5-kilogram) sledgehammer and a child's pants and diaper.

Merritt made custom fountains for McStay's online water feature business and prosecutors and sheriff's investigators have said he was in debt and had a gambling problem, the Sun reported.

Merritt "desperately tried to cover his tracks after the murders . misled investigators, talked in circles, and played the victim," Daugherty said.

But Rajan Maline, Merritt's attorney, said prosecutors ignored a prime suspect: Another McStay business partner that Maline said stole $7,900 from McStay's account in the days after the family vanished.

"The only reason he did that is because he knew Joseph wasn't coming back," Maline said.

Authorities said that after the family disappeared, Merritt's cellphone was traced to the area near the gravesites and to a call seeking to close out McStay's QuickBooks account for his water features business.

But Maline argued that two other phone calls that placed Merritt away from the burial site weren't considered.

They also say Merritt's DNA was discovered on the steering wheel and gearshift of McStay's SUV, which was impounded near the Mexican border a few days after the family vanished.

Merritt's attorneys say McStay could have transferred the DNA to the vehicle after he met with Merritt shortly before the family vanished. They say none of Merritt's DNA was found at the gravesites but DNA belonging to other unidentified individuals turned up there.

The McStay family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, which is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of San Diego.

Daugherty said three victims died of blunt-force trauma to the head and there were not enough remains of one of the boys to determine how he was killed, the newspaper reported.

Investigators spoke with Merritt shortly after the family went missing and noticed Merritt referred to them in the past tense, Daugherty said.

Murder defendant Charles Ray Merritt, left, speaks with his attorney Rajan Maline, right, in San Bernardino County Court prior to opening statements in San Bernardino Monday, January 7, 2019. Merritt is on trial for the murder of the McStay family from Fallbrook back in 2010. The bodies of Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife Summer, 43, along with their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were found in a shallow grave in the desert north of Victorville in 2013. (Will Lester/The Orange County Register via AP, Pool)

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2013, file photo, people place crosses near the graves where the McStay family was found in Victorville, Calif. Opening statements are expected on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt for the murders of Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in the remote desert location. (James Quigg/The Victor Valley Daily Press via AP, File)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida federal judge will decide whether or not outgoing Republican Gov. Rick Scott unfairly "targeted" the top elections official in one of the state's Democratic strongholds.

Attorneys for former Broward County elections supervisor Brenda Snipes and Scott squared off for nearly two hours in federal court Monday during a hearing in which U.S. District Judge Mark Walker peppered both sides with questions.

Snipes, who was in the courtroom, wants to be reinstated to her job. She came under withering criticism for her handling of the 2018 elections and a legally required recount in close races for governor and U.S. Senate. In the aftermath of the November election, Snipes said she would resign on Jan. 4, but Scott immediately her suspended. Snipes then attempted to rescind her resignation and challenged the governor's suspension as "malicious" and politically motivated.

"We believe this was a targeted action on behalf of the governor and was designed to humiliate and embarrass her," said Burnadette Norris-Weeks, who is representing Snipes.

Walker did not rule during the hearing, but he did raise questions about whether Snipes was given a chance to defend herself against the allegations made by Scott.

Scott suspended Snipes for misfeasance, incompetence and neglect of duty, and appointed his former general counsel to take her place. In his executive order, Scott cited problems during the recount, including reports of more than 2,000 ballots being misplaced. Norris-Weeks contended that some of the problems cited by Scott were not caused by Snipes.

FILE - In this Nov. 9, 2018, file photo, Brenda Snipes, Broward County supervisor of elections, speaks with officials before a canvasing board meeting in Lauderhill, Fla. Snipes was in a federal court Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, asking U.S. District Judge Mark Walker to reinstate her as elections supervisor for Broward County. (AP Photo/Joe Skipper, File)

Daniel Nordby, who has been Scott's general counsel, said the governor took action when he did because he "determined the people of Broward County deserved a supervisor of elections" who could prepare for upcoming spring municipal elections in a "competent manner."

Although Walker did not signal how he would rule, he did at one point ask if Scott had criticized other supervisors for their performance during the 2018 elections, citing the example of a north Florida supervisor who allowed voters in a county affected by Hurricane Michael to vote by email or fax in apparent violation of state law. The answer was no.

Snipes is suing both Scott and the GOP-controlled Florida Senate. The lawsuit named the Senate because that chamber's Republican leader said there was not time to investigate the allegations against Snipes before her resignation took effect. Florida law requires the Senate to either remove or reinstate county officials who are suspended by the governor.

Snipes had been the top elections official in Broward County since 2003, when then-Gov. Jeb Bush appointed her. She had been elected three times and her current term was not scheduled to end until 2020.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Two popular colonial-era forts in Puerto Rico's capital have been closed as part of the federal government shutdown.

The island's government-owned Tourism Company had been temporarily financing operations at the San Felipe del Morro Castle and the San Cristobal Castle since the U.S. government's partial shutdown cut funding for the National Park Service, which oversees the monuments.

Officials said more than 45,000 people visited the two sites in Old San Juan during that period.

The two sites closed on Monday after the U.S. National Park Service ended the agreement, citing unspecified "operational reasons."
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Latest on the case of police officer charged in a fatal Tennessee shooting (all times local):

3:20 p.m.

The attorney for a white police officer in the fatal shooting of a black man says Nashville's district attorney "functionally declared war" on the city's police when he claimed the defense is relying on the same arguments as those used to defend Nazis at the Nuremberg trials.

Attorney David Raybin on Monday said District Attorney Glenn Funk's comments were inflammatory and had no place in Nashville or a courtroom. Funk said in a hearing Saturday that the defense's argument that officer Andrew Delke was following his training was the same one used in Nuremberg.

Raybin said all Nashville officers are trained in an identical fashion.

Funk responded to Raybin's comment about a war declaration, saying "nothing could be further from the truth" and that his office respects and supports Nashville police. Funk said his comments meant that individuals are accountable for their actions and can't blame superiors or the department as a whole.

Nashville Police officer Andrew Delke sits with his attorney John M.L. Brown at the second day of his preliminary hearing at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Delke is charged with criminal homicide in the on-duty shooting of Daniel Hambrick. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)

Delke is charged in the July shooting of 25-year-old Daniel Hambrick, who was carrying a pistol when he ran from the officer.

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10:40 a.m.

The case against a white Nashville police officer in the fatal shooting of a black man is headed to a grand jury.

Davidson County General Sessions Judge Melissa Blackburn found probable cause in an order Monday to send officer Andrew Delke's case to the grand jury. Delke is charged in the July shooting of 25-year-old Daniel Hambrick, who had a pistol as he ran from the officer.

Blackburn made the determination after several hours of testimony over two days last week.

Defense attorneys said Delke followed his training and state law when he saw Hambrick had a gun and shot him from behind during a foot chase.

District Attorney Glenn Funk said there were options available, suggesting Delke could have stopped, sought cover, and called for help.

In his closing argument, General Funk described Officer Delke's adherence to his training as tantamount to the defense asserted by the Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg. By making such inflammatory comments have no place in this city and more importantly in a court room, by making that statement, District Attorney Glenn Funk has functionally declared war on our police, because all of our officers are trained in an identical fashion. Let me be clear: Nashville police officers are not Nazis.

Andrew Delke was following his training

Retired Metro Nashville Police Officer Robert Allen testifies during the second day of a preliminary hearing for police offficer Andrew Delke at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Delke is charged with criminal homicide in the on-duty shooting of Daniel Hambrick. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on the trial of a California man charged with killing a family of four (all times local):

8:15 p.m.

Prosecutors say greed, debt and a gambling problem led a man to kill his business partner and his family, then bury them in the Southern California desert. But the defense says they have the wrong man.

Opening arguments were held Monday in the trial of Charles Merritt, who is accused of using a sledgehammer to bludgeon Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer and their 3- and 4-year-old sons.

A prosecutor told jurors in San Bernardino that Merritt wrote checks for more than $21,000 on his partner's QuickBooks account after the family vanished in 2010.

But the defense suggested the killer was another business partner. The San Bernardino Sun says attorney Rajan Maline told jurors that man stole $7,900 from McStay's account in the days after the family vanished.

FILE - In this May 19, 2015, file photo,, Charles "Chase" Merritt, who is charged in the deaths of a family of four whose bodies were found three years after their disappearance, waits for his preliminary hearing in San Bernardino, Calif. Opening statements are expected Monday, Jan. 7, 2018, in the trial of Merritt for the murders of Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location. (John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, Pool)

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2:30 p.m.

Prosecutors say a California man killed his business partner, his partner's wife and their two young sons out of greed.

The Sun reports Monday that San Bernardino County prosecutor Sean Daugherty told jurors that Charles "Chase" Merritt wrote checks for more than $21,000 on his partner's QuickBooks account after the family was last seen alive.

Daugherty's comments came during opening statements in Merritt's trial for the alleged murders of Joseph McStay; McStay's wife Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons.

Defense attorney Rajan Maline said outside court that Merritt's livelihood depended on McStay being alive.

The McStay family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County.

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1:15 p.m.

Opening statements are underway in the trial of a Southern California man accused of beating a family of four to death with a sledgehammer and burying them in the desert.

Prosecutors made opening statements Monday in the trial of 61-year-old Charles "Chase" Merritt in San Bernardino.

Defense attorneys also made statements to defend Merritt and will continue addressing the jury in the afternoon.

Merritt is charged with killing his business associate Joseph McStay; McStay's wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons.

The McStay family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County.

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12 a.m.

Opening statements are expected in the trial of a Southern California man charged with bludgeoning to death a family of four and burying them in the desert.

Lawyers are scheduled to make statements Monday in the trial of 61-year-old Charles "Chase" Merritt. He's accused of killing Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and their 3- and 4-year-old sons.

The family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) away.

Merritt, who was a business associate of McStay's, was arrested the following year. He has pleaded not guilty.

Authorities have said Merritt's cellphone could be traced to the remote gravesites and to a call days later seeking to close McStay's online bookkeeping account.

FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2013, file photo, people place crosses near the graves where the McStay family was found in Victorville, Calif. Opening statements are expected on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt for the murders of Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in the remote desert location. (James Quigg/The Victor Valley Daily Press via AP, File)

FILE - In this June, 15, 2015, file photo Charles "Chase" Merritt, center, speaks with his attorneys Jimmy Mettias, left, and Jim Terrell, before his preliminary hearing in San Bernadino, Calif. Opening statements are expected Monday, Jan. 7, 2018, in the trial of Merritt for the murders of Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location. (John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, Pool)

FILE - In this June, 15, 2015, file photo, Michael McStay, brother of the victims, and Susan Blake, their mother, arrive at court for the preliminary hearing for accused killer Chase Merritt in San Bernardino, Calif. Opening statements are expected Monday, Jan. 7, 2018, in the trial of Merritt for the murders of Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location. (John Gibbins/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, Pool)
SAO PAULO (AP) - The head of the agency charged with patrolling Brazil's Amazon has resigned after receiving criticism from the country's newly sworn in far-right administration.

Suely Araujo announced her decision to leave the government environmental protection agency IBAMA on Monday. She is expected to be replaced within weeks.

This weekend Brazil's new environment minister Ricardo Salles said on Twitter that an $8 million IBAMA contract for car rentals was too costly.

Araujo said in a statement that the audit body of Brazil's Congress had already approved the car rental contract.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who also took office last week, used Twitter to endorse Salles' criticism.

Bolsonaro also suggested he was dismantling irregularities at IBAMA, but later deleted the message.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro scratches his head during a ceremony where he presents the new leaders of the country's government banks at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

Araujo did not refer to their Twitter messages in her resignation letter.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl has returned to the lobbying firm that employed him before he was tapped to fill the seat that had been held by the late John McCain.

In a statement released Monday, Covington & Burling said Kyl has rejoined its public policy practice, where he'll focus "on matters of policy and strategy for the firm's clients." Kyl, however, is subject to a two-year cooling off period during which he cannot lobby Congress.

Nonetheless, Timothy Hester, chair of the firm's management committee, said he expects that Kyl "can make important contributions in a range of matters, particularly for clients in the technology, life sciences, and defense sectors who may face numerous policy challenges in Congress and the executive branch."

Kyl, a Republican, first joined Covington & Burling in 2013 after 18 years in the Senate and before that eight years in the House.

When McCain died of brain cancer in August, Kyl was appointed to his seat, but said he would only commit to serving until the end of 2018 and he resigned effective Dec. 31.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey named GOP Rep. Martha McSally to replace Kyl just a month after she lost a tight race for the state's other Senate seat. McSally will serve until 2020, when voters will elect someone to finish the final two years of McCain's term.

FILE - In this Sept. 5, 2018, photo, Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., waits to be sworn in as a U.S. Senator by Vice President Mike Pence in at the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington. Kyl has returned to the lobbying firm he worked at before being tapped to fill the seat held by the late John McCain. The firm, Covington & Burling, says in a statement Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, that Kyl has rejoined its public policy practice where he will focus "on matters of policy and strategy for the firm's clients."(AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

During his first stint at Covington & Burling, Kyl lobbied on behalf of young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, often called "Dreamers," whose fate is in limbo after President Donald Trump tried to end an Obama-era program protecting them from deportation and Congress deadlocked on a solution.

Kyl also represented defense giant Northrop Grumman. His work was primarily focused on tax issues affecting the company, but Covington & Burling also lobbied the House and Senate to drum up support for the B-21 bomber, a stealth aircraft Northrop Grumman is building for the Air Force.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A federal judge is allowing four Native American tribes in the Dakotas to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a Dakota Access oil pipeline spill wouldn't unfairly affect them, further prolonging a court case that has lingered for more than two years.

The Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Yankton and Oglala Sioux sued in July 2016 and are still fighting even though the $3.8 billion pipeline began moving North Dakota oil to Illinois in 2017. They fear environmental harm should the pipeline spill into the Missouri River, which they rely on for drinking water, fishing and religion.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in June 2017 ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to do more study on the pipeline's impacts on tribes. The agency last fall completed more than a year of additional work that it said backed up its earlier determination that the pipeline does not pose a higher risk of adverse impacts to minorities.

The tribes contend the Corps has simply rubber-stamped earlier conclusions that were welcomed by President Donald Trump after he took office. The tribes maintain the Corps either didn't allow them adequate input or didn't give enough weight to the information they provided. The Corps has said the tribes have been difficult to work with.

Tribes late last year asked to challenge the Corps' 140-page report on its additional work. Boasberg, in a ruling dated Thursday, said he will allow it but that the Corps and Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners can oppose the introduction of any new tribal claims not specifically related to the additional study.

The Corps and ETP had said in late December that they would not try to block tribal challenges as long as the judge made that stipulation.

FILE - This Feb. 13, 2017, aerial file photo shows a site where the final phase of the Dakota Access Pipeline where it crosses beneath the Missouri River in North Dakota, just north of the Standing Rock Reservation in Emmons County in Cannon Ball, N.D. A federal judge is allowing four Native American tribes in the Dakotas to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a Dakota Access oil pipeline spill wouldn't unfairly affect them, further prolonging a court case that has lingered for more than two years. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File)

Boasberg has set a Jan. 31 deadline for the Corps to give the tribes access to all of the documents it used in making its decision.

The four tribes want a full environmental study that includes consideration of route alternatives. Standing Rock attorney Jan Hasselman has estimated the legal dispute will linger into at least the summer.

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Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake
CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has ordered an outside audit of a $100 million-per-year workers' compensation fund that was controlled by a longtime City County member accused of trying to shake down the owners of a major chain of fast-food franchises.

The move marked the latest fallout from the case against Alderman Ed Burke, who was charged last week with attempted extortion.

Burke has served on the City Council for 50 years, including more than three decades as chairman of the powerful finance committee - a post he resigned from on Friday. He says he's done nothing wrong and that he looks forward to his day in court.

Burke controlled the workers' compensation fund as finance committee chairman. He kept information about it largely secret, and blocked previous efforts by the city's inspector general to audit the program.

Emanuel also removed the program from the committee's control after the charges against Burke were announced, handing it instead to the city's finance department.

"We have a unique opportunity to hit the reset button on workers' compensation," he said in a statement Sunday about the audit.

FILE - In this Jan. 3, 2019, file photo, Chicago Alderman Ed Burke, 75, walks into the Dirksen Federal Courthouse in Chicago. The fallout is continuing for the longtime Chicago City Council member who charged with trying to shake down a fast-food chain _ and for politicians with connections to him. (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File)/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)

Federal prosecutors say the 75-year-old Democrat told restaurant executives who were seeking remodeling permits that they'd get them only if they signed on as clients of his law firm. The complaint unsealed Thursday also alleges that Burke solicited a $10,000 campaign contribution for another politician as part of the alleged scheme, roiling the race for Chicago mayor .

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, one of the front runners among more than dozen candidates vying to replace Emanuel in next month's mayoral election, also worked over the weekend to curb any political damage from her associations with Burke.

Preckwinkle confirmed that she received the campaign donation mentioned in the federal complaint, but she said she was returning the money from Tri City Foods CEO Shoukat Dhanani, a Texas businessman who owns a Burger King in Burke's ward.

She said Sunday that she is returning all $116,000 in campaign donations she received from a fundraiser at Burke's home.

Preckwinkle, who chairs the Cook County Democratic Party, also removed Burke as chairman of a party committee that slates judicial candidates, a process that essentially gives certain candidates the party's endorsement. The position gave Burke huge influence over who was elected to judgeships.

She demanded he resign a party position representing his ward on Chicago's southwest side and called on him to resign from the City Council.

"I won't have my name dragged through the mud," Preckwinkle said in a statement, while also taking a jab at some of her rivals in the mayoral race for their own links to Burke.
HARTFORD, Vt. (AP) - The Latest on man accused of kidnapping woman and child. (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

More charges have been filed against a man who authorities say forced a woman and her child into a car in New Hampshire, drove to Vermont and sexually assaulted the woman.

Everett Simpson was arrested in Pennsylvania after a manhunt and car chase on Sunday.

Police in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, say Simpson was arraigned Monday in a hospital and was being held on $1 million each on charges of auto theft and fleeing justice.

Federal prosecutors in Vermont also filed kidnapping charges against him.

This undated identification photo released Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, by the Vermont State Police shows Everett Simpson, 41, apprehended in Pennsylvania after a car chase on Sunday. Police said Simpson is suspected in the Saturday abduction of a woman and her child outside the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester, N.H., and then drove them to Vermont. (Vermont State Police via AP)

A lawyer who has represented Simpson in the past did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

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2:15 p.m.

Federal prosecutors in Vermont have filed kidnapping charges against a man who authorities say forced a woman and her child into a car in New Hampshire, drove to Vermont and sexually assaulted the woman.

Everett Simpson was arrested in Pennsylvania after a manhunt and car chase on Sunday.

Authorities say the 41-year-old former St. Albans, Vermont, resident kidnapped the woman and 5-year-old child outside the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Saturday and drove to Vermont. She told police he sexually assaulted her in a hotel room and then left.

Police say Simpson had escaped from an addiction treatment facility in Vermont days before. The woman told police that Simpson said he heard his wife was cheating on him and was looking for her so he could hurt her.

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6:35 a.m.

Authorities say a man forced a woman and her child into a car in New Hampshire, drove to Vermont, sexually assaulted the woman, and was apprehended in Pennsylvania after a manhunt and car chase.

Police say 41-year-old Everett Simpson faces extradition to Vermont and is expected to face federal charges related to car theft, kidnapping and sexual assault. Simpson was taken to a hospital.

Authorities say he kidnapped the woman and child outside the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester on Saturday and drove to Vermont. When the woman and the child reached safety, they called the police.

A call was made to an attorney who has represented Simpson in the past, seeking comment.
ROME (AP) - The ranks of prominent citizens opposed to a new Italian law cracking down on asylum-seekers swelled on Monday, with more governors announcing court challenges to the populist government's measure.

The law, approved first in the form of a government decree and later by Parliament late last year, tightens criteria for migrants receiving humanitarian protection, granting that status only to victims of labor exploitation, human trafficking, domestic violence, natural calamities and a few other limited situations.

Previously, many asylum-seekers who failed to qualify for full asylum were accorded humanitarian protection, with Italy allowing them to stay for a fixed term and receive social benefits. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who leads the anti-migrant League party, contends Italian authorities had been too elastic in the past in granting such protection.

The new law bans asylum-seekers from gaining residency, which is needed to apply for public housing or a place for their children in public nursery schools, as well as complete access to Italy's national health care system. And those accorded humanitarian protection won't be eligible for shelter in government-run facilities for asylum-seekers, sparking concern they'll end up living on the street.

Piedmont Gov. Sergio Chiamparino told Sky TG24 TV Monday that he'll ask Italy's constitutional court to decide whether the law violates the Constitution. He said he'd join forces with Tuscany's governor in the court challenge.

"A really wide movement is being created" to challenge the residency measure, Tuscany Gov. Enrico Rossi said in Florence. He explained that Tuscany's challenge would take aim on the tightened criteria for humanitarian protection as well as the ban on achieving residency.

A woman protests Italian populist's government crackdown on asylum-seekers, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Several governors have pledged to challenge the Italian populist's government crackdown on asylum-seekers. Provisions of a law, approved first in the form of a government decree and later by Parliament in December, take effect Feb. 1. The new law tightens criteria for migrants receiving humanitarian protection, granting that status only to victims of labor exploitation, human trafficking, domestic violence, natural calamities and a few other limited situations, such as needing medical care. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Umbria, another central region, also decided on a court challenge of the law.

Chiamparino said in the meanwhile his region would continue to provide full health care for asylum-seekers and insisted by doing so, he wasn't disobeying the law.

"We are simply obeying a fundamental principle that someone with a health problem gets treatment," Chiamparino said.

Last week, the mayors of Palermo, Naples and some smaller cities vowed not to implement the law. Others, like Milan's mayor, sharply criticized the law, but said they would implement it unless courts ruled otherwise.

In Milan, on Monday evening, about 50 critics of the crackdown protested outside city hall. Some banged wooden spoons on pot lids to draw attention to their cause.

Among mayors criticizing the law are some from the 5-Star Movement, a government coalition partner. Livorno's 5-Star Mayor Filippo Nogarin, while saying that laws must be respected, has slammed the measure as "anything but a good law, ethically and politically."

Cracks have formed lately in the government coalition over migrant policy, with a prominent faction of the 5-Stars pushing for Italy to allow migrants rescued at sea from human traffickers' unseaworthy boats to reach Italy.

Salvini insists Italy's ports are closed to private group's migrant rescue vessels.

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Antonio Calanni contributed to this report from Milan.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Black activists on Monday called for leadership changes and protests at an Alabama civil rights museum after it rescinded an award for political activist Angela Davis, a move the mayor said followed complaints from the Jewish community.

Speaking outside the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, located in the same downtown area where civil rights violence once shocked the nation, organizers told a news conference that Davis, a Birmingham native, was wronged by the decision to rescind the honor.

Davis, a longtime activist who has supported Palestinian rights and criticized Israeli policy, is on a par with civil rights legend Rosa Parks, activist Frank Matthews said.

"This is the ultimate insult to deny Angela Davis her inheritance," he said. Museum leaders should quit, he said, and protests will be held. Other speakers called for a boycott.

The institute announced in September that Davis would receive the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award, named for the late minister who once prominently led civil rights demonstrations in the city.

In a statement posted on its website over the weekend, the publicly funded museum said it was canceling a gala set for next month and rescinding the award after directors concluded Davis "unfortunately does not meet all of the criteria on which the award is based."

FILE- In this Feb. 19, 2015, file photo Angela Davis, author, educator and iconic civil rights activist, speaks during her visit to the University of Michigan-Flint, in Flint, Mich. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Alabama announced Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, that it has rescinded its decision to honor Davis following unspecified complaints. Davis is a Birmingham native who has spent decades fighting for civil rights. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP, File)

Mayor Randall Woodfin said he was "dismayed" by the decision, which he said followed "protests from our local Jewish community and some of its allies."

The longtime executive director of the Birmingham Jewish Federation, Richard Friedman, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

A representative of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute did not immediately return an email message seeking comment; neither did a California-based agency that represents Davis.

Palestine Legal, an organization that provides legal advice and support for Palestinian-rights activists, said in a statement that rescinding the honor puts Davis on "a long list of scholars and activists who have been censored, fired, de-funded, defamed, harassed and targeted with frivolous litigation because of concerted efforts by the Israeli government and anti-Palestinian organizations in the U.S. to silence debate."

Davis , 74, has spent decades fighting for civil rights. She was an active member of the Black Panther Party, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Communist Party USA. She also is an outspoken supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel's treatment of Palestinians.

The civil rights institute's president and CEO, Andrea Taylor, said in October that the organization was "thrilled to bestow this honor" on Davis whom she described as "one of the most globally recognized champions of human rights, giving voice to those who are powerless to speak."

But the institute announced Saturday that in late December, "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 statement did not indicate what criteria Davis didn't meet, nor did it identify the origin of the complaints. Many people responded with outrage on Twitter and Facebook.

Mayor Woodfin called the museum's decision a reactive and divisive decision and offered to facilitate a community dialogue in response. While the city helps fund the museum, one of the top tourist draws in Alabama, it doesn't get involved in "programmatic decisions," Woodfin said.

Protest organizer Carlos Chaverst Jr. said the city has gotten involved at the institute before and could intervene if it wanted to do so.

"Our mayor lied, and he's still lying," Chaverst said.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A man whose claims helped spur the investigation into alleged, decades-old sexual abuse by an Ohio State team doctor has been jailed in Columbus, where he's accused of telecommunications harassment.

A warrant was issued for 50-year-old Mike DiSabato, of suburban Dublin, after he missed a Friday court date. DiSabato turned himself in Monday at Franklin County Municipal Court, saying he never intended to skip his court date.

His lawyers say the court misinformed them about the schedule. They say DiSabato showed up Monday to address the matter as soon as possible. He's due in court again Tuesday.

DiSabato is accused of harassing a university-affiliated administrator who criticized him. DiSabato says the administrator harassed him.

DiSabato, an ex-wrestler, is among over 150 men alleging they experienced sexual misconduct by now-deceased Dr. Richard Strauss.

Mike DiSabato, right, turns himself in for arrest by an officer at Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. DiSabato, whose claims helped spur the investigation into alleged, decades-old sexual abuse by an Ohio State team doctor, was jailed in a tangentially related telecommunications harassment case after missing a court date that he says he was misinformed about and never intended to skip. (AP Photo/Kantele Franko)

Mike DiSabato, left, turns himself in for arrest by an officer at Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. DiSabato, whose claims helped spur the investigation into alleged, decades-old sexual abuse by an Ohio State team doctor, was jailed in a tangentially related telecommunications harassment case after missing a court date that he says he was misinformed about and never intended to skip. (AP Photo/Kantele Franko)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge on Monday reprimanded an attorney for a Russian company accused of interfering in the 2016 presidential election, saying his references to Looney Tunes and "Animal House" in recent court filings are inappropriate.

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich confronted attorney Eric Dubelier after his most recent court filing included quotes from the raunchy 1978 comedy "Animal House" to criticize special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

"I'll say it plain and simply: Knock it off," the judge told Dubelier. The judge's reprimand prompted a heated back-and-forth in which Dubelier accused Friedrich of bias.

Dubelier has mounted a combative defense of Concord Management and Consulting LLC, which Mueller has accused of funding a large-scale Russian conspiracy to use internet trolls and fake social media accounts to sway American public opinion during the 2016 election. The case was the first brought by Mueller to directly attach criminal charges to Russian attempts to interfere in the election. Prosecutors say those efforts were in part aimed at helping Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

Dubelier has dismissed the case as involving a "made up" crime and accused prosecutors of misconduct.

Dubelier's past court filings have quoted the movie "Casablanca" and the Looney Tunes character Tweety Bird to slam Mueller. In his latest complaint, Dubelier insinuated in a court filing that Mueller's team had improperly obtained information that his client shared with a court-appointed attorney.

File - In this May 9, 2018 file photo, Attorneys Eric Dubelier, right, and Katherine Seikaly, left, representing Concord Management and Consulting LLC, walk out of federal court in Washington, after pleading not guilty on behalf of the company, which has been charged as part of a conspiracy to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election. A federal judge on Monday reprimanded Dubelier, saying his references to Looney Tunes and "Animal House" in recent court filings are inappropriate. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Mueller's team denied any impropriety. But Dubelier scoffed, using a quote for emphasis from character Eric "Otter" Stratton, one of the leaders of the fictional Delta Tau Chi fraternity in "Animal House."

"The Special Counsel's argument is reminiscent of Otter's famous line, 'Flounder, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes! You f(asterisk)(asterisk)ked up . . . you trusted us. Hey, make the best of it,'" Dubelier wrote, using stars to censor the profanity.

On Monday, Friedrich said she wasn't amused, calling his conduct "unprofessional, inappropriate and ineffective."

Dubelier then accused Friedrich of bias, an allegation she rejected, saying: "Mr. Dubelier, you have had many inappropriate remarks in your filings and you know it."

"Your Honor, that's your opinion," Dubelier fired back. He also raised the prospect of his withdrawing from the case, saying he will discuss with his client whether the company still wants to retain him in light of the judge's comments.

Concord Management was indicted last year along with 15 other defendants in the first case brought by Mueller to directly attach criminal charges to Russian attempts to interfere in the election. None of the other Russian defendants has appeared in a U.S. court to face the charges.

Concord is controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wealthy businessman known as "Putin's chef" for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - The latest on the decision by an Alabama civil rights museum to rescind an award to activist Angela Davis (all times local):

11:35 a.m.

Black activists are protesting the decision by an Alabama civil rights museum to rescind an honor for political activist and scholar Angela Davis.

Demonstration organizers held a news conference Monday seeking the resignation of leaders of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

Activist Frank Matthews says Davis is a Birmingham native and deserves an award named for the late Fred Shuttlesworth, who once led civil rights demonstrations in the city.

The mayor has said the award is being rescinded because of complaints from the area Jewish community and its allies. Davis is an outspoken supporter of a movement targeting Israel's treatment of Palestinians.

FILE- In this Feb. 19, 2015, file photo Angela Davis, author, educator and iconic civil rights activist, speaks during her visit to the University of Michigan-Flint, in Flint, Mich. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Alabama announced Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, that it has rescinded its decision to honor Davis following unspecified complaints. Davis is a Birmingham native who has spent decades fighting for civil rights. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP, File)

Mayor Randall Woodfin has said he was "dismayed" by the decision to take the award away from Davis.

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6:30 a.m.

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Alabama has rescinded its decision to honor political activist and scholar Angela Davis following unspecified complaints.

Davis is a Birmingham native who has spent decades fighting for civil rights. She was an active member of the Black Panther Party, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Communist Party USA.

The institute announced Saturday that an examination of Davis' statements and public record concluded that she didn't "meet all of the criteria" for the Fred Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award. The statement didn't indicate what criteria it found Davis didn't meet or the origin of the complaints.

But while expressing "dismay" at the decision, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin cited protests from the "local Jewish community and some of its allies." Davis has criticized Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Jim Yong Kim, the president of the World Bank, announced Monday he is resigning at the end of January.

Kim's unexpected departure three years before his term was set to expire is likely to set off a fierce battle between the Trump administration and other countries who have complained about the influence the United States exerts over the World Bank.

In a letter to bank staff, Kim said that he has long believed that the key to bridging the gap between the massive financing needs of developing countries and the amount of support available was to work with the private sector.

"I have therefore decided that it's time for me to take on new challenges and fully focus my efforts on leveraging private finance for the benefit of people around the work," Kim said in his note to staff.

Kim's departure will give President Donald Trump the opportunity to nominate his own choice to fill the World Bank post.

The 189-nation World Bank is the largest government source for development funding, providing low-cost loans for projects around the world.

FILE- In this Nov. 6, 2018, file photo World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, left, and Bill Gates, former Microsoft CEO and co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, listen to a speaker at the Reinvented Toilet Expo in Beijing. Kim, the president of the World Bank, says he is resigning at the end of January. Kim's unexpected departure nearly three years before his term was set to expire, is likely to set off a fierce battle between the Trump administration and other countries who have complained about the influence the United States exerts over the World Bank. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Since the creation of the World Bank at the end of World War II, its leaders have all been Americans. Its sister lending agency, the International Monetary Fund, has always been headed by a European.

Other countries, including China and other Asian nations, have complained about this pattern. The IMF, which provides emergency loans to countries in economic crisis, is currently headed by former French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde.

Kim, the former head of Dartmouth College, was first tapped by former President Barack Obama to lead the World Bank in 2012. He was nominated by Obama for a second term in August 2016. That term would have ended on June 30, 2022.

In his resignation statement, Kim said that in addition to joining a firm that will focus on increasing infrastructure investments in developing countries, he will also rejoin Partners in Health, an organization he co-founded more than 30 years ago to provide medical support to poor nations.

The World Bank said Kim will be succeeded Feb. 1 on an interim basis by Kristalina Georgieva, its chief executive officer and the bank's executive board would immediately start the process for selecting a permanent successor to Kim.

"It has been a great honor to serve as president of this remarkable institution, full of passionate individuals dedicated to the mission of ending extreme poverty in our lifetime," Kim said.

Kim's permanent successor will be decided by the World Bank's board of directors. The United States is the largest shareholder in the bank, which is headquartered in Washington.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin looks forward to working with other countries on the bank's 24-member executive board to select Kim's successor, a Mnuchin spokesperson said.

Kim, the World Bank's 12th president, faced a number of crises during his tenure, including marshalling resources to deal with the Syrian refugee crisis.

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This story has been corrected to show the correct spelling of Kristalina Georgieva, who will succeed Kim on an interim basis.

FILE- In this Oct. 14, 2018, file photo World Bank President Jim Yong Kim speaks in Bali, Indonesia. Kim, the president of the World Bank, says he is resigning at the end of January. Kim's unexpected departure nearly three years before his term was set to expire, is likely to set off a fierce battle between the Trump administration and other countries who have complained about the influence the United States exerts over the World Bank. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati, File)

FILE- In this Sept. 12, 2017, file photo World Bank President Jim Yong Kim pauses during a joint press conference for the 1+6 Roundtable Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. Kim says he is resigning at the end of January. Kim's unexpected departure nearly three years before his term was set to expire, is likely to set off a fierce battle between the Trump administration and other countries who have complained about the influence the United States exerts over the World Bank(AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)
by

Most Paul Gauguin exhibitions show him off as a self-described savage, that sensualist who abandoned his family in France to canoodle with young Tahitian girls. He did behave badly a lot of the time, even as he was turning out gorgeous paintings.

So it was refreshing to see Gauguin: A Spiritual Journey last year at the de Young museum in San Francisco. The exhibit, a joint venture between Copenhagens Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, leaves out his most sensualist works and therefore presses visitors to see other aspects of his work.

Plus, journey was an apt description for a title: the exhibition is a chronological mini-survey of Gauguins development as an artist and his search for an understanding of his own and others spirituality.

Two Children, from his time in Brittany.

As I wrote in my review, published in todays Wall Street Journal, you can see Gauguin work on his artistry in these paintings, drawings, ceramics and wood carvings. He pays homage to artists who inspired him (such as Pissarro, Manet, Delacroix and Degas) early on, and then in Brittany and on the South Sea islands, he turns into the Gauguin we know and love.

The less usual aspect for visitors is that, almost from the beginning, according to curator Christina Hellmich of the de Young, Gauguin inserts hints of his spiritual quest. Later, when he gets to the South Seas, he is looking at native rituals. totems and other objects while he thinks about his paintings. Several Oceanic objects are on view: instead of seeing Gauguin as we usually do, in the context of his European peers, visitors to the de Young see him a different context altogether.

It fact, though Met director Max Hollein departed the San Francisco museums last June, he deserves much credit for this exhibition. As his curators (not him) told me, a courier from the Glyptotekwhich owns many Gauguin works, a legacy of his wife, who was Danishhad brought something to SF some time back. Hollein asked her if there was anything shed been thinking about, anything shed like to do. Her response: shed like to put Gauguins work in the context of Oceanic art.

Bingo, Hollein said (metaphorically speaking): the FAMSF had just the right collection; it also owns several Gauguin drawings. Thus the partnership.

But that was not the end of things. Then he made another smart move: rather than assign the exhibit to the European paintings department, he selected Christina Hellmich, curator of the museums Oceanic art department, as the organizer. She brought fresh eyes to Gauguin. I know because I spoke with her for about an hour, and learned a lot. I may or may not agree with all of it, but it was very interesting.

Heres an example. In one of the last paintings in the exhibition, Gauguins Flowers and Cats, she pointed out the cat on the rights eyes. She sees a similarity with the eyes of a 1902 gable figure that Gauguin may have seen. At the least, he saw items like it.

1902 gable figure

A stretch? Maybe, maybe not.

Photo Credits: Top two, courtesy of the FAMSF; bottom, JHD
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The case against a white Nashville police officer in the fatal shooting of a black man went to a grand jury Monday, a step punctuated by days of heated rhetoric by the attorneys.

A Nashville judge found probable cause to send officer Andrew Delke's case to the grand jury. Delke is charged in the July shooting of 25-year-old Daniel Hambrick, who had a handgun as he ran from the officer.

Capping a tense two-day court hearing Saturday, District Attorney General Glenn Funk said Delke's defense argued that Delke was relying on his training. During the hearing, defense attorneys had said Delke followed that training and state law when he saw Hambrick had a gun and shot him from behind during a foot chase.

Funk said that recalled a defense used in Nuremberg. He also said there were options available, adding Delke could have stopped, sought cover and called for help.

Delke's attorney, David Raybin, swung back Monday, saying Funk "has functionally declared war on our police because all of our officers are trained in an identical fashion."

"Let me be clear: Nashville police officers are not Nazis," Raybin said.

Nashville Police officer Andrew Delke sits with his attorney John M.L. Brown at the second day of his preliminary hearing at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Delke is charged with criminal homicide in the on-duty shooting of Daniel Hambrick. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)

Funk quickly responded that "nothing could be further than the truth" than Raybin's claims of a war on police, saying in a statement that his office respects and supports Nashville's police department and that his Nuremberg reference meant that "individuals are accountable for their actions and cannot assign blame to their superiors or the department as a whole."

"This case is about Andrew Delke and his actions," not the police department, Funk said.

The crossfire came soon after Davidson County General Sessions Judge Melissa Blackburn advanced the case, concluding that the evidence did not demonstrate Delke's life was in imminent danger at the time. But the judge also stressed that her job was to determine probable cause, a lower bar than deciding guilt or innocence.

"The Court is mindful of the fact that police work is stressful; that officers must make split second decisions and often act in a heroic manner," the judge wrote. "This does not justify the pursuit of a man suspected of no crime following the trailing of a car not apparently involved in any criminal activity. The decision to pursue Mr. Hambrick on foot seems ... to have been prompted by mere assumptions."

Blackburn also deemed it "improbable" that Hambrick turned and pointed his gun at Delke during the chase, noting that wasn't supported by video evidence and that Hambrick appeared to be running as fast as he could.

Raybin said there's still much that remains unknown, adding a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation report on the shooting would be provided later in criminal court. He stressed that every case in Nashville that resulted in a not guilty jury verdict or exoneration was preceded by the finding of probable cause.

According to an arrest affidavit issued in September, Delke pulled into an apartment parking lot and mistook a car for one he had been following while looking for stolen vehicles and known juvenile offenders. Several people were in the area at the time, including Hambrick, who began to run, the affidavit says.

The affidavit says Delke believed Hambrick may have been connected to the car he thought might be stolen, and he chased him and yelled at him to stop. It says Delke shot Hambrick in the back, torso and the back of his head. A fourth shot missed him.

Hambrick's death sparked an outcry that led to a November ballot question asking Tennessee voters to approve the creation of a citizen oversight board for the police force. The measure passed by a wide margin.

Dozens of officers backing Delke and family and supporters of Hambrick packed the courtroom for last week's hearings.

Defense attorney David Raybin speaks during a preliminary hearing for Nashville Police officer Andrew Delke at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Delke is charged with criminal homicide for the on-duty shooting of Daniel Hambrick. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)
MOSCOW (AP) - The Russian Foreign Ministry says Paul Whelan, the American detained in Moscow on suspicion of spying, may receive visits from diplomats from the three other countries whose citizenship he holds.

When Whelan was arrested in late December, he was identified only as an American. Last week, it emerged that he also holds British, Irish and Canadian citizenship. U.S. Ambassador Jon Hunstman Jr. visited him in prison last week.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the state news agency RIA-Novosti that the other countries have applied for consular visits and "if the arrestee confirms that he wants these visits they will be arranged."

Whelan's twin brother David said Monday that "the U.S. Embassy has indicated it will continue to lead on consular efforts, since Paul entered Russia on a U.S. passport."
JERUSALEM (AP) - In what was billed as a "dramatic announcement," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used a prime-time address on Monday to again dismiss a series of corruption allegations against him.

Netanyahu said that it would be "unjust" for him to be indicted ahead of early elections called for April 9 without a chance to respond to the claims against him. He said authorities had denied his requests to confront state witnesses in person, and he offered to do so on live television. "What are they afraid of? What do they have to hide?" he said.

Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu on an array of charges stemming from three corruption investigations, but it falls to Netanyahu's hand-picked attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, to decide whether to bring charges. It's unclear whether he will do so before early elections scheduled for April 9.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and branded the investigations a "witch hunt" orchestrated by his political opponents and a hostile media. He has said he will not give up his re-election campaign or resign from office if indicted.

The Israeli media scrambled to cover his address on Monday, running it live on all major stations, only to have commentators widely dismiss the brief address as a ploy by the prime minister to again attack the investigation.

In a terse statement, the Justice Ministry defended its probes, saying they had been handled professionally.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opens the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. (Gali Tibbon/Pool via AP)

Last month, police recommended indicting Netanyahu on bribery charges, saying they believed he had used his connections with the controlling shareholder of Israel's telecom giant, Bezeq, to promote regulatory changes worth hundreds of millions of dollars in exchange for positive press coverage on Bezeq's popular news site Walla.

Police said they believed there was sufficient evidence to charge Netanyahu and his wife Sara with accepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust.

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 coverage.

Over the course of the investigations, three former top aides to Netanyahu have turned state witnesses against him.

Netanyahu nevertheless said Monday that he was "certain of my innocence."

"I request to confront all the witnesses who stated things that don't align with my position, the truth," he said.
BEIJING (AP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday at the start of a four-day visit, in what's likely an effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year.

A long motorcade including motorcycle outriders reserved for state leaders left a Beijing train station shortly after the arrival of an armored train consisting of 20 to 25 cars - most of whose windows were blacked-out -along tracks lined by police and paramilitary troops.

Kim's trip, announced earlier by both sides, comes after U.S. and North Korean officials are believed to have met in Vietnam to discuss the location of a second summit.

North's Korean Central News Agency said Kim departed Monday afternoon with his wife Ri Sol Ju and other top officials. It said Kim is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Tuesday also happens to be Kim's birthday.

China's official Xinhua News Agency issued a nearly identical report, while Beijing's North Railway Station was cocooned in security, with dozens of police and paramilitary troops patrolling outside.

Kim is expected to stay at the highly secure Diaoyutai State Guest House in the capital's west, with meetings held at the Great Hall of the People, the hulking seat of the legislature that sits next to Tiananmen Square.

A train similar to one seen during previous visits by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The trip marked a further break with past practice in that it was announced in advance of Kim's arrival, a possible sign of growing confidence on the part of North Korea and China, Pyongyang's most important trading partner and a key buffer against pressure from Washington.

After years of cool relations following Kim's assumption of power 2011, ties have improved remarkably over the past year as Xi seeks to maintain his influence in the region.

Kim's trip comes as the U.S. and North Korea look to settle the North's decades-long pursuit of a nuclear arsenal.

Washington and Pyongyang seemed close to war at points during 2017 as the North staged a series of increasingly powerful weapons tests that got it tantalizingly close to its nuclear goal of one day targeting with pinpoint accuracy anywhere on the U.S. mainland.

Possibly fearing the economic effect of crushing outside sanctions imposed because of his weapons' tests, Kim abruptly turned to diplomacy with Seoul and Washington last year. He also visited China three times, notably without a reciprocal visit from Xi in a break with diplomatic convention.

But even after what was seen as a blockbuster summit between Kim and Trump in Singapore last June - the first-ever between the leaders of the war enemies - there's been little real progress in nuclear disarmament.

Washington is pressing the North to offer up a detailed accounting of its nuclear arsenal, while Pyongyang says it has already done enough and it's time for the U.S. to ease harsh international sanctions that hold back the North Korean economy.

Trump has offered assurances that another summit will allow he and Kim to make a grand deal to settle the nuclear standoff and change a relationship marked by decades of animosity and mistrust.

However, outside analysts are highly skeptical that the North will easily abandon a nuclear arsenal constructed in the face of deep poverty and likely seen by Kim as his only guarantee of regime survival.

Instead, Kim may be seeking to gauge China's attitude toward sanctions ahead of the talks, including what the North would have to concede in order to win Beijing's support at the U.N.

The North has held off on additional nuclear weapons and missile tests for more than a year, possibly in response to China's displeasure, while carrying out its new diplomatic offensive.

"The two leaders will further communicate over the issue of sanctions to further refine their previously general and vague attitudes," said Cheng Xiaohe, professor at Renmin University's School of International Studies in Beijing.

"It is impossible to see the cancellation of all sanctions, but what kind of sanctions can be cancelled and what are China and North Korea's views on that will be discussed," Cheng said.

Trump has pushed heavily for Chinese support in convincing North Korea to give up its weapons programs, suggesting that could win Beijing better terms in a trade deal with Washington.

Kim's arrival in Beijing coincides with U.S.-China trade talks in Beijing that seek to end the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies ahead of a March deadline.

Asked whether China was linking to issues in an interview Monday with CNBC, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues."

"Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that. China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Korea's nuclear capability. I expect they will continue to do so."

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Associated Press writer Foster Klug and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this story from Seoul.

In this Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, photo provided on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un walks with his wife Ri Sol Ju at Pyongyang Station in Pyongyang, North Korea, before leaving for China. Kim left for China for a four-day trip, the North's state media reported Tuesday, amid speculation that he may attempt to coordinate his positions with Beijing ahead of his likely summit with U.S. President Donald Trump. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

A stretch limousine with a golden emblem, similar to one North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used previously, leaves a train station with a convoy in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

People watch a TV screen showing file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A stretch limousine with a golden emblem, similar to one North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used previously, is seen leaving a train station with a convoy in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A stretch limousine with a golden emblem, similar to one North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used previously, is seen leaving the train station with a convoy in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A train, at bottom center, similar to one seen during previous visits by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

A stretch limousine with a golden emblem, similar to one North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used previously, is escorted by motorcades as it heads towards Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

A stretch limousine with a golden emblem, similar to one North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used previously, is escorted by motorcades traveling towards Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

A sedan which is believed to carry North Korean leader Kim Jong Un leaves a train station with a convoy in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A train similar to one seen during previous visits by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

A train similar to one seen during previous visits by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives at Beijing Railway Station in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

A beam of sunlight is cast on a Chinese paramilitary policeman stand guard on a roadside to maintain safety arrival for visiting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in Beijing, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Kim is making a four-day trip to China, the North's state media reported Tuesday, in what's likely an effort by Kim to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that could happen early this year. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The Latest on California storms (all times local):

8:00 a.m.

Crews are working to restore power to thousands of people after a winter storm swept through Northern California. The storm also prompted the temporary closure of a major interstate highway after motorists were trapped in the Sierra Nevada by whiteout conditions.

Strong winds and downed trees knocked out electricity for at least 80,000 customers across the Sacramento region Sunday night.

Officials said Interstate 80 from Placer County in California to the state line with Nevada reopened Monday but it remained closed in Nevada's Washoe County.

Officials shut down the highway Sunday after a powerful snow storm reached the Lake Tahoe area as weekend visitors were leaving.

This photo provided by Michael Patrick O'Neill shows his sons Liam, left, and Finn in the snow at Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. A winter storm swept through parts of California, Nevada and Utah, bringing heavy snow to some communities. (Michael Patrick O'Neill via AP)

The National Weather Service on Monday issued a winter storm warning for areas in the Sierra Nevada above 4,000 feet (1,200 meters), saying snowy and gusty conditions will limit visibility.

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7:10 a.m.

Tens of thousands of people lost power after a powerful winter storm swept through Northern California, while another storm system in the southern part of the state unleashed mudslides in wildfire burn areas and trapped motorists on a major highway.

The deluge loosened hillsides where a major blaze burned last year in and around Malibu, clogging the Pacific Coast Highway with mud and debris.

A stretch of the scenic route northwest of Los Angeles was expected to remain closed in both directions until Monday while crews tow away stuck vehicles and clear lanes. No injuries were reported.

In this photo provided by Blake Kessler, Wesley Kepke skis in Alpine Meadows, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. A winter storm swept through parts of California, Nevada and Utah, bringing heavy snow to some communities. (Blake Kessler via AP)

High-rises of downtown Los Angeles rise above clouds and mist on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, after an overnight storm that brought rain and mountain snow to Southern California. Rains unleashed debris flows from wildfire-scarred areas of the Santa Monica Mountains that inundated parts of Pacific Coast Highway. (AP Photo/John Antczak)

In this Saturday, Jan 5, 2019, photo sheriff's deputies work to free their patrol cruiser from mud covering a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif. A winter storm unleashed mudslides in Southern California wildfire burn areas and trapped motorists on a major highway, and the northern part of the state is bracing for more wet weather. Saturday's deluge loosened hillsides in Malibu where a major fire burned last year, clogging the Pacific Coast Highway with mud and debris. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times via AP)

FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2018, file photo, workers shovel snow off a staircase at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe near Reno, Nev. Avalanche warnings have been posted in parts of California, Nevada and Utah after a winter storm dumped heavy snow on the region. The Sierra Avalanche Center issued a backcountry avalanche warning for the Lake Tahoe area stretching south into the Sierra along the California-Nevada line from noon Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, until 7 a.m. (Jason Bean/The Reno Gazette-Journal via AP, File)
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) - A member of a U.N.-sponsored anti-corruption commission has been allowed into Guatemala by a court order after he was held for almost a day at the capital's airport.

Guatemala's Constitutional Court ordered the government to admit Colombian Yilen Osorio, who was detained upon arrival at the airport Saturday.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday the organization was happy at Osorio's return to Guatemala and expects its government to let commission staffers travel freely.

Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel was due to meet later Monday with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales has sought to end the commission known as CICIG, which has investigated Morales' son and his brother. They deny accusations of corruption.

Morales refused to renew CICIG's mandate last year and barred its chief from returning to Guatemala from a business trip.

A caravan carrying Colombian national Yilen Osorio, a member of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) leaves the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. Authorities in Guatemala were holding Osorio, a member of the U.N.-sponsored anti-corruption commission in the capital's airport on Sunday, refusing him entry to the country in an escalation of tensions between the government and the commission. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Newly sworn-in Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers called for a rejection of "the tired politics of the past" in his inauguration speech Monday, urging lawmakers to find bipartisan solutions to the biggest issues facing the state.

Evers, the state superintendent of schools since 2009, took over for Republican Scott Walker and faces a Republican-controlled Legislature that will oppose many of his biggest priorities. Republican legislative leaders, also speaking on inauguration day, echoed Evers' call for bipartisanship but said they wouldn't back down in the face of a new Democratic governor.

"We must turn the page on the tired politics of the past, we must lead by example," Evers said during his inauguration address in the rotunda of the state Capitol. "It's time to remake and repair our state and reclaim our better history. The people of Wisconsin demanded a change this November, and that change is coming."

Evers called for transcending divisiveness.

"May we have courage in our conscience," Evers said. "And may we be willing to do what's best for the next generation rather than the next election."

Evers' ascendance as governor marks a new era in Wisconsin politics, ending eight years of Republican dominance. It also marks the first time since 1986 that all constitutional officers are Democrats.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers addresses the audience after Evers was sworn in during the inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Evers called for a return to the values of kindness, respect and civility, and he urged Republicans and Democrats to set aside party allegiances to work for a greater good. While some have said divided government is a recipe for gridlock, Evers called for compromise.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said some may expect the Assembly to "veer into the left lane" now that Evers is governor, but the body will have to move down the center and Evers won't "drive the car alone."

"I promise you over the next two years, we will not let government expand at the expense of your freedoms," Vos said.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald told reporters that he opposes Evers' call to raise the minimum wage. But he's also warning GOP senators to think twice before pursuing bills on topics like abortions and "some Second Amendment stuff" that they know Evers won't sign into law.

Evers emphasized his campaign priorities, including fully funding public schools "at every level" from pre-kindergarten through college; making health care more affordable and accessible; and improving the conditions of Wisconsin's roads.

"We cannot fix these problems unless people come before politics," Evers said. "We've become paralyzed by polarity and we've become content with division. We've been indifferent to resentment and governing by retribution."

This marks the first time since 2006, when Democrat Jim Doyle was governor, that the entire Legislature is controlled by the opposite party of the governor. In 2007 and 2008, Doyle was governor and Democrats had control of the Senate, but Republicans had the Assembly. In 2009 and 2010 Democrats controlled everything, and since 2011 Republicans had it all.

Walker and Doyle were joined by three other former Wisconsin governors at the inauguration: Tommy Thompson, Scott McCallum and Martin Schreiber. Among the others who attended were both of Wisconsin's U.S. senators, Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin, members of Congress, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and numerous past office holders.

Evers took the oath of office from Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Pat Roggensack.

In addition to Evers, all other constitutional officers elected in November were also sworn into office. Those were Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Attorney General Josh Kaul, Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and Secretary of State Doug La Follette. La Follette is the only incumbent.

Barnes, the first African American lieutenant governor in Wisconsin history, said "the gravity of this moment is not lost on me as we strive for equity."

Newly elected members of the Legislature also took office. In the Assembly, 63 Republicans and 36 Democrats were seated. Of them, eight Republicans and seven Democrats are new, including 19-year-old Kalan Haywood, the youngest member of the Legislature.

In the Senate, 11 Republicans and six Democrats took office. Of them, three Republicans and one Democrat are new. Republicans hold a 19-14 majority.

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An earlier version of this story was corrected to reflect that Democrats have not held all of Wisconsin's constitutional offices since 1986, not 1983.

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Associated Press writer Todd Richmond contributed to this report.

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Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbauerAP

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers addresses the audience after Evers was sworn in during the inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, right, is sworn in by Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Pat Roggensack as Kathy Evers watches during the inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, right, is sworn in by Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Pat Roggensack as Kathy Evers watches during the inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers acknowledges the crowd after Evers was sworn in during the inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers acknowledges the crowd after Evers was sworn in during the inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers addresses the audience after Evers was sworn in during the inauguration ceremony at the state Capitol, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Mandela Barns addresses the audience at the inauguration of Gov. Tony Evers at the state Capitol Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Former Wisconsin Governors Scott Walker, left, Jim Doyle and Scott McCallum talk before the inauguration of Tony Evers as Wisconsin's governor at the state Capitol Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)
BANJUL, Gambia (AP) - Gambians heaved a sigh of relief when longtime ruler Yahya Jammeh flew into exile in early 2017 after a surprise election defeat. Two years after a "new Gambia" emerged from the shadows, the West African nation now begins to address the alleged human rights abuses committed over more than two decades.

On Monday the country's Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission began hearings that will bring many of the alleged abuses to light. Families of some victims are eager to get started.

"We want justice to prevail not only on the murder of my father, Deyda Hydara, but also on all the cases of human rights violations committed by the Jammeh regime," Baba Hydara said during a recent event commemorating the killing of the journalist in 2004 by assailants thought to be part of Jammeh's security forces.

Gambia's government under President Adama Barrow launched the commission in October, pledging to explore Jammeh-era crimes such as enforced disappearances, summary executions, torture and rape.

The process "is going to be methodical," the commission's executive secretary, Baba Galleh Jallow, told The Associated Press. "We are going to do our research and investigations, to invite victims and witnesses to come before the commission. Based on the evidence that comes out of it, we will make our recommendations for prosecution if needs be."

Authorities have vowed to right the wrongs of the past and ensure that human rights and the rule of law are central in the country's democratic shift.

FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017 file photo, a man holds a banner as Gambians cheers in Serrekunda, Gambia. Gambians heaved a sigh of relief when longtime dictator Yahya Jammeh flew into exile in early 2017 after a surprise election defeat. Two years after a "new Gambia" emerged from the shadows, the West African nation now begins to address the alleged human rights abuses committed over more than two decades. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)

The truth commission on Monday started taking evidence from witnesses, with the first sitting centered on the circumstances that led to the overthrow of the constitutional order in July 1994 by a group of soldiers led by Lt. Yahya Jammeh, who went on to rule for more than 20 years. Commission chairman Lamin J. Sise said they may have 24 potential witnesses for this part of the hearing.

The start of the hearings "is an important initial step toward securing justice, truth and reparations in Gambia and shows a strong commitment by the government to break with a past of systematic human rights violations," Amnesty International said Monday. "We hope that the testimonies and the information collected during these hearings will enable the truth to be known and made public and contribute to a renewed commitment to justice and accountability for all those Gambians that have been victims of human rights violations for more than 22 years."

While acknowledging the "positive strides" taken by Barrow's government, lawyer Emmanuel D. Joof told AP that "there is much to be done."

Public expectations are high. To many observers, the success of Barrow's administration depends on its ability to manage expectations and deliver on its promises.

Joof said the government has shown signs of wanting to improve Gambia's human rights record. However, he was quick to stress the need for security sector reform, saying that security forces under Jammeh were the ones who abused human rights. Many remain in their posts under Barrow's government.

"We need to reorient our security forces," Joof said.

In September, Gambia's national security adviser, Gen. Momodou Badjie, announced that consultations were underway for the drafting of a national security policy to address that and other concerns.

Accountability for abuses remains a major hurdle. Calls are growing for those responsible for gross human rights abuses to face the "full force of the law.'

"People have grievances," said a leading civil society activist, Madi Jobarteh. "The government should restore the rights and dignity of the victims."

It is not about vendetta or revenge, Jobarteh said. The transitional justice process is part of efforts to recognize that atrocities were committed and that those who bear responsibility must be held to account.

"All should be placed in the context of nation-building and reconciliation," he said.

While many Gambians have welcomed the truth commission, a leader of the former ruling party warned that justice should not be carried out at the expense of unity and stability.

"We are of the view that the truth must be established but let us do it with a view of reconciling people," Fabakary Tombong Jatta with the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction said during an exchange with reporters shortly after the commission was launched.

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AP writer Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.

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Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

FILE - In this Saturday Jan. 21, 2017 file photo, Gambia's defeated leader Yahya Jammeh, top wearing white, waves to supporters as he goes into exile from Gambia's capital Banjul airport. Gambians heaved a sigh of relief when longtime dictator Yahya Jammeh flew into exile in early 2017 after a surprise election defeat. Two years after a "new Gambia" emerged from the shadows, the West African nation now begins to address the alleged human rights abuses committed over more than two decades. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)

FILE - In this Saturday Jan. 21, 2017 file photo, former Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh departs Banjul airport in Gambia. Gambians heaved a sigh of relief when longtime dictator Yahya Jammeh flew into exile in early 2017 after a surprise election defeat. Two years after a "new Gambia" emerged from the shadows, the West African nation now begins to address the alleged human rights abuses committed over more than two decades. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)
BERLIN (AP) - German police are offering up to 10,000 euros ($11,400) for information on the whereabouts of a Polish man described as a "master of disguises" wanted for a killing 20 years ago.

Berlin police said Monday they're also seeking information on people who've been in contact with Vladimir Svintkovski, who is suspected of shooting dead pharmaceutical salesman Piotr Blumenstock in Berlin on May 6, 1999.

Authorities said Svintkovski, who has Russian roots, "regularly wears wigs and changes his beard." A mugshot from the 1990s shows him with reddish hair, but police say Svintkovski may have used plastic surgery to alter his appearance and appear younger than his 67 years.

Svintkovski, who police say likely uses an alias, is 1.76 meters (5 feet 9 inches) tall and speaks German, Polish and Russian.
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) - The Latest on Europe's migration crisis (all times local):

7:05 p.m.

Several Italian mayors and governors are challenging a new law introduced by the populist government that cracks down on asylum-seekers.

Piedmont Gov. Sergio Chiamparino, told Sky TG24 TV Monday that he'll ask Italy's constitutional court to decide whether the law violates the Constitution. He said he'd join forces with Tuscany's governor in the court challenge.

Last week, the mayors of Palermo, Naples and some smaller cities vowed not to implement the law, which bans asylum-seekers from applying for residency.

Residency is needed to seek public housing or a place in public nursery schools or for full access to Italy's national health care system.

The law, championed by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-migrant League party, also ends humanitarian protection status for many who fall short of qualifying for full asylum

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5:35 p.m.

A private rescue group says some migrants aboard its vessel off Malta are refusing food on their 17th day of awaiting permission to disembark at a European port.

Sea-Watch tweeted on Monday it fears the migrants' "psychological and health status may deteriorate significantly" if the stalemate continues.

The aid group rescued 32 migrants from a smugglers' boat in the Mediterranean Dec. 22. The boat's within sight of Malta, which hopes EU negotiations will yield nations willing to take them. Seventeen migrants were saved by another private rescue boat Dec. 29 and they also are awaiting permission to disembark.

Malta won't allow disembarking until deals are reached to distribute the 49 among fellow European Union nations, as well as some of 249 migrants its armed forces rescued in late December.

Italy also has denied disembarkation permission.

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3:55 p.m.

Dozens of refugees housed in tents in a camp in northern Greece have been protesting living conditions as temperatures have plunged well below freezing and snow has blanketed the area.

Police said about 40 refugees in the overcrowded Diavata camp protested outside the facility, burning tires and blocking a road outside the camp. A passing truck driver and one refugee were injured in a fight that broke out after the driver attempted to break through the barricade. Four people were detained, police said.

The Diavata camp has a capacity of 700 people but currently houses 1,410. Of those, 700 live in containers turned into small houses, a further 300 are staying in large communal buildings in the camp and about 400 live in tents.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina man who pleaded guilty to trying to fight for the Islamic State group faces the possibility of decades in federal prison when he's sentenced later this month.

Zakaryia Abdin is expected to be sentenced Jan. 24 in federal court in Charleston, according to federal court documents. He faces a possible 20-year prison sentence, as well as a fine of $250,000 and the possibility of being on supervised release for the rest of his life.

Abdin, 20, pleaded guilty in August to attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization. Arrested at Charleston's airport in 2017 as he tried to board a plane for Jordan, authorities have said that Abdin told an FBI agent posing as an Islamic State recruiter that he wanted to torture an American and would attack a U.S. site if he couldn't get out of the country.

Abdin has been under government monitoring for years. At age 16, authorities have said, he talked about robbing a gun store to get weapons to kill soldiers. He was arrested before any robbery took place and pleaded guilty, and a parole board agreed to his early release after about a year in jail.

Before his most recent arrest, Abdin knew that authorities were still watching him but apparently didn't realize that the "recruiter" with whom he communicated online was a federal agent, according to authorities.

According to an FBI statement released after Abdin's 2017 indictment, he told the agent that, if he did get to torture an American hostage, he wanted his face shown on video, saying, "I want to be the one to send the message because they know who I am."

In this undated photo released by the Charleston County (S.C.) Sheriff's Office, Zakaryia Abdin poses for a booking photo, in S.C. Abdin, faces the possibility of decades in federal prison when he's sentenced later this month for trying to fight for the Islamic State group. Abdin, 20, pleaded guilty in August to attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization. (Charleston County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Abdin also sent a video of himself pledging his allegiance to the Islamic State in Arabic and told them he could do whatever was needed, according to a sworn statement. The FBI said he also practiced shooting several different guns during the first three months of 2017.

Knowing agents would learn of his purchase and travel plans, Abdin tried to hide his tracks by contacting authorities to tell them he bought guns for hunting and would be traveling to the Middle East on a vacation, according to the FBI. He also asked authorities for a meeting, where he told them he no longer held the extreme beliefs that led to his first arrest.

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Meg Kinnard can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
What's in a name?

For MasterCard, not enough to keep it in the logo.

The company is removing the word Mastercard from the pair of interlocking red and yellow circles where it has resided for more than 50 years.

Mastercard Inc. joins a small stable of brands like Nike, Apple and Target that rely on an image and not a name in most marketing materials.

"A picture communicates better than words," said Allen Adamson, co-founder of the marketing strategy firm Metaforce. "And they have the distinct advantage of having one of the most recognizable icons in the world."

The Purchase, New York, company said Monday that 80 percent of people recognize the Mastercard logo even when its name isn't present.

This undated product image provided by Mastercard shows Mastercard's new logo. The digital payment company says it is dropping its name in some contexts, opting to let its familiar interlocking yellow and red circles represent the company at retail locations and online. The Purchase, New York-based company said Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, that the logo has represented Mastercard so well for more than 50 years and that 80 percent of people recognize the logo without the word "Mastercard" accompanying it. (Mastercard via AP)

It also points to the changing nature of exchanging currency. One of the original major credit card companies, formerly known as Master Charge, Mastercard has attempted to rebrand itself in recent years as a "technology company in the global payments industry."

Adamson said the new wordless logo is a reflection of the tech-centric world we live in.

"Evolving the logo into an app-like icon also fits in line with how younger consumers are connecting to the world around them," Adamson said.

Mastercard's announced changes, as with many corporate re-branding campaigns, also has its skeptics.

"I do not think it is yet iconic enough to successfully execute this new identity, but over time, they will learn if it was a mistake," Pace University marketing professor Larry Chiagouris said, adding: "Which I think it is."
HOUSTON (AP) - The Latest on the arrest of a suspect in the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old girl in Houston (all times local):

12:05 p.m.

A prosecutor says a drive-by shooting that killed a 7-year-old Houston girl happened after two men mistook the car she was in for one belonging to individuals they had fought with at a club hours earlier.

Details about what prompted Jazmine Barnes' fatal shooting were made public during a brief court hearing Monday for 20-year-old Eric Black Jr.

Authorities believe Black, who is charged with capital murder, was driving the SUV from which the shots were fired Dec. 30.

Black didn't say anything during the brief hearing.

This undated image provided the Harris County Sheriff's Office shows Eric Black Jr. Prosecutors said Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, that the shooting death of a 7-year-old black girl as she rode in her family's vehicle stemmed from a case of mistaken identity. Prosecutors charged Black in the Dec. 30 death of Jazmine Barnes. (Harris County Sheriff's Office via AP)

His attorney, Alvin Nunnery, asked the judge to bar investigators from interviewing Black.

After the hearing, prosecutor Samantha Knecht declined to comment on the other suspect in the case, who is believed to be the shooter.

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9 a.m.

A man arrested in connection to a drive-by shooting that killed a 7-year-old girl is scheduled to make his first court appearance in Houston.

Prosecutors have charged 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. with capital murder in the death of Jazmine Barnes, who was killed while in a car with her mother and sisters on Dec. 30.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced the charge Sunday. Gonzalez said a second suspect has been identified, but he declined to say if the person was in custody. He says both suspects are black.

Gonzalez says the killing was a case of mistaken identity and not a hate crime, as had been asserted by some people in the community. Jazmine was black, and authorities initially said the suspected shooter was a white man.

Black is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

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12 a.m.

Activists are praising Houston area law enforcement for pursuing a tip that led to the arrest of an African-American man in the fatal drive-by shooting of a 7-year-old black girl.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced Sunday that prosecutors had charged 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. with capital murder in the death of Jazmine Barnes on Dec. 30.

Gonzalez says the killing was not a hate crime, as asserted by some in the community, but a case of mistaken identity.

He says a second suspect has been identified, also black, but declined to say if the person is in custody.

The tip came from a New York-based social activist and writer who had helped raise money for a reward leading to information in the case.

FILE - In this undated file photo, Shaun King poses where he was the lead pastor of Courageous Church in Midtown Atlanta. Acting on a tip received by civil rights activist King, the Harris County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest in the case of a 7-year-old girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting. (Vino Wong/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)

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)

FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 file photo, Christopher Cevilla, father of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, speaks during a news conference, in Houston. Authorities in Texas say on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, "persons of interest" are being interviewed in the investigation into the shooting death of the young black girl. Jazmine's family has said they believe the shooting was racially motivated. (Nicole Hensley/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Amnesty International is calling on Poland not to deport a Chechen video blogger and critic of Chechen authorities who is being sought by Russia.

The human rights group says that if Tumso Abdurakhmanov is returned to Russia he will be "at a very real risk of torture and other inhuman or degrading treatment."

That appeal was made in a letter sent last week to the Polish Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski which was shared with The Associated Press on Monday.

Abdurakhmanov, 33, was informed on Dec. 20 by the Polish Border Guards that a process of administrative deportation had been started against him, Amnesty said.

It wasn't clear when a deportation might happen as his lawyers seek to appeal the decision.

Poland has provided subsidiary protection to Abdurakhmanov's wife and three young children, accepting that a threat to their lives exists in Chechnya. But it has rejected his asylum appeal on the grounds that he poses "a possible security threat" due to possible links to extremist organizations. Poland has kept its reasons classified, meaning even Abdurakhmanov doesn't know what he's suspected of.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 file photo, Tumso Abdurakhmanov, the 32-year-old Chechen video blogger, is photographed during an interview with The Associated Press somewhere in Poland. Amnesty International is calling on Poland not to deport Tumso Abdurakhmanov who is being sought by Russia. (AP Photo/Francesca Ebel, File)

Amnesty International said in its letter that it was urging Polish authorities to ensure "Abdurakhmanov's safety, not to deport him and grant him protection, in accordance with Poland's obligations under international human rights law."

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen republic, and his security forces have been widely accused by international rights groups of extrajudicial arrests, torture and killings - and Kadyrov has warned that Chechens who fled abroad will pay dearly for their criticisms of his rule if they return home.

In August, another Chechen refugee, Azamat Bayduev, was deported from Poland. A day later, Bayduev was arrested and hasn't been heard from since.

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This story corrects the spelling of the Chechen blogger's last name to Abdurakhmanov, not Abdurakhamanov.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court is ordering a federal appeals court to re-examine the case of a convicted killer in Ohio whose death sentence was thrown out after he was found to be mentally disabled.

In an unsigned opinion Monday, the justices said that the federal appeals court in Cincinnati applied the wrong standard when it concluded that inmate Danny Hill was ineligible to be executed.

The high court said the appellate judges wrongly relied on a recent Supreme Court decision, but should have instead based their decision on rulings that were in effect at the time that state courts judged Hill not to be mentally disabled.

The Supreme Court banned the execution of mentally disabled people in 2002, but states still retain significant discretion in assessing mental disability.
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's new president is facing the first big domestic battle of his month-old administration, taking on fuel thieves who drill into government pipelines and steal from distribution depots.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office on Dec. 1, has taken the unusual step of shutting off some particularly theft-prone pipelines carrying gasoline and diesel.

That has caused gasoline shortages and gas station closures in several states. But Lopez Obrador said Monday he isn't backing down.

"Let's see who gets tired first, the fuel thieves or us," Lopez Obrador said. "We know it is not going to be easy, but we are not going to back down."

Fuel theft is a $3 billion per year clandestine industry, so sophisticated that Lopez Obrador said the gangs had established an alternative, clandestine and illegal distribution network with their own depots.

Lopez Obrador said some gangs had actually built warehouses over pipeline rights of way to drill illegal taps into the ducts. At big construction projects, the gangs would set up sales points to supply stolen diesel to heavy equipment operators.

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2014 photo, new pipelines to carry gas from Texas to Mexico, eventually reaching the city of Guanajuato, are laid underground near General Bravo, Nuevo Leon state, Mexico. Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday, Jan. 7, 2019 that he has shut down some pipelines to stop fuel thieves who he says have established an illegal distribution network. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File)

The pipeline shutdowns forced the government to switch temporarily to more distribution by tanker trucks. Lopez Obrador also has tightened the screws on fuel theft gangs, posting soldiers at fuel depots.

Lopez Obrador showed graphs Monday indicating the government was actually selling more gasoline after the pipeline shutdowns, suggesting that part of the demand has previously been met by stolen fuel.

The state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos company said it was working to fix the supply problems, and stressed it had enough fuel to meet demand.

It said the gas shortages had affected mainly the central states of Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato and Queretaro. Long lines formed at some of the few gas stations still operating over the weekend in place like Guanajuato, which is also a leader in illegal fuel taps.

"We are opening the pipelines back up carefully, and that means with the supervision of specialized personnel," Lopez Obrador said.

The government knows it is up against fierce, deeply ingrained gangs that often recruit entire neighborhoods to face off against police and military personnel during raids against the thefts.

"There are groups, not all the people, but some, that stage protests when the government carries out operations against pipeline taps," he said. "I am calling on all people not to participate in illegal acts. Illegal acts are never justified, but even less so when there are alternatives."

That was an apparent reference to Lopez Obrador's policy of increased wages, training programs and scholarships to help wean people away from illicit activities.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - As tensions build in Congo over the delay in announcing the election results, actor Ryan Gosling urged equitable trade in the country's strategic minerals.

Gosling collaborated on a book about the Central African country with activists and experts on Congo who have urged officials to announce a credible winner.

Congo's electoral commission on Sunday delayed indefinitely the announcement of the results of the Dec. 30 vote. However, the influential Catholic Church said it can see a clear winner from the 40,000 observers it posted across the country and it urged the electoral commission to publish the true results in "respect of truth and justice."

The U.S. government also urged the electoral commission to present accurate results that correspond to results announced at each of Congo's 75,000 polling stations. President Donald Trump said military personnel had deployed to Central Africa to protect U.S. assets from possible "violent demonstrations."

Congo's government forbids speculation about the winner before the official results are announced and it has imposed an internet blackout over the country to prevent conjecture on social media.

Gosling took photos in Congo that illustrate the book "Congo Stories," published last month with text written by activist John Prendergast and other Congo analysts.

An exhausted Congolese independent electoral commission (CENI) official rests as results are tallied for the presidential election, at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Congo, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The winner of the Dec. 30 election will not be made public Sunday as expected, the head of the national electoral commission Corneille Nangaa told The Associated Press. The electoral commission will confirm the delay later Sunday. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Commenting on the edgy situation in Congo, Prendergast, joined calls for accurate results of the polling.

"It is impossible to ignore the mountains of evidence of a stolen election and a stolen government," said Prendergast. "If they steal the final electoral result, it will just compound the losses of the Congolese people, whose resources and rights have been taken by Congo's leaders, present and past."

Gosling called on consumers of smart phones, many of which contain strategic minerals from Congo, to make informed choices to help improve the lives of the Congolese people.

"I've learned that if Congo was the beneficiary of its own natural resources it would be one of the richest countries in the world as opposed to one of the poorest," wrote Gosling, responding by email to questions from The Associated Press.

"I've also learned that despite centuries of brutality and exploitation, there is an incredible movement in Congo among people who are using the living nightmares they have endured as fuel to make the hopes and dreams of their families and country a reality," he wrote.

"The momentary choices that we make as consumers can have lifelong consequences for the people of the countries from which those products are sourced," wrote Gosling. "We have an opportunity as consumers to support those who are being exploited in their efforts to achieve justice and live the lives to which they are entitled."

Congo's election is an opportunity for change from the better, according to the activists with whom Gosling collaborated on the book.

"The people of Congo are hungry for change after 17 years of a lack of governance under Kabila," said Chouchou Namegabe, a Congolese journalist. "These elections represent the possibility to have the first democratic transition of power in Congo in its post-independence history ... Congolese people need a choice for who governs them, though this election will probably not deliver that."

The international community should use economic sanctions to press Congo to deliver good governance, said Prendergast, founder of the Enough Project, which campaigns for international firms to disclose where they source strategic minerals from Congo and other African countries.

"From the colonial era up to the present, the state in Congo has been hijacked for the personal benefit of ruling elites and their business partners, leaving nothing for developing the nation," wrote Prendergast to AP. "The solution is a combination of supporting Congo's courageous reform movements along with imposing international sanctions and other consequences on the kleptocratic networks - led at this time by President Kabila - that continue to impoverish Congo and foment violence in the country."

Multinational corporations, particularly the manufacturers of smart phones and computers, should encourage stability in Congo, said Fidel Bafilemba, a Congolese civic leader and researcher who co-wrote the book with Prendergast. He said that eastern Congo has instability because of armed militia that control its lucrative mines.

"Congo needs accountable leaders who will ensure compliance with Congo's laws, and the government needs to hold its generals accountable for the human rights abuses they oversee," said Bafilemba. "Congo also needs international help in the form of sanctions against the leading smugglers of conflict gold, which has become the largest funder of armed groups in eastern Congo. And Congo needs help from electronics, jewelry, and other companies, who should invest more in helping build up the conflict-free trade from Eastern Congo."

Congo needs change that will improve the lives of its people, said journalist Namegabe.

"There is a serious risk of seeing violence and instability continue in the country. There are more than 200 active armed groups, and many potential triggers where social tensions could burst into violence very quickly," she wrote, saying that Congo's more than 80 million people will work to improve the country. "One of the main qualities of the Congolese people is a stubborn hope for a better future."

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Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

Congolese independent electoral commission (CENI) officials wait in line to be paid at a local results compilation center in Kinshasa, Congo, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The winner of the Dec. 30 election will not be made public Sunday as expected, the head of the national electoral commission Corneille Nangaa told The Associated Press. The electoral commission will confirm the delay later Sunday.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
NANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) - The Latest on the arraignment of Kevin Spacey (all times local):

11:40 a.m.

Kevin Spacey's legal team has entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to charges the actor groped an 18-year-old busboy in a Massachusetts bar in 2016.

Spacey was arraigned on a charge of felony indecent assault and battery during a hearing Monday at Nantucket District Court. The judge ordered the disgraced actor must stay away from the young man.

Another hearing is set for March 4. Spacey does not have to appear.

Spacey's lawyer has questioned the evidence against him. The judge granted a request by Spacey's lawyer to preserve the young man's cellphone data for the six months following the alleged assault.

Actor Kevin Spacey arrives at district court with his attorney Alan Jackson, right, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, in Nantucket, Mass., to be arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery. The Oscar-winning actor is accused of groping the teenage son of a former Boston TV anchor in 2016 in the crowded bar at the Club Car in Nantucket. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

It's the first criminal case brought against the 59-year-old after a string of sexual misconduct allegations crippled his career in 2017.

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This story has been corrected to show that Spacey's lawyers entered a not guilty plea on his behalf instead of Spacey not entering a plea.

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10:45 a.m.

Kevin Spacey has arrived at a Massachusetts courthouse for his arraignment on charges of groping a young man at a bar in 2016.

The Oscar-winning actor had to push through a crowd of journalists and cameras as he arrived at district court on the resort island of Nantucket.

The 59-year-old actor arrived shortly before the hearing at the island's airport.

Spacey is being arraigned on a felony indecent assault and battery charge. He has said he plans to plead not guilty.

It's the first criminal case brought against Spacey since other allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced against him in 2017. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

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9:10 a.m.

The civil attorney for the young man Kevin Spacey is accused of groping in a bar says his client is "leading by example."

Lawyer Mitchell Garabedian (geh-ruh-BEE'-dee-un) said in a statement Monday ahead of Spacey's arraignment that "by reporting the sexual assault, my client is a determined and encouraging voice for those victims not yet ready to report being sexually assaulted."

Garabedian has represented hundreds of clergy sexual abuse victims.

Spacey, the Oscar-winning actor, is being arraigned on felony indecent assault and battery charges. He has said he plans to plead not guilty.

The Associated Press does not typically identify people alleging sexual assault.

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8:30 a.m.

Journalists have packed the Massachusetts courtroom where Kevin Spacey is due to appear to answer a sexual assault charge.

Media trucks lined the usually quiet street where the Nantucket courthouse sits before dawn Monday. Locals on the island, which teems with tourists in the summer but largely shuts down in winter, drove by slowly to take pictures of reporters standing in line in the cold.

When the doors opened, more than two dozen journalists filed into the courtroom hours before Spacey was scheduled to appear in late morning.

The Oscar-winning actor is accused of groping the son of a former Boston TV anchor in a crowded bar on the island. He has said he plans to plead not guilty to felony indecent assault and battery.

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1 a.m.

Kevin Spacey is set to appear in court on accusations that he groped an 18-year-old man in 2016.

The disgraced actor is scheduled to be arraigned in the Nantucket District Court on Monday on felony indecent assault and battery. He has said he will plead not guilty.

He's accused of groping the son of a former Boston TV anchor in a crowded bar on the small Massachusetts island.

Spacey's lawyer has sought to poke holes in the case, noting during an earlier hearing that the teen didn't immediately report the allegations.

Spacey tried to get out of appearing at his arraignment, saying his presence would "amplify the negative publicity already generated" by the case.

It's the first criminal case brought against Spacey after several sexual misconduct allegations crippled his career in 2017.
WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) - One of two Wisconsin girls who repeatedly stabbed a classmate shouldn't have been tried in adult court because she believed a fictional horror character named Slender Man would attack her family if she didn't kill the girl, according to an appeal filed by her attorney.

Morgan Geyser's belief made the attack second-degree attempted intentional homicide, a case that belongs in juvenile court, and not the first-degree version of the crime, attorney Matthew Pinix argued in a recent court filing.

Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide for the 2014 attack on Payton Leutner, who was stabbed 19 times and left for dead. Investigators said Geyser and co-defendant Anissa Weier lured her from a sleepover to a nearby park in Waukesha. All three girls were 12 at the time.

Geyser, now 16, was ordered to spend 40 years in a mental institution. Weier, now 17, was committed to a mental health facility for 25 years.

Geyser's appeal also argues that Geyser couldn't really understand what rights she gave up when she agreed to speak alone with a detective while she was in custody and confessed to the stabbing, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Both Geyser and Weier sought to suppress their statements to law enforcement, but Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren denied the defense motions.

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2017, file photo, Morgan Geyser, one of two Wisconsin girls charged with stabbing a classmate 19 times in 2014 to impress the fictitious horror character Slender Man, enters a Waukesha County Court for a status hearing in Waukesha, Wis. Geyser is appealing her case. The Journal Sentinel reports that Morgan Geyser's attorney recently filed a court brief arguing that Geyser shouldn't have been prosecuted as an adult because the girl believed Slender Man would kill her family if she didn't stab her sixth-grade classmate. (Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool, File)

Pinix said it was "a mockery" to suggest Geyser knowingly and voluntarily waived her right to remain silent or to have an attorney. The attorney noted the girl's age, unfamiliarity with her rights and the legal system, and a mental illness that was later diagnosed.

"It took three months of targeted education (after she was arrested) for Geyser to gain sufficient knowledge such that she understood the legal system and her constitutional rights, including her right to counsel," Pinix argued in the court motion filed last week.

Given the circumstances, Geyser's statements during more than seven hours in custody were involuntary, according to Pinix.

The state's response to the brief is due next month.

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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com
BEIRUT (AP) - Syria's Kurds are awaiting clarifications from the U.S. over America's plans to pull out its troops from Syria following comments made by a top White House aide that appeared to counter earlier comments by President Donald Trump, a Syrian Kurdish official said Monday.

Speaking to The Associated Press from northern Syria Monday, Badran Ciya Kurd said the Kurds have not been informed of any change in the U.S. position and were in the dark about the latest comments by U.S. national security adviser John Bolton and what they indicated.

"We have not been formally or directly notified, all what we heard were media statements," he said.

Bolton, on a visit to Israel Sunday, said U.S. troops will not leave northeastern Syria until IS militants are defeated and American-allied Kurdish fighters are protected. The comments appeared to put the brakes on a withdrawal abruptly announced by Trump last month and initially expected to be completed within weeks.

While Bolton said there is now no timetable, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to withdrawing U.S. troops, though the president said "I never said we're doing it that quickly" and added that there will not be a total pullout "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."

FILE - In this Dec. 26, 2018 file photo, National Security Adviser John Bolton attends a meeting with President Donald Trump and senior military leadership at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. On Monday, Jan. 7, 2018, a Syrian Kurdish official said Syria's Kurds are awaiting clarifications from the U.S. over America's withdrawal plans following comments made by Bolton which appeared to contradict earlier comments by President Donald Trump. Bolton, on a visit to Israel Sunday, said U.S. troops will not leave northeastern Syria until IS militants are defeated and American-allied Kurdish fighters are protected. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

The back and forth is troubling for the Kurds, who have been America's only partners on the ground in Syria in the fight against IS. 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.

Bolton arrived 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.

Ciya Kurd said Bolton, through his comments, acknowledged that Turkey was killing the Kurds and that he wants guarantees that this would not happen.

"Turkey constitutes a bigger threat to Kurdish existence than Daesh and all international terrorist organizations," he said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.

Nawaf Khalil, who heads the Europe-based Center for Kurdish Studies said "President Trump's statement regarding withdrawal of troops led to confusion and mistrust of the American side."

He added that Bolton's statement "came to fix what should not have been said."

Shahoz Hasan, the co-chair of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, the largest and most powerful in northern Syria, told the AP that he would not comment until U.S. officials conclude their meetings in Turkey.

In northern Syria, the Kurdish-led U.S.-backed force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces pressed on in their fight against Islamic State militants in their last holdouts in eastern Syria. Civilians continued to flee the area around the town of Hajin near the border with Iraq.

In a sign of the lingering threat still posed by the extremist group, IS militants staged an attack in the northern city of Raqqa, killing a civilian and wounding several SDF fighters.

The SDF said in a statement that during Monday's attack an IS fighter blew himself up near an SDF checkpoint.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said the suicide attacker first opened fire at an SDF force outside a local department before going inside and blowing himself up, killing five, including four civilians, and wounding eight.

SDF fighters captured Raqqa, once the de facto capital of the extremists, in October 2017. Since then IS sleeper cells have occasionally carried out attacks in the city.
Sea Eye says negotiating over individual migrants 'shameful' Tells ANSA 'indecent negotiation, insufficient willingness'

(ANSAmed) - BERLIN, JANUARY 8 - Gorden Isler, director of the German NGO Sea Eye, told ANSA on Tuesday that negotiating over single migrants is "indecent, shameful".



"It gives the impression of a poker game over people's destinies," he said.



Isler spoke to ANSA on the sidelines of a press conference held in Berlin, in which he talked about the current condition of the 17 migrants aboard the Sea Eye's ship.



The vessel remains without authorisation to dock at any port and is currently languishing off the coast of Malta.



Isler called once again on the European Union to save the migrants.



"I read that nine countries have given their willingness to accept migrants, but it's not enough," he said.



"Politicians have an entire year to negotiate in Europe, meet with each other, discuss things, drink their coffees and find solutions. It's shameful that a negotiation of this kind is taking place, over the destiny of 49 people," he said.



"Aboard our vessel there are 17 people, including one woman and a 17-year-old boy. For 10 days, they have been aboard a ship that wasn't designed for passengers - it's a research vessel. It could host at most about 20 people, while at the moment there are 35 aboard," he said.



He said the refugees "sleep in containers, some of them set up in our first aid station, but that's a solution that can suffice at most for one, two days - certainly not 10".



"Food and water are rationed, and even though today the weather is OK, starting tomorrow it's expected to worsen again, and the migrants will suffer once again from seasickness," he said. Isler said the migrants aboard the Sea Eye range in age from 17 to 40 years, and come from various African countries: Sudan, Sierra Leone, Mali, Guinea, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast, and Nigeria.



"Sea Eye doesn't have any contact with Italy," Isler said.



"We're a small organisation that started just three years ago," he said.(ANSAmed).




LONDON (AP) - The Latest on Britain's exit from the European Union (all times local):

6:40 p.m.

The Dutch government says it will let British citizens living in the Netherlands remain in the country for 15 months in the event of a no-deal Brexit and offer them the opportunity to apply for residency permits.

The transition period announced Monday will apply to Britons and their families who are living legally in the Netherlands on March 29 - the day the United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the European Union.

Migration Minister Mark Harbers says "Britons are very welcome to live, work and study in the Netherlands - also after Brexit."

Britons who have lived in the Netherlands for more than five years at the time of Brexit will be entitled to apply for permanent residency. Those who have lived in the country for less than five years will be able to apply for a shorter-term residency permit.

Part of a mural by street artist Banksy showing a star being chiselled from the European flag is seen in Dover, south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Britain is testing how its motorway and ferry system would handle a no-deal Brexit by sending a stream of trucks from a regional airport to the port of Dover - even as some legislators try to pressure the government to rule out the scenario. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

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5:40 p.m.

The Czech government has approved a plan to guarantee the near-term rights of British citizens in the event of a "no-deal" Brexit.

The Interior Ministry says the roughly 8,000 Britons currently living in the country would retain their rights in the immediate aftermath of Brexit even if Britain crashes out of the EU in March with no deal.

The ministry says Britons would retain the same rights as the citizens of EU countries for a transitional period until Dec 31, 2020. The bill still needs parliamentary approval.

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, but it's unclear whether lawmakers will approve the divorce agreement Prime Minister Theresa May has negotiated with the bloc. That has raised the prospect of a "no-deal" Brexit.

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3:50 p.m.

The Dutch government says Britons living in the Netherlands are deeply concerned about the consequences of their home country's impending departure from the European Union.

A survey published Monday says that an overwhelming majority of the more than 45,000 British citizens living in the Netherlands are very worried about how Brexit will affect their right to live and work in the country and their ability to travel freely around Europe.

Foreign Minister Stef Blok says he understands their fears and stresses that the draft divorce deal drawn up by the EU and Britain remains the best possible deal. British lawmakers are expected to vote on the deal next week, but Prime Minister Theresa May faces a tough battle to get it through Parliament.

The survey questioned 1,419 Britons currently living in the Netherlands.

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11:55 a.m.

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will hold more talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May this week, but has ruled out that the Brexit deal agreed on in November could be renegotiated to gain support in the British parliament.

EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said Monday that the Brexit deal "on the table is the best and the only deal possible."

May has been furiously trying to get the deal through Parliament but had to call off a vote on it last month since she was facing certain defeat. The vote is now expected for next week.

In Britain, there are still some expectations that the deal could be reviewed but Schinas said Monday "this deal will not be renegotiated."

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11:15 a.m.

Britain is testing how its motorway and ferry system would handle a no-deal Brexit by sending a stream of trucks from a regional airport to the port of Dover.

The tests began Monday morning and are intended to gauge how severe the disruption would be if Britain leaves the European Union on March 29 without an agreed upon withdrawal deal.

It is expected that an abrupt departure without a deal would lead to the introduction of tariff and customs barriers that would slow fast-moving ferry and rail traffic that links Britain to continental Europe.

There are concerns that major traffic jams leading into and out of the ferry ports of Dover could greatly hamper trade.

Parliament is expected to vote on a withdrawal plan next week.

A mural by street artist Banksy depicting a star being chiselled from the European flag, blue square at centre, stands in Dover near the ferry port, south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Britain is testing how its motorway and ferry system would handle a no-deal Brexit split from European Union by sending a stream of trucks from a regional airport to the port of Dover. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
LONDON (AP) - Britain is testing how its motorway and ferry system would handle a "no-deal" Brexit by sending a stream of trucks from a closed local airport to the port of Dover - even as some legislators try to pressure the government to rule out the scenario.

The tests began Monday morning and are intended to gauge how severe the disruption would be if Britain leaves the European Union on March 29 without an agreed-upon withdrawal deal.

It is widely expected that an abrupt departure would lead to the introduction of tariff and customs barriers that would slow fast-moving ferry and rail traffic that links Britain to continental Europe. There are concerns that major traffic jams leading in and out of ferry ports like Dover would greatly hamper trade and leave Britain without adequate food and medicine.

Parliament is expected to resume its debate over the government's planned withdrawal deal Wednesday, with a vote widely expected a week later.

There are no indications that lobbying over the Christmas and New Year holiday period has garnered Prime Minister Theresa May more support for her plan.

The withdrawal agreement, which is required before more wide-ranging discussions on future relations can commence, foresees relatively close economic ties with Europe, particularly in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, in order to avoid the imposition of a hard border between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K.

Some 150 trucks are parked at Manston Airfield during a test for a 'no-deal' Brexit, where 6,000 trucks could be parked at the airfield near Ramsgate in south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The former airfield at Manston could be used as part of the government plan to park some 6,000 trucks to alleviate expected congestion at the channel ports, about 25 miles (40 Km) from the airfiled, caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods in the event of Britain making a no-deal withdrawal from the European Union at the end of March. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)

As well as frustrating a number of lawmakers who want a complete break from the EU, the plan also raises the prospect that the U.K. could be "trapped" in a customs arrangement if no agreement on future trade ties is reached. There are also a number of lawmakers who have said they will vote against the deal because they want another referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.

A vote that had been scheduled in December was delayed as May admitted it would face certain defeat.

May said Monday she is still trying to get more from EU leaders, who insist they are not willing to sweeten the deal. She told hospital workers in Liverpool there has been "some further movement" from the EU but did not provide specifics.

"We are continuing to work on further assurances on further undertakings from the European Union in relation to the concern that has been expressed by parliamentarians," she said.

She was castigated in Parliament by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who said the prime minister is wasting precious time by pushing a deal that has no support.

The prospect of the bill's possible defeat next week has renewed concern about a "no-deal" scenario. Fears about economic disruption Monday prompted roughly 200 legislators including some from the prime minister's Conservative Party to write to May asking her to rule out the no-deal scenario.

May has not spelled out how she will respond if the withdrawal bill is voted down next week.

Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng said Monday that the government is still focused on winning the vote.

"A week is a very long time in politics. We don't know what the numbers are," he told BBC. "We have got a week. I think the situation - as it always does - has developed, it evolves. I am very hopeful that the deal will be voted through next week."

Some 150 trucks are parked at Manston Airfield during a test for a 'no-deal' Brexit, to assess where some 6,000 trucks could be parked at the derelict airfield near Ramsgate in south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The former airfield at Manston could be used as part of the government plan to park some 6,000 trucks to alleviate expected congestion at the channel ports, about 25 miles (40 Km) from the airfiled, caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods in the event of Britain making a no-deal withdrawal from the European Union at the end of March. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)

A truck in foreground and others in background forming part of some 150 trucks leaving Manston Airfield during a 'no-deal' Brexit test, to assess where 6,000 trucks could be parked at the former airfield near Ramsgate in south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The derelict airfield at Manston could be used as part of a government plan to park trucks to alleviate expected congestion at the channel ports, about 25 miles (40 Km) from the airfield, caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods in the event of Britain making a no-deal withdrawal from the European Union at the end of March.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Truck drivers huddle together as some 150 trucks gather at Manston Airfield during a 'no-deal' Brexit test, to assess where 6,000 trucks could be parked at the former airfield near Ramsgate in south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The derelict airfield at Manston could be used as part of a government plan to park trucks to alleviate expected congestion at the channel ports, about 25 miles (40 Km) from the airfield, caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods in the event of Britain making a no-deal withdrawal from the European Union at the end of March. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Some 150 trucks leave Manston Airfield during a 'no-deal' Brexit test for where 6,000 trucks could be parked at the airfield near Ramsgate in south east England, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The former airfield at Manston could be used as part of a government plan to park some 6,000 trucks to alleviate expected congestion at the channel ports, about 25 miles (40 Km) from the airfield, caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods in the event of Britain making a no-deal withdrawal from the European Union at the end of March.(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
BEIJING (AP) - Facing a March deadline, talks aimed at ending a trade war between China and the U.S. are underway, with the world's two biggest economies expressing optimism over the potential for progress but neither indicating its stance has changed.

Cooling economic growth in both countries is increasing pressure to reach a settlement.

As the talks began Monday at the Chinese Commerce Ministry, Beijing complained about a U.S. warship in what it said were Chinese waters, but it was unclear if that would disrupt the proceedings. Both sides have provided scant information about their discussions.

The talks went 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. The American delegation is led by a deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish, and includes agriculture, energy, commerce, treasury and State Department officials.

President Donald 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. President Xi Jinping 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.

A Dec. 1 agreement postponed further tariff increases. Economists say the 90-day postponement of additional tariff increases that had been meant to take effect Jan. 1 may be too short to settle the disputes bedeviling U.S.-Chinese relations.

In this Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, photo, shoppers pass by the Apple store logo at a shopping mall in Beijing. A U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital ahead of trade talks with China. China 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. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

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.

Washington, Europe and other trading partners complain Beijing's tactics violate its market-opening obligations.

The standoff also reflects American anxiety about China's rise as a potential competitor in telecommunications and other technology. Trump wants Beijing to roll back initiatives intended to create homegrown Chinese leaders in robotics and artificial intelligence.

China's leaders see such strategies as a path to greater prosperity and global influence and have tried to defuse complaints by emphasizing the country's potential as a huge consumer market.

They've also promised to allow more foreign access to its auto, finance and other industries.

Beijing has tried in vain to recruit France, Germany, South Korea and other governments as allies against Trump, but they have echoed 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.

With talks expected to move into a second day Tuesday, it's not clear whether the flap over the warship might throw them off track.

Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Monday that Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels were dispatched to identify the U.S. vessel and warn it to leave the area near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

"We have made stern complaints with the U.S.," Lu said. "As for whether this move has any impact to the ongoing China-U.S. trade consultations... to properly resolve existing issues of all kinds between China and the U.S. is good for the two countries and the world." But he added, "The two sides both have responsibility to create necessary and good atmosphere to this end."

A Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. David Eastburn, said "The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows."

In this Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, photo, Chinese shoppers spend their time next to a bench painted with the U.S. flag at the capital city's popular shopping mall in Beijing. A U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital for a trade talks with China. China 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. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

In this Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, photo, a woman walks by a bench painted with the U.S. flag at the capital city's popular shopping mall in Beijing. A U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital for a trade talks with China. China 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. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Deputy U.S. trade representative Jeffrey D. Gerrish, center, and his delegation leave the Westin hotel in Beijing, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The U.S. delegation led by Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital for a trade talks with China. China 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. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

U.S. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, right, chats with a delegate as they leave the Westin Hotel in Beijing, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. The U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital for a trade talks with China. China 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. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

In this Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, photo, a woman and children play near an art installation at a shopping mall in Beijing. A U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital ahead of trade talks with China. China 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. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - The Golden Globe Awards looked like it had gone entirely back to frothy, bubbly business as usual, until Regina King did the impossible: She got the orchestra to stop playing her off. Not even Lady Gaga had that much power.

King used her platform on stage accepting the supporting actress award for "If Beale Street Could Talk," to shed a light on Time's Up x 2, the second year iteration of the legal defense fund founded in the wake of the sexual misconduct revelations that shook Hollywood.

"We understand that our microphones are big and we're speaking for everyone," she said before pledging that every project she produces for the next two years will have at least 50 percent of women working on it. "And I challenge anyone out there who is in in a position of power, not just in our industry, in all industries, I challenge you to ... stand with us in solidarity and do the same."

It would be one of the rare show-stopping moments of the night. After last year's Golden Globes were host to such a powerful display of female solidarity , in which top actresses walked the carpet in all-black alongside prominent activists in support of Time's Up and #MeToo, this year, statements were no longer collective. They were individual.

A few actresses, Gina Rodriguez and Rachel Brosnahan among them, wore Time's Up x 2 ribbons on the carpet; Patricia Clarkson said that her "Sharp Objects" director Jean-Marc Vallee "demanded everything of me except sex which is exactly how it should be in our industry"; Glenn Close implored women to "find personal fulfillment" and follow their dreams; Co-host Sandra Oh got emotional saying she said yes to hosting so that she could, "Look out on this audience and witness this moment of change"; And Emma Stone even shouted out an apology from the audience for playing a part-Asian character in "Aloha."

Sunday's Globes could be a sign that awards shows in general are going to return to business as usual: The occasional snide political remark (Christian Bale thanking Satan for inspiration playing Dick Cheney, or positing that Mitch McConnell might be a good "uncharismatic" role to play next, adding an expletive), or showbiz joke (Oh and Andy Samberg saying in unison that "one lucky audience member will host the Oscars!").

Gina Rodriguez poses on the red carpet with a ribbon that reads Time's Up as she arrives at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Harrison Ford presented the directing award and did not, as Natalie Portman did last year, note that all the nominees were men (again). Patricia Arquette, who three years ago called for equal pay while accepting her supporting actress Oscar, kept her speech to standard HFPA, fellow nominee and producer thanks (albeit with two F-bombs). And following two years of show-stealing Cecil B. DeMille award speeches from Meryl Streep and Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bridges brought the honor back to earth with a heartfelt, nostalgic and, interestingly wide-ranging vamp about everything from Peter Bogdanovich and the Coen brothers to geodesic domes. Even Carol Burnett, as the first-ever recipient of an award named after her, stayed in the past as well, speaking about how her show would never get made today.

As for the winners, while the choices of the 88-member Hollywood Foreign Press Association has no direct relation to the nearly 8,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, a win on a stage of the Golden Globes doesn't go unnoticed, and Oscar nomination voting began Monday. Some probably didn't need a bounce, like Olivia Colman's win for "The Favourite," or "Shallow" winning best original song. Some did, like Glenn Close who upset Lady Gaga with her best actress drama win for "The Wife" and gave one of the best speeches of the night. And two divisive-for-different-reasons films got high-profile boosts winning the top film awards and key acting awards: The Queen biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" (which won over "A Star Is Born") and the inspired-by-a-true-story Jim Crow-era South road trip movie "Green Book."

"Bohemian Rhapsody" was not well-received by critics, who pointed out its factual inaccuracies and music biopic trappings, but resonated with audiences (it's made over $743 million worldwide to date), and its awards profile is growing. "Green Book," meanwhile, went from winning the audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival to being scrutinized for its racial politics.

"Green Book" director Peter Farrelly also got the orchestra to back off, but, in his case it was so that he could talk about his film.

"This story gave me hope and I wanted to share that hope with you," Farrelly said on stage. "If Don Shirley and Tony Vallelonga can find a common ground so can we."

Both pleased enough crowds and HFPA voters, despite the backlash, to win out over "A Star Is Born," a film that everyone, wrongly, presumed would dominate Sunday night.

But everyone loves an underdog, and now, it's "A Star Is Born's" turn to find its way back to the top.

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Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr

This image released by NBC shows Regina King accepting the award for best supporting actress in a motion picture for her role in "If Beale Street Could Talk" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows Patricia Clarkson accepting the award for best supporting actress in a series, limited series of TV movie for her role in "Sharp Objects" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

Rachel Brosnahan wears a Time's Up ribbon as she poses in the press room with the award for best performance by an actress in a television series, musical or comedy for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

This image released by NBC shows Rachel Brosnahan accepting the award for best actress in a musical or comedy series for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows Sandra Oh accepting the award for best actress in a drama series for her role in "Killing Eve" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows Glenn Close accepting the award for best actress in a drama film for her role in "The Wife" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)
BANGKOK (AP) - The Latest on a Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family (all times local):

9:20 p.m.

An 18-year-old Saudi woman who was stopped in Bangkok as she was trying to travel to Australia for asylum to escape alleged abuse by her family has left her airport hotel room for temporary admission into Thailand.

The head of Thailand's immigration police said Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun was allowed to temporarily enter Thailand on Monday under the protection of the U.N. refugee agency, which was expected to take at least five to seven days to evaluate her case and claims for asylum status.

Immigration police released photos of Alqunun after she left the hotel room where she had been holed up. Where she would stay in the Thai capital was not announced.

Alqunun had stayed in the room while sending out desperate pleas for help over social media. She began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived in Bangkok on a flight from Kuwait.

In this Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, image made from video released by Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch, Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun views her mobile phone as she sits barricaded in a hotel room at an international airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Alqunun says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia. (Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch via AP)

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8:10 p.m.

Thailand's immigration police chief says the young Saudi woman seeking passage to asylum in Australia will be temporarily admitted to Thailand for evaluation by the U.N. refugee agency.

Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn told reporters Monday that 18-year-old Ramaf Mohammed Alqunun would be granted entry under the protection of the office of the U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees. He said the U.N. agency would take at least five to seven days to evaluate her case.

Surachate's announcement came after Thai authorities allowed a U.N. team to meet with Alqunun.

Police officials and staff at the Bangkok airport hotel where the woman was staying said she had already left her room there, though her exact destination was not made public.

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7 p.m.

The United Nations' refugee agency says it has been in contact with the young Saudi woman who is trapped in Bangkok en route to seeking asylum in Australia after claiming to have fled her family fearing for her life.

A statement issued Monday by the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for refugees said it sought to assess 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun's "need for international refugee protection and find an immediate solution for her situation."

It said that "for reasons of confidentiality and protection" it would not release details of their meeting.

Alqunun is barricaded in an airport hotel room in the Thai capital and had been pleading to talk to U.N. officials.

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6:30 p.m.

Thailand's immigration police chief says the father of the young Saudi woman who is trapped in Bangkok after being stopped en route to seeking asylum in Australia is supposed to arrive in Thailand on Monday night.

Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn says that after the father of Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun arrives, officials will see what happens and whether or not she will want to go back with him.

Abuse by her family was one of the reasons Alqunun cited for fleeing. Under Saudi law, a male relative is supposed to serve as a woman's guardian for many everyday social activities.

Alqunun is barricaded in a Bangkok airport hotel room and has been pleading to talk to U.N. officials.

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4:35 p.m.

Thailand's Immigration Police chief says the young Saudi woman who was stopped in Bangkok as she was trying to travel to Australia for asylum to escape alleged abuse by her family will not be sent anywhere against her wishes.

Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn said at a news conference at Bangkok's main international airport on Monday that Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun will be allowed to meet U.N. refugee officials. He said he will discuss allowing them to see her later Monday.

Alqunun is barricaded in an airport hotel room and has been pleading to talk to the U.N. officials.

Surachate also said if Thai authorities decide not to send her back to Saudi Arabia then they would need to explain why to Saudi authorities in order not to affect the countries' relations.

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3:55 p.m.

A law firm trying to prevent the deportation from Thailand of a Saudi woman seeking to go to Australia to get asylum to escape from an allegedly abusive family says a Thai court has turned down its request for an injunction.

The NPS law firm said on Facebook on Monday that the Bangkok Criminal Court turned down its request in the case of 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun because there was not enough evidence and it was not clear who she is.

Alqunun arrived in Bangkok on Saturday night intending to transit to Australia. She says her passport was seized and she was put in an airport hotel room and told she would have to fly Monday morning to Kuwait, from where she flew. But she remained barricaded in her room.

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1:05 p.m.

A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia has barricaded herself in an airport hotel room at an international airport in the Thai capital and is sending out desperate pleas for help over social media.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived on a flight from Kuwait. The 18-year-old has been appealing for aid from the United Nations refugee agency and anyone else who can help.

On Twitter, she wrote of being in "real danger" if forced to return to her family under pressure from Saudi authorities. She tweeted Monday that a friend would carry on posting to her account if she was taken away or denied access to it.
LYON, France (AP) - 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.

"Accusing an innocent man doesn't advance a cause," lawyer Jean-Felix Luciani said.

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)

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.

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Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, right, arrives at the Lyon courthouse to attend his trial, in Lyon, central France, Monday Jan. 7, 2019. The Roman Catholic Church faces another public reckoning when a French cardinal, Philippe Barbarin, goes on trial Monday for his alleged failure to report a pedophile priest who confessed to preying on Boy Scouts and whose victims want to hold one of France's highest church figures accountable. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, 68, arrives at the Lyon courthouse to attend his trial, in Lyon, central France, Monday Jan. 7, 2019. The Roman Catholic Church faces another public reckoning when a French cardinal, Philippe Barbarin, goes on trial Monday for his alleged failure to report a pedophile priest who confessed to preying on Boy Scouts and whose victims want to hold one of France's highest church figures accountable. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)

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 France's highest church figures accountable. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File)
BANGKOK (AP) - An 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family over alleged abuse and barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room in a desperate bid for asylum will be allowed to stay in Thailand while her case is evaluated by the U.N. refugee agency, immigration authorities said Monday.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun grabbed global attention when she sent out pleas for help via social media, saying she feared for her life if she were put on a plane back to Kuwait, where she had slipped away from her family, or her homeland.

Instead, she has been allowed to enter Thailand temporarily under the protection of the U.N. refugee agency, which was expected to take about five to seven days to study her case and her claim for asylum. She said she wants to go to Australia to seek refuge there.

"We will not send anyone to die. We will not do that. We will adhere to human rights under the rule of law," said Thai Immigration Police chief Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn.

Alqunun's plight mirrors that of other Saudi women who in recent years have turned to social media to amplify their calls for help while trying to flee abusive families and other obstacles they face in the conservative kingdom.

Photos released Monday night by immigration police showed Alqunun with Thai and U.N. officials after she left the airport transit hotel room where she had been holed up over the weekend, sending her pleas for help on her Twitter account. She later tweeted that she feels safe under U.N. protection and has gotten back her passport, which had been taken from her earlier.

In this photo released by the Immigration Bureau, Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, foreground walks by Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, right, before leaving the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia has sent out desperate pleas for help over social media. Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived on a flight from Kuwait. (Immigration police via AP)

Alqunun's ordeal began when she fled from her family while in Kuwait and boarded a flight to Thailand, apparently taking advantage of being away from Saudi Arabia's restrictions on women who cannot travel abroad without a man's consent.

Upon arriving at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport on Saturday night, she said she was met by a man whom she identified at various times as either a Kuwait Airways employee or a Saudi diplomat, who took her passport and said he would help her gain entry to Thailand. Saudi Arabia denies its officials were involved in any way.

When the man returned about an hour later with four or five other people, they said they knew she had run away, that her family wanted her back, and she should go home to Saudi Arabia. She was sent to a hotel room, and told she would be put on a Monday morning flight to Kuwait.

She then went online, sending out pleas for assistance over Twitter, and also barricaded her hotel room door. Global attention was sparked by social media and she did not get on the scheduled morning flight to Kuwait.

Alqunun wrote of being in "real danger" if forced to return to her family in Saudi Arabia, and said in media interviews that she might be killed. She told the BBC that she had renounced Islam and was fearful of her father's retaliation.

Her Twitter account attracted more than 66,000 followers in less than 48 hours and her story grabbed the attention of foreign governments and the U.N. refugee agency. As the pressure grew, with concern expressed by Australian lawmakers, Germany's ambassador to Thailand and human rights agencies, Thai officials agreed to allow U.N refugee officials to meet with her.

The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said it expected to take at least 5-7 days to evaluate her case and claims, according to Surachate, the Thai immigration police chief.

Giuseppe De Vincentiis, the UNHCR representative in Thailand, told journalists he did not know where Alqunun would be staying but that she would be safe because she was under his agency's protection. UNHCR declined to release any details of its meeting with her, but De Vincentiis noted "a good spirit of collaboration so far" with Thai officials.

Surachate said Alqunun's father was due to arrive Monday night, and officials would see if she was willing to meet with him.

"As of now, she does not wish to go back and we will not force her. She won't be sent anywhere tonight," Surachate said at a news conference.

"She fled hardship. Thailand is a land of smiles," he said.

He noted her tweets mentioned "she does not want Islam," adding that "this type of thing, in her country, is a hard crime."

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, told The Associated Press that Thailand should let Alqunun continue her journey to Australia.

"She has a valid Australian visa," he said. "The key thing is she should not be sent back to Saudi Arabia, she should not be sent back into harm's way."

Surachate challenged parts of Alqunun's story, including that she had an Australian visa.

"The fact is she didn't have any money. She intended to come here and didn't have any visa to go to Australia. So we have to state the facts here. But we will provide assistance nonetheless," he said.

He later said Kuwait Airways had been at fault for allowing her to board her flight to Thailand without having proper travel documents. The airline did not immediately comment.

Earlier, Surachate had said that the Saudi Embassy had said she had run away from her parents and said she could be in danger. The embassy did not mention that she had rejected Islam.

Her case highlighted Saudi Arabia's male guardianship laws, which require women who want to travel, obtain a passport or marry to have the consent of a male relative - usually a father or husband - no matter what their age.

It also underscored the limits of the reforms being pushed by Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman as he struggles to repair damage to his reputation after the grisly killing three months ago of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul.

For runaway Saudi women, fleeing can be a matter of life and death, and they are almost always trying to escape male relatives.

In 2017, Dina Ali Lasloom triggered a firestorm online when she was stopped en route to Australia, where she planned to seek asylum. She was forced to return to Saudi Arabia and was not publicly heard from again, according to activists tracking her whereabouts.

Despite efforts by the Saudi government to curtail the scope of male guardianship laws, women who try to flee their families in Saudi Arabia have few good options inside the kingdom. They often are pressured to reconcile with their families, sent to shelters where their movement is restricted or face arrest for disobeying their legal guardian.

While the Saudi Embassy in Thailand denies Saudi authorities were involved in trying to stop Alqunun from going to Australia, the kingdom has in the past forced its citizens to return home.

Saudi Arabia's charge d'affaires in Bangkok, Abdullah al-Shuaibi, was quoted in Saudi media as saying that Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities because she did not appear to have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist. He said the Saudi Embassy has no authority to stop anyone at the airport and that such a decision would rest with Thai officials.

"She was stopped by airport authorities because she violated Thai laws," he was quoted as saying in Sabq, a state-aligned Saudi news website. "The embassy is only monitoring the situation."

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Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Tassanee Vejpongsa and Grant Peck in Bangkok and Sam McNeil in Sydney contributed.

In this photo released by the Immigration Police, Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, second left, shakes hand with Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn before leaving the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia has sent out desperate pleas for help over social media. Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived on a flight from Kuwait. (Immigration police via AP)

In this photo released by the Immigration Police, Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, right, walks with Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun before leaving the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia has sent out desperate pleas for help over social media. Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived on a flight from Kuwait. (Immigration police via AP)

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun leaves the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia has sent out desperate pleas for help over social media. Alqunun, 18, began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived on a flight from Kuwait. She has been appealing for aid from the United Nations refugee agency and anyone else who can help, and by Monday morning had tens of thousands of followers on Twitter. (AP Photo)

In this photo released by the Immigration Police, Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, right talks to Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun,second left, before leaving the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia has sent out desperate pleas for help over social media. Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived on a flight from Kuwait. (Immigration police via AP)

In this Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, photo released by Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch, Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun views her mobile phone as she sits barricaded in a hotel room at an international airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Alqunun says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia. (Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch via AP)

In this Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, image made from video released by Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch, Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun views her mobile phone as she sits barricaded in a hotel room at an international airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Alqunun says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia. (Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch via AP)

A passport copy of Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun sits on the desk as Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn talks to media about her status during a press conference at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Thailand's Immigration Police chief says Alqunun, the young Saudi woman stopped in Bangkok as she was trying to escape alleged abuse by her family by traveling to Australia for asylum, will not be sent anywhere against her wishes. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

UNHCR representative Giuseppe de Vincentiis, left, and Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn, right, arrive at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Thailand's Immigration Police chief says Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, the young Saudi woman stopped in Bangkok as she was trying to escape alleged abuse by her family by traveling to Australia for asylum, will not be sent anywhere against her wishes. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

UNHCR representative Giuseppe de Vincentiis arrives at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Thailand's Immigration Police chief says the young Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun who was stopped in Bangkok as she was trying to travel to Australia for asylum to escape alleged abuse by her family, will not be sent anywhere against her wishes. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn talks to media about the status Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun during a press conference at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Thailand's Immigration Police chief says Alqunun, the young Saudi woman stopped in Bangkok as she was trying to escape alleged abuse by her family by traveling to Australia for asylum, will not be sent anywhere against her wishes. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:

CONSUMER CREDIT

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday will release its consumer credit data for the month of November.

Consumer borrowing is closely tracked for signs of consumers' willingness to take on more debt to finance their purchases. The Fed's consumer borrowing report does not cover home mortgages or other types of debt secured by real estate such as home equity loans.

Borrowing has been on an upward trend for some time. Here's a look at its gains each month based on seasonally adjusted data:

October: 7.7 percent

In this Jan. 3, 2019, file photo a realtor sign marks a home for sale in Franklin Park, Pa. Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, on Thursday, Jan. 10, releases weekly mortgage rates. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

September: 3.5 percent

August: 7.1 percent

July: 5.4 percent

June: 1.7 percent

May: 6.8 percent

Source: Federal Reserve reports

SEEING STARS

Beer, wine and spirits maker Constellation Brands reports its earnings on Wednesday. The Victor, New York-based company is one of the world's largest beverage companies. Its brands include Corona beer, Robert Mondavi wines and Svedka vodka. The company also recently made a foray into marijuana with a $4 billion investment in Canopy Growth Corp., a cannabis company based in Canada.

Additionally, it announced in October that its chief executive officer Rob Sands will step down later this year and hand over the reins to its current president Bill Newlands.

Constellation has been experiencing significant gains of late. Here's a look at its sales for the past six quarters:

2Q: $2.3B

1Q: $2B

4Q: $1.8

3Q: $1.8

2Q: $2.1

1Q: $1.9

Source: FactSet

MORTGAGE RATES

Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, on Thursday releases weekly mortgage rates.

Mortgage rates began to spike after President Donald Trump signed broad tax cuts, financed by government deficits, into law in December 2017. But rates have eased in recent weeks amid steep declines in the stock market and a drop in the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which influences long-term mortgage rates.

The decline in mortgage rates could help boost home sales, which have stumbled last year as higher borrowing costs have eroded affordability.

Here's a look at the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage for the past six weeks:

Jan. 3: 4.51

Dec. 27: 4.55

Dec. 21: 3.99

Dec. 14: 3.94

Dec. 7: 3.93

Nov. 30: 3.94

Source: Freddie Mac
HOUSTON (AP) - Activists praised Houston area law enforcement for pursuing a tip that led to the arrest of an African-American man in the fatal drive-by shooting of a 7-year-old black girl, a turn in the case suggesting the attack was not a hate crime as asserted by the girl's family and some in the community.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez announced Sunday that prosecutors had arrested and charged 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. with capital murder in the death of Jazmine Barnes on Dec. 30. Black told investigators he was the driver of the SUV from which a passenger fired into the vehicle and killed Jazmine.

Black was scheduled to appear in court Monday. Gonzalez said investigators have identified a second suspect, who also is black, but the sheriff declined to say if the person is in custody.

The tip that sent the case in a new direction came from social activist and writer Shaun King. Before that tip, police had issued a sketch of a white man based on a description of the shooter provided by Jazmine's family, and had circulated surveillance video of a red pickup truck he was apparently driving.

The sheriff said there was, in fact, a red pickup truck driven by a white man seen 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 red truck was probably the last thing seen by Jazmine's family.

King acknowledged on social media his role in providing the tip. The New York-based civil rights activist and former senior justice writer at the New York Daily News highlights racial issues on social media and in his writing. King's website says he currently uses his platform as a columnist for The Intercept and writer for the Harvard Law School's Fair Punishment Project "to unearth the truth beyond local media."

FILE - In this undated file photo, Shaun King poses where he was the lead pastor of Courageous Church in Midtown Atlanta. Acting on a tip received by civil rights activist King, the Harris County Sheriff's Office has made an arrest in the case of a 7-year-old girl who was killed in a drive-by shooting. (Vino Wong/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)

A $100,000 reward, raised in part by King, was offered for information in the Jazmine Barnes case.

Deric Muhammad, an organizer of a rally on Saturday in Houston to demand "Justice for Jazmine," commended Gonzalez for working with the community to collect evidence leading to the arrest.

"We are still heartbroken at the thought of a 7-year-old innocent child losing her life in such a violent way," Muhammad said in a statement. "We are no less heartbroken that those person(s) currently charged with this homicide are Black; not White."

Gonzalez cautioned that authorities were still investigating, but said: "At this point, it does not appear it was related to race."

Chris Sevilla, Jazmine's father, said in a brief telephone interview that he was feeling "a bit of relief right now" after the arrest.

The shooting took place while Jazmine, her mother and three sisters were on their way to the grocery store.

Gonzalez said the shooting appears to have been a case of mistaken identity. The killers thought the vehicle was someone else's they had seen earlier that night. Prosecutors did not say why the killers opened fire.

Court records did not list an attorney for Black, who was arrested Saturday afternoon during a traffic stop. Prosecutors said the 9 mm handgun they believe was used in the shooting had been recovered from Black's home.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a black Democrat who represents parts of Houston, said the community came together to help solve the case.

"It's wonderful to have a sheriff who's willing to engage in a dialogue about violence, about hate, about guns and we have that along with the (police chief), the mayor of our city," Lee said.

James Dixon, a prominent pastor in Houston, also thanked Gonzalez for working around the clock in the investigation.

"We are blessed in this city to have the kind of collegial relationships between pastors and law enforcement and elected officials where we all really work together, we cry together, we pray together, we serve together and sacrifice together. In moments like these, we come together in order to mend and heal broken hearts," Dixon said.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter at www.twitter.com/juanlozano70

This undated image provided the Harris County Sheriff's Office shows Eric Black Jr. Prosecutors said Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, that the shooting death of a 7-year-old black girl as she rode in her family's vehicle stemmed from a case of mistaken identity. Prosecutors charged Black in the Dec. 30 death of Jazmine Barnes. (Harris County Sheriff's Office 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)

FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 file photo, Christopher Cevilla, father of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes, speaks during a news conference, in Houston. Authorities in Texas say on Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, "persons of interest" are being interviewed in the investigation into the shooting death of the young black girl. Jazmine's family has said they believe the shooting was racially motivated. (Nicole Hensley/Houston Chronicle via AP, File)
Chrissy Metz has denied a report that she insulted "GLOW" actress Alison Brie during an interview on the Golden Globes red carpet and the two appeared in a social media post later downplaying any acrimony.

The "This Is Us" star wrote on Twitter on Sunday night during the Globes broadcast that a report claiming that Metz used a curse word to describe Brie was "completely fabricated." She wrote that she adores Brie and would never say a bad word about her.

Brie later posted on her Instagram account a picture of the two actresses together and said, "Nothing but love for @ChrissyMetz. Rumors can't keep us down!"

The clip is of her speaking over footage of Brie and the words are not easily distinguishable. Us Weekly later deleted a tweet questioning whether Metz cursed.

Other news outlets also reported that Metz used a curse word to describe Brie.

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This combination photo shows Chrissy Metz at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on Jan. 6, 2019, left, and Alison Brie at Porter's 3rd Annual Incredible Women Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 9, 2018. Metz denied a report that she insulted Brie during an interview on the Golden Globes red carpet. The "This Is Us" star wrote on Twitter Sunday night during the Globes broadcast that a story claiming that Metz used a curse word to describe Brie was "completely fabricated." She wrote that she adores Brie and would never say a bad word about her. The clip is of her speaking over footage of Brie and the words are not easily distinguishable. US Weekly later deleted a tweet questioning whether Metz cursed. (AP Photo)

For complete coverage of the Golden Globes visit: www.apnews.com/GoldenGlobeAwards
Spain: migrant expulsions from centers up 39% in 2018 On average 30 foreigners deported a day in 2013-2017

(ANSAmed) - MADRID, JANUARY 8 - The number of expulsions and forced repatriations of undocumented migrants has risen in 2018 compared to the previous five years. From January to October 2018 - the last month on which the Spanish foreign ministry provided data - a total of 3,596 migrants were expelled from hosting centers for foreigners, up 38.9% compared to the same period in 2017, according to data provided by the police general directorate, quoted by Servimedia.



Over the entire course of 2017, 3,483 migrants were deported from the centers, compared to 2,871 in 2016, 2,205 in 2015 and 3,286 in 2014.



The objective of the centers, which are not detention facilities, is to repatriate undocumented migrants back to their home countries in less than two months. They are otherwise free to go, although in an irregular situation, without documents.



Between 2013 and 2017, Spain sent back home a reported 54,963 migrants - on average 30 people a day, according to data provided by the interior ministry.



The numbers were provided in response to a parliamentary query by Unidos Podemos Senator Maribel Moras, quoted by newspaper El Pais, indicating the progressive decrease in the number of expulsions: 13,985 in 2013; 11,817 in 2014; 10,594 in 2015; 9,241 in 2016. A slight increase was recorded in 2017, when 9,326 people were expelled.



Some 37% of forced repatriations concerned Moroccan and Algerian nationals, who came from countries with which Spain has signed bilateral readmission agreements. Those from Gambia and the Ivory Coast, who for example represented 24% of the 8,237 foreigners registered in hosting facilities, could not be easily repatriated. Only six were deported that year, according to data provided by the interior ministry. (ANSAmed)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) claimed that Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison himself said that the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) was organized by its political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

"Therefore, it gets its ideology and it gets its directives coming from the broad network which forms part of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines," DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya told CNN Philippines' The Source on Tuesday.

Malaya  and earlier the Philippine National Police  were citing a video uploaded on YouTube where a much younger Sison talked about the structure of the CPP, its armed wing the NDFP and "legal democratic forces in the Philippines," which include ACT, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Gabriela

Highlights

DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), which cried foul over the alleged profiling of its members, is a legal front of communist rebels, citing exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison.

Malaya, and earlier PNP chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde, both cited a years-old video uploaded on YouTube where Sison appears to describe ACT, along with other militant organizations, as part of the rebellion.

Sison denied this in a Facebook post, saying the video was from a 'distorted' spy report.

Malaya said police are only monitoring members of ACT and 'any and all organizations' as a precautionary measure, especially since peace talks with communist rebels have broken down and Sison proclaimed that the top goal for 2019 is the ouster of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Meanwhile, the militant Makabayan bloc in Congress, of which ACT Teachers party-list is part of, is calling for a House probe on the alleged order for the police to monitor ACT members.

"It is true that a minority class especially the only party which represents it cannot win the Philippine revolution all by itself," Sison said, before the video cut to his enumeration of the legal organizations working alongside armed communist rebels.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Sison denied that he identified any legal organization as a front of the CPP.

"[PNP chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde] is capitalizing on a distorted spy report on a 30-year old video of a speech of mine in Brussels in which I actually differentiated the legal democratic forces and the forces of the armed revolution," he said.

But Malaya insisted that ACT, whose members have reportedly been the subjects of police monitoring, is "inseparable" from the bigger network of communist organizations, even if it is legal.

"We have worked with them in the past. We have worked to increase the salaries of public school teachers  I have worked with ACT party-list representatives in the past. So we have been working with them, but nonetheless, we do not have to shut our eyes to what is the ideological background of this organization," Malaya said.

He added that the government should be cautious, especially now that peace talks with communist rebels have broken down and Sison, who is in self-exile, has said that ousting Duterte is the top priority for 2019.

READ: Duterte, Sison not closing doors to peace talks

Malaya said this is the reason why police are monitoring or profiling members of ACT, so they can find out what is happening on the ground and be prepared for any "action on this directive coming from the higher ups."

He added that the covert monitoring of "any and all organizations" should continue, despite objections of the militant teacher's group.

"I don't see anything problematic with what's being done. There's no crackdown. They're not being removed  from their posts as teachers," Malaya said.

Like drug watchlist

In a chance interview with reporters at the PNP heaquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Albayalde again defended the supposed inventory of ACT members, likening it to the drugs watchlist.

"Lahat ba ng nasa drugs watchlist nakita mo na trinabaho? There are validations conducted. How do you conduct the validation? Through intelligence gathering. Oh, eto may listahan ka. This is part of adjudication and validation kung ikaw talaga ay involved sa illegal act or not," he said.

He said there is nothing illegal with intelligence gathering and that it was just a case of identifying who among the teachers' organizations truly supported the communist armed rebellion who may be teaching children about communist ideology.

"Ito ang gusto natin malaman  sino ang mga nagtuturo ng mga ganito sa ating mga kabataan, hindi ba?" Albayalde said.

[Translation: This is what we want to find out  who is teaching our children about these things, right?]

This is not the first time that ACT has been "red-tagged" or accused of being part of the communist rebellion, which has been waging a guerilla warfare against the government since its foundation in 1968 with the goal of replacing it with a "national democratic" state.

No less than former Armed Forces chief Carlito Galvez accused ACT Rep. France Castro and NDF co-founder and former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo as "active members" of the CPP and NPA, after they were charged for illegally holding minors and transporting 14 children from Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Castro and Ocampo have denied this accusation and said they are eyeing charges against Galvez before the Office of the Ombudsman for supposedly endangering their lives.

Makabayan wants probe

The militant Makabayan bloc in Congress, of which ACT Teachers party-list is part, wants a House probe on the PNP's profiling of individuals, organizations and political candidates who are being linked to the communist rebellion pursuant to an alleged police memorandum.

The office of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate sent to reporters a copy of a supposed memorandum from the Manila Police District, which calls for a periodic situation report on threat groups like the legal and armed wings of "communist terror groups (CTG)" and the identification of CTG-backed candidates in the midterm polls.

The group of lawmakers said in House Resolution No. 2233 that the PNP's supposed memo "instills the wrong and dangerous militarist mindset of treating those advocating change, those who join rallies and basically exercising their constitutional rights and freedom of expression and assembly, as enemies of the state."

They claimed that police officers visited some public hospitals on Sept. 8 and Oct. 3 to "question and harass" health workers' union officers, "creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in the workplace."

"The said PNP memo seems to have crossed the line in profiling and engaging in partisan politics by targeting individuals, organizations and candidates on the basis of mere allegations," the Makabayan bloc said.

ACT said it is eyeing to file charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against the police for supposedly violating teacher privacy and for allegedly committing election-related violations.

"Sa atin, bahagi ng isang demokrasya na may mga organisasyon na tulad ng ACT na nagsasalita at lumalaban. Sila, in fact, ang threat sa democratic rights ng mga mamayang Pilipino sa ginagawa nilang pagmamanman, paniniktik at pag-harass ng mga members ng ACT," ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio told CNN Philippines' Balitaan.

[Translation: For us, it's part of democracy that there are organizations like ACT which is speaking up and fighting. They are, in fact, the threat to democratic rights to our fellow Filipinos who because of their surveillance, spying and harassment of ACT members.]

The CPP has also slammed the alleged profiling of ACT members, calling it an affront to their democratic rights.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Sunday that the profiling of ACT members "violates rights to privacy and association."

"Clandestine operations may lead to a number of abuses as it is easier to deny accountability for any action," the CHR said.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has since recalled at least one letter from an unspecified Schools Division Office which forwarded a purported memorandum from a PNP unit asking for a list of ACT members.

It also told CNN Philippines' New Day that the personal information of teachers have not been turned over to government entities.

Even so, the Palace has denied that the PNP is profiling ACT members.

Malaya said the DILG and the DepEd are meeting at 11 a.m. today on the alleged order to profile ACT members.

Meanwhile, Albayalde has since sacked police intelligence officers who supposedly leaked the memorandum.
BEIJING (AP) - A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves:

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EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a weekly look at the latest developments in the South China Sea, the location of several territorial conflicts that have raised tensions in the region.

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CHINA PROTESTS LATEST US NAVY ISLAND SAIL-PAST

China says it has registered "stern complaints" with the U.S. over the latest mission by a U.S. Navy ship intended to challenge China's claims of sovereignty over virtually the entire South China Sea.

FILE - In this April 12, 2018, file photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks after reviewing the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy fleet in the South China Sea. Xi is calling on the PLA to better prepare for combat, amid tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Xi told a meeting of top military leaders Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019, that the 3-million-strong PLA needs to prepare for a "comprehensive military struggle from a new starting point," according to state media reports. (Li Gang/Xinhua via AP, File)

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters on Monday that China dispatched planes and ships to demand that the USS McCampbell leave waters around the Paracel Islands.

Lu said the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer was in the area Monday without China's permission and "we have made stern complaints with the U.S."

"Relevant actions by U.S. vessels violate Chinese and international laws, infringe on China's sovereignty, and undermine peace, stability and good order in relevant waters," Lu said.

"We will continue to take necessary measures to safeguard national sovereignty and security," he said.

Despite China's objections, the U.S. has kept up a steady pace of such actions, known as a freedom of navigation operations, or FONOPS.

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CHINA'S XI TELLS ARMY TO PREPARE FOR COMBAT

Chinese President Xi Jinping is calling on the People's Liberation Army to better prepare for combat, amid tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Xi told a meeting of top military leaders Saturday that the 3 million-strong PLA needs to prepare for a "comprehensive military struggle from a new starting point," according to state media reports.

"Preparation for war and combat must be deepened to ensure an efficient response at a time of emergency," Xi was quoted as saying in the reports.

Over the six years since taking over as leader of the ruling Communist Party and its commission overseeing the military, Xi has put ever-growing emphasis on asserting China's South China Sea claims.

That includes fortifying its island outposts - particularly the seven new islands it has created by dumping sand and concrete on atolls - and increasing the PLA navy's presence to exclude other ships and planes from areas around those islands.

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SHANAHAN TO PENTAGON: "CHINA, CHINA, CHINA"

The new acting U.S. defense secretary says he endorses his predecessor's renewed emphasis on addressing the rising threats from China and Russia.

At a morning meeting Thursday at the Pentagon with the military service secretaries and other top civilian officials, Pat Shanahan said he was focused on the defense strategy developed during the tenure of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

In that context, Shanahan said the Pentagon leaders should remember, "China, China, China," according to one official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss internal defense meetings and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The National Defense Strategy emphasizes the importance of great power competition with Russia and China, after America's many years of fighting insurgent wars in the Middle East.

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BRITAIN TO OPEN NEW OVERSEAS BASES

Britain's defense minister says the country plans to add two new overseas military bases in coming years, including one in Southeast Asia.

Gavin Williamson told Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper in an interview published Dec. 30 that the other base would be in the Caribbean, part of what the paper called a push to "step up (Britain's) military presence overseas after Brexit."

"We have got to be so much more optimistic about our future as we exit the European Union," Williamson told the paper, which is generally supportive of the ruling Conservative Party.

Williamson no specific countries, but Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore are all former colonies with which London maintains warm relations. All but Singapore are parties to the dispute over China's South China Sea claims.

Britain has sent naval vessels through the South China Sea to challenge Beijing's territorial claims and drilled in the area with Singapore, Malaysia and other countries. China has also objected strongly to British criticism of its policies in the former British colony of Hong Kong.

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2018, file photo, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, center, is greeted by Deputy Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan, left, and then Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis before speaking at an event on the creation of a United States Space Force at the Pentagon. Shanahan says he endorses his predecessor's renewed emphasis on addressing the rising threats from China and Russia. At a morning meeting Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, at the Pentagon with the military service secretaries and other top civilian officials, Shanahan said he was focused on the defense strategy developed during the tenure of Mattis. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Portrayals of real-life musicians dominated at the 2019 Golden Globes as "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Green Book" won top honors, while the films' stars also picked up awards for their acclaimed performances.

"Bohemian Rhapsody," about the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, bested another movie surrounded by music, the favorite "A Star is Born," to win best picture, drama and best actor in a drama for Rami Malek.

"Green Book," which follows a tour between pianist Don Shirley and Tony Vallelonga, won best picture (musical or comedy) and best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali.

Though music is at the center of both "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "A Star Is Born," the films competed in the drama categories instead of musical/comedy, submitted that way by its studios.

"A Star Is Born" walked into Sunday's Globes as a favorite with five nominations, but only ended up winning one award: best original song for "Shallow," co-written by Lady Gaga.

She and Cooper lost in their respective acting categories. Cooper also lost in the directing and producing categories.

Lady Gaga poses in the press room with the award for best original song, motion picture for "Shallow" from the film "A Star Is Born" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Gaga shared the win with Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt.

"As a woman in music it is really hard to be taken seriously as a musician and as a songwriter," Gaga said onstage, adding that her co-writers "lifted me up, they supported me."

The award was presented by Taylor Swift and Idris Elba at the Beverly Hilton.

It was Gaga's second Globe win: In 2016, she won best actress in a miniseries or motion picture made for television for her role in FX's "American Horror Story: Hotel."

"Shallow," performed by Gaga and Bradley Cooper, has earned four Grammy nominations, including song and record of the year. The track also reached platinum status and became a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The song, shortlisted for best original song at the 2019 Academy Awards, beat out some heavy-hitters at the Globes, including Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "All the Stars" from "Black Panther"; Dolly Parton and Linda Perry's "Girl in the Movies" from "Dumplin'''; Annie Lennox's "Requiem for a Private War" from "A Private War;" and Troye Sivan and Jonsi's "Revelation" from "Boy Erased."

Justin Hurwitz picked up his third Golden Globe when he won best original score for "First Man" on Sunday. Hurwitz, an Oscar- and Grammy-winner, beat out Alexandre Desplat ("Isle of Dogs"), Marc Shaiman ("Mary Poppins Returns"), Ludwig Goransson ("Black Panther") and Marco Beltrami ("A Quiet Place").

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For complete coverage of the Golden Globes visit: www.apnews.com/GoldenGlobeAwards

Brian May, left, and Roger Taylor, right, of Queen, and Rami Malek pose in the press room with the award for best motion picture, drama for "Bohemian Rhapsody" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Anthony Rossomando, from left, Andrew Wyatt, and Mark Ronson, right, kiss Lady Gaga, second right, as they pose in the press room with the award for best original song, motion picture for "Shallow" from the film "A Star Is Born" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

This image released by NBC shows Mahershala Ali accepting the award for best supporting actor in a motion picture for his role in "Green Book" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

Anthony Rossomando, from left, Andrew Wyatt, Lady Gaga and Mark Ronson pose in the press room with the award for best original song, motion picture for "Shallow" from the film "A Star Is Born" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Lady Gaga, left, and Mark Ronson pose in the press room with the award for best original song, motion picture for "Shallow" from the film "A Star Is Born" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

This image released by NBC shows Peter Farrelly accepting the award for best comedy film for "Green Book" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

Viggo Mortensen, from left, Peter Farrelly, Linda Cardellini and Mahershala Ali, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a supporting role in any motion picture for "Green Book", pose in the press room with the award for best motion picture, musical or comedy for "Green Book" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
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.

Ghosn was arrested Nov. 19 and has been charged with falsifying financial reports in underreporting his income.

He has said repeatedly he is innocent, including on the latest allegation that he had Nissan temporarily shoulder investment losses. The income was never decided on, and Nissan did not suffer the losses, according to sources close to Ghosn and his family.

Ghosn is scheduled to face a Tokyo courtroom Tuesday, his first public appearance since his arrest, as his lawyers demand to know why his detention is continuing. His detention has been repeatedly extended and now goes through Jan. 11.

FILE - In this Sept. 12, 2018, file photo, Jose Munoz, the head of Nissan's China operations speaks during an interview in Shanghai, China. Nissan says 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," referring to the arrest of former Chairman Carlos Ghosn. (AP Photo, File)

In Japan, suspects are often held for months before trial. Prosecutors consider Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, a flight risk.

Greg Kelly, another Nissan executive charged with collaborating on Ghosn's underreported income, was freed on bail last month. Kelly, an American, is also asserting his innocence. He has said through his lawyers he will get hospital treatment for a neck ailment.

No trial dates have been set for Ghosn or Kelly.

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Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The parent company of California's largest utility is assessing its finances and structure in the wake of wildfires blamed on its equipment that could cost it billions of dollars in liability.

PG&E announced the assessment Friday in a news release, citing "the growing wildfire threat."

It said its board of directors is engaging outside experts for advice on wildfire safety, but it did not identify any potential plans to address liability or safety.

"We want to tap fresh perspectives and additional expertise to help address the changing nature of PG&E's business and the challenges it faces now and in the future," the board said in a statement.

National Public Radio , citing an anonymous company official and a former employee, reported that PG&E is exploring selling off its natural gas division - a major part of the company - to set up a fund for potential wildfire claims.

It is also looking into selling real estate assets, including its San Francisco headquarters, NPR reported.

FILE - In this Nov. 29, 2018, file photo, protester J. Redwoods with Mask Oakland is interviewed by media after a hearing at the Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco. The parent company of California's largest utility said Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, it is assessing its finances and structure in its effort to confront a growing liability threat from wildfires blamed on the company. Pacific Gas & Electric Corp., could face billions of dollars in potential liability involving the fires in California, some of which have already been linked to equipment operated by the company. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

The utility is facing numerous lawsuits involving wildfire losses and scrutiny of its power line safety by a U.S. judge overseeing a separate criminal case against it.

State fire investigators blamed the utility's power lines for causing several wildfires in October 2017.

Investigators have not determined the cause of a massive wildfire that destroyed the town of Paradise in November. PG&E reported an outage around the time and place that the fire ignited.

The fire killed at least 86 people and was the deadliest in California history.
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.

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.

Last year, another ruling party lawmaker, Mio Sugita, came under fire after she said in a magazine that the government shouldn't use tax money for LGBT rights because same-sex couples weren't "productive." Tens of thousands of people took part in protests outside the ruling party headquarters.

In this June 1, 2012 photo, Katsuei Hirasawa, center, a veteran lawmaker of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, speaks to reporters at Japanese Embassy in Beijing, China. Hirasawa is drawing criticism for his comment made on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, that "a nation would collapse" if everyone became LGBT. (Kyodo News via AP)

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Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A white Nashville police officer told investigators that he knew "100 percent" that the black man he's charged with fatally shooting intended to shoot at him and possibly others.

Prosecutors played the state investigator's interview with Andrew Delke, 25, in a Nashville courtroom Friday, where dozens of police officers packed in to support Delke. The officers sat across from rows of family members and others there to advocate for Daniel Hambrick, the 25-year-old who died in the shooting as he ran from Delke and held a pistol.

The shooting death has reignited questions about policing of Nashville's black community. The outcry stirred enough support to place a question on the city's November ballot about creating a citizen oversight board for the police force, and voters approved the measure widely.

A judge is considering whether there is probable cause to pass the case on to a grand jury, an early but critical step in the process. Friday's five-hour hearing on the matter will spill over into Saturday and the judge is expected to make a decision Monday.

In his interview, Delke said he relied on his training when Hambrick didn't heed his instructions to drop the gun, including warning that Delke would otherwise shoot, and the weapon at some point faced the officer.

"I said to myself, 'If I don't shoot him right now, I'm gonna die,'" Delke said.

Nashville Police officer Andrew Delke sits at his preliminary hearing at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Delke is charged with criminal homicide for the on-duty shooting of Daniel Hambrick. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)

Assistant district attorney Ronald Dowdy focused on the lack of video footage or witness testimony about Hambrick turning, looking back or aiming his weapon at Delke, as Delke claimed in his interview.

During testimony, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agent Steven Kennard estimated that Hambrick would have been in a blind spot for about two seconds between cameras that caught the foot chase. Kennard said it would have been "very difficult" to stop, slow down, spin around and face Delke, and then be sprinting again in that timeframe.

Questioning by defense attorneys sought to paint scenarios where Hambrick could have had time or a sightline to look back at Delke during that window. They also said that state law allows deadly force by police when they have probable cause that a suspect poses the threat of serious bodily injury to the officer or others.

"An officer is not under any obligation to let an armed suspect have the first shot," defense attorney John Brown said in a line of questioning.

According to the arrest affidavit in September, Delke pulled into an apartment parking lot and mistook a different car for one he had been following while looking for stolen vehicles and known juvenile offenders, though he found the car wasn't stolen. Several people were in the area as Delke stopped nearby, one of them Hambrick, who began to run, the affidavit says.

Delke chased Hambrick and yelled at him to stop, though the officer didn't know the fleeing man's identity, the affidavit says. Delke believed Hambrick may have been connected to the car Delke misidentified, but didn't know for sure, the affidavit says.

The affidavit says Delke shot Hambrick in the back, torso and the back of his head. A fourth shot missed him.

Hambrick's mother started crying and briefly left the courtroom after prosecutors played surveillance footage of the shooting.

Vickie Hambrick, center, mother of Daniel Hambrick, listens during a preliminary hearing for Nashville Police officer Andrew Delke at the Justice A.A. Birch Building Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Delke is charged with criminal homicide for the on-duty shooting of Daniel Hambrick. (George Walker IV/The Tennessean via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) - A suburban Detroit woman and South Side Chicago man are recovering in a Chicago hospital following rare triple transplant surgeries that gave them the healthy heart, liver and kidney each needed - and a new friendship they never expected.

University of Chicago Medicine doctors announced Friday that they successfully completed the triple organ transplants on Sarah McPharlin, a 29-year-old woman of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, and Daru Smith, a 29-year-old father from Chicago's South Side, within 30 hours of one another.

McPharlin had two transplants canceled earlier in the year, pushing her surgery back.

"Maybe because it's only luck that both of those transplants were supposed to be at the same time," Nir Uriel, the director of heart failure, transplant and mechanical circulatory support for the hospital, said at a news conference Friday. University of Chicago Medicine has performed the most heart-liver-kidney transplants in the world.

Just eight minutes after a medical team finished Smith's liver transplant on Dec. 20, hospital staff learned that donor organs were available for McPharlin. Smith, who finished surgery that day, became only the 16th person in the U.S. to undergo a heart-liver-kidney transplant and hours later on Dec. 21 McPharlin became the 17th. Each surgery required a 22-person team, with some staffers working on both patients. The hospital also performed five other organ transplants during that time period.

Smith and McPharlin, who had her first heart transplant at the age of 12, arrived at the Chicago hospital in November. But neither knew they were both seeking a triple transplant when they first met during pre-therapy sessions ahead of surgery. The sessions were quiet and patients didn't share details about their transplants. But McPharlin's mother, who quit her job as a school teacher in Michigan to be with her daughter for treatment, pried out of Smith that he was awaiting the same organs as McPharlin.

Doctors appear at a news conference at University of Chicago Hospital Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Chicago. University of Chicago Medicine doctors announced Friday that they successfully completed the triple organ transplants on Sarah McPharlin, a 29-year-old of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, and Daru Smith, a 29-year-old father from Chicago's South Side, within 30 hours of one another. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)

"It's been mind-blowing and amazing, having someone go through the process with me, gave me more motivation," Smith, a truck driver, said during a video interview at the hospital Friday.

The pair, who are recovering on the same hospital floor, share walks and give each other high-fives when they pass one another in the hallways. Their families are already planning a dinner together in the city once the two are released and feeling better. Nurses say they notice a difference in recovery for the two compared to other transplant patients, because they have gone through the same unusual and debilitating surgery together.

McPharlin and Smith notice too.

"It was so cool to know we would be able to see each other progress together," McPharlin, an occupational therapist, said Friday. "It was really cool to see how Daru was getting up in the hall and I knew eventually, or pretty soon, I would be doing the same."
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Three months after a ruling halted the impeachment process involving most of West Virginia's Supreme Court justices, the state Senate president is seeking a second opinion.

Senate President Mitch Carmichael said Friday at the annual Legislative Lookahead forum he's asked state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to look into handling a possible appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Carmichael, a Republican, is still steamed at a panel of state Supreme Court stand-ins that ruled impeachment efforts of the justices were a violation of the separation of powers doctrine. The process was officially derailed when the presiding judge didn't show up to Justice Margaret Workman's trial in the state Senate in light of the court's ruling blocking it.

"We believe it is totally, completely wrong," Carmichael said.

The acting justices ruled the Senate lacked jurisdiction to pursue Workman's trial and later applied the decision to trials involving justices Robin Davis and Allen Loughry, who had petitioned the court to intervene. Davis retired after the House approved impeachment charges against her. Loughry resigned after being convicted of felony fraud charges in federal court.

The state court declined a request by Carmichael in November to revisit its ruling.

Judge John Hutchison is sworn in by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Beth Walker as the newest justice on the court, as his wife, Victoria, assists, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in Charleston, W.Va. Justice Tim Armstead, left, looks on. Hutchison was appointed by Gov. Jim Justice on Dec. 12, 2018 to replace former Justice Allen Loughry who resigned. (Chris Dorst/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP)

"We're just hamstrung in terms of where we go from here without spending a lot of taxpayer dollars," Carmichael said. "We're going to evaluate" appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Morrisey spokesman Curtis Johnson said the office is representing the state Senate "as it considers potential next steps in this matter."

Workman, Davis, Loughry and Justice Beth Walker were impeached in August over questions involving lavish office renovations that evolved into accusations of corruption, incompetence and neglect of duty. Some of the justices were accused of abusing their authority by failing to rein in excessive spending.

Walker was cleared of an impeachment charge at her Senate trial in October.

Justice Menis Ketchum retired before the House of Delegates' impeachment hearings. He pleaded guilty in federal court to a felony fraud count related to his personal use of a state vehicle and gas fuel card. Both Ketchum and Loughry face sentencing in January.

Two Republicans who were appointed as Supreme Court justices after the scandal broke, former House speaker Tim Armstead and ex-Congressman Evan Jenkins, won election to continue on the bench. Armstead will complete the term of Ketchum through 2020. Jenkins will serve through 2024, when Davis' term ends.

John Hutchison was sworn in Friday to fill Loughry's spot on the court until a 2020 special election. The winner of that race will serve the remainder of Loughry's term through 2024. Hutchison was appointed last month by Republican Gov. Jim Justice, a lifelong friend.

Judicial elections in West Virginia became nonpartisan in 2016, but the court's impeachment scandal stirred political attacks. Some Democrats argued the court's shakeup was a power grab by Republicans.

Voters in November also approved a ballot measure allowing the GOP-led Legislature to decide each year whether to reduce the courts' budget but not less than 85 percent of the previous year's budget. It also would require the Supreme Court's chief justice to answer budget questions before lawmakers.

Opponents have said limiting the Supreme Court's budgetary control would infringe on its independence. The chief justice previously had constitutional autonomy in deciding how the system spends a $139 million annual budget.

Carmichael said allowing the Legislature to review the Supreme Court's spending "gives a confidence to the people of West Virginia that the judiciary is running efficiently."
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Documents collected by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission during a review of sexual misconduct allegations involving casino mogul Steve Wynn will remain secret, at least temporarily, under a ruling Friday by a Nevada judge.

Commission lawyers, its investigations chief and an attorney for Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts Ltd. didn't immediately say whether the ruling will impact a decision about the suitability of Wynn's former company to operate a $2 billion casino and hotel due to open this year in the Boston area.

The commission previously said its report could affect a gambling license issued to the company in 2014, including possible sanctions or revocation.

Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez said after a hearing in Las Vegas that she was "limiting what the state of Massachusetts can rely upon, share or utilize" until she decides whether the materials contain information that Wynn's personal lawyers argue is confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege.

Gonzalez said she was willing to release some of the material with redactions.

However, she said it's likely that Wynn's lawyers could prove they had a "common interest agreement" with company attorneys in a joint defense of a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2014, and that Wynn had a right to keep attorney-client communications confidential.

In this Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019 photo workers stand near an entrance to the under-construction Encore Boston Harbor luxury resort and casino, in Everett, Mass. A Nevada judge was being asked Friday, Jan. 4 to let the Massachusetts Gaming Commission make public a report on allegations of sexual misconduct against former casino mogul Steve Wynn. A decision could affect a decision on a pending license for the $2 billion casino and hotel being built in Everett. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Wynn, the builder of a casino empire with properties on the Las Vegas Strip and the Chinese enclave of Macau, resigned last February as Wynn Resorts chief executive and chairman, days after the Wall Street Journal reported allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct with female employees.

He denies wrongdoing and sued the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and investigator Karen Wells in November to keep its report from being made public.

The judge noted Friday that Wells had not obtained a waiver from the person who complained to the EEOC to allow the material to be made public.

The judge also noted that disclosure laws in Nevada appeared to be more stringent than those in Massachusetts.

"Irreparable harm exists if the privileged materials are disclosed and used by the state of Massachusetts," the judge said.

The judge promised to review new filings and post an update Jan. 11 about possible hearing dates. She did not set a trial date in the lawsuit.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll in Boston said commissioners plan to discuss the case and the company's suitability review at a Jan. 10 meeting.

Wynn's name has been removed from the project now called Encore Boston Harbor.

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This story has been updated to delete a paragraph referring to an exchange between the judge and a person in the courtroom. Karen Wells was not in the courtroom.

FILE - In this March 15, 2016 file photo casino mogul Steve Wynn appears during a news conference in Medford, Mass. Documents collected by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission for a probe about allegations of sexual misconduct against Wynn and the suitability of his former company to operate a Boston-area casino will remain secret, at least temporarily, following a ruling Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, by a Nevada state court judge.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Police said Friday they're investigating whether a former student at a Mississippi university shot himself, after a multi-hour campus lockdown earlier in the day and a building-to-building search for what had been described as another gunman.

Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that a gun was recovered in the victim's truck near the scene of the shooting at the Mississippi University for Women.

Shelton said the injured man remains hospitalized Friday night but is expected to recover. He declined to describe the nature of the man's injuries. Columbus police say they don't release the names of crime victims.

"The public needs to know that we are investigating whether or not the shooting was self-inflicted," Shelton said in a news release.

Shelton said police are testing the gun to determine if it was used in the shooting. He said police are also trying to determine whether the university or anyone else has surveillance video showing the shooting. Shelton said police are unlikely to release more information until Monday.

University spokeswoman Anika Perkins told the AP that the victim is a former student. It's unclear why he was on the edge of campus near the university's main auditorium. Employees were working Friday, but classes at the 2,800-student university aren't scheduled to resume until Jan. 15. Known by graduates as The W, Mississippi University for Women has enrolled men since 1982.

Lawmen gather at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Miss., Friday afternoon, Jan. 4, 2019, as they sweep the campus for an alleged gunman. The campus was placed on lockdown after reports of a shooting in front of Whitfield Hall, which houses Rent Auditorium. Police were searching the campus for a male suspect. Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton confirmed there is one shooting victim, a male, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. (Isabelle Altman/The Commercial Dispatch via AP)

The incident sparked panic at both the university and in Columbus, a city of 24,000 that's about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of Jackson near the Alabama border. Police, sheriff's deputies and others went from building to building at the university looking for a suspect they had described as wearing jeans and an orange hoodie, while university employees huddled in their offices. After someone falsely reported sighting the suspect blocks away in downtown Columbus, The Commercial Dispatch reported that businesses locked their doors while more than a dozen police cars converged.

Ultimately, police pulled up their crime scene tape and declared an all-clear more than two hours after the shooting was reported.

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Police tape blocks College Street in front of Whitfield Hall at the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Miss., Friday afternoon, Jan. 4, 2019. The campus was placed on lockdown after reports of a shooting in front of Whitfield Hall, which houses Rent Auditorium. As of early afternoon, police were searching the campus for a male suspect. Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton confirmed there is one shooting victim, a male, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. (Isabelle Altman//The Commercial Dispatch via AP)
NEWMAN, Calif. (AP) - The flag-draped casket of a California police officer who authorities say was shot to death by a man in the country illegally was carried in a procession Friday through the streets he once patrolled to a public viewing in a community theater.

The killing of Cpl. Ronil Singh has rekindled a debate over California's sanctuary law that limits cooperation by local authorities with federal immigration authorities.

President Donald Trump seized on the case to call for tougher border security amid a fight with congressional Democrats over funding for a border wall, which has forced a partial government shutdown.

On Thursday, Trump called Singh's family to offer his condolences, the White House said.

People waving American flags lined up along the streets of the Central Valley town of Newman, where a viewing was held for Singh, who was shot Dec. 26 during a traffic stop.

Prosecutors on Wednesday charged 33-year-old Gustavo Perez Arriaga with murder. He was arrested after a dayslong manhunt as he prepared to flee to Mexico, authorities said.

FILE - 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 2018. (Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department via AP,File)

The casket was driven in a procession from Modesto into a theater in Newman where the marquee read "Ronil Singh Forever Remember" while several officers saluted.

The casket was taken from the hearse into the theater for a viewing as the police department's 12 officers and Singh's family followed. A memorial service and burial is scheduled Saturday in Modesto.

"It's amazing to see all the support that we're getting," Newman police Chief Randy Richardson said outside the theater. "I hate that it's under these circumstances."

Singh, 33, who emigrated from his native Fiji to pursue a career in law enforcement, joined the Newman police force in 2011. He was married and had a 5-month-old son.

Prosecutors said Perez Arriaga shot Singh after the officer stopped his vehicle to see if he was driving drunk. He has two previous drunken driving arrests, authorities said.

At his first court appearance, Perez Arriaga told the judge that his real name is Paulo Virgen Mendoza, but authorities were still referring to him as Perez Arriaga in court documents.

His attorney, Stephen Foley, questioned his client's mental competency, leading the court to delay the case until a mental health evaluation is done.

FILE - In this Friday, Dec. 28, 2018 file photo, Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson and hundreds of others attend a vigil in memory of police Cpl. Ronil Singh in Newman, Calif. The Northern California police officer was gunned down during a traffic stop the day after Christmas 2018. (Andy Alfaro/The Modesto Bee via AP,File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - People relied on the most popular mobile weather app to track forecasts that determined whether they chose jeans over shorts and packed a parka or umbrella, but its owners used it to track their every step and profit off that information, Los Angeles prosecutors said Friday.

The operator of The Weather Channel mobile app misled users who agreed to share their location information in exchange for personalized forecasts and alerts, and they instead unwittingly surrendered personal privacy when the company sold their data to third parties, City Attorney Michael Feuer said.

Feuer sued the app's operator in Los Angeles County Superior Court to stop the practice. He said 80 percent of users agreed to allow access to their locations because disclosures on how the app uses geolocation data were buried within a 10,000-word privacy policy and not revealed when they downloaded the app.

"Think how Orwellian it feels to live in a world where a private company is tracking potentially every place you go, every minute of every day," Feuer said. "If you want to sacrifice to that company that information, you sure ought to be doing it with clear advanced notice of what's at stake."

A spokesman for IBM Corp., which owns the app, said it has always been clear about the use of location data collected from users and will vigorously defend its "fully appropriate" disclosures.

Feuer said the app's operators, TWC Product and Technology LLC, sold data to at least a dozen websites for targeted ads and to hedge funds that used the information to analyze consumer behavior.

A mobile phone with The Weather Channel app location preference page is seen Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer said Friday that owners of The Weather Channel app, one of the most popular mobile weather apps, used it to track people's every step and profit off that information. Feuer said the company misled users of the popular app to think their location data will only be used for personalized forecasts and alerts. A spokesman for app owner IBM Corp. says it's been clear about the use of location data and will vigorously defend its "fully appropriate" disclosures. (AP Photo/Brian Melley)

The lawsuit seeks to stop the company from the practice it calls "unfair and fraudulent" and seeks penalties of up to $2,500 for each violation. Any court decision would only apply to California.

Marketed as the "world's most downloaded weather app," The Weather Channel app claims approximately 45 million users a month, the lawsuit said.

Users who download the free app are asked whether to allow access to their location to "get personalized local weather data, alerts and forecasts." It does not say how the company benefits from the information.

While disclosures may be included in the privacy policy, state law says "fine print alone can't make good what otherwise has been made obscure," Feuer said.

He said he learned about the sale of the private data from an article in The New York Times.

The lawsuit comes as companies, most notably Facebook and Google, are increasingly under fire for how they use people's personal data. Both companies faced congressional hearings last year on privacy issues, which are likely to remain on lawmakers and regulators' minds both nationally and in California.

In June, California lawmakers approved what experts are calling the country's most far-reaching law to give people more control over their personal data online. That law doesn't take effect until next year.

Feuer said he hopes the case inspires other lawsuits and legislation to curb data-sharing practices.

IBM bought the app along with the digital assets of The Weather Company in 2015 for $2 billion but did not acquire The Weather Channel seen on TV, which is owned by another company.

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AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay contributed to this report.

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This story has been clarified to show that the lawsuit is against the operator of The Weather Channel mobile app and not The Weather Channel.

A mobile phone with The Weather Channel app is seen Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Los Angeles City Attorney Michael Feuer said Friday that owners of The Weather Channel app, one of the most popular mobile weather apps, used it to track people's every step and profit off that information. Feuer said the company misled users of the popular app to think their location data will only be used for personalized forecasts and alerts. A spokesman for app owner IBM Corp. says it's been clear about the use of location data and will vigorously defend its "fully appropriate" disclosures. (AP Photo/Brian Melley)
TEXAS CITY, Texas (AP) - The Latest on the killing of three children in Texas (all times local):

7:15 p.m.

Authorities say the man accused of killing three young children posted on social media after the attack that he had become enraged after being fired from his job.

Police in Texas City, southeast of Houston, said Friday that they have not confirmed a motive in the attack but say 27-year-old Junaid Hashim Mehmood had worked at a Goodwill store in nearby League City.

It's not clear when he may have been fired. Mehmood was the father of one of the children.

The bodies of the children were found in an apartment Thursday evening and their mother, 24-year-old Kimaria Nelson, was beaten and shot repeatedly in the head with a pellet gun.

Crime scene tape surrounds the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot in Texas City, Texas. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

Mehmood later surrendered to authorities.

Police Chief Joe Stanton says Mehmood cooperated with detectives who interviewed him and "went into details with our investigators as far as his involvement."

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6:30 p.m.

Authorities in Southeast Texas have charged a 27-year-old man with capital murder following an attack that left three children dead and their mother with severe injuries.

Texas City police Chief Joe Stanton said Friday that Junaid Hashim Mehmood is facing two counts of capital murder along with a charge of aggravated assault.

Mehmood is being held without bond at the Galveston County jail. Online jail records don't indicate whether he has an attorney.

Stanton says the three children found dead Thursday in an apartment were stabbed and beaten. One child was 5 years old, another was 1 and the third was an infant.

Their mother, 24-year-old Kimaria Nelson, was beaten and shot several times in the head with a pellet gun. She remained hospitalized Friday.

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5:45 p.m.

Records show a man jailed following the killings of three children in Southeast Texas has had previous arrests for offenses that include assault.

Authorities arrested 27-year-old Junaid Hashim Mehmood late Thursday, just hours after the slain children and their wounded mother - 24-year-old Kimaria Nelson - were discovered by officers in an apartment in Texas City. Investigators said Friday that he was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting of Nelson.

Police have said more charges were expected.

Court records show that in 2015, Mehmood was convicted of assault causing bodily injury for shoving a family member. He was also convicted a year earlier for assault causing bodily injury for striking a girlfriend - not Nelson - with his hand. Following both convictions, the court said it was against the law for him to have a gun.

He was also convicted of robbery in 2015.

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3:50 p.m.

Prosecutors say a person of interest in the slaying of three children in Southeast Texas has been charged with aggravated assault in the non-fatal shooting of their mother.

Police Thursday night found 24-year-old Kimaria Nelson shot in the head and her three children dead in their apartment in Texas City.

Galveston County assistant district attorney Kevin Petroff said Friday that Junaid Hashim Mehmood has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the attack on Nelson. Police say more charges are expected.

Police say Mehmood lived with the family and was the father of the youngest slain child.

Petroff says Mehmood was arrested late Thursday on a misdemeanor warrant for providing alcohol to a minor.

A University of Texas Medical Branch spokesman said he didn't have information on Nelson's condition Friday.

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1:30 p.m.

Police say the father of one of three children found slain in Southeast Texas has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Junaid Hashim Mehmood was arrested late Thursday, just hours after the slain children and their wounded mother were discovered by officers in an apartment in Texas City, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

Mehmood has been identified as a person of interest in the shootings but was arrested on an unrelated warrant. Police say more charges will come Friday. He is being held without bond.

Police officers responding to a request for a welfare check discovered the bodies of 1-month-old Ashanti Mehmood, Prince Larry Brown, who would have turned 2 later this month, and 5-year-old Angela Pilot. Police said Nelson was alive but unable to speak.

The mother, 24-year-old Kimaria Nelson, was shot in the head.

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10:55 a.m.

Authorities say a person of interest in the slaying of three children in Southeast Texas has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Texas City Police said in a statement Friday that 27-year-old Junaid Hashim Mehmood is being held without bond. Police didn't say what incident the charge was related to, and police haven't returned a phone message seeking clarity.

Police say additional charges are expected Friday.

Mehmood was taken into custody Thursday night on an unrelated warrant after the children were found dead and 24-year-old Kimaria Nelson was found shot in the head in their apartment in Texas City.

Police identified the children as 1-month-old Ashanti Mehmood, almost 2-year-old Prince Larry Brown and 5-year-old Angela Pilot. Police say Nelson was the mother of all three children and that Mehmood was Ashanti's biological father. He lived in the apartment with them.

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10 a.m.

Police say a person of interest in the slaying of three children and the wounding of a woman has been arrested on an unrelated warrant in Southeast Texas.

Texas City Police say 27-year-old Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was jailed Thursday night.

The police statement doesn't describe the warrant nor explain the relationship between Mehmood, the wounded women and the children. Investigators haven't indicated a motive.

Police making a welfare check at Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City Thursday evening found an infant, a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old dead. The woman had been shot in the head.

Texas City police Lt. Kenneth Brown described the woman's injuries as severe and told the Houston Chronicle that she couldn't speak.

Texas City is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

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This version of the story corrects to say the children were stabbed and beaten, not shot.

Crime scene tape lines the perimeter of the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot in Texas City, Texas. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

A Texas City police officer stands Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in the doorway of an apartment building where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot in Texas City, Texas. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)
DALLAS (AP) - The Texas man accused of killing three young children, including one who was his own child, and severely wounding their mother was charged Friday with capital murder, authorities said.

Texas City police Chief Joe Stanton said Junaid Hashim Mehmood, 27, is facing two counts of capital murder along with a charge of aggravated assault. The children's mother was beaten and shot several times in the face and head with a high-powered pellet gun.

Mehmood contacted police and was arrested late Thursday, just hours after the slain children and their mother - 24-year-old Kimaria Nelson - were discovered by officers in an apartment in Texas City.

Mehmood had been identified as a person of interest in the deaths, but he was arrested on an unrelated warrant. Galveston County assistant district attorney Kevin Petroff said it was a misdemeanor warrant for providing alcohol to a minor.

Mehmood was being held in the Galveston County Jail without bond. No attorney is listed for Mehmood in jail records.

Police officers responding to a request for a welfare check at the apartment on Thursday evening discovered the bodies of 1-month-old Ashanti Mehmood, Prince Larry Brown, who would have turned 2 later this month, and 5-year-old Angela Pilot. They had been beaten and stabbed, according to the Galveston County medical examiner's office.

A child places a wreath at a makeshift memorial outside the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

Nelson was alive but unable to speak, police said.

Police said Mehmood is Ashanti's biological father and lived with the family at the apartment. Texas City is about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of Houston.

Authorities said they have not confirmed a motive in the attack but added they're reviewing a social media post by Mehmood indicating he had become enraged after being fired from his job. He had worked at a Goodwill store in nearby League City, police said. It's not clear when he may have been fired.

Nelson was taken the University of Texas Medical Branch in nearby Galveston. Police said she was in stable condition Thursday evening. A hospital spokesman said Friday he had no information for a patient by her name.

Stanton said Mehmood cooperated with detectives who interviewed him.

"He went into details with our investigators as far as his involvement," Stanton said.

Records show Mehmood has had previous arrests for offenses that include assault. Court records show that in 2015, Mehmood was convicted of assault causing bodily injury for shoving a family member. He was also convicted a year earlier for assault causing bodily injury for striking a girlfriend - not Nelson - with his hand. Following both convictions, the court said it was against the law for him to have a firearm.

He was also convicted of robbery in 2015.

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This version of the story corrects to say the children were stabbed and beaten, not shot.

Crime scene tape surrounds the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. ( Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Johnathan Richardson, 17, left, and his sister Emani Dickey, 10, ride bikes outside the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. ( Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP)

Texas City Police officer S. Garcia ties crime scene tape to a sign outside of the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

Crime scene tape surrounds the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot in Texas City, Texas. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

Crime scene tape lines the perimeter of the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot in Texas City, Texas. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)

A Texas City police officer stands Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in the doorway of an apartment building where multiple children were found dead and a woman was shot in Texas City, Texas. Texas City Police said Junaid Hashim Mehmood surrendered and was taken into custody in connection to the crime Thursday night. (Stuart Villanueva/The Galveston County Daily News via AP)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on a fatal highway crash in Florida (all times local):

7:40 p.m.

The truck driver at the center of a fiery Florida crash that killed him, another trucker and five children received several traffic tickets over the years.

Court records show 59-year-old Steve Holland of West Palm Beach was ticketed between 2000 and 2014 in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia for violations including speeding, driving an unsafe vehicle, driving an overloaded vehicle and not carrying proof of insurance.

The highway patrol said Friday that Holland was traveling north on Interstate 75 near Gainesville on Thursday when he veered into another car, lost control and went through the center divider, striking a southbound church van from Louisiana and another truck. Five children from ages 9 to 14 in the van died.

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A worker with the environmental clean up company AAG Environmental works to remove fuel spilled at the scene of Thursday's multi-vehicle accident that caused multiple fatalities on Interstate 75 between Alachua and Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. (Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun via AP)

5:30 p.m.

The five children killed in a fiery Florida highway crash on their way to Walt Disney World have been identified along with the two truck drivers who also died.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Friday that the children were 14-year-olds Joel Cloud and Jeremiah Warren, 13-year-old Cara Descant, 10-year-old Briena Descant, and 9-year-old Cierra Bordelan. All were from Marksville, Louisiana, and were in a Pentecostal church van headed to the theme park when the accident happened Thursday afternoon outside Gainesville.

The truck drivers were 49-year-old Douglas Bolkema of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and 59-year-old Steve Holland of West Palm Beach.

The van was an hour north of the theme park when Holland's tractor-trailer heading in the opposite direction on Interstate 75 collided with a car and both burst through the center divider. The van and Bolkema's truck collided with the semi and the car and burst into flames.

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3:10 p.m.

Walt Disney World officials are expressing their sympathies to the families of the seven victims of a fiery Florida highway crash, including five children headed to the park.

Spokeswoman Jacquee Wahler said Friday that "there are no words to convey the sorrow we feel for those involved."

The children were riding in van belonging to a Pentecostal church in Marksville, Louisiana. Officials say they ranged in age from 8 to teens.

The van was an hour north of the theme park Thursday when a tractor-trailer heading in the opposite direction on Interstate 75 collided with a car and both burst through the center divider. The van and another truck collided with the semi and the car and burst into flames.

Five children and both truck drivers died.

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1 p.m.

A pregnant woman and her baby have been stabilized after being injured in a fiery Florida highway crash that killed seven people Thursday.

Their status was announced in a message posted on the Facebook page of the Louisiana district office of the United Pentecostal Church International and signed by Kevin Cox, the church's Louisiana district superintendent.

Cox said a van from a Pentecostal church in Marksville, Louisiana, was involved in the crash and identified the church's pastor as Eric Descant. Cox said the pastor's wife was among at least eight people who were injured and his granddaughter was among five children killed. Two truck drivers also died.

An unnamed volunteer at the Avoyelles House of Mercy church in Marksville said the congregation lost "half of our babies" in the crash. The volunteer was quoted on the Facebook page of U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy.

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This item has been corrected to show that the woman did not give birth to the baby, as previously indicated in a statement from Cox.

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10:20 a.m.

The Florida Highway Patrol says five children from Louisiana and two tractor-trailer truck drivers died in a fiery crash on a Florida interstate.

During a news conference on Friday morning, Lt. Patrick Riordan said the church passenger van carrying the children was from the Avoyelles Parish in Louisiana. The crash happened at 3:40 p.m. Thursday just south of Gainesville in north Florida.

Riordan says a tractor trailer and a passenger vehicle traveling north, collided and went through the guardrail into the southbound lanes. They struck the passenger van and another tractor trailer. He says when the trucks collided they caught fire.

Riordan says next of kin notifications are still underway.

The northbound lanes of the interstate reopened on Friday and one southbound lane is now open.

A traffic homicide investigation continues into what caused the crash.

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8:45 a.m.

The Florida Highway Patrol says all northbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Florida are open the morning after a fiery crash that killed seven people and injured at least eight others.

Motorists should expect delays on Friday as only one southbound lane is open south of Gainesville, where the crash happened Thursday afternoon.

The highway patrol has scheduled a 10 a.m. news conference to discuss the investigation into the crash.

Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided and diesel fuel spilled across the busy highway.

Sgt. Steve Gaskins said the investigation is classified as a traffic homicide, which is routine in nature.

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9:15 p.m.

Authorities say another person has died in a fatal crash on a Florida highway, bringing the death toll to seven.

Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided and spilled diesel fuel across the highway Thursday on Interstate 75 near Gainesville, sparking a massive fire.

The Gainesville Sun reports several others were taken to the hospital, some with critical injuries.

Emergency crews extinguished the fire and said they were treating the crash as a homicide investigation. Authorities have not why they are treating the deaths as potential homicides.

Authorities say their top priority is identifying the victims so they can notify their relatives.

The aftermath closed part of the highway in both directions for hours, causing massive delays.

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6:50 p.m.

Highway officials say six people have died after a crash and diesel fuel spill sparked a massive fire on a Florida interstate.

The Florida Highway Patrol says two tractor-trailer rigs and two passenger vehicles were involved in Thursday's wreck on Interstate 75 about a mile (1.6 kilometers) south of Alachua, near Gainesville. Authorities say the fire was ignited after about 50 gallons (189 liters) of diesel spilled onto the highway.

The fire has been extinguished. Eight others have been taken to the hospital. The Gainesville Sun reports some of the injuries were critical.

A helicopter landed to search for injured people who may have been in the woods along the crash scene.

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This story corrects that Kevin Cox is affiliated with the Louisiana District of the United Pentecostal Church International and not the Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church Omaha.

Flames engulf vehicles after a fiery crash along Interstate 75, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, about a mile south of Alachua, near Gainesville, Fla. Highway officials say at least six people have died after a crash and diesel fuel spill sparked a massive fire along the Florida interstate. (WGFL-Gainesville via AP)

This image taken from a Florida 511 traffic camera and provided by the Alachua County Fire Rescue, shows a fiery crash along Interstate 75, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019, about a mile south of Alachua, near Gainesville, Fla. Highway officials say six people have died after a crash and diesel fuel spill sparked a massive fire on a Florida interstate. (Alachua County Fire Rescue/Florida 511 via AP)

Debris off the south bound side of Interstate 75 remains at the scene of Thursday's multi-vehicle accident that caused multiple fatalities between Alachua and Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. (Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun via AP)

Debris off the south bound side of Interstate 75 remains at the scene of Thursday's multi-vehicle accident that caused multiple fatalities between Alachua and Gainesville, Fla., on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. (Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun via AP)
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 Friday's 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 government's witnesses have now indicated they don't clearly remember what happened.

"He didn't murder anyone," Stackhouse told reporters outside the courtroom. "He didn't shoot at innocent people in the street."

This 2018 photo provided by Andrea Gallagher shows her husband, Navy SEAL Edward Gallagher. The 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. His attorney says he will plead not guilty to all the charges at a Naval hearing Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, in San Diego. (Andrea Gallagher via AP)

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 Gallagher's 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.
TUCKER, Ga. (AP) - A store that sells smoking and vaping material in Georgia says it fired an employee after he yelled profanity at a customer wearing a T-shirt and hat supporting President Donald Trump.

The customer, Ian Fergeson, says he went to Xhale City in the Atlanta suburb of Tucker to try to buy vape juice. WAGA-TV reports that Ferguson recorded a video showing the unnamed store worker refusing to wait on him and using several expletives. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the video showed the worker calling Trump and the customer "racist."

In a statement on Facebook and Twitter, the shop says it does not tolerate such behavior by employees and that it fired the worker immediately after Friday's confrontation.

Xhale City did not immediately return a call Monday to The Associated Press.
SEGUIN, Texas (AP) - The Latest on armed man who told Texas police he was on way to church to fulfill "prophecy" (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

A Southeast Texas police chief says the handgun a man was carrying while on his way to a church to fulfill a "prophecy" was stolen days earlier from a home.

Vidor (VY'-dohr) police Chief Rod Carroll said Monday that it's not clear if 33-year-old Tony Dwayne Albert II was involved in the theft of the gun or obtained it later.

Carroll says Albert, who was found with the gun, extra ammunition and a face shield, had apparently threatened a Baptist church in Vidor, which is near the border with Louisiana.

Albert was stopped Sunday by an off-duty policeman in the San Antonio suburb of Seguin, which is 250 miles (402 kilometers) from Vidor. It's not clear what brought Albert to the San Antonio area.

This Dec 30, 2018 booking photo released by Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office shows Tony Dwayne Albert II. A waitress in a suburban San Antonio restaurant says 33-year-old Albert asked for the nearest Baptist church and as he left, she saw him gripping a weapon. She says an employee locked the door after he left and her mother called police, who arrested Albert after finding him with a loaded handgun, extra ammunition and a face shield. (Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Carroll says family members have told investigators that Albert has a history of mental illness.

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12:30 p.m.

A waitress in suburban San Antonio says an armed man who said he was on his way to a church to fulfill "a prophecy" when he was arrested had asked her for directions to a church.

Brianna Jimenez tells KSAT that 33-year-old Tony Dwayne Albert II went to the restroom in Las Mananitas Mexican Restaurant in Sequin on Sunday, then came out and asked for the nearest Baptist church.

Jimenez says he was provided directions and as he left, she saw him gripping a weapon. She says an employee locked the door after he left and her mother called police, who arrested Albert after finding him with a loaded handgun, extra ammunition and a face shield.

Online records show he's jailed on weapons and drug complaints, but do not list an attorney for him.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Latest on a woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart living near a school. (all times local):

4:20 p.m.

Elizabeth Smart says people with a history of child abuse and sexual violence like the one who helped kidnapped her should be housed as far away from schools as possible.

Smart issued the statement Monday after learning that the woman who helped abduct her when she was a teenager is living in a Salt Lake City apartment a couple of blocks from a school.

Utah's sex-offender registry lists 73-year-old Wanda Barzee as living near Parkview Elementary School while she's on federal supervised release.

Smart said every possible caution and protection should be taken to protect children from offenders, including housing them as far away as possible from schools, families and community centers.

FILE - In this April 24, 2015, file photo, kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart looks on during a news conference in Sandy, Utah. Wanda Barzee, a woman who helped kidnap Smart, is living a couple of blocks away from an elementary school in Salt Lake City following her release from prison in September. Utah's online sex-offender registry lists 73-year-old Wanda Barzee as living in a house near a school for kids ages pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Federal probation officers didn't return a phone message, but Barzee's supervised release guidelines don't seem to prohibit the arrangement. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Barzee pleaded guilty to helping her husband abduct Smart at knifepoint in 2002 when she was 14.

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1:07 p.m.

A woman who helped kidnap Utah's Elizabeth Smart is living several blocks away from a Salt Lake City elementary school following her release from prison in September.

Utah's sex-offender registry lists 73-year-old Wanda Barzee as living in a house near the school. She was initially placed in a halfway house after her release.

Barzee pleaded guilty to helping her husband, street preacher Brian David Mitchell.

He abducted Smart at knifepoint in 2002 when she was 14 and repeatedly raped her.

Barzee is serving five years of federal supervised release.

Federal probation officers didn't return a phone message Monday seeking comment.

Barzee's supervised release guidelines don't seem to set limits on how close she can live to a school.

Sex offenders in Utah are prohibited from going on school grounds.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - A judge ruled Monday that Kansas cannot stop telemedicine abortions, thwarting the latest attempt by state lawmakers to prevent doctors from providing pregnancy-ending pills to women they see by remote video conferences.

District Judge Franklin Theis ruled that a law barring telemedicine abortions and set to take effect in January has no legal force. During an earlier hearing, Theis derided the law as an "air ball" because of how lawmakers wrote it.

That law was challenged in a lawsuit filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of Trust Women Wichita, which operates a clinic that performs abortions and provides other health care services.

Theis also ruled that other, older parts of the state's abortion laws that could ban telemedicine abortions are on hold indefinitely because of a separate lawsuit challenging them that's still pending.

The Wichita clinic began offering telemedicine abortions in October because its doctors live outside Kansas and could be on site only two days a week. It also hopes to provide the pills to women in rural areas and have them confer by teleconference with doctors.

The center argues that banning telemedicine abortions violates the state constitution by placing an undue burden on women seeking abortions and singling out abortion for special treatment when state policies intend to encourage telemedicine. Kansas has no clinics that provide abortions outside Wichita and the Kansas City area.

"That procedure by telemedicine is going to be legal after midnight (Monday), and the clinic will continue to offer it," said Bob Eye, one of the attorneys for Trust Women. "This is a good outcome."

The anti-abortion group Kansans for Life, influential with the Republican-controlled Legislature, contends telemedicine abortions are dangerous. But a study of abortions in California, published in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' journal in 2015, said less than one-third of 1 percent of medication abortions resulted in major complications.

Mary Kay Culp, executive director of Kansans for Life, called Theis' ruling "infuriating."

"This judge has a long history of taking laws designed by the Legislature to protect unborn babies and women and turning them into laws that instead protect the abortion industry," Culp said.

Seventeen other states have telemedicine abortion bans, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a group that advocates for abortion rights.

The 2018 law represents the third time Kansas legislators passed a measure meant to outlaw telemedicine abortions.

In 2011, a ban was part of legislation imposing special regulations on abortion clinics that critics argued were meant to shut them down. Providers sued, and Theis blocked all of the regulations. The case is still pending.

Legislators passed another version of the telemedicine abortion ban in 2015, but Theis ruled Monday that it also is covered by his order blocking the 2011 clinic regulations. He called that 2011 injunction a "safe harbor" for the clinic.

The 2018 law says that in policies promoting telemedicine, "nothing" authorizes "any abortion procedure via telemedicine." Theis concluded that it's toothless because it does not give prosecutors a way to bring a criminal case over a violation. He said in his order Monday that it "has no anchor for operation" - essentially rendering the clinic's lawsuit moot.

The Kansas health department has reported that in 2017, the latest data available, nearly 4,000 medication abortions were reported, or 58 percent of the state's total, all in the first trimester. It's not clear how many of them were telemedicine abortions.

While abortion opponents have a long list of legislative victories over the past decade, they've fared less well in the courts. The U.S. Supreme Court recently refused to hear an appeal of lower federal court orders barring Kansas from stripping Medicaid funds for non-abortion services provided by Planned Parenthood.

The state's first-in-the-nation ban on a common second trimester procedure anti-abortion lawmakers called "dismemberment abortion" has been on hold since 2015. In that case, the Kansas Supreme Court has yet to decide whether the state constitution protects abortion rights independently of the federal constitution - so that state courts could chart their own, more liberal course.

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Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna .
(ANSA) - Rome, January 8 - Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio hit back on Tuesday after French European Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau told Italian officials to butt out after expressing support for the Yellow Vests protest movement. Di Maio said Monday that his 5-Star Movement (M5S) was ready to provide support to the Yellow Vests while fellow Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and League party leader Matteo Salvini, also voiced his backing for the protests. Di Maio said Tuesday that it was rich of France to tell Italy to mind its own business. "Maybe (Loiseau) is forgetting that her president, (Emmanuel) Macron), compared us to leprosy when talking about our government," Di Maio said on Facebook. Loiseau also returned to the issue on Tuesday, saying Paris would take it up with Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi.

"We speak often, about many things," she said. "We'll talk about this too. "The priority of every government is to take care of the well-being of its citizens, so I think that the well-being of the Italian people is the priority of the Italian government.

"I don't think dealing with the yellow vests has anything to do with the well-being of the Italian people". The European Commission, meanwhile, said Tuesday that it was behind Macron's executive. "We don't make comments on other comments," a spokesperson for Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said.

"The European Commission supports President Macron and the French authorities, who have our confidence to put into practice the programme the president was elected on".


HOUSTON (AP) - The Latest on a Houston-area shooting that killed a 7-year-old girl and injured her sister and mother (all times local):

6 p.m.

A Houston-area woman who was wounded in a shooting that killed her 7-year-old daughter says the gunman fired a series of shots while driving alongside the woman's car and then continued to fire as he pulled in front of the car.

Thirty-year-old LaPorsha Washington told KTRK-TV from her hospital bed Monday that the man driving a red pickup sped up after firing into her car, only to pull in front and slow down before firing again.

Washington was shot in the arm and her daughter, Jazmine Barnes, was killed in the shooting Sunday morning. Another daughter, 6, was injured by shattered glass.

A distraught Washington said, "He intentionally killed my child for no reason."

Authorities say it's not known why the man opened fire.

They released an image of the suspect's pickup Monday in an effort to find the gunman.

___

5 p.m.

Investigators say they have an image from surveillance video of a pickup whose driver fired several shots into a car carrying a family, killing a 7-year-old girl and wounding the child's mother.

Harris County sheriff's Lt. Christopher Sandoval told reporters Monday that the image of the red, four-door pickup was captured shortly before the shooting occurred Sunday morning.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez declined to speculate on what prompted the driver of the pickup to pull alongside and fire into the car carrying Jazmine Barnes, three of her sisters and her mother.

Jazmine died at the scene, her mother suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and her 6-year-old sister was injured by shattered glass. The mother, 30-year-old LaPorsha Washington, remained in a hospital Monday.

Gonzalez described the shooting as "totally unprovoked."

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4 p.m.

Authorities are asking Houston-area residents to review video surveillance for any images of a pickup whose driver they say fired into a car carrying a family, killing a 7-year-old girl and wounding the child's mother.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office on Monday asked for video that may help them track a red pickup that pulled alongside a car Sunday carrying Jazmine Barnes as it was leaving a Walmart parking lot.

Investigators say the driver of the pickup, described as a man in his 40s, fired into the car, striking Jazmine and wounding her mother, 30-year-old LaPorsha Washington.

Authorities say a motive for the shooting is not clear. They were expected to release additional information later Monday.

Three other juveniles were in the car at the time.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates.

"No matter what our differences, most of us want the same thing," the 69-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said in a video that highlights her family's history in Oklahoma. "To be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules and take care of the people we love. That's what I'm fighting for and that's why today I'm launching an exploratory committee for president."

Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections. She quickly became one of the party's more prominent liberals even as she sometimes fought with Obama administration officials over their response to the market turmoil.

Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is making an appeal to the party's base. Her video notes the economic challenges facing people of color along with images of a women's march and Warren's participation at an LGBT event.

In an email to supporters, Warren said she'd more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019.

Warren is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move toward a presidential bid and has long been a favorite target of President Donald Trump.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks beside her husband Bruce Mann, left, outside their home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass., where she confirmed that she is launching an exploratory committee to run for president. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

In mid-December, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. Outgoing Maryland Rep. John Delaney is the only Democrat so far to have formally announced a presidential campaign.

But that's likely to change quickly in the new year as other leading Democrats take steps toward White House runs.

Warren enters a Democratic field that's shaping up as the most crowded in decades, with many of her Senate colleagues openly weighing their own campaigns, as well as governors, mayors and other prominent citizens. One of her most significant competitors could be Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who is eyeing another presidential run harnessing the same populist rhetoric.

She must also move past a widely panned October release of a DNA test meant to bolster her claim to Native American heritage. The move was intended to rebut Trump's taunts of Warren as "Pocahontas." Instead, her use of a genetic test to prove ethnicity spurred controversy that seemed to blunt any argument she sought to make. There was no direct mention of it in the video released Monday.

Speaking to reporters Monday outside her Cambridge, Massachusetts, home, Warren largely danced around a question on whether she wishes she had handled the DNA test release any differently.

"I have put it all out there. It's there for anyone to see," Warren said. "But at the end of the day ... this election going forward is going to be about the tens of millions of families across this country who work hard, who play to the rules and who just time after time take one body blow after another."

Trump told Fox News Channel's "All-American New Year" in an interview to be broadcast Monday night that he hopes Warren does run for president.

"We'll see how she does," he said. "I wish her well. I hope she does well. I'd love to run against her."

Warren has the benefit of higher name recognition than many others in the Democratic mix for 2020, thanks to her years as a prominent critic of Wall Street who originally conceived of what became the government's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

She now faces an arduous battle to raise money and capture Democratic primary voters' attention before Iowa casts its first vote in more than a year. She has an advantage in the $12.5 million left over from her 2018 re-election campaign that she could use for a presidential run.

Warren's campaign is likely to revolve around the same theme she's woven into speeches and policy proposals in recent years: battling special interests, paying mind to the nexus between racial and economic inequities.

"I run for office because I'm grateful down to my toes for the opportunities that were given to me, and I'm determined that we will give those same opportunities to not just some of our kids but to all of our kids," Warren said.

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Associated Press writers Juana Summers in Washington, Alanna Durkin Richer in Cambridge, Mass., and Steve LeBlanc in Boston contributed to this report.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks beside her husband Bruce Mann, left, outside their home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass., where she confirmed that she is launching an exploratory committee to run for president. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., steps outside her home with her husband Bruce Mann and their retriever Bailey, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass., where she confirmed that she is launching an exploratory committee to run for president. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks outside her home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks outside her home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., loads her retriever Bailey into her vehicle after speaking outside her home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Elizabeth Warren's move toward 2020 presidential run (all times local):

5:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he'd "love to run against" Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency.

Trump says in an interview with Fox News Channel's "All-American New Year" set to air Monday night that he hopes Warren is among the Democrats to run in 2020.

He says, "We'll see how she does, I wish her well. I hope she does well. I'd love to run against her."

Trump has been lambasting Warren since his 2016 campaign, when he began derisively labeling her "Pocahontas" in a shot against her claims of Native American heritage.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks beside her husband Bruce Mann, left, outside their home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass., where she confirmed that she is launching an exploratory committee to run for president. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Trump says Warren "did very badly in proving that she was of Indian heritage," adding that her decision earlier this year to release a DNA analysis "didn't work out too well."

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8:30 a.m.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is taking the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency. She is hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates.

The Massachusetts Democrat says she's forming an exploratory committee for the 2020 campaign. She's the most prominent Democrat yet to make such a move.

Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections, and quickly became one of the party's more prominent liberals.

Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is appealing to the party's base. A video released Monday announcing her move notes the economic challenges facing people of color along with images of a women's march and Warren's participation at an LGBT event.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks beside her husband Bruce Mann, left, outside their home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass., where she confirmed that she is launching an exploratory committee to run for president. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., steps outside her home with her husband Bruce Mann and their retriever Bailey, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass., where she confirmed that she is launching an exploratory committee to run for president. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks outside her home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks outside her home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., loads her retriever Bailey into her vehicle after speaking outside her home, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018, in Cambridge, Mass. Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)
DENVER (AP) - A Colorado man was charged Monday with murder and solicitation to commit murder in the death of his missing fiancee as police try to find out what happened to the mother of his child.

Patrick Frazee is accused of trying to find someone to kill Kelsey Berreth three times between September and November and causing her death on or around Thanksgiving, according to a charging document. Berreth was last seen Thanksgiving Day on a grocery store surveillance video with the couple's 1-year-old daughter, and Frazee said the two met that day to exchange their child.

The girl is staying with her mother's family, and authorities have not said if they have found Berreth's body.

Frazee, 32, was told in court that he is charged with first-degree murder and three counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. No details were provided about who else may have been involved in Berreth's death.

Fourth Judicial District Attorney Dan May declined to say whether the three soliticiation charges mean investigators believe Frazee tried to get three people to kill Berreth, a flight instructor.

When Frazee was arrested Dec. 21, police said more arrests were possible, but they have not announced any. They have said the evidence suggests Berreth was killed at her home in Woodland Park, a mountain town near Colorado Springs, and that her cellphone was tracked to Gooding, Idaho, three days after Thanksgiving.

Patrick Frazee leaves the Teller County District Court in Cripple Creek, Colo., Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Frazee learned of the five charges against him during his brief court appearance Monday in Cripple Creek. A charging document says the 32-year-old Frazee is accused of working to find someone to kill Kelsey Berreth between September and November and causing her death on or around Thanksgiving. (Chappin Everett/The Gazette via AP)

The Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office in Idaho said last week that the FBI and Colorado authorities asked the agency and police in the city of Twin Falls, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southeast of Gooding, to help prepare and serve "several search warrants" and process some evidence in the case.

The sheriff's office didn't provide details about the searches or the evidence.

The document detailing the evidence for Frazee's arrest is sealed. His lawyers are expected to get a copy of it Monday but are not allowed to discuss it with him until a judge decides if they can. A hearing is set for Friday.

May said prosecutors have kept the information secret at the request of investigators, who are still tracking down leads and trying to interview people.

Frazee did not speak in court and is not expected to enter a plea until after evidence is scheduled to be presented at a Jan. 29 hearing.

FILE - This booking photo provided by the Teller County Sheriff's office shows Patrick Frazee, the fiance of missing Colorado woman Kelsey Berreth, who was arrested Friday, Dec. 21, 2018, at his home in the community of Florissant, Colo Frazee has been accused of murder and solicitation to commit murder in the death of his missing fiancee. Frazee learned of the five charges against him during a brief court appearance Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 in Cripple Creek. (Teller County Sheriff's Office via AP,File)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart is living several blocks from a Salt Lake City elementary school following her release from prison in September, according to Utah's sex-offender registry.

Wanda Barzee, 73, is listed in the registry as living in an apartment near the school after her initial placement in a halfway house. She was released on parole much earlier than anticipated, despite her refusal to cooperate with mental health professionals while incarcerated.

Federal probation officers did not return a telephone message Monday seeking comment about the living arrangement for Barzee near Parkview Elementary School.

She was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2010 after pleading guilty to helping her husband, street preacher Brian David Mitchell, who abducted Smart at knifepoint in 2002 when she was 14 and repeatedly raped her.

Smart was held captive for nine months before she was found and rescued.

Smart, now 31, has become a child safety advocate and is married with three young children. She said in a statement that people with a history of child abuse and sexual violence such as Barzee shouldn't be allowed to live close to schools.

FILE - This 2016 photo provided by the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office shows Wanda Barzee. Barzee, who helped kidnap Utah's Elizabeth Smart, is living a couple of blocks away from an elementary school in Salt Lake City following her release from prison in September. Utah's online sex-offender registry lists 73-year-old Barzee as living in a house near a school for kids ages pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Federal probation officers didn't return a phone message, but Barzee's supervised release guidelines don't seem to prohibit the arrangement. (Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)

"Every possible caution and protection should be taken when it comes to protecting our children. Whether a person is deemed a current threat or if they have a history of child abuse, neglect, sexual violence, etc., prudent measures should be taken, including housing them as far away as possible from schools, families and community centers," Smart said.

Smart previously criticized Barzee's release, which came more than five years earlier than expected after the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole determined it had miscalculated the time Barzee was required to serve in prison.

Smart called it "incomprehensible" that someone who had not cooperated with her mental health evaluations or risk assessments could be let out, but also said she wouldn't let Barzee's release stop her from living her life.

Barzee is serving five years of federal supervised release. The release guidelines don't seem to set limits on how close she can live to a school.

Sex offenders in Utah are prohibited from going on school grounds, according to state rules.

The school, which has students from kindergarten through fifth grade, is closed for winter break.

Yandary Chatwin, a spokeswoman for the Salt Lake City School District, had no immediate comment.

FILE - This 2017 file photo provided by the Utah Department of Corrections shows Wanda Barzee. Barzee, who helped kidnap Utah's Elizabeth Smart, is living a couple of blocks away from an elementary school in Salt Lake City following her release from prison in September. Utah's online sex-offender registry lists 73-year-old Barzee as living in a house near a school for kids ages pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Federal probation officers didn't return a phone message, but Barzee's supervised release guidelines don't seem to prohibit the arrangement. (Utah Department of Corrections via AP, File)
LONDON (AP) - Police picked up a group of 12 migrants found on a beach in southwestern England as top British officials met Monday to discuss the increasing numbers of people attempting to cross the English Channel from France to England.

The British government agency that oversees immigration said nine men, two women and a 10-year-old child were in the group, who reported being Iranian. The people received health checks and were turned over to immigration officials for interviews, the Home Office said.

A surge of Channel crossings in recent weeks prompted Home Secretary Sajid Javid to call a crisis meeting with top officials from Britain's Border Force and National Crime Agency and senior government officials.

Javid said afterward that the government planned to put two more Border Force ships on patrol in the English Channel to protect both the lives of migrants making the risky journey and Britain's borders.

About 230 migrants tried to traverse the water from northern France to southern England in December, he said.

"We must remember that this is one of the most treacherous stretches of water that there is, 21 miles with people taking grave risk," Javid said.

This image provided by the Marine Nationale (French Navy) shows migrants aboard a rubber boat after being intercepted by French authorities, off the port of Calais, northern France, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2018. French authorities have rescued eight migrants, including two children, whose engine failed as they tried to sneak across the English Channel to Britain. (Marine Nationale via AP)

He said two Border Force cutters would be called back from abroad to join a third already stationed in the Channel.

Matthew Saltmarsh, a spokesman for the U.N. Refugee Agency, said U.N. officials also are worried about an upturn in risky crossings by migrants.

"The increase in attempted crossings of the Channel to the UK from France since autumn is a real concern," he said in an email. "The winter conditions and use of flimsy vessels present significant dangers to asylum seekers attempting the crossing."

British and French officials have been discussing increasing patrols of the waterway that separates their countries and connects the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The narrow Channel's length is 563 kilometers (350 miles), but navigating it can be dangerous for passengers in the small boats typically used for ferrying migrants because of heavy shipping traffic.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A lawyer for the Republican in the country's last undecided congressional race said Monday the campaign doesn't think a planned hearing aiming to root out evidence of alleged ballot fraud can happen.

An attorney for Republican Mark Harris said Monday there's no need to call witnesses to an announced Jan. 11 hearing because there's no elections board authorized to examine evidence or take action. Attorney David Freedman of Winston-Salem said that is why he didn't seek to compel witnesses by a Sunday deadline.

Attorneys for Democrat Dan McCready, on the other hand, sought subpoenas that could force appearances by four dozen witnesses including Harris, his campaign staffers, state and local Republican Party officials, and a political operative named Leslie McCrae Dowless, whom witnesses allege collected incomplete and unsealed ballots from voters. All may have some knowledge about why Harris enjoyed an unusually large advantage in absentee ballots in two of the 9th congressional district's rural counties, the Democrat's attorneys said.

Dowless did not respond to a phone message Monday. He has not violated any state or federal campaign laws and ongoing investigations will prove him innocent, said his lawyer, Cynthia Adams Singletary, said in her only statement two weeks ago.

The state elections board has refused to certify the Harris-McCready race while it investigates irregularities in the district in the south-central part of the state. Harris holds a slim lead in unofficial results, but election officials are looking into criminal allegations against Dowless, the operative hired by the Harris campaign.

"We intend upon cooperating with the investigation," Freedman said. But "we don't feel there's any deadlines. We're still working on it, but the committee that set the deadlines is no longer in existence."

FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2018 file photo Republican Mark Harris speaks to the media during a news conference in Matthews, N.C. The North Carolina board investigating allegations of ballot fraud in a still-unresolved congressional race between Harris and Democrat Dan McCready could be disbanded Friday, Dec. 28 under a state court ruling in a protracted legal battle about how the panel operates. The state Elections Board has refused to certify the race between Harris and McCready while it investigates absentee ballot irregularities in the congressional district stretching from the Charlotte area through several counties to the east. Harris holds a slim lead in unofficial results, but election officials are looking into criminal allegations against an operative hired by the Harris campaign. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)

The elections board was dissolved on Friday by judges who in October declared its form unconstitutional. A revamped board takes effect Jan. 31.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper claims he can re-establish the state elections board in time for the Jan. 11 hearing. Republicans are threatening to sue if he tries. Cooper's legal adviser William McKinney said if Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes didn't nominate candidates for the interim elections board, "one is compelled to conclude that you are withholding your nominations and encouraging people not to serve solely for the purpose of impeding and obstructing the Ninth Congressional District investigation."

Though new U.S. House members are scheduled to be sworn in Wednesday, incoming U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said last week that majority Democrats won't allow Harris to take office this week because of the ongoing investigation. The U.S. Constitution states that the House is the judge of the elections of its members and the final arbiter of contests.

McCready's campaign said Sunday that it wanted the elections board to require hearing appearances from Dowless and more than a dozen people who worked for him or volunteered to help his absentee ballot efforts. The elections board also should request testimony from more than a dozen voters to hear about ballots that were hand-collected and potentially altered.

The elections board also should order appearances from the former Bladen County elections executive director said to have a close relationship Dowless and current and former county elections board members, the Democrat's lawyers said.

The witnesses should not be compelled to testify and given the opportunity to invoke their constitutional rights against incriminating them in a crime to preserve the option of prosecuting them if appropriate, Washington, D.C.-based elections lawyer Marc Elias and an associate wrote in letter.

Also on Monday the current congressman, outgoing Republican Robert Pittenger, told the Charlotte Observer that he won't be a candidate if a new GOP primary is called to settle the dispute. Pittenger narrowly lost the primary to Harris in May.

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Follow Emery P. Dalesio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/emery%20dalesio .
BOSTON (AP) - Former "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey must appear in a Massachusetts court on accusations that he groped a young man in 2016, a judge ruled on Monday.

The 59-year-old Oscar-winning actor had argued he should be excused from attending his Jan. 7 arraignment at the Nantucket District Court because his presence would "amplify the negative publicity already generated in connection with this case." But Judge Thomas Barrett denied Spacey's request.

Spacey has said he will plead not guilty to felony indecent assault and battery.

The allegations were first brought in November 2017, when former Boston TV anchor Heather Unruh told reporters that Spacey groped her teenage son during a chance encounter in the crowded bar of a Nantucket restaurant.

An attorney for Spacey, Juliane Balliro, had argued that Spacey's presence at his arraignment would only "heighten prejudicial media interest in the case" and increase the risk of contaminating the jury pool.

Emails seeking comment on the judge's ruling were sent to Spacey's attorneys and the district attorney's office handling the case.

FILE - In this May 24, 2017 file photo, Kevin Spacey participates in the speaker series in New York. Lawyers for Spacey are asking a judge to excuse the actor from a Jan. 7, 2019 hearing in Nantucket, Mass. The 59-year-old Oscar winner is charged with felony indecent assault and battery. Prosecutors, who allege Spacey groped an 18-year-old man in a Nantucket restaurant in 2016, asked the judge to deny the motion. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Neither Spacey nor his lawyers have addressed the allegation publicly, but the actor released a video last week in the voice of Frank Underwood, his character on Netflix's "House of Cards" in which he said, "I'm certainly not going to pay the price for the thing I didn't do."

It was unclear whether he was addressing the criminal charge.

Spacey's attorneys have also questioned the evidence against him.

Los Angeles-based attorney Alan Jackson noted during a hearing that Unruh's son did not report the allegations to police right way, lied about his age saying he was 23, and said he was so intoxicated he may have blacked out shortly after Spacey allegedly groped him, according to an audio recording of the hearing obtained by The Boston Globe.

Unruh told reporters that her son didn't report the assault at the time because he was embarrassed and scared. Her family decided to come forward after others went public with allegations of sexual misconduct against Spacey and other celebrities, she said.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, William Barr, once questioned the value of a wall along the Mexican border similar to the one the president has advocated, describing the idea as "overkill."

Barr was attorney general under President George H.W. Bush when he was asked in a Feb. 24, 1992, interview whether he supported a proposal from Republican presidential challenger Pat Buchanan to erect a barrier of ditches and fences along the border to stop illegal immigration.

"I don't think it's necessary. I think that's overkill to put a barrier from one side of the border to the other," Barr replied on "The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour" on PBS. "In fact, the problem with illegal immigration across the border is really confined to major metropolitan areas. Illegal immigrants do not cross in the middle of the desert and walk hundreds of miles," instead choosing more "certain specified routes."

Those routes through more populated areas have since largely been closed off, pushing migrants to riskier desert routes.

Other public statements by Barr from his tenure as attorney general and within the last year suggest a hardened immigration approach more in line with the broader security measures Trump and his advisers have discussed.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on whether Barr's views on a wall have changed, but pointed to other comments from his tenure in which he described fences as effective in stopping drugs and illegal immigration. As attorney general, he also announced the hiring of additional agents to patrol the border and promoted upgraded fencing and investments in sensors and other technology.

FILE - In this Nov. 26, 1991, file photo, President George H.W Bush, right, and William Barr wave after Barr was sworn in as the new Attorney General of the United States at a Justice Department ceremony in Washington. Barr, President Donald Trump's pick for attorney general, once questioned the effectiveness of a border wall similar to the one the president now wants to construct. Barr was attorney general under President George H.W. Bush when he was asked in a 1992 interview if he supported a proposal from Republican challenger Pat Buchanan to erect a barrier of ditches and fences along the Mexican border to stem the flow of illegal immigrants. Barr described a side-to-side barrier as "overkill." (AP Photo/Scott Applewhite, File)

Barr's positions on immigration are significant because of the Justice Department's role in defending and enforcing administration policies and because border security has been a top priority of Trump's White House. While the Justice Department today prosecutes people who cross the border illegally and defends the administration's policies, the agency was probably more directly involved in immigration enforcement during Barr's earlier tenure as attorney general - 1991 to 1993 - because it included the Immigration and Naturalization Service. INS was dissolved and its responsibilities largely folded into the Department of Homeland Security following the 9/11 attacks.

Barr's past comments on the effectiveness of a wall reflect a nuance often missing from Trump's rhetoric, who made the construction of a "big beautiful wall" of concrete and steel a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, and who has more recently cited a lack of additional funding for it as the reason for partially shutting down the government. Trump's ambition for a wall has given way to a more modest reality, with the president now describing the barrier as "artistically designed steel slats" and saying he doesn't care what people call it.

His former chief of staff John Kelly told The Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that Trump had abandoned the notion of "a solid concrete wall early on in the administration." The president seemed to respond to Kelly with a tweet Monday morning saying "an all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED."

Whatever the terminology, border security remains the central sticking point in the partial government shutdown. Trump is seeking $5 billion for a wall. Newly empowered congressional Democrats have resisted the demand, unveiling a package of bills Monday that would re-open the federal government without approving border wall funding.

The president selected Barr to return as attorney general and replace Jeff Sessions, who was forced out amid Trump's lingering outrage for his recusal from the Russia investigation. A transcript of the PBS interview was included in thousands of pages of documents Barr produced to the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of a confirmation hearing.

In the 1992 interview with PBS host Jim Lehrer, Barr said the Justice Department was taking steps to control illegal immigration and that "there are some barriers that have reduced violence and made it easier to interdict the aliens crossing."

But he expressed ambivalence about an expansive wall, saying, "They generally try to go up through certain specified routes and, in fact, we're only talking about a 200-mile area where there's appreciable crossings, illegal crossings, and in fact, 40 to 50 percent of the illegal crossings in the United States occur on a 14-mile stretch south of San Diego."

Even if Barr does not embrace a sprawling border wall, there are other indications his immigration views won't depart much from the aggressive stance of the White House and of Sessions, whose Justice Department defended a travel ban that blocked arrivals from some Muslim-majority countries and backed a since-abandoned enforcement policy that separated children from parents at the border.

Barr defended the legality of Trump's travel ban in a February 2017 Washington Post opinion piece, saying complaints that it was discriminatory were "baseless" since only a handful of countries were singled out and the criterion for their inclusion "was not that they were Muslim but that the risk of terrorist infiltration from these countries is especially high."

In addition, he and other recent Republican attorneys general praised Sessions in a separate op-ed for having "attacked the rampant illegality that riddled our immigration system."

___

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MOSCOW (AP) - Hundreds of rescue workers raced bitterly cold weather in Russia's Ural Mountains region Monday as they searched for survivors in the hulking concrete blocks from a partially collapsed apartment building where at least four people died.

The nation's top investigative agency, the Investigative Committee, said an explosion triggered by a gas leak apparently caused the pre-dawn collapse in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk. The New Year's Eve accident shocked Russians and marred the mood on the nation's most beloved holiday.

Authorities said five people were hospitalized with injuries and 35 others remained unaccounted for. Russian officials acknowledged that the odds of finding anyone alive in the debris looked increasingly slim given the extreme weather.

Nearly 1,400 rescue workers searched in temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius (1.4 degrees Fahrenheit). The overnight forecast called for temperatures to plunge to -24 degrees Celsius (-17 F) overnight.

"The chances are reducing with time," Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova responded curtly when pressed by reporters on the likelihood of finding trapped survivors. "But incredible stories do happen."

Emergency officials deployed powerful heaters to raise temperatures in the wreckage in case anyone trapped there was at risk of dying of hypothermia.

This image provided by the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry taken from tv footage, shows Emergency Situations employees working at the scene of a collapsed section of an apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Russian emergency officials say that at least four people have died after sections of an apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in the Ural Mountains region. (Chelyabinsk Region Governor Press Service photo via AP)

"We must work as quickly as we can as temperatures don't give us any time to linger," Deputy Emergency Minister Pavel Baryshev said during a conference call with local officials.

Officials said they had all the necessary equipment for a thorough search, but the work was proceeding slowly due to fear other sections of the 10-story building might collapse. Residents of some sections were evacuated as a precaution.

The structure was constructed from concrete panels. One that was left hanging in the collapsed section of the building came crashing down as television stations aired live broadcasts from the scene.

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the accident site about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow and went to a local hospital where injured residents were taken.

At the hospital, Putin spoke to a 13-year old boy, who sustained head injuries and frostbite after spending an hour under the rubble before being rescued.

"You will get well soon, you are a fighter," Putin told the boy after hearing that he was practicing martial arts.

Another survivor, Yulia Gavrilova, recalled the harrowing moments of the collapse.

"We were sleeping and I woke up feeling I was falling down," she said. "I first thought I was dreaming it. Then I woke up for real and realized that I was standing outside, the wall was not there any longer. My mother was screaming that she couldn't breathe and my son was screaming from another corner."

Local authorities initially said 68 people registered as residents in the collapsed section of the building were missing, but later tracked down some of them.

The Russian Emergency Ministry later said that 35 people remained unaccounted for, and it wasn't clear if they were in the building when it collapsed.

The Local governor, Boris Dubrovsky, told Putin that authorities published the missing persons list in the hope they were somewhere else when the explosion happened and would report their whereabouts. He promised to quickly provide new apartments for those who were left homeless.

Gas explosions in Russian homes and businesses are common, and they are usually blamed on neglect of safety rules or poor maintenance.

This photo provided by www.verstov.info shows Emergency Situations employees working at the scene of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Russian emergency officials say that at least four people have died after sections of the apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in the Ural Mountains region. (verstov.ru photo via AP)

The scene of a part of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. At least four people died Monday when sections of an apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in Russia's Ural Mountains region, officials said. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)

In this video grab provided by RU-RTR Russian television, Russian President Vladimir Putin, second right, speaks to a boy wounded during collapsing of the apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. At least four people died Monday when part of a 10-story apartment building collapsed in Russia's Ural Mountains region, and hundreds of rescuers searched for survivors under the rubble in the frigid weather. (RU-RTR Russian Television via AP)

Emergency Situations employees working at the scene of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. At least four people died Monday when part of a 10-story apartment building collapsed in Russia's Ural Mountains region, and hundreds of rescuers searched for survivors under the rubble in the frigid weather. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)

Emergency Situations employees working at the scene of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. At least four people died Monday when part of a 10-story apartment building collapsed in Russia's Ural Mountains region, and hundreds of rescuers searched for survivors under the rubble in the frigid weather. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)

The scene of a park of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Russian emergency officials say that at least four people have died after sections of the apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in the Ural Mountains region. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)

A toy and flowers lie at the scene of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. At least four people died Monday when sections of an apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in Russia's Ural Mountains region, officials said, and hundreds of rescuers are searching for survivors under the debris. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)

Emergency Situations employees working at the scene of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. At least four people died Monday when sections of an apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in Russia's Ural Mountains region, officials said, and hundreds of rescuers are searching for survivors under the debris. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, attends a meeting of Emergency Situations headquarter at a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. At least four people died Monday when part of a 10-story apartment building collapsed in Russia's Ural Mountains region, and hundreds of rescuers searched for survivors under the rubble in the frigid weather. (Ilya Moskovets, Sputnik, TASS/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Emergency Situations employees working at the scene of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Russian emergency officials say that at least four people have died after sections of the apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in the Ural Mountains region. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)

Emergency Situations employees working at the scene of a collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) southeast of Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Russian emergency officials say that at least four people have died after sections of the apartment building collapsed after an apparent gas explosion in the Ural Mountains region. (AP Photo/Maxim Shmakov)
(see related) (ANSA) - Rome, January 8 - The row over Italian government figures' support for the Yellow Vest protests in France is just the latest in a series of tense episodes between Premier Giuseppe Conte's 5-Star Movement-League executive and President Emmanuel Marcon's administration.

* June 12, 2018 - The first case to break out regarded asylum seekers. A few days after Conte was sworn in, a spokesperson for Macron's En Marche party described as "sickening" Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's decision to close Italy's ports to NGO-run migrant rescue ship Aquarius, which had hundreds of people on board. The Italian government hit back, saying it would not take lessons from "countries that have always turned the other way on migrants". The spat ran on for days until Conte visited Paris on June 15. "I didn't want to offend," said Macron, while the Italian premier said that the case was "closed". But it was only a truce. * June 21, 2018 - Indeed, days later Macron warned Europe about the advance of "populist leprosy... in countries where we thought it was impossible". Deputy Premier, Labour and Industry Minister and 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio responded at once, describing the comments as "offensive and out of place". He added that "the real leprosy is European hypocrisy" on migration. Salvini was even tougher, saying Macron drank too much champagne and should not criticise Italy as he stations police to monitor the border at Ventimiglia.

* August 29, 2018 - Salvini attacked Macron via Twitter: "The polls say that Macron's main opponent is the French people.

Instead of giving lessons to other governments, he should throw open the borders, starting with the one at Ventimiglia. And he should stop destabilizing Libya for economic interests". Macron hit back, saying "I will not surrender anything to nationalists and those who preach hatred. If they wanted to see me as their main opponent, they are right".

* October 15, 2018 - A row broke out in October over the pushing back of migrants by French officers at the border at Claviere in Piedmont, which Salvini described as a "hostile act". Paris apologised and said what happened was an "isolated mistake". The apology was not accepted. "Don't come to give me lectures," Salvini said to Macron. This case dragged on for several days too, making relations increasingly tense. * January 7, 2019 - On Monday Di Maio openly supported the Yellow Vests who have been protesting against Macron's policies for weeks. "Respect is needed. Italy should think about the well-being of the Italian people," Paris replied.


A fighter of the Kurdish Women's Protection Units (YPJ) attends the funeral of an allied Arab fighter on December 21, 2018, among hundreds killed in a four-month-old US-backed offensive against the Islamic State group's last Syria stronghold

Jihadists defending their last bastion in eastern Syria used the cover of bad weather to launch a deadly counterattack against a Kurdish-led force, a war monitor said Tuesday.

The Islamic State group was unable to hold on to the positions they attacked but the assault killed 23 members of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and also left nine jihadists dead.

IS fighters took advantage of poor visibility to unleash suicide attackers on SDF forces along the front line in the Euphrates valley late on Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"Twenty-three SDF fighters were killed and nine IS jihadists were also killed in fighting that lasted all night and into Monday morning," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The jihadists often launch attacks under the cover of bad weather that cancels out their opponents' advantage of US-led coalition air power.

The SDF launched what is meant to be the final offensive on the jihadist organisation four months ago with air and ground support from coalition forces.
Carlos Ghosn made a name for himself as 'Le Cost Killer'

Former auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn, once-revered boss of three huge car companies, has masterminded an exit from Japan as stunning as his arrest that shocked the world more than a year ago.

The 65-year-old's journey from one of the world's best-known CEOs to a Japanese detention cell on financial misconduct charges was one of the most precipitous downfalls in corporate history.

And the man who once caught the media off guard by strolling out of his detention cell disguised as a workman has wrong-footed everyone again by leaving Japan for Lebanon, where he first arrived as a toddler.

Ghosn's life was turned upside down on November 19, 2018 when Japanese prosecutors stormed his aircraft brandishing multiple accusations of financial crimes, and whisked him off to the Tokyo detention centre.

He languished there for more than 100 days until he was granted bail of nearly nine million dollars. In that time he lost his business empire: sacked from Japanese car giants Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, he resigned from French manufacturer Renault.

Ghosn has consistently denied all charges against him, complained he would not receive a fair trial and chafed at the bail conditions imposed on him -- especially a ban on communicating with his wife.

- 'Cost killer' -

Totally at ease among the champagne receptions of the world's elite at Davos and on the red carpet at the Cannes film festival, Ghosn came to epitomise globalisation.

A polyglot and holder of three passports, he wrote in an autobiography that "just as globalisation and identity describe Nissan, they also perfectly express my life".

Born Carlos Ghosn Bichara in Brazil on March 9, 1954 to Lebanese parents, he moved as a very young boy back to Lebanon where he was educated in a multicultural Jesuit school by teachers from France, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt.

He completed his education in France, where he gained citizenship, and lived for many years in the United States.

At the age of 24, he was recruited by tyre firm Michelin where he embarked on a brilliant career and earned his nickname as a "cost killer".

Ghosn led a lavish and glamorous life

He moved to Renault in 1996, bringing a brutal early-rising work ethic to the French firm and again slashing costs wherever possible.

In 1999, he took a massive gamble on the struggling Nissan with a mandate to turn it around.

A self-confessed "inflexible" boss, he ordered a series of "sacrifices" -- five factories closed, 20,000 jobs cut.

After a "honeymoon period when he was admired and seen as a hero", his authoritarian methods began to grate, according to employees.

Ghosn himself said he did everything he could to ingratiate himself with Nissan.

"For the general shareholders meeting, I had practised bowing at 30 and 60 degrees. But I was there for one reason: to fix the company."

Tensions mounted when he became head of Renault in 2005 and he added a third hat by becoming chairman of Mitsubishi Motors in 2017 -- earning him millions of euros per year.

Carlos Ghosn has suffered a dramatic fall from grace

Lavish displays of wealth did not endear him to the Japanese, whose corporate bosses tend to be less well compensated than their western counterparts.

In 2016, he threw a huge party at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris, complete with actors dressed in period costume.

From the vast platters of fresh fruit at that reception to the rice-based diet at his detention centre, it was a head-spinning fall from grace.

In January, he gave AFP and a French newspaper his only foreign media interview during his detention, charging that refusal to grant him bail "would not be normal in any other democracy of the world".

Ghosn is convinced he is the victim of a "plot" by Nissan executives to oust him and strenuously denies the charges he faces of under-reporting his salary and seeking to transfer personal investment losses to company books.

"Is it a trap? Is it a plot? It's obvious: it's a story of betrayal," Ghosn said in his AFP interview.

- 'Unplanned path' -

Painted as a devoted family man, Ghosn said that not being able to speak to his family and missing his daughter's birthday for the first time were the hardest parts of his detention.

He mused in 2017 that he planned to spend more time with his grand-daughters and pass on his wisdom to the corporate bosses of the future.

"I won't settle in one place. I will travel all over the world. I cannot conceive of spending all my time in just one country," he said at the time.

He has faced adversity before -- at the age of two, he accidentally drank some unboiled water and nearly died. He has talked of ups and downs in prison -- and in life.

"Life has a way of following its own unplanned path," he once wrote.

But he could scarcely have imagined the route it would take over the past year.
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun has said she planned on seeking asylum in Australia but was stopped at Bangkok's main airport

The asylum claim of a Saudi woman who resisted deportation from Thailand will take several days to assess, the UN said Tuesday, as the 18-year-old's family, who she accuses of abusing her, was due to arrive in Bangkok.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived at Bangkok's main airport on a flight from Kuwait after running away from her family, who she alleges subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

Qunun said she planned to seek asylum in Australia, fearing she would be killed if sent back by Thai immigration officials who stopped her at the airport on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia's human rights record has been under heavy scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

Initially, Thai authorities said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia.

But as her plight pinballed across social media -- including tweets about how she had barricaded herself in a hotel room -- they abruptly changed course and allowed her to leave the airport Monday in the care of the UN's refugee agency.

The UNHCR said it was "very grateful" officials did not send Qunun back against her will.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun

"It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps," the UNHCR representative in Thailand, Giuseppe de Vicentiis, said in a statement.

Thailand is not a signatory to a UN convention on refugees, and asylum seekers are typically deported or wait years to be resettled in third countries.

The UNHCR insists anyone with an asylum claim should not be sent back to the country they fled under the principle of non-refoulement.

In a short press release distributed to media outside their embassy in Bangkok Tuesday, the Saudi government said it had not demanded her deportation, adding the case is a "family affair", but under the "care and attention" of the embassy.

In an earlier and separate explanation released on Twitter, the embassy also denied sending officials to Suvarnabhumi airport to meet Qunun as she arrived via Kuwait or impounding her passport -- as she alleged.

It also said the embassy had made contact with her father, a senior regional government official in the kingdom, "to inform him on her situation".

- Father, brother to arrive -

Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told reporters that Qunun's father and brother were due in Thailand later on Tuesday.

He said he would talk to the UN refugee agency about the potential of a meeting between the family members.

"Rahaf is not a political asylum case," he insisted. "It is not political at all."

Qunun's asylum application will take several days to process, UNHCR has said

Ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia has some of the world's toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.

Qunun has said she believes she will be imprisoned or killed if sent back, and that her family is so strict it once locked her in a room for six months for cutting her hair.

Under the hashtag #SaveRahaf, the young woman's desperate pleas became a social media sensation, and she was able to post live updates and videos from the Bangkok airport in both Arabic and English, racking up more than 80,000 followers.
In Quang Phu Cau village on the outskirts of Hanoi, families have been making incense for more than a century.

In Vietnam's "incense village", dozens are hard at work dying, drying and whittling down bamboo bark to make the fragrant sticks ahead of the busy lunar new year holiday.

It is the most frantic time of year for workers in the cottage industry in Quang Phu Cau village on the outskirts of Hanoi, where families have been making incense for more than a century -- a great source of pride for many.

Sales of incense tick up every year ahead of and during the Tet lunar new year in February, when throngs of people crowd into temples to light incense during worship, or burn the sticks on the ancestral altar at home

"It is a traditional and spiritual job making these sticks," Dang Thi Hoa told AFP, sitting amid bundles of bright pink incense sticks drying under the afternoon sun.

Her village is among several dotted across Vietnam making the sticks, the scent of each batch tailored to the tastes of regions they will be sold in.

Most households in the alleys of Vietnam's 'incense village' are involved in the trade

Sales tick up every year ahead of and during the Tet lunar new year in February, when throngs of people crowd into temples to light incense during worship, or burn the sticks on the ancestral altar at home.

Hoa's family started making the sticks more than 100 years ago and her mother still pitches in along with her teenage daughter who helps out after school.

The run up to lunar new year is the most frantic time in Vietnam's 'incense village' where hundreds of workers are hard at work dying, drying and whittling down bamboo bark to make the fragrant sticks

Selling her sticks to central Vietnam, Hoa can earn up to $430 a month leading up to Tet, a tidy sum in the country where the average monthly income is $195.

Most households in the alleys of Quang Phu Cau are involved in the ancient trade.

Some hack bamboo planks down to be fed into a whittling machine; others dip the thin strips into buckets of pink dye, leaving hundreds of brightly coloured bushels fanned out like bouquets on the streets to air out.

"This job is hard work, but I am earning enough to raise two of my children to become doctors," said Le Thi Lieu as she laid her incense out to dry

After, women donning cloth face masks coat the dried sticks with aromatic incense paste before redrying them and shipping them off for packaging.

The work offers more than just pride for many in Quang Phu Cau: like Hoa, many earn good money making incense compared to factory work nearby.

"This job is hard work, but I am earning enough to raise two of my children to become doctors," said Le Thi Lieu as she laid her incense out to dry.

That said, she's happy her two other kids have decided to work with her.

"We need at least one to work in the business so they can take over in the future."
Last week riot police in the Indian Ocean island used tear gas to break up one of several protests by thousands of Ravalomanana supporters in the capital Antananarivo

Madagascar is set to confirm the result of its presidential election on Tuesday, after Andry Rajoelina was declared the victor in the vote count and supporters of his bitter rival took to the streets crying foul.

In the run-off vote on December 19, Rajoelina scored 55 percent of the ballot and Marc Ravalomanana won 44 percent, according to the final results.

Ravalomanana lodged complaints over alleged irregularities with the Constitutional Court, which will announce the official winner on Tuesday.

Last week riot police in the Indian Ocean island used tear gas to break up one of several protests by thousands of Ravalomanana supporters in the capital Antananarivo.

The two rivals, both former presidents, were banned from running in the 2013 election as part of an agreement to end recurring crises that have rocked Madagascar since it gained independence from France in 1960.

The 2018 two-round election was beset by allegations of fraud from both sides, and a contested result may raise the risk of renewed political instability.

European Union and African Union election observers said they had not seen evidence of fraud.

- Fiercely personal duel -

Rajoelina and Ravalomanana have been locked in a fiercely personal duel for power, coming first and second in the preliminary election in November.

Last month, Ravalomanana told AFP at his campaign headquarters that he suspected "massive fraud".

Ravalomanana, 69, was first elected president in 2002 but was forced to resign seven years later by violent demonstrations supported by Rajoelina, then the mayor of Antananarivo.

Rajoelina, now 44, was installed by the army and ruled until 2014. He is a former events planner and successful entrepreneur with slick communication skills.

Both candidates spent lavishly on campaigning, with promises and handouts distributed liberally to voters, who are among the poorest in Africa.

Madagascar is well known for its vanilla and precious redwood but is one of the world's poorest nations, with 76 percent of people living in extreme poverty.

The island, which is also famed for its unique wildlife, is dependent on foreign aid and burdened by political friction.

Outgoing president Hery Rajaonarimampianina was eliminated in the first round after collecting less than nine percent of the vote.

His attempts to change the electoral laws this year backfired, sparking nearly three months of sometimes violent protests.

The demonstrators forced Rajaonarimampianina to accept a "consensus" government tasked with organising the election.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Turkey promised to protect Kurdish fighters in Syria in the wake of President Donald Trump's decision to pull out American troops

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed Monday that the Islamic State group would not be allowed to regroup as he headed to the Middle East following President Donald Trump's surprise decision to pull US troops from Syria.

Leaving on a trip to eight Arab capitals, Pompeo told reporters he would show that "the United States is still committed to all the missions that we've signed up for with them over the past two years."

The trip comes weeks after Trump announced that the United States would quickly pull its 2,000 soldiers out of Syria, declaring that the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS or IS, had been defeated.

His advisers have since been walking back his timeline, with national security adviser John Bolton saying Monday in Jerusalem that the United States would verify that the group is truly defeated before withdrawing.

Highlighting that IS emerged during the tenure of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Pompeo said the campaign to destroy the movement's self-styled caliphate in war-battered Syria has been "enormously successful."

"And I am confident that we will continue to ensure that the kind of rise that ISIS had under the Obama administration doesn't occur again," he said on his plane as he started his longest trip since taking over as top US diplomat last year.

- Coalition against Iran -

Pompeo opens his trip in Jordan and will deliver an address on Middle East policy in Egypt, whose military ruler turned president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has been a key partner of Trump.

Another major focus of the tour will be sustaining a regional coalition to counter Iran, the main enemy of US allies Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"This is a coalition that understands that the largest threats -- terrorism and the Islamic Republic of Iran -- are things that we ought to work on jointly and we will be marshaling all of the resources, theirs and ours, to achieve them," Pompeo said.

Last year, Trump pulled out of an international accord negotiated under Obama on ending Iran's nuclear program and has instead reimposed biting sanctions.

Pompeo repeatedly has called Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror," pointing to its targeting of domestic rivals in Europe and support of militant movements such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

- Promises from Turkey -

The Trump administration has cited Iran as a reason for maintaining a strong alliance with Saudi Arabia, which Pompeo also will visit, despite the killing and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October.

One of the rare US partners to support the US withdrawal from Syria has been Turkey, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke to Trump before the US leader's December 19 decision.

Pompeo, in an interview before his departure, said that Erdogan has given assurances to Trump not to attack US-allied Kurdish forces who fought IS in Syria.

"President Erdogan made a commitment to President Trump as the two of them were discussing what this ought to look like -- that the Turks would continue the counter-ISIS campaign after our departure and that the Turks would ensure that the folks that we'd fought with, that had assisted us in the counter-ISIS campaign, would be protected," Pompeo told CNBC television.

Pompeo was elaborating on his remark last week that the United States was working to ensure that "the Turks don't slaughter the Kurds" -- a choice of words that angered Turkey, which said the top US diplomat had a "worrying lack of knowledge."

The US-backed Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units form the backbone of the opposition Syrian Democratic Forces, but Erdogan considers them linked to the PKK, which has waged a bloody insurgency inside Turkey in the name of the Kurdish minority.

Bolton is set to hold talks Tuesday in Turkey after meetings in Israel, which has privately worried that Trump's withdrawal would empower Iran, which along with Russia offers military backing to President Bashar al-Assad.
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, pictured in Nashville in 2014, said Cyntoia Brown had been given "too harsh" a sentence

A US trafficking victim serving a life sentence for killing a man who bought her for sex when she was a teenager was granted clemency Monday following a celebrity-backed viral campaign for her freedom.

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam said Cyntoia Brown, now 30, had been given "too harsh" a sentence for the 2004 murder of a real estate agent in the city of Nashville.

Johnny Allen had picked up Brown, who was 16 at the time and a runaway under the influence of a dangerous pimp, and taken her to his home for sex.

The ex-Army sharpshooter allegedly showed off his firearms and "grabbed" Brown forcefully between her legs. She said she shot him in fear for her life.

A jury convicted Brown of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery, and she was given life with the possibility of parole after serving at least 51 years in prison.

Calling the case "tragic and complex," Haslam granted clemency under the condition of a 10-year parole. Brown will be released on August 7 after undergoing training on returning to society.

"Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16," Haslam said in a statement.

"Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life."

Without the governor's intervention, Brown would have remained in prison at least until 2055.

In a statement released by her attorneys, Brown thanked her supporters and the governor and promised to "do everything I can to justify your faith in me."

"My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been," she added.

- Prison transformation -

Brown earned a high school degree while incarcerated and was on track to complete her college education this year. The governor's office said numerous prison employees and volunteers attested to her personal growth.

"Her transformation, when given the opportunity, is nothing short of miraculous," her attorneys Charles Bone and J Houston Gordon said in a joint statement.

"She is truly a remarkable young woman with so much to offer this world and will now have that chance."

Kim Kardashian West, seen in New York in December 2018, has lauded Brown's "courage"

Brown's case was featured in a 2011 documentary, and was the subject of a social media campaign involving multiple celebrities who advocated for clemency, saying she should have been treated as a traumatized child victim of sex trafficking.

"Cyntoia never should have been sentenced so harshly to begin with, and we can't lose sight of the fact that she is still receiving an excessive 10 years' probation," the American Civil Liberties Union tweeted in response to the clemency news.

"The fight against harsh sentencing laws goes on."

Last month, actress Ashley Judd implored her home state's governor to grant clemency by saying Brown "deserves our empathy and your mercy."

In response to the governor's action, reality star Kim Kardashian, who has previously described Brown as a victim with "the courage to fight back," tweeted simply: "Thank you Governor Haslam."
In this file photo taken on October 10, 2018 the French navy ocean tug L'Abeille Flandre (R) approaches two cargo ships - the Tunisian freighter Ulysse (C) and Cyprus-based vessel anchored CLS Virginia (L) - after they collided north of Corsica

A collision between a Tunisian boat and a Cypriot container ship that sent hundreds of tonnes of fuel spilling into the Mediterranean in October was due to an extraordinary series of human errors, investigators said Monday.

The watch officer on board the Tunisian vessel Ulysse was chatting on his phone, while his counterpart on the Cypriot container ship Virginia did not attend to radar alarms, Tunisian, French and Cypriot investigators said in a report presented in Tunis.

The Tunisian vessel rammed into the Cyprus-based boat -- anchored some 30 kilometres (18 miles) off Corsica -- at full speed on the morning of October 7.

The Virginia had thrown anchor in the middle of a sea lane, the report said.

It took several days of maritime manoeuvres to disentangle the boats and pump some 520 cubic metres of propulsion fuel, which had escaped tanks.

"This accident is due to human error shared between the Tunisian boat's team and that of the Cypriot boat," said Youssef Ben Romdhane, director general of sea transport in Tunisia's commerce ministry.

"The captain of the Tunisian boat was busy... making private telephone calls. He was far from the radar screen that warns of danger. He was alone", he told AFP.

The Cypriot boat was anchored in an "inadequate" area, he added.

"According to testimony... this is the first time a ship had dropped anchor in this location... (on) a sea lane used by merchant ships," he said.

The Virginia had thrown anchor there under pressure from the ship owner, Ben Romdhane said, citing the investigation's report.

The two ships had the same insurer, which estimated damage to the two ships to be at least 13.5 million euros (15.5 million dollars), while cleaning coastal waters was provisionally estimated at 10 million euros, Ben Romdhane said.

More than 12 ships, including the French and Italian navy, were mobilised to tackle the fuel spill caused by the collision.

The mayor of French coastal town Ramatuelle lodged a complaint over pollution of Pampelonne beach, a renowned retreat in the Gulf of Saint Tropez.

A separate investigation is being carried out by France's judiciary, which is still evaluating responsibility for the accident and pollution.
US intelligence is warning companies how to protect against what it says is a sustained effort by foreign governments, especially China, to hack into their IT systems; the customer database of hotels giant Marriott was hit by hackers last year

The US intelligence community launched a campaign Monday to help US business defend against hacking by foreign governments like China and Russia.

The National Counterintelligence and Security Center began sending out detailed advisories, in brochure and video forms, to companies around the country to show them how to guard against cyber-incursions.

The blitz follows hotel chain Marriott's disclosure last week that hackers stole more than five million passport numbers of guests at its properties.

It was the latest in what the Trump administration says has been a surge of attacks on government and corporate computer systems, especially by Chinese intelligence, seeking to steal business secrets and databases.

"We're arming US companies with information they need to better understand and defend against these threats," said NCSC Director William Evanina in a statement.

Foreign, government-backed actors "are routinely breaching private sector networks, stealing proprietary data, and compromising supply chains," he said.

"The attacks are persistent, aggressive, and cost our nation jobs, economic advantage, and hundreds of billions of dollars," Evanina said.

The NCSC pointed to recent cyber attacks from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran as behind the new awareness program, dubbed "Know the Risk, Raise Your Shield."

In December, the US government charged two Chinese men tied to Chinese intelligence with hacking the computer systems of companies and government agencies in a dozen countries.

Experts have also pointed at China for the hack last year of global hotel giant Marriott, in which personal details like passport and payment card numbers and the travel history of more than 300 million guests were stolen.

FBI assistant director Bill Priestap, a top counter-intelligence official, said last month that the Chinese government "is attempting to acquire or steal, not only the plans and intentions of the United States government, but also the ideas and innovations of the very people that make our economy so incredibly successful."

The NCSC warned against cyber attacks on corporate supply chains, spear-phishing emails, and social media deception, all meant to find ways into a target's computers.

It also warned that foreign spies target the electronics of American travelers abroad.

"When abroad, don't expect electronic privacy. Wi-Fi networks overseas are regularly monitored by security services and others who can insert malicious software into your device through any connection they control," it said.

"They can also do it remotely if your device is enabled for wireless connection."
The results of the December 30 vote were initially scheduled for Sunday, but electoral commissiom president Corneille Nangaa told a news conference that little over half of ballots had been collected

Public and diplomatic pressure mounted Monday on the Democratic Republic of Congo to announce the outcome of December 30 elections to replace long-term leader Joseph Kabila.

More than a week after the crucial poll, the volatile central African country's electoral commission has not set a date for the results announcement, already postponed once.

The count is taking place in a climate of deep suspicion in a country that has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

On Sunday, election commission head Corneille Nangaa said just over half of ballots had been counted.

He appealed to the public "to remain patient for the time it will take to consolidate all our data."

But on Monday, the foreign minister of Belgium -- a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council -- urged haste.

"The important thing today is to publish the results of the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo even if they do not please the powers that be," Didier Reynders told Belgium's RTBF broadcaster.

Chronology of events the Democratic Republic of Congo since independence from Belgium in 1960

"We hope for an announcement in the coming days."

For its part, the CLC collective of Congolese Catholic laypeople which coordinated anti-Kabila protests in 2017 and 2018, bemoaned what it described as "collusion" between the country's ruling FCC coalition and the CENI election commission.

It accused the FCC (Common Front for Congo) and CENI of levelling "aggressive and unjustified" criticism against the country's powerful Catholic Church, and said this "confirms, in everyone's eyes, their collusion" and revealed "a hidden agenda."

The Church had deployed some 40,000 election observers, who fanned out across the vast country.

Its episcopal commission CENCO last week declared that it knew who had won and urged the authorities to publish the results "in keeping with truth and justice".

"The CLC reiterates its call to the Congolese people to remain more than ever vigilant, to remain united and to be wary of arsonists posing as firefighters," the organisation said in a statement.

The UN Security Council postponed a key meeting on the DR Congo elections at South Africa's request, diplomats said Monday.

The council was due to hold a public meeting Tuesday which is now expected to take place on Friday, according to council diplomats.

South Africa, along with Russia and China, had argued strongly in favour of holding off on any action until the results are announced, they added.

- 'Safeguard peace' -

There were protestations from the FCC side as well.

"Ambassadors are saying that (opposition candidate Martin) Fayulu has won," complained a confidant of Kabila, citing permanent UNSC members France, the United States, and Britain.

Candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, shown here casting his vote, is Kabila's chosen successor

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 Fayulu, another opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi, and Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

Kabila was due to step down two years ago, but clung on to power, sparking widespread protests which were brutally repressed.

Last month's election, preceded by repeated delays, was relatively peaceful.

But tensions have built over the lengthy counting process even as the government cut internet access and blocked broadcasts by Radio France Internationale.

On Saturday, just hours before Sunday's scheduled announcement of the provisional outcome, electoral officials announced an indefinite delay.

Nangaa has said the tallying is made difficult by massive logistical problems in a resource-poor country the size of western Europe.

The United States and European Union have urged Kinshasa to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, while the African Union, which sent election monitors, said it was "crucial" to respect voters' wishes.

Denis Sassou Nguesso, president of the Republic of Congo to the west, urged restraint in uncertain times to "safeguard peace and stability in this brother country".

The last two presidential elections in 2006 and 2011, both won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed.

Between 1996 and 2003, the DR Congo suffered two wars that claimed millions of lives through fighting, starvation, and disease.
(ANSA) - Rome, January 8 - Italy will take in migrant children and parents from two NGO ships while a "turning point" is needed from the EU on migrants as Italy's disappointment is "strong", Premier Giuseppe Conte said Tuesday.

"Italy has assumed a position of rigour, strong, a turning point compared to the past," he said.

"But it has been clear and structured: you need a structured approach in the management of flows.

"The disappointment is strong, towards Europe.

"Everyone has a truth, our truth is that we are fighting traffickers".

Italy has closed its ports to NGO rescue ships, two of which are currently off Malta having spent 18 days stranded in the Med with 49 migrants aboard.

Conte added that Italy would take in children and parents "without betraying" its tough line.

He said there was a limit to the policy of "rigour".


South Africa asked the UN Security Council to postpone a meeting on the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the release of the results was delayed

The UN Security Council has postponed a key meeting on the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, at South Africa's request, after an announcement on the results was delayed, diplomats said.

The council was due to hold a public meeting Tuesday which is now expected to take place on Friday, according to council diplomats.

Last Friday, a closed-door council meeting was held at France's request, but world powers failed to agree on a press statement ahead of the release of the results.

South Africa, along with Russia and China, argued strongly in favor of holding off on any action until the results were announced, diplomats said.

The election commission in Kinshasa was due to release the results on Sunday but it announced a delay until later this week, without specifying a date.

The United Nations looks forward to the "timely publication of the provisional results by the commission," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, suggesting that vote-counting should not drag on for too long.

Dujarric added that all players have a responsibility to "help maintain an environment free of violence" to ensure the peaceful conclusion of the vote "in a manner that reflects the will of the Congolese people."

A little over half of the ballots have been counted since the December 30 polls, according to DR Congo's election commission.

Western powers hope sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country will see its first peaceful change of the presidency since independence in 1960.

The delay in announcing the results has heightened fears of vote-rigging to hand victory to the ruling party candidate, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, is not seeking re-election but there are fears he will maintain influence with Shadary at the presidency.

A total of 21 candidates are vying for the presidency including opposition leaders Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi.

South African Ambassador Jerry Matjila told reporters on Friday that the world must "be very, very patient" while vote-counting is under way and said his government would await an announcement from the election commission.

South Africa, a non-permanent council member, is a leading power in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) that includes the DR Congo.
A sign announces a section of road is closed in Joshua Tree National Park due to a lack of federal funding

National parks that are unstaffed, long lines at airports with workers calling in sick, and assistance to the nation's poorest threatened: the partial shutdown of the US government is hitting everyday Americans and no solution is in sight.

- National parks, museums and zoos -

Tourists Enrico and Latisha Jacomini from Rome, Italy, look at a map after discovering the Smithsonian National Museum of American History is closed due to the partial shutdown of the US government

Garbage is piling up around trash cans in national parks that lack federal employees who have been deemed non-essential and are not being paid. In some cases, they have been replaced by volunteers.

Unlike during previous shutdowns, some national parks have remained open even without park rangers to ensure safety.

To pay employees at the most visited locations, the National Park Services has decided to dip into the budget from entrance fees, usually reserved for financing infrastructure.

The famed Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo in Washington closed to the public on January 2 due to a lack of funding, though some zoo employees are still feeding the animals.

- Bottlenecks at airports -

Transportation Security Administration officers (TSA) stand on duty at the departure area of the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles

The shutdown is affecting security operations at airports, where Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees have been deemed essential, but a growing number are calling in sick since they are not currently receiving salaries.

"Call-outs began over the holiday period and have increased but are causing minimal impact ... Wait times may be affected depending on the number of call-outs," a TSA spokesperson said in a statement, adding that wait times are nonetheless "well within TSA standards."

- Poorest are collateral victims -

The poorest Americans are collateral victims of the shutdown.

Food stamps issued by the Department of Agriculture to feed 38 million people could be limited starting in February, with emergency financing covering less than two-thirds of that month, according to media reports.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the agency responsible for public housing, has asked 1,500 landlords to use their reserve accounts and not evict tenants unable to pay their rent.

Native American communities are also affected by the lack of funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which provides basic services to nearly two million people, according to The New York Times.

Sharice Davids, a Native American member of Congress representing a district in Kansas, told National Public Radio that a Native American recently died because emergency services had been unable to intervene in time as a road was impassable due to a lack of maintenance.

- Tax refunds to continue -

The White House said Monday that the Internal Revenue Service will continue to issue tax refunds despite the government shutdown

Also on Monday the White House said that, even with nearly 90 percent of Internal Revenue Service staff on furlough, the Treasury will continue to release refunds for overpaid taxes, often a crucial factor in business and personal finance.

A delay in the more than $100 billion in refunds paid out each February could slow economic growth.

- Courts impacted -

Federal courts have funded ongoing operations from accumulated court fees, which the Justice Department said Monday could run out by January 18. Some courts have stopped hearing civil cases in which the government is a party, while criminal cases continue uninterrupted. After January 18, though, only critical court activities will continue.

Immigration courts -- already buried under more than a million pending cases -- have also continued work for migrants in detention. But all other hearings are suspended and court clerks are not working.
Gabonese soldiers stand in front of the headquarters of the national broadcaster in Libreville after soldiers stormed the building in an apparent coup bid that was quickly put down

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned an attempted coup in Gabon, his spokesman said, recalling that the UN chief opposes unconstitutional changes of power by force.

Gabon's presidency said in a statement that soldiers burst into a state radio station at dawn on Monday and called for an uprising against President Ali Bongo, who was recovering in Morocco from a stroke.

Security forces stormed the building, arrested the coup leader and killed two of his soldiers, according to the presidency.

"The secretary-General has always stood against unconstitutional changes of power, especially by force, and in that light, he condemns the attempted coup that took place this morning in Gabon," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Guterres added that calm appears to have returned in Libreville and calls "on all actors to follow constitutional means", added Dujarric.

The UN envoy for Central Africa, Francois Lounceny Fall, who is based in Libreville was closely monitoring the situation and is ready to offer assistance if needed, said the spokesman.
A section of the steel wall on the US - Mexico border near San Diego, California

Facing stiff resistance from Congress, President Donald Trump has said he might use his emergency powers to construct hundreds of miles of wall on the southern border to prevent migrants from crossing into the United States illegally from Mexico.

Trump could indeed declare a national emergency, citing what the administration calls a "crisis" at the border, after nearly 103,000 people were detained in October and November after entering the country illegally.

But trying to build a wall in this way would face significant legal barriers.

- Trump does have emergency powers -

US President Donald Trump has hinted he could use his emergency powers to move ahead with construction of a wall on the US-Mexico border if Congress will not fund it

The National Emergencies Act allows the president to declare a national emergency, providing a specific reason for it.

That then allows the mobilization of hundreds of dormant emergency powers under other laws. Those can permit the White House to declare martial law, suspend civil liberties, expand the military, seize property, and restrict trade, communications and financial transactions.

But the powers are not unlimited, and can be blocked by Congress and the courts. During the Korean War in 1952, President Harry Truman sought to take over US steel factories to keep them producing in the face of a planned national strike by industry workers.

Steel companies took the case to the Supreme Court, which ruled in their favor, saying the president's emergency powers did not allow him to seize privately-owned plants to avert a strike.

- All presidents use the National Emergencies Act -

Central American migrants climb the US-Mexico border fence to take a look before trying to cross from Tijuana to San Diego on New Year's Eve

Every recent president has used the NEA, and more than two dozen states of emergency are currently active, renewed annually.

President George W. Bush invoked it after the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks to be able to expand and ready the military beyond what was budgeted, and to undertake secret surveillance and employ interrogation methods on detainees widely denounced as torture.

President Barack Obama tapped the NEA to declare an emergency in 2009 over the swine flu threat, giving authorities and hospitals extra powers to act quickly against the outbreak.

Most often, the NEA has been used in actions against other countries.

One NEA emergency in place since 1979 has restricted trade with Iran. Another, dating to 2006, blocks property of people who were deemed to be undermining democracy in Belarus.

- Powers, funds limited -

If Trump declares a national emergency, he could deploy more manpower to the border. But to build a wall, he would still have to find billions of dollars to fund it.

One emergency law permits the president to order "military construction projects" using funds already available in the military budget.

But could the wall be called a "military" project? There are strong restrictions on the US military and its funding being deployed for domestic, non-defense purposes, though emergency laws sometimes permit it.

Moreover, building the wall will require taking control of privately owned land that abuts much of the border, which could force years-long legal battles with landowners.

- Challenge from Congress -

The NEA gives Congress the right to immediately challenge a presidential emergency declaration.

Given that Congress has already declined to fund the wall, a challenge would likely quickly pass the Democratic House. Then the Republican-controlled Senate would have to decide whether they agree with the president's invocation of emergency powers to build a wall they haven't given him money for.

"That's a non-starter," senior Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff said Sunday.

"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."
Manuel Chang, pictured in 2012, was arrested on December 29, 2018 in Johannesburg over $2 billion in alleged secret loans to Mozambican state companies

Mozambique said Monday it was working with US and South African authorities after its former finance minister was arrested in Johannesburg over $2 billion in alleged secret loans to Mozambican state companies.

Manuel Chang, 63, was arrested on December 29 and will appear in a Johannesburg court on Tuesday for an extradition hearing after US authorities in New York said he was accused of conspiracy to commit "wire fraud", "securities fraud" and "money laundering".

Chang was finance minister between 2005 and 2015 under the presidency of Armando Guebuza.

Between 2013 and 2014, Mozambique borrowed about $2 billion, but only disclosed most of the debt to the International Monetary Fund in 2016.

The hidden debt plunged Mozambique into its worst financial crisis since independence in 1975.

Mozambique's attorney general said in a statement it was "proceeding with the competent authorities of the Republic of South Africa and the United States of America to safeguard the interests of the Mozambican State."

It said Mozambique's own investigations had led to 18 defendants being "indicted for committing crimes of abuse of office or function, of trust, embezzlement and money laundering," and called for more cooperation from the US.

The statement was the country's first response since Chang's arrest.

Three former employees of Credit Suisse bank were arrested in London last week and are also fighting extradition to the US over the allegations.

The bank said it had been deceived by the three men and pledged to cooperate with a US probe.

Debt in poverty-stricken Mozambique soared to 112 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of 2017, forcing the country to suspend repayments and generating distrust from investors.

Donors including the IMF and World Bank suspended aid after the government admitted it secretly borrowed the $2 billion to fund a coastal protection plan and tuna fishing boats.

Lebanese businessman Jean Boustani, accused of helping coordinate the alleged fraud, was arrested at a New York airport on January 2.
Dutch and Australian investigators have blamed Russia for the disaster, a charge Moscow has vehemently denied

Dutch officials will provide free legal advice to relatives of those killed in the downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine for damages claims, the country's justice minister said Monday.

Justice Minister Ferd Grapperhaus also said a joint investigation into the tragedy was nearing completion.

The Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over war-torn eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 on board.

The Boeing 777 passenger jet was hit by a Russian-made BUK missile while on a routine flight between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur.

In May 2018, the Netherlands and Australia blamed Russia for the disaster.

"Free legal aid is being arranged for relatives wanting to add themselves to the trial" with the aim of claiming for damages, Grapperhaus said.

"It is expected that the investigation into the incident will wrap up some time next year," he added in a letter to the Dutch parliament.

Local news reports said a trial was due to start within the next five years and would take place in a Dutch court, most likely in The Hague.

Grapperhaus however stressed that damage claims already paid out by parties other than the perpetrators -- such as Malaysia Airlines and insurance companies -- would not be reconsidered by the courts.

Although five countries -- Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine -- are investigating the disaster, the majority of victims on the flight were Dutch.

International investigators concluded that the BUK came from a Russian military brigade based in southwestern Kursk which crossed into Ukraine at the time.

Moscow has vehemently denied any responsibility.
The results of the December 30 vote were initially scheduled for Sunday, but electoral commissiom president Corneille Nangaa told a news conference that little over half of ballots had been collected

Public and diplomatic pressure mounted Monday on the Democratic Republic of Congo to announce the outcome of December 30 elections to replace long-term leader Joseph Kabila.

More than a week after the crucial poll, the volatile central African country's electoral commission has not set a date for the results announcement, already postponed once.

The count is taking place in a climate of deep suspicion in a country that has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

On Sunday, election commission head Corneille Nangaa said just over half of ballots had been counted.

He appealed to the public "to remain patient for the time it will take to consolidate all our data."

But on Monday, the foreign minister of former colonial power Belgium -- a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council due to discuss the situation in DR Congo this week -- urged haste.

"The important thing today is to publish the results of the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo even if they do not please the powers that be," Didier Reynders told Belgium's RTBF broadcaster.

Chronology of events the Democratic Republic of Congo since independence from Belgium in 1960

"We hope for an announcement in the coming days."

For its part, the CLC collective of Congolese Catholic laypeople which coordinated anti-Kabila protests in 2017 and 2018, bemoaned what it described as "collusion" between the country's ruling FCC coalition and the CENI election commission.

It accused the FCC (Common Front for Congo) and CENI of levelling "aggressive and unjustified" criticism against the country's powerful Catholic Church, and said this "confirms, in everyone's eyes, their collusion" and revealed "a hidden agenda."

The Church had deployed some 40,000 election observers, who fanned out across the vast country.

Its episcopal commission CENCO last week declared that it knew who had won, thanks to its monitoring. It urged the authorities to publish the results "in keeping with truth and justice".

"The CLC reiterates its call to the Congolese people to remain more than ever vigilant, to remain united and to be wary of arsonists posing as firefighters," said a CLC statement.

- 'Safeguard peace' -

There were protestations from the FCC side as well.

"Ambassadors are saying that (opposition candidate Martin) Fayulu has won," complained a confidant of Kabila, citing permanent UNSC members France, the United States, and Britain.

Candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, shown here casting his vote, is Kabila's chosen successor

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 Fayulu, another opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi, and Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

Kabila was due to step down two years ago, but clung on to power, sparking widespread protests which were brutally repressed.

Last month's election, preceded by repeated delays, was relatively peaceful.

But tensions have built over the lengthy counting process even as the government cut internet access and blocked broadcasts by Radio France Internationale.

On Saturday, just hours before Sunday's scheduled announcement of the provisional outcome, electoral officials announced an indefinite delay.

Candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, shown here casting his vote, is Kabila's chosen successor

Nangaa has said the tallying is made difficult by massive logistical problems in a resource-poor country the size of western Europe.

The United States and European Union have urged Kinshasa to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, while the African Union, which sent election monitors, said it was "crucial" to respect voters' wishes.

Denis Sassou Nguesso, president of the Republic of Congo to the west, urged restraint in uncertain times to "safeguard peace and stability in this brother country".

The last two presidential elections in 2006 and 2011, both won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed.

Between 1996 and 2003, the DR Congo suffered two wars that claimed millions of lives through fighting, starvation, and disease.
A line of US military vehicles in Syria's northern city of Manbij on December 30, 2018

President Donald Trump on Monday sought to end fears of an abrupt US pullout from Syria, saying the fight against the Islamic State group was not over and that withdrawal would be done in a "prudent" manner.

"We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!" Trump tweeted.

The president has come under withering pressure both at home and in allied capitals after previous statements indicating that he considered the IS group vanquished and that he wanted US troops out of Syria imminently.

Trump's new statement follows a trip by his national security adviser John Bolton to Israel in which he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday that withdrawal would not happen before "ISIS is defeated and not able to revive itself."

In a call, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of "the commitment of the United States and France to the destruction of ISIS as well as plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of US troops from Syria," the White House said.

"They reiterated that any further use of chemical weapons in Syria must not be tolerated."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had spoken with French officials. "We'll make sure we address the concerns that they have. Everyone understands what the United States is doing," he told reporters as he headed on a Middle East visit.

The reassurances followed a diplomatic storm caused by Trump's surprise announcement in December that appeared to signal a rapid withdrawal from Syria, where US special forces play an important role in supporting local forces fighting IS.

"We've won against ISIS," he said at the time. "We've beaten them and we've beaten them badly. We've taken back the land. And now it's time for our troops to come back home."

Allies like Britain and France warned that IS was not defeated. Questions were also raised over the fate of Kurdish groups that have done much of the fighting alongside the United States in Syria, but now fear attacks from Turkey.

The initial pullout promise also sparked outspoken opposition from within Trump's Republican party and the resignation of respected defense secretary James Mattis.

In Monday's statement, Trump complained that media coverage had skewed his original words, saying that his latest position on Syria was "no different from my original statements."

Currently, about 2,000 US forces are in the Syria, which is in the grips of a complex civil war. Most of the US soldiers are there to train local forces fighting the hardcore-Islamist IS.
Three soldiers wearing the green beret of the Republican Guard were visible on a video of the speech circulating on social media

Gabon foiled an attempted coup on Monday, capturing the rebel chief and killing two of his men after a group of soldiers stormed a radio station to call for an uprising while the country's ailing president was abroad.

Renegade soldiers burst into RTG state radio broadcasting offices in the capital Libreville at dawn and urged the public to "rise up", in an appeal made as President Ali Bongo was in Morocco recovering from a stroke last year.

Three soldiers wearing the green beret of the elite Republican Guard, two of them carrying assault rifles, were visible on a video of the speech released on social media.

But security forces stormed the building soon afterwards, capturing the commander, killing two of his men and freeing radio technicians who were held hostage and forced to help the mutineers make their broadcast, the presidency said.

"The situation is under control," it said in a statement.

Shots were heard earlier around the state broadcasting headquarters in the centre of capital of the oil-rich West African nation, at about the same time as the message was read at 6:30 am (0530 GMT).

Map locating Gabon and its major cities

Security forces were deployed across the city and will remain there over the coming days, a government spokesman said.

The Republican Guard was stationed around the radio building, armoured vehicles blocked access to the area and a helicopter circled overhead, an AFP correspondent saw.

In a rundown district nearby, dozens of young people had earlier torched a car and set fire to tyres before security forces dispersed them with tear gas.

But much of the city was deserted, with businesses closed and local and foreign companies telling their workers to stay home.

The dramatic developments came as Bongo was staying at a private residence in the Moroccan capital Rabat after suffering a stroke. He made a televised speech on New Year's Eve but has not been in the country since October.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attempted putsch and called on all political actors to follow the constitution.

"The secretary general has always stood against unconstitutional changes of power, especially by force, and in that light, he condemns the attempted coup that took place this morning in Gabon," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The UN envoy for Central Africa, Francois Lounceny Fall, who is based in Libreville, was closely monitoring the situation and is ready to offer assistance if needed, the spokesman said.

The African Union and former colonial power France also strongly condemned the attempted coup and warned against any "unconstitutional" change of power.

- 'Democratic transition' -

Gabonese security forces took up positions around the capital after the thwarted coup

The rebel message was read on state radio by a person who identified himself as Lieutenant Ondo Obiang Kelly, describing himself as deputy commander of the Republican Guard and head of a previously unknown group, the Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defence and Security Forces.

He said a "national restoration council" would be formed "to guarantee a democratic transition".

The movement "calls on all young people from forces for the defence and security and Gabonese young people to join us," the officer said.

Gabonese soldiers stormed into a public radio station to take it back from rebels

"The eagerly awaited day has arrived when the army has decided to put itself on the side of the people in order to save Gabon from chaos.

"If you are eating, stop; if you are having a drink, stop; if you are sleeping, wake up... Rise up as one and take control of the street," he said, urging people to seize public buildings and airports.

- 'A difficult period' -

The 59-year-old Bongo has not been back to Gabon since he suffered a stroke in Saudi Arabia on October 24.

Ali Bongo was elected head of state after his father's death in 2009

In his absence, the Constitutional Court transferred part of his powers to the prime minister and the vice president.

On December 31, Bongo addressed the country for the first time since falling ill, saying in a recorded speech from Morocco that he had "been through a difficult period."

His critics seized on signs of apparent ill-health, noting that the address was unusually short, his speech was slurred and his right hand seemed stiff and immobile.

The speech was "shameful," the officer said in Monday's address, describing Gabon as "country (which) has lost its dignity."

The Bongo family has governed the equatorial African nation for five decades.

Bongo took over from his father Omar, who took office in 1967 and gained the reputation of a kleptocrat -- one of the wealthiest men in the world, with a fortune derived from Gabon's oil wealth.

He was also a pillar of "Francafrique" -- a now much-contested strategy by which France bound itself to its former African colonies through cronyism, often tainted with corruption and rights abuses.

Ali Bongo was elected head of state after his father's death in 2009.

He was narrowly re-elected in 2016 following a presidential poll marred by deadly violence and allegations of fraud.
Human Rights Watch says Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun 'faces grave harm' if she is forced to go back to Saudi Arabia

A Saudi woman being held at Bangkok airport on Monday appealed for asylum and for other passengers to help protest her looming deportation, in desperate tweets from the hotel room where she barricaded herself.

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 ran away from her family while travelling in Kuwait because they subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

She said she had planned to travel to Australia and seek asylum there, and feared she would be killed if she was repatriated by Thai immigration officials who stopped her during transit on Sunday.

The 18-year-old said she was stopped by Saudi and Kuwaiti officials when she arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport and her travel document was forcibly taken from her, a claim backed by Human Rights Watch.

She tweeted that she was due to be deported on a Kuwait Airways flight to Kuwait due to depart at 11.15am (0415 GMT).

"I ask the the government of Thailand... to stop my deportation to Kuwait," she said on Twitter. "I ask the police in Thailand to start my asylum process."

Shortly before the scheduled departure, Qunun posted a plea for people within "the transit area in Bangkok to protest against deporting me".

"Please I need u all," she wrote. "I'm shouting out for help of humanity."

In a sign of growing desperation during the night, Qunun posted video of her barricading her hotel room door with furniture.

If sent back, she said she will likely be imprisoned, and is "sure 100 percent" her family will kill her, she told AFP.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun said she ran away from her family because they subjected her to physical and psychological abuse

A senior Thai immigration official said Sunday that Qunun was denied entry because she lacked "further documents such as return ticket or money" and Thailand had contacted the "Saudi Arabia embassy to coordinate".

Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch said Qunun "faces grave harm if she is forced back to Saudi Arabia" and Thailand should allow her to see the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and apply for asylum.

"Given Saudi Arabia's long track record of looking the other way in so-called honour violence incidents, her worry that she could be killed if returned cannot be ignored," he said.

The UNHCR said that according to the principle of non-refoulement, asylum seekers cannot be returned to their country of origin if their life is under threat.

"The UN Refugee Agency has been following developments closely and has been trying to seek access from the Thai authorities to meet with Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, to assess her need for international protection," it said in a statement.

The ultra-conservative 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.

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.

Abdulilah al-Shouaibi, charge d'affaires at the Saudi embassy in Bangkok, acknowledged in an interview with Saudi-owned channel Rotana Khalijial that the woman's father had contacted the diplomatic mission for "help" to bring her back.

But 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.

Another Saudi woman, Dina Ali Lasloom, was stopped in transit in the Philippines in April 2017 when she attempted to flee her family.
Japan has started charging each person leaving the country a $9 (7) departure tax, a measure aimed at raising funds to further boost tourism.

The International Tourist Tax will cover everyone regardless of nationality - from business people to holidaymakers older than two years of age - and will be tacked on to the price of an airline ticket.

The government wants to use the estimated 50billion yen ($460million/360million) it will generate in additional tax revenue to improve tourism infrastructure.

Japan has started charging a $9 (7) departure tax on each person leaving the country. Pictured is the busy Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, which is extremely popular with tourists

This includes making airport immigration processes faster and encouraging visitors to explore areas beyond traditionally popular destinations.

Japan has been aggressively courting international tourists as a new pillar of economic growth.

More than 30million foreigners are estimated to have visited Japan in 2018, a new record, thanks to a steady flow of tourists from Asia - particularly China, South Korea and Taiwan.

The country used to focus on drawing shopaholic foreign tourists to urban areas, like Tokyo's glitzy Ginza district.

But in recent years, more and more foreign visitors are venturing away from traditional tourist hubs like the capital and the ancient city of Kyoto, and going further afield, rather than buying gadgets to bring home, industry experts say.

However, busloads of tourists from around the world still regularly take a day trip from Tokyo to trek Mount Fuji and deep forests surrounding Japan's highest peak.

Busloads of tourists from around the world still regularly take a day trip from Tokyo to trek Mount Fuji, pictured

The nation aims to boost visitor figures to 40million by 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympic Games.

However, Japan isn't the only country to charge tourists a departure tax.

Countries including Australia, China, Costa Rica, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico and Sweden all enforce a levy.

In most cases, the taxes are included in the airfare.
The New Year's Eve car attack in Tokyo's famed Harajuku fashion district injured nine people

Tokyo police are investigating the suicide of an officer in charge of traffic control near the scene of a New Year's Eve car ramming attack that injured nine people, police and media said.

The attack in Tokyo's famed Harajuku fashion district saw 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe drive a vehicle into crowds, leaving at least one person with serious injuries.

The day after the incident, a 36-year-old officer from the local traffic department was found dead in the basement of Harajuku police station, according to Tokyo police.

"The officer was bleeding from his head. He had a gun in his right hand and one bullet had been fired from the gun," a Tokyo police spokesman told AFP on Monday.

"We're investigating why this happened," he said, without elaborating further.

Public broadcaster NHK reported, citing police sources, that the officer had been in charge of traffic control near the district where the attack occurred moments into the new year.

The broadcaster said the policeman had been suffering from harassment at work, and reported he left behind a suicide note, without giving details of its contents.

The attacker, who reportedly drove the vehicle from near the western city of Osaka, is under arrest on suspicion of attempted murder.

He has reportedly told police he was acting in "retribution for the death penalty", but the specifics of his motive remain unclear.
Nigeria's army appears to be struggling to end the insurgency by better-armed militants affiliated to Islamic State

Nigeria's Islamic State West Africa Province, a faction of Boko Haram affiliated to the Islamic State militant group, has intensified attacks against the army in the northeast of the country at an alarming rate, and the military appears to be struggling. Here are the principal reasons:

Better-armed jihadists

Fighters from the Islamic State-affiliated group, known by its acronym ISWAP, have managed to assemble a potent arsenal thanks to raids on military bases and capturing weapons in attacks, but also through arms smuggling from other African countries.

On December 27, the jihadists showed their force again during a brief takeover of Baga town: In just a few hours, the militants had routed around 500 soldiers from the multi-national MNJTF force comprising of soldiers from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

As with many attacks, after the soldiers fled, the militants took advantage to captured weapons, ammunition and vehicles at the strategic base on the shores of Lake Chad.

"The truth of the matter is that Boko Haram are better equipped than soldiers which is why they keep attacking and forcing soldiers out of military bases," Sanda Kime, a pro-government militiaman in the Lake Chad region, told AFP.

"There is a paucity of arms and ammunitions for our fighting troops. It is a serious problem," said Amaechi Nwokolo, a security analyst with the Roman Institute of Security Studies in Abuja.

There are increasingly more voices from within the ranks of the military decrying the poor state of their equipment, such as bullet supplies that are incompatible with the army's standard rifles.

The increase in arms-trafficking in sub-Saharan African has also allowed ISWAP to acquire "more sophisticated" equipment, most notable from the Horn of Africa and the Middle East via Sudan, according to Yan St Pierre, a counter-terrorism expert with MOSECON, a Berlin-based security consultancy.

Demoralised army

Nigeria's security situation has deteriorated rapidly in the last few years, forcing the army to deploy on numerous fronts in several parts of the country.

"The morale of troops is low. They have been pushed to breaking limit," said Abuja analyst Nwokolo.

In August, hundreds of soldiers invaded the runway of Maiduguri airport, in Borno state, firing their weapons in the air to express their exhaustion after four years on the frontline without much leave from the fight against jihadists to see their families.

The army managed to make important military progress against jihadists at the end of 2015 chasing the militants out of areas under their control but since then the fighters have adopted guerrilla tactics that are more complex to counter.

"The soldiers are fatigued. Sometimes they withdraw when Boko Haram attack their base after a brief encounter or without putting a fight at all," said one Nigerian security source who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to reporters.

Militant recruitment

In his New Year's message, Nigeria's Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Sadique Abubakar said jihadists had added experienced IS foreign fighters to their ranks.

"In the fight against Boko Haram, we saw the emergence of new tactics as well as the introduction of highly experienced and skilled fighters and technology, as ISIS elements, dislodged from Syria, relocated to the North East of our country," he said.

Rumours about Boko Haram bringing foreign fighters into its ranks are not new, but in recent months several witnesses and experts have added weight to reports of such recruitment.

For security expert St Pierre, IS military defeats in Iraq and Syria, and the group's expansion in the Sahel region and the Sahara, has "considerably" improved the mobility of militant fighters in Africa.

The analyst said ISWAP has conducted an intensive recruitment campaign in Nigeria and in neighbouring countries such as Niger and Chad for six months, where its radical imams present the jihadist group as a "credible and legitimate" alternative to government.

On Christmas Eve, ISWAP militants stormed a military base in Kukareta, Yobe State in the northwest Nigeria, killing 17 soldiers. One local chief said the fighters were likely Chadians by their physical appearance and the language they spoke.

Militant change in strategy

One Boko Haram faction led by Abubakar Shekau used suicide bombings and mass horde attacks in assaults that nowadays seem like tactics from another era.

Boko Haram split into two -- Shekau's faction and the ISWAP -- in mid-2016 over ideological differences.

Shekau pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, but the IS group gave its formal backing only to ISWAP.

ISWAP disagreed with Shekau's indiscriminate use of violence against civilians and vowed to only hit "hard" military or government targets.

In 2016, Islamic State named a new local leader Abou Mussab al Barnaoui who looked to attract more support from the local population.

"ISWAP fighters have focussed on military bases and what they consider to be the symbols of oppression and government repression," security consultant St Pierre said.

As a result, civilians are often locked up in camps for displaced people in areas under tight army control, but a semblance of normal life has returned in areas under Islamist militant influence.

"Where the army ordered the markets shut down and supply lines cut, they have restructured trade" in fishing and farming, which are the principal sources of revenues for the region, the MOSECON consultant said.

The new strategy of winning support of local populations is much more dangerous than militant chief Shekau's old tactics in the face of the Nigeria's army's impotence, he said.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's bump in attendance was in large part thanks to the "Heavenly Bodies" exhibit which explored the links between fashion and the Catholic Church and attracted 1.7 million people

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomed almost 7.4 million visitors in 2018, figures showed Friday, a new record for the venerable institution which in March began charging a fixed fee for out-of-towners.

The figure represented a rise of 5.1 percent compared to 2017, itself a record-setting year.

The bump in attendance was in large part thanks to the "Heavenly Bodies" exhibit which explored the links between fashion and the Catholic Church and attracted 1.7 million people.

Also of note were exhibitions dedicated to Michelangelo and David Hockney, both of which took place in late 2017 and early 2018.

The 2018 figures included visitors to the museum's main building, located on the eastern side of Central Park facing 5th Avenue, as well as its two other Manhattan locations, the Met Cloisters and the Met Breuer.

Attendance did not suffer as a result of a new pricing policy that was introduced March 1, which broke for the first time the tradition of allowing everyone to pay however much they wished.

Now, those who live outside New York must pay $25, though New Yorkers are still subject to voluntary donations.

The figures published Friday showed that 32 percent of visitors were New Yorkers, 34 percent from the rest of the United States and 34 percent were foreign tourists.

China was the best represented country and accounted for 5 percent of the foreign contingent.

Despite its successes, the Met remains far behind the Louvre in Paris, which saw 10.2 million visitors in 2018 -- also a record.
It's a safe bet no case before it will have exposed the nation's top judges to so many profanities

The US Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a case brought by a clothing line named "Fuct" which the government has refused to register, claiming it would promote vulgarity.

The case pits a provision of US trademark law that allows the government to deny requests on the basis "immoral" or "scandalous" words against the bedrock principles of free speech enshrined in the Constitution.

A date of hearing has not yet been fixed. But it's a safe bet no case before it will have exposed the nation's top judges to so many profanities.

The street-wear brand was founded in 1990 by Los Angeles-based designer Erik Brunetti.

The name sounds like, but is spelled differently from, the past tense form of a common swear word.

Brunetti tried to formally register it in 2011 but was refused under the so-called scandalous-marks provision of trademark law.

He appealed against the decision and won, but the current administration of President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to give a final ruling on the matter.

In its brief, the government argues the contested legal provision "does not restrict any speech or restrain any form of expression."

Rather, it "simply reflects Congress's judgment that the federal government should not affirmatively promote the use of graphic sexual images and vulgar terms by granting them the benefits of registration."

Brunetti's lawyer, John Sommer, told AFP that he hopes the country's top court will "take a strong position" in favor of free speech.

"A federal government and a state or local government can make life difficult for organizations or people that have controversial names," he said. They "can effectively prevent them from doing business on the basis that what they are doing is 'offensive or scandalous.'"

That power should not be left in government hands, Sommer said.

In 2017, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that an Asian American band could trademark its name "The Slants," which had been rejected because it was deemed a racial slur.
UN envoy Nicholas Haysom was declared persona non grata by the Somalia government after sending a letter raising human rights concerns

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday agreed to appoint a new UN envoy to Somalia after its president refused to reverse a decision to expel a representative for raising human rights concerns.

Guterres spoke by phone with President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on Friday -- his second call to the Somali leader in three days -- to once again urge him to change his mind, according to diplomats.

But the president dug in his heels and said UN envoy Nicholas Haysom would remain persona non grata and would not be allowed to return to Somalia, diplomats told AFP.

Guterres "deeply regrets" Somalia's decision, said UN spokesman Farhan Haq, adding that the UN chief nevertheless intends to appoint a new UN envoy.

The UN Security Council met behind closed doors to agree on a response to Somalia's decision.

But during that meeting, China asked for more time to consider a draft statement put forward by Britain that expressed regret at the decision, diplomats said. The council was to reconsider its response on Saturday.

In the British-drafted text, the council would express its support for the UN mission in Somalia and say it expects Somalia to fully cooperate with the United Nations.

- No interference -

Haysom, a South African lawyer and experienced diplomat, was told to leave Somalia on Tuesday after he questioned the government's decision to arrest an Al-Shabaab defector who was running in elections.

Muktar Robow, who defected from Al-Shabaab 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.

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 Robow could discourage other Al-Shabaab militants "who may be considering exchanging violence for a political path," said Haysom.

Somalia's Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman told the council that the United Nations should not interfere in his country's national affairs.

Former Al-Shabaab militants "cannot assume leadership positions without going through stringent established rehabilitation programs," he said, adding that a terrorist should not be allowed to rebrand himself as an "ice cream salesperson."

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.
US House Representative Rashida Tlaib took the oath of office on Thomas Jefferson's English-translated Koran at a ceremonial swearing-in with family members and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi

A Democratic congresswoman kicked off her term with an expletive-laced vow to impeach Donald Trump, testing her party's discipline and earning a chiding Friday from the president.

As a clip of Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib's animated comments circulated widely on social media, Trump tartly dismissed the threat of impeachment, while the newly elected Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appeared loath to reign in the congresswoman's language.

"How do you impeach a president who has won perhaps the greatest election of all time?" Trump said on Twitter, saying Democrats only consider impeachment "because they know they can't win in 2020."

At an event hours after her swearing-in on Thursday, Tlaib told supporters that "we are gonna go in there and we're gonna impeach the motherfucker."

The crowd roared, and Tlaib hugged supporters.

Salty language by US lawmakers -- or presidents, for that matter -- is nothing new. Trump, hardly the paradigm of verbal decency, last year derided African nations as "shithole" countries, after all.

But when Trump was asked about his critic's comments, he said they were "disgraceful," and "highly disrespectful to the United States of America."

"I think she dishonored herself and I think she dishonored her family, using language like that," he added.

The timing and optics of Tlaib's outburst are notable.

Democrats have just won control of the House of Representatives, after eight years in the minority. Tlaib, 42, is one in a cadre of ebullient, media-savvy rising stars -- the self-described "radical" Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is another -- who aim to shake up Washington's status quo.

Such progressives will be eager to push back against an administration they believe has abused its authority in the nearly two years since Trump's inauguration.

Doubling down on her outburst, Tlaib -- the first Palestinian-American elected to Congress -- tweeted Friday: "I will always speak truth to power. #unapologeticallyMe."

But she dodged reporters repeatedly asking about her remarks.

Tlaib found support on Twitter, where #ImpeachTheMF was a trending item in the United States on Friday night, with more than 110,000 tweets.

- No 'censorship' -

As the chamber's new speaker, the 78-year-old Pelosi is challenged with keeping Trump -- as well as the more radical elements of her own party -- in check.

Pelosi sought to downplay Tlaib's potty mouth.

"I probably have a generational reaction to it. But in any event I'm not in the censorship business," she said in comments aired Friday on MSNBC.

A vocal contingent of Democratic lawmakers, including Rashida Tlaib, is intent on punishing -- and perhaps impeaching -- US President Donald Trump, who they believe has abused his authority

"But I don't think it's any worse than what the president has said."

Republicans have bridled at Tlaib's comments, using them to portray Democrats as seeking politically-motivated retribution against Trump rather than common ground.

"We watched a new freshman stand up, use this language, get cheered by their base, and we watched a brand new speaker say nothing to her," top House Republican Kevin McCarthy said.

"That action should not stand."

Democrats who support impeachment have argued that Trump obstructed justice by firing former FBI director James Comey, and that hush payments to at least two women made by his personal attorney during the presidential race violated campaign finance laws.

As a long-time Trump critic, Tlaib made calls for his impeachment central to her campaign -- and was once arrested for heckling the then-candidate during his White House run.

"The time for impeachment proceedings is now," she wrote in a co-authored op-ed published in the Detroit Free Press newspaper the morning of her entry into Congress.

House Democrat Brad Sherman agrees, and on Thursday formally introduced impeachment measures against Trump. They are unlikely to get a vote on the House floor, at least for now.

Even if Democrats believe some of Trump's actions clear the threshold of "high crimes and misdemeanors," Pelosi has downplayed the prospects of impeachment, saying it's "not something that I'm stirring the pot on."

She wants special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian electoral interference -- and possible collusion with Trump's campaign -- to run its course before Congress decides about taking such a serious step.

Equally pressing, Pelosi must contend with liberal Democrats seeking to pull the party leftward in the run up to the 2020 election.

New York's Ocasio-Cortez, who last year unseated the fourth highest-ranking House Democrat in a shock primary, told the CBS show "60 Minutes" that she wants US tax rates to return to "as high as 60 or 70 percent" for the wealthiest Americans, in order to pay for an ambitious plan to fight climate change.
NASA spacecraft OSIRIS-REx is the first-ever US mission designed to visit an asteroid and return a sample of its dust back to Earth

A NASA spacecraft set a new milestone Monday in cosmic exploration by entering orbit around an asteroid, Bennu, the smallest object ever to be circled by a human-made spaceship.

The spacecraft, called OSIRIS-REx, is the first-ever US mission designed to visit an asteroid and return a sample of its dust back to Earth.

The $800 million unmanned spaceship launched two years ago from Cape Canaveral, Florida and arrived December 3 at its destination, some 70 million miles (110 million kilometers) away.

On Monday, after closely studying the asteroid for several weeks, the spaceship fired its thrusters to bring it into orbit around Bennu at 2:43 pm (1943 GMT).

The asteroid measures about 1,600 feet (500 meters) in diameter.

"Entering orbit around Bennu is an amazing accomplishment that our team has been planning for years," said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

NASA said the orbit marks "a leap for humankind" because no spacecraft has ever "circled so close to such a small space object -- one with barely enough gravity to keep a vehicle in a stable orbit."

The spacecraft is orbiting Bennu about a mile from its center.

The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft orbited a comet in May 2016, but at a further distance of about four miles from the center of the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Bennu has a gravity force only five-millionths as strong as Earth's, NASA said.

Each orbit by OSIRIS-REx will take 62 hours.

The plan is for OSIRIS-REx to orbit Bennu through mid-February, using a suite of five scientific instruments to map the asteroid in high resolution to help scientists decide precisely where to sample from.

Then, in 2020, it will reach out with its robotic arm and touch the asteroid in a maneuver Rich Kuhns, OSIRIS-REx program manager with Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, described as a "gentle high-five."

Using a circular device much like a car's air filter, and a reverse vacuum to stir up and collect dust, the device aims to grab about two ounces (60 grams) of material from the asteroid's surface, and return it to Earth in 2023.

A fragment of the early solar system, Bennu is also considered potentially dangerous. It poses a slight risk -- a one in 2,700 chance -- of colliding with Earth in 2135.

The carbon-rich asteroid was chosen from some 500,000 asteroids in the solar system because it orbits close to Earth's path around the Sun, is the right size for scientific study, and is one of the oldest asteroids known to NASA.

Scientists hope it will reveal more about the early formation of the solar system, as well as how to find precious resources like metals and water in asteroids.
Two Irish nationals are now facing murder charges after a man assaulted in Sydney's inner west died in hospital.

Christopher McLaughlin, 24, and Nathan Kelly 21, were charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and affray after emergency services found the 66-year-old injured on the side of the road at Summer Hill on December 29.

Paramedics treated the man at the scene before he was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a critical condition.

He died on Monday night.

Police have upgraded the charges against McLaughlin and Kelly to murder.

They remain behind bars and are expected to appear at Burwood Local Court on Wednesday.
Nic Maddinson will take on captaincy duties in his first BBL game for a heavily-depleted Melbourne Stars when they host Perth Scorchers at the MCG.

The Stars have again been hammered by Australian selection demands with skipper Glenn Maxwell, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa all unavailable after being picked for the ODI series against India.

Maddinson's Stars debut on Wednesday night will be his first appearance in any format since his right arm was fractured by a Jhye Richardson bouncer during Victoria's Sheffield Shield clash with Western Australia in December.

He has previously captained Sydney Sixers as well as the NSW Shield team in place of the injured Moises Henriques in 2015-16.

Maddinson is confident the third-placed Stars can overcome their big-name losses, having added Jonathan Merlo, Tom O'Connell and Nick Larkin to their squad.

"I think we're still a very strong team," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"Obviously it hurts missing those guys for the week or so that they're out but I feel like the guys coming in have played a bit of Big Bash and had a taste of what it's like at this level, so I'm confident that there'll be no holes left unfilled."

The Scorchers have also lost four players to ODI duties in Richardson, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh and Jason Behrendorff.

But the presence of Cameron Bancroft, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, AJ Tye and Ashton Turner suggests the Scorchers remain a threat despite sitting bottom of the ladder.

"They're pretty good but I feel like we're matched up really well," Maddinson said.

"Ben Dunk's playing nicely at the moment. (Dwayne) Bravo hasn't had much of an opportunity with the bat so far, so I feel like the squad we've got matches pretty well against anyone."

Maddinson has the luxury of taking over a side that has won its past three games, including a crushing victory over Sydney Thunder on the Gold Coast.

"I think it's self-managing at the moment. Everyone's playing a pretty specific role in the team," he said.

"It's a pretty easy transition for me to come in. I'll probably bat where Maxi did (at No.4) and captain and run it that way ... I don't think things will change that much."
Priscilla Hon has vindicated her Australian Open wildcard entry with a stirring run at the cut-throat Sydney International.

The 20-year-old from Brisbane is through to the last 16 after continuing her charge from qualifying with a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) first-round win over German Tatjana Maria.

The straight-sets victory over the world No.71 was Hon's third straight win over a higher-ranked opponent in the Open lead-up event.

Her reward, as well as an important rankings boost from her current standing of No.161, is a second-round shot at Russian eighth seed Daria Kasatkina or Serbian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

If she wins her next match, Hon could face one of her idols, fellow Queenslander Samantha Stosur, for a place in the semi-finals.

Former champion Petra Kvitova also progressed to the last 16 on Tuesday with a 6-1 7-5 win over rising Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka.
As the train chugs from Sydney to the rural town of Parkes, Elvis tribute artist Stuey V is crooning that he "always lived a very quiet life".

One can only assume it was before he owned the shimmering 1950s-style gold lame jacket he's sporting.

It's 2018 and we're aboard the Blue Suede Express bound for the Parkes Elvis Festival. If you ever wondered what it would be like to ride a train packed with Elvises, this is it.

In one carriage, Stuey V is wowing fans, wannabes and lookalikes with a hit from the `68 Comeback Special, the TV appearance that revived the king of rock n roll's career 50 years ago.

He shakes a man's hand before planting a kiss on his wife's cheek, then sits on the lap of another woman and shakes.

"Were you shy?" I ask. "No", she replies.

Things get racier as Stuey V jumps onto the train seat, one leg planted in each aisle and a woman reaches up to touch his buttocks.

"I want to kiss every lady in this carriage," the Gold Coast crooner declares.

He is true to his word. For, like a river flows surely to the sea, there is no room for shyness in the world of an Elvis impersonator.

Further down, red jumpsuit-clad impersonator John Collins, from Berry, NSW, welcomes travellers to the first performance in the dining carriage.

"Some of you will be pleased to know you're all virgins again," he says, to squeals.

The train ride is a taste of what's to come at Parkes, as Elvis tribute artists move from carriage to carriage, singing his hits to commuters, who are showing nothing but sweet devotion.

More than 25,000 revellers are expected to pack the outback Aussie town, 365km west of Sydney, for the quirky annual event, which coincides with Presley's January 8 birthday.

But don't forget the money, honey - over the past three years, authorities say the event has boosted local coffers to the tune of $28 million.

Collins does his best to pump up the revellers, but this bunch don't need much prodding.

"Where y'all from?" he asks one group of passengers, in a southern drawl.

"It's a singles group, we all met on Tinder," responds one of the more senior members of the Elvis commute.

"AA," jokes another.

With that, Collins jumps into the song Little Sister and they're on their feet bopping and kicking their legs in the air in quasi-Elvis karate era style.

But when the music stops and a recording of the phrase "Elvis has left the building," is played, just as it was at the end of the king's concerts to disperse hopeful fans waiting for an encore, this lively mob is not happy.

"Bor-ing," sings one woman.

The biggest cheers of all are reserved for the same serious pelvic gyrations that shocked conservative America when Elvis burst onto the scene in the 1950s.

Brody Finlay does it well. Fresh faced and in his early 20s, he is the youngest impersonator on board getting these commuters all shook up.

Tall, handsome and lanky, like the young king himself, he shakes like a leaf on a tree as he dances down the train aisle, stealing three kisses as he goes.

"Cheeky bugger," a woman laughs to her friend.

Clad in a bright candy pink jacket, white open neck shirt and black pants, he twirls around a woman and implores her to lay off his blue suede shoes.

Her spirits lifted higher like the sweet song of a choir, she duly obeys.

The young Sydney crooner then gets the crowd jumping to Viva Las Vegas, as he shuffles in white lace-up shoes around the cramped carriage.

It was everything and more for hip-swivelling Scotsman Ross Cummins, who liked it so much he returned for the ride in 2019, this time in a custom-made tartan suit.

"Elvis's ancestors are from Scotland like me, so I thought it was best fitting that I do a tartan suit. Scottish Elvis #Scelvis," he muses.

IF YOU GO

GETTING THERE: Dedicated Elvis train services run from Sydney Central train station to Parkes, 365km west of Sydney. Regional Express (REX) flies directly to Parkes from Sydney several times daily. The drive from Sydney to Parkes is five hours.

STAYING THERE: Accommodation books out quickly. The Astro Dish Motor Inn ( www.astrodish.com.au/) offers modern decor and facilities and is a close walk to Cooke Park, the hub of the festival, featuring the main stage and markets. The Home Hosting Program is also an option for groups and couples while comfortable tent accommodation is available, with sturdy ready-built tents including stretcher beds and mattresses. Other camping, caravan or motorhome sites are also available.

PLAYING THERE: The Parkes Elvis Festival takes place annually on the second weekend in January. For more info, visit www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

You can also see the rural town's rich agricultural and mining history in its museums, take a hike through Goobang National Park, enjoy the magnificent vista from the top of Parkes Memorial Hill and check out the world famous Parkes Dish, as the CSIRO radio telescope tunes into the universe. The town has a thriving social calendar, hosting events throughout the year.

The writer travelled as a guest of Destination NSW.
A woman has been slashed with a knife while trying to break up a fight between two teenage girls at a shopping centre on Sydney's northern beaches.

Police allege the woman was hurt after intervening in an "altercation" between the girls, aged 13 and 14, at a shop inside the Brookvale mall on Monday afternoon.

The 42-year-old was treated by paramedics for a knife injury to her arm before being taken to Royal North Shore Hospital, where she remains.

The 14-year-old girl was unhurt, while the 13-year-old fled.

She later handed herself in to police and was charged with reckless wounding, affray and custody of knife in a public place.

The teen from Narraweena was granted bail to appear at a children's court on January 22.
The musical spat between Clive Palmer and an American rock band over the use of their hit 80s song has continued to escalate.

Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider says the political hopeful is ignoring a cease and desist order, after allegedly using the band's 1980s hit We're Not Gonna Take It as inspiration for the song used in a television advertisement for his recently registered United Australia Party.

But Mr Palmer says the song is a "rip-off" of the Christmas carol O Come, All Ye Faithful, calling on Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to cancel the frontman's visa ahead of his forthcoming Australian tour.
Thai officials say a young Saudi woman who was holed up in a Bangkok hotel room seeking asylum in Australia will be allowed to stay in Thailand while her case is evaluated by the UN refugee agency.

Rahaf Mohammed Mutlaq Alqunun, 18, claims she was abducted on Sunday and Saudi Arabian diplomatic staff confiscated her passport on arrival at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport.

She subsequently appealed for help from Australia, Canada, the United States, Britain and other European nations.

"Please I need u all. I'm shouting out for help of humanity," she tweeted.

Ms Alqunun said she was being held at an airport hotel by diplomatic and airline staff despite having a visa to travel to Australia.

She wrote of being in "real danger" if forced to return to her family under pressure from Saudi authorities and has claimed she could be killed.

The teenager vowed to not leave her hotel room until she spoke with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Late on Monday, she was allowed to enter Thailand temporarily under the protection of the UNHCR, which will take about five to seven days to study her claim for asylum, The Associated Press reported.

Photos released on Monday night by immigration police showed Ms Alqunun with Thai and UN officials after she left the airport transit hotel room where she had been holed up over the weekend, sending her pleas for help on her Twitter account.

She later tweeted she feels safe under UN protection and has gotten back her passport, which had been taken from her earlier, the AP said.

Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said she was concerned by the reports over the situation and had sought further information from the government.

"It is a very distressing position she is in," Senator Wong said.

Immigration Minister David Coleman declined to comment.

Ms Alqunun said she had been abused by her family and would be killed if she returned home. She posted her passport details on Twitter to confirm her identity.

Saudi Arabian authorities have denied their involvement, saying Thai officials stopped Ms Alqunun because she did not have a return ticket or itinerary to show she was a tourist.

"She will be deported to the state of Kuwait where her family live," the Saudi embassy said in a statement.

"The embassy does not have the authority to stop her at the airport or anywhere else."

Ms Alqunun told a Thai human rights worker her family kept her in her room for six months because she cut her hair.

She had asserted her independence and renounced Islam but had been forced to pray, wear a hijab and was beaten by her brother.

Ms Alqunun is understood to have fled from her family two days ago during a trip to Kuwait.
Fiji has categorically stated that Islamic State jihadist Neil Prakash is not a citizen, meaning he cannot be stripped of his Australian citizenship.

Fiji's director of immigration, Nemani Vuniwaqa, told The Sydney Morning Herald the island did not allow dual citizenship before 2009 and since Prakash was born in Australia and never applied for Fiji citizenship, he was not a citizen.

To qualify as a Fiji citizen, Prakash would have had to fulfil two conditions: register an application and live in the country for at least three out of the five years before he applied. He had done neither.

"He is not a dual citizen. He has not applied for it," Mr Vuniwaqa said, adding that no one from the Australian government had spoken to him on the issue.

"I was not even approached by any kind of Australian government official, not by text or SMS message, or email or telephone.

"Nobody goes to my staff except through me."

Melbourne-born Prakash is in jail in Turkey facing terrorism charges. Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has moved to strip the 27-year-old of his citizenship, citing legal advice that he is a dual national as his father was Fijian.

The government isn't allowed to revoke an Australian's citizenship if it will leave them stateless.
Queensland senator Fraser Anning has doubled down on his decision to bill taxpayers to attend a right-wing extremists rally despite being slammed by the prime minister for again associating with racism.

Both sides of politics have criticised the independent senator's presence at the Saturday event, which was attended by people making Nazi gestures.

Scott Morrison condemned Senator Anning for attending the rally in St Kilda and associating with extreme and offensive views.

"He is a repeat offender on these issues," Mr Morrison said in a statement.

Senator Anning dismissed Mr Morrison, along with a chorus of critics from across the political divide.

"They're all left-wingers and unfortunately the PM hasn't understood the Australian people want an alternative," he told Nine's A Current Affair.

"As far as I'm concerned they're all puppets to the United Nations."

Senator Anning said the "neo-Nazi stuff" was at a separate rally about 150 metres from where he was on St Kilda beach, despite being seen with convicted criminal Blair Cottrell who has previously expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.

He said Nazi salutes were abhorrent to him, defending the $2852.80 he spent on flights to get to the rally which he claims was about "Sudanese gangs" being out of hand.

"I went to a rally of decent Australians who are sick and tired of what's happening in the city," the independent senator said.

Labor has challenged the government to rule out doing deals with Senator Anning to pass legislation.

The Business Council of Australia and the Australian Council of Trade Unions have savaged the weekend's racist demonstrations.

Senator Anning sparked fury among parliamentarians and the public with his maiden speech in August when he called for a ban on Muslim immigration and a plebiscite, saying "the final solution to the immigration problem of course is a popular vote".
Glenn Close has upset Nicole Kidman and Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes.

Gaga was expected to win the best actress in a drama award at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday, but Close took the trophy for The Wife.

"I just don't believe it," Close said on stage.

Gaga was nominated for her breakout big screen acting performance in A Star is Born and Kidman was in the running for her stark portrayal of a Los Angeles detective in Destroyer.

The other Globe best actress nominees were Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me) and Rosamund Pike (A Private War).

Australia's two other nominees at the ceremony, Troye Sivan and Yvonne Strahovski, also missed out in their categories.

Gaga trumped Perth's Sivan in the best song category.

Gaga won for Shallow, her song from A Star is Born.

Sivan was nominated 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.

Strahovski was nominated for her supporting performance in the TV drama series The Handmaid's Tale.

The Globe was won by Sharp Objects' Patricia Clarkson.

The other nominees in the TV supporting actress category were Thandie Newton (Westworld), Penelope Cruz (The Assassination of Gianni Versace) and Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel).

Other Globe winners were: Green Book (best comedy/musical film); Christian Bale (lead actor in a film comedy/musical for Vice); Alfonso Cuaron (best director for Roma); Olivia Colman (actress in a comedy/musical film for The Favourite); Regina King (supporting actress in a drama for If Beale Street Could Talk); Mahershala Ali (supporting actor in a comedy/musical for Green Book); Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (best animated feature film).
The number of businesses and landlords suing the state government over the delayed Sydney light rail project has almost doubled over the past four months.

The light rail was originally meant to be finished in 2019 but the company building it now expects it to be completed by May 2020.

Some 60 businesses along the route filed a class action lawsuit against Transport for NSW in late August claiming they'd been adversely impacted by construction work along the route from the CBD to the eastern suburbs.

But that number has now grown to 110 businesses and landlords who are seeking $400 million in compensation over what they say is the government's poor planning.

Lawyer Rick Mitry says claimants have suffered economic and psychological trauma.

The class action in the NSW Supreme Court includes small and large businesses some of which are claiming up to $15 million in damages.

The suit aims to hold the NSW government accountable, Mr Mitry told AAP.

"If you're going to unnecessarily damage people's lives and businesses then you've got to be brought to account - you can't just do these things with impunity," he said.

City of Sydney councillor Angela Vithoulkas - who's the former owner of Vivo Cafe on George Street on the light rail route - believes the class action has a strong chance of success because people can document the financial and mental anguish they've experienced.

"Families are in crisis over the financial impact ... there will never be enough money to fix that heartache," she said.

A Transport for NSW spokeswoman stated: "TfNSW denies the allegations made in the class action and is defending the proceedings."

"It is not appropriate for us to comment further while the matter is before the courts," she said in a statement.

The department has filed cross-claims against light rail consortium ALTRAC and its Spanish subcontractor Acciona.

It notes the state government has delivered more than $117 million to 115 impacted businesses through its "small business assistance program".

The total cost of the light rail project has blown out from $1.6 billion to $2.1 billion.

Acciona has launched its own legal action against the government seeking an additional $1.2 billion arguing it was misled over the complexity of the project.
Nicole Kidman has won an Australian Academy Cinema Television Arts international supporting actress award in what could be an omen ahead of the Golden Globes.

Kidman won for her performance in Boy Erased and paid tribute to the film's Australian director Joel Edgerton.

"He called me up and said, 'Nicole, I know we've never worked together before but I have something for you,'" Kidman told the ceremony, nicknamed the Aussie Oscars, at the Mondrian Hotel's Skybar in West Hollywood on Friday.

Kidman is a dual threat this Hollywood awards season with Boy Erased and her stunning lead performance in Destroyer receiving nods at numerous awards shows.

Kidman is nominated for a Golden Globe on Sunday for Destroyer, although Lady Gaga, for A Star Is Born, is expected to win the best actress in a drama Globe.

The AACTA best actress award winner was a surprise, with Olivia Colman for The Favourite taking the award ahead of Kidman, Gaga and Glenn Close (The Wife).

The Mexican Netflix drama Roma was named AACTA best film.

Roma's Alfonso Cuaron also took the directing trophy ahead of Australia's Warwick Thornton for Sweet Country.

Hugh Jackman, for The Front Runner, missed out on the best actor prize to Rami Malek who played British rock legend Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody.
Marcus Harris has marched Australia to 1-122 at lunch on day three of the fourth Test at the SCG, where India's lead is an imposing 500 runs.

Harris was 77 not out at Saturday's meal break, giving him a golden chance to become Australia's first centurion of the four-Test series.

Marnus Labuschagne, whose selection at first drop was widely criticised, is unbeaten on 18.

Labuschagne squeezed out the first ball he faced, a 146 km/h yorker from Jasprit Bumrah that almost rolled onto off stump, but from that point on looked relatively comfortable.

Bumrah and Mohammed Shami generated some reverse-swing late in Saturday's morning session but Harris and Labuschagne extended their unbeaten stand to 50 runs.

Harris, who made his Test debut at Adelaide Oval last month, already has the highest score by an Australian since Usman Khawaja's knock of 141 in Dubai in October.

Khawaja, dropped on zero during a 10-over burst late on day two, fell on 27 to recalled tweaker Kuldeep Yadav.

Khawaja danced own the wicket and attempted to heave the ball to the leg-side boundary but instead picked out Cheteshwar Pujara.

Harris was on 24 when went within millimetres of being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja, having popped the ball up in the vicinity of KL Rahul at mid-on.

A scrambling Rahul dived but couldn't complete the catch cleanly, immediately signalling the Kookaburra scraped the turf.

"Outstanding mate, well done," umpire Ian Gould told Rahul at the end of the over.

Harris, who donned his baggy green while facing Jadeja and Yadav, was more than happy to attack anything loose delivered by the two left-arm spinners.

Harris hammered three boundaries from Yadav's eighth over.
When it comes to clothes, Kim Kardashian is a designer addict.

And the mother-of-three is passing that love of labels on to the next generation, starting when they are still babes in arms.

Revealing her Christmas gifting, the 38-year-old shared a picture of a collection of miniature Louis Vuitton bags, which retail for a cool $1,100 each.

Expensive treats: Kim Kardashian buys $1k Louis Vuitton bags for all her nieces including the babies (and she got one too)

Christmas treat: Kim bought the bags for all the girls in her family, including her own two daughters and four nieces

'I got these for all of the baby girls in the fam for Xmas from Japan,' she captioned the haul.

Eagle eyed fans pointed out that there were eight bags in the picture, while Kim has only two daughters and four nieces.

Wrote a fan called Lex: 'am i missing some? I counted p, north, dream chicago, stormi true... who's the remainder two?'

Kim, who is currently expecting a son via surrogate, replied: 'Oh wait I kept one for myself and extras for the future lol.'

Stocking up: Kim bought two extra bags

While Kim's fourth child is going to be a boy, the reality star has said her husband Kanye West wants an even bigger family - with seven children in total.

Speaking to her friend Larsa Pippen on their reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, she said: 'Kanye wants to have more, though. He's been harassing me. He wants like seven. He's like stuck in seven.'

And even if Kim doesn't produce the extra daughters, her sisters might.

After Kim, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner all welcomed children in early 2018, the siblings are said to be considering joining Kim in having another tot.

Sorry Saint! Pictured L-R are cousins Stormi Webster, True Thompson, Chicago West and Dream Kardashian

A source said: 'Kim having another baby this year is heavily influencing her other sisters and their baby plans. They all loved being pregnant at the same time and everyone wants all of the kids to be close in age. Everyone jokes about having another round of 'triplets' all the time.'

Kim - who has kids North, five, Saint, three, and 11-month-old Chicago - previously claimed that having children has helped her to feel 'more connected' with her own sisters.

She said: 'I definitely feel like we are more connected now, especially that Khloe's back and we're hanging out with all the babies. All the kids want to hang out. It's just a whole different experience now. It's so much fun.'
As Game of Thrones enters its final season, Kit Harington has spoken about the prospect of having children.

The notoriously private actor told GQ Australia that he has not ruled out having kids with his wife and co-star Rose Leslie.





And the beauty of it for the 32-year-old, who plays Jon Snow in the TV series, is that the pair's children will be able to see where the couple first met - on the set of GOT.





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'They'll be able to see how their parents got together': Kit Harington has reflected on meeting Rose Leslie on set of Game of Thrones - as he reveals whether the couple will have children

'I have no idea if we will [have children], but say me and Rose do have children, they'll know [how we met],' he said.

'They'll be able to see the genesis of their parents getting together. Which is quite a wonderful thought, really.'

Kit added: 'I thank the show for everything. But more than anything else, I thank it for introducing me to her.'

Snow business: Kit Harington is pictured as Jon Snow on Game of Thrones

Kit married Rose, 31, in a Scottish ceremony in June 2018, with the entire Game of Thrones cast attending the wedding.

Speaking to L'Uomo Vogue recently, the actor recalled the moment he fell in love with Rose, who plays Ygritte, while filming in Iceland.

'The country is beautiful, because the Northern Lights are magical, and because it was there that I fell in love,' he said.

On-screen lovers: Kit married Rose, 31, in a Scottish ceremony in June 2018, with the entire Game of Thrones cast attending the wedding

'If you're already attracted to someone, and then they play your love interest in the show, it becomes very easy to fall in love.'

Earlier this week, HBO debuted a new trailer featuring a handful of shows returning in 2019, which included first-look footage from the final season of GOT.

HBO has confirmed the six-episode finale will debut in April 2019, although a specific premiere date has not been given.
It's become something of a tradition that they spend the festive period in the Caribbean and host the island's hottest New Year Eve party.

And Simon Cowell's girlfriend Lauren Silverman ensured all eyes were on her when she hit the beach during their family getaway, in Barbados on Tuesday.

The brunette bombshell, 41, put her jaw-dropping cleavage on display in the high-risk neckline of her black swimming costume.

Stop and notice: Simon Cowell's girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 41, put on a VERY busty display in a low-cut costume as she joined beau and son Eric in Barbados on Tuesday

In the skimpy swimwear, Lauren ensured she caught the sizzling rays in the red hot Caribbean heat while on their beach walks.

The mother was in full holiday mode as she added shades and a sunhat to her look as well as tying a white sheer wrap around her slim waist.

Simon was the picture of happiness as he continued to top up his sun-kissed tan by going shirtless on the sandy shores of the beach.

Cool in the Caribbean: Simon Cowell, 59, looked hunky in a life jacket as he hit the Barbados beach with swimsuit-clad Lauren Silverman, 41, and Eric, four, during family getaway

Take the plunge: Simon's longterm love Lauren Silverman, 41, looked fantastic in a plunging black costume which drew eyes to her cleavage

Mini me! Simon and Lauren's son Eric, four, tanned under the glorious sunshine in his T-shirt and zebra print shorts when he followed his parents onto the sandy shores

The music mogul, 59, teased just a glimpse at his incredible and hairy shirtless physique beneath a life jacket as he headed out to sea on a jet ski.

Light blue cut-offs ensured The X Factor boss kept cool during his tropical holiday in the blowtorch temperatures of 28 degrees.

Notorious for his harsh criticism while on the judging panel of The X Factor or BGT, Simon showed off his friendlier side when he waved to onlookers.

Looking lovely: Lauren was the picture of summer as she waded through the blistering hot sands to the sea

One to notice: The mother was in full holiday mode as she added shades and a sunhat to her look as well as tying a white sheer wrap around her slim waist

Christmas in the Caribbean! Every year Simon whisks his girlfriend and son away for the festive season to Barbados from early December through until January

Exhilarating: Adrenaline junkie Simon tore up the waves on a red jet ski

Simon and Lauren's son Eric, four, tanned under the glorious sunshine in his T-shirt and zebra print shorts when he followed his parents onto the sandy shores.

Adrenaline junkie Simon tore up the waves on a red jet ski, while his girlfriend Lauren and their son Eric climbed aboard an inflatable boat.

Every year Simon whisks his girlfriend and son away for the festive season to Barbados from early December through until January.

How sweet: His girlfriend Lauren and their son Eric climbed aboard an inflatable boat

Keeping cool: The mother-of-one fussed over her brunette locks while she sat in the pool

His family's appearance out in Barbados comes after Simon revealed he is hoping son Eric will take over his music empire as he gets older.

Fans were delighted to see Eric appear on the judging panel on The X Factor and the dad-of-one joked he was already doing his job.

He joked on This Morning: 'I'm getting him ready to do my job.'

Simon confessed he left having children a little bit late but he stressed he no longer dwells on the thought.

He added: 'If you have asked me earlier I would have said I might have left it a little too late,' said Simon, before quickly adding: 'Whatever happens happens.'

Keeping cool: Lauren clutched hold of her sandals and a bottle of water as she sizzled in the 28 degrees of Caribbean heat

He's got The X Factor! The music mogul, 59, teased just a glimpse at his incredible and hairy shirtless physique beneath a life jacket as he headed out to sea on a jet ski

Yacht a fabulous holiday! Simon's girlfriend sipped on a glass of sparkling rose wine while she relaxed on the yacht

Raring to go: Simon embraced his inner adrenaline junkie when he got on the back of a jetski

Great fun: The music mogul often enjoys a ride on a jetski while abroad on holiday
Jonah Hill and girlfriend Gianna Santos made a break for sunnier climes this week.

The New York based couple, who have been dating since last summer, took a trip to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico where they were spotted enjoying a poolside lunch together in-between some time sunbathing.

Gianna showed off her bikini body in a skimpy yet stylish black two-piece and wore her brunette locks loose.

Brunette beauty: Jonah Hill's girlfriend Gianna Santos showed off her bikini body on Tuesday as the couple enjoyed a relaxing break in Mexico

Relaxing break: The couple enjoyed lunch poolside at their resort in Cabo San Lucas

The GQ Man of The Year rocked green tinted locks and showed off his arm tattoos in a white T-shirt and navy shorts.

Gianna, 30, is a stylist/producer for the clothing company KITH and she graduated from Fordham University in 2011.

Jonah, 35, recently made his directorial debut with movie Mid90s which was released in October - and he says he is grateful to his friends and family for allowing him to openly discuss his own vulnerabilities.

He explained: 'As I've grown up as a human being, and have had the emotional maturity and confidence to become a filmmaker, [I've reflected on] how I learned to communicate as a man and why that was problematic.

Vacay vibes: Jonah, 35, showed off his green tinted hair as he sat checking his phone under an umbrella

Beach chic: The Maniac star showed off his tattoos in a white T-shirt and navy shorts

Chilled out: The duo enjoyed some time sunbathing together

'I was taught and maybe culturally we were taught at that time, if you're a man and you express your feelings or you express that something hurts you, then you should be made fun of. And that kind of repression leads to anger, and anger leads to bad behaviour.'

Mid90s tells the story of a group of teenage skateboarders in 90s-era Los Angeles.

And the Hollywood star has explained how Mid90s explores the idea of toxic masculinity.

Life is good: Jonah had a busy year in 2018 making his directorial debut with movie Mid90s

Lazy days: Gianna, a stylist/producer for the clothing company KITH, wrapped up in a peach hued towel

He told NPR: 'I think I wanted to show a film about young men with an inability to express themselves. And in my life, it's been a real joy being able to blossom and to feel free and comfortable in my own skin enough to express myself.'

The Wolf of Wall Street actor thinks he's taken a series of risks with his new movie, but he relished the challenge.

He said: '[I did] all the things they say you're not supposed to do: work with kids, work with first-time actors, take on a subculture that hates being talked about, mentioned or represented.

'So for me there's something about me that draws me to things that are difficult and maybe I'm uncomfortable with comfort and I think my acting career says that when I really dissect it, as well.'
Bradley Cooper might have lost out on the Golden Globe for directing A Star Is Born but the A-lister just scored two nods for the film by the Directors Guild of America.

The nominees were announced for this year's 71st Annual DGA Awards on Tuesday and the 44-year-old star was featured twice.

A Star Is Born was the actor's directorial debut and he also acted in the much lauded flick opposite Lady Gaga.

Recognition: Bradley Cooper is among the nominees for this year's Directors Guild of America Awards for his directorial debut, A Star Is Born. The nominations were announced Tuesday

Bradley earned DGA nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement Of A First-time Feature Film Director, as well as the coveted Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film.

In the latter category, he is joined by Alfonso Cuaron for Roma, Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman, Adam McKay for Vice, and Peter Farrelly for Green Book.

Shockingly, this is Spike Lee's first nomination in the category as well.

The same crop of men were all nominated for a Golden Globe in a similar category.

Doing well: The star looked pleased with the news as he stepped out in NYC on Tuesday

Behind the camera: The first-time director also starred in the film along opposite Lady Gaga

Twice as nice: The 44-year-old picked up two nominations from the DGA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement Of A First-time Feature Film Director and Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film.

Cuaron, Mexico's premiere director, beat out the rest of the pack to take home the Globe earlier this week.

Like the Globes, the Directors Guild nominations had a noticeable lack of female directors in the bunch.

The actor was spotted out on during a stroll in New York on the same day the nominations were announced wearing a plaid jacket and Philadelphia Eagles hat.

Cooper isn't the only actor to be recognized for their skills behind the camera.

Cream of the crop: Alfonso Cuaron (left) and Spike Lee (right) are among the others who were named in the top drama category. Cuaron won in a similar category this week at the Golden Globes

Jason Bateman picked us his first nomination ever for an episode of his Netflix drama Ozark.

Donald Glover scored a nod, which is his second, for his critically acclaimed show Atlanta.

And, Bill Hader nabbed his first-ever directorial nomination for HBO's Barry.

New roles: Actors like Jason Bateman and Bill Hader are first-time nominees for directing episodes of their current shows

Second time around: Donald Glover is a two-time nominee for Atlanta but has yet to win

Jason, Donald and Bill all also star as actors in their respective shows.

Actor Ben Stiller was nominated for the prison drama Escape from Dannemora.

He is another first time nominee, but Ben served solely as director for the series, choosing not to also act in the show.

The DGA Awards will be held on February 2 in Los Angeles.
They call the Montage Beverly Hills hotel home when they are in Los Angeles.

But perhaps Hailey Baldwin and husband Justin Bieber are looking for something a little more permanent when they're on the west coast, as the model was spotting checking out a 10 bedroom, 11 bathroom property on Monday.

Hailey, 22, was pictured touring the beautiful 12,500 sq ft home which is listed for $12,999,000 and situated in the Royal Oaks enclave of Encino.

House hunting: Hailey Baldwin is pictured out in the Encino area of Los Angeles on Monday checking out a 10 bedroom property for sale

LA bolthole: The model was spotted with a realtor touring the property which is listed at $12.9 million

The home features an open floor plan and guests are welcomed by a huge rose gold chandelier in the foyer.

A beautiful glass encased wine cellar sits next to the formal dining area.

The home also boasts a cozy movie theater perfect for romantic nights in.

The massive kitchen is perfect for cooking up a feast with two huge marble top islands.

While Hailey and Justin stay at their favorite while they are in Los Angeles, they recently plunked down $5M for a mansion in Justin's native Ontario, Canada.

Secure: The home covers 12,500 sq ft and has high hedges and security gates

Welcome home: The grand entrance features a striking rose gold chandelier

Upscale: The open plan property has several seating areas and a view of the outdoor entertaining area

The sprawling estate sits on 101 acres, backs onto a lake and houses an equestrian facility and a 9,000 sq ft home.

Meanwhile, Hailey has admitted she suffers from anxiety and depression.

Taking to Instagram she shared her goals for the new year, as well as her struggles with confidence and self-image: 'I'm insecure, I'm fragile, I'm hurting...'

She explained that she wants to 'be more open about the things I struggle with, and be able to be more vulnerable.'

'The truth is no matter how amazing life may look from the outside I struggle.'

Light and airy: The huge kitchen area boasts two large islands with marble tops

Romantic nights in: The home comes with a cozy movie room

Open plan: A formal dining area sits to the right as you enter the property

Perfect for tasting! The glass encased wine cellar has its own little seating area

Important things to discuss! The model was seen entering a meeting with her husband of almost four months on Tuesday

Fashion forward: The Tommy Hilfiger spokesperson wore some leggings with a sporty oversize bomber jacket and lace-up boots

'I have fears, I have doubts, I have anxiety, I get sad, I get angry,' she admitted.

'I have had more days than I can count where I've found myself scrolling through Instagram comparing myself, comparing my looks, feeling like I'm not good enough feeling like I lack so many things and really struggling to be confident in who I am because I constantly feel like I'm just not good enough. Every single day is a confidence battle for me.'

Hailey and Justin, who briefly dated at the start of 2016, reconciled last May and got engaged in July in the Bahamas.

They exchanged vows in September 2018 but have yet to have a wedding.
The Good Girls were back on set Monday in Los Angeles.

Cameras spotted Christina Hendricks, Retta and Mae Whitman hard at work as they filmed scenes for season two of their NBC comedy.

Later, Hendricks and Whitman were seen off-duty grabbing a quick bite to eat together.

Season two: Christina Hendricks, Retta and Mae Whitman were spotted between takes as they filmed their NBC comedy Good Girls in LA on Monday

The Mad Men star, 43, was easily recognizable among the actors and crew on set with her iconic ginger tresses.

The buxom beauty donned a business casual costume of straight leg denim jeans, a grape colored sweater and a black blazer.

Her co-star, 30-year-old Mae Whitman, rocked a shock of platinum blonde hair which was cut into a bob.

She also sported jeans for the scene with a jacket and a striped top.

Bombshell: Hendricks was instantly recognizable by her vibrant ginger hair

The two play sisters in the Detroit set series.

Their on-screen best friend and co-star Retta, was spotted with the pair as they all got direction from the crew.

The 48-year-old squinted in the sun as she chatted with a man on set donning jeans, a floral top and a burgundy hued leather jacket.

Off set: Later, Christina and Mae were seen together getting a bite to eat after a long day of shooting for the show

It seems that the ladies are all friends both on and off set.

Christina and Mae were spotted later as they met up for dinner after a long day of shooting.

Hendricks washed off her stage makeup and was bare faced as she headed in for a meal.

Good Girls: The show concept surrounds three Detroit moms who rob a supermarket after not being able to make ends meet

The bombshell changed into a long embellished coat and an all-black ensemble underneath.

Whitman, whose back was turned, was recognized by her new bleach blonde 'do wearing boyfriend jeans and a plaid, mustard hued blazer.

While the show is set in the Michigan city known for cars, Motown and Eminem, the first season was filmed in Georgia.

Relocated: After filming the first season in Georgia, the show moved the second season to shoot in Los Angeles

Season two photography was relocated to sunny Los Angeles.

Good Girls follows three suburban Detroit mothers who pull off an unlikely heist of a supermarket after being sick of not being able to make ends meet.

Season two of the comedy premieres at 10 PM Sunday, March 3 on NBC.
She's been the perfect walking advertisement for her bikini range.

And Candice Swanepoel looked sensational as she shared yet another snap of herself posing in her Tropic Of C swimwear.

The Victoria's Secret model, 30, showed off her catwalk style as she tossed her head back while clad in the burgundy two piece.

Flaunt it: Candice Swanepoel looked sensational as she shared yet another snap of herself posing in her Tropic Of C swimwear

She wore her bikini bottoms high up to show off her gym-honed figure and barely encased her assets in the tight top.

Candice wore a quirky bracelet on her upper arm and a long chain necklace with dangling earrings to complete the look.

She captioned the snap: 'New day new bikini' and followers were quick to share their enthusiasm for the picture.

One said: 'Candice can make ANYTHING look good and flattering'.

Back to the day job: The Victoria's Secret model, 30, has been showing off her catwalk style in the swimwear range (pictured December 2018)

Loving it: She captioned the snap: 'New day new bikini' and followers were quick to share their enthusiasm for the picture with one saying: 'Candice can make ANYTHING look good and flattering'

While another was in awe of her post-pregnancy figure: 'How did you have two kids and you look so stunning'.

The mother-of-two launched her brand in early 2018 and has been sharing snaps of her range on social media.

She spoke to Fashionista during the resort collection last year: 'It's been [in the works] for a couple of years; I was waiting for the right moment.

'Sometimes when I'm selling someone else's product, I don't know the back-end, but obviously that's part of my job. I love that I can do it in my way and have it be so.

Venture: She spoke to Fashionista during the resort collection last year: 'It's been [in the works] for a couple of years; I was waiting for the right moment'

'As a model, you have to be a chameleon, and it's nice to be in control of the art direction and involved in every aspect of the business.

'This is like my third baby,' the South African beauty continued.

Candice shares her children - seven-month-old Ariel and Anaca, two e, - with her ex-boyfriend Brazilian model Hermann Nicoli, 36.

The couple met in Paris when she was 17 and he was 23 and got engaged in August 2015 but reportedly parted ways in November.
Johnny Depp has come to an agreement with two former bodyguards who sued him last year claiming they were underpaid and overworked and exposed to 'unsafe conditions'.

The case has now been closed with future hearings canceled, The Blast reports.

Court documents dated January 4 show the bodyguards have 'reached a conditional settlement which settles and resolves the entire matter as to each Defendant and each Plaintiff.'

Case closed: Johnny Depp has come to an agreement with two former bodyguards who sued him last year for unsafe conditions and being overworked and underpaid

No details of the settlement terms have been revealed, including whether Depp paid off the duo in a cash deal.

Eugene Arreola and Miguel Sanchez claim Depp, 55, overworked and underpaid them over an 'intolerable' two year period when they say they had to act as his babysitter.

The duo filed a lawsuit against the actor in California in May 2018.

They alleged that between April 2016 and January 2018, they were not paid overtime and were deprived food and rest breaks while looking after Depp and his family.

The lawsuit contained explosive allegations including the claim that they once had to wipe drugs from Depp's face in a nightclub to stop others around him seeing the substance.

The men say that not only did they have to watch as Depp 'spiralled' into a 'financial hurricane', they also had to act as babysitters for his children.

Under wraps: No details of the settlement terms have been revealed, including whether Depp (pictured December 21) paid off the duo in a deal

Unhealthy environment: Eugene Arreola and Miguel Sanchez claim Depp, 55, overworked and underpaid them over an 'intolerable' two year period when they say they had to act as his babysitter

One claimed that one of his major responsibilities was ensuring that one of the children (he did not say which) was looked after properly because they lived in an outhouse on Depp's Los Angeles compound.

They asked for unspecified damages and compensation to make up for the money they claimed they were owed.

Often times [they] were forced to protect Depp from himself and his vices while in public, becoming caretakers for him. An incident at a local nightclub involved [them] alerting Depp of illegal substances visible on his face and person while preventing onlookers from noticing his condition

The lawsuit, which DailyMail.com obtained, describes how Sanchez and Arreola, a 38 year LAPD veteran, worked happily for Depp while employed by a security company which he had hired for years before the problems began.

Arreola started working for him in 2007 and became close with his mother Betty Sue Palmer, the lawsuit stated. It is not clear how long Sanchez worked for him.

'[They] witnessed Depp becoming increasingly embroiled in personal turmoil and detached from the reality around him.

The bodyguards said they were made to work round-the-clock, without food or rest breaks, at Depp's home in the Hollywood Hills (Above) and would sometimes accompany him and his children out

The bodyguards say they were told to give in to 'every whim' of Depp's children, 16-year-old John (left in 2015) and Lily-Rose, 18, (right in February)

'In early 2016, [they] began to notice a stark change in Depp and the atmosphere in his Hollywood Hills compound. Depp began making sudden and drastic changes to his staff and management team, causing a significant financial crunch for everyone surround him except for Depp himself,' the lawsuit read.

In April 2016, in the midst of his tumultuous marriage with Amber Heard, Depp fired Premier Group International, the company which employed both Sanchez and Arreola.

According to the bodyguards, he and his entourage decided they would 'cut out the middle man' and hire the security guards themselves to avoid paying an agency fee.

One of the guards became close with the actor's mother Betty Sue Palmer after protecting her for years and still visits her grave on her birthday, the lawsuit claims

They then took charge of the two guards' pay checks and were irresponsible in keeping track of them, it was alleged.

Not only did they have to start working '12 hour days, sometimes back-to-back shifts', the guards said their duties started to include safeguarding Depp and others around him who were 'engaging in illegal activity'.

'[They] found themselves in situations that required more than what a bodyguard would be expected to do.

'[They] were constantly being used as drivers, driving back and forth at Depp's or his family's beckoning....[they] were asked repeatedly to drive vehicles that contained illegal substances, open containers and minors.

'They were asked to monitor unstable individuals in Depp's life and entourage,' the lawsuit said.

Sanchez claimed he was tasked, for a while, with looking after one of Depp's two children. The lawsuit did not say which but the actor has two; 19-year-old Lily-Rose and 16-year-old John Depp III.

'Sanchez, whose primary detail was the protection of Depp's children, was more often than not the primary caretaker for Depp's minor child who lived off of Depp's compound in a separate home alone.

Sanchez was told to give into every whim of Depp's children and worried he would lose his job if he did not comply with their demands

'Worse yet, Sanchez was told to give into every whim of Depp's children and worried he would lose his job if he did not comply with their demands,' the lawsuit read.

It also claimed that they had to act as a caretaker for Depp whose struggles with drugs and alcohol have been well documented in the past.

'Often times [they] were forced to protect Depp from himself and his vices while in public, becoming caretakers for him.

'An incident at a local nightclub involved [them] alerting Depp of illegal substances visible on his face and person while preventing onlookers from noticing his condition,' it read.

The men say they retired as a result of the 'toxic' and 'dangerous' work environment they were subjected to 'despite the fact that they enjoyed many of the people they worked with and had no ill will toward Johnny Depp.'

Depp has been pictured with other security guards since Sanchez and Arreola left their jobs.
She's been making memories with her adorable daughter on a post-New Year trip to Cabo, Mexico.

And Binky Felstead looked flawless as she headed to the beach with 19-month-old daughter India in a gorgeous Instagram snap shared on Monday.

The former Made In Chelsea star, 28, showcased her incredible abs in a mismatched bikini as her lookalike daughter ran alongside her.

Mother daughter duo: Binky Felstead looked flawless as she headed to the beach with 19-month-old daughter India in a gorgeous Instagram snap shared on Monday

Her blue and white bandeau bikini top teased at her perky cleavage while also drawing the eye to her impossibly toned midriff.

The star paired this with chestnut bikini bottoms which highlighted her lithe legs.

Her brunette tresses were styled in soft waves while the star showcased her radiant visage by going make-up free.

Quality time: The beauty posed for some beautiful snaps with her gorgeous girl

Lookalike: Binky was every inch the devoted mum as she cradled India, who she shares with ex Joshua 'JP' Patterson

Sign: The star enjoyed some paddleboarding with an eye appearing to form in the clouds above her

She completed her chic beach look with a pair of round shades.

Following in her fashion forward mother's footsteps, little India wore a pair of floral pink shorts, teamed with an elaborate sequinned jacket.

Every inch the devoted mum, Binky captioned the snap: 'SEQUINS The daily sprint to the beach... shes getting SO fast!!'

Earlier in the week Binky rocked a forest green top with burgundy bottoms and showcased her washboard abs to perfection as she walked out of the stunning sea.

Island hopper: Earlier in the week Binky rocked a forest green top with burgundy bottoms and showcased her washboard abs to perfection as she walked out of the stunning sea

Earlier in the day she shared a sweet snap of herself cuddling India, who looked adorable with her hair swept up in a yellow ribbon.

Binky also shared a snap of the mother-daughter duo on their way to a whale watching excursion with her daughter clad in a sweet rose-print nightdress.

Meanwhile the reality TV star wrapped up in a zebra print duster jacket and showed off her abs in a white crop top and black bottoms.

Doting: Earlier in the day she shared a sweet snap of herself cuddling India who looked adorable with her hair swept up in a yellow ribbon

Enjoying: Binky also shared a snap of the mother-daughter duo on their way to a whale watching excursion with her daughter clad in a sweet rose-print nightdress

On Thursday Binky looked in great spirits as she posed in a racy pink bikini during another blissful day in Cabo.

She showed off her incredible figure in her tiny two piece during her holiday, which she is enjoying with India and the toddler's godfather Anthony.

Binky showed off the results of her regular hours in the gym as she posed up a storm on the beach.

View: Meanwhile the reality TV star wrapped up in a zebra print duster jacket and showed off her abs in a white crop top and black bottoms

Time of her life: Binky looked in great spirits as she posed in a racy pink bikini during another blissful day in Cabo

Her skimpy swimwear flaunted her toned and tanned stomach with it's racy criss-cross design.

She added shades and left her long dark locks loose around her shoulders as she perched on a rock to capture the perfect photo.

'Just me ... standing on top of a rock posing,' the reality star captioned the pic.

Beach life: The star showed off her incredible figure in her tiny two piece during her New Year's holiday

Mini me: Binky is enjoying the Cabo break with her daughter India and the toddler's godfather Anthony

The day before Binky shared some adorable photos of her mini-me daughter India, as the pair matched in 'wild' sweatshirts for a walk on the beach.

The mother and daughter jetted to Cabo with Binky's close friend and India'a godfather Anthony on New Year's Eve, after the star admitted on Instagram:

'Chomping at the bit to get away for New Year - hate New Years in London and feel I very much need SUN & SEA & SAND ! Whos keen to come with ...'

The trio spent Wednesday celebrating Anthony's birthday, as Binky shared a sweet snap of her pal with his goddaughter.

Celebrating: The trio spent Wednesday celebrating Anthony's birthday, as Binky shared a sweet snap of her pal with his goddaughter

As she reflected on the past year on New Year's Day, Binky admitted it had been a tough few months following her split from India's father and her MIC co-star Josh Patterson.

'2018... its safe to say you havent been my favourite year SO BRING ON 2019!!! I want to say a massive thank you for all your continued support, it honestly means the to me. Sending SO much love and HAPPY NEW YEAR from my true angel and love of my life, India .. & I,' Binky told her Instagram followers.

Binky and former co-star Josh confirmed their split in September after three years of off and on dating.

Travelling in style: Binky and India travelled out to Mexico in style, posing for a sweet snap while enjoying their business class seats

The couple were famously tumultuous during their time on Made In Chelsea, but got back together in early 2017 when they found out they were expecting India.

The former pair remain close, but Binky recently admitted she is 'scared' of Josh moving on with a new relationship.

Speaking to The Sun, she explained: 'It was literally a mutual decision. Things hadnt been right for a while, but wed kind of painted over it. I think doing that was unfair on India as well as ourselves. We cant stick together just because we have a baby.

Reflecting: Binky declared that 2018 'hasn't been her favourite' as she posed in a bikini for a beach shot with her little girl on Monday

'Josh will find someone very quickly, and that kind of scares me. The scariest thing for me is thinking about being on my own, and how am I going to meet someone again when I have a baby? Because who wants to think about being on their own'

She added: 'Of course, hopefully one day, but Im not there yet. Im not even thinking about that.'

'As long as Josh and I are in a good place together thats all that matters, because thats whats perfect for India.'
Five years ago he publicly pledged to stay sober after he was captured on camera grappling with a bouncer outside an Irish bar in Santa Monica, California.

And Josh Brolin has remained true to his word - with the actor celebrating his five year sobriety on Tuesday, by sharing a stomach-churning tale of a drunken night out.

Alongside a picture of himself inebriated, the new father wrote a long stream of consciousness message about being drunk.

Having fun? Josh Brolin celebrates five years sobriety as new father shares stomach-churning tale of drunken night out to Instagram

'When you think you're having a rip roaring time and the next morning you wake up and your brain has broken into a frenzied anthill and your body is shattered shards of sharp glass desperately searching for what fits where and your spirit is being eaten by worms with great white bloodied teeth and your heart has shriveled into a black prune churning your intestines to the point where dysentery feels attractive.'

He continued: 'And you can't remember anything you did so you roll out of bed over last night's urine and you dial your best friend's phone number because you recall him lifting you over his head, your whole self, before you hit and broke through the drywall and, you think, a large aquarium and the phone on the other end rings and he picks it up, that clambering for a phone, the clumsiness of a hardline, and you say: "What did I do last night?!" and he answers, after a great pause: "...Dude..."'

He tagged his post 'five years'.

Flashback: Brolin clearly remembers only too well what it is like to be drunk

Back in late 2013 a drunken Josh was captured on camera as he grappled with a bouncer at O'Brien's Irish Pub in Santa Monica, before the pair hugged it out and the unharmed security guard escorted him into a taxi home.

The incident with the bouncer was, in fact, the second of two that same night, following an altercation with a taxi driver shortly before.

The public altercation came just months after Brolin split from his wife Diane Lane after eight years of marriage.

In the aftermath of the incident Brolin swore off the booze.

It wasn't the first of it's type. Troubled Brolin was arrested for public intoxication just before midnight on January 1 2013, also in Santa Monica. Brolin, who is Barbra Streisand's stepson, paid the $250 bail and was not given a citation for the arrest, and there were no further ramifications.

New life: His new, clean-living lifestyle has been encouraged by his love for his assistant turned wife Kathryn Boyd, 31, with whom he has just welcomed a daughter, Westlyn Reign; the couple are seen at an event in Los Angeles on Saturday

Sources close to Brolin told TMZ that he was hanging out with male friends and simply ended up having 'too much fun'.

And on December 20, 2004, Brolin's then-wife, Diane, called the police after an altercation with her husband and he was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery.

While it appears it took Brolin a few months to finally give up drinking for good, since then the 50-year-old has been a model of decorum.

His new, clean-living lifestyle has been encouraged by his love for his assistant turned wife Kathryn Boyd, 31, with whom he has just welcomed a daughter, Westlyn Reign.

On November 4, Josh announced the birth of his third child on Instagram.

The Goonies star already has two adult children with first ex-wife, Alice Adair. The former couple share Eden, 25, and Trevor, 30.
She is an in-demand model best known for her work on the Victoria's Secret catwalk.

And Devon Windsor was every inch the supermodel as she posed up a storm in a sizzling Instagram shot on Sunday.

The Vogue coverstar, 24, oozed confidence as she showcased her gym-honed physique in a tiny polka dot bikini while relaxing on a sunlounger in a tropical location.

Work it: Devon Windsor was every inch the supermodel as she posed up a storm in a sizzling Instagram shot on Sunday

The strapless bikini top teased at her perky cleavage, which flashing her taut midriff.

A pair of matching low-slung bottoms revealed her honed legs and a glimpse of her perky posterior.

Her signature platinum tresses were styled sleek and straight, while her stunning features were enhanced with a simple slick of terracotta lipstick.

Devon recently returned to the Victoria's Secret catwalk, held in New York City, where she dazzled in an ivory bodice and sparkling wings.

Forte: The star is no stranger to a sultry bikini snap

Wow factor: Devon recently returned to the Victoria's Secret catwalk, held in New York City, where she dazzled in an ivory bodice and sparkling wings

Loved up: In her personal life, the blonde beauty is engaged to Johnny Dex, who proposed to her on June 23 after more than two years of dating

In her personal life, the blonde beauty is engaged to Johnny Dex, who proposed to her on June 23 after more than two years of dating.

While taking a plane ride, the blonde bombshell was able to see 'Marry Me?' spelled out on the sand of a private beach in the Bahamas.

She was conveniently wearing an all white ensemble for the special occasion.

'When you think you're flying into a photoshoot and then you look down and see this.,' she wrote on Instagram following the big surprise.

'This was the best day of my life and I cannot wait to marry the best person in the whole universe! I'm the luckiest woman in the world! '

The Missouri native's engagement ring features a large oval cut diamond and a handmade platinum setting, which took over a month to craft.
She has escaped from the gloomy British weather to soak up the sunshine during an idyllic getaway.

And Tina Stinnes continued to show off her incredible beach body as she took to Instagram with a sizzling bikini shot.

The star, who shot to fame on Love Island's second season in 2016, looked sensational in a striped two-piece as she lounged poolside.

Sexy: Tina Stinnes continued to show off her incredible beach body as she took to Instagram with a sizzling bikini shot

In another envy-inducing snap, Tina switched it up and posed on the side of a luxury boat.

Tina appeared to go make-up free and sported wet locks, as she showcased her bronzed glow in a black bikini.

Tina continued to prove she still has her sexy island style nailed as she took to Instagram earlier this week with a further slew of smouldering images.

While enjoying a chilled out holiday she posted the images for her 258,000 Instagram followers to see, as she lived it up with her beau Matthew Mawhinney, the son of politician Baroness Scotland.

Looking good: Tina appeared to go make-up free and sported wet locks, as she showcased her bronzed glow in another bikini snap

Hot couple! Tina proved she still has her sexy island style nailed as she took to Instagram to share more smouldering series of bikini-clad images alongside her beau Matthew Mawhinney

Tina looked stunning as she shared a host of snaps from her holiday with her boyfriend, after going public in June last year.

Getting up close and personal, she wowed in a leopard print bikini while Matthew planted a tender kiss on her cheek in a sweet display.

She added a caption reading: 'Ending 2018 with the biggest smile and with you thank you for everyone who has been a part of my year and making it special...

'Hope everyone has had an amazing year.. and an even better 2019 and it brings you all the happiness you deserve'.

Cheeky! She also displayed her perky posterior in a sexy two-piece as she worked her best angles with an arched back and jauntily placed arm

Happy days: In June, insiders revealed the couple were 'all over each other' as they debuted their romance at the PrettyLittleThing x Maya Jama launch party

She also displayed her perky posterior in a sexy two-piece as she worked her best angles with an arched back and jauntily placed arm.

In June, insiders revealed the couple were 'all over each other' as they debuted their romance at the PrettyLittleThing x Maya Jama launch party.

Tina told The Sun of her romance: 'We've been going out for a while. It's going really well. So far, so good.'

The reality television star confessed she was the first to break the ice when they met as she said 'hello' to him at the bar while he was chatting to one of her friends. Sources also dished to the newspaper at the time: 'They were all over each other.'

Happy days: Matthew is the son of Patricia Scotland (pictured in September) - who was the Attorney General under then Prime Minister Gordon Brown between 2007 and 2010

Sizzling: Getting up close and personal, she wowed in a leopard print bikini while Matthew planted a tender kiss on her cheek in a sweet display

Matthew is the son of Patricia Scotland - who was the Attorney General under then Prime Minister Gordon Brown between 2007 and 2010.

Proving himself to be even further connected, Matthew's dad is Richard Mawhinney, a barrister who is the brother of former Tory chairman Brian.

Her hunky boyfriend's Instagram feed is littered with images of his lavish life, including snaps meeting former US President Bill Clinton, at a lavish party at St Jamess Palace, at Buckingham Palace and St Jamess Palace.
Inmates hopeful for a chance at clemency have been sending Kim Kardashian thousands of notes from prison.

TMZ reports prisoners around the country have been writing to Kim, 38, hopeful she and her lawyers will aid in their release.

Kim's recent work lobbying for prison reform and rallying for the release of Alice Johnson and Cyntoia Brown has even reportedly inspired inmates and staffers alike to dub her the 'Princess of Prison Reform'.

The Princess of Prison Reform: Inmates hopeful for a chance at clemency have been sending Kim Kardashian thousands of notes from prison

The reality star has been making headlines this last year for her work assisting in the release of Alice.

Back in June President Donald Trump granted Alice clemency just a week after Kim visited the Commander In Chief to advocate for her release.

Alice was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for a first-time, non-violent drug offense.

She had been incarcerated for 22 years at the time of her release.

Advocating: The reality star has been making headlines this last year for her work assisting in the release of Johnson

Grateful: At the time news of the clemency was announced, Kim tweeted, 'Thank you Governor Haslam'

Kim has continued to lobby for prison reform, returning to the White House in September to talk about sentencing and clemency issues with Ivanka Trump, husband Jared Kushner and other members of the president's administration.

Kim has also flung her support behind Cyntoia as the woman fought for her release from prison.

Cyntoia was serving a life sentence for killing a man who hired her for sex when she was 16, and was recently granted clemency by Governor Bill Haslam.

Kim was among one of the numerous celebrities advocating for her release.

'The system has failed,' she tweeted last year. 'It's heart breaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life! We have to do better & do what's right. I've called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this. #FreeCyntoiaBrown.'

At the time news of the clemency was announced, Kim tweeted, 'Thank you Governor Haslam.'
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are a Hollywood power couple, but they don't often pose together on social media.

So it was a bit of a surprise when the Deadpool actor uploaded a sweet image with his blonde beauty wife on Monday.

The two are sitting with a friend in front of a house with a dog in the background and they seem to be in great spirits.

Smiles all around: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are a Hollywood power couple, but they don't often pose together on social media. So it was a bit of a surprise when the Deadpool actor uploaded a sweet image with his blonde beauty wife on Monday

Always a beauty: Blake is in a black and white outfit with her hair down as she flashes a movie star smile. She also looks to have no makeup on

The caption read, 'New Orleans. As much as possible.'

Blake is in a black and white outfit with her hair down as she flashes a movie star smile. She also looks to have no makeup on.

Ryan has on a red plaid shirt with fitted jeans. He too looks thrilled.

The friend in between then is holding onto something as the dog looks confused in the background.

The house appears to be older and in great shape with a solid door and charming accents.

The post comes as Ryan was announced as the new face of Armani Code fragrances.

The actor and producer will appear in a new campaign film, to be released in February, directed by Reed Morano, Emmy Award winner for the series The Handmaids Tale.

Giorgio Armani said: 'With his status of modern male figure of self-fulfillment, Ryan Reynolds perfectly embodies the modern sensuality of the Armani Code man: someone with charisma, authenticity, an effortless style, and the right dose of irony.'

Dapper: The post comes as Ryan was announced as the new face of Armani Code fragrances

Strike a pose: The actor shared a shot from his new campaign on Instagram not long before posting the picture with his wife Blake

Thus far, the brand has released only still imagery from the campaign, with one snap showing Ryan looking incredibly dapper while modeling a crisp white shirt and black bow tie, and pulling on a black Giorgio Armani tuxedo jacket that has his name sewn into the inside pocket.

Ryan also took the opportunity to share a picture from the new campaign on his Instagram, posting another picture from the campaign - this time a more casual shot that shows him wearing just a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

'Just finished a short film for @Armani directed by the impossibly talented @ReedMorano,' he captioned the snap. 'I love working with the #ArmaniCode team.'

Being the natural comedian that he is, the Deadpool star couldn't resist the opportunity to sneak in one joke to the caption, finishing it off by writing: 'I hope to eventually call Mr. Armani, Papa. But lets take this one day at a time.'

Blake, meanwhile, recently went back to her old Gossip Girl roots in a nostalgic Instagram post.

Fans went into a frenzy over the post which featured the mother of two on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Spotted: In December Blake was photographed walking down the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, just like her former Gossip Girl character and she shared the image on Instagram with a nostalgic caption

Throwback! Fans went bonkers over Blake's caption that read like a line from a Gossip Girl script

In the image, Lively was decked out in head-to-toe sparkling Chanel in an embellished gold dress with a large belt cinching in her waist and a silky white jacket.

As if that wasn't enough, the beauty rocked a stunning pair of thigh high white boots that were encrusted with golden beads and sequins.

The A Simple Favor star was attending Chanel's Metiers d'Arts fashion show at the Met.

'Spotted: S, back on the steps of the Met,' Lively captioned the image.

The caption read like it could have come straight from the script of Gossip Girl with the 'S' standing for her character Serena van der Woodsen.

For six seasons, the leggy blonde starred on the show opposite frenemy Blair Waldorf, played by Leighton Meester, as Gossip Girl chronicled their every move.

The Upper East Sider's home base was the steps of the Met so the caption couldn't have been more appropriate.

The Met: Blake was back on the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (pictured) which served as a frequent setting on the show for scenes with co-star Leighton Meester

'OMG!!! I'm living for this caption:' Fans flooded the comments section of the post in praise of the throwback caption. Penn Badgley, Ed Westwick, Taylor Momsen, Lively, Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester pictured

'OMG!!! I'm living for this caption,' one commenter exclaimed.

Another added: 'That caption just gave me life'

Several others shared the sentiment writing things like, 'this makes my heart so happy.'

The CW show amassed a massive following during it's tenure from 2007-2012 and catapulted Lively to A-list status.

Blake played a posh uptown 'it girl' who, along with her gaggle of elite prep school pals, got into a series of scandalous situations which were all broadcast via text by an all-seeing blogger who went by the moniker Gossip Girl.
Kylie Jenner loves to spoil her little mini me.

And on Monday the 21-year-old makeup mogul revealed just how many little stuffed animals the child has.

In a quick social media post, the baby girl - whose father is rapper Travis Scott - is seen pulling a pink toy out of a basket that includes a monkey, a unicorn, a polar bear, and a teddy bear, among other furry friends.

Toys for Stormi! Kylie Jenner loves to spoil her little mini me. And on Monday the 21-year-old makeup mogul revealed just how many little stuffed animals the child has

Mama: Jenner shared this image recently saying she missed her blonde hair

Off to the side is a basket with smaller toys like little dolls. And near that is a basket with what looks to be finger puppets. Then there is a pink toy car and a purple table.

The image appears to be taken inside Kylie's Hidden Hills mansion.

There was also a clip of Jordyn Woods holding a Barbie head next to Stormi. It was noted that Stormi is still opening 'xmas gifts.'

Xmas lasts forever: There was also a clip of Jordyn Woods holding a Barbie head next to Stormi. It was noted that Stormi is still opening 'xmas gifts'

Happy little one: Stormi seemed to be thrilled as she spent time with Woods

Bday fever: Kylie also said she was already wrapping gifts for Stormi's first birthday as she shared an image of a box with multi-color wrapping and pink ties

Kylie also said she was already wrapping gifts for Stormi's first birthday as she shared an image of a box with multi-color wrapping and pink ties.

The child will turn one which falls on February 1.

Earlier, Jenner held her bundle of joy in her arms as the eight-month-old rocked an adorable Burberry jacket.

And the young mother was spotted wearing a huge diamond ring again that has fans in a tizzy over engagement rumors with Scott.

Doting mom: Jenner, 21, shared a sweet snap with her daughter Stormi on Monday

Kylie sported a long black leather jacket that matched her baby girl's cute leggings as she captioned the snap: 'Mama's girl!'

Meanwhile, Kylie 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.

One fan, souka_beautorial, commented, 'Is that a promise ring or an engagement ring?' along with several emojis.

Engagement rumors: Jenner also posted several new Instagram snaps wearing the huge ring

Jenner made little effort to hide the ring when she was seen out in Los Angeles on Friday night.

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.

'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."'
Anne Hathaway is grateful to finally have a public voice.

In a new interview with Town & Country the 36-year-old actress, who prides herself on keeping her personal life private, opens up about having her say - on her own terms - thanks to social media.

'Having the ability to do something on my own terms has been good for me. It has allowed me to calm down and communicate in a way thats more clear.' the Oceans 8 star says.

Anne Hathaway poses for the February issue of Town & Country magazine as she opens up about the power of social media and how she deals with stress

In April 2018 Anne warded off media speculation about her weight gain, which was for a role, by posting an Instagram video and declaring 'To all the people who are going to fat shame me in the upcoming months, its not me, its you'.

She also announced her pregnancy in 2016, posing for a bikini shot she shared to Instagram and beating paparazzi to the punch.

Anne poses for the lifestyle magazine looking gorgeous in a ruffled polka dot top that sits off the shoulder.

In another shot she wears a dramatic one-shoulder gown.

Hollywood beauty: The 36-year-old actress wears a dramatic one-shoulder gown in the stunning photoshoot for the lifestyle magazine

'Having the ability to do something on my own terms has been good for me' The Devil Wears Prada star praises social media for allowing her to have a voice

On her own terms: Anne announced her pregnancy on Instagram in 2016

The actress shows off her natural beauty in the outdoor shoot, looking relaxed and carefree, however, the Hollywood icon admits anxiety sometimes gets the best of her.

She says, 'I really am way more on top of the garbage that I allow into my life,'

But she admits that there are times that stress gets to be too much and in those moments she writes it all down.

'You spew it all out. You do not read it,' she says. 'The timer goes off, you tear it out of the book, and you light it on fire.' Anne says she deals with stress by writing down her worries, then burning the paper

'Set a timer on your phone, have a candle nearby, and write it all down,' she tells the magazine, recommending that you release all your worries for 12 minutes.

'You spew it all out. You do not read it,' she says. 'The timer goes off, you tear it out of the book, and you light it on fire.'

'All of this energy, this angst, this rageeverything is smoke.' she adds.

Town & Country hits newsstands January 15.
Emily Ratajkowski is known for her dangerous curves.

And the American model is certainly putting them to good use in her new photo shoot for GQ Australia's upcoming issue.

The 27-year-old looked stunningly glamorous in a preview photograph from the magazine spread.

Taking the plunge! Emily Ratajkowski (pictured) flaunts her cleavage in daringly low-cut sequin gown for a glamorous GQ Australia photo shoot

Wearing a daringly low-cut sequin gown, the beauty crossed her arms and showed off her cleavage.

The eye-catching gown featured heavy, sequined fabric in a floor-length, with a thigh-high split that allowed the model to show off her slim pins.

Rows of metallic sequins in various colours ran down the centre of the luxurious frock, meeting at the bust before flaring into delicate spaghetti straps.

Outspoken: Not shy of showing off her figure, the model has long called herself a feminist

Fending off: The beauty has deflected criticism from people who felt that her decision to showcase her body on camera was incompatible with the concept of empowerment

Styled impeccably, Emily's hair appeared wet, in a slicked-back style that has become popular with celebrities of late.

Her natural-looking make-up consisted of a dusty rose-toned lipstick and a glossy, peachy eye-shadow.

Not shy of showing off her figure, the model has long called herself a feminist, despite criticism from people who felt that her decision to showcase her body on camera was incompatible with the concept.

Open: 'I think that the whole idea that because the body I was given might play into some patriarchal idea, I should be ashamed of it or be covering it up is ridiculous,' she said

Outspoken: 'I find empowerment in celebrating and sharing my sexuality. I think my body is beautiful and a lot of different bodies are beautiful,' the Entourage star insisted

'I think that the whole idea that because the body I was given might play into some patriarchal idea, I should be ashamed of it or be covering it up is ridiculous,' she said last year in interview with Paper Magazine.

'I find empowerment in celebrating and sharing my sexuality. I think my body is beautiful and a lot of different bodies are beautiful,' the Entourage star concluded.

While she wouldn't refer to what she does as 'activism' (which she finds to be a 'strange word'), Emily insisted she is 'most passionate' about 'social issues'.
They jet to St Barts every year over the festive period.

And Nancy Shevell, 59, looked in her element as she enjoyed a dip in the sea with her husband Paul McCartney, 76, on Monday.

The brunette beauty made for a striking figure as she hit the beach, showcasing her sensational figure in a plunging swimsuit.

Stunning: They jet to St Barts every year over the festive period. And Nancy Shevell, 59, looked in her element as she enjoyed a dip in the sea with her husband Paul McCartney, 76, on Monday

Nancy looked half her 59 years as she donned a black and scarlet printed swimsuit that accentuated her incredible physique.

A low-cut neckline offered a peek at her perky assets, whilst the high cut leg showed off her pert posterior and lean legs.

Her natural beauty was on display as she went make-up free, whilst her glossy brunette locks were wet and slicked back away from her face.

Two's company: The brunette beauty made for a striking figure as she hit the beach, showcasing her sensational figure in a plunging swimsuit with her husband

Swim-suits you! Nancy looked half her 59 years as she donned a black and scarlet printed swimsuit that accentuated her incredible physique

Leggy lady! A low-cut neckline offered a peek at her perky assets, whilst the high cut leg showed off her pert posterior and lean legs

Beatles legend Paul kept covered up for the outing, donning a navy shirt with blue ombre design swimming trunks.

The couple looked smitten with one another, with Paul playfully lifting up Nancy and scooping her into his arms for a cuddle in the shallows.

They later left the sea hand in hand before settling in for some quality time whilst tanning on the sunloungers.

Gorgeous: Her natural beauty was on display as she went make-up free, whilst her glossy brunette locks were wet and slicked back away from her face

Fun in the sun! Nancy was all-smiles as she splashed about in the shallows with her beau

All-smiles: The pair seemed in high spirits as they frolicked around in the surf

Under wraps: Beatles legend Paul kept covered up for the outing, donning a navy shirt with blue ombre design swimming trunks

The couple head to St Barts every winter, and earlier in the week had been joined by Paul's designer daughter, Stella.

Sir Paul was married previously to photographer and musician Linda McCartney from 1969 to her tragic death from breast cancer in 1998, aged 56.

His second marriage to former model Heather Mills lasted just six-years before their split in 2008. He went onto tie the knot for a third time with New Yorker Nancy, with whom he has been happily married since 2011.

Loving life: The couple looked smitten with one another, with Paul playfully lifting up Nancy and scooping her into his arms for a cuddle in the shallows

Frolicking: The pair seemed in high spirits as they splashed about in the sea together

All going swimmingly: Sir Paul squeezed in some exercise as he went for his swim

Off he goes: Paul demonstrated his impressive front crawl as he made some laps

Every year the couple enjoy taking a trip to the glorious St Barts over the festive season for some winter sun in the red hot Caribbean.

Paul shared his positive thoughts and hopes for the year ahead with his Twitter followers when he wished them all the best.

He tweeted: 'I hope everyone has a really brilliant New Year, with all the fab things theyve hoped for coming true.

'And I hope things work out on all the political fronts  that we get more peace than ever, people look after each other and we have a good time! #HappyNewYear.'

Cute couple: They later left the sea hand in hand before settling in for some quality time whilst tanning on the sunloungers

Something caught your eye? Sir Paul couldn't keep his eyes off of Nancy on the outing

Loving it: Paul seemed in high spirits as he and Nancy soaked up the sunshine in St Barts

Meanwhile, Paul recently revealed that he often reforms the Beatles in his dreams, as he admitted sadness over the loss of bandmates John Lennon and George Harrison.

Talking to BBC Radio Scotland, the star said: 'John and George are still a big part of my life, always will be.

'It would have been great to get the Beatles back together again. People always say what if? But we cant, so, sadly, thats not going to happen.

'I often think about them with a lot of sadness, because they should still be here. In Johns case, it was a terrible thing. In Georges, a terrible illness.

'If by some strange fluke it was to happen, it would be beautiful.'

Paul the other one: Nancy helped lead Paul out of the sea as they held hands

Sweet nothings: Nancy appeared to be whispering in her handsome husband's ear

Animated: Paul was chatting away and pulling a series of animated expressions

He continued: 'As a musician, you often have dreams about being in the studio or on stage, so Im often with the guys.

'Just the other morning, I woke up and I was with George. And that was very nice. I think of George as my little mate  he was the youngest in the group.

'Thats how I run into John and George these days. So the Beatles have re-formed  in my head.'

Paul added: 'Even though there is sadness, the main thing is the joy of knowing those two guys. I miss them a lot.'

Drying off: Paul handed Nancy a fresh towel to dry off after their cooling dip in the sea

Hat's a good look: Nancy donned a straw trilby hat as she shielded herself from the rays

Cosy couple: The pair snuggled up to one another as they chatted away on the loungers

Pucker up: After Nancy sheathed herself in a kaftan the pair leaned in to share a sweet smooch

John was killed by Mark David Chapman after he shot him outside his Manhattan apartment on December 8, 1980.

He was sentenced to 20 years to life in the Wende Correctional Facility in New York.

George passed away on November 29, 2001, after a battle with lung cancer.

Ringo Starr, 78, reunited with Paul earlier this month on stage at London's O2 arena during the final night of the UK leg of Macca's Freshen Up tour.

They were also joined by Rolling Stones rocker Ronnie Wood, 71.
Ashley James was once again flaunting her jaw-dropping physique in a skimpy mixed print bikini on Monday, as she took to Instagram to post a snap of her strolling on the beach in Tanzania.

The 31-year-old looked incredible as she lamented saying farewell to Paje in Zanzibar, as she prepared to embark on the next leg of her Tanzanian adventure.

In the snap, Ashley was flaunting her amazing figure in the black and white striped bikini with pink floral detailing, while her blonde bobbed tresses were styled into effortless beach waves.

Jaw-dropping: Ashley James was once again flaunting her physique in a mixed print bikini on Monday, as she took to Instagram to post a snap of her strolling on the beach in Tanzania

In the caption: Ashley wrote: 'I'm going to miss Paje and the way all the kite-surfers make the beautiful beaches so colourful.

'I met a lot of fun people, partied on the beach, went skinny-dipping in the sea, and ate delicious food.

'Could've stayed in New Teddy's Place for the rest of the trip, but, we've got to go explore the rest of Zanzibar.

'Next stop: Stone Town. Would love any recommendations.'

Confident: This came just days after Ashley took to social media to rubbish conventional notions of what it means to be 'beach body ready'

This came just days after Ashley took to social media to rubbish conventional notions of what it means to be 'beach body ready' in her latest candid post, shared on Saturday.

While many believe the term implies having to work hard to obtain a toned figure when they don their swimsuit, Ashley shared her thoughts on the term with an Instagram post in a bikini while on vacation in Tanzania.

She wrote: 'How to be beach body ready: have a body, put on a bikini, go to the beach.' The Made In Chelsea star sported an orange bikini in the snap and showed off the sun-kissed glow she has developed while on holiday.

Sitting comfortable, Ashley seemed determined to show her natural side rather than the pinched and preened looks often displayed on social media.

Holiday: The star jetted out of London on New Year's Day, having DJ'd at a New Year's Eve party the night before, heading straight to the airport for her flight

She beamed at the camera while shedding her heavy make-up in favour of a minimal look which helped highlight her natural beauty to perfection.

With her blonde tresses tickling her shoulders in flirty curls, she was also showing off her envy-inducing views with the idyllic blue hues in the back perfecting the snap.

Ashley jetted out of London on New Year's Day, having DJ'd at a New Year's Eve party the night before, heading straight to the airport for her flight.

Relax: Reflecting on the new year, she said in another post: 'We go off to unwind and recharge in Tanzania to prepare for a massive 2019. Lord knows I need this break'

Reflecting on the new year, she said in another post: 'We go off to unwind and recharge in Tanzania to prepare for a massive 2019. Lord knows I need this break!

'This year has been a year of self-discovery and I've recognised a lot of negative patterns and relationships in my life. I'll talk about it all soon.'

'Thank you for all the travel suggestions. Sri Lanka, Cape Town and the Philippines are all still on the bucket list, but for now, Zanzibar recommendations please.

This time last year, Ashley was a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother.

She recently reminisced on her time in television's most famous bungalow, describing it as a 'life experience'.

She wrote on Twitter: 'This time last year I had just handed over my phone and laptop ready for 48 hours in hiding ahead of the launch of #CBB Year of the Woman. What a life experience.'
Her boyfriend Josh Denzel recently moaned about how hard it is to get the perfect shots for Instagram.

Yet Kaz Crossley seemed carefree as she posed for a series of sizzling snaps whilst on a romantic holiday at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort & Private Island in Jamaica with her beau.

The Love Island beauty, 23, was a vision of beauty in a skimpy pink bikini as she threw her head back in laughter before cheekily poking out her tongue.

Stunning: Kaz Crossley seemed carefree as she posed for a series of sizzling snaps whilst on a romantic holiday to Jamaica with her beau

The reality starlet looked sensational in the tiny two-piece as she showed off her ample cleavage and toned abs.

Josh also got in on the action, filming Kaz strutting around in another scanty swimsuit that highlighted her peachy posterior.

The couple have been flooding their social media profiles with snaps in recent days, leaving their combined total of 2.4 million Instagram followers green with envy.

Working it: Josh also got in on the action, filming Kaz strutting around in another scanty swimsuit that highlighted her peachy posterior

But everything isn't as it seems as Josh, 27, bemoaned Instagram isn't 'fun' because he has to change his outfits on a night out in the toilets to get the best post.

The social media influencer  with 1.2 million followers he has a duty to update  complained not being able to get the picture he wants ruins his day.

'No joke, I've been in places where I've fully done an outfit change in the toilet because I can't post exactly same picture as Kaz.' He told BBC Radio five live.

Beach babe: The Love Island beauty, 23, was a vision of beauty in a skimpy pink bikini as she threw her head back in laughter before cheekily poking out her tongue

'Not all the time but when you're trying to do something. You go somewhere and you're having a genuinely good time then you think I should probably get a picture.

'And then you go somewhere and you get a picture and it's not working out like you wanted it to work out.

'It almost ruins your day and you've got to take a step back and really go: Am I sure? What are you doing?'

Looking good: The couple have been flooding their social media profiles with snaps in recent days, leaving their combined total of 2.4 million Instagram followers green with envy

The social media influencer is continuing to graft his online profile with a modest 65,800 Twitter followers compared to his 1,200,000 on Instagram.

Josh candidly confessed he feels 'under pressure' to share the most eye-watering photographs which means Instagram is 'no fun' anymore.

He explained: 'You're talking about stuff like if one or two videos don't bang then what happens to the next one? There's more pressure on you and you get stressed and it doesn't become fun.

'Instagram and YouTube you started it because it was supposed to be fun and a lot of the time now I think I find that Instagram isn't fun anymore.'

The hunk admitted he has moments where he asks himself whether he is that bothered but he insists he has to take care because he has made a career out of it.

He added: 'You have to take a step back and go am I really that bothered? But then you kinda have to be because it's your career.'
Gordon Ramsay has come under fire by fans for an 'uncomfortable' 2010 interview, when he appeared to ask Sofia Vergara whether she 'screams in bed.'

In the resurfaced clip from an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Gordon, 52, could be seen slapping Sofia's thigh as he also joked about her breasts 'knocking her out.'

At one point Sofia even reached out to slap Gordon away after he lay his hand on her leg, shouting 'no touching' as he sprung away playfully.

Awkward: Gordon Ramsay has come under fire by fans for an 'uncomfortable' 2010 interview, when he appeared to ask Sofia Vergara whether she 'screams in bed'

Sofia Vergara didnt deserve to be treated like this. This is very very uncomfortable. pic.twitter.com/5xgxLLFZ8R  jason bolanos (@JBinAV) January 6, 2019

The interview has come to light after a disgruntled fan tweeted a clip, alongside the caption: 'Sofia Vergara didn't deserve to be treated like this. This is very very uncomfortable.'

During the chat the pair exchanged a series of quips before Sofia eventually exclaimed: 'This guy doesn't respect me!' in Spanish.

Commenting on her famous sitcom exclamations the Columbian actress added she 'never screams like that in real life.'

Nasty: In a clip from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno - as tweeted by a disgruntled fan - he pair exchanged a series of quips before Sofia eventually exclaimed: 'This guy doesn't respect me!'

Brutal: Commenting on her famous sitcom exclamations the Columbian actress added she 'never screams like that in real life,' and Gordon added: 'Only in the bedroom?'

Gordon was then quick to respond: 'Really? Only in the bedroom?' sparking a silent reaction from the audience, and host Jay to add: 'Well you never know.'

Sofia then went onto explain a recent vow that if Modern Family won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding TV Series: Comedy, she would run down Sunset Boulevard naked.

She said: 'That's ridiculous, I cannot run, I have bad knees,' leading Gordon to quip: 'Yes, you'll knock yourself out.'

Shocking: After a stunned reaction from the audience, Gordon appeared to touch Sofia's thigh, leading her to furiously hit back

Outraged: During the interview the Kitchen Nightmares frontman also commented on Sofia's breasts, with many fans saying she looked 'uncomfortable'

Later in the chat, Jay brought up a snap of Sofia sporting a bikini, which lead Gordon to make a joke about 'picking it up and sticking it in.'

When asked how much weight she gained during the holiday, Sofia snapped back: 'What sort of question is that?' and when Gordon slapped her on the thigh, she furiously hit back.

The Kitchen Nightmares frontman's behaviour was lambasted by many fans, who also commented on a similar clip which had been posted to YouTube.

Not happy: After Gordon hit her on the leg, Sofia screamed 'no touching' and hit him on the side

Angry: Gordon's behaviour was lambasted by many fans, who also commented on a similar clip which had been posted to YouTube

One wrote: 'I would feel so uncomfortable with Gordon Ramsay there.'

Another added: 'This is pure harassment, I hate how Ramsay [kept] saying 'come on' like he's joking but he's not. He is SO lacking respect. He's gross.'

A third also posted: 'This is one of the worst interviews I've ever seen. It's just so uncomfortable to watch.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Gordon Ramsay to further comment.

Picked on: Sofia has spoken openly in the past about being objectified by men throughout her career, but said in 2016 she 'doesn't understand' why people get so offended

Sofia has spoken openly in the past about being objectified by men throughout her career, but in 2016 told Net-A-Porter's The Edit magazine it doesn't faze her anymore.

She explained: 'I've never understood why women get so offended [by being objectified].

'I just don't believe in all that drama, which is why I've made a whole joke out of it. I am secure enough not to take it all that seriously, and I like to laugh at myself.'

Exciting: This comes just days after it was revealed that Gordon and his wife Tana were expecting their fifth child

The resurfaced video comes just days after it was revealed that Gordon and his wife Tana were expecting their fifth child, as she appeared in an Instagram video sporting a noticeable bump.

The couple have been married since 1996 and are already parents to Megan, 21, twins Jack and Holly, 19 and Matilda, 17.

Gordon and Tana are yet to reveal the gender of their unborn child or a specific due date, though the video implied that she is already some months into her pregnancy.

Happy news: Tana broke the news in a celebratory Instagram video posted on New Year's Day, unveiling her baby bump underneath her sequinned top
She reunited with her partner over the festive period following months apart due to their busy work schedules.

And Michelle Keegan was in great spirits as she joined her husband Mark Wright on a grocery run in Los Angeles, California, on Monday.

The Our Girl actress, 31, and the former TOWIE star, also 31, looked as if they were preparing for a party as they carried flower bouquets and multicoloured balloons into their car.

Reunited: Michelle Keegan was in great spirits as she joined her husband Mark Wright on a grocery run in Los Angeles, California, on Monday, following months apart

Putting on an effortlessly stylish display, the former Corrie star accentuated her frame in light-wash skinny jeans, tied in with a simple black tee.

The actress nailed edgy chic with her outerwear as she rocked a comfy varsity jacket and opted for patent boots for her choice of footwear.

Adding touches of glamour into her casual appearance, the brunette accessorised with a quilted chain-strap bag by Gucci, hooped earrings and a gold necklace.

Stocking up: The Our Girl actress, 31, and the former TOWIE star, also 31, looked as if they were preparing for a party as they carried flower bouquets and multicoloured balloons into their car

Low-key: Putting on an effortlessly stylish display, the former Corrie star accentuated her frame in light-wash skinny jeans, tied in with a simple black tee

All in the details: Adding touches of glamour into her casual appearance, the brunette accessorised with a quilted chain-strap bag by Gucci, hooped earrings and a gold necklace

Michelle swept her curly dark tresses into a half up half down style and complemented her striking features with neutral-toned make-up.

Meanwhile, hunky Mark maintained his signature cool look with a form-fitting jumper, lightly-distressed grey jeans and box-fresh white trainers.

The pair looked delighted to be in each other's company again as they strolled their trolley around the store.

Stepping out: The actress nailed edgy chic with her outerwear as she rocked a comfy varsity jacket and opted for patent boots for her choice of footwear

Off she goes: Michelle swept her curly dark tresses into a half up half down style and complemented her striking features with neutral-toned make-up

Looking good: Meanwhile, hunky Mark maintained his signature cool look with a form-fitting jumper, lightly-distressed grey jeans and box-fresh white trainers

All laughs: The couple burst into laughter as they engaged in a lively conversation in the car park

Satisfying their appetites, the couple, who have been married since 2015, tucked into the shop's food samples.

Meanwhile, Mark recently denied claims he quit his presenting gig with US television show Extra to start a family with Michelle.

With the former TOWIE star permanently out in Los Angeles to present Extra and his wife previously flying all over the globe for Our Girl, it is a credit they have gone to great lengths to keep the spark alive in their marriage.

Back together: She reunited with her partner over the festive period following months apart due to their busy work schedules

High spirits: The pair looked delighted to be in each other's company again as they strolled their trolley around the store

Yum: Satisfying their appetites, the couple, who have been married since 2015, tucked into the shop's food samples

However, a spokesperson for Mark told the MailOnline the reality star-turn-presenter had no plans to quit his job in the States to have children.

The Daily Star alleged a source told them: 'He is heading home and the next step will be when to start a family.'

In recent months, Mark had discussed his hope to become a dad but he ruled out taking on the responsibility of parenthood anytime soon.

Want some? Michelle looked every inch the doting wife as she offered some of her food to Mark

Reports: Meanwhile, Mark recently denied claims he quit his presenting gig with US television show Extra to start a family with Michelle

Loved-up: With the former TOWIE star permanently out in LA and his wife previously flying all over the globe for Our Girl, it is a credit they have gone to great lengths to keep the spark alive in their marriage

In August, Mark told the Metro.co.uk: All I know is at the moment I want to be a dad, I know my wife wants to be a mum.

'Were not talking about when thats going to be yet. Were not even planning when that could be yet.

Wed both love to be parents but theres no plans for it whatsoever.

Michelle previously spoke out about reports of her impending divorce from Mark, confidently telling The Sun: 'Theres so much negativity behind the fact that if I work away and Marks away, it has to be a disaster.'

Candid: In recent months, Mark had discussed his hope to become a dad but he ruled out taking on the responsibility of parenthood anytime soon

'There's so much negativity': Michelle previously spoke out about reports of her impending divorce from Mark

Working hard: Maintaining an incredibly busy schedule, the pair have spent much of their married life apart due to their working commitments on opposite sides of the world

The soap star added that she was a 'positive person' so she did her best not to 'read into the negativity.'

Maintaining an incredibly busy schedule, the pair have spent much of their married life apart due to their working commitments on opposite sides of the world.

Mark bagged a television corresponding role with the gossip site Extra, and relocated to the States for the job in 2017.

All over the world: Mark bagged a television corresponding role with the gossip site Extra, and relocated to the States for the job in 2017

Hitting back: Meanwhile, Mark recently appeared on ITV's Lorraine where he revealed the pair are keen to prove the naysayers wrong, who believe a long-distance union can't work

Positive: 'We're back and forward all the time. I just come to see her for a weekend and try and make sure it's three weeks maximum that we don't see each other', he added

Meanwhile Michelle flitted between England and South Africa to film BBC drama Our Girl.

While the Tina and Bobby star has noted that the source of the break-up rumours stem from both of them working in different country's for months on end, she revealed news that he was just asked to another year back as host on Extra TV.

Admitting that 'he hasn't signed yet', Michelle enthused: 'Its always been something that we will talk about. Im just really proud of him.'
They are some of the most recognisable stars in the industry.

And a series of black and white snaps of the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Daniel Craig, shot by world renowned celebrity photographer John Stoddart, have now been presented in a stunning exhibition at Partridges cafe, in Chelsea.

Anthony Hopkins, Hugh Grant and Tilda Swinton are also part of the exhibition by the British photographer, who is known for capturing celebrities just on the cusp of becoming huge stars.

Before fame: A series of black and white snaps of the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Daniel Craig, shot by world renowned celebrity photographer John Stoddart, have now been presented in a stunning exhibition at Partridges cafe, in Chelsea

The exhibition of 12 stunning black and white photographs sees a fresh-faced Catherine striking a sultry pose as she gets comfortable on the edge of a bed.

The striking image was taken in 1991 - just before Catherine moved to Hollywood from Wales in a bid for stardom.

'I was good friends with Catherine when these photographs were taken in 1991,' John previously revealed. 'She was a well-known TV star but at the time really wanted to make it in Hollywood.

'So we got a room at the Dorchester hotel and took these fantastic snaps of her looking like a true movie star. Not long after, she was making movies in Hollywood.'

Throwback! A chiselled Daniel Craig can be seen in a 2003, before the height of his James Bond fame

Action hero: The exhibition also features legendary action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1988, snapped at Le Maurice Hotel, Paris

Capturing his essence: A menacing portrait of Antony Hopkins was taken by Stoddart in 1991 - the same year of his immense success from drama mystery, The Silence of the Lambs

Meanwhile, a chiselled Daniel can be seen in a 2003, before the height of his James Bond fame, as well as Pierce Brosnan in 1995.

The exhibition also features legendary action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1988, snapped at Le Maurice Hotel, Paris.

A menacing portrait of Antony Hopkins was taken by Stoddart in 1991 - the same year of his immense success from drama mystery, The Silence of the Lambs.

A snap of Tilda Swinton was captured in 1986, while Izabella Scorupco and Famke Famke Janssen also had the pleasure of working with John.

Quirky: A black and white photograph of actress Tilda Swinton was taken in 1986 in London, the year of her first film Caravaggio in which she played the artist's girlfriend Lena

Glamour: Former Bond girl Izabella Scorupco is seen getting her make-up done in 1995

Hunk then and now: Izabella's GoldenEye co-star Pierce Brosnan was also captured in 1995

Speaking of the exhibition, John stated: 'I lived in Chelsea for almost 25 years and am delighted to hold this exhibition in Partridges which for a long time was my local grocer.

'Many of the 12 photographs I have chosen to display were taken close to Partridges and I hope many people will pop in and see them.

John has been named as one of the 100 most influential photographers of the century by Professional Photographer magazine.
She is the popular Strictly Come Dancing judge who has spoken openly about her quest to find love in her 50s.

And Shirley Ballas hinted she has finally found new love during an appearance on Tuesday's episode of Lorraine, as she prepares to host a new matchmaking segment for people over 50.

The dancefloor sensation, 58, also hit back at sexism aimed at women over 50, saying her new programme Matchmaker Mountain, will encourage people that 'there is life after 50.'

Stunning: Shirley Ballas hinted she has finally found new love during an appearance on Tuesday's episode of Lorraine , as she prepares to host a new matchmaking segment for people over 50

Strictly sensational: The dancefloor sensation, 58, also hit back at sexism aimed at women over 50, saying her new programme Matchmaker Mountain, will encourage people that 'there is life after 50'

Queen of Latin Shirley, who was married to fellow dancer Corky Ballas from 1985-2007, gushed about her new man during her candid interview.

She said: 'Yes I've met somebody nice. I had the best Christmas ever being in panto, and my son flew over, it was the best Christmas ever in my entire life.

Discussing her new shoes, she said: 'My son (pro dancer Mark Ballas) and his wife bought them for me for Christmas, they represent freedom.

'He is wishing for me to have a good relationship over the age of 50.'

New man: She said: 'Yes I've met somebody nice. I had the best Christmas ever being in panto, and my son flew over, it was the best Christmas ever in my entire life'

The star will switch her expertise from the dancefloor to dating as she helps a group of over 50s - three men and three women - find love on new This Morning segment, Matchmaker Mountain which airs every Tuesday in January.

Hitting back at sexism, the star said her new programme gave women over 50 confidence.

She said: 'Women over 50, they get into a routine, they don't want to go outside the box, but this programme encourages people that there is life over 50.

Discussing novelist Yann Moix's controversial comments that women over 50 are too old to love, the star had some choice words.

Branding him 'Ageist', 'sexist' and 'uneducated', she said: 'Women over 50 have often had children,your body's like a temple, it's through people like him that women lack self confidence.

Candid: Hitting back at sexism, the star said her new programme gave women over 50 confidence

Morocco bound: The star will switch her expertise from the dancefloor to dating as she helps a group of over 50s - three men and three women - find love on new This Morning segment, Matchmaker Mountain which airs every Tuesday in January

'I'm comfortable in Strictly, comfortable on TV, and I had such the best time on Matchmaker mountain, watching their confidence grow over time.

'They taught me a lot we bonded straight away, it was fantastic listening to their stories, a spectacular experience, and just wanted to encourage any woman not to listen to men like him.

'Get out of that routine, there are special people out there, and the show opened my eyes.

'The men were wonderful too, their experience is your experiences. I feel blessed.'

Following her joyous but exhausting four months judging Strictly, Shirley recently told MailOnline she couldn't wait for Christmas at her 81-year-old mother Audreys home on the estate in Wallasey, Merseyside, where Shirley grew up.

Weve booked a restaurant in Liverpool for Christmas lunch with Auntie Barbara and Uncle Norman [her dads sister and her husband] and my niece Mary so Mum doesnt have to do any work, but then well go back to hers for a nice Christmas pudding, Shirley said. Shes put up cards and bought lots of new tree decorations  figures and baubles and tinsel. Were really going to get into the Christmas spirit.

In the new year, Shirley will join the Strictly tour for the first time, and has recently tackled her first stage role playing Mother Nature, the shows narrator, in the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk at the Liverpool Empire.
She won over legions of fans with her bubbly personality and wit during her triumphant stint in the 2017 I'm A Celebrity jungle.

And Georgia Toffolo showed off her playful sense of humour as she shared a cheeky Instagram during her trip to Barbados on Monday.

The Made In Chelsea star, 24, laughed out loud as she held up two coconuts in front of her chest, with the caption 'my massive knockers'.

Bunch of coconuts: Georgia Toffolo showed off her playful sense of humour as she shared a cheeky Instagram during her trip to Barbados on Monday

The blonde beauty looked sensational as she slipped her toned frame into a blush pink crochet bikini, which flattered her golden tan.

She revealed her slender midriff as she reclined on a sun lounger while a pair of sunglasses kept her locks off her face.

Her blonde bob was styled into a casual updo while her pretty features were enhanced with a swipe of mascara and a rose lipstick.

The day before Toff ensured all eyes would be on her at the beach, as she flaunted her tanned and toned figure in a scanty two-piece with beaded embellishment.

Sensational: The day before Toff ensured all eyes would be on her at the beach, as she flaunted her tanned and toned figure in a scanty two-piece with beaded embellishment

The star is holidaying with good friend and magician Archie Manners.

Toff looked in good spirits on the holiday, which came shortly after she was forced to deny she'd had plastic surgery.

The reality starlet shared a selfie, but was immediately inundated with comments such as: 'Oh please don't tell me you've put plastic your face????? Nooooooo your far too young. ', one person exclaimed, whilst another quipped: 'Please don't touch your face you are beautiful don't do any plastic surgery'.

Setting the record straight, she defiantly replied: 'No I haven't touched my face why does everyone keep asking this'.

Toff was recently in Australia to take part in I'm A Celebrity Extra Camp, after winning the series in 2017.

Good friends: The star is holidaying with good friend and magician Archie Manners

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 Scarlett's attitude towards her,' The Sun reported. 'There were major issues on set and there's a lot of bad blood between them.

'Toff doesn't know what sparked it but she was made to feel very unwelcome and was upset by the way Scarlett treated her.'

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 Georgia and Scarlett for comment.
Star Trek actor William Morgan Sheppard has died at the age of 86.

The screen star, who is best known for his work in the science fiction film, passed away on Sunday with his wife by his side.

William's son Mark, 54, took to Instagram on Monday to share a touching tribute to his late father, revealing he's 'grateful' the actor 'didn't have to suffer any longer'.

Passed away: Star Trek actor William Morgan Sheppard has died at the age of 86 (pictured in 2008)

The Doctor Who star, who was born in London in 1932, rose to fame in Star Trek in 1989, portraying the role of Ira Graves in The Next Generation's The Schizoid Man episode.

William also played the Rura Penth commandant in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 1991, Quatai in the Star Trek: Voyager's 1999 episode Bliss, and the chief Vulcan Science Council minister in 2009's Star Trek film.

In a previous interview with WhatCulture, William discussed his inspiration behind joining Star Trek.

Farewell: The screen star, who is best known for his work in the science fiction film, passed away on Sunday with his wife by his side (pictured with Brent Spiner in Star Trek, 1987)

Heartfelt: William's son Mark, 54, took to Instagram on Monday to share a touching tribute to his late father, revealing he's 'grateful' the actor 'didn't have to suffer any longer'

He explained: It's never 'just another job'. I really enjoy the Star Trek challenges, as you have to play characters a little larger than life, and find an empathy for their alien selves.'

The London-born actor also starred in Doctor Who as Canton Everett Delaware III in 2011, alongside his son Mark.

His last film role served as Wil in 2016's drama Last Man Club, and appeared in American fantasy series The Librarians in the same year.

Screen star: The London native portrayed the role of Ranulf in sword and sorcery adventure film Hawk the Slayer (pictured with John Terry in 1980)

Mark, whose film appearances include Unstoppable and Xtinction: Predator X, posted an image of his father on a hospital bed, alongside his wife Sarah Louise, daughter Isabella Rose, two, and William's long-term partner.

Speaking on the legendary star's last moments, the Lost Voyage star shared: 'We went to spend some time with my father today.

'Though he couldnt speak, we held hands, he laughed and was so happy to see us. We left and came home. A good day.

'He was rushed to hospital and passed at 6:30pm, my mother by his side. I am so grateful that he didnt have to suffer any longer. Thank you for all your kind thoughts, love and prayers.'

Mark did not reveal the cause of William's death.

William is survived by his wife, son Mark, and grandchildren Isabella, Will and Max.
Brexit: The Uncivil War was a mess  which was appropriate if nothing else, given the subject matter.

You doubted supporters of either side felt particularly happy with it by the end.

Also very fitting...

Channel 4s drama about the 2016 referendum campaign started with some undeniably appealing pluses in its favour.

New drama: Channel 4s drama about the 2016 referendum campaign Brexit: The Uncivil War was a mess  which was appropriate if nothing else, given the subject matter

But gradually they were undone by several major flaws and gaping omissions that left it lacking a cohesive argument or convincing standpoint for anyone to align themselves.

Again much like the referendum itself, Brexit: The Uncivil War tried to woo everyone, portraying it as both deeply serious and as a very British farce.

This depiction of the issues, people, or forces shaping our democracy in this day and age often jarred but certainly said something about this country and our politicians.

The recent drama about the Jeremy Thorpe scandal had been the same.

This combination of almost conspiracy theory and clownish was inevitable when protagonists like Aaron Banks, Nigel Farage, and Boris Johnson were involved.

Caricatures: This combination of almost conspiracy theory and clownish was inevitable when protagonists like Aaron Banks, Nigel Farage, and Boris Johnson were involved

Holy moly! Youre saying theres chance we might actually win this thing! Johnson exclaimed at one point, covering both aspects - the political insights and the pantomime.

The Uncivil War was hard to take seriously for the same reason on any drama about British politics featuring real characters: it seemed like a parody by The Comic Strip, the series starring the likes of Rik Mayall, Ade Edmondson, and Jennifer Saunders that ran from Channel 4s first day in 1982 to 2011s classic, The Hunt For Tony Blair.

The joy of these was not so much the humour but spotting the real people and assessing how realistic they were.

Benedict Cumberbatch gave a bravura performance as Dominic Cummings, the enigmatic maverick strategist credited with winning the Brexit referendum for Vote Leave. But at times he found himself upstaged by actors playing Boris Johnson or Michael Gove who could have been Lookalikes from a Talent Agency (just not very good ones).

Real life: The Uncivil War was hard to take seriously for the same reason on any drama about British politics featuring real characters: it seemed like a parody

Everything about Richard Gouldings Boris was not big enough: his height, his girth, his rambling bearish personality, and above all his hair. He was like Duran Duran in miniature: Nick Rhodes fringe with Simon Le Bons boisterous, obnoxious, attitude.

Oliver Maltman resembled Michael Gove in so much that he wore glasses, and even those looked too big compared to his characters.

It seemed a pity to mention Steve Bannon, but then only show him in silhouette  rather than give someone the chance to have a cameo (disastrous or otherwise).

The most successful was Paul Ryan who enjoyed himself enormously playing Nigel Farage (accurately) as an unctuous, small-minded, game-show host whod gone into local politics.

Johnson: Everything about Richard Gouldings Boris was not big enough: his height, his girth, his rambling bearish personality, and above all his hair

Ryan had Farages voice and hand gestures spot on.

Some of his lines could have been written for Bruce Forsyth or Bob Monkhouse too.

I said Id resign, Farage insisted at the start.

People come back from the dead all the time, countered Aaron Banks. Look at Jesus!

He only came back twice, Farage pointed out. This would be my third.

But even this kind of cheap (publicity) trick helped make Brexit: The Uncivil War terrific television.

Whether it was terrifically accurate is another matter, and which was more important a matter of opinion.

Spot on: The most successful was Paul Ryan who enjoyed himself enormously playing Nigel Farage as an unctuous, small-minded, game-show host whod gone into local politics

Everything to do with Brexit (from Farage and Boris Johnson to the actual issues) was always going to be seen through the prism of our views, our politics, our bias  arguably even more than Grahams.

For example, David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn had both been air-brushed out of Brexits history  mostly because it suited Grahams premise that MPs no longer determined democracys fate.

It began with that familiar, virtually compulsory, caption: This drama is based on real events...

You dont say.

Followed by the fatal adjunct: some aspects of dialogue, character, and scenes have been devised for the purpose of dramatization.

In other words: made up.

The bottom line is the likes of you and I would never know if the protagonist was like this and if writer James Grahams version a fair reflection of events or just artistic licence: an interesting hypothesis.

Little known: James Graham cleverly chose Dominic Cummings (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) as the focus of his energetic epic about Brexit

Either was fine.

James Graham had written a number of TV dramas about the rise of Margaret Thatcher, the nations soured infatuation with Tony Blair, and the cultural impact of Rupert Murdoch.

Here he cleverly chose Dominic Cummings (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) as the focus of his energetic epic about Brexit, which by definition was sprawling, frantic, and generally erratic.

Graham wasted no time in establishing the subject.

It says here you basically ran the Leave campaign and yet, I doubt most people have ever heard of you, someone put it to Cummings in the first minute.

The plus side for Graham (and the drama as a whole) was that the audience didnt know anything about the man whose co-ordination of the Vote Leave campaign was widely credited with winning the referendum.

Leave: The plus side for the drama was that the audience didnt know anything about the man whose co-ordination of the Leave campaign was widely credited with winning the referendum

This meant that viewers were automatically interested in watching how the character was portrayed and not in a position to disagree with it (as they would if it had been about, say, Boris Johnson).

Grahams theory about Cummings influence, the ideas behind it, and the way they were communicated was so good you wished he hadnt resorted to the farce as well.

Grahams script was a masterclass in explaining the myriad political aspects involved in simple dialogue - even if the viewer knew next-to-nothing about how the campaigns had been run and why or how had been won Brexit by Vote Leave.

Grahams premise that this was the sinister influence of online analytics, sophisticated algorithms and statistical analysis.

Money is one thing, billionaire businessman/Leave backer Robert Mercer told Aaron Banks. But data is power.

Drama: Grahams theory about Cummings influence, the ideas behind it, and the way they were communicated was so good you wished he hadnt resorted to the farce as well

Cummings had already chosen to move on from the reliance on the old-fashioned strategies of MPs campaigning on the streets or hiring advertising agencies like Saatchis. But his meeting with Zack Massingham, the CEO of AggregateiQ was a game-changer.

Massingham said they could now micro-target the population, specifically three million people who were angry and anti-establishment and so had never voted. We are targeting people no campaign has ever targeted. Three million extra votes - all of them yours and that the other side have no idea exist.

Even Cummings was shocked by the answer when he asked what was in it for Massingham.

We havent had a large enough test case to understand this technologys effectiveness before.

So British democracy is just a trial, a lab experiment for a greater prize? checked Cummings.

Yup...

New tactics: Cummings had already chosen to move on from the reliance on the old-fashioned strategies of MPs campaigning on the streets or hiring advertising agencies like Saatchis

For his part Cummings ideas were eventually condensed to the simple strategy: this campaign is going to be about cost and control. How much it (Europe) costs and regaining control. Cost and control.

One major anomaly in James Grahams to base so much of An Uncivil War on his relatively unknown and enigmatic protagonist is that we saw so little of Cummings life away from Brexit and at home.

Even when he was in bed with his wife, reading So Youre Going To Be A Dad, it proved to be a device for his epiphany about the campaigns slogan.

A passage talking about pregnant women feeling a want to go back to being in control prompted the crucial change from Take control to Take back control.

Vote Leave would offer voters the chance to take back something taken from them, return to a time when things made sense  whether fictional or not....We reverse the proposition: ask voters not to reject the status quo but to return to it  to independence.

Brainwave: Even when he was in bed with his wife, reading So Youre Going To Be A Dad, it proved to be a device for his epiphany about the campaigns slogan

The negative aspect of the drama being dominated to such an extent by Cummings was that it was hard to feel entirely convinced that someone so quixotic had really been so pivotal in such an important piece of history.

The likes of MPs Bernard Jenkins and Bill Cash recalled that David Cameron had called Cummings a career sociopath and that, signing into Whitehall, he wrote his name as Osama Bin Laden.

Describing him as a maverick hardly did him justice, at least not as Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed him.

Certain background facts were probably accurate enough: his two years out the loop having been the Education Secretarys advisor and sworn never to work in Westminster again, working on his fathers farm, meditating and reading Tolstoy, Kipling, Alexander the Great, and Thucydides.

How to change the course of history: Lesson 1, he rambled. Kill conventional wisdom.

Accurate? The negative aspect of the drama being dominated to such an extent by Cummings was that it was hard to feel entirely convinced that someone so quixotic had really been so pivotal in such an important piece of history

His inspirations here were the true disrupters of Europe - Napoleon, Bismark, Socrates, and inevitably Sun Tzus The Art of War.

If we fight them on home terrain, they will win. So we have to lead them to the 9th battleground  the deadly ground where no- one expects to find themselves.

Many of Cummings key speeches were in fact internal  in his head, to himself.

Britain makes a noise  an actual noise, he said, opening the two-hour show. It groans. Its been groaning for some time  a hum that only a very few people can hear.

As wed seen when hed done this type of erratic, manic, internal monologues in Sherlock and Patrick Melrose, Cumberbatch is excellent at this kind of hyper-intelligence, permanently on the brink of going into over-drive or breaking down.

Maverick: Describing Cummings as a maverick hardly did him justice, at least not as Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed him

Perhaps hes too good.

You couldnt help wondering if here it really reflected the character  or the actor playing him?

Was it absolutely necessary for the script to be tailored this way for Cumberbatch to dazzle us with his party piece again?

Asked at an inquiry established by the Information Commissioners office: do you consider your campaign to have acted within accordance of British law? Cumberbatchs reaction was his character to give a knowing glance at the camera  a device bludgeoned to death by Kevin Spacey in House Of Games and imitated to the point of tedium by Cumberbatch particularly in Sherlock.

He really should have been stopped.

Mind you, given his depiction of Cummings origins, perhaps any such flourishes were to be encouraged.

In one scene alone, he had a Geordie accent that appeared to start off as a gentle Cheryl Cole, passed Ant & Dec, and went into Jimmy Nail mode.

By the end of it he was in When The Boat Comes In territory. Perhaps it showed how truly British he was. It certainly reflected the full madness of Brexit.
She recently revealed she is expecting her fourth child 'via surrogate'.

And Kim Kardashian looked ebullient and healthy as she was spotted out in the tony Los Angeles neighborhood of Sherman Oaks on Monday.

The stunning 38-year-old reality star showcased her famous curves in an eye-popping ensemble of matching hoodie and skintight leggings.

Stunner: Kim Kardashian, 38, looked ebullient and healthy as she was spotted out in the tony Los Angeles neighborhood of Sherman Oaks on Monday

Daring to impress, the flawless beauty thrust her gorgeous gams on center stage as the taupe leggings were form fitting.

Meanwhile, Kim's mom Kris Jenner finally broke her silence on daughter Kim welcoming her 'fourth child via surrogate' with Kanye West on Saturday.

The 63-year-old matriarch coyly replied 'Well... it's always a full house,' when asked about the arrival by Extras Mark Wright at the Art of Elysium Gala in Los Angeles.

It was reported on Wednesday that the famous couple are expecting a baby boy in May via a surrogate according to TMZ.

Rock star: The stunning reality star showcased her famous curves in an eye-popping ensemble of matching hoodie and skintight leggings

Impressive: Daring to impress, the flawless beauty thrust her gorgeous gams on center stage as the taupe leggings were form fitting

They are already parents to three children: daughter North, five, son Saint, three, and daughter Chicago, 11 months.

They welcomed Chicago on January 15, 2018 via surrogate as well.

TMZ revealed that they are using another surrogate for baby number four because their previous surrogate was unavailable.

Full house: Meanwhile, Kim's mom Kris Jenner finally broke her silence on daughter Kim welcoming her 'fourth child via surrogate' with Kanye West on Saturday

'They had one male embryo left and are thrilled it worked out,' E! News' insider explained.

Kim had difficult pregnancies with North and Saint due to her condition: Placenta Acrreta, which is life threatening.

The serious condition occurs when the placenta grows too deep into the uterine wall; upon delivery of the child, the placenta fails to detach, which can lead to severe blood loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Family is everything: The stars are expecting a baby boy in May via their surrogate; They are parents to three children: North, five, Saint, three, and Chicago, 11 months

'They are working with a second carrier now that is pregnant and will give birth in the spring, said an insider to People.

The source added that the pregnancy is 'smooth' thus far and noted: 'Just like the last time, Kim is very involved with the carrier.'

Two days after the announcement, the couple were spotted kissing on the balcony of a new condo in Miami that Kanye had reportedly bought for the soon-to-be mother-of-four.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  The Department of Education (DepEd) allayed fears concerning the turnover of personal information of teachers to government entities, following the alleged member profiling of a teachers' group.

"No personal information has been turned over with any entity. And should any interagency request for personal information be made to us regardless of what agency of government then it will be evaluated based on applicable laws and rules including the Data Privacy Act," DepEd spokesperson Usec. Atty. Nepomuceno Malaluan told CNN Philippines' New Day.

Malaluan said data sought by any government body must be necessary to fulfill public mandate or duty.

"Any request would have to be evaluated under that standard of necessity and clear relevance to the stated or public purpose or mandate of an agency," he added.

DepEd also said one of its regional offices has recalled a letter addressed to school heads, forwarding a memorandum from a unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Malaluan said no other similar forwarding letter had been issued by any other DepEd units.

"Our coordination and communicaton with different agencies of government and even the PNP, and DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government), has been ongoing on various matters including for disaster, for law enforcement, for safety of our schools," he said.

In a separate interview on CNN Philippines' The Source, DILG Spokesperson Jonathan Malaya also dismissed fears that there are ongoing "tokhang" operations against teachers.

He said the government is monitoring not only ACT but all groups which may pose a threat to the government.

Malaya quoted Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison as saying in a video years ago that ACT was among legal democratic groups working with the communist movement.

"The government is just being cautious here, because the peace talks have collapsed, and there has been an unnecessary rethoric coming from both sides of the aisle," Malaya said. He added that the "a whole governent approach" is being mounted against the communist insurgency.

The teachers' group on Sunday slammed the police for supposedly profiling its members, saying it was a "grossly illegal and unconstitutional attack" on their right to free expression and self-organization.

ACT claimed police are "making the rounds in schools and offices of the Department of Education to press education officials for an inventory of all ACT members under their jurisdiction." The party-list group said police either presented or asked school officials to refer to PNP memoranda, so they would give the names of all ACT members in their respective schools.

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde on Monday ordered the relief of intelligence officers involved in the leak.
She walked the red carpet in a silver custom Gucci gown with plunging neckline at the Golden Globes on Sunday night.

But on Monday, Saoirse Ronan was less sensationally attired as she arrived at LAX to catch a flight out of Los Angeles.

The Irish actress, 24, wore a stripy sweater with black trousers and a beige coat.

Leaving town: A make-up free Saoirse Ronan arrived at LAX to catch a flight out of Los Angeles after attending the Golden Globes on Sunday night

She stepped out in black boots with metallic studs around the toes.

Saoirse was make-up free for her journey and her blunt cut bobbed blonde hair was a little tousled.

She has been winning plaudits for her performance in the period drama Mary, Queen Of Scots in which she stars opposite Margot Robbie as England's Queen Elizabeth I.

Casually stylish: The Irish actress, 24, wore a stripy sweater with black trousers and a beige coat for her journey

Relaxed: She stepped out in black boots with metallic studs around the toes. Her blunt cut bobbed blonde hair was a little tousled and she carried a backpack

Checking in: Saoirse, who won a Golden Globe a year ago for her film Lady Bird, was all smiles as she chatted to a female assistant who helped with her luggage

Just hours earlier, Saoirse had been the epitome of glamour as she arrived at the Golden Globes in her designer number.

The shimmery barely-there gown featured crystal embroidery and its plunging neckline showed off her cleavage.

Adding height to her frame with a pair of nude heels, she completed the show-stopping look with emerald and silver diamond earrings and striking red lip color.

Stunning: Just hours earlier, Saoirse had been the epitome of glamour as she arrived at the Golden Globes in a silver custom Gucci gown with a plunging neckline

Red carpet ready: The shimmery barely-there gown featured crystal embroidery and she completed the show-stopping look with emerald and silver diamond earrings and red lip color

The Lady Bird star won a best actress Golden Globe for the role at last year's awards ceremony.

She had been nominated twice before for Brooklyn and Atonement.

Still only in her early 20s, she's also already been nominated three times for an Academy Award for the same movies.

Speaking to Deadline, the former child star recently revealed she was warned in her teenage years that as she got older, the number of acting roles she would get would likely decrease.

'For me I think it was a slightly different thing because I started when I was young, so there wasn't that pressure,' the actress explained.

'But one of the things that I did experience during my teenage years, and every female warned me, 'When you get to about 18, the roles just stop and nothing comes in and there will be nothing interesting out there.' And they were right,' she added. 'I made the decision to basically not work at all instead of taking something on that I didn't believe in.'
Newly-minted Golden Globe winner Darren Criss kissed his mother Cerina Bru outside Filipino restaurant La Rose Cafe in Los Angeles mere hours after he dedicated his win to her.

The purple-clad matriarch beamed with pride alongside her 31-year-old son, investment banker husband Charles William Criss, and future daughter-in-law Mia Swier.

'This has been a marvelous year for representation in Hollywood, and I am so enormously proud to be a teeny, tiny part of that as the son of a firecracker Filipino woman from Cebu that dreamed of coming to this country and getting to be invited to cool parties like this,' the Glee alum gushed onstage the Beverly Hilton.

Family bonding: Newly-minted Golden Globe winner Darren Criss kissed his mother Cerina Bru outside Filipino restaurant La Rose Cafe in LA mere hours after he dedicated his win to her

Cute: The purple-clad matriarch beamed with pride alongside her 31-year-old son, investment banker husband Charles William Criss (L), and future daughter-in-law Mia Swier

'So, Mom, I know you're watching this. You are hugely responsible for most of the good things in my life. I love you dearly, I dedicate this to you.'

Darren won for his role as half-Filipino serial killer Andrew Cunanan, who murdered at least five people including designer Gianni Versace during a three-month spree in 1997.

Criss' performance in FX's American Crime Story beat Antonio Banderas, Daniel Bruhl, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Hugh Grant for the best actor in a limited series or TV movie trophy.

The San Francisco-born triple-threat was in great spirits while clad in a Mickey Mouse shirt beneath a chic camel coat and he sported a flat cap and glasses.

The Glee alum gushed onstage: 'I am so enormously proud to be a teeny, tiny part of that as the son of a firecracker Filipino woman from Cebu that dreamed of coming to this country and getting to be invited to cool parties like this'

He added: 'So, Mom, I know you're watching this. You are hugely responsible for most of the good things in my life. I love you dearly, I dedicate this to you'

Double take: Criss won for his role as half-Filipino serial killer Andrew Cunanan, who murdered at least five people including designer Gianni Versace during a three-month spree in 1997

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: His performance in FX's American Crime Story beat Antonio Banderas, Daniel Bruhl, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Hugh Grant for the best actor in a limited series or TV movie trophy

January 19 will mark a full year since the University of Michigan grad popped the question to the NYU grad, whom he first began dating in 2011.

On the red carpet, Darren donned a custom Dior 'cherry blossom' tuxedo selected by stylist Ashley Weston while his bride-to-be glammed up in a strapless black mermaid gown.

Criss and Swier - who co-founded Effin Media in 2009 - opened their very own LA piano bar Tramp Stamp Grannys on April 6.

The Broadway thespian will next compete for the male in a drama TV movie or limited series trophy at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards, which air January 27 on TNT/TBS.

Disney fan: The San Francisco-born triple-threat was in great spirits while clad in a Mickey Mouse shirt beneath a chic camel coat and he sported a flat cap and glasses

Fiancee: January 19 will mark a full year since the University of Michigan grad popped the question to the NYU grad, whom he first began dating in 2011

When's the wedding? On the red carpet, Darren donned a custom Dior 'cherry blossom' tuxedo selected by stylist Ashley Weston while his bride-to-be glammed up in a strapless black mermaid gown
Andy Cohen is ready for rain next New Year's Eve, after a controversy regarding his umbrella as he rang in 2019 on CNN's broadcast.

The New Year's Eve broadcast, based out of Times Square in New York City, included a viral moment in which the 50-year-old media star vented after officials with the Times Square Alliance told him he could not keep the umbrella on hand on the rainy night due to regulations regarding broadcasting sight lines.

'Its more than drizzling in Times Square - Im not putting a damper on anything, but I will say this: I had this umbrella,' he said. 'The lady from the Times Square Alliance came over said, "You have to get rid of the umbrella!"'

Ready to go: Andy Cohen, 50, showed off a clear umbrella emblazoned with a logo for his SiriusXM channel, Radio Andy, on Monday to TMZ, after a controversy regarding his umbrella as he rang in 2019 on CNN's broadcast

He added: 'I said I wont do it ... but now they are threatening to pull CNNs spot from the credentials from Times Square for next year.'

Cohen chat with TMZ in New York City Monday, and showed off a clear umbrella emblazoned with a logo for his SiriusXM channel, Radio Andy.

'I'm gonna bring it with me next year and I'll see what they do,' Cohen said of his umbrella, adding he 'was not happy' when told to get rid of it as the calendar turned.

In related news, Cohen is set to take his Bravo talk show, Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, to the West Coast for a four-week stint beginning January 14, as he waits for the birth of his first child, a boy.

Fighter: Andy vowed of his umbrella, 'I'm gonna bring it with me next year and I'll see what they do'

Upset: Cohen had his umbrella earlier in the night, but was ordered to get rid of it by officials with the Times Square Alliance

The Bravo star told People that 'moving the Clubhouse to L.A. is a win all the way around,' as 'there will be great guests, great energy and I can make a 9 p.m. dinner reservation after we get off the air!'

The relocated chat show will feature high-profile guests including Matthew McConaughey, Christina Aguilera, Jay Leno, RuPaul, Judd Apatow and Anne Hathaway during the four-week stretch.

The St. Louis, Missouri native last month said that he's going to be a dad via surrogate.

'Family means everything to me and having one of my own is something that I have wanted in my heart for my entire life,' Cohen said on WWHL. 'Though its taken me longer than most to get there, I cannot wait for what I envision will be the most rewarding chapter yet.'

He revealed his baby will be male while hosting CNNs New Years Eve with Anderson Cooper.

'Its a boy, its a boy ... its a boy and I got to tell you something, I cannot wait to meet this boy,' Cohen said.
They've been enjoying the holidays in the celebrity-friendly hangout of Aspen, Colorado.

But now Kyle Richards and husband Mauricio Umansky are back in LA where they enjoyed a dinner date Monday night at celeb-friendly hotspot Craig's.

The couple, who wed in 1996, paused to share a full-on smooch on the sidewalk as they left the West Hollywood eatery.

Date night: They've been enjoying the holidays in Aspen, Colorado. But now Kyle Richards and husband Mauricio Urmansky are back in LA where they enjoyed a dinner date Monday night

Very public kiss: The couple, who wed in 1996, paused to share a full-on smooch on the sidewalk as they left the celeb-friendly hotspot Craig's in West Hollywood

Kyle, 49, wore a fun yet stylish ensemble for her night out.

She sported a teddy bear-themed sweater that she wore with a green hooded coat with shearling lining.

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star had on black leggings that were tucked into black cowboy boots and she wore a black Fedora over her long dark hair.

The reality star was made up with black mascara and eye-liner, blusher and glossy red lip color.

Had a good time: Kyle, 49, wore a fun yet stylish ensemble for her night out. She sported a teddy bear-themed sweater that she wore with a green hooded coat with shearling lining

Stylish: The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star had on black leggings that were tucked into black cowboy boots and she wore a black Fedora over her long dark hair

On Saturday, Kyle posted a publicity photo for RHOBH to her Instagram to promote the upcoming ninth season of the show.

She's pictured with castmates Dorit Kemsley, Teddi Mellencamp,Erika Jayne and Lisa Rinna as they pose against a rural backdrop.

Not shown are Erika Girardi, new Housewife Denise Richards and 'Friend of the Housewives' Camille Grammer who will also be part of what the network hypes will be 'a season of lies, heartbreak and betrayal.'

In October, Kyle told UsWeekly: 'Its been a really outrageous season, from, like, literally the get-go. Usually its like catching up, it picks up  this was like, Bam, out of the gate.

'I dont even know, weve never had a season like this before. Its been a very wild and crazy ride so far. You never know whats going to happen next around here,' she teased.
Jennifer Garner enjoyed an afternoon lunch date in Brentwood with her son Samuel, while her beau John Miller was seen having a business meeting in Beverly Hills.

Garner, 46, looked very happy, smiling for the camera while walking with her six year old son on Monday afternoon.

Miller, 40, wasn't spotted with Garner, but there have been reports that the pair are rekindling their romance after the holiday break.

Lunch with son: Jennifer Garner smiles for photographers while heading out for a lunch date with son Samuel in Brentwood

Garner was seen wearing a pink and grey striped sweater with black skinny jeans and black boots with a grey coat.

Her son Samuel was wearing a white collard shirt, black pants, black shoes and a reversible coat that's both dark blue and bright orange.

Miller was seen in a white shirt, grey coat, dark blue pants and brown work boots after his business meeting at the Montage Hotel.

Fashionable mom: Garner was seen wearing a pink and grey striped sweater with black skinny jeans and black boots with a grey coat

Business meeting: Miller was seen in a white shirt, grey coat, dark blue pants and brown work boots after his business meeting at the Montage Hotel

Garner started casually dating Miller, the CEO of CaliGroup, back in April, and there were reports in October that things were getting 'serious' between them.

However, there were also reports in December that the couple was starting to slow things down, though conflicting reports just days later claimed they were 'very much in love.'

The couple celebrated the holidays with their respective families, but now they're reportedly back together.

Getting serious: Garner started casually dating Miller, the CEO of CaliGroup, back in April, and there were reports in October that things were getting 'serious' between them

Slowing down: However, there were also reports in December that the couple was starting to slow things down, though conflicting reports just days later claimed they were 'very much in love'

A new report from Radar Online claims that Garner has gained so much confidence while dating miller, that she decided to 'back down' on plastic surgery.

'Its an open secret Jen didnt enjoy the aging process,' claimed an insider. 'Especially with Ben Afflecks roving eye, and all the hot young things shes been surrounded by in Hollywood.'

Garner has reportedly turned to Botox to keep her 'youthful appeal,' but her beau Miller reportedly, 'loves her natural looks and she feels sexier and more confident being herself and less affected,' added the insider.

Natural mom: 'Thats why were seeing her looking less puffy and way more natural,' the insider added

'Thats why were seeing her looking less puffy and way more natural,' the insider added.

Garner is coming off the action-thriller Peppermint and the teen drama Love, Simon in 2018, and she also starred in the HBO series Camping.

She will next be seen in Wonder Park and Yes Day.
No one can accuse Tammy Hembrow of being shy when it comes to flaunting her dangerous curves.

But the 24 year-old fitness model may have gone too far with her latest gym ensemble.

Following a workout near her Gold Coast home, Tammy stepped out in barely-there white booty shorts which hardly covered her muscular derriere.

Has she gone too far? Tammy Hembrow put on a very provocative display on Tuesday, revealing her bottom cheeks in racy booty shorts while leaving a gym on the Gold Coast

Initially flashing her washboard abs with a matching white work out top, the mother-of-two covered up with a red tank.

But when she climbed into her car, Tammy made sure to give passersby a serious eyeful of her perfect behind.

Wearing her golden locks in a messy pony before tying them into a low bun, the Saski Collection mogul shielded her gaze with a pair of oversized Aviators sunglasses.

Toot toot, beep beep: Climbing into her car, Tammy made sure to give passersby a serious eyeful of her perfect behind

The daring display comes as Tammy faced accusations of 'Photoshopping' after she posted a bikini shot to Instagram, in which she was seen posing in a pool.

Tammy's followers pointed out the tiling on either side of the beauty was strangely curved.

But the glamazon immediately hit back at the speculation, writing: 'Before another person comments on how the tiles are "Photoshopped" plz take another look and realise the tiles curve because they curve into what I'm sitting on.

Killer physique: The mum-of-two flashed her washboard abs in a white work out top

Tammy is known to work hard on her fit physique.

She recently discussed her workout routine in Women Fitness, and how she achieved her world-famous derriere.

Appearing on the cover of the publication, the fitness fanatic said her workout philosophy is: 'slow and steady wins the race.'

'Building a booty is a slow process that requires time, effort, control and persistence,' she explained.
She's been holidaying in Hawaii over the Christmas and New Year period.

But Kiki Morris's return home was derailed after her plane back to Australia malfunctioned on Monday.

The former Bachelor star took to her Instagram page to recall the scary ordeal, revealing that the pilot was forced to turn back and land in Honolulu after a generator blew up mid-flight.

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'A generator blew up after take off': Bachelor star Kiki Morris has recalled the scary moment her plane back to Australia suffered a malfunction mid-flight on Tuesday and was forced to turn back and land in Hawaii

'A generator has blown up after take off on my flight home,' she informed her fans on Instagram.

'We just had to dump fuel for an hour to land safely back in Honolulu. Looks like one more night on the island.'

The blonde beauty has been documenting her tropical holiday on social media over the past week.

Scary stuff: 'We just had to dump fuel for an hour to land safely back in Honolulu. Looks like one more night on the island,' she told her fans

Stripping down to nothing but a pair of tiny bikini bottoms, the 31-year-old took to Instagram on Monday with a collection of very raunchy photographs.

Enjoying a sun-drenched day out in Waimea Bay, the stunner posed up a storm topless.

She was captured staring seductively into the camera while caressing her lips with her hand.

Racy: The blonde beauty has been documenting her tropical holiday on social media over the past week. Stripping down to nothing but a pair of tiny bikini bottoms, the 31-year-old took to Instagram on Monday with a collection of very raunchy photographs

Kiki flaunted her bodacious booty in a pair of barely-there swim briefs, that were adorned with a light blue print.

She accessorised the look with a white straw hat, a glamorous makeup look and pulled her blonde tresses up into a messy bun.

'Nothing Feels Better Than This (sic),' Kiki wrote in the caption of one post.

'Filming and shooting with @shannonvision @wmsurfing for Da Hui Backdoor Shootout.'
They announced their picks for the best movies and performances of 2018 back in late November.

And on Monday, the New York Film Critics Circle handed out the prizes at its annual awards ceremony.

Hot off her Golden Globes win, Regina King was on hand after flying cross-country from LA to the Big Apple to pick up the best supporting actress trophy for If Beale Street Could Talk.

Winner: Hot off her Golden Globes win, Regina King was on hand to pick up the best supporting actress trophy for If Beale Street Could Talk at the NY Film Critics Circle Awards

The actress, 47, showed no sign of weariness as she walked her second red carpet in 24 hours.

In fact, King looked absolutely stunning in a figure-hugging long-sleeved pink gown.

Her bobbed hair was sleekly styled and she added black eye-liner and mascara and glossy pink lip color.

The If Beale Street Could Talk star is now a frontrunner for Oscar glory following her Golden Globes win and her NY Film Critics Circle Award for her performance as the mother of a regnant young woman who is fighting to prove the innocence of her incarcerated fiance.

Stamina: The actress, 47, showed no sign of weariness as she walked her second red carpet in 24 hours after flying cross-country from Los Angeles to New York

Lovely look: King looked gorgeous in a figure-hugging long-sleeved pink gown. Her bobbed hair was sleekly styled and she added black eye-liner and mascara and glossy pink lip color

Also walking the red carpet was Ethan Hake, the winner of the best actor award for the Paul Schrader film First Reformed.

The 48-year-old actor wore a black suit with a black shirt and pink silk tie.

Best supporting actor winner Richard E. Grant posed for photos at the event with Steve Martin.

Grant, 61, who starred opposite Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, was dapper in a tartan two-piece suit paired with a white shirt and black waistcoat.

Martin, 73, opted for a black suit with white shirt and eye-catching purple patterned tie.

Acclaimed: Ethan Hawke, 48, the winner of the best actor award for the Paul Schrader film First Reformed, wore a black suit with a black shirt and pink silk tie

Stylish: Best supporting actor winner Richard E. Grant posed for photos at the event with Steve Martin. Grant, 61, who starred opposite Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, was dapper in a tartan two-piece suit paired with a white shirt and black waistcoat

Big night: Martin, 73, opted for a black suit with white shirt and eye-catching purple patterned tie

Leggy look: Regina Hall, 48, was named best actress for the big screen comedy Support The Girls and made an entrance in a black gown slit to the thigh on one side

Winning: The two Reginas posed together inside the event

Pals: King and Hawke also cuddled up for the camera

Regina Hall made an entrance in a black gown slit to the thigh on one side.

The actress, 48, was named best actress for the big screen comedy Support The Girls.

Her long-sleeved dress had colorful sequins on the bodice and she added a pair of black heels.

The award for best film and best director went to Roma and Alfonso Cuaron.

The movie's stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira were on hand to help celebrate its success.

In the spotlight: The award for best film and best director went to Roma and Alfonso Cuaron. The movie's stars Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira were on hand to celebrate its success

Perfect: Aparicio, 25, chose an elegant black dress with patterned embellishments around the top of the bodice and a pair of black pumps

Striking: De Tavira, 44, chose a long white dress with long sleeves and a collar and added contrasting black heels

Man of the moment: Alfonso Cuaron also attended and was spotted chatting with Hawke and King

All smiles: The trio posed together

Breakthrough: Comedian Bo Burnham, 28, was honored at the awards ceremony for his first feature Eighth Grade and he arrived with the dramatic comedy's star Elsie Fisher, 15

Comedian Bo Burnham, 28, was honored at the awards ceremony for his first feature Eighth Grade and he arrived with the dramatic comedy's star Elsie Fisher, 15.

Also joining in the festivities was Naomi Watts, looking on trend in a silky pink frock with a high neck and long sleeves.

Watts, 50, wore her bobbed blonde hair sleekly styled and stepped out in white heels and carrying a white clutch purse.

Other guests included Debra Winger and John Leguizamo, as well as Martin Scorsese who skipped the red carpet but took part in the awards ceremony.

Fashionista: Naomi Watts was among the guests, looking on trend in a silky pink frock with a high neck and long sleeves

Shining star: Watts, 50, wore her bobbed blonde hair sleekly styled and stepped out in white heels and carrying a white clutch purse

Making friends: The Gypsy and Twin Peaks star got her picture taken with the stars of Roma

In demand: She also posed for a photo with Cuaron

Celebrating film: Other guests included Debra Winger, left, and John Leguizamo, right

Legendary filmmaker: Martin Scorsese, 76, skipped the red carpet but took part in the on stage ceremony

Surprise: Comedian and actor Chris Rock also put in an appearance as one of the presenters

Star power: Hawke was animated during his acceptance speech

Top of their game: Hawke and Watts each posed for photos with The Hurt Locker Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow

Big deal: King appeared excited to get her second award in as many days

Roles to play: Watts and Gayle King, right, also took on presenting duties at the awards show

Acceptance speech: Hall had things to say on stage

Influential filmmaker: Cuaron had things to say too

On stage: Martin was also a presenter
Olivia Colman hid a secret under her swanky Stella McCartney gown

Olivia Colman shot to serious Oscar contender status after being crowned queen at the Golden Globes for her wacky portrayal of a monarch.

But the British actress hid a secret under her swanky Stella McCartney gown, the Daily Mail can reveal.

As she arrived at a celebratory party in Los Angeles on Sunday night, onlookers wondered why her publicist kept squatting down to smooth over the train of the sleek black dress.

It soon emerged that she was wearing a pair of unsightly, yet comfy, Ugg boots  to give her aching feet a rest after being in heels for hours at the ceremony.

The 44-year-old was named best actress in a musical or comedy for her role as Queen Anne in acclaimed film The Favourite on what was a good night for British talent.

Bohemian Rhapsody, the movie about rock band Queen, was best drama film and its star Rami Malek, who played Freddie Mercury, was best actor in a drama. He was congratulated by band members Brian May and Roger Taylor.

Rhapsody: Rami Malek with Queen's Brian May and Roger Taylor at last night's ceremony

You did it! Sandra Oh, left, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Jodie Comer at the Golden Globes

The hit BBC series Killing Eve was recognised with a best actress in a TV drama award for Sandra Oh, who was congratulated on stage by her co-star Jodie Comer and the shows screenwriter, actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Richard Madden, 32, was best actor in a TV drama for his performance in the hugely successful BBC1 thriller Bodyguard, and Christian Bale was best actor in a musical or comedy film for his portrayal of former US vice president Dick Cheney in Vice.

Wake up, dear, you've won. Michael Douglas looked like hed rather be tucked up in bed at home than partying at the Golden Globes. The actor, 74, rested his eyes at the Netflix party on Sunday as his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, 49, wearing a dramatic off-the shoulder Elie Saab emerald gown, gave him an affectionate kiss on the head. Douglas won a best TV actor Globe for his role in Netflix show The Kominsky Method. Advertisement

Ben Whishaw was best supporting actor in a limited series or TV movie for his role as Norman Scott in the BBCs A Very English Scandal, about the Jeremy Thorpe affair.

Whishaw, 38, dedicated his award to Mr Scott, saying that he took on the establishment with a courage and defiance that I find completely inspiring and hailing him as a true queer hero and icon.

In her own acceptance speech, Colman showed her natural aptitude for comedy.

Cor blimey, thank you so much, she said. Im not going to cry because my entire table will point and laugh at me as Ive been crying all evening.

She had the audience in stitches as she paid tribute to her co-stars, Britains Rachel Weisz and American actress Emma Stone, who play rival courtiers in The Favourite, labelling them ma bitches.

Colman said that every second of working with them was such a joy and I was so sad that it finished, adding: I would like to tell you how much this film meant to me but I cant think of it because Im too excited. I just had a f****** blast ... I promise I will keep on enjoying this, because its amazing.

Looking into the camera, she held up her Globes statuette and said to her husband Ed Sinclair and their three children back in London: Ed and the kids, look! Yay!

Glenn Close won the best actress in a film drama category for her role in The Wife, beating Lady Gaga who had been considered the front-runner for A Star Is Born.

It is likely that Colman, Close and Lady Gaga will all receive Oscar nominations when they are announced on January 22.

Lady Gaga won best song for Shallow from A Star Is Born, co-written with British producer Mark Ronson.

Eyeing up my job, Mr Elba?

He's been hotly tipped to take over as James Bond, even though the current 007 is still in the role.

So Idris Elba, 46, had much to laugh about when he found himself alongside Daniel Craig, 50, at the Golden Globes.

The Luther star posted a picture of the pair at the Los Angeles ceremony, in which both men jokingly exchange troubled glances.

Elba, who has been known to tease his social media followers about the potential role, captioned the humorous picture: Awks...

Awkward? Daniel Craig and Idris Elba strike a humorous pose

... and Elba with Richard Madden, also tipped for Bond role

He has been the frontrunner to take over as Bond since a leaked email from Sony producer Amy Pascal revealed that he was in the running in 2014.

Elbas potential rival for the Bond role, Richard Madden, 32, was also at the ceremony and picked up a best TV actor award for the BBCs Bodyguard.

Elba was seen giving Madden a friendly hug as he went up on stage to collect his trophy.

Craig was at the ceremony to support his wife Rachel Weisz, 38, who had been nominated in the best supporting actress category for her role in period movie The Favourite.

Mmwah! Gaga's Madonna moment

They might be pop rivals, but Lady Gaga appeared to copy Madonna as she won the best song award at the Globes.

Gaga, 32, in a strapless Valentino gown and a diamond necklace, seemed to echo Madonnas 1984 Material Girl video as she was kissed by fellow songwriters Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt and Anthony Rossomando.

While Shallow from her film A Star Is Born was a winner, Gaga lost out on the best actress title for her lead role in the movie.

Gaga, 32, in a strapless Valentino gown and a diamond necklace, seemed to echo Madonnas 1984 Material Girl video as she was kissed by fellow songwriters Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt and Anthony Rossomando
He was hit by financial struggles in 2017 that saw his restaurant chain Jamie's Italian narrowly avoid bankruptcy, just months before his Barbecoa steakhouses went into administration.

Recalling the difficult period, Jamie Oliver has said it was 'the worst time of his life' as he fought to save his restaurant empire amid ongoing monetary woes.

In an interview with The Sun, the chef, 43, recalled how he was forced to come up with 13million of his own money to save failing chain Jamie's Italian, before it all 'went to sh*t' - as well as discussing his wife Jools' plans to have another baby.

Financial struggles: Jamie Oliver has said it was 'the worst time of his life' as he fought to save his restaurant empire amid ongoing monetary woes in 2017

Despite saving Jamie's Italian, 12 branches of the 37 restaurants were forced to close and left the culinary star squaring up money owed to their suppliers.

He told the publication he 'paid them all' after securing his restaurant chain and admitted that juggling his various enterprises - which include campaigning, books, TV series and his own line of kitchen utensils, as well as his eateries - had left him in a bad place.

Revealing it all got too much, Jamie said: 'I think I'm generally known for being optimistic, bubbly and definitely glass half full, but one day I felt sad and for a bit too long.

'It wasn't depression, but I was a bit stupid - I wasn't sleeping much.'

Trouble: The chef, 43, was hit by financial trouble that saw his restaurant chain Jamie's Italian narrowly avoid bankruptcy, months before his Barbecoa steakhouses went into administration

Tough: Oliver was forced to come up with 13million of his own money to save failing chain Jamie's Italian, before it all 'went to sh*t'

Jamie revealed that he was surviving his packed working schedule on three to four hours a sleep a night and his poor routine eventually 'caught up with me'.

After learning that sleep is critical when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle both in the gym and for nutritional purposes, the father-of-five has since overhauled his routine and follows a strict bedtime plan that sees him retire at 10pm every night.

In 2017, Jamie was forced to pump 13million into his Jamie's Italian restaurant chain just two hours before it would have been declared bankrupt.

Despite his financial backing, some of the chain's restaurants were still forced to close and 600 members of staff were made redundant in a bid to save the namesake - with Jamie insisting the closures were 'necessary' in a bid to save the rest of the chain and over 1500 jobs.

Deal: Jamie's Italian chain was saved through a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) - some branches were still forced to close in a 'necessary move' to save the chain and 1600 jobs

Crash: Months later, Jamie's Barbecoa steakhouses in London went into administration, - the Piccadilly eatery closing down while the St. Paul's branch was saved in a last-minute deal

The chain had run into financial trouble and was on the brink of collapse, with Jamie revealing in an interview with the Financial Times that it had 'simply run out of cash' and had run up 71.5million in debt.

He stated: 'We hadn't expected it. That is just not normal, in any business.

'I honestly dont know [what happened]. Were still trying to work it out, but I think that the senior management we had in place were trying to manage what they would call the perfect storm: rents, rates, the high street declining, food costs, Brexit, increase in the minimum wage. There was a lot going on.'

The Jamie's Italian chain was saved through a company voluntary arrangement (CVA).

Months later, Jamie's Barbecoa steakhouses in London went into administration, with the Piccadilly eatery closing down while the St. Paul's branch was saved in a last-minute deal.

Difficulties: Jamie told The Sun that juggling his various enterprises - which include campaigning, books, TV series and his own line of kitchen utensils - had left him in a bad place and unable to sleep

Expanding their brood? Jamie also discussed his wife Jool's (pictured above in 2016) desires to have another baby - their sixth - as he joked: 'I'm going to try and control that one'

Meanwhile, in his recent interview with The Sun, Jamie also touched on family life and his wife Jools - who he has been with since he was 18 years old - and her desires to have another baby.

A new addition would bring their brood to a total of six, as the married couple are already parents to Poppy, 16, Daisy, 15, Petal, nine, Buddy, eight, and River, two.

Jamie quipped: 'I'm going to try to control that one... but I have to try to control myself, which I'm not very good at.'

He claimed that he thinks 'five is enough' children, despite others insisting he has one more.

Speaking to OK! magazine in May 2018, Jamie revealed how Jools has always wanted a big family.

'Since Jools was 18, a big family was the only thing she wanted. When she said big, I thought she meant two kids!' he said.

Big family: Jamie and Jools [Juliette nee Norton] share daughters Poppy, 16, Daisy, 15, Petal, 9, and sons Buddy, eight, and River, two

Father-of-five: The TV personality previously joked that his wife had always wanted a big family, telling OK! magazine: 'When she said big, I thought she meant two kids'

The TV personality also joked that his daughters are of the age where they will soon be venturing into 'boyfriend land'.

'We're nearly getting into boyfriend land and we're the first generation of parents learning about kids using social media and it's tough,' Jamie admitted.

'Jools and I monitor them quite closely, because if they use a phone I pay for, under my roof, then I want to see what they're doing. We're strict-ish.'

Jamie and Jools married in 2000, after eight years of dating. They tied the knot in a ceremony held at All Saints Church in Rickling, Essex, before hosting family and friends at a lavish marquee reception held at Jamie's parent's house.

He has since said that the couple are planning to renew their wedding vows for their 20th anniversary in 2020. Speaking to Event magazine, Jamie said: 'Jools wants to get married again. We'll do it completely differently.

'It sounds a bit cheesy, but 20 is an amazing milestone. It's nice to have an excuse to get people together.'
Sick Note actress Lindsay Lohan glammed up on Monday night for the Manhattan premiere of her MTV reality show, Beach Club, which premieres Tuesday.

The 32-year-old SAG Award nominee looked leggy in a white single-strapped mini-dress, with her waist-length dark auburn locks curled into a side ponytail.

Curiously, Long Island-raised Lilo wore sequinned socks beneath gold stilettos, exposing her manicured toes.

Woman of the hour! Sick Note actress Lindsay Lohan glammed up on Monday night for the Manhattan premiere of her MTV reality show, Beach Club, which premieres Tuesday

Lohan rocked a striking red lip and wore large hoop earrings for her party at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge located atop the boutique Midtown hotel Moxy Times Square.

When the nightlife mogul - who owns clubs in Mykonos, Rhodes, and Athens - arrived to her bash she covered up in a chic red trench coat.

Once inside Magic Hour, Lindsay blew a kiss to her 22-year-old brother, IMG Model Dakota Lohan, as she sat beside her business partner Panos Spentzos.

Lohan executive produces and stars in the 12-episode Mykonos-set docuseries, which was inspired by Bravo's Vanderpump Rules.

Toga inspired: The 32-year-old SAG Award nominee looked leggy in a white single-strapped mini-dress, with her waist-length dark auburn locks curled into a side ponytail

Fancy feet: Curiously, Long Island-raised Lilo wore sequinned socks beneath gold stilettos, exposing her manicured toes

Back in the Big Apple: Lohan rocked a striking red lip for her party at Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge located atop the boutique Midtown hotel Moxy Times Square

Bodyguard escort: When the nightlife mogul - who owns clubs in Mykonos, Rhodes, and Athens - arrived to her bash she covered up in a chic red trench coat

'Dats a wrap!' Once inside Magic Hour, Lindsay blew a kiss to her 22-year-old brother, IMG Model Dakota Lohan, as she sat beside her business partner Panos Spentzos

'I'm a really big fan of Lisa Vanderpump,' the six-time rehabbed redhead told the New York Post on Friday.

'I really admire her as a woman. She's a very strong boss and she knows how to manage her people, so I had to kind of pull different reality shows together. This is not about my life - it's about how I handle these people and me running and managing these places.'

Fans can also catch the former child star flaunting her moves on Monday's Tonight Show on NBC where she spoofed her viral dance video during host Jimmy Fallon's Bird Box parody.

Premieres Tuesday! Lohan executive produces and stars in the 12-episode Mykonos-set docuseries, which was inspired by Bravo's Vanderpump Rules

The six-time rehabbed redhead told the New York Post on Friday: 'I'm a really big fan of Lisa Vanderpump (L). I really admire her as a woman. She's a very strong boss and she knows how to manage her people' (pictured Monday)

'Come on join, it's fun!' Fans can also catch the former child star flaunting her moves on Monday's Tonight Show on NBC where she spoofed her viral dance video during host Jimmy Fallon's Bird Box parody

Female castmembers at the rooftop soiree included Jonitta Wallace, Sara Tariq, Jules Wilson, Gabi Andrews, and May Yassine.

LA native Jonitta flashed a hint of cleavage in her single-sleeved pink Revolve gown while Denver native Jules showed a lot of leg in her black halter gown.

And the gentlemen of Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club included Aristotle Polites, Brent Marks, Mike Mulderrig, and Billy Estevez.

Lindsay made sure to pose with Mean Girls thespians Barrett Wilbert Weed, Ashley Park, and Kate Rockwell - who portrayed Gretchen, Janis, and Karen in last year's Broadway musical.

Ensemble: Female castmembers at the rooftop soiree included (from L-R) Jonitta Wallace, Sara Tariq, Jules Wilson, Gabi Andrews, and May Yassine

Full-length: LA native Jonitta (L) flashed a hint of cleavage in her single-sleeved pink Revolve gown while Denver native Jules (R) showed a lot of leg in her black halter gown

'Fellas': And the gentlemen of Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club included (from L-R) Aristotle Polites, Brent Marks, Mike Mulderrig, and Billy Estevez
Karl Stefanovic's brother-in-law Marcus Pointon has come out swinging against Nine following the TV host's booting from Today last month.

Marcus, who is married to Karl's sister Elisa Pointon, took to Instagram on Monday with a scathing post about how he believes the network has failed to adequately cover the political riots currently gripping France.

The small-time actor also accused Nine of perpetuating 'fake news'.

Protective: Following Karl Stefanovic's firing from Channel Nine's Today show last month, his brother-in-law Marcus Pointon (pictured) has been scathing of the television network on social media

'Good morning Australia. Why has Channel Nine and the rest of fake news not reported the current state of revolution in France at the hands of the yellow jackets??' he began on Instagram.

'This revolution is not left or right, its an uprising against the elite one sided government. The yellow jacket uprising is spreading throughout Europe. This is NEWS.'

It's not the first time Marcus has criticised the network since it was announced on December 19 that Karl wouldn't be returning to the channel's long-running breakfast program.

Faking news? Marcus - who is married to Karl's sister, Elisa Pointon - accused Channel Nine of perpetuating 'fake news'

A shoulder to cry on? As Karl Stefanovic continues to adjust to his newfound unemployment status, one person who undoubtedly has his back through all the drama is his brother-in-law

Keeping it in the family: The family is extremely close, with Marcus attending Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's nuptials in San Jose del Cabo early last month, and his wife Elisa Pointon (bottom right) even officiating the wedding

Taking to Instagram just a day later on December 20, he shared a meme of the Titanic sinking with 'CHANNEL NINE' written above it in bold lettering.

'Man the life boats, abandon ship, just keep swimming. "Be careful when you cast out your Demon that you dont throw away the best of yourself!" -Nietzsche @thetodayshow,' he captioned the post.

On December 23, he returned to Instagram to share another meme, this time of disgraced Catholic Church official George Pell, stating: 'BREAKING NEWS: PELL TO BE TODAY SHOW HOST'.

Lashing out: It's not the first time Marcus has criticised the network since it was announced on December 19 that Karl wouldn't be returning to the channel's long-running breakfast program

What do you meme: On December 23, he returned to Instagram to share another meme, this time of disgraced Catholic Church official George Pell

'Positions vacant...' he captioned the post.

While Marcus is followed on Instagram by Karl, his new bride Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, and ousted Today newsreader and sister-in-law Sylvia Jeffreys, 32, they've all be careful not to 'like' his more controversial posts.

The family is extremely close however, with Marcus attending Karl and Jasmine's nuptials in San Jose del Cabo early last month, and his wife even officiating the wedding.


Karl Stefanovic married Jasmine Yarbrough during a romantic sunset ceremony in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico last month.

And now the couple's wedding song list has been revealed.

Karl's brother-in-law Marcus Pointon, who performed at the reception, shared the set list to Instagram shortly after the nuptials.

Scroll down for video

REVEALED: Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's leaked song list from their lavish Mexican wedding. Pictured: The newlyweds with their bridesmaids and groomsmen on December 8

Karl's sister Elise Pointon was the celebrant at the wedding, and her musician husband Marcus entertained guests with his acoustic guitar.

It was previously reported by 9Honey that the couple shared their all-important first dance to Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey.

It was also known that Oasis' single Wonderwall featured in the ceremony.

Music man: Karl's brother-in-law Marcus Pointon, who performed at the reception, shared the set list to Instagram shortly after the nuptials

In his element: Karl's sister Elise Pointon was the celebrant at the wedding, and her musician husband Marcus (pictured) entertained guests with his acoustic guitar

However, the set list released by Marcus offers a more complete picture of the music that was performed on Karl and Jasmine's special day.

Angus and Julia Stone's The Devil's Tears, Nick Drake's Northern Sky, and Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers featured on the list.

The Rolling Stones' Wild Horses and Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah also appeared alongside a mystery song titled Birds.

Where the magic happened! Marcus shared this photo of his equipment set-up at the wedding

Marcus is believed to have also played Ben Harper's Forever during the reception.

In another interesting detail, his set list indicated where the guitar's capo should be positioned for each song, ranging from the first to third fret.

Karl and Jasmine married on December 8 at the One&Only Palmilla Resort, two years after meeting on a boat in Sydney Harbour.
Tom Schwartz took to social media after his eponymous bar with Tom Sandoval was nominated for being a local best by LA Travel Magazine.

The 36-year-old reality star posted a photo on Instagram on Sunday of wife Katie Maloney, 31, holding a drink at the Tom Tom Bar Restaurant & Bar in West Hollywood, California.

'@tomtom nominated for best new bar in @latravelmagazine readers choice awards. SWEET. High praise. Happy Sunday. Happy new year. Half shot to celebrate,' Schwartz wrote in the caption along with a link to LA Travel Magazine for voting.

Best bar: Tom Schwartz took to social media and shared a photo of his wife Katie Maloney at Tom Tom Bar after it was nominated for Best Bar by LA Travel Magazine

Tom Tom was competing in the Best Bar category against The Bungalow in Santa Monica; SkyBar in West Hollywood; 71Above in downtown Los Angeles and Harvard & Stone in Hollywood.

Sandoval, 35, and Schwartz star in the Bravo reality series Vanderpump Rules and entered into the bar business with British restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump, 58, and her husband Ken Todd.

Tom Tom opened in August with a star-studded launch party that doubled as DailyMail.com's Summer Party.

'Professionally, we're growing. We are maturing and we are evolving,' Schwartz told Us Weekly in September.

Bar owners: Tom Sandoval and Schwartz, shown in December, are co-owners of Tom Tom Restaurant & Bar in West Hollywood

Unique design: Tom Tom was designed by Nick Alain and features comfortable seating

Lighting fixtures: Lighting fixtures add ambiance to the new bar in West Hollywood

Relaxed atmosphere: The new Tom Tom bar features indoor and outdoor seating

'It's always a constant work in progress, but its so enjoyable. Were always an open book, were always sponges sucking in new information, new gimmicks, new cutting edge cocktails,' added Sandoval.

Schwartz and Katie married in 2016 and their wedding was shown on Vanderpump Rules.

Sandoval and Ariana Madix, 33, have been in a relationship for the past five years.

Katie, Ariana and Sandoval worked at Vanderpump's restaurant SUR on the Bravo show while Schwartz pursued a modeling career.

Vanderpump officiated Schwartz's wedding and offered him and Sandoval a stake in Tom Tom bar during the reception.

Vanderpump Rules premiered on Bravo in January 2013 and is a spin-off of The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills.

Going strong: Sandoval and Ariana Madix, shown in October in Los Angeles, have been in a relationship for five years
Killing Eve's Sandra Oh posted a triumphant snap of herself sporting hooded PJs in her hotel room the morning after her historic night at the Golden Globe Awards.

The Korean-Canadian 47-year-old Insta-storied her 'breakfast of champions' and thanked her team following 'one of the most incredible nights of my life.'

Sandra was the first Asian woman to win for best leading actress in a drama series at the Hollywood Foreign Press ceremony since Yoko Shimada won in 1981 for Shogun.

Trophy on the table: Killing Eve's Sandra Oh posted a triumphant snap of herself sporting hooded PJs in her hotel room the morning after her historic night at the Golden Globe Awards

Oh was also the first person of Asian descent to host the Golden Globes, and she and Andy Samberg got rave reviews for their non-political presentation and jokes.

And though the NBC telecast drew only 18.6M viewers there was a 4 percent rise in the coveted 18-49 demographic tuning in - according to Deadline.

The National Theatre School grad got several shout-outs on Twitter for her hosting and winning, including from Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes.

Shonda - who cast Sandra as Cristina Yang - wrote: 'I am so incredibly happy for @IamSandraOh tonight. Well-deserved. Overdue. She is always best actress, y'all. Always.'

Yes! The Korean-Canadian 47-year-old Insta-storied her 'breakfast of champions' and thanked her team following 'one of the most incredible nights of my life'

38 years later! Sandra was the first Asian woman to win for best leading actress in a drama series at the Hollywood Foreign Press ceremony since Yoko Shimada (R) in 1981 for Shogun

Trump-free: Oh was also the first person of Asian descent to host the Golden Globes, and she and Andy Samberg (L) got rave reviews for their non-political presentation and jokes

Steady: And though the NBC telecast drew only 18.6M viewers there was a 4 percent rise in the coveted 18-49 demographic tuning in

The ex-wife of Alexander Payne's onscreen husband on the ABC medical procedural (2005-2014), Kevin McKidd agreed with Rhimes writing: 'Sandra! I'm so proud today! Xxx.'

Kate Walsh gave her former co-star love on Instagram and Twitter where she gushed: 'WOW. @IamSandraOh. You're a legend. Sending you the biggest congrats! So well deserved.'

And Camilla Luddington - who plays Dr. Jo Karev - tweeted: 'Ahhhh! This is so AMAZING!'

Meanwhile, Netflix tweeted a snap of Oh's parents Joon-Soo and Young-Nam sitting in the audience and quoted her and Samberg's joke about Lady Gaga's overused 100 people anecdote.

'Overdue': The National Theatre School grad got several shout-outs on Twitter for her hosting and winning, including from Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes

The ex-wife of Alexander Payne's onscreen husband on the ABC medical procedural (2005-2014), Kevin McKidd agreed with Rhimes writing: 'Sandra! I'm so proud today! Xxx'

Kate Walsh gave her former co-star love on Instagram and Twitter where she gushed: 'WOW. @IamSandraOh. You're a legend. Sending you the biggest congrats! So well deserved'

Camilla Luddington - who plays Dr. Jo Karev - tweeted: 'Ahhhh! This is so AMAZING!'

'All that matters': Netflix tweeted Oh's parents Joon-Soo and Young-Nam in the audience and quoted her and Samberg's joke about Lady Gaga's overused 100 people anecdote

Sandra serves as associate producer and plays the titular MI5 officer Eve Polastri in the BBC America spy drama, which returns for a second season next spring.

The American Crime actress will next compete for the female in a drama series trophy at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards, which air January 27 on TNT/TBS.

The She-Ra and the Princesses of Power guest star will face off against Ozark's Julia Garner, Ozark's Laura Linney, The Handmaid's Tale's Elisabeth Moss, and House of Cards' Robin Wright.

Killing it! Sandra serves as associate producer and plays the titular MI5 officer Eve Polastri in the BBC America spy drama, which returns for a second season next spring
Last year Hollywood took a stand against sexual abuse and inequality as #MeToo stories swept the industry.

But British actress Jenny Agutter has now berated the victims of abuse for putting themselves in vulnerable situations.

Miss Agutter, 66, said she cant fully understand why young actresses would meet with senior film industry figures alone unless they found them attractive.

I can never fully understand the people who got themselves into problems. In the States, there were occasions when you might be asked to go to a private screening or someones place and you just didnt do it - unless you found the person very attractive, in which case you did do it, she told the Radio Times.

Jenny Agutter has berated the victims of abuse for putting themselves in vulnerable situations (pictured on Lorraine in September 2018)

But if theyre not really attractive, theres nothing to be gained from it, because its obvious what youre indicating by going.

Miss Agutter, who was in a relationship with director Patrick Garland when she was 19 and he was 36, said that she was lucky to have never found herself in that situation.

Its terrible that anyone would use their power in that way. Thats wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong - no question about it, she said.

Miss Agutter, 66, said she cant fully understand why young actresses would meet with senior film industry figures alone unless they found them attractive (pictured February 2016)

What is sad is to be in a situation where you have to negotiate it: you shouldnt have to do that. I was very lucky never to have to.

She added: In the States I went out with someone who was actually in the studio system - a producer - and because of that I was a little bit protected.

No one was going to hit on me, with him there! It was a bit like having the Mafia around you.

Miss Agutter, who was in a relationship with director Patrick Garland (pictured) when she was 19 and he was 36, said that she was lucky to have never found herself in that situation

Asked what she would have done had she been in that position, Miss Agutter said: Back out of the door rather fast! Because there isnt any part thats worth that - and I think theres an arrogance in me a little bit as well, which is, If youre not casting me because Im right for the part, then why are we in this situation?

The actress said she had no regrets about her romance with Mr Garland despite the controversial 17-year age gap between them.

No, not at all. It was a very important, very good relationship. He was very interesting and it went on for a good length of time for that age - a good couple of years. He was a very nice person, she said.

Miss Agutter rose to fame at 16 in the BBC adaptation of The Railway Children in 1968 and won an Emmy Award for her role in The Snow Goose just three years later.

She has starred in the BBCs hit drama Call the Midwife since 2012.
Earlier this week it was announced his year-long contract on EastEnders wouldn't be renewed.

And Charlie Winter, who plays Hunter Owen, already looks like he's found an alternative career as he shared his second rap video, Overdue, recorded under the name Chaz.

The actor, 22, took to Instagram to share the video with his followers which has already racked up over 13,000 views less than a week after it's release.

Talented: Charlie Winter, who plays Hunter Owen, already looks like he's found an alternative career as he shared his second rap video, Overdue, recorded under the name Chaz

The black and white video, thought to be filmed in London's Regent Park, shows a different side to Charlie as he raps about his pals and ex girlfriends.

The musician donned a padded jacket for the video before changing into a slim fitted jacket and cladding his hands in Nike gloves.

Users on the social media site shared their thoughts on the video, with one saying: 'Can't stop watching this'.

Support: The actor, 22, took to Instagram to share the video with his followers which has already racked up over 13,000 views less than a week after it's release.

Past: The black and white video, thought to be filmed in London's Regent Park, shows a different side to Charlie as he raps about his pals and ex girlfriends

While another called the track 'phenomenal' and told Charlie he has 'such an incredible future'.

But others were less than impressed and said: 'Check him thinking he's ghetto'.

The new venture comes as a BBC spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline that Charlie is leaving the soap 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.'

Street style: The musician donned a padded jacket for the video before changing into a slim fitted jacket and cladding his hands in Nike gloves

Fan favourite: Users on the social media site shared their thoughts on the video, with one saying: 'Can't stop watching this'

Not loving it: But others were less than impressed and said: 'Check him thinking he's ghetto'

'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.

'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.
He had a recurring guest role in the first episode of Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too.

And joining his BFF Spencer Matthews back onscreen for his pal's new E4 reality show, Hugo Taylor confessed that he and wife Millie Mackintosh talk 'all the time' about starting a family together.

In sweet scenes, the reality star turned designer discusses fatherhood with pal Spencer - only to be quizzed by his former Made In Chelsea co-star over when he will have a baby.

Next steps: Hugo Taylor confessed that he and wife Millie Mackintosh talk 'all the time' about starting a family together, as he discussed starting a family on Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too

Spencer and Hugo were seen catching up with one another, seven weeks after Spencer welcomed son Theodore with wife Vogue.

Keen to know how his friend is taking to fatherhood, Hugo quizzes Spencer over his new responsibilities, with the Chelsea star revealing: 'It's great, it gives your life a whole new meaning.'

'It's like you're put on earth to be a dad,' a proud Spencer continued. 'It has it's ups and downs, but there's more ups than there are downs.'

The duo then joked that only a year ago, they would be 'downing tequila' at 11am instead of discussing babies over chamomile tea, with Spencer admitting: 'The old me and the me now wouldn't even be mates.'

Smitten: He and wife Millie (pictured above) tied the knot last year - two years after rekindling their romance, which first played out on the early series of Made In Chelsea

Adorable: In sweet scenes on Spener's new reality show, Hugo was quizzed by his best pal on fatherhood, with the designer admitting he and Millie are 'quite close' to trying for a baby

Reflecting on how his life has changed since meeting Irish model Vogue, Spencer said: 'I would hate me a year ago now. It's not all because of the kid - finding Vogue, I've really just found my place and I love it.'

Taking the opportunity to grill his best pal, Spencer then turned the attention on Hugo as he pointed out that, like himself, Hugo is now a married man.

Pushing his pal on the subject of children, Spencer probed Hugo until he confessed: 'We talk about [babies] all the time, we love kids but right now we're very happy seeing all our friends having babies.'

Hugo likened his situation to looking at his pals and their family life through a telescope, with Spencer quizzing his friend on the size of the telescope in question.

While he suggested one that enables you to see Mars, Hugo insisted it was more of a pirate telescope instead, prompting Spencer to suggest that babies were 'closer' than he'd first thought for Hugo and Millie.

Hesitantly, Hugo then agreed: 'Quite close.'

Together again: Hugo and Millie rekindled their love following her split from ex-husband Professor Green in 2016 - they were granted a divorce the same year

Mr and Mrs: Hugo later proposed to Millie during a romantic break in Greece in July 2017, with the pair tying the knot in June the following year

Hugo and Millie initially dated in the early series of Made In Chelsea back in 2011, where they had starred on the reality series alongside Spencer - who back then was known as the show's resident Lothario.

While their relationship didn't work out first time round, Hugo and Millie rekindled their love following her split from ex-husband Professor Green in 2016 - they were granted a divorce the same year.

Hugo later proposed to Millie during a romantic break in Greece in July 2017, with the pair tying the knot in June the following year.

They had wed in an official marriage service held in Chelsea Town Hall, a few days before hosting a lavish celebration, where they received a religious blessing, in front of their family and friends at Whithurst Park - which is owned by Hugo's uncle - in West Sussex.

Spencer and Vogue had been guests at the nuptials.

Checking in: In other scenes on Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too, Hugo was seen paying Spencer and wife Vogue a visit as they prepared to welcome baby Theodore

Amusing: Hugo later asked the duo if they had thought of a moniker for their child, with Spencer joking he had picked Moses - although Vogue was quick to correct her husband

Elsewhere, in other scenes on Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too, Hugo was seen paying Spencer and wife Vogue a visit as they prepared to welcome baby Theodore.

The trio enjoyed a dinner date at Spencer and Vogue's home, where Hugo was seen discussing the married couple's choice in baby name.

Shocked at the size of Vogue's baby bump on his arrival, Hugo later asked the duo if they had thought of a moniker for their child, with Spencer joking he had picked Moses.

Vogue was quick to correct her husband, as she told Hugo: 'Moses Matthews would be quite cool, but no. Theodore.'

Inspiration: Vogue revealed the pair had chosen to name their son Theodore - with Spencer claiming it was the name of his favourite Chipmunk

Excited by parenthood: In a candid conversation with Hugo, Spencer revealed: 'I like the idea of having a little son... he's going to be cool.'

Oops: Spencer admitted he was feeling the pressure over his baby boy's arrival, as he explained: 'Vogue keeps asking me if Im going to cry. I feel if I dont, Im going to get hell for it'

She revealed that the couple had heard the name from a fellow boot-camper, with Vogue saying to Spencer: 'I know you like to pretend you made it up, but you didn't.'

Spencer hit back: 'No I didn't make it up, it's my favourite Chipmunk.'

In a candid conversation with Hugo, Spencer revealed: 'I like the idea of having a little son... he's going to be cool.'

However, he admitted he was feeling the pressure over reacting to the arrival of his baby boy, as he explained: 'Vogue keeps asking me if Im going to cry. I feel like if I dont, Im going to get hell for it.

'Nothing would give me more pleasure to be breathlessly blown away and unable to speak. If all else fails, Ill think of Mufasa dying in the Lion King and it gets me every time.'

Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too airs Monday on E4 at 9pm
She wrapped filming on the Charlie's Angels reboot less than a month ago.

And Elizabeth Banks still seemed to be in the mood for celebration as she was spotted leaving a Golden Globes after party in Los Angeles.

The 44-year-old director/actress cut a cool figure in a black leather jacket as she emerged from the soiree.

Celebration: Elizabeth Banks still seemed to be in the mood for celebration as she was spotted leaving a Golden Globes after party in Los Angeles

Underneath she donned a knee-length grey frock that looked to be made of an almost plastic material as it reflected in the light.

Her blonde tresses were chopped short and styled in a wave the ran from left to right.

She added a couple extra inches with black heels, and accessorized with large, gold hoop earrings.

Painting her lips a robust red, Banks looked cool as a cucumber despite the rainy weather.

Cool customer: The 44-year-old director/actress cut a cool figure in a black leather jacket as she emerged from the soiree

In December, Banks took to her Instagram to announce that she had wrapped shooring the new Charlie's Angels reboot.

She shared a a behind-the-scenes photo showing her with the newest Angel trio, and captioned it, 'That's a wrap. So much love and gratitude to these Angels.'

She then went on to name each of the stars and make light of her hat in the photo: '#kristenstewart @naomigscott and @ellabalinska @charliesangels #charliesangels #bts #attitudeofgratitude #NextNovember why did I wear such a big hat.'

Aside from her directing duties, Banks will also star as one of the Bosleys (there will be three of the iconic character this time around); Djimon Hounsou and Patrick Stewart are also stepping into the roles.

The film also stars Jonathan Tucker, Luis Gerardo, Sam Clafin, Noah Centineo, Chris Pang and Nat Faxon.

Charlie's Angels is set to hit theaters in the United States on November 1, 2019.
Even Duchess Catherine likes to dress the Royal offspring in their older siblings old clothes.

But while second-hand outfits may be good enough for the little Princes and Princess, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have different standards.

'They don't really do hand-me-downs, so each baby is like their first,' a source told People magazine of the couple, who are prepping for the birth of their fourth child.

Maxing out that credit card: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West 'don't do hand-me-downs' and are shopping up a storm for baby four; the couple are seen with their older children on Jan 1

If it's good enough for Kate: Princess Charlotte wears a cardigan handed down from brother George, in Prince William and Duchess Catherine's Christmas card image

The couple are said to be shopping up a storm as they get organised ahead of the arrival of their second son, who is due to be born in May, to a surrogate mother.

KimYe are already parents to daughters North, five and Chicago, who turns one this month, and son Saint, three.

However instead of storing their older kids adorable onesies, they are said to donate their children's used clothes to charity, along with their old baby supplies.

'They're buying everything they need for him, and Kanye insists they go top-of-the-line for everything. So they've been shopping,' said the source, explaining that Kanye liked to hit the internet to get ready for his new baby.

Love to shop: The couple treat each baby like their first, buying everything brand new

'When he can't sleep, he gets online and buys whatever he wants. A lot of what they're getting, they order online.'

While Kim and Kanye are hard at work prepping for baby, the couple have yet to hold their baby shower.

With each of their previous children, Kim has been spoilt with extravagant gifts at her baby shower, which is sure to be held in the coming months.

Kim resorted to using a surrogate after her first two pregnancies, during which she suffered complications.

Lavish: Kim's previous showers have been huge affairs, with the mom to be spoilt by her friends and family

She had one male embryo in storage after welcoming her youngest child Chicago this way, which has resulted in the new pregnancy.

A source told E! when the pregnancy news was revealed that: 'They... are thrilled it has worked out. Kim always wanted four kids and having two boys and two girls feels perfect.

'They were very happy with the entire experience the first time and are so grateful to have one more baby.'

Kim, 38, and Kanye, 41, have 'just recently' started to share their baby news with their family, and the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is said to be planning 'some sort of shower' to celebrate.

Kim and Kanye used a different surrogate than the one they used to carry Chicago, as the original surrogate is expecting her own child.
She has kept tight lipped about the arrival of her 10th grandchild.

But Kris Jenner finally broke her silence on daughter Kim Kardashian welcoming her 'fourth child via surrogate' with Kanye West on Saturday.

The 63-year-old matriarch coyly replied 'Well... it's always a full house,' when asked about the arrival by Extras Mark Wright at the Art of Elysium Gala in Los Angeles.

Out spoken: Kris Jenner, 63, finally broke her silence on daughter Kim Kardashian welcoming her 'fourth child via surrogate' with Kanye West at the Art of Elysium Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday

It was reported on Wednesday that the famous couple are expecting a baby boy in May via a surrogate according to TMZ.

They are already parents to three children: daughter North, five, son Saint, three, and daughter Chicago, 11 months.

They welcomed Chicago on January 15, 2018 via surrogate as well.

TMZ revealed that they are using another surrogate for baby number four because their previous surrogate was unavailable.

Full house: The matriarch coyly replied 'Well... it's always a full house,' when asked about the arrival

'They had one male embryo left and are thrilled it worked out,' E! News' insider explained.

Kim had difficult pregnancies with North and Saint due to her condition: Placenta Acrreta, which is life threatening.

The serious condition occurs when the placenta grows too deep into the uterine wall; upon delivery of the child, the placenta fails to detach, which can lead to severe blood loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Family is everything: The stars are expecting a baby boy in May via their surrogate; They are parents to three children: North, five, Saint, three, and Chicago, 11 months

'They are working with a second carrier now that is pregnant and will give birth in the spring, said an insider to People.

The source added that the pregnancy is 'smooth' thus far and noted: 'Just like the last time, Kim is very involved with the carrier.'

Two days after the announcement, the couple were spotted kissing on the balcony of a new condo in Miami that Kanye had reportedly bought for the soon-to-be mother-of-four.
She may be on holiday in Bali with her husband DJ Ruckus.

But Australian supermodel Shanina Shaik is not shirking her workout regime.

The 27-year-old slipped out of a pretty yellow floral dress and into ab-baring activewear on Monday, as she appeared to indulge in an exercise session with her hubby and friends.

Quick change: Makeup free Shanina Shaik changed out of a pretty floral dress before showing off her abs in activewear during her Bali holiday on Monday

As well as showing off her taut tummy, the Victoria's Secret star flaunted her trim pins and pert derriere in animal print leggings.

Earlier in the day, the brunette beauty looked as pretty as a picture in a flowing low-cut dress, which she teamed with comfortable white Converse sneakers and a basket bag.

She went makeup free to reveal her flawless complexion and tied her long locks back into a ponytail in the humidity.

Shanina has been in Bali for a couple of weeks now and rang in the New Year on the idyllic Indonesian island.

On New Year's Eve, she took to Instagram to share a photo of herself at the beach, while clad in a green string bikini.

'What are you going to do on your last day of 2018?' she captioned the seductive photo.

No rest for the wicked: The Australian supermodel is not shirking her workout regime while on holiday

Later on, she attended a party at OMNIA Dayclub Bali, which is described as 'an all-day party destination perched atop a cliff, 100 metres above the Indian Ocean'.

The Victoria's Secret model looked stunning in a shimmery silver mini-dress with a plunging neckline.

'HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!! 2019. Im sending my love to everyone...' she captioned a seemingly candid photo of herself clutching a glass of champagne.

'Im currently in 2019, some of the world is still waiting to get here. Its looking really good on this side.'

Glowing and gorgeous: The 27-year-old was glowing and gorgeous makeup free as she indulged in a workout with her husband DJ Ruckus (pictured) and their friends

Wild thing: The brunette beauty showed off her pert derriere and slender legs in a pair of animal print leggings

Hello sunshine! Earlier in the day, Shanina stunned in a pretty yellow floral dress

Shanina also took to Instagram Stories to share a series of videos as the night unfolded.

Joining Shanina at the poolside party was her husband of one year, DJ Ruckus, who was seen planting a kiss on her cheek on the dance floor.

The 35-year-old appeared to have been working the decks at the party, but Shanina stuck close to him and was by his side in the DJ booth as the clock struck midnight.

Feeling the heat? The Victoria's Secret star tied her long locks back into a ponytail in the humidity

'Happy New Year!' she could be heard squealing in a video, before cheering and blowing a kiss at the camera.

Another video showed fireworks going off above a projected sign reading: 'Happy New Year 2019'.

At one stage, DJ Ruckus - real name Gregory Andrews - was seen climbing up onto the DJ deck and leaning over into the crowd.

Showing off her dance moves from the VIP section, Shanina was seen shaking her bottom for the camera, while fanning herself with what appeared to have been a party hat.

Catching up: She was transfixed on her phone as she traipsed the streets
We've all been there, Sam.

On Monday, Sunrise host Samantha Armytage was spotted looking very bronzed indeed while discreetly leaving a spray tan salon in Bondi, Sydney.

Keeping a low profile outside the venue, the Channel Seven star attempted to conceal her rather flushed complexion with a hooded jacket.

She's TV's golden girl! Sunrise host Sam Armytage looked very bronzed while covering her head with a hooded jacket outside a spray tan salon in Bondi, Sydney on Monday

Sam, 42, wore a white top and cropped black trousers for her visit to Tan Temple, completing her look with a pair of sandals.

She clutched a phone, umbrella and sunglasses as she blended in with the crowds on Curlewis Street.

After a spray tan, the shade develops into a darker hue over the course of a few hours, before fading to a more natural colour after a shower.

Tanned: Keeping a low profile outside the Curlewis Street venue, the Channel Seven star attempted to conceal her rather flushed complexion with a hooded jacket

It is likely Sam will be sporting a healthy and more subtle glow when she returns to host Sunrise alongside David Koch later this month.

Also on Monday, the TV personality was seen returning to her Sydney home looking rather downcast amid rumours she recently split with boyfriend Paul O'Brien.

It is believed she had just arrived in Australia from an overseas holiday in New York.

Work in progress: After a spray tan, the shade develops into a darker hue over the course of a few hours, before fading to a more natural colour after a shower

On Sunday, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Sam had ended her relationship with millionaire Paul after a 'very brief fling'.

She apparently only spent 'a few "fleeting" moments in Bondi and on the Central Coast' with the private jet tycoon before they parted ways.

Paul was previously married to Channel 10 newsreader Georgina Lewis for almost a decade, but they separated last year.
She is expected to welcome her second child in March.

And ahead of her baby's arrival, Nikki Phillips has embarked on a family glamping holiday at Sierra Escape Retreat near Mudgee in northern NSW.

The model, who is 30 weeks pregnant, took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a photo of herself carrying her one-year-old son Jett outside their cabin.

'We've gone bush!' Pregnant Nikki Phillips showed off her growing baby bump in a skintight dress and Gucci T-shirt on Tuesday during a family glamping holiday near Mudgee, NSW

Nikki, 36, cut a stylish figure in a skintight green dress, denim jacket and Gucci T-shirt, completing her look with designer sneakers.

'Good morning, we've gone bush!' she wrote in the caption.

'Swapped the beach for a little luxury glamping in Piambong, 20 minutes from beautiful Mudgee,' she added, tagging the Sierra Escape Retreat.

Glamping: A night at the luxurious Sierra Escape Retreat costs $450 a night, but it is unclear if Nikki paid for her stay or if it was part of an advertising deal

Coming soon! The 36-year-old model is expected to welcome her second child in March

She also shared a photo of the family's 'tent', which featured a fireplace and an outdoor bathtub, as well as stunning views of the rolling hills.

A night at the luxurious retreat costs $450 a night, but it is unclear if Nikki paid for her stay or if it was part of an advertising deal.

The family getaway comes after the mum-to-be revealed she had been spending her days by the pool lately to beat the scorching summer heat.

'Another perfect day spent lounging by the pool': The family getaway comes after Nikki revealed she had been spending her days by the pool lately to beat the scorching summer heat

Last week, she shared a photo of herself to Instagram wearing a striped bikini, Tom Ford sunglasses and a Dior visor while posing poolside.

She wrote in the caption: 'Another perfect day spent lounging by the pool. I'm starting to see a pattern this holiday and I like it.

'When I was pregnant with Jett, I was my biggest coming into winter.

'This time around being almost in summer is getting to me. I think I've been submerging my lumps in water everyday.'

Nikki married musician and businessman Dane Rumble in 2014 and the couple welcomed their first son Jett in 2017.
She's no stranger to glamorous red carpet displays.

And Maya Jama looked exquisite as she attended the GQ dinner in London on Monday to celebrate the end of London Fashion Week Men's 2019.

The radio presenter, 24, donned a black and gold printed minidress which she teamed with a quirky collar while flashing a glimpse of her white underskirt.

Stunning: Maya Jama looked exquisite as she attended the GQ dinner in London on Monday to celebrate the end of London Fashion Week Men's 2019

She finished off her look with quirky monochrome boots and an unusual turqoise handbag with silver beads.

The brunette beauty left her freshly blown locks loose around her back and opted for plenty of heavy eyemake up and added mini silver hoop earrings to her look.

Later in the evening Maya posed for snaps with rapper Tinie Tempah.

Style: The radio presenter, 24, donned a black and gold printed minidress which she teamed with a quirky collar while flashing a glimpse of her white underskirt

Accessorising: She finished off her look with quirky monochrome boots and an unusual turquoise handbag with silver beads

The British artist, 30, - real name Patrick Chukwuemeka Okogwu - showed off his dapper style in a fresh take on a pinstripe suit.

The blue number showed off his white t-shirt and patterned trainers which Tinie wore with a pair of sunglasses.

The outing comes as Maya, who is dating rapper Stormzy, was spotted for a pre-Christmas getaway to Barbados last month where she showcased her svelte figure to perfection.

She flaunted her pert posterior in tiny pink thong bikini bottoms while staying at Elegant Hotels for the launch of Virgin Holidays Departure Beach.

Flaunt it: Later in the evening Maya posed for snaps with rapper Tinie Tempah, 30, who showed off his dapper style in a fresh take on a pinstripe suit

Honed: The outing comes as Maya, who is dating rapper Stormzy, was spotted for a pre-Christmas getaway to Barbados last month

She teamed the skimpy item of swimwear with a plunging white halterneck top for her visit to the beach.

The model's broadcasting career has been going from strength-to-strength in recent months after she landed a new weekend show on BBC Radio 1.

While Maya has added another string to her bow as she launches her new collaboration with PrettyLittleThing.

'PLT has been one of my go-to brands and Ive loved watching the brand grow over the years,' she revealed.
She announced her exciting baby news in November.

And just a couple of weeks later, pregnant Bachelor star Marja Jacobsen posted some stunning pictures of her '120 Day blessing for her little bump'.

In the photographs, the 37-year-old yogi, who starred in Richie Strahan's season of the Channel 10 dating series, showed off her growing belly in a mustard off-the- shoulder cropped top and a patterned skirt.

She's blossoming! Former Bachelor contestant Marja Jacobsen, from Richie Strahan's season of the show, showed off her growing baby during a '120 Day blessing for her little bump' late last year

So thrilled: At the time, Marja said she was moved by the celebration, and was blessed that her and her partner Joao da Costa (pictured) were surrounded by their friends and family

Marja is a Kundali yoga instructor and was taking part in the '120th Day Celebration' of her pregnancy, a yogic tradition that celebrates a woman becoming a mother one hundred-twenty days after conception.

According to the Kundali Women organisation, 'the celebration is to honor the mother and offer her loving support. Everyone gathers to meditate, chant, and reflect on the reality that a soul is entering her womb.

'This celebration also offers prayers for the womans spiritual, mental, and physical well-being so that she may inspire, teach, and guide her child.'

Cute: Children at the gathering painted the brunette's growing belly

At the time, Marja said she was moved by the celebration, and was blessed that her and her partner and father of her unborn baby, Joao da Costa, were surrounded by their friends and family.

The brunette beauty wrote in her picture caption: '120 Day Blessing for the little bump . So special having all our faves in one place. Love you guys so much. @joaodacosta_yoga we are so blessed. Thank you to my goddess @cassieberry for gifting me this beautiful baby mandala.'

Marja revealed she was expecting her first child in a sweet Instagram post last year.

Bachelor baby joy! Marja revealed she was expecting her first child in a sweet Instagram post last year. Wearing a white T-shirt and pink briefs, the stunner exposed her belly in a side view snap for the camera

Wearing a white T-shirt and pink briefs, the stunner exposed her belly in a side view snap for the camera.

She kept the caption simple, revealing she was currently '15.5 weeks' along in her pregnancy, tagging her partner Joao.

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia at the time, Marja said, 'Joao and I are thrilled with the news of our baby boy.'

Thrilled: In a statement to Daily Mail Australia at the time, Marja said, 'Joao and I are thrilled with the news of our baby boy'

'We feel our little man is coming into the world at the perfect time, in the perfect way. Joao and I are both dedicated yoga teachers based in Sydney.

'We, like most first time parents, have no idea what to expect, but we know that if we continue to work as the awesome team that we are it will be wild, fun & full of new exciting adventures and we cant wait!'

The couple met through a mutual friend and are expecting their child in May.

'We cant wait!' The yoga teaching couple met through a mutual friend and are expecting their child in May. Pictured: Marja (left) and Joao (right)

Marja first rose to fame as one of the 25 women vying for the heart of Rope Access Technician Richie Strahan on the 2016 season of The Bachelor.

She did not receive a rose in the fourth episode and was sent packing alongside Sophie Edwards.

In the car leaving the mansion, Marja tearfully said in her final piece-to-camera: 'I had so much fun with him and I know that he had so much fun with me.'

Tearful: Marja first rose to fame as one of the 25 women vying for the heart of Rope Access Technician Richie Strahan on the 2016 season of The Bachelor. She did not receive a rose in the fourth episode and was sent packing alongside Sophie Edwards

'And it was just...for whatever reason, it was my time,' she added.

After leaving the reality dating show, Marja began dating Sydney-based publisher Tommy Sullivan and announced their relationship on Instagram back in 2016.

The two split then split but remain friends according to Marja.
Nasser Sultan became the unlikely breakout star of Married At First Sight last year.

And as rumours swirl he could appear on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! later this month, it seems Nasser may have yet another TV project in the pipeline.

The 51-year-old personal trainer has reportedly been approached by casting agents for The Bachelor who want him to front a 'seniors' edition' of the dating show.

Could Nasser Sultan be the next Bachelor? The Married At First Sight star, 51, 'has been approached by casting agents for a spin-off series'. Pictured on August 28, 2018 in Sydney

According to NW magazine, producers are hoping to make a 'Bachelor-style show for singletons aged 46 and over'.

And if industry rumours are to be believed, Nasser is the current frontrunner to lead the series.

'Nasser has already been working with Channel 10 on Trial By Kyle and was in talks to star on I'm A Celebrity as well, so why wouldn't they consider him for the seniors' romance series?' a source told the publication.

Looking for love: Nasser rose to fame on last year's blockbuster season of Married At First Sight, in which he was paired with single mother Gabrielle Bartlett (right)

Industry rumours: According to Monday's NW magazine, producers are hoping to make a 'Bachelor-style show for singletons aged 46 and over'. Pictured: Nasser and a recent girlfriend

Nasser refused to confirm or deny the speculation on Monday, instead telling NW: 'I can't talk about anything yet, but big things are coming for Nass in 2019. And I'm ready to find my soulmate!'

However, in a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, he suggested that negotiations with producers had already begun.

'Yes, I am in talks and very excited. Why shouldn't we have an older Bachelor? I'm sick of the "ripped abs and tattoos" types you always see on TV,' he said.

You tease! Nasser refused to confirm or deny the speculation, instead telling NW: 'I can't talk about anything yet, but big things are coming for Nass in 2019'

Nasser rose to fame on last year's blockbuster season of Married At First Sight, in which he was paired with single mother Gabrielle Bartlett.

The couple's relationship didn't work out, but the former music promoter soon earned himself a cult following.

Months after the series wrapped, he appeared as a plaintiff on Trial By Kyle, starring radio host Kyle Sandilands.

Following in Matty J's footsteps? 2017's Bachelor Matthew Johnson found his 'happily ever after' on the show with jewellery designer Laura Byrne
Married At First Sight star Telv Williams appears to be taking his romance with model girlfriend Katie Beever to the next level after a string of failed romances last year.

The 34-year-old FIFO worker introduced his two children, Miah and Telv Jr. (from a previous relationship), to his new ladylove over the weekend.

The couple, whose relationship was confirmed to Daily Mail Australia late last year, were seen enjoying a walk across the beach together with Telv's children in tow.

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It's getting serious! Married At First Sight star Telv Williams' (right) new model girlfriend Katie Beever (left) met his two young children over the weekend

Meet the kids! The couple, whose relationship was confirmed to Daily Mail Australia late last year, were seen enjoying a walk across the beach together with Telv's children in tow

In a video shared to Katie's Instagram story, the Melbourne model and grid girl is seen filming the father-of-two striding across the sand alongside his two children in Cape Bridgewater, Victoria.

The machinery technician, who parted ways with both sales manager Maddie Carolan and MAFS 'wife,' Sarah Roza last year, appeared to be relaxed and at ease in the clip as the new flames spent quality time with his youngsters.

The couple's relationship was confirmed by a friend to Daily Mail Australia in November last year.

A source claimed at the time that Telv, who shares his two young children with former partner, Amy Gower, had been on 'a few dates' with the glamorous blonde.

'It's early days, so I can't say too much,' said the friend. 'But they are a few dates in and have real chemistry.'

They added: 'We're all hoping it works out because Telv has been a bit unlucky in love in the past.'

On her Instagram account, Katie lists her occupations as 'beauty therapist', 'grid girl' and 'promotional model'.

New flame: The couple's relationship was confirmed by a friend to Daily Mail Australia in November last year

And it's not hard to see why Telv is smitten, as Katie's social media accounts include dozens of photos of her posing in skimpy outfits.

Late last year, rumours began swirling of a new romance after photos surfaced of the couple looking loved up during a day out in South Melbourne.

In one picture taken at The Albion Rooftop bar in November last year, the pair look very much an item while posing on a couch together.

She's not shy! It's not hard to see why Telv is smitten with Katie, as her social media accounts include dozens of photos of her posing in skimpy outfits

Case of the ex: Last year Telv was in an off-again-off-again relationship with Melbourne-based sales manager, Maddie Carolan (right)

In another photo, shared by a mutual friend, Katie was seen sitting on Telv's lap while placing an arm affectionately around his neck.

Last year, Telv was in an off-again-off-again relationship with Melbourne-based sales manager Maddie Carolan.

But after debuting their romance in April last year, they officially called it quits in June.

Telv first rose rose to fame during Channel Nine's controversial social experiment last year, where he was locked in a tumultuous 'marriage' with beauty therapist Sarah Roza.
The chief executive of mental health organisation R U OK?, Brendan Maher, has paid tribute to model Annalise Braakensiek following her death at age 46.

The '90s pin-up, who was an ambassador for R U OK?, was found dead by police in her inner-city Sydney apartment on Sunday afternoon.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, Brendan praised Annalise's tireless efforts to promote mental health awareness, saying: 'Nothing we have ever asked of Annalise was too much.'

'She stepped up, even when she was going through tough times': Annalise Braakensiek has been praised for her mental health advocacy - after being found dead in her Sydney apartment aged 46. Pictured with R U OK? chief executive Brendan Maher

'She has stepped up time and time again to share our message, even when she was going through her own tough times. We couldn't have asked for a more genuine, kind and sincere spokesman,' he continued.

Brendan joined a chorus of media personalities who paid tribute to the actress following her tragic death last week.

On Monday, Annalise's former co-star Rob Shehadie shared a heartfelt Twitter post about Annalise, who played played ditzy model Claudia MacPherson in the SBS comedy Pizza and its 2003 movie spin-off Fat Pizza.

Tragic loss: The '90s pin-up, who was an ambassador for R U OK?, was found dead by police in her inner-city Sydney apartment on Sunday afternoon

'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.

Dedicated to the cause: Brendan Maher praised Annalise's tireless efforts to promote mental health awareness. Pictured: Annalise and her fellow R U OK? ambassador Jodhi Meares

'God rest your soul': Annalise's Fat Pizza co-star Rob Shehadie (right) shared this rare photo from the early 2000s while paying tribute to the model (centre) on Monday

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

Other celebrities who paid tribute to Annalise on Monday included Suzi Taylor, Jodhi Meares, Tania Zaetta and Osher Gunsberg.

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.

Cryptic: Annalise's tragic death followed a series of cryptic Instagram posts which detailed how her life had become 'dark, difficult, demanding and downright scary lately'

Her tragic death followed a series of cryptic Instagram posts which detailed how her life had become 'dark, difficult, demanding and downright scary lately'.

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.
She's the mathematician and TV personality known for appearing on SBS game show Letters and Numbers between 2010 and 2012.

And Lily Serna, 32, has welcomed the New Year with a ring on her finger after getting engaged to her long-term boyfriend Blair Hickey on Monday.

She said 'I do' during a romantic hiking trip in Tasmania, after Blair surprised her with a proposal on a secluded beach.

'We're getting married!' Letters and Numbers host Lily Serna announced her engagement to boyfriend Blair Hickey during a romantic hiking trip on Monday

Lily wrote on Instagram: 'We're getting married! On the fifth day of our hike, Blair got down on one knee at the most beautiful beach called Surprise Bay and asked me to marry him.

'We said it the first week we met - when you know, you know.'

Lily also shared a gallery of photos documenting her reaction to Blair's proposal, which she described as 'the many faces of love'.

Cheers to us! Lily said 'I do' after Blair surprised her with a proposal on a secluded beach

How sweet! Lily also shared a gallery of photos documenting her reaction to Blair's proposal, which she described as 'the many faces of love'

While Letters and Numbers was cancelled in 2012, repeats are still shown regularly on SBS and it remains a cult favourite.

The subject of maths runs in Lily's blood, with her father and brother both being engineers and her extended family including analysts and maths teachers.

She previously said that her father told her when she was 10 years old to 'always remember there's no difference in mathematical ability between girls and boys'.

Familiar face: While Letters and Numbers was cancelled in 2012, repeats are still shown regularly on SBS and it remains a cult favourite

Lily's other television credits include hosting cooking show Destination Flavour, which also aired on SBS.

In 2016, she launched the podcast Decoding Genius, in which she 'attempted to unlock the secrets of high intelligence'.

For the program, the numeracy ambassador interviewed three young Australians, as well as two Canadians and one American, about what makes them 'geniuses'.
He's been playing priest-turned-crime solver Sidney Chambers in Granchester since it's inception in 2014.

But James Norton says he 'envies' Tom Brittney, who will be taking over his role when the show returns for its fourth series on January 11.

The actor, 33, told Radio Times: 'Its a wrench. My head says its time to move forward, but my heart is saying these are my friends  wonderful people that Ive spent the last four years with, and had the most incredible time with'.

Leaving: James Norton says he 'envies' Tom Brittney who will be taking over his role when the show returns for it's fourth series (pictured Septemver 2018)

James' role on the hit detective show came after he played rapist Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley and he called playing the priest a a 'massive moment':

'It sounds crass to say it, but Grantchester was the first time I was number one on the call sheet in the morning. Thats when youre front and centre of the show.'

The actor went on to describe the complex relationship he has with his alter-ego: 'Sidney is an extreme individual, and hes tortured and conflicted like all of us.

'But whats wonderful about returning to him for this series is his goodness. He always sees the best in people and wants the best for them.'

New roles: The actor, 33, told Radio Times: 'Its a wrench. My head says its time to move forward, but my heart is saying these are my friends  wonderful people that Ive spent the last four years with, and had the most incredible time with' (pictured right, with Tom Brittany, left)

Beginnings: James' role on the hit detective show came after he played rapist Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley and he called playing the priest a a 'massive moment

He also admitted that after spending so long in Sidney's head he's 'become a kind of friend'.

Out now: Read the full interview in this week's issue of Radio Times

The McMafia star joked that as well as offering Tom advice on how to step into his shoes, he was 'pretending to spread horrible rumours about him'.

Despite playing a range of television characters, James has also had his fair share of hits on the big screen and stage.

He starred as Captain Stanhope in the war drama Journey's End which toured the UK in 2011.

More recently he will appear as John Brooke in the 2019 film version of Little Women and the lead role of Gareth Jones in the journalist's bio-pic.

Meanwhile London-born Tom, 28, had a stint on Doctors, Casualty and Humans before landing his latest venture.

Read the full interview in this week's issue of Radio Times.
They're starring in a new show about their life after winning Love Island in the summer.

And ahead of their spin-off show Dani Dyer has said her relationship with Jack Fincham 'isn't normal anymore' and she had to relearn everything about her beau when they were back in the UK.

Speaking about her life after the Island, the brunette beauty, 22, said: 'You come out of the villa and then have to re-learn about each other. In the outside world you have a job to wake up to and everything hits you like a lightning bolt.

Back to reality: Dani Dyer, 22, has said her relationship with Jack Fincham 'isn't normal anymore' and she had to relearn everything about her beau when they were back in the UK

'You're learning more about each other and you're also dealing with the life you live now. It's not a normal relationship anymore, it's a very public one and you're also trying to figure out what you want to be. It's about keeping the right balance'.

She added: 'Relationships in the villa are probably always going to be perfect, because you're in a surreal situation. That's all you have, each other. There is nothing outside to affect that.'

And former pen salesman Jack, 26, agreed. He said: 'In the villa you're surrounded by people 24/7 that are massively supportive and will always give you positive advice.'

Winners: Former pen saleman Jack, 26, agreed. He said: 'In the villa you're surrounded by people 24/7 that are massively supportive and will always give you positive advice'

'But then you're in the big bad world. So you have the mixture of positive and negative. Basically it's a real relationship now which is where you take the rough with the smooth, like anything in life.'

The couple, who have just got home from an idyllic trip in Dubai, said their post-Island life has been intense, and that they've never worked harder.

Jack said: 'It's been nonstop. I thought I worked fairly hard before, but now I get up earlier than I've ever got up. Sometimes it can be overwhelming but it's been incredible so far.

And Dani added: 'It's changed my life for the better. The only thing I miss from before is the privacy.

'We just try to focus on being happy and ignore any negativity. We're always able to have a laugh together'.

And Jack added their biggest strength has been their resilience of staying together through all the pressures of having a relationship in the public eye.

Intense: The couple, who have just got home from an idyllic trip in Dubai, said their post-Island life has been intense, and that they've never worked harder

He said: 'The fact that every person has an opinion on your relationship, that's the hardest thing.

'Before when you've been in a relationship, no one cares. Now you can do anything and thousands of people have something to say about it.'

While former barmaid Dani added: 'It is really hard when everyone has an opinion on your relationship, but as long as we're happy that's all that really matters.'

Resilient: Jack added their biggest strength has been their resilience of staying together through all the pressures of having a relationship in the public eye

Surprisingly, Dani said that getting the couple's adorable pooch Sandy was the biggest compromise she made in the relationship.

'He just really wanted a dog. So I went with it' she said.

'It's the biggest compromise I've made  before that compromising was just like "what takeaway shall we get?"  but she is adorable '

Puppy love? Surprisingly, Dani said that getting the couple's adorable pooch Sandy was the biggest compromise she made in the relationship

And speaking of being a puppy parent, Jack chipped in: 'I've always been a dog owner, so I was like a duck to water.

'Dani never wanted one so I had to convince her. Which was why she took full control of the name. I didn't stop going on until I got my own way. I kept saying "wouldn't it be so nice."'

Speaking of their new ITVBe show, the series four winners both said they were most excited for viewers to see their trip to Rome.

Jetsetters: Speaking of their new ITVBe show, the series four winners both said they were most excited for viewers to see their trip to Rome

'My favourite moment was going to Rome. I felt like a proper tour guide. It was wicked. We had an amazing meal looking over the Vatican. That was brilliant' Jack said.

However, viewers might be more excited to see their brief break-up as unanswered questions hope to be answered.

In December, Dani took to Instagram to confirm that she had parted ways with Jack after just six months of dating.

But it later turned out the Love Islanders couldn't live without each other as they are back in the arms of one another.

Danny Dyer's daughter said: 'Jack & I have sadly decided to part ways. It's been an incredible six months, and we will always have a place in our hearts for each other, but sadly we've come to the realisation that it's not meant to be long-term.'

And the show looks set to address the split.

A spokesperson for the show told The Mirror: 'The series covers them as they settle into their new flat, buy a new puppy, launch their various business ventures.

'Obviously the brief split will be addressed as well.'
Zoe Ball has insisted her party girl days are well and truly behind her and it is 'miracle' for her to still be awake at 10pm these days.

The DJ is gearing up to take over from Chris Evans as host of BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show on January 14 which means plenty of early starts.

She told Radio Times: 'I may be in denial about the hours, but the good thing is that Im not the Zoe that I was 20 years ago, when I was at Radio 1.

New gig: Zoe Ball, 48, is gearing up to take over from Chris Evans as host of BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show on January 14 which means plenty of early starts

'I dont really go out much now. Its a miracle for me to still be up at 10pm, to be honest with you.'

Zoe and daughter Nelly, 8, live in Sussex which means the host will be commuting to make it in for her 6:30am start.

She said: 'If Im coming from Sussex then it will be half-past three,' before adding: 'I've done things when you get up early before!'

Zoe is also mum to son Woody, 18, with ex partner Normon Cook and believes getting two children up early for school was the perfect training for her new job.

Grown up: Zoe said: 'I may be in denial about the hours, but the good thing is that Im not the Zoe that I was 20 years ago, when I was at Radio 1'

Early to bed: She added: 'I dont really go out much now. Its a miracle for me to still be up at 10pm, to be honest with you'

She said: 'I had to get up earlier and earlier to get myself organised: pets fed, homework packed, kids out. That was a military operation. Its the perfect training for this.'

Another change to Radio 2's line-up will be Zoe's pal Sara Cox who is hosting the station's drivetime slot.

Zoe told how the pair will be in contact before they start to reassure the other that they are going to be fine.

Interview: Zoe speaks in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine

She said: 'Professionally, work-wise, weve always supported each other. We start on the same day, which is wonderful.

'We spoke a lot during the whole process. Were old buddies and weve always been really supportive of each other.

'Sometimes she gets jobs Ive wanted. We always talk. It worked out.'

It was previously reported that Zoe's new gig has made her the highest paid woman in the BBC with a 1.2million salary.

Zoe's previous salary was officially disclosed as between 250,000 to 300,000 for her work on Radio 2 and presenting Strictly spin-off It Takes Two.

A source told The Sun: 'Zoe was very much the BBC's frontrunner and they began negotiations some time ago. But it has taken a lot of back and forth to reach a deal.

'She pushed hard for the right terms and it's a massive jump but well-deserved. This is the UK's most listened-to radio show and Zoe's the perfect host. She deserves every penny.'
She's a red carpet regular.

And Kate Mara looked stylish-as-be at the Golden Globe awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday.

The Pose talent, 35, was the epitome of elegance wearing a silver and peach empire-waist Miu Miu gown which framed her full cleavage with a triangular peek-a-boo cut-out.

Red carpet style: Kate Mara looked sensational in an embellished Miu Miu frock during the Golden Globes Sunday

Silver beaded shoulders connected to an overly-embellished bodice that transitioned down into a dreamy peach skirt with a lace detail near the bottom.

Kate teamed her frock, which was styled by Johnny Wujek, with a white Miu Miu clutch, diamond rings, delicate post earrings and an edgy-chic ear cuff.

She tied her hair up into a high ponytail secured with a glamorous gold hair tie.

Showing skin: The Pose talent's empire-waist gown framed her full cleavage with a triangular peek-a-boo cut-out

The look: Silver beaded shoulders connected to an overly-embellished bodice that transitioned down into a dreamy peach skirt with a lace detail near the bottom

For makeup she paired a wine red lip with a hint of rouge and straight, dark brows.

Kate was there to support her show Pose, which was nominated for Best Television Series  Drama.

Castmate Billy Porter was also nominated for the series, earning a nod in the Best Actor category.

Attention to detail: Kate teamed her frock with a white Miu Miu clutch, diamond rings, delicate post earrings and an edgy-chic ear cuff

This year's Golden Globes were a big year for the small screen.

Leading all TV nominees with four nods is The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, the FX anthology series about the Italian fashion designer's murder.

But it was the Americans took home the win for Best Television Series.
She gave birth to Eddie Murphy's 10th child just one month ago.

And on Friday, Paige Butcher showed off her impressive post-baby body as she stepped out in Beverly Hills with her and Eddie's first child, daughter Izzy Oona.

The Australian actress, 39, looked trim in a pair of blue skinny jeans and a loose peach coloured sweater.

All smiles: Eddie Murphy's fiancee Paige Butcher stepped out in Beverly Hills on Friday with daughter Izzy Oona, 2, just one month after giving birth to her second child with Eddie

Paige pinned her blonde hair back in a tight ponytail and hid her face behind a pair of stylish sunglasses.

She was spotted visiting a pediatrician in Studio City before heading to Beverly Hills to take little Izzy, 2, on a shopping spree.

Paige and Eddie, who are engaged to be married, welcomed their second child together on November 30, 2018.

Looking good: The Australian actress, 39, looked trim in a pair of blue skinny jeans and a loose peach coloured sweater

Max Charles Murphy was born Friday, November 30, weighing six pounds, 11 ounces and measuring 19 inches long.

'Both mother and son are doing well,' a rep for the couple told People at the time.

Eddie, 57, and Paige, 39, confirmed in September that they were engaged, although no wedding date has been announced yet.

A source told People in late August that the couple wanted to have 'a younger sibling for their daughter'.

Happy couple: Paige and Eddie, who are engaged to be married, welcomed their second child together in November

'They live a pretty low-key life,' the source said in August. 'They are all about family. Paige is very close to Eddies kids.'

Along with Eddie's first child with Paige, two-year-old Izzy, the comedian has eight other children from four different women.

Eddie's oldest child is 29-year-old Eric, who he had with then-girlfriend Paulette McNeely, and he had his second child, 28-year-old Christian, with another girlfriend, Tamara Hood.

His next five children were with his first wife, Nicole Mitchell, who he was married to from 1993 to 2005 - Bria, 29, Miles, 26, Shayne, 24, Zola, 18 and Bella, 16.

He also has a daughter Angel, 11, with former Spice Girl Melanie 'B' Brown.
It's been 10 years since Ian 'Dicko' Dickson was a household name as the hard-to-impress judge on singing talent show, Australian Idol.

And the TV personality had admitted that giving up on fame was 'tough' following the axing of the reality series in 2009.

The 55-year-old revealed to Confidential on Saturday: 'Giving up on being famous was tough. It's like a bit of a drug but I've weaned myself off that.'

'Giving up on being famous was tough!' Former Australian Idol judge Ian 'Dicko' Dickson, 55, says he's a 'normal bloke again' after weaning himself of the fame 'drug' spotlight

He went on to explain over the last decade he 'went through this s**t bit called "vaguely famous"', but now considers himself 'a normal bloke again'.

His role on the Channel 10 program's judging panel - alongside Mark Holden and Marcia Hines - spanned five seasons from 2003 to 2004, and 2007 to 2009.

Ian told to the publication he went through a phase where people still recognised him years after Idol, but now can attend large events without being noticed.

Remember him? His role on the Channel 10 program's judging panel - alongside Mark Holden (L) and Marcia Hines (M) - spanned five seasons from 2003 to 2004, and 2007 to 2009

Ian has however popped up on TV since 2009, with appearances on other reality shows like Can Of Worms in 2011 and The Celebrity Apprentice in 2012.

When asked if he would return to the spotlight again for a role on televison, he said would only make a comeback under the right circumstances.

'They asked me to go on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! this year and I went, "nah I can't do it",' he said, noting the rejection didn't please his manager.

Not keen for a comeback? Ian claimed he rejected an invite to appear on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! this year, despite his manager wanting him to enter the jungle

Dicko's most recent appearance on TV was as a guest host on Channel Nine's travel show Getaway, in October 2018.

However, as he boasts more than 20 years in the recording industry, he is launching a music festival aimed at middle-aged Australians in 2019 called Almost The Greatest Gig On Earth.

Ian now enjoys a quieter life on a two-acre Sunshine Coast property with wife Melanie Ball.
As the old saying goes, 'Be careful what you wish for'.

The Bachelorette's Lee Elliott previously said he 'could not wait' to spend New Year's Eve with his girlfriend Georgia Love.

And the couple certainly did ring in the start of 2019 together - albeit in the emergency room of Melbourne's Alfred Hospital.

'Happy New Year from the emergency room!' The Bachelorette's Georgia Love rushed her boyfriend Lee Elliott to hospital in the early hours of Tuesday morning after he burned himself

Mechanical plumber Lee, 37, was rushed to hospital after burning himself while clutching a handful of sparklers.

Georgia, 30, took to Instagram in the early hours of Tuesday morning to share some light-hearted photos from their ER dash.

'Happy New Year from emergency! Don't hold a bunch of sparklers and light them all at once, kids!' she wrote, alongside the hashtags '2019 lessons' and 'his hand got lit'.

Oh, dear! Georgia took to Instagram to share some light-hearted photos from their ER dash

All smiles: Earlier in the evening, the reality TV lovebirds celebrated New Year's Eve at The Prince Hotel in trendy St Kilda

Earlier in the evening, the reality TV lovebirds celebrated New Year's Eve at The Prince Hotel in trendy St Kilda.

Georgia and Lee put on an affectionate display in front of the media wall, locking lips for all to see.

The Channel 10 newsreader flaunted her slim figure in a strapless top and mini skirt, which she paired with a waist belt, red strappy heels and drop earrings.

Locking lips: Georgia and Lee locked lips for all to see, while showing off their glamorous New Year's Eve outfits

Only eyes for one another: The pair gazed adoringly at one another while posing for photos

Her shoulder-length brunette hair was styled in loose waves and she opted for a glamorous makeup palette.

Meanwhile, Lee cut a dapper figure in a white dress shirt, a grey marle suit jacket and trousers, and pristine white sneakers.

The couple have been dating since meeting on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette.
For weeks, it was speculated that Ali Oetjen and Taite Radley were simply keeping up appearances and waiting for their 'love contract' to expire.

But the Bachelorette lovebirds sent a defiant message to their critics on Monday, as they packed on the PDA while celebrating New Year's Eve together in Melbourne.

Account manager Ali, 32, shared a photo to Instagram of the couple embracing, and appeared determined to prove the pair's relationship is the real deal.

'My partner in crime': The Bachelorette's Ali Oetjen and Taite Radley sent a defiant message to their critics on New Year's Eve - after rumours they were 'faking their romance'

In Ali's photo, the couple were shown kissing at midnight as fireworks lit up the sky above Melbourne's bustling CBD.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Taite also took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to his new girlfriend, alongside a throwback photo.

'2018 - I'm so glad to have lived through you,' the bank manager wrote, reflecting on the past 12 months.

Shenanigans: Ali and Taite celebrated New Year's Eve in Melbourne, enjoying a romantic dinner before watching the fireworks at midnight

'Forget the negativity around you and focus on making everything beautiful': Meanwhile, Taite also took to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to his new girlfriend

'[I've been] surrounded by friends that mean the most, family that is always there and risking it all for love,' he added.

'Things in life happen for a reason. Forget the negative messages around you and focus on making everything around you beautiful.

'2019 - don't overthink it. Do something you said you would. I'm chasing those things with a partner in crime.'

Troubled waters: Ali chose Taite as her winning suitor in The Bachelorette finale, which aired in November, however their relationship hasn't exactly been smooth sailing

It comes a week after the pair spent their first Christmas together surrounded by friends and family in Taite's hometown of Ballarat.

Posing for a sweet photo on Instagram together, Ali wrote: 'My human, my greatest gift.'

Ali chose Taite as her winning suitor in The Bachelorette finale, which aired in November, however their relationship hasn't exactly been smooth sailing.

Picture perfect: It comes a week after the pair spent their first Christmas together surrounded by friends and family in Taite's hometown of Ballarat

Despite putting up a united front on social media, some industry insiders are convinced the couple's relationship is a 'showmance'.

Shortly after the finale aired, an anonymous Bachelorette producer publicly accused Taite of only signing up for the show to become famous, adding that they would most likely split 'in less than six months'.

Apparently, Taite's long-term plan was to place second in the competition, attract public sympathy and then become next year's Bachelor.

'Mark my words, [the split] will be framed in such a way that Ali ended it and that he is the one who is devastated so he can still try to win public support and get The Bachelor gig,' the source claimed.
A 24-hour strike by Ryanair's Spanish cabin crew that was planned to take place today has been called off - but further walkouts still look set to go ahead later this week.

Last month, the USO and Sitcpla unions called three 24-hour stoppages after the budget Irish-based carrier had failed to reach an agreement with them during mediation on improving work and pay conditions.

But late on Monday, the two unions called off the industrial action planned for today after holding more talks in Madrid with airline representatives.

A 24-hour strike by Ryanair's Spanish cabin crew that was planned for today has been called off at the last minute

However, planned walkouts for Thursday (January 10) and Sunday (January 13) are still set to go ahead.

Maneul Lodeiro, a Ryanair purser, who represents Sitcpla, told AFP: 'Basically it is to give more opportunity for the negotiations to keep going.'

The unions are demanding local contracts under local law rather than the Irish contracts Ryanair uses widely.

Last month, both the USO and Sitcpla unions accused Ryanair of 'absurd and childish behaviour' and 'throwing tantrums' for not coming to an agreement on a new pay and conditions deal for their members during mediation.

They claim around 1,800 Ryanair staff at Spanish bases 'suffer every day, with worse working conditions than the rest of the workers because Ryanair does not apply Spanish legislation'.

Criticism has also been levelled at the Spanish government for 'failing to tell Ryanair that it has to comply with the law in the country where it operates and from which it obtains a large part of its benefits in Europe'.

Planned walkouts by Ryanair Spanish cabin crew on Thursday (January 10) and Sunday (January 13) are still set to go ahead

Europe's biggest low-cost airline only began recognising unions for the first time in its 30-year history in December 2017, to avert mass strikes during the busy Christmas period.

In July, strikes by cockpit and cabin crew disrupted 600 flights in Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain, affecting 100,000 travellers.

Then on September 28, cabin crew walked out again in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain and in some countries pilots' unions also took action.

The budget carrier has so far managed to clinch labour agreements with staff in several countries including Britain, Germany, Portugal and Italy.

Spain is Ryanair's third biggest market. The airline has 13 of its 89 bases in the country.
Move over, hoverboards.

A new pair of hovershoes unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show could soon replace your scooter, bike and skateboard - just don't try to take them for a spin in the rain.

Called the Motokick hover shoes, the $200 self-balancing skates slip underneath your shoes to propel users at speeds of up to 7mph and can even play music.

All users have to do to get moving is tilt backwards and forwards, then they're ready to cruise.

HOVERSHOES SPECS Can reach up to 7.5mph Travel up to 6 miles on a single charge Rechargeable lithium-ion battery Self-stabilizing 250 watt hub motor Rubber pads for traction LED flashing lights Advertisement

They look a bit whacky and can feel awkward when worn for the first time, but it only takes a few tries before wearers will be ready to zoom about at full speed.

Rubber covers the top of the shoes so that users' feet can grip onto the surface and not slide off.

Jetson, the company behind Motokicks, basically took the same technology used in its hoverboards, split the board in half and fit the tech into a pair of platform skates.

Inside the shoes are sensors, a rechargeable lithium ion battery, motors and a motherboard.

A number of sensors power what Jetson calls active balance technology so that it's 'balanced at all times.'

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Jetson unveiled its 'Motokicks' hovershoes. The electric, self-balancing skates cost $200 for a pair and is expected to launch in the spring

And so far so good. In a demo for DailyMail.com, a Jetson employee was able to scoot around the CES floor with ease.

'It's self-balancing and it feels very much like skates,' Michael Ruskin, vice president of operations at Jetson, told DailyMail.com.

'I feel more in control than on a hoverboard because once you get the hang of it, you realize...it's just very simple movements.

But don't expect to ride a pair of hovershoes to work anytime soon, as they aren't great for riding on carpets or in the rain because they need traction to be stable.

In a demo for DailyMail.com, a Jetson employee was able to scoot around the CES floor. The shoes can go up to 7mph and have a rechargeable battery that lasts 6 miles on a single charge

Don't expect to ride a pair of hovershoes to work anytime soon, as they aren't great for riding on carpets or in the rain because they need traction to be stable

One of the coolest hidden features of the hovershoes is that they turn into a roving boombox.

With the push of a button, music will start playing through the shoes with strobe lights flashing along with the beat.

So if you play some dubstep, the flashing lights will 'bump with the music,' Ruskin said.

What's more, the hovershoes will soon be able to magically transform into a hoverboard and a go-kart.

With the push of a button, music will start playing through the shoes with strobe lights flashing along with the beat. So if you play some dubstep, the flashing lights will 'bump with the music'

Motokicks aren't the first hovershoes to hit the market - Segway released its own self-balancing skates earlier this year. But Jetson's hovershoes still manage to stand out

At CES, Jetson also showed off its 'go-kart for adults,' an electric go-kart that uses a hoverboard as its base and can go up to 10mph.

The hovershoes themselves won't be available for purchase until later this year, according to Jetson.

Motokicks aren't the first hovershoes to hit the market - Segway released its own self-balancing skates, called the Drift W1s, earlier this year.

But Jetson's hovershoes still manage to stand out, with unique features like the flashing LED lights that sync up with music, as well as the fact that they transform into a hoverboard.

Jetson told MailOnline that the Motokicks can also transform into a hoverboard, with the addition of a device that connects the two shoes in the middle. The shoes cost $200 a pair

At CES, Jetson also showed off its 'go-kart for adults,' an electric go-kart that uses a hoverboard as its base and can go up to 10mph. It also showed off other hoverboards

And above all, they're really fun to ride, Jetson said.

'[The hovershoes] are a toy and they're fun. That's what these are,' Ruskin said.

'It's a new way for children and adults to experience mobility. Plus, it provides a real sense of freedom.'
Elon Musk has finally revealed more details of the mysterious silver Starship prototype being built by SpaceX in Florida.

Known as the 'hopper', it will take its first flight within weeks, Musk tweeted.

The craft, which many have compared to the rocket Tintin used in the in the 1954 adventure 'Explorers on the Moon', is a prototype of the Starship Musk hopes will take man to the moon and, eventually, Mars.

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Look familiar? Musk also tweeted a picture of what the sleek silver spacecraft will look like, explaining it was an early prototype and the final version will include more detail. The craft, which many have compared to the rocket Tintin used in the in the 1954 adventure 'Explorers on the Moon', is a prototype of the Starship Musk hopes will take man to the moon and, eventually, Mars.

'Aiming for 4 weeks, which probably means 8 weeks, due to unforeseen issues,' he wrote when asked about the launch.

He also tweeted a picture of what the sleek silver spacecraft will look like, explaining it was an early prototype and the final version will include more detail.

'Starship test vehicle under assembly will look similar to this illustration when finished.

'Operational Starships would obv have windows, etc.,' Musk tweeted.

The prototype under construction: The first crewed Red Planet mission for the rocket and 100-passenger Starship could come as early as the mid-2020s if development and testing go well, Musk has said

SpaceX is developing the Starship and a giant rocket called the Super Heavy to take people to and from the moon, Mars and other destinations throughout the solar system.

This work is taking place at both SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, and the company's test site in South Texas, near the border city of Brownsville, where the first flights will take place.

The latest images provide a clearer view of the two components previewed by Musk at the end of last month, showing engineers in cherry-pickers at work on the nose cone and another large piece of the system.

A large American flag can be seen plastered on the side of one of the huge metal cylinders.

The progress comes as SpaceX ramps up work on the test hopper ahead of planned flights later this year

Starship  previously known as BFR, Big Falcon Rocket, or the Big F***ing Rocket  is key to Musk's plans to send humans to Mars.

Photographers have been flocking to the area to take pictures of the ship and it is being built

Musk tweeted out the first photo at the end of December, captioning it simply, 'Stainless Steel Starship.'

In a series of tweets that followed, however, the CEO elaborated on the plans for the test vehicle.

The first crewed Red Planet mission for the rocket and 100-passenger Starship could come as early as the mid-2020s if development and testing go well, Musk has said

The progress comes as SpaceX ramps up work on the test hopper ahead of planned flights later this year Starship  previously known as BFR, Big Falcon Rocket, or the Big F***ing Rocket  is the crux of Musk's plans to send humans to Mars

The latest images provide a clearer view of the two components previewed by Musk at the end of last month, showing engineers in cherry-pickers at work on the nose cone and another large piece of the system

Elon Musk's Starship prototype is beginning to take shape. New pictures released this week show construction underway on the test vehicle of the SpaceX ship that could one day bring humans tourists to Mars

Responding to questions from Twitter users, Musk confirmed it would use stainless steel, like the Atlas rocket family.

But, he explained, it will have a 'different mixture of alloys & new architecture.'

'Unlike Atlas, Starship is buckling stable on launchpad even when unpressurized,' Musk said.

The finished starship: Starship  previously known as BFR, Big Falcon Rocket, or the Big F***ing Rocket  is the crux of Musk's plans to send humans to Mars.

'I will do a full technical presentation of Starship after the test vehicle we're building in Texas flies, so hopefully March/April,' he added.

Just last month, the SpaceX boss doubled down on his earlier claims that he would likely be among the interplanetary travelers who make the trip to Mars, despite there being a 'good chance' that he'll die there.

Elon Musk attends the groundbreaking ceremony of the Tesla Shanghai factory in Shanghai, China, earlier this week, while construction of the hopper goes on

Elon Musk has shared a glimpse into the progress on his Starship prototype. The SpaceX boss tweeted an image showing the first two parts of what will soon be the 'test hopper,' shown above

WHAT IS ELON MUSK'S 'BFR'? The BFR (Big F***ing Rocket), now known as Starship, will complete all missions and is smaller than the ones Musk announced in 2016. The SpaceX CEO said the rocket would take its first trip to the red planet in 2022, carrying only cargo, followed by a manned mission in 2024 and claimed other SpaceX's products would be 'cannibalised' to pay for it. The rocket would be partially reusable and capable of flight directly from Earth to Mars. Once built, Musk believes the rocket could be used for travel on Earth - saying that passengers would be able to get anywhere in under an hour. Advertisement

Pictured, Elon Musk speaks during an unveiling event for the Boring Co last year

Tickets on Elon Musk's spaceship to Mars will cost around $200,000 per person.

SpaceX shared new details about the 387ft rocket in September, saying it hopes to begin unmanned launch tests of the spacecraft in late 2019.

In the future, Starship will be able to carry out lunar missions as well as long-distance flights to Mars and beyond.

The firm hopes to stage an uncrewed flight to Mars in 2022, then a manned flight in 2024.

In between those missions, SpaceX has planned for a private mission with a passenger on board in 2023.

'We would like to put large cargo on the surface of the moon by 2022,' SpaceX chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell said recently.

'And we have our eyes on the prize to send people to Mars in 2024.'
Self driving cars will never be able to drive in the very worst conditions, the head of Waymo has claimed.

He also says that while driverless cars are 'truly here', it will be decades before they are widespread.

'Autonomy always will have some constraints,' John Krafcik, head of the self-driving car unit of Google parent company Alphabet, told CNET.

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Police in Arizona have recorded 21 incidents in the past two years concerning vigilante citizens who have cast rocks, pointed guns at and slashed the tires of Waymo's autonomous vans

'It's really, really hard,' Krafcik said.

'You don't know what you don't know until you're actually in there and trying to do things.'

While self driving cars may not become widespread soon, Krafcik said trucking is one area where self-driving vehicles could appear, due to a shortage of drivers.

'The trucking shortage is now,' Krafcik said.

'Moving goods on freeways to hub to hub is fairly straightforward.'

Waymo started working on autonomous vehicles in 2009, and recently launched a trial of the technology in Phoenix, which has already been marred by attacks on its vehicles.

Waymo's self-driving minivans have been the target of violence during tests in Phoenix, as some residents object to the rise of autonomous cars in their neighborhood.

Almost two dozen such incidents have been recorded so far, according to the New York Times.

People have pelted the cars with rocks, others scream at the cars and try to run them off the road, while one driver threatened a car with a PVC pipe and another pointed a gun at a Waymo van.

In another case, a driver drove head-on toward one of the cars until it was forced to stop, the Times reported.

When vehicles are approached by the attackers, the backup drivers are often forced to resume manual mode in the car.

The human monitors who sit as passengers in the vehicles often don't call police, however, as they're trained to handle harassment.

And Waymo has never pursued prosecution of any of the assailants.

'Safety is the core of everything we do, which means that keeping our drivers, our riders, and the public safe is our top priority,' Alexis Georgeson, the Waymo spokeswoman, told the Times.

'Over the past two years, we've found Arizonans to be welcoming and excited by the potential of this technology to make our roads safer.

The human monitors who sit as passengers in the vehicles often don't call police, however, as they're trained to handle harassment. Waymo hasn't pursued prosecution of the assailants

'...We report incidents we deem to pose a danger and we have provided photos and videos to local law enforcement when reporting these acts of vandalism or assault.

'We support our drivers and engage in cases where an act of vandalism has been perpetrated against us,' she added.

A report earlier this month from the Arizona Republic further detailed how Waymo vehicles have been attacked.

On August 1st, a test driver in a self-driving vehicle encountered a man aiming a handgun at him, Waymo waited several days to call the police.

While there were no injuries, the man stated that he wanted to scare the Waymo driver.

'(The suspect) stated that he was the person holding up the gun as the Waymo vehicle passed by and that his intentions were to scare the driver,' Detective Cameron Jacobs wrote in a police report after they arrested 69-year-old suspect Roy Leonard Haselton, according to the Arizona Republic.

HOW DOES WAYMO TEST ITS SELF-DRIVING CARS BEFORE PUTTING THEM ON PUBLIC ROADS? Waymo built 'Castle,' a hidden mock city that can quickly be configured to test different scenarios. It's located north of the Merced metro area where the Castle Air Force Base used to be an has been rented by Google since 2014. As part of the initial two-year lease, the firm rented 80 acres from Merced Country for $456,000, being paid in $19,000 monthly installments. It has different driving environments including residential streets, expressway-style streets, cul-de-sacs, and parking lots. The Waymo test site is located north of the Merced metro area, where the Castle Air Force Base used to be At Castle, the roads are named after famous cars, such as DeLorean, Bullitt, Thunderbird, Fury, and Barbaro. For the structured testing, Waymo looks at how self-driving cars perform on real roads to determine how they need to practice - then they build what's required at Castle. The fake city has no buildings except one - a converted military dorm Waymo employees sleep in when they're too tired to make it back to San Francisco. It's hidden, and you need GPS coordinates to find it. Castle is located north of the Merced metro area where the Castle Air Force Base used to be, 2.5 hours from the company's headquarters. There, Waymo is testing several types of self-driving cars, including Chysler Pacificas minivans Advertisement

'Haselton said that his wife usually keeps the gun locked up in fear that he might shoot somebody.

'Haselton stated that he despises and hates those cars (Waymo) and said how Uber had killed someone,' Jacobs continued in the report.

The attacks against the Waymo vans mark the latest example of growing fears among the public over the rise of autonomous vehicles.

'There's a growing sense that the giant corporations honing driverless technologies do not have our best interests at heart,' Douglas Rushkoff, a media theorist at the City University of New York, told the Times.

'Just think about the humans inside these vehicles, who are essentially training the artificial intelligence that will replace them.'
Many art admirers claim the eyes of Leonardo DaVinci's Mona Lisa follow them as they move around the portrait and it has since been dubbed the 'Mona Lisa Effect'.

This mysterious phenomenon has now been confirmed as a legitimate illusion but scientists claim the Mona Lisa does not exhibit it.

The discovery debunks the long-standing myth that Louvre visitors are followed around the room by the gaze of Mona Lisa.

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This mysterious phenomenon has now been confirmed as a legitimate illusion but scientists claim the Mona Lisa does not exhibit it (pictured)

The authors write in the study: 'Mona Lisa does not fulfil the premise of the Mona Lisa effect: She does not gaze at the viewer.'

As part of the study, the researchers found that Mona Lisa gazes to her left-hand side from about 35.5 cm inside pictorial space.

This translates to the equivalent of 15.4 to the viewers right-hand side in real space.

To test this the researchers stood participants 66 cm away from a screen with the Mona Lisa on and asked them to indicate where they thought the painting was looking at a ruler fixed between the two.

The ruler was placed at 15.5 cm and 35.5 cm away from the screen in two separate experiments.

People found that the gaze of the iconic figure is roughly 15.4 away from their current position.

Researchers add that for the so-called 'Mona Lisa Effect' to hold true this must be within 5 of a person's perceived location.

'People are very good at gauging whether or not they are being looked at by others. Perceptual psychology demonstrated this in the 1960s,' says Professor Dr Gernot Horstmann from Bielefeld University.

'People can feel like they're being looked at from both photographs and paintings  if the person portrayed looks straight ahead out of the image, that is, at a gaze angle of 0 degrees,' explains Dr Horstmann.

Viewers judged Mona Lisas gaze as directed to their right-hand side and not looking at them.

The researchers say this means the so-called 'Mona Lisa Effect' is actually a misnomer.

Da Vinci's most recognisable works include the Mona Lisa (pictured), the Last Supper and Vitruvian Man. Many art admirers claim the eyes of Leonardo DaVinci's Mona Lisa follow them as they move around the portrait and it has since been dubbed the 'Mona Lisa Effect'

The red line indicates Mona Lisas objective line of gaze (dashed). Viewers judged Mona Lisas gaze as directed to their right-hand side irrespectively of the image zoom, its horizontal position on screen, and the distance of the ruler that was used for measuring the gaze direction

They found that image zoom, its horizontal position on screen and the distance of the ruler that was used for measuring the gaze direction had no impact on how a viewer saw the Mona Lisa's gaze.

'With a slightly sideward glance, you may still feel as if you were being looked at,' Professor Horstmann continued.

'This was perceived as if the portrayed person were looking at your ear, and corresponds to about 5 degrees from a normal viewing distance.

'But as the angle increases, you would not have the impression of being looked at.'

'Curiously enough, we don't have to stand right in front of the image in order to have the impression of being looked at  even if the person portrayed in the image looks straight ahead,' says his colleague Dr Sebastian Loth.

Researchers used folding rulers for measurements (pictured) and participants indicated the number they thought her gaze was directed at. This mysterious phenomenon has now been confirmed as a legitimate illusion but scientists claim the Mona Lisa does not exhibit it

He added: 'This impression emerges if we stand to the left or right and at different distances from the image.

'The robust sensation of 'being looked at' is precisely the Mona Lisa effect.'

Researchers gathered more than 2000 assessments to find where people thought she was looking.

They found almost every single measurement indicated the Mona gaze is not straight at the onlooker but to the viewer's right-hand side.

'The participants in our study had the impression that Mona Lisa's gaze was aimed to their right-hand side. More specifically, the gaze angle was 15.4 degrees on average,' says Dr Horstmann.

'Thus, it is clear that the term 'Mona Lisa Effect' is nothing but a misnomer.

'It illustrates the strong desire to be looked at and to be someone else's centre of attention  to be relevant to someone, even if you don't know the person at all.'

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, more commonly Leonardo da Vinci or simply Leonardo, is one of the greatest individuals of the last millennium.

He painted the Mona Lisa in 1503 and it is regarded as one of the most valuable and high-profile works of art in the world.

The research was published in the journal i-Perception.
Bacteria on the International Space Station is adapting to survive the harsh environment rather than mutate into dangerous superbugs, a new study claims.

The findings are based on genomic analysis and show that the bacteria are adapting to survive the stressful conditions, rather than become antibiotic-resistant.

Bacteria found on board the International Space Station contained five strains with characteristics of drug resistance leading health officials to worry about viruses.

There has been widespread speculation that the lack of ventilation, gravity and radiation exposition, could cause living organisms to become harmful.

But the new genetic evidence shows the bacteria are adapting to survive, making it good news for any future manned missions to Mars.

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Bacteria on the International Space Station is adapting to survive the harsh environment rather than mutate into dangerous superbugs, a new study claims. Pictured here, the International Space Station photographed by Expedition 56 crew members from a Soyuz spacecraft after undocking

The ISS houses thousands of different microbes, which have travelled into space either on astronauts or in cargo.

Researchers, from Northwestern University in the US, analyzed bacteria and compared the strains on the ISS with those on Earth.

They found that while the bacteria on the ISS contained different genes than their counterparts on Earth, they simply responded, and perhaps evolved, to survive in a stressful environment.

There has been an increasing interest in understanding how microbes behave in enclosed environments as the idea of sending travellers to Mars becomes more of a reality.

Doctor Erica Hartmann, who led the study, acknowledged that microgravity and the lack of ventilation in space might affect living organisms, including bacteria.

'These are stressful, harsh conditions. Does the environment select for superbugs because they have an advantage? The answer appears to be 'no,'' she said.

'People will be in little capsules where they cannot open windows, go outside or circulate the air for long periods of time.

'We're genuinely concerned about how this could affect microbes.'

The National Centre for Biotechnology Information in the US maintains a publicly available database, containing the genomic analyses of many of bacteria isolated from the ISS.

Dr Hartmann's team used that data to compare the strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus on the ISS to those on Earth.

Found on human skin, S. aureus contains the tough-to-treat MRSA strain. B. cereus lives in soil and has fewer implications for human health.

Researchers analyzed bacteria and compared the strains on the ISS with their counterparts on Earth and found that the ISS bacteria are adapting to survive, making it good news for any future manned mission to Mars. (stock image of E. coli in a plastic petri dish)

Dr Hartmann said: 'Bacteria that live on skin are very happy there.

'Your skin is warm and has certain oils and organic chemicals that bacteria really like.

'When you shed those bacteria, they find themselves living in a very different environment.

'A building's surface is cold and barren, which is extremely stressful for certain bacteria.'

HOW SPACE CAN MUTATE BUGS One recent study in research in NPJ Microgravity found that one bacteria acquired well over a dozen mutations when exposed to space, and that these changes make it better at reproduction. Astronauts on board the ISS have already encountered thick biofilms of bacteria on their equipment that are growing faster than normal. Advertisement

To adapt to living on surfaces, the bacteria containing advantageous genes are selected for or they mutate.

For those living on the ISS, the researchers said these genes potentially helped the bacteria respond to stress, so they could eat, grow and function in a harsh environment.

Study first author Dr Ryan Blaustein, a postdoctoral fellow in Hartmann's lab, said: 'Based on genomic analysis, it looks like bacteria are adapting to live, not evolving to cause disease.

'We didn't see anything special about antibiotic resistance or virulence in the space station's bacteria.'

Although that is good news for astronauts and potential space tourists, the researchers were careful to point out that unhealthy people can still spread illness on space stations and space shuttles.

Dr Hartmann added: 'Everywhere you go, you bring your microbes with you.

'Astronauts are exceedingly healthy people. But as we talk about expanding space flight to tourists who do not necessarily meet astronaut criteria, we don't know what will happen.

'We can't say that if you put someone with an infection into a closed bubble in space that it won't transfer to other people. It's like when someone coughs on an airplane, and everyone gets sick.'

The findings were published in the journal mSystems.
Cars are getting smarter - and while many focus on seeing the road ahead, they are also set to begin analyzing drivers and passengers.

This week at CES, the international consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, a host of startup companies are showing off inward facing cameras that watch and analyze drivers, passengers and objects in cars.

Carmakers say they will boost safety - but privacy campaigners warn they could be used to make money by analyzing every movement - even being able to track a passenger's gaze to see what ads they are looking at, and monitor the emotions of people through their facial expressions.

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Occupants, inside a car, are seen on a monitor using technology by Silicon Valley company Eyeris, which uses cameras and AI to track drivers and passengers for safety benefits, shown during an interview in San Jose, California, U.S., December 28, 2018.

HOW CARMAKERS WILL MAKE MONEY BY WATCHING YOU Carmakers could gather anonymized data and sell it. A billboard advertiser might be eager to know how many commuters look at his sign, Ramsey said. Tracking the gaze of a passenger toward a store or restaurant could, fused with mapping and other software, result in a discount offered to that person. Companies say automakers will decide how the metadata is used, but consumers will be able to opt out. Some still see interior cameras as a bad idea, however. Vayyar uses radar that tracks head movements without cameras. Cars are still considered private zones, said CEO and cofounder Raviv Melamed, who pointed to how many people perform personal tasks in their cars. 'They think they're in their own living room, they behave like they're not outside! It's obvious no one wants a camera,' Melamed said. Tesla owners have speculated about the Model 3's currently inoperational interior camera, with some asking in forums whether 'Big Brother' was watching. 'Put a small piece of scotch tape on it ... and you can nose pick again ...' advised one post. Advertisement

Although the current systems don't listen in on conversation, it is feared this could also be added in future versions.

In-car sensor technology is deemed critical to the full deployment of self-driving cars, which analysts say is still likely years away in the United States.

Right now, self-driving cars are still mainly at the testing stage.

The more sophisticated in-car monitoring also could respond to concerns that technology that automates some - but not all - driving tasks could lead motorists to stop paying attention and not be ready to retake control should the situation demand it.

When self-driving cars gain broad acceptance, the monitoring cameras and the artificial-intelligence software behind them will likely be used to help create a more customized ride for the passengers.

Right now, however, such cameras are being used mainly to enhance safety, not unlike a helpful backseat driver.

Interior-facing cameras inside the car are still a novelty, currently found only in the 2018 Cadillac CT6.

Audi and Tesla Inc have developed systems but they are not currently activated.

Mazda, Subaru and electric vehicle start-up Byton are introducing cars for 2019 whose cameras measure driver inattention.

Startup Nauto's camera and AI-based tech is used by commercial fleets.

Data from the cameras is analyzed with image recognition software to determine whether a driver is looking at his cellphone or the dashboard, turned away, or getting sleepy, to cite a few examples.

Companies such as Israel's Guardian Optical Technologies and eyeSight Technologies, Silicon Valley's Eyeris Technologies Inc, Sweden's Smart Eye AB, Australia's Seeing Machines Ltd , and Vayyar Imaging, another Israeli company using radar instead of vision, are crowding the space.

Many have already signed undisclosed deals for production year 2020 and beyond.

It is not yet clear how consumers in the age of Facebook Inc and virtual assistants like Amazon.com's Alexa will react to the potentially disconcerting idea of being watched - then warned - inside a vehicle, especially as cars become living rooms with the advent of self-driving.

Automakers are paying attention for multiple reasons.

As Guardian Optical CEO Gil Dotan said, 'What automakers want is what either sells cars, or what regulators tell them to do.'

The future of the technology rests in deciphering what a vehicle occupant wants, then fusing that with other technologies in order to create a more personalized ride.

HOW YOUR CAR WATCHES YOU (AND CAN EVEN SENSE YOUR EMOTION) 'There's no doubt this is a hot area,' said Modar Alaoui, founder and CEO of Eyeris, in a recent interview. His company combines five 2D cameras with AI technology for 'in-vehicle scene understanding,' including car occupants' height, weight, gender and posture. Eyeris tracks passengers body, face and activity to work out what they are doing, and how they are feeling It detects and tracks occupants 10 body keypoints and estimates the corresponding value coordinates of shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, shoulder base and center of face along with body height, width, size, posture, orientation, contour and positioning. It also detects and tracks occupants faces, classifies 7 emotions from facial micro-expressions, predicts gender and estimates age and head pose. Shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, shoulder base and center of face along with body height, width, size, posture, orientation, contour and positioning are all tracked Additional behavioral analytics such as attention, distraction and drowsiness can be specifically tailored, through behavioral modeling, according to their respective application and use-case. Using all this data, the system can spot activities include, eating and drinking, driving, sleeping, using phone or laptop, and even track the emotion of drivers. Alaoui believes once automakers see the benefits of a camera tracking the driver, they will opt for more. Advertisement

'The more you know about the user, the more you're able to fulfill his or her needs,' said Eric Montague, senior director of strategy for Nuance Automotive. Nuance's connected car platform mixes eye-tracking technology, voice recognition and even emotion analysis, from a company called Affectiva.

Analysis from driver monitoring technology could help turn on the heat, lower the seat or play a certain kind of music when a particular occupant enters the car.

If a passenger looks toward the dashboard, a certain control could light up to help anticipate a need.

Automakers are more excited by the revenue possibilities when vehicle-generated data creates a more customized experience for riders, generating higher premiums, and lucrative tie-ins with third parties, such as retailers.

Modar Alaoui, the founder and CEO of Silicon Valley startup Eyeris, which will be showcasing its technology at the Las Vegas CES international technology conference, points to an interior camera used for driver monitoring and in-vehicle scene understanding

DOES YOUR CAR HAVE AN INTERIOR CAMERA? Interior-facing cameras inside the car are still a novelty, currently found only in the 2018 Cadillac CT6. Audi and Tesla have developed systems but they are not currently activated. Mazda, Subaru and electric vehicle start-up Byton are introducing cars for 2019 whose cameras measure driver inattention. Startup Nauto's camera and AI-based tech is used by commercial fleets. Advertisement

'The reason (the camera) is going to sweep across the cabin is not because of distraction ... but because of all the side benefits,' said Mike Ramsey, Gartner's automotive research director.

'I promise you that companies that are trying to monetize data from the connected car are investigating ways to use eye-tracking technology.'

Potential uses go way beyond mere tracking of a driver's gaze.

Regulators like the technology at its most basic.

Eye tracking can determine if a driver is not paying attention, or worse, is asleep.

That will become essential as cars become more autonomous, for 'Level 3' autonomy where the car handles most driving but returns control to the driver in trickier situations.

European car safety rating program Euro NCAP has proposed that cars with driver monitoring for 2020 should earn higher ratings.

In the wake of a 2016 fatal Tesla crash, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board recommended automakers develop means to better track driver engagement.
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China's pioneering trip to the far side of the moon has a social media account which is keeping people on Earth informed of the mission's 'nap' schedule.

The 'noon nap' is designed to protect the machinery from the relentless heat of the moon during the lunar day.

Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit 2, rover landed on the moon on January 4 and, after testing its components were working properly, announced it was taking a 'siesta'.

The 308lbs (139kg) rover, which has six independently controlled wheels, is expected to wake-up and resume work on January 10.

Temperatures can soar to nearly 200C (392F) and Yutu-2 is capable of protecting and cooling itself to maintain a core temperature of less than 55C (131F).

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The Yutu-2 - or Jade Rabbit 2 - rover drove off its lander's ramp and onto the moon's far side at 10:22pm GMT on Thursday, about 12 hours after the Chinese spacecraft carrying it came to rest. Its scientific instruments include a panoramic camera, ground-penetrating radar, and instruments to identify the chemical makeup of the lunar surface

Twitter is blocked by the Chinese government but microblogging site Weibo is popular in the country and the posts from Yutu-2 have been made there (pictured). A post from January 5 at 9:42pm GMT on the official account of the Yutu Lunar Rover read: 'Ya, it's getting hot here'

Yutu-2 has a host of instruments and will be powered by solar panels. Unlike the similar probe on-board the Chang'e-3 mission this rover has no robotic arm. It announced afterwards it will be taking a 'nap' to protect against the sun's immense heat on the moon

Twitter is blocked by the Chinese government but microblogging site Weibo is popular in the country and the posts from Yutu-2 have been made there.

A post from January 5 at 9:42pm GMT on the official account of the Yutu Lunar Rover read: 'Ya, it's getting hot here.

'Right now, the back of the moon has entered the day time, there is no atmosphere to block the heat and the temperature will reach 200C.

'In order to protect important parts and avoid extreme condition, I have to take a siesta for a while.'

Yutu-2 rover explained how it would survive the harsh conditions on the barren surface of the moon after announcing the need for its rest.

'My masters have given me thick insulating components. My golden jacket could reflect strong light,' it continued.

'There are variable heat conduction pipes, controllable two-phase electric fluidic circuits, etc. and they can control my temperature to under 55C.

'(I must feel proud that even the small Chinese flag on my chest can withstand high temperatures! There are no pictures, only an impression drawing. Here it is.)

A never-before-seen 'close range' image taken by the Chinese spacecraft Chang'e-4 of the surface of the far side of the moon. It appears to take on a reddish hue in some of the images released by China, an effect of the lights used by the probe

WHAT DO THE NAMES OF CHINA'S MOON MISSION MEAN? Chang'e-4 Chang'e is the moon goddess and wife of god Houyi in Ancient Chinese mythology. Houyi is one of the most powerful mythological figures in China. It is said that he shot down nine Suns to make Earth a liveable habitat for human beings. The number four in the name is a more modern-day nod to the space programme. This spacecraft is the fourth of the Chang'e missions. Yutu-2 Yutu (jade rabbit) is the companion of Chang'e in the mythological stories. This is fittingly also the name of the rover on-board Chang'e-4. Yutu-2 is so labelled because it is the successor to Yutu-1 which was deployed from the Chang'e-3 mission earlier this decade. Queqiao Queqiao is the relay satellite and translates to Magpie Bridge. This name also stems from Ancient Chinese mythology. Queqiao, or the Magpie Bridge, is a legendary bridge which appears once a year to connect Niu Lang and Zhi Nv. Niu Lang is a cattle herder on Earth while Zhi Nv, or the Weaving Maid, is a goddess in heaven. The couple met and fell in love when Zhi Nv snuck to the human world in secret to play. Their union enraged the chief goddess, Queen Mother of the West. The couple got banished to live at different sides of the Milky Way. Every year on the seventh day of the seventh month on the Lunar Calendar, thousands of magpies that are moved by the couples love story will form the Magpie Bridge, or Queqiao, so that Niu Lang and Zhi Nv can meet each other. This relay satellite will allow communication between the moon probe and Earth. Advertisement

The post also provided some insight about the Chang'e-4 lander which brought the rover to the surface.

The post referred to the much larger lander as its 'fourth sister' and said '[its] heat control abilities are stronger than mine. She will still carry out a series of surveying works during my siesta. You've been working hard.'

Yutu-2's Weibo post explained that during the machine will not actually turn off during the mid-day snooze. It will simply enter a standby mode.

In this form it will be charged up via solar panels, write a 'diary', send monitoring footage and provide readers with stories about the moon.

The post concluded: 'I didn't expect to take a break after working only for one day, but it's an important mission to protect oneself.

'Master, remember to wake me up early when the work starts again.'

Zhang Yuhua, deputy chief commander of the mission, told Chinese state media: 'After that, the rover will go to its planned area and start a series of scientific exploration projects in the Von Karman crater as planned by scientists.'

It is expected that after a few days activity later this week the lander will once again engage 'nap mode' to prepare for the lunar night.

This period of time lasts for 14 days and can see temperatures plummet to a frigid -180C (-292F).

The Yutu-2 - or Jade Rabbit 2 - rover drove off its lander's ramp and onto the exterior of the moon's far side at 10:22pm Beijing time (2:22 pm GMT) on Thursday, about 12 hours after the Chinese spacecraft carrying it came to rest.

China's space agency later posted a photos online, revealing lunar rover several yards away from the spacecraft.

The tracks it makes on the surface of the moon will be forever immortalised and will never be lost as there is no wind on the moon due to its lack of an atmosphere.

By 5pm Beijing time (9am GMT) the three 15-foot long antennaes on Chang'e-4 had also been fully unfurled to enable the low-frequency radio spectrometre to begin work.

Jade Rabbit 2 weighs 308lbs (139kg) and has six individually powered wheels so it can continue to operate even if one wheel fails.

It can climb a 20-degree hill or an obstacle up to eight inches (20cm) tall and its maximum speed is said to be 220 yards (200 metres) per hour.

The pioneering rover is five feet (1.5 metres) long and about 3 feet (one metre) wide and tall, with two foldable solar panels and six wheels.

Yutu-2 and its accompanying lander will carry out mineral, biological and radiation tests ahead of a future base that China hopes to build on the moon.

Results of these experiments could lead to new understandings of the challenges faced by settlers who may one day colonise our natural satellite.

'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.

Three fifteen-foot long antennaes on Chang'e-4 had also been fully unfurled to enable the low-frequency radio spectrometre to begin work. The rover which is currently meandering around the moon on six independently controlled wheels, has also established a robust connection with its relay satellite, Queqiao

'This giant leap is a decisive move for our exploration of space and the conquering of the universe.'

The rover is equipped with a variety of scientific instruments to help it analyse the surface of the moon, including a panoramic and infrared camera, ground-penetrating radar and a low-frequency radio spectrometer.

However, experts say that the craft will not be able to function indefinitely and may only be able to operate for as little as one day.

'Of course, it's never going to leave the Moon, so the question is really how long it can remain operational,' said Professor Ian Crawford from the department of Earth and planetary sciences at Birkbeck College London

'I suspect they will hope for at least one lunar day - 14 Earth days - after which, if it is still working, it will have to hibernate during the 14-day lunar night because it is solar powered, and hopefully wake up again afterwards.

'That is a tall order because the lunar night is so cold - about -180C (-292F).

Jade Rabbit 2 weighs 308lbs (139kg) and has six individually powered wheels so it can continue to operate even if one wheel fails. It rolled on to the lunar surface from the lander via two ramps and will explore the Von Karman crater in the southern region of the far side of the moon

The mission is formed of three basic parts - the rover, the lander and the relay satellite. They will work in unison to study, analyse and send information back to the scientists on Earth

'While operational, it will rove around studying the composition of rocks, and the sub-surface using its ground-penetrating radar.

'It will just be left on the Moon once it ceases to function, unless one day it is collected and brought back to a museum.'

The rover will use its panoramic camera to identify interesting locations and its Visible and Near-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (VNIS) will help analyse minerals in the crater.

This includes what scientists call 'ejecta' - rocks that have churned up from deep to the surface from impacts meteors.

Its Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) instrument will take a look down into the depths of the moon with a maximum vertical distance of approximately 300 feet (100 metres).

Experiments of seeds and plants that were taken to the moon from Earth on-board the Chang'e-4 probe will be done inside the lunar lander itself.

Unlike its predecessor, the Chang'e-3 mission, the latest addition to the moon's surface does not have a robotic arm.

The lander also has a low-frequency radio spectrometer (LFS) which will be part of a scientific experiment to study space without the constant radio interference from Earth.

Being on the far side of the moon shields the equipment from the noise and will allow Chang'e-4 to produce a low-radio wave emission map of the sky.

Dr Matthew Bothwell, an astronomer at the University of Cambridge, told MailOnline that this could be a crucial step in the future of space exploration and compared its importance to that of the first telescope.

'The far side of the moon is the only place in the reachable universe that we are able to do this kind of research.

'Putting an object as large as the moon between the Earth's constant beaming of radio waves and the antennaes is a fantastic way of filtering out noise from Earth.

'Very long wavelength radiowaves are impossible to study due to their universal beaming of radio waves 24/7 and the emissions from the universe is really faint in comparison.'

Technicians work at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center (BACC) in Beijingto on January 3 make the Chang'e-4 probe landing successful. It touched down on the far side of the moon and in the process became the first spacecraft soft-landing on the moon's uncharted 'dark side' which is never visible from Earth

Dr Bothwell added that there is no way of knowing what this could reveal and the opportunities for discovery are enormous.

'It will provide a new window to look at the universe and we will likely find unexpected things,' he added.

Dr Bothwell also said that depending on the success of the data gathered by Chang'e-4, it could lead to a ground-based telescope being installed on the far side of the moon.

The far side can't be seen from Earth and is popularly called the 'dark side' because it is relatively unknown, not because it lacks sunlight.

As the landing is happening on the dark side of the moon it required its own satellite to be able to send information back.

To facilitate communication between controllers on Earth and the Chang'e-4 mission, China launched a relay satellite named Queqiao on 20 May and is now stationed in operational orbit about 40,000 miles beyond the moon.

This will be the primary form of communication between Earth and the spacecraft.

The probe and explorer will use Queqiao to get their findings back to China.

Its descent was also aided by the relay satellite, the Queqiao, or Magpie Bridge.

This is positioned at a place in space called L2, a Langraine point.

A Lagrange point is a spot in space where the combined gravitational forces of two large bodies are equivalent to the centrifugal force of another body.

L2 is a million miles beyond Earth in the opposite direction to the sun and for an object to remain stationary there it depends on a fragile equilibrium between the gravitational pull of the moon, Earth and the Sun.

The far side of the moon - colloquially known as the dark side - actually gets as much light as the near side but always faces away from Earth.

This is because the moon is tidally locked to Earth, rotating at the same rate that it orbits our planet, so the far side - or the 'dark side' - is never visible from our planet.

This relatively unexplored region is mountainous and rugged, making a successful landing much harder to achieve.

There have been numerous landings on the moon as a result of the 20th century space race between the US and the USSR - including the famed Apollo 11 mission which saw Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans on the moon. After Luna 24 landed on August 18 the next lunar landing was the Chinese mission Chang'e-3 on December 14, 2013. Chang'e-4 is the first spacecraft to land on the far side of the moon

WHY IS THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON KNOWN AS THE 'DARK SIDE'? The far side of the moon - colloquially known as the dark side - actually gets as much light as the near side but always faces away from Earth. Less than a fifth of the opposite half of the moon is ever visible and it wasn't until 1959 until we received images of what it looked like when the Soviet Luna 3 spacecraft returned snapped the mysterious region. In 1968, astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 spacecraft were the first humans to set eyes on the far side in person as they orbited the moon. Since then, several missions by NASA and other space agencies have imaged the lunar far side. That includes NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft, which imaged the far side from a distance of 31 million miles (49m km) in 2008. This relatively unexplored region is mountainous and rugged, making a successful landing much harder to achieve. Professor of astrophysics at the University of Nottingham, Christopher Conselice, said the far side is much more rugged and has less volcanic activity than the side we see from Earth. Advertisement

Beijing is pouring billions into the military-run programme, with hopes of having a crewed space station by 2022, and of eventually sending humans to the moon.

The Chang'e-4 lunar probe mission - named after the moon goddess in Chinese mythology - launched in December 2018 from the southwestern Xichang launch centre.

It is the second Chinese probe to land on the moon, following the Yutu rover mission in 2013.

China announced that in honour of this success the rover on-board Chang'e-4 has been named Yutu 2.

Previous spacecraft have seen the far side of the moon, but none has landed on it.

China launched the Chang'e-4 probe on December 7 2018 by a Long March-3B rocket.

It includes a lander and a rover to explore the surface of the moon.

The Chang'e-4 first entered a lunar orbit on December 12, 2018.

Models of Chang'e-4 reveal how the probe on the far side of the moon will look (pictured). The large solar panels and protective gold foil will power and protect the probe from the extreme radiation in space

China's Chang'e-4 probe (model pictured) is a major achievement for Chinese space exploration. It will study the chemical composition of the soil and also look at how potato and Arabidopsis seeds will cope on the lunar surface

WHY DID CHINA CHOOSE TO LAND IN THE VON KARMAN CRATER? Chang'e-4 landed in the Von Karman crater in the South Pole-Aitken basin. This is an enormous crater which resides at the very most southern tip of the moon. China opted to study the far side of the moon and has in the process beat all other nations to the landmark moment. The basin is so far the largest known impact basin in the solar system. China's space agency hopes that by exploring the huge divot on the surface of the moon they may be able to shed some light on its history and geology by collecting rocks that have never been seen before. Researchers hope the huge depth of the crater will allow them to study the moon's mantle, the layer underneath the surface, of the moon. The crater is believed to be composed of various chemical compounds, including thorium, iron oxide, and titanium dioxide. It is also hoped that by judging this 8-mile deep scar on the surface of the moon the scientists could find clues to piece together the origin of the lunar mantle. There is also another logistical reason for the choice of landing site, the crater is mostly flat in the south of the basin. This increased the likelihood of a successful landing. Advertisement

The probe entered lunar orbit 'to prepare for the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon', the China National Space Administration said at the time.

The tasks of the Chang'e-4 include astronomical observation, surveying the moon's terrain, landform and mineral composition, and measuring the neutron radiation and neutral atoms to study the environment on the far side of the moon.

Researchers hope the seeds will grow to blossom on the Moon, with the process captured on camera and transmitted to Earth.

China aims to catch up with Russia and the United States to become a major space power by 2030.

It is planning to launch construction of its own manned space station next year and have its own lunar base by 2036.

Dr Bothwell said: 'The success of the landing and of this mission puts china in a very strong position among other nations.

'The co-operation between the space agencies is great for science and is a case of humanity working together to understand more about the mysteries and issues of the universe.

'Possibly the best thing that could happen is another space race similar to the competition between the US and Russia in the 60s and 70s.

'With ESA, Roscosmos and NASA all taking significant steps and the private space race between SpaceX and other firms hotting up, it could bring about a renaissance in space exploration.'
A surprise cameo from musician and producer Pharrell Williams saw the unveiling of Sony's latest audio and visual technology at CES on Monday night.

During a stunning presentation that included high-resolution displays, the firm kicked off the event by showing off its new Master Series TVs - including a breathtaking 8K LCD model.

Sony revealed its plan for super-large sized TVs with its Z9G 98-inch and 85-inch displays, as well as previewing its immersive 360 Reality Audio system.

Sony closed out its press conference with a surprise appearance from Williams, who discussed his experiences so far with the firms immersive technology.

And, he revealed hes even got his own Aibo robo-dog.

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Sony unveiled its latest audio and visual technology at CES on Monday night in a stunning presentation that included high-resolution displays. The firm kicked off the event by showing off its new Master Series TVs, including a breathtaking 8K LCD model (pictured)

Sony closed out its press conference with a surprise appearance from Pharrell Williams, who discussed his experiences so far with the firms immersive technology. He also revealed hes even got his own Aibo robo-dog

Sonys Master Series Z9G 8K LCD TV will offer the highest resolution yet in a consumer television from the company.

It contains four times as many pixels as a 4K TV and 16 times that of HD, the firm says.

Sony also unveiled the A9G 4K OLED TV in 77-inch, 65-inch and 55-inch, along with classes 76.7", 64.5", and 54.6". The A9G is designed to be ultra-slim.

Continually innovating to exceed our customers' expectations is a core element of Sony's premium strategy, said Mike Fasulo, president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics North America.

Sony's new-and-improved Aibo robot dog (pictured) went on sale in the US in September. A special 'First Litter Edition' attracted the hefty price tag of $2,899 (file photo)

Our new MASTER Series TVs combine larger screen sizes, 4K and 8K resolution, and unique Sony image-enhancing technologies to create an extraordinary and highly immersive viewing experience.

Sonys President of Picture Animation also took to the stage at the CES event to discuss the firms unique approach to animation.

We intentionally do not have a specific house style Kristine Belson said, pointing to the groundbreaking animation seen in Into the Spiderverse as an example.

In a shift from previous years, the company turned much of its focus to animation, revealing fresh insight on the painstaking efforts behind its wildly popular new movie, Into the Spiderverse.

According to Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the animation in Spiderverse required far more work than typical films.

While it usually takes animators about a week to produce a four-second animation, Spiderverse required a week for just one second.

Sony showed off its plan for super-large sized TVs, with its Z9G 98-inch and 85-inch displays, and previewed its immersive 360 Reality Audio. Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman speaks during the event
Facebook's AI is already able to recognize faces in million of pictures uploaded to the service - and its about to get a lot smarter.

Intel has revealed it is working with Facebook on a new artificial intelligence chip to be released in the second half of this year.

It will dramatically boost Facebook's ability to tagging friends in photos automatically, the firm hopes.

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The new chip will help with parts of AI that allow Facebook to tag friends in photos automatically, for instance

The chips, revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, are Intel's gambit to retain hold of a fast-growing segment of the artificial intelligence computing market.

It puts the pair into direct competition with similar chips from Nvidia Corp and Amazon.com Inc's Amazon Web Services unit.

The new chip will help with what researchers call inference, which is the process of taking an artificial intelligence algorithm and putting it to use, for example by tagging friends in photos automatically.

'We are thrilled to have Facebook in close collaboration sharing their technical insights as we bring this new generation of AI hardware to market,' Intel CEO Brian Krzanich wrote

Intel's processors currently dominate the market for machine learning inference, which analysts at Morningstar believe will be worth $11.8 billion (9.24 billion pounds) by 2021.

In September, Nvidia launched its own inference chip to compete with Intel.

In November, Amazon also said it had created an inference chip.

Amazon's chip is not a direct threat to Intel and Nvidia's business because it will not be selling the chips.

Amazon will sell services to its cloud customers that run atop the chips starting next year.

If Amazon relies on its own chips, it could deprive both Nvidia and Intel of a major customer.

Also at the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday, Intel said that Dell Technologies Inc will feature Intel's next generation of processors in its XPS line of laptops. The so-called 10-nanometer chips have been plagued by delays.

But Navin Shenoy, Intel's data centre chief, reiterated that the new chips will be available in laptops by the 2019 holiday shopping season and in data centres by early next year.

Also at the conference, Amnon Shashua, the head of Intel's Mobileye self-driving car computer unit, said Mobileye has mapped out all of the roadways in Japan, using cameras that were already embedded in vehicles produced by Nissan Motor Co Ltd that come with Mobileye systems from the factory.

Intel's tech rivals such as Alphabet Inc and Apple Inc are gathering mapping data through special vehicles with cameras mounted on top of them.
Samsung has unveiled its latest jaw-dropping Micro LED displays, which can be arranged in just about any configuration to fit a given room, no matter its shape or size.

The firm held a first-look event at CES on Monday to show off the technology, which it used to build staggering displays, including a new 75-inch design and a 219-inch version of The Wall.

Samsung first introduced Micro LED last year, and has since improved the technology to allow for displays small enough to fit in the home.

Samsung has unveiled its latest jaw-dropping Micro LED displays, which can be arranged in just about any configuration to fit a given room, no matter its shape or size

HOW DOES IT WORK? Samsung's modular displays work on the same principle as stadium scoreboards, where the pixels are made up of LEDs. It is a self-emitting TV with micrometer (m) scale LEDs  which are much smaller than current LEDs, and serve as their own source of light. The MicroLED technology featured in The Wall eliminates the need for color filters or backlight, yet allows the screen to offer consumers the ultimate viewing experience. Advertisement

Samsungs Micro LED displays rely on millions of tiny self-emissive modules, which give off red, green, and blue light to combine for stunningly sharp colors.

The firm took The Wall up a notch this year, boosting it from the 146-inch display debuted last year to a whopping 219 inches.

For decades, Samsung has lead the way in next-generation display innovation, said Jonghee Han, President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.

Our Micro LED technology is at the forefront of the next screen revolution with intelligent, customisable displays that excel in every performance category.

Samsung Micro LED has no boundaries, only endless possibilities.

Since the entire system is modular, users can customize their own display to fit the space perfectly.

This includes even irregular screen sizes, such as 93, 17 or 51, the firm says.

And, the picture quality remains just as crisp no matter the configuration.

Samsung first introduced Micro LED last year, and has since improved the technology to allow for displays small enough to fit in the home

Samsungs Micro LED displays rely on millions of tiny self-emissive modules, which give off red, green, and blue light to combine for stunningly sharp colors

Samsung says the Micro LED displays can be scaled up for a bigger resolution, and can support all types of content without sacrificing image quality.

Displays from the standard 16:9 content, to 21:9 widescreen films, to unconventional aspect ratios like 32:9, or even 1:1 will all work just as well with the modular system, according to Samsung.

And, theyre bezel free, meaning the entire display is borderless.Samsung has also added new features to Ambient Mode, which lets the TV blend in with its environment when not in use.
Samsung is making a big move into robotics.

At the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday, the Korean tech giant revealed a new lineup of helpful droids that can keep track of your health and get rid of harmful air in your home, among other things.

Samsung also talked up a new shape-shifting TV, advancements in its Bixby AI assistant and smart home appliances that are expected to roll out soon.

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At the CES on Monday, the Korean tech giant revealed a new lineup of helpful droids that can keep track of your health and get rid of harmful air in your home, among other things

The Samsung Bot Care gets around on a set of wheels and has expressive eyes that blink and respond when it sees you.

Samsung hopes the shiny white robot can help the elderly stay healthy by disbursing medication, checking vitals like blood pressure and heart rate, as well as keeping track of sleep quality.

The Samsung Bot Care also offers exercise suggestions and helps users manage their stress.

It can even let far-away family members keep an eye on their loved ones thanks to remote sensing technology and care updates.

In a demo on stage, the robot was able to measure a Samsung employee's blood pressure in a matter of minutes.

Users press their finger on the robot's touchscreen and it will immediately begin checking your vitals.

The robot measures a Samsung employee's blood pressure in a matter of minutes. Users press their finger on the robot's touchscreen and it will immediately begin checking your vitals

The Samsung Bot Care also offers exercise suggestions and helps users manage their stress. It can even let far-away family members can keep an eye on their elderly relatives

Alongside the Bot Care, Samsung also took the wraps off the Bot Air, which can purify the air in your home.

It's an in-home air quality monitor that can remove harmful toxins from the air using a variety of sensors, as well as warn you of pollutants that might be in your home.

The final device, called the Samsung Bot Retail, is a robotic assistant that can help store employees handle consumer questions, as well as manage some ordering and and payments.

It's unclear when any of these robots will hit the shelves, however, suggesting they may just be concepts for now.

Samsung also revealed that its AI Bixby assistant is about to pop up in more places than just your phone.

Bixby is taking on a bigger role in cars and smart home devices than it did before.

Samsung also revealed that its AI Bixby assistant is about to pop up in more places than just your phone. Bixby is taking on a bigger role in cars and smart home devices than it did before

Alongside the Bot Care, Samsung also took the wraps off the Bot Air, which can purify the air in your home. It's an in-home air quality monitor that can remove harmful toxins from the air

In the future, Samsung hopes Bixby can be used to help users keep track of their daily health routines or check how much gas in their car's tank.

'With the integration of Bixbys connected car experience, drivers can remotely check how much gas they have before going on a long road trip or set the car temperature before heading out for the day,' Samsung said in a statement.

Samsung is also making cars smarter with new 'Digital Cockpit' technology, which uses onboard cameras to recognize specific drivers and change the car's internal settings accordingly.

This means it can automatically change things like display preferences, seat height, lighting and playing their favorite music, the firm said.
Toyota has revealed a look at the autonomous backup system that could soon assist drivers to prevent car accidents.

The firm kicked off its CES presentation on Monday with a visual re-enactment of a recent three-car accident in California that it claims could have been avoided with its Toyota Guardian technology.

According to Toyota, Guardian is designed to amplify human control of the vehicle, not replace it.

This means it can identify potential incidents and alert the driver  or make its own corrective response when necessary.

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Toyota has revealed a look at the autonomous backup system that could soon assist drivers to prevent car accidents. It also demonstrated future self-driving capabilities in its Lexus TRI-P4 research vehicle

We all have a moral obligation to apply automated vehicle technology to save as many lives as possible, as soon as possible, said Dr. Gill Pratt, TRI CEO and Toyota Motor Corporation Fellow during the press conference in Las Vegas.

Thats why TRIs primary focus over this past year has been to concentrate most of our effort on Toyota Guardian.

The driver is in control of the vehicle at all times, except when it detects an impending incident.

The system, according to Pratt, combines and coordinates the skills and strengths of the human with the machine.

In the future, Toyota is also planning to roll out a fully autonomous system dubbed Chauffer, which will take over for the driver entirely

Toyota will include Guardian as standard equipment on all Toyota e-Palette platforms for the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) market.

The system works much like the collaboration of a pilot and fighter jet, the firm explained.

In the future, however, Toyota is also planning to roll out a fully autonomous system dubbed Chauffer, which will take over for the driver entirely.

Toyota showed off how the self-driving capabilities could work with its Lexus TRI-P4 research vehicle.

According to Toyota, Guardian is designed to amplify human control of the vehicle, not replace it

The system, according to Pratt, combines and coordinates the skills and strengths of the human with the machine

But, this technology is still a ways off.

Technically, how do we train a machine about the social ballet required to navigate through an ever-changing environment, as well as, or better than, a human driver? Pratt said.

Sociologically, public acceptance of the inevitable crashes, injuries, and deaths that will occur due to fully autonomous Chauffeur systems may take considerable time.
A giant ichthyosaur fossil found in Somerset belongs to one of the largest animals ever to have lived at around 26 metres (85 ft) long, experts say.

These aquatic reptiles remained at the top of the food chain for millions of years during the Jurassic period.

The 205 million-year-old bones are 25 per cent larger than the previous record for the prehistoric reptile and indicates the species approached the size of a blue whale.

They also solve a 150-year-old mystery relating to supposed 'dinosaur bones' uncovered in Gloucestershire in the 19th century.

These, it would appear, were also jaw fragments of the giant, previously unknown species of ichthyosaur, which could have been as long as 30 metres (98 feet).



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A giant ichthyosaur fossil found in Somerset belongs to 'one of the largest animals ever' to have lived, at around 26 metres (85 ft) long, experts say. Artist's impression pictured

Fossil collector and co-author of the study, Paul de la Salle, found the giant jaw bone (pictured) on the beach at Lilstock, Somerset in May 2016

The finding was made an international group of palaeontologists, including researchers from the University of Manchester.

Fossil collector and co-author of the study, Paul de la Salle, found the jaw bone on the beach at Lilstock, Somerset in May 2016.

He later returned to the site and found even more pieces that together measured about one metre (three feet) in length.

'Initially, the bone just looked like a piece of rock but, after recognising a groove and bone structure, I thought it might be part of a jaw from an ichthyosaur,' he said.

'I immediately contacted ichthyosaur experts, who expressed interest in studying the specimen.'

This study, led by Dean Lomax at Manchester University and Professor Judy Massare, of SUNY College at Brockport, New York, identified the specimen as an incomplete bone, called a surangular, from the lower jaw of a giant ichthyosaur.

The bone would have made up only a portion of the entire skull.

The researchers compared it with several ichthyosaurs and visited the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta, Canada.

Ichthyosaurs were a highly successful group of sea-going reptiles that became extinct around 90 million years ago. This image shows artist's impressions of the newly discovered Shonisaurus as it would have looked in life and a skeletal reconstruction

There they examined the largest ichthyosaur known, the shastasaurid Shonisaurus sikanniensis, which is 21 metres (70 ft) long.

They found similarities between the new specimen and S. sikanniensis, which suggest the Lilstock bones belonged to a giant shastasaurid-like ichthyosaur.

'As the specimen is represented only by a large piece of jaw, it is difficult to provide a size estimate,' added Mr Lomax, honorary visiting scientist at Manchester.

'But by using a simple scaling factor and comparing the same bone in S. sikanniensis, the Lilstock specimen is about 25 per cent larger.

'Other comparisons suggest the Lilstock ichthyosaur was at least 20 to 25 metres. Of course, such estimates are not entirely realistic because of differences between species.

'Nonetheless, simple scaling is commonly used to estimate size, especially when comparative material is scarce.'

In 1850, a similarly large bone found at Aust Cliff, Gloucestershire, was dated to the Late Triassic, around 208 million-years-ago.

The new discovery about the 205 million-year-old jaw bone of the prehistoric reptile indicates the species approached the size of a blue whale, pictured in a stock image swimming under the surface of the water in Monterey Bay, California

What we know about ichthyosaurs - the marine predators that ruled the waters in the era of the dinosaurs Ichthyosaurs were a highly successful group of sea-going reptiles that became extinct around 90 million years ago. They appeared during the Triassic, reached their peak during the Jurassic, and disappeared during the Cretaceous period. Often misidentified as swimming dinosaurs, these reptiles appeared before the first dinosaurs had emerged. They evolved from an as-yet unidentified land reptile that moved back into the water. The huge animals, which remained at the top of the food chain for millions of years, developed a streamlined, fish-like form built for speed. Scientists calculate that one species had a cruising speed of 22 mph (36 kmh). The largest species of ichthyosaur is thought to have grown to over 20 metres (65 ft) in length. The largest complete ichthyosaurus fossil ever discovered, at 3.5 metres (11ft), was found to have a foetus still inside its womb. Scientists said in August 2017 that the incomplete embryo was less than seven centimetres (2.7 inches) long and consisted of preserved vertebrae, a forefin, ribs and a few other bones. There was evidence the foetus was still developing in the womb when it died. The find added to evidence that ichthyosaurs gave birth to live young, unlike egg-laying dinosaurs. Advertisement

Four other similarly incomplete bones were also found and described. Two of them are now missing and presumed destroyed.

They have been identified as the limb bones of several dinosaurs, including stegosaurs and sauropods, as well as indeterminate dinosaurs and other reptiles.

However, the discovery of the Lilstock specimen, suggests the previous identifications were incorrect.

It also goes against a recent assertion that the Aust bones represent an early evolutionary experiment of dinosaur-like gigantism in other reptiles.

They are, in fact, jaw fragments of the giant, previously unrecognised ichthyosaurs.

'The suggestion is that they belong to something even bigger, they could have got to around 30-odd metres long', Dr Lomax told MailOnline.

Mr Lomax added: 'One of the Aust bones might also be an ichthyosaur surangular. If it is, by comparison with the Lilstock specimen, it might represent a much larger animal.

'I suspect given that we have fragments of giant fragments, possibly they got bigger than this, but it's really difficult to speculate', he said.

'To verify these findings, we need a complete giant Triassic ichthyosaur from the UK - a lot easier said than done!'

The full findings of the study were published in the journal PLOS One.
Arron Banks has been dubbed 'the man who bought Brexit' for how he bankrolled the EU Leave campaign.

The insurance broker, raised in Basingstoke, has donated millions of pounds to Ukip - and in 2016 backed the Leave.EU group with 8million.

He was pictured alongside Donald Trump when the US President met Nigel Farage in New York just days after his shock election victory.

But last November, it was announced that Britain's FBI had started investigating him over suspected crimes linked to the EU referendum.

It has been alleged he may have hidden the 'true source' of the loans linked to Leave.EU. But he has blamed 'intense political pressure from anti-Brexit supporters' for the police probe.

He is married to Russian Ekaterina Paderina and has five children.
As childhoods go, the formative years of the late Norwegian painter Edvard Munch sound utterly dismal.

His mother died of tuberculosis when he was just five. His favourite sister, Johanne Sophie, died (also of TB) aged 15. And his younger sister, Laura, spent most of her life in a mental institution.

Munch himself was constantly ill and spent many winters off school convinced (wrongly, as it turned out) that his entire family was blighted by a genetic hereditary madness.

'As childhoods go, the formative years of the late Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (pictured) sound utterly dismal'

Fear, madness and angst: Edvard Munchs famous The Scream

Meanwhile, his father, a religiously zealous army doctor, whose ostentatious piety kept the family in genteel poverty, scared Edvard and his siblings witless with vivid ghost stories, and reminded them all that their dead mother was looking down from heaven and grieving over their bad behaviour.

My father was temperamentally nervous and obsessively religious  to the point of psychoneurosis, Munch once wrote. From him I inherited the seeds of madness. The angels of fear, sorrow and death stood by my side since the day I was born. It doesnt take a psychiatrist to see why Munchs work, brilliant though it is, is rather heavier on despair and angst than sunshine and flowers.

But everyone has their own way of coping. Fuelled by his angels of fear, Munchs response to the dark hand hed been dealt was to write his life, and obsessively and cathartically paint everything  both physical and psychological  he had experienced.

So each illness, death, angst, trauma, medicine bottle, stethoscope and corpse he witnessed over nearly 80 years was recreated on canvas. And every seduction, jealousy and love affair (there were many) was logged  right down to each swirl of ghastly green wallpaper in the background, or crumpled bed sheet. Which meant that, when he died in 1944, he bequeathed to the City of Oslo an enormous  if not terribly uplifting  body of work, much of which has still not been seen by the public, let alone left Munchs native Oslo.

There is currently only one painting by Munch in London. So how wonderful that yesterday, the British Museum announced a landmark Edvard Munch exhibition, featuring more than 80 of the artists finest pieces of work.

Edvard Munch and his girlfriend Tulla Larsen who he had a stormy relationship with

Along with prints ranging from the fearful to the shockingly erotic (his topless Madonna is framed by swimming sperm and a foetus), the show  the museums first ever dedicated to Munch  features a rare black-and-white lithograph version of The Scream.

His most famous creation, now one of the most recognisable and valuable paintings in the world, arose from one of the lowest of many low moments in Munchs life.

The artist was a penniless young man on the cusp of a total mental breakdown when, walking with friends in Oslo one evening, he witnessed the event that inspired his 1893 masterpiece.

They were near Ekeberg Hill  close to both the asylum where his sister was incarcerated and a slaughter house, where the screams of dying animals mingled with cries of the mentally disturbed patients  when, suddenly, it was all too much for Munch, who was already, as he put it, feeling stretched to the limit with nature screaming in my blood and giving up hope ever of being able to live again.

That was the moment.

The sky turned red as blood. I stopped and leaned against the fence, feeling unspeakably tired, he wrote.

Tongues of fire and blood stretched over the bluish black ford. My friends went on walking, while I lagged behind, shivering with fear. Then I heard the enormous, infinite scream of nature.

And, presumably, duly rushed home to record it in his diary before the moment disappeared into the ether.

More than 125 years later, Munchs portrait (or, more likely, self-portrait) of a contorted, hollow-mouthed, skull-like figure of angst and despair remains iconic.

He created five versions of the image  two paintings, two pastels and a lithograph  over a 27-year period.

One of the paintings, an 1895 pastel-on-board version of the work, owned by Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen, sold at Sothebys in London for a record price of nearly $120 million in May 2012.

Two have been stolen. In February 1994, two men broke into the National Gallery, Oslo, and stole its version of The Scream, leaving a note reading: Thanks for the poor security.

Edvard Munch (standing to the right of his mother)aged 5 with his brothers and sisters

The exhibition, Edvard Munch: Love and Angst, is at the British Museum from April 11 July 21, 2019. Prya, a member of Museum Staff, holds Self-Portrait, 1895 in front of the other works Edvard Munch

After the gallery refused to pay a $1 million ransom, it was recovered undamaged three months later.

Ten years later, the 1910 version of The Scream was stolen, but later retrieved, albeit badly damaged.

It is the lithograph print version that will be on display in London from April. It is thought Munch made only a small number of prints before the stone (which holds the pattern) was lost or ground down.

Since then, endless versions of the screaming skull-like figure have been used on greetings cards, mugs, T-shirts and calendars, in an advertising campaign for M&Ms, and on a series of postage stamps. There is even a Scream emoji.

All of which is brilliant news, of course, for the Munch organisation, even if, like so many of his great works, it was inspired by despair.

Edvard Munch was born in a village near Kristiania (todays Oslo) in 1863 to Christian Munch, a lowly-paid doctor and Laura, half his age when they married. After Laura died, Christian did his best, instructed his five children in history and literature and shipped in his sister, Karen, to help. But he was poorly paid and the stricken family were constantly on the move from one cheap flat to another as, even then, the young Munch was obsessively sketching  recording every interior and landscape in his early drawings and watercolours.

Aged 16, he went to a technical college to study engineering, but despite excelling at sciences, he jacked it in to become a painter, enrolling at the Royal School of Art and Design in Kristiania to attempt to use art to explain life and its meaning to myself.

In 1883, he made his debut at the local Industry and Art Exhibition, went on to exhibit in Antwerp and study in Paris in his early 20s, and then established himself on the international scene, in more ways than just art.

Because, under the tutelage of philosopher, political activist and leader of the Norwegian Boheme Hans Jger, he embraced the bohemian lifestyle with a lusty passion.

He drank, he loved, he wooed many, many lovers and he painted like a mad thing  always adventurous, frequently pioneering, deeply influenced by contemporary ideas, thinkers and artists including Max Klinger, Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud and Henrik Ibsen.

In art he was invariably at the forefront, and happily ignored accepted fashions. He wasnt afraid to work and rework an image, updating it over time like a series. (As well as five versions of The Scream, there are six versions of The Sick Child, seven versions of The Girl On The Bridge and the subject of the 1893 painting, Vampire, features in 11 more paintings).

Overflowing as they were with emotion, despair, angst, foreboding and death, works such as The Scream couldnt have chimed less with the French Impressionism movement of the time, in which emotions were quashed and darkness was airbrushed out. Perhaps unsurprisingly, for years Munchs paintings were deeply unpopular.

It was the lithographs, with their own separate market for more discerning collectors, that eventually put him on the map and fired the demand for the paintings.

Though Munch embarked on countless relationships, he was loath to commit himself to one woman. He loved sex, adored brothels and once spent an entire Christmas in one, but was hopeless at relationships  believing himself unfit to father children.

Some believe a lingering hostility towards his mother for dying when he was a child was projected onto other women. Above all, he craved the solitude to paint.

Then, in 1898, he met an attractive, wealthy woman called Tulla Larsen, who became obsessed with him. He fled her advances, but she followed. When he refused to marry her, she threatened suicide.

On and off their relationship went for four years, until things came to a head in a bizarre shooting incident in which a revolver was discharged and he lost most of a finger on his left hand.

In the end, Tulla married one of his younger colleagues, while Munch nursed a grudge for years. He did, though, produce his famous series of paintings about love and death, entitled The Frieze Of Life, which debuted in Berlin in 1902.

Eventually, though, the consumption of far too much absinthe and wine, and the existence of far too little structure in his life, was too much for Munchs fragile health and, in 1909, he suffered a major breakdown. After a course of electrotherapy and a recommendation not to drink in public any more, he embraced a much quieter, more solitary and, judging from some of his paintings of the time, less troubled life.

Unlike some artists, Munch was famous in his lifetime, though The Scream was not as renowned then as it has become today. He was well off, if not wealthy, having sold many works because he was so prolific. He owned two substantial properties when he died, but wasnt especially interested in money and was careless with it.

He lived alone for decades alongside his beloved dogs and horses, but he remained connected to the modern world. He embraced photography and cinema with zeal, and his work went on to influence many artists during his lifetime and after his death.

Edvard Munch stood in the whorkshop of his Winter Studio at Ekely in Norway in 1938

The last 27 years of his life were largely spent on his farm near Oslo still obsessively painting  often self-portraits  even when his sight threatened to fail him completely after he suffered a haemorrhage in one good eye.

He was never quite able to reproduce the brilliance of the first troubled third of his career, but diligently he recorded every wrinkle and sunken cheek he saw in the mirror. And there he is preserved in painting after painting, sick with Spanish flu, drunk with empty bottles, ill and old and alone in a darkened house.

He never married, and always insisted his paintings were his real children  his conceptions, he called them. He hated to sell them, frequently painted copies or edited versions to keep when he did part with a piece, and disliked being separated from them.

When he died, aged 80, authorities discovered 1,008 paintings, 4,443 drawings and 15,391 woodcuts, etchings and lithographs, hidden away behind locked doors on the second floor of his house.

Munchs life, stained as it was with illness, death and insanity, didnt sound much fun, but it seemed to suit him. My whole life has been spent walking by the side of a bottomless chasm, he once wrote. But without illness and anxiety, I would have been a ship without a rudder.
President Donald Trump stopped short on Tuesday of declaring that a national emergency exists on America's southern border, but reiterated his demand that congressional Democrats fund a border wall that he has promised for nearly four years.

But he played the shame card with a vengeance, blaming them for playing politics with innocent American lives and allowing 'a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul' to fester.

'How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?' Trump asked in a 9-minute speech from the Oval Office.

Citing a string of murders committed by illegal immigrants who have been previously deported form the United States, he demanded of lawmakers: 'For those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask: Imagine if it was your child, your husband or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken.'

'To every member of Congress: Pass a bill that ends this crisis.'

President Donald Trump spoke for nine minnutes from the Oval Office of the White House on Tuesday, shaming congressional Democrats as he blamed them for bloodshed caused by illegal immigrants

Trump is demanding $5.7 billion in new congressional spending for his long-promised border wall

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (right) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered the Democrats' response after Trump spoke, framing the conflict as Trump's personal, uninformed crusade as they insisted they won't bend and agree to his terms

The President tweeted after his address to acknowledge 'soooo many nice comments' about his speech amid the ongoing battle with congressional Democrats

After the address he tweeted: 'Thank you for soooo many nice comments regarding my Oval Office speech. A very interesting experience!'

Trump said Tuesday that child trafficking and sexual violence against women who try to migrate into the U.S. illegally is a 'cycle of human suffering' that he's determined to end.

He implored Americans to call their members of Congress 'and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border. This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice.'

The White House has requested $5.7 billion in new funding to continue the wall's construction. The president passed up the option to declare an emergency on Tuesday and spend existing Defense Department dollars to build it without Congress.

An art exhibit occupies part of the U.S.-Mexico border fence on the Tijuana, Mexico side; Trump wants to erect more sections like it in hundreds of miles of border territory where no barriers exist

A U.S. Marine stood outside the doors to the West Wing of the White House on Tuesday night ahead of Trump's address, signifying that the president was working and not in the presidential residence quarters

Instead he returned to his previous lines of argument, claiming a border security crisis has resulted in a flood of narcotics and human trafficking, and endangering Americans' lives.

Trump plans to host congressional leaders from both parties at the White House for negotiations on Wednesday, followed by a Capitol Hill visit to brief Republicans

He will visit the southern border on Thursday to highlight his demand for a wall.

The New York Times reported that Trump told a lunchtime meeting of news executives and anchors on Tuesday that he was inclined to skip the border trip  and the Tuesday night speech  but his advisers persuaded him to follow through.

'Its not going to change a damn thing, but Im still doing it,' Trump told them, pointing to senior communications aides Bill Shine, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway and observing that 'these people behind you say its worth it.'

The conflict between Trump and congressional Democrats led to a partial shutdown of the federal government a few days before Christmas. Without an agreement on how to fund about one-quarter of the government, the affected agencies can't reopen.

About 780,000 federal workers are either on unpaid furlough or being forced to work without pay. All will receive back pay when the shutdown ends, but they are likely to miss regularly scheduled paychecks on Friday.

Responding on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer framed the conflict as Trump's personal, uninformed crusade as they insisted they won't bend and agree to his terms.

'Sadly, much of what we have heard from President Trump throughout this senseless shutdown has been full of misinformation and even malice,' they said.

'The president has chosen fear.'

Trump passed on the chance to declare a national emergency on the southern border, a move that would have empowered him to freely spend the Pentagon's existing budget to build his wall without getting new funding from Congress

Their rebuttal criticized Trump for saying a flood of migrants at the border represents 'a security threat,' instead calling it 'a humanitarian challenge.'

Trump noted Schumer's past approval of a wall on America's southern border. The White House has promoted the historical fact of Schumer and former senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama all voting for it during the George W. Bush presidency.

Schumer 'has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past, along with many other Democrats,' he said. 'They changed their mind only after I was elected president. Democrats in Congress have refused to recognize the crisis.'

Trump cited statistics in his brief presentation, saying that in the past two years immigration officers 'made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records,' including '100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes and 4,000 violent killings.'

'Thousands more lives will be lost if we don't act right now,' he urged.

READ TRUMP'S BORDER SECURITY ADDRESS TO THE NATION My fellow Americans: Tonight I'm speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. Every day, Customs and Border Patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them, and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country. 'America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation, but all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hit are African-Americans and Hispanic Americans. 'Our southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Every week 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 per cent of which floods across from our southern border. More Americans will die from drugs this year than were killed in the entire Vietnam War. 'In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes and 4,000 violent killings. Over the years thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country and thousands more lives will be lost if we don't act right now. 'This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart, and a crisis of the soul. 'Last month 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States, a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. One in three women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek up through Mexico. Women and children are the biggest victims, by far, of our broken system. 'This is the tragic reality of illegal immigration on our southern border. This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end. My administration has presented Congress with a detailed proposal to secure the border and stop the criminal gangs, drug smugglers and human traffickers. It's a tremendous problem. 'Our proposal was developed by law enforcement professionals and border agents at the department of homeland security. These are the resources they have requested to properly perform their mission and keep America safe  in fact, safer than ever before. 'The proposal from Homeland Security includes cutting-edge technology for detecting drugs, weapons, illegal contraband and many other things. We have requested more agents, immigration judges and bed space to process the sharp rise in unlawful migration fueled by our very strong economy. Our plan also contains an urgent request for humanitarian assistance and medical support. Furthermore, we have asked congress to close border security loopholes so that illegal immigrant children can be safely and humanely returned back home. 'Finally, as part of an overall approach to border security, law enforcement professionals have requested $5.7 billion for a physical barrier. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall. This barrier is absolutely critical to border security. It's also what our professionals at the border want and need. This is just common sense. 'The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year, vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress. The wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico. 'Senator Chuck Schumer, who you will be hearing from later tonight, has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past, along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected president. 'Democrats in Congress have refused to acknowledge the crisis, and they have refused to provide our brave border agents with the tools they desperately need to protect our families and our nation. The federal government remains shut down for one reason, and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security. My administration is doing everything in our power to help those impacted by the situation, but the only solution is for Democrats to pass a spending bill that defends our borders and reopens the government. 'This situation could be solved in a 45-minute meeting. I have invited congressional leadership to the white house tomorrow to get this done. Hopefully we can rise above partisan politics in order to support national security. 'Some have suggested a barrier is immoral. Then why do wealthy politicians build walls, fences and gates around their homes? They don't build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is [for] the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized. 'America's heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country. Day after day, precious lives are cut short by those who have violated our borders. In California an Air Force veteran was raped, murdered, and beaten to death with a hammer by an illegal alien with a long criminal history. In Georgia an illegal alien was recently charged with murder for killing, beheading and dismembering his neighbor. In Maryland, MS-13 gang members who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors were arrested and charged last year after viciously stabbing and beating a 16-year-old girl. 'Over the last several years I've met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigrations. I have held the hands of the mothers and embraced the grief stricken fathers. So sad, so terrible. I will never forget the pain in their eyes, the tremble in their voices and the sadness gripping their souls. 'How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job? 'To those that refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask: imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken. To every member of Congress, pass a bill that ends this crisis. To every citizen: call congress, and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border. 'This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve. 'When I took the oath of office, i swore to protect our country, and that is what I will always do, so help me god. Thank you and good night.' Advertisement

A woman walks a dog next to the U.S.-Mexico border barrier along the Pacific Ocean on January 8, 2019 in Tijuana, Mexico

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez slammed Trump in a statement after Tuesday night's speech, which e characterized as '[l]ies, fearmongering, finger-pointing, and a manufactured excuse for shutting down the government.'

'Using the Oval Office to deceive the American people and spout offensive, anti-immigrant rhetoric proves, once again, that Donald Trump is unfit to serve as president,' he said.

New Mexico Democratic Sen. Tom Udall said in a statement that Trump 'needs to end his shutdown now, before his reckless tantrum hurts more New Mexico families. New Mexicans didnt hear anything new tonight from the president. Instead, they just heard more fear-mongering about immigrants, and dishonest and out-of-touch talk about the border from a president who doesnt know the first thing about border communities.'

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel praised Trump for 'fighting for a solution to fund our government while protecting American citizens, versus the approach of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer which is to resist, resist, resist at all costs. It wasnt always this way.'

But Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California claimed Trump 'knows that illegal border crossings are at record lows, down 75 percent from 2000.'

She said her party won't support 'spending billions and billions of dollars on a wall that wont help protect our country. Its not realistic. Its not necessary. And its not where we should focus our attention or resources.'

Vice President Mike Pence signaled on Monday that Trump's approach would be softer than expected.

'There is a humanitarian and national security crisis,' Pence told reporters Monday amid concerns Trump would declare a national emergency. Pence would only say that the White House counsel's office was considering the idea.
Tracey Abraham, 41, is charged with public indecency for 'masturbating behind the teacher's desk' in an Ohio middle school classroom

An Ohio substitute teacher has been arrested after being caught masturbating in front of students.

Tracey Abraham, 41, was substituting Tuesday in a Creekside Middle School classroom when students observed 'suspicious behavior by the substitute that was taking place behind the teacher's desk'.

The students reported the behavior to school administrators and Abraham was immediately removed from the classroom and building.

Fairfield police have charged him with public indecency.

In a statement, district officials said Abraham 'will not be returning to our schools.'

They also said they are not aware of Abraham having physical contact with any students.

Students reported 'suspicious behavior by the substitute that was taking place behind the teacher's desk' Tuesday

'In addition, we are not aware of any students being exposed to any nudity,' the statement said.

The incident will be reported to the Ohio Department of Education.

He has already been released from jail on his own recognizance, according to court records.

They said Abraham will not be returning to the district and they will be reporting the incident to the Ohio Department of Education.
Retired Marine Corps Gen. Anthony Zinni, who President Donald Trump picked as a special envoy to handle issues with Qatar, has resigned because he couldn't find a solution to the problem.

He is the latest four-star general to leave the administration, following chief of staff John Kelly and Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Zinni told CBS News that he could not find a solution to the issues surrounding Qatar 'because of the unwillingness of the regional leaders to agree to a viable mediation effort that we offered to conduct or assist in implementing.'

Retired U.S. General Anthony Zinni, centre left, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Timothy Lenderking met with Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jarallah, centre right, in Kuwait over the crisis with Qatar

Zinni was close friends with former Defense Secretary James Mattis (left), who was fired by President Trump (right)

Zinni is the latest four-star general to leave the Trump administration

The retired four-star general took on the assignment at the request of then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson - both of whom have since left the administration.

Zinni and Mattis are long time personal friends, Task & Purpose reported.

When asked whether his resignation was connected to Mattis' resignation, Zinni told the military news website that he 'was disappointed by what happened, but it didn't really affect [my] resignation.'

'Jim Mattis is a great friend of mine and he was the right guy for the job,' Zinni said, adding that, although Mattis first approached him to take the envoy role, Zinni had been getting 'plenty of support from [Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo and [National Security Advisor] John Bolton.'

A senior State Department official described Zinni's departure to CBS as a 'soft resignation.'

The end of Mattis' tenure in the Trump administration came when the Pentagon chief left in protest after the president announced he was pulling out U.S. troops from Syria, which the two men disagreed about.

Mattis offered a resignation letter on December 20 that was seen as a dig at his commander-in-chief.

'Because you have the right to a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects,' Mattis wrote in his letter, 'I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.'

And he ensured it would be seen. He ordered aides to distribute 50 copies of it.

The move - and the media coverage of his letter - pushed him out the door even faster.

A scant three days later, on Dec. 23, Trump announced Mattis was leaving his administration on January 1 amid his anger at how the resignation letter was received.

Zinni, a former Middle East envoy, was brought in to try and manage the diplomatic crisis surrounding Qatar.

A Saudi Arabia-led coalition ended diplomatic relations with Qatar and claimed the nation had violated a 2014 agreement with the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The group started an international crisis when it blocked trade to Qatar and accused the country of aiding terrorists, which Qatar has denied.
Police have charged a second black man in the murder of seven-year-old Jazmine Barnes who was gunned down in a Texas drive-by shooting.

Larry D. Woodruffe, 24, was charged with capital murder on Tuesday after the little girl was shot dead near a Walmart parking lot in Houston on December 30.

Authorities previously said that they believe Woodruffe, who was arrested on Saturday, was the person in an SUV who fired upon Jazmine and her family as they drove to the grocery store.

The driver of the SUV, 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. has also been charged with capital murder.

Larry D. Woodruffe, 24, was charged with capital murder on Tuesday after Jazmine Barnes was shot dead near a Walmart parking lot in Houston on December 30. The driver of the SUV, 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. was charged on Sunday with capital murder

Jazmine was in the family's car with her mother and three siblings when she was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on December 30

Authorities say Woodruffe and Black mistakenly thought they were attacking people they'd previously fought at a club hours earlier when they shot at Jazmine and her family.

The little girl's family had initially believed the attack was racially motivated after describing the shooter as a white man driving a red pickup truck.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he believes the family's initial description was sincere and the man in the red truck was likely a bystander who left the scene of the shooting.

Woodruffe and Black were both taken into custody on Saturday.

The sheriff's office said they identified Woodruffe and Black as suspects based on a tip from social activist and writer Shaun King that was corroborated by their investigation.

While Black was charged on Sunday with capital murder, Woodruffe was being held in the county jail on a drug charge while authorities prepared a capital murder charge against him.

Woodruffe was charged as Jazmine's funeral took place Tuesday afternoon, attended by thousands of people at the Community of Faith Church in Houston

The family opted for an open casket despite reports that Jazmine had taken a bullet to the head

Woodruffe was charged as Jazmine's funeral took place Tuesday afternoon, attended by thousands of people at the Community of Faith Church in Houston.

The family opted for an open casket despite reports that Jazmine had taken a bullet to the head.

Inside the casket, pink hearts surrounded the words: 'Prince Jazmine.' The youngster wore a floral print skirt, pink blouse, pink cardigan and bejeweled headpiece.

Jazmine's mother LaPorsha Washington and father Christopher Cevilla were the first to address the crowded church, expressing their gratitude to everyone in attendance.

'This was a wonderful turnout,' Washington said through tears. 'I didnt think it was going to be this big.'

Cevilla said he is angry and sad about his daughter's murder, but he believes her death has a broader purpose.

'Her job was done here, and it was done perfectly,' the heartbroken father said. 'I know shes smiling down.'

Civic leaders including Mayor Sylvester Turner, US Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Constable Alan Rosen also spoke at the memorial, along with faith leaders Pastor Eddie Deckard, of the Green Houston church, and Bishop E.L. Usher, of Greater Grace Outreach Church.
Rumors of a possible romance are swirling around Senator Cory Booker and actress Rosario Rosario, who was overheard playfully singing 'I love you' to the would-be presidential candidate at a Broadway musical last weekend.

The Democratic senator from New Jersey and the 'Rent' star on Saturday attended a performance of the Tony Award-winning show Dear Evan Hansen, where they were joined by Booker's niece and Dawson's teenage daughter.

The New York Post's Page Six reported, citing unnamed witnesses, that after Booker, Dawson and the two girls met the cast of the musical, the 'Sin City' alum was overheard singing to the lawmaker, 'I love you, te amo.'

Date night? Senator Cory Booker (left) and actress Rosario Dawson attended Saturday's performance of the hit musical Dear Evan Hansen (pictured backstage with star Taylor Trensch), fueling romance rumors

Onlookers reported hearing Dawson playfully sing 'I love you, te amo' to Booker during a meet-and-greet with the cast after the show (pictured with all the actors)

People Magazine similarly reported, citing an onlooker backstage, that it was an 'impromptu' moment and that Dawson made up the tune for her I love you ditty on the spot.

Dawson allegedly serenaded Booker while walking across the stage after the show and the hour-long meet-and-greet with the Dear Evan Hansen performers.

An unnamed source told Page Six the pair looked 'cute together' and seemed 'flirtatious,' though they avoided any physical displays of affection, like kissing.

They did, however, embrace each of the cast members backstage.

Actors were reportedly fawning all over Booker for standing up to President Donald Trump and holding Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs feet to the fire during last years contentious confirmation hearings.

Two days before their Broadway outing, the New York Post reported that the 49-year-old politician and the 39-year-old actress were spotted at a Manhattan movie theater together.

Booker is believed to be considering a run for the White House in 2020, along with nearly two dozen other prominent democrats, including former Vice President Joe Biden; outgoing Congressman Beto O'Rourke; Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, and Bernie Sanders.

Eligible bachelor: Booker was romantically linked in the past to Executive Director of the Council of Urban Professionals Chanda Gibson (left) and Instagram poet Cleo Wade (right)

Dawson, who has a teenage daughter, split up from her comedian boyfriend Eric Andre (left) in the fall of 2017

Booker has never been married and has no children of his own.

Previously, he was romantically linked to Executive Director of the Council of Urban Professionals Chanda Gibson and Instagram poet Cleo Wade.

Dawson adopted a 12-year-old girl named Lola in 2014. She had briefly dated comedian Eric Andre, but the couple announced their split in November 2017.

Neither Booker nor Dawson have commented on their relationship status as of Tuesday evening.
Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel has accused his ex Kathryn Dennis of buying prescription drugs from the producers of the show.

The 56-year-old's allegation against Dennis, 27, was made in court papers related to the former couple's ongoing custody battle over their two children.

He is fighting for sole custody of their children - Kensie, 4, and Saint, 3, according to the documents obtained by The Blast.

Ravenel accused Dennis of abusing prescription drugs and claimed that his ex had engaged in illegal drug use.

Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel, 56, has accused his ex Kathryn Dennis, 27, (above) of buying prescription drugs from the producers of the show

He claimed she had been intoxicated by prescription and/or illegal drugs while caring for their children.

The court documents state that Ravenel believes the mother-of-two bought, sold and traded prescription drugs with 'friends, cast members and show producers'.

He claims that Dennis started using prescription medication to help deal with anxiety and stress after the birth of their children.

Dennis has not commented on Ravenel's allegations.

It comes after she used sexual assault allegations from two separate women against Ravenel to help bolster her effort to get custody of the children.

The 56-year-old's allegation against Dennis, 27, was made in court papers related to the former couple's ongoing custody battle over their two children. They are pictured here in 2015

Ravenel claimed Dennis had been intoxicated by prescription and/or illegal drugs while caring for their two children. Dennis is pictured with the children during the holidays

She filed court documents in December that raised claims he had paid one of the alleged victims $200,000 for her silence.

Dennis argued in the filing that since their custody agreement was put in place in 2017, 'many new things have come to light'.

Ravenel was arrested in September after former nanny Dawn Ledwell claimed she was in his Charleston, South Carolina home in January 2015 when he allegedly took off her pants and fondled her.

He now awaits trial over those charges. Ledwell also filed a lawsuit against him.

Ravenel was subsequently dropped from the show, as well as Bravo and it's parent companies.
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to side with a foreign company that sought to block a subpoena from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's federal grand jury.

The company hasn't been named in any court documents, but it is reportedly owned by a foreign government.

The ruling could pave the way for it to be identified in court documents.

Roberts temporarily blocked the subpoena in December, forcing Mueller's team to explain why the government is investigating a foreign-backed corporate entity whose government has been trying hard to avoid cooperating.

Prosecutors filed a brief just before New Year's Eve explaining their position.

The Federal Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit had truled that the company was required to obey the subpoena. Roberts referred the case to the full Supreme Court, which dropped his intervention on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court dropped a temporary ruling by Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday, clearing the way for Special Counsel Robert Mueller to enforce a subpoena against a government-owned foreign corporation

The Supreme Court's order, issued Tuesday, puts an end to the mystery company's temporary shield from Mueller's subpoena power

The case is unusual since the unnamed country involved has gone to great lengths to fight Muellers demands,leading to speculation that it has something to hide in his wide-ranging Russia probe.

In its arguments before the D.C. Circuit Court, the company unsuccessfully argued that complying with the subpoena would be a violation of its home country's laws.

Its challenge to Mueller's authority was the first such motion to reach the Supreme Court.

CNN speculated that the company could be anything from a sovereign-owned bank to a state-backed technology or information corporation  the kind that Mueller has targeted with requests for information in the past.

In order to keep its identity a secret, an entire floor of a Washington courthouse was closed to reporters, and the public was ordered to leave the courtroom when arguments were heard in December.

The case is unusual since the unnamed country involved has gone to great lengths to fight Muellers subpoena, leading to speculation that it has something to hide in the ongoing Russia probe

The D.C. appeals court ruled that the company could face fines for every day it refused to obey. Roberts' temporary order paused those fines.

Mueller and multiple congressional committees are looking into allegations that there was collusion between Russian operatives and Trump associates during the presidential campaign and transition.

It has been reported that the company's subpoena challenge began in September.

CNN reported that prosecutors had confided in the D.C. court that they had 'reasonable probability' the records they demanded would show actions that took place in a foreign country but affected the United States.

Mueller has already indicted three Russian companies and 25 Russians for their alleged contributions to a social media propaganda scheme meant to influence American voters, and to computer hacking that targeted the Democratic National Committee.
A low-cost airline has launched $189 flights to an Asian country hardly any Australians have visited.

Scoot, a discount airline owned by Singapore Airlines, launched dirt-cheap one-way flights to the Laotian cities of Luang Prabang and Vientiane on Wednesday.

While Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia have been the prominent hotspots for Aussie tourists, Laos is slowly emerging as one of the 'it' countries worldwide.

Scoot has launched dirt cheap one-way flights to the Laotian cities of Luang Prabang (pictured) and Vientiane

Vientiane (pictured) is the country's capital, with French influence seen in its modern cafes, restaurants and architecture

Luang Prabang, located north of Laos, is surrounded by scenic mountains and waterfalls, perfect for hiking, swimming or sailing on a cruise

Luang Prabang, located north of Laos, is surrounded by scenic mountains and waterfalls, perfect for hiking, swimming or sailing on a cruise.

Vientiane is the country's capital, with French influence seen in its modern cafes, restaurants and architecture.

Visits to both cities will be a culturally enriching experience for travellers thanks to the abundance of elaborate Buddhist temples, museums and caves filled with historic artifacts.

Scoot's Laos sale departs from Perth for $189, $199 from the Gold Coast and $209 from Sydney and Melbourne - all one way.

The sale, exclusive to Australians, will kick off at 1pm on Wednesday and will end on January 22 at 1.59am. Flights are valid before October 26, 2019.

The airline's first flight to the country will take off on April 1, with tourists arriving just in time for the Laotian New Year.

Visits to both cities will be a culturally enriching experience for travellers thanks to the abundance of elaborate Buddhist temples

Scoot's Laos sale flights depart from Perth for $189, $199 from the Gold Coast and $209 from Sydney and Melbourne - all one way

The airline's first flight to the country will take off on April 1, with tourists arriving just in time for the Laotian New Year

Aussies are advised to leave their cameras at home as the two-day celebration sees epic water fights with pistols, buckets and hoses.

Three weekly flights, operating on the A320 aircraft, will connect to Laos from Singapore, departing at 9am on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

Tourists will arrive at Lung Prabang at 11.10am and then to Vientiane by 1pm - all local times.

Scoot does not offer domestic flights between Luang Prabang and Vientiane.

Fares do not include baggage or meals, with all flights stopping over in Singapore first.
Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib apologized for calling President Donald Trump a 'motherf***er' but not for calling for his impeachment, saying she only regretted the distraction her words caused.

'The use of that language was a teachable moment for me. And I understand that I am a member of Congress and I dont want anything that I do say or distract us. And that is the only thing I apologize for, is that it was a distraction,' she said on Tuesday.

'I will never apologize for being me and for being passionate and being upset,' she added.

Rep. Tlaib on "impeach the motherf---er" comment: "I dont want anything that I do or say distract us. And thats the only thing I will apologize for, is that it was a distraction ... I want you to know that I will never apologize for being me, and for being passionate and upset" pic.twitter.com/4Mp7nbvPZR  NBC News (@NBCNews) January 8, 2019

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib apologized for calling President Donald Trump a 'motherf***er' but not for calling for his impeachment

Tlaib dropped her F-bomb at the president during a party Thursday night hosted by the liberal group MoveOn. She had taken the oath of office earlier that day.

The fallout from her comment consumed the Democratic Party and its leadership in the days that followed.

President Trump brought it up with congressional leaders when he met with them about the government shutdown and it was a topic on the Sunday talk shows.

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.

Democratic congressional leaders have been trying to cool down talk of impeachment by rank and file members and keep the focus on policy differences.

House Majority Whip Steny Hoyer, the number two Democrat, said talk of impeachment was a 'distraction.'

'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.'

Trump said Friday that Tlaib 'dishonored herself' and said her comments were 'disgraceful.'

He also said he had spoken to Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the incident when he met with Congressional leaders at the White House to discuss ways to end the partial government shut down.

President Trump said that Tlaib 'dishonored herself' with her comments

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

'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.

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.
Baroness Mone of Mayfair has had just about enough of being picked on (her words)

Baroness Mone of Mayfair has had just about enough of being picked on (her words). Layabout Lady of Mayfair. Baroness Bra, of course. The less than noble nicknames have come thick and fast since David Cameron made her a life peer in 2015.

Lady Mone (Michelle, please, she insists) stands accused of swanning around making the most of her title without putting in any hard graft.

Scottish SNP critics have called for her to resign, complaining that she attended just 89 sitting days since entering the House out of 457 up until June 2017, missed debates on important issues, including a key vote on Britains withdrawal from Europe.

Shes been condemned for using her parliamentary email for private businesses and posters containing her title to promote her business ventures at trade events. Michelle, founder of the 40 million lingerie empire Ultimo, has, until now, not responded to her critics.

Finally, though, as she finds herself in the headlines once more following Lord Speaker Norman Fowlers recent calls for the House to get rid of peers who contribute little to political life but still get 305-a-day tax-free allowance for turning up in the chamber, shes decided to speak out. Clearly, a nerve has been touched.

Those who call me Layabout Lady of Mayfair dont know me, she storms. I was up at 5.30am. Ill be working all day and then Ill go to the Lords. Ill be doing that all week, apart from Friday. If theres a vote I wont be home until maybe 2am. How can I be a layabout?

Whats lazy is someone who can work but doesnt want to, lying about on state benefits watching daytime TV. Ive not sat on my backside taking from others. Ive actually got up off my backside and worked hard and sacrificed so many things and . . .

Crikey, Michelle is working up a . . . well, lets say rather unladylike head of steam. As she points out, there are few women in the country who began from nothing and built a multi-million-pound business from their bedroom without an exam to their name.

Michelle, founder of the 40 million lingerie empire Ultimo, has, until now, not responded to her critics. Pictured: Michelle Mone modelling one of her own Ultimo bras

And many women clearly see her as inspirational, if the numbers which turn up to her motivational speeches are anything to go by.

Its just . . . how to put it? Her attendance record in the House isnt quite as inspirational. Why am I always singled out in the Lords for my attendance record? she says. Im not and have never claimed to be a full-time Baroness. Im a full-time entrepreneur but I take my House of Lords commitment very seriously.

When David Cameron phoned to offer me a life peerage, I was so honoured but said: I dont know if I can do that. I need to remain an entrepreneur, but Ill do my very best to give as much time to the House of Lords as I can.

He said: Of course you do. Do your very best and do what you can. Maybe he wanted me to sit in the Lords because I was a bit different to many of the other baronesses and lords. He knew I was passionate about this country.

I love Scotland so much, but I also love the UK. I believe in the Union. Maybe it was because of my passion, or because I was younger and was a woman that he wanted me there. What I do know is my voting record is up there with any other full-time entrepreneurs in the Lords.

So WHAT are the facts? A look at the hugely respected Public Whip website, which publishes voting records from the Commons and the Lords, shows Michelle attended 31 votes which is one more than Lord Sugars assistant on BBC1s Apprentice, Baroness Brady. Lord Sugar himself attended none.

Im proud to be a Baroness, Michelle says. Its an honour.

When asked if she uses her title she said: Of course, thats my name the same way if someone was a doctor. Its my title on my emails, passport, on my driving licence, on everything  just as someone who becomes a lord uses their title. But I dont abuse my position.

Every single penny of my 305 allowance goes to charity. Im actually thousands and thousands of pounds out of pocket for attending the Lords. I employ two PAs now. One to deal with my Lords emails and one for my other businesses.

I try to juggle everything as best as I can just like everyone else. There is so much more that goes on in the Lords than people think. If you dont go into the chamber your presence isnt recorded and Ive been there so much more than the attendance records show.

Michelle has recently become engaged to billionaire businessman Doug Barrowman

I go to various meetings outside the chamber about the debates that might be coming up or to discuss my ideas on business, entrepreneurialism, the NHS. My presence is really felt there. I know that and so do others.

So, why am I demonised? She looks bewildered  pretty cross, too. The truth is I am a woman who is a full-time entrepreneur.

Michelle has recently become engaged to billionaire businessman Doug Barrowman. I am a mother of three [Doug has four children from two earlier marriages and Michelle has three children from her 20-year marriage to Michael Mone, with whom she built her lingerie empire].

I have just moved house. Ive been looking after my mother who has breast cancer and Ive still voted more times than many of the men who are entrepreneurs.

Michelle is visibly upset. Her mother Isobel was diagnosed just five weeks before Christmas.

It was a terrible shock for Michelle, who cannot imagine a life without her mum. Shes always been there for me and my dad [who suffers with a rare degenerative spinal condition and has been in a wheelchair for 32 years]. The thought of him not having my mum to look after him is . . .

The sentence ends in a heavy silence. She shakes her head.

It was a shock. I went into complete crisis business mode and told my mum to pack her bags, she was coming to London for medical appointments and gave her an itinerary.

It sounds horrible  not personal at all  but inside I was thinking: This is a complete disaster. Im not going to sit about and mope. Obviously, my mum was very tearful as we were seeing people. She was crying down the phone when she called my dad, which was making him more sick.

So, I said: Right, Mum, if you call Dad again and youre crying or you cry with another consultant Im not coming with you. You can do the meetings yourself, OK?

It was my way of trying to get her to be positive. Suddenly, this strength came out in her. Shed get up in the morning with a lightness and say: What appointments are we going for today? 

Michelle and Doug Barrowman's friendship blossomed aboard one of his luxury yachts

A fortnight before Christmas, Isobel underwent a single mastectomy at Londons Royal Marsden Hospital. Following the operation, Michelle, 47, cared for her in the Mayfair home she recently moved into with Doug, 53, her partner of two-and-a-half years. She attended two votes in the House during this hectic, horrible time.

We meet in her seven-storey Georgian townhouse, where Doug proposed to her on Christmas Eve. She didnt see it coming.

It was so romantic  a total shock, she says. Michelle, who sold her lingerie company four years ago following an acrimonious split from her first husband, has a sort of I-cant-believe-how-blessed-I-am look on her face.

Im a completely different person than the one who sold Ultimo four years ago. Back then, I was like a student.

Now Ive graduated and Im a global entrepreneur with a skill set. When my marriage ended it took me a long time to get over it.

Michelle was distraught when she suspected her husband was having an affair with her designer, who lived in their guest house. Her husband always denied cheating on her, but is now married to the woman in question.

We had three kids and a business together. The whole divorce thing, I hate talking about it now because Im so over it, but at the time I was broken, lost.

He dealt with all the money, all of the legal stuff for Ultimo. I did the design side and the PR and marketing. He always said: Youd be nothing without me. Youll end up back in the ghetto where I rescued you from. I dont think where Im from is the ghetto.

Michelle worked her way out of the East End of Glasgow. The people there are incredible, but the bedroom, lounge and kitchen I grew up in was the size of this whole room.

I cant tell you how tough the divorce was  the hurt, the pain, everything. I used to go to bed with my head numb from drinking and get up to fight another day.

Pictured: Michelle Mone is admitted to the House of Lords as Baroness Mone of Mayfair after being made a Tory peer

In her autobiography, Michelle apologised for the woman I became, confessing she put her ex-husbands cufflinks in the bin, let down his tyres and poured cold water on his side of the bed.

Suddenly I thought, Oh my God. Im either going to get worse or Im going to survive. I started fighting harder and began to reinvent myself.

Michelle stopped drinking during the week and bought Michael out of Ultimo and the family home near Glasgow. In 2014, she sold her interest in Ultimo for a reported 20 million. I thought of retiring. Then, all these other opportunities came up and I havent looked back.

One of those opportunities included an investment in a tech company in which Doug, too, was an investor. They met at a shareholders dinner in exclusive Mayfair club 5 Hertford Street and found theyd grown up three miles apart in Glasgow.

We ended up in Tramp nightclub  not dancing, just chatting. We had so much in common.

Doug, founder and chairman of Knox Group of Companies, worth 3 billion, has six homes, two superyachts, and 15 cars.

Ive never really gone for the money guys, she says. In fact, they scare me because Im very independent. I think thats why we were just friends for a while.

After just under two months I was invited out on his superyacht. Every night, my cabin door would get locked. After we came home, we remained friends. Then, there was one night when he was getting too friendly, and I said I just wanted us to be friends.

He said: I dont want that. One thing led to another and weve never been apart since. I love him so much. Hes very quiet, like me. He doesnt like going out. Were from the same background, the same family upbringing.

He works so hard. He gets up early in the morning. He trains. He does yoga. Hes just a really, really caring family guy. He asked me to move in the first month after that night. I said: Lets wait a while.

I kept flying to his house on the Isle of Man. I was sleeping in one of the guest bedrooms. He said: I dont want you to go home. I want you to move in and stay here. Let this be your home. That was it.

A few months later, in January 2017, we were walking by the marina in Dubai. I always carried a stone one of my Greek friends had given me in 2012. It had a Greek symbol on it in metal and they said: This stone will always look after you. I always kissed it before I went to bed. It was my rock.

Doug said that day, I think you should get rid of your rock because Im your rock. Im here to look after you so lets throw it into the water together. We did.

Doug is besotted with Michelle. It is he who suggested the app she is introducing to mentor people, for free, around the world which launches today.

Doug attended one of my speeches and saw how, when Id finished, so many people came to the stage to try to talk to me and ask for advice. You try to help as many people as you can, but you only have so much time.

The app includes videos, articles and advice on everything from how to visualise success and to how to secure investment.

I started up Ultimo in my bedroom, says Michelle. I want to show people this little girl from the East End who grew up with no bath, no shower, no qualifications can actually go from there and take on world business. I want to show them it doesnt matter if you grew up without the best education, or money in your pocket.

If you really stick in, if youre really passionate and really true to yourself you can make it. You . . .

She thinks for a moment.

Next week, Mum will be back here to get her test results. Well find out whether or not shell need chemotherapy. These are the things that matter and its my family and close friends who really know me  know how much I do.

Id just like to see anybody who calls me the Layabout Lady of Mayfair try walking in my shoes for a day.
A remote hut with access to one of the world's richest rivers has hit the market, offering a rare chance for potential prospectors to buy their very own gold mine.

The hut sits on the banks of the Wakamarina River in Marlborough, on New Zealand's South Island.

Once considered one of the richest rivers in the world, the area was swarmed by thousands of miners in the 1860s during a gold rush that spread to the nearby West Coast.

A mining licence is up for grabs on auction website Trade Me with a starting bid of $75,000, which includes the hut and access to more than 5km of the Wakamarina.

The area has sat mostly untouched for more than 100 years.

A remote hut with access to one of the world's richest rivers has hit the market, offering a rare chance for potential prospectors to buy their own gold mine

The hut sits on the banks of the Wakamarina River (pictured) in Marlborough, on New Zealand's South Island

'Rich crevices are still being discovered and [the river] contains heavy nuggets,' the listing for the mining licence reads.

The licence is valid until January 2026, and its current owners say they are giving it up as they are now aged in their 60s.

The owners are selling two mining licences on the river, with a smaller area listed for sale at a starting price of $40,000.

Gold was first found in the Wakamarina River by four prospectors in early 1864, according to the Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966.

Just months later, roughly 6,000 men rushed to the area in the hope of striking it rich, many of them from Australia.

Once considered one of the richest rivers in the world, the area was swarmed by thousands of miners in the 1860s

The licence is valid until January 2026, and its current owners say they are giving it up as they are now aged in their 60s

About 25,000 troy ounces (778kg) of gold were found in the river in 1864.

The miners continued to explore parts of the South Island, hunting down new fields on the West Coast.

By September 1865, more than 16,000 men were in the region searching for the precious metal.
Jurors deciding the fate of a California businessman accused of bludgeoning to death his partner Joseph McStay and the man's family in 2010 on Tuesday heard testimony from the victims mother, who recalled the harrowing moment she learned their remains were found in the desert.

'They were dead, all of them. And I fell to the ground,' Joseph's mother, Susan Blake, said from the witness stand on Day 2 of Charles Chase Merritt's murder trial.

Merritt, 61, has pleaded not guilty to killing Joseph, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their two sons, four-year-old Gianni and three-year-old Joseph Jr. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

The familys disappearance perplexed investigators for three years, with no signs of forced entry at their San Diego County home.

Defendant Charles Ray Merritt sits in San Bernardino County Court prior to opening statements on Monday. He is on trial for the murder of the McStay family in 2010

Merritt's attorney Rajan Maline, right, accused Joseph McStay's other partner of killing the family for financial gain

In November 2013, the McStays' skeletal remains were unearthed more than 100 miles away in a remote corner of San Bernardino County, along with a three-pound rusted sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon and a childs pants and diaper.

According to NBC San Diego reporter Artie Ojeda, who has been live-tweeting the trial, Blake told the jury Tuesday that she visited her family's final resting place in the Mojave Desert six months later.

I just dropped me to my knees, she recalled. Its such a shock. I will never go back to that spot.

Blake also recounted how on February 9, 2010 - just days after it is believed the McStays were killed - Merritt came to her saying he could not reach Joseph and asking if she had heard from him.

The day after the family-of-four were reported missing, Blake headed over to her sons home in Fallbrook looking for any clues to what had happened to them.

She found the residence reeking of rotten food, mildew and dirty diapers, and crawling with maggots.

With the permission of a police detective, Blake said she cleaned up the kitchen.

The mother also revealed that she wrote more than $5,400 in personal checks to Merritt to help carry on her sons water fountain business, but she said customers were complaining that their orders were not being fulfilled.

She described one heated meeting with Merritt and their third partner, Daniel Kavanaugh, which she said turned into a scary shouting match.

He [Merritt] wanted money and Dan didnt want to put out any, she said.

Summer McStay, her sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr, and her husband, Joseph McStay, went missing from their California home in February 2010

The defense previously suggested Kavanaugh was the real killer.

Attorney Rajan Maline said in his opening statement Monday that Kavanaugh stole $7,900 from McStays account in the days after the family vanished because he knew Joseph wasnt coming back.

San Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Sean Daugherty told jurors Monday that Merritt wrote checks for more than $21,000 on his dead partners online bookkeeping account after the family was last seen alive in February 2010.

'Greed, and greeds child, fraud' were the motive, Daugherty argued.

The prosecutor claimed that Merritt 'desperately tried to cover his tracks after the murders . misled investigators, talked in circles, and played the victim.'

Daugherty showed the jurors images of the family and described how wild animals tore at their decomposing remains in their shallow graves near Victorville, where in November 2013 a motorcyclist finally discovered them.

The court also heard recordings of Merritt's interview with investigators, in which the defendant referred to Joseph McStay in the past tense, before anyone knew he was dead, Press-Enterprise reporter Richard K. De Atley live-tweeted.

The prosecutor talked about the checks that Merritt allegedly forged for himself from McStay's business account, and walked the jurors through cellphone records that placed the suspect on February 6, 2010, near the location in the desert where the family's skeletal remains will later be found.

In his opening statement, Merritt's defense attorney James McGee argued that his client and Joseph McStay were best friends, and pointed out that it was Merritt who first raised the alarm about his business partner's disappearance by contacting the man's mother.

'The only urgency in finding Joseph was from Chase,' McGee stated.

The defense attorney also sought to explain away his client's use of the past tense in reference to the McStays during the police interview, claiming that he only did it because a detective asked a question in the past tense.

McGee accused law enforcement officials and prosecutors of zeroing in on his client from the outset of the case, instead of following other leads.

For years, the disappearance of the McStays puzzled investigators, with no signs of forced entry and the couple's credit cards untouched.

In November 2013, an off-road biker made a grim discovery when he came upon the skeletal remains of Joseph McStay, 40, his wife Summer, 43, and their sons, four-year-old Gianni and three-year-old Joseph Jr, near Victorville, more than 100 miles away from their San Diego County residence.

A year later,Merritt, who knew the family through Joseph's water-fountain business, was arrested for allegedly bludgeoning the married couple and their children to death with a sledgehammer because he owed them $30,000.

Merritt is being tried on four counts of first-degree murder, to which he has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

The McStays' skeletal remains were found buried in the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California, in November 2013 (pictured)

Authorities have said Merritt's cellphone was traced to the remote gravesites and to a call days later seeking to close out his then-missing business partner's online bookkeeping account.

They also have said Merritt's DNA was discovered on the steering wheel and gearshift of McStay's Isuzy Trooper SUV, which was impounded near the Mexican border four days after the family vanished.

Defense attorney James McGee said that DNA could have been transferred to the vehicle by McStay from a handshake after he met with Merritt shortly before the family vanished.

McGee also said none of Merritt's DNA was found at the gravesites but DNA belonging to other unidentified individuals, among them three men and a woman, had turned up there.

Merritt, who was McStay's business partner, is accused of killing and burying the family because he owed them tens of thousands of dollars

Joseph (pictured left with son Gianni) allegedly planned to fire Merritt from his company before his death. Pictured right: A photo display at a press conference at the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department headquarters in San Bernadino in 2013

'From the evidence the government is going to present, our argument is going to be: You had the wrong guy,' McGee said.

Britt Imes, supervising deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County, said he could not comment on ongoing cases.

Authorities have said the McStays were believed to have been killed by blunt force trauma to the head inside their home in Fallbrook on February 4, 2010.

Their remains were found in San Bernardino County in 2013 along with a rusty 3-pound sledgehammer, a child's pants and diaper, and a bra.

Investigators have said they spoke with Joseph's business partner, Merritt, shortly after the family went missing and noticed he referred to them in the past tense.

They also have said a customer service representative told them he received a call about McStay's QuickBooks account, which he used to pay vendors connected to his water features business, after he vanished.

The call, according to authorities, was placed from Merritt's cellphone.

Merritt served time in prison for burglary and receiving stolen property in the 1970s and 80, reported the Los Angeles Times.

In 2001, he pleaded no contest to burglary and grand theft, earning him a six-month stint in jail followed by probation.

Eventually, he was hired by Joseph McStay's company, Earth Inspired Products, to design decorative water fountain, but his troubles continued as he racked gambling debts and more than $20,000 in unpaid taxes, according to court documents.

McStay's other business partner, Daniel Kavanaugh, told investigators that Joseph planned to fire Merritt.

Merritt, who has a prior criminal record, denied any wrongdoing, calling Joseph McStay his 'best friend.' His job was designing water fountains for McStay's company
Timothy Wood, 27, was held on $5,000 bond Monday and is due in court February 4

An Arkansas man faced multiple charges in court on Monday after running rampage in a number of businesses after breaking into a motor vehicle and trying to snatch a two-year-old child.

Timothy Wood, 27, was especially alarming in his intoxicated display on Saturday afternoon, because he carried out the various acts  including trashing a vintage store and hurling stolen soda at a man  while stark naked.

The Fayetteville man climbed inside a vehicle and horrified a mother and her young child who were waiting in the GMC Sierra parked outside Auto Zone.

He is said to have stolen a can of Mountain Dew and a packet of cigarettes from the vehicle but later threw a can of the sugary beverage at another driver in the area, resulting in cut and bruise injuries.

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He tried to snatch a two-year-old boy from a car he broke into while naked and on an intoxicated, naked spree of disorderly conduct on Saturday afternoon in Arkansas

Wood was caught on surveillance camera carry out the acts while wearing no clothes

Next on his agenda, Wood ran around shouting incoherent abuse at 410 Vintage Mart employees and tipped items off the shelves.

He also got onto the QC Motors premises and threw bottles of chemicals around outside before the owner, Michael Willis, managed to chase him away.

Willis told 5 News he scared him away because he was 'a threat to our business'.

Wood stole a can of Mountain Dew and cigarettes from the vehicle and hurled the unopened drink at another driver who was cut and bruised by the item

The man trashed inside the 410 Vintage Mart store and shouted abuse at staff

He didn't stop there though; despite being in the nude Wood braved climbing over a chain link fence.

Unfortunately, the indecent man got caught at the top and tumbled onto the ground in the parking lot of Maple Street Towing.

When law enforcement caught up with him after a 3.24pm call the man was found inside a pickup truck.

Witness Danijel Lokmer added to the publication that he saw Wood jumping on cars during the the dramatic display that afternoon.

Lokmer said law enforcement had to pin him up against a car to get him under control and in handcuffs.

Charges include public intoxication, disorderly conduct, breaking and entering, endangering the welfare of a minor, theft and fleeing, and 3rd degree battery

The long-haired male was taken into custody and clothed at Washington County Detention Center but law enforcement said they had to taze him even after his arrest because he failed to follow orders at the station.

Wood was held on $5,000 bond after his hearing Monday and he is due in Washington County Circuit Court on February 4.

He faces charges for public intoxication, disorderly conduct, breaking and entering, endangering the welfare of a minor, theft and fleeing, 3rd degree battery and resisting arrest.
Wisconsin police released bodycam footage on Monday showing a shoot-out between officers and a gunman who had opened fire on his co-workers.

In the video, the officers are seen entering software company, WTS Paradigm, receiving reports of an active shooter on September 19, 2018.

Anthony Tong, 43, opened fire in the company's Middleton headquarters and wounded four of his co-workers, three seriously.

Wisconsin police released bodycam footage on Monday that showed a shoot-out between officers and a gunman who had opened fire on his co-workers

In the video, the officers are seen entering software company, WTS Paradigm, receiving reports of an active shooter on September 19, 2018

Anthony Tong, 43, opened fire in the company's Middleton headquarters and wounded four of his co-workers, three seriously. The team of Dane County Sheriff's deputies and Middleton police officers are heard screaming at Tong to drop his weapon

Minutes after the attack began, the team of Dane County Sheriff's deputies and Middleton police officers ran into the office and began screaming at Tong to drop his weapon before trading gunshots with him.

In the bodycam footage, the chaotic scene plays out as the officers try to get closer to Tong who was wounded near a couch in what appears to be the company's break room.

At one point, a Middleton police officer says to a colleague: 'I think I shot him. Several times.'

However, Tong was fatally struck by one bullet. Investigators dont know which officer hit Tong.

The officers were identified as Deputy David Lambrecht, Deputy Matthew Earll, Officer Richard OConnor and Officer Tyler Loether. On Monday, prosecutors announced that the four officers were justified in killing him.

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, who said the officers would not be charged, said Tong's motive remains unclear and it's possible that investigators will never know.

In the bodycam footage, the chaotic scene plays out as the officers try to get closer to Tong who was wounded near a couch in what appears to be the company's break room

The officers were identified as Deputy David Lambrecht (left), Deputy Matthew Earll (second from left), Officer Richard OConnor (second from right) and Officer Tyler Loether (right)

Ozanne said Tong had a long history of schizophrenia and wasn't allowed to own guns, but he purchased the parts to build one and avoided a background check.

In Tong's suicide note, he said that 'with hope lost I must inevitably converge to the actions that I take today. To right a grave wrong.'

He started the note by saying: 'It is not a gun problem. It is not a mental illness problem. It is a problem with culture, and more deeply of humanity. For hate begets hate.'

Days after the shooting, Isaac Hall, a former employee of WTS Paradigm, told the Wisconsin State Journal that Tong never spoke to anyone and never smiled.

Hall, who left for a new job a week before the shooting, said he worked about three cubicles from Tong. Hall said when he looked over, Tong would stare back at him.

'His head would actually follow me and watch me as I go,' Hall said. 'He kind of creeped me out a little bit.'

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, who said the officers would not be charged, said Tong's motive remains unclear and it's possible that investigators will never know. Paramedics and officers at the scene just minutes after the shooting
(Image source from: Hindustantimes.com)

CBI Vs CBI Case: Supreme Court Slams Centre For Removal Of CBI Director:- A three-judge Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi pronounced their verdict on CBI issue and slammed the Centre for removing Alok Verma as the CBI Director. The apex court ordered the government to reinstate him in his position as the Director of CBI. The decision came in favour of Alok Verma who filed a petition last year. The Congress has welcomed the Supreme Court order "lambasting" the government.

Modi government ruined democracy revealed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The select committee that comprises of Prime Minister of India, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition will meet in a week to decide if there is any action to be taken against CBI Director Alok Verma. In this while, Alok Verma has been asked not to take any crucial decisions until the select committee meets and decides his fate. Alok Verma has been forced to go on a leave three months ago after which Verma challenged the Centre's decision in Supreme Court.
The Australian government says it will seriously consider giving a Saudi teenager stuck in Bangkok a humanitarian visa if the United Nations deems her a refugee.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun had planned to enter Australia on a tourist visa and seek asylum before she was detained by Thai authorities on Sunday.

The 18-year-old is currently in the care of UN officials, who say it will take about five days to process her request for assistance.

She fears her family will kill her if she were sent home to Saudi Arabia, where she has renounced Islam and 'rebelled' against her father.

The Australian Government says it will seriously consider granting a humanitarian visa to Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun (pictured)

The 18-year-old, pictured having barricaded herself in a hotel room at a Thai airport in a bid to avoid deportation, had planned to enter Australia on a tourist visa and seek asylum

Health Minister Greg Hunt says the Australian government has been urging the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to process her case quickly.

'We've been successful in getting them to agree to do that,' Mr Hunt told ABC TV on Wednesday.

Australia will consider giving Ms Alqunun a humanitarian visa if the process finds she is a refugee, he says.

'Pending the outcome of that, if she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa.'

Ms Alqunun's father and brother arrived in Bangkok on Tuesday evening and have asked to see her.

But Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakpan said the men would have to wait to learn whether the UN's refugee agency would allow the request.

Ms Alqunun is currently in the care of UN officials who say it will take about five days to process her request for assistance

Australia says it will consider giving Ms Alqunun (pictured) a humanitarian visa if the UN process finds she is a refugee

One of Ms Alqunun's friends tweeted that her three-month Australian tourist visa had been cancelled

'The father and brother want to go and talk to Rahaf but the UN will need to approve such talk,' General Surachate told reporters.

The news comes after fears Ms Alqunun's Australia tourist visa had been cancelled, with friends taking to Twitter to share the information.

But a government source told The Australian the visa had not been revoked.

Instead, they confirmed she would have been refused entry to Australia as the visa was not reflective of her intended stay in the country.

Ms Alqunun ran away from a family trip to Kuwait last week and flew to Thailand in the hope of reaching Australia to seek asylum.
The house where the Las Vegas massacre gunman lived has been sold for $425,000.

The sale of Stephen Paddock's Nevada home was approved by district judge Gloria Sturman last Thursday.

The property sold for $425,000, according to court records obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The two-bedroom house where Las Vegas massacre gunman Stephen Paddock lived in Nevada has been sold for $425,000

The two-bedroom, 2,018-square-foot home, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, was listed in July at $449,000.

The sale of Stephen Paddock's Nevada home was approved by district judge Gloria Sturman last Thursday

Proceeds from the sale of the house will go to the victims of the October 1, 2017, shooting.

The massacre killed 58 people and injured hundreds at an outdoor music festival in what was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Paddock, who opened fire from the Mandalay Bay casino, killed himself as police approached his hotel room.

Alice Denton, attorney for the special administrator of Paddock's estate, said the funds from the sale will not be distributed until the 'estate is closed', which means Paddock's assets have been liquidated and any litigation or creditors' claims have been worked through.

Paddock's estate - which included property, cash, casino vouchers and dozens of weapons - was worth more than $1.4 million.

His other home in Reno is currently on the market for $374,900.

The two-bedroom, 2,018-square-foot home, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, was listed in July at $449,000

Proceeds from the sale of the house will go to the victims of the October 1, 2017, shooting
A dirt-cheap drug sweeping Australia's party scene known as 'monkey dust' can spark paranoia and psychosis quicker than crystal meth, experts have warned.

At about $10 a hit, the synthetic substance 'turns users into the Incredible Hulk' and can leave them high for days on end.

Professor Nicole Lee, from Curtin University's National Drug Research Institute in Perth, said the emergence of the party drug in Australia is alarming.

'It has some effects that are pretty similar to amphetamines and cocaine. If you take too much people can become a bit confused,' she told 3AW.

'In the longer term, there have been reports of paranoia and psychosis that are similar to ice - that seem to happen in a much shorter period of time.

'It's not a drug we know heaps about.'

A dirt-cheap drug sweeping Australia's party scene known as 'monkey dust' can spark paranoia and psychosis quicker than ice, experts have warned. A man is seen on a roof (pictured) after reportedly consuming the drug in the UK

Also referred to as bath salts or MDPV, 'monkey dust' has emerged as the 'it' drug in recent times, and is increasingly used at Australian raves and music festivals.

Professor Lee said recreational drug legislation and 'backyard chemists' increase the risks associated with the use of party narcotics.

'A drug becomes much more dangerous when it's illegal, because it's manufactured in backyard labs and by backyard chemists, and so we don't know what's in them or how much someone is taking,' she said.

'If we were able to test pills at festivals, we would have a better sense of what's going around.'

At about $10 a hit, the synthetic substance 'turns users into the Incredible Hulk', according to a UK paramedic, and can leave them high for days on end (stock image)

Toxicologists have warned the drug - a powerful derivative of methamphetamine - causes wild hallucinations and impressions of invincibility.

One Australian woman's tongue bled after she aggressively licked the dancefloor when she took the killer drug, which can be smoked, snorted or taken in pill form.

In August 2018, a 35-year-old man climbed over a safety barrier on the busy A50 motorway in Stoke-on-Trent, central England, after taking the drug and stumbled through traffic before he was hit and killed by a truck.

The city has been awash with the drug, with users regularly seen in public, including one who danced around in his socks and shoes after stripping off his clothes.

Users overseas have been filmed jumping in front of cars (pictured) and standing perilously on tall buildings because the drug makes them think they cannot be harmed

One local woman told The Daily Mail last year that she had 'seen thunderbolts raining from the sky' after taking 'monkey dust'.

The drug can stop users feeling pain and cause agitation, hallucinations and severe paranoia, with some users believing they were being chased by demons while high.

Innocent bystanders have been attacked by users and in one instance, a man dragged his girlfriend through the streets by her hair while under the influence of the drug.

Paramedics in the English city have increasingly come under attack, with some having to undergo testing after being spat in the face.

'One man was lying on the floor, and appeared to be unconscious. But then he suddenly jumped up and started behaving as if he was superhuman,' paramedic Debbie Darle told The Daily Mail last year.

'There were three of us and two were men but he threw us around like rag dolls. We pressed the panic button and the police came but it was like holding down a raging bull. [Dust users] are just not of this world.'

What is 'Monkey Dust'? - 'Monkey Dust' is the colloquial street term for the drug MDPV, a potent strain of methamphetamine - The drug a powerful hallucinogenic which causes paranoia and a false sense of invincibility - Due to its potency, a small dose of about two milligrams is issued, making it incredibly cheap and easy to overdose on - The drug been given a street value of about $10-$15 per hit, making it extremely deadly - Side effects of the drug include: euphoria, mood lift, elevation in heart rate, paranoia and confusion Advertisement

PC Rich Frost told Sky News 'it's almost like trying to restrain someone who thinks they are the Incredible Hulk'.

A man was jailed in Stoke-on-Trent in September last year after he jumped on roofs while half-naked during a police siege and yelled-out 'I'm on monkey dust'.

The man also threw tiles and swung from an aerial.

Users overseas have been filmed jumping in front of cars and standing perilously on tall buildings because the drug makes them think they cannot be harmed.

In 2012, a 20-year-old man was arrested and accused of attempting to kill a 77-year-old woman with a shovel while he was high on bath salts.

The man, who claimed he was an alien and talking to Jesus Christ, was arrested in California, with police needing tasers and 40mm rubber bullets to get him into custody.

In 2016, a 19-year-old college student in Florida was arrested, accused of stabbing two people to death and biting off part of a victim's face, making accusers think he was on drugs such as bath salts or flakka - a synthetic designer drug.

The Australian Federal Police last year seized 4.5kg of monkey dst, or half a million doses, and warned consuming the drug was a gamble with your life that is not worth taking.

The drug has previously caused problems for Australian authorities - in 2012, the deaths of two people from South Australia was linked to the use of monkey dust.

Andrew Leibie, a leading forensic toxicologist, told the Herald Sun monkey dust is 'certainly a contender for the fatal drug overdoses we are seeing'.

He said the drug is 'cheaper than ecstasy and it's a lot more dangerous' and only a small dose can be fatal.

The Australian Federal Police last year seized 4.5kg of the monkey dust drug (pictured), or half a million doses

Dr Chris Holmwood from Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia previously told the ABC the drug was so deadly because it was unfamiliar.

'Perhaps people think because they're paying less for it, it's not as potent a drug so that could be one reason but I guess it's lack of familiarity probably and not appreciating just how potent the drug is,' he said.

'Monkey dust is difficult for authorities to detect as sniffer dogs and existing roadside tests are unable to pick it up.'

Four people have died in as many months from suspected drug overdoses at music festivals in New South Wales.
These are the first pictures of the wealthy Russian businessman reported to have been held by the FBI in a case that has been linked to a US-British security expert detained in Moscow.

Dmitry Makarenko was detained in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean, the day after American Paul Nicholas Whelan was arrested by the Russians.

Makarenko is believed to be a graduate from Vladivostok State Naval Academy.

He is suspected by the FBI of conspiring to export defense articles including night-vision scopes without appropriate licenses and is accused of money laundering.

He was transferred to custody in Florida, say Russian sources.

These are the first pictures of the wealthy Russian businessman Dmitry Makarenko (pictured), reported to have been held by the FBI in a case that has been linked to a US-British security expert detained in Moscow

Makarenko was detained in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific Ocean, the day after American and former Marine Paul Nicholas Whelan (pictured) was arrested by the Russians on December 28

The Russian Foreign Ministry had said Makarenko was held after 'arriving on remote Saipan Island with his wife, underage children and elderly parents. Pictured: Dmitry Makarenko's arrest warrant

The Russian Foreign Ministry had said Makarenko was held after 'arriving on remote Saipan Island with his wife, underage children and elderly parents.

'He was detained by FBI personnel at the airport right after his arrival.'

Russian news outlet The Bell identified Makarenko as the general director of Artayar, a company which built the largest shopping mall in Vladivostok, Russia's Pacific capital.

The report said that with the help of a mediator in the United States, Ukrainian-born Vladimir Nevidomy, Makarenko is accused by American authorities of four deals to supply military night vision devices, thermal viewers and fulminate caps.

He allegedly paid for the goods using bank accounts in Shanghai and Riga.

Nevidomy pleaded guilty in June 2018 and was sentenced to 26 months in jail.

The maximum term under the articles Makarenko is charged with is 20 years in prison.

Makarenko's businesses in the far east of Russia are mainly dealing with real estate and logistics, reported The Bell.

His wife Elena - pictured - is listed as a co-owner of at least two of his companies, and her father Valery Flintsov, who has key Russian political connections, it is claimed, appears to be a business partner.

Makarenko (pictured) was identified as the general director of Artayar, a company which built the largest shopping mall in Vladivostok, Russia's Pacific capital

His wife Elena (pictured) is listed as a co-owner of at least two of his companies, and her father Valery Flintsov, who has key Russian political connections, it is claimed, appears to be a business partner

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 (pictured)

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

The Bell's report said it failed to get replies to its questions from the Makarenko family and companies.

His full name and age match the description provided by the Russian Foreign Ministry which revealed his detention.

Elena has suggested online she has a home in Boston.

And Makarenko posted two years ago: 'My (family) have lived in Boston for six months.

'They like it more although I vote for Miami.'

The Makarenko case has been linked to that of Paul Nicholas Whelan, 48, since he was held the day after the US man - who also has British, Canadian and Irish citizenship - was detained in Moscow.

Whelan has been charged by the Russians with participating in a 'spy mission'.

He was taken into custody by Russia's FSB security service on December 28.

His family protested his innocence, saying he was in Moscow for a wedding.

The Russians say he received a flash drive with the names and details of Russians engaged in secret work.

He was detained by armed FSB officers at the five star Metropol Hotel near Red Square in Moscow.

There have been separate claims that Whelan was held as a 'pawn' to free 30-year old flame-haired 'spy with the golden bullets' Maria Butina who has admitted acting as a Kremlin agent in the United States.

Whelan (pictured) was dishonorably discharged from the Marines and exaggerated cop credentials

Makarenko was accused, along with Vladimir Nevidomy (pictured left and right) of conspiring to export defense articles including night-vision scopes from America to Russia without US approval

He father Valery Butin, 56, said this week: '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).'

Butina - who has a necklace feature golden bullets - is seen by the US as a a pro-gun campaigner with links to Russian intelligence who used her role to infiltrate powerful circles in Washington.

She 'developed ties with US citizens and infiltrated political groups'.

Russian espionage expert Gennady Sokolov said a spy swap with Butina was unlikely.

'Butina is expected to be freed quite soon due to the agreement she reached with US prosecutors,' he said.

'So I don't see any connection between the two cases or a possible exchange.'

However, there maybe more similarity between the cases of Whelan and Makarenko.
A married high school teacher has been charged with allegedly having sex romps with a 14-year-old boy.

Dayna Chidester, of Illinois, appeared in court on Friday where she wept as the judge read off a long list of charges that include criminal sexual abuse.

Chidester, who worked as a nutrition teacher at Reed-Custer High School, may also be facing child porn charges for allegedly sexting the teen and sharing explicit nudes before they had sex.

Her husband was also in court, but he refused to speak with reporters, according to ABC 7.

Married teacher Dayna Chidester (left and right), 50, has been charged with allegedly having sex romps with a 14-year-old boy. She also faces possible child porn charges for allegedly sexting the teen

Chidester (pictured), who worked as a nutrition teacher at Reed-Custer High School, may also be facing child porn charges for allegedly sexting the teen before they had sex

The 50-year-old was arrested on Thursday after investigators received a tip and interviewed the alleged victim, the station reported.

According to police, the teen did not attend the school where Chidester taught, but he is a resident of Manhattan, Illinois, where Chidester resides.

The communication between Chidester and the teen allegedly began in September 2018.

Eventually they started sending each other naked photos before allegedly having sex, according to ABC.

The pair reportedly had sex multiple times and at different locations that include Chidester's home, her vehicle and local motels.

She is now facing charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, indecent solicitation of a child and unlawful grooming, according to ABC.

Following her arrest, Chidester resigned from her position at Reed-Custer High School and was barred from having contact with students from the school, according to a statement from the school district.

Chidester remains in jail on $1million bond. She is due back in court on January 29.
Two men have been charged with killing a pregnant mother on Christmas Day in what police have described as a contract killing.

Mashaun Jay Baker, 33, is accused of hiring Dion Jamel Green, 33, to shoot 31-year-old Jenna Schafer dead in an apartment in Junction City, Kansas, on December 25.

It remains unclear why he would have wanted the pregnant mother-of-two dead or how they knew one another.

It is also not known how far into the pregnancy Schafer was when she was killed.

In a criminal complaint filed on Tuesday, Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell gave few details about the death but suggested Baker hired Green to carry it out.

Mashaun Jay Baker, 33, (left) is accused of hiring Dion Green (right) to shoot dead Jenna Schafer, 31, on December 25

Jenna Schafer, 31, was found shot dead in her apartment in Kansas on Christmas Day. She was pregnant at the time but police have not revealed how far along in her pregnancy she was

Green was arrested on December 25 hours after police found Schafer's body at 9.30am.

Baker was arrested on January 2.

Both men appeared in court on Monday on first degree murder charges.

Baker faces one for Schafer but Green has been charged with two; one for her and one for her unborn baby.

Further details of how much he was paid, if anything, to carry it out remain unknown and police are being tight lipped about the case.

It remains unclear why the men wanted Schafer, who had two daughters, dead

Geary County Attorney's Office did not immediately return DailyMail.com's inquiries for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

In an obituary, Schafer was described as a loving mother-of-two daughters.

Friends told how she had spent her childhood moving around with her parents because her father was in the military.

She was a stay-at-home mother who enjoyed 'social media, cruising and dolphins', it said.

Since she was found dead, her loved ones have been appealing for information about who killed her on social media.

None have yet spoken out about the suspects' arrests.
Annittra Atler, a 46-year-old former beauty queen and elementary school principal who appeared on the hit television show 'Better Call Saul', has been arrested for hitting her fiance Patrick Ficke and his son during an argument sparked by her own son using her work computer to watch porn, according to police in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Atler is pictured above in her mugshot

A former beauty queen and elementary school principal who appeared on the hit television show 'Better Call Saul' has been accused of hitting her fiance and his son during an argument sparked by her own son using her work computer to watch porn, New Mexico authorities say.

Annittra Atler, 46, was arrested on Sunday at her home in Albuquerque after her fiance, Patrick Ficke, told police that she 'beat [him] up' and left an abrasion on his left forearm after learning about her son Shawn's activity on her computer.

'Patrick said he got upset at the situation and told Annitra her son was "acting stupid,"' the criminal complaint obtained by the New York Post says.

'He said Annitra then got upset and began to push him.'

Ficke claimed that the assault took place in the couples bedroom, and that his son Aiden witnessed the whole thing.

The altercation ended when Ficke fell to the ground, which is possibly how he got injured. He then called his son's mother and asked her to pick him up from Atler's home.

Atler told police that the couple had drank wine with dinner and gotten into an argument when Ficke discovered porn on her work computer, which her son had just been using.

She denied that the argument ever got physical.

Police say Atler and Ficke got into an argument on Sunday night after he discovered porn videos on her work computer after her son Shawn had been suing it. Atler (above on season 2 of 'Better Call Saul') has denied getting physical with Ficke or his son Aiden

After the argument, Ficke called his son's mother  who was identified by police as Veronica Lewandowski  and asked her to pick up their son.

'She then went to their residence and picked up Aiden,' the complaint said.

'Veronica told me that Aiden said he saw Annittra hitting his dad.

'Aiden was also in the room and tried to intervene, when Annittra slapped him with her left hand across his right cheek.'

Ficke's son told investigators that the fight started when his father found 'bad things' on Atlers work computer.

'He said his dad and Annittra began to argue as Annittra was cussing at Patrick,' the complaint said.

'Aiden said he saw Annittra hitting his dad in their bedroom with closed fists.'

The boy claimed that Atler hit his father five or six times before turning around and slapping him.

She denied having hit Aiden but said he had 'disrespected her by calling her a monster,' according to the complaint.

Atler played the wife of a businessman named Dale during Season 2 of AMC's 'Better Call Saul' in 2016.

The former beauty queen who won a national pageant called Ms Woman United States in 2015 now works as a special education principal at Abode Acres Elementary School.

She was placed on administrative leave from Albuquerque Public Schools following her arrest.
Jacob Stockdale (pictured in his September mugshot a year after shooting himself in the head) is trying to enter an insanity plea for shooting dead his mother and brother in 2017

A Christian musician who survived shooting himself after he killed his mother and brother nine years after they all appeared on Wife Swap together will seek an insanity plea, his lawyer has revealed.

Jacob Stockdale, 26, shot dead his mother Kathryn, 54, and younger brother James, 21, in June 2017 at their home in Beach City, Ohio.

The family appeared in an episode of the ABC reality TV series in 2008.

After killing his mother and brother, Stockdale shot himself in the head afterwards as police made their way into the home but survived and has spent the last year undergoing rehabilitation and medical treatment for his brain and head injuries.

In September, after recovering, Stockdale was charged with the murders and pleaded not guilty.

His lawyer sought a competency evaluation at the time, which he passed, but is now seeking another in the hopes that it will reduce his sentence.

Last month, a grand jury had decided not to apply the death penalty in his case.

Stockdale remains in custody and is awaiting his next court date.

Jacob shot dead his 21-year-old brother Jason (left) and his 54-year-old mother Kathryn (right) last June then turned the gun on himself but survived

His attorney has been tight lipped about his defense but said previously when he pleaded not guilty to the crimes that he had 'ongoing medical issues'.

At the time that he appeared on the show, Jacob was just a teenager.

His family was memorable because of their strict Christian faith and because they had formed a band together.

He is one of four but two of his brothers and his father were not at home when he opened fire last year.

Neighbors said they heard between 10 and 12 shots between at the family's 150-year-old farm.

The family was memorable because they had strict religious beliefs and had also formed a bluegrass band. Jacob is shown center and his brother Jason is next to him on the right. Their other two brothers were not at home at the time of the attack. Their father is shown, far right.

Jacob (right) is shown on the show with his mother and brother when he was 16

Jacob is pictured in a photograph taken before the shooting. His lawyer said last year that he is 'ongoing medical needs'. A motive has not been suggested by the prosecution

After the killings last year, Laurie Tonkovic, who looked after him on the show after trading places with Kathryn, said his strict upbringing caused him to 'snap'.

'When I switched the rules and I was going to let them have fun, let them have a television and video games, and experience life a little bit, [Jacob] ran outside crying.

'And when I went out after him, I asked him what was wrong, and he said that his mom and dad would tell him that he would "burn in hell."

'God gives you free will. Free will, they didnt have.

'They werent allowed to make choices. I think it just caught up to him,' she told TMZ.

Police arrived at the family home last year after receiving a 911 call from someone who hung up.

As they approached the property, they heard a gunshot. They then found Jacob lying inside in the doorway with a single gunshot wound to his head.

He was taken to the hospital and has been recovering ever since with the support of his father and two remaining brothers.
An Oregon man who made headlines back in 2011 when he was arrested and for impersonating a doctor is back behind bars.

Lucas Orlin Ebert, 28, was sentenced for 17 years in prison earlier this week after entering a guilty plea to a number of charges including: aggravated theft in the first degree, contracting without a valid license, identity theft, witness tampering, using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, four counts of sexual abuse in the first degree and one count of invasion of privacy in the first degree.

A majority of those charges stem from his abuse of the 75-year-old woman he was dating and a 9-year-old girl who was briefly living in his home while her father was in jail.

Lucas Orlin Ebert, 28, was sentenced for 17 years in prison earlier this week after entering a guilty plea to a number of charges including sex abuse of a child (left in 2011 after being arrested for impersonating a physician, right in 2013 after swindling his grandmother)

He filmed himself spanking a girl, 9, who was living with him while her father was in prison (left in 2013 after writing bad checks, right in 2017 on current charges)

'Ebert admitted that in April 2017, he unlawfully and knowingly induced a female, under the age of 14, to engage in sexually explicit conduct,' states a press release from the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office.

'Furthermore, Ebert admitted that he unlawfully and knowingly subjected the child victim to sexual contact by touching intimate parts of her body on multiple occasions.'

The theft charge meanwhile stems from money he stole from a woman he conned into thinking was his girlfriend.

Authorities believed he stole at least $175,000 from her over the span of just months.

It was also revealed that in the first eleven months he was behind bars, Ebert called his girlfriend 1848 times.

He previously spent three years in prison after posing as a surgery resident at Oregon Health & Science University.

That act was so good that he actually managed to convince one patient to stop taking her medications ahead of surgery.

He then landed another 18 month sentence in 2013 for writing bad checks, shortly after it was revealed he had stolen over $100,000 from his grandmother.

His young victim's father was in jail when Ebert abused his daughter.

'In addition to his 17 year prison sentence, Ebert was ordered to register as a sex offender, pay $2,894 to CARES Northwest, Multnomah Countys child abuse assessment center and pay $60,000 in restitution and fines to three separate victims,' said the district attorney's office.
A woman's recent visit to a food stamps office ended in chaos when she lost her cool and slammed a portrait of Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rossello.

Iris Mirta Quiroz, 40, had not received her monthly deposit of food stamps for the month of January when she showed up to inquire about it at the local Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program center in the southern coast city of Ponce.

But she quickly flew into a rage last Friday after a male government employee informed the woman that she had to wait an additional day to access her available funds, and then said he would call the cops.

Quiroz eventually was arrested and later released after a Bayamon judge ruled there was no cause for her arrest and ordered her released, according to Puerto Rican news outlet Noticel.

Iris Mirta Quiroz was arrested after she lost her temper after she was told she needed to wait an additional day to receive her monthly allotment food stamps at an office in Ponce, Puerto

Quiroz was unsatisfied that she did not have access to her food stamps and reacted by tossing to the floor a framed portrait of Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rossello

A government employee (right) questions Quiroz (left) after her tantrum and told her he would call the police

Unsatisfied with the feedback she received, she dared the employee to contact the cops.

'Call the police because I am not going to leave," Quiroz shouted.

'You're not going to issue the food stamps? You're not going to give them to me?' she asked before erupting in anger.

The irate woman then got up from her seat and reached for a framed pictured of the Puerto Rican governor and flung it to the floor before a security guard attempted to intervene.

Other government assistance beneficiaries started screaming at the woman as she calmly walked away before the employee left his glass-covered service window station and reprimanded her.

Quiroz, who claimed to be diabetic, countered by challenging the unnamed worker once again to call the cops.

Apparently fed up with her demands, the man went face-to-face with a livid Quiroz and raised his index finger before nearly touching her face.

A woman sits in front of a service window before she lost her cool and trashed a food stamps office in Puerto Rico. She was arrested but ordered released by a judge who ruled there was no cause to arrest her

'What's wrong? Don't look for any problems, don't look for any problems,' the fed up employee shouted.

'There is no need for you to break anything. You hear?'

According Voces del Sur, the judge recommended Quiroz to voluntarily undergo a psychiatric evaluation with the local mental health center.
Casey Anthony's father George, involved in a near-fatal car accident recently, is asking to postpone the March 1 trial which will decide if he and wife Cindy are evicted from their $200,000 home in Orlando, Florida.

DailyMail.com obtained papers filed January 7 with the Florida's Ninth Circuit Court in Orlando stating 67-year-old George was involved 'in a horrific car accident that precludes him from appearing and/or speaking at the trial'.

US Bank National Association filed the case against the couple in May 2018, claiming in court documents the Anthonys never made a single payment on a 2010 loan against their home for $121,160.

DailyMail.com exclusively showed George returning to the house on December 24 - almost a month after suffering serious spinal injuries from the crash in an SUV.

George Anthony (right), his head im a halo brace, needed a medical assistant and a metal walker when he arrived at his Orlando, Florida home on December 24 following his car crash

George needed a medical assistant and used a walker to help him up the driveway at the time, his head encircled in a halo brace.

The brace is used to prevent the bones in his neck from moving, while pins screwed into his forehead keep it in place.

George was greeted inside by wife Cindy, 60, who set up a GoFundMe page to raise $100,000 for his medical expenses.

On the page, which has currently raised $920, Cindy warned: 'George suffered serious injuries, including to his spinal cord. He will have a long recovery ahead.'

Casey Anthony, 32 (pictured with her late daughter Caylee) was branded the most-hated mom in America during the six-week trial for Caylee's murder. She told fans she has until February to decide whether to appear in a reality show called 'Casey Going Forward'

Anthony was driving Cindy's green 1999 Toyota 4Runner west on Interstate 4 in Daytona Beach, Florida on November 24 when it went into the right shoulder.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol accident report, Anthony then swerved left to get back onto the road but lost control and his car rolled over three times across three lanes of highway.



Court papers filed on January 7 claim he 'was involved in a horrific car accident that precludes him from appearing and/or speaking at the trial scheduled March 1'

Anthony was airlifted to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, 50 miles north of their home.

The crash occurred almost 10 years to the date that officials discovered the bones of Anthony's granddaughter Caylee, who many believed was killed by her mother Casey.

Anthony, 32, was branded the most-hated mom in America during the six-week trial for Caylee's murder. She was found not guilty.

The trial destroyed her relationship with her father, who the defense claimed had sexually abused his daughter from a young age.

The defense also claimed that it was George, a former police detective, who was responsible for Caylee's death, arguing that he hid the body after she drowned in his pool.

That was enough to set Casey free, but her father was never tried, charged or convicted of a crime in the case.

Unsurprisingly, Casey has not left her West Palm Beach, Florida home to visit her parents since George's accident.

Anthony suffered spinal injuries when his Toyota 4Runner rolled over three times across three lanes of highway in Daytona Beach, Florida on November 24

DailyMail.com revealed she is considering starring in a reality show called 'Casey Moving Forward' which is expected to feature the rift she has with George and Cindy.

She told friends on a private twitter account seen by DailyMail.com she has until February to make a decision.

Anthony also blasted her parents for giving an interview to 'The Dr Oz Show' in October.

George told the show his daughter 'doesn't need to exist anymore as far as I'm concerned.'

On December 4 Anthony tweeted, 'Seems everyone wants to make money off of my case..lol My parents.....I'm the only one not wanting $'

Anthony said, 'I am content in my life..I am not my family, I will not use my daughters untimely death to make $. People want me to get a job then they boycott potential employers if they hire me..how hypocritical can one be? I pray for my miserable enemies, as they need it more than I.'

Casey believes her reality show would work after comparing herself with the Kardashian family who 'made it big with so much hate.'

George Anthony recovers from his November 24 car accident in a photo taken at Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida

Anthony posted, 'I am degraded no matter what I do..may as well live up to the names everyone has for me. I am more than positive it would be a hit, 'Casey moving forward'...

She added, 'A reality show would be awesome right now.. I was approached about it, Still thinking...I have until February 2019 to decide. What do you think?'

George and Cindy Anthony face being evicted from this $200,000 home in Orlando, Florida

Her friends have urged her online to go ahead with the project, with one telling her 'For sure it'd be a hit. People who show hate will watch as well as the rest.'

Anthony replied, 'The very ones that say they wouldn't watch my parents interviews are the very ones that talk about their every move in the interview. I can handle bad attention, and I know..the privacy thing still has me thinking.

But she added, 'My life is pretty weird, never a dull moment!'
Former Donald Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort sent campaign polling data to an alleged Russian spy in the midst of the 2016 campaign, according to a filing by his lawyers that was not properly redacted.

Manafort's lawyers strenuously pushed back against prosecutors in a memo filed under seal before a Monday night deadline  disputing the claim that he intentionally lied despite a deal to cooperate with authorities.

But due to an error, it was possible to read the memo in its entirety  including redacted material  when it was posted on a court web site.

The former Trump campaign chair also 'conceded' that he had discussed a Ukraine peace plan with a former employee who Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office has said has ties to Russian intelligence.

The information about the substantive 'lies' Manafort told prosecutors were revealed in a memo where his lawyer also sought sympathy by revealing the former power operative suffers from 'severe gout' and is sometimes confined to a wheel chair, while suffering 'depression and anxiety.'

Former Donald Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort sent campaign polling data to an alleged Russian spy in the midst of the 2016 campaign, according to a filing by his lawyers that the government failed to properly redact

 Slide me  Scroll right to see how Manafort's attorney's filing revealed how he slipped secrets to an alleged Russian spy

 Slide me  Oops: A document filed by Manafort's lawyers could be read in full on a court website. Blacked out portion revealed details of a dispute over what the Trump campaign chair revealed about his sharing of poll data with an alleged spy and his conversations about a Ukraine peace plan

The filing is the first disclosure of prosecutors going after Manafort, who chaired Trump's campaign while he wrapped up the Republican nomination for president, for passing campaign information to a Russian contact.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe continues to probe possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Russians, and last week got a six-month extension for a federal grand jury.

One passage in the filing reveals Manafort lawyer Kevin Downing arguing that it was difficult for his client to remember things about Ukraine during the busy campaign season when he was among Trump's top advisors.

'Issues and communications related to Ukrainian political events simply were not at the forefront of Mr. Manafort's mind during the period at issue and it is not surprising at all that Mr. Manafort was unable to recall specific details prior to having his recollection refreshed,' according to the blacked out material in the memo.

They extended that argument to Manafort's contacts with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian national and an individual whom Mueller has identified as having ties to a Russian intelligence service.

'The same is true with regard to the Government's allegation that Mr. Manafort lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign,' according to the Manafort filing.

It provided no further information about what campaign polling he shared, or whether it was internal Trump campaign data.

Previously reported emails reveal Manafort touting his status in the campaign orbit and his desire to become 'whole' with debtors and a Russian oligarch who claimed Manafort owed him millions.

'How do we use to get whole,' Manafort wrote Kilimnik days before he was named a Trump campaign strategist, the Washington Post reported in 2017.

Former prosecutors and other court watchers indicated the redaction failure lay at the feet of Manafort's attorneys, who apparently submitted the document as a PDF file that did not properly obscure information that revealed potentially damaging information about their client.

Team Manafort argued in an un-redacted portion: 'It is not uncommon, however, for a witness to have only a vague recollection about events that occurred years prior and then to recall additional details about those events when his or her recollection is refreshed with relevant documents or additional information.'

But then the memo reveals another substantive dispute: what Manafort knew about a Ukrainian peace proposal that longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen eventually would hand-deliver to the White House early in the Trump administration.

Manafort and Kilimnik 'may' have discussed the peace plan 'on more than one occasion,' according to one portion that was meant to be blacked out.

The peace proposal was an effort by the non-diplomats to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukrainian territory, while also dealing with sanctions that were gnawing at leading Russian figures.

'In fact, during a proffer meeting held with the Special Counsel on September 11, 2018, Mr. Manafort explained to the Government attorneys and investigators that he would have given the Ukrainian peace plan more thought, had the issue not been raised during the period he was engaged with work related to the presidential campaign,' according to a blacked-out portion.

The argument suggests that Manafort neglected to mention it when being questioned about it directly while negotiating the terms of his cooperation deal weeks after he was convicted on eight counts of bank fraud and tax charges.

COPY PASTE: When readers copied the document and pasted it in a file, it was possible to read the redactions that the government had imposed

Blacked out portions reveal what Manafort told prosecutors in a 'proffer meeting' in September of 2018

Special counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors accuse Manafort of violating a cooperation agreement

In this handout provided by Alexandria Sheriff's Office, Paul Manafort poses for a mugshot photo at the Alexandria Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Prosecutors say he violated a cooperation deal, which could extend his jail term at sentencing

'Issues and communications related to Ukrainian political events simply were not at the forefront of Mr. Manafort's mind during the period at issue and it is not surprising at all that Mr. Manafort was unable to recall specific details prior to having his recollection refreshed,' his lawyers continued. '

The filing cites another document and notes: 'After being shown documents, Mr. Manafort "conceded" that he discussed or may have discussed a Ukraine peace plan with Mr. Kilimnik on more than one occasion)'.

Yet another passage relates to Kilimnik, a Manafort business partner who ran his Ukraine office and is alleged to have been a Russian agent.

'It is accurate that after the Special Counsel shared evidence regarding Mr. Manafort's meetings and communications with Konstantin Kilimnik with him, Mr. Manafort recalled that he had - or may have had - some additional meetings or communications with Mr. Kilimnik that he had not initially remembered,' his lawyers concede in the filing.

But the document disputes that these are 'lies.'

When his memory got refreshed, Manafort acknowledged meeting him overseas.

NO RECUERDO: Manaford 'acknowledged' meeting his former employee Kilimnik in Madrid, according to the memo

Issues about Ukraine 'simply were not at the forefront of Mr. Manafort's mind' while he was running Trump's presidential campaign, his lawyers argue

Konstantin Kilimnik has been indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller on charges he tampered with witnesses in the upcoming Paul Manafort trial. Kilimnik has been described as a fixer, translator or office manager to Trump's ex-campaign chairman, Manafort. But an Associated Press investigation finds documents show that he was far more involved in Manafort's activities than had been portrayedHe helped formulate Manafort's pitches to clients in Russia and Ukraine, including Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, to whom he was main go-between. Mueller has alleged that Kilimnik has ties to the Kremlin's intelligence apparatus

Kevin Downing, defense attorney for former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, pushed back against prosecutors' claims that Manafort committed 'lies' despite a cooperation deal

'After being told that Mr. Kilimnik had traveled to Madrid on the same day that Mr. Manafort was in Madrid, Mr. Manafort "acknowledged" that he and Mr. Kilimnik met while they were both in Madrid,' according to material intended to be redacted.

That meeting between Manafort and Kilimnik hadn't been previously been made public.

Manafort recalled 'some additional meetings or communications with Mr. Kilimnik that he had not initially remembered' his lawyer acknowledged.

The Ukraine peace plan, which would have paved the way for the lifting of sanctions on Russia, made it to the desk of former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, who was fired after lying about his Russia contacts, and who is cooperating with the Mueller probe.

Cohen also is assisting prosecutors. Also involved was Felix Sater, a former senior advisor to Trump at the Trump Organization who was also revealed to have pitched his ability to help line up a Trump tower project in Moscow during the campaign.

Manafort's lawyers argue that he has indeed been helpful.

'He attempted to live up to the requirements of his cooperation agreement and provided meaningful cooperation relating to several key areas under current government investigation,' they write.

His lawyers in the memo state that they are declining to seek a hearing, noting the 'highly deferential standard' on the government's side. The filing says any factual disputes can be handled during Manafort's sentencing.
Donald Trump, Jr. looked exhausted as he was spotted leaving girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle's New York City apartment on January 8, flanked by his Secret Service detail.

Don Jr., 41, had a Starbucks coffee clutched in his hand as he stepped out Tuesday - on the same day that federal prosecutors in Manhattan have filed a criminal indictment against Natalia Veselnitskaya.

Veselnitskaya is the Russian lawyer who attended the infamous Trump Tower meeting with Don Jr. and other Russians, though the indictment stems from an unrelated case centered around alleged money laundering and forfeiture of assets.

Meanwhile, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is accused of slipping Trump campaign secrets to a 'Kremlin spy'. Manafort's lawyers accidentally revealed in a court filing Tuesday, that Mueller's team alleged that 'Manafort lied about sharing polling data with [Konstantin Kilimnik] related to the 2016 presidential campaign.'

Ex-spy Victor Boyarkin also said he 'pressured Manafort to pay back $19million in debt he owed to an Russian oligarch while he was in charge of Trump's campaign'.

The growing evidence of Russia ties to the Trump campaign may be giving Don Jr. a few sleepless nights.

That could explain the bags under his eyes and exhausted expression as he left Guilfoyle's exclusive Upper West Side apartment building on Tuesday.

Donald Trump, Jr. (pictured) was spotted leaving girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle's New York City apartment on January 8, clutching a coffee, as he was flanked by his Secret Service detail

The indictment stems from an unrelated case centered around alleged money laundering and forfeiture of assets, but further cements her ties to the Russian government. Don Jr. is pictured leaving girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle's apartment in New York City on Tuesday

In the indictment filed against Veselnitskaya on the same day, the Russian lawyer is said to have obstructed justice in her representation of Cyprus-based Prevezon Holdings by making an 'intentionally misleading declaration.'

Her alleged obstruction relates to her statements about her cooperation with the Russian government in the case.

The news may be keeping Don Jr. up at night as he looked tired as he left Guilfoyle's exclusive Upper West Side apartment building on Tuesday

She stated that investigative findings that were presented to the court were 'independently drafted,' but according to the indictment, Veselnitskaya 'well knew but concealed from the Court' that she helped to draft them.

She cooperated with a senior Russian prosecutor 'in secret,' the indictment alleges.

That language in the indictment further cements Veselnitskaya's ties to the Russian government, which were also suggested in the original emails that served to line up the Trump Tower meeting, where Don Jr. was present.

All of that, though, seemed far from mind for the oldest son of President Donald Trump as he celebrated the holidays and his New Year's Eve birthday with his love.

On December 31, Guilfoyle wished her beau a happy birthday over social media, sharing a photo of the two of them out on the town.

'Happy Birthday to my best friend and amazing boyfriend @donaldjtrumpjr,' she wrote with the image.

'It's been wonderful spending the holidays and your birthday together. Here's to an incredible 2019!'

The former Fox News host signed off on the caption with, 'XO Kimberly.'

Also on Tuesday, federal prosecutors in Manhattan have filed a criminal indictment against the Russian lawyer who Don Jr. (pictured) met with in Trump Tower

Victor Boyarkin said he acted on behalf of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska (right) in claiming millions of dollars from Paul Manafort while he worked on Donald Trump's campaign
A Temple University student was beaten and stabbed to death by a man in his Philadelphia apartment after she refused to have anal sex with him, a court has heard.

Joshua Hupperterz, 30, is accused of murdering 22-year-old Jenna Burleigh at his apartment in August 2017 after first meeting at a bar in North Philadelphia earlier in the night.

Prosecutors told jurors on Tuesday on the first day of testimony that their encounter had started out as consensual but turned violent when they went back to his apartment and Burleigh refused to engage in the sex act.

Hupperterz allegedly beat, stabbed and strangled Burleigh in his apartment before then trying to hide her body.

Joshua Hupperterz, 30, is accused of murdering 22-year-old Jenna Burleigh at his apartment in August 2017 after first meeting at a bar in North Philadelphia earlier in the night

'You're going to watch and you're going to see how her body was beaten and contorted, and how he tried to cover it up,' Assistant District Attorney Jason Grenell told jurors, according to Philly.com.

Hupperterz allegedly beat, stabbed and strangled the 22-year-old Temple student (above) in his apartment before then trying to hide her body

Prior to the opening statements, Hupperterz pleaded guilty on Tuesday to abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence but pleaded not guilty to murder and possession of an instrument of crime.

Prosecutors told the court that Hupperterz had met the victim at Pub Webb the night of August 31.

Surveillance footage captured the pair leaving when the venue closed at 2am and going back to his apartment a few blocks away.

Jurors heard that Hupperterz and Burleigh started having consensual sex before neighbors heard screaming in the apartment at about 4am.

The prosecutor said evidence would show that the screaming started when Hupperterz tried to have anal sex with the victim.

Burleigh grabbed a kitchen knife as she tried to fight Hupperterz, the court heard. Hupperterz allegedly beat her 38 times and then stabbed her.

Jurors were told that Hupperterz then smashed a bowl over the victim's head and started to strangle her.

Prosecutors told the court that Hupperterz had met the victim at Pub Webb (above) the night of August 31. Surveillance footage captured the pair leaving when the venue closed at 2am and going back to his apartment a few blocks away

Jurors heard that Hupperterz and Burleigh started having consensual sex before neighbors heard screaming in the apartment at about 4am. The prosecutor said evidence would show that the screaming started when Hupperterz tried to have anal sex with the victim

Meanwhile, defense attorneys told the court that Hupperterz's roommate Jack Miley is actually the one who strangled the victim after he tried to intervene.

They allege that Hupperterz started screaming when Burleigh used the knife to stab his hand. They said Miley came running in and tried to stop the victim from screaming by putting his hands around her throat.

Police have previously said Hupperterzs statement that Miley murdered the victim was a lie. Miley is set to testify at the trial and has not been charged in relation to the student's murder.

Burleigh died from blunt trauma and strangulation.

Following the murder, Hupperterz is accused of stuffing the student's body into a storage bin and moving it to his mother's house in a nearby neighborhood.

Police said he then used the ride-sharing service Lyft to move her body more than 100 miles away to his grandmother's house.

Her body was found in a shed at the property days later.

Hupperterz's murder trial is expected to hear testimony for the rest of the week.

He rejected a plea deal in December and faces life in prison if he is convicted.
A Syrian man has been charged by German prosecutors with second degree murder over the stabbing of a Cuban-German citizen last year that set off the worst far-right riots in decades.

Prosecutors said on Tuesday the suspect, identified only as Alaa S. under German privacy laws, stabbed carpenter Daniel Hillig during a quarrel in the eastern city of Chemnitz in August.

Hillig was stabbed 25 times at a festival after withdrawing money from a cashpoint.

Alaa S. (left) has been charged with murder over the August fatal stabbing of Daniel Hillig (right) in Chemnitz, Germany

People took part in a march of silence organized by the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party, carrying German flags and portraits of alleged victims of refugee violence on September 1 2018

News of the 35-year-old's death quickly spread via social media and sparked protest marches that quickly escalated into racist mob violence.

Clashes took place between neo-Nazis and police as well as demonstrations by far-right groups opposed to Chancellor Angela Merkel's 2015 decision to welcome almost 1 million asylum seekers.

The violence highlighted the depth of a divide created by Merkel's decision to let in the refugees, mostly Muslims from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Several people were injured during the protests, during which participants chanted 'We are the People' and the Nazi-era term 'Luegenpresse' (lying press) while displaying placards that read 'Stop the refugee flood' and 'Defend Europe'.

The murder Daniel Hillig was seized upon by the far-right in its campaign against migrants

Pyrotechnics and other objects hurled from both sides left several people injured and requiring hospital treatment, said police, who moved in water canon and urged the crowds to remain calm

German authorities have also issued an international arrest warrant for an Iraqi suspect, identified as Farhad R.A, who is on the run after going into hiding after the incident in Chemnitz.

He is also suspected of stabbing the Cuban-German victim.

Prosecutors said on Tuesday they would soon make a decision on their case against Iraqi national Yousif Ibrahim A, 22, who is a third suspect in the killing.

Ibrahim who was freed on bail by a court in September, pending further inquiries.
A paraglider died when he lost control of a friend's high-powered glider and crashed into an electrical power line, an inquest heard.

Tom Prince, who took up paragliding to commute to work, was flying a friend's Paramania GTX glider when its spiralled out of control as he attempted to reduce altitude and land.

The 26-year-old, who had completed around 50 hours of flying, collided with a power cable and plunged to the ground.

Tom Prince, who took up paragliding to commute to work, was trying a friend's Paramania GTX glider when its spiralled out of control as he attempted to reduce altitude and land

His friends, who had also been flying on the evening he died, rushed to help him as his canopy caught fire.

Mr Prince, who suffered multiple injuries, was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.

Salisbury Coroner's Court, in Wiltshire, heard Mr Prince had learned to fly as part of an unusual commute-to-work scheme.

The operations manager worked for aviation engine manufacturer Rotron Power.

The inquest heard one of Mr Prince's friends and fellow paraglider enthusiast offered to let him use his 'high powered' glider on the evening of August 31, last year.

But ten minutes after taking off from a field in East Knoyle, near Salisbury, he plummeted to the ground.

Despite his friends best efforts, Mr Prince was pronounced dead at the scene when the air ambulance arrived.

In a statement, Tom Prideaux-Brune said: 'He had made a very smooth, text-book take off.

'Tom spoke with us on the ground through an intercom system saying he was enjoying the flight.

'Then he switched off his headset and I carried on chatting on the ground.

'Ten minutes later, on approaching the ground he reduced the engine power and went into progressive turns.

'He started to spiral at increased speed which subsequently became unrecoverable.

'Tom lost altitude very quickly; it was a matter of seconds after that we saw him hit the ground.

'We also saw the glider take flame and power cables fall to the ground.'

Mr Prince learned to fly paragliders in 2017 with several colleagues.

British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association investigator Dave Thompson, who was ordered to look into the tragic accident, said Mr Prince's inexperience would have played a part in him losing control.

Summing up Mr Thompson's report, coroner David Ridley said: 'There was nothing to suggest the glider was not airworthy.

'The Paramania GTX is most often used for slalom races and by experienced pilots.

'That evening Tom went into a series of turns and a spiral dive. He was unable to recover from the spiral.

'Mr Thompson's report says Tom's lack of familiarity with the glider he was using is considered to be a significant factor.'

Pictured, Tom Prideaux-Brune, one of Tom's friends who gave evidence at the inquest

The 26-year-old, who had completed around 50 hours of flying, collided with a power cable and plunged to the ground, Salisbury Coroner's Court (pictured) heard

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Ridley said Mr Prince, of Gillingham, Wilts said: 'As Tom returned to the take off site, he initiated a series of turns.

'He was unable to to recover from a spiral dive and collided with power lines.

'His lack of familiarity with the glider was likely a contributing factor with what occurred.

'The conclusion I am giving is one of accidental death.

He added he 'would like to offer his sincere condolences for the untimely loss of Tom'.

Mr Prince's father Kevin today paid tribute to his son, saying: 'Tom was the most loved son you could have.

'He would be anybody's best friend and he will be missed greatly.'
Charles Matthews, 55, said he had no idea the haul had been illicitly obtained

A wealthy scrap metal dealer who hid stolen diamonds and precious gems in his office ceiling told a court he was storing them for an acquaintance and unaware of their origin.

Charles Matthews, 55, said he had no idea the haul, which included 50 diamonds and carved emeralds and was worth tens of thousands of pounds, had been illicitly obtained, Southwark Crown Court heard today.

The items were discovered at London City Metals in east London during a police search on August 5 2015. They were found to have been stolen from a London jewellers several years previously, the court heard.

The diamonds alone were worth around 48,750; a sapphire, ruby and diamond-encrusted bracelet was valued at $11,160 [8780] at the time, while a pair of emerald earrings was estimated at some $40,110 [31,559], prosecutor Philip Evans QC said.

Matthews, known as 'Chick', told jurors he had been given a wooden box just before Christmas in 2014 for safekeeping by a man called James Tibbs, but was unaware what was inside.

He said he had known Mr Tibbs for more than 15 years, knew he traded in jewels and said he had bought a 5,000 watch and earrings from him in the past.

Matthews said he had no idea the haul, which included 50 diamonds and carved emeralds and was worth tens of thousands of pounds, had been illicitly obtained, Southwark Crown Court heard today

Giving evidence, Matthews said: 'He asked me if he could put it in my safe for the Christmas period and I said yes.

'Many times before he had left items with me and my father before.'

But in January the company safe broke, so Matthews then said he transferred the jewellery pieces into a black bag to stash in his ceiling, a practice he had done 'many times' before with different items.

Matthews, who wore a dark blue suit jacket, grey trousers, and spectacles, continued: 'I had no reason to take James's jewellery home.

Asked by defence counsel Michael Bromley-Martin QC if he either knew or believed the items to be stolen, he replied: 'No, I never'

'I spoke to James on the telephone and said "I've got a problem with the safe but I've put it in a safe place on our premises".'

Asked by defence counsel Michael Bromley-Martin QC if he either knew or believed the items to be stolen, he replied: 'No, I never.'

A diamond-examining kit, including a magnifying glass, found on the site, belonged to his father Charles Matthews senior, he said.

Matthews said he considered the scrapyard secure as it had a 24-hour monitoring system with around 20 CCTV cameras and motion sensors.

A decision was taken to not repair the time-delay safe as the business had gone largely cashless following the 2013 Scrap Metal Dealers Act, he said.

Before that, he estimated around 50,000 to 100,000 in cash was delivered to the site each day, with the business paying up to 300,000 in cash per week on metals.

Matthews, whose family has been in the scrap metal business since the 1950s, said the company he runs with his brother and son turned over between 10 million and 12 million in 2015 and employed some 35 staff.

Matthews, from Surrey, denies handling goods knowing or believing them to be stolen.

The trial continues.
Alaska Airlines passengers say they were stuck in a 30-hour travel nightmare for a journey flight that would ordinarily take under seven hours on Saturday.

Those on the 6pm flight 1367 from Boston to Los Angeles complained of being stuck on a hot aircraft for two hours before they finally took off, only for the plane to be diverted to Buffalo, New York 90 minutes later due to the smell of electrical burning.

Some 140 angry travelers - some elderly, others with children and some carrying pets  said they were abandoned overnight with little food, nowhere to sleep and no idea how long the ordeal would last before eventually learning they'd have to return to their original destination.

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Alaska Airlines passengers got stuck in a 30-hour travel nightmare when a Saturday evening flight from Boston to Los Angeles was redirected to Buffalo

The airline said it was due to the smell of burning on the aircraft but the long delays were not easy for some elderly passengers, others with children and some carrying pets

'Grounded in hot plane over an hour before take off. Emergency landed in NY and restricted inside terminal. Can not access food. Food handed out from plane, but not enough for all passengers. Possibility we are going to have to fly BACK to Boston??? This is insane,' One passenger documented the saga on her Facebook page.

Sharing an image of a firefighter on the aircraft she added: 'Three hours since our plane was emergency landed in NY. There are infants and toddlers here without access to food except for a vending machine and VERY minimal food left over from the plane that ran out. Pets that have been in carries for hours and hours. We've now been delayed over 6 hours, stranded at the airport. Alaska is giving the same standard response without ANY actual details on next steps. It's past 1:00am here!! How can you expect families to operate like this??'

As news of a power outage on the airline later spread among passengers, the social media user publicly questioned why the airline was quick to address that they'd already overcome the Seattle 3.30am outage on Sunday. Planes were only grounded between about 4.20am and 5.15am, 27 flights were delayed and five were cancelled, the airline boasted.

They eventually were flown back to Boston the following morning however their flight to LAX was not scheduled until 4.30pm Sunday

Nightmare of #flight1367 continues, with airlines lying about hotels offered to passengers. Only asking if formula for babies is needed 14 hours later!!! Passengers, infants and pets stranded without lodging or food for hours and hours!! Alaska Airlines CNN BuzzFeed Video Fox News Good Morning America. Alaska Airlines Posted by Stimulation From A Broad on Sunday, 6 January 2019

The Stimulation From A Broad Facebook account user continued that for seven hours overnight they were without food and accommodation and Alaska Airline allegedly turned many passengers away when they asked for hotel vouchers.

When others heard that not everyone was getting denied a comfortable bed to sleep on for the night, passengers became even more infuriated.

Videos where passengers spoke about their experiences detailed how the airline only started inquiring about families who needed baby formula for their infants 14 hours into the delay.

Passengers said they were abandoned overnight with little food and nowhere to sleep

Nightmare of #flight1367 continues, with airlines lying about hotels offered to passengers. Only asking if formula for babies is needed 14 hours later!!! Passengers, infants and pets stranded without lodging or food for hours and hours!! Alaska Airlines CNN BuzzFeed Video Fox News Good Morning America Posted by Stimulation From A Broad on Sunday, 6 January 2019

Even for those who were fortunate to make other travel arrangements, getting an adequate response from Alaska Airlines proved frustrating.

But for all, there was the added inconvenience of being separated from their luggage.

Juliet Jenkins wrote on the brand's Facebook page: 'Oh - and their luggage continued on - but we only found that out after calling customer care. Customer care is closed on Sundays so we spoke with reservations who do NOT handle customer care. Hmmm... something is not working at Alaska Air.

'We re-booked our own flight at our own expense. We are requesting full refund of our plane airfare AND the added expense of the new flight. We are considering all of the costs associated with 'pain and suffering...' Can anyone call me from customer care?'

Many passengers were without luggage by they time they arrived, one person complained

Passengers reported that even when they did make it LAX there was a lack of staff around to help passengers desperate to be reunited with their luggage.

In a Facebook group for disgruntled passengers created by Tiffany Grace, she told members that the airline had agreed to compensate them with $1000 vouchers that can be used on an affiliated airline, 'refunds for ALL passengers, including those who booked with 3rd party vendors' and 'refunds for unexpected expenses and or flights booked outside of Alaska during the delays'.

However she claimed that although the airline - which purchased Virgin America last year - agreed at 7pm on Monday to send written confirmation, she had yet to receive it.

They are affiliated with 17 carriers including American Airlines but many are based outside of the US, including British Airways, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines.

When asked to comment on various aspects of this article, Alaska Airlines told DailyMail.com: 'Were sorry for the experience our guests had on Alaska Airlines Flight #1367 this past weekend. We clearly failed them at several points and we deeply regret the experience that left them stranded for hours without support or communication.

'That experience is not the Alaska way and does not reflect our values. This situation has initiated a full review across the company so that we will learn from this experience and work toward making sure it doesnt happen again.'
Scotland Yard have confirmed police officers saw a drone over Heathrow runway and have called in the military to help - but are refusing to reveal if any action had been taken to prevent further drone 'attacks' after Gatwick's Christmas chaos.

Flights departing from Europe's biggest airport were halted for almost 90 minutes at the busiest time of day after a drone was spotted at around 5.05pm.

Travel experts estimate that around 40 flights were delayed in the shutdown, and passengers tweeted their frustration at chaos paralysing yet another UK airport.

Scotland Yard have said that 'military assistance has been implemented' - but did not give further details.

Heathrow last night also confirmed it has ordered millions of pounds of military grade anti-drone equipment but refused to say whether it has been deployed yet.

Shortly before flights resumed, Chris Grayling, the Transport Secretary, had said the military were 'preparing to deploy equipment used at Gatwick should it prove necessary'.

The news comes just weeks after more than 1,000 flights and 140,000 passengers were affected in the run up to Christmas amid drone chaos at Gatwick.

Measures to install anti-drone missiles and detectors were promised in the wake of the chaos which crippled services in the run-up to Christmas.

Drone sightings have brought chaos for thousands of passengers at Heathrow airport tonight with all flights grounded for an hour

Planes finally started to take off again shortly after 6.30pm, but it is unclear how many flights were affected after departures were halted just after 5pm. Pictured: passengers at terminal 5

Gareth Hutchins revealed he was stuck on the plane with his two-year-old daughter

Potential solutions are thought to include the Israeli-designed Drone Dome, which can detect and jam communications.

Heathrow last night declined to give any details on what system it has ordered, and whether it is operational yet.

Metropolitan Police officers at the airport are reported to have been practising using 'net' bazookas to bring down rogue drones. But they are not thought to be ready to use them to protect the airport yet.

Commander Stuart Cundy, from the Met Police, said: 'Police officers were amongst those who saw the drone and a full criminal investigation has been launched. We are carrying out extensive searches around the Heathrow area to identify any people who may be responsible for the operation of the drone.'

He added: 'We are deploying significant resources - both in terms of officers and equipment - to monitor the airspace around Heathrow and to quickly detect and disrupt any illegal drone activity; some of which are as a result of learning from the incidents at Gatwick.

'Following today's sighting, military assistance has been implemented to support us. However, we will not be discussing in any further detail the range of tactics available to us as this would only serve to potentially undermine their effectiveness.'

Airport bosses have been criticised for not learning from the mistakes of last month and not investing in drone protection technology.

Brian Strutton, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association (Balpa), said: 'This second drone incident in less than a month has shown how important it is that airports invest in drone protection technology immediately.

'The Government should ensure that every airport does so in the interests of public safety and should accelerate and strengthen its other drone legislation planned for later this year. It's time to act swiftly and decisively.

'An aircraft or helicopter collision with a drone has the potential to be catastrophic and so it's right that Heathrow shut until it was sure flights could take off and land safely again.

'While it may be frustrating for the passengers who are delayed, it's their safety that must come first.'

A member of staff at Heathrow told MailOnline: We were a bit worried it was going to be another Gatwick situation but luckily it was all under control quite quickly and its now all back to normal.

Planes continued to land on the south runway, but the north runway was grounded for an hour just after 5pm

Frustrated passengers have been sharing photos from grounded planes after drone sightings halted take offs from Heathrow airport for around an hour

The alleged sighting came four days after both Heathrow (pictured) and Gatwick airports reported they were investing millions of pounds in equipment to prevent future flight disruption

Some passengers stuck inside planes at the airport's busiest time of day described vehicles out on the tarmac searching for the drone, while others were told they could ask to disembark.

Student Gabriella Linning, who was on a flight to Newcastle, told MailOnline the pilot of her plane said passengers should let staff know if they wished to disembark after the drone sighting, and that a helicopter was overhead sweeping the area.

Gabriella, 20, also said that her pilot warned there may be 'considerable delays' to the flight, saying: 'It does look like situation is not going to be resolved in the near future.'

Experts believe a large drone could take down a passenger jet because it could shred an engine if it was sucked in or destroy its windscreen or windows, causing a sudden drop in cabin pressure.

The alleged sighting came four days after both Heathrow and Gatwick airports reported they were investing millions of pounds in equipment to prevent future flight disruption.

The government has already discussed giving powers to airports to shoot down drones with net-firing bazookas under new laws.

After flights were resumed, a Heathrow spokesperson said: 'We continue to work with the Met Police on reports of drones at Heathrow.

'We are working with Air Traffic Control and the Met Police, and have resumed departures out of Heathrow after a short suspension.

'We will continue to monitor this and apologise to anyone that were affected.'

Passengers have been tweeting their frustration over the chaos.

Student Gabriella Linning, who was on a flight to Newcastle, told MailOnline the pilot of her plane said passengers should let staff know if they wished to disembark. Pictured: Heathrow terminal 5

The travel chaos comes just weeks after passengers were stuck on planes for several hours and were forced to sleep on floors inside Gatwick airport as flights were cancelled between December 19 and 21. Pictured: webcam footage from the airport earlier this evening

Among those stranded on the runway is British actress Wallis Day, who tweeted: 'Whoever's flying the drone over Heathrow... can u not. We gotta get to Krypton but we're being held on the runway.'

Gareth Hutchins added: 'Sitting on the runway at Heathrow. If you think a drone is annoying, wait until youre stuck on a non-moving plane with my 2 and a half year old for more than an hour. Pray for us.'

David Zuelke wrote: 'Sitting on plane on runway at Heathrow Airport. Engines turned off. Airport is closed. No arrivals, no departures due to Drone activity in the area.'

Others questioned how a drone could shut down a UK airport just weeks after Gatwick flights were halted.

Tim Gluckman asked: 'My wife is stuck on the tarmac at Heathrow on a plane due to fly to Astana. What if anything did police and 'services' learn from Dec. 21-23 which led to 150K passengers massively affected?'

One user said: 'Currently stuck on the runway at Gatwick. Why do the drone people keep doing this?. #heathrow #drones #dronelife.'

Another user wrote: 'Citizens of the UK should be rather worried that the presence of a real or imaginary flying helicopter toy can outwit and bring an entire airport to a standstill.'

Travel experts estimated the halting of Heathrow departures would have meant about 40 aircraft did not take off on schedule.

A spokeswoman from the Metropolitan Police said they were called at just after 5pm to 'reports of a sighting of a drone in the vicinity of Heathrow Airport'.

'As a precautionary measure, Heathrow Airport has stopped departures and officers based at Heathrow are currently investigating the reports with colleagues from Heathrow Airport,' she added.

The travel chaos comes just weeks after passengers were stuck on planes for several hours and were forced to sleep on floors inside Gatwick airport as flights were cancelled between December 19 and 21.

The cost of the chaos caused by the drones is expected to have run into tens of million pounds.

The cat and mouse game with police started as drones were deliberately flown over officers and the Gatwick control tower while flashing on-board lights before heading for the runway when officials tried to reopen it.

The Army used a high-tech 'drone dome' defence system that features a tracking system and a 'kill-jammer' that cuts a drone's communications and seizes its controls.

Marksmen were seen carrying shotguns at Gatwick - but officers said they could not shoot down the remote-controlled craft for fear of stray bullets.

A similar arsenal of weapons was used by British and US forces to help liberate Mosul in Iraq and neutralise ISIS drones.

Pictured: travellers at Heathrow terminal 5 after the suspected drone sighting

Heathrow airport confirmed on Twitter they were investigating a drone sighting earlier this evening

Among those trapped in the chaos was British actress Wallis Day, who took to Twitter to share her frustration

One user, who was stuck on the tarmac at the airport earlier this evening, asked 'why do the drone people keep doing this?

Tim Gluckman asked 'what if anything did police and 'services' learn from #Gatwickdrones Dec. 21-23?'

Police, the Army and MI5 spies combed the countryside for days in order to find the culprit.

The operator of the drone still remains at large and, despite widespread criticism, Sussex Police have no update on the probe.

Britain's most senior police chief admitted authorities need to 'up their game' in the wake of the drone chaos at Gatwick airport.

Sussex Police were criticised after claiming there may not have been a drone, before backtracking and saying there had been numerous reports of sightings.

After a couple were arrested and then released without charge, bosses of Gatwick Airport stepped in to offer a 50,000 reward for information.

Tougher anti-drone technology systems at UK airports have been called for which can spot drones for up to five miles away.

US airports use jammers to block the frequencies used to control drones, making them stop working if they are anywhere near a commercial or military runway.

They also have 'early warning' systems to tell air traffic control if a drone is approaching - but these are not in place at UK airports.

Following the end to the initial drone-related disturbance at Gatwick, Security Minister Ben Wallace said: 'I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat.'

On Tuesday, the Government announced a package of measures designed to give police extra powers to combat drones.

The exclusion zone around airports will be extended to approximately a three mile-radius, with additional extensions from runway ends.

Ministers also announced that from November 30 operators of drones, weighing between 250g and 20kg, will be required to register and take an online drone pilot competency test.

Police will also be able to issue fixed-penalty notices for minor drone offences to ensure immediate and effective enforcement of the new rules.

Fines of up to 100 could be given for offences such as failing to comply with a police officer when instructed to land a drone, or not showing their registration to operate a drone.

Labour have accused the Government of being 'slow off the mark' to tackle threat from drone technology.

Airports could shoot down drones with bazookas to prevent further drone chaos Airports could be given powers to shoot down drones with net-firing bazookas under laws to prevent further drone chaos. Drone operators will also be banned from flying within three mile of an airport and the maximum height they can fly at could be lowered. Police would also be able to force operators to land drones flown illegally near airports and prisons. Experts believe it is only a matter of time before a collision between a drone and a passenger jet. A large drone could take down a passenger jet because it could shred an engine if it was sucked in or destroy its windscreen or windows, causing a sudden drop in cabin pressure. Airport bosses have expressed frustration at not being able to protect themselves against drones. And Britain's most senior police chief admitted authorities need to 'up their game' with anti-drone technology to protect UK airports. Labour have also accused the Government of being slow off the mark to tackle threat from drone technology. Advertisement

'It was probably a plastic bag blowing in the wind': Frustrated passengers take to social media to blast Heathrow drone chaos

By James Wood for MailOnline





Frustrated passengers are taking to social media to express their frustration with the Heathrow drone chaos - as hundreds are left stranded in the airport.

The north runway was grounded for around an hour after reports of drone sighting at 5pm caused all departures to be halted.

Dozens caught up in the delays have been taking to Twitter to vent their frustration with the situation.

Frustrated passengers have been taking to Twitter (above and below) to express their frustration with the delays this evening

One user, called Nadim Baig, said: 'My luck, drone sighting and now my flight is at a standstill just before departure.'

While another, said: 'Sitting on a plane at Heathrow. Plane not going anywhere due to drones.'

The runway has now re-opened but numerous passengers are likely to have been caught up in the situation.

One frustrated tweeted wrote: 'Stuck on the runway at Heathrow because of a drone sighting.'

While another said: 'Citizens of the UK should be rather worried that the presence of a real or imaginary flying helicopter toy can outwit and bring an entire airport to a standstill.'

Dozens have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts on the latest reported drone sighting (above and below). It comes just weeks after London's second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December

The incident comes just weeks after London's second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December.

The disruption resulted in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverting and affecting 140,000 passengers.

Several tweeters picked up on the chaos wrought by the drones, with one user saying: 'The UK thinks they're competent enough to survive complex situations like a no-deal Brexit. But they can't even win the battle against a drone or two.'

While another, called Alastair, wrote: 'When a piece of remote-controlled plastic can shut down the country's largest airport, it doesn't bode well for our ability to tough out the threatened Brexit nightmare.'
A brand new $1,500-a-month club in San Francisco is boasting the latest in luxury for its members, with a private lounges, free pampering sessions and even a hand-painted portrait.

The only catch? It's for you dog.

Doggy Style, Incorporated, is opening an obscenely luxurious doggy daycare for some of the most pampered pooches on the West Coast.

Treats also include a 'Yappy Hour', full concierge service, and the club will even host members' 'doggy birthday parties'.

The high-end pet care, opening in Noe Valley, has different levels of service including The Bougie B***h and The Top Dog.

The top-tier membership, The Dog Wears Prada, describes itself as being aimed at those 'whose doggy children are secretly the sole beneficiaries of their estate'. It requires at eye-watering one-time initiation fee of $7,500.

Doggy Style pictured), which has billed itself as a luxury dogclub, has prompted a few snarls from local residents who are rolling their eyes at the soon-to-be sight of another upscale pup daycare

Doggy Style (pictured) five membership levels beginning with the basic membership package, The Noe-sy Neighbor, which starts at $250 a month

The daycare (pictured), opening in Noe Valley, will be one of nearly a dozen businesses that promises doggy experiences like no other in the area

An 'innovative dog experience' by the name of Doggy Style, Inc, (website pictured) is coming to a San Francisco community next month whether they like it or not

After the initiation fee, members enjoy luxury perks for just $1,500 per month.

Some of those perks include a hand-painted mural of their dogs, a pickup and drop-off concierge service, and a private birthday party for 12 dogs and their humans.

The middle tiers range in price from $500 to $1,000 a month.

The prices for the highest membership levels raised even more eyebrows with one user saying: '1k per month?!! might as well get another room in your apt.'

Doggy Style will be settling down in a city that is right in the middle of a homelessness crisis with an estimated 7,500 people living on the streets. Some people; however, believe that number is as high as 12,000.

The incredible luxury of the top-tier $1,500-per-month The Dog Wears Prada service - Full Concierge Services - 7 Days Per Week Including Pickup/Drop-off - Unlimited Doggy Dayclub and Members Lounge Access - Guest per visit included, Additional Upon Request - Mural of Your Pup Featured On Our 'Wall of Fame' as Painted by Local Artist - Private Doggy Birthday party with 12 furry friends and their humans - Basic & Special Programming Included - 'The Dog Wears Prada' Members-Only Events - Complimentary Doggie Grooming Services Per Month 20% Retail Gallery Discount 50% Private Rental Discount - 1-Year Advisory Board Seat Unlimited New Member Referrals Advertisement

But it's not alone, it will be opening next to nearly a dozen businesses that promise doggy experiences like no other in the area.

And several residents have a bone to pick with the neighborhood which recently rejected an organic dog food store last year.

'This is just over the top terrible, and it's opening in Noe Valley somehow,' one Twitter user wrote in response to the daycare.

Another user tweeted: 'SF has become a parody of itself. But I guess that's old news. Also, stupid name.'

One user called the company 'utter BS' while another said she doesn't 'even get what this is'.

But several residents have a bone to pick with the neighborhood which recently rejected an organic dog food store last year

The top-tier membership level, The Dog Wears Prada, requires a one-time initiation fee of $7,500. After the initiation fee, members enjoy luxury perks for just $1,500 per month

The middle tiers range in price from $500 to $1,000 a month

But Doggy Style co-owners Cameron Silva and Rachel Swann said the daycare isn't 'based on status or wealth or social anything'

But Doggy Style co-owners Cameron Silva and Rachel Swann said the daycare isn't 'based on status or wealth or social anything'.

'It's really based on behavior of the animal and the ability of the human to connect,' Silva told SF Gate.

They said the idea for the daycare came from their own personal experiences with taking care of their seven dogs, adding that it is 'solving our own problem'.

And as far as the prices go, Silva told SF Gate that they align with other doggy daycares in the area.

At the nearby Wag Hotel, a single daily visit costs $46, while a monthly unlimited membership costs $630.

That price works out to be $130 more than Doggy Style's $500 monthly membership tier.
Police have launched a dog and helicopter hunt for six on-the-run suspected migrants after two men were caught fleeing from a lorry container in Lincolnshire.

The two men who were caught have now been detained on suspicion of entering the UK illegally after Lincolnshire Police were told eight people were seen running from the container on the A17 Main Road in Fosdyke.

A police statement said: 'At 1.19pm today (January 8) we received a report that eight people were seen running from a lorry container on the A17 Main Road in Fosdyke.

the A17 near Fosdyke (pictured above) looking out towards Holbeach

'Two have been detained on suspicion of entering the UK illegally under the Immigration Act. Our search for the other six continues.

'The individuals were seen heading down the A17 towards the Holbeach area. They could be in the Moulton Seas End area or neighbouring villages or fields.

'A search is underway by local officers, officers from Emopss including a dog handler to locate these individuals and a National Police Air Service helicopter is assisting us in our search.

'These individuals are reportedly wearing dark clothing. They may be in need of medical treatment.'

Inspector Andy Morrice, of Boston police, said: We are asking residents to check their out-buildings and gardens. If anyone sees anyone acting suspiciously they should call us.
A group of workmen who found an industrial skip 'full of cannabis' were astonished when police said they would come and investigate in five days' time.

The glazing firm workers discovered around 50 huge bags of drugs dumped in the industrial container outside their factory in Stirchley, Birmingham, overnight.

Enormous vacuum-packed sacks of leaves and stalks were piled high, alongside pungent bin bags full of off cuts.

Window fabricator Jordan Hamilton, 24, said the workers believe a gang of growers had dumped the factory overnight, and their boss immediately called the police.

But he claims they were told it would be five days before officers from West Midlands Police could attend the suspected drug dump today.

A group of workman discovered 50 huge bags of cannabis dumped in their skip outside their factory in Stirchley, Birmingham, overnight

Window fabricator Jordan Hamilton, who was one of the men who discovered the off cuts, said his boss called police straight away - but was told they could take up to five days to investigate

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police confirmed the workmen were initially told it could take five days - but eventually sent around a specialist cannabis disposal team (pictured)

The workers were forced to clear out the skip on to the car park themselves so they could use it for work.

Dozens of bags filled with suspected cannabis plants were piled up alongside the skip, which is just 450 yards from a school.

Mr Hamilton said: 'The skip is where we put all the rubbish from ripping our old windows.

'We've turned up for work this morning and there were 40 or 50 bags - big bin bag sized bags and vacuum packed bags - filled full of drugs left over from a grow.

'I walked up to work and the boys were like: "Jord do you want some weed?"

'I saw something on the floor and I thought it was grass cuttings. Then I realised it was weed.

'It's all the stalks and leaves and that that have been left over, not all the buds, but it's all there and it smells.

The glazing firm employees were forced to remove the bags from the skip themselves so they could continue working

Dozens of bags filled with suspected cannabis plants were piled up alongside the skip, which is just 450 yards from a school

'We phoned the police and they said "we'll be with you in five days".

'Five days. There will be nothing left of it in five days time. It's not like it's full drugs, but people will be rooting through it to see what they can find.

'It's a joke. We've explained to them everything that's here, but they said five days.

'It's not a little grow someone might have in their airing cupboard, just doing it to sell to a few people. It's dozens and dozens of bags of stuff.

'You'd think the police would want to look and see if there is anything to trace who it belonged to.'

The skip where it was found is hired by the window making firm, and sits in their car park, which is on an industrial estate also used by a building merchant and a cash and carry.

Jordan said a number of businesses in the area have CCTV, which he thinks police should investigate.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police confirmed the workmen were initially told it could take five days.

She added: 'We were going to get the neighbourhood team to go and have a look this afternoon, but now we've got a specialist cannabis disposal team on their way round.'
Jeffrey Lendrum was caught with 19 rare eggs from hawks, eagles and vultures taped to his chest

An SAS-trained wlidlife hunter caught at Heathrow airport with up to 100,000 worth of rare bird eggs was today warned he faces a lengthy jail sentence.

Jeffrey Lendrum, 56, was stopped at the airport with 19 restricted eggs from hawks, eagles and vultures strapped to his body - two of which had already hatched.

Lendrum - also known as 'John Smith' - has Irish and Zimbabwean citizenship, and a series of bird smuggling convictions spanning decades.

Some of the birds discovered at the airport were stashed in socks and in egg boxes - with some strictly outlawed by Defra.

Lendrum claimed he intended to disclose the eggs upon his arrival and carried them 'for the greater good' - by saving them from tree felling.

But a prosecutor at Snaresbrook Crown Court rubbished his claims, stating that the birds were imported for profit and without permit.

Border Force officers stopped Lendrum after his arrival from South Africa and asked him if he had anything to declare.

He claimed that he was traveling to Luton for aeroplane parts, before entering a toilet - without using it.

He insisted he brought the eggs into the UK to protect the birds because their natural habitat was being destroyed

Lendrum returned and confessed to carrying the stash and was arrested at the airport on June 26 last year.

He was living in Johannesburg in South Africa before his arrest - which led further investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Sean Sullivan, prosecuting, said: 'There is a stark unlikelihood about the way he said he came into possession of the eggs.

'Lendrum claimed he obtained the eggs from a man cutting down trees in South Africa.

'The birds have habitats in different areas, such as cliffside - which makes a nonsense that one particular bird was endangered by tree felling.

Pictured: Protected birds eggs Lendrum attempted to smuggle through Birmingham airport before pleading guilty to smuggling Peregrine Falcon eggs in August 19 2010

'The worst thing that could happen to these eggs is to be strapped to someone's body and taken to a foreign land.

'He was motivated by financial gain regarding the eggs.'

The court heard that Lendrum had several previous convictions in Zimbabwe in 1984 and Canada in 2002.

Lendrum was also jailed in the UK for 30 months in 2010, after he was caught trying to board a flight to Dubai with 14 peregrine falcon eggs taped to his stomach.

The smuggler was also caught trying to smuggle four rare albino falcon eggs from Brazil to Dubai, where they are worth up to 64,000.

Notorious smuggler: Peregrine falcon chicks which hatched from eggs discovered strapped to the chest of Jeffrey Lendrum in 2010

Jemima Parry Jones, director of the International Centre for Birds of Prey, gave evidence after collecting the eggs at Heathrow airport.

She said: 'These eggs are much more valuable than they used to be.

'I have been staggered at the prices they fetch now, especially the vultures.

'They are one of the most endangered birds in the entire world - the transport methods were not sensible.

'The birds sold together would cost 80,000 to 100,000.

'One falcon I know of recently sold for 24,000.'

Lendrum showed no expression as he faced the charges - stood in the dock wearing a grey tracksuit and blue jeans.

Lendrum was previously caught with 14 eggs strapped to his body after he was spotted acting suspiciously by a cleaner in 2010 (pictured: one of the eggs)

He pleaded guilty to four charges of Evasion of a Restriction, contrary to the Customs and Excise Management Act, at the start of his trial.

Anthony Bell, in mitigation, said: 'This is a non-fraudulent importation, he did this for what he believed to be the greater good.

'He was not doing it for intention if making any financial gain.

'It was done so in order to hand them over to UK authorities for safe hatching and rearing, no intention to profit financially.'

Judge Neil Sears said: 'There was an incongruity of the whole account.'

The eggs were later found to be five African fish eagles, nine black sparrow hawks, two African hawk eagles and three Cape Vultures.

A sentence is expected to be given tomorrow.
A Wisconsin man has been charged after he allegedly killed a woman and hid the body in her basement before staying in her house, ordering pizza with her credit card and even inviting a date over.

Adrian Thomas, 26, is accused of strangling his 56-year-old neighbor, Joanne Curley, in her Pewaukee home on New Year's Eve.

Prosecutors said Thomas had been living at his parent's home next door until he was kicked out in December.

Adrian Thomas, 26, is accused of strangling his 56-year-old neighbor, Joanne Curley, in her Pewaukee, Wisconsin home on New Year's Eve

Courtesy of WITI

They believe Thomas secretly started living in Curley's attic until he allegedly murdered her.

The victim's body was found wrapped in a tarp that was doused in bleach and hidden in a garbage bag under a mattress in the basement.

Curley's friend found the body after going by to check on her when she hadn't heard from her in several days.

Her cause of death was strangulation, according to the medical examiner.

When police started investigating, they found Thomas' medicine and his wallet in Curley's home.

The victim's body was found wrapped in a tarp that was doused in bleach and hidden in a garbage bag under a mattress in the basement of her home (above)

Police said Thomas was caught on surveillance video buying items at a Walmart that he used to conceal the body. He allegedly used the victim's credit card to make the purchases

They also found a receipt from a Walmart from January 1. Surveillance video from the store captured him buying bleach, gloves, garbage bag and snacks.

Police said surveillance video showed Thomas visiting a Home Depot soon after to purchase a sledge hammer, a black tarp, a coverall suit, razor knife and a bucket.

He allegedly used Curley's car and credit card to pick up and purchase the items.

Police said Thomas also ordered pizza and invited a date over while Curley's body was concealed in the basement.

He is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, hiding a corpse, operating a vehicle without the owners consent and identity theft.

His bond has been set at $1 million.
Burberry's latest advertising campaign to usher in the upcoming Chinese New Year has been widely ridiculed on social media.

The advertisement, unveiled by the British fashion label on Thursday, featured eight solemn-looking models in a family portrait that aimed to celebrate 'togetherness' and 'family traditions' for the festival on February 5.

However, many net users noted that the photo lacked the festive cheer typical of China's most revered holiday and criticised the images as 'creepy' and 'weird'.

The advertisement, unveiled by Burberry on Thursday, featured eight solemn-looking models in a family portrait that aimed to celebrate 'togetherness' during Chinese New Year

Titled 'Modern Tradition', the campaign was directed by American photographer Ethan James Green and features Chinese actresses Zhao Wei and Zhou Dongyu.

The prominent stars made their debut as Burberry's new brand ambassadors in the campaign. The models were seen wearing the brand's classic trench coats, monogram scarves as well as urban staples including hoodies, t-shirts and joggers.

'Inspired by classic portraiture, the campaign is reimagined in an informal urban environment, juxtaposing the old and the new, the traditional and the contemporary,' the brand said in an online news release.

'A portrait of togetherness, gathering the cross generations of family for a seasonal celebration,' the company said on a Twitter post.

Titled 'Modern Tradition', the campaign was directed by American photographer Ethan James Green and features Chinese actresses Zhao Wei and Zhou Dongyu

However, many users felt the photo lacked the festive cheer typical of Chinese New Year

While the festive message fell flat with many net users on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, others supported the brand and applauded its rendition of the Chinese tradition.

'These images of Zhao Wei and Zhou Dongyu are so elegant and beautiful!' one typical comment read.

'It's time for China to accept a new take on traditions,' another user said.

Others said the 'creepy' family portrait 'made them uncomfortable'. One even said the image looked like 'a family plotting to kill their rich grandma and fight over the inheritance'.

'Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions, joy and luck. These people look like actors in a horror movie,' another said.

'Did someone die over Christmas?' asked one user on Twitter.

While the festive message fell flat with many net users on social media, others supported the brand and applauded its rendition of the Chinese tradition

'All that black!!! We'd be kicked out of the house if we were dressed like this. It's not a funeral,' another commented.

One user even described the photo as 'the new Adam's Family with Chinese characteristics'.

Burberry is in the middle of a repositioning as a 'higher' luxury label, meaning it can charge a higher price for its products, a move initiated by Chief Executive Marco Gobbetti after he took on the role in 2017, according to CNBC.

The company has 200 stores and concessions in the Asia-Pacific region.

This isn't the first time a Western luxury brand has caused controversy in China for misrepresenting Chinese traditions.

In November, Dolce & Gabbana was accused of racism after releasing a video series called 'Eating with Chopsticks', where a model was seen trying to eat a pizza, a large cannoli, and spaghetti with chopsticks in the clips.

The Italian fashion house cancelled a high-profile show in Shanghai following the controversy and its founders had to apologise to Chinese people around the world in Mandarin in a video.
This is the incredible moment men break open a gigantic rock using just a hammer and chisel.

In the clip, a group gather around the impressive rock in Tamil Nadu, southern India.

The men can be seen hammering the chisel through a narrow crack repeatedly in order to break open the rock.

A group gather around the impressive rock in Tamil Nadu, southern India and use a hammer and chisel to break it open

A huge crack appears to split down the middle as the men make quick work of the rock.

Suddenly the huge rock breaks open sending one half crashing to the ground.

Clouds of dust blow up as the men scatter to avoid being hit by the other half of the rock.

The video of this incident was shared on the social media where the people praised the workers for their hard work.

One social media user commented: 'Incredible! Nothing is impossible if you want to and this is the best example.'

Suddenly the huge rock breaks open sending one half crashing to the ground
The human remains discovered Sunday near an abandoned Colorado truck stop are not Kelsey Berreth, a coroner confirmed Tuesday.

Colorado Bureau of Investigation Department of Public Safety representative Susan Medina confirmed to DailyMail.com that the although it's not clear who the deceased person was, the hunt still remains for missing mother Berreth.

'Although we don't have the official identification of the remains as of yet, I can relay that they are not Kelsey,' Medina said.

Locals stumbled across human remains the day before Berreth's parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against their daughter's fiance Patrick Frazee.

The Las Animas County Sheriffs Office (LACSO) received a call from people walking near exit 34 on Interstate 25 just after 3pm, which prompted the CBI Crime Scene Response team to process the area located 20 miles north of Trinidad.

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Authorities said the body of missing woman Kelsey Berreth was not found Sunday. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation Department of Public Safety was investigating remains discovered near the town of Aguilar on Sunday. Her partner Patrick Frazee remained in jail

Locals stumbled across human remains near an abandoned truck stop. Cops got a call from people walking near exit 34 on Interstate 25 just after 3pm

A coroner was working to identify the remains and determine a cause of death by Tuesday afternoon.

Monday's news came as Frazee was served notice that a complaint had been filed by Cheryl and Darrell Berreth claiming he 'enacted physical, mental, and emotional acts of violence upon Kelsey Berreth prior to her death.'

The complaint goes on to state that 'when Frazee acted as either the perpetrator or accessory to the murder of Kelsey Berreth, Frazee breached the duty of care with which a reasonable person should conduct himself toward another human being.'

The Berreths, who currently have temporary custody of their daughter's 15-month-old child with Frazee, are demanding a jury trial to determine 'compensatory and general damages, interest from the date of Kelsey Berreths death', as provided by law.'

They have retained Perry Sanders to represent them in the case, the same man who represented Katherine Jackson after the death of her son Michael.

The body of their daughter Kelsey has not yet officially been found, and it is still unclear how she may have been killed.

Broken family: Cheryl and Darrell Berreth are suing Patrick Frazee for the death of their daughter Kelsey, who was last seen on November 22 (the Berreths above in 2014)

Down to business: They have hired Perry Sanders, the same who represented Katherine Jackson (above with Sanders in 2011) after the death of her son Michael

Frazee will not be in court again until February, but there were a few new developments in the case last week.

This included a friend of Patrick Frazee, whose granddaughter was a frequent playmate of the accused killer's daughter Kaylee, shared details about his relationship with Berreth.

Tamra Freeman told CNN that Frazee and Berreth had split back on New Year's Day in 2018, just three months after the couple welcomed daughter Kaylee.

That contradicts comments made by Berreth's aunt suggesting that her niece had broken up with Frazee on November 22, the day she was last seen in public.

Authorities have since charged Frazee with first-degree murder despite the fact that Berreth's body and remains have yet to be found.

Frazee was in court on Thursday for a custody hearing regarding his daughter Kaylee, and both his mother Sheila and sister Erin stood by his side in a show of support.

The two women were seen exiting the courthouse, and did not stop to speak with any of the media assembled outside.

Frazee also has an older brother Sean who is a law enforcement officer with the El Paso Sheriff's Office.

Frazee was served notice of the complaint (above) on Monday while awaiting trial at the Teller County Jail

At the same time, a woman from Idaho has reportedly become a person of interest in the investigation.

Two individuals who have worked with that Idaho woman - who is being investigated for disposing of Kelsey Berreth's cell phone- say that she and Frazee had been in a romantic relationship for months.

DailyMail.com spoke with two people who know the nurse professionally, and they both said that they had been told that Frazee was having an affair with the woman.

The woman, who DailyMail.com identified as Krystal Lee last week, was divorced from her husband a few years back, they explained, and had met Frazee at a rodeo.

Neither of those individuals knew exactly when the relationship started, but they believed it could have been as early as 2016 - prior to the birth of Frazee's daughter with Kelsey Berreth.

One of the the people DailyMail.com spoke with also said that the nurse was in Colorado around Thanksgiving.

That would explain how Frazee was able to get the cell phone to Idaho while never leaving the state.

It was reported last month that police in Idaho had discovered information pertaining to the missing mom's cell phone.

Her parents currently have temporary custody of her daughter's 15-month-old child Kaylee with Patrick Frazee (left)

The Twin Falls Police Department revealed that officers from the force played a role in the investigation by obtaining search warrants and examining evidence in the case.

Berreth's cell phone pinged off a tower in Gooding, Idaho, on November 25, three days after she went missing and around the same time her employer received a text stating that she would not be in for work that week. The location it pinged is about 800 miles from where Berreth was last seen.

The complaint filed by prosecutors stated that Frazee had plotted the murder of Berreth with at least one other individual in the three months before she went missing.

They claim that the investigation has yielded enough evidence to suggest the two ways in which the 29-year-old mother was killed by her fiance.

The three counts of Solicitation to Commit Murder in the First Degree all state that 'between and including September 1, 2018 and November 1, 2018, Patrick Frazee unlawfully and feloniously commanded, induced, entreated, or otherwise attempted to persuade another person to commit the felony of murder in the first degree'.

That would have been just a few months after Berreth purchased a home in Woodland Park for her and infant daughter Kaylee.

She spent $184,900 on a two-bedroom property about 15 miles away from the ranch where Frazee lived with his mother despite the fact that the two were engaged.

That home is where authorities believe Berreth was murdered on or around November 22.

Berreth was last seen at a Safeway store in Woodland Park on Thanksgiving.
Media mogul Sumner Redstone and his family have agreed to a settlement with Manuela Herzer, the ex-girlfriend he previously accused of stealing $75million from him.

Sources familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Herzer has agreed to pay back $3.25million of the tens of millions of dollars in gifts 95-year-old Redstone gave her over the years.

The settlement comes after more than three years of litigation that began in the fall of 2015, when Redstone kicked Herzer out of his Beverly Hill mansion and wrote her out of his will.

Herzer subsequently sued, claiming that Redstones mental abilities were diminished, which would thus invalidate the amended trust.

Redstone, the majority owner of National Amusements Inc, which holds almost 80 per cent of voting stakes in CBS and Viacom, responded by filing a lawsuit against Herzer in an attempt to claw back $75million worth of gifts he gave her.

A trial was slated to begin next week on January 14.

Media mogul Sumner Redstone (left) and his family have agreed to a settlement with Manuela Herzer (right), the ex-girlfriend previously accused of stealing $75million from him. Sources familiar with the matter say Herzer will pay back $3.25million of the tens of millions of dollars in gifts the 95-year-old gave her during their relationship, which ended in 2015

Redstone stepped down as the executive chairman of the two companies he controls, CBS and Viacom Inc, in early 2016, shortly Herzer got a court-appointed doctor to examine him.

Herzer and another ex-companion, Sydney Holland, have alleged that Redstone's daughter, Shari, manipulated her father so that she could take over his media empire. Shari denies those allegations.

Redstone has had such difficulty speaking in the past several years that he has had to communicate with an iPad loaded with recordings from past interviews along with buttons for 'yes', 'no' and 'f*** you'.

Last month a judge ordered that he be placed under court-appointed guardianship ad litem - a legal term that means an individual who acts on behalf of another, usually a child or an incapacitated adult, in a lawsuit, because of his difficulty speaking.

The settlement comes after more than three years of litigation that began in the fall of 2015, when Redstone kicked Herzer out of his Beverly Hill mansion and wrote her out of his will. The couple are pictured at an event in 2012
Neighbor Jackie Tepper, daughter of Elvis Presley songwriter Sid Tepper, was walking her dogs when she witnessed the man buzzing into Ed Buck's apartment

The man who became the second black man to die at a prominent Democratic donor's West Hollywood apartment seemed sober when he was seen by a neighbor minutes before a 911 call, DailyMail.com can reveal.

The dead man, who is still to be named, died after EMS were called to Ed Buck's home in the early hours of Monday morning.

Buck's attorney said that the man, who was in his 50s and described as a friend of the Hillary Clinton donor, had a history of 'substance abuse' and had been behaving 'bizarrely' after Buck let him in, shortly after midnight.

But Jackie Tepper, one of Buck's neighbors, told DailyMail.com that she did not think the man was intoxicated.

Tepper  the daughter of Elvis Presley songwriter Sid Tepper - said she saw a black man outside Buck's apartment just after midnight Monday.

She also said that seeing young black men at the apartment was something all his neighbors had come to expect.

'I came out at 12.15am to walk my dogs after the Golden Globes, so I know exactly what time it was,' she said.

'When I was walking by his apartment I saw a black man trying to buzz into the building.

The victim, described as a black man in his 50s, was found dead in the West Hollywood apartment of prominent Democratic Party donor Ed Buck shortly after he was seen by Tepper. The coroner is seen with the body in West Hollywood on Monday

The death marks he second time a black man has died in the home in the past 18 months. Tepper revealed it was not unusual to see 'young black men coming in and out of Ed's apartment at very odd hours'

Buck, 63, a regular donor to democratic campaigns including Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, was investigated for a suspected murder when 26-year-old Gemmel Moore was found dead in his apartment in 2017

'I hesitated thinking, 'oh c**p', because we're so used to seeing young black men coming in and out of Ed's apartment at very odd hours.'

Buck's attorney Seymour Amster insisted to DailyMail.com that his client did not give the man any drugs and that he was already high when he arrived at Buck's apartment.

But Tepper, a film producer in Hollywood, said the man appeared to be sober.

'He was fine, he did not seem inebriated,' she said.

'He wasn't stumbling, he was buzzing the building, he was on his phone. He had on a colorful scarf and jacket and a wool hat. He was bundled up. I must have seen him 45 minutes before he passed away.'

The identity of the dead man is still unclear. The retired donor and political activist was interviewed by police at the scene but has declined to speak with homicide detectives, according to his attorney.

Seymour Amster, Buck's attorney, said the man was a long-time friend of Buck in his 50s, and had lived in West Hollywood for 25 years.

Amster claimed that the man had 'a history of substance abuse'.

'Unfortunately in the early hours this morning, a good friend of Ed's reached out to him. Ed was reluctant to have him over but he was insistent. He had him come over and come into his apartment,' Amster told DailyMail.com.

'Ed had just gotten out of the shower, so he went to get himself more appropriately attired. He came back into his living room and his friend was acting with bizarre behavior. Shortly thereafter it was obvious his friend needed medical assistance. Ed called paramedics. They arrived, they were unable to revive him, and unfortunately he died in the apartment.

Jasmyne Cannick, a Democrat running for the California state assembly, has claimed Buck targets the vulnerable before paying them to take meth while only wearing white underwear then photographs them

Cannick organized a rally outside Buck's apartment Monday night (pictured right) and accused the LA Sheriff's Department of having 'blood on their hands' for not investigating Gemmel Moore's death properly

'It seems the individual came over already having consumed controlled substances. There were no controlled substances ingested in the presence of Ed, nor did Ed give any to his friend.'

The disclosure by Tepper came as a campaigner who has worked with the family of Gemmel Moore - the man found dead from a meth overdose in Buck's apartment in July, 2017 - claimed Buck likes to lure gay black men to his home with promises of cash and injects them with crystal meth for his own sexual gratification.

Jasmyne Cannick, a Democrat running for the California state assembly, claims Buck targets the vulnerable before paying them to take meth while only wearing white underwear then photographs them.

Buck, 63, a regular donor to democratic campaigns including Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, was investigated for a suspected murder when Moore, 26, was found dead.

Cannick organized a rally outside Buck's apartment Monday night and accused the LA Sheriff's Department of having 'blood on their hands' for not investigating Moore's death properly.

Cannick claims that after the police dropped the case she conducted her own investigation into Moore's death, including speaking with several witnesses, and she says she has made a string of significant discoveries.

'Buck solicits men online and he lures them over with the promises of money,' she alleged.

'But he usually only goes after certain types of men that are vulnerable, that need the cash, who he knows he can take advantage of.

Gemmel Moore (pictured right with his mother LaTisha Nixon), 26, was found dead of an apparent overdose of methamphetamine in 2017

In an undated journal entry, Moore admitted he 'ended up back at Buck house (sic) again and got manipulated into slamming down again'

'According to the witnesses, the men that I've spoken to that have been to his apartment, he pays them to wear white underwear and do drugs.

'The more drugs you do the more money he gives you. But he wants to give you the drugs, the crystal meth. You can't do the drugs on your own, he wants to be the one to inject you,' she said.

'We had lots of young men come forward,' Cannick added.

'They didn't just come to us and say this happened. They brought their plane tickets, their text messages, they gave us their emails.

'In some cases these young men took videos and photos inside Ed Buck's apartment.

'We worked to get them limited immunity with the Sheriff's Department so they would feel comfortable telling the department what they knew.'

Buck's attorney, Seymour Amster, denied all the allegations leveled at his client by Cannick, branding them 'false' and 'not credible'.

He said: 'Where is the evidence? Jasmyne has been involved in this situation for at least 18 months. She has stated that she's had many people state it. Doesn't seem like anybody's come forward. It seems that this is sensationalism. It seems that she's more interested to see her face in the media than to do credible reporting.

'If these facts are true, which we don't believe they are, show us the evidence, give it to the police. They've had plenty of time. They can't because it's not true.'

On claims Buck trawls websites looking for vulnerable young black men and that his neighbor regularly sees young black men coming and going from his apartment, Amster said:

'The neighbor said she has seen black men enter his apartment and she has seen them leave his apartment. She didn't say she saw them intoxicated, she didn't say that she saw them in a state of pain.

'Now, do some of them have drug habits? Do some of them not live the proper lifestyle? That is correct. Has Ed opened up his house to individuals that puts them in a precarious position, yes, but he is not involved in their death, he is not responsible for their actions.

'Unsupported accusations have got to stop being the message of the day.'

Asked if Buck paid the men to come to his house, he responded: 'If they have the evidence then let them show it.'

And in a final message to Buck's most vocal accuser, Amster added: 'So Jasmyne, stop talking and start delivering because you've really got nothing.'

Buck is an active donor who supports the Democratic Party. He is seen above with former California Governor Jerry Brown in this undated file photo

In a YouTube video filmed at a community meeting and posted in October 2017 Moore's roommate and friend, Samuel Lloyd, spoke of Buck's behavior.

He alleges Buck had an unhealthy obsession with Moore and other young black men whom he paid for sexual encounters.

'This man he went out there searching for other men that were struggling and on the streets and had no money... men who had never experienced drugs before,' he said. 'People that were just struggling and were already in a down and out position. This is the kind of guys Ed Buck searched for.'

Lloyd said Moore had become frightened of Buck in the days before his death.

'Gemmel was scared of this man. He came and he laid in my arms and he cried and he was scared. Scared that this man was going to hurt him.'

Lloyd claims Moore went to West Hollywood police a number of times to warn them about Buck but was told to 'go away'.

'They did not believe him,' he said.

Further evidence was found in a private journal that Moore's mother says belonged to her son discussing his fear of Buck.

'I honestly don't know what to do,' the journal reads.

'I've became addicted to drugs and the worst one at that. Ed Buck is the one to thank he gave me my first injection of crystal meth it was very painful but after all the troubles I became addicted to the pain and fetish/fantasy.'

In the entry, Moore continues: 'If it didn't hurt so bad I'd kill myself, but for now I'll just let Ed Buck do it.'

More than 100 people, including black community activists, local residents and local political leaders, protested outside Buck's apartment Monday and demanded action by the Sheriff's Department.

Speaking to the crowd Cannick said: 'This was preventable. We knew he hadn't stopped, that it was only a matter of time before this happened again. And now it's only a matter of time before it happens a third time if he's not stopped.'

Residents in Buck's apartment complex came out to join the rally, and were passing round a petition for their landlord to evict the Democrat donor.

Jerome Kitchen, who grew up with Moore and is a close family friend, was also at the rally.

He said the news of another death brought back fresh grief over the young man who was like a brother to him.

'I shouldn't have been doing this but I was reading an article as I was driving to work this morning when I saw the news. I pulled right over and I instantly threw up, because I felt like that moment happened all over again,' said Kitchen, 30. 'This is like his death all over again to us.

'While Gemmel's mother is planning to memorialize her son on his birthday on Sunday, another mother will be planning to bury her child.'

The Moore case was closed after the Los Angeles District Attorney found insufficient evidence to prosecute, sparking controversy from local campaign groups.

The attorney said Buck was initially interviewed by officers who arrived on the scene, but has declined further interviews with homicide detectives.
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Britain could still face a new Beast from the East by the end of the month, bringing an icy blast of freezing winds and sub-zero temperatures - with heavy snow on the way.

The Met Office said stable weather conditions are on the way for the country over the next fortnight, with parts of the UK seeing above average temperatures for January of about 10C (50F) over the weekend.

But a sudden stratospheric warming event in the Arctic around Christmas, which can lead to a rush of cold air blowing eastwards across Europe a few weeks later, could bring much colder temperatures by the end of January.

This is what caused the 2018 Beast from the East - an icy blast of freezing Siberian winds which brought sub-zero temperatures, heavy snow and travel chaos - leading to the chance of the same conditions returning this month.

A jetty on the Forth and Clyde canal at the Kelpies is power washed this afternoon as the cold wather continues

People walk in the sunshine along the Long Walk at Windsor Castle in Berkshire in the cold weather this afternoon

A woman walks on the beach today in Dungeness, Kent, under the morning sunshine on a cold winter's day

The Met Office has said there is an 'an enhanced risk of snow' in a fortnight's time, with an 'increased likelihood of colder weather conditions becoming established generally across all of the UK' by the end of the month.

Met Office forecaster Grahame Madge said: 'Last year there was a classic set-up with the Beast from the East, there was an event in the Arctic - sudden stratospheric warming - where the stratosphere warms rapidly.

Sudden Stratospheric Warming could see the Beast from the East return Severe conditions that hit Britain in early 2018 were called a 'cocktail of weather events' by the Met Office. The cold spell dubbed the 'the Beast from the East' - which also coincided with the arrival of Storm Emma - was caused by a jump in temperatures high over the Arctic, known as 'sudden stratospheric warming'. The phenomenon, which in Britain usually leads to cold periods, begins 30 miles into the atmosphere in the high altitude jet stream, which usually flows from west to east, bringing relatively warm and wet air from the Atlantic into the UK. A disturbance hits the jetstream, pushing its waves down towards the Arctic and reversing the stream from east to west. As the air is compressed over this region, it begins to warm. This leads to high pressure over the North Atlantic, blocking the usual flow of mild air that flows into Britain from the west. Instead, colder air from the east is sucked over the British Isles, resulting in colder temperatures. Advertisement

'That triggers, generally, a change in the direction of winds across Europe at surface level. The upshot is that normally when this happens in the Arctic you get easterly winds and that's what happened last year.

'But although that warming has happened in the Arctic already just prior to Christmas, we are not seeing any change in an easterly pattern.'

Conditions will be chilly this week - with frost and icy fog due in the next few days and temperatures down to -4C (25F) in Scotland, and -3C (27F) in parts of England including Blackpool, Manchester and the Lake District.

Mr Madge said Britain would have a stable week, with above average temperatures this weekend. But it was not possible for him to rule out a cold snap, with parts of Europe facing 'significant' chills and heavy snow.

He added: 'There have been some parts of Europe that have experienced quite significant cold, heavier-than-average snow in countries like Austria and in northern and central Europe.

'It is possible we could still see this turn to a more easterly flow but if anything it looks as though we are in stable weather conditions. We are looking at the next week or so, but we could see a change after that.

'But there is nothing in the next week or so that could indicate any change like the Beast from the East.

'We are not ruling out a return to cooler conditions, we would normally expect a cold spell or two during winter. It may happen, but there's no signal of it happening in the models.'

Last night gusts of 65mph to 75mph hit the far north of Scotland, causing power cuts to around 3,000 households thanks to damage to overhead lines and falling trees - along with disruption for travellers.

Yesterday the Dornoch Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles, and there were restrictions on the Tay Road Bridge and Kessock Bridge. Some ferry sailings and rail services were cancelled due to the bad weather.

Temperatures will fall below freezing in areas tonight (right) after they were around average for the time of year today (left)

Temperatures tomorrow (left) and on Thursday (right) are expected to be slightly below average for the time of year
Iraqi Assyrian Lawmaker -- Churches Being Sold 'Illegally' Nationwide

( Haidar Mohammed Ali/AFP/Getty) Iraqi Christian members of parliament (MP) are urging fellow lawmakers to investigate the "illegal" sale of churches across the country, Breitbart News learned Monday.

It is unclear whether individuals, local governments, or federal agencies are selling the properties, MP Emmanuel Khoshaba Youkhanna told Breitbart News, noting that the exact number of churches and other public Christian properties sold is unknown.

"Nobody can know the number of churches and other properties that have been sold. We seek to stop the sale of church property. This is one of our duties as members of the parliament and representatives of our [Christian] Chaldo-Assyrian Syriac peoples," he said.

"I can not say who exactly is benefiting without a formal investigation. We are serious in our quest to ensure anyone behind the sale of Christian public property is held responsible," the lawmaker added, stressing that "It's not personal property to sell."

Citing Christian MP Joseph Slewa, Bas News noted on Monday that Iraqi laws prohibit the sale of church-owned properties or properties owned by the Iraqi government's Office of Christian and Other Religions Endowments.

Youkhanna said he hopes the investigation will shed light on the individual or entity behind the sales, who exactly is benefiting from the practice, and the number of properties sold, among other things.

He vowed to seek answers from the Office of Christian and Other Religions Endowments -- tasked with protecting church property -- and ultimately pledged to "question anyone involved in selling the properties."

"Above all, no one knows where the money goes from the sale of the properties and antique churches," he added.

MP Slewa, however, "criticized the Christian religious figures in the country for overlooking the case, saying that even the funds gained from the sales are missing," Bas News noted.

Youkhanna revealed that the illegal practice is taking place in all Iraqi provinces. He expects the investigation to cover the illicit sale of Christian property between 2003 and now.

The Christian population in Iraq has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to the security vacuum that has continually plagued the country.

U.S. and United Nations officials determined that the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and other jihadi groups committed genocide against Christians and other ethnoreligious minorities in Iraq. Many Christians lost their land and property when ISIS swept through the country.

According to U.S. and independent assessments, American-led coalition forces and local fighters have decimated ISIS' territorial caliphate in Iraq.

Baghdad has allocated five of the 329 seats in parliament for the Christian minority group under a quota system: in Baghdad, Erbil, Dohuk, Kirkuk, and Mosul.

U.S. aid for Christians other religious minorities in Iraq has intensified under President Donald Trump.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  If things go in favor of the military, the communist insurgency would be nipped in the bud by 2022, the last year of the Duterte administration.

"This insurgency has been going on for the past 50 years na and we cannot end it in one year. Siguro ang target natin ngayon is the remaining three years of President Duterte's presidency, kaya siguro nating gawin yun," Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters Tuesday.

[Translation: Our target is to end the insurgency in the last three years of President Duterte's presidency, I think we can do that.]

Lorenzana said that the combination of localized peace talks and the Enhanced Comprehensive Localized Integration Program (E-CLIP) has greatly reduced the numbers of the New People's Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

"With the way we are doing now with our localized peace talks and the E-CLIP, sa dami ng bumababa, we can do it in three years time," he said.

He estimated that NPA militia forces have at least 50,000 armed men. Of the approximate 11,000 rebel surrenderees last year, 1,000 of them were from the armed wing.

Despite constantly trading barbs, CPP founder Joma Sison and President Rodrigo Duterte have both said that they are still open to peace talks.

READ: Duterte, Sison not closing doors to peace talks

In a statement, the CPP called the new deadline a "pipedream," Lorenzana's surrenderee figures "a farce," and the E-CLIP a "corruption racket."

"Duterte brags of 'localized peace talks' and the so-called E-CLIP (Enhanced Cooperation Local Integration Program), which are nothing but a big corruption racket where billions of pesos line up the pockets of military officers. These programs are being carried out to cover up the failure of the reactionary regime to address the basic demand of the peasant masses for land reform," the CPP said.

It added that it is more likely that President Rodrigo Duterte would be unable to end his term in three years.

"In contrast to declarations of ending the NPA, it is Duterte who is more likely to be unable to end his term as his regime oversees a worsening economic crisis and make people suffer from deteriorating social conditions and rising cost of living. Duterte is rousing the people to wage ever fierce resistance against his tyranny and terrorism," the CPP said.

At the start of the year, Sison said that ousting Duterte from power would be the communist group's top priority for 2019.

READ: Joma Sison: Ousting Duterte is top priority for 2019
Federal prosecutors in New York have filed a criminal indictment against Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who attended the infamous Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and other Russians, in an unrelated case.

The charges allege she obstructed justice in an unrelated civil case relating to money laundering and forfeiture of assets.

It states that she obstructed justice in her representation of Cyprus-based Prevezon Holdings by making an 'intentionally misleading declaration' in the case.

Her alleged obstruction relates to her statements about her cooperation with the Russian government in the case. Whiel she stated that investigative findings that were presented to the court were 'independently drafted,' in fact Veselnitskaya 'well knew but concealed from the Court' that she helped to draft them.

She cooperated with a senior Russian prosecutor 'in secret.'

Federal prosecutors in New York have filed a criminal indictment against Natalia Veselnitskaya, charging her with obstructing justice

That language in the indictment further cements Veselnitskaya's ties to the Russian government, which were also suggested in the original emails that served to line up the Trump Tower meeting.

The case relates by the U.S. government's efforts to recover millions worth of property and New York real estate from Prevezon that was involved in laundering a tax fraud scheme, prosecutors say.

The perpetrators plowed some of the monies from the tax fraud scheme into New York real estate  funds the U.S. government sought to recover.

In the scheme 'corrupt Russian government officials defrauded Russian taxpayers out of approximately 5.4 billion rubles, or over $200 million,' according to the indictment.

The case does not relate to the infamous Trump Tower meeting.

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya attended a Trump Tower meeting in 2016 with Donald Trump Jr. and other top Trump officials. She is accused of covering up her cooperation with Russian prosecutors in an unrelated case

Donald Trump Jr. joined Paul Manafort, who is now in prison awaiting sentencing on corruption charges, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner at the 2016 Trump Tower meeting

Sergei Magnitsky represented fraud victims and ultimately died in Russian police custody

However, the parent company of multiple victims hired Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky to help in their effort. Magnitsky ultimately ended up dead in a Russian prison  and his name is associated with the Magnitsky Act, which allows for imposition of sanctions on human rights violators in Russia.

The Magnitsky act continues to be a major irritant to the Russian government, and the lifting of sanctions appears to have been one of her primary objectives during the Trump Tower meeting, which was initially arranged after the dangling of potential dirt on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The U.S. attorney's office settled the case against Prevezon last year for $5.8 million, a small fraction of the monies originally alleged to have been involved.

The indictment references an earlier complaint about the scheme itself, which involved claiming tax refunds based on the stolen identities of three companies held by a foreign investment fund. The stolen refunds were claimed by arranging 'false contractual defaults against the stolen companies,' and then claiming refunds based on the defaults that didn't happen.

According to federal prosecutors, defends in the Prevezon action filed papers with the court in 2015. In her own declaration, Veselnitskaya stated that she had 'gone to great lengths' to get a copy of a document from the Russian prosecutors' office.

That document, filed in 2014, included investigatory findings that 'exonderate all Russian government personnel, and accused investment company personnel of committing fraud. It also accused Magnitsky himself of committing the Russian Treasury Fraud, when as the feds outline he reported it.

But based on emails and even software that tracks editing changes, prosecutors in New York say she participated in drafting the response, and emailed the personal account of a supervising Russian prosecutor.

The Russian prosecutor then helped Veselnitskaya create the 'false impression' that she hadn't assisted  even helping her file a complaint against the Prosecutor General's Office seeking access to the documents she helped create.

The first email in a chain released by Donald Trump Jr. also references a Russian prosecutor.

The email, from British music publicist Rob Goldstone to Trump Jr. referenced Trump-connected pop singer Emin and stated: 'Emin just called and asked me to contact you with something very interesting.'

'The Crown prosecutor of Russia met with his father Aras this morning and in their meeting offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father,' according to the email.

The charges against Veselnitskaya were filed under seal December 20, 2018 and unsealed Tuesday.
An assassin sneaked through the unlocked door of a family home before shooting a 21-year-old student in the back of the head and also killing his aunt, an innocent mother-of-nine, when she came to investigate.

Obina Ezeoke, 26, allegedly crept into the flat in East Finchley, north London and shot the aunt and nephew as part of a 'vendetta of violence' - even though neither were his intended targets.

Student Bervil Kalikaka-Ekofo was shot in the back of his head before his aunt Annie Besala Ekofo, 53, was shot in the chest when she came out of her bedroom dressed only in her underwear, jurors heard.

Student Bervil Kalikaka-Ekofo, 21, (left) was shot in the back of the head by the assassin, prompting his aunt Annie Besala Ekofo, 53, (right) to investigate. She was shot in the chest

Four other people were also in the house at the time of the killings but were unharmed.

Prosecutor Mark Heywood, QC, told the Old Bailey: The defendant went there quite deliberately, with a gun and of course sufficient ammunition to use it, to attack and kill one of the young men of the family.

That was part of what you will hear was a vendetta of violence or tit-for-tat violence.

The killers hate was such that he did not falter when confronted by a second person and he simply took her life as well. Both lives taken were wholly innocent.

Mr Kalikaka-Ekofo was visiting the flat in East Finchley at short notice for one night only.

Mrs Ekofo, who came to the UK with her husband from the Congo in 1991, lived with her family at the flat in East Finchley.

Her killing and that of her nephew took place at around 6.25am on September 15 2016.

Ezeoke, of no fixed address, denies two counts of murder.

Annie Besala Ekofo was a mother-of-nine who came to the UK with her husband in 1991 from the Congo

It was two separate murders within a short space of time, said Mr Heywood.

These were execution killings, in effects.

The prosecutor added: Soon after dawn in the early Autumn of 2016, an assassin crept noiselessly into a second floor family home.

He had waited until that time in order to be able to get into the block.

By his great good fortune, the outer door of the home was not locked.

The layout of that flat, mirrored by others on the same estate, was probably known and clearly understood.

At first, not one of the six people sleeping inside it heard anything at all. The killer moved forward to his left and then into a bedroom.

There, just in front of him, was a young man lying on a thin mattress on the floor under a duvet, his head nearer the door resting on pillows.

For the killer, this was as good a target as he could expect; a young man of this home, this house, of just the right age.

The killer crept forward, gun in hand.

His weapon was a deadly one, perfect for his purposes. Perfect for concealment, perfect for use at close quarters and perfect for repeated use if necessary. It was a revolver.

The killer raised the muzzle just enough and placed it at the back of the sleeping, dreadlocked head.

The assassin is thought to have crept into the flat in East Finchley, north London before killing the two victims - with neither being intended targets

And then, with a deliberation and purpose that was as cowardly as it was murderous, he simply pulled the trigger.

The silence of the home, the neighbourhood, was shattered and the life was immediately taken.

At the sound of the noise Mrs Ekofo came out from her bedroom down the hall to investigate.

The mother-of-nine was dressed in only her underwear and came across the assassin.

Mr Heywood said that the killer did not hesitate to shoot the 53-year-old to make sure nobody saw him at the flat.

Mr Kalikaka-Ekofo was a student and was visiting the flat for one night only at short notice

The prosecutor said: He pulled the trigger, even as the nearly naked woman bent away from the lethal danger that must have been obvious.

His aim was central, towards the chest and the vital organs.

For the second time in one minute the killer took a life.

He moved out, in self-preservation, as swiftly and quietly as he had come.

After all, only the lady of the house had seen him and she would not speak again.

The killer then fled back to a black vehicle and returned to safe ground on another estate, the court heard.

Jurors heard a neighbour was on her way home from a night shift, arriving back at about 6.15am, shortly before the murders.

Angela Bostock later described seeing a black or dark blue car sitting on the corner with its headlights and display lights still on as she got there.

Mr Heywood told jurors the woman spotted an individual in the drivers seat and two black hands on the steering wheel.

A little later she heard the sounds of screaming coming from the flats at the end of the road, jurors were told.

CCTV footage showed a black car arriving at the scene at 6.12am and leaving eight minutes later at 6.20am.

The timing of its movement coincided exactly with the period of the killings, said Mr Heywood.

Taken together with the sighting of Ms Bostock,you can be sure that she saw the killers car, that it was a blue or dark car, and it brought to the scene both the killer and his weapon.

The car, a Vauxhall Meriva, then took the same journey back to the Grahame Park estate in Colindale, it is claimed.

Mr Heywood said Ezeoke was associated with this estate and the car, which was found parked in University Close.

On his arrest, Ezeoke refused to give any samples, telling police he wanted to speak to a solicitor first, before pulling his arms inside his sweatshirt, jurors heard.

In the end he fought very hard to stop that sort of sample from being obtained.

He was interviewed later that morning and again during the afternoon of 20 September but said nothing in reply to questions.

But in a prepared statement he said: I, Obina Ezeoke, wish to say I do not have anything to do with these murders in any way, shape or form.

I have not provided any firearms, or assisted any persons in respect of the carrying out of these murders.

I dont know where 50 Elmshurst Crescent is situated; and I havent been there.

The trial continues.
In the hot seat: Montgomery County Judge Wayne Shelton on Thursday launched a tirade in court arguing that young black men are 'more effective' at killing each other than the Ku Klux Klan

A white Tennessee judge has come under fire after delivering an impassioned diatribe concerning black-on-black violence, in which he argued that young African-American men are 'more effective' at killing each other than the Ku Klux Klan.

Montgomery County Judge Wayne Shelton made the controversial remarks on Thursday during a preliminary hearing of Vincent Merriweather, 26, who is accused of taking part in a shooting in Clarksville on November 19, 2018, which left 22-year-old Antorius Gallion dead.

Merrieweather, his co-defendants Cedrick Stacker, 23, and Marques Lamarr Kelly, 25, and the victim are all black.

I'm tired of seeing young black me shooting at each other, Judge Shelton was recorded saying in court. I grew up in a time where people wore white robes and they shot at black people. And now we see young black men wearing black hoodies shooting at black men, and doing much more effective job than the Klan ever thought about doing.

Shelton made his remarks while presiding over the preliminary hearing of Vincent Merriweather (left), 26, who is accused of taking part in a fatal shooting along with Marques Kelly (center), 25 and Cedrick Stacker (right), 23

I'm sick of it. Of course the only thing I can do is shout it from here, [but] no one seems to listen.

It was not the veteran jurists first time addressing crime among African-Americans from the bench and invoking the KKK, reported The Leaf-Chronicle.

While presiding over a hearing in 2015 concerning the shooting death of a Clarksville man at the hands of two teenage brothers, Wayne said, 'black lives matter.'

He went on to lament that black men are killing other black men over something as trivial as perceived disrespect.

The Klan doesnt exist anymore, he said at the time. Who doesnt care about black lives now? Ill let you answer that. Im tired of black men killing black men. If I offended anyone...I cant help it.

In an interview with The Leaf-Chronicle, Wayne, who has sat on the bench since 1979, said that one of his ancestors was a free man of color in the 1860s, and that he is disgusted by what he recognizes as a disregard for human life.

The November 19, 2018, in Clarksville left 22-year-old Antorius Gallion (left and right) dead

While many critics have labeled Judge Shelton a racist on Twitter over his screed, Jimmie Garland, president of the Clarksville branch of the NAAC, has come to his defense.

My initial reaction was, he was on point, Garland told WSMV. He's telling the young people, Stop killing yourself. Stop doing the job that, back in the early 30's and 20's and 10's, they [Klansmen] did wearing robes and wearing pointed caps.

Another person who has spoken out in support of Shelton was his own son, Tennessee businessman and activist David Shelton, who argued in an op-ed penned for The Leaf-Chronicle that his father's lecture, while 'not kind,' came from a place of love and should be used as a teaching moment.

Dad has a long history of working for inclusion to the point of being called an N-word lover many times, the younger Shelton wrote. I know him well enough to know that when he boils over something asinine, he doesnt hold back.

He continued: Dad saw firsthand how black families were terrorized by the KKK, and he sees every day how those same black families are terrorized by their own children.

Judge Shelton graduated from the University of Memphis Law School in 1973. He was most recently re-elected as a judge for the Montgomery County General Sessions Court in 2014 for a term that expires in 2022.
San Antonio police say the reported abduction of a missing eight-month-old boy was staged by his father to cover up 'foul play' involving the child.

Police Chief William McManus declined Monday to elaborate on whether he believes King Jay Davila is alive, saying 'we believe there was foul play, that's all I'll say'.

The baby's father, Christopher Davila, 34, told police Friday that his car with the child inside was stolen after he left it running and unlocked when he went into a convenience store.

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San Antonio police say the reported abduction of missing eight-month-old, King Jay Davila (left), was staged by his father to cover up 'foul play'. King Jay's father, Christopher Davila (right) has been arrested

McManus said the still-missing child was not in the car and the woman seen driving away in the car away is Davila's cousin.

She has been arrested on unrelated charges.

The incident unfolded around 7pm Friday evening outside the Friends Food Mart located at 351 Enrique Barrera Parkway.

Police said Davila's cousin had been dropped off near the gas station by another individual whose identity has not been released.

In surveillance footage, the woman is seen wearing a grey hoodie as she quickly walks over to Davila's parked Dodge Dart.

She then gets inside the vehicle and drives to Rodriguez Park where she left it.

The incident unfolded around 7pm Friday evening outside the Friends Food Mart located at 351 Enrique Barrera Parkway. Police said Davila's cousin is seen wearing a grey hoodie as she quickly walks over to Davila's parked Dodge Dart

She then gets inside the vehicle and drives to Rodriguez Park where she left it

A short time later the woman is seen carrying a car seat down a street. Investigators believe the child is in danger because of the way he went missing

The child was not inside. A short time later she is seen carrying a car seat down a street.

Initial reports said Davila called police, but when they questioned him, his story did not add up. Police did not specify what was odd about the father's story.

Jasmine Gonzales, Davilas fiance and King Jay's mother, initially told KSAT 12 on Friday that she didn't believe he was responsible.

She said that she believed that the police were simply 'trying to get somebody to accuse somebody, to get that blame for that. Instead of trying to get someone into prison, they need to worry about finding my son. That is what they need to do.

McManus said King Jay was wearing a blue onesie and has a scratch over his left eye.

Investigators believe the child is in danger because of the way he went missing.

Davila has been charged with child endangerment and has denied being involved in the boy's disappearance.

'Even if you are not directly involved in this, if you are withholding information, if you have lied to the police, then we will charge you at the conclusion of this investigation,' McManus said during a press conference on Monday.
A stone from an Ancient Egyptian pyramid, set to go on display at Scotland's national museum, is at the centre of a diplomatic row after the Egyptian government said it may have been illegally smuggled out of Egypt.

Egyptian embassy officials have contacted the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh to demand proof that they legally own the rare artefact.

The casing stone is from the Great Pyramid of Giza and will be exhibited at the museum for the first time since it came to Edinburgh in 1872.

It will be the only casing stone from the pyramid to be displayed anywhere in the world outside Egypt.

The museum announced it will be put on display next month to mark the bicentenary of the birth of the man who arranged for it to be brought to the UK, former Astronomer Royal Charles Piazzi Smyth.

The massive limestone block is now the cause of a potential international dispute

The Khufu pyramid in Giza, as well as the other two smaller pyramids, now has a stepped appearance after the smooth limestone casing stones were plundered over time

The Great Pyramids The Great Pyramids of Giza, just outside Cairo, are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world still in existence. The site at Giza consists of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, build for king Khufu, as well as the smaller pyramids Khafre and Menkaure, and the Sphnix. The Great Pyramid dates to 2589-2566 BC, meaning that when Julius Caesar visited Egypt to behold the Pyramids, they were older to him, than he is to us. At 481 feet tall, the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years - until Lincoln Cathedral was built in 1311. Around 5.5 million tonnes of limestone, 8,000 tonnes of granite (transported from Aswan, 800km away), and 500,000 tonnes of mortar were used to build the Great Pyramid. Originally, it was covered by limestone casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface; what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Academic consensus is that the pyramids were built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place. Advertisement

However, Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities have said they will demand the stone is returned to Egypt if the museum cannot provide documentation that it was legally imported into the country.

The large block of fine white limestone is one of the few surviving casing stones from the Great Pyramid which formed the outer surface of the pyramids.

It will form the centrepiece of the new gallery, Ancient Egypt Rediscovered, from February 8.

Built for King Khufu and dating to 2589-2566 BC, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids there.

It was clad in bright white, polished limestone brought from a quarry at Tura, more than nine miles down the Nile.

The stones formed the outer surface of the pyramids and are identifiable by their sloped, triangular faces.

National Museums of Scotland are considering their response to the request from Egypt.

They said the stone was discovered among loose rubble at the base of the pyramid in 1869 and brought to the UK three years later by an English engineer called Waynman Dixon.

Dixon was carrying out investigative work at Giza for Smyth, who was then the Astronomer Royal for Scotland.

Smyth was interested in the dimensions of the Great Pyramid and the stone was brought back to Edinburgh for him.

Assistant curator Dr Daniel Potter from the National Museum of Scotland with the rare casing stone from the Great Pyramid of Giza which will form the centrepiece of the museum's new gallery Ancient Egypt Rediscovered from February 8

Charles Piazzi Smyth In 1865, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Charles Piazzi Smyth (18191900) and his wife Jessie, a geologist, completed the most accurate survey of the Great Pyramid of Giza to date, taking thousands of detailed measurements and the first photographs of the internal chambers. Charles Piazzi Smyth (18191900) Before becoming interested in measuring the Great Pyramid, Piazzi Smyth was already a pioneering scientist in high-altitude astronomy, spectroscopy and photography. He was also responsible for instituting the one oclock gun in Edinburgh. He resigned as Astronomer Royal in 1888 and retired to Ripon in Yorkshire, where he died in 1900. His grave is marked by a pyramid. (Source: NMS) Advertisement

The stone was originally displayed in his Edinburgh home in a custom-made glass case.

It was donated to the National Museums by the Royal Observatory in 1955.

In a statement, Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities said: 'We have addressed the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take all necessary action to contact the Scottish authorities and the National Museum of Scotland to communicate the documents of ownership and export certificates of that stone mass, the method of exit from Egypt and the date of obtaining it.

'The current Egyptian law on the protection of effects criminalises trafficking in effects.

'They are not allowed to be exported and are considered public funds.

'If the mass or any other artefact were to be found removed illegally, all necessary action would be taken to recover it.'

A spokeswoman for National Museums Scotland said: 'We have in our collections a casing stone from the Great Pyramid of Giza which was discovered among loose rubble at the base of the Great Pyramid in 1869.

'It was brought to the UK by British engineer Waynman Dixon in 1872.

'We have received a communication from the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt regarding this object. We are considering its contents and will reply in due course.'
Suspected murderer Kenneth Edwin Martell, 36, of Springboro, Pennsylvania, was fatally shot by police investigating in Illinois during an incident in July 2018

This is the moment an alleged wanted killer pulled a gun on a cop when she went to investigate reports of a 'suspicious' man loitering in a vehicle.

Kenneth Edwin Martell, 36, of Springboro, Pennsylvania, was shot dead by police after a prolonged struggle with a female officer in Lakemoor, Illinois, at about 5am on July 26, 2018.

Pennsylvania State Police had issued a murder warrant for Martell on charges of first-degree felony homicide and multiple counts of terroristic threats and simple assault for the alleged stabbing death of an 88-year-old man during a home robbery in Pennsylvania on July 23.

During that incident, Martell was said to have held a gun on three people, forcing them to dump the man's body into a pond.

Lakemoor police came across Martell while investigating a suspicious man in a vehicle early July 26.

Authorities said that when Martell was asked for his ID, he pulled out a handgun and, in the ensuing struggle, that's when an officer was forced to use deadly force.

Body and dashboard camera footage captured the incident, revealing the dramatic moments that led to Martell's death.

Newly released body and dash cam footage shows the moment when murder suspect Kenneth Edwin Martell is stopped by a female police officer and then draws a gun on her

Martell gave the officer a fake name and then handed her a piece of paper as a distraction, before reaching down and pulling out a handgun which he aimed at her

In the newly-released footage, a female officer can be seen standing by the driver's side door of a dark-colored car and radioing in about the car's license plate.

A man  later identified as Martell  then hands the officer a piece of paper and then reaches out of view and draws a gun on her.

As soon as she sees the gun, the officer grabs it and starts high-pitched screaming, 'No,' as Martell tries to pull the gun back into the car. As he and the officer struggle over the gun, she can be heard repeating, 'Please don't shoot me!'

Martell, meanwhile, can be heard saying, 'If you stop...' and 'let go,' as the officer says that she'll leave, but refuses to release the gun.

The officer can be heard screaming 'no' and begging Martell not to shoot her as they both struggle over the gun. Martell was said to have reached for a second gun during the incident

A backup officer can be seen running to Martell's car and firing one round at him

Despite the female officer's high-pitched screaming, it appears that she is not panicking and it looks as though she continues to try to reach for the gun even though Martell has drawn it back inside the car.

As this is happening, a backup officer can be seen running towards Martell's car and stopping short a few feet away. He then draws his weapon and shoots Martell.

Officials said after the shooting that the second officer 'observed the offender was in possession of a second handgun' and it was then that the officer fired at the Martell, according to a the Lake County News-Sun's report at the time of the incident.

Martell was declared dead at the scene.

The Lake County States Attorneys Office declared in December that the officer had 'acted reasonably and appropriately' when shooting Martell, according to the newspaper.

During the investigation, it was stated that Martell had given the female officer a fake name and that, after the struggle began and she had succeeded in pushing his gun back inside the car, the female officer saw Martell reach for a second gun that he had inside the car.

The backup officer said that when he arrived on scene, 'The driver looked as if he was trying to pull Officer Tedesco into the car through the drivers window.'

When the female officer was finally able to step away from Martell's car, the backup officer said that Martell raise revolvers in both hands and point them in the female officer's direction, which is when the officer fired a round into Martell's face.

The attorney's office declared that both the officers acted in self-defense.
A gang of extremists who beheaded two Scandinavian hikers in Morocco almost murdered a British tourist instead but let him go after he said he was a Muslim.

The bloodthirsty gang, who were allegedly looking for westerners to murder on behalf of ISIS, spotted the elderly Briton in the Atlas mountains on December 17, Moroccan counter-terror investigators said.

The group befriended him before asking what his religion was, and when he revealed he was a Muslim, they allowed him to continue on his way.

But an hour later the same group met Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, and murdered them both.

Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, was found beheaded at a campsite in western Morocco in December. Police say they men who killed her had earlier targeted a Briton, but let him live

Maren Ueland, 28, was found dead alongside her. Investigators say the girls were murdered around an hour after the Briton was accosted

The attackers filmed one of the women being beheaded, with gruesome footage circulated among ISIS forums online.

Fifteen men have since been charged with terrorism offenses over the crime.

Moroccan counter-terror chief Abdelhak Khiam said the arrested men revealed they spoke to a Briton before the two women showed up.

He added that it is not clear whether the man was actually a Muslim, or whether he lied his way out of danger.

The charges include forming a gang to prepare and commit terrorist acts and premeditated murder, Morocco's public prosecutor said in a statement.

Three of the suspects face additional charges for allegedly urging the others to commit acts of terrorism.

The 15 suspects were referred to an investigating judge who handles terror-related cases. More suspects are expected to be charged in the coming days.

It comes after Moroccan authorities arrested a Swiss-Spanish national in connection with the murders.

The Scandinavian hikers had set up camp at an isolated mountain site around two hours from the tourist village of Imlil when they were attacked.

Video purporting to show the attack has been circulated on ISIS forums, and shows one man brandishing a large knife saying in Arabic 'it is Allah's will'.

Fifteen men have been charged with terrorism offenses over the beheading murders of two Scandinavian women in Morocco

A portrait of Louisa and Maren are seen at a supportive event, among flowers and candles, in Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark

The man arrested on Saturday is also suspected of 'involvement in recruiting Moroccan and sub-Saharan nationals to carry out terrorist plots in Morocco against foreign targets and security forces in order to take hold of their service weapons', the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said.

Nineteen other men have been arrested in connection with the case, including four main suspects who had pledged allegiance to ISIS in a video made three days before the tourists' bodies were found.

Police and domestic intelligence spokesman Boubker Sabik this week described the four men as 'lone wolves', and said 'the crime was not coordinated with Islamic State'.

Ms Ueland and Ms Vesterager Jespersen, who were studying to be outdoor guides at a Norwegian university, were spotted with three men in Marrakesh before heading to the Atlas mountains to hike.

They had been travelling around the country as part of a month-long trekking holiday.

Last week hundreds of people from Malen's hometown of Bryne turned out to hold a candlelit vigil, including her friends and family members.

It was emphasised that the event was not a memorial, but a way to show support and compassion to Malen's loved ones.

People gather to pay tribute to the victims in front the St. Peter's Cathedral in Rabat, Morocco

'It's important to stand together and be important for people to show solidarity,' Thor Inge Sveinsvoll, manager of the Rogaland county Red Cross, told Norway's Aftenposten.

'We want to show that we care about each other, and that we are together for a kinder world,' said Odd Ivar Nese, one of the organisers.

It has also emerged that the two women were 'happy and sociable' in their final days, according to Rachid Imerhade, a mountain guide who had met the two friends a few days before their deaths.

He said: 'They were smiling, chatty and sociable. They talked a lot with the other people around.'

Jespersen's mother, Helle Petersen, told the Danish newspaper B.T. that her daughter was 'always happy and positive. Everyone loved her and she saw the best in everyone'.

Compared with other countries in North Africa, Morocco has been largely insulated from militant attacks.

The most recent took place in April 2011, when 17 people were killed in the bombing of a restaurant in Marrakech. In 2017 and 2018, Morocco said it dismantled 20 militant cells planning attacks in the country.
Joseph Shinners, 29, died in Orem on Saturday while attempting to detain a 40-year-old man

A Utah town will hold a public funeral this weekend for a police officer who was shot and killed as he tried to arrest a fugitive in a parking lot.

Joseph Shinners, 29, died in Orem on Saturday while attempting to detain a 40-year-old man who is suspected of killing him.

Friends, family and colleagues have been laying tributes, flowers and flags on his police car outside the Provo police department.

They have already raised $4,000 on a fundraising page, saying: 'Master Officer Joseph Shinners tragically lost his life in the line of duty protecting our community. He died a hero!'

'He was such a wonderful husband, father and friend. Our hearts are aching and you will truly be missed, Joe. We love you!'

Police chief Rich Ferguson said: 'Joseph Shinners is the officer you would want to show up on your doorstep in your crucible moment.'

Provo Police said on Twitter that the funeral would take place on Saturday, January 12, at 11am.

Authorities have accused Matt Frank Hoover, who was wanted for two drug-related felonies and had reportedly threatened law enforcement, of killing him in a shopping center parking lot in Orem.

Hoovers is hospitalized with a gunshot wound, but is expected to be charged with aggravated murder.

He was allegedly wanted on two drug-related felony warrants when officers encountered him in the parking lot.

Shinners was a three-year veteran of the Provo police force.

A woman places a bouquet of flowers on Joseph Shinners' police car at Provo police station in Utah, after the officer was shot and killed on Saturday

Friends, family and police visit a snow sculpture art piece by artist Jerry Garner in Springville, Utah, dedicated to Provo Police Officer Joseph Shinners who died in the line of duty

Residents hold American flags in honor of Provo Police Officer Joseph Shinners, as his body is brought back in a procession in Provo, Utah

Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert paid tribute, saying: 'I was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Officer Shinners.

'It is devastating to mourn yet another death among our brave and selfless police force, and my heart aches for Joseph's wife and young son.

'We owe an enormous debt to the men and women in uniform who work to protect our communities, and I pray that God will bless this dear family with peace during this very difficult time.'

The U.S. flag and the flag of the state of Utah will both be lowered on the day of the funeral, the governor's office said.

Newly-elected Utah Senator Mitt Romney said: 'Heartbroken with the tragic passing of Officer Joseph Shinners last night in the line dutya loving husband and new father.

'Ann and I extend our deepest condolences to Officer Shinners' family, friends, and fellow officers. God bless our men and women in uniform.'

Online Utah court records show suspect Hoover has pleaded guilty to several drug-related crimes, theft and forgery dating back to 1995.
Julie Jenkin Brewer, 45, was arrested at Coppell Middle School West on Monday and charged with online solicitation of a minor

A Texas woman was arrested Monday afternoon at the Coppell Middle School West campus after the teacher was reported to police for allegedly sending inappropriate text messages and communications online with a student.

Julie Jenkin Brewer, 45  believed to teach reading and language arts to children from Grades 6 to 8  was booked at the Dallas County Jail following the complaint about her communications, which included social media messages.

The age and gender of the student involved had not been made public by Tuesday morning and the school confirmed Brewer had resigned.

The school district could not divulge additional details to DailyMail.com while the investigation was ongoing Tuesday morning.

'On the morning of Jan. 7, a complaint of alleged inappropriate behavior between a teacher and a student involving text and social media messages was reported to Coppell Middle School West officials,' a school rep said in a statement. 'The Coppell Middle School West administrative team, along with Coppell ISD leadership and law enforcement personnel, immediately launched an investigation.

'At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Coppell Middle School West teacher was arrested at the Coppell Middle School West campus and charged with online solicitation of a minor. This teacher resigned and is no longer allowed at Coppell Middle School West or any Coppell Independent School District campus or facility. The District also has reported this alleged incident to the State Board of Educator Certification, as required by law and District Policy.'

Principal said in a letter that staff shouldn't use 'Snapchat to communicate with students and are prohibited from following and commenting on students Snapchat accounts'

In a letter sent the afternoon Brewer was taken into custody, the school principal reiterated that they prohibit staff from communicating with school attendees via non-official methods of communication that are not the schools phones, email accounts or approved texting apps.

While it was not shared what social media platform Brewer was accused of using to contact the student, the principal mentioned Snapchat in her letter.

The app is famed for it's ability to share images that disappear within 24 hours of posting.

'CISD employees should refrain from using Snapchat to communicate with students and are prohibited from following and commenting on students Snapchat accounts,' Dr Emily Froese wrote.

'My team and I join you in being deeply disturbed about these allegations, which we take very seriously. There are no words strong enough to express our deep disappointment and extreme outrage at this alleged violation of professional and ethical conduct we expect of our teachers.'

Brewer is believed to teach reading and language arts to children from Grades 6 to 8 and was booked at the Dallas County Jail. She has since resigned from the school

Principal Froese added in her letter that the school carries out annual background checks on employees.

Brewer's LinkedIn page states that she worked as a Seventh Grade Language Arts & READ 180 Teacher with the school from June 2018. For 11 months prior to that she was an Eighth Grade Language Arts & Creative Writing Teacher.

Various other roles in Texas show she has had approximately 17 years of experience as a Kindergarten teacher within her two decades working with young children.

Brewer even displays a glowing recommendation from one of the parent of a former learner on her LinkedIn page.

It reads: 'Julie is an amazing teacher. She taught my son his first year of school. We were so blessed. I was lucky to be her room mom and was able to see her in action. The love and talent she shows to the children cannot be taught it is a gift. My son is now in college, but still remembers this amazing teacher.'
Thirteen new members of Congress have said they are not taking a salary during the partial government shutdown but rising Democratic star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez isn't saying whether or not she's getting paid during the closure.

Ocasio-Cortez, in December before she took the oath of office, tweeted that members of Congress should 'have some integrity' and not take a paycheck during the shutdown.

'Next time we have a gov shutdown, Congressional salaries should be furloughed as well,' she wrote. 'It's completely unacceptable that members of Congress can force a government shutdown on partisan lines & then have Congressional salaries exempt from that decision. Have some integrity.'

But her office did not respond to DailyMail.com's inquiry if she's taking a salary while some 800,000 federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay.

Rising Democratic star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez isn't saying whether or not she's getting paid during the partial government shutdown

In December, she tweeted that members of Congress should 'have some integrity' and give up their pay

Members of Congress make $174,000 a year.

She started drawing a salary last Thursday when she was sworn in as a freshman Democratic lawmaker from New York.

'I've gotta run!' Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Post last week when asked if she would accept her congressional salary during the closures.

At least 48 members in the House and Senate - split about equally between the two parties - have said they will either refuse or donate their pay during the shutdown, according to The Washington Post.

The legislative branch was funded through fiscal year 2019 last year so congressional staff and members of Congress are being paid.

But employees in executive departments like Justice, Interior, Transportation, and Homeland Security have either been sent home or are working 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.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, center, took the oath of office last week with other lawmakers

Ocasio-Cortez told The New York Times in November she needed a salary to help her pay rent.

She said the transition period will be 'very unusual, because I can't really take a salary. I have three months without a salary before I'm a member of Congress. So, how do I get an apartment? Those little things are very real.'

She said she saved money before leaving her job as a bartender at a Union Square restaurant and planned with her partner.

'We're kind of just dealing with the logistics of it day by day, but I've really been just kind of squirreling away and then hoping that gets me to January,' she said.

Several lawmakers - both Democrats and Republicans - have tweeted or announced their intentions to not take a salary during the shutdown.

'While it is typically a day of celebration for my new colleagues and me, at least 800,000 federal employees and federal contractors are still in financial distress due to the current government shutdown,' freshman Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton wrote in a letter to House Chief Administrative Officer Philip Kiko.

Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said she would not take a salary but would donate the money to charity instead.

'I cannot take a salary during a government shutdown knowing that so many federal workers in Nevada and across the country will go without pay. I'll be donating my salary to a Nevada charity for every day of the Trump shutdown,' she wrote.

Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York requested her salary be withheld during the shutdown in a letter to Congress administration officials.

'I submitted a letter today requesting that my pay be withheld during this partial government shutdown,' she wrote, tweeting a copy of her letter to Kiko.

Republican Rep. Susan Brooks of Indiana also tweeted a copy of her letter to Kiko, requesting her pay be with held while the government is shut down.

Lawmakers have a few different options when it comes to not getting paid. They can write a letter to Kiko, whose agency handles payroll, to request their salary be with held or they can write a check to the U.S. Treasury with the amount of their salary they are returning.

Others are donating their pay to charity.

Republican Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio said that if Congress 'Can't keep the government fully operational, we shouldn't get paid.'

And Republican Rep. French Hill of Arkansas wrote: 'I cannot in good conscience accept pay while federal employees are not receiving theirs.'

Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida also didn't accept a salary.

'I will not be accepting any pay for as long as the federal government remains shut down. This is yet another sad example of Washington's dysfunction and inability to compromise,' he wrote on Twitter.

Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida isn't accepting a salary

Republican Rep. Susan Brooks of Indiana requested her pay be with held while the government is shut down

Republican Rep. French Hill of Arkansas wrote: 'I cannot in good conscience accept pay while federal employees are not receiving theirs.'

This is the third government shutdown for the Trump administration. On January 20 of this year a shut down ensued after Republicans refused to fund DACA. Another shutdown followed on February 9, which Trump stopped hours later.

It has entered day 18 with no end in sight.

The White House and Democrats are at an impasse over funding for the president's border wall. Trump wants $5.6 billion for his border barrier; Democrats have offered $1.3 billion for border security.

Neither side shows any sign of budging.
A 22-year-old woman travelling alone on a bus at night was left horrified when a hooded man in a white mask started asking her questions.

The incident in Sheffield has drawn comparisons with a serial killer character in the new series of BBC's Luther, in an episode shown just two days earlier.

The woman said the man was sitting just a few seats away from her on the 120 bus last Thursday and asked her where she lived, if she was alone and what her name is.

South Yorkshire Police said it was aware of the incident on the bus from Sheffield towards Crystal Peaks - and detectives had 'spoken to a man in his 30s'.

The woman - who did not wish to be named - said it was the 'creepiest bus journey of her life', adding: 'I want women and young girls to know that they need to be careful when travelling alone in the dark on public transport.

'I've had lots of hate and backlash for posting the video but I don't regret it. The issue here isn't how I responded to the incident, it's that the incident occurred in the first place.'

She said she hoped the man would learn from the incident and she did not want others to think badly of him.

A hooded man in a white mask started asking the woman questions on the 120 bus in Sheffield (left), in an incident compared to an episode of Luther shown two days earlier (right)

'I really, really hope that people do not harass or show aggression towards the man, I think he just needs help and someone to explain to him how frightening this was for me and would be for any young woman.'

Posting the video on Facebook, she said: 'This guy staring ahead while I'm sat behind asking me questions like what's your surname, are you alone, where do you live.'

At the end of the video, the man can be seen turning around to face her. The woman finished her post with the warning: 'Watch out when you're on the bus alone, girls.'

The incident was compared to a moment in the first episode of the new series of BBC crime drama Luther, starring Idris Elba, which was shown on New Year's Eve.

One Facebook user said of the video: 'Someone's been watching too much Luther. So creepy!' Another added: 'This guy has watched the new series of Luther.'

In Luther, a serial killer hid at the back on the top floor of a double-decker bus, wearing a white mask with his hood up before stabbing a woman to death.

The victim in the drama had fallen asleep on her way home as the bus gradually became quieter, leaving her alone in a scene which terrified many fans of the drama.

The first episode of Luther in more than three years saw the London detective faced with a spate of horrific new murders from a frightening killer.

Some people also noted the likeness between the mask in the video and the character No Face in the 2001 film Spirited Away.
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Vivian Maier is still an enigma.

For all the parsing of her portraits and photos, many things are still unclear about Maier  a street photographer who mostly worked as a nanny and sometime maid during her life  and why she kept thousands upon thousands of images to herself.

But what is straightforward is the compelling nature of her work with its thoughtful framing, interesting use of light and shadow, and how it pulses with an array of human emotion.

It has been nine years since Maiers black and white images burst on the scene  she received no recognition during her lifetime. John Maloof happened upon Maiers negatives at an auction and then posted them on Flickr, which generated tremendous interest that continues to this day.

A new exhibition - with some images on view for the first time - and book are now highlighting Maiers color work. In the images, the hues take center stage: the fuchsia flowered hat, the large round balloons popping with shades of blues, reds and greens, the burnt orange of marigolds, coats, hats, and sweaters, and the fire-truck red of a newspaper vending box.

Vivian Maier was a street photographer, but during her lifetime she worked as a nanny and sometimes as a maid. She received no recognition for her work during her lifetime. John Maloof happened upon Maiers negatives at an auction and when he posted them on Flickr in 2009, it generated a tremendous amount of interest that continues to this day. Most images initially released were black and white. A new exhibition and book are now focusing on Maier's color work. Above, the eye is drawn to the ornate fuchsia flowered hat of the well-dressed woman on the right with two women standing behind her. The photo was taken in Chicago in 1962. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Cortney Norman, who manages the Vivian Maier archive at the Howard Greenberg Gallery, where the images will be on display until March 2, said that Maier made approximately 40,000 images in color during her lifetime and it was clearly a very significant part of her work. Above, the man with the grey jacket holds an explosion of color: reds and yellows and blues and light greens of large round balloons. Its just such a perfect moment that shes able to capture both compositionally and emotionally and then just move on to her next shot, Norman told DailyMail.com. Thats quite remarkable, I think.' Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Norman said that since Maier created so many color images, the gallery felt it 'was important to sort of give it its own publication, its own exhibition, its own focus  separately from the black and white work. If not just for volume alone and understanding, you know, the full scope of her vision, but also theres some really special quality work in there that we found. Above, the yellow and orange marigolds on the left and the brown and orange beaded purse on the right contrast against the white suit of the woman. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Maier was a street photographer and used a Rolleiflex, which is not held to the eye but rather almost at the waist. Above, she took this image in May 1958 and the vermilion of the hat and coat pops while the woman looks askance at the camera. Maier was able to work in both black and white as well as color, and Norman said photographers are usually stronger in one area or the other. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

In the documentary, Finding Vivian Maier, Maloof recounts how he stumbled upon her work. In search of photos for a history book he was working on, he went to the auction house across the street from his home and bid $380 for a box loaded with negatives.

Intrigued by what he saw, Maloof was prompted to find out more about Maier, which was no easy task. He would buy and collect many of her negatives, prints, audio recordings, and 8 mm film as well as numerous personal items. Maier, who never married or had children, was a pack rat.

Born on February 1, 1926 in New York, Maier spent time both in France and New York City throughout her childhood. She worked as a nanny and maid for numerous families  including talk show host Phil Donahue.

Maloof interviewed the families and a complicated picture of Maier emerged. Now adults, some of the children Maier took care of said she was abusive  one woman said she hit her and shoved food down her throat. But also, life was more adventurous with her around, one subject said.

They described her as mysterious, eccentric, paradoxical, bold, and very private.

She would have never let this happen, one friend said of the documentary.

Indeed, in many of Maiers self-portraits, part of or all of her is obscured, and, often, it is only her shadow.

She spoke with a French accent, which one person swore was fake, and people were surprised to learn she was born in New York City. Maier sometimes used the name, Smith, and Maloof discovered that she used many different spellings of her last name.



During the documentary, Maier said in an audio recording, Im the mystery woman, and as she died on April 21, 2009 at aged 83 before her work received attention, she will remain so.

This point was reiterated by Cortney Norman, who manages the Vivian Maier archive at the Howard Greenberg Gallery, where the images will be on display through March 2.

In general, with the exact context of the photographs, a lot remains, you know, a mystery, Norman told DailyMail.com. We were able to identify locations and dates for the photographs but beyond that a lot remains unknown because we dont have Vivian with us, obviously.

Initially, Maloof introduced the black and white images to the gallery, which Norman explained were mostly from the 1950s and 1960s.

The color work kind of picks up in the '60s and then moves through the end of Maiers life, she said.

Maier started taking self-portraits early in the 1950s, making her one of its pioneer, according to Cortney Norman, who manages the Vivian Maier archive at the Howard Greenberg Gallery. Often, there are reflections, like the one above, and layering in the self-portraits, but there are others that are straight on and direct, she said. Above, it seems as if the lines of dotted light envelope Maier in her beige hat with orange band, blue patterned black top and skirt. This image was taken in Chicago in August 1976. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Maier used a Rolleiflex and a 35-millimeter camera, and took more than 150,000 photographic images that included prints, negatives, transparencies, and rolls of undeveloped film during her lifetime, which spanned from February 1, 1926 to April 21, 2009. Her color photos are now part of a new exhibition and book called, Vivian Maier: The Color Work. Above, the tanned backs of the elderly couple - the man on the left in dark blue shorts and the woman on the right in an orange suit - contrast with the white wall as they spy into the crossed-shaped holes into a swimming pool. This image was taken in 1960. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

John Maloof happened upon Maiers negatives at an auction and when he posted them on Flickr in 2009, her black and white photos stirred a sensation. Norman, from the Howard Greenberg Gallery, explained that the black and white images were mostly from the 1950s and 1960s. The color work kind of picks up in the '60s and then moves through the end of Maiers life, she told DailyMail.com. Norman said the above image, taken in Chicago, is a good example of where Maier created 'a very strong composition within the frame. The woman's persimmon-colored sweater seems to match the color of the words on the poster behind her. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Colin Westerbeck, in a new book about the color images, Vivian Maier: The Color Work, wrote about the above image, taken in New York City, 1959: 'On the curb across the street, waiting in rank formation for the light to change, is a group of white businessmen, while right in front of us, out on the edges of the frame and out of focus, are two young African American women. The blurry, marginalized place these women have in the photograph is an acute commentary on the place black people have had in American society.' Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

After getting a box of her negatives, John Maloof was intrigued by Maier and tried to discover more about her. He chronicled that journey in the documentary Finding Vivian Maier. Maloof spoke with families that Maier worked for either as a nanny or a maid, and they used words like eccentric, paradoxical, bold, and private to describe her. Above, the grey skirt and bright red short heel on the right contrast the white, wrapped-up leg on the left. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Maier created approximately 40,000 images in color during her lifetime and it was clearly a very significant part of her work, Norman said.

So we felt it was important to sort of give it its own publication, its own exhibition, its own focus  separately from the black and white work, she said.

If not just for volume alone and understanding, you know, the full scope of her vision, but also theres some really special quality work in there that we found.

The images are also part of a recently released book, Vivian Maier: The Color Work, published by HarperCollins, and with text by Colin Westerbeck and a forward by photographer Joel Meyerowitz.

Maier photographed many different subjects that included children, department-store mannequins, and, often, herself. There is a playfulness and humor at times in her images that are often filled with shadows, mirrors and reflections.

Norman said that Maier started making self-portraits early in the 1950s, making her one of its pioneer.

We feel that theyre very strong, she said. You get more of a sense of her thinking and her placement in her environment.

Oftentimes reflection and some layering between her and, you know, of how much of herself is shown in the image, but there are others that surfaced where its more sort of straight on, direct.

One of the self-portraits in the series shows a clear plastic bag on the sidewalk. Inside the bag is a square piece of white paper that states Heres a real eye opener, and Maiers shadow takes up the bottom right part of the image.

Thats also another theme that carries out through her work  documenting signage or graffiti or that sort of the thing on the street that kind of adds an element of, I think, her sense of humor and commentary, Norman said.

Maier was able to work in both black and white as well as color, and Norman said photographers are usually stronger in one area or the other.

She definitely had a strong eye for color in the environment and placing it within the frame compositionally, said Norman, adding that the images in the show have not been cropped or altered.

In the documentary, it is noted that many of the negatives that are developed into prints are ones that Maier had not seen herself. Maier used a Rolleiflex and a 35-millimeter camera, and had taken more than 150,000 photographic images that included prints, negatives, transparencies, and rolls of undeveloped film, according to the news release for the exhibition.

For a large percentage, a majority of her work, it was left even undeveloped. It was more for her about the  we think anyway  about the process of shooting, the process of capturing the images, less about the sort of post-production, print process, Norman explained.

However, there are some negatives that Maier chose to have prints made of, some of which are in the show. Existing prints made during Maiers lifetime are quite rare, according to Norman.

Maier did not approach the same subject several times, Norman said, but would confidently make the image, see it all in an instant.

One of the images, for example, is a man in a grey jacket who holds an explosion of color: reds and yellows and blues and light greens of large round balloons.

Its just such a perfect moment that shes able to capture both compositionally and emotionally and then just move on to her next shot, she said.

Thats quite remarkable, I think.'

Maier photographed many different subjects that included children, department-store mannequins, and, often, herself. There is a playfulness and humor at times in her images that are often filled with shadows, mirrors and reflections. Cortney Norman, who manages the Vivian Maier archive at the Howard Greenberg Gallery, told DailyMail.com: 'We feel that theyre very strong. You get more of a sense of her thinking and her placement in her environment. Above, a self-portrait taken in Chicago in February 1976 where it seem as if there is a reflection upon reflection of Maier in a shop window. Also seen in the reflection is a car going pass and the buildings of the city. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

In what feels almost like a classical painting, the above photo shows the worn wood of the shop, which frames an older man, his face bent down, wearing a black hat and a white neck brace. The red letters on his white apron are picked up in the newspaper box in the right foreground. The Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times are visible on the left, and the image was taken in Chicago in October 1976. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Above, one of the self-portraits, taken in Chicago in 1976, in the series that shows a clear plastic bag on the sidewalk. Inside the bag is a square piece of white paper that states Heres a real eye opener, and Maiers shadow takes up the right part of the image. Thats also another theme that carries out through her work  documenting signage or graffiti or that sort of the thing on the street that kind of adds an element of, I think, her sense of humor and commentary, Norman, of the Howard Greenberg Gallery, said. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

In many of Maiers self-portraits, part of - like the above image taken in Chicago in 1975 - or all of her is obscured. Families that Maier worked for described her as 'very private.' During the documentary about her, Maier said in an audio recording, Im the mystery woman. In general, with the exact context of the photographs, a lot remains, you know, a mystery, Norman told DailyMail.com. We were able to identify locations and dates for the photographs but beyond that a lot remains unknown because we dont have Vivian with us, obviously. Estate of Vivian Maier, Courtesy Maloof Collection and Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York
Horrifying video footage has emerged of a broad daylight attack in which a person steps out of a red vehicle and opens fires on two brothers, killing one.

Richard Baez Vazquez, 35, had just left a local automotive parts and accessories store in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when he was shot dead Monday afternoon.

His brother, Omar Baez Vazquez, 42, a Florida resident who had arrived last Friday, survived the assassination attempt.

Law enforcement authorities have not announced any arrests. No motive is known for the attack.

Richard Baez Vazquez's death is the 18th murder that has been recorded in the first seven days of 2017, just seven less during the same period last year.

WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES

Richard Baez Vazquez was gunned down by armed suspects in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Monday afternoon

Omar Baez Vazquez (pictured on stretcher) joined his brother on a visit to a local automotive parts and accessories store and was shot during the broad daylight attack. He was transported to a local hospital

Bystanders run for safety as suspects in a red SUV shoot at Omar Baez Vazquez (circled)

The shocking surveillance video shows the moment a red Acura SUV speeds down a street in the neighborhood of Puerto Nuevo at about 4:50pm local time.

WAPA TV reported that the the brothers were visiting Power Sport Warehouse to exchange an item.

Omar Baez Vazquez is spotted on the video loading something into the trunk of the black Acura truck near a sidewalk before the assault.

The suspects apparently turned around and drove back on the opposite side of the two-way street before suddenly stopping near the siblings.

The driver opens his door and starts firing at the defenseless men, sending scores of innocent bystanders running for cover.

Another suspect appears in the video getting out of the passenger side of the vehicle but it's unclear whether that person fired any shots at the brothers.

Richard Baez Vazquez, who has a prior arrest record for fraud, was declared dead at the scene, while his brother was transported to a local hospital in Rio Piedras.

Sergeant Arnaldo Ruiz told Telemundo Puerto Rico that Richard Baez Vazquez had traveled from his residence to Power Sport Warehouse to exchange an item and that it was possible the assailants were tracking his movements.

'We're at a preliminary [stage],' Ruiz said.

'From what we understand, he may have been stalked by another person to cause his death.'

The driver side door is opened before two brothers were shot during an ambush in Puerto Rico

Investigators look over the crime scene which left Richard Baez Vazquez dead on the ground

Omar Baez Vazquez (picture right behind vehicle as he loads something into trunk) had arrived from Florida last Friday and suffered a gunshot wound during the attack

Richard Baez Vazquez's assassination was the third that took place in Puerto Rico on Monday, and the 13th registered since last Friday.

A street in the nearby tourist zone of Isla Verde was the site of a wild shootout which was caught on video by residents as a group of suspects chased down and shot a 30-year-old man dead on Sunday morning.

The recent crime wave to start the new year has caused concerns for Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rossello.

Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rossello says he is worried over the crime wave that has registered 18 murders throughout the first seven days of 2019

The island has seen a dramatic drop in its police force, which counts with just 9,000 active members after 15,000 policed the streets a decade ago.

"This is alarming,' Rossello said during an appearance on Z93 FM on Monday.

'When you see these images you know that the majority of Puerto Rico is against violence.'
Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed for the first time he commanded an artillery battalion while in the army as he visited St Petersburg to fire a cannon salute.

Putin told troops at Petropavlovsky Fortress: 'I received the rank of lieutenant as an artilleryman, as the commander of a howitzer artillery battalion 122mm.'

He made the comments on Monday as he braved freezing temperatures to fire the daily salute over the Neva River as part of Christmas celebrations.

Video shows the platform quaking beneath his feet as he pulls the lever - and flinches only slightly - as the cannon fires.

Fire from the blank round spurts from the end of the cannon as Russian President Vladimir Putin pulls the lever of the howitzer

Putin speaks to cadets from Suvorov Military School during his visit to Petropavlovsky Fortress on Monday

A military officer joked 'you've scored a hit,' as the blank round fired into the air.

Putin replied, 'Certainly you can't miss with this,' Russia Today reported.

The President grinned as he moved off from the cannon to shake hands with students from Suvorov Military School.

The Kremlin biography makes no mention of Putin's time as an artillery man and it is a new revelation for historians of his Soviet career

Under the Russian Orthodox liturgical calendar, Christmas is observed on January 7.

The midday shot has been a tradition since 1865.

Putin is no stranger to mucking in with the troops and has previously got into a fighter jet, as well as holding various smaller firearms.

The Kremlin states that Putin joined the KGB after completing his law degree at Leningrad State University in 1975.

There is no mention made of him serving as a lieutenant or commanding an artillery battalion.

However, as part of his training by Soviet intelligence he would have been required to undertake basic military training.

It is possible he would have had experience working with howitzer's during this time.

The official Kremlin biography states that even before the end of high school Putin wanted to work for the KGB.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stand in bitter cold as he to fire the fortress cannon on Monday

The official history says he took himself to an office where he was told he would either have to serve in the military first or complete a degree in law.

Putin notes: 'And from that moment, I began preparing myself to enter the law department at Leningrad State University.'

The revelation comes as it was revealed last month there was a Stasi identification card, purportedly belonging to Putin which had been uncovered in Germany.
A jealous husband accused of murdering his wife of 50 years after she left him for an old school friend visited a local cemetery to find a place to dump her body, a court heard.

David Thomas, 74, allegedly lay in wait for Sheila, 69, after promising her he would be out when she stopped by to collect some belongings from their former matrimonial home in Herne Hill, south London.

After demanding she tell him where she was now living, Thomas stabbed her with a kitchen knife and repeatedly smashed her over the head with a piece of wood on July 24 last year, it is claimed.

The two married in 1966, but Sheila claimed that life with Thomas had been hell and described having felt unhappy in the relationship for the past four decades.

David Thomas, 74, allegedly lay in wait for Sheila, 69, (pictured) after promising her he would be out when she stopped by to collect some belongings from their former matrimonial home in Herne Hill, south London

She called an end to it at the end of June last year after beginning an affair with Victor Cassar, also 74, an old teenage friend she reunited with months earlier on Facebook.

One of the couples sons-in-law, Blair James, told the court Thomas was onto him virtually every day afterwards trying to find out where she had moved to.

He just said that he wanted to make sure that she was safe, he added.

Mr James, a steward at the Dulwich Constitutional Club, said he initially tried to fob Thomas off with a made-up address only to be angrily confronted when his father-in-law followed the bogus line up.

Jurors heard Thomas just shouted a little bit and warned him not to f*****g lie.

The court heard he later sent Thomas a link to a possible address for Mr Cassar that he found using the 192.com website.

Mr James said he warned Thomas: Dont do anything silly.

During another conversation, jurors were told that Thomas discussed visiting Nunhead Cemetery to look at where to dump the bodies.

Sheila Thomas ended her marriage to her husband in June last year and began seeing childhood friend Victor Cassar (pictured, Mr Cassar leaving the Old Bailey yesterday)

He said he went up to the cemetery to look at where to dump the bodies, Mr James said, adding that Thomas wasnt a well man.

He just wasnt himself. He used to be a cleaner at the club, but after the separation he would just sit there staring into space.

He didnt really talk to anybody, even members of the club, he just sat there or would disappear for a couple of hours and come back.

We did say to him to go to the doctors. Whether he went, I dont know.

Mr James said the pair used to visit the graveyard together to fly drones but wept as he described falling into drink and drug use to cope with the stress and strain of the split.

The court heard one of the couples sons-in-law, Blair James, sent Thomas a link to a possible address for Mr Cassar (pictured) that he found using the 192.com website

He later made a second statement to police in November seeking to backtrack on his earlier account of the conversation, saying he was now unclear on the exchange.

When asked by Thomas barrister, Jonathan Higgs QC, whether he may have confused the chat about the cemetery with something more sinister, he replied: Yes, 100 per cent.

Mr James similarly sought to distance himself from a conversation he claimed to have had with one of the clubs regulars, Kevin Barnes, who told him Thomas had sought him out looking to get hold of a gun in the weeks before the alleged murder.

But Mr Barnes maintained to jurors the request was made a number of times, not just once.

He described a time in The Fox on the Hill pub in nearby Denmark Hill in late June or early July when Thomas came in looking for him.

He approached me and said I have got a problem and asked if I could help, said Mr Barnes.

I said whats the problem? He said he couldnt tell me. He asked me if I could supply him with a gun.

I said no.

He said Thomas refused his offer of a pint and quickly left.

What sort of mood did Mr Thomas appear to be in? asked prosecutor Brian ONeill QC.

Quite serious, Mr Barnes said.

He added that two further phone calls followed, with the first coming the very next day, and described going to see Mr James at the club the day before the killing to raise his concerns.

Thomas, from Herne Hill, southeast London, denies murder.

The trial continues.
The alleged 'killer clown' of Florida has appeared before a judge as a 29-year-old cold case moves closer to a resolution.

Sheila Keen-Warren, now 55, is accused of murdering love rival Marlene Warren in Wellington in 1990 while dressed in an orange wig and face paint and carrying balloons.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Keen-Warren, who was arrested in 2017 after new DNA evidence came to light.

Yesterday Keen-Warren, who denies the charge, appeared for a status check but attorneys said the trial was unlikely to begin until 2020.

Sheila Keen-Warren (pictured in court in 2017), now 55, is accused of murdering Marlene Warren in 1990 while dressed in an orange wig and face paint and carrying balloons

The prosecution asked for a November trial but defense attorney Richard Lubin said it was 'unrealistic' it would take place this year, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

'This case is so old. The technology in play then was so different. It makes everything more difficult,' he said.

Circuit Judge Joseph Marx set the date of the next hearing, another status check, for April this year.

Keen-Warren is married to Michael Warren, the widower of Marlene Warren who she allegedly shot dead in May 1990.

Marlene, 40, opened her door on a Saturday morning to find a clown in an orange wig, red nose and white face paint handing her carnations and foil balloons.

The clown then pulled a gun, shot Warren in the face and drove away. She died two days later.

Costume shop employees allegedly identified Sheila Keen-Warren as the woman who had bought a clown costume a few days earlier.

Sheila Keen-Warren is pictured left with her current husband, Michael Warren - the widower of Marlene Warren, right, who she is accused of murdering in May 1990

Meanwhile the presumed getaway car was found abandoned with orange, hair-like fibers inside.

The white Chrysler convertible had been reported stolen from Michael Warren's car lot a month before the shooting.

Detectives said in 2017 that advances in DNA technology, combined with evidence gathered decades ago, showed Keen-Warren was the killer.

Witnesses had told investigators in 1990 that Sheila Warren and Michael Warren were having an affair, though both denied it.

At the time of the shooting, she was an employee of Marlene Warren's husband, Michael, at his used car lot. Since 2002, she has been his wife.

She was arrested in 2017 at the home she shared with him in Abingdon, Virginia, and has been in custody since.
Authorities are searching for a man seen on security footage licking the doorbell of a California home and relieving himself in the family's yard.

Police have identified the man as Roberto Arroyo, 33, and say that he spent three hours around the Salinas home of Sylvia and Dave Dungan.

The couple had been out of town, during the strange incident, but their children were sleep inside the family's home. They noticed something amiss when they woke up to multiple alerts from their surveillance system, which notifies the homeowners whenever there is movement near the front door.

'I thought, "Boy, there's a lot of traffic. 5 in the morning? My son doesn't get home until 6 a.m," Sylvia recalled to KION 546. '"Well, then, who the heck is that?"'

Scroll down for video

Police have identified the man as Roberto Arroyo, 33, and say that he spent three hours around the Salinas home of Sylvia and Dave Dungan

Footage showed the man licking the doorbell. Police say that the man appears to have also relived himself in the family's front yard.

'You kind of laugh about it afterwards because technically he didnt do anything,' Dungan said. 'This just kind of reinforces how important it is to have security within your home.'

Dungan asserted that the family wiped down the doors following the incident.

Arroyo is said to have gone to a neighbor's house as well.

Sylvia and Dave Dungan (pictured together) had been out of town, during the strange incident, but their children were sleep inside the family's home

The Dungans asserted that the family wiped down the doors following the incident

'Never have we seen anything like this,' added Stephanie Rosario, a neighbor to the Dungan family.

Police are still searching for Arroyo.

'We were pleasantly surprised the image was so clear, to the point that it didnt take us long to identify this individual,' said Miguel Cabrera with Salinas Police, according to WTOC.

The suspect could be charged with two misdemeanor counts for petty theft and prowling.
He frequently said he wanted to die. He tried to kill himself several times. And on January 5, Nevada death row inmate Scott Raymond Dozier finally succeeded.

Now questions are swirling around why the twice-convicted killer wasn't on suicide watch in the first place.

Dozier, 48, was being housed alone in a death row cell at the state's maximum-security prison in Ely when he was found hanging from a bed sheet tied to an air vent. There was no indication of foul play.

If Dozier had been on suicide watch, he would have been in an observation cell with little clothing, a tamper-resistant mattress and a blanket made of quilted canvas designed not to be ripped, torn or bunched up.

Questions are swirling around why Scott Raymond Dozier wasn't on suicide watch when he killed himself at Nevada's maximum-security prison on Saturday

Dozier (seen lying in his prison cell during an interview) frequently said he wanted to die and had tried to kill himself several times in recent months

His death came nearly 15 years after Dozier gave up appeals for the death sentence he received in 2007 for the 2002 murders of Jeremiah Miller, 22, and 26-year-old Jasen Green.

'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.

'Just get it done, just do it effectively and stop fighting about it,' he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview last August, a month after a different judge stopped his execution at the final hour.

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

Dozier's executions were canceled in November 2017 and July 2018 amid legal battles over a three-drug combination that had never been used for a lethal injection in the US: the sedative midazolam, the powerful opioid fentanyl and a muscle-paralyzing agent called cisatracurium.

While Dozier had given up his appeals for the death sentence, he did allow public defenders to challenge the method that state officials planned to use on his behalf.

Those advocates argued that lethal injection with the three-drug combination could be less humane than putting down a pet.

Drug companies joined the fight, arguing their products should not be used in an execution.

Dozier, meanwhile, made it clear that he would rather end his own life then spend the rest of it in prison.

In December, Dozier's attorneys revealed he had tried to kill himself several times in recent months.

Dozier, 48, was being housed alone in a death row cell at the state's maximum-security prison (pictured) in Ely when he was found hanging from a bed sheet tied to an air vent

They said he had cut his neck and wrest with a razor in October, and tried to obtain drops of a deadly drug on a piece of paper sent through prison mail.

Prison officials also intercepted mail from Dozier's sister with instructions on how to cut his neck.

A state prison psychologist who examined Dozier concluded in October that he was 'secretly seeking an outlet to end his problems, worries and stress'.

She said the prison could not afford to lose Dozier to suicide and called it 'clinically best to be safe than sorry'.

If Dozier (pictured in court in August 2017) had been on suicide watch, he would have been in an observation cell with little clothing, a tamper-resistant mattress and a blanket made of quilted canvas designed not to be ripped, torn or bunched up

But at the same time Dozier was challenging suicide watch, calling it cruel and 'blatantly unconstitutional'.

The state insisted the isolation was to protect Dozier from self-harm, but his lawyers argued that his condition was deteriorating.

Dozier's death came nearly 15 years after Dozier gave up appeals for the death sentence he received in 2007 for the murder of Jeremiah Miller, 22 (pictured)

They said he was denied prison yard recreation time and the ability to read, communicate with his family, or effectively consult with legal counsel.

'The system, I think, is broken and it's hard on everybody,' Dozier's defense attorney Thomas Ericsson said following the news of his death.

Just minutes after taking office on Monday, Democratic Gov Steve Sisolak referred to Dozier's death and said he talked recently with outgoing Republican Gov Brian Sandoval and prison officials about Nevada's capital punishment law.

He said he would await the results of an ongoing investigation.

'We can't execute anybody even if they're demanding it,' said Scott Coffee, a deputy public defender in Las Vegas who wants capital punishment abolished in Nevada.

'The legal process and the mental health effects on people who are sentenced to death has become the mental equivalent of torture.'

Dozier would have been the first inmate executed in the state since 2006.
An engineering student was subjected to a two-day gang rape before being left for dead in a wood in India, police say.

The 20-year-old woman, who has not been identified, was left in critical condition following the attack which began on December 30 in the eastern state of Odisha.

She told officers that the abuse started when a man claiming to be friends with her brother approached her at a station as she waited for a train.

A 20-year-old engineering student said she was lured away from this station by a man claiming to be friends with her brother before being taken to a house where she was gang raped

The man wrongly told her that, due to repair work on the line, trains were not running to her destination and suggested she travel with him instead.

Police told the Hindustan Times that the woman quickly realised she was headed in the wrong direction, but the man told her to disembark at a different station and catch a bus to her destination.

When she got off the train the man jumped her and dragged her to a nearby house, where the attack took place.

One the woman was inside the house, the man was joined by another five men and the group took it in turns to abuse her over the next 48 hours, police said.

The woman said six men took it in turns to rape her for two days before dumping her in a forest where she was found in critical condition (file image)

The men then dumped her in a nearby forest on January 1 where she was found by passersby and rushed to hospital.

She is now recovering from her ordeal, according to her brother.

Police are investigating the incident but said no arrests have been made so far.

Over the last three years there have been 651 reported cases of gang rape and 5,400 cases of rape of a minor in the state of Odisha, with just 135 people prosecuted.
Fabian Picardo said on Monday that the Spanish should 'not waste ink writing such nonsense' about post-Brexit Gibraltar

Gibraltar's Chief Minister said the notion of Britain and Spain sharing sovereignty of the land post-Brexit was 'as dead as a dodo.'

Fabian Picardo rejected Spain's talk of power-sharing on Monday in the strongest terms, saying 'they should not waste ink writing such nonsense.'

Spain's Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in November that Madrid would seek a discussion over joint sovereignty of Gibraltar, a British territory since 1713, once Britain leaves the European Union on March 29.

Spanish conservative parties have also called on Madrid to use Britain's looming departure from the bloc to push its claims over Gibraltar, a small peninsula attached to Spain which has long been a major point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations.

Spain has long claimed sovereignty over the territory, which is home to around 30,000 people.

'If anyone in Spain, in any part of the political spectrum, believes that we will ever compromise on our sovereignty they are wrong.

'The concept of joint sovereignty or any dilution of our sovereignty is a dead duck,' Picardo said in a televised New Year's address.

'It's as dead as a dodo. If anyone seriously thinks they can advance the concept of joint sovereignty, they are flogging a dead horse.

'The Rock', as it is known to locals, has been a British territory since 1713, which has long been a sore spot for the Spanish who believe it belongs to them

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in November that Madrid would discuss joint sovereignty of Gibraltar with Theresa May

'They should not waste breath talking such nonsense. They should not waste ink writing such nonsense. Neither through threats nor inducements will we ever waiver. Brexit changes nothing in this respect.'

The idea of joint sovereignty is not new and such a proposal was etched out between Britain and Spain in 2001 and 2002.

But it was binned after Gibraltarians rejected it in a November 2002 referendum.

'The Rock', as Gibraltar known by locals, is due to leave the EU along with Britain.
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A survivor of the Kegworth air disaster has spoken of how he 'didn't know if he was dead or alive' when the plane came down exactly 30 years ago today.

British Midland flight BD92 from London Heathrow to Belfast International crashed on the M1 embankment near East Midlands Airport on January 8 1989, killing 47 of the 126 on board.

Leslie Bloomer, now 57, was one of the 79 survivors, whose lives changed forever after the plane took off that night.

Today at a 30th anniversary memorial service he revealed he is still terrified of flying and that he wasn't supposed to be on the ill-fated plane, but decided to get on an earlier one at the last minute.

Floral wreaths were laid in front of a memorial site in Kegworth, Leicestershire today, where a British Midland flight from London Heathrow to Belfast crashed into the M1 embankment near East Midlands Airport on January 8 1989

He said: 'When the plane stopped moving I was sitting there and, for a second or two, I wasn't sure whether I was dead or alive actually.

Leslie Bloomer, now 57 (pictured today was one of the 79 survivors, whose lives changed forever that night

'I saw my friend to the right, he was unconscious, and my other friend wasn't in good shape either. I was trapped with my legs under the seat.'

Mr Bloomer, from Killylea, County Amagh, was among the many on the plane from Northern Ireland.

The disaster, which happened just two weeks after 270 people were killed in the Lockerbie bombing in Scotland, has become synonymous with the small Leicestershire village.

Today wreaths were laid by families, emergency services, councils and others affected by the tragedy at a memorial site in the village.

Crash survivor Dessie Clarke attended the service in his wheelchair, supported by his daughter Ashley.

The disaster left many families without husbands, wives, children and other relatives.

Before the wreath-laying, the names of the victims were read out at a 45-minute church service at St Andrew's Kegworth, followed by a minute's silence.

Other survivors included Dominica McGowan said there was a big focus on survivors as it was unusual for such a large amount of people to survive a crash on that scale, she also told the BBC that at the time of the tragedy she hadn't 'realised the scale'.

Around 300 people came to the church to hear Reverend Lauretta Wilson speak and mourners sing hymns, read prayers and light candles.

Some of those who had flown from Northern Ireland to attend the commemorations wiped away tears as people paid their respects.

Mr Bloomer added: 'It was very emotional when they started to read the names. The first and second names read out, I knew those people from back home.

Dominica McGowan (pictured above) survived the crash and said at the time she hadn't realised the scale of the incident

Today the small Leicestershire village of Kegworth fell silent to remember the 47 people killed in a plane disaster there 30 years ago. Crash survivor Dessie Clarke is pictured with his daughter Ashley at the memorial at St Andrew's Church today

Disaster: The Belfast-bound Boeing 737 is pictured smashed to pieces after it crashed in Kegworth in January 1989

'I didn't know they were on the plane, I hadn't seen them at the departure lounge at Heathrow, I hadn't seen them on the plane.

'I remember when I found out they were killed on the plane, and when they were read out today, I could barely hold the tears back.

'Coming up here for this service I started to think about the plane crash a lot, and if I go on holidays, once I get on to the plane, taking off gets me and landing gets me.'

Speaking after the commemoration, he said: 'I know this morning, when I got on the plane in Belfast, and when it got on to the runway - if they'd have opened the door and said 'Do you want to get out?', I'd have got out.

'I was sitting there just shaking. Flying is still tough for me but I'm very glad to come here.

'I've met people that I haven't seen for 20 odd years. To meet nurses, ambulance crews, the fire service - it's brilliant. And to see the way people here put this on and how it impacted this village.'

Dignitaries are pictured carrying floral tributes to the Kegworth Memorial today following a church service to remember the 47 victims

Wreaths were laid by families, emergency services, councils and others affected at a memorial site in Kegworth today

Speaking of the events leading up to the flight, he said: 'We shouldn't even have been on that plane, we were booked on the 9.20pm plane but my friend said to me.

'We're going to be here for another three hours, I wonder if we could get an earlier flight home?' There was room on the 7.20pm so we jumped on it.

'Another thing, when I got on the plane this morning I was sitting on the same row of seats as I was sitting on that night. It's strange the way you think of things like that.'

Reflecting on the incident itself, Mr Bloomer said: 'The left-hand engine kept putting out small sparks, small flames. It didn't feel good.

'I actually had a flashback at the weekend of the last 10 seconds or so before it hit the ground and I could imagine the pilot sitting there trying to steer it and then the thud on the ground.

Opening the commemorations today, Reverend Wilson said: 'Kegworth has never forgotten that fateful night on January 8 1989.

Before the wreath-laying, the names of those who died were read out during a 45-minute church service, led by Reverend Lauretta Wilson, followed by a minute's silence

Around 300 people attended the service, led by Reverend Lauretta Wilson, including family members of the 29 from Northern Ireland who died on the Heathrow to Belfast flight

'Whatever our motivations, it is good to have the opportunity to remember and honour those who lost their lives. The dreadful event shook all of our communities.'

The plane, with 126 people on board, had taken off from Heathrow just before 8pm on January 8.

Loud bangs were heard coming from the left-hand engine as an evening meal was being served to the 118 passengers.

Captain Kevin Hunt and his co-pilot, David McClelland, shut down the correctly-working right-hand engine, but efforts to make an emergency landing at East Midlands Airport failed.

Instead, the plane, which was on fire and had blazing debris dropping from it, came down on the M1 embankment with the runway at East Midlands Airport only a few hundred yards away.

Despite the crash, nobody on the ground was injured and some of the passengers were able to walk away unscathed.

Most of the deaths occurred at the front of the plane but 79 people, including the two pilots, survived.

A plane passes over the memorial site near St Andrew's Church, Kegworth, after today's 30th anniversary service there

In 1989 Lesley Pendleton was the clerk at Kegworth parish council, the Leicestershire county councillor for the area, as well as the district councillor.

She was responsible for an emergency plan for the village in the immediate aftermath of the disaster and had to think about what the community could do to help.

Ms Pendleton said: 'It's vivid for me now as it was then. Everyone in the village that night can tell you exactly where they were when the plane came down.

'I was driving my daughter back after she was visiting a friend in Breedon. As I was coming off the A453 I saw a plume of smoke rising over the motorway and I thought it must be another car fire.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE NIGHT OF THE KEGWORTH AIR DISASTER? The British Midland flight BD92, a Boeing 737-400, crashed on the embankment of the M1 motorway near the village of Kegworth in Leicestershire on January 8 1989. The plane had left London Heathrow just after 8pm and was due to fly to Belfast, Northern Ireland. After the aircraft took off, staff began to serve an evening meal to the 118 passengers on board. It was then that a fan blade broke in the left engine, disrupting the air conditioning and filling the cabin with smoke. Nightmare: The British Midland Boeing 737 crashed into the M1 embankment near the village of Kegworth, Leicestershire on January 8 1989. The crash site is pictured in the days afterwards. Miraculously no one on the ground was hurt The two pilots on board thought it was an issue with the right-hand engine, shutting down the functioning engine and pumping more fuel into the functioning one. They were trying to perform an emergency landing at East Midlands Airport nearby, but it failed and the plane plummeted with the runway in sight. It burst into flames and came crashing to the ground  killing 47 of the 126 on board. Both pilots survived. Advertisement

'I decided to to stop on the bridge over the motorway to see what was happening and when I looked over the side there was a sight I won't ever forget.

'The plane was broken up with wreckage the embankment by the motorway and a set of wheels in the central reservation.

'But one of the things I remember most clearly is how all the cars had come to a halt.

'People use the word miracle all the time but I think the fact that no car was hit was a miracle and that none of those cars hit each other adding to the casualties.

'The queue was backing up and it was eerily quiet. Then while I was watching - before any of the emergency workers arrived - all of the cars doors opened almost simultaneously as people realised what had happened.'

Not long after the crash a string of politicians and other dignitaries began to arrive at the scene to see the wreckage for themselves and try to raise the morale of villagers and emergency workers struggling to comprehend magnitude of what had happened.

The Reverend Ian Paisley was one of the first to arrive - the DUP leader eager to lend support to the Northern Irish survivors and the relatives of victims who were beginning to arrive in Kegworth.

Margaret Thatcher was also heavily involved in dealing personally with effects of the crash and Lesley recalls getting an unexpected phone call from the Prime Minister.

The aircraft can be seen split in two with debris strewn across woodland by the side of the motorway in Leicestershire

Ms Pendleton said: 'She wanted me to organise a disaster appeal to help the survivors and the families of those who had died.

'What was the conversation like? It was Margaret Thatcher. There wasn't one really.

'She tells you all things she wants doing and you do them. She was very focused but also very concerned for everyone who had been affected.'

She still lives on the edge of Kegworth, a short distance from the perimeter fence of East Midlands Airport.

The landing lights are visible from her home. She is no longer clerk to parish council or a district or county councillor but remains active in the village community.

Mary Jennings moved to Kegworth in 1990 - the year after the crash.

The 69-year-old said: 'When we told our friends where we were going they were surprised.

'They all asked 'Why are you going there?' Our house was actually right under the flightpath.

'When we moved it was still very raw in the village but there was already a feeling that people did not want it to dominate life in the village - and it hasn't.

'An anniversary of the crash is always a big thing - the silver one particularly was.

'But between the anniversaries people don't talk about it all the time.'

Villager Beryl Rock, 92, says Kegworth is a very different place to how it was three decades ago.

A black and white photograph shows the wreckage of the crashed London to Belfast flight up close on the M1 embankment

She said: 'The constant thing is the planes overhead and the noise from that but you really do grow accustomed to it.

'The changes have been gradual - slow even - but the village is bigger and it has seemed busier. Some people leave to start new lives elsewhere, new people come in.

'When they arrive they often do want to know about the disaster from people who were here because it is a part of what the village is. It is important to commemorate.'

Sheila Sharpe, 71, who has lived in the village since 1962, has files filled with press cuttings from the days, weeks and months after the disaster.

Ms Sharpe, who has never flown, said: 'My daughter thought it was a fault with the washing machine because of the sound.

'Some people went out into the street when they heard it. They saw the plane coming in so low they were sure it was going to hit the church spire.

'I wasn't there but they said people started to clap when the pilot cleared the church. They thought the plane was going to make it and then. It could have wiped out our estate.'
Most of America's television networks bowed to pressure from Democrats on Tuesday, agreing to air a response to President Donald Trump's Oval Office address about what the White House says is a 'humanitarian crisis' on America's southern border.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer will tag-team the Democrats' message on TV after the president is finished speaking.

A White House official told reporters on Monday that Trump's speech was expected to last just 8 minutes.

Spokespersons for CNN, NBC, CBS, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network and the Fox network of television affiliates confirmed Monday that they have committed to the politically fraught gesture, only the second of its kind for a modern-era presidential speech other than an address to a joint session of Congress.

TV networks allowed Republicans to respond in 2011 to President Barack Obama's speech about the merits of raising the federal debt limit. Then-House speaker John Boehner delivered that counterpoint.

The president is also hosting an off-the-record lunch meeting on Tuesday with network brass and news anchors, similar to what typically happens on the day of a State of the Union address.

That, along with the Oval Office's austere setting  which Trump hasn't squandered on lesser speeches  is an indication of the administration's seriousness, a White House official said Tuesday.

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left) and top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer (right) called on TV networks to give Democrats a chance to respond to President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening, and then declared they would do the job themselves after the broadcasters relented

With no breakthrough in sight, Trump will argue his case to the nation Tuesday night that a 'crisis' at the U.S.-Mexico border requires the long and invulnerable wall he's demanding before ending the partial government shutdown

CNN's media reporter confirmed his network's decision, and that of CBS and NBC, to air a Democratic Party response after Trump's speech on Tuesday

Pelosi and Schumer demanded equal time on Monday after Trump said he would address the nation Tuesday night about the federal government's partial shutdown, triggered by a stalemate over funding for a border wall.

'Now that the television networks have decided to air the President's address, which if his past statements are any indication will be full of malice and misinformation, Democrats must immediately be given equal airtime,' they wrote in a joint statement released Monday night.

With no breakthrough in sight, Trump will make his case that a 'crisis' at the U.S.-Mexico border requires the long and invulnerable wall he's demanding before the government's shuttered agencies can reopen.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers face missed paychecks Friday as the shutdown drags through a third week.

'There is a humanitarian and national security crisis,' Vice President Mike Pence told reporters Monday as it's feared Trump will declare a national emergency that would empower him to construct the $5.6billion border wall without congressional approval. Pence said the White House counsel's office is looking at the idea.

Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the House Democrats' majority leader, said Tuesday morning that he believes Trump lacks the legal authority to declare a national emergency as a mechanism for building his border wall by sidestepping the congressional purse-strings.

'The president appears to believe that he can do individually that which previous presidents and the Constitution require be done by the Congress of the United States,' Hoyer told reporters. 'I dont think the president has that authority.'

Trump's Oval Office speech  his first as president  will be followed by his visit Thursday to the southern border to highlight his demand for a barrier.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted that he will use the visit to 'meet with those on the front lines of the national security and humanitarian crisis'.

Such a move would certainly draw legal challenges, and Trump - who told lawmakers he would be willing to keep the government closed for months or ever years - has said he would like to continue negotiations for now.

Trump's prime-time address will be carried live by ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox Broadcasting, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, MSNBC and NBC.

As Trump's speech and border visit were announced, newly empowered House Democrats  and at least a few Republican senators  stepped up pressure on GOP lawmakers to reopen the government without giving in to the president's demands.

The closure, which has lasted 17 days, is already the second-longest in history and would become the longest this weekend.

Leaning on Senate Republicans, some of whom are growing anxious about the impact of the shutdown, Pelosi said the House would begin passing individual bills this week that would reopen federal agencies, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the president will visit the southern border on Thursday as the partial government shutdown was on its third week

The White House moved to pre-empt the Democrats, telling reporters Monday that tax refunds would be paid despite the shutdown.

That shutdown exemption would break from the practice of earlier administrations and could be challenged.

'There is an indefinite appropriation to pay tax refunds. As a result ... the refunds will go out as normal,' said Russell Vought, acting director of the White House budget office.

There were other signs that administration was working to control the damage from the shutdown, which has furloughed 380,000 federal workers and forced another 420,000 to work without pay.

The National Park Service said it was dipping into entrance fees to pay for staffing at some highly visited parks to maintain restrooms, clean up trash and patrol the grounds, after reports of human waste and garbage overflowing in some spots.

Over the weekend, the federal agency tasked with guaranteeing U.S. airport security acknowledged an increase in the number of its employees missing work or calling in sick.

But Trump and the Transportation Security Administration pushed back on any suggestion that the call-outs at the agency represented a 'sickout' that was having a significant effect on U.S. air travel.

TSA said it screened more than 2.2 million passengers Sunday, a historically busy day due to holiday travel.

Ninety percent waited less than 15 minutes, the agency said.

'We are grateful to the more than 51,000 agents across the country who remain focused on the mission and are respectful to the traveling public,' said TSA spokesman Michael Bilello.

The talks over ending the shutdown have been at an impasse over Trump's demand for the wall.

A Central American migrant, jumps over the US-Mexico border fence from Tijuana to San Diego in the US as seen from Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico on January 1, 2019

He has offered to build the barrier with steel rather than concrete, billing that as a concession to Democrats' objections.

They 'don't like concrete, so we'll give them steel,' he said.

But Democrats have made clear that they object to the wall itself, not how it's constructed.

They see it as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed-upon levels.

'Maybe he thinks he can bully us. But I'm from Brooklyn. You let a bully succeed, you'll be bullied again worse,' Schumer said at a breakfast with the Association for a Better New York.

At the White House, spokeswoman Mercedes Schlapp complained that Democratic leaders have yet to define what they mean when they say they are for enhancing border security.

'Democrats want to secure the border? Great. Come to the table,' she said Monday.

'We are willing to come to a deal to reopen the government.'

Trump has tasked Pence during the shutdown fight to negotiate with Democrats, including during talks over the weekend with Democratic staffers.

But the Vice President is increasingly being called upon to prevent defections in the GOP ranks.

Asked whether cracks were forming between the White House and Republicans eager for the shutdown to end, Pence told reporters, 'We've been in touch with those members and others.'

He said that he and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen would be at the Capitol Tuesday and Wednesday to brief lawmakers.

Among the Republicans expressing concern was Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should take up funding bills from the Democratic-led House.

A migrant from Honduras looks from the border fence into the U.S. side to San Diego, Calif., from Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019

'Let's get those reopened while the negotiations continue,' Collins said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press.

However, McConnell has said he won't take up funding bills without Trump's support.

Adding to concerns of lawmakers, federal workers who are still on the job apparently will miss this week's paychecks.

Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on NBC's 'Meet the Press' that if the shutdown continues into Tuesday, 'then payroll will not go out as originally planned on Friday night.
The London Museum will showcase a rare black-and-white lithograph of The Scream artwork from 1895 (pictured)

A rare version of Edvard Munch's famous The Scream is set to go on display in Britain for the first time in a decade.

The harrowing image will be included in a major exhibition titled Edvard Munch: Love and Angst, which the British Museum says is the largest display of Munch's prints in the UK for 45 years.

The Norwegian artist's work has been hailed as 'one of the most iconic images in art history' by the director of the British Museum.

Munch made five versions of The Scream, which shares the psychological strain and raw emotion of the 20th century master's work.

The London Museum will showcase a rare black-and-white lithograph of the artwork from 1895.

The print has come from an Oslo private collection and is one of fewer than 20 such impressions, all printed by Munch himself, in existence today.

It was last seen in Britain as part of a touring exhibition in Glasgow in 2009.

The most famous version of the artwork, a painting from 1893, sold at auction for a record $119.9 million in 2012.

More than 80 pieces will go on display in April, the museum announced.

There is only one Munch oil painting in a British public collection, namely The Sick Child (1907) at the Tate, which has been lent to the British Museum for the exhibit.

Giulia Bartrum, curator of the upcoming exhibition said: 'Munch's work was to do with the inner workings of the human mind. That was what he was trying to express in his work and that has huge resonance today.

'He was also a European, he was really cosmopolitan. That is a fantastic message to convey.'

'We hope to lift the veil on the deeply personal and emotional artworks of the man behind The Scream.'

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The Girl at the Window (1894), The Day After (1894), Self-Portrait (1895), Jealousy II (1896), The Sick Child (1894) and Melancholy III (1902) are among the works that will feature at the exhibit

British Museum staff member Prya holds up a self-portrait by Munch, which is one of 80 pieces that will go on display in April

Munch, living from 1863 to 1944, lost his mother and favourite sister in childhood, and suffered psychological crises verging on madness during his lifetime, which saw the birth of modernity and modern anxieties.

He strove to produce 'soul art' and reflect the deepest and darkest feelings of humanity.

The new exhibition includes prints ranging from the fearful to the shockingly erotic - he had numerous love affairs - many of which have never been seen in the UK before.

The exhibition will also include an x-ray of the artist's hand with a bullet lodged in it, an injury sustained in an argument with a lover.

The new exhibition includes prints ranging from the fearful to the shockingly erotic - he had numerous love affairs - many of which have never been seen in the UK before.

Hartwig Fischer, director of the British Museum, said: 'This survey of Munch's pioneering art will allow visitors to see why he is considered one of the greatest artists of all time.'

Munch initially made his name, and income, from printmaking.

He experimented with the form throughout his life, and produced a print of The Scream following his famed paintings.
A 17-year-old who accidentally shot and killed his best friend has been sentenced to between two to six years in prison for manslaughter.

Dwight Murray was tinkering with the gun he and 18-year-old Niko Santana had bought in 'poor working condition' when it suddenly went off on February 7, 2018, in Syracuse, New York.

The bullet struck Santana in the chest, killing him.

During an emotional hearing on Monday, Murray told the court: 'I loved Niko. That was my best friend. I'd be with him every day. I would never do anything to hurt him. I think about him every day.'

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Dwight Murray, 17, was sentenced to two to six years in prison on Monday for accidentally shooting his best friend in the chest on February 7, 2018, in Syracuse, New York

Murray was tinkering with the gun he and 18-year-old Niko Santana (above) had bought in when it suddenly went off. The bullet struck Santana in the chest, killing him

Santana's mother held an urn with her son's ashes as she addressed the judge.

'It was so loud. I was sitting on the couch with my two grandsons,' she said.

'It took a couple seconds, then my son came out holding his chest. The last words my son said to me was "Mom, call 911. I'm shot".'

The grieving mother said that while she still loves Murray, she believes he should be punished for killing her son.

'I will never see his beautiful face or smile or hear his voice. I will never hear him say: "Mom, I'm hungry. Go make me a plate."

'I bring my son here for two reasons. Not for negativity, but no matter what, Niko and Dwight were inseparable and Niko should be here next to Dwight. The second, so everybody can see my everyday reality.'

Santana's mother brought an urn with her son's ashes to Murray's sentencing hearing on Monday. She told the court: 'I will never see his beautiful face or smile or hear his voice'

Murray broke down in tears as his best friend's mother addressed the judge on Monday

Video from CNY shows Murray breaking down in tears as he listens to the mother's statement.

Judge James Doran called the magnitude of the offense 'almost incomprehensible'.

'Theres very little that I could think of that could be worse than this. For everyone involved,' he said.

Murray was denied youthful offender status because of his 'prior history in the criminal justice system'.

His lawyer had said the teens bought the gun to protect themselves from gang members who were pressuring them to join.

Murray was denied youthful offender status because of his 'prior history in the criminal justice system'. He is pictured above in his mugshot
James Goddard (pictured) is a far-right activist with a reputation for heckling and intimidating people

Social media giant Facebook has deleted accounts used to organise 'yellow vest' protests which have seen MPs verbally abused outside of Westminster.

Far-right rabble-rouser and protest organiser James Goddard's Facebook profile has now disappeared amid calls for police to prevent the group from 'harassing' politicians, journalists and pro-EU demonstrators.

Mr Goddard's PayPal account is also understood to have been disabled.

The 29-year-old had used Facebook to call the protests which have been taking place over the last month across UK cities.

A spokesperson for Facebook said: 'We have removed James Goddard's Facebook pages and groups for violating our policies on hate speech. We will not tolerate hate speech on Facebook which creates an environment of intimidation and which may provoke real-world violence'.

Following the deactivation of his Facebook account, Mr Goddard wrote on Twitter that Facebook had 'silenced him'.

He also posted a link to his PayPal account, which was then un-accessible a few minutes later.

Mr Goddard then tweeted: 'Do you actually think you're going to stop me!'

Goddard has been criticised by anti-fascist campaigners who claim his abuse of MP Anna Soubry, pictured, and 'yellow vest' activities are a cover to 'threaten, harass and attack their political opponents'

Mr Goddard, who verbally abused Anna Soubry is a vocal supporter of Tommy Robinson and Donald Trump and has previously asked for online donations to support his 'yellow vest' campaign.

Mr Goddard, from Leicester, had denied the Tory MP was verbally assaulted when he called her a Nazi - but says she 'deserves' a barracking for treating him and others with 'contempt'.

He added: 'Why is it OK for [the left] to say it [Nazi] yet the moment we say it we're the ones who are branded things and they're going to investigate us?'

It comes amid claims his followers are planning a wave of protests across British cities including Birmingham and Manchester this weekend copying the style of the recent violent demonstrations across France.

The protests could even target the offices of Remain-supporting MPs.

On Monday Goddard also abused Owen Jones, branding him a 'Communist bully' and a 'lying little toad' whose 'parents must be ashamed'.

As people called for Goddard and his supporters to be arrested he said he 'has nothing to apologise for' and said he has a right to abuse MPs.

Ms Soubry was pursued by an aggressive mob yesterday, including far-right activist Goddard (pictured left, next to Soubry) who shouted in her face and called her a 'fascist' as she made her way back to Parliament

Since December the professional protester has been outside Parliament where he has barracked MPs and journalists and also visited the 'treacherous' Labour Party's offices in central London.

On his Twitter and Facebook accounts he encourages supporters to donate to him and 'support my work' via a PayPal account.

The 29-year-old from Leicester says that Halal meat should be banned and that no new mosques should be built in the UK to avoid Britain becoming a Muslim country in 50 years.

Goddard at a Free Tommy Robinson rally where he branded the establishment 'satanic paedophiles'

Trump supporter Mr Goddard also claimed terror attacks were being covered up by the UK Government.

Anti-fascist campaigners HOPE not hate said it had seen messages shared among British 'yellow vests' planning protests in Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds this weekend, with Remainer politicians likely to be targeted at their offices.

The anti-racist group also accused Goddard and his followers of being 'far-right extremists' who are being co-ordinated by civil rights group Liberty Defenders - although the organisation denies any affiliation with the yellow vests.

HOPE not hate also claims former BNP leader Nick Griffin is supporting the protests to 'resurrect his political career'.

MailOnline has contacted Mr Griffin for comment.

Met say Westminster officers are 'briefed to intervene' if they hear abuse - but have not made any arrests Police near Parliament have been 'briefed to intervene appropriately' if the law is broken after Tory MP Anna Soubry accused them of ignoring abuse hurled at politicians and journalists. The pro-EU Tory made the allegation the day after she was branded a 'Nazi' and a 'liar' by a mob who targeted her during live television interviews and then followed her as she made her way back into the Commons. Today Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: 'An ongoing policing operation at the Parliamentary estate around Brexit continues and we have an appropriate policing plan in place. 'Our role is to facilitate peaceful protest and balance the needs and rights of all those present, including protesters, MPs and members of the public. 'We will deal robustly with incidents of harassment and abuse against anyone where that harassment or abuse constitutes a criminal offence. 'Officers in the area have been briefed to intervene appropriately where they hear or see breaches of the law.' Advertisement

Nick Lowles, HOPE not hate chief executive, said: 'The British far right are attempting to copy the French 'yellow vests' protests in order to stir up trouble and harass, threaten and attack their political opponents.

'The appalling abuse faced by Anna Soubry MP, Sky News presenter Kay Burley and campaigning journalist Owen Jones are simply the latest incidents in a growing list of far right actions across the UK.

'With the Brexit clock running down, the threat from the far right is growing and the risk of disorder and violence is on the rise.

'While everyone should be allowed to protest peacefully, it is time for the authorities to clamp down on the bullying and threatening tactics used by these extremists before someone is seriously injured.

'Two years after Jo Cox was murdered by a neo-nazi using the term 'traitor', and after HOPE not hate revealed a plot by another neo-nazi to kill a Labour MP last year, police must act now to ensure that the targets of these protests are kept safe.'

In a statement on its website from co-founder Jack Sen, Liberty Defenders distanced itself from the abusive protests.

The statement said: 'Liberty Defenders are NOT affiliated with the Yellow Vests or any other political pressure movement regardless of the lies purported by certain members of the establishment media.

'We merely objectively reported on the recent protests due to the decorated veterans involved.

'All of our activists are independent, care for veterans rights and love this country first.

'We are a patriotic civil rights & veteran's rights organisation run by independent veterans & patriots. We are not 'Right wing', just patriotic.'

The organisation is led by former soldier Timothy Scott, who was once leader of the UK branch of the 'Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident' (Pegida) but who resigned after a 'car crash' interview on Channel 4 in 2015 when he was questioned on the exact threat of radical Islam to the UK.

Last year Goddard railed against 'the establishment' and called them 'satanic paedophiles' when speaking at a rally for the ex EDL leader Tommy Robinson in the summer, after he was jailed for contempt.

In the bizarre rant, he accused 'the establishment' of 'raping our kids' and 'murdering us' before leading the crowd in a chant of 'ooooh Tommy Robinson.'

Mr Goddard is also at the forefront of the newly established so-called British yellow vests movement.

The group wear high-vis yellow jackets in an effort to copy the look of the Gilets Jaunes protest movement in France.

He gleefully films video clips of himself heckling and shouting at police and MPs, who he brands 'traitors', and then posts them on his Twitter and Facebook pages for his thousands of followers to see.

Yesterday, he and his fellow protesters surrounded and barracked MPs and journalists who had been giving interviews on College Green near Parliament.

They angrily chanted that Tory MP Anna Soubry was a Nazi before following her all the way back to Parliament shouting abuse at her.

The same day they mobbed Guardian columnist Owen Jones - hurling abuse at him and branding him a traitor.

But Mr Goddard revels in the notoriety his abuse gives him, sending tweets gleefully linking to news articles about him.
Lieutenant Colonel Tim Purbrick (pictured) will lead the 15-strong unit dedicated to saving artefacts

The military is recruiting art experts willing to 'risk life and limb' in 'Indiana Jones-style adventures' for a covert unit saving stolen treasures.

Gulf War veteran Lieutenant Colonel Tim Purbrick will lead a 15-strong unit in a bid to stop terrorists looting and destroying ancient artefacts.

The military selected the 54-year-old dealer to set up the new force.

He will lead archaeologists and curators from within the Army, Royal Navy and RAF in the fight against groups such as Islamic State.

The terrorists destroyed historic sites including Nimrud's ancient palace, mosques in Mosul, and Roman ruins in the Syrian city of Palmyra in recent years.

Lt Col Purbrick's covert force is a revival of the famous Monuments Men who bravely recovered art pillaged by the Nazis in World War Two.

The unit inspired the 2014 hit film of the same name, starring George Clooney, Matt Damon and Bill Murray.

In 1954 Britain ratified the Hague Convention on protecting cultural property during military conflict.

The unit follows in the footsteps of the World War Two Monuments Men, here depicted in the Hollywood movie starring George Clooney (centre)

The Monuments Men immortalised by Clooney and his co-stars on film were tasked with recovering the spoils of Hitler's looting

Several experts have been identified but the Army is now calling for any forces personnel with art expertise to sign up.

Calling on reservists to volunteer for the unit, the Royal Navy said only those willing to 'risk life and limb' should apply.

'Sailors and Royal Marines with a flair for Indiana Jones-style adventure are needed to protect - or recover - ancient treasures in a special Monuments Men-esque unit,' it said.

'The British Army is forming a 15-strong team of reservists who would be willing to risk life and limb to defend some of the world's greatest cultural treasures.

The unit will be tasked with tracking down and protecting artefacts just like Indiana Jones (pictured, starring Harrison Ford)

'It wants reservists from across the three services who are curators, art specialists, archaeologists and investigators by day to volunteer for the new Cultural Property Protection Unit.'

Lt Col Purbrick, who was deployed in Operation Desert Storm, said he wants the newly-formed unit to disrupt terrorists who are using looted art to fund their attacks.

'Our staff could find themselves out on an exercise doing operational planning or sitting at a border, checking vehicles for stolen artefacts,' he said.

'There's a strong possibility we'll be working with allies such as the French out in somewhere like Mali where they are trying to prevent antiquities being smuggled out of the country.

'Looting and selling antiquities has been proven as a fund-raising method for terrorist groups. Part of our job is about preventing "threat finance".

'You have an adversary extracting cultural property from the region you are operating in and then, in effect, sending it back at you in the form of bombs and bullets.

'I'm looking for experts in art, archaeology and art crime investigation, leaders in their field who are able to deploy on operations down to the tactical level.'
A judge has given Sears chairman Eddie Lampert one more shot at saving the 126-year-old company from bankruptcy.

Sears was reported to have been intent on asking the judge to let the company begin the liquidation process Tuesday, after rejecting Lampert's $4.4billion takeover bid, according to NBC Chicago.

Lampert's bid, made through his hedge fund, ESL Investments, was said to have been rejected because it would not cover the fees and vendor payment Sears owes, leaving it 'administratively insolvent,' sources told CNBC.

Sears is said to be seeking to begin the liquidation process, three months after filing for bankruptcy. The company began closing stores, like this one in Massachusetts in October

However, it was reported that the bankruptcy judge has since decided to give Lampert more time to work out an acceptable deal which would save an estimated 50,000 jobs.

A bankruptcy judge is giving Sears Chairman Eddie Lampert another chance to buy the department store chain out of bankruptcy and save roughly 50,000 jobs.

ESL Investments has been told to put down a $120million deposit by 4pm Wednesday. Sears, meanwhile, will allow Lampert to participate in a previously scheduled auction January 14, during which it will compare ESL's $4.4billion offer to others made by liquidators.

If Lampert's deal doesn't cut it, Sears could shutter its doors after 126 years of business, becoming one of the most high-profile victims in the wave of bankruptcies that has swept the retail sector in the last few years, as the popularity of online shopping exacerbates the fierce price competition facing brick-and-mortar stores.

Sears is said to have rejected its chairman Edward Lampert's $4.4billion takeover bid because it would not cover the fees and vendor payment Sears owes

Should the judge approve the liquidation request, the 126-year-old company will likely close hundreds of stores, leaving 68,000 people without jobs. A Sears sign is shown outside a New York store on January 7, the day after it was shuttered

Sears, which filed for bankruptcy protection last October, may have to close hundreds of stores it is still operating, potentially putting up to 68,000 people out of work, the sources said. Its vast inventories of tools, appliances and store fixtures will be sold in fire sales, the sources added.

The sources asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Representatives for Sears and Lampert offered no immediate comment.

Sears will now plan for a separate February auction of its assets and real estate, some of the sources said. Lampert, who also made a back-up offer for some of the assets as part of his initial $4.4billion proposal, will make another bid, the sources added.

A main point of contention in the negotiations between Lampert and Sears centered on whether Lampert's bid fully addressed the bankruptcy costs that Sears has racked up, some of the sources said.

The costs, which include bills from lawyers and financial advisers, are expected to exceed $200million, those sources said.

Lampert's bid proposed forgiving $1.3billion of debt he holds in exchange for ownership of the reconstituted Sears, a bankruptcy maneuver known as a credit bid.

In addition, Lampert wanted a release from legal exposure related to a series of transactions he completed with the retailer before it filed for bankruptcy protection. Those made him the company's biggest creditor, in addition to its largest shareholder.

Lampert's offer did not include putting up cash to back the credit bid. That raised concerns in the negotiations since the maneuver might not be allowed in court, the sources said, given ongoing investigations of Lampert's pre-bankruptcy deals, which the hedge fund manager maintains were proper.

Unsecured creditors have pushed for Sears to liquidate, partially because they contend they will realize a better financial recovery if it does. Those creditors, which include Sears landlords and bondholders, have also questioned Lampert's pre-bankruptcy transactions with the retailer.

The liquidation of Sears, which includes discount chain Kmart, would follow a decade of revenue declines, hundreds of store closures, and years of deals by billionaire Lampert in an attempt to turn around the company he put together in 2005 through an $11billion deal.

Sears dates back to the late 1880s and its mail-order catalogs with merchandise from toys, medicine, gramophones, automobiles, kit houses and tombstones made it the Amazon.com Inc of its time.

The iconic retailer gradually lost its shine, however, as consumers turned to e-commerce and brick-and-mortar rivals such as Walmart Inc and Target Corp.

Lampert had pledged to restore Sears to its glory days, when it owned the tallest building in the world as well as a radio station and Allstate insurance.

But critics say Lampert let the stores deteriorate over the years, even as he bought the company's stock and lent it money.

The largest U.S. toy retailer, Toys `R Us, tried to emerge from its 2017 bankruptcy filing but was also forced to liquidate six months later, after creditors lost confidence in its turnaround plan.
Debris from a shipwreck has been found on a popular beach more than 120 years after it sank.

Parts of the ship including an anchor appeared out of the sand at Barafundle Bay in west Wales.

Experts believe the remains could be from the doomed Sea King, which sank on a perilous voyage from Cardiff to Brazil in 1896, claiming the lives of eight men.

The wreck appears around every ten years when sea and weather conditions cut away the sand at the beach to reveal ship's timbers, a windlass and an anchor.

The shipwreck appearing out of the sand at Barafundle Bay, west Wales

Beachcombers chanced upon the debris in west Wales, and believe it could be from the Sea King

Sea King was hit by gale force winds as she transported some 1,900 tonnes of coal to Brazil from Cardiff.

Maritime historian Ted Goddard suggested the remains could be from three ships, but believes the Sea King is the most likely.

Mr Goddard said wreckage from the Sea King appears with regularity every decade.

He said: 'The Barafundle wreck appears every ten years or so when the sea and weather conditions cut away the sand at the beach to reveal ship's timbers, a windlass and an anchor.

'It's believed to be a ship which ran on to rocks at Stackpole Head and drifted ashore on to Barafundle beach, between the 1880s and early 1900s.'

Sea King was hit by gale force winds as she transported coal to Brazil from Cardiff

Mr Goddard added the remains could potentially be from the Dublin-registered wooden schooner Enterprise which was lost on a voyage from Swansea to New Ross on December 21, 1907.

He also said it could be the small wooden Wexford schooner Wasp, lost on a voyage from Newport to Wexford on December 12, 1887.

Speaking after the Sea King disaster, surviving Norwegian captain Gattorn Olsen said: 'All went well until it commenced to blow a gale.

'About three o'clock in the morning two seas came over us, and washed three hands overboard, and dismasted us.

'All the sails were carried away, and the ship began to let in water.

'The pump being smashed and the steering gear lost, we had to run before the wind, and when we sounded the well and discovered that we had 8ft or 9ft of water in the vessel, we could see that all we could do was to run her ashore, and so save our lives.'
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is pushing for a national sex offenders' registry similar to that of the United States to be established in Australia.

Mr Dutton is reportedly in the process of seeking backing from all the states and territories in Australia to create the national registry.

The collated data could allow anybody to look up where registered child sex offenders live after they have been released from prison.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) is pushing for a national sex offenders' registry to be established in Australia

The registry would put Australia in step with the United States, which has a system that allows parents parents and citizens to find a photo, name, address of convicted paedophiles

While the potential change is still in its early stages, Independent Victorian senator Derryn Hinch has already pledged his support, saying he could 'die happy' if the plans go ahead, the Herald Sun reported.

'This is the reason I went to jail so many times  it was about protecting children,' Senator Hinch said.

'If you know that a convicted child sex offender is living in your street, you can say to your children don't play near that house.'

He went on to say that a similar system has been working in the United States since 1996.

The current system in America allows parents and citizens to find a photo, name, address, physical description, known aliases and details of the crimes committed by the criminal online.

The Californian sex offenders list appears like a map with thousands of interactive pins that people are able to click on, bringing up the criminal history of the person who lives where the pin is located.

Independent Victorian senator Derryn Hinch has already pledged his support, saying he could 'die happy' if the plans go ahead

Bruce and Denise Morcombe have been advocating for the implementation of the law in Australia for years after their 13-year-old son Daniel was abducted and murdered by convicted sex offender Brett Cowan.

Mr Morcombe previously told news.com.au he believed all parents should know where sex predators are living.

'We think it's breathtakingly simple but at the end of the day will make a massive difference for children right around the country; for parents to educate their children on what these predators get up to, the numbers of these predators and where indeed they live by geographically area,' Mr Morcombe said.

Some of Australia's worst sex offenders would be included on the list, including Warren Hayter, Dennis Ferguson and Robin Fletcher.

The Victorian government has already agreed to participate in discussions, but will not be supporting anything until experts and police have voiced their opinions on the matter, according to the Herald Sun.

A number of states, including Victoria, already have their own versions of a sex offenders' registry in place, but none are available to the public.

Mr Dutton would need the full support of every state and territory in order to pass any new laws relating to a national registry.
A driver in China has been run over and killed by his own car while trying to reverse, according to media reports.

The victim, said to be 36 years old, was flung out of the door of his white car before being thrown under the front wheels in south-west China's Sichuan Province.

Eyewitnesses quickly gathered to lifted the far off the man and took him to the hospital, but doctors failed to save him, reported Sichuan TV Station.

The driver was initially driving forward into a square in central Leshan city in south-west China

He ended up being run over by both front wheels of his car after getting tossed out of the door. The vehicle went out of control as he tried to reverse it leading to the tragedy, reports said

The freak accident took place on a food street in the city of Leshan last night.

It is believed the driver was not wearing a safety belt.

Surveillance footage of the accident shows the car was initially going forward into a square before the driver attempted to reverse it.

But the vehicle appeared to suddenly go out of control and reverse at a high speed.

The front door also opened and the man was tossed out of his seat by the momentum. He fell under the chassis and got run over by both front wheels.

An eyewitness, Mr Liang, told local Sichuan Television Station that onlookers quickly gathered to help the victim. They lifted the car off the man before calling for an ambulance (pictured)

An eyewitness described the accident as 'extremely eerie' to Sichuan TV Station.

'He drove the car himself and ran himself over,' said the eyewitness known by his surname Liang.

Mr Liang said diners at nearby restaurants as well as pedestrians quickly gathered to lift the car after witnessing the accident. They also called for an ambulance.

It is said the driver was pronounced dead after ER doctors failed to save him.

There have been claims that the man had been drink driving.

Police have launched an investigation into the case and are yet to release further information, the report said.
















Do you remember us Earth people having a planet in which there was a large sheet of ice in a place called the North Pole? This has been a polar area clearly visible on all maps including Google Earth as that large white area of snow and mostly very solid ice.







This was a North Pole where Explorers walked to on famous expeditions. This was a polar region that we have been seeking to defend from Greenhouse Gases. We were told that the consequence of this area melting would be the horrific flooding of coastal sea areas. This include large cities like Miami that's mostly below sea level and New York.





Well guess what? More and more people are finding out that almost all of this ice has apparently vanished and now the North Pole is all now apparently under water!





If you too check your Google Earth on your desktop and mobile phones along with official maps and apparently notice that the North Police is all under water apparently at least 30 or 50 years ahead of schedule, you too have entered the "Mandela Effect Twilight Zone ".





Check on the above video and this video here as examples of surprised humans.





How could the polar caps be all melted with none of the catastrophic flooding of coastal cities that ought to be under water?







The so-called "Mandela Effect" is being linked to all kind of other bizarre changes the the shape and configuration of continents within weeks and days sometimes along with a host of other paranormal activities.





It's apparent that this "New Earth" as some people are calling this current reality is not constrained by the laws of nature and physics.







The elites will tell you that "it's all in your head" as "false memories" in the same way they have dismissed reports of alien sightings. However, there are also some people who claim that experiments conducted by CERN led to the destruction of "Old Earth", and somehow the moving of these "human refugees" without evening knowing it on different Earth in a parallel dimension.





However, one particularly creative explanation was one "YouTuber" in the below video who alleges that he actually found the "Old Earth" in the part of the Milky Way that we ought to be. This other YouTuber claims that human consciousness were teleported from the Old Earth into different bodies with different skeletal structures
Police are investigating after a family discovered that their daughter's body was missing from her grave in north China.

The corpse was said to have been stolen by body snatchers, who sold the body as a 'ghost bride' to the family of a deceased man for a superstitious marriage ritual, according to Chinese reports.

Authorities at Chengde city, Hebei province searched the site and found a pair of white gloves and some small bones that was left behind.

The corpse was said to have been stolen by body snatchers, who sold the body as a 'ghost bride' to the family of a deceased man for a superstitious marriage ritual. The girl's parents made the shocking discovery when they went to visit her grave on Friday in Hebei province

The girl's parents made the shocking discovery when they went to visit her grave on Friday, according to Beijing Youth Daily.

The girl committed suicide in 2001 when she was 18 years old following an argument with someone else, the report added.

Footage released by video news site Pear shows the woman's family members crying in front of their daughter's empty grave in a remote village in Weichang Manchu and Mongol Autonomous County.

'Someone has stolen my sister's body and robbed her grave,' a woman told reporters.

The girl's grave (left) was discovered robbed. 'This is just so disrespectful,' the woman's relatives (right) said, adding that some villagers have approached his family about the superstitious tradition prior to the shocking incident

Yang Jinyu (pictured), a peasant from Xinghuo village who had stolen the skeletons of six adult females and sold them for ghost marriage was arrested in 2005 in Xi'an, Shaanxi province

'This is just so disrespectful,' another relative said, adding that some villagers have approached his family about the superstitious tradition prior to the incident.

'Last year, some people said they wanted my sister to "marry" into another family. Our family refused,' the girl's sister said. 'We would never trade my sister for money.'

The family has filed a police report and investigations are ongoing.

Netherworld marriage, also commonly known as 'wedding of the deceased', is a religious ritual in China with thousands of years of history.

The marriage ceremony usually involves two recently deceased individuals and their bodies would be buried together after the ceremony so they would live as a couple in the afterworld.

Netherworld marriage, also 'wedding of the deceased', is a religious ritual with many years of history. Above, a woman worships her deceased family at a grave in Hong Kong (file photo)

People participating in a funeral ceremony in Qishan, Shaanxi province (file photo)

This stems from the ancient belief that a man who dies unwed would bring bad luck and evil spirits to the family.

In modern day China, there are still reports of underworld marriages taking place.

These cases only come to light when a body has been stolen or, as reported in 2012, when a murder has taken place to facilitate the marriage. A pregnant woman in Shaanxi province was murdered before she was sold as a ghost bride.

In 2015, three men in Ruicheng county were arrested for robbing a grave for a female corpse. The body had been sold for 25,000 yuan (2,800).

Yang Jinyu, a peasant from Xinghuo village who had stolen the skeletons of six adult females and sold them for ghost marriages was arrested in March 2005 in Xi'an city.
Lemon, lime and bitters is off the menu for children at a popular country hotel, amid fears it could be fined for serving the popular beverage to minors.

Panton Hill Hotel in Victoria's Yarra Valley north-east of Melbourne introduced the ban after tough new licensing laws came into effect statewide last September.

Previously, under-18s were allowed to have alcohol with a meal if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Licensed premises are no longer allowed to supply liquor to minors for consumption 'under any circumstances'.

Panton Hill Hotel (pictured) stopped serving lemon, lime and bitters to minors after tough new licensing laws were enforced last September

The hotel now regards the drink's bitters component as 'too risky'.

'It is to safeguard ourselves from a penalty,' duty manager, Lynda Hunter told the Herald Sun.

'The way we make it, it is no longer just a couple of drops of bitters.'

The Yarra Valley-based hotel regarded the drink's bitters component as too risky

She admitted some customers weren't happy with the new policy.

'But once I explain to them that bitters has an alcohol content of 44.7 per cent, most people understand,' she said.

Pub staff are also banned from drinking the beverage at the venue if they're P-plate drivers, the publication reported.

Commonly served in Australia and New Zealand, lemon, lime and bitters is a mixed drink made consisting of lemonade, lime cordial and Angostura bitters.

The pub prides itself on being family friendly with many pets, including chickens

A Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation spokeswoman said the minor addition of bitters to a soft drink usually doesn't constitute as liquor but depended on the amount added.

The hotel describes itself as one of the oldest pubs in the state with a history of fantastic food and a friendly atmosphere.

'Melbourne's favourite local country pub,' its Instagram page states.

The hotel prides itself on being a family friendly venue with a large children's playground, pony rides and has chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs as pets.

More liquor licensing laws are expected to into effect in Victoria on March 1.
The death of a Tennessee fire captain's 22-year-old son has sparked debate over illegal immigration after he was allegedly killed by an undocumented driver, and the victim's devastated parents are speaking out.

Pierce Corcoran was killed on December 29 after a pickup truck driven by Franco Cambrany Francisco-Eduardo, 44, veered into oncoming traffic and smashed into his Honda Civic, according to a statement from the Knoxville Police Department.

Pierce, who is the son of Knoxville Fire Department spokesman Captain D.J. Corcoran, was pronounced dead a short time later at the UT Medical Center.

Police said Pierce was driving with his girlfriend, 21-year-old Jade Adams, who was treated for non life-threatening injuries.

The death of a Tennessee fire captain's son, 22, has sparked debate over illegal immigration after he was killed by a 'negligent' immigrant driver. Pierce Corcoran (pictured) was killed last month

Pierce (right) was killed on December 29 after a pickup truck driven by Franco Cambrany Francisco-Eduardo (left), 44, veered into oncoming traffic and smashed into his Honda Civic, according to a statement from the Knoxville Police Department

Authorities said the crash involved multiple cars and passengers in two other vehicles were not injured.

Francisco-Eduardo has no criminal history.

Knoxville Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks told Knox News that D.J. Corcoran remains on indefinite leave from work.

'He wants people to know Chapman Highway is a dangerous highway,' Wilbanks said. 'People should slow down, don't text while driving, and practice safe driving techniques on Chapman Highway.'

Since the government shutdown, Pierce's death has sparked a debate over illegal immigration and the need for a border wall.

Following Francisco-Eduardo's arrest, he was charged with criminally negligent homicide and driving without a license or insurance.

He was released from the Knox County Detention Facility and turned over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday.

But due to President Donald Trump's partial government shutdown, ICE has not confirmed Francisco-Eduardo's immigration status.

Police said Pierce was driving with his girlfriend, 21-year-old Jade Adams (both pictured), who was treated for non life-threatening injuries

Since the government shutdown, Pierce's death has sparked a debate over illegal immigration and the need for a border wall

On Monday evening, Pierce's grieving parents, DJ and Wendy Corcoran went on Fox News' Hannity to discuss their son and the debate surrounding his death.

'It's been the hardest thing of our lives,' Wendy said. 'I can't even explain it.'

Wendy told the host that she feels like the issue of illegal immigration isn't being taken seriously.

During the segment Hannity read a letter that Wendy wrote following her son's death.

'For God's sake, out of the respect for the men and women who fought and fight to make this country such a desirable place to live... do the right thing. Come here legally and become a responsible citizen,' she wrote.

Pierce's father, DJ, told the host that he stands by his wife's words, adding: 'We are not a hating people, we love and we rally behind people the underdogs that come here to America and succeed legally, and that's what we want.

'And this shouldn't be a political left wing, right wing... it should just be America.'

On Monday evening, Pierce's grieving parents, DJ and Wendy Corcoran (pictured) went on Fox News' Hannity to discuss their son and the debate surrounding his death

Wendy (pictured with her husband and son) told Hannity that she feels like the issue of illegal immigration isn't being taken seriously. Pierce's father, DJ, told the host that he stands by his wife's words

DJ also said that he thinks 'we should really try to help those people come here legally and be responsible citizens'

DJ also said that he thinks 'we should really try to help those people come here legally and be responsible citizens'.

'We all came here at one time, the only people that are native are the Native Americans, and we all came here for a better life and I get that,' he added.

The fire captain went on to say that Francisco-Eduardo has been in the US for 14 years and 'he made no attempt to become a legal, law-abiding citizen'.

On Sunday, Trump continued to stand his demands for funding for the border wall as another round of shutdown talks failed to break the impasse.

The president showed no signs of budging on his demand of more than $5billion for the wall along the US-Mexico border.

And after Pierce's death, several people took to Twitter demanding the wall and echoing similar sentiments.

Sen Marsha Blackburn also made a statement during her appearance on Fox & Friends Monday evening, saying it's time to solve the problem of border security following Pierce's death.

'It is devastating. And, of course, we grieve and mourn with these families that have lost loved ones to illegal immigration,' Blackburn said.

President Trump showed no signs of budging on his demand of more than $5billion for the wall along the US-Mexico border

'And every time I meet with an Angel Mom, my heart just breaks. And this is why every towns a border town and every states a border state until we secure that southern border,' she added.

Meanwhile on Twitter, users voiced their opinions about the border wall.

'Saturday night another life was taken by an ILLEGAL who shouldnt have been here in the first place! 22-year-old Pierce Kennedy Corcoran of Tennessee was the son of a fire chief and had his whole life ahead of him,' The Deplorable Choir tweeted at the time of Pierce's death.

The tweet also went on to blame Sen Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, for America's immigration issues.

'Democrats don't care. Liberals don't care. Americans continue to die as a result of illegal immigration while Shumer and Pelosi want to deny the problem even exists,' one person wrote.

'Pelosi, etc, are accessories to crimes committed here by illegals because they publicly condone them being here & they refuse to act against those who come willing, even planning, to commit crimes - pre-planned like drug dealing & unplanned like killing Pierce...' another Twitter user tweeted.

Pelosi and House Democrats have been ramping up pressure on Trump and Republicans to open the government.

The government shutdown is going into its third week and there are no signs of it opening any time soon.

Meanwhile, roughly 800,000 federal employees have been affected by the shutdown.
Michael Gove (left) likened hardline Eurosceptics to 'mid-50s swingers' waiting for actress Scarlett Johannson

Michael Gove today likened hardline Eurosceptics to 'mid-50s swingers' waiting for actress Scarlett Johannson to turn up at a party.

The extraordinary barb from the Environment Secretary came as Cabinet met to discuss the prospects of Theresa May's Brexit deal getting through the Commons next week.

The PM is scrambling to win over mutinous MPs as she stares down the barrel of a disastrous defeat.

But ministers have been going all-out to make clear to critics that killing off the package will not result in their ideal vision of Brexit - as some Tories hope.

At Cabinet today, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd warned that history would take a 'dim view' if the government allowed the UK to leave with no deal, saying the country would be less safe.

Ms Rudd insisted politicians had to accept the world 'as we find it, not as we wish it to be'.

And she was backed by Mr Gove who compared Brexiteers who are refusing the accept the Withdrawal Agreement - such as Jacob Rees-Mogg - to over-picky swingers who were waiting for the perfect partner to arrive at a party.

Jacob Rees-Mogg has been spearheading Tory Eurosceptic resistance to the Brexit deal

Responding to Mr Gove's reference to the Holywood actress, Ms Rudd quipped that some MPs might be waiting for Pierce Brosnan.

Justice Secretary David Gauke, who has condemned wishful thinking by Brexiteers, waded in to say that Labour seemed to be holding out for Scarlett Johannson 'on a unicorn'.

Jeremy Corbyn has said he wants the UK to be in a customs union but able to strike trade deals elsewhere - something Brussels has flatly rejected.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid is also said to have admitted the government's ability to tackle illegal immigration might be reduced in the event of no deal.

But he made the case that a no deal exit was better than trying to halt Brexit altogether if the deal is defeated by MPs, ITV's Robert Peston revealed tonight.

With the prospect of Mrs May's plan passing the Commons looking remote, opponents are pushing their own visions of how to proceed.

Labour's Yvette Cooper and Tory former education secretary Nicky Morgan have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill today designed to make it harder for the government to press ahead with no deal.

The change would effectively limit the Treasury's tax-raising powers, making it more difficult to respond to the disruption from crashing out.

At Cabinet today, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd (pictured left) warned that history would take a 'dim view' if the government allowed the UK to crash out, Responding to Mr Gove's lewd joke, she also suggested some MPs might prefer Pierce Brosnan (right)

Theresa May (pictured today) is scrambling to win over mutinous MPs as she stares down the barrel of a disastrous defeat in the vote on her Brexit deal, due to happen next Tuesday

Business Secretary Greg Clark told MPs in the House today that no deal 'should not be contemplated'.

As the PM wooed Tory MPs in Downing Street last night, business minister Richard Harrington made clear he will resign if the government backs no-deal after Mrs May's plan is defeated.

Several Cabinet members, including Mr Gauke, have also signalled they would quit - while some Conservatives have insisted they would vote no-confidence in the government to avoid a chaotic departure.

Meanwhile, senior Tory Dominic Grieve and Labour's Chris Bryant are thought to be mulling a joint effort to force the date of Brexit vote forward.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid, left, is also said to have spoken negatively about the consequences of no-deal, suggesting the government's ability to tackle illegal immigration might be reduced. Andrea Leadsom, right, urged the Prime Minister to seek more concessions from the EU

They could try to table an amendment to the government's scheduling plan that would mean the showdown happening on Thursday rather than next Tuesday.

Ministers want to hold another five days of debate starting tomorrow before the vote takes place.
Deana Seltzer, who lives with her parents in Lake Worth, Florida, allegedly attacked them last Wednesday after they refused to take her to Outback Steakhouse

A 28-year-old woman has been charged after she allegedly attacked her elderly parents and threatened to kill her father with a knife because they wouldn't take her to Outback Steakhouse.

Deana Seltzer, who lives with her parents in Lake Worth, Florida, had asked her parents to take her to the Australian-themed restaurant chain last Wednesday night.

Police said that when Vadim and Lydumila Seltzer told their daughter they were not going to Outback Steakhouse, she lashed out as her 'elderly and frail' parents.

Deana is accused of punching her mother on the chest and arms before scratching her dad on his face and body when he tried to pull them apart.

She allegedly then flipped a glass dining table, causing it to shatter into hundreds of pieces.

Police said Deana went on a rampage through the house by overturning recliners chairs and tearing up furniture.

Police said that when Vadim and Lydumila Seltzer told their daughter they were not going to the Australian-themed restaurant, she lashed out as her 'elderly and frail' parents

She allegedly grabbed a 12-inch decorative knife and started swinging it at her father, ABC News reported.

Deana chased him and yelled: 'I'm going to f***ing kill you', according to police.

Her father managed to call 911 and tell them his daughter was armed with a knife, but the line cut out.

When police arrived at the home, they said Vadim came running out the home and his daughter followed him soon after.

She was charged with simple battery, battery of a person 65 or older and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Deana was released the following day from the Palm Beach County jail on supervised recognizance.

She has been ordered to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
Stuart Carless from Prestatyn, North Wales, pictured, was jailed for 14 months after he was convicted of stalking his wife Victoria over a two-month period

A husband who put a tracker under his wife's car to monitor her movements was caught after she spotted that he'd bought it using their joint bank account, a court heard.

Stuart Carless subjected his wife Victoria to a two-month stalking ordeal after they split up and she moved out of their Prestatyn home last year, Mold Crown Court heard.

The 46-year-old bombarded her with social media messages and phone calls, which were sometimes anonymous.

He would also turn up at her house and follow her when she went out, and she would find herself locked out of her emails.

Carless downloaded an app to keep track of his wife's car but, when that failed, he placed a tracker underneath to monitor her movements, said prosecutor Simon Rogers.

But she spotted he'd bought it through a joint bank account and found it underneath her vehicle, the court heard.

Mrs Carless eventually called the police and her husband was remanded in custody but he still sent her a letter after he was released on bail, breaking his conditions.

Mr Rogers said she also received an image of a man's private parts via the WhatsApp messaging service.

Victoria Carless, right, checked under her car when she noticed her husband Stuart, left, had purchased a car tracking device using a joint bank account

Carless, who works for Clwyd Alyn Housing, pleaded guilty to stalking his wife between October 16 and December 14, 2018. He was jailed for 14 months.

In a victim impact statement read out by the prosecutor, Mrs Carless said she was now on anti-depressants, suffered panic attacks and was seeing a counsellor.

Mrs Carless, pictured, now takes anti-depressants following her ordeal

'She has had to delete social media accounts and change her mobile number,' he said.

Sarah Yates, defending, said Carless had never been in trouble before and it was 'an extreme reaction to the breakdown of a 15-year relationship'.

She added: 'He is remorseful and embarrassed by the position he know finds himself in.'

Jailing Carless, Judge Rhys Rowlands said: 'Your behaviour, which was designed to unsettle and control, carried on for a significant amount of time and you ignored the police after you were released on bail.

'The effect on the victim has been profound.'

Carless was also given a restraining order from approaching his wife for two years and must pay a statutory surcharge.
The first nudist restaurant in Paris has been forced to close its doors 15 months after opening because it failed to attract enough customers.

O'naturel, located in the city's 12th arrondissement, will close its doors permanently in February, owners Mike and Stephane Saada revealed.

The restaurateurs, who opened O'naturel in November 2017, said: 'We will only remember the good times, meeting beautiful people and customers who were delighted to share exceptional moments.'

O'naturel, billed as Paris's first nude restaurant, will close in February this year after failing to attract enough customers, its owners have said

The eatery opened in November 2017 with the promise of a discreet dining room where customers ate totally naked

Twin owners Mike and Stephane Saada, who are not nudists themselves, thanked their customers and said they were 'delighted to share exceptional moments'

Mike and Stephane, 42-year-old twins, decided to open a nude restaurant despite not being nudists themselves.

The pair said they simply spotted a business opportunity in a country which is one of the world's top nudist destinations.

At the time, Stephane said that nudist beaches and other tourist resorts only offered people the opportunity to 'be nudists in the summer', and that his restaurant would keep the lifestyle available year-round.

Diners left their clothes and phones in a cloakroom after arriving and were given a pair of slippers to wear into the dining room - though women were told they could leave their heels on if they wished.

A large white curtain over the windows shields diners from gawpers outside.

Diners were told to leave their clothes in a cloakroom before being shown to their table wearing nothing other than slippers, though women were told they could keep their heels on

Stephane and Mike had hoped that their restaurant would provide nudists somewhere to go in the cold months when France's hundreds of beaches are off-limits

The eatery was covered with a heavy curtain which stopped people peering in from the street

The decor inside was minimalist, with the menu consisting of upmarket French bistro cuisine - lobster, foie gras and snails with parsley cream sauce - priced at $57.50 for three courses.

Black covers placed over each chair are discreetly changed between sittings.

O'naturel is considerably warmer in November than the roughly 460 designated outdoor nudist spots around France, most of them beaches and campsites.

The capital trialed a nudist area in its Bois de Vincennes park in October, while Parisians can swim in the buff several times a week at a public pool.
Anthony Fish, pictured, believed he was communicating with a 15 year old girl and two others aged 13 when he was in fact sending messages to two groups of paedophile hunters

Paedophile hunters teamed up to snare a man who was seeking to meet who he believed were underage girls for sex, a court heard.

Anthony Fish thought he was communicating with a 15-year-old and then two of her friends, aged 13, in highly sexualised online chat.

Durham Crown Court heard he sent two of the girls an obscene image of himself and asked them to send him topless images in return.

Liam O'Brien, prosecuting, said Fish made it clear he was a man in his mid-40s, and suggested that one of the 13-year-olds may like to watch him and the 15-year-old having sex.

He said he could then have sex with the 13-year-old, during more than six hours

of online exchanges on July 23, 2017.

Mr O'Brien said in reality the girl and her two supposedly younger friends were members of the vigilante paedophile-hunting groups Guardians of the North and Dark Justice.

The groups informed police who arrested and interviewed Fish who made a full admission of what he had been doing online.

Fish, 47, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, admitted three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and two of attempting to meet a child after sexual grooming.

Tony Davis, in mitigation, told the court: 'The reality is that there could never have been an exchange of images as, de facto, the "victims" didn't exist.

'This reflects the approaches previously adopted in these Dark Justice-type cases. They are all of that nature.

'He pleaded guilty to the offences as part and parcel of the same episode of grooming. Of course, it never got to the stage of actually attempting to meet.'

Urging Judge Prince to pass a suspended prison sentence, Mr Davis said Fish, who has no previous convictions, was prepared to engage with agencies to address his offending.

Fish exchanged several explicit messages with the paedophile hunters he believed were girls as young as 13

Fish replied several times that he was fine with his intended victim's age

But Judge Prince said it seemed clear that the defendant, a driver for a construction company, 'clearly intended to have a meeting to engage in full sexual intercourse,' with what he believed were underage girls.

'It demonstrates a determination during the course of that day to meet those "girls".'

Judge Prince told Fish: 'You had seen what you thought was an opportunity and you intended to take advantage of it.

'I take the view in this case the appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.'

Jailing him for 16 months he said he hoped it would act as a deterrent to other men with 'unhealthy and deviant interests'.

Fish was also made subject of registration as a sex offender for ten years, but Judge Prince said a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was not necessary.
Leo Varadkar (pictured) sounded a conciliatory note as he made clear the bloc will give written commitments that the Irish border backstop would only be temporary

Irish PM Leo Varadkar today insisted the EU does not want to 'trap' the UK as he held out the prospect of more 'assurances' on the Brexit deal.

Mr Varadkar sounded a conciliatory note as he made clear the bloc will give written commitments that the Irish border backstop would only be temporary.

But other EU ministers have insisted the guarantees, expected before the crunch Commons vote next week, will only be 'political' rather than legally binding as Theresa May had hoped.

Attending a summit in Dublin, France's Nathalie Loiseau said: 'There is nothing more we can do.'

The PM is scrambling to win over mutinous MPs as she stares down the barrel of a disastrous defeat in the vote on her Brexit deal, due to happen next Tuesday.

Ministers are said to be urging Mrs May to give Parliament the final say on whether the backstop takes effect, as well as the right to exit the Treaty after 12 months if Brussels is not behaving fairly.

A Cabinet source told The Times the government should present the EU with those conditions on a take-it-or-leave-it basis - with no deal the alternative.

However, there are currently few signs that the change would satisfy the DUP and Eurosceptics, or that Brussels would agree to those terms.

Sources have suggested they are instead proposing an 'exchange of letters' with Mrs May, setting out the bloc's intention to conclude a trade deal by 2021.

That timetable would mean the backstop need never come into effect, but experts have voiced scepticism about whether it is possible.

Ireland's foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney warned MPs that the time for 'wishful thinking' is over if the UK wants to avoid crashing out of the EU - and also admitted that his country would be seriously damaged.

Speaking at the Global Ireland 2025 Heads of Mission Conference in Dublin, Mr Coveney said: 'There is no alternative 585-page agreement waiting to be dusted off.

'And it is also wishful thinking to ignore the default outcome if nothing else is agreed - that default is a crash-out.

'Surely now is the time in Westminster for everyone, in government and in opposition, to cast aside unrealistic options based on promises that simply cannot be delivered.

'If that doesn't happen quickly, in the absence of that realism, it is the hardliners who think no price is too high to pay for their version of Brexit who will win out to everyone's cost, including Ireland's.'

Ms Loiseau insisted the backstop was a 'last resort' for the EU as well as the UK.

'These are political assurances. But there is nothing more we can do. The withdrawal agreement is indeed a good agreement, both for the UK and the EU. We should stick to it,' she told reporters.

With the prospect of Mrs May's plan passing the Commons looking vanishingly small, opponents are pushing their own visions of how to proceed.

British officials are said to be 'sounding out' the EU about delaying Brexit beyond March as Theresa May faces a mounting political crisis.

There are claims that the UK has been 'putting out feelers' over the prospect of an extension to the Article 50 process.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay did not completely rule out the prospect this morning - although he insisted government policy is still to leave the EU in March.

Ireland has also made clear it would not block any effort to push back the exit date.

Labour's Yvette Cooper and Tory former education secretary Nicky Morgan have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill today designed to make it harder for the government to push ahead with no deal.

The change would effectively limit the Treasury's tax-raising powers, making it more difficult to respond to the disruption from crashing out.

Theresa May (pictured today) is scrambling to win over mutinous MPs as she stares down the barrel of a disastrous defeat in the vote on her Brexit deal, due to happen next Tuesday

Amber Rudd (left), Matt Hancock (centre) and Steve Barclay (right) were among the ministers at Cabinet today

Home Secretary Sajid Javid (left) and Aid Secretary Penny Mordaunt (right) were also at the gathering in Downing Street today

As the PM wooed Tory MPs in Downing Street last night, business minister Richard Harrington made clear he will resign if the government backs no-deal after Mrs May's plan is defeated.

Several Cabinet members, including Justice Secretary David Gauke, have also signalled they would quit - while some Conservatives have insisted they would vote no-confidence in the government to avoid a chaotic departure.

Culture minister Margot James yesterday broke ranks to suggest Brexit might have to be delayed if Mrs May's deal is voted down.

According to the Telegraph, EU sources say UK officials are 'testing the waters' for extending Article 50.

Even if Mrs May's deal was to pass next week there are serious questions over whether the full legislation would be passed to implement it by March.

Mr Barclay this morning insisted the policy was still to leave the bloc at the end of March, and warned an extension would cause 'very practical issues'.

Barclay said: 'It's not a unilateral decision for the UK. That is not a decision the UK Government could take, it would require the consent of all 27 member states.

'It would also generate some very practical issues, for example EU parliamentary elections at the end of May.'

He continued: 'The real question for Members of Parliament who voted to give the public a say through the European referendum in 2016, who voted in large numbers to trigger Article 50, (is) the consequence of triggering Article 50 is you either have a deal and the EU have been clear that the only deal on the table is the PM's deal. You either have a deal or you have no deal.'

Downing Street has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a delay in the departure date, with Mrs May's official spokesman saying: 'The Prime Minister has been very clear on a number of occasions that extending Article 50 is not something we are intending to do.'

Speaking on a visit to Mali, Mr Varadkar said: 'We don't want to trap the UK into anything.

'We want to get on to the talks about the future relationship right away,.. I think it's those kind of assurances we are happy to give.'

Mrs May last night began a seven-day charm offensive by inviting all Tory MPs and their partners to drinks in No 10.

Those attending included vocal critics such as Boris Johnson.

But hardline Eurosceptic MPs warned they would not vote for the deal even if Mrs May achieved a breakthrough on the Irish backstop.

Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the Commons European scrutiny committee, said the backstop was 'not the whole story by any means'.

He added: 'Reassurances are going to get nowhere and they are certainly not going to convince anybody who's thinking hard about this when it comes to the vote next week.'

Fellow Eurosceptic Sir John Redwood said opposition to Mrs May's deal 'goes way beyond the unacceptable Irish backstop and includes paying huge sums of money with nothing nailed down over the future partnership'.
Wesley Scott (pictured), 40, claimed three syringes found in his rectum in Florida did not belong to him

A Florida man was charged after police found three syringes in his rectum at a county jail - which he claimed did not belong to him.

Wesley Scott, 40, was brought into the Pinellas County facility on Friday and found to be hiding three pieces of drug paraphernalia on his body.

After the items were found in the early hours of Friday he claimed he had 'found' them, saying 'they were not his', The Smoking Gun reported.

According to a criminal complaint published by the website Scott had been brought in on an arrest warrant to face drugs charges.

He was strip-searched and removed the three syringes from his rectum, saying they were not his.

He had earlier denied having anything on him and said he knew he would face punishment if he brought anything hidden into the jail, the complaint said.

Scott has since been charged with introducing contraband into a county detention facility.

He also faces charges of possessing drugs with intent to sell and of possessing marijuana.

The county sheriff's office website showed Scott - described as having a 'transient' address - being held on a $5,000 bond.
Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Mozambique/Global: Who Pays for Transnational Corruption? AfricaFocus Bulletin

January 8, 2019 (190108)

(Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note The line-up of those involved in this $2.2 billion fraudulent loan deal, now implicated in a case in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York, is multinational. The five named individuals indicted include the former Minister of Finance of Mozambique, a Lebanese businessman representing Privinvest (an international shipping conglomerate in Abu Dhabi), and three London-based bankers, citizens of New Zealand, Great Britain, and Bulgaria, employed at the time of the loans by the giant Swiss bank Credit Suisse. Three more names are redacted in the indictment and 5 others, three Mozambicans and two additional employees of Privinvest, are cited but not named in the text of the indictment. This indictment may result in convictions and/or financial forfeitures for some individuals, and will almost certainly result in more revelations and political fallout in Mozambique. But it is notable that neither Credit Suisse nor VTB, a Russian bank which bought into further marketing of these loans, are identified by name. Credit Suisse is one of the largest global banks. But while similar cases have sometimes resulted in penalties for the banks involved, critics note that similar strategies are not yet being contemplated for Credit Suisse, VTB, or Privinvest, by the U.S. Department of Justice or other relevant governments, and that the Mozambican people are still being held liable for these illegal debts. This case is of interest not only for Mozambique, but as a case study of a pattern which is probably more a rule than an exception in todays global economy. Whatever the results, the clear lesson is that only transnational cooperation can track down (and hopefully also penalize) transnational corruption. This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains recent reports from two of the most regular and reliable sources of news and analysis on Mozambique: Joseph Hanlons News Reports and Clippings, and the English-language version of the Mozambican News Service, edited by Paul Fauvet. While the latest versions are often available first by email or through Facebook, they are also archived on the web and can be found with Google searches. Since court hearings are upcoming in Johannesburg and later in the month in New York, additional news may also be appearing in the financial press. For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on Mozambique,visit http://www.africafocus.org/country/mozambique.php For previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on debt and illicit financial flows, visit http://www.africafocus.org/intro-iff.php Among other recent sources with relevant background and analysis: (1) The Center for Public Integrity in Mozambique, in a press release on January 6, demanded that the Government of Mozambique should immediately suspend the restructuring of [this debt,] which implies suspension of all agreements reached with the international creditors now holding title to these secret debts. http://tinyurl.com/y9jqv4dr (2) Jubilee Debt Campaign, UK, What we have learned from the US indictment on odious loans to Mozambique, Jan. 4, 2018

https://jubileedebt.org.uk  Direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/ychc8jl8 (3) Following the donor-designed path to Mozambique's $2.2 billion secret debt deal, by Joseph Hanlon, Third World Quarterly, October 2016 http://tinyurl.com/y72kgegm

Puts the debts in the context of previous policy pressures on Mozambique by donors and creditors ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ Mozambique 429 - US says Chang received $12 mn; full indictment report - News reports & clippings 5 January 2019 Editor: Joseph Hanlon (j.hanlon@open.ac.uk) To subscribe: http://tinyurl.com/sub-moz

Previous newsletters and other Mozambique material are posted on http://bit.ly/mozamb The full indictment is posted on http://bit.ly/ChangIndict Chang received $12 mn says US indictment; 2 others on list not arrested yet The indictment against Manuel Chang and others was published on 3 January. Two other senior Mozambicans have also been charged but their names are blacked out, as they have not yet been arrested. These two are alleged to have received $36.5 mn in "bribes and kickbacks". Chang is said to have personally received $12 mn. Three "Mozambican co-conspirators" who are not charged, presumably because they cooperated with the US Department of Justice, received $23 mn in bribes. But the largest payment, $45 mn, went to Andrew Pearse, the then Credit Suisse (CS) managing director who orchestrated the secret loan deal. The indictment, issued by a Grand Jury at a US district court in New York on 19 December, shows the large amount of information already provided to the US department of Justice, including emails and other documents. These make clear the secret loans were corrupt for the start, going to the top. Eight people are charged, the three Mozambicans, two senior people from the Abu Dhabi company Privinvest which received the money and was to supply ships and coastal protection equipment, and three senior people then at Credit Suisse. Thus the indictment is not just against the Mozambicans who took the loans and received bribes, but also against CS senior officials for organising fraudulent loans and Privinvest for charging "inflated prices" which it then used "to pay bribes and kickbacks". The full indictment is posted on http://bit.ly/ChangIndict Excerpt from the indictment A. Overview 24. Through a Series of financial transactions between approximately 2013 and 2016, Proindicus, EMATUM and MAM borrowed in excess of $2 billion through loans guaranteed by the Mozambican government. The loans were arranged by Investment Bank 1 and Investment Bank 2 and sold to investors worldwide, including in the United States. Over the course of the transactions, the co?conspirators, among other things, conspired to defraud investors and potential investors in the Proindicus, EMATUM and MAM financings through numerous material misrepresentations and omissions relating to, among other things: (i) the use of loan proceeds, (ii) bribe and kickback payments to Mozambican government officials and bankers, (iii) the amount and maturity dates of debt owed by Mozambique, and (iv) Mozambiques ability and intention to pay back the investors. 25. Each of the companies entered into contracts with Privinvest to provide equipment and services to complete the maritime projects. The loan proceeds were supposed to be used exclusively for the maritime projects, and nearly all of the borrowed money was paid directly to Privinvest, the sole contractor for the projects, to benefit Mozambique and its people. In reality, the defendants JEAN BOUSTANI, ANDREW PEARSE, SURJAN SINGH and DETELINA SUBEVA, together with others, created the maritime projects as fronts to raise money to enrich themselves and intentionally diverted portions of the loan proceeds to pay at least $200 million in bribes and kickbacks to themselves, Mozambican government officials and others. London Offices of Credit Suisse Bribe planning came first The indictment makes clear that the whole idea came from CS and Privinvest and that Privinvest had to "persuade Mozambican government officials" to accept the deal. The indictment says that "almost immediately [Jean] Boustani and [the redacted Mozambican] negotiated the first round of bribe and kickback payments that Privinvest would have to make for the benefit of Mozambican government officials for the project to be approved." On 11 November 2011 the redacted Mozambican wrote an email to Jean Boustani, a senior executive at Privinvest: "To secure the project is granted the go-head by the HoS [Head of State, Armando Guebuza], a payment has to be agreed before we get there, so that we know and agree, well in advance, what ought to be paid and when." Boustani replied the same day that because of "negative experiences in Africa" Privinvest now had a policy that no money could be paid before a contract was signed. On 14 November 2011 the redacted Mozambican agreed that part of the bribes would be paid on signing and part when the project started. But the Mozambican warned in the e-mail that by the time of project implementation "there will be other players whose interest will have to looked after, e.g. ministry of defense, ministry of interior, air force, etc". Money must be paid early because "in a democratic government like ours people come and go, and everyone involved will want to have his/her share of the deal while in office, becomes once out of the office, it will be difficult. So it is important that the contract signing success fee be agreed and paid in once-off, upon the signing of the contract." In another e-mail exchange on 28 December 2011, it was agreed that $50 mn in bribes would go to Mozambican government officials and $12 mn in kickbacks for Privinvest co-conspirators. It took a further year of negotiation. The ProIndicus contract with Privinvest was signed on 18 January 2013, and the first bribes were paid five days later. Will Credit Suisse wiggle out? The indictment alleges that the former employees worked to defeat the banks internal controls, acted out of a motive of personal profit, and sought to hide these activities from the bank, Credit Suisse said in a statement, adding that the bank would continue to cooperate with authorities. But the indictment also makes clear how easy it was for Andrew Pearse, head of CS's Global Financing Group, and the others to bypass the bank's internal controls, and how little check there was on their activity. CS is not charged in this indictment, but it will still be argued that the combination of pressure to lend and very light controls encouraged misconduct. The indictment also makes clear that CS and Privinvest pushed the loan and had to offer significant bribes before the Mozambicans would accept. So pressure will remain on CS to accept some liability for the $2 bn secret debt. Britain declines to prosecute $ laundering & leaves it to the US Many of the actions being prosecuted in the US case took place in London at the Credit Suisse (CS) branch there, and the three ex CS employees were arrested in London on 3 January. The Financial Times (FT, 11 Nov 2018) reported that the British Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) told CS in August 2018 that it had dropped its criminal probe into the secret loans. The FT commented that "the U-turn is a boon to the bank as the FCA was previously looking to use its criminal money-laundering powers in what would have been one of the first cases of its kind." The FT notes that the FCA has yet to file charges in any criminal money laundering case. Comment: The UK has taken harsh action against Mozambique because of the $2 bn secret debt, cutting off all aid directly given to government. By dropping the case against CS, it makes clear it will punish poor countries taking bribes, but not London banks giving bribes. The people of Mozambique suffer twice - first from a corrupt government, and then by the UK cutting off aid to health and education. But in London, the corruptors go free - until the United States demands the arrests of the bribe givers. It leaves the UK looking just like Mozambique, refusing to prosecute the guilty, and punishing the poor but not the rich. But in Britain's case, the reluctance to prosecute CS and money laundering may be understandable. If the UK leaves the European Union, it will increasingly be dependent on illegal money to keep the economy afloat. And it will need the support of the big global banks. jh Civil society says arrests "should embarrass" UK "The arrest of three Credit Suisse bankers should embarrass the FCA, as it shows that the FCA decision failed to fulfil the organizations basic statutory standards, and suggests that UK regulators did not apply the necessary due care in handling the Mozambican debt case," said the Budget Monitoring Forum (FMO, Forum de Monitoria do Orcamento), a Mozambican civil society coalition. FMO adds that if FCA "internal constraints  affect their ability to take appropriate action against Credit Suisse," FMO is willing to assist. "The nature of charges also reinforces our view that the Mozambican illegal debt crisis is a consequence of criminal activity spanning various jurisdictions including the UK, Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland and the UAE." "FMO rejects Credit Suisses attempts to distance itself from its former employees. As we have previously stated ,the failure of Credit Suisse to lay criminal charges against its former banker Andrew Pearse, responsible for the sovereign debt deals who joined the contractors benefitting from the illegal Ematum loans, suggests that illegal, immoral and negligent conduct was not by a rogue banker, but rather part of systemic Credit Suisse culture. " The full FMO statement is below and at bit.ly/FMO-Moz-CS Hidden Debts: Ematum  A Fraud from the Start https://allafrica.com/stories/201901070064.html Maputo, 6 Jan (AIM)  The scandal-ridden Mozambique Tuna Company (Ematum) was set up, not to catch tuna, but to divert funds into private pockets, according to the indictment drawn up by US prosecutors, investigating Mozambiques hidden debts. Tuna fishing boats sit in Maputo. Purchased from Privinvest, they have never been used for fishing. Five people have so far been arrested on international warrants issued by the United States. They are: former Mozambican Finance Minister, Manuel Chang; three former executives of the bank Credit Suisse, Andrew Pearse, Surjan Singh and Detelina Subeva; and Jean Boustani, the lead salesman and negotiator for Privinvest, the Abu Dhabi based concern that was the sole contractor for Ematum and for two other fraudulent companies, Proindicus and MAM (Mozambique Asset Management). The indictment makes it clear that Ematum was not a genuine fishing venture gone wrong, but a scam from beginning to end. The fraudsters, having easily evaded the internal controls of Credit Suisse when negotiating the first illicit loan (to Proindicus), embarked on an even bigger swindle, seeking 850 million dollars for Ematum. In August 2013, Credit Suisse agreed to make up to 850 million dollars available for Ematum. As Finance Minister, Chang signed the loan guarantee  Credit Suisse could lend the money, comfortable in the knowledge that if Ematum failed to repay, the government (i.e. the Mozambican taxpayer) would be liable for the whole amount. The guarantee was entirely illegal  it violated the ceiling on loan guarantees in the budget law, and a clause in the Mozambican constitution which states that only the countrys parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, could authorise such debt. But in the event Credit Suisse seems to have had second thoughts  in September 2013, it only lent Ematum 500 million dollars. Ematum sought the rest of the money from a second bank, VTB of Russia. The Ematum scheme, the indictment argues, was cooked up in May 2013 by Boustani, Pearse and Subeva. The fraudsters devised a project that had nothing to do with Mozambiques legitimate fishing needs: instead, the project was a pretext to justify the maximum possible loan amount. Part of the money was not for Ematum at all, but was intended to carry on paying for the earlier fraudulent scheme, Proindicus. Boustani sent an e-mail on 21 July 2013, saying we will go for 800 million dollars so we keep a cushion for Proindicus interest payment next year. On the same day, Subeva e-mailed We should also keep a cushion for Proindicus of 17 million dollars so that we dont need to go back to MoF (Ministry of Finance) and they are on our side. Pearse and Subeva were still employed by Credit Suisse, but they sought to conceal their involvement in setting up the Ematum project by using personal e-mail accounts and removing all reference to themselves in the documents they prepared. In an e-mail to Boustani in late July 2013, Pearse said Pls bro dont just forward, but create new e-mail and attach the docs. Credit Suisse, he added, is very sensitive to seeing our names involved. Since Credit Suisse might wonder why the Ematum contract was going to Privinvest, the fraudsters, the indictment says, created fake competing bids for contracts. Fully aware that there was no proper tender, Boustani e-mailed Pearse at the end of July, suggesting Lets say they contacted South African shipyards and Spanish and Portuguese. Without naming them. Surjan Singh then included fake bid information in a memorandum sent to Credit Suisse, falsely asserting that the Privinvest proposal was deemed the most competitive one in comparison to bids from three other international companies. Credit Suisses internal procedures were so shoddy that it put Singh in charge of the due diligence for the Ematum loan. Singh, Pearse and Subeva, adds the indictment, provided talking points and suggested answers to Mozambican government officials for due diligence meetings. Surjan was richly rewarded, Between October 2013 and February 2014, Privinvest wired six payments, totalling 4.49 million dollars to Singhs account in the United Arab Emirates. These payments went via corresponding banks in New York  one of the many reasons for US prosecutors to take a direct interest in the scandal. By 8 April 2014, Boustani had also paid seven million dollars to Chang, and bribed as yet unnamed Mozambican government officials to the tune of 36 million dollars. The Ematum fishing boats, built in a Privinvest-owned shipyard in Normandy, did all arrive  but did virtually no fishing. The projections of vast revenues from the export of tuna proved no more than a fantasy. In 2018, it was reported that the boats did not even have fishing licences. From the new suspension bridge over the Bay of Maputo, there is an excellent view of the Maputo fishing port, and any passer-by can see all 24 Ematum boats lying idly at anchor. In 2016, the original Ematum bonds (or loan participation notes) were swapped for eurobonds directly issued by the Mozambican government. At the time it appeared as if this was a Mozambican idea  extending the maturity of the bonds, but increasing the interest on them. But, according to the indictment, the idea came from the conspirators, including Boustani, Pearse and Subeva and was intended to hide from the public and the IMF the near bankruptcy of the project companies, resulting from loan proceeds being diverted as part of the fraudulent scheme. Although here was a new government in Maputo, and Chang was no longer finance minister, Mozambican officials did not smell a rat. They hired Credit Suisse and VTB to conduct the bond exchange. The adviser for the exchange was Palomar, a Privinvest subsidiary  and by now Pearse and Subeva had moved seamlessly from Credit Suisse to Palomar. On 6 April 2016, the Ematum bondholders consented to exchange their bonds for Mozambican government Eurobonds. But the documents on which they based this consent did not mention the Proindicus and MAM loans, thus giving a completely misleading picture of Mozambiques foreign debt situation. A couple of weeks later, thanks to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the existence of Proindicus and MAM was suddenly revealed, and the Ematum/Eurobond investors realised they had been deceived. The IMF too was angered to find that the government had concealed the scale of the countrys debts, and suspended its programme with Mozambique. These events precipitated the financial crisis which came close to crippling Mozambique in 2016/2017. (AIM) Budget Monitoring Forum (FMO), Maputo Media Statement On The Recent Arrests Of The Former Minister Of Finance Of Mozambique, Mr Manuel Chang In Johannesburg And Three Former Credit Suisse Bankers In London In Connection With The $2.3 Billion Illegal Mozambican Debt 5 January 2019 http://bit.ly/FMO-Moz-CS The Budget Monitoring Forum (FMO) - a coalition of Mozambican civil society organisations working on public finance transparency and accountability  has noted reports of arrest, at the request of US authorities, of former Minister Manuel Chang in Johannesburg on 29 December 2018. We further have recorded the arrests of three former Credit Suisse bankers in London on the 3 January 2018. FMO believes that the US initiated process is an opportunity for Mozambicans to get full disclosure on the illegal debts and recover all costs incurred by the Mozambican fiscus as a result of illegal and immoral conduct by international bankers, contractors, public officials, their relatives and collaborators in Mozambique. FMO also expects that this is a beginning of a global process, which will culminate in holding - all responsible parties accountable for their respective roles in this crisis. We fully endorse the proposed criminal sanctions, as they will serve as a deterrent for corrupt activities in Mozambique and beyond. Mozambicans demonstrate in South Africa outside extradiction hearing for former Finance Minister Manuel Chang.

Credit: https://www.facebook.com/CIP.Mozambique/ Recent developments confirm our long standing position that the $2.3 Billion debt was illegal as it did violated the Mozambican legislation. We have further argued that the entire process around the illegal debt - including the relationships between international bankers, various contractors and beneficiaries was intended to conceal criminal activity including money laundering. FMO has long concluded that the criminal sovereign debt project, masterminded in concert with international banks, deliberately sought to divert much needed resources from the Mozambican people. As such we will continue to campaign against any debt restructuring proposals that do not consider the criminal nature of these transactions. Mozambican people should not bear the burden for collusive and illegal behaviour between the Government of Mozambique, and the international bankers. Mozambicans have been paying a heavy price as resources are diverted for illicit purposes depriving our nation of crucial resources needed for sustainable economic growth and development. The beneficiaries of proceeds from illegal debt (politicians, contractors, international banks) should adsorb all costs associated with the Mozambican debt crisis - in addition to facing criminal sanctions being pursued by the US authorities. The nature of charges also reinforces our view that the Mozambican illegal debt crisis is a consequence of criminal activity spanning various jurisdictions including the UK, Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland and the UAE. Recent arrests validate our position as outlined in the statement (18 November 2018) that the UKs Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) should pursue criminal sanctions against Credit Suisse for the role played by the UK regulated Bank in Mozambiques illegal debt crisis. We remain dismayed by the approach adopted by the UK authorities and lawmakers in holding Credit Suisse accountable for its actions. The arrest of three Credit Suisse bankers should embarrass the FCA, as it shows that the FCA decision failed to fulfill the organizations basic statutory standards, and suggests that UK regulators did not apply the necessary due care in handling the Mozambican debt case. We expect the FCA to reconsidertheir decision and continue to pursue action against UK regulated entities implicated in this scandal. FMO representatives are willing to make themselves available to assist FCA to augment internal constraints which might affect their ability to take appropriate action against Credit Suisse, and other implicated parties in the illegal debt project. FMO rejects Credit Suisses attempts to distance itself from its former employees. As we have previously stated the failure of Credit Suisse to lay criminal charges against its former banker  Andrew Pearse, responsible for the sovereign debt deals who joined the contractors benefitting from the illegal Ematum loanssuggests that illegal, immoral and negligent conduct was not by a rogue banker, but rather part of systemic Credit Suisse culture. FMO is relieved that our views around Mr Pearse and others have found expression in the legal action led by US authorities. While FMO is encouraged by recent action to hold various parties accountable for illegal debt, we will continue with our global campaign, as announced in November to encourage other regulators and governments to take appropriate corrective action against implicated parties. We call on other jurisdictions and implicated countries to follow the US lead and pursue charges against institutions and individuals who were party to the grand corruption project, the illegal debt project. FMO demands that: Mozambican people should not be expected to repay illegal debts, especially as there is concrete evidence of criminality.

Any claims arising out of illegal debts must be brought against the International Banks, contractors, and any other beneficiary of proceeds from the illegal debt For media enquiries, please contact: Denise Namburete, FMO, d.namburete@nweti.org.mz, 00 258 82 30 28 001 Jorge Matine, FMO, jorgematine.jm@gmail.com; 00 258 84 67 17 432 AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org
Germany has returned a painting looted by Nazis to the heirs of a French Jewish politician and resistance leader who was executed during World War II.

The portrait by 19th-century French painter, Thomas Couture, had been on display in a spectacular collection hoarded by Cornelius Gurlitt, the son of a Nazi-era art dealer.

Portrait of a Seated Young Woman by Couture, which belonged to resistance figure Georges Mandel, was discovered in late collector's art trove while German authorities were investigating a tax case in 2012.

German Culture Minister Monika Gruetters presented the work to relatives of Mandel - who was executed by French fascists near Paris in 1944 - in a ceremony at the Martin Gropius Bau museum in Berlin.

Franz Rainer Wolfgang Joachim Kleinertz (left) and Maria de las Mercedes Estrada (right) heirs of Jewish French politician Georges Mandel next to the painting Portrait of a Seated Young Woman by Thomas Couture during a restitution ceremony in Berlin today

The reclusive Bavarian collector inherited much of a 1,500-piece collection from his father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, an art dealer who traded in works confiscated by the Nazis.

Many are thought to have been looted from their original Jewish owners, but provenance research has been slow and only a few have been restituted.

Experts determined two years ago that the painting had been looted from Mandel, relying on a small hole in the canvas as evidence of its heritage.

Mandel's lover had cited the hole above the seated woman's torso when she reported the painting stolen after the war.

Gruetters was joined at the ceremony by a representative of the Kunstmuseum Bern, which inherited Gurlitt's collection when he died in 2014, and an envoy from the French embassy.

The painting by Thomas Couture on a easel. The art work was discovered in the trove of late collector Cornelius Gurlitt and belonged to Georges Mandel

About 450 pieces from the collection by masters such as Monet, Gauguin, Renoir and Picasso have been on display in Bern, the western German city of Bonn, and in Berlin.

Presenting the art to Maria de Las Mercedes Estrada, the granddaughter of Mandel and Franz Reiner Wolfgang Joachim Kleinertz, his so- in-law, Gruetters pledged to do everything possible to return other stolen works to its rightful owners.

She called the Couture painting's return 'a moving conclusion to the exhibitions of the Gurlitt trove' and underlined Berlin's commitment to provenance research.

'We have Georges Mandel's family to thank that we could show this work in all three exhibitions', Gruetters said.

'In this way, we could inform the public about the fate of the Jewish politician Georges Mandel, who was persecuted and imprisoned by the Nazis.'

More than 1,500 works were discovered in 2012 in the possession of Munich pensioner Cornelius Gurlitt.

(Left to right) Maria de Las Mercedes Estrada, the granddaughter of Mandel, Franz Reiner Wolfgang Joachim Kleinertz, his so- in-law and State Secretary for Culture Monika Gruetters

His father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, had worked as an art dealer for the Nazis from 1938.

The discovery of the stash made headlines around the world and revived an emotional debate about how thoroughly post-war Germany had dealt with art plundered by the Nazi regime.

When Gurlitt died, the Bern museum accepted the collection, though it left about 500 works in Germany for a government task force to research their often murky origins.

Determining their provenance has been slow, and it remained unclear how many of the works were stolen.

Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media Monika Gruetters (right) hands over the painting 'Portrait of a Seated Young Woman' to Franz Rainer Wolfgang Joachim Kleinertz (left) and Maria de las Mercedes Estrada (second from left)

The Couture portrait was the fifth work from the collection restituted to heirs, and the sixth definitively classed as having been looted by the Nazis.

Marcel Bruelhart, who represented the Bern museum at Tuesday's event, welcomed the return of the art work.

But he added that 'what is decisive in the end is not the number of restitutions, but the honest and committed efforts in clarifying the origins of the complete works in the Gurlitt collection.'
A Greens candidate who describes himself as an 'raging alcoholic f***boii' on Instagram will take on deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek in the next federal election.

Matthew Thompson won Greens preselection in December and will go against Ms Plibersek for the seat of Sydney, which she has held since 1998.

'I've been preselected as the Greens candidate for the federal seat of Sydney for the upcoming election,' Mr Thompson wrote on Instagram.

'Accordingly I'm pretty excited about what we can do together over the next few months.'

Matthew Thompson (pictured) won Greens preselection for the seat of Sydney in December

He will go up against deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek (pictured), who has held the seat of Sydney since 1998

Mr Thompson uses the social media site to campaign on issues such as 'housing as a human right, free education, an immigration policy that isn't racist trash and taking serious action on climate change so we don't all cook in the coming decades'.

Another post shows him with a team of protesters holding up a banner that reads 'Tanya, step up and stop Adani'.

In controversial posts, Mr Thompson is seen covered in glitter at Sydney's Imperial Hotel in March 2018, with the photo captioned: 'Category is glitter smothered raging alcoholic f...boii in mesh and snapback.'

Another image shows him at the Sydney Mardis Gras saying 'weekends of s***dropping benders at Arq finally paid off in the form of me aggressively shimmying my way at the front of the Greens float.'

Mr Thompson uses the social media site to campaign on several issues

Mr Thompson is associated with the Greens' 'hard-left' faction members including Newtown MP Jenny Leong, NSW upper house MP David Shoebridge and former Senator Lee Rhiannon

According to The Daily Telegraph, Mr Thompson is associated with the Greens' 'hard-left' faction members including Newtown MP Jenny Leong, NSW upper house MP David Shoebridge and former Senator Lee Rhiannon.

The publication approached several Greens MPs about the controversial posts but many refused to comment, including party leader Richard Di Natale.

Both Ms Leong and Ms Rhiannon also denied to comment about their colleagues's posts.
Swimmers were evacuated from a netted-off ocean pool at a popular Sydney beach after a three metre shark was spotted metres from shore.

Police were called to Brighton Le Sands Beach in Sydney's south just after 6.30pm on Tuesday night after shocked swimmers reported seeing a shark lurking within netted waters.

Children were among those in the water at the time.

A three metre shark was spotted metres away from shore at Brighton Le Sands on Tuesday

A NSW Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that the shark wasn't spotted again after swimmers were evacuated from the water.

Beachgoers have taken to social media to post incredible photos and footage of the shark.

The latest sighting comes just hours after a four metre great white shark was spotted at a packed beach in the city's east on Tuesday morning.

Brighton Le Sands Beach will remain closed until it can be inspected on Wednesday morning.

A police spokeswoman said the shark wasn't spotted again after swimmers left the water

Police evacuated swimmers and closed Brighton Le Sands Beach after the shark sighting

Bayside Council and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries have also been notified and will inspect the beach on Wednesday before it reopens.

Residents on community Facebook page Rockdale Residents Unite claimed the shark had been there for most of the afternoon.

'We were there about 1pm and a lady spotted it. Made everyone get out of the water. No one believed her. We took no risk and left,' Pamela Klink posted.

Sonia Cvetanoska Cosic added: 'I think the shark was in the net since Saturday as we saw it but was not sure if it was a shark as it was underwater in the shallow end.'

Beachgoers at Brighton Le Sands took to social media to post photos and footage of the shark

Antonia Accoto-Basile called for lifeguards to monitor the beach.

'Most people believe incorrectly that just because Brighton Le Sands is calm water it is safe. Sharks can come over and through the nets. The shark was probably minding his own business but can you imagine what could have happened.'

Other concerned residents called for something to be done about the nets.

'The council doing regular net checks or what? I've been swimming in this past 8pm when its dark,' one resident posted.

The alarming sighing comes just hours after a monster great-white was spotted 18 kiloemtres away off Tamarama Beach in Sydney's east early on Tuesday morning.

An image was snapped by Drone Shark, an app which provides drone footage for surfers and swimmers of any shark sightings.

The image was posted to their Instagram and was reposted by Bondi Rescue lifeguard, Anthony 'Harries' Carroll.

'This is my reason to tell you about @sharkbanz this is what I use to reduce the risk of an encounter or an attack. It's my piece of mind,' he wrote.

An image was snapped by Drone Shark, an app which provides drone footage for surfers and swimmers of any shark sightings

Drone Shark, a new startup funded by surfers, sends out alerts of shark sightings around Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches.

The creator of the app, Jason Iggleden, told Fairfax that he was out with two others to watch the sunrise and capturing footage when they came across the predator.

'It was a very calm morning on the water with no fish around,' he said.

Drone Shark, a new startup and is currently only funded by surfers, sends out alerts of shark sightings around Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches (stock)

Upon sighting the shark Mr Iggleden used a megaphone to alert beachgoers to get out of the water.

'We yelled out straight away, and then got on the phone to Bronte Beach lifeguards to get swimmers of the water there,' he said.

'We also rang around to Bondi lifeguards who brought the jet skis out to try and scare it away before we lost sight of it in deeper water.'
A man in central China has been arrested by police for killing dogs with poisoned syringes and attempting to sell their meat.

Police in Wuhuan city, Hubei province discovered at least 10 dog carcasses stuffed into the trunk of the suspect's vehicle, along with a large crossbow and three bags of poisoned darts.

The suspect, surnamed Dai, later told police he killed the dogs in a remote village and was transporting them to dog meat vendors.

Police in Wuhuan city, Hubei province discovered at least 10 dog carcasses stuffed into the trunk of the suspect's vehicle on December 11 at about 4pm

A large crossbow was discovered on the passenger seat of the suspect's vehicle, along with several hundred poisoned syringes scattered on the floor. The mas has been arrested

The man's white saloon got the attention of traffic police as the car was fitted with a number plate that belonged to a different car model, according to Wuchang district police.

Officers were dispatched to investigate the vehicle on December 11 at about 4pm, according to officer Ou Xiaolong.

However, the driver appeared very nervous and refused to open his trunk for police inspections. Several minutes later, the man locked his car and attempted to flee the scene, prompting officers to stop him by breaking the driver's side window.

Video footage of the incident shows police officers inspecting the man's vehicle when they made the horrific discovery.

The suspect, surnamed Dai (pictured), told police he killed the dogs in a village and was transporting them to meat vendors. He said that dog meat is popular during the winter season

One of the dogs (left) still had a dart stuck on its rear when police made the horrific discovery

The clip shows the carcasses of around 10 dogs stuffed in the trunk and a large crossbow on the passenger seat, with several hundred poisoned syringes scattered on the floor. One of the dead dogs still had a dart stuck on its rear.

Based on previous similar cases, these darts are usually modified syringes fitted with a spring and a tailfin at the end so they can be shot from the crossbow at a distance.

The syringes contained a dose of the muscle relaxant suxamethonium that was large enough to kill the dogs instantly, according to Xinhua news agency.

The man admitted to killing the dogs with the crossbow and poisoned darts. He told police that there are more people consuming dog meat during the winter and thought he could make some money by selling dog meat to vendors, according to Hubei Television.

Chinese and international activists are working together to put a stop to illegal dog meat trade

Dai purchased the crossbow online, rented a car and fitted it with a different number plate to commit the crime.

He has been detained for five days amid ongoing investigations, police said, adding that the dogs had been buried.

Consuming dog meat is not banned in China. However, stealing dogs and selling poisoned dog meat is illegal.

Dog meat is a popular delicacy in some areas of China, particularly in Hunan, Zhejiang, Guangxi and Guangdong provinces. It is estimated that 10 million dogs are slaughtered for their meat in China every year as many believe that it is a health tonic.

However, recent concerns about animal cruelty have seen the trade diminish as activists and global rights groups campaign laws to ban dog meat consumption.
A grandfather who died after being brutally bashed as he slept in his car has been named.

Paul Tavelardis was snoozing in his car in Summer Hill, in Sydney's inner west, on December 29 when he was attacked.

His children made the decision to switch off their 'proud indigenous father's' life support at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Monday night.

Irishmen Christopher McLaughlin, 24, and Nathan Kelly, 21, were originally charged over the alleged assault and have since had their charges upgraded to murder.

Paul Tavelardis's children made the decision to switch off their 'proud indigenous father's' life support at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Monday night

Paul Tavelardis spent nine days on life support after the brutal attack on December 29

McLaughlin and Kelly were initially charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and affray after emergency services found the 66-year-old injured at the side of a road.

Mr Tavelardis didn't know either of his alleged attackers.

His son Bradley told The Daily Telegraph he believes his father had gone 'walkabout' and may have been sleeping in his car at the time of the brutal alleged attack.

His son Bradley said he believes his father had gone 'walkabout' and was sleeping in his car at the time of the brutal attack

Mr Tavelardis was preparing to head back to his call centre job - where he had been employed for 20 years - when he was set upon

'He loved to travel, that was his indigenous side, he loved to go, as we say, "walkabout".

'Every two or three years he would save enough money, buy a sedan and go out into the desert and sleep in the back of his car.'

Mr Tavelardis was preparing to head back to his call centre job - where he had been employed for 20 years - when he was allegedly set upon.

The grandfather-of-nine was battling leukaemia at the time of his death and had dedicated himself to a life of abstaining from smoking and drinking.

Irish nationals Christopher McLaughlin, 24 (left), and Nathan Kelly, 21 (right) allegedly left the man with critical head injuries in the early hours of December 29th

Emergency services were called to an intersection in Summer Hill (pictured) in Sydney's inner west at about 12:30am on Saturday

Bradley called him a 'peaceful' man who only ever wanted the best for his family.

The young man said he and his family hold no animosity toward the families of the two Irishmen accused of the act.

Both families have allegedly made contact with the Tavelardis family recently.

'The families of the two boys, they would be going through a lot of hardship as well,' he said.

McLaughlin and Kelly remain behind bars and are expected to appear in Burwood Local Court on Wednesday.
Elisha Pankey, 43, was charged on Monday with child abuse and abuse of a corpse

The mother of a seven-year-old boy who was found 'encased in concrete' in a storage unit after he disappeared in May was charged Monday in the boy's death.

Elisha Pankey, 43, was charged with child abuse resulting in the death of Caden McWilliams and abuse of a corpse.

The child was encased in concrete within the locked unit in Denver, sources told the Denver Post.

Police declined to comment but estimated Caden had been dead since the beginning of May.

He was discovered just two days before Christmas Day within the Denver storage facility after a tip-off from an unnamed source in neighboring Aurora.

Caden McWilliams, seven, was described by his elementary school teacher as a hard worker, positive and caring

The grisly discovery of the child's corpse was made at the Denver storage unit after a tip-off from an unnamed source in neighboring Aurora

Pankey had been charged with possession of heroin in Aurora the day before the grisly find.

A judge has sealed all records in the case, including a document laying out the reasons for Pankey's arrest.

Authorities have not said exactly when the boy was reported missing or released information about when or how he died.

Court records filed by prosecutors on Monday only provide a range of when authorities believe the crimes occurred.

A picture from social media shows a younger Caden McWilliams with his mother Elisha Pankey, who has been charged with his death

Courtesy of KDVR

A Denver Police spokesman said on Friday that investigators believe McWilliams last attended school in May.

Denver authorities got involved when neighboring Aurora Police contacted them with information about a missing boy.

They found the boy's body that day inside a unit at a self-serve storage facility.

Investigators believe Caden last attended school in May before he was killed

Aurora officers had arrested Pankey the previous day on suspicion of heroin possession after coming into contact with her while investigating a missing child, according to court records.

Aurora Police have declined to comment further on that missing child case.

'Thanks to the tenacious work by both the Aurora and Denver Police Departments, we now know that young Caden was not only missing for several months, he was no longer alive,' Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said Monday.

'This is a terrible tragedy for the community. While this case will take time to resolve, it will take even longer for our community to learn and heal.'

As winter break ends this week, Denver Public Schools officials say grief counselors will be available for students and staff at the elementary school that McWilliams attended.

A statement from Denver Public Schools said: 'The school principal Nichole Whiteman described Caden as a hard worker who did well academically and who was always positive, caring and lived the Ellis core value of Integrity.'

Pankey's next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday morning and she remains jailed on a $250,000 bond.
Drug trafficking charges against two women have been dropped in Missouri after a judge ruled that a highway patrol search which uncovered 52 pounds of marijuana was unlawful.

Melissa Johnson, 43, and Melody Kostansek, 45, were arrested after their Toyota was stopped on on Interstate 70 last July.

Cpl. Dennis Mathes found marijuana, methamphetamine, marijuana wax and several smoking pipes, Missouri's highway patrol said at the time.

But the case was thrown out after a Missouri judge ruled the trooper did not have 'reasonable cause' to search them, the Columbia Tribune reported.

Melissa Johnson (left), 43, and Melody Kostansek (right), 45, were arrested after their Toyota was stopped on Interstate 70 last July but charges against them have been dropped

Cpl. Mathes had reportedly justified his search by saying she was 'sitting rigidly' and driving suspiciously.

But judge Robert Koffman said: 'The Court cannot understand how driving stiff or with ones mouth open is an indicator of anything.

'[The trooper] had a good hunch, as the fruits of the stop prove, but a hunch is not sufficient.'

The trooper followed Kostansek, who was driving, for around 35 miles and became suspicious when she drove at no more than 67mph in a 70mph zone, it is reported.

Kostanseks attorney said she had been driving in an unfamiliar state at night with police behind her and that driving slowly was not a cause for suspicion.

The evidence from the illegal search cannot be used against Kostansek, of Ozark, Illinois, and Johnson, of Carbondale, Illinois, the judge said.
A former designer clothes model who kicked a one-year-old boy with his cowboy boot while shouting racial slurs, was charged on Monday.

Trace Riff, 31, was arrested on December 23 at a Dillons grocery store in Wichita, Kansas, where Lashantai Whitaker says he perpetrated the bizarre attack on her son Jhavii Fry at around 7.20am.

The crystal meth user, who once had a glamorous career modelling Hugo Boss and Emporio Armani, allegedly used the n-word and declared himself a white supremacist.

Police and witnesses described how Riff kicked the baby to the ground who had been holding his 11-year-old sister's hand.

Trace Riff and Douglas Hannant attend Douglas Hannant Men's Fall 2005 Fashion Show at Frederick's in February 2005 in New York City

Trace Riff, 31, making a video appearance in Sedgwick County court Monday to be charged with aggravated battery

Jhavii Fry, one, was at the store with his mother and sister when Riff allegedly kicked the boy

Their 29-year-old mother, who was eight months pregnant at the time of attack told the Wichita Eagle she was happy Riff was being brought to justice.

'I'm happy,' she told the Eagle, 'because I thought they were going to blow it off.'

Riff attending a New York Fashion show in February 2005, wearing a furry jacket

Riff was initially charged with misdemeanor battery and freed on a $3,500 bond within hours of the arrest.

But on Monday this was raised to a felony charge of aggravated battery.

Whitaker previously told the Eagle that Riff 'sounded like a madman' as he ranted and screamed.

The man tried to flee the scene, but was tackled by bystanders until police arrived.

Whitaker said that a witness at the store came forward to say he saw Riff kick the boy.

Thankfully, young Jhavii was found to be uninjured by paramedics, who said that the boy's thick winter coat may have protected him from more serious harm.

Riff has been in custody since January 3 when he was arrested for smoking meth at an apartment in Wichita.

This photo of Trace Riff appeared in the August 2005 issue of Harper's Bazaar. He appears on the left, grasping the hip of a supermodel

Whitaker, 29, (above) was eight months pregnant when she was at the storw at around 7.20am with Jhavii and her 11-year-old daughter when the incident occurred

Court records show that Riff's criminal history dates back to 2002, when he was 15 and led police on a chase in a stolen car.

His record includes an extensive history of drug and alcohol related charges, mental illness, and homelessness.

Riff's relatives told the Eagle he had a jet-set lifestyle as an 18-year-old model living in New York City, but it crashed after he began abusing drugs.

Bond was set at $50,000 for the assault and $50,000 for the crystal meth charges, according to KAKE.
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The home of Novichok victim Sergei Skripal is to be dismantled as authorities continue a deep clean to eradicate any potential traces of the poison.

Authorities have warned neighbours of the former Russian spy in Salisbury that decontamination work could cause disruption for up to four months.

After being taken apart, the property will be rebuilt after the deep cleaning is finished.

Mr Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia, 33, were exposed to the substance in the city last year but survived the chemical attack, which Prime Minister Theresa May said had 'almost certainly' been approved by the Russian state.

Detectives believe the pair first came into contact with the poison when it was sprayed on the door handle of their property in Salisbury.

Officials have begun dismantling Sergei Skripal's home in Salisbury, pictured, as part of an extensive decontamination plan to eradicate any traces of Novichok

Officials believe Novichok was sprayed on the doorhandle of the property and work has been going on for months in the Salisbury road to make sure all traces of the poison are removed

Scaffolding has been set up around the property, pictured, to allow the workers to remove roof tiles from the house and garage

Neighbours in the road, pictured, have been warned they could face disruption for up to four months as the deep clean continues

Former Russian spy Mr Srkipal, 66, right, and his daughter Yulia, 33, left, were poisoned by the substance last year and police believe it was sprayed on the door handle of the property

The roofs of both the house and garage, pictured left and right, will be sealed off and then dismantled, with materials then safely removed from the scene for testing

The decontamination project is being led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) but military teams will carry out the work, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said.

This will be the same team involved in the clean-up so far, from the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear unit, he added.

The clean-up has been taking place ever since they collapsed on March 5, but work paused over Christmas.

The next, more extensive phase of the operation was due to begin on January 7, according to a letter written by Wiltshire Council.

Dated January 4 and signed by the council's director of public of health, Tracy Daszkiewicz, it told residents that contractors would spend the first month erecting scaffolding to cover the house and garage with a 'sealed frame'.

A military team will then dismantle and remove the roofs on the two buildings over two weeks.

Everything will be wrapped and sealed before being removed from the site, and then the roofs will be replaced, Ms Daszkiewicz said.

The letter said: 'This phase includes the removal of the house roof and garage roof.

'All materials will be wrapped and sealed on site before being removed safely from the premises.

Wiltshire Council has written to neighbours of the Skripals to warn them about the disruption while they take the property, pictured, apart

Deep cleaning work has been taking place at the property ever since the attack last March

Wiltshire Council officials say the risk to public health remains 'low' despite the continued presence of the military

The council added all materials removed from the home will be 'sealed' at the site and safely taken away

'Once the covered frame is in place, the deconstruction work is expected to take around two weeks.

'This specialist work will be carried out by the military team.

'When that work is completed, contractors will move on site to build a replacement roof for the house and adjoining garage.'

She said the risk to public health remains 'low', adding: 'The priority is to make sure that the two remaining sites affected by the 2018 incidents are thoroughly cleaned and returned to normal use as soon as possible.'

Wiltshire Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey is also thought to have come into contact with the poison when he searched their home.

Dawn Sturgess, 44, fell ill in Amesbury months after the incident and died in hospital in July after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack on the Skripals and then discarded.

Her partner, Charlie Rowley, 45, was also exposed to the same nerve agent but was treated and discharged.

Two Russian nationals have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Mr Skripal with Novichok.

Evidence gathered by intelligence agencies led the Government to conclude that the men were officers from the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU.

The two suspects - known by their aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov - were caught on CCTV in Salisbury the day before the attack.

A counterfeit Nina Ricci perfume bottle - which Ms Sturgess handled - is thought to have contained the substance.

Workers have been seen taking roof tiles off the house and garage, pictured, of the property

Russian nationals Alexander Petrov, left, and Ruslan Boshirov, right, are suspected of carrying out the attack after being caught on CCTV in Salisbury ahead of the incident, although they claim they were there to visit the famous cathedral

Defra said focusing on removing the roofs was just part of their 'highly precautionary', extensive and meticulous work on the property.

A spokesman said no further detail could be provided on the plan for disposal, other than that it would be carried out 'safely'.

In a statement he added: 'Work to decontaminate the site at Christie Miller Road has resumed and will continue over the coming months.'

'In line with our thorough approach to decontamination, specialist teams are working inside and outside the property.

'External scaffolding is being erected in early January to allow access for work on the house roof and garage roof. The roof will be removed during the decontamination process.

'We are working with the site owner, Wiltshire Council and other partners to ensure that the house will be fully repaired and returned to a fit state to live in.'
One fifth of British soldiers cannot be sent abroad or can only do limited jobs overseas due to illness, figures have revealed.

Freedom of Information requests have uncovered that 7,200 members of the Army cannot be deployed to other countries on medical grounds.

A further 9,910 can only take part in some operations abroad due to illness, reports The Times.

Army shortages already mean staffing levels are 5,000 below its 82,000 target.

One fifth of British soldiers cannot be sent abroad or can only do limited jobs overseas due to illness. File image used

Bosses launched a controversial new recruitment campaign last week, targeting 'snowflakes, gamers and millennials' in a bid to lure young people to fight for the country with the promise of discipline and respect.

Former head of the Army Lord Dannatt told the newspaper yesterday: 'I find the figures very disappointing,' adding they 'seem extremely large'.

General Sir Richard Barrons, former head of Joint Forces Command, added: 'Thinking that even a tiny 82,000-man army could all be fielded together is a myth.

Former head of the Army Lord Dannatt (pictured in 2015) told the newspaper yesterday: 'I find the figures very disappointing,' adding they 'seem extremely large'

'The people don't exist because of under-recruiting and the numbers that are always non-deployable for one reason or another.'

Scots Guardsman Stephen McWhirter, 21, claimed his image was used in the new Army recruitment campaign without his knowledge

On top of the 17,100 troops who cannot fufil any or only some of their duties, under 18s and soldiers still in training are not allowed to be sent abroad either - causing further problems.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman told The Times staff shortages are not affecting the Army's ability to keep Britain safe abroad.

They added that soldiers can be 'downgraded' from serving abroad for a number of reasons from 'sports injuries to ingrown toenails'.

A row broke out following the launch of the Army's new campaign when a Scots Guardsman claimed his image was used without his permission.

Scots Guardsman Stephen McWhirter, 21, claimed his picture was used without his knowledge and he had since been ridiculed by other troops and friends.

Defence sources have since insisted he had in fact volunteered to be part of the campaign and had known the word snowflakes would be involved.

Guardsman McWhirters picture was on one of six posters inspired by the famous First World War Lord Kitchener poster Your country needs you, updated for millennials.

But in an enraged Facebook post he promised to quit and claims he will hand in his notice 'as soon as possible'.


New Nylon O2Vent Optima Oral Device Launched in Australia

Brisbane, Jan 8, 2019 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Oventus Medical Ltd ( ASX:OVN ) is pleased to announce the launch of the O2Vent(R) Optima device in Australia, an important addition to the Company's sleep treatment platform.Key points:- New Oventus O2Vent(R) Optima oral device for the treatment of sleep apnoea launched in Australian market- O2Vent(R) Optima is a compact, lightweight addition to the Oventus sleep treatment platform, with a reduced cost of goods in comparison with original titanium O2Vent(R)- O2Vent(R) Optima incorporates Oventus' proprietary Airway Technology and is compatible with Oventus ExVent(TM) valve technology which will also be launched in 2019- Clinical trials have shown that Oventus' proprietary airway alone or in combination with ExVent(TM) valve technology dramatically improves treatment outcomes for sufferers of obstructive sleep apnoeaThe O2Vent(R) Optima is the newest product in the O2Vent(R) oral device range. It offers a new treatment alternative for the potentially fatal condition, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).The O2Vent(R) Optima is a customised 3D printed nylon oral appliance that advances the jaw forward to open the airway and incorporates the Oventus proprietary Airway Technology to improve the effectiveness of oral appliance therapy. This device is lighter than the original O2Vent(R)and less complex to make. The combination of reduced material costs and lower manufacturing times bring down the cost of goods and will shorten timeframes on delivery of devices to patients.Oventus Managing Director and CEO, Dr Chris Hart commented, "We are excited to be launching the O2Vent(R) Optima as the next generation O2Vent(R) product addition to our sleep treatment platform. This lightweight, durable device incorporating Oventus Airway Technology offers a more discreet and flexible alternative to those that cannot tolerate CPAP therapy".The launch of O2Vent(R) Optima is the first of two new products coming to market in 2019. The second product being a valve that integrates with select O2Vent(R) devices to naturally increase airflow and airway stability. The valve is called the ExVent(TM) and has been clinically proven to dramatically increase the success rates of traditional mouthguard devices for sleep apnoea sufferers.The ExVent(TM) was developed in collaboration with CSIRO and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) during the three year, $2.95 million Federally funded Cooperative Research Centres Project grant. ExVent(TM) is due to be released in Australia during Q1 calendar year 2019.Following release of O2Vent(R) Optima and ExVent(TM) in Australia these products will be released in North American and European markets.A CSIRO news release on Oventus' product innovations led to national media coverage on Friday 4 January, including on both Channel Seven and Nine News. The Seven News coverage can be seen on the Oventus news and media web page.To view figures, please visit:About Oventus Medical Ltd

Oventus Medical Ltd (ASX:OVN) is a Brisbane based medical device company that is commercialising a unique treatment platform for the treatment of sleep apnoea and snoring. Unlike other oral appliances or CPAP interfaces, the Oventus devices have a unique and patented airway within the treatment platform that allows air to flow to the back of the mouth unobstructed while maintaining an oral seal and stable jaw position, bypassing multiple obstructions from the nose, soft palate and tongue, reducing airway collapsibility and managing mouth breathing while maintain a stable airway with or without nasal CPAP. They are particularly designed for the many people that have nasal obstructions and consequently tend to mainly breathe through their mouth. While it may seem counterintuitive, this technology actually manages mouth breathing by converting it to device breathing and normalising ventilation. The O2Vent(TM) is designed to allow nasal breathing when the nose is unobstructed, but when obstruction is present, breathing is supplemented via the airways in the appliance.

For more information on Oventus' Sleep Treatment Platform, please visit http://www.oventus.com
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Fascinating images reveal how Nazi soldiers enjoyed dressing up in women's clothing during the Second World War and often lent their uniforms to women in return.

While Nazi doctrine abhorred anyone deemed a 'sexual deviant' - cross-dressers included - it seems the same attitude did not carry over to rank-and-file troops.

Dozens of images reveal German soldiers wearing everything from dresses and skirts to nurses uniforms and even women's underwear.

German soldiers pictured wearing women's underwear and bonnets during 1940. While cross-dressing was not uncommon among soldiers during the Second World War, it typically happened during performances at prisoner of war camps when men wore women's costumes in plays. But Nazis were often pictured in effeminate dress, seemingly for their own enjoyment

Young German men and women pose for a photograph some time in 1939, having swapped clothing with each other. The trend of swapping clothes with women was so popular among German ranks that an artist named Martin Dammann published a book about it after uncovering dozens of pictures of the bizarre habit

Two Nazis soldiers pose for photographs alongside female companions after swapping clothes with them, with both images taken some time in 1940. Male and female roles were highly segregated in Nazi Germany, which perhaps added to the amusement of swapping clothing by making it taboo

Two Nazi soldiers pose alongside their French girlfriends having swapped clothing for a photograph, taken some time during German occupation of the country, exact date unknown. Many of the photos that have been uncovered of Nazis cross-dressing appear to feature girlfriends, often taken on foreign soil

Pictures of men cross-dressing during the war are not uncommon, but it largely happened within the context of prisoner of war camps, which often put on plays as a way to keep inmates entertained.

With no female prisoners to play the women's roles, it was left up to men to don costumes and step into character.

But this is not the case with German soldiers, who often seem to have swapped clothing with whichever women were standing closest, purely for their own enjoyment.

Artist Martin Dammann, an amateur collector of wartime photography, found the trend so remarkable that he even published a book on the subject.

'If the photos did not exist, you would not believe it,' he said, adding that the images 'most definitely contradicted National Socialist ideology.'

The Nazis began persecuting the LGBT community in Germany shortly after Hitler came to power in 1933, targeting clubs across Berlin - which had previously been one of he most sexually liberal cities in Europe.

By 11 November 1933, the Hamburg City Administration asked the Head of Police to 'pay special attention to transvestites' and to 'deliver them to the concentration camps'.

Between 1933 and 1945, an estimated 100,000 men were arrested as homosexuals, of whom some 50,000 were officially sentenced.

Most of these men served time in regular prisons, and an estimated 5,000 to 15,000 of those sentenced were incarcerated in Nazi concentration camps.

It is unclear how many of the 5,000 to 15,000 would die in the camps, but leading scholar Rudiger Lautmann believes that the death rate of homosexuals in concentration camps may have been as high as 60%

Two French women don Nazi uniforms some time during German occupation. The image on the right was found on a Nazi POW after he was detained. Soldiers often gave their uniforms to women who they met overseas, with the Nazis encouraging relationships and marriage in countries which they occupied as a way of integrating with the locals

Two Nazi soldiers sit inside a pram while a third, dressed as a woman, pretends to push them along. The image was taken some time in 1940, but the exact date and location are unknown. Why German soldiers seem so fond of cross-dressing is unknown, but Dammann suggests it was because of a long-standing tradition of dressing in female attire during carnivals

Two Nazis in an apparent game of nurses and patients having donned female uniforms while the women wear soldier's outfits, taken some time in 1939 (left) and 1940 (right)

German soldiers attend a party in 1940, with most of the guests in the background having swapped clothes with their female counterparts. That is despite the fact that Nazi doctrine strictly prohibited anyone deemed to be a 'sexual deviant', which included cross-dressers

A woman is pictured wearing an SS officer's uniform (left) in an image thought to be taken in France sometime in 1940, during Nazi occupation. Another woman (right) wears a German uniform in an image taken somewhere in Germany, though to be during the 1930s, though the exact year is unknown

Two women are pictured wearing Nazi uniforms, though the exact date and location the pictures were taken is unknown. Women in occupied territory were often forced into fraternising with the enemy as their own men were either killed in fighting or driven away by the occupying army
Euromillions winner Gillian Bayford-Deans' family have closed their loss-making pub months after she put her own flat and bungalow on the market.

Twelve workers at the loss-making Crown Inn, in Monifieth, Angus, were told yesterday that it was being put up for sale.

Staff were told that there is no prospect of it re-opening until some new owners are found.

The Crown (pictured) which the family of Gillian Bayford-Deans run, is now closed as a new owner is sought

The family of Gillian Bayford-Deans (pictured with ex-husband Adrian when they won their millions in 2012) have closed a loss-making pub months after the winner put her flat and bungalow on the market

The Crown is owned by David Tassie but its lease is held by a firm listed at Companies House as The Crown (Monifieth) Ltd.

The company's four directors include Gillian Bayford-Deans' parents Brenda and Ian McCulloch and brother Colin McCulloch. They took over running the pub less than 18 months ago.

Accounts filed in September show between September 15 2017 and March 31 2018 the company made a loss of 26,676.

Julie Robb has worked behind the bar since she was 18 and was told she had been made redundant in a phone call on Monday morning.

Euromillions winner Gillian Bayford has put her 735,000 waterfront home in Scotland, pictured, on the market

Euromillions winner Gillian Bayford sold this designer bungalow for 1.45m as she looked to 'tighten up' her expanding property portfolio

Gillian made The Bee House in Balsham, near Cambridge, one of the first purchases after her divorce from Adrian following their win of 148m in 2012

'There was no forewarning, it has come completely out of the blue,' the 34-year-old said.

'I got a phone call at 11 o'clock this morning to say the pub is shut and will not be re-opening.

'I've worked there for 16 years and there have been several different managers in that time. It was a really busy, successful pub up until they took it over.

Mrs Bayford-Deans was cleared of assaulting ex-partner Gavin Innes (pictured)

'We tried several times to step in and fix what was going wrong.

'They were running down the stock and we could see this was going to happen.'

Ms Robb said that she hopes a new buyer can be found for the pub soon, adding: 'It's a good business and has a huge prospective for more business.

'If the right person steps in it will be a huge success.'

Colin McCulloch has been approached for comment. Mrs Bayford-Deans won the 148 million Euromillions jackpot with her then husband Adrian in 2012.

In November it was revealed that she sold the four-bedroom bungalow she'd bought with her winnings in Balsham, near Cambridge, for 1.45million.

It came after she put a spectacular waterfront flat overlooking River Tay near Dundee on the market for 730,000.

She and ex-husband Adrian Bayford divided their fortune in half when they divorced. He put his his 6.5million country mansion on the market and says he's moving to Australia because the millions make him miserable.

Mrs Bayford-Deans was cleared of assaulting ex-partner Gavin Innes when police ruled there was 'insufficient evidence' to proceed with a case against her.
Police have launched a hunt for three men suspected of hate crime after a homophobic assault in London.

Two men, who were holding hands, were attacked while walking along the South Bank near the National Theatre at around 2.30pm on January 1.

The victims, aged 28 and 31, suffered facial injuries and bruising but did not require hospital treatment.

Officers believe four men were involved in the unprovoked homophobic assault and have released pictures of three of the suspects in a public appeal for information.

Police have released an image of three men, pictured, suspected of being part of a homophobic assault on two males who were holding hands on the South Bank in London

The suspects left the scene in the direction of the Oxo Tower. They are all described as white and in their mid-20s, and were wearing hooded tops.

There have been no arrests and inquiries continue.

Police have asked anyone with information to contact officers at Lambeth via 101, quoting the reference 6108/1Jan, or tweet @MetCC.

Those wishing to stay anonymous can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Theresa May suffered another humiliating defeat at the hands of Tory Remain rebels tonight as they won a 'shutdown' vote and promised more revolts against no deal.

In a defiant show of rebel strength, 20 Tories voted for an amendment to the Finance Bill tabled by Labour's Yvette Cooper to tie the Treasury's hands in a no deal Brexit - with the Government losing 303 to 296.

And the rebels warned the PM the alliance with Labour will 'sustain itself' and promised 'we will not allow a no deal exist to occur at the end of March'.

Downing Street played down the impact of the amendment, insisting it was 'inconvenient' but would not actually stop the Treasury collecting taxes.

More dangerous for the Prime Minister is the successful alliance between pro-Remain MPs on her benches and the Opposition. Together they could cause chaos for the Government in the coming months on a series of issues.

Tory veteran Sir Oliver Letwin warned Mrs May: 'The majority tonight that is expressed in this House will sustain itself. We will not allow a no deal exit to occur at the end of March.'

Mrs May faced a further blow today as Business Minister Richard Harrington warned he would quit the Government to join rebels if the Government pivots to no deal.

Meanwhile, Michael Gove today likened hardline Eurosceptics to 'mid-50s swingers' waiting for actress Scarlett Johannson to turn up at a party.

The extraordinary barb from the Environment Secretary came as Cabinet met to discuss the prospects of Theresa May's Brexit deal getting through the Commons next week.

Theresa May (pictured at Downing Street today) faces another embarrassing defeat in the Commons tonight as Tory Remain rebels are set to join forces with Labour over the Budget

Downing Street has moved to play down the impact of the amendment, tabled by Labour's Yvette Cooper ( in the Commons today)

Tory veteran Sir Oliver Letwin (pictured in the Commons tonight) warned Mrs May: 'The majority tonight that is expressed in this House will sustain itself. We will not allow a no deal exit to occur at the end of March'

What does the rebel amendment do? The rebel amendment passed tonight will restrict the Government's freedom to make Brexit-related tax changes after a no deal without parliamentary safeguards. The move does not prevent the Government from collecting tax at all. But it will place restrictions on its ability to make minor changes to tax legislation - such as replacing 'EEA' with 'UK'. To get back its full powers the Government would have to win a Commons vote in support of no deal - something for which there is probably no majority among MPs. Theresa May's spokesman insisted that, while 'not desirable', the impact on no-deal preparations would be 'inconvenience, rather than anything more significant'. Advertisement

The backbench amendment to the Finance Bill, which would remove the Treasury's special spending powers, is backed by a number of pro-Remain Tories, including ex-ministers Sir Oliver Letwin and Nick Boles and health committee chairman Sarah Wollaston.

Downing Street vowed to oppose the amendment, insisting it was not 'desirable' - but told rebels even if they win it would 'inconvenient rather than anything more significant'.

Moving her amendment, Ms Cooper said: 'This is too serious for us to play a massive game of Brexit chicken. The country cannot afford to wait to see who blinks first.

'So I hope ministers, as has been rumoured, will accept this amendment and I hope they will accept the principle behind it that either the Government should get agreement on a deal before March 29, or get explicit agreement to no deal before March 29.

'Or if that fails, commit to seeking an extension to Article 50 so there is time to sort things out.'

Who were the 20 Tory rebels tonight? Twenty Tory MPs voted for Labour MP Yvette Cooper's amendment to the Budget tonight. They were: Heidi Allen, South Cambridgeshire Guto Bebb, Aberconwy Richard Benyon, Newbury Nick Boles, Grantham and Stamford Ken Clarke, Rushcliffe Jonathan Djanogly, Huntingdon Sir Michael Fallon, Sevenoaks George Freeman, Mid Norfolk Justine Greening, Putney Dominic Grieve, Beaconsfield Sam Gyimah, Easy Surrey Philip Lee, Bracknell Sir Oliver Letwin, West Dorset Nicky Morgan, Loughborough Bob Neill, Bromley and Chislehurst Antoinette Sandbach, Eddisbury Sir Nick Soames, Mid Sussex Anna Soubry, Broxtowe Ed Vaizey, Wantage Sarah Wollaston, Totnes Advertisement

She added that although the amendment does not solve the problems of Brexit, 'it gives us the opportunity to rule out the worst way forward and to do so in a way that is calm, measured and sensible'.

Sources close to Jeremy Corbyn suggested Labour would back the move, raising the prospect of a Government defeat in a vote this afternoon.

Supporters of the move claim it is the first step in an attempt to force a 'shutdown' should ministers try to pursue No Deal.

But Treasury sources last night said the impact of the amendment would be largely symbolic  and suggested ministers could even accept it rather than suffer another Commons defeat.

A source said: 'We are pretty relaxed about it.

'It would stop us doing some little things to make the tax system work better, but it would be a minor thing compared to the overall consequences of leaving without a deal.'

The Liberal Democrats have tabled a further amendment today which would prevent the Treasury collecting taxes in the event of a no-deal Brexit, but it appears to lack the support needed to succeed.

However, senior Tories remain concerned they could face a series of Parliamentary ambushes in the coming weeks if a no-deal Brexit becomes Government policy.

Business minister Richard Harrington (pictured last night leaving Downing Street) backed the package the PM has thrashed out with Brussels - but said he would 'definitely' resign to prevent the UK crashing out without any agreement

Mr Harrington last night told the BBC he would 'definitely' resign from the Government to oppose a no-deal Brexit.

Irish PM offers more 'assurances' on backstop in May's Brexit deal Irish PM Leo Varadkar today insisted the EU does not want to 'trap' the UK as he held out the prospect of more 'assurances' on the Brexit deal. Mr Varadkar sounded a conciliatory note as he made clear the bloc will give written commitments that the Irish border backstop would only be temporary. But other EU ministers have insisted the guarantees, expected before the crunch Commons vote next week, will only be 'political' rather than legally binding as Theresa May had hoped. Attending a summit in Dublin, France's Nathalie Loiseau said: 'There is nothing more we can do.' Advertisement

Mr Boles has indicated that he and others could resign the Tory whip and vote with Labour to prevent No Deal.

And Mrs May will today meet with representatives from a cross-party group of more than 200 MPs who have called on her to rule out a no-deal Brexit.

Miss Cooper claimed there was a danger that 'brinkmanship, political paralysis, siren voices' could lead the UK over a Brexit 'cliff-edge'.

She added: '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.'

But Boris Johnson yesterday claimed that a no-deal Brexit was 'closest to what people voted for'.

He added: 'They didn't vote for anything like Theresa May's Withdrawal Agreement. They voted to come out.'

At Cabinet today, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd warned that history would take a 'dim view' if the government allowed the UK to leave with no deal, saying the country would be less safe.

Ms Rudd insisted politicians had to accept the world 'as we find it, not as we wish it to be'.

Parliament was the scene of continued protests over the referendum result today (pictured)

Michael Gove (left) likened hardline Eurosceptics to 'mid-50s swingers' waiting for actress Scarlett Johannson (right) to turn up at a party

And Ms Rudd was backed by Mr Gove who compared Brexiteers who are refusing the accept the Withdrawal Agreement - such as Jacob Rees-Mogg - to over-picky swingers who were waiting for the perfect partner to arrive at a party.

Radio adverts warning Brits to prepare for a no deal Brexit are aired Adverts warning the public to prepare themselves for a no deal Brexit have today begun being aired on radio amid mounting fears the UK will crash out of the bloc. The Government has paid for the emergency ads to be aired as part of their last tranche of no deal planning signed off by senior ministers late last month. The ads, which are being aired on commercial radio stations across the UK, comes amid fears warring MPs will not agree a Brexit deal before March 29. Theresa May's Brexit plan has been basted by Brexiteers and Remainers and is widely expected to be rejected by MPs when at the crunch Commons vote on January 15. In the radio advert, a railway station-style announcement sounds, before people ask a series of questions about Brexit over a tannoy. The voice asks a series of questions, stating: 'Will my travel be affected when we leave the EU? What about documents for driving? Will mobile roaming change? Should I check my travel insurance?' A voice-over then says: 'You might also have questions about how leaving the EU on the 29th March will affect you. Find guidance and up to dateinformation on gov.uk/EUexit' Advertisement

Responding to Mr Gove's reference to the Holywood actress, Ms Rudd quipped that some MPs might be waiting for Pierce Brosnan.

Justice Secretary David Gauke, who has condemned wishful thinking by Brexiteers, waded in to say that Labour seemed to be holding out for Scarlett Johannson 'on a unicorn'.

Jeremy Corbyn has said he wants the UK to be in a customs union but able to strike trade deals elsewhere - something Brussels has flatly rejected.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid is also said to have spoken negatively about the consequences of no-deal, suggesting the government's ability to tackle illegal immigration might be reduced.

Business Secretary Greg Clark told MPs in the House today that no deal 'should not be contemplated'.

As the PM wooed Tory MPs in Downing Street last night, business minister Richard Harrington made clear he will resign if the government backs no-deal after Mrs May's plan is defeated.

Several Cabinet members, including Mr Gauke, have also signalled they would quit - while some Conservatives have insisted they would vote no-confidence in the government to avoid a chaotic departure.

Meanwhile, senior Tory Dominic Grieve and Labour's Chris Bryant are thought to be mulling a joint effort to force the date of Brexit vote forward.

They could try to table an amendment to the government's scheduling plan that would mean the showdown happening on Thursday rather than next Tuesday.

Ministers want to hold another five days of debate starting tomorrow before the vote takes place.
Two male cheetahs have been spotted mating with the same female in an incredibly rare sighting captured on camera.

The extraordinary mating ritual was recorded on camera in the Kalahari Desert by a group of tourists as four giraffes looked on.

The footage, taken at Tswalu reserve in South Africa, captured the moment both male cheetahs pinned the female to the ground.

As the female tried to wriggle free one male sank his teeth into the back of her neck to hold her in place.

Tourists on safari saw the two males and a female go towards a bush to carry out the extraordinary mating ritual

Both males then jostled to get on top before the female fought them off.

Juan Venter, who captured the rare scene on video, said the sight was so rare because cheetahs are usually shy when mating.

The 26-year old said: 'When we arrived at the scene, we heard a lot of shouting and screaming and it looked like they were fighting but it was two males in a coalition on the same female with both males trying to mate at the same time.

'This was the reason for all the noise. When I realised what was busy happening my heart bounced out of my chest.

'I had no words. I just told my guests to keep on filming because they will never see this again.

'The cats ended up crawling into a bush hiding, as cheetah are incredibly shy when mating and we didn't want to bother them as, you need to respect nature.

The two males jostled to get on top of and a female at the Tswalu reserve in South Africa in the Kalahari Desert

As one male sank his teeth in to the back of the neck of the female, four giraffes looked on at the rare sighting captured on camera by tourists

'I have friends in the industry that have been guiding for more than 15 years and they have never seen this happen.

'As for me, it's possibly the first and the last time that I will ever see something like this again.

'The only time this is seen, is in captivity. I almost want to say that the chance of seeing a pangolin is better than to see this happening.

'This experience had a big impact on my career as I have seen many rare things but personally, this became for sure number one on my personal bests.'

The Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a privately owned game reserve in the Northern Cape of South Africa.

It is South Africas largest private game reserve, covering an area of over 114,000 hectares.
A Russian-born businessman has become embroiled in a High Court battle with his investors over alleged unpaid debts and a rare 40-carat diamond.

Dmitry Tsvetkov, 38, and his two investors, Rustem Magdeev and Emil Gaynulin, opened a Graff Diamonds franchise in Limassol Marine, Cyprus, in May 2015.

The area is a known destination for the Russian super-rich, and the investors had to stump up 23.5 million for the precious jewels, as reported by The Times.

Mr Tsvetkov and his wife, Elsina Khayrova, 31 - who live in a 22million Surrey mansion - have been customers of the high-end brand since 2011, and were regarded as 'good friends' of the Graff family.

Dmitry Tsvetkov, 38, (pictured in the light blue suit on the right), next to Francois Graff, at the opening of the high-end store in May 2015

Russian born businessman Dmitry Tsvetkov, 37, lives with his two children and wife Elsina Khayrova, 31, in this beautiful mansion in Surrey

Elsina Khayrova attends the Summer Ladies Lunch in support of Nadezda charitable foundation at Mortons in June 5, 2018 in London, England. She is the daughter of Rinat Khayrov who earns 105,000 as a member of President Putin's party

Business was booming at the store, but soon afterwards the relationship between Mr Tsvetkov and investors soured and the boutique closed three years later and the company behind it, Equix, is now in administration.

Papers filed in the High Court in London contain allegations of unpaid debts, people with links to organised crime attending meetings, and the obstruction of a sale of a 11.8 million 40-carat diamond.

In December 2017 one of the investors, Mr Magdeev filed a claim against Mr Tsvetkov in the High Court, saying he had filed to repay him loans of 12.1 million.

Mr Tsvetkov denies liability and made a counterclaim that his relationship with Mr Magdeev only soured after he started to have financial problems.

Mr Tsvetkov also claims Mr Magdeev arrived at a meeting of investors in Cyprus in 2017 with a person known for ties to organised crime.

And furthermore he claims Mr Magdeev and Mr Gaynulin had a meeting with 'organised crime patrons' a few months later.

Dmitry Tsvetkov, 38, and his two investors, Rustem Magdeev and Emil Gaynulin, opened a Graff Diamonds franchise in Limassol Marine, Cyprus, in May 2015

Mr Gaynulin and Mr Magdeev are both understood to have denied links to organised crime.

A spokesman for Graff said: "During the course of last year, Graff terminated its agreement and ended all dealings with Equix after learning of its internal dispute and its related issues.'

Mr Tsvetkov, became a British citizen in 2010, and is the owner of a spectacular pile in Surrey.

The impressive house boasts its own pool, spa, wine cellar and cinema and underground car park with enough space for ten cars.

His model wife Elsina Khayrova is the daughter of Rinat Khayrov who earns 105,000 as a member of President Putin's party.

Graff Diamonds is a luxury brand and family business founded by Laurence Graff in 1960.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday snubbed John Bolton after comments the national security adviser made on the future of a U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish militia.

Erdogan took issue with Bolton's call for Turkey to protect Syria's Kurds in the event of the withdrawal of American forces, calling his comments a 'grave mistake.'

'John Bolton has made a grave mistake on this issue,' Erdogan told his party's lawmakers in parliament.

'It is not possible for us to swallow the message Bolton gave from Israel,' he said.

He reportedly refused to meet with Bolton, who left Ankara after he was denied the sitdown, the pro-government English-language newspaper Daily Sabah reported.

National Security Advisor John Bolton was in Ankara to discuss the planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Bolton's comments a 'grave mistake'

It's the latest set back among between Washington and Ankara amid tensions over America's planned withdrawal from war-torn Syria.

Erdogan's comments came shortly after Bolton held talks in the Turkish capital with Erdogan's adviser Ibrahim Kalin, in a key meeting focusing on the surprise U.S. decision to withdraw its troops from Syria.

Kalin said that a meeting between Bolton and Erdogan had not been scheduled and was deemed unnecessary after he and Bolton spoke.

President Donald Trump caused a political storm last month when he announced the troop pullout, claiming to have succeeded in the battle against the Islamic State (IS) group.

Fighting continues however, with Syrian Observatory for Human Rights saying IS suicide attackers had hit the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria late on Sunday, killing 23 of its fighters.

The pullout, which Washington has since stressed will be gradual, was hailed by Erdogan as the 'right call' in a column published Tuesday in the New York Times.

But it has also raised concerns that Kurdish fighters would be exposed to the threat of a cross-border operation by their archfoe Turkey.

- 'No promises'-

U.S.-led coalition forces have provided air power and other support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in its operation to flush out IS from the last rump of its now-defunct 'caliphate'.

As part of this, American forces have worked closely with the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, seen by Ankara as a 'terrorist offshoot' of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.

That U.S. military support for the YPG has shaken relations between Washington and Ankara.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo drew the wrath of the Turkish leadership last week when he said Washington would ensure 'the Turks don't slaughter the Kurds' in Syria as American troops withdraw.

'That Turkey targets the Kurds is the most vile, the most dishonourable, the ugliest and the cheapest slander,' Erdogan said on Tuesday.

But the Turkish leader made it clear that Ankara would not soften its stance against the YPG.

Kurdish-led forces are battling to flush out IS from the last rump of its now-defunct 'caliphate'

National Security Adviser John Bolton, left, and his Turkish counterpart and senior adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, right, talk at the Presidential Palace in Ankara

'Those who are in the terror corridor in Syria will learn necessary lessons,' he said.

After meeting Bolton on Tuesday, Kalin also urged Washington to take back all the weapons provided to Syrian Kurdish militia forces.

He denied comments by Pompeo that Turkey had promised the US not to attack the Kurdish fighters.

'Nobody should expect Turkey to provide assurances to a terror organisation,' he told journalists in Ankara.

Bolton's spokesman Garrett Marquis described the talks as 'productive' and centred on 'the president's decision to withdraw at a proper pace from northeast Syria'.

- Military win 'first step' -

When Trump first announced the pullout of 2,000 ground troops on December 19, Ankara was a lonely voice among NATO allies welcoming the decision.

Erdogan has promised Trump that Turkey could finish off the remnants of IS in Syria.

'A military victory against the terrorist group is a mere first step,' he said in the New York Times, warning against premature declarations of victory.

Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, said Ankara would need so much support from Washington to completely eradicate IS, that it would be 'to the point where the US military would essentially still be inside Syria'.

Trump on Monday conceded that the fight against IS was not over.

'We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!' he tweeted.

Last month, Erdogan threatened to launch a cross-border operation against the YPG, east of the Euphrates River, which he said later would be delayed after Trump's pullout order.

Turkish military forces supporting Syrian rebels launched incursions into northern Syria against IS in August 2016 and against the YPG in January 2018.
An enormous four-metre great white shark has been spotted in the water at a packed Sydney beach.

The monster great-white was spotted off Tamarama Beach in Sydney's east early on Tuesday morning.

An image was snapped by Drone Shark, an app which provides drone footage for surfers and swimmers of any shark sightings.

An image was snapped by Drone Shark, an app which provides drone footage for surfers and swimmers of any shark sightings.

The image was posted to their Instagram and was reposted by Bondi Rescue lifeguard, Anthony 'Harries' Carroll.

'This is my reason to tell you about @sharkbanz this is what I use to reduce the risk of an encounter or an attack. It's my piece of mind,' he wrote.

Drone Shark, a new startup funded by surfers, sends out alerts of shark sightings around Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches.

The creator of the app, Jason Iggleden, told Fairfax that he was out with two others to watch the sunrise and capturing footage when they came across the predator.

'It was a very calm morning on the water with no fish around,' he said.

Drone Shark, a new startup and is currently only funded by surfers, sends out alerts of shark sightings around Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches (stock)

Upon sighting the shark Mr Iggleden used a megaphone to alert beachgoers to get out of the water.

'We yelled out straight away, and then got on the phone to Bronte Beach lifeguards to get swimmers of the water there,' he said.

'We also rang around to Bondi lifeguards who brought the jet skis out to try and scare it away before we lost sight of it in deeper water.'
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Astounding black and white images reveal how nerveless 'human flies' climbed to the top of London's tallest skyscraper - hanging from the unsteady beams hundreds of feet above the ground.

The pictures were taken in 1928 at the construction site for the London Transport headquarters at 55 Broadway near St James's Park.

Men dressed in smart shoes, trousers and waistcoats to climb to dizzying heights and walked along the iron beams and girders with no harnesses.

Astounding black and white images from 1928 show men dressed in smart shoes, trousers and waistcoats hanging from the iron bars of the structure for the London Transport headquarters at 55 Broadway near St James's Park hundreds of feet above the ground The Victoria Tower of the Houses of Parliament, more commonly known as Big Ben, can be seen behind

What health and safety? A 'human fly', also known as an 'iron fighter' is seen tipping his hat to the camera hundreds of feet above the ground at 55 Broadway, London, with the city skyline, including Big Ben in the background

The Victoria Tower of the Houses of Parliament, more commonly known as Big Ben, can be seen among the rooftops, as the men smile for the camera high above.

Calling themselves 'iron fighters' the men could have quite easily fallen to their deaths, but grin at the cameraman regardless.

When completed in 1929, 55 Broadway became the home of what is now Transport for London. It is a Grade I listed building and earned architect Charles Holden the RIBA London Architecture Medal.

On top of the world: Two iron fighters are pictured balanced on a crane hundreds of feet above the London rooftops with no harness or support. The Houses of Parliament can be seen in the background of the 1928 shot

Other striking shots show 'iron fighters' at work on the new skyscraper high above the capital and the skeleton of the great underground building which reared its head into the clouds at Westminster

At the time it was the tallest office block in the capital, now well overtaken by skyscrapers like the Shard, the Walkie Talkie and the Heron Tower.

It is still home to TfL staff but is due to be vacated and moved to the Olympic Park in Statford east London.

There are currently plans in place for the building to be converted for residential use, but no transfer of ownership has yet been announced.

This black and white image shows 55 Broadway being built in 1928. It has since been the home of the London Underground headquarters, which is due to be relocated to the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London
A woman has been rushed to hospital after a highway sign collapsed and crushed her car.

The car was travelling along the Tullamarine Freeway in Melbourne when the overhead sign fell on the car at about 5.30pm on Tuesday.

Emergency services were subsequently called to the scene near Essendon Airport, ABC reported.

The car was travelling along the Tullamarine Freeway in Melbourne when the overheard sign fell on the car at about 5.30pm on Tuesday (pictured)

Emergency services (pictured) were subsequently called to the scene near Essendon Airport

'It is unusual,' Highway Patrol officer Jason Lane said of the accident

The driver, 53, was rushed to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition where she is being treated for neck and hand injuries.

'It is unusual,' Highway Patrol officer Jason Lane said.

'I haven't come across it before.'

The inbound exit from the Tullamarine Freeway to Bulla Road and Bell Street is closed as investigations into the incident continue.

A crane will be used to remove the sign from the road and Vicroads engineers will assist with the closure and help to ease traffic congestion.

Drivers are urged to take the English Street exit and to take Matthews Avenue and Keilor Road to get back to the freeway.

'This closure is under Victoria Police control. The road will re-open when investigations are complete and it's safe to do so,' VicRoads said in a statement.

The inbound exit from the Tullamrine Freeway to Bulla Road and Bell Street is closed as investigations into the incident continue (pictured, crash site)

A crane will be used to remove the sign from the road and Vicroads engineers will assist with the closure and help to ease traffic congestion (pictured, crash site)
Over the past year or so, we have periodically presented reports by Chuck Cravens detailing the restoration on an ultra-rare Beechcraft AT-10 Wichita WWII advanced, multi-engine trainer. As mentioned in the previous articles, the project belongs to the Cadet Air Corps Museum and comprises the remains of several airframes, but will be based upon Wichita 41-27322. The restoration is taking place at the world-renowned AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, Minnesota, and we now have another update on the progress as it stands so far.

The AT-10 at AirCorps Aviation  Fall 2018 Report

by Chuck Cravens

Work continues on the forward cockpit section. The floor wood has been cut and fitted, much of the skin has been cut and drilled, and the rudder pedals have been assembled.

In October, we had visitors with a family connection to the Beech factory.

Cockpit Section Structure

Rudder Pedals

Cockpit Floor

Nose Cone

Visit by Beechcraft factory workers son: Bill and Mary Graham

We were privileged to have Bill Graham and his wife Mary visit the shop in October 2018.

Bill is the son of Beechcraft line worker, Elmer Graham. Lois Graham, Bills mother, also worked at Beechcraft in the accounting department.

They brought some unique and priceless family heirlooms connected to Beech, including several photo albums, drawings, and a hand carved business card holder made by Elmer of wood scraps from the AT-10 assembly line.

Elmer Graham started at Beech in April of 1942 and worked there until 1948. Lois began a few months later. Because 41-27322 wasnt received by the USAAF until May 19, 1943, it is certain that Elmer worked directly on our restoration airframe.

Company Housing

According to Bill, When his folks left Beech for other interests, the company gifted them two picture/ paintings matted and framed. One was an AT- 10 in flight and the other an AT-7A with floats. Each picture is signed by well known artist Eric Sloane. These hung in my parents home all these years until I inherited them. They were proud of their contributions at Beech Aircraft.

Today, artist Eric Sloanes work is held in the collection of Sloane-Stanley Museum in Kent, CT and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which houses one of his major works, the Earth Flight Environment Mural.

Bill and Mary generously left the photos and AT- 10 drawings here to be scanned. Ester returned everything to them on Oct 22nd.

And thats all for this edition of the AT-10 Restoration Report. Many thanks to Chuck Cravens and AirCorps Aviation for this article. Should anyone wish to contribute to the Cadet Air Corps Museums efforts, please contact board members Brooks Hurst at 816 244 6927, email at wingnutsflyingcircus@yahoo.com or Todd Graves, todd.graves@pobox.com. Contributions are tax deductible.
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has warned that mankind's dependency on smartphones will 'result in the coming of the Antichrist'.

Patriarch Kirill, 72, told Russian state media the Antichrist will control the 'entire human race' through gadgets, smartphones and the Internet.

While Patriarch Kirill said he does not 'entirely oppose' smartphones, he warned against 'falling into slavery' of them.

No WiFi in heaven: Patriarch Kirill, 72, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church warned that the global dependency on smartphones will 'result in the coming of the Antichrist'

Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Day on January 7, and Patriarch Kirill made the comments during a holiday message on Monday.

'Control from a single point is a harbinger of the coming of the Antichrist,' he told the state-run Rossiya-1 TV network.

'The Antichrist is a personality that will be at the head of the world wide web controlling the entire human race. Thus, the structure itself presents a danger.

This is not the first time Patriarch Kirill, whose real name is Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev, has made interesting statements on the causes of evil in the world.

Different dates: Patriarch Kirill, centre, conducts a Christmas liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on Sunday, as the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas according to the Julian calendar, meaning it falls on January 7

In January 2016, the septuagenarian suggested the rise of ISIS is partly the result of the world accepting homosexuality.

He claimed Muslims may be fleeing to join the terror group in Syria and Iraq to avoid being part of a civilization that holds events like Gay Pride.

That same year, the Patriarch, who became the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2009, compared silencing priests that speak against same-sex marriage to censorship in Nazi Germany.
Nick Hewer has today relinquished his support for Labour after his Countdown co-host Rachel Riley was abused for speaking out about anti-Semitism in the party.

The former Apprentice star said he was 'astonished at the blunt assaults and trickster arguments' aimed at Riley after she criticised Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism.

He tweeted: 'As an Anglo-Irish lapsed Catholic, raises to abhor bigotry, I am astonished at the blunt assaults and trickster arguments fired at my friend and colleague Rachel Riley for calling out anti-Semitism in that once great Labour party which I have voted for since 1964. Not any more.'

Mr Hewer, who was an adviser to Lord Sugar on The Apprentice for 10 years and has been a Countdown presenter since January 2012, revealed he could no longer support Labour, despite voting for the party for more than 50 years

He tweeted: 'As an Anglo-Irish lapsed Catholic, raises to abhor bigotry, I am astonished at the blunt assaults and trickster arguments fired at my friend and colleague Rachel Riley'

Riley has used Twitter to share her frustration on problems with anti-Semitism and yesterday hit back at Heather Mendick, secretary of the Hackney South Labour Party, who accused Riley of 'smearing political activists as racists.'

Riley replied: 'Your leader has admitted you have a problem with antisemitism. One of your councillors is twisting my words to my employer to suit her own agenda.

'If you still claim to be a legitimate party - please make her stop.'

After the argument, Mr Hewer, who was an adviser to Lord Sugar on The Apprentice for 10 years and has been a Countdown presenter since January 2012, revealed he could no longer support Labour, despite voting for the party for more than 50 years.

After his outburst, Riley tweeted him saying, 'Thank you Nick.'

Rachel Riley has been met with a wave of abuse ever since she dared to speak out about anti-Semitism

In September Riley was hit with a wave of vile abuse after daring to speak out against Jeremy Corbyn on anti-Semitism.

The TV star, 32, was accused of being 'brainwashed and thick' after she tweeted links to a series of articles criticising his handling of the scandal tearing his party apart.

But she vowed not to stay silent despite the insults - saying that it is important for moderates to 'speak up' for what they believe in.

She wrote: 'Much as I appreciate being called Tory, brainwashed and thick, I dont have any party loyalties, I form my opinions based on available evidence.

'Religion wise, I choose Man United. Life wise I choose the options without intolerance, hatred and fear. #AntiSemitism.'
The teenage girl charged over the alleged stabbing of a nail salon employee claims the incident was an accident.

The girl, 13, will face court later this month after a woman was allegedly slashed with a knife while trying to break up a fight between two teenage girls at the Warringah Mall salon on Sydney's northern beaches on Monday afternoon.

Footage of the altercation posted to Snapchat shows nail salon employee Tracy Lam, 42, bleeding profusely from a knife wound to her arm.

The girl charged over the alleged stabbing at a nail salon claims it was an accident

The 13-year-old allegedly fled the scene but later turned herself in to police.

Several teens claiming to know the girls involved in the altercation told Nine News the altercation was sparked by an earlier dispute over an ex-boyfriend.

A girl claiming to be the 13-year-old alleged attacker reportedly took to Snapchat on Tuesday, claiming the alleged incident was an accident.

Nail salon worker Tracy Lam was allegedly stabbed with a knife while trying to break up a fight between two girls (pictured)

'When the knife was in my bag there was a hole and it was barely visible... only two-cm of the knife was out and when I went to go swing my bag at (the girl's) head...I accidentally wounded (the woman) badly,' the message read.

'People who weren't there need to not run their mouth because I'm gonna get arrested again if anyone says anything more about it.'

'Don't jump to conclusions because y'all think you're right and everything. I'm not allowed at the mall for like a year or something so to everyone who are saying 'she stabbed a lady' like f***** grow up don't be idiots, like it was an accident.'

The alleged attacker posted a lengthy Snapchat message on Tuesday

The other teenager, 14, involved in the altercation was not injured.

Ms Lam was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Royal North Shore Hospital.

Her husband and salon owner, Hai, 45, told Daily Telegraph that his wife is still in shock from the horrific incident and doctors are not sure if she would make a full recovery due to possible nerve damage.

Footage of Monday's alleged incident at Warringah Mall was posted on Snapchat

'She was trying to do the right thing,' Mr Lam said.

'She was trying to protect her customers.'

A Narraweena girl, 13, was charged with reckless wounding, affray and custody of knife in a public place.

She was bailed to appear at Surry Hills Childrens Court on January 22.

Tracy Lam sustained a knife would to her arm and was rushed to hospital
Kim Jong-un has arrived in Beijing on his birthday to hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping ahead of a summit with Donald Trump which is anticipated some time early this year.

Kim, now 36, was ferried across the border in an armoured train before being met at the Chinese capital's north station by a motorcade, which took him to meet with Xi.

The pair, who have met on three previous occasions, will likely discuss strategy after North Korean and US officials met in Vietnam while scouting out possible locations for a second summit between Trump and Kim.

Kim is also keen to play up his links to China after threatening that North Korea could chose an 'alternative path' to diplomatic ties with America, should negotiations over the country's nuclear arsenal fail.

Kim Jong-un arrived in Beijing by train on Tuesday for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss strategy ahead of fresh talks with Trump

Kim was taken across the border on an armoured train before being met at Beijing's north station by a motorcade which whisked him away to meet Xi

Heavy security lined the railway tracks and surrounded the station as Kim - who is known to be paranoid about assassination - arrived in the country

A limousine carrying the North Korean leader is seen driving through Beijing on Tuesday morning, which also happens to be Kim's birthday

Kim is due to remain in China for four days, with both sides taking the unusual step of announcing the visit ahead of time.

North Korea usually does not announce that Kim is out of the country until the visit is over to reduce the possibility of a coup back home.

Another summit between Kim and Trump would herald a remarkable improvement in relations between the two old foes, though many differences remains.

No American President had ever met a North Korean leader until Trump and Kim sat down for talks in Singapore last year and struck up a close personal rapport.

But despite Trump's insistence that the North Koreans were willing to give up their nuclear arsenal, little real progress has been made on disarmament.

North Korea has decommissioned its main nuclear testing site at Punggye-ri - amid reports that it had partially collapsed following a powerful explosion - and stopped ballistic missile tests.

Pyongyang is now demanding a partial reprieve from international sanctions which have crippled its economy, but officials in Washington say there will be no reward until all of its nukes have been dismantled.

Kim was accompanied on the visit by wife Ri Sol-ju, pictured here leaving Pyongyang

Kim uses an armoured train to travel between his home country and China, which is the same used by his father during his diplomatic visits

Police officers and police dogs sniff parked vehicles outside Beijing's north station ahead of the arrival of Kim Jong-un

A paramilitary police officer stands guard outside the Beijing Railway Station

In his New Year's address, Kim said that if Washington persisted with its approach, 'we may be compelled to find a new way for defending the sovereignty of the country and the supreme interests of the state'.

With his visit to China, 'Kim is eager to remind the Trump administration that he does have diplomatic and economic options besides what Washington and Seoul can offer,' said Harry Kazianis of the Center for the National Interest in Washington.

The US should be 'quite concerned' by any effort by Pyongyang to strengthen ties with Beijing, he added.

The trip signals the latest warming of ties between North Korea and China after a dramatic deterioration in relations which led many observers to speculate that their old alliance was all-but over.

China is virtually North Korea's only international ally, accounts for roughly 90 per cent of its trade, and provides a powerful deterrent to US intervention in the region.

Tuesday also marks the North Korean leader's birthday, though it is unclear if China has planned any celebrations for him.

Trump has pushed heavily for Chinese support in convincing North Korea to give up its weapons programs, suggesting that could win Beijing better terms in a trade deal with Washington.

Kim is keen to play up his ties with Beijing after threatening during his New Year message that he could take an 'alternative path' to forging diplomatic links with America

North Korea and China took the unusual step of advertising the trip ahead of time - both sides typically report the visit only when it has finished, to avoid causing a coup in North Korea

A motorcycle escort prepares to lead a convoy containing North Korea's Kim Jong-un

Chinese People's Liberation Army soldiers and police stand guard in front of the railway station

Kim's arrival in Beijing coincides with U.S.-China trade talks in Beijing that seek to end the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies ahead of a March deadline.

Asked whether China was linking to issues in an interview Monday with CNBC, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: 'The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues.'

'Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that. China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Korea's nuclear capability. I expect they will continue to do so.'

Chinese forces played an integral role defending the North during the 1950-53 Korean War, and Beijing remains Pyongyang's key diplomatic backer and trade partner.

It has always feared the collapse of its neighbour, which would threaten floods of refugees streaming onto its territory and the prospect of US troops stationed on its border in a unified Korea, but in recent years became increasingly frustrated with its nuclear antics.

That changed last spring, when Kim ended six years as a diplomatic recluse to go to Beijing and pay his respects to Xi in his first overseas trip as leader.

A series of visits have followed in both directions - although Xi has yet to reciprocate with a trip to Pyongyang - along with three summits between Kim and the South's President Moon Jae-in, and Beijing lent Kim a plane to travel to Singapore.
A woman who was caught on video erupting into a furious tirade at a member of JetBlue staff at a Florida airport this week has now been identified as a resident of California, who has been committed to a hospital for a psychiatric examination in the wake of the bizarre incident.

The passenger, identified by the Broward County Sheriff's Office as 26-year-old Sabrina Thomas, of San Marcos, California, was scheduled to board a JetBlue flight on Sunday.

Instead, she unleashed a furious verbal attack at an airline employee standing behind the desk, calling him and his colleagues 'rapists' and claiming she was armed with a gun.

Thomas, who is white, also ranted about hating 'white people' and white police officers.

According to an incident report obtained by DailyMail.com Tuesday, a sheriff's deputy responded to the F concourse at the JetBlue Terminal 3 at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for a passenger causing a disturbance shortly after 5pm Sunday.

Sabrina Thomas, 26, launches a furious verbal attack on the Jet Blue staff member at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida

The deputy wrote that when he encountered Thomas, she threw a duffel bag at the wall and hurled her passport on the floor.

'She then threw at me a boarding pass that she ripped into several pieces,' the report stated.

Citing the passengers aggressive actions,' the responding officer said he grabbed her hands and restrained them behind her back.

After the 26-year-old reportedly ignored serval verbal commands to turn around the sit on the floor, the deputy 'directed' her to the floor and handcuffed her, after which the woman 'again became irate and started to scream profanities.

Thomas, who is white, was quoted as yelling, 'I'm racist against white people, I f***ing hate white cops.'

Thomas was eventually escorted off the concourse and transported to Broward General Hospital as an involuntary Baker Act patient after displaying what the officer termed as 'bizarre behavior' and making 'irrational statements.'

According to a supplemental report, prior to Thomas ' outburst and subsequent run-in with the deputy, she was waiting to board a flight when a JetBlue staffer noticed that she seemed unwell and asked her whether she had been drinking, or is currently on medications.

Thomas replied that she was OK, and denied any alcohol or medication use.

She was about to proceed onto the plane when the 26-year-old reportedly yelled out, 'Go f*** yourself.'

The crew member in charge of the boarding process then told Thomas to wait five minutes and then addressed her again to see if she could be cleared to fly.

At that point, the woman reportedly started to yell, 'I hate white people' and 'white people raped me.'

When the staffer went to rebook Thomas on a different flight at a help desk, she unleashed the now-viral tirade while attempting to climb over the counter.

Another sheriff's deputy who was called in as back up wrote in his report that Thomas appeared delusional and mentally unstable.

'She displayed erratic mood swings which went from crying to silent and still to very loud and aggressive without warning, he stated.

Footage captured at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport shows the female passenger screaming at the staffer after she was denied entry to the plane due to signs of intoxication.

Some passengers at the airport had been delayed for 10 hours by a canceled flight, but airport staff said Thomas had faced no such problems.

The California resident, who was scheduled to fly on JetBlue on Sunday, screams at the member of staff in front of horrified passengers

The clip, which was captured by musician Post Malone's manager Dre London, was later posted on his Instagram page and has since gone viral.

In the recording, Thomas launches her body above the desk and bellows: 'God damn it! Who does that to a woman like me. Who?'

As she hoists her body off the ground and onto the JetBlue counter designated as a help desk for Cuba flights she carries on her verbal outburst by calling staff 'rapists' and threatening that she has a gun.

She continues: 'Get me out of here! Get me out of this sick f***ing place! Get me out of here! Get me out of here! I have a f***ing gun on me because I'm homeless!'

The infuriated traveler then picks up a large, green duffel bag and walks away.

Thomas hoists her body off the ground and onto the JetBlue counter as she continues her verbal attack. She furiously shouts at the member of staff and calls him a 'rapist' before threatening that she has a gun

Following the incident, footage shows Thomas sitting on the floor with local law enforcement around her

The video of the woman's airport meltdown was recorded and shared by Dre London (pictured left), who is the manager of singer Post Malone (left and right)

On Instagram, Dre London wrote: 'I wake up this am to my video going viral & many calls including @foxnews.

'So yesterday I was stuck in the airport for 10hrs as #JetBlue flight was canceled due to computer failure.

'They said we would send another plane from New York but this took many hrs.

'While in Fort Lauderdale airport everyone remained calm apart from this woman who went crazy on #JetBlue staff called him a rapist & she said she had a gun.'

In a second video posted by Dre London the woman, dressed in a checkered skirt and flip-flops, is seen sitting on the ground as a police officer asks her to 'calm down'.

Following the incident, a JetBlue spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle: 'On January 6, crew members at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport requested assistance from local law enforcement after a customer was denied boarding for indications of intoxication and became disruptive.'
A junior doctor who gatecrashed a party and went on a drunken rampage of violence including biting a female police officer could lose his job after being hauled before health chiefs.

Dr Gareth Byrne, 25, arrived uninvited at the house - which he previously lived in - after drinking two bottles of red wine and attacked two strangers, headbutting one three times and biting the other.

A medical tribunal heard he launched his attack after the revellers tried to eject him from the party in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, and shouted 'I'm a doctor - don't you know who I am?'.

When police arrived he called a female officer a 'f***ing sl*t', punched her in the face and then tried to bite her arm.

Dr Gareth Byrne, 25, could be struck off at a medical tribunal after assaulting two revellers at a house party he gatecrashed and then attacking a female police officer called to the scene. He is pictured left outside the hearing in Manchester and right in a mug shot following his arrest

He also kicked her in the back and damaged her engagement ring, with repairs costing 525.

Byrne, a Foundation Year One doctor, later said he was 'paralytic' and 'ten out ten drunk' but blamed the incident on working an 80 hour week at Royal Stoke Hospital.

He claimed he was one of a 'large number of junior doctors who are suffering on a daily basis' and claimed he had endured a 'particular stressful week.'

In June last year, Byrne pleaded guilty to two offences of assault by beating and two offences of assaulting a police officer and was fined 1,686 and ordered to pay compensation of 600.

This week he faced a disciplinary hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service where he could be struck off for misconduct.

The incident occurred last May after Byrne and a colleague went to the Cherry Tree pub just half a mile from the hospital.

After leaving the pub he stumbled across his old house that he had lived in 18 months before.

Georgina Goring, representing the General Medical Council, told the hearing in Manchester: 'A man known as Victim A reported that during the early hours of 26th May he was celebrating a friend's birthday at a friend's house.

'Mr Byrne entered the property unknown to the people there, and he was under the influence of alcohol. Victim A tried to eject him from the property and Mr Byrne grabbed him and they both fell to the ground.

Byrne, pictured at the hearing, had been drinking red wine before entering his former home in Staffordshire uninvited and headbutting and biting two revellers who tried to get him to leave

'Mr Byrne grabbed Victim A's shirt which caused it to rip and began head butting him three times, which caused bruises and a small purple mark.

'Mr Byrne told him he was a doctor and said: "Don't you know who I am". Victim A received no medical treatment for his injuries but reported that he was still hurting seven hours later.

'Another report comes from a man called Victim T who was also in the property at the time. He said that during 1-2am on that day he was at a house party.

'Mr Byrne entered the property and Victim A tried to eject him, to which a scuffle started between them. Victim T tried to intervene by by grabbing the doctor's wrists but the the doctor bit his right wrist forearm area and kicked him.

'The bite did not break any layers of the skin.

'Two police officers attended - one entered the property to find out more information and was told how the doctor had let himself into the property, and two males had pinned him to the floor in the hallway.

'He was placed in handcuffs and taken to the police van. He was clearly under the influence of alcohol. The police officer called PC F sat in the rear of the vehicle as they were going to the station.

'But as they approached, Mr Byrne lunged towards her and hit her to her left cheek causing immediate pain. He began calling her a 'f***ing sl*t'.

'They had to restrain him outside of the van for a considerable amount of time.

'During this he tried to bite PC F to her arm by grabbing it and forcibly bringing it to his mouth. He also kicked her back twice.

'PC F noticed her engagement ring he been dented from the incident. During the booking in process in the station he tried to kick officers.

'He was placed in a police cell and interview the same morning. He stated he was a doctor at Royal Stoke hospital. He had been to a pub and had had a particularly stressful week at work and felt he was not being supported.

Byrne is a in his first year as a foundation doctor at Royal Stoke Hospital, pictured

'When asked to rate out of 10 how drunk he was, he said he was '10 out of 10 drunk, paralytic'. He then recalls waking up in a police cell and doesn't remember anything after the pub.

'He used to live at that address 18 months prior and was very apologetic. He appeared at Newcastle magistrates court and entered four guilty pleas.

'He had to pay 600 to PC F in compensation for the damage to her engagement ring. He was a first year foundation doctor. After the incident he was excluded from the hospital for them to conduct an external investigation.'

Byrne's lawyers are expected to make submissions about his fitness to practise today.

At his court hearing last June his lawyer Andrew Bennett said: 'His career is, if not over, hanging by a thread. He completely lost it.

'A large number of junior doctors are suffering on a daily basis and he had gone with a colleague to The Cherry Tree after a long working week.

'By the time he left he was on auto-pilot and walked into a house he had not lived in for some time. This was well and truly out of character.'

The misconduct hearing continues.
British officials are said to be 'sounding out' the EU about delaying Brexit beyond March as Theresa May faces a mounting political crisis.

There are claims that the UK has been 'putting out feelers' over the prospect of an extension to the Article 50 process.

Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay did not completely rule out the prospect this morning - although he insisted government policy is still to leave the EU in March.

Ireland has also made clear it would not block any effort to push back the exit date.

The apparent manoeuvring came as the PM scrambles to win over mutinous MPs as she stares down the barrel of a disastrous defeat in the vote on her Brexit deal, due to happen next Tuesday.

Irish PM Leo Varadkar has signalled that the EU will give 'assurances' that the UK will not be 'trapped' in the controversial backstop arrangements designed to avoid a hard border.

Theresa May (pictured today) is scrambling to win over mutinous MPs as she stares down the barrel of a disastrous defeat in the vote on her Brexit deal, due to happen next Tuesday

However, French minister for Europe Nathalie Loiseau seemed to dash any hopes of significant concessions today, saying the bloc could only provide 'political' statements rather than the legally binding guarantees Mrs May has been pleading for.

Ministers are said to be urging Mrs May to give Parliament the final say on whether the backstop takes effect, as well as the right to exit the Treaty after 12 months if Brussels is not behaving fairly.

A Cabinet source told The Times the government should present the EU with those conditions on a take-it-or-leave-it basis - with no deal the alternative.

However, there are currently few signs that the change would satisfy the DUP and Eurosceptics, or that Brussels would agree to those terms.

Sources have suggested they are instead proposing an 'exchange of letters' with Mrs May, setting out the bloc's intention to conclude a trade deal by 2021.

That timetable would mean the backstop need never come into effect, but experts have voiced scepticism about whether it is possible.

Ministers discussed the situation at a Cabinet meeting today.

The PM's spokesman said she told her senior team that the debate on the Brexit motion will be opened tomorrow by Mr Barclay.

'The PM said she would close the debate next Tuesday, January 15, when the vote will take place,' the spokesman said.

'She said she was continuing to seek reassurances from the European Union that neither us nor the EU want to use the backstop and if it were to come into effect, it would be a temporary measure.'

Ireland's foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney warned MPs that the time for 'wishful thinking' is over if the UK wants to avoid crashing out of the EU - and also admitted that his country would be seriously damaged.

Speaking at the Global Ireland 2025 Heads of Mission Conference in Dublin, Mr Coveney said: 'There is no alternative 585-page agreement waiting to be dusted off.

'And it is also wishful thinking to ignore the default outcome if nothing else is agreed - that default is a crash-out.

'Surely now is the time in Westminster for everyone, in government and in opposition, to cast aside unrealistic options based on promises that simply cannot be delivered.

'If that doesn't happen quickly, in the absence of that realism, it is the hardliners who think no price is too high to pay for their version of Brexit who will win out to everyone's cost, including Ireland's.'

Ms Loiseau insisted the backstop was a 'last resort' for the EU as well as the UK.

'These are political assurances. But there is nothing more we can do. The withdrawal agreement is indeed a good agreement, both for the UK and the EU. We should stick to it,' she told reporters.

With the prospect of Mrs May's plan passing the Commons looking vanishingly small, opponents are pushing their own visions of how to proceed.

Labour's Yvette Cooper and Tory former education secretary Nicky Morgan have tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill today designed to make it harder for the government to push ahead with no deal.

The change would effectively limit the Treasury's tax-raising powers, making it more difficult to respond to the disruption from crashing out.

As the PM wooed Tory MPs in Downing Street last night, business minister Richard Harrington made clear he will resign if the government backs no-deal after Mrs May's plan is defeated.

Several Cabinet members, including Justice Secretary David Gauke, have also signalled they would quit - while some Conservatives have insisted they would vote no-confidence in the government to avoid a chaotic departure.

Amber Rudd (left), Matt Hancock (centre) and Steve Barclay (right) were among the ministers at Cabinet today

Home Secretary Sajid Javid (left) and Aid Secretary Penny Mordaunt (right) were also at the gathering in Downing Street today

Culture minister Margot James yesterday broke ranks to suggest Brexit might have to be delayed if Mrs May's deal is voted down.

According to the Telegraph, EU sources say UK officials are 'testing the waters' for extending Article 50.

Even if Mrs May's deal was to pass next week there are serious questions over whether the full legislation would be passed to implement it by March.

Mr Barclay this morning insisted the policy was still to leave the bloc at the end of March, and warned an extension would cause 'very practical issues'.

Barclay said: 'It's not a unilateral decision for the UK. That is not a decision the UK Government could take, it would require the consent of all 27 member states.

'It would also generate some very practical issues, for example EU parliamentary elections at the end of May.'

He continued: 'The real question for Members of Parliament who voted to give the public a say through the European referendum in 2016, who voted in large numbers to trigger Article 50, (is) the consequence of triggering Article 50 is you either have a deal and the EU have been clear that the only deal on the table is the PM's deal. You either have a deal or you have no deal.'

Downing Street has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a delay in the departure date, with Mrs May's official spokesman saying: 'The Prime Minister has been very clear on a number of occasions that extending Article 50 is not something we are intending to do.'

Speaking on a visit to Mali, Mr Varadkar said: 'We don't want to trap the UK into anything.

'We want to get on to the talks about the future relationship right away,.. I think it's those kind of assurances we are happy to give.'

Mrs May last night began a seven-day charm offensive by inviting all Tory MPs and their partners to drinks in No 10.

Those attending included vocal critics such as Boris Johnson.

But hardline Eurosceptic MPs warned they would not vote for the deal even if Mrs May achieved a breakthrough on the Irish backstop.

Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the Commons European scrutiny committee, said the backstop was 'not the whole story by any means'.

He added: 'Reassurances are going to get nowhere and they are certainly not going to convince anybody who's thinking hard about this when it comes to the vote next week.'

Fellow Eurosceptic Sir John Redwood said opposition to Mrs May's deal 'goes way beyond the unacceptable Irish backstop and includes paying huge sums of money with nothing nailed down over the future partnership'.

Boris Johnson (left) was at a reception in Downing Street where Theresa May tried to win MPs over to her Brexit deal. Leo Varadkar (right) has said the EU can give assurances over the Irish border backstop
A former stock broker accused of murdering his wealthy estranged wife in 2009 before she could cut him out of her will tried to frame their daughter when he realized police were closing in on him years later, it has been claimed.

Rod Covlin, now 45, is accused of of murdering his businesswoman wife, Shele Danishefsky Covlin then leaving her body in the bathtub of her Manhattan apartment for their daughter, Anna, to find at 7am on New Year's Eve in 2009.

He was 36 at the time. Shele, a UBS executive from a wealthy Jewish orthodox family, was 47 and was the sole breadwinner while her husband pursued a career as a professional backgammon player.

Shele had been put in a choke-hold, strangled, then turned face down in the tub in what prosecutors say was set up to look like an accidental drowning.

She was found by the couple's daughter Anna. Their other child, Myles, was at home asleep.

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Rod Covlin, now 45, is accused of of murdering his businesswoman wife, Shele Danishefsky Covlin, in 2009 by strangling her and leaving her body in the bathtub of her Manhattan apartment for their daughter to find. He is shown, left, in court on Monday nine years after her death

Because the only visible injury on her body was a cut to the back of the head and because her religious family protested against an invasive autopsy, the cause of her death was undetermined.

At the time, the couple were in the midst of a bitter custody and divorce battle which centered around Covlin's alleged infidelity. The day before her death, Shele, made an appointment to meet with her attorney to discuss taking Rod, a Columbia-graduate, out of her $4million will.

Prosecutors also contend that he wanted to start seeing other women and that he was cheating at the time of his wife's death.

For six years, her death was deemed to be an accident until 2015 when Covlin was recorded by a girlfriend hatching up a plan to marry Anna off so that he would be able to control her inheritance.

His hope was that by her getting married, she would no longer be considered a minor and that technicality would grant him access to the money.

He was prepared to pay a Mexican teenage boy $10,000 to go through with the marriage.

By then, the children had been removed from his care and given to his parents and he had no way of accessing the $4million which had been left to them by their deceased mother.

On Monday, nine years after his wife's death, he appeared in court to face murder charges and was accused of trying to frame Anna for killing Shele by penning an Apple note in 2013, allegedly pretending to be his daughter, where she confessed to the killing.

It read: 'All of these years I have been so incredibly afraid and guilty about the night my mom died.

'I lied. She didn't just slip. That day we got into a fight about her dating  I got mad so I pushed her, but it couldn't have been that hard!

At the time of her death, Rod was 36 and Shele, a UBS executive from a wealthy background, was 47. She was the sole breadwinner and he was pursuing his backgammon passion

'I didn't mean to hurt her! I swear! But she fell and I heard a terrible noise and the water started turning red and I tried to pull her head up but she remained still'

Prosecutor Matthew Bogdanos claimed he wrote the note once he learned the DA's investigation into him was heating up again.

On the morning of his wife's death, Covlin left the apartment building where they lived at 4am to go for a walk.

It piqued prosecutors' interest because on his way out, he offered their doorman a cup of coffee.

The doorman told investigators that it was odd behavior from a man who had scarcely ever acknowledged him before. Shele's body was found at 7am, three hours after their encounter.

Though suspicion against him was abundant, police did not file charges until six years later.

Covlin, pictured in court on Monday, denies killing his wife and all of the other allegations

There are a number of reasons for the delay including the fact that Shele's body never underwent a full autopsy.

In 2010, a year after Shele died, her family allowed her body to be exhumed so that a full autopsy could be carried out.

They had previously refused on grounds of their religion but changed their minds as suspicion against Covlin mounted.

The autopsy revealed that she had been strangled and a medical examiner ruled the cause of death as homicide but no charges were brought against her ex-husband.

Her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him and, as part of it, a judge placed an order prohibiting him from seeing any of the money that had been left to him or her children but he still did not face murder charges.

Covlin was reported to police by a girlfriend who secretly recorded a conversation they had where he allegedly discussed marrying Anna off so that he would finally be able to get control of her trust fund.

After their mother's death, the children were entrusted to their father's parents' care after they raised concern that he was physically abusing their son.

There were also claims he had been trying to contact underage girls by 'poking' them on Facebook.

One threatened to report him to the police if he did not stop, according to prosecutors, and there were other allegations which prosecutors made vague reference to in court that he had actually engaged in sexual contact with a minor.

The couple were in the midst of a bitter divorce battle and Shele was trying to write her husband out of her will. They were living in separate apartments on the same floor of this Upper West Side apartment building

Shele's nine-year-old daughter Anna found her face down in the bathtub of their apartment (shown) on New Year's Eve at 7am. By the time police arrived, Rod was in dry clothes

Covlin, who has been described as greedy and unscrupulous by prosecutors, was enraged by it because he was desperate to control the children's trust fund.

To try to regain control of it, he allegedly hatched a plan to kill his own parents.

Shele's body was exhumed in 2010 a year after she died for an autopsy to be performed. It revealed she had been strangled

He also, it is claimed, tried to convince Anna to accuse her grandfather, his father, of molesting her and sickeningly, gave her instructions on how to break her own hymen with a cucumber to make it appear as though she had been sexually assaulted.

He denies all of the allegations against him and maintains that Shele's death was an accident.

After the new accusations emerged on Wednesday, his lawyer Robert Gottlieb said: 'It's disgusting because it's clear what happened here.

'These garbage allegations, which the DA has been desperate to get before a jury has been thrown out of the case by the judge in a very clear decision.

'The allegations are absurd, ridiculous and they will have no role to play in this case.'

This guy is a f****** psychopath Former co-worker at Pearl Capital debt collectors

Details of his life before Shele remain unclear as are the details surrounding his career on Wall Street.

When his wife died, he was well known on the backgammon circuit and was one of the founding members of the US Backgammon Federation.

In the months before his 2017 arrest, he had been working for a loan collectors company under a different name.

Calling himself Rod Sommer, he worked at Pearl Capital as a head loan collector.

After his arrest, former co-workers said he was a 'f****** psychopath' who came to work reeking of alcohol and who was aggressive towards some of the people he was collecting money from.

'This guy is a fking psychopath. He is out of his bird. Sometimes hed come nose-to-nose with me.

'Whenever he was in my face, he reeked of liquor...

'There was always alcohol on his breath  early in the morning, all day, in fact,' the worker, who declined to be named, told The New York Post in 2017.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joked with the King of Jordan on Tuesday that President Donald Trump 'will make a lot of news' with a speech about his plan to confront a growing crisis on America's southern border.

Pompeo was in Amman to meet with King Abdullah II and hold a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

Trump's top diplomat said during a bilateral meeting with Abdullah that the president 'is going to give a set of remarks. First time he's spoken from the Oval Office. In 2 years.'

'It's going to be about the border, mostly. ... I saw an early version of it. He will make a lot of news.'

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joked with King Abdullah of Jordan on Tuesday that he had seen an early draft of President Donald Trump's border-wall speech, predicting that he would 'make a lot of news'

Trump will give a brief speech from the Oval Office, laying out his case for a border barrier to stop the northward flow of drugs and criminals, and to stem the humanitarian crisis that comes along with refugees from Central America

Trump is expected to deliver an eight-minute message, making his case that defending the U.S.-Mexico border and solving a humanitarian crisis should be his top domestic priority.

Most TV networks plan to cut into their programming. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanded equal time, and will address the nation right after Trump.

He is expected to declare that a national emergency on the border, giving himself the power to task the Pentagon to build his long-promised border wall without budget approval from Congress.

Barack Obama declared 15 states of emergency during his eight years as president. He officially ended just 2 of them, according to a list maintained by the Brennan Center for Justice.

Pompeo's visit is part of a week-long swing through the Middle East. He said Tuesday that the Trump administration is doubling down on commercial and diplomatic efforts in the coming weeks to 'put real pressure on Iran.'

His other stops will include a speech in Egypt and meetings in several Gulf nations.

Pompeo, pictured with his wife Susan, is on a week-long diplomatic swing through the Middle East mostly intended to put added pressure on Iran

Pompeo also held a joint press conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Amman

The trip comes amid confusion over conflicting statements by President Donald Trump and senior U.S. officials about a planned U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria. Trump made the surprise announcement about a withdrawal last month, saying some 2,000 troops fighting alongside Syrian Kurdish allies in northeastern Syria against ISIS extremists would be pulled out soon.

He did not give details, such as a timetable, leaving bewildered U.S. partners in the region jockeying for influence over terms of a withdrawal.

Pompeo contended Tuesday that the planned withdrawal from Syria would not complicate the administration's anti-Iran campaign. He said U.S. allies in the region, including Jordan, agree on what they view as the 'enormous risk' Iran poses for the region.

'The president's decision to withdraw our folks from Syria in no way impacts our capacity to deliver on that,' he said in his joint news conference with Safadi.

'You will see in the coming days and weeks that we are doubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran to achieve what it is we set out for them back in May.'

Pompeo talked to reporters on his plane on his way to the Middle East on Monday

Pompeo's visit began as National Security Adviser John Bolton was set to depart Turkey without meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - an apparent snub over disagreements about the Kurdish fighters in Syria.

U.S. officials had said the two were expected to have consultations on Tuesday about the fate of Kurds allied with the U.S. in Syria as part of discussions about Trump's troop draw-down.

National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis said U.S. officials were told Erdogan cited local election season and a speech to parliament for not meeting with Bolton.

The Trump administration in November restored U.S. sanctions on Iran that had been lifted under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Western powers. The sanctions cover Iran's shipping, financial and energy sectors. They are the second batch the administration has re-imposed since Trump withdrew from the accord in May.

Later on Tuesday, Pompeo met with Jordan's King Abdullah II at the royal palace in the capital of Amman.

During a brief photo opportunity, Pompeo was chatting with the monarch, mentioning a speech by President Trump, to be delivered from the Oval Office later Tuesday.

'He is going to give a set of remarks,' Pompeo said of the president. 'First time he's spoken from the Oval Office in two years. It's gonna be about the border, mostly, our southern border. I saw an early version of it. He will make a lot of news.'
Reginald Wallace, 47, was arrested on Sunday after the attack on Friday night

A parolee who was released from jail in 2017 is being held on suspicion of shooting wildly into a mass brawl at a California bowling alley killing three and wounding four others.

Reginald Wallace, 47, of Los Angeles, was arrested Sunday, Torrance Police Chief Eve Irvine announced on Monday.

Irvine said two people began fighting at Gable House Bowl in Torrance, a suburb of Los Angeles, on Friday night, where up to 15 people ended up scrapping.

Violence then crescendoed as three shots rang out from Wallace's handgun, police said.

Family members held a candlelit vigil on Saturday night to grieve the loss of Astin Edwards and Robert 'Tank' Meekins, both 28, and 20-year-old Michael Radford.

They had gone out that night to celebrate a birthday.

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Police officers investigate a shooting at a bowling alley in the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance, California, on Friday night

Anglean Hubbarb the mother of Robert Meekins, 28, grieves outside the Gable House Bowl center

Three others were wounded as people ran from the blood-soaked carnage.

It was unclear whether the gunman knew his victims, Irvine said.

'I do know that he was shooting into a crowd,' the chief said. 'And there was a lot going on. It was complete chaos at this time.

'People were running all over, there were fights still occurring and when he pulled out the handgun, the minute people started hearing shots, even more chaos erupted.'

Astin Edwards, 28 (left), and Michael Radford, 20 (right) were also identified by family as killed in the shooting

Robert 'Tank' Meekins, 28, (left and right) was identified as one of the fatalities. He was father to a five-year old boy.

He did not reload and was believed to have acted alone, Irvine said.

Wallace was released from prison in 2017 after serving time for assault with a deadly weapon, Irvine said.

Friends and relatives set up flowers and photos at a memorial during the vigil in the bowling alley parking lot on Saturday night.

Dwayne Edwards of Los Angeles said his nephew called him to tell him that his 28-year-old son, Astin Edwards, was among those killed. His nephew told him his son was trying to break up a fight when a gunman 'just started unloading.'

'I'm thinking this is a dream and I'll wake up,' the 60-year-old Edwards told the Orange County Register. 'He was a good kid. I don't understand it.'

Torrance Police Department investigators express their condolences to family members, as officers confirm fatalities after the shooting

Grieving relatives stand outside the Gable House Bowl center as they await news on their family members after three were killed and four injured in the shooting

Anglean Hubbard told KABC-TV that her 28-year-old son, Robert Meekins, also died while trying to break up the fight. She said Meekins and Astin Edwards were close.

'I know he probably jumped in and helped Astin and whoever he was with ... but I don't think my son deserves to die,' Hubbard said.

Latrice Dumas identified the third victim as her brother, 20-year-old Michael Radford.

'He was happy. He was always a protector,' Dumas told the Torrance Daily Breeze newspaper. 'He was trying to protect others.'

Wallace remained jailed without bail Monday. It was unclear whether he had an attorney.
A far-right German MP has been seriously injured in a 'politically motivated' gang attack in the north of the country.

Frank Magnitz, who leads the Bremen-branch of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), was assaulted in the city centre on Monday afternoon.

The AfD party published a photo of Magnitz lying injured on a hospital bed, claiming three masked men had hit the politician 'with a piece of wood' and fled the scene.

Party leader Joerg Meuthen said the 66-year-old was 'beaten almost to death' in a 'cowardly and sickening' attack.

The assault on Magnitz drew condemnation from across the German political spectrum, including from Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Attacked: Far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) published photo of MP Frank Magnitz in hospital after allegedly being attacked by three men in Bremen, northwest Germany

Anger: AfD representatives as well as opposition politicians have slammed the 'cowardly' attack on Mangitz, who is the local leader for the party in Bremen

Blood is seen on the ground where Frank Magnitz was attacked in Bremen yesterday

Bremen police said they believe the attack was politically motivated and called for witnesses to the incident, which took place around 5.20pm on Monday near a theater in central Bremen.

Magnitz was beaten over the head with a not officially identified object, by at least three men wearing dark clothing and hoods or hats, who then fled, police said.

Two construction workers who were loading a car nearby found him lying on the ground and called an ambulance

'They hit him with a piece of wood until he was unconscious and then kicked him on the ground,' AfD said in a statement, adding that 'today is a dark day for democracy in Germany.'

The party said Magnitz was ambushed after he left a Bremen newspaper's new year's reception.

AfD co-leader Alexander Gauland speaks during a press conference in Berlin today, where he claimed other parties were to blame for the attack as they compared his party to the Nazis

Police officers stand close to a theatre in central Bremen where Mr Magnitz was found lying unconscious after being beaten over the head

Mr Magnitz had reportedly been attending a new year's reception at a Bremen newspaper when he was attacked near this theatre

'It was clearly an attempt to murder Mr. Magnitz,' AfD co-leader Alexander Gauland told reporters in Berlin.

'This is the result of the ostracism and agitation AfD faces,' he said, suggesting other parties were partly responsible for the attack because they had compared AfD to Adolf Hitler's Nazi party.

Magnitz is associated with the extreme right of the party, including its firebrand leader in the eastern state of Thuringia, Bjoern Hoecke.

Magnitz told the dpa news agency he had been told he would need to remain hospitalized until the weekend and had little memory of the attack.

He added that while he had received threats, he hadn't considered any of them concrete.

Chancellor Angela Merkel led cross-party condemnations of the assault, as her spokesman Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter that the 'brutal attack' was 'to be condemned sharply'.

'Hopefully the police will succeed in catching the perpetrators quickly,' he wrote.

AfD leader Joerg Meuthen tweeted that Magnitz was 'beaten almost to death' in a 'cowardly and sickening' attack.

Johannes Kahrs, an MP from the Social Democrats, junior partners in the ruling coalition, said 'violence is never acceptable' and that 'extremism in any form is rubbish'. He wished Magnitz a quick recovery.

Two workers loading a truck close to the scene of the attack found Mr Magnitz and called an ambulance (pictured, police officers inspect the scene)

Mr Magnitz told police that he had received threats in the buildup to the attack, but didn't consider any of them concrete

An alleyway leading to the theatre which is where Mr Magnitz was attacked on Monday night

Cem Ozdemir of the opposition Greens party said he hoped those responsible could be 'found and convicted soon' and that, even against a far-right party, 'nothing justifies violence'.

'Those who fight hate with hate only allow hate to win in the end,' said the politician of Turkish origin.

AfD is represented in all of Germany's 16 state parliaments. It entered the national parliament in 2017 and is currently the biggest opposition party there. It views the country's established political parties with contempt, and the feeling is mutual.

The party took 10 percent of the vote in Bremen in the 2017 national election, below its nationwide result of 12.6 percent.

Bremen is not considered an AfD stronghold, unlike three states in Germany's ex-communist east that hold regional votes in September and October.

The party claims there have been 'hundreds' of attacks against its officers and members since its founding in 2013.

Last week, an explosive device detonated in a rubbish bin damaged an AfD office in Saxony. Three suspects were detained.

And last weekend in Lower Saxony, the home of a local AfD politician was targeted with graffiti and a party office was attacked with a paint bomb.
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The government shutdown continued to burden the country's airports as it entered its 18th day on Tuesday with no prospect of pay on the horizon for the tens of thousands of TSA workers who are calling out sick to avoid having to work for free.

Over the weekend, some airports had long lines at checkpoints, caused by a rising number of security officers calling in sick while they are not getting paid. Safety inspectors aren't even on the job.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said Monday that inspectors are being called back to work on a case-by-case basis, with a priority put on inspecting airline fleets.

So far, the impact of the shutdown has been most visible for some government buildings and national parks being closed, and trash piling up on the National Mall in front of the Capitol. If the shutdown continues, food stamp recipients will go without aid.

By increasingly affecting air travel, however, the pain is being felt more widely.

By 8am on Tuesday morning, there had already been more than 5,000 delays at airports across the country. It is doubtful that the shutdown was entirely to blame for those delays but Chicago's O'Hare Airport was among the worst affected.

Senator Dick Durbin held a press conference at the airport on Tuesday morning with TSA workers who told of their despair.

'I just bought a house, I won't be able to pay my mortgage. This is affecting me personally,' said one woman.

Durbin, a Democrat who is a fierce opponent of President Trump's planned border wall, criticized the president for pursuing his plans at the expense of ordinary Americans' livelihood.

'It is all over one issue; the president's border wall.That is totally unnecessary and a total waste,' he said.

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Lines at Chicago O'Hare airport on Tuesday as the government shutdown entered its 18th day, causing delays at checkpoints across the country

A TSA agent checks travel documents at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Monday, the 17th day of the government shutdown when tens of thousands of workers called out sick to avoid having to go to work unpaid

Here are some common questions about the shutdown's impact on airports and travel, along with the answers:

WHO IS SUPPOSED TO KEEP WORKING?

About 10,000 air traffic controllers who work for the Federal Aviation Administration and about 51,000 Transportation Security Administration officers have been told to keep reporting to work because they are deemed essential. Those workers at airport checkpoints, control towers and FAA radar stations aren't being paid.

ARE THEY SHOWING UP?

TSA admits that more screeners are calling in sick at some airports, including Dallas-Fort Worth International. It gave few numbers but issued a statement Friday saying that more have been missing work since the Christmas and New Year's holidays. The TSA said the effect was 'minimal.'

Then over the weekend, travelers reported longer checkpoint lines at some airports, including LaGuardia in New York.

On Monday, TSA tweeted that agents screened 2.22 million passengers nationwide on Sunday, which it called a 'historically busy day due to holiday travel.' TSA said only about 220,000 travelers waited at least 15 minutes at checkpoints, while 0.2 percent - fewer than 5,000 - waited at least 30 minutes.

HOW WILL TSA RESPOND TO NO-SHOWS?

TSA spokesman Jim Gregory said officials are managing. 'If we don't have appropriations by midweek or so, (officers) will miss their first paycheck.

'That's obviously where it becomes more difficult,' he said.

Gregory said the agency has a team of officers who can go to airports facing a shortage, a tactic developed in case natural disasters prevented screeners from getting to work.

A TSA worker at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday. TSA has insisted the shutdown has caused minimal wait times but some passengers reported having to wait three hours to clear checkpoints on Monday

WHAT ABOUT TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS?

About 1,900 air traffic controllers - nearly one in every five - are eligible to retire right now and it's not clear how many of them will stick around. They won't get paychecks later this week despite working over the holidays.

'I don't know how long they're going to stay on the job if they're not getting a paycheck,' said Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

There is an even larger group of recently hired trainees and apprentices and Rinaldi said the prospect of a long shutdown could lead some of them to take other jobs.

WILL A SHORTAGE OF CONTROLLERS LEAD TO FLIGHT DELAYS?

The largest pilots' union wrote to President Donald Trump last week urging a quick end to the shutdown, which it said was threatening the safety of the nation's airspace.

Rinaldi, the controllers' leader, said safety is not being compromised, but that capacity to manage traffic could be reduced, leading to flight delays. Others see that as less likely.

'It would have to get pretty bad before the government said (to airlines), 'Hey, start scaling back your plans for service,'' said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst. 'You could see that in a worst-case scenario.'

An early test of the air traffic system could come around the Feb. 3 Super Bowl in Atlanta, when an influx of corporate jets and private planes will further crowd the sky above the nation's busiest airport. Planning for handling that traffic has been put on hold, Rinaldi said.

Hundreds of TSA agents have called out of work within the last week at major airports across the US, causing travel misery for thousands of frustrated passengers. Frustrated passengers are seen waiting in line at the Delta Airlines terminal at LaGuardia Airport on Sunday

WHO HAS BEEN FURLOUGHED?

Workers who aren't deemed essential. That ranges from technicians who maintain equipment used in airport towers to clerical staff. Federal aviation safety inspectors have also been furloughed.

SO WHO IS INSPECTING PLANES?

FAA spokesman Gregory Martin said the agency has been recalling inspectors for certain jobs including assignments at the airlines, as it did in previous government shutdowns.

'We're going to continue to prioritize with the resources that we have,' Martin said. 'Our focus is on the commercial air carriers and volumes of people they carry.'

Martin did not say how many inspectors are working or how the number of inspections being done compared with pre-shutdown levels.

Chuck Banks, one of those furloughed inspectors, said colleagues are being called in when an airline needs something, like a plane certified for flight. The routine, normal oversight of operations at airlines and repair shops is not being done, leaving companies to regulate themselves, he said.

'Do you like the fox watching the hen house?' he said. 'Every day the government stays shut down, it gets less safe to fly.'

TSA employees tried to calm passengers down as they worked to get them through security. Above is the line at one airport on Monday

'This is the TSA screening line for Terminal 2 at MSP this morning. It extends out to the parking garage. MSP officials are missing in action. Thanks Trump,' a Twitter user wrote

WHAT OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICES ARE AFFECTED?

The National Transportation Safety Board is delaying accident investigations and hearings. While there have not been any fatal airline crashes, the board has delayed other investigations, including an examination of a Florida highway accident that killed five children on their way to Walt Disney World.

Other Twitter users gave insight into TSA workers' attitude after going through screening

NTSB representatives did not answer phone calls or reply to emails Monday. A recorded message for the public affairs office said nobody would respond until the shutdown ends.

Some people who applied for Global Entry, a program that lets travelers get expedited clearance into the U.S., have had interviews canceled. Gary Leff, who writes about travel on his View from the Wing blog, said that some airports are still processing applications.

The program is run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Spokespeople at the agency did not respond for comment.
A Queensland woman was horrified to find a deep-fried bug nestled under the coating of a chicken wing she purchased from her local KFC store.

Rosie told Yahoo7 she purchased the contaminated chicken wings from the drive-through at KFC Caboolture City, north of Brisbane, on Saturday.

She said while she ordinarily doesn't eat take-away food, on this particular occasion she decided to treat the family to KFC given that her relatives were in town.

A Queensland woman was horrified to find a deep-fried bug nestled under the coating of a chicken wing she allegedly purchased from her local KFC store.

Rosie, from Caboolture in Queensland, said she was horrified to find what appeared to be a deep-fried fly embedded in one of her Wicked Wings.

When she returned home with a box of southern fried chicken, Rosie said she was horrified to find what appeared to be a deep-fried fly embedded in one of the wings.

'I was about to bite into this Wicked Wing when I scanned down and saw it only seconds before I bit into it,' Rosie said.

'It must have been cooked into it, because the bug was underneath the coating, so I'm imagining that bug got deep-fried.'

She contacted KFC immediately to let them know about her unexpected find, but claimed she was met with a less than satisfactory response.

Rosie said the person she spoke to allegedly only offered her a replacement meal for her next visit.

She said she wasn't even given an explanation as to how the bug could have ended up in the chicken.

Rosie allegedly purchased the chicken wings from the drive-through at KFC Caboolture City

'I was horrified, to be honest. That was the most disgusting thing, finding that in my meal, and that was a pretty ordinary response,' she said.

Rosie said while it's understandable that someone's hair might end up in food if they aren't wearing a hair net, there's never any excuse for finding bugs in your food.

In a statement provided to the publication, KFC said it was aware of the incident, had apologised and offered Rosie a replacement meal on the night.

The fast food giant also stated they take all complaints seriously and are currently investigating with the store to find out what may have caused it.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to KFC for comment.
The father of the British businessman murdered by his wife in Shanghai gave a heartwrenching interview today as he pledged to bring his grandson to the UK.

In an emotionally charged interview, Ian Simpson told Good Morning Britain about his ongoing fight to bring his grandson Jack to the UK.

The eight-year-old remains in the remote city of Nanzhang, where he was taken by his Chinese grandparents who refuse to give him up and allow Mr Simpson and his wife Linda to bring the youngster to England and reunite him with his sister Alice, six.

Mr Simpson's 34-year-old son Michael, who was working in China as head of Next's retail operations, was murdered by his wife Weiwei Fu in 2017.

After a two-year legal battle, Mr and Mrs Simpson last month successfully won the right to bring Alice back after giving more than 9,000 to the parents of their son's murderer.

Today, Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid choked back tears as Mr Simpson told them the agonising decision to separate the siblings and leave Jack 5,000 miles away 'affects him everyday'.

Michael Simpson pledged to carry on his fight to bring his eight-year-old grandson to the UK

Timeline: How businessman's murder led to two-year fight for justice 2009: Michael Simpson was an operations manager for Next and was overseeing the retailer's expansion in the Far East. He moved to China in 2009, when he met Weiwei, a store assistant. The pair later married and had two children. 2015: They separated in 2015 and he began a new relationship with Rachel Lin. 2017: On March 20, 2017, Weiwei Fu launched her frenzied attack on her estranged husband, while their children were asleep in his apartment. Rachel Lin was also injured in the attack 2018: Weiwei was jailed for life in July and the couple's children Alice and Jack were taken to live with her parents. In December Michael's parents Ian and Linda brought their six-year-old granddaughter Alice back to the UK 2019: Ian Simpson vowed to carry on his fight to bring Jack to the UK to join his sister Advertisement

Michael was the sole carer of Jack and Alice, who lived with him in his apartment in China.

He and his wife Weiwei had split up two years earlier and Michael had been left to raise their children.

He was with his new partner when Weiwei burst into his flat and stabbed him in the neck, killing him instantly. She also left Michaels girlfriend with lifelong injuries.

Days later, Jack and Alice were spirited 600 miles from Shanghai to live in Nanzhang with their Chinese grandparents and a young cousin.

Today Ian Simpson told Piers and Susanna time was running out to bring the children to the UK in order to keep their father's memory alive.

He said: 'We saw the children once last year, for five hours, and they remembered their father.

'But they didn't remember him just before the hearing. We realised if we let this go on any longer, they would forget him altogether so we had to do something.'

Mr Simpson told GMB Jack was living with his maternal grandparents, who earn 700-a-year, in a tiny home in northern China where the whole family share one bedroom.

He said: 'There is no doubt we could offer Jack better financial support.'

He said Alice calls her big brother everyday, and revealed the youngsters do not yet know their father is dead and their mother is in prison.

'They have been told their parents are working abroad. We've got to tell Alice, we have to sit her down and tell her. They should be told the truth, they should have been told ages ago.'

Mr Simpson told Piers and Susanna time was running out to bring the children to the UK in order to keep their father's memory alive

Ian, Linda and Alice, left, on Christmas Day. The grandparents fought for two years to bring Alice to the UK

Michael Simpson with his two children, Alice and Jack. Michael was the sole carer of the siblings, who lived with him in his apartment in China

When asked how he felt about the painful decision to split the children up, Mr Simpson said he 'thinks about it all the time'.

He also said he and his wife were left aghast when Wewei's parents chose money over their daughter's life.

At the start of her murder trial, the Fu family attempted to barter with the Simpson's, asking for 63,000 in return for their grandchildren, before later changing their mind.

Mr Simpson told GMB: 'They said if we gave them 63,000 before the sentencing they would give us both children.

'They said they'd rather have the money and let their daughter Weiwei go to prison for life.

'Linda and I couldn't believe it. She'd been trodden on by her own parents.'

Six-year-old Alice calls her brother Jack everyday. He is currently living with his paternal grandparents

On the ongoing struggle to bring Jack back he added: 'My lawyers in China are fantastic. Theyre in tears so thats when you know what youve got in terms of support.

'Were putting a plan together - a part of the issue is that in China people view sons differently to daughters  thats a generalisation  Ive had so many supporters in China so I dont like generalisations, but this family does have that view.

'Alice has now been here three days, we got in Friday night and she is an absolute joy.

'[On telling her what has happened to her father] I think she is strong enough; shes a very strong character and an absolute credit to her dad, as Jack is - he is such a lovely lad as well.

'Well carry on fighting.'

Michael Simpson was stabbed to death by his estranged wife Weiwei Fu (pictured together on their wedding day)

He added: 'Theres a photo someone took of us coming out the court with Alice and our lawyers told us to run and get in the car.

'You have a weird feeling then the quiet bit comes where you think, Jacks not here. It does affect me. It wasnt an easy decision.'

Mr Simpson also paid a tribute to his late son, calling him 'fantastic'.

Piers said: 'A murderers family appears to be afforded more rights than you; the loving grandparent of someone who was killed.

'It seems unfathomable to me.'

Susana told Mr Simpson the Fu family were 'blackmailing' and 'holding him to ransom.'
The founder of a dating website that set up Andrew Broad with his 'sugar baby' has issued a stark warning to unfaithful politicians.

Seeking.com CEO Brandon Wade delivered the dire warning in a video statement on Tuesday, while confirming Mr Broad and a woman known online as 'Sweet Sophia Rose' met on his website, The Herald Sun reported.

'The problem with this is the hypocrisy that voters sense that the politician is living a completely different life than the public persona he or she exudes,' he said.

'The breakdown in trust with his wife extends to voters and that will sink any politican's career.'

Seeking.com CEO Brandon Wade ( pictured) delivered the dire warning in a video statement on Tuesday, while confirming Mr Broad and his sugar baby met on his website

Mr Broad (pictured) resigned from his position as Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister in December after the sexting scandal

Mr Broad resigned from his position as Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister in December, following his sexting scandal with the woman named Amy Keating.

The marred Nationals MP met up with Ms Keating while he was at a fruit conference in Hong Kong last year, taking her out for dinner at an exclusive restaurant.

Mr Wade said more and more politicians were caught up in sex scandals and their careers subsequently spiraled into disgrace.

He offered advice on how other politicians could avoid a similar downfall and went so far as to suggest 'polyamory'.

Mr Wade said the best path was to be honest and open with your intentions.

That way society would accept you for who you were, in the case you wanted to pursue multiple partners.

He labelled that approach as 'ethical cheating'.

That failing, the CEO of the dating website said living the life of a bachelor was always an option.

An Australian Federal Police investigation has been launched into Mr Broad's sexting scandal, according to Michael McCormack.

The Nationals leader made the comment at the time of Mr Broad's resignation, and issued a statement thanking Mr Broad for his service.

'Mr Broad will continue as an effective and hardworking Member for Mallee, a role he has capably held since 2013,' Mr McCormack said.

Since then, it has become known Mr Broad will not recontest his Victorian seat, partly because he does not want to be the 'half-laughing stock' in parliament.

National Party members will elect a new candidate for the vacant seat in Mallee on January 19.

New Idea Magazine alleged the married Nationals MP traveled to Hong Kong to dine with Amy Keating (pictured)

Mr Broad (pictured) will not recontest his Victorian seat, partly because he does not want to be the 'half-laughing stock' in parliament

Ms Keating told New Idea magazine that Mr Broad had sent her a number of lewd messages, referring to himself as 'James Bond', while bragging about his 'important job' (pictured: Andrew Broad with wife of 19 years, Rachel)

Sugar baby Ms Keating told New Idea Mr Broad sent her bold and explicit messages after they had finally agreed to meet for dinner.

In his dating profile, she alleges he told her he was 'an Aussie lad'. 'I know how to ride a horse, fly a plane and f--k my woman. My intentions are completely dishonourable,' he wrote.

Amy claims he told her he had 'booked a flashy room to seduce you back to' after dinner, despite the young woman stating on her profile there would be no physical intimacy between her and her clients.

New Idea report the pair met at the Aqua Restaurant in Hong Kong, where Mr Broad allegedly whinged about the price of a meal and bragged about his powerful position.

'He kept saying he was very important and that when he left he would have to throw away his phone,' she told the magazine.

'He referred to himself as James Bond several times.'

In screenshots of what Amy claims are text messages sent between the pair, Mr Broad, a former farmer, appeared happy to capitalise on his Australian upbringing.

After Amy told him she thought Australian accents are 'so sexy', he sent back what appears to be a sext.

'I pull you close, run my strong hands down your back, softly kiss your neck and whisper, 'G'day mate',' he writes.

In screenshots of what Ms Keating claimed were text messages sent between the pair, Mr Broad, a former farmer, appeared happy to capitalise on his Australian upbringing

Five weeks before the controversial texts were leaked, Mr Broad told Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack he would be willing to quit the front bench.

A conversation with Mr McCormack prompted Mr Broad to report the incident to the Australian Federal Police on November 8, but they decided they were unable to act as the case lacked jurisdiction.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison claimed he only learnt of the incident when the story broke on December 17 but many Coalition members believe the PM's office was notified earlier.

Despite his apparent failings, his wife of 19 years Rachel has stood by his side.
A 49-year-old school worker was arrested after attacking students with a hammer at a primary school in Beijing on Tuesday, according to a district government.

Twenty children were wounded and were taken to hospital, the Xicheng district government said in a post on its social media account.

Three of them suffered serious injuries but their condition was stable after the attack took place at the Beijing No. 1 Affiliated Elementary School of Xuanwu Normal School at around 11:17am local time, it said.

Video shows worried parents forming a large crowd outside the school's entrance in Beijing's Xicheng district, demanding details after a man injured 20 children in an attack at 11:17am

Three of the students suffered heavy injuries but their condition was stable after the attack took place at Xuanwu Normal Experimental Affiliated Number One Primary School

Police carry evidence bags from a primary school that was the scene of an attack in Beijing

In a follow-up statement, police identified the suspect as a 49-year-old man by the surname Jia from Heilongjiang province.

The man is a maintenance worker at the school and his contract is due to expire at the end of January, police said.

'Jia's company and the school management have been arranging a different position for him. However, Jia was upset about the arrangement and used his hammer to attack students during class,' the statement read.

A clip of a meeting between school staff and parents circulated on social media, in which parents were told a 'school worker' had carried out the attack

School staff members declined to give much details of the incident to worried parents

Earlier posts on social media said the children suffered knife wounds to the head and reports said the attack happened during a PE lesson.

A clip of a meeting between school staff and parents circulated on social media, in which parents were told a 'school worker' had carried out the attack. Another video shows worried parents forming a large crowd outside the school's entrance, demanding details.

About six police cars were parked outside a hospital near the school, according to a Reuters witness.

The attack took place at the Beijing No. 1 Affiliated Elementary School of Xuanwu Normal School at around 11:17am local time on Tuesday. Police declined to comment on the incident

Police declined to comment by telephone when asked about the attack.

Violent crime is rare in China but there has been a series of knife and axe attacks in recent years, many targeting children.

In January 2017, a man in southern China stabbed 12 children with a vegetable knife to extract revenge for his life not going as he wanted and a dispute with a neighbour.

The man was executed this month.
A commuter has escaped serious injury after sitting down on a train seat only to discover close to 20 needles had been concealed underneath it.

Anthony Artusa boarded a Melbourne Metro train at West Footscray at 8.12am on Tuesday when he was almost spiked by the sharp needles.

'Word of warning when travelling on Metro trains. Had a lovely surprise this morning when I sat on a seat with around 20 needles sticking out of it #NeedlesOfMelbourne,' he posted on Twitter.

Mr Artusa said he thought he had left something in his back pocket but was horrified at finding the bunch of needles

Mr Artusa said at first he thought he had left something in his back pocket.

'Turns out there were approximately 20 needles that were depressed by someone into the seat of the train that I sat on,' he told Herald Sun.

'They were under the surface so didnt see them. Once I sat, they poked out into me,' he tweeted.

Mr Artusa went around the carriage in case other seats were targeted and infested with needles but didn't find anything.

He shared the images onto Twitter showing the needles with the pointy side facing upwards.

'They were beneath the surface and once I sat on them, they pushed into through my clothing and piercing my skin'

Staff are looking through CCTV footage and are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward.

'This is a terrible act of vandalism and we are thankful that no-one was injured,' a spokesman said.

'Metro has launched a full investigation into the incident and will work closely with Victoria Police.'

A police spokeswoman has told Daily Mail Australia that they are investigating the incident.

'Police have been made aware of an incident on a train this morning where a number of needles were allegedly inserted in a seat,' she said.

'Transit Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating the matter and are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.'
ITV's hit new drama starring Martin Clunes as the detective who caught paedophile killer Levi Bellfield has inspired more women to come forward as victims, it was revealed today.

In three-part series Manhunt, which ends tonight, the star, 57, plays Scotland Yard's DCI Colin Sutton, who led the investigations into the monster's London murders.

It charts the true story of how DCI Sutton linked the 2004 murder of Amelie Delagrange, to the murder of Marsha McDonnell in 2003 and the abduction and murder of Milly Dowler in 2002.

Mr Sutton, who has since retired, revealed that since the show started on Sunday three women have contacted him online to claim Bellfield sexually assaulted them.

The ITV drama Manhunt re-tells the events leading up to the serial killer's arrest and stars Martin Clunes as detective Colin Sutton, who has inspired other women to come forward

Amelie Delagrange (left) was murdered on the night of August 19, 2004 while Marsha McDonnell, aged 19, (right) died from head wounds in Hampton on February 4, 2003, yards from her home after getting off a bus

He said: 'I've had another three ladies who have come forward to me via twitter to say 'I was attacked by Levi Bellfield and I never reported it to police' and I've made contact with them and I am going to be less busy tomorrow and I've made arrangements to speak to those who want to be spoken to and to try and help them'.

He told ITV News: 'It's not a complete surprise, to be honest. I've been involved in documentaries about Bellfield before and had the same effect. We just don't know what the boundaries of this man's offending were'.

Serial killer Levi Bellfield was eventually charged and convicted of the murders of Marsha McDonnell, Milly Dowler and Amelie Delagrange

Bellfield was convicted on in 2008 of the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy.

In 2011, Bellfield was found guilty of the murder of Milly Dowler and is one of around 50 British prisoners serving a whole life sentence, meaning he will never be released.

It emerged last week that he was part of a paedophile gang which preyed on more than 17 children in care, according to a council review.

Scotland Yard is studying the report which reveals links between the serial killer and six men accused of grooming children as young as 13 to be raped.

Those men have never faced justice and continue to 'pose a serious threat to children', the report by a respected social worker claims.

Bellfield is said to have been a member of a Rotherham-style child sex ring in Hanwell, West London preying on victims from two children's homes. His 'associates', who allegedly used Bellfield's flat as a 'raping room', were never caught.

A six-month study of police and children's home records has identified at least 17 potential victims aged 13 to 16, including a girl who told police she was assaulted at the age of 14 in Bellfield's home only days before he killed Amelie Delagrange in 2004.

Top detective Colin Sutton details how he nailed Milly Dowler's evil-eyed psychopathic killer

In June 2004 Bellfield had been at the centre of a sickening rape, but was never questioned on the incident, despite having given the victim's freshly laundered clothing to police officers. The rape had occured just two months before he killed Amelie.

In his new book, Sutton makes clear that he believes that if Bellfield had been treated as a rape suspect then he may not have been free to kill Amelie.

In his new book Colin Sutton (above) said Bellfield was 'cunning and clever'

He said: 'With hindsight you can say that was the turning point, the opportunity that was missed. He is cunning and clever and good at avoiding responsibility for what he has done.'

Like victims in the Rotherham and Rochdale scandals, most of the girls involved were white, British and vulnerable, and in many cases they were in care.

The gang was said to include Asian and white sex offenders, some of whom had met through Bellfield's wheel clamping business and bouncer work.

The dossier naming a seven-strong gang, including Bellfield and two other convicted paedophiles, was compiled by Debbie Weissang when she was the child sexual exploitation service manager at Hillingdon council in west London.

Her report containing claims of child sex abuse from 2000 to 2017 has been reviewed by Hillingdon Council's head of safeguarding in partnership with the Metropolitan Police.

'I am deeply concerned there remains a risk to children both in the community and online from Bellfield's associates' Miss Weissang wrote.
The BBC and Sky News kept their top stars away from Westminster today as it was revealed MPs now fear being interviewed outside Parliament in case they are abused.

Giant tents and stages where the broadcasters often film on College Green in central London were empty this afternoon - 24 hours after Tory MP Anna Soubry was branded a 'Nazi', a 'liar' and a 'traitor' by right-wing yellow vest activists.

Ms Soubry was abused as she was interviewed by the BBC's Simon McCoy and Sky's Kay Burley in Westminster yesterday - but both broadcasters hosted their afternoon politics shows from a studio today.

It came as it emerged the same far-Right rabble-rousers have also targeted BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, hurled racist abuse at Sky News' political editor Faisal Islam and yelled misogynist remarks at Ms Burley.

The Sky presenter revealed last night she often needs security guards to escort her to work outside Parliament because thugs chase her screaming 'sl*g' and 'f***ing fascist', while Ms Kuenssberg was followed by a 'threatening mob of angry Brexit snarling blokes screaming abuse' just before Christmas.

Describing the atmosphere on College Green, Mr Islam said today: 'They [the protesters] have been outright abusive and blocking the entrance and it's fair to say that MPs are slightly fearful to come out to do interviews there'.

Scroll down for video

The tents and stages used by the BBC and Sky on College Green were left empty today as broadcasters kept their stars and MPs indoors to avoid abuse

Anna Soubry (pictured at Parliament this afternoon) has slammed the police for 'ignoring' the actions of a far-right mob as they verbally abused her outside the Commons and labelled her a 'Nazi' - and said women are the common targets

Kay Burley and Anna Soubry were heckled on live TV by screaming protesters yesterday (pictured together) as police were urged to intervene

Kay Burley revealed last night that she needs security at Westminster because intimidating groups yell 'sl*g' or 'f***ing fascist' at her

BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg (pictured) was followed by a 'threatening mob of angry Brexit snarling blokes screaming abuse' just before Christmas, it has emerged

The far-Right activists, who wear yellow hi-vis jackets modelled on the French gilets jaunes movements, like to livestream their actions on Facebook.

Ms Soubry told Sky News that being called a Nazi was 'exceptionally offensive' and a 'step too far', before adding that 'police should have intervened'.

It came after the Tory MP said the abuse 'does appear to be targeted at women'.

Sky and BBC bosses are said to have decided to keep their top broadcasters away until at least tomorrow, one presenter told Guido Fawkes, but their temporary stages put up for Brexit coverage remain standing.

A BBC spokesman stated that they don't host shows from there every day. Sky News is yet to respond.

Today Scotland Yard said they have increased the number of police on Parliament Square, are 'reviewing footage' of verbal attacks on Ms Soubry and officers had been 'briefed to intervene where they hear or see breaches of the law'.

Top Met cop admits he is still trying to 'understand' if calling someone a Nazi breaks the law The Met Officer in charge of policing Westminster today admitted they still don't know if calling someone a Nazi is an offence. DAC Laurence Taylor (pictured today) said his officers are still studying footage of the abuse of Ms Soubry. Today he was asked directly: 'Is it a criminal offence to call someone a Nazi?' He then told LBC: 'That is part of the assessment we are undertaking and we need to understand if language such as that meets the criminal threshold'. Critics quickly responded to his comments and said: 'You'd think they'd have figured that out by now?' and another tweeted: 'Trying to decide! Almost every patrol cop in the country deals with this on a daily basis... Basics' Police near Parliament have been 'briefed to intervene appropriately' if the law is broken after Tory MP Anna Soubry accused them of ignoring abuse. The pro-EU Tory made the allegation the day after she was branded a 'Nazi' and a 'liar' by a mob who targeted her during live television interviews and then followed her as she made her way back into the Commons. It was the latest in a string of high-profile demonstrations targeting individual MPs in Westminster and prompted more than 50 MPs from across the Commons to write to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick on Monday night to express their 'serious concerns' about the 'deteriorating public order and security situation' outside Parliament. Today Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor DAC Taylor said: 'An ongoing policing operation at the Parliamentary estate around Brexit continues and we have an appropriate policing plan in place. 'Our role is to facilitate peaceful protest and balance the needs and rights of all those present, including protesters, MPs and members of the public. 'We will deal robustly with incidents of harassment and abuse against anyone where that harassment or abuse constitutes a criminal offence. 'Officers in the area have been briefed to intervene appropriately where they hear or see breaches of the law.' Advertisement

But critics have demanded to know why the police have not made any arrests with one tweeting sarcastically: 'Novel, police told to intervene when they see or hear the law being broken' and another asking the Met: 'What was the brief before?'.

Tory MP Anna Soubry today claimed those called her a 'Nazi' outside Parliament specifically target women with abuse and the police just 'ignore it'.

The anti-Brexit campaigner was harangued by a mob of far-right activists as she was interviewed on TV and as she walked past Parliament yesterday.

Ms Soubry said: 'There was an incident involving Laura Kuenssberg where no action was taken, and as you know [Parliament] is crawling with police officers'.

She added: 'The policy of the Metropolitan Police is to ignore it and that is the problem', adding that Sky News Political Editor Faisal Islam was also racially abused but nobody was arrested.

Commons speaker John Bercow has revealed he and other MPs have spoken to police and said yesterday: 'I am concerned at this stage about what seems to be a pattern of protest targeted in particular at women'.

Today he told the Commons he has written to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick asking for help to tackle 'aggressive, threatening and intimidating behaviour' against MPs and journalists outside Parliament.

More than 50 MPs have also signed a letter demanding action from the Met.

Ms Soubry has accused the police of ignoring abuse and intimidation outside Parliament where there are suggestions that broadcasts from College Green could be reduced or even stopped.

Speaking about the incident where she was abused yesterday she told Good Morning Britain: 'The police just stood there. The police were there. It's a definite breach of the peace.

'This particular group of people is roaming around Westminster intimating people and they are known to police, blocking bridges and setting things off at Downing Street.'

The verbal attack on her was the latest in a string of high-profile demonstrations targeting individual MPs in Westminster and prompted more than 50 MPs from across the Commons to write to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick on Monday night to express their 'serious concerns' about the 'deteriorating public order and security situation' outside Parliament.

The Broxtowe MP added that, while she anticipated a level of criticism and abuse as an MP, she expected authorities to act when it 'crossed the line'.

She told GMB: 'It crossed the line in December, it was journalists who were being attacked.

'(Sky News' political editor) Faisal Islam, who is male, was racially abused by these people, it's the same group, all on video, and the policy of the Metropolitan Police is to ignore it.'

Shocking new footage reveals how far-right protesters screamed abuse in the face of Anna Soubry as the mobbed the pro-EU MP outside the Houses of Parliament.

A selfie video recorded by activist James Goddard shows the group of men crowding around Ms Soubry and blocking her path as she walks alone to the Commons.

Mr Goddard is seen mocking Ms Soubry earlier in the video as she gives an interview to the BBC, calling her a 'traitor' and vowing to run against her in her constituency.

Ms Soubry was forced to stop talking during the live TV interview while people off camera shouted 'Soubry is a Nazi' and 'liar, liar, liar'.

The MP for Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire then made her way back to Parliament, pursued by a yellow vest wearing mob shouting 'Anna, you're a fascist'.

At one point in the video, a person in the crowd puts their hand on Ms Soubry's shoulder, causing the startled MP to quickly spin round and confront the person.

After the thugs chanted Nazi at Anna Soubry while she was on BBC, I went to check on her. But she had company... pic.twitter.com/II7nIdqMoF  Femi (@Femi_Sorry) January 7, 2019

Anna Soubry was pursued by an aggressive mob, including far-right activist James Goddard (pictured left, next to Soubry) who shouted in her face and called her a 'fascist' as she made her way back to Parliament

The Met said its officers were 'briefed' today to take action but some critics asked: 'What was their brief until now?'

The Met has said that it has increased officer numbers and patrols in the wake of the abuse

Even as she reached the gates of parliament she is blocked from entering by the group, as police officers stand mere yards away without intervening.

Tories point the finger at John McDonnell for urging supporters to 'confront' Tories Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell should take some of the blame for the ongoing intimidation at Westminster, Tories claimed today. In 2015 he said Conservative MPs should not be allowed to 'show their face anywhere' without being subjected to 'direct action'. Today senior Tory James Cleverly tweeted: 'The vile abuse directed at @Anna_Soubry is unacceptable. Those condemning it should also condemn John McDonnell for saying that Tory MPs should not to be able to show their faces in public without being challenged by direct action. This is direct action'. In a string of incendiary speeches since 2010, Mr McDonnell has described Conservatives as 'social criminals', and threatened to 'confront' anyone deemed to be opponents of the working class by occupying their homes and offices. The hard-Left politician also believes the coalition government was an 'elected dictatorship' and once urged activists to 'target' journalists who do not cover the 'right' stories. As recently as 2014, he backed illegal action to bring down elected governments, saying: 'We used to call it insurrection, but we're polite now and we call it direct action.' Advertisement

Adding that she thought calling someone a Nazi was 'crossing the line', she said: 'I don't have a problem with people coming up and having a go at me. It's the tone.

'We all have a responsibility with the language we use and that includes protesters as well as writers and MPs in Parliament.

'It does appear to be targeted at women. There was an incident involving [BBC journalist] Laura Kuenssberg where no action was taken, and as you know [Parliament] is crawling with police officers.

'Women in part are thinking 'why would I want to do a job like that?' and that is really dangerous.'

Earlier in the programme, former Ukip leader Nigel Farage said people should not 'overreact' and that he had been 'called that and worse every day and no one cared'.

However Ms Soubry fired back: 'I want to say this is not a competition; it's willy-waving, saying 'I've been more abused'.

'Mr Farage is in a different place, he's a member of the elite by the way. I object that because I'm apparently 'a member of the elite I deserve it'; it's not a competition between us.'

The MP was then challenged by Piers Morgan over saying about Farage in 2016: 'He looks like somebody has put their finger up his bottom and he really rather likes it'.

Speaking about the comment, for which she apologised 'unreservedly', Ms Soubry replied: 'I don't think it's as bad as calling someone a Nazi.'

Mr Islam said he was called a rapist and 'not British' while reporting at Westminster in December

After yesterday's incident, which was criticised by both Remain and Leave MPs, Scotland Yard confirmed they were looking into it and deciding whether or not a crime had been committed.

Now at least 55 MPs have signed a letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick raising concerns about safety outside Parliament - just three years after Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered in her constituency.

Sky News Political Editor Faisal Islam (pictured) was racially abused but nobody was arrested, Anna Soubry claims

The letter said: 'After months of peaceful and calm protests by groups representing a range of political views on Brexit, an ugly element of individuals with strong far right and extreme right connections, which your officers are well aware of, have increasingly engaged in intimidatory and potentially criminal acts targeting Members of Parliament, journalists, activists and members of the public.

'We understand there are ongoing investigations but there appears to be an ongoing lack of coordination in the response from the police and appropriate authorities including with Westminster borough policing, and despite clear assurances this would be dealt with following incidents before Christmas, there have been a number of further serious and well publicised incidents today.'

It added: 'The ability to peacefully protest and express views outside Parliament is a cherished part of our democracy - and we want to retain the right for those who have conducted themselves within the law and a peaceful way to continue to do so.

'It is however utterly unacceptable for Members of Parliament, journalists, activists and members of the public to be subject to abuse, intimidation and threatening behaviour and indeed potentially serious offences while they go about their work.

A mob of protesters were branded vile today after they interrupted a live TV interview to hurl Nazi chants at Tory MP Anna Soubry (pictured during the BBC interview today)

'Many of these concerns have been repeatedly raised both with officers on the ground, and at senior levels with over the past weeks since the situation worsened, as well as with the parliamentary authorities and ministers and so it is obviously concerning to have to write to you formally in this regard.'

Concerns over safety around Parliament come after Jo Cox was brutally murdered while on her way to meet constituents in Birstall, West Yorkshire.

The mother-of-two was shot and stabbed by a man with links to far-right political groups including the English Defence League and the National Front.

He targeted the Labour MP just a week before the EU referendum, and shouted 'Britain first' before launching his attack.

Many MPs took to Twitter to express their disgust at the incident, while others raised the issue in the Commons.

Last night, Miss Soubry tweeted: 'I fail to see why journalists and technicians should be subjected to the same abuse and intimidation as the police stand by and do nothing.' And she called for the protesters to be prosecuted under public order legislation.

Labour MP Mary Creagh said the 'really vile, misogynistic thuggery' shown was not an isolated incident, while her colleague Stephen Doughty called for 'proper action' to be taken by Scotland Yard.

Tory MP Nick Boles said on Twitter: 'Far be it from me to tell the police their job but I thought that threatening violence was an arrestable offence under the Public Order Act 1986.'

Labour frontbencher Angela Rayner added: 'What has our country come to when watching BBC News all you can hear is chants from protesters calling Anna Soubry a Nazi. How disgusting and offensive: they do their causes no good!'

After the issue was raised in the Commons, Speaker John Bercow said he was aware of incidents 'involving aggressive and threatening behaviour towards members and others by assorted protesters'.

MPs across the political divide condemned the abuse and said there is no place for such intimidation

Tory MP and Theresa May's former deputy Damian Green was among the MPs who condemned the abuse

Labour MP David Lammy said the abuse caught on camera is disgusting and accused those hurling it of being historically illiterate

Mr Bercow said it was a matter for the Met Police rather than Parliamentary authorities as it happened in the street, but added: 'Female members, and in a number of cases I'm advised, female journalists have been subjected to aggressive protest and what many would regard as harassment.

'I can assure the House that I am keeping a close eye on events and I will speak to those who advise me about these matters.'

During the BBC interview, Miss Soubry told journalist Simon McCoy: 'I do object to being called a Nazi, actually. I just think this is astonishing, this is what has happened to our country. But let's try and move on and be positive about things.'

Protesters also chanted slogans including 'Liar, liar' throughout a live interview by Miss Soubry on Sky News.

Yvette Cooper called out the 'completely appalling abuse' that Miss Soubry was subject to while Norman Smith questioned 'Is this what its come to?'

Nicola Sturgeon agreed that it was appalling and insisted we need to make a stand against this type of behaviour

Andrew Adonis also wrote to Cressida Dick, reminding the commissioner that it is 'less than three years since an MP was murdered in cold blood by a man spouting the very same rhetoric as the men who yesterday attacked Anna [Soubry], Owen [Jones], and Femi'

Seb Dance offered his solidarity with Anna Soubry and others while Piers Morgan stated that Britain was 'better than this

Harriet Harman called the incident an 'attack on democracy' and Nic Dakin said that he does often disagree with Miss Soubry but finds the 'thuggish behaviour' shocking

Over the chants, she told journalist Kay Burley: 'I don't have a problem with people demonstrating and making their views heard.

'I have a real problem with people who call me a traitor or 'Soubry, you Nazi'. That is a criminal offence and I'm a criminal barrister.'

Theresa May's spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister has been very clear that nobody involved in the political process should be subjected to abuse or harassment. They should be free to do their job without any form of intimidation and it is clearly unacceptable when that isn't the case.'

Last night, a Met spokesman said: 'Police received a third party report of a public order offence on Monday in the area of College Green, SW1. Officers are assessing if any crimes have been committed. There has been no arrest at this stage.'

Anna Soubry has needed a police escort after being heckled and harassed by a mob of protesters outside parliament last month (pictured)

Sky News presenter Miss Burley also revealed on Twitter that she needed security to escort her from her place of work.

She wrote: 'These people are not pro-Brexit. They are pro-intimidation. They specifically target me and scream 'slag', or 'f***ing fascist' over and over and over again, and those are just some comments I can mention in polite company.'

A group of anti-EU protesters gathered on College Green in Westminster - where many of the press interviews around Brexit are held - have harassed journalists there before.

A few weeks ago Guardian columnist Owen Jones was heckled by protesters as he gave his views on politics and Brexit.

Eloise Todd, the head of Best for Britain - the anti Brexit campaign group - said: 'It's downright disgusting to see people baying at an MP like that and throwing around such offensive words simply because they disagree with her position on Brexit. It's awful and it turns my stomach.

'Britain is a place for vigorous and vibrant debate, but, it seems today it turned into pure hate for a few mindless thugs.

'This kind of evil discourse belongs in the sewer and not a stones throw from Parliament.'

Revealed: Far-Right rabble-rouser who branded MP Anna Soubry a 'Nazi' is a Trump and Tommy Robinson fan who begs for donations to support his 'work' as a 'yellow vest' campaigner

James Goddard (pictured) is a far-right activist with a reputation for heckling and intimidating people

The far-right rabble-rouser who abused Anna Soubry is a vocal supporter of Tommy Robinson and Donald Trump and asks for online donations to support his 'yellow vest' campaign, MailOnline can reveal today.

James Goddard, 29, from Leicester, denies the Tory MP was verbally assaulted when he called her a Nazi - but says she 'deserves' a barracking for treating him and others with 'contempt'.

He added: 'Why is it OK for [the left] to say it [Nazi] yet the moment we say it we're the ones who are branded things and they're going to investigate us?'

On Monday he also abused Owen Jones, branding him a 'Communist bully' and a 'lying little toad' whose 'parents must be ashamed'.

As people called for Goddard and his supporters to be arrested he said he 'has nothing to apologise for' and said he has a right to abuse MPs.

Since December the professional protester has been outside Parliament where he has barracked MPs and journalists and also visited the 'treacherous' Labour Party's offices in central London.

On his Twitter and Facebook accounts he encourages supporters to donate to him and 'support my work' via a PayPal account.

The 29-year-old from Leicester says that Halal meat should be banned and that no new mosques should be built in the UK to avoid Britain becoming a Muslim country in 50 years.

Trump supporter Mr Goddard also claimed terror attacks were being covered up by the UK Government.

Anna Soubry was pursued by an aggressive mob, including far-right activist James Goddard (pictured left, next to Soubry) who shouted in her face and called her a 'fascist' as she made her way back to Parliament

Goddard at a Free Tommy Robinson rally where he branded the establishment 'satanic paedophiles'

Speaking at a rally for the ex EDL leader in the summer, when Tommy Robinson was jailed for contempt, he railed against 'the establishment' and called them 'satanic paedophiles'.

In the bizarre rant, he accused 'the establishment' of 'raping our kids' and 'murdering us' before leading the crowd in a chant of 'ooooh Tommy Robinson.'

Mr Goddard is also at the forefront of the newly established so-called British yellow vests movement.

The group wear high-vis yellow jackets in an effort to copy the look of the Gilets Jaunes protest movement in France.

He gleefully films video clips of himself heckling and shouting at police and MPs, who he brands 'traitors', and then posts them on his Twitter and Facebook pages for his thousands of followers to see.

Yesterday, he and his fellow protesters surrounded and barracked MPs and journalists who had been giving interviews on College Green near Parliament.

They angrily chanted that Tory MP Anna Soubry was a Nazi before following her all the way back to Parliament shouting abuse at her.

The same day they mobbed Guardian columnist Owen Jones - hurling abuse at him and branding him a traitor.

But Mr Goddard revels in the notoriety his abuse gives him, sending tweets gleefully linking to news articles about him.

Who is Anna Soubry? British Conservative Party politician chased by pro-Brexit protesters Miss Soubry is a British Conservative Party politician, former barrister and journalist who has been the MP for Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire since 2010. Her roles in parliament have included being Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans. She has also been Minister of State for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans and Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise. Miss Soubry is a strong European Union Remainer and backed the campaign to stay in the EU during the referendum campaign. Anna Soubry at a press conference in London discussing why they feel that Brexit plans should be put to a public vote (December 2918) When the result of the referendum was announced she hit out at Boris Johnson, who spearheaded the Leave campaign, and accused him of backing the bid in order to become Prime Minister. Shortly after on June 28 in 2016 she made an impromptu speech outside Parliament and told the crowds 'we made a terrible, terrible mistake on Friday', and urged fellow Remainers to keep fighting. She went on to vote to implement Article 50, because she said she had promised her constituents that if they voted leave then she would adhere to her wishes. The following September she slammed members of the Leave campaign after it was revealed that their promise of 350,000 of extra funding for the NHS. Miss Soubry was one of 11 Tory rebels who voted for Parliament to be guaranteed a final say on the Brexit deal, which was later passed. Following calls from Brexiteers for the Chancellor to be sacked after claiming Brexit would only cause slight change, Miss Soubry said that the 35 MPs concerned shouldn't dictate the term of Brexit. She went to on say that she intended to leave the party which she did not feel comfortable being apart of because it had been 'taken over' by Jacob Rees-Mogg and Boris Johnson. A year later she declared that she would resign the Conservative whip and vote to have no confidence in her government if 'no deal' became the policy of the government. She is currently still a member of the party. Advertisement
Firefighters have been praised for their heroic efforts to calm a distressed kangaroo trapped in a fence while fighting bushfires in Victoria's Gippsland region.

Crew members from Tinamba Rural Fire Brigade, Cowwarr CFA and Longford Fire Brigade found the roo while fighting the blazes south of Rosedale east of Melbourne.

Fires have been burning since last Friday but intensified on Monday after winds pushed them east towards Wilbung, affecting many of the area's furry critters.

Firefighters have been praised for their heroic efforts to calm a distressed kangaroo trapped in a fence while fighting bushfires in Victoria's Gippsland region

The terrified marsupial became trapped after he got his leg caught in a fence and CFA volunteers did everything they could to keep him calm while they set him free.

One of the CFA volunteer firefighters gave the thirsty roo sips of water while another volunteer worked to cut the marsupial's leg free from the fence.

Cowwarr fire brigade crew member Michael Cachia took to social media to share a photo of the touching moment taken by CFA volunteer Tyler Woolford.

In the photo, which was posted to the Vic Emergency Facebook page, Mr Cachia is shown giving the kangaroo sips of water while another CFA volunteer tends to the wounded animal's leg, Yahoo7 reported.

The volunteer firefighter said in the accompanying caption while the rescue had a positive ending, he narrowly escaped injury himself after the petrified marsupial bit him.

'Lucky for gloves,' Mr Cachia wrote.

Crew members from Tinamba Rural Fire Brigade, Cowwarr CFA and Longford Fire Brigade found the roo while fighting the blazes south of Rosedale east of Melbourne

Fires have been burning since last Friday but intensified on Monday after winds pushed them east towards Wilbung, affecting many of the area's furry critters.

The post garnered plenty of positive comments, with many people taking to Facebook to share their words of praise for the volunteer firefighters.

'Well done all you firefighters. You do an amazing job. Hope the roo survived,' one person wrote.

'Brilliant job. Thank you everyone involved. You are truly heroes fighting a mighty force,' another person said.

A third person added: 'Thank you for the often dangerous job. Caring for each other, people close to fires and assisting animals.'

One woman even said the heroic actions of the firefighters had rekindled her faith in mankind.

'It is fabulous to see such compassion and kindness towards out furry friends,' she wrote.
One of Papua New Guinea's most active volcanoes has erupted pummelling villages on a remote island with volcanic rock before subsiding, authorities said today.

Manam island is a volcanic cone that towers out of the sea north of the Papua New Guinea mainland and has a history of eruptions, with major activity in November 2004 forcing the evacuation of around 9,000 people from the area.

The volcano has erupted a number of times since then and spewed lava and ash last month.

Manam Volcano, Papua New Guinea erupting in June 2010. Warnings issued today after a series of eruptions stated that the volcano was 'still volatile'

A series of tremors around Manam triggered a warning system on Monday and the volcano began erupting shortly after, the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory said.

The eruption continued into early Tuesday, Ima Itikarai of the observatory said.

An observatory report said there were 'small ongoing eruptions' from the main crater early Tuesday.

Lava was channelled into a nearby valley and 'intermittent bursts' of volcanic rock falling on villages, adding to a heightened risk of mudflows, it added.

Manam island, pictured here in a 2015 eruption, is a volcanic cone that towers out of the sea north of the Papua New Guinea mainland and has a history of eruptions

The level of seismic activity declined later in the day after jumping early on Tuesday, the agency said.

But it warned that Manam was 'still dynamic and volatile and therefore the potential for further eruptive activity in the future is still high'.

Papua New Guinea has many volcanoes, particularly on its offshore islands, as the country lies at the junction of two tectonic plates.

Some islanders who were evacuated from Manam 15 years ago and resettled elsewhere on Papua New Guinea recently complained they were still struggling with their new lives, The National newspaper reported.
The Catholic organization Opus Dei paid $977,000 in 2005 to settle a sexual misconduct complaint against a once prominent Washington, D.C. area priest.

In a statement Monday, Opus Dei Vicar Monsignor Thomas Bohlin said they received a complaint of sexual misconduct against Rev. C. John McCloskey in 2002 from a woman who was receiving counseling at the Catholic Information Center in downtown D.C.

McCloskey was the priest tasked with getting big names to prepare for conversion such as Newt Gingrich, Larry Kudlow and Sam Brownback, among others, according to the Washington Post.

The disclosure of the 2005 settlement was not made public by Opus Dei until Monday.

The woman, who was not named, told the Post that McCloskey groped her several times while she was attending pastoral counseling for serious depression and issues in her marriage.

Opus Dei settled a massive sexual misconduct claim from 2002 against Rev. C. John McCloskey

She said she was racked with shame and guilt over her exchanges with McCloskey and that when she told him about her 'misperceived guilt over the interaction' in confession that he absolved her.

'I love Opus Dei but I was caught up in this coverup. I went to confession, thinking I did something to tempt this holy man to cross boundaries,' she told the Post.

She also wasn't the only one who claimed McCloskey made her uncomfortable.

A second woman told told Opus Dei that 'she was made uncomfortable by how he was hugging her,' according to the organization's spokesperson, Brian Finnerty.

Additionally, Finnerty said Opus Dei was investigating a third claim that is yet unsubstantiated made by a third woman that Finnerty called potentially 'serious.'

He only went as far to say that the third woman 'may have also suffered from misconduct by Father McCloskey' at the D.C. center.

In a statement, Opus Dei Vicar Monsignor Thomas Bohlin said McCloskey's actions at the center were 'deeply painful for the woman' who made the initial complaint 'and we are very sorry for all she suffered.'

McCloskey's settlement stems from his interactions with the woman at the DC Center (pictured) where other women have now made similar claims against McCloskey

After the investigation, Bohlin said McCloskey was removed from his job in 2003.

He said McCloskey's actions were 'deeply painful for the woman' and they 'are very sorry for all she suffered.'

Since his removal, Bohlin said McCloskey's priestly activities with women were restricted.

An Opus Dei spokesman said McCloskey was suffering from Alzheimer's and was incapacitated.
Fijian authorities have denied claims ISIS terrorist Neil Prakash is a citizen of their country and say Australia is wrong to strip him of his Australian citizenship.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton stripped Prakash, 27, of his Australian citizenship because of his affiliation with ISIS.

The Federal Government said the Melbourne born terrorist, who has a Fijian father, was entitled to Fijian citizenship and therefore could be removed of his Australian citizenship.

But Fiji's immigration director Nemani Vuniwaqa told the ABC there was no evidence of Prakash or his parents ever being citizens of the Fiji.

The Melbourne-born 27-year-old was originally thought to have dual Australian and Fijian citizenship

The government isn't allowed to revoke an Australian's citizenship if it will leave them stateless

The government isn't allowed to revoke an Australian's citizenship if it will leave them stateless.

In order to qualify as a Fiji citizen, Prakash would have had to live in the country for at least three out of five years before registering an application but had done neither.

Mr Vuniwaqa said the Australian Government had not communicated anything about Prakash's case.

Prakash, who was born in Australia, was never a Fiji citizen as the island did not allow dual citizenship before 2009.

Shadow Immigration Minister Shayne Neumann said Mr Dutton had handled the case badly.

Earlier this year, Mr Dutton said he hoped Prakash rotted in a Turkish jail after a court rejected the Melbourne-born terrorist's extradition to Australia to face justice

'Peter Dutton didn't consult, or have his department consult with the Fijian Government before he announced that he was stripping this terrorist of citizenship.

Mr Neumann referred to Mr Dutton as a 'shameless, self-serving media tart'.

'What he's done is embarrassed himself, has embarrassed the Prime Minister, embarrassed our country,' he said.

The Federal Government has previously communicated with the Fijian Foreign Ministry about Prakash's case.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will travel to Fiji next week, where the case may be discussed.

Prakash is in jail in Turkey facing terrorism charges.
A man has been caught filming himself performing a lewd sex act on a woman inside a public toilet, situated right next to a childrens playground.

Frank James Klacek attended the Southport Magistrates Court, north of Gold Coast, earlier today and pleaded guilty to committing indecent acts in public.

The incident occurred on December 12 last year when the ice addict was seen by a council worker taking illegal substances alongside a female companion in the womens public toilet.

(File picture) Frank James Klacek attended the Southport Magistrates Court, north of the Gold Coast, earlier today

The criminal, who has a history of drug related crime, was caught red-handed by police with 0.1g of the drug ice - despite Klacek's apparent attempt to divert the cops by stacking two bikes in front of the womens toilet door, police prosecutor Don Reid said.

The pairs actions were also captured on video prior to the police arriving, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

The video footage captured Klacek performing a sex act, that Mr Reid said the accused had made for his own use.

(File picture) Klacek is addicted to the drug ice and has a history of drug related crime

Klacek appeared in court via a videolink from prison and admitted to possessing dangerous drugs, possessing stolen property and failing to dispose of a syringe as well as the indecent act.

In court, Klacek chose to represent himself, and when addressing the court he said: You have probably seen worse criminal histories but you have also probably seen better.

Magistrate Dermot Kehoe sentenced Klacek to three months prison for committing the sex act in public.

At the time of the incident Klacek was on probation and parole.
A rare unclassified species of jellyfish with huge tentacles and a powerful venom may be behind a recent epidemic of stings, an expert believes.

Last weekend more than 2,630 people were stung on the eastern coastline, with several suffering symptoms akin to anaphylactic shock.

Many are blaming bluebottles and Irukandji but Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Service director Lisa-ann Gershwin believes another, larger species is to blame.

A rare unclassified species of jellyfish with huge tentacles and a powerful venom may be behind a recent epidemic of stings, an expert believes (stock image of a bluebottle)

Unusually strong northeasterly swell conditions have pushed bluebottles onshore where they are currently clumped in their thousands

'It is of the genus Physalia, which is the same as the bluebottle and Portuguese man-of-war,' she told ABC News.

'It is more like the size of the length of your hand and it has multiple main fishing tentacles compared to only one of the common little guy.

'It's very rare, we normally only get reports of it every 10 to 30 years, but it is a much larger species than the typical common bluebottle.'

Dr Gershwin said the last time this unclassified species hit Australia was in 2013.

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

It's believed this year's sudden influx of stingers is due to the unusually strong northeasterly swell conditions that has pushed the bluebottles onshore, coupled with the warmer weather and larger crowds of beachgoers.

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.

In total, paramedics in the region treated around 13,000 stings.

Authorities have warned any beachgoers to be extra careful when in the water, and to keep an eye out incase there are any of the hazardous animals lurking about.

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.'

An Instagram user posted a picture of Coolangatta Beach featuring plenty of bluebottles

Surf Life Saving Queensland said that if stung, remove stingers, take a very hot shower and apply ice

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.'

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.
A man accused of stealing an Uber car from a donations centre before dragging the driver down a road as he attempted to flee is a self-proclaimed drug user.

Cristian Cristea, 33, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, facing multiple charges relating to an alleged carjacking in Adelaide's east.

Police allege Cristea helped the Uber driver carry donation items into the centre before jumping into the driver's seat.

Cristian Cristea (pictured), 33, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday, facing multiple charges relating to an alleged carjacking in Adelaide's east

As he attempted to drive off, the 38-year-old Uber driver ran after him, The Herald Sun reported.

The driver manged to grab hold of the steering wheel, but was allegedly dragged along Magill Road at 30km/h.

The driver suffered moderate injuries.

Police followed the vehicle by tracking the mobile phone that had been left in the car.

Cristea was arrested in the toilets of the White Horse Inn at Bolivar on Sunday.

Police followed the vehicle by tracking the mobile phone that had been left in the car. Cristea (pictured) was arrested in the toilets of the White Horse Inn at Bolivar on Sunday

The court heard Cristea told arresting officers he had no recollection of stealing the car.

Prosecutors told the court the 33-year-old admitted to using heroin, methylamphetamine, cannabis, valium and alcohol prior to the incident, according to Adelaide Now.

Cristea did not enter a plea. He was refused bail and has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance.
A witness in Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's trial says one of the druglord's hitmen had a special 'murder room' to carry out grisly executions.

Edgar Galvan said Monday in court that hitman Antonio 'Jaguar' Marrufo's murder room was soundproof 'so no noise comes out' and was equipped with a 'drainage outlet' on the floor for quick cleanups.

'He took me once to a house, where the floor was just white, tiled,' the cartel snitch said. 'That's where he killed people.'

'In that house, no one comes out,' the 41-year-old told jurors in a New York City court room.

Edgar Galvan, 41, testified in front of a jury Monday in El Chapo's trial. He claims hitman Antonio 'Jaguar' Marrufo (pictured during his 2012 arrest) had a murder room where he would kill rival cartel members.

El Chapo (seen above at his arrest in 2016) case continues as he's pleaded not guilty to a 17-count indictment, including firearms possession, murder conspiracy, and importation and distribution of cocaine

Galvan testified that he was a cab driver who became friends with hitman Marrufo in 2007 after his divorce. He said they hit it off and Marrufo became a 'party friend'.

He soon began living in El Paso, Texas, and working for Marrufo - who controlled Juarez for El Chapo's Sinloa Cartel, the New York Post reports.

Galvan said Maruffo had him help transfer guns over the border for 'cleaning' rival cartels in the Mexican city of Juarez.

He testified that 'cleaning' meant 'to kill all of the people' so El Chapo could seize control of the area.

It is still not clear whether the murder house is in Texas or Mexico and how many people were slaughtered there.

Galvan admitted to obtaining a gun on two occasions as a step in a murder plot lead by Marrufo, but he claims he never pulled the trigger himself.

He said he typically transferred AK-47 assault rifles and once stored a .50 caliber rifle.

This man, a former US military member identified only as 'Ivan,' worked for Edgar Galvan, who is a witness in the El Chapo trial

A photo from the court shows him posing with that assault rifle inside what appears to be a home.

Galvan said he was so excited to see the size of the assault rifle, he assembled it and posed for a photo.

He was arrested in 2011 after four years of working with the cartel.

Galvan pleaded guilty to possession of narcotics and firearms and has served eight of his 24-year sentence.

Marrufo is currently in Mexcio prison.

The two last spoke in January 2010, when El Paso police raided the home of a friend who was storing 40 AK-47s, a grenade launcher, bulletproof vests and ammunition for the cartel.

Meanwhile, El Chapo's case continues as he's pleaded not guilty to a 17-count indictment, including firearms possession, murder conspiracy, and importation and distribution of cocaine.
Cabinet minister David Littleproud has separated from his wife - a day after former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese announced his marriage was over.

The 42-year-old Nationals MP, who holds the agriculture portfolio, told his local regional southern Queensland newspaper his 20-year marriage to Sarah had ended.

'It is an amicable split,' Mr Littleproud told the Warwick Daily News on Tuesday.

Cabinet minister David Littleproud (left with Barnaby Joyce) he has separated from his wife - a day after former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese announced his marriage was over

'My wife Sarah and I have been separated for some time but it is not from a third party.'

The member for Maranoa had paid tribute to his wife in his maiden speech to Parliament in September 2016, a little more than a year before becoming a cabinet minister.

'In closing I would like to pay tribute to my family. My wife, Sarah, and our three boys- Tom, Hugh and Harry - are a constant pillar of support for me and for that I am truly grateful,' he told the House of Representatives.

There were no images of his estranged wife on his Facebook or Instagram pages but he has previously talked about living across regional southern Queensland and raising three sons.

Mr Littleproud made his announcement a day after senior Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese announced the end of his 30-year marriage to Carmel Tebbutt, a former New South Wales deputy premier.

Former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese (right) this week announced he had split with his wife Carmel Tebbutt, a former New South Wales deputy premier

Another former deputy PM Barnaby Joyce (right) in 2017 ended his 24-year marriage to Natalie

Barnaby Joyce (right holding his son Sebastian) separated from his wife before news emerged of his relationship with his former media adviser Vikki Campion (left)

Mr Albanese, who in 2013 lost the Labor leadership contest to Bill Shorten, released a statement on Monday saying there were no third parties involved in the split.

The ALP left-faction power couple, who met in NSW Young Labor during the 1980s, made their announcement after their 18-year-old son Nathan had finished his Year 12 High School Certificate exams.

Mr Littleproud and Mr Albanese announced the end of their marriages a year after another former deputy PM Barnaby Joyce's 24-year marriage to Natalie had ended, following a relationship with his former media adviser Vikki Campion.

Less than a month ago, former Nationals assistant minister Andrew Broad, 43, announced he would retire at the next election, after he was exposed as sending explicit messages to a woman 20 years his junior on a 'sugar baby' dating site.

His wife Rachel, however, is continuing to stand by him even though he had texted Irish national Amy Keating lewd messages, referring to himself as James Bond when he was in Hong Kong.

Less than a month ago, Nationals MP Andrew Broad (right with wife Rachel) resigned as
President Donald Trump reaffirmed his belief late Monday that the United States should remove its soldiers from 'endless wars.'

The President tweeted late Monday: 'Endless Wars, especially those which are fought out of judgement mistakes that were made many years ago, & those where we are getting little financial or military help from the rich countries that so greatly benefit from what we are doing, will eventually come to a glorious end!'

The tweet came as the Trump administration has sent mixed signals regarding the President's stated goal of withdrawing American soldiers from Syria.

The President is scheduled to address the nation on Tuesday evening.

The White House's National Security advisor will meet with Ankara officials on Tuesday to discuss the surprise withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, as the Turkish president hailed the pullout as 'the right call'.

President Donald Trump reaffirmed his belief late Monday that the United States should remove its soldiers from 'endless wars'

The tweet (above) came as the Trump administration has sent mixed signals regarding the President's stated goal of withdrawing American soldiers from Syria

As both sides prepared for the talks in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was 'the only country with the power and commitment' to stabilize Syria after the US pullout, in an opinion column published in the New York Times Tuesday.

'President Trump made the right call to withdraw from Syria,' he added, outlining Turkey's 'comprehensive strategy' to eliminate the causes of radicalization in the war-torn country.

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton is due to discuss with Turkish officials how the planned withdrawal would take place, President Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said last week.

He will be joined during his visit by General Joseph Dunford, the current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the anti-Islamic State (ISIS) group envoy James Jeffrey.

When Trump first announced the pullout of 2,000 ground troops on December 19, Ankara was a lonely voice among NATO allies welcoming the decision.

Erdogan has previously promised Trump that Turkey could finish off the remnants of ISIS in Syria.

'A military victory against the terrorist group is a mere first step,' he said in the New York Times, warning against premature declarations of victory.

There were tensions ahead of the talks after Bolton on Sunday cited conditions such as safety guarantees for Kurds before the U.S. withdrawal.

Ankara immediately hit back at his 'irrational' claim that Turkey would target Kurds.

After Bolton landed in Ankara on Monday, Trump said the fight against ISIS was not over and that the withdrawal would be done in a 'prudent' manner.

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton (seen above in Israel on Monday) is due in Ankara on Tuesday to discuss with Turkish officials how the planned U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria would take place, President Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said last week

'We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!' Trump tweeted.

Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security, said Ankara would need support from Washington to completely eradicate ISIS, 'to the point where the U.S. military would essentially still be inside Syria'.

The U.S. had been working closely with the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance.

But U.S.-Turkey relations have been especially rocky over American military support to the YPG.

Ankara says the YPG is a 'terrorist offshoot' of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.

The PKK is proscribed as a terror group by Ankara and its Western allies.

Last month Erdogan threatened to launch a cross-border operation against the YPG, east of the Euphrates River, which he said later would be delayed after Trump's order.

But Turkey has sent military convoys to its border with Syria - including personnel, tanks and artillery - and inside the war-ravaged country.

When Trump first announced the pullout of 2,000 ground troops on December 19, Ankara was a lonely voice among NATO allies welcoming the decision. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) has previously promised Trump that Turkey could finish off the remnants of ISIS in Syria

Turkish military analyst Metin Gurcan said Ankara was currently being held back on the operation by the issue of airspace, which will be on the agenda during Bolton's visit.

Turkey learnt from previous operations in northern Syria not to enter the country without proper airspace dominance and without air support, Gurcan said.

He added it was not clear whether the U.S. would withdraw from the airspace, but even if Washington did so, Ankara would need the support of Moscow for any operation.

Turkish military forces supporting Syrian rebels launched incursions into northern Syria against ISIS in August 2016 and against the YPG in January 2018.

But Syria experts and anonymous US officials in American media have raised concerns over whether Turkey has the ability, or even desire, to fight ISIS in Syria.

'Turkey has only one interest, which is to defeat the YPG. So that is what it is going to do,' said Joost Hiltermann, Middle East program director at the International Crisis Group think tank.

According to Gurcan, the FBI's investigation into the movement of U.S.-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen will also be on the agenda.

One of the main sources of tensions between Ankara and Washington is the U.S. failure to extradite Gulen, who has lived in Pennsylvania since 1999.

The U.S. forces in Syria (like those seen in the above stock image) had been working closely with the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance

Turkey says Gulen ordered the 2016 failed overthrow of Erdogan but the preacher strongly denies the claim.

Last week, a U.S. delegation, including FBI officials, came to Ankara where they asked questions to suspects accused of links to Gulen in a visit hailed by Turkish officials.

But Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, Ankara office director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said there were still 'fundamental issues to be resolved' - including Washington's opposition to Turkey's planned purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system as well as the continued detention of local U.S. mission employees in Turkey.
Jarryd Hayne's giant 18-year-old cousin is set to follow in his famous relative's footsteps and make his own mark in the National Rugby League.

Josh Thompson has signed a contract with the Canberra Raiders for the 2019 season, Nine News reported.

The teenager already weighs a whopping 114kg - and he's still growing, meaning he will add some serious size to the Raiders forward pack.

The teenage cousin (pictured in green) of Jarryd Hayne will follow in his rugby-playing relative's footsteps

Thompson, a prop forward, was signed to a scholarship by the Newcastle Knights at age 16 but he became homesick and returned to his home in Fiji.

He was first spotted during a scouting trip to the island by Alex McKinnon, a former Knights first-grader whose career was tragically cut short by a severe spinal injury suffered during a game.

McKinnon met Thompson in 2016 and the giant teen was signed to a two-year deal.

'I recall two things. One, how respectful and eager he was to learn and two, how physically he moved so well for a big teenager,' McKinnon told the Daily Telegraph at the time.

Thompson spent time with his famous cousin Hayne upon arriving in Australia, but later quit his scholarship with the Knights and went back home.

Josh Thompson, 18, was first spotted by scout Alex McKinnon (pictured), whose playing career was tragically cut short following a severe spinal injury sustained during a game in 2014

He has been lured overseas for a second time by the Raiders, and the team's recruitment boss Peter Mulholland said Thompson had immense potential.

'He is still young and raw but the ability is there and he is a great kid,' Mulholland said.

Hayne, meanwhile, faces the probability that his NRL career is over following an aggravated sexual assault charge.

Hayne vehemently denies the allegations.
NA Chairwoman meets with EP Vice President Updated: 09:10 - 08/01/2019

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) meets with Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala in Hanoi__Photo: VNA

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National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a reception in Hanoi on January 7 for Vice President of the European Parliament (EP) Heidi Hautala.The Vietnamese top legislator thanked Hautala for her positive contributions to promoting the Vietnam-European Union (EU) relationship, as well as the partnership between the Vietnamese NA and the EP.She noted that the relationship between Vietnam and the EU has been growing in all fields, especially trade and investment.The EU is now the fourth largest trade partner and the second biggest export market of Vietnam, as well as the fifth largest investor in the Southeast Asian country, Ngan said.The NA leader briefed her guest on Vietnams socio-economic performances in 2018, including GDP growth of 7.08 percent. The Vietnamese NA ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) last year, creating an important foundation for Vietnam to continue its intensive international integration and a new momentum for national development, she stressed.For her part, Hautala said that during her visit, she had worked with leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other relevant agencies on the implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (VPA/FLEGT) between the EU and Vietnam.The two sides agreed on specific contents to be conducted in the coming time, she said, adding that the EP is working to ensure the prompt realization of the deal.Stressing that Vietnam is an important import-export partner of the EU, Hautala said that the EU has paid great attention to sustainability and product origin, which is included in the VPA/FLEGT.The EP Vice President noted that in 2018, the NA of Vietnam actively coordinated with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to hold activities related to the UN sustainable development goals and the role of the parliament in reaching the goals through the application of a self-evaluation tool.Together with bilateral cooperation mechanisms, the EP wants to set up collaboration mechanisms with other ASEAN countries parliaments, said Hautala.Ngan showed her support for the idea, pledging that Vietnam is willing to assist in the formation of such mechanisms.The Vietnamese NA leader expressed her hope that the EP will soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), vowing that Vietnam is willing to listen to the opinions of European economic policymakers and enterprises for the effective implementation of the deal, which, she said will create close connections between the EU and the regions of Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific.The Vietnamese NA is working to complete the legal corridor to improve the investment and business environment, thus ensuring the stable, long-term, and effective operation of foreign investors, including those from Europe, she said.The NA will work with the Government to institutionalize the regulations of the EVFTA, asking the latter to submit its final report for the consideration of the agreements approval, Ngan said.The top legislator affirmed that as a responsible and active member of many multilateral cooperation forums and many new generation free trade agreements, Vietnam will strictly implement its commitments in line with regulations stipulated in these mechanisms.In order to institutionalize and effectively carry out the VPA/FLEGT, which Vietnam signed in October 2018, Vietnam will soon build a decree to control the import of wood, as well as regulations related to Vietnam's timber legality assurance system (VNTLAS) she said.The Vietnamese NA leader expressed her hope that Vietnam and the EU will soon approve the VPA/FLEGT to facilitate wood and wooden furniture trading between the two sides and contribute to hastening the approval of the EVFTA.-
An American contractor stationed in Iraq for defense firm Lockheed Martin has died after it is believed he was assaulted by members of the United States military.

Rick Rodriguez, a former Army Green Beret who served with the military for 20 years, was removed from life support at a hospital in Germany on Friday - a decision made by his family.

His wife and four children were flown by the military from their home in Fayetteville, North Carolina to Germany after Rodriguez was transferred from Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a relative told The Daily Beast.

Numerous sources told the news site that Rodriguez was severely injured during a brawl with U.S. Marines.

Military sources said that investigators are focusing their attention on two gunnery sergeants who are believed to be persons of interest in Rodriguezs death.

Rick Rodriguez, a former Army Green Beret, was removed from life support at a hospital in Germany on Friday - a decision made by his family

Lockheed Martin was saddened to learn of the loss of one of our employees, who was fatally injured while supporting Special Operations Forces within the Operation Inherent Resolve area of operations in a non-combat related incident, a company spokesperson said Monday.

We are supporting the Naval Criminal Investigation Service as they conduct an investigation into the circumstances of his death.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and we are committed to supporting them during this difficult time.

There are conflicting accounts of how the incident unfolded.

The Daily Beast reported that one source claimed it began as an altercation in a gym in the Iraqi town of Erbil.

Another said that the fight began during a shooting competition.

Numerous sources told the news site The Daily Beast that Rodriguez was severely injured during a brawl with U.S. Marines

Whatever the case may be, a disagreement led to a physical altercation involving a group of military enlistees.

Rodriguez was left pummeled to the point of unconsciousness, the web site reported.

Military investigators said they plan on interviewing multiple witnesses who saw what took place.

We really dont know what happened or whats going on, Rodriguezs aunt, who lives in California, said.

Rodriguez was working as a contractor for American defense firm Lockheed Martin. He was based in the Iraqi town of Erbil

This is just the latest high-profile investigation launched by NCIS into alleged fratricide within the military.

Last year, two Navy SEALs and two Marines were charged in the strangulation death of an Army Green Beret while they were stationed in the African country of Mali.

Staff Sgt Logan Melgar, 34, died from asphyxiation on June 4 after two members of SEAL Team Six allegedly broke into his room while he was sleeping, bound him with duct tape and 'choked him out', according to charging documents.

Melgar was pronounced dead at a French clinic in Bamako, Mali, where the SEALs told investigators he'd been involved in a drunken accident during combat training - though an autopsy revealed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death.

The names were redacted on charging documents released Thursday, but a 2017 Army Criminal Investigation Command report identified the SEALs involved in the incident as Petty Officer Antony DeDolph and Chief Petty Officer Adam Cranston Matthews.

Two US Navy SEALs and two Marines have been charged in the 2017 death of Army Green Beret Logan Melgar (pictured) while they were stationed in the African country of Mali

Last week, Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher, a decorated Navy SEAL, was formally arraigned by a military tribunal on charges of war crimes committed during his service in Iraq

The Navy said in a statement that the service members face charges that include murder, hazing and obstruction of justice.

The service members are also accused of lying to Navy commanders and investigators about what happened.

Two Special Operation sources told the Daily Beast that Melgar discovered the pair of SEALs were skimming off of the top of the dirty military money to keep for themselves.

When he confronted them about it, sources say the pair told Melgar they could get him a cut of the money in return for his silence. He allegedly refused.

Last week, a decorated Navy SEAL was formally arraigned by a military tribunal on charges of war crimes committed during his service in Iraq.

Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward R. Gallagher, 39, has been charged with premediated murder and numerous other offenses in connection with the fatal stabbing of a teenage Islamic State prisoner under his care in Iraq in 2017, along with the shooting of unarmed Iraqi civilians.
A 12-year-old boy was rushed to hospital for emergency rabies treatment after a bat swooped from the sky and slashed his neck in a park.

Cody Polinelli was playing with friends in Charters Towers, north Queensland when a flying fox dived from a tree and scratched him below the chin, sending him into a panic.

The youngster was taken home to his mother Renee who raced him to hospital to be given rabies immunoglobulin, a medication of antibodies against the virus.

Cody Polinelli (pictured) was playing with friends in Charters Towers, north Queensland when a flying fox dived from a tree and scratched him

The youngster raced home to his mother Renee (pictured together) who took him to hospital to be given rabies immunoglobulin, a medication of antibodies against the rabies virus

Recalling the incident last month, Mrs Polinelli told Daily Mail Australia: 'Cody was playing with two friends in Apex Park.

'The boys were sitting at the table and chairs and the bat just swooped down and scratched Cody on his neck then it flew away.

'Cody called me crying "a bat scratched me, am I going to die?"

'I was horrified and said "no you aren't going to die but we need to get you to hospital". He was in a panic and his blood pressure was really high.'

When Cody got to hospital, he was cleaned with soapy water and doctors later set him on a course of rabies vaccine with a series of injections.

He is now recovering well, with only his final injection on the course to go.

Recalling the incident last month, Mrs Polinelli told Daily Mail Australia: 'The bat just swooped down and scratched Cody on his neck then it flew away'

Rabies is deadly to humans but vaccination is almost always effective if administered within six days of infection. Left: Cody and his mother. Right: The scratches

Only about six per cent of bats carry the rabies virus because it normally kills them.

Rabies is deadly to humans but vaccination is almost always effective if administered within six days of infection.

In November a British man died of rabies when he was bitten by a cat in Morocco.

How does rabies kill? If rabies is left untreated, it is almost always fatal in humans. Symptoms may take days, months, or even up to one year to show up. They may first present as pain, fatigue, headaches, fever, and irritability. The infection may then cause seizures, hallucinations, and paralysis. Death usually occurs within days of advanced symptoms developing. If un-vaccinated people may have been exposed to rabies, preventative treatment is highly recommended. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement

That same month a bat-enthusiast from Utah, who let the animals land on his hands, also died of the virus.

US authorities said at the time: 'A person who is exposed and has never been vaccinated against rabies should get four doses of rabies vaccine  one dose right away, and additional doses on the third, seventh, and fourteenth days.

'They should also get another shot called Rabies Immune Globulin at the same time as the first dose.

'A person who has been previously vaccinated should get two doses of rabies vaccine  one right away and another on the third day. Rabies Immune Globulin is not needed.'

Animals exhibiting characteristics of being infected with rabies may be either acting hostile and aggressive, or tame and easily approachable.

Animals infected with rabies, like raccoons and bats - which are the most common source of human infection - may also appear to be foaming at the mouth, as the disease causes excessive saliva production.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has slammed Labor's plan to stop people on welfare from having to apply for 20 jobs a month.

Labor's employment frontbencher Terri Butler has described the $6billion Jobactive system as a 'box ticking' exercise and has vowed to liberate Newstart recipients from having to field a quota of applications to qualify for Centrelink benefits.

Mr Abbott slammed this proposal and described Labor as 'now the welfare class party not the working class one' even though small business owners are fed up with receiving a deluge of applications from people unqualified for advertised roles.

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Former prime minister Tony Abbott (pictured) has slammed Labor's plan to stop people on welfare from having to apply for 20 jobs a month

'People on unemployment benefits are supposed to be looking for work,' he told his 674,000 Twitter followers on Tuesday.

'Applying for one job a day is hardly unreasonable.'

Mr Abbott, who went to the backbench after being knifed as PM in September 2015, was panned on Twitter, with his critics suggesting he may be looking for a new job come the May 2019 election.

'I hope after the election you will be looking for another job,' one man tweeted.

A left-wing activist group has threatened to back a high-profile independent candidate who runs against Mr Abbott in his safe Liberal electorate of Warringah, on Sydney's affluent northern beaches and lower north shore.

He described Labor as 'now the welfare class party not the working class one'

Mr Abbott (left with wife Margie) was panned on Twitter, with his critics suggesting he may be looking for a new job come the May 2019 election

Under the current system, Australians on the dole must meet certain 'mutual obligations' by either applying for work or seeking help from an employment service provider.

The obligations can include applying for up to 20 jobs a month or taking part in the Work for the Dole program for six months every year.

In an opinion piece in The Australian, Ms Butler said there was growing evidence Jobactive had failed, with the number of employers involved dropping from 18 per cent in 2007 to four per cent last year.

Job seekers were also being churned through the system, with about 5,000 landing more than one job through Jobactive, she added.

One man suggested Tony Abbott (right with former deputy PM Barnaby Joyce on the backbench) would be looking for work after the May 2019 election

One critic suggested Tony Abbott might be applying for a new job after the May 2019 election

She said a better system would give Jobactive providers more time to find people long-term work by dealing with their underlying issues such as homelessness, along with building relationships with employers.

That could be achieved if providers were freed from having to tick boxes for overly prescriptive jobseeker obligations, such as applying for 20 jobs per month, which may not yield results.

'There's no point just having people jump through hoops for the sake of it. That just costs the public purse money and doesn't get anyone anywhere,' Ms Butler told ABC Radio National on Tuesday.

Many employers reject the applications sent in by job services providers because of their unsuitability.

Council of Small Business of Australia chief executive Peter Strong said the process was an 'absolute waste of time'.

Labor wants to liberate Centrelink recipients from having to apply for 20 jobs a month to qualify for Newstart unemployment benefits

'We are creating millionaires on the back of the long-term unemployed by paying providers to offer a failed service,' Mr Strong told the newspaper.

Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz, who was employment minister in the Abbott government, said the current Jobactive system had helped create about one million new jobs in the past five years.

'They're the sort of statistics, they're the figures, that talk about the social and economic benefits of job placements,' Senator Abetz told ABC Radio National on Tuesday.

Tony Abbott, who two decades ago described the unemployed as 'job snobs', defended a system forcing the unemployment to apply for a set number of jobs to get welfare

He said people who get multiple, short-term jobs through the system were more likely to wind up in long-term work, adding Labor's plan would push up unemployment.

'They're going to go back to the bad old days of when Bill Shorten was employment minister and we had a burgeoning unemployment rate,' he said.

Under Mr Shorten's watch as employment minister, from December 2011 to July 2013, Australia's unemployment rate increased from 5.2 per cent to 5.7 per cent.

The jobless rate, however, shot up even higher under Senator Abetz's time as employment minister, from 5.7 per cent to 6.4 per cent, in little more than a year after he was sworn in during September 2013.

In 1999 Mr Abbott, when he was employment services minister in the Howard government, described as 'job snobs' unemployed people who were unwilling to accept positions.
A home has been completely destroyed by a blaze that was started by a child playing with a lighter.

Diana Bhandari fled her Adelaide home with her two boys, aged five and one, as flames ripped through the property on Monday.

Ms Bhandari had left her eldest son on the back patio of their O'Sullivan Beach property while she put her toddler to sleep.

Diana Bhandari (pictured) fled her Adelaide home with her two boys, aged five and one, as flames ripped through the property on Monday

She was unaware a lighter had been left on the patio as well.

Moments later, 'bright orange flames' leapt from the home.

Ms Bhandari managed to escape with both her boys. A neighbour had to break down the garage to save the family dog, who was trapped inside.

Fire crews were called to the property and spent 15 minutes extinguishing the blaze.

The house was completely gutted and all of their possessions were destroyed.

Friend Simone Greer told Adelaide Now the family's lives have been turned 'completely upside down'.

The house was completely gutted and all of their possessions were destroyed

'She lost everything in the fire, one of the firefighters managed to recover her hard drive and her kids' handprints.

'Diana's message is; please do not leave a lighter or anything where children can reach, a fire could happen in an instant.'

She has begun fundraising for the family, and hopes to raise $10,000 through a GoFundMe page.
A toddler was rushed to hospital in a serious condition after being hit by a car outside a home.

The boy was struck by a vehicle outside a private residency on Old Gympie Road in Beerwah, a rural town in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland.

Paramedics accompanied by Critical Care Paramedics were called to the scene at 11:16am on Tuesday.

A toddler was rushed to hospital in a serious condition after being hit by a car outside a home (stock)

A spokesperson from Queensland Ambulance Service told Daily Mail Australia the toddler sustained abdominal and pelvic injuries.

The toddler remains in a serious condition at Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Police are looking for a bearded Pacific Islander man after a young woman was sexually assaulted when she got off a bus.

Steph, 20, boarded a route 903 bus from Sunshine Railway Station, west of Melbourne's CBD on December 27 at about 6pm.

She got off the bus at Munroe Avenue, about ten minutes later, and was sexually assaulted by a stranger.

'I felt a hand rub against me from behind and at first I didn't know what happened,' she told reporters.

Victoria Police have released images of a man after a woman was sexually assaulted when she got off a bus

'When I looked back at him there was a guy and I saw him look away from me quickly and then I just continued to walk off the bus and just before I got off I turned back and he was looking at me and had a smirk on his face.'

Steph, who said she felt 'vulnerable' and 'scared' immediately phoned her fiance afraid he would follow her.

'It's scary knowing he or anyone else could be around and you never know what they're capable of,' she said.

Police say the man was unknown to the woman.

CCTV footage released by the police shows a man with a solid build, 180cm tall, with brown eyes, a black beard and long black hair in a bun. He is thought to be between 20 and 30 years old.

He was wearing a white long-sleeved top, beige coloured shorts, black high cut Converse sneakers and a black Adidas backpack with a yellow logo.

Police say the man got on the bus at Sunshine station at the same time as Steph after arriving there possibly by train from Melton.

He stayed on the bus to Pascoe Vale, getting off about 7pm.

A man who could assist police with inquiries was seen wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, beige shorts, black Converse sneakers and a black Adidas backpack with a yellow logo

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Jetstar has launched bargain flights to Hawaii for just $259 one-way.

Anyone needing another break from work will have to get in quick, with the sale ending on January 16.

Passengers must be able to travel between April 29 and June 26 to get their hands on the cheap flights from Sydney or Melbourne to Honolulu.

The 'International Resolutions Sale' also includes flights from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for $229, and trips from the Harbour City to Auckland from $149.

Jetstar has launched bargain flights to Hawaii for just $259 one-way (stock image)

Anyone needing another break from work will have to get in quick, with the sale ending on January 16 (stock)

Flights from Sydney to the Thai city of Phuket can be snapped up for just $209, while a trip to Nadi, Fiji, for as little as $179.

Meanwhile, the airline is offering flights from Darwin to Bali from mid-January from $149, with return flights from $105.

One-way trips from Brisbane to the Indonesian island will start from $199, $229 from Melbourne from $229 and Sydney from $239.

Domestic flight have also been slashed, with a trip from Sydney to Brisbane in February costing as little as $65.
An Instagram influencer charged with fleeing police during a high speed chase arrived in court this morning in a designer dress and outlandish sunglasses, before posing for pictures with the media.

Margarita Tomovska, 27, from Alfords Point in Sydney's South, is accused of speeding away from police with an unrestrained toddler in the back seat of a Mercedes on November 13 last year.

Ms Tomovska first faced court on December 11 and before her second appearance at Wollongong local court today, she flaunted her outfit to her 63,000 Instagram followers, branding herself the 'Mercedes Mum'.

Margarita Tomovska (pictured) from Alfords Point in Sydney, is accused of speeding away from police with an unrestrained toddler in the back seat of her Mercedes on November 13 last year

Ms Tomovska shared her ensemble in an Instagram story prior to Tuesday morning's trial, where she dared the media to 'come at' her.

The outfit consisted of a short, black-and-white striped dress by designer Balmain, a pair of diamond-encrusted Gucci sunglasses, Louboutin high heels and a Givenchy handbag.

In another Instagram story, the 'Mercedes Mum' shared a series of messages with her own mother where they had discussed arriving at the courthouse via helicopter.

Ms Tomovska appeared in court this morning in an expensive designer outfit, complete with outrageous sparkly sunglasses as she posed with members of the media

Ms Tomovska brands herself the 'Mercedes Mum' and she shared the outrageous outfit she wore to court today in an Instagram story where she dared the media to 'come at' her

'Planning my way to get to court tomorrow,' she wrote.

'Mums idea to get a helicopter. My idea to land on top of media.'

Further posts include a picture of her cosying up to a Channel 7 cameraman, as well as a video of her singing with friends in a car some time after her trial with the caption: '0 f***s given'.

Ms Tomovska, was spotted by patrolling officers driving a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG in Helensburgh on the night of November 13.

The 'Mercedes Mum' has more than 63,000 followers on Instagram and is a brand ambassador for AMG GANG clothing

Ms Tomovska was driving a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG in Helensburgh on the night of November 13 when she was pulled over by police. It is alleged she then took off in her car with an unrestrained toddler in the back seat

She was pulled over before allegedly taking off in her car, which retails for about $260,000, at speeds of up to 200km/h with an unrestrained toddler in the back seat.

Ms Tomovska allegedly continued to drive for a further 10km north along the Pacific Motorway before she and another male passenger were finally caught.

The 27-year-old was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station, where her licence was suspended.

She was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Woolongong court the following week and charged with police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously and exceed speed by more than 45km/h.

Ms Tomovska allegedly continued to drive for a further 10km north along the Pacific Motorway before she and another male passenger were finally caught. The 27-year-old was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station where her licence was suspended

She did not enter a plea at the time and it is understood she is yet to enter a plea after today's proceedings

Ms Tomovska did not enter a plea at the time and it is understood that she is yet to enter a plea after today's proceedings.

Reports claim the case has been adjourned to February 19 to allow her solicitor to gather supporting material to the prosecution on one of the charges.

Daily Mail Australia is awaiting further details from Wollongong Local Court.
A bunting ceremony was held Monday evening for Steven H Pollard (pictured), who fell 52ft to his death on Sunday after slipping through a 3ft-wide gap between lanes of the Mill Basin Bridge in Brooklyn

An emotional bunting ceremony was held Monday evening for a New York City firefighter who fatally fell through a bridge gap while responding to a car accident in Brooklyn.

Hundreds of FDNY officers, community members and loved ones gathered in Canarsie to honor 30-year-old probationary officer Steven H Pollard.

Pollard had been walking between the carriageways of the Mill Basin Bridge on Sunday when he tragically tumbled 52 feet through a 3 foot-wide gap that he attempted to climb over.

The bridge, which was originally solid the whole way across, was recently rebuilt to include a gap between each side of the road.

The ceremony took place outside Ladder Company 170 in Canarsie, where the American flag hung from a ladder truck as 'Amazing Grace' played.

Pollard was remembered throughout the community Monday as a hard-working and 'model' firefighter.

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FDNY members salute Pollard, Ladder 170, during his dignified transfer Monday

Fellow firefighters are seen on the line the street as body of firefighter Pollard is taken out of the medical examiners office

Captain James Quinn said: 'Steven Pollard came to us in November of 2017, out of probie school.

'He was the model probie. Any job we gave him, he accomplished it. Any task we asked him to do, he did it well.

'He was a good firefighter... he was on the way to being a great firefighter. He was going to become an anchor in the firehouse.'

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also said Monday: '[Pollard] devoted his life to the people of our city, like his brother, like his dad, he was trying to do such a good and important thing, and its just really painful to see him as we did in the hospital.'

The late Pollard comes from a family of firefighters, including father Ray Pollard, of Ladder 102 in Brooklyn and his brother Ray Pollard Jr., who is an active member of Ladder Company 114.

He is also survived by his mother.

Firefighters line the streets of New York Monday to honor the late Pollard

Pollard was remembered in the community Monday as a hard-working and 'model' firefighter

Officers salute Pollard, Ladder 170, during his dignified transfer Monday

The American flag hung from a ladder truck as 'Amazing Grace' played during the Monday evening ceremony

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro called Pollard's death a 'terrible loss for the department'.

Nigro said: 'To lose a member just at the beginning of his career like this is devastating to us.'

NYPD Police Commissioner James O'Neill tweeted early Monday that the entire department sends its condolences to Pollard's family, friends and colleagues.

'#NYC will never forget your sacrifice,' the tweet read.

In another statement posted on the department's Facebook page Monday morning FDNY Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro and Mayor Bill de Blasio said: 'It's an incredibly sad night for the Pollard family, for the Fire Department family, and for our city.

A gap where the firefighter fell through separates the twin spans of the Mill Basin Bridge, Monday in the Brooklyn borough of New York

Probationary firefighter Pollard fell to his death trying to cross between the two spans while responding to a car crash on the Belt Parkway Sunday night

'He lost his life tonight in the process of helping others.'

De Blasio and O'Neill went to the hospital after the accident.

'This is a family who has done so much for New York City and now they're going through this loss and this pain. It's a very, very tough situation,' de Blasio said.

Nigro said Ladder Company 170 in Brooklyn was called to the two-car accident with injuries on the Belt Parkway, just east of Flatbush, on Sunday at 10 p.m.

Pollard slipped through a gap in the road between the carriageways while responding to the crash Sunday - and it's not clear whether he knew the gap was there when he tried to cross.

Pollard was trying to cross from one side of the carriageway to the other when he fell, though it is unclear if he knew the gap was there because it was added during recent building work

As the firefighters were going to help the victims Pollard slipped through a gap in the roadway and fell approximately 52 feet to the ground below.

He was pronounced dead at a Kings County Hospital.

The man who he was trying to save, Travis Simms, 30, revealed his overwhelming feeling of guilt while speaking to the New York Post Monday from his home.

Simms said he was trapped in his wrecked Ford Explorer when he heard someone should out: "'Oh my god, oh my God. Firefighter fell, he fell through, he fell through.'"

'I just immediately felt guilty,' he said.

'Pollard, hes my hero. I send my prayers, my condolences to his family. I could only imagine what theyre going through.

'When I got to the hospital, thats when I found out [Pollard died]. Immediately I couldnt control my emotions.'

Simms, who was left with a broken rib and seven stitches on his finger, plans to attend his hero's funeral.

'I have to tell to him, "thank you," say my final goodbye... because at the end of the day, he made the ultimate sacrifice to make sure that I was alright.'

Pollard is the 1,151st member of the FDNY to die in the line of duty.

The deadly incident is under investigation.
The sister of gangland wife Roberta Williams allegedly stole more than $50,000 worth of travellers' luggage from an airport carousel.

Michelle Kaye Mercieca, 51, from Kings Park north-west of Melbourne, appeared in court on Tuesday where she faces 19 charges of theft.

Police allege Mercieca systematically stole 18 items of luggage off the conveyor belts at Melbourne Airport between October 2017 and September last year.

Just seven of those bags were allegedly recovered when police raided Mercica's home.

Michelle Mercieca, outside Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court, expressed puzzlement as to how people knew who her sister was. She was shielded by a young stranger.

Gangland killer Carl Williams with then wife Roberta Williams - the sister of Michelle Mercieca

Mercieca, who is no stranger to the court room, told veteran Magistrate Bob Kumar that she planned to contest the charges.

'I'm not pleading guilty to this case,' she said.

There was no sign of Mercieca's sister Roberta, who has previously supported her in court.

Roberta Williams was the wife of gangland psychopath Carl Williams during Melbourne's notorious underworld war.

Court documents suggest Mercieca's lucky dips paid off better some days rather than others.

One bag snatch on June 2 last year allegedly saw Mercieca get away with a bag containing $12,324 worth of booty.

Another snatch in October 2017, allegedly saw her scamper off with $7425 worth of gear.

But they weren't all happy days.

Several poor sods returned to the carousel only to find their luggage containing $200 and $400 worth of goods had been stolen.

All up, police believe Mercieca got away with at least $46,552 worth of gear, but believe there was probably more.

Mr Kumar, who has sat on the bench for more than 30 years - and repeatedly mentions it - asked how Mercieca even made bail, before toughening up her reporting conditions.

When Mercieca tried to have details of her case suppressed, Mr Kumar sharply rejected her application.

He banned her from going anywhere near an airport before adjourning the case until next month.

Youths gather around Michelle Mercieca as tv crews and photographers pursue her outside of Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court

Outside court, a group of youths who had been loitering outside all morning, took it upon themselves to help the alleged thief escape the media spotlight.

They held up clothing to shield Mercieca's face, while filming the comical court retreat themselves on their phones.

Mercieca is due to appear in the same court next month.
Irans foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the European Union was moving more slower than expected in facilitating non-dollar trade with Tehran to circumvent U.S. sanctions, forcing it to explore avenues with other nations.

We continue to work with the Europeans for the special purpose vehicle but we are not waiting for them, Zarif told reporters in New Delhi. We are working with our traditional partners like India, like China, like Russia so that we continue to work in the interest of our people," Reuters cited the minister as saying.

Zarif also said he was talking to Indian officials about selling more urea to India at a reasonable rate.

The EU wanted a so-called special purpose vehicle (SPV) to help preserve the economic benefits for Iran deriving from the curbs Tehran placed on its nuclear program under a 2015 deal with world powers. In May 2018, President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from it.

EU diplomats had hoped here to have the SPV in place last year but ran into delays as member states balked at hosting it for fear of being targeted by the revived U.S. sanctions regime against Iran.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7)  Police have matched ballistic records of the registered .40 caliber gun of the confessed gunman in the assassination of AKO BICOL Rep. Rodel Batocabe with the 11 shells and five slugs recovered from the crime scene, Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde said Monday.

"Ibig sabihin totoo na 'yung na-recover na shell doon at saka 'yung licensed na .40 caliber ni Yuson ay iisa ang pinanggalingan," Albayalde said. "We are now confident na totoo 'yung sinasabi ni [Yuson] and that will boost our case."

[Translation: This means that it is true that the recovered shells there and Yuson's licensed .40 caliber firearm came from the same source  We are now confident that Yuson is telling the truth and that will boost our case.]

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source, AKO BICOL party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin, who said he was present when Yuson was giving his extrajudicial confession, said the confessed gunman in the killing of Batocabe and his security detail admitted that he tried to fire a .45 caliber firearm, but this jammed, prompting him to use his licensed .40 caliber gun instead.

Garbin is also convinced that the mastermind behind Batocabe's fatal shooting is Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo, who was challenged by the late lawmaker for the mayoralty in the midterm polls, as all six suspects who are now under police custody have pointed to the local chief executive as the brains behind the crime.

Police also said Baldo plotted to kill his predecessor, former Daraga Mayor Gerry Jaucian, when he was vice mayor.

Citing Emmanuel Judavar, a witness who said he was one of the conspirators in the assassination of Batocabe before he backed out, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director CSupt. Amador Corpus said Baldo planned to have Jaucian killed for 350,000.

But Jaucian died of an illness in May 2018 before Baldo could carry out his supposed plan.

Police said they are also looking into shells and bullets coming from a .45 caliber gun, which indicate that there were at least two firearms used in the killing.

While they have filed murder and six counts of multiple frustrated murder charges against Baldo, Yuson and five other suspects, Albayalde said they remain open to other angles which may surface as the investigation continues.

"Kaya nga ang sabi natin [That's why we say that] we are not closing the investigation. If we get a new information, we will exploit that information also," Albayalde said.

Police are also waiting for two more testimonies from two other suspects before they file charges against Baldo before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Baldo has insisted on his innocence as police have revoked his gun permits and are looking to remove his powers over local police.

He has said he was only an "easy target," being the late lawmaker's political rival, and warned that as he is blamed for the crime, the true brains are on the loose.

"Those alibis, it is the weakest defense," Garbin said. "These six witnesses, the gunman have a positive identification and positively identified him as the mastermind. So between positive testimonies and alibi, alibi is the weakest."

P50-M reward

Batocabe's fellow lawmakers, the Albay provincial government and President Rodrigo Duterte have pledged a total of 50 million for anyone who could point to the brains behind the killing of the solon and his police security detail last December 22.

However, Albayalde said they have not received recommendations and guidance from Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano on who should receive the bounty.

But the top cop said Emmanuel Judavar, a witness who says he was one of the conspirators in the assassination of Batocabe before he backed out, would "definitely" get the reward.

Garbin said AKO BICOL, the provincial government of Albay and the PNP have initially agreed that the witness who can provide a testimony that would lead to the mastermind and the gunman and is the least guilty would get the reward.

But Garbin said they are still waiting for the recommendation of the Department of Justice, as some of the witnesses in the Batocabe slay may be admitted to the Witness Protection Program.

CNN Philippines Correspondent Gerg Cahiles contributed to this report.
Ericka Hall, 32, was allegedly stabbed and shot to death by her daughters, 12 and 14, at the family's home in Magnolia, Mississippi, during an argument Friday night

Two sisters aged 12 and 14 have been accused of fatally stabbing and shooting their mother in southwest Mississippi.

Pike County police say relatives found 32-year-old Ericka Hall lying drenched in blood by the family's mobile home in Magnolia just before midnight on Friday.

She had been stabbed multiple times and shot once in the chest with a small-caliber handgun inside the home before staggering outside.

'She was stabbed in the back. The knife was still in her back,' Robin Coney, the victim's aunt, told WLBT.

'The girls, when I drove up, they were like: "Tee Tee we didnt do this." And I was like: "OK, if y'all didn't do it, where were y'all when the people that was doing it did it?"'

Sheriff Kenny Cotton said deputies and paramedics tried to resuscitate Hall but were unsuccessful.

'They found out the daughters  two teenagers, juveniles  allegedly did it,' Cotton said.

The 14-year-old daughter, Amariyona Hall, has been charged with murder as an adult and is being held at Pike County Jail on $150,000 bond. She is pictured in her mugshot

Family members say Hall was stabbed in the back and shot with her own gun inside the home (above) before she staggered outside and collapsed by her car

Courtesy of WLBT

The 14-year-old daughter, Amariyona Hall, has been charged with murder as an adult and is being held on $150,000 bond.

The 12-year-old, who is not been named because she is a minor, is being held at Adams County Juvenile Detention Center in Natchez.

Both girls will receive mental evaluations, authorities say. It wasn't immediately clear whether either has a lawyer.

Under Mississippi law, children 13 and older accused of certain crimes are automatically charged as adults. Judges can later transfer cases to youth court.

Coney said Hall got in an argument with the two girls on Friday night.

Deputies heard that the girls had also tried to run her over with the family car earlier in the week, the Enterprise Journal reported.

When their mother punished them, they retaliated with Fridays fatal attack.

She said the gun used in the murder belonged to Hall, and that she kept it stored in her car.

'I guess when [the girls] were doing all that to her, she was probably trying to get to her gun to fight for her life,' Coney said.

After the murder, the girls allegedly walked across the street to ask the neighbors for a ride to neighboring McComb because their grandmother had just died.

The neighbors called the mother but got no answer.

Coney said the girls then walked further down the road to a relative's home.

Hall's younger sister, Ebony, then went to the home and found the victim lying on her back near her car.

Hall, who worked poultry producer Sanderson Farms, also had two other daughters, aged 16 and one.
A business owner was shot and three men overpowered and detained by witnesses in a wild brawl outside a car detailer.

Vision from the aftermath of the scene shows neighbouring workers ran over to break up the fight after two shots were fired. They then pistol whipped one of the alleged assailants with his own gun.

Police said Ahmed Houda, 22, Mohammad Wais Niazy, 25, and a 22-year-old man were arrested at the scene and charged over the incident.

A black car pulled up to Auto Sport Detailing on Berry Street in Clyde, western Sydney, just before 5pm on Monday, CCTV footage showed

A black car pulled up to Auto Sport Detailing on Berry Street in Clyde, western Sydney, just before 5pm on Monday, CCTV footage showed.

Three men dressed in black, one wearing a balaclava, got out and soon after two gunshots were heard and at least four men began scuffling.

Workers ran in after hearing the shots, one of them grabbing a Glock pistol allegedly dropped by one of them and hitting Niazy across the face with it.

The brawl was captured on film by bystanders, at least a dozen of whom watched it unfold. Police appealed for more footage of the incident.

Neighbours restrained Niazy and the other man until police arrived to arrest them, along with Houda who was captured nearby after allegedly fleeing police.

Three men dressed in black, one wearing a balaclava, got out and soon after two gunshots were heard and at least four men began scuffling

Neighbours restrained Niazy and the other man until police arrived to arrest them

One of the men was seen being frogmarched to a police car as the victim was loaded into an ambulance by paramedics.

The 48-year-old owner of Auto Sport was shot in the foot and rushed to Westmead Hospital where he was in a stable condition on Tuesday morning.

Police said he was allegedly 'involved in an altercation' with the men before he was shot.

Niazy suffered facial injuries from the pistol whipping and brawl, which witnesses said looked like a broken nose and cheek along with numerous cuts.

One of the men was seen being frogmarched to a police car by officers when they arrived on scene

He and Houda were charged with discharging a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and Houda also with common assault.

Both were refused bail overnight and will face Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday.

The third man, from Chester Hill, was charged with affray and granted bail to face Parramatta Local Court on February 5.

Police are investigating and the motive for the shooting is not yet known.
Airport staff could be given powers to shoot down drones with shotguns or net bazookas under laws to prevent a repeat of the recent chaos at Gatwick.

Drone operators will also be banned from flying within three miles (5km) of an airport, compared with the current 0.6 miles, and the maximum height for their devices is set to be lowered from 400ft.

Under plans unveiled by ministers last night, police would also be able to force operators to land drones flown illegally near airports and prisons.

Airport staff could be given powers to shoot down drones with shotguns or net bazookas under laws to prevent a repeat of the recent chaos at Gatwick

In a 70-page consultation paper, the Department for Transport revealed the Home Office will begin testing new counter-drone technology to help airports detect them and bring them down if they pose a threat.

Details of defence systems were not provided and the draft drone Bill is not due to be published for several months.

But a Whitehall source referred to tests being carried out by the Metropolitan Police at Heathrow. These involve bazookas that fire a mortar-like projectile containing a net to snare a flying drone within a range of 130 yards.

Gatwick is also investing millions in anti-drone measures thought to include the Israeli-designed Drone Dome, which can detect and jam communications between a drone and its operator. Police already have powers to shoot down drones but have been reluctant to use them.

Marksmen were seen carrying shotguns at Gatwick last month when around 1,000 flights were grounded after drones were flown over the airport

Marksmen were seen carrying shotguns at Gatwick last month when around 1,000 flights were grounded after drones were flown over the airport.

But officers said they could not shoot down the remote-controlled craft for fear of stray bullets.

The DFT is also working with drone manufacturers to develop geo-fencing technology that automatically prevents the craft from flying near airports and prisons.

This software already exists in drones but is easy to disable. Under the new regime, police will be able to inspect drones they have grounded to check whether this has happened.

Police watchers are on the roof of the Gatwick police station. Officers said they could not shoot down the remote-controlled craft for fear of stray bullets

From November people will also have to be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority when they buy a drone and take an online test to fly one.

Pilots and air traffic controllers have warned it is only a matter of time before a potentially catastrophic collision between a drone and a passenger jet.

Airport bosses have also expressed frustration at not being able to protect themselves against the risk despite increasing near misses.

Last night, Labour accused the Government of being slow off the mark and said new powers for police were meaningless unless they are given more resources.

The British Airline Pilots Association said the plans are a win for flight safety.
Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American congresswoman, is accused of anti-Semitism for questioning Republican lawmakers' loyalty to Israel over the US.

'They forgot what country they represent,' Tlaib said of Republican lawmakers in a tweet Sunday while objecting to a proposed bill in the Senate that would punish American companies for participating in the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.

'This is the US where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality. Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away,' she added, in response to a post by Senator Bernie Sanders.

Both of their posts criticized Senate Republicans for introducing the pro-Israel bill Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act of 2019, instead of proposing legislation to end the now 17-day government shutdown.

Republic lawmakers, including Senator Marco Rubio, were quick to label Tlaib as anti-Semitic for suggesting Republicans' loyalty lies with Israel - a notion known as 'dual loyalty' which traces back hundreds of years to anti-Jewish attacks.

Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to congress, criticized a proposed bill by Republican that would impede Americans from participating in the anti-Israel BDS movement

She tweeted that Senate Republicans 'forgot what country they represent'

Tlaib has been bashed by Senator Marco Rubio, who labeled her remarks anti-Semitic

The BDS movement is a global boycott of all things Israeli which states its purpose is to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.

One of the bills in the package is called the Rubio-Manchin Combating BDS Act of 2018, meant to limit the BDS movement in the US.

It states it would 'increase protections for state and local governments in the United States that decide to divest from, prohibit investment in, and restrict contracting with companies knowingly engaged in commerce-related or investment-related BDS activity targeting Israel,' according to Senate Republicans.

Critics of the bill claim that it is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment.

Bernie Sanders tweeted Sunday: 'Its absurd that the first bill during the shutdown is legislation which punishes Americans who exercise their constitutional right to engage in political activity. Democrats must block consideration of any bills that dont reopen the government. Let's get our priorities right.'

To which Senator Marco Rubio tweeted: 'This is a lie. My bill doesnt punish any political activity. It protects the right of local & state govts that decide to no longer do business with those who boycott #Israel. So boycotting #Israel is a constitutional right, but boycotting those participating in #BDS isnt?'

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign seeks to end international support for Israeli's oppression of Palestinians

Tlaib told supporters at a party hosted by the liberal MoveOn group that 'we're going to impeach the motherf***er' about President Trump

Rubio went on to comment on Tlaib's tweet, saying: 'This dual loyalty canard is a typical anti-Semitic line. #BDS isnt about freedom & equality, its about destroying #Israel.

'And if boycotting #Israel is constitutionally protected, then boycotting companies that boycott #Israel is also constitutionally protected.'

Tlaib later hit back at Rubio, saying: 'Sen. Rubio, it's clear my earlier tweet was critical of U.S. Senators like yourself, who are seeking to strip Americans of their Constitutional right to free speech.'

The Anti-Defamation League released a statement in response to Tlaib's tweet: 'Representative Tlaib's tweet regarding the pending bill on the Senate floor has been interpreted by some as suggesting that Jews or Members of Congress, such as the sponsors of the bill, are more loyal to Israel than to their own country,' the organization said. 'Whether or not this was her intent, this type of language is deeply problematic.'

This is the second hit Tlaib has gotten since being sworn in as one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress.

On Thursday night, she dropped the F-bomb at the president during a party 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.
ran has now rationed her food and prevented calls to her husband, Richard, and daughter Gabriella, four

She will go on strike in protest at medical care being withheld in Iranian jail

azanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has threatened to go on hunger strike next week

MPs warn the case of a mother detained in Iran is a 'matter of life and death'

The case of a British-Iranian mother detained in Tehran is a matter of life and death, MPs warned yesterday, after officials rationed her food.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has threatened to go on hunger strike next week in protest at medical care being withheld.

The charity worker has developed lumps on her breast and suffers from a number of health complaints.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 40, was arrested at Tehrans Imam Khomeini airport in April 2016 and sentenced to five years in jail after being accused of spying  a charge she denies. She has now spent more than 1,000 days in prison, which included her 40th birthday and her third Christmas separated from her family [File photo]

However Iran has now rationed her food and prevented calls to her husband, Richard, and daughter Gabriella, four.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 40, was arrested at Tehrans Imam Khomeini airport in April 2016 and sentenced to five years in jail after being accused of spying  a charge she denies.

She has now spent more than 1,000 days in prison, which included her 40th birthday and her third Christmas separated from her family.

Yesterday, her MP, Tulip Siddiq, raised her case in Parliament, saying tough rhetoric will not do anything to help the mother of one.

She told ministers that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffes treatment in Iran has got considerably worse in the last two weeks.

Iran has now rationed her food and prevented calls to her husband, Richard, and daughter Gabriella, four, pictured above. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe will strike for three days in mid-January with Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights defender also in Evin prison [File photo]

During the urgent question, she said: Nazanin has been given a ration of food which has slowly decreased. Nazanin has been told the calls that she was allowed to make to her family and husband in London have now been restricted and will be further restricted.

She has also been told that she will be denied medical access even though she has discovered lumps on her breast.

In light of this, Nazanin has said she will go on hunger strike from next week. Miss Siddiq asked for an update on the proposal to grant Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection and suggested Irans detention of British nationals should be discussed at the United Nations Security Council.

She said she believed Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt were absolutely determined to solve the case and found their pledges to help free Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe to be genuine.

But Miss Siddiq added: The truth is this is a matter of life and death. Tough rhetoric will not do anything.

What we need is decisive action from our Government to make sure that my constituent Nazanin comes homes alive to West Hampstead and that is what Im asking the minister  what action will he take to save this womans life?

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has threatened to go on hunger strike next week in protest at medical care being withheld [File photo]

Mr Burt, replying for the Government, said Irans decision to not recognise dual nationality had hindered access.

He added: We have noticed that if she is to be treated as an Iranian national as they wish, were now at a stage where she should be eligible for parole, and we would hope and believe that might be the course of action that could be taken, again I stress, on humanitarian grounds.

Mr Burt said there was constant communication with Iran over Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, adding: A request for diplomatic protection is still being considered as to whether or not this would add anything to the circumstances.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe will strike for three days in mid-January with Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights defender also in Evin prison.

Mr Zaghari-Ratcliffe said treatment his wife was being denied included: checks for breast lumps, neurological care regarding neck pains and limb numbness, and access to a psychiatrist.
Kevin Spacey has been pulled over for speeding in Washington, D.C. just hours after he pleaded not guilty in a Massachusetts courtroom to sexually assaulting a teenager.

The Pay It Forward actor was behind the wheel of his SUV, which he drove after landing in his private jet at Dulles International Airport on Monday.

He had just returned from a court hearing in Nantucket, where he is facing charges of indecent assault and battery.

After he drove out of Dulles, local police pulled him over.

Kevin Spacey was pulled over for speeding in Washington, D.C. just hours after he pleaded not guilty in a Massachusetts courtroom to sexually assaulting a teenager

The Pay It Forward actor was behind the wheel of his SUV, which he drove after landing in his private jet at Reagan National Airport on Monday

He had just returned from a court hearing in Nantucket, where he is facing charges of indecent assault and battery

After he drove out of Reagan, local police pulled him over. The scene is pictured above

A photographer with the news agency MEGA captured the encounter between police and Spacey on video.

Spacey was seen behind the wheel wearing a hat while his lawyer was sitting in the passengers seat.

As the police officer approaches Spaceys driver side window, the MEGA photographer drives by and records video of the interaction.

The photographer then asks the officers if they gave Spacey a ticket, but they didnt respond, according to TMZ.

Instead, the officers reprimand the photographer for pulling over to the side of the road to record the incident.

TMZ reported that Spacey did not receive a ticket. Instead, he was let off with a warning.

Hours earlier, the American Beauty actor arrived in a Nantucket courtroom just before 11am to attend his arraignment at the island's courthouse.

The actor was all smiles and seemed to be completely at ease as he snuck in the side door of the building, before being arraigned on a single count of Indecent Assault and Battery.

Spacey is seen getting into a Chevy Suburban at Dulles International Airport in Virginia on Monday

Spacey arrives back in DC after pleading not guilty in a Nantucket court to felony indecent assault and battery

He was told that he could face 90 days in a prison should he commit a crime ahead of the trial and the judge ordered the actor to stay away from the teenage accuser and his family, referring to the young man as the 'victim'

That charge carries a sentence of up to five years in jail, and Spacey was ordered to have no contact with the victim or his family.

Spacey was seen chatting and laughing with his lawyer before his case was called in front of the packed courthouse, and when it was his turn a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.

He was told that he could face 90 days in a prison should he commit a crime ahead of the trial and the judge ordered the actor to stay away from the teenage accuser and his family, referring to the young man as the 'victim.'

Spacey's lawyer and the prosecution then argued over a discovery motion, with the actor's team wanting all of the accuser's texts with his then-girlfriend from the 2016 incident until today and the prosecution just offering up the day of and after the the alleged assault.

The judge did not rule on the motion yet, and less than 10 minutes after he arrived, Spacey was heading back to the airport to fly home.

The actor, who only spoke the words 'thank you' during the hearing, did have to make one quick stop on the way out to see a probation officer.

The pretrial hearing in the case was set for March 4, but Spacey will not have to appear in person and can instead call in to the court.

Smiley: Spacey was carefree as he arrived at court on Monday morning in Nantucket (above)

No cares: He was all smiles as he and his lawyer entered the courtroom (above) after touching down on the island in a private jet

Plea: The actor, 59, was ordered to have no contact with the defendant or his family and told he could face 90 days in prison if he commits another crime (Spacey thanking the judge)

Full house: It was standing room only inside the courtroom on Monday when Spacey appeared (on left)

Busy day: Crowds line the street outside the tiny courthouse in Nantucket on Monday (above)

At the same time, the Boston Globe is reporting that after the officer investigating the case turned in his report to the court, the clerk asked for a private hearing to be held because he felt that the alleged victim, then 18, may have consented to the 2016 incident.

In a bizarre twist, the clerk then falsely stated that it was the investigating trooper who called for the secret hearing, which could not be held until last month because the victim was studying abroad and was not available to speak with the clerk.

That secret hearing resulted in the case being sent to trial, but Spacey and his team could have potentially been given the chance to have a private trial in which the alleged victim would not have been present.

'After reviewing the materials for a time, magistrate Hart indicated he had questions concerning the issue of consent and wanted to hear from the complaining witness and would require a show-cause hearing,' said assistant district attorney Tara Miltmore.

It was during the secret hearing that the trooper was questioned about the lack of eyewitnesses and evidence in the case.

And despite claims to the contrary, the young man who alleges he was sexually assaulted by Spacey at a Nantucket bar did not film evidence of the actor groping him or touching him in an inappropriate manner according to court testimony.

In the court hearing on December 20, the actor's lawyer tore apart one of the claims made in the police report filed by State Trooper Gerald Donovan.

There will be a pretrial hearing in the case on March 4, but Spacey will not have to appear in person

The claims in that report were all based on interviews with the alleged victim and potential eyewitnesses at the bar that night.

In that report, Donovan writes: '[Redacted] said his girlfriend did not believe him so that's when he snapchatted the video.'

That claim, which was submitted with the criminal complaint and filed in Nantucket District Court, led to multiple outlets reporting that there was evidence of the alleged assault, but as Donovan himself testified last week that is not the case.

'What the video shows is a person's hand make contact with the shirt, correct?' Spacey's lawyer Alan Jackson is heard asking in audio obtained by the Boston Globe.

'Yes,' responded Donovan.

'Okay. Not the -- any body part,' asked Jackson.

'Correct, you don't see any body parts,' confirmed Donovan.

The case stems from an incident that allegedly occurred in the early morning hours of July 8, 2016 at The Club Car in Nantucket.

The then-18-year-old-man accused Spacey of trying to 'jack him off' after the Oscar winner allegedly unzipped this fly, stuck his hand in his pants and began to rub his penis.

Jackson questioned why the victim allowed himself to be assaulted by the actor for three minutes, stating: 'Thats an incredibly long time to have a strange mans hands in your pants.'

He also used the hearing to address the fact that the alleged victim lied about his age, claiming he was 23, and was drinking heavily when the alleged assault took place.

'He may have been so drunk that he was black out drunk, but he didnt black out at the Club Car, he may have blacked out once he got home,' said Jackson while Donovan was on the stand.

'That's correct,' replied the trooper.

Solemn: Spacey got off the plane with his lawyer but not manager Evan Lowenstein, who may have stayed onboard for the 90 minutes or remained at home in Baltimore (Spacey above in court)

And he's out: Spacey (above with Jackson), who only spoke the works 'thank you' while appearing in front of the court, also had to meet a probation officer before leaving the island

Space case: The judge on Monday referred to the young man accusing Spacey as the 'victim' and not the 'accuser' in the case

Charter jet: Spacey chartered a Lear Jet for the day, likely at a cost of around $50,000 (Spacey getting on the plane to fly home)

Jackson may soon have a second case on his hands with Spacey as well, which would put him back on his home turf.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office revealed that a probe into Spacey's alleged criminal behavior that was launched back in August is still ongoing at this time.

A previous investigation was ultimately dismissed by the DA.

Jackson is familiar with the workings of that office, having spent close to two decades as a Deputy Assistant for the same office before going into private practice.

A spokesperson for the organization spoke with DailyMail.com and said: 'A sex assault case was presented yesterday to our office by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department involving Kevin Spacey. It remains under review.'

This news comes a year after the two-time Oscar winner was accused of sexually assaulting a then-underage Anthony Rapp at his Manhattan apartment.

Spacey responded by coming out as gay and entering a rehab facility in Arizona, where he remained for weeks.

The incident that spurred Spacey's downfall allegedly took place at Spacey's apartment in 1986 when the actor invited Rapp to a party while they were both appearing on Broadway.

In an interview with Buzzfeed, Rapp said that he found himself alone in the apartment at the end of the night and that Spacey then began to make his move.

'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me,' said Rapp, who detailed being pressed up against the bed before being able to squirm away and ultimately leave the house without being assaulted by Spacey.

Spacey made the decision to come out of the closet in a statement apologizing to actor Anthony Rapp, who said in an interview that the actor attempted to sexually assault him in 1986, an incident Spacey says he does not remember.

Rapp was 14 at the time while Spacey was 26.
Australia's peak animal rights groups have demanded an end to halal and kosher slaughter practices where livestock have their throats slit while they are conscious.

The RSPCA and PETA want animals to be stunned first before they are killed, after the Flanders region in northern Belgium outlawed traditional Muslim and Jewish abattoir customs.

Complicating the issue is how Australia in March 2017 backed new Indonesia laws which will require, from October 2019, all meat exported to the Muslim-majority nation to be slaughtered the halal way.

Australia's peak animal rights groups have demanded an end to halal (local abattoir pictured) and kosher slaughter practices where livestock have their throats slit while they are conscious

Despite Indonesia sourcing 80 per cent of its beef from Australia, the RSPCA says religious exemptions allowing animals to be conscious when they are killed needed to end.

'A small number of abattoirs in Australia have an exemption to slaughter animals without prior stunning, authorised by state food authorities,' it said.

'This means that animals are fully conscious and experience pain and distress at the time of slaughter.

'The RSPCA believes all animals should be stunned prior to slaughter.'

The RSPCA and PETA want animals to be stunned first before they are killed, after the Flanders region in northern Belgium outlawed traditional Muslim and Jewish abattoir customs

PETA, also known as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said most animals were fully conscious when their throats were cut under halal and kosher slaughter conditions.

What is halal slaughter? Halal is an Arabic term for permissible. For the meat to be lawful in the Muslim faith, the meat or poultry must be slaughtered as part of a ritual known as Zibah or Zabihah. The blood must be drained from the carcass, which means the throat of the animal is slit. An animal must not be dead before the ritual and a Muslim is required to perform the slaughter. Advertisement

'They are absolutely and understandably terrified when chains are shackled to their legs and they are hoisted into the air upside down,' it told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.

'For cattle and sheep who are killed without pre-stunning, unconsciousness can take several agonisingly painful seconds to come after their throats are cut.'

In March 2017, then trade minister Steven Ciobo visited Indonesia for three days.

Mr Ciobo used the occasion to announce Australia would back upcoming Indonesia laws, coming into force in October 2019, which will require beef cattle and sheep to have their throats cut to be widely marketed in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation.

Despite Indonesia sourcing 80 per cent of its beef from Australia, the RSPCA says religious exemptions allowing animals to be conscious when they are killed needed to end

To qualify as halal, or permissible in Islam, live animals must have their throats cut as part of the slaughter and die from blood loss.

In most cases, animals are stunned before they are slaughtered however, state government laws in Australia grant religious exemptions, which mean the livestock can still be conscious when it is killed.

The Flanders region in northern Belgium has effectively banned traditional halal and kosher slaughter practices since January 1, when the law first proposed in 2017 came into force.

The French-speaking Wallonia region in southern Belgium will officially ban those practices in September.

When legislation was first proposed in May 2017, it was slammed as 'the greatest assault on Jewish religious rights since Nazi occupation' by the European Jewish Congress.
Unlikely agent: David Rupert, 'The Big Yank'

The prosecutor's voice rang out in the centuries-old courtroom in the centre of Dublin: I now call David Rupert. And into the wooden witness box lumbered a giant of a man, an American 6ft 7in tall and weighing 21st, so big that before his appearance court officials had measured the 200-year-old box to make sure hed fit. He did  just.

Everyone craned their heads to stare at the mystery witness known as The Big Yank. Police snipers were on the courtroom roof in case of an assassination attempt. Roads were blocked as he arrived in a bullet-proof car.

Hed flown into Ireland for the trial on an executive jet often used by the Royal Family and was lodged in a heavily guarded safe house. He was clearly someone at high risk with a special story to tell.

As he settled in the witness box, Rupert looked around the crowded, hushed court and, at the prompting of the prosecutor, identified the accused.

Thats him, thats Michael McKevitt, he declared in his distinctive American drawl, pointing at the smartly-suited defendant his evidence was about to convict as a leading figure in a terrorist organisation that called itself the Real IRA.

This dissident group had split off from the mainstream IRA, when it ceased terrorist activities after the Good Friday peace agreement between Dublin and Belfast five years earlier.

McKevitt, its founder, was appalled by what he saw as a sell-out to the hated British. Determined to continue the fight for a united Ireland, he had been responsible for the terrible slaughter at the town of Omagh in Northern Ireland in the summer of 1998 when a car bomb killed 29 people, including six children, and maimed many others.

It was the worst atrocity in the 30-year history of the Troubles.

David Rupert knew all the inside secrets of the Real IRA. McKevitt and his lieutenants had taken him into their confidence as the key figure in raising funds among the fervent expat Irish community in the United States.

Seeing him as a millionaire backer who would help them buy weapons to fight the British as well as those in Ireland who wanted to make peace with them, they even made him a member of their inner circle, the army council, allowing him to attend top-level terrorist meetings.

But The Big Yank was secretly on a different mission altogether. He was not an IRA sympathiser but an undercover agent, passing information to the FBI in Washington, MI5 in London and Special Branch in Dublin.

For three days from the witness box he gave a detailed, no-holds-barred account of his extraordinary life  as a simple farm boy from the Adirondack Mountains in New York State whod been a truck driver, a lumberjack, a professional wrestler, an insurance salesman and a not-very-successful businessman, before he found himself caught up in the affairs of Ireland and was recruited by the FBI.

Pictured: The 1998 Omagh bombing, which was carried out by the Real IRA

Then, in a record-breaking cross- examination which lasted for another 11 days, he stood in that cramped witness box as defence lawyers picked away at every last detail, trying to prove him a liar, a fantasist and a paid informant whose word could not be trusted and whose evidence should be ruled inadmissible in court.

One by one, he batted away the slurs and accusations aimed at destroying his credibility, leaving the judge who headed the three-man tribunal (this was a no-jury trial) to declare him a very truthful witness with a considerable inside knowledge of the militant republican movement.

McKevitt was convicted of directing terrorism and jailed for 20 years.

By the time of the verdict, The Big Yank had already slipped away from Dublin  on a Hercules transport plane loaded with electronic devices to thwart a rocket attack, and with an SAS escort on board to protect him. He was back in America, in hiding and trying to put his life back together again.

Journalists from both sides of the Atlantic tried frantically and persistently to track him down, to hear more of his undercover activities and to try to get a handle on this strange backwoodsman who had wandered into the tangled world of Irish republican politics and made such a significant contribution.

But David Rupert had gone to ground, refusing to speak to anyone. Until now, that is. In a book to be published later this month, Irish journalist Sean ODriscoll describes how he made contact with him via the support group for the Omagh bomb victims, established trust over time and was invited to meet him at a remote location in the U.S.

The FBI  conscious that he may still be on someones death list  does not want his home identified.

What emerges is the most improbable of spies. You wont find his like in John le Carre or Ian Fleming. For a start, with his size and his often impatient, impetuous personality, he stood out a mile  not desirable in an undercover agent.

Nor was he a political convert, like the Cambridge spies or Russians such as Oleg Gordievsky. He did have one thing in common with 007, however  he was magnetically drawn to women, and they to him. And it was lust for a woman that led him to Ireland.

After three failed marriages and a number of failed business enterprises, aged 41, he was living in Florida and out on the town one night when the sound of fiddle music lured him into a bar, the Harp and Thistle, no less.

Irish rebel songs were being sung. He joined in the cheers, the stomping feet, the clink of Guinness glasses.

I was just curious, he recalls. I knew nothing about Ireland, but I liked the music.

In the dancing, a flame-haired beauty called Linda latched onto him and he was hooked.

Linda turned out to be a political lobbyist for Noraid, the U.S. organisation that raised funds for the Provisional IRA.

She was smart and exciting and talked a lot about The Cause. I played along, impressing her with a little knowledge of Irish republicanism combined with a lot of feigned fervour. It was a winning strategy.

So when she decided to visit Sligo in Ireland, it was perfectly natural that he would go with her and spend time with her IRA friends. He loved every minute of it  the countryside, the camaraderie, the craic  and, though he and Linda went their separate ways, he would return time and again, learning more and more about the history of the struggle.

Michael McKevitt, leader of the Real IRA, in Dublin

His trips didnt go unnoticed. The Irish Special Branch soon had this oddball American on its radar as a possible terror suspect and passed his details, via Interpol, to the FBI  which was on the look-out for IRA gun-runners among the American Irish community.

An FBI agent took Rupert to one side  report back to me on anything you come across in Ireland, he urged, with a hint of menace.

By now Rupert had started seeing Maureen, the woman who would become his fourth wife. She came from an Irish-American family and jumped at the chance of going with him to Ireland  particularly when he told her that the FBI was prepared to pay their fares in return for any information they might come across.

It sounded like money for old rope. They grabbed the opportunity, feeling sure theyd suckered the FBI into the deal.

They, though, were the ones whod been suckered, as their secret service minders turned the screw a little at a time until Rupert was their fully paid-up undercover agent on a regular salary of $30,000 (24,000) a year. His codename was, for some unexplained reason, Mr Wristwatch.

With FBI money and encouragement, he and Maureen bought a country pub in Ireland, close to the border with the North, picking up (and passing on) the gossip from the IRA supporters who packed the bar, drinking and singing their rebel songs.

One regular customer was an older woman who would bounce her grandson on her knee, as she told him he would grow up to shoot policemen in the north. How do you defeat that? Rupert mused. That always stuck with me.

The activists among the clientele even commandeered Ruperts surplus beer barrels as containers for explosives: the IRA had been using them for decades  they were ideal casing to pack bombs into.

Rupert could do nothing to stop them without drawing attention to himself, but he secretly wrote down the serial numbers of the kegs so the FBI would know where they came from if one was used as a bomb.

The pub didnt last. It went bust  like so many of Ruperts business ventures  and the couple returned to Chicago with their tails between their legs, thinking their whole Irish saga was over.

But politically things in Ireland were hotting up. The Provisional IRA  the principal republican military grouping  was on the verge of splintering over the prospect of a peace deal that would end the killing, the bombing and the terror of the past three decades.

Royal Ulster Constabulary police officers and firefighters inspecting the damage caused by a bomb explosion in Market Street, Omagh

Disgruntled extremists broke away to form the Continuity IRA, and later the Real IRA. So, with the terror set to continue and different renegade groups forming, the sort of inside information Rupert could gather was needed more than ever.

With FBI help, he offered his services to the Irish Freedom Committee in Chicago, which was raising funds to arm the Continuity IRA.

He became their courier, smuggling the thousands of dollars collected for the cause on his renewed regular trips to Ireland. There, not surprisingly, he was welcomed with open arms.

He explained to author ODriscoll: Much has been written about how I infiltrated the groups there. But he didnt have to try very hard. I was the man with the bag of money from Chicago and doors just opened up for me.

They were opening in other directions too, with Britains MI5 now eager for a slice of his undercover action. It, too, recruited Rupert, agreeing to debriefings in London every time he flew out of Ireland and regular email updates of everything he discovered.

For this, he was to be paid $50,000 (39,000) a year.

He was now inevitably spending a lot of his time in the company of the IRA and was fully immersed in its anti-British rhetoric.

But if he was ever tempted to feel sympathy for the cause it was fighting, that disappeared when he discovered that bomb parts were being sent from America, addressed to a primary school teacher loyal to the cause.

Learning that the plastic explosives were stuffed inside teddy bears, the detonating cord disguised as skipping ropes, Rupert couldnt get his head round the fact that, while most people in Ireland were longing for peace, some were willing to use a Catholic school full of six and seven year-olds to smuggle in explosives.

He slipped the FBI the address of the school.

Events, though, were spiralling downwards into even more violence.

The Omagh atrocity caught everyone unawares, intensifying the desperate need of the security services to get to grips with the Real IRA, which claimed responsibility and was now emerging as the number one threat.

Rupert was instructed to get as close to its leaders as he could.

Consorting with them, however, was deeply risky. Maureen, who often accompanied him to meetings with these sinister- looking men, found them absolutely terrifying. She recalled: They would kill us in a second if they knew the truth.

Discovery and a bullet in the back of the head were real possibilities.

While putting on a brazen front, the couple lived in constant fear that even the tiniest slip might give them away, such as when their MI5 contact carelessly left a packet of English cigarettes in their car after a rendezvous in Ireland.

I dont smoke, neither did Maureen, he says. If one of the terrorists had seen it, how would we explain its presence in the car? I was p****d off and told MI5 I would no longer meet them in Ireland. Id communicate by email.

On another occasion, Rupert was waiting for an IRA contact in a hotel lobby when he realised he had his FBI handlers business card in his pocket. It would have got me killed if had it been discovered.

He had to get rid of it and he had learned enough spycraft not to flush it down the lavatory in the nearby gents in case it floated back. So I ate it. Just in time, he managed to chew it into pieces and swallow it.

Despite narrow escapes like these, the couple carried on with their mission, carefully worming their way into the confidence of those running the Real IRA, finally meeting up with McKevitt, the leader, and his wife, Bernadette, who was also the sister of Bobby Sands, the so-called martyr whod died in prison on hunger strike. She, too, was considered a major figure in the republican movement. McKevitt took to Rupert from the start, and was eager that he should reassure the Americans raising funds for the Real IRA that the money would be well spent  with, in particular, a spectacular attack he was planning on London.

He also claimed he had a professional assassin on standby to target Prime Minister Tony Blair or somebody of that calibre. Rupert swiftly emailed warnings to MI5.

Rupert was now so deeply embedded in the very core of the Real IRA that, as an army council member, he met the groups bomb-makers and was handed detailed shopping lists of arms, explosives and electronic equipment they wanted him to procure for them. He was even tasked with finding the right weapon for the would-be assassin of Blair.

His access to the terrorists was unprecedented, says writer Sean ODriscoll, making him Britains most successful spy in the long and bloody history of the Irish Troubles.

There was a problem, however. Because he could not be an actual gun-runner and deliver the deadly goods the conspirators wanted, he was constantly having to find excuses for not providing them.

Some on the army council became suspicious that he was just a loud-mouthed braggart. Others denounced him as a spy.

Fortunately, McKevitt, convinced by Ruperts credentials and over-eager to make a real impact on the terrorist scene, stood by him.

He even discussed with him how they could approach Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, to provide them with weapons, including rocket-propelled grenades and wire-guided missiles that could take down helicopters  a deal that, thanks to Rupert, MI5 were able to foil.

But while he courted McKevitt and even came to quite like him, Rupert never forgot that this was a brute who killed without conscience. One day McKevitt took him to Warrenpoint, where back in 1979 the Provos had callously ambushed a British Army convoy and killed 18 young soldiers.

He pointed out to me all the points, like a battle historian recounting a great victory. It was a spot that made McKevitt happy when he was stressed because it was the site of what he saw as one of his greatest accomplishments.

What seemed to give him the greatest pleasure was that after the first bomb went off, it was followed by a second one among the injured soldiers and their rescuers. It had been planned as a double-whammy to cause the maximum loss of life.

For six long years, David Rupert carried on his perilous mission to infiltrate and bring down these terrorist groups, thwarting as best he could their efforts to kill off the peace process in Ireland.

In January 2000, he called a halt. Journalists were on his tail. Suspicions were growing. He flew to Dublin and over three days passed on everything he knew to the Irish Special Branch  details of every conversation with McKevitt, the army council meetings, the plans to ship weapons, the main fund raisers in America and so on.

Here was the evidence the authorities had been longing for  a cast-iron case that would convict McKevitt and send him to jail.

His job done, Rupert returned to the U.S. and went to ground with his wife Maureen, hidden away by the FBI, emerging only to fly back for McKevitts high-profile trial.

The story he told in court about the inside workings of the Real IRA was riveting and the world watched transfixed. All eyes on the spy from the FBI, reported the Irish Times.

McKevitt tried to claim it was all fantasy and that he had never met the Big Yank. The judges, swayed by the sheer weight of the evidence and the cool way Rupert had stood up to the most rigorous of cross-examinations, didnt believe him.

They convicted him  a major blow to the terrorist organisations from which they have not recovered. There would still be a scattering of terrorist attacks but never on a scale to derail the peace process.

Back in America, Rupert wisely disappeared. In all, hed made as much as $10 million (8 million) from his spying, the FBI continued to support and protect him and he never had to work again. But knowing he could be tracked down by someone holding a grudge and a gun, his life would not be the same.

To Sean ODriscoll  who did track him down, though with peaceful intent  the Big Yank is a hero, even if a very strange one.

He was an anomaly, an alien, who by a strange set of circumstances fell through a portal into Ireland.

He was lured there, as we have seen, by nothing more than the sound of an Irish fiddle and a girl with fiery red hair and dancing feet.

Yet more than anyone else, this accidental spy helped bring a final end to Irelands centuries-long national nightmare. What he achieved should be measured by the fact that the country has peace and that those who seek to destroy it have admitted defeat.
Lord Sugar, who insists that Apprentice candidates use his title, attended just 28 days, for a rate of 12 per cent [File photo]

Lord Sugar is among the high-profile peers who have been to fewer than one in five Lords sittings, the Mail can reveal.

His Apprentice co-star Baroness Brady and former Olympian Lord Coe also fare poorly in the league of shame.

Some peers are present for only 2 per cent of days the Lords sits for.

Others claim the 305 daily allowance for turning up despite their poor attendance records.

The revelations come after warnings that the Lords must reduce the number of passenger peers who contribute little.

Lord Speaker Norman Fowler last week said the recent mass creation of life peers meant some realised after a few days they were in the wrong place doing the wrong thing.

The former Tory Cabinet minister wants to cut the size of the Upper House from 800 to 600.

Last night Darren Hughes, chief executive of the Electoral Reform Society, warned of an increasing number of couch-potato peers.

The Mails analysis is based on the ongoing Parliamentary session from June 2017 until December 20  a possible maximum of 229 sitting days.

Lord Sugar, who insists that Apprentice candidates use his title, attended just 28 days, for a rate of 12 per cent.

Some peers are present for only 2 per cent of days the Lords sits for. Others claim the 305 daily allowance for turning up despite their poor attendance records [File photo]

It was an improvement on his attendance record in the previous parliamentary session of 12 days in 142, or 8 per cent. He has voted only nine times in the past five years.

Baroness Brady, who is also the vice-chairman of West Ham United, attended just 17 per cent of possible Lords hearings and has spoken nine times in five years.

She was given six weeks off by the Tory chief whip last year to film the most recent series of The Apprentice. Former Olympian Sebastian Coe, now Lord Coe, has attended just 6 per cent of hearings and has not spoken in the House in the past five years.

Author and former Conservative politician Lord Archer, who was jailed for perjury in 2001, attended on just four days out of a possible 229  less than 2 per cent.

Lord Hanningfield, the former leader of Essex Council who was jailed in 2011 for false accounting relating to Lords expenses, attended just ten days  a 4 per cent record.

When he does go, he often claims his 305-a-day allowance  but he has not spoken in the House for three years.

Founder of the Ministry of Sound nightclub James Palumbo, now Lord Palumbo of Southwark, made just 20 days  almost 9 per cent.

The Lib Dem donor, who is worth an estimated 350million, has spoken in the House eight times since 2013.

In November, the Mail revealed how Conservative peer Baroness Mone flew to the Maldives rather than scrutinise counter-terrorism legislation. She also missed a key vote on the Brexit bill following a trip to Monaco.

The multi-millionaire founder of bra firm Ultimo, who went to 12 per cent of Lords sessions, regularly claims the maximum 305-a-day attendance allowance. She says the money is given to charity.

Other than Lord Hanningfield, the other peers featured in the Mails analysis choose not to claim the allowance.

Many former MPs who were elevated to peerages have similarly poor attendance records. Labour politician Peter Mandelson, above, went to just 24 days of Lords hearings (a 10 per cent attendance). For former Tory Party leader William Hague the figure is 14 per cent [File photo]

In 2016, Lord Cormack, of the Campaign for an Effective Second Chamber, said peers who barely attend should be excluded. He cited Lords with an attendance record of 25 per cent or less.

MPs on the Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee have called for urgent action to axe 200 peers.

SNP MP Ronnie Cowan, who sits on the committee, said: It is utterly ridiculous that in 2018 we still have a second, unelected and unaccountable chamber.

Many former MPs who were elevated to peerages have similarly poor attendance records.

Labour politician Peter Mandelson went to just 24 days of Lords hearings (a 10 per cent attendance). For former Tory Party leader William Hague the figure is 14 per cent.

Baroness Brady, who is also the vice-chairman of West Ham United, attended just 17 per cent of possible Lords hearings and has spoken nine times in five years. She was given six weeks off by the Tory chief whip last year to film the most recent series of The Apprentice [File photo]

Lord Sugar said it was a matter of opinion whether his attendance record was poor.

He said he regularly used his title on social media and TV because it is his name  and told his 5 million Twitter followers that a Mail reporter who contacted him for comment was an idiot.

His spokesman said Lord Sugar attended the Lords as frequently as his schedule permits and does not claim expenses.

A Lords spokesman said the House had agreed to endorse a report recommending reducing peers to 600, adding: Since the last election, there have been 48 departures from the House, meaning we are on track to meet the reduction proposed by the committee.

Lord Hanningfield, 79, said his attendance record had been poor as he was in ill health and planned to step down at 80.

A spokesman for Lord Archer, 78, said he also planned to retire as a peer when he hit 80 and did not claim his allowance.

Lord Coe said he had to balance his hefty international commitments with Lords debates.
A nail salon worker has been slashed with a knife while trying to break up a pair of brawling teenage shoppers, police allege.

The fight took place at Warringah Mall in Sydney's Northern Beaches on Monday afternoon.

Tracy Lam, 42, was treated by paramedics at the scene for a knife wound to her arm before being taken to hospital.

Tracy Lam was allegedly stabbed in the arm (pictured) while trying to break up two fighting teenagers

Ms Lam claims she was breaking up a fight between the two girls, aged 13 and 14, inside a shop at the mall.

When she approached them, one turned on her and allegedly slashed her with a concealed knife.

Emergency services were called to the shopping centre at 3pm, where police spoke to the 14-year-old girl, who was unhurt, and paramedics treated the victim.

Ms Lam's husband and salon owner, Hai, 45, told Daily Telegraph that his wife is still in shock from the horrific incident and doctors are not sure if she would make a full recovery due to possible nerve damage.

'She was trying to do the right thing,' Mr Lam said.

'She was trying to protect her customers.'

The alleged incident took place at Warringah Mall in Sydney's Northern Beaches (pictured) on Monday

The 13-year-old had allegedly fled the scene but later turned herself in to police.

She was charged with reckless wounding, affray and custody of knife in a public.

The teen from Narraweena, also in Sydney's north, was granted bail to appear at a children's court on January 22.
About 800 Russian citizens have been denied entry to Ukraine since December 26, the day when the martial law in Ukraine was lifted, Oleh Slobodian, the assistant of the head of the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service, said on Tuesday, UrduPoint reported.

On Sunday, Slobodian said that over 700 Russians had not been allowed to visit Ukraine since December 26.

"Since the lifting of the martial law about 800 Russian citizens were not allowed [to cross into the Ukrainian territory]," Slobodian said as quoted by Ukraine's UNN news agency.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko declared martial law in ten regions bordering Russia, Moldova, the Black and the Azov seas in November after Ukrainian vessels clashed with Russiancoast guards in the Kerch Strait.

Martial law lasted for a month ans was lifted on December 26. Under a separate law, Ukraine also restricted access for all Russian men aged 16 to 60.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the incident was a provocation prepared in advance as a pretext to introduce martial law. The Russian president suggested that the provocation might be linked to Poroshenko's low approval ratings ahead of the presidential election.
Dozens of people have been evacuated from an Oakleigh South street over fears of an explosion following a major gas leak.

Metropolitan Fire Brigade firefighters were called to Valley Street in Melbourne's southeast at around 7.45am after an excavator burst a gas pipe.

A number of residents and workers in the vicinity were evacuated as firefighters used water to disperse the gas.

Dozens of people have been evacuated from an Oakleigh South street over fears of an explosion following a major gas leak

The power has since been isolated and MFB crews are using air monitoring equipment to assess air quality.

The MFB say the incident is under control.

The gas leak has forced the closure of several streets in the Oakleigh South area, 17km south-east of Melbourne's central business district.

No injuries have been reported.

More to come.
Samuel L. Jackson, the man who used the term mother f***er countless times in his movies, has taken his favorite profanity to endorse its usage against the president after a congresswoman did the same.

During a speech last week just hours after her swearing in, Representative Rashida Tlaib called the president mother f***er as she was giving a speech in which she said Trump should be impeached.

In a profanity laden tweet, Jackson shared to Tlaib 'I just wanna Wholeheartedly endorse your use of & clarity of purpose when declaring your Mothef***ing goal last week,' Jackson posted on his Twitter page late Sunday.

Samuel L. Jackson gave his endorsement to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib after she called Trump a mother f***er during a speech hours after her swearing in

Samuel L. Jackson avenged those who spoke out against the congresswoman and those who shafted her after her controversial speech against Trump

'Calling that Muthaf***kah a Motherf***ker is not an issue, calling that Muthaf***ah President is !!!#motherf***eristoogoodtowasteonthatcankersore,' he emphatically concluded.

Jackson, who is famous for his ability to drop the F-bomb with panache, tweeted the missive to Tlaib Sunday night.

Last week after being sworn in as Michigan's newest Democratic representative, Tlaib used the swear word while speaking to her crowd of supporters at the event sponsored by MoveOn.

'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***er,' she said.

Critics blasted her use of the profanity, and Trump called her comments 'disgraceful.'

But Tlaib hit back at any critics: 'I will always speak truth to power. #unapologeticallyMe,' she wrote on Twitter last Friday.
Kevin Hart is apologizing 'once again' to the LGBTQ community for his decade-old homophobic tweets which has cost the comedian his hosting gig at the Oscars.

'I will say this, and I want to make this very clear. And I'm going to say it just in case you guys try to take this sh*t and chop it up, I will rebuttal with this f*cking piece right here,' Hart said on his SiriusXM show Straight from the Hart. 'Once again, Kevin Hart apologizes for his remarks that hurt members of the LGBTQ community. I apologize.'

The comedian stepped down from hosting the Oscars last month after coming under heat for failing to apologize for resurfaced tweets dated from 2009 to 2011 in which the comedian spewed blatant anti-gay rhetoric.

He appeared on Ellen DeGeneres's show Friday to speak on the controversy for the first time, which brought DeGeneres criticism from the LGBTQ community for dismissing those who have criticized Hart as 'haters' and 'trolls.'

Hart said during his radio show that there now 'has to be an acceptance for change'.

Kevin Hart apologized for his resurfaced homophobic tweets on his SiriusXM show Straight from the Hart. 'Once again, Kevin Hart apologizes for his remarks that hurt members of the LGBTQ community. I apologize,' he said

Hart tweeted Monday ahead of his SiriusXM radio show

'I'm not debating right from wrong. I've already stated it's wrong. But, the other side of it is this. If the fight from the LGBTQ community is equality, that's the fight. The fight is the will and want for equality. I'm riding with you guys. I understand you,' Hart said.

'But in the fight for equality, that means that there has to be an acceptance for change. If you don't want to accept people for their change, then where are you trying to get to the equal part?' he added.

When given the ultimatum last month - apologize or the Academy could seek a new host- Hart originally declined because he said he was not the same man who tweeted the offensive remarks a decade prior.

'I've said who I am now versus who I was then. I've done it. I'm not going to continue to go back and tap into the days of old when I've moved on and I'm in a completely different place in my life,' he said last month in an Instagram video as a response to the ultimatum.

He echoed those sentiments on his radio show: 'I think that in the times that we're living in, we have to be understanding and accepting of people and change. Bottom line.'

One tweet in question read: '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.'''

Appearing on Friday's episode of Ellen DeGeneres' show, the legendary chat show star revealed she has been lobbying the Academy in the hope of his return to the role as she confessed she 'really wants him to host'

The comedian has since deleted the tweets, but that wasn't before screen captures began circulating online.

Just two days after the announcing that Hart would be the host of the 91st Oscars ceremony next month, he stepped down.



During the controversial sit-down Friday, DeGeneres told Hart that she has contacted the Academy and was told that organizers of the Oscars ceremony still want him to host and are interested in making it happen.

Hart admitted his is 'evaluating' the idea.

Since then, there hasn't been any word from the Academy, with Deadline reporting that their, 'highly reliable sources' indicating that no one in Hollywood is interested in hosting, after the, 'Hart debacle.'

With less than two months until the telecast on February 24, and no host named for yet, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are considering drastic alternatives.

There had previously been rumors that the Academy was considering using multiple hosts, with Deadline reporting that this is an option once again, as is using no host at all.

Neither the Academy nor producers Donna Gigliotti and Glenn Weiss have commented on the hosting vacancy, and haven't even officially confirmed that previous host Kevin has bowed out.
Dozens of sparrows have died after tinsel and Christmas decorations were tied around their necks in what animal activists have called a shocking case of animal cruelty.

Birds have been seen adorned with trinkets in Wellington, New Zealand, over Christmas, with people also reporting seeing sparrows with Anzac poppies and ribbons tied to their bodies.

In some cases, metal ribbon has also been found wrapped around the birds' legs.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is appealing for information in order to find out who is responsible.

Dozens of sparrows have died after tinsel and Christmas decorations were tied around their necks in what animal activists have called a shocking case of animal cruelty

Birds have been seen adorned with trinkets in Wellington, New Zealand over Christmas, with people also reporting seeing sparrows with Anzac poppies and ribbons tied on their bodies

'We are continuing to get reports of wild birds in the Kilbirnie area with decorative trinkets, such as tinsel or ribbons, attached to their wings or around their necks,' the group posted to Facebook.

Someone has been decorating the birds for years, before but the instances have spiked over summer.

The birds have been forced to starve to death in many cases, while others have died of thirst.

Barely-alive sparrows brought in to the SPCA had to be euthanised as they were in such poor health, an SPCA spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

'The birds have all been ''decorated'' with tinsel, ribbons, bits of wire decoration and rings,' she said.

'The birds are often unable to move naturally with these decorations and they are preventing them from flying, eating and drinking.'

SPCA central region general manager Ros Alsford said the sparrows become severely stressed as they try and remove the decorations, and get themselves further entangled as they attempt to get the tinsel off their bodies.

In once case a bird was 'severely underweight due to starvation', she told Stuff.

Barely-alive sparrows brought in to the SPCA had to be euthanised as they were in such poor health

'The tinsel was wrapped so tight it cut the circulation off around its wing,' she said.

Ms Alsford told the New Zealand Herald that they weren't sure if the person responsible was being cruel on purpose.

'Obviously, some is doing it intentionally because it's not natural behaviour for birds to have like this,' she said.

'It seems to be only sparrows, it's most odd and unusual. It's something we're concerned and worried about.'
The parents of Kelsey Berreth have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against their daughter's fiance.

Patrick Frazee was served notice on Monday that a complaint had been filed by Cheryl and Darrell Berreth claiming he 'enacted physical, mental, and emotional acts of violence upon Kelsey Berreth prior to her death.'

The complaint goes on to state that 'when Frazee acted as either the perpetrator or accessory to the murder of Kelsey Berreth, Frazee breached the duty of care with which a reasonable person should conduct himself toward another human being.'

The Berreths, who currently have temporary custody of their daughter's 15-month-old child with Frazee, are demanding a jury trial to determine and 'compensatory and general damages, interest from the date of Kelsey Berreths death as provide.', as provided by law.'

And they have retained Perry Sanders to represent them in the case, the same man who represented Katherine Jackson after the death of her son Michael.

The body of their daughter Kelsey has not yet been found, and it is still unclear how she may have been killed.

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Broken family: Cheryl and Darrell Berreth are suing Patrick Frazee for the death of their daughter Kelsey, who was last seen on November 22 (the Berreths above in 2014)

Down to business: They have hired Perry Sanders, the same who represented Katherine Jackson (above with Sanders in 2011) after the death of her son Michael

Frazee will not be in court again until February, but there were a few new developments in the case last week.

This included a friend of Patrick Frazee, whose granddaughter was a frequent playmate of the accused killer's daughter Kaylee, shared details about his relationship with Berreth.

Tamra Freeman told CNN that Frazee and Berreth had split back on New Year's Day in 2018, just three months after the couple welcomed daughter Kaylee.

That contradicts comments made by Berreth's aunt suggesting that her niece had broken up with Frazee on November 22, the day she was last seen in public.

Authorities have since charged Frazee with first-degree murder despite the fact that Berreth's body and remains have yet to be found.

Frazee was in court on Thursday for a custody hearing regarding his daughter Kaylee, and both his mother Sheila and sister Erin stood by his side in a show of support.

The two women were seen exiting the courthouse, and did not stop to speak with any of the media assembled outside.

Frazee also has an older brother Sean who is a law enforcement officer with the El Paso Sheriff's Office.

Frazee was served notice of the complaint (above) on Monday while awaiting trial at the Teller County Jail

At the same time, a woman from Idaho has reportedly become a person of interest in the investigation.

Two individuals who have worked with that Idaho woman - who is being investigated for disposing of Kelsey Berreth's cell phone- say that she and Frazee had been in a romantic relationship for months.

DailyMail.com spoke with two people who know the nurse professionally, and they both said that they had been told that Frazee was having an affair with the woman.

The woman, who DailyMail.com identified as Krystal Lee last week, was divorced from her husband a few years back, they explained, and had met Frazee at a rodeo.

Neither of those individuals knew exactly when the relationship started, but they believed it could have been as early as 2016 - prior to the birth of Frazee's daughter with Kelsey Berreth.

One of the the people DailyMail.com spoke with also said that the nurse was in Colorado around Thanksgiving.

That would explain how Frazee was able to get the cell phone to Idaho while never leaving the state.

It was reported last month that police in Idaho had discovered information pertaining to the missing mom's cell phone.

Shackled: Frazee (above) has been charged with three counts of solicitations to commit murder and two counts of first-degree murder for the death of Berreth

The Twin Falls Police Department revealed that officers from the force played a role in the investigation by obtaining search warrants and examining evidence in the case.

Berreth's cell phone pinged off a tower in Gooding, Idaho, on November 25, three days after she went missing and around the same time her employer received a text stating that she would not be in for work that week. The location it pinged is about 800 miles from where Berreth was last seen.

The complaint filed by prosecutors stated that Frazee had plotted the murder of Berreth with at least one other individual in the three months before she went missing.

And while authorities have yet to discover a body or any of Berreth's remains at this time, they claim that the investigation has yielded enough evidence to suggest the two ways in which the 29-year-old mother was killed by her fiance.

The three counts of Solicitation to Commit Murder in the First Degree all state that 'between and including September l, 2018 and November 1,2018, Patrick Frazee unlawfully and feloniously commanded, induced, entreated, or otherwise attempted to persuade another person to commit the felony of murder in the first degree.'

That would have been just a few months after Berreth purchased a home in Woodland Park for her and infant daughter Kaylee.

She spent $184,900 on a two-bedroom property about 15 miles away from the ranch where Frazee lived with his mother despite the fact that the two were engaged.

That home is where authorities believe Berreth was murdered on or around November 22.

Berreth was last seen at a Safeway store in Woodland Park on Thanksgiving.
Brussels is preparing to offer Theresa May modest concessions ahead of next week's crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal - but UK officials are already 'testing the waters' on extending the Article 50 deadline out of fears it will fail.

Sources in London and Brussels said the two sides were hopeful of reaching an agreement on a new document in which the EU would pledge to reach a comprehensive trade deal with the UK by 2021.

Allies of Mrs May believe this would prevent the need for the UK to ever enter the controversial Irish backstop, which critics fear could leave Britain trapped in a customs union indefinitely.

But even as diplomats attempt to get the EU to commit to a comprehensive trade deal, UK officials are 'putting out feelers' on extending Article 50, reports the Telegraph.

Culture minister Margot James yesterday became the first Government figure to suggest Brexit might have to be delayed if Mrs May's deal is voted down.

Brussels is preparing to offer Theresa May modest concessions ahead of next week's crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal

Miss James told the BBC: 'If [passing the deal] proves to be impossible then we have very little time left  we might have to extend Article 50. But I think it's very unlikely that Parliament will actually stare down the barrel of that particular gun and I think it's far more likely that Parliament will actually get behind the deal.'

Downing Street has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a delay in the departure date, with Mrs May's official spokesman saying: 'The Prime Minister has been very clear on a number of occasions that extending Article 50 is not something we are intending to do.'

But three separate EU sources told the Telegraph that officials are 'just doing their homework' on the possibility of extending Article 50 beyond March 29.

One insider said: 'Until now this didnt come up but were hearing it more and more.

'We presume this is based on some conversations in Westminster, even though we are clear that the Government is formally dead against it and doesnt want to do it.'

EU diplomats yesterday suggested Brussels was ready to offer an 'exchange of letters' with Mrs May, setting out the bloc's intention to conclude a trade deal by 2021. But they suggested it will stop short of the guarantee being sought by London.

Whitehall sources said an agreement was 'unlikely' to be in place before the start of a five-day Commons debate on the Brexit deal tomorrow, but were hopeful it will be concluded in time for the vote, which is expected on January 15.

However, they remain concerned the EU will not go far enough to meet the demands of Eurosceptic MPs and the Democratic Unionist Party. One source said senior figures in Brussels appeared to be holding back on further concessions until after Mrs May's deal is put to the test in the Commons next week.

But UK diplomats are 'putting out feelers' over extending the Article 50 deadline - out of fears May's deal will not pass through the Commons next week. Pictured: Boris Johnson leaving a reception at No 10, part of a seven-day charm offensive

'There is a genuine sense that the EU don't want no-deal,' he said. 'The question is what they are prepared to do in order to avoid that situation  and whether it will be enough.'

Mrs May last night began a seven-day charm offensive by inviting all Tory MPs and their partners to drinks in No 10.

Those attending included vocal critics such as Boris Johnson.

But hardline Eurosceptic MPs warned they would not vote for the deal even if Mrs May achieved a breakthrough on the Irish backstop.

Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the Commons European scrutiny committee, said the backstop was 'not the whole story by any means'.

He added: 'Reassurances are going to get nowhere and they are certainly not going to convince anybody who's thinking hard about this when it comes to the vote next week.'

Fellow Eurosceptic Sir John Redwood said opposition to Mrs May's deal 'goes way beyond the unacceptable Irish backstop and includes paying huge sums of money with nothing nailed down over the future partnership'.

Winning the support of the DUP is seen as critical if Mrs May is to have any hope of getting her deal through Parliament. Eurosceptic Sir Bernard Jenkin confirmed that many  but not all  Tory rebels would fall in line if the DUP MPs were satisfied.

'What would change the chemistry is if the DUP came onside,' he said. 'If the DUP were satisfied, that would change the chemistry.

'But there would still be a hardcore of Conservatives who are probably going to vote against this for a variety of reasons.' Mrs May met senior DUP figures three times last week, but sources said last night there had been 'no change' in the party's opposition to the deal.

The slow progress in talks with Brussels came despite a flurry of diplomatic activity by Mrs May over the Christmas period.

No 10 yesterday confirmed that the Prime Minister had been in touch with Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Jean-Claude Juncker and Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez in recent days.

Mrs May is expected to talk to European Commission president Mr Juncker again this week and is on standby to fly to Brussels if an agreement looks close.
A three-month-old baby has suddenly died, sparking a police investigation.

Police were called to reports of the death in Launceston, Tasmania on 30 December.

Before the death, child protection was contacted but social workers did not visit.

A three-month-old baby suddenly died last month, sparking a police investigation (stock image)

Officers today confirmed there will be in inquiry into how the infant died, reported The Mercury.

A police spokesman said: 'Tasmania Police responded to a report of the sudden death of a three-month-old baby in Launceston on Sunday, 30 December, 2018.

'A report is being prepared for the Coroner.'
Victorian police are renowned for their cunning ploys to catch drivers illegally using their phones - and this could be the best one yet.

A photo uploaded to Facebook page Drug Bus and Police Locations Around Melbourne on Tuesday morning appears to show an officer hiding behind a pole near the Princess Bridge in the CBD ready to nab distracted commuters on their smartphones.

A Victoria Police spokesperson chose not to comment when asked what the officer was doing.

Was this policeman hiding behind a pole to nab drivers using their mobile phones or having a rest ? Opinion was divided on social media

The image had over 100 likes as of Tuesday afternoon and comes just a few months after police were 'caught' on a busy highway in eastern Melbourne posing as windscreen washers.

Pictures at the time posted online showed a man wearing an orange hi-vis jacket walking along a grassy verge as cars waited at traffic lights.

In his right hand was a black and silver squeegee, but the man was not all he seemed.

Undercover police officers have undergone a covert operation to catch drivers on their phones by dressing up as windscreen washers

The Facebook post said: 'This is amazing. Undercover cops pretending to be windscreen washers and catching people on their phones at the lights.'

In a statement given to Daily Mail Australia at the time, Victoria Police said Forest Hill officers were conducting a traffic operation in Nunawading targeting distracted drivers.

A spokesman said: 'Part of the operation involved covert observations of drivers in stationary vehicles.'

The undercover officers would then radio their colleagues 200m down the road, who then pulled the driver over and issued a fine.

'Police issued 38 infringement notices to drivers for using their mobile phone while driving.'

Taking into account the standard on-the-spot fine, the operation would have earned authorities around $18,390.

The spokesman added officers did not actually wash windscreens.

The cheeky tactic, which quickly went viral, drew widespread praise on social media.

One user said: 'Clever! You know what if it saves lives go for it. The amount of drivers I pass and see them look down at their phones'

One user said: 'Clever! You know what, if it saves lives go for it. The amount of drivers I pass and see them look down at their phones....'

Another also praised the operation, even if it was limited to observing the lights but not the open road.

They said: 'It is meant to change the blase behaviour around touching devices. If you do it at a set of lights, youre more likely to do it whilst driving.'

But not everyone was thrilled with police resorting to disguises to catch minor misdemeanours, with one user saying 'how low can you go'.

Some, meanwhile, thought the officer could have improved his disguise as 'window washers don't wear hi-vis'

Some, meanwhile, thought the officer could have improved his disguise as 'window washers don't wear hi-vis'.

The penalty for using a mobile phone or device under Victorian law is four demerit points and an on-the-spot fine of $476.
Drug baron Victor Thomas Spink has died after a long addiction to heroin and ice

An elderly drug baron who was jailed for importing cannabis worth $225million has been found dead in a hotel room with a young woman after suffering a suspected ice overdose.

Victor Thomas Spink, 76, who was known for decades as a major drug dealer and heavy punter on Australian tracks, was found dead on Monday morning in a hotel near Sydney's Central train station.

Friends believe he died of an ice overdose.

'Victor had his foot to the pedal,' one associate said. 'He left nothing in the tank.'

Another said Spink, who had previously been addicted to heroin and praised the work of Narcotics Anonymous on his Facebook page, was heavily using ice.

'At Victor's age you can't be banging ice up,' he said.

A New South Wales Police Force spokeswoman said officers were investigating the death of a 76-year-old man after his body was found at the Great Southern Hotel in George Street about 12.30am on Monday.

Spink sold his harbourside mansion at Vaucluse in the city's eastern suburbs for $4.9million 10 months ago. Rooms at the Great Southern can be had for $79 a night.

Victor Spink had a record commencing in 1960. He began his criminal career as a shoplifter and was jailed in 1996 over the importation of cannabis resin worth $225million. Despite his mugshot stating he was born in 1944 his correct date of birth is believed to be June 1, 1942

'Victor had his foot to the pedal,' one associate said. 'He left nothing in the tank.' Another said Spink, who had previously been addicted to heroin, was known to be using ice heavily

Victor Spink's body was found in a room at the Great Southern Hotel near Central train station in Sydney about 12.30am on Monday. He had been in the company of a younger woman

There were no suspicious circumstances about Spink's death and a 30-year-old woman who was also in the room with him stayed to assist police with their inquiries.

Spink was the 'controlling mind' in the importation of 15 tonnes of cannabis resin from Pakistan which resulted in the arrests of more than 20 people in 1994.

Five tonnes of the drug were seized from a boat at Hervey Bay, almost 300km north of Brisbane, and a further 10 tonnes found dumped in deep water about 600km west of New Caledonia.

Spink gained further notoriety in 1995 when he was revealed as 'Mr C' in the so-called jockey tapes, recordings made by police which revealed links between racing figures and organised crime.

As a result, champion jockey Jim Cassidy was disqualified for three years, later reduced to 21 months, for tipping to Spink. Cassidy has always denied he was ever involved in race fixing.

Spink told the Herald a decade ago that in the 10 years before his arrest on the drug importation charges he had wagered more than $12million.

'They said I tried to fix races, but all I ever did was ring jockeys and get their tips,' he said. 'There was no racing fixing, I was always ringing jockeys, betting was part of my business back then.'

Spink's criminal career began in 1960. He had been jailed then deported for shoplifting in the United Kingdom and was imprisoned in the late 1970s over a $54,000 mailbag robbery at Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast.

Champion jockey Jim 'Pumper' Cassidy was disqualified for three years, later reduced to 21 months, for tipping to Spink. Cassidy has always denied he was ever involved in race fixing

Spink was described in court as the 'controlling mind' in the importation of 15 tonnes of cannabis resin from Pakistan which resulted in the arrests of more than 20 people in 1994

Thereafter, he was heavily involved in drug dealing and punting.

Spink was sentenced to a surprisingly light sentence for his role in the $225million cannabis importation.

The maximum sentence for the offence was life in prison but Spink served just six years.

In jailing Spink for a maximum nine years in March 1996, New South Wales District Court Judge Reg Blanch took into account his guilty plea and favourable character evidence.

A subsequent Court of Criminal Appeal judgement revealed Spink's sentence had also been reduced due to him having 'suffered a significant financial loss in terms of wasted outlay in relation to the criminal venture.'

Authorities had seized $1million from a Spink bank account and 10 of 11 properties he owned in Byron Bay, on the NSW north coast, St Ives on Sydney's north shore and Woollahra, Darling Point and Potts Point in the eastern suburbs.

In 2008 Spink told the Herald the botched drug importation had cost him a fortune.

'I lost everything when they arrested me,' Spink said. 'Three of the properties in Byron and two at Potts Point were worth $16.5 million.

After his release from prison in 2002 Victor Spink lived in a two-storey home with a swimming pool in exclusive Olola Avenue, Vaucluse, which he sold for $4.9million in March last year

'There was no money earned out of that crime. No one made any money out of that, but they came and took just about everything I had.'

The Court of Criminal Appeal explained Spink's sentence was further reduced 'because of the other material relating to assistance to the authorities.'

The nature of that assistance has never been revealed but Spink's name was suppressed in a series of high-profile murder prosecutions against a major Sydney criminal about the same time he was sentenced.

Spink was reportedly a model prisoner, serving most of his time at Long Bay jail, and before his release the divorced grandfather was allowed to spend weekends with his partner and child.

Lawyer Chris Murphy took action against his former client to recover more than $500,000 in unpaid legal fees but that action was dismissed in 2002.

After his release Spink lived in a two-storey home with a swimming pool in exclusive Olola Avenue, Vaucluse, which he sold for $4.9million in March last year.

Victor Spink had property worth millions of dollars confiscated when he was arrested over a cannabis resin importation in 1994. He hung on to this Vaucluse mansion until March last year

He said he had planned to move up to the north coast after the deaths of his brother and sister.

In 2008 Spink won the right to reclaim $US500,000 he had deposited in a Swiss bank account under a false name in 1987.

He claimed that money was made gambling, rather than drug dealing.

The Swiss Federal Tribunal described Spink in its ruling as 'one of the most important drug dealers in Australia' who had been linked to organised crime since the 1970s.

The tribunal found Spink was entitled to the money because his deposit predated his arrest for drug offences. He had committed no crimes in Switzerland.

Spink, also known as George Maurice Saunders, had for a time given up alcohol and other drugs but was back using when he died.

Friends said the grandfather had been a charismatic man who enjoyed all the trappings of his drug dealing days but had become erratic at the end of his life.

A post mortem examination will be conducted this week to confirm Spink's identity and the cause of his death.
Protests have erupted outside the home of a wealthy Democratic donor in California, after a second man died there in 18 months.

More than 100 people gathered at the house of Edward Buck in West Hollywood on Monday night to demand the activist be arrested.

Buck - a regular donor to Democratic campaigns including Hillary Clinton's presidential bid - was investigated for a suspected murder when Gemmel Moore, 26, was found dead of a meth overdose in July 2017.

The retired donor was again interviewed by police yesterday after another black man, in his 50s, died in his presence although the cause is not yet known.

Jasmyne Cannick, a public affairs strategist who has worked with Gemmel Moore's family, said the DA and Sheriff's Department 'have blood on their hands' for failing to properly investigate the donor.

Cannick alleged that Buck lures men to his apartment with promises of cash and injects them with crystal meth for his own sexual gratification, although the claims are as yet unproven.

'This was preventable. We knew he hadn't stopped, that it was only a matter of time before this happened again. And now it's only a matter of time before it happens a third time if he's not stopped,' she said.

Protesters gather outside Ed Buck's home in California on Monday night after it emerged that a second black man had died there in the space of 18 months

Jasmyne Cannick (wearing the blue coat), a campaigner for the family of Gemmel Moore who died at Buck's home in 2017, addresses people outside the Democratic donor's house

An African-American man was found dead in the Los Angeles apartment of a prominent Democratic Party donor - the second time a black man died in the home in the past 18 months. The coroner is seen with the body in West Hollywood on Monday

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies found the body of the man in the early morning hours Monday at the West Hollywood home of Ed Buck (seen right alongside Hillary Clinton in this undated file photo)

During the rally the lights in Buck's apartment turned on and off several times.

Jerome Kitchen, who grew up with Moore and is a close family friend, was also at the rally.

He said the news of another death brought back fresh grief over the young man who was like a brother to him.

'I shouldn't have been doing this but I was reading an article as I was driving to work this morning when I saw the news. I pulled right over and I instantly threw up, because I felt like that moment happened all over again,' said Kitchen, 30.

'This is like his death all over again to us. 'While Gemmel's mother is planning to memorialise her son on his birthday on Sunday, another mother will be planning to bury her child.'

The Moore case was closed after the Los Angeles District Attorney found insufficient evidence to prosecute, sparking controversy from local campaign groups.

Buck's attorney, Seymour Amster, said the man was a long-time friend of Buck's in his 50s, and had lived in West Hollywood for 25 years. Amster claimed that the man had 'a history of substance abuse'.

'Unfortunately in the early hours this morning, a good friend of Ed's reached out to him. Ed was reluctant to have him over but he was insistent. He had him come over and come into his apartment,' Amster told DailyMail.com.

'Ed had just gotten out of the shower, so he went to get himself more appropriately attired. He came back into his living room and his friend was acting with bizarre behavior. Shortly thereafter it was obvious his friend needed medical assistance. Ed called paramedics. They arrived, they were unable to revive him, and unfortunately he died in the apartment.

Protesters at the West Hollywood home last night calling for Buck's arrest. The Democratic donor was investigated after the death in 2017 but was not prosecuted

Protesters gather under the window of the home in West Hollywood, reigniting the case of a black man who died at Ed Buck's home in 2017

Jasmyne Cannick addresses reporters, saying that activist Ed Buck had 'blood on his hands'

People answer questions outside the home as they call for a new police investigation

This is the same apartment where in July 2017, Gemmel Moore (pictured), 26, was found dead of an apparent overdose of methamphetamine

'It seems the individual came over already having consumed controlled substances. There were no controlled substances ingested in the presence of Ed, nor did Ed give any to his friend.'

The attorney said Buck was initially interviewed by officers who arrived on the scene, but has declined further interviews with homicide detectives.

'On Monday, January 7, 2019, at 1.05am, West Hollywood Station deputies responded to the 1200 block of Laurel Ave in the City of West Hollywood regarding a person not breathing,' the LA Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

'The informant performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and called 9-1-1. Los Angeles County Fire responded to the location and pronounced a male adult deceased. The cause of death is unknown at this time and will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Office.

'On July 27, 2017 there was a death investigation of a male adult, Gemmel Moore, who was determined to have overdosed at the same location. Mr. Edward Buck was present during both incidents.

'The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau has responded to the location and Investigators are conducting a thorough investigation, which includes follow up interviews and a secondary review of the July 27, 2017 incident.'

Emergency crews at the scene tried to revive the man, who has yet to be identified, but were unsuccessful. Buck's West Hollywood apartment on Laurel Avenue is seen in the above file photo

Cannick is also demanding that the DA's Office, headed by Jackie Lacey, 'prosecute him for murder after another young black gay man was found dead in his West Hollywood apartment of an apparent overdose.'

At the time of Moore's death the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office decided not to prosecute Buck, saying there was 'insufficient [evidence] to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that [Buck] is responsible for the death of Gemmel Moore.'

The DA's Office said: 'Likewise, the admissible evidence is insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that suspect Buck furnished drugs to Gemmel Moore or that suspect Buck possessed drugs.'

In February of last year Moore's family published pages from his diary in which he alleged that it was Buck who first introduced him to narcotics.

These revelations prompted the LASD to reopen its investigation into Buck.

Since the investigation was launched, a number of other men of color have come forward to claim political power player Buck, who is single and came out as gay at 16, paid them to take drugs.

The coroner's report, from July 31, 2017, noted that investigators spoke with a woman who knew Moore, who said that the prostitute had told her about another man he knew that had been tied up by Buck 'over a year ago', who then 'held him against his will at the residence in West Hollywood.'

Family: Gemmel Moore is pictured here with his sister and his mother, LaTisha Nixon

The report also stated that Buck's apartment was full of drug paraphernalia including dozens of syringes containing brown residue, five glass pipes with white residue, several baggies of white power, and a bag of a 'crystal-like' substance, such as crystal meth.

Moore's mother, LaTisha Nixon, said that her son had been involved with sex-work in the years leading up to his death.

'I called one of my son's friends and was like, 'who the hell is Edward Buck?'' Nixon said, speaking from her home in Spring Texas. 'And my son's friend was like, 'oh my God, that's that white guy, that wealthy white politician guy he was like 'oh my God'

During Nixon's conversation with her son's friend, a darker picture of Moore's life began to emerge, with Buck allegedly playing a role.

'When he calmed down, he told me that Ed Buck was one of my son's clients and that Ed Buck was one of his clients as well,' Nixon said.

'[Buck] would have my son to go out to Santa Monica Boulevard looking for young gay black guys so he could inject them with drugs, see their reaction and how [they] would react and take pictures of them.'

The stairway leading to the apartment is seen in the file photo above

Buck was reportedly present in his home during both deaths, but has not been charged

The apartment is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom home located at 1234 North Laurel Avenue

According to Zillow, it was last available for rent at a monthly cost of $1,650

Pages from Moore's personal journal allege that Buck had a strange fascination with watching others take drugs, and had even supplied him his first hit of crystal meth.

'I honestly don't know what to do,' he wrote in the excerpt from December 2016, published by the family and Jasmyne Cannick.

'I've become addicted to drugs and the worst one at that.

'Ed Buck is the one to thank. He gave me my first injection of crystal meth it was very painful, but after all the troubles, I became addicted to the pain and fetish/fantasy.'

'My life is at an alltime [sic] high right now & I mean that from all ways. I ended up back at Buck [sic] house again and got munipulated [sic] into slamming (injecting drugs) again. I even went to the point where I was forced to doing 4 within a 2day [sic] period. This man is crazy and its [sic] sad. Will I ever get help?'

His final entry, dated December 3, 2016, read: 'If it didn't hurt so bad, I'd kill myself, but I'll let Ed Buck do it for now.'

Buck is an active donor who supports the Democratic Party. He is seen above with former California Governor Jerry Brown in this undated file photo

Cannick says she has spoken to a number of other gay black men who claim Buck would invite them to his house, then pay them several hundred dollars to take drugs.

She shares reports from at least three men, under pseudonyms, who alleged that Buck would pay them between $100 and $1,000 to 'Party n Play', meaning to get high with them, and perform sexual acts.

Buck's lawyer has said that his client is innocent and that Moore died of an accidental overdose.

Buck has given $47,427.50 to Democrat campaigns, according to Federal Election Commission figures, including Clinton, Barack Obama, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and many others.

He has been photographed with Hillary Clinton and former California Governor Jerry Brown.

The 64-year-old became a successful businessman, pioneering in computer technology, specifically in electronic information services, in Arizona before moving to Los Angeles.

A one-time registered Republican, Buck began getting involved in Southern California politics in the early 1990s.
Turkey is set to continue cooperation with the United States over the US forces pullout from Syria, Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Tuesday after talks with White House national security adviser John Bolton, TASS reports.

"Turkey will be interacting with the United States over their troops withdrawal from Syria. Ankara will not allow the US forces pullout to give any chance to terrorist organizations", Kalin said aired by Haberturk television channel.

Besides, Erdogans spokesman said there were no delays in US troops withdrawal from Syria. According to Kalin, "the main thing [in that process] is the future of US military outposts in Syria and of the weapons handed over [by Washington] to the Kurdish Peoples Defense Units"

Kalin pointed out that Ankara "will be making steps to protect the civilian population in Turkey, including the Kurds.".
A worker who insulted her boss during an argument over the office air-conditioning has had her unfair dismissal appeal thrown out.

Julia Bastoni, a market research interviewer for ORC International, wanted the heating turned on in the company's Melbourne office in late May last year.

Her supervisor said she did not feel cold, to which Ms Bastoni replied that it was because she had 'extra padding,' according to The Australian.

A worker who insulted her boss during an argument over the office air-conditioning has had her unfair dismissal appeal thrown out (stock image)

Ms Bastoni, who is also a National Union of Workers delegate, then later referred again to what she called her supervisor's 'natural extra padding' and said it was a 'scientific fact that people with more body fat do not feel the cold as much as skinnier people.'

The heating was turned on, however, the supervisor later said she felt anxious and humiliated by the comments.

The company sacked Ms Bastoni - who already had a warning for criticizing the supervisor after she was sent home for using her mobile phone at work against policy.

While throwing out her appeal for unfair dismissal, Fair Work Commission deputy president Richard Clancy, said the comments breached workplace bullying policies and were part of a pattern of increasingly rude and disruptive behaviour.

'I am satisfied her dismissal was not a disproportionate outcome in response to cruel, insulting and demeaning comments,' he said.

In her defence, Ms Bastoni told the commission her request was on behalf of the other workers in the office and said there was 'some basic science to the effect that skinny people experience the cold more than overweight people.'

Mr Clancy was not impressed, however, saying he did not accept her insults were justified simply because she based them on scientific factors.
A Perth man is one of at least 84 suspected mobsters swept up in a massive continent-wide mafia crackdown in Europe.

Domenico Condo, 38, was arrested last February after trying to smuggle 4.7kg of cocaine across the border from The Netherlands.

On Monday, he was sentenced to seven years behind bars, while his 21-year-old Romanian accomplice will serve 15 months before she is extradited.

But Mr Condo's extradition to Australia could be delayed, as it's revealed he will face an Italian court after serving his sentence for alleged mafia relations.

He is wanted in his home country for outstanding warrants.

Perth man, 38, Domenico Condo (right) has been sentenced to seven years in jail

Condo was seen in court on Monday, looking on in astonishment as a judge sentenced him to jail.

'You're kidding,' he could be seen whispering on Seven News cameras in the courthouse.

The 38-year-old will face an Italian court for mafia affiliation.

His alleged involvement was revealed as part of a two-year investigation by European authorities against the 'Ndrangheta criminal group.

His arrest comes after a Europe-wide crackdown on mafia crime in Europe (stock image)

Dubbed operation Pollino, the large-scale investigation sought to prove allegations of cocaine trafficking, money laundering, bribery and violence.

The result was 84 arrests following raids in Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Eurojust, the European prosecution agency that fights cross-border organised crime, spearheaded the program and says it's the largest Europe has ever seen.

More than four tonnes of cocaine were traced during the two-year joint investigation.

Domenico was caught smuggling 4.7kg from The Netherlands into Germany (stock image)

Mr Condo, meanwhile, could be in for even more trouble when he eventually makes it back to home soil.

Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said WA Police had also been seeking the Mount Lawley man over serious drugs and weapons offences, according to Seven News.

'I can confirm that Mr Domenico Condo has some arrest warrants in WA, he is wanted in this State for a number of drug trafficking charges,' Mr Dawson said. 'He's also wanted for possession of a sub-machine gun and pill press.

Mr Dawson said WA Police had been 'actively pursuing' the former Perth man.

'We've very pleased that Mr Condo has been apprehended and we will be seeking him to be extradited to face justice in WA when that's available.'
Michael Peter Ill, 25, admitted to spray painting swastikas around the University of Central Florida campus

A man who admitted to spray painting swastikas around his Florida neighborhood on Christmas day told authorities he was 'mistreated his whole life' over his German heritage by his Jewish adoptive parents and others.

Michael Peter Ill, 25, was caught on surveillance cameras leaving a trail of half a dozen swastikas and anti-Semitic slurs around the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Ill's scrawlings included the words 'F*** the Jews' and a German slogan that means 'Germany forever.'

Police were able to locate Ill after they observed him on one surveillance video walking from the area of the vandalism and into his apartment at The Marquee complex.

He told police that his upbringing in Connecticut was traumatic.

Ill (pictured in court) told authorities that he was angry over his alleged abuse as a child of German decent by his Russian Jewish adoptive parents

Ill said he was adopted by a couple of Russian Jewish descent and that his upbringing was painful as he claimed they abused him because of his German heritage, and that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result.

He also told deputies he was 'mistreated his whole life' in his hometown and in large part at the 'rich Jewish school' he attended.

Additionally, he blamed his anger on a man he claims raped his ex-girlfriend. He said that the alleged rapist was Jewish and that he had placed the graffiti in places where he would see it.

'Yes, I had a lot of anger,' Ill said, according to his arrest affidavit. 'Yes, I had a lot of hate in my heart that night.'

He also told deputies that he doesn't hate Jewish people, and was acting on 'impulse and weakness,' during the Christmas day incident and said he had intended to turn himself in.

He is now in the Orange County Jail with bail set at $100,000 on a felony criminal mischief charge.

Ill's admitted to spray painting swastikas (pictured) around his neighborhood on Christmas

A graduate from UCF saw the hateful scrawlings and took action to cover them up so people wouldn't see it on Christmas day

UCF graduate Mary Peabody discovered the graffiti on Christmas morning and decided to cover up the hateful messages with wrapping paper and messages of love written over it.

Chuck Peabody, and his daughter Mary Peabody, said they wanted to stop neighbors from waking up and seeing a hateful message on Christmas morning.

So the duo took to the streets and began 'a lengthy project of covering them up with Christmas wrapping paper and a counter message,' Chuck Peabody said.
Jail chiefs have installed a photo booth so prisoners can pose for snaps with their families.

Killers, rapists and violent thugs are among those using it with their partners and children during visits as part of their rehabilitation.

They can choose from a series of backdrops for pictures, including Christmas and jungle scenes.

Jails watchdogs described the booth as a good innovation  but critics said the scheme, understood to be the first in England and Wales, was fresh evidence that jails are cushy holiday camps.

Killers, rapists and violent thugs are among those using it with their partners and children during visits as part of their rehabilitation. Stock pic

The policy will raise eyebrows at a time when drugs and weapons are regularly being smuggled behind bars and violence is hitting record levels.

Details of the photo booth emerged in a report yesterday by HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) into privately-run HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, which holds up to 920 male Category B convicts.

Former inmates include murderer Luke Toner, jailed for life in 2013 for a fatal shooting, and notorious Midlands gangland drug dealer Paul Hardy, who died there while serving a 12-year sentence.

Tory MP Philip Davies, a former member of the Commons justice select committee, said yesterday: This beggars belief. Will they be able to use them to get a passport photo for a holiday when they are released? Unfortunately no one in the Ministry of Justice believes that prisons should be places of punishment any more.

David Spencer, of the Centre For Crime Prevention think-tank, said: It is frankly ridiculous that anyone thinks it is OK to make the lives of convicted criminals even more cushy.

Private firm Serco, which runs the prison, said the booth was introduced in March last year. So far it has been used 2,200 times and is extremely popular.

The policy will raise eyebrows at a time when drugs and weapons are regularly being smuggled behind bars and violence is hitting record levels. Stock pic

It was brought in as part of efforts to help families and children have a more positive experience of visiting their fathers behind bars.

Inmates pay for photos with money they have earned in jail or that is sent in by family and friends.

Use of the booth is part of the prisons incentives regime for good behaviour.

A source said: This is part of our measures to strengthen family ties. It allows families to take photos with fathers, some of whom dont have recent pictures.

The HMIP report said: There was a photo booth for prisoners and their families to take a group photograph, which was another good innovation.

However, it also said violence is rising. In a six-month spell last year, the number of attacks on inmates and staff more than doubled to 147. Serco said it was looking at introducing booths to five other jails it runs in the UK.

Mark Hanson, Serco contract director at Lowdham Grange, said the firm was working to make improvements highlighted in the report.

Michael Spurr, chief executive of HM Prison and Probation Service, said: We are committed to improving performance at the prison and we will closely monitor their response.
A registered sex offender has been arrested more than two weeks after he went on the run from police.

Maurice Collie was being hunted by officers after he failed to contact police following his release from custody and notify them of his current address.

The 26-year-old was last seen in Melbourne's CBD on December 22 and contacted his family by phone on Christmas Day.

Police tracked him down in Karingal, south-east of Melbourne, on Monday night.

Sex offender Maurice Collie, 26, (pictured) was arrested by police on Monday after he went into hiding for more than two weeks

He was arrested about 9pm and charged with Fail to Comply with Reporting Obligations under the Sex Offender Registration Act (2014).

Collie will face Frankston Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The public had been warned not to approach the tattooed Collie, who has a number of convictions for sex offences, drug offences and dishonesty offences.

He was convicted over the sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16 in 2016.

Police are still hunting another sex offender, Christopher Empey, who removed his court-ordered GPS tracking bracelet in late November at Mansfield, north-east of Melbourne.

In December, the yellow Suzuki motorbike he had been riding was sold to a buyer in Nowra, on the New South Wales south coast, where the 46-year-old was also caught on CCTV.

Detectives on Thursday said Empey appeared unshaven in the CCTV footage and is possibly injured and urged anyone who spots him to call triple-zero immediately.

Police are still hunting for Christopher Empey (pictured), who removed his court-ordered GPS tracking bracelet in late November at Mansfield, north-east of Melbourne

Detectives on Thursday said Empey appeared unshaven in CCTV footage (pictured) and is possibly injured and urged anyone who spots him to call triple-zero immediately

Empey was 31 when he was convicted and jailed for 12 years for the violent rape of a woman he danced and drank with at a company awards night in Melbourne.

He pleaded guilty to one count of rape and one of intentionally causing serious injury in 2003.

'Mr Empey was convicted back in 2002 of a very violent rape against an adult victim, it was a particularly horrific and violent offence,' Victorian Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Paterson said at a press conference on Thursday.

His victim was admitted to hospital with facial fractures, a partly amputated right ear, brain damage and serious vaginal and anal injuries following the attack and rape in the stairwell of a Southbank apartment on July 27, 2002.

He was released on parole in 2015 and in July he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

The 46-year-old is required to wear a GPS bracelet as part of his obligations under the Serious Offenders Act.
Melbourne's Vietnamese community has criticized a far-right senator for using their struggle with African gangs to justify his attendance at a neo-Nazi rally on Saturday.

Queensland senator Fraser Anning, who wants to ban Muslims and Africans from Australia, showed up at the demonstration at St Kilda beach, which saw protesters marching and performing Nazi salutes.

Attempting to justify his attendance, he said: 'I went to Melbourne to represent the people of Queensland who have also been subjected to African Gang violence recently.

Queensland senator Fraser Anning, who wants to ban Muslims and Africans from Australia, showed up at the demonstration in St Kilda beach. He is pictured at the event

He said he had 'spoken to Vietnamese shopkeepers who were there because they were sick of being victims of [African] gangs.'

Today, members of the Vietnamese community slammed Anning for 'using them' to justify his association with racist protesters.

Celia Tran from the Vietnamese Community Association's Victorian branch told The Australian: 'We condemn the fact that he's used our community to back his own claims that he was there to support us.

'He's also said he's spoken to our community on these issues. We've never heard from him, we don't think it's true.

She added: 'The small minority that attended don't represent our community (or) the views and values of our community. We don't appreciate being used as a political tool for personal gain.'

Senator Anning is seen with United Patriots Front leader Blair Cottrell during Saturday's rally

The rally came after a series of shop and restaurant robberies, assaults on customers and open-air fights in Melbourne's north-west allegedly caused by a new African gang called the Blood Drill Killers.

On Tuesday, Anning doubled down on his decision to bill taxpayers for his flight to the rally, despite being slammed by the prime minister for again associating with racism.

Politicians across the spectrum have criticised the Independent senator's presence at the event.

Scott Morrison condemned 'repeat offender' Anning for attending the rally and associating with extreme and offensive views.

'Australians are not anti-migrant nor racist,' the prime minister said in a statement on Monday.

'Genuine concerns held by fair minded Australians about immigration levels, border protection or law and order should not be used as a cover or be hijacked to push hateful and ugly racist agendas.'

Senator Anning dismissed Mr Morrison, along with a chorus of critics.

'They're all left-wingers and unfortunately the PM hasn't understood the Australian people want an alternative,' he told Nine's A Current Affair.

'As far as I'm concerned they're all puppets to the United Nations.'

Senator Anning said the 'neo-Nazi stuff' was at a separate rally about 150 metres from where he was on St Kilda beach, despite being seen with convicted criminal Blair Cottrell, who has previously expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler.

He said Nazi salutes were abhorrent to him, defending the $2852.80 he spent on flights to get to the rally, which he claimed was about 'Sudanese gangs' being out of hand.

Senator Anning said the 'neo-Nazi stuff' was at a separate rally about 150 metres from where he was on St Kilda beach

Mounted police officers keep protesters apart on the St Kilda foreshore on Saturday

'There were no Nazi salutes and there was nothing to do with Nazi racist remarks,' he said.

The senator's comments come as reports emerged he also charged taxpayers to attend at least two other far-right events in 2018.

In July, he joined Canadian far-right activist Lauren Southern at a rally in Sydney, The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday.

Independent Senator Fraser Anning during Senate Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, 2017

'I went to a rally of decent Australians who are sick and tired of what's happening in the city,' the senator said.

Senator Anning is adamant he was among ordinary, working Australians at the rally he attended, rather than radicals or skin heads.

Costs for the trip included two nights of accommodation for $810, and flights between Sydney and Brisbane costing nearly $1900, Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority figures show.

The senator also charged taxpayers for another trip to Melbourne in October to speak at an Australian Liberty Alliance's Rally for Free Speech, but the costs have not yet been declared.

United Patriot Front founder and leader addresses the crowd at St Kilda beach on Saturday

The Senator also repeatedly denied claims of racist behavior at the event and said those in attendance were 'decent Australian people'

Senator Anning sparked fury among parliamentarians and the public with his maiden speech in August.

He called for a ban on Muslim immigration and a plebiscite, saying 'the final solution to the immigration problem of course is a popular vote'.

In St Kilda, he told waiting media that if he were prime minister of Australia, he would refuse entry to any Muslims or people of African descent.

Senator Anning sits as an independent after splitting with both Pauline Hanson's One Nation and Bob Katter's Australian Party since entering parliament in November 2017.

The Queensland senator (right) tried to defend his appearance at a far-right rally in Melbourne last weekend
One in 10 Australian workers would be paying almost half of their income in tax within six years if Labor wins the next election.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has vowed the top 49.5 per cent marginal rate will apply for those earning more than $180,000 a year.

By the 2024-25 financial year, this could see one million Australians, or about 10 per cent of the workforce, paying almost half of their earnings in income tax.

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One in 10 Australian workers would be paying almost half their income in tax within six years if Labor (Opposition Leader Bill Shorten left) wins the next election

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has released economic modelling from his department showing bracket creep would push more Australians into the highest tax bracket, accusing Labor of 'embarking on a tax grab which is unprecedented in scale and scope'.

'It's a socialist experiment in redistribution the likes of which Australia has never seen, hurting our international competitiveness, reducing economic activity and punishing aspiration,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday.

In the May budget Prime Minister Scott Morrison, when he was still treasurer, announced that a Coalition government, if re-elected, would return Australia to four tax brackets for the first time since 1984.

From 2024, the government has proposed having 94 per cent of Australians paying 32.5 cents for every dollar they earned.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (third, right, with wife Chloe and Labor candidates) has vowed the top 49.5 per cent marginal rate will apply for those earning more than $180,000 a year

In his budget reply speech, Mr Shorten opposed this idea.

'How on earth can it be fair for a nurse on $40,000 to pay the same tax rate as a doctor on $200,000?,' he told Parliament on May 10.

'For a cleaner to pay the same tax rate as a CEO?

'How can it be fair that, under this tax experiment: the doctor earns five times as much as the nurse - but his tax cut is 16 times bigger?'

Under the Coalition's proposed tax bracket overhaul, Australians earning more than $200,000 a year would receiving an annual tax cut of $7,225, or $139 a week.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (left with Prime Minister Scott Morrison) has released economic modelling showing bracket creep would push more Australians into the highest tax bracket

Those earning between $180,000 and $200,000 would get a tax discount of $4,725 a year, or $91 a week, as their income tax rate dropped from 45 per cent to just 32.5 per cent for every dollar they earned above $41,000.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen confirmed in his budget reply speech in May that Labor would cancel the Coalition's plan to create a single income tax bracket for those earning between $41,000 and $200,000.

With an election due in May, Mr Frydenberg has stepped up his attack on Labor's tax plan.

He released figures showing that even under the current tax arrangements, 820,000 would be paying the top marginal tax rate of 49.5 per cent by 2024, an increase of 41 per cent from this financial year or a doubling compared with 2015.

In 2015-16, 416,000 individuals were on the top marginal tax rate, paying 30 per cent of total personal income tax collected in Australia.

This was projected to grow to 580,000 taxpayers in 2018-19, representing 34 per cent of total personal income tax collected.

In the May budget Scott Morrison, when he was still treasurer, announced that a Coalition government would return Australia to four tax brackets for the first time since 1984

Mr Frydenberg, who is also deputy Liberal leader, seized on a 2005 speech Mr Shorten made when he was leader of the Australian Workers Union calling for the top marginal tax rate to be slashed from 47 per cent to 30 per cent.

'Not that long ago an ambitious Bill Shorten championed a top marginal tax rate of 30 per cent but now in a complete backflip he is promising to increase the top rate to 49 per cent to pay for reckless spending promises,' he said in a statement.

Under Labor, Australia's highest-income earners would pay a 49.5 per cent marginal tax rate.

This would include a 0.5 per cent increase in the Medicare levy to fund the National Disability Insurance Scheme, for those earning more than $87,000 a year, and a permanent two per cent 'budget repair levy'.
A woman accused of killing a supermarket delivery driver in a hit-and-run crash previously caused the death of one of her best friends during a 'car-surfing' stunt.

Sophie Brine was allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen Ford Territory that slammed into a Woolworths truck in Adelaide's north last Friday, killing Jatinder Brar, 25.

The mother-of-four, 24, wept as her counsel told the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday she still struggled to come to terms with a 2010 incident which killed two people.

Brine, then 16, drove a vehicle which Lauren-Kay Zadow-Mulvey 18, and another woman, 30, 'car-surfed' near Eudunda, a rural town north-east of Adelaide.

Sophie Brine (pictured), who is accused of killing a supermarket delivery driver in a hit-and-run crash, previously caused the death of one of her best friends during a 'car-surfing' stunt

Jatinder Brar, 25, was killed while driving a Woolworths delivery truck (pictured) in Adelaide's north last Friday

The 18-year-old fell off and was killed, while the older woman was hit by a passing car and died as she tried to get help, The Advertiser reported.

Brine was in 2011 banned from driving for 10 years and placed on a good behaviour bond, telling a court she planned to 'explain the consequences of acts of stupidity' to school students.

But police allege Brine offended while on bail, repeatedly drove unlicensed and was in possession of a replica gun when Mr Brar was killed last Friday.

Police prosecutors told the court on Monday a witness alleged the Ford Territory was travelling at about 180km/h shortly before slamming into the truck.

Police allege Brine offended while on bail, repeatedly drove unlicensed and was in possession of a replica gun when Mr Brar (pictured) was killed last Friday

Brine was banned from driving for 10 years and placed on a good behaviour bond following the 2010 incident

The court heard Brine failed to stop and was later arrested at a property in Taperoo, about 20km away from the crash scene in Salisbury South.

Magistrate Bob Harrap told the court Brine, who is yet to enter a plea, would be remanded in custody until her next appearance, despite her counsel's pleas to place her in home detention.

'I do absolutely accept there has been an element of you perhaps not having fully dealt with some aspect of your past,' Magistrate Harrap said, according to the paper.

'But you're already on bail and you have this history, so the reality is I have enough concerns and I'm not prepared to release you on home detention.'

The court heard Brine failed to stop and was later arrested at a property in Taperoo, about 20km away from the crash scene (pictured)

Mr Brar had been driving the delivery truck for two years and had been studying a Masters of Accounting

Outside court, a friend of Mr Brar applauded the magistrate's decision.

'[Mr Brar] was very hard-working and always had a smiling face, always ready to help everybody,' he told the ABC.

'He managed very well between his studies, his work, he was helping his mother back home too It's a big loss for the community and his friends.'

Mr Brar had been driving the delivery truck for two years and had been studying a Masters of Accounting, which he completed just two weeks before he died.

Brine's matter will return to court in August.

Brine was allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen Ford Territory (pictured) that slammed into a Woolworths truck in Adelaide's north last Friday
Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus took aim Monday at Donald Trump's insistence that a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border will help alleviate the immigration crisis and asked for an investigation into why an eight-year-old boy died there on Christmas Eve.

Caucus Chairman U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas argued during a visit to southern New Mexico that the administration's policies are exacerbating what has been described as a humanitarian crisis, after detained child Felipe Gomez Alonzo passed away.

Saying Border Patrol have admitted they are not in correct condition to hold families, he suggested a probe into the medical care on offer where the little boy and his father were detained after initially being apprehended in El Paso, Texas.

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Caucus Chairman U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas (right) argued Monday against President Trump's White House possibly declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress and begin construction of a wall along the Mexico border

Castro said: 'We know that CBP is woefully under equipped in terms of its standards of medical care, but we also need to find out whether the doctors in the hospital - how responsible they were in terms of that case.

'I think all of us who look at what they have here believe that that is true.'

Castro said the Border Patrol did not provide a report about Gomez's death nor did they tour the hospital where he was treated for a cold and then released with a prescription for antibiotics and ibuprofen. The boy died shortly after his release.

Eight-year-old boy Felipe Gomez Alonzo was the second Guatemalan child to die in custody near the Mexico border

Authorities had taken the child to a hospital after an agent noticed him coughing. He was found to have a 103-degree fever (39.4 degrees Celsius), officials have said.

Felipe was held for observation for 90 minutes, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, before being released with prescriptions for amoxicillin and ibuprofen. But the boy fell sick hours later and was readmitted to the hospital, where he later died.

New Mexico authorities have said the boy tested positive for the flu, but it will likely be several weeks before they determine a cause of death and release a final autopsy report.

Castro and his fellow Democratic colleagues pointed to the death of another Guatemalan child who died in December while in federal custody.

A seven-year-old girl, Jakelin Caal, died December 8 in El Paso. She showed signs of sepsis, a potentially fatal condition brought on by infection, according to officials.

Freshman U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small of New Mexico, who represents a sprawling district that includes a portion of the border, said there have been some improvements made at Border Patrol stations in the remote region since the deaths but more needs to be done.

'We still need to have medical equipment in all of our facilities in the most rural reaches of the border, to make sure that we have a Border Patrol that's responding to the changing circumstances that we continue to see, to make sure that we have a nimble agency that's able to ensure our border security and also reflect our values,' Torres Small said.

Castro (center) spoke about the humanitarian emergency at the border after touring the Border Patrol station in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (left) who represents the El Paso area, said a wall will not solve the challenges along the border

U.S. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, of New Mexico's second Congressional District, said there have been some improvements made at Border Patrol stations in the remote region since the deaths but more needs to be done

The delegation made up of all Democrats traveled to Alamogordo, a community about 90 miles north of the border, to get a firsthand look.

Democrats, who now control the U.S. House of Representatives, have rejected the Republican president's demand for $5.7 billion to help build a wall. Without a deal on that sticking point, talks to fund the government - now in the 17th day of a shutdown - have stalled.

The lawmakers' visit to New Mexico comes as Trump continues pushing for the wall, citing a crisis. While no decisions have been made, the White House is looking into the legality of declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress and begin construction.

Guatemalan child, seven-year-old Jakelin Caal, died of sepsis in El Paso on December 8

Castro described the suggestion as inappropriate. Others in the group vowed congressional hearings and more oversight.

'He can expect a strong and swift challenge from all of us and other members of Congress, and from the American people,' Castro said.

Newly elected Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, who represents the El Paso area, said a wall will not solve the challenges along the border.

'While we absolutely mourn the deaths of both Jakelin and Felipe, the crisis is broader and more significant than just these two little lives that were lost. We have an administration that continues to hold an entire country hostage over a wall,' Escobar said.

'The wall only pushes people out to more dangerous, treacherous crossings, creating even more death.'

Representative Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York, said were 'miraculously' empty during their visit.
Meghan Markle's brother has revealed he plans to marry his fiancee Darlene Blount in March  and will be inviting the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry to the wedding.

Thomas Markle Jr, of Grants Pass, Oregon, popped the question to Blount, 38, in a park close to their home - and threw a New Year's Eve party to celebrate setting a date.

The window-fitter, 52, has now told DailyMailTV he hopes his impending nuptials will help bring his family back together and says he wants his younger sister to attend - even though he missed out on an invitation to the Royal Wedding last May.

He said: 'Absolutely I think our wedding will bring the family closer together. It's hopeful that if Meghan and Harry came and my father  Meghan and Harry could spend some time together with him and that would be good.'

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Wedding bells: Thomas Markle Jr and fiancee Darlene Blount celebrated their upcoming nuptials on New Years Eve in Grants Pass, Oregon

Tying the knot: Markle Jr, 52, and mother-of-one Blount, 38, have been dating since 2016 and revealed they will be getting married in March this year

Meghan's half-brother says he hopes the wedding will bring the Markle family closer together and is 'hopeful' the duchess and Prince Harry will attend

Party time: Thomas Markle Jr. and Darlene Blount celebrated their engagement at Mill St. Mugshots bar in Grants Pass, Oregon, on New Year's Eve

Big day on the way:

Pregnant Meghan has not spoken to her father since before her wedding, despite the 74-year-old bombarding her with text messages in the hopes of a reconciliation.

Markle Sr was caught staging paparazzi photos in the week before the Royal Wedding and then failed to attend the event, citing a series of heart attacks.

He has also given a number of interviews, including a controversial one in which he revealed some of his son-in-law's political views, including that he is pro-Brexit and thinks President Trump should be given a chance.

Despite pleading with his daughter to get in touch, Markle Sr spent Christmas without hearing from her and, instead, celebrated the festive season with close friend Lori Davis, 38, at his home in Rosarito, Mexico.

Markle Jr spent the Christmas period at home with Blount and her eight-year-old son but welcomed in the New Year with an engagement party for close friends at a bar called Mill St. Mugshots in Grants Pass.

Earlier the same day, the couple told DailyMailTV about their love story and their plans to wed, with Markle Jr joking that he plans to dress up as Elvis and skydive into the ceremony.

He also says he hopes the wedding, due to be held in either Reno or Las Vegas, Nevada, will provide the Markle family with a chance to get together and put the rows of 2018 behind them.

The 52-year-old said: 'Starting out the New Year by bringing our family closer together is definitely on the to-do list  it's very important.

Thomas Jr remains estranged from his sister, despite his attempt to reconcile last month with a poignant Christmas card. Meghan, instead, spent the holiday with her royal family in Sandringham

Engagement photos: Blount and Thomas Jr were introduced by a mutual friend shortly after Meghan and Harry announced they were a couple in November 2016. The Prince and Duchess announced their engagement in November 2017 (right)

'[The wedding] would be a perfect time for Meg to get together with my dad  who is her father as well  and just put all the past behind everybody and move on and be a closer family again.

'My dad would really enjoy that. Possibly it will bring the family closer  especially if everybody shows up.'

Single mom Blount and Markle Jr have been dating for two years, and were introduced by a mutual friend shortly after Meghan and Harry announced they were a couple in November 2016.

Blount told DailyMail.com that Markle Jr's royal connections were one of the first things he told her about and admitted that she thought he was 'crazy' to start with.

She told DailyMailTV: 'It was kind of funny because it was around the time Meghan and Harry started dating. He told me about it and I thought he was completely crazy.'

Her fiance added: 'I remember that very well  Meghan and Harry had just started dating and I mentioned it to her and she looked at me like, yeah, who is this guy? Whatever! He's crazy.

'But it turned out really nice and we've had a really good time ever since. Ups and downs but we've managed to make it so far.'

When Markle Jr proposed in March, after just 14 months of dating, Blount said she didn't believe him at first but said yes after he went down on one knee at a park close to their home.

Thomas Jr and Darlene (center) welcomed in the New Year with an engagement party for close friends at a bar called Mill St. Mugshots in Grants Pants

Thomas Jr and Darlene have had their fair share of ups and downs throughout their relationship but previously revealed they are taking steps to leave it all behind

Markle Jr said: 'There's a really nice park over by our house and we'd go over there and sit by the river and talk and hang out for a while.

'So one day, I just kind of leaned over and sort of confused the situation a little bit  I threw her in one direction and threw her in the other direction and said, oh by the way, will you marry me?

'She didn't believe me at first and then I gave her a ring. She said yes.'

Showing off her white gold and diamond engagement ring, Blount added: 'I was excited and happy. It's the first time I've been proposed to.'

The pair now hope their upcoming wedding will help them move on from their well-documented legal troubles, including two arrests for Blount and one for Markle Jr.

Blount's latest court case  over an incident in July that allegedly left her fiance with a black eye  is due to be officially thrown out in February and the pair are planning to celebrate the end of their legal woes with their wedding in March.

Christmas without Meghan: Thomas Markle Jr. spent the run-up to the holiday at his Rosarito, Mexico, home. He and his daughter last spoke before he was revealed to have staged paparazzi pictures

Markle Jr told DailyMail.com: 'You can definitely say 2018 has been very rough. We've obviously had our ups and our downs but we always manage to come out on top.

'I know in my heart I do love her and I know she loves me. She's taught me a lot I never knew about relationships and I'm sure I've taught her a few things but we've always managed to make things work and we're going to take those past learning experiences and put them behind us and use them for the future and hopefully have a really good, exciting New Year.'

Of their wedding, he added: 'We've talked about our wedding and it's coming in the near future, sometime around March.

'We've talked about it and we want to have a really small, private wedding  just close friends and family.'

'I'll definitely invite my father and my mother, although she won't get on an airplane. And Meghan and Harry as well.

'It would be kind of exciting if they came, it would be nice. Maybe they can start their New Year off in a better tradition and actually be more family involved.'
Turkey asked U.S. officials to hand over its military bases in Syria to Ankara or destroy them, the Hurriyet newspaper reported, a request that could further complicate discussions over the U.S. withdrawal from Syria.

"Give them or destroy them," a Hurriyet newspaper headline said, referring to what it said were 22 U.S. military bases in Syria. It cited unspecified sources as saying Turkey would not accept Washington handing them over to the YPG.

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton was meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ibrahim Kalin today, days after Bolton added a condition to the U.S. withdrawal, saying Turkey must agree to protect the United States' Kurdish ally, the YPG militia, which Ankara views as a terrorist group.
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Chinatown. Mott Street. Lunar New Year. 1984.

Firecrackers popped, crackled and hissed, smoke penetrated the air, and spent red wrappers littered the ground.

A young man, his jacket hood up, protects his ears in the black and white photo.

The exploding and exploded firecrackers were a continuous continuous din that went on and on, explained photographer Bud Glick.

It wasnt the first Lunar New Year for Glick, who had learned a trick or two  ear plugs, wear a big coat with a hood  a few years earlier to snap images in what he called a chaotic environment.

Glick started photographing New York Citys Chinatown in January 1981 as part of a larger project that sought to document a neighborhood in flux: its population and businesses were changing.

Project founders Jack Tchen and Charlie Lai wanted to ensure that oral histories, artifacts, exhibitions, and images would tell the story of early 1980s Chinatown with its hand laundries and older bachelor men who couldnt bring their families over due to restrictive immigration policies.

And now, as Chinatown faces transformation once again with gleaming tall towers, hotels and art galleries, Glicks images are part of an ongoing exhibition, Interior Lives: Photographs of Chinese Americans in the 1980s, at the Museum of Chinese in America.

In the early 1980s, New York's Chinatown was a neighborhood in flux. New immigrants were moving into the neighborhood and businesses such as hand laundries were closing. Jack Tchen and Charlie Lai founded the New York Chinatown History Project in 1980 and wanted to document the neighborhood as it changed. They hired photographer Bud Glick, who spent a little over three years taking images of the community. Glick took the above photo of the four men - three of which seem relaxed and chatting - in the back of a store, which was often used as a gathering place, at 46 Mulberry Street in 1982

Due to a restrictive immigration policy, it was very difficult for Chinese men to bring their families to the United States. 'So what developed in Chinese-American communities all across the country was what was known as the bachelor society, Glick told DailyMail.com. Glick said that project founders Jack Tchen and Charlie Lai felt it was important to get the stories of these older men before they were gone. Above, three men share a meal at what was known as a bachelor apartment on Bayard Street. Glick took the image in 1982

Glick did not speak Chinese, and worked with two oral historians from the project, Judith Luk and Yuet-fung Ho, to make connections. He also made his own inroads into the community by hanging out at the Chinatown Senior Citizen Center on Bayard and Mulberry Streets. One of his first days hitting the streets to take snaps, Glick said he met Frankie Wong, who owned a grocery store, a butcher shop, and seafood business in the neighborhood. Above, men playing Mahjong in the back room of Frankie Wong's butcher shop at 27 Catherine Street in 1981

Glick's photographs were one piece of the New York Chinatown History Project. Oral histories, collecting artifacts from businesses, especially of hand laundries, and exhibitions were all part of the project to chronicle the neighborhood as it changed, explained Herb Tam, the curator and director of exhibitions at the Museum of Chinese in America. Tam and Glick worked together on the current exhibition of his images at the Museum of Chinese in America. Above, the Kue Jong Barbershop at 18A Doyers Street in 1981

Herb Tam, the curator at the Museum of Chinese in America, explained that the New York Chinatown History Project, which was founded in 1980, was an outgrowth of the Basement Workshop, which was a group of artists and activists that gathered together to try to create a sense of community around the identity of Asian American. Glick took the above photo in 1982 outside of seafood store - owned by a relative of Frankie Wong - on Henry Street

Glick met Tchen while they were both students at the University of Wisconsin, and he was still living in Milwaukee when he heard about the New York Chinatown History Project, which was founded in 1980 and is now the Museum of Chinese in America.

It really sounded fascinating to me and the idea of working in Chinatown as a documentary photographer was really exciting to me, Glick told DailyMail.com.

The New York Chinatown History Project was an outgrowth of the Basement Workshop, which was a group of artists and activists that gathered together to try to create a sense of community around the identity of Asian American, explained Herb Tam, the curator and director of exhibitions at the Museum of Chinese in America.

What they were interested in and worried about was how and why Chinatown was changing so quickly at that time  where a lot of businesses were closing, a lot of new immigrants moving in, and lot of older folks dying off, Tam told DailyMail.com.

In addition to doing oral histories, collecting artifacts of businesses, especially the hand laundries, the project hired two photographers to create a visual record of the neighborhood, Tam said.

Paul Calhoun and Glick were hired. Glick then moved to New York City from Milwaukee in December 1980 and by January he was hitting the neighborhoods streets. He shot over 460 rolls of film from January 1981 to March 1984.

For a little over three years, the two men separately photographed Chinatown.

The history project was really focused on capturing Chinatown at a time when there was a major change happening, Glick recalled.

Due to the history of racist immigration laws, it was very difficult for Chinese men to bring over families. There was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

The exclusion act was in effect until 1943, which then allowed a quota of 105 people to enter the U.S.

So it was extremely limited - very difficult for people to bring families over. So what developed in Chinese-American communities all across the country was what was known as the bachelor society, Glick explained.

The men who did come to the U.S. had limited opportunities and often worked in hand laundries, which like its name suggests was washing, ironing and folding clothes by hand, and in restaurants, he said.

By the mid-1960s, restrictions were loosened and younger families began immigrating.

By 1981, this process was well under way so what was there was still this, in a sense, a remnant of the bachelor society, which was still there that spoke a particular dialect mostly, and then you had this influx of - you had another community developing of younger families, Glick said.

Bud Glick started photographing Chinatown in January 1981. By the time he took the above image of the Lunar New Year celebration on Mott Street in 1984, he had learned a few tricks of the trade  ear plugs, wear a big coat with a hood  to be able to shot in what he called a chaotic environment. The exploding and exploded firecrackers were a 'continuous din that went on and on,' he told DailyMail.com, which is why the young man was covering his ears

Photographer Bud Glick told DailyMail.com that he has a vague memory of jumping out into the street and setting up real quickly as they were walking towards me. They must have been right on me, really close.' The above image of the man hitting the gong was taken on Bayard Street during Lunar New Year in 1984. To do photography properly you dont just stand off to the side, you have to get into it,' Glick said

Without speaking Chinese, photographer Bud Glick made connections both through his colleagues at the New York Chinatown History Project and on his own. Glick said he met a young man named Mr. Mo, who spoke English and worked at a garment factory. Glick asked Mr. Mo if he could photograph his workplace and he said yes. When Glick showed up one day at the factory at 202 Centre Street, the owner wasn't sure about it until he chatted with Mo. The owner looked at me with a big smile and he said come on in, Glick recalled of the above photo, which he took in 1983

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 severely limited Chinese immigration but by the mid-1960s, restrictions were loosened and younger families began coming to the United States. By 1981, this process was well under way so what was there was still this, in a sense, a remnant of the bachelor society, which was still there that spoke a particular dialect mostly, and then you had this influx of - you had another community developing of younger families, Glick said. He took this image in Columbus Park in 1983

Herb Tam, the curator at the Museum of Chinese in America, noted that in addition to the demographic shift from older men to more women and young families, people were coming from different regions of China, which also changed the makeup of the neighborhood's population. Glick took the above image of a woman named Rebecca with her children in their kitchen in 1982

Glick worked with Yuet-fung Ho, one of the oral historians from the New York Chinatown History Project. Yuet-fung Ho met Mr. Chow, right, while spending time at the Hand Laundry Alliance. He was a hand laundry worker who hated what he did. He was educated when he came over and thats what he ended up doing, Glick said. He and his wife, Mrs. Chow, left, were separated for around 30 years due to restrictive immigration policy. When he was eventually able to bring her over, they didnt recognize each other. Glick took this photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Chow in Baldwin, New York, in 1981

Photographer Bud Glick spent time at the Chinatown Senior Citizen Center on Bayard and Mulberry Streets, and that was where he met Mrs. Chiu, pictured above in 1981. He had taken photos of her at the center, including one in which she was doing tai chi, before she agreed to let him take photos at her apartment. She struck me as almost regal, he recalled

Tam, the curator, noted that in addition to the demographic shift from older men to more women and young families, people were coming from different regions of China, which also changed the makeup of the neighborhood's population.

Glick explained that Tchen and Lai felt that it was important to get the stories of these older men before they were gone.

That was the context that I was working in.

Glick, who did not speak Chinese, would at times accompany other staff members when they conducted oral histories. Glick said he worked often with oral historians Judith Luk and Yuet-fung Ho to make connections. He also made his own inroads into the community by hanging out at the Chinatown Senior Citizen Center on Bayard and Mulberry Streets.

People got to know me, you know, they recognized me so I could just be there. Even though I often couldnt speak, you know, communicate really well with people we managed other ways to communicate, Glick recalled.

When someone let him photograph them, Glick would then print out the image and give them a copy. He then asked if he could photograph them where they lived. Some said no, but others agreed and the connections Glick made can be seen in his photos with their quiet candid moments: the three men sharing food, a man on a bed with his arm slung over his face, and a simple but evocative portrait of a woman named Mrs. Chiu, who sits on her bed and looks directly at the camera.

Glick said that he had met Mrs. Chiu at the senior citizen center, and had taken her photo while she was doing tai chi. She agreed to let Glick photograph her at her apartment.

She struck me as almost regal, he recalled.

Due to the restrictive immigration policy, Mrs. Chiu was separated from her husband for most of their marriage. When she did finally come over the U.S., her husband died not long after, but Glick said that she seemed positive and connected to her friends at the center.

Another couple Glick photographed that was affected by the strict immigration policy was Mr. and Mrs. Chow, who were separated for some thirty years.

Yuet-fung Ho, one of the oral historians Glick worked closely with, met Mr. Chow while spending time at the Hand Laundry Alliance.

He was a hand laundry worker who hated what he did. He was educated when he came over and thats what he ended up doing, Glick said.

When he was eventually able to bring her over, they didnt recognize each other.

Glick said that he took a number of frames of the couple, many of which they were both looking at the camera. The image that is in the exhibition shows Mr. Chow turned, looking lovingly at his wife.

When the New York Chinatown History Project ended in 1984, photographer Bud Glick turned his attention to commercial photography. It took me away from what I was doing and I really lost touch with people in Chinatown for a long time. But by 2010, Glick started revisiting his Chinatown work and scanning the photos. He liked what he saw and submitted the images to online photo blogs and websites, like PetaPixel, which did a story about them in 2014. Above, a photo he took of three children playing in 1982

Once the photos were online, I started getting contacted by people who didnt know me who said, you know, I recognized my grandfather in one of your photographs or this or that, photographer Bud Glick told DailyMail.com. Vincent Lee - the little boy sleeping in the photo above with his grandfather Kam Ho Lee at 9 Eldridge Street in 1983 - was one of them. Glick said that he is shy by nature and when he saw Kam Ho Lee reading the newspaper, he started to walk by but then stopped. Glick was photographing him from the sidewalk when Kam Ho Lee looked at him and smiled. Its still amazing to me that he was calmly reading the newspaper while a stranger was hovering over him, almost on top of him talking photographs

Hand laundries, which like its name suggests was washing, ironing and folding clothes by hand, were important businesses in Chinatown. Jack Tchen and Charlie Lai, the founders of the the New York Chinatown History Project, wanted to make sure that artifacts from hand laundries were collected as part of the project. In addition to the images and artifacts, the project also did oral histories and exhibitions. Above, a woman sits at Sam Wah Laundry in the Bronx in a photo Bud Glick took in 1982

Photographer Bud Glick explained that Jack Tchen and Charlie Lai, the founders of the New York Chinatown History Project, felt that it was important to get the stories of these older men before they were gone. Many men were considered 'bachelors' because it was difficult for them to bring their families to the U.S. due to restrictive immigration policies. Glick gained access to this bachelor apartment, shown above in 1982, on Bayard Street, through Mr. Ng, whom he met at the Chinatown Senior Citizen Center. 'The other men there were fine with me being there because Mr. Ng was fine with me being there, Glick told DailyMail.com

Above, two children work on their homework at a hand laundry business in 1981. Bud Glick took this photo as part of the New York Chinatown History Project, which sought to document a neighborhood in flux: its population and businesses were changing. Glick's photos are now part of an ongoing exhibition, Interior Lives: Photographs of Chinese Americans in the 1980s, at the Museum of Chinese in America

One of the best community connections Glick made was a man he met called Frankie Wong.

It had to be the first day that I was photographing in Chinatown, it would have been January of 81, I was walking down the street and anybody that would let me, I would photograph them. As you can imagine, a stranger who  a white guy walking around with a camera, quite a few people would just say to me, no picture, which is perfectly understandable, Glick recalled.

Frankie was standing out on the sidewalk in front of his store and he saw me and with a big smile, he said, take my picture, so I did.

Frankie Wong owned a grocery store, a butcher shop and a seafood business, and Glick snapped photos in and around them. Some of the images are in the exhibition, including one that shows a man - a cigarette clad between his lips - holding seafood with other workers on the sidewalk. Glick said the photo was taken outside of the store of one of Wongs relatives.

I could be just walking by and he would literally grab me and say come on in and have something to eat or something to drink, Glick said and then laughed, at 11 in the morning.

Frankie, its 11 in the morning, (and) hed say, so what.

Wong also played a pivotal role in getting the current exhibition off the ground. After three years documenting Chinatown, the project ended in 1984 and Glick turned his attention to commercial photography.

It took me away from what I was doing and I really lost touch with people in Chinatown for a long time.

From January 1981 to March 1984, photographer Bud Glick, pictured, shot over 460 rolls of film of the Chinatown community. The photos are now part of an exhibition at the Museum of Chinese in America

But by 2010, Glick started revisiting his Chinatown work and scanning the photos. He liked what he saw and submitted the images to online photo blogs and websites, like PetaPixel, which did a story about them in 2014.

I started getting contacted by people who didnt know me who said, you know, I recognized my grandfather in one of your photographs or this or that, he explained.

One of those emails was from Freeman Wong, whose father was Frankie. Frankie Wong died in 1987 when Freeman was 11, Glick said. After corresponding and speaking on the phone, Freeman and Glick met in Chinatown.

It was quite emotional, he said. That was kind of a catalyst for me and I shared that story with Jack Tchen.

I began to think about how I had this body of work that could be important to the community.

Glick worked with Tam, the curator, on the exhibition, which will run through March 24. Tam said that one of the reasons the museum was putting on a survey of Glicks work now was that once again, Chinatown is undergoing change. Tam pointed to the new crop of tall buildings being built nearby and in the neighborhood, and how art galleries are moving into the area.

Tam said: So we thought now is a good time to revisit what the neighborhood looked in the 1980s because it is much different than how it looks today, and try to get people to think about, you know, how the neighborhood is even still changing today.
Parliament's security spending has soared by nearly 10million a year since the Westminster terror attack, it can be revealed today.

The dramatic escalation of protection for MPs and peers following the deadly attack has been underlined in figures uncovered by MailOnline - suggesting the measures now cost some 45million annually.

The overhaul came amid fears about gaping loopholes, including weaknesses at the main Carriage Gates entrance, no armed officers on site on Sundays, and poor CCTV coverage.

There are also mounting concerns about the security of MPs as they arrive at Westminster, after Tory former minister Anna Soubry was confronted by an angry mob who branded her a 'Nazi' and 'slag'.

Khalid Masood stabbed PC Keith Palmer to death in March 2017 as he forced his way through the gates at Parliament.

He was shot dead - but had already killed four others using a car on Westminster Bridge.

Khalid Masood was shot dead after stabbing PC Keith Palmer to death just inside the main gates at Parliament in March 2017

Two separate reviews recommended sweeping changes to the defences on and around the estate.

In April 2017 - three weeks after PC Palmer's death - new larger and taller black iron security gates covered in wire mesh were installed.

They are now permanently closed unless a car requires access, but this was not the case when PC Palmer was murdered. Armed officers are also permanently on duty by the entrance.

Details buried in the accounts for the Houses show that the total security bill for the Westminster estate came to 40.15million in the year following the terror attack.

That was up from 35.24million in 2016-17.

The figure appears to have risen even further since then. The Houses split the costs on a 30-70 ratio, and Lords records show it has been contributing around 1.1million a month to security as of October. That would give a total annual bill across the estate of 45million.

The bill does not include spending on cyber-security - which is also understood to have spiked amid fears over hacking attacks.

Senior Commons sources told MailOnline the cost of the contract with the Met Police had 'gone up considerably'.

They said prior to the attack there were 'no armed police on Sundays'.

CCTV coverage across the Westminster estate has also been beefed up.

'The building was very vulnerable,' the source added.

Despite the improvements, there was another security scare before Christmas when an intruder came through the gates of Parliament when they were opened for a car and ran at officers.

The man was tasered and bundled to the cobbles of New Palace Yard.

The authorities at the Houses signed off tens of thousands of pounds of funding last year for tests of how traffic could be managed if Parliament Square was partly or even fully closed off.

The proposals could mean that only vehicles belonging to politicians, their staff and delivery firms are allowed access to the road running past the historic building.

A UK Parliament spokesman said 'Parliament takes security extremely seriously. For obvious reasons we cannot discuss our security arrangements.'

There are also concerns about the safety of MPs arriving at Westminster, after Anna Soubry was pursued by an aggressive mob yesterday (pictured)
The directors of virtually every listed UK company could face legal claims and fines for failing to adequately prepare for Brexit, experts have claimed.

A stark warning from insurance consultancy firm Mactavish suggests company bosses have 'massively overlooked' new liabilities posed by a no-deal Brexit.

Managers are traditionally protected by what is known as directors' and officers' liability insurance, which covers the legal costs for senior company officials when things go wrong.

But Mactavish says a multitude of new risks and gaps in traditional coverage mean that directors may not be covered by their existing insurance policies if legal action is taken against them as a result of Brexit, leaving them personally liable for all associated costs.

The firm points out that unless a companys D&O policy has been specifically reviewed and negotiated to account for Brexit-related problems, it is unlikely to be reliable because there will likely be far too many exclusions to cover and outs for insurers.

Failing to prepare properly for no deal could lead to a spike in legal claims against directors

Taking legal action against directors directly is becoming more common, according to the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Crises tend to lead to jumps in the number of legal actions taken against company directors, with figures from insurance broker Marsh showing the 2008 financial crash led to a four-fold increase.

A no-deal Brexit could lead to a cocktail of unique challenges which could see that number climb higher.

For example, Mactavish warns that any company suffering a performance dip or interruption following Brexit will be liable to major scrutiny of whether their preparations were adequate.

If their preparations compare badly with those of peers, this will give rise to a glut of new D&O actions against board members, warns Bruce Hepburn, chief executive of Mactavish.

'In practice once claims come in, it is usually too late to make any changes to policies and directors may not be covered,' he said.

Policyholders should expect claims to be scrutinised carefully and negotiated aggressively if they spike, the firm added.

Who could be worst hit?

According to a report from financial services consulting firm Oliver Wyman, the five sectors which would be hardest hit by trading on World Trade Organisation terms would be financial services, the automotive sector, agriculture, food and drink, consumer goods, and chemicals and plastic industries.

The biggest blow, by some margin, would be to financial services. London, currently Europe's financial centre, could suffer a 2.5 per cent hit to its gross added value, which would represent 40 per cent of the national total damage, the report claims.

The impact on other regions could potentially be between around 0.9 per cent and 2.4 per cent depending on the makeup of local industry.

Yet just two months ago Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that half of UK businesses had not yet initiated contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit.

Gaps in insurance cover means directors could be personally exposed to any legal costs

Adrian Jenner, head of D&O at Zurich, believes that most UK companies are prepared for the challenges posed by no deal.

How cautious do firms need to be? Dr Matthew Connell, director of public policy and affairs at the Chartered Insurance Institute, said: 'Life is full of uncertainty, and the range of possible outcomes from Brexit is extremely wide  from a highly disruptive no-deal scenario, to a transition period in which very little will change in 2018. 'Firms should be open and honest with their stakeholders about the risks they face and what they are doing to address them  but there comes a point when over-managing a single risk can become a disruptive factor in its own right. 'It is reasonable for firms to prepare for Brexit without trying to influence outcomes over which they have no control.'

'In our experience most boards are already well versed on the threats and opportunities of a no-deal Brexit, with some creating special committees reporting to the board or management teams,' he said.

'In addition, they will have been getting advice from the legal and regulatory partners as well as management consultants or other specialist advisers like tax and customs they already work closely with, documenting these and the subsequent decision process will certainly help mitigate or defend any potential threats.

'But the question will always remain as to whether the process was reasonable and the resources committed sufficient or adequate.'

Where would the blame fall if things go wrong?

Mactavish warns that directors have 'massively overlooked' new liabilities posed by a no-deal Brexit.

Chief among the risks posed to the heads of UK companies is the limited coverage of directors' and officers' liability insurance cover, which traditionally covers higher-ups for any legal action taken against them during their tenure.

Directors may not actually be covered as much as they think, warns Mactavish, potentially leaving them personally exposed to legal actions.

Bruce Hepburn, chief executive of Mactavish, said: 'D&O insurance policies are extremely complicated and cover is bound up in a labyrinth of inter-connected policy definitions, policy triggers and cost categories, so that most company directors are far from clear on what they are actually covered for.'

And directors can't expect insurers to give them an easy ride - up to 45 per cent of all large and complex insurance claims are disputed by the company handing out the cash.

The number of legal claims directly against directors is on the rise, according to experts

Are SMEs at risk?

Smaller businesses may be hit by a no-deal Brexit in a multitude of ways, but those in charge will be less likely to face legal action than the bosses of larger, publicly listed companies.

Adrian Jenner, head of D&O at Zurich, said: 'A company's failure to adequately prepare for a no-deal Brexit scenario is certainly going to raise questions.

'However, the D&O actions against board members are only likely to follow if for a public company there has been a significant financial, profit or perhaps share price loss, or for public and private companies a major disruption to business, staff, trading ability or operational disruptions causing additional burdens or financial consequences.

'Insurers and their clients have been working together to assess the threats and opportunities a no-deal Brexit could bring to ensure preparedness for all eventualities.'
Sadiq Khan has brought forward the 12.50 ultra-low emission zone charge to April 8 this year from a previously agreed start in 2020

Small businesses have pleaded with the Mayor of London to delay the full introduction of a scheme that charges motorists for driving in the capital.

Sadiq Khan has brought forward the 12.50 daily charge on polluting vehicles to April 8 this year from a previously agreed start in 2020.

But the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned that many firms are unprepared amid fears the extra costs could be devastating for many companies.

The charge will cover the congestion charge zone in London and operate 24 hours a day, with vehicles that don't meet tough emissions standards forced to pay 12.50.

This will be on top of the 11.50 congestion charge during its hours of operation.

Lorries will be charged 100 per day for the emissions zone.

The FSB has called for businesses that are yet to replace their vehicles to be given more time.

Gareth Bacon, leader of the Conservative Group on the London Assembly, said: 'Unfortunately the Mayor is hell-bent on implementing these proposals in a reckless way which hammers business.'

A spokesman for Khan said: 'London's polluted air causes thousands of premature deaths every year and Sadiq is introducing the ultra-low emission zone to help tackle pollution.'
British Gas owner Centrica is feeling the heat after a leading City broker warned its dividend was 'hanging by a thread'.

Shares were sent sliding by the report from Jefferies, which said there was a material possibility that Centrica's earnings would fall short of expectations and the sale of its nuclear business was critical.

Analysts predicted Centrica would make 8 per cent less profit per share than last year after the Government introduced an energy price cap to limit customers' bills, and the price of commodities such as gas continued to fluctuate.

Analysts predicted British Gas owner Centrica would make 8 per cent less profit per share than last year after the Government introduced an energy price cap to limit customers' bills

If UK power and gas prices follow the trend of oil and fall a further 20 per cent, Jefferies' Ahmed Farman explained, Centrica may barely be able to afford its 12p per share dividend to investors.

In November last year Centrica also reported issues in its gas exploration and production operations, and outages at the Hunterston B and Dungeness B nuclear power stations.

Centrica has a 20 per cent stake in eight British nuclear power plants, and announced last summer that it planned to sell them.

Pressure is growing on chief executive Iain Conn to scramble a deal together, as Farman emphasised that Centrica needs to sell the nuclear assets for around 1billion to pull the company's balance sheet into better shape.

Investors were clearly shaken by the warnings, as Centrica's shares fell 4.4 per cent, or 6.05p, to 131.25p.

Stock Watch - Pottery manufacturer Churchill China, which specialises in making products such as plates and bowls for hospitality companies like hotels and caterers, shot up on announcing a strong finish to 2018. The Stoke-on-Trent firm, which is set to announce results for the year at the end of March, said exports were particularly strong and its performance would be ahead of market expectations. Shares in the company climbed by 9 per cent, or 85p, to 1025p yesterday.

Jefferies cut its recommendation on the Centrica stock from 'buy' to 'hold', and lowered its target price to 125p.

The price of oil was chugging higher after a downhill end to 2018 as traders factored in production cuts due to come into force this month from Opec, the cartel of 14 major oil-producing countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Brent crude was up more than 2 per cent by the evening to $58.21 as traders hoped Opec's cuts would boost demand for the smaller quantities of oil available.

Oil was suffering at the end of last year as investors worried a global economic slowdown and troubled relations between the US and China could weaken demand.

However, yesterday's rise was not enough to lift major oil companies on the FTSE 100.

BP closed flat at 520.8p, while Royal Dutch Shell was 0.5 per cent, or 11p, down at 2389p.

The blue-chip index ended the day down 0.4 per cent, or 26.54 points, at 6810.88 points as cigarette companies Imperial Brands and British American Tobacco also weighed on the Footsie.

US research firm Cowen abandoned its optimistic stance on the tobacco sector, and said increased scrutiny from US regulators could cause the volume of cigarettes sold to fall by 8 per cent per year between 2018 and 2025.

Imps fell 5 per cent, or 122.5p, to 2330p, while BAT was down 4.2 per cent, or 108.5p, at 2474.5p.

It was a stronger day for smaller stocks. Scottish broadcaster STV soared by 8.5 per cent, or 29p, to 369p as it agreed a five-year partnership with Sky.

Sky customers in Scotland will be able to access regional programmes in full high definition, and can watch STV's on-demand service through their Sky boxes for the first time.

Brownfield housebuilder MJ Gleeson was also on the rise as it said it sold 691 houses in the second half of 2018  up 16.5 per cent on the same time a year before. Shares stacked up 10.9 per cent, or 72p, to end the day at 730p.

Investors were keen to take a punt on gaming technology company Nektan as it announced total revenue generated from customers playing on its platforms shot up by 83 per cent to 4.7million from October to December.

Nektan itself rose 7.1 per cent, or 1p, to 15p.
Three former Credit Suisse bankers allegedly pocketed kickbacks out of a fundraising for Mozambiques tuna industry

Three former Credit Suisse bankers have been charged with siphoning more than 150million out of a fundraising for Mozambiques tuna industry.

The trio allegedly pocketed kickbacks after raising 1.5billion for the African country by selling bonds on the international markets in 2013.

This deal  which was meant to support maritime projects including a tuna fishery  was done in secret and triggered a financial crisis when it emerged the projects being backed were highly suspicious.

Andrew Pearse, Detelina Subeva and Surjan Singh have been arrested in London and released on bail.

US authorities want the ex-bankers extradited over the scandal, claiming the bonds were issued to illegally make them richer.

Former Mozambique finance minister Manuel Chang has been arrested in South Africa in connection with the scandal.

Credit Suisse has not been charged.
Norwegian Air has blamed problems with Rolls-Royce engines for a hit to its finances.

The low-cost airline said it had suffered technical issues with Trent 1000 engines supplied by the engineer, to power its Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes.

Rolls was forced to launch a massive scheme of checks and repairs and redesign some parts after turbine blades in certain versions of the engine were found to be wearing down faster than expected.

Norwegian Air boss Bjorn Kjos has blamed problems with Rolls-Royce engines for a hit to its finances

The problem has affected several major airlines. Norwegian struck a deal with Rolls in December that it said would improve its finances, but has not disclosed details.

Rolls has warned investors the overall costs associated with fixing the technical problems could reach 440million.

Norwegian boss Bjorn Kjos also said competition from other airlines and high oil prices had hit performance in 2018.

The carrier failed to hit analyst targets for passenger miles and for the proportion of seats sold during December.

It said the number of miles travelled by paying passengers rose just 24 per cent in the second half of 2018, missing analyst forecasts.

And its load factor, which measures how many seats are sold per flight, fell from 84.6 per cent in December 2017 to 78.6 per cent.

Kjos said the firm was seeking to make cost savings.

Norwegian has shaken up the long-haul flights market by offering tickets at knockdown prices.

But its growing popularity has made it the subject of intense takeover speculation, with British Airways owner IAG among those thought to be interested.
Corporate raider Ed Bramson has declared war on Barclays after it rebuffed his demand for a seat on the board.

In an explosive letter, the activist investor criticised the prized investment banking division and said it would be impossible to change the lender from the outside.

The New Yorker  one of Barclays' biggest investors with a 5.51 per cent stake  revealed he had asked to join the bank's board in September but was rejected.

Activist: Corporate raider Ed Bramson criticised Barclays' prized investment banking division and said it would be impossible to change the lender from the outside

He is planning to table a vote at the annual meeting in the spring which would allow investors to install him as a non-executive director  against the wishes of senior management including outgoing chairman John McFarlane and chief executive Jes Staley.

If the bid is successful it could net Bramson tens of millions of pounds in extra fees from his company Sherborne Investors.

Bramson earns his money by identifying a target business, buying shares in it and improving its fortunes. If he forces his way onto the board as an executive or chairman, the fees payable rise dramatically.

He began buying Barclays stock in early 2018 but has not revealed his hand until now.

In an annual letter to Sherborne's backers  who include Aviva, Invesco, Columbia Threadneedle and Blackrock  Bramson said: 'We have undertaken a long process of consistent engagement, deliberately allowing ample time and opportunity for Barclays to respond to our concerns.

'We do not have confidence that continued engagement with the company, strictly as an outsider, will produce any more measurable results in the future than it has to date.

'It seems increasingly likely that, for any progress to be made on our concerns, we will be required to seek a shareholder vote to make changes in the composition of the board.'

Barclays outgoing chairman John McFarlane, left, and chief exec Jes Staley are against offering Bramson a seat on the board

Bramson met McFarlane, fellow American Staley, finance chief Tushar Morzaria and senior independent director Crawford Gillies in New York to set out his case for a board seat.

But the letter said: 'We were told the directors would look forward to continued engagement with us but that board representation would not be 'needed'.'

The stage is set for a battle, with Barclays likely to fight tooth and nail to deny Bramson a seat.

It is feared that simply getting a seat will not satisfy the 68-year-old and he will try to wrest control away from Staley.

The row could even pull in Bank of England governor Mark Carney, as regulators are likely to face questions over whether Bramson's actions might destabilise Barclays.

City commentator David Buik, of trading firm Core Spreads, said: 'I suspect at Barclays this will have been greeted with a particularly noisy raspberry.

'He will have to make an extremely good case for why he wants a seat on the board.'

Barclays and Sherborne both declined to comment.
As Europe's only sound global player in corporate and investment banking, Barclays holds a special place in the City.

Last year its UK banking team was instrumental in securing the 30billion deal by Comcast for Sky and the 14billion merger of Randgold for Barrick Gold.

It comes out top for investment banking fees earned in Britain and has an excellent trading and deal making franchise in the US as a result of the takeover of the American arm of Lehman a decade ago.

Corporate raider Ed Bramson is determined to unsettle Barclays just as it is emerging from the shadows of the financial crisis.

National asset: Last year Barclays' UK banking team was instrumental in securing the 30bn deal by Comcast for Sky and the 14bn merger of Randgold for Barrick Gold

He wants Barclays out of investment banking and concentrating on its consumer brands.

These include Barclaycard and use less capital than investment banking. He fails to recognise that retail banking is a crowded space with Lloyds having a dominant market share, Royal Bank of Scotland on a growth path and newcomers, such as Metro Bank, offering superior services.

His timing is barmy too in that he wants Barclays to focus on the consumer when unsecured credit is at record levels.

Having failed to bully a robust Barclays board into giving him a seat at the table, Bramson is seeking to take the fight directly to shareholders at the company's annual meeting in the spring.

Depressingly, some UK long funds, including Aviva Investors, are backers of Bramson. They should recognise that his real motive is quick profits rather than the longer-term interests of Britain, as investors in Electra investment trust among others could testify.

Bramson must be shown the door.

Grocery disrupter

That Aldi and Lidl have become real forces in British shopping is indisputable.

But anyone looking for guidance on the broader grocery picture has to take the Christmas numbers from Aldi with a pinch of salt.

It reports sales in the week commencing December 17 were up more than 10 per cent on a year earlier. It would be surprising if income was not up given that it operates from 827 stores, an increase of 65 from a year earlier.

Indeed, in reporting its seasonal sales Aldi is engaged in as much as a promotional exercise as anything else.

As a German private company it is excused from breaking the sales down into categories and fails to provide the like-for-like sales measure that is standard in retail.

Fresh insight into the Aldi model is provided by evidence to the Competition and Mergers Authority on the proposed 15billion tie-up between Sainsbury's and Walmart-owned Asda.

Aldi disclosed it is able to offer lower prices than the other grocers because it has a narrower range of 1,800 lines. This makes for a less complex supply chain and simpler logistics.

The German firm's goal in the UK is to offer customers a 15 per cent discount on the lines it stocks compared with current prices at the Big Four supermarkets.

Aldi's concern about the Sainsbury's-Asda deal is that the 10 per cent price cut promise of the new supermarket behemoth would make the other grocery chains vulnerable to supplier price increases and a less good deal for the consumer.

Aldi might get a better hearing if it provided forensic detail about its operations rather than its skill in flogging mince pies and prosecco.

Oncology recruit

The race to become world leader in cancer treatments is on in earnest. American drug maker Eli Lilly is taking an 6.3billion gamble on buying Loxo Oncology.

Emma Walmsley at Glaxosmithkline recently splashed out 3.9billion on oncology biotech outfit Tesaro and has taken on San Francisco R&D guru Hal Barron to help push into the immunology space.

AstraZeneca, which has a head-start with immunology treatments, is upping its game by separating oncology into a separate unit looking at both early stage and late implementation treatments.

It has recruited Jose Baselga, one of the world's leading cancer specialists, to head the unit.

Baselga became available after he resigned from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York following controversy over his failure to disclose commercial connections with pharma companies in academic papers.

He has corrected the record and AZ chief executive Pascal Soriot believes he is the person to drive forward the group's R&D for oncology and bring late stage medicines to market. Baselga's recruitment looks a risk worth taking.
Party pooper? Ousted WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell

Pedestrian WPP chairman Roberto Quarta gets to host this year's CBI business leaders' lunch in Davos, a role previously carried out by his erstwhile chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell whom he forced out following misconduct allegations. I'm told boisterous Sorrell, who regards the annual jamboree as his personal fiefdom, plans on making an appearance in the Alps. What's the betting he, rather than Quarta, ends up holding court over the Davos darlings?

Gormless-looking Russian energy tycoon Roman Abramovich considered buying Tottenham Hotspur before Chelsea according to Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg's The Club: How The Premier League Became The Richest, Most Disruptive Business In Sport.

But one visit to North London was enough to put him off. Roman's verdict: 'Worse than Omsk.'

Bloomberg has fallen out with its neighbours at the City of London Magistrates Court. According to Financial News, the Court has complained to the local authorities about the cigarette ends Bloomberg staff have been discarding outside its nearby building.

Incidentally, the firm's boring founder Michael Bloomberg is the person responsible for outlawing smoking in the work place.

He introduced the joyless ban while Mayor of New York, which other cities duly copied.

Former John Lewis deputy chairman Lord Price says he will begin blending his own pear champagne at his property in Dorset this month.

His Lordship hopes it will be ready to drink before Christmas, so we must politely reserve judgement on the ambitious-sounding sparkler until then.

In the meantime, I trust Price uncorked something suitably palatable last night for his wife Judith. Her Venetia Williams-trained horse Top And Drop won the 2.10 at Chepstow.

America's stock market continues to yo-yo all over the place as the US's trade dispute with China hots up.

Aviva's normally eloquent chief investment officer David Cumming's considered verdict on Radio 4: 'It's like it's on acid.'

Stately ex-Financial Conduct Authority chairman John Griffith-Jones has been appointed chairman of debt advice charity Step Change.

A city source sniffs: 'He was chairman of KPMG when it gave HBOS's accounts the all clear just before its collapse. Not sure I'd want him advising me on my debts.'
A 16-year-old schoolboy, who had been skipping classes, had an argument with his teacher that led to the latter being shot in the legs.

A high school senior from the city of Afyonkarahisar in western Turkey fired at the teacher with a pistol, which he allegedly brought to school in a guitar case, Cumhuriyet reports.

Following the shooting, school administrators who heard the shooting called the police and medics. The reason for the incident is unknown, Sputnik reported.

The student was arrested by the police, while the wounded teacher was taken by ambulance to the city hospital. According to later reports, his life was not in danger.

The governor of Afyonkarahisar, as well as the provincial police director and provincial director of national education later came to the school in order to address the shooting.
If safety is high on the agenda when you're looking to buy a new car, this is a must-read list for you.

Compiled by crash-test experts Thatcham Research, it's a top 10 of models available in showrooms today with the best safety standards that could be the difference between life and death in an accident.

The overall winner will be announced later this month, though all cars featured are listed because they not only offer a high level of protection in a crash but have the latest technology that could mean avoiding a collision altogether.

Sitting safely? Thatcham Research has named the 10 safest new cars on sale in 2019 - and it's based on more than Euro NCAP star ratings

Thatcham Research said the cars to make the top 10 list in 2019 have to offer more than a five-star Euro NCAP rating - the European standard for vehicle safety.

Its team of expert UK judges said the 10 nominees for the overall award - the What Car? Safety Award - need to excel in prevention of crashes, too.

That means the performance of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) systems is reviewed and models fitted with adaptive cruise control, speed recognition and control and steering support - all of which are first steps towards vehicle automation.

And all cars have to be mainstream models with a proven record of relatively high registrations to ensure there's a real impact on improving road safety in the UK.

Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham said: 'It's clear that occupants of the latest cars are at a lower risk than ever.

'But not resting on our laurels, we raised the bar in safety testing for 2018. This means the ten cars in this list are some of the safest ever made, anywhere in the world.'

The big question is: which cars have made the final cut?

Here are the 10 contenders for the title of safest car of 2019 and why they were hand picked by Thatcham Research:

1. Audi A6

The Audi A6 is a premium executive saloon that packs plenty of safety kit, including a pop-up bonnet

Price: from 33.035 Rating: Adult Occupant: 93% Child Occupant: 85% Vulnerable Road Users: 81% Safety Assist: 76%

The A6 is the first of two Audi models in the list, which is testament to the brand's excellent track record in producing five-star Euro NCAP cars.

The inclusion of the premium saloon was down to the many safety features it has in its arsenal, including a pop-up bonnet that's designed to protect pedestrians and cyclists in the event of a collision.

2. Audi Q3

Thatcham Research said the Q3 SUV took its place in the list thanks to a range of crash avoidance tech

Price: from 29.880 Rating: Adult Occupant: 95% Child Occupant: 86% Vulnerable Road Users: 76% Safety Assist: 85%

The Q3 had the second highest overall Euro NCAP score of last year with 87 per cent - and a five-star rating.

What makes it stand out from the competition is the crash avoidance technology Audi has made available with the compact SUV.

Overall, Euro NCAP gave it an 85 per cent score for collision avoidance - the highest of the year in this sector.

3. Ford Focus

Of all the cars in the list, this is the one that will have the greatest impact on overall road safety as the Focus is one of the most-bought cars in the UK

Price: from 18,300 Rating: Adult Occupant: 85% Child Occupant: 87% Vulnerable Road Users: 72% Safety Assist: 75%

The Ford Focus has always been a popular UK model and was the fifth most-bought new car of 2018.

That means the improvements made to the latest version will have a fairly big impact on overall road safety.

The new model - launched just last year - has more standard-fit collisions avoidance technology than ever before, including a class-leading Driver Assistance System that supports steering and braking. The AEB system also performed well during tests.

4. Jaguar I-Pace

What electric fears? The Jaguar I-Pace is one of two pure electric models that prove zero-emissions cars can be as safe - if not safer - than those with combustion engines

Price: from 63,925 Rating: Adult Occupant: 91% Child Occupant: 81% Vulnerable Road Users: 73% Safety Assist: 81%

The first of two electric cars in the list is the Jaguar I-Pace. It's an early phase of dispelling the myth that electrified vehicles are less safe than those with a petrol or diesel engine.

Euro NCAP gave it an incredibly high adult occupant protection score of 94 per cent and also performed well for crash avoidance technology (81 per cent).

5. Lexus ES

Unlike the Ford Focus, the Lexus ES isn't a massive UK seller. However, its safety credentials speak for themselves

Price: from 35,150 Rating: Adult Occupant: 91% Child Occupant: 87% Vulnerable Road Users: 90% Safety Assist: 77%

This premium Japanese saloon must only have sneaked into the list, as sales volumes are pretty low.

However, it was the top rated large family car tested b Euro NCAP last year and continued Lexus' consistently high standards of safety and protection.

6. Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The Mercedes A-Class was the overall top scorer across all four Euro NCAP categories during 2018 tests

Price: from 25,800 Rating: Adult Occupant: 96% Child Occupant: 91% Vulnerable Road Users: 92% Safety Assist: 75%

As you may have seen in our story last month, the A-Class was the overall top scorer of all cars in Euro NCAP crash tests conducted in 2018 and was commended for the early availability of automated accident avoidance - not bad for the second cheapest of the models in this top 10 list.

It scored 90 per cent overall in the assessment last year and the A-Class is consistently one of the 10 best-selling cars in the UK.

7. Nissan Leaf

The Nissan Leaf is the second pure-electric car to make the top 10 safest new models of 2019

Price: from 26,690 Rating: Adult Occupant: 93% Child Occupant: 86% Vulnerable Road Users: 71% Safety Assist: 71%

The Leaf is the second electric car to feature here and was also the first new model to be subject to Euro NCAP's stricter testing regime.

Thatcham Research said it had earned extra points for offering a cyclist detection and avoidance system - a piece of technology that will be effective to reduce incidents with vulnerable road users.

8. Peugeot 508

The Peugeot 508 is one of the newest cars in the list. The French brand hopes Britons will change their buying tactics and choose this classy saloon over a rival family SUV

Price: from 24,119 Rating: Adult Occupant: 96% Child Occupant: 86% Vulnerable Road Users: 71% Safety Assist: 79%

Like the Lexus, the Peugeot isn't going to be a huge volume seller - we don't think, anyway. That said, some of the safety tech it boasts is likely to be passed down to more popular models in the French brand's range.

The 508 saloon had the second highest adult occupant protection score (96 per cent) of last year, and strong performance across all other judging categories. It was also celebrated for having a strong speed assistance system and optimal protection for child passengers in the rear.

9. Volvo V60/S60

Volvo is synonymous with safety, and the S60 and V60 (pictured) prove the Swedish brand is still up to scratch

Price: from 31,500 Rating: Adult Occupant: 96% Child Occupant: 84% Vulnerable Road Users: 74% Safety Assist: 76%

It won't come as a huge surprise that Volvo has two entries in this list - as expected for a brand with such a long-standing reputation for safety.

The S60 saloon and V60 estate joins every other Volvo model that's been launched since 2015 by being awarded a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating, with these models in particular scoring an incredibly high 96 per cent for adult occupant protection in crash scenarios.

10. Volvo XC40

Volvo's XC40 amassed a host of awards last year. Now the Swedish SUV has also been named one of the top 10 safest new cars to buy in 2019

Price: from 27,450 Rating: Adult Occupant: 97% Child Occupant: 87% Vulnerable Road Users: 71% Safety Assist: 76%

The XC40 SUV won a raft of awards last year, including the title of European Car of the Year.

It has the highest adult occupant protection score (97 per cent) of any car tested Euro NCAP reviewed last year and the Pilot Assist system - which combines adaptive cruise control and steering support - also proved effective to help avoid accidents.
A semi-retired farm owner has fallen victim to a professional scam that has left him more than 19,000 out of pocket.

In the 'authorised push payment' scam, John was conned into believing he was on the phone to HSBC, the bank he has held a business account with for more than 50 years.

However, he had actually been contacted by fraudsters who convinced him that large sums of money had exited his account, when in fact they were the ones about to steal from him.

This type of con is occurring more frequently, with a total of 34,128 cases of APP scam reported between January and June in 2018, creating a combined loss of 145.4million.

Conned: Fraudsters are using technological advances to make their scams seem more realistic (photo posed by model)

The scam began when John received a call last October from a man purporting to be from HSBC. The caller asked John if he had authorised a payment of 2,800 to another account.

John confirmed that he hadn't and said to the caller he would check his online account.

The caller gave John a 'reference' number and put him through to a supposed member of the fraud department to whom John was told to quote the number.

This new caller asked John for his mobile number, which he gave, and called back with the number showing up on caller ID as HSBC's number - giving John the 'proof' he wanted that the call was 'real'.

He then asked John for his username and password details which John handed over, along with other security details that gave the fraudsters access to his accounts.

Later that evening, John was contacted by a genuine HSBC employee who informed him that his account was actually being blocked because two payments of 9,800, a total of 19,600, had been taken from his small business account.

This type of fraud is known as an APP scam, which is where a bank account holder is duped into authorising a payment to be made to another account, usually by handing over their own security details.

If a customer authorises the payment themselves, current legislation means that they have no legal protection to cover them for losses.

Scam: A common myth about fraud is that con-artists will want to get off the phone as soon as possible - but actually they will want to keep you on the phone to stop banks calling to alert you

When John looked into taking legal action, it would have cost upward of 6,000 - money he no longer had.

HSBC say it contacted the banks the money had been deposited into, in an attempt to retrieve the funds, but most of the cash had already been debited by the time they tried.

Since then, John has reported the scam to the police, Action Fraud and his bank, and also the Financial Ombudsman Service who ultimately told him that there was nothing they could do.

It has now been over a year since John was conned and so far, he has only received back 1,509 of the money taken from him, leaving him some 18,000 short.

Using examples from John's case, we bust some of the most common myths surrounding fraud and explain how fraudsters can appear so convincing.

Myth #1: Fraudsters want to get off the phone quickly

John said that he was kept on the phone for an hour and 50 minutes by the crooks.

It is a common misconception that fraudsters would want to get you off the phone as quickly as possible, in case they get caught.

They will actually want to keep you on the phone for as long as possible so that if a bank has been alerted to any unusual activity, they are unable to contact you as you will already be on the phone.

It is also the case that fraudsters will often do their homework in order to sound convincing over the phone so their victims will not suspect that they are being conned.

Con: Fraudsters pretended to be from HSBC, a bank John has been with for over 50 years

Myth #2: Fraudsters usually call from overseas

The initial phone calls John received were from two English-sounding men so he didn't think that there was anything suspicious about being contacted by them, as he assumed that HSBC would contact him from the UK.

John received a call from a HSBC employee from Manilla, shortly after the money had been taken to inform him of his loss, which he found suspicious.

However, this was a genuine call from the bank itself and it won't matter where it sounds like a caller could be from, they could well be a scam artist.

Most banks now have overseas call centres and it is plausible that a genuine employee will contact you from one of them.

Myth #3: Banks will always refund stolen money

Many people assume that just because money has been stolen from your account, the bank you use have to return the money.

This is not necessarily the case and sometimes, banks may not even be aware that money has been fraudulently taken from your account.

In John's case, he has received a meagre portion back of the money that was pinched.

The bank has not offered to repay it back to him as under current legislation, they are not required to.

However, there are new planned protections meant to be coming into place for APP fraud victims coming within the next few months.

Secure: It is never advisable to hand over your personal details over the phone. If you are unsure whether the person you are speaking to is genuine or not, contact your bank directly.

A spokesperson for HSBC said: 'Protecting our customers and their money is an absolute priority for us.

'We adhere to best practice standards and, alongside others in the industry, we work hard to identify and address the ever-changing techniques used by fraudsters.'

'When a customer notifies us of making a payment to a scammer, we act promptly to notify the recipient bank to try and recover the funds.

'Unfortunately, sometimes these have already been withdrawn. If in doubt, people should speak to a relative or trusted friend or call the telephone number on the back of their bank card.

'The next steps for the customer is to pursue for the matter through the police. We have a dedicated police liaison team who will cooperate fully with any enquiries received.'

Myth #4: Banks will always block unusual activity

Banks will often have campaigns that insist they pick up all unusual activity and will stop it in its tracks.

However, this is not always the case and banks may not always catch on that there has even been any unusual activity in a bank account.

This means that you should always contact your bank if you feel that money has been taken out of your account when it shouldn't have or you suspect you have been contacted by someone fraudulently pretending to be from your bank.

In the case above, John gave away the details needed for the fraudsters to nab the cash and the bank did notice the unusual activity - but not until it was too late.

Myth #5: Bank that receives stolen cash will track the culprit

It is not the responsibility of the bank that the stolen money has been transferred into to report that money has been transferred, whether they notice it or not.

These banks may liaise with the bank where the funds were originally taken from but legally, they have no obligation to trace the person who took the money.

Under current law, once the funds move to the alleged scammer, the customer no longer has legal title to them. This generally means a court order will be needed to return the funds.

This could be changing in the future, however. A UK Finance spokesperson said: 'The finance industry has developed the technology for banks to quickly follow and trace stolen money, however the law currently prevents firms from automatically or swiftly unlocking it to return it to customers.

'We are asking the government and regulators to work with the industry as a priority to resolve this.'

Fraudsters also often set up accounts in advance of the scam  putting in small amounts of money before transferring larger amounts from the money that they scammed from someone, meaning that they avoid immediate detection.

Myth #6: Fraudsters always move money out of their account straight away

It is a common misconception that scam artists will move all the money they have defrauded from someone in a lump sum as they want to get it out of their account as quickly as possible.

However, this is likely to raise suspicion and so fraudsters will offer transfer smaller amounts of money first before beginning to move larger amounts to avoid detection.

A number of UK banks, UK Finance and other organisations have teamed up to try and prevent it from happening.

A UK Finance spokesperson said: 'Customer security is paramount  financial service providers are required to meet strict regulations when opening an account for a new customer including verifying customer ID and other details, and have invested heavily in sophisticated technology and controls to help them do this.

'But banks can't tackle fraud alone, which is why the industry is committed to working closely with law enforcement, the Government and other sectors to combat fraud.'
Dentists have urged manufacturers of mouthwash and toothpastes to start using blueberries in their products.

The Oral Health Foundation today claimed the fruit, and cranberries, both seem 'especially good for oral health'.

It comes after scientists found the berries can reduce the risk of tooth decay by lowering the activity of bacteria in the mouth.

Fruits such as these are a rich source of polyphenols which are antioxidants, already known to protect against free radicals in the body.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the OHF, is now calling for the dark berries to become an ingredient in dental products such as mouthwash.

Dentists have suggested using blueberries in dental products since the fruit has been found to protect against tooth decay

He said the 'polyphenols stick around in our saliva and will continue to help our mouth, even after we've swallowed them'.

Dr Carter added: 'What is especially exciting is these natural extracts are completely sugar-free. This means they can be added to oral care products in several ways.'

And he added: 'They can dissolve in water so can be used to create healthy drinks, as well as to reformulate unhealthy drinks packed full of sugar.'

Researchers at the University of Queensland tested extracts of cranberry, blueberry and strawberry on mouth bacteria.

They found significant reductions with cranberries and blueberries, according to the results in the journal Oral Sciences.

Mr Nebu Philip, lead author from the School of Dentistry in The University of Queensland, suggested the fruits could be used as a 'natural weapon' in the fight against cavities.

A report issued by the OHF today suggested eating a handful of such berries a day could reduce oral health issues.

This is easier with blueberries which can be eaten raw with breakfast cereal or in yoghurt, for instance, as many find the taste of cranberries too tart, they said.

Because berries contain natural sugar, it would be best to consume them at meal times rather than as snacks, Dr Carter said.

He added: 'It is important to remember that whole fruit contains natural sugars.

'This means it can still cause a risk to teeth when consumed in high amounts and too often.

'It is best to eat fruit at mealtimes like breakfast, or straight after dinner. This will limit the number of times which our mouth is exposed to sugar and acid.'

Polyphenols, found in both blueberries and cranberries, are known to be good for protecting against heart disease and cancer.

They also contain antioxidants, which help hydrate and are a good source of fibre, as well as other nutrients.

Blueberries had the fastest growing sales of any food product in supermarkets in the UK in 2018, with Brits spending an extra 100million on popular berries, according to retail figures from The Grocer.
A new virus similar to Ebola has been discovered in fruit bats in China, scientists have revealed.

Experts fear the Mengla virus, named after the province where it was discovered, could have 'devastating consequences' if it was spread to people.

It is part of the filovirus family, which causes deadly haemorrhagic fevers which make people extremely ill and can cause their organs to shut down in hours.

The discovery comes amid an outbreak of the closely-related Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has so far killed nearly 400 people.

The Mengla virus has been named after county in which it was found in the south of China, close to the country's borders with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam

Mengla virus has so far only been found in fruit bats but scientists believe it has the potential to spread among other animal species and into humans. If similar to other known filoviruses Ebola and Marburg it could be deadly to people  those have a death rate of around 50 per cent

Researchers from Singapore's Duke-NUS Medical School, alongside Chinese scientists, found the infected bats in the southernmost county of China.

The county borders the countries of Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, suggesting it could quickly spread out of China if an outbreak happened.

'Studying the genetic diversity and geographic distribution of bat-borne filoviruses is very important for risk assessment and outbreak prevention,' said Professor Wang Lin-Fa, a senior author on the study.

'This type of infectious disease can affect the general public without warning with devastating consequences.'

The scientists discovered the Mengla virus while studying different strains of diseases in a specific species of bat  the Rousettus bat.

WHAT ARE FILOVIRUSES? Filoviruses are a family of viruses which can cause severe haemorrhagic (bleeding) fever when humans catch them. The are highly contagious, spreading through infected bodily fluids, and are fatal in around half of cases, making them a serious health threat in some parts of the world. Of the three known types, the Ebola and Marburg viruses are the most high profile and have both been responsible for human deaths. Seven people died when the Marburg virus was discovered in 1967 after German and then-Yugoslavian scientists were infected by monkeys from Africa. Ebola has killed thousands of people  notably in a huge epidemic in West Africa from 2014-2016, in which more than 11,000 people died across multiple countries  mainly Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Filoviruses are spread from animals to humans then among people, and are believed to originate from fruit bats. There is no proven cure for them and treatment usually involves quarantining patients and treating the symptoms, hoping the immune system will fight it off. Each filovirus has been named after the place where it was first recorded  Marburg in Germany, Ebola after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuevavirus after the Cueva de Lloviu in Spain, and now Mengla after Mengla County in China. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement

These are more commonly known as fruit bats, megabats or flying foxes and are most common in Africa, south-east Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Mengla was found to share between 32 and 54 per cent of its genes with other known filoviruses such as Ebola or the Marburg virus, which can also kill humans.

The Marburg virus was the first filovirus identified  it was found in 1967 when scientists in Germany and then-Yugoslavia caught it from infected African monkeys.

Both Marburg and Ebola have high mortality rates  on average around half of all patients die once infected with either.

Mengla's difference in genetic material could mean a vaccine for a known filovirus  there are drugs being trialled for Ebola, for example  might not work against it.

And when researchers tried to infect animal cells with Mengla in a lab, they found there was potential for it to spread between different species.

Mengla infects cells in the same way as other filoviruses, suggesting it could be spread through bodily fluids.

'With globalisation, it is important to identify and assess the risk of potential infectious disease outbreaks and, from it, develop effective controls strategies and treatments,' said Professor Patrick Casey, of Duke-NUS Medical School.

'The early identification of the filovirus from bats by Professor Wang and researchers in China is one of the many strong research collaborations the Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Programme at Duke-NUS engages in.'

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo began in August and has since infected at least 625 people and killed 377, the World Health Organization said.

It is the second most deadly outbreak in history and is expected to rage on into the middle of this year.
A California high school chemistry teacher narrowly escaped death after a diving accident during a vacation in Guatemala left him with a shattered vertebrae.

Alexander Austin, 28, from Modesto, was visiting the Central American country with five friends for a New Year's trip.

On January 3, the group decided to run into the ocean when Austin took a dive - unknowingly into shallow water.

Seven-and-a-half hours later, he was in the country's top hospital, where doctors said he could have potentially been paralyzed or have died.

While Austin's friends say he is slowly recovering, the hospital will not release him until a bill exceeding $30,000 is paid in full.

Alexander Austin, 28, from Modesto, California, was on vacation in Guatemala when he dove into shallow water, shattering a vertebrae. Pictured: Austin in the hospital with his best friend Dillon Nicholson

Austin (pictured) underwent a five-hour operation where his C5 was removed and two titanium rods and a mesh cylinder were inserted to support his spinal column

Dillon Nicholson, Austin's best friend who was on the trip, told DailyMail.com that the group had just finished playing a game of volleyball on the beach when it happened.

'We ran into the water to cool down. I was about 7,500 feet ahead of him and he misjudged the wave-to-sand ratio and dove into about a foot of water,' he said.

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, diving is the fourth leading cause of spinal cord injury among males and the fifth leading cause among females.

When a diver's head hits the bottom of a shallow body of water, the vertebrae often collapse in the spinal column, which can lead to severe injury.

'We thought he was playing around but turned out he was drowning,' Nicholson said.

'Waves were crashing on top of him, and he was yelling: "I can't breathe! I can't move anything below my neck!"'

Fortunately, one of the people they were playing volleyball with happened to be a physician's assistant. He told Austin's friends to stabilize him as eight people struggled to carry him out of the water.

Nicholson said Austin lay on a surfboard for two hours while two locals broke into a medical center in the next town over to get a neck brace.

Austin will need to wear a brace for up to 12 weeks to reduce pain and prevent any further spinal cord deformity. He has begun walking and talking again and is in physical therapy. Pictured: Austin following his surgery, left, and an X-ray showing the titanium rods in his spinal cord, right

The surgery costs upwards of $30,000 and insurance won't cover it - meaning Austin (pictured) has to pay out of pocket

From there it was a five-and-a-half hour ambulance to Centro Medico, a hospital in Guatemala City.

The group arrived at the hospital at midnight, where a neurosurgeon told them that Austin had shattered his C5 vertebrae, which was pinching the spinal cord in two places.

The C5 controls the wrist extensors. An injury higher up in the spinal column could have meant paralysis or death.

The next morning, at 10am, Austin underwent a five-hour operation where his C5 was removed and two titanium rods and a mesh cylinder were inserted to support his spinal column,

Additionally, he will need to wear a brace for up to 12 weeks to reduce pain and prevent any further spinal cord deformity.

Austin will have to be monitored for at least a week to ensure that the swelling in his spinal cord dissipates.

The hospital won't let him leave until the bill is paid in full. Pictured: Austin walking two days after surgery with Nicholson (left) and a nurse

Austin says he wants to recover as quickly as possible so he can return to his job as a high school chemistry teacher. Pictured: Austin being fed in the hospital by one of his friends

Doctors say as long as it does, Austin will not need any additional surgeries.

Nicholson said Austin has been making steady progress. He can sit up, walk, is eating again and is in regular physical therapy.

But the surgery costs upwards of $30,000 and insurance won't cover it - meaning Austin has to pay out of pocket.

What's more, the hospital won't release him until the bill is paid in full.

'He had no idea how to pay. He thought he was going to have to sell his house,' Nicholson said.

'But I've spent the last four years in crowdfunding, raising money for art projects.'

So Nicholson has set up a GoFundMe account to help cover the medical expenses. So far, more than $20,800 has been raise out of a $25,000 goal.

'After calling his parents, the first thing he had me do was write an email to his principal because he was so sad that his student would have a long-term substitute teacher,' Nicholson said.

'He just wants to get back to his kids.'
Cases of measles have reached a 20-year high in several New York counties amid an outbreak that threatens to reach epidemic proportions, experts say.

At least 160 people have been infected by the virus, which typically strikes children, in New York and unusual outbreaks have been reported internationally.

The worst affected areas so far are Rockland County - where 105 cases have been reported - and an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn, where at least 55 have been infected.

Meanwhile, 25 other states have reported outbreaks, with numbers climbing particularly high in Oregon and Washington.

A body-covering red splotchy rash is the tell-tale sign of the measles infection that has struck at least 160 people in New York - and outbreaks have been reported in Oregon and Washington

Measles is only preventable by vaccination, and health officials in the worst affected areas are scrambling to speed up shots schedules in the most blighted areas.

Among other countries, Israel has seen a recent resurgence in measles.

In October, the sudden uptick in cases in New York City was linked to an unvaccinated traveler from Israel.

Though the details of the Oregon and Washington cases have not been released as publicly, the Washington outbreak was traced to an unvaccinated child who had traveled to the state from another country.

The measles vaccine was introduced in the US in 1963 and, ever since, the virus has been a minimal threat.

But among those not inoculated against it, measles is among the most contagious diseases in the world and can be life-threatening.

Measles often begins with a fever, sore throat, runny nose and cough but there are a few tell-tale signs of the infection.

Eventually, a rash composed of large red blotches materializes, first on the face, spreading until it eventually covers the whole body.

As the infection worsens, complications can include diarrhea, lung infections and brain swelling.

Some one in 20 children that contract measles develop pneumonia, making it highly dangerous to young kids.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS OF MEASLES? Most people will recover from measles within one or two weeks, but sometimes complications can develop. People most at risk include teenagers and adults, babies younger than age one and children with weakened immune systems. Common complications include diarrhea and vomiting, middle-ear or eye infections, laryngitis, fits caused by a fever, and lung infections such as pneumonia, bronchitis and croup. About one in every 15 infected children will develop one of these. Less common complications include hepatitis, meningitis and a brain infection called encephalitis. Rare complications include serious eye disorders which can lead to vision loss, heart and nervous system problems, and a fatal brain infection called subacute sclerosing panencephalitis  this is very rare and only happens in one in every 25,000 cases. Having measles during pregnancy increases the risk of the baby having a low birth weight, premature birth, or stillbirth or miscarriage. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

Fortunately, the vast majority of children in the US and developed nations are protected against the virus by the combined measles mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR).

Babies are supposed to get the shot in two doses. The first dose should be given between the first 12 and 15 months of life, and the second between ages four and six, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommendations.

As of May 2017, the CDC estimated that about 91 percent of children under three had received at least their first dose of the MMR shot.

In recent years, however, there has been a growing - though largely unfounded - movement against vaccinations.

Some populations have a longer history of reticence against shots.

Some members of both the Amish and Orthodox Jewish faiths believe that their religions' edicts, histories or some combinations of the two prohibit them from getting their children vaccinated.

One of the arguments made by Orthodox Jews is that if a dangerous disease becomes rare - thanks to high rates of vaccination among the general population, typically - then getting shots for their children may do more 'harm' than good and thus be against Orthodox Jewish law.

But in 2013, for example, a measles outbreak struck the neighborhood of Williamsburg in New York City's Brooklyn borough. The 58 infections were contained entirely in the Orthodox Jewish community there.

The outbreaks that have emerged in recent months have followed a similar pattern.

One unvaccinated child from Brooklyn reportedly traveled to Israel, contracted the virus, then returned to its home in New York and spread the infection to other unvaccinated kids in the community.

In Oregon, there has been a moderate influx of Orthodox Jews (particularly in Portland). However, it is less clear what is fueling the outbreaks there or in Washington.

There has been some increase in the number of children not getting vaccines, but the majority of the population in both states is still protected.

Rockland County, New York, is home to a number of all-Orthodox villages and the population of Orthodox Jews has been growing rapidly throughout the area in recent years.

John Lyon, spokesperson for the Rockland County Health Department said that the outbreak has struck unvaccinated communities there.

'We're making some progress, but this is one of the most contagious diseases out there in unvaccinated populations,' he told Daily Mail Online.

So far, the county has given over 11,000 vaccinations to children there, but is still struggling to contain the virus's rapid spread.
An investigation into one of the UK's top children's hospitals has begun after a three-month-old baby died.

Aksharan Sivaruban was due to have routine surgery to treat a hernia at Evelina London Children's Hospital but allegedly suffocated while in the hospital.

A breathing tube had become 'displaced' after being placed in the infant's throat before he died from a cardiac arrest on December 12.

A team of 16 staff tried for 45 minutes to resuscitate the boy but were unsuccessful.

Coroner Andrew Harris yesterday called bosses at the NHS hospital to court ahead of a scheduled inquest, but didn't take any further action.

Aksharan Sivaruban died in December aged just three months. He had been transferred to Evelina London Children's Hospital for a hernia operation when he went into cardiac arrest  he is believed to have suffocated

Aksharan was born with two holes in his heart  a congenital heart defect  and had been moved to Evelina for the non-emergency hernia operation.

The anaesthetist who was looking after the three-year-old is now off work and has been removed from their role, the Evening Standard reported.

There are believed to have been two other attempts to insert Aksharan's breathing tube which went wrong.

Kanesh and Thevarathi Sivaruba, the only-child's parents, had raised concerns about their chronically ill son being given general anaesthetic but medics proceeded anyway.

'We saw the anaesthetic mask being placed on him,' Mr Sivaruban, from Sutton, south west London, told the Standard.

'And then about 30 minutes after we left the theatre, we were asked to return to the theatre and after further 15 minutes, we were told he had died. Our world collapsed at that moment.'

Aksharan was born with a congenital heart defect which left two holes in his heart. He was being treated at Kingston Hospital before being transferred to the Evelina children's hospital for a non-emergency procedure to repair a hernia

An internal investigation is being conducted at Evelina London Children's Hospital (pictured), and there will be an official inquiry into Aksharan's death later in the year

At the court hearing on Monday, the hospital's lawyer Corrine Slingo said: 'Everybody involved is absolutely devastated by these events.'

The medical director of the hospital, which is run by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust, wrote to Mr and Mrs Sivaruba two days after their son died.

INFANT DIED WHEN A BREATHING TUBE GOT STUCK IN HER THROAT In 2008, 20-month-old India Trevelyan died at Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton in similar circumstances. She had been admitted to the hospital with croup, a viral breathing infection. Her condition deteriorated and an emergency operation was carried out to help her breathe, but the tube used to bypass her blocked airway became dislodged, the inquest heard. While still in the operating theatre, Indya had a heart attack and later died. Her death was described as 'preventable' by the Brighton and Sussex Universities Hospitals Trust. Advertisement

In her letter, Dr Sara Hanna said the hospital would investigate what had happened and offered her condolences to the family.

The lawyer for the family, Will Jones, said: 'We are relieved that the trust said in court that it is fully committed to finding out what happened.'

No equipment or 'environmental' failures were found at the hospital, according to the coroner yesterday, satisfying Mr Harris no immediate action was needed.

He could have issued a prevention of future deaths report, demanding that extra measures be put in place to stop the same thing happening again.

An internal investigation is now being done at the hospital and an inquest is expected in August.

Guys and St Thomas NHS trust said in a statement: 'Our thoughts are with the family of Aksharan Sivaruban after their tragic loss.

'This was an unexpected death, which has shocked us all deeply.

'We referred it to the coroner immediately, in addition to starting our own internal investigation, so that any findings can be acted on as soon as possible.'

The Duchess of Cambridge had officially become a patron of the London hospital just the day before the tragedy.
A woman inadvertently put erectile dysfunction cream into her eye after a mix-up over two medications with very similar names.

The patient, whose name and age are unknown, ended up with redness, swelling and an infection triggered by the chemicals.

Neither the doctor, pharmacist or patient, who was supposed to have been given a cream for her dry eye, noticed she had been prescribed the wrong medicine.

She went home with a cream called Vitaros, designed to be rubbed onto a man's penis, instead of VitA-POS, an eye lubricant with a similar name.

Poor handwriting on the prescription could have been to blame, experts suggested, as well as time pressures or drop-down computer menus.

A woman, whose name and age are unknown, was left with a red, swollen and infected eye after she ended up rubbing erectile dysfunction cream into it (stock image)

Following the error, experts from Glasgow's Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology are calling for doctors to be more careful when writing prescriptions.

When the woman squirted the ointment into her eye she immediately suffered 'discomfort and blurred vision, as well as redness and lid swelling', according to doctors.

She washed her eye but still required antibiotics, lubricants and steroids to treat the infection.

The patient was accidentally given Vitaros (bottom), an erectile dysfunction cream, instead of the similarly-named VitA-POS (top), an eye ointment

As a result of the prescribing error, experts at the Glasgow's Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology are now urging doctors and pharmacists to be more careful when writing prescriptions

The eye injury was compared to ones which have been caused by e-cigarette fluid, nail glue or the herbal remedy Olbas Oil.

The unfortunate event was recorded by medics in the journal BMJ Case Reports.

Author Dr Magdalena Edington wrote: 'Prescribing errors are common, and medications with similar names/packaging increase risk.

'However, it is unusual in this case that no individual (including the patient, general practitioner or dispensing pharmacist) questioned erectile dysfunction cream being prescribed to a female patient, with [eye] application instructions.'

Experts now say more care is needed when prescribing, suggesting doctors use block capitals when handwriting prescriptions.

As well as hard-to-read writing, the study suggested time pressures or drop-down computer menus could be to blame for the wrong drug being given.

Dr Edington added: 'We believe this to be an important issue to report to enhance awareness and promote safe prescribing skills.'

She wrote in her report that prescribing errors affect as many as one in 20 (five per cent) of all prescriptions, saying similarly-named drugs can lead to errors.

This is believed to be the first recorded instance of someone rubbing Vitaros into their eye, Dr Edington said.

The cream is supposed to be applied to the tip of the penis, where it stimulates an erection by widening blood vessels and increasing blood flow to the organ.
A businesswoman nearly died four times after her placenta grew in her cervical wall during pregnancy, she has claimed.

Emma Moss, of Stourbridge, West Midlands, began to bleed five weeks after finding out she was pregnant with her now husband, Simon, 35.

Her symptoms baffled doctors and eventually, at 11 weeks, it was discovered she had an ectopic pregnancy - when a fertilised egg implants outside of the womb, which can prove fatal.

Her baby was terminated - upon advice from doctors. But she became concerned when her failed pregnancy did not leave her body.

A week after her termination, Mrs Moss was rushed to hospital with septicaemia and sepsis, reportedly triggered by an infection from her dead foetus.

She was sent home with more treatment to help ease the foetus out, but she was back in hospital a day later in agonising pain.

Doctors found the placenta had grown inside her cervical wall - stopping the foetus from naturally leaving, in what Mrs Moss was told was a 'world medical first'.

During a cervical examination, Mrs Moss lost two litres of blood, forcing doctors to perform an emergency hysterectomy to remove her womb, cervix, and the placenta holding the foetus. She will now never be able to have her own children naturally.

Businesswoman Emma Moss had a hysterectomy after septicemia, sepsis and internal bleeding, caused by her deceased baby being stuck inside her

When at Birmingham Women's Hospital, at 11 weeks pregnant, after weeks of misdiagnosing, Mrs Moss was diagnosed with a rare condition, cervical ectopic pregnancy. Because it was fatal, Mrs Moss was told she would need to have a termination

The entrepreneur was delighted to discover she would be having a baby with her 'love-at-first-sight' boyfriend, Mr Moss, a recruitment CEO, in February 2016.

Mrs Moss claims her GP, Lion Health Medical Clinic, told her she had miscarried without sending her for scans.

Still feeling the symptoms of pregnancy, she seeked a second opinion at a private clinic, who she has not named, who told her she in fact, was still pregnant.

It was advised Mrs Moss went for checks at Russell's Hall Hospital in Dudley, where doctors tried to figure out the problem over a week.

She was allegedly told she had two wombs and even a heart-shaped womb.

But to their delight, Mr and Mrs Moss had fresh hopes when they were told they could have their baby, even thought it would be premature.

Still fearing she was high risk, Mrs Moss got a referral to another hospital, Birmingham Women's Hospital, at 11 weeks pregnant.

Scans revealed a suspected cervical ectopic pregnancy, which could be fatal.

In the UK, around one in every 90 pregnancies is ectopic. This is around 11,000 pregnancies a year, according to the NHS.

Of that, cervical ectopic pregnancy (CP) occur in just 0.1 per cent of all ectopic pregnancies, according to the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences. It is associated with a high morbidity and mortality potential.

Mrs Moss had to deal with the emotions of being told once again that she would not be having a child.

After an induced injection and medication for abortion, Mrs Moss went home. But a week and a half later, it was discovered that her baby was still inside her

Mrs Moss, who created the cosmetic brand Prima Cosmetics, said she nearly died three times, as well as being at risk of haemorrhaging during her ectopic pregnancy

At risk of bleeding at any time, doctors decided to give Mrs Moss medication to enforce a miscarriage on May 11.

She was sent home on May 17 on a course of medication called methotrexate, usually used in chemotherapy, to help remove the foetus.

But a week later, Mrs Moss had still not seen any signs of miscarrying, and she felt constantly ill.

She said: 'I felt really ill, I felt really cold and then really hot. I felt horrendous and knew I had to go back to hospital.

'When I got there I nearly passed out in the reception of the ward.'

Doctors immediately diagnosed septicemia - blood poisoning - and Mrs Moss was pumped with fluids and antibiotics.

She was given so many fluids in such a short amount of time to save her life, that her lungs collapsed and she had second degree respiratory failure.

Four days after being admitted, the blood infection then led to sepsis, and she was taken to intensive care for round the clock care.

Mrs Moss said: 'My organs started to fail. I had to first come to terms with the fact that I was going to lose my child.

'But I quickly went from being upset about losing a child, to being frightened about losing my life.

'All the while they were trying to preserve my fertility. But my chances of having the hysterectomy were becoming higher.'

Mrs Moss was discharged four days later, and given another round of treatment to help the foetus come out.

Two days later, she felt an agonising internal pain, and went back to hospital straight away. Doctors performed a cervical examination while Mrs Moss was on morphine.

She lost two litres of blood 'all over the examination table', putting her at serious risk of a hemorrhage.

Doctors said they no longer had a choice - Mrs Moss would need a hysterectomy to remove her womb and cervix in order to survive.

This would remove the placenta, and the rotting foetus, which Mrs Moss claims doctors said 'would never have come out naturally'.

Mrs Moss said: 'The doctor had never seen or heard of this happening before, medically speaking.

'The foetus was never going to leave my body on its own accord, which was a medical first. The cervix was the size of a melon when they removed it.

'The most difficult thing was being told doctors had to perform a hysterectomy, as I knew then I would never be able to carry my own children.'

Surrogacy and adoption both now on the cards for her and partner.

Since being close to death three times, Mrs Moss has become a hugely successful entrepreneur, building a cosmetic brand, Prima Makeup, which makes biodegradable glitter.

Mrs Moss now hopes to have children either through IVF or adoption with her husband, Simon Moss, 35, after having a hysterectomy

She said: 'I absolutely love what I do and if I had not hadn't had the recovery and reflection time, my life would be so different.

'I had to put all my trust in the doctors and nurses at Birmingham Women's Hospital to save me.

'My family and Simon were just amazing support the whole way through.'

Mrs Moss said the downtime she had during her experience and recovery gave her the outlook she needed to follow her dreams.

Mr Moss proposed when his then girlfriend was discharged from hospital after she asked him if he wanted to leave her for someone who could have children.

Mrs Moss said: 'Right now, we're building on out businesses, and with enough focus there are plenty of option to build a family in the future.

'But we won't rush, we're financially secure and doing what we love.

'IVF, and adoption are very much in our thoughts and it's something we will definitely be looking into and making steps towards in the future.

A spokesman for Lion Health Medical Clinic said they could not provide a specific statement due to patient confidentiality.

They added: 'I am sorry to hear that this lady feels that she has received a misdiagnosis.

'Unfortunately, as GPs we are bound by the strict confines of patient confidentiality and would not be in a position to discuss any aspects of a patient's medical care with anyone other than the patient.'
Men who don't brush their teeth twice a day are almost three times as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, a study has found.

Gum disease - caused by not brushing - is thought to boost the odds of damaging the blood vessels which supply the penis.

A review of studies involving more than 200,000 men has strengthened a direct link between the two conditions, experts claim.

The research adds to growing evidence poor oral hygiene can impact a man's performance in the bedroom and potentially have other health consequences.

Men who don't brush their teeth and get gum disease are nearly three times as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, according to researchers at Jinan University, China

Scientists at Jinan University in China reviewed five studies on the link between periodontal disease (gum disease) and erectile dysfunction.

They found men with gum disease  triggered by bad oral hygiene  are 2.85 times more likely to struggle to get an erection.

Both conditions are common  almost all adults have some degree of gum damage, according to the NHS, but it can worsen and become a health concern if not treated.

Experts recommend people brush their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and clean between their teeth daily with floss or inter-dental brushes.

And 'most men' over the age of 40 will have episodes of erectile dysfunction, known as impotence, although it can affect men at any age.

Impotence is when men struggle or fail to maintain a firm enough erection to have sex  it can be temporary or long-lasting, and have physical or mental causes.

HOW ARE ORAL HEALTH AND ERECTION PROBLEMS LINKED? In a study published last year, researchers from Granada University in Spain suggested the same type of inflammation in the blood vessels could be a hallmark of both gum disease and erectile dysfunction. They linked the conditions to a protein called CRP, which is produced by the liver. CRP is a molecule associated with inflammation and infection, and high levels of it are thought to be a risk factor for heart disease. In their study CRP levels were higher among men who had gum disease and/or erectile dysfunction than in those without the health problems. Men with CRP also had a higher level of heart disease  the researchers suggested the molecule may affect smaller blood vessels first, such as those in the penis and mouth, then move onto larger arteries to cause damage in heart disease. The findings were published in the Journal of Periodontology. Advertisement

Scientists believe erectile dysfunction and gum disease are linked because they're both caused by the same type of inflammation in the blood vessels.

This inflammation can be triggered by a molecule called CRP, which is found in higher-than-normal levels in both impotent men and those with gum disease.

CRP is also elevated in men with heart disease, suggesting it begins by damaging smaller blood vessels before affecting major organs.

A study published last year by the University of Granada in Spain found the same connection between oral health and sexual performance.

Researchers there did the first study of the connection in European men and found impotence risk was almost double in men who didn't take care of their teeth.

Almost three quarters of men  74 per cent  who already had trouble in the bedroom also had gum disease.

However, only 58 per cent of the men without erection trouble had the oral health problem.

CEO of dental charity the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter, said at the time: 'This may turn out to be a wake-up call for men to start paying greater attention to their oral health, particularly their gums.

'In recent years, gum disease has been linked with conditions like diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

'But an increased risk of coming up short in the bedroom may be the final straw for men who might have been reluctant to spend a little extra time looking after their gums.'

The Jinan University study was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
Coast guard units continue to search for bodies of four crew members after a Panama-flagged cargo vessel sank off Turkeys Black Sea coast, the local governorship said.

Samsun province's governor office said in a statement the search operation was being aided by two boats and a helicopter.

The bodies of Azerbaijani captain Ismyilov Turbat and Ukrainian third mate Bodnik Ruslan have been recovered, Anadolu Agency reported.

Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak said yesterday that six sailors died and seven others were rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard after the vessel went down some 80 nautical miles off the northern Samsun province.

Eleven crew members were Ukrainian nationals and two Azerbaijani.

Kaymak said that one rescued sailor said an unexpected wave had taken away the ship's bow.
It's a phenomenon reported by many.

But there is little evidence the 'midlife crisis' exists, according to a psychologist.

Professor Nick Haslam, of the University of Melbourne, claims midlife is a time of growth that 'requires a process of adjustment'.

And he said 'unsurprising' studies have shown older adults choose midlife as the phase they most prefer.

Psychology Professor Nick Haslam said that the midlife crisis has 'little evidence' of existing, and is more a period of time for growth and processing change

Writing in The Conversation, Professor Haslam argued there is no sett mid-point in life and 'crises' that occur could have happened at any other time.

'It's hard enough deciding when the midlife crisis should occur,' he said. 'Concepts of middle age are elastic and change as we get older.'

Various studies that used surveys state middle age to be anything between the 30s to 70s, Professor Haslam said.

However we define midlife, studies suggest that self-reported crises 'simply become more common as we age', Professor Haslam said.

Evidence also points towards life generally becoming more positive around this time, as the personality becomes more stable.

WHEN DO HUMAN BRAINS BECOME 'OLD'? The human brain becomes 'old' at just 25, research suggested in February 2017. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is found in the brain and spinal cord, changes its speed of movement in people older than their mid-20s, a Lancaster University study found. These movements are linked to breathing and heart rates, with CSF changes previously being associated with conditions such as multiple sclerosis and high blood pressure. It is unclear if these CSF changes are associated with brain disorders that typically affect the elderly, such as dementia. Previous research suggests the volume and weight of the brain begins to decline by around five per cent per decade when a person reaches 40 years old. On the back of these findings, study author Professor Aneta Stefanovska added further research 'may open up new frontiers in the understanding and diagnosis of various neurodegenerative and ageing-related diseases to improve diagnostic procedures and patient prognosis.' The discovery came to light during the development of a new method of investigating brain function, which has revealed the stage in life when the brain starts to deteriorate. Previous research carried out by Imperial College London suggests brains' grey matter, which enables the organ to function, shrinks during middle age and is related to cell death. White matter, which enables communication between nerve clusters, also appears to decline at around 40. This is also when the deterioration of myelin sheath occurs. Myelin sheath is a fatty substances that surrounds nerve cells and ensures proper function of the nervous system. These changes are thought to occur due to a reduction in the hormones dopamine and serotonin. Advertisement

He pointed to a Swiss study, published in Gerontology in 2009, which showed that the older the participants, the older they reported their midlife crisis to have occurred.

Psychoanalyst Elliot Jaques, who coined the term 'midlife crisis' in 1965, thought it reflected the dawning recognition of death.

But others suggest it could be related to children flying the nest, having to care for ageing parents, chronic illnesses beginning to show and work demands.

However, it could be biologically rooted, considering chimps and orangutans have shown signs of a dip in mood around a similar age.

The study, published in PNAS in 2012, by international researchers, found monkeys found the least pleasure in social activities at this age.

Although it is speculated that events can trigger crises, there is no clear connection, Professor Haslam said.

'Crisis episodes may not be tightly tied to adverse life event,' he said. 'Research often fails to show clear connections between adversities and self-proclaimed crises.

'One study found reporting a midlife crisis was not associated with recently experiencing divorce, job loss or death of a loved one.'

Generally, people go through a positive transition in what they perceive to be their midlife, Professor Haslam said.

'In general, psychological changes during midlife are positive. Personality becomes more steady and self-accepting, while positive emotion, on average, gradually rises through the lifespan.

'The U-shaped life satisfaction curve notwithstanding, most change during midlife is positive.'

Professor Haslam said one longitudinal study, published in the journal Assessment in 2000, found American woman from the age 41 to 50 became more resilient as they aged, as they became less neurotic and self-conscious.

'Middle age may be dislocating for some but there is little evidence it is usually a period of crisis and despondency,' Professor Haslam said.

'If there is a small dip in how people evaluate their lot  even if it is objectively no worse than before  this is understandable.

'Psychologically speaking, things tend to get better.'
A woman who feared the tumour that saw her have brain surgery while awake had robbed her of her chance of motherhood is now expecting a miracle baby.

Sarah Gaffney-Lang, 32, suddenly suffered a huge seizure in her sleep in September 2016, despite being fit and healthy.

She was diagnosed with a brain tumour two months later, which required surgery while she was awake.

The freelance copywriter, from Manchester, then needed to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which doctors warned would likely leave her infertile.

Ms Gaffney-Lang froze her eggs before treatment. But, incredibly, she became pregnant naturally just three months after finishing treatment.

She is now expecting her first child with her commercial director husband Matt Lang, 34.

Sarah Gaffney-Lang, 32, was diagnosed with a brain tumour two months later, which required surgery while she was awake. The operation is called an awake craniotomy

Mrs Gaffney-Lang suddenly suffered a huge seizure in her sleep in September 2016, despite being fit and healthy. Tests revealed she had a common grade two glioma brain tumour

Mrs Gaffney-Lang is now pregnant with her 'miracle baby' after doctors told her radiotherapy and chemotherapy would most likely leave her infertile due to the drugs

Due in March, Mrs Gaffney-Lang said she had no symptoms in the lead up to her seizure.

She ate well and regularly exercised. But after a day out at York races in August 2016, she was asleep in a hotel room when disaster struck.

She said: 'I had a big seizure in my sleep. I don't remember the exact moment it happened, all I remember is coming to feeling really frightened.

HOW CAN CHEMOTHERAPY AFFECT A WOMAN'S FERTILITY? Most chemotherapy (chemo) drugs can damage a womans eggs. This depends on the womans age, the types of drugs she gets, and the drug doses, making it hard to predict if a woman is likely to be fertile after chemo. If a woman is young, she has more eggs in the ovaries, and therefore a higher chance of getting pregnant after treatment. Girls who had chemo before puberty or young women whose menstrual periods start back after chemo are at risk for early menopause. Even if a womans periods start back after cancer treatment has stopped, her fertility is still uncertain. Usually some eggs are destroyed by cancer treatment. It's advised to avoid getting pregnant during chemo. Many chemo drugs can hurt a developing feotus, causing birth defects or other harm. A woman might be fertile during some types of chemo, so they will need to use very effective birth control. Women are often advised not to get pregnant within the first 6 months after chemo because the medicine may have damaged the eggs that were maturing during treatment. If a damaged egg is fertilized, the embryo could miscarry or develop into a baby with a genetic problem. Source: American Cancer Society Advertisement

'There were loads of people in the room including hotel staff and paramedics.

'Matt was also there, and while I was lucky it hadn't happened when I was on my own, it must have been really distressing for him to see.'

Mrs Gaffney-Lang, who married Mr Lang with just two guests - their witnesses - during her treatment in 2017, was taken to a local hospital and examined, before she was referred to a neurologist at Salford Royal, closer to where she lived.

There, she underwent a number of tests, including an MRI scan.

Her life turned upside down when she was told she had a grade two glioma - one of the most common types of brain tumour.

About half of all primary brain tumours are gliomas, according to the NHS.

Around one new case of primary brain tumours are diagnosed for every 12,500 people each year  in other words about 4,500 new cases in the UK annually. The figure is closer to the 80,000 mark in the US.

Mrs Gaffney-Lang said: 'I was really fit and active, and so the thought of cancer  let alone a brain tumour  never crossed my mind. It was a complete bombshell.

'Doctors couldn't say much at first. All they knew was that I had a tumour. They needed to do more tests to determine exactly what kind, and exactly what we were dealing with.'

Further investigations showed that the tumour was located at the back of her right frontal lobe.

This part of brain controls cognitive skills, affecting the area responsible for movement in the left hand side of her body.

Two months after her diagnosis, Mrs Gaffney-Lang had an awake craniotomy, or 'awake brain surgery', where the patient is conscious during surgery.

This is the preferred technique to remove tumours close to, or on, important areas of the brain as it allows doctors to test the patient's function continuously, particularly before removing anything.

Mrs Gaffney-Lang, a copywriter from Manchester, had 12 cycles of treatment over a year, ending in March 2018

Mrs Lang married Matt Lang with just two guests - their witnesses - during her treatment in 2017. They are expecting their first child in March 2019

WHAT IS A GLIOMA TUMOUR? Gliomas are brain tumours starting in the glial cells. There are 3 main types of glioma: astrocytoma oligodendroglioma ependymoma Sometimes the tumour can have a mix of more than one of these types. Gliomas can be low grade (slow growing) or high grade (fast growing). Doctors use the grade to decide which treatment you need. The position of the tumour is also very important. About half (50 per cent) of people with low grade tumours will need surgery within two to three years of monitoring. Some patients have chemotherapy or radiotherapy for reasons such as being over 40 years old, having a lot of the tumour left after surgery, or having a gene change (mutation) called 1p19q. Source: Cancer Research UK Advertisement

Mrs Gaffney-Lang said: 'My memory of the surgery is actually really clear. I was put to sleep whilst they made the incision, then woken back up.

'They needed me to be awake and alert so they could do tests and work out what would be affected if they removed certain areas.

'I was chatting away about really normal things  my holidays, what I was having for dinner  while a huge team operated on me.

'At the time, I felt like I was on a treadmill, just looking ahead to the next step in my treatment and what to do to get better. It's only now I look back and realise how surreal it all was.'

Unfortunately, during the operation, doctors discovered the tumour was more diffuse - meaning it had threadlike tendrils making it more difficult to remove - than originally thought.

Its precarious position meant removing it completely could pose too great a risk of paralysis, and so the surgery was ended.

'I could hear them talking about the paralysis risk, which was really scary,' Mrs Gaffney-Lang said.

'Because I knew all that was happening, though, I came back round already knowing and accepting that the surgery hadn't been able to remove the tumour as we'd all hoped.'

After three weeks in hospital recovering, Mrs Gaffney-Lang was allowed home, before beginning a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The type of anti-cancer drug chemotherapy uses to destroy cells can reduce the number of eggs stored in the ovaries, and even cause permanent infertility or bring on an early menopause, according to Macmillan.

As well as this, as Mrs Gaffney-Lang would be undergoing radiotherapy to her brain, there was a high risk of her pituitary gland, which releases the hormones that stimulate ovaries, being affected.

Mrs Gaffney-Lang froze some of her eggs in an attempt to preserve her chances of having children.

She only had one shot, due to the urgency of her needing to start treatment.

Mrs Gaffney-Lang said: 'With everything going on, my fertility hadn't even entered my mind, so I'm really glad the doctors bought it up with me.

'I'd always wanted kids so it would have been tough if I'd lost my chance altogether.'

Mrs Gaffney-Lang endured 12 months of treatment which took place every month for a year.

Then, to her amazement, three months after finishing in treatment in March 2018, she discovered that she had conceived naturally - against all odds.

Mrs Gaffney-Lang froze some of her eggs in an attempt to preserve her chances of having children, but was only given one shot due to the urgency of needing treatment

Mrs Gaffney-Lang conceived naturally three months after finishing her treatment in March 2018

'It was absolutely amazing. Matt and I couldn't believe it,' Mrs Gaffney-Lang said.

Worried about whether her body could cope, Mrs Gaffney-Lang discussed her pregnancy with her medical team, but they were happy for her to proceed so long as she was regularly monitored.

Thankfully, she has coped remarkably well, and now cannot wait to meet her baby, which she doesn't know the sex of.

Throughout her journey, she has been supported by the charity Trekstock, which helps young adults in their 20s and 30s affected by cancer.

Praising them for all they've done for her in her hour of need, she said: 'When you spend your life in hospital waiting rooms, you don't see a huge amount of young people, so it was great to find Trekstock and a community of people just like me.

'I've been to several meetups, and they're so fantastic and informal. It just feels like a group of friends on a day out - there's nothing forced about it.

'Everyone I've met has been really excited for me and my baby too.'

Now preparing for her miracle arrival in March, Sarah is currently finished with treatment, and continues to undergo regular MRI scans to monitor her progress.

She said: 'Now, I just want to put my all into being a mum.'

'Finding out I was pregnant was a huge surprise. I assumed kids would mean carefully deciding on the right time to use the eggs that had been frozen, so it's amazing it happened naturally.

'Throughout my treatment, I lived life only thinking one step ahead, but now I need to train myself to think more long term.

'Though I was worried about how my body would cope with pregnancy, I'm as stable as I can be and now can't wait to meet him or her.'

For information, visit www.trekstock.com
A once in a life-time opportunity to reboot the National Health Service for the 21st century and make it again the envy of the world. These were the Governments words, not mine, to describe its ten-year blueprint, unveiled in full yesterday.

It was, Im afraid, very far short of that. I fear it was a missed opportunity, amounting to little more than a wish-list sugared with a promise that the innovations announced and an extra 20 billion a year by 2023 will help save 500,000 lives.

Im sure that Im not the only NHS doctor who, on reading the reports yesterday, shrugged and dismissed the political rhetoric. One more plan, like the scores of others since the founding of the NHS in 1948, that ministers trumpet will secure its future, when those of us on the front line know it will do nothing of the sort.

Im sure that Im not the only NHS doctor who, on reading the reports yesterday, shrugged and dismissed the political rhetoric

Obesity

In promising simply more and better in a super, shiny high-tech environment while boosting efficiency and cutting waste  how politicians love that phrase!  it fails to tackle head-on the problems that confront staff every day, stretching services to the limit.

Staff shortages, the pressure on hospital beds because of a failure in social care provision, A&E departments that are close to breaking point, the mushrooming demands from an ageing population and the lifestyle illnesses caused by the obesity epidemic  where was the new thinking on these challenges?

But Ill start with the good news. I have no doubt that Theresa May cares passionately about the NHS, as indeed does the chief executive of NHS England Simon Stevens.

No one can fault the ambition of their blueprint or fail to welcome the extra funding. As a vision of a 21st-century health service, it is indeed inspirational.

Who could possibly disagree with making Britain the best place in the world to have a baby; criticise the new clinical task forces charged with identifying smokers and problem drinkers whod benefit from lifestyle advice, or dismiss a strategy aimed at reversing type 2 diabetes and slowing a crisis that is costing us 9 billion a year?

Aiming to double the number of NHS volunteers with a 2.3 million investment in Helpforce  the charity with which the Mail launched its Christmas campaign  is also to be lauded.

And yes, of course we should exploit Artificial Intelligence to improve diagnoses and target treatments, and utilise digital technology to integrate hospitals, clinics and GP surgeries, streamline appointment systems, improve access to health records and improve waiting times.

As for identifying three-quarters of cancer cases early with mobile testing units and same-day results, well, the sooner, the better. Likewise, gene sequencing every child who has cancer or a rare genetic condition to better tailor their treatment to their tumours . . . I could go on.

But lets reconsider that last, eye-catching example. It is said that it will benefit around 1,800 seriously ill children a year, every one of whom deserves the best care.

But there are only a limited number of cancers for which this is a useful approach currently. Set it alongside the fact that the NHS deals with more than a million patients every 24 hours and it is, I believe, exposed as nothing more than a headline-chasing soundbite.

The NHS, which employs more than one million people, is a vast, over-bureaucratic system that needs root-and-branch reform and a national debate on how we fund it

Similarly, the claim that, before long, as many as 30 million consultations will be conducted via Skype. Really? The NHS does not have the greatest track record when it comes to technology.

It was only last month that, after Government pressure, it agreed not to buy any new fax machines.

As for the infamous patient record system that cost taxpayers at least 10 billion and had to be abandoned, thats been described as the biggest IT failure ever seen.

Even if the technology works and patients go along with it, Skype consultations are no substitute for the one-to-one contact between a doctor and patient, which is what millions of patients really want and are finding increasingly hard to get  the chance to see their GP when theyre ill.

I hope readers will forgive my cynicism, but I had been counting on ground-breaking announcements that would reinvigorate a service that I love  but which I know desperately needs to change.

The NHS, which employs more than one million people, is a vast, over-bureaucratic system that needs root-and-branch reform and a national debate on how we fund it.

It is also an organisation beset by staff shortages  around 100,000 in total, with 10,000 medical posts unfilled and 40,000 nursing vacancies. These jobs, for which funding already exists, often remain vacant for months, even years, while existing staff struggle to cover.

Priority

I dont understand how Health Secretary Matthew Hancock can promise continuity of care  another of the central tenets of the plan  when we are so reliant on locums and temporary staff?

I dont understand how Health Secretary Matthew Hancock can promise continuity of care  another of the central tenets of the plan  when we are so reliant on locums and temporary staff?

So where in the blueprint is the acknowledgement of this dearth of staff and a new recruitment initiative to deliver on the promises?

This needs to be the first priority, and heres a starter for ten, Mr Hancock. How about reintroducing bursaries and scrapping tuition fees for vocational healthcare jobs such as nursing in return for a requirement that the recipient will work for the NHS for a period of time after graduation, say, seven years?

Rather than talking of a digital revolution, I wish ministers had focused on the key problems Ive outlined and delivered some radical thinking on how to overcome them.

Without careful targeting, much of that new funding will be swallowed up in keeping services tottering along. Yesterday, the Nuffield Trust reported even with an extra 6 billion invested next year, the NHS faces a 1 billion shortfall.

Let me be clear. I am not demanding more money for the NHS. We cannot risk a repeat of the Gordon Brown years, when the then Chancellor threw money at the Health Service without any demonstrable impact on quality of care.

Pledge

Somewhat ironically, the new NHS plan delivers most effectively in my own speciality, mental health and Im relieved that, at long last, ministers are taking it seriously. The inequality between physical and mental health care provision has long been a disgrace.

Someone with a bunion, for example, might have to wait 18 weeks for surgery, while someone with a life-threatening eating disorder might have to wait two years or more for psychotherapy. Now, for the first time, we have waiting time targets for mental health treatment.

I hope readers will forgive my cynicism, but I had been counting on ground-breaking announcements that would reinvigorate a service that I love  but which I know desperately needs to change

I also welcome the pledge to provide better crossover between adolescent and adult services.

At present, when teenagers turn 18 they are automatically discharged from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and referred to adult services, meaning they have to start their treatment all over again. This can be incredibly disruptive, and Ive seen many youngsters fall through the gaps or deteriorate because of this policy.

The plan aims to tackle this and includes an extra 2.3 billion to pay for talking therapies for an additional 350,000 young people and 380,000 adults in the next five years.

This is the kind of clear, decisive, budgeted and directed commitment I was hoping for throughout the Governments plan. I was desperate for it to be bold  to make a difference to the Health Service Im committed to. Im afraid this was little more than a sticking plaster.
A brain-boosting injection which boasts the benefits of a workout could be developed for those at risk of Alzheimers.

Exercise has been widely hailed as a positive step in keeping the disease at bay  and irisin, a hormone released during exercise, is now thought to be the key.

In a joint study by researchers at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Queens University in Canada, mice were bred to have dementia symptoms.

Researchers tested their memories by putting them in a box with a strange toy brick and one they had already seen.

A brain-boosting injection which boasts the benefits of a workout could be developed for those at risk of Alzheimers (stock image)

Normal mice would ignore the familiar object to sniff and paw the new one, while mice bred to have dementia symptoms explored both bricks as they did not remember the old one.

But the memory-impaired mice behaved like the normal mice when injected with irisin, or after hour-long swimming sessions five days a week. Their memory problems returned when irisin was inhibited during exercise using a virus.

Dr Fernanda Felice, who produced the study published in the journal Nature Medicine, said: If researchers are able to move to human clinical studies, in the future there could be an injection of irisin which could help elderly people who cannot exercise because of health problems like heart disease and arthritis.

It is hoped that the irisin could be administered as an injection or in pill form, and would work to prevent the disease getting worse in those already affected.

It is hoped that the irisin could be administered as an injection or in pill form, and would work to prevent the disease getting worse in those already affected (stock image)

Its importance in protecting memory was highlighted when researchers found very low levels of the hormone in the spinal fluid of 20 people with Alzheimers disease.

Levels were also low in the brains of ten people who died from the condition, which affects around 850,000 people.

Lawrence Rajendran, professor of dementia research at Kings College London, hailed the trial and said that if it can be translated to humans it will be a milestone in Alzheimers disease research.
The AcQMap consists of a catheter, with a basket at its tip, that expands inside the heart. The basket is studded with ultrasound crystals that emit sound waves to gauge the hearts shape (file picture)

Faulty electric signals in the heart that raise the risk of life-threatening strokes can be homed in on for the first time  thanks to a crystal bauble-tipped wand.

The AcQMap could revolutionise treatment for the one million Britons with atrial fibrillation, which is when the heart beats erratically  particularly where all other treatments have failed.

The device uses soundwaves to detect precisely where faulty heart beats are occurring, allowing treatment to be tailored to an individual patients needs.

Normally, doctors cant pinpoint the problem and so treat the most commonly affected areas of the heart using ablation, burning away tissue through heat or freezing.

However, if this doesnt work, it can weaken the heart rather than heal it.

Atrial fibrillation develops when electrical impulses in the heart are fired chaotically by tissue in the organs upper chambers, the right and left atrium, overriding the hearts natural pacemaker. Symptoms include dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness.

It tends to affect those over 65, those with high blood pressure or diabetes or those who are overweight. Caffeine or alcohol can also be triggers.

When the heart beats normally, its muscular walls tighten to push blood around the body. They then relax so the heart can fill with blood again.

With AcQMap doctors can see the pattern of electrical activity in the heart and zero in on the right are (file picture)

In atrial fibrillation, the atria contract randomly and, sometimes, so fast that the heart muscle cannot relax properly between each contraction. This means blood can pool inside the heart and form clots. If one of these clots reaches the brain, it can cause a stroke.

Treatments include blood-thinning drugs and catheter ablation, when a flexible thin tube (catheter) is inserted into a vein at the top of the leg and up into the top chambers of the heart, usually under local anaesthetic.

The tube is threaded into the areas of muscle to blame for most cases of atrial fibrillation. Heat-generating high frequency radio waves are transmitted through one of the tubes, to create scar tissue around the area sending abnormal signals, blocking them.

However, difficulty in finding the faulty tissue means that ablation may only work in two-thirds of procedures.

While it is possible to have a second or third ablation, each additional treatment involves extra cost and adds to waiting lists, with many patients waiting four to 12 months. Repeated procedures also risk further weakening the heart, if healthy tissue is unnecessarily ablated.

But now, with AcQMap, doctors can see the pattern of electrical activity in the heart and zero in on the right area.

Catheter ablation is one possible treatment for atrial fibrillation currently and involves a flexible thin tube being inserted into a vein at the top of the leg and up into the top chambers of the heart, usually under local anaesthetic (file picture)

It is expected that tailoring the treatment in this way will increase success rates, which will mean fewer repeat procedures.

The device consists of a catheter, with a basket at its tip, that expands inside the heart. This is inserted as a catheter would be during a normal ablation.

The basket is studded with ultrasound crystals that emit sound waves to gauge the hearts shape, creating a 3D image.

It also contains electrodes which sense the hearts electrical activity and superimpose it on the model, creating a real-time map of the areas behind the atrial fibrillation.

Finally, the device tracks the position of the ablation catheter, allowing it to be steered to the area causing the problem.

AcQMAP is only available in the UK as part of a European clinical trial called the RECOVER-AF study.

This involves 100 patients at 15 sites, including the Oxford Heart Centre at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH); The James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough; Freeman Hospital in Newcastle; Barts Heart Centre at St Bartholomews Hospital, The Royal London Hospital and Royal Brompton Hospital, all in London; Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital; Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge and Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.

Participants will have their heart rate checked three, six and 12 months after initial treatment.

The trial is sponsored by Acutus Medical, the devices U.S. manufacturer, with UK support from the National Institute for Health Research.

Dr Tim Betts, the studys chief investigator and a consultant cardiologist at OUH, said: This is an important step forward in offering an effective solution to people with atrial fibrillation.

It promises an individualised, focused treatment that should translate into higher success rates, particularly for those with very challenging arrhythmias.

Trudie Lobban, founder and trustee of the Arrhythmia Alliance says: Anything that is going to improve and enhance the detection of arrhythmias (heart rhythm disorders) is a great step forward for the millions who suffer the debilitating and sometimes fatal effects of these conditions.

If doctors are better equipped to map heart rhythm, patients will receive better treatments, leading to an improved quality of life.
A new book claims that marijuana causes aggression, psychosis, suicides, violence - and that its legalization in Washington even triggered a 40 percent increase in murder rates.

There is little concrete information about the drug's benefits (despite plenty of claims) because its illegality has made it difficult to study.

But according to former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson, there is clear evidence that marijuana is not as safe - and certainly not as curative - as the pro-cannabis groups would have us believe.

Writing in his new book Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence, Berenson weaves together various findings - including studies showing cannabis can cause mental illness, the 50-percent increase in schizophrenia hospital admissions since 2006, and Washington's murder rate statistics, which shot up to its highest point in recent years after the state became the first to legalize pot.

Public health officials are hesitant to conclusively connect these dots, but Berenson insists the correlation has been seen too many times to be a coincidence: 'That debate is over. By any reasonable standard, the connection has been proven.'

The evidence of 'marijuana's link to psychosis and violence,' he says, 'is so strong, the issue so misunderstood, and the consequences so severe.'

Marijuana became available for the citizens of Washington state in July 2014, after it was legalized for recreational and medical use in 2012. Shortly after, the murder rate spiked, dipped marginally, then spiked again. A new book claims that increase is no coincidence

MARIJUANA'S LINKS TO PSYCHOSIS AND VIOLENCE

Berenson is open about the fact that he strongly believes marijuana wrecks havoc in the brain, and that all the evidence points that way.

You will be hard pushed to find a public health official that will say the same.

The National Academy of Medicine still errs on the side of 'we're not sure' after publishing a review of research on the health effects of marijuana. The US Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, closed 2018 saying he believes marijuana should be legalized so we could better understand its effects on the brain. The former US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, famously said marijuana 'can be helpful' in medicine but ended his tenure warning that legalization is moving faster than science when it comes to marijuana.

But Berenson says you don't need new data to see the impact.

Although states do not collect data on how many people suffer from psychotic illnesses, there has been a sharp rise (50 percent) in the number of people hospitalized for schizophrenia since 2006, alongside marijuana's rise. In fact, other developed countries have seen the same, such as Denmark, where schizophrenia is up 25 percent, and Finland, where the rate is up 100 percent. And Berenson points to marijuana as a possible driver.

The classic counter argument is that psychosis (a complex condition) is caused by other factors, and marijuana has offered relief for people with mental illness.

But last year, a team of scientists in Montreal, Canada, found 'it was cannabis use that predicted future violent behavior' in patients at psychiatric hospitals.

The team spent a year tracking 1,136 men and women on psychiatric wards in three US cities (Missouri, Massachusetts, and Pittsburgh), interviewing them five times after they were discharged.

The ones who had used marijuana were twice as likely to experience violent outbursts than those who hadn't.

They concluded that the marijuana-violence connection was 'uni-directional' (from marijuana to violence).

Also last year, psychiatry professor Robin Murray of King's College London presented a review of 10 other studies show a clear correlation between cannabis use and psychosis.

One of those studies found that the risk of psychosis went up as the potency of the cannabis increased - which is significant, given that the THC (the psychoactive property of cannabis) used in the US is now around 20 times stronger than it was in the 70s.

WHAT DOES WASHINGTON'S MURDER RATE TELL US ABOUT CANNABIS?

Most homicide rates (both at state level and national level) follow a fairly steady direction over the course of 10 years - some veering up, some down, with few erratic piques and troughs.

Washington's murder rate is slightly different: it has snaked up and down quite consistently over the last 15 years, so it is a difficult measure to use in a short-term analysis of marijuana's impact on society. But that hasn't stopped people - both for and against legalization - from having a go.

The murder rate was up in 2008, down in 2010, up again sharply in 2012 (to the highest point in recent years), then down again in 2013 (though not as far as 2010), then up to another peak in 2015, then (only slightly) down again in 2016, before ticking back up.

The latest figures we have are from 2017, showing the murder rate had hit a new high, marginally exceeding 2012.

Marijuana was legalized for recreational use in 2012, and the drug became available to the public in July 2014, in the midst of a murder rate increase.

In 2016, pro-marijuana groups rejoiced at the murder rate dip, which many took to be a sign of marijuana's relaxing effects taking hold state-wide.

However, its dip was far shallower than in previous years, and not long after, it continued its trend up - this time to a new high.

Was the post-legalization increase all a fluke of data?

Berenson doesn't think so.

That psychosis (when someone's thought and emotions are disconnected from reality) is linked to homicide is a fact. The wealth of studies he presents should be evidence, he says, to convince the reader that cannabis is clearly linked to psychosis, and therefore to the murder rate.

The fact that we don't all turn into murderers after smoking a joint doesn't change that, he says, writing:

'[A]lcohol can cause bar fights. It can cause drunken driving. It can cause domestic violence. It causes terrible violence.

'Yet we're able to sort of keep those two ideas in our head: that theres one kind of alcohol consumption that can just put [people] to sleep, and theres another kind that can cause violence.

'With marijuana, those two things are also true, but weve sort of forgotten the second thing exists.'

Doug Fields, a prominent neuroscientist who has studied marijuana's effects on the brain, backs him.

'You won't find anyone in the scientific community that doesn't believe [that cannabis is linked to violence],' Fields, who has written extensively on the topic, told DailyMail.com.

'The receptors in the brain [that cannabis stimulates], they are in the brain for a reason. They have a function,' he explains. Messing with them is 'like putting a monkey wrench in the system.'

That's what all drugs do - opioids, cocaine, ketamine.

But Fields warns that many see marijuana as different because it's from the ground; the idea is that something from the earth could only enhance what's already going on in the brain.

'The scientific evidence for cannabis having a [detrimental] effect, especially on the adolescent brain, is quite strong and well-replicated and diverse,' he explains.

Fields said he has long been concerned about how marijuana impacts the brain, and the long-term impact on society.

But still, he says, he was taken aback by the atmosphere at last year's meeting for the World Psychiatric Association in Berlin.

'The sense of that meeting in Berlin was that they were viewing Americans as guinea pigs,' he said.

If that is true, if there is unequivocal evidence that an increasingly legal drug is setting the stage for homicides, why would health officials not say it?

Berenson believes it's largely down to messaging style.

'Scientists and physicians rarely take center stage in public policy debates,' he writes.

'They speak in the cautious language of scientific inquiry. And they're busy treating patients. Meanwhile, the marijuana lobby shouts: legalize, and everyone wins - except pharmaceutical companies and prison guards.

'No wonder the people who know the truth have so much trouble being heard.'

Fields says: 'Marijuana has become an enormous business in this country so there are a lot of powerful special interests at stake, who are saying that marijuana is perceived as safe. You have to take that into account.'

Of course, these views draw no shortage of criticism.

IF THIS IS ALL TRUE, WHY SHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED?

First, it is imperative to say: cannabis does not cure cancer. There is no evidence to prove that internet myth (for those looking for promising cancer treatments, read up instead on immunotherapy, the most encouraging new treatment in oncology).

As for benefits, evidence supports four:

For those that like to feel high, THC (the psychoactive property in the marijuana plant) does make you feel high. The National Academy of Medicine says medical marijuana has been shown to ease pain and nausea for patients on chemotherapy - but that more trials are needed before they could properly endorse that. The National Academy of Medicine says that CBD (the non-psychoactive part of cannabis) has provided relief for some epilepsy patients, but scientists have struggled to replicate those findings widely so they stopped short of a thumbs up. The drug may offer some relief for the growing number of people with anxiety, the Academy said, but more studies are needed.

Beyond that, there isn't sufficient research beyond anecdotal evidence.

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams has widespread support in his call for more research, not necessarily broader use of the drug.

Berenson says he's seen enough, we don't need to look into it further.

But he does back decriminalization to release the millions of Americans (mainly black men) who are doing time for possession, and prevent any more from following the same fate. ('If they're dumb enough to smoke in public, the police should take their joints and ticket them.')

As for consumption, what should readers know? The end result is that there are clear documented down sides, potentially some good sides (but none that are clearly proven), plenty of gray areas, and no shortage of opinions.
Premature babies do better if they are cared for in single hospital rooms rather than open wards, researchers found.

The majority of babies born early in Britain are treated in neonatal intensive care units - large wards where they are carefully monitored by nurses and paediatricians.

But a review of medical evidence has found they are far less likely to suffer potentially deadly infections if they are instead looked after in single family rooms.

And the privacy means mothers are far more likely to successfully breastfeed their new babies - which is particularly important for premature infants.

Premature babies do better if they are cared for in single hospital rooms rather than open wards, researchers in the Netherlands found by analysing data of 4,165 premature babies

The findings, led by researchers in the Netherlands, could be crucial for the 60,000 children born prematurely in Britain each year - roughly one in 13 of all live births.

The researchers, based at the University of Amsterdam and the OLVG teaching hospital in Amsterdam, combined the results of 25 previous studies.

These monitored premature babies born before 28 weeks of gestation - the definition of 'extremely premature'.

Examining data from 4,165 babies, they found that infants looked after in single family rooms were 37 per cent less likely to develop sepsis - a deadly condition triggered by infection.

Figures from 484 babies revealed that those in private rooms were also 31 per cent more likely to be exclusively breast fed by their mothers after they left hospital, rather than relying on infant formula.

Researcher Dr Sophie van der Schoor of OLVG, whose findings are published in the Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal, said: 'Our findings support future development of single family rooms in neonatal units to reduce sepsis and improve breastfeeding rates during hospital stay.'

She added: 'But to establish whether single rooms have an impact on long-term neurodevelopment we also need well-designed studies to examine the vast majority of preterm infants who are born after 32 weeks gestation, in whom no follow-up studies have been done.'

The team also examined whether private rooms improved a baby's development until the age of two. They found no evidence that this was the case - but said a longer study might get a different result.

'In all studies, outcomes were only assessed up to two years old, and some children who experience cognitive difficulties at school are classified as having normal neurodevelopmental function at two years of age.

'Even for cases of severe cognitive deficit at later ages in childhood the accuracy of early detection is low.

'As neuro-cognitive deficits often take a long time to develop, more and longer follow-up studies are needed.'

Dr Jayanta Banerjee from Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital in London said private rooms 'should be seriously considered' by NHS hospitals but he stressed that they do come with some shortfalls.

'Single family rooms also have some inherent disadvantages,' he said.

'The parents might feel more isolated from other parents and healthcare professionals when caring for their infants in single family rooms, which might have deleterious effects on their stress and anxiety.'
After a major build-up in which she promised to share a 'raw story' with fans, Kendall Jenner revealed on Sunday that she has signed a spokesperson deal with skincare brand Proactiv.

The announcement came as a disappointment to fans who were expecting something bigger and more candid  and were outraged when they learned all the anticipation was drummed up over an ad.

And now, some who feel played are pointing out that Kendall may never have even used Proactiv before inking a deal with them, as the 23-year-old has not once mentioned their products in any of her numerous interviews about skincare or beauty.

Oh really? Kendall Jenner was announced as the new face of Proactiv this week, but some fans are doubting that the model has ever used the product

Flashback: In her first ad, the 23-year-old shared an old photo of her face covered in blemishes

One reason fans were so upset over Sunday's announcement is that Kendall's acne is hardly a revelation. The star has spoken about it in the past on numerous occasions, complaining about how self-conscious it made her.

Early in 2018, she wrote all about it on her now-defunct paid website and app.

'I had such bad acne when I was younger; I remember it SO well!' she said. 'I started having skin issues around the 8th or 9th grade.'

'I think I just got acne from being a teenager and simply growing up, which happens to SO many people,' she said. 'But, where it really impacted me was how self-conscious I became about it. It completely ruined my self-esteem.

'I wouldn't even look at people when I talked to them. I felt like such an outcast; when I spoke, it was with my hand covering my face.'

Since her pubescent acne problems have been public knowledge for years, Kendall has also spoken quite a bit about how she's battled it, listing products and techniques she turns to  and not once has she mentioned Proactiv.

Pimply: Kendall (pictured in January 2018) has been open about her ongoing struggles with acne for many years

Hormones: She has mostly said the blemishes were a teenage problem, and in 2018, she proclaimed, 'I've been acne-free for about three years now' (pictured in 2010)

In a February 2016 feature for The Estee Edit, she said: 'My nightly beauty routine consists of washing my face before bed.

'Normally I'm shooting and sometimes we have multiple makeup looks and changes so now I use an Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery PowerFoil Mask once a week. It is super hydrating and helps restore my skin's brightness!'

In March of that year, she plugged Estee Lauder's night cream and told Byrdie that she washes her face two to three times a day.

Then, in November of 2016, she told Glamour: 'I don't like to do too much to my skin. I feel like the more I do, the more confused it gets. I wash my face with a gentle cleanser in the morning and before I go to bed.

She continued to promote the brand, which she was also a spokesperson for, in April 2017.

'I like to keep it pretty simple at night,' she wrote on her app, listing Estee Lauder's Micro-Cleansing Balmand their Global Anti-Aging Cell Power Creme as her go-to products.

'If I'm feeling ambitious, I'll add in a mask in between. It's the best feeling to wake up knowing you did something good for your face the night before,' she added.

Clear! In past interviews, Kendall has listed her favorite skincare products, but has not once mentioned using Proactiv to clear up her acne

Caught you! Fans are raising serious doubts about the campaign on social media

Going to the doc: Most have been saying that Kendall's doctor fixed her skin

Pushed to the side: One compared Kendall not crediting a dermatologist to Bella Hadid not crediting a plastic surgeon

Faker: Twitter is not convinced by the model's claims in the new ad

Poor girl! Some are wondering how her dermatologist feels about this

She's also spoken quite a bit about her dermatologist, Christine Kidd. And Christine herself has shared her tips and tricks in interviews and on Kendall and Kylie's apps.

'Kendall uses CK Perfect Skin 4 Step regimen twice daily,' Christine told W magazine in March 2018, detailing the face wash, fresh pads, renewal acne treatment, and sunblock the regimen involves.

Hold up! In the past, she has given most of the credit for her clear skinto her dermatologist, Christine Kidd  who has said Kendall uses her products as part of a daily skincare regimen

Finally, on her app in 2018, she credited a few factors for keeping her acne-free: her 'incredible dermatologist', growing up, and laser skin therapy.

'I've been acne-free for about three years now,' she said. 'What I want everyone to understand is that it's been a process: It wasn't anything that happened overnight.

'Even after things started to clear up, it took a solid amount of time to be okay with my skin and gain back my confidence,' she said, adding that any time she's struck down with 'one zit' she becomes self-conscious once again.

'But slowly, I'm working towards not caring and I'm just in so much of a better place about it all now that I'm older,' she concluded. 'I realized that it's a part of life for some people and it doesn't define who you are.'

Fans have noticed that all of this is missing from her new ads  and several have taken to Twitter to point it out.

'100% Kendall Jenner, with the KarJenner family dermatologist, never used Proactive,' wrote one. And another: 'Kendall Jenner's dermatologist must feel like Bella Hadid's surgeon rn.'

'Hi I'm kendall jenner, the highest paid model in the world, I didn't know this before but apparently I use proactiv now. uh yeah... don't tell my dermatologist I said that,' snarked a third.

Red-handed: Some even went so far as to Google old interviews for the proof

It's still out there! Kendall and her sisters have even spoken about her dermatologist on their reality shows

Her own problem: This Twitter user faulted Kendall herself for the backlash

Of course, it's hardly unusual for a celebrity  or any woman  to change her beauty or skincare preferences over time. It's highly probable that a woman might bop from a Nars liptick to a MAC one to a Lancome one from one month to the next.

But by shilling for an acne medication, the message to Kendall's fans seems to be that Proactiv is what cleared up her acne  despite years of evidence to the contrary.

Yet the lack of credibility in the claim that Kendall has been a steady Proactiv user isn't the only thing that set fans off.

Over the weekend, Kendall's momager Kris Jenner had promised that Kendall's mystery 'raw story' would help her young followers.

Kris said: 'I'm so proud of my darling @KendallJenner for being so brave and vulnerable.

'Seeing you share your most raw story in order to make a positive impact for so many people and help foster a positive dialogue is a testament to the incredible woman you've become.

Not happy! After they first found out that Kendall's 'raw story' was part of a commercial, fans took to Twitter to share how disappointed they were

'Make sure to watch Kendall's Twitter on Sunday night to find out what I'm talking about and be prepared to be moved.'

Her comments sparked intense speculation from fans over what Kendall could be revealing, with many suggesting it might be a battle with anxiety or depression.

Kendall's teaser video only added flames to the fire.

'When I was 14, I couldn't reach as many people that I can now that I'm 22,' she said. 'Now I have this whole thing behind me, I can speak to so many people and be like: 'I can help you and it's ok.'

'I experience it, I'm very normal, I understand you, I can connect with you...'

She added at the end: 'I'm going to try and help' while 'connect with Kendall, Jan 6' came up on the screen.

So when it was revealed that the whole thing was gearing up for an announcement of her brand sponsorship, fans were furious.

Kris, for one, was slammed over the family's 'shameless' self promotion in wake of sharp ratings drop for their show.

TV spot: Kendall's big announcement was not what fans expected

Not as intended... The partnership has led to quite a bit of backlash by fans who feel played

Forget? Despite Kendall seemingly attributing her good skin to Proactiv, she has only ever said she uses Estee Lauder (another sponsorship) and Christine Kidd products in the past

One fan wrote: 'You're joking me. This is the 'big announcement'? This is a pathetic cry for attention. @KrisJenner.'

Another added: 'Women are coming forward every day about being victims to rape, sexual assault, abuse etc and Kendall Jenner is gonna hype up and announce her problem with acne.'

One person called the 'whole family just truly disgusting', tweeting: 'Kris Jenner should be ashamed of herself for hyping this nonsense in the manner she did! This whole family just truly disgusting!

'Real life issues out there like coming out or crippling disorders that keep you from leaving the house & she comes up with those ridiculous hashtags.'

'@KendallJenner's big announcement was shameless... 50% of teens struggle with acne and they have to deal with it without a 5 million dollar contract from proactive,' yet another chimed in.

Another added: '@KendallJenner is a joke!! This is her big story? This is another promotion to make money. Shame on her. #KendallJenner.'

Poor you: Fans mocked Kendall's big reveal after the star made it sound like she was going to talk about something much more serious

Proactiv has had a long roster of celebrity spokespeople including Justin Bieber

Boo! Twitter users shared how put off they were after being led to believe Kendall was revealing something interesting

Chill, girl: Few seem to have patience for the reality star's 'raw story'

Proactiv was launched by dermatologists Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields, and is majority-owned by Nestle in partnership with marketing firm Guthy-Renker.

It offers a 'three-step' solution to millions of people suffering from acne, offering subscriptions to its products from $30 a month.

And Kendall isn't the first star to sign on to promote Proactiv  not by a longshot. IN the past, Katy Perry, Adam Levine, Justin Bieber, Jessica Simpson, Olivia Munn, Kaley Cuoco, and Julianne Hough have starred in the skincare brand's commercials.

So have Avril Lavigne, Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Naya Rivera, Mandy Moore, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Jenna Fischer.

But despite a long roster of star endorsements, a study in 2011 suggested the brand was no more effective than cheaper and lower-profile alternatives.

The research by Consumer Reports found that three-quarters of patients who used the product saw a 35 per cent reduction in blemishes within two weeks.

Controversy: A commercial for the brand starring Katy Perry was banned by the UK's Advertising Standards Authority in 2012 after it was branded misleading

Alternative products  AcneFree and Oxy Maximum  performed just as well in the tests despite a much lower price.

What's more, in 2014 the FDA named the brand as one of several in the market which could cause 'rare but serious' allergic reactions.

The agency said: 'Rare but serious hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with the use of certain over-the-counter (OTC) topical acne products.

'Based on adverse events reported to FDA, it is not possible to determine if these reactions were triggered by the active ingredients benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, the inactive ingredients, or a combination of both.'

On its website Proactiv says: 'Side effects are usually mild and may include drying and irritation in some users.

'To test for an adverse reaction to your Proactiv system, apply the products to a small patch of affected skin during the first three days.'

There have also been issues with how it is sold outside the US. In 2012, one TV campaign with Perry and Bieber was struck down in the UK after advertising bosses ruled it was misleading.

The British regulator said the UK version of the product did not contain the same active ingredient used in the American brand.

UK advertising chiefs slapped Proactiv down again in 2017 when an advertisement was banned from children's TV for suggesting children would be bullied.
Megyn Kelly braved the winter chill and headed to a yoga class on Tuesday morning, just one day after it was revealed that four of her former Today co-stars would be replacing her on the third hour of the show.

The 48-year-old, who was fired by NBC in October, arrived at Pure Yoga on New York City's Upper West Side in a taxi, wearing a pair of capri leggings and gray Nike sneakers.

Although she was baring the lower half of her legs, she was bundled up in her $2,000 Burberry puffy coat, which she left unzipped as she left the studio.

Out and about: Megyn Kelly attended a workout class at Pure Yoga on New York City's Upper West Side on Tuesday morning

Outfit of the day: The 48-year-old kept warm in a $2,000 Burberry coat

News: The outing came just one day after it was revealed Dylan Dreyer, Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and Craig Melvin will be replacing her on the third hour of the Today show

Underneath her coat, she wore multiple layers, including a formfitting black zip-up over her workout top to keep herself warm.

Megyn covered her head with a black knit hat featuring a cutesy pompom and shielded her eyes with a pair of aviator sunglasses.

The axed Today host was drinking out of a Smartwater bottle and carrying an Equinox bag over her shoulder.

The mother-of-three failed to raise a smile as she walked past Serafina restaurant, and at one point, she was looking at her cellphone as she strolled down the sidewalk.

Instead of carrying a purse, Megyn had her important cards stored on the back of her cellphone case.

Added details: Megyn covered her head with a black knit hat featuring a cutesy pompom and shielded her eyes with a pair of aviator sunglasses

Who needs a gym bag? The axed Today host was carrying an Equinox tote over her shoulder

Focused: At one point, she was looking at her cellphone as she strolled down the sidewalk

Feeling the burn? The mother-of-three failed to raise a smile as she walked past Serafina restaurant after her workout

The former Fox News star and her family arrived back in New York City on Sunday after spending the holiday elsewhere.

While Megyn was working up a sweat at Pure Yoga, her husband, Douglas Brunt, was also out and about.

The 47-year-old novelist stopped by a local Wells Fargo bank as well as a nearby FedEx.

With a glum expression on his face, he was seen carrying a handful of bags, including some bottles of wine, as he made his way home.

The couple's morning outings came one day after NBC News meteorologist Dylan Dreyer revealed that she will be taking over the third hour of the Today show with Al Roker, Sheinelle Jones, and Craig Melvin.

Back in the groove: The former Fox News star and her family arrived back in New York City on Sunday after spending the holiday elsewhere

On the go: While Megyn worked up a sweat at Pure Yoga, her husband, Douglas Brunt, ran errands, including a stop at Wells Fargo bank

Getting stuff done: The 47-year-old novelist also stopped by a nearby FedEx during the outing

All done: With a glum expression on his face, he was seen carrying a handful of bags, including some bottles of wine, as he made his way home

Dylan, 37, tweeted a selfie of herself with her co-stars to announce the new, writing: 'Hope you dont mind these faces! Youll be seeing a lot of them at 9am. Please join us!'

Her tweet was subsequently retweeted by Al, 64, who added: 'I love these guys.'

Sheinelle, 40, also retweeted Dylan's message, although NBC has not officially confirmed that the replacement hosts will be taking over the third hour of Today.

Dylan's news came nearly three months after Megyn left NBC following controversy over the blackface comments she made on the show in October.

During the segment, Megyn said she did not understand what was wrong with blackface if a white person was 'playing a character.'

'But what is racist? You truly do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface at Halloween or a black person who puts on white face,' she stated during a roundtable discussion on Halloween costumes.

Taking over the third hour of Today: Dylan Dreyer (left) tweeted a selfie of herself with Al Roker (right), Sheinelle Jones (center left) and Craig Melvin (center right) to announce the news

Seconding the motion: Her tweet was subsequently retweeted by Roker who added: 'I love these guys.' NBC has not officially confirmed that the replacement hosts will be taking over

Moving on: Dylan's announcement came nearly three months after Megyn left NBC following controversy over her blackface comments during a segment of her show in October

'That was okay when I was a kid, as long as you were dressing like a character.'

Following the backlash, Kelly apologized, saying she realized 'that such behavior is indeed wrong' and was 'sorry.'

'The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep,' she added.

But despite her apology, NBC canceled her show just 48 hours later.

Since then, the embattled host has been fighting the network for her multi-million dollar exit package.

Megyn is said to still be finalizing the exit package with NBC and may be set to walk away with the entirety of her $69 million contract paid out.

Over the past few months, Megyn has been keeping busy with parenting and socializing but hinted last month that she plans on making some sort of comeback.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Kaliningrad region is no longer dependent on transit gas supplies. According to him, commissioning a gas receiving terminal into a storage facility with a floating regasification unit would nullify the transit risks for the Kaliningrad region.

"Of course, we all understand, we know well that the delivery of primary energy resources such as natural gas at such a distance using a pipe is a more economically expedient, cheaper way of delivery. But for us, for the Kaliningrad region, in particular, it is more a backup capacity, which significantly minimizes, and more precisely, negates all transit risks," he said, TASS reports.

The difference in prices of pipe gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) should affect consumers in the Kaliningrad region, Putin added. "I would like to remind you that we agreed with the government. The government has instructions to prepare a proposal to ensure that the difference in prices of pipe gas and liquefied natural gas supplied to Kaliningrad does not affect the end user," Putin said.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the gas receiving terminal and the floating regasification platform for pumping gas into the Kaliningrad underground storage facility (UGS), Putin noted the high importance of this project for the region. "The terminals capacity of 2.7 bln cubic meters of gas per year almost fully covers the needs of the region, guarantees a reliable alternative option for its gas supply, reduces the dependence of transit gas supplies, reduces them to zero," Putin said.

According to him, construction of an underground gas storage also deserves high praise. "This unique UGS facility will ensure reliable and stable gas supplies to consumers in the region, primarily in the autumn-winter period," the president said. He also recalled the plans of the European Union to withdraw the Baltic states from the Russian energy ring. "It is their business, the extra taxpayers' money will be invested in this," Putin said.
Crown Princess Mary has showcased her photography skills after sharing new portraits of her youngest children on their birthday.

Twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine of Denmark turn eight today and their mother has marked the occasion with three new snaps.

The photographs, which were shared on the Danish Palace's official Instagram account Det Danske Kongehus on Tuesday.

In the first image the twins can be seen posing together during the walk in the countryside, before posing separately for individual pictures.

Denmark's royal twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent celebrate their eighth birthday today

The portraits were captioned: 'Today, D.K.H. Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine turn eight years old, and on the occasion of their birthday, the Crown Prince Couple has the pleasure to share a number of new pictures of your Royal Highnesses.'

The post has received almost 27,000 likes as well as hundreds of birthday wishes from well-wishes.

The siblings are expected to celebrate their birthday privately at their home in Copenhagen with friends and family.

Their mother Crown Princess Mary marked the occasion by sharing three new portraits of her youngest on Instagram, two of which are seen here

The twins are the youngest of Princess Mary and Crown Prince Nikolai's brood, who are also parents to Prince Christian, 13, and Princess Isabella, 11. The family (pictured in May last year) is thought to be marking the occasion privately today

The twins are the youngest of Princess Mary and Crown Prince Nikolai's brood, who are also parents to Prince Christian, 13, and Princess Isabella, 11.

The Danish royal family are set to return to their engagements following their Christmas break.

The family-of-six chose to spend Christmas 2018 in Denmark compared to the previous year where they celebrated in Mary's hometown of Tasmania.

Frederik and Mary have been celebrating the New Year with a string of high profile events over the past week.

Frederik and Mary have been celebrating the New Year with a string of high profile events over the past week. Pictured: The couple arriving at the New Year's reception for the diplomatic corps at Christiansborg Palace last week

The couple joined the reigning monarch Queen Magarethe at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen for several receptions to ring in 2019.

Australian-born Mary first met Prince Frederik during the Sydney 2000 Olympics and later wed in 2004.

The love story between Princess Mary and Prince Frederick has been well documented; the couple met in a Sydney bar and Mary, born in Tasmania, moved to the northern hemisphere to be with Frederik.
At the Golden Globes on Sunday night, the award for Best Photobomber went, hands down, to the 'Fiji Water Girl.'

Canadian model Kelleth Cuthbert was spotted popping into dozens of red carpet photos with celebrities, posing perfectly behind everyone from Nicole Kidman and Molly Sims to Judy Greer and Kaley Cuoco.

And now the 31-year-old has shared her expert photobombing advice with Glamour, listing her four tips for dropping into someone else's snap like a pro.

Scroll down for video

Instant star: Canadian model Kelleth Cuthbert turned up in the background of several photos of celebrities at the Golden Globes on Sunday (pictured with Bodyguard star Richard Madden)

Viral: People on social media noticed and quickly began praising 'Fiji Water Girl' for stealing the show (pictured with Judy Greer)

Just a gig: She posed for photos by herself before the event  and before she became a viral star

'Hi, I'm Kelleth Cuthbert. You might recognize me from some memes this year, perhaps?' she says in the video, which the magazine shared on Instagram Monday, just hours after the Golden Globes aired.

Her first tip is to make 'sultry eye contact'.

'You just want to creep over, always make eye contact, keep it sultry,' she says, demonstrating. 'It's all about the looks, the sultry looks. The Blue Steel!'

Her second tip, clearly meant for comedic effect, is to keep props visible.

'If you're holding something, you want to keep it visible. Keep the shoulders kind of cheated to camera.'

Kelleth's third bit of advice is to smile towards the camera.

'You just have to look pleasant toward the camera. You know, give them some eyes,' she says.

How to do it: Soon after the show, she recorded a video for Glamour in which she offered her tongue-in-cheek photobombing tips

She's the pro: She advised making 'sultry eye contact,' holding up props to keep them visible, and looking pleasant towards the camera

Got it! She also suggested leaving room to pose when popping up in the background

And finally, she says to leave enough room to post.

'You have to have a little bit of room, you know? A little room to pose, bust out the moves. A little over-the-shoulder.'

While Kelleth's tips seem awfully specific to her particular photobombs  her prop was a platter of Fiji water, after all  the funny video has resonated with viewers.

Many of them went crazy for Kelleth on Sunday night and Monday morning, as red carpet photos hit the internet and Kelleth kept popping up in them.

The Canadian model, who has a degree in social work and once posed for Maxim, was an unexpected star of the evening  a fact that even took her by surprise.

'This is something I would go viral for,' she joked to Glamour. 'I feel like Ive been photobombing people since I was a kid.

'I do love a good meme, so I think its incredibly ironic and funny that Im one now,' she went on. 'The first meme of 2019, apparently! My husband is laughing very hard about all of this.'

Whoops! Kelleth (pictured with Lucy Boynton) insists that she didn't photobomb the stars on purpose

Marvelous: She said she was caught in the line of lots of cameras, and just happened to be caught at the right moment with a few of them (pictured with Tony Shaloub and Marin Hinkle)

Working it! Kelleth (pictured with Jamie Lee Curtis) was as surprised as anyone that she was going viral during the event

'I just stand where Im told,' she said. 'You try to look at least somewhat pleasant and not have too much resting b**** face' (pictured left with Constance Wu and right with Idris Elba)

'Sometimes youre caught between a lot of cameras, so theres a lot of photographers at different angles. Youre just kind of trapped sometimes,' she said (pictured with Camilla Belle)

Look away! Kelleth was snapped with several leading ladies, including Kaley Cuoco (left) and Molly Sims (right)

Pucker up! Kelleth even managed to work her way into the background of a kissing photo of Heidi Klum and her new fiance Tom Kaulitz

Oh hi there: Her ever-present smile was picked up as she stood near TV host Carly Steel and activist and philanthropist Irena Medavoy (left) and William H. Macy (right)

Kelleth was actually one of four models hired to walk around with bottles of water for the stars walking the red carpet  but while the other three have turned up in the background here or there, only Kelleth has become a meme thanks to her powerful poses.

Standing behind celebrities, she seems to have been deliberately posting to end up in the shot  yet Kelleth insists that's not the case.

'I just stand where Im told, wherever there is an opening,' she said. 'You try to look at least somewhat pleasant and not have too much resting b**** face. You have to look somewhat friendly and happy to be engaging with people.

'Sometimes youre caught between a lot of cameras, so theres a lot of photographers at different angles. Youre just kind of trapped sometimes. See thats the thing: I feel like I was looking away, but sometimes I was looking so I could move out of the way.'

Speaking to People, she added: 'Theres tons of photographers everywhere. It doesnt matter where you stand, youre in the crossfire of every shot. Youve gotta have good face, at least, if youre gonna be hovering in the background frequently.'

The real Fiji girl: Kelleth is a model who has been featured by Maxim in the past. She lives in Los Angeles with her fashion photographer husband

Movin' on up! She has a background in social work and is crossing her fingers that she gets an acting gig out of her viral fame

Attention: Fiji Water tweeted: Were so glad everyone is talking about our water! *senses ominous presence* Shes right behind us, isnt she? #FIJIwatergirl'

The stand-out: Kelleth was actually one of four Fiji water girls working at the event, but only she went biral

She also said that if she'd really been trying to get famous via photobomb, she would have gotten up earlier that morning.

'I wish now that I hadnt chosen to sleep in a little longer. I thought, I dont need to put that much effort into myselfno ones really going to see me,' she said.

That being said, she'd be thrilled if her 15 minutes led to an acting role  though she's not getting her hopes up.

'I definitely think Im ready for [the fame], but such is the nature of the Internet that these things just go by in a flash,' she said. 'No one will find this funny in a week. Well see! I think all of this stuff is very fleeting.'

Kelleth, who moved from Toronto to Los Angeles in 2015, has had several modeling gigs in the past, mostly posing in lingerie and bikinis and promoting vitamins and face masks on Instagram.

She is married to photographer Christopher Von Steinbach, whom she met in 2010 on a photoshoot.

When her photos from the Globes started going viral, Cuthbert took to her Instagram Stories to pronounce that she was 'dead' from all the attention.

Later, on Facebook, she wrote: 'Needless to say this has been the strangest day of my life.'
Grace Kelly's granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi and fiance Dimitri Rassam split because their personalities are fundamentally 'incompatible', it is claimed.

Reports Charlotte, 32, and film producer Dimitri, 37, had parted ways emerged last week - just months after the birth of their son in October last year.

Now details of the relationship breakdown have started to come to light, with a source close to the couple telling Hola! that a 'personality incompatibility' led to an irreconcilable 'rift'.

Reason for the split? Grace Kelly's granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi and fiance Dimitri Rassam split because their personalities are 'incompatible', a source claimed. Pictured, the couple at the Rose Ball in Monte-Carlo in March 2018, their first official event together

The source added: 'They both have very strong characters and after the birth of the child, they've realised that the relationship just isn't working.'

MailOnline has contacted Palais Princier De Monaco for a comment.

Charlotte, a mother of two, reportedly met Dimitri in Paris shortly after the end of her relationship with Italian filmmaker Lamberto Sanfelice.

When they met, Dimitri already had a daughter, now six, with his ex-wife, Russian model Masha Novoselova, whom he divorced in 2016.

Meanwhile Charlotte had a son Raphael Elmaleh, now five, with Canadian-French-Moroccan stand-up comedian Gad Elmaleh, 47.

New family: Charlotte and film producer Dimitri have split months after the birth of their first child, a baby boy. Pictured, Charlotte while pregnant with their son in July 2018

Hola! reported the couple were engaged in early March before they confirmed the speculation with a glittering appearance at the Rose Ball - their first official event as a couple.

According to People, Charlotte and Dimitri then welcomed a baby boy weighing 7lbs 2oz on October 23 at the Princess Grace Hospital, named after Charlotte's late maternal grandmother.

According to the magazine, the couple named their son Balthazar.

As the couple never married the baby will not join the Monegasque line of succession despite his mother being eleventh in line to the throne.

The baby was the third new arrival for the Monaco royals in 2018. Andrea Casiraghi and Tatiana Santo (left) welcomed their third child Max Rainier in April and just one month later Beatrice Borromeo and her partner Pierre Casiraghi (right) welcomed their second child

Charlotte's son Raphael is also not part of the line of succession for the same reason.

The arrival made Charlotte's mother Princess Caroline a grandmother for the seventh time, and the baby boy was the third new arrival for the Monaco royals in 2018.

Charlotte's brother Andrea and Tatiana Santo welcomed their third child Max Rainier in April, and just one month later Beatrice Borromeo and her partner Pierre Casiraghi welcomed their second child Francesco Carlo Albert.
Former Made In Chelsea star Tabitha Willett is expecting her first child with a nightclub mogul who counts Prince Harry as one of his friends.

The 27-year-old reality star, who appeared on Made In Chelsea: Croatia last summer and was seen enjoying a brief tryst with Sam Prince, confirmed the news in an interview with FEMAIL, revealing it has brought them closer together following a brief split when she starred on the E4 show.

Tabitha met Fraser Carruthers, 35, in 2016 when she worked as a marketing director at his private members club Albert's, named after his great-great-great-great grandfather, which counts Prince Harry as one of its favourite patrons.

Fraser also co-owns popular Chelsea-based club Raffles, and Mahiki in Kensington - a stone's throw from Kensington Palace, as well as owning a property company and having just launched a new Sake brand with Made In Chelsea star Oliver Proudlock.

After moving in with Fraser in November 2017 the pair split up, with Tabitha throwing herself into filming MIC.

However they pair began to rekindle things last summer, and Tabitha left the show upon discovering she was pregnant with a little girl who is due in June, with the happy couple now looking forward to focusing on starting a family.

Former Made In Chelsea star Tabitha Willett is expecting her first child in June, with nightclub mogul Fraser Carruthers, 35, who counts Prince Harry as one of his friends

Prince Harry was a regular at Mahiki, one of Fraser's clubs, in his twenties. Pictured: Harry leaving the club back in 2008

Speaking to FEMAIL, Tabitha, who lives with Fraser in London's Parsons Green, remembered how her relationship with Fraser began, explaining: 'I started working as a marketing director at Albert's Private Members Club in 2016 where Fraser and I met.

'It quickly became romantic but we kept very quiet as he was my boss. It was very on-off for a long time before we became official and moved in together in November 2017.

'But moving in was probably too hasty at the time as this led to us breaking up. I was broken-hearted dived head first into filming for Made in Chelsea.'

During her time on the show Tabitha was embroiled in a brief romance with co-star Sam Prince, 21.

However Tabitha says the relationship had no impact on her current one, adding: 'I am not sure I would even call Sam and I a relationship.

The 27-year-old reality star, who appeared on Made In Chelsea: Croatia last summer and was seen enjoying a brief tryst with Sam Prince, left the show after discovering she was pregnant

Tabitha announced the happy news in recent weeks by sharing a scan of their baby, and says that she and Fraser are happier than ever and can't wait to become a family

'He is six years younger than me and things fizzled out almost before they even started. I think I have seen him twice since Croatia and I believe he is now very happy in his own relationship.

'Suffice to say, his face isn't seen on the London club scene all too often since mine and Fraser's reconciliation!'.

And when Tabitha returned to London from filming the show, the pair decided to reunite.

'When I returned from Croatia we very quickly found our way back to one another and ironed out any hesitations that we had previously. We realised we knew that we wanted to be together.'

Tabitha is seen with the cast on last year's Made In Chelsea show, but admits she has only stayed close with Ollie Locke (third left)

Tabitha is seen with Ollie Locke, Olivia Bentley and Digby Edgley in Croatia during filming for MIC

Despite not planning the pregnancy, Tabitha described it was a 'lovely surprise' which has brought the pair closer together.

She said: 'We found out about the pregnancy after we got back together and were happily living together and speaking about our future.

'The pregnancy has come as such a happy and welcome surprise to both of us. It has brought us so much closer together and we can't wait to meet our little girl. Fraser will be a very protective father.'

And having lived through the dramas of Made In Chelsea's complicated love stories, Tabitha acknowledges that both their industries hold challenges.

'It definitely has it's challenges being with someone who is so actively in night life,' she admitted.

'There are often other girls in the picture and lots of late nights, but we are very confident in each other and love each other very much. We know that as long as there is trust there, then work is work'.

Speaking about the pregnancy, Tabitha, who has four siblings, shared her excitement and admitted she can't wait to become a mother

Despite not planning the pregnancy, Tabitha described it was a 'lovely surprise' which has brought the pair closer together

Speaking about the pregnancy, Tabitha, who has four siblings, shared her excitement and admitted she can't wait to become a mother.

'Made in Chelsea was filming series 16, episode three when I found out I was pregnant. For medical reasons I did not want to tell anyone until we were sure that everything was healthy and safe, and then I decided to step down from filming.'

She added: 'I am so excited, I have always loved children and been very maternal. My mother and father have both been the dream. Between them they have five children, the youngest being eight-years-old, so they have so much experience.'

And while Tabitha wouldn't count out returning to MIC, her priority is currently focusing on starting a family with Fraser, who counts Princess Eugenie as another close pal.

Tabitha says that former co-star Ollie Locke has been very supportive of her pregnancy, and has offered to come to pre-natal classes with her

During her time on the show Tabitha was embroiled in a brief romance with co-star Sam Prince, 21. However Tabitha says the relationship had no impact on her current one, adding: 'I am not sure I would even call Sam and I a relationship.'

Tabitha's daughter will be born a few months behind Harry and Meghan's first child, due in the spring, and should have plenty of children in Tabitha's circle to socialise with.

Speaking about former MIC star Spencer Matthews, who is also pals with Fraser, Tabitha said: 'We sadly had to miss Spencer and Vogue's christening as my brother was being confirmed on the same day.'

But she is not sure whether their little girl will meet the royal baby, adding: 'I am not sure that this is on the cards, but they will be in the same school year and in the same area so who knows.'

And despite the royal wedding mania of 2018, Tabitha isn't thinking about marriage just yet.

'I am not too fussed about marriage at the moment. I would prefer to get married because we think it is the right time for us rather than rushed and to feel like we have to before the baby arrives. I would also prefer to have our daughter in our photos and rather than her in my tummy,' she added.

'If we did get married I would like to have a big party with as many people as possible.

'That could change and we may decide to do a very very small ceremony too, but with Fraser's industry and my party reputation I would like to think big.'

Fraser took to Instagram to announce the baby news, writing: 'Very excited to announce that @tabitha.willett and I will be having a little baby girl later this year. Not usually one for public sentiment, but I am over the moon with the news and cant wait for this new chapter...Daddy Fraser'

Fraser is frequently seen mingling with a range of celebrities, including Callum Best and Spencer Matthews, seen above

But Tabitha admitted that her Croatia co-stars haven't been as involved as she would have liked.

'Ollie Locke has been very sweet to me and offered to come to any prenatal classes with me.

'And likewise, Jamie, Spencer, Ollie Proudlock and Hugo Taylor have all been such a sweet support for Fraser too.

'I sadly haven't spoken to the Croatia cast very much at all since we got back. They have all sent me kind supportive messages about the pregnancy, but sadly we are not as close as you would think after living together for two months over the summer.

'However Diana Larionov has actually been one of my biggest support systems and I don't know what I would have done without her - she was the first person I told about our pregnancy after Fraser and has been there every day'.

Speaking about the future, Tabitha added: 'I would like to think that I won't change too much apart from the obvious.

'My priorities will definitely change though, and already have. I will always have a rebellious side but I think for the next year at least I will be a lot more grounded and spend as much time with my daughter as possible.

'I am very lucky to have Fraser and a very sociable lifestyle too so I don't think I will feel like I am missing anything when she arrives.'

Fraser co-owns popular Chelsea-based clubs Albert's and Raffles, and Mahiki in Kensington- a stone's throw from Kensington Palace, as well as owning a property company and having just launched a new Sake brand with Made In Chelsea star Oliver Proudlock

Fraser is seen partying with Spencer Matthews, left, and is close friends with a range of the Made In Chelsea circle




Meghan Markle will not return to legal hit drama Suits for 'one last episode', according to new reports.

The pregnant duchess was rumoured to be reprising her role in the Netflix hit series amid reports bosses had offered a multi-million dollar charity donation in exchange for one final appearance.

But now two insiders from the show have refuted the reports, claiming that there are no plans for the former Hollywood star to return.

Meghan, 37, is expecting her first child with Prince Harry in the spring, and was rumoured to have been offered a chance to portray her character Rachel Zane as expecting her first child with on-screen husband Michael Rose, played by Patrick J Adams.

Meghan Markle will not return to legal hit drama Suits for 'one last episode', according to new reports on Harper's Bazaar which claim there are no plans for her to reprise her role as Rachel Zane (pictured on the show in 2011)

However now a source has told Harper's Bazaar that there are no plans for her to return to the show.

The source said: 'The show has not made a multi-million dollar charity donation offer to Meghan to return for a cameo.

They added of the rumours: 'There are no plans for her to return to the show.'

Both NBC and Kensington Palace have been approached for a comment.

The pregnant duchess was rumoured to be reprising her role in the Netflix hit series following reports that a multi-million pound charity donation had been offered in exchange for one final appearance. Meghan is seen at Sandringham on Christmas Day

This follows reports by the Daily Star that show makers NBC Universal were willing to offer Meghan a sizable sum to be donated to the charity of her first choice for a final episode filmed in the UK.

A NBC source told the Daily Star: 'We could be done in half a day or less.

'No final figure has yet been arrived at but negotiations are likely to be opened in the very near future.

'I've heard sums ranging from two to six million being kicked around and that sounds a lot  but it would be one of the biggest marketing coups in TV history.'

Meghan was rumoured to have been offered a chance to portray her character Rachel Zane as expecting her first child with on-screen husband Michael Rose, played by Patrick J Adams, both seen on the show

Lefto to right: Suits with Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson, Patrick J Adams as Mike Ross, Sarah Rafferty as Donna Paulsen, Meghan Merkle as Rachel Zane, Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt and Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter

Meghan starred as paralegal Rachel Zane in Suits from 2010 until her last episode was aired in April 2018, a month before her wedding at Windsor Castle.

The duchess left the show to focus on charity projects and become a fully integrated member of the royal family, who are required to keep their social lives private and are generally not permitted to have social media accounts.

Following her exit from the show Meghan has remained friends with her former co-stars, with both Gabriel Macht, who plays Harvey and also Patrick J Adams, who plays Mike Ross, attending her wedding to Prince Harry last May.
From hairstyles to dress designers, royal style influenced every aspect of the Golden Globes red carpet.

Stars including Julianne Moore, 58, and Rosamund Pike, 39, plumped for gowns by Givenchy, the Duchess of Sussex's go-to designer.

Meanwhile others took their fashion cues from Meghan's royal tour wardrobe, with three different celebrities stepping out in dresses by THEIA, a label the mother-to-be wore in Fiji.

Others found inspiration in Kate's polished looks, with Big Little Lies star Nicole Kidman, 51, finishing her chic updo with one of the royal's favourite accessories: a velvet bow.

Here, with the help of celebrity stylist Rochelle White, FEMAIL examines how Kate and Meghan shape red carpet style...

MEGHAN'S GO-TO DESIGNER

Meghan's favourite label: Stars including Julianne Moore, 58, pictured on the red carpet, and Rosamund Pike, 39, plumped for gowns by Givenchy for the Golden Globes on Sunday

Duchess' go-to: Meghan, 37, enlisted Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy to design her wedding dress and has worn the label a number of times since. Pictured, the duchess in Givenchy at Princess Eugenie's wedding in October, left, and at her first solo engagement in London, right

Firm friends: Meghan even made a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards in London last month to present Waight Kelller, seen with microphone, with an award

The Duchess of Sussex, 37, enlisted Givenchy's Clare Waight Keller to design her wedding dress, and the pair have formed an extraordinarily close bond since.

Indeed Meghan - who has worn Givenchy on a number of high profile royal engagements - made a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards in London last month to present Waight Kelller with the prestigious British Womenswear Designer of the Year award.

The gong was given in recognition of a standout year for the fashion house.

It is clear Meghan is far from the only fan of the designer, with Moore and Pike - both longtime fans of the label - both opting to wear their gowns.

A-list fans: Rosamund Pike, left, and winner Rami Malek in Givenchy at the Golden Globes

Waight Keller also dressed actor Rami Malek, who won Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his role in Bohemian Rhapsody.

Rochelle told FEMAIL Givenchy has become even more sought-after since the royal wedding in May last year.

'Any brand that is associated with Megan or the Royal family become a desired brand,' Rochelle Givenchy saw a boost in sales since the Royal wedding and as Megan has been spotted in throughout the year its profile I feel has been boosted.'

KATE'S FAVOURITE HAIRSTYLE

Finished with a bow: Big Little Lies stars Nicole Kidman, 51, finished her chic updo with one of the Duchess of Cambridge's favourite accessories: a velvet bow

Fashion forward: The Duchess of Cambridge, 36, has won praise for her newfound fondness of hair ribbons. Pictured, in Leicester in November (left) and in London that same month, right

The Duchess of Cambridge, 36, has won praise for her newfound fondness of hair ribbons - and A-listers have been quick to follow the trend.

The accessory has sprung up all over runways in recent seasons and has been adopted by the likes of Sienna Miller and Margot Robbie.

Meanwhile Kate sported the style on a number of occasions in the latter half of 2018, including on a visit to Leicester in November.

On Sunday Oscar-winner Kidman became the latest leading lady to try out the style - placing a large black velvet bow above her low chignon.

Kidman, who attended the awards show with husband Keith Urban, has divided opinion with the bow - with some questioning its placement.

'Kate has a very classic look and i think Nicole is attracted to that,' Rochelle said. 'We saw last year that hair bows were very popular with Kate in which sparked a trend for the hair accessory. It could have been a subtle nod to the royal family as well as embracing her own style.'

ROYAL TOUR LABEL

The Meghan effect: Among the brands to enjoy a boost from Harry and Meghan's royal tour was New-York based THEIA. Pictured, Jeff Bridges poses with wife Susan Geston, in Theia

Stunning: Designer Don O'Neill, 52, created the white dress Meghan, 37, wore as she joined Prince Harry, 34, for a black tie reception with the King of Tonga at Nuku'alofa's Royal Palace

Among the brands to enjoy a boost from Harry and Meghan's royal tour in October last year was New-York based THEIA, which dressed the duchess for a formal dinner in Tonga.

Irish fashion designer Don O'Neill, 52, created the beautiful white dress Meghan, 37, wore as she joined Prince Harry, 34, for a black tie reception with the King of Tonga at Nuku'alofa's Royal Palace.

O'Neill - who made headlines when he hinted his team was told of the royal baby news ahead of the official pregnancy announcement - followed up on the high profile appearance by dressing a number of women for the Golden Globes.

Ready for the ball: Meanwhile British model Iskra Lawrence looked every inch the fairytale princess at the InStyle After party in a timeless $1,195 (940) ice blue gown from the label

Among them was Susan Geston, who has been married to Jeff Bridge's for 41 years.

The ageless beauty looked sophisticated in a $955 (780) metallic long-sleeved gown featuring a plunging V-neck and flattering texturing.

Meanwhile British model Iskra Lawrence looked every inch the fairytale princess at the InStyle After party in a timeless $1,195 (940) ice blue gown from the label.
The Queen's granddaughter stepped out in a pink lace frock at Magic Millions on the Gold Coast on Sunday.

Zara Tindall teamed her $400 (223) Scarlett dress by Brisbane-based brand White Label Noba, with beige strappy wedge heels.

Fashionistas keen to copy her look will need to be quick, with size 0 only available online, at time of publication.

A Royal look! Here's how to get your hands on Zara Tindall's $400 pink lace frock worn on the Gold Coast before it sells out. Zara is pictured with husband Mike Tindall

Made of cotton blend lace, the frock features a high neckline and long sleeves.

Silk chiffon ruffles add a playful feel, while those wanting to be bold can wear the frock without a slip underneath.

Fashionistas must be quick in purchasing the dress - which is also available in black - with two sizes selling out shortly after Zara's arrival on the Gold Coast.

Showing off her penchant for fashion, Zara, 37, teamed the statement frock with beige strappy wedge heels, a pink wide-rimmed hat, box clutch and tortoise-shell sunglasses.

Feminine style: Made of cotton blend lace, the frock by White Label Noba features a high neckline, long sleeves and chiffon ruffles

Ensemble: Showing off her penchant for fashion, Zara, 37, teamed the statement frock with beige strappy wedge heels, a pink wide-rimmed hat, box clutch and tortoise-shell sunglasses

Zara styled her blonde locks into a chignon at the nape of the neck and opted for a minimal makeup palette.

Tracey Watkins, designer of White Label Noba, told The Daily Telegraph on Monday that business has 'been ridiculously busy' since Zara's sighting in the dress.

'She is so lovely, just delightful, and really down to earth, and the dress captured her femininity,' Ms Watkins told the paper.

Royal bargain: Meanwhile, Meghan Markle (pictured with husband Prince Harry), stepped out in a little black dress in New Zealand in October, causing the dress to sell out fast

This isn't the first time a Royal's sighting has caused a fashion brand's sales to skyrocket.

Within hours of Meghan Markle stepping out in a stunning little black dress in New Zealand in October, the affordable staple had sold out around the world.

The Duchess of Sussex wore a $70 (39) black ASOS 'wiggle mini dress' with a $975 (540) Karen Walker trench coat - the latter hiding the dress' statement V-cut back.

After initially selling out, the design was back in stock as of December.
Zara and Mike Tindall looked every inch the happy holidaymakers as they dressed in coordinating shades of white on the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Polo event this week.

The Queen's granddaughter looked typically chic in a pair of white jeans, a white sleeveless shirt and Adidas white sneakers, while her husband wore pastel blue shorts, a white shirt and matching shoes.

Zara swept her blonde locks into a low ponytail and finished off the outfit with a pair of sunglasses and a smile.

Zara and Mike Tindall (pictured) looked every inch the happy holidaymakers as they dressed in white on the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Polo event this week

Celebrities including former NRL star Billy Slater gathered on Surfers Paradise beach for the Magic Millions beach race

The husband and wife looked loved-up as they posed smiling together on Surfers Paradise Beach with Polo Player Nacho Figueras (all pictured)

The Olympic medalist will go up against Argentinian player Nacho Figueras, 41, this year, after she missed some of last year's event due to her pregnancy (pictured with Mike this week)

The husband and wife looked loved-up as they posed smiling together on Surfers Paradise Beach with Polo Player Nacho Figueras.

They later took a stroll down the sand in the sunshine, before gathering with celebrities including former NRL star Billy Slater on the beach for the Magic Millions beach race.

The Olympic medalist will go up against 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.

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

Zara and Mike Tindall attended the Magic Millions polo event on Australia's Gold Coast on Sunday. The couple touched down in Queensland over the weekend and have been spotted enjoying the sunny weather on the Gold Coast beaches

Zara shows off her polo prowess at the Magic Millions event on Sunday. Zara, 37, is the captain of Team Harrolds and has said she is delighted to be back 'amongst the action', taking on Argentinian player Nacho Figueras at the sold-out Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo event

Zara and Mike are in Queensland for the week long carnival, which kicked off on Sunday.

And while they haven't been in Australia for very long, this isn't the first style statement from Zara that has made a splash with fans.

Queensland fashion designer Tracey Watkins has almost sold out of the $400 pink lace and georgette dress worn by Zara Phillips on the Gold Coast earlier this week.

'Oh my god, it's been ridiculously busy,' Ms Watkins told the Daily Telegraph.

'When I got the call from Zara's assistant on Saturday night asking me to dress her, I thought it was a friend playing a prank.'

Zara (third right) on the field on Sunday. The Olympic medalist will go up against Nacho Figueras, 41, this year and says she will be glad to not be 'watching from the sidelines' this year

Since they touched down in Australia, Zara and Mike have also been keeping busy.

Besides her equestrian pursuits, Zara has also been involved in a photo shoot with Land Rover - for whom she is an ambassador - while rugby captain Mike has tried his hand at a surf lesson.

Zara's latest deal is just the latest in a long line of sponsorships and brand collaborations for the royal, who is able to use her unique position of being a part of the royal family but not having a title to maximum advantage.

The mother-of-two is also a brand ambassador for Rolex and Musto, and has her own jewellery range with Australian brand Cajella, and experts have estimated they could be worth a combined $1.9m or more a year.
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Australian bride Stephanie Agnew, 32, married the love of her life, Robbie Campbell, in a unique ceremony in November 2018.

All their guests were blindfolded so they could experience the wedding the same way as Ms Agnew, who has Cone-Rod Dystrophy and is only able to see some light and dark shapes.

And now the couple have been given a multimedia album of the day so that Ms Agnew can relive the day in it's entirety.

A beautiful gesture: Stephanie Agnew, 32, married the love of her life, Robbie Campbell (both pictured), in a unique ceremony in November 2018 and have now been brought to tears by the wedding album created by their photographer

The wedding's photographer, James Day, enlisted the help of Lemon Tree Film House and Vision Art to create the spectacular album.

Shaun and TJ, from Lemon Tree Film House, wrote of the emotional day where they showed Ms Agnew and Mr Campbell the film and album they helped create.

'Just over a month [after the wedding] is when we got to really surprise Steph and Rob,' he said.

'Audio is much more important': Shaun and TJ, from Lemon Tree Film House, wrote of the emotional day where they showed Ms Agnew and Mr Campbell the film and album they helped create

How was the album made? The album was created using various multimedia elements. Photographer James Day led the charge and took his incredible photographs to Vision Australia. There they used a prints in a flash machine, also known as a PIAF, which raises the dark sections of the photograph so the viewer can feel it rather than see it. Audio elements courtesy of Mr Day and Lemon Tree Film House were also added so that when the person looking at it can also hear monologues. Throughout the wedding, Mr Day handed ten fabrics which were covered in essential oils so that memories were associated with the touch and smell. They were put into a box that held the album. The album was then put together by Vision Art Advertisement

They said they waited an hour before they were supposed to meet to tell the newlyweds to meet them at the Private Sony Cinema.

The people behind the film house said they were excited, nervous and very emotional as they had worked to put Ms Agnew and Mr Campbell's story together for a year.

Their film constantly had audio throughout to give Ms Agnew a picture of what was happening on the screen, including how Ms Agnew first told Mr Campbell she loved him after believing she could lose him in the Bourke Street 2017 terror attack where he was a police officer.

'We've always had a strong belief that audio is just as important as visuals in a great film. But in this case, audio was more important than the visuals so we set out to capture as much of a narrative as possible so that Steph and Linda [her mother, who also has Cone-Rod Dystrophy] would be able to relive the wedding day in its entirety,' they wrote.

They said on the day itself they described as much as possible so that not one detail would be missed.

After, Mr Day presented the couple with their incredible album he helped create with Vision Art.

Mr Day instructed Ms Agnew, who is a long-time friend, to run her hands over the front of the beautiful black album made of linen.

Upon opening it sat ten fabrics and essential oils that they had handed to her throughout the day so they would be associated with specific memories.

The big reveal! After, Mr Day presented the couple with their incredible album he helped create with Vision Art

All the elements: Upon opening the album there sat ten fabrics and essential oils that they had handed to her throughout the day so they would be associated with specific memories

'It is a moment I will never forget,' Mr Day said of the wedding at the time.

When Ms Agnew pulled out one of the oils from the box, she began to get emotional.

'Oh god, now you're going to make me cry,' she told those around her as Mr Day asked Ms Agnew's mother Linda to do the same.

Mr Day then instructed them to open the album itself and lean in.

What they saw was a photograph made with prints in a flash, or PIAF, by Vision Australia, which enhances the image by heating and raising the dark parts of the image.

'You're going to make me cry': Ms Agnew said she was overwhelmed by the beautiful album created by those involved

Audio of Mr Campbell's voice then began to play from the album.

'Steph, I woke up today with a smile knowing that today I marry the girl of my dreams,' he could be heard saying.

'You are my inspiration and I can't wait to begin my life as your husband.'

Ms Agnew began to break down as she went through the album, calling it 'amazing'.

'I couldn't even imagine. I have never seen anything like this before,' she said.

'I can't even talk because I am so overwhelmed.'

Ms Agnew and Mr Campbell first made headlines when a video of their wedding went viral late last year.

Instead of watching the ceremony in Maleny, Queensland, unfold, the 54 guests were asked to wear blindfolds so they could experience each moment just like the bride - without sight.

'The staff were amazing and spent a lot of time with Steph describing the visual features of the whole venue. They were instrumental during the day by helping her feel the tactile elements that were a part of the ceremony and reception,' Mr Campbell told FEMAIL.

Australian bride Stephanie Agnew, 32, married the love of her life, Robbie Campbell, in a ceremony that looked similar to hundreds of others across the country on Sunday - until you took a look at the assembled guests

Instead of watching the ceremony in Maleny, Queensland, unfold, the 54 guests were asked to wear blindfolds so they could experience each moment just like the bride - without sight

'We chose the venue as it was on the same road as Steph's great aunt's house. It had the same amazing view over the Glasshouse Mountains that she remembers seeing as a child when she had sight. She was able to picture the view on the day.'

Each part of the ceremony was carefully thought out, with Ms Agnew's bouquet made up of fragrant flowers that staff took the time to describe to her thoroughly.

They also had an owl from Raptor Vision fly down the aisle, land on Ms Agnew's arm and deliver the rings and all guests wore blindfolds during the vows.

'The blindfolds were received well by the guests as they were experiencing that moment in the same way Steph and her mum, who is also blind, were experiencing it,' Mr Campbell said.

'I couldn't control my emotions as she walked down the aisle - she looked like a true princess bride in the dress,' Mr Campbell said of his bride

Ms Agnew and her mother (left) both have Cone-Rod Dystrophy - the condition leaving Ms Agnew only able to see some light and dark shapes and her mother completely blind

Ms Agnew said she felt absolutely beautiful and the moment she walked down the aisle in her breathtaking dress, Mr Campbell couldn't hold back his emotions.

'I couldn't control my emotions as she walked down the aisle - she looked like a true princess bride in the dress,' Mr Campbell said.

The celebrant, Jarrad Bayliss, also made sure the ceremony was special and memorable with his unique and personal touches. He knew how important the day was and went above and beyond to ensure the ceremony was more than just 'visual'.

The couple's photographer, James Day , added to the tactile element by giving Steph different pieces of fabric infused with different essential oils so that she could be reminded of different parts of the day in the future

Ms Agnew met Mr Campbell in October, 2016, after living next door to him for 18 months

'I've never seen him. I know his build - he is six foot four and I am five foot four so he is a lot taller than me - and I know he has broad shoulders but other than that I have to rely on descriptions,' Ms Agnew said

What is Cone-Rod Dystrophy? The condition characteristically leads to early impairment of vision. An initial loss of color vision and of visual acuity (due to loss of cone function) is followed by nyctalopia (night blindness) and loss of peripheral visual fields (due to loss of rod function). There are, currently, no proven or effective cures for cone-rod dystrophies. Advertisement

'All of our vendors put in special efforts to make sure that Steph could appreciate all of the sensory elements that made the day especially the videographer, Lemon Tree Film House, who is putting together a film with extra audio descriptions from the day so Steph can experience it audibly instead of visually,' Mr Campbell said.

Ms Agnew met Mr Campbell in October, 2016, after living next door to him for 18 months.

'We had been living 1.5 metres apart but because I was in real estate and he was a policeman we never really crossed paths,' Ms Agnew told FEMAIL.

'We met that October at a drinks function our building was hosting and we didn't really get off on the right foot - he was almost too much - but then he wooed me and a month later we went on a date and it was fantastic.

'I've never seen him. I know his build - he is six foot four and I am five foot four so he is a lot taller than me - and I know he has broad shoulders but other than that I have to rely on descriptions.'

Ms Agnew said she felt absolutely beautiful and the moment she walked down the aisle in her breathtaking dress, Mr Campbell couldn't hold back his emotions

The celebrant, Jarrad Bayliss, also made sure the ceremony was special and memorable with his unique and personal touches. He knew how important the day was and went above and beyond to ensure the ceremony was more than just 'visual'

Just over a year later on Christmas Day, 2017, Mr Campbell proposed.

'We had spoken about marriage and I said if he ever proposed I would want my family there or involved somehow,' Ms Agnew said.

'We were all there and I felt the box and he had given me an Apple TV but apparently my face dropped because it wasn't a ring box but then he surprised me and got down on one knee and did a little speech.

'I was so thrilled and it was just a beautiful, surprising moment.'

Mr Day joined the couple on their romantic journey on day one and was asked to capture the moment she selected her dream wedding dress back in April.

Ms Agnew asked him to capture every moment of the wedding process in the hope that one day she may be able to relive these moments if medicine progresses and they are able to restore her eye sight.

Each part of the ceremony was carefully thought out, with Ms Agnew's bouquet made up of fragrant flowers that staff took the time to describe to her thoroughly

'My mum was diagnosed with Cone-Rod Dystrophy when I was 18. At first they thought she had a brain tumour but it was this retinal dystrophy that leads to blindness,' Ms Agnew said

Ms Agnew, who stayed in real estate for 11 years despite her condition, said she has 'completely accepted' her vision loss and has been thankful to have her mum by her side as a role model

'My mum was diagnosed with Cone-Rod Dystrophy when I was 18. At first they thought she had a brain tumour but it was this retinal dystrophy that leads to blindness,' Ms Agnew told FEMAIL at the time.

'They thought it was a new gene mutation as we had no family history but I was diagnosed a year later when I was 19 and now three out of four of us [my siblings and I] have been diagnosed.

'I gave in my licence when I was 23 which was really hard as I was a property manager and my sight then stabilised as it was for a while before deteriorating very quickly between the ages of 27 and 30. I'm now left with light and dark perception and can see some shapes and shadows.'

Ms Agnew, who stayed in real estate for 11 years despite her condition, said she has 'completely accepted' her vision loss and has been thankful to have her mum by her side as a role model.

'If they don't find a cure I'll be okay. I'd love them to, I really would, but I'll be okay,' she said.

Ms Agnew hopes that by sharing her experience she can inspire and help others who are losing or who have lost their sight

'Everyone has hurdles so it's important to dig deep within yourself and understand that life can be hard but there are always ways to deal with things,' Ms Agnew said

Ms Agnew hopes that by sharing her experience she can inspire and help others who are losing or who have lost their sight.

'When people tell you that you can't do something you can't let that affect you,' she said. 'It has pushed me to want to succeed even more.'

'I was really unsure about the whole bridal process to the point where I wanted to just go to the registry because I didn't think I could deal with it. But it's been such an enjoyable process.

'Everyone has hurdles so it's important to dig deep within yourself and understand that life can be hard but there are always ways to deal with things.'

James Day shares his work on his website and Facebook page.
If you're planning an overseas vacation this year, and want to visit somewhere new, a selection of travel destinations have been revealed as the new 'it' places to see.

Skyscanner Australia recently released its travel 2018 travel trends report which highlighted four destinations set to be big in the coming year.

The report data showed 90 per cent of Australians heads overseas with 'exploration' as the key motivator, so it's no surprise these exotic locales tap into that theme.

From the gorgeous sights of Kiev, Ukraine, to the bustling Greek city of Thessaloniki, FEMAIL takes a look at up and coming places to consider in 2019.

Lisbon, Portugal (pictured) has been named as one of the top four destinations Australians are considering visiting in 2019

The Saint Sophia Cathedral (pictured) in Kiev, Ukraine is a must-see sight for those planning a trip the this unique city

Kiev, the capital of Ukraine (also the country's largest), is packed with cultural as well as historical interests

1. Kiev, Ukraine

Topping Skyscanner's list of cities that has seen the highest surge in searches for flights was Kiev in Ukraine.

The city boasts a 129 per cent year-on-year increase, and given its stunning sights, it is easy to see why.

Those visiting can explore the Monastery of the Caves, founded in 1015, or revel in the breathtaking beauty that is Saint Sophia Cathedral, founded in 1037.

The city is also a modern centre packed with theatres, restaurants, museums and unique shopping districts.

Thessaloniki in Greece is set to be a hot travel destination in 2019 with data showing 69 per cent more Australians searched for flights to the city last year

The city, which is the second biggest after Athens, is built near the sea, making it a perfect destination for a vacation that offers rest and relaxation

This bustling Greek metropolis is home to ruins dating back from the Byzantine period

2. Thessaloniki, Greece

Staking a claim for second spot position is Thessaloniki in Greece which is up 69 per cent in searches in 2018.

The city, which is the second biggest after Athens, is built near the sea, making it a perfect destination for a vacation that offers rest and relaxation.

There's also plenty on offer for the adventurer with Thessaloniki boasting a rich history dating back to the Byzantine period.

It also comes packed with cultural activities and each year hosts the International Thessaloniki Film Festival (every November) and the International Book Fair (every May).

St Petersberg is built across the Neva River delta meaning the city is interlaced with hundreds of canals and bridges

St Petersburg is the second largest in Russia after Moscow and its considered the country's cultural heartland

3. St Petersburg, Russia

Coming in at third position on the list is St Petersberg, Russia with a 49 per cent year-on-year search surge.

The city is the second largest in Russia after Moscow and its considered the country's cultural heartland.

St Petersberg is built across the Neva River delta meaning the city is interlaced with hundreds of canals and bridges.

Must see sights include the incredible Winter Palace and the Kazan Cathedral.

The cultural centre also offers visitors the best in contemporary dining, a vibrant nightlife, galleries and museums.

The Portuguese city of Lisbon is set against the Atlantic Ocean and boast a near year-round warm climate

There are myriad historic sites to visit in Lisbon and it's tram service offers a convenient and inexpensive way to get around

4. Lisbon, Portugal

The Skyscanner report found the city of Lisbon in Portugal was also considered a must-see destination by Australians.

With 39 per cent more searches in 2018, Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, comes in at fourth place on the list.

Australians contemplating a visit will be thrilled to know the city is set against the Atlantic ocean and boasts sunny blue skies almost year round.

As well as spending a vacation seaside, there's also plenty to see and do.

Historic sites worth exploring include Torre de Belem, a 16th-century tower or the Sao Jorge Castilo, a castle which dates from a medieval period of Portuguese history.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said 99% of the ISISs caliphate has been destroyed, reinforcing the Trump administration's case to withdraw 2000 U.S. troops in Syria that have been working to combat the terrorist group.

"We've taken down 99% of the caliphate. Ninety-nine percent of the caliphate. That should be the first sentence in every story. Right? Everybody agree?" Pompeo said. "Anybody dispute the facts? This has been an enormously successful campaign."

The Secretary of State also dismissed comparisons to former President Barack Obamas decision to withdraw troops in Iraq in 2011, which critics have argued fostered the rise of the ISIS. "I am confident we will continue to ensure that the kind of rise ISIS had under the Obama administration doesn't occur again," the Washington Examiner cited him as saying.

"The threat from radical Islamic terrorism is going to be with us for a while, and were determined to stay at it and continue to make sure that the resurgence of large land-based caliphates like ISIS dont happen on our watch," Pompeo said.

Pompeo has embarked on an international trip that will include stops in Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, among other places.
The laundry is one of the areas in the home that we often think of last with renovations - because it's tucked away and not visited by most house guests.

But one woman from Western Australia has revealed how she transformed the space for less than $12,000 - from a '70s add on' to a stylish period laundry.

'We were lucky enough to find this little gem to buy, a beautiful 1900 stone cottage with a terrible 70s add on at the back of the house last July,' make up artist Deb Martin, 41, told FEMAIL.

'We've been renovating each room and now love our new laundry. We tried to keep it true to the period of the cottage instead of the 70s shamozzle [sic] that it was.'

 Slide me  One woman from Western Australia has revealed how she transformed the laundry space for less than $12,000 - from a '70s add on' to a stylish period laundry (pictured before and after)

'We were lucky enough to find this little gem to buy, a beautiful 1900 stone cottage with a terrible 70s add on at the back of the house,' make up artist Deb Martin (pictured), 41, said

The couple made sure they had a budget in mind of $12k and visited local businesses to transform the space (pictured: the back window before)

'The tiles were sourced locally, the taps and fireclay sink from restoration online, cabinetry was from a nearby cabinet maker,' Deb said (laundry pictured after)

So how did Deb and her partner, Cameron, transform the space?

First of all, they made sure they had a budget in mind - and were careful not to exceed $12,000.

'We then gutted the entire room,' Deb told Daily Mail Australia.

'We stripped the walls, got rid of the old ceiling and started fresh with a skeleton.'

'We then gutted the entire room,' Deb told Daily Mail Australia. 'We stripped the walls, got rid of the old ceiling and started fresh with a skeleton' (pictured: some of the laundry after)

Deb (pictured with Cameron) said that they knew they wanted to keep the room 'in theme with the house' - which is a 1900 stone wall cottage

All the while through the renovation, the make up artist said she 'screenshotted everything I loved and had a photo file on my phone' (laundry pictured before and after)

She said that they knew they wanted to keep the room 'in theme with the house' - which is a 1900 stone wall cottage.

And so, they set to work with paints, plants and new accessories - visiting local businesses to pick up unique pieces.

'The tiles were sourced locally, the taps and fireclay sink from restoration online, cabinetry was from a nearby cabinet maker,' Deb said.

She also even replaced the window for around $1,500 - which, she said, can make a real difference.

'The windows were from Wests Glass and the stone benchtop was from a local stone maker,' Deb added.

This isn't the only room the talented make up professional has set her sights on in the cottage, either - since the couple (pictured) purchased it, they have been slowly renovating the building

All the while through the renovation, the make up artist said she 'screenshotted everything I loved and had a photo file on my phone'.

'My tips for others is that you need to have a budget and stick to it. Also, keep your theme in mind throughout the renovation and have fun with it.'

This isn't the only room the talented make up professional has set her sights on in the cottage, either.

Since purchasing the Geraldton-based building in July 2017, she and Cameron have finished the living room and are also steadily making their way through the entire house.
Perhaps the unlikeliest face to turn up on the Golden Globes red carpet on Sunday night was Anthony Scaramucci.

The Former White House Director of Communications turned up to the Hollywood event with his wife, Deirdre Ball, and posed for photographers before heading into the show.

Though the 55-year-old did, technically, have a short-lived career that put him on TV, his presence at the star-studded award show left quite a few people scratching their heads and wondering how, exactly, he got invited in the first place.

Scroll down for video

Surprise! Anthony Scaramucci, 55, attended the Golden Globes with his wife Deirdre Ball

Oh! The former White House Director of Communications was invited by a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, who met him at another event

Way to celebrate: He was also celebrating his birthday, which he and his wife talked up quite a bit on social media

Scaramucci got all dolled up for the occasion, getting a pedicure earlier in the day and dressing up in a tuxedo.

In a video he shared on Twitter, he talked quite a bit about how it was also his birthday that day, admitting, 'I'm 55, I got myself a spray tan before the Golden Globes.'

His wife Deirdre, with whom he has reconciled since she filed for divorce in 2017, wore a ruffled black gown to accompany him.

According to his publicist Howard Bragman, Scaramucci was actually invited, though not because he is looking to pursue any Hollywood aspirations.

According to The Washington Post, Scaramucci gave a speech in Los Angeles a few weeks ago and a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association who was in the audience invited him.

Mingling: Henry Winkler stopped to take a photo with the couple on the red carpet

If you say so... Scaramucci said his wife was getting 'the stank eye from some of these people because of the beautiful dress'

'He had no real purpose there,' Bragman said.. 'He said he hadnt really watched any of the movies. He was like "Ive watched Frozen like 48 times with my kids."'

They mingled with stars on the red carpet, snapping photos with Henry Winkler and author Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Before the show started, they socialized in the lounge, where Scaramucci uploaded another video.

'My wife's gettin' the stank eye from some of these people because of the beautiful dress,' he said, before abruptly switching topics.

'I want to thank all my liberal friends. I'd like to thank the Academy for not taking all of their Trump hatred out on me personally,' he went on.

Primping: He got a spray tan for the event, and earlier in the day his wife shared a photo of him getting a pedicure

So fast: Scaramucci spent just ten days in his role at the White House

Later, when talking about the Golden Globes, his wife joked about her husband's fondness for large breasts.

'The Mooch likes globes. I don't have globes...' she said.

'You have globes, you just have them behind you,' he replied.

'What? Oh, my butt,' she answered, laughing.

Later, the pair attended several after-parties, including one hosted by HBO.
A New York City-based woman has discussed her experience as she spent an entire week trying out seven different tricks in an attempt to help her wake up easier in the morning time.

27-year-old Erin Mayer attempted to kick start her day with a number of different hacks to help her wake up in the morning, including biting into a lemon, and stepping out into the sunlight first thing after she woke up.

At the end of the week, the writer evaluated how she got on with each different hack, revealing the tricks she will now actually implement into her daily routine.

Challenge accepted! New York City-based writer Erin Mayer, a self-proclaimed non-morning person, completed a series of hacks in order to try to become more of an early riser

Freelance writer Erin discussed her experience trying out a number of different tricks designed to help people wake up easier in the morning, and detailed her results on ManRepeller.com.

The self-proclaimed 'not' morning person said that she is guilty of regularly turning off her alarm clock and going back asleep, 'for just ten more minutes.'

She wrote: 'Sure, most people hate waking up. But I really, really hate it.

'As soon as my husband nudges me in the morning I start scheming about how to come down with a flu mild enough that it wont suck too badly, but gross enough to keep me in bed for at least 15 more hours.'

Snooze! The 27-year-old admitted that she rarely wakes up, and stays up, at the sound of her first alarm in the morning

In an attempt to become an early riser, the New Yorker challenged herself to complete a series, seven total, bizarre challenges from tips that she read online.

1. Set two alarms

On day one of her wake-up early challenge week, Erin set two alarms.

The first alarm was placed beside her bed, and the second on the windowsill - a few feet away from her bed.

The idea was for the first alarm to go off earlier than the second, giving her time to go back to sleep for a few minutes before having to get up and walk over to the windowsill to turn off the second, later alarm.

However, despite having good intentions, Erin simply slept through the first alarm, and woke up to her husband telling her it was time to wake up when the second alarm rang.

Evaluating the first trick, Erin wrote: 'If Im in bed in the morning, Im sleeping, and no two-alarm system is going to change that.'

2. Make your bed immediately

For her second day of the challenge, she tasked herself with making her bed as soon as she woke up.

She compared the idea of making your bed first thing in the morning to 'sealing a bag of chips so you stop snacking on them when youre no longer hungry.'

Evaluating the technique, Erin said it definitely helped her to wake up.

A tough task: Freelance writer, who works from the comfort of her apartment, Erin said she can never be in trouble for being late as she works alone

New beginnings: With 2019 just beginning, Erin decided to complete a number of weird tricks she found online, in an attempt to become a morning person and develop a normal routine

3. Pull your hair

Thirdly, the determined writer tried something a little more wacky.

Upon opening her eyes for the first when she woke up, Erin tugged at pieces of her hair - a technique that is supposed to help get blood flowing in the head and body.

However, she revealed that the trick was unsuccessful, and she eventually ended up splashing water on her face in an attempt to wake up instead.

4. Step outside into the sunlight

Her fourth challenge involved waking up by stepping out into the sunlight.

The aim of this is to absorb vitamin D into the skin, however, she revealed that New York's crisp, cold weather gave a helping hand in shocking her body into waking up.

Erin revealed that she thought the hack really worked, and that she was wide awake after stepping out into the fresh air.

She wrote: 'I guess cold air and direct sunlight are the functional equivalent of 10 shots of espresso to the face.'

5. Have something exciting to wake up for

On the fifth day of her week-long wake-up challenge, the 27-year-old tried waking up on the basis that she would have something to look forward to.

As a freelance writer who works from the comfort of her home, Erin said she rarely applies makeup, meaning that she looks forward to days off whenshe actually pampers herself with skincare and makeup regimes.

Results: Erin found the most useful tricks to help her wake up in were making her bed and stepping outside to get some sunshine, vitamin D and fresh hair

So for the fifth day, she woke up and completed a full skincare and makeup routine before sitting down to get started on her work for the day.

She wrote: 'Spending some quality time up close and personal with my pores meant that not only did I look well-rested when I sat down to start working, I felt well-rested, too. (Truly.)'

6. Plan out your morning in detail

For the second last day of the wake-up challenge, she planned out her morning to the very last detail.

She wrote a plan of action for the morning the night beforehand, a trick that is aimed toward removing the hard decision-making that can add delays in the morning time.

However, Erin said this made no difference to how her morning panned out.

7. Bite into a lemon

Lastly, on the final day of the week, she bit into a lemon with the aim of shocking her body into waking up.

Writing about her experience biting into a zesty fruit, she said: 'Do I recommended it? No. Did it immediately electrify every cell in my body? Hell yes.'

Overall, Erin said the the main thing she learned from the week of challenges was to do something as soon as she wakes up every day.

She aims to create a routine that combines getting some fresh air and making her bed first thing in the morning - the two tricks she found most beneficial.
Wonderful over Christmas, wasnt it? No Parliament, ergo no Bercow, no petty procedural niggles, no partisan urgent questions, no wrecking amendments, fiddlesome feints, faux outrage or ear-denting bleats from Grieve, Benn, Soubry, the Green Party woman and endless Scots Nats.

But yesterday the whole ghastly caboodle returned to Westminster and sanity ended.

Our snooty-falutin, think-theyre-better-than-the-plebs legislature was back to its ways, rising on hind hooves to deplore Brexit and demand that it be delayed or diluted. And theyre surprised some hot-heads shout rude names at them!

A head of indignation built during the afternoon because Remainer Soubry had Nazi! shouted at her while she was doing a TV interview on the public area outside Parliament.

A head of indignation built during the afternoon because Remainer Soubry had Nazi! shouted at her while she was doing a TV interview on the public area outside Parliament

For months, pro-Leave MPs have been heckled by EU flag wavers (who may well be in the pay of Brussels) and this has been called freedom of expression. Now that the heckling was from the other side, they were shocked.

After a point of order from Remainer Nick Boles (Con, Grantham & Stamford), Speaker Bercow orated at length on the matter, even while saying he did not wish to make a meal of it.

It is certainly wrong to call the jaunty Miss Soubry a Nazi, for she has a fine strand of dissent that would not have pleased Adolf; yet it would be fair to say she has been plotting to block the result of the biggest extra-parliamentary vote ever held in this kingdom.

She is a non-democratic parliamentarian. After these two years, the word parliamentarian can no longer be said to be synonymous with championing the will of electorate. That is largely her doing.

It is certainly wrong to call the jaunty Miss Soubry a Nazi, for she has a fine strand of dissent that would not have pleased Adolf

If I had been down near Abingdon Green I would have been more tempted to push a drawing pin into the bagpipes whose owner stands somewhere down there, blasting out Greensleeves much of the day.

He was at it on the day the Christmas recess started last month and he was at it yesterday when we all trudged back to work. Perhaps that bagpiping, not Brexit, is what has driven MPs mad.

Jeremy Corbyn had persuaded Bercow to grant an urgent question on Brexit.

Theresa May, who had been in Liverpool for an NHS announcement, did not turn up.

Mr Corbyn waxed indignant, chewing some of his moustache as he said there can be no more hiding no more running away from a decision on Brexit.

Er, quite, Jeremy. Mrs May sent along Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay to hold the whingeing mob at bay, which he duly did. Mr Barclay has a waterproof quality, like a pair of suede shoes newly Scotchguarded.

Mr Corbyn waxed indignant, chewing some of his moustache as he said there can be no more hiding no more running away from a decision on Brexit

In the top corner of the Chamber, where the Tory Europhiles sit, Stephen Hammond took a perch, whispering to the likes of Ma Soubry and Tory-in-name-only Sarah Wollaston (Totnes).

Mr Hammond is one of those persuadable rebels who rejoined the Government as a minister. Yet there he was consorting with Mrs Mays foes. Perhaps he forgot he was no longer a backbencher.

On Labours front bench, Barry Gardiner closed his eyes and meditated, a bearded Buddha, while Mr Barclay neutralised Remainer attacks.

Ian Blackford, leader of the SNP at Westminster, was furious that Mrs May could not be bothered to attend. The same Blackford, ahem, missed a Commons set-to in December because he was late leaving home.

Laura Smith (Lab, Crewe & Nantwich) screamed abuse at Mr Barclay. Last month, charm-lite Ms Smith complained that she and Labour MPs had to put up with the most disgraceful insults thrown at us. What steaming hypocrites they are, these grotesques who pollute our public life.

It was left to Greg Hands (Con, Chelsea & Fulham), one of the few fluent German speakers here, to report how the European Commissions top official, Martin Selmayr, had been bragging about how Brussels felt it had gained all its objectives with the deal with Mrs May. If Herr Selmayr is pleased, that deal must be even worse than the noise of bagpipes.
Armenia keeps discussing the possibility of natural gas deliveries from Iran, Armenias acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.

"The issue of Iranian gas deliveries is always on the agenda. We will keep discussing this matter until we find a practical and advantageous solution," the Armenian PM said, adding that Yerevan will keep negotiating with Russia on the gas price.

"We continue the negotiations and will do our best to defend the interests of our country," TASS cited Pashinyan as saying.

The Russian gas price for Armenia was reconsidered from January 1, the Gazproms press service said earlier. It will total $165 per 1,000 cubic meters. The earlier price for Armenia was $150 per thousand cubic meters of gas. Russian gas deliveries to the country stood at 1.87 billion cubic meters in 2016, and at 2 billion cubic meters in 2017.

Armenias authorities have repeatedly said that they were negotiating a reduction of prices for natural gas with the Russian side. Natural gas is supplied to Armenia by Gazproms subsidiary Gazprom Armenia.
Over the past day, more than 1000 people returned to Syria from Lebanon and Jordan, the Russian Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides and Refugee Migration Monitoring reported.

It clarifies that the majority of those returned are women, children and elderly. In addition, 274 Syrians returned to their places of residence within the country during the day.

The Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation held a charity event in Etbaa, during which 1 ton of bread was distributed to Syrian citizens.

In turn, the engineering units destroyed 40 explosive objects, including one improvised explosive device, RIA Novosti reports.
Spring sports season was one for the ages in Somerset County
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order regarding measures to construct Balakan-Gazbina-Ititala road in Balakan district, Trend reports.

Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 4.4 million manats for the construction of the road connecting ten residential areas with a total population of 18,000 people.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3)  The annual feast of the Black Nazarene is expected to draw over 21 million devotees this year, with five million of them joining the religious procession, Church officials said Tuesday.

They expect the procession to move faster than last year which lasted 22 hours. The icon, which was brought through Manila's roads, returned to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church at 3 a.m. on January 10 last year.

The feast began December 31, while the main event - the Traslacion or the Black Nazarene procession - happens January 9.

Church officials advised participants against bringing pointed objects, backpacks, and alcohol and reminded them to exercise discipline.

"Bawal ang pikon. Paghandaan ito spiritual, physical. Hindi ito dahilan para magalit," said Msgr. Hernando Coronel, rector and parish priest of Quiapo Church.

The church is not prohibiting devotees from jumping into the carriage to touch the Nazarene, but discouraged them from doing so to avoid injuries.

The Metro Manila police will deploy more than 7,000 personnel to keep the procession safe, although no threat has been monitored to date. A no-fly, no-sail zone will be implemented, drones are banned, and mobile signals will be off.

The entire procession will be livestreamed on Facebook. A fiesta mass will be held at the Quirino Grandstand at 12 a.m. on January 9 followed by a morning prayer at 4 a.m. before the procession starts. Processions will also be held in some provinces, and officials announced it is happening for the first time in Batanes this year.

CNN Philippines' Rex Remitio contributed to this report.
Revealed: Top Secret Israeli Hackers For Hire

Candiru, named after an Amazon fish known to parasitise the human urethra, recruits heavily from 8200 intelligence unit and sells offensive tools for hacking computer systems. The name fits the companys business, which is offensive cyber, the technology used to hack into computers or smartphones and spy on users.

In the Tel Aviv building that acts as its headquarters, Candiru name is not in the directory. Also it is not on a website as it doesnt have one. Its 120 or so employees dont post profiles on LinkedIn and sign strict confidentiality agreements. Inquiries by TheMarker elicited a polite but firm no comment.

Offensive cyber is a big business in Israel, with industry sources saying it generates about $1 billion in sales a year. The biggest and most controversial of the players is NSO, which has been cited repeatedly for selling its equipment to Arabia and Mexico that have used them to spy and crack-down on dissidents.

NSOs specialty is hacking smartphones. Candirus hacking tools are used to break into computers and servers, although some sources told TheMarker that it also has technology for breaking into mobile devices as well.

Unlike NSO, Candiru is more conservative in its choice of customers. Most of them are in Western Europe and none of them are from Africa. In fact, the company reportedly doesnt sell equipment to Israel, although that is for business, not political, reasons, they say.

For example, if Germany needs offensive cyber equipment for some national security matter, it will develop it in-house without question, explained one source, who asked not to be identified. But if it needs to contend with human trafficking from Turkey, for instance, it will buy cyber gear from an outside source where the issue is less sensitive.

Candirus sales policy is an internal decision, and many Israeli companies in the business have found themselves in hot water for selling to regimes with poor records on democracy and human rights.

Israel regards offensive cyber tools as no different than other weapons and exports must be approved by the Defense Ministry. However, while the ministry is sensitive to security risks to Israel from exports, it is less concerns about democracy and human rights violations by buyers.

Candiru is also different from many other offensive cyber companies, such as hacking team and FinFisher, that only sell attack tools, because Candiru sells a complete system.

They have a user interface through which the customer sees how many targets have been penetrated, what information has been obtained and so forth, said one source.

In addition, they offer a very sophisticated service, so that if a certain attack tool doesnt work theyll produce a new one that will work. They sell a pre-loaded 'cartridge' of attack tools.

Formed four years ago, Candiru is shrouded in secrecy. It is believed to employ 120 people and generate annual sales of $30 million a year, but that is only speculation by outsiders. If true, that would make it Israels second-largest offensive cyber company after NSO, not counting publicly traded Verint and general defense companies.

What is known is that Candirus founder is Isaac Zack, who was also a founder of NSO. Zack is a venture capital investor and among the founders of the investment firms Founders Group and Pico Venture Partners.

Candirus CEO is Eitan Achlow, who was previously an executive at the Israeli ride-sharing company Gett. But in line with Candirus veil of secrecy, Achlows LinkedIn page lists him as working in a company in stealth mode, a startup industry term for companies that havent launched a product and are working without publicity.

According to the Dun & Bradstreet guide, Zack is on the boards of 13 companies, among them the cybersecurity startups Cy-Ot and Orchestra, all of them in the field of protective cybersecurity. Keeping with the secrecy surrounding Candiru, its name isnt listed among Zacks directorships.

That is because Candiru is not the companys registered name. It was originally registered under the name Grindavik Solutions in September 2014. It changed it to LDF Associates in March 2017 and back to Grindavik last April.

Like other companies in Israel's renowned cybersecurity industry, Candiru recruits heavily from the Israel Defense Forces 8200 intelligence unit. They are typically paid 80,000 shekels ($21,400) a month and some make 90,000.

They take the best hackers, said one cybersecurity entrepreneur, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Candiru has no defined work conditions, you can do what you want. They even have one employee that lives in France and starts up his computer when he feels like it.

Haaretz:

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2018 was a watershed year for CUNA/league/credit union advocacy. Our accomplishments last year during a turbulent political time stand out over any of the last 20 years of credit union advocacy, making it a story that deserves to be told. And as we consider all of our 2018 wins, we are ready more than ever before to take on a new year and new Congress.

In a period of political turbulence, credit unions led the way to convince Congress to enact the first major piece of regulatory relief legislation since 2006. And unlike that previous effort, this legislation included several important credit union priorities, including amendments to the Dodd-Frank Act to reduce regulatory burden, a provision that holds the NCUA accountable by requiring it to hold an annual hearing on the budget, and a provision that protects credit union officials that report suspicion of elder abuse.

Importantly, this legislation also carried a major charter enhancement provision, exempting one- to four-family non-owner occupied loans from the member business lending cap. Taken together with our success on the NCUAs MBL rule, which exempts from the cap loan participations purchased from other credit unions, we can officially declare final victory on the systems 20-year battle to restore credit union business authority. Indeed, these two changes will provide more cap space than we had been seeking in the old Royce-Udall legislation that aimed to raise the cap to 27.5%.
There is much discussion right now about making it easier for Connecticut residents to vote; proposals center around no-excuse absentee voting and early voting in particular. But perhaps just as important is making sure that voters have real choices come Election Day. Connecticut has some of the most arcane ballot access laws in the country, as I found out when I ran for state Senate this past cycle.

In order to qualify for the primary ballot in Connecticut, a candidate must either gain at least 15 percent of the party convention delegates or, failing that, go the arduous petition route. For the latter, candidates for statewide office and Congress are required to get the signatures of 2 percent of party registered voters in their constituency.

Uniquely for state legislative candidates, this stipulation rises to 5 percent. What makes this a nearly impossible obstacle is that legislative candidates are boxed into an arbitrary two-week window in late May and early June to gather all these signatures.

In my district, I needed the signatures of 1,014 registered Democrats. My volunteers and I spent two grueling weeks crisscrossing Branford, Guilford, Madison, North Branford, Killingworth and Durham, in the baking sun and pouring rain. Given the tight time frame, a single thunderstorm nearly sabotaged the entire effort. The vast majority of people we spoke to were willing to sign; it wasnt necessarily a statement of support, but an acknowledgment that democracy requires real choices and a fair hearing.

We came excruciatingly close. While we turned in 1,120 signatures, some were inevitably discounted as incorrectly registered or illegible. In one extraordinary case, a woman had passed away between the time she signed and the time the petition was handed in, and her signature was sadly tossed out. By the registrars count of validated signatures, we were 32 short. By our campaigns internal count, we were only nine shy.

With the number of valid signatures I had, I could have run for governor of Ohio, to be a member of Congress from Pennsylvania or for U.S. senator from Oregon, among many other distinguished offices. Most states simply allow candidates to pay a modest filing fee to secure a spot on the primary ballot or collect a token number of signatures within a much more reasonable time frame.

Connecticuts ballot access laws drastically tilt the playing field toward party insiders and those with great wealth. For instance, self-funding candidates can hire an army of paid canvassers to gather signatures and be assured ballot access. I certainly didnt have that luxury. Indeed, raising money itself becomes difficult when having to petition; understandably, many potential supporters hold off on donating until ballot access is assured. Even if one did qualify for the primary ballot after petitioning, the party convention candidate will have had a months lead time to raise money and qualify for Citizens Election Program grants.

So what would a better system look like? Ideally, the antiquated conventions themselves would be abolished and all candidates  incumbent or challenger, establishment favorite or grassroots star  would be required to secure a small number of signatures. Even less radical change, though, could greatly aid the democratic process. Simply expanding the petition time frame from 14 days to a month or two would make it much more realistic to qualify. And even though 17-year-olds who turn 18 by the general election are eligible to vote in the primary, they are irrationally barred from signing or circulating petitions; this should be changed.

Simplifying the cumbersome and confusing verification procedure for circulators would be another common sense reform. A number of eligible voters couldnt sign because they were away from the district during the petition period; some method of absentee signing would only be fair as well.

Critics of gerrymandering are fond of saying that politicians shouldnt get to choose their voters. By that same token, politicians shouldnt get to choose the candidates either. This session, the General Assembly should open up the process and at long last return power to the voters.

Andy Gottlieb is a Democrat from Guilford and former candidate for state Senate in the 12th District. His op-ed first appeared in CTMirror.org
The first hearing on the murder of Russian ambassador in Turkey Andrey Karlov has begun in Ankara today.

According to the judge, several suspects are abroad; therefore, they would not be brought to court on Tuesday. A total of 18 suspects were in the dock today, four of them are in prison and participate in the trial via video link, TASS reported.

The charges brought by the prosecutor's office include violating the constitutional order, membership in an armed terrorist group, premeditated murder for terrorist purposes. The prosecution described the incident as a "provocative action aimed at relations between Turkey and Russia."

At the end of November last year, the prosecutor's office of Ankara sent an indictment to the Second Court of the capital of Turkey on extremely grievous crimes. The case has 28 suspects, including the leader of the Fethullah Terrorist Group (FETO) Fethullah Gulen, as well as former civil servant Sahin Sogut, who allegedly ordered the murder of the Russian diplomat.

Russias Ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was gunned down on December 19, 2016. An armed man whom the police later identified as a 22-year-old police officer Mevlut Altinas opened indiscriminate fire in an art gallery in Ankara where Ambassador Karlov was opening a photo exhibition. Turkish officials said the attacker had been killed. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree to award the Hero of the Russian Federation title to Andrey Karlov (posthumously).
The following are recent arrests released by the Bridgeport Police Department on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019.

Monday, Jan. 7

A 33-year-old Palisade Avenue male was charged with 6th degree larceny, and interfering with an officer.

A 24-year-old Wood Avenue female was charged with improper use of a marker license, illegally operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance, and illegally operating a motor vehicle under suspension.

Sunday, Jan. 6

A 27-year-old Brown Avenue male was charged with disorderly conduct.

A 23-year-old Magnolia Street male was charged with failing to carry a registration card, improper use of a marker license, failure to to drive in a proper lane, and operating a motor vehicle without a license.

A 49-year-old Adams Street female was charged with violation of probation.

A 29-year-old Holland Road female was charged with third degree criminal trespassing, and second degree breach of peace.

A 56-year-old Orchard Street male was charged with disorderly conduct, interfering with an emergency call, and second degree unlawful restraint.

A 31-year-old Prospect Street male was charged with sixth degree larceny.

A 21-year-old Stillman Street male was charged with illegally discharging a firearm, first degree assault, second degree assault, and first degree reckless endangerment.

A 70-year-old West Taft Avenue male was charged with second degree harassment, and violation of a protective order.

A 33-year-old Huntington Road male was charged with second degree failure to appear in court.

As of January 2019, Hearst Connecticut Media does not include names in online police blotters.
STAMFORD  Victims of a Bridgeport mans alleged bloody crime spree that included armed robberies of food delivery drivers testified Monday about the terrifying experience.

A trial that could last several weeks began for Onaje Smith, 20, charged with the armed robberies of Norwalk Chinese food delivery drivers in 2016. Smith is also accused of killing Stamfords Shane Slinsky in August 2016 and shooting a man in a West Side bodega in January 2017.

Food delivery driver Wuguian Huang, 41, testified about arriving to a Rolling Lane home in Norwalk on Jan. 9, 2017 when he was approached by two men dressed in black and wearing ski masks.

Huang said he was holding his phone in one hand and the food in the other when one of the men shoved a gun in his chest and the other rifled through his pockets for his wallet.

I will shoot if you dont give me your wallet. I will shoot, Huang recalled the man said.

I was so scared, he added.

He said they took the food and his wallet that contained a souvenir 100 yuan note.

Assistant States Attorney Michelle Manning showed Huang the Chinese bill, worth about $15. Huang said he knew it was his because of the way it was folded.

Fenyan Chen, another Chinese food delivery driver, also testified Monday about how he was robbed five days later on Derby Road in Norwalk. Chen said he could not find the house and called the number that placed the order. He said the man told him to go where a red car was parked.

As Chen walked into the yard, he said he was confronted by two masked men, one carrying a gun. Chen said the gunman fired a shot, knocking the cellphone from his hand.

After grabbing the food, the other man rummaged through Chens pockets. Chen testified he begged the men to not take his wallet. He said one robber told the gunman, shoot him. shoot him.

Chen testified the gunman aimed the pistol at the upper part of his left leg. But before he could pull the trigger, Chen said he pushed the barrel of the pistol to the outside part of his leg, so his bone would not be struck. The bullet struck Chens left hand and the outside of his left thigh.

After grabbing the $150 Chen had in cash, the pair drove off in his Toyota Camry.

However, Huang and Chen admitted they could not identify the robbers.

In late November, Smiths co-defendant, Tyreik Gantt, 20, of Stamford, accepted a plea deal in the case.

Gantt admitted to a dozen felonies, including two counts each of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and attempted murder and single charges of arson, larceny and conspiracy to commit murder.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com
Correction: An earlier headline incorrectly stated state police officers were involved in the shooting. State police were not involved in the shooting. They have identified the Danbury police officers involved in the shooting.

DANBURY  A city police officer who fatally shot a Danbury man and seriously wounded his elderly mother was identified by investigators on Tuesday, 10 days after the shooting.

Officer Alex Relyea shot and killed 45-year-old Paul Arbitelle, who was confronting the officer with a knife, state police said Tuesday morning.

Arbitelles mother also was shot and was recovering at Danbury Hospital on Monday.

Officer Regina Guss also was at the scene of the Dec. 29 shooting outside the mothers apartment, but she did not fire her hand gun, investigators said.

Both officers have had decorated careers with the Danbury Police Department. Relyeas use of force remains under investigation by the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crimes Squad.

The incident began when officers responded to the Glen Apartments senior housing complex at about 9:30 p.m. Dec. 29 for a report of a suspicious person in the area.

Officers encountered Paul Arbitelle exiting an apartment there while holding a knife, which he presented towards the responding officers, according to state police. He would not drop the knife after multiple commands from the officers.

Guss attempted to use her Taser on Arbitelle, but it was ineffective and he advanced toward Guss and Relyea.

Reslyea then fired his duty pistol at Arbitelle, striking him three times, according to state police.

Arbitelles mother was in the apartment during the confrontation and was unintentionally struck by the gunfire. Both she and Paul Arbitelle were transported to Danbury Hospital where he later died and where she is still recovering.

Mayor Mark Boughton has called the incident tragic but said that he believes investigators will conclude Relyeas actions were justified.

Linda Arbitelle has filed notice with the city that she intends to sue for compensatory and punitive damages, however, claiming the officers violated her civil rights, her Bridgeport attorney Robert Berke said last week.

Arbitelle, who was convicted twice for fights with police, had a long arrest history and had just been released from prison in October. Arbitelle was easily recognizable by the serpent and skull tattooed on his face, and by the swastikas and white power tattoos on his body. In 2012, he was convicted of a racially motived assault of a black man in Danbury.

Relyea has been on the force since August 2014 and Guss has been on the force since December 2006. Both officers are white.

Both officers have had decorated careers with Danbury Police, including letters of commendation and meritorious citations.

Guss has twice received the Exceptional Police Service Award, including for the arrest of three felons in 2011 and for her handling of a volatile situation involving a female wielding a knife in 2012, according to state police.

Relyea, who previously served more than two years with the New Milford Police Department, also has earned a meritorious citation in 2015 for arresting three juveniles involved in a string of burglaries and a unit citation in 2017 for his help in the arrest of a male who had been threatening several people with a loaded firearm, state police said.

Local police officials have deferred all questions to the state police, citing the ongoing investigation, and were not immediately available Tuesday morning.

It was not immediately clear if either of the officers have returned to duty.

Danbury Police policies require a minimum 72 hours on administrative leave for an officer involved in a shooting to evaluate the incident and the officers physical and mental health, Chief Patrick Ridenhour said last week. After that period ends, administrators and the officer decide together whether the officer should turn to duty or stay on leave.

The family has not spoken publicly about the shootings except through Berke.

It was not clear whether the mother, 74-year-old Linda Arbitelle, has been stable enough in the hospital to sit comfortably for a police interview.

The shootings mark the first time in 20 years that an on-duty Danbury police officer has shot anyone, as far as local officials can remember.

This story will be updated.
Support in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition for a major new Russian gas pipeline is slipping as frustration with the Kremlin's brinkmanship grows and pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump starts to bite.

Nord Stream 2, an $11 billion project that will double the natural gas supply under the Baltic Sea to Germany, faces growing skepticism among German officials who had previously defended it against criticism from Trump and some European Union allies, according to senior lawmakers. The shift could translate into pressure on Merkel's government to back down on the controversial pipeline and possibly delay its implementation.

Social Democratic lawmaker Nils Schmid, whose party has been a reliable supporter of the project, said too many decision-makers in Berlin had been slow to factor in Nord Stream's geopolitical significance. It will reduce the volume of gas pumped through Ukraine as Russia attempts to stifle its neighbor's economy by depriving it of lucrative transit fees.

"The debate in Germany has become more critical," Schmid, the junior coalition party's point man on foreign policy, said in an interview, adding that the project shouldn't go forward until Russia and Ukraine reach a transit accord. "It would have been better to take this political dimension into account."

The 1,200-kilometer (750-mile) undersea pipeline being constructed by Russia's Gazprom PJSC has been pilloried by some of Germany's allies, who say it bolsters Europe's reliance on Russian energy and bypasses key partners such as Ukraine. Trump has blasted the project -- about a third of which has been completed - as holding Germany "captive" to Russia.

The ground is shifting, with an ever more fraught relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, particularly since the November seizure of two dozen Ukrainian sailors near the Sea of Azov. Merkel, who has sparred with Putin since the 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, is demanding the release of the naval personnel.

The Azov incident in the Kerch Strait has soured prospects that Merkel's diplomacy can scale back the conflict in eastern Ukraine, according Juergen Hardt, a lawmaker in Merkel's Christian Democratic Union who speaks on foreign affairs.

"The events on the Kerch Strait at least showed me that these are unfulfilled hopes," Hardt said in an interview. "Russia, in my view, isn't moving a millimeter from its objectives."

Hardt said Germany's governing parties need to find consensus with the European Commission on energy diversification and reliance on Russian gas. He also questioned the economic viability of Nord Stream, poking holes in the government's previous defense of the project.

Merkel shifted her position on Nord Stream last April, acknowledging the political dimensions of the pipeline and departing from her previous insistence that it was solely a business venture by private investors. The project must not weaken Ukraine by disrupting its gas transmission system, she said at the time.

Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, welcomed the more skeptical view in Berlin, saying the pipeline project undermines the EU's energy and security objectives.

"There is not only Russian gas coming through the pipeline, but also Russian influence," Grenell said in a statement to Bloomberg News. "Now is not the time to reward Moscow."

The U.S. administration has indicated that sanctions on the pipeline are imminent. Trump brought tensions over Nord Stream into full view at last July's NATO summit, raising the issue as he attacked Merkel over Germany's slack defense spending.

U.S. restrictions would potentially hit companies in Austria, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Royal Dutch Shell Plc, BASF SE's Wintershall unit, Uniper SE, OMV AG and Engie SA are Gazprom's partners in the project. The Russian gas giant reported a record 201 billion cubic meters of gas exports to Europe in 2018 and plans to maintain those volumes into 2020.

Schmid maintained that the project, which would double the 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas flowing through the original Nord Stream pipeline that opened in 2011, isn't in danger. He also defended SPD support, particularly in Germany's east where, the pipeline makes landfall. But simmering geopolitical tensions are having an effect in Germany.

"Something has changed," Peter Beyer, the German government's coordinator for trans-Atlantic relations, said in an interview. He attributed the mood shift on Nord Stream as much to concern about leaving EU allies out in the cold as with Russia's recent maneuvers. Merkel's government may have to adjust to the demands of those taking a harder line on Nord Stream, he said.

- - -

With assistance from Brian Parkin.
Georgian police has detained an actor who attacked a doctor at the hospital, InterPressNews reported.

At this time, the detainee is being treated at the hospital under the protection of police.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the investigation established that the detainee, R.N., abused a doctor at the Michael Archangel hospital a few days ago.
Viking today announced its new 2020-2021 Viking World Cruise, which will span 161 days, six continents and 75 ports, with overnight stays in 13 cities.

The Viking Sun will set sail on Dec. 14 from Miami and the itinerary will include six new ports of call for Viking, including Honolulu and Nawiliwili, marking the companys inaugural visit to the Hawaiian Islands.

The ship will explore islands of the Caribbean and the South Pacific; and then move to Asia, from Hong Kong to Bangkok; explore countries of the Middle East, including Oman, Jordan, Egypt and Israel; and sail through the Mediterranean before concluding in London.

Guests can also choose a shorter, 140-day segment of the sailing, 2021 Viking World Discoveries, which departs from Los Angeles in January 4, 2021, and visits 27 countries and 66 ports.

With the announcement of our newest World Cruise, we remain firm in our commitment to offer travelers the most immersive and culturally enriching itineraries available, said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.

We are a destination-focused travel company, and it has always been our priority to help our guests connect to the destination. It is evident in everything we do  it is why we offer an included excursion in every port; why we have the most extensive Resident Historian program in the industry; and why our ships are smaller to bring travelers to more intimate ports.

New ports include Oahu, Kauai, Moorea, and Hue, while other highlights include Sydney, Mumbai and Istanbul.

Pricing for the 2020-2021 Viking World Cruise starts at $59,995 per person and 2021 Viking World Discoveries starts at $52,995 per person, based on double-occupancy. Both of Vikings new world cruise itineraries include Business Class international air, transfers to and from the ship, all gratuities and service fees, complimentary visa services, the Silver Spirits Beverage Package, and free luggage shipping services for embarkation.
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Turkey cannot accept recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trumps national security adviser John Bolton that Ankara must agree to protect Washingtons Kurdish allies in Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.

Erdogan, speaking to members of his AK Party in parliament, said that Bolton had made serious mistake in calling for a new condition for the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, and that Turkey could never compromise on the issue of the YPG Kurdish militia, Reuters reported.

Turkey sees the YPG, which the United States has backed in the fight against ISIS in Syria, as a terrorist organisation and part of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
In a Jan. 7, 2019, paper, "Biologically Inspired, Cell-Selective Release of Aptamer-Trapped Growth Factors by Traction Forces," published in Advanced Materials, researchers from Imperial College London describe a new approach to wound healing: traction force-activated payloads (TrAPs).



According to the college, these bio-inspired materials harness natural healing processes in the body and interact with surrounding tissues to promote healing in a dynamic way.

Wound Repair Materials

Wound-healing materials are well-known; collagen sponges help heal burns and pressure sores, and scaffold-like implants assist in bone repair. However, as tissue is repaired, it changes. As such, scientists have developed biomaterials to dynamically interact with tissues as healing occurs.

At Imperial College London, Ben Almquist, Ph.D., and colleagues have created a wound-healing molecule that functions via traction force-activated payloads (TrAPs). Reportedly, this approach mirrors natural repair systems to drive healing.

"Our technology could help launch a new generation of materials that actively work with tissues to drive healing," said Almquist.

Inspired by Nature

As described by the college, after an injury, cells "crawl" through the collagen scaffolds found in wounds, "like spiders navigating webs." As they move, they pull on these scaffolds, activating healing proteins along the way that begin to repair the injured tissue.

Inspired by this mechanism, TrAPs were developed to recreate this healing process. Researchers folded the DNA segments into three-dimensional shapes known as aptamers, which cling tightly to proteins. They attached a customizable "handle" for cells to grab onto, and attached the opposite end to a scaffold such as collagen.

Efficacy Tests

In testing this technique, the researchers found the body's repair cells successfully pulled on the TrAPs as they crawled through the collagen scaffolds. This pulling unraveled the TrAPs unravel "like shoelaces" to expose and activate the healing proteins, which instructed the healing cells to grow and multiply.

Further, the researchers found that by changing the cellular handle, they could change which type of cell grabbed onto and pulled their TrAPs, allowing for customized therapies.

"Using cell movement to activate healing is found in creatures ranging from sea sponges to humans," said Almquist. "Our approach mimics them and actively works with the different varieties of cells that arrive in our damaged tissue over time to promote healing."

Application and Scale-up

This approach is adaptable to different cell types. According to the college, TrAPs are relatively straightforward to create and are fully man-made, meaning they can be recreated in different labs and scaled up to industrial quantities.

In addition, aptamers are currently used as drugs, meaning they have already been proven safe and optimized for clinical use. And at least one major cosmetic manufacturer also has explored their application in anti-aging care.

"The TrAP technology provides a flexible method to create materials that actively communicate with the wound and provide key instructions when and where they are needed. This sort of intelligent, dynamic healing is useful during every phase of the healing process, has the potential to increase the body's chance to recover, and has far-reaching uses on many different types of wounds. This technology has the potential to serve as a conductor of wound repair, orchestrating different cells over time to work together to heal damaged tissues."

For additional details on this study, see the Advanced Materials article abstract.
Boeing Co (BA.N) delivered a record 806 aircraft in 2018 to retain the title of the worlds biggest planemaker for the seventh straight year, but missed its full-year target of 810-815 due to supplier woes that delayed shipments, Trend reports citing Reuters.

European rival Airbus SE (AIR.PA), which will report its numbers later this week, met its own 800-jet target pending final audit, but is certain to lag behind Boeing due to engine delays, industry sources said earlier.

Shares of Boeing rose 3.2 percent to $339.

Investors and analysts closely watch the number of planes Boeing turns over to airlines and leasing firms for hints on the companys cashflow and revenue.

Boeing also looked set to beat Airbus for aircraft orders on a like-for-like basis in 2018 after booking 893 net orders, excluding cancellations in the year.
CORNWALL, Ontario  The Cornwall Community Hospital (CCH) as well as CCVS are under lockdown and other schools are under "hold and secure" procedures after a gunman was sighted in the area of Amelia and Seventh streets at around 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

The Cornwall Police Service is actively investigating a report of a suspicious male seen in the area of Amelia St. and Seventh St. at approximately 8:50 am this morning. As such, the public will note an increased presence of police officers in the area searching for the male, read a CCPS statement.

The man was sighted in the area of Amelia Street and Seventh Street at approximately 8:50 a.m., A CCPS update reads. No injuries have been reported at this time. Police are asking residents in the area of Second St. to Ninth St., and Nick Kaneb Dr. to Cumberland Ave. to remain in their residence. We thank the public for their cooperation at this time. Further updates to follow.

Cornwall CCVS released the following statement on their Facebook page around 10:05 a.m.Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational Institute (CCVS) is currently in a Lockdown as requested by Cornwall Policeall students and staff are safe. Police are on site at CCVS. No one can enter or exit these schools while this matter is under investigation . We will update via social media as more information becomes available.

Police say no injuries have been reported and the investigation is its early stages.

Patients at the Cornwall Communtiy Hospital (CCH) report that the hospital is also under lockdown.

The Cornwall Community Hospital has also been placed on lockdown at this time. Ambulances are still being accepted and a triage nurse is available for all absolute emergencies, the CCPS said in a statement. There is currently no in and out traffic from both Main hospital building and Community Addiction and Mental Health Centre being permitted.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.
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This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-02-27, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.
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01/08/2019

Photo (c) Burhanuddin Helmi - Getty Images A lot of factors go into setting a consumers insurance rate but California officials say rates should mostly rest on the consumers driving record, not other things they cant control.

The California Insurance Commission has issued new rules that bar insurance companies from using a policyholders sex to determine their rates. The state already prohibits insurance companies from using credit scores to influence a consumers rate.

My priority as insurance commissioner is to protect all California consumers, and these regulations ensure that auto insurance rates are based on factors within a drivers control, rather than personal characteristics over which drivers have no control, said California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones.

The rules, which took effect in early January, bring car insurance rates into line with provisions of Proposition 103, which was approved by California voters. That proposition prohibits unfair and discriminatory prices. It orders insurance companies to set rates based upon a consumers driving record.

Has no bearing on safety

The new rules were applauded by the consumer group Consumer Watchdog.

Gender and sex have no more place in what we pay for auto insurance than race or ethnicity do, said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog. These new rules will finally end gender-based discrimination in auto insurance pricing in California.

The states Proposition 103 requires car insurance premiums to be based primarily on factors that a consumer can control. Legitimate factors include the consumers driving record, the number of miles they drive, and how many years theyve had a license. It strictly applies Californias civil rights laws to insurance, banning the use of sex, race, or sexual orientation to determine what a consumer pays for insurance.

Its a common belief that insurance companies always charge male drivers more than females for insurance, but a Consumer Federation of America (CFA) study suggests that is not always the case.

Different companies had different policies

CFA has reported that, in some markets, one insurance company would give a break on rates to a female driver while another insurance provider, in the same state, would charge a female customer more.

According to Consumer Watchdog, Geico often classifies women drivers as a higher risk. At the same time, studies have shown that State Farm usually treats men and women the same.

The California Department of Insurance found that genders effect on insurance rates previously tended to vary widely by geographic location.
As William Hague writes in todays Telegraph, the Prime Ministers best shot at getting her deal through the Commons relies on encouraging a balance of terror among her two disparate groups of opponents: She needs hardline Brexiteers to worry that if they dont vote with her, Brexit wont happen at all, and some ardent Remainers to think that unless they support her, Britain will crash out of the EU without a deal.

Weve already documented one evident problem with this strategy  namely that because both persuasion campaigns are happening in public, each side can hear the messages intended for the other. That helps to explain why its yet to work on either group.

Downing Street evidently isnt giving up, though. Today it is the Brexiteers turn to be targeted with a mystery leak which coincidentally communicates exactly the No Brexit warning that the Prime Minister would like  that British officials are supposedly putting out feelers in Brussels about the possibility of extending Article 50.

The story illustrates exactly the difficulties Downing Street is facing. Such a prospect will indeed concern some Leavers. But it will also infuriate others, while simultaneously undermining the argument to Remainers that the alternative to the Prime Ministers deal is a No Deal exit from the EU. Its far from clear that theres any net gain from this approach at all  at best it might produce what Hague terms an equilibrium of complacency.

Interestingly, its not completely, or at least solely, a comms tactic  there is also some debate on this topic inside Government. Im told that some of those  including David Lidington  who favour an exhaustive series of indicative votes, the idea by which Parliament would get to give its verdict on every possible Brexit outcome, see an Article 50 extension as the only way to address the rather large problem that there isnt time to carry out their plan.

Number 10 is resisting this suggestion. In part that is because the Prime Ministers team are not keen on the indicative vote idea, given that they have a specific proposal they wish to sell. They take the view that such votes would just allow the Commons to indulge its varied and conflicting dream outcomes, when actually MPs ought to focus more on what is really on offer. But the second reason is that a delay to Article 50 would itself be severely damaging. First it would deal a blow to the Prime Ministers plan, which would lose the threat of a hard deadline which is one of its few selling points, and then to the Government itself, which would find every troublesome group, from Stop Brexit Remainers to Start The Negotiation Again Leavers, emboldened by the message that it is possible to create extra time for any approach you might wish, contrary to the current assurance that the clock is ticking down inexorably.

Theres also the question of basic practicality. Even if the UK did request an extension to Article 50, why would the EU grant it? There are only a few possible reasons Westminster could give to Brussels to justify the request. If it was to give more time for No Deal preparations, its hard to see why the EU would do something it would see as helping to undermine its own internal messages about the dangers of trying to leave. The offer which might tempt the EU  that an extension would provide room to reverse Brexit, perhaps through a second referendum or new election  would hardly be consistent with the promises of the Government or conducive to its survival in office.

In short, even if an extension were possible theoretically, it might not be achievable practically. If it proved to be achievable practically, the price would be outrageously high and politically unacceptable to many Leavers. If, somehow, that price was paid, any and all of those who had thought an extension desirable would find their own plan for how to use the time would be consumed either by the EUs conditions for providing it, or by the free-for-all reopening of the whole debate from square one which the decision would spark. It has reportedly become common for ministers to dismiss Brexit plans they deem fantastical as unicorns  if so, this one has bells on it.
Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) is to launch its regular flights via route Baku-Almaty-Baku from 2 April, abc.az reported.

AZAL reports that flights will be operated twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays on aircraft Airbus 319 with economy class, Comfort-Club and business class.

"Flights will be carried out through Terminal 1 of the Heydar Aliyev International Airport," AZAL informed.
Coming to a television set near you: Farage the movie, the Daily Telegraph reported in August 2017. A major Hollywood studio is poised to sign a deal with Nigel Farage and Arron Banks to make a 60million, six-part film of Mr Banks best-selling diary of the referendum campaign The Bad Boys of Brexit. The script is nearly finished and shooting will start in the New Year. The series will air in April, once the deal is signed next month at a meeting in Los Angeles.

Eighteen months on, theres no sign of the film. Instead, we have one centred on the man who has a better claim to have swung the EU referendum  Dominic Cummings. There really is a God after all. Or, if there isnt, at least there is James Graham, who wrote Brexit: The Uncivil War, shown yesterday evening on Channel 4.

A virtue of his film is that it gets Banks measure, nailing him as a comic sideshow. An even bigger one is that it gets the referendum campaigns too, correctly fingering Cummings as the man who made the difference. Had he not been appointed, Vote Leave would almost certainly have missed official designation. Had he been fired from it  there was a coup to oust him  the organisation would have collapsed. There would have been no Take Back Control. And, like it or not, thats what the British people were persuaded to vote to do.

Banks has complained about the drama. So has the woman who has done so much to project him  Carole Cadwalladr. He doesnt like being played for laughs and she doesnt like it side-stepping her conspiracy theories. These were nodded to in the closing credits, but otherwise mostly avoided.

In a sense, though, one sympathises with both of them  at least, if hoping for documentary rather than drama. We could offer a list of corrections and clarifications. Douglas Carswell didnt avoid parts of his former constituency as the local MP. Michael Gove made his mind up far earlier than the film suggests (though he kept quiet about it). Cummings himself uses focus groups to test voter opinion, not random visits to pubs. But all that would be beside the point  like expecting a piece of poetry to be a chunk of prose.

No, a more substantial problem for Brexit: the Uncivil War emerges from its greatest strength  thats to say, putting Cummings, portrayed with eerie verisimilitude by Benedict Cumberbatch, at the centre of the film. Graham balances out Cummings with Craig Oliver, then David Camerons Director of Communications. This neat piece of parallelism sets them up as the contending antagonists of the drama.

But Oliver wasnt Cummings real-life equivalent. George Osborne was Remains chief strategist, if anyone. And he is missing from the film altogether in fictional form. So for that matter is Jeremy Corbyn. Indeed, the films fire is largely blue-on-blue. Back in the real world of the referendum campaign, Corbyns lethargy depressed Remains Labour vote, just as Farages energy, over a longer period, helped to deliver Leaves core support. Grahams palette is striking for the absence of red.

Again, its worth stressing that art isnt fact. None the less, a structural flaw in a dramas foundation can collapse it  especially, perhaps, if it looks back to recent events. Some will say that the film doesnt work because it scarcely strays from SW1 (which will also have provided the core of its audience), and is shy of probing the cases for and against the EU itself: that its real title should be Vote Leave: the Uncivil War.

Others will claim, we think with justice, that the campaign didnt pit head, in the form of rational Oliver, against heart, in that of romantic Cummings, as Graham seems to suggest. Rather, two different emotions went head to head: fear and anger. The drama shows a lot of the stoking of one but very little of that of the other  Project Fear. The balance between data and message on the Leave side is better, but it was the latter that counted most (at least, if you agree with Oliver which, in part, we do).

None the less, Brexit: the Uncivil War has an emotional strength at the heart of it: it gets why so many people voted Leave. The focus group scene in which a woman protests in tears that she feels, ignored, by-passed, and treated as if she has no value  and will back Brexit in consequence  has the raw power of truth.

Its a force that drives the progress of the plot, from Cummings stumbling upon Take back control as a winning slogan through the failed coup to depose him through the campaigning switch to immigration to the very end. A mention in dispatches, and then some, for Rory Kinnear, whose Oliver is a sleek fictional foil for Cumberbatchs angular Cummings. Graham may at heart be a man of the Left, but a more primal politics comes out of the near-final scene in which his protagonists square off against each other over a pint.

You wont be able to control it either, says Oliver of the energies that Cummings has helped to unleash. In the film, the latter can almost hear them, so finely-tuned are his sensibilities. The drama begins with him picking up noise in the ether, like a wireless picking up a signal  straining for it with a concentration that is almost clairvoyant.

Later in the film, he lies down, his ear pressed to the ground, in order to hear it better. The noise is voices. What are they saying? Cummings may not be sure, but Graham seems to be. Surly, turbulent, angry, swelling to a roar  this is the clamour not of a queue waiting to vote, but of a mob pitching the mighty from their seats. We have before us not so much the ballot box as Pandoras box.

Graham is not a Conservative, but this sensibility  this fear of riot, of disorder from below, of revolt  has been linked to the Right of politics for longer than the Left. He might not thank us for saying so, but he has produced a Tory work of art, in tone as well as personnel. There are worse ways of sketching a first draft of history.
James Frayne is Director of Public First and author of Meet the People, a guide to moving public opinion.

Theres increasing talk about possible splits within the Conservative Party over Brexit  and within the Labour Party too. We hear that anti-Brexit MPs could break away from their respective parties  possibly in collaboration with each other  to form one or more new, liberal-minded parties. These discussions are all based on considerations of the make-up of the two main parties. But these discussions have largely ignored the fact that you cant have parties without voters. And so, what does the polling evidence suggest as to where gaps in the political market really are?

Of course, voters split in a million different ways and there are therefore a million different parties that could be formed  on the basis of region, age, class, ethnicity, religion, and so on. But lets think about decent-sized parties that could theoretically be created off the back of shared political attitudes within the electorate. In doing so, there are probably five major parties that could be formed. (Im considering Englands electorate only here).

  

International Free Traders. Roughly ten per cent of the population would define as being primarily pro-business and pro-free trade  and with that positive towards the creation of a low-tax, dynamic economy. In the US, such people are occasionally referred to as Wall Street Journal Conservatives. While they are mostly to be found in the South of England (rather than London), they are scattered around (but not in) Englands affluent towns and cities. They are middle class and mostly pro-EU  and they mainly opposed leaving because they (rightly or wrongly) thought leaving the EU was a move against free trade. They are socially liberal and are open to significant public service reform.

Eurosceptic Libertarians. The Libertarian Party only merits a mention here, outside of the main parties, for clarification purposes. This is to say that the self-consciously optimistic, forward-looking, internationalist but eurosceptic, low-tax, socially liberal segment of the electorate is tiny. Its probably less than five per cent of the electorate and is much smaller than its pro-European, business-friendly equivalent who might vote for a free trade party.

Social Conservatives. Around 15 per cent could genuinely be described as primarily small-c conservative  people that believe in old-fashioned institutions, social conservatism and tightly-managed capitalism in the Christian Democrat mould. Overwhelmingly middle-class and older, this group leans male but is ethnically mixed and can be found in suburbs, small towns and villages across England.

Nationalists. Now we can think about the big clusters. Perhaps the biggest is the roughly 25 per cent of the electorate that is working class and lower middle class, anti-politics, self-consciously patriotic, eurosceptic and socially conservative. They previously mainly voted Labour but voted Conservative in 2017 over Brexit and could do so again. They are found across England but particularly in the small towns of the Midlands and North. They are ambivalent about capitalism and favour both lower taxes and more (but focused) spending on public services.

Social Democrats. Around 25 per cent of the public are essentially social democrats  people that worry primarily about the state of public services, about poverty and welfare, and about apparent capitalist excess. They care about issues of identity but significantly less so than their hard-left counterparts. They are highly pro-European, socially liberal, younger, female and overwhelmingly urban and suburban.

The Hard Left. Finally, around 15 per cent of the public are ideologically very left-wing. In the past, they defined themselves primarily by their views on how the economy and public services should be run, with extreme hostility to the private sector. They still care and vote on these issues, but now theyre increasingly likely to make themselves heard on issues of identity (gender, ethnicity, and so on). They align with Corbyn in everything except the EU; in the past, many would have been anti-EU, but that flipped when euroscepticism became completely linked with the right. Theyre mainly found in London and the countrys big cities and theyre younger, female and middle class.

  

What does all this mean for any of those politicians thinking about creating new parties? Three things.

First, probably, that they should view any new parties as being broad churches (like their own now) or as smaller, permanent coalition partners as commonly exist in other countries.

Second, related to this point, the public dont line up  at all  on a neat ideological spectrum as politicians often imagine. Ideologically pure parties might theoretically have fewer internal divisions (although that rarely works out in practice), but theyd reach few voters.

Third, and specifically for anti-Brexit politicians, the path to creating such a party lies firmly on what we think of as the Left; while its not impossible that a new anti-Brexit party could speak to international free traders and social democrats, it would be easier to fuse together social democrats and the hard left because voters share so much common ground on other issues. If theyre not in the broad church of the Conservative Party, its hard to imagine an electorally attractive role for these Conservative MPs.
Henry Newman is Director of Open Europe.

I had hoped that MPs would return from Christmas ready to find a compromise  a path through Brexit so we can move on to deciding what sort of future relationship we want. Yet, for now, it seems that Parliamentarians on both sides of the debate have hardened their positions. In a week, the House of Commons will get its first chance to vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal. Its not perfect, and few people would have started from here. But it is a reasonable deal that takes us right out of the EU and the Single Market. And yet it seems that some Eurosceptic MPs just dont want to take yes for an answer.

Many of the concerns about the deal centre on the backstop  an arrangement to keep the Irish border open. There are certainly problems with it but there are also advantages. Some people are worried we could end up trapped in the backstop. They rightly treat the Prime Ministers insistence that we wont get there at all with raised eyebrows. So lets consider a worst-case scenario. Imagine that we end up in the backstop and theres no immediate path out.

We could be in the backstop in less than two years time, once the standstill transition ends. Or we could apply to extend the transition for a one-off further period of up to two years, meaning that (unless we had agreed a successor relationship) we would be in the backstop by January 2023. It is not the case, as Sir Bill Cash suggested at the weekend, that the transition could be extended until the end of the century. Either we enter the backstop, or we agree a new deal.

In the backstop the UK can end free movement. I back an open migration system that welcomes the worlds brightest and best to contribute to our country. But the public want our Parliament to decide who comes here. We could do that from day one of the backstop.

Our gross contributions to the EU are currently over 350 million a week, as the Leave campaign infamously pointed out. Of course the UK gets some of that back. But in the backstop our contributions wouldnt just be less. They would be zero. No compulsory payments at all, once the divorce bill is settled. So if the UK was parked in the backstop we wouldnt have to hand over any of our hard-earned money.

As a Eurosceptic, one of the things I most wanted from Brexit was an escape from the political project. I wanted to stop the EU integration ratchet, where the answer to every problem is more Europe. The backstop would wind the clock back, taking us towards the trading bloc model of the early 1980s. Eurosceptics used to say that was what they wanted. Now it is offered on a plate, some are saying its not good enough.

Our services sector, accounting for 80 per cent of our domestic wealth, will be free from EU control in the backstop. We will be obliged to maintain current European rules on goods and agriculture in Northern Ireland, but could resist damaging new rules. This point has not been well appreciated. In the backstop we would be able to say non, merci to new laws from the EU (other than on state aid and competition). We would have to implement amendments and updates in Northern Ireland, but if the EU tried to use these to sneak through major changes we could push back.

In the backstop, we could set our own laws on employment rights and environmental protections, as long as a baseline of general principles are maintained. Eurosceptics have long complained about the Habitats directive  we could re-examine that. Imagine in the mid-2020s the French forcing through a new EU directive, mandating a 35-hour week for all and a months August holiday. We could go our own way.

Im not Pollyanna  there are problems with the backstop, especially for Northern Ireland. But in that divided community Brexit was always going to be problematic. You could keep the whole UK in legal lockstep with Ireland and the EU, but that would defeat the point of Brexit. Leave Northern Ireland aligned to the EU, as the rest of the UK diverges, and you upset Unionists. Pull Northern Ireland away from Ireland, and you enrage Nationalists. The only answer is a hybrid solution. The backstop, imperfect as it is, and improved though it should be, does that. No wonder unionist business and farming groups back it. Some see a chance to be a British Hong Kong, although as Open Europe has pointed out thats not a very applicable analogy.

The backstop gives the UK zero-tariff trade with the EU, helping protect manufacturing. That means we wont yet get control over our trade policy  something I would ultimately like. Some fear the EU could exploit the backstop agreement to sell access to our markets without our consent. Im not convinced. We could push back against new EU trade deals. Anyway, if a country like Australia was about to sign a deal with Brussels, they would also want to sit down with us. The UK isnt Turkey. We are one of the worlds biggest economies so its inevitable a new EU trading partner would want to discuss mutual market access, as well as the bilateral services and investor protection trade deals which its possible for the UK to sign while in the backstop. (By the way, in the backstop we could do our own services trade deals with other countries, independently of anything the EU agrees).

The Government has made plenty of errors while negotiating Brexit. Downing Street is appallingly bad at explaining its own policies. At no point did the Prime Minister really level with the public about the compromises necessary to reach agreement with Brussels, which has its own red lines. But its also true that critics of this deal are often confused about the details and unrealistic about the alternatives. Too often they seem to fetishise a few details of the problems around the backstop, missing the wood surrounding the trees. They also tend to take the European Commissions spin at face value  instead they should listen to diplomats from EU member states, who are far from happy with the backstop.

At this point there are only three real options: first, stopping Brexit, probably with a divisive second referendum which could tear our country apart. Second, pushing the UK out the EU with No Deal, which Parliament would surely try to block. We would be fine in the medium-term but the immediate disruption would be profound. Or third, taking the bird in the hand. Back the only deal on the table. Push the Prime Minister to get tweaks to improve the backstop, but accept that we have been members for four and a half decades and getting out wont be like flicking a switch. And then on 30th March 2019 we can put Groundhog Day arguments about whether we should or shouldnt leave behind us, and concentrate on what we do with our newfound freedoms.
Greg Hands: The power is with us. The two EU officials who want to punish Britain, crafted the deal  and claim they are winning.

Greg Hands is MP for Chelsea and Fulham, and a former Minister of State at the Department of International Trade.

The Commissions top German Brexit officials are clear: the Withdrawal Agreement hugely favours the EU, and was always meant to be so.

The word from these top EU officials is that: Northern Ireland is the price that Britain must pay for Brexit; that the Withdrawal Agreement shows Brexit doesnt work; that the power is with the EU and that the EU has the best negotiating position for the future relationship.

Much attention has focused on Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxemburger EU Commission President, and Michel Barnier, the Commissions French chief Brexit negotiator.

But most Brussels commentators maintain that Brexit details are determined by their respective number twos: Martin Selmayr (Chief of Staff to Juncker since 2014, and  controversially  General Secretary of the European Commission since March 2018) and Sabine Weyand, deputy to Barnier.

Both happen to be German. Indeed, Die Welt, the leading German daily, early on in the negotiations did a feature titled The top German players in the Brexit poker game, with a certain pride, on their central role in the coming talks.

Selmayr and Weyand  the well-connected German officials, behind the scenes

They come from similar backgrounds. Both grew up near the French border (Selmayr, aged 48, in Karlsruhe and Weyand, aged 54 in Saarbruecken). Both are connected with the German CDU. Weyand joined it as a sixth former, according to a proud feature from her local TV station Saarlaendische Rundfunk. Selmayr, meanwhile, edited his own Wikipedia page to remove references to his CDU membership, replacing it with membership of the Flemish Christian Democrats, according to Brussels news service Politico.

Both are close to Peter Altmaier, who has long been seen as Angela Merkels closest ally in Berlin. To declare an interest, I have also known Altmaier for 12 years, but I have never met either Selmayr or Weyand.

The same Saarlaendische Rundfunk piece says that Weyand got to know Altmaier when she was a sixth former. The Die Welt piece says that Selmayr counts Altmaier also as a friend since that time. Altmaier is also from the Saarland, which hugs Germanys western border with France. As it happens, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Merkels successor as CDU Party Leader, also comes from the Saarland. In my experience of German politics, hailing from the Saarland tends to make one a Francophile, although Altmaier is also a great enthusiast for the UK, too.

Both are known to work incredibly hard. Selmayr is known in German as a Strippenzieher, best translated as a scheming powerbroker. He has earned multiple nicknames like the Monster and the Beast of Berlaymont (the name of the EU headquarters). When Selmayr chairs the Commission Cabinet  according to the FT  other chefs call their Monday meeting the weekly humiliation

Selmayr and Weyands approach to the Brexit talks: punish the heretics

Anyway, enough on the background, which is important in understanding what has happened since the referendum in 2016. Weyand was appointed soon after Barnier, on 1st October 2016. Selmayr has been in situ in one guise or another since 2014.

It has been clear from the beginning that the mission of senior Brussels officials has been to punish Britain for Brexit. Selmayr and Weyand appear to be no exception to this.

As early as May 2017, the Daily Telegraph reported that British officials believed that Mr Selmayr, an arch-federalist, was determined to poison the negotiations in a bid to punish the UK for leaving the European Union.

In September 2017, Selmayr was reported to have blasted Brexit as stupid. He is a theologian who regards the British as heretics, was how a former British ambassador to Brussels described him to The Times.

It is Selmayr who stands accused of having leaked the details of two dinners between Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Although he denies this. The accounts claimed May begged for help and described May as appearing anxious, tormented, despondent and discouraged, and cruelly described how our Prime Minister appeared to be having sleepless nights.

Juncker  or more likely Selmayr  vetoed greater transparency in the Brexit talks and specifically recommendations from the EUs official watchdog that Weyands role be more scrutinised and her meetings published.

What they now say about the Brexit Agreement: and why that should warn us, British MPs, in advance of next weeks vote

Since the Withdrawal Agreement was finalised in November, Selmayr and Weyand have left most of the public words to their bosses Juncker and Barnier, but behind the scenes various reports have emerged of what these two officials think. And these officials are the ones who know the detail best. Both have been clear that the Agreement is overwhelmingly favourable to the European Union.

The deal wasnt even yet signed when Weyand briefed EU ambassadors on Friday 9th November, as reported in The Times: They must align their rules but the EU will retain all the controls. They apply the same rules. UK wants a lot more from future relationship, so EU retains its leverage. And that we should be in the best negotiation position for the future relationship. This requires the customs union as the basis of the future relationship. And also that Britain would have to swallow a link between access to products and fisheries in future agreements.

Dominic Raab resigned over the agreement, and stated that Selmayr had been boasting that losing Northern Ireland was the price of Brexit. You would hear swirling around in Brussels  particularly the people around Selmayr, Martin Selmayr in the Commission, and some others  that losing Northern Ireland was the price the UK would pay for Brexit, said Mr Raab. This was reported to me through the diplomatic channel. It is one thing to defend your interests robustly, but there is another thing in the spirit of so-called European unity to be trying to carve up a major European nation.

Selmayr told a meeting of EU sherpas on Friday 23rd November that the power is with us.

Unusually for such a senior official, Selmayr himself gave an interview to the obscure German regional newspaper the Passauer Neue Presse on 7th December, claiming that the agreement now proved that Brexit doesnt work. The Europeans are at one on the question of Brexit. All have noticed, that this exit from the EU, which the populists have extolled as a great success, doesnt work. The other 27 states are united: they have negotiated hard and realised their objectives.

And to put the ball back into Londons court, an unnamed senior EU official told The Times: To use a Christmas theme, we want all parties and factions in the British parliament to feel the bleak midwinter.

These are hardly ringing endorsements of a treaty between friendly, democratic and free-market nations. The agreement, in the word of the EUs most senior officials, doesnt work, it leaves the power with us [the EU], and that the EU has the best negotiating position for the future relationship and that losing part of ones country is the price of Brexit.

So what does it mean for the future?

Some might claim that these are mere officials, and that we should judge the Withdrawal Agreement on its merits, not on how others choose to paint it. There are three reasons why we should be further concerned about what this means for the future trade relationship, yet to be negotiated.

First, the same people are likely to be in charge from the EU side. These are people totally committed to seeing that Britain is harmed. These are also the people most on top of the detail. Selmayr even reportedly wants to run the trade negotiations, even though that would ordinarily be a matter for DG Trade in Brussels.

Selmayrs views on trade deals in general is also very unhelpful for the UK. For example, there is strong evidence that he wouldnt allow data to be included in any future EU-UK trade deal. He is reported to have insisted that deals should include things like cars, cheese and beef.

Second, Selmayr and Weyand have manipulated the negotiations to first insist that the Future Relationship needed to be separate to the Withdrawal Agreement (which we should never have agreed to  but thats another story), but nonetheless insert the things that mattered most to them into the Withdrawal Agreement  like Geographic Indicators and the Backstop itself, which are actually all about the future relationship, and not about the divorce. This doesnt augur well for the future talks. Nor does Weyands briefing to EU ambassadors that the agreement requires the customs union as the basis of the future relationship.

Third, and most importantly, these officials will be growing in power in the coming months and years. Juncker will be gone in June, after the European elections, as will all the other commissioners, including probably the capable and experienced Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom. Barniers future after June is also uncertain. The European Parliament will be new and could well have a very different make up in numbers and in faces to that presently.

The continuity in Brussels will be provided by senior officials like Selmayr and Weyand. If they succeed in getting the Withdrawal Agreement over the line, who will be able to stop them?
To say Apple's statement to investors revising its quarterly guidance got a lot of attention in the tech industry would be an understatement. The statement, which largely focused on iPhone sales in China as a major reason for missing revenue expectations by billions of dollars, quickly became one of the bigger tech and business stories of the new year.

A lot of the discussion in the last few days has focused on the fact that Apple can no longer rely on sales in China to fuel continued iPhone growth  and raised questions about whether the world has reached an iPhone saturation point. Among the solutions talked up were calls for Apple to refashion itself as a services company rather than a hardware maker. (There were, of course, renewed complaints that Apple's hardware pricing has gotten out of hand.)

It's hard to dispute many of these arguments, even though smartphone adoption over the past decade or so made meteoric growth unsustainable for Apple (or any other company). Without new geographic markets to enter, Apple to maintain sales growth will find itself ever more dependent on customers upgrading their devices or on Android users deciding to switch to the iPhone. The fact that people are upgrading their phones at a slower rate, and increasingly keep devices beyond the historic two-year upgrade cycle, were cited among the reasons for the restatement.

Although Apple may not have geographic markets to push into as it has for the past decade, that doesn't mean the company is without potential new markets.

The enterprise market has been a growing one for Apple for some time, particularly during the past couple of years; companies like IBM and SAP have demonstrated that mass deployment of Apple hardware on a great scale is not only possible but also beneficial.

IBM, which last fall open-sourced its Mac@IBM program, has been a leader in Apple enterprise adoption and has noted that it spends significantly less on support and maintenance costs for Apple-using employees than on those that continue to work on Windows PCs. The company is also one of several enterprise partners Apple has teamed up with in recent years, working with customers to develop business and enterprise apps for Apple devices.

The enterprise market is one of the biggest global technology markets on earth and while Apple has developed a strong foothold in it, there is still plenty of growth to be had. Grabbing a larger share of that growth could offset the impact of a "peak-iPhone" world. Would it offer the same device sales or revenues as a market as large as China? Not likely, but it is also a more sustainable market.

One thing to consider about the enterprise market is that it isn't just about the iPhone. In fact, for Apple, that playing field is probably more ripe for sales of new iPad Pro tablets and MacBooks than it is for iPhones. These are all products that expand Apple's sales beyond just the iPhone.

Apple

One of the challenges Apple faces in the consumer PC and tablet markets is that it makes premium devices with premium prices. Many users opt for lower cost, bare-bones computers, tablets, or two-in-one devices. Businesses typically don't. Most business salespeople will note that pricier, better-powered PCs are standard fare for companies 1) because of their longer lifespan and 2) because of performance, maintenance and repair rates. In general, upgraded business PCs  particularly notebooks  aren't much cheaper than Apple's hardware. And IT buyers are more likely to pay attention to things like total cost of ownership over a device's lifespan than consumers that focus on just the upfront costs.

For Apple, this represents a great opportunity. There are growing proofs of concept that Apple devices function well in the enterprise, deliver on employee satisfaction, and have lower overall ownership costs. Apple's premium design and reputation also make offering a Mac or an iPad a potential recruitment incentive. In today's job market, that's a fact that shouldn't be ignored.

The main point here is that Apple needs to invest more in its enterprise mindshare and needs to define itself as a company that makes products beyond the iPhone. Doing so would likely allow Apple to avoid future earnings warnings and the resulting market shocks that come with them.
Why, if Microsoft is such a successful company, has it failed in wireless and smartphones over the last decade? Sure, it still leads in operating system wars with its Windows OS and its software like Office, but that may have as much to do with lack of real competition than the more important customer satisfaction. So why has the company having so many problems in wireless?

If we pull the camera back, we can see the wireless and smartphone wars have claimed many victims over the last decade or two. Ten years ago, the smartphone space was led by Blackberry and Nokia. Ten years before that it was Motorola. All have now fallen to the bottom of the list as Apple's iPhone and Google's Android entered the arena and rapidly grew.

Apple iPhone growth curve may be cresting

Apple is also recently struggling with iPhone growth. This is a company which is built on the iPhone. Apple nearly went out of business in the 1990s, but when it launched the iPhone twelve years ago, it was reborn. Now it is the largest company in the United States.

However, recent numbers may be revealing that growth is slowing at Apple.

Microsoft is a story of a powerful company with seemingly brilliant leadership before it was broken up by the US Government in the 1990s because of anti-competitive behavior.

In the early years, this was a small and scrappy entrepreneurial company which had to rob Peter to pay Paul. Then it quickly grew into one of the most powerful tech companies in the world.

What happened next? The same attacking behavior that helped put the company on the map should have been reined in as it became dominant, but it wasnt. And because Microsoft abused its strong leadership position, it was eventually taken apart by the US Government.

Thats when their trouble started.

Microsoft praised for ingenuity when it was young

Microsoft's behavior, when it was young, is what was needed to keep it alive in the early years. However, as it grew and became powerful, the company needed to change. But it didnt change. It didnt moderate. It kept using the same bullying tactics to bury its competitors.

That bullying behavior worked when Microsoft was young and small but backfired when it became powerful because it did not moderate itself.

Microsoft's behavior was its strength and its weakness. Over time, the young whippersnapper grew into a bully that had to be taken down by regulators. If the company had moderated itself from the start, it might never have been broken up.

Microsoft broken-up by US government for same behavior that built it

Microsoft's leadership was caused in part by its ability to bundle together Windows with its other proprietary software like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. Its leadership in web browsing with Internet Explorer was another factor in what built the company into a powerhouse.

After the breakup, Microsoft simply could not get its act together. Sure, it was still the powerful company it had grown into. It still had loads of cash, which gave the company much more time than the average business to try to create the growth wave it once had when it was smaller.

However, it seems new businesses Microsoft tried to move into failed. That failure has not ended and, in fact, may be spreading -- as it seems to be spreading with Apple.

Microsoft tried but couldnt succeed in smartphone wars

The fall has been very dramatic and almost unbelievable. The Microsoft IE, or Internet Explorer, business was once the primary web browser in the world. Microsoft owned the space. However, that leadership made the company lazy. It had no one to compete with. It took forever to issue updates which were more for security and less on innovation.

Thats when competitors like Google and Mozilla stepped in and took over the search engine business which was like ripping out the rug from underneath Microsoft. The company has been struggling ever since.

It tried to reinvent the search space again with its current Edge browser. Thats where the company put its time and efforts. However, Edge didnt take off like Microsoft had hoped. Google still had the advantage and was innovating too quickly for Microsoft to ever catch up.

Microsoft tried and failed in wireless smartphones

Microsoft tried wireless over more than a decade. It started with regular handsets and then moved into smartphones to compete with new players like iPhone and Android. The company could have been successful. After all, it is Microsoft. It has tons of existing users who could have all been wireless users as well.

The truth is iPhone and Android completely changed the wireless smartphone space. So, success and transformation can and did take place. Just not with Microsoft. The company already had the user base. It just didnt have the ability to deliver what the world and its users wanted.

Microsoft had the smarts. It just didnt have the pieces of the puzzle that made the difference. The company also didnt have the innovation or the connection with its users. Microsoft always wanted to do things its own way. It never got close to the needs or wants of its users because it never thought it had to. After all, it was Microsoft. But thats what is hurting the company and has been over the last decade or two.

Microsoft struggled with many different ideas which simply missed the mark. This went on year after year and never got any better.

Microsoft ultimately lost these two battles for search engines to Google's Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox and wireless smartphones to Apple's iPhone, Google's Android, and Samsung's Galaxy.

This was a painful lesson to learn. Just because a company is very successful in one area is no guarantee it can duplicate that success in other areas.

New problems with Microsoft Word: missing Recents file

Microsoft Word has had some real problems lately. Twice in the last month, the Recents file has vanished. That means there is no longer a list of recent files you have worked on. So, you have to remember where each file is stored in a massive directory. If you are like me, youve been building that enormous list of files for decades. There are thousands of them.

The problem I am experiencing is with Word on a MacBook. After asking lots of different people, I have learned that this has been a problem for many others for quite a while. Many people have been experiencing this problem more than once -- just not all at the same time.

Areas where Microsoft is disappointing users

So, these are just some of the areas where Microsoft is really letting its users down. When we think about Microsoft, we think of a large and powerful corporation. While that may be true, it is also a company that cant seem to shoot straight. And users are noticing.

The problem is Microsoft is too insular. It is not close to its users. It puts out what it wants to put out whether the user wants it or not. That has been a mistake from the beginning. And it is not changing.

These problems could continue to develop into a real growth problem for the company. These are areas that are screaming to be fixed before its too late. Microsoft is a giant, but the problems arent going away.

However, growth is what is key for the company going forward. I have learned over the last several decades this is how Microsoft operates. Can the company fix this growing problem, or will it simply throw in the towel as it did with its smartphones? The next step is up to Microsoft.
The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form
In December 2018, the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences celebrated its 60th anniversary. The director of the institute, orientalist, academician, doctor of philological sciences Govhar Bakhshaliyeva told Vestnik Kavkaza about how the institute has changed over the years, what kind of contribution it makes in revealing the truth about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to the world community.

- In December, the Institute of Oriental Studies turned 60 years old. What anniversary events were held?

- On the day of the anniversary, December 11, a bas-relief of an outstanding Azerbaijani orientalist, academician Zia Buniyatov was opened. Then the guests, led by the President of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), academician Akif Alizadeh, viewed a stand dedicated to Professor Aida Imanguliyeva and an exhibition dedicated to the institute's scientific achievements.

Aida Imanguliyeva's stand

Afterwards, they visited Zia Buniyatovs office with his furniture, his books and manuscripts. Later, a ceremonial meeting dedicated to the 60th anniversary of our Institute was held. On the eve of the anniversary, the book titled '60 years of the Buniyatov Institute of Oriental Studies' was published. It describes in detail the activities of all departments of the institute, and also contains information about all the scientific works published by our scientists for 60 years. Soon it will be released in Russian and English as well.

- The Institute of Oriental Studies pays special attention to the publication of books and other printed materials aimed at conveying the truth about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to the world community.

- Our institute considers such work necessary. For example, in 2018, Arabic and Persian booklets were published on the Khojaly genocide. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a gaping wound in the soul of every Azerbaijani. Therefore, we are trying to convey the truth about it to the world community through the publication of printed materials in foreign languages. Among other things, we annually distribute these publications among our colleagues at international conferences.

The Institute's booklets on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict issue

- In November, you took part in the international forum titled 'Russia and the East. To the 200th anniversary of the Russian Academic Oriental studies,' held in St. Petersburg. Within the framework of the forum, a cooperation agreement was signed with the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences. What other scientific and educational centers does the Institute of Oriental Studies work with?

- As you rightly noted, we pay great attention to interaction with relevant Russian structures, in particular, with the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In addition, the Institute of Oriental Studies of Azerbaijan cooperates with universities of Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), the Romanian Babes-Bolyai University, the International Institute of Social History of Amsterdam, the University of Naples East, the University of Warsaw, The Polish Academy of Sciences, Pakistans Bahria University, Tbilisi and Batumi State Universities, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Institute of Turkology and Central Asian studies, as well as other large structures, studying the East.

In accordance with bilateral agreements, international conferences are organized together with these centers. Some time ago, one of our employees returned from an internship in Indonesia, and the other two are currently in China.

- What changes have occurred at the institute in recent years?

- A lot has changed. However, it is extremely important that we managed to preserve the traditions established by the academicians Abdulkarim Alizade, Alisokhbet Sumbatzade, Hamid Arasli, Zia Buniyatov, professors Aida Imangulieva, Rustam Aliyev, Rauf Seyidov and others. The students of these prominent Orientalist scholars still work in our institute.

This year, the work of our institute's scientists received a decent assessment from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. One of the employees was awarded the Order Shohrat, three others - the medal Tereggi, two more were awarded the title Honored Worker of Science and an honorary presidential diploma.

As for the changes in the work of the institute, they were mostly related to the independence of our country in 1991. The fact is that during the Soviet times, the Russian Institute was considered the leading Institute of Oriental Studies. The task of our institute was to study only the countries of the Near and Middle East, including the Arab countries, as well as Iran and Turkey.

Since becoming independent, our country has needed to establish bilateral cooperation with all countries of the East. Not so much was known about some of them. Therefore, the primary task of the Institute of Oriental Studies of Azerbaijan has become the study of the modern socio-political, economic and cultural life of these countries. In this regard, new departments were created, in particular, a department of Central Asian countries responsible for studying the Central Asian republics of the former USSR, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and China, as well as a department of the Asia-Pacific region, which is focused on Japan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka.

Books published by the Institute

To date, the institute has 13 main departments and several subsidiary ones.

The political situation in the Middle East, which has become one of the most intense regions of the world, could not but affect the work of the institute. The rich reserves of oil and other natural resources in the region constantly attract the attention of great states and world centers of power. The ongoing confrontation between Israel and Palestine, the war in Iraq and Syria, the socio-political events taking place in a number of Arab countries, ethnic disagreements taking place in individual countries, religious fundamentalist movements, the danger of international terrorism and other problems are increasingly attracting the attention of all world to this region.

In this regard, new directions of research have appeared. These include the study of the laws of the socio-political, economic and cultural development of the Eastern countries, the study of the historical, philological, religious and philosophical heritage of the peoples of the East, the translation and publication of written artifacts, as well as analysis of cultural and historical ties between Azerbaijan and the East.

Over the past 60 years, more than 600 monographs, books and collections have been published by the institute, as well as more than seven thousand scientific papers.

- How popular is the profession of orientalist in modern Azerbaijan?

- As I have already said, the international relations of the Azerbaijan Republic expanded significantly after the collapse of the USSR. In particular, contacts with the countries of the Near and Middle East were intensified. Our institute studies not only the history and culture of these countries, but also the sociopolitical and religious situation there, which allows us to make certain predictions about their future development and prospects for cooperation with our country.

Currently, there is a need for interpreters who speak Arabic, Farsi and other Oriental languages. And, of course, we need interpreters who speak Chinese and Japanese.

With the advent of independence, interest in Islam in our country has started to grow. In this context, knowledge of Arabic is desirable, as it gives a clear understanding of the peace-loving nature of the Muslim religion and helps not to fall under the influence of some extremist force. Therefore, I can say with confidence that the profession of orientalist is currently in demand in Azerbaijan.
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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech during his party's parliamentary group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara on January 8, 2019. Adem Altan | AFP | Getty Images

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a blunt put-down Tuesday against White House national security advisor John Bolton over his pledges to ensure Turkish nonaggression against Kurds who fought against the Islamic State in Syria. "We cannot accept Bolton's messages given from Israel," the Turkish president said, adding that Bolton made a "serious mistake," Reuters reported. He was referring to statements by the senior Trump administration official, made from Israel over the weekend, promising safety for the U.S.-allied Kurdish militias  who dominate areas in Northern Syria and whom the Turks view as terrorists  in the event of a U.S. military withdrawal.

The militias, known as the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), are the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), an offshoot of the designated terrorist group called the Kurdistan Workers Party, which has carried out a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. They're also America's primary partners on the ground in Syria: The Pentagon has been supplying the YPG with weaponry, air support and training to battle IS since 2015, and the militias have suffered thousands of casualties fighting for the U.S.-led coalition. Erdogan stressed that the YPG and the PYD cannot be representative of Kurds, adding that Bolton "probably doesn't know" who the two groups are. He also described Turkey as facing a "critical juncture" in Syria, with whom it shares a 500-mile border. Ankara has for months threatened a military offensive against the Kurds in northeastern Syria, refusing to view their presence as legitimate. That threat has been made all the more real since President Donald Trump's shock announcement on Dec. 19 to quickly withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria, a move met with torrents of criticism from security experts and lawmakers alike. Trump, defending his decision, emphasized the need for other countries to take on the battle against IS in Syria and espoused Turkey's subsequent offer to fill America's shoes. Critics say this will primarily mean Turkish violence against the Kurds.

The YPG, widely seen as Washington's most effective local partner in the fight against IS, sees the move as leaving them open to Turkish assault. In a bid to reassure allies of Washington's commitment, Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have been touring Middle Eastern capitals this week expressing their will to protect the Kurds and continue combating IS. "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 Sunday in Israel. He added that Turkey must "meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered."

Ankara and Washington at loggerheads
The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed hefty contempt fines to resume against a mysterious foreign-owned company that is locked in a battle over evidence with federal prosecutors believed to be working for special counsel Robert Mueller.

But the unidentified firm is continuing its broader fight to avoid having to comply with a subpoena issued by a grand jury suspected of working in conjunction with Mueller's ongoing probes.

Now it will face a daily fine of $50,000 as that fight continues, the D.C. Circuit revealed in an opinion published later Tuesday.

Last month, in response to a request by the company, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay on the fines the firm faced for not complying with that subpoena.

On Tuesday, in a filing that did not note a dissent from any justice, the Supreme Court effectively lifted Roberts' stay of the fines, which he had imposed over the holidays until the full court could review the matter. Tuesday's order suggests at least five justices opposed a stay.

Separately, the company has asked the Supreme Court for permission to file an application for the high court to hear its challenge to the subpoena. The court has yet to rule on that request, and may not anytime soon, according to legal experts.

"The reality is that the court declining to issue a stay suggests to me that they are not going to be in any hurry to expedite the petition," said Steve Vladeck, a national security lawyer and professor at the University of Texas School of Law.

The company in August filed a legal action seeking to quash the subpoena, which was issued by a grand jury sitting in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. That lawsuit is sealed from public view.

Judge Beryl Howell rejected the request and imposed escalating fines after finding that the company was in contempt for refusing to comply with the subpoena, court records show.

The company then appealed her decision to the federal appeals court in Washington.

The company, according to court records, argued it was immune from the subpoena under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The firm also argued that the subpoena was "unreasonable and oppressive" under federal criminal procedure rules because it would require the company to violate the law of the country that owns it.

The suspicion that the subpoena was issued by a grand jury working with Mueller stems from the fact that a Politico reporter overheard a man in October ask an appeals court clerk asked for a copy of "the special counsel's latest sealed filing so that the man's law firm could craft its response," Politico has reported. That request came on the same day that a filing in the subpoena-related appeals case was due.

"Three hours later, a sealed response in the grand-jury dispute was submitted to the D.C. Circuit," Politico reported.

Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, possible collusion in that meddling by members of Donald Trump's campaign and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump himself. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

CNN reported that its reporters in September saw several prosecutors from Mueller's office enter Howell's courtroom shortly after she issued a ruling upholding the subpoena. The same prosecutors were spotted entering Howell's court Oct. 5, after the appeals court referred the case back to her for a hearing.

On Dec. 14, the appeals court heard arguments over the company's request to quash the subpoena, without the public being allowed to attend the hearing. Before arguments began, the entire floor containing the courtroom was closed to the public.

On Dec. 18, a three-judge appeals panel rejected each of the claims raised by the company. Four days later, the company asked the Supreme Court to stay the contempt fines.

Experts say that Tuesday's order refusing to stay the fines, will not end the matter. But it is a setback for the company, particularly given the absence of any noted dissents in the order.

"If I am their lawyers, I am not optimistic, given that there were no recorded dissents," Vladeck said. "So I think that the question is whether the mystery corporation is willing to keep paying the contempt fine while it presses the court to take the question on the merits."
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:

Union Pacific  Shares of the freight-hauling railroad rose more than 7.5 percent in premarket trading after it hired a new chief operating officer. The Omaha, Nebraska-based railroad said Monday that it hired longtime Canadian National railroad executive Jim Vena as COO. Vena will take the reins on January 14. Seaport Global Securities upgraded the stock to a "buy" rating following the news.

Nordstrom  The department store's stock rose 1.6 percent before the bell after Morgan Stanley upgraded shares on Monday. Analyst Kimberly Greenberger said catalysts such as the opening of its flagship New York City Women's store in fall 2019 as well as underperformance in 2018 make the stock slightly more attractive based from a valuation perspective.

Monster Beverage  The energy drink company rose 2.9 percent in premarket trading Tuesday after SunTrust analyst William Chappell told clients that he thinks the concerns around rival Coca-Cola launching a competitive energy drink products are "overblown." He also wrote that Monster Beverage's gross margins are too low given recent input cost declines and the apparently successful implementation of U.S. price increases.

Mastercard  The stock dropped 0.6 percent before the bell after Bank of America/Merrill Lynch downgraded it to "neutral" from "buy." Analyst Jason Kupferberg highlighted near-term concerns regarding cross-border deceleration and fiscal 2019 estimates, which he said "look high especially on revenue."

PG&E  The beleaguered utility company was set to drop another 3.4 percent on Tuesday. The California company is set to face at least $30 billion in liability for fire in 2017 and 2018, sources told CNBC's David Faber on Monday, reigniting concerns that it could face capital and liquidity constraints. It's considering bankruptcy protection for some or all of its business as it faces a big fourth-quarter charge related to liability for the fatal fires, Reuters reported Friday.

PPG  The stock slid more than 4.5 percent before Wall Street's opening bell despite reassurances from PPG Chairman Michael McGarry that its acquisition of a German automotive coatings company "is another step forward in our strategic growth plan that will provide further value to our customers and shareholders." The company said Monday it reached an agreement to buy Hemmelrath.

Samsung Electronics  The company issued guidance on Tuesday that its fourth-quarter earnings will likely sink thanks to tepid demand in its memory business. The South Korean tech giant said it sees operating profit for the three months ended December at 10.8 trillion Korean won ($9.67 billion), or 28.71 percent below a year ago. The figure missed market expectations, coming in 18.18 percent less than the 13.2 trillion won that analysts had predicted.

CNBC's Saheli Roy Choudhury contributed reporting.
Facilities at the Yamal LNG liquefaction plant in the town of Sabetta at the Yuzhno-Tambeyskoye gas field by the Kara Sea. Donat Sorokin | TASS | Getty Images

With 28 countries and a combined population of around 512 million people, the European Union is something of a prized market  and political battleground  for the world's largest energy exporters, particularly when it comes to natural gas. Russia has long been the dominant source and supplier of natural gas to Europe's mass market but the U.S. is looking to challenge Russia by stepping up its imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG)  gas which is super-cooled to liquid form  making it easier and safer to store and transport. Europe certainly appears keen to wean itself off Russian gas, and all the geopolitical implications that reliance entails, while making overtures to the U.S. Last July, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and President Donald Trump agreed to strengthen U.S.-EU strategic cooperation with respect to energy and the EU said it would import more LNG from the U.S. "to diversify and render its energy supply more secure." Twenty-four percent of U.S. LNG went to the EU in October 2018, a month which saw the largest volume ever of EU-U.S. trade in LNG of almost 0.6 billion cubic meters. In the whole of 2017, only 10 percent of U.S. LNG exports went to the EU. The Commission, the EU's executive arm, expects U.S. gas exports to the region could double by 2022 and has vaunted the construction of LNG terminals across Europe. "The fact is that U.S. LNG, if priced competitively, can play and increasing role in EU gas supply, enhancing diversification and EU energy security," the EU said in a document detailing the state of EU-U.S. LNG trade in late November.

US vs Russian gas

The U.S. became a net natural gas exporter in 2017 for the first time in almost 60 years, according to the country's Energy Information Administration (EIA). It saw exports of its LNG rise 58 percent through the first half of 2018, compared with the same period in 2017. In fact, while U.S. LNG exports have continued to grow in 2018, U.S. natural gas pipeline import and export volumes have either remained relatively flat or declined from 2017 levels, the EIA noted. U.S. exporters looking to Europe have a big obstacle in the region, however, and that's Russia. Russia remains the largest supplier of natural gas to the EU in 2018, according to the Commission's latest data on EU imports of energy products in October. The other main suppliers are Norway and, at a lower level, Algeria and Qatar. Showing the extent of much of the EU's reliance on Russian gas, the Commission noted that 11 member states (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia and Finland) imported more than 75 percent of total national imports of natural gas from Russia in 2018, largely due to their proximity to the country.

View of the pipe end of the Baltic Sea pipeline 'Nord Stream 2' at the receiving station in Lubmin. The 1,200-kilometer-long gas pipeline will transport around 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas from Russia to Germany every year. picture alliance | picture alliance | Getty Images

Gas from Russia is supplied to the continent by state-owned gas company Gazprom via pipelines, giving it an advantage in terms of cheaper transportation costs and established infrastructure and supply. It has a number of major pipelines in operation, or under construction, with European energy and infrastructure companies. As well as the Nord Stream pipeline and its expanded version, Nord Stream 2, linking Russia to Europe via the Baltic Sea (the expanded pipeline is seen as a way to bypass transit countries like Ukraine), Gazprom and partner companies in Poland, Belarus and Germany oversee the 2,000 kilometer Yamal-Europe pipeline that sends gas from one of its production centers in Torzhok (via Belarus and Poland) to Germany. The company is also constructing the TurkStream pipeline for gas exports from Russia across the Black Sea to Turkey and south eastern Europe.

Geopolitics

Pipeline projects have prompted criticism in Europe and in the U.S., with Trump accusing Germany (the largest foreign buyer of Russian gas) of being "captive" to Russia. His former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said earlier in 2018 that Nord Stream 2 undermined Europe's energy security. Despite its reliance on Russia for gas, the EU's relationship with the country is a rocky one. Relations deteriorated when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in early 2014 and supported a pro-Russian uprising in east Ukraine, after which the U.S. and EU placed sanctions on Moscow. Penalties were placed on Russian oil companies (including Gazprom and its oil arm Neft) in 2014 that sought to hinder these companies exploration and production of energy. The U.S. warned in November it could still seek to thwart the Nord Stream 2 project with further sanctions (essentially fines) on companies involved in the project. Five EU companies are involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 and the EU has expressed concern over such sanctions. Given Russia's established and growing infrastructure in Europe, commodity strategists like RBC Capital Markets' Christopher Louney said the geopolitical dimension to the U.S. promotion, and European adoption, of LNG is hard to ignore.

The Cheniere Energy Inc. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal stands under construction in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S., on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018. Bloomberg | Getty Images
President Donald Trump doesn't need a wall to stop undocumented immigration along the U.S. southern border, three-time presidential candidate and well-known Libertarian Ron Paul told CNBC on Tuesday.

Instead, the Trump administration should remove incentives for coming to America, said Paul, who also served 12 terms as a U.S. congressman from Texas, a state that shares 1,254 miles of a common border with Mexico.

In previous negotiations with Trump, Democrats had agreed to some border wall funding as part of an ultimately scuttled deal to protect the so-called Dreamers, people who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children.

"I don't like walls," Paul added. "I don't want to wall people in and wall people out."

The White House was not immediately available to respond to CNBC's request for comment on Paul's remarks.

Paul joined "Squawk Box" as the partial government shutdown entered its 18th day due to a stalemate between Trump and Democrats who now control the House. The president has demanded that any deal to end the shutdown must include funds toward the construction of a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats have refused to allocate any money for a wall.

Trump, whose administration has been accused of using false statistics and dubious claims to push for a wall, is expected to describe what he calls a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border in a prime-time address to the nation Tuesday night.

There is doubt among Democrats that a wall would do much to solve the issue of illegal immigration, and data from the Center for Migration Studies, a New York-based think tank, show only one-third of recent undocumented immigrants came through the southern border.

Still, Trump has threatened that he could circumvent Congress by declaring a national emergency and using the military to construct a wall.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky, son of Ron Paul, has said he would support a wall-funding compromise to open the government. Rand Paul said recently that he'd support funding for Trump's wall if budget cuts were made elsewhere. He has suggested that pulling American troops out of Afghanistan could more than pay for the wall.

Meantime, Ron Paul said the partial government shutdown is not too significant "in the grand scheme of things" just "another thing that can stir up trouble and people react to it." Paul, a longtime critic of the Federal Reserve, blamed the central bank's easy money policies since the 2008 financial crisis for creating the conditions for what he says is a coming U.S. economic recession.

Paul, who practiced medicine before being elected to Congress, unsuccessfully ran for president three times, first on the Libertarian Party ticket and two more times as a Republican.

 CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.

WATCH: Ron Paul blasts the Fed, blaming central bankers for setting up the US for a recession
The small town of Hasankeyf, in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast, inhabited for 12,000 years, is doomed to disappear in the coming months. As the Economic Times writes, an artificial lake, part of the Ilisu hydroelectric dam project, will swallow it up. The dam, which will be Turkey's second largest, has been built further downstream the Tigris.

Boosting economy

Ilisu is a central element of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), a land development plan to boost the economy of the long-neglected region, through hydroelectric energy and irrigation. Confronted with the imminent flooding of their town and a hundred villages, the 3,000 habitants of Hasankeyf are divided. While some are angry at the sacrifice being imposed on them, others are impatient for the economic benefits promised by Ankara.

Ayhan, who is retired, is steadfast in his opposition. He dedicates all his time and energy to fighting against the dam as part of the "Keep Hasankeyf Alive" collective, which brings together campaigning groups and locally elected representatives.

Assyrians, Romans, Seljuks... the empires that washed over this region have left an exceptional heritage, not least the thousands of caves that were inhabited as recently as the 1970s and are a major tourist draw.

What Turkish government says

The Turkish government dismisses the criticism, arguing that everything has been done to save the monuments. In one lengthy operation last August, the 1,600-tonne Artuklu Hamam bath house was loaded onto a wheeled platform and moved down a specially constructed road to its new home. Such relocation operations have transformed Hasankeyf into a construction site.



Busloads of tourists have been replaced by swarms of dump trucks and a crane that sits at the town's entrance. In what is left of the old bazaar, the butcher, Zeki, sits among the morose-looking traders. During the inauguration of the Ilisu construction site in 2006, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, then prime minister, promised the dam would bring "the greatest benefit" to local people. Part of this promise involves building a "new Hasankeyf" on the other side of the river, with spacious flats and an ultra-modern hospital.

But the construction work drags on. Currently it is a succession of small buildings separated by muddy roads, most of them unpaved. Delays and financial issues have plagued the dam's construction -- a project first conceived in the 1960s -- "causing a lot of uncertainty in our life", he says.

What kept investors away

In 1981, Hasankeyf was classified as a special conservation zone with a ban on construction that kept investors away. That lack of investment meant fewer jobs and many residents chose to move away for work or larger homes.
"If his past statements are any indication," then Trump's speech "will be full of malice and misinformation," the Democratic leaders said Monday night in a joint statement calling for Democrats to be given equal airtime.

Pelosi and Schumer, who have led Democratic negotiations with the Trump administration amid a partial government shutdown that has now become the second-longest on record , will give their response from the speaker's balcony in the U.S. Capitol building after Trump's televised 9 p.m. ET address has finished.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will deliver the Democrats' response to President Donald Trump on Tuesday night following his Oval Office address to the nation about funding his proposed border wall.

As the shutdown of roughly a quarter of the government stretched into its 18th day, both sides remained staunchly opposed to each others' proposals for a deal to fund nine federal departments.

Trump is demanding that any deal include more than $5 billion for construction of a barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats are refusing to allocate any money for a border wall.

The Oval Office address, which will be aired by multiple broadcast networks, marks the president's first-ever evening address from that room.

Trump's prime-time address comes two days before the president's planned visit to the southern border. Trump will "meet with those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis" at the border, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said.

Sanders tweet

Last week, Trump confirmed that he has considered using his emergency powers, such as declaring a national emergency, as a tool to circumvent asking Congress for funds to build his long-promised wall.

Vice President Mike Pence, in an NBC News interview that aired Tuesday morning, said the president has made "no decision" yet about whether he will declare an emergency.

Today tweet

The significance of an Oval Office address, which has historically been a way for presidents to deliver seismic announcements and policy developments, has led some to believe Trump may declare a national emergency during the televised speech.

Doing so would almost certainly provoke a court challenge, legal scholars told NBC News.
North Korea leader Kim Jong Un inspects Unit 1524 of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) June 30, 2018.

South Korea says it hopes North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's trip to China will act as a "stepping stone" for a second summit between Kim and President Donald Trump.

South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom made the comments a few hours after Kim arrived in Beijing on Tuesday aboard a special train for a four-day visit.

The spokesman says he hopes impending China-North Korea talks will also help contribute to achieving complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Meng Wanzhou Alexander Bibik | Reuters

The U.S. case against the chief financial officer of China's Huawei, who was arrested in Canada last month, centers on the company's suspected ties to two obscure companies. One is a telecom equipment seller that operated in Tehran; the other is that firm's owner, a holding company registered in Mauritius. U.S. authorities allege CFO Meng Wanzhou deceived international banks into clearing transactions with Iran by claiming the two companies were independent of Huawei, when in fact Huawei controlled them. Huawei has maintained the two are independent: equipment seller Skycom and shell company Canicula Holdings. But corporate filings and other documents found by Reuters in Iran and Syria show that Huawei, the world's largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment, is more closely linked to both firms than previously known. The documents reveal that a high-level Huawei executive appears to have been appointed Skycom's Iran manager. They also show that at least three Chinese-named individuals had signing rights for both Huawei and Skycom bank accounts in Iran. Reuters also discovered that a Middle Eastern lawyer said Huawei conducted operations in Syria through Canicula. The previously unreported ties between Huawei and the two companies could bear on the U.S. case against Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, by further undermining Huawei's claims that Skycom was merely an arms-length business partner. Huawei, U.S. authorities assert, retained control of Skycom, using it to sell telecom equipment to Iran and move money out via the international banking system. As a result of the deception, U.S. authorities say, banks unwittingly cleared hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions that potentially violated economic sanctions Washington had in place at the time against doing business with Iran. Meng did not respond to a request for comment by Reuters, and Huawei declined to answer questions for this story. Canicula's offices could not be reached. A Justice Department spokesman in Washington declined to comment. Meng was released on C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail on Dec. 11 and remains in Vancouver while Washington tries to extradite her. In the United States, Meng would face charges in connection with an alleged conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge. The exact charges have not been made public. Huawei said last month it has been given little information about the U.S. allegations "and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng." The company has described its relationship with Skycom as "a normal business partnership." It has said it has fully complied with all laws and regulations and required Skycom to do the same. Meng's arrest on a U.S. warrant has caused an uproar in China. It comes at a time of growing trade and military tensions between Washington and Beijing, and amid worries by U.S. intelligence that Huawei's telecommunications equipment could contain "backdoors" for Chinese espionage. The firm has repeatedly denied such claims. Nevertheless, Australia and New Zealand recently banned Huawei from building their next generation of mobile phone networks, and British authorities have also expressed concerns.

Offer to Iran

Articles published by Reuters in 2012 and 2013 about Huawei, Skycom and Meng figure prominently in the U.S. case against her. Reuters reported that Skycom had offered to sell at least 1.3 million euros worth of embargoed Hewlett-Packard computer equipment to Iran's largest mobile-phone operator in 2010. At least 13 pages of the proposal were marked "Huawei confidential" and carried Huawei's logo. Huawei has said neither it nor Skycom ultimately provided the U.S. equipment. Reuters also reported numerous financial and personnel links between Huawei and Skycom, including that Meng had served on Skycom's board of directors between February 2008 and April 2009. Several banks questioned Huawei about the Reuters articles, according to court documents filed by Canadian authorities at the request of the U.S. for Meng's bail hearing in Vancouver last month. According to the documents, U.S. investigators allege that in responding to the banks, which weren't named, Meng and other Huawei employees "repeatedly lied" about the company's relationship with Skycom and failed to disclose that "Skycom was entirely controlled by Huawei." U.S. authorities also allege that at a private meeting with a bank executive, in or about August 2013, Meng said Huawei had sold its shares in Skycom, but didn't disclose that the buyer was "a company also controlled by Huawei."

Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou (L), who was arrested on an extradition warrant, appears with her attorney at her B.C. Supreme Court bail hearing. Jane Wolsak | Reuters

The court documents allege that Huawei told the executive's bank that the Chinese company had sold its shares in Skycom in 2009 - the same year Meng stepped down from Skycom's board. Skycom's buyer wasn't identified in the documents. But Skycom records filed in Hong Kong, where the company was registered, show that its shares were transferred in November 2007 to Canicula. Canicula, which was registered in Mauritius in 2006, continued to hold Skycom shares for about a decade, Skycom records show. A "Summary of Facts" filed by U.S. authorities for Meng's Canadian bail hearing states: "Documents and email records show that persons listed as 'Managing Directors' for Skycom were Huawei employees." None of those individuals were named. A company record filed by Skycom in Iran that was entered in the Iranian registry in December 2011 states that a "Shi Yaohong" had been elected as manager of Skycom's Iran branch for two years. Huawei employs an executive named Shi Yaohong. According to his LinkedIn profile, Shi was named Huawei's "President Middle East Region" in June 2012. An Emirates News Agency press release identified him in November 2010 as "President of Huawei Etisalat Key Account." Etisalat is a major Middle Eastern telecommunications group and a Huawei partner. Shi, now president of Huawei's software business unit, hung up the phone when Reuters asked him about his relationship with Skycom. Many corporate records filed by Skycom in Iran list signatories for its bank accounts in the country. Most of the names are Chinese; at least three of the individuals had signing rights for both Skycom and Huawei bank accounts. (One of the names is listed in the Iranian registry with two slightly different spellings but has the same passport number.) U.S. authorities allege in the court documents filed in Canada that Huawei employees were signatories on Skycom bank accounts between 2007 and 2013. Records in Hong Kong show that Skycom was voluntarily liquidated in June 2017 and that Canicula was paid about $132,000 as part of the resolution. The liquidator, Chan Leung Lee, of BDO Ltd in Hong Kong, declined to comment. The Financial Services Commission in Mauritius, where Canicula remains registered, declined to release any of its records to Reuters, saying they were confidential.

Syrian connection
A picture taken on November 8, 2016 shows Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya speaking during an interview in Moscow.

The indictment does not stem from Veselnitskaya's meeting at Trump Tower, where people close to Trump expected her to give them damaging information about Trump's election foe, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

The Russian national is not in custody, and is now a "wanted person," an FBI official said.

Veselnitskaya, 43, is accused in an indictment unsealed Tuesday in federal court in New York City of filing an "intentionally misleading" document related to the money laundering case involving corrupt Russian government officials, prosecutors said.

Natalya Veselnitskaya, the Russian attorney who attended a controversial meeting at Trump Tower with President Donald Trump's son, son-in-law and campaign chief in 2016, has been criminally charged with obstruction of justice in connection with an unrelated civil money laundering and forfeiture case.

But that meeting remains a subject of investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is probing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign.

And an issue that Veselnitskaya raised at the Trump Tower meeting is closely related to the scheme that led to the civil case, U.S. vs. Prevezon Holdings, in which she is accused of acting criminally as a lawyer.

In that civil case, Veselnitskaya was representing defendants accused of an "elaborate" $230 million tax refund fraud scheme, according to authorities.

The federal government filed the case in 2013 in an effort to recover several million dollars worth of property, primarily comprised of New York real estate, which was allegedly obtained to launder a portion of the money swindled in the tax refund scheme.

That scheme was uncovered by a Russian accountant named Sergei Magnitsky, who was arrested after helping report the fraud to Russian authorities.

Magnitsky's death in custody led to passage of a 2012 U.S. law, the Magnitsky Act, which imposes sanctions on Russians believed to be responsible for his death.

At the Trump Tower meeting, Veselnitskaya urged Trump campaign officials to undo the Magnitsky Act sanctions.

In the Prevezon case, she submitted a declaration that purported to have "been independently drafted by the Russian government," and which supposedly exonerated her clients, prosecutors said.

But Veselnitskaya is accused of hiding from the judge in the case that she had "participated in drafting those supposed exculpatory findings in secret cooperation with a senior Russian prosecutor," according to federal prosecutors.

Veselnitskaya attended a court hearing for an appeal of the money laundering case on the same day, June 9, 2016, that she went to Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York for the sit-down with people close to Trump.

Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., has said that he took the meeting with Veselnitskaya after being told that she was willing to share dirt on Clinton.

WATCH: Former ambassador on U.S.-Russia relations
Paul Manafort, Campaign Manager for Donald Trump, speaks on the phone while touring the floor of the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena as final preparations continue July 17, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Special counsel Robert Mueller has accused former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort of lying about sharing polling data with an alleged Russian spy during the 2016 presidential campaign, a new court filing by Manafort's criminal defense lawyers has accidentally revealed.

The alleged spy, Konstantin Kilimnik, is a former business associate of Manafort's who is criminally charged with working with him to try to tamper with potential witnesses against Manafort before his scheduled federal criminal trials last summer.

Mueller has previously alleged that Kilimnik has "ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016," the same year during which Manafort acted as chairman of President Donald Trump's campaign.

The defense filing also reveals that Mueller has accused Manafort of lying to Mueller about a text message from "a third-party asking permission to use Mr. Manafort's name as an introduction in the event the third-party met the President."

Manafort's lawyers meant for those accusations by Mueller, and several others, to be sealed from public view. The sections containing the accusations are blacked out in an otherwise public document filed Tuesday in federal court in Washington, D.C.

But those sections are easily viewable when the sections are copied in a word processing file, and then pasted into a new document.

Defense lawyers filed a "corrected" version of the document later Tuesday, making the redactions unviewable.

The White House, Trump's campaign and Manafort's defense lawyers did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment on the filing.

Manafort is being held without bail as he awaits sentencing for crimes related to his work for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine, and to income earned from that work. The crimes predated his tenure with the Trump campaign.

The defense filing was responding to Mueller's allegations this past fall that Manafort has violated his cooperation agreement with the special counsel's office by lying to investigators.

Manafort signed that agreement last summer when he pleaded guilty on the eve of a trial in Washington, a month after being convicted in a federal trial for a related case in Virginia.
A couple of you asked for this review, so here it is. I visited Suya Spot some weeks ago with Funmie and another friend, Kay. It was my first time there. Suya Spot is located in Owings Mills, Maryland, and from what I have been told, there is (or was) another location in Randallstown, Maryland. I dont know if the Randallstown location is the one that got moved to Owings Mills or if the Owings Mills location is a second location. The website implies that the Randallstown location is still open, but some people have said that it isnt, so maybe the website is not updated or maybe its updated and people are misyarning. What I know for sure is that there is a Suya Spot located in Owings Mills, Maryland.

Suya Spot describes itself as producing food the way nature intended  No chemicals, No preservatives. And they also say that they have food for the human tribe. Thankfully, I am of this tribe.

The Food: Unfortunately, I did not take pictures of the food, especially since I was not even planning on writing about my experience there (until Kay told me that men dont ask women out anymore). That said, among the three of us, we had jollof rice, pepper soup, suya, asun (grilled peppered goat meat), and plantain. The pepper soup was nice and spicy, definitely a thirst catalyst in a good way. The jollof rice was not bad, but it was forgettable. I do not mean to brag  actually, I do  but my jollof rice game is strong, and this one at Suya Spot was just mehhh.

The (beef) suya was dry, so I dont intend to order again. But I should mention that I lived in the North in Nigeria where the best suya is made, so Im a big suya critic; its possible that its impossible to please me since I compare everything to the suya I ate at Standard (popular suya location in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria). They also have other kinds of suya, like chicken, fish and others, which I did not taste. I suppose its possible that this was an off day for them in the suya department, I dont know. The asun was nice; it was soft and very spicy. Ill definitely order again. They also had palm wine, but I did not taste it because I have never had palm wine and this one came in a bottle, and I did not want my first palm wine to come from a bottle. I want the calabash cup. The plantain  well, its hard to go wrong with plantain. It was fried plantain; I have nothing else to add to that. See their complete menu here.

I should mention that this was Funmies second time being there, but the first time she was there, she had the fish suya, and according to her, it was very, very good. Im not a seafood lover, so I did not order this when I was there, but the description sounds yummy. My favorite food from everything I ate was the pepper soup.

The Cost $$: The cost was, in my opinion, within what I would expect from an establishment like this. The beef suya was $11.99. The jollof rice was $3.99 and came in a prepackaged plastic bowl, and the plantain was $2.99 and very hot. You can see their menu for other prices. So, if were putting dollar signs next to this restaurant to indicate the cost, Id put two dollar signs out of five.

The Ambience: I liked the Lagos/Nigerian feel of the wall decor as seen in the picture above. There was music playing through the speakers, and it was loud enough to get into your head and make you dance in your seat, but not too loud that you couldnt hear yourself or your company talking. The bathroom was clean. No pee smell or questionable wetness on the floor. There was ample bathroom tissue. There was a mirror to dress my lipstick, and I did not walk out feeling yucky or like I had to bleach the soles of my shoes, so that was nice.

There were enough seats and enough space between tables to get by without having to inappropriately rub your table neighbors body. Personally, I think it would have been nice if it converted to a dance floor late at night. BUT first, certain things have to be put in place like dancing lights, maybe, and maybe different kinds of seats. Right now, it has the feeling of a pretty takeout joint. I did leave a Google review  yes, Im one of those people  where I mentioned that itd be nice if people could dance, and someone from the team responded and said Were creating an atmosphere by which you can express yourself on the dance floor and it will be possible by May 2019.

So, there you have it, my people  my contribution to Nigerian success in the Diaspora.

The Service: I dont remember if there was someone else in the back (in the kitchen), but out front taking our orders were two ladies, and they were friendly and professional. One of them was the one who took our pictures. They were patient and courteous and came back every now and then to ask if we were okay and if we needed anything else. That was nice.

The Location: The picture above was not taken by me but was culled from Suya Spots website. Im not too familiar with the Owings Mills area of Maryland, but the street where the restaurant is located seemed like a new establishment. It was clean and pretty and not at all like a place youd park your car and never see it again. There was street parking, which I believe was pay-to-park, but we were there in the late evening, so we did not have to pay to park. I did not have trouble finding a spot to park, but as I said, it was late evening. I dont know whats its like during lunch hour, for example.

Inside, the customers were actually diverse. I think we were mostly Nigerians, but there were non-Nigerians, too  and yes, *whispering* White people! I was impressed they were eating all that spicy food and not turning red in the face. They were definitely making America great again.

Overall:

What I did not like: With the exception of the jollof rice, the other foods came in real plates  which I loved. But then, they ruined it by presenting us with disposable utensils, and I was not feeling that at all. Still, a girl had to eat.

Id give this location 4 out of 5 stars, just like I did in my Google review. I hope they keep their service and restaurant clean. I dont know if they have free wi-fi or electrical outlets, but I think its a nice place to hang out alone or with a friend. And if youre there alone, it might even be a nice place to meet someone.

Id definitely go back.

P.S. This is not a sponsored post, and I do not know the owner/owners of this establishment, nor am I affiliated with them in any way.

Connect with Suya Spot: Web | Instagram | Facebook
Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak pushed back Tuesday on a Barclays research note that said the U.S. medical device maker took a "step back" following disappointing comments on the company's outlook from Ishrak at the 2019 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

The medical device maker has "the strongest pipeline that we've ever had in this company," Ishrak told CNBC's Jim Cramer from the 37th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, California. "We innovate, we create new markets and we disrupt our own market," he added. "We think these are game changers for health care."

Shares of Medtronic sold off Monday, closing down 6.5 percent to $82.45 each after Ishrak said during an investor presentation that the company could expect sales to be at the mid-point of its full-year range of 5 percent to 5.5 percent. The company is experiencing softness in its top-selling cardiac and vascular unit, which makes defibrillators, pace-makers, heart valves, and stents.

Barclays analyst Kristen Stewart late Monday cut her price target on the stock to $104 from $113 and reiterated her overweight rating. In a note to clients, Stewart said she wasn't surprised by the sharp stock reaction and characterized Ishrak's comments as "cautious."

"If it isn't one thing, it seems to be another when it comes to Medtronic," Stewart said. "Medtronic has had a somewhat spotty record when it comes to providing guidance and has been affected by a series of one-off events over the past year and a half."

Ishrak said the note did not accurately reflect his comments.

Medtronic's stock is down about 4 percent over the past 12 months and down 9 percent year to date.

Wall Street analysts have had some concerns regarding questions of the safety of paclitaxel, the drug used in commercially available drug-coated devices, which Medtronic make. Medtronic has said they are working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on that.

Additionally, Medtronic, along with the rest of the medical device industry, could face new regulations from the FDA, which seeks to change how the device manufacturers bring their products to the market.

Advanced Medical Technology Association, or AdvaMed, the industry's lobbying group, has pushed back against the agency.

Despite weakness in the cardiac and vascular unit, Ishrak told CNBC the company is focusing on introducing technologies such as Micra, a new kind of pacemaker that is implanted directly into a patient's heart and is less invasive than current methods.

Ishrak also touted the company's $1.64 billion acquisition of Israel-based Mazor Robotics, a maker of guidance systems for spine and brain surgeries.
Major Middle Eastern broadcaster MBC Group has hired a former Hulu executive and plans to create original content for its streaming platform in a bid to rival Netflix in the region.

The company has tapped Johannes Larcher, Hulu's former senior vice president of international, to boost its video on demand (VOD) service Shahid. The service will look to develop new Arabic content, including films and soap operas.

The news was first reported by the Financial Times.

Larcher's appointment is part of an international drive for MBC, a spokesman for the company told CNBC. While at Hulu, Larcher led the streaming platform's operations outside the U.S.

"We have a five-year strategy that Shahid is an integral part of," the spokesman said. "We believe that the long-established relationship of MBC with Arab consumers will enable us to produce even more culturally relevant content that could travel beyond the region."
An airliner comes in to land at Heathrow Airport, London.

London's Heathrow Airport briefly halted departures Tuesday after a report of a drone sighting, less than a month after a similar event crippled operations at another major U.K. airport.

London's Metropolitan Police said it received reports of a drone sighting "in the vicinity of Heathrow airport" shortly after 5 p.m. local time. The airport said it resumed flights in the early evening after grounding planes following the report.

"We continue to work closely with the Met Police to respond to reports of drones at Heathrow," a spokesperson for the airport said in a statement. "Based on standard operating procedures, working with Air Traffic Control and the Met Police, we have resumed departures out of Heathrow following a short suspension. We continue to monitor this situation and apologise to any passengers that were affected by this disruption."

The incident shows how quickly even a report of a sighted drone can disrupt air travel. Officials are struggling with how to keep drones away from aircraft as the devices become more popular with consumers and businesses.

The suspension of departures at Heathrow came less than a month after reports of drone sightings halted air travel at London Gatwick Airport, stranding thousands of travelers during a peak holiday travel period.

Heathrow is Europe's busiest airport and serves an average of more than 213,000 passengers a day.
The LG Electronics logo is seen at the World IT Show in Seoul, South Korea, on May 23, 2018.

South Korea's LG Electronics said on Tuesday its fourth-quarter operating profit likely fell 80 percent from the same period a year earlier, far below analyst expectations.

The world's second-biggest television set maker behind compatriot Samsung Electronics estimated profit of 75.3 billion won ($67.03 million) for October-December last year. That would compare with the 387 billion won average of 11 analyst estimates in an I/B/E/S Refinitiv poll.

Revenue likely fell 7 percent to 15.8 trillion won, LG said in a regulatory filing, versus analysts' 16.3 trillion won estimate.

LG did not disclose further details of fourth-quarter operations and will announce full results at the end of January.

Analysts said earnings were likely weighed down by higher year-end bonuses and marketing expenses for new smartphones.

LG held a 3 percent share of the global smartphone market in the second quarter of last year, showed latest data from market tracker Counterpoint Research.

Earlier in the day, Samsung estimated a 29 percent drop in quarterly profit, its first decline in two years, as it flagged tough memory chip and mobile phone markets.
You get to live in a glamorous mansion and look for love while going on extravagant dates in amazing locations around the world when you're a contestant on ABC's "The Bachelor," but there is one scary part most people don't think about: To appear on the show you have to take a long or permanent hiatus from work  and from a steady paycheck.

Such was the case for Joelle (JoJo) Fletcher, who appeared in 2016 as a contestant on season 20 on "The Bachelor" and went on to be crowned as "The Bachelorette" for season 12 later that year. The process did lead her to find love with Jordan Rodgers, but before Fletcher found her happy ending, she had to deal with the reality of leaving her life behind to shoot the show.

"It's kind of scary, because if you do get selected, you pretty much have to quit your job," Fletcher tells CNBC Make It. "Or you have to have a very nice boss that's going to let you take off a big chunk of time. So if you do have to quit your job, you're kind of putting your financial situation at risk."

Now that her tenure on "The Bachelor" franchise has wrapped, Fletcher is back to work, and even started her own business. Before landing a spot on the show, Fletcher worked as a real estate developer in Dallas, Texas. Now, she keeps busy flipping houses, and in 2017, founded Fletch, a contemporary lifestyle clothing collection, with pieces ranging from dresses to sweatshirts.

As for aspiring "Bachelor" contestants, to prepare for the potential of not being able to work and make money, Fletcher recommends saving up (even in the real world experts also advise having three to six months of living expenses saved for emergencies, though being cast on "The Bachelor" usually isn't on the list) and being frugal when you can.

"I would really just make smart choices with your money, save where you can," Fletcher, 28, says.

There are other expenses for the show too. Contestants on "The Bachelor" are known for the glitzy evening gowns worn at every Rose Ceremony, which they have to buy themselves. Such clothes can be pricey. In fact, that's something that Fletcher worried about.

"I do remember me and my mom being very stressed out when I got the call that I was going to go on the show," Fletcher recalls. "And we went out and we bought a ton of dresses, and I just remember thinking to myself, 'I really hope I don't get cut on this first night because I'm not sure I can return all those.'

"Hopefully you get to wear all those beautiful pieces," Fletcher says. "And if not, hopefully there's a really good return policy."

Don't miss: No selfies, social media or dark manis: The royal 'rules' Meghan Markle is supposed to follow

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The IRS announced on Monday night that income tax filing season would begin on Jan. 28 and that it would pay refunds to taxpayers, in spite of the government shutdown.

The agency said that it would recall a "significant portion" of its workforce, summoning them back to work without pay.

A spokesman for the IRS was unable to provide the specific details on how many IRS workers would be brought back and for which functions, as the agency has not yet released its updated contingency plan for the filing season.

The announcement from the IRS came after a Trump administration official told reporters on Monday that federal income tax refunds would be paid even though the government is shut down.

"Tax refunds will go out," said Russell T. Vought, acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, in a briefing on Monday.

There have been growing concerns that tax refunds might be delayed as 800,000 federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay as President Donald Trump and Congress are mired in a standoff over funding for a southern border wall.

Only about 12 percent of IRS staff is expected to continue working through a shutdown outside of filing season, according to the agency's plan, which means certain functions such as answering taxpayer questions would be curtailed.

"The processing of returns and customer service  most of those employees have been furloughed," said Nicole Kaeding, director of federal projects at the Tax Foundation.

"How will they bring those employees back, and will they be compensated while they're working?" she asked. "Those are some large questions that haven't been answered, even though they said refunds would be processed."

That makes this a stressful time for accountants  and their clients. "The October 2013 shutdown caused a lot of angst for practitioners," said Edward Karl, vice president of taxation at the American Institute of CPAs.

"If there were some issue and you needed to contact the IRS, you couldn't get them," Karl said. "There were many folks concerned about that."

Meanwhile, House Ways and Means Committee staff told The New York Times on Monday that they were struggling to get clarity from administration officials, many of whom are out on furlough.

"We keep trying to call people at IRS and Treasury," said Daniel Rubin, a spokesman for the Ways and Means Committee, "and there's no one there."
Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, speaking at the CNBC Healthy Returns Conference in New York on March 28th, 2018.

Attendees at the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the industry's largest annual event, unexpectedly got a taste of the government shutdown Tuesday.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb's keynote address was delivered via video conference from a meeting room in Washington, D.C., to thousands of investment bankers and health-care executives, and his audio cut out altogether just as he was making a key point on teen nicotine use. The four-day meeting, now in its 37th year, drew more than 9,000 to the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco this year.

"If we see another rise of 30 or 40 percent in youth tobacco use, I think this is an existential threat to the whole product segment. And I think a tolerance to these products will not only ... " Gottlieb said just before his audio failed for about 30 seconds. It sent chuckles through the packed overflow room as Gottlieb continued speaking, unaware that no one could hear him.
Chinese consumers may be staging an informal boycott of some American products and that could be a factor behind Apple's revenue shortfall, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists. Others on Wall Street have made the same claim.

Apple last week stunned investors when it revealed its revenues would miss its forecast, in large part due to a drop-off in sales of its iPhone in China. Apple CEO Tim Cook laid the blame in big part on trade tensions, though Trump administration officials were at odds over whether the trade war was hitting U.S. companies doing business in China or whether Apple was its own case.

BofAML economists have said the sales shortfall could also be due to other factors, including competition, price and the drop in China's currency.

Ethan Harris, Bank of America Merrill Lynch chief global economist, said data on trade between China and the U.S. has been very clear and points to the potential of a consumer boycott. "I think what you see in the data is a broad pulling away from U.S. goods. If you look at the charts on imports, it's not just the products where there are tariffs by China. It's a general weakness in imports," he told CNBC.

China rebuked the U.S. for tariffs last fall by reducing orders of soybeans. On Tuesday, as trade talks were underway, there was a seeming thaw in relations. China approved five genetically modified crops for import, the first in 17 months. Some of the products have been waiting for approval for six years, according to wire reports.

While Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans dropped, there was a clear pickup in Chinese imports from Brazil. "The soybean story is a big part of it. That was something we all expected. It's the broad-based drop that looks unusual and surprising, particularly since it isn't replicated with other countries," said Harris.

Analysts have said the tensions between China and the U.S. over the U.S. pursuit of alleged cyber-espionage by Chinese telecom companies may also be a factor. The CFO of Huawei has been arrested in Canada and may be extradited to the U.S.

U.S. authorities allege CFO Meng Wanzhou deceived international banks into clearing transactions with Iran by claiming the two companies were independent of Huawei, when in fact Huawei controlled them.

"There may be some consumer backlash to American companies, a form of nationalism," said Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi on CNBC last week. But he said there are many things at work with iPhone sales, including a weaker upgrade cycle and the macro picture of a weaker China.
Poster ads by HSBC appearing in four cities in the U.K. have been questioned by some in the country for stating: "We are not an island."

People on social media are divided over the advert, that was launched earlier this month, with some suggesting it is anti-Brexit  which HSBC denies  and others saying that the bank's message is hypocritical.

One of the text-only posters states: "We are not an island. We are a Colombian coffee-drinking, American movie-watching, Swedish flat-pack assembling, Korean tablet-tapping, Belgian striker-supporting, Dutch beer cheers-ing, tikka masala-eating, wonderful little lump of land in the middle of the sea. We are part of something far, far bigger." It finishes with the tagline: "Together we thrive."

One Twitter user wrote: "Has @HSBC_UK joined the fight?" and used the hashtags #Brexit, #WeAreNotAnIsland and #fbpe, which stands for "Follow Back, Pro EU."

TWEET

Another, Tim Montgomerie, who identifies himself as a Brexiteer on Twitter, wrote: "We are an island actually  full of villages and towns your bank deserted; of cleaners you underpaid; and of money laundering and other laws you bent. Brexit etc was a response to the economy you helped decimate. Thanks for the lecture but we'll manage without it."

TWEET

HSBC paid nearly $2 billion in fines in 2012 for allowing Mexican drug cartels to launder money and in 2017 closed dozens of bank branches in the U.K., which it said reflected declining use.

Versions of the ad, part of HSBC's "Global Citizen" marketing initiative created by agency JWT, appear in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, according to ad industry magazine Campaign. The "Together we thrive" line is the first slogan the bank has had since its long-running "The world's local bank" tagline was dropped in 2011.

Roger Hart, chief executive of U.K. advertising agency Aesop, said the ads are a reflection of society rather than being anti-Brexit. "The UK is a multicultural, multi-race, multi-religion society and the businesses and organisations that serve us need to reflect that in their make-up, whether that is a global bank operating locally, or the police or indeed the NHS (National Health Service)," he wrote in an email to CNBC. "A good ad and a brave move as they know it will kick up some controversy," he added.

The version appearing in Leeds states that the town is part of "the fabric of the nation," to which one person on Twitter responded "well played."

TWEET

HSBC's "Global Citizen" marketing campaign launched in the U.K. last year with comedian Richard Ayoade narrating a variety of situations in a TV ad that showed the international character of the country. Standing on a bridge, he notes the German and Japanese cars on the freeway below, and then visits a home where children are watching American movies on their Korean-brand tablets.

An HSBC spokesperson told CNBC in an emailed statement Tuesday: "We believe that the people, communities and businesses in the U.K. thrive most when connected and open. Our 'Global Citizen' campaign is central to this, and with the 'We are not an island' advert we are reinforcing our strong belief that the things that make us quintessentially British are the things that make us inescapably international."
At a company-wide town hall in early October, numerous Facebook employees got in line to speak about their experiences with sexual harassment. The company called the special town hall after head of policy Joel Kaplan caused an internal uproar for appearing at the congressional hearing for Judge Brett Kavanaugh. A young female employee was among those who got up to speak, addressing her comments directly to COO Sheryl Sandberg. "I was reticent to speak, Sheryl, because the pressure for us to act as though everything is fine and that we love working here is so great that it hurts," she said, according to multiple former Facebook employees who witnessed the event. "There shouldn't be this pressure to pretend to love something when I don't feel this way," said the employee, setting off a wave of applause from her colleagues at the emotional town hall in Menlo Park, California.

The episode speaks to an atmosphere at Facebook in which employees feel pressure to place the company above all else in their lives, fall in line with their manager's orders and force cordiality with their colleagues so they can advance. Several former employees likened the culture to a "cult." This culture has contributed to the company's well-publicized wave of scandals over the last two years, such as governments spreading misinformation to try to influence elections and the misuse of private user data, according to many people who worked there during this period. They say Facebook might have have caught some of these problems sooner if employees were encouraged to deliver honest feedback. Amid these scandals, Facebook's share price fell nearly 30 percent in 2018 and nearly 40 percent since a peak in July, resulting in a loss of more than $252 billion in market capitalization. Meanwhile, Facebook's reputation as being one of the best places in Silicon Valley to work is starting to show some cracks. According to Glassdoor, which lets employees anonymously review their workplaces, Facebook fell from being the best place to work in the U.S. to No. 7 in the last year. But employees don't complain in the workplace. "There's a real culture of 'Even if you are f---ing miserable, you need to act like you love this place,'" said one ex-employee who left in October. "It is not OK to act like this is not the best place to work." This account is based on conversations with more than a dozen former Facebook employees who left between late 2016 and the end of 2018. These people requested anonymity in describing Facebook's work culture, including its "stack ranking" employee performance evaluation system and their experiences with it, because none is authorized by Facebook to talk about their time there. This stack ranking system is similar to the one that was notoriously used by Microsoft before the company abandoned it in 2013, the former Facebook employees said. Facebook declined to comment on former employees' characterization of the work place as "cult-like."

Inside the bubble

Former employees describe a top-down approach where major decisions are made by the company's leadership, and employees are discouraged from voicing dissent  in direct contradiction to one of Sandberg's mantras, "authentic self." For instance, at an all-hands meeting in early 2017, one employee asked Facebook Vice President David Fischer a tough question about a company program. Fischer took the question and answered, but within hours, the employee and his managers received angry calls from the team running that program, this person said. "I never felt it was an environment that truly encouraged 'authentic self' and encouraged real dissent because the times I personally did it, I always got calls," said the former manager, who left the company in early 2018. The sentiment was echoed by another employee who left in 2017. "What comes with scale and larger operations is you can't afford to have too much individual voice," said this person. "If you have an army, the larger the army is, the less individuals have voice. They have to follow the leader." In this employee's two years at Facebook, his team grew from a few people to more than 50. He said "it was very much implied" to him and his teammates that they trust their leaders, follow orders and avoid having hard conversations. The company's culture of no-dissent prevented employees from speaking up about the impact that News Feed had on influencing the 2016 U.S. election, this person added.

The message was clear in August 2016 when the company laid off the editorial staff of its trending news team, shortly after some workers on that team leaked to the press that they were suppressing conservative-leaning stories. Employees were further discouraged from speaking up following the election, when CEO Mark Zuckerberg brushed off the accusation that Facebook could have impacted the election, calling that idea "crazy." The former employee described "a bubble" at the company in which employees are dissuaded from giving managers critical feedback or challenging decisions. "I'm pretty disappointed in that because I have a lot of respect for Sheryl, and she preaches about giving hard feedback," the employee said. "All the things we were preaching, we weren't doing enough of them. We weren't having enough hard conversations. They need to realize that. They need to reflect and ask if they're having hard conversations or just being echo chambers of themselves."

Show no weakness

Many former employees blamed the cult-like atmosphere partly on Facebook's performance review system, which requires employees to get reviews from approximately five of their peers twice a year. This peer review system pressures employees to forge friendships with colleagues at every possible opportunity, whether it be going to lunch together each day or hanging out after work. "It's a little bit of a popularity contest," said one manager who left the company in 2017. "You can cherry-pick the people who like you  maybe throw in one bad apple to equalize it." Peers can provide feedback directly to their colleagues, or they can send the reviews to the employee's manager. That feedback is typically treated as anonymous and cannot be challenged. "You have invisible charges against you, and that figures mightily into your review," said an employee who left in October. "Your negative feedback can haunt you for all your days at Facebook." Several former employees said that peers and managers iced them out because they had personal commitments or problems that required significant attention outside of work. For instance, one employee who left in recent weeks said a manager was critical in a public team meeting because the employee didn't attend a team-building event outside work. At the time, this person was going through a divorce. "She definitely marked me down for not attending those team-building events, but I couldn't attend because I was going through my own issues and needed work-life balance," said the employee. Employees are not required to attend after-hours events, according to a Facebook spokeswoman, adding that collaboration is important at the company. Another manager who also left the company in recent weeks said she once took multiple weeks of vacation instead of going on medical leave to treat a major illness. She says she did this based on advice from her supervisor. "I was afraid that if I told too many people or took too much time off, I would be seen as unable to do my job," the former manager said. "I was scared that if I let up in any way, shape or form they would crumble me, and they did."

Ironically, one of the best ways to see the desperation to be liked is to follow Facebook employees on Facebook itself. Employees parade the company's projects and post any report on the benefits of working at the company or the positive impact the company is making on the world. This is in part a show for peers and managers, former employees said. "People are very mindful about who they're connected with on Facebook who they also work with and how what they're posting will put them in a favorable light to their managers," an employee who left in 2016 said. As with many social media users, the online content does not always reflect the offline emotions. "There's so many people there who are unhappy, but their Facebook posts alone don't reflect the backdoor conversations you have with people where they're crying and really unhappy," she said.

How employees are graded

Twice a year, this peer feedback comes into play in so-called calibration meetings, where employees are given one of seven grades. Managers deliberate with their peers to grade employees in all levels below them. As the review process moves up the chain over the course of multiple weeks, lower-level managers gradually leave the room, until the company's vice presidents finish the calibration. At this point, Zuckerberg and Sandberg sign off that their vice presidents have done due diligence, and each employee's grade for the past six months is finalized. But there's a companywide limit on the percentage of employees who can receive each grade. So during the reviews process, managers compete against their peer managers to secure strong grades for their direct reports. Managers are compelled to vouch fiercely for their favorite employees, but don't speak up for employees they don't like or who have previously received poor ratings. "There's a saying at Facebook that once you have one bad half, you're destined for bad halves the rest of your time there. That stigma will follow you," said a manager who left in September. According to two former executives, the grade breakdown is approximately as follows: "Redefine," the highest grade, is given to fewer than 5 percent of employees

"Greatly exceeds expectations": 10 percent

"Exceeds": 35 percent

"Meets all": 35 to 40 percent

"Meets most," a low grade that puts future employment at risk, goes to most of the remaining 10 to 15 percent

"Meets some" grades are extremely rare and are seen as an indication that you're probably getting fired, according to multiple employees.

"Does not meet" are exceptionally rare, as most employees are fired before they get to that level. The distribution of these grades are not a hard limit but rather a recommended guidance for managers to follow, according to a Facebook spokeswoman. Facebook isn't the only tech company to use a performance evaluation system where a percentage of employees is pegged to each performance grade, meaning that there's always a fixed population at risk of being fired. Pioneered by Jack Welch at General Electric in the 1990s and sometimes known as "stack ranking," this method is fairly common in Silicon Valley and was most notoriously used by Microsoft until the company got rid of it in 2013 after widespread employee complaints.
Stocks in Europe closed higher on Tuesday, hitting a three-week high on the back of hopes for a trade deal between the U.S. and China.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 rose by more than 1 percent, with all major bourses and every sector except telecoms finishing in positive territory. Industrial stocks were the top performing sector with gains of 2 percent.

Investors were mostly monitoring the second day of trade talks between China and the United States. In the U.S. Tuesday, stocks surged to three-week highs after President Donald Trump tweeted that talks with China were going "very well," with the dollar also rallying after a shaky start to the year. Dow Jones reported on Tuesday afternoon that negotiators from China and the U.S. had narrowed some of their differences.

Looking across the European index, WM Morrison fell 3 percent to near the bottom of the list. The retailer missed its Christmas sales forecasts. On the other hand, Carrefour rose almost 3 percent after Bank of America upgraded the stock.

Chemicals firm Sika dropped 4 percent following news that it will buy its French rival Parex for $2.55 billion, according to Reuters. In other corporate news, Nissan's ousted Chairman Carlos Ghosn appeared before a court on Tuesday to argue against allegations of financial misconduct.
U.S. economic growth may cool off but that doesn't mean there's a crisis ahead, widely followed economist Mohamed El-Erian told CNBC on Tuesday.

Economists have been forecasting a slower second half of 2019 and that's led some to some fear about a recession by the end of this year or next year.

"This concept that a slowdown in the U.S. means recession or means a financial crisis  that's just wrong," said El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz.

"What happened in 2008 was very special. It's because the banking system was at risk. And the minute you put the banking system at risk, you put the payments and settlement system at risk. We're not there," he told "The Exchange."

According to the latest CNBC Fed Survey in December, respondents saw a 23 percent chance of recession in the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, nearly half of chief financial officers surveyed by Duke University in December said they expect a recession by the end of 2019.

El-Erian said while there may be small pockets of economic weakness, overall the economy is doing well.

In fact, the latest employment report bears that out, he said. Nonfarm payrolls surged by 312,000 in December, far surpassing expected growth of 176,000.

However, El-Erian is concerned about what the rest of the world can do to the U.S. economy. He's specifically worried about China and Germany, where "scary" data on industrial production was released Tuesday.

"U.S. leadership globally is really important because you've got to get other countries to focus on pro-growth policies," he said.

This isn't the first time El-Erian has dismissed recession fears. He told "Squawk Box" in December that he was "stunned" by all the talk. He also warned that the concern over a recession could actually cause one.

"We've got to be careful because we can talk ourselves into a recession. And that's how bad technicals become bad economics," El-Erian said at the time.
Disney shares are up more than 11 percent since the market bottomed Dec. 24, and options traders don't seem to see any signs of slowing for the rally.

The stock rose 1 percent Monday despite the company announcing that it would raise admission prices to Disneyland ahead of the opening its brand-new, 14-acre "Star Wars" area. The shares continued their rise early into Tuesday's trading session.

"There is no competition for Disney, so of course, when you have no competition, you do have pricing power. I've had to pay those high ticket prices, myself," Mike Khouw of Optimize Advisors said Monday on CNBC's "Options Action." The new price hikes now place the cheapest admission ticket at more than $100 on nonpeak days.

On Monday, call options outpaced puts, with traders betting on another 5 percent rally in the near term.

The most active trade was Jan. 25 115-strike calls. Specifically, one trader bought 500 of those 115 call contracts for 70 cents each, betting that the stock could rise above $115.70 by Jan. 25.

Khouw shares a similar outlook on Disney. "We put out a bullish bet on 'Options Action' just over a week ago," he noted. "But we were targeting the 120-strike."

That trade forecast a 10 percent rally before March expiration, on the expectation that Disney will report strong earnings in February.

Disney shares have fared well amid the recent market turmoil. The stock was down just 5 percent during December while the broader fell more than 9 percent.

The stock was up about 1 percent Tuesday.
A migrant child sleeps while he is carried by family as fellow migrants, all part of the caravan of migrants who traveled from Central America with the intention of crossing into the U.S., walk to the border fence in order to cross into the U.S. from Tijuana, Mexico December 14, 2018. Leah Mills| Reuters

Although President Donald Trump has frequently called the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border a "crisis," government data shows that arrests are down compared with the Obama administration as most illegal immigration occurs through overstaying temporary visas. As the government shutdown enters day 18 with no resolution in sight, Trump has repeatedly overstated the severity of illegal immigration at the border in order to convince Congress to approve more than $5 billion in funding for a border wall. "The crisis of illegal activity at our Southern Border is real and will not stop until we build a great Steel Barrier or Wall," he tweeted Dec. 22, the day the shutdown began. tweet During fiscal 2018, which ran through the end of September, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehended 396,579 undocumented immigrants at the southern border. That figure is lower than the 413,377 average yearly apprehensions during former President Barack Obama's time in office and only a fraction of the 1,643,679 apprehensions in 2000, when Bill Clinton was in office.

Trump's claims about the southern border also fail to emphasize that the majority of illegal immigration occurs when immigrants overstay their temporary visas. During fiscal 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) found that 701,900 immigrants with visas remained in the U.S. past their expected departure date, more than double the 303,916 immigrants apprehended at the border during that same time frame. A report by the Center for Migration Studies found this pattern to be true for every year since 2007. One population at the border that has grown in recent years is asylum-seekers. In fiscal 2018, 92,959 people at the southern border requested asylum, up 67 percent from the previous year. Asylum-seekers made up 18 percent of all apprehensions at the border, "a dramatic departure from 2000-2013, when fewer than 1 percent of those encountered by CBP initiated asylum claims," according to a CBP report. The Trump administration has intentionally limited the number of asylum cases processed at the border each day, a practice known as "metering," in an attempt to dissuade immigrants from coming to the country. However, DHS has acknowledged that the practice "may have led to additional illegal border crossings."

Fleeing poverty
Apple CEO Tim Cook was notably reassuring when asked about the prospects of U.S.-China trade talks in a Tuesday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer.

In the interview, Cook cast the trade-related economic weakness in China as "temporary," saying it was in both countries' "best interests" to reach an agreement.

"It is a very complex trade agreement and it needs to be updated, but as I've said before, I'm very optimistic that this will happen," Cook told Cramer. "That clearly will be good not only for us, frankly, but I think more about the world in general. The world needs a strong U.S. and China economy for the world economy to be strong."

The U.S. and China will continue trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day, a member of the U.S. delegation said on Tuesday, as the world's two largest economies looked to resolve their bitter trade dispute.

In the interview with Cramer, Cook said he had "heard some very encouraging words" from people with knowledge of the talks "very recently," and had shared his thoughts and concerns with them.

"I felt that Tim came very close to saying that we could have a real breakthrough with China," Cramer said on television after the interview. "He was so encouraging, and he said his information was recent."
Chinese consumers may have soured on some American products, like iPhones, but they have only sweetened on U.S. residential real estate.

They have been the top foreign buyers in both units and dollar volume of residential housing for six years straight, according to the National Association of Realtors, and now they expanding to new, lower price tiers.

Chinese consumers appear to be less interested in trade wars and more interested in bidding wars, according to San Francisco-based real estate agent Michi Olson, who just returned from an international real estate property show in Shanghai.

"The Chinese are basically politically agnostic," Olson said. "What I mean by that is even though there is a great tension between [the] U.S. government and Chinese, the Chinese citizen seems to be able to separate the political turmoil with the sound real estate investment."

Olson said the biggest difference this year is price point. Initially, it was wealthy Chinese buyers purchasing million-dollar properties, all in cash. Now more middle-class Chinese buyers are searching for lower-priced homes and they are using mortgages much more often.

"The Chinese people still see the United States as a safe harbor where they can take their assets and park their money not only for their money but also for the future of their children," Olson said.

Several lenders in the San Francisco area now specifically cater to Chinese buyers. The median price of a home sold to a Chinese buyer dropped from just under $530,000 in 2017 to $439,000 in 2018, according to the Realtors. And while California is still the favorite among Chinese buyers, they are now moving into markets in Texas, Georgia and Florida.

Laura Barnett sells real estate in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and sees healthy Chinese demand there. She said while most foreign buyers there still use cash, she is also seeing the shift to mortgages.

"It is difficult to get loan approval on foreign buyers unless they put 50 percent or more down on a home, but several lenders specialize in this market now, so it is getting easier," said Barnett of RE/MAX DFW Associates.

As technology jobs spread across the U.S., it seems more Chinese workers in the sector are starting to buy properties in new locations.

Olson has several Chinese clients whose children are already working at tech companies in California. Once they are settled, a parent will fly in from China with a down payment for a condo. That is happening now in other places.

For instance, Chinese buyers flocked to an open house in Long Island City in Queens, New York, just a week after Amazon announced it would open a new headquarters there.
Alex Berenson, former New York Times investigative reporter turned author, says he wants to sound the alarm about research into marijuana and mental illness at a time when many states are legalizing or thinking about legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use.

In his new book, "Tell Your Children," Berenson argues the case, citing research from the National Academy of Medicine. On page 289 of the NAM's 2017 report, "The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids," the nonprofit group concluded there is a risk. "Cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia and other psychoses; the higher the use, the greater the risk," wrote the NAM, which advises the U.S. government on health issues.

Berenson told CNBC on Tuesday the NAM "did a 500-page report that says basically that nearly all the medical benefits are either unproven or don't exist, and there's a true link to psychosis and schizophrenia, which are terrible diseases."

Morgan Fox, a spokesman for the National Cannabis Industry Association, downplayed Berenson's research in a statement emailed to CNBC.

"The connection between cannabis consumption and mental illness is tenuous at best, and the fact that we don't know more about it is just another reason to change policy so that it can be more easily researched," he said.

"So far, there is nothing to suggest that cannabis consumption causes mental illness, though some research suggests that it may exacerbate pre-existing conditions," Fox said. "There are tens of millions of regular cannabis consumers in the United States, and if it was truly a contributing factor to mental illness, we would be seeing widespread negative effects, and we simply are not seeing that."

Supporters of legal cannabis, known by many names including marijuana, can point to a number of other studies advocating for the medical uses of the plant's compounds such as the psychoactive THC for nausea and CBD, which doesn't get users high, for pain relief. The U.S. government's National Institute on Drug Abuse lists some of the science around the benefits, even though cannabis remains illegal at the federal level.

However, 10 states and Washington, D.C., have already legalized recreational use of pot. Another 23 states and D.C. have legalized marijuana for medical use. Last year, some 20 states considered legalizing adult, recreational use of cannabis, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures research group.

In October, Canada became the largest country in the world with a national, legal marijuana marketplace. Canada has had legal medical marijuana since 2001, which led to a burgeoning cannabis industry north of the U.S. border. Canadian pot companies, many of which are now publicly traded stocks, have been positioning themselves for possible, broader legalization in other countries.

"Good luck with that," Berenson said, arguing the pot industry is going to feel the wrath "the first time there's a case, a really bad case of psychosis" that's blamed on marijuana use.

Berenson credits his wife, a forensic psychologist, for motivating him to write the book. "[She] said to me, 'I see so much cases of crimes where the person was using at the time, using for years, had become psychotic, have become schizophrenic. And I didn't really believe her. I think a lot of people don't believe this if you haven't done the work, done the research."

Americans don't seem to be listening. According to a Pew Research poll in October, 62 percent of respondents say the use of marijuana should be legalized. That's double those favoring it in 2000.
The EU could give further written guarantees to the U.K. in order to help ease the pressure leader Theresa May is experiencing ahead of a crucial vote next week, the Irish prime minister said.

The U.K. Parliament is due to vote next week on the Withdrawal Agreement  the 585-page document that the EU agreed with May's government and outlines how the U.K. should leave the European Union in March. However, the plans have proved controversial for many and will likely be rejected by lawmakers.

The vote had been originally scheduled for December 11, but May decided to postpone it given the opposition to the deal.

The biggest concern for many lawmakers is the Irish backstop  a last-resort insurance policy that aims to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the event that there's no future trade agreement agreed.

Brexiteers and other U.K. lawmakers believe this policy would force Northern Ireland to follow EU rules. However, both Westminster and Brussels have said this is not the aim and if it were to happen, it would only apply until they implement new trade arrangements.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the EU could further explain what its intentions with this backstop are.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., listen as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, focusing on allegations of sexual assault by Kavanaugh against Christine Blasey Ford in the early 1980s.

Wall Street executives have heard from several potential 2020 Democratic candidates for president, including Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, as recently as last month, CNBC has learned.

The latest developments come as the Democrats' campaign to unseat Republican Donald Trump begins a year before the first contests of the presidential primary season, with contenders attempting to line up backing from donors and fundraisers.

The revelation of communication between Wall Street donors and possible Democratic candidates threatens to exacerbate tension between the liberal wing of the party, which is increasingly outspoken against the influence of corporate money in politics, and moderates who are seen as more business-friendly. A CNBC report last week about New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's outreach to Wall Street triggered outrage on the left.

Billionaire and Blackstone Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Gray; Robert Wolf, CEO and founder of economic advisory firm 32 Advisors, and Mark Gallogly, a founder of private investment firm Centerbridge Partners, are just a few of the Democratic financiers who have spoken with 2020 hopefuls about a wide range of topics, including the upcoming campaign, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Wolf, a former advisor to former President Barack Obama, including as a member of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, said he had been in touch with 2020 hopefuls  but declined to name the individual lawmakers.

"I am meeting with possible candidates often but don't want to name names until he or she announces," Wolf said in a text message to CNBC.

However, people familiar with the talks say Wolf's contact list has included Gillibrand, along with New Jersey's Booker and California's Harris. Wolf has a history of backing the three senators. He wrote a check to Gillibrand for $2,700 in 2018 and donated to Harris' campaign in 2016. In 2014, he backed Booker's Senate campaign.

Wolf did not return follow-up requests for comment, and a spokeswoman for Harris did not return repeated requests for comment.

Booker also recently met with a top New York donor who described the encounter to CNBC on the condition of anonymity. "I had tea a while ago with Cory," this person said. "The meetings aren't officially about running, but of course they are about running in 2020." Booker seemed to be trying to see whether this financier could help raise money for a White House run, according to the person.

A spokesman for Booker did not reply to emails requesting comment.

Gray, a billionaire and top Democratic donor, has had numerous private discussions with Gillibrand and other lawmakers who might be looking to jump into the race, according to people familiar with the conversations.

Last year, Gray contributed $2,700 to Gillibrand's primary and general re-election campaigns, the most an individual donor can give directly to a campaign. In 2015, he donated the same amount to Booker. Gray also gave $600,000 to the Senate Majority PAC, a group dedicated to helping Democrats win the majority in the U.S. Senate, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Representatives for Blackstone and Gillibrand declined to comment.

Gallogly, another former member of Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, has spoken with some of the same senators, according to people with direct knowledge of the exchanges. Gallogly has been in contact through email and other means with Gillibrand, and almost every other possible candidate considering a run for the White House, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said. The financier, however, has yet to hear from Harris and Booker about how they would craft a 2020 campaign, this person added.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, a vocal critic of Wall Street who is considering a run for the White House, thanked Gallogly for his support in a voicemail after he won his re-election campaign in 2018, according to a person familiar with the outreach, but the two have not been in touch about the 2020 election. Gallogly gave at least $2,700 to Brown's campaign committee. Brown is the ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee.

A person close to Brown insisted that the senator has not been seeking Wall Street backers. The person added that the senator will continue to work the national fundraising circuit regardless of whether he runs for president, because Ohio is a battleground state that will be saturated with campaign ads. Trump won Ohio in 2016, after Obama won the state in 2008 and 2012.

"I can guarantee you Wall Street hates the idea of a Sherrod Brown White House," the person close to the senator said.

During a recent interview with CNBC's John Harwood, Brown criticized the influence Wall Street has on Congress.

"What's rotten on Wall Street is the influence the financial services industry continues to exert on Congress. Whenever they want something, they almost always get it," Brown said in November.

Gallogly and a spokeswoman for Brown declined to comment.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has had no shortage of attention since she became, at 29, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, one who is unafraid to push controversial progressive policies.

Sunday, she got a new surge of attention calling for a tax rate as high as 70 percent for the rich on the CBS's "60 Minutes" in an interview with Anderson Cooper.

While some see Ocasio-Cortez's plan as outrageous, or "a terrible idea," as former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan called it, she is not alone in calling for the wealthy to pay higher taxes. There is one very notable and wealthy financier who is an unabashed advocate of raising taxes on the wealthy: billionaire Warren Buffett.

In a 2011 piece Buffett penned in the New York Times titled "Stop Coddling the Super-Rich," he called for a raise on taxes for everyone making more than $1 million. He called for an even more severe tax hike on those making more than $10 million or more. (Buffett did not provide specific tax rates.)

"I know well many of the mega-rich and, by and large, they are very decent people. They love America and appreciate the opportunity this country has given them. Many have joined the Giving Pledge, promising to give most of their wealth to philanthropy. Most wouldn't mind being told to pay more in taxes as well, particularly when so many of their fellow citizens are truly suffering," Buffett wrote in the Times. "My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It's time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice."

Also, Buffett says he has not seen higher tax rates discourage investment. "People invest to make money, and potential taxes have never scared them off," Buffett writes in the Times.

The Oracle of Omaha, so named for his Midas Touch with investing and his hometown in Nebraska, is currently worth more than $81 billion, according to Forbes, is famous for his critique of the United States tax code by saying he pays a lower tax rate than does his own secretary.

Taxes should respect a person's station in life, including working people + parents. It's ludicrous that we tax Warren Buffet's secretary more than we tax him - and he has said as much.Sensible + conscientious people of all incomes want a fair society.

Buffett does not begrudge the wealthy their success, nor does he blame the rich for others' struggles. "The poor are most definitely not poor because the rich are rich," he said in a 2015 op-ed he wrote for the Wall Street Journal. "Nor are the rich undeserving. Most of them have contributed brilliant innovations or managerial expertise to America's well-being. We all live far better because of Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Sam Walton and the like."

But he does advocate for the well off to support the retraining of those left behind by the ever-modernizing economy.

And he does not have a problem with his inheritance being taxed.

"I don't think I need a tax cut. For example, the current proposal eliminates the estate tax," Buffett said to Becky Quick on "Squawk Box" in October 2017, in discussing reforms then under debate. "The truth is: if they passed the bill that they're talking about, I could leave $75 billion to a bunch of children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and if I left it to 35 of them, they would each have a couple of billion dollars. They could put it out at 5 percent and have $100 million. Is that a great way to allocate resources in the United States?"

Under that plan, Buffet's family would be set financially for life.

"If they were lucky enough to come out of the right room and have the right name, Buffett, they could build tombs for themselves like Egyptian pharaohs never dreamt of. They could do anything and capitalism was all about intelligent allocation of resources," Buffett told Quick, according to a transcript of the interview. "But if they blow it all, that means that they've done some dumb things with some important resources. That's not good for capitalism I don't think it's good for the children. I sure don't think it's good for a society where there's a ton of inequality to start with."

Buffett has also taken issue with, more broadly, accelerating wealth inequality in the United States.

"The real problem, in my view, is  this has been  the prosperity has been unbelievable for the extremely rich people," said Buffett on PBS Newshour in June. "If you go to 1982, when Forbes put on their first 400 list, those people had [a total of] $93 billion. They now have $2.4 trillion, [a multiple of] 25 for one," he says. "This has been a prosperity that's been disproportionately rewarding to the people on top."

Ocasio-Cortez's tax comment was made during a conversation policy: She has championed an ambitious environmental program, dubbed the "Green New Deal," which calls for the United States to operate entirely on renewable sources of energy in 12 years. She has also promised that all Americans will have a job with a "fair" wage, CBS "60 Minutes" says. To accomplish this would require higher taxes, Cooper says, according to a transcript of the segment.

"When you can't provide for your kids working a full-time job ... When you can't have healthcare. That is notthat is not dignified." Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she sees a gap between the political narrative and real-life experience.

Ocasio-Cortez didn't disagree. "There's an element where  yeah. [P]eople are going to have to start paying their fair share in taxes."

She continued: "You know, it 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 percent, et cetera. 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. 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."

Cooper, on "60 Minutes," points out the ambition of her idea: "What you are talking about, just big picture, is a radical agenda  compared to the way politics is done right now."

The cohort of Americans earning more than $10 million a year currently pays the top marginal tax rate of 37 percent, CNBC.com says.
Consumers and investors will "ultimately" come to value pharmaceutical companies that focus on curing diseases rather than treating them, Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan said Monday.

Speaking at the 37th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, Narasimhan told CNBC that Novartis may have to start separating itself from the idea that profitable medications  which are often lucrative because they manage chronic diseases rather than curing them  is one of the few ways to be successful in the pharmaceutical space.

"We're getting into gene therapies and cell therapies that could cure patients of disease, and my belief is there are a lot of diseases we could tackle with these technologies and really provide cures," Narasimhan, who took over as CEO in Feb. 2018, said in a "Mad Money" interview with Jim Cramer.

"What we're really finding out is that society wants that and that, ultimately, they will value it," he continued. "My conviction is that we'll figure out the payment systems. We'll figure out those challenges. But if you're a company that could consistently bring cures to patients, you're really well-positioned to be successful."

Novartis, a Swiss drugmaker that boasts a $216 billion market cap, has been reworking its portfolio, selling off non-core assets like its generic drug segment and spinning off its soon-to-be former subsidiary Alcon, a catch-all eye-care business.

The pharmaceutical giant has also made two key acquisitions related to cancer treatment: a $3.9 billion deal for French radiopharmaceutical specialist Advanced Accelerator Applications in 2017 and its $2.1 billion purchase of U.S.-based biopharmaceutical Endocyte last year.

"We're all about platforms. We're moving into cell therapy, gene therapy, and now we've got this new platform called radio-ligand therapy" with the Endocyte deal, said Narasimhan, who holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School.

Endocyte's specialty is "pretty simple" in concept, but, to Novartis' benefit, is "really hard to replicate" in practice, Narasimhan told Cramer.

"What we do is we take a drug that's really specific to a cancer and we link it to a radioactive particle that's very controlled and we take it to the cancer and we kill the cancer. And that's worked really well in one tumor [type] called neuroendocrine tumors. We think it could work in prostate cancer. Frankly, we think it could work in many other solid tumor types," the CEO said.

But when it comes to the competition in cancer treatment, which now includes high-profile players like Eli Lilly, radio-ligand solutions aren't easy to come by, Narasimhan said.

"You need big-time capabilities in managing nuclear materials and complex supply chain[s]," he said. "And with the two acquisitions we did last year  AAA [and] Endocyte  we built up that capability."

Shares of Novartis fell 1.18 percent in Monday's trading session, closing at $84.88. In the company's third-quarter earnings report, management raised its full-year sales forecast and highlighted the strong performance of the company's psoriasis drug, Cosentyx, and its heart-failure medicine Entresto.

Novartis will report its fourth-quarter results on Jan. 30.
Juul, the e-cigarette company that has become ubiquitous among teens, is launching its first television ad campaign targeting adult smokers as it faces criticism that its fruity flavors are designed for underaged users.

The San Francisco-based e-cigarette company plans to launch over the summer its new TV campaign, featuring testimonials from adults who have used Juul to stop smoking cigarettes, executives said. The ads are likely to draw some controversy. Tobacco companies have long been restricted from most TV or print advertising, with marketing regulations stretching back to the 1970s. Federal and state regulators haven't yet applied the same standards to e-cigarettes, which are a relatively new product.

Juul will initially spend almost $10 million for TV slots airing on national cable channels after 10 p.m. local time. The ads, a series of three different commercials, are aimed at adults 35 years and older, executives said.

The 60-second spots feature three former smokers between the ages of 37 and 54 who talk about their experience with cigarettes, including how smoking strained relationships or isolated them from families and friends, and how Juul helped them quit smoking.

The campaign marks the start of a year Juul will need to spend proving to regulators its product is ending up where its supposed to  in the hands of adult smokers, not teenagers. And fresh with nearly $13 billion in cash from Marlboro-maker Altria, Juul has money to spend to try to change minds that it's not the second coming of Big Tobacco.

"It's clear that we're focused on the mission of the company to convert people off combustible cigarettes," said Ann Hoey, Juul's vice president of marketing. "This is campaign that is a sort of an honest, straight down the middle of the fairway, very clear communication about what we're trying to do as a company."

Juul says its target audience is adults who want to stop smoking cigarettes, but its product has become wildly popular among teens and young adults. Critics have pointed to Juul's first ad campaign, which featured bright colors and youthful looking models, as evidence the company was intentionally marketing to young people. Juul has said it regrets the ads but denies it intentionally targeted teenagers.

The company started overhauling its social media accounts last year to highlight testimonials from adults who had switched. It shut down its accounts in the fall facing a threat from the Food and Drug Administration to fix the "epidemic" of youth e-cigarette use or else have products pulled from the market.

Juul has already captured about 75 percent of the e-cigarette market, according to Nielsen data. However, it's unclear what percent of Juul's sales comes from former adult smokers and what percent comes teens, though critics would say too much comes from the latter group.

In running advertisements highlighting stories of adults who have used Juul to stop smoking, it suggests the company sees an opportunity to reach more adult smokers.

Over the past year, Juul captured 68 percent of the total $3.25 billion e-cigarette market, according to Nielsen data ended Dec. 29 compiled by Wells Fargo's Bonnie Herzog. However, it represented just 3 percent of the $72.81 billion in overall tobacco sales, which includes cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars, according to Nielsen.

Altria, maker of best-selling cigarette brand Marlboro, announced Dec. 20 that it bought a 35 percent stake in Juul for nearly $13 billion in cash. As part of the deal, Altria will give Juul some of its prime shelf space and add information about Juul to cigarette packs.
Deal-making activity in the rapidly growing health-care sector is expected to rebound in 2019, a law firm said in a report Monday, but heavier regulation and political uncertainty cloud the future of mergers and acquisitions.

Health care is an increasingly important part of the global economy as populations in a number of advanced economies such as Japan grow older, and rising incomes in some emerging ones, including China, mean people can afford better treatment.

Chicago-based international law firm Baker McKenzie, in a report issued with Oxford Economics, predicted that deals in the sector will increase to $331 billion in 2019  or up 7 percent on-year. That marks a solid recovery from last year's drop of 5 percent. Their forecast does not include the latest deals involving Eli Lilly and Bristol-Myers Squibb.

On Monday, Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly announced it was buying cancer drug developer Loxo Oncology for about $8 billion in cash. Just last week, Bristol-Myers Squibb said it would acquire cancer drug company Celgene in a cash deal valued at $74 billion.

Last year also saw a number of huge deals including Takeda Pharmaceutical of Japan's takeover of London-listed Irish drug company Shire in a deal valued at $59 billion.

Stocks in the sector enjoyed a banner year in 2018, bucking the broader turmoil that shook equity markets. The S&P 500 health-care sector rose 4 percent last year, compared to the broader S&P 500 index which lost more than 6 percent during the same period.

Driving the increased M&A activity is intense competition for new drugs, according to Jane Hobson, health-care M&A partner at Baker McKenzie.

"As companies compete to add drugs to their portfolios, we're seeing more early stage acquisitions and licensing, sometimes before proof of concept," Hobson was quoted as saying in the report.

The report predicted that deal-making activity is likely to be the most intense in the United States and Asia, saying consumer spending power in those economies will push companies to seek new technologies.
Stamps.com Inc.: "This is a giant short squeeze. I want you to be very, very careful of this stock. It is a wild trader and it is not my favorite because I don't really understand how they make a lot of money. I do welcome them on the show, though."

Medtronic PLC: "People were saying that they actually gave you a view of fiscal [year] '20 that was below what people were looking for. I have to investigate, because I've got to tell you, I think this is one of the great stocks. I'm not giving up on Medtronic until I've done a little more work."

Transocean Ltd.: "At this point, I want you to hold on. I think this group is dramatically oversold, but I will tell you: about 20 to 25 percent higher, you're going to have to exit because it's just not that kind of market. They need $100 oil to really kill it."

Kraft Heinz Co.: "This stock has what I call no mojo. This stock is a goal-post hitter and then a bounce off and then a zero. It's not going to go to $0, but I think that Kraft Heinz is a stock that, if it goes back to $50, I want you to sell, sell, sell. Can I be more clear? No."

HMS Holdings Corp.: "If that's what you like, you want to be in that cohort, then I suggest you go back to Centene, CNC, which is off horribly from $148, all the way down to $115."
A good reputation, strong competitive advantage and popular brands may not only be hallmarks of any healthy Wall Street company, but also a sign of a poor investment idea, researchers at CFA Institute and Morningstar found.

Securities with popular, desirable traits generate lower expected returns, while those with more unpopular, undesirable traits receive higher expected returns, the study found. While that may sound counterintuitive to many investors, the stock market often assumes that any effect from a stellar reputation or large market capitalization has already occurred and is valued to reflect such characteristics.

"Assets are priced not only by their expected cash flows but also by the popularity of the other characteristics associated with the company or security," wrote Yale finance professor Roger Ibbotson and Morningstar researchers Thomas Idzorek, Paul Kaplan and James Xiong. "Despite these concerns, the market has rewarded value investing and other strategies ... that rely on buying what other investors are avoiding."

For instance, hordes of investors may find equity of larger companies more attractive than that of smaller companies because of risk and liquidity concerns. Some may be drawn to companies with excellent reputations or brands. But all of that information is public: Great companies are often overvalued simply because they are great companies.

The researchers studied a number of factors that make stocks popular, including perceived brand value, competitive advantage and reputation.

Of the 75 to 100 stocks studied based on brand value (as determined by third-party consultancy Interbrand), the those in the lowest 25 percent greatly outperform those stocks in the highest 25 percent between April 2000 and August 2017. The top companies by brand value in 2000  including household names like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM Intel, Nokia, GE and Ford  all fell in rating by 2017, with new leaders like Apple, Google and Amazon making the list.

Source: "Popularity: A Bridge between Classical and Behavioral Finance;" Ibbotson, Idzorek, Kaplan & Xiong .

Of the brands studied, those in the lowest brand value quartile over those years returned 13.5 percent annually versus 7.3 percent for the top 25 percent of brands (with monthly rebalancing back to equal weights).

The researchers found similar results based on competitive advantage, or "economic moat," which estimates a company's advantages based on intangible assets, cost cutting and networking effects.

Starting in July 2002, the researchers placed each stock in Morningstar's universe of 1,039 with moat ratings. Noting that many investors prefer companies they consider to exhibit strong competitive advantage, the researchers found that these stocks tend to be some of the most popular.

Despite that popularity, they found that the companies with zero- or near-zero competitive moat produced the "most superior" mean returns, albeit with more risk.

"Competitive sustainable advantage, brand power, and company reputation should already be baked into the price in a rationally efficient market and, therefore, should not be important to a rational investor who only cares about risk and return," Ibbotson and his colleagues wrote.

"Assuming that a powerful brand, a sustainable competitive advantage, and a good reputation are characteristics that investors like or admire, from the popularity perspective, some investors (the willing or unknowing losers) are simply willing to give up some level of return or overpay for a characteristic they like," they added.

The researchers also tested stock returns based on popular opinion, or how members of the general public rank U.S. companies with the best and worst reputations. Again, stocks with the lowest reputation rankings (i.e., least popular) outperformed those ranked higher, with statistically significant returns.

Of the companies studied, those that ranked in the bottom quartile of reputation between 2000 and 2017 returned a mean of 14 percent versus a mean return of 8.4 percent for the companies in the top reputation quartile.

"Investing in unpopular assets is hard. First, they are typically unpopular for a reason. Mounting losses instead of bountiful profits, declining market share or a shrinking market for one's product, an unusual loading of debt, and other characteristics that drive investors away are often indicators of continued poor performance rather than of what one value manager optimistically calls 'troubles that are temporary,'" the researchers concluded. "Any strategy or factor that is widely enough used will fail."
COLUMBUS, OhioOhio House Minority Leader Fred Strahorns has come under fire from some of his fellow Democrats after he unsuccessfully pushed his caucus to back the losing Republican candidate in Mondays House speaker election.

State Rep. Tavia Galonski, an Akron Democrat, told cleveland.com on Tuesday that shes researching how to call for a new leadership election among House Democrats. She, along with some other House Democrats, said theyre concerned that Strahorn continued to urge Democrats to support now-former Speaker Ryan Smith, even though 26 of 38 House Democrats supported Republican Larry Householder for speaker during Mondays vote.

We could not understand why we were sort of being dragged in one direction [by Strahorn] when we really needed to vet both of these candidates, said Galonski, who chairs the Ohio House Democratic Womens Caucus.

Galonski added: As we get ready to work together with Speaker Householder going in the future, what were really hoping for is someone who carries the group message. And when I dont have that, I look to find out what I can do about it.

Householder needed Democrats' support to become speaker, as he only won 26 of 60 votes from House Republicans. Pro-Householder Democrats said they were swayed by his agreements to boost Democratic influence; minority lawmakers also encountered heavy pro-Householder lobbying from labor unions.

Strahorn withdrew his name from the speakers race ahead of the vote after it became clear that most Democrats planned to vote for Householder or Smith.

Under House rules, a new caucus leadership election can be held if at least one-third of caucus members (in this case, 13 of 38 Democrats) sign a petition calling for one. The vote would be presided over by the dean of the House Democrats, state Rep. Jack Cera of Belmont County.

One thing in Strahorns favor, though, is that its currently unclear who would step forward to take Strahorns place as minority leader. Strahorn, a Dayton Democrat, was re-elected to a third two-year term as minority leader last November without opposition, and several Democrats have privately said that they dont know anyone who wants the job.

Strahorn declined comment Tuesday.

The minority leader told reporters following Mondays vote that he preferred to let Republicans decide among themselves whether to elect Householder or Smith, but when other House Democrats disagreed, he backed Smith because of their good working relationship.

House Minority Whip Brigid Kelly, a Cincinnati Democrat, said she supports Strahorn as minority leader and that her understanding is that Strahorn doesnt plan on leaving.

Kelly added, Caucus business should be handled in caucus.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Newly seated U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez wasnt yet in Congress when a standoff over border wall funding between Congress and President Donald Trump triggered a partial government shutdown thats entering its third week.

The Rocky River Republican nonetheless pledged Tuesday to donate any congressional pay he earns during the shutdown to Northeast Ohio nonprofit groups that support survivors of human trafficking, rape, domestic abuse and addiction. His office said House ethics rules bar him from listing the groups who will receive his pay.

While I was not in Congress when this shutdown started ... I cannot sit by and collect a paycheck while some of my constituents are furloughed, and Congressional leadership shouldnt either, said a statement from Gonzalez. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are currently facing furloughs across the nation, with some of those in Northeast Ohio. Our nations leaders need to put aside partisan politics and come together and put forth a real bipartisan solution that will fund our government and secure our border.

Gonzalez is among several dozen Congress members who have said theyll donate their salaries to charity or have their pay withheld while government workers arent being paid. Most U.S. Senators and congressmen earn $174,000 per year, with a few who hold leadership positions, like the Speaker of the House, earning more. Cleveland.com has asked every member of Ohios congressional delegation whether they plan to accept their salary during the shutdown and is still awaiting answers from most of them.

If Congress cant keep the government fully operational, we shouldnt get paid. Its that simple. pic.twitter.com/v8JIrbkwgM  Dave Joyce (@RepDaveJoyce) December 22, 2018

The morning the government shutdown started, Republican congressmen Dave Joyce of Bainbridge Township and Bob Latta of Bowling Green announced that theyd asked the House of Representatives to withhold their pay until an appropriations agreement takes effect.

If Congress cant keep the government fully operational, we shouldnt get paid, Joyce said on Twitter. Its that simple."

In a statement posted on Facebook, Latta blamed the U.S. Senate for failing to support a bill the House of Representatives adopted before the shutdown that would have provided the disputed border wall funding that Trump has requested. He also noted that much of the government wont be affected by the shutdown because of the funding bills that Congress was able to pass last year.

That being said, Members of Congress shouldnt be receiving their paycheck while others, including our border patrol agents, are not receiving theirs, Lattas statement said. I have asked the Chief Administrative Officer to withhold my pay during this partial shutdown. I urge the Senate to take the actions necessary to open the government and secure the border.

Both of Ohios U.S. senators say theyll forgo pay during the shutdown.

I wont be accepting my pay check during the shutdown, said GOP Sen. Rob Portman, who supports added border security measures to keep drugs and unaccompanied children from entering the country. He has introduced legislation that would end government shutdowns, and says he is talking to Senate colleagues from both political parties in hopes of ending the stalemate.

A spokeswoman for Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown said her boss will be forgoing his pay while the government is shut down and he will continue fighting for federal workers  including the thousands of contract workers like custodians, cafeteria workers, and security guards who may not receive any back pay at all.

He is calling on President Trump and Mitch McConnell to reopen the government immediately so these Americans can get back to work earning a paycheck and serving the public, said Browns communications director, Jennifer Donohue.

Republican Rep. Bob Gibbs of Holmes County will also have his pay withheld during the shutdown as long as essential employees are working without pay," said his spokesman, Dallas Gerber. He said Gibbs will introduce a bill this evening that provides for essential employees like border patrol agents and federal law enforcement officers to receive normal pay during funding lapses.

Those required to work regardless of a shutdown, whose job is related to national security and law enforcement, should be paid, said Gerber.

Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Columbus plans on giving back and making donations to nonprofits, although shes still working out the details, said her spokesman, Dominic Manecke.

Niles-area Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan is not among those who will forgo pay during the standoff, says his spokesman, Michael Zetts.

Rep. Ryan doesnt believe any federal employees should have their paychecks held hostage for a $5 billion vanity project for Donald Trump, said Zetts. He is focused on reopening the government and ensuring every employee receives back pay, not political face-saving maneuvers.
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Babri Masjid Title Suit: Five-judge bench headed by CJI Gogoi to begin hearing from Jan 10

Besides CJI Gogoi, the SC bench will comprise Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachud

New Delhi: A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi will start hearing the Babri Masjid title suit, also known as Ayodhya land dispute case, from Thursday January 10, 2019.

Besides CJI Gogoi, the SC bench will comprise Justice SA Bobde, Justice NV Ramana, Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice DY Chandrachud.

The Supreme Court of India had on Friday deferred till January 10 the hearing in the Babri Masjid Title Suit. The Apex Court in a 30-second hearing had said the further orders on the appeals in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit will be announced by an appropriate bench on January 10.

The apex court on Oct. 29, 2018 had fixed the matter in the first week of January before an "appropriate bench", which will decide the schedule of hearing.

"We will fix the date of hearing of Ayodhya dispute case before the appropriate bench in January," Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said making it clear that there will not be any urgent hearing in the case.

The Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in April, 2019. A number of political parties, including the ruling BJP, are of the view that the hearing in the case should be held only after the elections. The apex court however turned down all these pleas.

Upset by the apex court's refusal RSS and other Hindutva extremist groups have demanded from the union government to bring in a law to construct Ram temple on the Babri Masjid site.

The historic mosque believed to be built by Mir Baqi, one of the commanders of Mughal Emperor Babur, was thrown into a controversy as a result of India's communal politics. It was at last demolished in broad daylight on December 06, 1992 by Hindu extremists in the presence of top RSS, BJP, VHP, Bajrang Dal and other right wing groups' top leadership.

Following a lenghty judicial battle, the Allahabad High Court had in a verdict pronounced in 2010 equally divided the 2.77 acres of land between Ram Lalla, Sunni Wakf Board and Nirmohi Akhara. Hindus and Muslims however have both challenged the HC verdict in the Supreme Court hearing of which will start from January 10, 2019.

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TCN News with inputs from IANS

New Delhi, Jan 8:

Among the 8 bills listed today in Rajya Sabha in the winter session, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018 were also in the list for discussion and voting.

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However the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for tomorrow with no discussions as there were protests from the opposition and they were shouting slogans about the misuse of the CBI and thus there were repeated adjournment in the House today.

The winter session of Parliament was scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, but the government informally announced that Rajya Sabha would work for one more day.

Outside Parliament, the MPs expressed dismay and said they had been taken by surprise by the governments unilateral announcement about the extension of working days. Our only source of information was a news agency. We came to know through it that the sitting of the House of which I am a member is being extended by one day, said an MP. If at all it has to be extended, it has to be announced first that the House is being extended. And then it has to be pronounced that it would meet tomorrow at this time. That has not been done. So who knows the House sitting was being extended? No one. This is unethical, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva, who is also on the panel of Deputy Chairpersons of the Rajya Sabha, told IANS. Congress leader Raj Babbar termed the incident as unprecedented in the history of Rajya Sabha. He said there was no discussion about the extension either on Tuesday or on Wednesday from the governments side.

There is also stiff opposition for the above mentioned two bills by Muslim women and the transgender community.

The transgender community in Telangana also held a rally on 6th in Hyderabad. Swarmed by police, transgender persons and sex workers stormed the streets of Hyderabad yet again today sloganeering:

Hyderabadi Biryani Acha Hai !

Modi Sarkar Luchha Hai !

They demanded that Rajya Sabha must send the extremely problematic Trans Bill and Anti-Trafficking Bills to the Select Committee. They were in favour of Sivans private member bill.

While the Muslim women all over demand the Triple Talaq bill to be sent to a select committee before being tabled. There is also stiff opposition from the Muslim clerics and even lay persons over the way a civil matter is being criminalised.

With the house adjourned for tomorrow there is likelihood that the opposition may boycott the proceedings over the recently proposed bill of 10% reservation to economically weaker people belonging to the general category.
TCN News

Exactly a month ago, Amit Topno, a journalist from Khunti, Jharkhand was shot at point blank range and his body discovered later in Doranda area of Ranchi by some locals. Amit worked as a correspondent with video volunteers (VV) since 2012 and reported for OK times and News code. Apart from being a reporter he also drove a taxi for Ola cabs. Amit was among the few educated youth in his area and put his education to use by reporting fearlessly about the issues that troubled the people of his village. It is said that due to his honest and fearless reporting of the problems many a problem was solved.

He was among the rare breed of reporters who risked their lives to expose the truth and demand justice. Amit reported on issues such as sand mining, illegal alcohol sales, Adivasi rights, education, sanitation, human trafficking, land rights, culture and most recently the Pathalgadi movement.

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Amit was very much concerned about the issues that troubled the people of not just his village but the entire state of Jharkhand.

While there have been many protests, candle light marches, submitting petitions to the authorities by social activists, journalists, students, VV volunteers and others demanding the arrest of those behind the gruesome murder from the last one month but so far the police, who have assured that they are investigating the murder thoroughly have failed to nab the murderers.

His colleagues believe that he was murdered because of his work that was fearless and unmasked the scams and conspiracies.
One person was killed, seven injured and two missing as an oil tanker exploded and caught fire Tuesday off Hong Kong's Lamma Island.

An oil tanker catches fire at Lamma Southwest Anchorage, Hong Kong, on January 8, 2019. [Photo: IC]

The accident occurred at around 11:29 a.m. local time (0329 GMT) when crew members on the 140-meter-long oil tanker were trying to connect pipes with an oil barge to refuel the ship south off Lamma Island, said Yiu Men Yeung, division commander for marine and diving of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's Fire Services Department (FSD).



There were 25 crew members on the oil tanker and four workers on the barge.

Among the oil tanker crew members, one man was found dead at the scene, 22 were rescued from the sea, while two remained missing, according to Wong Wai Hong, deputy district commander of the Marine Port District of the Hong Kong Police Force.

A total of seven people were injured in the accident, including one worker on the barge. Among the injured crew members, one was seriously burned.

The fire, upgraded to No. 3 alarm at 1:33 p.m. local time (0533 GMT), was largely put out at around 4:30 p.m. local time (0830 GMT).

The FSD and the police deployed several vessels, 20 fire engines, 14 ambulances, four fire boat monitors and a total of 140 emergency crews to fight the blaze and rescue the victims.

The Government Flying Service (GFS) also deployed three helicopters with a total of 13 crew members to the scene to search for the missing.

Pictures released by the GFS showed a huge hole on the deck of the burning ship.

Danny Kwok, owner of a speedboat leasing business on the island, told Xinhua after returning from near the scene that the ship was tilted and the sea area around had been blockaded.

The oil tanker, registered in Vietnam, was on its way from China's Dongguan to Thailand when it stopped in waters of the HKSAR for refuelling.

All the crew members are Vietnamese. The Hong Kong police has informed the Consulate General of Vietnam in Hong Kong of the incident.

The HKSAR government's Marine Department said its oil spill control vessel has been deployed to the scene on standby, but no spill was spotted since the tanker was not carrying oil cargo when the accident happened.




As part of the companys commitment to strengthen its global sourcing and distribution, Norwegian Cruise Line has appointed Eamonn Ferrin as vice president and managing director for its UK, Ireland, Israel, South Africa and the Middle East markets.



He will report directly to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings president international, Harry Sommer.



Ferrin will oversee the sales, marketing, public relations and office operations for Norwegian Cruise Line, heading up the key regions of the UK and Ireland as well as the growing and developing markets of Israel, South Africa and the Middle East. Reporting to Ferrin will be Nick Wilkinson, who will take on a newly created role as regional vice president of Business Development for Norwegian Cruise Line.



Eamonns appointment comes at an exciting time in our companys history as we continue to strengthen our global footprint, said Sommer. The UK is our second largest source market globally, and Israel, South Africa and the Middle East are emerging markets that demonstrate enormous growth potential. Eamonn brings more than 20 years of senior-level experience in the travel and hospitality industry, and having him lead our operations in some of our most important international markets is a testament to our global growth strategy.



Prior to joining Norwegian Cruise Line, Ferrin was the founder of Ferrin Consulting Limited, providing consultancy services to travel brands in the airline, tour operator, cruise and hotel industries. In his last consultancy assignment, he was the interim chief operating officer at Cruise.co.uk, the largest private equity-owned European cruise online travel agency (OTA). From February 2013 to May 2016, Ferrin was president and chief operating officer at Air Canada Vacations (ACV), where he oversaw the daily business operations and was instrumental in the company achieving record operating profits and, in supporting the growth of the companys new leisure-focused airline, Air Canada Rouge. From November 2009 to October 2012, Ferrin served as managing director at the Hotel Breaks Division at Holidaybreak, where he supported Cox & Kings' acquisition of Holidaybreak in 2011. Before that, he held various C-Suite and senior leadership roles within the travel and hospitality sector. - TradeArabia News Service
Flyadeal, Saudi Arabia's low-cost carrier, has launched flights to four new destinations from Dammam - Riyadh, Medinah, Jazan and Abha.



These flights are in addition to the current three daily flights from Dammam to Jeddah and the three daily flights from Jeddah to Dammam.



The new routes will serve the residents of the Eastern Province by offering more options for affordable flights in and out of the provinces capital, Dammam, connecting it to the various regions of the Kingdom with daily flights at Everyday Low Fares.



To commemorate the launch, a ceremony was held at the departure lounge of King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. Con Korfiatis, CEO of flyadeal; airport officials and employees; and representatives from the media were present for the first of the new flights - F3 1175 from Dammam to Riyadh.



Since our inception, we have worked to deliver on our promise of everyday low fares coupled with a great onboard experience delivered with smiles. As we enter 2019, we celebrate new flights from our virtual base in Dammam to four major destinations in the kingdom: Riyadh, Madinah, Abha and Gizan. We will also start operating a second daily flight from Jeddah to Tabuk from January 7, Korfiatis said.



We are also pleased to announce the opening of our Riyadh base. As Saudi Arabias capital, we are committed to strengthening our presence and grow our flying here over the course of 2019, added Korfiatis



We also expect to receive our 11th new Airbus A320 (CEO) aircraft this month and this will enable us to expand our network even further, he said.



Flyadeal's network now comprises 70 daily flights that link all four corners of the kingdom. - TradeArabia News Service
KBR, a global provider of professional services and technologies, has announced that SGT LLC, a business unit of KBRwyle, has won a seat on the $12.1-billion US Army Information Technology Enterprise Solutions-3 (ITES-3) Services Contract.

KBRwyle is KBR's global government services business.

The US Army Contracting Command (ACC) selected KBRwyle as a prime contractor on the potential nine-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. The contract has a base period of five years plus four option years.

The Army's Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) programme manages the contract, which is expected to be the Army's prime source of IT-related services worldwide.

The contract's wide scope of services enables KBRwyle to offer solutions and support in several IT areas, including cybersecurity, integration, telecommunications, supply chain management and business process engineering. The services will directly assist the Army in meeting its global infrastructure needs.

"This contract is an important opportunity for KBRwyle to expand on its existing technical and IT-related work with the US Army," said Byron Bright, president, KBR Government Services US.

"We understand the importance of technology-based solutions and on-demand access to information, and look forward to supplying these state-of-the-art IT services to support the warfighter and the Army's global mission."

KBRwyle is a leading provider of US government cyber and electronic security solutions. Its extensive experience in developing IT solutions for mission-focused programs encompasses a broad array of specialized end-to-end services. From enterprise computer services to satellite control centres and mission-critical operations, KBRwyle consistently delivers innovative, high-quality IT support. - TradeArabia News Service
Nucor Corporation, a leading US-based producer of steel and related products, has announced plans to build a state-of-the-art plate mill in the US Midwest at an investment of $1.35 billion.



The company, headquartered in North Carolina, US, said the move comes following the granting of approval by the Nucor's board of directors for the construction of mill.



Once the plant gets fully operational in 2022, it will be capable of producing 1.2 million tonne per year of steel plate products. The project is also expected to create approximately 400 full-time jobs, said a top official.



"This investment is consistent with our drive to continue delivering sustainable, profitable growth and superior returns for shareholders," remarked John Ferriola, the chairman and chief executive and president of Nucor.



"Together with the significant share repurchases completed in 2018, the board's decision to fund this high-return opportunity demonstrates our commitment to balanced capital allocation. We have a strong foundation to build upon as we advance our goal of leading in every market in which we compete," noted Ferriola.



Leon Topalian, the executive VP of Beam and Plate products, said: "By building this state-of-the-art plate mill in the Midwest  the largest plate-consuming area in the US  we will enhance our ability to serve our customers in the region while also furthering our goal of meeting all the steel needs of our customers around the country."



"We expect to select a site for the new mill early this year. Our team is poised and ready to take the next step in advancing our position in steel plate products," he noted.



The new plate mill will produce cut-to-length, coiled, heat-treated, and discrete plate ranging from 60 to 160 inches wide, and in gauges from 3/16 of an inch to 14 inches in thickness; enabling Nucor to supply plate products that the Company does not currently offer.



The steel company currently operates plate mills in North Carolina, Alabama and Texas.



"This administration is taking the decisive and meaningful actions that American manufacturers need to compete on a level playing field," remarked Ferriola.



"Tax reform, continued improvements to our regulatory approach and strong trade enforcement are giving businesses like ours the confidence to make long-term capital investments here in the U.S. that create jobs and ensure our success for decades to come," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Aramcos Yanbu NGL Fractionation Department and Abqaiq Plants have been declared winners of King Abdulaziz Quality Award in the Major Production Companies sector.



The announcement of the fourth King Abdulaziz Quality Award was made in a ceremony held yesterday (January 7) in Riyadh in the presence of Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz, Governor of Riyadh.



Winning the golden category of the King Abdulaziz Quality Award is testimony of the relentless efforts undertaken by Yanbu NGL Fractionation Departments employees and management in improving the NGL fractionation systems, safety and in the implementation of the companys Operational Excellence strategy. Yanbu NGL Fractionation Department has previously been recognized for having the highest score in Operational Excellence within Saudi Aramco as well.



Saudi Aramco vice president of Domestic Refining and NGL Fractionation, Suleman A Al Bargan, said: This achievement adds credence to the operational excellence and work efficiency of the plant and its employees.



This according to him, was another feather in the cap for the plant which won Saudi Aramcos Presidents Operational Excellence Award in 2018.



He added: Winning such a prestigious award highlights the companys efforts to successfully instil a culture of excellence and high levels of quality in its systems and among its employees. It also reflects the efforts of the plants employees in refining and natural gas operations through research and innovation and through the implementation of technology and safety systems.



The award accorded to the Abqaiq Plants reflects the distinguished performance of its employees and their commitment to continuing operational excellence, which paved the way for them to be the best among their peers.



Khaled Al Buraik, vice president of Southern Area Oil Operations, said: This award underscores the excellence of operations at Saudi Aramcos facilities and adherence to the highest standards of quality and efficiency.



This is a qualitative addition that will motivate further efforts to develop performance; keep up with the latest developments in innovation in processing hydrocarbons; and adhere to health, safety and environmental regulations so that work can be done in a credible and effective manner, which will enable them to achieve more.



Saudi Aramcos Abqaiq Plants are based in the city of Abqaiq and include three facilities: Crude oil plant, liquefied natural gas plant and supporting facilities plant.



Abqaiq Plants seek to become a world leader in processing hydrocarbons by 2020.  TradeArabia News Service
This years edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) will explore how digitalisation and innovative technologies are converging to provide new solutions to drive economic growth and sustainable development.



It is vital for the global community to commit to working together to address the challenges of climate change and accelerate sustainable development, UAE ministers and senior business leaders were quoted as saying by state news agency Wam ahead of ADSW.



The event - one of the worlds largest sustainability gatherings - takes place in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, from January 12 -19, and explores major social, economic and environmental trends impacting the sector, under the theme, Industry Convergence: Accelerating Sustainable Development.



Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the global platform hosts heads of state, government ministers, policymakers, industry experts, innovators and future sustainability leaders.



Speaking at the press conference to launch the landmark event, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: "Every year at ADSW, the UAE joins forces with the rest of the world to accelerate the pace of sustainable development. Platforms such as this one enable the country to keep pace with the increased global uptake for innovative climate technologies, and lead the way to a cleaner and better tomorrow."



"This year, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is proud to present the second edition of the Climate Innovation Exchange initiative that facilitates seamless sourcing, funding and monetisation of pioneering climate solutions," he added.



Al Zeyoudi noted, "We are working in accordance with the directives of the wise leadership and the UAE Vision 2021 and its national agenda, which emphasis its commitment to the agenda of sustainability, which we have made a fundamental goal we seek to achieve."



In turn, Adnan Z Amin, director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) said, "Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week is one of the worlds preeminent gatherings of policy, industry and academic leaders that aims to identify a common pathway to a more equitable, low-carbon and sustainable economic future."



"The Assembly, Irenas ultimate decision-making body that brings together 180 countries, takes place each year at ADSW  a reflection of its significance as a leading global platform for policy dialogue and a catalyst for action," he noted.



To align more closely with the UAE Vision 2021 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the event has widened its scope beyond renewable energy. ADSW 2019 will address global sustainability challenges and opportunities on the six pillars of Energy and Climate Change, Water, Future Mobility, Space, Biotechnology and Tech for Good. The topics of Youth and Digitalisation will inform each of these pillars and the programmes running throughout ADSW.



ADSWs anchor event, World Future Energy Summit, WFES, will feature more than 850 exhibiting companies from 40 countries. As part of WFES, the inaugural Future Summit is being held on 15th-16th January, bringing together leaders from government, the non-profit community, institutional investors and the private sector to debate accelerating the transition to a sustainable society.



For his part, Mohammad Juma Al Falasi, Under-Secretary of the Department of Energy in Abu Dhabi, said, "Sustainability is one of the main pillars of our strategy aimed at optimising the contribution of our natural resources to the energy supply in the UAE. We are keen to enhance the level of integration among all stakeholders, and ensure that we have the right strategy and regulations in place to minimise the consumption of oil & gas, and to benefit from renewable sources, particularly solar."



Commenting on Masdars role as host of ADSW and the events expanded mandate, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said, "At Masdar, we regard investing in renewable energy and sustainable real estate as good business. Hosting ADSW, on the other hand, is our proud duty to the UAE. It is a collaborative effort and a platform for multilateral dialogue."



A new addition this year is the inaugural Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, which is designed to focus on increasing the adoption of sustainable financing and directing capital towards activities with positive economic, social and environmental impacts.



Richard Teng, CEO of Financial Services Regulatory Authority, Abu Dhabi Global Market, ADGM, said, "Abu Dhabi Global Market is pleased to host and curate the inaugural Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum as part of the eminent Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. As a leading international financial centre, ADGM recognises the importance of driving sustainable financing and investments and working with key local and international stakeholders to facilitate initiatives that deliver long-term benefits for the well-being of society and the economy.



Last year, a record 38,000 people representing 175 countries attended ADSW, including 180 ministers and 300 high-level speakers. Commercial projects worth US$15 billion were announced during the week.
Despite overall declining property prices, there are many communities in Dubai that have been outperforming most global yields, such as International City which has an average 9.9 per cent gross yield and IMPZ at 8.7 per cent, based on asking prices from the last three months for both apartments and villas, said a report by leading real estate portal Property Finder Group.



Newly completed residential supply for December saw 482 villas added to the communities in Nad Al Sheba area of Dubai. Additionally, Dubailand and IMPZ added 203 and 128 apartments, respectively, to their ever growing roster, stated the report.



Property Finder research calculated that 14,707 residential units had a completion status of at least 95 per cent in October 2018 and were expected by the end of the year. However, of that figure, only 2,792 have been completed, pushing the remainder of that expected supply for 2019 completion.



Looking forward to 2019, projects with a 65 per cent completion status and 2019 completion date amount to 33,982 residential units, stated the report.



Lynnette Abad, the director for research and data, at Property Finder Group, said: "2019 is going to be an interesting year when it comes to completion of projects and new supply."



"As we have seen this year, the amount of total new completed supply has increased by about 30 per cent compared to the last few years where new supply hovered in the 15,000 range each year," explained Abad.



"Also, the materialisation rate increased in 2018 which we are expecting to see again in 2019 due to continued pressure to have projects completed gearing up towards 2020," she added.



Elsewhere, in the northern emirate of Ajman, a total of 1,139 apartments were added on the corniche. Ajman is actually the emirate that provides the highest yields in the UAE at an average of 8.4 per cent for apartments, stated the report.



Off-plan transferred sales for apartments, villas and townhouses amounted to 1,412 for the last month of the year. The secondary market saw 1,123 residential property sales and 62 commercial property sales for December.



Overall, the top five transacted communities were International City, Business Bay, Mohammed Bin Rashid City, Jumeirah Village Circle and Downtown Dubai, said the portal.



As per the data from Property Finder, the Dubai Marina and Downtown Dubai emerged as the top searched communities in Dubai, considering buy and rent searches for all property types, while Abu Dhabis most searched communities were Al Reem Island and Khalifa City.



For the Northern Emirates, Ajman Downtown and Al Majaz, Sharjah topped the list with the former being the focus of both one and two bedroom searches, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Bank Nizwa, the first dedicated Islamic bank in Oman that offers fully shari'a-compliant products and services, has launched its new home construction financing scheme - Diminishing Musharaka.



Unveiling the new product, Bank Nizwa said the move comes in line with the bank's plans to offer customers a multitude of innovative Islamic finance solutions.



Based on this contract, an asset is jointly owned by the bank and the customer. The banks can lease his share to the customer and the customer can makes periodical payments to buy out the banks partial ownership, so that by the time the Diminishing Musharaka contract matures, the customer is the sole owner of the property, said the statement from the bank.



Arif Al Zaabi, the assistant general manager (retail banking) at Bank Nizwa, said: "While Islamic finance is considered a novice sector in Oman, we are seeing a significant shift in the market from Ijara to Diminishing Musharaka."



"This trend has been gaining ground because customers can get the Title Deed (Mulkiya) registered under their names from day with more flexibility in future," he noted.



Designed for customers looking to avail of ethical financing, the banks latest property financing product provides customers complete ownership of their home in full-compliance with the principles of Islamic finance, explained Al Zaabi.



Bank Nizwa offers a competitive profit rate allowing customers for all segments the opportunity to buy the home of their dreams with a repayment period of up to 25 years, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Business Registration and Licensing (BRL) sector in the Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai, is partnering with Emaar Hospitality Group to promote the Instant Licence service offered by BRL for businesses in the Emirate.



An expert team from BRL will train the Front Office Managers at the hotels under Emaar Hospitality Groups Address Hotels + Resorts and Vida Hotels and Resorts, to familiarise them with the Instant Licence initiative that will enable them to strengthen awareness among guests at the hotels on the ease of starting and doing business in Dubai, reported state news agency Wam.



BRL will also train Letswork, the first start-up rolled out by e25, Emaars in-house innovation lab, which manages pop-up co-working spaces in key venues in the city for entrepreneurs, freelancers and professionals to work, meet and innovate. With Instant Licence owners not requiring an office space for the first year of operations, Letswork serves as an affordable workspace solution for business owners across Dubai. Letswork will also offer discounts for those who own DED Trader licences to use the co-working spaces.



The Instant Licence initiative is a service whereby businesses can secure their commercial licence in one-step within five minutes without having a companys lease or location for the first year. The service reduces the time required for business registration procedures and licence issuance by 90 per cent.



According to the Ease of Doing Business 2019 report released by the World Bank, the UAE ranked 11th globally, jumping 10 places from last year, driven by the concerted efforts of government entities in the UAE and Dubai. The DED played a pivotal role in raising competitiveness and catalysing business growth. The Instant Licence is a key initiative that further adds to the ease of starting business in Dubai.



Omar Bushahab, CEO of the BRL sector, said, "Through our partnership with Emaar Hospitality Group, we are focused on strengthening awareness about the Instant Licence service that enables the business community to secure their commercial licence effortlessly. With the hotels under Emaar Hospitality Group hosting business and leisure visitors from across the world, this partnership will enable the hotel staff to provide accurate and relevant information for the guests who are looking to start businesses in Dubai. This also marks our commitment to working with private sector entities, and in turn, contribute further to the economic competitiveness of the Emirate."



Olivier Harnisch, chief executive officer of Emaar Hospitality Group, said, "As the popular destination for international visitors to Dubai, our hotels serve as a first-point source of information about the city. With several guests enquiring about the modalities to set up business in Dubai, through our partnership with the BRL Sector at DED, our staff can provide in-depth details on the procedures involved. The Instant Licence is perfectly tailored for international investors who now can secure a commercial licence in the shortest period. We will continue to support initiatives that highlight the competitive strengths of the city."



All business activities can benefit from the service, except public and private shareholding companies, through the various outsourced service centres in Dubai, and the Happiness Lounge as well as the Smart Lounges 24x7. Holders of general trade licences can only use electronic services.



All business partners or one of them must be present while applying through the outsourced service centres or the Happiness Lounge and must provide a valid passport copy to all parties (partner and manager), residence visa copy and non-objection letter from the sponsor to the foreign parties.
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

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[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.

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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.
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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:
A view of northern Mexico from the South Rim of the Chisos Mountain in Big Bend National Park. Due to the shutdown, the national parks are only partially open, with many letting people in but not providing any services, such as trash pickup.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images(NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa) -- Julian Castro's arrival in Iowa didn't garner the same national attention as Sen. Elizabeth Warren's did, but the young 2020 hopeful found his warm reception nonetheless in a home just outside Iowa City Monday night, where a group of Democratic activists hosted him at their monthly potluck dinner.



"What I see in our country today is that for the first time in a long time were going backward instead of forward," Castro said at the gathering. "In the coming months, starting on Saturday, Im going to be talking about my vision for the future."



Castro is preparing to make an announcement about a run for the presidency in 2020 on Jan. 12 in San Antonio. Though he wouldn't say Monday night if that announcement would be a declaration to run, Castro made plenty of references to the coming months on the potential campaign trail.



"If I decide to run, because were not at Saturday yet, I look forward to addressing it," he said at one point, joking and beginning his response to a question from one of the members of the group about health care.



"I have the experience that it takes to actually get things done," Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and housing chief under former President Barack Obama, said to the group of Iowans gathered in a living room, flowing over into the nearby dining room and kitchen. He made a brief speech followed by time for members of the group to ask Castro questions.



One woman, concerned about Iowa farmers, asked what Castro would do about the trade war President Donald Trump has started with China. Another asked how he plans to fund his campaign, if he runs, given his promise to not accept PAC money. And one man asked how Castro would respond to a hypothetical attack from Trump, if it came to it, about having the last name Castro, a name he shares with the Cuban Communist revolutionary and politician, Fidel Castro.



"I guess I would have to explain the difference between Mexican and Cuban," Castro, a Mexican-American raised in Texas, said to laughs.



The event, billed as a potluck, was anything but. In fact, the food was merely an accessory to the group's purpose. They call themselves the "Potluck Insurgency," said Jane Cranston, a member of the group and resident of the home Castro visited Monday night.

"Yes, the name is supposed to give you a little chuckle," Cranston, 68, said.



The group sprung up during the 2016 election in support of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. After her loss, they continued to organize, donning their name, and have since been a target for other potential Democratic contenders for the presidency in 2020, including Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, former presidential candidate Martin O'Malley and California Rep. Eric Swalwell.



"At our house, weve hosted Merkley, and we had OMalley at one of the events in a park, we had Eric Swalwell at our house as well," Cranston said, ticking off the list of high-profile Washington players that have set foot in her home in the Iowa City suburbs.



Asked how they've managed to draw such a group, Ed Cranston said they ask themselves the same questions.

"I mean, partly it's Iowa," he said.



"Its a very exciting time, theyve all been within the last year. They all came in preparation, I think, for their possible run. But some came to get out the vote for the possible midterms," Jane Cranston said. Her husband, Ed, is treasurer of their county's Democratic Party and both volunteered at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.



All the legislators they've met have been "marvelous," Cranston said, though with 2020 almost two years out, it's too early to decide.



Of Castro, her husband said he believes he'll "definitely be in the final cut."



"He's got the background, he's got the sense, I think he can generate the energy," he said. "He looks younger than he is, which helps too."



But Kade Schemahorn, also at the potluck and from nearby Iowa City, said he wasn't sure Castro's age would help him. Castro is 44 and became the youngest city councilman in San Antonio history at age 26, back in 2001.



"I think he's going to get a lot of opposition for being so young, but he seems to have a lot of great experience," Schemahorn said.



Castro is one of an abnormally large group of Democrats expected to run, including higher-profile figures like Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, former presidential contender Sen. Bernie Sanders and a host of other senators, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Corey Booker and Kamala Harris.



The large field of Democrats he faces is another stumbling block that gave some at the gathering pause.



"I do wonder how he's going to distinguish himself in a very large field of Democrats," said Charlotte Fairlie, also an Iowa City resident, after the event ended. "It's a challenge for all of them but he's lower profile."



Castro announced in a video last month that he had launched an exploratory committee for a 2020 run.



He was elected San Antonio mayor in 2009 and gained a national political profile in 2012, when he delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.



In 2014, Obama named him secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He was also vetted as a potential Democratic running mate to Hillary Clinton in 2016.



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 2:20PM

by Nathaniel R

This awards season keeps throwing us unpleasant curveballs. First Bohemian Rhapsody took the top prize at the Globes and now, the Director's Guild of America has decided to up and agree with the Globes exactly on the Best Director list.

Their nominations and statistical hand-wringing after the jump...

BEST DIRECTOR, DGA

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma

Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born (double nominated this year - also for first time director)

Peter Farrelly, Greenbook

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Adam McKay, Vice (double nominated this year - also for tv work)

We don't understand what Peter Farrelly and Adam McKay are doing in there. Even if you love Green Book it isn't a directorial feat in any traditional sense like so many movies selected for this honor are. Vice is tonally all over the place and has relatively poor reviews, things that would normally doom a director in the Oscar race. The only solace we're taking in this nomination lineup is that Oscar's directing branch is (generally speaking) slightly more sophisticated than the wider voting membership of the DGA. If this year's Oscar lineup follows statistical tradition it will include 4 but not 5 of these men. But there's a few other mitigating factors to consider.

- Oscar's lineup generally differs from the Globe lineup even more than it differs from the DGAs (sometimes as few as 2 people transfer like last year!) . But since the DGA & Globes match this year what does that mean?

- Bradley Cooper could be a surprise exclusion, especially if the Directors resist him muscling in on their territory. They've done that before you know (see Ben Affleck in Argo). We confess: if a snub here would guarantee him the Best Actor prize we'd be all for that snub to happen! Otherwise that's just mean! It's one of the definitive films of the year and he wrote, directed, produced and starred in it, and did his best acting ever!

- You can't vote AGAINST a movie when nominating people so helming a divisive film doesn't necessarily harm you; you only need the passionate fans to rally... which one assumes is how Vice and Green Book (both generally divisive) still made it in there.

- Part of the problem in more traditional "auteurs" showing up to replace anyone on this list this year is that the votes are undoubtedly spread out, as is opinion. We've found over our long years of Oscar-watching that the better a film year is the more likely you are to end up with mediocre nominees. It's almost as if, if you give people too many brilliant choices, they all glom on to easiest films from indecision or no momentum for any one piece of brilliance given all the other remarkable choices.

- There's always the chance that the directors branch within the Academy will throw a real curveball this year like they did in 2012 when the DGA and Oscar list were MUCH different and perceived frontrunning films were shoved aside. The DGAs nominated Ben Affleck (Argo), Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and Tom Hooper (Les Miserables) but the Academy chucked all of them for Austria's master Michael Haneke (Amour), newcomer Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild), and then hot David O. Russell (Silver Lining's Playbook). The only transfers were two previous Oscar & DGA winners Ang Lee (Life of Pi) and Steven Spielberg (Lincoln). If we have a year like that again in Best Director all bets are off as to who falls though in this scenario I guess we could expect Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman) and Alfonso Cuaron (Roma) to be the holdovers since they're the closest thing to legends among this lineup like Lee & Spielberg were.

Yorgos Lanthimos

- It's impossible to know if the Directors branch is feeling restless this year but if they are there are so many alternate possibilities, chief among them: Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite), Debra Granik (Leave No Trace), Pawel Pawlikowski (Cold War), and Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk). If Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) couldn't make it to the nominations from the more populist leaning DGA he doesn't have a clear shot at an Oscar nomination.

- But with opinions so widespread about the more arthouse-leaning fare this year, that might be good news for Farrelly and McKay. Aside from arguably Lanthimos and maybe Granik do any of the others have anything like momentum in the conversation at this point?

CURRENT BEST DIRECTOR CHART - yes, we'll be updating very soon.

THE REST OF THE DGA'S AWARDS

First Time Feature Film

Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade

Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born

Carlos Lopez Estrada, Blindspotting

Matthew Heineman, A Private War

Boots Riley, Sorry to Bother You

Not pleased that Ari Aster isn't here for Hereditary but otherwise it's a good list.

Documentary

Morgan Neville, Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Ramell Ross, Hale County This Morning, This Evening

Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chan, Free Solo

Tim Wardle, Three Identical Strangers

Betsy West & Julie Cohen, RBG

Dramatic Series

Jason Bateman, Ozark "Reparations"

Lesli Linka Glatter, Homeland "Paean to the People"

Chris Long, The Americans "START"

Adam McKay, Succession, "Celebration"

Daina Reid, The Handmaid's Tale "Holly"

Homeland is still on AND being nominated for awards? Whoa!

Comedy Series

Donald Glover, Atlanta "FUBU"

Bill Hader, Barry "Chapter One: Make Your Mark"

Hiro Murai, Atlanta "Teddy Perkins"

Daniel Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel "We're Going to the Catskills!"

Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel "All Alone"

Movies for Television or Limited Series

Cary Joji Fukunaga, Maniac

David Leveau & Alex Rudzinski, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert

Barry Levinson, Paterno

Ben Stiller, Escape at Dannemora

Jean-Marc Vallee, Sharp Objects

Variety/Talk/News/Sports (Regular)

Paul G Casey, Real Time with Bill Maher "#1633"

Sacha Baron Cohen, Nathan Fielder, Daniel Gray Longing, and Dan Mazer, Who is America? "Episode 102"

Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert "#480"

Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live "Adam Driver; Kanye West"

Paul Pennolino, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, "Episode 502 -Italian Election"

Variety/Talk/News/Sports (Specials)

Louis Horvitz, 60th Grammy Awards

Timn Macinelli, Glenn Clements, The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018

Beth McCarthy-Miller, Bill Maher: Live From Oklahoma

Marcus Raboy, Steve Martin & Martin Short: "An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life"

Glenn Weiss, 72nd Annual Tony Awards

Reality Programs

Neil P DeGroot, Better Late Than Never "How Do You Say Roots in German?"

Eytan Keller, Iron Chef Gauntlet "Episode 201"

Patrick McManus, American Ninja Warrior, "Miami City Qualifiers"

Russell Norman, The Final Table "Japan"

Bertram Van Munster, The Amazing Race, "It's Just a Million Dollars, No Pressure"

Children's Programs

Allan Arkush, A Series of Unfortunate Events "Hostile Hospital: Pt 1

Jack Jameson, Sesame Street "When You Wish Upon a Pickle"

Greg Mottola, The Dangerous Book for Boys, "How to Walk on the Moon"

Barry Sonnenfeld, A Series of Unfortunate Events "The Vile Village: Pt 1

Bo Welch, A Series of Unfortunate Events "The Ersatz Elevator: Pt 1

So... the DGA reallllly likes A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Commercial
Ross Ramsey is executive editor and co-founder of The Texas Tribune, a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. This analysis originated at texastribune.com. Contact Ramsey at rramsey@texastribune.org.
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Nikon Z series photographers can now enjoy a new ultra-wide-angle zoom lens that packs superior optical performance along with added portability, agility and operability in the new NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S, announced by Nikon India, 100% subsidiary of Nikon Corporation, leaders in imaging technology.

The lens is the worlds first FX-format lens to support direct filter attachment despite starting at a 14 mm focal length. This allows users to conveniently enjoy the effects of different filters such as polarising filters and neutral density filters, which cannot be used with conventional ultra-wide-angle lenses. The support for an 82-mm-diameter filter attachment to its small and nearly flat front lens element also allows for shooting in more active situations, in addition to the dust- and drip-resistance considered in the design of the lens.

Empowered by the new Z-mount system that fully utilises short flange focal distance, the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S is part of the S-Line lenses and is a compact and highly practical lens for landscape and cityscape photography. Covering a dynamic ultra-wide angle of 14mm to a wide angle of 30mmwith a constant maximum aperture of f/4 throughout the range, the lens is versatile for capturing a variety of scenes without the need for a lens change. Additionally, the use of Nikons exclusive coating technologies, including Nano Crystal Coat, effectively suppresses ghost and flare, contributing to extremely clear photos and videos. The lens achieves rendering performance that will change the perception of ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses with a maximum aperture of f/4.

Mr. Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director, Nikon India, said, With the new NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S, we bring functionality and versatility packed into a compact ultra-wide-angle lens that complements the technologically-advanced Z mount. The lens boasts superior performance and agility but within a compact and lightweight body thanks to its retractable mechanism. With this new launch, we are confident of offering creative possibilities specially in wedding scenarios for our consumers.

With a button-less retractable mechanism to achieve greater mobility while preserving optical performance, the smaller, more portable size also enables quick shooting. Furthermore, superior operability is also key, with the ability to designate three functions to the control ring to facilitate comfortable still and movie shooting.

NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S Primary Features

Uncompromised dynamic image quality in any setting: From shooting the city skyline to capturing natural colours in florals, the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S promises uncompromised image quality at any focal length. With four Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) glass elements and four aspherical lens elements, the lens packs a total of 14 elements in 9 groups for superior optical performance. The full potential of high-pixel-count digital cameras such as the Z 7 with its 45.7 effective megapixels is realised, ideal for photographers looking for edge-to-edge resolution even at maximum aperture levels  achieving higher resolution from centre to peripheral than other similar lenses.

For the photographer composing a silhouette image in backlight, Nano Crystal Coat ensures a high tolerance for backlighting, effectively reducing ghost and flare effects to achieve the intended imaging. In addition, the lens allows for the same maximum f/4 aperture throughout the zoom range. The highest creativity can now be expressed through deliberate exposure control.

Equipped with a single lens, photographers can capture a wide variety of scenery and subjects at no added expense. With a focal-length range covering an ultra-wide-angle 14mm (angle of view: 114), to a wide angle of 30mm, the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S expands the wide-angle range by 2mm over the conventional 16mm (angle of view: 107) for added flexibility and versatility in both photography and videography.

Superb operability for daily use: Travel across the country to capture a wide variety of shots with ease; the NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S is the worlds first2 filter-attachable FX-format compatible ultra-wide-angle 14mm lens, made possible with effective distortion compensation within the camera. Despite having ultra-wide angle capabilities, the front lens element is nearly flat, so that it can be protected by attaching an 82-mm-diameter lens hood or filter, allowing users to shoot as if using a standard lens, and allowing for protection against sandy terrains.

Practicality of the lens does not stop there; the ultra-wide angle lens is packed into a compact size through a retractable system that ensures outstanding portability, while maintaining its high-standard optical performance. A simple operation of the zoom ring with a button-less structure design unlocks the lens, enabling quicker shooting while on the move than with conventional models. Getting down and dirty for the best shots is also worry-free with the dust- and drip-resistant features and superb antifouling performance, which protects the lens from dirt and allows for easy cleaning.

Shooting with comfort and peace of mind is further made possible with the flexibility of usage and superior operability, enhanced with the control ring. Assignable camera settings from Focus (M/A)3, Aperture and Exposure Compensation allow for smooth operation with the appropriate amount of torque. With these customisations available, users can shoot captivating movies without any distracting noises caused by changing settings using conventional command dials and buttons.

Capture quiet moments undisturbed: The peace and serenity that early morning scenery brings can now be captured in smooth video footage with reduced focus breathing. The NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lessens shifts in angles of view when adjusting focus, allowing users to record videos smoothly.

A quieter lens drive with outstandingly accurate and fast auto-focus (AF) control is also employed through a quiet and highly responsive stepping motor and diaphragm mechanism, ensuring enhanced usability and stable aperture control (AE) for both stills and movie shooting.
Guest post by Douglas W. Green, EdD

Twitter: @DrDougGreen

Blog: https://DrDougGreen.Com

A recent New York Times article by Erica Green and Katie Benner states that there is an effort to delay an Obama-era rule to prevent disproportionate numbers of minority children from becoming funneled into special education classes.

The tone of this and other articles on the topic would make you think that special education is a bad thing, perhaps a form of punishment and racism.

As an educator who started his career in 1969, I have seen the special education system morph from one that sent misbehaving students off to self-contained special education classes, to one that does what it can to include students with identified disabilities in regular classes. As a principal from 1993 to 2006 at a school where 20 percent of the students were classified, I was at the center of the fight between teachers who wanted difficult students packed off to special education rooms and teachers who wanted to support them in regular classes .

The term for this is inclusion, and I supported the teachers who wanted to break up most of the special ed. classes. As a result, I was attacked by the teachers who just wanted difficult students out of their classes. They called the superintendent and board of education members with complaints that were minor or made up. I stuck to my guns and somehow persauded five of the seven board members to grant me tenure. This was one situation where tenure had a positive result.

Was There Ever Racist Special Ed. Placements?

I do believe that there was a time when black students, mostly boys, were unfairly sent from the regular classes, but if it still happens, I dont think it happens to the extent that it did. It certainly does not happen in the schools I have visited since I retired from my principals job in 2006. I visit a lot of schools and do independent observations. Everywhere I go, I find students with all but the most severe disabilities spending at least part of the day in regular classes.

As principal, I can say we often got pushback from black parents when we suggested that their children could use support from special education teachers. They believed that my school was like some they heard of where blacks were targeted for removal from the regular classroom. I worked hard to show them what our version of special ed. looked like.

At the time, I even had a self-contained 12:1 (12 students to one teacher) class taught by a black teacher with zero black students. In an effort to convince one black father that our special ed. program was far from racist, I took him to visit this class. I told him that this was not the kind of class we were considering for his son and that his son would only get extra help in the class that he was currently in. I said nothing about the racial makeup of the class we visited. He still refused to cooperate. His son was never classified, but we helped him as much as we could, and Im proud to say that he graduated on time.

Who Tends to Need Special Education Support?

Lets consider which type of students are candidates for special education support. Clearly, they are the students who arrive in school with a language deficit. As research shows, these are more likely to be students from poor homes. Its also well known that black students are more likely to come from poor homes (blacks 21.2%, Hispanics 18,3%, Asians 10%, Whites 8.7%, according to the articles). One should expect, therefore, that black students are more likely to need extra help in school. If that is the case, why shouldnt they get it?

If you take a look at what they do in Finland , where race is less likely to be an issue, you find a system that is much more efficient. Once a student starts to struggle, he or she instantly gets special education support. By the time a cohort graduates, about half the students get some special education help. In the United States, we spend an inordinate amount of time with meetings to determine who gets help. As a result, kids who just fail to qualify may not get additional attention.

While my school still jumped through the legal hoops, I made sure that special education teachers helped students who werent classified because they either just missed the cut or their parents resisted classification. We could have done more if we didnt have to have so many meetings. I see this happening in other schools I visit.

What Should the Government Do?

Its time for the government to stop telling us who needs help and who doesnt. I believe we need to trust our teachers and get out of their way. I wouldnt want to be a principal in a school where I was pressured to make sure that the special education population mirrored the school population in general in terms of race, and any principal who denies additional support to black students for the sake of some misguided political goal should look for another job.

Cited Sources

Green, Erica L. and Benner, Katie. Trumps Parkland Inquiry Shifts to Attack on an Obama Legacy, December 18.2018, The New York Times, available online at https://nyti.ms/2Rfko2W.

Federal Safety Net. U.S. Poverty Statistics released September 2018, available online at http://bit.ly/2GCJHb2.

*Photo created using Pablo.com
In a bid to cash-in on the boom in the Smartphone market and frugal data packs, Bihar Skill Development Mission (BSDM) held a Mobile Manufacturers Conclave in New Delhi. The aim was to bring together stakeholders across various sectors of information technology, telecommunication & electronics to create synergy between BSDM, Bihar Govt., the youths of Bihar & Leading Mobile Manufacturers of India. The focus of the meet was at securing support for industry  government partnerships to create new avenues for skilled youths of the state.

The conclave, presided over by Shri Dipak kumar Singh, Principal Secretary, Labour-cum-CEO, Bihar Skill Development Mission (BSDM) brainstormed different ideas to establish center of excellence in Bihar, create opportunities for youths of the state in mobile manufacturing units under On the Job Training (OJT) and Apprenticeship model, adopt ITI and other available institutions to impart trainings on industry standards, facilitate establishment of incubation and entrepreneurship centers, build capacity linkages, explore possibilities of CSR interventions and create industry alliance for Bihar on emerging concepts like Internet of Things  IOT, Robotics, Machine learning, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Analytics.

Speaking at the conclave, Mr. Singh acknowledged the unprecedented and phenomenal growth in mobile industry and its ripple effect on various Sectors of the economy and workforce. He added, Such transformations has a wider impact on overall market and has led to opportunities not only manufacturing space but also in spaces connected to mobile industry viz. mobile phone carriers, applications, content creation and so on. Bihar, being the supplier state of workforce to many industries, needs to deliver quality skill training and professional knowledge to its youths to enhance their employability and bridge the skill deficit to meet the growing demand for skilled manpower.

Mobile Manufacturers, too, were excited by the prospects of new potential that lay in the state, where the state of investment and innovation in the telecommunication and IT sector is still at a nascent stage. By convening this discussion meeting with leading mobile manufacturers of India, BSDM has taken a step forward towards industry tie  ups and relationship building with this growing industry to find a sustainable and long-term solution for youths of Bihar.

In Past BSDM has taken many key initiatives to increase the capacity & capability of the system to deliver quality skill training and knowledge to the youth to enhance their employability. In order achieve the goal of maximum employability; BSDM has implemented various skill development schemes such as Recruit-Train-Deploy (RTD), Domain Skilling Program, Kushal Yuva Program (KYP) etc.

Bihar Skill Development Mission (BSDM), working under the aegis of Department of Labour Resources, Government of Bihar, has been driving the various skill development initiatives to fulfill the growing need in Bihar for skilled manpower across sectors and narrow the existing gap between the demand and supply of skills.

@Technuter.com News Service
Beach Cities Health District A letter submitted to the Editor last week misstated Beach Cities Health Districts (BCHD) financial position. Our financial house is in order. Here are the facts:  As shown annually and mailed to Beach Cities...
Christian App SOULTIME Says Daily Meditation is Key to Connection to God, Others, Self in 2019

Soultime Offers Guided Scripture Meditations, Readings, Music, Sleep Stories, Ambient Noise Features for Quiet Reflection



We can be busy without being stressed, stretched without being anxious - at peace even in the midst of the storm... but only when we experience connection with God, others and ourselves. Soultime is about helping people understand, take care of and develop personal and spiritual connectedness. -- Mark Wagner, Soultime



Contact: Paige Collins, paige@iconmediagroup.com



LONDON, Jan. 8, 2019 /Standard Newswire/ -- One in three people suffers from sleep deprivation...three out of four feel the physical effects of stress...and one in five suffers from anxiety. In a time when symptoms of stress, anxiety and general life dissatisfaction plague our society, Soultime, a Christian meditation app, is encouraging people to set aside daily moments for spiritual connection and meditation on the Word of God. Soultime has many features designed to encourage and support inner-healing and connection including guided Scripture meditations, Bible readings, classic hymns arranged with soothing instrumentals, ambient sounds like running water, waves and wind, and sleep stories including the classic Christian tale "The Pilgrim's Progress."



Possibly the most noteworthy feature of Soultime is the daily "mood-checker" which asks users to evaluate their feelings about God, others and themselves through 24 different key areas. Based on these self-assessments, Soultime curates a collection of Scriptures, readings, songs, and more, to address the root needs of each person, day-to-day.



"Jesus asks us to Love the Lord our God with all our strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. He is making the point that we need to have good connection in each of these areas. Because of this, we look at subscribers' feelings of connection toward God, others and self," said Founder and CEO of Soultime Mark Wagner. "Feelings of disconnection are a universal experience; but usually the source is negative and untrue beliefs which are rooted in anxiety, anger, unforgiveness, shame or control."



Wagner, whose background includes multiple tech startups as well as the development of a Christian prayer ministry at his home church in London, asserts that understanding these feelings is valuable and can bring insight into a person's inner beliefs. Because our connection to others is regulated by our emotions, if we want to connect better, we have to understand that our emotions are not only an expression of our inner beliefs, but also a gateway to changing them. Soultime aims to help users achieve better connection with God, others and themselves by helping facilitate changes to these inner beliefs.



"Though it can be easy to validate happy emotions, sometimes it's harder to value the negative ones. Our tendency, especially in the religious world, is to disown or distance ourselves from difficult emotions," said Wagner. "Soultime wants to help users more accurately identify how anxiety, anger, unforgiveness, shame and control affect our important relationships. However honestly we have come by them, we have seen that through prayer and meditation, God can help us gradually exchange our untrue inner beliefs for ones rooted in His truth."



The popular app launched in the Summer of 2018, with nearly 100,000 downloads to date. Though the basic version of the app is free, an advanced subscription of $59.99 per year unlocks many additional features. Soultime is available in the Apple App Store and through Google Play.



About Soultime:

Founded in 2018, the Soultime app offers a full suite of innovative tools to bring more clarity and contentment to your life in just a few minutes every day. Soultime is about finding true rest for your soul. Deeper than mindfulness, Soultime offers a style of meditation that touches not just your mind but your heart and soul. The Soultime app brings the tradition of Christian meditation up to date in a beautiful, modern, emotionally aware app.



About Mark Wagner:

Mark Wagner is the CEO of Soultime Media Ltd., and founder of Soultime, a Christian meditation app. Upon completing his education at Eton College and Cambridge University, Mark built a career in finance and technology. He was an early experimenter with AI systems in finance in the 90s, which led to his management of a successful quantitative hedge fund and subsequent work with multiple technology-based startups.



After developing a therapeutic prayer ministry at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) church in London, Mark recognized the overwhelming need and demand for such a ministry, and began experimenting with delivering some of the materials through audio meditations. This formed the seed idea for the Soultime app. Soultime was launched in June of 2018 and has received more than 100,000 downloads.



Mark resides in London with his wife; they have four children.


Driver George Brennan returned to the race bike on Monday (Jan. 7), three days after a visit to the hospital due to an on-track accident.

On Monday morning, Brennan told harnessracing.com that he is fully recovered from a race spill that occurred Friday night (Jan. 4) at the Meadowlands Racetrack. He did state, though, that he suffered some minor bruising. Brennan was dumped to the track when he and driver Andy Miller hooked sulky wheels while crossing the wire in the Big Ms ninth race on Friday.

Right at the wire we hooked wheels and I got flipped out, said Brennan, who was transported to a local hospital and released at roughly 4 a.m. on Saturday. It could have been a lot worse.

Brennan  who was driving at the Meadowlands for the first time since Hambletonian Day last August while his home track of Yonkers Raceway was taking a break from racing  was behind Better Call Saul when he and Miller, who was driving Star Studded Cast, came together at the wire near the back of the field. Brennan said he lost consciousness briefly but recovered quickly.

I think I was out for just a few seconds, he said. Im thinking I banged my head, just enough to jar my memory of what happened. I remember getting up and hearing announcer Ken Warkentin say, George Brennan is up. And then I heard him say, theres a loose horse on the track.

I thought, Holy crap, is that horse coming at me? he added with a laugh.

Brennan said his injuries were all on his left side.

I must have been kicked out on my left side, said Brennan. I must have twisted my left leg because my left foot and left knee really hurt. I also have some abrasions on the left side of my face and my helmet is marked up on the left side. They kept me at the hospital and did a CAT scan on me and everything was clear. I got home about five in the morning.

Brennan, who early in 2018 won his 10,000th career race, had a third and four off-the-board finishes in his five drives Friday at the Meadowlands. He missed his last drive on Friday night and took himself off his handful of mounts on Saturday night.

I really could have driven Saturday night if I wanted to, but I elected not to, said Brennan, who said he heard from several of his peers over the weekend, including a couple of times from Miller. I decided to rest my body.

Brennan was back in the sulky when Yonkers resumed racing Monday night. He drove in 11 of the 12 races that the track carded and recorded a pair of wins.

Brennans wife Tracie was able to take advantage of having her husband home for a few days.

I just finished some grocery shopping, Brennan said with a laugh. It was the first time I was out of the house since I got home from the hospital.

(Harnessracing.com)
Bouzakarn (Morocco), Jan 08 2019 (SPS) - The Association for the Protection of Sahrawi Prisoners in Moroccan Prisons expressed its deep concern over the grave and inhumane situation of the Sahrawi political prisoner Mohamed Tahlil.

The Association highlighted that the Sahrawi political detainee, a member of the Gdeim Izik group Mohamed Tahlil jailed in solitary confinement in the southern Moroccan prison of Bouzkarn, is still isolated from the outside world and deprived of the most basic rights despite his "deteriorating health" status.

It appealed conscientious people and human rights organizations, to intervene urgently in order to save the life of the said prisoner and to enable him enjoy his full and harmonious human rights and legal status as a Sahrawi political detainee.

The Sahrawi political prisoner Mohammed Tahlil is serving a 20-year prison sentence after the unfair trial of the Gdeim Izik detainees, which took place from December 26, 2016 to July 19, 2017, the longest trial in the history of unfair political trials in Morocco and Occupied Western Sahara.

125/090/TRA
The Los Angeles teachers union and school district spent hours at the bargaining table on Monday to avert an impending strike. But the contract negotiations yielded few results, and a teacher strike is still scheduled for Jan 10.

We were surprised today that the district came in with so little to offer, so unless something changes pretty significantly, there will be a strike in the city of Los Angeles, said United Teachers Los Angeles President Alex Caputo-Pearl in a news conference Monday evening.

He called the districts latest offer unacceptable. The union is asking for a 6.5 percent pay raise, along with smaller class sizes and more school nurses, counselors, social workers, and librarians. UTLA withdrew six of its demands at the session today, including its call for reducing the number of required standardized tests.

The Los Angeles Unified school district is proposing a 6 percent salary increase. In a statement , the district said it increased its offer by $75 million to invest a total of $105 million to reduce class sizes and hire more staff. That money would add nearly 1,000 teachers, counselors, nurses, and librarians to the districts more than 900 schools.

But Caputo-Pearl said the salary increase is tied to concessions on health-care benefits for future employees, and the additional staffing is not enough to both reduce class sizes and add new support staff.

A statement from the district said that it had increased its offer to better serve students. District officials have long held that they agree with some of the unions proposals but cannot afford them.

Wed like to reduce class sizes even further. Wed like to make sure there are more counselors ..., Supt. @AustinLASchools says. But we have to deal with many constraints related to the districts forecasted deficits. #lausd #utla -- Kyle Stokes (@kystokes) January 8, 2019

We are extremely disappointed and frustrated that union leadership has turned down our offer andonce againfailed to put forth any proposal to try and resolve the issues of class size and salary, the districts statement said. A strike would harm the students and families we serve and will not help resolve the issues our district faces.

The two sides will resume bargaining on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, Caputo-Pearl said, the district and the union will be fighting in court about whether the strike should be delayed.

The district plans to argue that the union did not provide the legally required notice of a strike, Caputo-Pearl said. On Sunday, UTLA had announced that it would go to court proactively this week to respond to this threat. Depending on the courts decision, the strike date could be moved to Monday, Jan. 14.

Special Education Dispute

Late last week, a federal judge blocked the districts attempt to prevent special education teachers from going on strike . The district had said those teachers were necessary to provide services to students with special needs, since schools will remain open during the strike.

Still, the judge left the door open for future legal action by the district once the strike begins, and Los Angeles Unified did not rule that out. In a statement, the district said it will take all steps necessary to protect the health, safety, and educational rights of students with disabilities, as well as of all students, including the filing of legal actions.

There hasnt been a teachers strike in Los Angeles since 1989. That strike lasted nine days.

Caputo-Pearl said the mood at the bargaining table was diplomatic, but tense at times.

We dont think there was a lot of progress made today, and frankly, were sick and tired of [Superintendent] Austin Beutner from using legal maneuvers to block the strike, Caputo-Pearl said.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




(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.

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.

Last year, another ruling party lawmaker, Mio Sugita, came under fire after she said in a magazine that the government shouldn't use tax money for LGBT rights because same-sex couples weren't "productive." Tens of thousands of people took part in protests outside the ruling party headquarters.
Two gay men received the green light to challenge Hong Kongs laws banning same-sex marriage. The two are arguing in High Court that the law violates their right to equality.

The university student, known as TF, and the activist, known as STK, challenged Hong Kongs same sex marriage ban separately. Both cases argued to the High Court that the lack of options for same sex-couples to get married violated their rights under Hong Kongs Bill of Rights, and mini-constitution, the Basic Law.

Numerous challenges have been brought up to the courts recently dealing with the citys marriage laws. In August, a woman in Hong Kong sued the government to be able to enter a same-sex civil partnership.

Some LGBT activists and legal experts fear that if these challenges are unsuccessful, then smaller, incremental future advancements to LGBT rights will be significantly more difficult to make.

One human rights lawyer, who preferred not to be named, said it was important to lay a foundation before bringing such a big case.

Launching that case prematurely without laying a proper foundation could be disastrous as under our system of law, an adverse precedent could take many years to overcome and end up delaying change for decades, he said.

Both cases went through judicial review last year, but only recently were made public.

On the cases of the two applicants, Barrister Hectar Pun Hei SC said because the ordinance only allowed voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others, the Marriage Ordinance and Matrimonial Causes Ordinance were inconsistent with the citys human rights laws.

By reformulating the relevant statute  [my client STK] can get married immediately, the barrister went on to say.

If these cases are successful, Hong Kong could become the next part of the rainbow wave in China.
(WB) Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took office on Tuesday amid mounting concerns over the impact that his right-wing government will have on the countrys LGBTI community and other minority groups.

The crowd who attended his inauguration in Brasilia, the Brazilian capital, chanted, The captain is back! These words startled many observers because they refer to a member of the military, in this case a former Army captain, occupying the countrys highest office, which has only happened in Brazil during dictatorships that came to power after a coup.

So why were Bolsonaros supporters chanting?

They bought into his campaign promises: Defend Brazilian family values and fight what he and his supporters call socialism, which were things championed by the Workers Party that former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva found. These include social inclusion, combating poverty and enacting pro-LGBTI laws.

Bolsonaro in his inauguration speech made it perfectly clear that he plans to follow through with his campaign promises.

Lets unite the people, value families, respect Judeo-Christian traditions, fight gender ideologies (and preserve) our values, he said to a cheering crowd.

What is particularly frightening to his opponents, aside from the number of supporters who attended his inauguration, is the fact that people with militarist ideologies seem to be stepping forward to defend conservative values after backing a former Army captain as president and Gen. Hamilton Mourao as his vice president.

LGBTI people, Brazilians of African descent who practice non-Judeo-Christian religions were attacked by right-wing Bolsonaro supporters across the country during the presidential election campaign.

Bolsonaro on Wednesday issued an executive order that directed Brazils new human rights ministry not to consider LGBTI-specific issues. Bolsonaros critics also feel his inaugural speech gave license to Brazilians that they can commit any form of violence and carry weapons.

The Datafolha Institute, a private poling agency, says most Brazilians are against liberalized gun laws; with rich, straight and Bolsonaro supporters the only ones who support them. Gun registrations in Brazil have increased since his election.

The opposition even before Bolsonaros election raised other red flags over his decision not to allow some liberal journalists to attend his press conferences and public events.

Bolsonaro also never debated former Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party during the second round of the presidential election. Bolsonaro had been hospitalized after he was stabbed during a campaign event less than two months before the debate, and he said medical reasons prompted his decision not to face off against Haddad.

The attack also prompted the unprecedented deployment of more than 3,000 police officers, firefighters and members of the military at Bolsonaros inauguration. The security measures were similar to those that are seen during presidential inaugurations in the U.S.

Pompeo attends Bolsonaro inauguration

Bolsonaro has been described as the Brazilian version of President Trump because they share many of the same hardline beliefs.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was among those who attended Bolsonaros inauguration. The two men met in Brasilia on Wednesday.

Secretary Pompeo congratulated President Bolsonaro on his inauguration and reaffirmed the strong U.S.-Brazil partnership; rooted in our shared commitment to democracy, education, prosperity, security and human rights, said the U.S. State Department in a press release. The two leaders discussed opportunities to strengthen cooperation on bilateral and regional challenges, including combating transnational crime and reinforcing democratic governance and human rights in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.

They also discussed further strengthening economic ties and trade to increase prosperity for citizens in both our countries and in the entire region, including through promoting transparency and good governance for investment in the region, added the press release.

Trump also congratulated Bolsonaro on Twitter, saying the U.S. is with Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, for his part, responded by saying, together, under Gods protection, we shall bring prosperity and progress to our people.

Agence France-Presse last week reported Trump has already invited Bolsonaro to visit the U.S.

Michael K. Lavers contributed to this article.
In December Randal Coffman was kicked out of his apartment, just outside of Jacksonville. Coffman said he was evicted because he is gay, and hes got the video to prove it.

When Coffman first moved into the apartment he claimed there wasnt a problem. One night his landlord told him that she didnt want him having girls over late at night. Coffman said it wouldnt be a problem because hes gay.

His landlord fired back with You didnt tell me youre gay, his landlord exclaimed.

Coffman replied with Why do I have to tell you that Im gay?

Coffman catches the entire conversation on video. The two did not have a written lease, only a month-to-month verbal agreement. Cooper insists the reason shes kicking Coffman out of the apartment because he wouldnt provide her with a copy of his drivers license.

Jacksonville has regulations that protect against discrimination of LGBT tenants, but those rights do not reach out to Middleburg.
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
On January 7, 1979, Cambodian revolutionary armed forces and Vietnamese volunteer soldiers liberated Phnom Penh capital (Photo:VNA)

People of Ratanakiri province in northeastern Cambodia welcome Cambodian revolutionary armed forces and Vietnamese volunteer soldiers (Photo:VNA)

The mass graves of innocent civilians who were killed under the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime were discovered after the liberation day January 7, 1979 in Choeung Ek, about 17km south of PhnomPenh (Photo:VNA)





Vietnamese and Cambodian troops protect Angkor Wat temple (July 1982) (Photo:VNA)

Cambodian revolutionary armed forces and Vietnam volunteer soldiers coordinate to improve combat techniques (Photo:VNA)





Cambodian revolutionary armed forces and Vietnam volunteer soldiers coordinate to improve combat techniques (Photo:VNA)





Vietnamese and Cambodian female soldiers share joys (Photo:VNA)





Khmer Rouge troops at the Ta Sanh base surrender to the revolutionary Cambodian army and the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers after the base was occupied , March 28, 1979 (Photo:VNA)





Under the Pol Pot regime - Ieng Sary, Tuol Sleng High School in Phnom Penh was turned into a prison named S.21, which became a place of imprisonment, torture and execution of those who were considered against the regime (Photo:VNA)




A new poll from the First Five Years Fund finds that a majority of self-identified Democrats and political independents queried want to see more money invested in early-childhood programs, even if that boost in funding would be perceived as a win for the Trump administration.

Seventy-eight percent of Democrats and independents said they want to see more money for early-childhood programs even if it means the current presidential administration can take some credit for the increase. In contrast, 11 percent said its important that the administration not be given a chance to take credit for helping children and families, even if that means no additional money for early-childhood education. (Five percent were unsure, 5 percent said neither, and 1 percent said they shared both views equally.)

The national phone survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted in November 2018. It has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

The question is a new one for the advocacy organization, which since 2013 has released polls showing that additional public money for young children is supported by voters of all political persuasions. But the inquiry acknowledges todays particularly polarized climate, said Sarah Rittling, the executive director of the fund. (Rittling is also former counsel to Republican lawmakers Lamar Alexander, a U.S. senator from Tennessee, and Michael Castle, a former Delaware governor and congressman.)

We felt strongly about including it, and we werent sure about what we were going to get as a response, Rittling said. But she said that findings show that this issue transcends even todays sharp partisanship. Respondents are saying if [more funding] gives this president a win, so be itas long as were seeing some gains, Rittling said.

When asked if we should be doing more, less, or are doing enough to ensure that kindergartners enter school with the knowledge and skills they need to do their best in school, 66 percent of respondents said more is needed, while 25 percent said that current efforts are enough, and 5 percent said less should be done.

Asked if federal funding from birth to age 5 should be increased, decreased or kept about the same, 55 percent of respondents wanted to see more spending, 29 percent said it should be kept about the same, and 12 percent said there should be a decrease.

Poll Showed Overall Support, but Some Differences Between Trump and Clinton Voters

Other research, including by research associate Erica Greenberg at the Urban Institute, has demonstrated that there can be a political divide on early childhood , particularly at the national level. And the First Five Years Fund poll showed that the survey respondents showed stronger support for certain policies depending on their political party, even while overall support was strong.

For example, while a majority of self-identified Trump voters said they supported a number of different policy prescriptions for early childhoold, they gave their highest backing79 percentto the idea of providing tax incentives to businesses to help their employees afford high-quality programs. Ninety-one percent of voters for Hillary Clinton said they support that particular idea.

In contrast, 97 percent of Clinton voters said they want to see more federal funding to help states set up early-childhood programs, and more federal money for Head Start and Early Head Start. Trump voters still said they supported those proposals, but 64 percent were in favor of more federal funding flowing to states, and 62 percent were in favor of more money for Head Start.

Rittling said that early childhood is a large enough space that lawmakers, including the newly-elected governors, can find a way to make their mark.

Hopefully some of that work thats been done at the state level, building from the previous years, will provide a lot of opportunities and ideas to the federal level, she said.
Accordingly, Vietnam is the second countries to sign FLEGT-VPA with the EU after Indonesia.



Both sides affirmed that FLEGT-VPA would solve and prevent the problems of illegal logging as well as promoting trade in legal timber products from Vietnam to the European market and other countries.

Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam hoped the EP would soon approve the agreement.

According to Ms. Heidi Hautala, Vietnam and the EU were unanimously in timber legality assurance as well as legal exploitation origin from Vietnam to the EU market through import control.

By staff writers- Translated by Huyen Huong
Financial Times, December 3, 2018

A ruling that allows women of child-bearing age to enter a holy site enrages traditionalists

Amy Kazmin December 3, 2018

In September 1957, federal troops were sent to Little Rock, Arkansas, to protect nine African-American teenagers who had been admitted to an all-white government high school after a US Supreme Court order.

Until then, education across southern US states was racially segregated. But in a 1954 judgment, the court ruled the racial segregation of schools was unconstitutional and had to stop. It took troops to protect the first black students from mobs of furious white supremacists.

I was reminded recently of this troubling chapter of my own countrys history as I watched news reports in India of a 40-year-old woman and her terrified young daughter trying to brave angry mobs to make the pilgrimage to Keralas Sabarimala temple.

Women of child-bearing age  held to be from 10 to 50  have long been prohibited from entering the temple, ostensibly to prevent the reigning deity Lord Ayyappa, who is depicted as a celibate child, from being distracted from his meditations. But the ban is also a version of the widespread Hindu custom of discouraging menstruating women from visiting temples, or participating in religious ceremonies, due to the deep-rooted belief that they are impure and ritually unclean.

Such menstrual taboos run deep: in some rural Indian communities, women are banned from cooking food, denied social contact and sometimes even forced to sleep in barns or sheds, outside their main homes, during their periods.

Indias Supreme Court recently ruled that the Sabarimala temples ban on women of child-bearing age violates their constitutional right to equality, including their right to worship freely. The court said banning women was a form of the now illegal practice of untouchability, rooted in the belief that some people  typically lower castes  are ritually polluted, leading to their stigmatisation and marginalisation.

The courts verdict demanding an end to a longstanding social custom has provoked outrage among traditionalists both men and women. Mobs have gathered to prevent the womens entry which, they say, will desecrate the temple. Keralas communist government has tried to protect women devotees seeking to visit the mountaintop shrine but the mobs have gained the upper hand: no woman has managed to get in.

National political parties have fanned the flames. Amit Shah, president of prime minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata party, has vowed to stand like a rock with those resisting the womens entry and has publicly lambasted the Supreme Court for passing orders that he said cannot be implemented.

The Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi, has wavered. Mr Gandhi says he believes women should be allowed to go anywhere but will defer to the partys Kerala workers, who oppose womens entry to Sabarimala and are organising their own protests.

The active efforts of Indias ruling party to stir violent resistance to the Supreme Court order has alarmed many political analysts, who say this dangerous precedent threatens to corrode Indias weak rule of law and undermine its liberal constitutional values.

The political mobilisation against the Sabarimala verdict, writes Pratap Bhanu Mehta, vice-chancellor of New Delhis Ashoka University, is, a full-throated mobilisation against the authority of the court itself. It is an attempt to legitimise the idea that it is perfectly fine to resist any Supreme Court judgment if one can make that resistance wear the garb of faith.

If the protesters succeed in thwarting the verdict and keeping women out of Sabarimala, he added, it will lend credence to the proposition that any grammar of anarchy is legitimate when it comes to matters of religion . . .[and] prepare the ground for the idea that religion-based political mobilisation has a final veto over any other constitutional principle.

As a diverse nation of people with deeply conflicting views, India has benefited from its tradition of looking to its Supreme Court to arbitrate disputes, guided by its progressive constitution. But today, the rule of law faces a mounting challenge from the passions of faith.

amy.kazmin[at]ft.com
The Times of India, December 2, 2018

Journalist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra has been in jail since October 23 for making sarcastic comments about the Sun temple and Jagannath Puri in Odisha. It is absurd that the government should have arrested him for making a sarcastic comment, and all of us should be offended by the fact that he remains in prison.

The other thing of concern is the Supreme Courts observation that Iyer-Mitra was inciting religious faith of the country. It isnt a case for bail. As also the chief justices remarkable observation that if your life is in danger, then what better place to stay than jail?

I wrote something years ago for a Pakistani newspaper about their blasphemy law, comparing it to our laws. What struck me was that India has regressed on the issue of freedom of speech in religion.

On May 27, 1953, the Tamil reformer EV Ramaswami Naicker smashed an idol of Lord Ganesha in public at the Town Hall maidan in Tiruchirapalli. Naicker, who was angered by Hinduisms caste system, made a speech announcing his intention to do this before breaking the idol. Veerabadran Chettiar, an offended Hindu, filed a case against Naicker under two laws.

Section 295: Whoever destroys, damages or defiles any place of worship, or any object held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider such destruction, damage or defilement as an insult to their religion, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to two years.

Section 295-A: Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years

The Tiruchirapalli magistrate dismissed the petition. On the first charge, he said that simply because the mud figure resembled Lord Ganesha it cannot become an object held sacred. He accepted an offence was made out on the second charge (295-A), but that law required government sanction for the case to be registered, which had not come. He dismissed that also. The petitioner appealed. The sessions judge dismissed the appeal. He agreed with the magistrate, saying the idol was the private property of those who broke it.

The matter went to high court. The judge said the idol broken did not come within the scope of any object held sacred by any class of persons. An idol in a temple or one in a religious procession would, he clarified, but not any object resembling a deity. Even a toy in such a shape would otherwise qualify as being sacred. No offence was made out, the judge said, and dismissed the appeal. On to the Supreme Court. On August 25, 1958, Justice (later chief justice) B P Sinha said the high court was wrong to have imported meaning into the words held sacred. It was not necessary for the object to have been worshipped for it to be sacred. For instance, the Bible, the Quran and the Guru Granth Sahib were also objects held sacred. Sinha asked the judiciary to be circumspect in such matters and consider the feelings and religious emotions, irrespective of whether or not they share those beliefs, or whether they are rational or otherwise, in the opinion of the court.

However, after making these observations, Sinha then dismissed the appeal saying the matter had become stale since five years had passed. What his observations did was not to set a precedent, which would have happened had the case been dismissed on merit.

Two aspects are important here. First, a tolerance for offences against god shown by Indias lower judiciary. Second, and this is from Sinha, a reminder that such offences are likely to have consequences and, therefore, should not be encouraged. On April 20, 1960, the Allahabad High Court fined a man, Khalil Ahmad, Rs 1,200 after he sued for getting his books released. He had written texts praising Yazid (murderer of Imam Hussain at Karbala and therefore offensive to Shias) and his father the tyrant Muawiya, saying they had a place in heaven according to the Hanafi consensus. The state then seized his books. The judges cited Justice Sinhas observation in ruling against him.

Today, it is not possible to conceive that our judiciary and our society would permit what happened in the time of Naicker (also called Periyar, founder of the Dravidian movement). Our skin is thinner than it was, and our citizenry and our judiciary much less relaxed about being offended.




Senior orthopedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC has said that he would launch 16th series of hunger strike for exerting pressure to the government for implementing the past agreements reached with him. He has alleged the government for not showing sincerity to pass the National Medical Education Bill (NMEB). His recent demand forwarded with the planned hunger strike is that the NMEB has to be passed as soon as possible incorporating the nine points agreements that the government had made commitment to implement. As the government failed to expedite the process to pass the NMEB, he had issued 21 days ultimatum to the government to fulfill his demands on December 16. But the deadline was extended till January 1 after the Parliamentary Panel of Education and Health Committee requested him to provide some time to take the NMEB ahead. Since the parliamentary committee suggested the government that all the demands raised by Dr. KC would not be fulfilled, he has vowed for another hunger strike stating that planned hunger strike will compel the government to implement its own commitment.





While issuing challenge to resume another hunger strike, he has repeatedly been insisting for the action against 43 officials of Tribhuvan University as per the recommendation of the high level National Medical Education Commission led by former Judge Gauri Bahadur Karki. He repeatedly alleged the government for forgetting the nine-point agreement that was reached with on July 26. As per the agreement, 22 provisions have to be included in the NMEB. However the sub-committee of Education and Health Committee of the federal parliament has not included all the contents of nine-point agreement in NMEB but suggested some contradictory provisions going against the spirit of the past agreements. It seems that the government would not fulfill its own promises made with Dr KC, thanks to the vested interests of some medical education entrepreneurs. However, the people in general have widely been raising a striking question over the earnestness of the incumbent Nepal Communist Party (NCP) co-chairperson KP Sharma Oli led government for repeatedly been pushing the ageing orthopedic surgeon to another round of hunger strike by going against of its own commitment.





The government has been mulling the idea to draft another Bill to end in the pretext of discouraging the private investment even in school education in seven years time. However, the plan contradicts with the recent decision of the Minister for Education, Science and Technology that more than 500 affiliations under TU and around 358 affiliations under CTEVT have already been granted to private colleges. Though the blame of commercialization of the education sector including the medical education does not necessarily solely go to the incumbent government but the previous too, the government head NCP largely drags into controversies for backing the private medical colleges without caring for basic standards. As the government has stand against of the past agreement signed with Dr KC, it is obvious for the criticism.




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IoT Evolution Expo returns to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jan 29-Feb 1st, 2019 with an amazing agenda.

Attendees tell us they love this event because it has all the right players to learn about the present and future of the market.

To get a sense of what it will be like  we encourage you to read our recent interviews with some of the speakers.

Randy Van Buren, Solutions Engineer, Nokia will be a panelist in the 5G General Session  Keeping Connected: From 5G to Zigbee.

Here is an excerpt of the interview:

What will be some key points you plan to hit in your session?

Key points for my session will be implementation of identity of networks, data access paths, endpoint credentials as well as subscription / accounting are now opened up from the legacy cellular world of being defined by carriers toward the IT-perspective of letting an enterprise, application, and manufactured determining the option that suits their definition. The carriers will be required to provide the flexibility of provisioning, mapping, and freeform storage, transport, as well as billing. What new insights can attendees expect to take home from your session?

Insights to be gained will be the pressure on carriers to move away from traditional SIM cards and their associated infrastructure toward eSIM and other forms of trust sources that are software-based instead of soldered into hardware.

One of our great keynoters is Ricardo Prada, UX Director at Google, where he directs broad, multidisciplinary teams of scientists and designers, adapting future technologies to human needs and capabilities. His keynote, The Future of Tech  Machine Learning to Change the World, will delve into the ways that AI and machine learning need to evolve as the IoT industry matures.

Here is an excerpt of his interview:

What will be some key points you plan to hit in your session? Ill be discussing how user interfaces will need to adapt as new sensors and AI technologies are introduced, and give examples of ways to help people understand and have control over their data. What new insights can attendees expect to take home? Two major themes: a) that AI advancements will require a different approach to product design, and b) that AI can augment people in ways that keep them in control.

Another great speaker is Christopher McCann, CEO and Founder of snap40. snap40 is building a platform to continuously and passively monitor the entire human body, using the data to deliver healthcare, preventively and before you become sick. He will be speaking in the Post-OP: Remote patient care, Communications, In-home Recovery session. Check out his interview here.

In addition we have Steve Hanna, Senior Principal, Infineon. He currently co-chairs the Trusted Computing Group Embedded Systems Work Group and is involved in the TCGs automotive, IoT and industrial IoT efforts. He will be panelist in the IoT Security General Session: Security Hype, Hysteria & Hope. Check out his interview.

We look forward to seeing you at the IoT Evolution show  While there Also check out The Industrial IoT Event, IoT Evolution Health, LPWAN Expo and The Smart City Event!
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




 Monday 8:30 am: Conservative Breakfast Meeting (locations vary, email Doug for information) Monday 6:00 pm: Huntington Beach Constitution Class, Bergman Family Chiropractic 18582 Beach BlvdHuntington Beach Tuesday 8:30 am: Bible Study Tuesday 11:00 am: Fallbrook Constitution Class, Emmanuel Baptist Church, 911 E Elder St Fallbrook, CA Tuesday 3:00 pm: Constitution Class Online with Scott McKay, Patriot Streetfighter, www.scottmckay.us Tuesday 6:00 pm: San Juan Capistrano Constitution Class, Bravo's California Fresh31772 Rancho Viejo Road, San Juan Capistrano Wednesday 3:00 pm: Constitution Association Weekly Executive Meeting (all welcome to attend), 412 Murrieta Church, 41831 McAlby Ct., Murrieta, CA Wednesday 5:00 pm: Temecula Valley Constitution Class, 412 Murrieta Church, 41831 McAlby Ct., Murrieta, CA(Note: Location for both meeting and class to change by June 16) Thursday 10:00 am: Beaumont Constitution Class, Marla's Cocina1310 E. 6th Street, Beaumont Thursday 11:30 pm: Post Class Lunch/Meeting with Banning/Beaumont/Cherry Valley Tea Party, Marla's Cocina, 1310 E. 6th Street, Beaumont Thursday 6:00 pm: Carlsbad Constitution Class, Health From Within Family Wellness Center1818 Marron Rd., #103, Carlsbad, CA 92008(zoom available, go to www.1776foreverfree.com for details) Friday 6:00 pm (once per month): Murrieta/Temecula Republican Assembly Meeting, see www.mtra.club for details Saturday 1:00 - 3:00 pm: Constitution Radio, KMET 1490-AM  Sunday 5:00 - 7:00 pm: For the Republic, www.patriotssoapbox.com Various times during the weekend: The Show Podcast, www.theshow57401.buzzsprout.com
Colombia Hoy



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Chavez Cuanto te queremos!



Por culpa de Chavez



Cerveza Polar



Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar



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LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares?



Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano...



Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos:



Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias.



Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera.



No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje.



En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio.



Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida.



Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella.



Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal.



Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista.



Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen.



Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che?



Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio.



Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora.



Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo.



Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo.



Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania.



No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar.



Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga.





Alguna duda?



Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino



Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia.



OZ1



OZ2



OZ3



OZ4



Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008



La Sierra Nevada de Merida



Nuestro precioso Churum Meru



Homenaje a Picasso



Autoretrato



Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola?

La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.

Mi profesion?

Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.

Sal en la Coca Cola?

A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.

De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:

Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto

Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)

azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)

Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas

Mucha Cafeina

Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio

Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe

Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion

El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.

Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.

Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.

En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).

Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.

La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.

Bebidas Light?

Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el

Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.



Publicado por loretahur



En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur

MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina:

1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias.

2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina.

3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard.

4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos.

5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla.

6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos.

Ahora... sobre la margarina:

1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) .

2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias.

3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno).

4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer.

5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna.

6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo.

7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina.

Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas:

* No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo).

* No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!!



No a la guerra, Si a la Paz



Misterios de la ciencia...



Los costos de la guerra



medicos y capitalismo...



medicos (2)



Quien educa a nuestros hijos?



Los Medios...



Sin Palabras...



Chistes feministas

- Cual es el problema, Eva?

- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz...

- Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.

- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...

- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.

- Que es un hombre?

- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.

- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.

- Cual es el truco?.

- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.

- Cual?

- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.





Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas?  Porque todos son unos cerdos

Ellas (2)...



Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1

Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije:

-Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro.

Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria.

Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre?

-Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa!



VENGANZA NUMERO 2

Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris.

A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita:

- Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!!

Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta.

La mujer paso quince dias en Francia.

El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla.

Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es:

- Y amor me trajiste mi francesita??

- Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina.



VENGANZA NUMERO 3

El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion.

- No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo.

- Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz.

Te quiero confesar algo.

- Esta bien, esta bien. Habla!

- He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga.

- Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!!



machismo y cibernetica



Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston.

-Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?.

El simio hace la sena de OK.

-Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide.

-Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!.



.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti.

Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos.

Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco.

Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas



Gol !!!!



Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso!



Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy!


World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to step down before end of term

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Schools, transport, banking services to be hit as 20 crore workers call for nation-wide strike



It will be a day of protests in the country as several trade unions, bank employee unions, farmers' bodies and teachers' associations are taking part in a two-day nationwide strike against the Narendra Modi government. Transport, banking, education, health, steel, electricity, insurance and other services may be affected as these trade unions, comprising over 20 crore workers, will join the two-day Bharat Bandh.



World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to step down, CEO Kristalina Georgieva to take charge



In a surprise move, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on Monday announced that he will step down from his position on February 1 much before the end of his term in 2022. Kim, 58, has been in this position for over six years now. Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank CEO, will assume the role of interim President effective February 1.



Bandhan Bank to buy Gruh Finance in share-swap deal



Bandhan Bank Ltd will buy mortgage provider Gruh Finance Ltd in a share-swap deal to build up its housing loan portfolio, the companies said. The deal will also help Bandhan Bank's main shareholder, Bandhan Financial Holdings Ltd, reduce its stake in the lender to just above 60 percent, local media reported earlier in the day.



Air India delays salaries, two months in a row



National carrier Air India has defaulted on salary payments for the second consecutive month missing the December pay-day amid liquidity crunch. Air India had failed to pay to its over 20,000 employees on time for most of the months last year. Like other public sector enterprises, the airline is supposed to pay the salaries on the last day of the month.



SEBI slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on PRM Power for fraudulent trade



Markets regulator Sebi Monday imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Jaipur-based PRM Power & Projects for fraudulent trade by creating artificial volume in illiquid stock options on the BSE. In April 2018, Sebi announced to take action in a phased manner against 14,720 entities for "non-genuine trades" through the illiquid stock options segment.



Jio launches app featuring family locator, lost-and-found services for Kumbh



Reliance Jio Monday launched an app with family locator, lost and found features and other customised services for the world's largest congregation Kumbh Mela to be held between January 15 and March 4 in Allahabad. The app Kumbh JioPhone can be accessed from Jio store which will have 'Family Locator' feature to help attendees stay close to their family and friends by getting their exact location and 'Khoya Paya' (Lost and Found) feature to help them reunite.



Musk lays foundation of USD 7 billion Tesla plant in China



US electric car maker Tesla CEO Elon Musk laid the foundation of a USD seven billion plant in Shanghai, becoming the first company to benefit from a new Chinese policy of allowing foreign vehicle manufacturers to set up wholly-owned subsidiaries in the nation. The plant, which is Tesla's first outside the US, is located at Lingang, a high-end manufacturing park in the southeast harbour of Shanghai. It has an annual production capacity of 500,000 electric cars














In a major setback for the government, the Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI Director after it set aside the Central Vigilance Commission's October-23 order divesting him of the CBI chief's powers. However, the Supreme Court said that Verma can't take major decisions till the high-powered select committee comes out with its views on the action taken against him.

Raising objections over Alok Verma's removal, the Supreme Court has said the government should have referred to the Select Committee comprising the Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition to initiate Alok Verma's removal. The judgement was pronounced by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and K M Joseph on behalf of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is on leave. Verma's two-year tenure as the CBI Director ends on January 31.

"The Supreme Court has today quashed the government and CVC's decision to divest Alok Verma from the powers of the CBI director. Despite restoring him, the court has also said he can't take major policy decisions till the high-powered panel comprising the PM, Leader of Opposition comes up with its report. But, unfortunately, and strangely, he will not be able to take major policy decisions, so it's a partial victory," said senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan.

He said that he will be able to take normal decisions related to the ongoing and pending cases, as they don't come in major policy decisions. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM.

SC reinstating CBI director Alok Verma is a direct indictment of the PM. Modi govt has ruined all institutions and democracy in our country. Wasn't CBI director illegally removed at midnight to stall the probe in Rafale scam which directly leads to PM himself? - Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 8, 2019

Meanwhile, the Congress party also said that it hails the Supreme Court's verdict lambasting the government against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director.

We welcome the Supreme Court's verdict lambasting the govt. against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director. The SC has reinstated Alok Verma as director. https://t.co/4d2IvnnJ2x - Congress (@INCIndia) January 8, 2019

Last month, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre and the CVC what was the "grave exigency" that prompted the "overnight" decision to divest Alok Verma of his powers as the CBI Director over his bitter feud with Special Director and number 2 of the premier investigation agency, Rakesh Asthana.

In a first such case in the history of the Central Bureau of Investigation, the two top bosses, Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana, were "divested of all powers" and sent on leave as a bitter spat between them intensified on October 24. The government had appointed Nageshwar Rao as the interim CBI director. Now the Supreme Court has also set aside the appointment of Nageswara Rao as the interim CBI chief.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

Also read: CBI Vs CBI: 10 key developments in the murky battle between Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana

Also read: Bharat bandh LIVE updates: Protesters clash with police, block railway lines as farmers, trade unions call for 2-day strike
A bill seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims communities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed in the Lok Sabha today.

Speaking on the Bill, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that it is important to safeguard people's interests. "The Act will provide relief to persecuted migrants who have come through western borders of the country to States like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other States," he said.

Earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh tabled the Citizenship Bill in Lok Sabha amid protests by opposition parties over Rafale and CBI issues. Opposition led by the Congress sought that the bill should be sent to a select committee as many states have opposed it.

As per the proposed amendment, the persecuted migrants will be eligible to apply for citizenship after due scrutiny and recommendation of district authorities and the State Government. The minimum residency period for citizenship is being reduced from existing 12 years under the present law to 7 years.

Also Read: Cabinet announces 10% reservation for economically weaker upper castes

Moving the Bill, the Union Home Minister clarified that the Act is not confined to the state of Assam. The Bill will apply to all states and union territories of the country. The beneficiaries of Citizenship Amendment Bill can reside in any state of the country, he added.

The Minister said the present government has taken several measures to implement the Assam Accord. Government has given approval to move the Bill in parliament granting ST status to six communities of Assam namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak.

Government has waived the requirement of Cabinet approval for the Bill, which was introduced in the current session of Parliament.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar
Bharat bandh: Trade unions comprising over 20 crore workers are holding protests in various parts of the country today. The Central trade unions have called for a two-day strike to press for several demands including minimum wages and social security. Normal life could be severally affected due to the Bharat Bandh as protesters have started blocking roads as well as railways lines. Left parties have also asked its affiliated unions to actively extend their support to the Bharat Bandh call given by these trade unions.

Also read: Bank strike: Banking services to be hit for 2 days as major unions hold nation-wide protest

Follow BusinessToday.In live blog for updates on the Bharat Bandh protests.

1.16pm: To ensure Sabarimala pilgrims were not affected by the strike, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has been operating buses from various destinations to Pamba, the foothills of the Sabarimala temple. However, KSRTC buses were not plying on other routes, reported PTI.



1.16pm: Venad Express, which runs from the state capital to Shoranur Junction daily, was delayed by more than one hour as agitators squatted on tracks, blocking its route, and raised slogans. Other trains that were stopped here were Jan Shatabdi and Raptisagar Express, reported PTI.

1.10pm: Trains were stopped in Thiruvananthapuram, Tripunithura, Shoranur railway stations.

12.08pm: Bus services affected at the CSMT due to the indefinite strike by BEST (Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply & Transport) over demands of implementation of the merger of the BEST budget with principal budget of the BMC, employee service residences etc.

Mumbai: Bus services affected at the CSMT due to the indefinite strike by BEST(Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply&Transport) over demands of implementation of the merger of the BEST budget with principal budget of the BMC, employee service residences etc. pic.twitter.com/SXlTfiZDeB - ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

11.44am: More than 20 lakh employees and workers of public, private and unorganised sectors in Telangana are expected to participate in the two-day nation-wide strike. "We expect over 20 lakh workers and employees of various private, government and unorganised sectors to participate in the 48-hour strike. Emergency service providers such as hospitals are exempted from the strike. Railway employees are not directly participating in the strike. But they will hold protest rallies at their respective offices during lunch hour," M Saibabu Telangana CITU General secretary told PTI.

11.35am: The visuals the 48-hour nationwide strike called by the Central Trade Unions from Karnataka.

#Karnataka: 48-hour nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public and government sector; Visuals from Hubli pic.twitter.com/Gr6so1MwTJ - ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

10.50am: Banking operations Tuesday have been affected in some parts of the country as a section of employees refrained from work in support of the two-day strike call given by 10 central trade unions to protest against alleged anti-labour policies of the government, reported PTI.

10.48am: Here are the visuals of protests from Odisha.

Odisha: Members of Central Trade Unions hold protests & block commuters in Bhubaneswar demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. Central Trade Unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike over several demands. pic.twitter.com/5LgEWntTEQ - ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

"The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana -- particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines," Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told PTI.

10.40am: Sporadic incidents of vandalism have been reported from parts of West Bengal. News agency PTI reported that stones were pelted at a school bus in Champadali area of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district. A government bus was also ransacked by strike supporters at Champadali. Protestors also vandalised a bus at Jamuria in Paschim Bardhaman district.

10.34am: Despite Mamata Banerjee's call for 'no bandh in Bengal', protesters have resorted to block railway lines.

West Bengal: Members of Central Trade Unions block railway line in Howrah demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. Central Trade Unions have called a 48-hour nationwide strike over several demands. pic.twitter.com/o4FvWpFWdK - ANI (@ANI) January 8, 2019

p>"I do not want to spend a single word on this. In West Bengal, we have taken a stand of not supporting any bandh. Enough is enough. In the last 34 years, they (Left Front) have destroyed the state by calling bandh. There will be no bandh," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat.

10.15am: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday claimed that the trade unions-called general strike would have no impact in the state.

10.0am: Protesters block railway line in Guwahati, Assam.
Leaders from across the political spectrum have reacted after the Union Cabinet on Monday announced 10 per cent reservation for economically backward upper castes. While some politicians have welcomed the decision, others asserted it was just another 'jumla' and called it a mere political stunt.

The decision is likely to invoke strong reactions from Dalit leaders and opposition parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and the Left parties.

Reacting to the quota move, the Congress party termed it a "poll gimmick" and questioned how the government was planning to manage the numbers for the same since the Supreme Court had placed a 50 per cent limit on quotas. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi Tweeted why the government waited four years and eight months to announce the move.

Also read: Will you benefit from 10% reservation for the general category? 5 factors that will decide

Gujarat's Patidar leader Hardik Patel asserted that this was the "last arrow in the PM's quiver". "If this is a 'lollipop' given to the people then that will be wrong and if the Modi government fails to implement the mandate properly then he is bound to get the people's reply in the elections," Patel told media adding that a constitutional amendment is central to the decision and will be the "main step."

The government will move a constitutional amendment bill tomorrow to push for extra reservation. Delhi CM and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal dared the government to bring an amendment bill in Parliament. He said that he would support the move. Otherwise, this will be exposed as a mere political stunt, Kejriwal tweeted.

Former Finance Minister and Yaswant Sinha said the proposal would face hurdles, calling it a 'jumla'. "It is bristling with legal complications and there is no time for getting it passed thru both Houses of Parliament. Govt stands completely exposed," he wrote on Twitter.

Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah linked the reservation announcement with the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "Reservation for economically backward upper castes. The bugle announcing the elections has well & truly sounded," he said.

Congress leader Harish Rawat told ANI that the government had "taken a lot of time for this generosity, and that also when elections are around the corner". "No matter what they do, what gimmicks they give, nothing is going to save this government," he said.
Photo: Twitter

Last month, Netflix released its big Christmas movie, Bird Box. Its a film about Sandra Bullock wearing a blindfold because she doesnt want to look at a monster because if she does she will die. Sure. Bird Box. Almost immediately a couple of weird things happened.

The first weird thing was that Netflix revealed an actual viewership statistic, something the company does not normally do. Took off my blindfold this morning to discover that 45,037,125 Netflix accounts have already watched Bird Box  best first 7 days ever for a Netflix film! the company tweeted a few days after Christmas. That 45 million stat covers accounts that streamed at least 70 percent of the film, Netflix told the Verge, and does not count multiple viewings by a single account. Netflix has 137 million subscribers, so about a third have watched Bird Box.

The second weird thing that happened was that, almost immediately, social media seemed to become flooded with Bird Box memes. It happened so fast, in fact, that people suspected that Netflix had a legion of astroturfing accounts with next-to-no followers posting memes like tfw youre a bird in a box (just made that up off the top of my head, not to brag) or similar.

YALL NEED TO LISTEN, IM NOT A BOT LMAOOOOO, like i swear to G o d, im a real person smh and i actually dont know why the bird box tweet got so many likes, like i was surprised because it was my first time tweeting something, but then everyONE STARTED SAYING THEY WERE BOTS pic.twitter.com/LaGK97pdVn  rebeca : *:* (@uwueoeoeo) December 28, 2018

Netflix denied any sort of clandestine meme campaign, and given how often fans have done gratis promotional work in the past, theres not really a reason to doubt it.

Whats to account for Bird Boxs lofty viewership numbers? There were a lot of Bird Box memes, but generally speaking, memes dont convert people into doing something they werent already inclined to do. Theyre about as powerful as any other word of mouth. The number of viewers who saw a Bird Box meme and wanted to get in on the trend by clicking play is likely marginal. What I suspect matters more than anything else is the front page, the central hub that greets every Netflix user on the web and in apps.

Much energy has been spent analyzing Netflixs impact on the film industry (its an at-home alternative to going to the theater) but Netflix also provides a sort of alternate version of the internet. It can be considered a more polished version of a streaming video site like YouTube or Facebook, both of which also fund the production of original programming. And it feels free: You pay for Netflix, but that subscription payment is virtually invisible; automatic and once a month, instead of a la carte. Unlike theater tickets, Netflix doesnt really make you ask, Is this worth the price?

YouTube and Facebook have spent many recent months defending their algorithms  the recommendation software that decides what users see when they load up the app. Those black boxes, weighing dozens of different signals, customize the experience for each user and help guide them. For better or worse, they keep serving users things they want to see. Netflixs recommendation software, on the other hand, sucks. For years, being unable to decide what to watch on Netflix has been a running gag, leading to a cottage industry of recommendation sites (try Netflix Roulette) and monthly lists of the services additions and removals.

That users rely on automated recommendations, more akin to browsing YouTube than going to a theater, gives Netflix a lot of power to steer viewer habits. Netflix has a strong financial incentive to promote its original programming over other movies and shows that it has licensed. The companys well-known intention is to get to a position where most of its content is exclusive. The front page is a huge part of this, allowing Netflix to create a sort of monoculture by choosing what gets the top slot. The front page on Netflix is ostensibly customized for each viewer, but somehow, Netflixs newest stuff always gets the top slot. This is not a unique phenomenon  popular web portals all face scrutiny for what they prioritize, whether its the top Google results for a query or the list of trending topics on Twitter. Apps featured on the front page of the iOS App Store reportedly see nine times more downloads than normal. Unlike social-media platforms though, Netflix does not need to pretend that its recommendations are unbiased. Its not an information portal or a tool. Whatever the big new release is, thats what get splashed full-width on the apps front page.

In substantial ways, Netflix and YouTube occupy similar spaces on the internet. Not only do both drive online conversation, but they also create a stable of web celebrities. In October, Netflix bragged about how the Instagram followings of its teenage stars had grown exponentially since their programs debuted. That sort of behavior points to similar new-media ecosystems rooted in persistent, personality-based fandom, whether thats for vloggers or scripted content. Bird Box, To All the Boys Ive Loved Before, Stranger Things: All of these and others have received and benefited from a social-media bump. But that doesnt mean it was social media that turned these properties into successes. If theres a clear indication of this, its that plenty of Netflix productions that have been claimed as successes for the company have also been critical and cultural flops. The Adam Sandlerled Ridiculous 6 was the top movie in every territory when it debuted on Netflix in 2015. Similarly, last years blockbuster-budgeted Bright was tracked at having at least 11 million viewers when it debuted (not a small number, at least compared to YouTubes most popular stuff) and almost immediately had a sequel green-lit.

All of this is to say that Bird Box memes arent necessarily a result of a unique movie or title or imagery, or because people love Sandra Bullock, or to join the conversation. Imagine if YouTube or Facebook or Twitter decided to relentlessly promote its own interests as soon as you opened the app  you might take a look at that too. And maybe youd post about it. The Bird Box chatter is, likely more than anything else, a result of humans exercising control over their enormously influential online platform, in order to tell people what they should focus on. Netflix doesnt necessarily have a secret formula for viral pop culture. Its just more willing to wield the vast influence it already has.
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- It's been vacant since 2002 and has become something of an eyesore in Gautier, but soon the old Kmart building will be brought back to life.

Roy Rogers Communications, Inc., a national AT&T dealership, has entered into a 10-year lease for both that building and a nearby smaller location in which to house both an AT&T Call Center and a retail store, which together will result in about 250 jobs, Gautier Mayor Phil Torjusen said Tuesday.

Torjusen explained that Roy Rogers Communications has been operating out of the Nashville-Mufreesboro, Tenn., area, but had been looking to move their operations to an area with a milder climate, one more conducive to business.

"They didn't want to keep dealing with the snow and all that," Torjusen said. "One of the owners had a brother with the Salvation Army in Pascagoula and he and his son were scouting locations down here when they found the old Kmart building. That's basically how it came about."

The communications company is currently working out of the smaller location, next to Burnham Drugs while renovations are completed to the old Kmart building. Gautier will also become Roy Rogers Communications' corporate headquarters.

"They'll ultimately have about 30 agents in the smaller location," Torjusen said. "Once the renovations are done, they'll ramp it up to about 250 employees."

Torjusen said he and other City officials are glad to see something finally done with the old building after standing vacant for nearly 17 years at the intersection of U.S. 90 and Gautier-Vancleave Road.

"That is like the main intersection of Gautier," he said. "Having an eyesore like that renovated and used again, along with the 250 jobs -- that's really going to be a nice little spark for economic development throughout the city."

The company plans to have the call center fully operational by July. As part of the 10-year lease, the shopping center owners have agreed to install all new lighting and repave the parking lot, Torjusen said.

He noted that Roy Rogers Communications also specializes in business technology, working with small business in particular to help meet their needs.

"They have about 800 agents around the country right now," Torjusen said. "They go to businesses and talk to them about their technology needs, then they call the call center and place the orders. They do things like point of sale systems and also help with small business financing for technology needs."

Once the communications company is fully operational in Gautier, it plans on expanding its nationwide workforce to about 2,000, he said.

Company president Robert Hicks says jobs will pay an average of $500 to $700 a week, according to The Associated Press. Those interested in applying for a job at the new call center can do so online at www.axisnewtech.com.
Washington governor Jay Inslee wants your vote on the basis of his exclusive focus on climate change. Photo: Ted S Warren/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Washington governor Jay Inslee has found one very definite way to stand out in the potentially huge 2020 Democratic presidential field (you know, other than years in the national spotlight or a prior candidacy). Its to identify himself with a single compelling issue, as Edward-Isaac Devore recently explained:

What if a meteor were hurtling toward the Earth, about to kill millions and reshape life on the planet as we know it?

And what if the president, instead of doing anything to help, made it worse in just about every way, and called it a hoax (and any solutions a scam) instead of the very real, very clear disaster taking shape?

And what if all the Democrats running to beat him in the next election went on and on about how concerned they were and how its our most pressing problembut none had ever done much more than talk about the problem, and for the most part only started doing that in just the past few years?

Thats where Jay Inslee thinks America is when it comes to climate change. And thats why hes going to run for president.

Inslee will not, obviously enough, be the only Democratic candidate talking about climate change, or promising to take major measures to fight it. But he clearly intends to make it the singular focus of his campaign:

If there is a new Democratic president come 2021, he or she will get pulled in all sorts of policy directions. Inslee says he has one priority: global warming. Its not theoretical, or a cause just for tree huggers anymore. Putting off dealing with it for a year or two or kicking it to some new bipartisan commission wont work, he says. He plans to focus on the threat that climate change poses to the environment and national securitythe mega-storms and fires causing millions in damages, the weather changes that will cause mass migrations, the droughts that will devastate farmers in America and around the world.

So unlike other candidates, Inslee wont mention climate change second or third or last or occasionally: its the entire reason hes running. How that positions him against, say, Michael Bloomberg, who appears likely to run, if he runs at all, on a dual promise to deal with climate change and gun control, is unclear.

Its difficult to think of a major-party presidential candidate in recent years who has been a true single-issue candidate. Many have signature issues, like Trumps border wall or Bernie Sanderss Medicare for All (or economic inequality, itself a multi-issue issue) in 2016. But they almost invariably have a broader range of concerns that appeal to a broader coalition of voters. The enormous Republican presidential field last time around produced no real single-issue candidacy, even though it could have been useful to multiple would-be presidents trying to distinguish themselves from their rivals.

Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig began a 2016 Democratic presidential candidacy focused exclusively on campaign-finance reform and closely associated money in politics issues. He even promised to resign from office once he achieved landmark legislation in this area. But this single-issue commitment faded even before Lessig quit the race after being excluded from candidate debates, as HuffPost reported:

Lessig said on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher Friday night that, if elected president, he will no longer resign after passing a law that would expand voting access, end partisan gerrymandering and reform the countrys campaign finance system.

You said that you were running on this one issue and that when you got elected and fixed it, you would quit, Maher said.

Yeah, thats stupid, Lessig replied, looking downward. That was totally stupid.

I withdraw that promise, he said. I am not going to resign. I am running for president with the commitment to pass legislation that gets our democracy back.

You could say generally that single-issue presidential candidacies are regarded as kinda stupid. After all, a president, for all her or his power, doesnt get to dictate the national agenda and exclude anything that falls outside some personal monomania.

The other problem for Inslee is that no one in the 2020 field is going to do much of anything other than nod along as he describes the peril involved in the continuing resistance of Republicans to any sort of decisive action on climate change. Occasionally single-issue candidates get attention by opposing their partys orthodoxy. A classic example was Ellen McCormack, an anti-abortion Democratic candidate, who, in 1976, was on the ballot in 18 primaries after qualifying for federal matching funds. She also spoke at the Democratic National Convention, to no great effect.

Going back four years before that, California Republican congressman Pete McCloskey ran against Richard Nixons renomination, winning 20 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire primary and then dropping out. If McCloskey ran on anything other than his opposition to Nixons Vietnam War policies, its been forgotten in the mists of time.

Other famous antiwar presidential candidates pretty clearly had broader agendas, such as Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy in 1968 and Howard Dean in 2004. And there have also been nomination candidacies that clearly got their oxygen from a single issue but werent really about that issue: e.g., Pat Buchanans 1992 challenge to George H.W. Bush, which fed on conservative unhappiness with Bushs violation of a no new taxes pledge but encompassed the challengers whole Trump-before-Trump nationalist agenda.

And finally, there has been at least one fairly recent candidate  Lamar Alexander in 1996  who campaigned on what might be described as a single gimmick, as Ron Brownstein reported back then:

Alexander, who is diligently laying the groundwork for a 1996 presidential campaign, wants to cut congressional salaries in half and send members home over the summer to work at real jobs in their districts. He has even distilled the idea into the first memorable rallying cry of the 1996 campaign: Cut their pay and send them home.

Unluckily for Alexander, his own Republican Party took total control of Congress for the first time in 40 years shortly after he formulated this catchy slogan, which took a lot of the steam out of it.

If you go all the way back to the 19th century you can find presidential candidates like William Jennings Bryan, whose 1896 campaign is remembered as being almost exclusively about bimetallism, and a whole series of presidential campaigns before that which were fought out over protective tariffs.

But the recent precedents arent great for Inslee or any other single-issue candidate. This approach will, however, make it easier for Inslee to keep his identity separate from that of the other 20 or 30 or 40 presidential aspirants.
Were not used to hearing members of Congress say Trumps rhetoric and policies go well beyond racially tinged. Photo: Alena Kuzub/Getty Images

There is no question Donald Trump is a racist, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told 60 Minutes Anderson Cooper on Sunday. Predictably, her succinct answer set off a chain of outraged responses, mostly on the right; the White House accused her of making disgusting false claims and displaying sheer ignorance about Trumps stance on race. Coopers response to the newly sworn-in socialist  How can you say that?  sparked fury, too. In the context of the interview, its not clear if Cooper meant to scold the congresswoman for her boldness or to draw her out on specific examples of Trumps racism. As the Washington Post noted on Monday, Cooper himself criticized Trumps infamous shithole countries remark as a racist sentiment.

Whatever Cooper meant, he injected new life into a debate that should have died long ago. Ocasio-Cortez may not have called the president a motherfucker, like Michigan representative Rashida Tlaib did last Thursday. But Coopers response to the New York City Democrat bore a passing resemblance to the censorious reaction to Tlaib  who is, like Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic Socialist. In a piece for The Atlantic, Elaine Godfrey worried that Tlaibs remarks signalled some new era of norm-breaking in the Democratic Party:

Some incoming progressive Democrats are repeatedly disregarding norms and breaking with their party in order to criticize the president and speak to their passionate base. Curiously, its an approach to politics that mirrors the tactics of the man theyre up against. Tlaibs comments could foreshadow an intensifying drumbeat of norm-breaking on the left similar to the one that Trump has already imposed on the GOP.

These norms must be fragile if they are so threatened by verbal profanity. Godfreys reaction to Tlaib wasnt anomalous; commentators advanced similar criticisms in the Post and the website for ABC News. Though most refrained from conflating either Tlaib or Ocasio-Cortez wholly with Trump in recent days, conservatives critical of Trump have previously accused Ocasio-Cortez of being the Trump of the left. These left-wing newcomers have elicited divisive responses not just from the media, but from fellow Democrats. While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declined to condemn Tlaib, but Joe Manchin, the Democratic senator from West Virginia, was so incensed by Tlaibs remarks that he apologized to all Americans on her behalf.

Pundits and more centrist Democrats have been similarly jolted by the left flanks policy proposals. Pelosi may have refrained from criticizing their rhetoric, but she responded to Ocasio-Cortezs request for a special committee on the Green New Deal with a version that will actually be less powerful than the Houses last climate committee. Some commentators reacted with shock to Ocasio-Cortezs call for a 70 percent marginal tax rate; National Journals Josh Kraushaar went so far as to assert that the policy was a whole lot more politically damaging than Tlaibs profanity. On Monday, CNNs Chris Cillizza used an out-of-context quote from Ocasio-Cortez to promote his analysis of her 60 Minutes interview  which, in turn, conflated the congresswomans erroneous claim about $21 trillion in Pentagon accounting errors with the Trump administrations fabrications about border security. As Voxs Matt Yglesias explained last month, the $21 trillion figure is incorrect, but Ocasio-Cortezs underlying argument  that Americas defense spending is very high and reducing it by a fraction could fund a variety of social welfare projects  is true. Meanwhile, Trumps anti-immigration fearmongering rests on outright lies. And while Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter that fact-checkers push her to be better, Trump greeted Monday morning with another tweeted attack on the failing New York Times.

Neither the press nor the Democratic Party has much recent familiarity with a powerful, organized left, and it shows. Ocasio-Cortezs proposal isnt radical; it is, as New Yorks Eric Levitz argued, an evidence-based response to significant national wealth inequality. Tlaib is an experienced community organizer from a working-class background whose constituents are likely familiar with her demeanor. But the real problem isnt unfamiliarity with the lefts policies and tactics; its that two years into the Trump presidency, some commentators still dont know how to talk about Trump. Neither, for that matter, do some Democrats. If you cant accurately characterize the threats posed by Trumps presidency, youre prone to mischaracterize the goals of his opponents, too.

As long as major newspapers relegate any acknowledgement of Trumps racism to the editorial pages, headlines refer only to the presidents racially tinged policies and rhetoric, and the Democratic Party tolerates members like Joe Donnelly warming up to Trump, the bluntness of left-wing politicians like Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez will look more dangerous and more radical than it actually is in context. The idea that Tlaib, for example, somehow sunk to Trumps level just by declaring were gonna impeach the motherfucker reduces the president to an aesthetic problem. There is substance to Trumps cruelty. The president does more than refer to immigrants as animals; his administration puts migrant children in cages. The difference between Trump and various bombastic Democrats is thus a material one. Tlaib used vulgar language to call for impeachment because, as she and John Bonifaz outlined in a Detroit Free Press editorial, she believes the president is lawless. Ocasio-Cortezs Green New Deal is an expansive policy that would dramatically reorder the governments financial priorities, but its no less radical than Trumps tax cuts for the wealthy.

Trump is no strategic genius. His rants are often just that  tantrums, with no carefully considered intention behind them. Even so, its easy to discern the prejudice that motivates him. Trump shut down the government, depriving hundreds of thousands of federal workers and subcontracted service workers of their wages, all to force Congress to give him $5 billion for a steel slat fence designed to keep out refugees. Trump responded to Heather Heyers 2017 murder by a neo-Nazi with what amounts to a shrug; there are, he insisted, very fine people on both sides of the fight. He uses language the way he uses the power of his office: to empower and enrich the nations wealthiest, white citizens at the expense of vulnerable communities. The truth is profane.
A photo of I-24s broadcast of Netanyahus address on January 7, 2019. Photo: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images

To hear him tell it, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu isnt sweating the multiple bribery and corruption investigations in which he may soon be charged by the countrys attorney general Avichai Mandelblit: The investigators will find nothing against him, he has repeatedly contended, because there is nothing to find.

Judging by his actions, however, hes clearly worried about it. On Monday afternoon, the prime minister announced on Twitter that he would make a special address to the nation at the start of the evening news hour, leading to a flurry of speculation: Was he about to resign? Mount some kind of legal challenge to prevent the attorney general from issuing indictments before the upcoming national elections? Declare a national emergency, perhaps?

None of the above, as it turns out. In his seven-minute prime-time address, Netanyahu instead served up a nothingburger of gripes and demands he has already made repeatedly. He accused his enemies on the left and in the media of pursuing a witch hunt against him (not unlike President Trump) and restated his talking point that it would be undemocratic for Mandelblit to accept the recommendations of the police and charge him in these cases, which the attorney general is widely expected to do in February, before the April 9 elections. This would not leave enough time for him to defend himself in pre-indictment hearings before voters went to the polls, he argued.

The only new information Netanyahu revealed on Monday night was that he had demanded to confront the former colleagues and aides who had turned states evidence against him, but had been denied that opportunity by the legal authorities (such confrontations are not standard procedure in the Israeli justice system). He issued this demand again, saying he wanted to confront the states witnesses face-to-face on live TV: What are they afraid of? What do they have to hide? he exclaimed. As far as I am concerned it can be broadcast live, so the public can see and hear it.

The speech was so blatantly self-serving and unnewsworthy, Israels Channel 10 cut off its broadcast in the middle of it. Editors were sitting in the control room, and once they decided there was no news they cut the live broadcast, the stations chief political correspondent Barak Ravid said afterward.

Other journalists and commentators were similarly dismissive of what had been hyped as a dramatic announcement. The Times of Israels David Horovitz described it as not so much misguided as irrelevant, as it was unlikely to influence Mandelblits decision and unnecessary to sway voters in an election Netanyahu is already heavily favored to win. Horovitzs colleague Raphael Ahern called it a dangerous gamble, remarking: The next time the prime minister-who-cried-wolf wants to address the nation to announce a mysterious matter of purported national urgency, fewer people may pay attention.

It was the second time in as many months that Netanyahu had used a TV broadcast, which Horovitz notes is a channel of direct communication usually reserved for events of momentous national import, to serve his own political needs: In November, he gave a nine-minute address as part of a media blitz to head off a challenge from his coalitions right flank. If Trump discovers tonight that he likes using this medium to fight his political battles, we might start seeing something very similar here in the U.S. (Both men already share a love of using Twitter to build narratives.)

The crimes for which Netanyahu is expected to face charges are serious. In Case 1000, he is suspected of taking more than $250,000 worth of benefits and gifts from billionaire cronies. Case 2000 and Case 4000 include allegations of illicit deals between Netanyahu and the owners and publishers of media companies to trade regulatory decisions that either helped them or hurt their rivals for favorable coverage in their outlets. Police have recommended charging the prime minister with bribery in all three cases.

With political pressures bearing down on him from all sides, the Washington Posts Jerusalem bureau observed on Sunday, Mandelblit is in a lose-lose situation not unlike the one former FBI director James Comey faced in October 2016, when he had to decide whether to announce that the bureau had turned up new evidence in the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails. That evidence quickly came to nothing, but Comeys revelation of it in the lead-up to the presidential election likely helped tip the race against Clinton and toward Trump. If Mandelblit decides to indict Netanyahu, the prime ministers Likud party will accuse him of improperly influencing the election. If he holds off, he will be accused of denying Israelis important information that should influence their vote.

Netanyahu knew all this when he called early elections last month in the wake of his coalitions collapse. Indeed, Mondays address was surely intended to turn up the heat on Mandelblit and raise the political stakes of his decision further, even though it mostly rehashed grievances he had already aired. Opinion polls find that most Israelis believe the attorney general should issue a decision before the election, but other polls show it wouldnt cost Likud any seats in the Knesset if he were to face charges. Netanyahu has insisted that he will refuse step down if he is summoned for an indictment hearing, which he is not required by law to do, though a slim majority of Israelis said in a recent poll that he should.

The prime minister and some of his supporters have reacted to the corruption allegations in troubling ways, with former Supreme Court justice Eliyahu Matza likening Netanyahus rhetoric to that of a mob boss (another Trump parallel) and calling it nothing less than incitement against the attorney general and law enforcement authorities. When a leading Likud MK tweeted that millions of Israelis would not accept an indictment, the state prosecutor described the tweet as super-problematic. Mandelblit has been targeted personally: His fathers grave was vandalized in December, and graffiti recently appeared on a highway sound barrier labeling him a collaborator.

Again, however, Likud remains the favorite to lead a government once again after Aprils elections. While Netanyahus popularity has taken a hit amid these allegations and political turmoil over the past few months, his party only needs to win a quarter of the vote and more seats than any other party to rule, which the polls say is almost certain.

Beyond Likud, Israeli party politics is severely fractured at the moment, which works to the ruling partys advantage. The center-left opposition is deep in the wilderness, politicians and retired generals are leading brand-new parties, and Netanyahus main threat on the right fragmented last week when ultranationalists Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked abandoned their pro-settlement party Jewish Home and formed a new party called the New Right. Netanyahu knows that as long as right-wingers win at least 61 out of 120 seats, he can cobble together a coalition that keeps him and his party in power.

Hes not completely out of the woods, of course, but even if Netanyahu falls, the increasingly hawkish and zealously nationalist Israeli right is likely to remain in power for years to come. Israels continuous rightward drift, combined with the policies Netanyahu has pursued in his last three administrations, suggests that Aprils elections will effectively serve as a referendum on whether to abandon the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and pursue the annexation of the occupied territories instead  and that referendum will likely win.

Unfortunately, its being portrayed instead as a referendum on Netanyahu himself, as the larger-than-life leaders legal troubles draw valuable attention from the critical questions of national identity, social and economic stratification, security, and foreign policy Israel will actually need to answer in the years to come. Sound familiar?
A national emergency declaration could give Trump the kind of power he has long craved. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

For some time now President Trump has been publicly and privately mulling the idea of using a national emergency declaration to give him the power to redirect Pentagon funds to replace the border-wall appropriations Congress has denied him. This idea clearly began as a way for Trump to get out of the trap he set for himself by stumbling into a government shutdown over his border-wall demands. Its now something that could happen as soon as tonights Oval Office address prior to a presidential trip to the U.S.Mexico border.

Since very few people outside the White House or the nativist fever swamps of the far right think the situation on the southern border represents a national emergency, this talk has been largely derided as an absurd overreach by a president whose understanding of the limits of his powers has always been shaky at best, and as a laughably indirect way of obtaining a purely symbolic goal. But its beginning to dawn on official Washington that its a gambit Trump might well successfully pull off, with possible implications that go far beyond building a concrete or steel wall.

In the 20th century, Congress regularly gave presidents a wide variety of powers deemed necessary to executive functions during a national emergency, real or contrived. Such emergencies were, among other things, the legal basis for Americas undeclared wars in Korea and Vietnam. In order to regularize these incidents and provide for their termination (there were at the time 470 declarations theoretically still in force), Congress passed a National Emergencies Act in 1976. As the Wall Street Journal explains, once a president declares an emergency, all sorts of expanded powers may become available:

The National Emergencies Act doesnt outline specific powers. Instead, those are laid out in hundreds of specific statutes that give the president extra leeway in a declared emergency. For instance, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act authorizes the president to block financial transactions or freeze assets in response to foreign threats.

In November, for example, Mr. Trump declared that Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortegas campaign to suppress political opposition constituted such a threat, and he froze the assets of individuals involved in stifling protests against the Ortega regime.

Most national emergencies have been similarly narrow, such as a 2001 declaration prohibiting the importation of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone, where they were used to fund a brutal civil war. That declaration was revoked in 2004 as the war ended.

An exception came three days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when President Bush declared a national emergency that has been renewed ever since, most recently by Mr. Trump.

What Trump has in mind are two statutes that allow redirection of military construction funds during a declared national emergency. There are all sorts of questions as to whether building a border wall is actually a military construction project, and additional questions about the sufficiency of any presidential power to declare eminent domain over private property needed for a border wall. But no one doubts that Trump can make the initial declaration whenever he wants. And barring some congressional action to veto or terminate the declaration (which would require a two-thirds votes in both Houses), the only thing restraining him might be the courts, which have traditionally been very lenient in affording the president broad emergency powers. Its not even clear who, if anyone, would have legal standing to challenge such a declaration with a lawsuit.

But totally aside from its impact on the border-wall dispute and the government shutdown, a Trump national emergency declaration could open the door to all the other emergency powers Congress has given the president over the decades. As Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice recently pointed out, these powers are extensive and potentially authoritarian:

The moment the president declares a national emergency  a decision that is entirely within his discretion  more than 100 special provisions become available to him. While many of these tee up reasonable responses to genuine emergencies, some appear dangerously suited to a leader bent on amassing or retaining power. For instance, the president can, with the flick of his pen, activate laws allowing him to shut down many kinds of electronic communications inside the United States or freeze Americans bank accounts.

Previously unutilized (or narrowly utilized) emergency powers could take on a whole new dimension under a president like Trump, who is so willing to exaggerate threats to national security and has no real respect for the rule of law if it inconveniences him. Goitein lays out a nightmare scenario in which a propaganda war with Iran leads to all sorts of domestic repercussions once a national emergency has been declared:

Unfazed by his own brazen hypocrisy, he tweets that Iran is planning a cyber operation to interfere with the 2020 election. His national-security adviser, John Bolton, claims to have seen ironclad (but highly classified) evidence of this planned assault on U.S. democracy. Trumps inflammatory tweets provoke predictable saber rattling by Iranian leaders; he responds by threatening preemptive military strikes. Some Defense Department officials have misgivings, but others have been waiting for such an opportunity. As Irans statements grow more warlike, Iranophobia takes hold among the American public.

Proclaiming a threat of war, Trump invokes Section 706 of the Communications Act to assume government control over internet traffic inside the United States, in order to prevent the spread of Iranian disinformation and propaganda. He also declares a national emergency under the [International Emergency Economic Powers Act], authorizing the Treasury Department to freeze the assets of any person or organization suspected of supporting Irans activities against the United States. Wielding the authority conferred by these laws, the government shuts down several left-leaning websites and domestic civil-society organizations, based on government determinations (classified, of course) that they are subject to Iranian influence. These include websites and organizations that are focused on getting out the vote.

This may seem far-fetched politically, but legally, an emergency declaration is the sort of thing that opens the door to abuses by a White House in internal crisis that seeks an external crisis to rally public support and clamp down on critics. And thats the road we could begin taking as a country even if Trumps resort to an emergency declaration is initially nothing more than an avenue out of a blind alley the president entered when he lost his temper and shut down the government.
Moroccan authorities announced on Tuesday the arrest three members of the ISIS terror group who were operating in the cities of Nador and Driouch, eastern Morocco.

Aged between 18 to 31, the nabbed the jihadists were planning terrorist attacks to undermine the security and stability of the North African Kingdom.

This home-grown terror cell was busted by Moroccos Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ). Search carried out in their homes led to the seizure of knives, hunting rifles, military suits, firearms, extremist propaganda documents, batteries, and electric wires.

According to Moroccan Ministry of the Interior, the dismantling of this new cell shows that the country is still facing terrorist threats and there are some fanatics who have been indoctrinated by extremist ideology and stand ready to execute ISISs agenda.

Morocco has a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy that includes vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and counter-radicalization policies.

The Moroccan authorities have placed counterterrorism at the top of priorities following the Casablanca terror attacks in 2003 and the two subsequent attacks of 2007 and 2011.

Moroccos counterterrorism efforts mitigated the risk of terrorism, but the country continues to face threats, largely from numerous small, independent violent extremist cells.

Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers.
Tripoli-based Public Prosecutor aligned with UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has demanded the arrest of Abdulhakim Belhaj, an Islamist politician and Ibrahim Jahdrans forces controlled Libyas oil crescent from post-2011 revolution until 2016, reports say.

Both men are indicted for involvement in attacks, crimes and as well as armed groups in the North African country, including attacks on oil terminals, Timnahint air base in southern Libya and other crimes in south of the country.

Belhaj currently based in Turkey leaders the Libyas pro-Islamist Watan Party. The now-turned businessman is former fighter in Afghanistan against the Soviets. After fighting alongside al Qaeda founder Usama bin Laden in Afghanistan, Belhaj returned to Libya and emerged as head of Tripoli Military Councilafter the 2011 revolution that brought down the regime of former country strongman Muammar Ghaddafi.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE included in a terror list of organizations and individuals connected to Qatar that has been facing a diplomatic isolation from the four.

Jahdran on the other hand, who appeared as a former GNA-ally lost control of Libyas main oil terminals that his forces occupied in the wake of the revolution until 2016 after east-based army commander Khalifa Haftars forces, Libyan National Army (LNA) fought him out.

The occupation of the oil crescent caused millions of dollars in losses for the National Oil Corporation (NOC) runs Libyas oil sector and facilities.

The arrest warrants have also targeted 31 Sudanese and Chadian militants.

Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers.
As we work through the month May, I want to give a couple of updates from the last few weeks. My priority bill, LB 644, has advanced from the first and second round of debate and will be heading to final reading soon. This bill was designed to help give the taxpayer clear and concise informa
Like 75 percent of the worlds citizens right now, were traveling. All that pent-up cabin fever had to be released sometime and the warm weather is bringing travelers out in droves. We had a graduation in Florida which we have been looking forward to attending. It was a nice trip.
Ryan Hledik Judy Chang Roger Lueken Johannes Pfeifenberger John Imon Pedtke Jeremy Vollen, October 1, 2018 (Brattle Group)

Highlights

This study identifies the amount of energy storage that can be incorporated cost-effectively into Nevadas future electricity resource mix.

In 2020, up to 175 MW of utility-scale battery storage (with 4-hour storage capacity) could be deployed cost-effectively statewide.

By 2030, the economic potential for utility-scale storage increases to a range from 700 MW to more than 1,000 MW, depending most significantly on the extent to which storage costs decline over time.

Behind-the-meter (BTM) storage could add up to 30 MW of storage capacity by 2030 under favorable conditions, and this could further increase by up to 40 MW through the provision of cost-effective utility-administered BTM storage incentives

Executive Summary

Nevada Senate Bill (SB) 204 (2017) requires the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) to determine whether it is in the public interest to establish by regulation biennial targets for the procurement of energy storage systems by an electric utility.1 The Nevada Governors Office of Energy (GOE) commissioned this study to provide information for the PUCN when evaluating at what levels energy storage deployment would be economically beneficial for the state of Nevada, and whether procurement targets for energy storage systems should be set and, if so, at what levels. To assess the value of energy storage in Nevada, our study considers the range of benefits summarized in Table 1.

Methodology

In this study, we account for a number of critical considerations when assessing the value of energy storage:

 Various value streams. Capturing one value stream for storage can mean foregoing opportunities to fully capture some of the other value streams. Co-optimizing the operation of energy storage relative to the available multiple value streams is therefore important to accurately estimate total storage benefits. We have utilized Brattles bSTORE modeling suite to account for these tradeoffs. The resulting stacked values estimated in this report are additive because we have considered areas where overlapping usages may not occur consistently.

 Uncertainty in costs and benefits. Energy storage technology is rapidly developing, and the value streams that it can capture are similarly in a state of evolution. It is important to account for uncertainty in the costs and benefits of storage when establishing future storage procurement targets. We use a range of costs to consider the possibility of relatively rapid versus slow cost reduction for storage. We use a scenario-based approach to consider a range of future developments influencing the benefits storage can provide.

 The relationship between storage quantity and benefits. The incremental cost-effectiveness of energy storage decreases as its market penetration grows. This is because the opportunities to provide services such as frequency regulation and local distribution capacity deferral saturate as more storage is added to the power system. In prior energy storage research, we have found that capturing the decreasing marginal value of adding storage is a critical consideration when quantifying overall value and cost-effective storage potential.2 Our approach accounts for this relationship.

 Degree of foresight in battery utilization. Modeling approaches often rely on optimal operation of the storage technology, assuming perfect foresight of system conditions. Our approach accounts for real-world limitations on foresight of future system conditions, and considers how imperfect foresight affects storage operations.

Our methodology is applicable to a broad range of energy storage technologies including, for example, various battery technologies, flywheels, compressed air storage, hydroelectric pumped storage, or thermal storage. To focus the analysis on a representative range of storage costs and performance characteristics, we simulate storage deployment of lithium-ion batteries, which are the predominant energy storage technology currently being deployed and contracted. More specifically we analyze lithium-ion batteries with 4-hour storage capacity.

Consistent with the applicable current law and NV Energys 2018 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), our study assumes NV Energy remains the utility responsible for serving most retail customers in Nevada. We assume that: (1) generating resources currently dedicated to serving Nevada loads at their cost of service would continue to be used to serve loads even if they will be subject to competitive pressures in the future, (2) new generation additions and retirements are consistent with NV Energys IRP, and (3) the transmission available without wheel-out charges between balancing areas remains limited to that available in todays Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) footprint.

If Nevada retail customers were able to choose their power suppliers in the future, the total amount of generating resources needed to serve Nevadas electricity demand would not change. Thus, we do not need to assume that all of the current retail customers must be served by NV Energy or that all generating and new storage resources must be owned by NV Energy. Rather, we focus primarily on how Nevada, as a state, will supply its electricity customers and how the state as a whole may use energy storage as a resource to help meet state-wide system needs and policy objectives. When analyzing the benefits of storage, we evaluate the cost of producing electricity to serve Nevada lectricity users, regardless of who are the retail suppliers. Any changes to the cost of producing electricity account for the costs of operating power plants located inside Nevada (regardless of ownership) and the net costs of purchased power from other entities to serve electricity users in Nevada.

Findings

Energy storage can be incorporated cost-effectively into Nevadas future power supply mix. Under the assumptions used in this study, a statewide deployment of up to 175 MW of utility-scale storage could be cost-effective in 2020 if storage costs are at the lower end of the expected cost range. By 2030, declining battery costs and evolving system conditions increase this estimate of cost-effective potential to at least 700 MW and possibly exceeding 1,000 MW at the high end. The development of these estimates accounts for constraints that limit the operation of the storage devices relative to that of a peaking unit, in particular limits on battery storage discharge duration.

Within these ranges, the optimal storage procurement target will depend on the states evolving actual need for new generating capacity. Thus, the incorporation of similar storage scenarios into NV Energys resource planning process would be valuable to further confirm these conclusions.

The findings of our analysis are summarized in the figures below. Figure 1 illustrates the total state-wide ratepayer benefits and costs at various levels of storage deployment as well as the composition of the major storage-related value streams that affect utility ratepayers:3 (1) avoided generating capacity investments; (2) production cost savings (related to supplying energy and ancillary services as well as avoided curtailments of renewable generation); (3) the benefit of deferred T&D investments; and (4) avoided distribution-system customer outages. Not included in Figure 1 are (5) societal emissions-related impacts (since they do not affect utility rates currently), which result in societal-emissions-cost decreases of $0.7 to $10.6 million in 2020 and decreases of $1.6 to $27.0 million in 2030; and (6) other benefits, such as voltage support and T&D energy losses, which are too small to affect the conclusions about cost-effective levels of storage deployment in the state.

As shown, total 2020 benefits exceed total costs only at the low end of deployments analyzed, and only if the low end range of installed storage costs can be realized.4 In 2030, total benefits exceed total costs across the full range of cost projections and deployment scenarios, although the net benefit of incremental additions in 2030 drops to zero at 700 MW for the high battery cost scenario, as shown below.

Figure 2 below shows the incremental net benefits of storage at various deployment levels. This perspective is useful for identifying the point at which the benefits of incremental storage additions equal the costs of those additions. Storage additions beyond that deployment level are uneconomic, as incremental costs will exceed incremental benefits. As shown, up to 175 MW of storage deployment are cost effective in 2020 at the low end of the storage cost range. By 2030, the cost effective deployment level exceeds 1,000 MW at the low end of projected cost, with 700 MW being cost effective at the high end of projected costs.

The estimates of cost-effective storage potential are based on quantitative analyses that capture the primary drivers of storage value at the grid level: avoided generation capacity costs, reduced energy costs, reduced ancillary services costs, avoided T&D capacity costs, and reliability improvements (i.e., customer outage avoidance). We do not include the value of estimated avoided emissions when evaluating the amount of storage that would be cost-effective from a system perspective.

Implementation of and Nevadas participation in a regional power market may reduce the value of storage due to lower production cost savings associated with increased resource diversification that would be achieved through having a market that spans a larger region. The resource adequacy needs associated with serving Nevada loads may not be reduced and other value streams are unlikely to be affected. If the implementation of a regional market were to reduce the production cost savings by half and not affect other value streams, the cost-effective level of storage deployment in 2030 would fall from a range of 700 MW to greater than 1,000 MW (without a regional market) to a range of 400 MW to greater than 1,000 MW (with a regional market).

In addition to the utility-scale and distribution-system-level applications discussed above, storage could add value as a customer-side, behind-the-meter (BTM) application. The avoidance of demand charges and peak-energy charges in the retail electricity bill of large (commercial and industrial) customers likely will be the primary driver of BTM storage adoption within the studys 2030 time horizon. Some baseline level of BTM storage adoption would happen irrespective of any utility storage procurement initiatives based on specific targets. To remain consistent with the scope of this study, we quantified the cost-effective incremental increase from this baseline BTM storage adoption level that could result from a utility-administered BTM storage incentive program offered to retail customers. In return for an incentive payment, customers would allow the utility to control their storage device for a limited number of hours of the year to address resource adequacy (i.e., generation capacity) requirements.

We considered a range of assumptions that would influence BTM storage adoption, such as battery cost, adoption rate, magnitude of utility incentive payments, and the composition of the commercial and industrial (C&I) customers in the state. At estimated 2020 BTM storage costs, BTM storage adoption in the absence of a utility incentive program could be up to 7 MW. The introduction of cost-effective utility incentive programs could incrementally increase these estimates by up to 24 MW. At 2030 BTM storage costs, baseline BTM storage adoption is estimated to be up to 31 MW without the incentive program, which would incrementally increase between 6 MW and 39 MW with availability of cost-effective utility incentive programs. Results of these BTM storage potential cases are summarized in Figure 3. These values are incremental to the adoption potential estimates for utility-scale storage (including front-of meter distribution-level storage) described above.

In addition to the assumed utility incentive payments for resource adequacy, it is possible that BTM storage could provide additional sources of value, such as ancillary services or avoided T&D costs. Third party aggregators, utilities, or customers could monetize greater value under these conditions, thereby leading to increased BTM storage investments.

As these results show, energy storage can be a cost-effective addition to Nevadas future mix of electricity resources, reducing system costs and benefitting consumers as a result. It can provide value across a range of applications and use cases, whether for resource adequacy, renewables integration, T&D investment deferral, or some combination of these and other benefits streams. This conclusion is robust across a range of modeled scenarios. The economically optimal levels of future deployment depend most significantly on the trajectory at which energy storage costs decline and new generating resources are needed to meet Nevadas electricity demand.

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The wife of Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, Maryanne Jebet Keitany, has been granted access back to her home in Runda, Nairobi.

On Monday, Milimani Court Resident Magistrate Isaac Orenge reinstated orders barring the Senator from evicting her.

In his ruling, the Magistrate further ordered Runda Officer Commanding Station (OCS) to enforce the orders allowing Ms. Keitany into the house. The OCS was also directed to ensure that her family enjoys peace pending further court directions.

This comes after Linturi allegedly hired over 15 goons to forcefully evict Keitany from their matrimonial home on December 19 last year.

Before that, in November, Maryanne Jebet was awarded a restraining order against the politician following allegations of domestic violence.

Detectives handling the matter said they questioned Linturi after Keitany alleged that the Senator had threatened to kill her during a domestic brawl in their Runda home, Nairobi.

Keitany, who is a licensed gun holder told police that Linturi, also a gun-holder, threatened to shoot her after she put him on the spot over the death of their house help Edith Kananu, in October.

On December 24, 2018, the court also restrained the Senator from transferring property that he owns with Ms. Keitany.

Keitany had moved to court seeking Sh10 million she alleged to have lost during the December 19, 2018 which led to her eviction.

The case for the Runda residence occupancy will be heard in a weeks time on January 14, 2018.
Here are some of todays biggest headlines.

Saudi teenager barricades herself in Bangkok airport hotel A Saudi teenager claiming to be fleeing her abusive family has barricaded herself in a hotel room in Bangkoks main airport after Thai immigration officials attempted to deport her back to the Middle East.

Golden Globes honor Bohemian Rhapsody, Green Book in a night of surprises Bohemian Rhapsody, the Freddie Mercury biopic, and Green Book, the inspirational true story about an unlikely friendship between an African-American pianist and a white bouncer in the early 1960s, took top honors at Sundays Golden Globes.

See the full list of Golden Globe winners The 76th Golden Globe Awards took place Sunday night.

Gabon government says situation under control after apparent coup attempt The government in Gabon says the situation is under control and that rebels there have been arrested after military officers seized state media and announced they had leadership of the country.

40 people killed in Afghan gold mine collapse At least 40 people were killed when a gold mine collapsed Sunday in northern Afghanistan, authorities said.

Joe Biden says he will decide his 2020 plans soon Joe Biden is poised to decide in the coming month whether he will jump into the Democratic presidential race, inching closer to answering the looming question of whether he will make a third bid for the White House.

And the Golden Globe for most obvious PR stunt goes to Fiji Water Girl Glenn Close and Christian Bale both won Golden Globes but they may have been upstaged by a mysterious brunette.

Massive tuna nets $3.1 million at Japan auction Self-proclaimed Japanese Tuna King and sushi restaurant owner Kiyoshi Kimura paid a record $3.1 million (333.6 million yen) for a giant blue fin tuna at Tokyos first new years auction on Saturday.

Apple brings iTunes to Samsung TVs as it seeks new revenue Apple is opening up its ecosystem to one of its biggest rivals by giving owners of Samsung TVs direct access to iTunes content.

Saudi woman still has her passport A young Saudi woman reportedly trapped at Bangkoks main airport is being held for not having a return ticket, Saudi officials have said. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, says she is trying to flee her family, and that Saudi authorities took her passport on arrival in Thailand.

India scientists dismiss Einstein theories Indian scientists have hit out at speakers at a major science conference for making irrational claims. Some academics at the annual Indian Science Congress, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had dismissed the discoveries of Issac Newton and Albert Einstein. They had also said ancient Hindus had invented stem cell research.

Samsungs new shape-shifting TVs revealed A 75in screen made up of tiny swappable panels is among those unveiled at the CES tech show.

Japan billionaire has most retweeted tweet A Japanese billionaire has ousted a chicken nugget-seeking US teenager to become tweeter of the most retweeted tweet of all time. Yusaku Maezawas tweet dated 5 January has now been shared more than four million times. Thats half a million more than Carter Wilkinsons 2017 request for help to secure himself a year of free chicken nuggets from fast food chain Wendys.

Betrayed Factory Boss Turns On Trump, Says Plant May Move To Mexico A Michigan electronics company chairman, who voted for Donald Trump in 2016, now says he feels betrayed and his factory may have to move to Mexico because of the presidents tariffs. Pat LeBlanc, the chairman of EBW Electronics, told The New York Times that Trumps tariffs were killing the company, which makes lights for the auto industry.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Says Theres No Question About Trumps Racism Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said theres no question President Donald Trump is a racist, citing in an interview that aired Sunday the White Houses response to white supremacist groups and ongoing rhetoric about migrant communities. The president certainly didnt invent racism.

New Game Of Thrones Season 8 Clip Is One Big Sigh Of Relief Khaleesi is coming  to Winterfell. During the 2019 Golden Globes broadcast on Sunday night, HBO released a seemingly innocuous promo for its upcoming shows. It teased various series, including  Big Little Lies and Euphoria, and then slyly, in the middle of what seemed like old footage from  Game of Thrones, we got a clip of the final season.

Fiji Water Girl Steals The Show During Golden Globes Red Carpet A-listers werent the only ones getting noticed on the Golden Globes red carpet Sunday night. A woman serving stole the show with her superb photobombing skills. She definitely went above and beyond for the Los Angeles-based bottled water company, striking a pose behind celebrities as they were photographed and catapulting the brand  and herself  into the spotlight.

Sandra Oh, Andy Samberg Roast Lady Gagas 100 People Line, Gaga Yells Its True Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh couldnt resist using their time as hosts of the 2019 Golden Globes to hilariously call out Lady Gaga for repeatedly saying the exact same thing during her A Star Is Born press tour. Its true! screamed Gaga amid the joke. 100 PEOPLE IN A ROOM!!!

The best and worst moments of the 2019 Golden Globes It wouldnt be a Hollywood awards season without some ups and downs, and the 2019 Golden Globes came through as usual. One part love-filled compliment fest and two parts uncomfortable snub parade, the night included Black Panther heading home award-less and a whole bunch of A-listers getting free flu shots.

The most retweeted tweet ever is a billionaires giveaway of free money Heres a sure way to make your tweet very, very popular: free money. Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, founder of online fashion retailer Zozotown and funder of SpaceXs trip to the moon, promised in a tweet on Sunday to giveaway 100 million yen ($924,000) to be shared among 100 random people.

Idris Elbas Golden Globes selfie with Daniel Craig is 007 perfection Now that we live in the age of social media, there are a bunch of different ways you can watch Awards shows like the Golden Globes. Obviously we still have good ol television, but sometimes  if youre after the backstage, on-the-ground type of stuff  you may want to pay a visit to Instagram, too.

Don Lemon breaks down why Kevin Harts apology just doesnt cut it Kevin Hart probably expected his interview with Ellen DeGeneres, one of the most beloved lesbians in America, to clear him of any wrongdoing. Instead, Hart sparked even further outrage, claiming that he had already apologized to the LGBTQ community  when no real apology could be found.
The parents of an infant who died while in the care of their house-help at St Marys Estate in Nakuru Town are inconsolable as they try to come to terms with the tragic loss.

Mr Steve Opar and his wife Wendy Audrey had left their son in the care of the 23-year-old house-help on December 14, last year.

The Nation reports that Mr Opar, a lawyer, was in Nyahururu, Laikipia County, when he received the dreaded call from a neighbour at around 5 pm.

The caller told me that my son was dying after choking on food. Confused and shaken to the core, he asked the neighbour to rush the child to the War Memorial Hospital, as he sped back to Nakuru.
Interior CS Fred Matiangi has emerged as an unlikely candidate for the Presidential contest as premature 2022 succession politics heat up.

Nakuru West MP Samuel Arama has endorsed the former Education CS as a likely successor to President Uhuru Kenyatta. The legislator observed that its high time Kenya moved from having Presidents drawn from only two communities.

We need a break from Kikuyu, Kalenjin presidents. Is it fair for a country of 43 tribes to be led in all of its history by sons hailing from only two communities? Arama posed.

Arama noted that the Kisii community has several political leaders who can lead the country.

Matiangi has shown that he has qualities to be the next President of Kenya. I will push my community to have him on the ballot to show the other communities that this seat is not their preserve, he said.

He added, Its this kind of thinking that has created hatred and animosity among tribes. This is a backward superiority-based ethnic and tribal divide.

According to Arama, some leaders from the dominant communities are making others feel like clinching the presidency is an uphill task that can only be achieved by one of their own.

Other tribes are talking so passionately about the succession politics and the fronted flag bearers as if these other communities do not exist. This is very retrogressive and selfish thinking, blasted Arama.

If Kenyans elect Ruto, well and good, and if they reject him there is nothing wrong with that. That is democracy. Even someone from another tribe contesting and winning a governors seat in Nakuru is hard, Arama said.

The MP spoke on Monday when he issued bursary cheques worth Sh4.1 million to more than 200 needy students from his constituency.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria has hit back at Uhuru Kenyatta, maintaining that the Head of State has neglected the Mount Kenya region in the governments development agenda.

The controversial legislator took to social media shortly after President Kenyatta told off those complaining about development in Central Kenya.

Speaking during the commissioning of Mama Ngina waterfront regeneration project in Mombasa county on Monday, Uhuru described the leaders accusing him of sidelining the Central Kenya region as washenzi'(fools). He noted that he is focused on ensuring that every part of the country benefits from the governments development agenda.

Those going around playing petty politics I want to tell them that we will not launch development projects based on which region a leader comes from. We want all 45 million Kenyans to benefit, we want all corners of this country to grow, said Kenyatta.

We want a country where every single citizen is entitled to development regardless of where the leader comes from. Kwa hivyo hao washenzi waachane na mimi, he added.

But a defiant Moses Kuria reiterated his stance.

H.E the President is 100% right. He is spot on. We need development in every corner of this country. It is in that spirit and in line with the Presidents position that I believe Mt Kenya region also deserves development just like any other region. Right now its not happening, wrote Mr Kuria.
European Court Finds Georgia Violated Giorgi Toroshelidzes Right to Life

On December 20, 2018, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered its judgment in the case of Maisuradze v. Georgia. The Court found a violation of art.2 of the Convention by Georgia due to the States failure to provide Giorgi Toroshelidze with timely and adequate treatment and conduct an effective investigation into his death. The applicant was represented by GYLA and the European Human Rights Advocacy Center before the European Court.According to the circumstances of the case, son of the applicant, Rusiko Maisuradze had been serving his sentence in prison no.2 since July 7, 2008. On December 19, 2008, Toroshelidze was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Immediately after he was diagnosed, a test was ordered by prison doctors to determine whether the prisoner could have been treated with drugs provided under the DOTS programme. At the same time, he started to undergo the treatment under the DOTS programme pending the outcome of the test. In February 2009, the test results showed that the patient was resistant to the treatment under the DOTS programme. The doctors ordered another test to determine the susceptibility of the patient to the second-line drugs under the DOTS+ programme. Notwithstanding the outcome of the first test, Toroshelidze continued to have treatment under the DOTS programme, which worsened his health. On April 10, 2009, the results of the second susceptibility test demonstrated that the disease was responding to the second-line drugs under the DOTS+ program. Nevertheless, the doctors did not start to provide the patient with treatment under this programme until May 4, 2009, almost a month after the test results were known. Toroshelidze died on May 19, 2009, of a massive pulmonary hemorrhage.The same day, the Investigative Department of the Ministry of Corrections opened an investigation into the death of Giorgi Toroshelidze. Soon it terminated the investigation on account of the absence of a crime, indicating that Toroshelidze had died of a natural complication of tuberculosis.In its judgment, the ECtHR found a violation of substantive limb of art.2 of the Convention and held that the respondent State was responsible for the death of Giorgi Toroshelidze. According to the Court, even though Toroshelidze was diagnosed with tuberculosis on December 19, 2008, he did not receive effective treatment for the disease for about four months and two weeks. The Court held that such a lengthy delay while the disease was progressing swiftly could not be justified by the late receipt of the results of the drug susceptibility test, especially since the test could have been ordered earlier. The Court subsequently found that Toroshelidze was deprived of effective medication for a prolonged period of time, which eventually led to his death.The Court also found a violation of procedural limb of art.2 of the Convention. It clarified that even though the investigation into Toroshelidzes death was opened immediately and investigative actions were performed in a timely manner, the Investigative Department made several important errors:- It did not make a genuine attempt to find out whether it was possible to order the second susceptibility test earlier, especially given that Toroshelidzes health was deteriorating on a daily basis;- The Investigative Department did not inquire into the reasons behind the delay of 24 days in starting the treatment under the DOTS+ programme after the results of the second susceptibility test were obtained.- While the investigative measures were implemented by the Investigative Department operating under the very same Ministry whose employees were implicated in the death of Toroshelidze, the institutional connection between the investigative authorities and the persons involved in the incident raised serious suspicions about the independence of the investigation.The European Court awarded the applicant EUR 15 000 in respect of non-pecuniary damage.GYLA will be actively observing any individual and general measures that the Government of Georgia will take for execution of the judgment of the Court.
Accumulated Pension System Comes into Play

By Gvantsa Gabekhadze

The accumulated pension system, which causes controversies in the public and experts, has come into play on January 1, 2019.The new model approved by Parliament last year refers to the cut of 2 percent of peoples monthly incomes and saving the money on their pension accounts until the designated age.NGOs and experts are skeptical to the law initiated by the government, stating the law leaves room for misusing peoples money and puts more of a burden on the state budget.The law pushed forward by the Ministry of Economics, with the Ministry of Finance and the National Bank, with the support of foreign donors, reads that people up to 40-years-old will be obliged to accumulate pension.People over 40 will have a choice whether to be involved or not.The pension program covers citizens of Georgia, foreign citizens permanently residing in Georgia or those having no citizenship but who are employed or self-employed with an income.The monthly input of an employed person, both in the private and public sectors, will equal 2 percent of their untaxed monthly salary.Self-employed people have the freedom to decide whether they would like to use the program or not.If a self-employed person decides to accumulate the pension they will have to put 4 percent of their monthly incomes.The state will provide 2 percent of the employed persons taxed salary on their pension account.The state will invest the money accumulated as pension and the people involved in the program will also enjoy the benefit provided through the investment.When the people reach pension age, 65 for males and 60 for females, they will have an opportunity to use the accumulated money together with the state pension, which currently equals 200 GEL.The state contribution in the process is very high and unprecedented. The state share is 2 percent and the benefit provided through the investment. Withdrawing of money from the account will be free of income tax, Deputy Economy Minister Nino Javakhadze says.Several experts have stated that there is a risk that the government will misuse the money on the accounts.Analysts also say that in the situation when the biggest number of Georgian citizens are unemployed it will be better for the government to think about the development of economic and boosting incomes, rather than on the pension reform.
Under threat of being scrubbed away with disinfectant, individual bacteria can improve their odds of survival by joining together to form colonies, called biofilms. What Arnold Mathijssen, PhD, wanted to understand was how stationary biofilms find food once theyve devoured nearby nutrients.

Leading an international team of researchers in creating simulations of how fluids move, Mathijssen, a postdoctoral scholar in bioengineering at Stanford, found that individual bacteria and biofilms can generate currents strong enough to draw in distant nutrients.

In their work, published Dec. 11 in Physical Review Letters, the researchers were able to find predictable patterns of how fluids move based on the general shapes of biofilms, insights that could find applications in many fields.

There is a very strong universality in the physical properties of micro-hydrodynamics, said Mathijssen, who works in the lab of Manu Prakash, PhD, associate professor of bioengineering. Weve talked about bacteria, but we could replace the word organism with micro-robot and the physics would be exactly the same.

Starting simple

When bacteria move, they disturb the liquids that surround them. The researchers explored the strength of that disturbance in a single bacterium that moves in a way similar to many pathogenic species, including those that cause gastritis and cholera. They found that as this bacterium swims forward, it creates a tiny but stable current in the surrounding liquid with fluid moving toward its center and away from the head and tail.

Then, they calculated the flows produced by a colony of randomly arranged bacteria and were surprised to see that it created a strong, consistent tide capable of pulling in nutrients. This occurred regardless of the orientation of each bacterium, so long as the colony was thicker in some areas than others, which causes fluid to move from high points to low points. Simulations of more orderly bacteria resulted in even stronger circulation.

Weve talked about bacteria, but we could replace the word organism with micro-robot and the physics would be exactly the same.

Within organized biofilms, the researchers found two common patterns of movement: vortexes and asters. In a vortex pattern, the bacteria move in concentric circles and produce a flow that brings nutrients down to the biofilms center and then pushes the fluid out the sides. In an aster pattern, the bacteria move toward a central point, creating a flow that moves from the edge of the biofilm until it rises back up, over the center.

The powerful thing about this is you can add these patterns up, Mathijssen said. Rather than having to know the position and orientation of every single bacterium, you only need to know the basic patterns that make up the colony, and then its very easy to derive the overall transport flow.

The researchers were able to combine vortex and aster patterns within a single biofilm to determine how the bacteria would push, pull and whirl the fluids around them. As a final test, the researchers took calculations representing the complex, realistic motion of bacteria swarming  as they might on the surface of a table  and predicted the strength of that swarms transport flow. The result were large vortices that spanned distances beyond the boundaries of the biofilm, suitable for keeping the colony fed.

Seeing whats hidden

This work started with simple curiosity about the invisible flow of fluids around bacteria. But what the researchers discovered could be quite practical, guiding ways of cutting off an infectious biofilms source of food, for example. Whats more, because it only takes into account a bacteriums shapes and movement, the research also could apply to inanimate objects like synthetic drug delivery mechanisms or micro-robots.

This started off as a relatively fundamental problem but turned out to be more relevant for biomedical applications than we would have predicted, Mathijssen said. Thats what excites me: We just stumbled upon an idea that, by curiosity, drove us in a very different direction than where we started, and what we found has a lot of potential.

Researchers affiliated with Mayor University in Chile, the University of Chile, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Dusseldorf also contributed to the work.

The study was funded by the Human Frontier Science Program, the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism in Chile and the German Research Foundation.

Stanfords Department of Bioengineering, which is jointly managed by the School of Medicine and School of Engineering, also supported the research.
The Italian group Preatoni Real Estates has announced the completion of the Dubai Star skyscraper after taking over from the initial developer in 2014 after the project came to a standstill.

Dubai Star, a 45-storeybuilding located at the upmarket Jumeriah Lakes Towers (JLT) cluster L, came to a grinding halt in 2014 after completion of 38 per cent of the project  a move that left investors in jeopardy.

Preatoni stepped forward and took over injecting over $13.6 million with the support and cooperation of the local authorities, the Dubai Land Department, and the investors (400), Trade Arabia reports.

The decision to take over the stalled project was aimed at restoring Dubais image as a safe investment hub, said PreatoniGroup chairman Ernesto Preatoni.

This move firmly positions Preatoni Real Estate as pioneers of a niche segment solely dedicated to the rescue of distressed projects, he stated.

Preatoni renamed the building after the group as the Preatoni Tower.

The completed structure boasts 554 units covering a total of 600,000 sqft of prime residential and commercial space.

Preatoniis a specialist in financial services, hospitality, and real estate developments with a major presence in the Middle East. The group has completed projects around world including countries such as Italy, Switzerland, Russia, Baltic nations, Egypt, the U.S.

Written by: KanelkaTagba on January 8, 2019.

Last revised by: Last revised by: Jaber Ali , our reviewer, on February 13, 2019.
The Saudi embassy in Bangkok has denied reports that it requested the deportation of the Saudi young women seeking asylum in the Asian country after running away from her parents during holidays in Kuwait.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has not asked for her extradition. The embassy considers this issue a family matter, the embassy said in a post on Twitter.

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived Saturday in Thailand from Kuwait where she was on holidays with her family. The young woman locked herself up in an airport hotel room to prevent Thai authorities from sending her back.

Qunum hoped to be granted asylum in the Asian country before she flies to Australia that she earlier planned to travel to as she ran away from her parents.

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) Tuesday interviewed her in a view of helping her get asylum documents that can enable the Saudi citizen stay in Thailand, reports say.

It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps, UNHCRs Thailand representative Giuseppe de Vincentiis said in a statement.

We are very grateful that the Thai authorities did not send back (Qunun) against her will and are extending protection to her, he said.

Qunum upon arriving in Thailand told Reuters that her life is in danger.

They will kill me, Qunun told Reuters.

My life is in danger. My family threatens to kill me for the most trivial things.

Her father according to Thai authorities arrived in Bangkok in view of talking with her daughter.

The father and brother want to go and talk to Rahaf but the UN will need to approve such talk, said immigration chief Surachate Hakpan.

The presence of the father has ignited concerns for activists and human right groups which fear that Thai authority could be forced to reverse their decision and expel the young woman.

The father is now here in Thailand and thats a source of concern, Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watchs deputy director for Asia, told Reuters.

We have no idea what he is going to do  whether he will try to find out where she is and go harass her. We dont know whether he is going to try to get the embassy to do that.

Written by: KanelkaTagba on January 8, 2019.

Last revised by: Last revised by: Jaber Ali , our reviewer, on February 13, 2019.
"Science fiction can be a great source of fun for people who make pictures," said California artist Tom Lundquist. That spirit of adventure is on display through February in the Sci-Fi Jumbo Exhibit that opens Jan. 15 in the Alabama School of the Arts at University of Mobile.

Admission is free. The Sci-Fi Jumbo Exhibit will be on display weekdays through Feb. 28, Mondays - Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Martin Hall Gallery on campus. Lundquist will discuss his work at an artist talk at 11 a.m. on Feb. 28.

The inspiration for Lundquist's poster-sized works was sparked when he watched a set of interviews with the actors and FX artists who were bringing the television show "Dr. Who" into the contemporary world in 2005.

"I realized that this genre could be exciting (even alarming) without being vicious or horrifying. That was intriguing, and a dozen ideas grew out of it," he said.

"Though the subjects need to be reasonably rendered, all requirements for recognizable environments, scaling or an object's reason for being may be tossed over your shoulder," said the artist, who lives in Los Angeles, California, and teaches part-time at Santa Monica College.

He said everything in this exhibit is produced through some form of digital modeling and/or digital painting.

"I turned to computer imagery after spending much of my youth making elaborately detailed drawings. The ability to create much more complex images was an irresistible enticement, and I was willing to put aside traditional drawing values to do it," Lundquist said.

For information about the exhibit or visual arts events in the Alabama School of the Arts, contact Philip Counselman, chair of the Department of Art, at 251.442.2283 or pcounselman@umobile.edu.

About University of Mobile

University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs in over 90 areas of study. Founded in 1961, University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.

For more information about University of Mobile, visit the website at www.umobile.edu or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
A close aid of Irans Supreme leader Monday said he was approached in December during a visit in Afghanistan by US officials in view of talks with Teheran after tensions between the two countries has grown exponentially, reports say.

During my visit to Kabul last month, the Americans  asked to hold talks, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council and a close aide to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was quoted by Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Shamkhanis comments come amid high diplomatic tension between Iran and the U.S following the rejection of the 2015 nuclear between Iran and world powers by President Donald Trump in May last year.

US leader also in August and November imposed economic sanctions that hit Irans financial and oil sector in view of drying up Teherans sources of funds as part of strategy to force Iranian authorities to amend the deal that President Trump believes was a bad deal.

A spokeswoman at the US State Department on condition of anonymity swiftly brushed aside the Iranian officials comments noting that they were accurate, Reuters reports.

The source however noted that President is open to a dialogue with Iran on urgent national security issues and wants Tehran to make fundamental changes in their destructive behavior.

Iran authorities in July said Teheran had rejected eight U.S. requests for a meeting between Trump and President Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in Sept 2017.

The U.S is worried about Irans influence in the region including Afghanistan where Tehran is believed giving support to Taliban. Iran has denied the charges.

Iran supports Shiites militias fighting alongside the Afghan government against Sunni-majority Taliban.

Teheran helped Washington in 2001 replace the Afghan rebel groups administration following the US intervention in the wake of 9-11 attacks by the al-Qaeda group on US cities.

Written by: KanelkaTagba on January 8, 2019.

Last revised by: Last revised by: Jaber Ali , our reviewer, on February 13, 2019.
In an extraordinary act of courage and defiance, two Indian women last week defied deep-seated tradition and entered the Sabarimala Hindu temple in southern Kerala state, from which girls and women of child-bearing age have been barred.

The tradition of not allowing women inside the shrine is based on the belief that the temples deity, Lord Ayappa, is celibate, and that menstruating women should not enter because they are unclean. But on Jan. 2, Bindu Ammini, a 40-year-old law lecturer, and Kanakadurga, a 39-year-old local government employee, defied this belief and became the first women to enter the temple since the Indian Supreme Court voted 4-1 in September 2018 to overturn the ban on women, calling it unconstitutional. In so ruling, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the selective ban on women was not an essential part of Hinduism, and instead a form of religious patriarchy. Another justice said the ban stigmatized and stereotyped women and placed the burden of mens celibacy on them. Curiously, the lone woman judge was also the lone dissenter, saying what constitutes an essential religious practice is for the religious community to decide. Since the ruling, other women have tried to enter the temple only to be blocked by angry mobs. Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga made their first attempt on Dec. 24, and were less than a kilometer away from the temple when they encountered by a wall of protestors. Worried about the womens safety, the police led them away.But the two women refused to return to their homes until the police took them to the shrineand under the threat of a hunger strike, the authorities finally agreed. Unfortunately, this singular act of defiance has triggered violent protests in which at least one person has died and thousands have been arrested. The two women have gone into hiding but remained outspoken in an interview with CNN. After national leaders, including the prime minister, cited religious prerogatives to defend the ban on women, Kanakadurga said politicians should stop opining. Their job, she told CNN, is to end discrimination. Politicians should obey the Supreme Court judgement and give equality to females in society. Bindu Ammini, the law lecturer, added: My message to the women of India, is please break the system, and please break the evil customs. That is the message. It is a message that rings true and resonates, not only in India, but anywhere that long-standing customs deny justice and equal treatment to any member of society. We can only hope that we, too have the wisdom to recognize these customs and the courage to defy them.
"My math could be wrong, so I want to hear from BCDA."

The contract of Changi Airport Philippines, JG Summit Holdings (Cebu Pacific), Filinvest Development Corp. and PAGSSI (Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions, Inc.) to manage Clark International Airport for 25 years and their being paid more than 80 pesos for every 100 pesos of gross revenue looks to me like a sweetheart contract. Last year, Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez raised all kinds of objections to the proposed $15-billion airport of San Miguel Corp. in Bulakan town, Bulacan province. The DOF chiefs main objection is that the government already has an airport north of Manila, Clark, and it is worth $14 billion. Yet, last December 2018, the right to manage that $14 billion airport was handed to North Luzon Airport Consortiumthe group of Changi, Cebu Pacific, Filinvest, and PAGSSI on a silver platter, for a fee of just 18 pesos for every 100 pesos of gross revenues.

To placate critics of the deal, NLAC is now offering to spend P6 billion of its own money. Most of that money will be used to fit out (meaning partition, furnish, and equip) the new Clark Terminal Two that the government will complete by next year.P6 billion is a pittance for the right to operate an airport valued at P742 billion. By the way, NLAC bagged the deal not because its offer was the best but simply because the government eliminated its rivals from the bidding, making NLAC the lone bidder. Being the lone bidder, NLAC won. Assuming Clark will service 10 million passengers a year, a leap of faith from the present volume of two million passengers, and each passenger pays P500 in departure fees, NLAC will generate P5 billion a year. Of that P5 billion, NLAC pays the government P900 million. Divide P742 billion by P900 million, you get 824 years. It will take government more than 824 years to recover its cost from its deal with the Changi, JG Summit and Filinvest group. From passenger fees, NLAC will recover itst P6 billion investments in just 18 months. Of course, NLAC can collect rental income from concessionaireslike duty free shops, restaurants, news stands. Assume that income is another P900 million. Still, the number of years to recover P742 billion is 412 yearswhen every generation from today and those born in the next 14 years would have been dead. My math could be wrong. Which is why I would want to hear from Vince Dizon of Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), the state agency that is the developer of sprawling Clark, JG Summit, Filinvest, and PAGSSI on the refinements and nuances of the NLAC deal not yet known to the public.
"Why make life difficult indeed for Filipinos who had already gone through the trouble?"

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teddy Locsin asked a valid question on why applicants for passport renewal need to show their birth certificates again. Thats bullsh*t, said Locsin, using the barnyard vulgarity in his colorful language. He said he was puzzled by the requirement since the person applying for a passport renewal is what he is and who is as declared in the expired passport which is a government document issued to him. Yes, indeed. Why make life difficult anew for the applicant who has already gone through the tedious process of securing a birth certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority? This is doubly difficult for our Overseas Filipino Workers whose passport expired at their place of work in another country in the Middle East where they have to get the permission of their employers to go to the Philippine embassy. Doing this by mail, which needs authentication from both ends, is a bureaucratic nightmare. Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato responded, claiming that new data is needed in the new e-passport being issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs to preclude tampering and the proliferation of fake passports. But new data can be provided by the applicant without him or her presenting a birth certificate, right? The issue came up in the aftermath of the scene created by Fil-Am actor Tony Labrusca at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week. Labrusca allegedly shouted at the female Bureau of Immigration agent who attended to him upon arrival. The Fil-Am celebrity fumed that he was only given 30 days to stay in the country. The BI agent at the arrival counter explained that Fil-Ams are only given longer stay than 30 days if they are accompanied by their parents. Secretary Locsin now wants Labrusca deported for his brusque manner with the BI agent whom the visitor verbally abused. Labrusca denied being disrespectful and has since apologized for the incident.I apologized for letting my frustration and emotion get the better of me, said Labrusca who wanted a longer stay to fulfill a professional engagement in Manila. We support Secretary Locsin on the matter. In fact, Labrusca should have been put on the first plane out to show the world that even in this small country we do not tolerate visitors who think they can abuse our people and get away with it because they are celebrities. Celebrity? Not too many Pinoys know about Tony Labrusca until the NAIA incident where he made a fool of himself. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia made known through the Department of Labor and Employment that it needs some 1,000 Filipino nurses for their hospitals. The pay, according to DOLE is a starting salary of P50,000, with regular increases, housing and living allowances. Air fare is also included in the job offer. This is good news but the DFA and DOLE should make sure our people are not abused by their Arab employers. There has been a spate of mistreatment reports recently against our OFWs in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The most gruesome case was the Filipina domestic who was found dead in a basement freezer in Kuwait. There are others who work abroad in the Middle East who regularly send homeboxes to parents and relatives. Sadly, some of them come home in coffins with harvested body organs. The Filipino nurses being recruited by the Saudi Kingdom is a boon to their dependents at home. Its hard to find jobs that pay as well as the Saudi offer. But its a risky employment considering the perils that come with it. Working as nurses in the rural areas after graduation may not be as lucrative but our local nurses are badly needed in the provinces where hospitals and doctors are scarce in the far-flung areas. Perhaps our government, not just this one but the next one as well, should set up more hospitals in the rural areas as part of the Build, Build, Build program for the poor people and also so our nurses need not seek employment abroad.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas advises the public to carefully check their Philippine banknotes for identifiable security features to ascertain their genuineness. On Feb. 13, 2018, the Navotas City Police arrested two counterfeiters who tried to pay a fish vendor using a counterfeit P1,000 banknote at the San Roque Public Market. The fish vendor, who doubted the authenticity of the banknote, immediately called the attention of barangay officials and the Navotas City Police. Upon inspection of the personal belongings of the suspects, counterfeit banknotes amounting to Php 58,000 were discovered, seized and turned over to the BSP. These banknotes were the subject of Facebook posts concerning the circulation of counterfeit banknotes. The images were initially posted by a private netizen on Feb. 14, 2018, and reposted on the Facebook page for SSS inquiries on May 30, 2018. Since then, the said posts have been the subject of comments from netizens on the various ways to detect fake banknotes. On May 8, 2018, the Regional Trial Court of Navotas City found the two accused guilty under Article 167 of the Revised Penal Code, or the criminal act of counterfeiting and knowingly putting forged banknotes into circulation, and sentenced them imprisonment of two (2) years, four (4) months and one (1) day as minimum penalty to six (6) years as maximum penalty.Since 2010, the BSP has arrested and filed criminal cases against 133 counterfeiters in coordination with other law enforcement agencies. This led to the confiscation of various counterfeit currencies, i.e. Iraqi Dinar, Japanese Yen, Malaysian Ringgit, US Dollar, and several equipment and paraphernalia used for counterfeiting. The New Generation Currency banknote series, currently in circulation, has the latest technology security features that are easily identifiable and difficult to counterfeit. The BSP advises the public to carefully feel, look and tilt their banknotes to check for these security features, as illustrated below: The BSP encourages the public to report any information on currency counterfeiting to the nearest police station or law enforcement agency, for appropriate action, or contact the Currency Management Sector for assistance at Tel. nos. 988-4833 and 926-5092.
A further unreasonable delay by Congress to approve the General Appropriation Bill will throw a monkey wrench on the administrations program and will be unacceptable to the people, Malacanang said Monday night. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said any further delay would impede government programs. President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday convened the first Cabinet meeting of 2019. Meanwhile, Duterte on Tuesday cleared Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno of the allegations of House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. that there was an insertion in the 2019 national budget allegedly for flood control projects. Panelo said Duterte found Andayas allegations misplaced. The President is a former member of Congress. He knows what happens there. Hes in the Executive, so he knows Secretary Diokno is not involved there, Panelo told reporters. At the Senate, Senator Panfilo Lacson said a pork-laden budget was far worse than a delayed or reenacted one. Scrutinizing the national budget to get rid of excessive, unconscionable, unreasonable and irregular appropriations is not playing partisan politics, Lacson said. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the Department of Budget and Management should not hold hostage the salary increase for government employees, calling on the agency to implement the fourth tranche of the salary adjustment immediatelyThe DBM does not have to wait for Congress to approve the 2019 General Appropriations Act before it implements the fourth tranche of the salary increase, Drilon said. The Palace said lawmakers should put aside partisan considerations to ensure the speedy approval of the General Appropriations Act for 2019. It behooves the members of Congress to steer off partisan considerations and sweep away the indifference to the plight of the citizenry and collectively focus their attention to pass the General Appropriation Bill into law for the service of the people that they have sworn to protect, Panelo said. Nat Mariano and Macon Ramos-Araneta Because Congress was unable to pass the 2019 budget before going on a break last December, the 2018 allocations had to be carried over in order for the government processes and operations to run smoothly. Panelo said more delays in the approval of the budget would affect the release of the funds for the salary hike of soldiers, policemen, teachers, and civilian employees and could also impede the start of infrastructure projects and get in the way of efficient delivery of social services. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, in a text message, said: The Palace knows the Senate is doing its best. Not our fault that the budget was submitted late. The House was behind its usual schedule in approving the 2019 budget. It approved the bill on second reading on Oct. 3 but passed the bill on third and final reading only on Nov. 20. The Senate received it on Nov. 26 but lacked the time to examine the budget, which some claimed was filled with pork barrel insertions, before the year-end.
EVE OF TRASLACION. Catholic devotees line up Tuesday along the south road leading to the bayside Quirino Grandstand in Luneta for the annual Pahalik on the eve of the religious procession to the church in Quiapo expected to reach millions by police estimates, with thousands more (below) in a corner of the sprawling park. Norman Cruz

Millions of barefoot devotees in maroon shirts are expected to fill the streets of Manila today to join the annual Traslacion, or the procession of the Black Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, where Catholics are allowed to kiss the iconic statue, to Quiapo Church.Church officials are expecting this years participants to surpass the 2.6 million devotees who joined the procession in 2018, in the hope that their prayers will be answered.The life-sized icon image of Jesus Christ carrying a cross will be carried into the streets for the procession in a Caroza or golden red carriage pulled through the streets of Quiapo by male devotees clad in maroon. The Feast of the Most Holy Black Nazarene is celebrated every 9th of January while novena masses begin on the first Friday of the year. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle will lead the early morning Mass in honor of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, before the Traslacion or the transfer of the image to its present shrine in Quiapo starts at around 5 a.m. Quiapo Church officials are hoping the Traslacion will end early and that the image will enter the Minor Basilica by 5 p.m. The Black Nazarene has attracted millions of devotees from Luzon to Mindanao because of its reputed healing powers. The devotees pay homage to the Black Nazarene, believing that whoever touches the statue will be healed or be granted his prayer.

PERIMETER PATROL. Members of the Coast Guards Special Operation Unit patrol Manila Bay near the Quirino Grandstand where pahalik is being held on Jan. 8, 2019, prior to the Black Nazarene procession today. Norman Cruz

READ: Joint Task Force-NCR to help secure Traslacion
Bistek declares no classes January 9

posted January 08, 2019 at 03:58 pm by Manila Standard January 08, 2019 at 03:58 pm

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Tuesday ordered the suspension of classes in all public and private schools at all levels tomorrow in view of the Black Nazarene procession in the neighboring City of Manila, which is expected to draw up to 14 million devotees from across the country. "In view of the reported threats to the security and orderliness of the conduct of the activity, including its implications to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, Mayor Herbert M. Bautista issued instructions declaring a suspension of classes in Quezon city, at all levels on Wednesday, 09 January 2019," the memorandum read. "Learning facilitators and the faculty are advised to provide students affected by this class suspension additional compensatory homework."Bautista ordered a "widest dissemination" of his order. Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar of the National Capital Region Police Office, however, said there is no "verified information" of any security threat against the Traslacion, the annual procession of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila.

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TRAFFIC TRANSGRESSOR. Heavy equipment doing some digging between North Avenue and Quezon Memorial Circle near the Quezon City Hall intended for the construction of the MRT-7 has been the main cause of heavy traffic along Commonwealth Avenue. Manny Palmero

The Metro Manila Development Authority on Tuesday reprimanded the private contractor in the construction of Metro Rail Transit Line 7 for using several lanes along Elliptical Road corner North Avenue in Quezon City without prior notice which resulted in heavy traffic in the area. MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia issued a notice of violation against EEI Corp. officials who failed to coordinate with the agency when it occupied two lanes of the road for heavy equipment used in its excavation activities that troubled passing motorists. We were surprised about the closure of two lanes without properly informing us of the exact date of the closure. The area became a chokepoint as lanes available for the motorists narrowed, said Garcia, who inspected the construction works Tuesday morning.The MMDA usually issued notices and advisories to motorists ahead of time of traffic-causing construction activities in Metro Manila that would affect them. As a remedy, Garcia ordered EEI Corp. officials to immediately install steel plates on the two affected lanes to make them passable to motorists as soon as possible. We also need to put lane markings solid yellow line to prevent motorists from swerving or changing lanes and traffic signage on merging lanes and other adjustments to be made, said Garcia.Garcia reiterated that private contractors should inform the MMDA of changes and movements concerning their construction activities so they can prepare traffic plans ahead of time. We understand that the project is under the Build, Build, Build program of the government which would later benefit motorists but coordination is important to minimize inconvenience to motorists, said the MMDA official. The MRT-7 project involves the construction of a 23-kilometer railway system with 14 stations from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. Once the project is completed, the road component will divert northern provincial buses operation to San Jose Del Monte, thereby decongesting Epifanio de los Santos Avenue.
Malacanang on Tuesday said that it respects the decision of the Makati court denying the appeal of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV not to open the rebellion charges against him. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the remark after the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 on Monday upheld its earlier decision to issue a warrant of arrest against the opposition senator over the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007. The Palace respects this decision of the trial court in finding sufficient grounds to deny Senator Trillanes motion for reconsideration, Panelo said in a statement. Panelo said Trillanes must come to grips with the criminal transgressions he committed despite being granted liberty after posting a P200,000 bail. He may have succeeded in evading his accountability before the law but the law is now catching up on him, Panelo said. PNA Senator Trillanes comeuppance is finally knocking at his door, and he can only blame himself for the situation he embroiled himself in for he created his own quagmire, he added.Panelo added that Trillanes and others who dared challenge the law that it is no respecter of anyone regardless of the political and social status status of the violator. Whats happening to him should strike fear in the hearts of those who after being financed by the taxpayers money for their education will plot against the government that nurtured them as well as those who use their political power to shield them from accountability as they malign and sow intrigues against persons they dislike even inciting the citizenry to hate duly constituted authorities, Panelo said. In an order dated Dec. 18, 2018 which was released to the media Monday, Judge Elmo Alameda denied Trillanes plea noting that the senator failed to provide sufficient basis to reverse the earlier ruling of the Makati court. Alameda said the issues raised by Trillanes are not novel and failed to prove that he applied for amnesty and admitted guilt over the incident. PNA
Customs agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport have intensified their campaign against the entry of pork and other meat products contaminated with African Swine Fever. NAIA Customs chief Carmelita Talusan said the move came following a meeting conducted by her office, officials of the Bureau of Animal Industry and members of the National African Swine Fever Task Force last Monday. BAI Director III Dr. Simeon Amurao Jr. and Task Force chairman Dr. May Magno discussed during the briefings the possible entry of pork meats and other meat products from African Swine Fever Virus affected countries namelyChina, Belgium, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine. In September and October last year, cases of pork meat products contamination have been recorded in Korea and Japan through dumplings and hotdog products. According to the BAI, the outbreak of the virus can affect the 40 million plus live hogs/pigs in the Philippines and can destroy the P2 billion worth of swine industry in the country. To safeguard against the epidemic, BAI personnel and Port of NAIA officials initiated more briefing and information dissemination to Customs NAIA frontliners of Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to strengthen the vigilance against the African Swine Fever. Talusan said Customs personnel at the NAIA will continuously coordinate closely with other regulatory agencies to secure the borders against entry and exit of prohibited, regulated goods to protect the swine industry and livelihood in the Philippines. The BOC also advised all returning overseas Filipino workers, balikbayans and foreign visitors to refrain from bringing meat or processed meat products from China, and European countries, for these would be confiscated and destroyed. Safe meat products accompanied by import permit or the Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Import Clearance are the ones qualified for release in Ports, she said. Talusan added that a Customs Guidelines flier for NAIA stakeholders which includes documentary requirements of all regulatory agencies for import and export were also provided to BAI. Recently, Agriculture secretary Manny Pinol ordered the removal of the entire Quarantine Group assigned at the airport for their alleged failure to institute protocols to prevent the entry of pork products from areas affected by the African Swine Fever. The directive was for all Quarantine Stations to establish Footbaths in all entry points of the country, the interception and confiscation of all pork-based products, he said. The NAIA Quarantine Group was reportedly the only station which failed to carry out the directive, citing procurement issues. The Philippine government will strictly implement measures to prevent the entry of pork products from countries affected by the African Swine Flu (ASF) amid reports that some one million kilos of frozen pork from Belgium, a country affected by the ASF, had entered the country late last year. The Department of Agriculture last year banned the importation of pork products from Belgium, China, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine, which were infected by the ASF.Meanwhile, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) on Tuesday called for a total ban on pork products from European countries amid reports of the African swine fever (ASF) affecting hogs in some nations there. Kasi yung sa European countries dikit-dikit din yan eh, so yung Germany and yung malapit sa Poland area, yung Poland kasi tinamaan din eh, so gusto natin is initially siguro total ban ang European countries, said Rosendo So, the groups chairman, in an interview on News To Go. SINAG earlier bared that some one million kilos of frozen pork from Belgium, a country affected by the ASF, had entered the country late last year despite the ban on the importation of pork products from Belgium, China, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Galing ito sa Custom records, no. Nakuha natin sa Custom records. Ito na yung mga pumasok ng October to November, he said. So dapat, may record naman ang Bureau of Animal Industries, ma-check kung nasaan yung mga stock at kung may problema ito kailangan i-confiscate and sunugin na, he added. So urged the Department of Agriculture to step up in protecting the country from ASF-affected meats. We hope mag-step up ang ating Department of Agricultur. Siguro i-ban na rin yung European countries, syempre yun Russia area, tsaka itong China. Totally i-ban yung produkto papunta dito, he said. So said only 5 percent of pork in the country is imported. He also said the Bureau of Animal Industry, which is under the DA, should have informed the Bureau of Customs regarding the possible risks in importing meats from the said countries. Kulang sa trabaho ang Bureau of Animal Industry, hindi ini-inform yung BOC, So said. Meanwhile, So clarified that the ASF can only affect hogs and not humans, which means it will be a threat only to hog raising industries but not to human health. Yung risk hindi sa tao, sa tao walang problema. For example, nakabili sila ng infected ng ASF at nadala sa bahay, maski niluto nila yan, papakain sa baboy, apektado pa rin ang baboy maski naluto yan, he said. Yung baboy ang magkakasakit. Kung ung damit o sapatos nila contaminated, kumakalat ito. Kahit ung imported meat, imported longganisa, tocino, pag nadala yan sa bahay apektado ang alaga nila.
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Venezuela Supreme Court Judge Flees To US, Spills Secrets Of Maduro's Hold On Pow LoP Guest

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User ID: 482247

01-08-2019 02:18 PM











Post: #1 Venezuela Supreme Court Judge Flees To US, Spills Secrets Of Maduro's Hold On Pow

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The Venezuelan government has only brought hunger, misery and destruction to the country as a failed state  admitted a Venezuelan Supreme Court justice and longtime government loyalist who is now making headlines by his shocking and unprecedented defection to the United States. Ive decided to leave Venezuela to disavow the government of Nicolas Maduro, the former powerful judge, Christian Zerpa, told reporters. I believe Maduro does not deserve a second chance because the election he supposedly won was not free and competitive.



Considering such a powerful and high level former regime loyalist has just safely fled to Florida with his family, could gaping fissures now surface within the Caracas government and begin to grow, resulting in more defections to come?





Zerpa told reporters while speaking from Florida on Sunday that he could no longer stomach Venezuela's highest court being a mere appendage of Maduro's ruling inner circle, complaining that since 2015 only handpicked insider loyalists were appointed to the bench. As Maduro is set to enter his second, six-year term in an oath of office ceremony on Thursday, Zerpa cited that "he didnt want to play a role legitimizing Maduros rule when the Supreme Court swears him in," according to the AP.



We are in the presence of an autocracy that has condemned to death any opposition to this particular vision of power, Zerpa told a Miami-based news broadcast. Western leaders and international rights organizations have condemned the latest presidential election, noting important opposition leaders and parties were banned, or in some cases boycotted the election knowing they would be pressured or forced out.





https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-01-0...hold-power January 10th is Maduros acceptance of power and all hell could break loose there.The Venezuelan government has only brought hunger, misery and destruction to the country as a failed state  admitted a Venezuelan Supreme Court justice and longtime government loyalist who is now making headlines by his shocking and unprecedented defection to the United States. Ive decided to leave Venezuela to disavow the government of Nicolas Maduro, the former powerful judge, Christian Zerpa, told reporters. I believe Maduro does not deserve a second chance because the election he supposedly won was not free and competitive.Considering such a powerful and high level former regime loyalist has just safely fled to Florida with his family, could gaping fissures now surface within the Caracas government and begin to grow, resulting in more defections to come?Zerpa told reporters while speaking from Florida on Sunday that he could no longer stomach Venezuela's highest court being a mere appendage of Maduro's ruling inner circle, complaining that since 2015 only handpicked insider loyalists were appointed to the bench. As Maduro is set to enter his second, six-year term in an oath of office ceremony on Thursday, Zerpa cited that "he didnt want to play a role legitimizing Maduros rule when the Supreme Court swears him in," according to the AP.We are in the presence of an autocracy that has condemned to death any opposition to this particular vision of power, Zerpa told a Miami-based news broadcast. Western leaders and international rights organizations have condemned the latest presidential election, noting important opposition leaders and parties were banned, or in some cases boycotted the election knowing they would be pressured or forced out. general mishka

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01-08-2019 02:26 PM



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Post: #2 RE: Venezuela Supreme Court Judge Flees To US, Spills Secrets Of Maduro's Hold On Pow

Translation



Hola Americanos, I can be your puppet when you overthrow the Venezuelan Govt LoP Guest

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01-08-2019 02:35 PM











Post: #3 RE: Venezuela Supreme Court Judge Flees To US, Spills Secrets Of Maduro's Hold On Pow

general mishka Wrote: (01-08-2019 02:26 PM) Translation



Hola Americanos, I can be your puppet when you overthrow the Venezuelan Govt

Translation.



Venezuelan people live a humanitarian tradegy. They will welcome an invasion ASAP. Translation.Venezuelan people live a humanitarian tradegy. They will welcome an invasion ASAP.

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Page: 1 2 3 Secret Underground Bases in Africa PuddyCat

I Want Tuna

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01-08-2019 12:29 AM



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Post: #16 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

Advertisement MARYLAND

53. Camp David--just north of the camp is an underground facility important to the intelligence agencies.

54. below Ft. Meade, of the National Security Agency, 10 acres of the most sophisticated supercomputers that can be built, very large complex, massive surveillance of all the world's communications, including all transmissions in the U.S. & world of telephones, telegraph, telex, fax, radio, TV and microwave transmissions.

55. Olney, actually the facility is between Olney and Laytonsville, on Riggs Rd. off of Rt. 108. Another underground facility may also exist in the area, FEMA & possibly NSA, the facility may be 10 levels deep, purpose unknown.

56. Suitland, MD- Classified archives of U.S. Govt. stored here in underground levels. Vaults have extensive amounts of documents which are not indexed. Restricted access with a coded security card. High level intelligence groups operate in the area also.



MASSACHUSETTS

57. Maynard, 42 26.0' N 71 27.0' W FEMA, regional center, Wackenhut is here too.



MICHIGAN

58. Battle Creek, 42 19.3' N 85 10.9' W FEMA, regional center, activity secret (not validated)

59. Gwinn, Ml, 46 16.8'N 87 26.5' W, near Gwinn is a large underground base which is a key base for sending signals. An AFB is also nearby. Under Lake Superior is an alien base with roads 5,000' deep.



MISSOURI

60. 12 miles south of Lebanon, 36 02.8' N 115 24.3' W, near the newly created town of Twin Bridges-reported saucer base

61. In the Bat/Dry/Dead Man/ Howell cluster of caves- reported saucer base

62. St. Francis Mountains, MO (between St. Louis & New Madrid)



NEBRASKA

63. North-central Nebraska

64. Red Willow Co. near McCook, NE



NEVADA

65. Blue Diamond, 36 02.8'N 11524.3 W -reported saucer base

66-68. Groom Lake, also known as Dreamland, Area 51, The Area, the Spot, Red Square, Sally Corridor, Watertown Strip. 1150 50'N 3720W. Run by the NWO along with demonic beings, the CIA is there and Wackenhut Security. Two large underground facilities close to but separate from Groom Lake but controlled by the demonic beings are Papoose Range and Cockeyed Ridge (S-4) underground bases. Purpose is the testing of various UFOs and other secret aircraft like the Aurora and Stealth. Also biological work is done, including the biological raising of small greys. Many levels have been built t these three complexes, and a 7 mile long run way (which is actually 39 miles) Page 305 ... has been built over Groom Lake, a dry lake. There is an S-2, an S-4, an S-6, and an S-66 underground installations. S-66 is the most secret and it has 29 levels and is 11, 300' deep.

69. Quartzite Mountain SE of Tonopah, 37 31 'N 116 20' W- reported saucer base

70. Tonopah, Airforce, CIA? & ??, deals with secret aircraft



NEW HAMPSHIRE

71-73. There may be as many as three underground installations in New Hampshire's hills (according to reports).



NEW JERSEY

74. Picatinny Arsenal, 4o 38'N 74 32' W- saucer base, 1/4 cubic mile large & very deep underground.



NEW MEXICO

The state of New Mexico and Colorado have been used for the construction of a series of underground bases. (All the rest of the states have too.) The Primary Underground facilities in New Mexico consist of: 3 enormous underground bases in



The Dulce, NM area (an area I spent several days investigating in 1993).

The White Sands--Alamogordo Area which has 3 underground bases. Datil and Pie Town which have two more underground bases. (Carlsbad Cavern which had underground activity, which is reported discontinued, and another base to east of Carlsbad.).

The Los Alamos area underground facility . the Taos area underground facility



The New Mexico area has basically four underground system out.



One goes to the Four Corners area and then to Groom Lake (Area 51).

One goes north toward Delta, CO and Colorado Springs.

The Taos facilities goes north approximately along Interstate 25 and eventually ties in NORAD.

The southern bases connect to Texas and Mexico.



The Los Alamos facility dates at least back to 1940. One can only imagine what has been built with 1/2 century of labor on this underground system. Visitors to the deeper levels report humans kept in glass cylinders, plus many other strange things. I have had the opportunity to debrief some people who have been in the lower reaches of some of these facilities. There are special badges, special uniforms, tube elevators etc. which for lack of time I will not describe. .



75. Angel Peak- reported saucer base . Carlsbad Cavern area (now destroyed), 32 25.0'N 1040 14.0W -old relics of saucer base left .

76-78. Dulce, N.M., 36 56.0'N 10659.8'W,--South of Dulce, in the area of the Jicarilla Indian Reservation, another facility is east of the Dulce facility a number of miles. This is run directly by Illuminati w/ Army and Airforce help, CIA also conduct experiments at the center; the size of the installation is hugh requiring small shuttle trains and has seven levels according to witnesses. Serves as a UFO base, biological experiments, production center for small-grey drones. Wackenhut provides some of the security on the ground.

79. Kirtland AFB, NM, Sandia National Lab

80. Manzano Mtn, near Albuquerque, known as the Kirtland Munitions Storage Complex, Airforce, 3,000-acre base within the Kirtland AFB/Sandia National Labs complex, guarded by 4 lethal rings of fences, use unknown, suspected UFO base. A new 285,000-sq. ft. bunker is being built near Manzano Base.

81. Pie Town, 34 17.9'N 1 10808.7'W, in area near Pie Town, UFO Base.

82. Sandia Mountains NE of Albuquerque -reported saucer base

83. to the north of Taos Pueblo

84. White Sands, 3222.8'N 10628.8'W, major hub for research, tied in with Dulce & NORAD, HO for NASA /military shuttle flights, radiation research ctr. and mind control.



NEW YORK

85. Adirondack Mountains (near Elizabethtown)

86. New York Metro area

87. Plattsburgh (near Canada and St. Albans) AFB, 4940'N 7333 W- two saucer bases in this area.



OKLAHOMA

88. Ada, 3446.4' N 9640.7W W, underground saucer base, this base does uman cloning, and it is FEMA's most sensitive base.

89. Ashland Naval Ammunition Depot, 3445.9'N 96 04.3'W,- reported saucer base



OREGON

90. Bull Run, north side of Bull Run Reservoir area near Mt. Hood, and very close to Larch Mtn. and south of Benson St. Park of the Columbia Gorge.

91. Coos Bay area has had three separate but coordinating underground facilities built for UFOs. The facility farthest east, about 20 miles inland in the wilderness near Hwy 42, has been shut down. It is now an old abandoned facility well camouflaged. The coast facility is probably still operational.

92. Klamath Falls, OR--since Sept. '95 this has been a base for a number of NWO groups including the Air National Guard, FEMA, CIA, FBI, Spetznaz, and Page 306 ...

MOSAP training base. An underground concentration camp exists here.



PENNSYLVANIA

93. Blue Ridge Summit, near Ft. Ritchie, known as 'Raven Rock" or "Site R", Army, major electronic nerve center, 650 ft. below surface with about 350 staff and over a 716 acre area. possibly connected via tunnel to Camp David. The NOD installation is involved with psychic (demonic) and satellite control over slaves. This underground complex is to allow the government of the United States to escape a nuclear attack. The enormous complex radiates under Wash. D.C. and connects with many other sites. The tunnel system is used to move some of the mind-control sex slaves. The walls and ceilings of the tunnels are ceramic tile with fluorescent lighting recessed into the ceilings.



TEXAS

94. Ft. Hood, TX, 31 15'N 97 48' W, home of some Delta Mind-Controlled soldiers and a reported saucer base.

95. Denton, TX, 33 13.2'N 97 08.2'W - FEMA, regional center, activity secret

96. Red River Arsenal, TX- reported saucer base



VIRGINIA

97. Bluemont, Mount Weather base, Federal Preparedness Agency & FEMA, small-city underground, top-secret, staff of several hundred, does secret work for FEMA and contains a complete secret government with the various agencies and cabinet-level ranking administrators that keep their positions for several administrations and help run the United States.

98. Culpepper, 380 28.5 N 7759.8'W, about 2 miles east of Culpepper off of Rt. 3, called Mount Pony, Illuminati--Fed. reserve, 140,000 sq. ft.,

includes a facility for the storage for corpses, monitors all major financial transactions in the U.S. by means of the "Fed Wire", a modern electronic system.

99. Pentagon, Arlington, VA-

100. Warrington Training Ctr. --two sites: one on Rt. 802 and the other on Bear Wallow Road, on Viewtree Mountain. One is Station A the other Station B. Army & ??, purpose unknown Politics only interests me because it transforms

people into dribbling nincompoops (The World Is Mad)







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izsjRpcgfmk



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duF1OQho1gc 53. Camp David--just north of the camp is an underground facility important to the intelligence agencies.54. below Ft. Meade, of the National Security Agency, 10 acres of the most sophisticated supercomputers that can be built, very large complex, massive surveillance of all the world's communications, including all transmissions in the U.S. & world of telephones, telegraph, telex, fax, radio, TV and microwave transmissions.55. Olney, actually the facility is between Olney and Laytonsville, on Riggs Rd. off of Rt. 108. Another underground facility may also exist in the area, FEMA & possibly NSA, the facility may be 10 levels deep, purpose unknown.56. Suitland, MD- Classified archives of U.S. Govt. stored here in underground levels. Vaults have extensive amounts of documents which are not indexed. Restricted access with a coded security card. High level intelligence groups operate in the area also.57. Maynard, 42 26.0' N 71 27.0' W FEMA, regional center, Wackenhut is here too.58. Battle Creek, 42 19.3' N 85 10.9' W FEMA, regional center, activity secret (not validated)59. Gwinn, Ml, 46 16.8'N 87 26.5' W, near Gwinn is a large underground base which is a key base for sending signals. An AFB is also nearby. Under Lake Superior is an alien base with roads 5,000' deep.60. 12 miles south of Lebanon, 36 02.8' N 115 24.3' W, near the newly created town of Twin Bridges-reported saucer base61. In the Bat/Dry/Dead Man/ Howell cluster of caves- reported saucer base62. St. Francis Mountains, MO (between St. Louis & New Madrid)63. North-central Nebraska64. Red Willow Co. near McCook, NE65. Blue Diamond, 36 02.8'N 11524.3 W -reported saucer base66-68. Groom Lake, also known as Dreamland, Area 51, The Area, the Spot, Red Square, Sally Corridor, Watertown Strip. 1150 50'N 3720W. Run by the NWO along with demonic beings, the CIA is there and Wackenhut Security. Two large underground facilities close to but separate from Groom Lake but controlled by the demonic beings are Papoose Range and Cockeyed Ridge (S-4) underground bases. Purpose is the testing of various UFOs and other secret aircraft like the Aurora and Stealth. Also biological work is done, including the biological raising of small greys. Many levels have been built t these three complexes, and a 7 mile long run way (which is actually 39 miles) Page 305 ... has been built over Groom Lake, a dry lake. There is an S-2, an S-4, an S-6, and an S-66 underground installations. S-66 is the most secret and it has 29 levels and is 11, 300' deep.69. Quartzite Mountain SE of Tonopah, 37 31 'N 116 20' W- reported saucer base70. Tonopah, Airforce, CIA? & ??, deals with secret aircraft71-73. There may be as many as three underground installations in New Hampshire's hills (according to reports).74. Picatinny Arsenal, 4o 38'N 74 32' W- saucer base, 1/4 cubic mile large & very deep underground.The state of New Mexico and Colorado have been used for the construction of a series of underground bases. (All the rest of the states have too.) The Primary Underground facilities in New Mexico consist of: 3 enormous underground bases inThe Dulce, NM area (an area I spent several days investigating in 1993).The White Sands--Alamogordo Area which has 3 underground bases. Datil and Pie Town which have two more underground bases. (Carlsbad Cavern which had underground activity, which is reported discontinued, and another base to east of Carlsbad.).The Los Alamos area underground facility . the Taos area underground facilityThe New Mexico area has basically four underground system out.One goes to the Four Corners area and then to Groom Lake (Area 51).One goes north toward Delta, CO and Colorado Springs.The Taos facilities goes north approximately along Interstate 25 and eventually ties in NORAD.The southern bases connect to Texas and Mexico.The Los Alamos facility dates at least back to 1940. One can only imagine what has been built with 1/2 century of labor on this underground system. Visitors to the deeper levels report humans kept in glass cylinders, plus many other strange things. I have had the opportunity to debrief some people who have been in the lower reaches of some of these facilities. There are special badges, special uniforms, tube elevators etc. which for lack of time I will not describe. .75. Angel Peak- reported saucer base . Carlsbad Cavern area (now destroyed), 32 25.0'N 1040 14.0W -old relics of saucer base left .76-78. Dulce, N.M., 36 56.0'N 10659.8'W,--South of Dulce, in the area of the Jicarilla Indian Reservation, another facility is east of the Dulce facility a number of miles. This is run directly by Illuminati w/ Army and Airforce help, CIA also conduct experiments at the center; the size of the installation is hugh requiring small shuttle trains and has seven levels according to witnesses. Serves as a UFO base, biological experiments, production center for small-grey drones. Wackenhut provides some of the security on the ground.79. Kirtland AFB, NM, Sandia National Lab80. Manzano Mtn, near Albuquerque, known as the Kirtland Munitions Storage Complex, Airforce, 3,000-acre base within the Kirtland AFB/Sandia National Labs complex, guarded by 4 lethal rings of fences, use unknown, suspected UFO base. A new 285,000-sq. ft. bunker is being built near Manzano Base.81. Pie Town, 34 17.9'N 1 10808.7'W, in area near Pie Town, UFO Base.82. Sandia Mountains NE of Albuquerque -reported saucer base83. to the north of Taos Pueblo84. White Sands, 3222.8'N 10628.8'W, major hub for research, tied in with Dulce & NORAD, HO for NASA /military shuttle flights, radiation research ctr. and mind control.85. Adirondack Mountains (near Elizabethtown)86. New York Metro area87. Plattsburgh (near Canada and St. Albans) AFB, 4940'N 7333 W- two saucer bases in this area.88. Ada, 3446.4' N 9640.7W W, underground saucer base, this base does uman cloning, and it is FEMA's most sensitive base.89. Ashland Naval Ammunition Depot, 3445.9'N 96 04.3'W,- reported saucer base90. Bull Run, north side of Bull Run Reservoir area near Mt. Hood, and very close to Larch Mtn. and south of Benson St. Park of the Columbia Gorge.91. Coos Bay area has had three separate but coordinating underground facilities built for UFOs. The facility farthest east, about 20 miles inland in the wilderness near Hwy 42, has been shut down. It is now an old abandoned facility well camouflaged. The coast facility is probably still operational.92. Klamath Falls, OR--since Sept. '95 this has been a base for a number of NWO groups including the Air National Guard, FEMA, CIA, FBI, Spetznaz, and Page 306 ...MOSAP training base. An underground concentration camp exists here.93. Blue Ridge Summit, near Ft. Ritchie, known as 'Raven Rock" or "Site R", Army, major electronic nerve center, 650 ft. below surface with about 350 staff and over a 716 acre area. possibly connected via tunnel to Camp David. The NOD installation is involved with psychic (demonic) and satellite control over slaves. This underground complex is to allow the government of the United States to escape a nuclear attack. The enormous complex radiates under Wash. D.C. and connects with many other sites. The tunnel system is used to move some of the mind-control sex slaves. The walls and ceilings of the tunnels are ceramic tile with fluorescent lighting recessed into the ceilings.94. Ft. Hood, TX, 31 15'N 97 48' W, home of some Delta Mind-Controlled soldiers and a reported saucer base.95. Denton, TX, 33 13.2'N 97 08.2'W - FEMA, regional center, activity secret96. Red River Arsenal, TX- reported saucer base97. Bluemont, Mount Weather base, Federal Preparedness Agency & FEMA, small-city underground, top-secret, staff of several hundred, does secret work for FEMA and contains a complete secret government with the various agencies and cabinet-level ranking administrators that keep their positions for several administrations and help run the United States.98. Culpepper, 380 28.5 N 7759.8'W, about 2 miles east of Culpepper off of Rt. 3, called Mount Pony, Illuminati--Fed. reserve, 140,000 sq. ft.,includes a facility for the storage for corpses, monitors all major financial transactions in the U.S. by means of the "Fed Wire", a modern electronic system.99. Pentagon, Arlington, VA-100. Warrington Training Ctr. --two sites: one on Rt. 802 and the other on Bear Wallow Road, on Viewtree Mountain. One is Station A the other Station B. Army & ??, purpose unknown Laserz

let there be light

User ID: 361628

01-08-2019 12:29 AM



Posts: 40,398









Post: #17 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa





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...... You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. ~ C.S. Lewis PuddyCat

I Want Tuna

User ID: 348173

01-08-2019 12:29 AM



Posts: 22,221









Post: #18 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

WASHINGTON

101. Bothell, 4745.7'N 12212.2w W, FEMA, regional center, activity unknown



WASHINGTON, D.C.

102. WHITE HOUSE, 3853.5'N 7702.0'W--The secret NOD underground installation which is connected to the intelligence groups like NSA and the CIA as well as many other nefarious groups lays under the White House with tunnels connecting this NOD installation with the House of the Temple. The Supreme council of the 33 of the Scottish Rite's House of the Temple has a 14' x 25' room in it with 13 chairs where the Illuminati's Grand Druid Council meet. The NOD Deep Underground Installation has numerous levels to it. One eye- witness, went to level 17 (via an elevator) and stated that he believes that deeper levels exist.



WEST VIRGINIA

103. Sugar Grove, the Navy's Strategic Intelligence Services microwave communications. There base here.

104. White Sulphur Springs, under the Greenbriar Hotel, a mini-city large enough for 800 people equipped with its own crematorium, if there are any other purposes otherthan listening to U.S. microwave communication it is unknown by this author.



UTAH.

In Utah, the Kennecott Copper Company has been connected to the Illuminati and the KKK. These connections have been exposed in other writings by this author. Kennecott's mine (reported to be owned by the World Bank) in the Salt Lake City area is serviced by Union Pacific, which is reported connected to the Mormon Church. The mine is receiving a heavy volume of big trucks after 11 p.m., for instance, in a normal night over 6 dozen large trucks with 2 trailors each rolling into the mine. In other words, it appears that the heavy train & tractor trailor activity indicates something besides mining.



http://educate-yourself.org/dc/undergrou...eb04.shtml



ooops, sorry way too long 101. Bothell, 4745.7'N 12212.2w W, FEMA, regional center, activity unknown102. WHITE HOUSE, 3853.5'N 7702.0'W--The secret NOD underground installation which is connected to the intelligence groups like NSA and the CIA as well as many other nefarious groups lays under the White House with tunnels connecting this NOD installation with the House of the Temple. The Supreme council of the 33 of the Scottish Rite's House of the Temple has a 14' x 25' room in it with 13 chairs where the Illuminati's Grand Druid Council meet. The NOD Deep Underground Installation has numerous levels to it. One eye- witness, went to level 17 (via an elevator) and stated that he believes that deeper levels exist.103. Sugar Grove, the Navy's Strategic Intelligence Services microwave communications. There base here.104. White Sulphur Springs, under the Greenbriar Hotel, a mini-city large enough for 800 people equipped with its own crematorium, if there are any other purposes otherthan listening to U.S. microwave communication it is unknown by this author.In Utah, the Kennecott Copper Company has been connected to the Illuminati and the KKK. These connections have been exposed in other writings by this author. Kennecott's mine (reported to be owned by the World Bank) in the Salt Lake City area is serviced by Union Pacific, which is reported connected to the Mormon Church. The mine is receiving a heavy volume of big trucks after 11 p.m., for instance, in a normal night over 6 dozen large trucks with 2 trailors each rolling into the mine. In other words, it appears that the heavy train & tractor trailor activity indicates something besides mining.ooops, sorry way too long Politics only interests me because it transforms

people into dribbling nincompoops (The World Is Mad)







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izsjRpcgfmk



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duF1OQho1gc Laserz

let there be light

User ID: 361628

01-08-2019 12:31 AM



Posts: 40,398









Post: #19 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

[email protected] Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:29 AM) MARYLAND

53. Camp David--just north of the camp is an underground facility important to the intelligence agencies.

54. below Ft. Meade, of the National Security Agency, 10 acres of the most sophisticated supercomputers that can be built, very large complex, massive surveillance of all the world's communications, including all transmissions in the U.S. & world of telephones, telegraph, telex, fax, radio, TV and microwave transmissions.

55. Olney, actually the facility is between Olney and Laytonsville, on Riggs Rd. off of Rt. 108. Another underground facility may also exist in the area, FEMA & possibly NSA, the facility may be 10 levels deep, purpose unknown.

56. Suitland, MD- Classified archives of U.S. Govt. stored here in underground levels. Vaults have extensive amounts of documents which are not indexed. Restricted access with a coded security card. High level intelligence groups operate in the area also.



MASSACHUSETTS

57. Maynard, 42 26.0' N 71 27.0' W FEMA, regional center, Wackenhut is here too.



MICHIGAN

58. Battle Creek, 42 19.3' N 85 10.9' W FEMA, regional center, activity secret (not validated)

59. Gwinn, Ml, 46 16.8'N 87 26.5' W, near Gwinn is a large underground base which is a key base for sending signals. An AFB is also nearby. Under Lake Superior is an alien base with roads 5,000' deep.



MISSOURI

60. 12 miles south of Lebanon, 36 02.8' N 115 24.3' W, near the newly created town of Twin Bridges-reported saucer base

61. In the Bat/Dry/Dead Man/ Howell cluster of caves- reported saucer base

62. St. Francis Mountains, MO (between St. Louis & New Madrid)



NEBRASKA

63. North-central Nebraska

64. Red Willow Co. near McCook, NE



NEVADA

65. Blue Diamond, 36 02.8'N 11524.3 W -reported saucer base

66-68. Groom Lake, also known as Dreamland, Area 51, The Area, the Spot, Red Square, Sally Corridor, Watertown Strip. 1150 50'N 3720W. Run by the NWO along with demonic beings, the CIA is there and Wackenhut Security. Two large underground facilities close to but separate from Groom Lake but controlled by the demonic beings are Papoose Range and Cockeyed Ridge (S-4) underground bases. Purpose is the testing of various UFOs and other secret aircraft like the Aurora and Stealth. Also biological work is done, including the biological raising of small greys. Many levels have been built t these three complexes, and a 7 mile long run way (which is actually 39 miles) Page 305 ... has been built over Groom Lake, a dry lake. There is an S-2, an S-4, an S-6, and an S-66 underground installations. S-66 is the most secret and it has 29 levels and is 11, 300' deep.

69. Quartzite Mountain SE of Tonopah, 37 31 'N 116 20' W- reported saucer base

70. Tonopah, Airforce, CIA? & ??, deals with secret aircraft



NEW HAMPSHIRE

71-73. There may be as many as three underground installations in New Hampshire's hills (according to reports).



NEW JERSEY

74. Picatinny Arsenal, 4o 38'N 74 32' W- saucer base, 1/4 cubic mile large & very deep underground.



NEW MEXICO

The state of New Mexico and Colorado have been used for the construction of a series of underground bases. (All the rest of the states have too.) The Primary Underground facilities in New Mexico consist of: 3 enormous underground bases in



The Dulce, NM area (an area I spent several days investigating in 1993).

The White Sands--Alamogordo Area which has 3 underground bases. Datil and Pie Town which have two more underground bases. (Carlsbad Cavern which had underground activity, which is reported discontinued, and another base to east of Carlsbad.).

The Los Alamos area underground facility . the Taos area underground facility



The New Mexico area has basically four underground system out.



One goes to the Four Corners area and then to Groom Lake (Area 51).

One goes north toward Delta, CO and Colorado Springs.

The Taos facilities goes north approximately along Interstate 25 and eventually ties in NORAD.

The southern bases connect to Texas and Mexico.



The Los Alamos facility dates at least back to 1940. One can only imagine what has been built with 1/2 century of labor on this underground system. Visitors to the deeper levels report humans kept in glass cylinders, plus many other strange things. I have had the opportunity to debrief some people who have been in the lower reaches of some of these facilities. There are special badges, special uniforms, tube elevators etc. which for lack of time I will not describe. .



75. Angel Peak- reported saucer base . Carlsbad Cavern area (now destroyed), 32 25.0'N 1040 14.0W -old relics of saucer base left .

76-78. Dulce, N.M., 36 56.0'N 10659.8'W,--South of Dulce, in the area of the Jicarilla Indian Reservation, another facility is east of the Dulce facility a number of miles. This is run directly by Illuminati w/ Army and Airforce help, CIA also conduct experiments at the center; the size of the installation is hugh requiring small shuttle trains and has seven levels according to witnesses. Serves as a UFO base, biological experiments, production center for small-grey drones. Wackenhut provides some of the security on the ground.

79. Kirtland AFB, NM, Sandia National Lab

80. Manzano Mtn, near Albuquerque, known as the Kirtland Munitions Storage Complex, Airforce, 3,000-acre base within the Kirtland AFB/Sandia National Labs complex, guarded by 4 lethal rings of fences, use unknown, suspected UFO base. A new 285,000-sq. ft. bunker is being built near Manzano Base.

81. Pie Town, 34 17.9'N 1 10808.7'W, in area near Pie Town, UFO Base.

82. Sandia Mountains NE of Albuquerque -reported saucer base

83. to the north of Taos Pueblo

84. White Sands, 3222.8'N 10628.8'W, major hub for research, tied in with Dulce & NORAD, HO for NASA /military shuttle flights, radiation research ctr. and mind control.



NEW YORK

85. Adirondack Mountains (near Elizabethtown)

86. New York Metro area

87. Plattsburgh (near Canada and St. Albans) AFB, 4940'N 7333 W- two saucer bases in this area.



OKLAHOMA

88. Ada, 3446.4' N 9640.7W W, underground saucer base, this base does uman cloning, and it is FEMA's most sensitive base.

89. Ashland Naval Ammunition Depot, 3445.9'N 96 04.3'W,- reported saucer base



OREGON

90. Bull Run, north side of Bull Run Reservoir area near Mt. Hood, and very close to Larch Mtn. and south of Benson St. Park of the Columbia Gorge.

91. Coos Bay area has had three separate but coordinating underground facilities built for UFOs. The facility farthest east, about 20 miles inland in the wilderness near Hwy 42, has been shut down. It is now an old abandoned facility well camouflaged. The coast facility is probably still operational.

92. Klamath Falls, OR--since Sept. '95 this has been a base for a number of NWO groups including the Air National Guard, FEMA, CIA, FBI, Spetznaz, and Page 306 ...

MOSAP training base. An underground concentration camp exists here.



PENNSYLVANIA

93. Blue Ridge Summit, near Ft. Ritchie, known as 'Raven Rock" or "Site R", Army, major electronic nerve center, 650 ft. below surface with about 350 staff and over a 716 acre area. possibly connected via tunnel to Camp David. The NOD installation is involved with psychic (demonic) and satellite control over slaves. This underground complex is to allow the government of the United States to escape a nuclear attack. The enormous complex radiates under Wash. D.C. and connects with many other sites. The tunnel system is used to move some of the mind-control sex slaves. The walls and ceilings of the tunnels are ceramic tile with fluorescent lighting recessed into the ceilings.



TEXAS

94. Ft. Hood, TX, 31 15'N 97 48' W, home of some Delta Mind-Controlled soldiers and a reported saucer base.

95. Denton, TX, 33 13.2'N 97 08.2'W - FEMA, regional center, activity secret

96. Red River Arsenal, TX- reported saucer base



VIRGINIA

97. Bluemont, Mount Weather base, Federal Preparedness Agency & FEMA, small-city underground, top-secret, staff of several hundred, does secret work for FEMA and contains a complete secret government with the various agencies and cabinet-level ranking administrators that keep their positions for several administrations and help run the United States.

98. Culpepper, 380 28.5 N 7759.8'W, about 2 miles east of Culpepper off of Rt. 3, called Mount Pony, Illuminati--Fed. reserve, 140,000 sq. ft.,

includes a facility for the storage for corpses, monitors all major financial transactions in the U.S. by means of the "Fed Wire", a modern electronic system.

99. Pentagon, Arlington, VA-

100. Warrington Training Ctr. --two sites: one on Rt. 802 and the other on Bear Wallow Road, on Viewtree Mountain. One is Station A the other Station B. Army & ??, purpose unknown

Thank you for adding this info. Indianapolis has an underground tunnel system that is now closed off to the public. I used it for several years when I worked downtown. Thank you for adding this info. Indianapolis has an underground tunnel system that is now closed off to the public. I used it for several years when I worked downtown. You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. ~ C.S. Lewis PuddyCat

I Want Tuna

User ID: 348173

01-08-2019 12:36 AM



Posts: 22,221









Post: #20 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

Fork Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:31 AM) [email protected] Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:29 AM)

Thank you for adding this info. Indianapolis has an underground tunnel system that is now closed off to the public. I used it for several years when I worked downtown.

Ah no problem, I thought I copied and pasted way to much. There are other sources depicting a world map of suspected bases scattered all over the planet. That missing 21 trillion I bet went towards construction for many of these. Ah no problem, I thought I copied and pasted way to much. There are other sources depicting a world map of suspected bases scattered all over the planet. That missing 21 trillion I bet went towards construction for many of these. Politics only interests me because it transforms

people into dribbling nincompoops (The World Is Mad)







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izsjRpcgfmk



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duF1OQho1gc Archangel

Michael

User ID: 441975

01-08-2019 12:37 AM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #21 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

Fork Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:20 AM) He Man Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:18 AM) Well we know it is not Wakanda.







That would be extraordinary if it were something like this.



I do think the secrets that are hidden could be shared with the world so we can all prosper.



You're welcome for the link, Fork.



It is like 'Wakanda' though symbolic. A Beast is over looking all Cities. Ready to pounce upon the unsuspecting and unaware. You're welcome for the link, Fork.It is like 'Wakanda' though symbolic. A Beast is over looking all Cities. Ready to pounce upon the unsuspecting and unaware. Laserz

let there be light

User ID: 361628

01-08-2019 01:09 AM



Posts: 40,398









Post: #22 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa





South African newspaper reports revealed that concealed bunkers, secret passages and a hidden lift were all connected to the offices which were used by apartheid era prime ministers.



https://allafrica.com/stories/199908030156.html



http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/800...-in-africa A large network of underground tunnels and escape routes under Cape Town's Parliament have been uncovered by workers from the Department of Public Works.South African newspaper reports revealed that concealed bunkers, secret passages and a hidden lift were all connected to the offices which were used by apartheid era prime ministers. You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending. ~ C.S. Lewis LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 318243

01-08-2019 01:26 AM











Post: #23 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

LoP Guest Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:09 AM) Fork Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:07 AM) AFRICOMs sprawling network of bases is crucial to its continent-wide strategy of training the militaries of African proxies and allies and conducting a multi-front campaign aimed at combating a disparate and spreading collection of terror groups.



https://www.thenation.com/article/secret...ss-africa/

Yah anyone who resists taking of their land or livelihoods is labelled terrorist.

LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 318243

01-08-2019 01:29 AM











Post: #24 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

Archangel Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:16 AM) Ordinary Blacks in Africa are screwed, just as we all are by this stuff. Africa, sooner or later, will realize the White man is a blessing, once the Communists are done turning them against the Whites.



Quite a bit of information about Underground bases in Africa.



https://duckduckgo.com/?q=underground+mi...fab&ia=web



.

How do you pursuade yourself of this bullshit? Eurpeans has been no less than a cancer on Africa. Africans understandably called them "smiling devils". How do you pursuade yourself of this bullshit? Eurpeans has been no less than a cancer on Africa. Africans understandably called them "smiling devils". LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 318243

01-08-2019 01:38 AM











Post: #25 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

Uppity Me Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:27 AM) American soldiers there right now with their lives on the line and trying to keep Janjaweed, ISIS, Taliban, Boko Haram, pirates and war lords at bay.

I would like to see Africans arm themselves to the teeth, every child over 12 given a rifle and taught how to use it to keep their towns safe.

No, they're setting up bases in order to recolonise Africa and have a new round of stealing resources. No, they're setting up bases in order to recolonise Africa and have a new round of stealing resources. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 482241

01-08-2019 01:41 AM











Post: #26 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

LoP Guest Wrote: (01-08-2019 01:38 AM) Uppity Me Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:27 AM) American soldiers there right now with their lives on the line and trying to keep Janjaweed, ISIS, Taliban, Boko Haram, pirates and war lords at bay.

I would like to see Africans arm themselves to the teeth, every child over 12 given a rifle and taught how to use it to keep their towns safe.

No, they're setting up bases in order to recolonise Africa and have a new round of stealing resources.

Hell buy stocks in it! Hell buy stocks in it! LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 482164

01-08-2019 01:43 AM











Post: #27 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

LoP Guest Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:03 AM) I wonder if they named some of those tunnels for Hillary...lol

Beyonce Beyonce Archangel

Michael

User ID: 441975

01-08-2019 02:17 AM



Posts: 14,103









Post: #28 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

LoP Guest Wrote: (01-08-2019 01:29 AM) Archangel Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:16 AM) Ordinary Blacks in Africa are screwed, just as we all are by this stuff. Africa, sooner or later, will realize the White man is a blessing, once the Communists are done turning them against the Whites.



Quite a bit of information about Underground bases in Africa.



https://duckduckgo.com/?q=underground+mi...fab&ia=web



.

How do you pursuade yourself of this bullshit? Eurpeans has been no less than a cancer on Africa. Africans understandably called them "smiling devils".

Are you totally blind, or only partially blind?



We would have to go back over history, which we can do, and see what errors were made in the past. As with the American Indians, I believe there were many and for nefarious reasons of theft and outright murder.



As it is now however. African blacks are unable to even feed themselves without White help, or other help, which Africa will find the Chinese very adapt and far less relatively merciful than the Whites have been in Africa.



Where Whites are driven out, or killed out, such as Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, famine engulfs the land, and well organized, well equipped farms are sold off for scrap metal.



Watch it happen in S. Africa as well, should the Communist Blacks now running it kill out and dispossess the White farmers of their land, farms and lives.



Robert Mugabee, rhymes with Maccabee, said he was going to kill off six million Black Africans. With the help of Mossad and the CIA, he was close to that number, the last I heard. Are you totally blind, or only partially blind?We would have to go back over history, which we can do, and see what errors were made in the past. As with the American Indians, I believe there were many and for nefarious reasons of theft and outright murder.As it is now however. African blacks are unable to even feed themselves without White help, or other help, which Africa will find the Chinese very adapt and far less relatively merciful than the Whites have been in Africa.Where Whites are driven out, or killed out, such as Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, famine engulfs the land, and well organized, well equipped farms are sold off for scrap metal.Watch it happen in S. Africa as well, should the Communist Blacks now running it kill out and dispossess the White farmers of their land, farms and lives.Robert Mugabee, rhymes with Maccabee, said he was going to kill off six million Black Africans. With the help of Mossad and the CIA, he was close to that number, the last I heard. LoP Guest

lop guest

User ID: 318243

01-08-2019 03:03 AM











Post: #29 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

Archangel Wrote: (01-08-2019 02:17 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (01-08-2019 01:29 AM) How do you pursuade yourself of this bullshit? Eurpeans has been no less than a cancer on Africa. Africans understandably called them "smiling devils".

Are you totally blind, or only partially blind?



We would have to go back over history, which we can do, and see what errors were made in the past. As with the American Indians, I believe there were many and for nefarious reasons of theft and outright murder.



As it is now however. African blacks are unable to even feed themselves without White help, or other help, which Africa will find the Chinese very adapt and far less relatively merciful than the Whites have been in Africa.



Where Whites are driven out, or killed out, such as Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, famine engulfs the land, and well organized, well equipped farms are sold off for scrap metal.



Watch it happen in S. Africa as well, should the Communist Blacks now running it kill out and dispossess the White farmers of their land, farms and lives.



Robert Mugabee, rhymes with Maccabee, said he was going to kill off six million Black Africans. With the help of Mossad and the CIA, he was close to that number, the last I heard.

Are you on drugs? Your brain must have more holes than a Ditch cheese. How dim do you have to be to miss the obvious? The fact the were black people for europeans to find is pretty f*cking solid evidence that they managed to feed themselves. I swear the you must have inherited the psychopath genes from both parents, pity they were brother and sister. Are you on drugs? Your brain must have more holes than a Ditch cheese. How dim do you have to be to miss the obvious? The fact the were black people for europeans to find is pretty f*cking solid evidence that they managed to feed themselves. I swear the you must have inherited the psychopath genes from both parents, pity they were brother and sister. Mr ifnoc nli

lop guest

User ID: 482220

01-08-2019 03:08 AM











Post: #30 RE: Secret Underground Bases in Africa

Fork Wrote: (01-08-2019 12:02 AM) link to image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...nd.svg.png



AFRICOM defines its responsibilities as military-to-military partnerships to improve the capacity and operability of African armed forces, assisting other US agencies in fulfilling their tasks in Africa and, where necessary, undertaking military activities in Africa to protect Americas national interests.



Unlike other US military commands, AFRICOM has a small developmental component, with over thirty officials from other US agencies  including the US Department of State (DOS) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID)  as part of its structure. Further, one of its deputy commanders will always be a senior state department official. The official reason for this is to synchronise AFRICOMs activities with US development activities.



https://www.africom.mil/





This is an underground mining shaft that houses black market dealings near an AFRICOM outpost.



link to image: http://www.2oceansvibe.com/wp-content/up...wnww23.jpg

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-safri...SKCN18D1ZH



http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/reports/...77724.html







US staging areas, cooperative security locations, forward operating locations (FOLs), and other outpostsmany of them involved in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities and Special Operations missionshave been built (or built up) in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Senegal, the Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda.



Designed to accommodate about 200 personnel, with runways suitable for C-130 transport aircraft, the sites are primed for conversion from temporary, bare-bones facilities into something more enduring.



At least three of them in Senegal, Ghana, and Gabon are apparently designed to facilitate faster deployment for a rapid reaction unit with a mouthful of a moniker: Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF).



Its forces are based in Moron, Spain, and Sigonella, Italy, but are focused on Africa. They rely heavily on MV-22 Ospreys, tilt-rotor aircraft that can take-off, land, and hover like helicopters, but fly with the speed and fuel efficiency of a turboprop plane.





This is a map of all the bases in Africa, not all of them are underground.... but you can see there is a large area and I hope to discuss the vast network of secrets the USA is hiding in Africa.



link to image: http://www.thenation.com/wp-content/uplo..._large.jpg



https://www.thenation.com/article/the-us...pt-secret/

What if I told you 90+ % of these, might have already been there, and have been for a very long time?



:) What if I told you 90+ % of these, might have already been there, and have been for a very long time?:) Advertisement



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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Defense attorneys for onetime Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort inadvertently revealed Tuesday that their client stands accused of sharing polling data with a suspected former Russian intelligence officer, according to court documents filed publicly in Washington D.C.



As part of a document meant to defend Manafort against accusations that he lied to federal prosecutors after signing onto a cooperation agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller, his defense counsel failed to adequately redact sections of their filing. Those sections were meant to remain secret and reflect information that has not previously been disclosed.



One passage that was meant to be redacted reveals that Muellers prosecutors, tasked with probing Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, have accused Manafort of sharing 2016 campaign polling data with Konstantin Kilimnik, a longtime business associate whom the special counsel has identified as a former Russian intelligence officer.



The Governments allegation that Mr. Manafort lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign, defense counsel wrote, was not at the forefront of Mr. Manaforts mind during the period at issue and it is not surprising at all that Mr. Manafort was unable to recall specific details prior to having his recollection refreshed.



Special counsel prosecutors accused Manafort in November of breaking a plea deal by lying to the special counsels office. At a hearing in December, the federal judge overseeing Manaforts case in Washington D.C. asked the government to provide some underlying evidence to support the scant details theyve offered about the content of his alleged lies.



Muellers team and attorneys for Manafort agreed in court last month to conduct informal discussions about the alleged lies before defense counsel responded. At the time, Manaforts team said they did not have enough information from the government about their clients alleged lies to reply.



After leveling that accusation, prosecutors filed a heavily-redacted court document describing five areas in which Manafort is accused of lying to government investigators, including misleading statements about his contacts with Trump administration officials. He was also accused of lying about his interactions with Kilimnik and another unspecified Justice Department investigation.



But on Tuesday, Manaforts team sought to rebut those accusations point by point.



Mr. Manafort provided complete and truthful information to the best of his ability, Manaforts lawyers wrote. He attempted to live up to the requirements of his cooperation agreement and provided meaningful cooperation relating to several key areas under current government investigation.



Defense counsel for Manafort claim their client did not recall having a conversation with two Trump administration officials and that his recollection about contacts with Kilimnik is unsurprising, because these occurrences happened during a period when Mr. Manafort was managing a U.S. presidential campaign and had countless meetings, email communications, and other interactions with many different individuals, and traveled frequently.



Manafort was found guilty in August on eight counts of tax and bank-fraud in a Virginia case related in part to his work as an unregistered foreign lobbyist. Sentencing in that case  which could result in a lengthy prison term  is scheduled for next month.



In September, on the eve of a second trial in Washington, D.C., Manafort struck a plea deal with prosecutors that allowed him to plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for broad cooperation.



But prosecutors in the Washington D.C. case say he reneged on that agreement by lying during interviews.



Manafort is scheduled for sentencing in that case on March 5. But speculation that President Trump may consider pardoning his onetime campaign chairman has grown.



In November, asked by the New York Post about a possible pardon for Manafort, Trump said he wouldnt take it off the table.

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The Holy One, Blessed be He, performed a charitable deed toward Israel in that He scattered them among the nations . . . Talmud: Pesachim 87:b

The Talmud reminds us that it is not by coincidence but rather by Divine intent that the Jewish people have been dispersed so widely. The Kabbalah explains that this broad diaspora makes it possible for us to release and elevate the sparks of holiness that are concealed in every corner of the world. Chasidic teachings elaborate: the Jewish people can release those sparks by observing mitzvahs and studying Torah everywherefrom the Canary Islands to the Siberian Oblasts.

But many Jews have not had the benefit of a Jewish education, nor do they have any Jewish role models. How can they help transform the world into a place of holiness?

To the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the answer was obvious: we find them, we embrace them, and we give them access to their birthright. So that became the guiding principle for his workleave no Jew behind.

Towards that vision, the Rebbe sent his emissaries to open Chabad Houses around the globe. Today, there are Chabad Houses in more than a hundred countries worldwide. Every major city has one. And even smaller cities are now served by their own Chabad rabbis and rebbetzins.

But what of the very small Jewish communities? The ones youve probably never heard of? What about the ones that are hard to find on a mapthe ones where there are only a handful of Jews? Do we serve them too?

In the spirit of true love or Ahavat Yisrael, the Rebbe directed his shluchim to go wherever they are neededeven to the darkest corners of the world. And so his shluchim have taken the next step, moving beyond popular centers of Jewish activity. Now theyre going off the grid and searching for Jews. Literally.

Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky is the chairman of the Chabad-Lubavitch educational and social services arms

The work is painstaking and demanding. The investment makes no economic or pragmatic sense. But the Rebbe measured its value by a different standard. He called it G-ds work. In his prescience, the Rebbe saw that reaching just one solitary Jew can have far-reaching consequencesnot only for that individual and their family but for the entire Jewish people. He said that every shliach who invests themselves in this holy endeavor partners with G-d Himself to fulfill His divine plan.

Chabad shluchim typically finance this work by fundraising inside the communities they serve. The practice fosters dynamic partnerships between local residents and shluchim who work together to build vibrant communities. But when three hundred Jews are scattered across a wide terrain as in some locations, they generally dont have the resources to build the infrastructure that a Jewish community requires. They need significant, sustained financial support from Chabad headquarters.

In 1984, the Rebbe opened the Machne Israel Development Fund (MIDF), giving others the opportunity to help build Chabad Houses around the world. More recently, the MIDF launched The Frontier Fund, which exclusively serves communities where local resources cant sustain a Chabad presence. And the results have been extraordinary. With the supplemental assistance of the Fund, some fifty new Chabad centers that have opened to serve small communities are now thriving.

The idea that we can illuminate the darkest corners on the face of this Earth is truly divine. It may seem like an impossible task, but it isnt. With the participation of more partners who want to share in the privilege, we can help the shluchim do what the Rebbe set out to do and ensure that no Jew gets left behind.

To learn more about the Frontier Fund and become a partner, contact us at Chabad-Lubavitch Headquarters, (718) 774-4000.




Particularly during my sojourns in South Africa, it may not be possible for me to perform the moderation function speedily. I regret the necessity of moderation but it has been rendered inevitable by the behaviour of a particular commentator whose contributions will always and without exception be rejected.





No correspondence will be entered into regarding moderation decisions.

Readers are invited to comment on blog posts. All comments require to be pre-moderated by me, and I shall reject all (a) that are not related to the Lockerbie disaster or (b) that fail to meet my -- perhaps idiosyncratic -- standards of courtesy towards other contributors. Comments will not be rejected simply because I disagree with them or because I, or other contributors, find them irritating. But comments will be rejected if they distort or misrepresent the evidence; are defamatory; or if they risk embroiling me, as publisher, in defamation proceedings. I am perfectly relaxed about being sued in respect of material which I personally have posted -- but not in respect of material that others wish to post as comments and which, in any case, I often strongly disagree with.
As of September, 306 Riverfront District Apartments in downtown officially was complete. So, who exactly is moving into the new luxury housing option?

From the looks of it, a lot of individuals from outside of Howard County are opting to live there. That, as has been stated from the onset of the project by developers Flaherty and Collins and city officials, was a goal of the development. The hope was 306 Riverfront would help capture workers from outside of the area.

According to statistics provided by Flaherty and Collins, the apartment complex is presently 37-percent occupied. Of the 199 available units in 306 Riverfront, 74 are being rented.

Whats interesting is the demographic split of the apartment complexs residents. Of the 137 living at 306 Riverfront, 56 percent are from outside of the county. Residents living in the apartment complex come from 16 different states and four different countries.

Dr. Andrew Barlow, who works for Community Howard Regional Health, is one of the tenants to move in from out of town. Barlow moved to Kokomo from Philadelphia in August, and he settled in 306 Riverfront.

The 32-year-old doctor said he primarily was looking to live in a Midwestern city to escape the issues he encountered living in Philadelphia, such as high crime rates and homelessness.

He looked at other Indiana cities, but he said he just didnt see growth and development in them when compared to Kokomo.

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I had actually looked at other cities in the Midwest, said Barlow. A lot of them werent doing too well, or it didnt seem like there was much going on. But in Kokomo there was a lot of development going on in downtown, and there was a nice place to live. Those are big factors in where to go. Just knowing they were investing in the downtown and it was on the up and up, those were big factors in me coming here.

Coming from Philadelphia, Barlow said he also was looking to live in an area that offered walkability. The development in downtown promoting walkability, he said, also lent itself to his decision to move to Kokomo.

Flaherty and Collins Vice President of Development Anthony Carmony said 306 Riverfront is meeting the companys expectations as far as occupancy rates are concerned.

To this point, its great, but were not done yet, said Carmony. The property needs to be full before we can really determine exactly how it its all panned out, but to this point were getting what we thought. I think 56 percent from outside the county is super impressive, and were happy with that. It just takes time to get to the finish line. Weve only really been done with construction for a few months.

And Carmony said he hoped the apartment complex, as it fills up, can provide a boon to Kokomo and, more specifically, downtown.

Some 70 percent are coming from outside the county, which is the whole strategy of activating your downtown and adding people with disposable incomes to the community, which creates an economic impact, said Carmony. If youve got 300 people making $70,000 a year in downtown Kokomo, you can imagine the amount of money that will flow through the community.

As 306 Riverfront continues to fill up, it likely will continue to bring individuals to town from outside of the county, state, or even country. Only time will tell how successful the venture is in boosting the local economy.
By Samuel Ssebuliba.

The Ministry of health has asked residents of Kampala to maintain a high degree of hygiene in the wake of an outbreak of Cholera in some city suburbs.

Yesterday the health ministry started investigating a reported cholera outbreak in Rubaga division where eight suspected patients were picked and admitted at Naguru hospital.

According to Emmanuel Ainebyona the ministry spokesperson, the sole cause of this disease is poor hygiene and so residents ought to be vigilant
About books, reading, the power of fiction, some music, some movies. These are my opinions, my thoughts, my views. There is much wisdom afloat in the world and I like finding it in books. Communicating about wisdom found keeps it from getting lost.
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
Achyut Wagle holds PhD in economics and is currently a professor at the Kathmandu University School of Management. He is an econo-political analyst, writing for The Kathmandu Post for many years.
North Korea's Kim in China after warning of alternate path to Trump talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, only days after warning he may take an alternative path if the United States does not ease sanctions and pressure on his country.
Nepali envoy to Australia Lucky Sherpa resigns

Nepali ambassador to Australia Lucky Sherpa resigned from her post on Tuesday.
Man held in Canada for paedophilia charge in Nepal

Police in Canada have arrested a man who volunteered at an orphanage in Nepal on the charge of possessing child pornography and luring a child, Canadian media reported.
Man held for repeatedly raping daughter, 12

Police in Syangja have arrested a man accused of repeatedly raping and torturing his 12-year-old daughter for the past two years.
Kalinchok begins professional ski adventure

Ski festival has kicked off in Kalinchok of Dolakha by installing a ski lift for the first time in Nepal.
Airbus purchase scandal: House panel goes soft on ministers

The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament seems to have come to the rescue of three tourism ministers while laying the blame on two government secretaries for all that went wrong in the multi-million-dollar Airbus aircraft purchase. It also sought suspension of Nepal Airlines Corporation Managing Director Sugat Ratna Kansakar and stern action against him.
Dr KC warns of 16th hunger strike as House panel endorses bill on medical education

Dr Govinda KC, who has staged 15 rounds of hunger strikes so far demanding reforms in the medical education sector, has warned of another fast-unto-death if the parliamentary Education and Health Committee finalises the final draft of the Medical Education Bill submitted by its sub-committee.
Dr KC warns of staging 16th hunger strike from tomorrow

Senior orthopedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC has warned of staging another round of hunger strike from Wednesday. He has already staged 15 rounds of hunger strikes demanding reforms in the countrys health education and medical sector.
Changing track

Sixth Industrialisation is the way to revitalise the rural economy and boost incomes
Bodhi Shrawan Dharma Sangh refutes charges against Bomjan

Bodhi Shrawan Dharma Sangh, a non-governmental organisation founded by Ram Bahadur Bomjan, has refuted all accusations levelled against Bomjan as baseless.
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.
Amrit Bahadur Rai appointed Nepals envoy to United Nations

The government has appointed Amrit Bahadur Rai as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative (PR) of Nepal to the United Nations in New York City, United States of America. The post of PR is considered a vital diplomatic post.
Adhikari rejects charges of irregularities in Airbus deal

Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari said on Monday all allegations of financial irregularities against him in the purchase of two Airbus A330 aircraft that caused heavy losses to the government were baseless and far from the truth.
The Agung Owes Malaysians More Than Just A Bland Statement

M. Bakri Musa

www.bakrimusa.com





Istana Negaras bland statement late Sunday, January 6, 2019, announcing the sudden resignation of Sultan Muhammad V as Agung was an insult to all Malaysians. It left many difficult and important questions unanswered.





Foremost is this: If he feels so undeserving of continuing on as Agung, should he also not feel the same way about being the Sultan of Kelantan? The people of that state too deserve the same standard and expectation of their sultan as Malaysians have of their Agung.





Only two months earlier on November 2, 2018, the Agung had taken a two-month leave of absence for medical reasons. That ended on December 31, 2018, with Prime Minister Mahathir blandly asserting and assuming that Sultan Muhammad had resumed his duties as Agung.





Meanwhile during the Agungs absence, pictures of his purported wedding to a former Russian beauty queen half his age appeared in social media. Again, no comments, official or otherwise, from the palace or the government.





Then pictures appeared in a British publication of his bride in her previous incarnation cavorting in a pool, champagne in hand, with an unidentified male who was definitely not the Agung. Sexual escapades of pageant contestants are not news. That a Malay royalty would in any way be linked to such characters too do not surprise me. Malay sultans have been known to be fond of foreign dancers and waitresses.





What surprised me was the silence of the palace to these salacious-bordering-on-the-pornographic postings. Even Prime Minister Mahathir admitted to being kept in the dark. What a way to run the country!





Things quickly became murkier. On Wednesday, January 2, 2019, presumably the day after the Agung had resumed his duties and only a few days prior to the resignation announcement, there was an unprecedented and unscheduled meeting of the Council of Rulers without the Agung being invited. Again, there was a news blackout on that.





That the four governors, who constitutionally are on par with the sultans, were excluded did not escape notice. Ever wonder why East Malaysians are clamoring for withdrawal from the Federation?





lebaiwhite cap, shaking hands with his fellow congregants in exaggerated humility. Then on the first Friday of the New Year, pictures of the Agung attending a congregational prayer in Kelantan, his home state, appeared in the local media. He was in full display of his trademark pretentious piety, complete with his modest jubbah andwhite cap, shaking hands with his fellow congregants in exaggerated humility.





In his sermon, the Imam reportedly told the congregation not to believe in rumors, presumably referring to the now widespread speculation on the Agungs extracurricular activities. I wonder how that Imam felt after the resignation announcement!





Sultans, and the Agung in particular, must realize that they are on government payroll, and a very generous one at that, as well as being provided with ample allowances and grandiose palaces. The Agungs latest, billion-dollar and obscenely ostentatious one struts on a commanding hill, visible from all the high-rises of Kuala Lumpur.





These sultans thus owe some accountability to their paymaster, the citizens.





Palace officials too must realize that they are also being paid by taxpayers. Like the Agung, these officials are answerable to the people of Malaysia. Issuing bland, meaningless statements that do not clarify matters is an insult to their paymaster. The Keeper of the Royal Seal should not underestimate the intelligence of modern Malaysians. They are not the peasants of yore.





The erratic behavior of this particular Agung does not surprise me. A few years ago there was the embarrassing spectacle of his removing his father from the state throne, again purportedly over some medical issues. The medical report of his father was never released. The people of Kelantan were denied access to the truth.





More recent and most disturbing was the Agungs behavior during the immediate post-election crisis of last May when he conveniently found himself AWOL abroad. He had to be summoned back to swear in the new Prime Minister.





Someone must have taught this Agung an old and well-rehearsed kampung trick. That is, cloak yourself in a religious garb, complete with a huge turban and overflowing white robe, and learn to recite some long incomprehensible ancient Arabic incantations, and you could get away literally with murder.





The history, recent and ancient, of Malay sultans is replete with such horrors. Nor have their performances as leaders been illustrious. Back in 1946 they were for the Malayan Union. A decade later they were against independence!





This reprehensible pattern must not be allowed to continue. Malaysians are owed a full explanation of the Agungs resignation. Malaysians, and Malays in particular, must demand a higher standard from their leadershereditary as well as political and religious. Anything less would not do it.








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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.)
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- China-based autonomous trucking startup TuSimple, which is for the first time demonstrating a Navistar International light semi-truck at the CES 2019, announced that it is on course teaming up with a number of Tier 1 suppliers like Cummins to achieve the integration of powertrain and autonomous driving system.

TuSimple, funded by NVIDIA and Sina, is the world's only autonomous trucking company that is working on warehouse to warehouse commercial freight transport. Its driverless trucks, which are available for fully autonomous driving on highways and urban streets, have been executing 3 to 5 commercial trips on a daily basis alongside three routes in Arizona, serving 12 clients in total, including some large global companies.

The startup claimed at the show that it plans to increase the truck number of the fleet deployed in the U.S. to 40 units from 11 units in the first half of 2019 to satisfy consumers' ever-growing demands on cargo delivery, which will then make the company the world's largest autonomous trucking solution provider. In addition, a new route stretching from Arizona to Texas will be put into operation in early 2019.

TuSimple's innovation is also characterized by its camera-centric perception solution, which boasts an effective sensing distance up to 1,000 meters, much longer than the 150-meter range available for most self-driving systems. Besides, the startup's autonomous driving system is able to panoramically perceive surroundings in real time and analyze the visual scenarios at the pixel level.

A research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers shows that the operation cost for long-haul freight transport industry will be reduced by 28% on an annual basis if the autonomous driving technology is widely integrated into trucks. TuSimple is ambitious to reform the global freight market by solving industrial pain points, cutting costs and lowering carbon emission.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Areas of patchy fog early. Light rain...with scattered thunderstorms for the afternoon. High near 75F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 58F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
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In the speech to the diplomatic corps, Francis lists concerns over crisis of multilateral diplomacy and violations of respect due to each person. Thanks to the agreement "all the Bishops in China are in full communion with the Successor of Peter and with the universal Church".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The crisis in multilateral diplomacy and violations of the respect due to each person is what most concerns Pope Francis. Crisis that causes the rebirth of tensions and violations that are expressed in wars and conflicts, including religious ones, but also in the refusal of aid to migrants and refugees, in the disinterest for the needy, young people and women.

These are all themes that Francis addressed in the long discourse this morning to the representatives of the 183 States that currently have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, received for the exchange of good wishes for the New Year.

It is an event in which, traditionally, the popes give their State of the World address from the perspective of the Holy See.

This year, the Pope traced a picture with a few highlights and many shadows. In these, he placed a long list of countries on every continent. Among the highlights, the agreement with China, "he result of a lengthy and thoughtful institutional dialogue that led to the determination of certain stable elements of cooperation between the Apostolic See and the civil authorities". Recalling that he had "readmitted to full ecclesial communion" the " bishops ordained without a pontifical mandate", Francis wanted to thank the Lord that, for the first time after so many years, all the bishops in China are in full communion with the Successor of Peter and with the universal Church." "It is to be hoped that further contacts regarding the application of the signed Provisional Agreement will help resolve questions that remain open and make needed room for an effective enjoyment of religious freedom."

In his speech, Francis stressed the numerous anniversaries, starting from the centenary of the League of Nations, remembered in particular as a significant step for the launch of multilateral diplomacy, " that way remains full of difficulties and obstacles, nor is it always effective, since conflicts persist even today, yet it cannot be denied that it provides an opportunity for nations to meet and seek common solutions".

This requires " An indispensable condition for the success of multilateral diplomacy is the good will and good faith of the parties, their readiness to deal with one another fairly and honestly, and their openness to accepting the inevitable compromises arising from disputes. Whenever even one of these elements is missing, the result is a search for unilateral solutions and, in the end, the domination of the powerful over the weak. The League of Nations failed for these very reasons, and one notes with regret that the same attitudes are presently threatening the stability of the major international organizations". It is evident, in fact, " It is clear, though, that relationships within the international community, and the multilateral system as a whole, are experiencing a period of difficulty, with the resurgence of nationalistic tendencies at odds with the vocation of the international Organizations to be a setting for dialogue and encounter for all countries." This is partly due to a certain inability of the multilateral system to offer effective solutions to a number of long unresolved situations, like certain protracted conflicts, or to confront present challenges in a way satisfactory to all. artially the outcome of the growing influence within the international Organizations of powers and interest groups that impose their own visions and ideas, sparking new forms of ideological colonization, often in disregard for the identity, dignity and sensitivities of peoples. In part too, it is a consequence of the reaction in some parts of the world to a globalization that has in some respects developed in too rapid and disorderly a manner."

Then recalling the theme of his message for the 52nd World Day of Peace "Good politics is at the service of peace" Francis called "an essential aspect of good politics" the "pursuing the common good of all". It is in this perspective that the Church has promoted " the humanitarian initiative in Ukraine on behalf of those suffering, particularly in the eastern areas of the country, from the conflict that has now lasted for almost five years" and that the Pope renewed the appeal to the international community to promote a political solution to the war in Syria, "a conflict that will eventually only be defeated". This conflict, moreover, saw the generous help offered by Jordan and Lebanon to the refugees.

"Among those affected by the instability that for years has marked the Middle East are especially the Christian communities". " It is extremely important that Christians have a place in the future of the region, and so I encourage all those who have sought refuge in other places to do everything possible to return to their homes and in any event to maintain and strengthen their ties to their communities of origin. At the same time, I express my hope that political authorities will not fail to ensure their security and all else needed for them to continue to dwell in the countries of which they are full citizens".

The events of the Middle East, but also those involving Europe and America, have prompted Francis to "appeal to governments to provide assistance to all those forced to emigrate on account of the scourge of poverty and various forms of violence and persecution, as well as natural catastrophes and climatic disturbances, and to facilitate measures aimed at permitting their social integration in the receiving countries".

And speaking of Europe, the Pope also said that "marked by new centrifugal tendencies and the temptation to erect new curtains, may Europe not lose its awareness of the benefits  the first of which is peace  ushered in by the journey of friendship and rapprochement between peoples begun in the postwar period." (FP)
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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 ".
News

VIDEO: Imran invites Islamabad traffic warden to PM House, praises him for performing duty despite being injured

The prime minister said that the entire image of police is lifted by the effort of just one man because of such an incident. "I called you especially here to appreciate your effort and we will reward you for it as well."
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Essential Energy Services Ltd. (TSX: ESN) (Essential or the Company) announces its 2019 capital budget of $6 million and provides an update with regard to the patent litigation.



2019 Capital Budget

Given the uncertain outlook for oil and natural gas activity in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin for 2019, Essential has set its capital budget at $6 million, primarily for maintenance capital. The budget includes the cost to finish upgrading an existing coil tubing reel trailer so it can work with a Generation II coil tubing rig and achieve the same depth capacity as a Generation IV rig (up to 7,200 meters if the coil reel is transported on the reel trailer and 9,400 meters if the reel is transported separately).

Essential has reduced its active coil tubing rig count from 21 rigs to 16 rigs by reclassifying five Generation II rigs from active to inactive. Maintaining a smaller active fleet results in a lower maintenance capital budget. The number of rigs working on a given day varies with customer demand.

Patent Litigation Update

As previously disclosed, on January 5, 2018, Packers Plus Energy Services Inc. filed an appeal (the Appeal) of the November 3, 2017 Federal Court of Canada (the Court) decision that the asserted patent was not valid and that Essential did not infringe the patent (the Decision). The Federal Court of Appeal (Appeal Court) has now scheduled a four hour appeal hearing for February 6, 2019. The timing of release of a decision by the Appeal Court is unknown.

Based on the findings made by the trial judge and the strength of the written judgment in support of the Decision, Essential continues to believe the Appeal is without merit.

As part of the Decision, the Court awarded costs in favor of Essential. Over the past five years, Essential incurred significant defence costs with respect to this litigation. A hearing date for cost recovery has been scheduled for May 10, 2019. The timing of release of a decision with regard to cost recovery is unknown.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements or forward-looking information (collectively referred to herein as forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential and similar expressions, or are events or conditions that will, would, may, could or should occur or be achieved. This news release contains forward-looking statements, pertaining to, among other things, the following: Essentials 2019 anticipated capital spending, Essentials belief that the Appeal is without merit, timing for the Appeal and cost recovery processes.

Although Essential believes that the material factors, expectations and assumptions informing such forward-looking statements are reasonable based on information available to it on the date such statements were made, no assurances can be given as to future results and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Essentials actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue importance or reliance on the forward-looking statements.

Actual performance and results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to: known and unknown risks, including those set forth in the Companys Annual Information Form (a copy of which can be found under Essentials profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com ); the risks associated with the oilfield services sector; stock market volatility and the inability to access sufficient capital from external and internal sources; general economic, market or business conditions; changes to Essentials financial position and cash flow; the availability of qualified personnel, management or other key inputs; currency exchange fluctuations; changes in political and security stability; risks and uncertainty related to distribution and pipeline constraints; the potential impact on the Companys business of an adverse decision on Appeal and laws applicable to the Decision and to Essential generally and other unforeseen conditions which could impact the use of services supplied by the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue importance or reliance on the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

Statements including forward-looking statements are made as of the date they are given and, except as required by applicable securities laws, Essential disclaims any intention or obligation to publically update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

ABOUT ESSENTIAL

Essential provides oilfield services to oil and natural gas producers, primarily in western Canada. Essential offers completion, production and abandonment services to a diverse customer base. Services are offered with coil tubing, fluid and nitrogen pumping and the sale and rental of downhole tools and equipment. Essential offers one of the largest coil tubing fleets in Canada. Further information can be found at www.essentialenergy.ca .

The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Garnet K. Amundson

President and CEO

Phone: (403) 513-7272

service@essentialenergy.ca

Karen Perasalo

Investor Relations

Phone: (403) 513-7272

service@essentialenergy.ca

PDF available: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/ba322436-04a8-4e9f-b279-e8e83e69cea6
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIRTT Environmental Solutions Ltd. (DIRTT) (TSX: DRT ), an interior construction company using technology for client-driven design and manufacturing, announced today that Geoff Krause, chief financial officer, will participate in the 21st Annual Needham Growth Conference in New York City on January 15, 2019.



The conference will be held at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel. Krause will meet one-on-one with institutional investors at the conference. The companys investor presentation will be posted to the Investors section of DIRTTs website at https://www.dirtt.net/investors/ .

About DIRTT

DIRTT is a building process powered by technology. The name stands for Doing It Right This Time. The company uses its proprietary ICE software to design, manufacture and install fully customized interior environments. The technology drives DIRTTs advanced manufacturing and provides certainty on cost, schedule and the final result. Complete interior spaces are constructed faster, cleaner and more sustainably. DIRTTs manufacturing facilities are located in Phoenix, Savannah and Calgary. DIRTT works with nearly 100 sales partners globally. DIRTT trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "DRT." For more information visit dirtt.net .

For further information, please contact:

Kim MacEachern

Investor Relations, DIRTT

403.618.4539
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. unwrapped an interactive and compellingly designed presentation at CES 2019 today to spotlight new technology and use possibilities within the theme of Art for Human Possibilities.



Featuring five new and concept models during the world's largest consumer electronics show this week, Yamaha is illustrating innovation and versatile capabilities while exploring new possibilities for the future of relaxed mobility. This exhibition aims to discover new partners from any field of endeavor, creating technological innovation and new businesses through open innovation.

In addition to the featured indoor display, Yamaha is conducting demonstrations of its Public Personal Mobility (PPM) concept model featuring an AI conductor in a dedicated area outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center. CES attendees are encouraged to visit the Yamaha booth (26015) to learn how they might participate in the demonstration rides.

More information on the models to be exhibited:

Public Personal Mobility (PPM) (Concept model): Mobility service system with a wide range of potential applications based on low-speed autonomous driving and passenger-cargo shared usage

PPM is a form of comfortable and convenient on-demand compact low-speed mobility for one-mile short-distance travel. Its simple construction enables customization for a variety of applications, such as the transportation of passengers and/or cargo, or further conversion into a mobile sales kiosk. In anticipation of further future autonomous travel, provisions for a variety of user-friendly mobility service applications will be showcased, such as AI-based facial recognition registration and communication between the vehicle (robot) and the passenger (human).

During CES 2019, Yamaha Motor is conducting demonstrations of the PPM featuring an AI conductor on dedicated paths adjacent to the South Hall which houses the Yamaha Motor booth. After facial recognition registration at the Yamaha Booth or the boarding point, passengers can control the specific AI conductor on a demonstration ride of the vehicle. In addition, the AI conductor controls the start and stop of the vehicle through the passengers gestures. Visitors can experience the future of personal travel made possible by the Yamaha autonomous systems.

Next-generation Industrial-use Unmanned Helicopters: Delivering an impressive 70kg payload and long range capable of providing new solutions in aerial delivery and surveillance. (Concept model)

Building on Yamaha Motor's 35 years of experience in industrial-use unmanned helicopters, this concept model features a series of innovations enabling the payload of 70kg, double that of the latest model. Flight controls will also be updated to feature the latest technology such as collision avoidance, flight stability in atmospheric turbulence, and terrain following flights in mountainous areas.

In addition, utilizing its autonomous flight capabilities, this model can provide unprecedented aerial solutions for a range of applications such as aerial delivery, measurement, inspection, aerial photography, and surveillance through the attachment of application-specific equipment.

Unveiling of New TRITOWN Design (Concept model): Electric personal mobility for enjoyable and comfortable last-mile travel

Compact electric stand-up riding mobility with LMW (two front wheel mechanism), the simple structure in which the riders posture controls the balance of the vehicle means that it can be brought to a stop while still in a riding position. The lightweight and compact body makes for easy operation, creating a short-distance mobility tool accessible to a diverse range of people, and making last-mile travel enjoyable and exciting. The TRITOWN concept exhibit was the talk of the Tokyo Motor Show 2017, and the new design will be exhibited for the first time at CES 2019.

New Leaning Multi Wheel NIKEN launched in 2018: Motorcycle that delivers both relaxation and excitement via two front wheels (Production vehicle)

New model LMW with an 847cm3 liquid-cooled in-line three-cylinder engine, the NIKEN is a next-generation LMW that provides advanced LMW technology with a combination of unwavering cornering capability supported by a sense of stability, and a high-quality cruise performance that maintains rider comfort even over long distances. By adopting a new and exclusively-developed steering mechanism, not only is the sense of stability unique to LMW, but the NIKEN also delivers sporty and smooth cornering as well as a natural steering feel. In addition to the sense of stability, with the introduction of a range of other control technologies, NIKEN owners are treated to a relaxed ride even during long distance touring.

Installation of artificial intelligence technology: Exhibition by Yamaha Corporation, with which Yamaha Motor shares the Yamaha brand (Concept model)

This installation showcases artificial intelligence technology developed by Yamaha Corporation, which specializes in musical and audio devices. The system analyzes and corrects the music performance in real time, aiding the performer to create a natural performance close to the musical score.

About Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:7272) is a world-leading producer of motorcycles, ATV and Side-by-Side recreational products, marine products, power products, electric-assist bicycles and intelligent machinery. The companys diverse business and wide variety of products are built around its proprietary technologies focused on small engines, chassis & hull and electronic control. Yamaha Motor conducts global development, production and marketing operations through 140 subsidiaries and equity-method affiliates in 30 countries. About 90% of consolidated net sales are generated in more than 200 countries outside of Japan. The company is steadily restructuring its global engineering, manufacturing and marketing capabilities for sustainable long-term growth. Please visit https://global.yamaha-motor.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Van Holmes

For Yamaha Motor Corp., USA

van.holmes@specpr.com





Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8973376a-af19-47be-b6c2-6ae6477ef27f

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dfc4d738-7854-40fd-87a0-d84259bdae65

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3fc1e335-4abb-4937-9b59-140ab71f44fa

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fdf448a9-6908-44ac-bdeb-2162ffc4ff18

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d442370-f2d1-46db-9bf9-eae32939c6b6

A video accompanying this announcement is available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9fb6f6c0-2a3f-4ccb-a538-5227a1d1ab3a
Kelowna, BC, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GTEC Holdings Ltd. (TSXV: GTEC) (OTC: GGTTF) (GTEC or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an Option Agreement dated November 5, 2018, among GreenTec Holdings Ltd. (GreenTec), a wholly owned subsidiary of GTEC, and BATC Investments Inc. (BATC), in connection with the establishment of a joint venture company named GreenTec Retail SK Inc. (GreenTec SK), and also announces that it has received TSX Venture approval for an agreement to facilitate the acquisition of cannabis genetics and will issue shares to 1183279 B.C. Ltd. (the Consultant) for successfully completing services in connection with the acquisition of cannabis genetics.

Option Agreement with BATC

As per the terms of a shareholders agreement, BATC shall own 25 Class A Common Shares and GreenTec shall own 75 Class A Common Shares (the Shareholders Agreement). Pursuant to the terms of the Shareholders Agreement, GreenTec and BATC will identify, secure, and develop retail opportunities in the cannabis sector in the province of Saskatchewan through GreenTec SK.



BATC has the option, exercisable at any time after the date of the Option Agreement and ending six months after the first retail store opens to the public for business, to require GreenTec to purchase all of its interest in GreenTec SK. The value of BATCs interest in GreenTec SK (the Purchase Price) shall be determined by a chartered business valuator. To satisfy the Purchase Price, and provided BATC exercises the option, GTEC has agreed to issue to BATC such number of Common Shares (the Consideration Shares) in the authorized capital of GTEC to BATC with an aggregate value equal to the Purchase Price.



The issuance of the Consideration Shares is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.

GTEC Issues Shares to Consultant

GTEC is also pleased to announce that it has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange for the amended agreement between GTEC, its wholly owned subsidiary, Tumbleweed Farms Corp. (Tumbleweed), and 1183279 B.C. Ltd., an Okanagan-based cannabis consulting firm, for the facilitation of the acquisition of cannabis genetics (the Genetics Agreement). The core details of the amended agreement were originally announced on November 16, 2018. Accordingly, GTEC will issue the Consultant 200,000 shares for the services provided under the Genetics Agreement.

About BATC

BATC is a privately held company incorporated pursuant to the laws of British Columbia. It is the general partner of BATC Investments Limited Partnership, the investment arm under the direction of Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs, which consists of the original First Nations of Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, Moosomin First Nation, Red Pheasant Cree Nation, Sweetgrass First Nation, Stoney Knoll First Nation, Saulteaux First Nation, and Mosquito Grizzly Bears Head Lean Man First Nation.

About GTEC

GTEC Holdings is a specialized craft cannabis company dedicated to cultivating premium quality cannabis in purpose-built indoor facilities. The company is vertically integrated across all major sectors of the Canadian cannabis industry and holds Cultivation, Extraction and Analytical testing licenses. The management team is comprised of a diverse skill set sourced from leading global food & beverage and premium alcohol companies. GTECs retail division is pursuing licensing for over 35 recreational cannabis stores across Western Canada. GTECs premium indoor cannabis will be marketed and sold under its flagship trademarked brands; BLK MKT TM; Tenzo TM, GreenTec TM, cognoscente TM, FN TM, and Treehugger TM. The Company is actively pursuing sales and distribution opportunities across all major business channels: medical, recreational, B2B and export. GTEC is a publicly traded corporation, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the OTCQB Venture Market. The Company is headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia.



To view more about the company or to request our most recent corporate presentation, please visit our website at www.gtec.co.

On behalf of the board,



Norton Singhavon

Founder, Chairman & CEO

ns@gtec.co



Michael Blady

Co-Founder & Vice President

mb@gtec.co

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals, where applicable and the state of the capital markets. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Husky Energy (TSX:HSE) today announced it will undertake a strategic review and will potentially sell its Canadian retail and commercial fuels business and its Prince George Refinery.



Huskys decision to review and consider a sale of non-core Downstream assets comes as it increasingly focuses on core assets in its Integrated Corridor and on its Offshore business in Atlantic Canada and the Asia Pacific region. The potential disposition is being undertaken independent of the outcome of Husky's proposed acquisition of MEG Energy.

Our retail network and the Prince George Refinery are excellent assets, with exceptional employees, which have made solid contributions to Husky over the years, CEO Rob Peabody said. However, as we further align our Heavy Oil and Downstream businesses to form one Integrated Corridor, we've taken the decision to review and market these non-core properties.

We expect the businesses will be highly marketable, attracting strong interest and valuations. Husky delivers value to its customers and we anticipate that high level of quality and service will continue whether or not the businesses are sold.

Huskys retail and commercial network consists of more than 500 stations, travel centres, cardlock operations and bulk distribution facilities from British Columbia to New Brunswick. The myHusky Rewards loyalty program has about 1.6 million members.

The 12,000 barrel-per day Prince George Refinery is located in Prince George, B.C. and processes light oil into low-sulphur gasoline and ultra-low sulphur diesel, along with other products. It supplies refined products to retail outlets in the central and northern regions of B.C.

TD Securities Inc. is acting as financial advisor, with Torys LLP as legal advisor.

Investor and Media Inquiries: Leo Villegas, Manager, Investor Relations 587-513-7817 Mel Duvall, Senior Manager, Media & Issues 403-513-7602

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION

This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, any securities. The offer to acquire MEG securities and to issue securities of Husky Energy Inc. (the Company) will be made solely by, and subject to the terms and conditions set out in, the formal offer to purchase and takeover bid circular and accompanying letter of transmittal and notice of guaranteed delivery as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time.

NOTICE TO U.S. HOLDERS OF MEG SHARES

The Company has filed a registration statement covering the offer and sale of the Companys shares in the acquisition with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Such registration statement covering such offer and sale includes various documents related to such offer and sale. THE COMPANY URGES INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF MEG TO READ SUCH REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND ANY AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH OFFER AND SALE OF THE COMPANYS SHARES AS THOSE DOCUMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. You are able to obtain a free copy of such registration statement, as well as other relevant filings regarding the Company or such transaction involving the issuance of the Companys shares, at the SECs website (www.sec.gov) under the issuer profile for the Company, or on request without charge from the Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary of the Company, at 707, 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary Alberta or by telephone at 403-298-6111.

The Company is a foreign private issuer and is permitted to prepare the offer to purchase and takeover bid circular and related documents in accordance with Canadian disclosure requirements, which are different from those of the United States. The Company prepares its financial statements in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles, and they may be subject to Canadian auditing and auditor independence standards. They may not be comparable to financial statements of United States companies.

Shareholders of MEG should be aware that owning the Companys shares may subject them to tax consequences both in the United States and in Canada. The offer to purchase and takeover bid circular (or any applicable supplement) may not describe these tax consequences fully. MEG shareholders should read any tax discussion in the offer to purchase and takeover bid circular(or any applicable supplement), and holders of MEG shares are urged to consult their tax advisors.

A MEG shareholders ability to enforce civil liabilities under the United States federal securities laws may be affected adversely because the Company is incorporated in Alberta, Canada, some or all of the Companys officers and directors and some or all of the experts named in the offering documents reside outside of the United States, and all or a substantial portion of the Companys assets and of the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. MEG shareholders in the United States may not be able to sue the Company or the Companys officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violation of United States federal securities laws. It may be difficult to compel such parties to subject themselves to the jurisdiction of a court in the United States or to enforce a judgment obtained from a court of the United States.

NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES REGULATOR HAS OR WILL HAVE APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE COMPANYS SHARES OFFERED IN THE OFFERING DOCUMENTS, OR HAS OR WILL HAVE DETERMINED IF ANY OFFERING DOCUMENTS ARE TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

MEG shareholders should be aware that, during the period of the offer, the Company or its affiliates, directly or indirectly, may bid for or make purchases of the securities to be distributed or to be exchanged, or certain related securities, as permitted by applicable laws or regulations of Canada or its provinces or territories.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements and information (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are forward-looking and not historical facts.

Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as will likely result, are expected to, will continue, is anticipated, is targeting, is estimated, intend, plan, projection, could, aim, vision, goals, objective, target, scheduled and outlook). In particular, forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, references to the potential sale of Huskys Canadian retail and commercial fuels business and its Prince George Refinery, including expectations regarding the marketability of the businesses and general strategic plans in relation to their sale.

Although Husky believes that the expectations reflected by the forward-looking statements presented in this news release are reasonable, Huskys forward-looking statements have been based on assumptions and factors concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to Husky about itself and the businesses in which it operates. Information used in developing forward-looking statements has been acquired from various sources, including third party consultants, suppliers and regulators, among others.

Because actual results or outcomes could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements, investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Some of these risks, uncertainties and other factors are similar to those faced by other oil and gas companies and some are unique to Husky.

Huskys Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other documents filed with securities regulatory authorities (accessible through the SEDAR website www.sedar.com and the EDGAR website www.sec.gov) describe risks, material assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results and are incorporated herein by reference.

New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on Huskys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The impact of any one factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as such factors are dependent upon other factors, and Huskys course of action would depend upon managements assessment of the future considering all information available to it at the relevant time. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and, except as required by applicable securities laws, Husky undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
by Stefano Caprio*

The young bishop, 44, is responsible for the Churches of the Moscow Patriarchate in 13 European countries. The new Exarchate was revived after the break between Constantinople and Moscow over autocephaly granted to Ukraine. In the recent Synod of Moscow, the new Exarchate of South-East Asia was founded, which includes about 10 countries: North and South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore.

Rome (AsiaNews) - A few days ago, Metropolitan Ioann (Roscin), former vicar Patriarchal vicar and bishop of Bogorodsk, was appointed to head of the Russian Orthodox in Europe. Last November he was named administrator of the parishes of the patriarchate of Moscow in Italy, based in Rome at the church of St. Caterina, in the territory of the Russian embassy to Italy. At the end of December, when he went to Moscow for the meeting of the Patriarchal Synod, the young bishop (born in 1974) was catapulted to the new position of "metropolitan of Korsun and Western Europe". He quickly bought a white "klobuk" (the miter of the metropolitans), he was solemnly consecrated to the new office in the Assumption Cathedral, in the Kremlin in Moscow. We met him as he was passing through Rome on his way to Paris, to ask him some questions.

Eminence, tell us about your new assignment and about the structure you have been called to lead.

The Russian exarchate of Western Europe was established in 1945, and remained active until the 1990s, when it was dissolved to reflect the new conditions of the Russian Diaspora after the end of the Soviet regime. It was founded by Metropolitan Evlogy (Georgievsky) in 1945 [who did not want to join the other "Tsarist" bishops, who founded the Russian Church abroad in opposition to the Soviet regime - ed.]. At first it was recognizedas an independent structure by Constantinople, so it gathered around the patriarch of Moscow Sergij (Stragorodskij). At that time, at the end of the Second World War, the Russian Church once again had the opportunity to care for its faithful at home and abroad after a long period of persecutions. A part of its priests remained under the authority of the patriarch of Constantinople. For the Russians in Europe there were therefore two parallel exarcates: one under Moscow and one under Constantinople. The latter was abolished a few weeks ago, after the decision to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainians. Now, following the events that led to the breakdown of relations between Moscow and Constantinople, Patriarch Kirill decided to reorganize the care of the many Russians living abroad, in Europe in particular, reviving the Exarchate of Paris.

How big is this exarch?

The new metropolis supervises the dioceses and parishes of 13 States: France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland, as well as smaller states such as Andorra, Lichtenstein, Monaco and Luxembourg. There are already many parishes and 5 dioceses, those of Spain and Portugal (newly established), then in Belgium, Holland and Italy, which are now subjected to the Metropolitan of Paris, even if they have their bishops who autonomously guide the life of the Local Churches, which will be reunited in an Exarchate Council. We will meet to discuss the various questions, both internal to the life of the Church, and in external relations with the society of these European countries. In Italy I retained the See, having obtained it only two months ago, and I'm not willing to give up this beautiful country too soon.

How much did the conflict with Constantinople influence these decisions?

I would simply say that this is a reorganization of existing structures. We have essentially never divided ourselves from the patriarchate of Constantinople. We have always recognized his primacy of honor and his role as mother-Church, from whom we received baptism. But with the latest events, our relations have become very complicated. In particular, with regards the pastoral care of the Russians in the Diaspora, we can not leave them without assistance, according to the Lord's command; they must be able to receive what they come to the Church for, beginning with the sacraments.

Apparently, the reorganization does not only affect Western Europe, but the whole Russian Diaspora in the world.

This is true. In fact, the new Exarchate of South-East Asia was also constituted, which includes about 10 countries: North and South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore (where the Esarca will be based) and in the other Asian States where the mission of the Russian Orthodox Church is particularly active and fruitful, with the recent opening of many new churches. For now there is only one exarch, but soon the bishops of some other countries should also be named, and the exarch will probably also be elevated to the dignity of Metropolitan.

In North America there is the network of the so-called "patriarchal parishes": those churches that wanted to remain directly under the patriarchate of Moscow when, in 1970, Moscow granted autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of America [not recognized by Constantinople - ed.). They represent the patriarchate of Moscow in the United States, but today they are unified in the administration to those of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, which met at the Moscow Patriarchate in 2007.

In South America there is one single Eparchy, which is currently governed by Metropolitan Ignatij (Pologrudov) based in Buenos Aires, founded again in 1945. There are parishes in Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, practically in all the countries of the continent.

It is what is called the "Russian world".

In fact, the tragic events of 1917 have left us a legacy that today, 100 years later, we can evaluate in a positive sense. Many people have had to leave the country to escape atheistic oppression, and the Church has moved following their tracks, realizing their vocation to preach the truth of Christ, baptize and distribute holy communion, forming new Christian communities throughout the world.

You just recalled that in 1970 Moscow granted autocephaly to the Americans. Could not you do the same with the Ukrainians?

Our Synod never discussed Ukrainian autocephaly, for the simple reason that it was never requested by the bishops and the faithful in Ukraine. A schismatic attempt was made by Metropolitan Filaret (Denisenko) in the 1990s, but was based more on political than ecclesial premises. If there were no political motives or pretexts of anti-monastic primacy on the part of Constantinople, we would be ready to face the question, I stress only for ecclesial reasons. If Constantinople had listened to the council that came from our Church, even in last August's meeting with Patriarch Kirill, we could have resolved the issue together, on the basis of canonical rules and mutual love.

Does it not seem to you that there is a bit of confusion among the Orthodox on these "canonical rules"?

The problem is that of the interpretation of these norms, which were written at the time of the seven ecumenical councils of the fathers of the Church, more than 1000 years ago. These rules reflect the situation of the Church in those times, and we are not always able to bring out the spirit of those precepts, becoming bogged down in the letter of the law. And this means that they are treated in opposing ways, especially with regard to the mission in the Diaspora: some believe that this is a prerogative of Constantinople, for others it is a duty of every single local Church. These questions should be addressed in the meetings between the heads of the Churches, in a dialogue made of love and truth, without ultimatums and without haste. History shows us that many questions could have been solved if there had been a real willingness to dialogue. At the moment it is difficult to think of possible pan-Orthodox meetings or councils. Unfortunately, the 2016 Council of Crete was not pan-Orthodox because there were four local Churches missing.

This break is a tragic fact, but perhaps clarity is emerging in the concept of universal Orthodoxy.

Some contrapositions between Moscow and Constantinople, about the interpretation of canonical norms and the structure of the Churches, have always existed. Since the patriarchate of Constantinople has begun to act in a unilateral way, threatening even the canonical integrity of our Russian Church, benevolent dialogue has been interrupted, and we can not see now how we can restore it in the future.

The Russian Orthodox Church has always proposed a model of autonomous and independent local Churches, which have every right to preach the Gospel and take care of their faithful, without interference from other local Churches. The mission of the Church, throughout the world, always remains one: to proclaim the death and ressurection of Christ, everything else is just a consequence. All this situation must lead only to a greater willingness to respond to this call of the Lord, not only for us Orthodox, but for all Christians of the world, to seek the unity of faith together.

* Professor of History and Russian Culture at the Pontifical Oriental Institute of Rome
NEW YORK, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that a federal securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of investors that purchased or otherwise acquired Cheetah Mobile Inc. (Cheetah or the Company) (NYSE: CMCM) American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) between April 26, 2017 and November 27, 2018, inclusive (the Class Period).



Investors who have incurred losses in the ADRs of Cheetah Mobile Inc. are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. You may obtain additional information concerning the action on our website, www.whafh.com.

If you have incurred losses in the ADRs of Cheetah Mobile Inc., you may, no later than January 29, 2019, request that the Court appoint you lead plaintiff of the proposed class. Please contact Wolf Haldenstein to learn more about your rights as an investor in Cheetah Mobile Inc.

## Follow the firm and learn about newly filed cases on Twitter and Facebook. ##

The filed complaint filed in this class action alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:

Cheetah Mobiles apps had undisclosed imbedded features which tracked when users downloaded new apps;



Cheetah Mobile used this data to inappropriately claim credit for having caused the downloads;



the foregoing features, when discovered, would foreseeably subject Cheetah Mobiles apps to removal from the Google Play store;



accordingly, Cheetah Mobiles revenues during the relevant period were in part the product of improper conduct and thus unsustainable; and



as a result, Cheetah Mobiles public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On November 26, 2018, BuzzFeed News reported that certain Cheetah apps were exploiting user permissions as part of an ad fraud scheme. Specifically, the article claimed that certain Cheetah apps tracked when users downloaded new apps and used this data to inappropriately claim credit for having caused the download.

On this news, Cheetahs share price fell $3.32 per share or nearly 37% over the next two trading days to close at $5.48 per share on November 27, 2018, thereby injuring investors.

Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation.

If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com , or visit our website at www.whafh.com.

Contact:

Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP

Kevin Cooper, Esq.

Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis

Email: gstone@whafh.com , kcooper@whafh.com or classmember@whafh.com

Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.




TORONTO and SPOKANE, Wash., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) gave notice (Notice) of the deemed denial by operation of law of the petition filed by Hydro One Limited (Hydro One) (TSX: H) and Avista Corporation (Avista) (NYSE: AVA) requesting the UTC to reconsider its denial of approval for Hydro Ones acquisition of Avista. In the same Notice, the UTC also denied the petition for a rehearing on the basis that it is moot. The companies are disappointed in the UTC's decision and will determine the appropriate next steps.



Hydro One and Avista filed a petition on December 17, 2018 requesting that the UTC reconsider its December 5, 2018 order denying approval of the acquisition, together with a petition requesting that the UTC rehear the matter to accept new evidence.

A copy of the Notice denying reconsideration and rehearing are available at https://www.utc.wa.gov/docs/Pages/DocketLookup.aspx?FilingID=170970



For further information:

Hydro One

Media:

Jay Armitage

Director, Corporate Communications

media.relations@hydroone.com, 416-345-6868

Investors:

Omar Javed

Vice President, Investor Relations

investor.relations@hydroone.com, 416-345-5943

Avista

Media:

Casey Fielder, Communications Manager

casey.fielder@avistacorp.com, 509-495-4916

Investors:

Jason Lang, Director of Finance

jason.lang@avistacorp.com, 509-495-2930

About Hydro One Limited

We are Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with more than 1.3 million valued customers, over C$25 billion in assets and 2017 annual revenues of nearly C$6 billion. Our team of over 7,400 skilled and dedicated regular and non-regular employees proudly and safely serves suburban, rural and remote communities across Ontario through our 30,000 circuit km of high-voltage transmission and 123,000 circuit km of primary distribution networks. Hydro One is committed to the communities we serve, and has been rated as the top utility in Canada for its corporate citizenship, sustainability, and diversity initiatives. We are one of only six utility companies in Canada to achieve the Sustainable Electricity Company designation from the Canadian Electricity Association. We also provide advanced broadband telecommunications services on a wholesale basis utilizing our extensive fibre optic network through Hydro One Telecom Inc. Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: H).

Forward-Looking Statements and Information

This press release and the Notice to which it refers may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Words such as "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "attempt", "may", "plan", "will", "can", "believe", "seek", "estimate", and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions and involve assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking information. Some of the factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed, implied or forecasted by such forward-looking information, including some of the assumptions used in making such statements, are discussed more fully in Hydro One's filings with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Hydro One does not intend, and it disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information, except as required by law.



About Avista Corporation

Avista Corporation is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 383,000 customers and natural gas to 348,000 customers. Its service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.6 million. Alaska Energy and Resources Company is an Avista subsidiary that provides retail electric service in the city and borough of Juneau, Alaska, through its subsidiary Alaska Electric Light and Power Company. Avista stock is traded under the ticker symbol "AVA." For more information about Avista, please visit www.myAvista.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than historical facts. Such statements speak only as of the date of the news release and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, in addition to those discussed herein, all of the factors discussed in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2018.
New York, NY, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blockchain Holdings Capital Ventures, Inc. (OTC: BHCV) ("BHCV" or the "Company") a holding company with a focus on finding, vetting and acquiring cash flowing assets including commercial real estate, energy and technology companies, today announced that it has entered into a letter of intent to purchase the assets of a 25-year-old Las Vegas, Nevada based company, Advanced Technologies Management, Inc., d/b/a Pictographics (ATM). ATM is a leading entity in a revolutionary technology known as additive manufacturing.



On December 31, 2018, Blockchain Holdings Capital Ventures, Inc. executed a letter of intent (LOI) to purchase the assets of ATM. The company had approximately $1M in revenue in 2018 and with our support we believe we can increase its revenues by more than 200% in 2019. The LOI proposes a total purchase price of $2,000,000 in stock valued at $.50 per share. The final details of this potential transaction are being worked out, and definitive agreements will be prepared after the completion of the due diligence process.

I am excited to announce this strategic acquisition to our investors. This transaction, if completed, will give us three very valuable resources in one transaction and marks another major milestone in our growth strategy. Upon consummation of the transaction we are expected to gain over $1.2M in equity in real-estate located in a valuable opportunity zone. Also, the additive manufacturing technology and potential partnerships with other companies as a result of this technology are expected to allow us to increase revenues exponentially. Finally, this acquisition will allow us to integrate ATMs proprietary X-Therm cooling technology into our mobile datacenter strategy." said Delray Wannemacher, CEO.

Upon signing of the definitive agreements, all the assets of ATM will be acquired by BHCV.

About Blockchain Holdings Capital Ventures, Inc.

Blockchain Holdings Capital Ventures, Inc. (BHCV) is a publicly traded holding company with a focus on finding, vetting and acquiring cash flowing assets including Commercial Real Estate, Energy and Technology Companies.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed, implied or inferred by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "would," "expects," "plans," "intends," "anticipates," "believes," estimates," "predicts," "projects," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. In evaluating these statements, you should specifically consider various factors. Actual events or results may differ materially. These and other factors may cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. These risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, and other reports filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the information included in this release, except as otherwise required by law.

For more information about BHCV, please visit: http://www.bhcv.io

Invest@BHCV.io

(833) 682-2428 (T)
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leaf Group Ltd. (NYSE: LEAF), a diversified consumer internet company, announced that the Company's Chief Financial Officer, Jantoon Reigersman, and Vice President of Corporate Finance & Investor Relations, Shawn Milne, will attend the 21st annual Needham Growth Conference in New York City, on Tuesday, January 15, 2019.



Management will be hosting one-on-one investor meetings at the conference.

The Companys most recent investor presentation is available on Leaf Groups Investor Relations website at ir.leafgroup.com under the Events & Presentations page.

About Leaf Group

Leaf Group Ltd. (NYSE: LEAF) is a diversified consumer internet company that builds enduring, creator-driven brands that reach passionate audiences in large and growing lifestyle categories, including fitness and wellness (Well+Good, Livestrong.com and MyPlate App), and art and design (Saatchi Art, Society6 and Hunker). For more information about Leaf Group, visit www.leafgroup.com.

Investor Contacts

Jantoon Reigersman

310-917-6413

IR@leafgroup.com

Shawn Milne

415-264-3419

shawn.milne@leafgroup.com

Media Contact

Sharna Daduk

310-917-6405

sharna.daduk@leafgroup.com
New investors include ArrowMark, LifeSci Venture Partners, and strategic partner, Dexcom

RTW made an additional Series B investment

Strategic partner, Zealand Pharma completed $5 million Series B investment

BOSTON, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beta Bionics, Inc.  a medical technology company leveraging lifelong, machine-learning, artificial intelligence to develop and commercialize the worlds first autonomous bionic pancreas  today announced that the company has now completed its Series B equity financing, which has reached a total of $63 million.

New investors in the round include strategic partner Dexcom, and funds managed by ArrowMark Partners and LifeSci Venture Partners. We are thrilled to help Beta Bionics fund their innovative iLeta system through pivotal clinical trials and the FDA approval process. Based on our due diligence, we believe the iLet will transform glucose control for millions of people living with diabetes across the globe, stated Paul Yook, General Partner of LifeSci Venture Partners. The team at Beta Bionics has the potential to develop the worlds first bionic pancreas that could revolutionize the management of diabetes, said Tuan Huynh of ArrowMark Partners. Currently with about 3.2 million intensively managed patients in the US, there is tremendous opportunity to not only help reduce patient burden, but also for Beta Bionics.

RTW Investments added to their initial investment with a follow-on investment in this final close. "We are excited by the potential the iLet has to transform the lives of patients and thrilled to support the talented team at Beta Bionics," said Naveen Yalamanchi, M.D., Partner and Portfolio Manager at RTW Investments.

The Series B round was led by Eventide Asset Management, LLC, the advisor to Eventide Mutual Funds, which invested alongside RTW in an earlier closing that was announced on August 31, 2018.

Also participating in this final close was strategic partner Zealand Pharma, developer of a stable and pump compatible glucagon analog called dasiglucagon. In 2017, Zealand made an initial $1.5 million equity investment in Beta Bionics with an option to invest a further $3.5 million pending the achievement of specific development milestones. Zealand has now exercised this option based on the significant regulatory and clinical progress Beta Bionics and Zealand have made throughout 2018.

Beta Bionics is the developer of the iLet Bionic Pancreas System, which was recently tested in home-use clinical trials in 2018 in adults and children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The iLet consists of a dual-chamber, autonomous, infusion pump that mimics a biological pancreas. Embedded in the system are clinically tested mathematical dosing algorithms driven by lifelong machine learning to autonomously calculate and dose insulin and/or glucagon as needed, based on data from a continuous glucose monitor. Designed with unprecedented simplicity of use, the iLet requires only body weight for initialization and then proceeds to autonomously control the individuals blood-glucose levels, and to continuously adapt to the individuals ever-changing insulin needs.

Funds will be used to support ongoing product development at Beta Bionics, iLet phase 3 clinical trials, and regulatory submission of the iLet PMA application to the US Food and Drug Administration.

We are delighted to have completed our first institutional financing of Beta Bionics, said Ed Damiano founder and CEO of Beta Bionics. This is an historic milestone for Beta Bionics for sure, but it is also a noteworthy precedent for the medical technology industry and investment community, as well. As the first and only public benefit corporation and Certified B Corp in the medical technology industry, Beta Bionics is a force for public good; and this commitment has resonated with the strong syndicate of supportive and visionary investors we have assembled alongside our strategic investors, including Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Zealand Pharma and Dexcom. The enthusiastic reception that we were met with from the investment community in 2018 led to a larger-than-anticipated Series B financing, which has put us in a strong position going into 2019 to advance our ambitious mission of bringing to market the worlds first, fully autonomous, bionic pancreas.

Piper Jaffray served as the Companys advisors for the Series B transaction.

About the iLet

The iLet bionic pancreas system is a pocket-sized, wearable medical device that autonomously controls blood-sugar levels in people with diabetes. The lifelong, machine-learning, mathematical dosing algorithms integrated into the iLet were licensed by Beta Bionics from Boston University. In previous home-use studies in adults and children with T1D, these algorithms demonstrated dramatic improvements in glycemic control relative to the standard of care. These improvements included significant reductions in blood-glucose levels, in hypoglycemia, and in intersubject and intrasubject glycemic variability (New England Journal of Medicine. 2014, 371:313-25; Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. 2016, 4:233-43; Lancet. 2016, 389:369-80).

To initialize the iLet, users enter only their body weight. Immediately thereafter, the iLet begins controlling blood-sugar levels automatically, without requiring the user to count carbohydrates, set insulin delivery rates, or deliver bolus insulin for meals or corrections. The iLet is effectively three medical devices in one. It can be configured as an insulin-only bionic pancreas, a glucagon-only bionic pancreas, or a dual-hormone bionic pancreas (insulin and glucagon). The glucagon-only configuration may be helpful in rare, chronic, low blood-sugar conditions, such as congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) and insulinoma syndrome. Beta Bionics is committed to obtaining regulatory approval and commercializing all three iLet configurations.

About Beta Bionics

Beta Bionics is a for-profit Massachusetts public benefit corporation founded in 2015 to commercialize the iLet, a revolutionary bionic pancreas that is driven by mathematical dosing algorithms, which incorporate machine-learning artificial intelligence to autonomously control glycemia. These mathematical dosing algorithms were developed in the Damiano Lab at Boston University and refined based on results from home-use clinical trials in adults and children with T1D. Beta Bionics is a Certified B Corporation whose foundersin addition to Ed Damianoinclude other parents of children with type 1 diabetes and people with type 1 diabetes. Beta Bionics is committed to acting in the best interests of the diabetes community and to profoundly disrupting the diabetes medical device industry by bringing the iLet to market as expeditiously and responsibly as possible. Beta Bionics is pursuing regulatory approval of its insulin-only bionic pancreas, followed by its dual-hormone system, which will also administer a glucagon analog in order to raise blood-sugar levels without the need to consume carbohydrates.



Beta Bionics is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with certain operations in Irvine, California. For further information, please visit www.betabionics.com or follow Beta Bionics Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter @BetaBionics.

Company Contacts

Ed Damiano

edamiano@betabionics.com

Ed Raskin

eraskin@betabionics.com

Investor Relations Contact

Jeremy Feffer

jeremy@lifesciadvisors.com
LONDON, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Ship Lease, Inc. (NYSE: GSL) (the Company or GSL) today announced the election of three Term I Directors at the Companys Annual Meeting of Shareholders, held today in London.



The Directors, Philippe Lemonnier, Henry Mannix III and Alain Pitner, were elected to serve until the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until such time as a successor has been duly elected and qualified.

Additionally, Shareholders ratified the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers S.A. as the Companys independent public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

About Global Ship Lease

Global Ship Lease is a leading independent owner of containerships with a diversified fleet of mid-sized and smaller containerships. Incorporated in the Marshall Islands, Global Ship Lease commenced operations in December 2007 with a business of owning and chartering out containerships under mainly long-term, fixed-rate charters to top tier container liner companies. On November 15, 2018, it completed a strategic combination with Poseidon Containers.

Global Ship Lease owns 38 vessels ranging from 2,207 to 11,040 TEU, of which nine are fuel efficient new-design wide beam, with a total capacity of 198,793 TEU and an average age, weighted by TEU capacity, of 11.0 years determined as at December 31, 2018.

The average remaining term of the charters at December 31, 2018 was 2.5 years on a weighted basis.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide the Companys current expectations or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements include statements about the Companys expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts. Words or phrases such as anticipate, believe, continue, estimate, expect, intend, may, ongoing, plan, potential, predict, project, will or similar words or phrases, or the negatives of those words or phrases, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that may be incorrect, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or expectations included in these forward-looking statements will come to pass. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including the factors described in Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F and the factors and risks the Company describes in subsequent reports filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Investor and Media Contact:

The IGB Group

Bryan Degnan

646-673-9701

or

Leon Berman

212-477-8438
TORONTO, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- mihi, the new customer centric cannabis retailer, has entered the AGCOs lottery process by successfully submitting expressions of interest. With over 40 committed locations already secured and a commitment to building relationships in every community, mihi is well positioned to achieve its goal of building one of Ontarios largest cannabis retail platforms.



The provincial government has stated that this lottery is a temporary measure and it fully intends to return to the previously defined competitive private retail system as soon as increased cannabis supply comes online.



This lottery is one step in our journey to become the leading independent cannabis retailer in the province of Ontario. Weve built an experienced retail team that can deliver a unique brand experience in a new industry sector. Weve also secured a dedicated team of commercial real estate professionals to execute on our store build-out, said mihi CEO Tom Dyck.



While this temporary lottery may only deliver one mihi store license, the company fully intends to apply for up to the maximum 75 store licenses and build a province wide retail network in line with Bill 36 and the enabling regulations that outline the retail framework in Ontario.



mihi, pronounced mee hee is a Latin word meaning for me. The retailer has invested in extensive customer focused research to ensure it meets its mandate of delivering the most customer centric retail experience in Ontario. The mihi team is planning to deliver that through a personalized needs-based approach, a carefully curated product selection and a welcoming atmosphere.



We believe in the importance of community, added Dyck. For us, this means both building positive relationships in the neighbourhoods in which we operate, as well as the community of entrepreneurs in cannabis.



mihi is proud to be the first retail store to join the OICE (Ontarios Independent Cannabis Entrepreneurs) and will feature craft producers and cannabis entrepreneurs in its stores while actively seeking out and welcoming smaller, craft cannabis entrepreneurs. mihi stores were designed by award winning Shikatani Lacroix.



For more on mihi  please visit www.mihicannabis.ca




NEW YORK, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Levi & Korsinsky, LLP announces that class action lawsuits have commenced on behalf of shareholders of the following publicly-traded companies. Shareholders interested in serving as lead plaintiff have until the deadlines listed to petition the court and further details about the cases can be found at the links provided. There is no cost or obligation to you.

Altice USA, Inc. (NYSE: ATUS)

Class Period: Pursuant and/or traceable to the June 2017 Initial Public Offering

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: January 18, 2019

Join the action: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/altice-usa-inc-loss-form?wire=3

The complaint alleges that the Offering Documents issued pursuant to the IPO failed to disclose and/or misstated material information, including that: (1) The Altice Way proprietary growth model previously developed in Europe and described in the Offering Documents as a means to achieve superior margin performance was falsely touting Altices capacity to face already existing highly competitive environments and ever-changing consumer behaviors; (2) Altice was suffering from aggressively growing competition both in Europe and the United States, directly causing negative and decelerating revenue and EBITDA growth and impacting Altices market share; (3) specifically, Altice was suffering from mismanaged rate events, regulatory compliance and poorly managed network and customer care both in its France and Portugal segments, thereby impacting its customer base and churn rate; (4) Altice USA could not simply replicate the The Altice Way in the U.S.; and (5) as a result, Altice USAs Offering Documents were materially misleading at all relevant times.

To learn more about the Altice USA, Inc. class action contact jlevi@levikorsinsky.com .



Ternium S.A. (NYSE: TX)

Class Period: May 1, 2014 - November 27, 2018

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: January 28, 2019

Join the action: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/ternium-s-a-loss-form?wire=3

Allegations: Ternium S.A. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendant Paolo Rocca, Terniums Chairman, knew that one of his companys executives paid cash to government officials from 2009 to 2012 to expedite compensation payments for the sale of Terniums Sidor unit; (2) this conduct would lead Rocca to be charged in a graft scheme and subject Ternium, its affiliates, and/or its executives to heightened governmental scrutiny; and (3) as a result, Terniums public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times. On November 27, 2018, Bloomberg reported that Rocca was indicted for his role in a graft scheme. According to the article, The judge charged Rocca after the Argentine billionaire testified that one of his companys executives paid an undisclosed amount of cash to government officials in monthly installments from 2009 to 2012. The officials were allegedly working for then-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchners administration to speed up a compensation payment from Venezuelas Hugo Chavez for the nationalization of Sidor, a unit that had been seized by Venezuela. Roccas group was compensated with $1.95 billion for the unit.

To learn more about the Ternium S.A. class action contact jlevi@levikorsinsky.com .


LAS VEGAS, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hi-Tek Media is proud to announce a partnership with iSIGN Media Corp. (iSIGN) (TSX-V: ISD) (OTC: ISDSF), to provide marketing services to mobile devices, combined with Security Alert Messaging (SAM) in specific metropolitan areas in the United States. Hi-Tek Media will integrate iSIGNs innovative proprietary Smart Antenna hardware and SAM solutions to be installed on stationary and mobile platforms to provide unique marketing solutions combined with security alert messaging.



To create this first of its kind network in the U.S., Hi-Tek Media is constructing mobile networks using iSIGNs high technology hardware aboard emergency vehicles. The system provides broad coverage across specifically chosen locations and delivers an innovative partnership of SAM and commercial marketing delivery.

Because the network is installed on emergency vehicles, it can remain operable during a crisis and will include a disaster mode that will interrupt marketing functions in a crisis, said Hi-Tek Media CEO Michele Bedwell. The network plan for 2300 Smart Antenna units will provide for improved public safety while offering a valuable new way for businesses to reach new customers and offer them integrated connectivity across social media and the web.

Hi-Tek Media has chosen its home state of Nevada for the first network launch, with plans to expand to Texas, Illinois and Massachusetts during the first quarter of 2019. Planned expansions include eleven (11) states by end of 2019.

The marketing element of this program comes with commitments from Hi-Tek Media to make iSIGNs SAM, the public safety element, the first priority.

Hi-Teks expectations, based on clients and their operations in Nevada, Texas, Illinois and Massachusetts is that 1,000 SAM licenses as well as 1,000 Smart Antennas would be required during the first year of the partnership. Revenue expectation for the first 24 months of the partnership is anticipated to be approximately $2.9 million.

About Hi-Tek Media

Hi-Tek is a full-service digital marketing company with 21 years of experience in marketing. Hi-Tek is uniquely positioned to provide cutting edge marketing, digital production and media management. www.hi-tekmedia.com

About iSIGN Media

iSIGN media, based in Toronto, Canada, is a data-focused, software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that is a pioneer in gathering point of sale data and mobile shopper preferences to generate actionable data and reveal valuable consumer insights. iSIGN has leveraged their technological expertise to become the leading provider of interactive, mobile advertising and public security alert solutions. Partners include IBM, Keyser Retail Solutions, Baylor University, Verizon Wireless, TELUS, and Conservaco. www.isignmedia.com
Vancouver, BC, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Lucky Minerals Inc. (TSX.V: LKY) (OTCPK: LKMNF) (FRA: LKY) (Lucky or the "Company") is pleased to announce further results of an on-going geological mapping survey conducted on its Fortuna Project (the Project) located approximately 60 km south-east of the Town of Cuenca, Ecuador.



48 assay results have been received from the November field survey. Assays of less than 50 ppm up to 0.075% Cu (750 ppm), less than 50 ppm up to 0.03% Mo (300 ppm) and 0.01 g/t Au up to 1.21 g/t Au have been reported. Anomalous gold values from 0 of up to 130 ppb have been also reported in the breccias within the Porphyry.

Surface prospecting undertaken in early December has located what management believe is a mineralized Porphyry system that displays an ovoid shape being 1.3 km long with an estimated width of 1 km; approximately 90% of the Porphyry signature has been mapped to date. This structure is trending north-west and lies on the junction of two regional NNE and NW structures.

During this most recent campaign, B veinlets varying between 1mm to 3mm have been widely observed in the Porphyry as well as major stockworks. The widespread presence of B veins, including some cross-cutting D veins, stockworks and numerous Mo showings indicate that we are on top of the Porphyry system and getting closer to the core of mineralization. It should be noted that no A veins have been encountered yet. Luckys exploration team believes that this current mapping program has identified a large-scale Porphyry system that will be subjected to detailed and ongoing field follow-up in the coming weeks. 50 mineralized samples from the above referenced B veins have been sent for assaying; results are pending.

QUALITY CONTROL

Rock samples on the Project were assayed by ALS in Lima with preparation performed in Quito. Samples were pulverized with 85% being under 75 microns and assayed by XRF and ICP techniques for multi-elements (four acid digestion) and major oxides. Gold was assayed using a 30g fire assay with AA finish.

Exploration program design and interpretation of results is performed by a Qualified person (QP) employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with industry best practices including the use of standards at every 20 samples.

NEXT STEPS

Starting early 2019, finalization of the current mapping program will be undertaken along with an airborne geophysical survey. Improvement of the existing dirt road and trails to an all-weather 14 km gravel road will be undertaken upon social approval. Aggressive grid-style sampling will continue on Fortuna 3 as well as regional prospecting on the 40 km major regional NNE structure. Other major regional NNE trending structures observed on the property will also be mapped and sampled.

This may be followed by a drilling program later in 2019. Fortuna 3 is one of 12 contiguous concessions which make up the Fortuna Property. Virtually no exploration has been done on these highly prospective concessions. Considerable potential exists for finding significant porphyry and epithermal Cu-Au mineralization throughout the Fortuna concessions.

Lucky Minerals is very pleased by the results of this ongoing reconnaissance exploration program and we will continue to characterize in more details the identified porphyry system. We are excited to aggressively explore and prospect other targets on Fortuna 3 as well as on the 11 remaining concessions, says CEO John Mears.

About Lucky

An exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in proven districts with the potential to host world class deposits.

The Fortuna Project

Lucky Minerals holds a 100% interest in Fortuna, a 550 km2 property in the heart of a proven and highly mineralized mineral district in Ecuador but which has seen only limited exploration and has never been drilled.

Evidence of significant hydrothermal alteration, stockwork, breccias, geochemical anomalies and placer mining supports potential for Cu/Au porphyry systems and epithermal Au deposits similar to numerous multi-million-ounce Au and bulk tonnage Cu deposits ~40km away.

This press release has been prepared by Alain Moreau, P.Geo., VP-Exploration at Lucky Minerals Inc., a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 instrument. For further information, please consult Luckys website or contact: Tel: 866 924-6484, info@luckyminerals.com www.luckyminerals.com .

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

John Mears

Chief Executive Officer

Further information regarding the Company can be found on SEDAR at www.SEDAR.com .

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Luckys periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Lucky from time to time with securities regulatory authorities. We seek safe harbor.
by Sumon Corraya

US-born Fr Robert Terence McCahill is 81 years old. He came to Bangladesh in 1975 after 11 years in the Philippines. He chose to live poor among the poor. Muslims call him "brother Bob".

Shariatpur (AsiaNews)  Fr Robert Terence McCahill, 81, wakes up every day at three in the morning, recites his prayers and says Mass, and then travels to villages in search of sick people in need of treatment.

The Maryknoll missionary has been in Bangladesh for 43 years serving the poor and disadvantaged in the Muslim majority country. When a Muslim man asked him to become Christian, he said: "You will only have sorrow". The man insisted: "You dont understand Father, I want to become a Christian". The priest said again: "In doing so, you will have great sorrow."

Today the priest lives in Shariatpur, Dhaka Division. Born in the United States, Fr Robert is known to everyone as Bob Bhai, or brother Bob. In 1964, two months after he was ordained, he left for the mission in the Philippines, where he remained for 11 years.

After hearing that Bangladesh was really in need and that it was ravaged by famine and natural disasters, I decided to work for the people of this country. Five of us came; two are left.

Among Maryknoll missionaries, Fr Robert is still the only one who works for Muslims. "Immediately after my arrival, I realised that I did not want to be a parish priest. I could bear witness to Christ more intensely among Muslims."

His mission was not simple because he decided to live among the poor like the poor. In all, he has travelled to 12 districts all over the country. When I realise that people start to love me, I change places to go where I am needed the most".

He rented bamboo houses and lived that way until the terror attack of 1 July 2016, the day of the Dhaka bar bombing. "Since then, the police no longer allow me to live in huts for my own safety," he explained.

Like his mission, life was never simple. "At first I met suspicious people. They were not used to missionaries and foreigners among Muslims and did not trust me."

One of them was Malak Islam, father of Al Amin, a six-year-old disabled child. "The man did not want me to take his son to the hospital for treatment. He made up his mind only after two and a half years." Malak Islam now says I am grateful to Brother Bob. Thanks to him, my son is improving a lot".

Despite rising Islamic fundamentalism, the missionary has never been threatened. For him, "We are all one human family: Christians, Hindus, Muslims. I have never tried to convert anyone, I only show love, compassion and the good that Jesus did in his life."

At 81, the priest is not yet ready to "retire. I enjoy good health, ride my bicycle, am happy from my religious life. I am ready to move to a new district."
Chicago, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prevent Child Abuse America and its board of directors announced today that Dan Duffy will transition out of the CEO role to start a government affairs consulting firm focused on strengthening American families.

Dan has brought great dedication and energy to PCA America during his three years as CEO. His efforts have strengthened our organization, and we are well positioned to continue our important work of preventing the abuse and neglect of our nations children, said Board Chair Andrea Robertson. Duffy, a former Illinois State Senator, will continue to act as CEO during the transition phase while the board conducts a search for a new CEO.

It has been an honor to be the president and CEO of Prevent Child Abuse America. I am very proud of what our team has accomplished, and I look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of our nations children, said Duffy.

About Prevent Child Abuse America

Founded in 1972, Prevent Child Abuse America is a national organization with chapters in all 50 states and nearly 600 Healthy Families America home visitation sites. PCA America promotes services that improve child well-being and develop programs that help to prevent all types of abuse and neglect. Ninety-four cents of every dollar spent goes directly into our programs and services. Prevent Child Abuse America is highly recognized as one of the top charities for children in the nation by Consumer Reports and has received top ratings from charity oversight organizations, including: Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits and GuideStar. Visit www.preventchildabuse.org to learn more.
CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Founders Advantage Capital Corp. (TSX-V: FCF) (the Corporation) is pleased to announce that its investee partner Club16 Limited Partnership (Club16) will open a new 20,000 sq. ft. co-ed club in Tsawwassen, British Columbia on Friday, January 11, 2019. With the opening of the new club, Club16 will have a total of 14 fitness clubs (currently serving appx. 85,000 members) in the Greater Metro Vancouver area. The new club is located at the Tsawwassen Commons Shopping Centre at 4949 Canoe Pass Way, Delta, BC and will accommodate up to 5,500 members.



Chuck Lawson, President of Club16 commented: We are pleased to report the opening of the new Tsawwassen location. As we have already signed-up over 1,700 members for this club during the pre-registration process, there seems to be a lot of support for the new club from the community. Were excited to get the new club open and to expand our family of Club16 members.

The Corporation's common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol FCF.

For further information please refer to the Corporation's website at www.advantagecapital.ca.



Contact information for the Corporation is as follows:

Amar Leekha

Senior Vice-President

403-455-6671

aleekha@advantagecapital.ca

James Bell

Interim Chief Financial Officer

403-455-2218

jbell@advantagecapital.ca



NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anfield Energy Inc. (TSX-V: AEC, OTCQB: ANLDF, FRANKFURT: 0AD) (Anfield or the Company) is pleased to announce, further to its news release on March 12, 2018, that it has signed an Asset Purchase Agreement (APA) with Cotter Corporation (N.S.L.) (Cotter), an arms-length party, to acquire both: the Charlie ISR Uranium Project (the Charlie Project) located in the Pumpkin Buttes Uranium District in Johnson County, Wyoming; and nine past-producing uranium/vanadium properties in the Montrose and San Miguel Counties of Colorado, collectively known as the West Slope Project (West Slope Project).



Anfields CEO, Corey Dias, commented: We are excited to acquire these projects which significantly expand our uranium and vanadium portfolios. The Charlie Project represents an important step forward in creating an ISR uranium mine-and-mill complex in Wyoming as we seek to leverage our resin processing agreement with Uranium One. Further, the West Slope Project provides Anfield with the potential to extend the mill life of our conventional Shootaring Canyon Mill, thereby strengthening our uranium/vanadium mine-and-mill complex. Importantly, Anfield will also have access to the data from the previous exploration activities at both the Charlie Project and the West Slope Project, allowing for rapid preparation of technical reports on both projects. Consequently, as uranium and vanadium markets trend upwards, we are now even better-positioned for production at the appropriate time.

The transaction will be settled with the issuance of common shares of Anfield to Cotter equal to a 19.9% ownership interest in Anfield and, should either project proceed to production, Cotter will retain a 20% interest in all yellowcake production from the Charlie Project and a 15% interest in all yellowcake and vanadium production from the West Slope Project. Based on the current outstanding share capital of Anfield, the transaction is expected to result in the issuance of 11,051,775 common shares to Cotter. In accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the deemed value of the transaction will be determined based upon the maximum allowable discount (25%) from the market price of the Companys common shares following the issuance of this news release.

The Charlie Project

Inexco Oil began exploration drilling on the Charlie Project in 1969 and over a two-year period completed 215 holes, comprising 91,000 ft. of drilling. A joint venture was formed with Uranerz USA in 1974 and an additional 715 holes were completed, including 57 core holes, totaling 283,906 ft. Cotter acquired the project from Uranerz and proceeded to evaluate it for both conventional open pit and in situ mining methods. Cotter excavated a 200 ft. test pit in 1981 on a small ore zone east of the main trend. Falling uranium prices in the 1980s halted further development on the project.

On September 5, 2018, Anfield announced that BRS Engineering had completed a uranium resource estimate  commissioned by Anfield  for the Charlie Project (Charlie Uranium Project, Mineral Resource NI 43-101 Technical Report, Johnson County, Wyoming, USA, October 5, 2018). The resource estimate includes:

an Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,260,000 tons of mineralized material with an average grade of 0.123% eU 3 O 8 (equivalent to an Indicated Resource of 3,100,000 pounds of eU 3 O 8 ); and





O (equivalent to an Indicated Resource of 3,100,000 pounds of eU O ); and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 558,000 tons of mineralized material with an average grade of 0.125% eU 3 O 8 (equivalent to an Inferred Resource of 1,400,000 pounds of eU 3 O 8 ); and



O (equivalent to an Inferred Resource of 1,400,000 pounds of eU O ); and in addition to the disclosed Mineral Resource, an Exploration Target ranging from 280,000 to 680,000 tons with an average grade ranging from 0.090 to 0.151 %eU 3 O 8 (equivalent to an Exploration Target ranging from 500,000 to 1,300,000 pounds of eU 3 O 8 ).

The West Slope Project

The West Slope Project, located in Montrose and San Miguel Counties of southwestern Colorado, consist of nine Department of Energy (DOE) leases, associated with adjacent lode mining claims and leases, covering 6,913 acres on which past uranium production has taken place. Between 1977 and 2006, approximately 1.3Mlbs of uranium and 6.6Mlbs of vanadium were produced from these mines. In 2007, Behre Dolbear was commissioned by Cotter to produce a Technical Report for the West Slope Project (Technical Report on Nine Properties Held by Cotter Corporation in Montrose and San Miguel Counties, Colorado, USA, August 16, 2007). Using available data and using a cut-off of 0.05% uranium, Behre Dolbear estimated an in-place Measured Resource of 2.1Mt of uranium at an average grade of 0.25% for a total of 11Mlbs of uranium and an in-place Measured resource of 1.2Mt of vanadium at an average grade of 1.2% for a total of 53Mlbs of vanadium.



Historical Resources - West Slope Intercepts greater than 0.05% U3O8 U3O8 V205 Property Tons (millions) % Pounds (millions) % Pounds (millions) JD-6 0.16 0.15 0.48 0.75 2.4 JD-7 0.77 0.26 4.0 1.1 17 JD-8 0.31 0.24 1.5 1.3 7.9 JD-9 0.23 0.24 1.1 1.2 5.7 SR-11 0.17 0.29 0.99 1.9 6.6 SR-13A 0.01 0.22 0.26 1.4 1.7 SM-18N 0.097 0.23 0.45 1.1 2.1 SM-18S 0.047 0.26 0.24 1.5 1.3 LP-21 0.19 0.23 0.87 1.2 4.6 CM-25 0.092 0.36 0.66 1.7 3.2 Total 2.1 0.25 11 1.2 53

Anfield considers these estimates to be historical in nature and cautions that a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and Anfield is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserves.

The transaction will close following TSX Venture Exchange approval. All securities issued in connection with the transaction will be subject to a four-month-and-one-day statutory hold period prescribed by applicable securities laws. No finders fees are payable in connection with the completion of the transaction.

About Anfield

Anfield is a uranium and vanadium development and near-term production company that is committed to becoming a top-tier energy-related fuels supplier by creating value through sustainable, efficient growth in its assets. Anfield is a publicly-traded corporation listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange (AEC-V), the OTCQB Marketplace (ANLDF) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (0AD). Anfield is focused on two project centres, as summarized below:

Wyoming  Irigaray ISR Processing Plant (Resin Processing Agreement)

Anfield has also signed a Resin Processing Agreement with Uranium One whereby Anfield would process up to 500,000 pounds per annum of its mined material at Uranium Ones Irigaray processing plant in Wyoming. In addition, the Company can both buy and borrow uranium from Uranium One in order to fulfill some or all of its sales contracts.



Anfields 24 ISR mining projects are located in the Black Hills, Powder River Basin, Great Divide Basin, Laramie Basin, Shirley Basin and Wind River Basin areas in Wyoming. Anfields two projects in Wyoming for which NI 43-101 resource reports have been completed are Red Rim and Clarkson Hill.

Arizona/Utah  Shootaring Canyon Mill

A key asset in Anfields portfolio is the Shootaring Canyon Mill in Garfield County, Utah. The Shootaring Canyon Mill is strategically located within one of the historically most prolific uranium production areas in the United States, and is one of only three licensed uranium mills in the United States.

Anfields conventional uranium assets consist of mining claims and state leases in southeastern Utah and Arizona, targeting areas where past uranium mining or prospecting occurred. Anfields conventional uranium assets include the Velvet-Wood Project, the Frank M Uranium Project, as well as the Findlay Tank breccia pipe. An NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) has been completed for the Velvet-Wood Project. The PEA is preliminary in nature, and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment would be realized. All conventional uranium assets are situated within a 125-mile radius of the Shootaring Mill.

About Cotter Corporation

Cotter Corporation is a General Atomics (GA) affiliate headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Originally incorporated in 1956 in New Mexico as a uranium production company, Cotter was purchased by and became a wholly owned subsidiary of Commonwealth Edison in 1975. GA acquired Cotter in early 2000. Through its various mining and milling operations, Cotter has produced uranium, vanadium, molybdenum, silver, lead, zinc, copper, selenium, nickel, cobalt, tungsten and limestone.

Douglas L. Beahm, P.E., P.G. has approved the scientific and technical disclosure, relating to the Charlie Project, in the news release. He is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

ANFIELD ENERGY, INC.

Corey Dias, Chief Executive Officer



Contact:

Anfield Energy, Inc.

Clive Mostert

Corporate Communications

780-920-5044

contact@anfieldenergy.com

www.anfieldenergy.com



Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Safe Harbor Statement

THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. STATEMENTS IN THIS NEWS RELEASE THAT ARE NOT PURELY HISTORICAL ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INCLUDE ANY STATEMENTS REGARDING BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS OR INTENTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE.

EXCEPT FOR THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION PRESENTED HEREIN, MATTERS DISCUSSED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH STATEMENTS. STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS, INCLUDING STATEMENTS THAT ARE PRECEDED BY, FOLLOWED BY, OR THAT INCLUDE SUCH WORDS AS ESTIMATE, ANTICIPATE, BELIEVE, PLAN OR EXPECT OR SIMILAR STATEMENTS ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES FOR THE COMPANY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MINERAL EXPLORATION AND FUNDING AS WELL AS THE RISKS SHOWN IN THE COMPANYS MOST RECENT ANNUAL AND QUARTERLY REPORTS AND FROM TIME-TO-TIME IN OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMPANY. OTHER RISKS INCLUDE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SEEKING THE CAPITAL NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THE REGULATORY APPROVAL PROCESS, COMPETITIVE COMPANIES, FUTURE CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND THE COMPANYS ABILITY AND LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR ITS EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT THE COMPANY WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THAT THE COMPANYS EXPLORATION EFFORTS WILL SUCCEED OR THE COMPANY WILL ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE MADE AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, AND THE COMPANY ASSUMES NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, OR TO UPDATE THE REASONS WHY ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER FROM THOSE PROJECTED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. ALTHOUGH THE COMPANY BELIEVES THAT THE BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS AND INTENTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE ARE REASONABLE, THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THOSE BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS OR INTENTIONS WILL PROVE TO BE ACCURATE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER ALL OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN AND SHOULD ALSO REFER TO THE RISK FACTORS DISCLOSED IN THE COMPANYS PERIODIC REPORTS FILED FROM TIME-TO-TIME.

THIS NEWS RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED BY MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY WHO TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENTS.
Las Vegas, CES 2019 - HERE Technologies, a global leader in mapping and location platform services, and Fathom Systems, a global provider of innovative Bluetooth asset tracking services, today announced a comprehensive solution for highly accurate, real-time asset tracking.





The integrated HERE and Fathom solution enables asset managers and the transportation and logistics industry to move from the existing "stage to gate" tracking process to real-time location awareness of an asset with pinpoint accuracy. This is accomplished by the integration of HERE Indoor Positioning software with the Fathom Locatortm cloud-based subscription service, via API, and the Fathom Hubs, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) scanning hardware devices deployed at the customer site.





"Product and equipment makers can no longer afford to have a general sense of where their assets are located in the age of global supply chains and multi-stage manufacturing," said Erminio Di Paola, Vice President, Tracking & Positioning at HERE Technologies. "We are excited to work with Fathom to deliver a tracking solution that meets the rigorous demands of today's business operations."





The combination of HERE Indoor Positioning software for accurate, indoor and outdoor asset tracking and Fathom's real-time BLE asset tracking platform provides users every component necessary for end-to-end asset tracking and positioning. A critical function is the solution's advancement of the "stage to gate" process - where the whereabouts of an asset is relative to when it enters and departs a facility - to real-time, indoor positioning and tracking throughout the journey. The solution also allows customers to geofence assets to automate the "stage to gate" process, and receive alerts if the asset moves beyond the geofence boundaries.





"We are excited to work with HERE and enable common partners and customers to deploy innovative, BLE-based solutions to the rich and diverse asset tracking sectors", said Guylain Roy MacHabee, CEO of Fathom Systems. "Our unique and patented combination of cloud-based positioning and on-premises BLE scanning equipment offers a cost-effective and scalable option for asset, personel or inventory tracking."





About HERE Technologies

HERE, the Open Location Platform company, enables people, businesses and cities to harness the power of location. By making sense of the world through the lens of location we empower our customers to achieve better outcomes - from helping a city manage its infrastructure or a business optimize its assets to guiding drivers to their destination safely. To learn more about HERE, including our new generation of cloud-based location platform services, visit http://360.here.com and www.here.com.





About Fathom Systems

Fathom represents the next generation of indoor location technology, utilizing Bluetooth to enable asset tracking and RTLS with 2 meters or better accuracy. Our subscription-based location as a service (LaaS) offering enables specialized Fathom Hubs deployed at a customer's premises to locate any BLE device or tag within the facility. Fathom's cloud architecture provides reliable, scalable and simple integration with a customer's existing asset tracking, business intelligence, compliance or control systems. Fathom provides greater coverage than RFID, better accuracy than Wi-Fi and a lower cost than UWB. Visit www.fathomsys.com for more information.





Media Contacts:

HERE Technologies:

Jordan Stark

+1 312 316 4537

jordan.stark@here.com





Dr. Sebastian Kurme

+49 173 515 3549

sebastian.kurme@here.com





Fathom Systems Inc.:

Guylain Roy MacHabee

guylain@fathomsys.com
BETHLEHEM, Pa., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- B. Braun Medical Inc. announced today that OnGuard  Closed System Transfer Device (CSTD) demonstrated effective barrier performance under the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Draft Protocol for CSTD used during pharmacy compounding and the administration of hazardous drugs.



NIOSH, the United States federal agency responsible for preventing work-related injury and illness, issued a universal draft protocol in September 2016 to evaluate the performance of CSTDs. They listed nine proposed surrogates to be replicated for the evaluation of vapor containment for all CSTD types on the market  both physical barrier and air cleaning.

BSTL (Biopharma Stability Testing Laboratory LTD), an independent testing lab in the UK, replicated the NIOSH environmental test chamber using one of the nine proposed surrogates with four different CSTDs. The results demonstrated that OnGuard tested well below the limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.71 parts per billion, therefore indicating air-cleaning technology as an effective CSTD physical barrier in preventing the release of hazardous drug vapor. The entire study was published in the PLOS ONE Journal and can be found here .

We are pleased that OnGuard is a market leader in NIOSH-recognized CSTD air-cleaning technology, said Steve Weber, Director of Marketing of IV and Vascular Access Systems at B. Braun. Health care worker safety is as important as patient safety. OnGuard CSTD is designed to provide easy-to-use protection for nurses, pharmacists, and administrators while working with hazardous drugs, Weber said.

OnGuards 0.2-micron filter allows for pressure equalization and prevents microbial ingress, while its charcoal drug-binding matrix is designed to ensure drug vapors cannot escape from this unique vial adaptor. Its audible click-to-lock linear connection  which is made with a push action rather than a twist motion  is designed to eliminate pre-priming or pre-activating the vial adaptor. Most compounding product needs are achieved with just three stock keeping units (SKUs), which helps reduce waste, helps make implementations easier, and helps reduce confusion.

The linear membrane-to-membrane connection is designed for a dry disconnect to prevent accidental worker and patient exposure to hazardous drugs during compounding and administration. Its smooth septum is designed for easy swabbability and disinfection.

Effective December 2019, USP <800> has more than 100 requirements for the handling of hazardous drugs that will significantly impact healthcare institutions.

With USP <800> on the horizon, pre-planning for compliance is paramount, said Weber. Implementing these new requirements will take coordination and efficiency across the board.

B. Braun has created an online resource to help healthcare providers with this preparation. The Readyfor800.com website provides expert insights, interactive resources, and a detailed requirement checklist for healthcare institutions that want to get a solid start on planning and implementing the new protocols.

Additionally, OnGuard is a viable solution to help healthcare facilities comply with USP <800> requirements and reduce exposure to hazardous drugs for healthcare workers and patients, Weber said.

OnGuard manufactured by TEVA Pharmaceutical Industries Inc. Distributed by B. Braun Medical Inc.

About B. Braun

B. Braun Medical Inc., a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative medical products and services to the healthcare industry. Other key product areas include ostomy and wound care, dialysis, nutrition, pharmacy admixture and compounding. The company is committed to eliminating preventable treatment errors and enhancing patient, clinician and environmental safety. B. Braun Medical is headquartered in Bethlehem, Pa., and is part of the B. Braun Group of Companies in the U.S., which includes B. Braun Interventional Systems, Aesculap and CAPS.

Globally, the B. Braun Group of Companies employs more than 61,000 employees in 64 countries. Guided by its Sharing Expertise philosophy, B. Braun continuously exchanges knowledge with customers, partners and clinicians to address the critical issues of improving care and lowering costs. To learn more about B. Braun Medical, visit www.BBraunUSA.com .

 Wilkinson, A-S., Allwood, MC., Morris, CP., Wallace, A., Finnis, R., Kaminska, E., Hemingway, M. (2018). Performance testing protocol for closed-system transfer devices used during pharmacy compounding and administration of hazardous drugs, PLOS ONE 13(10), 1-15.
OCALA, Fla., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (NYSE American: HEB), an immuno-pharma R&D and emerging commercial growth company focused on unmet medical needs in immunology, announced today Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and shipment of Ampligen to start an oncology clinical study combining its dsRNA TLR3 agonist Ampligen with Mercks Keytruda (pembrolizumab) in Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer. The study will enroll at least six participants and be conducted by Drs. Mateusz Opyrchal and Pawel Kalinski at Roswell Park, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Buffalo, New York.



This trial will study how well Ampligen-based chemokine modulation therapy works when given prior to Keytruda in treating participants with triple-negative breast cancer that has spread to other places in the body. Drugs used in this chemokine modulation therapy  celecoxib, recombinant interferon alfa-2b, and Ampligen  work by unleashing or enhancing the cancer immune responses that already exist by either blocking inhibitory molecules or by activating stimulatory molecules. Monoclonal antibodies such as Mercks Keytruda interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread when present in a hot tumor microenvironment (i.e. - Teff cells outnumber Treg cells). The clinical trial tests whether chemokine modulation therapy before Keytruda will work better than Keytruda alone in treating participants with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer by altering the tumor microenvironment to favoring immune rejection. Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, in preclinical models and human tumor explants have demonstrated that Ampligen is a TLR3 restricted and targeted modulator of hot tumor microenvironments (Nature Protoc. 2018 Feb;13(2):335-357 and Cancer Res . 2018 Aug 1;78(15):4292-4302).

The study will enroll 6 participants with unresectable or metastatic triple negative breast cancer who will undergo a pre-treatment biopsy. Participants then receive two cycles of chemokine modulation therapy consisting of celecoxib, recombinant interferon alfa-2b, and Ampligen/rintatolimod (three days of treatment per cycle). Participants will then undergo an additional biopsy. Following the biopsy and chemokine modulation therapy, participants receive Keytruda every three weeks for two cycles.

A second clinical trial combining Ampligen with Keytruda in ovarian cancer and a cohort of forty subjects is scheduled to launch later this month at the University of Pittsburgh. This clinical trial in which Hemispherx supplies the Ampligen, and Merck the Keytruda plus funding assistance is sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh. It will be an important and more extensive test of Ampligen as an immune system primer that can change cold tumors into hot tumors, thereby making the formerly cold tumors more responsive to Keytruda.

At Team Hemispherx we are determined to pursue an aggressive R&D program focused on improved immune therapies for lethal malignancies, and we are grateful for the support and attention we are getting from big pharma and these major research institutions, said Hemispherx CEO Thomas K. Equels. The work beginning at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is an important step in Hemispherx overall clinical plan in immuno-oncology. Relevant preclinical experiments in several types of solid tumors and conducted at different major U.S. cancer research centers support the proposition that Ampligen can change the micro-environment of tumors so as to create a robust and significant positive synergy with check point blockade therapies. We have seen a clear synergistic effect in our laboratory studies, and human tumor explants indicate this phenomenon is extended to humans. To the extent this follows through in vivo with humans in these clinical trials, that synergy with the checkpoint inhibitors will put Ampligen at the forefront of a major medical breakthrough in immuno-oncology.

Cautionary Statement

Some of the statements included in this press release may be forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Among other things, for those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof. This press release and prior releases are available at www.hemispherx.net. The information found on our website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.

Contacts:

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc.

Phone: 800-778-4042

Email: IR@hemispherx.net

Or

LHA Investor Relations

Miriam Weber Miller

Senior Vice President

Phone: +1-212-838-3777

Email: mmiller@lhai.com
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm , a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (Goldman Sachs or the Company) (NYSE: GS ) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.



Investors who purchased the Company's shares between February 28, 2014 and December 17, 2018, inclusive (the ''Class Period''), are encouraged to contact the firm before February 19, 2019.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate .

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall, or Sherin Mahdavian, of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 424-303-1964, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at brian@schallfirm.com .

The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Goldman Sachs conspired with 1Malaysia Development Bhd., an investment fund owned by the government of Malaysia, to commit money laundering and fraud. These schemes would expose Goldman Sachs to legal and regulatory scrutiny, a fact the company could have reasonably foreseen. Based on these facts, the Companys public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Goldman Sachs, investors suffered damages.

Join the case to recover your losses.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

CONTACT:

The Schall Law Firm

Brian Schall, Esq.,

Sherin Mahdavian, Esq.,

www.schallfirm.com

Office: 310-301-3335

Cell: 424-303-1964

info@schallfirm.com

SOURCE:

The Schall Law Firm
TORONTO and BOSTON, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc. (TSX Venture: COT) (Cotinga or the Company), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company advancing a pipeline of targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer, today announced that it has enrolled two of three patients in the first cohort in its ongoing Phase 1b/2a trial assessing the combination of COTI-2 and cisplatin in solid tumors.



This is an important milestone in the clinical development of our lead asset, and a meaningful step forward in our efforts to evaluate COTI-2 as a combination therapy, said Alison Silva, President and Chief Executive Officer. We are encouraged by the enthusiasm of our investigators who have been working diligently to screen and enroll patients for combination therapy. The patients in our ongoing Phase 1b/2a trial are suffering from a wide spectrum of cancers with little to no therapeutic options, and we are hopeful that combining existing chemotherapy regimens with COTI-2 could be a potential treatment as we have demonstrated and published in a number of preclinical (synergistic combination) studies. We remain committed to advancing the clinical development of COTI-2, and we will continue to provide key updates as the trial progresses.

Phase 1b/2a Trial of COTI-2

The ongoing trial of COTI-2 will now focus on evaluating COTI-2 as a combination therapy for the potential treatment of a wider range of cancers. In 2017, the Company announced top-line data from the gynecological malignancies arm of the trial demonstrating monotherapy with COTI-2 was generally safe and well-tolerated. Monotherapy with COTI-2 also exhibited an encouraging pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile and signals of efficacy.

The current protocol amendment being implemented by the Company in May 2018 expands the ongoing trial to evaluate COTI-2 in combination with various standard of care chemotherapy regimens in a wide spectrum of cancers.

This protocol amendment evaluates COTI-2 combined with standard of care cisplatin in up to 30 patients with any of the following malignancies: ovarian, fallopian tube, primary peritoneal, endometrial, cervical, lung, pancreatic or colorectal cancer, or head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Patients in this dose finding study will be given a 60 mg/m2 IV dose of cisplatin every three weeks in combination with an oral dose of COTI-2 five days per week. Up to five COTI-2 dose levels will be evaluated ranging from 0.5 mg/kg to 3.5 mg/kg and patient assessments will occur every six weeks. Primary outcome measures will evaluate safety and tolerability and determine the maximum tolerated dose and recommended Phase 2 dose for COTI-2 as a combination therapy. Secondary and exploratory outcome measures will evaluate pharmacokinetics and various signals of efficacy. Additional details on the protocol amendment are available on clinicaltrials.gov .

About Cotinga Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Cotinga Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company that uses proprietary artificial intelligence technologies to pursue a targeted and transformational approach to treating cancer and other unmet medical needs. Cotingas CHEMSAS technology is intended to accelerate the discovery and development of novel drug therapies, allowing the Company to build a pipeline of potential drug candidates faster and with a higher probability of success than traditional methods.

The Companys lead compound, COTI-2, has a novel p53-dependent mechanism of action with selective and potent anti-cancer activity. P53 mutations occur in over 50% of all cancers. COTI-2 is initially being evaluated in combination with various standard of care chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of a wide spectrum of cancers in a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. The Company has secured orphan drug status in the United States for COTI2 for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Preclinical data suggests that COTI-2 could dramatically improve the treatment of cancers with mutations in the p53 gene.

The Companys second lead compound, COTI-219, is a novel oral small molecule compound targeting the mutant forms of KRAS without inhibiting normal KRAS function. KRAS mutations occur in up to 30% of all cancers and represent a tremendous unmet clinical need and a desirable drug target. COTI-219 is undergoing IND-enabling studies to support a regulatory submission.

Follow @CotingaPharma on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CotingaPharma .

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information, visit http://www.cotingapharma.com/ or contact:

Alison Silva

President and CEO

Tel: 1-800-798-6860

Email: asilva@cotingapharma.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (AVU:TSXV) is pleased to announce that it has closed the second tranche of its private placement of $232,000 comprised of 4,640,000 units, as announced on October 22, 2018. A total of $732,000 of the private placement has now been closed.



Each Unit is comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant that allows the holder to buy an additional share until December 17, 2021 at a price of $0.10 each. The securities have a four-month hold period expiring on April 18, 2019. Avrupa has a provision to accelerate the exercise of the warrants if the common shares close at a price of $0.20 or greater for a period of 20 consecutive trading days. Insiders participated in this second tranche for $39,000.

Drilling at the Alvalade copper-zinc VMS Project in Portugal is on-going. The Company has completed two holes and is currently part way through the third hole. The Company plans for two additional holes. All five holes are located in the Sesmarias discovery area. The purpose of the program is to expand currently known mineralized areas and to outline higher grade copper-zinc mineralization within the massive sulfide lenses.

Furthermore, the Company has granted 183,000 options to one director and two consultants at an exercise price of $0.05 for a period of five years.

Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company directed to discovery of mineral deposits, using a prospect generator model. The Company holds one 100%-owned, self-funded flagship project, the Alvalade VMS Project. Avrupa focuses its project generation work in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, including Portugal, Kosovo, and Germany.

For additional information, contact Avrupa Minerals Ltd. at 1-604-687-3520 or visit our website at www.avrupaminerals.com .

On behalf of the Board,

Paul W. Kuhn



Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director

This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn, the QP, has not only reviewed, but prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction

Oslo, 8 January 2019 - DNO ASA ("DNO"), the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announces an increased and final cash offer of 160 pence for each Faroe Share. The consideration under the Final Offer implies a value of approximately 641.7 million for the fully diluted share capital of Faroe, including shares already held by DNO.

The full release can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.dno.no/en/investor-relations/offer_announcement_26November/

Enquiries:

DNO ASA

Media: media@dno.no

Investors: ir@dno.no

Tel: +47 911 57 197

Brunswick

Patrick Handley

Charles Pretzlik

William Medvei

Tel: +44 20 7404 5959

Lambert Energy Advisory Limited

Philip Lambert

David Anderson

Tel: +44 20 7491 4473

Pareto Securities AS

Petter Sagfossen

Tel: +47 22 87 87 48

Further information

This stock exchange notice and the information included herein are subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Defined terms used but not defined in this announcement have the meanings given in the First Offer Document, as amended and supplemented by the Mandatory Offer Announcement unless the context requires otherwise.

This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Final Offer or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities of Faroe in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. The Final Offer will be made solely by means of the Final Offer Document and (in respect of Faroe Shares held in certificated form) the Final Form of Acceptance accompanying the Final Offer Document, which will, together, contain the full terms and conditions of the Final Offer including details of how it may be accepted. Any decision in respect of, or other response to, the Final Offer should be made only on the basis of the information contained in the Final Offer Document and the Final Form of Acceptance (read in conjunction with the First Offer Document and First Form of Acceptance).

Please be aware that addresses, electronic addresses and certain other information provided by Faroe Shareholders, persons with information rights and other relevant persons for the receipt of communications from Faroe may be provided to DNO during the Offer Period as required under Section 4 of Appendix 4 of the Code to comply with Rule 2.11 of the Code.

Lambert Energy Advisory Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the FCA, is acting exclusively for DNO and no-one else in connection with the Final Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than DNO for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lambert Energy Advisory Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Final Offer or any other matters referred to in the Final Offer Document, this announcement or otherwise.

Pareto Securities AS is acting exclusively for DNO and no-one else in connection with the Final Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than DNO for providing the protections afforded to clients of Pareto Securities AS nor for providing advice in relation to the Final Offer or any other matters referred to in the Final Offer Document, this announcement or otherwise.

Overseas jurisdictions

The availability of the Final Offer to Faroe Shareholders who are not resident in and citizens of the UK or the US may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located or of which they are citizens. Persons who are not resident in the UK or the US should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable legal or regulatory requirements of their jurisdictions. Further details in relation to Overseas Shareholders are contained in the Final Offer Document.

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into jurisdictions other than the UK or the US may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the law of any jurisdiction other than the UK or the US should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable requirements. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Final Offer disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person. This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside of England.

The Final Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws in that jurisdiction. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and formal documentation relating to the Final Offer will not be and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws of that jurisdiction.

Notice to US Faroe Shareholders

The Final Offer is being made for the securities of an English company and is subject to UK disclosure requirements, which are different from those of the US. The financial information included in the Final Offer Document has been prepared in accordance with IFRS and thus may not be comparable to financial information of US companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the US.

The Final Offer will be made in the US pursuant to an exemption from US tender offer rules provided by Rule l4d-1I under the US Exchange Act and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of the Code. Accordingly, the Final Offer will be subject to disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, offer timetable, settlement procedures and timing of payments, that are different from those applicable under US domestic tender offer procedures and law. If the Final Offer is instead implemented by means of a scheme of arrangement as provided for under English law it will not be subject to the tender offer rules of the US Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Final Offer would be subject to disclosure requirements and practices applicable in the UK to schemes of arrangement which differ from the disclosure requirements of US tender offer rules.

The receipt of cash pursuant to the Final Offer by a US Faroe Shareholder will likely be a taxable transaction for US federal income tax purposes and under applicable state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each holder of Faroe Shares is urged to consult his/her independent professional advisor immediately regarding the tax consequences of acceptance of the Final Offer.

It may be difficult for US Faroe Shareholders to enforce their rights and any claim arising out of the US federal securities laws, since DNO is located in a country other than the US, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of countries other than the US. US Faroe Shareholders may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of the US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's judgement.

In accordance with normal UK practice, DNO or its nominees, or its brokers (acting as agents), may from time to time make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, Faroe Shares outside the US, other than pursuant to the Final Offer, before or during the period in which the Final Offer remains open for acceptance. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the UK, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website, www.londonstockexchange.com.

Forward looking statements

This announcement (including information incorporated by reference in this announcement), oral statements made regarding the Final Offer and other information published by DNO contain statements which are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are prospective in nature and are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections of the management of DNO about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this announcement include statements relating to the expected effects of the Final Offer on DNO and Faroe, the expected timing and scope of the Final Offer and other statements other than historical facts.

Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "is subject to", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Although DNO believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, DNO can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the satisfaction of the Condition, as well as additional factors, for example, oil and gas operations, particularly those relating to development stage assets which are subject to varying inputs that may impact timing, including, inter alia, permitting, environmental regulation, changes to regulators and regulation, third party manufacturers and service providers, the weather and asset partner and operator actions. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements should therefore be construed in the light of such factors. DNO, its associates, directors, officers and advisers provide no representation, assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements in this announcement will actually occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Other than in accordance with its legal or regulatory obligations DNO is under no obligation, and DNO expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No profit forecasts or quantified benefits statement

No statement in this announcement is intended as a profit forecast, profit estimate or qualified benefits statement and no statement in this announcement should be interpreted to mean that earnings per Faroe Share or DNO share for the current or future financial years would necessarily match or exceed the respective historical published earning per Faroe Share or DNO share or to mean that the enlarged group's earnings in the first 12 months following the Final Offer, or in any subsequent period, would necessarily match or be greater than those of Faroe or DNO for the relevant preceding financial period or any other period.

Dealing disclosure requirements

Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1 percent or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure.

Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 percent or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 p.m. (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing.

If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3.

Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4).

Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure.

Publication on website and hard copies

A copy of this announcement and the documents required to be published by Rule 26 of the Code is and will be available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on DNO's website https://www.dno.no/en/investor-relations/offer_announcement_26November. For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of such website are not incorporated into and do not form part of this announcement.

You may request a hard copy of this announcement by contacting Equiniti Limited on 0333 207 6399 or +44 121 415 0973 (if calling from outside the UK) or by submitting a request in writing to Equiniti Limited, Corporate Actions, Aspect House, Spencer Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN99 6DA. Lines are open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (London time) Monday to Friday (excluding English and Welsh public holidays). Calls to the helpline from outside the UK will be charged at applicable international rates. Different charges may apply to calls from mobile telephones and calls may be recorded and randomly monitored for security and training purposes. Please note that Equiniti Limited cannot provide advice on the merits of the Final Offer nor give financial, tax, investment or legal advice. If you have received this announcement in electronic form, copies of this announcement and any document or information incorporated by reference into this announcement will not be provided unless such a request is made.

About DNO

DNO is a Norwegian oil and gas operator focused on the Middle East and North Sea. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, DNO holds stakes in onshore and offshore licences at various stages of exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway, the UK and Yemen.
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun sends updates in real time. She fears that if she is returned to Saudi Arabia, she would be killed. Thai authorities want to send her to her relatives in Kuwait. For the Thai government she is not a refugee and has broken immigration laws. Another Saudi woman, 24-year-old Dina Ali Lasloom, experienced the same fate.

Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies)  A desperate young Saudi woman who says she has fled her family in fear for her life has barricaded herself in her hotel room at Bangkok airport, asking to meet the UN refugee agency to claim asylum.

"My brothers and family and the Saudi embassy will be waiting for me in Kuwait," said the 18-year-old Saudi Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun. "They will kill me. My life is in danger. My family threatens to kill me for the most trivial things."

On her twitter account, used by a friend who is tweeting live about her the situation, the young woman had planned to leave Thailand for Australia on a regular flight

She is still involved in a tug-of-war with Thai and Saudi authorities because the latter want to put her on the first plane for Kuwait where family members and an uncertain future are waiting for her.

Her life is at stake. And her case echoes that of another Saudi woman who was in transit to Australia in April 2017. Dina Ali Lasloom, 24, was en route from Kuwait via the Philippines but was taken back to Saudi Arabia from Manila airport by her family. 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. Her fate on arriving back in Saudi Arabia remains unknown.

Dinas story confirms all the fears surrounding the fate of the 18-year-old woman locked up in a hotel room in Bangkok, in desperate search for a contact with UN officials.

According to a Thai lawyer, a Thai court turned down an urgent appeal filed this morning to block the extradition and there is nothing to stop the Thai government from returning the young woman to Saudi Arabia.

Local sources say that Thailand helped Saudi envoys who intercepted the young woman and prevented her from boarding a flight to Australia. Thai authorities dismissed the accusations, saying only that she stopped because of certain irregularities in her entry visa.

The young Saudi woman said in one of her many tweeter messages that she never wanted to stay in Thailand, and that her final destination was Australia where she wants to rebuild a life.

Thai Police Major General Surachate Hakparn said that she was escaping a marriage, and called the case a "family problem".

"I shared my story and my pictures on social media and my father is so angry because I did this... I can't study and work in my country, so I want to be free and study and work as I want," she said.

Now that she had "nothing to lose she decided to speak out about her situation.

In Saudi Arabia women are under male tutelage. Despite recent reforms sponsored by the Kingdoms crown prince, like letting women to drive, women activists are victims of repression.

In Rahafs case, it appears Thai authorities have prevented UN officials in Bangkok from meeting the young woman.

Human Rights Watch's deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said on Twitter that "time is short & she faces dire peril".
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KCI Technologies Inc., a multi-disciplined engineering firm with offices throughout the United States, has acquired Keith & Schnars (K&S), a consulting firm specializing in engineering, construction inspection, surveying, landscape architecture, planning and environmental science. Based out of Fort Lauderdale, K&S has played a key role in Floridas growing transportation infrastructure, commercial, residential, recreational, and educational markets.



K&S was founded in 1972 by Bill Keith and Tom Schnars. Upon the latters death in 1983, Tanzer Kalayci and Arnold Ramos joined the 10-person firm and began explosive growth to become Floridas third-largest multi-disciplined engineering firm. As the firm expanded into different engineering and related service lines, its geographic reach spread across the state, and now includes offices in Jacksonville, Orlando, Lehigh Acres and Miami. K&S has a diverse client base that includes the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as well as a host of county, municipal and private organizations.



K&Ss long history, recognized technical expertise and reputation among industry peers are a perfect complement to our existing capabilities and planned geographic growth in Florida, said KCI CEO and President Nathan J. Beil, PE. Welcoming their team into KCI serves as both an in-state expansion of our existing construction engineering, communications and surveying service lines as well as a new presence in landscape architecture, planning and transportation design.



Over the years, Keith & Schnars has worked on some of Floridas most noteworthy projects, including development of the Sawgrass Mills Mall, the largest outlet and value retail shopping center in the United States, and the Sawgrass Expressway, a 21-mile-long electronic toll-way in Broward County. Their team also conducted more than 10,000 public meetings in support of the I-4 Ultimate Improvement Project in Orlando. More recently, the firm assisted in development of the states current landscape specifications and now provides landscape design and/or inspection services for FDOT Districts 1, 4, 6 and 7 and the Florida Turnpike Enterprise. K&S construction inspectors are onsite overseeing work on the four-mile $60 million Baldwin Bypass in Jacksonville and the $55 million widening of SR 82 including the states first continuous flow intersection at Daniels Parkway and Gunnery Road. This firm is also completing final design plans for FDOTs first Statewide Acceleration and Transformation (SWAT) projectSR 714 Martin Highway in Martin County.



KCI is a great strategic fit for us based on their corporate culture and similar service lines, said K&S CEO Errol Kalayci. Our combined experience and resources will lay the groundwork for a brighter and stronger future for the firm as well as opportunities for professional development and career growth for our team.



Kalayci has spent much of his professional life with K&S, starting at the age of 14 as a draftsman. During his tenure, he served as a construction manager and inspector, geotechnical field technician and laboratory manager, corporate counsel and chief operating officer. He became chief executive officer, following the retirement of his father Tanzer in 2016. With KCI, Kalayci will take on the role of Corporate Counsel for the firm of 1,550.



###



KCI Technologies - With sales in excess of $250 million in 2018, KCI Technologies Inc. is ranked among the top 500 engineering firms in the country by Engineering News-Record. Roughly 1,500 employee owners support clients from more than 40 offices throughout the U.S. KCI offers environmental, transportation, telecommunications, construction, facilities and land development services to government, institutional and private-sector clients. For more information, visit www.kci.com.

Attachment
DALLAS, Texas, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Kali, Inc. (dba/Kali-Extracts, Inc.) (USOTC: KALY) (KALY) today published an independent analyst research report on the company following the recent acquisition of a patented cannabis extraction process. The report is available under research on the OTCMarkets website. The research report is the first report from Goldman Small Cap Research as part of an ongoing research engagement. The report outlines the companys current positioning and potential, upcoming milestones. This report is intended to augment the current information available on the OTCMarkets website. KALY has recently updated all of its financial reports required by OTCMarkets to satisfy the OTCMarkets current filing standards and anticipates the OTCMarkets site to soon reflect Kalis current filing status. As of the publication of this release, OTCMarkets has yet to update this status. All quotation information cited in the report was derived from Yahoo!Finance which reports Kali intraday trading activity and news. While quote information is not available on OTCMarkets website pending the filing status update, investors and shareholders can alternatively obtain current quote information on Yahoo!Finance or from their own online brokerage account.

The report is also available to read or download, along with associated disclosures and disclaimers, at www.GoldmanResearch.com.



Kali Report Highlights



Kali, Inc. is a health and wellness company set to generate revenue from its patented cannabis extraction technology through overlapping go-to-market strategies to include the licensing of its patented cannabis extraction technology to multiple companies in the wellness and pharmaceutical industries. With promising preclinical data along with development and commercial agreements behind it, Kali-Extracts seeks to commercialize its unique and valuable IP targeting multi-billion dollar markets. The recent legalization of hemp farming in the 2018 Farm Act just signed into law by President Trump puts the wind at Kalis back.



The Companys multi-pronged approach is divided into two target categories: Pharmaceuticals and Wellness.



Goldman highlighted the key segments in his research report.



In the pharmaceutical space, Kali has completed an in vitro genomics study to evaluate the impact of its pharmaceutical grade cannabis extracts in combination with other therapies on COPD patients. Favorable results prompted the launch of a physiological study whose results will be released in 1Q19. The World Health Organization estimates 65 million people worldwide are afflicted with moderate to severe COPD and GlobalData forecasts that the COPD treatment market will reach $14.1 billion by 2025.



In the wellness arena, the early affirmation of its extracts efficacy has occurred via sales of Puration Inc.s (USOTC:PURA) CBD-infused product which is based on Kalis IP. Various joint ventures in which Kali has engaged are likely sources of near term revenue for Kali in the CBD-infused product market, projected to grow to $22 billion in the next few years. Plus, these relationships could result in additional business opportunities going forward. All told, Kali believes it could generate $5 million or more in revenue from specific endeavors with current partnerships.



About Goldman Small Cap Research: Founded in 2009by former Piper Jaffray analyst and mutual fund manager Rob Goldman, Goldman Small Cap Research produces sponsored and non-sponsored small cap and microcap stock research reports, articles, stock market blogs, and popular investment newsletters.



Goldman Small Cap Research is not in any way affiliated with Goldman Sachs & Co.



This press release contains excerpts of our most recently published report on Kali, Inc. The information provided in the report was for information use only and may have contained forward-looking statements along with statements of fact that may have been obtained from sources considered reliable. Thus, we neither guarantee nor represent the completeness or accuracy. Goldman Small Cap Research relied solely upon information derived from press releases issued by and due diligence related to management of Kali, Inc. some of which are referred to in authorized press releases or legal disclosures made in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.sec.gov.



Separate from the factual content of our report, we may from time to time include our own opinions about the Companies, its business, markets and opportunities. Any opinions we may offer about the Companies are solely our own, and are made in reliance upon our rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and are provided solely for the general opinionated discussion of our readers. Our opinions should not be considered to be complete, precise, accurate, or current investment advice. Statements herein and in the report may contain forward-looking statements and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties affecting results.

It should be noted that Kali has recently updated all of its financial reports required by OTCMarkets to satisfy the OTCMarkets current filing standards and anticipates that the OTCMarkets site to soon reflect Kalis current filing status. As of the report publication date, OTCMarkets has yet to update this status. All quotation information cited in the report was derived from Yahoo!Finance which reports Kali intraday trading activity and news.



A Goldman Small Cap Research report, update, newsletter, article, trading alert, corporate profile, podcast interview or press release is not intended as an offering, recommendation, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned or discussed is to be used for informational purposes only. Please read all associated full disclosures, disclaimers, and analyst background on our website before investing. Neither Goldman Small Cap Research nor its parent is a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer with FINRA or any other regulatory agency. To download or view the Kali report or any of our research on Puration, Inc., or other sponsored research, please view our disclosures and disclaimers, or for more information, visit www.goldmanresearch.com.



Goldman Small Cap Research was compensated $3500 by the Company for the publication of this report. It should be noted that during 2018, GSCR was compensated by Puration, Inc. in the amount of $5500 for a research subscription service and a previous podcast interview.



About Kali, Inc. (OTC - KALY) Kali, Inc. is a health and wellness company set to generate revenue via licensing its patented cannabis extraction technology to multiple companies in the wellness and pharmaceutical industries. With promising preclinical data along with development and various commercial agreements behind it, Kali, Inc. seeks to commercialize its unique and valuable IP targeting multi-billion-dollar markets.



For more information, please visit: www.kali-extracts.com



Goldman Small Cap Research

Rob Goldman, Analyst

410-609-7100

rob@goldmanresearch.com



Kali, Inc.

Frederick Ferri

ir@kali-extracts.com

(214) 210-0459
MONTREAL, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Origin Gold Corporation ("Origin or the Corporation") (TSX VENTURE: OIC) is pleased to announce preliminary results of its first surface exploration program on the La Pantera property ( the Property).



The surface exploration program on the Property covers an area of 1,734 hectares (about 5.0 km by 3.5 km), located in the gold rich San Lucas Range, department of Bolivar, in Colombia.

The program is based on recommendations of the National Instrument (NI) 43-101 technical report dated August 20th, 2018, prepared by Pierre ODowd.

The definition and description of the areas of superficial mining artisanal workings in saprolite (weathered bedrock) and geological mapping have been undertaken. The magnetic (MAG) survey, trenching and the inspection of the underground mining works are in progress. The following additional activities are also being performed at this time:

Detail geological campaign and trenching to identify and characterize the veins and breccia zones;

Systematically sampling and assaying for gold of all veins, veinlets, breccia and alteration zones; and

Drone airborne survey to build orthomosaic maps of the whole area. The survey is also needed to obtain the exact location of the widespread and numerous artisanal surface operations, as shown on the following preliminary map (blue areas on the map)

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8c82ac93-2fad-4602-84aa-cdfc69925dbe



The following photo is a typical saprolite operation in the Matos sector (NW area).



http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b83ece1-82f9-4690-b1c3-f19372c91baa



PRELIMINARY RESULTS



Geology

The property is underlain by granitoid lithology affected by saprolitization for 60% approximately, mainly on the northern portion. The thickness of the saprolite, where remnants of veins, veinlets and breccia zones can be observed, ranges between 5 to 15 meters. Many new evidences of former underground activities have been located. Quartz injected deformation zones are common on the property with northeast (NE) preferential direction.

Magnetometrics

The preliminary interpretation of the MAG survey has been able to confirm one of those NE oriented deformation zones in the northeastern corner of the concession associated with active and inactive artisanal mine workings.

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/388381ec-4989-42b9-b55d-1a0643099300

Trenching

Most of the trenches were dug to confirm the presence into the Property of the large quartz injected deformation zone identified to the NE. Gold evidence was found by panning quartz-rich material at the bottom of four trenches.

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fff1ee5f-5461-4451-802c-cb336a2ea7a9



In the Matos area the trenches were able to identify a quartz vein system returning values between 0.2 to 3.9 g/t gold.



http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/611db41f-cac0-4de8-bc6c-51aec5597ce2



Qualified Person

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Pierre ODowd, P. Geo., BS.c. Geology, an independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

Resignation of a Director

Origin Gold announces the resignation of Mr. Pierre Colas as director of the Corporation. Origin Golds Board and management would like to thank Mr. Colas for his contribution to the Corporation.

Grant of Stock Options

The Board of Directors of Origin has approved the granting of options for 1,160,000 common shares of the Corporation to the Directors, Officers and consultants of the Corporation, in accordance with its stock option plan. The options vest immediately, are exercisable at $0.10 per option and have a term of 2 years.

About Origin

Origin is a mineral exploration company with its exploration activities focused in Colombia.

Rejean Gosselin, President and CEO : Tel: 514.303.0950

E-mail: rgminero@gmail.com

Web : www.origingoldcorp.com



The information set forth in this press release includes certain forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on assumptions exposed to major risks and uncertainties. Although Origin deems the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements to be reasonable, the Corporation cannot provide any guarantee as to the materialization of the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements. The Corporation expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.



Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release.
Las Vegas, CES 2019 - HERE Technologies today announced that it has been selected by Daimler to provide live traffic information to its entire range of Mercedes-Benz cars. The service will be initially launched in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada and shall be introduced in further countries in 2019.





Drivers will get up-to-the-minute information on real-time road conditions, including incidents and construction zones. HERE Real-Time Traffic aggregates and analyzes data from a sophisticated mix of sources. Today, this also includes high-quality rich vehicle sensor data from competing automotive brands - an aspect of the company's traffic service that is unique in the market. The result is best-in-class accuracy in depiction of real-world traffic conditions, and a smarter and safer driving experience.





"Our selection by Mercedes-Benz, a brand that stands for the very best in automotive quality, demonstrates our strong performance in traffic," said Peter Kurpick, Chief Platform Officer at HERE Technologies. "We have rapidly scaled our traffic service globally over the past 18 months and today we provide the closest thing to a live depiction of the road. I am very excited for the HERE team and our customers, and look forward to continuing the momentum we have in traffic."





The agreement marks the first time HERE has provided its HERE Real-Time Traffic service to Mercedes-Benz in North America. The service will be available to drivers in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan.





Media Contacts:

Jordan Stark

+1 312 316 4537

jordan.stark@here.com





Dr. Sebastian Kurme

+49 173 515 3549

sebastian.kurme@here.com





About HERE Technologies

HERE, the Open Location Platform company, enables people, enterprises and cities to harness the power of location. By making sense of the world through the lens of location we empower our customers to achieve better outcomes - from helping a city manage its infrastructure or an enterprise optimize its assets to guiding drivers to their destination safely. To learn more about HERE, including our new generation of cloud-based location platform services, visit http://360.here.com and www.here.com.
NEW YORK, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (Liberty or the Company) (OTCMKT: LHSIF) and certain of its officers, on behalf of shareholders who purchased or otherwise acquired Liberty between June 28, 2018, and December 3, 2018, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firms site: www.bgandg.com/lhsif.

This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Liberty, in conjunction with Aphria, was involved in a scheme whereby numerous fraudulent acquisitions and transactions were made to provide undue benefits to both companies insiders; and (2) as a result, Libertys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

In September 2018, Aphria announced that it had sold off its stake in Liberty. On December 3, 2018, Quintessential Capital Management and Hindenburg Research issued a report entitled Aphria: A Shell Game with a Cannabis Business on the Side, claiming that Aphria was part of a scheme involving the acquisition of shell companies at artificially inflated prices. Specifically, the report alleged: Aphria is part of a scheme orchestrated by a network of insiders to divert funds away from shareholders into their own pockets. The article detailed a thorough and on-the-ground investigation into Aphrias latest investments that revealed the poor quality and worth of the assets of those investments. For example, the article was accompanied by pictures showing that Aphrias latest investment in Jamaica was an abandoned building on dilapidated property. Following this news, Libertys stock dropped $0.36 per share or nearly 34% over the next two trading days to close at $0.70 on December 4, 2018.

A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint you can visit the firms site: www.bgandg.com/lhsif or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Investor Relations Analyst, Yael Hurwitz of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484. If you suffered a loss in Libety you have until March 8, 2019 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firms expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contact:

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC

Peretz Bronstein or Yael Hurwitz

212-697-6484 | info@bgandg.com
PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Cambia Health Foundation has opened the 2019 Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program Call for Applications. Individuals from around the country including physicians, nurses, social workers, physician assistants, chaplains, psychologists, pharmacists and other health system professionals are encouraged to apply.



The Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program is designed to identify, cultivate and advance the next generation of palliative care leaders. As part of the leadership program, Sojourns Scholars receive $180,000 in funding ($90,000/year over a two-year period) to conduct an innovative and impactful clinical, policy, education, or systems change project in the field of palliative care. Scholars receive individual mentorship and support to implement a plan designed to support their personal growth as a national leader in the field.



Interested individuals must submit a Letter of Intent by February 28, 2019. After review, a select group of applicants will be invited to submit full grant applications by June 17, 2019. More information, including details about eligibility, is available on the Foundation website on the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program page.



Developing a person-centered ecosystem of serious illness care requires leaders who can bring innovation, expertise and leadership to a national platform and drive sustainable system change, said Peggy Maguire, president and board chair, Cambia Health Foundation. The future of serious illness care and the health care systems capacity to care for our most vulnerable patients and their caregivers rests on our ability to build a strong palliative care workforce.



The Cambia Health Foundation launched the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program in 2014 with the goal of advancing capacity, leadership and innovation in the field of palliative care. Since the program started, Cambia has awarded more than $9 million to 52 scholars around the country, each focused on different areas of palliative care, but all committed to improving the experience of people and families facing serious illness.



The Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program has been transformative. Participating in Sojourns has afforded me with opportunities to be much more involved at the national level and to develop the leadership skills needed to be a clinical director of a pediatric palliative care program.



- Deborah Lafond, 2015 Sojourns Scholar grantee

Childrens National Health System, Washington, D.C.

Nurse Practitioner



As a result of the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program, I am more attuned to observing, and improving, my own leadership style, as well as observing and learning from leadership in others. This has been one of the most professionally and personally rewarding experiences I have ever had.



- Zara Cooper, MD, 2015 Sojourns Scholar grantee

Brigham and Womens Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Physician



About Cambia Health Foundation

Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions, a total health solutions company dedicated to transforming the way people experience health care. Founded in 2007, the foundation has funded over $60 million in grants to advance patient- and family-centered care for all. Cambia Health Foundation strategically invests in philanthropy to change the way people experience health care from birth to natural completion of life.


Enel X was awarded 210 MW of demand response resources in latest auction held by IESO

With this latest award, Enel X achieves 25% market share in Ontario, reaffirming its leadership position in the provinces demand response market

BOSTON, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enel X, the Enel Groups advanced energy services business line, was awarded the delivery of 210 MW of demand response resources in Ontario for the 2019  2020 delivery period following the completion of the latest demand response auction held by the provinces Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). The awarding reaffirms Enel Xs position as the market leader for demand response in Ontario, where the company now has 25% of the provinces overall demand response market.

This new award will allow Enel X to expand its demand response portfolio, while confirming the companys commitment to deliver commercial and industrial customers the greatest possible value from proactive energy management, said Michael Storch, Head of Enel X in North America. Through our portfolio of market-leading energy management including demand response, battery storage, peak load prediction services, and energy advisory services, we are helping Ontario businesses stay focused on running their operations while effectively reducing operating costs, managing risks and creating new revenue streams.

Through the award, Enel X will manage electricity demand from large industrial and commercial customers connected to the IESO transmission grid, informing those companies when the network needs them to reduce or increase their power consumption, while providing enhanced grid flexibility and stability. Enel X is currently the largest commercial and industrial aggregator of demand response in the Ontario province serving approximately 400 commercial and industrial customer sites.

Demand response programmes pay large energy consumers, such as manufacturing facilities, government agencies, and commercial real estate companies, to adjust their power consumption, with the aim to stabilise the grid. Demand response provides greater grid flexibility, stability, and more efficient use of power infrastructure, with a view to help maintain electricity prices as low as possible for all consumers.

Enel X is the Enel Groups global business line dedicated to developing innovative products and digital solutions in sectors in which energy is showing the greatest potential for transformation: cities, homes, industries and electric mobility. Enel X in North America has nearly 3,600 customers, spanning more than 10,000 sites, representing around 3.8 GW of demand response capacity and over 20 operational behind-the-meter storage projects. The companys intelligent DER Optimization Software is designed to analyse real-time energy and utility bill data, improve performance and manage distributed energy assets, including behind-the-meter storage projects. Enel Xs electric vehicle charging station technology, called JuiceBox, and its JuiceNet platform, provide smart management of electric vehicle charging and other distributed energy storage facilities. Enel X technology is present in more than 30,000 electric vehicle charging stations across North America.

Media Relations



T +1 978 513 3433

M +1 978 965 0062

krista.barnaby@enel.com

enelx.com




Dallas, TX, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ossa Fisher is the new president of Istation, a Dallas-based education technology company providing computer-adaptive assessments and instruction in reading, math and Spanish literacy.

The announcement of Fishers promotion came from Richard H. Collins, Istations chairman and chief executive officer.

Ossa is an outstanding leader for Istation, having helped guide the company in a period of unprecedented growth as both our chief marketing officer and chief operating officer, he said. Not only is she a leader for Istation, Ossa is sought out for her insight on management and business strategy, and Istation is poised for even brighter days with Ossa Fisher as president.

Fisher has extensive expertise in technology, marketing and media. Prior to her career at Istation, Fisher was senior vice president of strategy and analytics at Match Inc., and was a partner at Bain & Company, working in the companys San Francisco, Singapore and Dallas offices. She also served on the board of directors for Rackspace Hosting Inc., a leading provider of managed cloud services.

Ossa is one of those exceptional leaders, special individuals who leave a positive impact wherever she has been involved, Collins said. Her experience in the technology field gave her tremendous insight into our companys potential. We at Istation have been fortunate to have her as a member of the team. Now, as our new president, she will take Istation to even greater heights.

As Istation enters its third decade, Fisher will guide the company as it invests in cutting-edge voice-recognition technology, ground-breaking research, and enhanced data and analytics to support pedagogical decision-making.

With these as its strategic priorities, Istation has developed a new educational technology product, the ISIP Oral Reading Fluency assessment.

I am grateful to serve Istation and the over 4 million students and their teachers who use our products to help students reach their academic potential, Fisher said. Just like Istation always has, we will continue our efforts to help teachers as they guide students to be the best they can. Our goal, as it has been from day one at Istation, is to ensure every student has a chance to become a classroom superhero.

Istations logo reflects the companys commitment to that mission, Fisher noted. A child jumping through the air with a red cape flowing behind reflects the companys belief that every child can reach their dream of being a superhero in the classroom. In addition to her technical experience, Fisher speaks regularly to business groups about the Red Cape marketing strategy and how its powerful imagery inspires teachers, parents and most importantly, students.

Without inspiration, even the greatest technology in the world can fall flat, she said. With a simple image, the silhouette of a child becoming a superhero, we have seen countless students inspired to do better."

Among the greatest joys of working with Istation is seeing the hundreds of photos teachers share with us every month of students reaching academic goals with our products. As a mother, I know how powerful that is and it keeps all of us at Istation focused on our mission to support teachers and empower students to become the best they can be.

In addition to her work, Fisher is active in her community. She is on the board of directors for Uplift Education, one of the largest not-for-profit charter school networks in Texas. She served on the board of directors of the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation, which helped raise over $100 million to design, build and operate the award-winning Klyde Warren Park green space in downtown Dallas. Fisher also is the president of the Yale Club of Dallas.

Fisher holds a bachelors degree in economics from Yale University as well as masters degrees in both business administration and arts in education from Stanford University. She is a published writer, having been a regular contributor to Huffington Post, and is a contributor to the Forbes Communications Council. She is married and has two children.

###

About Istation

Founded in 1998 and based in Dallas, Texas, Istation (Imagination Station) has become one of the nations leading providers of richly animated, game-like educational technology. Winner of numerous national educational technology awards, the Istation program puts more instructional time in the classroom through small-group and collaborative instruction. Istations innovative reading, math and Spanish programs immerse students in an engaging and interactive environment and inspire them to learn. Additionally, administrators and educators can use Istation to easily track the progress of their students, schools and classrooms. Istation now serves over 4 million students throughout the United States and in several other countries. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018.

Attachments
TORONTO, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regal Assets, one of America's most trusted alternative investment companies, specializing in providing alternative investment options for retirement account holders, has officially launched its operations in Canada .



"We are very excited to be offering alternative investments like cryptocurrencies and precious metals to Canadian investors and retirement accounts holders. These asset classes are only growing in popularity worldwide, as investors are increasingly looking for ways to diversify their portfolios," says Tyler Gallagher, the Canadian CEO of the company.

"Canadian investors seem to have a big appetite for bullion products right now. Surprisingly, many of them are unaware that they can own gold & silver coins and bars as part of their RRSP or TFSA. The CRA allows it since 2005 but it hasn't been overly publicized which is why many retirees still dont know that its possible," adds Mr Gallagher.

Regal Assets is the only company in Canada that specializes in alternative investments for RRSP & TFSA accounts. The company handles the entire investment process, including communicating with the account custodians, depositories and filling out the necessary transfer/rollover paperwork. Retirees can choose which alternative product (e.g. Gold, Silver, Bitcoin, Ethereum.) they want to purchase and the company does all the rest.

Aside from Canada, Regal Assets also has offices across the US, UK and the UAE. The company is the first to receive a government-issued license to trade cryptos, as covered by Bloomberg .

About Regal Assets

Since its inception, Regal Assets has handled hundreds of millions in alternative asset purchases for private wealth and institutional clients all over the world. Regal Assets was ranked No. 20 in the US for financial by the the Inc. 500 Magazine. As an industry leader, Regal Assets has built a strong reputation for itself and gathered stellar ratings on sites like the BBB, BCA and TrustLink. The company also attracted the support and business of prominent figures and celebrities including Dennis Miller, Laura Ingraham and Lars Larson. Regal Assets' CEO Tyler Gallagher, which is a member of YEC and the Forbes Finance Council, has been featured in Forbes, Smart Money, Market Watch, Reuters, The Street and Hollywood Reporter.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8989286c-fd11-4288-99f5-80b4b148f694
NEW YORK, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone Real Estate Advisors announced it closed the sale of a two-property senior living portfolio in Rhode Island on December 20, 2018 for an undisclosed price. Mike Garbers and Cody Tremper of Greystone Real Estate Advisors represented the seller in the transaction, a publicly-traded REIT. The buyer was a partnership of GMF Capital, a New York-based private equity firm, and Meridian Senior Living, LLC, who will operate the properties.



The properties, Chapel Hill in Cumberland and Smithfield Woods in Smithfield, both located in the Providence MSA, offer assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing units. Built between 1989 and 1999, the properties have a total of 272 units.

The Greystone Real Estate Advisors team leverages its extensive experience in providing expertise on the disposition or acquisition of seniors housing, including age-restricted communities, independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facilities.

About Greystone Real Estate Advisors, Inc.

Greystone Real Estate Advisors, Inc. provides services in sales and acquisitions of seniors housing property types including independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing, as well as affordable and multifamily properties. The team offers a full spectrum of advisory services including debt, acquisition, and investment sales to funds, private equity groups, regional and national operators, not-for-profit owners and healthcare REITs. For more information, visit www.greycoadvisors.com .

About Greystone

Greystone is a real estate lending, investment and advisory company with an established reputation as a leader in multifamily and healthcare finance, having ranked as a top FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lender in these sectors. Our range of services includes commercial lending across a variety of platforms such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CMBS, FHA, USDA, bridge, mezzanine, and proprietary loan products. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Corporation, Inc., Greystone Funding Corporation and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greyco.com .

PRESS CONTACT:

Karen Marotta

Greystone

212-896-9149

Karen.Marotta@Greyco.com
Scott Olson/Getty Images(DES MOINES, Iowa) -- After a weekend of back-to-back stops in Iowa at overflowing venues, Sen. Elizabeth Warren's voice was hoarse but her pitch was clear.



It was at the last stop of the trip, at a roundtable with women recently elected to local offices in Iowa, that cinched a strong message Iowans across the state had conveyed throughout the weekend as they waited in long lines or stood shoulder to shoulder in packed venues: It's time for a woman to be president.



"We need a change. I think a female change is what we need," said Betsy Peterson, standing next to her husband and young daughter in a crowd at an earlier stop in Council Bluffs.



And Warren, the first woman to announce forming an exploratory committee for 2020, illuminated that sentiment with her tour around the state.



It's a state that all but guaranteed an excited reception: In the 2018 midterms, Iowa elected its first two women to Congress -- Rep. Cindy Axne and Rep. Abby Finkenauer -- its first female governor -- Gov. Kim Reynolds -- and sent a record number of female lawmakers to the Iowa Legislature.



"I don't feel any letting off the pedal," said Theresa Greenfield, a former candidate for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District. "I haven't caught any woman that's said they're not going to do the exact same thing in 2020."



Warren was not only the first woman but also the first high-profile figure to make a splash this election cycle. Her trip is the beginning of the 2020 election cycle -- still almost two years away -- and just as team Warren was wheels up Sunday, former Obama administration housing chief Julian Castro was finalizing details to touch down for a Monday event in the state.



At each of Warren's events, hundreds of mothers and fathers brought children, often donning shirts that read "Feminist," or "Nevertheless, she persisted." Around 700 attended an event Saturday night in Des Moines, and about 315 were at the roundtable with women leaders on Sunday.



One such supporter was Jean Hessburg, who attended Warren's Sunday event in Ankeny with her 22-year-old daughter, Grace. As a former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party who's been to hundreds of political gatherings, Hessburg said the Sunday event gave her chills.



The conversation was free flowing, focusing on the struggles women must overcome to take office.



"To have women, just women, sitting in a room together," said Hessburg, her daughter nodding in agreement, "and say so freely that they were embarrassed to lose, bare their souls like that, in a way no male politician would, just felt so terrific -- like I was in a girls club, like a cigar-smoking girls club, an exclusive only-girls club."



Warren gets comfortable on the trail



Much of Warren's stump speech over the weekend focused on her humble roots growing up in Oklahoma and the challenges she faced in her rise to eventually becoming a U.S. senator, like getting a college degree while raising children.



"We've been told before about what's too hard," she told the crowd in Des Moines.



"People told me I could not get a toddler potty trained by her second birthday, and I did it," she said, eliciting laughter.



She spoke of becoming the first female senator of Massachusetts.



"People told me back in 2012 Massachusetts wouldn't elect a woman to the Senate," she said. "We got organized, we fought back and I am now the senior senator from the commonwealth."



And while many know Warren as a former Harvard law professor, a progressive senator and a frequent target of the president's Twitter feed, she barely mentioned the elite school or the president's name, unless prompted.



Over and over again, Warren focused on a close call with foreclosure on her family's home in Oklahoma as a kid, her three brothers and their service in the military, how she got into college and then dropped out young to raise a family before eventually -- and unexpectedly -- making the leap to Washington.



Her message: Such a rise is rarely possible anymore.



"When I was a kid, a minimum wage job in America would support a family of three," she said several times during the Iowa visit. "Today, a minimum wage job in America will not keep a mama and a baby out of poverty.



For Warren, the Washington of today doesn't work for the little guy -- a message not unlike Sen. Bernie Sanders', who did well in Iowa in 2016.



"Why has America's middle class hollowed out? Why is the path so rocky for so many people and so much rockier for people of color? Why has this happened in America?" Warren said at multiple stops. "It's corruption, plain and simple."



Iowans who heard her speak said her words resonated. Many said they had supported Sanders in the 2016 caucuses.



Brooke Smith, who crossed into Iowa for Warren's event from nearby Bellevue, Nebraska, said part of the excitement was Democrats' readiness for 2020 and hopes that it would deliver a similar victory as the 2018 midterms in the House of Representatives.



And on the question of so-called likability -- a term used to describe Warren that prompted an email from her team asking voters to donate when they get "frustrated" that more time is spent covering "Elizabeth or any woman's 'likability' than her plans for huge, systemic change" -- women in the crowd pushed back.



Smith called the conversation "borderline sexist."



Joanne Wilkinson, attending an event in Des Moines three years after she saw former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in the same city, said there wasn't much to compare between the two women -- besides that they're both women.



"I don't think likability has anything to do with it," she said. "It's a matter of, Can they do the job."

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
ANAHEIM, Calif., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cadence Aerospace, a provider of highly complex aerospace components and assemblies to commercial and defense customers, announces today the appointment of Kevin W. Martin as the Companys Chief Information Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Martin joins the Cadence Executive Leadership Team and reports to Thomas C. Hutton, Chief Executive Officer for Cadence Aerospace. With Centers of Excellence based in the U.S. and Mexico, Cadence Aerospace serves the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft, aerostructures, aeroequipment and other defense platforms.



As we begin a new calendar year, I am excited to welcome Kevin to Cadence Aerospace as our new Chief Information Officer who assumes global responsibility for all Information Technologies activities, said Thomas C. Hutton, Chief Executive Officer of Cadence Aerospace. Kevin is deeply skilled in strategic planning, program management, sales and marketing, and engineering design. And, with exceptional customer relations and interpersonal communications skills, he has demonstrated experience in cross-functional team leadership and successful delivery of multi-million-dollar projects, both on time and within budget. We are confident that his management, analysis and deployment of information and data will reinforce our reputation in the aerospace industry, helping Cadence Aerospace not only become a stronger competitor, but a more influential partner to customersall contributing to our growth and profitability.

With more than 30 years of industry experience, Mr. Martin joins Cadence Aerospace after having served Pratt & Whitney (P&W)an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations and subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (UTC)for the majority of his career. Most recently, he served P&W as Associate DirectorMilitary Engines Business Development, leading a team of portfolio managers to drive near- and mid-term Sales and Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) for the P&W military engines by developing sales strategies to build market share for both OEM and aftermarket products and services. This role allowed him to develop and maintain detailed market analysis and competitive assessments as well as drive the research, development and financial analysis of aftermarket business cases focused on three primary areas of the P&W business: Fleet Management Programs, Material Management Programs and Performance Based Logistics programs. During 2008-2016, Mr. Martin held the position of Aftermarket Global Operations Strategy Manager at P&W, where he identified, designed, developed and implemented seven major restructuring projects that optimized the companys Overhaul and Repair network. Mr. Martin also served as the project manager for the P&W relocation of its Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Overhaul facility from AeroPower in San Diego, CA to West Palm Beach, FL. In conjunction, he led a cross-functional team that developed and executed the transition plan, capital investment and employee hiring and training.

Earlier during his P&W tenure, he served in a number of roles with increasing responsibility, including Program Manager of eBusiness, where he led a team of business managers and IT software developers in designing, developing and delivering P&Ws first employee portal, and developed both short-and long-term plans to use information technology to develop new business opportunities. Mr. Martin also served as Program Manager, Business Development, Product Marketing Manager, Customer Engineering Manager and Senior Design Engineer, all roles that helped P&W use information and data to become better poised to identify and meet customer needs.

He also served The Otis Elevator Company, the world's largest manufacturer of vertical transportation systems, as Program Manager for eFulfillment and Business Intelligence during 2004-2008. In this role, Mr. Martin managed the business intelligence team in designing, developing and deploying of eLogistics data marts and reports. He began his career as a Design Engineer for Rohr Industries, a provider of aerostructures, such as engine-related components, including engine nacelles, thrust reversers, and mounting pylons for military and commercial aircraft.

Mr. Martin holds a Master of Science in eCommerce from Carnegie Mellon University, a Master of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering as well as a license in Airframe and Powerplant from Parks College of St. Louis University, and a Certificate in Creating Strategic Alliances from the Darden Business School at the University of Virginia. During his career, he also served as a member of the Board of Directors for both Taiwan-based Asian Compressor Technology Services Company Limited (ACTS) and Asian Service Technologies in Singapore.

About Cadence Aerospace

Cadence Aerospace, a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners, is a leading aerospace and defense industry supplier committed to achieving success with its business partners through active engagement, aligned manufacturing and sourcing strategies, and industry-leading capabilities. The Companys Centers of Excellence, based in the U.S. and Mexico, produce machined parts, subassemblies, assemblies and repair and overhaul services for the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft, aerostructures, aeroequipment and other defense platforms. With clearly defined products and services, complementary capabilities, positions on programs offering long-term growth, a balanced and global aerospace, commercial and defense portfolio, Cadence Aerospace offers outstanding quality and delivery at cost-competitive prices to aerospace and defense companies globally.

About Arlington Capital Partners

Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, D.C.-area private equity firm that has managed $2.2 billion of committed capital via four investment funds, including Arlington's fourth and most recent $700 million fund. Arlington is focused on middle market investment opportunities in growth industries, including: aerospace/defense, government services and technology, healthcare, and business services and software. The firm's professionals and network have a unique combination of operating and private equity experience that enables Arlington to be a value-added investor. Arlington invests in companies in partnership with high quality management teams that are motivated to establish and/or advance their Company's position as leading competitors in their field.

Media Contacts:

Peter Manos

pmanos@arlingtoncap.com

Bilal Noor

bnoor@arlingtoncap.com

Arlington Capital Partners

5425 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 200

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Phone: +1.202.337.7500

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/279560f6-7b08-48e2-b607-cff601570002
Seattle, WA, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- CFN Media Group (CFN Media), the leading agency and financial media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, announces publication of an article covering Westleaf Inc.s strategic year of growth and the companys going public date.



On the heels of an exciting 2018, Canadas Westleaf Inc. (TSX-V: WL) is pleased to announce that the company will be going public on Wednesday, January 9th. Calgary-based Westleaf is a truly vertically integrated cannabis company, with state-of-the-art cultivation, extraction, testing, and research & development facilities currently under construction in Saskatchewan and Alberta. As well as a specific focus on creating a unique retail experience and innovative product presentation under the brand Prairie Records.

Westleaf Highlights:

Vertically Integrated: Premium retail locations proposed for British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan and potentially Ontario; indoor cannabis cultivation facility currently under construction in Battleford, Saskatchewan; development of a state-of-the-art extraction and production facility in Calgary, Alberta;

A Unique Cannabis Retail Experience: Prairie Records is a differentiated retail concept approach with tactile in-store branding and sticky consumer engagement;

Superior Retail Footprint: Targeting more than 30 locations to launch in 2019 and 2020 in densely populated neighborhoods and tourist destinations;

The Team: Combining cannabis cultivation experts, veteran business development professionals, and tenacious capital market specialists, Westleafs senior team brings integrity, innovation, and industry-defining thought leadership to the cannabis space;

M & A Focused: Track record of successful partnerships & acquisitions with a value-oriented investment approach;

Strategic Partnerships with Leading Industry Players: Tilray, VIVO Cannabis, ATB Financial , Canndara Canada and Delta 9; and

Strong Financial Position: Access to up to $57 million of capital ($27 million of cash and $30 million in low cost, non-dilutive capital).

Scott Hurd, President and CEO of Westleaf Inc., noted that the company is poised to make a major mark in the Canadian cannabis space in 2019 Westleaf has spent the last year setting the table to successfully execute on our plans. We have acquired some of the strongest strategic partners in the industry; we have made the appropriate acquisitions, particularly in the retail space; and we have a sufficient amount of financing in place to execute on our ambitious plans for the coming year.

Westleafs preparations to begin trading included a number of key recent strategic transactions:

Canndara & Prairie Records

On December 20, 2018, Westleaf announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 21.4% interest in Canndara Canada Inc., a premium cannabis retail company with over 50 prospective retail locations throughout Canada, with the option to purchase the entire company.

Commenting on the deal, Scott Hurd, President and CEO of Westleaf Inc. said, We continue to be extremely impressed with both the quality and quantity of retail locations that the Canndara team has amassed, and look forward to continuing to grow the portfolio with the goal of developing the largest cannabis retail company in Canada.

Westleaf is developing a national footprint of retail stores called Prairie Records which mimic the design and feel of record stores to create a shopping experience that is radically different from the head shops and Apple store knockoffs currently representing the cannabis industry. Its strategy is to focus only premium locations within densely-populated, high-traffic shopping and resort areas.

As part of the transaction, Canndara will begin building Prairie Records stores to accelerate the rollout of the brand and portfolio. Current Canndara retail locations are at varying stages of development with 17 development permits awarded, and independently Westleafs plan for Prairie Records features a rollout of upwards of 30 retail locations by 2020 in markets across Western Canada, including its first Alberta location in Calgarys iconic Palace Theatre.

The synergy that exists between Canndara and Westleaf is rooted in our collective vision to build a leading cannabis brand in Canada, said John Radostits, CEO of Canndara. Our teams hard work to build a robust portfolio of strategic locations along with Westleafs strong team, the Prairie Records brand and unique retail strategy, have established a formula for success. Together, we are carving out our position as a trailblazer in the cannabis industry with a truly revolutionary cannabis purchasing experience for Canadians.

Prairie Records customers will be immersed in music as they flip through brand materials resembling the dust covers of records, but containing information about product names, branding, strains, and THC/CBD content. The album cover concept leverages the instinctual connection between music and recreational cannabis, allows Prairie Records to operate and excel within the strict regulation of product packaging and merchandising, and allows customers to more deeply connect with chosen brands while also becoming educated about cannabis.

Westleaf & Ace Valley

Earlier in the month, Westleaf announced it was partnering with Ace Valley to launch cannabis retail stores in the province of Ontario, through a strategic alliance and brand licensing deal which combines the expertise of two customer-centric companies to launch premium Ace Valley retail locations throughout the province. Infusing Westleafs impressive cannabis retail expertise with Ace Valleys strong brand awareness, the arrangement brings the promise of an unrivalled retail environment to Ontario cannabis consumers.

The agreement showcases our commitment to the Ontario cannabis market, reinforces our aggressive strategy to launch cannabis retail in privatized markets across Canada and allows us to tap into Ace Valleys dedicated following and strong brand credentials, said Scott Hurd, President and CEO of Westleaf. We are thrilled to work with Ace Valley and jointly launch superior retail locations that will ultimately benefit the end user through retail excellence and brand consistency.

Founded by the creators of the iconic Ace Hill brewery, Ace Valley is an experienced and admired cannabis company in the Ontario market, which has cultivated a network of dedicated customers that will now benefit from the retail expertise of the Westleaf team.

Through the agreement, Westleaf and Ace Valley will introduce a unique cannabis shopping experience branded Ace Valley, with the Westleaf team providing guidance on standard operating procedures and cannabis retail best practices. Ace Valley will support the retail platform through collaboration on design, merchandising and branded marketing efforts.

Ace Valley has initially developed a highly curated selection of pre-rolled joints and dried flower with the expert growers at Flowr in Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. These products are currently available for sale in Ontario and British Columbia, and Ace Valley is developing value-add cannabis products, including vape pens and cannabis beverages (to be sold in Canada when regulations allow), as well as Ace Valley-branded retail experiences.

For more information, please visit www.acevalley.com.

Financing Agreements

On December 5, Westleaf and IGC Resources, who in October announced the intent to combine business operations, announced that IGC had closed a brokered private placement of subscription receipts of IGC (the Subscription Receipts) for gross proceeds of $20,108,403 (the Offering) resulting in 23,656,945 subscription receipts issued, including the exercise in full of the over-allotment option, which was increased to 6,008,945 Subscription Receipts.

Additionally, Westleaf announced that Tilray Inc. (Tilray) has made a $2.9 million strategic investment through the Offering. Westleaf views Tilrays investment as a validation of its innovative approach to retail through its retail banner, Prairie Records, and is a strong endorsement of Westleafs strategy and leadership team. Scott Hurd said that Tilrays investment reinforces the strength of Westleafs approach to cannabis retail and its teams execution capabilities, as well as a testament to Tilrays confidence in Westleafs ability to capture market share.

The transaction capped off a year of impressive growth for Westleaf, which also signed strategic partnerships with VIVO Cannabis and Delta 9 Cannabis, secured favourable debt financing with ATB Financial, and crafted a partnership with Thunderchild First Nation of Saskatchewan.

As part of a go-public event in October 5, 2018, Westleaf announced a reverse takeover of IGC Resources Inc., whereby Westleaf would become publicly traded. The reverse takeover transaction with IGC closed on December 28, 2018, and as a result, Westleaf will be going public on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, using the stock symbol WL.

For more information, please visit

www.westleaf.com

www.prairierecords.ca

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PrairieRecords/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrairieRecords/

Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/westleaf-inc-going-public-wednesday-january-9th/

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Our powerful digital media and distribution platform conveys a companys message and value proposition directly to accredited and retail investors and national media active in the North American cannabis markets.

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CannabisFN.com is not an independent financial investment advisor or broker-dealer. You should always consult with your own independent legal, tax, and/or investment professionals before making any investment decisions. The information provided on http://www.cannabisfn.com (the Site) is either original financial news or paid advertisements drafted by our in-house team or provided by an affiliate. CannabisFN.com, a financial news media and marketing firm enters into media buys or service agreements with the companies that are the subject of the articles posted on the Site or other editorials for advertising such companies. We are not an independent news media provider. We make no warranty or representation about the information including its completeness, accuracy, truthfulness or reliability and we disclaim, expressly and implicitly, all warranties of any kind, including whether the Information is complete, accurate, truthful, or reliable. As such, your use of the information is at your own risk. Nor do we undertake any obligation to update the items posted. CannabisFN.com received compensation for producing and presenting high quality and sophisticated content on CannabisFN.com along with financial and corporate news.

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NEW YORK, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dstillery , the leading applied data science company serving the marketing & advertising industry, has promoted Melinda Han Williams to Chief Data Scientist. At the helm, Williams will continue to lead Dstillerys world-class Data Science & Analytics team, driving strategic company initiatives, product innovation and bridging the industrys thought leadership gap around the power of data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning for brand marketers and insights professionals.



Big data is rapidly transforming advertising and marketing, and CMOs now know that to win, their competitive advantage needs to be anchored in a wide data-driven moat, said Michael Beebe , Dstillery CEO. Melinda leads the industrys most sought after data science team of experienced researchers, engineers, and analysts who extract actionable, bespoke insights for brands from massive quantities of observed behavioral and first party data. As AI becomes an even bigger component of every brands marketing plan, there is no doubt in my mind that Melindas focus on the customer, technical excellence and talent for data-driven storytelling will accelerate Dstillerys ability to deliver the kinds of insights that marketers need to bring consumer engagement to a whole new level.

Under Williams leadership, Dstillerys Data Science & Analytics team will continue to push machine learning and AI innovation, providing deep domain expertise and best practices to support the companys expanding portfolio of audience insights, data and media activation solutions. For more than a decade, the team has worked hand in hand with Dstillerys engineering team to build world-class technology that predicts consumer behavior and identifies brands most high value consumers from the industrys largest and most granular data set of consumer interactions.

To learn more about how data science has helped clients separate the deluge of digital signals from the noise and drove real business outcomes, click here for a sample of Dstillerys case studies.

We consistently hear from brands and agencies that they need insights grounded in data, and they need their activations to be grounded in those data-driven insights, said Williams. As a data science company at its core, Dstillery has built the best machine learning infrastructure to provide the market what its asking for, by turning huge amounts of event-level data into accurate insights that are immediately and directly actionable. This Chief Data Scientist role signals Dstillerys continued commitment to data science as a powerful force in helping our clients better find, understand and message their current and future customers. Im excited to advance industry discourse and the companys role within it as the data science leader.

Williams holds a Ph.D. in Applied Physics from Columbia University. Before joining Dstillery, she served as a postdoctoral research scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and held a fellowship at Columbia University.

About Dstillery

Dstillery is the marketing & advertising industry's leading applied data science company, helping Fortune 500 companies and brands unlock their growth potential by finding and targeting their highest value prospective customers.

Since 2008, Dstillerys team of data scientists and engineers has earned the industry's top distinctions for brand safety, machine learning innovation and high performance media activation. We deliver actionable consumer insights from our reference data set of over 300 million anonymous US online and offline behavioral profiles that are updated on a daily basis, driving the full spectrum of marketing research and media business objectives. Thats why marquee brands in Retail, CPG, Finance, Luxury, B2B, Telco, Travel, and Tech use Dstillerys platform to access insights, data and activation solutions to create more meaningful consumer touch points across multiple channels.

To learn more, visit us at www.dstillery.com or follow us on Twitter @Dstillery .

Media Contact:

WIT Strategy, for Dstillery

Rich Cherecwich, (774) 254-0952

rcherecwich@witstrategy.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ca9d871f-c581-41f5-aa3f-e447ad7abbd6
SANTIAGO, Chile, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ITAU CORPBANCA (NYSE: ITCB; SSE: ITAUCORP) announced that it filed today with the Chilean Financial Market Commission a Material Event Notice reporting that the Superintendency of Banks and Financial Institutions (Superintendencia de Bancos e Instituciones Financieras or SBIF) by means of resolution No. 101, has imposed on Itau Corpbanca a fine for the amount of Ch$5,985,328,978 for the same three charges for which former Corpbanca was fined. That fine was deemed illegal by the Court of Appeals of Santiago on August 31, 2016. The Bank is reviewing this resolution, its grounds and implications, as well as the next steps to follow together with its internal and external legal advisors. The Material Event Notice is also available on the companys corporate website at itau.cl/investor-relations.



About Itau Corpbanca



ITAU CORPBANCA (NYSE: ITCB; SSE: ITAUCORP) is the entity resulting from the merger of Banco Itau Chile with and into Corpbanca on April 1, 2016. The current ownership structure is: 38.14% owned by Itau Unibanco, 28.57% owned by CorpGroup and 33.29% owned by minority shareholders. Itau Unibanco is the sole controlling shareholder of the merged bank. Within this context and without limiting the above, Itau Unibanco and CorpGroup have signed a shareholders agreement relating to corporate governance, dividend policy (based on performance and capital metrics), transfer of shares, liquidity and other matters.



The merged bank has become the fourth largest private bank in Chile and will result in a banking platform for future expansion in Latin America, specifically in Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Central America. Itau Corpbanca is a commercial bank based in Chile with operations also in Colombia and Panama. In addition, Itau Corpbanca has a branch in New York and a representative office in Madrid. Focused on large and medium companies and individuals, Itau Corpbanca offers universal banking products. In 2012, the bank initiated a regionalization process and as of the date hereof has acquired two banks in Colombia -Banco Corpbanca Colombia and Helm Bank-, becoming the first Chilean bank having banking subsidiaries abroad. The merger with Banco Itau Chile and the business combination of our two banks in Colombia, represent the continued success of our regionalization process.



As of November 30, 2018, according to the Chilean Superintendency of Banks, Itau Corpbanca was the fifth largest private bank in Chile in terms of the overall size of its customer loan portfolio, equivalent to 10.3% market share.



As of September 30, 2018, according to the Colombian Superintendency of Finance, Itau Corpbanca Colombia was the seventh largest bank in Colombia in terms of total loans and the eighth largest bank in Colombia in terms of total deposits, as reported under local regulatory and accounting principles. As of the same date, its market share by loans reached 4.7%.



Investor Relations  Itau Corpbanca

+56 (2) 2660-1701 / IR@corpbanca.cl




PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cognoa , a digital behavioral health company, announced today that Cambia Health Solutions, Inc . (Cambia) is incorporating Cognoas evidence-based platform within its subsidiary health plans. Cognoa provides support for employees caring for children older than one. Cognoa offers reliable guidance on day-to-day challenges and personalized resources that enable parents to assess, track, and positively impact their childrens unique developmental growth.



As part of its commitment to providing innovative benefit solutions, Cambia will offer Cognoa through its regional health plans. Through Cambia, employers will be able to offer Cognoa to their employees to support parents with common parenting challenges and the developmental health of their children, while also identifying children who are at risk for developmental delays, including autism.

Professionals in the benefits space are increasingly recognizing increased demand for benefits that support employees throughout challenging situations and transitions. 96 percent of millennials say that health benefits are the most important factor when deciding between job opportunities. Benefits that demonstrate a corporate culture of empathy and inclusion are becoming critical to attract and retain top talent. While many companies invest heavily in supporting employees through family planning, pregnancy, and the first year of parenting, Cognoas platform provides a unique approach to supporting families through the key developmental stages after the first year.

We are proud to be part of Cambias progressive benefit offerings to employers, said Brent Vaughan, CEO of Cognoa. The early childhood years are challenging and stressful for parents and caregivers, in addition to being the most formative for a childs cognitive and behavioral development. Today, employers can help families in this important time by directly empowering parents to better support their childrens development and strengthen communications with their pediatricians. In doing so, companies create a more inclusive environment by supporting employees in all aspects of their lives.

Cognoa empowers employees with children so that they can be fully engaged at work and feel confident and equipped throughout the early childhood years. Used by over 250,000 parents, Cognoas evidence-based solution enables parents to better understand the developmental health and progress of their children and identify whether their children could benefit from more support during the critical early developmental growth window. By providing personalized resources and advice from child development specialists, Cognoa supports parents throughout the key stages of early childhood  from how to handle tantrums and sleep issues to preparing their child for the arrival of a new sibling.

By bringing access to Cognoas suite of personalized resources, Cambia is helping to fill current gaps in behavioral and developmental healthcare for children  so that all children have the best opportunities to reach their full potential.

About Cognoa

Cognoa is developing AI-based digital diagnostics and personalized therapies that are designed to make earlier diagnoses and effective treatments available to more children to improve outcomes and lower behavioral healthcare costs. When more physicians are empowered to identify and begin treating behavioral conditions and developmental delays earlier, more children have the opportunity to benefit from treatments at a younger age when there is the greatest potential for improved lifelong outcomes. Cognoa currently provides the Cognoa Child Development app via partnerships with employers, payees, and ABA therapy centers to empower parents and caregivers to better support their childrens unique behavioral health and growth. Cognoa is developing a diagnostic device intended to aid healthcare providers to deliver a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder for children at risk for developmental delays. Cognoa intends to seek FDA review and clearance that will allow the company to support diagnostic claims with robust clinical data. For more information, visit https://www.cognoa.com/ .
PASADENA, Texas, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PinnacleART, a global leader in designing, implementing, and maintaining asset reliability and integrity programs, appointed Stephen T. Powers as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). As CEO, Powers will lead the company in fulfilling PinnacleARTs vision of making the world reliable.



The selection of Stephen as PinnacleARTs CEO was a unanimous decision, said Frank Muller, PinnacleART Advisory Board Chairman. The notable growth PinnacleART experienced after Stephen stepped in as interim CEO, all while maintaining his regular responsibilities as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), displays Stephens unique ability to identify and execute strategies that will drive the company to become a global leader in reliability.

Prior to stepping into the role of interim CEO, Powers was the CFO for PinnacleART, and was recently selected as a finalist for Houston Business Journals CFO of the Year, an award which honors top financial executives from across the city. Powers was hired as CFO in 2016 and through his leadership during this time the company has grown 25% in top line and 20% EBITDA from 2016 to 2018.

During his time as CFO, Powers led the selection and implementation of an ERP software system, created PinnacleARTs procurement function, drove maturity of key IT infrastructure, and increased margins through upgraded financial reporting, analytics, and business review processes.

In addition to his regular responsibilities as CFO and interim CEO, Powers is the executive sponsor of PinnacleARTs community outreach committee, which partners with Pasadena charities to provide support and resources to the local community. As executive sponsor, Powers has helped develop a strong partnership between PinnacleART and Sarahs House, a shelter in Pasadena providing homeless women and children with stability, education and life-skills to transition from homelessness to independence. Powers was recently elected Chairman of the Board of Sarahs House, and will lead the mission to expand the shelters capacity and eradicate homelessness in the Pasadena area over the next year.

A native Houstonian, Powers has over 20 years of experience in the energy and industrial services sectors. Powers is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Master in Professional Accounting with a concentration in Information Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting with a concentration in Finance from the University of Texas at Austin.

About PinnacleART

PinnacleARTs vision is to make the world reliable. We do this by designing, implementing, and maintaining comprehensive asset reliability and integrity programs for process facilities in the oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, wastewater, and electric power industries including national oil companies, super majors, and majors, as well as independents. Our team of talented experts, engineers, and inspectors help clients mitigate risk of downtime and loss of containment; ensure safety of personnel; optimize costs associated with inspection, maintenance and total asset spend; and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. To learn more about PinnacleART, visit www.pinnacleart.com , email info@pinnacleart.com or call 281-598-1330.

Contact:

Brittany Kopech, Client Solutions & Marketing Manager

281-598-1330

Brittany.Kopech@pinnacleart.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af7b33bf-55b0-490b-bf51-2d40b2bdcee8
Kansas City, Kan., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RSM Marketing Services has acquired Unravel, a Kansas City-based data driven digital marketing firm with five employees. The acquisition will enable RSM to more rapidly expand its popular Outsourced Marketing Department (OMD) subscription service to better support businesses in the Kansas City area and across the nation.

Kansas City is a great expansion market for RSM. Its central location, relatively low costs and deep pool of experienced marketing talent make it perfect for us to support our rapidly growing OMD subscribers across the country, said Bruce Rowley, RSM Managing Partner. Plus, were looking forward to working with the many amazing businesses in Kansas City looking to reduce their marketing department expenses and improve their marketing activities to grow their businesses.

The firm will continue to operate Unravel as a division offering specific digital marketing services such as website design, SEO and content marketing. RSM expects to hire five new KC staff in 2019 to support additional marketing services provided to local and national Outsourced Marketing Department subscribers.

RSM is a perfect complement to what Unravel already offers here in KC, said Unravel Founder Scott Schaper, who will now serve as President of RSM in Kansas City. Well be able to provide a much wider range of individual services to our existing clients right away, but the real attraction is the outsourced marketing department service which is a game-changer in the industry!

The RSM Outsourced Marketing Department subscription enables a business to access a team of dozens of marketing experts and technologies all led by a Marketing Director. The subscription rate is determined by the client based on their budget or the expected scope of work and is often less than the cost of a single marketing FTE.

Clients can set their subscription rate, based on what their business has budgeted or on the scope of work they want to accomplish over the span of 6 to 12 months, said Mike Snyder, Managing Partner at RSM. If their needs change we can adapt to that by working with the client to shift priorities or adjust their subscription rate for a month or more. The work is all done by our employees, so we dont have to pass along marked up freelance costs or inflexible vendor timelines.

RSM will also immediately expand its Hydraulic Studio video production business to Kansas City and operate its 360kc.com city directory from the Kansas City office.

About RSM Marketing Services

RSM Marketing Services started in 2010, when co-founders Bruce Rowley and Mike Snyder saw that many companies were overwhelmed by the rapid expansion of marketing tactics required to compete and succeed. RSM developed the Outsourced Marketing Department to enable companies to lower the cost of getting a full range of marketing specialists by charging a flat monthly fee that is often about the cost of a single FTE.

RSM employs marketing specialists across every service that clients need, including video production, photography, web design, online marketing, public relations, media planning and buying, copywriting, design, social media, blogging, aerial drone video and more.

RSM has twice been named to the Inc 5000 list of fastest growing companies in America and has been a Google Partner since 2011. RSM employs more than 40 marketing professionals in offices in Wichita, KS and Kansas City, KS supporting a wide range of subscriber businesses across the United States.

###
Longmont, Colorado, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Nations Development Institute ( First Nations ) has received a grant of $1.35 million over two years from the Henry Luce Foundation to fund a fellowship program that will support intellectual leadership in Native American communities. The fellowship program will support 10 outstanding Native Americans who hail from a wide variety of fields and who utilize different modes of expression in communicating their knowledge and work.



We are honored and excited to partner with the Henry Luce Foundation to support the diverse array of knowledge makers and knowledge keepers in Native communities, said Michael E. Roberts, President and CEO of First Nations. The beauty of this project is that it will support and convene community leaders  from cultural and community intellectuals working to perpetuate traditional arts, Native languages and foods, to intellectual leaders working on economic development, climate change and other contemporary or Western manifestations of intellectual leadership. We hope that by investing in Native leadership, Indigenous knowledge and knowledge systems will be supported for the benefit of Native communities and beyond.

The goal of this fellowship will be to identify, support and convene Native American intellectual leaders who embody exceptional creativity and progressive and critical thinking, and who have the potential to significantly move forward their fields in ways that will ultimately lead to broad, transformative impacts for Native communities and beyond. Core to this program is supporting Native individuals who are engaged in the creation and dissemination of knowledge that advances their respective field or area of expertise.

For this fellowship, Native intellectual leadership is defined broadly and will include cultural leaders, media makers, scientists, health professionals, academics, curators, artists, writers, and policy makers, among others. The work of these leaders may take many forms, including journalism, visual art, film and video, speeches or sermons, educational curricula, music or theater, formal scholarship or research, public health strategies, legal arguments, fiction, policy analysis, etc.

"This initiative marries two of the Henry Luce Foundations core commitments: a commitment to the development of leaders and a commitment to the public dissemination of knowledge," said Sean T. Buffington, Vice President at the Henry Luce Foundation in New York City. "We believe, with our colleagues at First Nations, that knowledge and ideas have the power to transform communities at the local, national and global levels, but only if that knowledge and those ideas are put into the hands of communities. By investing in leaders who create new knowledge and share that knowledge publicly, we can empower the communities that those leaders address and serve."

In launching this new program, First Nations will also select and convene an eight-member advisory committee of distinguished intellectual leaders who will participate in program design and selection of fellows. The committee members will be distinguished knowledge makers and knowledge keepers themselves, and they will have deep knowledge of Indigenous culture and broad experience working in and with Native communities.

A formal application process will be launched in the fall of 2019. Individuals interested in the fellowship may apply directly or be nominated. Each fellow will receive $50,000 to advance her or his work. The fellows will also gather together three times during the fellowship year to learn from one another. All fellows will be eligible to seek an additional $25,000 to continue their work in the year after the fellowship.

(To be informed of when the application period opens in 2019, please regularly check the First Nations website , subscribe to First Nations emails at this link , or follow First Nations on various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter .)

About First Nations Development Institute



For 38 years, using a three-pronged strategy of educating grassroots practitioners, advocating for systemic change, and capitalizing Indian communities, First Nations has been working to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own  be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources  and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities. First Nations serves Native American communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.firstnations.org .

About the Henry Luce Foundation

The Henry Luce Foundation seeks to enrich public discourse by promoting innovative scholarship, cultivating new leaders, and fostering international understanding.

The Foundation advances its mission through grantmaking and leadership programs in the fields of Asia, higher education, religion and theology, art and public policy.

Established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time Inc., the Foundations earliest work honored his parents, missionary educators in China. The Foundations programs today reflect the value Mr. Luce placed on learning, leadership, and long-term commitment in philanthropy.

The Henry Luce Foundation, a private independent foundation, is a nonprofit corporation operating under the laws of the State of New York.




LONDON, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Military Hyperspectral Imaging Market Report 2019-2029: Forecasts & Analysis by Platform (Land-Based, Naval, Airborne, And Space-Based), by Application (Surveillance, Target Recognition, Mapping, Monitoring) Plus Analysis of Leading Companies Thermal Imaging, Optical Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (Ftir) Spectroscopy, Squared Lasers, High-Resolution Spectroscopy.



Visiongain has launched a new defence report Military Hyperspectral Imaging Market Report 2019-2029: Forecasts & Analysis By Platform (Land-Based, Naval, Airborne, And Space-Based), By Application (Surveillance, Target Recognition, Mapping, Monitoring) Plus Analysis Of Leading Companies Thermal Imaging, Optical Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (Ftir) Spectroscopy, Squared Lasers, High-Resolution Spectroscopy.

To access report sample pages please click on: https://www.visiongain.com/report/military-hyperspectral-imaging-market-forecast-2019-2029/

Hyperspectral Imaging refers to sensing devices that allow users to perform high-resolution spectroscopy to identify and visualize the different objects at a significant distance from the observer/user. Hyperspectral Imaging technology is of vital importance when detecting minute quantities in dynamic environments. In military field, Hyperspectral Imaging sensing technology is used to identify threat materials such as chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and explosives at safe distances. Thermal imaging, Optical Spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and squared lasers are some of the most common imaging technologies used within this market.

To request a free report overview please email Sara Peerun at sara.peerun@visiongain.com or call her on +44 207 549 9987.

Leading companies featured in the report who are developing Military Hyperspectral Imaging market includes BAE Systems, Ratheon Company, Elbit Systems, Leidos, Maxar Technologies, Surface Optics, Telops, among others. Featuring 100 Tables, 121 figures and 182 Pages
English Danish

Press release, Copenhagen, Denmark

Today, FLSmidth has been awarded a contract to deliver equipment for a greenfield cement plant in Paraguay, South America. The contract is valued at more than DKK 350m.

The expected plant start-up is within 24 months and the plant is expected to be fully operational in 2021. The plant will have a capacity of 2,500 tonnes per day and will mainly supply cement to its local market. FLSmidth will design and engineer the production line and will deliver energy-efficient equipment for the entire production line, from crushing to packing, while the customer will be in charge of the civil design and construction of the plant.

"The customer needed a state-of-the-art solution to meet the steady demand for cement in this developing region. This contract reinforces our position as the leading supplier of the most productive and energy-efficient equipment and technology for customers in the cement industry who focus on productivity, reliability and sustainability," says Jan Kjaersgaard, President, Cement, FLSmidth.

FLSmidth has received the down payment and the order becomes effective immediately and will be part of the order intake for Q1 2019.

Contacts Investors Relations

Nicolai Mauritzen, tel. +45 36 18 18 51, nicm@flsmidth.com

Contacts Media Relations

Sofie Karen Lindberg, tel. +45 30 93 18 77, skl@flsmidth.com

FLSmidth delivers sustainable productivity to the global mining and cement industries. As the market-leading supplier of engineering, equipment and service solutions, FLSmidth improves performance, drives down costs, and reduces the environmental impact of operations. Present in more than 50 countries and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Group and its 11,700 employees generated revenue of DKK 18 billion in 2017. www.flsmidth.com
BOGOTA, Colombia, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canacol Energy Ltd. ("Canacol" or the "Corporation") (TSX:CNE; OTCQX:CNNEF; BVC:CNEC) is pleased to provide the results of the Nelson 13 well along with the Corporations drilling plans for 2019.



Nelson 13 Development Well

Esperanza Exploitation and Production Contract

CNE Oil and Gas S.A.S, 100% Operated Working Interest

The Nelson 13 well is the Corporations 7th well drilled into its Nelson gas field, which was discovered in 2011. Using the Pioneer 302 drilling rig, Nelson 13 was spud on December 4, 2018, and reached a total depth of 9,234 feet measured depth in 21 days. The well encountered 104 feet true vertical depth (ft TVD) of net gas pay with average porosity of 26% within the productive shallow Porquero sandstone reservoir, and 162 ft TVD of net gas pay within the deeper productive CDO sandstone reservoir. The resulting 266 feet of net gas pay represents the thickest gas pay encountered in any of the Corporations wells drilled to date on any of its blocks in the Lower Magdalena Valley basin.

The well has been cased and completed prior to tying it into the Jobo gas processing facility via the existing flowline connecting all of the Nelson producing wells to the Jobo facility.

2019 Drilling Program Update

The gas exploration wells planned for 2019 include the Acordeon-1 and Saxofon-1 exploration wells on Canacols operated 100% working interest VIM 5 contract, and the Arandala-1 exploration well on Canacols operated 100% working interest VIM 21 contract. Appraisal wells Pandereta-5 and Clarinete-4 are planned for its VIM 5 contract, while appraisal well Palmer-2 and development wells Nelson-7 and Canahuate-2 are planned for its operated 100% working interest Esperanza contract. Flexibility has been built into the 2019 drilling program such that in the event of exploration success, funds may be reallocated for immediate follow-up appraisal drilling locations.

Upon moving off of the Nelson 13 drilling location, the Pioneer 302 rig will be mobilized to drill the Palmer-2 appraisal well, which is anticipated to spud in the last week of January 2019. Palmer-2 will take approximately 5 weeks to drill and complete, after which the rig will be mobilized to drill the Nelson-7 development well which is anticipated to spud in early March 2019.

The Corporation will provide continuous updates of its 2019 drilling program as each well is completed.

Canacol is an exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia. The Corporation's common stock trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the OTCQX in the United States of America, and the Colombia Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CNE, CNNEF, and CNE.C, respectively.

This press release contains certain forwardlooking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forwardlooking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporation's properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forwardlooking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation.
NANAIMO, BC, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE  Salvation Botanicals Ltd. (Salvation or the Company) announced today that its subsidiary, Salvation Bioscience, will be a gold partner of Lift & Co Cannabis Business Conference to be held January 10, 2019, and exhibiting at the 2019 Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo from January 11-13, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Attendees can meet with Salvation executives at booth 940.

The timing could not be better as Canada legalized its adult use program October 17, 2018, and Salvation announced December 7, 2018 , that they received the amendment to their Industrial Hemp License to allow the sale and distribution of flowering heads, leaves, and branches. At the conference, Salvation Director and CFO Rob McIntyre will introduce a panel discussion on regulation titled What Canada Has Learned Since October 17. The panel discussion will take place from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday, January 10. Participants will share insights and lessons learned since adult use legalization, including its impacts on public health and safety, compliance, economic development, and more.

As one of the leading independent cannabis testing facilities in Canada, and one of the first labs in the country, Salvation has played a role in the development of existing legislation, offering insight from a unique science-based perspective. Salvation has provided valuable comment to numerous Federal government programs, including the Task Force on legalization in 2016, as well as providing input to various Provincial government agencies.

Canada, and BC in particular, produces the best cannabis in the world, said Salvation Director and CFO Rob McIntyre. We have the best extraction, the best formulation, and the best testing practices  it makes sense that Canada has the best regulation in the world as well. We look forward to joining a lively discussion from the frontlines of cannabis legalization.

The year ahead provides enormous opportunity for the Canadian cannabis industry, along with regulatory challenges.

McIntyre added, As we look to provide a conduit for craft growers to enter the regulated market, we will seek opportunities to assist in developing common sense regulations that will enable us to provide artisans a smooth transition from the constitutionally protected grey market into the white. And it is though discussions such as this panel that we are able to provide helpful feedback to Health Canada.

Cliff Wiltshire, CEO, Founder, and Director of Salvation, said, We are thrilled to be a part of the Lift & Co. Cannabis Business Expo in Vancouver. Our corporate focus is not only on protecting consumers through ensuring strict compliance with regulations, it is also on playing our part in helping to develop the best regulatory environment. Having the best cannabis combined with the best consumer protection will ultimately ensure Canadas global dominance in the Cannabis industry.

Currently Health Canada has an open consultation process on draft regulations for edibles, extracts and topicals at Canada.ca/Cannabis . Salvation is currently preparing a submission focused on the increased needs for testing of these products.

Given the significance of microbiological contamination in food products, independent testing is warranted, and we will be pushing hard for that from a scientific viewpoint, McIntyre said. The process is open until February 20, and we will be encouraging all Canadian stakeholders to provide input.

Deloitte estimates the Canadian cannabis market has a base retail value between $4.9 billion to $8.7 billion, which would rival the size of the $5 billion Canadian spirits market. The market for cannabis products and services  including growers, testing labs, lighting, and security systems  would increase that number to between $12.7 billion and $22.6 billion, according to Deloitte.



About Salvation Botanicals Ltd.



Salvation Botanicals is a private company based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, that is dedicated to the testing and production of high-quality standardized cannabinoid products for the international cannabis market. Salvation operates one of the first analytics laboratories in Canada, licensed by Health Canada, to test cannabis and derivatives.



Salvation Botanicals holds a Dealers License under the Controlled Substances Act, with authority to extract and produce oil within Health Canada guidelines. In 2016 Health Canada granted Salvation a Hemp Processing License permitting production and sale and export of seed, grain, and their derivatives. The Company is a late stage applicant for ACMPR Licensed Producer.



For more information about Salvation Botanicals Ltd, visit www.salvationbotanicals.ca.



Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information



Certain statements within this press release relating to the Company constitute forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, business plans and/or objectives, sales programs, forecasts and projections, assumptions, expectations, and/or beliefs of future performance, are forward-looking statements.

Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual and future events to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These risks and uncertainties relate to, among other things, to the Companys historical experience with medical marijuana operations, regulatory changes, timeliness of government approvals for the granting of permits and licenses, changes in medical marijuana prices, actual operating performance of facilities, risks associated with completion of the acquisition, including the availability of sufficient financing to complete the acquisition and fund the business of the combined company, other risks relating to the roll-out and intended expansion of a clinical wellness business, business integration risks, competitive risks, and other risks relevant to the medical marijuana and clinical wellness industries in general and to the Company in particular.

The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. There can be no assurance that Salvation Botanicals medical marijuana license application will be approved by Health Canada.


LONDON and SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StaffConnect , the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions , today announced that its platform has been selected as a finalist in the mobile technology category of the 2018 Tech Trailblazers Awards . Additionally, Geraldine Osman was named a finalist in the Female CxO category. The public is invited to view the shortlist and vote online at http://www.techtrailblazers.com/shortlist. Voting closes 11:59 Pacific Time Wednesday 16th January 2019.



Now in its seventh year, the Tech Trailblazer Awards continue to focus on discovering innovation around the world, from the smallest startups to more established companies. Rose Ross, founder of the Tech Trailblazers Awards said, Our expert judges have highlighted the star quality entrants and now the public can help decide which innovations deserve the Tech Trailblazer title. The quality of concepts and offerings among our entrants this year has been incredibly high, so were proud to announce the diverse shortlist.

The StaffConnect Platform transforms how employers reach, communicate and engage their employees, both internally and externally across multiple environments, through an intuitive user platform combined with insightful, cloud-based management and analytics tools. The platform is designed to improve employee engagement levels by enabling employees to interact, share and collaborate with any form of employee communication. With the StaffConnect mobile app, providing real-time streams of rich media to employees, such as video CEO announcements, the company can ensure its mission and goals are clearly communicated to all members of staff, regardless of where they may be located. This helps to give employees an understanding of how their job plays a part in the companys bigger picture and a sense of purpose in their roles.

StaffConnects CMO, Geraldine Osman, who was named a finalist in the CxO category, is a strategic marketing leader, with a strong focus on creating performance driven cultures, building outstanding marketing teams and driving early traction and fast growth. She has held global leadership positions in both the UK and US and has been responsible for the successful and significant global expansion of both public and startup technology brands. As CMO of StaffConnect, she has more than doubled the companys customer base in three quarters. Her global vision has successfully expanded the business into all major geographies in the world, opened up new markets and driven increasing market dominance in healthcare and manufacturing sectors.

It is a huge honour to have been named a finalist in not one, but two categories of the 2018 Tech Trailblazers Awards, said Osman. We have seen the big leaps technology has taken in accelerating productivity and collaboration in the connected world. StaffConnect is leading the way by bringing new mobile platforms to link the world of frontline and field employees, bridging the divide between the office and the field to drive greater collaboration and productivity across the entire workforce.

Tweet this: .@StaffConnectApp Named a Finalist in the 2018 Tech Trailblazer Awards https://www.staffconnectapp.com/latest/press-releases/

#EmployeeEngagement #EmployeeCommunication #EmployeeExperience #Customer Experience

About StaffConnect

StaffConnect is the leading provider of mobile employee engagement solutions. The StaffConnect platform transforms the employee experience by enabling enterprises to connect, communicate and engage their entire workforce, especially remote, non-desk employees. The customer-branded mobile solution gives employees a voice - with access to company and user-generated content to increase loyalty and productivity. The cloud-hosted platform empowers employers to target that content, with analytics, to deepen engagement with everyone. From offices in London and San Francisco, StaffConnects platform and domain expertise are supporting large businesses around the world to inspire their workforces to deliver better performance, improved customer experiences and greater shareholder value. For further information, please visit: www.staffconnectapp.com .

Media Resources (logos, screenshots, etc.): https://www.staffconnectapp.com/media-resources/

PR Contact:

Sabrina Sanchez

The Ventana Group for StaffConnect

(925) 785-3014

ssanchez@theventanagroup.com
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GridGain  Systems , provider of enterprise-grade in-memory computing solutions based on Apache Ignite, today announced it is organizing or taking part in multiple webinars and meetups during January and February. GridGain experts will share the latest information and developments related to in-memory computing technology and business trends.



In-memory computing is now a mainstream technology for meeting the high performance demands of applications developed for digital transformation and omnichannel customer experience initiatives. Technologists in companies planning to adopt in-memory computing can benefit from learning best practices and the latest technology trends, said Terry Erisman, vice president of marketing at GridGain Systems. GridGain has helped hundreds of leading organizations deploy high performance, massively scalable applications to meet their needs. These webinars and meetups allow our technical experts to share practical advice on strategies and best practices for solving the performance challenges of digital transformation initiatives.

Webinars

In-Memory Computing Best Practices: Developing New Apps, Channels and APIs  January 24, 2019  In this session, the third in the In-Memory Computing Best Practices Series, GridGain Systems Vice President of Outbound Product Management Rob Meyer will dive into how in-memory computing acts as a foundation for digital business.

 January 24, 2019  In this session, the third in the In-Memory Computing Best Practices Series, GridGain Systems Vice President of Outbound Product Management Rob Meyer will dive into how in-memory computing acts as a foundation for digital business. GridGain Cloud: Deploy Apache Ignite in Minutes  January 30, 2019  This webinar is designed for users who are interested in trying Apache Ignite or in-memory computing as a Service. GridGain Technology Evangelist Akmal Chaudhri will discuss GridGain Cloud, provide an overview of how to deploy Ignite as a service with just a few clicks, and explain how to use Ignite as a distributed cache or in-memory database (IMDB) as a service.

 January 30, 2019  This webinar is designed for users who are interested in trying Apache Ignite or in-memory computing as a Service. GridGain Technology Evangelist Akmal Chaudhri will discuss GridGain Cloud, provide an overview of how to deploy Ignite as a service with just a few clicks, and explain how to use Ignite as a distributed cache or in-memory database (IMDB) as a service. Whats New in Apache Ignite 2.7  February 13, 2019  GridGain Director of Product Management and Vice President of the Apache Ignite PMC Denis Magda will discuss what's new with Apache Ignite 2.7. Attendees will learn how the new capabilities of Apache Ignite work and will walk away with an understanding about some of the changes made to Apache Ignite, and the reasoning behind them.

Meetups

About GridGain Systems

GridGain Systems is revolutionizing real-time data access and processing by offering an in-memory computing platform built on Apache Ignite. GridGain solutions are used by global enterprises in financial, software, e-commerce, retail, online business services, healthcare, telecom and other major sectors, with a client list that includes ING, Sberbank, Finastra, IHS Markit, Workday, and Huawei. GridGain delivers unprecedented speed and massive scalability to both legacy and greenfield applications. Deployed on a distributed cluster of commodity servers, GridGain software can reside between the application and data layers (RDBMS, NoSQL and Apache Hadoop), requiring no rip-and-replace of the existing databases, or it can be deployed as an in-memory transactional SQL database. GridGain is the most comprehensive in-memory computing platform for high-volume ACID transactions, real-time analytics, web-scale applications, continuous learning and HTAP. For more information, visit gridgain.com.

CONTACT:

Terry Erisman

GridGain Systems

terisman@gridgain.com

(650) 241-2281




English German

Sales growth of 13.7% in local currencies to CHF 7.09 billion in 2018

Strong growth in all regions

Continued investment in supply chain expansion with opening of 11 factories, 1 national subsidiary, and 4 acquisitions

Outlook 2019: in line with the strategic targets, sales growth of 6-8% and over-proportional profit increase are expected

Sika proved its ability to generate very strong growth in 2018, increasing sales in local currencies by 13.7% to the equivalent of CHF 7.09 billion. The positive development of business in all regions, together with continued investments in new factories, the establishment of another national subsidiary, and the strategic focus on big cities to capture the business potential of the megatrend urbanization contributed to Sika's strong growth.

Over the last year, Sika succeeded in increasing sales by 13.7% in local currencies to a total of CHF 7.09 billion, thereby exceeding the CHF 7 billion mark for the first time. All regions managed to boost sales and gain further market share. Above-average growth rates were achieved in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, USA, Indonesia, India, China, and in the Global Business segment.

Paul Schuler, CEO: "We made further significant progress with our growth strategy in fiscal year 2018 and have made good use of the additional momentum afforded to us by the settlement of the takeover dispute. Our 13.7% increase in sales meant we broke through the CHF 7 billion barrier for the first time. With 11 new factories, an additional national subsidiary and four acquisitions, we have invested a great deal in our supply chain in the past year so that we can benefit from the growth in global construction markets and further expand our market position. We owe this record result to the great efforts of the 19,500 people who work for Sika worldwide - and for that I would like to thank them."

GROWTH IN ALL REGIONS

In 2018, sales in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa) increased by 14.2% in local currencies (previous year: 7.6%). The core markets of Spain and the UK recorded high single-digit growth. Double-digit growth rates were achieved in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

With the acquisition of Index Construction Systems and Products in Italy, Sika gained a leading manufacturer of waterproofing systems for roofs and building structures. In the reporting period Sika also acquired Polypag, a Swiss-based manufacturer and developer of polyurethane foam systems, as well as Arcon Membrane, a major manufacturer of roofing and waterproofing systems in Romania. New factories for concrete admixtures and mortar products were commissioned in Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Azerbaijan, Kazachstan, and Russia.

The newly established Americas region recorded local currency growth of 11.7% in 2018 (previous year: 12.6%). Including acquisitions, USA managed to record double-digit growth thanks to investments and market initiatives in metropolitan areas. The development of business in Brazil and Colombia was above-average. The basis for further growth in Central America was laid with the establishment of a new national subsidiary in Honduras. With the acquisition of the global Concrete Fibers business from Propex Holding, LLC, Sika has further invested in the high growth market for concrete fibers. New production plants for concrete admixtures and mortars were opened in Peru and Guatemala.

Growth in the Asia/Pacific region amounted to 5.5% in local currencies (previous year: 5.4%). Here the highest growth rates were recorded by India, Indonesia, and China. In Vietnam, a state-of-the-art facility for mortar production has come on stream in the Bac Ninh plant alongside the existing production of concrete admixtures. This has enabled Sika to expand its supply chain in this large construction market.

The new Global Business segment recorded a growth rate of 29.2% in local currencies (previous year: 11.5%), of which 23.0% is attributable to the acquisition of Faist ChemTec. This new segment includes the globally managed businesses automotive, Advanced Resins (formerly Axson Technologies), and Faist ChemTec. Advanced Resins and Faist ChemTec are established providers of components and solutions for automotive and other industries. A new automotive factory for the production of acoustic and body reinforcement systems was opened in Queretaro, in order to derive even greater benefit from the strong Mexican automotive market.

OUTLOOK

For the business year 2018, a record operating profit (EBIT) in the range of CHF 940 million to 960 million is expected. With investments in eleven new factories, one additional national subsidiary, and four acquisitions, the basis for continued growth has been established. These 16 key investments, together with the well-filled pipeline of new products and the strong sales organization, allow Sika to look to the future with much confidence.

In the business year 2019, Sika expects a sales increase in line with its Growth Strategy 2020 targets of 6 to 8% and an over-proportional rise in profits. Depending on the closing date of the Parex transaction, sales are expected to exceed CHF 8 billion. The execution of the Growth Strategy will continue in 2019 with the opening of new factories and further acquisitions. The new Strategy 2023 will be communicated at the Capital Markets Day on October 3, 2019.

FINANCIAL CALENDAR: Media conference / analyst presentation

on full-year results 2018 Friday, February 22, 2019 Net sales first quarter 2019 Tuesday, April 9, 2019 51st Annual General Meeting Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Half-year report 2019 Thursday, July 25, 2019 Results first nine months 2019 Thursday, October 24, 2019 Net sales 2019 Tuesday, January 7, 2020

CONTACT

Dominik Slappnig

Corporate Communications &

Investor Relations

+41 58 436 68 21

slappnig.dominik@ch.sika.com

SIKA CORPORATE PROFILE

Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories. Its more than 19,500 employees generated annual sales of CHF 7.09 billion in 2018.

The media release can be downloaded from the following link:
English German

Sika made binding offer to acquire Parex from CVC Fund V

Parex, a leading mortar manufacturer with sales of CHF 1.2 billion and an impressive track record of profitable growth and attractive margins (EBITDA: 16% margin)

Strong footprint with 74 plants in 23 countries

Combining two "growth engines", highly complementary in product offering and channel penetration

Enterprise value of CHF 2.5 billion with expected annual synergies of CHF 80 - 100 million

Completion of transaction subject to French works council consultation process and regulatory approvals, expected in Q2/Q3 2019

Sika has made a binding offer to acquire Parex from its current owner CVC Fund V. Parex is a leading manufacturer of mortar solutions including facade mortars, tile adhesives, waterproofing, and technical mortars. In 2018 the company generated sales of CHF 1.2 billion and an expects an EBITDA of around CHF 195 million. With its expertise in mortar solutions for renovation and new builds, Parex participates in all phases of the construction life cycle. Parex has a particularly strong presence in distribution channels, combining recognized brands with R&D expertise and technical excellence. It is locally present in 23 countries with key positions in 8 core geographies and operates 74 plants around the world.

Paul Schuler, CEO of Sika: "Parex is an excellent company with well recognized brands and an impressive performance track record. The businesses of Parex and Sika are highly complementary. Using Parex technologies as a growth platform in all our 101 countries and cross-selling of our products to the well established distribution channels of Parex will generate great profitable growth. Parex's excellent facade business can be leveraged in the entire Sika world. We warmly welcome all employees of Parex to the Sika Family. We look forward to working with the Parex team and we are excited about expanding our joint business operations."

Eric Berge, CEO of Parex: "Under CVC Fund V's ownership, the Parex team has delivered a very strong performance, growing sales from EUR 750 million in 2013 to over EUR 1 billion. Over this 5-year period, Parex entered 3 new countries and opened 16 new plants, added 11 bolt-on acquisitions, and built a new international R&D center. Sika represents a great platform to continue to deliver on Parex's ambitious growth plan and the combination creates new exciting opportunities in terms of offering new solutions to our customers and continuing our geographic expansion. I would like to thank our sponsor, CVC Capital Partners, our teams across the world, and our customers for their trust and support in these past five years, and we look forward to working with Sika in the future."

With this acquisition Sika will further strengthen its leading position in construction chemicals and industrial adhesives and will reach sales in excess of CHF 8 billion. It will deepen and widen Sika's growth platform. Its mortar business, which is a key growth technology for the group and one of its important earning contributors, will more than double in size to CHF 2.3 billion. Parex's strong position in distribution channels will open up new business opportunities for Sika's product range. Parex will gain access to Sika's well established direct sales channels and Parex's expertise in the facade and tile setting business will allow Sika to participate in these growing and attractive market fields.

FINANCIAL PARAMETERS

Annual synergies are expected to be in the range of CHF 80 - 100 million. Purchase price represents a 11.3x EV / pro forma EBITDA 19E multiple which will come down to less than 8.5x EV/EBITDA, including full run-rate synergies. The acquisition is value enhancing to Sika shareholders and is expected to be accretive to Sika's earnings per share from the first full year post closing.

The financing of the transaction is secured by a bridge loan facility committed by UBS and Citi. Sika remains committed to maintaining a strong investment grade credit rating and intends to put in place a long-term funding structure comprising a combination of cash-on-hand, bank loans, and capital market instruments.

The acquisition is implemented in various steps. The completion of the transaction is subject to French works council consultation process and regulatory approvals and is expected in Q2/Q3 2019.

Analysts' and media conference today, January 8, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. (CET) Today at 9.30 a.m. an analysts' and media conference will take place. The following persons will present:



Paul Schuler, Chief Executive Officer

Adrian Widmer, Chief Financial Officer Location: Sika premises, Tuffenwies 16, 8048 Zurich (Altstetten) The conference will be transmitted live on the Sika website. Link to the live transmission of the conference: www.sika.com/pressconference

CONTACT

Dominik Slappnig

Corporate Communications &

Investor Relations

+41 58 436 68 21

slappnig.dominik@ch.sika.com

SIKA CORPORATE PROFILE

Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories. Its more than 19,500 employees generated annual sales of CHF 7.09 billion in 2018.

ABOUT CVC CAPITAL PARTNERS

CVC is a leading private equity and investment advisory firm. Founded in 1981, CVC has a

network of 24 offices and approximately 450 employees throughout Europe, Asia and the US. In total, CVC currently manages approximately US$69 billion of assets. Today, CVC Funds are invested in 72 companies worldwide, employing c.200,000 people in numerous countries. Together, these companies have combined annual sales of over US$150 billion. For further information about CVC please visit: cvc.com

The media release can be downloaded from the following link:
NEW YORK, Jan. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire  Finovate, a leading producer of global fintech conferences, today unveils the agenda for the upcoming FinovateEurope conference taking place February 12-15 in Tobacco Dock, London.



Finovate has been drawing attendees from a variety of roles within fintech and finance for over 10 years. Whether youre a banker, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, or member of the press, Finovate has something for you. Heres what to expect at FinovateEurope:

Live demos of new innovations

Across the first two days, 65+ fintech companies will have just 7 minutes to demo their latest innovations live (no slides or video allowed).

Insights from global fintech leaders

On day three, you'll hear expert insights on the latest regional trends and macro issues affecting financial technology. Gain the actionable insight you need, get solutions to your business problems and leave with dozens of new ideas for your future product road-map and strategic planning.

1400+ senior-level attendees

Join 1400+ senior executives from financial institutions, venture capitalists, press, industry analysts, bloggers, regulators and entrepreneurs from all over the world. Organisations attending this year include Adobe, American Express, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Fidelity, Lloyds, MUFG, Morgan Stanley and many more!

Covering the ABCs of fintech

There's a fintech trend for almost every letter of the alphabet...AI, Blockchain, Crypto and many more. So how do you know what services and solutions are here to stay and which ones are right for your business? Finovate cuts to the core of innovation to show you trending technology that you can use.

Summit Day

NEW for 2019, dont miss our dedicated add-on summit day on 15 February, taking a deep dive into the next revolutions facing our industry.

The two summits will be running concurrently, an Open Banking Summit and an AI Summit. Switch between them at your leisure!

To view the full agenda: https://goo.gl/Vtt71P

To view the full speaker line-up: https://goo.gl/DVqcjy

If thats not enough, here are 6 reasons attendees join us:

1. Highly-efficient format. Our short-form demo-based format allows you to see a huge number of demos in a short amount of time. Each presenter has just 7 minutes to show you what theyve got, and they cant use slides or video. You see only live technology with no unnecessary filler.

2. Stay ahead of the curve. Fintech innovation continues at a blistering pace, and you cant afford to be left behind. Stay informed and find the next big advantage  before your competition does.

3. See curated content. The competitive application process for demoing companies means you only see the best of what fintech currently has to offer. We hand-pick each company that we put on stage, and by forcing them to do a live demo we make sure you only see technology that works today.

4. Connect one-on-one with the people that matter to you. Use the new Finovate networking app to speak directly to the founders, senior executives, innovators, investors and more from the most innovative financial institutions. This isnt your typical trade show floor, its your chance to speak directly with the innovators behind the technology that excites you.

5. Learn from Fintechs visionaries. With our newly expanded format, youll get to hear from the thought-leaders driving the industry. The demos show you the best of whats available now, and our speakers will give you a unique insight into whats coming next.

6. Theres something for everyone. Whether youre looking for a specific tech solution or youre simply curious to see whats out there, youll leave Finovate with new ideas and a fresh outlook. And a combination of main-stage content and subject-specific tracks means you can see the complete picture and then dive into the specific subject area that interests you most.

To save 20% on the main 3-day event pass or the add-on summit day use the following hyperlink: 20% OFF FinovateEurope (or enter promo code FKV2349NNP2 at checkout)

About Finovate

The Finovate Group is a research and events firm focused on innovation in financial and banking technology. Its team runs the Finovate conference series and authors the popular Finovate blog. Finovate is the only conference series focused exclusively on showcasing the best and most innovative new financial and banking technologies. Finovate conferences consistently attract large, high-impact audiences of senior financial and banking executives, venture capitalists, press, industry analysts, bloggers, regulators, and entrepreneurs. Finovate's annual events include FinovateFall (New York), FinovateSpring (San Jose), and FinovateEurope (London), as well as regional events in Hong Kong, Dubai, and Cape Town.

Contact Finovate

Finovate

www.finovate.com

(888) 670-8200

info@finovate.com
NEW YORK, Jan. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against, Liberty Health Science Inc. (Liberty or the Company) (OTCMKTS: LHSIF) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and indexed under 19-cv-00161, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities, other than Defendants and their affiliates, who purchased or otherwise, acquired Liberty common stock between June 28, 2018, and December 3, 2018, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.



If you are a shareholder who purchased Liberty Class A common stock between June 28, 2018, and December 3, 2018, you have until March 8, 2019, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Liberty was incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) on November 9, 2011, as SecureCom Mobile Inc. The Companys principal business activity is the production and distribution of medical cannabis through its wholly-owned subsidiary DFMMJ LLC (d/b/a Liberty Health Sciences Florida Ltd.)

Aphria Inc. (Aphria), which also produces and distributes cannabis, has had longstanding ties with Liberty, starting from the very beginning of both companies. When Aphria was founded in 2014, Victor Neufeld (Neufeld) joined the firm as CEO and co-founder. One of Aphrias other early institutional backers included The Delavaco Group, Front St. Capital, York Plains, and Broadband Capital of NYC.

Neufeld became the Chairman of Liberty while Cole Cacciavillani, Aphrias chief agronomist and co-founder, also became one of the executives at Liberty. Liberty was heavily influenced by Aphria and individuals involved in the management of Aphria. Neufeld and the Serruya are large shareholders in both companies.

The complaint alleges throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Liberty, in conjunction with Aphria, was involved in a scheme whereby numerous fraudulent acquisitions and transactions were made to provide undue benefits to both companies insiders; and (ii) as a result, Libertys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

In September 2018, Aphria announced that it had sold off its stake in Liberty. On December 3, 2018, Quintessential Capital Management and Hindenburg Research issued a report entitled Aphria: A Shell Game with a Cannabis Business on the Side, claiming that Aphria was part of a scheme involving the acquisition of shell companies at artificially inflated prices. Specifically, the report alleged: Aphria is part of a scheme orchestrated by a network of insiders to divert funds away from shareholders into their own pockets. The article detailed a thorough and on-the-ground investigation into Aphrias latest investments that revealed the poor quality and worth of the assets of those investments. For example, the article was accompanied by pictures showing that Aphrias latest investment in Jamaica was an abandoned building on dilapidated property.

On this news, Libertys stock fell $0.36, or nearly 34%, over the next two trading days to close at $0.70 on December 4, 2018.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 9980
Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services, or dissemination in the United States.

HONG KONG, Jan. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Primeline Energy Holdings Inc. (Primeline), or the Company) (TSX.V: PEH) today announced that it has issued $US 9,300,000 principal amount of bonds (the New B Bonds) to Primeline International (Holdings) Inc. (PIHI), a company wholly-owned by Mr. Victor Hwang, Primelines President, Chairman and majority shareholder, and pursuant to payment of interest on the New Bonds referred to below and the New B Bonds will issue 2,435,427 new Ordinary Shares of Primeline (Shares) to PIHI.



As previously announced, on November 12, 2018 Mr. Hwang loaned Primeline the sum of $US 9,301,000 ($Cdn. 12,282,901 at the Bank of Canada daily exchange rate for $US of 1.3206 as of November 9, 2018) in order to fund repayment by Primeline of $US 8,000,000 principal amount Tranche B Bonds issued to GRF Prime Limited (GRF Prime) in 2015 (the Tranche B Bonds) which matured on November 12, 2018. The loan was to be secured by the issuance of the New B Bonds having the same terms as the Tranche B Bonds with a deemed issue date of November 12, 2018, subject to receipt of acceptance of the issuance of the New B Bonds from the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSX-V).

TSX-V acceptance has been obtained, and Primeline issued the New B Bonds on January 3, 2019, with a deemed issue date of November 12, 2018. The New B Bonds are for an initial term of one year, extendable for a further year at the option of the holder. Interest is payable on the New B Bonds quarterly on Sept. 15, Dec. 15, Mar. 15 and June 15 of each year of the term at 7% per annum, of which 4.5% is payable in cash and 2.5% in Shares issued at a deemed price per Share equal to the higher of: (i) the closing price of the Shares on the TSX-V on the day before; and (ii) the volume-weighted average trading price of the Shares on the TSX-V for; the 10 days preceding the interest payment date (Share Interest). On maturity, the New B Bonds must be redeemed for their principal amount together with a premium which will result in the bondholder receiving interest equal to 10% per annum, less cash interest paid and 50% of the lower of (a) the aggregate of all Share Interest paid and (b) the product of (A) the number of Shares actually issued in satisfaction of Share Interest on or prior to the redemption date and (B) the arithmetic mean of the Volume Weighted Average Price for one Share for the 10 consecutive trading days ending on the trading day immediately prior to the redemption date. The New B Bonds are convertible, at the option of the bondholder, at any time during the period commencing four months and a day following the date of issuance up to the date that is 10 days prior to the date of maturity of the New B Bonds, into Shares at a conversion price of CAD$0.85 per Share.

The 2,435,427 Shares (the Interest Shares) will be issued to PIHI in payment of the December 15, 2018 instalment of Share Interest on $US 11,300,000 principal amount 2018 Convertible Bonds (the New Bonds) issued on October 3, 2018 and the New B Bonds at a deemed price of CAD$0.049 per Share, the volume-weighted average TSX-V trading price of the Shares for the ten days preceding the interest payment date.

Prior to the issuance of the New B Bonds and the Interest Shares, Mr. Hwang had ownership, directly and indirectly through PIHI, of 67.04% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares assuming conversion of the New Bonds. At the Bank of Canada daily exchange rate for $US of 1.3600 as of January 2, 2019, 36,834,286 Common Shares were issuable upon conversion of the New Bonds and the New B Bonds, and assuming such conversion. Mr. Hwang had ownership, directly and indirectly through PIHI, and control of 164,777,802 Shares, or 69.63% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, representing a change in Mr. Hwangs security holding percentage in the Common Shares of 2.59%.

Mr. Hwang, through PIHI, will acquire beneficial ownership of further Shares as Share Interest, and may convert New Bonds and New B Bonds or both, or purchase or sell Shares in the market, in the future depending on market conditions and other factors relevant to his investment decisions. Mr. Hwang has no plans or future intentions by himself or with any joint actors which relate to or would result in: a corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving Primeline or any of its subsidiaries; a sale or transfer of a material amount of Primelines assets or those of any of its subsidiaries; a change in the board of directors or management of Primeline, including any plans to change the number or term of directors or fill any existing vacancy on the board; a material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of Primeline; a material change in Primelines business or corporate structure; a change in Primelines Articles or another action which might impede the acquisition of control of Primeline by any person or company; any class of Primelines securities being delisted from the TSX-V; Primeline ceasing to be a reporting issuer in any jurisdiction of Canada; a solicitation of proxies from Primelines securityholders; or any action similar to those enumerated above.

A copy of Mr. Hwangs early warning report relating to the transactions described above can be obtained from Mr. Robin Cook at FronTier Merchant Capital Group, whose contact information is below. Mr. Hwangs address is Hong Kong Parkview, 88 Tai Tam Reservoir Road, Hong Kong.

About Primeline Energy Holdings Inc.

Primeline is an exploration and production company focusing exclusively on Chinas natural resources to become a major supplier of gas and oil to the East China market. Primeline has a 100% Contractor's interest in, and is the operator of, the petroleum contract with CNOOC for Block 33/07 (5,877sq km) and a 49% interest in the producing LS36-1 gas field in Block 25/34, together with CNOOC (51% interest and acting as Operator). Both blocks are located in the East China Sea. LS36-1 has been in production since July 2014. Shares of Primeline are listed for trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol PEH.

ON BEHALF OF PRIMELINE ENERGY HOLDINGS INC.

Ming Wang

Ming Wang

Chief Executive Officer

Contact:

Primeline Energy Holdings Inc. FronTier Merchant Capital Group Dr. Ming Wang, CEO

PH: +44 207.499.8888

Fax: +44 56 0372 5179

Toll Free: 1.877.818.0688

E-Mail: IR@pehi.com Robin Cook

1411-1 King Street West, Toronto, ON M5H 1A1

PH: (416) 809-1738

FAX: (866) 749-0447

E-Mail: robin@frontiermcg.com

www.frontiermcg.com

Please visit the Companys website at www.pehi.com . Should you wish to receive Company news via email, please email robin@frontiermcg.com specify Primeline Energy in the subject line.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the statements in this news release contain forward-looking information, which involves inherent risk and uncertainty affecting the business of Primeline. Although these statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, actual results may vary from those anticipated in such statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

MONTREAL, Jan. 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX-V: PYR) (OTCQB: PYRNF), a TSX Venture 50 high-tech company, (the "Company", the Corporation or "PyroGenesis") a Company that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes plasma atomized metal powder, plasma waste-to-energy systems and plasma torch products, is pleased to announce that subsequent to the press release of December 28th, 2018, wherein was announced the closing of the first tranche of a private placement (the Private Placement) following the reception of initial subscriptions (the Initial Subscriptions), that as a result of further interest in the Private Placement, the Corporation has received an additional subscription (the Subsequent Subscription) and as a result thereof the Corporation has issued and sold an additional aggregate amount of 97,400 units of the Corporation (the Units) at a price of $0.58 per Unit for gross proceeds of $56,492.



As result of the Initial Subscriptions and Subsequent Subscription, the Corporation has issued and sold pursuant to the Private Placement a total of 2,244,367 Units for gross proceeds of $1,301,732.86 to the Corporation.



Each Unit consists of one common share of the Corporation (a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole Common Share purchase warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.85 until December 18th, 2020. Each Unit will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of closing.



The proceeds from the Private Placements will be used by the Corporation for general corporate purposes. The Private Placements are subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) as well as other customary closing conditions.



This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States, unless an exemption from such registration is available.



About PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a TSX Venture 50 high-tech company, is the world leader in the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of advanced plasma processes and products. We provide engineering and manufacturing expertise, cutting-edge contract research, as well as turnkey process equipment packages to the defense, metallurgical, mining, advanced materials (including 3D printing), oil & gas, and environmental industries. With a team of experienced engineers, scientists and technicians working out of our Montreal office and our 3,800 m2 manufacturing facility, PyroGenesis maintains its competitive advantage by remaining at the forefront of technology development and commercialization. Our core competencies allow PyroGenesis to lead the way in providing innovative plasma torches, plasma waste processes, high-temperature metallurgical processes, and engineering services to the global marketplace. Our operations are ISO 9001:2015 certified, and have been since 1997. PyroGenesis is a publicly-traded Canadian Corporation on the TSX Venture Exchange (Ticker Symbol: PYR) and on the OTCQB Marketplace. For more information, please visit www.pyrogenesis.com

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward- looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation's current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Corporation with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Corporation's ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com , or at www.otcmarkets.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE PyroGenesis Canada Inc.

For further information please contact: Clemence Bertrand-Bourlaud, Marketing Manager/Investor Relations, Phone: (514) 937-0002, E-mail: ir@pyrogenesis.com
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Chitwan, January 8

Ruling Nepal Communist Partys Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal says the main opposition party, Nepali Congress, has agreed to cooperate with the incumbent government on national issues.

Dahal, however, does not clarify what national issues the two parties can cooperate on.

Speaking at a function in his home district of Chitwan today, the former prime minister said ruling and opposition leaders including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba during a meeting on Monday agreed the cooperate on the issues.

Dahals statement comes at the time when the opposition party has decided to form a shadow Cabinet to check the governments activities.

In another context, Dahal said post-earthquake reconstruction activities in the district would be expedited in the district.

Chitwan is not among 14 worst hit districts, hence the reconstruction works were delayed, according to him.
Livelihood concerns of Shanghai citizens in 2018

By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2019-01-08 09:50

At the beginning of 2019, KuRunData China Online Research (a leading online research brand) and the Social Survey Center of Jiefang Daily, jointly conducted a survey of peoples lives in 2018.

The survey lists 20 indexes including labor security, monthly disposable income, medical insurance, air quality, housing price, food and drug security, public transportation and garbage classification, from which the respondents chose those which most concerned them. The 1,000 samples were collected from people aged from 18 to 55 among whom 69.1% have at least a bachelors degree and 51% enjoy a monthly salary of 5,000 to 12,000 yuan.

The statistics show that on the whole, the respondents were satisfied with their lives in 2018, with 70% believing that they are enjoying a happy life.

Living standard, safety and security are what citizens are mostly concerned about with food and drug security topping the list, followed by medical insurance.

Monthly disposable income and annual income are the third aspect people care most about. Over 90% responded positively to their earnings over the last year. For the 16.6% whose income couldnt make ends meet, household daily expenses, housing price and rent, offsprings education and medicine were the main causes.

Concerning becoming a happy person, having a harmonious family, a healthy body, enough income and a rich spiritual life were the top factors the public thought necessary.
New Fuxing bullet train to support travel rush

By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2019-01-08 09:48

As the Chinese start their annual war for snapping up railway tickets for the worlds largest migration, the Spring Festival travel rush, the railway transport authority is ready to take supportive measures to ensure the smooth movement of people.

A CR200J Fuxing bullet train undergoes tests in Shanghai railway section.



At present, the green-colored CR200J Fuxing bullet trains, the latest members of the Fuxing family, are undergoing static and dynamic tests in Shanghai railway section. Once they have passed they will be put into operation in the Yangtze River Delta region for the upcoming peak travel season around the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on February 5 this year.

With a streamlined shape, the newly unveiled bullet trains have a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour and a maximum capacity of 1,102 passengers. Equipped with the same internal service facilities as those of the existing multiple unit trains, this new type of vehicle is not only suitable for all common speed electrified railways, thus avoiding more infrastructure investment and maintenance costs, but safer and more comfortable.

For journeys to their hometown to reunite with families and then returning to their workplace, the Chinese have traditionally favored road and train transportation, especially trains, for the extensive network and lower prices.
Acting North Korean Ambassador to Italy Jo Song-gil, who disappeared with his family last November, escaped to a third country but was discovered by Italian intelligence officials and taken back to Italy and put in protective custody in a secret location. It appears that Jo and his family have failed to win asylum in a foreign country for more than two months. If reports that North Korea dispatched secret agents to Rome to find him but failed are true, their safety could be at risk.

It remains unclear in which foreign country Jo sought asylum. A majority of diplomats who fled North Korea defected to the U.S. or South Korea, and it would be odd if Jo had initially tried a different route. Former North Korean Ambassador to Egypt Jang Sung-gil defected to the U.S. back in 1997, while Kim Jong-un's maternal aunt Ko Yong-suk also gained asylum in the U.S. Thae Yong-ho, the former deputy ambassador in London, and Ko Yong-hwan, a diplomat in the Congo, chose South Korea. Defecting North Korean diplomats are valuable troves of information on the secretive regime and usually welcomed with open arms by the U.S. and the South. The U.S. has been known to expedite asylum proceedings for high-ranking North Korean defectors.

But the situation facing Jo is suddenly completely different. U.S. President Donald Trump is busy trying to package his negotiations with the belligerent North Korean leader as a success and sure to reject Jo if he is considered an obstacle. U.S. officials estimate that it could take months just to debrief him. Jo must also be aware that the Moon Jae-in administration here will not welcome him for fear of upsetting the North in any way and probably fears for his and his family's safety in the South.

The National Intelligence Service told lawmakers that it has not even sought to contact Jo. In other words, it does not want to get involved, even though Jo is automatically a South Korean citizen under the Constitution if he defects. But for the Moon administration, appeasing North Korea is more important than saving the lives of a citizen and his family. The Jos must be feeling desperate. They risked their lives to escape, but are faced with vast indifference from the South Korean and U.S. governments. This is unacceptable.


E-mails containing suspected malicious codes have been sent to scores of journalists who report on inter-Korean affairs, the Unification Ministry said Monday.

The e-mails with the reference line "RE: TF reference info" were sent to 77 former and current reporters accredited to the ministry around 1:20 a.m. that night.

Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said, "Since the start of the new year, there have been many suspicious e-mails camouflaged as coming from the South Korean government or the Unification Ministry," he said. "We're dealing with these hacking and cyber attacks in close cooperation with the National Intelligence Service and police."

He did not say whether North Korea is thought to be behind the attack.

Moon Jong-hyun of cyber security firm ESTsecurity said, "The code and the method used in the latest hacking attack are different from what U.S., Chinese or Russian hacking groups are using, but they're similar to one the North used in an attack on Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power in 2014."

There was a lull in cyber attacks from the North since 2016, but they began increasing again in October last year.


Dongdaemun Market in Seoul is brimming with Chinese live-streamers who document available cheap clothes and accessories on the hoof.

Market traders say that no fewer than 600 Chinese live-streamers operate in APM Place, DDP Mall and other large stores in the market frequented by Chinese shoppers. One store owner at APM Place said, "Out of every 10 Chinese customers, five to six live-stream."

Live-streaming became popular in China after the Taobao Live platform affiliated with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba was launched in 2016. Taobao Live is a combination of e-commerce and web broadcaster.

The live-streamers start their webcasts when the market opens at around 8 p.m. and end at 3 a.m., three to four hours earlier than Korean stall keepers. The timing is designed to coincide with the hours when Chinese people finish work and come home.

One Chinese exchange student identified only by his surname Wang was busy Monday night live-streaming with his older sister who models the accessories and clothes. "I earn about 5,000 yuan a night visiting five stores," Wang said.
A court has issued a summons for ex-President Chun Doo-hwan after he failed to appear at his trial on Monday for defaming victims of his brutal military crackdown on the Gwangju democratic uprising of 1980.

It was the second time Chun (88) failed to show up since August, when his wife said in a statement that his husband is suffering from dementia. The trial has now been postponed until March 11.


Korean-American actor Steven Yeun won the best supporting actor award presented by the U.S. National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) on Sunday for his role in director Lee Chang-dong's film "Burning."

In December last year, Yeun received an award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association for the role in the same movie.

The film is based on the short story "Barn Burning" by Japanese author Haruki Murakami. Yeun plays a mysterious wealthy man who comes across two youngsters, played by Yoo Ah-in and Jeon Jong-seo.

The NSFC's annual awards are among the most prestigious given out in the U.S. film industry.

The film has been nominated for an Academy Award next month for best foreign-language film.
Actress Ko Hyun-jung returned to the small screen on Monday in the sequel to the popular TV series "My Lawyer, Mr. Jo," an adaptation of a Web-based comic.

It is Ko's first TV series since she abruptly stepped down from her role halfway through the hit TV series "Return" after clashing with its producer in early last year.

In the new series, Ko plays a woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants but has her own justification for doing so.

"Despite some concerns about casting her for the role, I believed she was the perfect fit for this ambivalent character. After working with her, I realized again my choice was right," Han Sang-woo, the series' producer, said at a press event ahead of the airing of the first episode on Monday.


North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday morning for a four-day visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government has confirmed.

A train presumably carrying Kim was spotted late Monday night in the Chinese border city of Dandong, where security was suddenly tightened.

Kim is expected to meet with Xi just as North Korea and the U.S. try to pinpoint a location for their next summit.


Thai authorities says a young Saudi woman who was stopped in Thailand as she tried to flee to Australia to seek asylum has left the Bangkok airport and is under the care of the UN refugee agency.

"She is under the care of the UNHCR now but we also sent Thai security to help take care [of her]," the head of Thailand's Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn told reporters about the case of the woman, Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun. He has said she will not be forcibly sent back to Saudi Arabia.

The 18-year-old fled from Kuwait during a family vacation and arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport Saturday night. She had barricaded herself inside her airport hotel room and on Monday made several Twitter posts demanding she be allowed to meet with someone from the UN.

In an earlier video post, Alqunun can be seen pacing inside the hotel room and saying, "I just want to survive."

"My family is strict and locked me in a room for six months just for cutting my hair. I am 100 percent certain they will kill me as soon as I get out of the Saudi jail," she said.


Chinese and Bangladeshi peacekeepers provide security during the camp restoration project in Gao.

By Liu Xiaoshuai

GAO, Jan. 8 (ChinaMil) -- The 6th Chinese peacekeeping engineering detachment to Mali, the Bangladeshi infantry battalion, the Senegalese engineering company, and the Cambodian explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) company have successfully completed the repair mission of a block trench south of the Super Camp of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Gao after a month of concerted efforts.

It is reported that they excavated a block trench with a length of 700 meters, a width of 4 meters, and a depth of 2.5 meters. On its outside, a block wall with 1.5 meters high and 3 meters wide with wire mesh was also needed.

In accordance with the project assignments from the MINUSMA, the Chinese engineering detachment was responsible for the excavation of the trench and the construction of the wall; the Bangladeshi infantry battalion was responsible for safeguarding the construction area; the Senegalese engineering company was responsible for setting up the wire mesh; and the Cambodian EOD company was responsible for searching and clearing explosives in the construction area.

Zhang Biao, head of the 6th Chinese peacekeeping engineering detachment to Mali, said that "With the authorization of the Sector East Command of the MINUSMA, the Chinese engineering detachment led the construction task. This required that we conduct unified command in order to promote coordinated construction."

After years of rain erosion, the original block trench outside the Super Camp in Gao was severely blocked by sediment and basically lost its original defense function. Moreover, it was very urgent that the south side of the campbe repaired because the current security situation in Gao is grim.

Zeng Linsong, the Chinese official in charge of construction, said that "Given that the construction area is covered by sandy soil, it was difficult to drive dump trucks and other wheeled vehicles through it because they usually got trapped. This tested driver's operation skills and raised the difficulty level of the construction."

Its learnt that the Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment used atrack bulldozer to open up two roads, greatly improving construction efficiency.

In addition, the quick-reaction force of the Chinese peacekeeping engineer detachment and the Bangladeshi infantry battalion organized safety and defense drills at the construction site from time to time in order to effectively deal with security threats. Such drills focused on early warning, rapid evacuation, warning and eviction, and treatment of the injured.

Currently, it is very hot and sunny in Gao in day time. During the construction, officers and soldiers had to wear helmets and flak suits at all times and work an average of nine hours a day. As for officers and soldiers carrying out manual operations and operators of the engineering equipment, everyones flak suit would be covered with a layer of dust and their camouflage clothing with sweat stains after just one day of work on the construction site.

The MINUSMA spoke highly of the quality and efficiency of the construction task. "Your construction methods are scientific and efficient, enriching the relevant content of our standard operating procedures," said the director of the Engineering Department of the MINUSMAs Sector East.
BEIJING, January 8 (ChinaMil)Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe met with Apirat Kongsompong, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army in Beijing on Monday afternoon.



Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe meets with the visiting Apirat Kongsompong, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, in Beijing on the afternoon of January 7, 2019. (Photo by Li Xiaowei)

Wei Fenghe said that China and Thailand share a deep and broad traditional friendship, and the Chinese and the Thais are like 'one family'. In recent years, under the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the China-Thailand comprehensive strategic partnership has developed smoothly, and has become a model of good neighborliness and friendship for China to build ties with neighboring countries. The Chinese military regards the Thai military as an important partner and supports Thailand in playing a significant role in regional security. China is willing to work with Thailand to fulfill the consensuses reached by the leaders of the two countries, to enhance strategic communication and multilateral coordination, and to expand practical cooperation with Thailand in such fields as joint training and exercise, equipment technology and personnel training, so that the two sides can promote military cooperation to a new level and jointly safeguard regional security and stability.

Apirat Kongsompong said that Thailand and China are friendly neighbors. In recent years, the relations between the two countries and the two militaries have developed steadily and borne a series of important fruits. Thailands economic and social development has benefited from the vigorous support of China. The Thai military attaches great importance to the development of relations with the Chinese military and is willing to further deepen cooperation in the fields of joint training and exercise, personnel training, and so forth.

General Han Weiguo, Commander of the PLA Army, also attended the meeting.
BUCHAREST, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The dock landing ship Fort McHenry of the United States Navy pulled into the Romanian port of Constanta on Monday for a three-day stopover, the Romanian Navy Staff (SMFN) informed in a press release.

TheFort McHenryis the first American warship to enter the Black Sea since Russia seized three Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait late November.

"During the layover, the leadership of the Command Fleet will receive the visit of the USS Fort McHenry ship representatives and a detachment of the 307 Infantry Marine Regiment will carry out a fact-finding visit on board the U.S. ship," announced the SMFN.

The Whidbey Island-class warship Fort McHenry is embarking the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The Fort McHenry will conduct a series of joint training activities with Romania's King Ferdinand frigate, upon leaving Constanta on Thursday, in Romania's territorial waters and the international waters of the Black Sea.

The last U.S. warship to operate in the Black Sea was the Spain-based guided-missile destroyer Carney that on Aug. 27 ended its third visit there in 2018.

Two other guided-missile destroyers - the Ross and the Porter - also sailed into the sea last year.
The World Bank announced on Tuesday the appointment of Marina Wes as its regional director for Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti.

Prior to this assignment, she was the Country Director for the West Bank and Gaza. She also served at the World Bank as the Country Manager for Poland and the Lead Economist for Turkey.

Wes joined the World Bank in 2000 as an economist in the Europe and Central Asia, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Unit. She has since worked across a range of issues in important emerging markets, including India, Pakistan, Poland, and Turkey.

Before joining the World Bank, Wes worked as a principal economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and at the University of Amsterdam as Assistant Professor in International Finance.

Wes holds a doctorate degree in economics from the London School of Economics. In addition to her work on macroeconomic and growth issues, she also published a number of articles on public finances, trade, and foreign direct investment.

Wes, a Dutch national, is married and has two children.

Short link:


Egypts foreign currency reserves fell to $42.551 billion in December from $44.513 billion in November, the central bank said on Monday, the first drop since a 2016 currency devaluation.

The last time Egypts foreign currency reserves fell was in October 2016, the month before it signed a three-year, $12 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund that included a currency float.

That deal was part of an effort to attract foreign investors who fled during Egypts 2011 uprising.

The central bank did not give reasons for the drop.

It was a surprise, Naeem Brokerage head of research Allen Sandeep said of the development, adding he was unsure of the reasons.

Egypt expects to receive the fifth instalment of its IMF loan, worth $2 billion, in January. That tranche will offset Decembers drop, Sandeep forecast. In January I would think it would go back to the $44 billion mark, he said.

The fifth tranche had been expected in December and the delay has likely contributed to the drop in reserves, said Alia Mamdouh, director of macro and strategy at Beltone Financial.

I dont think its alarming because we are expecting the tranche to be disbursed in January, and 5 billion Euro bonds are expected to be issued in the first half of this year, she said.\

The central bank also had outstanding liabilities of $3 billion in December that would have contributed to the decrease in foreign reserves, said Mamdouh.

Egypt has been pursuing tough economic reforms as part of the IMF programme. In addition to the currency devaluation, reforms have included new taxes and deep cuts to energy subsidies, straining the budget of tens of millions of Egyptians.



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A student has confessed to one of Germanys biggest data breaches, police said on Tuesday, ending the mystery of who hacked Angela Merkel and other public figures, but doing little to ease the embarrassment of cyber security authorities.

Police did not name the 20-year-old but said he lives with his parents and is not a computer expert. Despite that, he managed to access and leak personal data and documents from about 1,000 people, including Chancellor Merkel, other politicians and journalists.

The man was arrested after police searched a property in the central state of Hesse on Sunday evening. Investigators recovered a computer that the suspect had removed two days before the search, and a data backup.

He has been released and is cooperating with investigators.

During the interrogation, the accused admitted to having acted alone in data spying and the unauthorised publication of data, the federal crime office BKA said in a statement.

The investigations have so far provided no indication of the participation of a third party.

Suspicion had fallen on Russian hackers, blamed for most previous German data breaches, although the Kremlin has denied involvement in such incidents.

There was also speculation that the hack may have involved German far-right activists. Prosecutors declined to comment on any political sympathies the suspect may have but said no radical material had been found.

The accused said his motivation had been irritation over public statements made by the politicians, journalists and public figures affected, senior prosecutor Georg Ungefuk said.

Ungefuk told reporters the suspect was repentant and seemed unaware of the full consequences of his actions, adding he had also helped authorities on other matters of interest regarding cyber crime.

The breach has prompted calls for tighter data security laws, especially after the cyber defense agency, BSI, said it was contacted by a lawmaker in early December about suspicious activity on private email and social media.

Sabine Vogt, who heads the federal police division for serious and organized crime, rejected stricter controls, saying it was up to individuals to secure their data.

We dont want a surveillance state based on the fact that something like this can happen here, she told reporters.

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Gaza's Hamas rulers said on Tuesday that its security services had arrested dozens of Palestinians since a botched Israeli raid inside the strip, accusing them of aiding the Jewish state.

The November 11 special forces operation, which Israel said was an intelligence-gathering mission, turned deadly when the undercover soldiers were spotted near Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

The ensuing firefight claimed the lives of an Israeli army officer and seven Palestinian militants, including a local Hamas military commander.

"The security services were able to arrest 45 agents after the security incident east of Khan Yunis last November and they are under investigation," Hamas interior ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozum said in a statement.

He did not say if any of those arrested were suspected of involvent in the November incident.

Following the Khan Yunis shootout, Hamas published photos of eight people and two vehicles it said were linked to the Israeli operation, prompting the Israeli army censor to appeal to the public and media not to republish the images.

"Hamas is attempting to understand and analyse the incident that occurred in Gaza on November 11 and any information, even if it seems harmless by those who distribute it, can endanger lives and put state security at risk," the army said at the time.

Hamas, which launched a major investigation into the botched Israeli mission, did not identify those in the pictures.

The incident prompted Hamas to vow revenge and led to the deadliest escalation between the two sides since a 2014 war.

Palestinian militants in Gaza fired some 460 rockets and mortar rounds at Israel, as well as an anti-tank missile that hit a bus Hamas says was being used by Israel's army.

In all, some 27 Israelis were wounded, three of them severely.

A Palestinian labourer from the occupied West Bank was killed when a rocket hit a building in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon.

Israel hit back with widespread air strikes in the Gaza Strip that saw seven Palestinians killed in 24 hours.

A November 13 ceasefire brokered by Egypt ended the fighting that had raised fears of a fourth war between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza since 2008.

In December a Gaza military court sentenced six people, including a woman, to death for "collaborating" with Israel.

But the interior ministry said they were not directly related to the November incursion.

According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, 28 executions have been carried out in Gaza since Hamas seized control of the coastal enclave in 2007 from rival faction Fatah.

Hamas and its allies have fought three wars with Israel since 2008 and the Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli blockade for a decade.

Israel says the measure is necessary to isolate Hamas and prevent it from obtaining weapons, though critics say it amounts to collective punishment of the territory's two million residents.

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The U.S. decision to withdraw troops from Syria will not jeopardize Washingtons efforts to counter threats in the region, which come from Iran and Islamic State, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday.

Pompeo was in Jordan, making his first visit to the Middle East since President Donald Trumps abrupt announcement that he will pull the 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, which caused alarm among U.S. allies in the region and prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

The U.S. troops in Syria have been fighting against Islamic State and also served as a counterweight to the Syrian government, which is backed by Iran and Russia.

Many of Trumps domestic and international critics have said that withdrawing the troops abruptly could expose Washingtons Kurdish allies to repression from Turkey, and also allow Iran to solidify its influence in Syria.

But Pompeo said Washington was not stepping down from its efforts to challenge Iran. American policy makers were redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran, he said.

There is enormous agreement on the risk that Iran poses to Jordan and other countries in the region, Pompeo added.

Jordan, which has expressed worries in the past about Iranian influence, particularly near the Jordanian border in southern Syria, said Tehran should refrain from meddling in the affairs of its neighbors Syria and Iraq.

We all have problems with Irans expansionist policies in the region, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said.

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The European Union on Tuesday froze the assets of an Iranian intelligence unit and two of its staff, as the Netherlands accused Iran of two killings on its soil and joined France and Denmark in alleging Tehran plotted other attacks in Europe.

The move, although in part symbolic since one of the men is in prison in Belgium, marks the first time the EU has enacted sanctions on Iran since lifting a host of curbs on it three years ago following its 2015 nuclear pact with world powers.

The decision, which includes designating the unit and the two Iranians as terrorists, follows last years disclosure by Denmark and France that they suspected an Iranian government intelligence service of pursuing assassination plots on their soil. Copenhagen sought an EU-wide response.

EU just agreed to enact sanctions against an Iranian Intelligence Service for its assassination plots on European soil. Strong signal from the EU that we will not accept such behaviour in Europe, Denmarks Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said on Twitter.

France, which has already hit the two men and the ministry unit with sanctions, has said there was no doubt the Iranian intelligence ministry was behind a failed attack near Paris.

On Tuesday the Dutch government publicly accused Iran of the plots, as well as two killings in 2015 and 2017, sending a letter to parliament to warn of further economic sanctions if Tehran did not cooperate with European investigations.

The letter signed by the Dutch foreign and interior ministers said Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium met Iranian officials to convey their serious concerns regarding Irans probable involvement in these hostile acts on EU territory.

Iran was informed that involvement in such matters is entirely unacceptable and must be stopped immediately ... further sanctions cannot be ruled out, the letter said.

Iran has denied any involvement in the alleged plots, saying the accusations were intended to damage EU-Iran relations.

Paris accused Iran of a plot to carry out a bomb attack at a rally near Paris organized by an exiled Iranian opposition group. Denmark says it foiled a Iranian intelligence plan to assassinate an Iranian Arab opposition figure on its soil.

On Tuesday, the Netherlands said it had strong indications that Iran was behind the assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin, in 2015 and in 2017. The latter was dissident Iranian Arab activist Ahmad Mola Nissi who was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in front of his home in The Hague.

Iran denies any involvement in the killings.

Sanctions Sensitive

The decision to impose the curbs was taken without debate at an unrelated meeting of Europe ministers in Brussels and the asset freeze comes into effect on Wednesday, EU officials said.

The Danish Foreign Ministry named the two employees as the deputy minister and director general of intelligence, Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, and Assadollah Asadi, a Vienna-based diplomat. Their names are set to appear officially in the EUs Official Journal on Wednesday.

Sanctions on the intelligence ministry, which is under the control of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, are unlikely to change what the European Union says are Irans destabilizing activities in Europe and the Middle East.

The deputy minister and director general of intelligence is in Iran, while the Iranian diplomat was charged and is being held by Belgian authorities. Neither appear to have assets in France, which first imposed the asset freeze late last year.

But imposing economic sanctions on Iran, once the EUs top oil supplier, remains highly sensitive for the bloc.

The EU has been straining to uphold the 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers that U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of in May. It has been less willing to consider sanctions, instead seeking talks with Tehran.

Iran has warned it could ditch the nuclear deal if EU powers do not protect its trade and financial benefits.

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Storms in Lebanon have flooded Syrian refugee camps, ruining tents, mattresses and food and compounding the misery of people enduring powerful winter winds and biting cold.

More than a million Syrians fled to neighbouring Lebanon since war broke out at home in 2011, and U.N. agencies say most live of them live in poverty.

There is almost half a metre of water on the ground and in the tents ... the war in Syria forced us into this situation, said Hussein Zeidan who came to Lebanon from Homs in Syria in 2011.

He lives in a makeshift camp near a river in north Lebanons Akkar region. He and some of its other residents said the storm had left them and their children with no clothes, furniture or food.

Families were moving around in search of dryness and warmth.

Water flooded us in the camp: me and my children. Our situation is bad ... God bless our neighbours, they welcomed us in yesterday night. Today, water flooded them so we came here, as you can see, to this half-built house with no windows or doors, Ghazwan Zeidan, who has three children, said in Akkar.

The U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday that the storm had completely flooded or collapsed 15 informal settlements out of at least 66 that were heavily impacted.

In the Bekaa valley in east Lebanon, the cold temperatures have also brought snow.

Abu Shahid, who fled Hasaka in Syria three years ago with his family, stood in flooded water in an informal camp in Bar Elias village. He described how his tent had completely submerged, damaging all his familys belongings.

The only solution is to leave our things and move, run away with our lives ... Water is everywhere, where do we go?, he said. The previous night, he and his wife and two children had slept in a neighbours tent that was less damaged by the floods.

For 19-year-old Hamed Haj Abu and his relatives, the night was cold and wet.

We did not sleep all night. Some were sleeping for an hour, others were waking up. Water was coming on us, in the tent, from everywhere, he said in Bar Elias.

My brother and his family first came to us, they are living nearby. We all did not sleep, we left the tent all together, we cant sit, look, water is flooding, we cant sleep on water.

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The father of an 18-year-old Saudi woman asylum seeker who fled to Thailand saying she feared her family would kill her, has arrived in Bangkok and wants to meet his daughter, Thailands immigration chief said on Tuesday.

But Rahaf Mohammed al-Qununs father and brother would have to wait and see whether the UN refugee agency would allow them to see her, immigration chief Surachate Hakpan said.

The father and brother want to go and talk to Rahaf but the U.N. will need to approve such talk, Surachate told reporters.

The U.N. refugee agency on Tuesday said it was investigating Qununs case after she fled to Thailand saying she feared her family would kill her if she were sent back to Saudi Arabia.

Activists are concerned about what Saudi Arabia will do after Thai authorities reversed a decision to expel her and allowed Qunun to enter the country under the care of the UNHCR.

The father is now here in Thailand and thats a source of concern, Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watchs deputy director for Asia, told Reuters.

We have no idea what he is going to do ... whether he will try to find out where she is and go harass her. We dont know whether he is going to try to get the embassy to do that.

Qunun is staying in a Bangkok hotel while the UNHCR processes her application for refugee status, before she can seek asylum in a third country.

UNHCR staff were interviewing her on Tuesday after meeting her the day before.

It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps, UNHCRs Thailand representative Giuseppe de Vincentiis said in a statement.

We are very grateful that the Thai authorities did not send back (Qunun) against her will and are extending protection to her, he said.

FAMILY MATTER

Qunun told the world of her dramatic plight on social media, drawing widespread support and concern, which convinced Thai authorities to back down from deporting her back to Saudi Arabia.

She was finally allowed to enter Thailand late on Monday after spending 48 hours at Bangkok airport, some of it barricaded in a transit lounge hotel room.

Lawmakers and activists in Australia and Britain have urged their governments to grant asylum to Qunun.

The Australian government said it had asked Thailand and the UNHCR to process Qununs claim quickly, and it would consider her application for a humanitarian visa once the UNHCR had made its decision

Saudi Arabias embassy in Thailand denied reports that Riyadh had requested her extradition.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has not asked for her extradition. The embassy considers this issue a family matter, the embassy said in a post on Twitter.

The Thai immigration chief said on Monday the embassy had alerted Thai authorities to the case, and said that the woman had run away from her parents and they feared for her safety.

A woman in Britain had launched an online petition calling on Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to grant Qunun asylum and issue her an emergency travel document.

Within hours of launching the petition it had secured thousands of signatures.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Twenty-eight suspects went on trial Tuesday over the assassination of the Russian ambassador two years ago, including a US-based Muslim preacher blamed by Ankara for a failed coup the same year.

Andrei Karlov, 62, was shot dead by an off-duty Turkish policeman at a photo exhibition in Ankara on December 19, 2016, in a shock attack that was captured on camera by photographers attending the event.

The 22-year-old gunman, Mevlut Mert Altintas, shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) and "Don't forget Aleppo", vowing that those responsible for events in Syria would be held accountable.

Altintas was killed shortly after by members of the Turkish special forces.

The Ankara prosecutor has charged 16 of the suspects with "premeditated murder with the intention of causing terror", according to the indictment. The other 12 were charged with "being a member of a terror organisation".

Thirteen are currently in pre-trial detention, while five suspects are on conditional release and appeared in court Tuesday. Six others are being tried in absentia.

Four suspects appeared in court via video conference while nine were under gendarmerie protection in the courtroom.

Those not in Turkey include Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Islamic preacher seen as an arch foe of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and who Ankara blames for the July 2016 coup attempt.

Gulen has denied links to both the failed coup and the murder.

Turkey refers to the organisation as the "Fetullah Terrorist Organisation" (FETO) but followers say it is peaceful, promoting secular education.

During the opening hearing in Ankara, two suspects who had attended the same police academy as Altintas and stood accused of being a member of a terror group denied any links to the Gulen movement.

Bilal Dereli, 26, told the court that he had never been in the same class as Altintas and only knew him by his face.

"I got into police school on the third attempt. If I had a link (to Gulen), I would have immediately been successful," he added.

Dogukan Soylemez, a 26-year-old classmate of Altintas and a former security officer for the health minister, insisted he had no links with Gulen either during his time at school or in his working life.

- 'Attack' on Turkey-Russia ties -

Penalties sought by the prosecution include aggravated life sentences, which have replaced the death penalty in Turkey and carry harsher conditions than normal life imprisonment convictions.

The indictment says the Gulen movement plotted the murder of Karlov, who had been appointed as ambassador in 2013, to "break off bilateral relations" between Turkey and Russia and bring them to the brink of "hot war".

The Kremlin had previously warned against rushing to any assumptions.

But Selim Koru, a Black Sea Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank noted in a report late last year that Russia sent investigators and "if they had different findings, they didn't say".

Turkey and Russia had a dramatic falling out in November 2015 after a Turkish fighter jet shot down a Russian warplane along the Syrian border.

But by the summer of 2016 relations had improved, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan keen to show they are working together to find a solution to the Syrian conflict despite being on opposing sides of the war.

Tens of thousands of people have been arrested over alleged links to Gulen since 2016 in a crackdown criticised by human rights groups and Ankara's Western allies.



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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed Monday that the Islamic State (IS) militant group would not be allowed to regroup as he headed to the Middle East following President Donald Trump's surprise decision to pull US troops from Syria.

Leaving on a trip to eight Arab capitals, Pompeo told reporters he would show that "the United States is still committed to all the missions that we've signed up for with them over the past two years."

The trip comes weeks after Trump announced that the United States would quickly pull its 2,000 soldiers out of Syria, declaring that the IS, also known as ISIS, had been defeated.

His advisers have since been walking back his timeline, with national security adviser John Bolton saying Monday in Jerusalem that the United States would verify that the group is truly defeated before withdrawing.

Highlighting that IS emerged during the tenure of Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Pompeo said the campaign to destroy the movement's self-styled caliphate in war-battered Syria has been "enormously successful."

"And I am confident that we will continue to ensure that the kind of rise that ISIS had under the Obama administration doesn't occur again," he said on his plane as he started his longest trip since taking over as top US diplomat last year.

- Coalition against Iran -

Pompeo opens his trip in Jordan and will deliver an address on Middle East policy in Egypt.

Another major focus of the tour will be sustaining a regional coalition to counter Iran, the main enemy of US allies Saudi Arabia and Israel.

"This is a coalition that understands that the largest threats -- terrorism and the Islamic Republic of Iran -- are things that we ought to work on jointly and we will be marshaling all of the resources, theirs and ours, to achieve them," Pompeo said.

Last year, Trump pulled out of an international accord negotiated under Obama on ending Iran's nuclear program and has instead reimposed biting sanctions.

Pompeo repeatedly has called Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror," pointing to its targeting of domestic rivals in Europe and support of militant movements such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

- Promises from Turkey -

The Trump administration has cited Iran as a reason for maintaining a strong alliance with Saudi Arabia, which Pompeo also will visit, despite the killing and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October.

One of the rare US partners to support the US withdrawal from Syria has been Turkey, whose president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke to Trump before the US leader's December 19 decision.

Pompeo, in an interview before his departure, said that Erdogan has given assurances to Trump not to attack US-allied Kurdish forces who fought IS in Syria.

"President Erdogan made a commitment to President Trump as the two of them were discussing what this ought to look like -- that the Turks would continue the counter-ISIS campaign after our departure and that the Turks would ensure that the folks that we'd fought with, that had assisted us in the counter-ISIS campaign, would be protected," Pompeo told CNBC television.

Pompeo was elaborating on his remark last week that the United States was working to ensure that "the Turks don't slaughter the Kurds" -- a choice of words that angered Turkey, which said the top US diplomat had a "worrying lack of knowledge."

The US-backed Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units form the backbone of the opposition Syrian Democratic Forces, but Erdogan considers them linked to the PKK, which has waged a bloody insurgency inside Turkey in the name of the Kurdish minority.

Bolton is set to hold talks Tuesday in Turkey after meetings in Israel, which has privately worried that Trump's withdrawal would empower Iran, which along with Russia offers military backing to President Bashar al-Assad.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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Egypt's navy said on Tuesday that it has thwarted an illegal migration attempt by 29 people near the Egyptian-Libyan border crossing of Salloum, a statement by Egypt's Armed Forces spokesperson Tamer El-Refai read.

"A rapid naval unit was dispatched to catch a ship that carried 29 individuals of different nationalities attempting illegal migration," the statement said.

The spokesperson said that security forces had discovered a speedboat coming from the Libyan side carrying a number of individuals.

"The naval forces carried out their tasks in securing and protecting the Egyptian maritime borders," the statement said, adding that all the individuals were taken to the Salloum Marina to face legal action.

Cairo has increasingly focused on the migration issue in recent years, working with European nations to tackle the problem.

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed bilateral ties and developments in the Arab world with his visiting Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita in Cairo on Tuesday.

The two top diplomats underscored the importance of bolstering mutual cooperation on all levels including economic and trade ties, the foreign ministry said in a statement published on Facebook.

The duo discussed current challenges facing Arab countries, with a focus on Syria, Libya, Yemen and Palestine.

They stressed on the "importance of strengthening the mechanisms of joint Arab cooperation in order to enhance the capabilities of Arab countries to meet different challenges," foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in the statement.

The two also looked at a number of African, regional and international issued of mutual interest.

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It would appear that everything has already been said about this primary colour: the sea, the sky, boys, the blazer, the uniforms of pilots or the monochrome of Yves Klein. For some its a royal colour, for others the colour of the flag. One thing is certain: blue is everywhere.

Blue dominates our everyday lives, so much so that we often forget its meaning. So lets start by trying to understand it better. First of all it represents peace, calm and infinity. Even if it is considered a cold colour, it is nevertheless associated with a feeling of warmth when linked with the sky (fine weather) and the ocean (lagoons, holidays). Blue is also an elegant and classic colour that reflects light. It is one of the basics of mens fashion and is found as much on the suits of Savile Row as on Japanese jeans.

This is another of its particularities. There is not just one blue but many shades of blue. In fact, there are nearly a hundred! There are those of the kings, the smurfs, Chelsea (royal blue), Manchester United (sky blue), topaz, sapphire and Bugatti!

Culturally speaking, blue covers a vast palette.

In Iran, it is the colour of mourning. In China, it is the colour of immortality. While many countries proudly display it on their flags, it is a symbol of defeat for Cherokee Indians. The colour can also be a feeling (the blues or blue devils) or a musical genre (blues, from the French term bluette, or the blue note that gives the blues its particular sound).

Blue is therefore omnipotent, a federator but also much more complex than it seems.

But what about watches?

Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Apollo 8  Omega

For many years, the dominant colours of watch dials were black, white, champagne and the occasional shade of grey. With the exception of a few components (blued hands), blue was ignored by the post-war watch industry for many years.

Some brands tried to break with this convention at the end of the 1960s. There were the dark-blue dials of the Omega Seamaster Ploprof (1970), the Bulova Oceanographer, the Heuer Carrera (Ref. 1553N), Skipper and Monaco (Ref 1133B), the Tudor Submariner Ref. 7021 and 9411 and the different shades of blue on the Seiko chronographs of the 1970s (Seiko Kakume 6138).

Slowly but surely, blue started to make its way into our watches, mainly on the dials.

Nevertheless, it remained in the minority, even though it had everything going for it. For some it was too sporty, while for others it could only go with the yellow-gold case of a dress watch. Blue suffered from a positioning that was too vague and the preserve of the avant-garde.

We had to wait a number of years for a reversal of this trend.

Its difficult to say exactly when blue became a fashionable colour in watches, but I would tend to put the date at around 2014/2015. From this point, we started to see the colour everywhere. There were conservative blues (Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Blancpain), lighter blues (Rolex) and funky blues (Doxa Project Aware).

But yet again, the colour was restricted to the dials.

We had to wait for the arrival of ceramic for the colour to embrace our watches as a whole.

Hublot and Omega were the first brands to join to race for colours. Omega started by offering the Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon in black, steel grey and later in white. The famous  and controversial  White Side of the Moon deserves closer attention. For many, it is a ladies watch but I believe that it works just as easily on a mans wrist, as long as he is willing to defy conventions.

Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon and Speedmaster White Side of the Moon  Omega

Hublot took up the baton and launched other case colours, for its ceramic and sapphire watches. More recently, red has started to dominate the innovative colour palette of the Big Bang collection. But before that, blue had been in favour at the Nyon factory.

In 2017, Omega pushed the boundaries even further by launching the first watch that was completely blue: the Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon.

Like its white sister, the blue Speedy is a watch that attracts or repels but leaves nobody indifferent. And thats why we need to talk about it!

Why Omega?

There is no need to dwell on the brand from Bienne. Nor indeed on the Speedmaster. So why is this new version of the Speedmaster different for Omega?

First of all, the brand is known for its classic, solid and timeless qualities. The coloured Speedmasters are therefore an attempt to distance itself a little from this rather conservative image. In 2014, Omega surprised the small world of watchmaking with the Dark Side of the Moon, the first all-black ceramic watch.

It was well received, a huge commercial success  proof that Speedmaster fans were looking for something different.

Omega thus hardly needed convincing to enlarge this Dark Side family. The black case is now available with several different dials, either all-black or with a vintage touch.

Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon  Omega

But it was the White Side of the Moon that pushed things even further in 2015. Too far, according to some people. Public opinion didnt seem to be quite ready for an all-white model. But, as already mentioned, I thought this Snowmaster was a success, apart from a few teething problems like its too feminine positioning and the cheap look of its strap.

Omega could have stopped there.

But no

In 2016, Omega added a moonphase to the Speedmaster Coaxial, as well as a new Master Chronometer chronograph movement. It tried to elevate the Speedmaster above its sporty image and offer it a complication worthy of its lunar heritage.

Once again, it was well received.

Enough to stimulate yet more creativity in the minds at the brand: the Blue Side of the Moon, a totally blue version of the Speedmaster Co-Axial Moon Phase, launched at Baselworld in 2017.

The Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon: when the blues put a smile on your face

The Blue Side of the Moon is a nice piece of watchmaking technology.

Omega wanted to use this moonphase model to show its technical, technological and aesthetic capabilities.

As far as the technical side of things is concerned, the Speedmaster is powered by one of the most sophisticted automatic chronograph movements on the market (featuring the Co-Axial escapement invented by George Daniels, which reduces the need for lubrication and improves shock resistance). It meets the most demanding precision requirements (METAS), is completely unaffected by magnetic fields up to 15,000 Gauss and combines several functions such as the chronograph, moon phase and date on the dial.

Calibre Omega Master Co-Axial 9904  Omega

The movement can be admired through a sapphire crystal case back that is slightly domed, which adds even more charm to the general outline of the watch.

On the technological side, Omega shows off its expertise in the use of new materials. We already knew that Omega had the ability to produce coloured ceramic, but producing blue ceramic is a lot harder than producing it in white or black. Nevertheless, Omega managed it. All the visual elements on the watch are in blue ceramic: the case, the bezel, the moonphase disc, the chronograph pushers, the crown, the dial and even the folding clasp. The tachymeter scale on the Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon is in Liquidmetal, another innovative material developed by Omega.

Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon  Omega

For the aesthetics, apart from the use of blue, Omega adds a few touches of red (the Speedmaster indication, the tip of the central chronograph hand and the date indicator). White can be found on the hour markers and the scales (date, chronograph, tachymeter). With a 44.25mm Speedmaster case it might seem a little big, but it is perfectly wearable!

The strap, which I will come to in more detail very soon  is in blue alligator leather.

Before handing over to the devils advocate, its worth pointing out that Omega launched  discreetly  a new version of the Blue Side, with a magnificent aventurine dial, Sedna gold accents and a slightly darker blue ceramic.

Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon featuring a blue aventurine dial  Omega

What does the devils advocate think?

When it was first presented, the Omega Blue Side of the Moon caused a lot of discussion on watch forums.

It doesnt leave people indifferent and that is part of its appeal. Its also its main disadvantage. Its difficult to see the Blue Side of the Moon as a unique watch. It is part of a collection and I dont see anyone being able to wear it daily. It must be appreciated and alternated with other more classic or everyday watches.

A ceramic watch also requires particular care. It may be almost unscratchable but it is also quite fragile. Despite its hardness, it is nevertheless sensitive to shocks. So dont drop it and be careful around door and window frames!

Then there is the strap. It is high quality but its blue does not match the blue of the case. And while the blue of the case will never change, the blue of the strap will evolve over time. And we all know how hard it can be to match different shades of blue.

Omega should have opted either for a strap in a stable material (synthetic, rubber) that matches the colour of the case exactly, or completely break with the monochrome look and go for a dark-brown, grey or even red strap!

Finding the perfect strap for your Omega Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon will therefore be a challenge, but its one that is worth taking on.

So how should you wear your Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon?

Lets start with the strap: I only see one option. Go for a bespoke strap made by one of the specialists who offer enough options to meet the needs of such a demanding watch. I can only think of two companies that are up to the challenge: ABP (Atelier du Bracelet Parisien) and Combat Straps (Aaron Pimentel).

The ideas I have had for this Speedy go from a light denim strap to a dark-brown calfskin and a military green canvas or a titanium shade of leather. This choice will be critical and could take you some time.

Once youve dressed your Omega, its time to dress yourself!

The shirt needs to be classic in light blue or white. Why not try a polo shirt that reflects the shade of the bracelet rather than that of the watch? A blazer with patch pockets would be ideal, too. Avoid cuts that are too formal or too British. The blue Speedy has a southern, Italian edge, Dolce Vita! So consider the styles of Eleventy or Brunello Cucinelli. If you want to add a touch of folly, take a look at Bob  I love the off-beat style of some of their creations.

To complete the look, go for a classic pair of trousers but with a drawstring fastening. Youll find the best at Suit Supply, either in off-white linen or summer wool.

Finally, a pair of Playtime sneakers (Berluti) or Tods moccasins will match this Italian style perfectly.

Once youre ready, you can go and enjoy a glass of the finest Chianti, the best pizza in town and a tiramisu.

Then the sky will be midnight blue and it will be time to hit the town
Workers check a CR200J train at the China Railway Shanghai Group Co., ltd. in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 6, 2019. The CR200J train, with a centralized power system that runs 160-km-per-hour, will be put into use before the Spring Festival travel rush in 2019.(Xinhua/Chen Fei)

Chinas Spring Festival travel rush will begin on Jan. 21, and the country is already gearing up to guarantee the smooth operation of services during the largest annual human migration on earth.

According to a national television conference on the Spring Festival travel rush this Monday, a total of 406 million rail trips are expected to be made during this period, up 30.89 million, or 8.2 percent from the year before. It will be the first time for passenger volume to exceed 400 million during the Spring Festival travel rush.

Guo Zhuxue, vice president of the China Railway Corporation, noted that the country would further expand the frequency and coverage of its Fuxing bullet trains. The longest Fuxing high-speed train made up of 17 cars, as well as the centrally powered electric Fuxing trains with a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour, will both join the travel campaign for the first time this year, Guo disclosed.

Chinas railway system will handle over 10 million passengers per day during the travel rush, and over 60 percent of the passengers will take high-speed trains to go home.

Last year, China built 86,000 kilometers of road, including 6,000 kilometers of expressway, bringing the total road mileage to 4.86 million km. With 190 million private cars now running across the country, China is bound to see a higher ratio of people hitting the road during the Spring Festival travel rush. Expressways will continue to be free for small-sized passenger vehicles during this years Spring Festival holiday, disclosed Vice Minister of Transport Liu Xiaoming.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- World Bank Group (WBG) President Jim Yong Kim announced on Monday that he will be stepping down from his position after more than six years at the international lending institution.

World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva will assume the role of interim president effective Feb. 1, the World Bank said in a statement.

Kim's resignation from the World Bank came unexpected as he was appointed to a second five-year term as president of the multilateral development bank in 2016.

Kim first became the 12th president of the World Bank on July 1, 2012. Before this post, he served as president of the famous U.S. academic institution Dartmouth College.

"The work of the World Bank Group is more important now than ever as the aspirations of the poor rise all over the world, and problems like climate change, pandemics, famine and refugees continue to grow in both their scale and complexity," Kim said Monday in a statement.

"Serving as President and helping position the institution squarely in the middle of all these challenges has been a great privilege," he said.

Immediately after his departure, Kim will join a firm and focus on increasing infrastructure investments in developing countries, the World Bank said, adding the details of this new position will be announced shortly.

During his tenure at the World Bank, Kim has reinforced the growing partnership with China in the areas of poverty reduction, development finance, infrastructure investment, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"We are now working with China on international development issues, through the World Bank's International Development Association, through South-South learning initiatives, through China's international development initiatives such as China-Africa cooperation," Kim told Xinhua in an exclusive interview in late October.

Kim also said the World Bank is "well positioned" to support BRI projects with its experience in similar trade and connectivity projects, its unique institutional setup covering private and public sectors, and its range of financial and non-financial services such as guarantees and settlement of investment disputes.

"The WBG can, for instance, advise on the economic viability of infrastructure investments, complementary policy and regulatory reforms, and the application of environmental, social and fiduciary standards," he said.

Reflecting on China's reform and opening-up over the past 40 years, Kim said that has transformed the country into the world's second largest economy and provided valuable lessons for other developing countries to achieve economic success and alleviate poverty.

"Understanding the path China traveled, historical decisions made, and their effects on the course of China's economy can inform decision makers hoping to achieve similar outcomes in their countries and for their populations," he said.
Authorities should intensify the fight against monopoly practices in the supply of pharmaceutical ingredients to ensure the supply of commonly used drugs, experts said.

"Price monopolies of pharmaceutical ingredients have been common in recent years, but punishment of such behavior is too lenient to stop it from occurring," said Shi Lichen, founder of Beijing Dingchen Consultancy, a medical consulting company in Beijing. "In many cases, producers raise prices by dozens of multiples, so they should be fined accordingly. They should pay heavy enough penalties."

All the major culprits, including company executives, should also be punished, rather that just levying fines on companies, he said.

Shi made the comment following the announcement by the State Administration for Market Regulation that two drug companies in China had been fined more than 12 million yuan ($1.7 million) for monopoly practices over a major ingredient flu drugs.

Henan Jiushi Pharmaceutical Co, based in Huixian, Henan province, the largest domestic producer of chlorphenamine, and Hunan Erkang Pharmaceutical Co, a drug seller in Liuyang, Hunan province, have colluded and cooperated closely over the past year to abuse their dominant role in the domestic market for profit, the administration said in a statement last week.

Chlorphenamine, an active pharmaceutical ingredient, is used to produce more than 2,000 drugs that treat allergies and flu. Some are in common use and in high demand.

The companies' monopoly practices included selling the ingredients at unfair prices, forcing buyers to purchase related accessories and refusing to sell by claiming that they were sold out.

In July, the price of the ingredients increased from 400 yuan per kilogram to 23,300 yuan per kg in just a month, causing some drugs to be in short supply, according to media reports. Monopoly practices were behind the price rise, the reports said.

The two companies' monopoly practices pushed up the prices of the raw material, resulted in suspension of production by some other drug companies and damaged the interests of many patients, the administration said.

Shi, from Beijing Dingchen Consultancy, said the punishments handed down to the two companies are heavier than previous cases.

In recent years shortages in drug supplies caused by monopoly practices over ingredients have become more common largely due to the rapidly decreasing number of producers of active drug ingredients across China, he said.

"Many smaller companies have been closed under heavy environmental pressure in recent years in Hebei province, which neighbors Beijing and is a major pharmaceutical production base in China. And the situation is similar in other areas," he said.

In some cases, only two or three producers are left to produce pharmaceutical ingredients for the whole country, which is essentially a monopoly, he said.

Xiong Weizheng, chairman of Henan Lingrui Pharmaceutical Co, in Xinyang, Henan province, said the threshold for production of drug ingredients should be lowered, so more companies can enter the field.

Meanwhile, drug authorities should intensify supervision over production of pharmaceutical ingredients to ensure quality and adequate market competition, he said.

The State Administration for Market Regulation said it will intensify antimonopoly law enforcement and maintain a fair environment for competition to protect the rights of businesses and patients.
ANKARA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton and his delegation arrived in Ankara on Monday to discuss security arrangement as the U.S. troops withdraw from Syria.

Talks between U.S. and Turkish officials scheduled for Tuesday are expected to focus on the coordination of regional security following U.S. troops pullout from Syria, the roadmap for Syria's Manbij, and the fight against Islamic State (IS) and other terror groups, reported Anadolu Agency.

The sale of U.S. Patriot air defense systems and extradition of Fethullah Gulen, U.S.-based preacher, are among the topics as well.

Monday's visit comes a day after Bolton said the U.S. will not withdraw troops from Syria unless the Turkish government guarantees it won't attack Kurdish fighters.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar responded on Monday, saying that Turkey's fight isn't against Kurds but against the People's Protection Units (YPG) and IS group.

Ankara sees the YPG as the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey. However, the United States has supported the YPG to combat the IS in Syria.

The U.S. delegation is due to leave on Tuesday.
Located on Wangfujing Street, a crowded and busy scenic spot in Beijing, sits a 70-square-meter open-air smoking areathe largest and the most deluxe one among its peers in the Chinese capital, but its presence is also controversial.

The program is called Yanker, which shares the pronunciation of Yan Ke in Chinese, which means people who smoke cigarettes. It is equipped with 18 stainless-steel seats and includes 13 stainless-steel ashtray poles.

As it is located right along the emergency evacuation route of nearby shopping malls, the smoking area looks garish and some tourists mistake it as a resting place, with some even bringing their children to find a seat.

The installation quickly triggered debate online, with some calling it disturbing for being located in a public place, worried that it will do harm to underage travelers in the area, where tens of thousands of people visit every day.

But others have shown a more welcoming attitude toward such a smoking areas. I dont think its too bad. But it would be better if a canopy is installed so the smoke and smell doesnt spread everywhere, a netizen commented.

We have the right to express our dissatisfaction, regardless of how or why it was built. Even if there is plenty of money to continue the program, they still cant pour money into something thats wrong, said Cui Xiaobo, the deputy secretary general of Beijing Tobacco Control Association (BTCA).

Beijing banned smoking in public in 2010 and a nationwide ban came into effect in 2014, restricting all smokers indoors. Smokers who violate the regulation can face a penalty of up to 500 yuan ($72.9). The ban, however, does allow for smoking areas to be set up, which must be covered and located in an area that is relatively far from crowds. They must also include a sign warning about possible health hazards.

Beijing health authorities said the open-air smoking area violates the regulation and is also poses a potential fire hazard for its location along an evacuation route. However, the strictest punishment for such violations is a rectification order, The Beijing News reported.
RAMALLAH, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat condemned on Monday a tour of senior U.S. officials to the occupied Old City of Jerusalem.

Erekat said in a statement that the tour which was participated by John Bolton, the U.S. national security advisor, and David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, accompanied by Israeli officials, is a violation of international law and resolutions.

He added that the U.S. administration has pushed the Middle East quickly into "violence, chaos, extremism and bloodshed."

The PLO also slammed Bolton's statement that the Israel has right to defend itself, saying that "the occupation, field executions, killing of the innocent and house demolitions" is not self defense, but "war crimes."

Bolton, who arrived in Israel on Saturday, said that the Israeli-U.S. relation is at its best under the administrations of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, voicing his country's support for Israel.

Before meeting Netanyahu, Bolton visited the Western Wall in the Old City in East Jerusalem and toured the tunnels there.

Under international law, the Old City of Jerusalem is considered as occupied territory.

The Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, while Israel wants all Jerusalem to be its eternal capital.

Israel annexed East Jerusalem in the 1967 war and declared the whole city as its eternal indivisible capital in 1980, a move that has not been recognized by the international community.

In December 2017, Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and decided to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the city.

The Palestinians described the move as a provocation and a flagrant violation of international law. They disqualified the United States from being the sole sponsor of the peace process with Israel and called for an international multilateral peace mechanism to overlook peace negotiations.

The Palestinians have boycotted the U.S. administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in May 2018.

They said in several statements that Trump's "deal of the century" falls way short of their expectations and aspirations for lasting and just peace settlement.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, speaks during a meeting for China's publicity officials in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 6, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Wang Huning on Sunday called for better work in publicity under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

Wang, a member of Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a meeting for China's publicity officials.

He underscored the importance of successfully fulfilling publicity and ideological work to boost the development of the CPC and the country.

The publicity work of this year should be promoted around the theme of celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, to inspire the people to work hard jointly, he said.

He underlined "strengthening the overall Party leadership over the publicity and ideological work," and "holding firmly the CPC's leading position in ideological work."

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting.
BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation regulator said Monday that the country aimed to expand its fixed-asset investment in the civil aviation sector to 85 billion yuan (about 12.41 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019.

This was compared with 81 billion yuan made in 2018, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Total transport turnover of the country's civil aviation industry was expected to rise 11.8 percent year-on-year to 136 billion tonne-kilometers in 2019, said Feng Zhenglin, head of the CAAC, at a work conference.

Passenger transport volume as well as cargo and mail transport volume are likely to increase 11 percent and 5.7 percent respectively this year, according to the CAAC.

Feng said the civil aviation industry had made remarkable achievements last year, with the total transport turnover up 11.4 percent year-on-year to 120.64 billion tonne-kilometers.

In 2018, 167 new international flight routes were launched, with 105 of them linking domestic cities with countries along the Belt and Road, taking number of China's total flight routes to 4,206.

Efforts will be made to push forward the construction of Beijing's new international airport and ensure its opening to air traffic at the end of September this year, Feng said.

He said as of the end of 2018, 55.49 billion yuan had been invested Beijing Daxing International Airport. The new airport is expected to handle 45 million passengers annually by 2021 and 72 million by 2025.
Overseas Chinese youth in U.S. awarded for excelling in painting, calligraphy

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- An awards ceremony to honor the winners of a regional preliminary in an international art competition of overseas Chinese youth was held Sunday at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in the U.S. town of Yorba Linda in California.

More than 200 entries submitted between October and mid-December last year graced the preliminary in Los Angeles for the seventh edition of the biennial International Chinese Youth Painting and Calligraphy Competition. It was the first time that the contest was held in Los Angeles as a sub-region.

Ten pieces of work entered the final stage of the local contest, with Chinese cultural elements, creativity and coloring being the decisive factors in the judging. Among the winners was Feng Chi, 16, who took the Grand Prize with a landscape painting of landmark architectures in China, the United States, France and Britain.

He said it took 80 hours to complete his entry, adding "I'm extremely honored for winning the prize, and also surprised because I'm competing against a lot of very talented youth."

Winners will compete in the final in Beijing.

Well-known Chinese American artist Ding Shaoguang praised the local winning pieces of work as being of impressive imagination.

He said children are the most imaginative human beings, and "will hence be the only force in tomorrow's art world to counter the artificial intelligence" which is likely to outrun people in art where reproducibility matters like painting techniques.

The contest in Los Angeles was multi-sponsored by overseas Chinese and U.S.-China cultural exchange organizations including the Beijing Returned Overseas Chinese Federation.

Li Hong, head of the organizing committee, said the local event was also held to mark the 40th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic ties.

"So it's very meaningful to hold the local competition," Li added.

Tara Campbell, mayor of Yorba Linda, said, "I'm proud to say that we are hosting the event. We cherish cultural enrichment and it gives the opportunity to learn from one another."

The awards ceremony was attended by nearly 300 people including Chinese and U.S. officials, artists and business figures.
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rustythedog/iStock(NAPA, Calif.) -- Police have arrested a middle school student who allegedly planned to carry out mass shootings at schools in Northern California.



The Napa Police Department disclosed the arrest in a statement on Monday, saying it had thwarted potential shootings at River Middle School and Vintage High School in Napa, California, during winter break earlier this month.

Police opened an investigation on Dec. 31, when a student at River Middle School told authorities that a 14-year-old classmate had been planning an attack, the department said in a statement. The student gave police evidence about the alleged plot and police arrested the suspect on Jan. 2, after executing search warrants at two homes in Napa, where officers found "further evidence related to the planning and research of a mass shooting incident," according to the statement.



"When the victim told the student they were going to report this to police and parents, the suspect student threatened to kill the victim," the department said. "The victim was able to provide evidence related to the threats against NVUSD [Napa Valley Unified School District] students as well as the specific threats against the victim."

The suspect, whose identity was withheld, was still in custody as of Monday, police said.



The department said it interviewed several students as a part of its ongoing investigation. It also praised the student who came forward for averting a potential tragedy.

"We want to praise the victim for coming forward and talking to their parents and the police," the department said. "We believe based on the information collected at this point, this was possibly a tragedy averted and are thankful for the information provided to us."



Police did not say if the suspect would face criminal charges.



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